Oscar-winning Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal released after Israeli detention
Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal, co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, has been released after nearly 24 hours in Israeli detention. Ballal was taken into custody following an attack by Israeli settlers near his home in the occupied West Bank.
His co-director, Basel Adra, confirmed that Ballal was granted bail and has been taken to a hospital for medical treatment before returning home.
Ballal, who resides in the occupied West Bank, recounted that Israeli settlers and soldiers attacked his home on Monday night, beating him and threatening him with firearms. According to him, soldiers fired three warning shots before detaining him. While in custody, he was blindfolded and placed beneath a cold air conditioner, while soldiers mocked his Oscar win.
His arrest followed a night of violence near Susya, where settlers vandalized homes, slashed car tires, and damaged water tanks. Ballal's co-director, Basel Adra, said he witnessed around 15 settlers attacking Palestinian homes and cars while throwing rocks at residents. He said Ballal, injured during the assault, locked himself inside his home to protect his family before seeking emergency medical help.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the violence began when “terrorists hurled rocks at Israeli citizens, damaging their vehicles,” leading to “mutual rock-hurling between Palestinians and Israelis.” However, activists, including American volunteer Josh Kimelman, disputed this account, stating that Palestinian shepherds were initially harassed by settlers, escalating into mob violence. Kimelman, who arrived to assist, described how settlers attacked his colleagues, hitting them with sticks and throwing rocks at their vehicle.
Ballal, a well-known journalist and activist, has faced threats from settlers before. His co-director, Adra, expressed disappointment that global recognition had not improved conditions in the region. He noted that their village alone had suffered 45 attacks this year, leaving residents in constant fear.
Ballal was released on bail but was taken to a hospital for further medical treatment before returning home.
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Rupee rises 10 paise to 92.41/USD; faces risks from rising global tensions
Mumbai (PTI): The rupee appreciated 10 paise to 92.41 against the US dollar in early trade on Friday, even as the USD/INR pair faces risks from rising global tensions, especially the US-Iran conflict.
Forex traders said the rupee is likely to see high volatility intra-day as the deadline for RBI's instructions to banks to curb their overnight positions to USD 100 million closes today.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 92.58 against the US dollar, then gained ground to touch 92.41 against the US dollar in initial trade, registering a gain of 10 paise over its previous close.
On Thursday, the rupee settled with a marginal gain of 3 paise at 92.51 against the US dollar.
"An estimated 80–85 per cent of these positions have already been unwound, which means the bulk of this supportive flow is now behind us. In simple terms, the cushion that held the rupee steady is beginning to thin, and this is where the story starts to shift," CR Forex Advisors MD Amit Pabari said.
Pabari further noted that looking ahead, the picture for the rupee appears to be changing. "With most of the NOP-related support now fading and global uncertainties still elevated, the scope for further strength seems limited. USDINR is likely to find a base in the 92.20–92.50 zone, with a gradual move higher towards 93.50–94.00 levels," he said.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was higher by 0.07 per cent at 98.69 as the safe-haven demand has come down after the ceasefire, but as the ceasefire is fragile, the US dollar is getting bids at lower levels.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 0.51 per cent at USD 96.44 per barrel in futures trade, as the ongoing uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz opening is keeping the oil trade well bid.
Pabari further noted that just as domestic support begins to fade, the global backdrop is turning uneasy again. "The World Bank has flagged that India's growth for FY27, expected at 6.6 per cent, faces risks from rising global tensions, especially the Iran conflict," he said.
According to Pabari, India continues to have strong buffers in the form of forex reserves and a stable banking system, but pressure points are slowly beginning to build.
On the domestic equity market front, the stock markets witnessed a rebound in early trade. The 30-share Sensex jumped 630.08 points to 77,261.73, while the Nifty climbed 203.6 points to 23,978.70.
Foreign Institutional Investors offloaded equities worth Rs 1,711.19 crore on Thursday, according to exchange data.
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