Anger and mourning as Palestinian protests continue

Al Jazeera
December 10, 2017

Dec 10: Protests have broken out for a fourth day across the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip following a US decision to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The demonstrations on Saturday came as Palestinian leaders were to meet in Ramallah to firm up a response to US President Donald Trump's controversial move.

In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces fired stun grenades and tear gas as they charged - some on horseback - through a crowd of at least 100 peaceful demonstrators in Salah Eddin, one of the city's busiest shopping streets.

At least 13 Palestinians were detained and 12 injured as Israeli troops pushed and beat demonstrators at the scene. Among those held was Jihad Abu Zneid, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council.

Before her arrest, Abu Zneid told Al Jazeera the protesters were determined to "never give up".

"This is our country and we will save it," she said. 'We will save our capital and our sovereignty here in Jerusalem."

Al Jazeera's Alan Fisher, reporting from the protest in Occupied East Jerusalem, said a series of running confrontations erupted after Israeli security forces blocked a small group of protesters from marching.

"It started as a small peaceful protest, a handful of people who wanted to make sure their voices could be heard," he said.

"But their way was blocked and they were forceably pushed back by Israeli police and soldiers who said the protesters had no permit to march and they were blocking the road."

As crowds gathered by the side of the street, police sent in officers on horseback to break up the crowds, creating widespread anger and panic.

"The riders even used their whips. It really was quite frightening for the people standing here, watching these horse racing towards them," said Fisher.

Israeli forces also closed down most shops on Salah Eddin and confiscated Palestinian flags and posters from demonstrators.

"One police officer didn't like a poster that a woman was holding. He went to take it, the woman objected so he punched her full in the face," said Fisher.

Elsewhere, funerals were held in Gaza for two Hamas fighters and two protesters who were killed, respectively, by Israeli air raids and live fire on Friday.

At least 25 Palestinians, including six children, were wounded in the evening bombing, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

The Israeli raids followed the alleged launching of rockets from inside the Gaza Strip.

Al Jazeera's Bernard Smith, reporting from the edge of Gaza City, close to the border with Israel, said clashes continued on Saturday but they were not as intense as Friday - a day off for those who are employed in the besieged territory.

"It's less busy than it was yesterday," he said, noting that several dozens of mainly stone-throwing protesters where confronting Israeli security forces on the other side of the border fence.

"The Israelis are responding with live fire. I've heard some cracks of gunfire in the last few minutes," said Smith.

Further south, in Khan Younis, a slightly larger crowd of about 200 protesters also clashed with Israeli forces.

Israeli forces also fired tear gas at Palestinians protesting on Saturday in Bethlehem.

On Friday, the Red Crescent said that its workers had attended to nearly 800 injuries in the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip.

'War declaration'

The tense scenes follow Trump's decision to ignore warnings from the international community and his announcement last Wednesday that the US was formally recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and would begin the process of moving its embassy to the city from Tel Aviv.

The move, which broke with decades of policy, was roundly condemned by world leaders, who described it as a "dangerous escalation" and the final nail in the coffin of peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.

Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, while Israel says the city, which is under Israeli occupation, cannot be divided.

Speaking on Friday, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that the relocation of the US embassy would probably not take place for at least two years.

Speaking to Al Jazeera on Friday, Saeb Erekat, secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said the Palestinian leadership was considering all options in response to Trump's announcement.

In a speech in Gaza City on Thursday, Hamas leader Ismail Haniya said the US move was a "war declaration against Palestinians", and called for a new Intifada, or uprising.

"This decision has killed the peace process, has killed the Oslo [accord], has killed the settlement process," he said.

"The US decision is an aggression, a declaration of war on us, on the best Muslim and Christian shrines in the heart of Palestine, Jerusalem. We should work on launching an Intifada in the face of the Zionist enemy," said Haniya.

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News Network
January 23,2026

modIKERALA.jpg

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, January 23, indicated that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is aiming to expand its political footprint in Kerala ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled in the coming months.

Speaking at a BJP-organised public meeting, Modi drew parallels between the party’s early electoral gains in Gujarat and its recent victory in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation. The civic body win, which ended decades of Left control, was cited by the Prime Minister as a possible starting point for the party’s broader ambitions in the state.

Recalling BJP’s political trajectory in Gujarat, Modi said the party was largely insignificant before 1987 and received little media attention. He pointed out that the BJP’s first major breakthrough came with its victory in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation that year.

“Just as our journey in Gujarat began with one city, Kerala’s journey has also started with a single city,” Modi said, suggesting that the party’s municipal-level success could translate into wider electoral acceptance.

The Prime Minister alleged that successive governments led by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) had failed to adequately develop Thiruvananthapuram. He accused both fronts of corruption and neglect, claiming that basic infrastructure and facilities were denied to the capital city for decades.

According to Modi, the BJP’s control of the civic body represents a shift driven by public dissatisfaction with the existing political alternatives. He asserted that the BJP administration in Thiruvananthapuram had begun working towards development, though no specific details or timelines were outlined.

Addressing the gathering at Putharikandam Maidan, Modi said the BJP intended to project Thiruvananthapuram as a “model city,” reiterating his party’s commitment to governance-led change.

The Prime Minister’s visit to Kerala also included the inauguration of several development projects and the flagging off of new train services, as the BJP intensifies its political outreach in the poll-bound state.

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News Network
February 1,2026

Bengaluru, Feb 1: For travelers landing at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), the sleek, wood-paneled curves of Terminal 2 promise a world-class welcome. But the famed “Garden City” charm quickly withers at the curb. As India’s aviation sector swells to record numbers—handling over 43 million passengers in Bengaluru alone this past year—the “last mile” has turned into a marathon of frustration.

The Bengaluru Logjam: Rules vs Reality

While the city awaits the 2027 completion of the Namma Metro Blue Line, the interim has been chaotic. Recent “decongestion” rules at Terminal 1 have pushed app-based cab pickups to distant parking zones, forcing weary passengers into a 20-minute walk with luggage.

“I landed after ten months away and felt like a stranger in my own city,” says Ruchitha Jain, a Koramangala resident. “My driver couldn’t find me, staff couldn’t guide me, and the so-called ‘Premium’ lane is just a fancy tax on convenience.”

•    The Cost of Distance: A 40-km cab ride can now easily cross ₹1,500, driven by demand pricing and airport surcharges.

•    The Bus Gap: While Vayu Vajra remains a lifeline, its ₹300–₹400 fare is often cited as the most expensive airport bus service in the country.

A National Pattern of Disconnect

The struggle is not unique to Karnataka. From Chennai’s coast to Hyderabad’s plateau, India’s airports tell a familiar story: brilliant runways, broken exits.

City:    Primary Issue   |    Recent Development

Bengaluru:    Cab pickup restrictions & distance  |    App-based taxis shifted to far parking zones; long walks and fare spikes reported

Chennai:    Multi-Level Parking (MLCP) hike  |    Passengers report 40-minute walks to reach cab pickup points

Hyderabad:    “Taxi mafia” & touting  |    Over 440 touting cases reported; security presence intensified

Mumbai:    Fare scams  |     Tourists charged ₹18,000 for just 400 metres, triggering police action

In Hyderabad, travelers continue to battle entrenched local groups that intimidate Uber and Ola drivers, pushing passengers toward overpriced private taxis. Chennai flyers, meanwhile, complain that reaching the designated pickup zones now takes longer than short-haul flights from cities like Coimbatore.

The ‘Budget Day’ Hope

As Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presents the Union Budget 2026 today, the aviation sector is watching closely. With the government’s renewed emphasis on multimodal integration, there is cautious hope for funding toward seamless airport-metro-bus hubs.

The vision is clear: a future where planes, trains, and metros speak the same language. Until then, passengers at KIA—and airports across India—will continue to discover that the hardest part of flying isn’t the thousands of kilometres in the air, but the last few on the ground.

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News Network
January 31,2026

files.jpg

A fresh cache of files related to the investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein contains documents that reference President Donald Trump and other high-profile figures including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and British billionaire Richard Branson.

Here are key details about mentions of the celebrities, none of whom have been accused of wrongdoing:

Donald Trump

The files included an FBI-compiled list of sexual assault allegations related to President Donald Trump -- many of them involving anonymous callers and unverified tips.

The allegations -- some secondhand -- were sent to the FBI's National Threat Operations Center which receives information by phone and electronically.

The document suggests that investigators followed up on a number of the tips. Some were deemed to lack credibility.

Trump has long denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein.

In a statement accompanying Friday's file dump, the Justice Department said: "Some of the documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election. To be clear, the claims are unfounded and false."

Bill Gates

In a draft email among the documents, Epstein alleged Gates had engaged in extramarital affairs.

In the mail, Epstein wrote that his relationship with Gates had ranged from "helping Bill to get drugs, in order to deal with consequences of sex with russian girls, to facilitating his illicit trysts, with married women."

Richard Branson

Files show friendly relations between the two billionaires.

In an email sent to Epstein on Sept 11, 2013, Branson wrote "It was really nice seeing you yesterday. The boys in Watersports can't stop speaking about it! Any time you're in the area would love to see you. As long as you bring your harem!"

Elon Musk

The files contain numerous mail exchanges between Epstein and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk.

In November 2012, Epstein sent Musk an email asking "how many people will you be for the heli to island."

"Probably just Talulah and me. What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?" Musk replied.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

The disgraced former prince invited Epstein to visit him at Buckingham Palace in September 2010 while the financier was making a trip to London.

An email exchange shows Epstein contacting Andrew to ask: "What time would you like me... we will also need... private time."

Andrew replied: "we could have dinner at Buckingham Palace and lots of privacy."

Howard Lutnick

Emails show that Epstein and businessman Lutnick -- currently Trump's commerce secretary -- made plans in December 2012 to lunch on Epstein's Caribbean island.

"We are heading towards you from St. Thomas" Lutnick's wife wrote to Epstein's secretary, asking where they should anchor.

Steve Tisch

Several mails suggested Epstein connected Steve Tisch, 76, producer of the movies "Forrest Gump" and "Risky Business" and the co-owner of the New York Giants football team, with multiple women.

In one exchange with Tisch, Epstein describes a woman as "russian, and rarely tells the full truth, but fun."

Zohran Mamdani's Mother, Filmmaker Mira Nair 

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's mother, Mira Nair, attended an afterparty at convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell's house for her 2009 film "Amelia", reveals a new set of Epstein files.

An email dated October 21, 2009, sent by publicist Peggy Siegal to Jeffrey Epstein, also surfaced in documents. The email, sent in the early hours, right after Siegal left the gathering, gives an insight into the afterparty. 

The party was also attended by former President Bill Clinton and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.

"Just left Ghislaine's townhouse...after party for film. Bill Clinton and Jeff Bezos were there...Jean Pigoni, director Mira Nair....etc," the email read.

The email described the reaction of guests to Nair's film as "tepid."

"Film received tepid reaction although women like it much more...Hillary Swank and Gen: at stupid party in Bloomingdales cheap sportwear department....very weird. Studio went for free party from store and windows for a month....Going to be in Wall Street 2 tomorrow ....more to come. xoxo Peg," the email read.

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