Ukraine has fired US-supplied long-range missiles at Russian territory for the first time since Washington permitted Kyiv to conduct such attacks, media reports said.
Ukraine hit a Russian weapons arsenal with US-made ATACMS missiles that it fired across the border for the first time, two US officials told CNN.
As per a CNN report, Russia’s Defence Ministry said Ukraine had fired six ballistic missiles at a facility in Bryansk at 3:25 a.m. local time (7:25 p.m. ET) Tuesday and that ATACMS missiles had been used in the attack.
It is the first time Ukraine used longer-range American weapons to strike targets deep inside Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not confirm striking Russia with the ATACMS missiles.
During a press conference on Tuesday, the Ukrainian President was quoted as saying by CNN: “Ukraine has long-range capabilities. Ukraine has long-range drones of its own production. We now have a long ‘Neptune’ (Ukrainian cruise missiles) and not just one. And now we have ATACMS. And we will use all of this.”
The US has not officially commented on the strikes so far.
US President Joe Biden recently authorised Ukraine long-range American missiles inside Russia.
Marking 1,000 days since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of the country, a senior UN official on Tuesday said the international community must continue to show solidarity with Ukraine.
Conflict erupted in Ukraine over a decade ago following Russia’s occupation of Crimea in the east and escalated on 24 February 2022 with the full-scale assault on the country.
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, detailed the death and destruction that has occurred since then.
More than 39,000 civilians have been killed or injured, and over 3,400 schools and hospitals have been damaged or destroyed, while 10 million people have fled their homes.
“These are not just numbers; each one of them represents countless stories of individual unimaginable pain for the people of Ukraine,” he said.
Meanwhile, 1,000 days of war have left more than 14.6 million Ukrainians in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, including 3.5 million displaced within the country, said Amy Pope, Director General of UN migration agency, IOM.
“As winter arrives, the persistent attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure – decimating 65 per cent of the country’s generation capacity – have left communities struggling without adequate electricity, heating, or water,” she said
“This is a matter of survival for millions of people and requires the international community to stand together in solidarity.”
US President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday, November 19, selected the CEO Cantor Fitzgerald as his commerce secretary and US trade representative. This is one of the rare times that both the positions have gone to one person.
Howard Lutnick (left) with US President-elect Donald Trump. Photo courtesy: Screengrab from X
“I am thrilled to announce that Howard Lutnick, chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, will join my administration as the US Secretary of Commerce,” Trump said. “He will lead our tariff and trade agenda, with additional direct responsibility for the Office of the US Trade Representative.”
“In his role as co-chair of the Trump-Vance transition team, Howard has created the most sophisticated process and system to assist us in creating the greatest administration America has ever seen,” the president-elect added.
A dynamic force on Wall Street for more than 30 years, Lutnick joined Cantor Fitzgerald in 1983 and rapidly rose through the ranks to become its president and CEO at the age of 29.
Thank you, President Trump for your trust in me to help Make America Great Again. As the next Secretary of Commerce, I will join the best administration the US has ever seen and unleash our full economic potential. pic.twitter.com/CTr0sdH6nt
“He emerged from these events with an indomitable sense of purpose to rebuild the firm to honor those lost, support their families, and become a beacon of hope for those who remained. He was an inspiration to the world — the embodiment of resilience in the face of unspeakable tragedy,” the Trump transition team said.
Lutnick and the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund donated USD 180 million to the family of 9/11 victims.
He has also donated more than USD 100 million to victims of terrorism, natural disasters, and other emergencies around the world.
Lutnick serves on the board of directors of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum and the Weill Cornell Medicine. He was named the Financial Times’ Person of the Year in 2001 and Ernst & Young’s United States Entrepreneur of the Year in 2010.
He received the Department of the Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Award, the highest honor granted to non-military personnel by it.
Actor Salman Khan confronted former Shark Tank India investor and former managing director of BharatPe, Ashneer Grover, on the sets of a reality show over a comment the latter made on the actor a few years ago. The fintech entrepreneur made a cameo in one of the episodes of Bigg Boss 18 Weekend Ka Vaar. It showed Salman confronting Ashneer for his ‘doglapan’ (double standards), a term he made popular while working as one of the Sharks in the Indian version of Shark Tank in 2021. Ashneer also took to social media to share his response about the episode.
Ashneer Grover (left), Salman Khan. Photo courtesy: Screengrab from X
During the show, Salman asked, “I have heard you speaking about me. You said, ‘We signed him for this much, signed him for that much,’ and all your figures were wrong. So then, what is with the double standards?]”
For context, in April 2022, while conversing with the students at Lovely Professional University, the entrepreneur recalled how he signed the Bollywood superstar and narrated how the deal was made, quoting figures.
Referring to Ashneer’s statement, Salman said the figures quoted by the entrepreneur were incorrect.
When Ashneer said that his statement might not have come across correct, Salman fired back, saying his attitude back then wasn’t the same as it was right now. “But the way you are talking now, and the video I saw of you, this wasn’t your attitude back then,” Salman said.
Salman also took a jab at Ashneer as the actor said he was unaware of his name until it was announced. “I just got to know that you are coming here. I did not know your name also. Since I had seen your video, I recognised your face. I think you should be careful about how you present yourself,” Salman said.
Here’s the full conversation between #SalmanKhan & #AshneerGrover. It’s an absolute treat to watch, considering how Ashneer demeaned Salman Khan in that podcast. Ashneer absolutely deserved this belt treatment!
In response to the remarks, Ashneer Grover shared a long post on X.
“I hope you enjoyed the Bigg Boss weekend ka vaar ! I had good fun. And I am sure the particular episode got great TRP / viewership. BTW all of statements below are TRUE:
Salman is a great host & actor
Salman knows what works on Bigg Boss
I’ve always praised Salman for his sense of self and business – not a single thing demeaning said for him ever
My deal numbers are always correct (bank / auditor verified)
Met Salman in an exclusive meeting on the brand collab for 3 hours in May 2019 in JW Marriott Juhu – along with the director of ad (it’s ok if he doesn’t remember me – I was not a public figure then – he meets tons of people)
The invite for coming as guest on Bigg Boss was not ‘unnamed’ – just like the cheque for the same 😉
And finally I’ve a pic with him – which I didn’t earlier 😉
UK vet doctor commits suicide after wealthy customers euthanise pets to save money. Photo Courtesy: Tina Ellis Instagram page
A veterinary doctor in the UK recently committed suicide with drugs used to euthanise pets after he became distressed by unnecessary requests made by wealthy customers to put their pets down rather than paying to treat them.
The doctor was identified as 35-year-old Dr John Ellis.
According to reports, the doctor was upset that people with new cars did not pay to help their animals.
Before his death, Dr Ellis told his mother clients who couldn’t afford to pay for treatment often brought their pets in too late for anything to be done, reported Metro.
According to reports, Tina Ellis, the doctor’s mother, told an inquest into her son’s death that he found this ‘destroying’.
Tina Ellis told the hearing that her son told her as quoted by Metro: “Owners are leaving it too late to come in, they weren’t seeking help early enough for things that could have been quite simple.”
“He was finding that destroying,” she added.
John Ellis was working as a resident with Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists at the time of his death.
Recording a verdict of suicide Simon Burge, assistant coroner for Hampshire, told Metro that Dr Ellis’s death was ‘a huge waste of a talented life’.
Burge said: “It’s a matter of great regret to the family and all his friends that he should have rashly, unnecessarily made the decision that he did.”
After tasting success in Singapore, Dastak — an annual theatre and film festival from the Republic — is set to make its debut in India. Founded by thespian Shalaka Ranadive in 2016, Dastak has already staged six successful editions in Singapore before entering India. The inaugural Indian edition will take place from November 22 to 24 at Alembic City Art District in Vadodara, Gujarat.
The three-day festival will present five curated plays, each of 20 minutes’ duration, short films from Singapore and India and filmmaking workshops, among other activities. The upcoming edition is conceptualised and executed by WeCanDoIt — A Singapore-based theatre company, set up in 2009 by Shalaka — and Vadodara-based Page to Stage and 3 Peepul Productions. Founded in October 2013 by Suchitra Parikh and Neena Arora, Page to Stage is a theatre company. 3 Peepul Productions is a film production company set up in February 2021 by Arora, Parikh, and Priya Krishnaswamy.
Ahead of the festival, Connected to India’s Himanshu Verma caught up with Shalaka and four performers/contributors: Aditya Mazumdar, Veena Puthran Bangera, Swayam (Utsav) Gadhavi and Kanupriya Shankar Pandit for an exclusive on-cam chat.
Talking about Dastak’s entry into India, Shalakha says she’s hoping to make an impact. “With my entry into India, I’m hoping that the brand stays here, and it makes an impact, and I carry the good work which I’ve done in Singapore. I’m hoping more people participate, come to watch and benefit from Dastak, which has always been my goal and vision,” she says. “India looks so welcoming at the moment and I’m excited. Let’s see where it takes me.”
Swayam, who will be directing and acting in 2+2, a two-actor play written by Gopal Datt, says he wasn’t aware of the magnitude of the festival, but was taken aback. “When I started, I didn’t know how big this was. I went to Ahmedabad and rehearsed there with my co-actor and then came back to my hometown and that’s when I started seeing the posts online and had a discussion with my co-actor. I said, ‘this is a big theatre festival’.”
Swayam says while it started slow, Dastak is garnering quite the buzz among theatre lovers in the Indian city. Sharing her thoughts on the slow start, Shalaka says she didn’t market Dastak as a big festival as she wanted the artistes to be at ease and showcase their work.
Kanupriya, who will be directing Ek Thi Janki, adapted from a story written by her mother and prominent author Usha Kiran Khan, says she was fascinated by the work done by Dastak in Singapore and wanted to collaborate for a long time. Kanupriya, who runs Killol Kala Foundation in Mumbai, says she narrated four lines from her play, which addresses issues that are relevant to women today and received an instant nod from Shalaka, marking the former’s Dastak debut.
Asked about her take on the selection of Nirjhari — an award-winning short film based on the namesake stage production — for the inaugural edition of Dastak in India, Veena says she’s feeling “lucky” and “happy”. “When Shalaka told me that they’re screening Nirjhari in Vadodara, I was like ‘wow! good, nice’.”
Aditya, whose Malayalam film Neelambari will be screened at the festival, says, “It’s great to see Dastak travelling and launching in India.” Aditya, who directed and edited the film, is a Bengali by birth. Asked about experiences of working in a different language, he says he has been a fan of Malayalam cinema directors and speaks a little bit of the southern Indian language, which helped him during the making of the award-winning short film.
“We really hope you enjoy this simple story presentation of Neelambari,” he tells the Dastak audience.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Monday, November 18, imposed a penalty of INR 213.14 crore (approx. USD 25.25 million) on social media major Meta for unfair business ways with respect to WhatsApp privacy policy update done in 2021.
Logos of Meta (left) and WhatsApp. Photo courtesy- Meta: www.facebook.com/accessibility, WhatsApp: Wikipedia
Besides, the competition watchdog has directed Meta to “cease and desist” from anti-competitive practices.
Meta and WhatsApp have also been asked to implement certain behavioural remedies within a defined timeline to address the anti-competition issues, according to a CCI order.
The regulator has called for implementing various remedial measures, including barring WhatsApp from sharing data collected on its platform with other Meta companies or Meta company products for advertising purposes for five years.
Among other directions, CCI has said that sharing of user data collected on WhatsApp with other Meta companies or Meta company products for purposes other than for providing WhatsApp services shall not be made a condition for users to access WhatsApp Service in India.
Passing the order against abuse of dominance, the CCI said this penalty relates to how WhatsApp’s 2021 Privacy Policy was implemented and how user data was collected and shared with other Meta companies.
For the case, CCI delineated two relevant markets — OTT messaging apps through smartphones in India, and online display advertising in India. “Meta Group operating through WhatsApp was found to be dominant in the market for OTT messaging apps through smartphones in India. Furthermore, it was also found that Meta holds a leading position compared to its competitors in online display advertising in India,” CCI said in a release.
Starting from January 2021, WhatsApp notified users about updates to its terms of service and privacy policies.
The in-app notification, effective from February 8, 2021, stated that users were required to accept these terms, including expanded scope of data collection as well as mandatory data sharing with Meta companies, to continue using WhatsApp.
Under the previous privacy policy dated August 25, 2016, WhatsApp users were given the option to decide whether they wanted to share their data with Facebook, the release said.
“However, with the latest policy update in 2021, WhatsApp made data sharing with Meta mandatory for all users, removing the earlier option to opt-out. As a result, users had to accept the new terms, which include data sharing with Meta, in order to continue using the platform,” it added.
The watchdog has concluded that the 2021 policy update by WhatsApp on a “take-it-or-leave-it” basis constitutes an imposition of unfair condition under the Competition Act, as it compels all users to accept expanded data collection terms and sharing of data within Meta Group without any opt out.
“Given the network effects and lack of effective alternatives, the 2021 update forces users to comply, undermining their autonomy, and constitutes an abuse of Meta’s dominant position. Accordingly, the Commission finds that Meta (through WhatsApp) has contravened Section 4(2)(a)(i) of the Act,” it said.
Established in March 2009 by the Indian government, the CCI is the chief national competition regulator in the country. Photo courtesy: www.instagram.com/competitioncommissionofindia
Further, CCI said that sharing of WhatsApp users’ data between Meta companies for purposes other than providing WhatsApp Service creates an entry barrier for the rivals of Meta and thus, results in denial of market access in the display advertisement market.
According to the regulator, Meta has engaged in leveraging its dominant position in the OTT messaging apps through smartphones to protect its position in the online display advertising market in contravention of the competition law.
CCI has barred WhatsApp from sharing data collected on its platform with other Meta companies or Meta company products for advertising purposes for five years and the debarment period will start from the date of receipt of this order.
With respect to sharing of WhatsApp user data for purposes other than advertising, the regulator said WhatsApp’s policy should include a detailed explanation of the user data shared with other Meta companies or Meta company Products.
“This explanation should specify the purpose of data sharing, linking each type of data to its corresponding purpose,” it said.
The watchdog also said that sharing of user data collected on WhatsApp with other Meta companies or Meta company products for purposes other than for providing WhatsApp services shall not be made a condition for users to access WhatsApp Service in India.
Regarding sharing of WhatsApp user data for purposes other than for providing WhatsApp services, CCI said all users in India (including users who have accepted 2021 update) will be provided with the choice to manage such data sharing by way of an opt-out option prominently through an in-app notification.
Also, the regulator has asked for the option to review and modify their choice with respect to such sharing of data through a prominent tab in settings of WhatsApp application, and all future policy updates should comply with these requirements.
US President-elect Donald Trump has no personal relationship with former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, a prominent Pakistani-American businessman and Trump backer has said.
Donald Trump during a rally in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo courtesy: www.instagram.com/realdonaldtrump
Sajid Tarar, who heads the Muslims for Trump organisation, also said that Trump — who won the US presidential election for a second term in one of the most remarkable comebacks in American electoral history — would strengthen ties with India and keep a close watch on allegations of human rights violations in Bangladesh.
“A perception is being created by a particular party in Pakistan that he (Khan) has a personal relationship with Donald Trump. This is not true. It’s a fact that, as president, Trump had invited Khan to the White House as the Prime Minister of Pakistan,” Tarar told PTI in an interview.
Trump will “not interfere” in the internal affairs of Pakistan or its judiciary to get Khan out of jail, he asserted.
“He (Trump) may have a soft corner (for Khan),” he said.
Khan was arrested last year after his conviction in the first Toshakhana corruption case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan. Since then, he has been in jail in different cases.
Tarar also noted that Trump was aware of the developments in South Asia, including Bangladesh.
Trump is aware that when he was running for president in 2016, Muhammad Yunus — the chief advisor to the interim Bangladesh government — had openly supported Hillary Clinton against him. During his recent US visit, Yunus met President Joe Biden and former president Bill Clinton, he added.
“In fact, there is a history here that when Donald Trump was fighting the election against Hillary Clinton, he (Yunus) was supporting Hillary Clinton,” Tarar said.
Sajid Tarar is a Pakistani American politician from Baltimore. Photo courtesy: www.facebook.com/papa.usa17
Days before the November 5 elections in the US, Trump issued a statement condemning “human rights violations” against Hindus in Bangladesh.
The minority Hindu community, which constitutes about 8 percent of Bangladesh’s population, has alleged regular vandalism of their businesses and destruction of temples during and since the protests that resulted in the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024.
“He (Trump) will have a close eye on Bangladesh and will be watching (allegations of) human rights violations… In my opinion, Donald Trump will have a tough word with Bangladesh,” Tarar said.
Trump’s election, he asserted, was good for the US and the world. “Donald Trump has not taken his oath yet but (the world has started) reacting to it. The whole world is nervous, except India. Now, the world has a leader. Over the next four years, he will be cleaning up the extension of Barack Obama’s policies in the US that has been going on for 12 years.”
Among the new Trump administration’s top focus areas will be to give priority to the Pentagon, Tarar said.
“He will strengthen the Pentagon. He will revisit our foreign policy. Afghanistan is not the threat it was in the past. Pakistan’s geographic location is such that it cannot be ignored — a border with China, borders with Iran, Afghanistan and India. So, in my opinion, he will justify a relationship,” he said.
“Since 1947, Pakistan and the US have been very close to each other. Defence contracts, its (Pakistan’s) top brass are trained and educated here. Most of the war equipment is made in America,” Tarar said.
Trump 2.0, Tarar claimed, would be completely different from his first stint.
“I think they will put a new life in the Republican Party. It was necessary to create a balance in US politics,” Tarar said.
Delhi CM orders to conduct online classes for school students amid deteriorating air quality. Photo Courtesy: Pixabay
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Monday slammed PM Narendra Modi-led government and said it has not taken any ‘concrete step’ to solve the stubble burning problem which is believed to be choking the national capital under a thick layer of toxic smog.
She directed authorities to discontinue physical classes and shift to online mode for school students amid deteriorating air quality in the city.
The Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) experienced the worst Air Quality Index (AQI) on Monday morning as the toxic smog engulfed the union territory causing more worries for the residents, media reports said.
The AQI plummeted to the ‘severe-plus’ category reducing the visibility to 150 metres at 5 am.
The AQI recorded 481 at 7 am.
“All of North India has been plunged into a medical emergency as stubble burning continues unchecked across the country. All cities across the country – in UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, Haryana, MP and Delhi – are reeling under severe levels of pollution,” Atishi wrote on X.
All of North India has been plunged into a medical emergency as stubble burning continues unchecked across the country. All cities across the country – in UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, Haryana, MP and Delhi – are reeling under severe levels of pollution.
She said: “And yet despite rising severity of stubble burning across India for last 5 years, the Central Govt has taken no concrete step to curb the same. All of North India is paying the price for this, especially children and elderly who are struggling to breathe.”
Atishi has announced all school classes will be held online except for students in Classes 10 and 12.
The Chief Minister wrote on X, “With the imposition of GRAP-4 from tmrw, physical classes shall be discontinued for all students, apart from Class 10 and 12. All schools will hold online classes, until further orders.”
The Stage-4 of the anti-pollution plan GRAP was implemented by the Centre at 8 am.
Under the Stage 4 of GRAP, no trucks barring the ones using clean fuel or the ones carrying essential items will be allowed inside the national capital.
Light commercial vehicles carrying non-essential items will be barred from entering Delhi.
Barring the ones carrying essential items, BS-IV vehicles or the ones using older fuels will be barred in the national capital.
All kinds of construction work will remain suspended.
The Supreme Court will on Monday resume hearing on the case pertaining to air pollution.
Last week during a hearing, Amicus curiae and senior advocate Aparajita Singh told the top court bench comprising Justice Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih that Delhi should not become the most polluted city in the world.
“We are in severe mode today. They (Delhi government) have not yet taken any pre-emptive measure yet. Nothing has been done. We should not become the most polluted city in the world,” advocate Singh told the top court as quoted by Bar and Bench.
IDF eliminates Hezbollah media chief Mohammed Afif. Photo Courtesy: IDF X page
Israel Defense Forces on Monday confirmed the ‘elimination’ of Hezbollah’s media chief Mohammed Afif during a strike in central Beirut.
IDF confirmed the development and wrote on X: “ELIMINATED: Chief Propagandist and Spokesperson of Hezbollah, Mohammed Afif.”
🔴ELIMINATED: Chief Propagandist and Spokesperson of Hezbollah, Mohammed Afif
Afif was a senior Hezbollah military operative, in contact with senior officials and directly involved in advancing and executing Hezbollah’s terrorist activities against Israel.
IDF said Afif was a senior Hezbollah military operative who was directly involved in advancing and executing Hezbollah’s terrorist activities against Israel.
“Messages broadcasted by Afif to the Lebanese media glorified and incited terrorist activities against Israel, and he was responsible for numerous psychological terror operations against the Israeli public,” IDF posted on X.
“Afif’s impact on the terrorist organization proves that he was directly involved in Hezbollah’s terrorist activity against the State of Israel,” the Israeli forces said.
Hezbollah group has also confirmed the death of the leader.
Afif also worked as an adviser to longtime Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah over the years.
Hassan Nasrallah was killed during an Israeli airstrike in September.
More than 3,500 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon since Hezbollah and the Israeli military began firing over the border at each other last October, reported The National.
