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Thu, 18 November 2021
IMD forecasts heavy rains in Karnataka for 4 days
Timeline Refresh
23:55 Maha allots land for permanent NDRF base in Mahad town
The Maharashtra government on Thursday allotted land to set up a permanent base of the National Disaster Response Force in Raigad district's Mahad town, where over 100 people were killed in landslides in July this year.
The dairy development department issued an order allotting over two hectares of land for the permanent NDRF base in Mahad, according to a government resolution.
The NDRF currently does not have any facility of its own in coastal Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts, which receive heavy showers during the monsoon every year.
This year, the downpour was so heavy that it led to flooding and landslides, killing more than 200 people in various incidents in these districts and other parts of the state in late July.
Raigad was the worst-hit district. As there was no NDRF base in Raigad district, rescuers from Pune could not reach in time to help people.
According to the GR, the dairy development department order says 2.57 hectare of land in Mahad town be handed over to the revenue department so that the NDRF can set up its permanent base there. -- PTI
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23:38 LIVE! IMD forecasts heavy rains in Karnataka for 4 days
The Indian meteorological department has predicted that Karnataka will have widespread rains over the next four days.
IMD issued an orange alert in Bengaluru and Ghats and a yellow alert in some coastal districts and north-interior Karnataka for Thursday and Friday.
"Yellow alerts have been issued in some districts of coastal Karnataka and north-interior Karnataka for today and tomorrow. Orange alert in South interior parts. Orange alert in Bengaluru and Ghats," Sadananda Adiga, meteorologist, IMD Bengaluru, told ANI.
"The whole of Karnataka will have widespread rainfall over next four days and rainfall will start decreasing on firth day," he added.
Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com
23:13 Allahabad HC offers protection to same-sex couple
The Allahabad high court has granted police protection to a same-sex couple who had claimed that their parents would kill them if they don't end the relationship.
The bench, comprising Justice K J Thaker and Justice Ajai Tyagi, on Wednesday directed the police to grant them protection after verifying all documents and observed that the court was not against live-in relationships.
The petitioners told the court that they are adults and are likely to be harassed if not granted protection.
They had submitted in court that their parents had threatened to kill them or implicate them in a false criminal case if they don't end their relationship.
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22:35 Govt to get 1 cr doses of ZyCoV-D Covid vaccine
Pharmaceutical company Zydus Cadila will supply 1 crore doses of ZyCoV-D, the world's first Plasmid DNA COVID-19 vaccine, to the Government of India by December, government sources said on Thursday.
The Centre has placed an initial order for one crore doses of the vaccine, they added.
Earlier, the Centre had placed an order to supply one crore doses of ZyCoV-D at Rs 265 per dose and the needle-free applicator being offered at Rs 93 per dose, excluding GST.
ZyCoV-D is the first DNA plasmid vaccine in the world for human use, developed indigenously by the company against the Covid-19 virus.
t is also the first COVID-19 vaccine that is needle-free and administered using PharmaJet, a needle-free applicator to ensure painless intradermal vaccine delivery which also leads to a significant reduction in any kind of major side effects.
ZyCoV-D has shown good stability at temperatures of around 25 degrees for at least three months. The thermostability of the vaccine will help in easy transportation and storage of the vaccine without any problems of fluctuations in temperature.
For prolonged use, a temperature of 2-8 degrees is sufficient.
Also, being a DNA plasmid vaccine, ZyCoV-D doesn't have any problem associated with vector-based immunity. The DNA Plasmid platform allows generating new constructs quickly to deal with mutations in the virus.
22:08 A K Antony to head Congress's disciplinary panel
The Congress on Thursday reconstituted the party's disciplinary committee with veteran leader and former defence minister A K Antony being appointed as its chairman.
The five-member All India Congress Committee panel includes former Union minister Ambika Soni and senior leader Tariq Anwar.
"The Congress president has reconstituted the disciplinary action committee of AICC with immediate effect. A K Antony will be its chairman and Tariq Anwar will be its member secretary," an official communication from the party said.
Former Delhi MP Jai Parkash Aggarwal and G Parameswar are the other members of the all-important panel.
21:37 Bodies of civilians killed in Hyderpora exhumed
Authorities on Thursday exhumed the bodies of Mohammad Altaf Bhat and Mudasir Gul, two civilians killed in the Hyderpora encounter, for handing them over to their families, officials said.
The bodies were exhumed after sundown and are likely to be handed over to their families later in the night, they said.
This will be for the first time that the body of a person buried under police watch is returned to his kin since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March last year.
The bodies, accompanied by a police team, are being moved to Srinagar from Handwara where they were initially buried, the officials said.
21:32 Tough decisions if BJP denies ticket: Utpal Parrikar
Former defence minister late Manohar Parrikar's son Utpal on Thursday said he will have to take some 'tough decisions' if he is not given a ticket by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to contest the upcoming Goa assembly polls from Panaji.
Reiterating his intention to contest the 2022 elections on a BJP ticket from the Panaji assembly segment, he expressed confidence about getting his party's nomination from the seat which was represented for long by his father, a former Goa chief minister.
Utpal was talking to reporters after paying a visit to Mahalaxmi temple in the Panaji on the occasion of his birthday.
Asked if he will contest as an independent if the BJP declines to field him from Panaji, he said, "I do not want to speak about this now. Manohar Parrikar did not get anything in life easily."
"I, too, will have to work hard and I may have to take some tough decisions. I have asked the Goddess (Mahalaxmi) for strength,' he added.
Utpal said he has already informed the BJP that he wants to contest from Panaji.
"I am confident my party will give me a ticket,' he added. -- PTI
21:06 Incessant rains force closure of road to Balaji temple at Tirumala
The ghat roads leading to the ancient shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala near Tirupati has been indefinitely closed to vehicular traffic from Thursday evening due to incessant rains, an official of the temple said.
The stairway leading to the hill-temple also has been closed, the official told PTI.
Besides, air traffic has been affected.
Tirupati airport director S Suresh told PTI that two passenger flights from Hyderabad and Bengaluru scheduled to land at Renigunta airport had to return due to bad weather today.
A flight from New Delhi to Tirupati was cancelled following the inclement weather, he said.
21:04 Chinese Prez Jinping's book on governance in Hindi
Chinese President Xi Jinping's book on governance, highlighting his doctrine of Socialism with Chinese characteristics for modern China and philosophy of addressing its pressing issues, has been published in Hindi and several other languages of the Central Asian countries.
The first volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China was released in Hindi, Pashto, Dari, Sinhalese and Uzbek languages at a function at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on Wednesday, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
It has already been published in English and several languages, besides in Mandarin in the last few years.
Since he came to power in 2012, Xi, 68, has emerged as the core leader of the ruling Communist Party of China on the lines of party founder Mao Zedong.
He espoused a new ideological line called socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.
It was broadly seen updating the SCC line first proposed by party leader Deng Xiaoping who steered the party after Mao's death, diluting the hardline Marxism in the CPC's governance ideology.
SCC, which permitted market reforms and opened the economy in a big way, was largely attributed to the rapid economic development of China, helping it to become the second-largest economy after the US.
Xi, who tightened his grip on power during last week's plenum of the CPC, is widely expected to begin an unprecedented third five-year term next year with lifelong tenure in power like Mao. -- PTI
20:39 Punjab polls: 'The Great Khali' extends support to AAP
Professional wrestler Dalip Singh Rana, popularly known by his ring name 'The Great Khali' met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday and extended his support to the Aam Aadmi Party.
The wrestler expressed his appreciation for the work done by Kejriwal-led government in the fields of education, health, water, and electricity, among others.
The meeting comes ahead of the Punjab assembly elections which are scheduled to take place next year.
As per an official statement, Khali informed the CM how he was 'smitten by the development that has taken place in Delhi under his leadership.'
He said that he is willing to support the Kejriwal government in whatever way possible for the betterment of society.
"Khali talked at length with Kejriwal about the kind of changes he has seen in Delhi over the years in the field of education, health, water, and electricity. He drew comparisons of the model of development of Delhi with that of the rest of the country and stated how proud he felt to see such work take place in the national capital," the statement said.
While in conversation with the CM, Khali also expressed his raging concerns over the difficulties faced by young sportspersons in his home state of Punjab, added the statement. -- ANI
20:15 Three-member panel to probe TT match-fixing charge
The Delhi high court has constituted a three-member committee under the chairmanship of former judge of the Supreme Court Justice Vikramjit Sen to look into the allegation by star table tennis player Manika Batra of a match-fixing attempt by the national coach.
Another former Supreme Court judge Justice AK Sikri and Arjuna Awardee and Padma Shri winner athlete Gurbachan Singh Randhawa will also form part of the committee, said Justice Rekha Palli, while dealing with Batra's petition against the Table Tennis Federation of India.
Batra, who was left out of the Indian contingent for the Asian Table Tennis Championships, had moved the court earlier this year alleging that the national coach Soumyadeep Roy pressurised her to throw away an Olympic qualifier match in favour of one of his trainees.
She also claimed that TTFI was carrying out its selection processes in a non-transparent manner and targeting certain individuals such as herself.
Given the serious nature of allegations levelled by the petitioner, the judge requested the committee to conduct the inquiry as expeditiously as possible and submit its report preferably within four weeks. -- PTI
Fatehpur Sikri
19:55 You can visit centrally run monuments for free on Friday
All centrally protected monuments will be free to enter for tourists this Friday as per a nationwide directive issued by the Archaeological Survey of India to mark the World Heritage Week'.
Entry for tourists will be free at Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar's Tomb in Sikandra, Itmad-ud-daulah, and others ASI protected monuments.
However, tourists will not be able to enjoy the Taj Mahal on the day due to its weekly closing.
The entry charge is being waived to mark the 'World Heritage Week' held during November 19-25 by UNESCO, an ASI official said.
"Entry for tourists, including foreign nationals, will be free across the country at the centrally protected monuments as per the directions of the director General office, New Delhi," Raj Kumar Patel, Superintending Archaeologist of ASI, Agra Circle, told PTI on Thursday.
The objective of observing this week is to make tourists aware about their rich heritage, he said.
During the week, cultural programmes will be held at these monuments, and ASI officials will hold interactions with students and tourists to make them aware about their heritage, Patel added.
19:42 Over 115 cr vaccine jabs administered in India till now: Health ministry
The total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country crossed 115 crore on Thursday, the Union health ministry said.
According to officials, over 80 per cent of the eligible population in India have received the first dose of the vaccine while more than 41 per cent have been fully inoculated.
In a tweet, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said, "The country is getting protected through vaccination every day. As India's vaccination coverage crosses the 115 crore mark, PM Narendra Modi ji's words ring true -- once Indians decide to do something, nothing is impossible! "Har Ghar Dastak strengthening the world's largest vaccination drive!" he said.
The ministry had on Wednesday declared that the number of individuals fully vaccinated individuals against COVID-19 surpassed the partially vaccinated population. -- PTI
19:18 Rupee rises 4 paise to end at 74.24 against US dollar
The rupee erased most of its initial gains to settle 4 paise higher at 74.24 (provisional) against the US dollar on Thursday, as some pullback in crude oil prices and a weak greenback in the overseas market supported the local unit.
However, a massive sell-off in the domestic equity market restricted the rupee's gain, forex dealers said.
At the interbank forex market, the local unit opened strong at 74.10 against the greenback and witnessed an intra-day high of 74.01 and a low of 74.26 during the day's trade. -- PTI
18:54 ED questions Mehbooba's brother in PMLA case
Tassaduq Hussain Mufti, the brother of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, on Thursday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate here for questioning in a money laundering case, officials said.
Tassaduq, who was the tourism minister in his sister's cabinet, had his statement recorded under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The criminal investigation pertains to funds allegedly received by him from some Kashmir-based businesses when Mehbooba Mufti was the chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, they said.
Mehbooba has been questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in the past in connection with the case.
She told PTI on Wednesday that the summons to her brother was a political vendetta against her.
"The moment I raise my voice against any wrongdoing, there is a summon waiting for someone from my family. This time it was my brother," she had said.
Mehbooba said she has been protesting against the killing of innocent civilians in Hyderpora on the outskirts of Srinagar city on Monday.
Four people were killed in Hyderpora by police, who dubbed them "terrorists" and "harbourers of terrorists". However, the families of these people have contested the claims, saying they were innocent people.
The police's contradictory statements in the case have also raised eyebrows, prompting political leaders, including Mehbooba Mufti, to stage protests against the incident.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Thursday ordered a magisterial probe into the encounter.
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18:36 India, China hold 'candid, indepth' talks: MEA
India and China on Thursday agreed to hold the next round of military talks at an early date to achieve the objective of complete disengagement in remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh.
At a virtual meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on border affairs, the two sides had "candid and in-depth" discussions on the situation along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh and reviewed the developments since the last military talks, according to the ministry of external affairs.
"It was agreed that both sides should hold the next (14th) round of the senior commanders meeting at an early date to achieve the objective of complete disengagement from all the friction points along the LAC in the Western Sector in accordance with the existing bilateral agreements and protocols," the MEA said.
Eastern Ladakh is officially referred to as Western Sector.
In a statement, the MEA said it was agreed that both sides should in the interim also continue to ensure a stable ground situation and avoid any untoward incident.
"The two sides recalled the agreement between the external affairs minister and the foreign minister of China during their meeting in September in Dushanbe that military and diplomatic officials of the two sides should continue their discussions to resolve the remaining issues along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh," it said.
"Accordingly, the two sides had candid and in-depth discussions on the situation along the LAC in Western Sector of India-China border areas and also reviewed the developments since the last meeting of the senior commanders of both sides which was held on October 10," it said.
18:20 Rashmi Shukla appears before Koregaon probe panel, Param Bir absent
IPS officer Rashmi Shukla appeared before the Koregaon Bhima inquiry commission on Thursday in compliance with a summon issued to her in connection with the 2018 case of violence at the war memorial in Pune, but former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh remained absent.
Though Shukla appeared before the panel, her statement could not be recorded as she sought additional time to file an affidavit.
Shukla told the commission that she was yet to receive some documents from the Pune police related to the Elgar Parishad event that was organised a day before the violence.
The next date for Shukla's deposition is yet to be decided.
The two-member probe commission, headed by retired chief justice of the Calcutta high court JN Patel and also comprising former Maharashtra chief secretary Sumit Mullick, had issued summons to both Rashmi Shukla and Param Bir Singh on October 22 this year. -- PTI
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17:31 No one eats non-veg openly here
Ahmedabad's food lovers on the city's cultural aversion to meat. New Irani Cafe's famous maska-bun used to come with a layer of egg, until customers began asking for 'Hindu-buns'.
17:25 Omar protests over Hyderpora encounter
Former CM of J&K Omar Abdullah in Srinagar protests over the deaths of civilians in the Hyderpora encounter: "Today, perforce, I have to stage this protest to express my anger and helplessness. Even the dead bodies of those killed in the Hyderpora encounter haven't been returned to the families. They couldn't even peacefully protest in Press Colony.
"Today families were called before SP and control room in the hopes of receiving the mortal remains. But they were told to come back after 2-3 days. I don't care about inquiries or punishments, I just want the dead bodies of civilians to be returned for a proper funeral."
17:18 India exported 65 mn doses of Covid vaccines: PM
India exported more than 65 million doses of Covid vaccines to nearly 100 countries this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday, asserting that the global trust earned by the Indian healthcare sector has led to the country being called the pharmacy of the world.
Speaking after inaugurating the first global innovation summit of the pharmaceutical sector, Modi said India's vision is to create an eco-system for innovation that will make the country a leader in drug discovery and innovative medical devices.
"Our policy interventions are being made based on wide consultations with all stakeholders," he said.
Noting that India has a large pool of scientists and technologists with a potential to take the industry to greater heights, Modi said this strength needs to be harnessed to discover and make in India. "Today, when 1.3 billion people of India have taken it upon themselves to make India 'aatmanirbhar', we must think about ramping up domestic manufacturing of key ingredients for vaccines and medicines," he asserted. "This is one frontier that India has to conquer," he said.
"I invite you all to ideate in India, innovate in India, make in India and make for the world. Discover your true strength and serve the world," Modi said in his remarks at the summit.
He noted that whether it is lifestyle, or medicines, or medical technology, or vaccines, every aspect of healthcare has received global attention over the last two years.
In this context, the Indian pharmaceutical industry has also risen to the challenge, Modi said. The global trust earned by the Indian healthcare sector has led to India being called the pharmacy of the world in recent times, he said. -- PTI
17:10 Mapped: the top losers in the markets are
M&M, Tech Mahindra and HCL Tech were the top three losing scrips today.
An IAF helicopter prepares to take off from a forward airbase in Leh
16:56 Why is PM allowing Chinese incursions, asks Cong
The Congress accused the BJP-led government today of compromising national security and India's territorial integrity, and questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on new Chinese villages coming up near the Dokalam plateau.
Congress spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said latest satellite images show that China has built four villages in Bhutan, next to Dokalam, and has grabbed 100 square kilometres of land in the area through illegal incursions.
"Why are we tolerating this all-round aggression from China and doing absolutely nothing about it? We urge the prime minister not to hide behind smokescreens and answer to the people," he said at a press conference.
"The Modi government's unpardonable, blatant and brazen compromise of national security and India's territorial integrity stands exposed once again. The prime minister and the defence minister have undermined the astounding valour and insurmountable grit of our armed forces, who faced the Chinese incursions and aggressions with indomitable courage and sacrifice," Vallabh said.
Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also shared the satellite images on Twitter and said, "100 Square KMs of 'land grab' and illegal incursion and setting four new villages by China in Bhutan, next to Doklam is a blow to India's national security. This happened between May-Nov 2021."
"Why is PM 'mum'? Who will defend National Security?" he asked.
Vallabh said the new satellite images on Chinese military development show the purported construction of Chinese villages in Bhutanese territory over the last year. These new villages lie near the Dokalam plateau where India and China had a face-off in 2017, after which the neighbouring country bypassed Indian defences to resume road construction activity in the region, he said.
Vallabh said the new construction on Bhutanese soil is particularly worrying for India since the country has historically advised Bhutan on its external relations policy and continues to train its armed forces. "Why is the Modi government compromising our territorial integrity?" he asked.
Sameer Wankhede
16:37 Order on Wankhede's father's plea on Nov 22
The Bombay High Court on Thursday said it will pass its order on November 22 on a plea filed by Dnyandev Wankhede, father of NCB's zonal director Sameer Wankhede.
The plea seeks interim reliefs against Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik, including an injunction prohibiting him from posting any defamatory content on social media against the anti-drug agency officer and his family.
A single bench of Justice Madhav Jamdar on Thursday took on record additional documents submitted by Malik and Dnyandev Wankhede, related to the ongoing controversy over the NCB officer's caste certificate.
Among other things, the court took on record a school admission form and a school leaving certificate submitted by Malik that the NCP leader claimed belongs to Sameer Wankhede and shows that he was born a Muslim.
Dnyandev Wankhede submitted a set of counter documents that included his son's birth certificate and his caste certificate allegedly showing that he indeed belongs to a Scheduled Caste.
The high court directed both the parties to refrain from submitting any fresh documents until it pronounces its order on November 22.
Malik has been alleging that Sameer Wankhede, though born a Muslim, had secured a central government job claiming to be from the SC category. But Wankhede has denied the allegations levelled against him.
Wankhede's father had filed a defamation suit against Malik earlier this month in the high court, seeking among other things that Malik be restrained from posting defamatory statements against him and his family on social media. He has also sought damages worth Rs 1.25 crore. -- PTI
Vijay Mallya
16:19 Modi to fugitive eco offenders: Return to India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said his government is using all channels including diplomatic to bring back high-profile economic offenders, leaving them with no option but to return to the country.
Speaking at a symposium on credit flow and economic growth, he asked banks to support wealth and job creators with proactive lending while promising to stand by any loans given in right earnest.
"In our attempt to bring back fugitive (economic offenders), we relied on policies and law and also used diplomatic channels. The message is very clear -- return to your country. We are continuing these efforts," he said.
He, however, did not name or refer to any particular offender. India has in recent times stepped up efforts to extradite high-profile economic offenders such as Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi, wanted in connection with bank frauds and money laundering cases.
15:58 Arunachal's Indian-ness doesn't have to be proven: CM
'Our love for our great nation -- Bharat is second to none and our patriotism towards our motherland -- India is for the entire nation to emulate.' Claude Arpi/Rediff.com in conversation with Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu. Read the interview here.
15:48 Parl not for tearing papers, dancing: Anurag Thakur
In an apparent dig at opposition parties ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament, Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday said Parliament is meant for discussion and not for dancing and tearing papers.
He also suggested that 75 topics of national and human interests should be selected for discussion in Parliament to mark 75 years of India's independence.
Speaking at the valedictory session of the All India Presiding Officers Conference (AIPOC), Thakur emphasised the need for quality debates in legislatures and said efforts should me made to further enhance the standard of deliberations.
Without mentioning the opposition and disruptions created by it in previous sessions of Parliament, Thakur said, "Parliament is meant for discussion and not for tearing papers and dancing on tables...it can be done on roads."
Parliament witnessed unruly scenes in previous sessions during the passage of farm laws and discussion on various issues, with some parliamentarians tearing papers and some opposition members climbing atop the table of the Rajya Sabha Secretary General. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Thakur urged presiding officers to consider associating university students with legislatures so that they can help raise the standard of research.
He also recalled how during his maiden speech in Lok Sabha then Speaker Somnath Chatterjee gave him confidence and ensured that there was a cordial atmosphere in the House.
The Winter Session of Parliament will commence on November 29 and is likely to conclude on December 23. PTI
15:40 Chidambaram takes dig at PM's 'quality debates' in Parl remark
A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi mooted the idea of having a separate time in legislatures for quality debates, Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday took a dig at him, saying the question is will the prime minister ever participate in a debate in Parliament.
Addressing the inaugural session of the 82nd All India Presiding Officers' Conference virtually, Modi asked lawmakers and legislatures to follow Indian values and send a message to citizens through their conduct about giving primacy to one's duties.
He also mooted the idea of having a separate time in legislatures for quality and healthy debates that should be serious, dignified and devoid of political potshots at others.
Taking a dig at Modi, Chidambaram tweeted, "Interesting to read that PM stressed the need for 'quality debates' in Parliament. He also suggested setting a separate time for quality debates. The question is 'Will PM ever participate in a debate in Parliament?"
The Congress has been alleging that the government is running away from debates on key issues in Parliament, a charge denied by the government which has stated that the Opposition has been disrupting the Houses and stalling legislative work. -- PTI
15:36 Delhi riots: Assembly panel asks Facebook to submit records on users' reports
A Delhi assembly committee asked Facebook India on Thursday to furnish records of users' reports (complaints) on the content posted on the platform one month prior and two months after the northeast Delhi riots in February 2020.
Hearing a representation by Shivnath Thukral, the public policy director of Facebook India (Meta Platforms), in the Assembly, chairman of the Peace and Harmony Committee Raghav Chadha asked for the records.
He also quizzed the Facebook official regarding the organisational structure, the complaints redressal mechanism, community standards and hate speech definitions with respect to the social media giant.
Thukral said Facebook is not a law enforcement agency but it has a mechanism to co-operate with such agencies whenever required.
"When things happen in the real world, they reflect on our platform as well. We do not want hate on our platform. There are some bad actors that need to be worked on," he said during the hearing.
Thukral said Facebook has 40,000 people working on content management, including 15,000 dealing with content moderation. Any content found against the community standards followed by the platform is taken down immediately, he added.
Summonses were issued by the committee to Facebook India to put forward its views on the critical role of social media platforms in curbing the spread of false, provocative and malicious messages that can incite violence and disharmony.
The panel has so far heard seven witnesses while examining the role of social media platforms in connection with the northeast Delhi riots that claimed over 50 lives and left hundreds of people injured in February 2020. -- PTI
File pic
15:08 Pak parl nod to chemical castration of rapists
Sex offenders convicted of multiple rapes in Pakistan could face chemical castration after Parliament passed a new legislation that aims to speed up convictions and impose tougher sentences.
The bill is a response to a public outcry against a recent spike in incidents of rape of women and children in the country and growing demands for effectively curbing the crime.
The passage of the bill comes almost a year after President Arif Alvi approved the new anti-rape ordinance that was cleared by the Pakistan Cabinet, calling for the chemical castration of rapists with the consent of the convict and setting up of special courts for speedy trails.
The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2021 bill was passed along with 33 other bills by the joint session of parliament on Wednesday. It seeks to amend the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860, and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, the Dawn newspaper reported.
Chemical castration is a process duly notified by rules framed by the prime minister, whereby a person is rendered incapable of performing sexual intercourse for any period of his life, as may be determined by the court through administration of drugs which shall be conducted through a notified medical board, according to the bill.
14:35 Rajnath honours Rezang La battle hero in Ladakh
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh shares a picture with Rezang La battle hero Brigadier (Retd) R V Jataar, who was the company commander during the time.
Rajnath said he saluted Brig Jataar's courage and prayed for his long life.
Today, Union defence minister Rajnath Singh, along with chief of defence staff Gen Bipin Rawat, Vice Chief of the Army Staff Lieutenant General Chandi Prasad Mohanty and Northern Army Commander YK Joshi, inaugurated a newly-revamped war memorial in Ladakh.
The memorial is to honour the heroes of the epic battle of Rezang La and the Galwan braves.
The Galwan braves were led by Col Santosh Babu who took on the PLA on June 15, 2020 and did not allow the Chinese to forcefully change the LAC line in Galwan sector. Since Army Chief MM Naravane is in Israel on an official visit, Vice Chief Mohanty attended the ceremony.
The 18,000 feet Rezang La is a desolate wind-swept pass lying 11 kilometres south of Spangur Gap, from where nearly two thousand Chinese troops attacked mere 114 men of Charlie Company of 13 Kumaon led by Major Shaitan Singh at 4am on November 18, 1962.
In the next 18 hours, virtually the entire Shaitan company was decimated but not before the 13 Kumaon inflicted massive casualties on the PLA troops and also saved the Chushul Garrison from being run over by the marauding Chinese.
14:18 Where is Param Bir Singh, asks SC, holds back relief
The Supreme Court on Thursday asked former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh to disclose his location and said, "no protection, no hearing until we know where you are".
The apex court asked his lawyer to inform about Singh's whereabouts and posted the matter for hearing on November 22.
A bench headed by Justice S K Kaul took exception that his plea seeking protection has been filed through power of attorney.
"You are seeking protective orders; nobody knows where you are. Suppose you are sitting abroad and taking legal recourse through power of attorney then what happens. If that is so then you will come to India if the court rules in your favour, we don't know what you have in mind. No protection, no hearing until we know where you are," said the bench also comprising Justice M M Sundresh. -- PTI
14:12 When China is your employer... workers unpaid
Laos workers who were hired by Chinese companies for construction projects, undertaken six years ago are still waiting for their payments.
These workers were hired to build homes for villagers displaced by the construction of a China-backed dam, Radio Free Asia reported.
"The wages of workers who built the resettlement villages in the Nalae district of Luang Namtha province in 2015 have still not been paid. And compensation to the villagers who lost land, crops, and other property to the dam project has not been paid either," Vice President of Lao Front for National Construction, Khamchanh Phomsengsavanh informed.
Dam developer The Namtha 1 Power Company hired two subcontractors, the Sengphet Company and Soakxay Company, in 2015 to build eleven resettlement villages -- including homes, health centres, offices, roads, and schools for the people displaced by the dam.
"I built a health centre five years ago, and I still haven't gotten paid," a worker informed Radio Free Asia.
His employer had said he would pay him three million kips (USD 300) for the work, but allegedly "just ran away."
"Most of us never got paid, and those who did get paid never got the full amount. We worked hard. The company still owes us," another worker said. -- ANI
13:54 India will continue to deliver food, medicines to Afghanistan
India at the UN Security Council has said that it is willing to coordinate with other stakeholders to work towards enabling expeditious provision of much-needed assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
India called on countries in the region to come together, rising above partisan interests.
India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador T S Tirumurti, addressing the UNSC open briefing on the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on Wednesday, said that India has supported the call of the international community that access to humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan should be direct and without any hindrance.
India is once again ready to deliver urgent humanitarian aid consisting of foodgrains and medicines to the people of Afghanistan. India remains steadfast in its commitment towards humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan, he said.
"We call on the international community and countries in the region to come together, rising above partisan interests. As the largest regional development partner of Afghanistan, India is willing to coordinate with other stakeholders to work towards enabling expeditious provision of much needed assistance to the people of Afghanistan," Tirumurti said.
13:40 Daring govt recovered Rs 5L cr of loans: Modi
PM Narendra Modi at a symposium to Build Synergy for Seamless Credit Flow & Economic Growth:
"There comes a time in the development journey of any nation when it takes a new resolve for a new leap and then the strength of the entire nation comes together for the fulfillment of those resolves.
"We are in a situation when the ground is solid for a leap and the target is set. What remains is to just begin.
"Reforms brought in by Govt in the banking sector and support to the sector in every way in the last six to seven years have led to the country's banking sector being in a very strong position today. Banks' financial health is in a much better position now.
"During COVID, a dedicated Stress Asset Management Vertical was constituted in the country. With such decisions, today banks' resolution and recovery is better, their condition is strengthening & an inherent strength is being found within it.
"We found roads to solution for all issues before 2014. We addressed NPAs issue, recapitalised banks, enhanced their strength, brought reforms like IBC, reformed laws, strengthened Debt Recovery Tribunal.
"When someone runs away with bank loans, it is discussed a lot. But when a daring govt brings them back, nobody discusses it. More than Rs 5 lakh Crores have been recovered out of the lakhs and crores of rupees that were struck during the previous govts' regime."
File pic
13:02 India, China border talks today on disengagement
India and China are holding talks on border issues on Thursday. After the Galwan clash last year, several rounds of military and diplomatic talks have ended in a stalemate.
The 23rd round of India, China border talks taking place today is under Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC).
Disengagement at some border points did take place but by and large there is an impasse on complete disengagement. Disengagement at Depsang and Hot Springs remains a key sticky point.
A huge build-up of forces on each side of Eastern Ladakh even during harsh winters indicates that conflict is far from being defused.
The last contact between India and China was the military talks at the Corps Commander level in October this year. It was the 13th round of talks.
12:56 No hybrid model for CBSE, CISCE exams: SC
The Supreme Court Thursday refused to direct the CBSE and the CISCE to provide an option of the hybrid model, instead of the offline model only, for the class 10 and 12 board examinations, saying it would not be appropriate to disturb the process at this stage.
The apex court noted that term one board exams of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) have already commenced from November 16 while semester one of board examination of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) are to commence from November 22.
A bench comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and C T Ravikumar was informed by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was representing the CBSE, that all precautions have been taken for conducting the board exams in offline mode and the examination centres have been increased from 6,500 to 15,000.
The bench said it hopes and trusts that authorities will take all precautions and measures to ensure that no one is exposed to anything untoward in the examination process.
The top court was hearing a plea, filed by six students who would be appearing in the board examinations, seeking directions to the CBSE and the CISCE to issue a revised circular for conducting the ensuing class 10 and 12 board exams in hybrid mode instead of offline mode only amid the COVID-19 pandemic. PTI
Toxic foam in the Yamuna
12:35 Kejriwal announces action plan to clean Yamuna
The Delhi government announces a a six-point action plan to clean the Yamuna river by February 2025.
Announcing the plan, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said, "It took 70 yrs for river Yamuna to become this dirty, it can't be cleaned within two days.
"I had promised people in these Delhi polls that it would be cleaned by next polls. We've started work on war-footing. We have 6 action points over it, I'm personally monitoring it.
"In the first action plan, we are working on sewer treatment on war-footing. First, new sewer treatment plants are being built.
"Second, the capacity of existing plants is being increased,
"Third, the technology of old treatment plants is being changed:
"Fourth: Waste from Jhuggi Jhopri clusters that goes into rivers will now be merged into sewers.
"Fifth: In some areas people haven't taken sewer connections, we've decided to install sewer connections in such areas at nominal charges.
"Sixth: Desilting, rehabilitation of sewers."
Umar Khalid
12:26 Bail Is The Rule For Hindu Hate Speech
Six men from Hindu groups accused of calling for murder, violence against Muslims got bail in less than two months. Fifteen protesters against citizenship law who are accused of inciting Delhi riots despite never advocating violence were in jail without bail 13 to 21 months.
Article 14 tracks four cases and find that the police and the legal system treat the two sets differently.
Read more here.
IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar
12:08 TRF commander among 5 terrorists killed in two encounters in Kulgam
Meanwhile, a Resistance Front (TRF) commander was among five terrorists killed on Wednesday in twin encounters with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district, said Jammu and Kashmir Police.
Two encounters took place at Pombay and Gopalpora villages of the Kulgam district.
Besides this, a major tragedy was also averted after arresting two terrorist associates in Pulwama district along with two ready-to-use Improvised Explosive Devices (IED).
"Acting on specific inputs generated by Kulgam Police about the presence of terrorists in twin villages of Kulgam, two anti-terrorist operations were carried out in which five terrorists were eliminated. The killed terrorists include terrorist commander of proscribed terror outfit TRF namely Aafaq Sikander," the police said.
The police further said that during both the operations, ample opportunities were given to the trapped terrorists to surrender, however, they started firing indiscriminately on the search teams which was retaliated leading to encounters.
Family members of Mudasir Gul
11:47 Magisterial probe ordered in Hyderpora encounter
J&K LG Manoj Sinha orders magisterial probe into Hyderpora encounter in Srinagar, in which four people were killed.
With families of three of the four persons killed in Hyderpora encounter in Srinagar claiming the men were innocent, the encounter has become controversial.
The three families have also demanded return of the bodies which have been buried by the police in north Kashmir's Handwara, for proper burial and inquiry.
A controversy erupted over the encounter held on Monday near Srinagar following conflicting claims about two deceased civilians as their family members contested the police's charge that they were 'terror associates', prompting demands by parties like the People's Democratic Party and the National Conference for an impartial probe.
According to the police, a Pakistani terrorist and his local associate Mohammad Amir, along with two civilians -- Altaf Bhat and Mudassir Gul -- were killed in the encounter in Hyderpora locality, where an illegal call centre and a terror hideout were allegedly being run.
Inspector-General of Police (Kashmir range) Vijay Kumar maintained that Gul was an active associate of terrorists and was running the call centre on the premises owned by Altaf.
He said that Bhat was killed in cross-firing with the terrorists and though he expressed regret over the death, he said Bhat would be counted among the 'harbourers' of terrorists.
11:41 SC quashes skin-to-skin judgement of Bombay HC
The Supreme Court on Thursday quashed the Bombay High Court verdict which had held that no offence of sexual assault under the POCSO Act is made out if there is no direct skin-to-skin contact between an accused and victim.
A bench headed by Justice U U Lalit set aside the high court judgement, and said the most important ingredient of constituting sexual assault is sexual intent and not skin-to-skin with the child.
Purpose of the law cannot be to allow the offender to escape the meshes of the law, the apex court said.
"We have held that when the legislature has expressed clear intention, the courts cannot create ambiguity in the provision. It is right that courts cannot be overzealous in creating ambiguity," the bench, also comprising Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Bela M Trivedi, said.
The top court, which was hearing separate appeals of Attorney General and the National Commission for women (NCW), had on January 27 stayed the order which had acquitted a man under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act saying groping a minor's breast without 'skin to skin contact' cannot be termed as sexual assault .
The sessions court had sentenced the man to three years of imprisonment for the offences under the POCSO Act as also under IPC section 354. The sentences were to run concurrently. The high court, however, acquitted him under the POCSO Act while upholding his conviction under IPC section 354.
11:25 Preity Zinta, Gene Goodenough, parents to twins
Preity Zinta announces she and her husband Gene Goodenough are parents to twins.
Sharing the news on Instagram, Zinta wrote, "Hi everyone, I wanted to share our amazing news with all of you today.
Gene & I are overjoyed & our hearts are filled with so much gratitude & with so much love as we welcome our twins Jai Zinta Goodenough & Gia Zinta Goodenough into our family.
We are very excited about this new phase in our lives. A heartfelt thank you to the doctors, nurses and to our surrogate for being part of this incredible journey. Loads of love and light - Gene, Preity, Jai & Gia #gratitude#family #twins #ting."
10:52 Paytm shares make tepid debut with 9% discount
Shares of One97 Communications Ltd, Paytm's parent company, on Thursday made a tepid market debut, listing with a discount of over 9 per cent from the issue price of Rs 2,150.
The stock was listed at Rs 1,955, slipping 9 per cent from the issue price on the BSE. It then tumbled 20.67 per cent to Rs 1,705.55.
At the NSE, it debuted at Rs 1,950, registering a decline of 9.30 per cent against the issue price.
"Paytm, the biggest IPO in India so far debuted the secondary market on a weaker note as compared to our expectations of a flat listing," Santosh Meena, Head of Research, Swastika Investmart Ltd, said.
The company commanded a market valuation of Rs 1,26,737.50 crore in early trade on the BSE. Ant Group-backed Paytm's Rs 18,300 crore IPO was oversubscribed 1.89 times on the last day of India's biggest share sale last week. This was greater than miner Coal India's Rs 15,000 crore offer a decade back.
The initial public offering of Paytm's parent company One97 Communications Ltd received bids for 9.14 crore equity shares against the offer size of 4.83 crore shares, according to information available with stock exchanges on November 10.
Paytm had fixed its IPO in a price band of Rs 2,080-2,150 per share. Incorporated in 2000, One97 Communications is India's leading digital ecosystem for consumers and merchant. -- PTI
Under the scanner
10:44 India records 11,919 Covid cases, 470 deaths
With 11,919 fresh cases, India's COVID-19 tally has climbed to 3,44,78,517, while the number of active cases has gone up to 1,28,762, the Union health ministry said on Thursday.
The death toll due to the viral disease has shot up to 4,64,623 with 470 more fatalities, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am.
The daily rise in the number of coronavirus cases has been below 20,000 for 41 straight days now and less than 50,000 fresh cases have been reported for 144 consecutive days.
The number of active cases of the infection has gone up to 1,28,762, accounting for 0.37 per cent of the total caseload, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.28 per cent, the highest since March 2020, the ministry said.
An increase of 207 cases in the active COVID-19 caseload was recorded in a span of 24 hours, it added. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.97 per cent. It has been less than two per cent for 45 consecutive days.
10:29 Air quality in Delhi in 'very poor' category
The air quality in the national capital remained in the very poor category with the air quality index (AQI) clocking the value of 344 at 8 am on Thursday, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed.
Though it remained in the very poor category, the AQI improved marginally at 344 on Thursday from its previous day's index value of 375.
Authorities, however, said no major improvement is likely till Sunday. According to the CPCB's Sameer App, Faridabad (354), Ghaziabad (364), Greater Noida (324), Gurugram (325) and Noida (333) also recorded their air quality in the very poor category at 8 am on Thursday.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, and 401 and 500 severe.
The minimum temperature of the national capital was recorded at 10.5 degrees Celsius, two notches below the season's average, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
10:10 JK: Kin of slain civilians removed from protest site
The family members of two civilians killed in an encounter in Srinagar's Hyderpora, who were staging a sit-in at the Press Enclave in Srinagar, were forcibly removed by police around midnight and a few of them were detained, officials said on Thursday.
The protesting families were on a sit-in since Wednesday morning and held a candlelight vigil after the daylong protest.
They stayed put at the Press Enclave amidst a biting cold, demanding that the bodies of their kin be returned to them.
However, police forcibly removed the protestors from the site at around midnight, the officials said.
They said the power supply to the area was snapped before the arrival of the police personnel.
Several protesters were detained by the police, the officials added.
Mainstream politicians from Jammu and Kashmir have condemned the police action, video clips of which have gone viral on the social media.
"Instead of handing over mortal remains of the innocent civilians, police has arrested the family members for demanding the bodies of their loved ones. Unbelievably ruthless & insensitive. Least they can do is return the mortal remains immediately," People's Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti wrote on Twitter.
People's Conference chief Sajad Lone said the administration is intent on presenting its "inhuman and ugly face".
"What on earth Has happened to the administration. Y can't they present a human face. Y r they so intent on presenting a v inhuman and ugly face (sic)," he said in a tweet.
"General Dyer must be very proud of you @JmuKmrPolice," National Conference (NC) leader Ruhullah Mehdi wrote on Twitter. -- PTI
09:38 India gets reelected to UNESCO executive board for 2021-25 term
India on Wednesday won the re-election to the executive board of the United Nations' cultural and education organisation for the 2021-25 term.
"India gets reelected to the Executive Board of UNESCO with 164 votes for the term 2021-25," tweeted the Paris-based Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
The election of members of the executive board took place on Wednesday. In Group IV Asian and Pacific States, Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, Cook Islands and China also were elected.
The UNESCO Executive Board is one of the three constitutional organs of the UN agency (the others being the General Conference and the Secretariat) and it is elected by the General Conference.
Acting under the authority of the General Conference, the board examines the programme of work for the organisation and corresponding budget estimates submitted to it by the Director-General.
It consists of 58 member-states each with a four-year term of office, according to the UNESCO website. -- PTI
09:12 PLA close to achieve initial capability to invade Taiwan: Report
The People's Liberation Army either has or is close to achieving an initial capability to invade Taiwan, one that remains under development but that China's leaders may employ at high risk -- while deterring, delaying, or defeating United States military intervention, US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) said in its 2021 Annual report to Congress on Wednesday.
Decades of concerted modernisation by the PLA have shifted the military balance in the Taiwan Strait and dangerously weakened cross-Strait deterrence, the report read.
The PLA's development of this capability has involved years of campaign planning and advancements in anti-access and area-denial capabilities. China has also demonstrated significant improvements in its shipbuilding capacity to bolster amphibious and civilian sealift, both of which the PLA has used in amphibious landing exercises, it added.
The PLA will continue to develop all of these capabilities to enhance Chinese leaders' confidence that it can successfully execute an invasion campaign, the USCC said.
Cross-Strait deterrence still holds today because Chinese leaders remain deeply concerned about the uncertain success of an attempted invasion as well as its risks and consequences. Failed attempts by the PLA to invade Taiwan or to counter US intervention risk undermining the CCP's legitimacy, the report said.
The PLA still suffers from significant weaknesses in joint operations and personnel quality, contributing to uncertainty among China's top leaders.
A decision to invade Taiwan also risks destabilizing regional trade flows and supply chains, damaging the most productive segments of the Chinese economy and threatening other economic and political objectives associated with China's national rejuvenation, it added.
Lastly, Chinese leaders must consider the difficulty of controlling Taiwan's population after an invasion and responding to the international fallout from a conflict. The US measures that deepen Chinese leaders' anxieties about these risks are likely to enhance deterrence, according to the report. -- ANI
TMC MP Mahua Moitra
08:14 TMC MP moves SC against Centre's move on CBI, ED chiefs' term
Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court against two ordinances brought out by the Centre under which the tenure of directors of the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate can now be extended by up to three years after the mandated term of two years.
The All India Trinamool Congress leader stated that the ordinances are contrary to the apex court's recent judgement.
"My petition just filed in Supreme Court challenging Union Ordinances on extension to the CBI and the ED director tenures being contrary to SC own judgements," the tweet stated.
This is the second petition challenging the ordinance.
Advocate M L Sharma on Tuesday filed a similar petition alleging that the Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Ordinance and the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Ordinance are unconstitutional, arbitrary and ultra-vires to the Constitution and urged their quashing.
As per the ordinances, the tenure of directors of the CBI and the ED can now be extended by up to three years after the mandated term of two years.
In both cases, an extension of a year each for three years can be given to the directors after clearance by the committees constituted for their appointments, according to the ordinances.
The apex court on September 8 had dismissed a plea challenging retrospective change in the 2018 appointment order of Sanjay Kumar Mishra as director of the ED, saying that a reasonable period of extension can be granted to facilitate completion of ongoing investigations. -- PTI
00:28 Will install Krishna idol in Mathura mosque: Hindu Mahasabha
The Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha has announced that it will install an idol of Lord Krishna at the deity's actual birthplace, which it claims is in the mosque close to a prominent temple in Mathura.
Hindu Mahasabha leader Rajyashri Choudhary said the idol will be installed after a maha jalabhishek on December 6 to purify the place.
The date picked by the right-wing organisation marks the demolition in 1992 of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, the site of a temple-mosque dispute.
The Mahasabha threat to perform the ritual inside the Shahi Idgah comes at a time when the local courts are hearing a series of petitions seeking 'the removal' of the 17th century mosque, close to the Katra Keshav Dev temple.
Hindu Mahasabha leader Rajyashri Choudhary, however, denied there was any link between the 1992 event and organisation's Mathura plan.
Water from the holy rivers will be brought for the 'maha jalabhishek', she said.
We so far have got political freedom, but spiritual, economic and cultural freedom is yet to be achieved, Choudhary said. -- PTI
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