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Birkenstock Targets Counterfeiters in India with Court-Backed Factory Raids

German footwear giant Birkenstock has launched a major legal offensive in India to combat the growing trade in counterfeit sandals. Following an internal investigation that uncovered fake Birkenstock products being manufactured in and around Agra, the company filed an infringement lawsuit in the Delhi High Court in May. The court responded swiftly. On May 26, Judge Saurabh Banerjee authorized ten court-appointed commissioners to conduct surprise inspections of suspected factories in Agra and New Delhi. These visits, now completed, resulted in the seizure and sealing of allegedly fake products bearing Birkenstock branding. The judge noted that the counterfeit sandals were nearly indistinguishable from genuine ones, posing a serious risk of deceiving consumers. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for October 6. Birkenstock’s crackdown comes amid a broader wave of intellectual property enforcement in India’s footwear industry, with brands like Crocs and Prada also pursuing legal act...

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Revised Account Emerges in Gaza Aid Worker Tragedy

 

The Israeli military has revised its initial account of the tragic killing of 15 emergency workers near Rafah in southern Gaza on March 23. Initially, the military claimed that soldiers fired on vehicles approaching their position "suspiciously" in the dark, without lights or markings, and identified the victims as militants from Hamas and Islamic Jihad. However, newly surfaced video footage from one of the victims' mobile phones, released by the Palestinian Red Crescent, contradicts this narrative.

The video shows emergency workers in uniforms, operating clearly marked ambulances and fire trucks with their lights on, being fired upon by soldiers. Munther Abed, the sole survivor and a paramedic with the Palestinian Red Crescent, corroborated this, stating that soldiers targeted clearly marked emergency vehicles.

An Israeli military official acknowledged that the initial report from the field was mistaken and attributed the error to the person providing the account. Investigations are ongoing, with conclusions expected to be presented to army commanders. The United Nations and the Palestinian Red Crescent have called for an independent inquiry into the incident, which has drawn international attention and condemnation.

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