9-Month-Old Israeli Baby Youngest Hostage Among 240 Captured By Hamas

Nine months old. The smiling red-haired baby had recently started to crawl after rocking on all fours. Kfir Bibas lived with his parents and 4-year-old brother in a kibbutz in southern Israel.

On Oct. 7, their lives were changed forever as the family--mom Shiri, dad Yarden, and the two kids--was abducted by Hamas to Gaza when the Islamist terrorists overran the area and went on a murderous rampage.

This beautiful baby boy Kfir Bibas was just nine months old when he was ripped from his home and kidnapped by Hamas terrorists.

He is now 10 months old and still being held hostage in Gaza.

Pray for the return of Kfir, his big brother Ariel, his mother Shiri and father… pic.twitter.com/lyqehDslOG

— Israel ישראל 🇮🇱 (@Israel) November 12, 2023

At nine months old, Kfir is the youngest of the roughly 240 hostages--including 32 children--held by Hamas.

After a month with no news on the family's whereabouts or condition, Kfir is now 10 months old.

His grandfather clings to the hope that the family will be released soon amid reports of a possible hostage release this week.

"This is my whole life now," Eli Bibas, 66, said Sunday in an interview with the Tazpit Press Service about his son, daughter-in-law and two grandsons being held by Hamas. "We have got to get them home."

That fateful Saturday, Eli was supposed to visit the family at 10 a.m., at their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz, but the air raid sirens went off at 6:30, warning of incoming rockets from Gaza, sending everybody to their protected rooms.

Eli, who lives about 20 minutes away, texted Yarden, 34, to be sure the family was OK.

"Like the rest of the Gaza border communities, he was in the sealed room," Eli said.

That morning, Yarden kept texting with his sister Ofri, letting her know what was happening in Nir Oz, where he lived with Shiri, 32, Ariel and Kfir.

But by 9 a.m. the air raid warnings kept coming and coming, and Eli knew something was astray. At 9:20 his son texted him "I love you," the same message he sent his mom and sister.

Just two months earlier, Yarden's sister had moved from a nearby Gaza border community to the Golan Heights, to get away from the rocket attacks. Her brother had been thinking about making a similar move, his father recounted, and had also bought a handgun.

"Imagine what it would have been like for me now if my daughter had not moved," he said in the interview.

Yarden told his sister that there was noise outside and that they were having difficulty keeping the kids quiet but he was afraid to use the gun since the terrorists had automatic weapons.

At 9:45 a.m., he texted, "They're inside."

A video would soon come out of the Hamas terrorists drilling open the front door.

Hours later, a video circulated of Shiri holding both boys in her arms, a look of terror on her face as she was surrounded by terrorists, her boys facing her chest, a blanket covering them.

Three days later, another picture would emerge, of a bloodied Yarden Bibas, a terrorist holding his throat with one hand and a hammer in the other.

Shiri's parents were burned alive in their homes in the kibbutz, their daughter held in Gaza still unaware of their fate.

One in four members of their kibbutz was kidnapped or killed.

Ofri, who has been to London and Cyprus to speak out for her brother's family and the other hostages after a fruitless meeting with the International Red Cross in Tel Aviv, will travel to Geneva on Monday to speak at the U.N. Human Rights Council, Eli said.

"No one could have imagined such a nightmare," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Amid Rising Pollution, Parking Fees Of Private Vehicles Doubled In Delhi

Amid high pollution levels in the national capital, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has doubled the charges for parking sites managed by it to discourage people from using private vehicles.

There are a total of 91 parking sites in the NDMC area. While 41 of these are managed by the NDMC, the maintenance of others has been outsourced to other agencies.

Parking sites between Rajpath and AIIMS, including those at Sarojini Nagar market, Khan Market, Lodhi Road, INA, AIIMS and Safdarjung, fall in the NDMC area. These sites witness heavy traffic.

"Keeping in view the climatic conditions, the parking fees (off road/on road) has been enhanced to twice the existing (amount) to discourage private transport for the parking managed by NDMC through its own staff till 31st January 2024," an official notification stated.

The decision has been taken keeping in view the Graded Action Response Plan (GRAP) Stage IV guidelines that are in place in Delhi owing to the pollution situation, it said.

GRAP, the Central government's air pollution control plan for Delhi-NCR, categorises actions into four stages: Stage I - Poor (AQI 201-300); Stage II - Very Poor (AQI 301-400); Stage III - Severe (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV - Severe Plus (AQI above 450).

The NDMC presently charges Rs 20 per hour and a maximum of Rs 100 per day for four-wheelers at surface parking sites and Rs 10 per hour and a maximum of Rs 50 per day for two-wheelers. The monthly charges for four-wheelers are fixed at Rs 2,000 and Rs 1,000 for two-wheelers.

The agency charges Rs 10 for up to four hours for four-wheelers and Rs 5 for up to four hours for two-wheelers at its multilevel parking sites. The same rates apply at Palika underground parking.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Race To Rescue 40 Workers Trapped Inside Uttarakhand Tunnel For 24 Hours

A multi-agency operation is being carried out to rescue 40 workers trapped inside a tunnel in Uttarakhand since yesterday morning.

An under-construction tunnel on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri National Highway in Uttarakashi district partially collapsed at around 5 am yesterday, leaving 40 workers trapped inside.

The rescue operations are being conducted by the State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) and the police.

A senior official told NDTV that all 40 workers are safe and are being supplied oxygen through a pipe. "Everyone is safe, we are in constant touch with the trapped workers," Prashant Kumar said.

Mr Kumar said that communication has been established with the trapped workers and they have been sent water and food items.

He said that the collapsed portion of the tunnel is located about 200 metres from the entrance and about 20 metres of the slab has been removed so far to open the tunnel.

"The team is removing the debris using excavators and other heavy machines," he said.

The tunnel is meant to connect Silkyara to Dandalgaon in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi. It is being built under the Char Dham Road Project and aims to reduce the journey from Uttarkashi to Yamunotri Dham by 26 kilometres.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami yesterday said that he has been briefed about the rescue operation. "I have been in contact with the officials from the time I got to know about the incident. NDRF and SDRF are at the spot. We pray to God for the safe return of everybody," he said.

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Delhi-NCR Air Reaches Toxic High As Cracker Craze Counters Rain Relief

The air quality in Delhi and nearby cities reached hazardous levels a day after Diwali with the widespread violation of the firecracker ban across the National Capital Region (NCR) on Sunday raising environmental concerns.

Most realtime air monitoring platforms this morning pegged the air quality index (AQI) above 500, with some places reaching as high as 900.

The average AQI was around 300 at most places, showed data recorded by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The city yesterday recorded its best Diwali day air quality in eight years with clear skies and abundant sunshine. The AQI stood at 218 at 4 pm, the best in at least three weeks, with rains last week bringing about a slight improvement.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', 401 and 450 'severe' and above 450 'severe plus'.

The Supreme Court last week clarified that its order banning firecrackers that has barium binds every state and is not just limited to the Delhi-NCR region.

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S Jaishankar Meets Rishi Sunak, Gifts Bat Signed By Virat Kohli

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty at 10 Downing Street and conveyed the best wishes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Diwali on Sunday.

S Jaishankar along with his wife, Kyoko Jaishankar met with the UK PM and presented him a Lord Ganesha Statue and a cricket bat signed by Indian batting great Virat Kohli.

Taking to his official handle on X, EAM S Jaishankar shared details about his meeting with the UK PM, posting, "Delighted to call on Prime Minister @RishiSunak on #Diwali Day. Conveyed the best wishes of PM @narendramodi. India and UK are actively engaged in reframing the relationship for contemporary times. Thank Mr. and Mrs. Sunak for their warm reception and gracious hospitality."

The Prime Minister @RishiSunak welcomed @DrSJaishankar to Downing Street this evening.

Together they expressed their very best wishes as Indian communities around the world begin #Diwali celebrations.

🇬🇧🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/gjCxQ0vr8d

— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) November 12, 2023

S Jaishankar is currently on an official visit to the United Kingdom, during which he is scheduled to hold a meeting with his UK counterpart James Cleverly. He arrived in Britain on Saturday and will conclude his visit on November 15.

He is also scheduled to meet several other dignitaries during his visit.

India and the UK have a "growing bilateral partnership", the MEA stated in a release earlier, noting that the two countries launched a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2021.

"India and the UK share a warm and thriving relationship. The India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership was launched in 2021 along with the India-UK Roadmap 2030," the MEA stated in its release.

"The Roadmap is a commitment to a partnership that delivers for both the countries. EAM's visit will give a new impetus to the friendly ties between the two countries," it added.

Significantly, India and the UK are negotiating a Free Trade Agreement. Talks for FTA between India and the UK started in 2022 and the 12th round of negotiations took place from August 8-31 this year.

Earlier, on November 3, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his UK counterpart Rishi Sunak discussed the progress on the Free Trade Agreement during a telephone conversation.

Rishi Sunak also congratulated PM Modi on Team India's dazzling performances in the ongoing Cricket World Cup.

"Turning to the friendship between the UK and India, the leaders discussed recent progress on Free Trade Agreement negotiations. They agreed on the importance of securing an ambitious deal that benefitted both sides," the UK government stated in an official release.

"The leaders discussed the ongoing Cricket World Cup being held in India. The Prime Minister congratulated Prime Minister Modi on the strong performance of the India team and said he hoped England would have more luck during their test series in India in January," it added.

PM Modi and Rishi Sunak also discussed the conflict in West Asia, especially in the context of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The two leaders condemned Hamas's attacks on Israel and reiterated that the terror group "did not represent" the Palestinian people.

The two leaders also reflected on the need to de-escalate tensions in the wider region.

PM Rishi Sunak underscored the importance of protecting innocent civilians in Gaza and ensuring aid was able to flow into the country, the statement added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Delhi Residents Celebrate Diwali With Crackers Despite Supreme Court Ban

The ban on firecrackers was violated in several areas of Delhi as people celebrated Diwali on Sunday.

People burst firecrackers in Shahpur Jat and Hauz Khas area. Several people were seen gathering at the park of the locality for bursting crackers.

The intensity of bursting firecrackers increased after 4 pm, but it was comparatively lesser than the last year.

Not many people were seen venturing out of their houses in and around the locality, except a few.

Speaking to PTI, environmentalist Bhavreen Kandhari said that bursting of firecrackers was reported at her residential area Defence Colony too.

She said that complaints were also registered at the Defence Colony police station, but no change was noticed.

"The Supreme Court's firm stance on firecrackers got blown in the smoke of the firecrackers. Despite warnings and a complete ban...implementing authorities have failed yet again. Wondering what stance will the Supreme Court take now? ...We are allowing our children to choke in the name of celebration," she said.

Till 7.30 pm, the intensity of bursting firecrackers was less in Greater Kailash and Chittaranjan Park area. It is expected that people will burst firecrackers after performing puja, people in the locality said.

In the Chhatarpur locality of south Delhi, sounds of firecrackers being burst could be heard from 6 pm onwards.

Many shopkeepers in the area were seen flouting the ban and selling small firecrackers to children.

Firecrackers were also burst by some people in south Delhi's East of Kailash area.

From 6:30 pm onwards, intermittent noise of firecrackers going off in the distance could be heard from households. While some went off with low intensity, a few other firecrackers produced booming sounds.

Meanwhile, very few firecrackers were burst in the Lalita Park area of Laxmi Nagar till 7:30 pm. Locals said the intensity may go up later in the night.

The effect was moderate in several other areas of east Delhi.

However, the firecrackers being burst this year was reportedly negligible when compared to the last year, according to residents in these localities.

The Supreme Court on November 7 had said that it order banning firecrackers containing barium binds every state and is not just limited to the Delhi-NCR region, which is reeling under severe air pollution

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Big Development In Babar's Pakistan Captaincy. Teammates Advice Him To...

Pakistan Skipper Babar Azam has been advised against putting in his papers by his national teammates even as he has rested case with the Pakistan Cricket Board headed by Zaka Ashraf to take a call on his future. Pakistan finished fifth in 10 team table and missed out on semi-final qualification, leading to a lot of criticism from former players, who has sought a change in leadership.

"Babar has already spoken to his teammates, and majority of them advised him not to step down himself. He will come out with a clear line of action once he returns home with the team after failing to make the semi-finals of the World Cup in India. But, he will not step down himself," a PCB source told PTI.

Babar has a strong following in the team and likes of Imam ul Haq, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf are players considered to be close to the Pakistan skipper.

In fact, last year when there were talks about removing Babar from Test captaincy had gained traction on social media, some of the players had then taken to social media to show their solidarity with a hashtag "Sochna Bhi Mana Hai" (Don't even harbour such thoughts).

With Pakistan facing two challenging tours - to Australia and New Zealand - shortly after the World Cup, Babar is wants to continue as the national skipper across formats.

"He will most probably leave the decision of whether he should remain captain or not up to the Pakistan Cricket Board headed by Zaka Ashraf,” a well-informed source close to the skipper said.

Babar was first named the white-ball captain for the 'Green Shirts' in late 2019 after the World Cup in England (where they failed to make it to the semi-finals), replacing Sarfaraz Ahmed.

Besides, he was also appointed Test captain in 2021, taking over the reins from Azhar Ali.

But, while Babar has enjoyed success in T20 Internationals, leading his team to the finals of the Asia Cup T20 and the T20 World Cup last year, his record in Tests and ODIs has been far from impressive.

Also, after Pakistan's 2016 T20 World Cup campaign in India (where it failed to make it beyond the Super 10 stage), skipper Shahid Afridi and head coach Waqar Younis were shown the door by the PCB.

PCB head Zaka has insisted that he will only take decisions on the captaincy and team management after consulting some of the former players, notably Misbah ul Haq (who was appointed as the head coach and chief selector when Babar was assigned the leadership duties), Muhammad Hafeez and some others.

Zaka has already met with some of the former players, like Mohammad Yousuf and Aaqib Javed and sought their advice on future decisions around the team.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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