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Mon, 06 February 2023
Pervez Musharraf's body arrives in Pak for burial
Timeline Refresh
23:35 Pervez Musharraf's body arrives in Karachi for burial
Pakistan's former military ruler General Pervez Musharraf's mortal remains arrived here on Monday on a chartered flight from Dubai and he will be buried on Tuesday in the Army Cantonment area where all arrangements have been completed, officials said.
Musharraf, the architect of the Kargil War in 1999 and Pakistan's last military ruler, died on Sunday in Dubai after a prolonged illness.
The 79-year-old retired general, who was living in the UAE since 2016 on self-exile, was undergoing treatment for amyloidosis at American Hospital Dubai.
Official and family sources said that Musharraf's body arrived in Karachi on Airbus 319 chartered flight. The aircraft was parked near old terminal of Karachi airport.
"Arrangements have been completed at the Malir Cantt where he will be buried at Karachi's Old Army Graveyard. The funeral prayers will take place at the Gulmohar Polo Ground in Malir Cantt," one source said.
The Information Secretary of the All Pakistan Muslim League, which Musharraf formed after taking retirement, said that all arrangements have been completed.
The funeral prayers will be offered at the Polo Ground in Malir Cantt at 1:45pm, he said, adding that Musharraf would be laid to rest at the Army Graveyard.
The former military ruler's body was scheduled to reach Karachi airport on Monday afternoon but delay in the availability of an aircraft and some other documentation and NoCs procedures between Pakistan's mission in the United Arab Emirates and the Pakistan government delayed the repatriation of Musharraf's mortal remains.
His wife Saba, son Bilal and his daughter accompanied the body to Karachi.
Musharraf's mother was buried in Dubai while his father was laid to rest in Karachi.
Musharraf, who seized power after a bloodless military coup in October 1999 and ousted the elected government of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, ruled Pakistan till 2008 as chief executive and President. -- PTI
22:51 BJP indulging in 'adharam' in UP, Yogi not a religious leader: Rahul
Asserting that no religion talks about spreading hate, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday accused the BJP of indulging in "adharam" in Uttar Pradesh and said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath cannot be a religious leader for the language he uses.
During an interaction with civil society members on the recently-concluded Bharat Jodo Yatra at the Constitution Club here, Gandhi alleged that Adityanath was "insulting" the history of his Gorakhnath Math by the kind of language he was using.
"I am sorry, he (Adityanath) is not a religious leader, he is a common thug," Gandhi was quoted as saying by an attendee at the meeting which was not open to the media.
Asked how the Congress would tackle the "storm of religion" in Uttar Pradesh, the former Congress chief said this was not about religion as he understands his religion, Hinduism, and has also studied other faiths such as Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism
"This is not dharam but adharam," Gandhi was quoted as saying while criticising the BJP.
Asking the civil society members to choose words carefully, Gandhi said that in Uttar Pradesh, Yogi is not a religious leader and does not understand Hinduism "because if he did, he would not be doing what he is doing."
In his interaction with them, which was coordinated by Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav, Gandhi said the Bharat Jodo Yatra was just the first step, and he had two-three ideas more which he will reveal in due course.
He also said that the over 4,000 km Kanyakumari to Kashmir yatra was a force for good, and everyone, from people to animals, participated in it.
According to another attendee, Gandhi said that during the course of the yatra some people were raising 'Jai Shri Ram' slogans and he asked them to chant 'Jai Siya Ram' instead.
He said that during the Kashmir leg of the yatra, he was asked by security people if he was scared, that made him confront his fear and overcome it.
The Congress also emerged from the civil society and it will continue to work with it in the future, Gandhi was quoted as saying. -- PTI
22:25 No funds received from K'taka govt: Isha Foundation
Isha Foundation on Monday clarified that it has not received any funds or land from the Karnataka government for its project in Chikkaballapura district.
It condemned the false information being spread regarding the Rs 100 crore budget allocated by the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai headed government towards state ecological activities with emphasis on soil conservation to the forest department.
"Neither Isha Foundation nor Sadhguru has ever received any funds from the present government or the previous governments of Karnataka. Isha Foundation is not involved in any financial transactions directly or indirectly with the state government, Isha Foundation, which is founded by spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, said in a statement.
"... all lands in Sadhguru Sannidhi in Chikkaballapura are purchased through sale deeds from the original owners paying valuable consideration," it read.
The Foundation also said that the Adiyogi statue, which was inaugurated on January 15, is located 31 km away from Nandi Hills. -- PTI
22:14 Why govt trimmed MGNREGS budget: CEA explains
Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran on Monday said the allocation for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme (MGNREGS) has been reduced in the Budget for 2023-24 as more funds have been allocated towards Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana and Jal Jeevan Mission, which are expected to provide jobs to the same set of workers in rural areas.
Nageswaran also said due to measures taken by the government, money in the hands of beneficiaries has doubled.
"One of the reasons why allocation for MGNREGS was lowered is because there is a much larger substantive increase in allocation in particularly PMAY (rural) and Jal Jeevan Yojana.
"...so the expectation is that the rural workers would be able to find jobs in these projects," he said at an event here.
The allocation for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme has been cut by almost one-third by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
MGNREGS has been allocated Rs 60,000 crore for 2023-24, almost 32 per cent lower than revised estimates for the last fiscal.
He further said, "If they (rural workers) don't get absorbed (in PMAY or Jal Jeevan Mission) then since MGNREGS is a demand-driven programme, we can accommodate them through higher allocation in MGNREGS."
Explaining further the thinking behind allocating fewer funds for MGNREGS, Nageswaran said as India's economic growth is expected to be around 10.5-11 per cent next fiscal year in nominal terms, that will also see some of the rural workers migrating back to urban areas and finding jobs.
"So, both these factors put together have led us to expect that in the coming financial year, demand for MGNREGS will be lower," he said.
Sitharaman had announced an increase in the Budget outlay for the Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana (PMAY), allocating Rs 79,590 crore for the scheme.
However, Budget documents show the hike is primarily in the rural component of the plan.
In the Budget presented on February 1, the government earmarked Rs 25,103 crore for the urban component of the scheme, while Rs 54,487 has been allocated for the rural component, making it a total of Rs 79,590 crore.
In the last fiscal, Rs 20,000 crore was allocated for the urban component of PMAY, while the revised estimate for the expenditure was Rs 28,708 crore.
The Centre's marquee Jal Jeevan Mission has been allocated Rs 69,684 crore, up from the Rs 54,808 crore the department is expected to spend in the current financial year. -- PTI
21:29 5 states inform Centre about reverting to old pension scheme
The finance ministry on Monday said governments of five states -- Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh -- have informed the Centre about their decision to revert to the old pension scheme.
In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, minister of state for finance Bhagwat Karad said as per RBI's report titled 'State Finances: A Study of Budget of 2022-23', the annual saving in fiscal resources that reversion to the old pension scheme entails is short-lived.
By postponing the current expenses to the future, states risk the accumulation of unfunded pension liabilities in the coming years.
"The state governments of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh have informed the central government/Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) about their decision to restart Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for their state government employees," Karad said.
He further said there is no provision under the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Act vide which the accumulated corpus of the subscribers, viz governments' and employees' contribution towards NPS along with accruals, can be refunded and deposited back to the state government.
As per Reserve Bank of India's report titled 'State Finances: A Study of Budget of 2022-23', the annual saving in fiscal resources that reversion to the old pension scheme entails is short-lived. By postponing the current expenses to the future, states risk the accumulation of unfunded pension liabilities in the coming years.
The Reserve Bank of India, last month, had cautioned states against reverting to the Dearness Allowance-linked old pension scheme (OPS), which was in place till 2004, stating that it will add to the fiscal burden of states in the coming years.
Under the OPS, retired government employees received 50 per cent of their last drawn salary as monthly pensions. The amount keeps increasing with hike in the DA rates.
OPS is not fiscally sustainable as it is not contributory in nature and the burden on exchequer keeps on mounting. -- PTI
21:11 Bulldozer should not be govt's first response: Omar on eviction drive
National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Monday said the Jammu and Kashmir administration should halt the anti-encroachment drive to reclaim state land and instead allow the people to prove their claims over the properties.
"Bulldozer cannot be the first response of a government. It's not a government's job to harass people. It's job is to heal the wounds," Abdullah told reporters in Srinagar.
The former chief minister said his party was against the grabbing of the state land. However, the administration must follow due course of law while carrying out eviction drive.
Referring to several lists of alleged encroachers circulating on social media, Abdullah said he did not expect to find his family house on Gupkar road in these lists as they had an active lease on it.
"My sister approached the High Court where the government advocates took a stand that the lists in public domain are fake. Then what is the basis of demolitions carried out right now?," he asked.
No paperwork was done wherever the demolition was carried out. Media was informed in advance, but the occupants have no information, he added.
Abdullah said allegations have started pouring in that officials are using the demolition drive on the ground to seek illegal gratifications.
"We have reports that people whose name figures in the lists are asked to pay Rs 1.5 lakh to get their names off it. There are people who have active lease or proprietary land but are still being subjected to demolition without paperwork," he said.
The NC leader said the government should stop the demolition drive and publish the list of people it deems illegal encroachers.
"Make the list of encroachers public. Give them four to six weeks to substantiate their claims, if they have any. Those who cannot substantiate their claims should be notified and given time to remove the encroachments on their own," he said. -- PTI
21:08 Women's Premier League to be held in Mumbai from March 4-26
The much-awaited inaugural season of the Women's Premier League (WPL) will be played from March 4 to 26 in Mumbai.
The Brabourne Stadium and the DY Patil Stadium will host all the matches with the tournament opener expected to be played between Gujarat Giants and Mumbai Indians-owned franchise.
"The Women's Premier League will be played from March 4 to 26 in Mumbai," IPL chairman Arun Dhumal told PTI on Monday.
Dhumal also confirmed that the auction will take place on February 13 in Mumbai, a day after India's T20 World Cup match against Pakistan.
With the five teams fetching Rs 4669.99 crore and the BCCI selling the media rights for Rs 951 crore, the WPL is the second biggest T20 League in the world behind the Indian Premier League.
Apart from three IPL team owners -- Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals -- Capri Global Holdings (Lucknow) and the Adani Sportsline have bought the five franchises.
Around 1500 players have registered for the league and the final list is expected to be released later this week.
Each team will have a purse of Rs 12 crore at the players' auction next month and will need to buy a minimum of 15 players and maximum of 18. Up to five overseas players, including one from associate member country, will be allowed in the playing eleven.
A total of 22 games will be played in the inaugural season with the top-ranked team in the league stage qualifying directly for the final. The second and third placed teams will battle out for a place in the title clash.
21:05 Maha: Former PM Vajpayee's niece dies in Nagpur
Anita Omprakash Pandey, a niece of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, died at the age of 60 in Nagpur in Maharashtra, a kin said on Monday.
Pandey, a resident of Dev Nagar area in Khamla Layout in Nagpur, died on Sunday after being unwell for the past few months, he said.
20:58 I'm lucky, says Salman Rushdie on 'colossal attack'
Salman Rushdie, the Mumbai-born author of Booker Prize-winning novel Midnight's Children, said on Monday that he feels lucky to have survived the last year's brutal stabbing at a literary event in the United States as he spoke for the first time about the "colossal attack".
The 75-year-old British American novelist was giving a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in New York -- where he is based -- on August 12 last year when a man stormed the stage and stabbed and punched him several times.
In his first interview since the attack which has caused loss of vision in one eye, the author told The New Yorker magazine that his main feeling was one of gratitude to those who showed their support and his family, including sons Zafar and Milan.
"I'm lucky. What I really want to say is that my main overwhelming feeling is gratitude," Rushdie told the magazine.
"I'm able to get up and walk around. When I say I'm fine, I mean, there are bits of my body that need constant check ups. It was a colossal attack," he said.
Asked if he felt it had been a mistake to let his guard down in New York, years after the fatwa by Iran's former supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini called on Muslims to assassinate the author over the allegedly "blasphemous" novel The Satanic Verses, he replied: "Well, I'm asking myself that question, and I don't know the answer to it. I did have more than 20 years of life. So, is that a mistake?"
"Also, I wrote a lot of books. The Satanic Verses was my fifth published book -- my fourth published novel -- and this [Victory City'] is my twenty-first. So, three-quarters of my life as a writer has happened since the fatwa. In a way, you can't regret your life," he added.
The celebrated author told the magazine that he was very moved by the tributes that his near-death inspired and is determined to look forward.
"It's very nice that everybody was so moved by this, you know? I had never thought about how people would react if I was assassinated, or almost assassinated," he said.
"I've tried very hard over these years to avoid recrimination and bitterness. I just think it's not a good look. One of the ways I've dealt with this whole thing is to look forward and not backwards. What happens tomorrow is more important than what happened yesterday," he added.
20:46 'HAL was used to target govt': Modi attacks Cong
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday attacked the Congress for "using" the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited as a pretext to level allegations against his government and instigate people.
"Today, HAL's helicopter factory stands as a testimony that has exposed the lies and misinformation spread about HAL", Modi said, without naming the Congress, after inaugurating the Bengaluru-headquartered company's helicopter factory -- the country's largest chopper manufacturing facility -- at Bidarehalla kaval in Gubbi taluk of this district.
"The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited was used as a pretext to level allegations against our government. Conspiracies were hatched to instigate people. Today the HAL is advancing our motto of 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat', he said.
The then Congress president Rahul Gandhi had during 2017-18 said there was a need to "defend the dignity of India's defenders" as he accused the Narendra Modi government of "snatching" the Rafale offset contract from HAL and "gifting" it to Anil Ambani's company.
"HAL is India's strategic asset. The future of India's aerospace industry has been destroyed by snatching #Rafale from HAL & gifting it to Anil Ambani," the Congress leader had said.
Rahul Gandhi and his Congress party at the time were attacking the Modi government over the Rs 58,000 crore Rafale fighter jet deal alleging corruption and favouritism.
Modi recalled that he had in 2016 laid the foundation stone of the factory which was inaugurated today, with a resolve that India has to minimise its defence imports and become self-reliant.
"Now, hundreds of defence equipment are manufactured in India", he pointed out.
Hailing the contribution of HAL, he said the investment in the Aerospace sector in the last eight to nine years is five times more than the figure witnessed in the 15-year period before 2014.
HAL plans to produce more than 1,000 helicopters in the range of 3-15 tonnes, with a total business of over Rs four lakh crore over a period of 20 years, at this facility in Gubbi taluk, officials said.
Spread across 615 acres of land, the factory, for which the PM laid the foundation stone in 2016, would initially manufacture Light Utility Helicopters (LUH)).
The factory will enable India to meet its entire requirement of helicopters without import and giving much needed fillip to the Prime Minister's vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat' in helicopter design, development, and manufacture, they said.
20:03 63 passengers put on 'No Fly List' in 2022: Aviation ministry
The civil aviation ministry on Monday said three passengers have been put on the 'No Fly List' this year while a total of 63 passengers were placed on the list in 2022.
A total of 143 passengers have been put on the list since 2017, according to data provided by the ministry to the Rajya Sabha.
These passengers were placed on the list as recommended by airlines' internal committees set up as per aviation regulator DGCA's Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) pertaining to the handling of unruly/disruptive passengers.
The CAR was notified in September 2017 as a measure to deal with the issue related to the handling of unruly/disruptive passengers.
"As on date, there are 143 passengers who have been placed in 'No Fly List' for such period, as per the recommendations of airline's internal committee... since 2017," Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply.
As per the data, Air India has put three passengers on the list in 2023.
In 2022, IndiGo placed 46 individuals on the No Fly List while Vistara had put 16 passengers on the list. SpiceJet had put 1 passenger on the list, the data showed.
According to the data, in 2021, a total of 45 individuals were put on the list by IndiGo, 19 by Vistara and 2 by AirAsia.
IndiGo had put 10 people on the list in 2020 and the now defunct Jet Airways had placed one passenger on the No Fly List in 2017.
In another written reply, the minister said that a total of 63 passengers have been placed on the list last year.
"These include two incidents of urinating that have come to the notice of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in last year.
19:56 Crackdown on child marriage: Assam girl kills self
A 17-year-old girl allegedly died by suicide in Assam's Cachar district after her family prevented her from going ahead with wedding plans with her lover, police said on Monday.
The incident occurred amid the state government's crackdown on child marriage, which also led to the cancellation of several weddings of underage girls in Assam's Barak Valley comprising Hailakandi, Cachar and Karimganj districts.
At least 2,441 people have been arrested in the state till Monday in the continuing operation against child marriage, launched on February 3.
In Dhalai area of Cachar district, a 17-year-old girl hanged herself on Saturday after her family refused her permission to marry her lover now, a police officer said.
"She had prepared to elope with her lover, but the family came to know about it and prevented her. There have been about 19 arrests in child marriage cases in neighbouring villages," a relative of the girl said.
The number of arrests till Sunday evening was 243 in Barak Valley -- 80 in Cachar, 82 in Hailakandi 82 and 81 in Karimganj.
A number of people have cancelled scheduled weddings since the drive started, according to owners of wedding halls owners.
One such wedding was called off in Srimantakanishail village in Karimganj as the bride will be completing 18 years in two months.
"When the bride's family brought this point up, both the families decided to postpone the wedding till the girl attains the legal age for marriage," the owner of a wedding hall said.
The MLA of Sonia constituency in Cachar district, Karim Uddin Barbhuiya, urged Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to exempt those married for many years from police action.
In a statement, he said families are being disrupted and the future of the children of such families is at stake.
Barbhuiya urged the chief minister to stop harassing the poor and weaker sections of the society' in this drive against child marriage.
19:36 Cong demands seizure of Gautam Adani's passport
The Congress on Monday demanded the Centre seize the passport of Gautam Adani, who is battling allegations of stock manipulation, to prevent him from escaping the country as the opposition party held protests against Adani outside offices of LIC and SBI.
A Mumbai Congress leader said businessmen Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi could escape the country because the BJP government didn't confiscate their passports in time.
The Congress staged demonstrations outside the offices of the State Bank of India (SBI) and the Life Insurance Corporation as part of the party's nationwide protests over the Adani issue.
"The Centre should confiscate the passport of Gautam Adani so that he would not be able to escape the country. When scams by Harshad Mehta or Ketan Paresh were unearthed, the then Union government led by Congress had confiscated their passports preventing Mehta and Parekh from flying out of India," Mumbai Congress chief Bhai Jagtap told reporters.
He said industrialists Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi, who are facing allegations of loan default and banking fraud, managed to run away from the country because their passports were not seized by the BJP government in time.
Adani Group stocks have taken a beating on the bourses after the US short-seller Hindenburg Research made a litany of allegations last fortnight in its report, including fraudulent transactions and share price manipulation at the Gautam Adani-led group, which has denied the charges
The Congress party has organised nationwide agitations outside the offices of SBI and LIC claiming both the public sector institutions were forced by the government to increase their exposure in various Adani group companies.
"Today, we protested outside the offices of SBI and LIC in Mumbai. We will hold similar protests outside the offices of the Bombay Stock Exchange, National Stock Exchange, and the Securities and Exchange Board of India in the next 15 days, Jagtap added.
Similar protests were held in Pune.
Speaking on the occasion, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole cited the Hindenburg Research report to say Rahul Gandhi stands vindicated "as it is proved that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is running the government for a handful of industrialists".
"Our leader Rahul Gandhi has been talking constantly that the Prime Minister is running this government for his friends and a handful of industrialists. Rahul proved right as per the Hindenburg report," he said.
Patole alleged the Adani Group obtained loans from LIC and other banks by furnishing bogus documents.
"Today, the common people (who have their money invested into LIC) are scared about the future of their investment," the Congress leader said and demanded PM Modi give a full "hisab" or account of (the LIC's investment exposure to Adani group) to the people.
"Narendra Modi is shielding his friends which means the work of siphoning off the money of common people is going on," he alleged.
19:16 Assam recorded 17% teenage pregnancy in 2022: Himanta
Nearly 17 per cent of over 6.2 lakh pregnant women in Assam last year were teenagers, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday, justifying the crackdown on child marriages.
Citing data from the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) portal, Sarma said there were 6,20,867 registered pregnant women in 2022.
Out of the total pregnancy, 1,04,264 women were 19 years or less, comprising 16.79 per cent of the expecting mothers, according to the RCH portal data shared by the chief minister.
"Our drive against child marriage is for public health & public welfare as teenage pregnancy ratio in Assam is quite alarming. We're resolved to continue this drive until we fulfil our objective," he tweeted.
Amid protests in Barak Valley, Morigaon and Dhubri, the crackdown on child marriage in Assam entered the fourth day on Monday, with the number of arrests rising to 2,441 against 4,074 FIRs filed across the state.
The chief minister also urged the people of the state to cooperate with the administration in controlling "this harmful trend".
The undivided Dhubri district, including South Salmara, accounted for the highest 14,438 teenaged pregnant women, followed by Nagaon with 12,188 teenaged pregnant women and Barpeta with 11,658 teenaged pregnant women, the RCH portal data showed.
Other districts registering high teenage pregnancy in 2022 are Goalpara (6,250), Kamrup (4,773), Darrang (4,584), Morigaon (4,254) and Cachar (4,049).
Hill district Dima Hasaon recorded the lowest teenage pregnancy in 2022 at 431 women, the chief minister said quoting the data. -- PTI
19:06 JD-U suffered after allying with BJP: Nitish
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday asserted that the Janata Dal-United's realignment with the Bharatiya Janata Party half a decade ago, which came to an abrupt end last year, had been to the detriment of his party.
The JD-U leader was replying to queries from journalists in Banka district, which he visited as part of the 'Samadhan Yatra' mass outreach programme.
He was asked about the "open letter" to the party cadre from disgruntled parliamentary board chief Upendra Kushwaha, who has convened a two-day meeting next week to discuss the gradual erosion of support base of the JD-U and anxieties over a rumoured "deal" with the RJD, its current ally.
A visibly peeved Kumar sought to remind Kushwaha that the latter has been always rewarded by the party despite having ditched it repeatedly and if he keeps airing his grievances in public then it will be construed as he has other plans for himself.
When asked whether he thought Kushwaha was forcing his hand at the BJP's behest, Kumar replied cryptically, "You can draw your conclusions. How much publicity this affair is getting I have never seen such spotlight on my party".
However, the wily leader indicated that he was giving a long rope to the intransigent party functionary saying, I have said it and so has our national president that nobody needs to react to whatever he (Kushwaha) says.
He, however, ridiculed Kushwaha for the repeated claim that the party was growing weak, pointing out that "our recent membership drive swelled the party ranks like never before.
"The only instance when the party did suffer harm was during our alliance in 2017," said Kumar, in an obvious reference to the BJP which he did not mention by name.
Recounting the 2019 Lok Sabha polls which JD-U and BJP contested together, along with late Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP and the clean sweep made by the NDA, Kumar referred to the trajectory followed by the saffron party thereafter.
"We had asked for three to four berths (in the Union cabinet) but they said they will not give more than one, so we did not join. In the assembly polls (in 2020) we supported them but the way a campaign was run against our (JDU) candidateshas there been any such precedent?" asked Kumar.
The reference was to the rebellion by the LJP, then headed by Paswan's son Chirag, who fielded candidates in all seats contested by the JD-U vowing to dislodge the CM from power.
Many of the candidates of the LJP were BJP rebels, some of them prominent office-bearers, and the JD-U was hit hard, with its tally plummeting from more than 70 in 2015 to less than 45.
18:39 BJP turning Kashmir into Afghanistan: Mehbooba
Jammu and Kashmir has been turned into Afghanistan by the BJP which is using bulldozers to demolish the homes of poor and marginalised under the ongoing anti-encroachment drive, former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti alleged Monday.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief appealed to Opposition leaders in the country not to be a mute spectator to the "atrocities being committed by the BJP".
She alleged the BJP is using its brute majority to weaponize everything and "bulldoze" the Constitution.
"Palestine is still better. At least people talk. Kashmir is becoming worse than Afghanistan the way bulldozers are being used to demolish homes of people. What is the purpose of demolishing small houses of people," she said.
Mehbooba said that according to the government even the centuries-old Shankaracharya temple and cantonment built by the erstwhile Maharaja are also on encroached land.
The PDP leader said Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha may claim that the houses of poor will not be touched during the anti-encroachment drive but his message is not being heard on the ground as dwellings even with tin sheds are being demolished.
She said the initial call for 'Ek Samvidhan, Ek Vidhan, Ek Pradhan' has given way to 'one country, one language, one religion' where there is no Constitution.
Voice of anyone speaking about the Constitution is being crushed, she said.
"Was removal of Article 370 in accordance with the Constitutional provisions?" she asked.
18:34 Gainers and losers in Sensex pack
Snapping its five-day gaining streak, the 30-share BSE Sensex on Monday settled lower by 334.98 points or 0.55 per cent at 60,506.90.
During the session, the index fell over 500 points to touch its intra-day low of 60,345.61.
The broader NSE Nifty dipped 89.45 points or 0.50 per cent to close at 17,764.60 as 34 of its stocks dropped.
Tata Steel was the biggest loser in the Sensex pack, falling 2.08 per cent, followed by Kotak Bank, Infosys, ICICI Bank, M&M, Ultra Cement and Tata Motors.
On the other hand, IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Finance, PowerGrid and ITC were among the major winners.
Gautam Adani with wife Priti and son Karan (right)
18:05 Karan Adani, Anant Ambani on Maha economic panel
Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekharan will head the Maharashtra state Economic Advisory Council (EAC) which also includes Karan Adani and Anant Ambani, a government resolution said on Monday.
Karan Adani, the CEO of Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd, is the son of Gautam Adani, who is battling allegations of stock manipulation and fraud in the Adani group raised by Hindenburg Research.
The Adani group has denied the allegations, which created a political firestorm and eroded his net worth.
Adani Jr has been named as the expert on ports and SEZ sector in the 21-member body.
The Economic Advisory Council is an independent body to advise the state government on economic and other related issues, the government resolution said. The council has domain experts from fields including textiles, pharma, ports, special economic zone, banking, agriculture, industries, engineering, and manufacturing.
17:30 Soon, train passengers can order food via WhatsApp
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Monday.
The Shinde government came to power in June last year following his rebellion against then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, which also split the Shiv Sena. His government comprises the Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Maharashtra, since then, has also been seeing a tussle between the ruling dispensation and the opposition parties over mega projects choosing to set base in other states. Notable among these were the Vedanta-Foxconn semiconductor project and the Tata-Airbus military transport aircraft, both of which moved to neighbouring Gujarat.
Speaking at the concluding function of the four-day CREDAI MCHI property exhibition, Shinde said, "Some of the industries that left the state did so due to non-cooperation by the then (Maha Vikas Aghadi) government over two-and-half-years. These industries were unaware the government here was about to change."
"Now, they (opposition Thackeray faction of the Sena, Congress, NCP) are blaming us for industries moving away. Do industries move out in just two months? Our government has the full support of the Centre. We signed MoUs worth Rs 1.30 lakh crore at the recent World Economic Forum in Davos," he added.
Asserting that good roads were a prime requirement for development, Shinde quoted former US president John F Kennedy who had said "American roads are not good because America is rich, but America is rich because American roads are good". -- PTI
16:54 Another earthquake hits Turkey
Another 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck southeast Turkey, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said, hours after an earlier quake killed at least 1,300 people in the region.
Details of casualties in the second earthquake are yet to come in.
16:25 13% rise in vehicle sales
utomobile retail sales in India rose 14 per cent in January, as compared to the same month last year, on the back of robust registrations across passenger vehicles, two-wheelers and tractors, dealers' body Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations said on Monday.
RBI governor Shaktikanta Das
16:12 Rate hike? RBI's MPC meet begins
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das-headed Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) started its three-day meeting on Monday amid expectations of a smaller 25 basis points rate increase or a pause on the rate hiking spree that started in May last year to check inflation.
The decision of the six-member rate setting panel will be announced by the Governor on Wednesday.
With retail inflation showing signs of moderation and remaining below the Reserve Bank of India's 6 per cent upper tolerance level, and projected slowdown in GDP growth in the next fiscal starting April, experts are of the opinion that the central bank may only opt for a 25 basis points hike in the key interest rate.
Another opinion is that the RBI may press the pause button on rate hike on Wednesday itself. -- PTI
Reuters/Mahmoud Hassano
16:07 Turkey, Syria quake toll crosses 1,300
The powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked southeastern Turkey and northern Syria early Monday, toppling hundreds of buildings has killed more than 1,300 people. Hundreds were still believed to be trapped under rubble, and the toll was expected to rise as rescue workers searched mounds of wreckage in cities and towns across the area.
Reuters/Mahmoud Hassano
15:41 Earthquake: India to send rescue teams to Turkey
India on Monday said that it will despatch rescue and medical teams to Turkey following a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that killed over 500 people and toppled buildings in central Turkey and northwest Syria today.
The prime minister's office (PMO) said that a meeting was held and it was decided that the search and rescue teams of NDRF and medical teams along with relief materials would be dispatched immediately in coordination with the Government of the Republic of Turkiye.
Two teams of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF), comprising 100 personnel with specially trained dog squads and necessary equipment, are ready to be flown to the earthquake-hit area for search and rescue operations, the PMO said in a statement.
"Medical teams are also being readied with trained doctors and paramedics with essential medicines. Relief material will be dispatched in coordination with the Turkish government and the Indian Embassy in Ankara and Consulate General office in Istanbul," the PMO said. -- ANI
15:08 Modi's Mumbai visit: Police ban drones
Mumbai Police have banned the flying of drones, paragliders, all type of balloons and remote-controlled microlight aircraft on February 10 for security reasons, in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the city, official said on Monday.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) issued an order to this effect on February 3 under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, he said. PM Modi is scheduled to launch Vande Bharat Express trains on Mumbai-Solapur and Mumbai-Shirdi routes on February 10.
According to the city police order, no activities of drones, paragliders, all type of balloons, remote-controlled microlight aircraft would be allowed in the jurisdiction of the airport, Sahar, Colaba, Mata Ramabai Ambedkar Marg, MIDC and Andheri police stations for 24 hours on February 10, unless withdrawn earlier.
"It is also apprehended that during the PM's visit on February 10 at Mumbai Airport, INS Shikra, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Marol in Andheri, terrorist/anti- social elements may attack using drone, paragliders, remote control microlight aircraft and there is every likelihood of breach of peace and disturbance to public tranquility," the order said.
PM holds a chai pe charcha in Varanasi
14:55 Rs 28 cr spent in PM's five Pariksha Pe Charchas
More than Rs 28 crore has been spent on the first five editions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' with students, parents and teachers, according to the Ministry of Education.
The sixth edition of the annual interaction was held on January 27 at Delhi's Talkatora Stadium.
The numbers have been shared by the Union Minister of State for Education, Annapurna Devi, in her written response to a question in Lok Sabha.
The amount spent on the first edition of PPC in 2018 was Rs 3.67 crore, followed by Rs 4.93 crore in 2019, Rs 5.69 crore in 2020, Rs 6 crore in 2021 and Rs 8.61 crore in 2022. The details of expenditure on the event this year was not mentioned in the response.
'Pariksha Pe Charcha' is an annual event where Modi interacts with students appearing in board examinations. The first edition of the prime minister's interactive programme with school and college students was held at the stadium on February 16, 2018. A record 38 lakh students had registered this year for participating in the event. The number of registrations was at least more than 15 lakh last year. PTI
14:48 Adani to pre-pay $1,114 mn for release of shares
Adani Group on Monday said that the promoters will pre-pay USD 1,114 million for the release of pledged shares of its firms ahead of the maturity in September 2024. These shares belong to Adani Ports & Special Economic Zones, Adani Green Energy and Adani Transmission, a statement said.
"This is in continuation of promoters' assurance to pre-pay all share-backed financing," it said.
This statement assumes significance in view of the allegations of fraud and stock manipulation by a short-seller against the Adani Group, which led to a steep fall in the share prices of group firms.
"In light of the recent market volatility and in continuation of promoters commitment to reduce the overall promoter leverage backed by Adani listed companies shares, we are pleased to inform that promoters have posted the amounts to pre-pay USD 1,114 million ahead of its maturity of September 2024", the statement said.
On pre-payment, 168.27 million shares of Adani Ports & Special Economic Zones representing 12 per cent of the promoter's holding will be released. In the case of Adani Green, 27.56 million shares representing 3 per cent of the promoter's holding will be released. Also, 11.77 million shares of Adani Transmission representing 1.4 per cent of the promoter's holding will be freed. PTI
13:56 Pak army chief in UK on five-day visit
Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Muneer arrived in London on Saturday on a five-day visit. The COAS will attend meetings on defence-related issues, being held between February 5 and 9.
Gen Muneer is in London to attend a conference at Wilton Park, an executive agency created by the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office to foster open dialogue between governments.
The trip will also include meetings with UK defence officials and the army chief.
-- Dawn
-- Dawn
Reuters/Sertac Kayar
13:48 Earthquake: Death toll in Turkey, Syria over 640
A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit southern Turkey and northern Syria early Monday, toppling hundreds of buildings and killing at least 641 people.
Hundreds were still believed to be trapped under rubble, and the toll was expected to rise as rescue workers searched mounds of wreckage in cities and towns across the area.
On both sides of the border, residents jolted out of sleep by the pre-dawn quake rushed outside on a cold, rainy and snowy winter night, as buildings were flattened and strong aftershocks continued. Rescue workers and residents in multiple cities searched for survivors, working through tangles of metal and giant piles of concrete.
On the Syrian side of the border, the quake smashed opposition-held regions that are packed with some 4 million people displaced from other parts of Syria by the country's long civil war. Many of them live in buildings that are already wrecked from past bombardment.
Hundreds of families remained trapped in rubble, the opposition emergency organization, called the White Helmets, said in a statement. Strained health facilities and hospitals were quickly filled with wounded, rescue workers said.
13:10 AAP to move SC for court-monitored mayoral polls
After the Delhi municipal House was adjourned for the third time in a month without electing a mayor, AAP leader Atishi on Monday said the party will move the Supreme Court so that the polls can be held in a "court-monitored manner".
The municipal House failed to elect a mayor on Monday after a ruckus erupted over the nominated members being allowed to vote in the election to the post.
Soon after the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House assembled around 11:30 am, after a delay of half an hour, Presiding Officer Satya Sharma announced that aldermen will be allowed to vote in elections to the posts of mayor, deputy mayor and Standing Committee members which will be held simultaneously. This drew protests from AAP councillors. Party leader Mukesh Goel said aldermen can't vote.
After emerging from the House, AAP leader Atishi told reporters, "We will go to the Supreme Court, and we will go today itself so that the mayoral elections can be held in a court-monitored manner."
The first two sessions of the House -- held on January 6 and January 24 -- were adjourned by the presiding officer without electing a mayor following a ruckus and acrimonious exchanges between the members of the BJP and the AAP. According to the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, the mayor and the deputy mayor are to be elected in the very first session of the House after the civic polls. However, it's been two months since the municipal elections were held and Delhi is yet to get a mayor. PTI
12:36 Delhi civic body fails to elect mayor again
The municipal house failed to elect a mayor for the third time in a month after ruckus erupted over the nominated members being allowed to vote in the election to the post.
"Municipal house in Delhi adjourned till next date," Presiding Officer Satya Sharma said.
Soon after the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) house assembled around 11:30 am, after a delay of half an hour, Sharma announced that elections to the posts of mayor, deputy mayor and standing committee members will be held simultaneously.
"Aldermen will be allowed to vote in the elections for mayor, deputy mayor and standing committee members," she said.
The announcement drew protests from AAP councillors.
arty leader Mukesh Goel said aldermen can't vote. To this, Sharma said, "People have sent you here to serve them, let the election be held."
Following this, the house was adjourned briefly.
This is the third session of the house after the December 4 municipal polls.
The first two sessions -- held on January 6 and January 24 -- were adjourned by the presiding officer without electing a mayor following a ruckus and acrimonious exchanges between the members of the BJP and the AAP.
Reuters/Sertac Kayar
12:13 Earthquake: Over 250 people killed in Syria
Over 250 people killed in Syria after earthquake. The deaths occured in government-held areas of Syria on Monday after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that had its epicentre in southeastern Turkey, the health ministry said.
"Six hundred and thirty-nine people were injured and 250 were killed in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama and Tartus," the ministry said in a statement.
A hospital said the earthquake had killed at least eight people in the northern areas controlled by pro-Turkish factions -- bringing the war-torn country's total to at least 245 dead.
Image: People search through rubble following the earthquake in Diyarbakir, Turkey.
11:52 Parliament adjourned till 2 pm over Adani row
Both houses of Parliament were adjourned till 2pm today following protests by opposition parties demanding a joint parliamentary committee probe into the fraud-allegation-triggered rout in the Adani Group company stocks.
Soon after the Lok Sabha met after the weekend break, opposition members, primarily Congress MPs, came to the well of the House shouting slogans and demanding a probe into the the tanking of the Adani Group scrips and sought a probe into the business practices of the corporate giant.
Speaker Om Birla appealed them to go back to their seats and participate in the debate. "This is not good. Sloganeering is against the dignity of the House. People have elected you to raise their issues in Parliament but you are not interested in participating in debate," he said.
In the Rajya Sabha, a united Opposition sought to raise in the House allegations of fraud against the Adani Group.
Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar did not accept 10 notices given by various leaders of opposition parties to suspend the listed business of the day and take up the issues raised by them. The opposition parties protested against this. The Chairman tried to pacify the protesting members, but in vain.
Reuters/David Swanson
11:37 Grammys: Cardi B stuns in Gaurav Gupta couture
Cardi B looked like a vision to behold as she arrived wearing Indian designer Gaurav Gupta's surreal, sculpture-like couture in electric blue!
The stunning gown featured pleated structural features that ebbed and flowed from her shoulders, over her waist and all the way to the top of her head. The unique dress also featured a sleek skirt and a dramatic train. Cardi B has not been nominated for an award this year but she will be presenting one.
Coming back to the outfit, it's a classic Gaurav Gupta masterpiece. Also, this isn't the first time Cardi B and Gaurav Gupta have collaborated together.
Earlier, she wore his design in her music video 'No Love'. In an endless field of poppy, Cardi represented the element of 'air' in the 'Gaurav Gupta Amorphous Shapeshifter Sculptural Outfit'. The brand's indigenous sculpting technique transformed into infinite shapes, which brought her cosmic character to life in the video. -- ANI
11:05 Earthquake: Over 100 dead in Turkey, Syria
At least 76 people have been killed across seven provinces in Turkey and 42 were reported dead in Syria in initial reports after a deadly earthquake struck 23 kilometers (14.2 miles) east of Nurdagi in Turkey's Gaziantep province on Monday, Anadolu Agency reported citing disaster management authorities.
"At least 76 people killed, 440 injured over seven provinces as 7.4 earthquake hits southern provinces of Turkiye," Anadolu Agency tweeted citing The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) of the country.
Meanwhile, Syrian state media SANA reported that close to 42 people lost their lives in the earthquake in Ankara and nearby regions, including the Syria-Lebanon border.
"Exams scheduled for Monday in at least two Syrian universities have been postponed," SANA said.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Twitter that "search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched" to the areas hit by the quake.
Multiple aftershocks followed the quake.
Social media videos showed multiple collapsed buildings and in Turkey and Syria with terrified locals huddling on the streets.
"At least 6 people killed, 79 injured, 6 buildings destroyed in southern Diyarbakir province as 7.4 earthquake hits southern provinces of Turkiye: Diyarbakir governor," the Anadolu Agency tweeted. -- ANI
11:01 CJI Chandrachud administers oath of office to five new SC judges
Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud on Monday administered oath of office to five new judges of the Supreme Court. The five judges -- Justices Pankaj Mithal, Sanjay Karol, P V Sanjay Kumar, Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Manoj Misra -- were administered the oath during a swearing-in ceremony held in the Supreme Court premises.
With the appointment of five judges, the total number of judges in the apex court has risen to 32, two short of the full strength. Their names were recommended for elevation as apex court judges by the Supreme Court Collegium on December 13, 2022. PTI
10:44 Ricky Kej wins third Grammy Award, dedicates honour to India
Music composer Ricky Kej, based out of Bengaluru, has won his third Grammy Award for the album 'Divine Tides' and dedicated the honour to his home country, India.
The US-born musician shared the award with Stewart Copeland, the drummer of the iconic British rock band The Police, who collaborated with Kej on the album.
At the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, the duo earned the gramophone trophy in the best immersive audio album winner category. They had won a Grammy in the best new age album category for the same album last year. "Congrats Best Immersive Audio Album winner - 'Divine Tides' Eric Schilling, immersive mix engineer; @copelandmusic, @rickykej & Herbert Waltl, immersive producers (Stewart Copeland & Ricky Kej) #GRAMMYs," announced the Recording Academy, the organisation behind Grammy Awards, on its official Twitter page on Sunday night.
Kej said he was "grateful" for the recognition.
"Just won my 3rd Grammy Award. Extremely grateful, am speechless! I dedicate this Award to India. @copelandmusic. Herbert Waltl Eric Schilling Vanil Veigas Lonnie Park," the composer captioned a series of pictures on his Twitter page. -- PTI
10:24 Tharoor on Musharraf: Why did BJP negotiate?
"Why did the Bharatiya Janata Party negotiate a ceasefire and sign a joint statement with former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, if he was 'anathema to all patriotic Indians'," Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said on Monday.
Tharoor's remarks came while hitting out at criticism from the BJP drawn at him after his tweet condoling the demise of the former Pakistan military ruler by calling him a "real force for peace".
"Question to BJP leaders frothing at the mouth: if Musharraf was anathema to all patriotic Indians, why did the BJP government negotiate a ceasefire with him in 2003 & sign the joint Vajpayee-Musharraf statement of 2004? Was he not seen as a credible peace partner then?" Tharoor said in his tweet.
Earlier, Tharoor had said, "I was raised in an India where you are expected to speak kindly of people when they die."
"I was raised in an India where you are expected to speak kindly of people when they die. Musharraf was an implacable enemy and was responsible for Kargil but he did work for peace w/India, in his own interest, 2002-7. He was no friend but he saw strategic benefit in peace, as did we," Tharoor said.
Tharoor on Sunday condoled the demise of the former Pakistan military ruler stating that though he was once an implacable foe of India, he became a real force for peace between 2002-2007.
"Pervez Musharraf, Former Pakistani President, Dies of Rare Disease': once an implacable foe of India, he became a real force for peace 2002-2007. I met him annually in those days at the UN and found him smart, engaging and clear in his strategic thinking. RIP," Tharoor said in a tweet.
Tharoor's post brought fierce criticism from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar hit out at Tharoor saying his post "best describes Cong" (Congress).Chandrashekhar while taking to Twitter, slammed the party for finding peace in a person who "inflicted terror a backstabbing conflict and tortured our soldiers in violation of every International law".
10:14 Just sisters bonding
Norah Jones shares this image on Twitter, writing, "Sisters in the wild! Def been way too long since I got to hug this beauty. (Heart emoji)."
Norah Jones (left) and Anoushka Shankar are step-sisters. Their father was the late and legendary Pandit Ravi Shankar.
Anoushka Shankar is a British-Indian artist and has two Grammy nominations this year. One is under the Best Global Music Album category for Between Us, and the second one is under the Best Global Music Performance category for the song Udhero Na.
Norah Jones, is among the best jazz artists of the 2000s. She is nominated for I Dream Of Christmas in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album category, this year.
10:03 Chhattisgarh: Maoists kill local BJP functionary
Maoists hacked to death a 40-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party functionary in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district while he was attending a wedding function, police said on Monday.
The incident took place on Sunday in Paikram village where the victim, Neelkanth Kakem, who was the president of Awapalli mandal of the BJP, had gone with his family to attend the marriage of a relative, Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P said.
"When Kakem was busy with the function at the venue, some unidentified Maoists suddenly attacked him with sharp edged weapons. He died on the spot," the official said.
Soon after being alerted, a police team went to the spot and the body was sent for post-mortem, he said. The exact reason behind the murder was yet to be ascertained, the official said. Security personnel have launched a search in the area to trace the assailants, he said. PTI
09:47 RSS chief on caste: Everyone is the same
Whatever the name, ability and honour of a person, everybody is the same and there are no differences, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat said on Sunday.
He was addressing an event at the auditorium of Ravindra Natya Mandir on the occasion of the 647th birth anniversary of Saint Shiromani Rohidas.
Addressing the event, Bhagwat said, "The truth is God. Whatever the name, ability and honour, everybody is the same and there are no differences. What some Pandits say on the basis of shaastras is a lie."
"We are misled by caste superiority illusion and this illusion has to be set aside," he added.
Mohan Bhagwat said that conscience and consciousness are all the same in the country, and only the opinions are different.
The RSS chief said Sant Rohidas has a stature greater than Tulsidas, Kabir and Surdas, which is why he is considered Sant Shiromani.
"Although he couldn't win over the Brahmins in Shastrath, he was able to touch many hearts and made them believe in God," he said.
He invoked Saint Rohidas to say that religion is not just about filling up one's stomach."Do your work, and do it according with your religion. Unite the society and work for its progress, as that is what religion is about. It is because of such thoughts and high ideals that many big names became disciples of Saint Rohidas," the RSS chief said.
Bhagwat added that Saint Rohidas gave four mantras to the society -- truth, compassion, inner purity and continuous hard work and effort."Pay attention to all that it happening around you but don't leave you religion under any circumstances. While the manner of conveying the religious messages are different, the messages, themselves, are one and the same. One should practice his or her religion without malice for other faiths," he added.
Image tweeted by @Charles_Lister
09:15 Turkey asks for international aid after quake
Two large buildings have collapsed in Adana, Turkey. Turkey requests international assistance following massive earthquake. A 7.8 magnitude quake has knocked down multiple buildings in southeast Turkey and Syria and many casualties are feared. At least five deaths were reported initially in Turkey.
The US Geological Survey said quake was centred about 33 kilometres from Gaziantep, a major city and provincial capital. It was about 26 kilometres from the town of Nurdagi. It was centred 18 kilometres deep, according to the US Geological Survey.
A strong 6.7 temblor rumbled about 10 minutes later. Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management agency, AFAD, said the quake measured 7.4 and was centred in the town of Pazarcik, in Kahramanmaras province. Several buildings tumbled down in the neighbouring provinces of Malatya, Diyarbakir and Malatya, HaberTurk television reported.
Turkey sits on top of major fault lines and is frequently shaken by earthquakes.
09:06 Dented hubris
It was the rudeness of the Hindenburg report on the Adani Group that set the stage for the theatre that followed. Consider its headline: "Adani Group: How The World's 3rd Richest Man Is Pulling The Largest Con In Corporate History'. It ought to be taught in journalism school. No tabloid desk, no muckraking reporter, no algorithm could have dreamt up a better hook, writes Mukul Kesavan. Read the column here.
09:02 Shah, Mamata to hit poll-bound Tripura today
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to arrive in Tripura on Monday to address two election rallies, and join a roadshow to boost the BJP's campaign in the poll-bound state, a party leader said. Elections to the 60-member assembly will be held on February 16. Counting will take place on March 2.
During the visit, Amit Shah will address Vijay Sankalp' rallies in South Tripura's Santirbazar and Khowai, and attend a roadshow in Banamalipur constituency of Agartala.
Security arrangements have been tightened in the northeastern state in view of the Union minister's visit, a senior police officer said on Monday. Shah had participated in two Rath Yatras in Tripura last month, beginning the saffron party's campaign for the assembly polls.
TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is also scheduled to arrive in the state on Monday, and attend a roadshow and address a public meeting on Tuesday. She will arrive on Monday evening and visit Udaipur to offer prayers at the Tripureswari temple.
On Tuesday, Banerjee will lead a roadshow in Agartala and address a rally at Rabindra Bhavan, TMC state in-charge Rajib Banerjee said. She will be accompanied by the party's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. PTI
08:47 Hillary Clinton to meet salt pan workers on 2nd day of Gujarat visit
Former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton will meet salt pan workers in Gujarat's Surendranagar district on Monday, the second day of her visit to the state.
During the programme, she will also announce a 'Climate Resilience Fund', the Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) said in a statement. Clinton will visit the shelter and salt pan of a woman farmer in Kuda desert of Surendranagar district. Some farmers will also explain to her the process of salt farming and share their experiences, it said.
She will also visit a community learning centre and attend a round table with SEWA leaders on the next 50 years of the organisation, the statement said. On Sunday, Clinton attended a programme in Ahmedabad to mark 50 years of SEWA as a trade union and paid homage to its founder and renowned social activist Ela Bhatt. -- PTI
08:42 Powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake jolts Turkey
A massive earthquake of magnitude 7.8 on the Richter scale hits 26 km E of Nurdagi in Turkey on Monday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The earthquake centred in Turkey took place around 01:17:35 (UTC) at a depth of 17.9 km. According to USGS, the latitude and longitude of the earthquake were found to be 37.174degN and 37.032degE respectively. Nurdagi, where the quake was reported is a district and city of Gaziantep Province of Turkey.
Nurdagi is situated 45 km west of Gaziantep in Turkey. No immediate reports of injuries or damage have been reported yet. Further details awaited. -- ANI
08:36 Grammys: Harry Styles wins Best Pop Vocal Album
Harry Styles is the first winner at the Grammys 2023! Harry won Grammy for 'Best Pop Vocal Album' for his album 'Harry's House'. His album 'Harry's House' is nominated in six categories - Record of the Year ("As It Was"); Album of the Year (Harry's House); Song of the Year ("As It Was"); Best Pop Solo Performance ("As It Was"), a category he won at the 2021 GRAMMYs; Best Pop Vocal Album (Harry's House); and Best Music Video ("As It Was").
The award is currently ongoing, and as per the latest trends, it looks like Harry is going to take home more than one Grammy home! Harry Styles accepted the award wearing a cropped off-white blazer layered over a sequin vest-like top and camel coloured pants.
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