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Priti Patel resigns from British cabinet, Theresa May to rejig team again

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Priti Patel had to resign following reports of her unauthorized meetings with Israeli politicians, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Indian-origin member of the British Cabinet, Priti Patel was, on Wednesday forced to resign as the United Kingdom’s international development secretary, becoming the second member of Prime Minister Theresa May’s cabinet to quit office in little over a week. The development is set to force Theresa May to affect a second reshuffle of her cabinet in the past seven days.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]Patel was, on Wednesday, ordered to cut short her trip to East Africa and return to London as the political storm over her unauthorised meetings with Israeli politicians, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, threatened to put Theresa May through another crisis in an election year. On November 1, May’s then defence secretary Michael Fallon had to resign from his position following accusations of sexual misconduct.

Patel was summoned to 10 Downing Street by Prime Minister Theresa May amid rumours that had she resisted the call for her resignation, she would have been fired from the job.

The departure of the Indian-origin cabinet minister of Britain marks yet another setback for a government that is already facing crisis on several fronts, including divisions over Brexit and growing allegations of sexual misbehaviour in politics.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]Patel’s ouster had been imminent ever since reports surfaced of her 12 meetings with Israeli groups and officials, including Benjamin Netanyahu, during a vacation in Israel in August — and that she hadn’t told May or her cabinet colleagues about it. Under British government protocols for ministers, any meeting between them and representatives of foreign countries – politicians or bureaucrats – have to first be informed about to and vetted by the British Foreign Office. Patel had reportedly kept her meetings with Israeli politicians a secret.

Patel apologised for the misconduct but then details of two more unauthorized meetings surfaced, forcing May to seek the resignation.

In her resignation letter, Patel said her conduct “fell below the high standards that are expected of a secretary of state”. The British Prime Minister, in turn, replied that it was right of Patel to quit “and adhere to the high standards of transparency and openness that you have advocated.”

Patel said earlier that her meetings in Israel — arranged by Stuart Polak, honorary president of the group Conservative Friends of Israel — stemmed from her “enthusiasm to engage”. But critics accused her of breaching ministers’ code of conduct and making a major diplomatic gaffe in a region of high political sensitivity.

Israel’s Haaretz newspaper had reported on Wednesday that Patel had visited an Israeli military field hospital in the Golan Heights during her August trip. Britain regards Israel as illegally occupying the territory, which it captured from Syria in 1967.

A report by news agency Associated Press said: “After the visit, Patel discussed with her department the possibility of British aid being given to the Israeli army to support medical assistance for refugees from the Syrian civil war arriving in the Golan Heights. A fellow minister has said the idea was rejected.”

Patel’s situation had been made worse by her contradictory statements about the meetings.

Patel had insisted that British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson “knew about the visit.” Her department was later forced to clarify the statement, saying “the foreign secretary did become aware of the visit, but not in advance of it”, leading to allegations of Patel misleading the British public.

Patel apologised, saying the meetings “did not accord with the usual procedures”.

Patel had also met Israeli public security minister Gilad Erdan in London on 7 September and foreign ministry official Yuval Rotem in New York on 18 September — in both cases without any other British officials present.

Patel’s demotion to a backbench lawmaker cuts short her rapid rise in British politics since her first successful bid to enter the country’s Parliament in 2010.

Labour Party lawmaker Jonathan Ashworth said Patel’s position was untenable even if she had been unaware that she was breaking rules when she met Netanyahu and the others.

“If she didn’t know, she’s incompetent. If she did, she’s lying…either way, she’s got to go,” Ashworth had told Sky News.

Several British lawmakers have been suspended by their parties amid a growing scandal over sexual harassment and abuse in British politics. May’s deputy prime minister, Damian Green, too is facing a civil service investigation after a young party activist accused him of unwanted touches and text messages.

Patel’s resignation will now force May to reshuffle her cabinet again – the second such exercise in just the past week.

The former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith, another Eurosceptic, told The Guardian that the British Prime Minister “should not seek to change the fine balance in the cabinet between ‘Remain and Leave’ supporters – a term used for pro and anti Brexit supporters respectively.

“I don’t think Theresa May is looking to change the balance or send any great signal, that would be wrong,” Simith was quoted as saying at BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “It would be wrong, I think in her own mind, to make any great changes to the balance of the cabinet.”

-(With inputs from AP, The Guardian)

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Amid India-Canada diplomatic tensions, Justin Trudeau shares video of his Diwali celebrations

This comes a day after India expressed its concern over the reports of cancelled Diwali celebrations in Canada.

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Amid the ongoing diplomatic tensions between Canada and India over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday shared a video of his Diwali celebration on social media platform X.

Sharing a 44-second video of his Diwali celebrations on social media, the Canadian Prime Minister wrote, “Happy Diwali! So many special moments shared celebrating with the community this week.”

This comes a day after India expressed its concern over the reports of cancelled Diwali celebrations in Canada.

The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Saturday, while addressing the media over Canada’s serious allegation against Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Nijjar, said it was unfortunate that the prevailing atmosphere in Canada has reached high levels of intolerance and extremism.

In the video, Prime Minister Trudeau showed off some colorful religious threads on his wrists, explaining that he received them during visits to three Hindu temples in Canada recently. He called them symbols of “good luck” and “protection,” adding with a smile, “I’m not taking them off until they fall off”.

Trudeau was also seen interacting warmly with the community, celebrating the festival, and enjoying delicious Indian sweets like jalebis, which he jokingly said he would “save for the team.”

On November 1, Trudeau posted on X, “Happy Diwali! Today, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain families will celebrate the triumph of light over darkness with festivities, candles, diyas, and fireworks. Wishing you all joy and prosperity during this special time.”

Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Jaiswal said India condemns the recent allegations made by the Canadian government against Shah that he was purportedly involved in the killing of Nijjar and called it “absurd and baseless”.

Jaiswal also said that India had summoned the Canadian High Commissioner on Friday to protest in the strongest terms for the references made to the Union Home Minister of India before the Committee by Canada’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison.

On Tuesday, Morrison claimed that Shah orchestrated a campaign of violence, intimidation, and intelligence-gathering aimed at Sikh separatists on Canadian soil. He informed members of Canada’s national security committee in Parliament that he had confirmed Shah’s name to The Washington Post, which was the first to report the allegations. However, Morrison did not provide details on how Canada became aware of Shah’s alleged involvement.

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India, China complete disengagement in Depsang, Demchok at LAC after 4 years standoff

The Indian Army said that coordinated patrolling will start soon by both sides, and the ground commanders will continue to hold talks.

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India, China complete disengagement in Depsang, Demchok at LAC after 4 years standoff

In a significant development, India and China have completed the disengagement exercise in the Depsang and Demchok friction points at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The troops of both the countries are now verifying the vacation of positions and removal of infrastructure.

Reportedly, the Indian Army said that coordinated patrolling will start soon by both sides, and the ground commanders will continue to hold talks. The two sides will exchange sweets for Diwali tomorrow.

Earlier, Foreign secretary Vikram Misri announced that New Delhi and Beijing reached an agreement to disengage in the remaining friction points at LAC in eastern Ladakh. After the agreement, the two countries began troops disengagement at the two friction points at Demchok and Depsang plains on October 23.

India-China relations worsened because of the Chinese troops’ aggression along the Line of Actual Control, the de facto border, in April 2020. It further deteriorated on June 15, 2020, after 20 Indian soldiers died in the line of duty thwarting the Chinese offensive in the Galwan Valley. New Delhi had said India’s bilateral relations with China will normalise only after the situation at the LAC returns to what it was before May 2020.

Reports said that the Indian Army and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) have pulled back their forward-deployed troops and equipment from the two flashpoints, and have also dismantled temporary structures that had been built during the four-year-long standoff.

The Indian soldiers will resume their patrolling in areas that had been cut off because of the PLA’s presence. Nonetheless, the disengagement in Depsang and Demchok will not lead to the creation of buffer zones.

Both the countries had disengaged from Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso, Gogra (PP-17A) and Hot Springs (PP-15) areas and created buffer zones. Speaking to a newspaper publication, Lieutenant General Vinod Bhatia (retd), a former director general of military operations said that the disengagement at Depsang and Demchok will facilitate patrolling by both sides in a coordinated manner, and in the agreed upon frequency and strength of the patrolling parties.

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Iran says 2 soldiers killed in Israeli air strikes

Emphasising Iran’s right to self-defense under the UN Charter, the Iranian Foreign Ministry highlighted its obligation to counter foreign aggression.

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The Iranian Army said on Saturday that two of its soldiers were killed in Israeli air strikes that targeted military bases.

Iran stated that its air defenses effectively countered the attack, resulting in the unfortunate deaths of two soldiers and some areas suffering limited damage.

The Israeli military conducted strikes on Iranian military sites after 2 am on Saturday, responding to what they cited as ongoing attacks by Iran and its allies in the region.

Following the strikes, the Israeli military announced they had successfully completed the mission and achieved their objectives.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the precise targeting of military sites in Iran to neutralize immediate threats to Israel.

“I can now confirm that we have concluded the Israeli response to Iran’s attacks against Israel. We conducted targeted and precise strikes on military targets in Iran — thwarting immediate threats to the State of Israel,” the Israel Defence Force posted on X.

Iran’s air defense headquarters acknowledged the hits on bases in Ilam, Khuzestan, and Tehran but asserted that these attacks were effectively repelled, with investigations ongoing to assess damages. Moreover, Iran indicated its readiness to retaliate against any Israeli aggression, stating that Israel would face proportional consequences for its actions.

Iran expressed its intentions to respond to the Israeli attacks on its military bases, condemning the actions as a violation of international law and the UN Charter’s principles on the use of force.

Emphasising Iran’s right to self-defense under the UN Charter, the Iranian Foreign Ministry highlighted its obligation to counter foreign aggression.

Pakistan strongly condemned Israel’s strikes on Iran, attributing the escalation to Israel and urging the UN Security Council to intervene for peace and security.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasised that Iran should refrain from retaliating against Israel, advocating for restraint on all sides to prevent further escalation.

“I am clear that Israel has the right to defend itself against Iranian aggression. I’m equally clear that we must avoid further regional escalation and urge all sides to restrain. Iran should not respond,” the PM said at a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

The United States advised Iran to halt its attacks on Israel to cease the ongoing violence and break the cycle of conflict, underlining the importance of de-escalation.

“We urge Iran to cease its attacks on Israel so that this cycle of fighting can end without further escalation,” U.S. National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett told reporters.

President Joe Biden was briefed on the Israeli operation throughout its development and execution by his National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan.

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