Senior advocate shot dead in Odisha's Berhampur
Berhampur (PTI): Senior advocate and BJP leader Pitabash Panda was shot dead by unidentified men near his residence in Odisha's Berhampur on Monday night, police said.
The incident took place in the town's Brahma Nagar area.
Panda, who was also a member of the Odisha State Bar Council, was previously associated with the Congress.
According to police, two bike-borne men allegedly fired at him from a close range while he was standing on a roadside. He was taken to MKCG Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared him dead.
Police said the motive behind the attack is still under investigation.
State’s Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena, who along with several BJP leaders rushed to the medical college and hospital after hearing about the attack, condemned the incident.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
