India end Asian Games campaign with best-ever haul of 107 medals including 28 golds

A shooting near a mosque in Oman killed at least four people and wounded several others in a rare act of violence in the Gulf nation.

The attack early on Tuesday took place in Wadi al-Kabir, a district east of the capital city, Muscat, during a major religious event for Shia Muslims.

Video from the scene shows people fleeing near the Imam Ali Mosque, its minaret visible, as gunfire rings out followed by a voice saying, “Oh God!”

Omani police said they’re taking “all necessary security measures and procedures … to handle the situation”. They gave an initial casualty toll of four killed and “several” injured.

“The authorities are continuing to gather evidence and conduct investigations to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident,” police said on social media platform X.

No motive or potential suspects were identified in the attack. A state of emergency was declared in the area.

‘Remain vigilant’

It appears some of the victims were Pakistani expats as Pakistan’s ambassador “visited three hospitals and met with the wounded”, an embassy statement said, adding, “all Pakistanis residing in Oman are requested to cooperate with the authorities”.

The US Embassy in Muscat issued a security alert following the shooting and cancelled all visa appointments on Tuesday.

“US citizens should remain vigilant, monitor local news, and heed directions of local authorities,” the embassy wrote on X.

Such an attack is rare in Oman, a frequent regional mediator with a low crime rate. It comes during the Muslim day of Ashura when Shia Muslims commemorate the seventh-century battlefield martyrdom of Imam Hussein, grandson of Prophet Muhammad.

Many Shia mark Ashura by performing a pilgrimage to Imam Hussein’s shrine in the Iraqi city of Karbala. Sunni Muslims commemorate the day through fasting. 

Rights groups and social media frequenters react to US President Joe Biden’s decision to cancel his re-election bid, saying he will be remembered by how he facilitated the Israeli regime’s ongoing war of genocide against Palestinians.

The reactions began pouring in on Monday, immediately after Biden announced in a letter on social media that he was stepping aside as a candidate for the 2024 presidential election.

The decision came following a disastrous performance at a debate also featuring arch-rival Donald Trump that raised questions concerning Biden’s capability to run another term.

Commenting on the decision, however, the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action (USCPR), a rights group, said, “It was not Biden’s failed debate that showed he is unfit to lead. It was the tens of thousands of bombs he sent to kill Palestinian families.”

Biden had “repeatedly funded, armed, and backed Israel’s mass slaughter of the Palestinian people,” the USCPR said, adding, “Nothing will erase the fact that” Biden’s “legacy is – and always will be – GENOCIDE.”

Jeremy Scahill, co-founder of Drop Site, an independent news website, and a former journalist at The Intercept, an online American news organization, chimed in.

“When I read the lionizing of Biden, emphasizing his decency and heroism, all I can think of is that little girl in Gaza whose jaw was blown off and all the other Palestinian children who were dismembered, burned alive, murdered with US weapons in a war Joe Biden facilitated,” he wrote on X.

The group was referring to the United States’ sustaining and even invigorating its already unfaltering arms support for the Israeli regime during the war, which has so far killed nearly 39,000 people and wounded some 90,000 others.

Owen Jones, author and activist, likewise underlined that Biden had the blood of tens of thousands of Palestinians on his hand, calling him “A monster, who belongs in jail.”

“Israel would never have been able to raze Gaza to the ground without him,” Jones noted, adding, “…if hell exists, that man would have a first class ticket there.”

Human rights campaigner Sophie McNeill echoed the criticism, saying, “The next Democratic nominee must end their support for this criminal war.”

Bengaluru: Apex IT industry body Nasscom has expressed deep disappointment and concern over Karnataka's quota-for-locals bill mandating reservation for locals in private sector, and has exhorted the state government to withdraw the bill.

Nasscom's strong note of dissent assumes significance as it adds to the growing chorus of top industry voices, which have warned that the legislation would erode the state's edge in technology, and reverse the progress made so far.

The IT industry body has sought an urgent meeting with state authorities to discuss the concerns and "prevent the state's progress from being derailed", the association said.

"Nasscom members are seriously concerned about the provisions of this bill and urge the state government to withdraw the bill. The bill's provisions threaten to reverse this progress, drive away companies, and stifle startups, especially when more global firms (GCCs) are looking to invest in the state," a Nasscom release said.

Stating that the tech sector contributes to 25 per cent of the state GDP, houses a quarter of the country's digital talent, has over 11,000 startups and 30 per cent of the total GCCs, Nasscom contended that the restrictions could force companies to relocate as local skilled talent becomes scarce.

"In today's highly competitive landscape, knowledge-led businesses will locate where talent is as attracting skilled workers is crucial for success... For states to become a key technology hub a dual strategy is key - magnet for best talent worldwide and focussed investment in building a strong talent pool within the state through formal and vocational channels," it said.

The technology sector has been crucial to Karnataka’s economic and social development, with Bengaluru known globally as India's Silicon Valley.

"The technology sector contributes almost 25 per cent of the state GDP and has played a key role in enabling higher growth for the state, higher per capita income than the national average. With over a quarter of India’s digital talent, the state houses over 30 per cent of the total GCCs and around 11,000 start-ups," it said.

Nasscom rued that it is "deeply disturbing" to see this kind of bill which will not only hamper the growth of the industry, but impact jobs and the global brand for the state.

The Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024 was approved by the state cabinet on Monday, and it seeks to reserve 50 per cent of management positions and 75 per cent of non-management positions in the private sector for locals.

The Bill has triggered controversy and criticism from across industry. Industry veteran Mohandas Pai termed the Bill "very regressive", and "draconian".