 At a time where the impact of a school-visit campaign-‘Meet The Champions’, a unique initiative of the Prime Minister, is gradually firming up across the country, ace shooter Singhraj Adhana takes it forward and reaches out to the students of Jammu & Kashmir on 12th April.

Paralympics Double-Medallist Singhraj Takes PM’s ‘Meet The Champions’ Campaign To  J&K

Kolkata: Just a day before Kolkata is slated to host the Bengal Global Business Summit, 2022, a wrong signal went out about the investment atmosphere in the state following a shootout in the city in broad daylight. The incident took place at Bansdroni in South Kolkata on Tuesday morning.Police sources said that the shootout was a result of the rivalry between two groups of real estate raw material supply syndicates. This is the third incident of a clash between rival real estate syndicates within the span of a week, the first being at Behala on the southern outskirts of Kolkata and the second in the posh Lake Gardens area in South Kolkata. The second incident took place at a stone's throw distance from the residence of veteran Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member, Saugata Roy, who has criticized the clash. Officers of the anti-rowdy squad under the Detective Department of the Kolkata police immediately reached the place of occurrence at Bansdroni. Eyewitnesses said that on Tuesday morning while real estate businessman Malay Dutta was working in his office, his rival promoter Bishwanath Singh alias Baccha suddenly turned up there.It is learnt that Dutta was previously an employee in Singh's real estate promotion company. However, later he left and started his own business. It is alleged that Singh first asked Dutta why he decided to leave and start his own business. A heated argument started between the two and suddenly Singh took out a revolver and fired at Dutta. The latter also counter-fired from his own revolver and in the process, both were injured. Both Singh and Dutta have been admitted in separate hospitals.—IANS

 Just a day before Kolkata is slated to host the Bengal Global Business Summit, 2022, a wrong signal went out about the investment atmosphere in the state following a shootout in the city in broad daylight. The incident took place at Bansdroni in South Kolkata on Tuesday morning.

Shootout In Kolkata A Day Before Business Summit

Just a day before Kolkata is slated to host the Bengal Global Business Summit, 2022, a wrong signal went out about the investment atmosphere in the state following a shootout in the city in broad daylight. The incident took place at Bansdroni in South Kolkata on Tuesday morning.




Sachin Gupta leads a clean sweep in recurve, Lovely Professional University rise to second

Washington: The man who carried out the shooting in the city of Buffalo, where ten people were killed, was charged with first-degree murder, the article that provides for life imprisonment, Erie County district attorney John Flynn said on Saturday."This individual has been arraigned on murder in the first degree, which is the highest charge -- murder charge in New York state. It carries with it a sentence of life without parole, the highest punishment we have a New York state.The judge ordered a forensic examination.A felony hearing will now take place in five days. And then the investigation continues," Flynn said at a press conference. According to Flynn, authorities are also evaluating the possibility of charging the Buffalo shooter with terrorism.At least 10 people were killed in a shooting at a supermarket in the American city of Buffalo, local news agency&nbsp;Buffalo News&nbsp;reported on Saturday, citing law enforcement sources.The media cited police as saying that a man wearing body armor entered a Tops Friendly Market after 2:30 pm EST (18:30 GMT) and opened fire with a rifle, resulting in 10 people, including one police officer, dead and three injured.The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation suspects that the shooting in the city of Buffalo, was a racially motivated hate crime, Stephen Belongia, special agent in charge of the FBI's Buffalo field office said on Saturday."We are investigating this incident as both a hate crime and a case of racially motivated violent extremism," Belongia said during a briefing, reported Sputnik media.As per a tweet from Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, Buffalo police responded to the scene of an "active multiple shooting event" at the Tops Markets on Jefferson Street in the city.The Buffalo police department gave out the information regarding the incident in a tweet and urged people to avoid the area."BPD on scene of a mass shooting at the Tops in the 1200 block of Jefferson Avenue," it tweeted adding, "Police say multiple people have been struck by gunfire. The shooter is in custody. Motorists and residents are urged to avoid the area."Expressing condolence in a tweet after the incident, Erie County Sheriff's Office stated that Sheriff John Garcia "has ordered all available resources and personnel to assist" the police, as per the media portal.New York Governor Kathy Hochul said that she is taking stock of the situation.In a tweet, she wrote, "I am closely monitoring the shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo. We have offered assistance to local officials. If you are in Buffalo, please avoid the area and follow guidance from law enforcement and local officials."—ANI

The man who carried out the shooting in the city of Buffalo, where ten people were killed, was charged with first-degree murder, the article that provides for life imprisonment, Erie County district attorney John Flynn said on Saturday.

Shooter who killed 10 in US supermarket may be charged with terrorism

Germany: Indian shooters continued to dominate the proceedings at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany, winning four more gold medals in the women's and men's air rifle and air pistol team events on Friday.India's tally currently stands at 14 medals, including eight gold and six silver.Australia, France, Poland and Bulgaria have won the other four gold medals on offer.India's gold rush, on Friday, began when the men's 10m air rifle trio of Rudrankksh Patil, Paarth Makhija and Umamahesh Maddineni beat Spain's Jesus Oviedo, Adrian Diaz and Jorge Estevez 16-8 in the gold medal match.It was a second gold in the competition for both Rudrankksh and Paarth, who had won the individual men's 10m air rifle and the mixed team rifle competitions earlier respectively.It was then the turn of the junior women's 10m air pistol team of Manu Bhaker, Palak and Esha Singh who outplayed Georgians Salome Prodiashvili, Mariam Abramishvili and Mariami Prodiashvili by the same 16-8 margin.Then the air rifle women's team consisting of Arya Borse, Zeena Khitta and Ramita downed the Korean trio of Yeeun AN, Eunji Kwon and Jeongin Jang 17-9 in the title decider to give India the third gold of the day.Finally, the men's air pistol team of Saurabh Chaudhary, Shiva Narwal and Sarabjot Singh outclassed Uzbekistan's Mukhammad Kamalov, Veniamin Nikitin and Umidbek Komolbekov 17-9 to clinch India's fourth gold of the day.India have also reached the gold medal round of the men's and women's trap team competitions, assuring themselves of two more silver medals at the very least.Shardul Vihan, Arya Vansh Tyagi and Vivaan Kapoor will clash with US trio of Patrick Thompson, Ernest Carvahlo and Christian Kutz later in the day for the junior men's trap team title.Then India's Preeti Rajak, Sabeera Haris and Bhavya Tripathi will be up against the Italian trio of Marika Patera, Sofia Gori and Sofia Littame in the women's trap team gold medal contest.—PTI

Indian shooters continued to dominate the proceedings at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany, winning four more gold medals in the women's and men's air rifle and air pistol team events on Friday.

India shooters bag four gold at Junior World Cup

Germany: The Indian men's and women's trap teams picked up two more silver medals to consolidate their lead at the top of the standings in the ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany.India won the two silver medals late on Friday. Currently, India is way ahead of the field with eight gold and eight silver medals in their kitty, while Australia and United States are joint second with one gold, one silver and one bronze each.First, it was the women's trap trio of Preeti Rajak, Sabeera Haris and Bhavya Tripathi who went down 2-6 to the Italian team in the gold medal contest.Then, Shardul Vihaan, Arya Vansh Tyagi and Vivaan Kapoor lost their gold medal match against the United States by a narrow margin of 4-6.These are India's first two medals from the shotgun discipline at the Junior World Cup.—PTI

The Indian men's and women's trap teams picked up two more silver medals to consolidate their lead at the top of the standings in the ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany.

India's shooters win two more silvers at Jr World Cup

Brazil: India wrapped up their shooting assignment at the 24th Deaflympics in Caxais do Sul, Brazil, by finishing in second place with three gold and two bronze medals.Only Ukraine finished ahead of the 10-strong Indian contingent, with six gold and an overall tally of 12 medals. It was a commendable performance by the Indian shooters in ensuring the country's best-ever performance at Deaflympics. India currently ranks eighth on the medals table with seven gold, one silver and four bronze medals.This is the first time an Indian shooting team has participated at the Deaflympics on the initiative of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI). "It makes me even prouder to have such a dedicated and high-quality team of professionals at NRAI. Without their hard work and dedication this phenomenal performance would not have been possible in such a short time," NRAI secretary general K Sultan Singh said. "Our coaches Anuja Jung and Priti Sharma even went to the extent of learning sign language to better impart coaching. "My President Mr. Raninder Singh, forever the shooting promotion man, also made it very clear from day one that there should be left no stone unturned in the preparations of the squad."He also thanked the Sports Authority of India and the Sports Ministry for supporting the shooters. "The Hon. Minister, Anurag Thakur, MYAS, was himself at hand to flag-off the team, inspiring confidence and providing much deserving recognition to the deaf shooters." Dhanush Srikanth was the star of the shooting squad, bagging two gold medals in the men's 10m air rifle and 10m air rifle mixed team competitions respectively. Priyesha Deshmukh was his partner in the mixed event.Abhinav Deshwal won India's third gold medal in the men's 10m air pistol event while Shourya Saini in the men's air rifle and Vedika Sharma in the women's air pistol won individual bronze medals. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the NRAI and the All India Sports Council for the Deaf (AISCD), just three months ahead of the Games, whereby the national governing body of the sport would be involved actively from the trials to selection to coaching and training of the team for the Deaflympics.—PTI

 India wrapped up their shooting assignment at the 24th Deaflympics in Caxais do Sul, Brazil, by finishing in second place with three gold and two bronze medals.

India finish second in shooting at Deaflympics

California: One person was killed, and five others were injured in a shooting on Sunday at a church in the western US state of California, the Orange County Sheriff's Department said. The shooting was reported at the church on the 24000 block of El Toro Road in the City of Laguna Woods in Southern California's Orange County on Sunday afternoon, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department. The sheriff's department tweeted about 2:00 pm local time that deputies were responding to reports of the shooting. It added later that "dispatch received calls of a shooting inside Geneva Presbyterian Church at 1:26 pm. Four victims have been critically wounded, one with minor injuries.""All victims are adults and are en route to the hospital. One victim is deceased at the scene," said the department.<img src="https://im.rediff.com/news/2022/may/16shooting1.jpg?w=670&amp;h=900">The gunfire erupted during a lunch reception honouring a former pastor of a Taiwanese congregation that has services at Geneva, according to a statement from the Presbytery of Los Ranchos, a church administrative body.The sheriff's department noted that it had detained a suspect at the scene and had recovered a weapon that may be involved.California Governor Gavin Newsom's office tweeted,"We are actively monitoring the shooting at a church in Laguna Woods and working closely with local law enforcement. No one should have to fear going to their place of worship. Our thoughts are with the victims, community, and all those impacted by this tragic event."—ANI

One person was killed, and five others were injured in a shooting on Sunday at a church in the western US state of California, the Orange County Sheriff's Department said.

1 killed, 5 injured in California church shooting

Berlin: Sift Kaur Samra won the women's 50m rifle 3 positions (3P) event to make it 10 gold medals for India at the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany.The Indian men's 3P team won a silver and Anish and Vijayveer Sidhu bagged silver and bronze respectively in the men's 25m rapid fire pistol. The women's 3P team will fight for a bronze. India now have 10 gold, 12 silver and 3 bronze for a total of 25 medals from the world's premier junior shooting championship and sit pretty at the top. Second placed Italy are way behind with four gold and three bronze medals.Sift Kaur Samra beat Norway's Julie Johannessen 17-9 in the gold medal encounter late on Sunday to take India's gold tally to double digits. Ashi Chouksey of India also won a bronze in the event. On Monday, it was the men's 3P team who first got India on board, going down 12-16 to Italy.Shivam Dabas also won an individual silver in the event, Pankaj Mukheja and Avianash Yadav first topped qualification with a combined effort of 1315 and then were second in the elimination round to the Italians to set up the gold medal clash.—PTI

Sift Kaur Samra won the women's 50m rifle 3 positions (3P) event to make it 10 gold medals for India at the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany.

Junior WC Shooting: Sift Kaur Samra makes it 10th gold for India

Seville: Eintracht Frankfurt defeated Rangers 5-4 in the Europa League final’s penalty shootout as the German club clinched its first European trophy in 42 years. Eintracht goalkeeper Kevin Trapp saved Aaron Ramsey’s spot-kick – Rangers’ fourth – while the Bundesliga team scored all five after the match had finished 1-1 at the end of 120 minutes. Joe Aribo had struck against the run of play in the 57th minute to give Rangers the lead, charging clear after a string of defensive errors and sliding the ball past Trapp.But, Eintracht, unbeaten in the competition going into the final and eyeing its first European title since 1980, bounced back as Rafael Borre snuck in between two defenders to turn in a Filip Kostic cross in the 69th minute. “We played 13 matches in Europe and we did not lose a single one,” said Eintracht manager Oliver Glasner. “We took it step-by-step and at the end, we were rewarded,” added the Austrian. Rangers had ended extra time as the stronger team, but two brilliant saves from ‘Man of the match’ Trapp ensured the match went to the shootout, where the superb technique and mental strength of the German team won it the title. There was a sizzling atmosphere inside the Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium with Rangers and Eintracht supporters having piled into southern Spain’s largest city.Early on, Eintracht winger Daichi Kamada weaved his way deep into the penalty area, but Rangers keeper Allan McGregor got down to foil him and dealt with Djibril Sow’s effort from the loose ball. McGregor was back in action, doing well to tip an Ansgar Knauff effort wide, as the Germans enjoyed the better of the early exchanges. Rangers struggled to get a foothold in the title decider, but fired a warning when Aribo curled his shot just wide of the far post.Rangers started brightly after the break and could have taken the lead when James Tavernier led a swift break and the ball fell to Ryan Kent, whose shot was sliced well wide. Minutes later, though, the Glasgow side grabbed the advantage. Eintracht defender Tuta slipped as he tried to reach a poor header back from Sow, leaving Aribo to go through and slip the ball past Trapp. The leveller came when Kostic was allowed to fire in a low cross from the left and Borre reacted quickest, sneaking in front of Calvin Bassey to steer the ball home.RESULT:&nbsp;Final: Eintracht Frankfurt 1 (R Borre 69) drew with Rangers 1 (J Aribo 57) (Eintracht won 5-4 on penalties)—REUTERS

Eintracht Frankfurt defeated Rangers 5-4 in the Europa League final’s penalty shootout as the German club clinched its first European trophy in 42 years.

Bundesliga side beats Rangers in shootout to win Europa League

Washington: A gunman killed 18 students and one adult at an elementary school in Texas in a second mass shooting in the US in the last 10 days. The gunman, identified as Salvador Ramos, first shot his grandmother, who is alive but in critical condition, before hitting Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, about 83 miles west of San Antonio in Texas, with two assault rifles that he had bought shortly after he turned 18 recently. He was killed by law enforcement officers.His motive had not been ascertained yet.A white gunman, also 18, had opened fire at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York on May 14, killing 10 African Americans. He gave himself over to law enforcement. He was motivated by racism and had intended to kill African Americans and chose a grocery frequented by them for his carnage. “As a nation, we have to ask: When in God’s name we are going to stand up to the gun lobby. When in God’s name we do (that) we all know in our gut needs to be done,” US President Joe Biden in remarks to the nation from the White House. He learnt of the shooting on the flight back from Tokyo.Biden said of the visit that he was struck by the fact none of these other nations experienced these shootings, with such frequency.Biden went on to say, with frustration and anger: “Why? They have mental health problems. They have domestic disputes in other countries. They have people who are lost. But these kinds of mass shootings never happen, with the kind of frequency they happen in America. Why? Why are we willing to live with this carnage? Why do we keep letting this happen? Where in God’s name is our backbone?”Gun control laws introduced in Australia, whose Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was among the leaders Biden met in Tokyo, after a 1996 massacre that left 36 people dead is now cited as the gold standard world over and has been used as a model. It has been discussed in the US as well. The Tuesday shooting was the 27 school shootings in the US in 2022, according to Education Week, which tracks these incidents. There have been 212 mass shootings this year. The Washington Post has said 300,000 school students have been exposed to gun violence at school since the worst of them all, the Columbine school shooting, in 1999 in which 13 people were killed. In some of the worst school massacres 20 first-graders and 6 adults were killed at Sandy Hook elementary school in Connecticut in 2013 and 17 students and staff in 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. Gun violence is a politically sensitive issue in the United States. Calls for commonsense controls peak after every incident of mass shooting and peter out after a while as the powerful gun lobby pushes back with its army of supporters among lawmakers, policy circles and media.—IANS

A gunman killed 18 students and one adult at an elementary school in Texas in a second mass shooting in the US in the last 10 days. 

18 Children Killed In Texas School Shooting, Biden Rages

Texas: A student in the US state of Texas was caught with firearms outside a high school a day after a deadly shooting at a school in Uvalde killed 19 students and two teachers, media reports said on Wednesday (local time). Police arrested a suspect walking towards a Richardson high school in Texas with what appeared to be a rifle. This comes a day after an 18-year-old shooter had killed over a dozen students. “On May 25, 2022, at 10:55 AM, the Richardson Police Department received a phone call from a business in the 1500 block of East Spring Valley Road reporting a male holding what appeared to be a rifle. The male was last seen walking towards Berkner High School, located at 1600 East Spring Valley Road,” the Richardson Police Department said in a news release.Within minutes of the call being dispatched, numerous police officers from various units within the Richardson Police Department responded to Berkner High School and initiated a search and investigation into this incident. Nearby schools were notified of the police activity. Based on the information provided, Police officers were able to identify the male suspect as a juvenile student of Berkner High School. The suspect was located inside Berkner High School, but no weapons were found. Further investigation led to the discovery of a vehicle used by the suspect in the parking lot of 1551 East Spring Valley Road. Inside the vehicle, officers observed what appeared to be an AK-47 style pistol and a replica AR-15 style Orbeez rifle.“The juvenile suspect was arrested and charged with Unlawful Carrying Weapons in a Weapon-Free School Zone, T.P.C. 46.02, a State Jail Felony. No further information is being released on the suspect due to his age,” the Police said. The head of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) asked on Wednesday: how many more children will die before leaders act?“Tragedy after tragedy, shooting after shooting, young life after young life: how many more children will die before government leaders act to keep children and their schools safe?” asked Catherine Russell, executive director of UNICEF. “Because until they do, these horrors will continue.” This shooting incident comes amid growing criticism of constitutionally protected US gun laws, especially those allowing the sale of automatic weapons to young people, under 21 years of age.On Wednesday, Governor Greg Abbott confirmed that the Texas school shooter used an AR-15 assault rifle. Over half of Americans supported making gun violence laws more strict, The Hill reported citing a poll conducted between the mass shootings that took place this month in New York and Texas. According to the American publication, 54 per cent of those surveyed in a CBS News-YouGov poll out Wednesday said they would like to see stricter laws regulating the sale of guns. A total of 30 per cent said they wanted gun laws to remain the same, and 16 per cent said they wanted gun laws to be less strict, the report added.—ANI

A student in the US state of Texas was caught with firearms outside a high school a day after a deadly shooting at a school in Uvalde killed 19 students and two teachers, media reports said on Wednesday (local time).

Texas student caught with firearms after deadly shooting

Alon Ben-Meir*I am at a loss for words to describe my utter outrage, my excruciating pain, and my revulsion at yet another massacre in what has become an unending cycle of carnage wrought by guns. The perpetrators are not only the murderers themselves but the Republican members of Congress who enable them to commit such heinous crimes and thus become complicit in this unfathomable American tragedy. Righting the Wrong New York (The Hawk): Yet another elementary school shooting massacre has left 19 children and two teachers dead – this time in Uvalde, Texas. The gunman was an 18-year-old who is also dead. The victims in this case were mostly 8, 9, and 10-year-olds. The bloodletting that this country is experiencing daily due to gun violence is inflicting such suffering that it cannot be measured or grasped. Suffering that leaves every parent choked in anguish that cannot be assuaged, that cannot be compensated for, explained, or given some greater meaning. This is absolute, unfathomable loss. These parents who have lost children to inexplicable, murderous rage have been plunged into a nightmare from which they will never wake. This is a horror which defies any and all explanation, a horror which any decent society would prevent by any means necessary. Are we really willing to live in a country where a parent taking their 4-year-old to school must wonder whether their child will be alive at the end of the day, whether their child will be subjected to unspeakable terror? Just to grasp how epidemic mass shootings have become in this country, consider the fact that since the May 14 massacre in Buffalo NY that left ten people dead, sixteen mass shootings have occurred. Five mass shootings occurred the very next day on Sunday, May 15, claiming four lives and injuring twenty-three. How on earth can we as a country pretend that this is in any way normal, acceptable, or anything less than an indictment of our society which has become so desensitized to gun violence? Every American should be standing up and crying out for an end to this awful and shameful epidemic which is permitted to continue because we apparently regard the right to have easy access to lethal firearms as of greater merit and legitimacy than the right to live free from violence, mayhem, and senseless killing.President Biden said in the aftermath of yesterday’s shooting, “I am sick and tired of it. We have to act.” The New York Times reports today that Texas has seen eight mass shootings in the last 13 years – but it is important to note that the Times is defining a mass shooting as an incident in which a lone shooter has killed at least four people. That is not how it is defined by the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as an incident in which “a minimum of four victims [are] shot, either injured or killed, not including any shooter who may also have been killed or injured in the incident.”Under that definition there have been 179 mass shootings in Texas, since January 1, 2017. We have had literally decades to say enough is enough, now we must act. Yet no action or meaningful legislation is forthcoming – no action will be taken to strengthen background checks for gun buyers, no action will be taken to ban the sale of assault rifles which were used in Uvalde and in over 165 mass shootings in this country since the Sandy Hook Elementary massacre on December 14, 2012.The heartbroken parents who have had to endure unspeakable pain are told by political leaders that they have the prayers of the country; that they and the children they have lost will be remembered in the prayers of concerned Americans all across the nation. Prayers? Parents who lost a child do not need anybody’s prayers, good wishes, or social media self-displays of condolence and commiseration. They want their child to come back from school alive, to be held again, kissed again, and loved again. Offering prayers sounds disgustingly irrelevant to the nature of the crisis at hand.What the parents and every American that has lost a loved one to senseless shooting needs now is serious action—actual legislation that will curb the spate of gun violence which is consuming this country from within. The whole world is watching as America continues to destroy itself, its social bonds of trust, its duty to its children, through its obsession with protecting gun rights at all costs.We have fetishized the Second Amendment; we have turned it into an idol, an altar on which to sacrifice our children – as if we exist to serve and protect this single right. Do we truly need to protect at all costs whatever the right for people to have unimpeded access to firearms that belong nowhere but on the battlefield?Is this what any serious person could think the Second Amendment is about? Is anyone supposed to believe that the Founding Fathers were so concerned that an 18-year-old should be able to purchase an assault rifle for his birthday that they would safeguard that right above the right of an 8-year-old not to be gunned down in the middle of school?Senator Ted Cruz is scheduled to speak at the NRA’s annual meeting on Friday. What is he going to say, given that he claimed to be “sickened” by what occurred in Uvalde? Is he going to rise to the moment and tell the NRA that the country can no longer bear to watch this horror unfolding day by day?Is he going to say that the right to guns can be protected while enacting basic common-sense laws which will prevent this needless, and unimaginably cruel killing of society’s most innocent and vulnerable members? Is he going to say that enough is enough, that we must all, Democrats and Republicans alike, wake up and together pass legislation to end this American tragedy?Or will he simply repeat the same platitudes and refuse to lay any responsibility at the door of an organization whose overriding concern has been to protect America’s right to deadly firearms for profit? For politicians to seek the support of a corrupted organization to be elected, and close their eyes and numb their hearts to the bloodletting of thousands of innocent men, women, and children – if this is not an American tragedy, then what is?No, we can no longer settle for prayers, we can no longer settle for platitudes, we can no longer settle for promises. We need action and we need it now. Any Republican who refuses to pass sensible legislation that at a minimum reduces the frequency and the scope of these mass shootings has the blood of the dead on their hands. They must be held responsible for failing to act because they know full well that their inaction will certainly lead to the next mass shooting, and by refusing to act, they become complicit to the killings.The American tragedy is not limited to the carnage that is daily sweeping the nation. Our real tragedy is when the lives of our citizens become fair play and those who refuse to act are still in power. *Dr Alon Ben-Meir is a retired professor of international relations at the Center for Global Affairs at NYU. He taught courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies for over 20 years.

Yet another elementary school shooting massacre has left 19 children and two teachers dead – this time in Uvalde, Texas. The gunman was an 18-year-old who is also dead. The victims in this case were mostly 8, 9, and 10-year-olds.

The American Tragedy

Washington: Netflix has added a warning card to the 'Stranger Things 4' premiere in the wake of the Texas school shooting incident. The warning card reads, "We filmed this season of 'Stranger Things' a year ago. But given the recent tragic shooting at a school in Texas, viewers may find the opening scene of episode 1 distressing. We are deeply saddened by this unspeakable violence, and our hearts go out to every family mourning a loved one."This warning will appear before the prior season recap that auto-plays at the beginning of 'Stranger Things 4' Episode 1 for viewers in the US only, Variety reported. Netflix has also edited the description for the premiere to include the note, "Warning: Contains graphic violence involving children," and added "disturbing images" to the show rating advisories.The incident took place on Tuesday (local time) after an 18-year-old gunman opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. The gunman killed at least 19 children and two adults The gunman was later killed by law enforcement officers.—ANI

Netflix has added a warning card to the 'Stranger Things 4' premiere in the wake of the Texas school shooting incident.

Stranger Things 4: Netflix adds warning to premiere post Texas shooting

Washington: Launching an attack against Democrats for not backing measures to increase security in schools, former United States President Donald Trump on Friday appeared to be defending prominent gun-rights lobbying group National Rifle Association amid growing calls for gun reforms. This comes as nationwide outrage is being witnessed after a teenage gunman killed 19 children and two elementary school teachers in yet another mass shooting in the US. Trump made these remarks while addressing the NRA annual meeting amid growing calls for stronger gun control measures after the killing in the town of Uvalde in Texas.The former US President defended the NRA and rejected calls to cancel its annual convention."Every time a disturbed or demented person commits such a hideous crime, there's always a grotesque effort by some in our society to use the suffering of others to advance their own extreme political agenda," Trump said at the event in Houston, Texas. "Even more repulsive is their rush to shift blame away from the villains who commit acts of mass violence and to place that blame onto the shoulders of millions of peaceful, law-abiding citizens who belong to organisations such as our wonderful NRA," he said while referring to gun reform advocates.The former president called for increasing school security instead of focusing on gun reform."If the United States has USD 40 billion to send to Ukraine, we should be able to do whatever it takes to keep our children safe at home," he said.Amid the public uproar over the killings, NRA and Republican officials painted the Uvalde gunman as deranged and evil, directing the blame to the gunman himself.NRA's CEO and Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre said the group disagrees with US President Joe Biden's position on the law that grants US citizens to bear arms but is on the same page with him on other steps that can be taken to address gun violence. "We do not agree with President Biden on the second amendment, but we share common ground on this. Last week, the President said we do not agree with President Biden on the second amendment. But we share common ground on this: NRA members know that to be true. There are absolutely certain things we can and must do," LaPierre said during remarks at the annual NRA convention.—ANI

Launching an attack against Democrats for not backing measures to increase security in schools, former United States President Donald Trump on Friday appeared to be defending prominent gun-rights lobbying group National Rifle Association amid growing calls for gun reforms.

Trump rejects gun control calls after Texas shooting

Uvalde: Investigators in Texas were seeking to determine on Saturday how critical mistakes were made in the response to the deadly Uvalde shooting, including why nearly 20 police officers remained outside a grade school classroom as children placed panicked 911 calls for help. Why the officers waited in the hallway nearly an hour before entering and fatally shooting the gunman is at the heart of an ongoing probe by the Texas Department of Public Safety into the massacre of 19 children and two teachers in the deadliest U.S. school shooting in nearly a decade.Investigators are also still searching for a motive for the attack. Salvador Ramos, a high school dropout, had no criminal record and no history of mental illness.At least two children placed 911 calls from a pair of adjoining fourth-grade classrooms after 18-year-old Ramos entered on Tuesday with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, Colonel Steven McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said earlier this week."He's in room 112," a girl whispered on the phone at 12:03 p.m., more than 45 minutes before a U.S. Border Patrol-led tactical team stormed in at 12:51 p.m. and ended the siege at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, a town of 16,000 people west of San Antonio.The same girl had implored the 911 operator to "please send the police now" at 12:43 p.m. and again four minutes later.The on-site commander, the chief of the school district's police department, believed at the time that Ramos was barricaded inside and that children were no longer at immediate risk, giving officers time to prepare, McCraw said."From the benefit of hindsight where I'm sitting now, of course, it was not the right decision," McCraw said. "It was the wrong decision, period." Standard law enforcement protocols call for police to confront an active school shooter without delay, rather than wait for backup or more firepower, a point McCraw acknowledged. McCraw described other moments when Ramos might have been thwarted. A school officer, responding to calls about an armed man who crashed a car at the funeral home across the street, drove past Ramos as he crouched beside a vehicle on school property. Police have said Ramos fired at two people standing outside before scaling a fence onto school grounds.The door that gave Ramos access to the building had been left propped open by a teacher, McCraw said, in violation of school district security policies.As criticism of the response by law enforcement grew, police officers from cities as far away as Houston and Dallas began arriving in Uvalde to help support local authorities, in some cases providing protection to Uvalde's own police, the mayor and the gun shop where Ramos purchased his arsenal.Police cruisers were parked outside the home of Pedro Arredondo, the school district's police chief. The police response to the shooting has been sharply criticized by McCraw and Texas Governor Gregg Abbott, among others. Questions about police efforts to stop Ramos came as the United States' leading gun-rights advocacy group, the National Rifle Association, held its annual convention 275 miles (443 km) away in Houston.Abbott, a Republican and staunch gun rights proponent who addressed the meeting in a pre-recorded video, seized on apparent police lapses in Uvalde, telling a news conference later he was misled and "livid about what happened."Abbott denied newly enacted Texas gun laws, including a controversial measure removing licensing requirements for carrying a concealed weapon, had "any relevancy" to Tuesday's bloodshed. He suggested state lawmakers focus renewed attention on addressing mental illness. President Joe Biden, a Democrat who has urged Congress to approve new gun restrictions, will visit Uvalde on Sunday to comfort families and pay respects to the young victims.—REUTERS

Investigators in Texas were seeking to determine on Saturday how critical mistakes were made in the response to the deadly Uvalde shooting, including why nearly 20 police officers remained outside a grade school classroom as children placed panicked 911 calls for help.

Investigators question delayed police response in Texas school shooting

Uvalde:&nbsp;President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden are hoping to console a city stricken by grief and anger when they meet with families affected by the mass shooting at a Texas elementary school that killed 19 students and two teachers.The visit to Uvalde on Sunday is Biden's second trip in as many weeks to comfort a community in mourning after a staggering loss. On May 17, he was in Buffalo, New York, to meet with victims' families and condemn white supremacy after a shooter espousing the racist "replacement theory" killed 10 Black people at a supermarket.The shootings in Texas and New York and their aftermath have put a spotlight on the nation's entrenched divisions and its inability to forge consensus on actions to reduce gun violence."Evil came to that elementary school classroom in Texas, to that grocery store in New York, to far too many places where innocents have died," Biden said Saturday in a commencement address at the University of Delaware. "We have to stand stronger. We must stand stronger. We cannot outlaw tragedy, I know, but we can make America safer." Biden was to visit the makeshift memorial outside Robb Elementary School before attending Mass at a local Catholic church. He was also scheduled to meet with family members at a community center and then with first responders at the local airport before returning to Washington, the White House said. He was not expected to deliver formal remarks.Mckinzie Hinojosa, whose cousin Eliahana Torres was killed Tuesday, said she respected Biden's decision to mourn with the people of Uvalde."It's more than mourning," she said. "We want change. We want action. It continues to be something that happens over and over and over. A mass shooting happens. It's on the news. People cry. Then it's gone. Nobody cares. And then it happens again. And again." "If there's anything if I could tell Joe Biden, as it is, just to respect our community while he's here, and I'm sure he will," she added. "But we need change. We need to do something about it." The Bidens' visit to Uvalde comes amid mounting scrutiny of the police response to the shooting. Officials revealed Friday that students and teachers repeatedly begged 911 operators for help even as a police commander told more than a dozen officers to wait in a hallway. Officials said the commander believed that the suspect was barricaded inside an adjoining classroom and that there was no longer an active attack.The revelation prompted fresh anguish and questions about whether more lives were lost because officers did not act faster to stop the gunman, who was ultimately killed by Border Patrol tactical officers.On Wednesday, before details about the delayed officer response were known, Biden had praised their efforts, saying, ''brave local officers and Border Patrol agents intervened to save as many children as they could." Authorities have said the shooter legally purchased two guns not long before the school attack: an AR-style rifle on May 17 and a second rifle on May 20. He had turned 18 just days earlier, permitting him to buy the weapons under federal law.Speaking on Saturday, Biden said something had to change in response to the attack."I call on all Americans at this hour to join hands and make your voices heard, to work together to make this nation what it can and should be," Biden said. "I know we can do this. We've done it before.'' Hours after the shooting, Biden delivered an impassioned plea for additional gun control legislation, asking: "When in God's name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby? Why are we willing to live with this carnage? Why do we keep letting this happen?" With Jill Biden standing by his side in the Roosevelt Room, the president, who has suffered the loss of two of his own children — though not to gun violence — spoke in visceral terms about the grief of the loved ones of the victims and the pain that will endure for the students who survived."To lose a child is like having a piece of your soul ripped away," Biden said. "There's a hollowness in your chest. You feel like you're being sucked into it and never going to be able to get out." Over the years, Biden has been intimately involved in the gun control movement's most notable successes, such as the 1994 assault weapons ban, and its most troubling disappointments, including the failure to pass new legislation after the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.In the White House, Biden has tried to chip away at gun violence through executive orders. He faces few new options now, but executive action might be the best the president can do, given Washington's sharp divisions on gun control legislation. Lawmakers restarted long-stalled negotiations on expanding background check requirements and encouraging "red flag'' laws meant to keep guns out of the hands of those with mental health issues, but the talks face an uphill battle on Capitol Hill.—PTI

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden are hoping to console a city stricken by grief and anger when they meet with families affected by the mass shooting at a Texas elementary school that killed 19 students and two teachers.

Biden called again to mourn with a city stricken by grief

Baku: India opened their account at the ISSF World Cup with the trio of Elavenil Valarivan, Ramita and Shreya Agrawal claiming the gold medal in the 10m air rifle team women competition in Baku, Azerbaijan. The Indian trio outplayed Denmark represented by Anna Nielsen, Emma Koch and Rikke Maeng Ibsen, 17-5 in the gold medal contest. Poland won bronze in the event.Former World No 1 Elavenil, Ramita and Shreya had reached the gold medal clash after two rounds of qualification on Monday.The Indian trio had first topped the qualification stage one with a combined effort of 944.4 across 90 shots. They then came second in stage two behind Denmark, to make the title round.In the men's air rifle team competition, Indian troika of Rudrankksh Patil, Paarth Makhija and Dhanush Srikanth fell short in their bronze medal match against Croatia, going down 10-16.The 12-member Indian rifle squad now finds itself at the fifth spot in the medals tally with Serbia leading the field with two golds and a total of four medals.—PTI

India opened their account at the ISSF World Cup with the trio of Elavenil Valarivan, Ramita and Shreya Agrawal claiming the gold medal in the 10m air rifle team women competition in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Shooting World Cup: India women win 10m team gold

Oklahoma: At least four people were killed in a shooting incident at a hospital campus on Wednesday (local time) in Oklahoma’s Tulsa city, CNN reported citing police. According to the police, the shooter is also dead. “We can confirm 4 people are deceased, including the shooter, in the active shooting situation at St. Francis hospital campus,” Tulsa Police said in a statement on Wednesday. Authorities responded to a call about a man who was armed with a rifle at the Natalie Medical Building, a physicians’ office building on the St. Francis Hospital campus, according to an earlier Facebook post from the Tulsa Police Department, CNN reported.The shootout incidents in the US have been increasing. On Tuesday (local time), an elderly woman was killed and two other persons were injured after gunfire erupted at a high school graduation ceremony in New Orleans. Prior to that, a mass shooting incident took place last week at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde Texas in which several people including 19 children were killed.Notably, US President Joe Biden yesterday sought advice from New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern over tackling violence in the United States as shooting incidents in America have been increasing in recent days. Biden referred to the 2019 Christchurch slaying of 51 people in mass shootings targeting Muslims. The incident prompted New Zealand to ban military-style rifles. A gun buy-back was also instituted. “We need your guidance,” Biden said during the meeting with Arden in the Oval Office. “Your leadership has taken on a critical role in this global stage — and it really has — galvanizing action on climate change; the global effort to curb violence, extremism, and online, like happened in Christchurch,” he added.—ANI

At least four people were killed in a shooting incident at a hospital campus on Wednesday (local time) in Oklahoma’s Tulsa city, CNN reported citing police.

Four killed in hospital campus shooting in US’ Oklahoma

Hyderabad: Telangana's Esha Singh might have already emerged as one of India's future shooting hopes but she can never forget where it all began. "As a 9-year-old, I used to accompany my father (Sachin Singh) and his friend Gautam to the shooting range in Gachibowli," said Esha, fresh from her exploits in the ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl (Germany)."I loved the shotgun and the rifle but they were too heavy for me," she laughed. "So, I opted for the much-lighter pistol. It was love at first sight. My romance with it began there and then itself."Esha didn't have to wait too long for her high point, though. "I was barely 15 when I was handed the honour of being the flag-bearer of my State in the Khelo India Games. So, Pune 2019 will always have a special place in my heart," she said. She, of course, won a gold medal in the 10m air pistol event and a silver in the 10m team event, making it even more memorable.Now, 17 years old and preparing for the Team India trials, she is thankful to the Khelo Games for propelling her career. "It is a perfect platform for athletes to showcase their talent. One not only gets recognition here but it also helps in building one's confidence for the big events," she said.And Esha is clearly set for the big ones. She has already competed in four Junior World Cups, returning with her best haul in the recent one in Suhl (Germany). She won three gold medals."This World Cup was the most challenging one because it was very cold in Suhl. For the first time, I got a chance to compete with Saurabh Chaudhary in the mixed pairs in the 10m event and we triumphed. As a team, we also excelled in the women's 10m (with Manu Bhaker and Palak) and 25 metres event (with Manu and Rhythm Sangwan)," she pointed out. Esha has now set her eyes on the 2024 Paris Olympics. "With the Asian Games postponed and shooting events being removed from this year's Commonwealth Games, I am focussing on the Paris Olympics in 2024. I know it takes a lot of effort to get there (winning a gold) But I'm willing to put that effort." The young shooter's first big moment came in the 2018 Senior Nationals in Kerala, where she won seven medals, even beating the likes of Manu Bhaker and Heena Sidhu. "That changed me completely. I don't feel nervous anymore," she added.—IANS

Telangana's Esha Singh might have already emerged as one of India's future shooting hopes but she can never forget where it all began.

The Hawk

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Sunil Aswal

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Paralympics Double-Medallist Singhraj Takes PM’s ‘Meet The Champions’ Campaign To J&K

Sunil Aswal

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