‘Dil to bachcha hai ji’: Rahul Gandhi’s heartfelt interaction with kids, WATCH viral video
An adorable clip of Congress MP and LoP Rahul Gandhi interacting with kids has surfaced online.
‘India and Pakistan should bury the past’: Nawaz Sharif after S Jaishankar’s visit
Jaishankar travelled to Islamabad on Tuesday for a nearly 24-hour trip to attend the conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), becoming the first Indian foreign minister to visit Pakistan in the last nine years amid continuing strain in ties.
Big blow to Mukesh Ambani as Reliance Jio loses 10.9 million subscribers due to…
Jio’s net profit rose to ?6,536 crore, despite the drop in total subscribers.
Preview: New Zealand vs West Indies – Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 semifinal
Who: New Zealand vs West IndiesWhat: Second semifinal, ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024When: Friday, October 18, 6pm (14:00 GMT)Where: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah, United Arab EmiratesHow to follow: Al Jazeera’s live text coverage begins at 10:30 GMT West Indies and New Zealand meet in a semifinal befitting of a tournament that has defied the odds. Australia, the record six-time winners and current holders, were eliminated on Thursday by a South Africa side given little hope of exacting revenge on the team that defeated them on home soil in the final of the last edition. The Australians had been on a 14-game winning streak at T20 World Cups. The three teams most fancied to stop Australia’s defence, England, India and Asia Cup winners Sri Lanka didn’t even make it out of the group stage. New Zealand had lost 10 T20 internationals in a row before their shock 58-run victory against India in their opening game. A result the Indians, arguably, never recovered from. West Indies, meantime, have one of the stars of the tournament in their captain Hayley Matthews, but they, like their Kiwi opponents, were regarded as long shots to make it out of their group. “No one had us to get to this stage,” Matthews said ahead of the semifinal. “So, we’re all pretty happy that we’ve made it here, but … the job’s just not finished. We’re … hopefully ready to play a really big game because we don’t want to just come to this World Cup to say, ‘Hey we’ve made the semifinals and we’re happy with that’.” West Indies’ only previous appearance in the final came in 2016 but that did result in a win. That too went against the grain, as they beat an Australian side searching for a fourth consecutive title. “We’re always at our best when we’re enjoying ourselves and being really vibrant in the field,” Matthews added. “I’m just encouraging every one of the youngsters to go out and enjoy themselves. Yeah. it’s a World Cup semifinal, and it’s a huge game, but we’re still playing the same game that we learned in the back yards of our homes and also on the streets in the Caribbean – so, just enjoy it.” Since New Zealand’s wretched run came to an end with their opening win against India, only Australia have taken the wind out of the Kiwis’ sails. It was, however, a chastening experience for New Zealand, who were bowled out for 86 in an 80-run defeat. Indeed, Sophie Devine’s side were the favourites to finish bottom of a group of death, which also included Sri Lanka and Pakistan. “We don’t want to get too high or too low, and that’s really key for us to make sure that we play with that level of emotions,” said Devine, who could become the first Kiwi captain to lift a Women’s World Cup. “It is another game and we’re trying to keep things really similar in terms of the build-up and the preparation we’re doing.” New Zealand vs West Indies: Head-to-head record New Zealand enjoy a 17-5 advantage over the West Indies in their 23 T20 encounters, including two Super Over wins. One match ended in a “no result” due to a washout. New Zealand’s best result at T20 World Cup Runners-up: 2009, 2010 West Indies’s best result at T20 World Cup Champions: 2016 Form guide: New Zealand The White Ferns opened their World Cup campaign with a win over pre-tournament favourites India, and closed their group phase by knocking them out with a win over Pakistan. Their only loss in the tournament came against Australia. Last five matches: W W L W L Form guide: West Indies The West Indies will look to continue their three-match winning streak in the tournament and go all the way to the final. Last five matches: W W W L L Toss and pitch condition In the eight group-stage matches played in Sharjah, teams winning the toss have batted first on eight occasions. Five of those eight games have ended in a win for the team batting first. One match saw the toss-winning captain choosing to bowl first and win the match. Weather forecast Sharjah will be hot, humid and somewhat unforgiving in the early part of the match. The temperature is expected to hover around 36 degrees Celsius (96.8F) with 50 percent humidity, making the real temperature feel a bit higher. Team news: New Zealand New Zealand have been spared from major injuries to their usual playing XI and are expected to field the same side that beat Pakistan in their last game. Squad: Sophie Devine (captain), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Isabella Gaze (wicketkeeper), Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Fran Jonas, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu. Team news: West Indies The West Indies will hope their star batter Stefanie Taylor, who missed the game against England, is fit for the big match and take her place in the XI. Squad: Hayley Matthews (captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Shemaine Campbelle (wicketkeeper), Ashmini Munisar, Afy Fletcher, Stafanie Taylor, Chinelle Henry, Chedean Nation, Qiana Joseph, Zaida James, Karishma Ramharack, Mandy Mangru, Nerissa Crafton. Adblock test (Why?)
Former Canadian Olympian charged in major US cocaine-smuggling case
Snowboarder Ryan Wedding and 15 others are accused of shipping 60 tonnes of cocaine a year to the US and Canada. United States prosecutors in Los Angeles, California, have charged a former Olympic snowboarder with allegedly running a large and violent cocaine smuggling operation out of Mexico. On Thursday, the Department of Justice unveiled a 52-page indictment accusing the 43-year-old Canadian athlete, Ryan James Wedding, and 15 other people, of shipping 60 tonnes of cocaine a year from Colombia to Canada and the US using long-haul semi-trucks. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and extradition of Wedding, who is considered a fugitive and uses the aliases El Jefe, Giant and Public Enemy. Agents also raided a $5m luxury mansion near Miami in South Florida and arrested its owner, 36-year-old music executive and restaurant owner Nahim Jorge Bonilla, who was also named in the indictment, The Miami Herald reported. Bonilla allegedly received 12 kilogrammes (about 44lbs) of cocaine from Wedding and his co-defendant Andrew Clark to distribute. According to the indictment, Bonilla was in debt to Clark and Wedding, and the two men threatened to kill Bonilla’s mother if he did not repay what was owed. At a news conference on October 17, prosecutors displayed bricks of cocaine and other evidence of an alleged drug-trafficking operation, helmed by snowboarder Ryan Wedding [Damian Dovarganes/AP Photo] Wedding, who competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, also faces charges in Canada in a separate drug case. He was previously convicted in the US of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to prison in 2010, federal records show. US authorities believe that, after Wedding’s release, he resumed drug trafficking for the notorious Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico. “He chose to become a major drug trafficker, and he chose to become a killer,” Martin Estrada, the US attorney in Los Angeles, told reporters on Thursday. Authorities also explained that they seized cocaine, weapons, ammunition, cash and more than $3m in cryptocurrency in connection to their investigation. “Wedding, the Olympian snowboarder, went from navigating slopes to contouring a life of incessant crimes,” said Matthew Allen, the special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Los Angeles. Of the 16 people accused in the drug trafficking conspiracy, four remain fugitives, Estrada said. A dozen others were arrested in Florida, Michigan, Canada, Colombia and Mexico in connection with the case. The criminal enterprise was also allegedly responsible for the murders of two members of an Indian family on November 20, 2023, in Ontario, Canada, who were killed in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment. At least one other person was also killed by the group. Wedding’s co-defendant Clark, 34, is also a Canadian citizen. Known by the alias “The Dictator”, he was arrested by Mexican authorities on October 8, according to the Justice Department. Adblock test (Why?)
US charges Indian government employee in foiled Sikh separatist murder plot
The United States has filed charges against an Indian government employee it says was involved in a failed plot to kill an American citizen, who is a prominent advocate for Sikh separatism, in New York. The US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Thursday that it filed “murder-for-hire and money laundering charges” against Vikash Yadav. Another suspect in the case, Nikhil Gupta, was extradited to the US earlier this year to face charges while Yadav remains at large, according to US authorities. “The defendant [Yadav], an Indian government employee, allegedly conspired with a criminal associate and attempted to assassinate a US citizen on American soil for exercising their First Amendment rights,” Christopher Wray, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said in a statement. “The FBI will not tolerate acts of violence or other efforts to retaliate against those residing in the US for exercising their constitutionally protected rights.” The Indian government did not immediately comment on the allegations on Thursday. It has previously rejected accusations that a government agent was involved in the murder plot as “unwarranted” and “unsubstantiated”, according to media reports. The case revolves around an alleged scheme to kill Sikh American activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Pannun, the legal adviser for the group Sikhs for Justice, is a vocal member of a Sikh campaign for a sovereign state in India’s Punjab region, known as the Khalistan movement. India views Sikh separatism as a threat to its sovereignty. Over the past few years, the country has been increasingly vocal in demanding that allied countries with sizable Sikh populations — notably Canada, the US and the United Kingdom — do more to crack down on the movement. Sikhs for Justice is banned in India, and Pannun — a vocal critic of Indian government policies — has been accused (PDF) by New Delhi of being “involved in terrorism”. But Sikh community leaders have accused India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Hindu nationalist, of trying to stifle dissent, both in India and abroad. In the hours before Thursday’s charges were announced, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), a nonprofit, called on Washington to take “urgent action” to address a campaign of “transnational repression”. “In the United States, Sikh Americans and other diaspora communities continue to face the threat of transnational repression,” the group said in a statement. “Whether it be surveillance, intimidation, or targeted violence, foreign governments have sought to stifle free speech and political dissent within our borders. This is unacceptable in a country that stands for freedom and human rights.” ‘Freedom of expression’ In a statement on Thursday evening, Sikhs for Justice — Pannun’s group — said the new US indictment demonstrated Washington’s “commitment … to protect the life, liberty and freedom of expression of the US Citizen at home and abroad”. The organisation promised to continue to advocate for Khalistan, including by organising non-binding votes in the Sikh diaspora on the question of a sovereign state in Punjab. “Despite India’s use of violence against pro Khalistan Sikhs, [Sikhs for Justice] is committed to democratically resolve the dispute over the sovereignty of Indian occupied Punjab through the means of Referendum,” the statement said. The US State Department said earlier this week that an Indian committee of inquiry, tasked with investigating the foiled murder plot, had travelled to Washington, DC, to discuss the case and receive an update from American officials. “India has informed the United States they are continuing their efforts to investigate other linkages of the former government employee and will determine follow-up steps, as necessary,” the department said on Tuesday. The new charges in the US case come just days after the Canadian government said it had uncovered “clear and compelling evidence” that Indian government agents were involved in activities that threatened public safety in Canada. “This includes clandestine information-gathering techniques, coercive behaviour targeting South Asian Canadians, and involvement in over a dozen threatening and violent acts, including murder,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday. India-Canada relations have been tense since September 2023, when Trudeau said Canada had credible evidence to link Indian government agents to the assassination of a Canadian Sikh leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, earlier that year. Nijjar, who served as president of a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, where he was killed, also advocated for Khalistan and had been dubbed a “terrorist” by New Delhi. India has rejected the allegations it was involved in Nijjar’s killing, accusing Trudeau of harbouring a vendetta against the country. “There is a deliberate strategy of smearing India for political gains,” the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement, as the two countries announced they were expelling their respective diplomats amid the worsening row. The ministry also said it “reserves the right to take further steps” against Canada. Adblock test (Why?)
Ken Paxton sues Dallas pediatrician over providing hormone treatments to teens
In the first test of Senate Bill 14, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has accused Dr. May Lau of providing testosterone to at least 21 teens.
From the ‘Shark Tank’ to the campaign trail: Mark Cuban teams up with Kamala Harris
LA CROSSE, WI – Mark Cuban, taking aim at former President Trump, as he warmed up the crowd at a rally for Vice President Kamala Harris at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. “The Trump that stole Christmas,” Cuban charged, as he riffed on the popular holiday classic. The billionaire businessman argued that the former president “wants you to have a lousy Christmas” because Trump’s proposed tariffs would increase the cost of some holiday presents. Cuban, the co-star of the popular long-running business-reality TV show ‘Shark Tank,’ and former majority owner of professional basketball’s Dallas Mavericks, has been a very visible surrogate on behalf of Harris since she replaced President Biden atop the Democrats’ 2024 ticket nearly three months ago. KAMALA HARRIS TEAMS UP WITH THESE ANTI-TRUMP REPUBLICANS Now, Cuban’s hitting the trail on behalf of the vice president – and taking aim at Trump over his proposed tariffs. “This man has so little understanding of tariffs. He thinks that China pays for them. This is the same guy who also thought that Mexico would pay for the wall,” Cuban claimed. Cuban’s two appearances Thursday with Harris in battleground Wisconsin – at a business school class at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and at the rally in La Crosse – kick off a multi-day campaign swing through the key battlegrounds states that will likely determine whether Harris or Trump wins the White House. CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE 2024 ELECTION On Saturday, Cuban will hold a town hall in Phoenix, Arizona to talk about Harris’ newly announced “Opportunity Agenda,” before heading to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to campaign alongside Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff on Sunday. The efforts by Cuban – a well-known personality in both the business and sports worlds – could boost Harris as she turns up the volume on her efforts to court younger male voters in a margin-of-error race against Trump. Cuban’s campaign appearances on Thursday came as Trump’s best-known billionaire backer – Tesla CEO Elon Musk – campaigned on behalf of the former president in arguably the most crucial of the seven battleground states – Pennsylvania. Musk spoke a town hall in suburban Philadelphia which was the second of a series of events to help Trump win Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes. “I’m in Pennsylvania. And I’m here for the very important reason which, you know….I can’t emphasize enough that Pennsylvania is… the lynch pin and in this election and this election, I think, is going to decide, the fate of America,” Musk stressed. Musk isn’t just hitting the campaign trail on behalf of Trump. The person estimated to be the world’s richest has donated roughly $75 million to a super PAC supporting Trump, according to the latest filings with the Federal Election Commission. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Fox News Politics: Who was Yahya Sinwar?
Welcome to the Fox News’ Politics newsletter, with the latest political news from Washington, D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. Here’s what’s happening… -Nebraska high court restores voting right for thousands of convicted felons -‘Unprecedented field operation’: Republicans gain momentum toward capturing critical Senate race –Comer report reveals Biden-Harris admin’s ‘rampant waste, fraud, abuse’ The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) just took out their target No. 1: Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel. Sinwar rose to the top position after the killing of previous leader Ismail Haniyeh in the explosion of a guesthouse in Tehran on July 30. Referred to by Israel as “The Butcher of Khan Younis” for his violent and cruel torture methods against his enemies, both Israeli and Palestinian, Sinwar, 61, is widely seen as being behind the massacre of Israeli civilians carried out by thousands of Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7…Read more ‘FOR NOW’: Supreme Court to allow Biden admin power plant climate standards to remain in place – for now…Read more VIDEO CALL: Harris to virtually attend Catholic charity dinner that rival Trump is headlining…Read more ‘IT’S A SHAME’: Cardinal Dolan ‘upset’ that Harris skipping Al Smith Dinner…Read more THOUSANDS STAYING: Biden admin moves to protect Lebanese nationals from deportation…Read more NONCITIZEN VOTING FIGHT: Biden admin slapped with major lawsuit over alleged refusal to help state purge noncitizens from voter rolls…Read more MIDDLE EAST ‘MESS’: CNN host calls Biden foreign policy ‘a mess,’ suggests Israel killing Hamas leader could help Harris…Read more ‘BEHIND THE SCENES’: ‘Yacht Killer’ got taxpayer-funded sex change while on death row after Harris ‘behind the scenes’ policy work…Read more ‘WE WILL BE WATCHING’: Biden admin issues warning to Netanyahu as Israel holds emergency meeting on Gaza aid…Read more SWING-STATE SWING: Mike Johnson kicks off swing-state tour as GOP clings to House control…Read more ‘SLEAZEBALL’: ‘Despicable human being’: McConnell’s 2020 thoughts on ‘sleazeball’ Trump revealed in new book…Read more ‘HE’S SUCCESSFUL’: Fetterman admits Elon Musk ‘attractive to a demographic’ Democrats ‘need’ to win Pennsylvania…Read more OPEN TO ALL: VP Harris’ ‘Agenda for Black men’ not as exclusive as advertised…Read more NJ BATTLEGROUND: New Jersey battleground House district poll finds tight race as GOP seeks to retain seat…Read more ‘MASSIVE AND PROFESSIONAL’: ‘Massive and professional’ effort boosts GOP’s confidence about ground game in pivotal swing state…Read more DUMPING ON DON: Media says Donald Trump is in mental decline…Read more IT’S ALL GREEK TO HER: TikToker apologizes after tearing down Greek flags she mistook for Israeli flags: ‘My bad’…Read more PROBABLE CAUSE: Alleged ISIS-linked terrorist Nasir Tawhedi denied release in preliminary hearing…Read more Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Key Pennsylvania region sees ‘waitlist’ for Trump signs; lawmaker says voters ready to reverse Dem policies
On a clear day, a hiker standing atop Bake Oven Knob, a high point along the Appalachian Trail in Lehigh Furnace, Pa., can see most of state Sen. Jarrett Coleman’s district. Below the crest of Blue Mountain lies a patchwork of woods and farmsteads in the historically Pennsylvania Dutch communities. On the horizon lies the growing, diverse footprint of Allentown, Pennsylvania’s third-largest city. Beyond Allentown lies mixed suburbs like Emmaus and Coopersburg, before again giving way to rural communities like Hosensack and Old Zionsville, the latter being the hometown of former three-term Republican Sen. Pat Toomey. As Pennsylvania’s friendlier economic climate draws transplants from New York and New Jersey, its farmland has been gradually replaced by residential subdivisions and corporate warehousing. INSIDE DEMOCRATS’ GROUND GAME IN PENNSYLVANIA’S ‘SWING’ LEHIGH VALLEY AREA All of those factors combine to create what Allentown Democratic Mayor Matt Tuerk called the “swingiest” area of the perennial bellwether state. Coleman, a Republican and an airline pilot who entered the political scene as an outspoken conservative member of the Parkland School Board during the height of national controversies, said Republicans are poised to do well in the Lehigh Valley this year. “We are seeing some of the highest levels of excitement and motivation from folks in the Lehigh Valley. I am hopeful for turnout to exceed 2020 levels,” Coleman said. The GOP underperformed that year in both Lehigh and Northampton counties. “Although Lehigh County contains a ‘blue’ urban core, life for everyone, regardless of political party, has gotten harder under the current administration. This is prompting even some who have traditionally voted Democrat to cast ballots for GOP candidates. “The economy, border and community safety remain top concerns for those in the Lehigh Valley.” Democrats are also aiming to retake the Pennsylvania state Senate, and state Sen. Sharif Street, D-Philadelphia, the state party chairman, said in a recent interview the landmark achievement is within reach. But, in terms of Harrisburg and Washington, Coleman said, “kitchen table issues” are front of mind in his district, which also includes a slice of the Philadelphia “swing” suburb of Bucks County, and will help the GOP at both levels. “It’s very clear that the majority of Pennsylvanians — and especially those in the Lehigh Valley — are far worse off than they were four years ago. The GOP has a platform with specific steps to take to improve the lives of those in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania and across the nation.” Democratic “demonizing” of Trump has not helped his constituents’ pocketbook or public safety via the open border, he added. Off the side of Bake Oven Knob, adjoining the county lake now named for him, lies the property of Revolution-era farmer Frederick Leaser. POPULAR PA DEMOCRATIC MAYOR WARNS TRUMP IS ‘OUT-MESSAGING’ HARRIS: I GET MORE FROM STEPHEN COLBERT As the British approached Philadelphia in 1777, Leaser loaded the Liberty Bell onto his wagon during one of his trips to take produce to market and hauled it home to Lehigh County, preventing the Redcoats from melting it down for ammunition. Such patriotic, community sentiment remains in that part of the valley, with American flags flying in yards during holidays and local churches and fire halls hosting community dinners, from the Jacksonville oyster supper to the German Groundhog Day spread at the local Grundsau Lodsch. A few blocks west of the church where Leaser ultimately hid the bell is the headquarters of the Lehigh County Republican Committee. Chairman Joe Vichot said the party’s presence is ubiquitous at many local events, including the Schnecksville Fair and Allentown Puerto Rican Day Parade. Trump rallied at Schnecksville’s fairgrounds earlier this year, claiming how crucial the area is this cycle. “We have literature on candidates, and we listen and speak to residents about the issues,” Vichot said, adding his party’s float won third place in the aforementioned parade and that more than a dozen attendees were registered to vote in only a few hours. The party also registers voters and has made connections with civic leaders in the Jewish, Syrian and Muslim communities, he said. “The top two issues we hear are the border and the economy,” Vichot said. “[Voters] want a new direction. They don’t believe the open border policies of Biden/Harris is good for their wallet or safe for their family.” In neighboring Northampton County, home to Bethlehem, Easton and smaller cities like Nazareth and Wind Gap, conservatives are similarly pounding the pavement to get their messages out. “Our local party is very involved. We are able to communicate with our voters. We are able to text them, call them, and they are receptive to our requests to … help out in going door to door and making phone calls for us,” Northampton County Republican Committee board member Andrew Azan III said. Azan told Fox News Digital there’s a “waitlist” for Trump-Vance signs in his county, which the Republican nominee flipped red in 2016 but lost in 2020. “That’s a positive sign,” he quipped. With Bethlehem and Easton’s population of retired steelworkers giving way to new Hispanic and African American residents, the party has adjusted its messaging, but not its principles, to meet the changing diversity of the Lehigh Valley where it stands, Azan added. In that regard, according to Lehigh Valley Tea Party board member Tom Carroll, locals are more receptive to the conservative platform, and the right wing is “more unified than I’ve ever seen.” “They are more concerned than ever about losing their country because of the Marxist and socialist policies that are coming out of both Biden and, of course, now Kamala Harris,” said Carroll, whose Tea Party group is the nation’s largest, with 7,000 recorded members. “She’s going to open the borders, and she’s going to enact the tax policies that she’s talked about, things like [levying] unrealized capital gains. Our voters are educated, and they’re concerned because they know what that will do to the economy.” Carroll, an attorney who also helps lead the Bethlehem City GOP, said