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Iran launched hundreds of missiles toward Israel on Tuesday in what it said was a response to the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and others – potentially taking the region closer to a wider conflict. The orange glow of missiles streaked across Israel's night sky as air raid sirens sounded and residents scrambled into bomb shelters. Iran said most of its missiles hit their targets. Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said 90 percent of missiles it launched against Israel hit their targets successfully. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it estimated that Iran fired 180 “projectiles” at the country. It said it intercepted many of the missiles and officials in Washington said US destroyers assisted in Israel's defence, although some landed on the ground in Israel and the occupied West Bank. At least one person was killed and several were injured during the attack, according to the Israeli military. Speaking hours after the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “Iran made a big mistake tonight - and it will pay for it. The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our determination to retaliate against our enemies.” US President Joe Biden said his administration is “fully supportive” of Israel after it thwarted an Iranian missile attack and that he's in “active discussion” with aides about an appropriate response. Israel is already fighting on two fronts. It has been at war with Hamas in Gaza since the October 7 attack and with Hezbollah in Lebanon. The relentless Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, took the overall death toll to 41,638, injuring more than 96,460 and displacing millions including women and children. . . . #iran #israel #lebanon #palestine #gaza #telaviv #benjaminnetanyahu #usa #joebiden #middleeast #war #news #politics

Around 120 individuals from Ladakh, including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, were detained by Delhi Police at the city’s Singhu Border while marching to the capital to demand Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh. The detained group, which included Wangchuk, was taken to Alipur and other nearby police stations. Wangchuk and others were willing to spend the night at the border, and they turned down the police request to go back, adding that prohibitory orders were imposed in Delhi. As Wangchuk and his supporters didn't agree to return, the police detained about 120 men. Shortly before being detained, Wangchuk shared a video on social media showing the scene at the Delhi border, where their buses were stopped amid heavy police presence. Initially, Wangchuk said, they believed they were being escorted, but it soon became clear that they were going to be detained. The action received strong criticism from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who called Wangchuk's detention “unacceptable”. The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, opposed Wangchuk's detention on X and wrote, “The detention of Sonam Wangchuk ji and hundreds of Ladakhis who were peacefully marching for environmental and constitutional rights is unacceptable.” Meanwhile, Delhi Police has banned gatherings of five or more people and protests in central and bordering areas of the city for the next six days, citing potential law and order issues related to calls for protests by several organisations. The ‘Delhi Chalo Padyatra,’ organised by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), has been ongoing for four years, pushing for statehood for Ladakh, the extension of the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule, an accelerated recruitment process, the establishment of a public service commission for Ladakh, and separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts. . . . #india #delhi #ladakh #kargil #jammuandkashmir #kashmir #jammu #sonamwangchuk #rahulgandhi #congress #bjp #narendramodi #constitution #news #politics

A ruling BJP leader in Madhya Pradesh’s most populated city Indore, made a bizarre suggestion of using gaumutra (cow urine) to purify visitors before letting them inside Garba pandals during the Navratri season. The BJP leader, Chintu Verma, told reporters on Monday that if someone is Hindu, they won't object to drinking cow urine. On being asked about the rationale behind this statement, Verma said that sometimes certain people join these events, which generates "certain discussions". "Aadhaar card can be edited. However, if a person is a Hindu, he will enter the Garba pandal only after 'aachaman' of cow urine and there is no question of refusing it," he added. According to Hindu customs, 'aachaman' means taking a sip of water while reciting mantras for purification before starting religious rituals. Meanwhile, the Congress questioned Verma's call, terming it a new tactic of polarisation by the party. "Why are the BJP leaders silent on the issue of the plight of cows in cow shelters? Raising such suggestions and demands of gaumutra aachman (sipping) is yet another example of BJP's politics of communal polarization ahead of assembly polls in J&K and Haryana," Congress spokesman Neelabh Shukla said, urging the BJP leaders to sip cow urine before entering pandals and post videos on social media. . . . #india #madhyapradesh #indore #bjp #navratri #garba #navratrispecial #garbanight #cow #congress #news #politics

Ahead of the state assembly election, the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government on Monday declared the State’s indigenous cow breeds as ‘RajyaMata-Gomata’. The decision was taken due to the concerns over their declining numbers. "Keeping in view the status of the indigenous cow in Indian culture since Vedic times, the usefulness of the milk of the indigenous cow in human diet, the important place of cow dung and cow urine in Ayurveda medicine, Panchgavya treatment system and organic farming systems, it has been approved to declare the indigenous cows as "Rajmata Gomata" from now on," sources said after a cabinet meeting. The Cabinet also cleared a proposal to implement a subsidy scheme for the rearing of indigenous cows. Under the scheme, Goshalas will be given ₹50 per cow per day, the government said. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the scheme will ensure preservation of indigenous breeds. Maharashtra is home to a variety of indigenous breeds, such as Devri and Lalkanari in Marathwada and Dangi and Shavdabhat in northern Maharashtra. However, the state has been facing concerns over the rapid decline in these native cows. However, the move was criticised by the Opposition. “This has been done only in view of the election, for political gain,” said Leader of the Opposition and Congress leader Vijay Waddettiwar. “There is no clarity in the government resolution about the implications of giving this status to indigenous breeds of cows.” . . . #india #maharashtra #mumbai #cow #rajmata #eknathshinde #devendrafadnavis #shivsena #bjp #congress #news #politics

The Supreme Court on Monday grilled Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for prematurely going public with the claim that adulterated ghee containing animal fat was used to prepare laddus at Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati. A Bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan said there is no conclusive proof yet to substantiate such a claim and questioned the need to make a public statement on the issue when an investigation had already been ordered by the State into the allegations. Recently, Naidu made lab reports public that alleged the laddus offered to the deity before being distributed daily among Tirupati temple devotees were contaminated with animal and vegetable fat. “You get the report in July. September 18, you go public. You say you ordered an investigation. It is very clear from the report that this is not the ghee which had been used. Unless you are sure, how did you go to public with that?” asked Justice Viswanathan. “You ordered an investigation through SIT. Till the outcome of such an investigation, what was the necessity to go to the press?… We expect Gods to be kept away from politics,” said Justice Gavai. On September 19, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu accused that the ghee used in preparing Tirupati laddu ‘prasadam’, offered at the temple, contained animal fat during the previous YSRCP government led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. . . . #india #andhrapradesh #chandrababunaidu #jaganmohanreddy #tdp #ysrcp #bjp #tirupati #tirupatiladdu #supremecourt #news #politics

Overall 53 medicines have failed the drug quality test conducted by India's drug regulator. These include paracetamol, calcium, vitamin D3 supplements, anti-diabetes pills and high blood pressure medicines. The Central Drugs Standards Control Organization (CDSCO) has issued a 'Not of Standard Quality' (NSQ) alert for 53 medicines in its monthly drug alert list. These medicines are manufactured by companies like Hetero Drugs, Alkem Laboratories, Hindustan Antibiotics Limited (HAL), Karnataka Antibiotics and Pharmaceuticals Limited, Meg Lifesciences, Pure and Cure Healthcare. A widely used drug for treating stomach infections, Metronidazole, produced by PSU Hindustan Antibiotic Limited (HAL), is among those that failed quality tests. Similarly, Shelcal, distributed by Torrent Pharmaceuticals and manufactured by Uttarakhand-based Pure & Cure Healthcare, also did not pass the test. Apart from this, Alkem Health Science's antibiotics Clavam 625 and Pan D failed the test of a Kolkata lab. The same lab has declared Hyderabad-based Hetero's Cepodem XP 50 dry suspension as substandard. This medicine is for children suffering from serious bacterial infections. Questions have also been raised on the quality of Karnataka Antibiotics and Pharmaceuticals Limited's paracetamol tablets. In August, the CDSCO banned over 156 fixed-dose drug combinations in the Indian market that are "likely to involve risk to humans". These medicines included popular fever drugs, painkillers and allergy tablets. . . . #india #medical #medicine #health #kolkata #karnataka #news #politics

An 11-year-old student studying in class 2 was killed as part of an alleged “sacrificial ritual” performed by the owners of his school in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district to make it more “successful and prosperous”. Police said the incident took place at DL Public School, when owner Jasodhan Singh, who is said to believe in ‘tantrik’ rituals, asked his son Dinesh Baghel, the school’s director, to sacrifice a child for the “prosperity” of the school and his family. The school had a low number of students enrolled in the classes, and Mr. Singh had also taken a loan for starting the residential school, which is located in Rasgwan village in the Sahapau area of the district. Besides the owner and director of the school, the principal and two teachers identified as Laxman Singh, Ramprakash Solanki and Veerpal Singh, respectively, were also arrested for their alleged involvement in the killing that took place on September 23, they said. A murder case has also been registered. The student, identified as Kritarth, was abducted by a teacher from the school's hostel on September 23. Later, he was taken to a secluded place for the sacrifice. However, the student woke up and began crying, the officer said, adding that they strangulated him in a hurried manner. Meanwhile, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chairperson Priyank Kanungo took cognisance of the matter and said a team of the child rights body will visit the place under the leadership of the State Governor. In the aftermath of the shocking incident, a political slugfest broke out with UP Congress chief Ajay Rai saying: “There have been incidents of rape with minor girls, sacrifices being offered, murders and fake encounters. There is jungle raj in the State. This is a cruel incident which cannot be condemned enough. What will they do in J&K when they cannot even handle Uttar Pradesh?” . . . #india #uttarpradesh #yogiadityanath #bjp #congress #school #student #hathras #blackmagic #news #politics

The Congress on Friday summoned senior Himachal Pradesh Minister Vikramaditya Singh over his controversial announcement mandating eateries and restaurants in the state to display the names and addresses of their respective owners. The order, announced by Singh, had left the Congress party on a sticky wicket as it had criticised a similar order issued by the Yogi Adityanath administration in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh during the Kanwar Yatra less than two months ago. All India Congress Committee (AICC) minority department head Imran Pratapgarhi briefed Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi over the concerns shared by community leaders over the said HP government order, AICC in charge of Himachal Pradesh Rajeev Shukla sought an explanation from Vikramaditya Singh. According to party insiders, the controversial order asked to be withdrawn given it has not gone down well with the high command including Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and LoP Rahul Gandhi, who is leading the campaign for the assembly polls, including in neighbouring Haryana. On Friday, Singh was summoned by party General Secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal who reprimanded him over the move and directed him to follow the party line while taking decisions of such importance. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Singh denied any discussions on the matter. "I am here for official work and to meet party members. All actions are proceedings according to the law, overseen by the Supreme Court and High Court. Himachal is a remarkable region, and we need to focus on that as we move forward together," he said. . . . #india #himachalpradesh #vikramadityasingh #congress #rahulgandhi #uttarpradesh #yogiadityanath #bjp #hindu #muslim #news #politics

In a massive blunder, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared an old video of the South American country Peru's Railway, presenting it as India's Vande Bharat train. The post, which garnered widespread attention online, was quickly deleted after the error was flagged. The updated version featured visuals of Prime Minister Modi, Vande Bharat trains, and passengers in celebration of World Tourism Day. However, the damage had already been done, as social media users once again ridiculed Vaishnaw as a “reel minister” highlighting the irony of his government's initiatives. One user stated, "Under Modi's leadership, there was already an army of idiots but now even blind people have joined them. Peru Rail is clearly written on the engine, yet it is said to be from India. Shameful #reelminister". Another user took a jibe at Vaishnaw's dual roles: "It is particularly shameful that the Reel Minister is also the Information & Technology Minister. It is even more hilarious that these very people wanted to head Fact Checking Units." This is not the first time Vaishnaw has faced criticism over social media posts. In August, while speaking in the Lok Sabha, the minister took aim at the Opposition, stating, "We are not the people who make reels, but we do hard work unlike you people who make reels for show off." . . . #india #railway #indianrailways #peru #perurail #ashwinivaishnaw #bjp #congress #narendramodi #vandebharat #news #politics

Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan has praised Leader of the Opposition and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as a brave politician who knows how to handle criticism in an impressive way. "I like a brave and honest politician," he said at the India Today Conclave. The video is now going viral on social media. Asked about who he thinks - from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi, to AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal - as a brave politician who can lead India into the future, Mr Khan said they all are brave politicians. “I think what Rahul Gandhi has done has also been very impressive because there was a point where people were disrespecting things he was saying and things he was doing…he has turned that around by working very hard in a very interesting way,” said Khan during the ‘From Mainstream to Maverick’ session at the India Today Conclave 2024 on Thursday. “And beyond that, I don’t want to get into who I support and what my politics is because I want to be apolitical in my outlook. I think the country has spoken quite clearly…I am happy about one thing that democracy is alive and thriving in India,” he said referring to the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 results that brought back the Modi government back to power for the third term, while also giving a leg up to the opposition INDIA bloc. . . . #congress #india #uttarpradesh #hindu #muslim #rahulgandhi #saifalikhan #bollywood #kareenakapoor #bjp #narendramodi #news #politics