The rupee declined by 17 paise to settle at 82.80 against the United States currency on Tuesday due to a rebound in crude oil prices and greenback in the global markets.

Foreign fund outflows from the equity markets also weighed on the rupee sentiment, forex dealers said.

At the interbank foreign exchange, the domestic unit opened higher at 82.58 amid overnight losses in the US dollar against major global rivals.

Volatile equity markets and recovery in crude oil prices during the day hit the rupee sentiment, dragging the unit to a day's low of 82.80.

The rupee finally settled lower by 17 paise at the day's low of 82.80 against the US dollar.

On Monday, the rupee edged up by 1 paisa to settle at 82.63.

"Rupee opened on a flat note but fell in the intraday session following broad strength in the dollar against its major crosses," Gaurang Somaiya, forex and bullion analyst at Motilal Oswal Financial Services, said.   -- PTI

On Monday, when he was addressing party workers in his constituency Pilibhit, the sadhu's phone started ringing. But the BJP MP stopped workers from asking the sadhu to switch it off.

"Please do not not stop him, never know when maharaaj ji will become the CM. Then what will happen to us?" Gandhi joked.

The video of the incident surfaced online with people interpreting it as a reference to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is also the Gorakshpeethadheeshwar of Gorakshpeeth. Adityanath is always in a sadhu's dress.

One of the plaintiffs from the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi mosque-Maa Shringar Gauri case filed an application on Tuesday in the district court in Varanasi demanding an archaeological survey of the 'wazukhana', except for the structure which the Hindu side claims is a Shivling while the Muslim side claims it to be a fountain.

Accepting the application, the court has fixed September 8 for hearing the matter, Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sangh (VVSS) secretary Suraj Singh said.     

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is undertaking scientific survey work at the Gyanvapi mosque, except in the wazukhana area, following the direction of the district court.

The Wazukhana area was sealed after the Supreme Court passed an interim order directing the Varanasi district magistrate to ensure protection of the area where the structure claimed to be a 'Shivling' was found during a video survey ordered by the court of the civil judge in Varanasi.

The fresh 64-page application has been filed in the court of District Judge AK Vishvesh by Rakhi Singh, the founder member of the VVSS and one of the main petitioners in the Gyanvapi-Maa Shringar Gauri case.

Apart from others, the Archaeological Survey of India has also been made a respondent.

Through the petition, Rakhi Singh has demanded that an ASI survey of wazukhana be undertaken except for the 'Shivling' so that the truth of the entire Gyanvapi campus can be revealed.

Rakhi Singh has filed this application through her advocates Man Bahadur Singh, Saurabh Tiwari and Anupam Dwivedi.

The structure claimed to be a 'Shivling' by the Hindu side and a 'fountain' by the Muslim side was found in the wazukhana on May 16 last year during a court-mandated survey of the mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

Earlier, a suit was filed by five Hindu women seeking permission for regular worship of Shringar Gauri and other deities in the Gyanvapi mosque compound.  -- PTI

His son and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav was with him as the veteran leader arrived at the hospital.

Yadav had undergone a cardiac surgery at the same private hospital in 2014. 

Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son are in Mumbai to attend the opposition INDIA alliance's meeting of August 31 and September 1 in the city.

The video of the purported 'moral policing' of the incident, which took place on August 26, went viral on social media.

The three, who are minors were subsequently apprehended after a case was booked on Monday, a police official said, adding that the couple in the video was not identified.

The three minors, the police said, stopped the couple while they were going on a two-wheeler and after getting to know that the youngster driving the bike belonged to another community they started abusing him by questioning on "why was he taking the girl belonging to another community with him?"

In the video, one among the three is heard questioning the biker what is her (pillion rider) name and where he was taking her even as the bike rider asks him "what was his problem?"

He then starts abusing the biker. After being told by the biker that "she is my friend", the three minors ask her to get down from the bike. 

However, the three later left the place, though, one among the trio filmed the incident and afterwards posted it on social media, the police said.

Based on the video, the police booked a case on its own at Jubilee Hills police station against the three and apprehended them and as they are minors their parents were also served with notices, the official said.           

Further investigation was on. 

The police detained more than 40 persons, an official said.

"Protestors shouting slogans and carrying placards approached the safety net (on the first floor of the main Mantralaya building) in the afternoon. Police personnel and officers present at the spot tried to drag them away," an official said.

The safety nets in the main Mantralaya building were set up as a precautionary measure to prevent any potential suicide attempts.

The agitation was staged at the state secretariat around 3.30 pm by the action committee representing people affected by the Upper Wardha dam project at Morshi in Amravati district, the official said.

The protestors demanded an increase in the compensation for land acquired for the dam and sought government jobs for the project-affected people, he said.

"Mumbai police detained more than 40 persons for staging the protest and the process for registration of an offence was going on at Marine Drive police station," the official added. 

The external affairs ministry also rejected these claims as having "no basis". 

"Just making absurd claims does not make other people's territories yours," External Affairs Minister Jaishankar told NDTV while reacting to the Chinese move. 

External affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "We have today lodged a strong protest through diplomatic channels with the Chinese side on the so called 2023 'standard map' of China that lays claim to India's territory." 

"We reject these claims as they have no basis. Such steps by the Chinese side only complicate the resolution of the boundary question," he added. 

India's strong reaction came a day after China officially released the 2023 edition of its "standard map" that claimed Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as belonging to that country. 

The "map" also showed the entire South China Sea as part of China as it featured in the previous editions of the 'map'. 

In early April also, Beijing announced Chinese names for 11 more places in Arunachal Pradesh which the neighbouring country claims as the southern part of Tibet, drawing a sharp reaction from New Delhi, which outrightly rejected Chinese renaming and asserted that the state is an integral part of India and that assigning "invented" names does not alter this reality. 

It was the third batch of standardised geographical names for Arunachal Pradesh issued by China's civil affairs ministry.

The court of chief judicial magistrate, Srinagar, granted bail to Patel lodged in central jail here, one of his lawyers Anil Raina told PTI.

He said the court granted bail to Patel on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh and two local sureties of the same amount.

Apart from Raina, Patel was represented in the court by Mohammad Abdullah Pandit and Kaif Alam.

Patel made headlines when he was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir for posing as a top official in the PMO in March after videos showing him moving around under security cover went viral.

Patel was arrested by J-K Police from a five-star hotel in Srinagar for allegedly posing as an "additional secretary" in the central government. He enjoyed enjoying security cover besides other hospitality during his stints in the Valley.

He was on his third visit to Kashmir when he was nabbed by security officials on March 3.

Patel had claimed to have been given a mandate by the government to identify buyers for apple orchards in south Kashmir.

Also, the monsoon this year may end up being the driest since 2015, which recorded a rainfall deficit of 13 per cent, they said. 

With a 32 per cent precipitation deficit in August so far and the prediction of only subdued rainfall activity over a large part of the country in the next three days, India is on track to record the driest August since 1901, an India meteorological department (IMD) official said, requesting anonymity. 

August receives 254.9 mm of rainfall, accounting for around 30 per cent of the precipitation during the monsoon season. 

India recorded a rainfall deficit of 25 per cent in August 2005, 24.6 per cent in 1965; 24.4 per cent in 1920; 24.1 per cent in 2009 and 24 per cent deficit in 1913, according to IMD data. 

IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the primary reason for below-normal rainfall in August was El Nino -- the warming of waters in the Pacific Ocean near South America -- besides the "unfavourable phase of the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) which is known to reduce convection in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea". 

El Nino is generally associated with the weakening monsoon winds and dry weather in India.

It also said the instrument also detected aluminium, calcium, iron, chromium, titanium, manganese, silicon and oxygen, as expected. 

"In-situ scientific experiments continue...Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) instrument onboard the rover unambiguously confirms the presence of Sulphur (S) in the lunar surface near the south pole, through first-ever in-situ measurements," ISRO said in a social media post. 

"Al, Ca, Fe, Cr, Ti, Mn, Si, and O are also detected, as expected. Search for Hydrogen (H) is underway," the national space agency said. 

LIBS instrument is developed at the Laboratory for Electro-Optics Systems (LEOS)/ISRO, Bengaluru.

The airport's customer care section received the mail on Monday about the bomb threat and a thorough check was conducted by security personnel and no explosive or suspicious item was found and the threat turned out to be a hoax, they said.

Later, another message was received from a person, apologising for the previous one, saying his son was "mentally unsound" and that he had sent that message.

"We are verifying both the messages," a police official said.

A case was registered at RGI Airport police station and further investigations were on. 

Lumpy skin disease has been detected in cattle in 12 of 15 talukas of the district. Therefore, immediate action should be taken regarding the planning for preventive vaccination to bring the epidemic under control, said collector Jalaj Sharma during a meeting on the health threat to cattle.        

Lumpy skin disease is a viral ailment characterised by fever and enlarged nodes that appear like lumps on the skin. It causes a temporary reduction in milk production, brief or permanent sterility among bulls, damage to hides and, occasionally, death.

Purchase, sale, market, race, fair and exhibition of bovine animals should be prohibited in the district. The help of the police should be taken to stop all types of inter-state, inter-district and intra-district transport of bovine livestock, the collector said.

Nashik is a border district, with Gujarat on its west.

It has been declared as an affected area for lumpy skin disease under the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, said officials.

The collector asked officials to ensure that the nearest veterinary clinic is contacted immediately if a case is discovered. Steps should be taken to keep cowsheds clean and set norms must be followed to dispose of the carcasses of animals dying due to the disease, he said.

Last week, Nanded was declared a lumpy skin disease affected district in the state, with the figure of animals having the ailment reaching 3,618, an official had said. 

The party said in a statement Masood had been warned several times not to indulge in "anti-party activities and indiscipline" but it did not yield any result, following which he had to be expelled.

The former MLA had recently been in the news for praising Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Masood, an influential Muslim leader from Saharanpur district, also did not attend a meeting of the BSP leaders and office-bearers chaired by party chief Mayawati in Lucknow on August 23.

Just before the assembly elections last year, Imran Masood, then in Congress, had joined the Samajwadi Party.

The BSP said in its release that when he had joined the party later, he was clearly told he would be given a Lok Sabha ticket from Saharanpur only after an assessment of his work.

"In the local body elections, when he pressured for a ticket from the Saharanpur mayor's post for a family member, it was given on the condition that the Saharanpur Lok Sabha ticket would be considered for him only if his family member won the mayor's seat, but the seat was lost," the release stated.

It further added that Masood also did not work towards adding new members to the party.

A nephew of a former Union minister, the late Raheed Masood, Imran Masood was elected MLA from Muzaffarabad seat (now Behat seat) in Saharanpur district in 2007 state elections.

He had also contested the Lok Sabha election on a Congress ticket in 2014 and 2019 from Saharanpur.

A New Delhi-bound Vistara flight was diverted to Nagpur late on Sunday night due to a medical emergency involving a toddler with a heart problem who was attended by a group of doctors travelling in the aircraft. 

She was later admitted to a hospital. 

As per a release issued by KIMS-KINGSWAY Hospitals, the child, who underwent a cardiac surgery at a hospital in Bengaluru on August 5, suffered multiple cardiac arrests in the Delhi-bound flight on Sunday night and was revived by doctors mid-air. 

The toddler has developed acute renal failure secondary to multiple cardiac arrests, it said. 

All possible paediatric critical care is being given to the toddler, but her condition remains most critical, the release said. 

A multidisciplinary team of senior doctors and the dedicated staff of paediatric intensive care unit is taking round the clock care, and the parents are regularly counselled regarding the critical status of the child, it was stated.

A group of transgender persons allegedly abducted a family's pet cat after they refused to give Rs 51,000 on the birth of a child in Madhya Pradesh's Indore.

Ruchika Gadkari (33), a resident of Suryadev Nagar in the city, on Tuesday said her family has filed an application with the police against the transgender persons for the abduction of their Persian cat, but no FIR has been registered so far.

Gadkari said her sister gave birth to a baby girl a few days ago and she was staying at her parents' house.

"A group of transgender persons came to our house on Monday and demanded Rs 51,000 cash for the birth of the child. My mother refused to pay them the amount and instead gave them Rs 2,500.

"However, they behaved indecently and forcibly took our pet cat," she said.   

Gadkari further alleged that the transgender persons also threatened to forcibly take away the newborn baby if they were not given the desired sum.

The family has filed an application at Dwarkapuri police station against the group over the alleged abduction of the Persian cat, but no FIR has been registered so far, she said.

An official from Dwarkapuri police station said appropriate legal steps will be taken after examining the family's application.   -- PTI

Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, Vij said that so far 510 people have been arrested and 130-140 FIRs registered in the case. 

He also alleged that there is evidence against Congress MLA Mamman Khan which suggests he visited the areas where violence took place. 

"In the initial investigation, we have arrested approximately 510 people and we have registered 130-140 FIRs. After their interrogation, the conclusion that we are getting for now is that it looks like this has been done by Congress. In this Congress's MLA Mamman Khan has also been called for interrogation by the police on August 30," Vij said. 

The minister said, "Moreover, during the investigation, the people who have been caught in connection with violence have connections with Congress."

Vij further stated "There are many angles coming up. We are doing a fair investigation, and we will show it to the people who are the masterminds behind the violence." 

Earlier last month, clashes between two groups broke out in Nuh after a religious procession passing through the district was attacked in which six people, including two Home Guards, were killed and around 20 policemen injured in the frenzy of violence that followed.

"Jagat Prakash Nadda, National President, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appointed Manjinder Singh Sirsa as national secretary of the party," the party said in a statement. 

The appointment will come into force with immediate effect, it said. 

Sirsa, a former member of the Delhi legislative assembly, had joined the saffron party quitting the Shiromani Akali Dal in December 2021, a few months ahead of the Punjab polls in 2022. 

Sirsa joining the party fold was then seen as a shot in the arm of the BJP with him being a prominent face of the Akali Dal in the national capital. 

He was also a strong supporter of the farmers' protests against the Centre's three contentious farm laws, which were later withdrawn.

 Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat issued notice to Delhi Police last Friday and posted the matter for further proceedings on September 11, court sources said. 

According to the petition, Imam has been in custody since January 28, 2020, and completed more than three years and six months in jail. 

"That after the stay of trial in the present case by the Delhi High Court in regard to the main offence of Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 124 (sedition) in light of the directions passed by the Supreme Court, the only offences remaining against the applicant are under IPC sections 153 A, 153 B, 505 and Section 13 of the UAPA," it said. 

 Section 153A pertains to offence of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., while Section 153B relates to imputations, and assertions prejudicial to national integration.

 Section 505 involves punishment for making statements conducing to public mischief. All three offences provide for a maximum imprisonment extending up to five years. Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), an anti-terror law, provides for imprisonment that may extend up to seven years.

 Speaking to ANI, Shahnawaz Hussain said, "The post of Prime Minister is not going to be vacant in 2024. Once again Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister, but the Ghamandia alliance has many claimants for the post of Prime Minister." 

 Reacting to the remarks made by JDU leader KC Tyagi that the INDIA alliance has various candidates who have the capabilities to become PM, he said, "Those leaders who are not known outside their state are talking about becoming the leaders of the country." 

 "People don't consider Mamata Banerjee as a leader outside West Bengal, Sharad Pawar has not had any big success outside Maharashtra. KC Tyagi ji is giving such a message that he is spoiling the hope of Congress. When any team enters the field, there is one captain. Now he is telling there are 5-6 captains of the same team," he added. 

 Shahnawaz Hussain further stated that India has found a global leader in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he is set to return to power in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. 

 "For those who are dreaming for the post of PM, this dream will remain unfulfilled. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will again take over the reins of the country in 2024 because the people of the country are with him. India has found a global leader who will raise the name of India in the whole world," he said.

"Happy Birthday to my Darling big boy Raihan' wishing you the best always, now and forever. You are a super person, caring, loving and completely dependable and responsible. You surely make me proud each day. Keep living your passions and grace the world, as it is awaiting to absorb all your talents and hard works displayed. With you always at every step, as I've been and always will be, no matter how old you get each day and year. Love you lots my sonny boy (heart, hug emojis)."

 Fearing arrest in the case, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader earlier this month moved an anticipatory bail application before the court. 

 Additional sessions judge S B Joshi on Tuesday refused anticipatory bail to Pednekar and two other accused in the case. 

 The city police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) had registered a case against Pednekar and two senior officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) under various Indian Penal Code sections, including 420 (cheating) and 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy). 

 The case is linked to COVID-19 centres "scam" allegedly involving misappropriation of funds in management of health facilities and financial irregularities in purchases of body bags for deceased coronavirus patients, masks and other items by the BMC during the pandemic. 

 It is based on a complaint filed with the EOW by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya last month. 

 Pednekar held the position of mayor from November 2019 to March 2022. In her pre-arrest bail plea, filed through advocate Rahul Arote, the former mayor claimed she has been falsely implicated in the case. 

 Pednekar claimed the complaint against her is tainted with mala fides, politically motivated, and made with an ulterior motive. Her plea claimed that Somaiya, the former Lok Sabha MP from Mumbai, is a habitual complainant who has a history of targeting politicians who do not owe allegiance to his party. PTI

A 14.2-kg LPG cylinder costs Rs 1,103 in New Delhi currently. It will cost Rs 903 from Wednesday. For Ujjwala beneficiaries, the price will be Rs 703 after considering the continuing Rs 200 per cylinder subsidy. 

 Announcing the decision, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said the move is aimed at providing relief to households. Also, the government will provide an additional 75 lakh Ujjwala connections, which will take the total PMUY beneficiaries to 10.35 crores. PTI

Major General Ian Cardozo fought in the 1962 War with China, the 1965 and 1971 Wars with Pakistan. The decorated officer and military legend spoke to Rediff.com's Archana Masih in a must-read two-part phone interview.

Read the 1st part of the interview here. 

 Local residents turned out to protest after the killing in Kheri police station area on Monday. Additional police force was called as the incident began to take on a communal colour. 

 Kheri SHO Naveen Kumar Singh said the family members alleged that some youths attacked the class 10 student when he tried to stop them from molesting his cousin, while the two were returning from school. 

 The boy was taken to hospital in a serious condition and declared dead there. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Yamuna Nagar) Santosh Kumar Meena, however, said there was a brawl between children at school. The teachers had intervened and pacified the students. 

 But there was fight on the way after they left the school, he added. Meena said a case has been registered after the family filed a complaint. Three people have been detained. 

 The SHO said police teams are trying to nab two people named in the FIR. They have been identified as Yusuf and Mohsin. Local people blocked a road for some time after the incident, but were later cleared away, police said. 

A large number of police personnel have been deployed as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order in the area, officials said. The victim's body was sent for an autopsy. PTI

 The central government's response was conveyed to the court by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, after a five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, hearing the pleas challenging the abrogation of Article 370, asked it to set a specific time frame for restoration of electoral democracy in the erstwhile state. "The union territory status of Jammu and Kashmir is not a permanent thing. So far as Ladakh is concerned, its UT status is going to remain for some time," Mehta said. 

 The top government law officer said he will make an elaborate statement on the future of the union territory status of J-K and Ladakh before the bench, which also comprises Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai and Surya Kant, on August 31. 

 The bench, which was hearing Mehta's submissions defending the Centre's decision to do away with the special status of the former state and its reorganisation, said, Democracy is important, although we agree that in view of the national security scenario, reorganisation of the state can be done. 

 The court, however, said lack of electoral democracy cannot be allowed to go on indefinitely. "This has to come an end... give us the specific time frame as to when will you restore actual democracy. We want to record this, the bench said, and asked Mehta and Attorney General R Venkataramani to seek instructions from the political executive and get back to the court. PTI

 A division bench comprising Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri announced the much-anticipated verdict which was reserved on Monday. Decision of District Court (has been) suspended by IHC, Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said in a short WhatsApp message. 

"The copy of the judgment will be available shortly all we are saying now is that [Imran's] request has been approved," Justice Farooq said. Khan's aide on legal affairs Naeem Haider Panjotha posted on X, formerly Twitter: The CJ has accepted our request, suspended the sentence and said a detailed decision would be provided later. The judges reserved the verdict on Monday after the rival lawyers concluded their arguments on the suspension of the three-year sentence awarded by Judge Humayun Dilawar on August 5. 

 A trial court in Islamabad convicted and sentenced the 70-year-old PTI chairman to three years in prison on August 5. -- PTI

 The Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) released by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago also showed that all of India's 1.3 billion people live in areas where the annual average particulate pollution level exceeds the 5 g/m3 limit set by World Health Organization (WHO). 

 It also found that 67.4 per cent of the country's population lives in areas that exceed the country's own national air quality standard of 40 g/m3. 

 The study said fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) shortens an average Indian's life expectancy by 5.3 years, relative to what it would be if the 5 g/m3 pollution limit set by (WHO) was met. 

 The AQLI said that Delhi is the most polluted city in the world with its 18 million residents on track to lose 11.9 years of life expectancy on average relative to the WHO limit and 8.5 years relative to the national guideline if the current pollution levels persist. -- PTI

 Referring to the recent statement made by Bihar minister and JD(U) leader Shravan Kumar in which he has said that people in the Hindi Heartland are "discussing that Nitish Kumar is a worthy candidate for the post of prime minister". 

 Manjhi said if Shravan Kumar is saying something consider it being said by Nitish Kumar. 

 "He (Nitish Kumar) was shown a clear path in Bengaluru. So, he had come back. Let's see what happens in Mumbai. Nitish Kumar says he is not ambitious....'Naa mein haan hai ye'. As far as (Bihar Minister) Shrawan Kumar is concerned, if he is saying something, consider it being said by Nitish Kumar. If he did not have a desire (to be the PM), why would he have moved around a lot?..." 

 However, Nitish Kumar who kept himself aside from aspiring to become PM, on Monday once again clarified his stance on the possibility of accepting the role of national convener of the INDIA bloc if offered. 

 He stated, "I don't want to become anything. He further added that he has no such desire and just wants to unite all the political parties ahead of the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was addressing the FICCI's National Executive Committee Meeting (NECM) in Lucknow. Noting that FICCI is holding its National Executive Committee Meeting in the state's capital after 38 years, CM Yogi Adityanath said today Uttar Pradesh is a state with big achievements. 

 "After 1985-86 Uttar Pradesh saw a long period of darkness in terms of development...The perception of the nation and world about Uttar Pradesh became very different...There was an identity crisis before the youth, businessmen and citizens here...Today under the guidance and leadership of Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh has managed to emerge from the darkness and from being a BIMARU state (category) towards becoming a developed state," Yogi Adityanath said. 

 He said that the state would not be the sixth-largest economy, but the second-largest economy of the country very soon and that the next five years will be important. "In the coming years, UP will become the leading economy of the country and will undertake its role as the Growth Engine of the country," CM Yogi said. -- ANI

 The official from Sahar police station said the woman, identified as Progress Marumbwa, claimed that the bullet was planted in her bag. The woman was to proceed to Ludhiana to pursue her first-year BSc (Medical Lab Science) in a college. 

 The woman arrived in Mumbai on Sunday morning and was supposed to fly to Delhi, the official said. However, the security staff found a bullet in her bag. She was brought to the police station and arrested under the Arms Act. Further investigation is underway, the official added. PTI

 The oil and gas industry is directly and indirectly responsible for over 40 per cent of carbon emissions -- impacting the lives of billions of people, many living in the world's most remote and low-resourced communities, the researchers said. 

 The study, published in the journal Energies, proposes aggressive energy policies that would enable immediate and substantive decreases to carbon emissions.

 It also recommends a heightened level of government, corporate and citizen action to accelerate the decarbonisation of the global economy, aiming to minimise the number of projected human deaths. 

 The researchers found the peer-reviewed literature on the human mortality costs of carbon emissions converged on the "1,000-ton rule," which is an estimate that one future premature death is caused every time approximately 1,000 tons of fossil carbon are burned. 

 "If you take the scientific consensus of the 1,000-ton rule seriously, and run the numbers, anthropogenic global warming equates to a billion premature dead bodies over the next century. Obviously, we have to act. And we have to act fast," said Joshua Pearce, a professor at the University of Western Ontario in Canada. -- PTI

 "Be like Neeraj Chopra. Win hearts, not challans," the police wrote in a post on X. It further stated, "To drivers and riders, you are not Neeraj's javelin, and crossing the white lines will not get you points or medals."

 Reacting to the post, one of the users suggested that lane driving must be enforced on priority. Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra scripted history yet again as he became the first Indian to win a gold medal in the World Athletics Championships with a big throw of 88.17m in the men's javelin final in Budapest, Hungary on August 27. 

 Chopra has now become only the second Indian -- after shooter Abhinav Bindra -- to simultaneously hold the Olympics and World Championships titles. Bindra had won the World Championships title when he was 23, and the Olympics gold at 25. -- PTI

While speaking to reporters at a press briefing, Raut said that Rahul Gandhi's claims that China has entered Pangong valley in Ladakh were true. 

"(Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi) recently attended the BRICS summit and greeted Xi Jinping. After that, comes the map of China. Rahul Gandhi's claim is true that China has entered the Pangong valley in Ladakh. China tries to enter Arunachal. If you (Central government) have courage then do a surgical strike on China," the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said. 

The map released by China on August 28 shows Arunachal Pradesh which China claims as South Tibet and Aksai Chin occupied by it in the 1962 war as part of its territory. Taiwan and the disputed South China Sea are also included within the Chinese territory in the new map.

The map also incorporates China's claims over the nine-dash line thus laying claim to a large part of the South China Sea.

The map was released by China's Ministry of Natural Resources during the celebration of Surveying and Mapping Publicity Day and the National Mapping Awareness Publicity Week on Monday in Deqing county, Zhejiang province, as per China Daily newspaper. -- ANI

On September 1 both alliances will have parallel high level meetings in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The INDIA alliance members are scheduled to hold a joint meeting on September 1 in Mumbai. 

The meeting will discuss the alliance strategies for Lok Sabha election and the seat sharing in the states. A new logo of the INDIA alliance is also likely to be launched. 

 At the same time the NDA alliance in Maharashtra with new partner the Ajit Pawar led NCP faction is also scheduled to meet on the same date in Mumbai. NCP MP Sunil Tatkare, who represents the Ajit Pawar faction said "In this meeting, all our state government alliance partners BJP, ShivSena (Eknath Shinde) and NCP (Ajit Pawar) will participate."

When asked about the timing of the meeting which coincides with the INDIA alliance meeting, Sunil Tatkare said, "Our meeting was planned long back before the last state assembly Monsoon session by our coordination committee, so it's no point to say that we are doing this as opposition parties are also having meeting on the same day.'

Col. Anil Athale, a former infantry soldier, and a graduate of Staff College was head of the War History Division, Ministry of Defence, and has co-authored the official history of the 1962 Sino-Indian war and the insurgency in the Northeast. 

His book, The Legacy of Shivaji the Great attempts to tell the untold story of that important period of Indian history.

The book is available on Amazon and Flipkart. 

Read some of Col. Athale's columns here. 

 During search operations, police teams nabbed one insurgent each of the NSCN(IM) and the People's Liberation Army (PLA), and two overground workers of Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) (Lamyanba Khuman faction) from Imphal East and Bishnupur districts, a police statement said.

 Six firearms, five cartridges and two explosives were also seized during the operations, it said. Search operations were conducted by security forces in fringe and vulnerable areas of the five valley districts, it said. 

 Movement of vehicles along National Highway 37 (Imphal-Silchar Road) is taking place with strict vigil in vulnerable areas and security convoys are being provided in sensitive stretches, the statement said. A total of 129 checkpoints have been erected in various hill and valley districts and 2,027 people were detained for violations, it added. PTI

 Six of the ten MLAs from Kuki-dominated areas have already sought leave of absence from the speaker of the assembly. Five legislators had applied for their leave to the speaker on Monday, while Social Welfare and Cooperation Minister Nemcha Kipgen, MLA of Kangpokpi, had sent her application on Saturday, an official said. The MLAs who sought leave on Monday are Tribal and Hill Affairs Minister Letpao Haokip (Tengnoupal), Churachandpur MLA Khaute, Kimneo Hangshing of Saikul, Haokholet Kipgen of Saitu and Henglep legislator Letzamang Haokip.

 The social welfare and cooperation minister, in her application, said that ever since ethnic violence erupted in Manipur on May 3, it has not been possible for her and her family members to stay in Imphal on security grounds. 

 "Due to the ongoing violent crisis and keeping in mind the law and order situation in Imphal, I will not be able to attend the upcoming one day session," she said. 

 After obituary references, committee reports will be presented and other businesses of the House will be held, the official said. The state government had last month recommended a session by August 21, but later revised it to August 28 on not getting a green light from the Raj Bhavan.

 Last week, the chief minister's office announced that the assembly will reconvene from August 29. The previous assembly session was held in March and according to the norms, a session must be held every six months. The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) and the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) had recently denounced the convening of the session saying the present situation is not conducive for Kuki-Zo MLAs to attend it. -- PTI

 Pakistan's Supreme Court has been informed that all facilities were being provided to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman in the Attock Jail considering his profile and legal status. 

 This was revealed in a report submitted by the attorney generals office on behalf of jail administration after the apex court sought a report on the living conditions of the former premier. The News International reported quoting the report, "The most safe and secure confinement of this jail is Block No.02 which was vacated and a section consisting of four cells was declared as the high observation block for confinement of the said convicted prisoner, the report said. Highlighting the facilities, the jail administration submitted that the convicted prisoner had been confined in a cell measuring 09x11. The court was informed that the said cell had been whitewashed, while the whole flooring had been cemented and one ceiling fan installed. The washroom used by the former premier had been extended to 7x4 feet and its wall raised up to five feet adding that a fibre door of 2- 12x5 feet had also been installed, it stated. Apart from this, a new toilet seat, Muslim shower, tissue stand and stainless steel tap had been installed while a wash basin with a large-looking glass had been installed for ablution and face wash. 

 The report further stated that he was also being served desi chicken twice a week as per his wish, while mutton, cooked in ghee, was also being provided to the former prime minister. 

At least 53 jail personnel from Punjab have been temporarily deployed to ensure the deposed premier's safe custody at the jail.

 The convicted prisoner has been provided with a cot mattress, four pillows, a table, a chair, a prayer mat and an air cooler. Likewise, the report stated that reading material, including four copies of the Holy Quran with an English translation and 25 numbers of books of Islamic history had also been provided to the convicted prisoner besides newspapers.

The crucial one-day session of the Manipur assembly on Tuesday is likely to hold a discussion on the state's prevailing situation of ethnic strife, though most of the Kuki MLAs, regardless of party affiliations, are likely to skip the session over safety concerns.

 

Six of the ten MLAs from Kuki dominated areas have already sought leave of absence from the speaker of the assembly.

The government had last month recommended a session by August 21, but later revised it to August 28 on not getting a green light from the Raj Bhavan. Last week, the Chief Minister's Office announced the assembly will reconvene from August 29.

The previous assembly session was held in March and according to the norms, a session must be held every six months.

The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) and the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) had recently denounced the convening of the session saying the present situation is not conducive for Kuki-Zo MLAs to attend.

In a joint statement on Sunday, both the organisations said considering the complete breakdown of law and order and the failure of the state government in protecting the lives of the common people and officials, convening the session "is devoid of logic and rationality."

On Saturday, former Manipur chief minister and Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh had said the session is an eyewash and not in public interest.

More than 160 people lost their lives and several hundreds were injured since ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3. -- PTI 

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is likely to visit Europe next month and meet European Commission lawmakers in Belgium besides addressing students at a university in Paris.

He is also likely to address the Indian diaspora at an event in Oslo in early September, sources said.

Notably, his visits abroad will come at a time when the crucial G20 Summit will be held from September 9 to 10 in the national capital. India currently holds the G20 presidency. 

The sources said the Gandhi scion is likely to leave for Paris in the first week of September for a five-day tour.

He will attend a meeting with European Union members in Brussels on September 7.

According to the sources, the former Congress chief will address students at a university in Paris on September 8 and deliver a lecture there. 

He is also slated to participate in a meeting of the Labour Union of France in Paris on September 9.

Thereafter, the sources said Gandhi is slated to visit Norway where he will address the Indian diaspora event on September 10.

Gandhi will meet members of the diaspora and may also hold a press conference, they added. -- PTI 

A teacher has been booked for allegedly making pejorative remarks against a particular community in the classroom in east Delhi's Gandhi Nagar, police said on Monday. 

 

They said the remarks were made last week. 

"The incident took place last week. We received a complaint and registered a case against the teacher. The investigation into the matter is underway," a senior police officer said.

Reacting to the matter, Gandhi Nagar MLA Anil Kumar Bajpai said a teacher's responsibility is to give good education to kids.

"This is absolutely wrong. The responsibility of a teacher is to give good education to the children. The teacher should not pass derogatory comments against any religious or holy place. Such people should be arrested," he said.

This comes close on the heels of a similar incident in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar where a viral video showed a school teacher asking her students to slap a boy from a minority community and also passing objectionable remarks against the community. 

The teacher, Tripta Tyagi, was booked on the complaint of the boy's family under IPC sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) -- both non-cognisable offences. 

Such offences are bailable and do not lead to immediate arrest, and require a warrant. -- PTI

China on Monday officially released the 2023 edition of its standard map incorporating the disputed areas including its claims over Arunachal Pradesh, Aksai Chin region, Taiwan and the disputed South China Sea.

India has repeatedly said that the state of Arunachal Pradesh has 'always been' and will 'always be' an integral part of the country.

The 2023 edition of China's standard map was officially released on Monday and launched on the website of the standard map service hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources, state-run Global Times said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

This map is compiled based on the drawing method of the national boundaries of China and various countries in the world, the post said.

The map, also displayed by the Global Times, showed Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as South Tibet, and Aksai Chin occupied by it in the 1962 war.

India has repeatedly told China that 'Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India'.

The map also incorporated China's claims over the estranged island of Taiwan and the nine-dash line claiming a large part of the South China Sea.

China claims Taiwan as part of its mainland and its integration with the mainland is part of a vowed objective of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims over the South China Sea areas.   -- PTI