Lightning strike in Shirva kills 20-year-old college student
Shirva: A 20-year-old college student, who was standing outside the bathroom of his house at Thotadamane in Manibettu near Shirva on Thursday evening, was struck by lightning and died in hospital at night.
The victim, Rakshit Poojary, was the son of Ramesh Poojary, a resident of Thotadamane. Rakshit was a 2nd year BSc student at the MSRS College in Shirva.
On Thursday evening, he went for a bath and was waiting outside the bathroom when the lightning struck him down. His family members, who found Rakshit fallen on the ground near the bathroom, rushed him to the Manipal Hospital, but the youngster failed to respond to the medical treatment and reportedly died at 10 pm on Thursday.
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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.
