The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said her country will never accept South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's “foolish” offer of economic benefits in exchange for denuclearisation steps, accusing Seoul of recycling proposals Pyongyang already rejected.
In a commentary published by state media Friday, Kim Yo Jong stressed that her country has no intentions to give away its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles programme for economic cooperation, saying “no one barters its destiny for corn cake.” She questioned the sincerity of South Korea's calls for improved bilateral relations while it continues its combined military exercises with the United States and fails to stop civilian activists from flying anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets and other “dirty waste” across their border.
She also ridiculed South Korea's military capabilities, saying the South misread the launch site of the North's latest missile tests on Wednesday, hours before Yoon used a news conference to urge Pyongyang to return to diplomacy.
“It would have been more favourable for his image to shut his mouth, rather than talking nonsense as he had nothing better to say,” she said about Yoon.
South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, expressed “strong regret” over Kim Yo Jong's comments, and Yoon's office called for Pyongyang to show “self-restraint” and “think deeply” about Seoul's offer.
“This attitude from North Korea will not only threaten peace on the Korean Peninsula but result in further difficulties for the North by worsening its international isolation and economic situation,” Lee Hyo-jung, a Unification Ministry spokesperson, said during a briefing.
Kim Yo Jong last week had threatened “deadly” retaliation against the South over the COVID-19 outbreak in the North, which it dubiously claims was caused by leaflets and other objects dropped from balloons launched by southern activists.
Yoon during a nationally televised speech on Monday proposed an “audacious” economic assistance package to North Korea if it takes steps to abandon its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles programme.
The offers of large-scale aid in food and health care and modernising electricity generation systems and seaports and airports weren't meaningfully different from previous South Korean proposals rejected by the North, which is speeding the development of an arsenal Kim Jong Un sees as his strongest guarantee of survival.
Kim Yo Jong, one of the most powerful officials in her brother's government who oversees inter-Korean affairs, said Yoon displayed the “height of absurdity” with his offer, saying it was realistic as creating “mulberry fields in the dark blue ocean.” She said South Korea's words and actions would only incite “surging hatred and wrath” from North Koreans and insisted Pyongyang has no immediate plans to revive long-stalled diplomacy with Seoul.
“It is our earnest desire to live without awareness of each other,” she said.
Inter-Korean ties have worsened amid a stalemate in larger nuclear negotiations between North Korea and the U.S. that derailed in 2019 because of disagreements over a relaxation of crippling U.S.-led sanctions on the North in exchange for disarmament steps.
There are concerns that Kim Yo Jong's threats last week over the leafletting portends a provocation, of which the possibilities may include a nuclear or missile test or even border skirmishes.

'Foolish': North Korea dismisses South's economic aid offer

The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said her country will never accept South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's “foolish” offer of economic benefits in exchange for denuclearisation steps, accusing Seoul of recycling proposals Pyongyang already rejected.

South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, expressed &ldquo;strong regret&rdquo; over Kim Yo Jong's comments

The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said her country will never accept South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's &ldquo;foolish&rdquo; offer of economic benefits in exchange for denuclearisation steps, accusing Seoul of recycling proposals Pyongyang already rejected.
In a commentary published by state media Friday, Kim Yo Jong stressed that her country has no intentions to give away its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles programme for economic cooperation, saying &ldquo;no one barters its destiny for corn cake.&rdquo;
She questioned the sincerity of South Korea's calls for improved bilateral relations while it continues its combined military exercises with the United States and fails to stop civilian activists from flying anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets and other &ldquo;dirty waste&rdquo; across their border.
She also ridiculed South Korea's military capabilities, saying the South misread the launch site of the North's latest missile tests on Wednesday, hours before Yoon used a news conference to urge Pyongyang to return to diplomacy.
&ldquo;It would have been more favourable for his image to shut his mouth, rather than talking nonsense as he had nothing better to say,&rdquo; she said about Yoon.
South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, expressed &ldquo;strong regret&rdquo; over Kim Yo Jong's comments, and Yoon's office called for Pyongyang to show &ldquo;self-restraint&rdquo; and &ldquo;think deeply&rdquo; about Seoul's offer.
&ldquo;This attitude from North Korea will not only threaten peace on the Korean Peninsula but result in further difficulties for the North by worsening its international isolation and economic situation,&rdquo; Lee Hyo-jung, a Unification Ministry spokesperson, said during a briefing.
Kim Yo Jong last week had threatened &ldquo;deadly&rdquo; retaliation against the South over the COVID-19 outbreak in the North, which it dubiously claims was caused by leaflets and other objects dropped from balloons launched by southern activists.
Also Watch| <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/on-korean-independence-day-south-offers-north-economic-benefits-for-denuclearisation-1660567090490">On Korean independence day, South offers North economic benefits for denuclearisation</a>
Yoon during a nationally televised speech on Monday proposed an &ldquo;audacious&rdquo; economic assistance package to North Korea if it takes steps to abandon its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles programme.
The offers of large-scale aid in food and health care and modernising electricity generation systems and seaports and airports weren't meaningfully different from previous South Korean proposals rejected by the North, which is speeding the development of an arsenal Kim Jong Un sees as his strongest guarantee of survival.
Kim Yo Jong, one of the most powerful officials in her brother's government who oversees inter-Korean affairs, said Yoon displayed the &ldquo;height of absurdity&rdquo; with his offer, saying it was realistic as creating &ldquo;mulberry fields in the dark blue ocean.&rdquo;
She said South Korea's words and actions would only incite &ldquo;surging hatred and wrath&rdquo; from North Koreans and insisted Pyongyang has no immediate plans to revive long-stalled diplomacy with Seoul.
&ldquo;It is our earnest desire to live without awareness of each other,&rdquo; she said.
Inter-Korean ties have worsened amid a stalemate in larger nuclear negotiations between North Korea and the U.S. that derailed in 2019 because of disagreements over a relaxation of crippling U.S.-led sanctions on the North in exchange for disarmament steps.
There are concerns that Kim Yo Jong's threats last week over the leafletting portends a provocation, of which the possibilities may include a nuclear or missile test or even border skirmishes.

Marco Aurelio dos Santos Rocha or Foka was arrested by the Rio de Janeiro police on Wednesday while he was watching a football match in Brazil's Maracana stadium, according to an official Rio police statement. 
The druglord was detained by officers, the statement further said, while he was in the stands watching Fluminense, a football club in Brazil, advancing to Copa do Brasil semifinals against Fortaleza. 
When the police approached him, he was donning a Fluminense jersey that had Foka written on it alongwith number 13. 
According to the police, Foka is the alleged leader of drug trafficking in a favela complex in Rio de Janeiro's metropolitan area. 
Foka, who is considered a wanted fugitive as two arrest warrants have already been issued against him, would also be responsible for several killings, officials added. 
Also Watch| Argentina yoga school ran a sex sect: 19 arrested so far

Video: drug lord arrested while watching football in Brazil stadium

When the police approached him, he was donning a Fluminense jersey that had Foka written on it alongwith number 13. 

When the police approached him, he was donning a Fluminense jersey that had Foka written on it alongwith number 13.&nbsp;

Marco Aurelio dos Santos Rocha or Foka was arrested by the Rio de Janeiro police on Wednesday while he was watching a football match in Brazil's Maracana stadium, according to an official Rio police statement.&nbsp;
The druglord was detained by officers, the statement further said, while he was in the stands watching Fluminense, a football club in Brazil, advancing to Copa do Brasil semifinals against Fortaleza.&nbsp;
When the police approached him, he was donning a Fluminense jersey that had Foka written on it alongwith number 13.&nbsp;
According to the police, Foka is the alleged leader of drug trafficking in a favela complex in Rio de Janeiro's metropolitan area.&nbsp;
Foka, who is considered a wanted fugitive as two arrest warrants have already been issued against him, would also be responsible for several killings, officials added.&nbsp;
Also Watch| <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/argentina-yoga-school-ran-a-sex-sect-19-arrested-so-far-1660889555035">Argentina yoga school ran a sex sect: 19 arrested so far</a>
with AP inputs

The Hindu community in Bangladesh has the same rights as she has, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said, asserting that the number of mandaps in Dhaka during the Durga Puja festivities were much higher than in West Bengal.
Hasina interacted with the Hindu community leaders on Thursday on the occasion of Janmashtami and urged believers of other faiths not to think of themselves as minorities, saying everyone irrespective of their religions will enjoy equal rights in Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority country.
“We want people of all faiths to live with equal rights. You are people of this country, you have equal rights here, you have the same rights as I have,” the Dhaka Tribune newspaper quoted her as saying.
“You would always think that you are the citizens of this country and you will enjoy equal rights,” the premier noted.
Hasina virtually joined the event at Dhakeswari Mandir in Dhaka and JM Sen Hall in Chattogram from her official residence in Gonobhaban.
“We also want to see you in that way. Please don’t undermine yourselves. You were born in this country, you are the citizens of this country,” she noted.
The prime minister said the number of mandaps in Dhaka is higher than the number in West Bengal or Kolkata, and across Bangladesh during the Durga Puja festivities.
Hasina lamented that whenever an untoward incident occurs, it is propagated in such a manner that the Hindu community don’t have any rights in Bangladesh.
“Colours are given to that incident in a way that the Hindus have no rights here. And the actions of the government after the incidents don’t get proper attention,” Prothom Aalo newspaper quoted her as saying.
Hasina said her government and the Awami League did not believe in undermining people from any religion.
“We can say it clearly. Our government is very cautious about it. I can assure you that,” she added.
The Hindu community is the second largest religious affiliation in Bangladesh according to the 2022 census, constituting approximately 7.95 per cent out of the total 161.5 million population.

Bangladesh PM's message to Hindus on Janmashtami: you have same rights as I have

The Hindu community in Bangladesh has the same rights as she has, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said, asserting that the number of mandaps in Dhaka during the Durga Puja festivities were much higher than in West Bengal.

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina interacted with the Hindu community leaders on Thursday on the occasion of Janmashtami and urged believers of other faiths not to think of themselves as minorities

The Hindu community in Bangladesh has the same rights as she has, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said, asserting that the number of mandaps in Dhaka during the Durga Puja festivities were much higher than in West Bengal.
Hasina interacted with the Hindu community leaders on Thursday on the occasion of Janmashtami and urged believers of other faiths not to think of themselves as minorities, saying everyone irrespective of their religions will enjoy equal rights in Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority country.
&ldquo;We want people of all faiths to live with equal rights. You are people of this country, you have equal rights here, you have the same rights as I have,&rdquo; the Dhaka Tribune newspaper quoted her as saying.
&ldquo;You would always think that you are the citizens of this country and you will enjoy equal rights,&rdquo; the premier noted.
Hasina virtually joined the event at Dhakeswari Mandir in Dhaka and JM Sen Hall in Chattogram from her official residence in Gonobhaban.
&ldquo;We also want to see you in that way. Please don&rsquo;t undermine yourselves. You were born in this country, you are the citizens of this country,&rdquo; she noted.
The prime minister said the number of mandaps in Dhaka is higher than the number in West Bengal or Kolkata, and across Bangladesh during the Durga Puja festivities.
Hasina lamented that whenever an untoward incident occurs, it is propagated in such a manner that the Hindu community don&rsquo;t have any rights in Bangladesh.
&ldquo;Colours are given to that incident in a way that the Hindus have no rights here. And the actions of the government after the incidents don&rsquo;t get proper attention,&rdquo; Prothom Aalo newspaper quoted her as saying.
Hasina said her government and the Awami League did not believe in undermining people from any religion.
&ldquo;We can say it clearly. Our government is very cautious about it. I can assure you that,&rdquo; she added.
The Hindu community is the second largest religious affiliation in Bangladesh according to the 2022 census, constituting approximately 7.95 per cent out of the total 161.5 million population.
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The Argentine Federal Police has carried out dozens of raids targeting a sect-like organization leaders have been charged with crimes, including sexual exploitation.
Video shared by the police on Thursday showed multiple operations which took place last week in the capital against the Buenos Aires Yoga School.
The school “built a cult around its leader” and reduced members to “a situation of slavery and/or sexual exploitation” according to prosecutors' documents in the Argentine case against the school.
The organization set up a business structure that included offices in Argentina and the United States, including branches in at least three U.S. cities: Las Vegas, Chicago and New York.
So far, 19 people have been detained in Argentina, while at least three suspects are thought to remain at large inside the South American country and four are being sought in the United States.
The name of Placido Domingo, the Spanish opera singer who has faced accusations of sexual harassment from numerous women over the past three years, has appeared in the investigation but he has not been accused of any wrongdoing in the Argentina case.
Domingo has not spoken publicly about the latest developments and his representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
Sexual trafficking and exploitation were the main sources of income for the group that had an estimated revenue of around $500,000 per month, according to the judicial official.
The Buenos Aires Yoga School had numerous groups of women who were forced to maintain sexual encounters in exchange for money, prosecutors allege.
At least seven women were incorporated into the group when they were still children or teenagers and were sexually exploited, according to the prosecution's documents.
People came from the United States to Argentina to have sex with the women and investigators say women were also transported to neighboring Uruguay and the U.S. for sexual encounters.

Argentina yoga school ran a sex sect: 19 arrested so far

Video shared by the police on Thursday showed multiple operations which took place last week in the capital against the Buenos Aires Yoga School.

The Argentine Federal Police has carried out dozens of raids targeting a sect-like organization leaders have been charged with crimes, including sexual exploitation.
Video shared by the police on Thursday showed multiple operations which took place last week in the capital against the Buenos Aires Yoga School.
The school &ldquo;built a cult around its leader&rdquo; and reduced members to &ldquo;a situation of slavery and/or sexual exploitation&rdquo; according to prosecutors' documents in the Argentine case against the school.
The organization set up a business structure that included offices in Argentina and the United States, including branches in at least three U.S. cities: Las Vegas, Chicago and New York.
So far, 19 people have been detained in Argentina, while at least three suspects are thought to remain at large inside the South American country and four are being sought in the United States.
The name of Placido Domingo, the Spanish opera singer who has faced accusations of sexual harassment from numerous women over the past three years, has appeared in the investigation but he has not been accused of any wrongdoing in the Argentina case.
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Domingo has not spoken publicly about the latest developments and his representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
Sexual trafficking and exploitation were the main sources of income for the group that had an estimated revenue of around $500,000 per month, according to the judicial official.
The Buenos Aires Yoga School had numerous groups of women who were forced to maintain sexual encounters in exchange for money, prosecutors allege.
At least seven women were incorporated into the group when they were still children or teenagers and were sexually exploited, according to the prosecution's documents.
People came from the United States to Argentina to have sex with the women and investigators say women were also transported to neighboring Uruguay and the U.S. for sexual encounters.

In Los Angeles' Harbor Gateway area, video from security cameras inside a provision store captured a chaotic scene when a crowd of people ransacked the store.  The large crowd gathered for the street takeover, swarmed the store in a frenzy of looting and vandalism.  Security camera video showed the situation quickly turned into mayhem when dozens of people emptied shelves, threw snacks and beverages, and left with merchandise. Police described the scene as 'flash mob' looting. At least two people jumped over the front counter and threw items to the others in the crowd. A store employee, decisively outnumbered, hid in a back room of the store fearing for his life. Police have released surveillance video and announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to arrests.   Street takeovers have been an ongoing problem in parts of Los Angeles as large crowds gather at intersections to perform donuts and other stunts. 

Video: 'flash mob looting' at US store, cops announce $50,000 reward

In Los Angeles' Harbor Gateway area, video from security cameras inside a provision store captured chaotic scenes when a crowd of people ransacked the store. 

The large crowd gathered for the street takeover, swarmed the store in a frenzy of looting and vandalism.&nbsp;

In Los Angeles' Harbor Gateway area, video from security cameras inside a provision store captured a chaotic scene when a crowd of people ransacked the store.&nbsp; &nbsp; The large crowd gathered for the street takeover, swarmed the store in a frenzy of looting and vandalism.&nbsp; &nbsp; Security camera video showed the situation quickly turned into mayhem when dozens of people emptied shelves, threw snacks and beverages, and left with merchandise. Police described the scene as 'flash mob' looting.&nbsp; At least two people jumped over the front counter and threw items to the others in the crowd. A store employee, decisively outnumbered, hid in a back room of the store fearing for his life. Police have released surveillance video and announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to arrests.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Street takeovers have been an ongoing problem in parts of Los Angeles as large crowds gather at intersections to perform donuts and other stunts.&nbsp;
ALSO WATCH: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/2-die-after-planes-collide-in-california-1660880044207">2 die after planes collide in California</a>

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro briefly grappled with a heckler and tried to snatch his phone on Thursday, underscoring possible challenges for the sometimes quick-tempered leader to stay disciplined on the campaign trail.
As Bolsonaro spoke to supporters outside his residence in the capital city of Brasilia, social media influencer Wilker Leão used his phone to film himself repeatedly shouting at the president, calling him “coward,” “bum” and the “darling” of a pork-barrel faction in Congress.
Bolsonaro first entered his car, but then reemerged and grabbed the man's shirt and forearm while reaching for his phone. Security guards pulled Leão away.
The presidential campaign that kicked off Tuesday is expected to be an uphill battle for Bolsonaro, who trails former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in all polls ahead of the October 2 first round vote.
A journalist from news website G1 published a video of Leão's comments and the subsequent altercation.

Bolsonaro on poll campaign: Brazil President grabs at heckler, tries to take phone

The presidential campaign is expected to be an uphill battle for Bolsonaro, who trails former President Luiz In&aacute;cio Lula da Silva in all polls

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro briefly grappled with a heckler and tried to snatch his phone on Thursday, underscoring possible challenges for the sometimes quick-tempered leader to stay disciplined on the campaign trail.
As Bolsonaro spoke to supporters outside his residence in the capital city of Brasilia, social media influencer Wilker Le&atilde;o used his phone to film himself repeatedly shouting at the president, calling him &ldquo;coward,&rdquo; &ldquo;bum&rdquo; and the &ldquo;darling&rdquo; of a pork-barrel faction in Congress.
Bolsonaro first entered his car, but then reemerged and grabbed the man's shirt and forearm while reaching for his phone. Security guards pulled Le&atilde;o away.
The presidential campaign that kicked off Tuesday is expected to be an uphill battle for Bolsonaro, who trails former President Luiz In&aacute;cio Lula da Silva in all polls ahead of the October 2 first round vote.
A journalist from news website G1 published a video of Le&atilde;o's comments and the subsequent altercation.
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Two planes collided in Northern California while trying to land at a local airport Thursday and at least two of the three occupants were killed, officials said.
The collision occurred at Watsonville Municipal Airport shortly before 3 p.m., according to a tweet from the city of Watsonville.
There were two people aboard a twin-engine Cessna 340 and only the pilot aboard a single-engine Cessna 152 during the crash, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Officials say multiple fatalities were reported but it was not immediately clear whether anyone survived.
The pilots were on their final approaches to the airport when the collision occurred, the FAA said in a statement. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board, which did not immediately have additional details, are investigating the crash.
No one on the ground was injured.
Photos and videos from the scene posted on social media showed the wreckage of one small plane in a grassy field by the airport. One picture showed a plume of smoke visible from a street near the airport.
A photo from the city of Watsonville showed damage to a small building at the airport, with firefighters on the scene.
The Watsonville Police Department referred calls to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, where a dispatcher had no information.
Watsonville, near the Monterey Bay, is about 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of San Francisco.
Two other pilots also were hurt in aircraft crashes elsewhere in California on Thursday.
A 65-year-old San Diego man received major but non-life threatening injuries when his single-engine plane crashed on a street near a busy freeway overpass in El Cajon, authorities said.
The plane reportedly struck an SUV but nobody on the ground was hurt in the city nearly 20 miles (32 kilometers) northeast of downtown San Diego.
Later, the pilot of an ultralight aircraft was critically injured when it crashed upside down on a building at the Camarillo Airport in Ventura County, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) from downtown Los Angeles.

2 die after planes collide in California

A photo from the city of Watsonville showed damage to a small building at the airport, with firefighters on the scene.

Two planes collided in Northern California while trying to land at a local airport Thursday and at least two of the three occupants were killed, officials said.
The collision occurred at Watsonville Municipal Airport shortly before 3 p.m., according to a tweet from the city of Watsonville.
There were two people aboard a twin-engine Cessna 340 and only the pilot aboard a single-engine Cessna 152 during the crash, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Officials say multiple fatalities were reported but it was not immediately clear whether anyone survived.
The pilots were on their final approaches to the airport when the collision occurred, the FAA said in a statement. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board, which did not immediately have additional details, are investigating the crash.
No one on the ground was injured.
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Photos and videos from the scene posted on social media showed the wreckage of one small plane in a grassy field by the airport. One picture showed a plume of smoke visible from a street near the airport.
A photo from the city of Watsonville showed damage to a small building at the airport, with firefighters on the scene.
The Watsonville Police Department referred calls to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, where a dispatcher had no information.
Watsonville, near the Monterey Bay, is about 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of San Francisco.
Two other pilots also were hurt in aircraft crashes elsewhere in California on Thursday.
A 65-year-old San Diego man received major but non-life threatening injuries when his single-engine plane crashed on a street near a busy freeway overpass in El Cajon, authorities said.
The plane reportedly struck an SUV but nobody on the ground was hurt in the city nearly 20 miles (32 kilometers) northeast of downtown San Diego.
Later, the pilot of an ultralight aircraft was critically injured when it crashed upside down on a building at the Camarillo Airport in Ventura County, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) from downtown Los Angeles.

A group of environmental activists released footage Thursday of a protest they said they had staged at the Vatican Museum, where they glued themselves to a famous statue.
The activists from the group Ultima Generazione, or 'Last Generation', said in a note to journalists that two members of their group glued their hands on the plinth of the Roman statue of Lacoon, one of the masterpieces of the Vatican Museums collection, to protest against climate change.
The activists displayed a banner reading, "Last Generation No Gas No Coal" urging politicians to listen to the call from the scientific community and act against climate change.
The activists said museum staff temporarily closed the section where they had staged their protest before being moved away.
The museum did not offer a comment about the action.

Climate activists glue their hands to a statue in Vatican Museum

A group of environmental activists released footage Thursday of a protest they said they had staged at the Vatican Museum, where they glued themselves to a famous statue.

Climate activists clue their hands to a statue in Vatican Museum

A group of environmental activists released footage Thursday of a protest they said they had staged at the Vatican Museum, where they glued themselves to a famous statue.

A group of environmental activists released footage Thursday of a protest they said they had staged at the Vatican Museum, where they glued themselves to a famous statue.
The activists from the group Ultima Generazione, or 'Last Generation', said in a note to journalists that two members of their group glued their hands on the plinth of the Roman statue of Lacoon, one of the masterpieces of the Vatican Museums collection, to protest against climate change.
The activists displayed a banner reading, "Last Generation No Gas No Coal" urging politicians to listen to the call from the scientific community and act against climate change.
The activists said museum staff temporarily closed the section where they had staged their protest before being moved away.
The museum did not offer a comment about the action.
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Finland's prime minister says she did not take any drugs during a “wild” party at a private home, adding she did nothing wrong when letting her hair down and partying with friends.
A video posted on a social media shows six people dancing and mimicking a song in front of a camera, including Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin.
Later in the video, Marin, 36, is on her knees on what seems to be the dance floor with her arms behind her head dancing while mimicking a song.
“I'm disappointed that it has become public. I spent the evening with friends. Partied pretty wild, yes. Danced and sang,” she was quoted on Thursday as saying by Finnish broadcaster YLE.
“I have not used drugs myself, or anything other than alcohol. I've danced, sung and partied and done perfectly legal things.
I have also not been in a situation where I would know that others are doing it that way,” Marin said, according to the Hufvudstadsbladet newspaper.
It was unclear when the party, which reportedly was attended by Ilmari Nurminen, a member of Eduskunta, or parliament, for Marin's Social Democratic Party, and the Finnish singer Alma, was held.
Marin — who in December 2019 became Finland's youngest prime minister ever — said she spends her free time with friends just like others her age and that she intends to continue being the same person as before.
“I hope that's accepted. We live in a democracy and in elections everyone can decide these issues,” she said, according to YLE.
Critics have pointed out that Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometre (832-mile) land border with Russia, faces high electricity prices, among other issues from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The country recently dropped its long-neutral stance and asked to join NATO. In July, Marin attended a popular Finnish rock festival.
In December she made a public apology after going out clubbing until 4 am without her work phone, hence failing to be informed that she had been in close contact with a COVID-19 positive person. She didn't test positive.

'Lots of dancing, no drugs': Finland's PM amid criticism over partying video

Finland's prime minister says she did not take any drugs during a “wild” party at a private home, adding she did nothing wrong when letting her hair down and partying with friends.

A video posted on a social media shows six people dancing and mimicking a song in front of a camera, including Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin.

Finland's prime minister says she did not take any drugs during a &ldquo;wild&rdquo; party at a private home, adding she did nothing wrong when letting her hair down and partying with friends.
A video posted on a social media shows six people dancing and mimicking a song in front of a camera, including Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin.
Later in the video, Marin, 36, is on her knees on what seems to be the dance floor with her arms behind her head dancing while mimicking a song.
&ldquo;I'm disappointed that it has become public. I spent the evening with friends. Partied pretty wild, yes. Danced and sang,&rdquo; she was quoted on Thursday as saying by Finnish broadcaster YLE.
&ldquo;I have not used drugs myself, or anything other than alcohol. I've danced, sung and partied and done perfectly legal things.
I have also not been in a situation where I would know that others are doing it that way,&rdquo; Marin said, according to the Hufvudstadsbladet newspaper.
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It was unclear when the party, which reportedly was attended by Ilmari Nurminen, a member of Eduskunta, or parliament, for Marin's Social Democratic Party, and the Finnish singer Alma, was held.
Marin &mdash; who in December 2019 became Finland's youngest prime minister ever &mdash; said she spends her free time with friends just like others her age and that she intends to continue being the same person as before.
&ldquo;I hope that's accepted. We live in a democracy and in elections everyone can decide these issues,&rdquo; she said, according to YLE.
Critics have pointed out that Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometre (832-mile) land border with Russia, faces high electricity prices, among other issues from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The country recently dropped its long-neutral stance and asked to join NATO. In July, Marin attended a popular Finnish rock festival.
In December she made a public apology after going out clubbing until 4 am without her work phone, hence failing to be informed that she had been in close contact with a COVID-19 positive person. She didn't test positive.

A judge refused to grant bail Thursday to the man accused of trying to kill Salman Rushdie as the acclaimed author prepared to give a talk in western New York.
Hadi Matar, 24, appeared in a western New York courtroom after a grand jury indicted him on charges that he rushed the stage at the Chautauqua Institution and stabbed Rushdie multiple times in front of a horrified crowd.
Dressed in a black and white jail uniform, Matar stayed quiet during the hearing while his lawyer unsuccessfully tried to persuade the judge that he should be released while he awaited trial. Public defender Nathaniel Barone said Matar had no criminal record and wouldn't flee the country if released.
Barone also asked the judge to do something to stop reporters from trying to contact Matar at the Chautauqua County jail. The lawyer said the jail had received “several hundred phone calls” from people trying to reach Matar.
Some of that media outreach resulted in Matar giving a brief interview to The New York Post, in which he talked about disliking Rushdie and praised Iran's late supreme leader, Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Khomeini issued an edict in 1989 demanding Rushdie's death over his novel “The Satanic Verses,” which some Muslims consider blasphemous. A semiofficial Iranian foundation had posted a bounty of over $3 million.
Matar's lawyer complained that the media coverage could potentially lead to a biased jury.
“He's entitled to a fair trial. He's entitled to due process, no matter what he's accused of,” Barone said.
Judge David Foley declined that request, but he ordered the lawyers involved in the case not to give interviews.
“No speaking to the press until we have resolved this issue,” the judge said.
Rushdie, 75, is getting treatment in a Pennsylvania hospital for severe wounds. His literary agent, Andrew Wylie, has said Rushdie had a damaged liver and severed nerves in an arm, and could lose an eye.
Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt called the attack “preplanned.” The author had just taken the stage at the normally tranquil lakeside retreat for a discussion of protections for writers in exile and freedom of expression when Matar jumped onstage.
Henry Reese, 73, the cofounder of Pittsburgh's City of Asylum, was onstage with Rushdie and suffered a gash to his forehead, bruising and other minor injuries.
Matar, who lived in Fairview, New Jersey, with his mother, is charged with attempted murder and assault. He could get decades in prison if convicted. He has pleaded not guilty.

Judge denies bail for Salman Rushdie's attacker, bars interviews

The man accused of trying to kill author Salman Rushdie has been denied bail by a court in New York. 

The court has also asked all lawyers involved in the case not to give interviews after the public defender said that the media coverage could lead to a biased jury.&nbsp;

A judge refused to grant bail Thursday to the man accused of trying to kill Salman Rushdie as the acclaimed author prepared to give a talk in western New York.
Hadi Matar, 24, appeared in a western New York courtroom after a grand jury indicted him on charges that he rushed the stage at the Chautauqua Institution and stabbed Rushdie multiple times in front of a horrified crowd.
Dressed in a black and white jail uniform, Matar stayed quiet during the hearing while his lawyer unsuccessfully tried to persuade the judge that he should be released while he awaited trial. Public defender Nathaniel Barone said Matar had no criminal record and wouldn't flee the country if released.
Barone also asked the judge to do something to stop reporters from trying to contact Matar at the Chautauqua County jail. The lawyer said the jail had received &ldquo;several hundred phone calls&rdquo; from people trying to reach Matar.
Some of that media outreach resulted in Matar giving a brief interview to The New York Post, in which he talked about disliking Rushdie and praised Iran's late supreme leader, Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Khomeini issued an edict in 1989 demanding Rushdie's death over his novel &ldquo;The Satanic Verses,&rdquo; which some Muslims consider blasphemous. A semiofficial Iranian foundation had posted a bounty of over $3 million.
ALSO WATCH: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/salman-rushdie-s-attacker-speaks-i-don-t-think-he-is-a-good-person-1660792401699">Salman Rushdie's attacker speaks: 'I don't think he is a good person'</a>
Matar's lawyer complained that the media coverage could potentially lead to a biased jury.
&ldquo;He's entitled to a fair trial. He's entitled to due process, no matter what he's accused of,&rdquo; Barone said.
Judge David Foley declined that request, but he ordered the lawyers involved in the case not to give interviews.
&ldquo;No speaking to the press until we have resolved this issue,&rdquo; the judge said.
Rushdie, 75, is getting treatment in a Pennsylvania hospital for severe wounds. His literary agent, Andrew Wylie, has said Rushdie had a damaged liver and severed nerves in an arm, and could lose an eye.
Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt called the attack &ldquo;preplanned.&rdquo; The author had just taken the stage at the normally tranquil lakeside retreat for a discussion of protections for writers in exile and freedom of expression when Matar jumped onstage.
Henry Reese, 73, the cofounder of Pittsburgh's City of Asylum, was onstage with Rushdie and suffered a gash to his forehead, bruising and other minor injuries.
Matar, who lived in Fairview, New Jersey, with his mother, is charged with attempted murder and assault. He could get decades in prison if convicted. He has pleaded not guilty.

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The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation has won Sweden's Olof Palme human rights prize for 2020. Organisers said the movement was honoured for promoting "peaceful civil disobedience against police brutality and racial violence" across the globe. They noted that about 20 million people had taken part in Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests in the US alone, along with millions more around the world. An prise money of $100,000 will be handed over to the organisation in a virtual event in Stockholm on Saturday.

Black Lives Matter foundation wins Swedish human rights prize

Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation wins Sweden's Olof&nbsp;Palme human rights prize for 2020.&nbsp;

The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation has won Sweden's Olof Palme human rights prize for 2020. Organisers said the movement was honoured for promoting "peaceful civil disobedience against police brutality and racial violence" across the globe. They noted that about 20 million people had taken part in Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests in the US alone, along with millions more around the world. An prise money of $100,000 will be handed over to the organisation in a virtual event in Stockholm on Saturday.

At least 10 people were killed in an attack by Islamic militants who stormed a hotel in Somalia’s capital late Friday.

Somalia: Gunmen storm Mogadishu’s Hayat Hotel; 10 killed, says police 

The Islamic extremist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack, the latest of its frequent attempts to strike places that are often visited by government officials.&nbsp;

At least 10 people were killed in an attack by Islamic militants who stormed a hotel in Somalia&rsquo;s capital late Friday, police and eyewitnesses said.&nbsp;
Several other people were injured and security forces rescued many others, including children, from the scene of the attack at Mogadishu&rsquo;s Hayat Hotel, they said.&nbsp;
The attack started with explosions outside the hotel before gunmen entered the building.&nbsp;
Gunfire could still be heard early Saturday as security forces tried to contain the last gunmen, who were thought to be holed up in the hotel. It was unclear how many militants remained on the hotel&rsquo;s top floor.&nbsp;
The Islamic extremist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack, the latest of its frequent attempts to strike places that are often visited by government officials.&nbsp;
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/in-depth/the-hook/usa-s-top-secret-nuclear-weapon-papers-taken-illegally-from-white-house-enemy-leak-risk-trump-raid-row-1660934431829">USA's top-secret nuclear weapon papers taken illegally from White House; enemy leak risk? Trump raid row</a>
There was no immediate word on the identities of the victims.&nbsp; &ldquo;We were having tea near the hotel lobby when we heard the first blast followed by gunfire. I immediately rushed toward hotel rooms on the ground floor, and I locked,&rdquo; eyewitness Abdullahi Hussein told the AP by phone. &ldquo;The militants went straight upstairs and started shooting. I was inside the room until the security forces arrived and rescued me.&rdquo;&nbsp;
He said that on his way to safety he saw &ldquo;several bodies lying on the ground outside hotel reception.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Friends and fellow authors spoke out on Salman Rushdie's behalf during a rally on Friday on the steps of the main branch of the New York Public Library, one week after he was attacked onstage in the western part of the state and hospitalised with stab wounds.
Jeffrey Eugenides, Tina Brown and Kiran Desai were among those who shared wishes for a full recovery, told stories of Rushdie as an inspiration and defender of free expression, and read passages from his books, essays and speeches, including from “The Satanic Verses”, the 1988 novel that was condemned by some Muslims as blasphemous.
The hourlong “Stand With Salman" gathering was presented in part by the library, by Rushdie's publisher, Penguin Random House, and by the literary and human rights organisation PEN America.
Hundreds were in attendance, many affiliated with PEN, of which the 75-year-old Rushdie is a former president.
Rushdie's son Zafar Rushdie, who has been with his father, tweeted that “it was great to see a crowd gathered” outside the library.
“Stand With Salman” took place the day after a judge in Mayville, New York, denied bail to 24-year-old Hadi Matar, who has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and assault.
While in jail, Matar told the New York Post that he disdained Rushdie as anti-Muslim and expressed admiration for the Ayatollah.
On Friday, other readers included the author and journalist Gay Talese, author and former PEN president Andrew Solomon, and the poet, lawyer and activist Reginald Dwayne Betts.
Actor Aasif Mandvi read from Rushdie's upcoming novel, “Victory City”, which he completed before the attack and includes the passage “I myself am nothing now. All that remains is the city of words. Words are the only victors.” Eugenides, whose novels include the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Middlesex”, remembered travelling to London in the early 1980s. Eugenides was 20 and Rushdie's breakthrough novel “Midnight's Children” had recently been published.
He knew Rushdie lived there and decided he wanted to meet him. It was years before “The Satanic Verses”, and Eugenides found his name and address in the phone book.
“I took the tube out to his house. As it turned out, Salman wasn't at home; he was in Italy, vacationing," said Eugenides, who was greeted by Rushdie's then-mother-in-law and left a note for the author.
“That was the world we used to live in," Eugenides added.

Friends and authors rally for Salman Rushdie, hold special reading

Friends and fellow authors spoke out on Salman Rushdie's behalf during a rally on Friday on the steps of the main branch of the New York Public Library, one week after he was attacked onstage in the western part of the state and hospitalised with stab wounds.

Rushdie's son Zafar Rushdie, who has been with his father, tweeted that &ldquo;it was great to see a crowd gathered&rdquo; outside the library.

Friends and fellow authors spoke out on Salman Rushdie's behalf during a rally on Friday on the steps of the main branch of the New York Public Library, one week after he was attacked onstage in the western part of the state and hospitalised with stab wounds.
Jeffrey Eugenides, Tina Brown and Kiran Desai were among those who shared wishes for a full recovery, told stories of Rushdie as an inspiration and defender of free expression, and read passages from his books, essays and speeches, including from &ldquo;The Satanic Verses&rdquo;, the 1988 novel that was condemned by some Muslims as blasphemous.
The hourlong &ldquo;Stand With Salman" gathering was presented in part by the library, by Rushdie's publisher, Penguin Random House, and by the literary and human rights organisation PEN America.
Hundreds were in attendance, many affiliated with PEN, of which the 75-year-old Rushdie is a former president.
Rushdie's son Zafar Rushdie, who has been with his father, tweeted that &ldquo;it was great to see a crowd gathered&rdquo; outside the library.
&ldquo;Stand With Salman&rdquo; took place the day after a judge in Mayville, New York, denied bail to 24-year-old Hadi Matar, who has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and assault.
While in jail, Matar told the New York Post that he disdained Rushdie as anti-Muslim and expressed admiration for the Ayatollah.
On Friday, other readers included the author and journalist Gay Talese, author and former PEN president Andrew Solomon, and the poet, lawyer and activist Reginald Dwayne Betts.
Actor Aasif Mandvi read from Rushdie's upcoming novel, &ldquo;Victory City&rdquo;, which he completed before the attack and includes the passage &ldquo;I myself am nothing now. All that remains is the city of words. Words are the only victors.&rdquo; Eugenides, whose novels include the Pulitzer Prize-winning &ldquo;Middlesex&rdquo;, remembered travelling to London in the early 1980s. Eugenides was 20 and Rushdie's breakthrough novel &ldquo;Midnight's Children&rdquo; had recently been published.
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/judge-denies-bail-for-salman-rushdie-s-attacker-bars-interviews-1660873144915">Judge denies bail for Salman Rushdie's attacker, bars interviews</a>
He knew Rushdie lived there and decided he wanted to meet him. It was years before &ldquo;The Satanic Verses&rdquo;, and Eugenides found his name and address in the phone book.
&ldquo;I took the tube out to his house. As it turned out, Salman wasn't at home; he was in Italy, vacationing," said Eugenides, who was greeted by Rushdie's then-mother-in-law and left a note for the author.
&ldquo;That was the world we used to live in," Eugenides added.

Republican Liz Cheney loses to Trump-backed candidate in Wyoming primary: What does it mean for GOP? 

Republican Liz Cheney loses to Trump-backed candidate in Wyoming primary: What does it mean for GOP?&nbsp;

Congresswoman Liz Cheney, a staunch critic of Donald Trump and one of the few Republicans to hold the former US President accountable for the January 6 insurrection, was ousted by voters in the US state of Wyoming in a primary election on Wednesday.&nbsp;
She lost to Trump-backed candidate Harriet Hageman, a relative newcomer, who will now go forward to the mid-term elections scheduled to be held in November.&nbsp;
Two years ago, in 2020, the three-term conservative Representative won the Wyoming primary with 73 percent votes. Notably, the same year, around 70 percent of voters in the red state had voted for Trump.&nbsp;
What does Cheney's drubbing say about GOP and the future of US politics?&nbsp;
Cheney's defeat doesn't just signify the strong support Trump enjoys in conservative-leaning states but also shows how the electoral fate of the contesting Republican candidate depends on their attitude towards the ex-President. &nbsp;
It is also a reflection of a deeper problem within the Republican Party -- the shift from conservatism (represented by the Bush-era administration) to far-right populism (represented by Trump). &nbsp;
For instance, Cheney is not the only Republican to be ousted or sidelined for taking an anti-Trump stand. Of the 10 House Republicans who voted in favour of Trump&rsquo;s impeachment last year, three lost their primaries before Cheney.&nbsp;
In her concession speech, Cheney said winning re-election "would have required that I go along with President Trump&rsquo;s lie."&nbsp;
Christine Matthews, a GOP pollster and strategist, pointed to a similar problem while speaking to Los Angeles Times. He was quoted as saying, "This is not the Republican Party of the &rsquo;80s, the &rsquo;90s or even the early 2000s... What it means to be a Republican these days &hellip; is being loyal to your tribe. It is not about issues. It&rsquo;s basically whatever Trump says it is."'&nbsp;
The recent surge in Trump-backed candidates winning congressional primaries comes after a lull when candidates he pitched for lost in traditionally Republican states such as Georgia.&nbsp; &nbsp;
Who is Republican enough?&nbsp;
Cheney's loss also signals towards an identity crisis among the Conservatives who don't endorse the Trump brand of politics, within the Grand Old Party. &nbsp;
Cheney, for instance, is as Republican as one can get. She is against abortion rights, a climate change denier, and she voted in line with Trump's agenda about 93 percent of the time when he was President. She did all the 'right' things a Republican is supposed to do. But it seems that toeing party lines is not enough to prove your loyalty to the GOP anymore. Being a blind Trump supporter is the new acid test for Republicans.&nbsp;
Her decision to vote to impeach the former President in January 2021 led to her ouster as GOP conference chair. A year later, the Republican National Committee took the unprecedented step of formally censuring her for serving on the House January 6 committee. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Graver crisis looming?
Other political observers pointed to an even greater problem -- the 2024 elections. Wyoming poll result points to a national election where Republican positions are defined by their most extreme anti-democratic voices &ndash; with Trump at the top of the ticket, said David Smith, The Guardian's Washington DC bureau chief.&nbsp;

Covid-19 has wreaked havoc on human lives since March 2020. The trail of disaster left is still etched fresh in our minds. The pandemic may have changed but it is still far from over. As a recent rise in Covid cases in several countries has raised concerns and fear is making a return. Apart from India, Covid is rapidly spreading in China’s Xiamen. Strikingly, back in 2020 during the outbreak, it was revealed that the zero patient of Covid-19 was from China’s Wuhan. 
According to the BBC, over 5 million people in China have been directed to undergo testing. Although this time, the testing is not restricted to humans. Infact, authorities are testing seafood for the virus. 
A video shared by South China Morning Post on Twitter shows health workers in PPE kits taking swab tests of fishes and crabs. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Videos of pandemic medical workers giving live seafood PCR tests have gone viral on Chinese social media. <a href="https://t.co/C7IJYE7Ses">pic.twitter.com/C7IJYE7Ses</a>— South China Morning Post (@SCMPNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/SCMPNews/status/1560295471519768576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The video has gone viral all across the Chinese media as well and has triggered a debate.
Meanwhile in India, the authorities have initiated to ramp up testing.

Amid rise, this country is testing humans, live seafood for Covid-19 virus 

Strikingly, back in 2020 during the outbreak, it was revealed that the zero patient of Covid-19 was from China’s Wuhan. 

Strikingly, back in 2020 during the outbreak, it was revealed that the zero patient of Covid-19 was from China&rsquo;s Wuhan.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Covid-19 has wreaked havoc on human lives since March 2020. The trail of disaster left is still etched fresh in our minds. The pandemic may have changed but it is still far from over. As a recent rise in Covid cases in several countries has raised concerns and fear is making a return. Apart from India, Covid is rapidly spreading in China&rsquo;s Xiamen. Strikingly, back in 2020 during the outbreak, it was revealed that the zero patient of Covid-19 was from China&rsquo;s Wuhan.&nbsp;
 According to the BBC, over 5 million people in China have been directed to undergo testing. Although this time, the testing is not restricted to humans. Infact, authorities are testing seafood for the virus.&nbsp;
A video shared by South China Morning Post on Twitter shows health workers in PPE kits taking swab tests of fishes and crabs.&nbsp; 
Also Watch| <a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/rise-in-covid-cases-aviation-regulator-stresses-on-strict-implementation-of-guidelines-1660753763921">Rise in Covid cases: Aviation regulator stresses on strict implementation of guidelines</a> &nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Videos of pandemic medical workers giving live seafood PCR tests have gone viral on Chinese social media. <a href="https://t.co/C7IJYE7Ses">pic.twitter.com/C7IJYE7Ses</a>
&mdash; South China Morning Post (@SCMPNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/SCMPNews/status/1560295471519768576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
The video has gone viral all across the Chinese media as well and has triggered a debate.
Meanwhile in India, the authorities have initiated to ramp up testing.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Headline : Gandhi statue outside Hindu temple in New York vandalised in possible hate crime: ReportsFile Name : 1908202219FGN15Link : http://www.ptinews.comSlug : US-GANDHI STATUE-VANDALISEDCategory : INTERNATIONALSource : INTERNATIONALCopyrights : PTIPublished At : Friday, Aug 19, 2022 14:48:22Story :New York, Aug 19 (PTI) In a possible hate crime, unidentified persons have destroyed a handcrafted statue of Mahatma Gandhi with a sledgehammer at a Hindu temple here after vandalising it earlier this month, media reports said on Friday.
Surveillance video shows a person thrashing a statue of Gandhi with a sledgehammer on Tuesday, before smashing the head off and toppling it over, according to cbsnews.com.
Minutes later, a group of six stomp on it and take turns hammering the statue before taking off, the report said.
"To see them coming after us like this is very painful," Lakhram Maharaj, the founder of Shri Tulsi Mandir, situated in South Richmond Hill was quoted as saying in the report.
Maharaj discovered the Gandhi statue was reduced to rubble on Wednesday morning.
The word "dog" was spray painted both in front of the temple and down the block, it said.
The same Gandhi statue was vandalised two weeks ago, investigating officials said.
"When the Gandhi statue was vandalised, that really flew in the face of all of our beliefs and it's very disturbing for the community," Assembly member Jenifer Rajkumar said in the report.
The New York Police Department is investigating both incidents as possible hate crimes, media reports said.
Maharaj says many in the community are now afraid to go to the temple.
"I cannot show the congregation that I am worried because if I show them that I'm worrying and I'm not strong, how will they be strong?" the report quoted him as saying. The temple authorities cannot afford to replace the Gandhi statue, because it was handcrafted and cost about USD 4,000, the report said.
"I want to know why they did it," Maharaj said. This is not the first time that a statue of Gandhi was desecrated in the US.
In February this year, an 8-foot-high Gandhi statue, located in Manhattan’s Union Square, was defaced by unknown persons.
In December 2020, Khalistani-supporters had desecrated a Gandhi statue in Washington, DC in front of the Indian Embassy.
The then White House Press Secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, had termed the incident as “terrible”. 

Mahatma Gandhi's statue outside Hindu temple in New York vandalised 

Surveillance video shows a person thrashing a statue of Gandhi with a sledgehammer on Tuesday, before smashing the head off and toppling it over, according to cbsnews.com.

In a possible hate crime, unidentified persons have destroyed a handcrafted statue of Mahatma Gandhi with a sledgehammer at a Hindu temple here after vandalising it earlier this month, media reports said on Friday.
Surveillance video shows a person thrashing a statue of Gandhi with a sledgehammer on Tuesday, before smashing the head off and toppling it over, according to cbsnews.com.
Minutes later, a group of six stomp on it and take turns hammering the statue before taking off, the report said.
"To see them coming after us like this is very painful," Lakhram Maharaj, the founder of Shri Tulsi Mandir, situated in South Richmond Hill was quoted as saying in the report.
Maharaj discovered the Gandhi statue was reduced to rubble on Wednesday morning.
The word "dog" was spray painted both in front of the temple and down the block, it said.
The same Gandhi statue was vandalised two weeks ago, investigating officials said.
"When the Gandhi statue was vandalised, that really flew in the face of all of our beliefs and it's very disturbing for the community," Assembly member Jenifer Rajkumar said in the report.
Also Watch| <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/mahatma-gandhi-s-statue-defaced-at-hindu-temple-in-canada-india-seeks-probe-into-hate-crime-1657789701567">Mahatma Gandhi's statue defaced at Hindu temple in Canada, India seeks probe into 'hate crime'</a>
The New York Police Department is investigating both incidents as possible hate crimes, media reports said.
Maharaj says many in the community are now afraid to go to the temple.
"I cannot show the congregation that I am worried because if I show them that I'm worrying and I'm not strong, how will they be strong?" the report quoted him as saying. The temple authorities cannot afford to replace the Gandhi statue, because it was handcrafted and cost about USD 4,000, the report said.
"I want to know why they did it," Maharaj said. This is not the first time that a statue of Gandhi was desecrated in the US.
In February this year, an 8-foot-high Gandhi statue, located in Manhattan&rsquo;s Union Square, was defaced by unknown persons.
In December 2020, Khalistani-supporters had desecrated a Gandhi statue in Washington, DC in front of the Indian Embassy.
The then White House Press Secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, had termed the incident as &ldquo;terrible&rdquo;.&nbsp;

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