LIVE! Cash, gold worth over Rs 552 cr seized in T'gana

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Mon, 13 November 2023

Cash, gold worth over Rs 552 cr seized in T'gana

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23:47 Five members of Indian-origin family die in London house fire

Five members of a family, including three children, have died in a house fire in west London, the Metropolitan police said on Monday as it announced an investigation into the tragic incident.

While the victims are yet to be named by the police, local reports suggest the family was of Indian heritage and had been celebrating Diwali before the fire broke out on Sunday night.

A sixth victim remains unaccounted for in the fire and one male remains in hospital with injuries that are not thought to be life-threatening.

"My thoughts are with the loved ones of those who very sadly lost their lives in this tragic incident,' said Met Police Chief Superintendent Sean Wilson, responsible for policing in Hounslow where the fire occurred.

"I don't underestimate the impact that this will have on the wider community and beyond. I understand that there will be a demand for answers and my officers are working to establish exactly what has happened," he said. -- PTI

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23:27 Three kids among 14 killed in 4 road accidents in Rajasthan

Fourteen people, including five members of a family, died and eight others were injured in four separate road accidents in Barmer, Gangapur City, Alwar and Pratapgarh districts of Rajasthan on Monday, the police said.

Three children were also among the five who were killed in a collision between a truck and their car in Rajasthan's Barmer district on Monday evening, the police said.

Dhorimanna station house officer Sukhram Vishnoi said those who died in the head-on collision were identified as Dhanraj (45), Swaranjali (five), Prashant (five), Bhagya Lakshmi (one), Gayatri (26).

The car occupants, residents of Bhalgaon in Maharashtra, were travelling to Jaisalmer, the SHO said, adding that another member of the family was injured.

He said the bodies have been kept in the mortuary of government hospital in Dhorimanna for autopsy and the injured has been referred to Sanchore for treatment.

Four youths travelling in a car died while another two were injured in a collision between a roadways bus and a car near Piplai Petrol Pump in Bamanwas police station area of Gangapur City district on Monday.

Assistant sub-inspector Suresh Chand said Harimohan Gurjar (20), Vikram Gurjar (20), Muniraj Gurjar (22), Surendra Gurjar were killed when their car collided with a Rajasthan Roadways bus travelling from Dausa to Gangapur City.

Two others were seriously injured.

He said both the injured have been taken to Jaipur for treatment.

He said the bodies have been handed over to the relatives after post-mortem. -- PTI

Manoj Jarange

23:11 Jarange accuses BJP activists of tearing banners put up by Maratha supporters

Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange on Monday accused activists of the Bharatiya Janata Party of tearing banners put up by Maratha supporters outside a village to stop visits by political leaders.

A clash occurred at Boregaon Jahangir village in Bhokardan tehsil in Jalna district on Sunday when BJP activists allegedly tore banners put up by supporters of the Maratha reservation, banning political leaders from entering the village.

Bhokardan tehsil is the hometown of BJP leader and Union Minister Raosaheb Danve.

Talking to reporters after reaching Antarvali Sarti village, Jarange said, "If they tear our posters, we will tear their clothes. But I have told supporters to maintain peace and remain patient."

Jarange was discharged from a hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar after undergoing treatment for 12 days.

The activist further clarified that he has asked villages to lift the ban on entry to political leaders, as the state government has sought two months to resolve the reservation issue.

However, the decision on the ban ultimately rests with the villages, and he supports their choices, he said. -- PTI

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23:08 Cash, gold worth over Rs 552 cr seized in poll-bound T'gana

Law enforcement agencies have seized cash, gold, liquor and 'freebies' worth over Rs 552 crore in poll-bound Telangana, since the model code of conduct came into force in the state on October 9.

A total of Rs 188.5 crore in cash, 292.7 kg gold, 1,172 kg silver, and other valuables all worth over Rs 178.9 crore, besides liquor worth over Rs 83 crore, drugs/narcotics valued at Rs 31.2 crore and other items/freebies worth Rs 69.6 crore were seized, according to a statement issued by the office of the chief electoral officer.

Since October 9 (when the schedule for the Telangana Assembly elections was announced) till November 13, the total cumulative seizure by law enforcement agencies is valued at over Rs 552.7 crore, it said.

The state goes to polls on November 30. -- PTI

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22:33 Bullet fired by unknown person hits IAS officer's home in Chandigarh, no injuries

A bullet pierced through the wooden window frame of an IAS officer's residence in Chandigarh on the night of Diwali but no one was injured by it, officials said.

The police said the source of the firing is yet to be ascertained, and added that it is probing the possibility of celebratory firing behind the incident.

The bullet was fired at around 11.10 pm on Sunday night.

It the time of the incident, the Punjab cadre IAS officer was in his bedroom, but he escaped unhurt, a police official said.

The wooden frame of a window of the bureaucrat's Sector 24 residence took the bullet's impact.

"The bullet was fired by some unknown person. The IAS officer has also said that he has no enmity with anyone. As per preliminary investigation, it does not appear the bullet which was fired was intended in the direction in which it was fired. So, we are also probing the celebratory firing angle," the official said. -- PTI

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22:06 Five high court judges transferred

Five judges were transferred to various high courts on Monday.

Justice Vivek Kumar Singh of the Allahabad high court was transferred to the Madras HC.

Justice Shekhar B Saraf of the Calcutta High Court has been sent to the Allahabad HC and Justice Bibek Chaudhary of the Calcutta HC to the Patna high court.

Telangana high court's Justice M Sudheer Kumar has been transferred to the Madras HC and Justice C Sumalatha to the Karnataka high court.

Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal announced their transfers in a post on X, formerly Twitter. -- PTI

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met newly-appointed British Foreign Secretary David Cameron in London and held a detailed discussion on realising the full potential of the bilateral strategic partnership.

The meeting came hours after British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appointed the former premier back into the frontline government as his new foreign secretary in a dramatic reshuffle of his cabinet ahead of general elections next year.

Against the backdrop of the reshuffle which saw Suella Braverman being replaced as home secretary by former foreign secretary James Cleverly, Jaishankar congratulated Cameron on his surprise return to frontline politics having stepped down as British prime minister in the wake of the Brexit referendum in June 2016.

Jaishankar said he discussed a range of subjects during his bilateral talks at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, covering ongoing global conflicts and the Indo-Pacific region.

"A pleasure to meet UK foreign secretary David Cameron this afternoon on his first day in office, Jaishankar posted on X along with images of the interaction. Congratulated him on his appointment. Held a detailed discussion on realising the full potential of our strategic partnership," he said.

He added that he also exchanged views on the situation in West Asia, the Ukraine conflict and the Indo-Pacific with Cameron. "Look forward to working with him closely," the minister added.

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21:35 India, not China, sends maximum students to US

India has surpassed China to become the largest source of international graduate students in the United States of America for the first time since 2009-10, a report said on Monday.

For the third year in a row, a record number of Indian students travelled to America to pursue higher education, according to a US Consulate General- Chennai press release on the Open Doors Report (ODR) data.

According to the ODR released on Monday, the number of international students from India to the United States increased by 35 per cent and resulted in an all-time high of 2,68,923 students in 2022-23.

"Indian students constitute more than 25 percent of the over one million foreign students studying in the United States."

The release of the Open Doors Report marks the beginning of International Education Week (IEW), which celebrates the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide.

"India surpassed China to become the largest source of international graduate students in the United States for the first time since 2009/10. The number of Indian graduate students rose by 63 per cent to 165,936 students, an increase of nearly 64,000 students, compared to last year, while Indian undergraduate students also increased by 16 per cent.

"ODR data also shows India leading in the number of individuals (69,062) who pursued optional practical training (OPT), a type of temporary work permission that allows eligible students to get real-world experience related to their field of study."

The US embassy and consulates in India issued record high numbers of student visas during the main student visa season of June-August 2023. Under various categories, consular officers across India issued 95,269 visas, an 18 percent increase over 2022.

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21:13 Foreign diplomats to visit Indore to witness BJP's poll campaign

A three-member delegation of foreign diplomats based in New Delhi will be visiting Indore on November 14-15 to experience and get first hand insight in the Bharatiya Janata Party's election campaign, the party said on Monday.

Michael Rees, second secretary in the Australian high commission, Bazil M Lyakinana, minister plenipotentiary (consular affairs) in the high commission of Tanzania, and Mayumi Tsubakimoto, second secretary in the Japanese embassy will be part of the delegation.

Indore is in Madhya Pradesh where campaign is in full swing ahead of the assembly polls on November 17.

The BJP said similar delegations comprising representatives of diplomatic missions from Nepal, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark and Singapore had visited Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat during assembly polls in the two states in November and December 2022 to observe the party's election campaign.

The programme is part of the "Know BJP" initiative launched by the party's national president JP Nadda on its 43rd foundation day. -- PTI

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20:52 Amshipora encounter: Captain's life term suspended

The armed forces tribunal in New Delhi has suspended the life sentence of an Army captain who was found guilty of killing three men in a "staged" encounter in south Kashmir's Amshipora village in July 2020.

The tribunal also granted conditional bail to Captain Bhoopendra Singh and directed him to appear before its principal registrar on the first Monday of every month starting from January next year.

When contacted, Captain Singh's counsel Maj (Retd) Sudhanshu S Pandey declined to share details of the case, saying it is still sub-judice.

He, however, confirmed the grant of bail and said the stand of the defence which the Summary General Court Martial had completely disregarded has been vindicated.

"Such conviction of the young officer in this manner would have a very demoralising effect on other officers who are sacrificing their lives for the defence of the nation. It would have led to a bizarre situation where the young officers instead of showing willingness to put their lives at risk for word of command will insist on written orders when such operations are conducted. I express my gratitude for the armed forces tribunal to uphold the rule of law," he said. -- PTI

Rahul Ramagundam/On Linkedin

20:43 Jamia associate prof Ramagundam awarded Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship 2023

Rahul Ramagundam, an associate professor at the Jamia Millia Islamia, was awarded with the Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship 2023 on the eve of the 134th birth anniversary of the country's first prime minister.

The fellowship was awarded by the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund for Ramagundam's project on 'Power Pamphlets: Four that transformed Indian Politics and why India now needs a fifth one'.

The fellowship has been awarded for a period of two years and provides a stipend of Rs 1 lakh per month and a contingency amount of Rs 75,000 per year.

"On the occasion of the 134th birth anniversary of Jawarlal Nehru, the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund is pleased to announce the award of Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship for the year 2023 to Rahul Ramagundam, associate professor, Jamia Millia Islamia," an official release said.

Ramagundam has been teaching at the Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy at the Jamia Millia Islamia since 2008, it added.

Ramagundam has also been the recipient of fellowships from the University Grants Commission, Rajya Sabha, New India Foundation and the National Foundation for India. -- PTI

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20:24 14 hurt after fire in Mathura firecracker shops, 8 critical

A total of fourteen persons, including a fireman, have been injured in the fire that gutted seven firecracker shops and 10 motorcycles in Gopalbagh on the outskirts of Mathura city, an official said on Monday.

Of the 14 injured persons, eight are in serious condition, and were referred to SN Medical College in Agra.

No deaths have been reported in the incident.

The incident took place Sunday afternoon at a temporary firecracker market set up for Diwali at Raya.

Chandrashekhar, a 30-year-old fireman who was present at the spot and sustained burn injuries, on Monday told PTI, "I was drinking water when I heard a cry about a fire. I immediately took the fire extinguisher and started extinguishing the flames when I saw an elderly person and a girl trapped, so I rescued them and then went back to extinguishing the fire again. When the fire extinguishers were consumed, I started using water stored in a drum to extinguish the fire. I used 3-4 fire extinguishers," he said.

He said that seven shops had caught fire, and he also sustained burn injuries after which he was hospitalised for 5-6 hours.

Lauding Chandrashekhar's actions, Mathura Chief Fire Officer Narendra Pratap Singh said his courage averted several casualties. -- PTI

19:52 U'khand tunnel workers' rescue may take 2 days

All 40 workers trapped in an under-construction tunnel on the Char Dham route are safe and being sent food and water, authorities assured Monday but said the rescue operation could take up to two more days.

A portion of the tunnel under construction between Silkyara and Dandalgaon on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri national highway collapsed in the early hours of Sunday.

All workers trapped are safe and communicating, officials said on Monday as Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the site.

While oxygen started being supplied to the trapped labourers immediately after the launch of rescue operations on Sunday, they could only get drinking water and light food after contact was first established with them past midnight.

Secretary Disaster Management Ranjit Kumar Sinha who visited the tunnel said the trapped labourers could be rescued by Tuesday night or Wednesday.

The rescue strategy is now focused on stabilising loose muck by shotcreting (concrete spraying) and pushing in a large diametre steel pipe through the rubble to evacuate trapped workers. -- PTI

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19:47 Israel-Hamas war: EU representative to visit Middle-Eastern countries, stress on two-state solution

Amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said on Monday that he will visit multiple Middle Eastern countries to discuss humanitarian access and assistance in the war-torn region.

He asserted that the ongoing situation in Gaza needs two-state solutions and can only be achieved through dialogue.

Taking to X, the EU official said, "I will travel to Israel, Palestine, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan this week to discuss humanitarian access and assistance and political issues with regional leaders. We need a political horizon looking towards the two-state solution. This can only be achieved through dialogue."

European Union called for immediate pauses in hostilities and the establishment of humanitarian corridors, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, said in a statement.

He said that the EU is "gravely concerned" about the "deepening humanitarian crisis" in Gaza.

In the statement, Borrell said, "EU joins calls for immediate pauses in hostilities and the establishment of humanitarian corridors, including through increased capacity at border crossings and through a dedicated maritime route, so that humanitarian aid can safely reach the population of Gaza."

The EU condemned Hamas for using hospitals and civilians as human shields, according to the statement.

The EU called on Hamas to immediately release all hostages and called it crucial that the International Committee of the Red Cross is granted access to the hostages.

"The EU condemns the use of hospitals and civilians as human shields by Hamas. Civilians must be allowed to leave the combat zone. These hostilities are severely impacting hospitals and taking a horrific toll on civilians and medical staff," Borrell said in a statement.

The EU reiterated its support for Israel's right to defend itself in line with international law and international humanitarian law.

In the statement, Borrell stated, "The EU calls for continued, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access and aid to reach those in need through all necessary measures, including humanitarian corridors and pauses for humanitarian needs." -- ANI

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19:24 VHP to invite 10 cr families to take part in consecration ceremony at Ram temple

The Vishva Hindu Parishad on Monday said it will invite more than 10 crore families in the country and abroad to take part in the consecration ceremony to be held at Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, VHP central working president Alok Kumar said the "pious akshat kalash" sanctified in Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple on November 5 has already been sent across the country.

"Workers of the Vishva Hindu Parishad, along with other Hindu organisations, will visit Hindu families in cities and villages of the country from January 1 to January 15, 2024, to invite them," he told reporters.

A similar programme has also been organised to invite Hindus living abroad, he said.

"Along with the invitation, we will give a picture of Bhagwan Ram and his temple with other necessary information to each family, he said, adding that the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust has given a call in this regard. Kumar said VHP teams and workers engaged in this work will not accept "any gift, donation or other materials from the devotees.

"This time we are not reaching out to society to seek anything," he added.

Noting that all devotees of Lord Ram cannot be called to Ayodhya to join the consecration ceremony, the VHP leader appealed to Hindus across the world to gather at their nearest temple and perform puja on January 22.

He also urged people to watch the live telecast of the "grand" consecration ceremony to be held at Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22 and enjoy this historic event. -- PTI

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19:13 Security beefed up in Ghaziabad after Muslims man killed by cracker

A 40-year-old man died after he was shot with a firecracker gun on his private part here in Jhandapur locality, police said on Monday.

The incident took place on the night of Diwali on Sunday, when the accused, Pradeep, fired a cracker from an iron pipe below the hip of Afzal alias Natu.

Afzal was rushed to a hospital, where he died, Sahibabad Additional Commissioner of Police Bhaskar Verma said.

Police have obtained the CCTV footage of the incident and booked Pradeep, who has been absconding since Diwali.

Verma said Afzal and Pradeep were known to each other, he said.

Police force has been deployed in the area to prevent any communal flare-ups, the ACP said. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday assured people of Madhya Pradesh that all promises made by Bharatiya Janata Party to them will be fulfilled after the party retains power in the state.

He also said the Centre's free ration scheme, covering 80 crore poor people, will continue for five more years.

"All promises made to you will be fulfilled. This is my guarantee," Modi said, addressing an election rally at Barwani in MP.

Slamming the Congress, Modi said that party can even promise to build a 'castle of gold' for coming to power.

Speaking about the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda on November 15, Modi said, "It is a matter of pride for the BJP government that we had the opportunity to declare this day as the Janjatiya Gaurav Divas."

The PM said India's tribals have enriched the country's culture.

He referred to the contribution of tribal warriors and freedom fighters in India's freedom struggle.

"The tribal community was neglected by the Congress government, BJP has provided the community respect," he said.

Modi also mentioned about his visit to the border to celebrate Diwali with soldiers amid the hustle and bustle of electioneering.

"This election is about deciding the bright future of Madhya Pradesh," Modi said.

He blamed Congress leaders for pushing the state into a 'dark well', adding BJP has pulled Madhya Pradesh out of darkness. -- PTI

18:29 BSE Sensex: Top losers today

Among the Sensex firms, Bajaj Finance, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, ICICI Bank, Nestle, Tata Consultancy Services, HDFC Bank and Reliance Industries were the major laggards.

Benchmark stock index Sensex declined on Monday due to selling pressure in IT, consumer durables and financial stocks as investors turned cautious ahead of the release of inflation data.

Besides, persistent foreign fund outflows and weakness in the rupee hit investor sentiments, traders said.

Giving up Diwali day gains, the 30-share BSE Sensex fell 325.58 points or 0.50 per cent to settle at 64,933.87.

During the day, it dropped 406.09 points or 0.62 per cent to 64,853.36. -- PTI

The concentration of fine, lung-damaging particulate matters PM2.5 and PM10 increased by 45 percent and 33 percent respectively on Diwali compared to last year, according to an analysis by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).

The pollution control body also said nearly all air quality monitoring stations in the national capital recorded an increase in pollution levels on Diwali day compared to the previous year.

Delhi's 24-hour average PM10 concentration on Diwali (Sunday) stood at 430 micrograms per cubic meter, an increase from 322 micrograms per cubic meter last year, and 748 micrograms per cubic meter in 2021, the DPCC report showed.

The city recorded a 24-hour average PM2.5 concentration of 314 micrograms per cubic meter, compared to 217 micrograms per cubic meter last year and 607 micrograms per cubic meter in 2021.

The DPCC data revealed that, except for Alipur, Patparganj, Najafgarh, Karni Singh Shooting Range, and Okhla, all stations (total 24) observed an increase in the concentration of PM10 in 2023 compared to 2022.

It showed that all stations, with the exception of those at Sri Aurobindo Marg, Vivek Vihar, and Karni Singh Shooting Range, witnessed an increase in the concentration of PM2.5.

The DPCC said that all gaseous pollutants, including ammonia, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, and benzene, were found to be within the prescribed standards.

Delhi recorded a jump in pollution levels and a smoky haze returned on Monday morning after residents flouted the ban on firecrackers on Diwali night. -- PTI

IMAGE: Workers clean the lawns near Kartavya Path amid the smog as the air quality in the national capital deteriorates to 'Poor' Category following the bursting of firecrackers on Diwali night, near India Gate, in New Delhi on Monday. Photograph: Jitender Gupta/ANI Photo

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17:54 Govt allows 2nd Chinese ship to dock at Vizhinjam

A second Chinese vessel carrying a ship-to-shore crane for the international deep-sea facility at Vizhinjam docked at the port on Monday, sources at the port said.

The ship, Zhen Hua 29, had reached the Kerala coast on November 9 and was awaiting clearance from the ministry of home affairs (MHA) to berth at the dock, the sources said.

The MHA's nod to berth was received on Monday and the vessel docked at the port at around 3 pm, they said.

In addition to the one ship-to-shore crane meant for Vizhinjam port, the ship was also carrying several yard cranes for Mundra port, the sources said.

After offloading the ship-to-shore crane, the vessel will leave for Mundra port in Gujarat.

The first ship to arrive at the port, which is being constructed at a cost of Rs 7,700 crore, was Zhen Hua 15 and it carried two-yard cranes and a ship-to-shore crane for the deep-water facility.

All three cranes have been successfully offloaded and installed, the sources said.

The Vizhinjam port is being constructed under the public-private partnership model. The Adani group is the private partner in the development of what will become one of the largest ports in the world, once commissioned.

The project, scheduled to be commissioned in 2019, was delayed due to issues with land acquisition. Fishermen carried out violent protests opposing it, alleging that the port would adversely affect their livelihood.

16:52 Nepal government bans Tiktok

The Nepal government on Monday decided to ban the Chinese-owned social network platform Tiktok, citing its negative effects on social harmony.

According to government spokesperson and Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, Monday's Cabinet meeting decided to prohibit TikTok's use.

The decision to ban Tiktok will be implemented through the Ministry of Communication and IT, she said.

The Nepal government decided to ban Tiktok due to its negative effects on social harmony, The Kathmandu Post newspaper reported.

A Cabinet meeting on Thursday made it mandatory for social media sites such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok and YouTube, among others, to open their liaison offices in Nepal.

Although freedom of expression is a basic right, a large section of society has criticised TikTok for encouraging a tendency of hate speech, the government said.

In the past four years, 1,647 cases of cybercrime have been reported on the video-sharing app, the report said.

The Cyber Bureau of the Nepal Police, Ministry of Home Affairs, and representatives of TikTok discussed the issue earlier last week. Monday's decision is expected to be enforced following the completion of technical preparations, it said.

Sharma clarified the decision to shut down Tiktok will be implemented promptly by setting a specific deadline.

However, Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Thapa expressed reservations about the decision.

'The government's decision to ban Tiktok is wrong; the government should regulate the social media site,' ruling party leader Thapa said on X.

'The government's decision should be rectified as it violates freedom of expression and individual freedom,' he pointed out.

The decision comes as another setback for the Chinese networking platform, which has come under scrutiny in various countries, including India, the US, the European Union and the UK, where the governments have banned the application from its network over security concerns. -- PTI

The government on Monday banned nine Meitei extremist groups and their associate organisations, which mostly operate in Manipur, for their anti-national activities, and launching fatal attacks on security forces.

According to a notification issued by the ministry of home affairs, the groups which were declared banned for five years were Peoples' Liberation Army generally known as PLA, and its political wing, the Revolutionary Peoples' Front (RPF), the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) and its armed wing Manipur Peoples' Army (MPA).

The Peoples' Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) and its armed wing Red Army, the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) and its armed wing (also called the Red Army), the Kanglei Yaol Kanba Lup (KYKL), the Coordination Committee (CorCom) and the Alliance for Socialist Unity Kangleipak (ASUK).

The PLA, UNLF, PREPAK, KCP, KYKL were declared banned by the MHA under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967) years ago and the latest action extends the ban by five years.

The declaration as outlawed of the other organisations is fresh.

In its notification, the MHA said the central government is of the opinion that if there is no immediate curb and control of the Meitei extremist organisations they will take the opportunity to mobilise their cadres for escalating their secessionist, subversive, terrorist and violent activities.

Former United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron has been appointed as the new foreign secretary, Downing Street announced.

The unexpected appointment of the former PM comes after Suella Braverman was fired as home secretary and James Cleverly was appointed to replace her, leaving the top job open at the foreign office.

Superstar Salman Khan on Monday urged fans to enjoy his Diwali release Tiger 3 without putting people at risk after videos of viewers bursting firecrackers inside a movie theatre during the screening of the film went viral on social media.

During a show of the film, a group of fans burst firecrackers inside Mohan Cinema in the Malegaon Chhavni area in Maharashtra's Nashik district on Sunday night, causing panic among moviegoers, according to police.

Salman criticised the incident in a post on X.

"I'm hearing about fireworks inside theaters during Tiger3. This is dangerous. Let's enjoy the film without putting ourselves and others at risk. Stay safe," Salman wrote.

The police are in the process of registering an offence under sections 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage) and 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code, the official said.

The identity of the accused persons is yet to be established, he said.

A Yash Raj Films production, Tiger 3 also stars Katrina Kaif and Emraan Hashmi. Directed by Maneesh Sharma, the movie released on Sunday on the occasion of Diwali. -- PTI

Najma Akhtar

16:12 Najma Akhtar retires, Eqbal Hussain takes over as acting VC of Jamia Millia Islamia

Jamia Millia Islamia Pro-Vice Chancellor Eqbal Hussain took over as the university's officiating vice chancellor on Monday, as the tenure of Najma Akhtar, who was the first woman to hold the post, ended.

Hussain will serve as the acting vice chancellor till the time an appointment is made to the post, an official statement said.

Akhtar was appointed as the vice chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) in April 2019 for a period of five years or till attaining the age of 70, whichever was earlier.

"Consequent upon the completion of tenure of Prof. Najma Akhtar, as vice chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia, on November 12, 2023, Prof Eqbal Hussain, pro-vice chancellor, JMI, shall discharge the duties of officiating vice chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia, in accordance with Statute 2(6) read with Statute 4 (2) of Jamia Millia Islamia Act, 1988, with effect from November 13, 2023 (forenoon) till a new vice chancellor, JMI, assumes the charge of the Office of the Vice Chancellor," it said.

Hussain was appointed as the pro-vice chancellor in September.

He holds a Ph.D from Jamia Millia Islamia. He did his LL.M, LL.B and B.Sc. from the Aligarh Muslim University.

Hussain started his teaching career in 1990 as a research associate at the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, and has also taught at the Jamia Hamdard, Zanzibar University, Tanzania, the statement said.

His areas of interest are intellectual property rights, consumer protection laws, and mercantile laws and jurisprudence. -- PTI

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has been appointed the district chief of Krishnanagar (Nadia North), which falls under her Lok Sabha constituency.

Moitra got the new role in the party led by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee amid a huge controversy in the cash-for-query case against the Bengal MP.

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15:42 China, Pakistan navies hold drills in Arabian Sea

The Chinese and Pakistani navies are holding week-long drills in the Arabian Sea during which the two all-weather allies will also conduct joint maritime patrols for the first time, a media report said on Monday.

The Chinese and Pakistani navies at a naval base in Karachi on Saturday kicked off the 'Sea Guardians-3' exercise in the waters and airspace of the northern Arabian Sea in drills that include anti-submarine operations, Dawn News reported on the exercises which will end on Friday.

During the exercise, China and Pakistan will conduct joint maritime patrols for the first time, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defence, said.

With the theme of "joint response to maritime security threats", the exercise will include formation movement, VBSS (visit, board, search and seizure), helicopter cross-deck landing, search and rescue, anti-submarine operations, Wu was quoted as saying by China Military News website in a recent report.

He said some professional exchanges and mutual visits will also be included as part of the exercises.

"This is the third time for China and Pakistan to hold such an exercise, aiming to consolidate the all-weather strategic partnership and traditional friendship between the two countries, and strengthen realistic combat training of the two militaries," the Chinese military spokesperson added. -- PTI

Ganga Devi, who was the oldest voter of Himachal Pradesh and the aunt of BJP chief JP Nadda, passed away at her home in Kullu on Monday.

She was 104.

Devi was honoured by the Election Commission as the oldest voter during the 2022 Himachal Pradesh assembly polls.

She died around 7 am and her nephew, J P Nadda, has reached Kullu, family members said.

Her body will be kept at the Sheetla temple in Ohar in Bilaspur district for people to pay their respects. The last rites will be performed at the Ohar cremation ground at 3 pm, BJP media in-charge Karan Nanda told PTI.

Several BJP leaders and legislators, including leader of the opposition in the assembly Jai Ram Thakur, state party chief Rajeev Bindal, former chief ministers Shanta Kumar and P K Dhumal, national vice president Saudan Singh, state BJP in-charge Avinash Rai Khanna and and co-in-charge Sanjay Tandon, have conveyed their condolences to the bereaved family. -

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has claimed that those behind Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal's murder last year were "BJP people", who had been freed from police detention days before the incident under the party's pressure.

He levelled the charge during a meeting in Jodhpur on Sunday with Congress leaders and workers ahead of the November 25 Rajasthan assembly polls. The Udaipur tailor was murdered on June 28 last year by two cleaver-wielding men who accused him of insulting Islam.

The opposition BJP in the state dismissed the allegation and attributed the tailor's brutal murder to the failure of the Congress-ruled state government to contain communal incidents.

"The accused in the Kanhaiya Lal murder case are BJP people. They had been caught by police two-three days before the incident over some altercation and the BJP leaders had got them out from police detention," Gehlot alleged.

He claimed the BJP had become "defensive" about the incident because of this.

In his recent speeches in Rajasthan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also targeted the Gehlot government over the incident.

Refuting the allegations, the BJP's election in-charge for western Rajasthan and Rajya Sabha member Rajendra Gehlot asked if the accused had been caught by police, why they were let off.

"It is the state government's weakness if they were let off by the police. The state government has information and complaints had been given to the police but in spite of that, such a heinous crime was allowed to take place," the BJP leader said.

The chief minister also raised doubts about the investigation conducted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the murder case, saying it has been dragging its feet in the matter and nobody knows what was going on.

"We had caught the accused within two-three hours of the murder, but the NIA took over the case the same night. We do not know since then what the progress in the case has been. Had it been with SOG, there would have been some progress," he claimed.

Claiming that the pace of the investigation is purposefully slow, the chief minister attributed it to the intention of the BJP to make it a poll issue.

He also claimed that while the Congress acted with all seriousness in the matter, BJP leaders left for a conference in Hyderabad.

"The moment the incident took place, I left for Udaipur, dropping all my programmes in Jaipur. But the BJP leaders left for Hyderabad for a conference which also included their leader of the opposition," Ashok Gehlot said.

Pic: Reuters

14:34 Rishi Sunak sacks India-origin home secretary: Reports

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak began a cabinet reshuffle on Monday morning and began by sacking his home secretary, Suella Braverman, after days of speculation over her job since it emerged a controversial newspaper article attacking the Metropolitan Police was published without clearance from her boss, according to reports coming out from Downing Street.

The 43-year-old Goan-origin cabinet minister has repeatedly courted controversy in her senior UK Cabinet role, most recently by accusing the Met Police of playing favourites when tackling aggressive Israel-Gaza protests in an article in The Times.

Sunak had been under pressure from sections of his Conservative Party as well as faced attacks from the Opposition for allowing her to continue in her job after she went ahead with the article in a perceived breach of the ministerial code.

Our brave police officers deserve the thanks of every decent citizen for their professionalism in the face of violence and aggression from protesters and counter protesters in London yesterday. That multiple officers were injured doing their duty is an outrage, Braverman said in a statement on Sunday evening following far-right violence during the protests over the weekend.

The sick, inflammatory and, in some cases, clearly criminal chants, placards and paraphernalia openly on display at the march mark a new low. Antisemitism and other forms of racism together with the valourising of terrorism on such a scale is deeply troubling, she said.

However, her intervention in support of the police may have come a little too late to save her job in the end.

-- Aditi Khanna in London/PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hit out at the Congress over corruption and said the countdown has begun for the exit of its government in Chhattisgarh.

Addressing a rally in Mungeli district of Chhattisgarh, Modi also took a dig at the purported power-sharing agreement between Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Deputy CM TS Singh Deo, and said when the Congress can ditch its own senior leaders, then it is certain that it will cheat people and not fulfil the promises made to them.

"The Congress has also understood that now its time is over in Chhattisgarh. Some journalist friends from Delhi and political analysts have told me that the chief minister (Baghel) is himself going to lose (election from Patan seat)," Modi said.

PM Modi also said the Congress hates him so much that it abuses the entire OBC community in his name.

"The Congress hates Modi. They have started hating even Modi's caste. For the last several months, Congress has been abusing the entire OBC community in the name of Modi...They have even refused to apologise after a court directed them to do so," he said.

"This is an example of how much hatred they have for the OBC community. It is the Congress which insulted Babasaheb Ambedkar. It is the Congress which conspired to end Babasaheb's politics," Modi said.

The Congress can do anything for vote bank and appeasement, he added.

Polling for 20 out of the total 90 assembly seats in Chhattisgarh was held on November 7. Voting in the remaining 70 seats will be held on November 17. -- PTI

14:16 Netflix renews 'Kaala Paani' for season 2

Survival drama series Kaala Paani has been renewed for a second season, streaming platform Netflix announced on Monday.

The series is described as a a grounded story about the fight for survival and questions audiences on how far they would go to survive."

Kaala Paani comes from Sameer Saxena, who had directed Jaadugar. He serves as a showrunner and co-director on the project.

The season one, which premiered last month, starred Mona Singh, Ashutosh Gowariker, Amey Wagh, Sukant Goel, Vikas Kumar, Arushi Sharma, Radhika Mehrotra, Chinmay Mandlekar, and Poornima Indrajith, among others. It was set in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Saxena said the team is thrilled to dive into the world of Kaala Paani once again.

You can read the review of Kaala Paani Season 1 on Rediff.com here.

13:45 TMC leader shot dead, assailant lynched

A local Trinamool Congress leader was shot dead at Joynagar in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on Monday morning, prompting a group of people to lynch an alleged assailant, officials said.

Saifuddin Laskar, TMC area president of Bamungachi in Joynagar was shot dead near his house by some miscreants, an official said.

Supporters of Laskar, whose wife is a panchayat pradhan, caught one of the alleged assailants and beat him to death, according to locals.

Local TMC leaders alleged that Communist Party of India-Marxist supporters were behind the killing of Laskar.

CPI-M supporters in nearby areas claimed that supporters of Laskar ransacked their houses and set fire to some after the incident.

Stating that every death is unfortunate, CPI-M central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said that the police must conduct a proper investigation to nab the killers and unravel the conspiracy.

"The murder of Saifuddin Laskar is the result of internal strife within the TMC, it is no use blaming the CPI-M ," he said. -- PTI

Billionaire Gautam Singhania on Monday announced separation from wife Nawaz, saying the two have decided to pursue different paths.

Singhania, 58, had married Nawaz Modi, daughter of solicitor Nadar Modi, in 1999.

"This Diwali is not going to be the same as many in the past," Singhania, chairman and managing director of textiles-to-real estate conglomerate Raymond Ltd, said in social media posts. "It is my belief that Nawaz and I will pursue different paths from here on."

He had married Nawaz, who was 29-years-old in 1999, after eight years of courtship.

"32 years of being together as a couple, growing as parents and always being a strength of each other... we traversed with commitment, resolve, faith as along came the two most beautiful additions in our lives," he said.

He, however, did not give details of the separation and custody of their two children.

"As I reflect over the unfortunate developments in the recent past, there has been a lot of unsubstantiated rumour mongering, and gossip surrounding our lives fanned by 'not so well wishers'," he wrote. "I am parting ways with her while we continue to do what is the best for our two precious diamonds Niharika and Nisa."

He sought privacy and respect for personal decisions.

"Please respect this personal decision and kindly give us the space to settle all aspects of the relationship. Seeking your best wishes for the entire family during these times," he added.

Minutes before announcing the separation, Gautam Singhania wrote on X about his group's real estate arm continuing to expand its presence across Mumbai.

"We have secured 3 new real estate projects in the (Mumbai Metropolitan) Region, with a combined revenue potential of over Rs 5,000 crore (USD 678 million). Our realty business has seen a strong growth trajectory over the last couple of projects and we are confident of delivering on the highest level of quality and finesse associated with Raymond Group for the upcoming projects," he said.

Singhania was in news a couple of years back over a feud with his father Vijaypat.

Vijaypat Singhania created Raymond Group, which became a household name in India, producing apparels brands and textiles. His son, Guatam diversified the group into more sectors in an attempt to widen the revenue.

Just like father who was a noted aviator, flying commercial aircraft for free, Gautam Singhania too is known for his adventurous streaks, racing fast cars in circuits around the world. -- PTI

Representational image

12:43 Gunbattle between Kerala police and Maoists in Kannur

A gun battle has erupted between the Kerala police's specialised team Thunderbolt and Maoists in a forest area in northern district of Kannur, the police said on Monday.

The firing was reported from the Karikkottakari police station limits, they said.

"It (firing) is still underway," a police officer told PTI but refrained from providing further information.

An exchange of fire between Thunderbolt and Maoists had taken place in a forest area in Wayanad last week, leading to the arrest of two ultras.

At least six people died after a massive fire broke out at a multi-storeyed apartment complex in Nampally area here on Monday, police said.

The blaze erupted in the ground floor of the building where some drums containing chemicals were stored.

So far 21 people were evacuated from the building. Among them, 10 people were shifted to a hospital while six of them died, a senior Fire Department official told reporters.

They are suspected to have died of asphyxiation, the official said based on preliminary information.

Fire tenders rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control. Rescue efforts are underway, police said. -- PTI

The Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray on Monday took a dig at Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, comparing him to a fictional character of 'Allabaksh'.

The criticism came after Shinde campaigns for the BJP in the four states -Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Chhattisgarh- where assembly elections are currently underway.

The late Ram Ganesh Gadkari's musical play Ekach Pyala's portrays two fictional characters 'Ved Shastri Shastribuva' and 'Allabaksh' who engage in an ideological debate after a bout of heavy drinking and after some time they forget their original roles and advocate the opposing ideology.

Shastribuva praises the greatness of Islam while Allabakhsh waxes eloquent about the greatness of Hinduism.

"This drama being performed in the 'Arya Madira Mandal' of the play Ekach Pyala is going on in the politics of Maharashtra today. Chief Minister Shinde is currently playing the role of Allabakhsh and he is propagating the hypocritical Hindutva of BJP," the mouthpiece of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) said in its editorial.

"Shinde sometimes goes on pilgrimage and often stays at the feet of Delhi. Now to entertain himself, he is devoting himself to BJP's campaign. It is good that within a year they have realized that there is nothing special left in the campaign of fake and duplicate Shiv Sena. 'Allabakhsh' of Maharashtra has come out to campaign for BJP. Their 'final destination' is the same!" the Saamna stated.

Targeting the BJP, Saamna stated that money, power and investigation machinery bring victory to the BJP.

"After December 31, the unauthorized politics of the illegal Chief Minister of the state, Shinde, is going to end. The interesting thing is that state Chief Minister Shinde will now campaign for BJP in the assembly elections of four states. It is also a joke that the duplicate army of Thane will campaign for the victory of the BJP in the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana. The political power of the Bharatiya Janata Party lies in the fun of money. Money, power and investigation machinery are what bring victory to the BJP. Thoughts, policies etc. are insignificant," the editorial stated.

Saamana further stated that while Chief Minister Shinde is campaigning for BJP in poll-bound states, they are "afraid of holding municipal elections in Maharasthra."

"... it makes sense for Shinde to campaign in four states. He and his team will campaign in four states, but the same people are afraid of holding elections in 14 municipal corporations including Mumbai and Thane," it read.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir here on the occasion of Diwali and prayed for the peace, harmony and prosperity of the Indian community around the world, hours after he called on British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Downing Street.

Jaishankar is on a five-day official visit to the UK with an aim to review various aspects of bilateral ties and give "new impetus to the friendly ties".

"Blessed to visit the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London on Deepavali. Prayed for the peace, harmony and prosperity of our community around the world," Jaishankar said in a post on platform X.

"Glad to interact with our community. Their contributions are raising our profile around the world," he said of the Indian community across the world.

The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in London, also called the Neasden Temple, thanked Jaishankar for taking time out to join the Diwali celebrations on Sunday.

"We appreciate your kind words, which inspired the thousands of devotees and visitors from the local community who had joined the celebrations. May the #LivingBridge between Great Britain and Great Bharat grow and glow from strength to strength," the Neasden Temple said on X.

Earlier, British Prime Minister Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty on Sunday hosted Jaishankar and his wife Kyoko Jaishankar for Diwali tea at Downing Street here.

"The Prime Minister @RishiSunak welcomed @DrSJaishankar to Downing Street this evening. Together they expressed their very best wishes as Indian communities around the world begin #Diwali celebrations," the UK Prime Minister's office said in a post on X.

"Delighted to call on Prime Minister @RishiSunak on #Diwali Day. Conveyed the best wishes of PM @narendramodi. India and the UK are actively engaged in reframing the relationship for contemporary times, Jaishankar posted on X.

He also thanked Prime Minister Sunak and his wife for their warm reception and gracious hospitality.

"Wishing everyone a very happy and prosperous Diwali. Hope that this Festival of Lights brings peace, prosperity and health for all," the minister posted earlier on X.

While in the UK, he is expected to attend an event at Lord's Cricket Ground and address a Diwali Reception organised by the High Commission of India in London on Monday.

The Israel Defence Forces on Sunday alleged that the troops had recovered a copy of Mein Kampf -- the autobiography of Adolf Hitler -- from a Hamas terrorist base in Gaza.

The Arabic translation of the autobiography of the dictator was discovered in a child's bedroom, which was being used as a Hamas terrorist base.

Slamming Hamas, the IDF further said the terror group "embraces the ideology of Hitler", the one responsible for the "annihilation" of the Jewish people.

"Never again is NOW. IDF forces discovered a copy of Hitler's infamous book "Mein Kampf"--translated into Arabic--in a child's bedroom used as a Hamas terrorist base in Gaza. The book was discovered among the personal belongings of one of the terrorists, featuring annotations and highlights. Hamas embraces the ideology of Hitler, the one responsible for the annihilation of the Jewish people," the IDF posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Israel had drawn a parallel between the October 7 terror attacks by Hamas and the Holocaust -- the genocide of 6 million Jews by Adolf Hitler-led Germany.

Last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, too, compared the October 7 attacks with the Holocaust.

"On October 7, Hamas waged war on Israel. It was the worst terrorist attack the world has known since 9/11, but for Israel, proportionately, it was like twenty 9/11s. It was the worst act of anti-Semitic violence since the holocaust," Netanyahu said.

Rescuers who worked overnight to rescue around 40 workers trapped after an under-construction tunnel on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri National Highway collapsed in Uttarkashi have established contact with them and provided them with food and water, officials said on Monday.

The workers are safe and have asked for food, which is being sent to them, the Silkyara police control room said, adding that communication has been established on walkie-talkies. Food packets have been supplied with the help of compressors, it said.

Dredging and drilling through the debris inside the under-construction tunnel between Silkyara and Dandalgaon is going on to prepare an escape passage for the trapped labourers, according to the district emergency operation centre.

A part of the tunnel collapsed on Sunday morning, leaving around 40 labourers trapped inside. The tunnel is part of the Char Dham all-weather road project.

According to the District Emergency Operation Centre, the labourers are from Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

The Delhi Fire Service received 208 calls of fire-related incidents, 22 of them caused by firecrackers, on Diwali, an official said on Monday.

There were major fire incidents in Sadar Bazar, East of Kailash and Tilak Nagar on Sunday, although no one was injured, the official said.

According to the Delhi Fire Service official, a major fire broke out at a godown in Deputy Ganj of Sadar Bazar in Central Delhi. Twenty-two fire tenders pressed into service took two hours to control over the blaze, he added.

In West Delhi's Tilak Nagar, there was a fire at a market that gutted half a dozen shops. A fire incident was reported in outer Delhi's Sultanpuri as well.

Delhi recorded a jump in pollution levels and a smoky haze returned on Monday morning after residents flouted the ban on firecrackers on Diwali night. At 7 am, the AQI stood at 275 (poor category).

Pollution levels even entered the 'very poor' category in some areas, including Shadipur (315), Ayanagar (311), Lodhi Road (308), Pusa (355) and Jahangirpuri (333). -- PTI

09:21 'Fauda' crew member 'killed in action' in Gaza

Netflix drama Fauda fame television producer, Master Sgt. (res.) Matan Meir, 38, has been killed in a blast from a booby-trapped tunnel shaft next to a mosque in the Beit Hanoun area of Gaza amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and militant group Hamas.

Meir, from Odem in the Golan Heights, was best known for his work on the award-winning Israeli television show Fauda, the third season of which was set inside the Gaza Strip. He was killed on Friday.

Israel has increased ground offensive along with air strikes in retaliation of the Hamas' initial unprecedented attack on the country's southern areas on October 7. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected growing international calls for a cease-fire unless it includes the release of all the nearly 240 hostages captured by Hamas.

"We are absolutely devastated to share that one of our very own Fauda family members, Matan Meir, was killed in action in Gaza," a post on social media platform X (formerly twitter) by Fauda Official said late on Saturday.

"Matan was an integral part of the crew for all 4 seasons of Fauda. The entire cast and crew are completely heartbroken by this tragic loss. We would like to extend our condolences to Matan's family and friends. May his soul rest in peace," it further said.

Speaking to Israeli web portal, Ynet, Fauda star Lior Raz praised Meir as a "man with a heart of gold."

"I loved you, Matan. You were always here for me at every moment you just wanted to help and be here for others," Raz said.

Meir was serving in the 551st Brigade's 697th Battalion. Four soldiers of the battalion, including Meir, were killed in the incident on November 10.

Fauda has been criticised by a section of viewers for "whitewashing" the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

At least 1,200 people have been killed on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, in the initial Hamas attack on October 7.

Forty-six Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the ground offensive began.

The air quality in Delhi and nearby cities reached hazardous levels a day after Diwali with the widespread violation of the firecracker ban across the National Capital Region on Sunday raising pollution concerns.

The overall air quality in the national capital as of 6 am stood poor with AQI at 286, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) data.

Visuals from across Delhi showed thick haze covering the roads, significantly reducing visibility and making it difficult to see beyond a few hundred metres.

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