
India hits Lahore in retaliation hours after taking down its air defence: Sources
The Indian Air Force thwarted an aerial attack by Pakistan earlier today, leaving Lahore's defence systems defenceless. Hours later, the already crippled Lahore base has been hit again, as India retaliated, sources told India Today TV, this time to Pakistan's shelling in parts of Jammu, Pathankot and Jaisalmer.It is being seen as a well-thought-out move on India's part, given how Lahore's air defence radar systems were already severely damaged by India's S-400 defence system in the earlier counterattack.advertisementEarlier today, Pakistan's HQ-9 missile defence system units, developed by China, were hit by Israeli-made HARPY kamikaze drones, effectively rendering the Pakistani army defenceless in Lahore, sources told India Today TV.
Despite a damaged defence system, Pakistan targeted military stations in Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur using missiles and drones.While one drone hit the Jammu airport, several missiles and drones were intercepted by India using the S-400 air defence system. Two Kamikaze drones were shot down in Poonch.Now, India has launched counterstrikes on Pakistan's defence systems again, in retaliation to the fresh attacks.India also shot down Pakistan's F-16 and two JF-17 aircraft, and Pakistan's Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) inside its Punjab province, sources said.Pakistan attempted to strike multiple military targets across northern and western India using drones and missiles earlier on Thursday. The targets included bases in Awantipora, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Bhuj.The projectiles were intercepted and neutralised by the S-400 air defence systems, dubbed 'Sudarshan Chakra'.Tune InMust Watch

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Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Excise duty on liquor goes up by over 50%, retail prices to rise from 14% to 60%
MUMBAI: The cash-strapped Maharashtra government on Tuesday increased the state excise duty on Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) by over 50%, which will lead to a significant increase in retail prices by over 60%. It has also increased the duty on country liquor and imported premium liquor, which will hike their retail prices by 14% and over 25% respectively. The excise duty on beer and wine has not been increased. The government expects the whopping hike to increase its revenue to ₹57,000 crore, up ₹14,000 crore from the ₹43,620 crore collected in FY 2024-25. It expects 10% of the estimated revenue receipts of ₹5.60 lakh crore for the financial year 2025-26 to come from this. While tapping sources of revenue that would enable the drained exchequer to bear the burden of populist schemes like Ladki Bahin and sops for farmers and other communities, the Mahayuti government in January constituted a committee headed by then additional chief secretary Valsa Nair to recommend steps to increase revenue from liquor sales. The committee submitted its report in April this year, and the state cabinet gave its assent to this on Tuesday. Based on the recommendations of the committee, IMFL will now attract four and a half times excise duty on the manufacturing cost instead of the existing three times. 'This will vary based on the manufacturing price but could lead to a huge hike of over 60% in retail prices,' said an excise department official. The cost of IMFL currently ranges between ₹120 and ₹150 for 180 ml, which will now go up to a minimum of ₹205. Premium brands will cost a minimum of ₹360 for 180 ml as against their current rate ranging between ₹210 and ₹330. The price of 180-ml bottles of country liquor has gone up to ₹80 from the current price of ₹70. Beer and wine have been exempted from the excise duty hike. Officials said the retail price of beer, which has a lesser percentage of alcohol compared to hard liquor, is among the highest in the country and was thus exempted. In the case of wine, it is the policy of the state to promote wine since a significant chunk of the country's wineries are in Maharashtra and a significant number of farmers who supply grapes for these wineries are also based here. The government has also introduced a new category called Maharashtra-made liquor (MML), which will also be exempted from the hike. MML brands, made from grains, will cost a minimum of ₹148 for 180 ml, a price that has been strategically kept in the existing price range of IMFL to help MML capture the IMFL market. An official from the excise department said that the new category had been introduced to revive the 70 manufacturing units that manufacture IMFL from molasses and grains. 'Currently 22 of the 70 licenced units are entirely defunct while 16 do no manufacturing and renew their licence only for permission to sell liquor through their shops,' he said. 'The remaining 32 are actually manufacturing the liquor, and 10 of these produce 70% of the IMFL manufactured in the state.' The official added that distilleries using molasses would have to shift to making grain-based liquor in order to get the benefit of the exemption. The reason for this, he alleged, was that most of the grain-based manufacturing units are owned by politicians and the decision was taken to benefit them. The duty hike on IMFL brands has come after 14 years. According to officials, the excise duty levied is still lower than other neighbouring states like Madhya Pradesh and Telangana. 'The committee's recommendations were based on the study of the rates in other states,' said an officer. Another officer said that the hike in duty on country liquor brands was minimal since a greater increase and higher price would lead to the consumption of illicit liquor. 'It is also because the last hike was done in 2022,' he said. The cabinet has also allowed owners of bars to rent out permit room licences for alcohol by paying 10% of the licence fee.


India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
9 Baloch men forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces: Report
Pakistani security personnel have reportedly forcibly disappeared nine Baloch men from two separate regions of Balochistan, according to local media outlet The Balochistan Post (TBP). The alleged abductions have intensified concerns over the ongoing human rights crisis in the volatile to TBP, two residents of Pasni -- Yar Jan and Sher Jan, both from Babbar Shor Ward No. 1 -- were detained and taken to an unknown location. Their families have received no information about their a separate incident on Monday morning, Pakistani forces reportedly raided homes in the Dasht Balnigor district of Kech, where locals described aggressive searches and harassment of women and children. Seven young men -- identified as Naveed, Salman, Haneef, Naseer, Afraz, Kamal, and Phullain -- were also detained and similarly disappeared. The TBP report pointed that "enforced disappearances have long been a contentious problem in Balochistan," with families routinely facing "daylight abductions that occur without warrants or formal charges, leaving them with no legal recourse." Human rights organisations have repeatedly condemned the Pakistani government's handling of dissent in Balochistan. Amnesty International, in a recent statement, asserted that enforced disappearances "run contrary to Pakistan's international human rights obligations" and called for prompt investigations and the immediate release of claim that laws like the Anti-Terrorism Act and special security ordinances are often misused to arrest civilians, particularly Baloch students, political activists, and journalists. "Military courts and special tribunals frequently try Baloch activists without fair trial standards, further denying them justice," the report inputs from ANIMust Watch
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First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
UK, Canada and western allies sanction far-right Israeli ministers for ‘inciting extremist violence'
Five Western countries, including Canada, UK have sanctioned two Israeli ministers over inciting violence against Palestinians, amid growing global criticism of Israel's settlement policies and the ongoing Gaza war. read more The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Norway have imposed sanctions on two Israeli ministers, accusing them of repeatedly inciting violence against Palestinians. The sanctions target National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, both leaders of far-right parties that support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's fragile coalition. This move comes amid growing criticism from Israel's Western allies over its settlement policies in the West Bank and the surge in settler violence. The violence has intensified since Hamas' 7 October 2023 attack, which triggered the ongoing war in Gaza. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Support for continued war, Gaza resettlement Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, key figures in Netanyahu's government, strongly support the continuation of the war in Gaza. They have publicly backed what they call the 'voluntary' emigration of Palestinians from Gaza and the re-establishment of Jewish settlements in the territory. Sanctions include asset freezes and travel bans The sanctions could lead to asset freezes and travel bans against both ministers. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the five countries said Ben-Gvir and Smotrich 'have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights. Extremist rhetoric advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous.'