Mangaluru: Jhonlin book bank reopens
Mangaluru, July 16: The 'Jhonlin Toy Exchange Book Bank' is now reopened as 'Jhonlin Toy and Book Exchange' at the Jhonlin Cottage in the Bondel here on Sunday.
'Jhonlin' is now a book bank program that has a link with four libraries of local educational institutions.
The organization was started in last January with the intention of collecting the toys that are not in use and supply them to needy children, and collecting old books and making a free library without any deposit.
The Department of Toys has been working on the project and distributed toys to around 200 children in orphanages and nursery schools in Mangaluru. But the Books Department, which has about 2,700 books, did not function as per the plan. Therefore, after the inspection, the 80th birthday celebration of John B Monteiro's, founder of the organisation and senior journalist; has been renamed as 'Jhonlin Toy and Book Exchange,' and distributed books to four libraries of local educational institutions.
Dr. George Rodrigues, the chief librarian of St Aloysius College Library, provided books to the St. Lawrence English Medium High School, MGC PU College, Besant Institute of PG Studies, and St. Joseph's Engineering College, Vamanjoor.
Mohan Monteiro and Primrose Monteiro D'Souza, co-founders of the Jhonlin Toy and Book Exchange, have requested the public to donate their toys and books that are not in use. For more details Contact: 98862 76608.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismisses defence minister in surprise announcement
Jerusalem, Nov 5: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday dismissed his popular defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in a surprise announcement that came as the country is embroiled in wars on multiple fronts across the region.
Netanyahu and Gallant have repeatedly been at odds over the war in Gaza. But Netanyahu had avoided firing his rival. Netanyahu cited “significant gaps” and a “crisis of trust” between the men in his Tuesday evening announcement.
“In the midst of a war, more than ever, full trust is required between the prime minister and defence minister,” Netanyahu said. “Unfortunately, although in the first months of the campaign there was such trust and there was very fruitful work, during the last months this trust cracked between me and the defence minister.”
In the early days of the war, Israel's leadership presented a unified front as it responded to Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack. But as the war dragged on and spread to Lebanon, key policy differences have emerged. While Netanyahu has called for continued military pressure on Hamas, Gallant had taken a more pragmatic approach, saying that military force has created the necessary conditions for a diplomatic deal that could bring home hostages held by the Hamas group.
Gallant, a former general who has gained public respect with a gruff, no-nonsense personality, said in a statement: “The security of the state of Israel always was, and will always remain, my life's mission."
Gallant has worn a simple, black buttoned shirt throughout the war in a sign of sorrow over the October 7 attack and developed a strong relationship with his US counterpart, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.
A previous attempt by Netanyahu to fire Gallant in March 2023 sparked widespread street protests against Netanyahu. He also flirted with the idea of dismissing Gallant over the summer but held off until Tuesday's announcement.
Gallant will be replaced by Foreign Minister Israel Katz, a Netanyahu loyalist and veteran Cabinet minister who was a junior officer in the military. Gideon Saar, a former Netanyahu rival who recently rejoined the government, will take the foreign affairs post.
Netanyahu has a long history of neutralising his rivals. In his statement, he claimed he had made “many attempts” to bridge the gaps with Gallant.
“But they kept getting wider. They also came to the knowledge of the public in an unacceptable way, and worse than that, they came to the knowledge of the enemy - our enemies enjoyed it and derived a lot of benefit from it,” he said.
