Connect with us
Sunday,25-October-2026
Breaking News

International News

Israel Attack: Congress Leader Priyanka Gandhi Expresses Shock After India Abstains From Voting At UN For Ceasefire In Gaza

Published

on

New Delhi, October 28: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday expressed shock over India abstaining from the voting for a ceasefire in Gaza, and slammed the Central government saying that refusing to take a stand and watching in silence as every law of humanity is pulverised in Palestine is being annihilated goes against everything our country has stood for.

She also said that our country is founded on the principles of non-violence and truth and they represent the moral courage of India that guided its actions as a member of the international community.

‘An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind’

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Priyanka Gandhi said: “’An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind’, Mahatma Gandhi. I am shocked and ashamed that our country has abstained from voting for a ceasefire in Gaza.”

‘Our country was founded on the principles of non-violence and truth’

Reminding of the principles of India, she said that our country was founded on the principles of non-violence and truth, principles for which our freedom fighters laid down their lives, these principles form the basis of the Constitution that defines our nationhood. “They represent the moral courage of India that guided its actions as a member of the international community,” the Congress leader said.

“To refuse to take a stand and watch in silence as every law of humanity is pulverised, food, water, medical supplies, communication and power is cut off to millions of people and thousands of men, women and children in Palestine are being annihilated goes against everything our country has stood for throughout its life as a nation,” Priyanka Gandhi added.

Her remarks came after India abstained in the UNGA from voting

Her remarks came after India on Friday abstained in the UN General Assembly from voting on a draft resolution submitted by Jordan, that called for an immediate humanitarian truce in the Israel-Hamas conflict, as it did not make any mention of the terrorist group Hamas.

In a first, India has voted against a UN General Assembly resolution backing the Palestine cause. India’s opposition to the resolution on Friday was because it failed to condemn Hamas for its terrorist attack and the Assembly rejected an amendment supported by New Delhi that would have named the terror group. India’s Deputy Permanent Representative Yojna Patel said after the vote: “The terror attacks in Israel on October 7 were shocking and deserve condemnation.”

‘Our thoughts are also with those taken hostages’

“Violence as a means to achieve political objectives damages indiscriminately, and does not pave the way for any durable solutions. The terror attacks in Israel on October 7 were shocking and deserve condemnation. Our thoughts are also with those taken hostages. We call for their immediate and unconditional release. Terrorism is a malignancy and knows no borders, nationality, or race. The world should not buy into any justification of terror acts. Let us keep aside differences, unite and adopt a zero-tolerance approach to terrorism,” she added.

Even Indian Overseas Congress Secretary Virendra Vashisth on Friday met Palestine Ambassador to India in solidarity. “Our foundation with Palestine from first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru era to all successive prime ministers and it was the reason why the government had to change its statement earlier. And non violence and peace is the only way to find a solution and we also follow the policy of zero tolerance omn terrorism,” he said.

Fighting in the Gaza Strip has entered day 22

Fighting in the Gaza Strip has entered day 22 after Hamas members launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing at least 1,400 people on October 7. Since the October 7 Hamas attack, Gaza’s health ministry has said that Israel’s retaliatory bombardments have killed more than 7,000 Palestinians.

International News

Iran’s supreme leader meets judiciary chief, urges compensation for US-Israeli ‘crimes’

Published

on

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has stressed the need for “serious” efforts to pursue the Iranian people’s rights and ensure the payment of compensation for the damages inflicted on the country during the US-Israeli attacks.

The issues were highlighted in a meeting between the supreme leader and the country’s Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, according to a statement published on the leader’s website on Saturday.

Among the issues underlined during the meeting were promoting justice, safeguarding public rights, fighting corruption and its root causes effectively, handling judicial cases promptly, precisely and decisively, enforcing judicial rulings in a timely and deterrent manner, and bringing about a “comprehensive and tangible” transformation in the country’s judicial apparatus.

The other matters included the necessity to draw up plans and make efforts to decisively fight crimes as well as to seriously pursue the restoration of the Iranian people’s rights and compensation for the material and non-material damages resulting from the “crimes perpetrated by the US-Israeli criminals,” reports Xinhua news agency.

On February 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities.

Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US bases and assets in the region, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Friday raised the prospect of renewed military strikes against Iran, claiming that the United States could seize all of the country’s oil or even take over the entire country.

“Iran is not able to do much now. And we could, if we wanted to, just take all of the oil,” Trump told reporters as he left the White House for a rally in Florida. “We could take the whole country.”

Asked about US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz saying the conflict with Iran could drag on for another year, Trump said: “We could end it very quickly … The question is, ‘Do we want to finish it off or do we just want to let it wither?'”

Later at the Florida rally, Trump suggested another military operation against Iran was possible.

“We may do another little Epic Fury,” he told attendees, referring to the large-scale US military operation against Iran launched on February 28 alongside a coordinated Israeli offensive.

Trump’s latest remarks came amid reports that the US and Israeli militaries have drawn up plans for renewed strikes against Iran after the US midterm elections. However, whether Trump will ultimately authorise another military operation remains uncertain, according to US media reports.

Continue Reading

International News

Iranian Speaker Qalibaf unable to attend BRICS Parliamentary Forum in New Delhi

Published

on

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf will be unable to attend the Meeting of Speakers of the Parliaments of BRICS Member Countries in New Delhi next week due to “certain unforeseen circumstances”, the Embassy of Iran in New Delhi stated on Saturday.

The Parliament of India will host the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum on October 26-27 in the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan.

“The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in New Delhi wishes to inform that, due to certain unforeseen circumstances, H.E. Dr. Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, will be unable to attend the Meeting of Speakers of the Parliaments of BRICS Member Countries in New Delhi,” read a statement issued by the Iranian Embassy on Saturday.

“It is also emphasised that the parliamentary delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran will participate in the meeting. As one of the members of BRICS, Iran reaffirms its commitment to active and effective participation at the highest levels in the summits and meetings of this grouping,” it added.

According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, the country’s delegation will continue its dialogue and consultations with delegations from BRICS member countries in New Delhi, with a view to expanding and deepening bilateral and multilateral cooperation, particularly in the field of parliamentary relations and cooperation.

“The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran also expresses its sincere appreciation to the Government of the Republic of India for its gracious hospitality and the arrangements made to host this meeting. It wishes the Meeting of Speakers of the Parliaments of BRICS Member Countries every success and hopes that it will yield constructive outcomes towards strengthening cooperation and engagement among member countries,” the statement added.

Several global parliamentary leaders will assemble in New Delhi for the conference being hosted under India’s chairship on the theme of people-centric development.

Earlier this week, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla mentioned that the conference marks a new chapter in the history of India’s parliamentary diplomacy. It will bring together Presiding Officers and parliamentary leaders from BRICS member and partner countries, Union Ministers, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh, Presiding Officers of State Legislatures, Members of Parliament and other dignitaries.

The Lok Sabha Speaker stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would grace the event and meet the leaders of the visiting delegations.

He further stated that the conference would feature bilateral and multilateral interactions with the leaders of visiting delegations and parliamentary friendship groups. A meeting of the Secretaries of the delegations will be held on Monday to finalise the Joint Statement of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum.

Highlighting the central theme of the programme, he said that the forum would deliberate on the overarching theme of ‘Strengthening Parliaments for People-Centric Development’.

He added that, building on the legacy of the BRICS Parliamentary Forum, the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum would facilitate consensus-based dialogue through four high-level sessions, titled Resilience: The critical role of parliaments in strengthening institutions to ensure a better future; Innovation: Promoting human-centred innovation in artificial intelligence and digital technologies through parliaments; Cooperation: Ensuring a more representative system of global governance through parliamentary cooperation; and, Sustainability: The role of parliaments in ensuring a sustainable and inclusive future for our countries.

Members of the delegations will visit the Parliament of India and also enjoy cultural visits in Delhi.

Continue Reading

International News

Hindu American parents push US teachers to rethink how Hinduism is taught

Published

on

A Hindu American parents’ group is taking its campaign to change how Hinduism is taught in American schools directly to teachers, saying it found educators receptive to “accurate and culturally sensitive” material at a New Jersey conference attended by about 200 teachers.

The Hindu Parents Network (HPN) said it sponsored an interactive session on “Accurate and Culturally Sensitive Teaching of Hinduism in a Changing World” at the 2026 New Jersey Teachers Conference.

The session “addressed common misrepresentations, discussed classroom challenges, and shared practical resources to support educators”, the group said in a message to supporters on Friday.

“The response was overwhelmingly positive. Educators recognised the need for accurate resources and welcomed practical solutions,” it said.

“What if we could transform how thousands of students understand Hindu Dharma and history by empowering the educators who teach them?” the group asked, as it appealed for funds to take the effort nationwide.

HPN said it wants to develop “accurate, classroom-ready educational resources”, reach more educators through conferences and workshops, and “work with school districts to address misrepresentations”.

The group says its goal is to ensure “the next generation learns about Hindu dharma through resources that are bias-free, accurate, culturally sensitive, and respectful”.

In its mid-year report, HPN said it supported six new engagements with school districts in 2026 over curriculum bias, misrepresentation of Hindus and culturally sensitive teaching.

The group publishes “Hinduism for Schools” handbooks for primary and secondary classes and free lesson plans, slides and quizzes on topics such as Holi, which it says are meant to complement textbooks.

Earlier this month, HPN launched an educational video for Hindu Heritage Month on the contributions of Hindu civilisation.

Indian American and Hindu American groups have for years contested the portrayal of Hinduism in US textbooks, most prominently in California’s history-social science curriculum debates.

The push comes at a sensitive time for the community. Hindu American organisations have reported a rise in online hate, and lawmakers have demanded a federal hate-crime investigation into the foiled plot at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, on October 11.

New Jersey has one of the largest Indian American populations in the country.

Continue Reading

Trending