Hyderabad: The Mailardevpally police solved the mystery behind the murder of a man who was suspected to have been killed and the body discarded, packed in a bag. The police arrested the wife and sister-in-law of the man who was later identified as Mohammad Mumtaz, a native of Bihar, residing in the locality. Mailardevpally station house officer (SHO), P Narender said, the body was found on Tuesday morning on the roadside by the GHMC workers who informed the police. Based on the footage of closed circuit cameras the accused were identified and arrested. The police identified the accused as Roushan Khatun, wife of the deceased Mumtaz, and Rabiya Bibi, sister-in-law of the deceased. “Roushan Khatun had problems with Mumtaz because he was coming home drunk every night and beating. Mumtaz was into an extramarital relationship with some other woman and it became a point of worry for Roushan,” said P Narender. Both the sisters planned to kill Mumtaz in an attempt to end their troubles. “On December 21 early hours, Roushan and Bibi strangled Mumtaz using a rope at their house and stuffed the body in a plastic bag. Both of them carried the body and threw it at a small roadside water channel,” said Mailardevpally SHO. The incident came to light on December 23, Thursday, when the GHMC workers found the leg of a human protruding out of the bag. On closer inspection of the bag, they noticed the body of the man. On information, Mailardevpally police reached the spot and started an investigation. The police then identified the two women who were carrying the bag in the early hours of December 21. The police took them into custody and on interrogation Roushan and Bibi admitted to killing Mumtaz.m jolli.bet 。

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Dec. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Graphjet Technology (“Graphjet” or “the Company”) (Nasdaq:GTI), a leading developer of patented technologies to produce graphite and graphene directly from agricultural waste, today announced that management will host a webcast and conference call to provide a business update at 9 AM ET on Thursday, December 12, 2024. A live webcast of the call will be available by clicking here . Please log in approximately 5-10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. Participants may also access the call by dialing (877) 407-9208 for domestic callers or (201) 493-6784 for international callers. A replay of the call will be available for two weeks by dialing (844) 512-2921 for domestic callers or (412) 317-6671 for international callers and using Conference ID: 13750405. The archived webcast will be available in the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website. About Graphjet Technology Sdn. Bhd. Graphjet Technology Sdn. Bhd. (Nasdaq: GTI) was founded in 2019 in Malaysia as an innovative graphene and graphite producer. Graphjet Technology has the world’s first patented technology to recycle palm kernel shells generated in the production of palm seed oil to produce single layer graphene and artificial graphite. Graphjet’s sustainable production methods utilizing palm kernel shells, a waste agricultural product that is common in Malaysia, will set a new shift in graphite and graphene supply chain of the world. For more information, please visit https://www.graphjettech.com/ . Graphjet Technology Contacts Investors GraphjetIR@icrinc.com Media GraphjetPR@icrinc.comKhartoum: In 2024, violent conflict continued to devastate Sudan, deepening the humanitarian crisis that has afflicted millions since the brutal clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted in April 2023. The war, which has claimed nearly 30,000 lives, has displaced more than 14 million people -- roughly one-third of Sudan's population, creating what the United Nations describes as "the world's largest displacement crisis." Despite the staggering human toll, the conflict in Sudan has not attracted the same level of global attention as other crises, such as those in Ukraine and Gaza. This relative neglect has resulted in a lack of effective political mediation and insufficient humanitarian aid, putting the country at risk of plunging deeper into catastrophe. The response from the international community in the coming months will be pivotal. It will determine whether millions of Sudanese civilians will continue to suffer from displacement, hunger, and violence -- or whether there is a genuine opportunity for peace and stability to take root. In 2024, armed confrontations between the SAF and the RSF have continued to ravage Sudan, spreading from the capital, Khartoum, through the central Gezira and Sinnar states, and extending to North Darfur in the west. Since May, El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, has become a central battleground between the two forces. For seven months, the city has been under siege by the RSF, enduring relentless shelling and airstrikes from both the paramilitary group and the army. These attacks have frequently targeted densely populated areas, including camps housing displaced civilians. On Dec. 20, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) revealed in a press release that the ongoing siege and conflict in El Fasher have killed at least 782 civilians and left more than 1,143 injured. "The continuing siege of El Fasher and the relentless fighting are devastating lives every day on a massive scale," said OHCHR chief Volker Turk. The UN humanitarian agency also reported last week that hostilities have spread to additional urban areas in North Darfur and South Darfur, resulting in heavy civilian casualties and the destruction of homes, markets, and medical facilities. The Darfur region, which comprises five states, is a key base for the RSF, with the majority of its recruits coming from the region. The militia is determined to gain full control of the region, seeking to capture El Fasher, the last SAF-controlled stronghold in the area. "It is clear that both of the warring parties want to resolve the conflict militarily, which seems far-fetched, at least for now," Ahmed Ismail, a Sudanese military expert, told Xinhua. The ongoing conflict in Sudan has displaced more than 14 million people, or approximately 30 percent of the population, doubling the figure from last December. This makes it the world's largest displacement crisis, according to UN data. "The (internal) displacement number has hit 11 million. That's up 200,000 just since September," Director-General of the International Organization for Migration Amy Pope said in late October at a press briefing from Port Sudan, adding that "another 3.1 million people have traveled across borders to flee the fighting." Of the internally displaced, Sudanese government figures show that 4 million are women and 3 million are children. In addition to the displacement crisis, more than 24.6 million people in Sudan are now facing high levels of acute food insecurity, a UN spokesperson said on Tuesday. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a global hunger monitor, confirmed in a report released Tuesday that famine is present in at least five areas of Sudan, including North Darfur's Zamzam camp and parts of the Western Nuba Mountains. The crisis is projected to expand to five additional areas before May 2025. Abdullah Ibrahim, a food security expert in Sudan, cautioned that the true scale of the food crisis may be even worse than reported. "The full impact of the war on the food situation remains unclear, and the number of people at risk of famine is likely higher than the current estimates from the UN and the Sudanese government," he said. The crisis has also fueled a health emergency. Epidemics, particularly cholera and dengue fever, have surged during the rainy season from June to October. Sudan's war-battered medical system has struggled to cope. The Health Ministry reported over 44,000 cholera cases and about 8,500 dengue fever infections. The UN and other relief agencies now face significant obstacles to assisting the most vulnerable, including security risks, restrictions on aid flow and personnel movement, and a funding gap. Humanitarian aid agencies face immense challenges in providing assistance. Security risks, restrictions on aid movement, and a significant funding shortfall have hindered efforts. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) noted that only 30 percent of the 1.5 billion U.S. dollars needed for Sudan's 2024 response have been secured, leaving many urgent needs unmet. Struggling to shelter themselves from the winter cold, the displaced people call for scaling up internal and international responses to humanitarian needs. "We are suffering from inadequate services and food shortages. The tents are in poor quality and can not protect us against the cold in winter," Qismalla Awad, who relocated to a displacement camp in River Nile State, told Xinhua. Across the border in Chad, Sudanese refugees at a camp in Adre face similar hardships. "We are struggling with hunger, food shortages, and a lack of clean drinking water," said Adam Ishaq, a refugee at the camp. "Located in a barren area, the camp offers little respite from either the summer heat or the winter cold." In 2024, regional and international efforts to mediate Sudan's ongoing crisis continued but yielded little progress. On Jan. 18, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African bloc, convened a summit in Kampala, Uganda, aimed at addressing the crisis. However, Sudan boycotted the event. Two days later, Sudan announced it was freezing its membership in IGAD, citing the bloc's communique as an infringement on its sovereignty. The Sudanese government further stated it would not abide by any decisions or actions taken by IGAD regarding Sudan's internal affairs. This setback followed previous failed attempts by IGAD to bring the warring parties to the negotiating table. A summit in June 2023 faltered after the SAF voiced objections to the support certain IGAD members extended to the RSF. A second attempt in December 2023 was postponed due to "technical reasons." In July, under UN auspices, both warring sides were invited to Geneva for talks focused on humanitarian aid and civilian protection. However, one side failed to attend, and no breakthrough was achieved. The United Nations did not disclose which party was absent. In August, fresh peace talks were initiated by the United States in Geneva, which were attended by RSF delegates. The SAF preemptively declared it would not participate, citing the RSF's failure to honor previous agreements, including commitments to withdrawing from civilian homes and public facilities. "The suffering is growing by the day, with almost 25 million people now in need of humanitarian assistance," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told ambassadors at the UN Security Council in late October, stressing the dire conditions civilians are enduring. "We've lost our homes, but we haven't lost our dream of peace," said Ismail Al-Hakim, a Sudanese journalist who documented the devastating impact of the conflict on civilian life. "We are still holding onto the hope of an end to this conflict and the eventual homecoming of those displaced." For Fatima Badawi, witnessing her hometown south of Khartoum descend into a brutal battleground, the coming year carries a weight far beyond simply marking the passage of time. "We don't want another year of this conflict," she said. "The war must end as soon as possible. We are placing our hope for peace in the upcoming year."

Ruben Amorim impressed with Arsenal’s corners after first defeat as Man Utd bossStarmer accused of ‘letting off’ City lawyers while stripping cash from pensioners in Budget

Canada’s military head defends women’s role in combat against U.S. commentsGovt has decided to allocate space for Manmohan Singh’s memorial, Cong playing cheap politics: NaddaDutton’s had a great year, but 2025 will test his one great weakness

Bapusaheb Pathare's Surprising Victory in Pune's Vadgaon Sheri

Moscow : Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, December 28, apologised to Azerbaijan’s President for the passenger plane crash that happened in Russian airspace in Kazakstan on December 25. What Putin described as a “tragic incident,” occurred after Russian air defence was used against Ukrainian drones. Flight J2-8243 became a ball of fire near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan, killing 38 onboard. The crash occurred after the plane diverted from southern Russia where Ukrainian drones were reported to be attacking several cities. “Vladimir Putin apologised for the tragic incident that occurred in Russian airspace and once again expressed his deep and sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured,” the Kremlin said in a statement. “At that time, Grozny, Mozdok and Vladikavkaz were being attacked by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, and Russian air defence systems repelled these attacks,” the Kremlin said. The call to the Azerbaijan President took place at Putin’s request, said Kremlin. The Embraer 190 aircraft, operated by Azerbaijan Airlines took off from Baku for Grozny in Russia’s Chechnya but was ‘denied landing due to fog’ in Grozny. The plane was then diverted far off over the Caspian Sea and crashed in Aktau, Kazakhstan resulting in the deaths of 38 out of the 67 people on board with 29 surviving. Footage from the crash site showed damage to the plane’s nose and shrapnel from the missiles, an observation pointed out by military and aviation experts in foreign media reports such as the Wall Street Journal, Euronews and AFP. (With inputs from Reuters.)Is conflict in Ukraine shifting in Russia’s favour? In 2024, Russian forces seized nearly six times more territory than in 2023, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), as reported by BBC. The advancing Russian troops are concentrating and gaining territory in eastern Ukraine. The conflict after 1000 days and with republican Donald Trump, the new President-elect in the United States who is supposed to take the administration’s reign on January 20, 2025, is reshaping. Meanwhile, in the last two months of President Joe Biden’s rule, the United States approval of allowing Kyiv to use long-range missiles against deep Russian positions is increasing the threat of more sophisticated weaponry going to be tested or used against each other on the battlefield. Long-Range Missiles Enter the Fight Kyiv received a morale boost this week with US President Biden’s approval and the deployment of US-supplied long-range missiles. Now Ukraine, with the help of long-range missiles, are desperately going to strike deep into Russian territory to attempt to disrupt the Russian supply lines. Analysts suggest this move could help Ukraine hold onto contested areas like Kursk, which may serve as bargaining chips in future negotiations. However, introducing these advanced weapons escalates the tension and increases the risks. In the past, Russia has been warning against Western military support, cautioning of consequences if long-range missiles are used that could provoke further retaliation in all those countries helping and supplying weapons to Ukraine. Russia also has warned to use a strong response and even demonstrated it. On Thursday, Russians responded with a long-range ballistic missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro and warned of more retaliatory actions. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that his country has a stockpile of advanced Oreshnik hypersonic missiles “ready to be used,”. In an unscheduled television address, Putin claimed the missiles, capable of travelling at ten times the speed of sound, are virtually impossible to intercept and promised further testing in “combat conditions.” The strike on Dnipro, described by media quoting witnesses as highly unusual and involving powerful ballistic weaponry, marked a new escalation in the conflict. Ukrainian officials called the missile’s impact to that of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Meanwhile, Ukraine for the first time earlier used long-range missile strikes on Russian territory with U.S.-supplied ATACMS and British-supplied Storm Shadow systems. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is further urging Western allies to deliver advanced air defence systems, including the U.S. THAAD and upgrades to Patriot systems, to counter these threats. Both developments reshape the conflict’s undercurrents and warn about its future. Russia’s campaign has so far focused heavily on key logistical hubs in the Donbas region. The ISW estimates that Moscow’s forces have captured around 2,700 square kilometres this year, compared to just 465 square kilometres in 2023. Recent gains include areas near Kupiansk in Kharkiv and Kurakhove in Donetsk, both critical for Ukraine’s supply lines. Kupiansk, once liberated by Ukraine in its 2022 counteroffensive, is now under severe pressure. Russian troops are reported to be just a couple of kilometres from a key bridge into the city. In Kurakhove, Russia is attempting to encircle Ukrainian defenders, inching closer to the strategic hub of Pokrovsk. Some of the media has reported that they have already captured the area and one can see Russian flags hurling on several buildings and bridges. Experts warn that Ukraine’s eastern defences may struggle to hold. Dr Marina Miron of King’s College London told the BBC that the eastern front could face collapse if Russian advances continue unchecked. Russia’s advances have come at a steep cost. According to BBC analysis, over 78,000 Russian soldiers have died since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Losses have been especially severe in recent months, reflecting what some analysts call a “meat grinder” strategy—waves of recruits deployed to exhaust Ukrainian defences. Ukrainian losses are also substantial, though official numbers vary widely. The Russian Ministry of Defence has given figures of over 33,990 Ukrainian soldiers who have died in the Kursk region alone. The number of casualties and destruction highlights the brutal nature of the conflict. The U.S. decision to supply Ukraine with antipersonnel landmines has further drawn criticism for risking civilian casualties and marks another shift in American policy on the controversial weapon. Officials argue the mines are essential to slowing Russian advances, but anti-landmine campaigners say that 164 countries have already banned the use of landmines and it should not be encouraged in any circumstances. In addition, Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region in August marked a bold strategy. At that time, Kyiv briefly gained control of several border areas, aiming to draw Russian forces away from the eastern front. However, the operation has stalled. Russia has since deployed 50,000 troops to the region, regaining much of the lost territory. Dr. Miron has called the operation a “tactical success but a strategic failure,” noting that it diverted some of Ukraine’s best units from the more critical eastern front. Instead of slowing Russia’s advance in the Donbas, the operation has tied down resources at a crucial time. The support Russians are getting from North Korea is also helping Russian troops in advancing. North Korea has sent thousands of soldiers to support Russia, and Ukrainian forces say they have faced these troops in battles in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukraine controls some areas. U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed he approved Ukraine’s use of longer-range ATACMS missiles to strike targets inside Russia in response to Russia using North Korean troops in the war. The Bigger Picture Russia’s recent gains have strengthened its negotiating position. The ISW estimates that Moscow now controls over 110,000 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory. By contrast, Ukraine’s territorial gains in its Kursk incursion are shrinking, with Russia retaking nearly half of what Kyiv initially seized. The conflict’s human toll also continues to grow. The Russian government has allocated $58.7 million to support residents in the Kursk and Belgorod regions affected by Ukrainian shelling. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at G 20 meeting in Brazil while speaking to the media last week accused France of direct participation in the war, citing its training of Ukrainian troops and supply of advanced missiles. Russia has revised its nuclear doctrine , expanding the conditions under which it might deploy its arsenal. The approval of the Russian Doctrine shift coincides with Washington’s decision to allow Ukraine to fire long-range US missiles into Russian areas. The updated policy now considers an attack by a non-nuclear state, if supported by a nuclear-armed ally, as grounds for a nuclear response. Additionally, large-scale conventional attacks on Russia, Belarus, or threats to critical sovereignty could meet the threshold. As per the state-run TASS news agency, the changes and shift in strategy broaden the scope of potential nuclear targets and escalate the stakes of any coalition-led aggression. Political observers see Russia’s assertive nuclear posture as an action in response to Western provocations. Chances are that Russia, as a deterrence act, may wheel in tactical nuclear weapons closer to NATO’s borders. This could be further dangerous that might further escalate the conflict. This doctrine shift introduces a new phase. Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson in a veiled warning urged the nations to analyse it carefully. Meanwhile, Moscow has warned that US involvement via advanced weaponry could be interpreted as direct participation in hostilities. What Comes Next? The war’s trajectory remains uncertain. While Russia has momentum, its progress is slow and costly. Ukraine, for its part, continues to resist, employing strategic withdrawals to preserve its forces for a prolonged fight. The hope from the elected United States President, Donald Trump adds further unpredictability. The US president-elect has promised to end the war within 24 hours of taking office, though he has not explained how he is so confident on the issue. The world keeps its hope on Donald Trump now. The question remains, will the US cut military aid to Ukraine, shifting the balance of power on the battlefield? However, it is certain that as the conflict continues as it has already surpassed 1,000 days, both sides are likely positioning themselves for eventual negotiations holding some strength to bargain. For now, the war’s outcome will depend on who can sustain their efforts longer, a question with no easy answer. Author is National Editor, Greater Kashmir.