‘Over 70K Israeli soldiers disabled; 8,663 wounded in Gaza war’

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned against a wider conflict in West Asia after Israeli officials threatened to launch an invasion of Lebanon.

Speaking to reporters in New York, the UN chief said the risk for the conflict in the region to widen is real, citing an escalation in the daily exchange of fire and the war of words between the regime and the resistance movement. 

"I felt compelled today to voice my profound concerns about the escalation between Israel and Hezbollah along the Blue Line. Escalation in continued exchanges of fire. And escalation in bellicose rhetoric from both sides as if an all-out war was imminent. The risk of the conflict in the Middle East to widen is real -- and must be avoided. One rash move – one miscalculation -- could trigger a catastrophe that goes far beyond the border, and frankly, beyond imagination,” he said.

The top UN diplomat said the people of the region and the world cannot “afford Lebanon to become another Gaza.”

"The parties must urgently recommit to the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701 and immediately return to a cessation of hostilities. Civilians must be protected. Children, journalists and medical workers should never be targeted, and displaced communities must be able to return to their homes. The world must say loudly and clearly, that immediate de-escalation is not only possible, it is essential. There is no military solution."

The UN chief said the UN peacekeepers are working to calm the situation and prevent miscalculation.

"For our part, the United Nations is actively engaging to promote peace, security and stability in line with Security Council Resolution 1701. UN peacekeepers, usually fields, are on the ground, working to de-escalate tensions, and they'll prevent miscalculations. In an extremely challenging environment."

Hezbollah started the ongoing round of anti-Israel operations on October 8, a day after the Israeli regime launched its genocidal war on Gaza vowing to eliminate resistance factions there.

Hezbollah says its operations are meant to support the Gaza resistance and to put pressure on the regime to stop the genocide in Gaza, which has so far left over 35,000 Gazans dead, most of them women and children.

The exchange of fire has intensified following the Israeli assassination of senior Hezbollah commander Sami Taleb Abdallah last week.

The movement has retaliated by firing hundreds of rockets into the northern parts of the occupied territories.

On Tuesday, the Israeli army said it had approved plans for an attack on Lebanon, raising concerns that the regime might carry out threats that it will turn Lebanon into another Gaza.

On Wednesday, Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah vowed that "no place" in the Israeli-occupied territories would "be spared our rockets" if a wider war began.

Nasrallah emphasized that an incursion into the Galilee region remains an option on the table should Israel invade southern Lebanon.

He also said they would attack any other country in the region that assisted Israel in the war effort, citing Cyprus, which has hosted Israeli forces for training exercises.

Over a week after a devastating fire in Kuwait killed 50 people, the Ministry of External Affairs said 17 injured Indians are still admitted in hospitals there and all are stable.

The Indian embassy is in touch with the local authorities, the patients and their kin to ensure their well-being, it said.

The massive fire had occurred at a seven-storey building in Kuwait’s Mangaf city in the southern Ahmadi Governorate on June 12 and at least 45 Indians died in the tragedy. The building was home to 196 migrant workers, mostly Indians.

The NBTC Group, where the victims of the fire tragedy were employed, recently issued a statement, extending its deepest condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims and injured.

In response to a query at a weekly media briefing here, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that on the part of the Kuwaiti government, the Emir has announced USD 15,000 as compensation for the families of the people who have died in the fire incident.

The company has announced payment of Rs 8 lakh to the next of kin of people who have died, he said.

“This fire tragedy happened on June 12 and 45 Indians died, their mortal remains were brought to India on June 14. There are still 17 Indians who are injured, they are in hospitals. But, they are all stable. The (Indian) Embassy is making daily rounds, the embassy is in touch with the local authorities, the hospital authorities and even the patients and their family members to ensure their well-being,” Jaiswal said.

He said as far as compensation is concerned, the prime minister had announced on June 13 an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the families of people who had died and Rs 50,000 for the injured people.

In addition, different state governments have also announced their compensation for those who have died in this tragedy, the MEA spokesperson said.

In addition, the insurance money will also come from the insurance company, he said.

The company is also providing a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to all the injured and their medical expenses are being covered by the company. It will also undertake rehabilitation of those who are injured, Jaiswal said.

A C-130J IAF aircraft carrying 45 bodies landed at the Kochi international airport on June 14 morning. Thirty-one bodies were received at the airport by Central and state ministers, including Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The remaining 14 bodies were sent to Delhi in the same aircraft as a domestic flight from Kochi, and after being brought to Delhi were sent on to their forward journey. 

Mangaluru: A wave of joy and nostalgia has swept over Tulu-speaking communities in coastal Karnataka with the exciting news that Tulu is now included in Google Translate. This significant development promises to elevate the language’s popularity and recognition on a global scale, filling hearts with pride and happiness.

"The addition of Tulu to Google Translate is a monumental achievement for the language and its speakers," beamed Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy chairman Tharanath Gatti Kapikad.

He expressed that the community is overjoyed, believing this step will expose Tulu to a broader audience, allowing people worldwide to appreciate its richness and beauty.

"With Tulu now available on such a widely used translation platform, the coastal district anticipates a surge in interest and curiosity about our language and culture. We also hope this recognition will help bring due prominence to the language. The people of Tulunadu have long been advocating for Tulu to be included in Schedule VIII of the Constitution and to be declared an official language of Karnataka," he shared.

Kapikad noted that while the academy did not directly influence this development, the introduction of Tulu Wikipedia has also played a crucial role in garnering recognition, as there are now several articles in Tulu on the platform. He encouraged people to send feedback to Google Translate to help improve the feature further.

MLAs D Vedavyas Kamath, U Rajesh Naik, Gurme Suresh Shetty, and others also praised Google Translate for adding the language. "I express sincere gratitude to the Google team for making Tulu available alongside 110 other languages," Kamath said with heartfelt appreciation.

This moment is not just a technological advancement but a celebration of Tulu heritage, invoking memories of a rich past and hopes for a flourishing future.