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Fri, 10 November 2023
Cooperate with Nijjar killing probe: Blinken to India
Timeline Refresh
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23:49 Railways ply 1,700 special trains to ease festival rush
In a bid to ease travel during the festival season, the Railways have pressed into service 1,700 special trains, making available 26 lakh additional berths.
A Railways official said these additional services are being operated to ease the heavy rush of passengers on account of Diwali and Chhath Puja.
"Approximately 26 lakh extra berths have been added for the convenience of passengers," the official said.
He said these are extra berths in addition to those available on regular trains across the network.
The demand for train reservations is so high that it is becoming difficult for the people planning to head home for the festivities to get a reserved berth. -- PTI
23:43 EC removes 3 election observers for misconduct in MP, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram
The Election Commission on Friday removed three poll observers from duty for "misconduct" and violation of the code of ethics, sources said.
The action was taken against two general observers deployed in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and an expenditure observer in Mizoram, they said.
In place of IAS officer Laltinkhuma Franklin in Chhattisgarh's Dantewara assembly constituency, Anurag Patel, another IAS officer, has been deployed as general observer.
IAS officer R Girish will replace IAS officer Udaya Narayan Das as general observer in Madhya Pradesh Seoni Malwa and Hoshangabad assembly constituencies.
IRS officer Gaurav Awasthi, an expenditure observer deployed in Lunglei district in Mizoram, has been removed.
Sources said they were removed for "misconduct" and violation of the observers' code of ethics.
They said a "recordable caution" in their service books has also been ordered by the commission.
Elections to the 40-member Mizoram assembly was held November 7. -- PTI
Hardeep Singh Nijjar
23:32 Cooperate with Canada in Nijjar killing probe: Blinken to India
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday called on India to cooperate with an investigation by Canada into the killing of a Sikh separatist in June that has triggered a major diplomatic row between New Delhi and Ottawa.
The ties between India and Canada came under severe strain following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations in September of a "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
"We think it is very important that India works with Canada on its investigation, and that they find a way to resolve this difference in a cooperative way," Blinken said.
"But that really does go with Canada moving its investigation forward and India working with Canada on it. And that's something that I've discussed with our Indian counterparts, including today," he said at a media briefing in New Delhi.
Blinken and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin were in Delhi for the fifth edition of the '2+2' dialogue.
"These (India and Canada) are two of our closest friends and partners, and of course we want to see them resolving any differences or disputes that they have as a friend of both," the US Secretary of State said. -- PTI
23:20 95-year-old woman dies as fire breaks out in 12-storey Mumbai building
A 95-year-old woman died after a fire broke out at a 12-storey building in suburban Vile Parle in Mumbai on Friday evening, officials said.
The fire erupted in a second-floor flat in the Vile Grand Residency building on Nariman Road in Vile Parle (East) around 7.30 pm.
At least ten fire brigade vehicles were rushed to the spot and the fire was doused in less than 45 minutes, said an official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
Harshada Janardan Pathak (95), who suffered injuries, was taken to Cooper Hospital where the doctors declared her brought dead, he added.
The cause of the fire was not known yet, the official said. -- PTI
RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav
22:44 Land-for-jobs scam: ED detains 'associate' of Lalu Prasad's family
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday detained Amit Katyal, an alleged associate of RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his son Tejashwi Yadav, in connection with a money-laundering investigation into the land-for-jobs scam case, official sources said.
They claimed that Katyal has been evading the agency's summons for his questioning for about two months.
ED sleuths detained him under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act from Delhi.
The premises of Katyal were raided by the federal agency in March, when it had also covered the premises of Lalu Prasad, Bihar deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, his sisters and others.
Katyal, according to the ED, is a "close associate" of the Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo as well as a former director of AK Infosystems Private Limited.
A K Infosystems Private Limited is allegedly a "beneficiary company" in the case and its registered address is a residential building in south Delhi's New Friends Colony, which was being used by Yadav.
The alleged scam pertains to the period when Prasad was the railway minister in the UPA-1 government. -- PTI
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22:20 Ajit meets Pawar; Supriya Sule says nothing political
Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday met Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar in Pune, prompting speculation in state political circles.
Sharad Pawar's daughter and NCP Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule said the meeting was not a political one.
This is the second such meeting between the uncle and nephew after the Ajit Pawar-led group joined the Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra in July.
Friday's hour-long meeting took place at the house of Prataprao Pawar, brother of the 83-year-old Sharad Pawar and owner of Sakaal media group.
Sule said Pratap Pawar's wife is unwell and the Pawar family members gathered at his house on Friday for that purpose.
"Due to her illness, it won't be possible for the entire family to attend the Pawar family's Diwali get-together,' she added.
"Though we have different political ideologies, we maintain our personal relations. There is a difference between professional and personal life. Every year, members from the Pawar family gather at Baramati for Diwali celebrations. However, this year my aunty is unwell, so we planned to visit her residence," Sule said. -- PTI
22:12 Bengal Advocate-General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee resigns
West Bengal Advocate-General Soumendra Nath Mookherjee on Friday mailed his resignation to Governor Dr CV Ananda Bose, a Raj Bhavan official said.
Mookherjee is currently abroad, the official added.
"We received a mail from Mookherjee in which he tendered his resignation," the official said.
Mookherjee was appointed as the AG after Kishore Datta resigned from the post in September 2021.
He is the son of Satyabrata Mookherjee, who was a BJP minister in prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's cabinet. -- PTI
Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal
21:35 Indian seafarers onboard ADVANTAGE SWEET vessel safely brought back from Iran
All 23 Indian seafarers onboard vessel ADVANTAGE SWEET (Marshall Island Flag), which was seized in the Gulf of Oman, have been safely repatriated to India from Iran, an official statement said on Friday.
This was a result of continuous efforts of the ministry of external affairs, embassy of India in Iran, and the ministry of ports, shipping and waterways, and the support of the Iranian government, the statement added.
After the return of the crew members, Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said his ministry is dedicated towards safeguarding the welfare and rights of Indian national seafarers, especially when their lives and liberty are at stake, in the upcoming future also, whenever required.
This rescue operation has exemplified the dedication and commitment of government agencies as well, he added. -- PTI
Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and NCP MP Praful Patel meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in Delhi/ANI
21:31 Ajit, Praful Patel meet Shah amid Maratha quota row
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and senior NCP leader Praful Patel on Friday met Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.
The meeting took place amid the ongoing political crisis in Maharashtra over the demand for reservation by the Maratha community and the hearing before the Election Commission on the claim over the NCP.
"Had a meaningful meeting with Hon'ble Home Minister Shri Amit Shah ji in Delhi, extending warm Diwali wishes. Grateful for the opportunity to pay a courtesy call and share festive joy," NCP working president Patel said on 'X'.
Pawar was accompanied by Patel and Lok Sabha member Sunil Tatkare for the meeting.
In June, Pawar joined the BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra with support of more than 40 of the NCP's total 53 MLAs and leaving his uncle and founder of the regional outfit Sharad Pawar. Ajit Pawar has since staked his claim to the party's name and election symbol, a case which is being heard by the Election Commission.
Ajit Pawar's meeting with the Union home minister came on a day when the Pawar family had a get together over a lunch in Pune. -- PTI
21:13 Three Maoists arrested in Jharkhand, IED-making materials seized
Three members of the banned CPI-Maoist outfit have been arrested and materials used for making Improvised Explosive Devices seized from their possession in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district on Friday, the police said.
Acting on a tip-off, the police conducted a raid in Rengra village in Goilkera police station area and made the seizures and arrests.
The three Maoists were involved in several incidents, including triggering IEDs, blowing up a tractor carrying ration to a CRPF camp and killing people, superintendent of police Ashutosh Shekhar told reporters in Chaibasa.
The arrested Maoists were identified as Deboy Purty alias Legasi Purty (28), Juriya Bahanda alias Mata Bahanda (28) and Lebia Boipai (21), all residents of West Singhbhum district, the SP said, adding a huge quantity of IED-making materials were seized. -- PTI
20:40 Prez Murmu to get new voter ID card; address update process started: Delhi CEO
President Droupadi Murmu is set to receive a new voter identification card as the process to change her address to Delhi has begun, officials said on Friday.
The address in her current voter ID card is of Mayurbhanj, Odisha, a senior official of the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer's office said.
CEO P Krishnamurthy on Friday visited the Rashtrapati Bhavan to facilitate her in "changing her voter ID address" to Delhi, the officials said.
"In an exemplary display of democratic participation, the Hon'ble president filled out Form-8 to initiate the address update process," the CEO office said in a statement.
The president is "set to receive a new voter ID card, reflecting her updated residential address in Delhi," the statement said.
The Delhi CEO apprised the president about the ongoing Special Summary Revision-2024.
She will be eligible to cast her vote in the forthcoming election from New Delhi district, the statement said.
"The CEO expressed gratitude to the president for her cooperation in this electoral endeavour. This collaborative effort exemplifies the dedication to maintaining the integrity of the electoral process at the highest levels of governance," it said. -- PTI
Tunisha Sharma with Sheezan Khan/Courtesy Tunisha Sharma/Instagram
20:18 HC jolt to Sheezan Khan in Tunisha suicide case
The Bombay high court on Friday refused to quash the first information report registered against television actor Sheezan Khan for abetting the suicide of his co-actor Tunisha Sharma in December 2022, noting that the investigation prima facie reveals his complicity.
A bench of Justices Ajey Gadkari and Sharmila Deshmukh, in its order, noted that the allegations against Khan prima facie revealed that his conduct in ending the relationship with Sharma, having a relationship with another woman and constant quarrels had deeply affected the actor.
On December 24, 2022, Sharma (21) and Khan were shooting for a television show in a studio near Vasai on the outskirts of Mumbai.
Sharma and Khan had been in a relationship for two months before but had broken up at his insistence.
On the day of the incident, Sharma and Khan allegedly fought in his makeup room, after which she hanged herself.
"Prima facie, it appears that the self-esteem of the victim (Sharma) was tarnished by the humiliation at the hands of the applicant (Khan)," the court said.
The bench refused to accept Khan's plea that being in a relationship and breaking up was a common facet of modern society.
"To submit that the breakup of a relationship cannot be viewed seriously and is to be considered a normal facet of life which is best termed as insensitive and adding insult to injury, particularly, when in the instant case, a young girl of 21 years has lost her life," the court said. -- PTI
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20:03 No Change of Guard ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Nov 11, 18
The Change of Guard ceremony will not take place on November 11 and 18 at Rashtrapati Bhavan due to preparations for the 250 years celebrations of the President's Bodyguard, said a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday.
Mahua Moitra
19:51 LS ethics panel report on Moitra submitted to Speaker Birla's office: Sources
Lok Sabha's Ethics Committee chairman Vinod Kumar Sonkar has submitted the report of the panel on the 'cash-for-query' allegation against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra to the office of Speaker Om Birla, sources said on Friday.
The committee, at a meeting on Thursday, had adopted by majority the report that recommended Moitra's expulsion from the House for accepting "illegal gratifications" from businessman Darshan Hiranandani to raise questions in Parliament at his behest.
The committee recommended Moitra's expulsion from the Lok Sabha for "unethical conduct" and "contempt of the House '.
Six of the 10 members present at the Committee meeting on Thursday voted in support of the 479-page report while four opposition members recorded their disapproval.
According to sources, Birla is in Kota and is likely to return to the national capital after Diwali (Nov 12), following which he is expected to take action on the report. -- PTI
Vijayendra Yediyurappa
19:26 Vijayendra, son of ex-CM Yediyurappa, appointed president of K'taka BJP
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday appointed Vijayendra Yediyurappa, the son of former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa, its state unit president, a surprise move that underscores the party leadership's acknowledgement of the veteran Lingayat leader's enduring influence on its fortunes.
Vijayendra, who was elected as an MLA in the assembly polls held earlier this year, is seen as a deft organisational leader and replaces Nalinkumar Kateel.
The appointment of the 47-year-old leader, seen as the political heir to Yediyurappa, ends months of speculation as a change of guard in the state was widely expected since the BJP suffered a big defeat to the Congress in the polls held in May.
Though it was always a strong probability that the BJP will pick a Lingayat leader to lead its state unit but its decision to pick the first-time MLA ignoring the dynastic plank, something it has used to target rivals, has highlighted the political importance his father continues to wield despite being eased out of electoral politics by the party.
His elder son B Y Raghavendra is a Lok Sabha MP and the BJP has often tried to ensure that it is not seen encouraging more than one member of a family in politics. -- PTI
19:19 Man arrested for making hoax bomb call to police station in Kerala
A man was arrested on Friday for allegedly making a hoax bomb threat to a police station in Ernakulam district, the police said.
The control room received a threat call this morning claiming that there was a bomb planted at the Kothamangalam police station, around 53 kms from in Kochi.
Immediately, the bomb squad and the dog squad rushed to the spot and inspected the police station but found nothing, they said, adding that the call was subsequently declared a hoax.
Haneefa was arrested after tracing the phone call.
The police have initiated an investigation into the incident. -- PTI
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19:11 Bombay HC cuts firecracker bursting timeto 2 hours, from 8 pm to 10 pm
The Bombay high court on Friday modified its earlier order and said firecrackers can be burst only between 8 pm and 10 pm during Diwali in view of the air pollution situation.
A division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice GS Kulkarni had on November 6 permitted the bursting of firecrackers for three hours, between 7 pm and 10 pm, within the limits of all municipal authorities in Maharashtra.
During a hearing on Friday, the bench noted that Mumbai was witnessing a decline in the bursting of firecrackers.
"Let's not become Delhi. Let's remain Mumbaikars," chief justice Upadhyaya said.
The bench said there are some critical areas of the city where the air quality index remains poor.
"We are in an emergent and drastic situation. A lot of efforts have been taken, but maybe something more needs to be done," the court said.
The bench said it was modifying its order of November 6.
"The time to burst crackers shall be limited from 8 pm to 10 pm," it said.
Considering the prevalent situation, it does not deem it appropriate to modify another direction in its November 6 order which had banned the entry of vehicles transporting debris in the city but permitted vehicles carrying construction materials to ply if they were fully covered, the bench said.
"All other directions of the November 6 order shall continue to operate till November 19," it said. -- PTI
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal
18:43 Kejriwal seeks report from vigilance minister on complaint against chief secy
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has sought a report from the vigilance minister on a complaint alleging chief secretary Naresh Kumar's son was employed by a relative of a landowner who received an enhanced compensation for land acquired for a road project, official sources said on Friday.
There was no immediate reaction on the matter from Kumar.
The chief minister marked the complaint, received by the Delhi government in October, to Vigilance Minister Atishi and sought a detailed report on it with facts, they said.
A 19-acre land at Bamnoli village in southwest Delhi was acquired by the National Highways Authority of India for the construction of Dwarka Expressway in 2018 and an initial award of Rs 41.52 crore was decided by the district authorities.
The landowners had challenged the compensation and finally it was raised to Rs 353.79 crore by South West Delhi district magistrate Hemant Kumar in May this year. Kumar was later suspended by the ministry of home affairs in the matter.
Also, the Delhi high court recently set aside the award of Rs 353.79 crore. -- PTI
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18:21 NIA files third chargesheet in Bishnoi-Khalsa terror network case
The National Investigation Agency on Friday filed the third chargesheet in gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and Babbar Khalsa International terror gangster network case.
The second supplementary chargesheet has crucial details of the involvement of the accused persons in the terror-related activities.
The move takes the total number of accused charge-sheeted by the NIA so far in this case to 21.
The four individuals named in the chargesheet are Darman Singh alias Darmanjot Kahlon, Parveen Wadhwa alias Prince, Yudhvir Singh alias Sadhu, and Vikas Singh.
On March 24 this year, the NIA filed its initial chargesheet against 14 accused, followed by the first supplementary chargesheet on August 9 against three additional individuals.
All the accused have been charged with criminal conspiracy to unleash a wave of terror under Section 120(B) of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 17, 18, 18(B) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
Darman is one of the key links between Canada-based absconder Lakhbir Singh alias Landa, an operative of the banned terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International and Lawrence Bishnoi terror and crime syndicate, said the NIA, which has taken significant steps in dismantling the gangster-terror network associated with Babbar Khalsa International and Lawrence Bishnoi organised criminal gang. -- ANI
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18:04 10 devotees faint inside Puri Jagannath Temple due to heavy rush
At least 10 devotees fainted as a heavy rush of visitors thronged inside the Shree Jagannath temple in Puri on Friday, the police said.
The devotees who fell ill were taken to the ditrict hospital, officials said. The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration chief administrator Ranjan Kumar Das said the heavy rush of devotees was responsible for the incident that took place in the early hours of the day.
The Indian traditional month of Kartik is considered holy and large number of devotees flock to the 12th century temple to pay their obeisance to Lord Jagannath.
"Those who fell ill were mostly elderly persons. We are augmenting the arrangement to ensure smooth darshan of devotees inside the temple," Das said.
According to preliminary information, about a dozen devotees were reported to have taken ill and ten of them fainted soon after 'Mangal Aarati' in the temple.
They fell down as the crowd of devotees surged inside.
They were given preliminary treatment in the Temple and then shifted to Puri hospital. Das said Jagannath temple police helped the devotees who fell down.
Most of the injured persons were discharged after treatment, officials said. -- PTI
17:46 Excise case: Court extends judicial custody of AAP's Sanjay Singh till Nov 24
A Delhi court on Friday extended till November 24 the judicial custody of AAP leader Sanjay Singh, arrested in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise scam.
Special judge MK Nagpal also allowed Singh to sign some documents related to development work as a Member of Parliament.
The judge also directed the authorities concerned to produce him before a court in Punjab after it was informed that a production warrant had been received from a court in Amritsar, Punjab, in a case there.
The anti-money laundering agency had arrested Singh on October 4.
The ED has alleged that Singh played a key role in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped excise policy, which benefited certain liquor manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. -- PTI
17:30 Actor-politician Suresh Gopi summoned by Kerala police over woman scribe's complaint
The Kerala police have summoned actor-politician Suresh Gopi in a case pertaining to a complaint filed by a woman journalist stating that he misbehaved with her during his interaction with reporters here last month.
A police officer said the former Rajya Sabha MP was asked to appear before the investigating officer to record his statement by November 18.
"We served a notice to Gopi in this regard. He was asked to appear on or before November 18," he said.
Nadakkavu police in Kozhikode registered the case late last month based on the complaint of the journalist who works with a local television channel.
She lodged the complaint along with a video said to be of the incident with the city police commissioner, who, in turn, handed it over to the local police station for further action.
The former BJP Rajya Sabha member landed in trouble after a video surfaced online in which he is seen placing his hand on the shoulder of the journalist, who pushed it away twice, during a media interaction. -- PTI
17:16 India, US to make armoured vehicle: Lloyd Austin
India and the US will co-produce an infantry combat vehicle as part of defence industrial cooperation, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Friday.
He said this while speaking to a small group of journalists after the '2+2' defence and foreign ministerial dialogue in Delhi.
Besides Austin, the US delegation comprised Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The Indian side was headed by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
"We are working together to co-produce an armoured vehicle and that is extremely important," Austin said.
To a question, he said the talks covered a wide range of issues including the rising security challenges from China. At the same time, he said the US-India relationship is not just based on challenges that China represents but it is based on shared values between the two countries. Asked about the project under which India will procure 31 MQ-9B drones from the US, Austin said it will be announced at the right time.
"Officials in the government are doing everything possible to make sure that India gets that capability as quickly as possible," he said.
"We are stepping up US-India defence activities in multiple domains -- from space to under sea," Austin said. "We exchanged views on major developments in Indo-Pacific region, Middle East and Ukraine," he said. The defence secretary said the US-India cooperation is stronger than ever. -- PTI
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17:05 17 electrocuted in Karnataka temple
Karnataka: Seventeen people were hospitalised on Friday after allegedly being hit by an electric shock while standing in queue for darshan at Hasanamba temple in Hassan district, police said.
Several people were standing in between the barricades used to manage the crowd and suddenly a few of them felt an electric shock, which they alleged came through the iron barricades, following which they raised an alarm, police said. This resulted in a commotion, prompting people to run for safety.
Odisha: At least 10 devotees fainted inside the Shree Jagannath Temple here on Friday and were taken to the district headquarters hospital here, police said.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) chief administrator Ranjan Kumar Das said the heavy rush of devotees was responsible for the incident that took place in the early hours of the day.
The Indian traditional month of Kartik is considered holy and large number of devotees flock to the 12th century temple to pay their obeisance to Lord Jagannath.
KBK Infographics
16:51 Sensex, Nifty rebound on fag-end buying
Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty rebounded on Friday to close with marginal gains due to fag-end buying in auto, IT and tech shares amid weak global trends.
After remaining in the negative territory for most part of the session, the 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 72.48 points or 0.11 per cent to settle at 64,904.68. During the day, it fell 251.25 points or 0.38 per cent to 64,580.95. The Nifty went up by 30.05 points or 0.15 per cent to 19,425.35.
Among the Sensex firms, NTPC, Tech Mahindra, UltraTech Cement, Bajaj Finance, ITC, Bajaj Finserv, Axis Bank and Power Grid were the major gainers.
16:42 Court allows Sisodia to meet ailing wife
The Rouse Avenue court on Friday allowed former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to meet his ailing wife on Saturday.
He sought permission to meet his ailing wife for five days.Special judge M K Nagpal allowed Sisodia to meet his ailing wife at his home between 10 am and 4 am under police custody.
The court also extended the judicial custody of MP Sanjay Singh in the Delhi Excise policy money laundering case till November 24, 2023.
A special judge also permitted the production of Sanjay Singh before the CJM Court at Amritsar, Punjab in a Defamation case on November 18, 2023.
The court directed the jail authorities to take him to Punjab on Rajdhani train in view of his health issue and changed weather and come back the same day. Jail authorities have been also directed to make appropriate security arrangements. -- ANI
16:35 India flags Khalistani elements in Canada to US
India on Friday conveyed to the US its serious concerns over increasing activities of pro-Khalistani elements in Canada. India flagged its concerns at the '2+2' foreign and defence ministerial meeting.
"We have made our concerns very very clear," Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said at a media briefing.
The American delegation at the '2+2' ministerial dialogue talks was led by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin while External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh headed the Indian side.
"We have core security concerns and I am sure you are all aware of recent video that has surfaced from one such individual," Kwatra said adding the US side understood New Delhi's concerns.
The ties between India and Canada came under severe strain following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations in September over the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June in the Canadian town of Surrey.
Days after Trudeau's allegations, India temporarily suspended issuance of visas to Canadian citizens and asked Ottawa to downsize its diplomatic presence in the country to ensure parity. Canada has already withdrawn 41 diplomats and their family members from India. India has already resumed some of the visa services. PTI
16:34 Delhi govt puts off Odd-Even scheme
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Friday announced that the state government would delay the proposed implementation of the odd-even car-rationing scheme in the city."
An improvement is seen in the pollution level. The AQI which was 450+ has now reached around 300. The decision to implement odd-even from November 13 to 20 has been postponed. The situation would be analysed again after Diwali" said the Delhi Environment Minister.
The announcement comes after the Supreme Court, earlier in the day, directed the Delhi government to make a definitive decision on the implementation of the Odd-Even Scheme. The court, however, refrained from taking a decision itself, leaving the matter in the hands of the state government.
The odd-even scheme allows the cars to operate in the national capital on alternate days based on their odd or even registration numbers.
The overall air quality in Delhi at 7 am today was 407, according to data by the government's air-quality monitoring agency SAFAR. -- PTI
15:47 'BJP supporters vote for Ashok Gehlot here'
"Not just Congress, BJP workers too vote for Gehlot here," said Hardev Ram Bishnoi in Sardarpura constituency, a long-standing bastion of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
"In Sardarpura, we vote for the chief minister and not just an MLA," Bishnoi added, confident of a sixth encore by Gehlot in the coming state polls.
Bishnoi is not the only one to hold fast the belief that Gehlot is invincible from the constituency. The narrow, quaint lanes, though well-lit, of Mahamandir area where he sits, teem with his supporters. Bishnoi was found chatting with a group of friends at 'hatai,' a daily meeting point for people in the neighbourhood for evening discussions and game of cards.
The group sitting in the fading light was unanimous in its opinion.
Surendra Bhati, another man from the group, lauded the development work done in Jodhpur and the schemes of the Gehlot government.
"Over the years, Jodhpur has got top institutes like AIIMS, IIT, NIFT, a law university better roads and infrastructure."
Jodhpur is long known by one man and it is Ashok Gehlot. He represented the Jodhpur Lok Sabha seat five times between 1980 and 1998 before switching to state politics.
Since then, he has gone on to become MLA from Sardarpura five times and chief minister of Rajasthan thrice. For the past two Lok Sabha elections, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has been representing the Jodhpur seat, but when it comes to Sardarpur assembly, Gehlot's influence is clear.
His margin of victory since 2008 has increased with every assembly election. In 2008, he beat the BJP candidate, his closest rival, by more than 15,000 votes, which increased to 18,478 votes in 2013, and to a historic high of 45,597 in 2018. Rajasthan Assembly polls this year are due on November 25 and counting of votes will take place on December 3.
In Sardarpura, political debates are confined to Gehlot, his welfare work, and above all the pride people of Sardarpura get for giving the state its CM.
When asked about Gehlot's absence from constituency being also a CM, Jagdish Kumar said, "No work ever stops here. The Chief Minister looks after the issues of his constituency. He has to look after an entire state. His schemes like Chiranjeevi health insurance to inflation relief camps have done a lot for the people." -- PTI
15:25 He wears suits worth lakhs, I wear T-shirt: Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh and said "PM wears suits worth lakhs of rupees but I wear this white t-shirt only."
Addressing a rally at Satna, Rahul said "I heard PM Modi's speech, he used to say everywhere that I belong from the OBC community in every speech, he became prime minister by saying this repeatedly. On one day, he wears at least 1-2 suits worth lakhs of rupees. Have you seen Modi ji repeating his clothes ? I wear this one single white shirt. Do you know why caste disappeared from his speeches as I started speaking about caste-based census. Since I started speaking about it, Modi started saying that there is no caste in India."
He also announced that the first step of the Congress government formed in MP will be to conduct the caste-based census.
"As soon as Congress government is formed in MP, our first step will be to conduct caste-based census statewide and as soon as our party comes to power we will do the survey of caste-based census nationwide.
"Till the caste-based census is not done, the backward class won't be able to contribute. A few days back during the campaign in Chhattisgarh, I met few farmers. I asked about the rate of their land. I was astonished to know when the farmer said that I don't know the rate of my land," Rahul Gandhi said.
A suva fish caught by Pakistani fishermen. File pic
15:01 Pak fisherman sells rare fish for Rs 70 million!
A fisherman in Pakistan's Karachi city became a millionaire overnight after auctioning a haul of rare fish which has many medicinal properties. Haji Baloch, who lives in the impoverished Ibrahim Hyderi fishing village, and his workers caught the fish known as Golden Fish or Sowa in the local dialect from the Arabian Sea on Monday.
The entire catch was sold for some Rs 70 million at the Karachi harbour on Friday morning when fishermen auctioned off their catch, Mubarak Khan of the Pakistan Fishermen Folk Forum said.
The Sowa fish is considered priceless and rare since substances from its belly are said to have great healing and medicinal properties.
A thread-like substance from the fish is also used in surgical procedures.
One fish fetches around 7 million rupees in the auction, Baloch said.
The fish, which often weighs between 20 to 40 kgs and can grow up to 1.5 meters, is much sought after in East Asian countries.
More importantly, the Sowa also holds cultural and traditional significance, finding its use in traditional medicines and local cuisine. "We were fishing in the open sea of Karachi...when we came across this huge cache of golden fish, and it was a windfall for us," he said.
Haji said he would share the money with his crew of seven people. The fish comes near the coast only during breeding season. PTI
14:52 WHO updates its guidance on treatments for COVID-19
The World Health Organization has updated its guidance on treatments for patients with COVID-19, providing latest, trustworthy advice on the management of the disease to help doctors make better decisions.
The new recommendations published by The BMJ are part of a living guideline, developed by the WHO with the methodological support of Norwegian non-profit MAGIC Evidence Ecosystem Foundation.
The guidance incorporates the latest clinical trial evidence for existing and new COVID-19 therapies and takes account of evidence relating to safety, prognosis, resources, access, and equity issues, as well as patient values and preferences, the WHO said.
The update includes distinct risk categories to help doctors more accurately assess whether an individual is at high, moderate, or low risk of hospital admission and tailor treatment accordingly.
WHO in the update recommends the use of antiviral drug nirmatrelvir-ritonavir in patients with non-severe COVID-19 at high and moderate risk of hospital admission.
It also recommends against the use of the antiviral drugs remdesivir and molnupiravir for patients with non-severe COVID-19 at moderate and low risk of hospital admission (treatment is suggested for patients at high risk of admission).
The update also recommends against the use of a new antiviral (VV116) for patients with COVID-19 except in clinical trials, regardless of illness severity.
The WHO strongly recommends against the use of ivermectin for patients with non-severe COVID-19. The experts say the new recommendations reflect changes in the virulence and transmissibility of circulatingS-CoV-2 variants and sub-variants, along with changes in immunity related to global vaccinations.
These changes have led to lower baseline risks of severe illness and death for most patients with non-severe COVID-19, they said. -- PTI
14:24 Nothing is happening at ground level: SC on air crisis
The Supreme Court on Friday said that crop residue burning in Punjab and some other states adjacent to Delhi have to be stopped and solution has to found to reduce the pollution level in the national capital region (NCR).
While hearing a matter relating to the debilitating air pollution in the Delhi-NCR, a bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul observed there were several reports and committees on the pollution issue, but nothing was happening at the ground level.
The bench, also comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, said the apex court wanted to see the results.
The Supreme Court was informed that every endeavour was being made to bring farm fires under control.
The top court is seized of a plea filed in 1985 by environmentalist M C Mehta on air pollution and the issue of crop residue burning had arisen during the hearing of the matter. -- PTI
13:32 Article on Adani: SC grants protection to 2 scribes
The Supreme Court on Friday granted protection from arrest to two journalists who have challenged the summons issued to them by the Gujarat Police in connection with an article allegedly written by them on Adani Group.
A bench of Justices B R Gavai and P K Mishra directed the journalists to cooperate in the investigation and issued notice to the Gujarat government on the pleas filed by the duo.
"Till next date of hearing, we direct that no coercive steps be taken against the petitioners, however, they should cooperate with the enquiry," the bench said.
The top court was hearing a plea filed by Benjamin Nicholas Brooke Parkin and Chloe Nina Cornish challenging the summons issued to them. The counsel appearing for them argued that the petitioners are not the ones who wrote the report in question.
Earlier this week, the apex court had granted interim protection to journalists Ravi Nair and Anand Mangnale in connection with an article written by them on the Adani-Hindenburg row. -- PTI
13:09 Puppet Punjab CM plays driver to Delhi boss: SAD
Citing CCTV footage purportedly showing a man grabbing a woman's neck in a bid to snatch her chain, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal launched a blistering attack on the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab, alleging a complete breakdown in law and order under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
"The law and order situation has completely collapsed in Punjab under the @BhagwantMann-led @AamAadmiParty govt. Murders, drug trafficking, land grabbing, illegal mining and such incidents of snatching have become an everyday affair," the former deputy chief minister posted from his official handle on X.
Labelling CM Mann a 'puppet' of Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor, Arvind Kejriwal, the SAD chief posted, "The situation demands immediate attention, but the "Puppet" CM is busy playing driver to his Delhi Boss Arvind Kejriwal and assisting the latter in election campaigning in Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh and other poll-bound States."
Meanwhile, Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu also took a swipe at the Punjab CM over an alleged decline in the state's law and order situation. -- PTI
Commemoration of the Hamas attack in Berlin. Fabrizio Bench/Reuters
12:29 Biden says 'no possibility' of Gaza ceasefire
US President Joe Biden has said that there is "no possibility" of a ceasefire in Gaza. Biden said that the US government will not stop until it gets the hostages out.
Speaking to reporters about the chances of a Gaza ceasefire, Biden said, "None, No possibility."Asked about an update on getting hostages out, he said, "We're still optimistic."
In his message to the families of the hostages in Gaza, Biden said, "We're not going to stop until we get them out."
Speaking to reporters before Air Force One departure at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Biden said that the retaliatory strikes in the Middle East are working "in the sense that we're hitting the targets strategically." Biden said he had asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a more than three-day pause.
Asked whether he had asked Netanyahu to pause for three days to get the hostages out for that length of time, Biden said, "Yes. I've asked for even a longer pause for some of them."
Asked if he was frustrated with Netanyahu, Biden admitted, "It's taking a little longer than I hoped."
Meanwhile, Joe Biden welcomed the Israeli decision to formalize humanitarian pauses to its fighting in Gaza and called it a "step in the right direction."
Taking to X, Biden stated, "These pauses will help get civilians to safer areas away from active fighting. They are a step in the right direction. You have my word: I will continue to advocate for civilian safety and focus on increasing aid to alleviate the suffering of the people of Gaza." -- ANI
12:09 Will help me double 2024 margin: Mahua on expulsion
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Friday said she will be back with a bigger mandate in 2024, a day after the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee recommended her expulsion from the House in the "cash-for-query" matter.
In a post on X, the TMC MP said, "Proud to go down in parliamentary history as 1st person to be unethically expelled by Ethics Comm whose mandate doesn't include expulsion. 1st expel & THEN ask govt to ask CBI to find evidence. Kangaroo court, monkey business from start to finish". "Never Waste a Good Crisis they say... - this just helped me double my 2024 winning margin," Moitra said.
The Ethics Committee on Thursday recommended Moitra's expulsion, capping a fortnight of actions that included the deposition of three people over three sittings.
The committee, chaired by BJP Lok Sabha member Vinod Kumar Sonkar, met in New Delhi and adopted its 479-page report which, according to sources, recommended Moitra's expulsion, possibly the first such action against an MP by the panel.
Sonkar told reporters that six members of the panel supported the adoption of the report and four opposed it.
The four opposition members said the panel's recommendation was prejudiced and incorrect, and said businessman Darshan Hiranandani, who is alleged to have given bribes to Moitra, should have been asked to depose before the panel.
He has only filed an affidavit. -- PTI
People killed in Israeli strikes. Mohammed Salem/Reuters
11:19 Israel denies 4-hour daily 'humanitarian pauses'
Israel on Thursday refuted US claims of four-hour daily 'humanitarian pauses' that will allow people to flee hostilities and for deliveries of humanitarian aid in Northern Gaza.
Israel is reportedly planning daily four-hour halts in military operations in northern Gaza, as per CNN's report citing the White House, however, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has refuted the White House statement asserting Israel's agreement to a daily humanitarian pause in northern Gaza, starting today, reported Times of Israel. John Kirby, spokesperson for the US National Security Council, outlined that Israel will provide a three-hour advance notice before announcing the timing of these pauses.
He said, "We've been told by the Israelis that there will be no military operations in these areas over the duration of the pause and that this process is starting today."
The US has officially announced a new policy, marking the first time, although Israel has been practising similar humanitarian measures since Sunday, The Times of Israel reported.
Israel has been implementing daily four-hour humanitarian corridors on Salah a-Din road, allowing Palestinians to evacuate from northern Gaza to its south. Despite these actions, Israel refers to it as a "humanitarian corridor" rather than "humanitarian pauses," considering the political sensitivity in the country.
The localised pause has been consistently in place, with extensions on Wednesday and Thursday due to a surge in Palestinians seeking evacuation, according to The Times of Israel.
The IDF estimates approximately 50,000 Palestinians used the corridor on Wednesday alone. Netanyahu's office emphasised that the fighting persists, stating "there will be no ceasefire without the release of our captives." Meanwhile, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said that in spite of rampant media reports about an impending deal about Hamas releasing some hostages in exchange for a pause in the war, no such serious proposal was on the table, The Times of Israel reported.
"There is no real proposal that is viable from Hamas's side on this issue," Herzog told NBC News, The Times of Israel reported. -- ANI
Death and destruction in Gaza. Mohammed Al-Masri/Reuters
11:15 Gaza war: Deaths: 10,812 including 4,412 children
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says at least 10,812 people, including 4,412 children, have now been killed in the enclave since Israel began its air strikes. The strikes began in retaliation to the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October, which killed 1,400 people and 240 others were taken hostage.
The US says that Israel will begin to implement four-hour military pauses in areas of northern Gaza each day to allow civilians to flee, however Israel has denied it.
Israel on Thursday refuted US claims of four-hour daily 'humanitarian pauses' that will allow people to flee hostilities and for deliveries of humanitarian aid in Northern Gaza.
10:41 UK to add India to list of safe states, it means...
The UK government has announced that it will add India to a list of "safe states", which would speed up the process of returning people who have travelled from India illegally.
With this addition, all asylum claims from Indian nationals who arrive on small boats or illegally on other routes will be deemed inadmissible. There will be no appeals and they will be sent back.
In a statement, the UK Home Office said that the government will add India and Georgia to the list of 'safe states.'
It noted that the decision will mark another step in the delivery of the "Illegal Migration Act 2023" and its plans to stop the boats.
The UK Home Office in the statement said, "Draft legislation laid in Parliament today (Wednesday 8 November) will strengthen the immigration system and help prevent abuse, including by people making unfounded protection claims."
According to the UK Home Office statement, Indian and Georgian small boat arrivals have witnessed a rise over the last year despite people not being at obvious risk of persecution.
It said, "Deeming these countries safe will mean that if an individual arrives illegally from either one, we will not admit their claim to the UK asylum system."
The UK Home Office stated that the other nations deemed safe by the UK include Albania and Switzerland, the European Union and European Economic Area states. UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman said that they must stop people from making "dangerous and illegal journeys" to the UK from "fundamentally safe nations."
Israeli soldiers operate inside the Gaza Strip
10:17 2,500 tons of military equipment arrive in Israel
Israel's Ministry of Defense reported that a cargo ship carrying approximately 2,500 tons of equipment for IDF use was received in Israel on Thursday.
At least 123 cargo planes and seven ships carrying more than 7,000 tons of military equipment arrived in Israel since the beginning of the war in Gaza to ensure the IDF has the resources to achieve its objectives. -- ANI
10:14 Markets fall in early trade
Benchmark equity indices declined in early trade on Friday due to weak trends in global markets and unabated foreign fund outflows. The 30-share BSE Sensex fell 251.25 points to 64,580.95, extending its previous day's decline. The Nifty declined 65.85 points to 19,329.45.
Among the Sensex firms, Titan, Mahindra & Mahindra, IndusInd Bank, Asian Paints, Tata Steel, Maruti, Tata Motors and Nestle were the major laggards. Bajaj Finance, Power Grid, Tech Mahindra and NTPC were among the gainers. -- PTI
09:59 50,000 Palestinians moved to S Gaza: UN
As many as 50,000 Palestinians have moved from northern to southern Gaza through the humanitarian corridors set up the Israel, the UN Office for the Coordinator of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has announced, The Times of Israel reported.
Palestinians have been able to evacuate northern Gaza due to a formalized humanitarian pause in the fighting that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) implemented in several neighbourhoods in northern Gaza for the first time after pressure from the Biden administration.
It was the sixth consecutive day in which the IDF permitted people to flee northern Gaza and move south through the Salah a Din humanitarian corridor, with 50,000 evacuating in the course of seven hours, The Times of Israel reported.
In its daily update, OCHA said, "Hundreds of thousands of people remaining in the north [of Gaza] are struggling to secure the minimum amounts of water and food to survive."
The UN office said 65 trucks of humanitarian aid arrived in Gaza on Thursday after two days in a row in which the number was closer to the initial US goal of 100. The OCHA has termed Thursday's figure "wholly inadequate."
A farmer burns stubble in Patiala
09:42 Smoke blankets parts of Punjab, AQI 'very poor'
With continuous stubble burning, the city of Bathinda remained veiled under a blanket of smoke on Friday morning. The air quality index (AQI) in Bathinda has been in the 'very poor' category for the past two weeks.
As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) for Bathinda on November 9 was 372, which is very poor.
Likewise, the air quality in the city was recorded at an AQI of 215, on November 6, which is again in the very poor category. The AQI in the city remained in the poor zone on November 2. The AQI is calculated by the Central Pollution Control Board and considers eight pollutants.
The AQI can be calculated if monitoring data are available for at least three pollutants, one of which should be PM 2.5 or PM 10. The city remains enveloped in stubble smoke, raising concerns among the people of the residential areas for health-related issues.
Speaking to ANI about the air quality, Shagun Prasad, a resident said, "Even today, a blanket of smoke from stubble is visible in the skies of Bathinda. The air is continuously becoming poisonous and people are facing a lot of difficulties."
The stubble smoke in Bathinda has increased the pollution level so much, that even going out for morning walks in the area has become difficult. -- ANI
09:23 Overnight rain improves Delhi's air quality
Overnight rain led to a visible improvement in Delhi's air quality on Friday morning after more than a week of hazardous pollution.
The improvement is expected to be reflected in the air quality index as the day progresses -- the AQI at any given time is the average of readings taken in the last 24 hours.
At 7 am, Delhi's AQI stood at 408, improving from 437 at 4 pm on Thursday.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier predicted a marginal improvement in air quality just ahead of Diwali owing to favourable meteorological conditions, including light rain.
IMD officials had also said a change in the wind direction from northwest to southeast due to a fresh western disturbance affecting northwest India will help reduce the contribution of smoke from stubble burning.
Once the western disturbance passes, the wind speed will increase from around five to six kilometres per hour at present to around 15 kilometres per hour on November 11, which will help disperse pollutants ahead of Diwali (November 12), an IMD official said.
According to data from the Decision Support System, a numerical model-based framework capable of identifying the sources of particulate matter pollution in Delhi, stubble burning in the neighbouring states, particularly Punjab and Haryana, accounted for 38 per cent of the air pollution in Delhi on Wednesday. It was 33 per cent on Thursday and is likely to be 16 per cent on Friday.
The data also shows that transport is another major factor, contributing 12 to 14 per cent to Delhi's foul air.
In view of the worsening air pollution, the city government is planning to induce artificial rain on November 20-21 through cloud seeding.
A proposal in this regard will be submitted to the Supreme Court, which is hearing a clutch of petitions on the air pollution issue, on Friday. -- PTI
09:20 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in India for 2+2 dialogue
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Delhi on Thursday night primarily to attend the India-US "2+2" foreign and defence ministerial dialogue.
The "2+2" dialogue will take place on Friday. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has already reached Delhi.
The Indian side at the dialogue will be led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
"A warm welcome to US Secretary of State @SecBlinken as he arrives in New Delhi to co-chair the 5th India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on X.
"The visit will give further boost to India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership!" he added. -- PTI
09:12 3 killed in multi-car crash on Mumbai's Bandra sea link
Three people were killed and six others injured on Thursday night after a speeding SUV rammed several vehicles at the toll plaza on Bandra Worli Sea Link in Mumbai, police said.
The 5.6 kilometre long, eight-lane Bandra-Worli Sea Link which connects Bandra in west Mumbai to Worli in south Mumbai, has seen several car crashes in the recent months.
08:59 T'gana polls: KCR declares movable assets worth over Rs 17 crore
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has declared movable assets worth over Rs 17.83 crore and immovable assets whose total of current value is about Rs 8.50 crore.
According to the election affidavit submitted on Thursday while filing his nomination for the November 30 Legislative Assembly polls, he does not own a car.
The gross total value of movable assets in the name of his wife Shobha was over Rs seven crore and his HUF (Hindu Undivided Family) was over Rs nine crore.
The total current market value of immovable assets in Rao's name was about Rs 8.50 crore, it is about Rs 15 crore in the name of HUF.
The grand total of liabilities of Rao was over Rs 17 crore while that of the HUF was over Rs 7.23 crore.
Rao's total income as per IT returns was over Rs 1.60 crore as on March 31, 2023, while it was Rs 1.74 crore as of March 31, 2019.
The income of Rao's wife was over Rs 8.68 lakh as on March 31, 2023 and a receipt/transfer of Rs 7.88 crore from K Chandrasekhar Rao-HUF.
The total income was over Rs 34 lakh in the name of HUF as on March 31, 2023 and net agriculture income was over Rs 1.44 crore.
The agriculture lands are in the name of HUF.
The affidavit showed Rao as an agriculturist and his educational qualification is BA.
The HUF owns several vehicles, including tractors.
01:37 Woman gives birth on Mumbai road, police take mother, infant to hospital
A 30-year-old woman delivered a baby on a road in Mumbai's Kurla area on Thursday prompting the police to rush the mother and her newborn to a civic hospital, an official said.
An official from VB Nagar police station said they were informed in the afternoon about a woman giving birth to a baby near Kamani Junction.
The woman, identified as Suvarna Mirgal, became unconscious after the delivery.
The Nirbhaya Squad of the police station rushed to the spot and shifted her and the infant to the nearby civic hospital, he said, adding that both are doing fine.
Later, senior inspector Rajeen Chavan and other officials visited the woman and her baby at the hospital, he said. -- PTI
01:31 Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak hospitalised in Mexico
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak was hospitalised on Wednesday in Mexico City on Wednesday, CNN reported citing sources.
The source said Wozniak, 73, was taken to the hospital at 3 pm (local time) after he fainting minutes before his participation at the World Business Forum.
Wozniak is the tech genius behind the early Apple computers who worked alongside Steve Jobs to launch and grow the company, according to CNN.
Wozniak, who is popularly known as "Woz" in Silicon Valley circles, famously designed the Apple I and Apple II computers, which revolutionized personal computing and established Apple as a market leader.
Wozniak was the technical engineer behind these systems, while Jobs served as the visionary and marketing expert.
The two co-founded Apple, now the world's most valuable company, in Jobs' California garage in 1976.
Further details are awaited in the case, CNN reported. -- ANI
01:27 Four of family die of electrocution in Rajasthan's Salumber
Four members of a family allegedly died by electrocution in the Kun area of Rajasthan's Salumber district on Thursday, the police said.
The incident occurred when 68-year-old Unkar Meena, a resident of the Dhikiya village, was electrocuted when the iron gate of his home came into contact with a live wire.
His wife Bhanwari (65) rushed to Meena's aid and was also electrocuted. Their 25-year-old son Devi Lal and 22-year-old daughter Mangi were electrocuted when they tried to save the couple, the police said.
The bodies have been sent to the mortuary of the local hospital for post-mortem, they added. -- PTI
File image
01:16 12 arrested for creating ruckus in front of district jail in Haryana's Nuh
Twelve people were arrested for allegedly creating a ruckus in front of the district jail in Nuh, the police said on Thursday.
Nuh Sadar SHO Chanderbhan said he was on patrol duty with his team on Wednesday when they saw some youngsters creating a ruckus in front of the district jail gate.
The youngsters claimed that their friend was being released on parole.
The prisoner was serving a jail term in a murder case and was lodged in the district jail, he said.
"Another police team was called to the spot. After seeing the police personnel, the 12 accused started running but we nabbed them," Chanderbhan said.
"We seized 14 mobile phones, Rs 22,700 in cash and five vehicles from the accused, who were arrested under relevant provisions of the law," he added. -- PTI
File image
00:58 Cong to hold pro-Palestine rally in Kerala on Nov 23
Amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K Sudhakaran announced on Thursday that the Congress will organise a massive rally in Kerala's Kozhikode on November 23 to declare solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Sudhakaran said that All India Congress Committee general secretary KC Venugopal will inaugurate the solidarity rally.
"All the people who believe in secular-democratic values will be brought together on the 23rd of this month at 4:30 pm at Kozhikode Beach. It will mobilise a large crowd and turn it into a historic event of Palestinian solidarity," Sudhakaran said.
He further asserted that the Congress party cannot support any action that would undermine the rights of Palestinians to live in their homeland.
"Innocent Palestinians are being persecuted by Israel, occupying power in their land. The Congress cannot support any action that would undermine the right of the Palestinian people to live in their homeland. When the Congress governments, from Jawaharlal Nehru to Manmohan Singh ruled the country, there was a tradition of supporting the Palestinian people's struggle to live with dignity, peace and respect. This is the same position that the Congress always upholds," he added.
The stance, policy and approach of the Modi government that sides one is a disgrace to the secular democratic values that the great nation of India has been embracing until now, Sudhakaran said. -- ANI
00:02 Appointment of AMU VC: Petition challenges selection process in HC
A petition has been filed in the Allahabad high court challenging the process of selection for the vice chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University after the acting VC's wife figured in a list of shortlist.Justice Vikas Budhwar fixed the hearing on the plea filed by Syed Afzal Murtaza Rizvi, a professor in the computer science department in Jamia Millia Islamia, on November 16.
At a meeting of AMU's governing body held on Monday, the final three candidates were shortlisted for the VC's post, including the wife of acting vice chancellor.Acting VC Mohammad Gulrez's wife Naima Khatoon, who is the principal of AMU's Women's College, received 50 votes of the members of the AMU court, the governing body.
The other two shortlisted candidates, M Uruj Rabbani (former dean of Faculty of Medicine, AMU) and Faizan Mustafa (noted jurist and former VC of National Law University, Nalsar), got 61 and 53 votes, respectively.
At a meeting of the university's executive council chaired by Gulrez last week, the names of five candidates were finalised for sending to the AMU Court.
On Monday, the governing body pruned the list to three with the names of Furqan Qamar (former VC of University of Rajasthan and first VC of Central University of Himachal Pradesh) and Qayyum Hussain (VC of Cluster University, Srinagar) being dropped. -- PTI
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