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  • Trump picks Dr Nesheiwat as Surgeon General, Bessent as Treasury Secretary and Chavez-DeRemer as Labor Secretary

    US President-elect Donald Trump has announced that he will nominate well-known international investor Scott Bessent for Treasury Secretary, Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer for Labor Secretary, and Dr Janette Nesheiwat as the next Surgeon General of the United States of America.

    (left to right) Janette Nesheiwat, Scott Bessent and Lori Chavez-DeRemer. Photo courtesy- Nesheiwat: x.com/DoctorJanette, Bessent: HistorianL/Wikipedia, Chavez-DeRemer: x.com/ACCAction
    (left to right) Janette Nesheiwat, Scott Bessent and Lori Chavez-DeRemer. Photo courtesy- Nesheiwat: x.com/DoctorJanette, Bessent: HistorianL/Wikipedia, Chavez-DeRemer: x.com/ACCAction

    Making a slew of announcements for top administrative positions on Friday, November 22, Trump appointed Alex Wong as Principal Deputy National Security Advisor and Dr Sebastian Gorka as Senior Director for Counterterrorism.

    Former Congressman Dr Dave Weldon has been nominated to serve as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Marty Makary for FDA (Food and Drug Administration) Commissioner, and Scott Turner as Housing and Urban Development Secretary.

    Russell Thurlow Vought has been appointed Director of the US Office of Management and Budget (OMB). All the appointments would come into effect on January 20, 2025, when Trump would be sworn in as the 47th president of the US. The nominations need to be confirmed by the US Senate before the nominees are sworn in to their respective positions.

    Talking about his Treasury nomination, Trump said, “Scott is widely respected as one of the world’s foremost international investors and geopolitical and economic strategists. Scott’s story is that of the American Dream.”

    Donald Trump during a rally in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo courtesy: www.instagram.com/realdonaldtrump
    Donald Trump during a rally in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo courtesy: www.instagram.com/realdonaldtrump

    Bessent is an American investor, philanthropist, and educator. He is the Founder and CEO of Key Square Group.

    “On the eve of our great country’s 250th Anniversary, he will help me usher in a new Golden Age for the United States as we fortify our position as the world’s leading economy, centre of innovation and entrepreneurialism, and destination for capital, while always, and without question, maintaining the US Dollar as the Reserve Currency of the World,” he said.

    “Unlike in past Administrations, we will ensure that no Americans will be left behind in the next and greatest economic boom, and Scott will lead that effort for me and the great people of the United States of America,” he added.

    Trump said Congresswoman Chavez-DeRemer’s strong support from both the business and labour communities would ensure that the Labor Department can unite Americans of all backgrounds behind the “agenda for unprecedented national success – Making America Richer, Wealthier, Stronger and more Prosperous than ever before!”

    “Dr Nesheiwat is a fierce advocate and strong communicator for preventive medicine and public health. She is committed to ensuring that Americans have access to affordable, quality healthcare, and believes in empowering individuals to take charge of their health to live longer, healthier lives,” Trump said about his Surgeon General nominee.

    Alex Wong served during his first term as the Deputy Special Representative for North Korea and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the Department of State.

    He was also Trump’s nominee in the first term for US Ambassador for Special Political Affairs at the United Nations. As Deputy Special Representative for North Korea, he helped negotiate Trump’s Summit with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un. Alex also led the State Department’s efforts to implement the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy.

    “Dr Sebastian Gorka will be returning to the White House as Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counterterrorism,” Trump said.

    “Since 2015, Dr Gorka has been a tireless advocate for the America First Agenda and the MAGA Movement, serving previously as Strategist to the President in the first Trump Administration,” Trump said.

    Americans have lost trust in the CDC and in the federal health authorities, Trump said, alleging that these have engaged in censorship, data manipulation, and misinformation.

    “Given the current chronic health crisis in our country, the CDC must step up and correct past errors to focus on the prevention of disease,” said the president-elect.

    “In addition to being a Medical Doctor for 40 years and an Army veteran, Dave has been a respected conservative leader on fiscal and social issues and served on the Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, working for Accountability on HHS and CDC Policy and Budgeting,” Trump said.

    Observing that the FDA has lost the trust of Americans and the sight of its primary goal as a regulator, Trump said the agency needs Marty Makary as Commissioner.

    “FDA has lost the trust of Americans and has lost sight of its primary goal as a regulator. The agency needs Dr Marty Makary, a highly respected Johns Hopkins Surgical Oncologist and Health Policy Expert, to course-correct and refocus the agency,” he said.

    “Dr Makary has been a pioneer in the fields of public health, cancer care, and surgery and a tireless voice for vulnerable populations. He is the recipient of the Nobility in Science Award from the National Pancreas Foundation and numerous teaching awards,” Trump said.

    Dr Makary currently leads the evidence-based medicine and Public Policy Research Group at Johns Hopkins, he added.

    Trump’s nominee for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Scott Turner is an NFL Veteran who, during his first term, served as the First Executive Director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalisation Council (WHORC), helping to lead an “unprecedented effort” that transformed the most distressed communities.

  • India Polls: BJP-led Mahayuti sweeps Maharashtra, INDIA retains Jharkhand; Priyanka Gandhi leads in Wayanad debut

    In a stellar show, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti coalition is set for a massive win in the politically crucial western state of Maharashtra, which went to assembly elections on November 20.  

    The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress led INDIA alliance meanwhile is ahead in the eastern state of Jharkhand. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is predictably leading by over 3 lakh votes in the bypoll to Kerala's Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency.
    BJP-led Mahayuti is set for a roaring comeback in Maharashtra | Photo courtesy: Narendra Modi FB

    The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress led INDIA alliance meanwhile is ahead in the eastern state of Jharkhand. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is predictably leading by over 3 lakh votes in the bypoll to Kerala’s Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency. 

    As per the trends, the Mahayuti [BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) and Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar)] is leading in over 225 out of the total 288 seats as opposed to around 54 leads of the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi.

    The Mahayuti will have a political comeback in Maharashtra where the ruling coalition suffered a jolt in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This is also the best ever show of the BJP in Maharashtra. 

    In Maharashtra among the principal NDA partners, BJP contested in 148 seats, followed by Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena in 80, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar at 52. Mahayuti candidates contested in six more seats. 

    In the rival Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on the other hand the Congress contested 102 seats followed by 96 by Shiv Sena (Uddhav Bal Thackeray). The NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) fought 86 seats.  

    In Jharkhand, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress alliance (which also includes the RJD), which is aiming to return to power for the second consecutive term, is locked in a contest with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led coalition. 

    Jharkhand has also seen several political turmoil with Chief Minister Hemant Soren going to jail over corruption charges. However, according to political analysts, the BJP’s “anti-infiltrator” plank in the state fell flat.

    Prominent candidates include Chief Minister Hemant Soren, wife Kalpana Soren, and sister-in-law Sita Soren from the JMM. Key BJP leaders include former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi, Assembly Speaker Ravindra Nath Mahto (JMM), AJSU Party chief Sudesh Mahto, and Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri.

    Wayanad

    Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her poll debut contesting from Wayanad | Photo courtesy: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Facebook page

    Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is leading by over three lakh votes in the bypoll to Kerala’s Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency making her electoral debut by contesting from the seat which was won by her brother and Congress top leader Rahul Gandhi for two consecutive terms in 2019 and 2024.

    The Congress general secretary became the candidate after Rahul resigned keeping Gandhi bastion Rae Bareli, the other seat he won in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

    West Bengal

    West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) is set to sweep the six assembly byelections 6-0, warding off the criticisms it had faced over the RG Kar rape-murder case. The byelections were held in Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur, Taldangra, Sitai and Madarihat on November 13. All seats except Madarihat (which was last won by the BJP) were in the TMC’s kitty.

  • Lebanon: Israeli strike flattens residential building in Beirut, 11 die 

    An Israeli strike flattened a multi-storey residential building in central Beirut killing at least 11 people, media reports said. 

    The attack left several others injured.
    Israeli strike in Beirut leaves 11 dead. Photo Courtesy: X page video grab

    The attack left several others injured.

    Rescue workers in Lebanon were on Saturday morning searching for survivors under the rubble in the densely populated Basta area of the Lebanese capital, authorities told CNN.

    The Israel Defense Forces did not comment on the incident so far.

    This is the latest Israeli strike in Beirut in recent weeks.

    The strikes reportedly left 23 people injured.

  • Flash floods hit Singapore after record rainfall, among heaviest downpours in 40 years; public told to stay alert

    Singapore PUB Quick Response vehicle
    Singapore PUB Quick Response vehicles assisted the public during the two flash floods on 22 November 2024. Photo courtesy: Facebook PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency

    Very heavy rainfall on Friday afternoon, among the heaviest downpours in 40 years, caused flash floods in two places in Singapore. The Public Utility Board (PUB), Singapore’s National Water Agency, said on social media that it had “issued flood risk warnings for 19 locations across the island, including Lor Gambir, Mt Vernon Road, Choa Chu Kang Avenue 1, Bedok Avenue 4 and Jalan Nipah”.

    PUB said: “Two flash floods occurred at Wan Tho Avenue at 3.10pm and Yishun Avenue 7 at 3.30pm. Both incidents subsided within 10 minutes. PUB’s Quick Response Team provided immediate assistance to motorists at both locations.”

    According to the PUB post, the “heaviest rainfall of 127.7mm was recorded in northern Singapore from 2.15pm to 4.50pm” on 22 November 2024. The agency added: “This amount corresponds to 51% of Singapore’s average monthly rainfall in November, and lies within the top 1% of maximum daily rainfall records since 1978.”

    The agency said that with “the onset of the Northeast Monsoon, moderate to heavy showers are expected across Singapore in the afternoons on most days”.

    Alongside posting some tips on social media for driving down flooded roads, the agency advised: “Sudden and intense storms can temporarily overwhelm our canals and drains and cause localised flash floods, which typically subside within an hour. The public are encouraged to use the MyENV app and subscribe to the PUB Flood Alerts Telegram Channel (https://t.me/pubfloodalerts) to receive heavy rain alerts and flood risk warnings.”

    In a report on the flash floods, The Straits Times said that earlier yesterday, the National Environment Agency had “issued an alert that said heavy rain was expected over many parts of the island in the afternoon”.

    The report quoted the Met Service of Singapore as saying that “frequent” moderate to heavy “thundery showers” are expected in November as the Northeast Monsoon sets in.

    “Rainfall, often starting in the afternoon and sometimes lasting into the night, is likely to be above average, and temperatures can drop to as low as 23 deg C on some of the rainy days,” said the ST report.

  • Family of Harshita Brella, Indian woman killed in the UK, accuses husband of planned murder, seeks justice

    ‘Aaj phone nahi kiya, sab theek thak hai beta’ (You didn’t call today, is everything okay?) — Harshita Brella’s 55-year-old father Sabir Brella breaks into tears as he looks at his last message to his daughter. The body of 24-year-old Harshita was recovered from the boot of a car in east London on November 14. The car, which belongs to her husband Pankaj Lamba, was parked in Brisbane Road, Ilford.

    Harshita Brella. Photo courtesy: x.com/lorrainemking
    Harshita Brella. Photo courtesy: x.com/lorrainemking

    The Brella family has claimed that it was a planned murder as Pankaj managed to flee to India just a day after brutally killing the woman.

    Harshita’s maternal uncle Sandeep Ahlawat said they tried to approach the UK Embassy in Delhi to seek their help in the case, but they were not allowed to enter the premises.

    It’s been over 10 days since Harshita’s death, but the family still doesn’t know about any developments in the case, he said.

    We don’t know when we would receive her body here in India, Ahlawat said.

    Showing photos of Harshita’s childhood to a recent one where she had slap marks on her face, Sabir said, “Pankaj came back to India after killing her. I request Indian agencies and the government to intervene and arrest him.”

    (Left) Harshita's husband and prime suspect, 23-year-old Pankaj Lamba. (Right) The vehicle used to transport the victim's body. Photo courtesy: www.northants.police.uk
    (Left) Harshita’s husband and prime suspect, 23-year-old Pankaj Lamba. (Right) The vehicle used to transport the victim’s body. Photo courtesy: www.northants.police.uk

    UK’s Northamptonshire Police has launched an international manhunt for Pankaj, whom they suspect of murdering his wife earlier this month at her home in Corby before driving her lifeless body to London, some 145 km away from their house, and fleeing the country after abandoning the car.

    ALSO READ: UK Indian woman Harshita Brella, found dead in a car, was strangled by husband

    Talking about his last WhatsApp message to his daughter, Sabir said she did not reply because she was no more then.

    Her elder sister Sonia Dabas told PTI, “We had the last video call with Harshita on November 10 when she told us that she was preparing food for Pankaj who was coming over for dinner.”

    “From the next day her phone was not reachable. We had a feeling that Pankaj had killed her by then,” she said.

    Sonia said, “My parents are completely broken down since we got the tragic news. We have a hope from our government in India to intervene and get justice for my sister.”

    It appears to be a planned murder as Pankaj managed to return to India just a day after killing her.

    “We have proof of him coming back to India, which we have told to London police. Here, no one is helping us. We have also approached our local police and filed a complaint of dowry harassment against Pankaj and her parents,” Sonia said.

    CCTV images of the suspect release by the police. Photo courtesy: www.northants.police.uk

    Pankaj, a resident of Haryana’s Jhajjar and Harshita, of Delhi’s Palam, got married in March this year and moved to London.

    “It was an arranged marriage. Pankaj’s uncle, who is in Delhi Police, told us that he works in a private company but later turned out to be a security guard in London,” Sonia said.

    She further said that Pankaj and his family used to harass Harshita for dowry.

    “Pankaj used to beat her and force her to get money. Due to the regular fights, she started living separately and working in a warehouse. Despite living separately, he would handle her bank accounts.”

    “With a hope that some day things will become normal, my daughter kept fulfilling his demand, unknowingly that this would be the end,” her father, Brella said.

    The Barella family said they got the information about her death when they got a call from Delhi Police on November 15.

  • Six foreign tourists die in Laos for suspected methanol poisoning

    Six foreign tourists die in Laos due to suspected methanol poisoning
    Methanol poisoning leaves six foreign tourists dead in Laos. Photo Courtesy:  Wikimedia Commons

    At least six foreign tourists have died due to suspected methanol poisoning in Laos, media reports said.

    According to reports, 19-year-old Holly Bowles is now the second Australian to have died of suspected methanol poisoning in the country.

    She reportedly died in a hospital in Thailand. She died a day after her friend Bianca Jones died.

    “It is with broken hearts and we are so sad to say that our beautiful girl Holly is now at peace,” Bowles’ family said in a statement as quoted by Seven News.

    “Holly was living her best life travelling through South East Asia meeting new friends and enjoying incredible experiences,” the statement said.

    “As her parents, we were always so incredibly proud of everything Holly did. Holly was an amazing big sister to James and she always looked out for him,” the statement said.

    Britain’s Foreign Office told CNN on Thursday that a British woman had died in Laos, without naming her or the circumstances of her death.

    The US State Department confirmed to CNN on Thursday that an American citizen had died in Vang Vieng. It did not give a reason for the person’s death.

    Meanwhile, Laos News Agency on Friday confirmed that three tourists died in the country due to suspected consumption of tainted alcoholic beverages.

    In its report, the news agency said the victims were two Danish nationals, both females and one American national.
    The three deaths were reported from Vang Vieng region in the country.

    Lao authorities have started gathering evidence and witness accounts of the deaths of foreign tourists.
    Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Laos on Friday issued a statement to alert people from drinking alcohol in Laos.

    “Purchase alcoholic beverages and drinks from licensed liquor stores, bars, and hotels. Avoid homemade alcoholic drinks,” the Embassy in its alert.

    “Check liquor bottles for signs of tampering or counterfeiting, such as labels with poor print quality or incorrect spelling,” the statement said.

    As per Mediline website,  Methanol is a non drinking type of alcohol used for industrial and automotive purposes.

  • Songs played Cupid in top Mediacorp artistes Mark Sara-Annetha Ayyavoo’s marriage

    Top Mediacorp talents, couple Mark Sara and Annetha Ayyavoo have been together since the early 2000s and married for over a decade now. While Annetha achieved success early, with a top spot at the Best Model of the World 1998, putting Singapore on the map, Mark, admittedly an introvert, used his singing prowess to win over the model-singer.

    Speaking to Connected to India recently, on the sidelines of the Mediacorp’s Amarkala Deepavali event, Mark revealed a secret. “I was intimidated by her,” he said.

    Mark said he watched her now wife on the television win the prestigious crown, but it wasn’t until 2001 that they met, when he came to Vasantham through an audition.

    “I got to know her more. We did a lot of songs together and that’s how we got to really know the other side (of the person),” he added.

    Watch the Spotlight interview below to find out more about Mark Sara and Annetha Ayyavoo.

  • Speculative and inaccurate: Canada denies media report that claimed PM Modi knew of Nijjar’s killing

    The Canadian government on Friday rejected a media report that linked Indian PM Narendra Modi and his top officials to criminal activities in the country.

    PM Justin Trudeau-led government described the report as 'both speculative and inaccurate'.
    Canada denies media report that claimed PM Narendra Modi knew of Nijjar’s killing. Photo Courtesy: PIB

    PM Justin Trudeau-led government described the report as ‘both speculative and inaccurate’.

    The Canadian government issued the statement after Globe and Mail claimed in its report that the country’s security agencies believe Modi knew about the killing of a Sikh separatist leader (Hardeep Singh Nijjar) in British Columbia and other violent plots.

    In a statement issued on Friday, national security and intelligence advisor to the Canadian prime minister Nathalie G Drouin said, “On October 14th, because of a significant and ongoing threat to public safety, the RCMP and officials took the extraordinary step of making public accusations of serious criminal activity in Canada perpetrated by agents of the Government of India.”

    “The Government of Canada has not stated, nor is it aware of evidence, linking Prime Minister Modi, Minister Jaishankar, or NSA Doval to the serious criminal activity within Canada,” the statement said.

    Quoting a senior national-security official, Globe and Mail reported that  Canadian and American intelligence tied the assassination operations to Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah.

    Also in the loop, the official told the newspaper, was Modi’s trusted national-security adviser Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

    While Canada does not have direct evidence that Modi knew, the official told the newspaper that the assessment is that it would be unthinkable that three senior political figures in India would not have discussed the targeted killings with Modi before proceeding.

    India responds sharply

    Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Wednesday called the newspaper report a ‘smear campaign’.

    “Such ludicrous statements made to a newspaper purportedly by a Canadian government source should be dismissed with the contempt they deserve,” Jaiswal said in a statement.

    “Smear campaigns like this only further damage our already strained ties,” he said.

    India-Canada standoff over Khalistani row

    A recent standoff between New Delhi and Ottawa was triggered after Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian officials of being involved in the killing of Nijjar.

    India had expelled six Canadian diplomats and asked them to leave the country last month after Ottawa said it was investigating the Indian ambassador and other diplomats as “persons of interest” in connection with the killing of a Sikh separatist leader last year.

    Canada too asked six Indian diplomats to leave the country alleging that its police reportedly got hold of evidence that they claimed to be a part of an Indian government “campaign of violence”.

    The Indian government had also decided to withdraw its High Commissioner in Canada after Ottawa’s accusations which the Modi government called an act of “vote bank politics”.

    However later in a statement which leaves India vindicated, Trudeau had said he had no “hard evidentiary proof” to back his claims that India government officials were involved in Nijjar’s killing.

  • War crimes: ICC issues arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu

     The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

    The ICC alleges that Netanyahu and Gallant committed crimes such as murder, persecution, and inhumane acts, as well as using starvation as a method of warfare.
    ICC issues arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo Courtesy: X page video grab

    The ICC alleges that Netanyahu and Gallant committed crimes such as murder, persecution, and inhumane acts, as well as using starvation as a method of warfare.

    The Israeli leaders are accused of restricting essential supplies, including food, water, and medical aid, to civilians in Gaza, resulting in severe humanitarian crises and deaths, including those of children.

    These alleged actions occurred during Israel’s retaliatory attacks on Gaza following the Hamas attack on October 7 last year. The conflict has led to thousands of civilian deaths and widespread displacement, with critical infrastructure in Gaza, such as hospitals and schools, being destroyed.

    The ICC stated it had reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant intentionally targeted civilians and restricted medical supplies, leading to unsafe medical procedures and immense suffering. The findings focus on events from October 8, 2023, to at least May 20, 2024.

    “The Chamber assessed that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Gallant bear criminal responsibility as civilian superiors for the war crime of intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population of Gaza,” the court said.

    The court highlighted that the lack of basic necessities, including food, water, electricity, fuel, and medical supplies, created conditions intended to destroy part of Gaza’s civilian population, resulting in deaths from malnutrition and dehydration, particularly among children.

    Israel contested the ICC’s jurisdiction, arguing that it could not be exercised without Israel’s consent. However, the ICC ruled that its jurisdiction is valid based on Palestine’s territorial claims, which include Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.

    The court also dismissed Israel’s request for a fresh notification regarding the investigation, which began in 2021, noting that Israel had declined to seek a deferral when initially notified.

    The ICC’s decision marks a significant development in its investigation into alleged war crimes in the State of Palestine.

  • Donald Trump picks up Pam Bondi as attorney general

    US President Donald Trump on Friday named former Florida Attorney General and long-time ally Pam Bondi as his new attorney general.

    According to reports, the nomination was made hours after Matt Gaetz withdrew his name for consideration.
    Donald Trump names Pam Bondi as attorney general.Photo Courtesy: Pam Bondi X page

    According to reports, the nomination was made hours after Matt Gaetz withdrew his name for consideration.

    In a statement issued by Trump on Truth Social, the President-elect said: “I am proud to announce former Attorney General of the Great State of Florida, Pam Bondi, as our next Attorney General of the United States.”

    “Pam was a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, where she was very tough on Violent Criminals, and made the streets safe for Florida Families. Then, as Florida’s first female Attorney General, she worked to stop the trafficking of deadly drugs, and reduce the tragedy of Fentanyl Overdose Deaths, which have destroyed many families across our Country,” she said.

    Trump said Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and ‘Making America Safe Again’.

    “I have known Pam for many years — She is smart and tough, and is an AMERICA FIRST Fighter, who will do a terrific job as Attorney General!” Trump said.