New Karnataka assembly's first session begins
Bengaluru, July 2 : The first session of Karnataka's newly-elected 15th assembly began here on Monday with Governor Vajubhai Vala addressing the joint session of the legislature in Hindi.
During the 10-day-long session, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who also holds the Finance portfolio, will present a full-fledged budget of the new coalition government for fiscal 2018-19 on July 5.
On the Governor's choice of language, an official told IANS that as he "is comfortable reading his speech in Hindi, he has been addressing in the assembly in the language since he assumed office in September 2014". The official language of the southern state is Kannada.
The legislators, however, were given Kannada and English versions of Vala's address as he began to read in Hindi.
However, for some legislators from central and northern regions who are acquainted with Hindi, a copy of Vala's address was also made available to them in the same language, while many of the remaining lawmakers preferred to go through the Kannada version, said the official.
Though the new assembly met twice during May for the floor test of the 3-day BJP government first on May 19 and the coalition government of the JD-S and Congress on May 25, they were adjourned on the same respective day.
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Lebanon: Israeli airstrikes kill 29 in Beirut as Israel intensifies attacks
Beirut: A new wave of Israeli airstrikes targeted Beirut and its southern suburbs, escalating the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah. The attacks follow a deadly assault the previous day that left 29 dead and 66 injured in the Lebanese capital.
On Sunday, the Israeli military announced that it had carried out "intelligence-based strikes" against Hezbollah command centers in Beirut's southern neighborhoods, including Haret Hreik, Burj Barajneh, and Hadath, as reported by Xinhua news agency. Within just 30 minutes, local TV station al-Jadeed documented 12 airstrikes in the area.
Videos shared online captured plumes of dense black smoke rising from the targeted suburbs, indicating the intensity of the bombardment. Prior to the strikes, Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee used social media to warn residents to evacuate several buildings in the southern part of the city.
The fresh wave of airstrikes follows a Saturday attack on an eight-storey residential building in Beirut’s Basta Fawka neighborhood. While Israeli reports suggested the target was a senior Hezbollah official, Lebanese lawmaker and Hezbollah member Amin Sherri denied any political or military figures were present in the building during the assault.
In retaliation, Hezbollah declared it had destroyed five Israeli Merkava tanks in southern Lebanon using guided missiles on Sunday. The group also claimed to have launched attacks on several locations in northern Israel, including Kerem ben Zimra and Kfar Blum.
The hostilities have intensified since September 23, with Israeli forces increasing airstrikes on Lebanon and launching a ground offensive across the northern border in early October.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry released figures on Sunday indicating that Israeli airstrikes have resulted in 3,754 deaths and 15,626 injuries since the conflict reignited on October 8, 2023.
