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More than a year into Israel's war against Hamas, "nearly 100 per cent" of Gaza's population has been plunged into poverty with a ruined economy and "staggering" unemployment, the UN said today.

In the occupied West Bank, where violence has also surged since Hamas's October-7 attack last year that sparked the war in Gaza, the situation "has been equally concerning", the UN's International Labour Organisation said.

"The impact of the war in the Gaza Strip has taken a toll far beyond loss of life, desperate humanitarian conditions and physical destruction," Ruba Jaradat, ILO's regional director for Arab States, said in a statement.

"It has fundamentally altered the socioeconomic landscape of Gaza," she warned. "The impact will be felt for generations to come."

In the Gaza Strip, "nearly 100 percent of the population now lives in poverty", ILO said.

It warned that "the significant economic contraction in the West Bank is estimated to have more than doubled the short-term poverty rate, rising from 12 percent in 2023 to 28 percent by mid-2024".

Unemployment in the West Bank surged to nearly 35 percent since last October, "while in Gaza it averaged a staggering 79.7 percent", ILO said.

The agency said the wider economic toll had also been "unprecedented" across the occupied Palestinian territories.

The West Bank saw gross domestic product contract by 21.7 percent year-on-year, while GDP in the Gaza Strip nosedived 84.7 percent, it said.

Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza after lasy year's October attack by Hamas, which resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures, including hostages killed in captivity.

Israel's retaliation has killed at least 42,409 people, the majority civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, which the UN considers reliable.

These figures also "reflect the shutdown of most economic activities in Gaza due to the destruction of homes and infrastructure, and the recurring displacement of workers and employers", ILO said.

"This has led either to complete termination of work or to a predominance of informal and irregular work."

SOARING PRICES

ILO said Gazans were also grappling with soaring prices, with year-on-year inflation reaching a whopping 248 percent in August.

On Wednesday, the United Nations again warned of the risk of a full-blown famine in the besieged territory.

The situation is also increasingly dire in the West Bank.

"Israeli barriers to movement of persons and goods, coupled with broader trade restrictions and supply chain disruptions, have severely impacted the economy", ILO said.

"The closure of the Israeli labour market to Palestinian workers has further strained livelihoods," it added.

Israeli troops or settlers have killed more than 738 Palestinians there in the past year, according to the Ramallah-based health ministry.

At least 24 Israelis, civilians or members of the security forces, have meanwhile been killed in attacks carried out by Palestinian militants or in Israeli military operations in the West Bank over the same period, Israeli officials say.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Former US President Jimmy Carter, who recently turned a hundred, announced that he is voting for Kamala Harris and that is what he really cares about, dismissing his age-related milestone moment as "just another birthday".

"He said he didn't care about that. It's just a birthday. He said he cared about voting for Kamala Harris." James Earl "Chip" Carter III said in an interview to The Washington Post.

That is 100-year-old Jimmy Carter, the oldest ex-president who served in office from 1977 to 1981, during the Cold War era. Chip Carter also added that his father spent his days watching speeches from the Democratic National Convention. "He thought Michelle Obama was the best, and he thought Kamala was great, too," he said.

'I'm only trying to make it to vote for Kamala Harris,' Carter told his son Chip, his grandson Jason Carter told the Atlanta-Journal Constitution.

Donald Trump has always been of the opinion that Jimmy Carter was "the worst president", however more recently he said, "Joe Biden is the worst president in the history of our country, worse than Jimmy Carter by a long shot."

Georgia - one of the seven key swing states is critical to the November election as Biden beat Donald Trump in 2020 by a hair's breadth - less than 1 percent of the vote in the state, and Carter's family said he can't wait to cast his mail-in ballot for Harris. Furthermore, he does not believe Donald Trump should be president again, Chip Carter said.

Although a 100-year-old exercising his rights might seem touching and inspiring, users on X have varying opinions regarding the centenarian ex-prez casting his vote and the photo has been widely shared on social media. One user commented, "This is crazy. I have some dead relatives I can dig up and take to vote for Trump if this is what we're doing now."

While another said, "Did he actually vote or was it a family member that did it for him? Does anyone know if he's even of sound mind and was capable of making his own decision?" Another user condemned the entire episode, saying, "Shame on the Democrats for wheeling him out in that state."

Shame on the Democrats for wheeling him out in that state.

— AmericanPapaBear (@AmericaPapaBear) October 15, 2024

On the flipside, there were users who also celebrated the gesture, "Carter's vote serves as a reminder that in American politics, age doesn't necessarily diminish one's sense of duty or the desire to shape the future. Ok? Ok."

Ah, Jimmy Carter casting his vote for Kamala Harris as early voting opens—quite the symbolic gesture, don't you see? The former president, now 99, is still deeply engaged in the political landscape, driven not by the prospect of his own milestone birthday, but by the opportunity…

— L. Ron Hubbard (Parody) (@FakeLRonHubbard) October 15, 2024

One of the most important questions that arises with this particular instance is whether the state will count Carter's ballot if he fails to make it till November 5th. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, in such cases, most states haven't delineated what to do. Clearly such votes will likely not be numerous enough to sway the results of an election.

According to his son who spoke to the Journal-Constitution, Carter is very "interested in politics and the war in Gaza".

"After my grandmother passed, he had a pretty long low period when he wasn't really engaging much at all," The Washington Post quoted Jason Carter, his eldest grandchild. "But now he's talking about politics again."

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/mSr6jn3

India exercised its right of reply against Pakistan at the Joint General Debate on decolonization at the United Nations on Monday. Counsellor Eldos Mathew Punnoose from India condemned Pakistan's "unsubstantiated allegations" regarding the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

He emphasised the need for Pakistan to cease its ongoing human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

Targeting Pakistan, he said, "Unsubstantiated allegations by Pakistan largely pertain to the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. India would like to reiterate that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are, were and will be an integral and inalienable part of India. Clearly, Pakistan does not merit a response on the internal affairs of India."

He further said, "At this juncture, we also advise Pakistan to stop the grave and ongoing human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh (PoJKL). The world is witness to the divisive activities that Pakistan tries to undertake day in and day out. India would like to stress that our foundations are built on the enduring pillar of democratic values, unlike Pakistan's."

Stepping up his criticism of Pakistan, he said that the nation is familiar with sham elections, incarceration of opposition leaders, and suppression of political voices.

"Given their tainted democratic record, Pakistan considers real democratic exercises as a sham, as reflected in their statement. All countries speak from their experience. Sham elections, incarceration of opposition leaders and suppression of political voices are what Pakistan is familiar with," Punnoos said.

"It is natural that Pakistan must be disappointed to see real democracy at work. It was only last week that election results were announced in Jammu and Kashmir. Millions of voters in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have spoken. They exercised their right to vote and have chosen their leadership according to the Constitutional framework and universal adult suffrage. Clearly, these terms must be alien to Pakistan," he added.

He further criticised Pakistan by highlighting the country's notorious reputation for supporting terrorism and engaging in transnational crimes. "It is ironic that a country which is infamous across the globe for state-sponsored terrorism and transnational crimes cast aspersions on the world's largest democracy. It has been Pakistan's consistent state policy to employ cross-border terrorism as a weapon against its neighbours," Punnoos added.

He also said that Pakistan has been implicated in several attacks, including the attack on the Indian Parliament. "The list of attacks orchestrated by Pakistan is indeed long. In India, they have targeted our Parliament, market places and pilgrimage routes, among several others. Normal Indian citizens have been victims of such dastardly and inhumane acts by Pakistan," Punnoos said.

He also compared India and Pakistan, praising the former for its "pluralism, diversity and democracy," and highlighting the latter's "terrorism, parochialism and persecution."

Punnoos said, "India symbolises pluralism, diversity and democracy. In contrast, Pakistan reminds the world of terrorism, parochialism and persecution. Religious and ethnic minorities and their places of worship are targeted and vandalised on a regular basis. It is important for Pakistan to first look inward and set own house in order instead of meddling in the internal affairs of neighbouring countries."

He added, "Pakistan's obsession with India and their past practice corroborate that they will continue to use this august forum for spreading their malicious propaganda against my country. They will exercise their right of reply but I shall refrain from responding to it... As such, facts speak for themselves. Lies are lies, even if they are repeated over and over by Pakistan."

Meanwhile, Punnoose emphasised India's pivotal role in the global struggle against colonialism, highlighting the country's unwavering commitment to freedom.

He said, "India has been a global champion and leading voice in the struggle against colonialism. In 1962, India was also elected as the first chair of the Decolonisation Committee, a committee of 24, which was established to monitor the implementation of the 1960 Declaration on Granting of Independence to colonial countries and peoples and consider applications in this regard. Since the establishment of the Decolonisation Committee, India has been actively contributing towards its functioning. We have also been working constructively on the decolonisation agenda..."

Notably, Pakistan regularly brings up the Jammu and Kashmir issue at UN platforms and other international forums, irrespective of the agenda of the meetings.

India has repeatedly rejected Pakistan's attempts to raise the Kashmir issue on international platforms, asserting that the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir as well as Ladakh are "integral parts of India" and Pakistan has no "locus standi" to make statements regarding India's domestic matters.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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S Jaishankar, who is in Pakistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation or SCO Summit being hosted by Islamabad, had a brief interaction with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif today at an official dinner held for all the summit attendees.

The two leaders shook hands and exchanged a courtesy greeting as Mr Sharif welcomed Mr Jaishankar for the official dinner for SCO leaders. Few worlds were spoken during the interaction that lasted less than twenty seconds.

Ties between India and Pakistan have nearly been non-existent in the last decade since Pak-based terrorists targeted Indian military establishments in a series of terror attacks in 2015 and 2016. India, which has for long aimed for peace and stability in the region, has made it amply clear to Pakistan that "terror and talks cannot go hand-in-hand", and that "dialogue and diplomacy can only move forward in an environment free of terrorism."

NEARLY A DECADE OF NO DIALOGUE

Mr Jaishankar's visit to Pakistan is the first by an Indian minister in nearly ten years. The last visit by an Indian foreign minister was when Mr Jaishankar's predecessor, Sushma Swaraj, had visited Islamabad for a conference on Afghanistan. Mr Jaishankar, who was then the foreign secretary had accompanied the then minister on her official visit.

Sushma Swaraj's visit was followed in quick succession by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who pushed for peace in the region by taking the initiative and giving a surprise visit to then Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif at his ancestral home. But despite sincere efforts by India, talks were yet again derailed by a series of terror attacks on Indian soil by terrorists harboured and sheltered in Pakistan.

Before he reached Islamabad, Mr Jaishankar said at a press conference in New Delhi that his visit to the neighbouring country was only for the SCO summit and that no bilateral talks with Islamabad will be taking place.

| Watch: NDTV World Summit on October 21-22. Get All The Details Here.

Mr Jaishankar had said, "Like with any neighbour, India would certainly like to have good relations with Pakistan, but that cannot happen by overlooking cross-border terrorism and indulging in wishful thinking." The decision to send the senior minister to Pakistan, which is the host nation for the SCO Summit this time, is seen purely as a display of India's commitment to the forum.

Pakistan is hosting the two-day SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) summit on October 15 and 16. "The SCO CHG meeting is held annually and focuses on the trade and economic agenda of the Organisation," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said.
 

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Afghanistan's Taliban morality ministry pledged Monday to implement a law banning news media from publishing images of all living things, with journalists told the rule will be gradually enforced.

It comes after the Taliban government recently announced legislation formalising their strict interpretations of Islamic law that have been imposed since they swept to power in 2021.

"The law applies to all Afghanistan... and it will be implemented gradually," the spokesman for the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (PVPV) Saiful Islam Khyber told AFP, adding that officials would work to persuade people that images of living things are against Islamic law.

"Coercion has no place in the implementation of the law," he said.

"It's only advice, and convincing people these things are really contrary to sharia (law) and must be avoided."

The new law detailed several rules for news media, including banning the publication of images of all living things and ordering outlets not to mock or humiliate Islam, or contradict Islamic law.

Aspects of the new law have not yet been strictly enforced.

Taliban officials continue to regularly post photos of people on social media.

"Until now, regarding the articles of the law related to media, there are ongoing efforts in many provinces to implement it but that has not started in all provinces," Khyber said.

He added "work has started" in the southern Taliban stronghold of Kandahar and the neighbouring Helmand province, as well as northern Takhar.

Journalists Summoned

Journalists in Kandahar told AFP on Monday they had not received any statement from the ministry or been stopped by morality police for taking photos and videos.

In central Ghazni province on Sunday, PVPV officials summoned local journalists and told them the morality police would start gradually implementing the law.

They advised visual journalists to take photos from further away and film fewer events "to get in the habit", a journalist who did not want to give his name for fear of reprisal told AFP.

Reporters in Maidan Wardak province were also told the rules would be implemented gradually in a similar meeting.

Television and pictures of living things were banned across the country under the previous Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001, but a similar edict has so far not been broadly imposed since their return to power.

When the Taliban authorities seized control of the country after a two-decade-long insurgency against foreign-backed governments, Afghanistan had 8,400 media employees.

Only 5,100 remain in the profession, including 560 women, according to media industry sources.

Afghanistan has also slipped from 122nd place to 178th out of 180 countries in a press freedom ranking compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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NASA launched a spacecraft from Florida on Monday on a mission to examine whether Jupiter's moon Europa has conditions suitable to support life, with a focus on the large subsurface ocean believed to be lurking beneath its thick outer shell of ice.

The US space agency's Europa Clipper spacecraft blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket under sunny skies. The robotic solar-powered probe is due to enter orbit around Jupiter in 2030 after journeying about 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion km) in 5-1/2 years. The launch had been planned for last week but was put off because of Hurricane Milton.

It is the largest spacecraft NASA has built for a planetary mission, at about 100 feet (30.5 meters) long and about 58 feet (17.6 meters) wide with its antennas and solar arrays fully deployed - bigger than a basketball court - while weighing approximately 13,000 pounds (6,000 kg).

Even though Europa, the fourth-largest of Jupiter's 95 officially recognized moons, is just a quarter of Earth's diameter, its vast global ocean of salty liquid water may contain twice the water in Earth's oceans. Earth's oceans are thought to have been the birthplace of life on our planet.

Europa, whose diameter of roughly 1,940 miles (3,100 km) is approximately 90% that of our moon, has been viewed as a potential habitat for life beyond Earth in our solar system. Its icy shell is believed to be 10-15 miles (15-25 km) thick, sitting atop an ocean 40-100 miles (60-150 km) deep.

NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free told a prelaunch briefing on Sunday that Europa boasts one of the most promising environments for potential habitability in our solar system, beyond Earth, though he noted that this mission will not be a search for any actual living organisms.

"What we discover on Europa," Free said, "will have profound implications for the study of astrobiology and how we view our place in the universe."

"Scientists believe Europa has suitable conditions below its icy surface to support life. Its conditions are water, energy, chemistry and stability," said Sandra Connelly, deputy associate administrator of NASA's science mission directorate.

Among the mission, objectives are measuring the internal ocean and the layer of ice above it, mapping the moon's surface composition, and hunting for plumes of water vapour that may be venting from Europa's icy crust. The plan is for Europa Clipper starting in 2031 to conduct 49 close flybys of Europa over three years, coming as close as 16 miles (25 kilometers) to the moon's surface.

Europa Clipper will be operating in an intense radiation environment around Jupiter, our solar system's biggest planet.

Jupiter is enveloped by a magnetic field about 20,000 times stronger than Earth's. This magnetic field spins, capturing and accelerating charged particles and creating radiation that could harm spacecraft. NASA fashioned a vault made of titanium and aluminium inside the Europa Clipper to protect its sensitive electronics from this radiation.

"One of the Europa Clipper mission's main challenges is delivering a spacecraft hardy enough to withstand the pummeling of radiation from Jupiter but also sensitive enough to gather the measurements needed to investigate Europa's environment," Connelly said.

NASA said Europa Clipper is loaded with more than 6,060 pounds (2,750 kg) of propellant to get it to Jupiter. For the launch, the spacecraft was placed inside the protective nose cone atop the rocket.

The spacecraft will not take a straight path to Jupiter. Instead, it is due to fly by Mars, then back by Earth, using the gravity of each planet to increase its momentum like a slingshot. Its expansive solar arrays, which were folded up for the launch, will gather sunlight for powering the spacecraft's nine scientific instruments as well as its electronics and other subsystems.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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A man found illegally in possession of a shotgun and a loaded handgun was arrested by sheriff's deputies assigned to protect a Donald Trump rally in Coachella, California, the Riverside County sheriff's office announced Sunday.

The Secret Service said that it was aware of the arrest and that neither Trump nor rally attendees had not been in any danger during the incident, which took place on Saturday.

"While no federal arrest has been made at this time, the investigation is ongoing," the organization tasked with protecting presidents and presidential candidates said in a joint statement with the FBI and the US Attorney's office.

The sheriff's team said the man, which it identified as 49-year-old Vem Miller of Las Vegas, was later released on bail and faces a court hearing on January 2.

They added that the deputies, manning a checkpoint near the rally, arrested Miller as he drove up in a black SUV.

They later booked him at a local detention center on charges of possessing a loaded firearm and a high-capacity magazine.

The incident comes on the heels of two assassination attempts -- one in Pennsylvania in which a bullet grazed Trump's ear, and a second, aborted attempt at his Florida golf course.

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco -- a Trump supporter who also addressed the Republican's rally in Coachella on Saturday -- said that there was "absolutely no way that any of us are going to truly know what was in his head."

"If you're asking me right now, I probably did have deputies that prevented the third assassination attempt," Bianco, a former member of the far-right Oath Keepers group, told a press conference.

Bianco said the man had "multiple" passports and IDs with different names in his vehicle, which was unregistered. He said any further charges would come from federal authorities.

There was no immediate comment from the Trump campaign.

Trump's decision to hold a rally in California surprised political analysts, who note that the state is heavily Democratic, but he drew a large crowd, even in temperatures near 100 Fahrenheit (38 Celsius).

Coachella is known for its annual music festival.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Lebanese militant group Hezbollah on Sunday aired an audio recording of its slain leader Hassan Nasrallah just over two weeks after an Israeli air strike killed him in southern Beirut.

"We count on you... to defend your people, your families, your nation, your values and your dignity, and to defend this holy and blessed land and this honourable people," said Nasrallah, who was killed on September 27, in a recording it said was made as he addressed the Iran-backed group's fighters during a military manoeuvre.

Many other senior commanders of the movement have also been killed.

The Israeli military said about 115 projectiles fired by Hezbollah had crossed into Israeli territory by Sunday afternoon.
A Hezbollah fighter was captured emerging from a tunnel in south Lebanon on Sunday, Israel's military said, the first such announcement since the start of the ground offensive.

'Shocking violations'

United Nations peacekeepers on Sunday accused Israeli troops of breaking through a gate and entering one of their positions in south Lebanon.

It is the latest of several incidents the UNIFIL mission has reported since Thursday, leaving five Blue Helmets previously injured.

"At around 4:30 am, while peacekeepers were in shelters, two IDF (Israeli military) Merkava tanks destroyed the position's main gate and forcibly entered the position" in the Ramia area, before leaving 45 minutes later, said the peacekeeping force (UNIFIL).

On Saturday, several kilometres (miles) to the northeast, Israeli "soldiers stopped a critical UNIFIL logistical movement near Mais al-Jabal, denying it passage", it added.

"We have requested an explanation from the IDF for these shocking violations," UNIFIL said.

The Israeli military later said a tank "backed several meters into a UNIFIL post" while "under fire" and attempting to evacuate injured soldiers.

Netanyahu had earlier on Sunday called on the UN chief to remove peacekeepers in southern Lebanon out of harm's way, after the mission rejected requests to abandon their positions.

He said that the peacekeepers' presence had "the effect of providing Hezbollah terrorists with human shields".

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned Netanyahu's call, saying it "represents a new chapter in the enemy's approach of not complying with international" norms.

UNIFIL, with about 9,500 troops, is in southern Lebanon under the longstanding UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which stipulated that only the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers should be deployed in south Lebanon.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday called it "absolutely unacceptable" that UN troops are "deliberately targeted by the Israeli armed forces".

Lebanon calls for ceasefire

Earlier Sunday Israeli warplanes also hit a 100-year-old mosque in the village of Kfar Tibnit near the border, NNA said.

"It was a significant place because families used to gather in the square right next to it (the mosque) on special occasions," Mayor Fuad Yassin told AFP.

Hamas sparked the ongoing war in Gaza with the deadliest-ever attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.

The number includes hostages killed in captivity.

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says 42,227 people, the majority civilians, have been killed since Israel's military campaign began there. The UN acknowledges these figures to be reliable.

In support of Hamas, Hezbollah started firing into northern Israel in October last year, triggering a near-daily exchange of fire until the war escalated in late September.

Netanyahu vowed to fight Hezbollah until Israelis displaced by the violence could return to their homes.

Since then, more than 1,200 people have been killed in Lebanon and a million others have been displaced, according to Lebanese officials.

Mikati said his government would ask the UN Security Council to issue a new resolution calling for a "full and immediate ceasefire".

In a visit to Baghdad ahead of Israel's expected retaliation for Iran's October 1 missile attack on Israel, Iran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi on Sunday said Tehran was "fully prepared for a war situation".

He added: "We do not want war."

The Pentagon later said it would deploy a high-altitude anti-missile system and its US military crew to Israel to help the ally protect itself from potential Iranian attack.

In north Gaza, Israeli forces have for days essentially besieged an around Jabalia, with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, saying the fighting was causing more suffering for hundreds of thousands of people trapped there.

"For over a week there has been no hope, no water and no means of life," said local resident Muhammad Abu Halima, 40.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/dEPupea

Former US President Donald Trump, who is the Republican presidential candidate, said he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "like two days ago."

Trump was asked when last he spoke to the Israeli leader during a Fox News interview that aired on Sunday.

"Like two days ago and he came to my house in Florida, Mar-a-Lago with his wife who was lovely," he responded.

Trump met with Netanyahu at his resort in Palm Beach, Florida, in July. It was their first meeting since the end of Trump's presidency.

US President Joe Biden also spoke with Netanyahu last week amid tensions with Iran. Their Wednesday call was the first known conversation between the two leaders since August. It coincided with a sharp escalation of Israel's conflict with Iran and the Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah.

Trump called the lack of conversation between Biden and Netanyahu in nearly two months "pathetic."

"I can tell you that Bibi has been very strong," Trump said. "He's not listening to Biden."

Relations between Biden and Netanyahu have been tense, strained over the Israeli leader's handling of the war in Gaza and the conflict with Hezbollah. Israel has said it will pursue its military operations until Israelis are safe.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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A Connecticut man, Jarek Neczypor, 31, has filed a federal lawsuit against EgyptAir, alleging he suffered severe physical and mental injuries during a flight from Cairo to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. According to the Manhattan federal court filing, the incident occurred on August 17 aboard Flight 985 when a rolling bag fell from the overhead compartment above his assigned seat, striking him in the face.

The bag's impact caused significant harm, including a cracked upper incisor tooth and severe facial injuries, the New York Post reported. To compound the situation, the cabin crew relocated Neczypor to another seat, which was allegedly damaged and not secured to the floor. For the remainder of the 11.5-hour flight, Mr Neczypor endured neck and back injuries due to the defective seat.

Mr Neczypor's lawsuit seeks unspecified damages from EgyptAir, citing pain, anguish, and mental suffering. The incident has reportedly left him with lasting physical and emotional trauma. The lawsuit alleges EgyptAir's negligence and failure to ensure passenger safety led to Mr Neczypor's injuries.

A similar incident happened in July when an elderly woman on a Cathay Pacific flight bound for London was hurt when a piece of luggage fell from an overhead compartment and hit her on the head. According to the South China Morning Post, the incident happened when the flight left Hong Kong International Airport for London Heathrow Airport. The woman received medical assistance at the airport before being transferred to North Lantau Hospital for further treatment.

A spokesperson for Cathay Pacific said: ''The reason for the injury could be down to a misplaced item of luggage in the overhead storage compartment. Our cabin crew and ground staff immediately called for assistance, sent the passenger to a nearby hospital for further medical care, cancelled the flight for the passenger and her family members, and arranged for the family members to stay at an airport hotel.''

Notably, airlines are usually liable for injuries sustained by passengers, unless they can demonstrate that the injury resulted from the passenger's own negligence.

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/Xz9YEOy

Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu wrote to Narendra Modi today condoling the death of industrialist and global icon Ratan Tata. He said many people in his country are mourning Mr Tata's death.

Ratan Tata died on October 9 at Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital, where he was admitted for a routine health check due to his age.

With words of appreciation for Mr Tata's contribution in bridging India-Israel ties, Mr Netanyahu wrote, "I and many in Israel mourn the loss of Ratan Naval Tata, a proud son of India and a champion of the friendship between our two countries."

He also asked the prime minister to "convey my condolences to Ratan's family."

To my friend, Prime Minister @narendramodi.
I and many in Israel mourn the loss of Ratan Naval Tata, a proud son of India and a champion of the friendship between our two countries. ????

Please convey my condolences to Ratan's family.

In sympathy,
Benjamin Netanyahu

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) October 12, 2024

Mr Netanyahu joined several world leaders in paying a tribute to Mr Tata, who was one of the most respected industrial titans in India. He is credited for his philanthropic work and for expanding the Tata Group to more than 100 countries.

"India and the world have lost a giant with a giant heart," said Eric Garcetti, US Ambassador to India, in his condolence message. He went on to say "When I was nominated to serve as ambassador, the first congratulations from India came from Ratan Tata."

Mr Garcetti also mentioned how Mr Tata "gave so much in service to my hometown, serving on the board of the University of Southern California. He saw a future of greater prosperity and equality for his country and did so much for our world," adding that "May his memory be a blessing."

Remembering Ratan Tata's "visionary contribution", French President Emmanuel Macron said, "France has lost a dear friend from India. Ratan Tata's visionary helmsmanship contributed to boosting industries in Indiaand France, in the fields of innovation and manufacturing. Beyond this, his legacy will be marked by his humanist vision, immense philanthropic achievements and his humility."

"I convey my deepest condolences to his near and dear ones as well as to the people of India. We will remember your lifelong commitment to the betterment of society with admiration and respect," President Macron said in post on Facebook.

Several prominent business leaders also sent their tributes, with Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Microsoft founder Bill Gates being among the first to do so.

Mr Pichai recalled his last meeting with Mr Tata, saying "My last meeting with Ratan Tata at Google, we talked about the progress of Waymo and his vision was inspiring to hear. He leaves an extraordinary business and philanthropic legacy and was instrumental in mentoring and developing the modern business leadership in India."

He also said that Mr Tata "deeply cared about making India better. Deep condolences to his loved ones and Rest in Peace Shri Ratan Tata Ji".

Bill Gates too expressed his condolences on the death of Ratan Tata, a "visionary leader whose dedication to improving lives left an indelible mark on India - and the world".

In a LinkedIn Post, Bill Gates recalled meeting Mr Tata on multiple occasions and expressed his admiration for the business tycoon's commitment to improving lives. "I was always moved by his strong sense of purpose and service to humanity," Mr Gates wrote in his post. He also recalled collaborating with Mr Tata on several initiatives and said that his legacy will inspire generations.

"Ratan Tata was a visionary leader whose dedication to improving lives left an indelible mark on India-and the world. I had the privilege of meeting him on several occasions, and I was always moved by his strong sense of purpose and service to humanity," Mr Gates wrote.

"Together, we partnered on numerous initiatives to help people lead healthier, more prosperous lives. His loss will be felt around the world for years to come, but I know the legacy he left and example he set will continue to inspire generations," he added.

Mr Tata's death has drawn an outpouring of grief and tributes from across the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered Mr Tata as a visionary business leader and a compassionate soul.
 

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UN peacekeepers in Lebanon warned Saturday against a "catastrophic" regional conflict as Israeli forces battled Hezbollah and Hamas militants on two fronts, on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

Israel has faced a fierce diplomatic backlash over incidents in south Lebanon that saw five Blue Helmets wounded.

On Saturday, the Lebanese health ministry said Israeli air strikes on two villages located near the capital Beirut killed nine people.

Israel had earlier told residents of south Lebanon not to return home, as its troops fought Hezbollah militants in a war that has killed more than 1,200 people since September 23, and forced more than a million others to flee their homes.

"For your own protection, do not return to your homes until further notice... Do not go south; anyone who goes south may put his life at risk," Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee posted on X.

Hezbollah said Saturday it launched missiles across the border into northern Israel, where air raid sirens sounded and the military said it had intercepted a projectile.

In an interview with AFP, UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti told AFP he feared an Israeli escalation against Hezbollah in south Lebanon could soon spiral out of control "into a regional conflict with catastrophic impact for everyone".

The UN force said five peacekeepers have been wounded by fighting in south Lebanon in just two days, and Tenenti said "a lot of damage" had been caused to its posts there.

Around Israel, markets were closed and public transport halted as observant Jews fasted and prayed on Yom Kippur.

After the holiday, attention is likely to turn again to Israel's expected retaliation against Iran, which launched around 200 missiles at Israel on October 1.

Israel began pounding Gaza shortly after suffering its worst ever attacks from Iran-backed Hamas militants on October 7 last year, and it launched a ground offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon on September 30.

'Deliberately targeted'

On Friday, Israel faced criticism from the UN, its Western allies and others over what it said was a "hit" on a UN peacekeeping position in Lebanon.

Two Sri Lankan peacekeepers were hurt in the second such incident in two days, UNIFIL said Friday.

Israel's military said soldiers had responded to "an immediate threat" around 50 metres (yards) from the UNIFIL base in Naqura, and has pledged to carry out a "thorough review".

The Irish military's chief of staff, Sean Clancy, said it was "not an accidental act", and French President Emmanuel Macron said he believed the peacekeepers had been "deliberately targeted".

Both countries are major contributors to UNIFIL whose peacekeepers are on the front line of the Israel-Hezbollah war.

Efforts to negotiate an end to the fighting have so far failed, but Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said his government would ask the UN Security Council to issue a new resolution calling for a "full and immediate ceasefire".

Lebanon's military said Friday an Israeli strike on one of its positions in south Lebanon killed two soldiers.

In a show of support for Iran's ally Hezbollah, the speaker of the Iranian parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf visited the site Saturday of a deadly Israeli strike earlier this week.

A source close to Hezbollah said the strike had targeted Hezbollah's security chief Wafiq Safa, but neither Hezbollah nor Israel has confirmed he was the target.

Ghalibaf's Lebanon visit, a signal of Tehran's defiance, comes after Israel vowed to respond to Iran's second-ever direct attack.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has vowed that the response will be "deadly, precise and surprising".

The United States is pushing for a "proportionate" response that would not tip the region into a wider war, with President Joe Biden urging Israel to avoid striking Iranian nuclear facilities or energy infrastructure.

Gaza deaths

Iran-backed Hezbollah began firing on Israel in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas following the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel which resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures, which includes hostages killed in captivity.

Israel's military campaign in Gaza has wrought devastation and, according to data from the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, killed 42,175 people, a majority civilians.

Israeli operations in Gaza continue, with the army laying siege to an area around Jabalia in the north, causing more suffering for hundreds of thousands of people trapped there, according to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

Adraee, the Israeli military spokesman, posted another evacuation warning Saturday for an area near Jabalia.

"The specified area, including the shelters within it, is considered a dangerous combat zone," Adraee said on X, ordering residents to move to the humanitarian zone in southern Gaza.

Some residents said they were not prepared to do so.

"They tell us to go south, but we won't go because of the dangers and the army is shooting at people there," 27-year-old Sami Asliya told AFP.

"There is no safe place, neither in the south nor in the north -- everyone is at risk of death," he said.

On Friday, Gaza's civil defence agency reported 30 people killed in Israeli strikes in the area, including on schools being used as shelter by displaced people.

An AFP journalist in Gaza reported heavy shelling, explosions and gunfire Saturday further south in Gaza City's Zeitoun neighbourhood.

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Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, released a letter from her doctor today that pronounced her in good health and fit for high office, in an effort to draw a contrast with her counterpart, Donald Trump.

In a memo distributed by the White House, the vice president's physician, Joshua Simmons, said Harris's most recent physical exam in April was "unremarkable," that she maintains an active lifestyle and "very healthy diet" despite a busy schedule, suffers from seasonal allergies and sporadic hives, does not use tobacco and drinks alcohol only in moderation.

"She possesses the physical and mental resiliency required to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency, to include those as Chief Executive, Head of State and Commander in Chief," the doctor wrote.

Harris, 59, is running against Republican Trump, 78, for the White House. She made her medical information public today in an effort to draw attention to his refusal to do so, a Harris campaign aide said.

The Harris campaign is eager to highlight the former president's age since he became the oldest candidate in the race after President Joe Biden, 81, stepped aside as the Democratic standard bearer following a poor debate performance against Trump.

Locked in a very tight race. Harris' campaign hopes that contrasting her comparative youth and mental acuity with Trump's more advanced age and tendency to meander, along with the differences in transparency between the two, will help convince undecided voters that she is more fit for office than he.

A White House doctor said in 2018 when Trump was in office that he was in overall excellent health then but needed to shed weight and start a daily exercise routine.

Simmons said Harris's allergies had been well-managed with over-the-counter and prescription medications.

Her urticaria or hives were "sporadic and transient and do not seem to be triggered by any particular exposure nor are they associated with other symptoms" and respond well to antihistamine treatment.

Harris has been on allergen immunotherapy for the last three years, dramatically improving her allergy and urticaria symptoms and negating her need for medication other than occasional nasal spray, he said.

Harris wears contact lenses. Her family history includes her mother's colon cancer. Harris was up to date on preventative health procedures including colonoscopy and annual mammograms, he said.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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