Kiev: The number of civilians killed in the Russian strike on a train station in Ukraine's Kramatorsk has increased to 52, with 109 people injured, a top official announced on Saturday.In a social media post, Pavlo Kyrylenko, the military head in Donetsk region where Kramatorsk is located, confirmed the toll but warned that "these numbers will inevitably increase", Ukrayinska Pravda.On Friday, Russian troops from the occupied territories in the Luhansk region deployed a Tochka-U system to carry out the cluster shelling on the Kramatorsk railway station, where some 4,000 people were awaiting to be evacuated.The victims included five children.Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned the attack, the BBC reported.Writing on Instagram shortly after the attack, he said: "Lacking the strength and courage to stand up to us on the battlefield, they are cynically destroying the civilian population."This is an evil that has no limits. And if it is not punished, it will never stop."He added that there were no soldiers at the station. The US, European Union (EU) and UK have condemned the incident and have since announced additional military support for Ukraine.The EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told the BBC that the attack in Kramatorsk was another attempt to break morale, after Russian forces were unable to win by fighting the Ukrainian army. —IANS

 The number of civilians killed in the Russian strike on a train station in Ukraine's Kramatorsk has increased to 52, with 109 people injured, a top official announced on Saturday.

Death Toll In Ukraine Train Station Attack Rises To 52

Mathura:&nbsp;Lieutenant General Gajendra Joshi has taken over the charge of new General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Strike 1 or 1 Corps, Officials said on Tuesday.Lt General Gajendra Joshi took the charge of General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Strike 1 on Monday from Lt General M K Katiyar, Shantanu Pratap Singh, PRO, Ministry of Defence in Lucknow said.Lt Gen Joshi has vast Army experience, he said.In counter-terrorism operations, the GOC actively served as a battalion commander in south Kashmir as well as a sector commander in Manipur, the PRO defence said, adding he also commanded a division in J-K.The other coveted positions held by Lt Gen Joshi are General Staff Officer grade 1 (operation) in Mountain Division, Colonel General Staff (operations) in core HQ in high altitude area, Deputy Director General Military Operation and Military Intelligence at Army HQ, he said.On the occasion, Lt Gen Joshi told all ranks that they should focus on operational preparedness in order to face the upcoming security challenges.—PTI

 Lieutenant General Gajendra Joshi has taken over the charge of new General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Strike 1 or 1 Corps, Officials said on Tuesday.

Lt Gen Gajendra Joshi takes over as GOC Strike 1

Mathura: Lawyers in the district abstained from work on Wednesday to protest against an Uttar Pradesh government order recommending action against errant lawyers creating lawlessness in district courts. The order was issued by Praful Kamal, special secretary, Uttar Pradesh government to district magistrates.The Bar Association of Mathura observed no court work day on Wednesday to protest against the insulting language used in the letter, Ajeet Teharia, president of the Bar Association said. The letter asks officials to take cognisance of those lawyers creating lawlessness in courts and ensure appropriate action against them, Teharia claimed.—PTI

Lawyers in the district abstained from work on Wednesday to protest against an Uttar Pradesh government order recommending action against errant lawyers creating lawlessness in district courts.

Lawyers in Mathura observe strike against UP govt order

Amroha: Three people were killed and six injured when lightning struck them in Kaneta village here, police said on Sunday. The incident occurred on Saturday when some labourers were cutting trees, they said, adding the injured were rushed to a hospital, where their condition was stated to be stable. The dead included Rifaqat (55), Premchandr (23) and Rajendra (30), police said.Sub Divisional Magistrate of Hasanpur Sudheer Kumar said the family of all the victims will be given Rs 4 lakh as financial assistance.—PTI

Three people were killed and six injured when lightning struck them in Kaneta village here, police said on Sunday.

3 killed, 6 injured in lightning strike in UP

Mathura: Safai Karamcharis of the Mathura Municipal Corporation in Uttar Pradesh went on a strike on Wednesday over their various demands, including those related to salary."We will not budge until our 11-point demands are met," said a leader of the protesting sanitation workers. He claimed that while Safai Karamcharis in other civic bodies are paid wages of 30 days every month, those in Mathura get payment for only 26 days. Their other major demands included release of salary increment and distribution of uniforms. The civic authorities have declared the strike illegal. Action under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) would be taken against those not joining duty on May 26, Municipal Commissioner Anunay Jha said."They were invited for a dialogue but, instead of coming for the discussion, they continued shouting slogans outside the office in violation of prohibitory orders under CrPC Section 144 clamped over a fortnight ago," an official said. According to officials, while increment of more than 50 per cent of the employees has been cleared, the rest of the files are under process.They said distribution of uniforms for women employees would start from June 1.—PTI

Safai Karamcharis of the Mathura Municipal Corporation in Uttar Pradesh went on a strike on Wednesday over their various demands, including those related to salary.

UP: Safai Karamcharis of Mathura civic body go on strike

Safai Karamcharis of the Mathura Municipal Corporation in Uttar Pradesh went on a strike on Wednesday over their various demands, including those related to salary.



Kyiv: Russia launched airstrikes on Kyiv for the first time in five weeks on Sunday, claiming it had destroyed western-supplied tanks - while Russian President, Vladimir Putin, warned more targets would be struck if weapons deliveries continued, media reports said. Several explosions were heard around the eastern Kyiv suburbs of Darnytskyi and Dniprovskyi early on Sunday morning, wounding one person. The strikes represented a change of tack on the part of the invading forces, The Guardian reported.Russia's Ministry of Defence said the strikes had destroyed T-72 tanks that had been provided to Ukraine by European countries that were being stored in the buildings of a car repair business, although the claim could not immediately be verified, The Guardian reported. Kyiv's Mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said "one victim was hospitalised" in the incident. Sergei Leshchenko, a member of the Ukrainian railway company's supervisory board, added that its facilities had been struck.They were the first bombing raids on any part of the capital since the end of April and appear to represent an attempt to strike supply lines from Kyiv to the east, where both sides are embroiled an intense battle for control of Donbas. Perhaps signalling the new approach, Putin told Rossiya state television that Russia would hit fresh targets in Ukraine if the US delivered the longer-range rockets that it had promised to Kyiv last week. If such missiles were supplied, "we will strike at those targets which we have not yet been hitting", said Putin, who is believed to be closely involved in military decision-making. The Russian leader did not specify what would be struck, although logistics points would be amongst the most logical targets.—IANS

Russia launched airstrikes on Kyiv for the first time in five weeks on Sunday, claiming it had destroyed western-supplied tanks - while Russian President, Vladimir Putin, warned more targets would be struck if weapons deliveries continued, media reports said.

Russia launches airstrikes on Kyiv for the first time in five weeks

Colombo: A power sector union in Sri Lanka said on Wednesday it will go on an indefinite strike from midnight in protest against new government legislation, potentially leading to power blackouts in a country already grappling with its worst economic crisis in decades. Some 900 out of around 1,100 engineers of the state-run Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), Sri Lanka's main power company, will not report for duty on Thursday and those already at power plants, transmission and distribution facilities will leave at midnight, the CEB Engineers' Union said. That prompted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to issue a gazette notification late on Wednesday declaring electricity supply as an essential service. The legal directive makes it mandatory for engineers to report to work. Sri Lanka's deepest economic crisis since independence in 1948 has upended lives of many of its 22 million people, with long queues for fuel and cooking gas, alongside shortages of essentials including medicines. The country was also plagued by long power cuts earlier this year after a shortage of foreign currency hit imports of fuel needed to generate electricity, though the situation has improved as monsoon rains drive hydropower generation. But the looming strike could bring back power outages, with no breakthrough so far in talks between the CEB Engineers' Union and government authorities.The union is protesting against government plans to amend legislation governing the country's power sector, which include removing restrictions on competitive bidding for renewable power projects. "Talks with the minister have been unsuccessful. These amendments are deceitful and are aimed at cancelling the competitive bidding scheme, which exists to ensure the public get electricity at the lowest cost," the union's Joint Secretary Dhammika Wimalaratne told Reuters. "We can in no way agree to this." Sri Lanka's government, under new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, has been pushing renewable energy as a potential solution for its power woes, with early interest from some international players including India's Adani that is looking at a 500MW solar and wind project. Kanchana Wijesekera, the country's power and energy minister, said he expected parliament to pass the amended regulations on Thursday and accused the union of blocking much-needed reforms. The amendments would "pave the way for quick approval and implementation of long delayed renewable power projects," he said in a tweet on Tuesday.Sri Lanka has been asking friendly nations, including India and China, for credit lines, food and energy. India has already committed billions of dollars in financial support. Chinese banks reached out to Sri Lankan authorities after the country suspended repayment on some of its external debt in April and "expressed readiness" to find a way to "handle the matured debts", China's foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a press conference on Wednesday. "China is ready to work with relevant countries and international financial institutions to continue to play a positive role in supporting Sri Lanka's response to current difficulties and efforts to ease debt burden and realize sustainable development," Zhao told reporters.—REUTERS

A power sector union in Sri Lanka said on Wednesday it will go on an indefinite strike from midnight in protest against new government legislation, potentially leading to power blackouts in a country already grappling with its worst economic crisis in decades.

Sri Lanka power union announces strike, raising risk of blackouts

Bengaluru: Seamlessly juggling politics and cricket, Manoj Tiwary on Friday achieved what no one else did in 88 years of Ranji Trophy: score a hundred while being a sitting minister in a state government.Without an iota of doubt, Tiwary's 136 was the highlight of an inconsequential fifth day's play as Bengal advanced to the semi-finals of the Ranji Trophy on the basis of their massive first-innings lead.In between signing files related to his constituency, Tiwary, a sitting minister of sports and youth affairs in the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, struck 19 fours and two sixes.The 36-year-old veteran also scored 73 in Bengal's first essay.There were notable contributions once again from other Bengal batters such as Shahbaz Ahmed (46), Anustup Majumdar (38) and Abhishek Porel (34). It is worth recalling that Ahmad, Majumdar and Porel all scored big in Bengal's first innings too.Throughout the quarterfinal game, which looked one-sided from the onset, with Bengal posting a mammoth 773 for 7 in their first innings with all their top nine batters hitting at least a half century, smashing a 250-year-old record in first class cricket.The only consolation for Jharkhand was that Shahbaz Nadeem bagged 5 for 59.Like Nadeem with the ball, it was Virat Singh who shone with the bat for Jharkhand, scoring an unbeaten 136 in the first innings.Bengal will take on Madhya Pradesh in the semi-final and have a shot at qualifying for back-to-back Ranji Trophy finals. Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh will face off in the other semi-final. Both matches will kick off in Bengaluru on June 14.Brief Scores:Bengal: 1st Innings: 773/7 declared (Sudip Kumar Gharami 186, Anustup Majumdar, 117, Shahbaz Ahmed 78, Manoj Tiwary 73; Sushant Mishra 3/140, Shahbaz Nadeem 2/175)Jharkhand 1st innings: 298 all out (Virat Singh 113 not out, Nazim Siddiqui 53; Shahbaz Ahmad 4/51, Sayan Mondal 4/71)Bengal second innings: 318/7 (Manoj Tiwary 136 not out, Shahbaz Ahmed 46, Anustup Majumdar 38; Shahbaz Nadeem 5/59).—PTI

Seamlessly juggling politics and cricket, Manoj Tiwary on Friday achieved what no one else did in 88 years of Ranji Trophy: score a hundred while being a sitting minister in a state government.

Bengal advance as minister Tiwary strikes century

Seamlessly juggling politics and cricket, Manoj Tiwary on Friday achieved what no one else did in 88 years of Ranji Trophy: score a hundred while being a sitting minister in a state government.



Damascus: An Israeli airstrike that struck Damascus International Airport caused "significant" damage to infrastructure and rendered the main runway unserviceable until further notice, Syria said Saturday. The statement by the Transportation Ministry was the first detailing the extent of damage from Friday's airstrike. Syrian media reported earlier that Syria suspended all flights to and from the airport and the ministry confirmed all flights were suspended because "some technical equipment stopped functioning at the airport.'' Israel's military has declined to comment on the airstrike.Saturday's statement said the runway had been damaged "in several locations" and that the strike also hit the airport's second terminal building. "As a result of these damages, incoming and outgoing flights through the airport were suspended until further notice," it said.The airport is located south of the capital Damascus where Syrian opposition activists say Iran-backed militiamen are active and have arms depots. Israel has for years carried out strikes in the area, including one on May 21 that resulted in a fire near the airport leading to the postponement of two flights. This was the first time an airstrike caused damage leading to the suspension of flights at the airport. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said the Friday morning Israeli strike hit three arms depots for Iran-backed militiamen inside the airport, adding that the northern runway at the facility was damaged, as was the observation tower.The Observatory added that the northern runway was the only one functioning after Israeli strikes last year badly damaged the other runway, known as the southern runway. Israel has staged hundreds of strikes on targets in Syria over the years but rarely acknowledges or discusses such operations. It says it targets bases of Iran-allied militias, such as Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group. Hezbollah has fighters deployed in Syria fighting on the side of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government forces and ships arms believed to be bound for the militias. The Syrian Transportation Ministry statement said civil aviation cadres and specialised units were working to remove debris and repair damage and that operations will resume as soon as flight safety can be ensured.—PTI

An Israeli airstrike that struck Damascus International Airport caused "significant" damage to infrastructure and rendered the main runway unserviceable until further notice, Syria said Saturday.

Syria: 'significant' damage to airport from Israeli strike

Shenyang: Workers at test centres in northeastern China have been holding strikes over unpaid wages in a nationwide Covid-19 testing industry that has expanded far beyond its sources of funding, RFA reported. Unverified photos circulating on social media showed test centres in the northeastern city of Shenyang with notices in the windows reading "On strike; suspending (operations) due to unpaid wages," or "On strike, service suspended," with testing equipment visible in the background.&nbsp;Social media posts from "dabai" white-suited Covid-19 enforcement and testing staff said they were later ordered to delete the photos, RFA reported.A journalist familiar with the mass Covid-19 testing industry in China, who gave only the surname Li, said the claims of unpaid wages come amid massive profits for companies carrying out endless rounds of mass PCR tests across Chinese cities, in pursuit of ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping's zero-Covid policy.A resident of Shenyang, who gave only the surname Wang, said several of her neighbours had started out working as testers, but gave up due to the excessive stress of the role.She suggested the amount of testing being done was out of proportion to the number of local cases."There's no longer an outbreak, and yet they're still forcing people to do PCR tests," Wang added."You have to show a negative PCR test certificate just to use public transportation," she said, RFA reported.Jiangsu-based current affairs commentator Zhang Jianping said massive profits are being made from the zero-Covid policy."Zero-Covid is definitely having a lot of knock-on effects," Zhang added."It has to be supported by large-scale PCR testing, which will inevitably cause problems of its own."Local media reports have typically referred to the white suits as "volunteers," but the role is generally paid, involving around 12 hours a day, with wages and various social subsidies due, as well as overtime pay.The Hong Kong-based China Labour Bulletin has recorded 14 Covid-19-related worker protests since March, eight of which occurred in Shanghai during lockdown, RFA reported."Poor working conditions under strict lockdown measures led to protests not only by doctors, nurses and white-clad pandemic workers, but also factory workers, taxi drivers and others," the group cited its Strike Map database as showing.&nbsp;—IANS

Workers at test centres in northeastern China have been holding strikes over unpaid wages in a nationwide Covid-19 testing industry that has expanded far beyond its sources of funding, RFA reported.

 Covid test workers strike over unpaid wages in China

New Delhi: Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik is on a hunger strike in Tihar Jail after the government did not respond to his plea that he be allowed to physically appear in a Jammu court hearing the Rubaiya Sayeed kidnapping case in which he is an accused, officials said on Saturday.Malik, 56, head of the banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, began his indefinite strike on Friday as he had threatened to earlier this month, they said.On Friday morning, he refused to eat anything despite repeated requests by jail authorities, the officials said. His health is being closely monitored.Appearing before a special Central Bureau of Investigation judge through video conference, Malik had said he wanted to appear physically in the case related to the kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of the Union home minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, in December 1989.Malik informed the court that he had written a letter to the government seeking his transfer to a Jammu jail so he could appear physically in the case and contest the allegations against him.He had said he would like to personally cross-examine all the prosecution witnesses in the case and would wait for a government nod till July 22. If not, he would sit on an indefinite hunger strike inside the jail.Malik began his protest when he received no information from the government about his plea to shift him to any prison in Jammu, the officials said.The JKLF chief was arrested in early 2019 in connection with a 2017 terror-funding case registered by National Investigation Agency (NIA). Malik had pleaded guilty in the case and was sentenced by a special NIA court in Delhi in May.Rubaiya Sayeed was allegedly kidnapped by the JKLF on December 8, 1989. She was freed from captivity five days later on December 13 after the then V P Singh government at the Centre, supported by the BJP, released five JKLF terrorists in exchange.The case had gone into virtual cold storage and was revived after Malik was picked up by the NIA in 2019.In January last year, the CBI, with help from special public prosecutors Monika Kohli and S K Bhat, framed charges against 10 people, including Malik, in the case that was a turning point in the Valley's volatile history.After the release of the five JKLF members, terror groups started rearing their heads. Rubaiya Sayeed had been kidnapped by JKLF members from Srinagar to ensure the release of their associates lodged in different jails, officials said.On July 15 this year, Rubaiya Sayeed appeared in the case for the first time and identified Malik and three others as the ones who took her captive. Malik was present in the court through video conferencing."This is the person and his name is Yasin Malik. He was the man who threatened me that he would drag me out of the minibus if I refused to follow their diktat," Rubaiya Sayeed told the judge.—PTI

Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik is on a hunger strike in Tihar Jail after the government did not respond to his plea that he be allowed to physically appear in a Jammu court hearing the Rubaiya Sayeed kidnapping case in which he is an accused, officials said on Saturday.

Yasin Malik goes on hunger strike in Tihar jail, alleges unfair trial

Ghazipur: Four people, including three cousins, died after being struck by lightning in separate incidents here, police said on Tuesday.Late on Monday evening, three cousins took shelter under a tree outside Mastipur village under the Bhudkuda Kotwali police station area. They died after they were struck by lightning, while another teenager suffered serious burns, the police said.The deceased have been identified as Abhishek Saroj (12), Mukesh Saroj (12) and Sagar Saroj (14), they said.The bodies have been sent for a post-mortem examination. The injured is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Mau district's Chiraiyakot, they added.In another incident, a farmer, Amendra Chauhan (49), died after he was struck by lightning late on Monday evening while he was returning home from his field near Nasidabad village under the Badesar police station area, the police said.The body has been sent for a post-mortem examination, Badesar police station in-charge Rajesh Bahadur Singh said.—PTI

Four people, including three cousins, died after being struck by lightning in separate incidents here, police said on Tuesday.

Lightning strikes kill 4 in UP

New Delhi: Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik, who is on a&nbsp;hunger strike&nbsp;in Tihar jail in New Delhi for five days, is being given intravenous fluids and his health is being regularly monitored by doctors, officials said on Tuesday.Malik began his indefinite hunger strike on Friday morning after the Centre did not respond to his plea that he be allowed to physically appear in a Jammu court hearing the Rubaiya Sayeed abduction case, in which he is an accused.Malik, who was kept in solitary confinement in a high-risk cell in Tihar's jail number 7, has been shifted to the prison's Medical Investigation room where doctors are constantly monitoring his health status and updating officials about the same.The JKLF chief is serving a life sentence in a terror-funding case."On Friday morning, Malik refused to eat anything. He is still on a hunger strike and his health is being regularly monitored by doctors. He is being given IV (intravenous) fluids since Sunday," an official said.Appearing before a special CBI judge through a video-conference, Malik had said he wanted to physically appear in the case related to the abduction of Rubaiya Sayeed, the daughter of then Union home minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, in 1989.Malik had informed the court that he had written a letter to the government seeking his transfer to a Jammu jail so that he could physically appear in the case and contest the allegations against him.He had said he would like to personally cross-examine the prosecution witnesses and would wait for a government nod till July 22.He had also said he would sit on an indefinite hunger strike inside the jail if his plea was not allowed.Malik began his protest when he received no information from the government on his plea to shift him to any prison in Jammu.Rubaiya Sayeed was allegedly abducted by the JKLF on December 8, 1989.<img src="https://newads.rediff.com/rediffadserver/www/delivery/lg.php?bannerid=6301&amp;campaignid=1829&amp;zoneid=385&amp;source=_blank&amp;loc=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fon-hunger-strike-yasin-malik-put-on-iv-fluids-in-tihar-jail%2F20220726.htm&amp;referer=https%3A%2F%2Fmail.rediff.com%2F&amp;cb=59ae21d198">She was freed from captivity five days later after the then V P Singh government at the Centre, supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party, released five JKLF terrorists in exchange.The JKLF chief was arrested in early 2019 in connection with a 2017 terror-funding case registered by the National Investigation Agency. Malik had pleaded guilty in the case and was sentenced by a special NIA court in Delhi in May.—PTI

Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik, who is on a hunger strike in Tihar jail in New Delhi for five days, is being given intravenous fluids and his health is being regularly monitored by doctors, officials said on Tuesday.

On hunger strike, Yasin Malik put on IV fluids in hunger strike, 

On hunger strike, Yasin Malik put on IV fluids in Tihar jail

London: More than 40,000 railway workers across Britain are taking a 24-hour strike on Wednesday, bringing another day of widespread delays and cancellations.The action by workers from Network Rail, 14 train companies, and members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), has left only one out of five trains running on average and stopped train service altogether in some parts of the country.The labour action is part of the ongoing dispute between unions and rail companies over pay, job security and working conditions, Xinhua news agency reported.People across the United Kingdom (UK) are struggling against rising living costs and seeing their salaries eaten up by soaring inflation. The latest data showed Britain's Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rose by 9.4 per cent in the 12 months to June, hitting a fresh 40-year high."Our members are more determined than ever to secure a decent pay rise, job security and good working conditions," said RMT general secretary Mick Lynch. "Network Rail has not made any improvement on their previous pay offer and the train companies have not offered us anything new."Meanwhile, UK's rail companies are set to cut jobs, pay and pensions as rail passenger numbers have not returned to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels.Andrew Haines, Network Rail chief executive, described the strike as "political campaigning" and "pointless" and said he can "only apologize for the impact this pointless strike will have on passengers."Wednesday's strike came after the biggest rail strike in 30 years which took place on June 21, 23 and 25 and caused traffic chaos across England, Scotland and Wales.Further rail strikes are already planned for the coming weeks.About 6,000 train drivers from the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) union across eight train companies will go on strike on July 30.Another strike by RMT members at Network Rail and 14 train companies is scheduled for Aug. 18 and 20. Underground workers will also take strike action again on August 19.Network Rail urged the passengers to plan ahead and travel by train only if necessary amid further national industrial actions.—IANS

More than 40,000 railway workers across Britain are taking a 24-hour strike on Wednesday, bringing another day of widespread delays and cancellations.

New rail strike disrupts UK train services

Gaza City:&nbsp;An Israeli airstrike killed a senior commander in the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, the fighters said on Sunday, their second leader to be slain amid an escalating cross-border conflict.The killing late Saturday of Khaled Mansour, who led the Iran-backed Islamic Jihad's operations in the southern Gaza Strip, came a day after another Israeli strike killed the militant's commander in the north.Already, the fighting has killed at least 29 Palestinians and seen rockets fired toward Israel in the worst violence between Israel and Palestinian militants since the end of an 11-day war in 2021.Meanwhile, tensions could escalate as Jews mark a holy day that will see ultranationalist Israeli lawmakers visit a sensitive holy site in Jerusalem, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary.Such visits can be a frequent flashpoint for violence between Israel and the Palestinians.The Al-Quds Brigades of Islamic Jihad confirmed on Sunday that the airstrike in the southern Gaza city of Rafah killed Mansour and two fellow militants.The militants said the strike also killed civilians as it flattened several homes.On Sunday, Gaza's Health Ministry said 29 people had been killed in the fighting so far in the coastal strip, including six children and four women. It said at least 253 people had been wounded.Israel estimates its airstrikes have killed about 15 militants.Militants from Islamic Jihad continued firing rockets toward Israel and the Israeli military continued airstrikes on Gaza, though the intensity of the exchange appeared to decrease early on Sunday.On Sunday, Jews marked Tisha B'av, a somber day of fasting that marks the destruction of the biblical temples and brings thousands to Jerusalem for prayer. By early morning, Israeli police said several hundred Jews had already ascended the Temple Mount, or Noble Sanctuary.Police described the situation as calm as Jews held prayers at the Western Wall, which is considered the holiest site where Jews can pray.In Palestinian cities and towns in the West Bank, Israeli security forces said they detained some 19 people on suspicion of belonging to the Islamic Jihad during overnight raids.Israeli forces said their troops suffered no injuries in the raids, which saw them use riot dispersal methods as Palestinians threw rocks and improvised bombs, as well as shot at their forces.The fighting began with Israel's killing of a senior Islamic Jihad commander in a wave of strikes Friday that Israel said were meant to prevent an imminent attack.Hamas, the larger militant group that rules Gaza, appeared to remain on the sidelines of the conflict for now, keeping its response limited.Israel and Hamas fought a war barely a year ago, one of four major conflicts and several smaller battles over the last 15 years that exacted a staggering toll on the impoverished territory's two million Palestinian residents.The Israeli military said an errant rocket fired by Palestinian militants killed civilians, including children, late Saturday in the town of Jabaliya, in northern Gaza.The military said it investigated the incident and concluded without a doubt that it was caused by a misfire on the part of Islamic Jihad. There was no official Palestinian comment on the incident.A Palestinian medical worker who spoke on condition of anonymity as they had not been granted permission to speak to journalists said the blast killed at least six people, including three children.Israeli airstrikes on Saturday killed a 75-year-old woman and wounded six others as they were preparing to go to a wedding.Airstrikes have also destroyed several houses in the Gaza Strip, some of them belonging to Islamic Jihad members.The lone power plant in Gaza ground to a halt at noon Saturday due to a lack of fuel.Israel has kept its crossing points into Gaza closed since Tuesday. With the new disruption, Gazans can use only four hours of electricity a day, increasing their reliance on private generators and deepening the territory's chronic power crisis amid peak summer heat.—PTI

An Israeli airstrike killed a senior commander in the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, the fighters said on Sunday, their second leader to be slain amid an escalating cross-border conflict

Israeli airstrike kills 2nd top Islamic Jihad commander

Adelaide: Big-hitting batter Chris Lynn will feature in the Big Bash League (BBL) after being signed up by Adelaide Strikers.
Lynn, 32, will be able to play in both the BBL and UAE's International League T20 (ILT20) competitions after reaching a compromise with Cricket Australia (CA).
Lynn, BBL's leading run-scorer, has signed an 11-match deal with the Adelaide Strikers after parting ways with the Brisbane Heat in May. He will be granted a 'No Objection Certificate' (NOC) following the Strikers' clash against his old club at Adelaide Oval on January 14 to join the Adani-owned Gulf Giants franchise in the ILT20.
"Cricket Australia welcomes the Adelaide Strikers' signing of Chris Lynn, the highest run-scorer in KFC BBL history, for 11 out of 14 games in the upcoming KFC BBL|12 season. He will be released from 20 January to participate in UAE's ILT20 competition from that date," said a CA spokesperson.
Earlier this month, Lynn was announced as one of 21 marquee recruits for the inaugural edition of the ILT20, before being signed up by Gulf Giants. The ILT20 in the UAE, starting from January 6, will be operating in the same period as BBL (running from December 13 to February 4), South Africa's new T20 League and Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) in January.
Although Lynn didn't hold a domestic cricket contract in Australia up until Thursday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) regulations say that he still requires clearance or a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from CA to play in overseas leagues.
"Lynn does not hold a CA or State contract and has not done so since his last Queensland Cricket contract expired in June 2019. Each matter regarding release for overseas competitions is subject to the individual's circumstances. Our guiding principle remains the prioritisation and protection of Australia's domestic summer of cricket and the interests of the game overall," added the CA spokesperson.
Lynn is the only player to score more than 3,000 runs in BBL, coming in 102 appearances with the Brisbane Heat, averaging 34.5 at a strike-rate of 148.8. He has also struck the most sixes (180) in the competition, ahead of fellow big-hitting batter Glenn Maxwell (109), who is in second spot.
"I'll be doing my best; I'll be coming down to Adelaide fit and strong and ready to score a heap of runs and even more importantly, put on a show for the fans, who are the backbone of the Adelaide Strikers."
"It (is) always such a great atmosphere walking into Adelaide Oval, and not only that but walking over the bridge on game day, the atmosphere in the city is great. I know the fans will be out in force this summer," said Lynn on his association with the Strikers.
Head Coach Jason Gillespie said a player of Lynn's calibre was an outstanding acquisition for the Strikers. "We all know the qualities that Chris Lynn brings to the table. He is a proven match-winner, an experienced leader and a great character to have around the group. His record speaks for itself. We're thrilled to have him and know he can play an important role for us this summer."&nbsp;
—IANS

Big-hitting batter Chris Lynn will feature in the Big Bash League (BBL) after being signed up by Adelaide Strikers. Lynn, 32, will be able to play in both the BBL and UAE's International League T20 (ILT20) competitions after reaching a compromise with Cricket Australia (CA).

 Chris Lynn signs with Adelaide Strikers, will play in both BBL and UAE's ILT20

Big-hitting batter Chris Lynn will feature in the Big Bash League (BBL) after being signed up by Adelaide Strikers.
Lynn, 32, will be able to play in both the BBL and UAE's International League T20 (ILT20) competitions after reaching a compromise with Cricket Australia (CA).

Moscow/Kyiv: Fresh fightings were reported from east Ukraine, but the world's attention remained focused on the fate of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. Fears about the state of the nuclear plant, set uncomfortably on the front lines between Russian and Ukrainian troops, remained high. Both sides have said it is at risk of a nuclear disaster because of the other sides' attacks. Both deny taking action against the facility, and it is not possible to immediately verify information from either side, dpa news agency reported. Russian forces occupying the plant said on Sunday that they had to shoot down an armed drone sent by the Ukrainians. It fell on a safety cover spanning the reactor after it was shot down, according to reports carried in Russian media. The explosives it was carrying were detonated without causing any harm. Independent confirmation of the report was not immediately possible.
Russia said the drone was on its way to attack a storage area for spent fuel rods. Several projectiles also hit the nearby city of Enerhodar, with Russia and Ukraine blaming each other for the artillery fire. Vladimir Rogov, of the occupying Russian administration, said seven people were injured and accused Ukraine of trying to prevent a visit by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Enerhodar's Ukrainian mayor Dmytro Orlov, who has fled the area, said it was a provocation and that Russian troops were behind it. Moscow said earlier that attacks in the past day had seen one shell hit near reactor number six, the other at a pumping station that provides cooling. No increase in radiation levels at the plant have been recorded following the recent shelling, authorities in Kiev and Moscow said on Sunday.
For weeks, both sides have accused each other of shelling the sprawling complex, raising the spectre of disaster at Europe's biggest nuclear plant. After the nuclear plant was temporarily disconnected from Ukraine's power grid on Thursday following an emergency shutdown, two units are back online, according to Ukrainian state nuclear operator Enerhoatom. The Russian military also confirmed an attack on the city of Zaporizhzhya, which sits across the Dnipro River, using "high-precision weapons." A hall where Ukrainian air force helicopters were repaired was hit, the ministry said. The Ukrainian army said in its evening report that dozens of Ukrainian communities along the 2,000-km long front were fired on by Russian tanks. They said new Russian offensives were fought off in the east, including in the village of Vesela Dolyna and the city of Bakhmut, which are the sites of weeks-long stand-offs. Pro-Russian Ukrainian separatists attempted a push north-west of the city of Donetsk into the village of Pervomaiske, which the Ukrainian military said was repelled, though it also said it had lost control of the Donetsk suburb of Pisky. The mayor of Kharkiv in the north east said the area was struck by two missiles, while Rivne in the north also reported coming under missile attack. The district of Sarny reported that a military site was struck. Elsewhere, the Ukrainian mayor of the Russian-occupied city of Melitopol wrote on Telegram that a Russian military base had been destroyed in the south-eastern city. Russian officials also seem to be laying the groundwork for an annexation of occupied parts of Ukraine. Kremlin official Sergei Kiriyenko on Sunday cited recent surveys showing high levels of support for joining Russia. In Donetsk and Luhansk, he said between 91 per cent and 92 per cent were in favour, and 75-77 per cent in Kherson and Zaporizhzhya. Ukraine still controls large parts of Donetsk and has hinted at a counteroffensive in Kherson. There is also much scepticism about the validity of the data. Online news website Medusa recently said its surveys showed an even split of about 30 per cent for and 30 per cent against joining Russia, with the rest giving no opinion. —IANS&nbsp;

Fresh fightings were reported from east Ukraine, but the world's attention remained focused on the fate of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. Fears about the state of the nuclear plant, set uncomfortably on the front lines between Russian and Ukrainian troops, remained high.

 New fighting strikes Ukraine, but nuclear power plant still in focus

Bijnor (The Hawk): After his daughter eloped with her boyfriend and stole Rs. 3 lakh in cash from the family home, a dad has been on a hunger strike for the past five days.The 18-year-old girl ran away approximately a week ago, and authorities have been unable to find her.The girl was scheduled to wed a boy of her parents' choosing on October 15.The family attempted to pressure the boy's family to assist in locating the couple during a panchayat meeting, but they baulked.Later, the girl's father reported the accused in a complaint.Rajendra Singh Pundeer, the station house officer (SHO), stated, "We have lodged the case and are making efforts to locate the girl."

After his daughter eloped with her boyfriend and stole Rs. 3 lakh in cash from the family home, a dad has been on a hunger strike for the past five days.

As his daughter elopes, his father goes on hunger strike: UP

Agra (The Hawk): Around 4 am, near the Khandoli toll plaza of the Yamuna highway, which runs through the Agra district of Uttar Pradesh, a double-decker bus collided with a trailer carrying iron rods, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and the injuries of ten others.
Police claim that the bus driver, probably owing to poor sight, failed to notice the trailer parked on the side of the motorway and struck it from behind.
The victims have been identified as the drivers of a private double-decker bus owned by a travel agency with its headquarters in Gwalior. The bus was travelling from Delhi to Gwalior at the time.
"When the accident occurred, one of them was operating the vehicle while the other was asleep. The bus held 40 people in all. Ten of them sustained injuries, and four have been admitted to SN Medical College in critical condition "said Ramit Kumar, a house officer at the Khandoli police station.
Narendra Sharma, the bus's 40-year-old driver, has been named as one of the fatally injured drivers. The other driver, 45-year-old Rakesh Sharma, passed away while dozing off on the rear seat.
"Of the 10 injured, two were released after receiving medical attention, while eight others are still receiving it. Residents of Delhi, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan are among the injured "the officer stated.
(Inputs from Agencies)

Around 4 am, near the Khandoli toll plaza of the Yamuna highway, which runs through the Agra district of Uttar Pradesh, a double-decker bus collided with a trailer carrying iron rods, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and the injuries of ten others.

Bus strikes truck on Yamuna, killing two people and injuring ten others

Bengaluru (The Hawk): The first high-performance electric motorcycle F77 from the automotive manufacturer Ultraviolette was commercially released on Thursday, with an ex-showroom price of Rs 3.8 lakh.
The F77 is built entirely in India and is offered to consumers in three variations: Airstrike, Shadow, and Laser. Deliveries will start in Bengaluru in January, and the product will be available throughout all of India as well as through a company-owned servicing network through 2023. The business declared in a statement.
The F77, which will soon be made available worldwide, "proves that outstanding performance and uncompromising power can be packed in a gorgeous form factor that India has been waiting for," according to Narayan Subramaniam, co-founder and CEO of Ultraviolette.
The highest model, the F77 Recon, of the e-bike is powered by an integrated 10.3 kWh lithium-ion battery architecture that generates an astounding 95 Nm of peak torque and 29 kW (38.9 HP) of peak power.
It has the highest range of any electric two-wheeler in India, at 307 kilometres, thanks to the most cutting-edge battery pack in the sector.
According to the business, the F77 redefines the image of electric vehicles around the world with performance and range that set the industry standard in a design that is truly unique and inspired by aerospace engineering.
Only 77 of the F77's limited edition units will be produced, according to an announcement made by Ultraviolette.
The one-of-a-kind limited edition cars will come in afterburner yellow and meteor grey. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds and has a highest speed of 152 km/h. It has a peak power output of 30.2 kW (40.5 HP) and a peak torque output of 100 Nm.
According to Niraj Rajmohan, co-founder and CTO of Ultraviolette, "With its commercial introduction, the F77 is indisputably the most technologically advanced electric motorcycle in India, supported by over 5 years of R&amp;D."
The company reported receiving pre-registration interest for the F77 from as many as 70,000 people in more than 190 nations.
(Inputs from Agencies)

The first high-performance electric motorcycle F77 from the automotive manufacturer Ultraviolette was commercially released on Thursday, with an ex-showroom price of Rs 3.8 lakh.

The Hawk

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Death Toll In Ukraine Train Station Attack Rises To 52

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