Gujarat Congress candidate attempts suicide in protest against EVM tampering

Microsoft has reportedly closed the email accounts of Palestinians living abroad, cutting off their access to online services used to contact relatives in Gaza amid the ongoing genocidal Israeli war.

Some Palestinians told the BBC on Thursday that their email accounts were closed without any explanation.

They added that this closure prevented them from accessing bank accounts, job offers, and the Skype application used to communicate with family members in the besieged Gaza.

“They killed my life online," said Eiad Hametto, who lives in Saudi Arabia.

"They’ve suspended my email account that I’ve had for nearly 20 years - It was connected to all my work.”

Hametto also said being cut off from Skype was a huge blow for his family.

Microsoft alleged that the affected users had violated its terms of service, but the Palestinians rejected the claim.

“We are civilians with no political background who just wanted to check on our families,” Hametto stressed. 

Salah Elsadi, who lives in the US, said that his Microsoft Hotmail account and all associated services were deactivated in April.

"I've had this Hotmail for 15 years," he said. "They banned me for no reason, saying I have violated their terms - what terms? Tell me. I've filled out about 50 forms and called them many many times."

Another Palestinian Khalid Obaied said he had paid for a package to make phone calls, but he was banned after 10 days for no reason.

"That means it's only because I’m a Palestinian calling Gaza,” he added.

Israel unleashed its brutal Gaza onslaught on October 7 after Hamas carried out its historic operation against the occupying entity in retaliation for the regime’s intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the Tel Aviv regime has so far killed at least 38,345 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza, and injured 88,295 others.

The Israeli aggression has disrupted telecommunication services (landline, mobile, and internet) in the Gaza Strip. 

New Delhi: The Centre has ruled out any plan to give a special category status to Bihar, a core demand by its key ally, the Janata Dal (United), prompting the Rashtriya Janata Dal to take a swipe at JDU leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.  

Ramprit Mandal, JDU MP from Bihar's Jhanjharpur, had asked the Finance Ministry if the government has a plan to provide special status to Bihar and other most backward states to promote economic growth and industrialisation.

In a written response, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said "case for Special Category Status for Bihar is not made out".

"The Special Category Status for plan assistance was granted in the past by the National Development Council (NDC) to some States that were characterized by a number of features necessitating special consideration. These features included (i) hilly and difficult terrain, (ii) low population density and/or sizeable share of tribal population, (iii) strategic location along borders with neighbouring countries, (iv) economic and infrastructural backwardness and (v) non-viable nature of State finances," the reply stated. "Earlier, the request of Bihar for Special Category Status was considered by an Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) which submitted its Report on 30th March, 2012. The IMG came to the finding that based on existing NDC criteria, the case for Special Category Status for Bihar is not made out," it added.

A special status ensures more central support to a backward state to expedite its growth. While the Constitution does not provide for a special status for any state, it was introduced on the recommendations of the Fifth Finance Commission in 1969. Among the states that have received a special status so far are Jammu and Kashmir (now a Union Territory), Noreastern states and hill states such as Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

A state with a special category status gets more funding support from the Central in the Union government's schemes and several concessions in taxes.

A special status for Bihar has been a longstanding demand of the JDU. With the BJP falling short of a majority in this election and tying up with JDU, TDP and other parties to cobble up the magic figure, the Nitish Kumar-led party was expected to push hard for its core demand. The JDU also raised this demand at an all-party meeting before the budget session.

JDU MP Sanjay Kumar Jha said the demand for a special state status for Bihar has been a priority for the JDU. "Bihar should get the status of a special state, this has been the demand of our party since the beginning. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has held big rallies for this demand. If the government feels that there is a problem in doing this, then we have demanded a special package for Bihar," he said, according to a PTI report.

With the Centre making it clear that it has no plan to grant a special status, Bihar's main Opposition RJD has hit out at the JDU, which is ruling the state in alliance with BJP. "Nitish Kumar and JDU leaders must enjoy the fruits of power at the Centre and continue their drama politics on special status," the RJD said in a post on X.

A source in the government said that the Special Category Status issue was first addressed in the National Development Council meeting in 1969. "During this meeting, the D R Gadgil Committee introduced a formula to allocate Central Assistance for state plans in India. Prior to this, there was no specific formula for fund distribution to States, and grants were given on a scheme basis. The Gadgil Formula, approved by the NDC, prioritized special category States such as Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, and Nagaland, ensuring their needs were addressed first from the pool of Central assistance."

The Special Category status concept was introduced by the 5th Finance Commission in 1969 recognising historical disadvantages of certain regions, the source said.

"Until the 2014-2015 fiscal year, the 11 States with Special Category Status benefited from various advantages and incentives. However, following the dissolution of the Planning Commission and the formation of the NITI Aayog in 2014, the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission were implemented, leading to the discontinuation of Gadgil Formula-based grants. Instead, the devolution from the divisible pool to all States was increased from 32% to 42%," the source added.

Currently, no additional States are being granted Special Category Status, as the Constitution does not provide for such categorisation, said the source in the government.

The Pakistan government has announced plans to ban the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, led by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, citing alleged anti-state activities.  

The announcement by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Monday came days after the Supreme Court handed a major legal victory to the PTI by declaring it eligible for a share of seats reserved in national and provincial assemblies.

The PTI has responded sharply, urging the government to “not shake the foundations of Pakistan and stop playing with the constitution.” Seventy-one-year-old Khan has been behind bars in the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, following his arrest on May 9, 2023.

Here’s what has happened so far:

1. What did the Pakistan minister announce?

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar made the announcement at a press conference in Islamabad. He stated that the federal government intends to ban the PTI for its alleged involvement in anti-state activities and to charge Khan and two senior party colleagues with treason. “In view of the foreign funding case, May 9 riots, and the cipher episode as well as the resolution passed in the US, we believe that there is very credible evidence present to have Khan’s party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), banned,” Tarar said.

He emphasized that Pakistan cannot progress with the PTI’s existence, saying, “Our patience and tolerance are considered as our weaknesses. The PTI and Pakistan cannot co-exist as the government is trying to stabilize the country politically and economically, while efforts are being made to thwart its efforts.” Tarar added that the federal government would petition the Supreme Court to ban the party.

2. How has the PTI responded?

In response to the government’s move, the PTI warned that banning the party could “uproot the foundations of the country.” The party stated on the X platform, “No patriot can think of banning the largest and most popular party of Pakistan, doing so is tantamount to uprooting the foundations of Pakistan and sending the country towards civil war.”

3. Why has the Pakistan government taken this decision?

The government’s decision follows recent relief given to the PTI by the Supreme Court in the case of reserved seats and to Khan in the illegal marriage case. Last week, the Supreme Court declared that Khan’s PTI was eligible for seats reserved for women and minorities in the national and provincial assemblies. If allotted, the PTI would become the largest party in the National Assembly with 109 seats.

Additionally, on Saturday, a district and session court overturned the conviction of Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in a case related to the violation of the mandatory waiting period for a Muslim woman between two marriages.

4. What steps will the PML-Nawaz-led government take against the SC order?

Tarar announced that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led government and its coalition partners plan to file a review appeal against the Supreme Court’s decision granting reserved seats to the PTI. “The apex court gave relief to the PTI which had not even asked for it,” Tarar said.

The government is also taking action against individuals involved in the May 9 events and PTI leaders’ attempts to sabotage Pakistan’s deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Referring to the dissolution of assemblies during the no-confidence motion against Khan in 2022, Tarar indicated plans to move a case against the then-prime minister, then-president Alvi, and then National Assembly deputy speaker Qasim Suri.