Teen set ablaze for refusing to marry cousin
Banda (UP), Nov 19: A 16-year-old girl was set ablaze in Uttar Pradesh's Hamirpur district, allegedly by her cousin for refusing to marry him, police said Monday.
The girl had gone out to attend nature's call on Sunday evening in Jarkhar village when the cousin met her and started putting pressure on her to flee and get married, said Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Santosh Kumar Singh.
When she refused, the accused poured kerosene on the girl and set her ablaze. The girl has suffered 50-per-cent burns and undergoing treatment at a hospital, the ASP said.
A case has been registered on the complaint of the girl's father and efforts are to nab the accused who is absconding, the officer added.
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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.
