Mumbai, Oct 18 (PTI) A major fire has engulfed some commercial shops in Malad area on Saturday afternoon, officials said.

The blaze, which erupted around 1 PM in Pathanwadi, is confined to approximately 15-20 shops, and there is no report of any injury to anyone, according to officials.

At least eight fire engines and other firefighting vehicles are conducting operations to douse the fire.

The cause of the blaze cannot be known immediately, officials added. PTI KK ARU NSK

Mumbai/New Delhi, Oct 18 (PTI) Gold and silver buying on the auspicious occasion of Dhanteras kicked off on Saturday with jewellers expecting higher footfalls, though record high prices of the yellow metal could dampen demand by 15 per cent in volume terms compared with a year earlier.

Dhanteras, the most auspicious day in the Hindu calendar for buying items ranging from precious metals to utensils, is being celebrated over two days until 1.45 pm on Sunday, with jewellers expecting more footfalls in both online and offline stores.

Gold prices have surged 65 per cent to Rs 1,34,800 per 10 grams of 24 karat, inclusive of all taxes, in the national capital, compared with Rs 81,400 on Dhanteras last year, which was celebrated on October 29, 2024.

Silver prices are currently at Rs 1,77,000 per kilogram.

"We are expecting the momentum to pick up after the muhurat time. Since the festival falls on a weekend we have geared up for a robust Dhanteras," All India Gem And Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC) Chairman Rajesh Rokde told PTI.

GJC expects gold sales to increase by 40-45 per cent in value terms on a year-on-year basis, he said.

Suvankar Sen, Managing Director and chief executive of Senco Gold and Diamonds, said high prices will affect sale volumes by 12-15 per cent, but in value terms there will be growth of 20-25 per cent on Dhanteras.

While some consumers are still buying gold jewellery even at high rates, many are shifting towards silver buying, especially bullion.

Saiyam Mehra, former chairman of GJC, said volume-wise, gold jewellery sales are expected to witness a decline of 10 per cent on Dhanteras.

He said silver prices surged due to scarcity of the white metal since last month because of a ban on imports of jewellery, though silver prices have now started seeing a correction.

Sachin Jain, regional CEO for India at the World Gold Council, said Dhanteras and Diwali are the top gold-buying occasions in India.

"Despite gold prices reaching multiple historic highs through 2025, witnessing an approximate 51.2 per cent year-to-date increase in rupee prices by end-September, consumer sentiment and demand for the yellow metal have been positive," he said.

Retailers, who had been cautious about their inventories in recent months, are now well-stocked and optimistic, with seasonal and wedding-related demand further fuelling purchases, suggesting a vibrant festive season for gold sales.

Consumer buying is expected to be strong across various gold purchases, from higher caratage gold jewellery to investment products like digital gold, coins and ETFs.

"This positive outlook is strongly supported by India registering positive gold ETF flows of USD 902 million in September, along with overall gold imports reaching a nine-month high in August 2025," Jain said, adding that gold demand is expected to continue through the Diwali period and until the end of the year due to the wedding season.

Kam Jewelry Managing Director Colin Shah said while demand dynamics are likely to remain consistent, consumer preferences are rapidly shifting toward lightweight jewellery.

"The festive season is expected to see a significant surge in demand for jewellery in the 9 to 18 carat segment. ... we foresee a festive surge of 18-20 per cent in overall sales," Shah said.

India is the world's second-largest gold consumer and one of the largest importers globally, after China. PTI SM LUX ANU

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Kolkata, Oct 18 (PTI) An ambulance assistant of the Indian Army returning to duty from leave administered mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to an eight-month-old infant on a train and saved his life, a Defence official said on Saturday.

Sepoy Sunil, posted in a field hospital of the Army in the north-east, administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to the infant and stabilised the baby while travelling on the New Delhi-Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express, he said.

"His timely and professional action prevented a fatality in a situation where no immediate medical support was available," the Defence official said in a statement.

The eight-month-old infant had developed sudden respiratory distress while travelling in the train earlier this week and became unresponsive. The mother of the child fainted as she thought the baby had died, while other family members panicked, the defence official said.

Sepoy (Ambulance Assistant) Sunil, posted in the 456 Field Hospital, was returning from leave and was in the same coach.

He immediately rushed to their assistance and, upon examining the baby, found that the infant had no pulse or breathing, the official said.

"Sunil immediately initiated paediatric cardio-pulmonary resuscitation using two fingers on the chest and gave mouth-to-mouth breathing to the child, and after about two cycles of CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), the baby showed signs of life," he said.

The army man subsequently ensured coordination with train staff and railway police for the infant’s further evacuation and medical management at Rangiya station in Assam, the Defence official said.

He emphasised that the sepoy's decisive action and calm execution under pressure helped save a precious life. PTI AMR BDC

New Delhi, Oct 18 (PTI) Additional electronics consumption worth Rs 20 lakh crore is expected to take place this year due to GST reforms rolled out by the government last month, Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday.

The minister said that data from all retail chains shows there were 20-25 per cent more sales in comparison to last Navaratri and there are many such categories, like 85-inch TV where stocks were completely sold out.

"The increase in demand for electronics goods is directly impacting electronics manufacturing. Electronics manufacturing is now growing at a double-digit CAGR. It is very likely that the consumption will increase more than 10 per cent this year, which means, there is a high possibility of Rs 20 lakh crore extra consumption compared to last year," Vaishnaw said.

He was speaking at a joint press conference with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on savings due to GST reforms which came into effect from September 22, 2025. PTI PRS ANU

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New Delhi, Oct 18 (PTI) The Election Commission on Saturday said voters in Bihar, where polls will be held in two phases next month, are entitled to paid holidays on polling days, and employers who contravene this legal provision can be fined.

It added that voters in eight assembly constituencies across various states, where bypolls are being held on November 11, are also entitled to a paid holiday.

"As per section 135B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, every person employed in any business, trade, industrial undertaking, or any other establishment, and entitled to vote at an election to the House of the People or to the Legislative Assembly of a State/UT, shall be granted a paid holiday on the day of poll," the EC said citing legal provisions

It underlined that there will be no deduction of wages on account of such a paid holiday.

"Any employer who contravenes these provisions shall be liable to a fine," it cautioned.

All daily wage and casual workers are also entitled to a paid holiday on election day, it said.

The commission noted that electors, including casual and daily wage workers, who are working or employed in industrial or commercial establishments located outside their constituency but are registered as voters in a constituency going to polls, will also be entitled to the benefit of a paid holiday on the day of the election to enable them to cast their vote.

The EC has asked concerned states to issue necessary instructions for strict compliance with the provision. PTI NAB RHL

New Delhi, Oct 18 (PTI) Can a film age like fine wine, mellow and satiny smooth, be recalled wistfully whenever you think of romance, yet sit uneasily with contemporary times? “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” is that contradiction – a much loved film cast in a conservative-patriarchal mould but one still finding takers in this age of swipe right and swipe left.

“Come fall in love" was the tagline of the Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol starrer that released 30 years ago on October 20, 1995. And people did. They still do, some rekindling an old romance and others perhaps starting one.

The love story, about two London-bred youngsters who fall in love but won’t get married until they get parental consent, marked the directorial debut of Aditya Chopra. Unfolding in lush Swiss meadows and snow-capped mountains and moving to Punjab’s mustard fields, it went on to become one of the greatest hits of Indian cinema and is still being screened in Mumbai’s Maratha Mandir.

Out of sync in the age of dating apps like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge, the story centres around Raj, a carefree, rich boy who falls in love with Simran when they meet on a European holiday.

Simran is enjoying the last bit of teen freedom before she travels to Punjab to marry a man she has never met and one her strict father Chaudhary Baldev Singh has chosen for her. Lovelorn Raj follows her there with the promise to win over her father.

Couples, young and old, come to the theatre even today to watch the romance, sepia tinted maybe but still fresh and gentle, said Manoj Desai, executive director of Maratha Mandir.

On weekdays, about 70 to 100 people come to watch the movie in the 11:30 am show. On weekends, the number goes up to 200-300, according to Desai.

The ticket prices for the movie are Rs 50 for balcony seat and Rs 30 for dress circle.

According to film historian SMM Ausaja, “DDLJ”, as the film came to be known, struck a chord at the time because there was a saturation of David Dhawan-Govinda comedies.

"It was a landmark film in terms of romance, music, brilliant dialogues, iconic scenes including the train sequence. Performances were top class, and had a crackling onscreen chemistry of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. No film has been able to recreate this kind of magic in the romantic space," Ausaja told PTI.

The enduring love story, set against close knit families, boisterous patriarchs and nostalgia for ‘mera desh’, is coded in the memory of cinema-lovers.

With an ensemble cast that included Farida Jalal, Amrish Puri, Anupam Kher and Parmeet Sethi, it’s the perfect mélange of songs, dialogues, costumes and scenes, quoted endlessly for three decades and counting.

Its songs "Tujhe dekha to ye jaana sanam", "Mehndi laga ke rakhna", "Ruk jaa...", "Mere khwabo mein...", "Ho gaya hai tujhko to pyaar sajna" live on. So do the dialogues – you may or may not have seen the film but you are likely to remember “Bade bade deshon mein, aisi baatein hoti rahti hain Senorita...", the "Palat" moment when Raj wills Simran to turn around and of course the "Jaa Simran ja, jee le apni zindagi", the final acceptance from the crusty father to his daughter.

Aditya Chopra wrote the film with Javed Siddiqui while Manmohan Singh served as the cinematographer and Jatin Pandit and Lalit Pandit composed the music for it. The film was edited by Keshav Naidu. The team couldn't have come together better,

“DDLJ”, like “Sholay”, came at the right time, said Ausaja.

"That film triggered the so-called NRI movies. It happens once in a lifetime. The film cemented Shah Rukh’s status as a top movie star. It was like what ‘Deewar’ was for Amitabh Bachchan. The way family values were celebrated it worked big time with people across all demographics," the historian said.

The film has legions of fans in every walk of life and directors down the years have doffed their hats to various moments from the film, including the famous train scene when Raj stretches his hand out to Simran, to pull her into a tight embrace – their ‘happily ever after’.

According to Hitesh Kewalya, director of same-sex love story "Shubh Mangal Zyada Savdhan", referencing "DDLJ" made his film more relatable to the people. "When the time came to write 'Shubh Mangal Zyada Savdhan', I was thinking about all the classic love stories that we have seen in our Hindi cinema. And it came naturally to me that if I have to tell a love story about two men who love each other, then DDLJ would be the reference point of that,” he said.

Every scene and prop in the movie -- the brown jacket in the 'palat' scene, the mandolin and the cowbell that Simran hangs outside her London home for Raj to find before she leaves for Punjab -- has a little story.

The jacket was a favourite of Aditya Chopra. The first time director wanted to use the mandolin as he was a big Raj Kapoor fan and the cowbell, though bought in Switzerland, was a way to honour Yash Chopra's Punjabi roots.

Kajol, just 21 when she played arguably most famous role of the rebellious yet traditional NRI reconciled to marrying a stranger, doesn’t believe the magic can be recreated.

"I think that if today you had to make a film, you would have to make it like 'DDLJ', but it will never be 'DDLJ'. It will have to be different. And once you change people, the atmosphere, you will have to adapt the story to the current times, society and thought processes. And that changes the entire language of the film. So you will have to create your own magic," she told PTI recently.

As people continue to file into a darkened theatre to watch “DDLJ” or watch it on their screens at home, the romance endures. Mystifying for some. But then that is the magic of the movies. PTI BK KKP RB MIN MIN

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Lucknow, Oct 18 (PTI) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said every inch of Pakistan's territory lies within range of BrahMos and what happened during Operation Sindoor was just a trailer.

BrahMos has become a key pillar of India's armed forces and has strengthened the country's belief that it can turn its dreams into reality, Singh said after he and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath flagged off the first batch of the missiles manufactured at the BrahMos Aerospace unit here.

BrahMos Aerospace has successfully produced the first batch of the missile system from its new integration and test facility in Sarojini Nagar, Lucknow, an official statement said.

The flagging off is not only a milestone for the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC) but will also provide a new energy to India's resolve to achieve self-reliance in defence manufacturing, it said.

This state-of-the-art BrahMos Aerospace unit, which was inaugurated on May 11, houses all modern facilities for missile integration, testing and final quality checks. After successful testing, the missiles are prepared for deployment by the Indian armed forces.

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, Minister Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi and various officials were present on the occasion. PTI CDN DIV

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New Delhi, Oct 18 (PTI) There is an imminent need for jurisdictional agencies, handling affairs at international airports, to sensitise their officers in the prevailing laws before taking the drastic step of detention and arrest of an international traveller, the Supreme Court has said.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta made the observations while quashing the arrest and criminal proceedings against NRI Rocky Abraham, an Indian citizen settled in Italy for over two decades.

He was detained at the Delhi airport in January 2025 for allegedly carrying a deer horn in violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Abraham was arrested after airport officials found the horn in his baggage and registered an FIR under Sections 39, 49, and 51 of the Act.

He remained in custody for nearly two weeks before securing bail with onerous conditions, including a ban on leaving India.

The top court noted that the article recovered from the petitioner upon DNA analysis was a reindeer horn, which does not infringe any provision of law pertaining to forest or wildlife in India.

"This court feels an imminent need to require the jurisdictional agencies concerned, handling affairs at the international airports, to sensitise their officers in the prevailing laws before taking the drastic step of detention and arrest of an international traveller.

"Needless to state that any such step should not be taken in haste and must be proceeded by appropriate legal opinion and with a pragmatic approach," the bench said.

The apex court said such ill-advised actions tend to bring the reputation of the country to disrepute in the international fora, in addition to bringing the conduct of the concerned officers into breach of the human rights guarantees.

"Consequently, we hereby declare the arrest of the petitioner and so also the FIR and all proceedings sought to be taken thereunder against the petitioner to be unlawful. The same are hereby quashed.

"The writ petition pending before the High Court and the proceedings, if any, pending before the jurisdictional trial Court shall also stand closed. The petitioner is given liberty to avail a suitable remedy seeking damages before the appropriate forum," it said. PTI PKS RHL

Islamabad, Oct 18 (PTI) Army chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Saturday warned Afghanistan to choose between "peace and chaos" as it asked Kabul to take firm and immediate action against terrorists using Afghan soil to launch attacks inside Pakistan.

Munir's statement came amidst Pakistan launching fresh air strikes targeting terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan late Friday, hours after Islamabad and Kabul extended their two-day ceasefire that had temporarily halted hostilities between the two sides.

Choose between “peace and chaos”, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) said, referring to Afghanistan while addressing a graduation ceremony of passing out army cadets at the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Kakul at Abbottabad in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The Taliban regime, he said, should act decisively against militants operating from its soil for terrorist activities in Pakistan.

All proxies using Afghan soil would be met with a response to “raise them to dust”, Munir warned.

Friday's strikes by Pakistan followed a gun-and-bomb attack by terrorists at a military installation in North Waziristan, claimed by the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The fresh strikes came amid representatives from the two countries being expected to meet in Doha, where the Qatari government is set to make an effort for mediation.

Islamabad has consistently urged the Taliban government to prevent terrorist groups from using Afghan territory for cross-border attacks. Kabul, however, denies these allegations, insisting that Afghan soil is not being used against any neighbouring country.

The situation deteriorated between the two neighbours following repeated terrorist attacks by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), allegedly using the Afghan soil, including one in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Orakzai district recently, which claimed the lives of 11 military personnel, including a Lt Colonel and a Major. PTI SH SCY SCY

Quetta, Oct 18 (PTI) The son of a top government official who was kidnapped near Ziarat in the restive Balochistan province of Pakistan have been found by the security agencies, officials said on Saturday.

Assistant Commissioner (AC) of Ziarat Muhammad Afzal Baqi and his son were kidnapped near Ziarat around two months back.

Bilal Sheikh, a senior police official, said that AC Baqi is still missing, and assured that authorities are making all-out efforts for his safe recovery.

“We have recovered his son, Mustansar Bilal, after he reached the Zardalo area of Harnai himself, and we have taken him into protective custody,” said Sheikh.

AC Baqi and his son were kidnapped from near Harnai by armed men while returning from the Ziarat area after a picnic along with their family.

The kidnappers let go of the family members, the security guard and the driver after setting the official vehicle on fire.

Based on media reports surfaced on September 21, the police suspect that the AC might have been killed by the kidnappers. Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti, in his address, told the assembly that there is no official confirmation.

Kidnapping and targeted killings of government officials posted in Balochistan take place frequently as heavily armed banned insurgent groups continue to operate in the restive province. PTI CORR SKS RD

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Beijing, Oct 18 (PTI) Noted Chinese physicist and Nobel Laureate Chen Ning Yang, died in Beijing on Saturday. He was 103 years old.

Yang was born in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, in 1922. In the 1940s, he went to the United States to pursue academic studies and subsequently held teaching positions. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1957, official media here reported.

In 1954, he co-authored a set of equations with the American physicist Robert Mills that turned out to be as important to physics as Einstein’s theory of relativity.

The resulting Yang–Mills theory described how three of nature’s four fundamental forces – the electromagnetic, weak and strong interactions – operate in the subatomic world, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.

Their theory laid the mathematical foundation for what later became known as the Standard Model, the cornerstone of modern physics that unifies these forces and explains the behaviour of all known elementary particles.

“Yang was one of the greatest theoretical physicists of the 20th century,” Shi Yu, professor of physics and associate director of the Wilczek Quantum Centre at the Shanghai Institute for Advanced Studies said.

Without Yang-Mills theory, there would be no Standard Model, she told the Post.

Yang’s most profound contribution was changing the mindset of Chinese people who once believed they were not as good as others in science and inspiring future generations to believe they could stand shoulder to shoulder with the world’s best scientists, she said. PTI KJV RD

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Washington, Oct 18 (PTI) Amid escalating hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan, US President Donald Trump claimed that the conflict between the two countries will be an “easy” one for him to solve, "if" he had to solve it. 

While speaking to the media during a bilateral lunch with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Friday, Trump said, “I do understand Pakistan attacked or there is an attack going on with Afghanistan, that’s an easy one for me to solve if I have to solve that.”

Trump once again claimed to have saved millions of lives while assuring that he will have “success” in resolving the conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"I like stopping people from being killed. I have saved millions and millions of lives, and I think we are going to have success with this war, “ the US president said. 

Pakistan launched fresh air strikes targeting terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan, casting a shadow over the expected talks in Doha amid a fragile ceasefire that had temporarily halted hostilities between the two sides. 

The strikes followed a gun-and-bomb attack by terrorists at a military installation in North Waziristan, and just hours after Islamabad and Kabul extended their two-day ceasefire, the Dawn reported on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Trump has once again expressed dismay at not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize despite resolving “eight wars”. 

“You know we resolved eight others, it’s funny how people say this, if you get this one ... every time I do one, they forget about that one. I solved eight wars,” Trump said

“Every time I solve one, they say if you solve the next one, you are going to get the Nobel prize,” Trump added. 

However, the US President was quick to add that he did not do it for the Nobel while claiming that he does not know María Corina Machado, the Nobel Peace Prize winner for 2025, without naming her. 

  “I did not get the Nobel prize. Somebody got it was a very nice woman, very nice, I don’t know who she is, but she was very generous, so I don’t care about all that stuff, I just care about saving lives,” Trump said. PTI RD

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Wellington, Oct 18 (The Conversation) A wave of proposed social media bans for young people has swept the globe recently, fuelled by mounting concern about the apparent harm the likes of TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat can cause to vulnerable minds.

Australia was the first to announce restrictions on people under 16 having a social media account. New Zealand may soon follow, and Denmark’s prime minister recently declared her country would ban social media for under-15s, accusing mobile phones and social networks of “stealing our children’s childhood”.

The moves are part of a growing international trend: the United Kingdom, France, Norway, Pakistan and the United States are now considering or implementing similar restrictions, often requiring parental consent or digital ID verification.

At first glance, these policies appear to be about protecting young people from mental health harm, explicit content and addictive design. But beneath the language of safety lies something else: a shift in cultural values.

The bans reflect a kind of moral turn, one that risks reviving conservative notions that predate the internet. Might we be entering a new Victorian era of the internet, where the digital lives of young people are reshaped not just by regulation but by a reassertion of moral control?

Policing moral decline

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The Victorian era was marked by rigid social codes, modest dress and formal communication. Public behaviour was tightly regulated, and schools were seen as key sites for socialising children into gender and class hierarchies.

Today, we see echoes of this in the way “digital wellness” is framed. Screen-time apps, detox retreats and “dumb” phones are marketed as tools for cultivating a “healthy” digital life – often with moral undertones. The ideal user is calm, focused and restrained. The impulsive, distracted or emotionally expressive user is pathologised.

This framing is especially evident in the work of Jonathan Haidt, psychologist and author of The Anxious Generation, a central text in the age-restriction movement. Haidt argues that social media accelerates performative behaviour and emotional dysregulation in young people.

Viewed this way, youth digital life involves declining psychological resilience, rising polarisation and the erosion of shared civic values, rather than being a symptom of complex developmental or technological shifts. This has helped popularise the idea that social media is not just harmful but also corrupting.

Yet the data behind these claims is contested. Critics have pointed out that Haidt’s conclusions often rely on correlational studies and selective interpretations.

For example, while some research links heavy social media use to anxiety and depression, other studies suggest the effects are modest and vary widely depending on context, platform and individual differences.

What’s missing from much of the debate is a recognition of young people’s agency, or their ability to navigate online spaces intelligently, creatively and socially.

Indeed, youth digital life is not just about passive consumption. It’s a site of literacy, expression and connection. Platforms such as TikTok and YouTube have fostered a renaissance of oral and visual communication.

Young people stitch together memes, remix videos, and engage in rapid-fire editing to produce new forms of storytelling. These are not signs of decline but evolving literacies. To regulate youth access without acknowledging these skills risks suppressing the new in favour of preserving the familiar.

Regulate platforms, not young people

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This is where the Victorian metaphor becomes useful. Just as Victorian norms sought to maintain a particular social order, today’s age restrictions risk enforcing a narrow vision of what digital life should look like.

On the surface, terms such as “brain rot” appear to convey the harm of excessive internet use. But in practice, they’re often used by teenagers to laugh about and resist the pressures of 24/7 hustle culture.

But concerns about young people’s digital habits seem rooted in a fear of cognitive difference – the idea that some users are too impulsive, too irrational, too deviant.

Young people are often cast as unable to communicate properly, hiding behind screens, and avoiding phone calls. But these changing habits reflect broader shifts in how we relate to technology. The expectation to be always available, always responsive, ties us to our devices in ways that make switching off genuinely difficult.

Age restrictions may address some symptoms, but they don’t tackle the underlying design of platforms that are built to keep us scrolling, sharing and generating data.

If society and governments are serious about protecting young people, perhaps the better strategy is to regulate the digital platforms. Legal scholar Eric Goldman calls the age-restriction approach a “segregate and suppress” strategy – one that punishes youth rather than holding platforms accountable.

We would never ban children from playgrounds, but we do expect those spaces to be safe. Where are the safety barriers for digital spaces? Where is the duty of care from digital platforms?

The popularity of social media bans suggests a resurgence of conservative values in our digital lives. But protection should not come at the cost of autonomy, creativity or expression.

For many, the internet has become a moral battleground where values around attention, communication and identity are fiercely contested. But it is also a social infrastructure, one that young people are already shaping through new literacies and forms of expression.

Shielding them from it risks suppressing the very skills and voices that could help us build a better digital future. (The Conversation) SKS

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Islamabad, Oct 18 (PTI) Pakistan launched fresh air strikes targeting terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan, casting a shadow over the expected talks in Doha amid a fragile ceasefire that had temporarily halted hostilities between the two sides.

The strikes followed a gun-and-bomb attack by terrorists at a military installation in North Waziristan, and just hours after Islamabad and Kabul extended their two-day ceasefire, the Dawn reported on Saturday.

There was no statement from Pakistan’s military, but the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had claimed responsibility for the early Friday attack on Khaddi Fort in Mir Ali.

The security sources said they foiled the attack by eliminating all four attackers without suffering any loss.

Pakistan late Friday targeted the Angoor Adda region and also hideouts across Afghanistan’s Urgun and Barmal districts of Paktika province, as security sources claimed that precision strikes were conducted against hideouts of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, reportedly killing dozens of fighters, the paper said.

It further reported that Pakistani security sources pointed out that the ceasefire agreement between the Afghan government and Pakistan did not preclude strikes on terror outfits and their hideouts.

The fresh strikes followed as representatives from the two countries were expected to meet in Doha, where the Qatari government was set to make an effort for mediation.

The paper reported that the fresh exchanges on Friday night cast a shadow over the ceasefire, which had been extended just a few hours earlier, as well as the planned Doha talks.

"The ceasefire has been mutually extended by both Pakistan and Afghanistan till the end of the talks in Doha, Qatar. The talks are ready to begin [on Saturday],” a security source said on Friday at the conclusion of the initial 48-hour truce, which had been in effect since Wednesday.

No bilateral initiative for talks emerged during the first phase of the truce. However, Qatar, which, along with Saudi Arabia, had pushed both sides to halt hostilities, offered to host their meeting in Doha.

Reports from Afghanistan suggest that the Taliban delegation would include Defence Minister Mullah Yaqub Mujahid and intelligence chief Mullah Wasiq.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office did not comment on the matter, but a late evening meeting between National Security Adviser and ISI chief Lt Gen Asim Malik and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar suggested that Gen Malik may travel to Doha.

In a related development, Afghan authorities on Friday handed over the bodies of seven Pakistani citizens, including two security personnel, who were killed in the Chaman sector of Balochistan on Tuesday.

There was outrage in Pakistan after videos were circulated on social media, showing Afghan soldiers dragging the bodies of security personnel and desecrating them.

Foreign Office spokesperson responding to reports that bodies of some Pakistani soldiers had been mutilated said: “This kind of savagery, bestiality, is condemnable, and it needs to be condemned in the strongest words possible. This is beyond the pale. It is beyond humanity, and this has deeply offended us and deeply hurt the Pakistani people.”

“It is not something to be forgiven and forgotten easily,” he further said. PTI SH RD ZH RD

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Paris, Oct 18 (The Conversation) Education is getting longer, and young people's educational attainment is rising. But does this really translate into increased skills? And to what extent does this investment add value to the job market? We shed light on a debate that calls for a rethink of the links between education and employment.

In an article entitled "The false trial of higher education that is too long", published by The Conversation, the economist Guillaume Allegre returns to the often ideological discourses and the more serious analyses which critically question the development of higher education.

This development has been particularly marked since the beginning of the 21st century ( 2.16 million students, including 1.397 million at university, in 2000, compared to 2.96 million, including 1.6 million at university, in 2023 ), accompanied, over the long term, by massive consequences on entry into life.

In 1986, at the age of 21, around 20 per cent of young people were still in school; this is the case for almost half of them in 2021.

However, for Guillaume Allegre, "in terms of duration, young people are not studying more than before", and the increase in the number of graduates is explained by the reduction in repeating years.

Diplomas, but what “human capital”?

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Young people would therefore achieve higher levels of qualification due to school careers less disrupted by repeating. The decline in repeating – in itself positive given the widely demonstrated ineffectiveness of this practice – was the result of a proactive policy.

It was easier to move up to the next class, but no one would dare say that this was because the pupils or students were (quite simply) better…

In primary school, we observe a decline in the level of pupils, if we refer to the information notes from the Department of Evaluation, Planning and Performance (DEPP) of the Ministry of National Education, from 2008 to 2020.

In higher education, where there are no standardised measures of what students know, some researchers, noting that "the rules for validating teaching through grade compensation have never been so beneficial in obtaining degrees", suggest instead "a new tolerance, willingly or unwillingly, of the fragility of students' academic abilities".

We can therefore fear that these young people who have repeated fewer years and who study for longer do not, despite a higher level of formal education, have proportionally greater achievements.

Certainly, more young people who go further, fewer young people who are stuck in place by repeating a year, this represents, on average, an increase in their achievements, but at the same level of qualification, they know less, which reflects a decrease in the effectiveness of the school.

There is therefore a gap between the diploma and the "human capital" that it is supposed to certify, which should question economists in their a priori favour for the raising of the level of education.

We can see that while France has as many, if not more, higher education graduates than most of its neighbouring countries, their level of literacy skills – the ability to master writing – is not always much higher than that of less qualified people in other countries.

For example, the level of Dutch people with a secondary school diploma is very close to that of French higher education graduates, according to assessments by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

However, for Guillaume Allegre, as long as the diploma remains profitable, it is "individually useful". It is indeed useful for placement: the relative profitability of a diploma, compared to the immediately lower diploma, is incontestable.

So, where does this leitmotif of young people who complain about the situation they find themselves in after their studies come from, along the lines of "With a master's degree, you have nothing left"?

Quite simply because they also consider the "absolute" return on the diploma, the position it allows them to obtain, and there, the downgrading is real and uncontested among economists, compared to what the diploma allowed them to obtain in the not so distant past, in the time of their parents, in particular.

Training to enter into life…

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Beyond this quest for economic return, we must ask ourselves what these students have learned, beyond the often specialised academic knowledge delivered by university lecturer-researchers (this is less true of professionalised courses), in other words, what we learn from attending higher education for a long time and exclusively.

Some studies show that the quest for ever-higher qualifications fosters attitudes among students that can prove dysfunctional when it comes to entering the workforce. Upon entering the job market, they sometimes realise that their qualifications will not necessarily be appreciated in a world where the value of knowledge for knowledge's sake is not common.

Trained, at least in general university courses, in knowledge whose practical applications are rarely identified, they discover that professional life, in fact, minimises the value of theoretical knowledge in favour of what it allows them to achieve. A real retraining is sometimes necessary to quickly unlearn what it took them a long time to learn.

By contrast, when they combine studies and employment, three-quarters of students believe that paid work during their studies provides skills and networks (even two-thirds when it is unskilled work). According to the Observatory of Student Life, a minority (18 per cent) believe that their work has a negative impact on their studies, with 30 per cent believing it to be a source of stress; but more than 60 per cent believe that this is not the case...

Overall, the surveys conclude that while paid work does not improve academic performance, it does not cause significant disadvantages below a weekly threshold of fifteen to twenty hours. Moreover, it may actually promote professional integration.

Combining training and employment

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We may therefore wonder whether the training of young adults should not strive to combine studies and professional experience as often as possible. In France, the model of the preparatory class student, entirely absorbed by his studies, dominates, and in the background, the conviction that the best our country can offer young people is to remain in school as long as possible.

Guillaume Allegre's proposal, developed in a 2010 Terra Nova report, is inspired by "study grant" schemes that exist in some northern countries to promote young people's independence. But let's remember that these countries select students at the entrance to higher education, and are therefore less exposed than we are to the risk of seeing students end up in traps with no prospects.

Above all, combining work and studies is much less common in our country than in many of our neighbouring countries—Denmark, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, or Germany. One could easily imagine "student jobs" tailored to their schedules, as exists on many American campuses. Students would gain a diversity of experiences—possibly as formative as what they learn in a university setting—and financial independence.

What about the country? Without getting into the controversy over the theme of "the French don't work enough," it should be remembered, based in particular on note 110 of the Economic Analysis Council, published in March 2025, "Objective "full employment," that it is not the annual working hours of workers that distinguishes France, but the low employment rates of both seniors and young people.

While the issue of "senior" work is the subject of much discussion, that of young people's work, particularly young people who are still studying, is proving to be one of the most taboo: the "right to study" cannot be discussed... knowing that we are talking in this case about the right to full-time study.

If we focus on the training of young adults, promoting the combination of studies and employment would undoubtedly be an interesting avenue, while also being "profitable" in economic terms, which has no reason to be neglected.

Without obviously "putting higher education on trial", it is necessary to reflect on the training that we must offer these young people who now constitute the majority of the rising generations. (The Conversation) SKS

SKS

Sydney, Oct 18 (The Conversation) Australians love rooftop solar power. About 4 million homes have solar panels on their roofs, and we generate more solar energy per person than any other country.

But affordability pressures on homeowners are holding them back from installing rooftop solar on millions of homes. Without this, Australia could struggle to meet its goal of generating more than 80 per cent of electricity. From renewables by 2030.

We propose a bold new “use it or lend it” solar program, under which the owners of detached and semi-detached homes would have the option of allowing the government to install and operate solar panels on their rooftops.

This could be an effective alternative to traditional energy rebates to accelerate the energy transition. And the electricity generated from these systems could be allocated to low-income households and renters, who are currently unable to access solar power.

Boosting solar

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Slightly more than half of owner-occupied houses in Australia have solar panels.

Our new research looked at the factors that influenced household solar panel uptake in the Sydney metropolitan area from 2013 to 2024.

We found that as the cost of panels and batteries dropped over time and electricity prices soared, more homeowners decided to install solar. In contrast, the feed-in tariffs – the payment from electricity retailers for surplus electricity you put back into the grid – seem to have little impact on solar adoption.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, we found that high house prices relative to household incomes resulted in reduced solar adoption, showing housing affordability is a barrier for solar uptake. Despite the long-term savings offered by solar, homeowners battling housing affordability simply didn’t have as much disposable income to spend on solar panels.

At present, a typical 6.6 kilowatt system costs about USD 8,500, but the owner only pays about USD 6,200 because of the Commonwealth Small-Scale Renewable Energy Scheme rebate. These rebates are being phased out by 2030.

Untapped potential

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Australia has a legislated greenhouse emissions target of 43 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 and net zero by 2050. Last month, it announced a more ambitious interim target of 62–70 per cent below 2005 levels by 2035.

To meet this goal, we will need to generate more than 80 per cent of Australia’s electricity from renewables by 2030. We are not yet on track.

To overcome the shortfall in solar adoption, bold policies are needed to make rooftop solar accessible to all households, not just those who can already afford it.

What has been proposed so far? The Climate Council advocates for the mandatory inclusion of solar on new and substantially renovated houses, as well as suitable new apartment buildings. The Grattan Institute says state and territory governments should provide certainty with a long-term date for the end of gas.

But these approaches take time. We propose a third and complementary “use it or lend it” option. Under this scheme, owners of detached and semi-detached houses that have not installed solar could “lend” their rooftop space to the government for publicly owned solar panels.

How ‘use it or lend it’ would work

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Owners who chose this option would retain full ownership of their property while receiving compensation, such as annual lease payments, for allowing public use of their rooftop space.

This arrangement would give property owners the clear, risk-free benefit of financial compensation without the cost of installation or responsibility for maintenance of the panels themselves. We expect the program to appeal to low-income homeowners who cannot afford solar panels, as well as rental property owners who may be reluctant or unable to invest in solar.

For the government, the electricity from these systems could be allocated to low-income households and renters, two groups that face the greatest barriers to direct solar participation. This could be done through [virtual energy networks], a digital platform that allows solar households to sell excess electricity to non-solar households. The “use it or lend it” policy could be an effective tool to address equity concerns in solar uptake.

Property owners could choose to buy back the rooftop solar panel system installed by the government at any time. If existing owners initially opt out but later wish to opt back in, or if new property owners decide to participate, the purchase price would be determined based on the “cost neutrality” principle, meaning the government does not profit.

To ensure feasibility and fairness, the program would have to include safeguards covering roof integrity and owner indemnity against potential damage or injury. It would need fair access principles for the installation, service and removal of the solar panels and batteries.

Each property’s solar suitability would be assessed by accredited professionals, considering technical viability as well as the property owner’s priorities, for example, planned subdivisions or renovations.

With only five years until the current solar rebates are phased out, now is the time to consider how to boost solar installation without them.

With careful design and drafting, a landowner lending their roof space to the government does not disadvantage them. Owners, renters, the government and the climate would all benefit from solar panels on unused roofs. (The Conversation) SKS

SKS

Sydney, Oct 18 (The Conversation) Magnesium supplements are everywhere – lined up on pharmacy shelves and promoted on wellness blogs and social media.

Maybe you have a friend or family member who swears a daily tablet will help everything, from better sleep to alleviating muscle cramps.

But do you really need one? Or is it just marketing hype?

What is magnesium, and why do we need it?

Magnesium is an essential metal the body needs to make and operate more than 300 different enzymes.

These enzymes build protein, regulate muscle and nerve function, help in the release of energy from our food, and help to maintain blood function. The body doesn’t produce magnesium, so we need to get it from external sources.

The government recommends a daily magnesium dose of 310–420 mg a day for adults and 30–410 mg for children, depending on age and sex.

This is easily met through a good diet. Foods rich in magnesium include nuts and seeds, whole grains, seafood, meat, legumes and green leafy vegetables.

You can even get some of your magnesium needs met through dark chocolate. It has 146 mg per 100 g of chocolate.

How do I know if I’m deficient?

People at risk of experiencing magnesium deficiency include people with restricted diets, gastrointestinal problems such as Crohn’s and coeliac diseases, type 2 diabetes, and alcohol dependence. Older adults are also more likely to be deficient.

You will only need a magnesium supplement if you show signs of low magnesium. One of the most common signs is muscle spasms and twitches. Other symptoms to look out for include low appetite, nausea and vomiting, or your heart beating abnormally.

Magnesium deficiency can be properly diagnosed by a blood test ordered by your doctor. If you need this test, it’s covered by Medicare.

What conditions can it help?

Commercially available magnesium supplements have been promoted to prevent muscle cramps, manage insomnia and help with migraines.

While magnesium deficiency is linked to muscle cramps, the cause of most muscle cramps is unknown.

And the current evidence does not demonstrate that magnesium supplements can prevent muscle cramps in older adults.

There is conflicting data as to whether the use of magnesium helps with sleep. One study reported magnesium was able to reduce the time for a person to fall asleep by 17.4 minutes, while others didn’t show an effect.

For migraines, the most recent research suggests taking 122-600 mg of magnesium supplements daily for 4–24 weeks may decrease their frequency and severity.

Are magnesium supplements safe?

Magnesium supplements are generally well tolerated.

However, they can cause gastrointestinal discomfort such as nausea, abdominal cramping and diarrhoea. Magnesium causes diarrhoea by drawing water into the intestine and stimulating movement in the gut.

It is possible to take too much magnesium, and you can overdose on it. Very large doses, around 5,000 mg per day, can lead to magnesium toxicity.

Most of the research investigating the clinical use of magnesium focuses on magnesium in oral formulations.

What other formulations are available?

As magnesium is a small metal ion, it can pass through skin – but not easily.

Magnesium bath salts, patches and topical cream-based formulations may be able to raise your blood magnesium levels to some extent.

But due to the amount needed each day, tablets and foods are a better source.

Things to watch out for when taking magnesium

Commercially available magnesium products can vary widely in dose, formulation and cost. Magnesium supplements have between 150 and 350 mg of the metal per tablet. Your required dose will depend on your age and sex, and whether you have any underlying health problems.

Magnesium supplements sometimes contain other vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins C and D, and the metals calcium, chromium and manganese. So it’s important to consider the total quantities if you’re taking other vitamins and supplements.

Many magnesium supplements also include vitamin B6. While this vitamin is important for supporting the immune system, high intakes of it can cause serious health issues. If you’re already taking a B6 supplement, a magnesium supplement that also includes it can put you at risk.

What if you’re considering supplements?

If you think you might be deficient in magnesium, speak to your doctor, who can order a blood test.

If you suffer from migraines, cramps, or poor sleep, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, who can advise on and monitor the underlying cause. It may be that a change in lifestyle or an alternative treatment may be more appropriate for you.

If you do decide to take a magnesium supplement, check you won’t be taking too much of any other vitamin or mineral. A pharmacist can help select a supplement that suits you best. (The Conversation) SKS

SKS

Washington, Oct 18 (PTI) US President Donald Trump reiterated that India will not be buying oil from Russia, saying that New Delhi has already “de-escalated” and “more or less stopped” its oil purchases from Moscow.

While speaking to the media during a bilateral lunch with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Friday, “Trump said India will not be buying oil from Russia, they have already de-escalated and they have more or less stopped.”

“They are pulling back. They have bought about 38 per cent of the oil, and they won’t be doing it anymore,” Trump said while replying to a question.

India on Thursday said it is "broad-basing and diversifying" its sourcing of energy to meet market conditions, hours after US President Donald Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him that New Delhi will stop procuring Russian crude oil.

Washington has been maintaining that India is helping Putin to finance the war through its purchase of Russian crude oil.

The relations between New Delhi and Washington have been reeling under severe stress after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent, including a 25 per cent additional duty for India's purchase of Russian crude oil.

India described the US action as "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable".

Meanwhile, Trump has once again repeated his claims about resolving the war between India and Pakistan, adding that Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif has said, “I have saved millions of lives.”

“The Prime Minister of Pakistan said I saved millions of lives by interceding … you look at Pakistan and India as an example that would have been a bad one for two nuclear nations,” the US President said.

Since May 10, when Trump announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire after a “long night” of talks mediated by Washington, he has repeated his claim dozens of times that he “helped settle” the conflict between India and Pakistan.

India has consistently maintained that the understanding on cessation of hostilities with Pakistan was reached following direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two militaries.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.

India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes. PTI RD RD

RD

London, Oct 18 (PTI) The UK government has "strongly condemned" instances of hate or violence directed towards minority religious communities in Bangladesh and said it is committed to working towards a democratic transition in the country.

A statement in the House of Commons in this regard came on Thursday in response to opposition Conservative Party MP Bob Blackman highlighting a recent report by community organisation Insight UK into the persecution faced by Hindus in Bangladesh.

Blackman, who chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Hindus, told UK MPs that the report highlights the oppression being faced by the community in the lead up to the festival of Diwali.

"We strongly condemn all instances of hate or violence directed towards minority religious communities," responded Sir Alan Campbell, the Leader of the House of Commons, on behalf of the Labour Party government.

"We have been and we are actively engaged in addressing the humanitarian situation in Bangladesh and supporting the interim government to support a peaceful democratic transition. We are deeply committed to the protection of freedom of religion," he stated.

However, Campbell did not commit to a specific official statement from a government minister about action to be taken to safeguard minorities in Bangladesh, as sought by Blackman.

"Next week, Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists will be celebrating Diwali, followed by the Hindu new year. That will be a happy occasion and everyone will be celebrating, but unfortunately, that will not be the case in Bangladesh," Blackman said during a routine "Business of the House" session in the Commons on Thursday.

"On Tuesday, at the All Party Parliamentary Group for British Hindus, we received a report from Insight UK about the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh. They are being persecuted, oppressed and killed, their temples are being destroyed, and their properties are being burned down, with household members in them....

"Can we have a statement from a government minister about what action we are going to take to safeguard minorities in Bangladesh, who are suffering from severe oppression?" he questioned.

The Tory MP from Harrow East, a London constituency with a significant British Hindu population, has raised the issue in Parliament ever since the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina regime in Dhaka last year and the ensuing violence against minorities.

"Hindus are suffering, with their houses being burned and their businesses ransacked," Blackman has previously informed Parliament. PTI AK RC

New Delhi, Oct 18 (PTI) KP Group company KPI Green Hydrogen and Ammonia, Desco Infratech Ltd, and Naveriya Gas have joined hands to spearhead hydrogen–natural gas blending projects, a statement said on Saturday.

Under the partnership, the three companies will initiate hydrogen–natural gas blending projects in the city gas distribution sector, Desco Infratech said in a statement.

"This partnership is a key step in building green infrastructure and supporting India's clean energy transition. This collaboration aims to reduce reliance on LNG imports and move closer to the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat," the company said.

KPI Green Hydrogen and Ammonia will produce green hydrogen and Desco Infratech will provide the expertise in engineering and technology to blend hydrogen with natural gas, the company said on the scope of the partnership.

Naveriya Gas will integrate the blended fuel into the city gas distribution network, ensuring a sustainable and reliable supply. By combining hydrogen with natural gas, the initiative will lower carbon emissions, utilise existing infrastructure efficiently, and support India's pledge toward net-zero emissions, Desco Infratech Whole Time Director Malhar P Desai said.

Surat-based Desco Infratech provides solutions across power, renewable energy, water and city gas segments.

KPI Green Hydrogen And Ammonia, a fully-owned subsidiary of KP Group, is in the business of green hydrogen. PTI ABI HVA

Mumbai/New Delhi, Oct 18 (PTI) Gold and silver buying on the auspicious occasion of Dhanteras kicked off on Saturday with jewellers expecting higher footfalls, though record high prices of the yellow metal could dampen demand by 15 per cent in volume terms compared with a year earlier.

Dhanteras, the most auspicious day in the Hindu calendar for buying items ranging from precious metals to utensils, is being celebrated over two days until 1.45 pm on Sunday, with jewellers expecting more footfalls in both online and offline stores.

Gold prices have surged 65 per cent to Rs 1,34,800 per 10 grams of 24 karat, inclusive of all taxes, in the national capital, compared with Rs 81,400 on Dhanteras last year, which was celebrated on October 29, 2024.

Silver prices are currently at Rs 1,77,000 per kilogram.

"We are expecting the momentum to pick up after the muhurat time. Since the festival falls on a weekend we have geared up for a robust Dhanteras," All India Gem And Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC) Chairman Rajesh Rokde told PTI.

GJC expects gold sales to increase by 40-45 per cent in value terms on a year-on-year basis, he said.

Suvankar Sen, Managing Director and chief executive of Senco Gold and Diamonds, said high prices will affect sale volumes by 12-15 per cent, but in value terms there will be growth of 20-25 per cent on Dhanteras.

While some consumers are still buying gold jewellery even at high rates, many are shifting towards silver buying, especially bullion.

Saiyam Mehra, former chairman of GJC, said volume-wise, gold jewellery sales are expected to witness a decline of 10 per cent on Dhanteras.

He said silver prices surged due to scarcity of the white metal since last month because of a ban on imports of jewellery, though silver prices have now started seeing a correction.

Sachin Jain, regional CEO for India at the World Gold Council, said Dhanteras and Diwali are the top gold-buying occasions in India.

"Despite gold prices reaching multiple historic highs through 2025, witnessing an approximate 51.2 per cent year-to-date increase in rupee prices by end-September, consumer sentiment and demand for the yellow metal have been positive," he said.

Retailers, who had been cautious about their inventories in recent months, are now well-stocked and optimistic, with seasonal and wedding-related demand further fuelling purchases, suggesting a vibrant festive season for gold sales.

Consumer buying is expected to be strong across various gold purchases, from higher caratage gold jewellery to investment products like digital gold, coins and ETFs.

"This positive outlook is strongly supported by India registering positive gold ETF flows of USD 902 million in September, along with overall gold imports reaching a nine-month high in August 2025," Jain said, adding that gold demand is expected to continue through the Diwali period and until the end of the year due to the wedding season.

Kam Jewelry Managing Director Colin Shah said while demand dynamics are likely to remain consistent, consumer preferences are rapidly shifting toward lightweight jewellery.

"The festive season is expected to see a significant surge in demand for jewellery in the 9 to 18 carat segment. ... we foresee a festive surge of 18-20 per cent in overall sales," Shah said.

India is the world's second-largest gold consumer and one of the largest importers globally, after China. PTI SM LUX ANU

ANU

New Delhi, Oct 18 (PTI) Additional electronics consumption worth Rs 20 lakh crore is expected to take place this year due to GST reforms rolled out by the government last month, Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday.

The minister said that data from all retail chains shows there were 20-25 per cent more sales in comparison to last Navaratri and there are many such categories, like 85-inch TV where stocks were completely sold out.

"The increase in demand for electronics goods is directly impacting electronics manufacturing. Electronics manufacturing is now growing at a double-digit CAGR. It is very likely that the consumption will increase more than 10 per cent this year, which means, there is a high possibility of Rs 20 lakh crore extra consumption compared to last year," Vaishnaw said.

He was speaking at a joint press conference with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on savings due to GST reforms which came into effect from September 22, 2025. PTI PRS ANU

ANU

Mumbai, Oct 18 (PTI) Federal Bank on Saturday reported a 9.51 per cent decline in its September quarter consolidated net profit at Rs 991.94 crore as

provisions surged.

The private sector lender had reported a net profit of Rs 1,096.25 crore for the year-ago period.

The core net interest income rose 5.4 per cent to Rs 2,495 crore on the back of a 6.23 per cent growth in its loan book and a 0.06 per cent compression in the net interest margin year-on-year at 3.06 per cent.

A senior bank official said the lender is aiming to grow the book by 10-12 per cent in the second half of the fiscal, which will be higher than the 7.6 per cent in H1 and lead to a credit growth of under 10 per cent for FY26 even if the upper end of the aim for the latter half is met. This will be lower than the 12.14 per cent for FY25.

Managing director and chief executive K V S Manian told reporters that demand for corporate loans, which form a sizable chunk because of the high number, is still weak and hoped that the increase in consumer demand due to measures like the GST cuts by government prompts corporates to initiate capacity additions.

Retail will be the focus area from a loan growth perspective for the bank, he said. However, Manian also said that the bank will be cautious on the microfinance loans and personal loans segment.

The bank wishes to be profitable in the loan growth efforts, he said, adding that it cannot push hard on the home loans front due to the lower yields because of aggressive posturing by competition. The home loans de-grew 1 per cent during the quarter, he added.

The other income for the bank rose by 12.26 per cent to Rs 1,082 crore.

Manian said the deposit growth for the quarter stood at 7.36 per cent, and added that Federal Bank will be focusing on increasing the share of the low-cost current and saving account balances going forward.

From an asset quality perspective, the fresh slippages came at Rs 579 crore, up from Rs 428 crore in the year-ago period, and the slippage ratio also increased to 0.94 per cent from 0.79 per cent a year ago.

The bank management said that the slippages are lower than the Rs 658 crore in the quarter-ago period, and added that it has also been able to contain the slippage ratio under 1 per cent. The gross non-performing assets ratio for the lender improved to 1.83 per cent from 1.91 per cent at the end of the preceding quarter and 2.09 per cent on-year.

The overall provisions for the bank jumped to Rs 397.44 crore from Rs 196.14 crore in the year-ago period, which hurt the profit growth the most.

Manian explained that the bank undertook a change in the provision policies on the unsecured loan exposures in the December quarter of last year, and hence, the provision numbers are not comparable.

The capital adequacy of the lender stood at 15.71 per cent at the end of the quarter. Manian said the bank's board will be meeting on November 24 to deliberate on a fundraising plan, but declined to spell out any details when asked if the infusion will be a strategic one. PTI AA ANU

ANU

Chennai, Oct 18 (PTI) Karur Vysya Bank has breached the Rs 2 lakh crore milestone in the total business at the conclusion of the July-September 2025 quarter, a top official said on Saturday.

The progress demonstrates that the bank management's initiatives regarding key metrics are advancing effectively, its Managing Director and CEO Ramesh Babu B said.

The Tamil Nadu-based private sector bank had clocked a net profit of Rs 574 crore for the July-September 2025 quarter, up by 21.35 per cent, from Rs 473 crore registered during the corresponding quarter of last financial year.

Net profit for the six month period ending April-September 2025 grew by 17.49 per cent, to Rs 1,095 crore from Rs 932 crore, registered in the same quarter of the last financial year.

Total business as on September 30, 2025 stood at Rs 2,03,216 crore registering a growth of 15.37 per cent, from Rs 1,76,138 crore recorded as on September 30, 2024, the bank said.

Total deposits as on September 30, 2025 grew to Rs 1,10,492 crore, from Rs 95,839 crore registered as on September 30, 2024 up by 15.29 per cent.

The total advances as on September 30, 2025 went up by 14.47 per cent to Rs 92,724 crore, from Rs 80,299 crore registered in the same period of the last financial year.

Commenting on the financial performance, Babu in a release on Saturday said, "I am pleased to announce that the bank has achieved the significant milestone of reaching Rs 2 lakh crore in business at the conclusion of the second quarter. Notably, the bank has added Rs 75,000 crore in business over the past three and a half years. This progress demonstrates that management's initiatives regarding key metrics are advancing effectively."

He said, "As of September 30, 2025 the bank's total business reached Rs 2,03,216 crore, reflecting our sustained growth momentum in the second quarter, with an overall business increase of 4 per cent (quarter-on-quarter) and a year-on-year growth of 15 per cent."

"Advances rose to Rs 92,724 crore, representing a growth of 4 per cent (quarter-on-quarter), while deposits increased to Rs 1,10,492 crore, achieving a (quarter on quarter) growth rate of 4 per cent. Both advances and deposits grew by 15 per cent each on year-on-year basis."

"The inclusive growth from all the business segments has supported to reach net profit of Rs 1,095 crore for the half year (ending September 30, 2025)", he added. PTI VIJ KH

New Delhi, Oct 18 (PTI) Can a film age like fine wine, mellow and satiny smooth, be recalled wistfully whenever you think of romance, yet sit uneasily with contemporary times? “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” is that contradiction – a much loved film cast in a conservative-patriarchal mould but one still finding takers in this age of swipe right and swipe left.

“Come fall in love" was the tagline of the Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol starrer that released 30 years ago on October 20, 1995. And people did. They still do, some rekindling an old romance and others perhaps starting one.

The love story, about two London-bred youngsters who fall in love but won’t get married until they get parental consent, marked the directorial debut of Aditya Chopra. Unfolding in lush Swiss meadows and snow-capped mountains and moving to Punjab’s mustard fields, it went on to become one of the greatest hits of Indian cinema and is still being screened in Mumbai’s Maratha Mandir.

Out of sync in the age of dating apps like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge, the story centres around Raj, a carefree, rich boy who falls in love with Simran when they meet on a European holiday.

Simran is enjoying the last bit of teen freedom before she travels to Punjab to marry a man she has never met and one her strict father Chaudhary Baldev Singh has chosen for her. Lovelorn Raj follows her there with the promise to win over her father.

Couples, young and old, come to the theatre even today to watch the romance, sepia tinted maybe but still fresh and gentle, said Manoj Desai, executive director of Maratha Mandir.

On weekdays, about 70 to 100 people come to watch the movie in the 11:30 am show. On weekends, the number goes up to 200-300, according to Desai.

The ticket prices for the movie are Rs 50 for balcony seat and Rs 30 for dress circle.

According to film historian SMM Ausaja, “DDLJ”, as the film came to be known, struck a chord at the time because there was a saturation of David Dhawan-Govinda comedies.

"It was a landmark film in terms of romance, music, brilliant dialogues, iconic scenes including the train sequence. Performances were top class, and had a crackling onscreen chemistry of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. No film has been able to recreate this kind of magic in the romantic space," Ausaja told PTI.

The enduring love story, set against close knit families, boisterous patriarchs and nostalgia for ‘mera desh’, is coded in the memory of cinema-lovers.

With an ensemble cast that included Farida Jalal, Amrish Puri, Anupam Kher and Parmeet Sethi, it’s the perfect mélange of songs, dialogues, costumes and scenes, quoted endlessly for three decades and counting.

Its songs "Tujhe dekha to ye jaana sanam", "Mehndi laga ke rakhna", "Ruk jaa...", "Mere khwabo mein...", "Ho gaya hai tujhko to pyaar sajna" live on. So do the dialogues – you may or may not have seen the film but you are likely to remember “Bade bade deshon mein, aisi baatein hoti rahti hain Senorita...", the "Palat" moment when Raj wills Simran to turn around and of course the "Jaa Simran ja, jee le apni zindagi", the final acceptance from the crusty father to his daughter.

Aditya Chopra wrote the film with Javed Siddiqui while Manmohan Singh served as the cinematographer and Jatin Pandit and Lalit Pandit composed the music for it. The film was edited by Keshav Naidu. The team couldn't have come together better,

“DDLJ”, like “Sholay”, came at the right time, said Ausaja.

"That film triggered the so-called NRI movies. It happens once in a lifetime. The film cemented Shah Rukh’s status as a top movie star. It was like what ‘Deewar’ was for Amitabh Bachchan. The way family values were celebrated it worked big time with people across all demographics," the historian said.

The film has legions of fans in every walk of life and directors down the years have doffed their hats to various moments from the film, including the famous train scene when Raj stretches his hand out to Simran, to pull her into a tight embrace – their ‘happily ever after’.

According to Hitesh Kewalya, director of same-sex love story "Shubh Mangal Zyada Savdhan", referencing "DDLJ" made his film more relatable to the people. "When the time came to write 'Shubh Mangal Zyada Savdhan', I was thinking about all the classic love stories that we have seen in our Hindi cinema. And it came naturally to me that if I have to tell a love story about two men who love each other, then DDLJ would be the reference point of that,” he said.

Every scene and prop in the movie -- the brown jacket in the 'palat' scene, the mandolin and the cowbell that Simran hangs outside her London home for Raj to find before she leaves for Punjab -- has a little story.

The jacket was a favourite of Aditya Chopra. The first time director wanted to use the mandolin as he was a big Raj Kapoor fan and the cowbell, though bought in Switzerland, was a way to honour Yash Chopra's Punjabi roots.

Kajol, just 21 when she played arguably most famous role of the rebellious yet traditional NRI reconciled to marrying a stranger, doesn’t believe the magic can be recreated.

"I think that if today you had to make a film, you would have to make it like 'DDLJ', but it will never be 'DDLJ'. It will have to be different. And once you change people, the atmosphere, you will have to adapt the story to the current times, society and thought processes. And that changes the entire language of the film. So you will have to create your own magic," she told PTI recently.

As people continue to file into a darkened theatre to watch “DDLJ” or watch it on their screens at home, the romance endures. Mystifying for some. But then that is the magic of the movies. PTI BK KKP RB MIN MIN

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New Delhi, Oct 18 (PTI) Former actor Zaira Wasim, who rose to fame with her role in 2016's sports drama film "Dangal", shared pictures from her wedding on social media.

The post uploaded by the 24-year-old actor on Friday featured her signing the marriage contract. Another picture had the actor posing alongside her husband, whose name she didn't reveal. Both faced away from the camera.

"Qubool hai x3," read the caption.

After getting recognition with her role in "Dangal", where she worked alongside Aamir Khan, the actor went on to feature in 2017's coming-of-age film "Secret Superstar" and 2019's "The Sky Is Pink", alongside Priyanka Chopra and Farhan Akhtar.

Her role in "Dangal" also earned Wasim a National Award in 2017 in the Best Supporting Actress category, with the film emerging as the highest grosser during its release.

In 2019, the actor decided to quit acting and announced the same with a long post on her Facebook profile. According to her explanation, the field of acting interfered with her faith and religion.

"For a very long time now it has felt like I have struggled to become someone else. As I had just started to explore and make sense of the things to which I dedicated my time, efforts and emotions and tried to grab hold of a new lifestyle, it was only for me to realise that though I may fit here perfectly, I do not belong here," she wrote.

"This field indeed brought a lot of love, support, and applause my way, but what it also did was to lead me to a path of ignorance, as I silently and unconsciously transitioned out of ‘imaan’ (faith). While I continued to work in an environment that consistently interfered with my ‘imaan’, my relationship with my religion was threatened," she wrote. PTI ATR

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Los Angeles, Oct 18 (PTI) Hollywood actor Richard Gere remembered his "Looking for Mr Goodbar" co-star and the late Oscar-winning actor Diane Keaton, calling her a "gentle and original person".

Both the actors featured in Richard Brooks' directorial, which released in 1977.

It revolved around a schoolteacher, Theresa Dunn (Keaton), who spends her nights cruising bars, searching for males with whom she can engage in progressively dangerous, extreme sexual activities. Gere essayed the role of Tony.

The "Pretty Woman" actor said working on the film was challenging, and it was just his second project back then.

"Obviously, I think about her now. We made a film a few years ago, too. I hadn’t seen her in a long time...That was a difficult film (Looking for Mr Goodbar), this very kind of raw, sexual film. And she’s pretty shy and skittish. And I was, too. That was my second film. And we kind of took care of each other, getting through these kind of challenging physical scenes with each other," Gere said on the Today show.

"But I remember just how sweet and gentle she was and how real. And I think anyone who’s ever worked with her is just like, ‘This is a real person. She was completely original," he added.

Keaton, whose credits include notable performances in films such as "Annie Hall” and “The Godfather” films, died on October 11, aged 79.

She started working on the stage as an understudy in the Broadway production of “Hair,” and in Allen's “Play It Again, Sam” in 1968, for which she received a Tony nomination.

Keaton made her film debut in the 1970 romantic comedy “Lovers and Other Strangers,” but her big breakthrough came with the 1972 "The Godfather", which was directed by Francis Ford Coppola. PTI ATR

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Los Angeles, Oct 18 (PTI) Actor Chloe Coleman, best known for featuring in HBO's drama series "Big Little Lies", is set to feature in an upcoming action film "F.A.S.T".

The 16-year-old actor will work alongside Brandon Sklenar in the film, according to the entertainment news outlet The Hollywood Reporter.

The film is directed by Ben Richardson for Warner Bros Pictures. It is written by Taylor Sheridan.

"F.A.S.T" revolves around a former special forces commando, down on his luck after he returns Stateside, who is tapped by the DEA to lead a black op strike team against CIA-protected drug dealers in his town.

Sklenar essays the role of the commando in "F.A.S.T", with Coleman set to appear in the role of his daughter.

The film, which is slated to release in theatres on April 23, 2027, is currently in production.

It is produced by David Heyman and Jeffrey Clifford under the production banner Heyday Films alongside Sheridan and Jenny Wood under the banner Bosque Ranch Productions.

Actors Juliana Canfield, LaKeith Stanfield, Jason Clarke, Sam Claflin and Trevante Rhodes round off the cast of the film. PTI ATR

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New Delhi, Oct 17 (PTI) Actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu on Thursday opened up about the challenges of living under constant public gaze, saying her personal struggles have often been scrutinised but she continues to embrace vulnerability and views authenticity as a process of growth and learning.

Speaking at the NDTV World Summit, the "The Family Man" actor said her journey has unfolded in full public view, from her separation with ex-husband Naga Chaitanya to her struggle with Myositis, a rare autoimmune condition.

"Anyone who has followed any little part of my journey is very well aware of all the personal struggles — the separation, my illness — everything has been very, very public. It comes with a lot of repercussions, a lot of trolling, a lot of judgment, and you’re constantly judged for being open and vulnerable," she said.

The 38-year-old actor, known for starring in Telugu and Tamil hits such as "Eega", "Theri", "Rangasthalam" and "Mersal", said she does not believe in presenting herself as someone who has everything figured out.

"I don’t think authenticity is the final destination — it is a work in progress. I don’t have everything sorted, I don’t have my life sorted, but I’m able to speak about it. I am not perfect; I might make mistakes, I might stumble, but I’m trying to be better," she said.

The actor also spoke about the pressures of social media and how constant exposure to the lavish lifestyles of the ultra-rich can leave ordinary people feeling inadequate.

"I don’t think there ever existed a time where everyone has access to how the top one per cent of the world lives, their vacations, their homes, their yachts. Someone in a village now has access to that information, and I think that can be really demotivating," she said.

Samantha said it is important for celebrities and influential people to act responsibly online.

"At a time on social media when you have that kind of access, I believe it is most important now that we also be responsible," she said.

As an individual, Samantha said she is very ambition but believes that ambition must come with purpose and responsibility.

"Ambition should not just run wild. It should come attached with certain responsibility and purpose, and that is why I feel that is very important for the youth today to select their mentors carefully, because that can define their entire life. That can define how stable their mental health is, what they can afford to dream, what they can learn from other people's failures," she said.

The actor also spoke about coming from a family with a humble background and becoming famous overnight with her debut movie, 2010's Telugu hit "Ye Maaya Chesave".

"I had nothing, and my family struggled to even put food on the table. And from my first film, it all exploded. I became a star overnight, and and there was name, there was fame, there was wealth, there was applause. And to be honest, I didn't know what to do with it because I think authenticity is the sum of your upbringing.

"And if you are not in balance with that upbringing, there can be turmoil. So I didn't feel that I was worth all of this adulation and applause that I was receiving, and it instead of making me happier... it should have made me on top of the world but it didn't."

The actor she found happiness when she used her "visibility to create value".

"That is when I realised that I have found my purpose... so what you do with that visibility and the platform is what matters in the end," she added.

Samantha, who wowed people all over the country with her performance in the popular track "Oo Antava" from Allu Arjun's 2021 hit "Pushpa: The Rise", said she took up the song to challenge herself as an artist.

"I did 'Oo Antava' to see if I could. It was a challenge that I gave myself. I never considered myself to be sexy. No one was ever going to give me a 'bold role'. It was a one-time thing," she said. PTI RB BK

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Mumbai, Oct 17 (PTI) Netflix on Friday announced "Baramulla", a supernatural drama-mystery set in the Kashmir valley and starring Manav Kaul, will premiere on the streaming platform on November 7.

Directed and written by Aditya Suhas Jambhale of "Article 370" fame, the film is produced by Jyoti Deshpande of Jio Studios in collaboration with Aditya Dhar and Lokesh Dhar of B62 Studios.

"Baramulla", which blends mystery, emotion, and the supernatural in a setting that draws from the haunting beauty and turbulence of Kashmir, marks the second partnership between Netflix and B62 Studios following the 2024 romantic comedy "Dhoom Dhaam".

The film features Kaul as DSP Ridwaan Sayyed, a police officer investigating the disappearance of children in the snow-clad town of Baramulla.

As he and his family settle into a derelict house, his search for the missing children becomes a deeply personal reckoning with his past and a journey through forces beyond human understanding.

The movie also stars actor Bhasha Sumbli in a pivotal role.

"With a genre bending film like 'Baramulla', we wanted to tell a story rooted in emotion but elevated by tension and the supernatural. Kashmir is not just the setting; it's a living, breathing character that shapes every moment and every mystery. We hope the audience across the world feels the pulse of the valley and the humanity at the heart of this journey," Jambhale said in a statement.

Ruchikaa Kapoor Sheikh, Director of Original Films, Netflix India, described the project as “a one-of-a-kind supernatural thriller that’s as emotionally grounded as it is suspenseful.”

Producers Aditya Dhar and Lokesh Dhar said the film ventures into a genre “rarely explored in Indian cinema, where drama meets supernatural mystery”.

"After 'Dhoom Dhaam', reuniting with Netflix and Jio Studios for 'Baramulla' felt like a natural next step. We are also reuniting with Aditya Suhas Jambhale after he directed 'Article 370'.

"This film... is thrilling, emotional, and unconventional. As producers, we have always been drawn to stories that defy the rules of mainstream storytelling, and 'Baramulla' does exactly that. It’s a film that challenges, surprises, and stays with you long after it ends, and we can’t wait for audiences to experience it," they said. PTI RB RB

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Mumbai, Oct 17 (PTI) The very mention of "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" evokes the timeless romance of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol under Aditya Chopra’s direction but behind the movie was also a team of talented people, says editor Keshav Naidu.

The contribution of technicians like him, however, largely goes unnoticed, said Naidu, who edited the film and many others for Yash Raj Films.

“Whether it's the camera person, writer, art director or any other technician, it doesn’t make any difference to their life when a film becomes a hit. They are just ordinary passengers coming and going and working on a film, and getting off.

"Only the actor and director are remembered, the rest of them are forgotten. This thing has been happening since ages. But sometimes a right film can get a technician a lot more work,” Naidu told PTI in an interview.

Released on October 20, 1995, "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" redefined romance for an entire generation and became a cultural touchstone in Indian cinema.

The film, which blended traditional Indian values with modern sensibilities, told the story of Raj and Simran, played by Shah Rukh and Kajol.

Its unforgettable music, quotable dialogues, and the chemistry between the lead pair has ensured its place as one of the greatest films ever made in Hindi cinema.

Naidu worked extensively with the late filmmaker Yash Chopra on his movies like “Silsila”, “Mashaal”, “Chandni”, “Lamhe”, “Parampara”, and “Darr”.

The 81-year-old recalled meeting Aditya while assisting Yash Chopra and said he had thoroughly enjoyed working with the then debutant director.

"Mr Chopra had confidence in me that I can carry out the editing work correctly... Any other person would have got the same chance but I was lucky to be his editor for so many films,” he said.

As an editor, Naidu said his aim has always been to fulfil the director's vision, ensuring that every cut supports the storytelling.

“Adi had worked with Mr Chopra on quite a few films and he had also seen me working with his father. The editing process was more or less the same. Once the footage is sent to me, we put all the shots together because shooting is not done in a linear manner.

"Sometimes the climax is shot first and then when they go abroad, they do all the songs first, all depending on the dates of the artist. It's only at the last stage we have to put all the things together and we get coherent footage for the whole film.”

According to Naidu, the younger Chopra was “a very easy person to work with,” and he was impressed by the clarity and conviction with which he approached filmmaking.

“We developed a great working rapport during DDLJ. He would call me, ‘Naidu sahab’. It was very professional. He had seen me work in all the films that I had edited for Yash Raj up until then. He knew what kind of a person I am and what was the knowledge that I had about film editing.”

The runtime of “DDLJ” is three hours and nine minutes, and Naidu said it didn’t require excessive cutting.

“I don't think they did a lot of extra shooting at all. Yash Raj Films in all their films never used to have too many shots. There are other directors who want to take shots in every angle or have many takes but there was no such thing with Yash ji and Adi. With regards to 'DDLJ', nothing went out of range, they didn't waste a lot of film footage.”

What truly made 'DDLJ' special, Naidu said, is the unique unfolding of the romance between the lead characters, Raj and Simran.

“'DDLJ' was special because it had a special romantic angle, where both of them are not aware that they're going to fall in love. Like, they suddenly meet because she misses the train. The emotional aspect and the romance has been carried in a very nice way.”

The enduring legacy of 'DDLJ' was recently highlighted when UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Yash Raj Films studio and was seen listening to the iconic track ‘Tujhe Dekha Toh Yeh Jaana Sanam’, sung by late Lata Mangeshkar and Kumar Sanu.

Naidu reminisced about the magic of that song and said, “The novelty of that song was the way it all came together in a good way.

"Like, Kajol is there in the song and Shah Rukh suddenly appears in the field. She is not even aware that he is coming there, it was a surprise for her, they meet, they embrace, and it was shot really well.”

Sadly, “DDLJ” marked his last collaboration with YRF and the Mumbai-born editor said after the film, he decided to work with other directors.

“One has to move on. I had a wonderful experience working with Mr Chopra and Adi. One thing I’ve learnt is that relationships are temporary in this industry, it doesn’t matter how long you work with one another, they (producers) will never call you again.

"I was busy with other things post DDLJ and there was no question of me going there or they calling me because they had other people to work with (as an editor),” he said. PTI KKP RB BK

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Mumbai, Oct 17 (PTI) Filmmaker Nidhi Saxena’s "Secret of a Mountain Serpent", has bagged the ‘New Voice Award’ at the Bangkok International Film Festival 2025.

Starring Adil Hussain and Trimala Adhikari, the Indo-Italian-Sri Lankan co-production had its world premiere at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival.

Produced by Forest Flower Film in collaboration with Camera d’Or-winning Sri Lankan filmmaker Vimukthi Jayasundara, the film marks Saxena’s second feature.

It was developed with support from the Biennale College Cinema fund — a recognition that made Saxena the first Indian woman filmmaker to receive the grant. Set against the backdrop of the 1999 Kargil War, "Secret of a Mountain Serpent" follows a school teacher in a remote Himalayan town emptied of men. Her quiet existence is disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious outsider, whose presence stirs forgotten myths, desire, and memory.

“When the world is speaking of war, this award reaffirms my faith that there is still space for poetry and love. I am very excited to return to the Dharamshala International Film Festival, also one of my favourite Indian film festivals, with my second feature," Saxena said in a statement.

The movie will next make its India premiere at the 14th Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF).

Saxena’s debut feature "Sad Letters of an Imaginary Woman" premiered at the 2024 Busan International Film Festival, where it received support from the Asian Cinema Fund.

The key crew of "Secret of a Mountain Serpent" includes production designer Avni Goyal, editor Saman Alvitigala, and sound designer Neeraj Gera. PTI RB RB

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Mumbai, Oct 17 (PTI) Rishab Shetty’s "Kantara: Chapter 1" continues its blockbuster run, amassing Rs 717.50 crore in gross box office collection in just two weeks of its theatrical release, the makers announced on Thursday.

A prequel to Shetty's 2022 hit "Kantara", the Kannada movie, produced under the banner Hombale Films, released in theatres on October 2.

The film has received overwhelming response from audiences and critics alike for its powerful storytelling, performances and grand visual scale.

"A divine storm at the box office #KantaraChapter1 roars past 717.50 crores+ GBOC worldwide in 2 weeks. Celebrate Deepavali with #BlockbusterKantara running successfully in cinemas near you!" Hombale Films posted on its social media handles.

Set in pre-colonial Karnataka during the reign of the Kadambas from Banavasi, “Kantara: Chapter 1” depicts the conflict between the tribals of the Kantara forest and a tyrannical king.

The film stars Shetty, Sapthami Gowda, Gulshan Devaiah, Rukmini Vasanth, Jayaram, P D Satish Chandra and Prakash Thuminad.

Written, directed and headlined by Shetty, the film is produced by Vijay Kiragandur under Hombale Films. Cinematography is by Arvind S Kashyap, while music is composed by B Ajaneesh Loknath — both of whom also worked on the original "Kantara". PTI RB RB

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Mumbai, Oct 17 (PTI) Popstar Ed Sheeran has unveiled "Play – The Remixes EP", a new project that features collaborations with some of India's most celebrated artists, including Karan Aujla, Arijit Singh, Jonita Gandhi, Hanumankind, Dhee and composer Santhosh Narayanan.

The four-track EP reimagines songs from Sheeran’s chart-topping ninth album "Play", which hit No. 1 in the UK and across several countries earlier this year.

Leading the project is “Symmetry”, a Punjabi-English fusion featuring singer-rapper Karan Aujla. The song’s official video, directed by Liam Pethick, showcases high-energy performances by Sheeran, Aujla and international dance crew The Quick Style.

The project, Sheeran said, was inspired by his month-long stay in India, where he immersed himself in the country’s music and connected with several local artists.

"Making and finishing 'Play' in India was such a fun experience. Being there over the last decade through touring, I’ve met lots of local artists along the way, and I’ve been introduced to all types of music and cultures.

"I’ve loved this collaboration process so much and I wanted to represent as much as I could on this EP, so here’s a little track-by track rundown," Sheeran said in a statement.

The EP’s standout track “Symmetry” marks the first collaboration between Sheeran and Aujla.

“Karan is culture, and I love the movement he’s making with Ikky at the moment. He taught me the Punjabi parts on this song in the studio. I feel like this is the beginning of our collaborative journey,” Sheeran said.

The EP also includes “Don’t Look Down”, a Tamil-English fusion track featuring rapper Hanumankind, singer Dhee and composer Santhosh Narayanan.

“I loooove Hanumankind and got the opportunity to meet him at Coachella and catch his show. I was obsessed with the energy and feel of it all. We connected then and we have since been speaking about working together, then this idea came up.

"Santhosh is one of the greatest film composers and introduced me to Dhee who is such an amazing talent and voice. I wanted to represent South India on this EP and the beautiful Tamil language, and they have done such an amazing job in fusing it together,” Sheeran said.

His collaboration with Arijit Singh, “Sapphire”, was created in the singer’s hometown of Jiaganj, West Bengal.

The track has already crossed half a billion streams globally.

“Everyone already knows the story to this but going to Jiaganj Azimganj with my dad to create this with Arijit is one of my favourite memories in my musical career,”Sheeran said.

The final track, “Heaven”, features Indian-Canadian singer Jonita Gandhi.

“It’s also the first Hindi song I have released. It’s an honour to do it with her — what a talent,” Sheeran said.

The EP is now available on all major streaming platforms. PTI RB RB

Los Angeles, Oct 17 (PTI) Hollywood veterans George Clooney and Annette Bening will feature together in "In Love", an upcoming movie based on author Amy Bloom's bestselling memoir of the same name.

The film will be directed by Oscar nominee Paul Weitz, who co-wrote the script with Bloom, reported entertainment news outlet Deadline.

Bloom's memoir, titled "In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss", is described as an illuminating, modern love story about two people who make an impossible decision together that honours their enduring commitment to each other.

In the US, "In Love" was named Time magazine’s No. 1 non-fiction book of 2022 and included on its list of 100 must-read books.

Eddie Vaisman and Julia Lebedev (Rental Family, Bad Education) developed the project and will produce under their banner, Sight Unseen.

Andrew Miano and Chris Weitz are producing for Depth of Field, while Clooney and Grant Heslov will produce for Smokehouse Pictures. Sebastian Raybaud is producing on behalf of Anton.

Clooney currently stars in filmmaker Noah Baumbach's "Jay Kelly", which had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. The Netflix project also features Adam Sandler and Riley Keough.

Bening, a five-time Oscar nominee, will next appear in "The Bride", directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal and co-starring Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Penelope Cruz, and Peter Sarsgaard.

She also stars in the Apple TV series "Lucky" alongside Anya Taylor-Joy and is currently filming the "Yellowstone" spinoff series "The Dutton Ranch". PTI RB RB

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Lahore, Oct 18 (PTI) Despite the pull out by Afghanistan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Saturday that the three-nation T20I tournament will be held on schedule from November 17 to 29 in Lahore.

A senior PCB official said they are in talks with a few other boards to replace Afghanistan in the tri-series in which Sri Lanka is the third side.

“The Tri-Series will progress as scheduled even after Afghanistan’s withdrawal. We are looking at a replacement team and once finalised, the announcement will be made. The Tri-Series features a third team in Sri Lanka so it is on from 17th November,” he said.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced that it would not be sending its team to Pakistan for the tournament, citing the tragic death of three cricketers which it claimed occurred in Pakistan’s air strikes in Paktika province.

Afghanistan has had no bilateral series with Pakistan since getting Test status although its A teams frequently visited the country before their recognition by the International Cricket Council and many Afghan players also trained in the country.

At one time, Pakistan had also allowed Afghanistan cricketers to play in their domestic events.

A reliable source said that the international cricket department of the PCB was currently even looking at associate member teams including Nepal and UAE as replacements for Afghanistan, but their priority is to get a Test playing nation to participate in the tri-series.

Pakistan will also host Sri Lanka for a three-match bilateral T20 series from November 11 to 15.

Pakistan’s relation with Afghanistan has remained tense for a while now and even though they hosted a tri-series, also featuring the UAE in Sharjah, prior to the Asia Cup.

Pakistani and Afghani spectators were seated in different enclosures to avoid clashes. PTI Corr UNG

Perth, Oct 18 (PTI) Even amid the emotional theme of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's return to India fold, Shubman Gill's maiden outing as full-time ODI skipper provides an equally compelling narrative to the first one-dayer against Australia here on Sunday.

Kohli and Rohit are coming back to national colours after playing the Champions Trophy in March, and the dynamics of Indian cricket has changed irrevocably in these seven months.

The cricketing ecosystem has learned to survive the prolonged absence of Kohli and Rohit — at least in two formats — in this interim period.

So, what do these two veteran batters now have to offer to the side?

Before delving into that question, let's be clear about it — Kohli and Rohit will be counted among the greatest one-day batters across the eras and by any yardstick.

They have also been training hard for this series. Rohit seemed to have shed a few kilos and moulded himself into a chiselled figure, and Kohli was sweating it out in London, his new base, with a private trainer.

But the challenge for these two giants is to shake off the accumulated rust post the IPL, their last competitive outing.

It might just be a blessing for them that their return coincided with a series against Australia, a team that had cathartic influence during the course of their long careers.

In that context, the three-match ODI series can be considered as a barometer of their individual drive and willingness to travel still farther in their working lives as one-format players.

But unlike Kohli, Rohit needs to come to terms with his new role of being just a senior player.

Rohit's previous T20I and ODI outings ended with celebration after guiding the team to ICC trophies, and he was leading the side even in his last Test appearance in Melbourne.

If Kohli can produce those brilliantly calibrated knocks and Rohit his incandescent shot-making up the order, then these two stalwarts can hope to hang on for long.

It will be fascinating to watch an old rivalry coming to life again as Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood will try to keep the Ro-Ko duo quiet once more.

The celebrated cricketers will clearly be knowing that they no longer have the immunity of leadership role or luxury of time, as the current selectors and team management have no deep remorse in taking some harsh calls with future in mind, particularly the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar hinted as much.

"Look they (Rohit and Kohli) are part of the squad at the moment for Australia. They are not on trial. Once they start playing, then you assess.

"But we have some ideas, and we'll probably have a better idea of where the team is progressing," said Agarkar during the 'NDTV World Summit.'

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Future is what Gill is expected to shape. But he will always have the looming figures of Kohli and Rohit behind him.

The 26-year-old has already shown that he is capable of standing up to the legacy of Kohli as a batter during the away series against England.

Now, Gill will have to match the standard set by Rohit as white ball formats skipper, justly reflected in India's 75 per cent win ratio under him, highest in the country's ODI history.

If he likes it or not, Gill will be judged against the achievements of Rohit in the limited-overs, and the Mitchell Marsh-led Australia offers him a daunting first stop despite the absence of premier pacer Pat Cummins.

If he can ace this test, it will do a world of good for his confidence as a leader, which will in turn mirror his already fast developing batting.

Team combination

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It's unlikely that the management will break the highly successful opening combination of Rohit and Gill, keeping Yashasvi Jaiswal as a backup option.

It means Kohli will come at No. 3 followed by Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, who will double up as the wicketkeeper.

Nitish Kumar Reddy is likely to receive his maiden ODI cap in the all-rounder's role since injured Hardik Pandya is not part of the side, and Harshit Rana will vie with Prasidh Krishna for the support seamer's role behind Mohammad Siraj and Arshdeep Singh.

Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav could be manning the spin department.

On the other hand, the Aussies will hope that the likes of Cooper Connolly, Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Renshaw etc can give ample support to Marsh and India's eternal nemesis Travis Head.

Teams (from):

India: Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vc), Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Australia: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc.

Match starts at 9am IST. PTI UNG SSC

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Indore, Oct 18 (PTI) Under pressure to revive their campaign after back-to-back defeats, India will have to consider adding a sixth bowler to bring more balance to their attack when they face England in a crucial Women's ODI World Cup match here on Sunday.

India's campaign has hit a stumbling block after successive three-wicket losses to South Africa and Australia in Visakhapatnam, results that have left their strategy under the scanner.

The combination of five batters, a wicketkeeper, and five bowlers -- three of them all-rounders -- has been India's trusted template through much of this World Cup cycle.

But its limitations have been brutally exposed, forcing a rethink as the 'Women in Blue' now stare at a must-win scenario, needing two victories from their remaining three matches to stay alive in the semifinal race.

The five-bowler approach came undone against South Africa, yet the management persisted with it against Australia, resulting in another defeat.

It offered clinching evidence that India cannot afford to field an attack lacking variety and bite against top teams.

The absence of a specialist bowler proved costly as both South Africa and Australia chased down 251 and 330, exposing India's inability to apply pressure.

India’s fascination for batting depth in the form of multiple all-rounders has made them bench a genuine wicket-taker like pacer Renuka Singh for Amanjot Kaur.

Renuka's absence has left the attack a bit one-dimensional, and her inclusion could lend much-needed variety and take pressure off the young and inexperienced pacer Kranti Goud, who has shouldered the responsibilities admirably so far.

They also have the option of playing left-arm spinner Radha Yadav or pacer Arundhati Reddy.

But equally worrying for India is the dip in form of their top-order batters. India had entered the World Cup with their premier batters in excellent touch, but the momentum seemed to have fizzled out.

While openers Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal showed glimpses of fluency against Australia, scoring brisk fifties, the middle-order led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues has struggled to make meaningful contributions.

India squandered a commanding start provided by their openers against Australia, collapsing spectacularly by losing six wickets for just 36 runs and folding with more than an over to spare.

That trait had put them in deep trouble against Sri Lanka and Pakistan before the all-rounders bailed them out but against four-time champions England the home side will require their core batters to deliver.

This will also allow the team the flexibility to include a sixth bowling option, an indispensable factor in modern-day white-ball cricket.

The conditions at the Holkar Stadium here have traditionally favoured batters, with both matches played at the venue so far being high-scoring contests.

England enter the contest in a more secure position but not without concerns of their own. While they are the only team apart from

Australia who are unbeaten so far, their batting has been erratic, often relying on moments of individual brilliance rather than collective application.

They narrowly avoided an upset against Pakistan, rescued by rain after slumping to 79 for 7. It was their second collapse of the tournament following a precarious 78 for 5 against Bangladesh.

While their top-order remains fragile, England's bowling unit has been disciplined, often bailing them out of tricky situations.

The four time champions require just one more win to seal a semifinal berth and they will hope that ace left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone has recovered from an illness.

Ecclestone and pacer Lauren Bell had missed the match against Pakistan.

Teams (from): India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Uma Chetry, Renuka Singh Thakur, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Sree Charani, Radha Yadav, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud.

England: Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Em Arlott, Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Emma Lamb, Linsey Smith, Danni Wyatt-Hodge.

Match starts at 3pm IST. PTI APA UNG

Kabul, Oct 18 (PTI) Afghanistan has decided to withdraw from the upcoming tri-nation T20I series involving Pakistan, following the death of three Afghan cricketers in what it claimed was a "cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime," the country's cricket board announced.

The series involving Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka was scheduled to be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore between November 17-29.

In a strongly worded statement, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said it was "deeply saddened" by the "tragic martyrdom" of the players — Kabeer, Sibghatullah and Haroon — who, along with five others from Urgun District in Paktika Province, were killed when they were attacked after returning from a friendly match in Sharana, the provincial capital.

Seven others were injured in the incident.

"The Afghanistan Cricket Board expresses its deepest sorrow and grief over the tragic martyrdom of the brave cricketers from Urgun District in Paktika Province, who were targeted this evening in a cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime," ACB said in a statement.

"The ACB considers this a great loss for Afghanistan’s sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family," the board said, while extending condolences to the bereaved families and the people of Paktika Province.

The ACB said its decision to pull out of the series was taken as a gesture of respect to the victims.

"In response of this tragic incident and as a gesture of respect to the victims, the Afghanistan Cricket Board has decided to withdraw from participating in the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series involving Pakistan, scheduled to be played in late November."

"May Allah grant the martyrs the highest ranks in Jannah and bless the injured with a speedy recovery," the statement added.

According to reports, Pakistan conducted airstrikes in the Argun and Barmal districts of Paktika province, also halting the ceasefire between the two nations.

Star spinner Rashid Khan condemned the incident, saying he was “deeply saddened by the loss of civilian lives in the recent Pakistani aerial strikes on Afghanistan.”

"It is absolutely immoral and barbaric to target civilian infrastructure. These unjust and unlawful actions represent a grave violation of human rights and must not go unnoticed," Rashid said in a statement posted on X.

"In light of the precious innocent souls lost, I welcome the ACB’s decision of withdrawing from upcoming fixtures against Pakistan. I stand with our people at this difficult time — our national dignity must come before all else," he added.

Former captain Gulbadin Naib too expressed his strong condemnation of the incident.

“We are deeply saddened by the cowardly military attack in Argun, Paktika, that martyred innocent civilians and fellow cricketers.

“This brutal act by the Pakistani army is an assault on our people, pride, and independence.but it will never break the Afghan spirit,” said Naib.

All-rounder Samiullah Shinwari said the attack has left the cricketing fraternity and Afghanistan in sorrow.

“I was deeply saddened by the news of the martyrdom of the heroic players of Argoon district of Paktika, who were brutally attacked by the Pakistani military regime after a friendly cricket match.

“The incident is a great sorrow not only for Paktika, but for the entire cricket family and nation of Afghanistan. I offer my heartfelt condolences to the families of these innocent players, my friends and the people of Paktika,” he wrote on X.

“We will never forget their memory and sacrifice.”

Opener Sediqullah Atal also supported the ACB’s decision to withdraw from the tri-series.

“Deeply saddened by Pakistan’s attacks on Afghan civilians, women, children, and young cricketers. Such inhuman acts must not be ignored. I fully support the Afghanistan Cricket Board’s decision,” said Atal in his social media account. PTI AT UNG

New Delhi, Oct 18 (PTI) Reigning women’s national champion Anahat Singh bowed out in the quarterfinals of the Boston Open, a USD 15,000 PSA Challenger event, after losing to Egypt's Jana Swaify in a five-game thriller.

Delhi teenager Anahat, the world No. 45 and second seed in the tournament, rallied strongly by winning the third and fourth games to take the contest into the decider before her eighth seeded opponent sealed the affair 11-4 11-9 6-11 3-11 11-5.

Anahat defeated American Charlotte Sze 11-4 11-6 9-11 11-8 in the round-of-16 on Thursday after receiving a first-round bye. PTI SSC SSC UNG

Nanjing (China), Oct 18 (PTI) Decorated Indian archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam on Saturday became the first Indian woman compound archer to win a medal at the World Cup Final, clinching the bronze with a flawless performance here.

The reigning Asian Games champion was at her imperious best against world No 2 Ella Gibson of Great Britain, shooting 15 perfect arrows to prevail 150-145 and secure her maiden podium finish in the tournament.

The eight-archer World Cup season finale saw the 29-year-old Indian begin with a confident 143-140 win over Alexis Ruiz of the USA in the quarterfinals.

Jyothi, however, went down narrowly to world No 1 Andrea Becerra of Mexico 143-145 in the semifinals after a closely-fought contest.

Jyothi briefly led by one point after the third end (87-86) but Becerra hit three 10s in the fourth end to edge ahead 116-115 and sealed the final spot by taking the fifth end 29-28, as the Indian fell just short of her best finish.

The 2021 World Championship silver medallist, however, bounced back in style in the bronze medal match, reeling off 15 consecutive 10s across five ends to outclass Gibson and end her campaign on a high.

This was Jyothi's third appearance at the World Cup Final, having earlier competed at the Tlaxcala (2022) and Hermosillo (2023) editions, where she had exited in the opening round.

India had another qualifier in the women’s compound section, Madhura Dhamangaonkar, who made an opening-round exit after losing 142-145 to Mariana Bernal of Mexico.

In the men’s compound section, Rishabh Yadav is the lone Indian in contention and will open his campaign against South Korea’s Kim Jongho later in the day.

No Indian has qualified in the recurve section. PTI TAP UNG

Melbourne, Oct 18 (PTI) Steve Smith will lead Australia in this year's Ashes if regular Test skipper Pat Cummins fails to recover from his back injury, confirmed selection chair George Bailey.

The injury has ruled Cummins out of the white-ball series against India beginning with the first ODI in Perth on Sunday.

He is also unlikely to feature in the first Ashes Test, starting November 21 in Perth, and in that scenario former skipper Smith will captain Australia.

"If Pat doesn't play, Smudge (Smith) will captain. That's business as usual for us. That formula has worked," Bailey was quoted as saying by 'Sydney Morning Herald'.

"Regardless of whether he's playing, Pat's keen to be around because if he's not playing he'll be rehabbing and getting ready and bowling, so he'll be with the team anyway.

"So that information flow and working together as captain and vice-captain will remain the same," he added.

Smith had returned to Australia from New York this week and had started batting at the nets at Cricket New South Wales headquarters the day after his arrival.

Smith will play the next two rounds of Sheffield Shield for NSW in Brisbane and Sydney.

"Steve landed and he was at Cricket NSW the next day batting. So he'll do his thing. We've tried to tailor everyone's prep to suit them and certain obligations around that, but very comfortably he'll be ready to go," Bailey said. PTI SSC SSC UNG

Kabul, Oct 18 (PTI) Afghanistan has decided to withdraw from the upcoming tri-nation T20I series involving Pakistan, following the death of three Afghan cricketers in what it claimed was a "cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime," the country's cricket board announced.

The series involving Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka was scheduled to be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore between November 17-29.

In a strongly worded statement, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said it was "deeply saddened" by the "tragic martyrdom" of the players — Kabeer, Sibghatullah and Haroon — who, along with five others from Urgun District in Paktika Province, were killed when they were attacked after returning from a friendly match in Sharana, the provincial capital.

Seven others were injured in the incident.

"The Afghanistan Cricket Board expresses its deepest sorrow and grief over the tragic martyrdom of the brave cricketers from Urgun District in Paktika Province, who were targeted this evening in a cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime," ACB said in a statement.

"The ACB considers this a great loss for Afghanistan’s sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family," the board said, while extending condolences to the bereaved families and the people of Paktika Province.

The ACB said its decision to pull out of the series was taken as a gesture of respect to the victims.

"In response of this tragic incident and as a gesture of respect to the victims, the Afghanistan Cricket Board has decided to withdraw from participating in the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series involving Pakistan, scheduled to be played in late November."

"May Allah grant the martyrs the highest ranks in Jannah and bless the injured with a speedy recovery," the statement added.

According to reports, Pakistan conducted airstrikes in the Argun and Barmal districts of Paktika province, also halting the ceasefire between the two nations.

Star spinner Rashid Khan condemned the incident, saying he was “deeply saddened by the loss of civilian lives in the recent Pakistani aerial strikes on Afghanistan.”

"It is absolutely immoral and barbaric to target civilian infrastructure. These unjust and unlawful actions represent a grave violation of human rights and must not go unnoticed," Rashid said in a statement posted on X.

"In light of the precious innocent souls lost, I welcome the ACB’s decision of withdrawing from upcoming fixtures against Pakistan. I stand with our people at this difficult time — our national dignity must come before all else," he added. PTI AT AT UNG

Colombo, Oct 17 (PTI) South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt said that once their Women's World Cup contest against Sri Lanka was reduced to 20 overs a side, she treated it like a T20 game and came out to bat with the same mindset here on Friday.

South Africa chased down the revised target of 121 against the hosts in double-quick time, finishing the match in 14.5 overs and with all 10 wickets intact.

Wolvaardt, who was declared player of the match for her unbeaten 60 and 125-run opening stand with Tazmin Brits (55 not out), said after the match that getting two points was a huge comfort after sitting inside the dressing room and watching the ground being pelted by incessant rain.

"Very relieved we got a game in the end. It was frustrating sitting out for four or five hours but happy with the two points. We just treated it as a normal T20 game and wanted to get ahead of the game as soon as we could and not leave it late.

"Went at it (revised target) with the same intensity as a T20 game," she added.

The Proteas have moved to eight points from five games and are second behind seven-time champions Australia, who have already secured a semifinal spot.

Wolvaardt said the pitch was very slow and the ball felt like "a bar of soap" when South Africa bowled in the rain-affected game.

"That ball was a bar of soap when we were bowling but it came on nicely, so it was good when we were batting."

The skipper said she focused on her batting, knowing that small targets can be dodgy.

"When I'm out there, I'm just watching the ball and trying to hit it as well as I can."

Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu, whose bowlers were thrashed all around the ground, said the focus will be on the remaining two games though they are virtually out of the competition.

"We can't control those things (weather) and results haven't gone our way. We have two more games and we want to play well and win those and finish as high as possible."

On the soggy conditions, she said, "The ball was too hard to grip, especially for the spinners. And we are dependent on spin so we struggled. These kind of things happened in the middle unfortunately.

"As a team we'll stick with our plans in the next game. As a team we have to play positive and fearless cricket. And we need to take the smart options as a batting unit," added Athapaththu. PTI AM AM AH

AH

South Africa:

Laura Wolvaardt not out 60

Tazmin Brits not out 55

Extras: (lb-2, w-8) 10

Total: 125 for no loss in 14.5 overs

Bowling: Sugandika Kumari 2-0-15-0, Malki Madara 3-0-14-0, Inoka Ranaweera 3-0-24-0, Chamari Athapaththu 3-0-22-0, Kavisha Dilhari 3-0-29-0, Piumi Wathsala Badalge 0.5-0-19-0. PTI AH

AH

Ranchi, Oct 18 (PTI) Seven persons were arrested with arms and ammunition in Ranchi, police said on Saturday.

Acting on a tip-off, four armed men on two motorcycles were initially intercepted when they were on the way to the BIT Mesra police outpost area from Angada on Friday, an officer said.

"During interrogation, they revealed that they were members of the Koylanchal Shanti Samiti and the Sujeet Sinha Gang. Subsequently, three of their associates were nabbed," he said.

All of those arrested hail from different parts of the Ranchi district and have criminal antecedents, he added.

Among the items seized from them were two country-made pistols with 13 cartridges, four motorcycles, a four-wheeler, and eight mobile phones, police said.

Those arrested were involved in the shootout at the Satyabhama Apartment on October 4, they said. PTI RPS RPS SOM

Bhubaneswar, Oct 18 (PTI) A teenage girl was rescued in a distraught condition from a roadside in Bhubaneswar, police said on Saturday.

The girl was admitted to the Capital Hospital, and a medical examination revealed that she had been raped, they said.

The girl, about 16 years old, was rescued from the Ashok Nagar area late on Thursday night.

Preliminary investigation revealed that she hailed from Jharkhand. However, her identity is yet to be fully confirmed as she has no mobile phone or any documents, police said.

A case was lodged at the Capital police station under sections related to sexual assault. PTI AAM AAM SOM

Mumbai, Oct 17 (PTI) Six persons were arrested for allegedly kidnapping and assaulting a businessman over a previous dispute related to a gold deal, a police official said on Friday.

The accused had confined him in a flat in Parel in central Mumbai. he said.

"The incident had occurred late evening on October 14 when the victim was standing near his building at Old Hanuman Gully at Lokmanya Tilak Marg area. A car stopped near him and three men and a woman alighted from it. They forced the man into the vehicle, took him to a flat in Parel and assaulted him over an old gold deal," the official said.

"The accused persons took 591 grams of gold worth Rs 76.23 lakh, a cheque of Rs 2.99 lakh and Rs 15000 through UPI transfer from the victim, who was then allowed to go. Based on his complaint, we arrested Tarak Maiti (35), Raghunath Maiti (34), both jewellers in Navi Mumbai, Sewree based dog trainer Deepak Mahadik (45), Alka Mahadik (35), Rahul Dive (30) and Sunil Gorai (28)," he said.

They have been charged with kidnapping and other offences and remanded in police custody till October 18, the LT Marg police station official said.

Gold and other items have been recovered, he added. PTI DC BNM

Kolkata, Oct 17 (PTI) Kolkata Police have busted a major fake number plate racket operating from the city and arrested eight people for their alleged involvement in it, an officer said on Friday.

They also seized number plates linked to multiple states, including West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha, he said.

Talking more about the case, the officer said that the matter surfaced on Thursday when Sergeant Souvik Biswas of Kasba Traffic Guard intercepted a scooter near Ruby crossing.

"The vehicle bore a number plate, WB 05C 1317, that, upon verification, was found fake and registered to another owner, Ranjan Dutta, who had earlier lodged a complaint about repeated prosecution notices," he said.

The rider, Mangal Naskar, was arrested, and that led police to Ramendra Prasad Keshri, who allegedly supplied the scooter, the officer said.

"Interrogation pointed investigators to a workshop in Picnic Garden area run by Bikram Shaw. A raid there uncovered forged plates from several states and a plate-making machine. Shaw could not produce valid documentation and was arrested," he said.

Follow-up searches in the Mullickbazar area led to the seizure of more fake number plates, the officer said, adding that police have so far arrested eight people.

"Raids are still on in different parts of the city and we suspect involvement of more people from West Bengal and other states," he said. PTI SCH RG

Kolkata, Oct 17 (PTI) Three suspects were arrested from Kolkata's Phoolbagan area in connection with the murder of a Rajasthan-based businessman, an officer said on Friday.

The arrests were made late Thursday night. Four armed assailants gunned down Ramesh Rulaniya inside a gym in Rajasthan's Kuchaman locality on the morning of October 7, they said.

Acting on a tip-off, Phoolbagan Police were alerted about the presence of three suspicious individuals in the Kadapara area, the officer said.

"The suspects initially attempted to mislead the police but were soon identified as suspects linked to the Rajasthan case. They attempted to escape and entered a Salt Lake residential complex, where they were intercepted near the Bengal Tennis Academy (BTA) by officers posted at the IPS quarters," the officer told PTI.

Police teams from Bidhannagar and Phoolbagan stations coordinated the arrest, he said, adding that the accused are now in custody and are expected to be handed over to Rajasthan Police following due legal procedures.

Rajasthan Police had announced a Rs one lakh reward for any information about the accused involved in the businessman's murder case. PTI SCH RG

Palamu, Oct 17 (PTI) Bodies of two women were recovered from two separate places in Jharkhand's Palamu district on Friday, police said.

Palamu Town Police Station Officer-in-Charge, Jyoti Lal Rajwar, told PTI that the body of a 30-year-old woman, identified as Suman Devi, was recovered from a canal in Hanuman Nagar area.

"The deceased's in-laws live in Majhauli village. It is unclear how she arrived in the city. The body was seen floating in the canal, which alerted the police. We are carrying out an investigation into the case," said Rajwar.

In another case, the body of a 21-year-old unmarried woman was recovered from Loinga, under Paton Police Station area.

"The woman had injuries on her face; the matter will be clarified after a thorough examination. Prima facie, there does not seem to be sexual assault. However, things will be clear only after the mortem examination," said Medininagar Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Mani Bhushan Prasad.

Police have sent both bodies to the Medinirai Medical College and Hospital in Palamu for post-mortem. PTI COR ANB RG

Bhopal, Oct 17 (PTI) The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Friday alleged a college principal and the Congress-affiliated National Students Union of India (NSUI) were tarnishing its image in connection with a video of some persons allegedly trying to peep into a women's changing room.

The alleged incident took place during the youth festival held at Government College in Bhanpura in Mandsaur district on October 14.

Some ABVP workers, who went to a room where a fan was on, were accused of peeping in to observe women changing, a charge denied by the group.

The ABVP claimed a police probe into the incident found there were no incriminating videos or photographs in the mobile phones of the three students booked in the case, but despite this the college principal and NSUI have been running a smear campaign.

The college principal, prejudiced by previous protests against her by ABVP in student interests, is unethically orchestrating a well-planned propaganda, the group alleged in a statement.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad had immediately relieved two persons of their responsibilities until they were acquitted, it added.

ABVP's National Secretary Shalini Verma said the NSUI is trying to gain political mileage by spreading confusion and distorting facts.

"The ABVP had protested against the principal for the welfare of students due to irregularities in the college. Angered and prejudiced by this, the principal of the college is spreading unethical and untrue propaganda regarding the incident," she claimed.

Meanwhile, Bhanpura Sub Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Vijay Yadav said all three accused in the matter were granted bail by the court on Friday, while a fourth accused is absconding.

The Bhanpura police station in-charge had earlier said the students who were trying to peep inside the room were unable to make any videos or take images. PTI COR MAS BNM

Thane, Oct 17 (PTI) The complainant in the Thane Municipal Corporation bribery case, in which a deputy commissioner has been arrested along with two associates, allegedly received threats over phone, after which a case was registered, police officials said on Friday.

Deputy municipal commissioner Shankar Patole, who was heading the TMC's Encroachment Control and Eviction Department, was arrested during a raid carried out by the Anti Corruption Bureau on October 1 on the complaint of real estate developer Abhijit Kadam. Two others were also held in the case.

Kadam, who holds development rights for a plot in Vishnu Nagar in Naupada, had accused Patole of seeking a bribe concerning a property development that involved the unauthorized construction of three shops. Kadam claimed he had already paid Rs 10 lakh to Patole through on of the arrested accused.

Police sources said the complainant received the threat calls on Thursday while he was being questioned at the ACB office.

"He recorded the conversations and submitted them to the ACB, which in turn approached the Thane police, following which a case was registered against unidentified persons under section 351(3) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita dealing with criminal intimidation," the sources said. PTI COR BNM

Mumbai, Oct 17 (PTI) Police have registered a case against a 32-year-old former student of IIT Bombay for allegedly secretly recording videos of the male students residing in the institute's hostel while they were taking bath, officials said on Friday.

The incident came to light on Thursday after the institute's security inspector approached Powai police station with the complaint against the former student for recording and sharing private images/videos of the students without their consent, an official said.

The incident took place on the fifth floor of the hostel no 14 of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay located in Powai area, he said.

The accused completed his MTech in electrical stream from this premier institute in July this year, he said.

"As he is yet to get a job, he had come to the campus for two days on temporary entry pass on the recommendation of a student on October 11. While staying at the hostel, he secretly recorded videos of the male students while they were bathing and using toilet," he said.

However, some of the students caught the accused red-handed and took him to the security officials of the institute, he said, adding that while examining his phone, they found many videos of the students using the bathroom and toilet.

As no student came forward to lodge a complaint against him, the security inspector on Thursday did so as per the institute administration's instructions, he said.

Based on the complaint, a case has been registered against him under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act, he said adding further probe was underway. PTI DC NP

Bulandshahr (UP), Oct 17 (PTI) A couple has been arrested for allegedly stealing a gold necklace from a jewellery shop here last month, police said on Friday.

The accused, identified as Kamlesh and his wife Poonam, are residents of Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

CCTV footage showed the couple stealing a gold necklace from the jewellery store in the Kotwali Nagar area on September 26. Based on a complaint, a police team was formed to trace them, Assistant Superintendent of Police (City) Rijul said.

The two were arrested from Jaipur on Thursday and were brought back for questioning. During interrogation, they admitted to committing several thefts across Mumbai, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh over the years, police said.

The couple had sold the stolen gold necklace in Jaipur for Rs 4 lakh, which has been recovered. Their criminal background is being verified, they added. PTI COR CDN

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Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh), Oct 17 (PTI) The surrender of top Naxalite Rupesh along with 209 other cadres on Friday has dealt a major blow to the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist), which is already reeling due to the deaths of its key operatives, including its general secretary, in encounters, police officials said here.

The 210 surrendered cadres, including 111 women, from Dandakaranya region, which comprises parts of south Chhattisgarh (Bastar) and bordering areas of Odisha, Telangana, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, carried a cumulative bounty of Rs 9.18 crore, they said.

Takkallapalli Vasudeva Rao, also known by aliases Aashanna, Rupesh and Satish, one of the most wanted leaders of the banned outfit, carried a bounty of Rs 40 lakh, they said.

"For the first time in the history of anti-Naxal operations, such a large number of Maoist cadres have collectively quit violence and surrendered their weapons, which is a symbolic end to the armed struggle," Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range Sundarraj P said.

The surrendered cadres include one Central Committee Member, four Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) members, one Regional Committee Member, 22 Divisional Committee Members (DVCM), 61 Area Committee Members (ACM), 98 Party Members, 98 PLGA (Peoples' Liberation Guerrilla Army)/RPC (Revolutionary Party Committee)/others, he said.

"CCM Rupesh carried a reward of Rs 40 lakh, while four DKSZC members, Bhaskar alias Rajman Mandavi, Ranita, Raju Salam and Dhannu Vetti @ Santu had bounties of Rs 25 lakh each on their heads. Other cadres carried a bounty ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 10 lakh," the IG informed.

The surrendered cadres handed over 153 weapons, including 19 AK-47 rifles, 17 SLR rifles, 23 INSAS rifles, 1 INSAS LMG (Light Machine Gun), thirty six .303 rifles, four carbines, 11 BGLs (Barrel Grenade Launchers), 41 single-barrel / 12-bore guns, one pistol, Sundarraj said.

"This historic surrender is the outcome of coordinated and sustained efforts under the guidance of the Central and state Governments, with active participation of the police, security forces, local administration, and an alert and aware society," he said.

Continuous efforts focused on peace, dialogue, and development have inspired many cadres to renounce violence and embrace a respectful, peaceful, and harmonious life within the framework of law and society, the IG pointed out.

Another police official said Rupesh, who was associated with the banned outfit for the last 36 years, had served in various positions. He was currently in charge of North Sub Zonal Bureau of DKSZC, which is the strongest formation of Maoists handling activities in south Chhattisgarh (Bastar region).

In recent months, the Maoists have suffered successive setbacks in Bastar Range and other LWE-affected districts of Chhattisgarh.

The outlawed movement has seen the neutralization of senior leaders, large recoveries of weapons and explosives, and the dismantling of multiple hideouts in their erstwhile strongholds, as per police.

So far this year, 253 Naxalites have been killed in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh, the most notable being the killing of Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju (70), the general secretary and top-most operative of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist), and five Central Committee members.

Of the five CC members, two were killed in Jharkhand and one in Andhra Pradesh this year, police said.

According to Chhattisgarh police, after the elimination of the Maoists' general secretary and eight CC members this year and the surrender of CC members Sujatha, Bhupathi and Rupesh, now only nine Politburo and CC members are left in the banned outfit, including the dreaded commander Madvi Hidma.

Incidentally, top Naxal leader Mallojula Venugopal Rao, also known by aliases Bhupathi, Sonu and Abhay, and 60 ultras surrendered in Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra on October 14. PTI TKP BNM

New Delhi, Oct 18 (PTI) There is an imminent need for jurisdictional agencies, handling affairs at international airports, to sensitise their officers in the prevailing laws before taking the drastic step of detention and arrest of an international traveller, the Supreme Court has said.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta made the observations while quashing the arrest and criminal proceedings against NRI Rocky Abraham, an Indian citizen settled in Italy for over two decades.

He was detained at the Delhi airport in January 2025 for allegedly carrying a deer horn in violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Abraham was arrested after airport officials found the horn in his baggage and registered an FIR under Sections 39, 49, and 51 of the Act.

He remained in custody for nearly two weeks before securing bail with onerous conditions, including a ban on leaving India.

The top court noted that the article recovered from the petitioner upon DNA analysis was a reindeer horn, which does not infringe any provision of law pertaining to forest or wildlife in India.

"This court feels an imminent need to require the jurisdictional agencies concerned, handling affairs at the international airports, to sensitise their officers in the prevailing laws before taking the drastic step of detention and arrest of an international traveller.

"Needless to state that any such step should not be taken in haste and must be proceeded by appropriate legal opinion and with a pragmatic approach," the bench said.

The apex court said such ill-advised actions tend to bring the reputation of the country to disrepute in the international fora, in addition to bringing the conduct of the concerned officers into breach of the human rights guarantees.

"Consequently, we hereby declare the arrest of the petitioner and so also the FIR and all proceedings sought to be taken thereunder against the petitioner to be unlawful. The same are hereby quashed.

"The writ petition pending before the High Court and the proceedings, if any, pending before the jurisdictional trial Court shall also stand closed. The petitioner is given liberty to avail a suitable remedy seeking damages before the appropriate forum," it said. PTI PKS RHL

Thane, Oct 18 (PTI) A court in Maharashtra's Thane district sentenced a 51-year-old woman to seven years of rigorous imprisonment for forcing a minor girl into prostitution.

Additional Sessions Judge D S Deshmukh convicted the accused, Kajal Babu Chandan, of multiple serious offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012

A copy of the order dated October 15 was made available on Saturday.

According to the prosecution, the incident came to light on March 30, 2022, after the police received a tip-off that the accused was supplying girls for prostitution. A trap was laid with a bogus customer, and the accused was caught red-handed after accepting the decoy money.

The minor victim, who was 16 years old at the time of the incident, was found accompanying the accused, and the evidence revealed that she had lured the teen under the pretext of buying clothes.

The court found the sole testimony of the victim to be sufficient, noting the emotional toll on the child.

"In this case also, the sole testimony of the victim is sufficient to prove the procuration, inducement and her sexual exploitation at the hands of the accused. Her demeanor during her evidence also shows that she was crying when her evidence was recorded," it said.

During sentencing, the defence pleaded for leniency, citing the accused's period of detention. However, the court denied leniency, noting the mandatory minimum sentence for such offences.

The court sentenced the accused to seven years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) and imposed a collective fine of Rs 19,000 on her.

The fine amount, if recovered, is to be given to the victim, and the case has been recommended to the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Thane, for awarding compensation to the victim. PTI COR ARU

New Delhi, Oct 18 (PTI) Dismissal of an employee from service is an extreme step as it throws their family into disarray and brings their source of livelihood to an ignominious and abrupt halt, the Delhi High Court has observed.

It said dismissal is not a step to be taken routinely, especially when the allegation against the employee does not involve an element of moral turpitude or impropriety.

The high court made the observation while setting aside the dismissal of a CRPF employee and ordering his forthwith reinstatement on October 13.

"Dismissal from service is an extreme step. It throws the family of the employee into disarray and brings to an ignominious and abrupt halt the family's source of livelihood.

"It is not, therefore, a step to be routinely taken, especially where the allegation against the employee does not involve an element of moral turpitude or financial or like impropriety," a bench of Justices C Hari Shankar and Om Prakash Shukla said in the order.

The employee was dismissed from service by the authorities on three charges -- marrying another woman during the subsistence of his first marriage, solemnising the marriage without prior intimation to the employer and availing child care allowance for taking care of the daughter of his second wife even before formally adopting her.

The petitioner, represented by advocate K K Sharma, pleaded before the disciplinary authority that his first marriage was validly dissolved by execution of a dissolution deed on stamp paper in the presence of the village panchayat.

The high court noted that this assertion on facts has been noted in the dismissal order and has not been held to be incorrect. The disciplinary authority has not doubted the correctness or proof of this assertion, it said.

"In these circumstances, it is clear, at the very least, that the petitioner's marriage with ... (second wife) was a bona fide marriage as the earlier marriage with ... (first wife), at least in the perception of the petitioner, stood dissolved by way of a dissolution deed on stamp paper executed in the presence of the panchayat of the village.

"To dismiss the petitioner from service in such circumstances would, in our considered opinion, be unjustified," the bench said.

The court made it clear that it was examining this aspect solely from the point of view of whether the employee's dismissal from service was justified.

"...for that limited purpose, we do not deem it necessary to embark into a detailed factual or legal inquiry into whether, strictly speaking in law, the first marriage had been validly or not validly dissolved," it said, adding that dismissing the petitioner from service would result in a travesty of justice.

The court said given the fact that the girl was actually the daughter of the petitioner's second wife, it cannot be said that the man invalidly availed child care allowance, even if the formal adoption of the girl by him took place at a later point in time.

It said the petitioner would be entitled to be treated as having continued in service and would be entitled to all benefits following continuity in service, including seniority and the benefits of pay fixation.

However, he would not be entitled to any arrears of pay for the period that he has not served the respondents. PTI SKV DIV

DIV

handigarh, Oct 17 (PTI) International legal cooperation is no longer aspirational, it is now part of daily judicial lives, Supreme Court judge Justice Surya Kant said iday.

"Let us remember that justice is not a commodity to be hoarded within national borders; it is a universal aspiration. The comity of courts and international legal cooperation are instruments by which we move closer to that aspiration," Kant said while addressing an annual litigation conference on 'Comity of Courts and International Legal Cooperation in Practice' here.

In this tapestry of interdependence, litigation has also inevitably become transnational, he said.

"No longer do disputes confine themselves within the neat boundaries of sovereign states. Assets may be held in Singapore, evidence may rest on servers in Ireland, witnesses may reside in Canada, while the cause of action arises in India. The question then arises -- how do we, as guardians of justice, prevent this interconnectedness from turning into entanglement," he asked.

The answer lies in the comity of courts -- a principle that is not about the surrender of sovereignty, but about mutual respect, coordination, and trust between judiciaries across the globe, Justice Kant said.

Stating that in the 21st century, comity has evolved from a polite gesture to a functional necessity, Justice Kant said, "Without it, cross-border dispute resolution risks descending into chaos: conflicting judgments, endless forum shopping, and erosion of faith in the rule of law."

"With comity, however, we create predictability, fairness, and efficiency for litigants who are already navigating the emotional and financial strains of disputes. International legal cooperation is no longer aspirational; it is now a part of our daily judicial lives," he said.

The Supreme Court judge cited a cross-border insolvency case in the matter of Jet Airways (India) Ltd vs State Bank of India (2019), and said the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) recognised parallel insolvency proceedings in the Netherlands and directed cooperation between Indian and Dutch administrators -- ”a significant step toward cross-border insolvency cooperation.

Citing the challenges, he spoke about conflicting sovereignties, technological complexities and cultural and normative differences.

Speaking about the issue of building a cooperative global judiciary, Justice Kant made some suggestions, including institutionalising regular bilateral and multilateral exchanges between judiciaries to help develop mutual understanding and trust, which form the bedrock of comity.

Training for judges and lawyers in comparative jurisprudence, international conventions, and foreign legal systems must be prioritised, he said.

Also, use of digital platforms for mutual legal assistance, evidence sharing, and even virtual hearings involving parties from different jurisdictions should be explored, he added.

"Establishing a global repository of case studies and judicial approaches to cross-border issues can act as a reference point for courts worldwide," Justice Kant said.

He said he has often witnessed that in the pursuit of precision and procedure, "we allow technicalities to overshadow substantive justice".

"Justice, if it becomes the handmaid of procedure, obviously ceases to inspire trust. This spirit must guide international cooperation as dispensation of justice must never be defeated by the tyranny of technicalities," he said. PTI CHS VSD ARI

Agra (UP), Oct 17 (PTI) A special court in Agra sentenced two men to death for the kidnapping, gang-rape, and the brutal murder of a five-year-old girl, terming the crime "rarest of the rare", prosecution lawyers said on Friday.

Special Judge Sonika Chaudhary of the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Court (Sessions Court No 27) handed down four death sentences to the accused, identified as Amit and Nikhil, under different sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Both were also fined a total of Rs 4.5 lakh, which will be given as compensation to the victim's parents, according to Additional District Government Counsel (ADGC) Subhash Giri and Special Public Prosecutor (POCSO) Vijay Kishan Lavania.

The court observed that the offences, which included kidnapping, gang-rape, and murder, along with a ransom demand, warranted the strictest punishment. Execution of the death sentences will remain stayed until confirmation by the Allahabad High Court, the prosecution said.

According to officials, the five-year-old girl went missing on March 18, 2024. The next day, Amit allegedly called the victim's father, demanding a ransom of Rs 6 lakh and threatening to kill her if police were informed. When the ransom was not paid, the accused allegedly sexually assaulted the girl and murdered her.

The girl's body was recovered on March 20, 2024, from a mustard field along the railway line. Post-mortem findings indicated strangulation marks and evidence of sexual assault, officials stated.

The court also sentenced the accused to additional punishments for other serious offences, including life imprisonment and fines for unnatural offences and destruction of evidence, according to the prosecution. PTI COR KIS MPL

MPL

Gurugram, Oct 17 (PTI) A special (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) POCSO court in the Nuh district sentenced two men to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for gang-raping a minor girl, police said on Friday.

The convictions were announced on October 13, and the sentences were pronounced on Thursday.

Each of the accused has also been fined Rs 52,000. If they fail to pay the fine, they will face additional imprisonment, police added.

Additional Sessions judge Dr Ashu Sanjeev Tinjan delivered the verdict.

"The court has ordered the time spent in custody during the trial to be deducted from the sentence", the spokesperson for the Nuh police stated.

According to the police, the convicts, identified as Sahil alias Kala and Risal alias Sussa, are residents of Autha village in the Nuh district.

The case dates back to September 3, 2021, when the minor girl went to the forest to collect crops. The accused, finding her alone, allegedly raped her at gunpoint, took photos and videos of the incident, and threatened to share the footage online and harm her if she disclosed what happened. Out of fear, the victim did not report the incident immediately, police stated.

According to the spokesperson, the situation escalated when the material related to the case began circulating on social media. Subsequently, the victim's mother filed a complaint at the police station, leading to an FIR being registered at the Pinangwa police station on September 22, 2021.

After the FIR was registered, both the accused were arrested and placed in judicial custody. The police collected necessary evidence during the investigation, the spokesperson added. PTI COR MPL

MPL

Pune, Oct 17 (PTI) A sessions court here has discharged NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad in a 2016 case related to a violent clash at Fergusson College in the city, holding that there was no prima facie evidence against him.

Additional Sessions Judge A S Gandhi passed the order on October 13 while allowing Awhad's criminal revision plea challenging the August 22 order of the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), which had rejected his discharge application.

The sessions court held that the magistrate's order was "not legal, proper and correct".

"The magistrate has not considered the case of the petitioner. He did not appreciate the evidence on record," the court said.

The clash had taken place at the Fergusson College campus on March 23, 2016, amid heightened tensions following the death of PhD scholar Rohith Vemula.

Awhad was booked under IPC sections 143, 147, 149 (unlawful assembly), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 336 (endangering life or safety), 341 (wrongful restraint) and the Bombay Police Act.

However, the sessions court noted that Awhad was not an aggressor but had himself come under attack.

"The petitioner is the victim of the incident. Police rescued him and took him to another place," it observed.

Appearing for Awhad, advocate Harshad Nimbalkar told the court the MLA was targeted by a group that hurled stones, slippers and water bottles at him and his vehicle.

Dismissing the unlawful assembly charge, the court said the prosecution had failed to show that at least five persons shared a common object with Awhad. Witnesses stated two groups -- supporters of Dr B R Ambedkar and members of the ABVP -- were present, but no link was established between them and Awhad.

The order further noted that the charge sheet did not specify how many persons were with the MLA, and there was no evidence that he caused any injury or endangered anyone's safety. PTI SPK KRK

Pune, Oct 17 (PTI) Satyaki Savarkar, grandnephew of V D Savarkar, on Friday deposed before a special court here in the defamation case linked to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks about the Hindutva ideologue, marking the beginning of the trial.

Advocate Sangram Kolhatkar, representing complainant Satyaki Savarkar, said during the deposition, a part of his client's chief examination was recorded.

"In it, he spoke about his family background and how he came across an online link to Rahul Gandhi's speech delivered in London in March 2023. In that speech, Gandhi claimed V D Savarkar had written in a book that he and five to six friends once beat up a Muslim man and had felt happy about it," Kolhatkar said.

In his deposition, Satyaki informed the court about the video, the date on which Gandhi made the speech, and the duration of the clip, he added.

Advocate Milind Pawar, representing Gandhi in the case, sought time to file the defence's say on an application submitted by Satyaki Savarkar, which stated that "Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse; however, no social boycott was imposed on Godse's family after the assassination."

Advocate Pawar argued that a close reading of the application indicates the complainant is indirectly justifying Mahatma Gandhi's assassination.

He further submitted the content of the application is based entirely on historical events, and therefore, verification of those historical facts and records is necessary before submitting a detailed reply.

"We requested the court to grant the defence sufficient time to study the relevant historical documents and file a comprehensive written statement. The court has granted time to submit a detailed reply, and the matter is now posted for November 7," Pawar said. PTI SPK BNM

Nainital, Oct 17 (PTI) The Uttarakhand High Court has summoned the district magistrate of Uttarkashi and other officials to appear in connection with a petition against illegal construction of hotels and resorts along a riverbank in the Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ).

The petition has alleged that the constructions are in violation of a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order.

A division bench of Chief Justice G Narendra and Justice Alok Mahara asked the officials to submit a report on whether the NGT's directives have been duly complied with.

The Himalayan Citizen Vision Forum has filed a public interest litigation in the high court alleging that uncontrolled and unauthorised construction has been carried out along the riverbank from Gomukh to Uttarkashi in the Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ), violating environmental norms.

The petitioner claimed that such unregulated construction is a major cause of frequent natural disasters in the Uttarkashi region.

The plea requested a complete ban on construction activities in these areas and urged strict action against illegal structures.

It also stated that in order to attract nature lovers and promote tourism centred around "mountain views", the government is permitting camps, hotels, and resorts near glaciers and along river banks without prior scientific surveys. This poses a serious threat to life and property, the petition said.

The petition said the government should conduct a scientific and environmental study of the area before granting any construction permission to prevent loss of life and property during floods or other disasters.

The government has argued that permission is granted only in areas found suitable after survey and evaluation.

After hearing both parties, the court directed the government to submit a comprehensive survey report of the entire area. PTI DPT MPL SKY

SKY

Maharajganj (UP), Oct 17 (PTI) A Chinese national, who had allegedly entered India illegally via Nepal last year, was on Friday sentenced to one-year-jail term by a court here, a case lawyer said.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 on Cai Xiaohong (49), a resident of Xiamen City, Fujian Province, public prosecutor Pravindra Kumar Diwakar said.

He said the case dates back to June 26, 2024, when police in Sonauli bordering Nepal spotted a suspected foreign national entering India from the Nepal side.

On interrogation, she revealed her identity as Cai Xiaohong and said she came to visit Nepal and from there she entered India without a valid visa, the lawyer said.

Police registered a case under The Foreigners Act and filed a charge sheet in the court. During the trial, the court found Cai guilty.

On Friday, Chief Judicial Magistrate Mukesh Yadav sentenced Cai to one-year simple imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 2,000, Diwakar said.

In case of non-payment, she will have to put in an additional three months of jail time, he added. PTI COR KIS ZMN

Prayagraj, Oct 17 (PTI) The Allahabad High Court has held that immovable properties belonging to educational institutions in Uttar Pradesh including playgrounds cannot be allowed to be used for any commercial activities like exhibitions or other kind of fairs or as places for selling goods.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Kshitij Shailendra directed the state government to issue an apparent circular to this effect directing the district administrations, police administrations and educational institutions at all levels in consonance with the directions of the court within a period of one month.

The judgement was passed during hearing of a PIL filed by a person named Girja Shankar seeking court direction to the state authorities to stop commercial mela being organised within the premises of the government-aided Brahmanand Degree College at Rath in Hamirpur district.

The petition said that in the college affiliated to Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, a commercial mela is being organised since last year in the entire open ground at the instance of the principal of the institution.

After going through the arguments and material on record the court observed, "Educational institutions are meant for imparting education only and the land and building belonging to such institutions which include their playgrounds also cannot be permitted to be used for holding any commercial activity under any name, like exhibitions, trade fairs or other kinds of fairs, or sale of one or the other articles and goods etc."

"Infrastructure of educational institutions is meant to be utilised strictly for the purposes of educational activities and those associated and linked thereto like holding of sports events, cultural, inter-schools competitions and such other identical curricular activities organised by the institution itself and for no other purpose," the court added. PTI COR RAJ ZMN