234 twin flame PESHAWAR/KURRAM: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has been making frantic efforts for a ceasefire between warring tribes in Kurram district and decided to constitute a high-powered commission to settle land disputes as tribal-sectarian clashes continued with the killing of 37 people in firing since overnight, including 18 on Saturday. The provincial government intensified its efforts with a jirga meeting held to restore peace in Kurram district and end the tribal-sectarian clashes erupted following Thursday’s deadly attack, when a convoy of around 200 vehicles came under heavy gunfire in Kurram’s densely populated Bagan town, killing at least 43 people and injuring 16 others. The convoy was carrying passengers between Peshawar and Parachinar city, which is in Kurram, a district near the Afghanistan border with a history of sectarian violence and land disputes. “The death toll is still rising” an official tasked with collecting details of the carnage told The Khorasan Diary, evidence shared with TKD from the area shows at least six bodies of the attackers and some charred bodies of those that were attacked. Officials and state functionaries could not reach the area due to heightened tensions, but one official who managed to bring out some injured before the firing begun again this morning had captured some visuals from the area which showed an entire village market, homes and government buildings gutted by fire as a response to the attack on passenger vans resulting in 47 deaths including women and children. There were reports of 6 women taken as captives but due to limited connectivity information and communication was scant to ascertain more. According to the security personnel, communication from elders of both sects suggested that a message had been sent across for further intensified attacks. Currently there was intermittent firing from at least three points in the district, while the Thall-Sada-Parachinar Highway has remained closed from Kohat district, as officials struggle to reinforce a volatile peace. The KP government on Saturday sent a high-level delegation to Kurram to improve the security situation in the area, comprising KP Law Minister Aftab Alam, KP Chief Secretary (CS) Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, the Kohat Division commissioner and deputy inspector general of police, and other high-level officials. The delegation was tasked with taking measures to improve the security situation and also make efforts to utilise the local jirga for the purpose. The KP Law Minister said that recommendations would be forwarded to the chief minister, adding that all departments were making tireless efforts to improve the law and order situation in Kurram. Alam, who led the efforts to peace restoration, told the media that the KP government has decided to form a high-powered commission to settle land disputes among the warring tribes in Kurram. He said a government delegation held a meeting with and spoke to various stakeholders in Kurram, saying that the biggest issue in the district was land disputes. “There were very positive meetings with one stakeholder group and the government delegation was assured of cooperation. “A report will be made on all the incidents taking place in Kurram and presented to the chief minister and other senior officials,” he said. Alam said a new high-level commission would be established to resolve the Kurram disputes since all commissions and committees previously formed were not acceptable to any of the parties. “This time, the commission will be formed according to the wishes of the parties,” he said, adding that it would be acceptable to everyone. Alam said the land disputes between the various groups in Kurram were being given the colour of sectarian riots, adding that it was wrong to do so. The provincial law minister said the report on Kurram’s issues would also be presented in a meeting of the apex committee. Meanwhile, KP government spokesperson Barrister Dr Muhammad Ali Saif said the government delegation held a jirga with district elders on KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s instructions. “Efforts are being made to resolve all issues amicably to end the tension. Detailed meetings were held with Shia leaders today, positive discussions were held to resolve the issues. Meetings will also be held with Sunni leaders in the next phase,” he said. Saif added that the government’s first priority was to establish a ceasefire between the warring sides and establish lasting peace. “The KP CM has clear instructions that all issues should be resolved through dialogue.” Sajid Hussain Turi, a former PPP MNA from Kurram and one of the meeting’s participants, told Dawn.com after the jirga that KP Inspector General of Police (IG) Akhtar Hayat Khan Gandapur, CS Chaudhry and others attended the jirga meeting. He lamented that the security provided to the convoy that was attacked was less than the required amount. Turi said another round of talks was scheduled for tomorrow, with provincial government officials, military officials and others expected to attend. “The jirga came to a decision that they will discuss with the chief minister, the corps commander and the federal government,” Turi said. “It is very important to have both sides present.” He added that there was a jirga being planned in lower Kurram, but maintained that there needed to be a ceasefire for that to happen. “We have been very clear, we will not do anything without a ceasefire,” he said. “We have ceased fire from our side.” He said the KP chief secretary, Barrister Saif, Alam, KP IG and brigade commander would also attend tomorrow’s meeting. Kurram Deputy Commissioner (DC) Javedullah Mehsud said efforts were being made to re-establish peace in the area, reiterating yesterday’s statement. DC Mehsud said officials of security forces and local administration attended the meeting convened at the DC Conference Hall. “With the help of local elders, forces and the administration, peace will be established as soon as possible,” the official said. According to witnesses, the vehicles in Thursday’s attack were ambushed from four sides. Muhammad, a 14-year-old survivor, told Dawn that the assault lasted around 30 minutes. Authorities said that the victims included seven women and three children, with 16 others injured — 11 of whom are in critical condition. KP CM appeals to all parties for ceasefire Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur appealed to the warring for ceasefire, saying the provincial government has been making strenuous efforts for a peaceful and sustainable solution to the Kurram conflict. According to a press release issued from the CM’s House, CM Gandapur held a virtual meeting via video link with the government delegation after the jirga and reviewed the current situation in the district while being briefed on development in the talks with elders of the area. The government delegation also presented its initial report to the chief minister. It informed the chief minister about the suggestions and demands of the Shia elders it met today, adding that a similar meeting would be held with Sunni elders on Sunday. “The provincial government is making serious efforts for a peaceful and sustainable solution to the Kurram conflict. I am personally monitoring the situation in Kurram,” CM Gandapur said, adding that Thursday’s incident was “extremely regrettable and condemnable” and he shared in the grief of the affected families. “Efforts are being made to ensure that such tragic incidents do not recur. The provincial government will decide the future course of action in the light of consultation with the elders of the area. “Whatever the legitimate demands of the parties are will definitely be fulfilled. The government delegation should sit with the parties and the elders of the area and present final proposals,” he said. CM Gandapur stressed that a ceasefire in the area was indispensable to move towards resolving the conflict and urged all parties to observe one so that progress could be made towards ending current tensions. “Regional elders and elders should fully cooperate with the government delegation and local administration in this regard. Establishing peace in the region is the top priority of the provincial government at present, all available options will be utilised for this purpose. ‘Reports of ‘attack’ on KP govt’s chopper in Kurram baseless’ Earlier in the day, reports were making rounds in the media about an alleged firing attack on the helicopter carrying the government delegation in Parachinar, but KP Law Minister Aftab Alam and Advisor on Information Barrister Saif described the news was “baseless,” saying nothing of the sort happened. “The news of the firing on the helicopter is false and members of the government delegation, including me, is safe,” the provincial minister said. According to him, the provincial spokesperson reports about the firing on the helicopter were entirely baseless and a product of propaganda spread by news channels without proper authentication. Parachiner, its surroundings come to halt due to protests The businesses, educational institutions and markets remained closed across Parachinar and surrounding areas while mobile service and internet have also shut down across the Kurram district, in an effort to counter the “extremely tense” situation. The officials said a curfew had been “imposed on the main road connecting Upper and Lower Kurram”. Thousands of people participated in a sit-in in Parachinar, where protesters criticised the government’s failure to protect civilians. Hundreds also demonstrated in Lahore and Karachi. The attack was widely condemned, including by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari, as well as political parties. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );

The deputy first minister reiterated a promise to introduce legislation disqualifying lying politicians amid concerns about vexatious complaints and politicisation of the courts. Huw Irranca-Davies restated the pledge as he appeared before the Senedd’s standards committee to give evidence to an inquiry about accountability on December 2. Lee Waters questioned if the commitment, to a bill on disqualifying politicians found guilty of deception through an independent judicial process, will be kept by 2026. Mr Irranca-Davies warned of practical complexity in disqualifying candidates and Senedd members. Mr Irranca-Davies said any new legislation would need to be cognisant of freedom of expression, under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The standards committee is weighing up recommendations including creating a criminal offence of deception, a civil offence, or strengthening the existing self-regulation system. Mick Antoniw, a former minister who gave the initial commitment to legislation to avert defeat in a Senedd vote, argued the standards committee sits as a quasi-judicial body. Turning to parliamentary privilege, which affords MPs immunity from legal challenge, Mr Irranca-Davies said the precious principle allows politicians to speak freely. In the Senedd, privilege is limited to defamation and contempt rather than absolute but moves are afoot to provide parity across the four nations. Calling for the standards process as a whole to be strengthened, he backed the introduction of a system of recall, which would allow voters to boot out Senedd members between elections He described the triggers used in Westminster: a custodial sentence for 12 months or less, a suspension of at least ten days or an expenses offence conviction: as a useful starting point. From 2026, people will vote for parties rather than individuals as the Senedd ditches the first-past-the-post system in favour of a full form of proportional representation. The next candidate on the political party’s list would be elected, with the public having no further say on who would replace a recalled Senedd member. The deputy first minister advocated a simple yes-no public vote on whether a politician should stay in office following a recommendation of recall from the standards committee.After missing out on the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 edition due to a motorcycle accident, Robin Minz was sold to five-time champions Mumbai Indians at the IPL 2025 mega auction. Five-time champions Mumbai Indians acquired Robin Minz's services for INR 65 lakh. It will be interesting to see, how the uncapped wicketkeeper-batter will perform in the upcoming season. I PL 2025 Mega Auction Day 1 Live Updates: Vishnu Vinod Goes to Punjab Kings for INR 95 Lakh . Robin Minz in Mumbai Indians Robin Minz is SOLD to @mipaltan for INR 65 Lakh 💪 #TATAIPLAuction | #TATAIPL — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) November 24, 2024 (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led alliance on Saturday bucked the state’s political tradition of voting out the incumbent as it retained its hold over the mineral-rich province on the back of a campaign helmed by chief minister Hemant Soren, with tribal identity and welfare as its key planks. Also Read: What clicked for JMM in Jharkhand? The alliance of JMM, Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) won 56 of the state’s 81 seats, improving on its tally of 47 from five years ago. The JMM won 34 of the43 constituenciesit contested. “We have passed the exam of democracy in Jharkhand. I express my gratitude to the people for this stupendous performance. History was made today by the installation of an Abua Raj, Abua Sarkar (our state, our government),” Soren, who won from the Barihat seat by 39,791 votes, said. The verdict solidified Soren’s stature as one of the tallest tribal leaders in the country as he linked his jail term in a corruption case to the question of tribal pride during the high-voltage campaign. He accused the BJP of falsely implicating a son of the soil on false charges and said the Opposition was formulating a ploy to stop him from working for the state’s poor. The JMM-Congress alliance won 27 out of 28 seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes in the state. “This government is the government of the people of Jharkhand. The people have expressed their unwavering faith in Hemant Soren. The way he was serving Jharkhand earlier as a son, as a brother, now in the coming times, he will work even harder than that,” Soren’s wife, Kalpana Soren, who won from Gandey seat, said. Also Read: JMM's Kalpana Soren wins in Gandey seat in Jharkhand; BJP's Muniya Devi loses The JMM also bridged the tribal-non-tribal fault line in the state, stressing the need to ensure overall development in the state. When the results were counted on Saturday, the INDIA bloc members emerged victorious on the state’s 29 non-tribal seats, including the five out of nine reserved for Scheduled Castes. “Let’s resolve to remove Jharkhand’s ‘backward’ tag and make it a developed state. We invite people’s suggestions for improving industry, education, and agriculture sectors,” Soren said in a video message after the verdict. The JMM was also buoyed by the response to its Mukhyamantri Maiya Samman Yojana, which gave ₹ 1,000 to poor women. By making the cash transfer scheme the focus of its welfare outreach, the JMM was able to win over voters whose identities lay beyond the traditional buckets of community or region, resulting in it winning seats across five administrative divisions—Santal Paraganas, South Chhotanagpur, Palamu, North Chhotanagpur, and Kolhan. Also Read: Maiya Samman scheme helps JMM surge ahead in Jharkhand elections The ruling party also blunted the BJP’s aggressive campaign focussed on alleged infiltration by outsiders and Bangladeshis into Jharkhand, saying that the protection of borders was the prerogative of the central government. Every time a senior BJP leader spoke about infiltration, the JMM sought to switch the conversation to Hemant Soren’s imprisonment and the treatment of a tribal man at the hands of the central government—a pitch it was relatively more confident about. In the battle between aggression and sympathy, the latter eventually won. “The result is a combined outcome of Maiyan Samman Yojna and the NDA’s undue focus on unnecessary issues like infiltration instead of cornering the state government on governance issues. They hardly gave any importance to local leaders, and it seemed as if the entire campaign was being led by outsiders who hardly have any connect with the locals,” said Sudhir Pal, an independent political observer. Assam chief minister and BJP’s Jharkhand co-incharge, Himanta Biswa Sarma said their goal was to ensure the fulfilment of the dreams of the people of the state but added that they accept the mandate of the people. “We fought with a vision to protect the state from infiltration and to lead it on the path of development, fulfilling the aspirations of students and youth. However, we must humbly accept the mandate of the people, for that is the true essence of democracy. In these challenging times, we will stand firmly with our Karyakartas, offering them unwavering support and solidarity,” he posted on X. A meeting of the legislature party of the INDIA bloc is set to be held at the official residence of the chief minister on November 24 where Soren is set to be chosen the leader of the legislature party, people aware of the matter said. “We went into the election with a report card of five-year rule and a blueprint for the next five years. Out opponents should have come up with a similar approach but they chose other issues. People have now given their mandate, and we would serve them in the next five years,” Jharkhand Congress incharge Ghulam Ahmed Mir.Jersey City schools plan to adopt districtwide cellphone limits in 2025FACT FOCUS: Vermont ruling does not say schools can vaccinate children without parental consent

Knox also had six rebounds for the Bulls (3-2). Brandon Stroud added 11 points while shooting 4 for 12 (1 for 3 from 3-point range) and 2 of 4 from the free-throw line while he also had six rebounds. Jamille Reynolds shot 3 of 6 from the field and 4 of 5 from the free-throw line to finish with 10 points. The Pilots (2-3) were led in scoring by Max Mackinnon, who finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Vincent Delano added 14 points for Portland. A.Rapp also had 11 points and eight rebounds. South Florida went into the half ahead of Portland 38-33. Knox scored eight second-half points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .