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Hello Youtube Members, Patreons and Pacific War week by week listeners. Yes this was intended to be an exclusive episode to join the 29 others over on my Youtube Membership and Patreon, but since we are drawing to the end of the Pacific War week by week series, I felt compelled to make some special episodes to answer some of the bigger questions. Why did Japan, or better said, why did Emperor Hirohito decide to finally surrender? It seems obvious on the face of it, but there is actually a lot more to it than bombs or Soviet invasions. I guess you can call this episode a teaser or a shameless plug for going over to my Youtube Membership or Patreon. There's honestly a lot of interesting subjects such as ‘why was the japanese army so brutal”, “Hirohito's war time responsibility”, “the 4 part Kanji Ishiwara series”. Thus if you liked this one please show some love and check out my other stuff on my Youtube Membership or over at www.patreon.com/pacificwarchannel.   Stating all of that lets just jump right into it.   We first need to start off briefly looking at Emperor Hirohito.    Upon taking the throne, Emperor Hirohito in 1926 Hirohito inherited a financial crisis and a military that was increasingly seizing control of governmental policies. From the beginning, despite what many of you older audience members may have been told, Hirohito intensely followed all military decisions. Hirohito chose when to act and when not to. When the Kwantung Army assassinated Zhang Zuolin, he indulged their insubordination. This emboldened them to invade Manchuria in 1931, whereupon Hirohito was furious and demanded they be reigned in. Attempts were made, but they were heavily undermined by radicals. Hirohito could have put his foot down, but he chose not to. On September 22nd, at 4:20pm Hirohito said to the IJA Chief of General staff, Kanaya Hanzo “although this time it couldn't be helped, the army had to be more careful in the future”. Thus Hirohito again acquiesced to the military, despite wanting them to stop or at least localize the conflict. The military had disregarded his wishes, they should have been severely punished. Why did Hirohito not take a firmer stance?    Again for older audience members you may have heard, “hirohito was a hostage at the whim of his own military”. This narrative made it seem he was some sort of hostage emperor, but this is not the case at all. In fact Hirohito was instrumental in many military decisions from 1931-1945. The reason this, I will call it “myth” , went on was because after Japan's surrender, the US basically rewrote the Japanese constitution and covered up the Emperor's involvement in all the nasty stuff, to maintain control over Japan. Yeah it sounds a bit conspiracy esque, but I assure you it was indeed the case. This narrative held firm all the way until Hirohito's death, when finally meeting notes and personal accounts from those close to him came out, illuminating a lot. Though to this day, many records are still red -tapped.   The reason Hirohito did not stamp his foot down has to do with the Kokutai.    The Kokutai   So before I carry on, I have to explain what exactly is the Kokutai.    The Kokutai, loosely translated as "national essence," refers to the qualities that distinguish the Japanese identity. However, this concept is remarkably vague and poorly defined; even Japanese historians acknowledge this ambiguity. In contrast to Kokutai is seitai, or "form of government." While the Kokutai embodies the eternal and immutable aspects of Japanese polity—rooted in history, traditions, and customs centered around the Emperor—Japan's seitai has evolved significantly throughout its extensive history. For instance, shoguns governed for over 700 years until 1868, when the Meiji Restoration reinstated direct imperial rule.   Nevertheless, Emperor Meiji's direct authority came to an end with the adoption of the Meiji Constitution in 1889, which established a constitutional monarchy, introducing significant complexities into the governance system.   Article 4 of the constitution declares: “The Emperor is the head of the Empire, combining in Himself the rights of sovereignty, uniting the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, although subject to the consent of the Imperial Diet.” Under this framework, the Emperor alone possessed the power to appoint or dismiss ministers of state, declare war, negotiate peace, conclude treaties, direct national administration, and command the army and navy.   A glaring flaw in this arrangement is the inherent ambiguity of the Meiji Constitution. While it established a democratic parliament, it simultaneously afforded the Emperor absolute authority to usurp it. The document failed to clearly define the relationships between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, and its language was intentionally vague. Most critically, the military—the army and navy—were not directly accountable to the civilian government.    So with the kokutai, the Emperor is a divine figure who embodies the state's sovereignty. It was not necessarily the Emperor's job to surrender on behalf of the official government of Japan, but he most certainly could do so, given the Japanese people still remained faithful to the kokutai.    Now Hirohito did not live an ordinary life. According to the imperial custom, Japanese royals were raised apart from their parents, at the age of 3 he was placed in the care of the Kwamura family who vowed to raise him to be unselfish, persevering in the face of difficulties, respectful of the views of others and immune to fear. One thing that was absolutely indoctrinated into him was to defend the kokutai. It became his top mission as a monarch, it was the only mission in many ways. At the very core of how he saw the world and how he acted, it was always to protect the kokutai.    So when the Japanese military began these insubordinate acts, Hirohito's primary concern was to the kokutai, ie: anything that threatened his imperial authority and the imperial institution itself. Although the military usurped his authority, the operations had been successful. Hirohito was not at all opposed to seeing his empire expand. He understood the value of manchuria, he was fully onboard with the military plans to eventually seize control over it, but these radicals were accelerating things to quickly for everyone's liking. He turned a blind eye, dished light punishments and carried on. However the local conflict escalated. It traveled to Shanghai by 1932 and here Hirohito took action. He understood Shanghai was full of western powers. Nations like Britain and America could place economic sanctions on Japan if things were allowed to get out of hand here. So he ordered General Yoshinori Shirakawa to bring the Shanghai expedition to a close.    During this period, two factions emerged within the Japanese military: the Kodoha, or “Imperial Way,” and the Toseiha, or “Control” faction. The Kodoha was founded by General Sadao Araki and his protégé, Jinzaburo Masaki. Their primary objective was a Shōwa Restoration aimed at purging Japan of corrupt politicians and businessmen, especially those associated with the zaibatsu. Composed mainly of young army officers, the Kodoha espoused a romanticized and radical interpretation of Bushido, idealizing pre-industrial Japan, which Araki believed had been tainted by Western influences. To achieve their goals, they resorted to assassinations and planned a coup d'état.   In response, the Toseiha faction was formed, initially led by Lt. General Tetsuzan Nagata and later by Hideki Tojo. Like the Kodoha, the Toseiha sought a Shōwa Restoration but adopted a more moderate and conservative approach. They recognized the importance of preserving traditional values while integrating Western ideals, advocating for a balanced perspective. The Toseiha promoted pragmatic military strategies to navigate the complexities of modern warfare. Although they acknowledged the existence of corrupt politicians and zaibatsu, they preferred to work within the existing political system, anticipating that future total wars would necessitate a strengthened industrial and military capacity. Their ranks primarily included promising graduates from the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) Academy, Army Staff College, and select naval members. The most significant distinction between the two factions was that the Toseiha explicitly rejected the use of a coup d'état in pursuit of their goals.   Between 1932-1936 radical officers, mostly of the Kodoha faction assassinated politicians and military leaders trying to usher in a showa restoration. You might be led to believe this was in the interest of Hirohito, you would be mistaken. Hirohito did not want a military dictatorship at the whim of the cult of the emperor. Ironic to say, given how WW2 turns out mind you. This really would have been a hostage situation. Hirohito wanted to maintain the exact ambiguous situation that was Showa Era Japan pre 1945. He saw this as the most ideal structure to defend the kokutai, because blame could not be placed solely upon his shoulders. He always maintained a get out of jail free card one could say.    The February 26 incident of 1936, was the climax of the Kodoha faction. They performed a mutiny trying to usher in a SHowa restoration. They assumed when their messenger came to the emperor he would join them and take direct rule. Instead Hirohito was furious. His first thought was the mutineers were trying to enlist his brother Chichibu to overthrow him. He dragged his brother who was a fraternizer amongst the kodoha members mind you, into a meeting, demanding he never associate with them again nor attempt to challenge him. Then Hirohito furious demanded the mutineers be dealt with. At one point he even threatened to lead the imperial guards to put them down. The coup failed, the kodoha faction was destroyed. Ironically the toseiha faction were the ones to do it and thus they became the defacto ruling clique.    The military, especially the kwantung army did not stop with their insubordination.    On July 8th of 1937 the Kwangtung army performed the Marco Polo Bridge incident, ushering in the second sino-japanese war. This was one of many false flag operations they had pulled off over the years. Upon being told about this Hirohito's first response was whether the USSR would invade Manchukuo over the matter. This is what he said to Prime Minister Konoe and army minister Sugiyama “What will you do if the Soviets attack us from the rear?” he asked the prince. Kan'in answered, “I believe the army will rise to the occasion.” The emperor repeated his question: “That's no more than army dogma. What will you actually do in the unlikely event that Soviet [forces] attack?” The prince said only, “We will have no choice.” His Majesty seemed very dissatisfied. Hirohito furious demanded to know what contingency plans existed and his advisors told him before he gave his red seal of approval to invade northern china.   Henceforth he micromanaged a lot of the military decisions going forward and he oversaw the forming and dissolving of numerous cabinets and positions when things went his way or did not in the military and political scene.  Emperor Hirohito was presented with several opportunities to cause cease-fires or peace settlements during the war years. One of the best possible moments to end it all came during the attack on Nanking when Chiang Kai-sheks military were in disarray. On July 11 of 1938, the commander of the 19th division fought a border clash with the USSR known to us in the west as the battle of Lake Khasan. It was a costly defeat for Japan and in the diary of Harada Kumao he noted Hirohito scolded Army minister Itagaki “Hereafter not a single soldier is to be moved without my permission.” When it looked like the USSR would not press for a counter attack across the border, Hirohito gave the order for offensives in China to recommence, again an example of him deciding when to lay down the hammer.   By 1939 the US began threatening sanctions for what Japan was doing in China. Hirohito complained to his chief aide de camp Hata Shunroku on August 5th “It could be a great blow to scrap metal and oil”. Hirohito was livid and scolded many of his top officials and forced the appointment of General Abe to prime minister and demanded of him “to cooperate with the US and Britain and preserve internal order”.   Fast forward a bit, with war raging in Europe Hirohito, on June 19th of 1940 Hirohito asked if chief of staff Prince Kan'in and Army Minister Hata “At a time when peace will soon come in the European situation, will there be a deployment of troops to the Netherlands Indies and French Indochina?” This question highlighted Hirohito's belief at that time that Germany was close to achieving victory, which led him to gradually consider deploying troops to French Indochina and the Dutch East Indies since neither of those parent nations was in a position to protect their territories and vital resources. Regarding the war in China, the Japanese aimed to stop the flow of materials entering China from places like Hong Kong. Hirohito received reports indicating that Britain would not agree to block the shipment of materials into China via Hong Kong. The military recognized that an invasion of Hong Kong might be necessary, which would mean declaring war on Britain. When this was communicated to him, Hirohito responded, “If that occurs, I'm sure America will enforce an embargo, don't you think?” In response, Kido, the lord of the privy seal, reassured him by stating, “The nation must be fully prepared to resist, proceeding with caution and avoiding being drawn into events instigated by foreign interests.”   Hirohito went through countless meetings, but eventually signed order number 458 authorizing the invasion of French Indochina, knowing full well the consequences. The US,UK and Netherlands began embargoes of oil, rubber and iron. In the words of Admiral Takagai “As time passes and this situation continues, our empire will either be totally defeated or forced to fight a hopeless war. Therefore we should pursue war and diplomacy together. If there is no prospect of securing our final line of national survival by diplomatic negotiations, we must be resolved to fight.” Hirohito understood the predicament full well, that each day Japan was wasting its oil reserves, if they were to strike it had to be quickly.   On October 13th Hirohito told his closest advisor Koichi Kido “In the present situation there seems to be little hope for the Japan–U.S. negotiations. If hostilities erupt this time, I think I may have to issue a declaration of war.”   The reason I am bringing up all this stuff is to solidify, Hirohito had agency, he was micromanaging and forming decisions. After the war broke out with the west, Hirohito did have the ability to stamp his foot down. Of course there could have been wild repercussions, his military could have usurped him with Chichibu, it was definitely possible. But you need to keep this mind set, as far as why Hirohito acts or doesn't, its always to protect the Kokutai. Thus one of the levers for peace, solely rested on Hirohito's perception if the kokutai could be retained or not.    From the outset of the Pacific War, Hirohito believed Germany was going to defeat the USSR. In line with his military leaders, they all believed Japan had to seize everything they could in the asia-pacific and thwart off the US until a negotiated peace could be met. Hirohito committed himself to overseeing the war, determined to achieve victory at any cost. He was a very cautious leader, he meticulously analyzed each campaign, anticipating potential setbacks and crafting worst-case scenario predictions. He maintained a skeptical view of the reports from his senior officials and was often harshly critical of high commanders.   While he did not frequently visit the front lines like other commanders in chief, Hirohito wielded significant influence over theater operations, shaping both planning and execution whenever he deemed necessary. Similar to his approach during the war in China, he issued the highest military orders from the Imperial Headquarters, conducted audited conferences, and made decisions communicated under his name. He regularly welcomed generals and admirals to the imperial palace for detailed briefings on the battlefront and visited various military bases, battleships, and army and naval headquarters. His inspections encompassed military schools and other significant military institutions, adding to his comprehensive involvement in the war effort.   Now the war went extremely well for Japan until the battle of Midway. This was as major setback, but Japan retained the initiative. Then the Guadalcanal campaign saw Japan lose the initiative to the Americans. Upon receiving the initial report of the Ichiki detachment's destruction, Hirohito remarked, “I am sure it [Guadalcanal] can be held.” Despite the numerous reports detailing the devastating effects of tropical diseases and starvation on his troops, he persistently demanded greater efforts from them. Hirohito exerted continuous pressure on his naval and land commanders to retake the island. On September 15th, November 5th, and November 11th, he requested additional Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) troops and aircraft to be allocated to the cause.   General Sugiyama expressed concerns about dispatching more IJA pilots due to their inexperience in transoceanic combat, preferring to reinforce the North China Army for an attack on Chongqing instead. Hirohito pressed the issue again, but Sugiyama responded that the IJA had diverted its air resources to New Guinea and Rabaul. Undeterred by the objections from senior commanders, Hirohito persisted in his demands. By late November, it became evident that Guadalcanal was a lost cause.   At an Imperial Headquarters conference on December 31st, 1942, the chiefs of staff proposed canceling the attempts to recapture Guadalcanal. Hirohito sanctioned this decision but stated, “It is unacceptable to just give up on capturing Guadalcanal. We must launch an offensive elsewhere.” He insisted on this point, leading to the selection of new strategic targets in the Solomons, north of New Georgia, and in the Stanley Range on New Guinea. Hirohito even threatened to withhold authorization for withdrawing troops from Guadalcanal until a new plan was established. He later opposed the withdrawal from Munda Airfield, as it contradicted the newly defined defensive line.   As the defensive perimeter in the central and northern Solomons began to crumble, Hirohito continued to insist that the navy engage in decisive battles to regain the initiative, allowing for the transport of supplies to the many soldiers trapped on various islands. When he learned of the navy's failure to reinforce Lae on March 3rd, he asked, “Then why didn't you change plans immediately and land at Madan? This is a failure, but it can teach us a good lesson and become a source of future success. Do this for me so I can have peace of mind for a while.” The phrase “Do this for me” would come to be his signature rallying cry.   After Guadal canal, it was loss after loss for Japan. By February of 1944, Hirohito forced Sugiyama to resign so Hideki Tojo could take his position as chief of the general staff, note Tojo was prime minister and army minister at this point. Hirohito worked alongside Tojo to plan some last ditch efforts to change the war situation. The most significant one was Operation Ichi-Go. As much damage as they did to China with that, Chiang Kai-Shek's government survived. Hirohito watched as island by island fell to the Americans. When the Americans were poised to take Saipan he warned Tojo “If we ever lose Saipan, repeated air attacks on Tokyo will follow. No matter what it takes, we have to hold there.” Saipan fell, so Hirohito stopped supporting Tojo and allowed his rivals to take down his cabinet by june 18th of 1944.    Hirohito remained resolute in his determination to wrest victory from the Allies. On October 18th, the Imperial Headquarters ordered a decisive naval engagement, leading to the Battle of Leyte Gulf. After the war, Hirohito publicly stated, "Contrary to the views of the Army and Navy General Staffs, I consented to the showdown battle at Leyte, believing that if we launched an attack and America hesitated, we might find an opportunity to negotiate." Leyte Gulf didnt work. The military began the kamikaze program. On new years day of 1945 Hirohito inspected the special last meal rations given to departing kamikaze units. Iwo Jima fell. Okinawa remained, and Hirohito lashed out “Is it because we failed to sink enemy transports that we've let the enemy get ashore? Isn't there any way to defend Okinawa from the landing enemy forces?” On the second day of Okinawa's invasion Hirohito ordered a counter landing by the 32nd army and urged the navy to counterattack in every way possible. It was a horrible failure, it cost the lives of up to 120,000 Japanese combatants, 170,000 noncombatants. The Americans lost 12,500 killed and 33,000 wounded. An absolute bloodbath.    The Surrender time   Now we come to the time period where Japan seriously began looking for ways to surrender. In Europe Germany was heading to its defeat and Japan knew this. As for Japan, their army in Burma had been annihilated. Their forces in China were faring better after Operation Ichi-go, having opened up a land corridor along the main railway from Beiping to Wuhan and from throughout Guangdong but still stuck in a deadlock stalemate, facing a guerrilla war that was costing them 64% of their military expenditures. They deeply feared once the Soviets finished up with Germany, they would undoubtedly turn east against Manchuria. With the Soviets attacking from the north, the US would attack from the south, perhaps landing in Shanghai and the home islands. The Kamikaze tactics were proving formidable, but not nearly enough. By 1945, 43% of the IJA were now stationed in Japan, Korea and Formosa, bracing for the final stand. Former prime minister Reijiro Wakatsuki came out of retirement in may of 1945, having heard Germany collapsed, to urge Hirohito and the Prime Minister Kantaro Suzuki to open negotiations with the US as soon as possible. However he also said “the enemy must first be made to see the disadvantages of continuing the war”. To this Hirohito's chief counselor Makino Nobuaki said that “the ultimate priority is to develop an advantageous war situation.” Advisor admiral Kesiuke Okada said Japan should wait for “a moment favorable for us,” then make peace. Advisors Kiichiro Hiranuma and Koki Hirota advised the emperor to fight on until the end.   Now I want to bring in a key player to the surrender decision, that of Prince Konoe. Konoe was very close to Hirohito and understood the emperors mentality, especially how he viewed things in relation to the kokutai.    The senior statesman Prince Konoe had been consulting with Hirohito for over 18 months at this point trying to convey the message that if the war continued it would threaten the kokutai. Many months prior, he confided in the emperor's brother, Prince Takamatsu, that the army was suffering from “a cancer” in the form of the Toseiha faction. However, he noted that “Kido and others” did not share his perspective, while “his Majesty is relatively unconcerned with ideological issues.” For the past four years, he continued, the emperor had been advised and still believed that “the true extremists are the Kodoha faction.” In reality, the greater threat to the kokutai arose from the Toseiha faction. Konoe further asserted that if the war escalated, they would attempt to alter the kokutai.   Konoe speculated that whether the threat originated from communists within the nation, primarily referring to left-wing radicals in the Toseiha faction, or from the “Anglo-American enemy,” both would seek to preserve the emperor while pushing towards the country's communization.In his written report to the emperor on February 14, which Kido listened to attentively, Konoe elaborated on his conspiracy theory. He asserted that the Soviet Union regarded Japan as its primary threat in East Asia. The Soviets had allied with the Chinese Communists, the largest and most formidable Communist party in Asia, and were collaborating with the United States and Britain to drive Japan out of China. He warned that they would enter the war when the opportunity arose.   Defeat, he cautioned the emperor, was inevitable if the conflict persisted. However, he emphasized that a far greater fear was the potential destruction of the kokutai. The ongoing war was eroding the domestic status quo, unleashing forces that threatened Japan and its imperial institution from within as much as from external adversaries. The real danger lay in the emperor's and Kido's trust in the generals of the Toseiha faction, who were unintentionally facilitating the communization of Japan. Konoe implored for a swift peace settlement before a Communist revolution emerged, making the preservation of the kokutai impossible. Hirohito agreed with Konoe but stated “ To end the war would be “very difficult unless we make one more military gain.” Konoe allegedly replied, “Is that possible? It must happen soon. If we have to wait much longer, . . . [a mere battle victory] will mean nothing.” Hirohito replied “If we hold out long enough in this war, we may be able to win, but what worries me is whether the nation will be able to endure it until then.”   On February 15th of 1945, Hirohito's intelligence warned the Soviet Union would likely abrogate its Neutrality Pact with Japan. Even Tojo conceded there was a 50/50 chance the USSR would invade Manchuria. In March, the US began B-29 incendiary bombing raids over Tokyo, turning 40% of the capital into ash. On March 18th, Hirohito with some aides drove around the capital to witness the devastation. The civilians looked exhausted and bewildered to Hirohito. Factory production was collapsing, absenteeism was rising, instances of lese majeste were running rampant. For the next 5 months imperial family members and senior statesmen all began speaking to Hirohito about the “crises of the kokutai”. The threat Konoe had warned about for months was becoming the main talking point. It seemed like the Japanese people within the countryside and urban areas remained steadfast in the resolve to obey their leaders, work and sacrifice for their nation, but for how long would they feel so?    It was only after the battle for Okinawa was lost and 60 Japanese cities had been leveled by American incendiary bombs that Hirohito openly indicated he wanted to negotiate a surrender.   Kido's diary reveals the first clear indication that the emperor might be urged to consider an early peace on June 8, 1945, when Kido drafted his “Draft Plan for Controlling the Crisis Situation.” This marked a pivotal moment. It followed the unintentional bombing of the Imperial Palace, the complete loss of hope for saving Okinawa, and coincided with the day the Supreme War Leadership Council adopted the “Basic Policy for the Future Direction of the War.” With the fighting in Europe concluded, Japan found itself entirely isolated. Kido's plan, although vague, proposed seeking the Soviet Union's assistance as an intermediary to help Japan gain leverage in negotiations with its adversaries. By drafting this plan, Kido signaled the end of his long alliance with the military hard-liners. Hirohito's acceptance of it indicated his readiness for an early peace.   Hirohito was moved to an underground bunker in the mountains of Matsushiro in Nagano prefecture where upon those around him noted he fell into a deep depression. On June 22nd  Hirohito informed the Supreme War Leadership Council he wanted them to open diplomatic maneuvers to end the war. In early July Soviet Ambassador Jacob Malik broke off inconclusive talks with Hirota. Hirohito stepped in immediately and ordered a new special envoy be sent to Moscow. However Hirohito nor the Suzuki government had concrete plans on how to mediate a surrender through the Soviets. The only things they did prioritize was a guarantee of the emperors political position and retainment of the imperial system, ie the kokutai. This was taken into consideration rather than ending the war as quickly as possible to save the lives of millions.    From April 8, 1945, until Japan's capitulation, the Suzuki government's chief war policy was “Ketsugo,” an advanced iteration of the “Shosango” (Victory Number 3) plan for defending the homeland. The hallmark of this strategy was a heavy reliance on suicide tactics, including deploying a massive number of kamikaze “special attack” planes, human torpedoes launched from submarines, dynamite-stuffed “crash boats” powered by truck engines, human rocket bombs carried by aircraft, and suicide assaults by specially trained ground units.   While preparations for Operation Ketsu progressed, the Imperial Diet convened on June 9 to pass a Wartime Emergency Measures Law, along with five additional measures aimed at mobilizing the entire nation for this final battle. On the same day, the emperor, who had yet to initiate efforts to end the war, issued another imperial rescript in conjunction with the Diet's convocation, instructing the nation to “smash the inordinate ambitions of the enemy nations” and “achieve the goals of the war.” Concurrently, the controlled press launched a daily die-for-the-emperor campaign to foster gratitude for the imperial benevolence and, from around mid-July onward, initiated a campaign to “protect the kokutai.”   The Americans countered with their own propaganda aimed at breaking Japan's will to fight. B-29 bombers dropped millions of leaflets written in Japanese, announcing the next scheduled targets for bombing raids and urging surrender, while using the emperor to challenge the militarists. Leaflets bearing the chrysanthemum crest criticized the “military cliques” for “forcing the entire nation to commit suicide” and called on “everyone” to “exercise their constitutional right to make direct appeals [for peace] to the Emperor.” They asserted that “even the powerful military cliques cannot stop the mighty march for peace of the Emperor and the people.” One notable batch of seven million leaflets conveyed the terms of the “joint declaration” issued by the United States, Great Britain, and China. “Today we come not to bomb you,” they stated. “We are dropping this leaflet to inform you of the response from the United States government to your government's request for conditions of surrender.... Whether the war stops immediately depends on your government. You will understand how to end the war if you read these two official notifications.”   Amid pressures from imperial edicts to continue preparations for a final battle and focus solely on victory, the Japanese people were also subjected to an intense American psychological warfare campaign in addition to aerial bombardment. During late July and August, prefectural governors, police chiefs, and officers of the “special higher police” submitted reports to the Home Ministry detailing the rapidly deteriorating national morale.    Now on the other side, Roosevelt made it known back in January of 1943 at the Casablanca conference, the allies would only accept unconditional surrender. By 1945, the allies understood the predicament this left Japan with. On May 8th of 1945, Truman added “Japan's surrender would not mean the extermination or enslavement of the Japanese people” trying to indicate a non vindictive spirit. However the Kokutai question always remained ambiguous. State Department Joseph Grew, the former ambassador to Japan, began arguing to Truman they needed to make public a clear definition of the terms to persuade Japan to surrender. As he argued to Truman: Emperor Hirohito was seen as the key figure in Japan's surrender, likened to a "queen bee in a hive... surrounded by the attentions of the hive." Throughout the war, he was characterized in various ways—as a “puppet” of the militarists, a constitutional monarch, and a pacifist. Grew had immense faith in the influence exerted by what he referred to as the “moderates” surrounding the Japanese throne.    However many of Grew's colleagues argued the future existence of the monarchy was intolerable as it was akin to fascism. Many wanted to punish the emperor. Truman was in a tug of war. The Potsdam declaration issued on July 26th of 1945 came in the form of a ultimatum aiming to quicken japans surrender. Truman clarified the terms for the unconditional surrender at the end of its terms: "We call upon the government of Japan to proclaim now the unconditional surrender of all Japanese armed forces, and to provide proper and adequate assurances of their good faith in such action. The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction." Zero mention of the emperor. Grew had argued to add “this may include a constitutional monarchy under the present dynasty.” But it was deleted from the article. The status of the emperor was not guaranteed, the kokutai was thus up in the air.    The next day, the Suzuki cabinet rejected the terms. The Japanese leadership and Hirohito were still banking and awaiting Soviet replies to their terms.    Lets talk about the Soviet talks now   Back on July 12th ambassador Naotake Satō sent this message to the Soviets: “His Majesty the Emperor, mindful of the fact that the present war daily brings greater evil and sacrifice upon the peoples of all the belligerent powers, desires from his heart that it may be quickly terminated. But so long as England and the United States insist upon unconditional surrender, the Japanese Empire has no alternative but to fight on with all its strength for the honor and existence of the Motherland”.  However the Soviets had made commitments to their allies, promising in fact to invade Japan to aid them.    As for the Soviets their primary objective was to ensure unrestricted access to the Pacific Ocean. The year-round ice-free areas of the Soviet Pacific coastline, particularly Vladivostok, could be blockaded by air and sea from Sakhalin Island and the Kurile Islands. Securing these territories to guarantee free access to the Soya Strait was their main goal. Secondary objectives included acquiring leases for the Chinese Eastern Railway, the Southern Manchuria Railway, as well as gaining control over Dairen and Port Arthur.   To achieve these aims, Stalin and Molotov prolonged negotiations with the Japanese, creating a false sense of hope for a Soviet-mediated peace. Simultaneously, in their discussions with the United States and Britain, the Soviets insisted on strict adherence to the Cairo Declaration, which had been reaffirmed at the Yalta Conference. This declaration stipulated that the Allies would not accept a separate or conditional peace with Japan; thus, the Japanese would need to surrender unconditionally to all the Allies. The Soviets aimed to prolong the war by opposing any efforts to dilute this requirement. This approach would provide the Soviets with the necessary time to complete the transfer of their troops from the Western Front to the Far East and to conquer Manchuria, Inner Mongolia, northern Korea, South Sakhalin, the Kuriles, and potentially Hokkaidō, starting with an assault on Rumoi. AUGUST 1945   Thus we come to at last the critical point, August of 1945.    The Americans prepared for the deployment of atomic bombs and for an invasion of southern Kyushu, known as Operation Olympic, scheduled to commence on November 1. At 8:15 A.M. on August 6, a single B-29 bomber, the Enola Gay dropped little boy, devastating much of the undefended city of Hiroshima, instantly killing an estimated 100,000 to 140,000 people and leading to the deaths of possibly another 100,000 over the next five years. At the epicenter of the explosion, “a light appeared 3,000 times brighter than the sun,” creating a fireball that emitted thermal radiation capable of “instantly scorching humans, trees, and houses.” As the air heated and rushed upward, cold air surged in to ignite a firestorm. Hours later, a whirlwind escalated the flames to their peak until more than eight square miles were virtually reduced to cinders. Subsequently, black, muddy rain filled with radioactive fallout began to fall. Two days later, using Japan's rejection of the Potsdam Declaration as a pretext, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan. Then on August 9, the United States dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki, resulting in the immediate deaths of approximately 35,000 to 40,000 people and injuring more than 60,000.   Meanwhile, in Tokyo, during the critical period between the Potsdam Declaration and the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Emperor Hirohito remained silent about accepting the Potsdam terms. However, on July 25 and 31, he explicitly conveyed to Kido that the imperial regalia must be defended at all costs. The three sacred objects—a mirror, a curved jewel, and a sword—symbolized the legitimacy of his rule through the northern court and were integral to his identity as the divine sovereign. Hirohito's focus was on protecting these symbols of office, as he insisted on having them brought to the palace. This fixation on maintaining his symbols occurred during a pivotal moment when the pressing issue was whether to accept immediate capitulation. Reflecting on this, he was unprepared to seize the opportunity to end the war himself.   Prime Minister Suzuki, following his initial rejection of the Potsdam ultimatum, also saw no need for further action. His Cabinet Advisory Council, which included the president of Asano Cement, the founder of the Nissan consortium, the vice president of the Bank of Japan, and other representatives from the nation's leading business interests that had profited significantly from the war, convened on the morning of August 3. They recommended accepting the Potsdam terms, arguing that the United States would permit Japan to retain its non-military industries and continue participating in world trade.    Here are some reactions to the two bombs and invasion of Manchuria.    Yonai Mitsumasa said to admiral Takagi Sokichi, on August 12, that “I think the term is perhaps inappropriate, but the atomic bombs and the Soviet entry into the war are, in a sense, gifts from the gods [tenyu, also “heaven-sent blessings”]. This way we don't have to say that we quit the war because of domestic circumstances. I've long been advocating control of our crisis, but neither from fear of an enemy attack nor because of the atomic bombs and the Soviet entry into the war. The main reason is my anxiety over the domestic situation. So, it is rather fortunate that we can now control matters without revealing the domestic situation”.    Konoe's characterized the Soviet involvement in the war as “a godsend for controlling the army,”. Kido viewed of both the atomic bombings and the Soviet entry into the conflict as “useful” elements for ensuring a smooth transition. A nascent power struggle was unfolding, rendering the potential death toll—whether one hundred thousand or two hundred thousand—immaterial to those involved, as long as their desired outcome was achieved: an end to the war that would leave the monarchy intact and capable of managing the discontent that defeat would inevitably provoke. Throughout the final acts of this wartime drama, the Japanese “moderates” found it easier to capitulate to external pressures than to take decisive action on their own to conclude the war.   Another illuminating looks at Japan's elite's perspective on surrender terms was the document titled “Essentials of Peace Negotiations” (wahei kosho no yoryo). Drafted by Konoe and his adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Sakai Koji, after Konoe had reluctantly accepted a mission to Moscow, this document, stipulated the preservation of the emperor system, along with most of the imperial prerogatives, as the absolute minimum condition for peace. It defined the “original” or “essential homeland” as including the southern half of the Kurile Islands but showed a willingness to concede all overseas territories to the enemy, including Okinawa and the American-occupied Bonin Islands, as well as the southern half of Sakhalin. The “Essentials” also accepted complete disarmament for an unspecified period, thereby compromising on the issues of demobilizing and disarming the armed forces. More significantly, an “explanation” attached to the “Essentials” emphasized that “the main aim is to secure the imperial line and maintain the political role of the emperor.”    Why Japan surrendered   We come to it atleast after a long podcast. Why did Japan ultimately surrender?   The twin psychological shocks of the first atomic bomb and the Soviet entry into the war, combined with Kido's and the emperor's concern over escalating public criticism of the throne and its occupant, fueled an almost paranoid fear that, sooner or later, the populace would react violently against their leaders if the war persisted much longer. These factors ultimately led Hirohito to accept, in principle, the terms of the Potsdam Declaration.   At the first meeting of the six member constituents of the Supreme War Leadership Council, held from 10:30 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. on August 9, Army Minister Anami Korechika, Chiefs of Staff Umezu Yoshijiro, representing the army, and Yonai, representing the navy, along with Tōgō, from the Foreign Ministry, were expected to discuss the acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration. Instead, the conversation revolved around whether to attempt a conditional surrender—specifically, should they insist on one condition, the preservation of the kokutai, or four?   After Suzuki addressed the assembly regarding the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and the Soviet attack, Yonai, as recounted by Navy Chief of Staff Toyoda, was the first to speak, framing the issue in terms of four conditions. “Let's start to talk, Do we accept the Potsdam Declaration with no conditions? If not, and we wish to insist on attaching hopes and conditions, we may do so this way. First, preservation of the kokutai; then for the rest, the main items in the Potsdam Declaration: treatment of war criminals, method of disarmament, and the matter of sending in an army of occupation.” Thus, the participants identified what they perceived to be the ambiguous points within the Potsdam Declaration and used them as the foundation for their discussions.   The army insisted on four conditions: First, the preservation of the kokutai, which they considered distinct from the Potsdam Declaration itself. The other conditions proposed were, second, that the Imperial Headquarters assume responsibility for disarmament and demobilization; third, a prohibition on occupation; and fourth, the delegation of the punishment of war criminals to the Japanese government. The army equated the kokutai with the emperor's right of supreme command. Their self-serving desire for autonomous war crimes trials was based on the belief that the Allies would use such trials to politically indict the military. Consequently, army leaders aimed to preempt the activities of any international tribunal by conducting their own trials—similar to the approach taken by the uninvaded and unrepentant Germans after World War I.   Supporting the military's views during cabinet meetings that day were three civilian members of the Suzuki cabinet: Justice Minister Matsuzaka Hiromasa, Home Minister Yasui Toji, and Minister of Health Okada Tadahiko. At the imperial conference that night, which extended into the early hours of the tenth, Foreign Minister Tōgō's interpretation of the “preservation of the kokutai” referred solely to the safeguarding of the Imperial House or dynasty, rather than the continuation of Hirohito's reign.   Hiranuma, another advocate for the single condition, interpreted the kokutai as the “emperor's sovereign right to rule the state [not] deriving from national law. Even if the entire nation is sacrificed to the war, we must preserve both the kokutai and the security of the imperial house.” This discrepancy illustrated that there was no completely unified understanding of what the kokutai entailed; the debate over one condition versus four represented conflicting visions for the future of the Japanese state and masked the competition for political power that was already unfolding.   It remains doubtful whether the emperor and Kido initially sided with Tōgō against the four conditions proposed by the senior military leaders. A more likely inference is that both men retained sympathies for the hardliners, both military and civilian, who preferred to continue the futile war rather than surrender immediately and unconditionally. This may explain why, on August 9, Konoe had Hosokawa Morisada approach Navy General Headquarters to urge the emperor's brother, Prince Takamatsu, to pressure Hirohito (through Kido) to accept the Potsdam terms. Later that afternoon, Konoe enlisted the help of diplomat Shigemitsu Mamoru to persuade Kido to reconsider his stance on the four conditions. Ultimately, at the urging of Takamatsu and Shigemitsu, Kido did shift to support Tōgō's position.   At the end of the war, as at its beginning and throughout every stage of its progression, Emperor Hirohito played a highly active role in supporting the actions carried out in his name. From the very beginning of the Asia-Pacific war, the emperor played a significant role in the unfolding events around him. Prior to the Battle of Okinawa, he consistently advocated for a decisive victory. Afterward, he acknowledged the necessity of pursuing an early peace, although he did not favor an immediate cessation of hostilities. Instead, he wavered, steering Japan toward ongoing warfare rather than direct negotiations with the Allies. When the final crisis fully unfolded, the only option left was unconditional surrender. Even then, he continued to procrastinate until the atomic bomb was dropped and the Soviets launched their attack. The wartime emperor ideology that once sustained morale made it exceedingly difficult for Japan's leaders to accept the act of surrender. Aware of their objective defeat, yet indifferent to the suffering the war inflicted on their own people—as well as on the populations of Asia, the Pacific, and the West whose lives they had disrupted—the emperor and his military leaders sought a means to lose without appearing to lose. They aimed to mitigate domestic criticism following surrender while preserving their power structure.   Blinded by their fixation on the fate of the imperial house and committed to an overly optimistic diplomacy toward the Soviet Union, Japan's leaders missed several opportunities to end their lost war. Would Japan's leaders have surrendered more promptly if the Truman administration had “clarified” the status of the emperor before the cataclysmic double shocks of the atomic bomb and the Soviet entry into the war? Probably not. However, it is likely they would have surrendered to prevent the kokutai from being destroyed from within. The evidence suggests that the first atomic bomb and the Soviet declaration of war led Hirohito, Kido, and other members of the court to believe that continuing the war would inevitably result in that destruction. They recognized that the populace was war-weary and despondent, with rising hostility toward the military and the government, accompanied by increasing criticism of the emperor himself. More specifically, Kido and Hirohito were privy to Home Ministry reports, which contained information from governors and police chiefs nationwide. These reports indicated that citizens were beginning to label the emperor as an incompetent leader responsible for the deteriorating war situation.   This is the third variable, never spoken about. Many first look at the atomic bombs. Bigger brain people turn to the Soviet Invasion of Manchuria. But hardly anyone reads about how the collapse of Japan's social fabric, scared the shit out of the Emperor and his closest advisors. You can't have a kokutai, without a populace that worshiped you.    When the emperor expressed in February, “What worries me is whether the nation [could] endure” long enough to achieve victory, he was not merely voicing concern for the suffering of his subjects; rather, he feared that such suffering could lead to social upheaval—in short, revolution. At that time, he referred to the ordinary, war-related hardships of food shortages, air raids, devastated cities, destruction of homes, and the omnipresent grief from the loss of loved ones. The atomic bomb escalated death, pain, and suffering to unimaginably higher levels, intensifying the threat from within. After the bombings of Japan and two atomic bombs, Hirohito was in a dark way, given a golden get out of jail free card. Hirohito could now save his suffering people from further anguish by surrendering, allowing him to deflect responsibility for leading them into misery while adopting an air of benevolence and care. Indeed, Hirohito did care—though not primarily for the Japanese people, but rather for the survival of his own imperial house and throne.   After the bombing of Hiroshima, Hirohito delayed for a full two days before instructing Kido, shortly before 10 A.M. on August 9, to “quickly control the situation” because “the Soviet [Union]” had declared war. Kido immediately communicated with Prime Minister Suzuki, who began arrangements for an Imperial Conference scheduled for later that night. Following the seidan of August 10, Chief Cabinet Secretary Sakomizu took charge of drafting the “Imperial Rescript Ending the War” based on Hirohito's directives. Assisted by two scholars of the Chinese classics, Kawada Mizuho and Yasuoka Masahiro, Sakomizu worked tirelessly for over three days before submitting a version of the rescript to the Suzuki cabinet. After six hours of contentious discussion on the night of August 14, the cabinet modified and approved the document. Hirohito promptly signed it, and Shimomura and Kido persuaded him to record a suitably opaque final version for broadcast to the nation.   On the night of August 14, the Suzuki government notified the United States and other Allied nations that it had accepted both the Potsdam Declaration and the Byrnes letter of August 11. Accelerating the emperor's actions during this climactic moment of the unconditional surrender drama was the American psychological warfare campaign. When a leaflet dropped from B-29 bombers came into Kido's possession on the night of August 13 or the morning of the fourteenth, he conferred with the emperor and explained the gravity of the situation. The latest enemy leaflets were informing the Japanese people of the government's notification of surrender under one condition, along with the full text of Byrnes's response. If this continued, it would undermine the imperial government's reliance on secrecy to obscure the true nature of the lost war and the reasons for the prolonged surrender delay.   Given Kido's and the emperor's concerns about rising signs of defeatism, including criticism of the throne, immediate action was necessary to prevent the populace from acting on their own initiative. Thus, the second seidan was convened. At noon on August 15, the Japanese people gathered around their radio receivers and heard, for the first time, the high-pitched voice of their emperor telling them:    “After pondering deeply the general trends of the world and the actual conditions obtaining in Our Empire today, We have decided to effect a settlement of the present situation by resorting to an extraordinary measure. We have ordered Our Government to communicate to the Governments of the United States, Great Britain, China and the Soviet Union that Our Empire accepts the provisions of their Joint Declaration. To strive for the common prosperity and happiness of all nations as well as the security and well-being of Our subjects is the solemn obligation which has been handed down by Our Imperial Ancestors and which lies close to Our heart. Indeed, We declared war on America and Britain out of Our sincere desire to ensure Japan's self-preservation and the stabilization of East Asia, it being far from Our thought either to infringe upon the sovereignty of other nations or to embark upon territorial aggrandizement. But now the war has lasted for nearly four years. Despite the best that has been done by everyone—the gallant fighting of the military and naval forces, the diligence and assiduity of Our servants of the State, and the devoted service of Our one hundred million people—the war situation has developed not necessarily to Japan's advantage, while the general trends of the world have all turned against her interest. Moreover, the enemy has begun to employ a new and most cruel bomb, the power of which to do damage is, indeed, incalculable, taking the toll of many innocent lives. Should we continue to fight, not only would it result in an ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation, but also it would lead to the total extinction of human civilization. Such being the case, how are We to save the millions of Our subjects, or to atone Ourselves before the hallowed spirits of Our Imperial Ancestors? This is the reason why We have ordered the acceptance of the provisions of the Joint Declaration of the Powers... The hardships and sufferings to which Our nation is to be subjected hereafter will be certainly great. We are keenly aware of the inmost feelings of all of you, Our subjects. However, it is according to the dictates of time and fate that We have resolved to pave the way for a grand peace for all the generations to come by enduring the unendurable and suffering what is unsufferable”.   Clearly Hirohito sought to justify his decision to surrender by citing the dropping of the atomic bombs. He wanted to become the saviour of the Japanese people. Hirohito wanted to obfuscate the issue of accountability, to prevent expressions of strife and anger and to strengthen domestic unity around himself, to protect and raise the kokutai.  Interestingly, the surrender declaration to the civilian population was not the same one sent to the military. On August 17th Hirohito issued a second “rescript to soldiers and sailors” throughout the asia-pacific.   “ Now that the Soviet Union has entered the war against us, to continue . . . under the present conditions at home and abroad would only recklessly incur even more damage to ourselves and result in endangering the very foundation of the empire's existence. Therefore, even though enormous fighting spirit still exists in the Imperial Navy and Army, I am going to make peace with the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union, as well as with Chungking, in order to maintain our glorious national polity”.   The lesser-known August 17 rescript to the army and navy specified Soviet participation as the sole reason for surrender, while maintaining the kokutai as the primary aim. Dissembling until the end—and even beyond—it was noted that the emperor presented two different justifications for his delayed surrender. Both statements were likely true.   Months later Hirohito's said this about his decision to surrender “The main motive behind my decision at that time was that if we . . . did not act, the Japanese race would perish and I would be unable to protect my loyal subjects [sekishi—literally, “children”]. Second, Kido agreed with me on the matter of defending the kokutai. If the enemy landed near Ise Bay, both Ise and Atsuta Shrines would immediately come under their control. There would be no time to transfer the sacred treasures [regalia] of the imperial family and no hope of protecting them. Under these circumstances, protection of the kokutai would be difficult. For these reasons, I thought at the time that I must make peace even at the sacrifice of myself.”    There exists this sort of childish argument today whether it was the atomic bombs or the Soviet Invasion that caused Japan to surrender. However, this overlooks as I think I've explained in 9000 words jeez, the influence of the kokutai. Defending the kokutai was Hirohito's number one priority. The Soviets threatened it. Communism threatened it. What Japan perceived to be “democracy” threatened it. American victory threatened it. And the destruction of Japan's social fabric threatened it. I love this one piece of history, that I have only come across in one book, that being the main one I am using here.   On August 12th, Hirohito came to the imperial family to tell them he had made the decision to surrender. His uncle Prince Yasuhiko Asaka asked him whether the war would be continued if the kokutai could not be preserved. Hirohito replied “of course”.

Sr. Pastor A. A. Jackson shared this message live 4/13/25 at the Island Nursing and Rehab’ Center.  It is based mainly on John 3:3 and John 15:1-2.  Our divine destiny can be better realized if we completely allow God's way to become our way.  When we partake of the heavenly nature essential in being again […] The post How to Stay Tuned and Pruned – Nursing Home Ministry Message appeared first on Realm of Agape Christian Church.

Expanding the scope of violation of FCRA, 2010, Centre has said that validity period of receiving foreign funds will be 3 yrs from the date of approval of application for prior permission.  

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain. Today is the 12th of March and here are the headlines. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mauritius PM Navin Chandra Ramgoolam announced an "enhanced strategic partnership" between their countries on Wednesday. India also pledged new projects worth 500 million Mauritian rupees (around Rs 100 crore), including building Mauritius' new Parliament building. Both nations agreed to conduct mutual trade in local currencies. Modi also outlined a vision for the Global South under the MAHASAGAR initiative, which focuses on mutual growth and security across regions, strengthening India-Mauritius ties in both trade and diplomacy. Opposition parties, including Congress and DMK, staged a protest in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday against a renewable energy project near the India-Pakistan border. Manish Tewari (Congress) raised concerns about national and energy security, arguing the project's proximity to the border violates security protocols. According to Tewari, major infrastructure should be at least 10 km away from the border. Meanwhile, the Immigration and Foreigners Bill 2025 was introduced, aimed at modernizing India's immigration laws. Opposition parties called it unconstitutional and demanded its referral to a Joint Parliamentary Committee. Jio Platforms announced a deal with Elon Musk's SpaceX on Wednesday to bring Starlink's internet services to India. The partnership follows a similar announcement by Bharti Airtel and is contingent on SpaceX securing approval to operate in the country. Jio and SpaceX, historically at odds over satellite spectrum allocation, will move forward after the government opted for an administrative allocation. SpaceX has applied for security clearance with the Indian government, which is currently under review by the Home Ministry. Ukraine has proposed a 30-day ceasefire in its war with Russia, contingent on Moscow's agreement. The announcement came after high-level talks in Saudi Arabia, where the United States declared it would lift its freeze on military aid to Ukraine. This marks a significant shift in efforts to pause the devastating conflict, which began in 2022 with Russia's full-scale invasion. According to a joint statement from the White House and Kyiv, the temporary ceasefire could be extended if both sides agree to further terms. On Tuesday, separatist militants attacked the Jaffar Express, a passenger train in Pakistan's Balochistan province, carrying 500 people. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility, stating they derailed the train, killed 30 security personnel, and took 214 passengers, including military personnel, hostage. According to Radio Pakistan, 27 militants were killed, and 155 passengers were rescued. The BLA issued a 48-hour ultimatum, demanding the release of Baloch political prisoners, threatening to execute the hostages if their demands are not met. This was the Catch Up on 3 Things by the Indian Express.

Sr. Pastor A. A. Jackson shared this message live at the Island Nursing and Rehab’ Center on 12/8/24.  It is based mainly on Psalm 63:1-8. Wise men still seek God today.  The Holy Spirit gifts faithful followers of Jesus with diligence to seek after GOD.  If you diligently seek Him, He will reward you by […] The post Did You Open and Use Your Gifts Yet? A Christmas Nursing Home Ministry Message appeared first on Realm of Agape Christian Church.

Syria's al-Assad loses control of Daraa; rebels close in on Homs. What does it mean? , Eknath Shinde wants Home Ministry, talks in progress on portfolio allocation: Sena MLA, South Korea's president avoids an impeachment attempt over martial law

Haven Oaks Community Bible Church invites all the ladies to their Bunco Evening on Friday, Oct. 18, and every third Friday of each month. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with Girl Time with Bunco beginning at 7 p.m. Entrance is just , and proceeds help support the church Nursing Home Outreach Program. Haven Oaks Community Bible Church is located at 10294 F.M. 539 in Sutherland Springs. For more information, call or text 210-288-4924.Article Link

Sr. Pastor A. A. Jackson shared this message live at the Island Nursing and Rehab’ Center on 9/8/24.  It is based on Matthew 6:12; 18:21,22; and Revelation 22:21.  As we seek to be pardoned by our gracious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we must also seek for Him to anoint us with His holy character […] The post Walk in the Grace to Forgive – Nursing Home Ministry Message appeared first on Realm of Agape Christian Church.

For decades the Registration of Criminals and Undesirable Persons Act 1969 has caused difficulties for about a million people on the list, making it difficult for them to get jobs, start a business and to basically reintegrate into society. Jerald Joseph, Chair of CSO Platform for Reform, shares his thoughts on this Act which the Home Ministry is now looking to review to give ex-offenders a real second chance.Image Credit: shutterstock.com

Chief Secretary Baikuntha Aryal has been suspended following the filing of a corruption case against him by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). The Home Ministry has been ordered to respond to questions raised in Parliament regarding the rape of a teenage girl living in a menstrual shed in Achham district. Listen to the major news over the last seven days from Nepal. - अख्तियार दुरुपयोग अनुसन्धान आयोगले मुख्य सचिव वैकुण्ठ अर्याल विरुद्ध भ्रष्टाचार गरेको आरोप लगाउँदै विशेष अदालतमा मुद्दा दायर गरेपछि उनी निलम्बनमा परेका छन्। साथै अछाममा छाउ गोठमा बसेकी एक किशोरीको बलात्कारको घटनामा गृह मन्त्रालयलाई संसद्मा उठेका प्रश्नको उत्तर दिन निर्देशन दिइएको छ। यस लगायत पछिल्ला सात दिनका अस्ट्रेलियन समाचार सुन्नुहोस्।

Dr. David Anderson recounts the 2023-24 Ministry Year with a sermon reflecting upon this year's theme, "COME HOME." We are called to continue our spiritual journey and invite others to come home by caring for them with integrity and our talents, preparing for the greater things that God has in store.

These teaching sessions come from the 2024 Midwest Women's Fellowship Retreat. Note- They are teaching sessions, not sermons. In them, Pastor David Hanson and his wife, Ruth, tell of their application of Psalm 128 to the vital ministry of hospitality.

These teaching sessions come from the 2024 Midwest Women's Fellowship Retreat. Note- They are teaching sessions, not sermons. In them, Pastor David Hanson and his wife, Ruth, tell of their application of Psalm 128 to the vital ministry of hospitality.

A new MP3 sermon from Stillwater Reformed Presbyterian Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Women's Retreat 2024: 2. Home Ministry Subtitle: Ministry from the Home Speaker: David Ruth Hanson Broadcaster: Stillwater Reformed Presbyterian Church Event: Teaching Date: 4/5/2024 Bible: Psalm 128 Length: 46 min.

A new MP3 sermon from Stillwater Reformed Presbyterian Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Women's Retreat 2024: 2. Home Ministry Subtitle: Ministry from the Home Speaker: David Ruth Hanson Broadcaster: Stillwater Reformed Presbyterian Church Event: Teaching Date: 4/5/2024 Bible: Psalm 128 Length: 46 min.

Sr. Pastor A. A. Jackson shared this message live during our Island Nursing Home Visitation Ministry on 4/14/24.  It is based on Psalm 34:1 – “I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”  This scripture was written to help us maintain a correct attitude when it comes […] The post Island Nursing Home Ministry – We Worship God for Spiritual Strength appeared first on Realm of Agape Christian Church.

These teaching sessions come from the 2024 Midwest Women's Fellowship Retreat. Note: They are teaching sessions, not sermons. In them, Pastor David Hanson and his wife, Ruth, tell of their application of Psalm 128 to the vital ministry of hospitality.

Hello, this is your daily dose of news from Onmanorama. Tune in to get updated about the major news stories of the day.

Hello, this is your daily dose of news from Onmanorama. Tune in to get updated about the major news stories of the day.

On the 17th of January, the producer and director of locally-made film Mentega Terbang, Tan Meng Kheng and Khairi Anwar Jailani, were charged under Section 298 of the Penal Code for ‘hurting religious feelings', a blasphemy provision. The charge carries a punishment of up to one year imprisonment or a fine or both. Mentega Terbang was banned by the Home Ministry back in September 2023 and taken down from the streaming platform Viu in March 2023, and the filmmakers have faced both online and offline threats since a social media campaign was launched against the film, and those involved in it. This latest move has several human rights groups, including the Freedom Film Network (FFF), urging the government to drop the criminal charges against the director and producer, and protect artists and artistic expression in Malaysia. We discuss this and more with the Freedom Film Network's co-founders, Brenda Danker and Anna Har.

Home Ministry declares Muslim League Jammu Kashmir Masarat Alam faction as 'unlawful association' under UAPA, 'Temples not government's...': Shashi Tharoor attacks BJP over Ayodhya event, Israel urges Chinese President Xi Jinping to help secure Noa Argamani's release, KL Rahul's love affair with Centurion continues; slams gritty ton vs SA, Karan Johar hints at reuniting with Salman Khan on his birthday: '25 years later, we will finally have a story to tell'

Listen to the top news from Australia and India in Hindi.

The Home Ministry hopes to table the Drug & Substance Abuse (Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act in Parliament next year. The aim is to enable first-time or minor drug offenders to be rehabilitated, instead of being sent straight to prison as per the current practice. Ashwin Thind, Clinical Psychologist at PENGASIH and member of the Malaysian Drug Policy Reform Programme shares with us his thoughts on this matter.Image credit: Bernama

Recently, 18 civil society organisations have come together to launch a campaign urging the Home Ministry to hold off – in their words – “regressive” alterations to the nation's citizenship laws that would perpetuate statelessness among children. However, the coalition also advocates for “progressive” revisions that would grant automatic Malaysian citizenship to children born overseas to Malaysian mothers. This campaign is called the #100. In this episode, we speak to the activists behind this campaign to discuss how Malaysians can fight back against these amendments.

Earlier this year, the Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution announced that children should no longer be detained in immigration detention centres, pledging to place them instead under the care of NGOs that specialise in the welfare of children. Then in August the Home Ministry announced 23 children and 10 of their parents or guardians have been relocated from existing immigration detention centres to what the government has termed as a “children friendly” detention centre, called Baitul Mahabbah. Does this move signify the Malaysian government will finally put an end to child immigration detention in Malaysia? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Hannah Jambunathan, Asia Pacific Programme Officer with the International Detention Coalition, and human rights advocate Mahi Ramakrishnan.

Based on April 2023 figures from the Home Ministry,  a total of 1,030 children, 43% of whom are girls, are currently being held in 19 immigration detention centres across Malaysia. Two-thirds of these are unaccompanied and separated children. There are alternatives to detention that ensures proper administration of migration in kinder, more successful, and less expensive ways that do not include arrest or imprisonment. We call this Alternatives to Detention, or ATD. But if that's so promising, why hasn't there been any concrete action? In this episode, Hannah Jambunathan (International Detention Coalition) and Joshua Low (New Naratif) will talk about children in Malaysia's immigration detention centres, what the deal is with the holdup in the Malaysian government, and what researchers and non-researchers can do to help advocacy moving forward. You can also find this podcast on our ⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠. Our movement needs your support. A movement is only as strong as its members. If you believe in a more democratic Southeast Asia, join New Naratif as a member ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠.

More than 160,000 people took their own lives in 2021 in India, an alarming increase of 7 percent on the previous year, according to a report released by the Home Ministry. Suicides were highest among students, self-employed people, daily wage earners and housewives. Experts say multiple lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic made the situation worse. For daily labourers, lockdowns led to a sudden loss of livelihood, pushing thousands of them to end their lives, which accounted for almost one quarter of the total suicides in 2021. As for students, they face multiple risk factors, from parental pressure to excel to failing exams or financial stress. Our correspondents report.

Jerald Joseph, Director of Pusat KOMAS and former SUHAKAM commissioner outlines the policies and personnel actions that the new Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution must prioritise.Image credit: Shutterstock

पॉपुलर फ़्रंट ऑफ़ इंडिया, PFI, एक ऐसा भारतीय संगठन, जिसको भारत सरकार ने UAPA के तहत ग़ैरक़ानूनी संगठन घोषित कर बैन कर दिया है। PFI पर आतंकवादी गतिविधियों में शामिल होने के आरोप हैं, हिंसा भड़काने के आरोप हैं। बीते कुछ दिनों में PFI के दफ़्तरों पर NIA और ED ने छापेमारी की है और कुल 250 से अधिक सदस्यों को गिरफ़्तार किया है। PFI क्या है, उसका क्या इतिहास है, हिंसा से जुड़ी घटनाओं में उसका नाम इतना क्यों लिया जाता है। ABP LIVE PODCAST के इस एपिसोड में और बात करेंगे UAPA की भी, उसकी क्या भूमिका है। नमस्कार, मेरा नाम है मंगलम् भारत और आप सुन रहे हैं FYI यानि कि FOR YOUR INFORMATION. गृह मंत्रालय की ओर से 28 सितम्बर 2022 बुधवार को एक नोटिस जारी किया गया, जिसमें हवाला दिया गया था अनलॉफ़ुल एक्टिविटीज़ प्रिवेंशन एक्ट 1967 (UAPA) का और इसके तहत पीएफ़आई और उससे जुड़े 8 संगठनों को अगले 5 सालों के लिए अवैध घोषित कर दिया गया है। नोटिस में लिखा था कि इनकी ज़मीन को सील कर दिया जाए और बिना डीएम की परमिशन के कोई भी गतिविधि नहीं हो सकती। उत्तर प्रदेश, महाराष्ट्र और कर्नाटक सरकार की ओर से पहले ही इस संगठन को बैन करने की माँग उठती आई है। ये बैन तब लगाया गया है, जब बीते 22 सितम्बर को NIA और ED ने PFI के दफ़्तरों पर छापेमारी की। उसके 109 लोगों को गिरफ़्तार किया गया है। गृह मंत्रालय ने कहा है कि PFI और उससे जुड़े संगठन ख़ुद को खुले में तो सामाजिक, आर्थिक, शैक्षिक और राजनीतिक संगठन के रूप में काम करते हैं, लेकिन पीठ पीछे ये लोकतंत्र को ख़त्म करने के कामों में लिप्त हैं, समाज के एक वर्ग को कट्टरपंथी बनाने के एजेंडे पर काम कर रहे हैं और देश की संवैधानिक व्यवस्था को ख़त्म करने की कोशिश कर रहे हैं। PFI ख़ुद कर्नाटक के हिजाब मामले में बहुत एक्टिव रहा है, इसके बाद सिटिज़नशिप अमेंडमेंट एक्ट हो या फिर हाथरस रेप का जो मामला था, उसमें माहौल बिगाड़ने में सक्रिय था। PFI के सदस्य देश के एकता, अखंडता और संप्रभुता को नुकसान पहुँचा रहे हैं। PFI पर इस तरह के बैन का क्या मतलब है? आतंकवाद को लेकर UN में कई सारे रिजॉल्यूशन पास किए गए हैं और हमारे मोदी जी तो आतंकवादी गतिविधियों को निपटाने के पूरे मूड में रहते ही हैं। इससे इस संगठन की पूरी ज़मीन ज़ब्त कर ली जाएगी। आतंकवादी संगठन घोषित करने और उसे बैन करने पर ये संगठन आर्थिक लेन-देन नहीं कर पाएँगे। UAPA की धाराएँ इतनी सख्त हैं कि एक बार किसी पर लग जाएँ तो बच पाने की संभावनाएँ बहुत ज़्यादा नहीं बचती हैं। इस समय देश में कुल 42 संगठन ऐसे हैं, जिनको आतंकवादी गतिविधि में लिप्त होने के कारण इस लिस्ट में रखा गया है, जिसमें लिट्टे, बब्बर खालसा इंटरनेशनल, इंडियन मुजाहिदीन, कॉम्युनिस्ट पार्टी ऑफ़ इंडिया (माओवादी), हिज़बुल मुजाहिदीन, लश्कर ए तैयबा, ISIS जैसे संगठन आते हैं। अब बात कर लेते हैं UAPA की। UAPA में किस प्रकार की धाराएँ हैं और उसकी क्या छवि है? UAPA पर हमेशा से आरोप लगते आ रहे हैं कि इस क़ानून का इस्तेमाल सरकारें अपने फ़ायदे के करती हैं। वो संगठन जो सरकारों को नापसंद हैं, उनको ख़त्म करने के लिए या उनके काम में बाधा डालने के लिए इनका इस्तेमाल किया जाता है। केंद्र सरकार द्वारा साझा किए गए आंकड़ों के अनुसार, 2016 से 2020 की अवधि में अधिनियम के तहत 5,027 मामले दर्ज किए गए, जिनमें 24,134 लोगों को आरोपी बनाया गया। 24,134 लोगों में से केवल 212 को ही दोषी ठहराया गया और 386 को बरी कर दिया गया। इसका मतलब है, 2016-2020 के वर्षों में, यूएपीए के तहत गिरफ्तार किए गए लोगों में से 97.5% लोग मुकदमे की प्रतीक्षा में जेल में हैं। 25 जुलाई 2021 को, सुप्रीम कोर्ट के पूर्व न्यायाधीश, न्यायमूर्ति आफताब आलम ने "Discussion On Democracy, Dissent and Draconian Law – Should UAPA & Sedition Have A Place In Our Statute Books?" शीर्षक से एक वेबिनार पर बात की। चर्चा में, उन्होंने यूएपीए को एक "कठोर कानून" कहा और कहा कि यह यूएपीए था जिसने बिना मुकदमे के फादर स्टेन स्वामी की मृत्यु का कारण बना। स्टेन स्वामी एक कार्यकर्ता थे जिन पर 2018 भीमा कोरेगांव हिंसा में उनकी कथित भूमिका और भारतीय कम्युनिस्ट पार्टी (माओवादी) से संबंध रखने के लिए UAPA का आरोप लगाया गया था और बाद में COVID-19 के कारण जेल में उनकी मृत्यु हो गई। आलम ने आगे कहा कि यूएपीए की वास्तविक सजा दर 2% है। उन्होंने आगे कहा कि यह कानून उन स्थितियों को जन्म दे सकता है जहां मामला विफल हो सकता है लेकिन आरोपी को 8 से 12 साल की कैद हो सकती है। उन्होंने कहा कि ऐसे मामलों में, मामले में खड़े होने के लिए कोई पैर नहीं हो सकता है लेकिन आरोपी को भुगतना पड़ा है और उन्होंने निष्कर्ष निकाला कि ऐसे मामलों में प्रक्रिया सजा बन जाती है। तो जो UAPA का क़ानून है, वो ख़ुद भी सवालों के घेरे में है। ख़ैर... अब सवाल उठता है कि PFI के पास क्या बचा है ख़ुद को बचाने के लिए?  क्योंकि सरकार ने तो अपनी कार्रवाई कर दी। एक संस्था के तौर पर PFI ख़ुद, या कोई ऐसा सदस्य जिसको PFI के इस बैन का नुकसान झेलना पड़ रहा हो, केन्द्र सरकार को एक एप्लिकेशन भेज सकता है। इसके बाद एक रीव्यू कमेटी बैठती है जिसे हाई कोर्ट के कोई पूर्व जज अध्यक्षता करते हैं। अगर कोर्ट को लगता है कि संस्था या व्यक्ति पर जो आरोप लगाए गए हैं वो पूरी तरह से बेबुनियाद हैं, तो रीव्यू कमेटी उस संस्था या व्यक्ति को इससे बरी कर सकती है।

The Central government reasserted last week that its policy on the Rohingya refugees in India, who it calls “illegal foreigners”, will not change. It did so while denying a tweet by Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri which said the government will move the Rohingya refugees living in Delhi to flats meant for economically weaker sections. Denying this, the Home Ministry said the government would continue efforts for their “deportation” to Myanmar, from where more than a million Rohingya have fled in the past decade after targeted attacks by the Myanmar military that the United Nations has termed a “genocide”. This week marks five years since the last big migration of the Rohingya, who have sought shelter in a number of countries around the world.  Here we discuss India's policy on the Rohingya and the need for a refugee law. Guests: Meenakshi Ganguly, Human Rights Watch's South Asia Director; Vivek Katju, a former diplomat, and has served as India's envoy to Myanmar Host: Suhasini Haidar

While Hardeep Puri tweeted about providing EWS flats to UNHRC card holder refugee Rohingyas, Home Ministry talked about illegal Rohingyas. Right hand doesn't know what the Left is doing in GOI. Sanjay Dixit on Centre's huge goof-up on Rohingyas.

With the Home Ministry officially launching the Sahabat Kita Demi Negara programme, we ask James Chai, Visiting Fellow, ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute whether this programme wanting youths to be its eyes and ears for KDN has more sinister intentionsImage credit: Shutterstock

Over the next two years, fully half of all democratically elected regional heads across Indonesia will undergo replacement with interim appointees chosen by either the president or the home affairs minister.  Reformasi Dispatch examines multiple sources of confusion that already afflict the process. Also: Southeast Asia's first Holocaust Museum, in North Sulawesi, highlights an Indonesian Jewish community -- estimated to number perhaps 200 people -- that has shunned attention since the Surabaya Synagogue demolition nearly a decade ago.  Jeff and Kevin also discuss the government's efforts to both grapple with the omicron wave while also preparing for the re-opening of tourism.  And finally, how attempts to stage a Jakarta Formula-E race have been far from formulaic.  Get a free trial of Reformasi Weekly Newsletter at:https://bit.ly/reformasifreeSupport us on buymeacoffee.com/reformasiSupport us on buymeacoffee.com/reformasi

According to the ‘Tek Fog' expose by the news portal The Wire, the BJP has access to a secret app called ‘Tek Fog' that can hijack social media, automate hate, and targets thousands of accounts with just a click. The report, when it came out, created a sensation. While A TMC MP has said Tek Fog “has serious ramifications and could jeopardise national security,” a parliamentary panel headed by a Congress leader has sought a response from the Home Ministry. So, what exactly is Tek Fog? How does automated trolling work, and is it really scalable? What does the Tek Fog expose mean in the context of investigative journalism that straddles the domains of technology, privacy, free speech and politics? We explore these questions in this episode. Guest: Samarth Bansal, an independent journalist who runs The Interval, a fortnightly newsletter Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu Edited by Reenu Cyriac

Bollywood is not quite the innocent entertainer that we take it to be. For a very long time, Mafia in Bollywood has been the parking slot for dirty money and many kinds of syndicates. RVS Mani, with his long stint in the Home Ministry, Govt. of India, is privy to many such secrets, which he is sharing here with Sanjay Dixit.

The High Court has ordered the Home Ministry to register MUDA as a political party within two weeks after its first attempt to do so in September 2020. YB Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, MP for Muar and Founder, MUDA tells us his reaction to this judgement and what is next for the party as GE15 draws closer. Image credit: MUDA

The High Court has ordered the Home Ministry to register MUDA as a political party within two weeks after its first attempt to do so in September 2020. YB Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, MP for Muar and Founder, MUDA tells us his reaction to this judgement and what is next for the party as GE15 draws closer. Image credit: MUDA

Delhi Police commissioner Rakesh Asthana wants to better the force's image in public. It doesn't really matter — look at India's home ministry. Watch our Political Editor D.K. Singh in #PoliticallyCorrect

Tune in to the Coronavirus Essential podcast for all the top updates on the pandemic.

The police have received 134 reports on Tommy Thomas' new memoir, My Story:Justice in the Wilderness, and sources from the Home Ministry have said that they are not ruling out the possibility of banning the book. We speak with lawyer Fahri Azzat to understand what the law says about the banning of books. Image Source: Tom Hermans, Unsplash

Tune in to Coronavirus Essential podcast with Sakshi Batra for all the top news on the pandemic.

The Home Ministry stated recently that 756 children are currently held in immigration detention centres. We speak with Heidy Quah about how this affects children and their families, and talk about the ongoing efforts to improve the situation. Image Source: SingjaiStocker, Shutterstock

In light of the Home Ministry's statement that 756 children are being held in immigration detainment centres, we speak to Zaid Malek about the need to find alternative solutions. Image Source: Erik Mclean, Unsplash

On this week’s episode of the podcast, Mark and Andy discuss something that affects everyone leading in the local church...

A new MP3 sermon from Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Care Home Ministry Meeting #3 Subtitle: Nursing Home Ministry Meetings Speaker: Rev. Brian McClung Broadcaster: Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church Event: Sunday Afternoon Date: 11/8/2020 Bible: Matthew 22:42 Length: 27 min.

A new MP3 sermon from Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Care Home Ministry Meeting #3 Subtitle: Nursing Home Ministry Meetings Speaker: Rev. Brian McClung Broadcaster: Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church Event: Sunday Afternoon Date: 11/8/2020 Bible: Matthew 22:42 Length: 27 min.

Snigdha Sharma brings you the latest on coronavirus from India and across the world, and other news stories. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Snigdha Sharma brings you the latest on coronavirus from India and across the world, and other news stories. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Major announcements under Unlock 5.0:   Home Ministry allowed states and Union territories to take a call on reopening of schools in a graded manner after October 15 Cinemas, theatres and multiplexes can function at 50% capacity after October 15.   Swimming pools used for training sportspersons, B2B exhibitions and entertainments parks also got a green nod with similar date. However, international travel is still banned, except those allowed by the government.   States are not allowed to impose any local lockdown outside containment zones. States and UTs can approve gatherings beyond 100 persons outside containment zones after October 15 Listen to the Podcast to know more  

A new MP3 sermon from Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Care Home Ministry Meeting #2 Subtitle: Nursing Home Ministry Meetings Speaker: Mr. John Craig Broadcaster: Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church Event: Sunday Afternoon Date: 10/4/2020 Bible: Deuteronomy 30:19 Length: 28 min.

A new MP3 sermon from Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Care Home Ministry Meeting #2 Subtitle: Nursing Home Ministry Meetings Speaker: Mr. John Craig Broadcaster: Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church Event: Sunday Afternoon Date: 10/4/2020 Bible: Deuteronomy 30:19 Length: 28 min.

We do everything to minister to kids when they are at church, but what about all of the other days of the week? Are you equipping families to grow their faith together in their homes?Today Ryan speaks with Katrina Dorroh from Faith and Family Boxes about some great ideas and resources to help the Bible message make its way to the home.

The Indian markets are likely to open on a flat note today although the session may turn volatile due to the expiry of derivative contracts of July series and quarterly results announcement by heavyweights Reliance Industries and HDFC. But let's begin with the global cues. US stocks closed higher overnight after the Federal Reserve kept interest rates at ultra-low levels and repeated a pledge to use its “full range of tools” to support the economy. Although, the Fed cautioned, that the outlook “will depend significantly on the course of the virus.” The Dow Jones rose 0.6 per cent, the S&P 500 gained 1.2 per cent, and the Nasdaq added 1.35 per cent. Asian stocks tracked the upbeat Wall Street session. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.28 per cent. Australian ASX 200 was up 0.6 per cent and Japan's Nikkei gained 0.2 per cent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose 0.4 per cent. The quarterly results announcement by Reliance Industries and HDFC will be the major market mover today. Analysts expect a dent in RIL's retail and energy verticals in the June quarter, because of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, higher earnings in the telecom business may partly cushion the hit. For HDFC, analysts are expecting tepid loan disbursal, elevated provisioning, and contraction in net interest margin as credit demand remained weak amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Besides these two results, 401 other companies are also scheduled to announce their quarterly numbers today.  Investors will also react to some major results announced after market hours yesterday. Bharti Airtel reported widening of losses to Rs 15,933 crore for the June quarter as the telco made a massive AGR-related provision of Rs 10,744 crore. The firm, however, posted a 15.4 per cent rise in consolidated revenues to Rs 23,939 crore. Moreover, IndiGo yesterday posted its largest ever quarterly loss of Rs 2,844.3 crore for Q1 while revenue from operations plunged 91.9 per cent YoY to Rs 766.7 crore. Meanwhile, IndiGo said its board will meet today to discuss raising at least Rs 2,000 crore through the sale and leaseback of planes and other assets. Apart from that, market participants will also track Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting today with the chiefs of all financial sector regulators including RBI and Sebi. The meeting is likely to focus on economic revival, particularly the steps taken in the field of MSMEs. On the Covid-19 front, India recorded 49,632 cases in the past 24 hours, taking its total number of Covid-19-positive cases to 15.84 lakh. The Home Ministry yesterday issued 'Unlock 3' guidelines removing restrictions on the movement of individuals during the night, while schools, metro and cinema halls will continue to remain closed. And, in the end, a quick look at some other top news. The Sebi has extended the deadline meant for listed companies to disclose their June 2020 quarter financial results by a month to September 15. Punjab National Bank yesterday said it has raised Rs 994 crore by issuing Basel III compliant bonds on private placement basis. Sources have told Business Standard that ICICI Lombard General Insurance has initiated talks to acquire Bharti AXA General Insurance in all stock transaction. Read by Kanishka Gupta

India and China head into yet another round of commander-level talks this week and in the weeks since the disengagement of troops along the LAC was announced and government sources were declared that Chinese troops had pulled back, it's now clear that the situation on the ground is a lot more complicated. To what level has disengagement happened, what remains to be done and is there a timeline at all for the process? Guest: Dinakar Peri, Defence Correspondent, The Hindu; Vijaita Singh, correspondent for Home Ministry and National Security. Find the In Focus podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. Search for In Focus by The Hindu. Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in

The Home Ministry has ordered the police to probe those linked to a book that it claims to have insulted the "Jata Negara" or the Malaysian coat of arms, on its cover. Titled ‘Rebirth: Reformasi, Resistance, And Hope In New Malaysia’ is a collection of articles and essays about the 14th General Election. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan bring you the most important conversations of the day.

Do families in your congregation see their homes or neighborhoods as a mission field? Are parents equipped to engage their homes and communities with the gospel? In this podcast, hear about how the N.C. Baptist Faith at Home Ministry has developed a new resource called “Acts 2:39 Missional Families,” a seven-week small group study written intentionally for parents. Speakers: Eric Simmons, Jamie Burkett and Mark Smith

“We cannot let another 1984 happen in this country; Not under the watch of this Court”, the Delhi High Court said on the violence that has gripped Delhi. The situation in the capital has come to such a point that the Supreme Court and High Court had to urge the police to take matters under their control.At least 20 people have died in violence that has been raging in the capital since 23 February, Sunday. The areas in Northeast Delhi are still tense from the looting, and arson that followed after the clashes between pro and anti CAA protesters.What began as a clash between pro and anti CAA protesters in Maujpur, Babarpur and other areas of Northeast Delhi didn't take too long to turn into a case of communal violence. Without enough security forces to subdue the violence, it grew bigger and and bigger until mobs carried out a rampage in these areas targeting specific houses, of specific communities and also burning down a mosque. The Home Ministry has been downplaying the level of violence in Northeast Delhi in the past couple of days and falsely assuring that everything was under control.If everything is under control, then how did the death toll rise? Who were the people who set houses, shops and cars on fire? How is Delhi witnessing one of the worst cases of violence in decades? There are a lot of questions but not enough answers from the concerned authorities. Tune in to The Big Story! Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly WaliaReporters: Aishwarya Iyer, Senior Correspondent, The Quint,Vakasha Sachdev, Legal Editor, The QuintSushovan Sircar, Cyber Policy, The QuintShadab Moizee, Senior Correspondent, Quint HindiGuests: Vikram Singh, Retired IPS OfficerMusic: Big Bang FuzzListen to The Big Story podcast on:Apple: https://apple.co/2AYdLIl Saavn: http://bit.ly/2oix78C Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/2ntMV7S Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2IyLAUQ Deezer: http://bit.ly/2Vrf5Ng Castbox: http://bit.ly/2VqZ9ur

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal along with other important dignitaries attended a banquet hosted in honour of President of the United States of American Donald Trump. Chief Ministers of Karnataka CM B. S. Yediyurappa, Telengana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao and Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar were alos invited for the event. Border Security Force (BSF) seized at least 8,000 kg of sandalwood worth Rs 25 crore from Arundhutinagar Industrial Estate area in a joint operation led by BSF, Tripura forest department, police and civil administration. Shakti Kant Singh, the West Tripura district forest officer said that they received some information from the BSF suspecting something illegal was stored inside a room in the Arundhutinagar Industrial Estate area. Between 2015 and Januaruy this year, 20,765 people have been arrested by the state police for entering Mizoram without Inner Line Permit (ILP), Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana informed the state Assembly. Within the same period, 5,53,321 ILPs were issued to outsiders visiting the state. The state government is also in the process of upgrading the ILP format within the state. In 2019 December, the government launched an online ILP portal in the state. There is ILP Enforcer mobile apps for state police as well as ILP Mizoram mobile apps for NGOs and public to ensure that ILP can be well implemented in the state. The second edition of “Jonaki” film festival organized by the Department of Communication and Journalism at Gauhati University from February 28 at Phanidhar Dutta Memorial Hall and AT Hall. The two-day festival will conclude on February 29. This year a total of 12 films will be screened at the festival. The festival has received films from beyond the Northeast. The festival will also organise a short film competition, cine quiz competition, and a workshop on an animation film. In wake of violence in Delhi, Delhi High Court told Delhi police that there should be no delay in lodging FIRs over alleged hate speeches. Congress party interim president Sonia Gandhi said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah must resign. At press conference in Delhi, Gandhi said that the riots were a “well-planned conspiracy.” The Congress also questioned the manner in which the riots were handled. The Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has called for the intervention of the army to control the situation in Delhi. Yesterday, Kejriwal had called for sealing the city's border in areas that witnessed violence over the amended citizenship act to prevent “outsiders” from entering the national capital and creating a commotion. So far 20 people have died and hundreds have been injured in the violence that broke out in the city. The clashes between pro and anti CAA group have now taken the shape of full-fledged riots. After several journalists were attacked during the riots in Delhi, the Editors Guild of India has issued a statement asking the Home Ministry to investigate such incidents and punish the guilty. “The Guild notes that journalists being attacked is tantamount to a direct assault on press freedom and those guilty of having indulged in such violence must be brought to book” according to the statement. Amid coronavirus threat, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India has issued a travel advisory for Indian citizens. “Indians are advised to refrain from non-essential travel to Republic of Korea, Iran and Italy. People coming from Republic of Korea, Iran and Italy or having such travel history since February 10, 2020 may be quarantined for 14 days on arrival to India,” according to the advisory.

The Ministry of Home Affairs is currently drafting the rules for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and new information has emerged about what sort of documents would be required to prove citizenship. Deeptiman Tiwary, who covers the Home Ministry, joins us to explain. Next, a new US report to the National Crime Records Bureau has said that 25000 child pornography cases have been uploaded in India in the last five months. Mohamed Thaver details how these cases were tracked, the action India is taking and why the report is significant. Last, Shubhajit Roy explains why India's move to notify the Citizenship Amendment Act may be leading to us losing diplomatic friends across the world with the EU Parliament moving resolutions slamming the Act.

As the Anti Citizenship Amendment Act protests flare across the country, one issue is often brought up as a point of contention- the damage to public property.In the wake of protests, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said his government will take ‘revenge’ on those who indulged in violence over the Citizenship Act by seizing and auctioning their properties to compensate for losses. On this episode we look at the debate around charging protestors for damaging property. Is there any law that mandates such action? Has a similar move been made in previous instances of public protests? Deepiman Tiwary, who covers the Home Ministry for the Indian Express, joins us to explain.

Right around midnight on December 10th, the Lok Sabha passed the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill after seven long hours of heated debate. The Bill if passed by the Rajya Sabha today, will change India’s citizenship law. On this episode, we unpack the Citizenship Amendment Bill and how it changes India's citizenship law. What is the reasoning provided by the Centre for its need? Why are parts of the North East are protesting it? What are legal challenges it may face? Why is it being criticised for religious discrimination? Deeptiman Tiwary, who covers the Home Ministry for the Indian Express bureau, joins us to explain.  

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Union Home Minister Amit Shah Wednesday asserted that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is “normal contrary to widespread belief”. Deeptiman Tiwary, who covers the Home Ministry, explains why the data on stone pelters seems contradictory the Centre's stance, and explains what the stats presented say about the law and order situation and schools re-opening. Next, Sriram Veera from the sports desk discusses why the second India vs Bangladesh Test series in Kolkata is going to be historic and why the day-night format is expected to rejuvenate the image of Test cricket. Last, why an FIR has been filed against an Aligarh Muslim University professor. 

On today's episode we look at how India is bracing for the Ayodhya verdict.  First, Asad Rehman describes how the city has become heavily fortified and why locals fear the threat of "outsiders" causing distress. Next, Liz Mathew details the dos and don'ts that the Central government has asked political leaders to follow and Deeptiman Tiwary explains security precautions taken by the Home Ministry. Last, we zoom into Uttar Pradesh as Amil Bhatnagar discusses how the police have come up with strategies to weed out disturbance online and on ground. 

On Thursday, the Indian Express' Deputy Editor Seema Chishti broke a story  about human rights activists in India being targeted for surveillance. Facebook-owned WhatsApp confirmed it was aware of this surveillance done through an Israeli spyware called Pegasus, and had alerted the people affected. Who was targeted? How much data did they have access too? How has this spyware Pegasus previously been used? Chishti joins us to explain. Next, Karishma Mehrotra, discusses the response of the IT Ministry and Home Ministry to the Whatsapp hack. Last, Deeptiman Tiwary details the key things that will change in Ladakh and J&K now that they are Union Territories. 

Jay and Camille share their experiences with having an Open Door policy, making a list of people to have over, and the always popular Cereal Night.  

Yesterday, a court in Rajasthan acquitted all six persons accused in the lynching of dairy farmer Pehlu Khan. In the first segment, Deep Mukherjee, Indian Express's Rajasthan correspondent, joins us to talk about the case and the reasons why the accused have been acquitted despite there being a video of the incident. Next, we talk about Shah Faesal. Yesterday, the IAS-turned-politician was prevented from boarding a flight to Istanbul and eventually taken to Srinagar where he has been put under detention. Deeptiman Tiwary, who reports on the Home Ministry for the Indian Express, joins us to talk about why this was done and what the past 10 days of lockdown have been like in Kashmir. And last, we talk about how 15th August came to be celebrated as the Indian Independence day.

In this episode of NL Hafta, host Abhinandan Sekhri is joined by Madhu Trehan, Raman Kripal, Anand Vardhan and Nistula Hebbar, The Hindu's Political Editor.The panel talks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's “One Nation, One Election” proposition, encephalitis-related deaths in Muzaffarpur, Anjana Om Kashyap’s controversial reporting from Bihar's Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital and more. Nistula shares anecdotes from a recent parliamentary session. Doctors' strike, and Sanjiv Bhatt's life imprisonment are also discussed.On the issue of “One Nation, One Election”, Nistula said, “You can’t have a situation where the political class basically looks at the elections as a blanket validation for all policies." Talking about the encephalitis outbreak in Bihar, Madhu says, “It’s the systematic historical neglect of the medical area” which has led us to this situation.While talking about Anjana Om Kashyap’s controversial reporting, Anand said, “The demonstration of orchestrated anger is a spectacle something that suits television news, this kind of drama sells."Moving on the panel discusses a June 16 incident where two civilians were thrashed by cops. “Anywhere in the world, you cannot take out a weapon against a cop, yet the amount of sympathy that he (Sarabjeet, the victim) has got is enough for the Home Ministry to ask for a report and no one has the guts to back-up the cop,” Abhinandan said. For this and more, tune in! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Benchmark indices ended Friday's session with cuts, dragged down by bank stocks, after giving up the early gains during which they reclaimed the crucial 40,000 and 12,000 levels, respectively. The S&P BSE Sensex ended the day 118 points, or 0.3 per cent, lower at 39,714 levels, with YES Bank, ITC, Vedanta, Mahindra & Mahindra, and NTPC leading the list of losers. The benchmark index slid almost 700 points off day's intra-day high, 40,122, but also staged a recovery to cut the losses. Out of the 30 BSE constituents, 19 ended the session in the red.  The broader Nifty50 index finished at 11,923, down 23 points, or 0.19 per cent. On a weekly basis, both Sensex and Nifty posted a gain of 0.8 per cent. NEW GOVERNMENT & PORTFOLIO ALLOCATION Putting rest to all speculation, the President of India on Friday released the portfolio details of new Cabinet, a day after Narendra Modi took oath as the country's 16th Prime Minister. There were expectations that Amit Shah, a seasoned stock broker and a key architect of NDA's victory for the second consecutive time will be handed over reigns of the Finance Ministry. This is after Arun Jaitley expressed his desire to stay away from any role in the new government citing health reasons. However, Nirmala Sitharaman has been appointed the new Finance Minister, while Amit Shah will handle the Home Ministry.    BUZZING STOCKS Shares of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) hit a 52-week high of Rs 330, up 4 per cent, before ending the day 2.05 per cent higher at Rs 234.15 on the BSE, lifted by strong earnings in March quarter (Q4FY19) and fall in crude oil prices. In comparison, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 5 per cent during the same period. Coal India shares rallied as much as 4.11 per cent in the morning deals on Friday, a day after the company reported an impressive 362.46 per cent jump in its net profit at Rs 6,024.23 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2019. The stock ended the session 0.18 per cent higher at Rs 253.35. 

The world's "best constitution" doesn't give equal citizenship rights to Nepali women cos some citizens are more equal than others, haina bro? A lot happened after we recorded this episode, all of which we couldn't include. So here's a mini explainer: - Amid uncertainty surrounding the amendment to the Citizenship Act, the Home Ministry on April 2 issued a circular to all 77 chief district officers across the country, telling them to grant citizenship by descent to those individuals whose parents are citizens by birth. - And then some smart ass uncle filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court to not implement the ministry’s decision on citizenship, leading to an interim order to the government to stop the implementation. - A few days later, the Supreme Court paved the way for individuals, whose parents are Nepali citizens by birth, to acquire citizenship by descent. (Boohoo, uncle!) - For now, hundreds of people without citizenships are able to apply for papers. But the issue of citizenship through mothers remains and we will have to wait and see what our lawmakers do about amending these laws. Read more about it here https://bit.ly/2DvsTi0 Interview with lawmaker Binda Pandey of the ruling Nepal Communist Party The Kathmandu Post, Tsering D Gurung, https://bit.ly/2Gwwdu2 Setopati, Shova Sharma https://setopati.com/politics/177120

Don't have time to keep a tab on news throughout the day? CNN-News18 brings you the day's top news and newsmakers in less than 3 minutes! Here are today's top picks: Amarnath Braveheart to Get Recognised on R-Day, Rising Teen Shuttler Lakshya Sen Ready to Make it Count in 2018, Padmaavat Protestors Refuse to Back Down and Instagram Announces GIFs For Stories. INDIA Amarnath Braveheart to Get Recognised on R-Day Gujarati bus driver Sheikh Salim Gafur, who defied terrorists' bullets and saved 52 Amarnath pilgrims, has been awarded the 'Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak', the second highest honour given to civilians for gallantry. This was announced by the Home Ministry ahead of the Republic Day on Wednesday. Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak is the highest honour given to civilians for gallantry. Gafur has been selected for the honour as he displayed some rare grit and bravery and continued to drive the bus of the Amarnath pilgrims, which came under attack by the militants on July 10, 2017, in Jammu and Kashmir, a home ministry official said. SPORTS Rising Teen Shuttler Lakshya Sen Ready to Make it Count in 2018 ​Don't judge a book by its cover. This adage perfectly fits 16-year-old shuttler Lakshya Sen who stepped into the senior circuit last year, and was able to carve his niche as one of the most promising young badminton players in the country. Having reached the semifinals of the Sr. Nationals in 2017, the teenager is eyeing international success in the coming season. In fact , he along with coaches at the Prakash Padukone Academy have charted out a map for Lakshya's progress in 2018. ENTERTAINMENT Padmaavat Protestors Refuse To Back Down ​ The protests surrounding Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmaavat refuse to die down. Karni Sena Chief Lokendra Singh Kalvi has said that the protest will now happen in states where the film is not banned yet. "We are adamant on our stand that this film should be banned. January 25 may come and go but we won't let the film release, come what may," Kalvi said. Out of fear, Gujarat theatre owners refused to screen the film anywhere in the state while the fringe outfits blocked the Delhi-Jaipur highway disrupting the law and order. In Rajasthan, Chittorgarh Fort has been closed as a mark of protest against the release. Meanwhile, the film’s cast and crew got together for a screening on Tuesday night wherein Bhansali, Deepika Padukone-Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor-Mira Rajput were snapped. ​ TECH Instagram Announces GIFs For Stories ​ Instagram has rolled out a new feature which will allow its users to use GIFs in Instagram stories. When users tap to add a sticker to a photo or video in stories, they'll see a new GIF option. The latest feature has been announced along with Instagram's plan to follow up with more features surrounding Instagram stories in the coming weeks.

Ministry Spotlight interview with Diane Easley founder and Director @ Sues Home - Community Care network. Safe Housing and life skills; Helping women and children; Dealing with the spiritual hurt; Diane shares how she caught this passion; Changing the trajectory of people's lives; Difference between panhandlers and homeless; 300% increase in homeless youth; Sun Herald - http://bit.ly/SunHeraldSuesHome ; Breakthrough program ; Diane shares some testimonies; Love based - Faith Based; Get involved ; diane@ccnms.org ; http://www.ccnms.org/sues-home/ ; http://www.ccnms.org/ ; http://conradrocks.net

Ministry Spotlight interview with Diane Easley founder and Director @ Sues Home - Community Care network. Safe Housing and life skills; Helping women and children; Dealing with the spiritual hurt; Diane shares how she caught this passion; Changing the trajectory of people's lives; Difference between panhandlers and homeless; 300% increase in homeless youth; Sun Herald - http://bit.ly/SunHeraldSuesHome ; Breakthrough program ; Diane shares some testimonies; Love based - Faith Based; Get involved ; diane@ccnms.org ; http://www.ccnms.org/sues-home/ ; http://www.ccnms.org/ ; http://conradrocks.net

The need for a support system is great among young women returning to civilian life from prison terms and this group's mission is to provide that support.