Key accused in 2008 Bengaluru blasts case arrested from Kerala: Police

Despite the announcement of a ceasefire deal, Israel has intensified its airstrikes and artillery shelling on Gaza, especially its residential buildings, killing more than 100 Palestinians.

Gaza’s civil defense said on Friday at least 101 Palestinians, including 27 children and 31 women, have been killed by Israeli strikes in Gaza since the ceasefire announcement on Wednesday.

The attacks have also left more than 264 injured, according to the rescue agency.

Most of the killings came in Gaza City.

The report comes as Israeli attacks have shown no sign of slowing on the ground, with dozens of strikes reported on Friday.

In northern Gaza’s Jabalia, nine members of a Palestinian journalist’s family, including women and children, were killed.

Two more Palestinians were killed in a separate Israel airstrike in the Jabalia al-Balad area, in the north of Gaza. 

Jabalia has come under fierce attack since the Gaza ceasefire announcement this week. On Thursday, at least 20 were killed in one attack in the area.

At least five others were also killed in another attack that targeted a home, east of Khan Younis City, in Southern Gaza on Friday.

To the west of Khan Younis, three people were killed in attacks on tents housing displaced people.

Another tent was targeted in Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, killing one person.

That's while Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would convene his cabinet later on Friday to approve the long-awaited ceasefire.

Israel launched a genocidal war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime's decades-long campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians.

The regime’s bloody onslaught on Gaza has so far killed at least 46,788 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured more than 110,453 others. Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under rubble.

The ceasefire, announced on Wednesday, consists of three phases and would come into effect on Sunday over 42 days.

The truce deal stipulates that a large-scale prisoner exchange will occur, including the release of 1,000 prisoners from Gaza and hundreds of detainees serving lengthy sentences.

The first stage involves the release of 33 captives, including "children, women, female soldiers, men above 50, and the wounded and sick," as well as a gradual, partial withdrawal of invading Israeli units.

Riyadh: The Indian Embassy in Riyadh hosted a grand Indian Community Interaction Program at its auditorium in the Diplomatic Quarter, attended by the Honorable Minister for Parliamentary and Minority Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju. The event, which commenced at 6 PM (KSA time) brought together a vibrant gathering of Indian community members, Embassy officials and dignitaries.

The Minister was warmly welcomed by the Indian community steering committee with a traditional Himachali cap and shawl, symbolizing Indian cultural richness and diversity. The Honorable Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan, shared the dais. 

In his address, Shri Kiran Rijiju emphasized the growing strategic partnership between India and Saudi Arabia, describing it as critical for fostering mutual growth and supporting the well-being of the Indian diaspora. He remarked, “India and Saudi Arabia share ancient ties, which have evolved into a robust partnership spanning trade, education, technology and culture.”

“The Kingdom is not only home to 2.6 million Indians but also a key ally in advancing global stability and prosperity,” he said. With the Indian diaspora in Saudi Arabia being the second-largest globally, Shri Rijiju equated their number to the population of many nations.

Shri Rijiju underscored the shared commitment to strengthening cultural and economic links, which directly benefit the Indian community in Saudi Arabia and their families in India. 

He captivated the audience with his thoughtful address, expressing gratitude to the Indian diaspora for their invaluable contributions. Reflecting on his earlier visits to the Kingdom as a Member of Parliament and individual basis, he emphasized the significance of this trip as Minister for Parliamentary and Minority Affairs and it’s going to be helpful to the people, especially Hajjis and all Indian diasporas, who are living in the Kingdom. 

Hajj 2025 Preparations & Increase in Hajj Quota

A major highlight of Shri Rijiju’s address was the Government of India’s efforts to improve the Hajj experience for Indian pilgrims. He announced an increase in the Hajj quota for 2025 and introduced new guidelines aimed at ensuring safety, efficiency, and comfort, especially for elderly pilgrims, women and others. 

The Minister emphasized India’s collaboration with Saudi authorities to streamline travel, accommodation, and healthcare facilities for pilgrims, ensuring a hassle-free and spiritually fulfilling experience. He reiterated the government’s commitment to safeguarding the interests of Hajjis, reflecting India’s proactive approach to catering to the needs of its citizens abroad.

Rising Global Stature of India

Shri Rijiju also emphasized and spoke about India’s emergence as a global power. “Unlike a decade ago, India today is a center of global influence with strong ties to almost every nation; India is becoming a global center of power, linked to almost every nation,” he said. The world’s perception of India and Indians has transformed positively, and every Indian can now feel a profound sense of pride,” he stated.

Commendation for Embassy and Cultural Performances

The minister praised the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah for their exceptional works including managing one of the busiest workloads among Indian missions globally, such as issuing around 600 passports daily. He also praised their active involvement in promoting bilateral relations.

The evening featured cultural performances by students from Indian International Schools in Riyadh. Classical dances, along with a special performance marking Vishwa Hindi Divas, captivated the audience. Shri Rijiju applauded the students for showcasing the richness of India’s linguistic and cultural diversity, emphasizing equal respect for all Indian languages such as Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Marati, Rasthani, Manipuri, Dogra etc. 

The event concluded with the Minister distributing prizes to winners of various competitions, leaving attendees inspired and proud of their shared cultural roots. Dinesh Setia, First Secretary at the Indian Embassy, ensured the program’s seamless flow as the master of ceremonies.

The Indian community expressed gratitude to Shri Rijiju for his inspiring vision and praised the Embassy for hosting a memorable evening.

(Inputs from P.A. Hameed Padubidri, Riyadh)

Bengaluru: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar asserted on Friday that the opening of "long-in-waiting" US consulate in Bengaluru was the "very important milestone" in the bilateral ties and urged the American authorities to ensure that the mission starts visa operations at the earliest.

"This will be my number one talking point with Secretary (of State Nominee Marco) Rubio when I go and see him. The sooner we get it done, the better it is," said Jaishankar.

The External Minister was in Bengaluru today to attend the "site dedication ceremony" of the fifth United States consulate in India, which will start operating in Bengaluru soon.

Delivering his speech, Eric Garcetti, US Ambassador to India, said the consulate in Bengaluru will not be offering visa services for the time being.

In his speech, Jaishankar pointed to statistics to nudge the US to get around to issuing visas from Bengaluru as early as possible.

"I was checking figures, and was very glad to see that last year, the RPO (Regional Passport Office) Bengaluru issued 8,83,000 passports. That's just for one year. Do the math, and you will see how important it is to ensure that travel is smooth," added Jaishankar.

He also added that there are three flights every week from here to San Francisco. "Hopefully, if Boeing and Airbus deliver, there'd be more. I think that's a legitimate expectation," said Jaishankar.

Jaishankar said a US consulate in Bengaluru has been "long-in-waiting".

"One, which I believe, Bengaluru legitimately deserved and expected," he added.

"I think Bengaluru has such an important place that it was for me an imperative that there is a permanent resident presence of American diplomats here," said Jaishankar.

He also said every time he had visited the city in the last five years, there was always somebody who would ask him, 'so, when is that consulate coming?'.

"It was from, really, I would say, the cross section of the society. It was from businessmen; it was from the tech world; it was from academics. It was even from people you would meet in a restaurant," added Jaishankar.

According to him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2023 had brought up the issue of opening a consulate in Bengaluru when he visited the US.

He also said India had promised to open a consulate in Los Angeles if the United States "get the Bengaluru consulate done". He said now, with the opening of the consulate, collaborations in defence and education would reach new heights.

"I think the formal opening of this consulate is one more sign that we are overcoming the hesitations of history. It is now within our grasp, within the realm of possibility, that we realise more fully the potential of India-US relations. And I think it is important that Bengaluru too realises its potential in the relationship," said Jaishankar.

In his address, US Ambassador Garcetti, who would be relinquishing his responsibility in India soon, said he was glad that getting a consulate up and running in Bengaluru would be his last task in India.

"You know, our relationship in India is not new. Our second consulate in the world was here in India. After the independence of a new America in 1776, we opened a consulate in Lyon, France, and then the second was in Kolkata, showing, back then, the importance of India to a new American nation," said Garcetti.

India, said Garcetti, is now the second largest mission of America anywhere in the world.

"It produces the second most visas, the most students we're breaking records every single year '“record employees, record visas, record students, record military exercises, record engagement from the seabed to space," added Garcetti.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who was also present during the "site dedication ceremony" said the opening of the consulate in Bengaluru is a testament to the growing importance of Karnataka in the global stage.

"Nowadays, the world is looking at India through Bengaluru. We know there are a lot of hiccups there, as Bengaluru is not a well-planned city. But still the city has proved itself to be the safest city in the entire country for the global firms to have their headquarters," said Shivakumar.

Other dignitaries present for the ceremony include MP Tejasvi Surya, Karnataka's Minister for Large & Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development M B Patil, Minister for IT & BT Priyank Kharge.

Several entrepreneurs from the city, including Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, executive chairperson and founder of Biocon Limited and Biocon Biologics Limited, had also attended the 'site dedication ceremony'.