Israel launches airstrikes on besieged Gaza a day after killing 10 Palestinians in West Bank

News Network
January 27, 2023

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Israel has launched massive airstrikes on the besieged Gaza Strip a day after killing at least 10 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, prompting the Palestinian resistance to fire rockets at the occupied territories in retaliation.

The Palestinian Information center said Israeli warplanes raided areas west and south of Gaza, including posts belonging to the Palestinian resistance, on Thursday night and Friday at dawn.

The Quds News Network said that Palestinian citizens' homes have been inflicted with severe damage as a result of the violent Israeli bombing of a resistance site in the central Gaza Strip. 

In retaliation, the Palestinian resistance responded to the aggression by firing retaliatory rockets at illegal Israeli settlements surrounding the besieged Gaza Strip. Israeli media confirmed that at least eight rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli military claimed that the rockets were intercepted by missile defenses, and said there were no injuries reported.

Security sources in Hamas said there had been 15 strikes on the enclave, with no injuries reported so far.

Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigades confirmed that its air defenses responded to the hostile Israeli warplanes in the skies of the Gaza Strip, with surface-to-air missiles and anti-ground missiles.

The Israeli air raids were carried out a day after 10 Palestinians were killed in separate Israeli attacks in the occupied West Bank.

Nine Palestinians lost their lives following a raid on Jenin refugee camp in the northern part of the West Bank. Israeli forces gunned down a 10th Palestinian during clashes in the holy occupied city of al-Quds.

In Jenin, more than 70 Israeli armed vehicles and hundreds of Israeli soldiers stormed the flashpoint city and the neighboring refugee camp, leaving the residents and popular resistance groups with no choice but to defend themselves and confront the occupation forces.

Among those killed by Israeli forces in Jenin was a Palestinian 61 year old woman identified as Majeda Obeid who was killed in her home while performing prayers.

Jenin resident Umm Youssef Al-Sawalmi said homes were hit during the raid. "Windows, doors, walls and even the refrigerator, everything was damaged by the bullets," she said.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad have vowed to respond to Thursday's army raid in Jenin. According to analysts, the Palestinian resistance has a legitimate right to defend itself in face of Israeli aggressions that have been ongoing for decades, with major escalations taking place since the far-right extremist regime headed by prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu took office in December. 

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News Network
March 18,2024

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New Delhi, Mar 18: The Election Commission on Monday afternoon issued orders for the removal of six Home Secretaries - including the top bureaucrats from Gujarat, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh.

The poll panel also directed the transfer of West Bengal's Director-General of Police, the top cop of a state that has seen several instances of poll-related violence in recent years. The poll panel further said a shortlist of three potential replacements had to be prepared and submitted by 5 pm.

The re-shuffle, not an uncommon move by the Election Commission before major polls, also includes the transfer of the Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand Home Secretaries, as well as senior officials attached to the offices of the Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh Chief Ministers.

In addition, Iqbal Singh Chahal, who is Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, and other officials in municipalities across Maharashtra, have been removed too.

All of this comes less than a month before the 2024 Lok Sabha poll; the ECI on Saturday said voting will begin on April 19 and run over seven phases till June 1.

This is, in fact, the first bureaucratic re-jig by the ECI since it announced polling dates.

The ECI's move comes after a meeting of Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and his two associates, the newly-appointed Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu. This step comes as part of the poll panel's commitment to ensure a level playing field for all political parties in the forthcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, as well as by-polls for 26 seats in 13 states.

Sources said the personnel removed were found to be holding dual charge in the offices of the respective chief ministers of each state, and this could compromise, or be seen to be compromising, required neutrality, particularly in relation to law-and-order before, during and after polling.

Bengal's ruling Trinamool has not yet reacted to the removal of DGP Rajiv Malik, who is seen by some to be close to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's party. In the past, the state government has questioned the last-minute re-shuffle of senior civil service and police officials so close to an election, arguing it actually hampers prep work since the new faces need time to adjust to the post.

Bengal has frequently witnessed violence during polling season; in June last year over a dozen people were killed across the state as voting for a panchayat election was underway.

The Trinamool accused the opposition of instigating violence and criticised central forces for their failure to protect voters, while the Congress claimed the state had let thugs loose on the people.

While announcing the dates on Saturday, the Chief Election Commissioner said the poll panel would take a very dim view of any violence during the election. Mr Kumar said the ECI is prepared to come down hard on any such incident. "We're putting political parties on notice," he declared.

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News Network
March 11,2024

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Bengaluru, Mar 11: Senior Congress leader and Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday said there are discussions in the party about seven to eight state ministers contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka.

He added that the party will most likely finalise the candidates for the 28 Lok Sabha segments after gauging who among the current stable of ministers will agree to contest in the 'interest of the party'.

"There are discussions that seven to eight Ministers should contest, among the ministers. Whoever agrees in the interest of the party, they will be fielded. There may be some clarity on it after today's meeting (of the screening committee)," Parameshwara told reporters here.

Asked about Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa not willing to contest, he said, "He (Mahadevappa) is saying that he doesn't want to contest and the ticket be given to his son. Party will ultimately decide whether it will be Mahadevappa or his son or someone else. He cannot be pressured if he doesn't want to (contest)."

Efforts are on to pacify those upset or disgruntled about selection of candidates, to ensure that they work in the party's interest, he said, adding that 'such things are common during polls'.

Congress has announced candidates for seven seats of Karnataka in the first list. Interestingly, Congress' first list did not have names of any of the ministers and legislators, amid reports that they are reluctant to fight the Lok Sabha polls.

According to party sources, the Congress leadership has been making efforts to convince some ministers and lawmakers to contest, as they have faced problems in identifying winnable candidates in several segments.

The Ministers instead are said to be pushing for the candidature of their family members to 'ensure' the party's victory in their respective segments, and according to sources, the leadership seem to be worried about the message it may send out if their kin are fielded.

Meanwhile, state Congress President and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said the party's screening committee will meet today evening to finalise the candidates.

"We are meeting in the evening, we don't have the rights to announce the candidate. We will send it to Delhi, the Central Election Committee will meet there and may accept or reject our recommendation. They may add names into the list on their own and announce," he said.

On some Ministers like Mahadevappa and K H Muniyappa not keen on contesting the polls, he said, "do you know about it? I don't know, haven't spoken to them."

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News Network
March 12,2024

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Mangaluru, Mar 12: The PM today virtually flagged off the extended service of Mangaluru Central and Thiruvananthapuram Central Vande Bharat Express through video conferencing. Though, the train does not operate service on Tuesdays, there was a special service on Tuesday from Mangaluru to Thiruvananthapuram, after the official inauguration in the morning at 9.15.

Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Mangaluru South MLA Vedavyasa Kamath were present among others at the Mangaluru Central Railway Station during the virtual event. 

Palakkad division has 24 One Station One Product (OSOP) stalls all over the division, and a Jan Aushadhi Medical Store at Palakkad Junction railway station. Functions are being organised at Palakkad Junction, Tirur, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasaragod, and Mangaluru Central, with the presence of public representatives, prominent personalities, and the public.

In Palakkad division, OSOP stalls are functioning at 24 stations, with an average earning of Rs13 lakh per month. OSOP stalls are functioning in Pollachi, Palakkad, Shoranur, Ottappalam, Angadipuram, Nilambur, Pattambi, Tirur, Parappanangadi, Kuttipuram, Kozhikode, Koyilandi, Badagara, Tellichery, Kannur, Payyanur, Kanhangad, Kasaragod, Mangalore Central and Mangalore Junction stations.

The prominent products sold are honey, chocolate, millet, dry fruit, Kerala jute, eco-friendly products, chocolate, hill product, aloe vera gel, herbal powders, bamboo brush, neem comb, mango squash, juice, jam, pickle, rice, millets, coconut oil, saphalam cashew, peanut, pistachio, unniyappam, almond, jeeva honey, ghee, value-addition from jackfruit, Madhusree honey, Kammadi forest honey, value addition from rice, curry powder and karipetti/ palm jaggery.

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