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Israeli forces hit Hodeidah port, oil reserve, power plant in Yemen after Houthis launched ballistic missiles at Israel

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Israeli forces hit Hodeidah port, oil reserve, power plant in Yemen after Houthis launched ballistic missiles at Israel

After targeting Hezbollah headquarters in Lebanon’s Beirut with airstrikes in which the group’s chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah along with other top leaders were killed, Israel today targeted Houthi stronghold Yemen. As per Israeli media reports, Hodeidah port in Yemen was targeted by airstrikes, in which various assets including fuel tanks were hit.

The port is controlled by Houthi Ansarallah movement, which has control over a significant portion of Yemen.

Israeli officials said that the airstrike was carried out in retaliation to recent Houthi missile attacks on Israel. Notably, the Iran-backed group had launched three ballistic missiles at Tel Aviv and Central Israel earlier this month. The latest missile was launched yesterday.

The group has been targeting ships in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait using drones and missiles, disrupting marine traffic in the region.

Videos posted on social media showed smoke rising from the area where the airstrike took place.

Israeli officials told media, “In response to recent Houthi missile attacks on central Israel, the IAF targeted infrastructure at the port, including sensitive oil facilities belonging to the Yemeni rebels. The strike in Yemen was coordinated with the US.”

As per reports, dozens of Israeli aircraft flew over 1,800 kilometers from Israeli territory to hit the port in Yemen. Apart from the Hodeidah port, Israeli Air Force planes also bombed oil reserves in Ras Issa, Al-Hali power station and Hodeidah International Airport, as per reports.

The attacks have been confirmed by Houthi-controlled al-Masirah station, which said that Israeli fighter planes targeted Hodeidah port and Ras Isa. Moreover, two power plants were also hit by the airstrike.

“These strikes were in response to hundreds of attacks on Israel in recent months,” said Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari. He said that Hodeidah port is a main supply route for Iranian weapons into Yemen which are used to attack Israel.

France submits final price offer for the 26 Rafale Marine Jet deal to India ahead of NSA Ajit Doval’s visit

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France submits final price offer for the 26 Rafale Marine Jet deal to India ahead of NSA Ajit Doval’s visit

France has submitted the final price offer to India for the 26 Rafale Marine Jet deal just ahead of the scheduled visit of Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to the country.

Defence sources told ANI that the best and final price offer has been submitted to the Indian authorities by the French side for the project and a significant price reduction has been given after tough negotiations in the proposed contract.

India and France are negotiating the deal for buying 26 Rafale Marine jets which are going to be deployed on the INS Vikrant aircraft carrier and different bases.

The two sides had also held negotiations last week when a French team was in the national capital for finalizing the discussions with India.

The deal is scheduled to be taken up for discussion during the India-France Strategic Dialogue where the Indian NSA is scheduled to meet his French counterparts from tomorrow in Paris.

The deal is important for the Indian Navy as it is looking at strengthening its maritime strike capability.

India has also approved deviations in the letter of request, which is the tender document equivalent in government to government deals, like the integration of the indigenous Uttam radar in the jets for the Indian Navy.

Sources said that the integration would have taken a longer time of around eight years along with a high price to be paid to the French side for doing so.

India had also asked France for integration of indigenous weapons on the plane. This includes the Astra beyond visual range missiles along with the Rudram anti-radiation missiles.

The sources added that the price for the deal has been based on the agreements over rate it inflation to be taken into account and would be using the previous deal for 36 Rafale fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force as the basis.

Some of the Indian Air Force requirements have also been incorporated in the naval deal which will include around 40 drop tanks and a small number of work stations for the planes.

The Indian side is also going to get more number of long range air to air Meteor missiles and with the anti-ship weaponry in this project planned to be concluded before the end of this financial year.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Bihar: Police arrest Sarfaraz and his accomplice Imtiaz for blackmailing girl using private photos, demanding Rs 30 lakh and a night together

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Bihar: Police arrest Sarfaraz and his accomplice Imtiaz for blackmailing girl using private photos, demanding Rs 30 lakh and a night together

On 28th September, Jamui police in Bihar arrested one Mohammad Sarfaraz and his accomplice Imtiaz for blackmailing a girl with her private photos. They also demanded Rs 30 lakh and a night with her. Sarfaraz was the victim’s ex-boyfriend. He allegedly took the private photos when they were in a relationship.

As per a press release issued by Jamui police, a formal complaint was lodged at the district’s cyber police station on 25th September. The complaint stated that Sarfaraz was blackmailing the victim with demands for Rs 30 lakh and coercing her to spend a night with him. Upon refusal, the perpetrators threatened to release her private photos and videos. As evidence, the victim handed over a pen drive containing screenshots of WhatsApp chats between her and the accused.

Based on the victim’s complaint, an FIR was registered by the police, and an investigation was initiated. The police found that the number used to send the threatening messages was registered under Mohammed Imtiaz’s name, who is also a resident of Jamui. Imtiaz was taken into custody for interrogation, during which he confessed to blackmailing the victim in collaboration with her ex-boyfriend, Mohammad Sarfaraz.

Reports suggest that Sarfaraz was in a romantic relationship with the victim in the past, during which he captured her private photos and videos. After the breakup, Sarfaraz and Imtiaz began using the material to blackmail and extort money from the victim. Sarfaraz, who is also a resident of Jamui, was arrested by the police following a raid.

Sarfaraz was the one who forwarded the victim’s contact information to Imtiaz for the purpose of blackmail. The police also recovered an HP pen drive and screenshots of WhatsApp chats from the accused, which have been seized. Both accused have been sent to jail. Further investigation and legal proceedings in the case are underway.

Tight-lipped when Hindus are killed in Bangladesh: BJP slams Mehbooba Mufti’s “crocodile tears” over Nasrallah’s killing

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Tight-lipped when Hindus are killed in Bangladesh: BJP slams Mehbooba Mufti’s “crocodile tears” over Nasrallah’s killing

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kavinder Gupta lashed out at the People’s Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti, questioning her ’empathy’ over the killing of the top Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and termed it “crocodile tears”.

This came following Mufti cancelling her election campaign on Sunday for the third phase of the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir in “solidarity with the martyrs of Lebanon and Gaza, especially Hassan Nasarallah.”

The former J-K Deputy Chief Minister further questioned the PDP chief on her silence on the “attacks and killings” of Hindus in Bangladesh and said that one should speak on the “lines of humanity.”

“Why does Hassan Nasarallah’s death pain Mehbooba Mufti? When Hindus in Bangladesh are attacked and killed, they are tight-lipped. Today, when the commander of Hezbollah gets killed, they cancel the campaigning for one day. These are crocodile tears and people understand the intent behind this. This kind of conspiracy will lead to nothing; we should speak on the lines of humanity,” he said.

Earlier, BJP leader and spokesperson Altaf Thakur also attacked Mufti over the issue and said she was playing her “religious card” and an “election stunt” for doing appeasement.

“Nowhere in the world should there be wars…Mehbooba Mufti is playing a religious card. It is an election stunt. I also condemn any kind of war in the world. There is a style of how Mufti Ji does appeasement,” Thakur said.

Earlier on Saturday, PDP chief and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had decided to cancel her election campaign for Sunday, stating that she stands with “the people of Palestine and Lebanon in this hour of immense grief” following the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

“Cancelling my campaign tomorrow in solidarity with the martyrs of Lebanon and Gaza, especially Hassan Nasarullah. We stand with the people of Palestine and Lebanon in this hour of immense grief and exemplary resistance,” Mehbooba Mufti said in a post on X.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, Lebanon.

Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed the killing stating, “Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorise the world.”

The ongoing conflict in Gaza has spiralled in the region with repeated strikes between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah. The escalating situation in the Middle East has raised concerns, following which many players have called for a ceasefire.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

West Bengal: Cattle head found in Durga Puja pandal, Suvendu Adhikari says accused are encouraged by radicals in Bangladesh trying to stop Hindu festival

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West Bengal: Cattle head found in Durga Puja pandal, Suvendu Adhikari says accused are encouraged by radicals in Bangladesh trying to stop Hindu festival

On Sunday (29th September), the severed head of a bovine animal was discovered at the site of an under-construction Durga Puja pandal in Khalisamari village in Sitalkuchi block in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal.

The development comes just 10 days ahead of the annual Hindu festival of Durga Puja. The incident has created an atmosphere of anger and chaos in the area.

While highlighting the issue, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said, “Miscreants are trying to import the cross-border culture of radical & communal subjugation, by means of abominable and nefarious activities.”

He lashed out at unnamed extremists for desecrating the Durga Puja pandal and slaughtering a sacred animal.

“Buoyed by the activities of the radicalists in Bangladesh who are trying to repress the festivities surrounding the Durga Puja, miscreants in West Bengal are trying to imitate the same, in order to fan communal tensions and create an environment of intimidation and fear during the festive season,” Suvendu Adhikari said in his tweet.

He appealed to the Cooch Behar police to take action in this matter. “I would like to urge SP (Cooch Behar) Shri Dyutiman Bhattacharya (IPS) and District Magistrate (Cooch Behar) Shri Arvind Kumar Mina (IAS) to take stock of the situation immediately and initiate action so that this tendency can be nipped in the bud.”

Restrictions on Durga Puja in Bangladesh

Islamists in Bangladesh continue their relentless attack on Hindus and their festivals, despite assurances of safety and protection from the interim government led by chief advisor Muhammad Yunus.

Now, radical organizations have warned the Hindu minority community not to publicly celebrate Durga Puja or participate in any idol worship or immersion of idols as the festival draws near.

Additionally, they are also opposing national holidays declared for the festival. Extremist groups recently staged a march against Hindus utilizing a playground in Dhaka’s Sector 13, reported India Today.

Hindus in Khulna have been asked to pay 5 lakh Bangladeshi taka (nearly, INR 3,50,726) to celebrate Durga Puja. Hindus will be beheaded, according to the letter received in the mail, if they reveal this to the government or the media.

It further stated that the recipient’s fate would be similar to what transpired with Hanif’s project if the money was not paid.

Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub Ul Alam Hanif’s house was plundered for multiple days after Sheikh Hasina’s government fell.

‘You are helping infidels, we will see you’ – AIMIM’s Owaisi and TMC MP force Gulshan Foundation’s Irfan Ali to leave when he presented his views before JPC on Waqf Bill

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‘You are helping infidels, we will see you’ – AIMIM’s Owaisi and TMC MP force Gulshan Foundation’s Irfan Ali to leave when he presented his views before JPC on Waqf Bill

On Friday, 28th September, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee were accused of threatening Irfan Ali Parizade, a member of the Gulshan Foundation, during a meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 held in Mumbai. Parizade was speaking in support of the bill during the meeting when angered Owaisi and Banerjee had him removed.

Parizade alleged that Owaisi and Banerjee signalled the security guard, who then pushed him out. The guard reportedly told him, “You are helping Kafirs (infidels), we will see you.” Following the incident, Parizade went to Mumbai Airport Police Station and filed a complaint against Owaisi and Banerjee. They have been booked under Sections 196, 115(2), and 351(2) of Bharatiya Nayay Sanhita (BNS) for attempting to spread religious hatred and intimidation.

In his complaint, Parizade said that he was invited to the meeting to participate in discussions on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024. Gulshan Foundation’s chairman Jamshid Khan was also present at the meeting. While various institutions were giving their opinions, Parizade expressed his support for the bill. At this point, Asaduddin Owaisi and Kalyan Banerjee instructed the security guard to push him out of the meeting. Parizade alleged that while being pushed, the security guard said, “You are helping infidels, we will see you.” He also alleged that the entire incident was an attempt to spread religious hatred and intimidate him. Subsequently, an FIR was registered based on his complaint.

As per media reports, the meeting was held to discuss the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024. It was organised by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to gather feedback from various communities, legal experts, and government officials on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024. Waqf Board members, Muslim scholars, intellectuals, and representatives of several organisations from five states and Union Territories were present at the meeting to voice their concerns over the bill. The aim of these meetings is to improve the bill from a broader perspective. Several organisations and Muslim scholars strongly opposed the bill, leading to a heated debate between JPC members and them.

Notably, several Muslim organisations and their representatives have already expressed their disagreement with the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024. They argue that the bill goes against the interests of the Muslim community and would have an adverse impact on their religious and social rights. On the other hand, some organisations, like Gulshan Foundation, support the bill, believing it is necessary for the better management and administration of Waqf properties.

Israel continues to hit Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, another top Hezbollah leader Nabil Qaouk killed in airstrike

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Israel continues to hit Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, another top Hezbollah leader Nabil Qaouk killed in airstrike

After killing Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and other top leaders of the group in an airstrike in Beirut on Friday, the Israeli Defence Forces on Sunday announced the elimination of another senior leader of the Lebanon-bases Islamic terror group. According to the Israeli military, senior Hezbollah official Nabil Qaouk was killed in an Israel Defense Forces airstrike on Saturday in the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut.

“ELIMINATED: The Commander of Hezbollah’s Preventative Security Unit and a member of their Executive Council, Nabil Qaouk, was eliminated in a precise IDF strike,” the IDF confirmed in a tweet posted on ?.

IDF said that Qaouk was the commander of Hezbollah’s “preventive security unit” and a senior member of the terror group’s central council. He was considered close to Hezbollah’s leadership and was directly involved in terror attacks against Israel, IDF added.

IDF further said, “Qaouk was close to Hezbollah’s senior commanders and was directly engaged in terrorist attacks against the State of Israel and its citizens. He joined Hezbollah in the 1980s and was regarded as an important source of expertise in his field, having served as the Deputy Commander of the southern region on the Operational Council, Commander of the southern region and Deputy Commander of the Operational Council.”

The Israeli military added the IDF will continue to strike and eliminate the commanders within the Hezbollah terrorist organization and will act against anyone who threatens the citizens of the State of Israel.

As per information posted by IDF, Nabil Qaouk joined Hezbollah in the 1980s and was close to its senior members. He had previously served as the Deputy Commander of the southern region within the Operational Council, and was promoted to the Commander of the southern region. He Served as the Deputy Commander of the Operational Council of Hezbollah.

After killing Nasrallah and other Hezbollah leaders in the airstrike on the group’s underground headquarters in Beirut, IDF has continued bombing the group’s locations in the Lebanese capital and other areas of the country. Earlier on Sunday, the IDF said that fighter jets struck dozens of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon overnight, including rocket launchers and buildings used by the terror group to store weapons.

US: Department of Justice sues Alabama for removing people having non-citizen identification numbers from voter list ahead of presidential polls

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US: Department of Justice sues Alabama for removing people having non-citizen identification numbers from voter list ahead of presidential polls

In another controversy over voting rights given to illegal immigrants in the USA, the Department of Justice has sued the State of Alabama and its top election official for removing non-citizens from voter list. Notably, Alabama had removed people having noncitizen identification numbers from its electoral rolls ahead of the presidential elections.

Noncitizen Identification Numbers are a tax-processing number issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to ensure that foreigners—including undocumented immigrants—pay taxes. Along with paying taxes, noncitizen identification numbers can provide legal migrants with securing a driver’s license and providing proof of residency.

3251 individuals who are registered to vote in Alabama and have been issued noncitizen identification numbers by the Department of Homeland Security were identified after Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen was sworn into office in January. These people were then removed from the voter list because they were issued noncitizen certificates.

Wes Allen on 13 August announced that more than 3,500 people who were registered to vote had been issued noncitizen identification numbers by the Department of Homeland Security. But it was not revealed when the IDs were issued.

However, as per Department of Justice, this violated federal election laws as voter lists can’t be altered within 90 days of the voting. The DoJ on Friday said that the removal of voters from the toll took place 84 days before the 5th November election and therefore violated the National Voter Registration Act. Therefore, the DOJ sued the state of Alabama and its Secretary of State Wes Allen.

The DOJ also alleged that the removal of voter registration also impacted natural-born citizens who were incorrectly issued noncitizen certificates.

“The right to vote is one of the most sacred rights in our democracy,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. He added, “As Election Day approaches, it is critical that Alabama redress voter confusion resulting from its list maintenance mailings sent in violation of federal law. Officials across the country should take heed of the National Voter Registration Act’s clear and unequivocal restrictions on systematic list maintenance efforts that fall within 90 days of an election. The Quiet Period Provision of federal law exists to prevent eligible voters from being removed from the rolls as a result of last-minute, error-prone efforts. The Justice Department will continue to use all the tools it has available to ensure that the voting rights of every eligible voter are protected.”

While the office of the Alabama Secretary of State has not commented on the DoJ suing them over the issue, the secretary of state said in a statement that it’s his “Constitutional duty to ensure that only Americans vote in our elections.”

Wes Allen had said earlier, “I have been clear that I will not tolerate the participation of noncitizens in our elections. have even gone so far as to testify before a United States Senate Committee regarding the importance of this issue. We have examined the current voter file in an attempt to identify anyone who appears on that list that has been issued a noncitizen identification number.” 

Waqf Amendment Bill: Joint Parliamentary Committee held a meeting in Hyderabad with various stakeholders, received suggestions from them

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Waqf Amendment Bill: Joint Parliamentary Committee held a meeting in Hyderabad with various stakeholders, received suggestions from them

The Joint Parliamentary Committee held a meeting in Hyderabad with various stakeholders as part of its nationwide consultation exercise on the proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024.

BJP MP and member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, DK Aruna, said that in the meeting held on Saturday, the committee held discussions with stakeholders, advocates, and farmers and received various suggestions.

She informed that the committee will conduct the consultation exercise in Chennai on Monday and after that, it will be conducted in Bengaluru. She also said that the committee will tour other states too in the second phase of a nationwide consultation exercise.

Speaking to ANI, Aruna said, “The Joint Parliamentary Committee is conducting a touring meet, initially it was conducted in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and today we are in Hyderabad. On Monday we will go to Chennai and after that Bengaluru in the first phase. The committee will tour other states too in the second phase. In the meeting, we held discussions with stakeholders, advocates, farmers…We received a lot of suggestions from them…The committee has been formed to listen to the grievances of the stakeholders and based on them the committee will submit the report to the speaker…”

Waqf Amendment Bill JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal, BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi, Congress MP Imran Masood were among others who were present in the meeting held at Hotel Taj Krishna, Hyderabad.

Speaking on the meeting, the JPC chief said, “We held discussions with the Chhattisgarh Waqf Board chairman, Andhra Pradesh Waqf Board Chairman. Stakeholders from 42 organisations participated in the discussions. We are holding discussions with stakeholders across various cities. From here, we will go to Chennai and then Bangalore. Earlier, we went to Ahmedabad and Mumbai. We are also going to Delhi. We have to submit the report before next Parliament session and we will discuss with as many stakeholders as possible and make a comprehensive report.”

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Aug 8 and was then referred to a JPC after a heated debate.

The JPC on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 is holding a series of informal discussions with various stakeholders till October 1.

These consultations aim to refine the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act, which governs the management of over 600,000 registered Waqf properties across the country.

The Waqf Act, 1995, was created to regulate Waqf properties, but it has long faced allegations of mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, seeks to bring sweeping reforms, introducing digitization, stricter audits, transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties. The committee has to submit its report to the Lok Sabha by the last day of the first week of the next parliament session.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

PM Modi dedicates ₹11,200 crore worth projects in Maharashtra including Pune Metro’s new segment and Bidkin Industrial Area

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PM Modi dedicates ₹11,200 crore worth projects in Maharashtra including Pune Metro’s new segment and Bidkin Industrial Area

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone, inaugurated and dedicated various projects in the poll-bound Maharashtra worth about Rs 11,200 crore, through video conferencing on Sunday.

Of those projects, the Prime Minister inaugurated the Pune Metro section of District Court to Swargate which will also marked the completion of Pune Metro Rail Project (Phase-1). The cost of the underground section between the District Court to Swargate was around Rs 1,810 crore.

Further, Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for Swargate-Katraj Extension of Pune Metro Phase-1 to be developed at the cost of around Rs 2,955 crore. This southern extension of around 5.46 km is completely underground with three stations — Market Yard, Padmavati, and Katraj.

Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation Bidkin Industrial Area, a transformative project covering an expansive 7,855 acres under the National Industrial Corridor Development Program of central government, situated 20 kms south of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra.

The project developed under Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor holds immense potential as a vibrant economic hub in the Marathwada region. The central Government has approved this project with an overall project cost of over Rs 6,400 crore for development in three phases.

“India should be modern, India should be modernized, but it should be based on our fundamental values. India should develop, grow and move forward carrying its heritage with pride,” he said in his brief address.

The Prime Minister inaugurated the Solapur Airport which would significantly improve connectivity, making Solapur more accessible to tourists, business travellers and investors. The existing terminal Building of Solapur has been revamped to serve around 4.1 lakh passengers annually.

“The work of upgrading the airport has been completed to provide direct air connectivity to Solapur. The capacity of the terminal building here has been increased, new facilities have been created for the passengers. This will be very convenient for the devotees of Vithoba. Now people will be able to reach Solapur directly to have the darshan of Lord Vitthal,” PM said.

Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for the Memorial for Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule’s First Girls’ School at Bhidewada.

Without naming anyone, he alleged that the government of the past decades lacked planning and vision for urban areas, in his virtual address.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

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