Riot police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse thousands of rock-throwing demonstrators in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata on Tuesday, during protests demanding the resignation of West Bengal's chief minister over the rape and killing of a doctor.
The Paschimbanga Chhatro Samaj – the West Bengal Students' Society – led the march, saying Mamata Banerjee must step down over claims she has mishandled the case.
More than 6,000 police personnel had converted Nabanna, the West Bengal government headquarters, and the surrounding areas into a fortress by putting up steel barricades that were greased to prevent protesters scaling them.
Despite the heavy police presence in the state capital, protesters marched towards the headquarters of the state government, triggering clashes between officers and demonstrators.
Police fired dozens of tear gas shells and water cannon to disperse stone-throwing students, who carried anti-state government banners. Protesters and opposition parties accuse the state government of shielding those responsible for the killing.
Clips aired on television showed angry protesters pulling down the barricades as police used water cannon and struck people with batons.
Namita Ghosh, a college student who attended the protest, told AFP news agency that the crowd intended to “protest peacefully” before the baton charge.
At least 100 protesters “have been arrested on the charges of violence”, a senior police official told AFP.
The killing of the resident doctor, 31, at the government-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9 led to weeks-long nationwide protests and strikes by doctors.
Her body was discovered with multiple injuries – including to her head and neck – that indicated strangulation, according to a postmortem report.
Kolkata police initially arrested a volunteer at the hospital in connection with the case, but the matter was later taken up by the federal Central Bureau of Investigation, after the parents of the victim filed a petition.
The young woman's family sought an investigation monitored by courts to ensure evidence was not tampered with.
Ms Banerjee and her ruling Trinamool Congress party are facing allegations from political opponents, mainly from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, of shielding the alleged perpetrators.
The TMC party has also come under criticism for levels of alleged lawlessness in West Bengal.
The West Bengal government rejects the allegations and accused the BJP of orchestrating the protests and fomenting violence.
“Make no mistake, this isn't a protest for justice, it's chaos orchestrated by BJP – hired goons running amok, smashing barricades and attacking on-duty police officers,” the TMC said.
The BJP accused police of heavy-handedness and claimed the ruling party was helping rapists and criminals.
It also announced a 12-hour strike on Wednesday to protest against police action against the demonstrators.
“The images of police high-handedness from Kolkata have angered every person who values democratic principles. In Didi’s [a nickname for Ms Banerjee] West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued but it’s a crime to speak for women’s safety,” Jagat Prakash Nadda, BJP national president, wrote on X.
Doctors and healthcare workers, who launched a nationwide strike lasting two weeks, demanding justice for the trainee doctor and a safe environment for medics, refused to join Tuesday’s protests.
Education institutions in Kolkata were closed on Tuesday or moved to online classes, with thousands of police and paramilitary forces patrolling the streets.
Some protesters made comparisons to the weeks-long protests by students in Bangladesh that brought the 16-year rule of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina to an abrupt end this month.
Ms Banerjee has been governing West Bengal for more than 15 years and her opponents accuse her of being an autocrat.
Protesters in Kolkata adapted a slogan used by Bangladeshi demonstrators against Ms Hasina to target Ms Banerjee. They chanted: “Dofa ek, dabi ek, Mamata Banerjeer podotyag” – which translates as “the only demand is Mamata Banerjee's resignation.” They carried placards with the same slogan.
The BJP has failed to make a significant mark in the state politics of West Bengal.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
The years Ramadan fell in May
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Results:
6.30pm: Handicap | US$135,000 (Dirt) | 1,400 metres
Winner: Rodaini, Connor Beasley (jockey), Ahmad bin Harmash (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap | $135,000 (Turf) | 1,200m
Winner: Ekhtiyaar, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
7.40pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes | Group 3 | $200,000 (T) | 2,000m
Winner: Spotify, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
8.15pm: UAE Oakes | Group 3 | $250,000 (D) | 1,900m
Winner: Divine Image, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.50pm: Zabeel Mile | Group 2 | $250,000 (T) | 1,600m
Winner: Mythical Image, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
9.20pm: Handicap | $135,000 (T) | 1,600m
Winner: Major Partnership, Kevin Stott, Saeed bin Suroor
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
if you go
The flights
The closest international airport to the TMB trail is Geneva (just over an hour’s drive from the French ski town of Chamonix where most people start and end the walk). Direct flights from the UAE to Geneva are available with Etihad and Emirates from about Dh2,790 including taxes.
The trek
The Tour du Mont Blanc takes about 10 to 14 days to complete if walked in its entirety, but by using the services of a tour operator such as Raw Travel, a shorter “highlights” version allows you to complete the best of the route in a week, from Dh6,750 per person. The trails are blocked by snow from about late October to early May. Most people walk in July and August, but be warned that trails are often uncomfortably busy at this time and it can be very hot. The prime months are June and September.
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
Stree
Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Movies
Director: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5
Expert input
If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?
“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett
“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche
“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox
“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite
“I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy
“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra
The specs: Fenyr SuperSport
Price, base: Dh5.1 million
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm
Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km
Company%20profile
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
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