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Fri, 21 October 2022
Mehbooba asked to vacate official bungalow in J-K
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23:45 Delhi metro to run last train at 10 pm on Diwali
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation announced the timings of the last metro services for October 24 on account of the Diwali festival.
"On account of the Diwali festival, the last metro train services will start at 10 pm on October 24," tweeted the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.
The DMRC informed that all train services will run as usual for rest of the day on Diwali.
"On account of the Diwali festival, the last Metro train service on 24th October 2022 (Monday), will start at 10:00 pm (2200 hrs) from terminal stations of all Metro Lines. Metro train services will run as usual for rest of the day on Diwali from routine commencement timings on all Lines," read the tweet from Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.
Diwali, one of the biggest festivals in India, is just around the corner.
The auspicious occasion is celebrated to mark the return of Lord Ram to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile. People across the country mark the festival in special ways, especially by making rangolis, organising Diwali parties at home and preparing delicious dishes and sweets.
Dhanteras, also known as Dhantrayodashi, marks the beginning of the festivities. -- PTI
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23:26 CR hikes platform ticket rates from Rs 10 to Rs 50 at six stations in Mumbai
Central Railway has increased platform ticket rates from Rs 10 to Rs 50 on a temporary basis at major stations in Mumbai from Saturday to curb overcrowding amid the festive season, an official said.
The new rates will apply to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Dadar, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Thane, Kalyan and Panvel, all busy junctions catering to long-distance trains, and will remain in force till October 31, CR chief public relations officer Shivaji Sutar said on Friday.
He said the hike was brought in place as heavy passenger rush was being observed amid the festive season.
Such temporary hikes in platform tickets have been implemented by the zonal railways in Mumbai several times in the last two years. -- PTI
23:04 Mehbooba asked to vacate official bungalow in J-K
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has asked PDP president Mehbooba Mufti to vacate her official bungalow in the high-security Gupkar area in Srinagar.
The former chief minister was served the eviction notice earlier this week.
"The notice to evict from the Fair View was served to me a few days ago. This has not come as a surprise and is along the expected lines," Mehbooba said.
She said although the notice has mentioned that the bungalow where she lives was meant for the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, that is not the case.
"This place was allowed to my father (Mufti Mohammad Sayeed) in December 2005 after he relinquished the office of chief minister. So, the grounds taken by the administration are not correct," she added.
Mehbooba has been living in the Gupkar area since December 2005.
Asked if she will challenge the notice in the court of law, the PDP chief said she will consult her legal team.
"I don't own a place where I can live. So, I have to consult my legal team before making a decision," Mehbooba said. -- PTI
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22:44 Five-year-old girl dies after being attacked by stray dogs in MP's Khargone
A five-year-old girl died after being mauled by stray dogs in Madhya Pradesh's Khargone district on Friday, the police said.
The incident took place at Bakawa village under Bedia police station limits.
Over half-a-dozen dogs attacked Sonia, the girl, in the street on Friday afternoon.
She was alone as her father, a labourer, was working, said a police official.
She was taken to a government hospital at Bedia and later to the district hospital but she succumbed to injuries, said civil surgeon Anar Singh Chouhan. -- PTI
22:14 MP minister compares Rahul to specially-abled man
Madhya Pradesh minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vishvas Sarang on Friday likened Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to `Kamo', a specially abled performer.
The Congress slammed the BJP for mocking the "Divyang artiste", and said the saffron party has been rattled by the success of Gandhi's `Bharat Jodo Yatra' campaign.
Sarang was addressing BJP workers in Ambaji town of Banaskantha district of Gujarat, 215 kilometres from Ahmedabad.
Kamo, also called `Kama', has become famous in Gujarat for his unique way of dancing and often appears as a celebrity guest at live events of folk singers. He appears to be suffering from Down's syndrome.
In a video circulated on social media, Sarang was heard mocking Rahul Gandhi by comparing him to Kamo.
"Who was that? Yes, Kamo....You can see from where Kamo has started his journey, saying 'Bharat Jodo'," the BJP leader said.
"He talks about Garibi Hatao but wears a T-shirt with a price tag of Rs 40,000," the MP minister further said.
In a veiled attack on Sonia Gandhi, Sarang further said that "Kamo's mummy used to control 'Maunmohan Singh' through a remote".
Reacting to the video, Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said, "Kama is a Divyang (specially abled) artiste. BJP leaders are rattled and have lost their mental balance after watching lakhs of people joining Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra."
Assembly polls are likely to be held by the end of the year in Gujarat, where the BJP has been in power for close to three decades.
21:47 HC adjourns Gyanvapi mosque panel's plea to Nov 3
The Allahabad high court on Friday adjourned till November 3 the hearing on a civil revision petition filed by the Gyanvapi mosque management committee challenging the Varanasi district court's order rejecting its application against the maintainability of a plea seeking daily worship of Hindu deities whose idols are located on an outer wall of the mosque.
Meanwhile, as directed by the high court on October 19, the photo copy of the entire record of the aforesaid suit was sent by the Varanasi district court.
Fixing November 3 as the next date of hearing, Justice J J Munir directed the high court registry to permit the counsels concerned to inspect the record of lower court, if they so desired.
On September 12, the Varanasi district court had said it will continue to hear a petition by some Hindu women seeking daily worship of Hindu deities whose idols are located on an outer wall of the Gyanvapi Masjid, dismissing the mosque committee's argument that the case is not maintainable.
District judge A K Vishvesh rejected the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee's petition questioning the maintainability of the case, which has reignited the Kashi Vishwanath temple-Gyanvapi Masjid dispute.
The mosque committee's dismissed plea had cited the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 to make its case.
While rejecting the mosque committee's plea, the district judge of Varanasi had observed that the suit of the plaintiffs (five Hindu women) is not barred by the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, the Waqf Act 1995, and the UP Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Act, 1983 as was being claimed by it.
Goud and Dasoju joined TRS in the presence of state minister KT Rama Rao/TRS Party/Twitter
21:30 Jolt to BJP ahead of bypoll as 2 leaders rejoin TRS
In a setback to the Bharatiya Janata Party in Telangana ahead of the Munugode assembly bypoll, party leaders K Swamy Goud and Sravan Dasoju returned to the TRS on Friday.
Goud and Dasoju joined TRS in the presence of its working president and state minister KT Rama Rao.
It was a ghar vapsi (returning home) for both of them as they were in TRS earlier.
Goud, who served as chairman of state legislative council, joined the BJP in 2020 after quitting the TRS.
Dasoju joined BJP over two months ago after being in the Congress. Before working in the Congress, Dasoju was in the TRS.
The BJP got a shot in the arm two days ago when former TRS MP Boora Narsaiah Goud, a leader from the backward classes, quit the TRS and joined the BJP.
However, Swamy Goud and Sravan Dasoju joining TRS, who also belong to the backward classes, may help the ruling party in the Munugode byelection scheduled for November 3.
The bypoll has been necessitated by the resignation of sitting Congress MLA Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy who joined BJP to fight against the alleged family rule of TRS.
Counting of votes would be taken up on November 6. -- PTI
Dhar collector Dr Pankaj Jain
21:11 NCST arrest warrant against MP collector on complaint by villagers
The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes has issued an arrest warrant against Dhar collector Dr Pankaj Jain after he failed to appear before the panel in connection with a case of ill-effects on local residents and the environment caused by a private stone crusher in the Madhya Pradesh district, an official said on Friday.
The arrest warrant was issued on Thursday and the NCST has asked the Madhya Pradesh director general of police to execute it by October 26.
"The arrest warrant was issued after Jain failed to appear before the NCST on October 14 despite being summoned by the commission," the official said.
Residents of Junapani in Dhar district, some 65 km from Indore, had approached the NCST alleging a stone crusher being operated by a Haryana-based company near the village illegally was affecting their health, crops and domestic animals, and was also polluting the air.
They had alleged the district administration was not listening to their complaint.
Taking cognizance of the villagers' complaint, the NCST had directed the Dhar district administration to evaluate the damage caused to people and the environment and accordingly give appropriate compensation to affected persons. -- PTI
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
20:46 Pakistan is taken off FATF's grey list
Pakistan has been taken off FATF's grey list, it was announced on Friday evening.
In a statement, the Financial Action Task Force said it welcomes Pakistan's significant progress in improving anti-money laundering, combating financial terror.
Pakistan has strengthened the effectiveness of its anti-money laundering, combating financing of terrorism regime and addressed technical deficiencies, the FATF added.
Details soon.
20:27 TN suspends 4 cops behind Sterlite firing incident
A deputy superintendent of police and three constables charged by an inquiry commission with unprovoked firing against the anti-Sterlite protesters in 2018 in Thoothukudi, were placed under suspension by Tamil Nadu director general of police C Sylendra Babu on Friday.
The Justice Aruna Jagadeesan commission of enquiry, which probed the Thoothukudi police firing that claimed 13 lives, faulted the police for indulging in excess and recommended appropriate action against the police officials and others.
The inquiry commission's report tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday said the police shooting on the protesters was unprovoked.
On Wednesday, Chief Minister MK Stalin had assured the assembly that those responsible for the "blood chilling" police firing in Thoothukudi during the previous AIADMK regime, will be punished.
Appropriate disciplinary action has also been initiated against the then police officials including IGP of south zone, DIG of Tirunelveli, superintendent of police, Thoothukudi, a DSP, three inspectors, a sub-inspector and seven constables, he said.
Describing the incident as a "black mark" in Tamil Nadu's history that none could forget or cover up, Stalin had said departmental action is being taken on the then collector while disciplinary action has been initiated on three revenue officials. -- PTI
Chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan
20:06 CDS, three service chiefs visit NDA in Pune
Chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan and three service chiefs visited the National Defence Academy at Khadakwasla in Pune on Friday, an official said.
General Chauhan was accompanied by chief of army staff Gen Manoj Pande, chief of naval staff Admiral R Hari Kumar and chief of air staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, a statement said.
The service chiefs are course mates and alumni of the prestigious institution.
Gen Chauhan and the three service chiefs paid homage at the Hut of Remembrance at the academy to honour the brave alumni who made supreme sacrifice in service of the nation, the statement said.
The CDS also reviewed training at the NDA, his alma mater where he began his journey as a cadet in 1977 and is now holding the highest position in the Indian Armed Forces.
The CDS and three service chiefs also took out time to discuss issues related to improving synergy and promoting jointness, it was stated. -- PTI
19:36 India tests Agni Prime missile with 2000km range
India on Friday successfully test-fired indigenously-developed new generation medium-range ballistic missile Agni Prime from the Odisha coast, Defence Research and Development Organisation sources said.
The sleek missile was test fired from a mobile launcher from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island around 9.45 am, they said.
The solid-fuelled canisterised missile met all mission parameter during the test, they added.
All its navigation was tracked and monitored by radars and telemetry equipment positioned along various points, the officials said.
The missile's strike range is between 1,000 km and 2,000 km, they said.
The last trial of the missile was conducted on December 18 last year from the same base, which was also successful. -- PTI
19:26 Three die in Army helicopter crash in Arunachal
Three persons were killed in an Army helicopter crash in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh on Friday morning, a defence official said.
The advanced light helicopter, carrying five Army personnel, was on regular sorties, he said.
The incident took place at 10.43 am at Singging near Migging, around 25 km from district headquarters Tuting.
"There were five Army personnel onboard. Three of them died. Two bodies have been recovered, while one has been sighted. Two others are yet to be spotted," the defence official said.
A rescue team reached the spot and search operation is underway, Tezpur based defence spokesperson Lt Col AS Walia said.
Two choppers, one each of Army and India Air Force, have been deployed for the search and rescue operation, he said.
Upper Siang SP Jummar Basar had earlier said the crash site is a mountainous region, and it would take time for the search and rescue team to reach the spot.
The district police also sent a team to the spot for search operation, the SP said.
The Army chopper, also known as HAL Rudra, took off from Likabali in Lower Siang district of the state with the army personnel onboard.
This is the second incident of an Army helicopter accident in the state this month.
A Cheetah helicopter crashed in Tawang district on October 5, killing one of the two pilots onboard. Another Cheetah chopper crashed in March near the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.
The pilot died in this incident, too. -- PTI
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18:51 TN fisherman hurt as Navy fires on suspicious boat
A Tamil Nadu fisherman on Friday sustained bullet injuries when the Navy, "fired warning shots" in mid-sea and Chief Minister MK Stalin sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to prevent such incidents.
The Navy said its ship intercepted a suspicious boat on the Palk Bay and as the vessel did not stop despite repeated warnings, warning shots were fired as per standard operating procedures to halt it, a defence PRO tweet said.
A crew member on board the boat sustained injury and he was hospitalised.
The boat was noticed by the Navy ship, while on patrol near the India-Sri Lanka International Maritime Boundary Line in the early hours of Friday.
An inquiry has been ordered to investigate the incident, the defence statement said.
"The injured person was administered first aid by the ship and evacuated by an Indian Navy Chetak helicopter to INS Parandu at Ramnad and has been shifted to the government hospital, Ramanathapuram for further medical management. His condition is reported to be stable."
The Tamil Nadu government identified the injured fisherman as K Veeravel belonging to Vanagiri village of Mayiladuthurai district.
In a statement, Stalin said he was shocked by the incident and said Veeravel has been shifted to a state-run hospital in Madurai and that he has directed the authorities to provide best medical treatment to him.
Also, the chief minister ordered a financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh from the chief minister's public welfare fund to the fisherman.
Writing to Prime Minister Modi, Stalin said the incident in which the fisherman sustained grievous bullet injuries has caused distress and anguish. -- PTI
18:46 Shinde govt restores general consent to CBI for probing cases in Maha
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government on Friday restored general consent to the Central Bureau of Investigation for probing cases in the state, sources said.
It means the CBI will now no longer be required to take permission from the state government for the investigation of cases in the state.
Earlier, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Uddhav Thackeray had withdrawn the general consent to the CBI to investigate cases in the state.
Uddhav Thackeray had in October 2020 signed the home department's proposal to withdraw general consent to the CBI to investigate the cases in the state.
Anil Deshmukh was the state's home minister at that time.
The decision was taken at a time when the CBI had been probing several cases in the state.
The MVA government had repeatedly accused the Centre of misusing central agencies against the Opposition parties. -- PTI
18:27 Man held for threatening to blow up Mumbai luxury hotel
A man was arrested for allegedly calling up and threatening to blow up a luxury hotel in suburban Vakola, a Mumbai police official said on Friday.
The call was received at 8:49pm on Thursday after which a probe team began efforts to nab the person by collecting call detail record and mobile tower location, he said.
"Our probe has found the accused is an alcoholic. Earlier, he had called with a bomb threat at Mumbai University. FIRs are registered against him in BKC and Vakola police stations," the official said.
Earlier on Tuesday, a call was received from Navi Mumbai on helpline number 112 about bomb blasts in a mall in Andheri, multiplex in Juhu and a hotel near the airport.
The case in connection with this call was registered at Azad Maidan and probe was transferred to Navi Mumbai police.
The probe into the case continues, an official said.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai police asked people to not believe in such rumours and hoax calls, which it said are made by those intending to spread fear.
It asked people to celebrate the festive season without fear as utmost safety and security precautions are in place in the metropolis. -- PTI
18:05 Register hate speech cases immediately: SC to UP
Calling hate speeches a "very serious issue", the Supreme Court on Friday directed Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments to promptly register criminal cases against the accused without waiting for a complaint to be filed.
It warned any delay on the part of the administration will invite the court's contempt.
A bench of Justices KM Joseph and Hrishikesh Roy also issued notices to the two state governments on a petition filed by a man named Shaheen Abdullah.
It said action should be taken against those making hate speeches irrespective of their religion to preserve the secular fabric of the nation. -- PTI
17:58 ED attaches 7 properties of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari in PMLA case
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday said it has attached seven immovable assets of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari as part of a money laundering investigation against him and his family.
The properties, provisionally attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, are worth Rs 1.48 crore (registry value) while their circle rate at the time of registration was Rs 3.42 crore, the federal agency said in a statement.
Ansari, a five-time former MLA, is currently lodged in a jail at Banda in Uttar Pradesh.
The 59-year-old was questioned by the ED in this case last year.
The agency in August had also raided the official residence of his elder brother and BSP MP Afzal Ansari in Delhi and some locations in the Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh. -- PTI
ISRO's LVM3 at the launch pad, ahead of the launch of 36 satellites./PTI
17:33 Isro's LVM3 rocket to launch 36 satellites tonight
Shortly after Friday midnight, the countdown will begin for the launch of 36 broadband communication satellites on board ISRO's heaviest rocket Launch Vehicle Mark 3 from Sriharikota spaceport.
The launch of 'LVM3 - M2/OneWeb India-1 Mission' is scheduled at 0007 hours IST on October 23 (midnight of October 22).
OneWeb is a private satellite communications company. India's Bharti Enterprises is a major investor and shareholder in OneWeb.
It will mark the launcher's entry into the global commercial launch service market, according to the Bengaluru-headquartered national space agency.
"A 24-hour countdown is slated to begin at 0007 hours on October 22," an Indian Space Research Organisation official said on Friday afternoon.
NewSpace India Limited, a central public sector enterprise under the department of space, had earlier signed two launch service contracts with the London-headquartered Network Access Associated Limited for launching OneWeb LEO (low earth orbit) satellites on board ISRO's LVM3.
"It is (the) first LVM3 dedicated commercial launch on demand through NSIL," NSIL, the space agency's commercial arm, had said.
"Another set of 36 OneWeb satellites will be launched by LVM3 in the first half of next year," an NSIL official said.
"This contract with M/s OneWeb is a historic milestone for NSIL and ISRO, as LVM3, is making its entry into the global commercial launch service market," according to ISRO. -- PTI
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17:17 Haryana govt declares holiday in all schools on Bhai Dooj
The Haryana government on Friday declared a holiday on the occasion of Bhai Dooj in all schools in the state.
The festival which celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters will be observed on October 27.
"The Haryana Government has declared a holiday on October 27 in all government, private, and aided schools on the occasion of Bhai Dooj," an official statement said. -- PTI
Is the UK finally ready for Rishi?
16:59 Sunak holds firm as bookies' favourite for UK PM
A clear frontrunner to take over from Liz Truss as Conservative Party leader and British Prime Minister remains uncertain on Friday due to deep divisions among the Tories, but the bookies' odds have rocketed in favour of British Indian former chancellor Rishi Sunak.
As the runner up of the leadership election which concluded last month, the former finance minister who had forecast much of the economic crisis unleashed by Truss' mini-budget is seen as a safe pair of hands to take charge at 10 Downing Street.
The 42-year-old is holding a solid 55 per cent lead with the Oddschecker betting odds aggregator, followed by a 29 per cent chance of former prime minister Boris Johnson making a comeback.
Third placed in what is emerging as a three-way contest is Leader of the Commons Penny Mordaunt, who had polled third in the first round of parliamentary votes to shortlist candidates for the last leadership race.
"I back Rishi Sunak to be our next PM. He has the plan and credibility to: restore financial stability, help get inflation down and deliver sustainable tax cuts over time; and unite the Conservatives by bringing the best talent into government to deliver for the British people, tweeted former Cabinet minister Dominic Raab, among the first of nearly 50 MPs to openly declare support for Sunak.
Amid Opposition calls for an immediate general election, there is a frenzy among the governing Tories to find a successor for Truss, who now holds the ignominious title of being the shortest serving incumbent at 10 Downing Street after resigning on Thursday just 44 days after being elected to office.
16:47 Gyanvapi: Tehkhana survey plea hearing on Nov 2
A court in Varanasi on Friday fixed November 2 for the hearing of a plea by the Hindu side for the survey of two underground places (tehkhana) in the Gyanvapi Mosque complex.
The Varanasi district court also imposed a penalty on the mosque committee for not filing an objection to this prayer in time.
District Government Counsel Mahendra Pandey said, "The advocates representing the Hindu side have earlier appealed for a survey of two closed underground places (tehkhana) in Gyanvapi complex. The court had given time to the mosque side to file an objection regarding this."
"The mosque side could not file any objection today after which the court slapped a fine of Rs 100 on them and fixed the date of hearing," Pandey added.
One of the petitioners from the Hindu side also pleaded to ensure the safety of idols of Lord Ganesh and Goddess Lakshmi recovered from there. PTI
16:16 In the name of the father
Akhilesh Yadav performs a 'shanti havan' at the family's ancestral place Saifai as part of the funerary ceremonies for his father Mulayam Singh Yadav.
The American School
16:04 Techie gets lifer for terror plot on American School
A Mumbai court on Friday sentenced to life computer engineer Anees Ansari for conspiring to attack children at the American school in Mumbai.
Ansari, who was arrested in October 2014 by the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad and has been in jail since, was convicted under relevant Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act provisions by Additional Sessions Judge A A Joglekar.
As per the prosecution, Ansari was working as an associate geographic technician at a private company and used the firm's computer to set up a Facebook account in a false name and published objectionable information.
The probe agency also accused him of supporting activities of the ISIS, adding his Facebook chats with one Omar Elhaji showed he wanted to carry out a 'lone wolf' attack on the American school. PTI
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15:50 Army chopper crash: 3 dead, two bodies recovered
Arunachal Pradesh chopper crash: Two bodies recovered from the crash site. Efforts underway to recover the third body, the Indian army said.
A military chopper crashed near Singging village, 25 km away from the Tuting headquarters in the Upper Siang district today. The site of the accident is not connected by road hampering rescue work. Three rescue teams were rushed to the site, two have reached the site.
Reports said there were five people on board the aircraft.
PM Modi at Kedarnath temple
15:35 Modi accuses previous govts of neglecting shrines
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused the previous governments of leaving the centres of faith across the country in a state of neglect for years and claimed that these places are now being restored to their lost glory.
Citing the examples of the Kashi Vishwanath temple, Ujjain and Ayodhya, where major reconstruction work has been carried out in recent years, Modi attributed the "years of neglect" of these places to a "slave mentality".
"Pride in our own legacy and every possible effort for development are the foundation of a 21st-century India," the prime minister said while addressing a gathering in Uttarakhand's Mana village on the India-China border, after laying the foundation stones of two ropeway projects to Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib.
Earlier in the day, Modi offered prayers at the famous Kedarnath and Badrinath temples in Uttarakhand. PTI
15:17 Pakistan Army chief to retire in December
Pakistan Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa Friday said that he will not take an extension and retire after five weeks, reports Pakistan's Geo News.
15:03 Pakistan's EC disqualifies former PM Imran Khan from holding public office
Pakistan's Election Commission on Friday disqualified former prime minister Imran Khan on charges of concealing assets.
The ruling coalition government lawmakers had filed a case with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in August against Khan, seeking his disqualification for failing to reveal the proceeds from the sale of gifts that he purchased at a discounted price from the state repository, also called Toshakhana.
A four-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja, announced the verdict against Khan at the ECP Secretariat in Islamabad. PTI
14:58 Preparations underway in Ayodhya for Deepotsava
Preparations are underway in Ayodhya for Deepotsav on Diwali. PM Modi will visit Ayodhya on the eve of Deepawali on October 23.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will inaugurate 66 projects during the sixth edition of Deepotsava celebrations focusing on urban development, transport, housing and urban planning, public works, tourism and dairy development.
Adityanath reached Ayodhya on Wednesday to take stock of the final stage of preparations for the sixth edition of Deepotsava celebrations to be held on the eve of Diwali in the holy city on October 23, and also gave necessary instructions to the officials concerned in this regard.
Deepotsava, a festival started by Chief Minister Yogi in 2017, has been growing in terms of the grandeur of celebrations every year making it quite a spectacle not only for people within the country but also abroad, it will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first time this year, according to a press
14:23 Sanjay Raut to spend Diwali in jail
The hearing on the bail plea of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) leader and MP Sanjay Raut has been adjourned. The hearing will be held on November 2. Sanjay Raut's judicial custody has been extended till then.
The ED arrested Sanjay Raut in a money laundering case.
Things haven't changed for conservancy workers in India. In 2019 Modi washed their feet
14:10 Three workers cleaning septic tank die in Pune
The body of the sanitation worker who went missing this morning while cleaning a septic chamber in Pune was found by the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) officials today.
The incident pertains to the deaths of sanitation workers that were reported in a housing society in Pune.
The workers died while cleaning the septic chamber.
The officials confirmed that three sanitation workers died in the mishap.
"The dead body of the missing person has been found. A total of three persons died while they cleaned a septic chamber at a private society. Police are investigating the case," PMRDA officials said.
The police had already recovered the bodies of the other two persons as the accident took place while the trio was cleaning the septic chamber manually, earlier in the day. -- ANI
13:19 Ex-HM clarifies on 'Jihad also in Gita' remarks
Former Home Minister Shivraj Patil clarifies his remarks on Krishna teaching lessons of Jihad to Arjun.
"If you kill Mahatma Gandhi, it is Jihad. The act of killing him is Jihad. It is you who is calling it jihad. Would you call Krishna's lessons to Arjun, Jihad? No. That is what I said," Shivraj Patil said.
At a book launch event in the national capital on Thursday, Patil said that Lord Krishna also taught lessons of jihad to Arjun in a part of Gita in the Mahabharat.
Patil's remarks have drawn flak from the BJP which has hit out at the Congress for "Hindu hatred" and "votebank politics."
"It's said there is a lot of discussion on Jihad in Islam religion... Even after all efforts, if someone doesn't understand clean ideas, then power can be used. It is not just in the Quran Sharif, but also in the Mahabharata of which Gita is a part," Patil said.
"Shri Krishna also talks to Arjuna about jihad. It is not like this is only in the Quran Sharif or the Gita but in Christianity also it is written... Christ has said that I have not come here to establish peace but I have come here with sword," Patil said.
13:10 Bilkis Bano case: SC agrees to hear fresh plea challenging remission to convicts
The Supreme Court agreed on Friday to hear a fresh plea moved by a women's organisation, challenging the remission of sentence and the release of convicts in the 2002 Bilkis Bano gang-rape case, which also involves the killing of seven of her family members during the Gujarat riots.
A bench of justices Ajay Rastogi and C T Ravikumar tagged the matter with the main petition and said it would be heard along with it. The top court was hearing a plea filed by the National Federation of Indian Women, challenging the remission of sentence and the release of convicts in the case.
The court had, on October 18, said the Gujarat government's reply to petitions challenging the remission is very bulky, wherein a series of judgments have been quoted but factual statements are missing.
It granted time to the petitioners to file their response to the Gujarat government's affidavit and said it will hear the matter on November 29.
Bilkis Bano was 21 years old and five-month pregnant when she was gang-raped while fleeing the riots that broke out after the Godhra train burning incident. Her three-year-old daughter was among the seven family members killed.
The 11 men convicted in the case walked out of the Godhra sub-jail on August 15 after the Gujarat government allowed their release under its remission policy. They had completed more than 15 years in jail. PTI
12:35 A peck for Rahul
Congress party tweets, "Hope and inspiration can come in many forms. #BharatJodoYatra."
The Congress party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' led by Rahul Gandhi on Friday re-entered Karnataka, after three days in neighboring Andhra Pradesh.
12:34 PK speaks for his own publicity: Nitish
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on political strategist and one-time colleague Prashant Kishor's remark that he's in touch with BJP: "...He speaks for his own publicity and can speak whatever he wants, we don't care. He's young. There was a time when I respected him... those whom I respected have disrespected me," Nitish Kumar said.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Prashant Kishor said yesterday, "It is difficult to understand if he (Nitish Kumar) has come out of the alliance, why one of his MPs is still holding an important position in Rajya Sabha. So as far as I know, Nitish Kumar has not closed his channels with BJP.
"As far as I know, Nitish Kumar is surely with Mahagathbandhan but hasn't closed his channels with BJP, biggest proof is that Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, who is a JD-U MP, neither resigned from his post nor the party asked him to do so or action has been taken against him."
Representational image
11:57 Military helicopter crashes in Arunachal
A military chopper has crashed near Singging village, 25 km from the Tuting headquarters in the Upper Siang district today. The site of the accident is not connected by road. A rescue team has been sent. Further details awaited, says a statement from the Defence PRO, Guwahati.
11:44 Modi reaches Badrinath after puja at Kedarnath
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the Badrinath temple in Uttarakhand's Chamoli after performing a "puja" at the Kedarnath temple in Rudraprayag district on Friday.
During his two-day tour of the state, Modi will inspect various ongoing development projects and lay the foundation stones for some new ones.
Wearing a white traditional attire of the hill people with a swastika embroidered on it, the prime minister performed the "puja" at the Kedarnath temple.
He also laid the foundation stone for the 9.7-km Gaurikund-Kedarnath ropeway project. Using the ropeway, devotees will be able to reach the temple from Gaurikund in 30 minutes.
After performing the "puja", Modi laid the foundation stone for the 9.7-km Gaurikund-Kedarnath ropeway project.
The priests who performed the "puja" prayed for strength to the prime minister to take the country forward.
Modi also visited the Samadhi Sthal of Adi Guru Shankaracharya and spent some time there.
At Badrinath Dham, he will review the progress of the development projects along the riverfront. In the afternoon, Modi will lay the foundation stones for road and ropeway projects worth Rs 3,400 crore for the Kedarnath and Badrinath temples, and address a gathering at Mana village. He will also review the progress of the beautification project of the Arrival Plaza and the lakes in the area.
11:19 Truss resigned, in India...
Journalist Sagarika Ghose makes a valid point. "Note to Indians circulating
(admittedly hilarious) #LizTruss jokes: When leaders resign if they fail to deliver on promises, it's a sign of a vibrant and functioning democracy. In India, by contrast ' let's not even go there."
(admittedly hilarious) #LizTruss jokes: When leaders resign if they fail to deliver on promises, it's a sign of a vibrant and functioning democracy. In India, by contrast ' let's not even go there."
Liz Truss resigned as the UK PM yesterday.
The stunning Deepotsav celebrations in 2020
11:02 PM to perform 'rajyabhishek' of Lord Ram in Ayodhya
PM Narendra Modi's Diwali plans:
The prime minister will visit Ayodhya for the Deepotsav celebration on the eve of Diwali on October 23. This will be the state's sixth Deepotsav (festival of lamps) in Ram ki Paidi ghats.
The PM will offer prayers to Lord Ramlala Virajman, followed by an inspection of the Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra site.
He will perform the Rajyabhishek of the symbolic Bhagwan Shree Ram, says the PMO.
Modi will then witness aarti at the New Ghat by the Saryu river, which will kickstart the grand Deepotsav celebrations.
This year, as many as 17 lakh earthen lamps will be illuminated at Ayodhya to celebrate Diwali. Last year, 9 lakh earthen lamps were lit as part of the Deepotsav celebration. In 2020, 5.84 lakh diyas were lit to create a new record.
10:39 Raghuram Rajan on Climate Action and Continued Globalization
Amid growing calls to deglobalize the economy, Raghuram Rajan says not so fast. Rajan, a former Governor of the Bank of India and former IMF Chief Economist, delivered this year's Per Jacobsson Lecture, in which he argues that continued globalization is our best chance to tackle climate change.
Read the transcript of his speech here.
10:29 Modi reviews development works at Kedarnath
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviews the progress of development works along Mandakini Asthapath and Saraswati Asthapath in Kedarnath during his visit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered prayers at the famous Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district on Friday.
Wearing a white-coloured traditional attire of the hill people with a "swastika" symbol embroidered on it, the prime minister performed a "puja" at the temple.
He is also scheduled to visit the Badrinath temple later in the day.
During his two-day tour of the state, Modi will inspect various ongoing development projects and lay the foundation stones of some new ones.
10:23 Counting in the Dark
With a mane of brilliant gray hair, large and penetrating eyes, a beatific smile, prolific interests in science, literature, and the arts, and a name linked to Albert Einstein -- Satyendra Nath Bose was a legend in his own lifetime.
In 1924 from Dacca, which was the capital of Bangladesh but essentially nowhere in the scientific world, he wrote a brilliant paper that confirmed Einstein's contested view of the photon.
Read the column here.
10:14 Why journalist Siddique Kappan is still in jail
Siddique Kappan has been in jail for 747 days since he was arrested by the UP police on 5 October 2020, and 40 days after he was granted bail by the Supreme Court on 9 September 2022.
This is because the Enforcement Directorate added him to an older money laundering case dating back to 2018, linked to a 2013 case, neither of which he has any connection with. His co-accused and "main conspirator" in the present case has already been granted bail by a court in Kerala.
Read the report here.
10:10 HM to address concluding session of Interpol meet
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will on Friday address the concluding session of the 90th Interpol General Assembly here, in which 164 countries are participating to discuss ways to combat transnational crimes.
Shah will arrive at the newly-built swanky Pragati Maidan to address the concluding session of the assembly at 12.50 pm, the home ministry said on Twitter.
During the four-day conference that began on October 18, the participating member countries of Interpol underlined that cyber crimes and online sexual abuse of children are emerging as major threats globally, officials said.
During the general assembly, the global police organisation also announced its presence in the virtual world through Interpol Metaverse, where registered users can tour a "virtual facsimile" of the Interpol General Secretariat headquarters in France's Lyon from anywhere in the world.
They can interact with other officers via their avatars and even take immersive training courses in forensic investigation and other policing capabilities.
10:06 Cong Yatra leaves AP, re-enters Karnataka
The Congress party tweets this picture of Rahul Gandhi writing, "Tapasya se paaya hua chehre par tej aur aashta ka bhaav. With austerity/penance, he has acquired a glow on his face and faith."
The Andhra Pradesh leg of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra concluded on Friday as he once again crossed into neighbouring Karnataka.
After an overnight stay, Rahul Gandhi resumed his foot march at Mantralayam on Friday morning.
He crossed the AP border at Raichur and returned to Karnataka.
The Wayanad MP's yatra passed through Anantapuramu and Kurnool districts in two legs, the first one for a few hours on October 14 and the next for four days from the October 18. Huge crowds enthusiastically lined up to greet the Congress leader.
09:53 Security situation across India better in 8 yrs: HM
Union Home minister Amit Shah on Friday said the security situation in the insurgency-hit areas of the northeast and Jammu and Kashmir as well as in the states affected by Naxal violence has improved over the last eight years of the Narendra Modi government.
Shah said this while addressing top police and paramilitary commanders at the National Police Memorial in the Chanakyapuri area in New Delhi on the occasion of the National Police Commemoration Day.
"In the northeast, we have removed the special powers given to the armed forces (under the AFSPA) and instead, given special powers to the youngsters there, resulting in a decline of violence in these areas by more than 70 per cent," he said.
The situation in Jammu and Kashmir is such that those who used to hurl stones at security personnel earlier have now become "panches" and "sarpanches", Shah added.
In the states affected by Left Wing Extremism (LWE), the national anthem is being sung in Eklavya schools while the national flag flutters on these buildings, he added. Shah said India is proceeding on the path of development due to the sacrifices made by the police and paramilitary personnel across the country.
Paying his tributes to these personnel, he said they played a leading role during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The National Police Commemoration Day is observed in the memory of 10 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel who were killed on this day in 1959 in an ambush by Chinese troops in Ladakh's Hot Spring area. --PTI
09:23 Modi prays at Shankaracharya
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the Adi Guru Shankaracharya Samadhi Sthal in Kedarnath. The Shankaracharya Samadhi is situated just behind the Kedarnath temple.
09:19 Modi offers prayers at Kedarnath temple
Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Kedarnath temple, along with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. -- ANI
08:38 Modi arrives at Kedarnath temple
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the famous Kedarnath temple in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand on Friday.
The prime minister will perform a 'puja' at the temple, before proceeding towards Badrinath.
During his two-day tour of the state, Modi is scheduled to inspect various ongoing development projects and lay the foundation stones of some new projects.
Security has been tightened around the two famous temples of Kedarnath and Badrinath in view of the prime minister's visit.
Both the temples have been decorated with flowers. The prime minister is also scheduled visit the Samadhi Sthal of Adi Guru Shankaracharya. -- PTI
00:03 Nominations open for new UK PM to replace Liz Truss
The nominations for Conservative Party members planning to contest in the leadership election to replace Liz Truss as Tory leader and British Prime Minister officially opened on Thursday evening, with a high threshold of 100 members of Parliament set for the final shortlist.
Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 Backbench Committee in charge of Tory elections, said that potential candidates are expected to file their nominations by 2 pm local time on Monday for a final two contestants to be shortlisted.
Unless there is parliamentary consensus struck around a single candidate, the final two will be put up for an expedited online voting process before the wider Tory party membership to be concluded by October 28.
"It [100 MPs] should be achievable by any serious candidate, who has a realistic prospect of going through," said Brady, as he confirmed the likelihood of three possible candidates emerging, given the 357 Tory MPs in the House of Commons.
"It is up to the Members of Parliament whether we have one or two candidates. If there are two candidates acting in the national interest, our members can make their views known," said Tory Party chairman Jake Berry, who will oversee the online voting for the membership.
In case only one candidate emerges with the requisite support in time for the 2 pm deadline on Monday, the party would have a new leader in place later that day. If there is a clash between two final contenders, the leader would be in place by next Friday.
Rishi Sunak, the British Indian former chancellor, had garnered the support of 137 MPs in the last round of voting within the Tory parliamentary party back in July and was the clear frontrunner of the race among his colleagues.
However, second-placed Liz Truss at 113 votes zoomed ahead as the favourite when the poll opened out to the estimated 170,000 Tory members, who voted in online and postal ballots between July and early September.
Many Sunak loyalists within the party hope he would emerge as the favourite to replace Truss after she resigned earlier on Thursday at the end of a disastrous 44-day tenure at 10 Downing Street the shortest of any British Prime Minister in history.
However, the governing party remains deeply divided as former prime minister Boris Johnson supporters still consider Sunak as having betrayed his partygate scandal-hit former boss by resigning from his Cabinet and hastening his exit from Downing Street in early July.
If Sunak does throw his hat in the ring and wins over the support of enough of his party colleagues, it would mark one of the most remarkable comebacks in British politics for the UK-born Indian-origin politician.
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