Govt tightens rules for weddings, public congregations in Karnataka

The planned ceasefire agreement between the Palestinian Hamas resistance group and Israel has taken effect after deadly strikes by the usurping regime on the Gaza Strip.

The truce deal was set to begin at 8:30 a.m. local time (06:30 GMT) on Sunday to end the 15-month-long Israeli genocidal war on the besieged territory but was delayed for almost three hours. It finally went into effect at 11:15 a.m. local time.

Earlier in the day, the Israeli military said that it continued to carry out attacks on Gaza as Hamas had not provided a list of captives to be released under the ceasefire.

Israeli army spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a televised statement that the regime’s military “continues to strike within the Gaza area at this time. According to the prime minister’s directives, the ceasefire will not come into effect until Hamas fulfills its commitments.”

He echoed an earlier statement from prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who ordered the occupation’s military not to implement the Gaza truce until Hamas issues the names of the Israeli captives to be released.

Meanwhile, Hamas said the delay in handing over the names of the captives is due to “technical and field reasons.”

In a statement issued on Telegram, the resistance group reaffirmed its commitment to the terms of the ceasefire agreement.

Afterwards, Hamas provided a list of the three Israeli captives to be freed later on Sunday.

13 Palestinians killed during ceasefire delay

Gaza’s Civil Defense said 13 people have been killed and more than 30 others injured in the Israeli bombing of Gaza on Sunday morning during the nearly three-hour delay in the start of the ceasefire.

Gaza’s Government Media Office announced that it had begun deploying thousands of Palestinian police officers tasked with maintaining security and order in the blockaded territory.

“Ministries and government institutions are fully prepared to begin work according to the government plan [and] to implement all measures that ensure life returns to normal as soon as possible,” it added.

Israel unleashed its brutal Gaza onslaught on October 7, 2023, after Hamas carried out a historic operation against the occupying entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

However, the Tel Aviv regime failed to achieve its declared objectives of freeing captives and eliminating Hamas despite killing nearly 47,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza.

Earlier this week, Israel was forced to agree to a ceasefire, accepting Hamas' longstanding negotiation terms.

The ceasefire deal consists of three phases, each lasting 42 days. Negotiations for the second and third phases will begin 16 days after the implementation of the first phase. 

The first phase will see the release of some 1,900 Palestinian abductees in exchange for 33 Israeli captives held in Gaza. It also requires Israeli occupation forces to begin withdrawing from the Philadelphi corridor - also known as the Salah al-Din axis - on the Gaza-Egypt border.

Barakah International School and College is organizing a unique parenting workshop aimed at equipping parents with essential skills in various aspects of parenting. The event will take place at Barakah Auditorium, Ayar, on Thursday, January 16, 2025, at 6:30 PM.

This session will cover three crucial aspects of parenting:

Motivating Your Child to Excel in Academics: Presented by Sharfuddin B.S., Principal of Barakah International School and College and an internationally acclaimed motivational speaker.

Parenting in the Modern Age: Delivered by Mr. Saif Sultan, a renowned motivational speaker and Chairman of the Hope Foundation.

Parenting Skills to Instill Islamic Values: Led by Mohammad Haneef, Principal of the Islamic Department at Barakah International School and a well-known Khateeb.

The workshop will conclude with a Q&A session, providing participants the opportunity to gain deeper insights from the experts.

The program is free of cost and open to both parents, subject to prior registration. Maghrib and Isha prayer arrangements will be available, and refreshments will be served at the end.

Interested participants are encouraged to register at the earliest to secure their slots via the following Google Form:

https://forms.gle/mKxsr4A1UGrpo7DJ9

Bengaluru: The BJP on Tuesday accused the police of "framing" an innocent person in the cow attack case in Chamarajapet here and demanded a fair investigation into the incident.

Sheikh Nasru (30), a native of Champaran in Bihar, has been arrested for allegedly slashing the udders of three cows on Sunday.

The matter escalated into a communal controversy after the saffron party threatened to observe 'Black Sankranti' if the culprits were not arrested before the festival.

The party has since emphasised that the actual perpetrators must be apprehended.

Addressing media here, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said, "There are claims that an innocent man has been falsely implicated and is being projected as the culprit."

Leader of Opposition R Ashoka also raised doubts about the investigation, questioning how a mentally unstable man could work at the firm for a decade.

Ashoka noted that the incident occurred at the veterinary hospital, which spans four acres.

He alleged that the hospital was recently declared Waqf property and claimed that Karna, the owner of the injured cattle, had opposed the Waqf Board’s decision, suggesting this opposition might have led to the incident.

The party leaders led by Vijayendra and Ashoka celebrated 'Sankranti' by offering special prayers to cows at the spot where the attack took place.

Meanwhile, state Home Minister G Parameshwara dismissed the opposition charges and said the police were investigating the case without any bias.

"If the investigation reveals the involvement of more people, then police will not spare them," he told reporters here.