Saalumarada Thimmakka hospitalized in Bengaluru, undergoing treatment
Bengaluru: Saalumarada Thimmakka, the renowned environmentalist known as the "Mother of Trees," has been admitted to Jayanagar Apollo Hospital due to health complications. The 113-year-old activist, celebrated for planting and nurturing thousands of trees across Karnataka, is currently receiving treatment in the hospital's intensive care unit.
According to sources, Thimmakka has been battling respiratory issues for the past 17 days. Given her advanced age, she is also experiencing other age-related ailments. Doctors are closely monitoring her condition and continuing treatment.
ALSO READ: Padma Shri Awardee 'Vrikshamata' Tulsi Gowda passes away
Thimmakka, a Padma Shri awardee, has been an inspiration for generations due to her tireless work in environmental conservation. Her contributions, particularly in planting and nurturing nearly 8,000 trees along barren stretches of land, have earned her global recognition and the affectionate title of "Saalumarada" or "row of trees."
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Netanyahu says there is 'no way' Israel halts war in Gaza until Hamas is defeated
Tel Aviv, May 13 (AP): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says there is “no way” Israel will halt its war in Gaza, even if a deal is reached to release more hostages.
His comments are likely to complicate talks on a new ceasefire that had seemed to gain momentum after Hamas released the last living American hostage on Monday in a gesture to US President Donald Trump, who is visiting the region but skipping Israel.
They pointed to a potentially widening rift between Netanyahu and Trump, who had expressed hope that Monday's release of Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander would be a step toward ending the 19-month war.
In comments released by his office Tuesday from a visit to wounded soldiers the previous day, Netanyahu said Israeli forces were just days away from a promised escalation of force and would enter Gaza “with great strength to complete the mission. ... It means destroying Hamas.”
Any ceasefire deal reached would be temporary, the prime minister said. If Hamas were to say they would release more hostages, “we'll take them, and then we'll go in. But there will be no way we will stop the war,” Netanyahu said. “We can make a ceasefire for a certain period of time, but we're going to the end.”
Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The dispute over whether to end the conflict has been the main obstacle in negotiations going back more than a year.
Israel says 58 hostages remain in captivity, with as many as 23 of them said to be alive, although authorities have expressed concern about the condition of three of them.
Many of the 250 hostages taken by Hamas-led militants in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack that started the war were freed in ceasefire deals.
