Author: Supriya Jena

  • Han Duck-Soo Takes Over as Acting President of South Korea

    Han Duck-Soo Takes Over as Acting President of South Korea

    This Saturday, Han Duck-Soo became South Korea’s acting President after the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol due to his attempt to declare a short martial law. In his first speech, Han promised to make sure that there would be no gaps in the government and that his team would work hard to keep the trust of important allies, especially the United States and Japan.

    So, who is this Han Duck-Soo?

    Han is a 75-year-old expert who has worked in the government for over thirty years and has experience helping both conservative and liberal leaders. He has had many important jobs, like being the finance minister and even the ambassador to the OECD. He was crucial in signing the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement because he speaks English very well and helped the U.S. Congress agree to it.

    Notably, Han was also on the board of S-Oil, a major oil company connected to Saudi Aramco. Former President Yoon praised Han for his abilities, saying he was chosen for his skills and not because of any political ties.

    However, Han is also under scrutiny. Investigators looking into former President Yoon are checking Han’s involvement in the recent martial law issues. Some experts believe Han’s time as acting president may be affected by these investigations.

    Han will lead the country until the Constitutional Court decides whether to officially remove Yoon or let him remain in power. If the court removes Yoon, a new presidential election will have to happen within 60 days.

  • Russia Cuts Military in Syria, Yet Keeps Key Bases Amid Uncertainty”

    Russia Cuts Military in Syria, Yet Keeps Key Bases Amid Uncertainty”

    Russia is reducing its military presence in northern Syria, especially in the Alawite Mountains, but it will keep its main bases, according to four Syrian officials who spoke to Reuters. The future of these bases—Hmeimim airbase in Latakia and Tartous naval facility—is uncertain after President Bashar al-Assad’s fall. Satellite images show large cargo planes at Hmeimim, suggesting they were preparing to load equipment. One plane flew out to Libya.

    Sources indicate that Russia is pulling back troops from the front lines and removing some heavy equipment and high-ranking Syrian military personnel. However, Russia has no plans to leave its key bases. Equipment and senior officers are returning to Moscow, but for now, the goal is to reposition forces as necessary.

    According to a senior official with the new Syrian administration, discussions about the Russian military’s role in Syria will happen in the future, and the Syrian people will have the final say. The Kremlin said it is talking to the new Syrian rulers about the bases.

    Since the cold war, Russia has supported Syria, recognizing its independence and establishing ties against Western influence. The Tartous naval base is crucial for Russia, serving as its only Mediterranean resupply hub, while Hmeimim supports military operations around Africa.

    Experts believe cargo planes are traveling from Syria to Libya. A convoy of Russian military vehicles was seen traveling between Hmeimim and Tartous. Reports show Russian soldiers still active at Hmeimim, with jets present in the hangars. Citizens like Ali Halloum from Latakia express a desire for no foreign intervention, whether from Russia, Iran, or others. Recent satellite images confirmed activity in Russia’s Mediterranean fleet near Tartous.

  • Akhil Akkineni Visits Allu Arjun Post-Arrest: Celebs Show Support”

    Akhil Akkineni Visits Allu Arjun Post-Arrest: Celebs Show Support”

    Akhil Akkineni showed his support for Allu Arjun by visiting him at his home on Saturday evening. This visit came after Arjun’s recent arrest and his release on interim bail. Along with Akhil, other family members like his brother Naga Chaitanya, step-cousin Rana Daggubati, and step-uncle Venkatesh also stopped by to support Allu Arjun.

    When Akhil arrived at Arjun’s house in Jubilee Hills, he immediately embraced him tightly and said, “Sorry brother.” Allu Arjun, however, responded with a cheerful “Congratulations,” as Akhil just got engaged to Zainab Ravdjee. They talked for a while, and before leaving, Akhil told him, “We are all proud of you, take care brother.”

    Earlier that day, Chaitanya and Rana visited as well to stand by Arjun. Venkatesh dropped by in the evening. Many other celebrities, including Vijay Deverakonda and Sudheer Babu, also came to show their support for Allu Arjun. Vijay mentioned he was “100%” with Arjun during this tough time. Other stars like Ram Gopal Varma, Rashmika Mandanna, and Sreeleela also expressed their empathy.

    Allu Arjun was taken by the Chikadapally police last Friday and had to go to court, where he was put on a 14-day remand. He later appealed to the Telangana High Court to dismiss the charges against him and was granted 4-week interim bail. This incident happened after his visit to the premiere of “Pushpa 2: The Rule” at the Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad, where a chaotic situation led to a tragic stampede that resulted in a woman’s death and left her young son in critical condition

  • One Militant Killed, Six Arrested in Manipur Police Clash”

    One Militant Killed, Six Arrested in Manipur Police Clash”

    On Saturday, there was a violent encounter between Manipur Police Commandos and a group of militants in Thoubal District. During the fight, one armed militant was killed, and six others were arrested. Sadly, two laborers were shot and killed by unknown attackers in Kakching District.

    The trouble started when armed militants in two cars were spotted by the police, who thought they might be doing something bad. When the police approached, the militants began shooting at them. The police quickly fought back, leading to a fierce gun battle. One militant was hurt in the fight and later died at a local hospital.

    Police officials later identified the slain militant as Laishram Prem, also known as Loktak Singh. The six militants who were caught are: Thokchom Momocha (Sunny), Sarangthem Anand Singh (Malem), Ningthoujam Karna Singh (Pishak), Ningthoujam Manoranjan Singh (Khagemba), Thongam Phalguni (Urikpa/Khoithol), and Moirangthem Johnson (Thouna).

    The police also found many weapons and electronic devices at the scene, including two INSAS Rifles, an Amogh Rifle, a .303 Rifle, an SLR, and five mobile phones. Police are now checking if the arrested militants belong to any known armed groups or if they are just local fighters.

    In a separate incident, sources say the two laborers killed in Kakching were from Bihar and were working in Wabagai Makha Leikai.

  • Priyanka Gandhi Calls Modi’s Speech Boring and Lacks New Ideas”

    Priyanka Gandhi Calls Modi’s Speech Boring and Lacks New Ideas”

    On Saturday, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s long speech in the Lok Sabha boring. She said listening to him felt like being stuck in a long math class at school. She also criticized his 11 promises, saying they are empty. Priyanka asked why the BJP won’t talk about the Adani issue if they truly don’t tolerate corruption. She told reporters that the PM didn’t say anything new and it felt like a blast from the past. She noticed JP Nadda acting overly attentive, while Amit Shah looked like he was falling asleep. Priyanka hoped for something fresh and exciting from the Prime Minister’s speech.

    In his response to a debate about the Constitution’s 75th anniversary, PM Modi accused Congress of harming the Constitution in the past. He claimed that his government has worked since 2014 to strengthen the country and follow the Constitution’s vision.

  • MP Takes on Mumbai Again: T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Final Preview

    MP Takes on Mumbai Again: T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Final Preview

    Mumbai is getting ready to face Madhya Pradesh (MP) again in a big cricket final! Coach Chandrakant Pandit, who used to coach Mumbai, is now leading MP. They previously beat Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy final in June 2022, and now they’ll meet again in the T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final this Sunday at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

    Mumbai’s team is filled with star players, including T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, and powerful openers like Prithvi Shaw and Shivam Dube. But the spotlight is on Ajinkya Rahane, who has been on fire with the bat, scoring 432 runs and hitting five fifties in just seven innings. His last few scores were 95, 84, and 98!

    However, Coach Pandit believes that in T20 cricket, it’s all about who performs better on the day. He respects Mumbai’s players but feels confident in his team’s preparation.

    Madhya Pradesh’s strength is their versatility. All-rounder Venkatesh Iyer has scored well, with at least 16 runs in every game, and he has remained not out in five matches. The team has been shifting players around based on what’s needed in each game, which Coach Pandit thinks is a positive sign.

    While Pandit is focused on how to outsmart his opponents, he is also proud of Rahane’s impressive form, which is good news for his IPL team, Kolkata Knight Riders.

  • Chilly Weather Update: Faridkot Hits 1°C, Cold Grips Haryana and Punjab

    Chilly Weather Update: Faridkot Hits 1°C, Cold Grips Haryana and Punjab

    Cold weather is still sticking around in many parts of Haryana and Punjab this Saturday. Faridkot is the coldest place in Punjab, with a low temperature of just one degree Celsius! Pathankot wasn’t far behind, dropping to 2.3 degrees. Gurdaspur and Bathinda also felt the chill, with temperatures at 2.8 and 3.4 degrees respectively. Amritsar recorded 3.4 degrees, while Ludhiana is a bit warmer at 7.8 degrees. Patiala had a low of 6 degrees.

    In Haryana, Karnal got quite cold too, with temperatures falling to 4 degrees Celsius. Hisar and Bhiwani reported a little more chill at 4.1 degrees. Narnaul felt the piercing cold, sitting at 4.5 degrees. Rohtak recorded 6.8 degrees, and Ambala was a bit warmer at 7.5 degrees. Chandigarh, which is the shared capital of both states, saw a minimum temperature of 6.6 degrees.

  • Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly: Co-Parenting After Heartbreak

    Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly: Co-Parenting After Heartbreak

    Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly are breaking up, but they still plan to raise their baby together. Megan, famous for her role in Transformers, found some shocking texts on Kelly’s phone, which led to their split over Thanksgiving while they were on vacation in Vail, Colorado.

    Even though she feels hurt and betrayed, Megan is determined to co-parent with Kelly. A source says she is feeling strong and is in a good place after the breakup. She’s expecting her first child with Kelly, and he really wants to be part of the family.

    Kelly has reached out to Megan because he loves her deeply. According to insiders, there was no cheating, but he knows he has caused her pain. He wants to work things out to raise their child together.

    Megan recently announced her pregnancy on Instagram, sharing a picture of her baby bump covered in black oil and a photo of a positive pregnancy test. She has three sons from her previous marriage with Brian Austin Green, and Kelly has a 15-year-old daughter named Casie from a past relationship

  • Iranian-American Journalist Gets 10-Year Sentence for U.S. Ties

    Iranian-American Journalist Gets 10-Year Sentence for U.S. Ties

    An Iranian-American journalist named Reza Valizadeh has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. A court in Iran found him guilty of working with a government that Iran considers hostile, which is the United States. Valizadeh used to work for Voice of America’s Farsi service, which is funded by the U.S. government, and also for Radio Farda.

    His lawyer, Mohammad Hossein Aghasi, said the court’s decision can be challenged in an appeal within 20 days. He mentioned he has not been able to meet Valizadeh since the court’s decision was made public.

    Before his sentencing, Valizadeh posted messages saying he returned to Iran after being away for 13 years, without any security guarantee. He arrived in Tehran in March 2024. Aghasi mentioned that Valizadeh was free for the first six months after his return, but was then arrested.

    This news comes after another former journalist, Kianoosh Sanjari, died by jumping from a building in Iran. He protested against the country’s leader and demanded the release of four prisoners.

    Additionally, years of unrest in Iran have continued, especially following the 2022 protests after the death of Mahsa Amini. The economy is also suffering, with many people struggling due to the weak rial currency.

  • Chirag Paswan Challenges Rahul Gandhi on Caste Census and Constitution Speech

    Chirag Paswan Challenges Rahul Gandhi on Caste Census and Constitution Speech

    Union Minister Chirag Paswan recently criticized Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, for his comments about the Constitution during a speech. Paswan claims that Rahul and his family have only enjoyed the benefits of being in power and have not helped the country. He pointed out that the Congress party has been in charge for most of India’s history but did not conduct a caste census. Paswan asked, “What were you doing all these years?” He also mentioned that Rahul’s opinions seem to change now that he is in the opposition.

    On the other hand, Rahul Gandhi accused the central government of taking opportunities away from young people and giving them to big businesses. During a talk celebrating the 75th anniversary of India’s Constitution, he compared today’s political issues to the famous battle from the Mahabharata. He insists that the opposition stands up for the values of the Constitution and mentioned important leaders from different states in India who represent those values.

    Rahul promised that if a caste census is conducted, it will lead to better development in India. He assured the poor that they are protected by the Constitution, and pointed out that the BJP attacks it frequently. He also emphasized that he wants to remove the 50% limit on reservations for different groups.

    As the winter session of Parliament began, both Houses were disrupted, leading to early adjournments. This session will last until December 20.