Trump campaign’s lawsuit seeking to block mail-in ballots dismissed

Israeli forces have killed at least eight Palestinians and injured 35 others in an attack on the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, prompting Hamas to call for full mobilization of Palestinian youths against the occupation forces.

Palestinian media reported that the regime’s forces, backed by helicopters, raided Jenin and its refugee camp on Tuesday morning following several drone strikes.

The spokesman for the Palestinian security forces, Anwar Rajab, said in a statement that Israeli forces had "opened fire on civilians and security forces, resulting in injuries to several civilians and a number of security personnel, one of whom is in critical condition".

Israel’s military also confirmed that its soldiers, police and intelligence services had begun an operation, which Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, described as a "large and significant" operation to "eradicate terrorism.”

The attack on Jenin, where the regime’s forces have carried out multiple raids and large-scale incursions over the past year, comes only two days after the start of a long-awaited ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas.

Hamas said in a statement that people in Gaza “mourn the martyrs of Jenin who fell to the fire and bombardment of the occupation.”

The resistance group also urged Jenin’s “rebellious youth to mobilize and escalate confrontations with the Israeli army.”

Hamas said that the offensive “launched by the occupation in Jenin will fail, just like all its previous military operations against our people,” in Gaza.

The resistance group, which fought Israeli forces for 741 days in the besieged Gaza Strip, said its unprecedented operation against the occupied territories in October 2023, was “the final nail in the coffin of the collapsing Israeli regime.”

Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan and his family are facing the possibility of losing control over their ancestral properties in Bhopal, reportedly valued at Rs 15,000 crore. This development follows the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s recent decision to lift a stay imposed on these assets in 2015, potentially paving the way for their acquisition under the Enemy Property Act, 1968.

Properties Under Scrutiny

The properties in question include prominent landmarks such as:

Flag Staff House, where Saif Ali Khan spent much of his childhood

Noor-Us-Sabah Palace

Dar-Us-Salam

Bungalow of Habibi

Ahmedabad Palace

Kohefiza Property

Legal Background

Justice Vivek Agarwal’s ruling emphasized that the amended Enemy Property Act, 2017, provides a statutory mechanism for resolving disputes. The court noted, “If a representation is filed within 30 days from today, the appellate authority shall not advert to the aspect of limitation and shall deal with the appeal on its own merits.”

The Enemy Property Act enables the central government to claim properties belonging to individuals who migrated to Pakistan after Partition. In this case, the focus lies on the migration of Abida Sultan, the eldest daughter of Hamidullah Khan, the last ruling Nawab of the princely state of Bhopal, to Pakistan in 1950. While Sajida Sultan, Hamidullah Khan’s second daughter, stayed in India and became the legal heir, the government has argued that Abida Sultan’s migration classifies the properties as "enemy property."

Saif Ali Khan, Sajida Sultan’s grandson, inherited a portion of these assets. Although the court recognized Sajida Sultan as the legal heir in 2019, the latest ruling has reignited the family’s decades-long property dispute.

Government Action

Bhopal Collector Kaushalendra Vikram Singh has announced plans to review ownership records spanning the past 72 years. He also stated that individuals residing on the disputed properties may be classified as tenants under the state’s leasing laws. This decision has caused widespread anxiety among the estimated 1.5 lakh residents in the area, many of whom fear eviction.

Historical and Cultural Significance

These properties, deeply tied to the history of the princely state of Bhopal, have served as landmarks of cultural heritage. The potential government acquisition and the legal battles surrounding them highlight the complex interplay between history, law, and inheritance.

The next steps will depend on how the appellate authority addresses the family’s representation, as well as the government’s ongoing review of ownership records.

Udupi: Karnataka Kreedakoota-2025, a sports event organised by the Youth Empowerment and Sports Department, Karnataka Olympic Association, and the District Administration, will be held in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts from January 17 to January 23.

The event will feature 1,373 athletes participating in a variety of sports, including kayaking, canoeing, archery, cycling, wrestling, boxing, hockey, lawn tennis, table tennis, Kabaddi, Judo, and athletics.

Deputy Commissioner Vidya Kumari K addressed a press conference on Monday, providing details about the events in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada.

According to her, while volleyball, basketball, and swimming competitions will take place in Dakshina Kannada, events like kayaking and canoeing will be held in Brahmavara’s Swarna River, and archery will take place at the MJC Ground in Manipal.

Marena Sports Complex in Manipal will host lawn tennis and table tennis matches, she added.

The opening ceremony will take place on January 17 in Mangaluru and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will be inaugurating the event.

The closing ceremony will be held in Udupi on January 23, with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and Home Minister G Parameshwar attending.

The district administration, in collaboration with Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, has made provisions for accommodation and food for the participants, said the DC.

She also said the synthetic track at the Mahatma Gandhi District Stadium in Ajjarakad is undergoing repair work after its 10-year durability period ended in 2023, to provide athletes better infrastructure.