Massive earthquake in Myanmar causes widespread destruction; Bangkok trembles

Millions of people across Iran and the world took to the streets on International Quds Day, expressing solidarity with Palestinians and condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Brigadier General Ramezan Sharif, spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and head of the Intifada Committee in Tehran, stated that rallies began at 10:00 a.m. local time (0630 GMT) in over 900 cities across Iran.

Demonstrators from various walks of life carried Iranian and Palestinian flags, as well as banners reading “Free Palestine” and “Al-Quds Must Be Liberated.” Flags of regional resistance groups, including Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (Hashd al-Sha'abi), Lebanon’s Hezbollah, and Yemen’s Ansarullah, were also displayed.

Mass rallies were held across West Asia, including in Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon, as well as in other parts of the world.

Iranian Leaders Condemn Western Stance

Senior Iranian officials participated in the rally in Tehran, where Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf addressed the gathering.

“Iranians have taken to the streets in a massive show of support for Palestine and the Islamic Ummah,” Qalibaf said. “The Palestinian struggle is not just an issue for the Islamic world but a lesson for all of humanity.”

He criticized the West’s response to Israeli actions in Gaza, calling it a stain on Western civilization. “These crimes will be remembered as a lasting ignominy, exposing the West’s duplicity in human rights advocacy,” he added.

Qalibaf also defended the October 7, 2023, Palestinian attack on Israeli-occupied territories, describing Operation al-Aqsa Flood as a “rightful and legitimate response to 77 years of oppression by Israel, the U.S., and Britain.” He further described Israel as a “spare regime” dependent on U.S. support.

Quds Day: A Global Symbol of Resistance

Al-Quds Day, observed annually on the last Friday of Ramadan, was established in 1979 by the late Imam Khomeini to demonstrate solidarity with Palestinians and oppose Israeli occupation. The event has since become a symbol of resistance, with large rallies held worldwide, particularly amid Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza and the West Bank.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written a letter to Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, who today began her return journey to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) after being stranded there for more than nine months.

In a letter dated March 1, which was shared by Union Minister Jitendra Singh on X today, the Prime Minister said he had inquired about the well-being of Ms Williams - who flew to the orbital lab on June 5 last year - when he met President Donald Trump and his predecessor, Joe Biden, during his visits to the United States.

The letter was made public hours after Ms Williams and her colleague, Butch Wilmore, undocked from the ISS for a 17-hour trip back home.

PM Modi recalled that at a meeting with former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino in Delhi this month, her name had come up in their conversation.

"We discussed how proud we are of you and your work. Following this interaction, I could not stop myself from writing to you," PM Modi said.

"1.4 billion Indians have always taken great pride in your achievements. Recent developments have yet again showcased your inspirational fortitude and perseverance," he wrote.

He said her mother, Bonnie Pandya, must be "keenly" awaiting her return.

"I am sure that Late Deepakbhai's blessings are with you as well," the Prime Minister said, referring to her father, Deepak Pandya, who was a resident of his home state, Gujarat, and died in 2020.

PM Modi also said he "fondly" remembers meeting him and her during his visit to the US in 2016.

"Even though you are thousands of miles away, you continue to remain close to our hearts. The people of India are praying for your good health and success in your mission," PM Modi told the 59-year-old astronaut.

"After your return, we are looking forward to seeing you in India. It will be a pleasure for India to host one of its most illustrious daughters," he added.

He also sent his "warm regards" to her husband, Michael Williams.

Sunita Williams and her colleague, Butch Wilmore, flew to the orbital lab on June 5 last year, on what was supposed to be a days-long roundtrip to test out Boeing's Starliner on its first crewed flight.

The spaceship, however, developed propulsion problems and was deemed unfit to fly them back. It instead returned uncrewed.

The two astronauts were then reassigned to the NASA-SpaceX Crew-9 mission, which saw a Dragon spacecraft fly to the ISS in September last year with a team of two -- American astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov -- rather than the usual four, to make room for the stranded astronauts.

On Sunday, a relief team -- Crew-10 -- docked with the space station to make the way for Ms Williams and Mr Wilmore's much-awaited homecoming, along with Mr Hague and Mr Gorbunov.

Mangaluru: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly criticized the Karnataka government's decision to reserve 4% of government contracts for Muslims, calling it an unconstitutional move that promotes division in society. Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta reaffirmed the party’s commitment to challenging this policy both legally and politically.

Speaking to the media, Capt. Chowta stated that Dr. B.R. Ambedkar had introduced reservations specifically for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) to uplift marginalized communities. He accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of misusing the concept of AHINDA politics to cater to specific organizations rather than working for the welfare of all backward communities in Karnataka.

“The Congress government’s decision is an unconstitutional and religion-based move aimed at appeasement politics. It is a betrayal of backward communities and a clear attempt to divide society along religious lines,” said Capt. Chowta. He further asserted that the BJP would not remain silent and would oppose the decision at every level.

The BJP plans to file a writ petition in the High Court seeking to overturn the government's move, which it believes is a calculated effort to gain religious vote banks. Capt. Chowta also condemned the government’s allocation of Rs 1,000 crore under the "Minority Colonies Development Fund" in the state budget, arguing that such policies undermine the principles of equality enshrined in the Constitution.

He emphasized that the Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled against religion-based reservations and reiterated that Dr. Ambedkar himself opposed such policies during the drafting of the Constitution. “Previous attempts to introduce religion-based reservations in other states have been struck down by courts, yet the Siddaramaiah government continues to push its vote-bank agenda. We will fight until this unconstitutional decision is revoked,” he added.