Chennai: Anna University girl student ‘sexually assaulted’, biryani seller held
Anna University Registrar, J Prakash, said the varsity was extending full cooperation to the police in its investigation and the ICC also had commenced an inquiry. “The university administration is extending full cooperation for the police investigation,” he said.
Japan Airlines hit by cyber attack, delaying some flights
JAL says it has suspended ticket sales for all services on Thursday following incident. Japan Airlines (JAL) has reported being hit with a cyber attack, causing delays to some flights. The airline has been experiencing “malfunctions in systems communicating with external systems” since shortly before 7:30am local time (23:30 GMT, Wednesday), JAL said on Thursday. JAL temporarily isolated a router that was causing the disruption shortly before 9am and is currently “checking the status of the system recovery”, the Tokyo-based airline said. “We have identified the scope of the impact and are currently checking the status of the system recovery,” JAL said. The airline added that there were delays to both domestic and international flights and that it had suspended ticket sales for all services scheduled for Thursday. More than a dozen flights were delayed at several Japanese airports, but there were no mass cancellations, public broadcaster NHK reported. All Nippon Airways, JAL’s main rival, said that it had not been affected by any cyber incidents and that services were operating as normal. Advertisement American Airlines briefly grounded all flights on Christmas Eve after experiencing a technical glitch involving its network hardware. Adblock test (Why?)
Why did an Azerbaijan Airline plane crash in Kazakhstan? What we know
Azerbaijan is marking a day of mourning after a local airline’s passenger plane crashed off the coast of the Caspian Sea. Authorities across Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Russia are investigating the emergency landing on Wednesday morning that killed at least 38 people. Here’s what we know about the crash. Where did the passenger plane crash? The plane crashed about 3km (1.8 miles) from the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan, on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea. It was en route from Azerbaijan’s capital Baku to Grozny, capital of the Chechnya region in southern Russia. (Al Jazeera) Who was on board? The Embraer 190 aircraft, flight number J2-8243, carried 62 passengers and five crew members. According to Kazakh officials, the people on board were citizens of four different countries: 42 Azerbaijani citizens 16 Russian citizens 6 Kazakh citizens 3 Kyrgyz citizens How many of them survived? There are 32 survivors, including two children, who have been hospitalised, with many in critical condition. Many were pulled out from the wreckage, while some, according to first responders and video footage, dragged themselves out, bloodied. Advertisement Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev announced that 38 people had been killed. Russian news agency Interfax quoted emergency workers at the scene as saying that both pilots, according to a preliminary assessment, died in the crash. Why did the plane crash? The crash was reportedly due to an “emergency situation” onboard after a bird strike, Russia’s aviation watchdog said on Telegram. The plane had to divert from its original route because of heavy fog in Grozny, its intended destination, and make an emergency landing. Commercial aviation-tracking websites recorded the flight travelling north along its scheduled route on the west coast before it disappeared. It later reappeared on the east coast, circling near Aktau airport before ultimately crashing. “According to preliminary reports, the plane requested landing at an alternative airport before the accident … due to heavy fog in Grozny,” Al Jazeera’s Yulia Shapovalova reported from Moscow. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in a statement that “according to the information provided to me, the AZAL airline plane, flying on the Baku-Grozny route, changed its course due to worsening weather conditions and began heading toward Aktau airport, where the crash occurred during landing”. The nearest Russian airport, Makhachkala, was closed earlier in the day due to drone activity. Strong GPS jamming in the region, which has been linked to past incidents, may have further complicated navigation and contributed to the crash, according to an online post by FlightRadar24. Advertisement Aliyev acknowledged that there were multiple theories over what might have caused the crash, but cautioned against speculation. “There are videos of the plane crash available in the media and on social networks, and everyone can watch them. However, the reasons for the crash are not yet known to us,” the Azerbaijani president said. “There are various theories, but I believe it is premature to discuss them.” What is the latest on the ground? Emergency services have been actively responding to the situation. Firefighters extinguished the blaze caused by the crash, while 150 emergency workers and medical teams, including specialist doctors flown in from Astana, are treating the injured. Azerbaijan Airlines said it is suspending all its flights between Baku and Grozny, as well as Baku and Makhachkala until the investigation is concluded. The airline has also set up a hotline for family members of the passengers and posted all their names on its social media pages. Aliyev also signed a decree declaring December 26 a day of mourning in the country. The Azerbaijani president, who was flying to Russia for a summit at the time, said he was informed of the crash while he was in midair. “I immediately gave instructions for the plane to return to Baku,” Aliyev said in a statement issued by his office. Kazakhstan emergency specialists work at the crash site of the Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet near the western Kazakh city of Aktau [Handout/ Kazakhstan’s Emergency Situations Ministry via AFP] What investigations are taking place? Kazakh, Azerbaijani and Russian authorities said they were investigating the crash. Advertisement “An investigative team, led by the deputy prosecutor general of Azerbaijan, has been dispatched to Kazakhstan and is working at the crash site,” the Prosecutor General’s Office in Azerbaijan said in a statement. Azerbaijan’s state news agency, Azertac, said that the team dispatched to Aktau for an “on-site investigation” also included Azerbaijan’s emergency situations minister and the vice president of Azerbaijan Airlines. Azertac said that the plane’s black box – a flight recorder that investigators use to determine the causes of aviation accidents – had been found. Aliyev, in his statement, said that a “criminal case has been launched” and that the Azerbaijani public would be “regularly informed” about progress in the investigation. Kazakhstan has formed a government commission to examine the cause of the disaster and ensure that the families of the dead and injured were getting the help they needed. The investigations are focusing on potential technical problems and the closure of nearby airspace. Embraer, the Brazilian manufacturer of the aircraft, has expressed its willingness to assist with the inquiries. Adblock test (Why?)
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,036
Here are the key developments on the 1,036th day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Here is the situation on Thursday, December 26: Fighting: Russian and Ukrainian forces have once again engaged in fierce battles around the strategically important city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine’s General Staff said that 35 Russian attacks were reported around the city on Wednesday. “Three Russian armies are concentrated here against us,” Ukraine’s regional commander Viktor Trehubov was quoted as saying. Russia launched a huge Christmas Day attack on Ukraine with cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as drones. The Russian attack wounded at least six people in the northeastern city of Kharkiv and killed one in the region of Dnipropetrovsk, the governors there said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced the “inhumane” attack from Russia, which included more than 170 missiles and drones, some of which knocked out power in several regions of the country. United States President Joe Biden said the “outrageous attack was designed to cut off the Ukrainian people’s access to heat and electricity during winter and to jeopardise the safety of its grid”. United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned Russia’s strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid, saying there was “no respite even at Christmas”. Russia meanwhile said five people were killed by Ukrainian missile strikes and from a falling drone in the border region of Kursk and North Ossetia in the Caucasus. Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Australia had contacted Moscow about the possible capture by the Russian army of an Australian citizen fighting with Ukrainian forces and that it was looking into the matter. Advertisement Military aid: Biden said that he had asked the US Department of Defense to continue its surge of weapons deliveries to Ukraine, after condemning Russia’s Christmas Day attack on Ukraine. Diplomacy: Pope Francis called for “arms to be silenced” around the world in his Christmas address, appealing for peace in the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan as he denounced the “extremely grave” humanitarian situation in Gaza. Russian opposition politician Ilya Yashin, who was released in a prisoner swap by Moscow in August, has been placed on Russia’s “wanted” list, according to an Interior Ministry database seen by the AFP news agency. Yashin, 41, was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison at the end of 2022 for denouncing “the murder of civilians” in the Ukrainian city of Bucha. Regional security: Russia’s Foreign Ministry accused NATO of trying to turn Moldova into a logistical centre to supply the Ukrainian army and of seeking to bring the Western alliance’s military infrastructure closer to Russia. Arto Pahkin, the head of operations of the Finnish electricity grid, told the country’s public broadcaster Yle that “the possibility of sabotage cannot be ruled out” after an undersea power cable linking Finland and Estonia broke down. It is the latest in a series of incidents involving telecom cables and energy pipelines in the Baltic Sea. A “terrorist act” sank the Russian cargo ship that went down in international waters in the Mediterranean this week, the Russian state-owned company that owns the vessel said. The Oboronlogistika company said it “thinks a targeted terrorist attack was committed on December 23, 2024, against the Ursa Major”, without indicating who may have been behind the act or why. The Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet that crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan, killing 38 people, was earlier diverting from an area of Russia that Moscow has recently defended against Ukrainian drone attacks. Authorities in two Russian regions adjacent to Chechnya, Ingushetia and North Ossetia, reported drone strikes on Wednesday morning. Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
Shillong Teer Results TODAY December 26, 2024 Live Updates: Check lucky winning numbers
The complete list of winning numbers from the various games offered by the Meghalaya Lottery Department is shown below.
Indian Rupee to remain in pressure amid weak manufacturing exports, policy rate differential with US
The report noted that the key pressures include slowing foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, weak manufacturing exports, and a narrowing policy rate differential with the United States.
Trump picks Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera for Panama ambassador
President-elect Trump picked Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera to serve as ambassador to Panama. Calling the Miami-Dade County Commissioner a “fierce fighter,” Trump said that he would advance the “MAGA agenda” to the Central American country. “Kevin is a fierce fighter for America First principles. As a Miami-Dade County Commissioner, and Vice Chairman of the International Trade Consortium, he has been instrumental in driving Economic growth, and fostering International partnerships,” Trump wrote in the Wednesday announcement. “In 2020, Kevin did an incredible job as my Florida State Director and, this year, advanced our MAGA Agenda as a Member of the RNC Platform Committee.” “Few understand Latin American politics as well as Kevin – He will do a FANTASTIC job representing our Nation’s interests in Panama!” he said. GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP’S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR? The announcement came after Trump said that Panama was “a Country that is ripping us off on the Panama Canal, far beyond their wildest dreams.” In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump also accused Chinese soldiers of illegally operating the canal and “always making certain that the United States puts in Billions of Dollars in ‘repair’ money but will have absolutely nothing to say about ‘anything.’” In a statement on X, Cabrera thanked Trump for the nomination. HOW PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP COULD PULL OFF ‘THE DEAL OF THE CENTURY’ AS HE ENTERS OFFICE “I’m humbled and honored by your nomination to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Panama,” he wrote. “Let’s get to work!” Cabrera won his county election two years ago following an endorsement by Trump. He also served as the Florida state director for Trump’s 2020 campaign and was a member of the RNC Platform Committee.
Trump and Biden offer Christmas greetings as US approaches transfer of power
As a change in presidential administrations approaches, President-elect Trump and President Biden both marked the Christmas holiday, with Biden acknowledging that it would be his last time as president to wish the nation a merry Christmas. Trump, who will be sworn in on Jan. 20, exclaimed in a post on Truth Social, “MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!” In another post he shared a photo of himself and his wife Melania — the photo bore the message “MERRY CHRISTMAS!” In a post on the @POTUS presidential X account, Biden said: “For the last time as your president, it’s my honor to wish all of America a very Merry Christmas. My hope for our nation, today and always, is that we continue to seek the light of liberty and love, kindness and compassion, dignity and decency. May God bless you all.” A post on the @JoeBiden X account that features a photo of the president and first lady Jill Biden reads, “Merry Christmas, everyone!” THE TOP FIVE ABSURD TIPS FROM LIBERAL PUNDITS FOR SURVIVING HOLIDAYS WITH TRUMP-VOTING FAMILY THE YEAR OF THE PODCAST: 5 TIMES TRUMP’S PODCAST INTERVIEWS SIDELINED LIBERAL LEGACY MEDIA Trump – who defeated Vice President Harris in the November election – made history this year by becoming the second president ever to win election to two non-consecutive terms. The first was Grover Cleveland in the 19th century. While the new year will mark a new chapter in Trump’s political career, it also marks the end of Biden’s decades-long stint at the top levels of Washington politics. TRUMP PLEDGES TO BRING BACK FEDERAL EXECUTIONS AFTER BIDEN COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCES FOR 37 INMATES Biden, the oldest president in U.S. history, bowed out of the 2024 presidential contest earlier this year in the face of tremendous pressure from within his party after a widely panned debate performance against Trump.
AOC’s loss in bid for House committee chair signifies generational choice for Democrats
President Biden’s age — and whether he should stay or go — nearly tore Democrats apart this summer. In fact, a decision for the president to bow out earlier — and give other candidates, along with Vice President Kamala Harris, the chance to run for the Oval Office — may have salvaged the election for the party. The divide between old and new and the direction of the party is threatening to drive a wedge through the Democratic coalition. In fact, the race between Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., to serve as the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee represented a microcosm of that skirmish. The 74-year-old Connolly, recovering from esophageal cancer, bested the 35-year-old Ocasio-Cortez for the high-profile spot in the Democratic Caucus recently. The ranking Democrat on that panel will duel daily with Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky. Connolly is also expected to serve as the party’s lead attack dog for looming tangles with the incoming Trump administration. LIBERAL MEDIA HOSTS SLAM DEMOCRATIC PARTY AFTER AOC LOSES TOP SPOT ON HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE Comer was rooting for Ocasio-Cortez. He knew selecting her would amplify her positions as to the direction of the party. “I hope they put her on there because she symbolizes what the Democrats stand for. She’s a socialist. She’s the architect of the Green New Deal in the House,” said Comer. It was a generational choice for Democrats. Youth versus experience. But what about the future of the party? Ocasio-Cortez is an icon of the progressive movement. She’s one of the highest wattage stars in Congress — albeit sometimes a lightning rod. Does the party want to tout liberal pols like Ocasio-Cortez — which would resonate in the left-leaning, multicultural precincts of Jackson Heights and College Point in New York? Or figure out how to speak to swaths of swing voters and even moderate Democrats in Omaha, Nebraska, parts of Ohio and the Dakotas? It wasn’t that long ago that Democrats represented many of these places. The entire North and South Dakota delegations — House and Senate — were comprised of Democrats. Former Sens. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., and Bob Kerrey, D-Neb., were political icons in the Cornhusker State. Ohio was a swing state at the presidential level. Connolly is by no stretch a “conservative” Democrat. He lacks the political allure of Ocasio-Cortez. That is neither a good thing nor a bad thing. Connolly is a workhorse. He’s a serious legislator with a nimble mind and can go toe-to-toe with the best of them verbally on the committee dais or on the House floor. DEMOCRATIC STRATEGISTS CONCEDE PARTY BRAND IS ‘IN THE TOILET’ — AND THAT’S BEING ‘GENEROUS’ The question is: Did House Democrats again stiff the progressives? Did they again shut out youth and vigor? Unclear. An Ocasio-Cortez victory would have signaled that Democrats veered left. That was one of the problems for the party in the election. But when it comes to “youth” and “turning the page” in the party, few have more currency on this subject than outgoing Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn. Certain quarters of the Democratic establishment excoriated Phillips when he made a quixotic challenge to President Biden in the party. Now Phillips is retiring from Congress. “It is time to elevate the best and brightest. We have literally kept them from ascending to leadership positions, which means they go elsewhere,” lamented Phillips. “And when we lose that kind of talent of ambitious, competent, patriotic young Americans, we’re in trouble.” Democrats are trying to figure out where they will land after a brutal election loss. The path to rebuild a viable coalition is a challenge. Especially after President-elect Trump figured out a way to grow the GOP base and lure disaffected voters in his direction. “It’s quite apparent that the Democratic caucus has long valued people who have been here a long time,” said Phillips, criticizing how the party doesn’t recruit “young, talented Americans.” He said that Democrats “will continue losing” if they do not “open up” to younger voters. For his part, Connolly argued the old versus young debate was a “false narrative, frankly, propounded by the media.” But even as Connolly won, the party selected several younger lawmakers (and keep in mind that “younger” is a relative term when it comes to Congress) to serve as the ranking members on several committees. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., who is 77, stepped aside as the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee in favor of the practically spright 62-year-old Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md. Raskin just recovered from lymphoma. DNC POWERHOUSE FUNDRAISER ANNOUNCES EXIT FROM DEMOCRATIC PARTY FOLLOWING ATTACKS: ‘IT’S LIKE LEAVING A CULT’ Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., a 78-year-old, was absent for much of the year suffering from cancer. Grijalva has served as the leading Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee. He stepped away from that role, while 60-year-old Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., defeated a newcomer to Congress — 45-year-old Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., — to serve as ranking member of that panel. “Only in Congress do I get to be young at 60 years old,” quipped Huffman. “So it’s like the fountain of youth.” Like Grijalva, 79-year-old Rep. David Scott, D-Ga., was absent for chunks of time over the past year due to health problems. He is the ranking Democrat on the Agriculture Committee. Scott declined to step down. Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif., who is 72, and 52-year-old Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., challenged Scott, as Democrats clashed over age and experience. “I don’t know that it’s a clash,” said Costa before the vote. “We’ve got a terrific group of members in our Democratic Caucus. Members that have been elected in recent classes. But certainly we’ve got on spectrum, tremendous experience and a solid bench.” The younger Craig defeated both Scott and Costa to claim the ranking position on Agriculture. After prevailing, Craig did not focus on age. She addressed political practicalities instead. “Democrats overall are not connecting with rural communities. That’s something we’ve been
DNA TV Show: Accused of Delhi riots likely to contest assembly polls 2025
As Delhi assembly polls draw near, all three accused of Delhi riots 2020 are likely to contest the elections.