International

India women lead night protests after doctor’s rape and murder

Published

2 years ago

August 15, 2024

'We are seizing the night', the protestors at the march said

India women lead night protests after doctor’s rape and murder

Tens of thousands of women in West Bengal state marched through the streets on Wednesday night in protest against the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a state-run hospital in Kolkata last week.

The Reclaim the Night march was the culmination of nearly a week of frenzied protests ignited by the brutal killing of the 31-year-old at the RG Kar Medical College last Friday.

After a gruelling 36-hour shift, she had fallen asleep in a seminar room due to the lack of a designated rest area.

The next morning, her colleagues discovered her half-naked body on the podium, bearing extensive injuries. A hospital volunteer worker has been arrested in connection with the crime.

Responding to calls on social media, women from all walks of life marched across Kolkata city and throughout the state on a rainy Wednesday night.

Though protests were largely peaceful, they were marred by clashes between the police and a small group of unidentified men who barged into the RG Kar Hospital, the site of the doctor’s murder, and ransacked the emergency department.

Police fired tear gas to disperse the unruly crowd. Some police vehicles were also damaged.

Smaller protests were also held in many other Indian cities like Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune.

In Kolkata, women marched resolutely, holding placards of protest, their faces illuminated by the glow of mobile phones, candlelight and flaming torches. Some carried India’s flags. They were joined by men, both young and elderly.

During the marches and at many gatherings near a university, theatre hall and bus terminus, they stood united, holding hands as the humid air echoed with loud and powerful chants of “we want justice”. Protesters blew conch shells – the sound is considered auspicious.

At the stroke of midnight, as India completed 77 years of Independence, the soundscape of protest changed.

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The air filled with a spontaneous chorus of the national anthem. Then it began raining, but the protesters walked in the rain, or holding umbrellas over their head.

“We have never seen anything like before in the city, such a huge gathering of women marching at night,” a reporter belonging to a news network said.

It was a night of barely concealed rage and frustration.

A woman, who joined the march well after midnight with her 13-year-old daughter said: “Let her see whether a mass protest can set things right. Let her become aware of her rights”.

“Women have no respect!” said another. “Our worth is less than cows and goats.”

“When do we get our independence? How long do we have to wait to work without fear? Another 50 years?” asked a student.

Sanchari Mukherjee said she marched with thousands of others from a bus terminus in Jadavpur, undeterred by the rain.

She met “people of all ages, from all classes, the well-to-do, the middle class and the poor”.

“I saw an elderly couple, the husband helping the woman to walk,” she said.

“One family brought their little girl along, perhaps so the memory of this event would be etched in her mind – how her parents stood up against injustice, and how she, too, can protest one day.”

Ms Mukherjee said the entire city seemed awake as the marchers passed by illuminated homes, with people peering out of windows and crowding verandahs to watch.

“They may not have participated but they were with us in spirit,” she said.

“‘We want justice’ had become the anthem of the march, and it didn’t feel like just a slogan,” Ms Mukherjee said.

“It felt like every young woman was deeply hurt and determined, frustrated that they still face these issues in 2024.”

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Ms Mukherjee added that she had to walk a few miles to join the march because the streets were gridlocked late at night.

“I was instantly swept up in a sea of people heading to the protest site. There was no excitement, just a stoic determination to create an event which would become a symbol for the times to come.”

The protests have been fuelled by anger over local authorities’ handling of the young trainee doctor’s rape and murder.

She had fallen asleep in a seminar room after a 36-hour shift last Thursday, as there was no designated rest area for her to sleep in.

The next morning, her colleagues discovered her half-naked body on the podium, bearing extensive injuries.

Police later arrested a hospital volunteer worker in connection with what they said was a case of rape and murder.

But there have been accusations of cover-up and negligence. The case has since been transferred from local police to the federal Central Bureau of Investigation.

Despite scant resources, Kolkata’s Reclaim the Night march appeared to have been meticulously organised. In an advisory, organisers welcomed women and people from marginalised sexual and gender identities to the march.

“Men are welcome as allies and observers,” the advisory added.

They also emphasised that politicians were not welcome and requested that no party flags be brought to the protest.

It was not the first time that a Reclaim the Night march has been staged in India.

Inspired by similar marches elsewhere in the world by women to assert their rights to walk in public areas without fear, a march was held in 1978 in Bombay (now Mumbai) in protest against the rape of a woman on the street.

Blank Noise, a community-based art project and activist collective, has organised several midnight walks in Delhi to encourage women to assert their right to walk freely at night.

But in terms of scale, the Kolkata march, echoed by smaller ones across other cities, stands as the largest yet.

“We seized the night. We’ve never seen anything like this in the city. This is unprecedented. I hope it wakes up the authorities,” said Chaitali Sen, a protester.

India women lead night protests after doctor’s rape and murder

BBC

Related Topics:doctor's rape India Murder protests

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International

Biden condition deteriorates as cancer spreads to bones

Published

1 hour ago

August 9, 2026

Trends Admin

Biden condition deteriorates as cancer spreads to bones

Former United States President Joe Biden is battling advanced prostate cancer that has spread to his bones, with his son, Hunter Biden, revealing that the disease is causing his 83-year-old father significant pain and debilitating effects.

Hunter Biden, who became emotional while discussing his father’s health, told the BBC that the cancer had metastasised beyond the prostate and into his bones.

“The cancer has spread, metastasized into his bones and further,” he said. “It’s very painful and it’s very debilitating in many respects.”

The revelation provides a fresh and worrying update on the health of the former president, who disclosed his prostate cancer diagnosis in May 2025, less than four months after leaving the White House.

Hunter said the diagnosis had been particularly difficult for the Biden family, describing his father as the “centre” and “rock” of the family.

“It’s really sad to watch,” he said. “The only thing that I’d say about my dad, about his health right now, is I wish he would complain more, because it’s not good.

“He is the center of our family… He is our rock.”

Biden’s condition had previously been described as an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had already spread to his bones when his diagnosis was announced.

The latest disclosure comes after former First Lady Jill Biden also acknowledged the seriousness of her husband’s condition, saying in June that he would likely live with the disease for the rest of his life.

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“I think if he had just been diagnosed with prostate cancer, that’s one thing because that can be cured, but the fact that it metastasized to his bones, that makes it a whole different story,” she said.

“So I think Joe will live with cancer till the rest of his life.”

Biden has undergone radiation and hormone treatment as part of his treatment. He also underwent surgery in September 2025 to remove cancerous skin cells.

Despite his health challenges, Hunter said his father remains publicly engaged, continuing to speak about issues he considers important.

“He’s still doing his thing,” Hunter said. “He so believes in this country.”

Biden, who served as president from January 2021 to January 2025, was the oldest person to occupy the White House. His age and health became major political issues during his presidency, particularly in the final year of his administration.

His health was also a significant factor in the 2024 presidential campaign, eventually contributing to his decision to withdraw from the race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s candidate.

The latest development comes as Biden continues to receive treatment and spend time with his family following his departure from the White House.

Biden condition deteriorates as cancer spreads to bones

International

Trump Signs New Executive Orders Targeting Birthright Citizenship, ‘Birth Tourism’

Published

2 days ago

August 7, 2026

Trends Admin

Trump Signs New Executive Orders Targeting Birthright Citizenship, ‘Birth Tourism’

President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on August 6, 2026, aimed at narrowing birthright citizenship and blocking the practice of “birth tourism” — just weeks after the Supreme Court struck down his broader attempt to end automatic citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants. The new orders represent a more targeted approach to restricting who qualifies for U.S. citizenship at birth, focusing on specific categories of foreign nationals rather than attempting a blanket ban.

The first executive order targets birth tourism, which the White House defines as foreign nationals entering the United States on nonimmigrant visas with the primary purpose of giving birth on U.S. soil. The order directs the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security to deny or revoke visas and travel authorizations for individuals suspected of engaging in birth tourism, block entry or authorize deportation of foreign nationals participating in or planning birth tourism, and take action against operators — both in the U.S. and abroad — who organize or facilitate birth tourism schemes. The White House accused birth tourism operators of deceiving foreign nationals through advertisements encouraging them to travel to the U.S. to give birth, arguing that these schemes “undermine” the integrity of the U.S. immigration system. Exceptions apply for foreign nationals entering on humanitarian grounds or when their entry serves the national interest.

The second executive order expands the definitions of individuals whose U.S.-born children would not qualify for automatic citizenship. Under the new order, children are ineligible if their parents fall into any of several expanded categories. These include foreign government employees such as diplomats, consular officers, and employees of foreign governments or international organizations with immunity; designated Foreign Terrorist Organization members as well as “specially designated global terrorists”; individuals who engaged in fraudulent acts to obtain U.S. citizenship; “alien enemies” considered enemy aliens under U.S. law; and children born through commercial surrogacy arrangements or commercial transactions. The order also clarifies that children born in U.S. territories or territorial waters where federal law does not grant birthright citizenship are excluded from automatic recognition. Federal agencies including the State Department, Justice Department, Homeland Security, and Social Security Administration must issue implementation guidance within 30 days.

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These executive orders come after a major legal setback for the administration. On June 30, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 6-3 to reject Trump’s earlier executive order — signed on his first day back in office in January 2025 — which sought to deny birthright citizenship to children of undocumented immigrants or temporary residents. Chief Justice John Roberts delivered the majority opinion, stating that “Citizenship, then and now, was the right to have rights — to freely participate in our political community. The Framers of the Fourteenth Amendment extended that promise to ‘every free-born person in this land’ … We keep that promise today.” The Court upheld the long-standing interpretation of the 14th Amendment, which states that “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.” The ruling reaffirmed the precedent set by the 1898 case United States v. Wong Kim Ark, which established that virtually all children born on U.S. soil are citizens — with only narrow exceptions such as children of foreign diplomats or enemy occupying forces.

Speaking from the Oval Office as he signed the new orders, Trump described the Supreme Court decision as “very unfortunate.” He stated, “We had a very unfortunate decision in the Supreme Court concerning birthright. It was close, but a very, very unfortunate decision. So we’re making adjustments because it’s very unfair.” Trump also called the previous situation “a disgrace,” arguing that wealthy individuals are building businesses around birthright citizenship and exploiting the system. He remarked that “Wealthy people are building businesses around birthright citizenship. That’s not the way it was supposed to work.” Following the Supreme Court defeat, Trump had announced he would seek to address birthright citizenship through Congress. The new executive orders represent a shift to a more targeted administrative strategy.

There are no official government statistics on birth tourism. However, a 2020 analysis by the Center for Immigration Studies — which supports lower levels of immigration — estimated that between 20,000 and 25,000 women entered the U.S. for birth tourism between 2016 and 2017. Trump has claimed the number could be much higher, stating that “hundreds of thousands” of children may be obtaining citizenship through birth tourism annually.

The new executive orders are expected to face legal challenges, similar to the previous effort. Constitutional scholars have noted that the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause has long been interpreted broadly, and any attempt to narrow its application — even in specific categories — is likely to be tested in court. The administration argues that the new orders are more narrowly tailored and therefore constitutional, focusing on specific scenarios rather than attempting a blanket denial of citizenship.

In summary, two new executive orders were signed August 6, 2026, following a Supreme Court defeat on a broader birthright citizenship ban. Birth tourism is targeted, with foreign nationals entering on nonimmigrant visas to give birth facing possible visa denials, entry blocks, or deportation. Expanded ineligibility now includes children of foreign government employees, terrorist organization members, and those who committed citizenship fraud. The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 against the administration’s earlier order on June 30, 2026, and legal challenges are expected as the new orders test the limits of the 14th Amendment.

Trump Signs New Executive Orders Targeting Birthright Citizenship, ‘Birth Tourism’

International

Trump rejects US munitions shortage reports, threatens alleged leakers

Published

2 days ago

August 7, 2026

Trends Admin

US President Donald Trump

Trump rejects US munitions shortage reports, threatens alleged leakers

US President Donald Trump has rejected reports that the United States is facing a broad military munitions shortage, insisting that the country retains substantial supplies while warning that officials responsible for leaking classified information about US weapons inventories could face severe punishment.

Trump made the remarks on Thursday as his administration faced renewed scrutiny over the condition of US weapons stockpiles following months of military operations against Iran.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the United States had “massive amounts” of munitions, particularly certain types, and added that large quantities were being manufactured and shipped to the country as needed.

The President also warned officials accused of leaking information about US military capabilities, saying those responsible were being pursued and could face lengthy prison sentences.

Trump’s comments came after reports raised concerns about the depletion of some US long-range missiles and air-defence interceptors during the Iran conflict. Reuters reported that US forces had used virtually all of their stockpiles of some long-range precision missiles, including Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM), during the five-month war. (Reuters)

However, the reports do not indicate that the United States has run out of weapons generally. Instead, they point to significant pressure on particular categories of high-demand munitions, raising questions about how quickly depleted stocks can be rebuilt.

Trump himself acknowledged on Thursday that the availability of some types of weapons was tighter, while maintaining that the US had an almost unlimited supply of certain other powerful munitions. He also said American defence companies were expanding production capacity, including facilities producing Patriot and Tomahawk missiles. (Reuters)

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The issue has become particularly important because the United States is balancing its military requirements in the Middle East with commitments to allies, including Ukraine, which relies heavily on Western air-defence systems to protect against Russian missile and drone attacks.

Independent assessments have also highlighted pressure on US air-defence inventories. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said in July that US stocks of Patriot interceptors had fallen below 1,000, while THAAD interceptor inventories stood at about 250. The organisation warned that continued combat could further reduce stocks and create challenges for US readiness. (CSIS)

CSIS has also assessed that rebuilding some depleted US missile inventories could take several years. Its analysis found that replenishing systems such as THAAD, Patriot and Tomahawk to pre-war levels could take three years or more under existing production projections, while some other missile systems could be replenished more quickly. (CSIS)

The pressure has prompted Washington to accelerate efforts to expand its defence-industrial capacity. Reuters reported that the United States recently reached an agreement worth more than $3 billion with Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman to increase production of components for Patriot and THAAD interceptors. The arrangement is designed to significantly increase production capacity as the Pentagon seeks to rebuild depleted stocks. (Reuters)

The situation has also renewed concerns about the United States’ ability to respond simultaneously to multiple major security crises. CSIS has warned that reduced stocks of long-range offensive missiles and air-defence interceptors could create a strategic vulnerability if the US were required to fight another major conflict while continuing to support its allies. (CSIS)

Despite the concerns, the Trump administration maintains that US military readiness has not been fundamentally compromised. The administration has emphasised the size of America’s overall arsenal and the rapid expansion of domestic weapons production.

The disagreement therefore centres largely on the condition of specific weapons inventories rather than whether the United States has weapons available at all. While Trump insists that the country has substantial munitions reserves, independent assessments indicate that several important missile and interceptor stocks have been significantly reduced by sustained combat operations.

The debate is expected to continue as Washington weighs the demands of the Iran war, support for Ukraine and the longer-term need to rebuild American military stockpiles.