India has sent 38 tonnes of food and critical medical equipment to the Gaza Strip, reeling under Israel’s blistering retaliatory bombings, Ambassador R Ravindra, the Deputy Permanent Representative (DPR) to the United Nations said while representing India at the UN Security Council’s open debate on the “situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question”.

“India sent 38 tonnes of humanitarian goods, including medicines and equipment, to the people of Palestine. We also urge the parties to work towards creating conditions necessary for peace and for restarting direct negotiations, including through de-escalation and issuing violence,” Mr Ravindra said.

“The escalation of our utilities in the region has only exacerbated the dire humanitarian situation,” he said, adding, “It has once again underscored the fragile nature of the ceasefire.”

“In these challenging times, India will continue to send humanitarian assistance to the people of Palestine,” he said.

Gaza has reported massive casualties as Israel continues to bomb the coastal enclave from where Hamas launched the October 7 Sabbath attack, firing a barrage of over 5,000 rockets at Israel.

Noting that India has condemned the terror attack unequivocally, the deputy permanent envoy to the UN said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the first global leaders to convey his condolences over the loss of lives and “prayers for the innocent victims and their families”.

“We stood in solidarity with Israel at their moment of crisis when they were facing these terror attacks,” he added.

“We have also expressed deep shock at the tragic loss of lives at the Al Hali hospital in Gaza, where several hundreds of civilian casualties have occurred and thousands injured. Our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured,” he said.

Outlining that PM Modi said that those involved in the attack “must be held responsible”, R Ravindra said India is deeply concerned about the deteriorating security situation and the massive loss of civilian lives in the ongoing war. “The mounting humanitarian crisis is equally alarming.”

Welcoming the resumption of the movement of aid into Gaza, R Ravindra said, “The unfolding humanitarian crisis needs to be addressed. We welcome the efforts of the international community for de-escalation and delivery of humanitarian goods to the people of Gaza.”

The deputy envoy reaffirmed India’s support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine issue and said this could lead to the establishment of a sovereign, independent, and viable state of Palestine, living within secure and recognized borders, side by side in peace with Israel, taking into account the legitimate security concerns of Israel.

“We reiterate the need for an early resumption of direct peace negotiations. We also continue to support the Palestinian people through our bilateral development partnership, which covers a wide range of sectors including health, education, women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship, and information technology,” R Ravindra said.

He said the current escalation of the conflict has underscored the need for immediate resumption of credible and direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine.

“Every effort must be made to create conducive conditions for the resumption of these talks. We welcome all efforts of regional and global players aimed towards restoring normalcy,” he said.

(With input from ANI)

Vivek Yadav, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate from Ujjain re-joined Congress on Tuesday. Mr Yadav quit the grand old party earlier this week after the party did not give him a ticket to contest in the forthcoming assembly polls scheduled to be held next month.

As per reports, Congress candidates from Ujjain North Assembly, Maya Trivedi, Senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala and Ex-Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath persuaded Mr Yadav to rejoin the Congress ahead of the elections.

Showing dissent after not getting the party ticket, Vicky Yadav earlier quit the Congress and joined the AAP (Aam Aadmi Party). Mr Yadav was seeking a ticket from the Ujjain North assembly constituency for the upcoming poll but the Congress party fielded a woman candidate Maya Rajesh Trivedi from the seat.

Speaking to ANI, Mr Yadav said, “I have worked continuously on the ground level for the last 20-25 years, even after losing the elections, I have worked at the grassroots level. My name was at the top of the survey of the party. I request the senior leaders to swear to Lord Mahakal and tell me that if my name is not on the top, then I am ready to do whatever they say.”

He slammed the candidate whom Congress gave the ticket from the seat saying the party gave the ticket to a “traitor”.”The ticket has been given to a traitor who tried to stop state Congress chief Kamal Nath from becoming the Chief Minister during the 2018 assembly elections. 15 councillors have written against her, she talked about removing the Atrocity Act and a woman belonging to the SC-ST community held a press conference against her. If the Congress party gives a ticket to such a traitor, I am deeply hurt that is why I joined the AAP,” he added.

However, Vivek Yadav has still not been given the ticket from Congress, he joined back the party on the persuasion of other party members.

Madhya Pradesh is scheduled to undergo assembly polls on November 17. Through the polls, the state will elect legislators from 230 Assembly constituencies. The election would be conducted in one phase in the state and the counting would be done on December 3.

The off-duty US pilot who tried to shut down the engines of a plane mid-flight over the weekend had taken magic mushrooms and thought he was having a nervous breakdown, court documents showed Tuesday.

Pilots wrestled Joseph Emerson out of the cockpit on Sunday after he lunged for handles that would have starved the engines of fuel and turned the plane into a glider.

Emerson, who told police he had not slept in 40 hours, also tried to open an emergency exit in the rear of the aircraft and had to be restrained by the cabin crew during an emergency landing.

“I pulled both emergency shutoff handles because I thought I was dreaming and I just want to wake up,” Emerson told police, according to a criminal complaint.

Emerson and the investigating officer “talked about the use of psychedelic mushrooms, and Emerson said it was his first time taking mushrooms.”

The 44-year-old was arrested on Sunday evening after the Alaska Airlines flight made an emergency landing in Portland, Oregon.

Emerson had boarded the flight — which was operated by Horizon Air — between Everett, Washington, and San Francisco, sitting in the jump seat of the cockpit, in line with airline policy for non-working staff.

A short way into the journey, after chatting with the pilots “Emerson attempted to grab and pull two red fire handles that would have activated the plane’s emergency fire suppression system and cut off fuel to its engines,” the Department of Justice said.

“After a brief physical struggle with the pilots, Emerson exited the cockpit.”

Alaska Airlines said Monday that pilots had reacted quickly to reverse the handles, and the aircraft had landed safely.

“Flight attendants placed Emerson in wrist restraints and seated him in the rear of the aircraft,” the Department of Justice said. 

“During the flight’s descent, Emerson tried to grab the handle of an emergency exit. A flight attendant stopped him by placing her hands on top of his.”

The US Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon said Emerson faces a federal charge of interfering with flight crew members and attendants.

He has also been charged in Oregon with 83 counts of attempted murder, 83 counts of reckless endangerment and one count of endangering an aircraft.

US media reported that he pleaded not guilty to these charges during a brief court appearance in Portland on Tuesday.

Live ATC, a website that archives conversations between pilots and air traffic controllers, published an audio recording of the moments after the incident.

“We’ve got the guy that tried to shut the engines down out of the cockpit,” the pilot said. “And he doesn’t sound like he’s causing any issue in the back right now.

“I think he’s subdued. Other than that, yeah, we want law enforcement as soon as we get on the ground and parked,” the pilot said.

Alaska Airlines said Tuesday that Emerson had been “removed from service indefinitely and relieved from all duties.”

A Germanwings plane on a flight from Barcelona to Dusseldorf was intentionally crashed by a pilot in March 2015, killing all 144 passengers and six crew members on board.