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Fri, 15 October 2021
Sidhu meets Rahul Gandhi

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22:01   Sidhu meets Rahul Gandhi
Navjot Singh Sidhu, who had resigned as Punjab Congress president last month, met former party chief Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Friday.

The meeting comes a day after an hour-long meeting with All India Congress Committee general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal and party general secretary incharge of Punjab affairs Harish Rawat at the AICC headquarters amid indications that he may continue as state Congress chief.

After the meeting, Sidhu had said he has full faith in the leadership of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and any decision taken by her will be acceptable.

Sidhu had resigned as Punjab Congress chief on September 28 after he posted his resignation letter on Twitter.

No decision on his resignation has been taken yet by the party leadership.

During the meeting with Venugopal and Rawat, the Punjab Congress leader raised his concerns over the 18-point agenda taken by the leadership on which actions are pending.

These include action against those involved in the sacrilege issue and the drugs mafia.

Sidhu had recently raised objections over the appointment of the new Punjab Police chief and the advocate general.   -- PTI
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21:03   BJP hasn't understood Savarkar, Gandhi: Uddhav
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday slammed his former ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party, over several issues including the controversy over Defense Minister Rajnath Singh's comment on freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

The BJP has not understood either Veer Savarkar or Mahatma Gandhi, Thackeray said, speaking at his party Shiv Sena's annual Dussehra rally at Shanmukhanand Hall in Mumbai.

Singh had recently triggered a row by claiming that Gandhi had advised Savarkar, who was incarcerated at Andaman's Cellular Jail, to write mercy petitions to the British.

Thackeray, in his speech also mocked the BJP for fielding a former Sena MLA in coming Deglur assembly by-election in Maharashtra.

'World's largest political party' has to import candidates even for assembly bypoll, he said.

He also slammed the BJP for calling the Sena corrupt after the two parties' alliance ended in 2019, and dared it to topple his Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress coalition government which will complete two years next month.   -- PTI
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19:54   1 detained for killing at Singhu protest site
JUST IN: Haryana Police detains one person in connection with the Singhu border incident.

A man was lynched, his hand chopped off and the body tied to a metal barricade at a farmers' protest venue at Kundli near the Delhi-Haryana border, a gruesome incident being blamed on a group of Nihangs.

A first information report was registered over the incident.

More details awaited.   -- ANI
Narayan Rane
Narayan Rane
19:27   Lookout notices against Rane's wife, son withdrawn
Lookout circulars issued by Pune police against Union minister Narayan Rane's wife Nilam and MLA son Nitesh in connection with unpaid loans taken from a financial institution were withdrawn recently after the amounts were settled, said a senior Pune police on Friday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Srinivas Ghadge said the lookout notices were withdrawn after DHFL (Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd) informed through a letter that the outstanding loans had been paid by the Ranes.

A police official said Artline Properties Pvt Ltd, a firm owned by Nilam Rane, had availed a loan of Rs 25 crore from DHFL, in which she was the co-borrower, and the outstanding amount was Rs 27.13 crore.

Nilam Hotels, owned by Nitesh Rane, had availed a loan, and the outstanding amount in this connection was over Rs 34 crore, he said.

The lookout notices were issued last month after both the accounts were classified as non-performing assets (NPA), the official added.   -- PTI
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19:25   AIIMS doctor booked for raping junior colleague
The Delhi Police has lodged a case after a doctor working at the All India Institute of Medical Science here alleged that she was raped by one of her senior colleagues during a birthday party inside the campus, officials said on Friday.

The accused is at large and efforts are on to nab him, they said.

The incident took place on September 26 during a birthday party of one of their colleagues, they said.

The police received information about the incident on October 11 at the Hauz Khas police station, officials said, adding that the MLC (Medico Legal Case) was also done.

According to the police, when their team reached the hospital and met the victim, she told them that on September 26, one of her senior colleagues allegedly raped her after she went to his room for the birthday celebration.

Based on her statement, a case was registered under Sections 376 (Punishment for rape) and 377 (Unnatural offences) of the Indian Penal Code at the Hauz Khas police station, said Benita Mary Jaiker, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South).

"During investigation, the statement of the victim was recorded before a magistrate under section 164 CrPC, and raids are being conducted at some hideouts of the accused. Technical surveillance has also been mounted but the accused is still at large," she said.   -- PTI
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Image only for representation
18:39   Terrorist involved in civilian killings neutralised
A terrorist involved in the recent civilian killings in Srinagar was gunned down in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, police said.

Security forces received information about the presence of terrorist in the Wahibug area of Pulwama, following which a cordon and search operation was launched there, they said.

Police said the search operation turned into an encounter in which one militant was killed.

'One #terrorist of #Srinagar City involved in recent civilian killing, neutralised in #Pulwama #encounter,' IGP, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar tweeted. -- PTI
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18:17  
Covid situaiton in India
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18:17   Not involved in money laundering: Nora Fatehi
Nora Fatehi is cooperating with the investigative agencies in the money laundering case against alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekar, the actor's spokesperson said on Friday.

The statement comes a day after Fatehi appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

"On behalf of Nora Fatehi, we would like to clarify the various conjectures floating around amongst the media.

"Nora Fatehi has been the victim around the case and being a witness, she is co-operating and helping the officers in the investigation," her representative said.

The spokesperson maintained that Fatehi has not been a part of 'any money laundering activity' and urged media to 'refrain from slandering her name'.

"She does not know or have any personal connection with the accused and has been called by ED to strictly help with the investigation.

"We would like to request our fellow friends in the media to refrain from slandering her name and making any statements before any official information is released," the representative added.

The 29-year-old actor, known for movies such as Street Dancer 3D, Batla House and Bhuj, appeared before the investigating officer of the case at Enforcement Directorate's office in New Delhi on Thursday.

Sources said her statement was recorded under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with a money laundering case filed against Chandrashekar and his actor wife Leena Maria Paul.

The agency had earlier questioned actor Jacqueline Fernandes in this case.

Both the actors are understood to be helping the agency in taking the probe forward as they themselves had been allegedly conned in the racket run by Chandrashekhar and his wife.

The two were recently arrested by the ED while they were already lodged in jail after they were arrested by the Delhi Police on charges of cheating some high-profile individuals, including former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh's wife Aditi Singh.

In August, the ED had raided some of Chandrashekhar's premises and seized a sea-facing bungalow in Chennai, Rs 82.5 lakh cash and over a dozen luxurious cars.

It had claimed in a statement that Chandrashekhar is a 'known conman' and is being probed by the Delhi Police in a case of alleged criminal conspiracy, cheating and extortion to the tune of about Rs 200 crore.  -- PTI
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18:00   Who will RSS chief blame for drugs menace in country: Raut
After Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat expressed concern over the rising consumption of narcotics in the society, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday hit out at the Centre saying that although Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier asserted that demonetisation would curb the drug menace, it was still present in the country.

Raut also asked who the Sangh supremo would hold responsible for the prevailing drug situation.

The Sena leader said that Bhagwat's remarks show he has admitted that something was wrong with the assurances given by the Union government and their implementation.

During his annual address made on the occasion Vijayadashmi in Nagpur earlier in the day, Bhagwat spoke on many issues, including drugs, which he said was being consumed by all sections of the society and posing a threat to the national security.

Referring to Bhagwat's remarks, Raut told reporters, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi had consistently promised that his decision to implement demonetisation was an attack on black money raised through drugs trade and which was allegedly used for anti-national activities."

"But despite having such Hindutvawadi government in power for a long time, the RSS chief today expressed same concerns about drugs and the use of money. So we would like to know who is going to be held responsible for this situation mentioned by him," the Sena leader said.

There is a staunch nationalist government at the Centre. The prime minister is a staunch supporter of Hindutva ideology, he said.

"But despite that, if such drug menace is still taking place in the country, then who will be held responsible by the RSS chief for this? He has somehow admitted that something is wrong in union government's assurances and implementation," he said.

Talking about the upcoming bypolls to three Lok Sabha seats in the country he said his party has a total of 21 members in both the houses of Parliament.

"We are going to win the Lok Sabha bypolls of Dadra, Nagar and Haveli as well. After this, we will have 22 MPs in total and we will play an important role in national politics post-2024 general elections," he said.   -- PTI
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17:18   UK's carrier strike group, led by HMS Queen Elizabeth, enters Bay of Bengal
The United Kingdom's Carrier Strike Group (CSG), led by HMS Queen Elizabeth, has sailed into the Bay of Bengal today in a demonstration of the UK-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreed by prime ministers in May 2021, the British High Commission in New Delhi said in an statement on Friday.

The CSG will provide a platform for a wide range of cultural demonstrations and trade and investment initiatives, it said.

It will also take part in an exercise incorporating elements from all three military services.

'The deployment is a powerful demonstration of the UK's commitment to deepening its diplomatic, economic and security-based ties in the Indo-Pacific region.

'India is essential in ensuring a free, open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific,' the statement read.

British High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis said: "India is an essential partner for the UK in the Indo-Pacific region. The Carrier Strike Groups visit demonstrates the deepening of the UK and India's defence and security partnership."

"Prime Ministers (Narendra) Modi and (Boris) Johnson agreed to work in lockstep for our shared security and prosperity. This visit will boost the cooperation of our armed forces and show the living bridge connecting our people," Ellis said.

First Sea Lord Adm Tony Radakin said: "The CSG's engagement with India showcases the deepening comprehensive strategic partnership. Both the Indian and the Royal navy are blue-water, multi-carrier navies, which places us in a very exclusive club.

"Our growing interactions are a testimony to the shared commitment to rules-based international system, a belief in the values of open trade, and in the importance of the freedom of the high seas -- a right conveyed on all nations."

As per the British High Commisison, the maiden CSG deployment will travel 26,000 miles, visiting more than 40 countries.

The Carrier Strike Group is led by HMS Queen Elizabeth -- the most powerful surface vessel in the Royal Navys history, it said.

'Taller than Niagara Falls, her propellers generate the power of 50 high-speed trains. At 65,000 tonnes, she is the largest surface vessel ever constructed in the UK. She leads six Royal Navy ships, a Royal Navy submarine, a US Navy destroyer and a frigate from the Netherlands in the largest concentration of maritime and air power to leave the UK in a generation,' the statement said.

The CSG is manned by 3,700 sailors, aviators and marines from the combined forces of the UK, the United States and the Netherlands. It is equipped with the fifth generation F-35B lightening multi-role aircrafts. They are being jointly crewed by the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy and the US Marine Corps, it said.
Representative image only. Photograph: Reuters
Representative image only. Photograph: Reuters
17:07   32 killed in blast at Shiite mosque in Kandahar
A powerful explosion rattled a Shia Mosque in Afghanistan's Kandahar province on Friday, killing 32 people.

Over 53 people have suffered injuries in the blast, Sputnik reported citing a source.

The explosion hit the Imam Barga mosque during the Friday prayers.

No terror group has so far taken the responsibility for the explosion.

In recent weeks, the Islamic State (IS) has carried out a number of attacks targeting religious places.

This is the second bomb attack against a Shiite mosque in Afghanistan over the past week.

In the first attack, which happened in northern Kunduz city last Friday and was claimed by the IS terror group, more than 50 lives of worshippers were lost and scores of others were injured.   -- ANI
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16:23   Farmers trying to burn effigies of Modi, Shah detained
The Socialist Party (India) on Friday claimed some members of its farmers' wing were detained by police after they gathered here to burn effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and MoS Home Ajay Mishra in the wake of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

The members of the Socialist Kisan Sabha also carried placards demanding the resignation of Mishra, whose son Ashish is alleged to have been in one of the cars that ploughed into farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3, leaving four of them dead.

The Socialist Kisan Sabha is a constituent of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of over 40 farmer unions that is spearheading the stir against the Centre's three agri laws.

Last week, the SKM had called on all its constituents to burn effigies of Modi, Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and others on the occasion of Dussehra on October 15.

General secretary of Socialist Party (India) Sandeep Pandey, who was also part of the gathering, told PTI, "We were not allowed to burn the effigies. The effigies were taken away from us along with the placards. We had reached the Shaheed Smarak, and as soon as we started climbing the stairs, we were stopped by the police."

Pandey said he and six workers of the Socialist Kisan Sabha were detained by the police.

In a statement issued here earlier, the Socialist Kisan Sabha said, 'On the call given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, effigies of Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Ajay Mishra will be burnt on October 15, Friday, Dusshera day, at 2 pm at Shaheed Smarak, Lucknow to demand the resignation of Union Minister Ajay Mishra 'Teni' for the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri.'

Besides the four farmers, a journalist and three Bharatiya Janata Party workers were killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

MoS Home Mishra's son Ashish and five other people had been arrested in the case till Wednesday evening.   -- PTI
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Image only for representation
15:56   SKM alleges conspiracy behind Singhu killing
All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) General Secretary Hannan Mollah claimed that the death of a man whose corpse was found on Friday morning at the Sindhu border has nothing to do with Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), adding a conspiracy to defame the morcha has been going on from last 10 months.

He alleged that some people have set up a camp outside the SKM's camp and they have been creating issues in that area for some time now.

"Conspiracies to defame the SKM have been going on for last 10 months... SKM has no relation with this death case. Outside our camp, a camp has been set up by some people who have no connection with us. Every day they are creating some ruckus in that area. In their camp something happened with which SKM has no relations at all," said Hannan Mollah.

He also said that the police should conduct a proper investigation to find out who is responsible for this death.

"Police should conduct a proper enquiry to find out what happened there, who is responsible and why it happened? Law should take its own course," he added.

The SKM also released a press note, claiming that the morcha has no connection either with the deceased or with the accused.

'Samyukt Kisan Morcha condemns this gruesome killing and wants to make it clear that both the parties to this incident, the Nihang group (accused) and the deceased person, have no relation with Samyukt Kisan Morcha,' said the statement.   -- ANI
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14:48   Cong says Dr Singh's health better than yesterday
Congress spokesperson Pranav Jha on Friday said that former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is doing fine and is better than yesterday.

Taking to Twitter, Jha urged all to respect the privacy of the former prime minister.

'This is to inform that Dr Manmohan Singh ji is doing fine. He is better than yesterday. Let's all wish him a speedy recovery. Any unfounded speculation is unnecessary and in bad taste. Also, request all to respect the Former PM's privacy. Thank you! #HappyDussehra2021,' tweeted the Congress spokesperson.   -- ANI
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14:43   Dr Manmohan Singh stable, recovering: AIIMS
Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who is admitted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi is stable and recovering, informed hospital official on Friday.

Dr Singh, who was admitted to AIIMS on Wednesday, is under the observation of doctors.

The 89-year-old Congress leader had complained of weakness and is stable and under the observation of doctors, hospital sources said.

Earlier in the day, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya visited the hospital to meet him.  -- ANI
Om Prakash Rajbhar with Amit Shah
Om Prakash Rajbhar with Amit Shah
13:57   Rajbhar may ally with BJP again before UP polls
Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party president Om Prakash Rajbhar on Friday said that he might again form an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

Rajbhar, who was addressing a press conference in Lucknow, said, "In the interest of the society, we went to the BJP with the report of the Social Justice Committee, but the BJP did not listen to us, now if the BJP accepts it, then we can go with them also."

Rajbhar further said, "Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha was formed on the basis of various issues in the society. Whichever party accepts those issues, we will go with them."

"Apart from accepting the social justice committee report, if BJP is ready to make education free till post-graduation, waiver of domestic electricity bill, prohibition of liquor, border limit of police, weekly leave to police force, give home guards the same facilities as police, then we will form an alliance," he added.

A final declaration on the matter will be made on October 27 in the scheduled rally to be held in the Mau district.

"The name of alliance partner will be announced on October 27 in Mau," he said.

Earlier, Rajbhar was a cabinet minister in Yogi Adityanath led National Democratic Alliance government.

He had contested the 2017 UP assembly elections in alliance with the BJP but was expelled as the minister of Backward Class Welfare from the BJP in 2019 due to disagreements over seat-sharing.

After his expulsion, Rajbhar formed the 'Bhagidaar Sankalp Morcha' a coalition of about 10 political parties led by his own party SBSP.

Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen is also a part of Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha.   -- ANI
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13:41   Over 100 crore jabs provided to states, UTs: Centre
More than 100 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been provided to states and UTs so far, the Union health ministry said on Friday.

Over 10.53 crore (10,53,11,155) balance and unutilised vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered, it said.

The vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to states and UTs for enabling better planning by them, and streamlining the vaccine supply chain, the ministry said.

As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Centre has been supporting the states and UTs by providing them COVID-19 vaccines free of cost.  - PTI
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12:52   UP: Woman raped, forced to convert, act filmed
A woman was raped by a man, who recorded a video of the act and forced her to convert her religion in a village in Muzaffarnagar, police said on Friday.

The accused, Waseem alias Akash, has been arrested and a case registered against him at New Mandi police station for the incident that took place on Thursday.

According to the complaint, the accused 'established' love affair with the woman and raped her several times.

He raped her and recorded a video of the act, it said, adding the victim was being pressurised to convert.

The accused threatened to post the video online.

The victim told police that she didn't know about the man's religion as he introduced himself as Akash while his real name was Waseem.   -- PTI
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12:47   Mridul Agarwal from Delhi tops JEE-Advanced
Mridul Agarwal from the Delhi zone has topped the IIT entrance exam, JEE-Advanced, the results of which were announced on Friday.

Agarwal scored 348 out of 360 marks in the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE)-Advanced.

A total of 41,862 candidates have qualified in JEE-Advanced this year, of whom 6,452 are female candidates, according to officials.

Among the female candidates, Kavya Chopra from the Delhi zone is the topper with 286 marks out of 360.

This year, IIT-Kharagpur conducted the exam, which is the qualifying test for admission to the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

While the JEE-Mains is conducted for admission to engineering colleges across the country, it is considered as a qualifying test for JEE-Advanced.  -- PTI
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Image only for representation
11:54   Mutilated body found near farmers' protest site
A body of a man, with hands and legs chopped off, was found hanging on a police barricade at the farmers' protest site near Singhu border in the early hours of Friday, said Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Hansraj.

"At about 5 am today, Kundli police station received information about a body of a man hanged near a stage where the farmers have been protesting at the Singhu border," the DSP told reporters Sonipat today.

"A police inspector reached the site with a team and found that the man's body only had his undergarment on and his hands and legs were chopped off. He was hanged to a police barricade. People present there were questioned but nothing was revealed about who is responsible for this. The probe is on," he added.

An FIR has been registered in the case, said the DSP.

More details are awaited. -- ANI
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11:50   PM performs bhoomi poojan of boys hostel
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the 'bhoomi poojan' ceremony of Hostel Phase-1 (Boys' Hostel), constructed by Saurashtra Patel Seva Samaj in Surat via video conferencing.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel was also present during the event.

According to the statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the hostel building has residential facilities for around 1500 students.

It also contains an auditorium and a dedicated library for the students.

Construction of Hostel Phase-II to accommodate around 500 girls will start from next year.

Saurashtra Patel Seva Samaj is a registered trust established in 1983 whose main objective is the educational and social transformation of weaker sections of society.

"It helps in preparing students for various competitive exams and also provides them with a platform for entrepreneurship & skill development," it added.  -- ANI
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10:59   'Sooryavanshi' to release on Nov 5 in theatres
Superstar Akshay Kumar on Friday said his much-awaited film "Sooryavanshi" will finally hit the theatres worldwide on November 5.
 
Director Rohit Shetty had last month announced via social media that "Sooryavanshi" will be released during Diwali soon after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced the reopening of cinema halls in the state from October 22.
However, no release date was announced then. 
Taking to social media, Kumar posted a short video in which he appeared alongside Ajay Devgn and Ranveer Singh -- who have a cameo appearance in "Sooryavanshi".
In the video, shot inside a cinema hall, the three actors urged the audiences to watch the movie in theatres during Diwali.
"Do you remember this place where you have seen so many emotions. No one had thought that like our films we will also have interval in our lives. We are back," Kumar said.
The film, which was originally scheduled to release on March 24, 2020, was delayed multiple times due to the coronavirus pandemic, which led to theatre shutdown across the country. 
It is the fourth film in Shetty's cop universe after blockbusters such as Devgn's "Singham", "Singham Returns" and  "Simmba" starring Singh.
"Sooryavanshi" features Katrina Kaif opposite Kumar.
The upcoming film is presented by Reliance Entertainment and produced by Rohit Shetty Picturez in association with Dharma Productions and Cape of Good Films. -- PTI
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10:52   Active Covid cases in country lowest in 216 days
India logged 16,862 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,40,37,592, while the active cases declined to 2,03,678, the lowest in 216 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.
 
The death toll climbed to 4,51,814  with 379 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am.
The daily rise in new coronavirus infections has been below 30,000 for 21 straight days and less than 50,000 daily new cases have been reported for 110 consecutive days now.
The active cases comprise 0.60  per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.07 per cent, the highest since March 2020, the ministry said.
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. -- PTI
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10:18   Israeli envoy participates in RSS' Vijaya Dashami event
Israeli diplomat Kobbi Shoshani on Friday participated in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Vijaya Dashami event as a guest. 

 "Sri Kobbi Shoshani . Consul General, Consulate General of Israel, Mumbai is also participating in the #RSSVijaydashami event as a guest," tweeted RSS.  
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09:53   RSS chief raises concern over Bitcoin, OTT platforms
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Friday said terrorists were resorting to targeted killings in Jammu and Kashmir to instil fear. 
        
 Addressing the annual Vijayadashmi rally at Reshimbagh ground in Nagpur, Bhagwat said military preparedness on borders needs to be increased.
        
He also expressed concern over Bitcoin and OTT platforms and asked the government to take efforts to regulate these things.
        
"Terrorists are resorting to targeted violence in Jammu and Kashmir to instil fear," he said.
        
On October 12, five Army personnel, including a Junior Commissioned Officer, were killed in an encounter in Dera Ki Gali in Surankote area of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir. On August 19, a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Army was killed in an encounter with terrorists in Thanamandi area of Rajouri district.
        
Bhagwat said societal consciousness is still skewed with caste-based sentiments and the RSS is working to address it. -- PTI
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09:10   PM greets people on Vijaya Dashami
Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted people on the occasion of Vijaya Dashami on Friday. 

"Greetings to everyone on the special occasion of Vijaya Dashami," he tweeted. 

Vijaya Dashami or Dussehra marks the triumph of good over evil.
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09:04   India 'walked the talk' on global fight against Covid: FM
India has not only faced the COVID-19 crisis with great resilience and fortitude but has also played a major role and "walked the talk" on the global fight against it, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said.
          
Pointing out the fast recovery of India's economy, Sitharaman in her address to the Development Committee of the World Bank said the Modi Government, besides taking economic relief measures, has also undertaken significant structural reforms to turn the crisis into an opportunity and emerge stronger.
          
"The measures undertaken by the government have set a strong foundation for India's sustained economic growth," she said.
          
According to the International Monetary Fund's World Economic Outlook, India is estimated to be the fastest-growing major economy in 2021, projected to grow at 9.5 per cent in 2021 and 8.5 per cent in 2022.
          
Observing that despite the pandemic, India received its highest ever FDI inflows of USD82.0 billion in fiscal 2020-21, the finance minister said this trend in India's FDI is an endorsement of its status as a preferred investment destination amongst global investors. 
          
Addressing the Development Committee meeting, Sitharaman said India has faced the COVID-19 crisis with great resilience and fortitude. 
          
The country's pandemic response has focused on the twin goals of saving both the lives and livelihoods, she said.
          
"When faced with the second wave of infections, India again mounted a carefully calibrated and dynamic response to the evolving situation. Given that the second wave was asynchronous in its onset across states and wider in its spread, only localised lockdowns were imposed during the second wave," she said.
          
This approach aided reduction in cases in the COVID-19 hotspots without dampening economic activity in regions with fewer cases, she said.
          
"Despite a more brutal second wave, India's GDP grew at 20.1 per cent YoY during April-June quarter of 2021, recovering more than 90 per cent of the corresponding pre-pandemic output levels of 2019," she added.
          
The broad-based and swift recovery of both the demand and supply-side components reaffirms India's resilient recovery and strong macroeconomic fundamentals. 
          
"With the easing of the COVID-19 restrictions, GST collections for July, August and September 2021 have crossed the INR 1 trillion mark, which testifies to the fact that the economy is recovering at a fast pace. The robust GST revenues are expected to continue in the coming months too as the economic recovery gathers momentum," the finance minister said.
          
India, she said, is one of the frontrunners in the global vaccine deployment race with the second-highest total number of COVID-19 vaccines administered all over the world.
           
As of September 30, India has administered 951.35 million doses, covering 72.8 per cent of the 18 years (as on August 10, 2021) and above population with at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
          
"India has also played a major role and truly walked the talk' on the global COVID-19 effort. India's massive Vaccine Maitri programme, under which more than 66.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines were exported to 95 countries worldwide bears special mention. India is all set to resume vaccine export in October 2021," she said. -- PTI
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08:49   Biden nominates Indian American to a key position in Pentagon
United States President Joe Biden on Thursday announced his intent to nominate Indian American Ravi Chaudhary to a key position in the Pentagon.
          
A former Air Force officer, Chaudhary has been nominated for the position of the assistant secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Energy and the Environment. 
          
He needs to be confirmed by the United States Senate before he can be sworn in for this key Pentagon position.
          
Chaudhary previously served as a senior executive at the US Department of Transportation where he was Director of Advanced Programs and Innovation, Office of Commercial Space, at the Federal Aviation Administration, according to his bio released by the White House.
          
In this role, Chaudhary was responsible for the execution of advanced development and research programs in support of the FAA's Commercial Space Transportation mission. 
          
While at the Department of Transportation, he also served as the executive director, Regions and Centre Operations, where he was responsible for the integration and support of aviation operations in nine regions located nationwide.
          
On active duty from 1993 to 2015 in the US Air Force, he completed a variety of operational, engineering, and senior staff assignments in the Air Force, the White House said.
          
As a C-17 pilot, he conducted global flight operations, including numerous combat missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as a ground deployment as Director of the Personnel Recovery Center, Multi-National Corps, Iraq.
          
As a flight test engineer, he was responsible for flight certification of military avionics and hardware for Air Force modernization programs supporting flight safety and mishap prevention. 
          
Earlier in his career, he supported space launch operations for the Global Positioning System and led third stage and flight safety activities to ensure the full operational capability of the first GPS constellation, the White House said.
          
As a systems engineer, he supported NASA's International Space Station protection activities to ensure the safety of NASA Astronauts.
          
He also served as a member of the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders during the Obama Administration. 
          
In this role, he advised the President on executive branch efforts to improve veterans support for the AAPI community.
          
Chaudhary holds a Doctorate specializing in Executive Leadership and Innovation from the Georgetown University DLS Program, an MS in Industrial Engineering from St Mary's University as a NASA graduate fellow, an MA in Operational Arts and Military Science from Air University, and a BS in Aeronautical Engineering from the US Air Force Academy.
         
 He is a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute and holds Department of Defence acquisition certifications in program management, test and evaluation, and systems engineering. -- PTI 
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08:32   No power cuts in Maharashtra, says state Deputy CM
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday assured that there will not be a shortage of coal or an incidence of power cuts in the state during the festival season.

Speaking to reporters, Pawar said, "There will not be any shortage of coal in the state nor will there be any power cut. A few days ago, there were only two days of coal stocks were left in the state. But we have found a solution for the shortage. There won't be a situation wherein the people have to celebrate Diwali in dark. During the peak hour of electricity supply, we will take it from the Central government's grid."

Earlier, Maharashtra Energy Minister Nitin Raut said that four out of 27 power generation units are currently shut in the state and added that no load shedding will be there due to the coal crisis.

"Despite the coal crisis, we have tried to supply electricity to our citizens. Even after the deficiency of coal in the state, only four out of 27 power generation units are currently shut," he said. -- ANI

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08:25   China warns against 'manipulation' of Covid origin probe
A day after the World Health Organization announced a launch of an expert group to study the origins of COVID-19, China on Thursday warned against "political manipulation" of the fresh investigation by the global health body.

This statement comes after the WHO launched an expert group on Wednesday that will study the origins of new pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. 

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the news during his press briefing from Geneva, "following a public call for experts."

"China will continue to support and participate in global scientific origins-tracing and firmly oppose any form of political manipulation," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said during a press conference on Thursday.

"We hope that all parties concerned, including the WHO Secretariat and SAGO will adopt an objective, scientific and responsible attitude, follow the requirements and relevant mandates of the WHA resolution, take the first phase of the joint study as the basis, adhere to a global perspective, perform their duties in an objective and fair manner, and truly make a positive contribution to global origins-tracing and anti-epidemic cooperation," he added.

The proposed members of the WHO Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO) were selected for their expertise in areas such as epidemiology, animal health, clinical medicine, virology and genomics. The 26 experts were selected from over 700 applications and were chosen for their world-class expertise and experience in a range of disciplines, as well as their geographic and gender diversity.

"SAGO will advise WHO on the development of a global framework to define and guide studies into the origins of emerging and re-emerging pathogens with epidemic and pandemic potential, including SARS-CoV-2," he said.

"The emergence of new viruses with the potential to spark epidemics and pandemics is a fact of nature, and while SARS-CoV-2 is the latest such virus, it will not be the last." -- ANI
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00:12   India gets re-elected to UNHR council for 2022-24 term
India was re-elected to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2022-24 term on Thursday with an overwhelming majority in the General Assembly, with New Delhi's envoy in the United Nations describing the election as a 'robust endorsement' of the country's strong roots in democracy, pluralism and fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution.                 

The 76th UN General Assembly held elections on Thursday for 18 new members of the UN Human Rights Council who will serve for a period of three years, starting in January 2022.                 

India got 184 votes in the 193-member assembly, while the required majority was 97.                 

"I am truly delighted at this overwhelming support for India in elections to Human Rights Council. It's a robust endorsement of our strong roots in democracy, pluralism and fundamental rights enshrined in our Constitution. We thank all UN Member States for giving us a strong mandate,' India's permanent representative to the UN ambassador T S Tirumurti told PTI.                 

India's permanent Mission to the UN tweeted 'India gets re-elected to the @UN_HRC (2022-24) for a 6th term with overwhelming majority. Heartfelt gratitude to the @UN membership for reposing its faith in India.' "We will continue to work for promotion and protection of Human Rights through #Samman #Samvad #Sahyog #Samman #Samvad #Sahyog," India's Permanent Mission to the UN tweeted.                 

India's current term was set to end on December 31 2021. -- PTI

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