LIVE! Row over Israel-Palestine lecture at Haryana varsity

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Wed, 01 November 2023

Row over Israel-Palestine lecture at Haryana varsity

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23:55 Row over Israel-Palestine lecture at Haryana varsity

A lecture on the Israel-Palestine conflict organised at a private university in Haryana's Sonepat triggered a controversy on Wednesday with some Bharatiya Janata Party leaders sharing video clips of it to allege that the event was in support of the Hamas.

A spokesperson of the O P Jindal Global University rubbished the allegation, saying "the videos have been taken out of context".

The lecture was titled "History and Politics of the Palestinian present'.

Sharing video clips of the lecture on 'X', formerly Twitter, Mumbai BJP spokesperson Suresh Nakhua said, "An event in support of Hamas, a terrorist organisation, was organised in O P Jindal Global University."

"During this event, concerns were raised regarding the potential targeting of Hindu culture, Hinduism, Hindutva, RSS, BJP & Indian Army which reportedly caused discomfort among some students and faculties," he added. -- PTI

A court in Maharashtra's Pune city on Wednesday remanded till November 7 drug racketeer Lalit Patil and two others in the custody of the city police, who are investigating the seizure of mephedrone from outside the Sassoon General Hospital in Pune.

The development comes a day after the Pune police received the custody of Patil and two others from a Mumbai court.

The trio was produced in a Pune court, which sent them to police custody.

Seeking their remand for 14 days, the prosecution told the court that a thorough investigation is required in the case as the magnitude of the case is bigger and needed to be unearthed.

The defence counsel, representing Patil, however, objected to the prosecution's 14-day custody demand and told the court that Patil had a threat from the police authorities.

He also claimed that during his stay in the Sassoon General Hospital, he was beaten up by the police.

After hearing the argument, the court remanded Patil and two others in the police custody.

Patil, the main accused in a Rs 300 crore mephedrone seizure case, was arrested in Bengaluru on October 17, more than two weeks after he escaped from the government-run Sassoon Hospital in Pune. -- PTI

Enforcement agencies have seized unaccounted cash, gold, liquor and freebies worth over Rs 427 crore in Telangana as on Wednesday, after the model code of conduct came into force in the state on October 9.

On freebies, a central election team, which held a meeting with state election officials in Hyderabad directed them to add the cost of it in the account of candidate concerned, after the approval of nominations, a release issued by the office of the Telangana chief electoral officer.

Regarding seizures, the team advised the state officials to go lenient if the case is genuine, if convinced with the evidence.

A total of over Rs 151.5 crore in cash, 263.7 kg gold, 1091 kg silver, and other valuables all worth over Rs 165.2 crore, besides liquor worth over Rs 44.9 crore, ganja valued at Rs 23.3 crore and other items/freebies worth Rs 42 crore were seized, the statement issued from the office of CEO said.

Since October 9 (when the schedule for the Telangana assembly elections was announced) till November 1, the total cumulative seizure by law enforcement agencies is valued at over Rs 427 crore, it said.

The state goes to polls on November 30. -- PTI

Activist Manoj Jarange

22:58 Jarange stops taking water, rejects call to end strike

Rejecting the appeal made by leaders at an all-party meeting to withdraw his ongoing hunger strike for Maratha reservation, activist Manoj Jarange on Wednesday evening announced that he would not be taking even water now.

The Maharashtra government should state when it would grant reservation to the Maratha community, he said at his native village Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district where he launched his indefinite fast on October 25.

"People are dying here and why are meetings being held every day....I am stopping water intake now. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis, you people have to face the consequences of this later. The agitation will continue peacefully but it seems that the government has decided to vitiate the atmosphere," he said.

"The government should tell us why it needs time and when it is going to give reservation to the Maratha community. Then we will talk to the community. There is proof available (to support the community's claim for quota) but still the government is deliberately not giving us reservation. It has given reservation to other castes without proof in the past," Jarange added. -- PTI

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22:35 HC grants bail to father of man whose car killed 9 in Ahmedabad flyover accident

The Gujarat high court on Wednesday granted conditional bail to a man accused of threatening eyewitnesses at the scene of a road accident where his son allegedly killed nine people and left 13 others injured by driving a speeding luxury car into a crowd in Ahmedabad in July this year.

The accused, Pragnesh Patel, was granted bail by the court of Justice M R Mengdey on the condition that he will not enter the city of Ahmedabad except for attending the trial till its conclusion, and cannot leave India without the prior permission of the trial court, among others.

His son Tathya Patel was arrested on July 20 this year, hours after the accident that occurred on a flyover on the S G highway in the city, on charges of rash driving and culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and remains in jail.

Pragnesh Patel was arrested for threatening the eyewitnesses who had gathered at the site of the accident where he reached later and took his son to a hospital.

He was charged under section 506 of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly issuing threats to the eyewitnesses and taking his son to a private hospital for treatment after the accident.

His bail plea was earlier rejected by a sessions court, after which he approached the high court.

The public prosecutor had opposed Pragnesh Patel's bail plea, submitting that he had asked his wife to bring a revolver to the scene of the accident with the intention to threaten the eyewitnesses. -- PTI

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22:22 China dispatches new expedition to establish fifth station in Antarctica

China has dispatched a new Antarctic scientific expedition team consisting of over 450 personnel to build its fifth research station to firm up its presence in the icy and resource-rich southernmost continent.

China's 40th Antarctic scientific expedition team set sail on Wednesday, starting a mission expected to last over five months.

The team will establish a new scientific research station along the coastal areas of the Ross Sea during this expedition, becoming China's fifth research station in Antarctica, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The new station building will have a floor space of 5,244 square meters.

It will be able to support 80 expedition team members during summers and 30 members during winters.

The station will monitor and study the atmospheric and marine environment of Antarctica as well as the biological and ecological conditions there, the report said.

There are currently 70 permanent research stations scattered across the continent of Antarctica, which represent 29 countries from every continent on Earth, according to media reports.

The Indian Antarctic programme, which began in 1981, has completed 40 scientific expeditions and built three permanent research base stations in Antarctica -- Dakshin Gangotri (1983), Maitri (1988) and Bharati (2012). -- PTI

Members of Maratha Kranti Morcha (MKM) on Wednesday blocked the Latur-Solapur highway in Maharashtra by setting tyres on fire over the Maratha quota demand, disrupting traffic in both directions.

Except for emergency services like ambulances and school buses, no vehicle was allowed to ply on the highway from 10 am to 6 pm, officials said.

Separately, lawyers belonging to the Maratha community took out a rally in Latur city. A hunger strike was also observed. They claimed that Marathas are Kunbis as per the records dating back to the pre-Independence period and the Nizam era, which makes them eligible to get the reservation under the OBC category.

In Nagzari village, thousands of farmers, including women, took out a morcha with bullock carts and tractors. The rally covered a distance of 20 km before culminating at the district collectorate, where a memorandum was submitted to the district collector.

In Katgaon village, members of the Maratha community organised a symbolic funeral procession and raised slogans against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputies Devendra Fadnvis and Ajit Pawar.

Chief Minister P Vijayan

21:46 Kerala facing huge financial crisis, govt tells HC

The ruling Left government in Kerala has told the high court here that the state was facing a "huge financial crisis".

The submission was made by the government in an affidavit placed before the court in a matter related to repaying a depositor of the Kerala Transport Development Finance Corporation (KTDFC) Ltd.

"Our state is now passing through a phase of financial constraints. Any monetary benefit has to be allowed within the financial resources available with the government," the government contended.

The submission by the government did not find favour with the high court, which questioned whether Kerala was in a state of financial emergency.

The state also said in its affidavit that the KTDFC and the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) can mortgage the property or sell one or two items of the property to outside parties or government agencies to solve their financial issues.

"But, unfortunately, no positive steps have been taken by KTDFC or KSRTC," it told the court, adding that the two entities together have immovable properties worth about Rs 1,000 crore in the state.

The government also claimed that despite facing a huge financial crisis, it has released Rs 8,440.02 crore to KSRTC for various expenditures from 2018-19 to October 15, 2023.

"Even though the government is supporting public sector undertakings, including KSRTC, in different ways, it is obvious that the government is not legally bound to give financial support to meet its day to day affairs," it said in the affidavit.

The affidavit came in response to a private company's plea urging the government to intervene and direct KTDFC to release the money deposited with it by the petitioner's company.

The contention comes amidst the Keraleeyam 2023, a week-long mammoth celebration announced by the Left government to showcase Kerala's progress, achievements, and cultural heritage to the world, which commenced on Wednesday.

The Congress-led UDF opposition had boycotted the event alleging extravagant expenditure by the Left administration at a time the state was going through a huge financial crisis.

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21:24 Israel nabs 46 wanted Palestinians in anti-terror ops

Israeli security forces arrested 46 wanted Palestinians in overnight counter-terror raids around Judea and Samaria on Tuesday night, the Israel defense forces announced on Wednesday.

The IDF said 30 of the people arrested were associated with Hamas.

Soldiers confiscated guns and 40,000 shekels ($9,900) intended for terror activity.

Since the beginning of the war on October 7, Israeli forces have arrested 1,180 wanted Palestinians of whom 740 were associated with Hamas. -- ANI

Tesla CEO and 'X' owner, Elon Musk said on Wednesday that artificial intelligence could endanger the existence of human civilisation.

"There is some chance, above zero, that AI will kill us all. I think it's slow but there is some chance. I think this also concerns the fragility of human civilization. If you study history, you will realise that every civilisation has a sort of lifespan," he said.

His remarks came during a media interaction as he arrived to attend the United Kingdom hosted world's first global Artificial Intelligence Safety Summit.

Moreover, Musk was also seen having conversations with some of the participants at the summit.

Earlier, a day before attending the AI summit, Musk appeared on comedian Joe Rogan's podcast, in which he that artificial intelligence, if programmed by people in the "environmental movement", may lead to the extinction of humanity.

In the podcast, he said, "Actually, what I think the biggest danger is for AI is that if AI is implicitly programmed, I don't think they explicitly but implicitly programmed with values that led to the destruction of downtown San Francisco. And a bunch of these AI companies are in San Francisco or in the San Francisco Bay Area. Then you could implicitly program an AI to believe that extinction of humanity is what it should try to do." -- ANI

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20:29 Mob gheraos Manipur police office for arms

A mob on Wednesday tried to gherao a Manipur police office complex demanding arms in Imphal, the capital of the restive state, prompting the authorities to order firing of several rounds in the air and withdraw curfew relaxations in two districts, officials said.

The Manipur government has withdrawn the daily curfew relaxation from 5 am to 10 pm in Imphal East and West districts "with immediate effect owing to developing law and order situation", according to an official order.

The decision came following the attempt by a group of people to gherao the 1st Manipur Rifles complex, close to Raj Bhavan and Chief Minister's Office in Imphal West district, demanding weapons.

Security forces fired several rounds in the air to disperse the mob, officials said.

Tension had been brewing in the state capital after an on-duty sub-divisional police officer at Moreh town was shot dead by tribal militants on Tuesday morning.

In another incident, three police personnel suffered bullet injuries when militants ambushed a convoy of the state force at Sinam in Tengnoupal district on Tuesday afternoon.

The convoy was sent to Moreh as reinforcement to assist in conducting operations. -- PTI

In a shocking incident, a father allegedly beat up his 14-year-old daughter and forced her to consume a pesticide for continuing her relationship with a boy against his wishes, the police said in Kochi on Wednesday.

Aluva West police arrested the father today and booked him for the offences of attempted murder and voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons and means under the IPC.

The girl is admitted to a private hospital in Kochi and her health condition is still serious, they said.

The incident occurred on Sunday when the girl disregarded her father's direction not to get in touch with the 16-year-old boy and obtained a phone to call him.

Both children study in the same school and the father had taken away his daughter's phone to prevent her from talking to the boy, they added.

Angered by his daughter's disobedience, the father allegedly beat her up using a rod and then forced her to consume the pesticide, the police said. -- PTI

Maharashtra Opposition MLAs met assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar on Wednesday and demanded that he convene a special session of the Maharashtra assembly as soon as possible amid the ongoing Maratha quota protest.

The Opposition MLAs tendered a memorandum to the Speaker seeking a special session of the assembly for discussions on the quota protest.

The ongoing protest took a violent turn on Monday after the protestors vandalised the residences and offices of many politicians.

The Maratha community has been up in arms over the last couple of months, demanding their inclusion in the state's OBC list.

Amid the protest, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday said the leaders attending the all-party meeting were in agreement that a quota should be provided to the Maratha community.

Speaking to reporters after the all-party meeting on Wednesday, CM Shinde said, "Everyone in the all-party meeting agreed that the Maratha community should get a reservation. However, it was decided that the provision of Maratha quota should be within the legal framework and shouldn't be seen as an injustice to other communities."

Quota activist Manoj Jarange has been observing an indefinite fast for over a week in a bid to step up pressure on the government to guarantee reservation for the Maratha community. -- ANI

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19:22 Leopard that terrorised Bengaluru for 5 days shot

Foresters shot dead the elusive leopard on Wednesday that had scared Bengaluru residents for the past five days.

After three days of intense search operations, forest department officials tracked the wild cat in the city's outskirts at Kudlu Gate near Electronic City in Bengaluru South.

They had set a cage and tried to trap the leopard and when their efforts failed, shots were fired, officials said.

Chief conservator of forest SS Lingaraja told reporters, "The leopard had attacked the veterinary doctor Kiran and one more staff member.They were grievously injured. It jumped to attack one more staff. So, he shot it in self defense. We tried to revive it (the leopard) in Bannerghatta but it died," he added.

Lingaraja said the Chief Wildlife Warden had given permission to shoot it when it started attacking people grievously.

Additional principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) Kumar Pushkar told PTI that the entire operation was taking place since morning.

The leopard could not be caught alive. It was traced from Kudlu Gate and all efforts were made.

"When it was found that it was not possible to capture it alive, since it was very aggressive and attacking people. Three of our staff, including a veterinarian, were attacked while they were trying to catch it."

"A representative of an NGO who was supporting us with the operation was also attacked by the leopard. So, finally, the chief wildlife warden permitted it to be shot dead."

No member of the general public was hurt during the operation, he said. According to the forest officials, the veterinarian, who was trying to dart it, got injuries in the neck.

Presently, he is being treated at a hospital.

The leopard was reportedly hiding in an abandoned building and was shot dead as it ran dangerously towards a forester standing near a snare, the officials said.

Quickly, the injured leopard was bundled and shoved into a cage, from where it was taken to the Bannerghatta Biological Park where efforts were made to revive it but in vain. -- PTI

A Malayalam serial actress, who was eight months pregnant, died a day ago at a private hospital here following a cardiac arrest, one of her colleagues in the industry said on Wednesday.

The baby of the actress -- Dr Priya -- was saved by doctors of the hospital and is presently on ventilator support in the ICU as it was premature, a hospital source said.

Actor Kishor Satya shared on social media the tragic news of the 35-year-old actress' death.

He said that she had gone for a routine check-up when she suffered a cardiac arrest.

He also said that the actress did not have any health issues.

Dr Priya worked as a gynae assistant. -- PTI

Diamonds worth Rs 5.62 crore have been allegedly stolen from a gems company store in Mumbai over six months following which police have arrested three persons, including two employees of the firm, an official said on Wednesday.

Sanjay Shah, one of the directors of JB and Brothers Private Limited, which has a store at the Bharat Diamond Bourse in Bandra-Kurla Complex in Mumbai, approached the police claiming diamonds worth Rs 5.62 crore were missing from their stock, the official from BKC police station said.

The complainant suspected that the firm's employees, Prashant Shah and Vishal Shah, both from Kandivali, were stealing diamonds from their store since April, he said.

Nilesh Shah, a former employee of the firm, allegedly helped the duo in selling the stolen diamonds, the police said quoting the FIR.

The police have arrested the three accused and booked them under relevant Indian Penal Code sections, including 420 (cheating), the official said.

An investigation was on into the case, the police added. -- PTI

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18:17 IndiGo announcements violated poll code: Cong

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday alleged a Model Code of Conduct violation by private airline IndiGo, claiming that an announcement on two of its flights hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "something routine" and then immediately segued into an appeal to passengers to vote during the upcoming state elections.

Ramesh pointed out that there was no mention of the Election Commission in the vote appeal announcement, which, he said, was a "clear violation of the Model Code of Conduct".

In a post on X, Ramesh said, "Last week, I took flights to Aizawl and back to Delhi on Indigo. Both ways there was an announcement by the cabin crew that hailed the Prime Minister 'Shri Narendra Modiji' for something routine and inconsequential."

"One of these announcements immediately segued into a vote appeal asking passengers to vote during upcoming state elections. Note that there was no mention of Election Commission in this announcement -- a clear violation of the Model Code of Conduct," the Congress general secretary in-charge communications alleged.

There was no immediate response from the airline to Ramesh's claims. -- PTI

TMC member of Parliament Mahua Moitra, who is scheduled to appear before the Lok Sabha ethics committee tomorrow, in a letter to the chairperson of the committee on Tuesday said she will appear before the panel as scheduled, but questioned whether it was the appropriate forum to examine allegations of alleged criminality.

On Wednesday, the feisty MP released her letter to the ethics committee.

'Since Ethics Committee deemed it fit to release my summons to the media I think it is important I too release my letter to the Committee before my "hearing' tomorrow,' Moitra posted on X.

You can read her letters here, and here.

The Centre has earned Rs 500 crore by disposing of office scrap during the recently concluded cleanliness campaign, according to a statement issued on Wednesday.

During the campaigns conducted by the government from 2021 to 2023, Rs 1,100 crore revenue has been generated by disposing of office scrap, it said.

The third special campaign generated revenue of Rs 500 crore in the October 2-31 period this year, said the statement issued by the personnel ministry.

"The special campaign 3.0 has seen Swachhata campaigns being undertaken in more than 2.53 lakh sites and has resulted in freeing 154 lakh square feet of space for effective office use," it added.

Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said that with every passing year, the size and scale of the special campaign was increasing with more than 2.53 lakh sites covered in 2023 as against 1.01 lakh sites in 2022.

He announced the successful conclusion of the special campaign 3.0 on October 31.

Singh said that it was India's largest campaign for institutionalising cleanliness and reducing pendency in government offices.

It has witnessed many best practices and milestones, he said.

Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's directions, a saturation approach was adopted in the Special Campaign 3.0 that covered more than 2.53 lakh offices even in the remotest parts of India, he added. -- PTI

Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal

17:29 ED attaches Goyal's London, Dubai assets worth Rs 538 cr

The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday said it has attached in London, Dubai and India assets worth Rs 538 crore of Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal, his family members and companies as part of a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged bank loan fraud.

The attached properties include 17 residential flats, bungalows and commercial premises.

Located in London, Dubai and various cities in India, these properties are in the name of various companies like Jetair Private Limited and Jet Enterprises Private Limited, Goyal, his wife Anita, and son Nivaan, the federal agency said in a statement.

Goyal, 74, was arrested by the ED on September 1 and the agency filed a charge sheet against him on Tuesday before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act court in Mumbai. -- PTI

17:23 Laggards and gainers in Sensex pack

The 30-share BSE Sensex on Wednesday declined 283.60 points or 0.44 per cent to settle at 63,591.33.

During the day, it fell 324.47 points or 0.50 per cent to 63,550.46.

The Nifty went down by 90.45 points or 0.47 to 18,989.15.

Among the Sensex firms, Asian Paints, Tata Steel, HCL Technologies, Nestle, Maruti, JSW Steel, NTPC and Larsen & Toubro were the major laggards.

Sun Pharma, Bajaj Finserv, Reliance Industries, State Bank of India and Bharti Airtel were the gainers.

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16:57 Researchers discover new freshwater fish species in Odisha river

A group of scientists has discovered that an edible freshwater fish, available in the markets of western Odisha, is actually an unregistered species.

The new species was named 'Awaous Motla', said Prof Jaya Kishor Seth, the principal investigator of a project undertaken by the zoology department of Berhampur University and Zoological Survey of India, Gopalpur.

The discovery was made during the ongoing research project funded by the department of science and technology of the Odisha government.

Specimens of the fish with a vibrant yellow-coloured body and a fleshy upper lip were collected from the Mahanadi river near Sonepur and Boudh bridge in June 2022, said Seth, who teaches zoology at Berhampur University.

"We conducted an extensive study of the specimens in collaboration with Anil Mohapatra of ZSI's Estuarine Biology Regional Centre and a scientist from Australia. We have ascertained that the species was a new one and very distinct from others of the genus in different aspects," Seth said.

Fishermen of the Sonepur region have christened the fish 'motla'.

The species belongs to the family 'Awaous' (Oxudercidae), and thus, is named 'Awaous motla', he said. -- PTI

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16:46 Leopard caught in Bengaluru after 3 days of search

After three days of intense search operations, forest department officials on Wednesday managed to successfully cage the elusive leopard from Bommanahalli Industrial area in Bengaluru.

The leopard that was reportedly hiding in an abandoned building ran into the snare laid by forest officials.

Quickly the feline was bundled and shoved into the cage, from where it was taken away.

The big cat had strayed from the wild and was seen near Electronic City in Bengaluru south, they said.

According to officials, on Wednesday morning, the leopard attacked and injured a veterinarian who was trying to dart it, near the neck.

Presently, he is being treated at a hospital and is out of danger, a Forest official said.

After attacking the veterinary doctor, the leopard escaped into the thick bushes.

Later, the forest officials caught it. On October 29, the leopard was seen entering an apartment in Kudlu.

Since then, the residents in the area had been living in fear.

Cages and drones were deployed as foresters frantically searched for the leopard.

They also brought a few experts from Mysuru to catch the animal.

The area where the leopard was spotted is not very far from Bannerghatta National Park from where it is believed to have come to the city. -- PTI

Amid the Hamas surprise attack on Israel, over 200 hostages are being held by the terror group. Now American commandos have been deployed in Israel to locate the hostages, The New York Times reported on Wednesday.

It reported, quoting Christopher P Maier, an assistant secretary of defence in the US, 'We're actively helping the Israelis to do a number of things.'

He added that a main task was to help Israel 'identify hostages, including American hostages. It's really our responsibility to do so'.

A US official sharing about the deployment said that the Defence Department has dispatched several dozen commandos in recent days, in addition to a small team that was in Israel on October 7 but declined to give the specific number of the security forces deployment.

The New York Times reported that the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters, said the commandos would join the FBI, State Department and other US government hostages' recovery specialists in their discussions with Israeli counterparts.

US forces are not assigned any combatant roles in Israel but are coordinating with the Israeli counterparts 'counterparts on what is going to be a very complex fight going forward' in Gaza, Maier said.

In his discussions with his Israeli counterpart, Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin III has stressed the need for careful consideration of how Israeli forces conduct a ground invasion of Gaza, where Hamas maintains an intricate network of tunnels under densely populated areas, The New York Times reported.

"We will work with them as much as possible to help advise them on those types of activities," Maier said.

The New York Times reported that several Western countries have secretly moved small teams of their own special forces closer to Israel to help with any potential rescue operation and to be nearby to assist in any large-scale evacuations of their citizens from Israel or Lebanon.

Maier said US Special Operations forces in the region are also poised 'to help our own citizens get out of places and to help our embassies be secure'. -- ANI

IMAGE: Smoke appears following an Israeli raid in Jenin in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on November 1, 2023. Photograph: Raneen Sawafta/Reuters

Rajnath Singh in Tipa, Mizoram

15:50 Meiteis, Kukis must talk heart to heart: Rajnath

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday made a fervent appeal to the warring Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur to sit together and have a heart-to-heart conversation to end the trust deficit between the two sides.

In an address at an election rally in this southern-most part of Mizoram bordering Myanmar, Singh said violence is no solution to any problem and the two communities in Manipur must talk to each other to improve the situation in the troubled state.

"The Northeast has been peaceful in the last nine years. However, we have witnessed violence in Manipur and it is painful for us," Singh said.

"Violence is no solution to any problem. What we need is heart-to-heart conversation. I appeal to both the communities to sit together and end trust deficit," Singh added.

Manipur had been witnessing large-scale violence in the last few months because of hostilities between the Meitei and Kuki communities.

More than 180 people have lost their lives since ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3, when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mostly in the hill districts.

The senior BJP leader said, "I want to categorically say that it (violence) did not take place because of any political party. It happened because of certain situations."

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15:41 Leopard attacks vet in Bengaluru, escapes

A veterinarian was attacked on Wednesday while he was trying to dart a leopard that strayed from the wild and was seen near Electronic City in Bengaluru south, forest officials said.

The leopard managed to escape into the thick bushes after a sharpshooter shot a dart at it and the injured veterinarian was rushed to hospital for treatment, they said.

The big cat has been on the prowl for the last four days.

On October 29, the leopard was seen entering an apartment in Kudlu. Since then, the residents in the area have been living in fear.

The forest department on Tuesday deployed cages and drones as foresters frantically searched for the leopard. They have also brought a few experts from Mysuru to catch the animal.

"Our teams are at the spot. Combing operation is underway. A veterinarian who went to dart the leopard was attacked. He was trying to tranquilise the big cat. The leopard managed to escape but the operation is onThe leopard will try to attack when we try to tranquilise it but we have taken all necessary precautionary measures and are hopeful of catching the elusive animal very soon," a senior forest official said.

The veterinarian has sustained a minor injury and is being treated. When he tried to tranquilize the leopard, the big cat scratched him on his neck. He is fine, the official said.

The area where the leopard was spotted is not very far from Bannerghatta National Park from where it is believed to have come to the city.

A die-hard fan of megastar Rajinikanth has built a temple dedicated to the Thalaiva in the premises of his house in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.

Self-proclaimed Rajini fan, Karthik converted a part of his home space into a shrine where he also installed the actor's statue.

As per Karthik, Rajinikanth's idol weighs 250 kg.

"For us, Rajinikanth is God. I have built a temple for him as a mark of respect," he told ANI.

Karthik's daughter Anushiya also expressed her admiration for Rajinikanth.

"We worship the idol of Rajinikanth in the same way we worship god in the temple," she said.

14:57 Israel deploys missile boats to Red Sea

Israel bolstered its naval presence in the Red Sea area on Wednesday following repeated missile and drone attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The Israel Defense Forces said that missile destroyers were deployed 'in accordance with the assessment of the situation, and as part of the increased defence efforts in the region'.

On Tuesday, Israel's Arrow air-defence system intercepted a missile launched at the Jewish state from the 'Red Sea area'.

A spokesperson for Yemen's Ansar Allah, the official title of the Houthi movement, confirmed the terror group had launched ballistic and cruise missiles at Israel, as well as drones.

Early on Wednesday, the IDF intercepted another incoming threat near Israel's southernmost city of Eilat.

The military has multiple layers of air defences in the Red Sea area to defend against Houthi attacks. -- ANI/TPS

Saima Wazed with US President Joe Biden and her mother at the Delhi G20 summit

14:42 Sheikh Hasina's daughter nominated regional director of WHO SE Asia

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's daughter Saima Wazed, a mental health expert, has been nominated as the next regional director of the World Health Organization's South-East Asia region.

Dr Shambhu Prasad Acharya, a senior WHO official, was the other candidate. He was nominated by Nepal.

The member States voted to nominate Wazed to the post during a closed meeting at the 76th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the South-East Asia Region.

The nomination will be submitted to the WHO Executive Board during its 154th session which will take place from January 22 to 27 in Geneva, Switzerland, according to a statement from the world health body.

Wazed will take office on February 1, 2024.

14:26 India Vs Sri Lanka: How the teams fare

Twelve years on, as India take on Sri Lanka in another World Cup clash at the Wankhede in Mumbai on Thursday, here's a quick look at how the two teams face off.

14:20 All-party meet appeals for Maratha restraint

Leaders at an all-party meeting on Maratha quota chaired by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday passed a resolution asking activist Manoj Jarange to call off his indefinite fast.

The Maharashtra government is in favour of the Maratha quota, CM Shinde said after the meeting in Mumbai. Activist Jarange should cooperate with the government in ensuring quota for the Maratha community he said.

The CM said Marathas should observe restraint as the government needs time for legal modalities to implement the reservation.

The resolution was signed by CM Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, NCP president Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Vijay Wadettiwar, LoP in the legislative council Ambadas Danve, among others.

Incidents of violence have been witnessed in many parts of the state in the last few days. State-run bus services have been completely suspended in five Marathwada districts while curfew and Internet shut-down was imposed in parts of Beed on Monday where the houses of political leaders were targeted by protesters.

The CM has appealed to people not to resort to violence and also asked political parties to avoid indulging in any activities that would worsen the situation.

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13:46 Sena activists stopped from entering Belagavi

Shiv Sena activists on their way towards Belagavi to participate in the 'black day' event by Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES), on the occasion of Karnataka formation day, were prevented entry by the police at the border between the two states on Wednesday.

They were stopped at Kognoli check post in Nippani taluk on the Pune-Bengaluru national highway in Belagavi, police said.

According to police, about 30 Shiv Sena activists led by its Kolhapur district President Vijay Devane were stopped at the border from entering Belagavi and handed over to Kolhapur Police.

MES, which has been fighting for the merger of several Marathi-speaking areas and villages of the state with Maharashtra for long, observes 'Karnataka Rajyotsava' day as a black day every year.

The Belagavi administration had on Tuesday banned three Maharashtra ministers and an MP from entering this border district citing maintenance of law and order, as they are expected to participate in the 'black day' event, foreseeing the chances of them making provocative speeches during the visit, also Kannada activists could gherao them, and it could result in clashes with MES activists.

Maharashtra Ministers Shambhuraje Desai, Chandrakant Patil, Deepak Kesarkar and MP Dhairyasheel Mane were expected to attend the MES event, official sources said.

MES had recently met Maharashtra Chief Minister Ekanath Shinde at Kolhapur, seeking his support on the boundary issue and requesting that he send representatives to take part in the MES event.

The border issue dates back to 1957 when states were reorganised on linguistic lines.

Maharashtra laid claim to Belagavi, which was part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency, as it has a sizeable Marathi-speaking population, and over 800 Marathi-speaking border villages that are currently a part of Karnataka.

Karnataka maintains that the demarcation done on linguistic lines as per the States Reorganisation Act and the 1967 Mahajan Commission Report is final.

To assert that Belagavi is an integral part of the state, Karnataka built the 'Suvarna Vidhana Soudha' there, modelled on the Vidhana Soudha, the seat of the State Legislature and Secretariat in Bengaluru. -- PTI

Pic: Mohammed Salem/Reuters

13:35 UN official quits over 'genocide' of Palestinians

The director of the New York office of the UN high commissioner for human rights has left his post, protesting that the UN is "failing' in its duty to prevent what he categorises as genocide of Palestinian civilians in Gaza under Israeli bombardment and citing the US, UK and much of Europe as "wholly complicit in the horrific assault', reports Ed Pilkington in The Guardian.

Craig Mokhiber, who was stepping down having reached retirement age, wrote: "Once again we are seeing a genocide unfolding before our eyes and the organization we serve appears powerless to stop it," reports Pilkington.

The UNHCHR director reportedly wrote to the high commissioner in Geneva on October 28.

"This is text book case of genocide," Mokhiber wrote, and said the US, UK and much of Europe were not only "refusing to meet their treaty obligations" under the Geneva Conventions but were also arming Israel's assault and providing political and diplomatic cover for it, Pilkington reports in theguardian.com, here.

In a setback to the BJP ahead of the November 30 assembly polls in Telangana, former MP G Vivek Venkataswamy resigned from the party and joined the Congress in the presence of former AICC president Rahul Gandhi in Hydereabad.

In a letter to Telangana BJP chief G Kishan Reddy, Vivek, national executive board member of BJP, conveyed his decision.

TPCC President Revanth Reddy told reporters that he wholeheartedly welcomed Vivek to the Congress party and he has accepted it.

Vivek's exit from the BJP comes less than a week after another senior leader Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy, who unsuccessfully contested on the saffron party ticket in the by-poll for the Munugode assembly constituency last year, resigned from the BJP and joined the Congress.

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12:46 3 Army personnel injured in mine blast near LoC

Three Army personnel were injured in a landmine explosion near the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Wednesday, officials said.

The soldiers were patrolling Phagwari Gali area in Mendhar sector when the landmine got activated, the officials said quoting preliminary information.

The injured were evacuated to a nearby medical facility and later two of them were referred to a military hospital in Rajouri for specialised treatment, the officials said.

As part of an anti-infiltration obstacle system, the forward areas are dotted with landmines which sometimes get washed away by rains resulting in such types of accidents, the officials said. -- PTI

An all-party meeting called by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to discuss the situation in the state amid the intensified Maratha quota agitation began in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (of the BJP), NCP president Sharad Pawar, senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat, former CM Ashok Chavan (Congress), Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab, among others, were present in the meeting.

An official in the Chief Minister's Office earlier said Shinde will apprise opposition leaders of the government's plans to handle the situation and seek their support.

Incidents of violence were witnessed in many parts of the state in the last few days.

State-run bus services have been completely suspended in five Marathwada districts while curfew and Internet shut-down were imposed in parts of Beed on Monday where the houses of political leaders were targeted by protesters.

The CM has appealed to people not to resort to violence and also asked political parties to avoid indulging in any activities that would worsen the situation.

The Maharashtra government published an order on Tuesday asking officials concerned to issue fresh Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Maratha community members, paving the way for them to avail reservation benefits under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.

A government resolution (GR) asked the officials to translate old documents having references to Kunbis and written in Urdu and 'Modi' script (which was used to write Marathi language in earlier times).

These documents are to be digitised, attested and then put in public domain. Kunbis, a community associated with agriculture, are grouped under the OBC category in Maharashtra and enjoy reservation benefits in education and government jobs.

Activist Manoj Jarange, who is observing a fast for the quota demand at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, has said the Maratha community will not accept an "incomplete reservation" and the Maharashtra government should call a special session of the state legislature on the issue. He threatened to stop drinking water from Wednesday evening if the "complete" quota was not granted to the Maratha community.

An FIR has been registered against Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa after his pet dogs allegedly attacked and bit a 48-year old woman who had parked her car near his house in Bengaluru, the police said on Wednesday.

The incident took place on October 28 when the woman had gone to RR Nagar to attend a programme after parking her car at a vacant space near the actor's house in in RR Nagar, they said.

In her complaint, she alleged that when she returned after attending the programme, she saw a person with three dogs standing near her vehicle.

When she requested him to take the dogs away so that she could get into her car, he allegedly refused and picked up a fight with her over parking the vehicle there.

This led to a heated argument between the woman and the dogs' caretaker during which the dogs allegedly attacked her. The dogs belonged to actor Darshan. They allegedly bit her and tore her clothes, according to the police.

"Based on the woman's complaint, both the actor and the dogs' caretaker have been booked under Section 289 (Negligent conduct with respect to animal) of the Indian Penal Code," a senior police officer said.

Representational image. Pic: Reuters

12:05 No fireworks at Delhi, Mumbai WC matches due to poor AQI

The BCCI has banned the display of fireworks during the remaining World Cup games in Delhi and Mumbai due to worsening air quality in the two mega cities.

Delhi has only one match left to host, the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka game on November 6, while Mumbai are scheduled to host two more league games, on November 2 and November 7, and the semifinal on November 15.

"BCCI is sensitive to environmental concerns. I took up the matter formally with the ICC and there won't be any fireworks display in Mumbai, which can add to the pollution level," said BCCI secretary Jay Shah in a statement on Wednesday.

"The Board is committed to combating environmental issues and will always place the interest of our fans and stakeholders at the forefront. The BCCI acknowledges the urgent concern surrounding air quality in both Mumbai and New Delhi.

"While we strive to host the ICC World Cup in a manner befitting the celebration of cricket, we remain steadfast in our commitment to prioritising the health and safety of all our stakeholders."

Delhi's air quality remained in the "very poor" category for the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday with an air quality index (AQI) of 372. The pollution situation has been alarming in Mumbai also.

The Bombay high court on Tuesday expressed concern over the "deteriorating" air quality index in Mumbai while taking suo motu (on its own) cognisance of the issue.

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11:40 Gujarat-bound trains held up for 12 hrs near Mumbai

All Gujarat-bound trains on the Western Railway route were held up for nearly 12 hours due to an overhead equipment "breakdown" near Dahanu station in Maharashtra's Palghar district adjoining Mumbai, officials said on Wednesday.

Dahanu is located about 125 km from Mumbai.

A train journey between Mumbai and Ahmedabad generally takes about eight hours.

Western Railway's chief public relations officer Sumit Thakur said there was an OHE breakdown at Dahanu Road station at 11 pm on Wednesday.

The UP (Mumbai-bound) line cleared after midnight at around 12.15 am, while the DOWN (Gujarat-bound) line was restored at 10.25 am on Wednesday, he said.

After the restoration of the train movement, a speed restriction of 60 kmph has been imposed in the section where the OHE breakdown occurred, the official said.

The trains are given halts at all the stations in the Virar-Surat section, he said.

"There is no effect of this on the suburban trains between Churchgate (in south Mumbai) and Virar (Palghar)," Thakur said.

Another Western Railway official said all the trains that departed from Mumbai late Tuesday night were stuck due to the incident which happened between Vangaon and Dahanu stations.

"Due to the OHE breakdown between Dahanu Road and Vangaon stations, various Down-direction trains have been delayed. Help desks have been placed at various stations to assist passengers. The inconvenience caused is deeply regretted," Western Railway's Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) informed on X nearly three hours after the incident.

11:29 9 soldiers killed fighting in Northern Gaza

Israel Defence Forces have announced that another nine soldiers have been killed fighting in Northern Gaza on Wednesday morning amid the ongoing ground offensive against Hamas terrorists, The Times of Israel reported.

A statement from the military added that two other infantry soldiers were seriously injured in Gaza.

According to The Times of Israel, the soldiers are named as Lt Ariel Reich, 24, from Jerusalem; Cpl Asif Luger, 21, from Yagur; Sgt Adi Danan, from Yavne; Staff Sgt Halel Solomon, 20, from Dimona; Staff Sgt Erez Mishlovsky, 20, from Oranit; Staff Sgt Adi Leon, 20, from Nili; Cpl Ido Ovadia, 19, from Tel Aviv; Cpl Lior Siminovich, 19, from Herzliya; and Staff Sgt Roei Dawi, 20, from Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defence Forces on Wednesday said that the aerial defence array intercepted 'an aerial threat' that was identified in the Red Sea area, south of Eilat.

It further said that there was no threat to civilians and no infiltration into Israeli territory was identified. -- ANI

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11:02 4 detained in Kolkata for waving Palestinian flags during match

Four people were detained at Maidan police station in Kolkata for waving the Palestinian flag during the Pakistan-Bangladesh World Cup cricket match at the Eden Gardens on Tuesday, the police said.

"We had detained them for waving the Palestinian flag near Gate 6 and Block G1 (during the match on Tuesday)," a senior police officer said. They, however, did not raise any slogan, he said.

After preliminary questioning, the four spectators residents of Bally, Ekbalpore and Karaya areas were let off, the officer told PTI.

Initial probe found that the four, all in their mid-twenties, were protesting against the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, and chose the international match for their stir.

Maharashtra minister Hasan Mushrif

10:44 Quota protesters vandalise Maha minister's car

Maratha quota agitators vandalised Maharashtra cabinet minister Hasan Mushrif's SUV parked in south Mumbai on Wednesday morning, police said.

Three persons were detained by the Marine Drive police in this connection, an official said. Mushrif belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

At around 7.30 am, two Maratha quota activists armed with wooden sticks attacked the minister's SUV (sports utility vehicle) parked near the Akashwani MLA hostel in south Mumbai.

The window panes of the vehicle were damaged, the official said.

The agitators were raising the slogan 'Ek Maratha, lakh Maratha', he said.

Police rushed to the spot and three persons were taken into custody. During the enquiry, it came to light that these persons were from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, the official said.

The damaged vehicle was taken to the Marine Drive police station for further probe into the incident, he added.

On October 26, two cars of lawyer Gunaratna Sadavarte, who is a vociferous opponent of Maratha reservation, were vandalised in Parel area in Mumbai.

Three men were later arrested for damaging the vehicles, police earlier said.

After violent incidents in various parts of the state over the demand for Maratha reservation, the Mumbai police have stepped up security of cabinet ministers, other political leaders, offices of political parties and important places in the metropolis. -- PTI

The rupee depreciated 3 paise to 83.27 against the US dollar in the morning session on Wednesday, tracking a strong American currency overseas and muted trend in domestic equities.

Persistent foreign fund outflows also weighed on the local unit, forex traders said.

At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 83.26 against the dollar. It touched a low of 83.27 in initial deals, registering a fall of 3 paise over its previous close.

On Tuesday, the rupee settled at 83.24 against the American currency. -- PTI

Maharashtra's Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Sanjay Saxena has visited Beed district to take stock of the situation after large scale violence there during the Maratha quota agitation, an official said on Wednesday.

So far, 99 people have been arrested in connection with the violence in Beed and the situation is currently under control, he said.

Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Saxena went to Beed on Tuesday and has been reviewing the situation. He will also submit a report about the situation to the government, the official said.

The Beed police have registered more than 30 offences and arrested 99 people so far in connection with the violence, he said.

Curfew was imposed and Internet services were suspended in central Maharashtra's Beed district after the violence on Monday.

The residence of Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar group) MLA Prakash Solanke at Majalgaon town in Beed was set on fire and stones were hurled at it by a group of quota agitators on Monday morning.

The group also set ablaze a car parked at the residence after an audio clip of the MLA, in which he purportedly spoke about the Maratha quota agitation and made a veiled comment on quota activist Manoj Jarange who is on an indefinite fast, went viral.

Later, the protesters set ablaze the first floor of the Majalgaon Municipal Council building.

Another group of protesters barged into the residential premises and office of NCP MLA Sandeep Kshirsagar in Beed city and set them on fire on Monday evening.

The residence of former Maharashtra minister Jaydutt Kshirsagar in the city was also torched.

Police fired tear gas shells to disperse a mob that had gathered outside the residence of NCP leader Amarsingh Pandit. -- PTI

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is suffering from fever and weakness after being down with dengue since last four days and needs rest, his doctor said.

Talking to reporters late Tuesday night, Dr Sanjay Kapote, flanked by Nationalist Congress Party leader Sunil Tatkare (of Ajit Pawar group), said the deputy CM's platelet and white blood cell counts have come down.

"He is down with dengue since last three-four days. He has fever and weakness and needs rest," Kapote said.

His platelets test will be done on Wednesday along with a sonography.

Accordingly, a decision will be taken whether to admit him to hospital, the doctor said.

Pawar (64) did not attend the state cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

NCP leader Praful Patel on Sunday said Pawar has been diagnosed with dengue and advised medical guidance and rest for next few days.

'Ajit Pawar remains committed to his public service responsibilities. Once he has fully recovered, he will be back in full force to continue his dedicated public duties,' Patel had said in a post on X.

On July 2 this year, Ajit Pawar along with eight other senior NCP leaders joined the Eknath Shinde-led state government, leading to a split in the party founded by his uncle Sharad Pawar.

Ajit Pawar claims to have the support of more than 40 of the 53 NCP MLAs in the state. -- PTI

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09:38 US to send 300 additional troops to Middle East

Amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the United States is sending additional troops to the US Central Command region, which covers the Middle East and parts of Africa, Pentagon press secretary Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said on Tuesday (local time).

Brig Gen Ryder said that these troops will provide capabilities, explosive ordnance disposal, communications and other support enablers for forces already in the region.

He said that additional US troops are not going to Israel.

While addressing a press briefing on Tuesday (local time), he said, "I can announce the decision to deploy an additional 300 troops to the US Central Command region from home stations in the continental United States. These additional troops will provide capabilities, explosive ordnance disposal, communications and other support enablers for forces already in the region."

The region monitored by the US Central Command encompasses 20 countries, including Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the countries of the Arabian Peninsula and northern Red Sea, and the five republics of Central Asia.

"Please note that we will not discuss specific deployment locations for these forces, but I can confirm they are not going to Israel and that they are intended to support regional deterrence efforts and further bolster US force protection capabilities," he added.

Brig Gen Ryder said that US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, during his remarks at the Senate testimony, said the US will continue to provide critical security assistance to Israel.

He said that Austin said that the focus of the US is on providing air defence capabilities, precision-guided munitions and more interceptors for the Iron Dome system.

According to Brig Gen Ryder, Austin said that the US is coordinating closely with the Israelis to help secure the release of the hostages held by Hamas, including American citizens.

Brig Gen Ryder said that Austin highlighted that the US immediately provided military advisors to offer best practises for integrating hostage recovery into Israel's operations.

Austin said that the US has strengthened its force posture across the region to deter any state or nonstate actors from escalating this crisis beyond Gaza, according to Brig Gen Ryder.

While addressing the press briefing, Brig Gen Ryder said Austin continues to remain in close contact with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant by phone and received updates regarding Israel's operations in Gaza.

Brig Gen Ryder said, 'The secretary commended the Israel Defense Forces' commitment to hostage recovery' and re-emphasised the importance of conducting operations in accordance with the law of war.

He also stressed the imperative to protect innocent civilians and allow unfettered humanitarian aid into Gaza. -- ANI

The idol of Ram Lalla will be placed on an eight-feet-tall gold-plated marble throne inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, a member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has said.

The throne is being made by artisans in Rajasthan and it will reach Ayodhya by December 15, he said on Tuesday.

It will be eight-feet tall, three-feet long and four-feet wide.

Also, the construction of the sanctum sanctorum has been completed, said Anil Mishra, a member of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

The ground floor of the Ram temple has to be prepared by December 15 while 80 per cent of the work on the first floor is complete, he said.

As many as 17 pillars on the first floor have been installed, and only two more are remaining. The roof of the first floor is expected to be built by December 15, Mishra said, adding the flooring work of Parikrama Marg has also been completed and the work of laying marble on the floor of the Griha Mandap is going on.

The roofs of all three floors of the passenger convenience centre have been constructed while the work on the entrance gate of Ram Mandir's outer wall ('parkota') is in the final stage and will be completed by the end of November, he said.

Mishra also said devotees have donated large amounts of gold and silver items which will be melted as it is difficult to store them.

The melting work will be done under the guidance of a reputed organisation, he added. -- PTI

The Israel Defence Forces on Tuesday claimed that it killed the commander of Hamas's Central Jabaliya Battalion, Ibrahim Biari, in a strike on the Jabalya refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, CNN reported.

However, Hamas denied the presence of one of its leaders in the camp, spokesperson Hazem Qassem said in a statement.

IDF noted that Biari was one of the leaders responsible for sending 'Nukbha' terrorist operatives to Israel to conduct a terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, according to a CNN report.

Earlier, the IDF spokesperson Lt Colonel Richard Hecht said that the IDF was targeting 'a very senior Hamas commander' in the area around the camp.In a statement, the IDF said, "A short while ago, IDF fighter jets, acting on ISA intelligence, killed Ibrahim Biari, the Commander of Hamas' Central Jabaliya Battalion. Biari was one of the leaders responsible for sending 'Nukbha' terrorist operatives to Israel to carry out the murderous terror attack on October 7th. Numerous Hamas terrorists were hit in the strike."

The IDF said Ibrahim Biari oversaw all military operations in the northern Gaza Strip since it started its ground operation.

He was also involved in multiple attacks on Israel going back decades.

The IDF said it had carried out a wide-scale strike on terrorists and terror infrastructure belonging to the Central Jabalya Battalion, according to the CNN report.

IDF in its strike damaged Hamas' command and control and its ability to direct military activity against IDF soldiers in Gaza.

It said that a 'large number of terrorists' were killed in the strike, which resulted in the collapse of the underground infrastructure that was being used by Hamas.

Taking to X, the IDF said, 'Over the past day, IDF troops operated in a Hamas terrorist stronghold in Jabaliya, northern Gaza. The stronghold was used for training and execution of terrorism activities. During the ground activity, the troops eliminated approximately 50 terrorists, as well as destroyed entrances to terrorist tunnels and weapons.'

At least 50 people were killed in the strike and subsequent collapse, The Times of Israel reported, citing Palestinian reports.

The IDF reiterated its call on the residents of the area to move south for their safety, according to the report.

On Tuesday, Israel Defence Forces in a statement on X said another barrage of rockets just launched at Tel Aviv and central Israel.

Meanwhile, IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that the fighting in the Gaza Strip is becoming 'more complex' as soldiers operate deeper into the region, The Times of Israel reported.

He said, "This is complex hand-to-hand combat. In the fierce battles that took place today, we lost troops."

Rear Admiral Hagari said two Israeli soldiers were killed on Tuesday as troops worked to capture a Hamas stronghold in Jabaliya, according to The Times of Israel report.

Speaking on an intercepted missile and several drones launched from Yemen towards Israel on Tuesday, he said, "There are many elements in the region that are under Iranian orders such as the Houthis."

He noted that they try to challenge Israel and divert their attention away from the war in Gaza.

Rear Admiral Hagari further said, "We remain focused on the fighting in Gaza."

He said that the IDF 'will know how to respond, at the time and place of our choosing'. -- ANI

Two coaches and the engine of the Suhaildev Express train, which runs between Anand Vihar in Delhi and Ghazipur city in Uttar Pradesh, derailed at the Prayagraj railway station at around 9 pm on Tuesday, the North Central Railway said.

"The train started from the station and two wheels of the engine went off the track. Two coaches behind the engine also got derailed. However, no casualty was reported," Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO), North Central Railway (NCR), said.

"All operations are normal on the route. The incident occurred at around 9 pm and the train is ready to depart in a while. We will find out the reason for the derailment," he added.

According to sources, the incident occurred at platform number six when the train was given the green signal and had just started off.

"Some wheels of the coaches went off the track. Nobody was injured," a source said. PTI

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