Know everything about Atishi Marlena, set to become Delhi's next Chief Minister
New Delhi: Atishi Marlena Singh is poised to take over as Delhi’s next Chief Minister, following her selection as the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) top candidate. The decision was made at a legislative meeting held at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence, with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia backing her nomination. This transition comes amid speculation that Kejriwal, a former IRS officer, may soon tender his resignation to the Lieutenant Governor.
The timing of Atishi's appointment is notable, coinciding with the approaching state elections in Delhi. Kejriwal had recently vowed to step down, promising not to assume office again unless the people of Delhi deemed him to be "honest."
Born on June 8, 1981, Atishi is the daughter of professors Tripta Wahi and Vijay Singh. Her middle name "Marlena" is said to be a blend of the names of Marx and Lenin. However, in 2018, ahead of the elections, Atishi decided to drop the middle name in public life, choosing to go simply by "Atishi."
Atishi's educational background is distinguished. After completing her schooling at Springdales School, New Delhi, she graduated in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in history from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi. She later attended Oxford University, where she earned her master's degree in history, supported by a Chevening fellowship. In 2005, Atishi furthered her studies at Oxford's Magdalen College as a Rhodes scholar.
Atishi’s political career with AAP began in 2013, and she has played a key role in shaping the party’s policies. She was also part of the well-known Jal Satyagraha in Madhya Pradesh in 2015, lending support to AAP leader Alok Agarwal.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Atishi ran against BJP’s Gautam Gambhir in the East Delhi constituency but lost by a margin of 4.5 lakh votes. In the 2020 Delhi Legislative Assembly elections, she contested from the Kalkaji constituency and defeated BJP candidate Dharambir Singh by 11,000 votes.
Following the arrest of former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with an excise policy case, Atishi assumed greater responsibilities within the party. In 2023, she was appointed as the Minister for Education, PWD, Culture, and Tourism in the Delhi government. Prior to that, she served as an advisor to Sisodia on educational matters from 2015 to 2018.
Atishi is widely praised for her contributions to transforming Delhi’s education system. She has played a pivotal role in upgrading infrastructure in government schools, forming school management committees, and curbing unjust fee hikes in private institutions. Her innovative "happiness" curriculum, which focuses on the emotional and mental well-being of students, is another notable achievement.
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Israel launches first airstrike on Lebanon since ceasefire, accusing Hezbollah of breaching truce
Beirut, Nov 28: The Israeli military on Thursday said its warplanes fired on southern Lebanon after detecting Hezbollah activity at a rocket storage facility, the first Israeli airstrike a day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took hold.
There was no immediate word on casualties from Israel's aerial attack, which came hours after the Israeli military said it fired on people trying to return to certain areas in southern Lebanon. Israel said they were violating the ceasefire agreement, without providing details. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said two people were wounded.
The back-to-back incidents stirred unease about the agreement, brokered by the United States and France, which includes an initial two-month ceasefire in which Hezbollah members are to withdraw north of the Litani River and Israeli forces are to return to their side of the border. The buffer zone would be patrolled by Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers.
On Thursday, the second day of a ceasefire after more than a year of bloody conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, Lebanon's state news agency reported that Israeli fire targeted civilians in Markaba, close to the border, without providing further details. Israel said it fired artillery in three other locations near the border. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
An Associated Press reporter in northern Israel near the border heard Israeli drones buzzing overhead and the sound of artillery strikes from the Lebanese side.
The Israeli military said in a statement that “several suspects were identified arriving with vehicles to a number of areas in southern Lebanon, breaching the conditions of the ceasefire.” It said troops “opened fire toward them” and would “actively enforce violations of the ceasefire agreement.”
Israeli officials have said forces will be withdrawn gradually as it ensures that the agreement is being enforced. Israel has warned people not to return to areas where troops are deployed, and says it reserves the right to strike Hezbollah if it violates the terms of the truce.
A Lebanese military official said Lebanese troops would gradually deploy in the south as Israeli troops withdraw. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.
The ceasefire agreement announced late Tuesday ended 14 months of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that began a day after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza, when the Lebanese Hezbollah group began firing rockets, drones and missiles in solidarity.
Israel retaliated with airstrikes, and the conflict steadily intensified for nearly a year before boiling over into all-out war in mid-September. The war in Gaza is still raging with no end in sight.
More than 3,760 people were killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon during the conflict, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The fighting killed more than 70 people in Israel — over half of them civilians — as well as dozens of Israeli soldiers fighting in southern Lebanon.
Some 1.2 million people were displaced in Lebanon, and thousands began streaming back to their homes on Wednesday despite warnings from the Lebanese military and the Israeli army to stay out of certain areas. Some 50,000 people were displaced on the Israeli side, but few have returned and the communities near the northern border are still largely deserted.
In Menara, an Israeli community on the border with views into Lebanon, around three quarters of homes are damaged, some with collapsed roofs and burnt-out interiors. A few residents could be seen gathering their belongings on Thursday before leaving again.
