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Mon, 13 September 2021
JEE-Advanced registrations deferred again

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23:49   JEE-Advanced registrations deferred again
The registrations for Joint Entrance Examination (JEE)-Advanced for admission to IITs were on Monday deferred again due to delay in announcement of JEE-Main results.

The registration process was to begin last week but was deferred till Monday due to the delay in result. However, the registration did not begin on Monday as well.

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, which is conducting JEE-Advanced this year, has not announced a new date for registration and has asked candidates to wait for an update.

JEE-Advanced is scheduled to be conducted on October 3.

"The result for JEE-Mains will be announced either tomorrow or latest by Wednesday," a senior official said.

The official did not comment on the reason behind the delay in announcement of result.

Starting this year, JEE-Mains was conducted four times a year to offer flexibility to students and a chance to improve their scores. The first phase was held in February and the second in March.

The next phases were scheduled for April and May but those were postponed in view of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that raged through the country affecting lakhs.

The third edition was held from July 20-25 while the fourth edition was conducted from August 26 to September 2.

The ranks of the candidates will be released taking into consideration the best of the four NTA scores in accordance with the policy already made.

According to the officials, NTA scores are normalised across multi-session papers and are based on the relative performance of all those who appeared for the examination in one session.

"The marks obtained are converted into a scale ranging from 100 to 0 for each session of examinees. NTA score is not the same as the percentage of marks obtained," a senior official said.

While the JEE-Mains is conducted for admission to engineering colleges across the country, it is considered as a qualifying test for the JEE-Advanced.
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22:52   India took Pak's desire for good neighbourly relations as weakness: President Alvi
Pakistan always desired good relations with its neighbours, but India took this wish as a weakness, President Arif Alvi said on Monday as he accused New Delhi of trying to derail Islamabad's relations with Beijing.

Alvi made the remarks while addressing a joint session of Parliament to mark the start of the fourth parliamentary year of the National Assembly, the lower chamber of the bicameral parliament, amid protests from the Opposition parties.

Pakistan always desired good relations with its neighbours, but India took this wish as a weakness, Alvi said, recalling the Indian air strike on a terror camp in Pakistan in 2019.

India's war planes pounded a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist training camp deep inside Pakistan on February 26, 2019 in response to the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed.

India has told Pakistan that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Islamabad in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence. India has said the onus is on Pakistan to create an environment free of terror and hostility.

Alvi also alleged that India was doing immense injustice to the people of Kashmir. "I want to make it clear to India to stop the oppression in India and fulfil the promise of self-determination (in Kashmir), he said.

Alvi said Pakistan wants peace in Afghanistan and has been playing a positive role in the war-torn neighbouring country.

Last week, the Taliban announced a hardline interim government led by Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund, chief of the Taliban's powerful decision-making body 'Rehbari Shura', in Kabul. At least 14 members of the Cabinet, including acting Prime Minister Mullah Akhund, are listed on the UN Security Council's terrorism blacklist.

The Taliban announced the formation of the government just three days after the visit of Pakistan's spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed to Kabul where he met the top leadership of the insurgent group.

Alvi also appreciated China's "significant" role in Pakistan's progress, adding that the country held its relations with Beijing in great esteem, despite India trying to derail these relations.

"We look at relations with China with great respect and want to strengthen them. I want to make it clear to India that it will never be successful in its goals and Pak-China friendship will keep strengthening, he said.

On the domestic front, Alvi said that the government in its three-year tenure put the country on a prosperous and shining future by its performance in economy, social and human development sectors as well as in the foreign policy arena.

Alvi also highlighted that a growing population was a threat and asked the people to pay attention to population control and requested the government to increase funding for this sector.

He also talked about trend of increasing violence against women: "In recent days, incidents of sexual violence against women emerged due to which everyone is sad and I think it is a national responsibility to take steps to curb such incidents, he said.

Alvi, who is an ardent member of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, said that due to the efforts of the government, Pakistan's exports increased to USD 25.3 billion in 2020-21 and the national bourse, the Pakistan Stock Exchange, "broke all past records and became Asia's best-performing market and world's fourth-best".

When the protest by the Opposition grew louder, Alvi told them: "Despite you making noise, you will have to accept the reality."

The Opposition had announced to boycott his address due to various government policies including efforts to introduce electronic voting machines in the next election.

The Opposition lawmakers were also angry as the government had announced to introduce media related laws, including Media Development Authority, which both the media organizations and opposition parties have termed an effort to muzzle free press.

The Opposition leaders staged a walk out of the session and joined a sit-in by the media in front of the parliament building to protest against the government.
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Representational pic
22:39   Naxal involved in killing of 76 CRPF jawans held
A Naxal involved in the 2010 Tadmetla incident in which 76 security personnel were killed as well as several other deadly attacks was arrested from Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh, a police official said on Monday.

Moti Ram Awalam (30) was an active member of "PLGA Battalion No 1", considered the strongest military formation of the outlawed movement, headed by wanted Maoist "commander" Hidma, and was carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head, he said.

"He was apprehended between Patelpara and Golgunda villages by a joint team of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Special Task Force (STF) and district police on Sunday," he said.

"Awalam, who hails from Naimed area of the district, was wanted in connection with several major Naxal attacks in south Bastar between 2010 and 2017. He was part of the Maoist squad that executed the 2010 attack near Tadmetla village (then in Dantewada, now in Sukma), in which 76 security personnel were killed. He was also involved in the 2017 Burkapal Naxal ambush in which 25 CRPF personnel were killed," the official informed.

The official said Awalam was wanted in connection with the 2016 Kasalpaad Naxal attack that killed 16 CRPF jawans, as well as the 2015 Tondamarka attack and 2016 Pidmel attacks, both leading to the death of five troopers each.
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Representational pic
22:00   Boy killed by cow vigilantes' vehicle in Rajasthan
A teenager was killed after being hit by a vehicle of cow vigilantes, who were chasing a truck that was reportedly smuggling cattle in Alwar district of Rajasthan, the victim's family has alleged.

The incident occurred on Sunday in the Chupanki police station area in Bhiwadi near the Rajasthan-Haryana border where Sabir Khan (17) was hit by the speeding vehicle in which the cow vigilantes were chasing the truck, police said.

A case of murder was registered against seven persons on the basis of the complaint filed by Khan's family, police said, adding three of them have been arrested.

Sonu, Harkesh and Naredra have been arrested while four others are absconding. The matter is being investigated further, Station House Officer (SHO) Mukesh Kumar Verma said.

Khan's body was handed over to his family after postmortem.

Bhiwadi Circle officer Hari Ram Kumawat said the truck, which was carrying 15 cows, rammed a tree and stopped in Tauru area of Nuh district of Haryana and the matter related to the cows was being probed by Haryana police.
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20:58   Mumbai Covid cases below 400 for 3rd day in a row
Mumbai on Monday reported 347 COVID-9 cases and six deaths, taking its tally to 7,35,403 and toll to 16,028, this being the third day in a row when the addition to the infection count was less than 400, a civic official said.

However, the number of tests carried out during the day stood at 25,851, the lowest in September, which took the overall number of tests in metropolis to 97,41,455, civic data showed.

The discharge of 420 people took the recovery count to 7,12,162, which is 97 per cent of the tally, leaving the city with 4,744 active cases, the official informed.

The case doubling time is 1,271 days and the average growth rate between September 6 and 12 stood at 0.6 per cent, data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation revealed.

It also informed that Mumbai has 38 sealed buildings and no containment zones since mid-August.
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20:31   2 children dead in Delhi building collapse
A four-storey building in north Delhi's congested Sabzi Mandia area collapsed on Monday, killing two brothers who were passing by with their mother and were trapped under the debris, officials said.

The two children were aged seven and 12, the police said, adding that three to four more people may be trapped under the rubble.

A 72-year-old man, Ramji Das who was also trapped under the debris and suffered a head injury, was rescued and rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The ground floor of the building, believed to be 75-years-old, was being used for commercial purpose while the rest was residential.

N S Bundela, Joint Commissioner of Police (Central), said the two children, both brothers, were rescued and taken to a hospital where they were declared brought dead.

"They were passing by with their mother when the building collapsed and the two bothers got trapped under the debris. A case will be registered and legal action will be taken accordingly," he said.

The incident comes days after record heavy rains pounded Delhi, throwing life out gear .  A car parked nearby was severely damaged as the debris from the building fell on it.

The locals who had gathered at the spot to help with rescue operations were later removed from the area.

Teams of local team, MCD, NDRF among others are at the spot to undertake rescue operation.

Seven fire tenders were rushed to the spot for rescue operations, officials said.

The Delhi Fire Service received a call about the incident at 11.50 am, said Atul Garg, the director of DFS.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said he is closely monitoring the situation.

"The incident of building collapse in Sabzi Mandi area is very sad. The administration is engaged in relief and rescue work. Through the district administration, I am myself monitoring the situation," he tweeted in hindi.

AAP MLA from Timarpur Dilip Pandey also took twitter and said local administration along with party workers are engaged in rescue operations.

"Very unfortunate incident, 75-year-old building of Laxman Prasad ji collapsed in Malkaganj. On the spot, QRT team of Delhi government, fire brigade team and local administration, we and AAP workers are engaged in rescue work.

"Two people were evacuated safely. About 7-8 more people feared to be trapped inside," he tweeted in hindi.
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Representational pic
19:39   Army men arrested in Agra for links with Pak spies
Thwarting a suspected attempt by Pakistani agencies to gain information from Indian defence forces' personnel, some military personnel have been caught for having links with adversaries' spies in Uttar Pradesh's Agra and have been taken into custody.

In the last few years, there have been multiple attempts by Pakistani agencies to virtually trap Indian services personnel and gain sensitive military information from them.

"Surveillance is constantly being maintained to monitor activities of such agents particularly so in the vicinity of military areas. A few personnel from an establishment at Agra involved in an unauthorised communication with undesirable elements were recently discovered, based on proactive actions by our intelligence agencies," government sources told ANI.

In this regard, some persons have already been taken into custody and are being investigated to verify the details and other individuals, if involved, they said.

Sources said that military personnel are always briefed on these issues by the authorities to prevent such leakage of information. Senior military authorities have reiterated that no such case is allowed to go undetected and strong action will be taken against all personnel involved.

Strictest action is taken against personnel found involved in these cases and many defence personnel have been dismissed from service and jailed after getting caught in these activities.
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19:27   Super 30's Anand Kumar awarded Swami Brahmanand Award 2021
Mathematician Anand Kumar was Monday conferred with the Swami Brahmanand Award 2021 for his contribution in the field of education through his 'Super 30' initiative, which prepares underprivileged students for the IIT entrance exam.

He received the award from professor Roop Kishore Shastri, the vice-chancellor of Haridwar's Gurukula Kangri deemed university, at a function in the Rath area of Hamirpur district of Uttar Pradesh.

The award -- carrying Rs 10,000 in cash, a bronze medal, a bronze statue of Swami Brahmanand and a certificate -- is given every year to people who have done special work in the education sector or for the welfare of the cow.

It has been instituted in the name of Swami Brahmananda, a freedom fighter, former MP and a saint known for his sacrifices and his contribution in the field of education.

Friederike Irina Bruening, a German national, who has devoted her life to sick and abandoned cows in Mathura, received the first Swami Brahmanand Award for cow protection in 2019.

Bruening, who is also known as Sudevi Dasi, is also a recipient of Padma Shri.

In 2020, the award went to academician Dr Arun Kumar Pandey, who worked to strengthen India's cultural and educational bonding in South Korea.

'Super 30' founder Anand Kumar said Monday he will hold a test in March 2022 in the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh also to tap talent for the coaching programme.

"The children have evinced immense interest in studies. Next year by March, tests will be held so that talent could be tapped for Super 30," Anand Kumar told PTI.

'Super 30' is a coaching programme of Kumar's Patna-based Ramanujan School of Mathematics.

According to its website, it hunts for 30 meritorious students from among economically backward sections of the society and shapes them to clear the test to get in to the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT).
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18:45   India crosses 75 cr Covid vaccine doses: Govt
India has crossed the landmark of administering 75 crore Covid vaccine doses, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said Monday.
 
He said the country's vaccination drive continues to create new dimensions under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and with his mantra of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Prayas (together with everybody, with everybody's efforts".
'Congratulations India! In the 75th year of independence, the country has crossed the figure of 75 crore vaccinations," the health minister tweeted with hashtags #SabkoVaccineMuftVaccine and #AazadiKaAmritMahotsav.
So far, all adult people in six states and union territories -- Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Ladakh and Lakshadweep -- have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
India took 85 days to touch the 10-crore vaccination mark, 45 more days to cross the 20-crore mark and 29 more days to reach 30 crore, Mandaviya said.
The country took 24 days to reach 40 crore from 30 crore doses and then 20 more days to cross the 50-crore vaccination mark on August 6. 

It took 19 more days to go past the 60-crore mark and took only 13 days to reach 70 crore from 60 crore on Sep 7.
The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. Vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2.
The next phase of the vaccination drive commenced from March 1 for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions. 
The country launched vaccination for all people aged over 45 years from April 1. The government then decided to expand the vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 to be vaccinated from May 1. 

The vaccination exercise as a tool to protect the most vulnerable population groups in the country from COVID-19 continues to be regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level, the ministry said. -- PTI 
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18:31   BJP busy replacing non-performing CMs: Chidambaram
Congress leader P Chidambaram Monday said the Bharatiya Janata Party is busy replacing its "non-performing" chief ministers but the list is long.
 
His reaction came two days after Vijay Rupani resigned as Gujarat chief minister. Bhupendra Patel succeeded him.
"The BJP is busy replacing its non-performing Chief Ministers. When did the BJP leadership realize they were non-performing CMs," he asked on Twitter.
Before Rupani in Gujarat, the BJP had replaced Lingayat stalwart B S Yediyurappa as Karnataka CM with Basavaraj S Bommai. 
Uttarakhand got three different chief ministers within four months when the BJP replaced Trivendra Singh Rawat with Tirath Singh Rawat, before bringing in Pushkar Singh Dhami.
Chidambaram said the people of the states concerned knew for months that B S Yediyurappa, the two Rawats and Rupani were "non-performing".
"There are more who must be replaced. In Haryana, Goa, Tripura etc. The list is long," he said on Twitter. -- PTI
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17:56   Kharif foodgrain output likely to touch record 150 mn tn this year: Agri Secy
The country's foodgrain production is likely to touch a new record of over 150 million tonnes in the Kharif season of the 2021-22 crop year (July-June) due to good rains, Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agarwal said on Monday. 

 Sowing of Kharif (summer) crops like paddy, which begins with the onset of the Southwest monsoon from June, will get over by the end of this month.

Harvesting in most of the parts will commence from October. "We have received good rains so far this year. Total Kharif foodgrain production was 149.56 million tonnes last year as per the fourth estimate. As there is likely to be an increase in area under pulses and paddy, foodgrain production will definitely be much higher than last year's Kharif season," Agarwal told reporters. 

The Agriculture Ministry is expecting foodgrain production to be more than 150 million tonnes in the Kharif season this year, higher than 149.56 million tonnes achieved in the same season of the 2020-21 crop year, he said. 

 The first estimate of the country's overall foodgrain production for this Kharif season will be released around September 15, he added.
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17:43   Police patrolling to be upped in Mumbai
Updates: Mumbai rape and murder case: The Maharashtra Government has announced a compensation of Rs 20 lakh for the next of the kin of the victim.

Police patrolling will be increased in places where streets are less populated during the night. Women travelling alone at night will be provided help, by the night patrolling officers, says Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale.

The Sakinaka police have added sections of SC-ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, as victim belonged to SC. Police also recovered the murder weapon that the accused had used. Primary cause of death is injuries all over her body. 

A 34-year-old woman was raped and brutalised with a rod by a man inside a stationary tempo in suburban Sakinaka in the early hours of Friday. She died at a hospital during treatment in the early hours of Saturday. 

The crime bore similarity to the 2012 'Nirbhaya' gang-rape case of Delhi.

The 45-year-old suspect, arrested within a few hours of the incident, was later charged with murder.
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17:32   Mapped: Chief Ministers of Gujarat
President's Rule has been imposed in Gujarat five times so far. 
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17:23   KYC updation: RBI cautions against fraud
Banking regulator Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday cautioned people not to share account login details, personal information, copies of KYC documents, card information, PIN, password and OTP with unidentified persons or agencies.

"Such details should not be shared through unverified/unauthorised websites or applications. In case they receive any such requests, customers are requested to get in touch with their bank/branch," said the RBI. The central bank has been receiving complaints about customers falling prey to frauds being perpetrated in the name of KYC updation.
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17:10   China asks US, world to step-up aid to Afghanistan
China on Monday asked the US and the international community to take "active actions" to help ease the economic crisis in Afghanistan by providing aid to the war-torn country even as it called on the Taliban to stay true to its commitment not to allow terrorist groups to operate from the Afghan soil. 

"The Afghan Taliban should stay true to its commitment and earnestly make a clean break with all terrorist forces and take effective measures to crack down on them to avoid the spillover effects, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing on Monday.

 "Terrorism remains a common threat for the international community. China stands ready to work with other countries to deepen counter-terrorism cooperation to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a hotbed and safe haven for terrorism and jointly safeguard the regional peace and stability, he said.
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16:44   Sensex drops 127 points; RIL tumbles over 2%
Equity benchmark Sensex dropped 127 points on Monday, weighed by losses in index heavyweights Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank. 

The 30-share BSE index ended 127.31 points or 0.22 per cent lower at 58,177.76, while the broader NSE Nifty slipped 13.95 points or 0.08 per cent to 17,355.30. 

 Reliance Industries was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding over 2 per cent, followed by ICICI Bank, HUL, HDFC Bank, M&M, Ultra Cement, IndusInd Bank and Tech Mahindra. On the other hand, TCS, Bharti Airtel, Bajaj Finserv, Tata Steel, Maruti and Kotak Bank were among the gainers.
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16:30   Top cop stands by his statement on Mumbai rape
Mumbai Police commissioner Hemant Nagrale, who said the force cannot be present at the spot of every crime, today said he was not wrong and was simply presenting the facts. 

The Mumbai Police chief was asked how could the crime take place when the force is has increased patrolling during the festival season in the city. "The police reached the spot within 10 minutes. It can't be present at every crime location. They will reach only after getting the information. Police did their best," he had said.

The incident refers to the rape and murder of a 32-year-old woman in Sakinaka. She was raped and assaulted with an iron rod and died while undergoing treatment at a hospital early on Saturday.

Chandramukhi Devi of the National Commission of Women had said the statement was extremely unfortunate. 

Nagrale said at a press conference in Mumbai today that the NCW member, Chandramukhi Deve had in fact agreed with his statement on police presence.

"People have misquoted me. I had said police cannot be present at every spot, but police can reach the spot, and we reached within 10 minutes. I am maintaining my statement and it is a factual statement," Nagrale said.   
Taliban has allowed women to work in health and education.
Taliban has allowed women to work in health and education.
16:12   Women in Afghanistan want to return to govt jobs
Women in Afghanistan said that they have been stopped by the Taliban from returning to work, despite their willingness to work.

Women in Afghanistan have demanded the right to return to government jobs, reported TOLOnews.

Shugufa Najibi, who completed a master's degree in law from India and had been working in the Afghan parliament for about 10 years, she said, "When I went to the office, they stopped me. I asked 'Why? Your officials say women can work?' When I left, they told me through my colleagues to not come anymore."

According to data by Special Inspector for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), more than 5,000 women were working in the military sector in Afghanistan.

Hanisfa Hamdar, who is a former police officer and worked at Kabul Police District 8 expressed that she is worried about her future. She said, "I am a widow. I have four children. How should find food if I don't go to work?"

Taliban only allowed women to return to work in the sectors of health and education. But Lima Mohammadi, who is a doctor working at a government hospital said, "There is need for women. In the hospital and elsewhere. As men work, women should work as well."

She has resumed working even though she has not received wages for the last three months, reported Tolo News.

Pic: Tolo News
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16:04   Army Chief on two-day visit to Mumbai
Army Chief General MM Naravane is on a two-day visit to Mumbai in Maharashtra, said the Additional Directorate General of Public Information, Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Army) on Monday.

During this visit, the Army Chief will visit various army and naval establishments, mentioned a tweet by the defence ministry.

Earlier last week, the Army Chief visited Western Command headquarters at Chandimandir in Panchkula where he addressed officers of the Command and highlighted the various force modernisation measures being undertaken by the Indian Army.
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15:55   British PM to set out lockdown-free winter COVID plan
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will set out the government's winter plan for managing Covid-19 this week, Downing Street said on Monday.

 Vaccines will continue to be the "first line of defence over the coming autumn and winter months, supported by new treatments, testing, and the UK's "world leading variant surveillance system, with further lockdowns expected to be ruled out. 

 Under the autumn-winter proposals, the government is set to repeal some powers of its emergency Coronavirus Act, brought in to tackle the pandemic last year.

 "Thanks to the efforts of the public, the NHS and our phenomenal vaccination programme, we reached Step 4 in our (lockdown) Roadmap and life has returned to a sense of normality, said Johnson, ahead of a planned press conference on Tuesday. 

 "These extraordinary times required necessary but intrusive measures. But I'm determined to get rid of any powers we no longer need because of our vaccine defences. I will set out the next phase in our Covid response shortly," he said. 

 Downing Street has said that while certain powers, such as closing down sectors of the economy, schools and detention of infectious people are set to go, some vital powers from the Coronavirus Act will be retained to protect and support the public. 

This includes giving sick pay to those isolating from day one rather than day seven, directing schools to remain open if they close against government guidance, and helping the National Health Service (NHS) to get the emergency resource it needs.
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15:34   Oscar Fernandes dies at 80
Veteran Congress leader, former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha member Oscar Fernandes died at a private hospital in Mangaluru on Monday. He was 80, family sources said. Fernandes was hospitalised in July after suffering a fall while doing yoga at his house. He had also undergone a surgery to remove a clot in his brain. PTI
Image only for representation.
Image only for representation.
15:27   Taliban assault woman activist, abduct family
In what appears to be a growing trend in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, armed members of the group on Saturday assaulted a female civil society activist and abducted five of her family members.

The incident took place in the limits of the 15th police district of Afghanistan when dozens of armed members of the outfit forcefully entered Fahima Rahmati's house and started beating her, Pajhwok Afghan News reported.

Rahmati, who is the head of Hope Foundation, also informed that the Taliban have abducted five men, including her two brothers and a brother-in-law and a neighbour.

Meanwhile, Kandahar's intelligence chief, Rahmatullah Naraiwal alleged that the Taliban had received information related to the presence of former National Directorate of Security operatives in Rahmati's house, Pajhwok Afghan News reported.

But the activist has categorically refused any such allegations.

As the Taliban continue to tighten their grip on Afghanistan, reports of harassment and brutalities against women have started emerging from the country.

Despite the grave threats from the outfit, scores of women are holding demonstrations in cities across the country, demanding rights being denied to them.

A day ago, Human Rights activist Habibullah Farzad was also beaten brutally by the Taliban for participating in a protest held by women in Kabul.

Violence against Rights activists and protesters in Afghanistan has become a common occurrence after the Taliban captured the country.

Recent scenes of barbarity in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover have also exposed the devastating state of human rights in the war-ravaged country.

At present, the chaotic situation in Afghanistan, with images of gun-toting persons all around, has put the whole population in a state of siege.

People's movement has been restricted which demonstrates the absence of even the most basic of human rights in the country.   -- ANI
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14:55   Afghanistan to change curriculum as per Sharia laws
In a bid to implement a hardline Islamic curriculum in Afghanistan, the Taliban on Sunday said that university subjects that defy Sharia Islamic laws will be removed from higher education.

"Each subject that is against Islamic laws will be removed," said Acting Minister of Higher Education Shaikh Abdul Baqi Haqqani in a press conference, reported TOLOnews.

 Haqqani mentioned that mixed classes between girls and boys are not acceptable and some changes will be brought to the curriculum.-A week ago, private universities and other higher education institutions were reopened but the classes were divided by gender.
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14:33   Bhupendra Patel takes over as 17th Gujarat CM
First-term MLA Bhupendra Patel was on Monday sworn in Gujarat chief minister, two days after Vijay Rupani's surprise exit from the post, a year ahead of the Assembly polls.

 Patel (59), unanimously elected BJP legislature party leader on Sunday, was sworn in as the state's 17th chief minister by Governor Acharya Devvrat at a simple ceremony in Ahmedabad. 

 Union Home Minister Amit Shah and chief ministers of some BJP-ruled states were among those present at the Raj Bhavan ceremony. As decided by the party, only Patel took the oath. 

The council of ministers will take oath during the next few days after their names are finalised, BJP sources said. The governor had on Sunday invited Patel to take oath as chief minister. 

"The new leader of BJP's Legislature Party Bhupendrabhai Patel presented a proposal to form the government under his leadership. Accepting the proposal, he was invited to take oath as CM on September 13 at 2.20 pm," Devvrat tweeted. -- PTI
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13:57   Uddhav to hold meeting on women's safety today
Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray has called a meeting with the chiefs of all police forces, GRP commissioner and senior officials of State Home Dept regarding the issue of safety of women in the state, today. 

This comes after a 34-year-old woman was raped and brutalised with a rod by a man inside a stationary tempo in suburban Sakinaka in the wee hours of Friday. She died at a hospital during treatment in the early hours of Saturday, police earlier said. The crime bore similarity to the 2012 'Nirbhaya' gang-rape case of Delhi. 

 The 45-year-old suspect, arrested within a few hours of the incident, was later charged with murder.
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13:31   Former President's grandson joins BJP
Inderjeet Singh, grandson of former President Giani Zail Singh, joins BJP in the presence of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.
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13:29   The BJP candidate who will take on Mamata in by-polls
BJP candidate for Bhabanipur by-poll, Priyanka Tibrewal files her nomination. She will face CM and TMC candidate Mamata Banerjee in the by-poll, scheduled for 30th September.
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13:23   Mapped: The Covid graph across states
Covid cases rising in Tamil Nadu.
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13:17   Despite rape case, Mumbai safest city for women: Sena
The Shiv Sena on Monday said the brutal rape and murder of a woman here has shocked everyone, but Mumbai is the "safest city" in the world for women and there should be no doubt about it in anyone's mind. 

An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said the recent incidents of crime against women in Maharashtra were a "blot" on the state's culture and the feeling of anger among people was justified. 

A 34-year-old woman was raped and brutalised with a rod by a man inside a stationary tempo in suburban Sakinaka in the wee hours of Friday. She died at a hospital during treatment in the early hours of Saturday, police earlier said. 

 The crime bore similarity to the 2012 'Nirbhaya' gang-rape case of Delhi. The 45-year-old suspect, arrested within a few hours of the incident, was later charged with murder.
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13:09   Amit Shah arrives in Ahmedabad for swearing-in
Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrives at the airport in Ahmedabad.  CM-designate Bhupendra Patel was also present at the airport. Patel will be sworn in as Gujarat CM, later today.

Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel on Monday said he was not unhappy with the BJP's decision to select Bhupendra Patel as the state's next chief minister, soon after the CM-designate met him at his residence here in the morning. 

First-term MLA Bhupendra Patel (59) will be sworn in as the state's 17th chief minister at 2.20 pm today.
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12:51   Pegasus: Centre will not file detailed affidavit
The Centre told the Supreme Court on Monday that it does not wish to file a detailed affidavit on a batch of petitions seeking independent probe into the alleged Pegasus snooping row. 

The Centre told a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana that it has nothing to hide and that's why the government has on its own said it will constitute a committee of domain experts to look into these allegations.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, that whether a particular software is used or not by the government is not a matter for public discussion and making this information a part of an affidavit will not be in national interest. 

Mehta said the report of the committee of domain experts will be placed before the apex court. The top court told Mehta that it had already made clear that it did not want the government to disclose anything which compromises national security. 

The hearing in the matter is going on. 

 On September 7, the apex court had granted more time to the Centre to decide on filing a further response on the petitions after Mehta had said that due to some difficulties he could not meet the officials concerned to take a decision on the filing of the second affidavit. -- PTI


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12:43   "Love letter from favorite agency": Raghav Chadha on ED notice to AAP
 Aam Aadmi Party MLA Raghav Chadha on Monday said that the party has received notice from Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Chadha tweeted, "In a first, AAP receives a love letter from Modi Government's favorite agency - the Enforcement Directorate." 

The AAP national spokesperson said that he will hold a press conference today to expose the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"I will address an important press conference today, 1:30 pm at AAP Headquarters in Delhi - to expose the political witch hunt of AAP by a rattled BJP," his tweet continued. -- ANI
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12:33   Vidyut Jammwal, Nandita Mahtani are engaged
Actor Vidyut Jammwal on Monday announced his engagement with fashion designer Nandita Mahtani. The "Commando" actor took to Instagram and posted pictures with Mahtani, sharing that the couple got engaged on September 1. 

 The first picture featured the couple on a rock climbing wall while in the other, the duo stood holding hands in front of Taj Mahal, with Mahtani sporting a ring. 

 "Did it the commando way. 01/09/21," the 40-year-old actor wrote. Mahtani, who is also in her 40s, shared the same photographs on her Instagram page and wrote, "Couldn't keep him hanging any longersaid yes! 1-9-21." 

 On the work front, Jammwal will be seen in films -- "Sanak" and "Khuda Haafiz Chapter II". PTI
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12:28   Jet Airways to resume domestic services by 2022
Jet Airways will restart domestic operations by the first quarter of 2022 and short haul international flights by the last quarter of the next year, Jalan Kalrock Consortium, the winning bidder for the grounded airline, stated on Monday.

The first flight of Jet Airways would be on Delhi-Mumbai route, it mentioned, adding that the airline would now be headquartered in Delhi instead of Mumbai.

The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in June this year had approved the Jalan Kalrock Consortium's resolution plan for Jet Airways, two years after the once-storied full-service carrier went into insolvency proceedings.

In a statement, Murari Lal Jalan, Lead Member of the Jalan Kalrock Consortium, said, 'Jet Airways 2.0 aims at restarting domestic operations by Q1-2022, and short haul international operations by Q3/Q4 2022.'

Our plan is to have 50-plus aircraft in three years and 100 plus planes in five years, which also fits perfectly well with the short-term and long-term business plan of the Consortium, he noted.

'The aircraft are being selected based on competitive long term leasing solutions. It is the first time in the history of aviation that an airline grounded for more than two years is being revived and we are looking forward to being a part of this historic journey,' he said.

The Consortium's statement read that the revival plan for Jet Airways is being implemented as approved by NCLT and all the creditors will be settled according to the plan in the coming months.

The process of reviving the grounded carrier is on track with the existing Air Operator Certificate (AOC) already under process for revalidation, it mentioned.

The Consortium is working closely with the relevant authorities and airport coordinators on slot allocation, required airport infrastructure, and night parking, according to the statement.

'Senior Members of the Jalan Kalrock Consortium along with Jet 2.0 Operations Team led by the newly appointed Capt. Sudhir Gaur, Accountable Manager, and acting CEO visited key airports last month and held productive meetings with them,' it noted.

Captain Gaur said, 'We will start with domestic operations on an all narrow-body aircraft fleet leased from major global aircraft lessors who have approached us, and with whom we continue to engage.'

'Jet Airways has already hired 150+ full time employees on its payroll and we are looking to onboard another 1,000+ employees FY 2021-22 across categories,' he mentioned.

The airline was grounded in April 2019 due to fund crunch and high debt.  -- PTI
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12:28   A woman filmmaker's flight from Kabul
"I'm thirty-seven. I was born in Kabul, I grew up in Iran, and immigrated to Slovakia to study. When I finished a Ph.D. in filmmaking, I decided to return to Afghanistan. I thought that it is better to be telling stories from my own country than to be in Europe and make stories that aren't very close to me. My film "Hava, Maryam, Ayesha,' a story of three women in Kabul, played at the Venice Film Festival in 2019.

"On Sunday, I wanted to go to the bank and get cash. I made my coffee and prepared myself: I put on lipstick and a very short dress. I took a taxi. Traffic was bad. At the bank I saw maybe five hundred people. Around fifty were women. You could understand that there was something happening: the bank was full of fear. 

"The teller said, "There is no money -- we are waiting for the central bank to send us money." Suddenly, the gunshots started. And the manager of the bank told me, "The Taliban is inside the city. They've surrounded us. You should go home.' He said, "If they know you, they will kill you.' I am well known there. He showed me the back door, and I started to run."

Last week, the Afghan filmmaker Sahraa Karimi hastily packed a few things, made it onto a flight, and watched from the airplane window as her city got smaller and smaller.

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11:48   Gujarat CM-designate meets Rupani
Gujarat Chief Minister-designate Bhupendra Patel met Vijay Rupani at the Chief Minister's residence in Gandhinagar.

The senior BJP leader will be sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Gujarat today after the shock exit of Vijay Rupani and his entire cabinet in a reboot a year before polls in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state.
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11:26   IMD predicts moderate rain in Mumbai, suburbs
 India Meteorological Department (IMD), predicted moderate rain in Mumbai city and its suburbs with the possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places on Monday.

According to the Regional Meteorological Centre of Mumbai, there is chance of moderate rain in the city and suburbs with the possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in the next 24 hours. 

They also predicted that moderate rain in the city and suburbs with the possibility of heavy rainfall at isolated places, over the next 48 hours.

In the last 24 hours, the average rainfall in Central Mumbai received 67.85 mm. Whereas, eastern and western suburbs received 74.51 mm and 75.91 mm of rainfall, respectively.

India Metrological Department also predicted heavy rainfall for today at isolated places over Maharashtra. -- ANI
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11:00   Bhupendra Patel meets Dy CM ahead of oath-taking
Ahead of the oath-taking ceremony chief minister-designate of Gujarat Bhupendra Patel met Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel in Ahmedabad on Monday.

Speaking to the media, the Deputy Chief Minister said, "Bhupendra Patel is my old family friend. I congratulated him. We will be happy to see him take oath as CM. He has also asked for my guidance whenever needed."

Meanwhile, Bhupendra Patel also offered prayers at his home and met his neighbours.

Speaking to ANI, one of his neighbours Jeetu Bhai Kaswala said that Patel will do good work.

"I have been living here for last five years, and in all these years, I have understood that he is a very humble person and always works together. I'm very happy. He will do good work and complete the development process," his neighbour said.

"I am also distributing sweets as he will be taking the oath the new Chief Minister of Gujarat," he added.

Fondly addressed as 'Dada' by his supporters, Bhupendrabhai Rajnikanthbhai Patel is set to become the 17th Chief Minister of Gujarat.  -- ANI

IMAGE: Newly elected Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel shows victory sign in presence of former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, at BJP headquarters, Kamalam, in Gandhinagar on Sunday. Photograph: ANI Photo
Farmers at a mahapnachayat in Muzaffarnagar, UP. Photograph: ANI Photo
Farmers at a mahapnachayat in Muzaffarnagar, UP. Photograph: ANI Photo
10:40   Hike sugarcane prices, double PM KISAN funds: Varun Gandhi to Yogi
Days after suggesting the government should re-engage with protesting farmers, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Varun Gandhi on Sunday wrote to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath proposing some relief for them, including hiking sugarcane prices, bonus on wheat and paddy, doubling the PM KISAN amount and subsidy on diesel.

Gandhi, a three-term MP from UP, said the requests made by him are 'fiscally affordable and can be immediately actualised'.

Underlining that the last few years have been economically tumultuous for the farmers, he said as a public representative who has written on rural economics and worked with farmers for years, his requests would go a long way in normalising the government-farmer relation.

In a two page letter to Adityanath, the Pilibhit MP listed out all the problems and demands of the farmers and at the same time also suggested solutions for the same.

Tagging the letter on his Twitter handle, Gandhi said he has written to Adityanath indicating the problems of the farmers.

'I hope issues of the sons of the soil will be heard,' he tweeted in Hindi.

In the letter, Gandhi suggested increasing the sugarcane selling price to Rs 400 per quintal which is currently fixed at Rs 315 per quintal in UP.  

Sugarcane is mainly grown in western UP, which is the epicentre of the farmers' protest in the state against the Centre's farm laws.

Farmers should be given an additional bonus of Rs 200 per quintal above the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat and paddy, Gandhi said in the letter.

He also demanded that the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme should be doubled to Rs 12,000 per annum for farmers with the state government contributing Rs 6,000 from its own funds.

The PM KISAN scheme is an initiative by the Centre through which all farmers get up to Rs 6,000 annually as minimum income support.   

Sharing the farmers' concern of high prices of electricity and diesel, Gandhi in the letter requested the UP Chief Minister to give subsidy of Rs 20 per litre on diesel to farmers and reduce the power prices with immediate effect.

On September 5, when a large number of farmers gathered in Muzaffarnagar for a mahapanchayt organised by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha against the three farm laws, he had said the government should re-engage with them to reach a common ground as they are 'our own flesh and blood'.

'Lakhs of farmers have gathered in protest today in Muzaffarnagar. They are our own flesh and blood. We need to start re-engaging with them in a respectful manner: understand their pain, their point of view and work with them in reaching common ground,' Gandhi had tweeted by posting a video of the large crowd in attendance.

The mahapanchyat was held ahead of the crucial UP assembly polls early next year.

The farmers have been protesting the three farm laws at the borders of the national capital for over nine months now.

Several rounds of discussions were also held between the representatives of protesting farmers' unions and Union ministers but talks have remained inconclusive.

The Centre has been insisting that the reforms have given farmers a new opportunity to sell their produce and rejected the criticism that the laws are aimed at doing away with the MSP regime and agricultural markets.   -- PTI
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10:17   India reports 27,254 new Covid cases, 219 deaths
India reports 27,254 new COVID-19 cases, 37,687 recoveries and 219 deaths in last 24 hours, as per health ministry.

Of these, Kerala recorded 20,240 COVID19 cases and 67 deaths, yesterday.

Total cases: 3,32,64,175
Active cases: 3,74,269
Total recoveries: 3,24,47,032
Death toll: 4,42,874
Total Vaccination : 74,38,37,643 (53,38,945 in last 24 hours)

IMAGE: Students undergo a thermal screening process outside an exam centre as they arrive to appear for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) exam 2021, at Yamuna Vihar c-1 school, in New Delhi on Sunday. Photograph: ANI Photo
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09:28   Priyanka to lead Cong in UP polls: Khurshid
Congress leader and former Union Minister Salman Khurshid on Sunday said that the party will contest the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections under the leadership of party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Speaking to ANI, Khurshid said that Congress will not form an alliance with any political party for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

However, he added, "Gathbandhan is done by heart. If anyone wants to join our party, they are welcomed."

The leader, asked about the chief minister's face in UP polls, he said, "We will be fighting the upcoming assembly elections under the leadership of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. She is working hard to ensure that we win. Later on, she may announce the CM's face."

Speaking about the Congress manifesto for the upcoming elections, he said, "We are interacting with the common people. We have made a proper strategy for this. The manifesto will have the voice of the common people. The main focus will be on the farmers, security of women. We have met the people of Agra today and have discussed their issues."

"Manifesto will also focus on the health sector as the nation has a weak health system, the truth was revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic. We need to strengthen the health and education sector too," he said.

Uttar Pradesh assembly elections are scheduled to take place early next year.In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP won a landslide victory winning 312 Assembly seats.

The party secured a 39.67 per cent vote share in the elections for 403-member Assembly.

The Samajwadi Party bagged 47 seats, the Bahujan Samaj Party won 19 while Congress could manage to win only seven seats.  -- ANI
Gujarat CM-elect Bhupendra Patel. PTI Photo
Gujarat CM-elect Bhupendra Patel. PTI Photo
08:36   Bhupendra Patel to take oath as Gujarat CM today
Two days after Vijay Rupani's resignation from the top post in the state months before the Assembly elections, Bhupendra Patel will take oath as the chief minister of Gujarat on Monday afternoon.

It is believed that Patel holds a strong influence in the Patidar community in Gujarat which the BJP party has banked upon to win the upcoming elections.

Fondly addressed as 'Dada' by his supporters, Bhupendrabhai Rajnikanthbhai Patel is set to become the 17th chief minister of Gujarat.

The announcement of the 59-year-old BJP leader's name as the chief minister-elect at a legislative party meeting of the BJP on Sunday came as a surprise for many as the low-profile MLA was not seen to be among the top contenders for the post.

However, BJP said the selection of Patel, a man known for his gentle personality and is said to be a protege of former chief minister Anandiben Patel was a unanimous decision by all leaders present in the party's legislative meeting.

Till early Sunday morning, Patel was just another MLA attending small party events in his constituency, where he was panting saplings and planning next organisational programs.

Born in Ahmedabad, Patel is a first-time MLA from the Ghatlodia seat, a post previously held by Anandiben Patel, who is currently serving as the Governor of Uttar Pradesh with an additional charge of Madhya Pradesh.

He had won his maiden seat by a margin of 117,000 votes in 2017, the largest margin in that poll defeating Congress candidate Shashikant Patel.

He grabbed more than 72 per cent of the vote share in the Ghatlodia constituency during the 2017 assembly polls.

Patel is, however, not a new face in politics and has served as the Ahmedabad municipal councillor.

Patel, who holds a diploma in civil engineering, also served as the chairman of the Standing Committee of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA).

With assembly polls in the state scheduled to be held in 2022, the BJP went with Patel, a Patidar face for the chief minister.

He is also a trustee at Patidar organisations Sardar Dham and Vishwa Umiya Foundation.

The Patidars are a dominant caste in Gujarat with a sizeable control over the electoral votes.

The community also dominates the political economy with a stronghold over education, realty and cooperative sectors.

The choice of a Patel name is important for BJP because besides being a Patidar, he is also a Kadva Patel.

He will be the first chief minister in Gujarat from the Kadva Patel community which forms nearly 12.4 per cent of the state's population.

Till now all the other 'Patel' chief ministers of Gujarat were from the Leuva Patel community.

Patel has been invited on Monday by Governor Acharya Devvrat to the oath as the chief minister.

The BJP has said the decision regarding the new Gujarat cabinet will be taken later.

The party is counting on Patel to navigate the party through tough waters during the upcoming assembly elections in 2022.

In the 2017 state election, the BJP won 99 of the state's 182 assembly seats, Congress got 77 seats. -- ANI

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