Breaking News, November 10

Voting to elect new members of 351 gram panchayats in Latur district of Maharashtra will take place on December 18, the Maharashtra State Election Commission has announced. Along with new gram panchayat members, voters will also directly elect sarpanches in these polls.

Nine people are dead, including four women, after gunmen burst into a bar and opened fire in the violence-wracked Mexican state of Guanajuato, authorities said Thursday. It was at least the third such bar massacre in as many months in Guanajuato, where a local gang is fighting a turf war with Jalisco cartel. The common denominator in the attacks is that the assailants have simply killed everyone in the bars, including waitresses.

A 24-year-old man was arrested with 270 grams of heroin worth Rs 1.09 crore from suburban Goregaon, city police said on Thursday. A team of Dindoshi Police Station saw a man moving suspiciously during patrolling on Wednesday evening, an official said.

Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi on Thursday urged farmers to focus on cultivation of pulses and oilseeds in order to make the country self-reliant in production of these commodities and reduce their imports. Addressing the farmers at the Joint Divisional Rabi Productivity Review Seminar here, the agriculture minister said the country still imports 55 per cent of its edible oil requirement.

Russia said its troops began pulling out of a strategic Ukrainian city on Thursday, a retreat that would represent a humiliating defeat in the grinding war. Ukrainian officials acknowledged Moscow’s forces had no choice but to flee but stopped short of declaring victory in Kherson.

It was difficult to know what was happening in the industrial port city, from which tens of thousands have fled in recent weeks. Some Western observers, including the highest-ranking U.S. military officer, said they believed the Kremlin’s forces have been forced to pull out — though a full withdrawal could take some time.

In a major development in a corruption case against Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University Vice-Chancellor Professor Vinay Pathak, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court Thursday reserved its order on Kanpur University Vice-Chancellor's plea seeking the quashing of an FIR lodged against him.

Two students were injured after a scuffle between two groups of students on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus on Thursday. A few video clips that were circulated on social media showed some students running on the campus with sticks. 

The Pakistan Army on Thursday put to rest speculation about its chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa getting another extension, saying the Chief of Army Staff is paying farewell visits to various garrisons as part of the tradition. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is poised to pick the new Army chief after Gen. Bajwa’s term is scheduled to end on November 29. Gen. Bajwa, 61, is to retire after serving two successive three-year terms as the Army chief, but speculation is rife that he may get a brief extension to oversee the next elections as demanded by former premier Imran Khan. However, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Army's media wing, said in a statement that Gen. Bajwa was already paying farewell visits to various garrisons as part of the tradition.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said the money in the National Pension Scheme (NPS) belongs to individual contributors and as per law, state governments cannot get it back. Responding to queries on restoration of the old pension scheme (OPS), Sitharaman clarified at a press conference that Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh governments that are asking the Centre to return the money, cannot get it back as per law. Chief Ministers of these two states have asked the Centre to return the people's money under NPS for restarting OPS in their states. Both the Congress-ruled states have notified the reintroduction of OPS for government employees and have said the Centre cannot hold back employees' money.

Suspended Superintendent of Police Raj Mohan Ray was on Thursday arrested for allegedly taking Rs 2 lakh as bribe from the kin of a man accused of raping and killing a girl in Assam's Darrang district, a CID statement said. The SP was apprehended after evidence was collected, the release issued by the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) said. Ray had taken illegal gratification from the kin of the accused in the girl's murder case for extending undue favours to dilute the case, it said. He has been arrested in a fresh case registered by Assam CID under the Prevention of Corruption Act and sections of the IPC, the statement said. After analysing bank account statements, call detail records and tower locations, CID investigators found that Ray had received an amount of Rs 2 lakh from the accused's family, it said.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday attacked the BJP citing a special court order which said that the arrest of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in a money laundering case was "illegal", and claimed that his bail had exposed the "vendetta politics" of the government. A special court in Mumbai, while granting bail to Raut in a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), had said his arrest was "illegal" and was an instance of "witch-hunt." Raut had stepped out of jail on Wednesday after the court in Mumbai after his bail.

The CBI has arrested seven more people, including some CRPF and police personnel, in connection with the police sub-inspector recruitment scam in Jammu and Kashmir Police, officials said Thursday. They said the agency had questioned them in Jammu before taking them into custody. Those arrested were CRPF Head Constable Pawan Kumar, CRPF Constables Atul Kumar, Amit Kumar Sharma and Sunil Sharma, Jammu and Kashmir Police Assistant Sub-Inspector Jaisuriya Sharma, and private individuals Tarsem Lal and Asheesh Yadav, they said.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has been conferred with 'Scroll of Honour' by the prestigious National Defence College (NDC). Doval received the award when he visited the premier institute in the national capital on Wednesday. He is an alumnus of the NDC. In his address to those who were part of the institute's 62nd course, Doval also spoke on the subject 'India@2050:Potential & Relevance'. He underscored India's bright future due to its growing economy and powerful human capital. He also said that India is a provider of geopolitical stability and security. 

Two private company executives were arrested on Thursday by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a case related to alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy in which Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia is an accused. The two arrested were Benoy Babu, general manager of liquor company Pernod Ricard, and P Sarath Chandra Reddy, whole time director and promoter of Aurobindo Pharma.

The Congress and the BJP on Thursday wound up their assembly poll campaigns for Himachal Pradesh, which saw high profile leaders descending on it with promises that ranged from implementation of a common civil code to scooters for college-going women. The Bharatiya Janata Party, which is contesting to return to power in the Jai Ram Thakur-led state, scored on bringing in the big names. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited twice, addressing a series of rallies – the last two on Wednesday. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is busy leading a Bharat Jodo Yatra, has skipped campaigning in the state. But Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made up for him to an extent.

The National Stock Exchange (NSE) on Thursday warned investors not to fall prey to investment schemes with assured returns offered by Sameer Gulabrao Thite associated with Samsan Unitrade. The exchange pointed out that the person and the entity are not registered either as a member or authorised person of any registered member of the NSE. The cautionary statement comes after the NSE noticed that Sameer Gulabrao Thite associated with Samsan Unitrade was offering the service to handle trading accounts of investors by asking them to share their user identification (user ID) and password. "Investors are cautioned and advised not to subscribe to any such scheme/product offered by any entities/persons offering indicative/assured/guaranteed returns in the stock market as the same is prohibited by law," the exchange said in a statement.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi alleged today that the BJP did not fulfil the promises it made ahead of the last civic polls in Delhi. She said that the height of the mountains of garbage only increased under areas of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) despite the BJP despite promising to reduce waste from landfill sites and using it for construction of roads. "The areas where the landfill sites are located stink all the time and even the water there is contaminated. Residents who live nearby suffer from several diseases," Atishi said at a press conference. "They didn't fulfil the promise of cleaning of markets during the night. Property taxes have been increased by 34 per cent and mutation charges have been hiked," she said.

The rupee depreciated by 30 paise to close at 81.77 (provisional) against the US dollar on Thursday, as participants remained cautious ahead of the release of the US inflation data. Forex traders said a weak trend domestic equities also weighed on investor sentiments. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the local unit opened at 81.61 and witnessed a high of 81.54 and a low of 81.92. It finally settled at 81.77 against the American currency, registering a fall of 30 paise over its last close of 81.47. 

A man was arrested for allegedly molesting, blackmailing and extorting money from a schoolgirl after befriending her on the internet in Indore in Madhya Pradesh, a police official said on Thursday. The man was held late Wednesday night, Annapurna police station in charge Gopal Parmar told PTI. "The victim's parents noticed cash and jewellery were going missing often from the home over the past two months. Last week, the Class XII student's father saw a threatening message on her phone," he said. "When asked about this message, the girl ducked the query. However, she later told her cousin the accused had taken her to a hotel and clicked obscene photographs and videos, which were being used to blackmail her," he added.

Taking a jibe at the Congress over "many" chief ministerial candidates, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday said the opposition party should make everyone its CM face as only the BJP is going to win the state polls. Addressing a rally here on the last day of canvassing, Thakur said, "Till date, it is not known that how many leaders are contenders for the chief minister's post this time. The Congress should make everyone the chief ministerial candidate but the victory will be of the BJP." The chief minister accused the Congress of making false promises. "Congress leaders make false promises, so there is no need to listen to them. On the other hand, the BJP does not promise, but implements. We had not promised pension to 60-year-old elders, support to patients, relief in electricity and water bills. But the BJP government has done all this." He charged that the Congress has tried to loot the country and the state and it should not come to power. "Now, the people are working to uproot that Congress from across the country. This time the same will happen in Himachal," Thakur said.

BJP president J P Nadda on Thursday said the progress of Himachal Pradesh will come to a halt if a wrong government comes to power in the hill state. Addressing a rally here in support of party candidate Rakesh Pathania on the last day of campaigning for the November 12 Assembly polls, Nadda enumerated various projects launched by the "double-engine" BJP governments at the Centre and the state and said, "This is the time for a renewal of the government. When one engine goes down, Himachal goes down.... If a good gardener is not chosen, the garden will be ruined."

The Supreme Court on Thursday granted four weeks time to the Centre to file its response to BJP leader Subramanian Swamy's plea seeking a direction that the Ram Sethu be declared a national heritage monument, asking why it was dragging its feet. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices Hima Kohli and J B Pardiwala was told by Swamy that it was a small matter where the Centre was supposed to either say “yes” or “no” to the submission.

Alleging that the BJP has "snatched" the economic security of the elderly by doing away with the old pension scheme, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday reiterated that her party will bring it back in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat if it forms governments there. In a Facebook post in Hindi, Vadra said the Congress believes that the employees who have contributed to nation-building should get a pension so that they don't have to depend on anyone in old age.

The Mumbai Police have prohibited the flying of drones, remote-controlled microlight aircraft, paragliders, private helicopters and hot air balloons from November 13 to December 12 to prevent their possible use for terrorist activities, an official said today. No activities of the above-mentioned private flying objects will be allowed in the Brihanmumbai Police Commissionerate limits, except aerial surveillance by city police or by specific permission in writing by the deputy commissioner of police (operations), as per the order issued on Monday.

 A 32-year-old man in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh allegedly killed his mother after accusing her of being a witch who was stalling his marriage, a police official said on Thursday. Abdul Ahmed Farhan hit his mother Asma Farukh (67) with a cricket bat and an iron pipe late Tuesday night, Sub Inspector Pradeep Gurjar of Koh-e-Fiza police station told media.

Notification for the bye-election to the Sardarshahar assembly constituency of Rajasthan was issued on Thursday, a poll official here said. The seat fell vacant after the death of Congress MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma. According to the notification issued by the Chief Election Office, the voting will be held on December 5 and the counting of votes will take place on December 8.

 Jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar has written a fresh letter to the Delhi LG, alleging that he is receiving threats to withdraw his complaint against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and AAP leaders Satyendar Jain and Kailash Gehlot, and sought his transfer to a jail outside the city, his lawyer said on Thursday. The letter written on November 7 was submitted to the LG V K Saxena on November 9 by Chandrashekhar's advocate Ashok K Singh.“I hold very important evidences against them, and they are very well aware of it and will go to any extent to cause harm to me and my wife Leena Paulose, who is also lodged in Mandoli jail in the same case,” Chandrashekhar alleged in the latter.

India-US CEO forum on Wednesday discussed ways to further strengthen economic ties between the two countries. It was chaired jointly by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Gina Raimondo, US Secretary of Commerce. In the meeting, Goyal highlighted the significant growth of the India-US economic relations, driven by the common interest of promoting sustainability, emerging technologies, globally resilient supply chains and small businesses.

The glitzy Terminal-2 of the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) awaiting inauguration seeks to give this pleasant experience to travellers, as the Rs 5000 crore initiative has incorporated the concept of a "Terminal-in-a-garden", a first of its kind. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the airport Friday.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel has been fielded from the Ghatlodiya assembly constituency.

The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) today released its list of candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in the state. The list was released after a meeting of BJP central election committee (CEC), chaired by PM Modi and party president JP Nadda, on Wednesday. 

• SC to hear a plea related to quota for OBCs in local body polls in Maharashtra. 
• SC to hear a plea of CBI against Congress leader Karti P Chidambaram in a criminal case. 
• SC to hear plea of NGO 'CPIL' against appointment of Rakesh Asthana, since retired,  as Delhi Police Commissioner. 
• SC to hear a plea of Enforcement Directorate against Kapil Wadhawan in a money laundering case. 
• SC to hear plea of activist Gautam Navlakha that he be placed under house arrest in Elgar Parishad case. 
• SC to hear bail plea of Ashish Mishra in Lakhimpur Kheri case.
• SC to hear a plea of gangster Arun Gawali in a criminal case

The cooperation or the technical relationships that Tesla founder Elon Musk is having with other countries is worthy of being looked at, US President Joe Biden has Wednesday. “I think that Elon Musk's cooperation and/or technical relationships with other countries is worthy of being looked at,” he told reporters at a White House news conference. 

A Florida-bound storm strengthened into Hurricane Nicole on Wednesday after pounding the Bahamas as U.S. officials ordered evacuations that included former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club. It's a rare November hurricane for storm-weary Florida, where only two such hurricanes have made landfall since recordkeeping began in 1853 — the 1935 Yankee Hurricane and Hurricane Kate in 1985.

US President Joe Biden claimed vindication the day after the midterm elections, saying Democrats had “a strong night” and he planned to change nothing about his approach despite facing the likelihood of divided government in the nation's capital.

India saved USD 4.2 billion in fuel costs through solar generation in the first half of 2022 and 19.4 million tonnes of coal that would have further stressed an already strained domestic supply, according to a new report released on Thursday. The report by energy think tank Ember, the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air and the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis also analysed the growth of solar power over the last decade and found that five of the top 10 economies with solar capacity are now within Asia, including China, Japan, India, South Korea and Vietnam.

US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal have officially launched the US-India CEO Forum. They were joined by Forum’s Private Sector Co-Chairs James Taiclet (Chairman, President, and CEO, Lockheed Martin Corporation) and Natarajan Chandrasekaran (Chairman, Tata Sons), as well as other members of the US and Indian CEO sections, the US Department of Commerce said in a statement.  

A heavy snowfall has the high hills of Rohtang and Lahaul Spiti in Kullu in Himachal Pradesh.