Ukraine demands banned cluster bombs from US to drop on Russian forces

New York: The Yemeni government and the Houthis have agreed to release 887 detainees, following 10 days of negotiations in Geneva, the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross said.

They added that both sides have also agreed to visit each other’s detention facilities, grant the delegations full access to all detainees during those visits, and to meet again in May to discuss further prisoner swaps.

Hans Grundberg, the UN’s special envoy for Yemen, described the deal as one more reason to believe things are moving “in the right direction” toward a resolution of a conflict that has ravaged the country for more than eight years and caused one of the biggest humanitarian crises in the world.

“For hundreds of Yemeni families, today is a good day,” said Grundberg. “Unfortunately, Yemen doesn’t experience as many good days as it deserves. So, I warmly congratulate all involved for this achievement. Today, hundreds of Yemeni families can look forward to reuniting with their loved ones.

“But it is important to remember that when the parties committed to the Detainees’ Exchange Agreement they made a promise, not just to each other, but to thousands of Yemeni families who have been living with the pain of separation from those dearest to them for far too long.”

Referring to the announcement on March 10 of the resumption of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Grundberg added that he senses there is now “a willingness to engage in a positive direction on trying to come to a settlement on the conflict in Yemen.”

During a UN Security Council meeting last week, Grundberg welcomed the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran and said the region was witnessing a “step change in the scope and depth” of talks to end the long-running conflict in Yemen.

At the same time, he urged all those involved in the conflict to seize the opportunity offered by this “renewed regional diplomatic momentum” and take “decisive steps toward a more peaceful future.”

On Monday, he said a “comprehensive and sustainable end to the conflict is necessary if Yemen is to recover from the devastating toll the eight-year conflict has had on its men and women.”

According to a message posted on Twitter by the head of the Houthis’ prisoner affairs committee, Abdul Qader Al-Murtada, and the militia’s chief negotiator, Mohammed Abdulsalam, the Houthis have agreed to release 181 detainees, including 15 Saudis and three Sudanese nationals, in exchange for 706 prisoners held by the Yemeni government. The exchange will take place in three weeks, they added.

“It’s an expression of hope, it’s an expression of humanity and it indicates the way ahead for all parties to the conflict,” said Fabrizio Carboni, the International Committee of the Red Cross’s regional director for the Middle East, who was sitting between representatives of the two delegations on Monday.

The talks, which took place near the Swiss capital, Bern, were the latest in a series of meetings under the UN-brokered Stockholm Agreement, which previously led to the release of prisoners in 2020 and 2022.

Grundberg thanked the Swiss government for hosting the negotiations, and Jordan for hosting a number meetings of the supervisory committee.

A McDonald’s outlet in the premises of Hyderabad’s Hotel SPG Grand was witness to a shocking incident where a giant rat jumped and bit an eight-year-old boy who was eating there with his parents.

The incident was captured on the establishment’s CCTV and the footage went viral on social media soon. People were quick to draw a reference to another recent incident in Hyderabad where a young boy was mauled by a pack of stray dogs.

A report revealed that the rat had escaped from the washroom and stepped into the dining area. When the rat jumped onto the child and bit him, his father, Savio Henriques was quick to pick up the rodent and toss it aside. Both patrons and restaurant staff were left shocked at the incident.

The boy, Dwayne Henriques, was immediately taken to a nearby Bowenpally military hospital by his father, who is himself an army major. The boy received treatment at the hospital that included tetanus and anti-rabies shots. 

On the following day, Savio Henriques decided to take legal action against the restaurant. He went to the metropolitan magistrate court and subsequently lodged an FIR. According to the report, "Franchises like McDonalds are supposed to ensure a safe environment for children. The incident was witnessed by staff and the manager”.

He has also posted a video of the incident captured on CCTV along with pictures of the rat’s bite marks on his son.

McDonald’s India has replied to the tweet, saying, “Hi! Thank you for bringing this to our notice. Please DM us your contact number so that we can assist you further.”

Savio Henriques has also alleged that restaurant management was negligent and said that they did not do much even after the incident took place.

Bengaluru, Mar 22: The Congress' first list of candidates for the upcoming Karnataka assembly election will be released in a day or two, party state president D K Shivakumar said on Wednesday.

The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief said initially the plan was to release the list on Wednesday but it has been pushed back to a later date.

"Today, we had thought of releasing the list of candidates. Our general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala is here and our national president Mallikarjun Kharge has come here for celebrating Ugadi festival. It will be released in a day or two," Shivakumar told reporters here.

According to Congress sources, the first list comprising about 120 candidates may be out on Thursday afternoon.

The sources added that the first list will consist of sitting MLAs and those constituencies where there is less opposition to the candidates among the party workers and also stand a good chance to win the election.