Tragic end: Kannada film director Guruprasad found hanging in Bengaluru apartment

The Israeli regime’s forces have carried out intense bombing raids against six buildings in the city of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza Strip, killing at least 45 people.

Dozens more were also wounded after the raids targeted the structures, including a house belonging to a Palestinian family named as Abu Shidiq, on Saturday.

The attacks came as the severity of the regime’s aggression has forced the Palestinian Civil Defense to cease its activities in the northern side of the coastal sliver, leaving civilians there to their own devices.

Commenting on the situation, Director-General of the Gaza Health Ministry, Medhat Abbas said more than 900 Palestinians had been killed over the past weeks during the Israeli campaign that has targeted the northern areas.

Kamal Adwan Hospital, the last functioning hospital in the north, has been a special focus of the campaign that has either killed all of the facility’s doctors or forced them to flee, with the exception of three physicians, who remain there, he added.

“The occupation is committing genocide by destroying the health system in Gaza,” Abbas noted.

The regime embarked on implementing a so-called “Generals’ Plan” in northern Gaza earlier in the month, deploying hundreds of military vehicles and thousands of forces with immense firepower towards its realization.

The plan seeks to tighten the regime’s siege against the areas, cut off humanitarian aid to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians inside, and label those who remain there as combatants so it could target and kill them after declaring the areas "closed military zones.”

The plan is part of a genocidal war that the regime launched against the Gaza Strip last October, during which it has killed more than 42,924 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and wounded another 100,833.

Also on Saturday, the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), a civil rights group, called on the United States, the regime’s biggest supporter, to stop the “systematic extermination of an entire population” in Gaza.

Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta has called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the alleged embezzlement of Waqf properties. This demand follows findings from the Anwar Manippady committee's report, which reveals that while 54,000 acres of land are registered with the Waqf Board, approximately 29,000 acres have been misappropriated.

Capt. Chowta emphasized the need for a thorough investigation, stating, “A comprehensive probe should be conducted based on this report. Those who have illegally encroached on these properties must be held accountable.”

He challenged the Congress party, suggesting that if they genuinely care for the Muslim community and underprivileged women, their members should actively participate in the Joint Parliamentary Committee discussing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024. This participation is essential to ensure that Waqf properties are used effectively for community welfare.

The MP criticized the notices served to farmers in Honvada village, Vijayapura, which stated that nearly 1,200 acres of their ancestral land was being reassigned to the Waqf Board. He expressed that this issue arose while the NDA government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is working on amendments to the Waqf Act. He accused the Congress-led state government, particularly Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, of trying to enforce outdated 50-year-old notifications about Waqf properties. After the farmers raised concerns, Minister M. B. Patil clarified that the confusion was due to an error in the gazette.

Chowta alleged that Congress members in the Joint Parliamentary Committee are obstructing proceedings and causing disruptions. He expressed suspicion that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah might have instructed Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan to implement these outdated notifications regarding Waqf properties. As a result, he demanded the Minister's resignation.

He accused the Congress party of exploiting Muslim voters for the past 75 years without making substantial efforts for their welfare. Furthermore, he highlighted that the BJP is launching a campaign against land jihad, pointing out that the Waqf Board controls one of the largest land banks after the Defence and Railways sectors. Finally, he urged citizens to check the revenue records (RTC) of their land ownership to verify its status.

Udupi, Oct 26: In a heartbreaking incident in Beejadi village near Kundapur in Udupi district, two young men were swept away by a powerful wave while swimming in the sea on Saturday morning. 

Santosh, 21, was pulled from the water by local fishermen and residents, but tragically, he succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital. Ajay, who was also caught in the wave, remains missing, according to Kundapur police.

The duo, along with friends Shreyas and Mokshith, had been staying at the Sahana Sun Caste Resort to attend a wedding. Ignoring warnings from locals about the dangers of entering the sea, the group ventured into the water. Around 9:30 a.m., a large wave suddenly engulfed them, sweeping Ajay and Santosh into deeper waters.

Police reported that Ajay hailed from Hangalli village near Kundapur, while Santosh was from Dasarahalli near Bengaluru. Expert divers have been dispatched to the scene in hopes of locating Ajay’s body.