Breaking News, November 24 | HIGHLIGHTS

Internet service was suspended in Bhilwara city for 48 hours after a Muslim man was shot dead and his brother got wounded in the same attack, police said on Thursday. According to the police, four bike-borne assailants opened fire on the brothers to avenge the murder of Adarsh Tapadia that took place six months ago. Additional police force has been deployed in the city as a precautionary measure even as mobs were said to have gathered at various places, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Hawa Singh Ghumaria said. Family members of the victims and their supporters vandalised the hospital after one of the victims of the attack succumbed there during treatment, police said. His injured sibling has been referred to Udaipur for treatment, they said.

Assam Chief Minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday claimed that the Mehrauli killing has an "element of love jihad" and said besides roads and electricity, security of daughters is a poll issue. Responding to a question on him raising the Shraddha Walkar murder case during the poll campaign and calling for a stringent law to prevent "love jihad", Sarma said the case relates to the security of women and also has an "element of love jihad". "...Aaftab brought Sharddha to Delhi for marriage. He cut her body into 35 pieces and put in the fridge...then he brought another woman in the same room...it relates to the security of women, it is related to the security of my daughter, and there is an element of love jihad," he said at the Times Now Summit here. Aaftab Amin Poonawala allegedly strangled Walkar (27) and sawed her body into 35 pieces, which he kept in a 300-litre fridge for almost three weeks at his residence in south Delhi's Mehrauli before dumping those across the city over several days past midnight. Walkar was allegedly killed in May.

Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said no one can stop rewriting of history to free it from "distortions" as he urged academicians to research and write about 30 great Indian empires and 300 warriors who showed exemplary valour to fight for the motherland. The home minister said had it not been for Veer Lachit Barphukan, the Northeast would not have been a part of India. He was addressing a plenary session of the 400th birth anniversary celebrations of the legendary Ahom general. He protected not only Northeast India but the entire Southeast Asia from religious fanatic Aurangzeb, Shah said.

The Rajasthan Cabinet on Thursday approved the Rajasthan Rural Tourism Scheme, 2022, to boost rural tourism and generate employment. During Thursday's meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, the Cabinet took several big decisions, including giving more opportunities for promotions to state government personnel and amending the Rajasthan Civil Services (Absorption of Ex-Servicemen) Rules, it said in a statement. The Rajasthan Rural Tourism Scheme will create employment opportunities in the villages and protect the handicrafts industry by establishing rural guest houses, agricultural tourism units, camping sites and caravan parks. At the same time, the scheme will acquaint domestic and foreign tourists with Rajasthan's rural culture.

A Walmart manager pulled out a handgun before a routine employee meeting and began firing wildly around the break room of a Virginia store, killing six co-workers in the nation's second high-profile mass shooting in four days, police and witnesses said. The gunman was dead when officers arrived late Tuesday at the store in Chesapeake, Virginia's second-largest city. Authorities said he apparently shot himself. Police were trying to determine a motive. One employee described watching “bodies drop” as the assailant fired, without saying a word. “He was just shooting all throughout the room. It didn't matter who he hit. He didn't say anything. He didn't look at anybody in any specific type of way," Briana Tyler, a Walmart employee, said Wednesday. Six people were also wounded in the shooting, which happened just after 10 p.m. as shoppers were stocking up ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Police said they believe about 50 people were in the store at the time.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday said that suggestions made during the 'Chintan Shivar' will be incorporated into the action plan to make Uttarakhand one of the leading states in the country by 2025. The three-day 'Chintan Shivir', which was organised to prepare a roadmap of Uttarakhand, concluded on Thursday at Mussoorie's Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration. "The suggestions offered by experts at the camp will be incorporated into the action plan for building a strong Uttarakhand by 2025. Important ones will also be brought before the Cabinet," Dhami said while addressing the concluding session of the camp. "The power point presentations by different departments were impressive. We have to follow the mantra of simplification, solution and disposal to achieve our targets," he said.

Using terms such as "Jhaduchhap" and "Chavannichhap" to describe AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya on Thursday alleged that those who questioned the army's bravery and supported anti-India slogans at JNU have no right to seek votes. It is alleged that the BJP is a party of Hindus, he said at a Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) poll meeting in Burari and added "we are not a party of Hindus, we are a party of all the people". The high-stakes MCD elections, which will be held on December 4, is being seen as a three-way contest between the BJP, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). "We work for all the 130 crore people in the country. (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji's slogan itself is 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas' which includes all, the Hindus and the Muslims, everyone," the BJP general secretary said. He said under the Modi's leadership, the BJP government at the Centre has worked for the poor irrespective of religion or caste.

A court on Thursday acquitted an accused in a case related to the communal violence that shook northeast Delhi in 2020 of the charges of rioting and arson. The court was hearing the case against Noor Mohammad, who was accused of being a part of a riotous mob that set ablaze a shop in the Khajuri Khas area on February 24, 2020. "I find that the charges levelled against the accused in this case are not proved beyond reasonable doubts. Hence, accused Noor Mohammad is acquitted of all the charges levelled against him in this case," Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala said. Taking note of the witnesses' statements, the court said it was established that an unlawful assembly used explosive or inflammable substances to torch the complainant's shop.

Two persons have died and 70 are hospitalised due to diarrhoea after drinking contaminated water in Bhilai in Chhattisgarh's Durg district, a health official said on Thursday. As many as 91 persons were admitted due the ailment over the last two days, of which two, identified as M Madhvi (12) and Kush Daharia (31), died on Wednesday, Durg Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr JP Meshram said. "Those afflicted have been admitted in Urban Primary Health Centre in Baikunth Dham, Civil Hospital, BM Shah Hospital and SS Hospital in Bhilai, Ambe Hospital in Power House area," he added. As many as 91 persons were admitted, of which 21 have been discharged, Meshram said, adding the number of cases were on the rise. Officials said the vector borne disease was reported on Wednesday from Vrindavan Nagar, JP Nagar, Santosh Para and other localities in Camp Area. Durg Collector Pushpendra Kumar Meena and civic officials visited these hospitals, they said, adding a medical combat team has been formed to tackle the situation.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) on Thursday alleged that police personnel in Mainpuri parliamentary constituency are working in favour of the BJP for the upcoming by-poll. It also met Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Ajay Kumar Shukla, demanding the removal of these police personnel to ensure fair elections. The delegation was headed by SP National secretary Rajendra Chaudhary including KK Srivastav and Radheshyam Singh Yadav. As per a press statement issued by the party headquarters, the delegation alleged some police personnel are misusing their power and demanded a swift removal of the Station House Officer (SHO) of Karhal and Baranhal Police station. "We have complained against six inspectors, 13 sub-inspectors and over 100 head constables who are working in favour of the BJP and putting undue pressure on Samajwadi Party workers," the statement said.

A sessions court here has upheld a magisterial court order to frame charges against BJP leaders Manoj Shokeen and Master Azad Singh for offences including assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty. Shokeen is a former MLA while Singh was the mayor of North Delhi. The court, however, directed the magisterial court to amend the charge for the offence of criminal intimidation. The sessions court was hearing Shokeen and Singh's revision petitions where they argued that the magisterial court's order to frame charges against them was not sustainable. "The order of the Metropolitan Magistrate, to the extent of framing charge under sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) is perfectly correct," Additional Sessions Judge Vikram said in an order dated November 10.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has granted licences for terrace- and open-air dining to 200 establishments across the national capital in less than a week, sources said on Thursday. Of these, 155 permits have been granted for open-space dining and the remainder for terrace dining.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had on October 31 set up a high-power committee to ease the licensing process and requirements for restaurants and hotels. The move, officials said, would boost the hospitality sector and allow dining till late and on terraces. The committee submitted its report within 15 days, following which the MCD invited applications from restaurants and eateries for open-air dining. In less than a week after the MCD started receiving applications for open-air dining in terraces and attached open spaces, 200 establishments across the national capital have been granted licences, a source said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Gujarat has transformed the education sector in the state and made it more scientific and modern, touching upon an election issue which is being aggressively pushed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Addressing a rally in Dehgam town of Gandhinagar district, his third of the day, ahead of the next month's Assembly polls, the PM pointed out that Gujarat's education budget has now gone up to Rs 33,000 crore, more than the total budget outlay of several states.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday indicated that he may contest the 2024 parliamentary elections from Kannauj, which had elected him as an MP for the first time. "It is our job to contest... what will I do sitting idle? I will contest from where I had contested the first election," he told reporters here when asked if he will contest from Kannauj in 2024. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister, however, said the party would take a decision at the right time. Akhilesh Yadav was here to attend a private function organised by party leader Sunil Kumar Gupta alias 'Munna Bhaiya'.

Equity benchmark BSE Sensex closed at an all-time high of 62,272.68 on Thursday, tracking a firm trend in global markets after the US Fed minutes indicated a slower pace of rate increase that bolstered investors' sentiment. Extending its rally to the third straight day, the 30-share BSE benchmark rallied 762.10 points or 1.24 per cent to settle at 62,272.68, its record closing peak. During the day, it jumped 901.75 points or 1.46 per cent to its lifetime high of 62,412.33. The broader NSE Nifty gained 216.85 points or 1.19 per cent to end at 18,484.10. During the day, it hit its 52-week high of 18,529.70, higher by 262.45 points or 1.43 per cent.

The Supreme Court said on Thursday it will set up a fresh five-judge Constitution bench to hear the pleas challenging the constitutional validity of polygamy and 'nikah halala' among Muslims. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices Hima Kohli and J B Pardiwala was urged by lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay, who has filed a PIL on the issue, that a fresh five-judge bench was needed to be constituted as two judges of the previous bench-Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Hemant Gupta- have demitted office. "We will form a bench," the CJI responded. On August 30, a five-judge bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee, Hemant Gupta, Surya Kant, M M Sundresh and Sudhanshu Dhulia had made the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), National Commission for Women (NCW) and the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) parties to the PILs and sought their responses.

The Delhi High Court on Thursday rejected a petition by former AAP leader Tahir Hussain challenging framing of money laundering charges against him in the 2020 northeast Delhi riots. “The petition and the accompanying applications are declined,” said Justice Anu Malhotra. The judge had reserved the order on Hussain's plea on November 15. The plea challenged a trial court's November 3 order by which charges for the alleged offence under Sections 3 (offence of money laundering) and 4 (punishment for the offence of money laundering) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) were framed against him.

The BJP will scrap factory licences and adopt a simple online process to issue trade and health licenses if voted to power in the civic body elections, Delhi unit president Adesh Gupta said here on Thursday. The BJP has been in power in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) - trifurcated in 2012 into north, south and east corporations and then unified this year - for three straight terms. Multi-level parking will also be developed in all the major markets to ease the parking-related problems faced by the traders, he said. Gupta said if the BJP wins a majority of the 250 wards in the December 4 polls, the party will also deseal the thousands of properties sealed on account of violation of MPD­2021 (Master Plan for Delhi-2021).

A 10-year-old boy was killed in a leopard attack near the Suhelwa Wildlife Santuary in Uttar Pradesh's Balrampur district, police said on Thursday. Sandeep had gone out of the house in Majhgawan village late on Wednesday evening to attend to nature's call. The leopard, which was sitting behind a tree, attacked him and started to drag him to the nearby sugarcane field, it said. Hearing his cries, his grandmother came out and raised an alarm. The leopard went into the forest and left the child, who had died by then.

Will travel to Delhi on Dec 5 to participate in G20 meet called by PM: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.

Individuals having only single name as surname or given name in their passports will not be allowed to enter the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with new guidelines coming into force. "Any passport holder with a single name (word) either in surname or given name will not be accepted by UAE immigration and the passenger will be considered as INAD," according to a circular issued by Air India and Air India Express, mentioning about the latest UAE guidelines. INAD refers to Inadmissible Deportee.

Little-known outfit Islamic Resistance Council (IRC) reportedly claims responsibility for Mangaluru blast on Nov 19; Police verifying source of information.

It was uncharted territory for the Israeli journalist. Wandering through the rustic outdoor marketplace in Doha before the start of the World Cup, he zeroed in on a Qatari man in his traditional headdress and white flowing robe and asked for an interview. “Which channel?” the Qatari asked. The journalist replied he was from Kan, Israel's public broadcaster. The Qatari was stunned. “Where?” “Israel," the journalist repeated. A split-second later, the interview was over.

Arrangements are in place for one of the much-awaited meetings of the G20 Presidency, which will be held in the picturesque Andaman and Nicobar Islands on November 26, official sources said. It will be held at ‘Swaraj Dweep’ (popularly known as Havelock Island), which is a nearly two-and-half-hour sea journey from Port Blair in government ferries and private cruises.

Four children were taken seriously ill after consuming a wild fruit in Jaidpur Purva village here, police said on Thursday. Eight others, including women and children, who had also consumed the wild fruit, were treated at home and are stable, they said. The children had gone to the jungle on Wednesday to pick vegetables when they found the wild fruit which they consumed and also brought home for others, police said.

A total of 6106 government schools in Himachal Pradesh have less than 20 students including 5113 primary and 993 middle schools in the state, according to a report. The number ranges between 21-60 in 4478 primary and 895 middle schools and 61 to 100 in 681 primary and 47 middle schools, a recent report by Unified District Information System for Education stated.

Absence of staunch opposition by the KS Alagiri-led Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) leadership to the recent release of six Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convicts was among the reasons cited by a senior office-bearer who offered to quit the party days ago and it is a pointer to the dynamics involved in the ties between the TNCC and the ruling DMK.

China is expanding lockdowns, including in a cental city where factory workers clashed this week with police, as its number of COVID-19 cases hit a daily record. People in eight districts of Zhengzhou with a total of 6.6 million residents were told to stay home for five days beginning on Thursday, except to buy food or get medical treatment. Daily mass testing was ordered in what the city government called a “war of annihilation” against the virus. During clashes on Tuesday and Wednesday, Zhengzhou police beat workers protesting over a pay dispute at the biggest factory for Apple's iPhone.

A mild tremor of 3.6 magnitude was experienced in Maharashtra's Palghar district, officials said. The tremor was recorded at 4.04 am on Wednesday, 24 kilometres east of Dahanu at a depth of 5 km, an official from the district disaster control room said.
There was no report of any casualty or damage due to the seismic activity, the official said.

Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's Nepali Congress (NC)-led ruling coalition was on Thursday on its way to winning Nepal's parliamentary elections and has bagged 40 seats out of 65 declared so far. Out of the 275 Members of Parliament, 165 will be elected through direct voting, while the remaining 110 will be elected through a proportional electoral system.

RH200, the versatile sounding rocket of ISRO, has registered its 200th consecutive successful launch from the shores of Thumba, Thiruvananthapuram. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday termed it a "historic moment". It was witnessed by former President Ram Nath Kovind and ISRO chairman S Somanath, among others.

Non-profit body Akshaya Patra has raised more than USD2 million during a gala this week which will be used to provide free mid-day meals to needy students in India, the organisation has said. The 2022 Gratitude Gala in Newark, organised by the Akshaya Patra Foundation USA's Tri-state Volunteer Chapter, was attended by over 400 business, non-profit and philanthropic community leaders and professionals, it said in a statement.

Reformist opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim edged closer to become Malaysia's new prime minister after a political party agreed Thursday to support a unity government following inconclusive general elections. Any agreement must still be approved by Malaysia's king. Last Saturday's divisive election led to a hung parliament that renewed a leadership crisis in Malaysia, which had three prime ministers since 2018. Police have tightened security nationwide as social media warned of racial troubles if Anwar's multiethnic bloc wins.

Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi has filed an application in the High Court in London, seeking permission to appeal against his extradition order in the Supreme Court. The 51-year-old diamantaire lost an appeal on mental health grounds earlier this month, when a two-judge High Court bench ruled that his risk of suicide was not such that it would be either unjust or oppressive to extradite him to India to face charges of fraud and money laundering in the estimated USD 2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan scam case.

An earthquake of  3.4 magnitude occurred 37km East-North-East of Tura. According to National Center for Seismology, tremours were felt around 3:46 am today. 

More than 30 people were injured in explosions that occurred during fireworks competition in Kendrapara. The competition was underway during an immersion procession at Balia Bazaar under the limit of Sadar police station. "All injured were admitted to Kendrapara District headquarter Hospital," Amrut Rituraja, DM Kendrapada, told media. 

The devotees participated in the "Lakshya Deepotsav" at Shri Siddaroodha Swami Math in Hubli. They also lit thousands of earthen lamps on the occasion.