Palestinians slam Trump's decision to shut PLO consulate
Jerusalem, Sep 10: Palestinian officials on Monday vowed not to bend to what they called the Trump administrations "bullying tactics" after being informed that their office in Washington would be shut down.
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Secretary General Saeb Erekat said the move -- which leaves them with no formal diplomatic presence in the US -- was a further blow to all Palestinians, as it comes shortly after the Trump administration cut hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.
Erekat said he was officially notified of the decision, expected to be announced by US National Security Adviser John Bolton later in the day. He decried the move as a continuation of a policy of "collective punishment" by the US administration, the Washington Post reported.
"These people have decided to stand on the wrong side of history by protecting war criminals and destroying the two state solution," he said. "I told them if you are worried about courts, you should stop aiding and abetting crimes."
"We will take the necessary measures to protect the rights of our citizens living in the US to access their consular services," he said
Palestine's de-facto embassy in Washington is affiliated with the PLO, the political organization that controls the Palestinian Authority government in the West Bank, but not the Hamas-run government in the Gaza Strip.
The move appeared to be the latest in a series of pressure tactics by the US against the Palestinian leadership as the Trump administration drafts its long awaited peace deal.
In a series of blows to the Palestinians, the US recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, moved its embassy there, cut funding to the UN agency that deals with Palestinian refugees, and then last week said it would withdraw $25 million in support from hospitals in East Jerusalem.
The US last year threatened to close the PLO office in Washington after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate and prosecute Israel for war crimes. US officials said the decision may be reconsidered if the Palestinians entered into direct negotiations with Israel.
In a speech on Monday, Bolton will threaten to impose sanctions against the ICC if it proceeds with investigations against the US or Israel, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing an advance copy of his speech.
Washington would ban ICC judges and prosecutors from entering the country, sanction their funds in the US financial system and prosecute them in the courts, the report said.
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South zone finalists announced at WAVES VFX challenge in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: The South Zone round of the WAVES VFX Challenge took place today in Bengaluru, organized by the Association of Bangalore Animation Industry (ABAI).
The day-long competition brought together talented participants from across southern India, with the goal of selecting top finalists who will go on to represent the region at the national finals next month during the WAVES Summit in Mumbai.
Finalists were selected in three categories:
Student Category
Winner: Soumya Das
Runner-up: Gagan HP
Professional Category
Winner: Mohamad Javeed
Runner-up: S Sai Chandan
Enthusiasts Category
Winner: Gagan Ajai
Over 1,500 entries were received from students, working professionals, and VFX enthusiasts, all centered around the theme “Super Hero Power.” Out of these, 14 entries were shortlisted to compete in today’s final round. One winner and one runner-up from each category were chosen to represent the South Zone in Mumbai.
ABAI Secretary R.K. Chand appreciated the strong participation and encouraged industry professionals to attend the Mumbai summit, which will host well-known personalities from films, advertising, and creative sectors. He also mentioned that the WAVES Challenge was recently launched in Bengaluru by Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The event was inaugurated by Dr. Sagar Gulati, Director of the School of Creative Design and Information Technology at Jain (Deemed-to-be University), the zonal partner for the competition.
The day also featured two special sessions led by industry experts. Vijay Selvam from the global VFX studio MPC held a masterclass titled “Concept Reality,” where he discussed lighting, animation, compositing, and photorealistic effects. Students got the chance to interact with him during a Q&A session.
Another session was conducted by Rakesh H, Lead Head at The Mill, who spoke about how visual effects are used in advertising. Nearly 100 students attended these sessions, gaining valuable industry insights and learning opportunities.
