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Fri, 01 October 2021
Invest in India's growth: Modi at Dubai Expo
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23:24 Invest in India's growth: Modi at Dubai Expo
Today's India is one of the most open countries in the world and it offers maximum growth, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday, inviting investors to the country.
In his video message to a gathering at the India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, Modi said India is a powerhouse of talent and is making many advances in the world of technology, research and innovation.
"Our economic growth is powered by a combination of legacy industries and start-ups," he said.
Referring to the theme of India's pavilion -- 'Openness, Opportunity and Growth' -- he stressed that today's India is one of the most open countries in the world, open to learning, open to perspectives, open to innovation, open to investment.
"India also offers you maximum growth. Growth in scale, growth in ambition, growth in results. Come to India and be a part of our growth story," the prime minister said, inviting the investors.
Over the last seven years, the government of India has undertaken several reforms to boost economic growth, he said.
"We will keep doing more to continue this trend," he added.
Modi said that today, India is a land of opportunities, be it in the field of arts or commerce, industry or academia.
"There is opportunity to discover, opportunity to partner, opportunity to progress. Come to India and explore these opportunities. India also offers you maximum growth. Growth in scale, growth in ambition, growth in results. Come to India and be a part of our growth story," he said in his brief remarks.
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21:50 5 Indian Navy mountaineers go missing in U'khand
Five mountaineers of the Indian Navy and one porter went missing early on Friday after getting caught in an avalanche when they were about to reach the peak of Mount Trishul in Uttarakhand's Bageshwar district, officials said.
A rescue team from Uttarkashi-based Nehru Institute of Mountaineering led by its principal Colonel Amit Bisht has left for the avalanche-hit area in search of the missing, a statement from NIM, quoting Col Bisht, said.
The team of rescuers has reached up to Joshimath but bad weather is impeding their progress, the statement said.
A combined team of Indian Army, Air Force and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) assisted by a helicopter are engaged in rescue operations, it said.
Mount Trishul which means trident, a weapon associated with lord Shiva, is a group of three Himalayan peaks located in Bageshwar district of Uttarakhand.
The adventure wing of the Indian Navy had informed NIM authorities about the incident around 11 am and sought the help of the institute's search and rescue team.
According to information available, a 20-member team of mountaineers of the Indian Navy had embarked on an expedition to the 7, 120 metre Mount Trishul 15 days ago and the avalanche hit the area around 5 am Friday.
21:41 Aditya Roy Kapur replaces Hrithik in the Indian adaptation of The Night Manager
Actor Aditya Roy Kapur has been roped in as the lead actor for the Indian adaptation of John Le Carre's spy drama The Night Manager.
Earlier, Hrithik Roshan was supposed to play the lead character Jonathan Pine, essayed by Tom Hiddleston in the British mini-series.
Regarding Aditya's involvement in the project, a source revealed, "The Indian adaptation of The Night Manager will have a larger-than-life set-up and is one of the most ambitious projects of the year. Owing to Aditya Roy Kapur's massive female fan following and back-to-back blockbuster projects, the makers have roped him to play the character essayed by Tom Hiddleston in the series. It will feature the suave actor in a different avatar altogether."
The Night Manager is a 1993 novel by British author John Le Carre, who passed away in December 2020.
The story revolves around the night manager of a luxury hotel, a former soldier, who is recruited by a government espionage organisation, to infiltrate the inner circle of an arms dealer.
The book was adapted for the BBC and AMC by David Farr and the series was directed by Susanne Bier. Apart from Hiddleston, the cast also included actors Olivia Colman, Hugh Laurie, Elizabeth Debicki and Tom Hollander.
The series won several Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Primetime Emmys.
Sandeep Modi, the co-directer of Ram Madhvani's Emmy-nominated series Aarya, will helm the Indian adaptation. The series is expected to go on floors in the first quarter of next year.
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21:18 Earthquake measuring 3.6 on Richter scale strikes MP's Seoni
An earthquake of magnitude 3.6 on the Ritcher scale struck Seoni in Madhya Pradesh on Friday.
The earthquake struck at around 11.50 am.
"Earthquake of Magnitude:3.6, Occurred on 01-10-2021, 11:49:09 IST, Lat: 22.11 & Long: 79.59, Depth: 5 Km, Location: Seoni, Madhya Pradesh" said National Center for Seismology in a tweet.
An earthquake of magnitude 4.3 on the Ritcher scale had struck the Lachung area of the North Sikkim district on Wednesday.
Reuters
21:00 Rajiv murder convict Nalini moves HC for release
Nalini Sriharan, a life convict in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, has once again moved the Madras High Court, seeking to declare as "unconstitutional" the failure on the part of the Tamil Nadu Governor to act on the state government's earlier recommendation for the release of all seven persons involved and to order her release without the Governor's consent.
The K Palaniswami-led AIADMK government had in September 2018, recommended to then Governor Banwarilal Purohit the release of all the seven persons -- Murugan, Santhan, AG Perarivalan, Ravichandran, Jayakumar, Robert Payas and Nalini -- convicted and undergoing life imprisonment in connection with the assassination of Gandhi during an election rally at nearby Sriperumbudur in May 1991.
Sriharan had earlier also moved the court on the matter.
On Friday, the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P D Audikesavalu, before which the petition came up for hearing, ordered notice to the authorities concerned returnable by October 12.
Among other things, Sriharan submitted the Supreme Court had held that the decision of a State is binding on the Governor as per Article 161 of the Constitution. But the Tamil Nadu Governor had failed to act on the decision of the state cabinet taken on September 9, 2018.
It would amount to committing contempt of the proceedings of the apex court, she contended and prayed the court to order her release without the Governor's nod.
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20:03 Australia approves Covishield for visitors
Australia's top medical regulator on Friday approved the Covishield vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India for incoming international travellers, a step that is expected to facilitate the return of thousands of Indian students to that country.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's office said the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has advised that Coronavac (Sinovac) and Covishield should be considered as "recognised vaccines" for the purpose of determining incoming international travellers as being appropriately vaccinated.
It said Australia is ready to take its next steps to safely reopen to the world, with changes coming to the international border.
"Our government is setting out the framework for how international travel will look in coming months," it said.
It is not immediately clear whether the TGA's approval for Covishield will facilitate immediate travel to Australia by Indian students waiting to return to that country or whether certain changes will have to be made to the existing protocols for the entry of foreign nationals into the country.
The TGA is Australia's medicines and medical devices regulator.
"Today, the TGA has published its initial assessment of the data on the protection offered by the Coronavac (Sinovac) and Covishield (AstraZeneca/Serum Institute of India) vaccines and has advised that these vaccines should be considered as 'recognised vaccines' for the purpose of determining incoming international travellers as being appropriately vaccinated," the Australian Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement.
It said declaring certain COVID-19 vaccines as 'recognised vaccines' is separate to a regulatory decision on whether they are approved for use for vaccination in Australia, which has not been made by the TGA.
"The recognition of these two additional vaccines is a major milestone towards more Australians vaccinated overseas getting home sooner," the statement said.
"In coming weeks, the Minister for Health will consider updates to the Biosecurity Act Emergency determinations to facilitate some of these changes for fully vaccinated Australian travellers as we move forward on the National Plan to get Australia back to normal and reopen our country safely," it said.
The Australian PMO said that the government will finalise in the coming weeks the processes for people to be able to show their vaccination status if they have had a TGA recognised vaccine.
"People who have received vaccines not recognised by the TGA, or who are unvaccinated, will be required to undertake 14 days of managed quarantine on arrival," it said.
Pic: Courtesy, Sikh IT Cell/Twitter
19:56 ISIS-K claims killing of Sikh doctor in Pakistan's Peshawar city
The Islamic State's Afghanistan affiliate, dubbed Islamic State Khorasan or ISIS-K, has claimed responsibility for the killing of a well-known Sikh 'hakeem' in Pakistan's restive northwestern city of Peshawar.
'Hakeem' Sardar Satnam Singh (Khalsa), 45, was at his clinic on Thursday when unidentified gunmen barged into his cabin and opened fire at him, police said. The killers managed to escape from the crime scene.
Singh, who practised Unani medicine, received four bullets, died instantly, police said.
In a message posted on social media late on Thursday, the ISIS-K claimed the killing of Singh.
The ISIS-K, which has stepped up attacks in several Afghan cities since the Taliban seized power in Kabul on August 15, had also claimed the deadly suicide attack at Kabul airport on August 26 that killed nearly 170 Afghans and 13 US military personnel.
According to Punjab Police, Singh had arrived in Peshawar from Hassan Abdaal a day earlier.
Singh, a well-known figure in the Sikh community, was running his clinic 'Dharmandar Pharmacy' on Charsadda Road in Peshawar. He had been living in the city for the past 20 years.
Singh is survived by his wife, three daughters and two sons.
About 15,000 Sikhs live in Peshawar, mostly in the Jogan Shah neighborhood of the provincial capital. Most of the Sikh community members in Peshawar are involved in business, while some also run pharmacies.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan strongly condemned the killing of Singh and directed the police to take immediate steps to arrest the killers.
In 2018, Charanjit Singh, a prominent Sikh community member, was killed by unknown men in Peshawar. Similarly, news channel anchor Ravinder Singh was killed in 2020 in the city. In 2016, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf's National Assembly member Soren Singh was killed in Peshawar.
According to the 2017 census, Hindus constitute the largest religious minority in Pakistan. Christians make up the second largest religious minority. The Ahmadis, Sikhs and Parsis are also among the notable religious minorities in Pakistan.
19:45 Snapshot: Air India's financials
Tata Sons has emerged as the top bidder for the takeover of debt-laden State-run airline Air India but the bid is yet to be approved by a group of ministers headed by Home Minister Amit Shah, sources said.
Meanwhile, the loss-making national carrier's revenues for the last four financial years have always fallen short of meeting its expenses.
19:22 Mumbai caps 50% attendance in places of worship
The civic body in Mumbai on Friday issued an order capping the number of visitors to places of worship to 50 per cent of total capacity.
It said that barring the point about places of worship, all other guidelines issued on September 24 by the Maharashtra government under its 'break the chain' initiative to rein in the COVID-19 pandemic will be applicable in the metropolis as has been laid down.
"The number of religious attendees will be limited to 50 per cent of the total capacity of those places of worship. Full compliance of COVID-19 preventive measures will be necessary," the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation order said.
It said all COVID-19 norms like social distancing and wearing of masks must be adhered to while visiting places of worship and stringent action would be taken against violators.
The state government had, earlier, announced that places of worship would open from October 7 but had given local authorities, like collectors and civic chiefs, the right to decide on the attendance limit at such venues based on factors like size, ventilation etc.
18:38 Lakshadweep gets first statue tomorrow, of Gandhi
Barring Ashoka pillars erected in a few uninhabited islands, Lakshadweep, India's Muslim majority archipelago, has been free of statues till now.
For the first time, the country's smallest Union Territory in the Arabian sea is going to get its first statue tomorrow -- that too the statue of the Father of the Nation on Gandhi Jayanti day.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh will unveil a statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Kavaratti on Saturday on the occasion of his 152nd birth anniversary, official sources said.
An area near Western Jetty at Kavaratti is being spruced up where the statue in standing posture facing the sea will be installed, an official told PTI.
The defence minister, who will arrive here from Kochi tomorrow, will unveil the statue at a function to be presided over by the Island's administrator Praful K Patel in the evening, he said.
"The uniqueness of this year's celebration is the unveiling of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi by Rajnath Singh in the presence of Praful Patel. This will be the first ever statue to be unveiled in Lakshadweep islands to commemorate the contribution of our great freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the cause of India's independence," a statement issued by the administration said.
The administration said it is a "historic milestone" for Lakshadweep to unveil the statue of Father of the Nation on the day of Gandhi Jayanti and dedicate it to the nation on the auspicious occasion by the defence minister.
The name of Lakshadweep MP Mohammed Faizal P P, who is at loggerheads with Patel, is missing from the programme list prepared by the administration.
Faizal and activists of the Save Lakshadweep Forum (SLF), a forum of various organisations fighting against the alleged "anti-people policies" of the administrator, said they would attend the statue unveiling programme organised at the Mahatma Gandhi square.
"Since Rajnath Singh invited me personally, I am attending the unveiling function only," Faizal told PTI when asked whether he was not invited for the function.
Sources said the efforts to install the Gandhi statue in the islands had started over a decade ago but could not be fulfilled due to a variety of reasons.
They said the statue to be unveiled tomorrow is newly sculpted.
In 2010, during the UPA rule, a Rs 2 lakh statue of Gandhi was brought to the island but it could not be installed.
Officials then had reportedly blamed the "bad weather" condition prevailing in the sea for failing to offload the bust of Gandhi bought from Kochi in a vessel.
Sangh Parivar groups then had alleged that local sentiments had prompted the authorities to send back the vessel without offloading the cargo.
Talking to PTI, activists of Save Lakshadweep Forum (SLF), which is fighting against the "anti-people policies" of administrator Patel, rejected the allegations, saying the people of the islands had never objected to the installation of the statue of Gandhi in the islands.
SLF leader Komalam Koya said Gandhiji has got a special place in the hearts of the people of Lakshadweep.
"You can see photos of Gandhiji on the walls of the houses of the people of Lakshadweep, who are Muslims despite their faith not allowing them to do so. This is because the Mahatma has got a special place in the hearts of the people of the islands. But we are saddened by the propaganda unleashed by some vested interests to brand us as a section of people who think against the national interests," Koya, who is also a CPI (M) leader, said.
"However, we will continue our fight against the anti-people policies of the administrator," Koya added.
18:17 After fivestraight losing sessions, rupee gains 11 paise against USD
The Indian rupee on Friday broke its five-session losing streak to settle 11 paise higher at 74.12 against the US dollar, tracking strength in global currencies against the greenback.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the local unit witnessed heavy volatility. It opened on a negative note at 74.33 per dollar as against its previous close of 74.23.
It hovered in the range of 74.11 to 74.35 per dollar during the day before ending at 74.12 against the American currency.
On a weekly basis, the rupee has fallen by 44 paise against the US dollar.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, slipped 0.15 per cent to 94.08.
Global oil benchmark Brent crude futures fell 0.49 per cent to USD 77.93 per barrel.
The rupee traded with gains on the back of strength in global currencies and weakness in the dollar index, Jateen Trivedi, Senior Research Analyst at LKP Securities, said adding that crude prices hovered with some profit-booking from the top helped rupee gains.
"Whereas China power shortages and reality company Evergrand's financials issues indirectly divert vision of investment to Indian markets. The rupee has strength near 74.50 which will act as resistance for USD/INR pair going ahead," he said.
On the domestic equity market front, the BSE Sensex ended 360.78 points or 0.61 per cent lower at 58,765.58, while the broader NSE Nifty declined 86.10 points or 0.49 per cent to close at 17,532.05.
17:59 This is what anyone who bids for Air India inherits
Air India's financial wellbeing or the lack of it.
17:47 Tit for tat: Quarantine for UK visitors to India
All British citizens arriving in India from Monday will face a mandatory 10-day quarantine irrespective of vaccination status, in a reciprocal measure over UK's hugely controversial similar rules for residents of several countries including India.
The new regulations will come into effect from October 4, and will be applicable to all UK nationals arriving from the UK.
From October 4, all UK nationals arriving in India from the UK, irrespective of their vaccination status, will have to undertake a pre-departure Covid-19 RT-PCR test within 72 hours before travel, an RT-PCR test on arrival at airport, an RT-PCR test on Day 8 after arrival.
UK nationals arriving in India from the UK will also have to undergo mandatory quarantine at home or in the destination address for 10 days after the arrival.
India has called the UK governments move to treat fully vaccinated Indians as unvaccinated a "discriminatory policy" and had indicated that it has the right to take reciprocal action.
The UK introduced a new system for international travel, removing the home isolation requirement for vaccinated individuals from certain countries.
The benefit has been extended to an extra 17 countries, including those in Asia and the Caribbean. India, however, has not been included in the list, and passengers from here (even those with two doses of Covishield) would have to self-isolate for 10 days upon arrival in the UK.
17:40 Kanhaiya like a Sidhu, will destroy Congress: RJD
Bihar's main opposition party RJD on Friday mocked Kanhaiya Kumar's induction into the Congress, saying that the former JNU student is like "another Navjot Singh Sidhu" who would "destroy" the grand old party.
Ridiculing the Congress by calling it a sinking ship, senior RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari said that Kumar's joining won't make any difference to the party.
Referring to the CPI turncoat's statement that "Congress is a big ship that needs to be saved", Tiwari said, "He is just like another Navjot Singh Sidhu who will further destroy the party."
"Kanhaiya Kumar's induction won't make any difference. He can't save the party. Congress is a sinking ship and it has no future," the RJD leader told reporters.
RJD sources said that the party is unhappy with the fact that Kumar was inducted into the Congress without consulting the Tejashwi Yadav-led party.
The Congress is a part of the RJD-led opposition alliance Mahagathbandhan that fought the 2020 Bihar assembly elections against the NDA. Bihar Congress leaders declined to comment on the matter. PTI
17:28 Tharoor's 23rd book is out
If he's not at his constituency in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, Congress MP and wordsmith Shashi Tharoor is writing a book. The latest one, Pride Prejudice And Punditry, is an anthology from his previously published books and essays.
Published by Aleph Book Co, Tharoor said the book was 'a wide-ranging selection from half a century of writing and 40 years of published books, from fiction to cricket, politics & poetry. My 23rd book is a distillation of 22!'
17:19 Phulkari shawl for PM on Channi's 1st meeting
Chief Minister of Punjab Charanjit Singh Channi called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This is Channi's first meeting with Modi after becoming chief minister.
"I asked the PM to resolve the matter of farmers' protest and resume dialogue with the protesting farmers. I demanded that the three laws should be withdrawn.
"I also requested to the PM that the Kartarpur Corridor, which was closed due to COVID-19 pandemic, should be reopened at the earliest," the Punjab CM said.
Channi presented the PM with a beautiful phulkari-embroidered shawl and a pop-up of the Golden Temple.
Farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have been protesting at Delhi's borders against three farm laws since November last year and have been demanding the legislations be repealed.
The delay in the paddy procurement was also on the agenda, the sources said.
16:53 World saw humiliation, insult heaped on me: Amarinder
Former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh reacts to AICC in-charge of Punjab Harish Rawat's comment that reports that state the Captain was insulted by Congress are factually incorrect.
"The world saw the humiliation and the insult heaped on me, and yet (Harish) Rawat is making claims to the contrary. If this was not humiliation then what was it?" Amarinder Singh said.
16:26 Sensex slumps 361 points; Nifty ends below 17,550
Extending its losses for the fourth straight session, equity benchmark Sensex tumbled 361 points on Friday, weighed by HDFC twins, ICICI Bank and TCS amid a weak trend in global markets.
The 30-share BSE index ended 360.78 points or 0.61 per cent lower at 58,765.58. Similarly, the NSE Nifty declined 86.10 points or 0.49 per cent to 17,532.05.
Bajaj Finserv was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding over 3 per cent, followed by Maruti, Bharti Airtel, Asian Paints, Bajaj Finance and HDFC.
On the other hand, M&M, Dr Reddy's, UltraTech Cement and PowerGrid were among the gainers.
A poster of Mamata Banerjee's TMC in Goa
16:18 Political carnival in Goa: Raut after AAP, TMC enter poll fray
With the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) throwing their hats in Goa's Assembly poll ring, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said the state was currently witnessing a "political carnival".
Addressing a press conference, Raut also announced that his party would contest 22 to 25 seats in Goa without forging any pre-poll alliance, and added that if voted to power, his party would shut down the casinos in the state.
Election to the 40-member Goa Assembly is due in February next year.
The state is currently being ruled by the BJP, while the Congress sits in the opposition. "I have heard that TMC is also fighting the polls in Goa. The political parties from Delhi and West Bengal are contesting in Goa. So many leaders are switching sides. What we are currently witnessing in Goa is a political carnival," the Rajya Sabha member said.
He claimed that the Shiv Sena, which is from neighbouring Maharashtra, has a strong base in Goa where it has been present for over two decades. "We are emotionally and culturally connected to Goa," Raut said.
When asked about the possibility of his party's alliance with the NCP and the Congress in Goa, as happened in his home state, the Sena leader said, "The politics of Maharashtra is different from that of Goa." -- PTI
16:03 Capt failed to keep promises to people: Cong
Congress's Punjab in-charge Harish Rawat's second salvo at former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh.
Rawat told reporters today, amid a spiraling crisis in the Punjab Congress, that there was a general perception throughout Punjab that Captain and the Badals are helping each other and they have a secret understanding.
"Many prominent ministers came to Delhi with the complaint that with Captain at the helm of affairs, the Congress can't win the elections," Rawat said.
He added that the former CM had been warned of disaffections in the party but he did not act on it.
"Despite continuous reminders from his colleagues and the leadership, unfortunately, Captain Amarinder failed to keep his promises on important issues like Bargadi, drugs, electricity etc.
"I discussed these issues at least five times with Captain sahib but with no result," Rawat said.
Earlier today, Rawat said that Singh's outburst that he was not treated well by the party is not true. "It is being said that he was humiliated. I would like to clarify that the party has always given him respect and treated him with high regard."
15:43 Income and expenditure sheet of the GoI
GoI has transferred Rs 2.12 lakh crore as devolution of share of taxes to states.
15:37 More Covid cases among fully vaccinated in Maha
Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar says more Covid-19 cases among those who are fully vaccinated. Here's why:
"We conducted a survey and found that around 0.19% of people who have taken first dose are found infected with Covid-19.
"But around 0.25% people were found infected after taking both doses of vaccine.
"On consulting experts, we were informed that those who've taken both the doses aren't following Covid protocol and exposing themselves to the virus.
"Experts say even when we are easing restrictions, citizens must take precautions and follow protocol."
India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.
India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23.
The 277 new fatalities include 122 from Kerala and 56 from Maharashtra.
15:25 Festive season ahead, be careful, says Dr Guleria
A message from AIIMS Director Dr. Randeep Guleria ahead of Dussehra: "During the festive season, we have to remain alert and vigilant. If we remain careful for the next 6-8 weeks, then we will be able to see a decline in the overall number of Covid-19 cases."
15:00 Param Bir may have left country: Maha Min
A lookout notice has been issued against former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh following inputs that he might have left the country, Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil has said.
He told this to reporters on the sidelines of a function late on Thursday.
"There are inputs that Singh may have left the country. But there is no concrete information yet," he said.
"Being a government officer, there are restrictions on travelling abroad. You can't leave the country without the government permission. Still if he has left, it is not good," Walse Patil added.
He said the state government was in touch with the Centre to find Singh, who had levelled allegations of bribery against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh.
The Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate are probing the allegations made against Deshmukh by the senior IPS officer.
Days after he was shunted out as Mumbai police commissioner and transferred to the Home Guards in March this year, Singh had claimed in a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray that Deshmukh used to ask police officers to collect money from restaurant and bar owners in Mumbai.
The state government had formed a one-member commission of Justice (retd) Kailash Uttamchand Chandiwal to conduct a probe into the corruption allegations levelled by Singh. The commission had issued summons to Singh multiple times to appear before it, but he failed to do so. After that, the panel had also issued a bailable warrant against him.
Singh has been booked in multiple cases of extortion. He is also facing a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act registered in April this year on a complaint lodged by a police inspector. -- PTI
14:17 Mapped: The Covid figures across India
Kerala and Maharashtra retain their top two spots for the highest number of active Covid cases in India.
14:14 Govt says reports on AI bid incorrect
The GoI's Department of Investment and Public Asset Management, says media reports indicating approval of financial bids by the Government of India in the Air India disinvestment case are incorrect.
Media will be informed of the government decision as and when it is taken, the statement said.
The statement is with reference to reports this morning that Tata Sons Pvt. is set to take over ailing Air India Ltd. again.
Tata Group and SpiceJet chairman Ajay Singh in his private capacity had bid for debt-laden state-run airline Air India earlier this month.
In December 2020, the government had invited expression of interest for the divestment of Air India. Four bidders had entered the race to take over the beleaguered airline, but Tata Group and Spicejet CEO Ajay Singh were the only ones to make it to the final stage.
This has been the second attempt by the PM Modi-led government to sell Air India.
13:53 Six tiger reserves in MP reopen for tourists post monsoon
Six tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh reopened for tourists on Friday after remaining closed for three months during monsoon season, a forest official said.
The core area of the six reserves, including the famous Kanha National Park, were opened for visitors around 6.30 am, the official said.
The core areas of the tiger reserves were closed during monsoon, as it is the breeding season for big cats, he said.
The pathways in the reserves become unmotorable because of rains, and the infrastructure in these parks, like grasslands, were developed for animals during this period, the official said.
Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of 526 big cats in the country, according to the last tiger census.
The All-India Tiger Estimation Report 2018 had found the presence of 2,967 big cats in the country. The central state is home to Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Satpura, Pench, Panna and Sanjay-Dubri tiger reserves. PTI
Capt Amarinder Singh with Amit Shah
13:29 No truth in reports Amarinder was insulted: Cong
When you refuse to see the truth even though it pokes you in the eye... that is what the Congress party in a self-destruct mode is doing in Punjab.
AICC in-charge of Punjab, Harish Rawat, in Dehradun, says there is not truth in reports that Captain Amarinder Singh was insulted by the Congress.
"It appears from the Captain's recent statements that he is under some sort of pressure. He should rethink, and not help the BJP directly or indirectly.
"All that has been done by the Congress party till now is to protect the respect and dignity of Captain Amarinder Singh and increase the party's chances (in 2022 assembly polls) in Punjab," Rawat said.
In Punjab the Congress, in what was the decision of the Gandhis, Navjot Singh Sidhu was made the President of the state unit.
This despite, Amarinder Singh seeking audience with the Gandhis and asking them to reconsider since Sidhu is known to be against him.
When push came to shove, Amarinder Singh stepped down.He has gone on record to say that he felt humiliated at the way he was treated by senior leaders in the Congress.
He added that the Congress was going downhill with senior leaders being completely sidelined and he felt "humiliated" with the way the party treated him, adding: "Sidhu is a mere crowd-puller, and he does not know how to carry the team along."
Amarinder had called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the latter's residence in Delhi, this week, but said while he would be leaving the Congress, he would not be joining the BJP.
13:06 India's mfg activities improve in Sept: PMI
India's manufacturing sector activities improved in September as companies benefited from strengthening demand conditions amid the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, a monthly survey said on Friday.
The seasonally adjusted IHS Markit India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) improved from 52.3 in August to 53.7 in September, indicating a stronger expansion in overall business conditions across the sector.
The September PMI data pointed to an improvement in overall operating conditions for the third straight month. In PMI parlance, a print above 50 means expansion while a score below 50 denotes contraction.
12:58 Garbage mountains will be removed, promises PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) 2.0 and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 at Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi.
"India is processing about one lakh tonnes of waste every day; garbage mountains in cities will be processed and removed completely.
Cleanliness is not just for a day, fortnight or year, it is a mega campaign for everyday, for everyone to take part in it," the PM said.
Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri was also present at the event said, "Swachh Bharat Mission has succeeded not only because of lakhs of toilets or bringing waste processing to 70 per cent but also because PM Modi made this project into a Jan Andolan."
12:34 Decoding silence
Let me begin with a disclaimer: I oppose the Taliban in Afghanistan and their interpretation of Islam; I oppose a section of the so-called Indian ulema which celebrated the victory of the Taliban; and I oppose Hindutva's appropriation of the Taliban issue to demonize Indian Muslims.
However, I find the imagination of an elitist liberal Islam to counter religious essentialism to be equally problematic.
The self-declared liberal Muslims (who claim to assert moderate Islam) as well as the self-assured cultural Muslims (who celebrate their atheism in public life) seem to reproduce an age-old, rigid, inflexible, and elitist discourse of Muslim intellectual backwardness.
Read Hilal Ahmed's column here.
12:21 Punjab CM to meet PM today
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi today and is expected to urge him that the Centre withdraws its letter on postponing the paddy procurement in the state from October 1.
This will be Channi's first meeting with Modi after the senior Congress leader took oath as Punjab chief minister recently.
Channi is also likely to meet senior Congress leaders during his visit to the national capital amid the ongoing tumult in the party's Punjab unit, sources said.
According to a senior Punjab government official, Chief Minister Channi will meet Prime Minister Modi. Sources said in his meeting with Modi, Channi is likely to urge the Centre to immediately start paddy procurement in the state.
The Punjab chief minister on Thursday had urged the Centre to withdraw its letter on postponing the paddy procurement in the state from October 1. Paddy procurement usually commences from October 1.
Channi had sought the prime minister's personal intervention in advising the ministry concerned to withdraw its letter forthwith, allowing the state to start paddy procurement from October 1 instead of October 11, according to an official statement here on Thursday. -- PTI
Devotees offer prayers outside a temple in Delhi
12:07 Religious places open in Delhi from today
The Delhi government on Friday permitted religious places to open for visitors and devotees subject to strict compliances of the standard operating procedure (SOP) issued by the health ministry and adherence of COVID appropriate behaviour from October 1.
The DDMA said that its order is applicable until intervening night of October 15 or till further notice, whichever is earlier.
Religious places in Delhi were closed for the past five months, since April, due to the second wave of COVID-19.
Though the DDMA has allowed the reopening of religious places in Delhi, large congregations are not allowed.
11:57 Fake RT-PCR test report racket busted in Patna
Patna authorities on Thursday claimed to have busted a racket that provided fake RT-PCR test reports to airline passengers showing they were Covid-negative for Rs 2,000 each.
Four suspects were detained during a raid on Wednesday night on a so-called lab, Plasma Diagnostics, which operated 800 metres from Patna airport. It was sealed on Thursday.
Read the report here.
11:51 Commercial LPG cylinder price hiked by Rs 43
The petroleum companies have hiked the price of commercial Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders by Rs 43.50.
The new rates are effective from today. However, the rates of domestic LPG cylinders remain unchanged.
Now, the price of a 19-kilogram commercial cylinder will be Rs 1736.50 in the national capital.
11:33 Australia approves Covishield for international arrivals
Australia on Thursday approved India-made Covishield for travelling into the country.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has advised that the China-made Sinovac and the India-made Covishield vaccines would be considered "recognised vaccines" when determining whether an incoming international traveller has been appropriately vaccinated, said Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in an online briefing with the Indian media.
The recognition of the vaccines will remove a significant barrier for international students seeking to study in Australia.Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna and the Janssen vaccine are already recognised in Australia.
Australian PM Morrison on Friday announced the reopening of international travel and easing of border restrictions.
Morrison said that the international border will reopen next month for states that have reached 80 per cent vaccination rates, starting with New South Wales, reported ABC News.
Fully vaccinated Australians and permanent residents arriving in NSW will be able to home quarantine for a week, instead of paying thousands to quarantine at a hotel for a fortnight, pending the success of the state's home quarantine trial.
Commercial flights out of Australia will resume for vaccinated Australians.
Travellers must be fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine to home quarantine, unless they are under 12 or medically exempt, reported ABC News.
Meanwhile, unvaccinated travellers will be required to hotel quarantine for a fortnight.
11:25 Tata Sons wins bid for Air India: Report
Tata Sons has won the bid for national carrier Air India, says reports.
A panel of ministers has accepted the conglomerate's proposal to take over the airline, the report said.
Details awaited.
11:10 SC slams farmers' body for blocking roads
Supreme Court pulls up Kisan Mahapanchayat for approaching the court to continue the protests by blocking the National Highways in Delhi-NCR.
The court says protesting farmers are obstructing traffic, blocking trains and national highways.
It asks the Kisan Mahapanchayat, seeking permission to allow to hold Satyagrah at Jantar Mantar, to file an affidavit that they are not part of farmers' protest blocking the national highways, by Monday.
11:08 Jimmy Carter turns 97 today
Another president marked his 97th birthday.
Former US President Jimmy Carter, the oldest former US chief executive ever, will quietly mark his 97th birthday at home in southwest Georgia on Friday.
Slowed by age in recent years and keeping a low profile during the coronavirus pandemic, Carter doesn't plan on any public appearances.
10:56 Happy birthday, President Kovind
Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeting President Ram Nath Kovind on his 76th birthday at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
10:54 Zero tolerance to crime BJP's jumla: Akhilesh
Samajwadi Party National President Akhilesh Yadav on Friday lashed out at the Uttar Pradesh government over the Kanpur businessman death case, and charged that "someone" is saving himself and there is an extortion racket linked to the matter.
Businessman Manish Gupta died in a Gorakhpur hotel during a police raid late on Monday night, prompting the authorities to suspend six policemen and book them on the charge of murder.
Gupta was staying along with two friends in the hotel.
"No policeman has been arrested in the Manish Gupta murder case. This shows that they did not escape themselves but they were made to escape. Actually, someone is not saving the accused but saving himself as its strings are linked to the 'vasooli tantra' (extortion racket)," Yadav said in a tweet in Hindi.
"Zero tolerance' is also a BJP jumla (rhetoric)," he said, in an apparent reference to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's assertion that the state has zero tolerance towards crime and corruption.
A case of murder has been lodged in the case against six policemen who are absconding. A top Uttar Pradesh Police official on Thursday claimed that Gupta died from a head injury caused by a fall as he tried to escape during a police raid at a hotel where he was staying in Gorakhpur. He also said Gupta died at a hospital during treatment.PTI
10:28 India's active Covid cases lowest in 196 days
India logged 26,727 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,37,66,707, while the active cases declined to 2,75,224, the lowest in 196 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.
The death toll climbed to 4,48,339 with 277 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am.
The active cases comprise 0.82 per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 97.86 per cent, the highest since March 2020, the ministry said.
A decrease of 1,796 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
As many as 15,20,899 tests were conducted on Thursday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 57,04,77,338.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 1.76 per cent. It has been less than three per cent for last 32 days. The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 1.70 per cent.
It has been below three per cent for the last 98 days, according to the ministry.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,30,43,144, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.33 per cent. -- PTI
09:56 Markets open in red; Sensex tanks over 500 pts
Equity benchmark Sensex plunged over 500 points in early trade on Friday, tracking losses in index majors HDFC twins, ICICI Bank and Infosys amid sustained foreign fund outflow and a weak trend in global markets.
Maruti was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding around 2 per cent, followed by HDFC Bank, Bajaj Finserv, ICICI Bank, Bharti Airtel and HDFC.
On the other hand, PowerGrid, NTPC, Bajaj Auto, M&M and Dr Reddy's were among the gainers.
In the previous session, the 30-share index ended 286.91 points or 0.48 per cent lower at 59,126.36, and Nifty declined 93.15 points or 0.53 per cent to 17,618.15.
Foreign institutional investors were net sellers in the capital market as they offloaded shares worth Rs 2,225.60 crore on Thursday, as per exchange data.
"The risk-off in equity markets has gathered momentum with sharp cuts in the mother market of the US. The Dow and S&P 500 are now more than 5 per cent off from their record highs. Markets, globally, have turned weak," said V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services.
09:23 India wasn't taken into confidence over Doha deal: Jaishankar
India was not taken into confidence on various aspects of the Doha deal struck between the United States and the Taliban last year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday.
At the same time, Jaishankar said India and the US are on the same page on many issues relating to the recent developments in Afghanistan including apprehensions about the possible use of Afghan soil for terrorism.
Speaking virtually at the annual leadership summit of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, he also suggested that there are some aspects relating to the Afghan crisis where the positions of the two countries are not exactly the same.
"I think to some degree, we would all be justified in having levels of concern and to some degree, I think the jury is still out. When I say levels of concern, the commitments which were made by the Taliban at Doha, the US knows it best. We were not taken into confidence on various aspects of that," he said.
The deal was signed between the US and the Taliban in Doha in February last year in which the US promised to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan while the Taliban committed to several conditions including ending violence.
The external affairs minister also noted that any question on according recognition to the Taliban dispensation has to be based on fulfilling of the commitments made by the group in the Doha agreement.
"I think we are on similar pages at a principle level on many of these issues, certainly say terrorism. The use of Afghan soil for terrorism is something both of us feel so strongly and it was something which was discussed when Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President Joe Biden," he said when asked about the position of the US and India towards the Afghan crisis.
The developments in Afghanistan figured in talks between Modi and Biden in Washington last week.
"There will be issues on which we will agree more, there will be issues on which we will agree less. Our experiences in some respects are different from yours (the US). We have been victims of cross-border terrorism ourselves from that region and that has shaped in many ways our view of some of the neighbours of Afghanistan," he said, in an apparent reference to Pakistan. -- PTI
09:10 Maharashtra resident docs go on indefinite strike
The Maharashtra State Association of Resident Doctors has called an indefinite strike across the state starting Friday, listing out their various demands.
The association said that their primary demand is academic fees should be waived off.
"Our primary demand is academic fees should be waived off. Hostel conditions should be improved as they're not good," Dr Akshay Yadav, member of MARD, said.
He further said, "TDS should not be deducted from the stipend of resident doctors of BMC hospitals. The government and a few Corporation hospitals have not received COVID incentives."
Yadav also said that the higher authorities of the ministry have called them for a meeting to discuss the matter at 11 am today.
"But we want written assurances from the government," he added.
The doctors have also threatened to intensify their protest if they do not get written assurance over the fulfilment of their demands.
They also promised that any emergency services will not be affected due the protest. -- ANI
08:30 Very honest about concerns on safe havens in Pak: US
The United States has been very honest about its concerns with Pakistan for a long time about the terrorist safe havens along with the border areas of Afghanistan, the Pentagon has said.
Afghanistan and the US have criticised Pakistan in the past for allowing Taliban fighters to cross into Pakistan where they are provided safe havens and also receive medical treatment.
"We've been very honest about our concerns with Pakistan for a long time, about the safe havens that exist on their side of the border along that spine. And those concerns are still valid today," Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters on Thursday at a news conference.
As Afghanistan's neighbour, Pakistan certainly has equities and responsibilities with respect to terrorism in that part of the world, Kirby said.
"We continue to have candid conversations with Pakistani leaders about our concerns," he said in response to a question.
"I think it's important to continue to remind that the Pakistani people, likewise, have been rendered victim by terrorist threats that emanate from those groups and along that same border," he said.
While Kabul claims that Islamabad is sending thousands of militants to fight in the war-ravaged country and providing safe haven for the Taliban, Pakistan alleges that Afghanistan harbours the anti-Pakistani group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan -- the Pakistani Taliban -- and also the secessionist Balochistan Liberation Army.
Kirby also told reporters that the United States is within its rights to continue drone strikes inside Afghanistan.
"We believe we have the authorities that we need to continue to protect the nation," he said. -- PTI
00:08 CBI calls Maha DGP, CS in Deshmukh corruption case
Maharashtra DGP Sanjay Pande and Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte have been called by the CBI in connection with its corruption probe against former minister Anil Deshmukh, officials said on Thursday.
Though the agency remained tight-lipped, officials said the senior officers have been asked to respond to some queries related to the probe.
The CBI had booked Deshmukh and some other unidentified people under IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy and the Prevention of Corruption Act for "attempt to obtain undue advantage for improper and dishonest performance of public duty."
Allegations against Deshmukh had surfaced after the removal of Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.
He was removed after the role of policeman Sachin Waze surfaced in the case of the recovery of an explosive-laden SUV parked outside the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani. Waze was arrested by the NIA.
In his letter to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, after his removal, Singh had alleged Deshmukh had asked Waze to extort over Rs 100 crore a month from bars and restaurants of Mumbai, they said.
The FIR alleged that Deshmukh "and others" exercised undue influence over the transfer and posting of officials and thereby exercising undue influence over the performance of public duties by them.
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