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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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
