Monday Russia, Ukraine launch biggest drone attacks of conflict 11 Russia and Ukraine both launched record drone attacks on each other overnight November, 2024 Moscow targeted ■ epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard i r a n t h r e at netanyahu dials trump again The Israeli PM, who said his office had spoken three times with Trump in the last few days on ‘Iranian threat’, said the talks will forge strong US-Israel ties Page 9 A car damaged in Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow on Sunday | AFP l New Delhi l J8.00 Army officer killed during Jammu encounter F AYA Z W A N I @ Srinagar A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Indian Army was killed in an encounter with terrorists in Jammu’s Kishtwar district on Sunday . “Based on specific intelligence input regarding the presence of terrorists, a joint operation was launched by security forces in Bhart Ridge, Kishtwar. Contact was established and fight ensued,” the Army’s Jammu-based White Knight Corps said in a post on X. During the gunfight, JCO Rakesh Kumar of 2 Para (SF) was killed and three para commandos were injured, Army officials said. “A group of three to four militants are trapped in the area. It is the same group Secuirty forces patrol near the site of an encounter with terrorists in Ishber Nishat area of Srinagar on Sunday | express that had abducted and killed two village defence guards in Kishtwar two days ago,” an official said. More troops have been rushed to the area to strengthen the siege. Forces are using drones and other surveillance equipment to track down the terrorists hiding in the dense forest. In all, three encounters took place in Jammu and Kashmir since Saturday night. In another incident, security forces and terrorists exchanged fire in the forest area of Zabarwan in Ishber Nishat in Srinagar. The gunfight erupted after terrorists fired indiscriminately at a search party comprising police, CRPF and Army personnel, an official said. The security agencies suspect two or three terrorists are hiding in the forest area of Zabarwan. Earlier, a terrorist was killed in an overnight encounter with security forces in the Rajpora area of Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. A search is underway here also. in jaffna rally, lankan prez firm on stopping tn fishers Justice Sanjiv Khanna to take over as CJI today Justice Khanna will succeed Justice D Y Chandrachud, who retired on Sunday. He will be the 51st Chief Justice of India and his tenure will end on May 13, 2025 | P7 Five of family killed as car rams truck in Greater Noida EXPRESS N E W S SER V I CE @ New Delhi Five members of a family, including three women, were killed after the vehicle in which they were travelling crashed into a stationary truck on the Greater Noida Expressway on Sunday morning, a senior Noida Police officer said. The deceased, identified as Aman (27), Devi Singh (60), Raj Kumari (50), Vimlesh (40), and Kamlesh (40), were residents of Kashiram Colony Ghodi Bacheda in Greater Noida. The family was on its way home from Noida, when their car hit the truck from the rear near sector 146 metro station. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Greater Noi d a ) A shok Kumar said, “Around 6 am on Sunday when , a family was returning home in a car from Noida via Sector 146 metro station on Greater Noida E x p r e s sw ay, t h e ve h i c l e rammed into a stationary truck.” On receiving information on emergency helpline number 112, a team rushed to the spot and initiated rescue operation, he added. While the driver died on the spot, four others succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital,” the ADCP said. Senior Noida Police officers also rushed to the spot. A forensic team was also deployed to examine. The crash caused traffic disruption briefly but was cleared once the vehicles were removed from the road. A case under relevant sections was registered, and an investigation launched, police added. According to sources, the truck driver had parked the vehicle near the Greater Noida Expressway close to the Sector 146 metro station after it broke down. Preliminary probe suggest that Aman, who was driving a car and was speeding, likely fell asleep at the wheel. ■ It forced the Russian forces fired 145 drones at Ukraine overnight, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS pon vasanth Express @ Sri Lanka Parliamentary polls jaffna Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who addressed his first public meeting in Jaffna since coming to office in September, on Sunday took a firm stance against Indians “illegally” fishing in Sri Lankan waters. Dissanayake was in the city a day before the campaign for the Sri Lankan parliamentary elections, scheduled for Thursday, comes to an end to canvas votes for his Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) -led National People’s Power (NPP) alliance. In a well-attended meeting, he said Indian fishermen were President Dissanayake assured Tamils that steps would be taken to return their land occupied by the Lankan government, especially the military | Express destroying the marine resources that belong to the Tamil-populated northern region of Sri Lanka. Stating that his government will ensure that such exploitation of marine resources does not happen and will protect the rights of Sri Lankan fishermen, he asked “Should we not?” to which the crowd responded with a resounding yes. His speech comes in the backdrop of the arrest of 23 fishermen from Rameswaram and detention of three Indian trawlers by the Sri Lankan Navy on Sunday for illegally fishing in Lankan waters. This is the latest in a P5 series of arrests.  l PAGES 12 “Last night, Russia launched a record 145 Shaheds and other strike drones against Ukraine,” Ukrainian president said Nijjar’s aide Arsh Dalla arrested by Canadian police Dalla, designated as a terrorist by India, nabbed over a shooting incident in Ontario M U K ESH R A N J A N @ New Delhi rested two men on charges of “discharging firearm with inCanadian police have de- tent” following an investigation tained Arshdeep Singh Gill ali- after the duo had come to a hosas Arsh Dalla, a close aide of pital and one of them was treatslain Khalistani terrorist Hard- ed for a non-life-threatening eep Singh Nijjar, in connection gunshot and later discharged.It, with a shootout case, sources however, did not disclose their said on Sunday. The Union identity and said both accused home ministry had designated “were held in custody pending Dalla as a terrorist under the a bail hearing”. Sources said Unlawful Activities Prevention one of those arrested is Dall. Act (UAPA) last year. Incidentally, the Punjab PoGovernment sources said lice confirmed they have arrestthat New Delhi would ed two members of not seek his extradiDalla’s Canada-based Wanted tion as ties with gang in Mohali for in India Canada are cold after their alleged involvethe latter’s accusation The Punjab Police ment in the murder said preliminary of India’s involveof a Sikh activist last investigations ment in the killing of month. The Delhi PoNijjar, who was shot revealed Arsh Dalla lice had said last year tasked Navjot dead last June by that Dalla has links masked gunmen out- Singh alias Neetu, with inter national a resident of side a gurudwara in terror outfit LashkarCanada’s British Co- Kharar, Punjab, to e-Taiba and Pakitarget Gurpreet lumbia province. stan’s Inter-Services Singh Hari Nau, “Extradition is goIntelligence. who runs a ing to be tough, as Dalla was a key YouTube channel under the present member of extremist under the name of groups Khalistan Tisituation it is going Hari Nau Talks to be almost impossiger Force and the Inble. And also, the ter national Sikh Canadian authorities have Youth Federation. Sources said not arrested him so far, only he lived in Surrey with his wife detained him,” an official told and a minor daughter. this newespaper. In a Facebook post, Dalla According to Indian sources had taken responsibility for in the Indian intelligence the murder of an electrician, cirucles, information related P a r a m j e e t S i n g h , f r o m to Dalla’s detention in Ontario Punjab’s Jagraon. came shortly after reports of His associates had shot dead his involvement in a shootout Manohar Lal, a Dera Sacha Sauon October 28. da follower in November 2020. The Halton Regional Police He was also involved in hatchService had in a statement on ing a conspiracy to kidnap and October 29 said that it had ar- kill one Shakti Singh. P8 Siddique murder: Main shooter, two others held in UP with Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother Anmol through Snapchat, The Mumbai Police Crime police said. Branch, in a joint operation After shooting Siddique on with Uttar Pradesh Police’s October 12, Shivkumar escaped Special Task Force (STF) on and threw away his SIM card Sunday arrested main shooter on his way to Pune. He then , Shivkumar Gautam and two went to Jhansi and Lucknow. other shooters at Nanpara in He was arrested when he was Bahraich district in Uttrying to go to Nepal. tar Pradesh in the murAt least three of his der of NCP leader Baba accomplices — Anurag Siddique. The arrest Kashyap, Dynanprawas made when Shivkash Tripati and Akash kumar was trying to Srivastav — were helpescape to Nepal. ing Shivkumar to esShivkumar and oth- Escape plan cape to Nepal. The er accused are being three were arrested. After shooting brought to Mumbai. On Friday, Mumbai Siddique on Baba Siddique was Police had arrested a October 12, shot dead by three Shivkumar escaped shooter named Gaugunmen near his MLA and threw away his rav Vilas Apune in the son Zeeshan’s office in SIM card en route murder case. InvestiBandra on October 12. gations revealed that to Pune. He then He sustained two bul- went to Jhansi and Apune was a shooter let injuries and was Lucknow. He was and a part of Plan B rushed to the Lilavati made by the Bishnoi arrested while hospital in Mumbai, gang. He had gone to trying to go to where he died. Jharkhand to sharpen Nepal, where According to Mum- arrangements were his shooting skills. bai Police, Shiv KuApune told police made for him. mar revealed that othinter rogators that er two accused, Plan B was prepared Shubham Lonkar and Yasin for backup in case Plan A failed. Akhtar, were provided a gun, One of the accused, Rupesh bullets and mobile SIM cards. Mohol, arrested earlier, had They were in touch with Shiv- also gone to Jharkhand with kumar through Snapchat. Apune to practise firing. It was further revealed that It was revealed that Baba SidShubham Lonkar had sent both dique’s murder was a part of contract killing of `10 lakh. Mohol and Apune for their pracShubham Lonkar was in touch tice to Jharkhand on July 28. Russia also said it had downed 34 Ukrainian attack drones targeting Moscow on Sunday, the largest attempted attack on the capital since the start of the offensive in 2022 temporary closure of three airports and set two homes on fire in the a village in the Moscow region Donald Trump With Arizona win, Trump sweeps all 7 swing states Agencies US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday added Arizona to the list of states he won. With that, the Republican has beaten his Democratic rival Kamala Harris in all seven battleground states. The seven battle g round states in this election cycle were Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia. The victory in Arizona took Trump’s electoral college tally to 312 against 226 of Vice President Harris. Arizona holds 11 electoral college votes. In 2020, President Joe Biden became the first Democrat to win Arizona since Bill Clinton in 1996. Trump has now flipped it back. Arizona is the sixth state Trump has flipped from Biden’s Electoral College victory in 2020. He campaigned heavily on border security, immigration and crime committed by illegal immigrants on the trail, all issues that resonated in the state with a record influx of migrants last year. Trump pledged mass deportations, promoted hiring an additional 10,000 border agents to patrol the US-Mexico border and promised to use some of the military budget for border funding. express read JMM, Cong breaking SC-ST-OBC unity: Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched an attack on the JMM-Congress government and cautioned people to stay clear of their divisive tactics of breaking and destroying the country. He accused the ‘shahi parivar’ (royal family) of attempting to break the ST-SC-OBC unity. P8 e x p r e s s n e w s s e r vi c e @ Mumbai House of Meghalaya varsity V-C vandalised Breathless Delhi’s Kartavya Path area surrounding India Gate engulfed by a thick layer of smog on Sunday morning | Parveen Negi | P3 Some miscreants vandalised the residence of Meghalaya’s North Eastern Hill University vicechancellor Prof PS Shukla on Sunday, amid students’ protest demanding the removal of the V-C and two other officials of the varsity, police said. The V-C had been missing since November 9. CT: PCB seeks govt’s advice on India not touring G o m e s h S & F i r o z Mi r za @ Chennai With the BCCI communicating to the global cricketing body about Indian cricket team not travelling to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy scheduled to take place in February 2025, the ICC has informed PCB of the same through an email, it is learnt on Sunday . The Pakistan Cricket Board, as things stand, have taken cognisance of the communication and forwarded the email to their government.“The PCB has received an email from the ICC, stating that the BCCI has informed them that their team will not travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The PCB has forwarded that email to the Government of Pakistan for their advice and guidance,” a PCB spokesperson told this daily . This development comes d ay s a f t e r r e p o r t s emerged about BCCI informing PCB regarding their non-travel and preference for a hybrid model on Friday . Hours after the reports emerged, Mohsin Naqvi, PCB Chairperson, had categorically denied it. “Till today no one has , discussed any ‘Hybrid Model’ with us nor are we willing to talk about it. But we have been showing good gestures for the last few years and no one should expect us to do it all the time,” Naqvi had said on Friday On . Saturday it was confirmed that , the BCCI had informed the ICC about not sending the team to Pakistan, which the global body has communicated to PCB. “I will take anything in writing to the government and whatever decision they take we have to follow them. If we get anything in writing on India coming or not coming to Pakistan I will first share it with the government and media,” Naqvi had said. Last year, when the Asia Cup was supposed to be hosted by Pakistan, it was changed into a hybrid model with India playing all their games in Sri Lanka. Whether the trend will continue with the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka as preferred co-hosts or not will now depend on how the Pakistan government reacts. India and Pakistan have been a marquee tie in every ICC tournament. However, Indian cricket team has not toured Pakistan since 2008 due to the political tension between the two countries. It all came to a stop after the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai in 2008. Pakistan did travel to India in 2012 for a white-ball series which was coincidentally the last bilateral series between two countries.