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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Nightclub fire: Thai authorities initiating process to send back Luthra brothers to India
Panaji/ New Delhi (PTI): Authorities in Thailand are initiating the process to deport Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the nightclub in Goa where 25 people were killed in a fire on December 6, government sources said on Friday.
As the state police are probing the tragedy, a local resident who claims to be the original owner of the land where `Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub stood claimed that the zoning of the saltpan land was "quietly" changed for the club's benefit.
AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, meanwhile, lashed out at the BJP government over "corruption" in the coastal state, and said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant should apologise to the people over the fire incident.
The Indian embassy in Bangkok is in close touch with the Thai authorities to expedite the deportation of the Luthras, official sources in Delhi said.
The brothers have been detained by Thai authorities in Phuket following an intervention by the embassy, they said.
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"The Thai authorities are presently taking action as per local laws, including for sending the two individuals back to India," said one of the sources.
The Luthras left for Phuket shortly after the fire incident.
A Delhi court on Wednesday refused to give any interim protection from arrest to the duo, while their partner was held.
Five managers and staff members have already been arrested by Goa Police in connection with the fire that broke out at the nightclub located in Arpora, 25 km from Panaji, around midnight on December 6.
Police have recorded the statements of at least 50 persons in the case so far, said an official.
Pradeep Ghadi Amonkar, who claims to be the original owner of the land where the club stood, alleged that a portion of his property was converted from saltpan to settlement zone without his knowledge.
He had signed a sale agreement with Surinder Kumar Khosla in 2004, but it was withdrawn within six months as he allegedly did not receive the payment. Kholsa set up a nightclub on the land, and it was later taken over by Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, Amonkar had alleged earlier.
While the case filed by him has been pending in the court for 21 years, on Thursday he discovered that "the government quietly changed the zoning of my land without informing me,” Amonkar said.
No notice was served to him concerning the zone change, he claimed, asking how salt pan can be converted into a settlement zone.
A senior Goa Town and Country Planning official said as an inquiry into this matter is underway, it would not be appropriate for them to comment.
Speaking at a public meeting in Goa, Kejriwal, campaigning for local body elections, said, "This is perhaps the most corrupt government, and the least the chief minister could do is to apologise to the people of Goa for Arpora incident and ensure safety in all the establishments."
The nightclub did not have several requisite permissions, still it could operate because it paid "hafta" or regular bribes to government officials, he alleged.
Meanwhile, the state BJP has sought clarification from two of its leaders for alleging corruption against the backdrop of the fire tragedy.
MLA Michael Lobo and former tourism minister Dilip Parulekar had alleged large-scale corruption in the beach belt, claiming that it had resulted in illegalities in the tourism sector.
“I have heard the statement by both the leaders. I have sought clarification from them for making such statements,” BJP Goa president Damodar Naik told reporters in Panaji on Friday.
