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Saturday, September 5, 2026

Indian-origin fraudster arrested: FBI Director Kash Patel

Washington, Sep 6 (PTI): A most-wanted fraudster, accused of irregularities in US government schemes, has been arrested in India, FBI Director Kash Patel said here. Manjeet Singh Bedi, who allegedly defrauded the US government of USD 6 lakh, had a bounty of USD 1.5 lakh on his head. “Bedi was just arrested in India and was believed to have fled there sometime last year. The FBI is actively working to secure his return to the United States,” Patel said in a post on X. According to the FBI, Bedi operated a small grocery store in Tacoma, Washington, and swiped customers' government benefits cards to give them cash instead of food under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme (SNAP). “This is the 5th Most Wanted Fraudster captured since the creation of the new list three months ago – and yet another high-value target captured overseas. Subjects captured so far have been responsible for a combined over USD two billion in fraud and were on the run for almost 4,000 days collectively prior to arrest,” Patel said. Bedi is charged with a series of offences including wire fraud, SNAP benefits fraud, and more, Patel said. Instead of selling food to participants, Bedi allegedly swiped their Electronic Benefit Transfer cards and gave them cash, keeping half of the proceeds for himself, the FBI said on Thursday. The FBI claimed that Bedi, a naturalised US citizen, defrauded the US government of at least USD 6 lakh between March 2024 and June 2025. After being indicted for wire fraud and SNAP benefits fraud, Bedi was allowed to appear in court without being arrested. He was ordered to surrender his passport and remain in Washington state. However, Bedi soon drove across the border to Canada and then fled to India, the FBI said. A federal arrest warrant was issued for Bedi on May 21 in a US district court after he was charged with Violations of Conditions of Supervision. PTI SKU GRS GRS GRS(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/indian-origin-fraudster-arrested-fbi-director-kash-patel-1865370

Russia To Pause Kyiv Strikes As Ukraine Peace Talks Gain Momentum

Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru, Wesley Dockery, Dmytro Hubenko Russia will pause strikes against Kyiv for three days, the Kremlin said on Saturday, coinciding with peace negotiations led by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Russian President Vladimir Putin "has ordered that no strikes be carried out against Kyiv for three days, starting at midnight today," Kremlin spokesperson Dmirty Peskov told state media. It comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy already committed to pausing airstrikes for the talks. "As with previous diplomatic visits by the American side, we will ensure the normal functioning of Russian airspace so that the negotiators can arrive safely. We are concerned about their safety, not about Russia," Zelenskyy said. <h2>Kushner, Witkoff arrive in Moscow</h2> The US envoys Kushner and Witkoff arrived in Moscow on Saturday. They were met at the airport by Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev. Kushner and Witkoff met with Putin later on Saturday evening. "The situation is of course not simple," Putin told the US officials in footage aired on Russian state media. US President Donald Trump did not provide any details on the potential plan, including whether it involved Ukraine giving territory to Russia as he has previously suggested. Instead, he said, "We have an idea for peace." <h2>US envoys to visit Kyiv next</h2> Zelenskyy announced earlier on Friday that Kushner and Witkoff would visit Ukraine on Sunday following talks in Moscow. Recent media reports have questioned whether the pair would indeed travel to Ukraine. Despite trips to Moscow to meet with Russian officials, the US envoys have not visited Kyiv since Trump's reelection last year. On Saturday, Zelenskyy said he had been in contact with Kushner and Witkoff. "I ⁠have just spoken with the US president’s envoys," Zelenskyy said &zwnj;on Telegram. "From the moment of this conversation, we ⁠are ready to observe a ⁠ceasefire in airstrikes against the cities involved in the negotiation process." Trump had promised to end the war in Ukraine, now in its fifth year, on his first day back in office, but has more recently said that the feat was more complicated than expected. In the past, he has blamed Ukraine for the Russian invasion and a "personality problem" between the countries' leaders for the continued fighting. <h2>Drone strikes continue</h2> Meanwhile, a Russian drone hit the headquarters of Ukraine's domestic security service (SBU) in Kyiv on Friday. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the strike "a major escalation" of the war. "Moscow launched this strike during a renewed push for peace — laying bare its true rejection of diplomacy," he wrote on X. Zelenskyy said he ordered "an appropriate, tangible response and, where possible, one that mirrors this strike." Ukraine has also launched repeated drone strikes on Russian oil infrastructure and the retail giant Wildberries. If you rely on our team for trusted reporting, please take a moment to select us as your Preferred Source on Google so you'll always see our verified news first. <div id="article-hstick-inner" class="abp-story-detail "> Disclaimer: This report first appeared on Deutsche Welle, and has been republished on ABP Live as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by ABP Live. </div>

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/russia-to-pause-kyiv-strikes-as-ukraine-peace-talks-gain-momentum-1865365

‘Stop The Boats’: Masked Anti-Migrant Demonstrators Block UK-France Ferry Traffic

Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru Hundreds of masked people blocked traffic at England's port of Dover on Saturday as part of an anti-migrant protest, halting ferry traffic between France and the UK. Video footage showed demonstrators in balaclavas chanting "stop the boats," in a reference to refugees and migrants who attempt the dangerous English channel crossing in a bid to reach Great Britain. This came despite the fact that crossing dropped 40% between January and August 2026 compared to the previous year. However, the perceived threat of migrant boats has become a rallying cry for the far-right Reform UK party. Police said that they were "engaging" with protesters and that normal traffic had resumed at the port after several hours. <h2>Government condemns 'travel disruption'</h2> "The right to peaceful protest is fundamental to our democracy, but we condemn the behavior in Dover and the travel disruption it has caused," said a spokesman for the government of Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Under Burnham and his predecessor Keir Starmer, migrant crossings have been greatly reduced in part due to closer cooperation with French authorities. Dover is the UK's biggest international ferry port, handling some 15,000 passengers a day during the summer and welcoming more than a third of the UK's trade goods with the European Union. Disclaimer: This report first appeared on Deutsche Welle, and has been republished on ABP Live as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by ABP Live.

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/stop-the-boats-masked-anti-migrant-demonstrators-block-uk-france-ferry-traffic-dover-port-1865360

Pakistan: Maryam Nawaz Says Punjab Faces Terror Threat From Neighbouring Provinces, Not India

Pakistan Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has said the province faces a greater threat from neighbouring provinces within Pakistan than from India, pointing to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan as sources of terrorism. Speaking during the launch of the Provincial Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Center (PIFTAC) and an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hub in Lahore, Nawaz said Punjab faces less danger from neighbouring India and more from Pakistan’s own neighbouring provinces, from where terrorism reaches Punjab. Also Read: <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/bjp-himachal-pradesh-mandi-mp-kangana-ranaut-warns-officials-over-delays-in-mandi-projects-watch-video-1865348">‘Enough Is Enough’: Kangana Ranaut Warns Officials Over Delays In Mandi Projects</a> <h2>Maryam Nawaz Highlights Crime Reduction</h2> The initiatives were launched to help reduce terrorism and crime in Punjab. Nawaz claimed that crime in the province had fallen by up to 70% since she became chief minister. She said the PIFTAC and AI Hub would help authorities identify threats in advance, improve coordination among security agencies and enable timely action against emerging challenges. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l5PTOdeQfQY?si=fpLJM2c8rE1fICQQ" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <h2>Punjab Remains Centre Of Anti-India Terror Networks</h2> While Maryam Nawaz described terrorism as Pakistan’s own problem and pointed to terrorist organisations operating from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a threat to Punjab, the province remains a hub of anti-India terrorism, according to the report. The report states that leaders of groups including Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizbul Mujahideen and Al Badr continue to reside in Punjab. It also describes the province as the epicentre of an ISI-sponsored gangster network targeting India.

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/pakistan-maryam-nawaz-says-punjab-faces-terror-threat-from-neighbouring-provinces-not-india-1865357

Friday, September 4, 2026

Janmashtami celebrated in Israel with fervour

Moshav Aviel (Israel), Sep 5 (PTI): Chants of “Hare Rama Hare Krishna” reverberated through northern Israel's Moshav Aviel, as hundreds of Krishna devotees, most of them Jews, gathered from across the country to celebrate Krishna Janmashtami. Janmashtami marks the birth of Lord Krishna, who is revered as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The cultural centre at the pastoral moshav (agriculture-based collective community) in Israel, located close to a township home to a small group of devotees of Lord Krishna, popularly known here as "Hare Krishnas", came alive on Friday, with the hall decked in Krishna and Indian motifs. The ‘Hare Krishnas’ religiously practice the tenets of the sect they learnt during their visits to Vrindavan and Mayapur in India. For them, Gaura Purnima and Janmashtami are the most important festivals, which they celebrate every year, attracting the attention of several other Indian enthusiasts in Israel. "I have been attending Janmashtami celebrations every year for more than two decades. This group has helped deepen my interest in Indian culture,” said Tamar, a resident of a nearby town. The devotees also staged a play, Elohim Plus (God plus), celebrating the central messages from Krishna and Radha’s life, also emphasising their ‘togetherness’ that brings the ‘plus’ in Godliness. The drama, accompanied by soothing music, was preceded by devotees singing and dancing to the beats of tabla and dholak as harmonium, jhaal and flute played for hours. The event concluded with the serving of Krishna Prasadam to the guests, a sumptuous feast of 108 vegetarian dishes, a number that has come to be identified as pious by the faithful. PTI HM GRS GRS GRS(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/janmashtami-celebrated-in-israel-with-fervour-1865246

Nepal Floods Put Climate Justice At The Centre Of Global Debate

Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru Days after devastating floods swept through Nepal's Bhotekoshi-Trisuli river basin, the true scale of the disaster is still emerging. More than 1,250 people have been confirmed dead and almost 4,000 are still missing. Buildings, bridges, roads and more than a dozen hydropower facilities have been destroyed, causing an estimated $2.6 billion (€2.24 billion) in damage to public and private infrastructure, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA). Search and rescue operations for missing people remain underway, with families still hoping for their safe return. The exact cause of the glacial collapse remains unclear, but experts say climate change is causing glaciers to melt worldwide, increasing the risk of such disasters. <h2>A global responsibility?</h2> For Nepal, the disaster has raised a question that goes beyond rescue and reconstruction. It's about climate justice and who should bear the costs and responsibility for such environmental disasters when the Himalayan nation contributes only a tiny fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions yet faces increasingly severe climate-related risks. Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah said responding to the catastrophe is a "global responsibility." "As we work tirelessly to address the damage caused by this sudden and massive disaster, a deeper question has also emerged: How did this destruction happen to us?" Shah asked while addressing Parliament this week. "Mitigating and managing its impacts is regarded as a shared responsibility of the international community," he stressed. Kathmandu is planning to raise climate justice issues in the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session in New York, where Prime Minister Shah himself is likely to lead the Nepali delegation. "We will make our case about the impact of climate change and seek global support and moral obligation to tackle it," Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal told DW. "We will also take the initiative of building a coalition of climate-vulnerable countries to raise our collective concerns." <h2>Highly vulnerable to climate impacts</h2> Nepal, a largely rural nation of 30 million people, has contributed little to the greenhouse gas emissions driving global warming. The country accounts for just 0.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions and emits about 0.5 tons of CO₂ per person each year, making it a "negligible contributor to climate change," according to the World Bank. But the landlocked Himalayan nation is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, with flooding, landslides, glacier-related hazards and other environmental risks threatening lives and livelihoods. Nepal's leaders say the country needs long-term international support to adapt to a rapidly changing mountain environment. The country's government estimates that implementing adaptation priorities between 2025 and 2035 could require as much as $18 billion to $20 billion. And Kathmandu wants international climate finance to provide most of these funds. Nepal has spent years arguing in global climate forums that vulnerable mountain countries need greater support for adaptation and resilience. In December 2009, Nepal held a historic Cabinet meeting at Kala Patthar, near Mount Everest base camp, at an altitude of 17,192 feet, to highlight the threats that climate change and glacial melting pose to Nepal and other mountainous nations. Bimala Rai Paudyal, a former Nepali foreign minister, said the latest disaster meant "this is an opportune time for us to highlight glacier melting and climate justice issues in international climate forums." "Earlier, we were only advocating about climate impacts. Now, we are heavily suffering from it," she told DW. Paudyal believes Nepal is well positioned to lead an alliance of vulnerable countries, given its exposure to climate risk as well as its expertise and contribution to the climate justice effort. <h2>An opportunity for global climate action?</h2> Kathmandu has formally approached the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)-backed "Loss and Damage Fund" for assistance over the latest floods. But the fund, set up by the UN in 2025 to aid the impacts of climate change, has not yet begun distributing its limited cash. The fund also relies on voluntary contributions and lacks legally binding commitments under current international climate agreements, leaving major emitters such as China, India and the US under no direct obligation to compensate for climate change impacts. Still, some observers and climate advocates believe Nepal can present a strong case for urgent global climate action. "Nepal can turn this tragedy into an opportunity for global climate action," Dinesh Paudel, professor of sustainable development at Appalachian State University in North Carolina, told DW. "For which, Nepal needs to build a consensus among national stakeholders and maneuver cautiously, considering geopolitical factors." According to him, Kathmandu can create an ethical movement for climate justice by highlighting the recent flood. This could then lead to creating an effective and legally binding mechanism to deal with climate impacts in the future. Ashok Swain, professor of peace and conflict research at Uppsala University and also UNESCO Chair on International Water Cooperation, shares a similar view. "Nepal should not be left to pay for a climate crisis it did little to create or for regional non-cooperation over which it has limited influence," he said. "This is not a question of charity. It is fundamentally a question of climate justice and a fair distribution of responsibility." <div id="article-hstick-inner" class="abp-story-detail "> Disclaimer: This report first appeared on Deutsche Welle, and has been republished on ABP Live as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by ABP Live. </div> <div class="about-author"> </div>

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/nepal-flood-disaster-puts-climate-justice-under-spotlight-1865241

Zelensky Proposes Temporary Ceasefire Ahead Of Trump Envoys’ Russia, Ukraine Visits

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday proposed a temporary ceasefire with Russia as US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff prepare to visit Moscow and Kyiv over the weekend for talks on a possible peace deal. Kushner and Witkoff are scheduled to visit Moscow and Kyiv on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, to discuss a possible settlement aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war. Zelensky's proposal came on a day when Russia carried out a midday airstrike on the headquarters of Ukraine's intelligence service. The Ukrainian President said the attack had targeted the intelligence chief's office. <h2>Zelensky Confirms US Envoys’ Visits</h2> Zelensky confirmed the planned visits by the Trump administration's envoys in a post on Telegram. “The details are from the American President's team. We discussed today that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will visit Moscow and on Sunday they will visit Kyiv.” He said Ukrainian diplomats had held a meeting to prepare for the envoys' visit to Kyiv. During the meeting, it was decided that the normal functioning of Russian airspace would be maintained to allow Kushner and Witkoff to arrive safely. <h2>‘Russia Must Mirror This’</h2> Zelensky proposed that Ukraine halt airstrikes for the duration required for the negotiations and logistical arrangements linked to the US envoys' visit. “There will be no air strikes from our side, and Russia must mirror this by ensuring silence without its air strikes for the time needed to hold these negotiations and resolve the logistical issues associated with this American visit,” Zelensky said. He said Ukraine cares about the envoys and “not Russia”, adding that Kyiv wants “real options” to end the war, which has continued for four-and-a-half years. “We'll see what proposals Steve and Jared have and what Moscow will say to them,” Zelensky wrote. <h2>Russia Steps Up Daytime Airstrikes</h2> In recent days, Russia has increased its daytime air attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, relentlessly striking civilian areas. Before Friday's broad-daylight strike on Kyiv, Russia carried out a massive overnight attack on the Odesa region that killed one person and injured at least five others, including a child. Overnight attacks elsewhere also killed two police officials in Dnipro. <h2>First Kyiv Visit For Trump Envoys</h2> Earlier on Friday, a US official confirmed that the Trump envoys would travel to Moscow and Kyiv. The visits will mark their first trip to the Ukrainian capital to negotiate a settlement and work towards bringing peace to the region.

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/zelensky-proposes-temporary-ceasefire-ahead-of-trump-envoys-russia-ukraine-visits-1865237