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Wed, 09 November 2022

Twitter will do lots of dumb things soon: Musk

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23:55 Haryana Cong MLA's social media accounts hacked, restored later

Congress' Haryana MLA Kiran Choudhry's Facebook and Instagram accounts were allegedly compromised with the hacker threatening to post obscene pictures if she did not pay $1,000, the police said on Wednesday.

The Facebook page, which had 3 lakh followers, has since been recovered, Cyber Crime (West) police station SHO Jasveer said.

The accounts of Choudhry, the MLA from Tosham, were allegedly compromised by a foreigner.

The hacker demanded $1,000 and threatened to post obscene pictures, he said.

Choudhry filed a complaint on Tuesday about the hacking.

In her complaint, she said the hacker started chatting with her through Messenger and first demanded USD 500 and then USD 1,000.

The accused also threatened to post objectionable content from her page if she did not pay, the police said.

She also warned her supporters, tweeting that her Facebook and Instagram accounts had been compromised. -- PTI

23:44 Twitter will do lots of dumb things soon: Musk

Tesla CEO Elon Musk and self-described "Twitter Complaint Hotline Operator" on Wednesday announced that the social media giant will do a lot of dumb things in the coming months on trial and error basis.

"Please note that Twitter will do lots of dumb things in coming months. We will keep what works and change what doesn't," Musk tweeted.

"Complaint hotline operator online! Please mention your complaints below," he added.

Since completing the Twitter deal, the wealthiest man on the planet has made a flurry of decisions impacting the working of the social media giant that has millions of daily active users. -- ANI

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22:47 Telangana forms SIT to probe MLAs poaching case

The Telangana Rashtra Samiti government in Telangana on Wednesday ordered the setting up of a seven-member special investigation team to probe into the case related to alleged poaching of the party MLAs.

Headed by the Hyderabad city police commissioner CV Anand, the SIT was formed after the director-general of police M Mahendar Reddy informed the state government that since the case which, he felt, was sensitive, high-profile and sensational in nature, it involved investigation from multiple dimensions.

"The director general of police, Telangana-Hyderabad, has, therefore, requested the government to constitute a "special investigation team' in public interest to carry out proper investigation in an expeditious manner,' the GO said.

The case of poaching was filed based on a complaint from Pilot Rohith Reddy.

Relevant sections -- criminal conspiracy, offering bribe and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 -- were invoked against Ramachandra Bharati alias Satish Sharma, Nanda Kumar and Simhayaji Swamy on October 26.

As per a copy of the FIR, Rohith Reddy alleged the accused offered him Rs 100 crore and in return the legislator has to leave the TRS and contest as a BJP candidate in the next Assembly elections. -- PTI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday reviewed India's internal security situation in a high-level meeting of Intelligence Bureau officers from across the country in New Delhi and stressed the need to further strengthen the process of information sharing and enhancing liaison between counter-terrorism and anti-drug agencies of the states.

Chairing the meeting, the home minister batted for specific steps "to control left wing extremism by dismantling its financial and logistical support system".

He further emphasised the need to make the country's coastal security "impenetrable" and suggested keeping a close eye on even the smallest and most isolated port for this.

Shah also directed to focus on complete destruction of narcotics, and the maximum use of anti-drone technology to stop cross-border drug smuggling.

"Narcotics not only ruins the youth of the country but the money earned from it also affects the internal security of the country, that is why we have to work together for its complete destruction. We have to make maximum use of anti-drone technology to stop the smuggling of drugs from across the border through drones," Shah said while addressing the meeting.

He made it clear that the union government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to ensuring the security of the nation by strengthening all aspects of security and in the last eight years, many important steps have been taken to strengthen the internal security of the country. -- ANI

The Telangana high court on Wednesday set aside the Preventive Detention Act filed against suspended BJP MLA T Raja Singh and ordered his release from prison.

A bench of Justice Abhishek Reddy and Justice Juvvadi Sridevi ordered the MLA to not make any provocative speech against any religion or post any derogatory or offensive posts on any social media platforms or participate and hold any celebratory rally or meeting after release.

The police on August 25 arrested the Goshamahal legislator under a preventive detention provision, days after he got bail in a case relating to remarks against Prophet Mohammed and Islam.

He was earlier arrested for allegedly making such remarks, but was released by a local court later as the police did not follow guidelines of the Supreme Court on the arrest. Subsequently, he was suspended from the BJP.

The police earlier said Singh had posted a video on the social media on August 22 against the Prophet with an intention to provoke all sections of people and cause breach of peace and public tranquility. -- PTI

Chirag Paswan/ANI

21:19 Chirag Paswan to support NDA in Kurhani by-poll in Bihar

Former Lok Janshakti Party president Chirag Paswan Wednesday declared his support to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance in the by-election to Kurhani assembly seat of Bihar, which has been necessitated by the disqualification of Rashtriya Janata Dal MLA Anil Sahani.

Paswan, who had campaigned for BJP candidates in the recent by-polls to Mokama and Gopalganj seats, was replying to queries from journalists about Kurhani in Muzaffarpur district, where filing of nominations will begin on Thursday.

"Our party will support the NDA", said the son of late Ram Vilas Paswan, who now heads a splinter group of the party founded by his father.

The party had split in 2021 following the rebellion of his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras.

Both NDA as well as the ruling Mahagathbandhan are yet to announce their candidates for the seat, where filing of nomination papers will end on November 17.

Sahani has been disqualified upon conviction by a Delhi court for submitting fake bills to avail leave travel concession while he was a Rajya Sabha member.

Paswan, who is a bete noire of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, also said that the recent by-poll had proved that the Janata Dal-United stalwart "was no more a factor" in Bihar politics.

"Mokama is the pocket borough of (disqualified RJD MLA) Anant Kumar Singh. He polled 78,000 votes in 2020 when JD-U was not with his party. This time his wife contested and got just about a thousand votes more. So what did Nitish Kumar bring on the table?", the Jamui MP asked. -- PTI

An 'Official' label has been added to the Twitter handle of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and some other ministers as the US-based social media platform started rolling out a feature to distinguish between the Twitter Blue account and verified accounts.

Modi's verified blue tick Twitter handle @narendramodi was marked 'Official' with a tick mark enclosed in a circle.

The same was label was also seen on the Twitter handles of Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and some other ministers.

Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi, some other opposition party leaders as well as sportspersons like Sachin Tendulkar too were given that label.

This is in line with Twitter's just-announced changes for verified accounts, as part of its new USD 8 premium subscription product.

The 'Official' label is given for select verified accounts including major media outlets and governments.

Twitter official Esther Crawford in a tweet said: "A lot of folks have asked about how you'll be able to distinguish between @TwitterBlue subscribers with blue checkmarks and accounts that are verified as official, which is why we're introducing the 'Official' label to select accounts when we launch."

"Not all previously verified accounts will get the 'Official' label and the label is not available for purchase. Accounts that will receive it include government accounts, commercial companies, business partners, major media outlets, publishers and some public figures," she said. -- PTI

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20:46 Centre deploys high-level team to Mumbai to manage outbreak of measles

The Union health ministry on Wednesday said it has deputed a high-level multi-disciplinary team to Mumbai to take stock of the upsurge of measles cases in the city.

The team will assist the state health authorities in instituting public health measures and facilitate operationalisation of requisite control and containment measures, it said.

The three-member central team to Mumbai comprises experts drawn from the National Centre for Disease Control, New Delhi, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, and the regional office for health and family welfare, Pune, Maharashtra.

The team is headed by Dr Anubhav Srivastava, deputy director, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, NCDC, the ministry.

The team will also undertake field visits to investigate the outbreak and assist the state health departments in terms of public health measures, management guidelines and protocols to manage the increasing cases of measles being reported in Mumbai, it added. -- PTI

Satish Jarkiholi/ANI

20:33 Cong's Jarkiholi apologies for anti-Hindu remark

Karnataka Congress working president Satish Jarkiholi, who is in the eye of a political storm for his statement on the origins of the word Hindu and its "dirty meaning", on Wednesday withdrew the remark and expressed "regret" if it has hurt anyone's sentiments.

Pointing out that his statement was only referring to what has been written and published, the MLA from Yamakanmardi constituency wrote a letter addressed to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai alleging that some vested interests were trying to project him as "anti-Hindu", and sought an inquiry into it.

Jarkiholi is under intense criticism, including from his own party, for his remarks, and the ruling BJP on Wednesday held statewide protests condemning him and the Congress.

Noting that his statement was based on Wikipedia, books, dictionaries, and writings by historians, the former minister said in the letter, "Some vested interests are trying to project me as anti Hindu and are conspiring to destroy my image. I request you to conduct an inquiry into all this, and against those who are trying to create a scene, without explaining the reality."

He has urged Bommai to immediately constitute an inquiry committee to look into it.

Further, stating that his statement has created a controversy, Jarkiholi said, "As his remarks have been misconstrued and wrongly presented, I'm withdrawing my statement with a good intention that it should not create confusion among the public. If that statement has hurt anyone's feelings, I express my regret."

Jarkiholi, while speaking at Nippani in Belagavi district during an event organised by "Manav Bandhutva Vedike' on Sunday, had claimed that the word 'Hindu' is Persian and has a very dirty meaning. -- PTI

Varun Kumar Pandey was on Wednesday appointed the national media in-charge of the Indian Youth Congress, the organisation said. Pandey, who hails from Madhya Pradesh, was earlier a co-incharge of the media department of the IYC, the Congress' youth wing.

"National president of IYC Srinivas BV along with national in-charge and joint secretary of AICC (All India Congress Committee) Krishna Allavaru have appointed Varun Kumar Pandey as national media in-charge of Indian Youth Congress," according to the statement.

Pandey had participated in the organisational elections started by Rahul Gandhi and was elected as IYC general secretary of Madhya Pradesh.

He was earlier associated with the National Students' Union of India, the students' wing of the party. -- PTI

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam will file a review petition against the Supreme Court verdict upholding the 10 per cent economically weaker section quota, a move hailed by Congress MP Karti Chidambaram.

DMK general secretary and Tamil Nadu minister for water resources, Duraimurugan, pointed out at the 3-2 majority verdict of the five-member SC bench and said it will affect the concept of equality envisaged by the Constitution.

"A review petition will be filed on behalf of the DMK to safeguard the social justice of 82 per cent population of SC/STs, to protect the basic infrastructure of the Constitution and establish the reservation provided in Mandal Commission," he said in a release.

Congress MP from Sivaganga in Tamil Nadu, Karti Chidambaram welcomed the DMK's move.

"I welcome this initiative," he said in a tweet, adding, "I oppose #EWSQuota as it's exclusionary & not all inclusive."

On Monday, both the BJP and the Congress had sought to claim credit for the economically weaker sections quota. -- PTI

19:20 Sanjay Raut walks out of Arthur Road jail

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray)'s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut walked out of Mumbai's Arthur Road jail on Wednesday evening, hours after a special court granted him bail in a money laundering case.

He was arrested on August 1 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the money laundering case related to a housing project in suburban Goregaon.

At around 5 pm, Raut's legal team dropped his bail order into the Arthur Road jail box and at about 6.50 pm, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader stepped out of the prison, where he had spent more than three months.

A large number of supporters of the Rajya Sabha member, who had assembled outside the jail, burst into celebration as soon as he walked out of the jail and raised slogans hailing him. Firecrackers were set off near the jail in central Mumbai by Raut's supporters.

Adani Group chairperson Gautam Adani

19:14 Gautam Adani meets Maha CM Shinde

Adani Group chairperson Gautam Adani visited Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at his official residence in Mumbai, an official said on Wednesday.

The Tuesday night meeting between Adani and Shinde lasted for nearly 45 minutes, the official said.

Adani Group has interests in ports, airports, power generation and transmission, and real estate.

The group supplies electricity to the Mumbai suburban district. -- PTI

Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan/ANI

18:43 I suspect my phones are tapped: Telangana guv

In an open face-off with the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led government, Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Wednesday expressed suspicion that her phones are being tapped.

"I suspect (that) my phones are tapped. Undemocratic situation is there in the state, particularly in respecting the Governor. I want to clarify all those things," she said in a press conference.

She refused to elaborate saying that there were some social media posts linking Raj Bhavan with the recent "TRS MLAs poaching case". -- PTI

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18:33 Kashi Tamil Sangamam: Railways to ferry over 2,000 students from TN to Varanasi

Railways will ferry more than 2,000 students from across universities by train from Tamil Nadu to Varanasi as part of the Centre's programme to rediscover the centuries-old bond of knowledge and ancient civilisational linkage between Kashi and the southern state.

The Railways will arrange special coaches for identified students who will be from varied backgrounds, sources said.

The month-long 'Kashi Tamil Sangamam' programme will be organised in Varanasi from November 16 to December 19 and will include interactive sessions, debates, and seminars on the ancient and traditional links between the two cultures.

Last month, the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced that the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti or the high powered committee for promotion of Indian languages, headed by Chamu Krishna Shastry, has come up with the proposal to rediscover, reaffirm and celebrate the links between the Tamil culture and Kashi that have existed for centuries.

The committee has been constituted by the education ministry. -- PTI

Assets belonging to son of retired Tamil Nadu IAS officer K Rajamanickam, wife of former IPS officer S Jaffar Sait and a real estate developer have been attached under the anti-money laundering law in a case linked to alleged irregularities in the allotment of government plots in that state, the Enforcement Directorate said on Wednesday.

Rajamanickam had served as secretary to late chief minister M Karunanidhi.

The money laundering case stems from an FIR lodged by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption in 2011 against seven individuals, including the above mentioned bureaucrats.

A provisional order has been issued against Pravin Jaffar, wife of former intelligence department inspector general of Tamil Nadu Police S Jaffar Sait; R Durgashankar, son of Rajamanickam, and T Udayakumar, proprietor of Landmark Construction, Chennai, the Enforcement Directorate said in a statement.

Sait retired last year from the post of the director general of police of Tamil Nadu fire and rescue services.

The total value of the attached properties is Rs 14.23 crore, the federal agency said.

The DVAC, apart from the two bureaucrats, their family members and the real estate businessman, had also booked K Murugaiya, executive engineer of the Tamil Nadu Housing Board and I Periyasamy, former TN minister for housing and urban development.

The probe found that "wrongful allotment of government discretionary quota (GDQ) plots was done by Periyasamy".

"A residential plot was allotted to Jaffar Sait under GDQ without being eligible for such allotment and Rajamanickam, who was secretary to the then Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, got the adjacent plot allotted to his son R Durgashankar in violation of the norms of GDQ," the ED said.

Parvin Jaffar and R Durgashankar entered into an agreement with Udayakumar (Land Mark Construction) for joint development of the combined land in order to maximise the "fruits of crime", it alleged. -- PTI

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg

17:56 After Twitter, Facebook parent Meta to cut 11K jobs

Facebook parent Meta announced on Wednesday to slash around 11,000 jobs as a part of mass layoffs to cut expenses and transform its business model.

As the tech industry is slashing jobs, Meta too announced layoffs.

"We are also taking a number of additional steps to become a leaner and more efficient company by cutting discretionary spending and extending our hiring freeze through Q1," said Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a statement on Wednesday.

Zuckerberg termed the layoffs as some of the most difficult changes the company has made in Meta's history and added that everyone in the company will soon get an email "letting you know what this layoff means for you."

Notably, the layoffs are expected to affect many thousands of employees and an announcement is planned to come as soon as Wednesday, according to people familiar with the matter.

Meta reported having more than 87,000 employees at the end of September. -- ANI

Writer and philanthropist Sudha Murthy on Wednesday prayed for the well-being of her son-in-law and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at a temple in coastal Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district.

Murthy, who arrived in Devgad tehsil of the district, around 500 km from Mumbai, the previous evening, visited the Durga Devi temple at Baparde village in the morning.

A video which went viral on social media showed the priest at the temple praying to Goddess Durga on Murthy's behalf, seeking well-being of her son-in-law who recently became the first Indian-origin prime minister of the United Kingdom.

During her visit, Murthy also interacted with students of Yashwantrao Rane Higher Secondary School at Baparde.

Murthy, the wife of billionaire businessman and Infosys founder Narayan Murthy, was caught up in controversy earlier this week when a video showed her bowing before Sambhaji Bhide, a controversial right-wing leader from Maharashtra. -- PTI

The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a PIL challenging the nomination of former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to Rajya Sabha by the government on the ground that he was not eligible.

Dismissing the plea, a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Abhay S Oka said it was publicity interest litigation. The counsel for petitioner Satish S Kambiye said the former CJI was not eligible to be nominated to Rajya Sabha.

"Who will decide the eligibility? You? Sorry, we don't find any merit in this plea. You should be fortunate that we are not imposing a cost on you," the bench said.

On March 16, 2020, Gogoi, who headed benches that pronounced several key judgments including in the sensitive Ayodhya land dispute case, was nominated to Rajya Sabha by the government.

Gogoi had also led the benches that ruled on matters such as the Rafale fighter jet deal and the entry of women into the famed Sabarimala temple. A notification announcing his nomination to the Upper House was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on March 16, 2020.

Gogoi retired as CJI in November, 2019 after a tenure of a little over 13 months. He is the first former Chief Justice of India to be nominated to Rajya Sabha. -- PTI

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday alleged that the BJP was "using" Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) with an eye on the upcoming Gujarat assembly elections.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo asserted that she will never allow the implementation of CAA or NRC in West Bengal. She accused the saffron camp of trying to "bring in its supporters from other states and make them voters of West Bengal, while snatching the rights of the permanent residents of the eastern state".

Iterating that the BJP won't return to power after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Banerjee said that the country's political situation was changing fast, and it is very different from that of 2019.

"Whenever any election approaches, the BJP speaks of implementing CAA and NRC. With upcoming Gujarat assembly polls later this year, and Lok Sabha elections just a year-and-a-half away, it has again started to flare up the CAA issue.

"Will the BJP decide who is a citizen and who is not? Matuas are very much citizens of this country," Banerjee said while addressing party workers in Krishnanagar.

Matuas, who make up a large chunk of the state's Scheduled Caste population, had been migrating to West Bengal from present-day Bangladesh since the 1950s, ostensibly due to religious persecution.

"If Matuas are not citizens of this country, then how are they casting their votes in elections? If Matuas are illegal citizens, then the BJP MPs and MLAs who have been elected with Matua votes should resign as their election is also illegal," she said.

The promise of implementing the controversial CAA had been a major poll plank of the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha and the 2021 assembly polls.

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16:54 IPL auction to be held on December 23 in Kochi

The players auction for the next year's Indian Premier League (IPL) will be held in Kochi on December 23, a BCCI official said on Wednesday.

The Turkish city of Istanbul, Bengaluru, New Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad were also in contention to host the auction but, the BCCI evenatully opted for the coastal Kerala city.

"Logistically, and considering the dates, Kochi turned out to be the most suited option," a BCCI official told PTI.

Unlike the last auction, this year's will be a mini auction. The 10 IPL franchises have already been asked to submit their list of retained players by November 15. Also, the salary cap is likely to be increased from Rs 90 to Rs 95 crore for the 2023 season. -- PTI

Diamond merchant Nirav Modi on Wednesday lost his appeal against extradition on mental health grounds as the High Court in London ruled that his risk of suicide is not such that it would be either unjust or oppressive to extradite him to India to face charges of fraud and money laundering.

Lord Justice Jeremy Stuart-Smith and Justice Robert Jay, who presided over the appeal hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice earlier this year, said in their verdict that District Judge Sam Goozee's Westminster Magistrates' Court order from last year in favour of extradition was "sound".

The leave to appeal in the High Court had been granted on two grounds under Article 3 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) to hear arguments if it would unjust or oppressive to extradite 51-year-old Modi due to his mental state and Section 91 of the Extradition Act 2003, also related to mental health.

"Pulling these various strands together and weighing them in the balance so as to reach an overall evaluative judgment on the question raised by Section 91, we are far from satisfied that Mr Modi's mental condition and the risk of suicide are such that it would be either unjust or oppressive to extradite him, the ruling states.

"It may be that the main benefit of the appeal has been to obtain the extensive further [Indian government] assurances that we have identified in the course of this judgment, which render the position clear to Mr Modi's advantage and the District Judge's decision supportable, the judges ruled.

As he has lost this appeal hearing, Modi can approach the Supreme Court on a point of law of public importance, to be applied for to the Supreme Court against the High Court's decision within 14 days of a High Court verdict.

However, this involves a high threshold as appeals to the Supreme Court can only be made if the High Court has certified that the case involves a point of law of general public importance.

Finally, after all avenues in the UK courts are exhausted, the diamantaire could still seek a so-called Rule 39 injunction from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Therefore, the process of bringing him back to India to be lodged at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai and stand trial for fraud and money laundering amounting to an estimated USD 2 billion in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan scam case still has some way to go. His legal team are yet to comment on any plans to appeal the High Court verdict.

16:21 Tiger is back: Team Uddhav on Raut's bail

"Tiger is back," the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction said on Wednesday after a special court here granted bail to party MP Sanjay Raut in a money laundering case.

Talking to reporters, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) spokesperson Sushma Andhare said till the time the party has leaders like Raut, it has nothing to fear.

"The tiger is back," said Andhare, the deputy leader of the Thackeray-led Sena faction. Rajya Sabha member Raut was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on July 31 this year. He is currently in judicial custody and lodged at the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Rohit Pawar tweeted a video of a tiger being released from a cage and tagged it to Raut.

"The truth has prevailed," Pawar, whose party is an ally of the Thackeray-led Sena faction, told reporters.

Sanjay Raut's brother and Vikhroli MLA Sunil Raut said, "The blessings of people were with Sanjay Raut. He will again start working for the party to see that the saffron flag unfurls at the Vidhan Sabha."

The truth has prevailed, he added. The ED had arrested Sanjay Raut for his alleged role in financial irregularities in connection with the redevelopment of the Patra Chawl (row tenement) in suburban Goregaon. After the Sena MP was granted bail, the ED, which is conducting a probe into the case, pleaded before the court not to give effect to the bail order till Friday. The court, however, rejected the ED's plea.

15:48 Raut's family reacts to bail

"These are tears of joy. Our Diwali begins today. Satyamev Jayate! We were 100% confident that (he will be released), he had done nothing wrong. All of this was done deliberately," Sandip Raut, ShivSena MP Sanjay Raut's brother on bail granted to him in the Patra Chawl land scam case.

15:41 I created day & night: Cong trolls Modi

Ahead of the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections, the Congress party's Twitter account drops an interesting tweet on PM Narendra Modi. Trolling the PM's yoga pose over a boulder in 2019 and his penchant for being in every camera frame, Congress tweeted, "Main, mera, mujhse (I, me, mine) and wrote, "Yeh Gujarat, yeh vaccine, yeh din aur raat, maine banaye hain."

BJP President recently asked people in Himachal Pradesh to vote for the party since "PM Modi had given them vaccines" during Covid.

Be that as it may, the Congress has lost 26 leaders to the BJP in Himachal and two in Gujarat. The party has barely held any rallies in either state.

Kathy Hochul won election in New York on Tuesday, making history as the first woman voters have chosen for the state's highest office.

The win over Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin is the closest gubernatorial victory in at least two decades after Zeldin's campaign surged in recent months as voters turned their attention to public safety and the economy.

Hochul, who took office in August 2021 after former Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned amid sexual harassment allegations, has vowed to focus on housing, reducing gun violence and building economic opportunity in her first full term, as well as protecting abortion rights.

Sanjay Raut. File pic

15:12 Mumbai court rejects stay on Raut's bail

Mumbai's PMLA court rejects stay on the execution of bail order to Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut and co-accused Pravin Raut, they will be released.

Manish Sisodia visits the Ghazipur landfill

15:11 HC refuses to stay upcoming MCD elections

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to stay the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections which are scheduled for December 4. A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad said the State Election Commission (SEC) has already issued a notification and it will remain unchanged.

"The Election Commission's notification is there. We cannot touch it now," the bench said.

The SEC announced the election schedule for MCD on November 4, according to which polling for 250 municipal wards will take place on December 4 and the results will be announced on December 7.

On Wednesday, three petitions challenging the delimitation of wards and their reservation were listed before the high court. The bench issued notices on the petitions and asked the Centre, Delhi government and SEC to respond to them, while listing the pleas for further hearing on December 15. During the hearing, the counsel for the petitioners urged the court to stay the elections till the pleas were heard.

However, the bench turned down the request, saying, "Once elections are notified, we can't stay it." Earlier, a petition by a Congress leader challenging the delimitation of wards came up before the court and it will also be heard on December 15. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that Himachal Pradesh needs a stable and strong government of "double engine" and linked the Congress with "instability, corruption and scam" as he sought people's vote for the BJP.

Addressing a rally in Kangra district, which has the largest number of assembly seats in the state, and later in Sujanpur, Modi targeted the Congress, accusing it of "betraying" the state when it was in power at the Centre and being an "enemy" of development.

He said it is necessary for the BJP to remain in power for the state's development as the Congress had earlier also worked to obstruct its progress after he became prime minister while it was in power at the state till 2017.

He also accused the Congress of "insulting" Army chief and likening soldiers to goons. It had raised questions on the surgical strikes, which had targeted terror camps in Pakistan, as well, he added.

For the BJP, the security of the country and soldiers is of paramount importance, the prime minister said.

He said the Congress, the main challenger to the BJP's bid to retain power in the hill state, will only hamper development if it is elected to power in the state. He, though, asserted that people of the state have made up their mind to elect the BJP to power.

Noting that the Congress is left with power in only two states, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, Modi asked people if they have ever heard of them making news for development. It is the reports of internal feuds of the Congress which come out from there, he added.

"The condition of Congress is deteriorating day by day. The area which was once considered Congress's stronghold, they have been completely wiped out from there. Congress has a history of false promises and false guarantees," Modi said.

There is so much anger against the Congress that people have not elected it to power in many states for decades after defeating it, Modi said, citing the examples of Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal among others.

14:17 Delhi doesn't need part-time CM: BJP's Lekhi

Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi lashed out Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday, saying the city did not require a "part time chief minister" who was not concerned about its problems but was busy in "political tourism".

No immediate reaction was available from the Aam Aadmi Party government over Lekhi's charges.

Citing RTI replies, the senior BJP leader said out of over Rs 1,286 crore collected as environment cess in the past seven years, the Kejriwal government had spent only a little more than Rs 272 crore on fighting pollution. No money was spent on creating infrastructure and training of personnel to combat pollution, she said.

"This person (Kejriwal) is doing nothing. Delhi does not need a part time chief minister who spends his time in political tourism for campaigning in poll bound states," the Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture said at a press conference.

The Kejriwal government's "inaction" and "running away" from responsibilities are the reasons why a large number of elderly people and children are suffering from air pollution-related illnesses, she alleged.

"He had promised to build 10 smog towers but just one was constructed at a cost of Rs 22 crore. Even that is not working despite spending Rs 80 lakh on its maintenance every month," she claimed. Lekhi asked Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena to order a probe to find out why the smog tower was not functioning despite spending such a high amount on its maintenance. -- PTI

A Pakistani drone has been shot down by the Border Security Force along the India-Pakistan International Border in Punjab, a senior officer said Wednesday.

The 'hexa copter' drone was shot around 11:25 pm on Tuesday in the Ferozepur sector. The drone was recovered Wednesday morning by a joint team of the BSF and local police, he said.

Cong MLA Bhagwan Barad quit the party today

13:57 2nd Congress MLA from Gujarat joins BJP

In another jolt to the opposition Congress on the second day in a row ahead of the Gujarat Assembly polls, senior MLA Bhagwan Barad on Wednesday resigned as a legislator and primary member and is set to join BJP.

Barad, who represents the Talala seat in Gir Somnath district, sent his resignation letter to Gujarat Congress president Jagdish Thakor and also handed it over to Speaker Nimaben Acharya. Barad told reporters in Gandhinagar that he decided to quit the party after consulting his supporters and will join the Bharatiya Janata Party without any pre-condition to get a poll ticket.

A day earlier, veteran Congress MLA and tribal leader Mohansinh Rathva resigned as a legislator and party member and crossed over to BJP. A prominent tribal leader, Rathva is a 10-time Member of the Legislative Assembly and currently represents the Chhota Udaipur (ST) constituency in central Gujarat.

Rathva had announced that he would not seek a ticket for the next month's Assembly elections but wanted the party to field his son Rajendrasinh Rathva from his seat instead.

Gujarat will vote in two phases on December 1 and 5. The counting of votes will be taken up on December 8. In the 2017 Gujarat Assembly polls, the Congress had won 77 seats restricting BJP's tally at 99 in the 182-member House. PTI

13:16 Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut gets bail

Patra Chawl land scam case: Mumbai's PMLA court grants bail to Shiv Sena leader and MP Sanjay Raut.

Special Judge M G Deshpande, designated to hear cases pertaining to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), reserved the order last week after hearing arguments from both sides.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Rajya Sabha member Raut in July this year for his alleged role in financial irregularities in connection with the redevelopment of the Patra Chawl (row tenement) in suburban Goregaon. He is currently in judicial custody and lodged at the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai.

13:14 CJI bows before the tricolour

Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud in his chambers at the Supreme Court.

13:09 Congress guarantee of instability: PM in HP

While addressing a rally in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a swipe at Congress and said that the party means only 'instability'.

PM Modi said, "We always witness fights within the Congress party. We saw it in Rajasthan and other areas. Congress is the guarantee of instability, corruption and scams. Congress can never give a stable government to HP and neither do they want."

Taking a swipe at the Congress, the PM said, "Only two states are left where Congress is ruling. And that's why development news never comes from those states."

"They (Congress leaders) think and plan regarding corruption but we work hard for the development of the country," PM Modi said.

Addressing the rally in Chambi village of Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, which will go to the poll on November 12, with the results coming out on December 8, PM said, "Today Himachal needs a stable and strong government. When Himachal Pradesh will have a strong government and double engine power, it will also overcome all the challenges and achieve new heights."

PM Modi began his speech by praising the state of Himachal Pradesh. "Kangra is the land of 'Shaktipeeths'. It is a pilgrimage where India's faith and spirituality are present. From Baijnath to Kathgarh, in this land, the infinite grace of Baba Bhole is always with us all," he said. PM also urged the people to re-elect the party in the state. -- PTI

13:03 CJI Chandrachud pays tribute at Gandhi statue

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud paid floral tributes to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Delhi's Supreme Court Compound, after taking oath.

President Xi Jinping has said that China's national security is facing increased instability and ordered the PLA to devote all its energies to enhancing capability and maintaining combat readiness to fight and win wars as he took charge of the military for a record third five-year term.

Xi, 69, has been reappointed as the General Secretary of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) and head of the Central Military Commission (CMC) -- the overall high command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) for an unprecedented third five-year term by the party's once-in-a-five-year Congress last month.

Holding the three powerful posts of the head of the party, the military, and the Presidency, Xi is the only leader besides the party founder Mao Zedong to continue in power after completing 10-year tenure, while all his predecessors retired.

On Tuesday, Xi inspected the joint operations command centre of the CMC here which provides vital support to the strategic command of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC.

Upon arriving at the command centre, the Chinese leader was given a briefing, the official media reported. In his first address to the two million-strong military -- the largest in the world -- as he kicked off his third term as head of the CMC, Xi said the world is undergoing more profound changes unseen in a century and stressed that China's national security is facing increased instability and uncertainty, and its military tasks remain arduous.

He said the entire military should devote all its energy to carry out all its work for combat readiness, enhance its capability to fight and win, and effectively fulfill its missions and tasks, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Xi instructed them to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests, and successfully complete various tasks entrusted by the party and the people, the report said.

He said the military leadership must focus on realising the PLA's centennial goal to make the PLA a world-class armed force by 2027, which is broadly interpreted as making it on par with the US armed forces. We must do all we can to make this happen, he said.

Manish Sisodia at the Ghazipur landfill site

12:46 If AAP wins MCD, mountains of garbage will disappear: Sisodia

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday said people will vote for the AAP in the upcoming municipal polls to clear the "garbage of the BJP" and if the Arvind Kejriwal-led party comes to power in the MCD, it will make the "mountains" of trash disappear from the city in five years.

Sisodia said this while interacting with reporters after visiting the Ghazipur landfill site in east Delhi.

"Just to show that the height of the Ghazipur landfill has come down, the BJP-led Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has taken garbage from it and dumped it in nearby areas," he alleged, adding that the saffron party lacks the intention to solve the problem.

There was no immediate reaction from the MCD or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

People will vote for "jhadu" (the poll symbol of the Aam Aadmi Party) in the December 4 MCD election to clear the "garbage of the BJP for a clean Delhi"," Sisodia said.

"Chief Minister Kejriwal himself is an engineer and makes meticulous plans," he said, adding that a plan has also been made to clear these "mountains of garbage" and the trash piled up in others parts of Delhi.

"If the AAP comes to power in the MCD, all mountains of garbage in Delhi will disappear in five years, we have a plan", Sisodia said when asked about a timeline.

Talking to reporters at the site, the deputy chief minister reiterated the AAP's allegation that "16 new landfill sites have been planned", a claim that has been vehemently denied by the MCD. -- PTI

12:42 Nehemi chalat rahave...

"Keep walking," tweets the Congress sharing this picture of Sushil Kumar Shinde with Rahul Gandhi. He was the home minister in the Manmohan Singh government.

12:30 I will take care of citizens, promises CJI

Newly sworn in Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Wednesday said that serving people of the country was his "priority". Immediately after the swearing in ceremony at the Rastrapati Bhawan, the 50th CJI reached the Supreme Court premises and paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi.

"Serving common people is my priority. Please look forward, I will work for all the citizens of the country. Be it in technology or be it in registry...or be it in judicial reforms, I will take care of citizens in every aspect," he said.

CJI Chandrachud said heading the Indian judiciary was a "great opportunity and responsibility". In response to a query as to how he will ensure trust of people in judiciary, he said, "I will ensure trust of citizens not only through words but through my work".

Justice Chandrachud was sworn in as the 50th Chief Justice of India by President Droupadi Murmu. Justice Chandrachud takes over as the head of India's Judiciary from Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, who demitted office on Tuesday. PTI

12:27 Lt Gov John Fetterman wins

Lt Gov John Fetterman has defeated Republican candidate Mehmet Oz, flipping the seat currently held by retiring GOP Senator Pat Toomey into Democratic hands.

Fetterman's victory is a significant win for Democrats, representing potentially their only Senate pick up of the cycle. With Democratic incumbents facing tough races in other battleground states, winning Pennsylvania bolsters the party's hopes to hold on to their no-room-for-error 50-50 majority for another two years.

Rahul Gandhi with Ashok Chavan and Nana Patole

12:08 Pawar, Aaditya to join Cong Yatra on Friday

NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena's Aaditya Thackeray will join the Congress party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' on 11th November. NCP's Jayant Patil, Supriya Sule and Jitendra Awhad will join tomorrow, says Maharashtra Congress leader Ashok Chavan.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi resumed the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Biloli in Nanded district of Maharashtra on Wednesday morning as the foot march entered its 63rd day.

Gandhi halted briefly at some places to interact with locals who had gathered to greet him.

All India Congress Committee general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole, Mumbai party chief Bhai Jagtap, Naseem Khan, Vishwajit Kadam and other party leaders walked with Gandhi. AICC general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh, Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh and party leader Kanhaiya Kumar walked with the Seva Dal workers.

12:03 US newsrooms feast on election day

With the results of the mid-term polls in the US today, newsrooms across America have been working non-stop. And so, to ease the stress and strain and the overworked fingers at the laptops, there's finger-licking-good party food.

Katie Rayford, who is Director of Media Relations at the Slate, shares this image alongside writing, "Chicken finger and fries (dipping party) + pizza + wings + salad + cookies/brownies and beer is what's for dinner in the @Slate newsroom on election night."

HP has a history of alternating between BJP and Cong

11:49 Raj badlega, says Hooda as HP votes on Saturday

The BJP's development claims in Himachal Pradesh are "hollow" and the people have made up their mind to bring the grand old party to power in the state, senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said on Wednesday.

The former Haryana chief minister has been campaigning in Himachal's Kullu-Manali and Lahaul area ahead of the November 12 assembly polls.

The state has a history of alternating between the Congress and the BJP every assembly election since 1982.

Chief Minister Jairam Thakur said on Monday that the Congress may be banking on Himachal's 'riwaz' (convention) but people have made up their mind to break from tradition this time and bring back the Bharatiya Janata Party to accelerate development.

Hooda, however, said it is the voice of common people who are saying 'riwaz nahi raj badlega' (government will change, not convention) and the BJP government will be voted out in the elections.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to campaign in Chief Minister Jairam Thakur's home district Mandi, "which indicates this government is feeling shaky," he said. Hooda said people have made up their mind to bring the Congress to power in the state.

"There is good response in favour of the Congress. I interacted with a cross-section of people including shopkeepers, women and cultivators. Every section is unhappy with their policies," Hooda told PTI.

In the last five years, the Jairam Thakur government did not get big projects for the state, he said.

"Development is not visible on the ground as they claim. The government's development claims are hollow. This has been a non-performing government," he said.

He said the Old Pension Scheme, which the Congress has restored in the states ruled by the party, will be implemented on coming to power in Himachal.

"Besides, there are burning issues like unemployment, inflation, there are issues faced by apple growers. Cost of input has increased manifold, but they are not getting remunerative price," Hooda said.

"Hoteliers say their work was affected during Covid period, but they did not get any relief. Similarly, there are issues faced by taxi drivers. Tourism significantly contributes to Himachal's economy, but the government here is not sensitive to the concerns of various stakeholders," he said. -- PTI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi resumed the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Biloli in Nanded district of Maharashtra on Wednesday morning as the foot march entered its 63rd day.

Gandhi halted briefly at some places to interact with locals who had gathered to greet him. All India Congress Committee general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole, Mumbai party chief Bhai Jagtap, Naseem Khan, Vishwajit Kadam and other party leaders walked with Gandhi.

AICC general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh, Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh and party leader Kanhaiya Kumar walked with the Seva Dal workers.

Gandhi had on Tuesday visited a gurdwara in Nanded and targeted the Narendra Modi-led Union government over demonetisation, unemployment and the politics of hatred. The foot march was on Tuesday marred by the death of a senior functionary of the Congress Seva Dal.

This is the third day of the yatra in Maharashtra. The participants led by Gandhi had entered Maharashtra at Deglur in Nanded from neighbouring Telangana on Monday night.

The yatra resumed at 5.45 am on Wednesday from Shankarnagar at Ramtirth in Biloli after a night halt at the Godavari Manar Sugar Factory ground. It will stop for the morning break at Kusum Lawns in Naigaon at 9.30 am.

11:14 Sneak peek of Bengaluru's new airport terminal

PM Narendra Modi to inaugurate Terminal 2 of Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, built at a cost of around Rs 5000 crores, on November 11. T2 is designed as a tribute to the Garden city of Bengaluru; passenger experience is meant to be a 'walk in the garden'.

11:04 Read: CJI Chandrachud's historic judgements

Justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, who took over as India's 50th chief justice of India, has played a pivotal role in digitisation of the judiciary and been part of benches that delivered landmark verdicts on issues such as the Ayodhya land dispute, Section 377 and right to privacy.

The apex court's most senior judge follows in the footsteps of his father and former chief justice of India, the late Y V Chandrachud, who was at the helm of the judiciary from February 22, 1978 to July 11, 1985 and was India's longest serving CJI. This is the first instance of a father and son occupying the highest seat of justice.

CJI Chandrachud, often referred to as DYC in legal circles, was sworn in by President Droupadi Murmu.

He takes over from Uday Umesh Lalit, who recommended him as his successor to the Centre on October 11. Unlike his predecessor who served for 74 days, India's new CJI will be in office for two years till November 10, 2024. Supreme Court judges retire at the age of 65.

Justice Chandrachud, born on November 11, 1959 and considered a Delhi University product who studied in St Stephen's College and the Campus Law Centre before going to Harvard, was elevated to the top court on May 13, 2016.

Counted as a judge who enriched the verdict docket' of the apex court, Justice Chandrachud is viewed as sharp, articulate and forward looking. Expected to advance judicial frontiers, he was a member of benches that delivered judgements on decriminalising part of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code and the entry of women in Sabarimala.

The list of important judgements that settled many a debate is long. He was also part of an important verdict expanding the scope of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act and the corresponding rules to include unmarried women for abortion between 20-24 weeks of pregnancy.

Justice Chandrachud was among the two judges of the apex court collegium who recently objected to the method of "circulation" adopted for eliciting the views of its members on the appointment of judges to the top court.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a bench led by Justice Chandrachud passed several directions to address the miseries faced by people while terming the second wave a "national crisis".

The bench, for instance, directed the Centre to ensure supply of oxygen to hospitals across the nation for proper treatment of patients. Known as a doer, he presided over a bench that worked five hours beyond regular working hours on September 30, 2022 to hear 75 cases to clear the board before the onset of the Dussehra vacations.

In a landmark verdict in February 2020, a bench headed by Justice Chandrachud directed that women officers in the Army be granted permanent commission and command postings, rejecting the Centre's stand of physiological limitations as being based on "sex stereotypes" and "gender discrimination against women".

Later, a Justice Chandrachud-led bench also paved the way for granting permanent commission to women officers in Indian Navy, saying a level playing field ensures that women have the opportunity to overcome "histories of discrimination". He has been part of several Constitution benches.

Justice Chandrachud was part of a five-judge Constitution bench that on November 9, 2019 in a unanimous verdict cleared the way for the construction of a Ram Temple at the disputed site at Ayodhya, and directed the Centre to allot a five-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a mosque.

He also wrote the lead judgement for a nine-judge Constitution bench in the Justice K S Puttaswamy versus Union of India case in which it was unanimously held that right to privacy constituted a fundamental right under the Constitution.

Justice Chandrachud was a member of the five-judge Constitution bench that unanimously decriminalised part of the 158-year-old colonial law under section 377 of Indian Penal Code, which criminalises consensual unnatural sex between consenting adults, saying it violated the rights to equality.

Another five-judge bench including Justice Chandrachud unanimously held that Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalised adultery, was unconstitutional on the ground of being arbitrary, archaic and violative of the right to equality and privacy.

In a strong dissent, Justice Chandrachud differed with other members of a five-judge Constitution bench which by a majority verdict upheld the constitutional validity of the unique biometric identity number Aadhaar.

He held Aadhaar to be unconstitutional and violative of fundamental rights. He concurred with the majority verdict in the Sabarimala case in holding that the practice of prohibiting women of menstruating age from entering the Sabarimala temple was discriminatory and violative of women's fundamental rights.

Besides, Justice Chandrachud was part of a landmark judgment by a five-judge Constitution bench which recognised 'living will' made by terminally-ill patients for passive euthanasia.

A bench headed by Justice Chandrachud ordered demolition of Supertech's twin 40-storey towers in its Emerald project in Noida which were held illegal for violation of norms.

In November 2020, he headed a bench granting interim bail to journalist Arnab Goswami in a 2018 abetment to suicide case, saying it will be a "travesty of justice" if personal liberty is curtailed.

In July this year, a bench led by him ordered the release of Alt News co-founder Mohammad Zubair on interim bail in all the FIRs lodged in Uttar Pradesh against him for alleged hate speech, saying "exercise of the power of arrest must be pursued sparingly" and transferred all the cases in Uttar Pradesh to Delhi. Justice Chandrachud was chief justice of the Allahabad High Court from October 31, 2013 till his elevation to the apex court.

Justice Dhananjaya Yashwant Chandrachud was sworn in as the 50th Chief Justice of India on Wednesday. President Droupadi Murmu administered him the oath at a brief ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Justice Chandrachud takes over as the head of India's Judiciary from Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, who demitted office on Tuesday.

Justice DY Chandrachud formally takes oath as the new Chief Justice of India. He will have a tenure till November 10, 2024.

Supreme Court judges retire at the age of 65.

Justice Chandrachud is the second most senior judge of the Supreme Court.His father Justice YV Chandrachud was the 16th Chief Justice of India serving from February 2, 1978, to July 11, 1985.

Justice Chandrachud, born on November 11, 1959, was appointed judge of the Supreme Court on May 13, 2016.He was the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court from October 31, 2013, until his appointment to the Supreme Court.

Justice Chandrachud was the judge of the Bombay High Court from March 29, 2000, until his appointment as Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court.

He had also served as Additional Solicitor General of India from 1998 until his appointment as a judge in the Bombay High Court. He was designated as a senior advocate by the Bombay High Court in June 1998.

10:25 Smog continues in Delhi today

Delhi has a layer of smog as the overall Air Quality Index remains under the 'Very Poor' category, at 339. That's Kartavya Path obscured by pollution.

10:12 Today's match at T20 World Cup

New Zealand, cricket's quiet achievers, and Pakistan, the game's most unpredictable side, clash in the opening Twenty20 World Cup semi-final on Wednesday after making their way to the knockout rounds by starkly contrasting paths.
New Zealand vs Pakistan, 1st semi-final, 1.30pm IST

Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul wins re-election.

Republican Chris Sununu wins Governor race in New Hampshire.

Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan defeated Don Bolduc to win a second term, fending off the Donald Trump-backed Republican whose own party establishment feared was too conservative to prevail in the swing state.

Colorado voters will send Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet back to Washington for a third term after the incumbent defeated his Republican challenger in a race that conservatives had hoped would deliver an election night surprise.

Sen. Marco Rubio won a third term in the Senate on Tuesday after defeating Democrat Rep. Val Demings in a key race that saw the candidates clash on abortion, gun rights and President Joe Biden.

Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro won the Pennsylvania governorship in a race that centered around statewide abortion rights, election integrity and even his Jewish faith.

Republican J.D. Vance held off Rep. Tim Ryan to win Ohios Senate race, as the states years long shift to the right proved too much for the Democrats stronger-than-expected bid to overcome.

Republican Gov. Brian Kemp won reelection to the Georgia governorship Tuesday after defeating Democrat Stacey Abrams a second time.

Justice Chandrachud (centre) with former CJI UU Lalit (right)

09:52 Justice DY Chandrachud to take oath as 50th Chief Justice of India today

Supreme Court judge DY Chandrachud will take oath as the 50th Chief Justice of India on Wednesday.President Droupadi Murmu will administer the oath of Office of the Chief Justice of India to Justice Chandrachud at Rashtrapati Bhavan here at 10:00 am today.

Justice Chandrachud will become the 50th CJI and will assume office on November 9.

He will have a tenure till November 10, 2024. Supreme Court judges retire at the age of 65.

Justice Chandrachud is the second most senior judge of the Supreme Court.

His father Justice YV Chandrachud was the 16th Chief Justice of India serving from February 2, 1978, to July 11, 1985.

Justice Chandrachud, born on November 11, 1959, was appointed judge of the Supreme Court on May 13, 2016.

He was the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court from October 31, 2013, until his appointment to the Supreme Court.

Justice Chandrachud was the judge of the Bombay High Court from March 29, 2000, until his appointment as Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court.

Justice Chandrachud succeeds Justice UU Lalit. Justice Lalit on October 11, had recommended Justice DY Chandrachud's name as his successor to the Centre in accordance with the convention. President Murmu had appointed him as the next CJI on October 17. -- ANI

09:41 Musk's net worth drops below $200 bn

What goes around comes around: Elon Musk's net worth dropped below $200 billion as investors dumped Tesla Inc shares on fears the top executive and largest shareholder of the world's most valuable electric-vehicle maker is more preoccupied with Twitter, say reports.

US Dept of State Spox Ned Price

09:32 India should reduce dependence on Russia: US

US Dept of State Spox Ned Price on India's ties with Russia.

"India reaffirms that it stands against this war, it wants to see diplomacy, dialogue and an end to this war. It is important that the Russians hear that message from countries like India that have economic, diplomatic, social and political might.

"The messages we heard from Foreign Minister Jaishankar in Russia were not dissimilar in some ways from what we heard from PM Modi at the UN, when he made it very clear that this is not an era of war.

"Russia isn't a reliable source of energy and security assistance. It's not only in interest of Ukraine or of the region, that India decrease its dependence on Russia over time, but its also in Indias own bilateral interest, given what weve seen from Russia.

"We have sought to deepen our partnership with India in every sector, including economics, security ties and military cooperation as well."

09:28 Sanjay Raut's bail plea hearing today

A special court in Mumbai is likely to pronounce its order on Wednesday on the bail plea of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in a money laundering case pertaining to the Patra Chawl redevelopment project.

Special Judge M G Deshpande, designated to hear cases pertaining to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), reserved the order last week after hearing arguments from both sides.

The ED had opposed Raut's plea, saying he played a major role in the money laundering case related to the Patra Chawl redevelopment and acted "behind the curtains" to avoid the money trail.

The ED's probe pertains to alleged financial irregularities in the redevelopment of the Patra Chawl and related financial transactions involving his wife and associates.

Siddharth Nagar, popularly known as the Patra Chawl, in Goregaon is spread over 47 acres and houses 672 tenant families. In 2008, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), a government agency, assigned a redevelopment contract for the Chawl to Guru Ashish Construction Private Limited (GACPL), a sister company of the Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL).

The GACPL was supposed to build 672 flats for the tenants and also give some flats to MHADA. It was free to sell the remaining land to private developers. But the tenants did not get a single flat in the last 14 years as the company did not redevelop the Patra Chawl and sold land parcels and Floor Space Index (FSI) to other builders for Rs 1,034 crore, as per the ED.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi resumed the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Biloli in Nanded district of Maharashtra on Wednesday morning as the foot march entered its 63rd day.

Gandhi halted briefly at some places to interact with locals who had gathered to greet him.

AICC general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh, Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh and party leader Kanhaiya Kumar walked with the Seva Dal workers.

Gandhi had on Tuesday visited a gurdwara in Nanded and targeted the Narendra Modi-led Union government over demonetisation, unemployment and the politics of hatred.

The foot march was on Tuesday marred by the death of a senior functionary of the Congress Seva Dal.

This is the third day of the yatra in Maharashtra. The participants led by Gandhi had entered Maharashtra at Deglur in Nanded from neighbouring Telangana on Monday night.

The yatra resumed at 5.45 am on Wednesday from Shankarnagar at Ramtirth in Biloli after a night halt at the Godavari Manar Sugar Factory ground.

It will stop for the morning break at Kusum Lawns in Naigaon at 9.30 am.

A corner meeting is scheduled at Naigaon in the evening.

The Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra, a mass outreach programme, began on September 7 from Kanniyakumari and has so far covered Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

In Maharashtra, the foot march will cover 382 km across five districts and traverse through 15 assembly and six parliamentary constituencies before entering Madhya Pradesh on November 20.

Gandhi will address a rally in Nanded on Thursday and at Shegaon in Buldhana district on November 18. -- PTI

Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi

09:08 DMK, allies petition Prez for 'sacking' TN Guv

The Dravida Munnetra Lazhagama on Tuesday said its-led Secular Progressive Alliance has petitioned President Droupadi Murmu, urging the 'sacking' of Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi, with whom the ruling dispensation in the state is at loggerheads over a number of issues.

In a detailed memorandum dated November 2, 2022, and submitted with the office of the President in New Delhi, the ruling alliance flagged a number of issues concerning the Governor, including the pending NEET bill and said all the acts were "unbecoming of the Governor." The petition was signed by SPA members of Parliament.

"Clearly, Thiru (Mr) R N Ravi has violated the oath he took under Article 159 to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and the law and to devote himself to the service and well-being of the people of Tamil Nadu. Far from it, he has been instigating communal hatred, and is a threat to the peace and tranquility of the State... therefore by his conduct and actions, Thiru R N Ravi has proved that he is unfit to hold the constitutional office of Governor and therefore he deserves to be sacked immediately," the MPs said in the 9-page memorandum.

They also submitted a list of pending Assembly Bills with the Raj Bhavan, including the one that seeks to confer the power of Vice Chancellor appointments to the state government instead of the Chancellor, i.e., the Governor. -- PTI

At least six people were killed and five others injured when a powerful 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck west Nepal early Wednesday, authorities said.

According to the National Seismological Centre, the earthquake occurred at 2:12 am with its epicentre at Khaptad National Park in Doti district.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhola Bhatta, the acting chief at the District Police Office in Doti, said that all the victims were killed by the debris of the houses damaged during the earthquake.

The earthquake that was felt mildly in Kathmandu and parts of India has also caused damage to dozens of other houses in the district.

The tremors were felt across north India, including in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh as well as in India's national capital Delhi and its suburbs of Gurugram and Ghaziabad.

Earlier, a 5.7-magnitude tremor was recorded at 9.07 pm and another 4.1- magnitude tremor at 9.56 pm on Tuesday at the same epicentre, according to the Seismological Centre.

In April 2015, a devastating earthquake of 7.8-magnitude rocked Nepal, killing nearly 9,000 people and wounding nearly 22,000 others. It also damaged over 800,000 houses and school buildings. -- PTI

Mevar Kumar Jamatia/Twitter

01:22 Another MLA of BJP's Tripura ally IPFT quits

Indigenous People's Front of Tripura MLA Mevar Kumar Jamatia on Tuesday said he has resigned as a member of the Tripura assembly.

Jamatia is the third MLA of the IPFT, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party, to resign ahead of next year's assembly elections in the Northeastern state.

In June last year, Brishaketu Debbarma had submitted his resignation as the MLA of Simna constituency, while Raima Valley MLA Dhananjoy Tripura quit last month.

Both of them have joined the Tipra Motha.

With Jamatia's resignation, the IPFT's tally in the assembly went down to five.

"Today (Tuesday), I met speaker Ratan Chakraborty and submitted my resignation," Jamatia, who represents Asharambari constituency in Khowai district, told reporters.

"For the past four years, I was the minister for Tribal Welfare, Forest and Fisheries but could not meet the aspirations of the people, and it that prompted me to take the decision," he added.

Jamatia said the Centre had constituted a high-level committee for socio-economic-linguistic development of the indigenous people after the 2018 assembly elections.

"We had meetings with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and tried to get the recommendations of the committee, but nothing yielded in the last four-and-a-half years," he claimed.

Sources said he will join Tipra Motha on November 12 at a mega rally to be held at the Vivekananda Ground in Agartala. Jamatia, the former general secretary of the IPFT, was "sidelined" for his tiff with party chief NC Debbarma, who is at present the state's minister for revenue and forest.

He was also dropped from the state cabinet in March, and another IPFT MLA, Prem Kumar Reang, was made a minister. -- PTI

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday asked Western Railway officials to reconstruct the dilapidated Gokhale railway-over-ridge in suburban Andheri at the earliest.

Shinde also directed municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal to ensure proper traffic management for providing relief to people, said a statement from the chief minister's office.

On Monday, traffic police closed the Gokhale bridge as it is in dangerous condition.

But it led to traffic jams on other roads linking eastern and western areas of the suburb divided by the railway tracks.

When CM Shinde learnt about it, he spoke to Chahal and railway officials and directed them to take immediate steps to provide relief to people, the CMO official said. -- PTI

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00:56 US midterm polls underway, Americans to decide who will control Congress

Millions of Americans are heading towards their polling booths to cast their votes in the mid-term elections, whose results will decide the nation's future.

The polls opened for their voters on Tuesday in Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C, The Washington Post reported.

According to CNN, there is a total of 435 seats, where lawmakers serve two-year terms.

Currently, the situation is a little shaky for Democrats as Republicans are only 5 seats away to gain the majority to control the chamber.

So, while Democrats will be trying to maintain the balance in the mid-term election, Republicans would try to strive harder to increase their current control of governorships and state legislative chambers.

Apart from those 435 seats, there are 35 seats in the 100-seat senate on which the representative will fight against each other.

The chamber where incumbents serve for six years is split 50-50, and Democrats currently have control since Vice President Kamala Harris wields a tie-breaking vote.

But Republicans only require a net gain of a single seat to take control, reported CNN. -- ANI

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