New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron and reiterated the need to resume dialogue and diplomacy as India continues to engage with the international community on the situation in West Asia.After a phone call with Macron, the prime minister said they would continue to work together to stop hostilities in the region. Prime Minister Modi posted on External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also spoke to his Saudi and Omani counterparts.
Young Republican activist used racial slur in WhatsApp chat, discussed killing of black Americans: report
A group of young Republicans repeatedly used racial slurs and discussed dozens of ways to murder black Americans in a WhatsApp group chat, the Miami Herald and The Floridian reported.The WhatsApp group was created last September by Republican Miami-Dade County Secretary Abel Alexander Carvajal, a 23-year-old sophomore at Florida International University School of Law and co-founder of the school’s Turning Point USA chapter, the report said. The organization was originally called “Uber Ret—s Yapping Inc.”Carvajal, who used the chat administrator name “MaoTze Abel,” a reference to Chinese Communist dictator Mei Zedong, conducted communications overseen by him and other members in which he and other members used variations of the “N” word and other slurs more than 400 times. Users also hurled anti-Semitic and deeply misogynistic slurs at Jewish women and joked about appealing to Nazi propaganda. Some users were later recruited by Carvajal into local party leadership, The Daily Beast reported.“Total death for black people!” Dariel Gonzalez, a former board member of the Florida International College Republicans, reportedly wrote. On another occasion, he claimed that an African American student left the organization after another user called her the “N” word. Thereafter, he applied to become a committee member of the city chapter of the Republican Party.Another member of the group identified by the Miami Herald was Miami Dade College student William Begerano, who last year tried to start an anti-abortion rights group at the school and who also appeared to have published a tirade in which he fantasized about killing black people.Sometime in early October, Ian Valdes, president of the academy’s Turning Point USA chapter, renamed the group chat “Gooning in Agartha.” These terms refer to masturbation in a trance state and to the mythical civilization considered the home of the Aryan race by members of the Nazi regime.After the band’s name was changed, Valdes joked that he would become “completely Afro,” while Gonzalez described Agatha as “heaven on earth.” Valdez further wrote that he “would never marry a Jew,” and Gonzalez suggested it was best to “keep your dick away from them” for fear of “having a little dick running around.”Florida International University confirmed to the Miami Herald that the group chat is now the subject of a criminal investigation.A local Republican source told The Floridian that Carvajal’s role as local party secretary “is not tokenistic; it has a responsibility to represent all members of the organization,” including the region’s 170,000 African Americans registered as Republican voters, “with professionalism and respect.”The Daily Beast reached out to the Miami-Dade Republican for comment. Carvajal told the Miami Herald that he typically ignores messages sent to the group, but “I guess in a way, I have some responsibility.”He also told The Floridian that he was unaware of the racist comments because they were posted to his WhatsApp group and he sometimes appeared to respond to them. Asked if he would resign over the slurs, he said: “No.” “Of course not, because you know, the information conveyed in a chat is not mine.”Miami-Dade County Republican Party Chairman Kevin Cooper told the Miami Herald, “Anyone associated with this conversation should resign immediately.”“I am appalled and appalled by these remarks. Racism and anti-Semitism have no place in the Republican Party,” he said. “I am proud to be the first Jewish chair of the Miami-Dade Republican Party, a party comprised of diverse members from all races and backgrounds.”The reports mark the second time a leaked group chat has exposed violent and racist language from young members of the Republican Party.In October, Politico obtained thousands of messages from a private group run by a senior member of the New York State Young Republicans in which users wrote “I love Hitler” and referred to black Americans as “watermelon people.”In a log of an exchange with the Florida organization, Valdez wrote, “If this chat gets leaked, we’re screwed.” Gonzalez responded, “This isn’t my worst,” to which Valdez replied: “Some of the ones I’ve seen on Telegram are definitely worse.”
Why Lionel Messi and Alex Rodriguez are at the White House today. Trump ends football debate
A number of sports superstars, from soccer legend Lionel Messi to baseball icon Alex Rodriguez (aka A-Rod), were at the White House on Thursday. The pair met with President Donald Trump, before the 79-year-old spoke about Inter Miami’s MLS win and congratulated the Argentinian and club co-owner Jorge Mas. Notably, another boss, British great David Beckham, was not present at the event.
Videos of Arod and Messi appeared on social media.
Why Messi is in the White House
Messi and other Inter Miami players were invited to the White House to commemorate their 2025 MLS Cup win in December. The club flew to Washington, D.C., on Thursday to prepare for Saturday’s game against D.C. United in Baltimore.
Inter Miami flew to the nation’s capital on Thursday to prepare for Saturday’s game against D.C. United in Baltimore.
What did Trump say about Messi?
As Messi stood next to Trump, the president began talking about the Iran conflict. “The U.S. military, along with its outstanding Israeli partners, continues to completely destroy our enemies at a level we have never seen before. We are destroying Iran’s missiles.”
Then he turned his attention to Messi. “my son [Barron] Said: “Dad, do you know who is going today?” I said no, I still have a lot of things to do. He said: “Messi!” He’s a big fan of yours, he’s a big fan of yours, he thinks you’re a great guy and I think you met a while ago. “
“He’s a huge football fan, but he’s also a huge fan of yours and a gentleman named Ronaldo.”
Trump once compared Messi to the great Pele. “You’re probably better than Pele. Who’s better? Him or Pele?” he asked. The crowd responded by naming the 2022 World Cup winner.
This is Messi’s first visit to the White House. The eight-time Golden Globe winner turned down an invitation from former President Joe Biden to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
His management team said at the time: “Messi stated that he was deeply honored and honored to receive this recognition, but due to scheduling conflicts and previous commitments, he was unable to attend.”
Last year, Ronaldo was in the White House.
India finally expresses condolences over Iran’s killing of Khamenei; foreign minister speaks
New Delhi: Foreign Minister Vikram Misri on Thursday signed a condolence letter on behalf of the Indian government and people at the Iranian embassy following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28, sparking criticism over India’s silence.External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to External Affairs Minister Abbas Araghchi and posted on X about “telecom” without elaborating. Araghchi had said earlier in the day that the Iranian warship destroyed by a US submarine was a guest of the Indian Navy.On Friday, the two sides are likely to have their first high-level contacts since the war began, with Tehran seeking a meeting with visiting Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh. It is reported that Misri may meet ministers who are coming to India to participate in the Resina Dialogue.After signing the condolence book, Misri meets with the Iranian ambassadorTehran has been hoping that India would express condolences for Khamenei’s killing and even condemn the US-Israeli attack on Iran. After signing the book, Misri met briefly with Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Fatali.Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov and Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires Saad Ahmed Walaich were among the first to sign the book of condolences when it was opened in the morning. In his message, Misri expressed condolences on behalf of the Indian government and people. “We pray for peace for the departed souls,” he said. However, in 2024, after the death of then-Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi, Jaishankar personally went to the embassy to sign a book of condolences. India later declared a day of national mourning.Misri signed the book on its first day of publication, but the fact that India did not offer condolences for Khamenei, who was killed on Saturday, drew criticism from the opposition. India has always had mixed feelings about Khamenei, who supports efforts to address shared regional interests with the Indian government, especially connectivity through the Chabahar port, but has also repeatedly angered India with his “misleading and unacceptable” remarks about Johnson and Johnson and Indian Muslims.Khamenei met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016 when he traveled to Tehran for the first bilateral visit by an Indian prime minister to Iran in 15 years. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs described the meeting as a rare honor for the Prime Minister.Iran also denies that it is indiscriminately attacking the Gulf state, home to nearly 10 million Indians. Mohammad Fatali, Iran’s ambassador to India, said: “We are telling all our neighbors that we are attacking their American bases targeting us.” He also said that Iran and India have a good historical background and hope to further improve relations. “But in this situation, all governments and all people face a test,” he said.Iranian authorities have said that Tehran has always sought to maintain strong relations with India and does not want this relationship to be affected by any third country. It also believes that no country should find fault with international law.Iran has also made no commitments about the safe passage of Indian or other oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, as it believes its actions will depend on circumstances. Iran insists it conveyed this message to its neighbors in an official communication: U.S. bases would be legitimate targets if Iran were attacked by the Trump administration. Tehran’s argument is that insurance companies and other companies seeking to avoid war are also responsible for the closure of the strait.
Who is Zobaidul Amin? Bangladeshi national arrested in US on global child exploitation charges; could face life in prison
A Bangladeshi man accused of running a massive online child exploitation operation will appear in a U.S. court after being moved from Malaysia to Alaska, where federal prosecutors say he targeted hundreds of minors around the world.Zobaidul Amin, 28, was brought to Alaska on Wednesday and is scheduled to make his first appearance in an Alaskan court.Authorities said he faces a series of serious federal charges related to alleged online child exploitation.According to court documents, Amin was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2022. Prosecutors allege he used social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat to identify underage victims and pressure them to create sexually explicit images and videos.Investigators say the alleged crimes involve not only victims in Alaska but also other parts of the United States and abroad. U.S. officials called the case one of the most extensive online child exploitation investigations they have ever seen.Before the U.S. charges were filed, Amin had been living in Malaysia and studying at a medical school.In September 2022, he was charged with 13 counts related to the possession and production of child pornography. U.S. authorities later worked with Malaysian officials to arrange his transfer to the United States.Justice Minister Pamela Bondi said: “Yesterday’s return from Malaysia of a Bangladeshi national who allegedly abused and sexually exploited hundreds of underage victims around the world is another successful example of the Government’s increased efforts to find criminals hiding abroad.”Amin faces charges including conspiracy to produce child pornography, conspiracy to receive and distribute child pornography, operating a child exploitation enterprise, cyberstalking, aggravated identity theft and wire fraud, authorities said.If convicted, he could face 20 years to life in prison. Federal prosecutors said a judge will decide the final penalty after considering U.S. sentencing guidelines.
Rajya Sabha polls: Political collaboration against NDA faces tough test in Bihar, Odisha
NEW DELHI: As the nomination process for the Lok Sabha elections concluded in 10 states on Thursday, initiatives for new political alliances, including a rare tie-up between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress in Odisha and the unity of the BJP’s rivals in Bihar, will face a severe test, while developments in Maharashtra suggest that attempts to merge the two NCP factions have come to nothing.While candidates in most states will be elected unopposed, both Bihar and Odisha will see fierce battles on March 16.The RJD’s decision to renominate outgoing MP and businessman AD Singh has forced a contest for one of the five seats in Bihar. He can even achieve this if all rivals of the BJP, including 5 AIMIM MLAs and the lone BSP MLA, unite with the RJD-Congress-Left.However, confidentiality agreement After allocating the necessary 41 votes to secure four seats, the camp will be left with 38 votes to fight for the fifth seat. The camp is optimistic about its prospects, arguing that competition will ultimately only expose divisions within the opposition and even force some to defect.Unity of all opposition parties would fetch 41 votes for Singh, but AIMIM is yet to clarify its position. The alliance put forward a joint proposal in last year’s polls but was snubbed by the RJD-led alliance.Odisha is another state where elections are likely to take place, with the political atmosphere further heating up for the BJP after the Congress decided to back the BJD’s choice of eminent doctor Datteswar Hota. The BJP later announced its support for former Union minister Dilip Ray, a well-connected hotelier, who is contesting as an independent candidate.The BJP has been sworn enemies for decades, but its meteoric rise in the state has brought the party and the Congress together. Both parties could bring together 32 provincial councilors to ensure Hotan wins with the support of 30 councilors.However, incidents of dissatisfaction within the two parties have made the situation even more confusing. The BJP has a history of defeating its opponents in the hotly contested RS seat and its decision to back Rai was driven by its instinct to exploit their internal divisions to engineer surprises. With all three MVA parties backing Sharad Pawar’s renomination, the only one among the seven seats they can win, claims by his supporters about an “imminent merger” between the two NCP factions should be given pause.Signing a reversal from his public “I’ve had enough” stance, a senior Sena UBT official said they were told the chances of the two factions coming together was slim as the group headed by Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar had never been enthusiastic about Sharad Pawar’s desire for a second term in the RS.Ajit Pawar’s son Parth Pawar will be elected unopposed and will contest against his great uncle as an NDA member.In the elections to 37 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP-led NDA continues to expand its social alliance by reaching out to different sections of society, as evidenced by the nominees from Maharashtra. The BJP has backed Dalit Ramdas Athawale, Maya Chintaman Inwat tribal women, Maratha state general secretaries Vinod Tawde and Ramrao Wadkute, and OBC candidates from the Dhangar community. Its ally Shiv Sena has also chosen a Dalit woman, Jyoti Waghmare.
Markwayne Mullin faces ‘racist’ accusations over Trump’s Obama video; California governor calls new DHS chief ‘unstable’
oklahoma state senator Markwayne Mullin will replace Kristi Noem As the new Secretary of Homeland Security, President Donald Trump announced today in a Truth social post. He noted that the change will take effect on March 31.
Mullin’s statement puts the spotlight on his beliefs and stance. he aligns with trump immigration issues. He holds conservative views and advocates strict border security and law enforcement. In January, he publicly supported Jonathan Ross, the ICE agent who shot and killed Renee Nicole Good.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has sounded the alarm on Mullin, pointing out his stance on racial issues.
“Markwayne Mullin can’t remember if we were at war this week. His state has one of the highest crime rates in the country, with a murder rate 40 percent higher than California,” Newsom wrote in his X profile. “He really tried to fight union workers in the hearings and tell them ‘shut up,'” he added, adding “I don’t want reality” during a Senate hearing on race. This mercurial, unstable man is now in charge of Homeland Security. “
Mullin also recently came under fire for defending a racist video of former President Barack Obama that was posted from President Donald Trump’s Truth Society profile.
Why is Mullin getting blamed for Trump’s Obama video?
Mullin’s actions in protesting the video in Trump’s profile sparked many people’s anger against him. In February, Mullin tried to grab a sign from Al Green, who was protesting the video, that read “Black people are not apes.”
That’s because videos in Trump’s profile depicted Democrats as different animals and the Obamas as apes, sparking outrage over racist connotations.
“The real House of Representatives would condemn Markie McWayne Mullin for this. You can disagree with someone, but you can’t touch someone else. Rep. Al Green’s mark is reasonable and a check on fugitive racism. Mullin’s actions aided and abetted this behavior,” one person wrote on X.
In another instance, Mullin said “Democrats only fuel racism” because they can’t refute Trump’s record.
Another person mentioned the Al Green incident, wrote on
‘Dear Indians who targeted me, you are breaking the law’: Whistleblower claims to receive spam calls after Texas ‘exposes’ H-1B ‘takeover’
A social media spat over immigrants in Texas intensified after influencer and self-proclaimed whistleblower Marc Palasciano accused Indians of harassing him with spam calls and warned he might seek federal action against them.Palasciano wrote in a post onThe warning comes after he shared a video claiming he had received a large number of harassing phone calls in recent days. In the video, he claims the calls began shortly after he began talking about an “Indian takeover” in Frisco, Texas, and criticizing the use of H-1B visas.He posted a video showing his call logs: “Let me show you how some Indians are breaking the law right now. Look at my spam calls. This is from Tuesday. This is from yesterday. Yesterday I got 30 spam calls. This is from today, from 8:40 to 9:48 am. This is no coincidence, it was right before I started exposing H1B and Indians after the takeover in Frisco. What they were doing was actually illegal for people to register spam calls to, and most importantly, it was targeted harassment.”He added that he planned to file a complaint with regulators.“There’s a process where you can file a complaint with the FCC and they’ll look into it for you and probably they’ll find the person who did this to you. So, I’m going to file one of those and we’ll see what happens,” he said.Palasciano also said the calls didn’t affect him personally because of the call screening feature: “But it just goes to show that Indians are willing to violate U.S. laws if you speak out against their practices with H1B visas and the Indian takeover in Frisco. It is not illegal to use the First Amendment to speak out. What they did was illegal. “The controversy stems from controversy surrounding a recent meeting of the Frisco City Council. Palasciano earlier posted a photo of Boy Scouts attending a council meeting and claimed it showed an “Indian takeover.”Many social media users pointed out that the Scouts’ attendance at the meeting is part of a long-standing local tradition.At the beginning of Frisco’s council meetings, local Boy Scouts or Cub Scouts are often invited to administer the Pledge of Allegiance. These youth groups are part of the Boy Scouts of America and regularly participate in civic ceremonies throughout Texas.
Supreme Court: Courts must use an iron fist against disobedient parties
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has criticized litigants, especially government authorities, for not complying with court orders and filing appeals or review pleas when facing contempt proceedings, saying courts should deal harshly with them otherwise public confidence in the judiciary will be eroded.A bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R Mahadevan also held that the defense of administrative impediment or even impossibility of executing the order cannot be invoked in contempt proceedings if the contemnor fails to inform the court within the stipulated time limit of the difficulty in executing its order. “Delay in filing appeals should have been the exception. But in recent years, the exception has actually turned into the rule. Orders passed by the courts have been chronically not complied with, and when contempt petitions are filed, delay in appeal is preferred and the delays are lengthy,” it said.SC: Litigants who disobey may face contempt of courtIt said: “We are unequivocally opposed to these practices. We believe that through this modus operandi, disobedient litigants are acting blatantly, which further reduces the authority and majesty of the courts and the rule of law and interferes with the administration of justice. In some cases, the same conduct is likely to border on criminal contempt of court.”The Supreme Court said the High Courts should deal with these “unscrupulous litigants with an iron fist, especially when they happen to be ‘State’ or similar bodies within the meaning of Article 12 of the Constitution”, adding, “Unless the High Courts and this Court deal with these issues with determination, we face a clear risk that the unshakable faith of ordinary litigants in this country in the judiciary at all levels will be eroded.” It is the solemn responsibility of all of us in the courts at all levels to ensure that the public’s faith never wavers.“Justice will be merciful but courts should make strong exceptions for dishonest litigants and examine whether the “liberal” jurisprudence around contempt of court needs a serious re-examination, the judges said. It also clarifies that contempt proceedings are not limited to parties who approach the court for non-implementation of orders but third parties/non-parties who are part of the chain of decision-making process will also be liable for contempt of court.“In simple terms, therefore, a party once obtaining or coming to know of an order of this court, if it continues to commit willful non-performance or willful non-compliance or any similar objection/violation of the order concerned, will face the full wrath of contempt of court, which is no longer reintegrable,” it said.The court passed a contempt order against Chhattisgarh government officials for failing to comply with the order regulating services of employees and gave them a last chance to implement the order within 15 days.
Why did Trump fire Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary? Possible cause explanation
Donald Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on March 5, sparking new controversy surrounding her tenure. Trump announced that Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin will succeed Noem at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Trump announced on Truth Social that Mullin will take over as Secretary of Homeland Security on March 31.
He further said that Noem will serve in the newly created “Envoy to the Americas Shield” role related to the new regional security plan that his administration intends to present in Florida this weekend.
Possible reasons for Kristi Noem’s firing
Scandals have mounted during Noem’s tenure, eroding support inside and outside the government. The Department of Homeland Security has been under heavy criticism in the months since two U.S. citizens were shot to death by federal agents during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis earlier this year. The incident sparked protests and calls for an investigation into the agency’s methods.
One of the immediate triggers for Noem’s firing was the controversy in Congress over funding for the department. Earlier this week, senators also asked Noem about her leadership of the department over the past 12 months.