Karnataka BJP predicts 'Diwali dhamaka' amid 'vertical split' in ruling Congress
Bengaluru, Jul 30 (PTI): Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra on Wednesday claimed a "vertical split" within the ruling Congress over the Chief Minister change issue and predicted "Diwali dhamaka" as all is not seemingly well in the grand old party.
He alleged that the CM is struggling to retain the confidence of the legislators, who have lost faith in him.
The BJP leader's remarks come amid speculation in the state's political circles about a leadership change later this year, fuelled by a power-sharing agreement between incumbent CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar.
"There is a completely vertical split between Congress MLAs in Karnataka. Most of the legislators who are unhappy with CM Siddaramaiah due to lack of development activities are not being taken into confidence. MLAs are upset and publicly attacking the Chief Minister on various issues," Vijayendra said in response to a question.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "Shivakumar is seen as Chief Minister in waiting. Few MLAs want Shivakumar as CM, few want Mallikarjun Kharge (AICC President), and some want Siddaramaiah to continue. This confusion has created a vertical split within the ruling Congress party in Karnataka. We have been saying that this Diwali, I think there will be a big dhamaka within the Congress party."
The saffron party chief claimed differences not only between the CM and his deputy, but also among legislators in the ruling party, who "have lost trust" in the Chief Minister.
"The CM who is perturbed by this is trying to take the legislators into confidence by announcing Rs 50 crore to each ruling party MLA for developmental works in their constituency, which has not been released yet...." he said.
Reiterating that there will be Diwali dhamaka in Karnataka, Vijayendra said, "We have been saying it for a long time. The information that we are getting from corridors of power is that all is not well within the Congress party. Russia-Ukraine war may stop, but this much is true that the war here (in Karnataka Congress) is beginning."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
UAE denies Netanyahu secretly visited the country during Iran war
Jerusalem (AP): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited the United Arab Emirates during the Israeli-US war with Iran, further strengthening ties with a Gulf nation that normalised relations with Israel in 2020, his office said Wednesday. The UAE denied any secret visit had occurred.
Netanyahu met with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in a gathering that “resulted in a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates", according to the Israeli statement.
THE UAE's official WAM news agency posted an article denying the report about a Netanyahu visit.
According to WAM, the country's relations with Israel “are public and conducted within the framework of the well-known and officially declared Abraham Accords, and are not based on non-transparent or unofficial arrangements”.
The report also denied any Israeli military delegation was received in the UAE.
Israel's announcement came a day after US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee revealed that Israel had sent Iron Dome air-defence weapons and personnel to operate them to the UAE.
The UAE has faced Iranian missile and drone fire even after the ceasefire was reached last month. It has been trying to signal to nervous investors that it remains open for business and safe.
Last week, WAM reported that Netanyahu was among the leaders who called the Emirati president to condemn Iranian attacks and express their solidarity with the Gulf federation.
It was rare public acknowledgment of direct talks between the countries that normalized relations in the 2020 Abraham Accords and have strengthened their ties during the Iran war.
Iran has criticised that agreement and has repeatedly suggested over the years that Israel maintained a military and intelligence presence in the Emirates.
Israeli leaders have made occasional visits to the UAE in recent years after normalising relations.
Iran demands Kuwait release detainees
===================
Iran's foreign minister accused Kuwait of attempting to “sow discord” by detaining four Iranians that the Gulf Arab country accuses of being Revolutionary Guard operatives.
In a post Wednesday on X, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi demanded the Iranians' immediate release and said Iran reserved the right to respond.
“This illegal act took place near an island used by the US to attack Iran,” Araghchi wrote.
A day earlier, Kuwait said four men were detained and two escaped while trying to infiltrate Bubiyan Island in the northwest corner of the Persian Gulf on May 1.
Bubiyan Island is home to Mubarak Al Kabeer Port, which is under construction as part of a Chinese plan to build infrastructure across the world. It also came under Iranian attack during the war.
Iranian human rights lawyer released
======================
Prominent Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh has been released from prison more than a month after being detained, a rights group and her daughter said Wednesday.
Sotoudeh, who is known for defending activists, opposition politicians and women prosecuted for removing their headscarves, was detained by Iranian intelligence agents at her house in Tehran in April.
Her release comes as US President Donald Trump arrived in China for a long-anticipated visit that is expected to touch on the war in Iran.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which closely tracks developments in Iran, said that Sotoudeh was released on bail from Tehran's Evin Prison.
Her daughter, Mehraveh Khandan, posted on social media that Sotoudeh was released on temporary custody. Iran's semiofficial ISNA news agency also reported Sotoudeh release.
Sotoudeh has been imprisoned multiple times. Her activist husband, Reza Khandan, has been imprisoned in the same prison as his wife.
Nobel Peace laureate needs long-term care
==========================
Doctors who examined Nobel Peace laureate and activist Narges Mohammadi more than a week after she collapsed at a prison in Iran said she needs months of treatment, according to her foundation.
Mohammadi, 53, was urgently transferred from prison to a hospital in northwestern Iran on May 1 after she fell unconscious. She was released on bail nearly 10 days later and transferred to a hospital in Tehran where her specialists examined her.
The doctors said her vascular disease has worsened since she was last checked in 2024 and recommended eight months of treatment.
She was awarded the Nobel in 2023 while in prison and has been jailed repeatedly throughout her career. Her latest imprisonment began in December when she was arrested in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad.
