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Travel for LiFE

Ministry of Tourism has launched ‘Travel for LiFE’ program under Mission LiFE to bring large-scale behavioural change amongst tourists and tourism businesses, significantly impacting environmental protection and climate action.

Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), envisioned by Hon'ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi is a global mass movement led by India urging individuals and communities to act for the protection of the environment against the effects of climate change.

A Program for Tourism Sector under Mission LiFE

' Travel for LiFE '   initiative has been launched by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India to mainstream sustainability in the tourism sector. The NIDHI+ platform shall facilitate certification and implementation of Sustainable Tourism for Accomodation Units, Tourism service providers, Destinations and Attractions. 

Applicability of Travel for LiFE Certification :

' Travel for LiFE '   Certification has been launched for Accommodation Units, Tourism service providers and Destinations  on NIDHI Plus Portal. The business units can register for NIDHI registration and then apply for Travel for LiFE  certification. The Portal also enables the units to apply for showcasing.

Process for ' Travel for LiFE '  Certification :

Benefits of applying for 'Travel for LiFE'  Certification on NIDHI Plus Portal :

Based on the scoring and successful completion of the assessment, the business units would be certified into three categories, namely Gold, Silver and Bronze and listed on NIDHI Plus Portal.

The business units shall receive the corresponding badges upon successful completion of the Certification Process.  

To apply for 'Travel for LiFE'  certification, clickhere

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Ministry of Tourism Organizes Global Launch of ‘Travel for LiFE’

Sep 28, 2023 | India , Indiplomacy News

By PIB Delhi | 27 SEP 2023 | Tourism, Sustainability

On the occasion of World Tourism Day 2023, the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), organized the Global Launch of ‘Travel for LiFE’ at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, today.

Shri. Ajay Bhatt, Minister of State of Tourism and Defence, along with key officials, highlighted the program’s significance in promoting sustainable tourism. The initiative is part of Mission LiFE and aligns with global efforts for a sustainable future, as demonstrated in the recent G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi.

‘Travel for LiFE’ encourages travelers, businesses, and citizens to adopt responsible travel practices, emphasizing environmental respect and cultural appreciation. It sets a course towards a sustainable planet Earth within the framework of Mission LiFE.

Ms. V. Vidhyavathi, Secretary (Tourism), provided an overview of the program, emphasizing its role in conserving the environment, supporting local economies, and preserving socio-cultural integrity. The program aims to foster mindful resource utilization across the tourism value chain.

Ms. Leena Nandan emphasized the need for sustainable lifestyles, emphasizing that climate change challenges require collective efforts at governmental, organizational, and individual levels.

During the event, Shri. Rakesh Kumar Verma, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, highlighted the vital role of tourism and culture in sustainable socio-economic development, as underscored in the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration.

The launch encompassed two verticals: Travel for LiFE for Cleanliness, a national campaign aligned with the Swachhata campaign, and Travel for LiFE for Rural Tourism, promoting sustainable rural tourism and empowering rural communities.

The program contributes to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) focusing on Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12), Climate Action (SDG 13), and Life Below Water (SDG 14).

Additionally, a national competition titled ‘Tourism for Tomorrow’ was launched, aligning with the key priorities of the Goa Roadmap, recognizing and supporting SDG-driven Tourism Best Practices in India.

A design challenge competition for affiliated Institutes of Hotel Management, under the Ministry of Tourism, aims to develop innovative solutions in the field of edible cutlery.

In tandem with the Swachchta campaign, a cleanliness drive is set to commence at 108 tourist locations, targeting garbage cleaning, sanitation, and the reduction of Single Use Plastic (SUP).

The event also saw the Best Rural Tourism Village Awards, honoring villages for their cultural preservation and sustainable development through tourism. 35 villages were recognized across Gold, Silver, and Bronze Categories.

The global launch was virtually attended by international organizations, G20 member countries, industry representatives, and State Governments.

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Stakeholders propose a steering committee comprising the Tourism and Environment & Forests Ministry to for better monitoring and implementation of Travel For LiFE targets.

• P Krishna Kumar ,
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• Updated On Sep 28, 2023 at 10:02 AM IST

• By P Krishna Kumar ,
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New Delhi all set to host the ‘Travel for Life Summit 2024’ on 8 March

Times of India TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Created : Feb 19, 2024, 14:23 IST

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Set against the backdrop of India's G20 Presidency and the transformative New Delhi Leaders' Declaration (NDLD), the summit aims to harness the collective expertise and innovation of various stakeholders. Participants ranging from … Read more

Set against the backdrop of India's G20 Presidency and the transformative New Delhi Leaders' Declaration (NDLD), the summit aims to harness the collective expertise and innovation of various stakeholders. Participants ranging from government officials, industry leaders, and diplomats to international agencies, practitioners, and media representatives will convene to devise actionable strategies for sustainable tourism development. Read less

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The summit's key themes and objectives include:

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Travel for LiFE initiative

Content for mains enrichment.

Source: PIB

  Context: The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is partnering with India to expand the Travel for LiFE (Lifestyle of the Planet, for the Planet, and by the Planet) initiative across the Asia-Pacific region.

The Ministry of Tourism in India will establish a PATA desk to enhance engagement with PATA regarding Travel for LiFE and other tourism-related cooperation.

About Travel for LiFE:  

It is a sectoral program launched by the Ministry of Tourism in India in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change , the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on September 27, 2023, World Tourism Day

Aim of the initiative:

The initiative aims to bring about behavioural changes in both tourists and tourism businesses , focusing on environmental protection and socio-cultural sustainability. The program also encourages tourism businesses to adopt sustainable practices and earn certification levels.

Eight Themes of Travel for LiFE –

• Save Energy
• Say No to single-use plastic
• Reduce Waste
• Empower Local Businesses and Communities
• Respect Local Culture and Heritage
• Consume Local Foods
• Conserve Nature

It was founded in 1951, and is a not-for-profit membership-based association that promotes the responsible development of travel and tourism in the Asia-Pacific region.

Usage: The initiative can be used in Environment/ Tourism Questions

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Closure Announcement for Quiz on Empowering Youth with ‘Travel for LiFE’! Reading Time : 7 minutes -->

Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with MyGov organized the Quiz on Empowering Youth with ‘Travel for LiFE’ .

Travel for LiFE – A Sectoral Initiative of Mission LiFE was launched by the Ministry of Tourism during the Third G20 Tourism Working Group (TWG) meeting in Srinagar on 24th May 2023. In line with the philosophy of Mission LiFE, an initiative to bring individual action to the forefront of climate change, Travel for LiFE has been formulated in convergence with the National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism.

Travel for LiFE aims to sensitize and mobilize the power of youth in the country to position India as a Global destination for sustainable Tourism. The program enlists activities under the two major pillars of the National Strategy i.e., Information Education and Communication (IEC) and Capacity building. These activities are further categorized into simple and easily implementable everyday actions and are more effectively implemented if it is driven by the young population of the country. The program also proposes various contests such as clean up and plantation drives, local rides, co-creating experiences with locals, etc and social media awareness campaigns to engage the youth and others in the process of implementation. With over 65 percent of India’s population being composed of youth, there is an opportunity to utilize the youth’s potential to influence tourists’ and tourism businesses to adapt to more sustainable practices thereby bringing India closer to achieving the U.N SDGs.

The Quiz was hosted from 5th June 2023 to 30th June 2023 and received the response of 43,140 participation from the users.

Ministry of Tourism and MyGov would like to thank all the participants for their overwhelming interest and keenness in participating in the quiz.

We look forward to your continued participation in upcoming activities.

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• World Tourism Day marks Travel for LiFE’s global launch, Best Tourism Villages accorded by MoT

The Ministry of Tourism also announced the forthcoming edition of the Best Tourism Village Competition in 2024, aimed at fostering rural tourism development and easing off burden from cities plagued by overtourism. Further, a national competition titled Tourism for Tomorrow, focusing on case studies and best practices, was also inaugurated during the event, in line with the priorities outlined in the Goa Roadmap.

• Gagneet Kaur ,
• ETTravelWorld
• Updated On Sep 27, 2023 at 10:03 PM IST

World Tourism Day 2023: Sustainability should be imperative, not an option

As the world gears up to celebrate World Tourism Day, the global tourism sector is poised for a grand convergence, uniting under the theme of “Tourism and Green Investments”. The industry stakeholders and experts we reached out to, advocated the need to have a collective and coordinated approach involving governments, businesses, and stakeholders, besides, the need to have more local community involvement.

• By Gagneet Kaur ,
• Published On Sep 27, 2023 at 08:00 PM IST

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Ministry of Tourism, Government of India participates in World Travel Market (WTM) 2023, London from 6 - 8 November 2023.

Ministry of Tourism, along with various stakeholders including tour operators and state tourism departments is participating in WTM London from 6 - 8 November 2023. The Ministry of Tourism has taken a space of 650 square meters for the Incredible India Pavilion at WTM 2023, London to showcase varied tourism products and series of transformative experiences for travellers to India under the theme ‘Incredible India! Visit India Year 2023’.

The formal inauguration of the Indian Pavilion was done by Ms. V. Vidyavathi, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and H.E. Vikram Doraiswami, High Commissioner of India to the UK in the presence of  Shri Rohan Khaunte, Minister of Tourism, Government of Goa. The inauguration of the India Pavilion was done with ribbon cutting, lamp lighting, Ganesh Vandana and welcome remarks by Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and by High Commissioner of India to the UK.

After the inauguration, the Indian delegation and participants went around the Indian Pavilion and booths of various participating states and other stakeholders. Throughout the day, Incredible India organized various Cultural Performances, henna and Yoga Sessions. The Secretary, Ministry of Tourism attended the UNWTO –WTTC Tourism Ministers Summit on ‘Transforming Tourism through Youth and Education’ held at Elevate Stage. Throughout the day, the Secretary Tourism met important tour operators, media and important stakeholders in the UK market.

In WTM 2023, 47 participants including tour operating companies / DMCs, State Tourism Departments from Delhi, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Bihar, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, Assam and Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) are participating in the Incredible India Pavilion whereas States Tourism Departments of Kerala, Karnataka, Ladakh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, have taken their own pavilions to showcase their products and services and connect with potential clients and partners.

During its participation the Ministry of Tourism would like to use WTM 2023, London as a platform to bring together professionals from various sectors of the travel and tourism industry. The platform would be used for networking, business opportunities, and the exchange of ideas and information as the event attracts a diverse range of attendees, including travel agencies, tour operators, airlines, hoteliers, cruise lines, travel technology providers, tourism boards, and other professionals in the travel and hospitality sector.

Besides showcasing varied tourism products and series of transformative experiences for travellers to India under the theme ‘Incredible India! Visit India Year 2023’ the focus of Ministry of Tourism would be on promoting sustainable tourism. The Ministry of Tourism has launched the ‘Travel for LiFE’ program on 27th September 2023 on the occasion of World Tourism Day . The initiative is based on Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) envisioned by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, as a global mass movement led by India urging individuals and communities to act for the protection of the environment against the effects of the climate change.

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• International

April 15, 2024 - Israel-Hamas war

By Kathleen Magramo, Antoinette Radford, Maureen Chowdhury and Amir Vera, CNN

Our live coverage of Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza has moved  here .

Israel delays Rafah offensive as it weighs response to Iranian attack. Catch up here

From CNN Staff

Israel was set to take its first steps toward a  ground offensive in Rafah  this week, but has delayed those plans as it mulls a response to Iran’s attack, two Israeli sources have told CNN.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long stressed the importance of invading Rafah to dismantle Hamas’s remaining battalions, despite significant international pressure to call off an all-out ground offensive. But, a military response that risks escalating the conflict with Iran further would pull the military’s attention and resources away from Gaza.

Here's what to know if you're just joining our coverage:

• War cabinet meeting : Israel's war cabinet reviewed military plans for a potential response against Iran, an official said. The cabinet remains determined to act , but it's not clear if a decision has been made. Israel has vowed to "exact a price" after the unprecedented large-scale drone and missile attack .
• White House urges de-escalation: US President Joe Biden is focusing on preventing Iran's attack from spiraling into a wider regional conflict , spokesperson John Kirby said. Kirby said ultimately the US wanted tensions to de-escalate.
• Countries urge restraint : Biden's sentiment is echoed by various countries who are urging Israel and Iran to avoid further confrontation that could plunge the area deeper into conflict. Indonesia, Malaysia , Jordan , Germany , the UK , South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Somalia — among others — have all expressed concern about rising tension in the region.
• Iran's stance : Iran maintains its attack on Israel was a "legitimate" and “responsible” reaction , the Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said.
• Flight operations resume : Airports in the Iranian capital of Tehran resumed flights at 6:00 a.m. local time on Monday, according to Iran's state-aligned Tasnim news agency.
• Israel warns Palestinians to avoid the north : After thousands of Palestinians attempted to return to their homes in northern Gaza, Israel's military warned it was a "dangerous combat zone" through social media and airdropped leaflets .
• Gaza death toll : The Health Ministry in Gaza says that 68 people were killed in the territory over the past 24 hours as a result of Israeli military operations. A further 94 were injured. CNN cannot verify the figures, and the Ministry does not provide a breakdown of civilians and fighters among the casualties. The Ministry said that since October 7, 33,797 people have been killed and 76,465 injured.
• West Bank shooting: Israeli gunfire killed one person and critically wounded another in Nablus , in the occupied West Bank, on Monday, the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Health said. Israeli police described the man as a "terrorist" and said he threw an explosive device at their forces.
• Palestinians released : Israeli authorities have released 150 people previously detained in Gaza according to the Palestinian General Authority for Crossings and borders on Monday. Two of the detainees were ambulance workers for the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.
• Israeli soldiers wounded : An explosion near the northern border has injured four Israeli soldiers , one severely, the military says.
• Gaza aid : The Israeli government agency that coordinates the delivery of aid into Gaza says that a new crossing in the north has again been used to deliver food aid .
• Hostage talks: Hamas has slashed the number of hostages it is willing to release during the first phase of a ceasefire deal by more than half, from 40 down to 20, an Israeli source close to the negotiations said. This represents a significant step backward in the talks.

The post has been updated with details on the war cabinet meeting and the hostage talks.

2 Palestinian farmers killed after confrontation with Israeli settlers near West Bank city of Nablus

From CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq

Two Palestinians were killed Monday south of the West Bank city of Nablus, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials.

The Palestinian official news agency WAFA, citing a local official, said the two were killed by Israeli settlers in Khirbet at-Tawil, which is near the settlement of Gitit. 

According to WAFA, Israeli settlers attacked and killed two farmers who were tending their farmland. 

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah identified the deceased as Abdul Rahman Maher Bani Fadel, 30, and Muhammad Ashraf Bani Jame, 21.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement it received a report Monday "about a Palestinian suspect who attacked a Jewish shepherd" in the Gitit area in the West Bank's Jordan Valley. "A violent confrontation developed there between Palestinians and Israeli citizens," the statement said. 

When IDF forces arrived, they "worked to disperse the confrontation," and "during the incident, two Palestinians were killed," the statement said. 

A preliminary investigation into the shooting appears that IDF forces did not do it, the statement concluded. 

The IDF and the Israel police are investigating the incident, the IDF spokesperson added.

China notes Iran's position on Israel attack and does not condemn strikes

From CNN’s Manveena Suri, Simone McCarthy and Wayne Chang

China said it noted Iran’s statement that the actions against Israel were an “exercise of the right of self-defense” during a phone call between the foreign ministers of the two nations on Monday, and did not condemn the weekend strikes.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian that China condemned the attack on a consulate building in the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus, according to a statement issued by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Chinese foreign minister added the incident “seriously violates international law and is unacceptable.”

“China has noted Iran's statement that the actions it took were limited and it was an exercise of the right of self-defense in response to the attack on the embassy building,” the statement said. “The current regional situation is very sensitive, and Iran is willing to exercise restraint and has no intention of further escalating the situation,” the statement added, quoting Amir-Abdollahian.

Separately, China’s Special Envoy on the Middle East, Zhai Jun, met with Irit Ben-Abba Vitale, Israel’s Ambassador to China, on Monday, in which the latter expressed Israel's position and concerns on the conflict in Gaza.

Zhai said China was “deeply concerned about the current escalation of regional tensions, and conflicts and bloodshed serve the interests of no one.”

“What is pressing now is to achieve an immediate ceasefire and cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip, ensure humanitarian aid, release all detained personnel as soon as possible, and achieve a political settlement of the Palestinian question based on the two-state solution for the peaceful coexistence of Israel and Palestine,” a statement from the foreign ministry said.

15 more bodies recovered from around Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital as exhumation process continues

From CNN’s Kareem Khadder and Zeena Saifi in Jerusalem

Fifteen bodies were recovered Monday from around Al-Shifa Hospital following the withdrawal of the Israeli military from the area two weeks ago, Gaza residents and medical crews told CNN.

Health workers and residents in northern Gaza have been searching for what they believe are mass graves and looking for their loved ones after they said Israeli forces killed hundreds of Palestinians and left their bodies to decompose during their two-week siege of the complex.

Hundreds of bodies have been recovered from areas around the hospital complex since the siege ended April 1, a Gaza Civil Defense spokesperson told CNN last week.

Video filmed by CNN Monday shows medical workers, some wearing UN-marked vests walking around the site over mounds of sand, digging up bodies. White body bags can be seen on the side of the excavation site, some marked with text that read “unidentified body” and some with names of people on them.

“Today I bid farewell to my mother who was inside Al-Shifa Hospital during the invasion and attack by the vicious Israeli occupation on this medical complex that has been turned into a big mass of rubble,” Mohammad Al-Khateeb, a resident of Gaza told CNN. “The Israeli military deprived patients, nurses, doctors and the displaced of water, medicine and food."

 Al-Khateeb’s mother, Khawala Al-Khateeb, was 75 years old when she was brought to the hospital three days before the Israeli military siege on the complex and surrounding neighborhood of Al-Rimal, and was killed three days after, he said.

CNN has reached out to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for comment on these allegations but has not received a response.

Waleed Abu-Laila told CNN he had been searching for his mother since the Israeli siege on the hospital ended on April 1. On Monday, he said he found her body and was only able to identify her "from the specific markings on her feet and hands" from when she had a toe and finger amputated back in November.

Video shows Abu-Laila opening a white body bag, revealing his mother’s decomposed body.

“The hospital was blocked from all sides and there were bodies were scattered all over, squashed on the streets from the tank rails. When I got a call to come check the unidentified bodies, I opened a bag that was marked 'unidentified' and immediately found my mother’s body decomposed,” he said.

Khadr Al-Za’anoun of Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency, contributed to this report.

Hamas lowers number of hostages it's willing to release as part of a ceasefire deal, Israeli source says

From CNN’s Jeremy Diamond in Tel Aviv

Hamas has slashed the number of hostages it is willing to release during the first phase of a ceasefire deal by more than half, an Israeli source close to the negotiations said.

In its latest counterproposal, Hamas offered to release fewer than 20 hostages in exchange for a six-week ceasefire, more than halving the number of 40 hostages that has been the basis of negotiations for months now, representing a significant step backward in the talks.

A senior Biden administration official confirmed that Hamas is focused on those 20 for the first phase of a potential ceasefire deal. The official also confirmed Hamas is telling mediators that it only has around 20 remaining hostages who are women or sick, wounded and elderly men.

Hamas also called for the release of more Palestinian prisoners in exchange for fewer hostages, the source said, as well as a higher number of prisoners serving life sentences.

The Israeli source said the latest Hamas counterproposal signals that Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader in Gaza, does not want a deal, seeking to exploit fissures between the US and Israel over Israeli military operations in Gaza and domestic pressure on the Israeli government.

Basem Naim, a Hamas spokesperson, said Hamas had proposed “releasing (three) captured Israelis each week,” but said “no one is talking about final numbers.”

Beyond the ratio of Palestinian prisoners, Hamas is continuing to demand assurances about a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and unrestricted access for Palestinians to return to northern Gaza.

“I think part of this is Hamas thinks they're winning. Because their definition of success is survival and they've survived so far,” the Biden official said. “The longer the conflict has gone on the more recalcitrant Hamas has become rather than the other way around.”

This post has been updated with remarks from a Biden official.

Israeli prime minister says international community must "stand united in resisting this Iranian aggression"

From CNN’s Eugenia Yosef in Haifa and Larry Register in Atlanta

It's imperative the international community "stand united in resisting this Iranian aggression, which threatens world peace," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a Monday statement from his office on X .

Netanyahu added:

“Directly and through its terror proxies Hamas and others, Iran is conducting a full-scale campaign of aggression that threatens not only Israel but the entire Middle East.”

Netanyahu's comments follow an Iranian strike against Israel over the weekend in which more than 300 missiles and drones were launched.

Tehran said the attack was in retaliation for a deadly Israeli attack against a consulate building in the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus.

Golden Gate Bridge reopens after protestors against the war in Gaza block traffic  

From CNN’s Cindy Von Quednow and Jeffrey Kopp

The Golden Gate Bridge has reopened after demonstrators protesting the war in Gaza shut down the busy roadway Monday morning, California Highway Patrol Officer Andrew Barclay told CNN. 

Traffic is beginning to flow again as both sides of the bridge reopened, Barclay added. 

Earlier in the day, protestors also blocked Interstate 880 in Oakland and the roadway remains impacted, Barclay said. The northbound side of the interstate is almost completely clear, while the southbound side remains closed, the officer detailed. Protests continue on the interstate, aerial and ground video from CNN affiliate KGO showed .

“Arrests have been made, and are continuing to be made,” Barclay said in an email early Monday. 

Before the law enforcement response, protesters held signs, including one that read “Stop the world for Gaza.”

I-880 reopened traffic later Monday, California Highway Patrol Officer Art Montiel told CNN. Protesters are still demonstrating on city streets near the interstate, the officer added. 

Montiel was not able to say how many people were arrested in the incident.

US military assets remain in Middle East as Israel debates response to Iran attack, Pentagon says

From CNN's Haley Britzky

Additional US military assets that had been moved into the Middle East before Iran’s attack on Israel remain in place, Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Monday.

Ryder's comments come as Israel debates possible retaliation to Iran’s attack. 

"As (Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin) has said, both publicly and privately, we don't want to see escalation, but we obviously will take necessary measures to protect our forces in the region and as was demonstrated over the weekend, we'll take necessary measures to defend Israel," Ryder said.

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