Israeli retaliatory airstrikes kill Palestinian: Gaza ministry
Jerusalem: A Palestinian was killed by Israeli airstrikes on Saturday, the health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip said, in an attack launched in response to rocket fire.
Dozens of strikes hit the Palestinian enclave in the early hours, targeting bases of the strip's Islamist rulers and allied groups, a security source in Gaza said.
The Israeli army said the strikes targeted "a wide range of Hamas terror targets", including a Hamas naval site, a military compound and a weapons manufacturing site.
One person was killed, the health ministry in Gaza said, naming him as Ahmed al-Shehri, 27. It did not say whether he was affiliated with any faction. The sound of explosions could be heard up and down the impoverished territory, an AFP correspondent said.
A Hamas source said they had fired at the Israeli aircraft carrying out the raids and the Israeli army confirmed fresh "incoming fire" from Gaza.
The strikes came in response to at least 10 rockets fired from Gaza late Friday at southern Israel. The Israeli army said the country's Iron Dome anti-missile defence system intercepted eight of the rockets. The rockets were fired in waves, the army said, with air raid sirens sounding.
One house was hit and damaged, without any casualties, the army said, posting a picture of the damage on Twitter. It was the second consecutive evening that the army reported rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave, which is ruled by Hamas. Prior to Thursday, there had been no such reported rocket fire from Gaza since September 12.
In August, a series of rocket attacks from Gaza and Israeli retaliations, as well as border clashes, raised fears of an escalation between Hamas and Israel, as elections approached in the Jewish state.
Those polls -- Israel's second elections this year -- took place on September 17, but have yet to yield a new government. Sworn enemies Israel and Hamas have fought three wars in the Palestinian enclave since 2008. Analysts say a fourth round remains likely.
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Finland's President Stubb kicks off 4-day visit to India; trade, innovation top agenda
New Delhi (PTI): Finnish President Alexander Stubb began a four-day visit to India on Wednesday to bolster bilateral cooperation across a wide spectrum of areas, including trade, investment and critical technology.
Stubb will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday following which the two sides are expected to firm up a number of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to boost cooperation in a number of sectors.
The crisis in West Asia is likely to figure prominently in the meeting.
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"The visit will further strengthen the relations between Finland and India, including in the area of trade," Stubb said before leaving for New Delhi.
The Finnish president will grace as the chief guest at the inaugural session of the Raisina Dialogue on Thursday evening.
Stubb was accorded a warm welcome at the airport by Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh.
"India and Finland share a warm and friendly relationship rooted in shared democratic values. President Stubb's visit will impart further energy to India-Finland relations," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on social media.
The Finnish president is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising ministers, senior officials and business leaders.
Stubb's visit to India comes weeks after Finland's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo travelled to New Delhi for the AI Impact Summit.
The Finnish president will also meet President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President C P Radhakrishnan.
Stubb will travel to Mumbai on Friday where he is scheduled to meet several business leaders. The Finnish leader will conclude his visit on Saturday.
