Gaza marks Eid al-Adha as bestial Israel continues genocide

Mumbai: The final rites of Ratan Naval Tata - the industrialist with a heart of gold - were performed with full State honours at a Mumbai crematorium this afternoon.

Home Minister Amit Shah was among the many high-profile dignitaries on hand to pay their final respects to Mr Tata; he stands in for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is en route to Laos to attend the ASEAN-India and East Asia summits. Mr Modi last night hailed Mr Tata as a "an extraordinary human being".

Mr Shah was accompanied by Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputies, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.

Earlier today  Ratan Tata lay in state, wrapped in the national flag, at the National Centre for Performing Arts in Nariman Point, before his body was transported to the crematorium in Worli, a distance of 12 km.

Thousands lined the streets to bid goodbye to one of their own, an unassuming Mumbai-born and bred 'chhotu' who transformed the Tata brand into a global powerhouse.

And the country's most powerful politicians were joined by its most influential celebrities - actors and sportspersons - and the country's richest, including the Ambanis and the Adanis, in paying their respects.

Maharashtra has announced a day of mourning as a mark of respect for a business leader and philanthropist admired in India and abroad for his simplicity, sincerity, and humanity.

Ratan Tata's contributions to the industrial and development sectors, to the economy and to the lives of tens of thousands of men and women, are too many to count.

Some, perhaps, deserve mention, such as the 'revenge' purchase of luxury brands Jaguar and Land Rover, which heralded India's arrival on the global automotive stage, and his commitment to the welfare of dogs, exemplified by the ₹ 165 crore hospital in Mumbai.

But his death unquestionably marks the end of an era; he was, perhaps, the last of his kind, someone who, despite fabulous privilege, never appeared to flaunt his wealth.

Indeed, Mr Tata could never be found on a list of billionaires simply because he donated the vast majority - 60 to 65 per cent, if some sources are to be believed - of his income.

Ratan Tata died at Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital late last night at the age of 86.

He was admitted Monday but, as was his nature, played down any fuss, declaring he was undergoing routine age-related medical check-ups. "There is no cause for concern. Thank you for thinking of me..."

Hours later, just as discreetly and quietly, the Tata family broke the news.

"It is with a profound sense of loss that we bid farewell to Mr Ratan Naval Tata, a truly uncommon leader whose immeasurable contributions have shaped not only the Tata Group but also the very fabric of our nation," the group's Chairperson, N Chandrasekaran, said.

As the news spread the outpouring of grief underlined Mr Tata's stature, but it was a fellow industrial titan, Anand Mahindra, who best captured the emotions of 145 crore Indians.

"I am unable to accept..." he said.

Israeli media have revealed that a plan is underway to ethnically cleanse northern Gaza and kill any Palestinian who remains there.

Three Israeli reserve soldiers deployed to Gaza told Haaretz this week that they believe the “Generals’ Plan,” also known as the Eiland Plan, is being implemented.

“The goal is to give the residents who live north of the Netzarim area a deadline to move to the south of the Strip. After this date, whoever will remain in the north will be considered an enemy and will be killed,” a soldier stationed in the Netzarim Corridor was quoted as saying.

The soldier said the plan does not conform to any standard of international law. 

“People sat and wrote a systematic order with charts and an operational concept, at the end of which you shoot whoever isn’t willing to leave. The very existence of this idea is unfathomable.”

A second soldier said “the commanders say openly that the Eiland Plan is being promoted by the military.”

There are now signs that even if the policy has not been adopted by top military officials who are reportedly discussing it, the plan is already being carried out, the report said on Wednesday.  

Haaretz journalist Amos Harel wrote, "Ideas such as deliberately opening fire close to a population and even steps towards starving the inhabitants are being debated." 

Major international aid organizations have called on leaders and the international community to stop Israel’s forced displacement in northern Gaza.

“The Israeli forces’ assault on Gaza has escalated to a horrifying level of atrocity,” said organizations such as Oxfam, Medical Aid for Palestinians (Map), ActionAid, Islamic Relief, Christian Aid and other UK-based charities on Tuesday.

“This is not an evacuation; this is forced displacement under gunfire. Since 1 October, no food has been allowed into the area, and civilians are being starved and bombed in their homes and their tents.”

Over the past 10 days, Israeli forces ordered hundreds of thousands of people to flee northern Gaza before launching a new offensive. 

Mangaluru: Forest officials successfully captured a leopard that strayed into the kitchen of a house in Akkasaligara Keri, Mulki, on the outskirts of Mangaluru, during the early hours of Sunday, October 20.

Following multiple complaints from residents about leopard sightings, forest department officials had placed cages at various locations in Mulki. According to Deputy RFO Manjunath Ganiga, locals had reported spotting a leopard in the area, prompting the department to set up a cage about a kilometer from the affected house.

At approximately 10 p.m., the leopard entered the house and made its way into the kitchen. The family quickly locked the kitchen door and contacted the forest department for assistance. The forest officials, using a cage and a net, managed to trap the leopard around 2:45 a.m. The animal was later examined by veterinarians and released back into the wild.

Locals suspect that up to three leopards may be roaming the area.

The operation to capture the leopard was led by RFO Kiran Kumar, with assistance from Deputy RFOs Nagesh Billava and Manjunath Ganiga, along with forest department staff members Chandrashekar and Shankar.