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Four sanitary workers killed after being hit by Kerala Express near Palakkad: Railway police. UK Conservative Party chooses Kemi Badenoch as new leader as it aims to rebound from election defeat, reports AP. One terrorist killed in encounter with security forces in Khanyar area of J-K's Srinagar: Police. Following disengagement agreement with China, verification patrolling has begun on mutually agreed terms in Demchok and Depsang: MEA. We are in touch with US authorities to clarify issues: MEA on US sanctions on Indian entities. Working with all relevant depts, agencies to sensitise Indian companies on applicable export control provisions: MEA on US sanctions. Such irresponsible actions will have serious consequences for bilateral ties: MEA on Canada's allegations against Home Minister Amit Shah. Canadian govt officials deliberately leaked unfounded insinuations to international media to discredit India, influence other nations: MEA. Canadian High Commission representative summoned and given note to lodge India's protest: MEA on allegations against Home Minister Amit Shah. India has lodged protest in strongest terms on "absurd and baseless" references made by Canadian minister about our Home Minister: MEA.
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Kejriwal promises to waive inflated water, electricity bills if AAP returns to power in Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 2 (PTI) The AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal Saturday promised to waive inflated bills for water and electricity if he comes to power again following next year's Delhi assembly elections.

Taking part in an event on the occasion of Vishwakarma Day at Transport Nagar here, he said, "I am not a politician like leaders from other parties. For the past 10 years, I have worked for the development of the people. I have been educated by the institute of the country, so I know how to work."

He said that when he was in jail in connection with a case related to the Delhi liquor policy scam case, the lieutenant governor was running the city government and people got inflated water and electricity bills.

"Do not worry. Now I am out and your bills will be waived when the AAP comes into power in February," Kejriwal said.

The AAP supremo claimed that the party's government in Delhi has achieved all-round development in the national capital that ranges from education to health along with free buses for women.

"Vote for those who have worked. I am not saying that vote for the AAP. Ask the BJP what they have done for your children; I challenge them to show one single work they have done for the people of Delhi," he said.

The elections for the Delhi Legislative Assembly are due in February next year. PTI MHS NSD

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K'taka CM Siddaramaiah orders withdrawal of notices to farmers over Waqf land disputes

Bengaluru, Nov 2 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday instructed officials to immediately withdraw all notices sent to farmers concerning Waqf land issues.

A decision to this effect was taken during a high-level meeting, with senior officials from the Revenue department, the Minority Welfare department, and the Karnataka Board of Waqfs.

"Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has issued a strict directive for the immediate retraction of all notices sent to farmers about Waqf land, emphasising that no disruption should be caused to them," a statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) read.

The statement noted Siddaramaiah’s dissatisfaction with recent actions by certain officials and highlighted concerns that the JD(S) and BJP were allegedly using the Waqf issue for political gains, potentially disrupting peace in the state.

“Siddaramaiah has urged the public to ignore any misinformation and directed officials to handle the matter with sensitivity,” it added.

The statement also emphasised that all notices issued to farmers regarding land records tied to Waqf properties must be promptly withdrawn. Officials were instructed to avoid harassing farmers or causing any issues related to lands under their possession.

The CM further directed that any unauthorised changes made to land records (Pahani or RTC) without prior notice or legal procedures should be immediately nullified.

The meeting was attended by Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, and senior government officials. However, Minority Welfare and Waqf Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan was not present.

Earlier, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said all District Deputy Commissioners have been directed not to issue notices to farmers under the Waqf Act.

He affirmed that revenue records would be considered final, and administrative actions would adhere to them.

“The Chief Minister has instructed all deputy commissioners to withdraw such notices or letters. The matter is now resolved, though we are unsure of any future developments,” Parameshwara told reporters. PTI GMS GMS SSK ROH

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ADGP Ajithkumar meeting with RSS leaders a sin? asks Ram Madhav

Kozhikode (Kerala), Nov 2 (PTI) Senior RSS leader Ram Madhav has apparently defended ADGP M R Ajithkumar's meeting with top members of his organisation last year, by asking "how can it be a sin?"

A controversy erupted in Kerala recently over the ADGP's meeting with senior RSS leaders Dattatreya Hosabale and Madhav on separate occasions last year and led to the IPS officer being stripped of the high profile Law and Order charge.

Madhav told the Manorama news channel that people should be able to meet each other freely.

"We should rise above this pettiness of thinking so-and-so is untouchable or should not be met. That is not the India we have to build, that is not the Kerala we have to build," he said on the sidelines of the art and literature festival HORTUS organised by Malayala Manorama here.

The RSS leader also said that he had once greeted Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at an airport.

"I greeted your chief minister (Vijayan) when he was passing through an airport. So should we not greet each other?" he asked.

ADGP Ajithkumar's meeting with RSS leaders last year came to light recently and kicked off a political storm in the state with the ruling CPI(M)'s key ally, CPI, also terming it as a wrong move and demanding that he be removed from his post of ADGP Law and Order.

Faced with severe criticism from several quarters, the government finally stripped Ajithkumar of the Law and Order charge and transferred him to the ADGP Battalion post.

Regarding the BJP's historic win in Thrissur in the Lok Sabha elections, Madhav said it was not due to some deal between the BJP and the Left, but a result of the "love and support of the people for our candidate".

Actor Suresh Gopi had scripted history for the party by winning the Thrissur LS seat and ending the BJP's years-long electoral drought in the southern state. PTI HMP HMP KH

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Rohit Bal: The Valley boy who strode to great heights in fashion

New Delhi, Nov 2 (PTI) He blazed a trail on the catwalks of high fashion, blending traditional craft with bold aesthetics to create designs that found appeal in India and the west. Rohit Bal was a pioneer and legacy maker, his creations grandiose, his shows opulent – much like the man himself.

Known for his intricate use of rich fabrics like velvet and brocade adorned with signature flower and peacock motifs, Bal’s creations redefined Indian couture on a global scale.

He was one of the early designers to take Indian fashion beyond its shores by dressing up Hollywood celebrities like Cindy Crawford, Uma Thurman, Pamela Anderson and Naomi Campbell.

In India, he was a much revered figure among celebrities. Actors such as Ranbir Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sonam Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Arjun Rampal and others either walked for Bal or sported his designs at events.

The couturier, who died at the age of 63 on Friday night at a south Delhi hospital following a heart attack, was not keeping well for the last few years. Bal, who was fondly called Gudda by his peers and friends from the industry, pulled through a major health scare in December last year but true to his style, he was working behind-the-scenes for his final showcase on October 13.

He looked frail and struggled to walk and even stumbled while making his way to the stage, but despite that, he kept his spirits high and danced like the true rockstar of Indian fashion as models and Bollywood star Ananya Pandey supported him.

Pandey, who had turned his muse and showstopper for the gala night, presented Bal with a rose at the end of the show to honour his designs which were filled with red blooms.

As he took the bow at the end of the Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI show, many in the crowd cheered for him with an inkling that the magic and the beauty they just witnessed on the ramp was perhaps for the last time.

But no one in the fashion fraternity thought that Bal would pass away just two weeks later.

Bal embraced life with the same boldness and vibrancy that he infused into his designs and his collection, ‘Kaaynaat: A Bloom In The Universe’, was a testament to this spirit.

It was a fitting finale for a designer whose artistry and energy left a lasting impact on the fashion world.

Bal's approach to fashion was a captivating blend of art, history, and folklore, and he elevated his designs to high art by drawing on India’s cultural heritage.

A history graduate from St Stephen’s College, the designer was adept at marrying historical influences with his imaginative flair to create high couture.

In an interview with PTI in 2019, Bal spoke about his uncompromising design philosophy.

"I always stuck to who I am and never did what everybody else was doing. I have a very strong and focused design philosophy, and I adhere to that. I believe anything you do from your heart and soul will always stay relevant. I am comfortable in being classic, elegant, and timeless, and it has contributed a lot to my brand and career as a designer,” Bal said.

Born on May 8, 1961 in Srinagar, Bal followed his passion for fashion by training at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in Delhi.

He initially worked in his family’s export business, learning the industry's fundamentals before launching his own label in 1990 and then there was no looking back for him.

In 1996, Time magazine hailed Bal as India’s "Master of fabric and fantasy", a title that underscored his artistic approach.

By 2001, Bal’s reputation was firmly established internationally, with tennis star Anna Kournikova walking for his Paris show that year.

His influence went beyond fashion, extending into luxury product collaborations such as footwear, linens, jewellery, and even watches, and he worked with industry giants like the Aditya Birla Group.

His talent also found its way into costume designs for contestants on "Kaun Banega Crorepati," hosted by megastar Amitabh Bachchan, and outfitting British Airways’ cabin crew.

Though Bal became famous world over for his work, at heart, he remained a boy from the Valley, always carrying a piece of his homeland, Kashmir, in his heart, and in his designs which were often drawn from its flora and fauna.

“The Valley offers so much inspiration, and I have always picked up something from the flora which is very exclusive to Kashmir. There are so many beautiful landscapes and mountains. But a lot depends on the medium you are expressing your feelings through.

"If I were a painter, I would have focused on the streams and waterfalls, probably. But I believe as a designer, flowers complement my work the best,” Bal told PTI in 2019.

Poor health had led him to withdraw from public and professional engagements in the last few years.

He may be gone but Bal's imprint on Indian fashion will serve as an inspiration for later generations. PTI RB BK MIN RB

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I never disrespect tennis community, I am part of it: Rohit Rajpal

New Delhi, Nov 2 (PTI) India's non-playing Davis Cup captain Rohit Rajpal on Saturday clarified that his "shut-up" remark was meant for a few "agenda-driven" people consistently targeting him and was not directed at the country's tennis community as has been projected.

In a free-wheeling interview with PTI, Rajpal said that people questioning his credentials as Davis Cup captain should do a bit of research and he is not someone who would cling to the position in the face of resistance from players.

He asserted that it is not necessary that only an accomplished player can become a good coach and guarantee success of the national team. To drive his point, he said extremely successful players did not boast reputed names in their support staff.

Rajpal, who is largely a non-controversial person, courted controversy after India lost 0-4 to Sweden in the previous Davis Cup tie in Stockholm when he told his critics to "shut up".

The 54-year-old Rajpal admitted that he should not have reacted after being provoked during the media interaction. Rajpal said his sharp reaction was an outcome of frustration he felt after defeat in front of a good number of Indian supporters.

"I am myself the Indian tennis community. I'm part of the association, I'm part of so many things. My life has been tennis. I can never even dream of something like this, to say shut up to the Indian community. Why would I do that?," Rajpal said during his visit to PTI Headquarters in Delhi.

"I would never think of disrespecting somebody like that, but I should have also not reacted to even those three or four guys to be very honest. But the question was asked in such a bad manner and that also in front of my team sitting next to me I felt humiliated."

Rajpal said he knows the people who want him out but he would not make their names public.

"What I really felt bad about was that one person creates a narrative in a wrong way and that carries through, and nobody even bothers to go back and see the tape, go into details," he said, clarifying that the question was not asked on behalf of entire Indian tennis community but his "haters".

Rajpal took over captaincy in 2019 when the then skipper Mahesh Bhupathi chose not to travel to Pakistan due to security concerns.

At the time of his appointment and during his tenure, his credentials were questioned. He has played only one Davis Cup tie in his career: a dead rubber against Korea in 1990.

He, though, was part of the bronze medal-winning team at the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing.

So does he feel that he deserve to be leading India in the Davis Cup?

"Whether I deserve to be there or not is not a decision I would like to justify. That is in the hands of the Executive Committee, which is supreme.

"There are enough people who know tennis there. They have been there in sports administration since we were kids so I'm sure they take a balanced decision.

"The second area is my players. The day I feel that my players feel somebody else will do a better job I am the first one to walk out myself. I don't need to be told to go. I am ready to walk out even today."

As the discussion turned towards his own career as a player, Rajpal said he was a perfect example of "what not to do".

"I had to quit because I slipped two discs in the back. Before that I've beaten some very good players. I've played at the top level. Nobody can take that away from me. I'm an Asian Games medallist.

"I'm a Asian champion as well but I've never chosen to speak about it because I don't want to blow my own trumpet.

"I come again from the batch of players that always said let your racket do the talking. Mahesh Bhupati and Somdev, when they were playing, they themselves recommended my name and put a condition with the AITA that I be the captain."

Rajpal said he overtrained due to lack of guidance and that cut short his career, in which he beat Leander Paes a number of times, and lost some very close matches to greats such as Wayne Ferreira and Tim Henman.

"I had one bad habit when I look back, which cost me my career, which was getting up at 5 in the morning and running 20 kilometers on the road.

"In those days, we did not have good cushioned shoes. We had a local shoe that sponsored me. And I ran with that shoe seven days a week. Every day of my life, I ran 20 kilometers on the road to build endurance.

"And then obviously, I'm a good example of, as my coaches say, that I did not know when to stop. I stopped only when it got dark. I only believed that hard work would take me through."

He recalled the time when he challenged some of the world's higher ranked players.

"I had the good fortune of training in Sweden and in Harry Hoffman's in Tampa, in Florida. I was training at that time with Jim Courier and he was a slugger. And, after a full day, he would leave and I would still train two hours more after he left, only to get better than him.

"I over-trained. And that's how my career ended very quickly. At 19, 20, I was already a guy with two slipped discs in my back and a very bad left leg. Wayne Ferrera, when I played him, he was number 11 in the world on ATP. That was a close match.

"Tim Henman, again, a top player and I don't need to tell his credentials to you. It was a very close match, I lost third set tie-breaker.

"And I don't blame some of the people for not being able to know these things. Like I said to you, people don't research anymore. People don't look at things at in-depth anymore. People look at things only from the surface, right? And which is a sad part.

"I'm not trying to justify, you know, or trying to blow my trumpet. But I played at a world-class level myself. And nothing, nobody can take that away from me." PTI AT AT AH

AH

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LATEST NEWS...
Nepal celebrates New Year’s Day as per indigenous calendar

Kathmandu, Nov 2 (PTI) Nepal celebrated New Year’s Day on Saturday according to the indigenous Nepal Sambat calendar, with grand cultural processions organised on the occasion.

The people of the Newar community, mainly from Kathmandu Valley, have been celebrating Nepal Sambat as New Year's Day for centuries. Nepal Sambat or era is the indigenous calendar of the Himalayan nation.

A grand procession showcasing various cultural idols was organised in the country, and traditional music bands performed to observe Nepal era New Year 1145.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli also attended a celebration rally at Basantapur Durbar Square here on Saturday.

Meanwhile, President Ram Chandra Poudel, Vice President Ram Sahaya Yadav, Oli and various leaders issued statements wishing those celebrating the Nepal Sambat.

The Nepal era was introduced by Shankhadhar Sakhwa, a trader from Kathmandu, by relieving the people of Nepal of debt during the reign of Lichchhavi King Raghav Dev in 880 AD.

Recognising the calendar introduced by Sakhwa, the government announced him as a national luminary in November 1999.

However, the Newar community, considered the campaigners of the Nepal Sambat, has demanded that the calendar be used as the official calendar in both central and provincial government offices.

Pavitra Bajracharya, President of Newa Deya Dabu, has demanded that the government use the Nepal Sambat calendar in all three tiers of the government -- the local, provincial and central. He also demanded the printing of banknotes with the inclusion of the Nepal Sambat calendar year for its official recognition.

Meanwhile, the Newar Community of Kathmandu also celebrated Mha Puja or self-worship, as part of the Deepawali festival on the fourth day of the five-day festival. PTI SBP GRS GRS

GRS

Modi’s promise to revive Bihar sugar mills 'not met', has he developed diabetes, asks RJD’s Misa

Patna, Nov 2 (PTI) RJD MP Misa Bharti on Saturday made a tongue-in-cheek remark on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "unfulfilled" promise of enjoying tea sweetened with sugar produced in mills of Bihar, which have been lying moribund for decades.

Bharti, who is the eldest daughter of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, claimed that the state's sugar industry has "not been revived so far" and wondered whether the PM has given up on his promise because of "diabetes".

"The PM is enjoying his third consecutive term in office and has not fulfilled any of the promises he made before the ascent to power," alleged the Pataliputra MP.

She added, "Hailing from Bihar, I remember the rhetorical flourish with which he had told the state's people that sugar mills of Bihar will be revived and he will himself savour tea sweetened with the produce. Why did he not fulfil his own promise? Has he developed diabetes?".

Responding to queries from journalists, she also termed "One nation one poll" as a "shigoofa" (gimmick) of the Modi government and said, "They are not able to hold polls to four states together. What to speak of the entire country".

The allusion was to assembly polls for Maharashtra and Jharkhand taking place about a month after elections were held in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.

The RJD leader, whose party is a constituent of INDIA bloc, also asserted that she was confident of the coalition's victory "in all assembly polls and by-polls".

She, however, voiced disapproval of derogatory remarks made by Arvind Sawant, an MP of Shiv Sena (UBT), against a candidate of the Eknath Shinde-led faction.

"Political differences aside, no offensive remarks should be made about a woman, even if she happens to be a rival", said Bharti when her attention was drawn to Sawant's jibe against Shaina NC, who was formerly with BJP.

The RJD MP also fulminated against inflammatory remarks made by Union Minister Giriraj Singh in course of the recently held Hindu Swabhiman Yatra.

"It is appalling that a union minister can ask people to rain a hundred blows on somebody and get away with it", she fumed.

She also questioned the BJP's "silence" over formation of a new outfit by ex-union minister RCP Singh who had joined the saffron party after being forced to quit Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U).

She also slammed Prashant Kishor, the founder of Jan Suraaj, for making promises "he never asked BJP and Nitish to fulfil while he was handling their campaign". PTI NAC BDC

Four sanitary workers killed after being hit by train in Kerala

Palakkad (Kerala), Nov 2 (PTI) Four sanitary workers, including two women from Tamil Nadu, were killed after being hit by the Thiruvananthapuram-bound Kerala Express near Shoranur Railway Station on Saturday evening, the Railway police said.

The New Delhi-Thiruvananthapuram train struck the workers around 3.05 pm while they were clearing garbage from the railway track near Shoranur bridge, located a few kilometers from the railway station.

The workers, contracted by the Railways for sanitation duties, were thrown from the track due to the collision's impact. While three bodies were retrieved from the area, efforts are being made to locate the fourth, which is suspected to have fallen into the Bharathapuzha River, police said.

A team from the Railway Police reached the spot.

"The workers may not have noticed the approaching train, which resulted in the accident, but further investigations are underway," said an officer with Shoranur Railway Police. PTI ARM HMP ROH

SCOREBOARD: India vs New Zealand, Day 2 Third Test

Mumbai, Nov 2 (PTI) Scoreboard at stumps on the second day of the third and final Test between India and New Zealand here on Saturday.

New Zealand 1st innings: 235

India 1st innings: 263

New Zealand 2nd innings:

Tom Latham b Akash Deep 1

Devon Conway c Shubman Gill b Washington Sundar 22

Will Young c&b Ashwin 51

Rachin Ravindra st Pant b Ashwin 4

Daryl Mitchell c Ashwin b Jadeja 21

Tom Blundell b Jadeja 4

Glenn Phillips b Ashwin 26

Ish Sodhi c Kohli b Jadeja 8

Matt Henry b Jadeja 10

Ajaz Patel not out 7

Extras: (B-12, LB-4, NB-1) 17

Total: (For 9 wickers in 43.3 overs) 171

Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-39, 3-44, 4-94, 5-100, 6-131, 7-148, 8-150, 9-171

Bowling: Akash Deep 5-0-10 -1, Washington Sundar 10-0-30-1, Ravichandran Ashwin 16-0-63-3, Ravindra Jadeja 12.3-2-52-4. PTI SSC SSC

SSC

Goa MLA disqualification matter: Congress leader Girish Chodankar to move higher court

Panaji, Nov 2 (PTI) Congress’ Girish Chodankar said on Saturday that he would challenge in a higher court the Goa Speaker’s decision to disallow his disqualification petition against eight of his party MLAs who defected to BJP in 2022.

Chodankar had filed the petition seeking the disqualification of MLAs Digambar Kamat, Aleixo Sequeira, Sankalp Amonkar, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Kedar Naik, Rudolf Fernandes and Rajesh Faldesai after they left Congress to join the ruling party two years ago.

Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar on Friday dismissed Chodankar’s petition seeking action against the lawmakers on the grounds of defection.

The Congress leader told PTI that getting the order from the Speaker was “merely a formality”. “I had to complete that formality of approaching the Speaker and getting the order (disallowing the petition) from him as it is necessary before I move higher courts,” he said.

Chodankar said he would either petition the Goa Bench of Bombay High Court in Panaji or the Supreme Court. “I have both options and I am taking legal opinion on that,” he said.

The Congress leader said he had to approach the Supreme Court seeking its intervention after the Speaker did not give his verdict on his disqualification petition for almost two years.

“The Supreme Court had asked the Speaker to decide on the petition as soon as possible. The apex court had fixed the next date on November 4,” he said.

Chodankar said the Speaker wrongly interpreted the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which concerns disqualification on the grounds of defection, and validated the “illegal merger of the Indian National Congress in the BJP by the eight MLAs”.

The case before the higher court will set the precedent that even though the defecting MLAs have a three-fourth majority (of the seats won by a party), they cannot shift sides without the consent of the parent political party.

The eight MLAs joined the BJP on September 14, 2022, taking the ruling party's strength in Goa's 40-member assembly to 28.

Dismissing Chodankar’s disqualification petition, speaker Tawadkar ruled on Friday that a member of the assembly shall not be disqualified where his original political party merges with another political party.

“In simple words, upon the merger of the original political party of the elected member with another political party, the elected member will not face disqualification in either contingency i.e whether he chooses to go with the merger or disagrees with the same,” the speaker ruled.

The speaker said disqualification on the grounds of defection does not apply in the case of a merger. PTI RPS NR

Biggest and ‘most complete’ dinosaur skeleton to go on sale on November 16

New Delhi, Nov 2 (PTI) The stage is set for "Vulcain", one of the biggest dinosaurs that roamed the earth 150 million years ago, to go under the hammer on November 16 in Paris.

French auction houses Collin du Bocage and Barbarossa have announced that the “most complete” and largest dino skeleton to be auctioned has already crossed its original estimates to USD 11- USD 22 million (approx Rs 92-185 crore) since pre-registration bidding opened in July.

The majestic Apatosaurus skeleton was discovered in Wyoming in the US in 2018 and measures 20.50 metres with approximately 80 per cent of bones belonging to the same dinosaur - making it the most complete dinosaur skeleton to be discovered.

“Vulcain is the largest and most complete dinosaur that stands above them all. It is the ancient find of a lifetime,” Olivier Collin du Bocage, founder and auctioneer of Collin du Bocage, said in a statement.

With the market for dinosaur skeleton continuing to surge since the sale of T-Rex “Sue” in 1997 for USD 8.4 million and the record sale of “Apex” Stegosaurus for USD 44.6 million dollars earlier this year, the sale of “Vulcain” is expected to be one for the record books.

The purchaser will be given the GPS point and excavation plan together with an osteological map and the rights to officially re-name the dinosaur as well as copyrights of the specimen.

“Vulcain”, one of the most complete sauropod fossils from the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation, has been studied by renowned paleontology experts, including Christian Foth from the University of Rostock in Germany who recently uncovered the specimen to be a new dinosaur species.

According to their analysis, the “Vulcain” dinosaur shares features common to both Apatosaurus and Brontosaurus, but matches more closely with Apatosaurus ajax while sharing characteristics with Apatosaurus louisae, another recognised species of Apatosaurus.

Thus, this unique mix of characteristics suggests it could represent an intermediate species between Apatosaurus ajax and Apatosaurus louisae.

Based on materials and deposits found in the fossiliferous soil layer, it was classified as an herbivore.

In comparison with the Apatosaurus specimen on display at the Natural History Museum in New York, which is made up of the skeletons of three different individual dinosaurs, Vulcain is 80 percent a complete dinosaur and also possesses a part of its skull and gastralia (floating bones) which are rare elements absent from most of the specimens found.

"Already in the field we could see that it was impressive, a sort of giant Mikado. We were very impressed, because not only is the apatosaurus much rarer than the diplodocus, but we could also see that it was an exceptional specimen," said Pascal Godefroit, palaeontology at Belgium's Royal Institute of Natural Sciences.

Godefroit had witnessed the discovery of Vulcain as his team was working on the same site, excavating a Diplodocus.

These findings, along with the palaeontology community and scientists at fossil fairs and the art and auction world all abuzz about the rise of dinosaur specimens, has raised greater interest and speculation surrounding where “Vulcain” will go home to after going under the gavel on November 16.

The giant American dinosaur has been on display at the Château de Dampierre-en-Yvelines outside Paris and has received a record number of more than 40,000 visitors to date since the exhibition opened in July.

The dinosaur will be on public exhibition from November 3 to 16 at the 17th century chateau. PTI MAH MAH RB

RB

India reduce NZ to 171 for 9 in second innings at stumps on Day 2

Mumbai, Nov 2 (PTI) New Zealand reached 171 for nine at stumps in their second innings on day two of the third Test against India here on Saturday.

Will Young (51 off 100) top-scored for New Zealand.

The visitors lead India by 143 runs and the Test match will likely end by the second session of third day.

At the close of play, Ajaz Patel (7 not out) was at the crease.

Ravindra Jadeja (4/52) and Ravichandran Ashwin (3/63) shared seven wickets between them for India.

Earlier, left-arm-spinner Patel (5/103) took five wickets to help dismiss India for 263 in their first innings.

Shubman Gill, who was unlucky to miss out on a century, anchored India's innings with a 146-ball 90 while Washington Sundar, who scored a brisk 38 off 36 deliveries, helped India take a slender 28-run first innings lead.

Rishabh Pant (60) scored an entertaining fifty in the morning session.

Brief Scores:

New Zealand 235 all out and 171 for 9 in 43.3 overs (Will Young 51; Ravindra Jadeja 4/52, Ravichandran Ashwin 3/63).

India: 263 all out in 59.4 overs (Shubman Gill 90, Rishabh Pant 60; Ajaz Patel 5/103). PTI SSC SSC KHS

JK: Terrorist killed, four security personnel injured in Srinagar encounter

Srinagar, Nov 2 (PTI) A Pakistani terrorist of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was killed and four security personnel were injured in an encounter that broke out in the Khanyar area here on Saturday morning, officials said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the densely populated locality of Khanyar in the interior city following inputs about the presence of terrorists in the area, a police official said.

The search operation turned into an encounter as the terrorists opened fire at the search party, which retaliated, the official said.

During the operation, a fire broke out in the house where the terrorists were holed up and thick grey smoke was seen billowing in the sky.

One terrorist has been gunned down in the ongoing encounter, the officials said.

A senior police officer told PTI that the slain terrorist was a Pakistani and belonged to the LeT.

"Given his age, he seems to be the senior-most terrorist of the LeT," the officer said.

Two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans and two policemen were injured in the encounter. They were taken to the Army's 92 Base Hospital. Their condition is stated to be stable, the officials said.

In another ongoing operation, two terrorists were gunned down by the security forces near Halkan Gali in the Shangus-Larnoo area in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, according to officials. PTI SSB DIV

DIV

TOP NATIONAL NEWS...
Biggest and ‘most complete’ dinosaur skeleton to go on sale on November 16

New Delhi, Nov 2 (PTI) The stage is set for "Vulcain", one of the biggest dinosaurs that roamed the earth 150 million years ago, to go under the hammer on November 16 in Paris.

French auction houses Collin du Bocage and Barbarossa have announced that the “most complete” and largest dino skeleton to be auctioned has already crossed its original estimates to USD 11- USD 22 million (approx Rs 92-185 crore) since pre-registration bidding opened in July.

The majestic Apatosaurus skeleton was discovered in Wyoming in the US in 2018 and measures 20.50 metres with approximately 80 per cent of bones belonging to the same dinosaur - making it the most complete dinosaur skeleton to be discovered.

“Vulcain is the largest and most complete dinosaur that stands above them all. It is the ancient find of a lifetime,” Olivier Collin du Bocage, founder and auctioneer of Collin du Bocage, said in a statement.

With the market for dinosaur skeleton continuing to surge since the sale of T-Rex “Sue” in 1997 for USD 8.4 million and the record sale of “Apex” Stegosaurus for USD 44.6 million dollars earlier this year, the sale of “Vulcain” is expected to be one for the record books.

The purchaser will be given the GPS point and excavation plan together with an osteological map and the rights to officially re-name the dinosaur as well as copyrights of the specimen.

“Vulcain”, one of the most complete sauropod fossils from the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation, has been studied by renowned paleontology experts, including Christian Foth from the University of Rostock in Germany who recently uncovered the specimen to be a new dinosaur species.

According to their analysis, the “Vulcain” dinosaur shares features common to both Apatosaurus and Brontosaurus, but matches more closely with Apatosaurus ajax while sharing characteristics with Apatosaurus louisae, another recognised species of Apatosaurus.

Thus, this unique mix of characteristics suggests it could represent an intermediate species between Apatosaurus ajax and Apatosaurus louisae.

Based on materials and deposits found in the fossiliferous soil layer, it was classified as an herbivore.

In comparison with the Apatosaurus specimen on display at the Natural History Museum in New York, which is made up of the skeletons of three different individual dinosaurs, Vulcain is 80 percent a complete dinosaur and also possesses a part of its skull and gastralia (floating bones) which are rare elements absent from most of the specimens found.

"Already in the field we could see that it was impressive, a sort of giant Mikado. We were very impressed, because not only is the apatosaurus much rarer than the diplodocus, but we could also see that it was an exceptional specimen," said Pascal Godefroit, palaeontology at Belgium's Royal Institute of Natural Sciences.

Godefroit had witnessed the discovery of Vulcain as his team was working on the same site, excavating a Diplodocus.

These findings, along with the palaeontology community and scientists at fossil fairs and the art and auction world all abuzz about the rise of dinosaur specimens, has raised greater interest and speculation surrounding where “Vulcain” will go home to after going under the gavel on November 16.

The giant American dinosaur has been on display at the Château de Dampierre-en-Yvelines outside Paris and has received a record number of more than 40,000 visitors to date since the exhibition opened in July.

The dinosaur will be on public exhibition from November 3 to 16 at the 17th century chateau. PTI MAH MAH RB

RB

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JK: Terrorist killed, four security personnel injured in Srinagar encounter

Srinagar, Nov 2 (PTI) A Pakistani terrorist of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was killed and four security personnel were injured in an encounter that broke out in the Khanyar area here on Saturday morning, officials said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the densely populated locality of Khanyar in the interior city following inputs about the presence of terrorists in the area, a police official said.

The search operation turned into an encounter as the terrorists opened fire at the search party, which retaliated, the official said.

During the operation, a fire broke out in the house where the terrorists were holed up and thick grey smoke was seen billowing in the sky.

One terrorist has been gunned down in the ongoing encounter, the officials said.

A senior police officer told PTI that the slain terrorist was a Pakistani and belonged to the LeT.

"Given his age, he seems to be the senior-most terrorist of the LeT," the officer said.

Two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans and two policemen were injured in the encounter. They were taken to the Army's 92 Base Hospital. Their condition is stated to be stable, the officials said.

In another ongoing operation, two terrorists were gunned down by the security forces near Halkan Gali in the Shangus-Larnoo area in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, according to officials. PTI SSB DIV

DIV

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Hope with India-US cooperation we'll be able to deter illegal immigration: MEA

New Delhi, Nov 2 (PTI) Days after the US authorities deported a batch of Indian nationals who were staying in that country illegally, New Delhi Saturday said it hopes that with India-US cooperation on mobility and migration, "we will be able to deter illegal immigration".

At his weekly briefing here, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India engages in "regular dialogue" with the United States on migration and mobility.

"On October 22, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), conducted a large-frame charter removal flight to the Republic of India of Indian nationals who did not establish a legal basis to remain in the United States," the DHS said in a statement last week.

This week's flight demonstrates the department's continued commitment to pursuing "sustained cooperation" with the Indian government and other international partners to reduce and deter irregular migration and jointly work to counter human smuggling, it had said.

Jaiswal, in response to a query on this deportation, said, "You would have seen, recently we had some deportations from the US. We have a regular dialogue with the United States on migration and mobility. And the idea behind that is to create more avenues for legal migration."

As part of this, "our regular consular dialogues and arrangements, we have facilitated the movement of people who are staying in the US illegally or are a part of an irregular movement", he added.

"This has been going on for some time. We hope that with this cooperation and our engagement with the US on mobility and migration, we will be able to deter illegal immigration," the MEA spokesperson said.

About 1,100 Indian nationals, who were staying in the United States illegally, were repatriated to India through charter and commercial flights during the 2023-24 American financial year ending September 30, a senior official in the US DHS said on Tuesday.

In a virtual briefing, Royce Murray, Assistant Secretary for Border and Immigration Policy, US DHS, in response to a query related to the October 22 charter flight that deported a batch of Indian nationals, had also said that "no minor" was among them on that removal flight, adding these were all male and female adults. PTI KND NSD

NSD

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HC allows disability pension to diabetic former army man

Chandigarh, Nov 2 (PTI) Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that unless there is evidence that a soldier became diabetic during his military service by consuming "prohibited food or was never engaged in physical activities", authorities cannot deny disability pension to him following his discharge from the Army on medical grounds.

The court dismissed a plea filed by the central government seeking directions to set aside the orders passed by the Armed Forces Tribunal here, which had allowed the claim for the grant of disability pension by a former soldier.

According to the case details, the former soldier was enrolled in the Army on January 20, 2003, and was discharged from service on October 31, 2019, "at his own request on compassionate ground before completion of terms of engagement" in the medical category "due to the disabilities-- Severe Depressive Episode and Type -2 Diabetes Mellitus".

At the time of discharge from military service, his disabilities were compositely assessed at 50 per cent for life, however, the same were held to be neither attributable to nor being aggravated by military service.

Accordingly, the claim of the respondent for the grant of disability pension was rejected vide letter dated November 4, 2019.

The central government in its plea in the high court contended that that not only was his disability genetically linked but it was a lifestyle disease ad developed while serving in peace area.

But the high court observed that at the time of enlistment, the medical board should put a note about the disease including if it was genetically linked and if there was a possibility of onset, but it was not done in this case.

"A reading of the records reveals that at the time of the apposite enlistment taking place rather no note became made in terms of the principles (supra) declared by the Hon'ble Apex Court in case titled as Dharamvir Singh Vs. Union of India (supra) by the Medical Board, that some disease which, however, did not forbid the present respondent, to become enlisted in the Army, did make its preliminary onsettings," the HC said.

The high court also held that the regulations do not state that the onset of disease in a peace area cannot be attributed to military service.

"... Even if the onsettings of the said disease upon the present respondent occurred in a peace area, thereby, the said onsettings are to be declared to become aggravated by or being attributable to rendition of military service," it ruled.

The court said the generation of 'Type II Diabetes Mellitus' fixes the cause of the disease to ill dietary habits and lack of physical activities.

However, unless "evidence became adduced that he consumed prohibited food or was never engaged in physical activities, thereupon, the said eruption/causes cannot be fixed onto the present respondent (soldier)," the high court has held.

Since the said evidence is not stated to be adduced nor is discussed, thereby the fixing of the said causes onto the present respondent rather by the medical board, thus appears to be made most surmisingly, it held.

"In addition, it is stated that the onset of the disease arose from genetic/familial predisposition. However, when as stated, no evidence to rebut the presumption has been led by the petitioner (Centre), thereby, this Court is constrained to give no weightage to the opinion of the medical board," the HC further held.

"..the onsetting of the disease cannot be said to be a sequel of the antecedental genetic family history. Contrarily, it is required to be declared to arise from the rendition of military service," the high court division bench comprising Justices Sureshwar Thakur and Sudeepti Sharma passed these orders on October 23.

The respondent filed the first appeal before an Appellate Committee. However, the same was rejected through a letter dated March 5, 2020.

Thereafter, the respondent challenged the order dated March 5, 2020, before the Second Appellate Committee, wherein, vide order dated March 15, 2021, it accepted the first disability i.e. 'Severe Depressive Episode' as aggravated to military service at 40 per cent for life but rejected the second disability--' Diabetes Mellitus Type II'-- as neither aggravated nor being attributable to military service.

Feeling aggrieved, the soldier filed a plea before the Armed Forces Tribunal concerned, whereby he challenged the passed rejection order. His plea was allowed vide order dated April 22, 2022, and the AFT held that the applicant is entitled to the grant of disability pension which includes disability element and service element.

Aggrieved by the AFT orders, the petitioner - central government - moved the high court here. PTI SUN VSD RT

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Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu launches Rs 861 cr pothole-free roads mission
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Drive out infiltrators, else J'khand Hindu population to decrease to 50pc in 20 yrs, claims Himanta
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Air Force team which led rescue efforts in Wayanad felicitated by TIAL

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 2 (PTI) The Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Ltd (TIAL) has felicitated the Indian Air Force team which led the rescue operations in the landslide-hit areas of Wayanad district.

The 19-member Air Force team, including two pilots, were honoured at the international airport here by TIAL on November 1 as part of the Kerala State's 68th Formation Day celebrations, a Defence release said.

The team was presented with mementos by the Chief Airport Officer, Rahul Batkodi, the release said.

The Air Force team shared their personal experiences at Wayanad and said that the rescue operation was "unprecedented and extremely challenging", according to the release. PTI HMP HMP KH

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Man run over by speeding water tanker in Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 2 (PTI) A 40-year-old man was mowed down by a speeding water tanker while he was crossing the road in south Delhi's C R Park area on Saturday morning, police said.

The deceased was identified as Mukunda Hazra, a car cleaner and a resident of the Govindpuri area, they said.

After receiving information about the incident, a police team reached the spot and found that Hazra had been taken to the hospital, where he was declared dead, a police official said.

He was hit by the water tanker coming from the Greater Kailash side while he was crossing the road in front of Alaknanda Market, the official said.

The tanker driver has been arrested and a case registered against him under sections 281 (rash driving) and 106(1) (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), police said. PTI ALK DIV

DIV

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Cal HC quashes life sentence of man in jail for over nine years

Kolkata, Nov 2 (PTI) The Calcutta High Court has quashed the life sentence of a man, observing that he was not the perpetrator of the murder of his elder brother, after he spent more than nine years in custody.

A division bench of the court held that the prosecution "miserably failed" to form a chain of circumstances leading to the commission of the crime, much less prove it beyond all reasonable doubt.

Observing that it is clear to the court that the appellant Ranadip Banerjee was not the perpetrator of the crime of murdering his elder brother, who had some neurological problems, the division bench presided by Justice Soumen Sen quashed his conviction by a lower court and ordered his release.

The bench said that it is a settled principle of criminal jurisprudence that in a case revolving around circumstantial evidence, the prosecution must prove the guilt of the accused "beyond reasonable doubt".

Ranadip was convicted of murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) by the additional sessions judge, 11th court at Alipore on May 25, 2017 in a murder case registered at Gariahat police station here on April 24, 2015 over the death of Sudip Banerjee.

The appellant's lawyer Soham Banerjee said that he was arrested on April 24, 2015 and was in custody since then.

The complainant was Joydeep Banerjee, the cousin brother of Ranadip, alleging murder of his elder cousin brother Sudip by the appellant.

Sudip lived in a house at Ballygunge Gardens, along with Ranadip, since 2009 after he separated from his wife and son.

Ranadip is a bachelor and unemployed, the court noted.

The division bench, also comprising Justice Uday Kumar, held in the judgement passed last month that the conviction was predicated on circumstantial evidence alone.

It observed that while circumstantial evidence is sufficient to return a conviction, this is possible if it contains all the links that connect the accused to the incident.

Holding that there are major discrepancies and inconsistencies going to the root of the matter, the bench said that in the instant case there is no eyewitness and that there are missing links to connect the appellant to the crime.

It said that the motive behind the murder against the appellant has also not been established and that the entire case of the prosecution is based on circumstantial evidence.

"It is extremely surprising if not baffling that the investigating officer did not record the statement of the immediate neighbours and tenants of the house where the two brothers lived or any other relative of the appellant to find out the relationship between the two brothers or whether in the past there was any attempt by Ranadip to kill his brother or that there were past incidents of any such physical assault on the victim," the court said.

Holding that the tenants would have been the best witnesses for the prosecution, the court said that it is unbelievable that when such an offence is committed, the tenants would not be aware of such assault or quarrel between the two brothers leading to murder.

One white iron-made water pipe, old pillow, white bed cover, all bearing blood stains, were seized by the police, but no forensic examination was done to ascertain whether the blood found on these matched that of the victim or whether fingerprints of the accused were present on it, the court noted. PTI AMR ACD

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Jharkhand polls: INDIA bloc partners in for 'friendly battle' on three assembly seats

Ranchi, Nov 2 (PTI) The INDIA bloc partners in Jharkhand are set for a "friendly battle" in three assembly seats in the upcoming assembly polls, bloc leaders said on Saturday.

JMM and CPI-ML have already decided to go for a friendly fight in Dhanwar Assembly seat, while Congress and RJD are still trying to avoid a friendly contest in Chhattarpur and Bishrampur seats, they said at a joint press conference here.

The elections to the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly will take place in two phases on November 13 and 20, with counting of votes to take place on November 23.

As many as 1,211 candidates are in the fray for the 81 assembly seats after completion of nomination withdrawal exercises for both phases of the election.

The JMM has fielded candidates in 43 Assembly seats, Congress in 30 seats, RJD from six and CPI-ML in four seats.

"JMM, Congress, RJD and CPI-ML are jointly contesting the Jharkhand polls under INDIA bloc. Excluding three seats –Chhatarpur, Bishrampur and Dhanwar—, seat-sharing arrangements have been settled for all the constituencies in the alliance. The JMM has decided to go for a friendly contest with CPI-ML in Dhanwar seat," JMM general secretary Vinod Pandey told reporters.

RJD and Congress have fielded their candidates from Chhatarpur and Bishrampur seats.

"Discussions are still going on to sort out the issue on both the seats. We hope to see a result in a day or two," Pandey said.

Pandey said that RJD was given six seats, while CPI-ML three seats under the INDIA bloc.

Jharkhand Congress president Keshav Mahto Kamlesh said that they would contest the polls jointly and form the government of India bloc again.

INDIA bloc has not yet officially declared their seat-sharing arrangements.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on October 19 said that INDIA bloc will contest the upcoming assembly polls together and the Congress and the JMM will field candidates in 70 of 81 seats.

Remaining 11 seats left for RJD and the Left parties, he said. PTI SAN SAN RG

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'Batenge toh katenge' 'negative' slogan symbolic of BJP's 'disappointment, failure': Akhilesh

Lucknow, Nov 2 (PTI) In an apparent reference to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's 'batenge toh katenge' remark, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday said this "negative" slogan is symbolic of the BJP's "disappointment and failure".

He also claimed this slogan will be recorded in the country's history as the "worst slogan" and will lead to the BJP's political downfall.

In a post on X in Hindi, Yadav wrote, "Their negative slogan is a symbol of their disappointment and failure. This slogan has proved that the 10 per cent of the voters who are with them are on the verge of leaving. That is why they are trying to unite them by scaring them, but nothing is going to happen."

He also said negative slogans have an impact and after this "disappointing slogan", their remaining supporters are even more disappointed thinking those whom they considered powerful are talking about weakness even while being in power.

"The 'ideal state' that is imagined in our country has 'abhay' (fearlessness) at its base; not 'bhay' (fear). It is true that only the 'fearful' sells 'fear' because whoever has something, he will sell that only," Yadav said.

He also advised that the BJP, in the interest of the country and the society, should change their advisors along with their negative outlook and attitude.

"This will prove beneficial for them. A good advice is that 'if you nurture something, nurture good thoughts'. Today's positive society says, we don't want BJP," he said.

Yadav's statement assumes significance as it comes at a time when the BJP and the SP are all gearing up for bypolls in the state.

Voting will be held in Katehari (Ambedkar Nagar), Karhal (Mainpuri), Meerapur (Muzaffarnagar), Ghaziabad, Majhawan (Mirzapur), Sishamau (Kanpur city), Khair (Aligarh), Phulpur (Prayagraj) and Kundarki (Moradabad) on November 13 while votes will be counted on November 23.

Adityanath on September 23 had reiterated his "batenge toh katenge" remark, saying it was disunity which led to the "invaders destroying the Ram temple" in Ayodhya.

Earlier, he had made the same remark in reference to the violence in Bangladesh after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government and alleged atrocities against Hindus.

"Batenge toh katenge (if divided, we will be cut up)," he had said during an inauguration event in Agra on August 26 and urged people to stay united, saying the mistakes in Bangladesh should not happen in India. PTI NAV ZMN

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TOP INTERNATIONAL NEWS...
Nepal celebrates New Year’s Day as per indigenous calendar

Kathmandu, Nov 2 (PTI) Nepal celebrated New Year’s Day on Saturday according to the indigenous Nepal Sambat calendar, with grand cultural processions organised on the occasion.

The people of the Newar community, mainly from Kathmandu Valley, have been celebrating Nepal Sambat as New Year's Day for centuries. Nepal Sambat or era is the indigenous calendar of the Himalayan nation.

A grand procession showcasing various cultural idols was organised in the country, and traditional music bands performed to observe Nepal era New Year 1145.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli also attended a celebration rally at Basantapur Durbar Square here on Saturday.

Meanwhile, President Ram Chandra Poudel, Vice President Ram Sahaya Yadav, Oli and various leaders issued statements wishing those celebrating the Nepal Sambat.

The Nepal era was introduced by Shankhadhar Sakhwa, a trader from Kathmandu, by relieving the people of Nepal of debt during the reign of Lichchhavi King Raghav Dev in 880 AD.

Recognising the calendar introduced by Sakhwa, the government announced him as a national luminary in November 1999.

However, the Newar community, considered the campaigners of the Nepal Sambat, has demanded that the calendar be used as the official calendar in both central and provincial government offices.

Pavitra Bajracharya, President of Newa Deya Dabu, has demanded that the government use the Nepal Sambat calendar in all three tiers of the government -- the local, provincial and central. He also demanded the printing of banknotes with the inclusion of the Nepal Sambat calendar year for its official recognition.

Meanwhile, the Newar Community of Kathmandu also celebrated Mha Puja or self-worship, as part of the Deepawali festival on the fourth day of the five-day festival. PTI SBP GRS GRS

GRS

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Biggest and ‘most complete’ dinosaur skeleton to go on sale on November 16

New Delhi, Nov 2 (PTI) The stage is set for "Vulcain", one of the biggest dinosaurs that roamed the earth 150 million years ago, to go under the hammer on November 16 in Paris.

French auction houses Collin du Bocage and Barbarossa have announced that the “most complete” and largest dino skeleton to be auctioned has already crossed its original estimates to USD 11- USD 22 million (approx Rs 92-185 crore) since pre-registration bidding opened in July.

The majestic Apatosaurus skeleton was discovered in Wyoming in the US in 2018 and measures 20.50 metres with approximately 80 per cent of bones belonging to the same dinosaur - making it the most complete dinosaur skeleton to be discovered.

“Vulcain is the largest and most complete dinosaur that stands above them all. It is the ancient find of a lifetime,” Olivier Collin du Bocage, founder and auctioneer of Collin du Bocage, said in a statement.

With the market for dinosaur skeleton continuing to surge since the sale of T-Rex “Sue” in 1997 for USD 8.4 million and the record sale of “Apex” Stegosaurus for USD 44.6 million dollars earlier this year, the sale of “Vulcain” is expected to be one for the record books.

The purchaser will be given the GPS point and excavation plan together with an osteological map and the rights to officially re-name the dinosaur as well as copyrights of the specimen.

“Vulcain”, one of the most complete sauropod fossils from the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation, has been studied by renowned paleontology experts, including Christian Foth from the University of Rostock in Germany who recently uncovered the specimen to be a new dinosaur species.

According to their analysis, the “Vulcain” dinosaur shares features common to both Apatosaurus and Brontosaurus, but matches more closely with Apatosaurus ajax while sharing characteristics with Apatosaurus louisae, another recognised species of Apatosaurus.

Thus, this unique mix of characteristics suggests it could represent an intermediate species between Apatosaurus ajax and Apatosaurus louisae.

Based on materials and deposits found in the fossiliferous soil layer, it was classified as an herbivore.

In comparison with the Apatosaurus specimen on display at the Natural History Museum in New York, which is made up of the skeletons of three different individual dinosaurs, Vulcain is 80 percent a complete dinosaur and also possesses a part of its skull and gastralia (floating bones) which are rare elements absent from most of the specimens found.

"Already in the field we could see that it was impressive, a sort of giant Mikado. We were very impressed, because not only is the apatosaurus much rarer than the diplodocus, but we could also see that it was an exceptional specimen," said Pascal Godefroit, palaeontology at Belgium's Royal Institute of Natural Sciences.

Godefroit had witnessed the discovery of Vulcain as his team was working on the same site, excavating a Diplodocus.

These findings, along with the palaeontology community and scientists at fossil fairs and the art and auction world all abuzz about the rise of dinosaur specimens, has raised greater interest and speculation surrounding where “Vulcain” will go home to after going under the gavel on November 16.

The giant American dinosaur has been on display at the Château de Dampierre-en-Yvelines outside Paris and has received a record number of more than 40,000 visitors to date since the exhibition opened in July.

The dinosaur will be on public exhibition from November 3 to 16 at the 17th century chateau. PTI MAH MAH RB

RB

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Following are the top foreign stories at 1700 hours

FGN21 UK-CONSERVATIVE-LD LEADER

**** Kemi Badenoch elected new leader of Conservative Party, UK’s Leader of Opposition

London: Kemi Badenoch, shadow secretary of state for Housing, Communities and Local Government, was on Saturday declared the new leader of the Conservative Party to succeed Rishi Sunak in the House of Commons as Leader of Opposition. ****

FGN10 PAK-SIKH-VISAS

**** Sikhs pilgrims from UK, US and Canada to get free online visas in Pakistan: Interior Minister

Islamabad: Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said that Sikh pilgrims from the US, UK and Canada will receive free online visas within 30 minutes upon arrival in the country to pay respect to their religious sites. ****

FGN5 US-TRUMP

**** Will end economic disaster of Kamala Harris, launch brand new Trump economic miracle: Donald Trump

Washington: Describing the economic policies of Vice President Kamala Harris as a disaster, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Friday said he would launch a brand new economic miracle after he wins the elections. ****

FGN9 LANKA-EX PRESIDENTS-PRIVILEGES

**** Political sparring in Sri Lanka over privileges to ex-presidents

Colombo: A Sri Lankan Cabinet sub-committee will soon review the privileges accorded to former presidents of the country and future actions on the matter will be taken based on its recommendations, the Presidential Secretariat has said. ****

FGN7 PAK-BILL-SC

**** Pak parliamentary body approves bill to raise number of Supreme Court judges to 25

Islamabad: A Pakistan parliamentary panel has approved a controversial bill to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court from 17 to 25 despite its disapproval by the opposition lawmakers who termed it an attempt to manipulate the judiciary. ****

FGN4 US-HARRIS

**** Trump pits Americans against one another, US deserves better: Kamala Harris

Washington: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump pits Americans against one another, his Democratic rival and Vice President Kamala Harris alleged Friday and asserted her pledge to pursue common sense solutions and to be a president for all Americans. **** PTI GRS

GRS

GRS

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Kemi Badenoch elected new leader of Conservative Party, UK’s Leader of Opposition

London, Nov 2 (PTI) Kemi Badenoch, shadow secretary of state for Housing, Communities and Local Government, was on Saturday declared the new leader of the Conservative Party to succeed Rishi Sunak in the House of Commons as Leader of Opposition.

The 44-year-old Nigerian-heritage parliamentarian defeated former Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick after a three-month-long leadership election following Sunak’s resignation after the Tories suffered a bruising general election defeat on July 4.

As the first Black leader of the Conservatives, Badenoch began by thanking her predecessor – who was the first British Indian leader of the party.

“I want to thank Rishi, no one could have worked harder in such difficult times. Rishi, thank you for everything you did. We all wish you and your wonderful family the very best for the future,” said Badenoch in her acceptance speech. PTI AK GSP

GSP

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UK’s health service pilots iPhone device to detect throat cancer

London, Nov 2 (PTI) The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) on Saturday claimed that thousands of patients could receive the all-clear for suspected throat cancer faster as a result of a new iPhone device and app piloted at some of its hospitals.

The innovative adapter providing a 32 mm lens and accompanying app can turn an iPhone into a portable diagnostic gadget to be used by nurses to detect or rule out throat cancer.

The device captures live endoscopy examinations of the throat in high definition (HD), which can then be instantly shared with specialist head and neck consultants via a secure data cloud. A consultant then reviews the video footage and can rapidly detect any traces of cancer reporting this back directly to the patient.

“Detecting cancer early is key to providing treatment as soon as possible to help give patients the best chance of survival. For those needing tests to investigate suspected cancer, it can be an extremely worrying time.

“And being able to rule out the disease sooner can make a huge difference for people and their families,” said Dr Cally Palmer, NHS England National Cancer Director.

“Through pioneering new innovations like this iPhone device, which could be used in any setting, we hope we’ll be able to detect many more cancers sooner and in ways that are more convenient and less invasive for patients,” she said.

An initial trial on triaged low-risk patients at North Midlands University Hospitals NHS Trust in England found that no cancers were missed using this device with patients receiving their results within 23 hours of the test taking place.

With the technology being rolled out across the West Midlands initially, NHS England says this “pioneering” gadget could be used in any NHS setting, helping to free up time and resources in hospitals for cancer patients and reduce waiting times for treatment.

In future, it could be used in diagnostic centres and in community settings, meaning people can get tested closer to home and reduce the need to go to any hospital.

“This new technology is a shining example of how innovation and research can tackle waiting lists, improve patient experience and speed up diagnosis,” said UK Minister of State for Health Karin Smyth.

“Using the app, patients can access a potentially lifesaving consultation. By catching cancer earlier and treating it faster, we can ensure more people survive this horrible disease. Harnessing technology to support the NHS is a key part of our 10-Year Health Plan, and will shift the NHS from analogue to digital, equipping the health service with more cutting edge-technologies to catch cancers on time,” she said.

So far, over 1,800 patients have had the reassurance that they do not have a cancer of the throat within just a few days.

The vast majority of patients identified at low-risk who have been examined using the device had cancer ruled out, although around one in a hundred of this low-risk group were discovered to have cancer using the gadget.

The device has been developed by West Midlands based medical technology company Endoscope-i Ltd, which is one of 14 projects to receive a share of GBP 25 million as part of the NHS Cancer Programme Innovation Open Call.

Other innovations that have been piloted as part of the programme include a sponge that can be used to detect oesophageal cancer and a home-testing kit for people who have a genetic disposition to a fault in the gene that causes some types of breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancer. PTI AK

NPK

NPK

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12 suspected terrorists belonging to TTP arrested in Pakistan’s Punjab province
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Pakistan reports 2 new polio cases; yearly tally rises to 45

Islamabad, Nov 2 (PTI) The number of polio cases in Pakistan this year has risen to 45 after two fresh cases were detected in the country's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, authorities said on Saturday.

The latest cases surfaced in the Lakki Marwat and Dera Ismail Khan provinces, Geo News reported, quoting the National Emergency Operations Centre.

The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health confirmed the cases as those of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1).

This marks the second polio case this year from both districts, where environmental samples tested positive for WPV1, highlighting a high risk of virus transmission in the region.

According to The Express Tribune newspaper, WPV1 has been detected in 76 districts from all four provinces of the county, indicating the virus' widespread circulation.

The detection of new cases has jolted Pakistan's efforts to curb the spread of the crippling disease, for which a nationwide eradication programme is ongoing.

The week-long polio vaccination campaign began on Monday, aiming to vaccinate over 45 million children under five years of age against the virus.

Of the 45 cases detected in Pakistan this year, 22 were reported from Balochistan, 12 from Sindh, nine from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one from Punjab and Islamabad, each, according to the report.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only countries in the world where polio remains endemic, according to the World Health Organisation. PTI GRS

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Lupita Nyong'o, Jared Leto to lead 'Lunik Heist'

Los Angeles, Nov 2 (PTI) Oscar-winning actors Lupita Nyong’o and Jared Leto are set to headline "Lunik Heist", an upcoming Cold War-era heist movie.

Actor-comic and "Saturday Night Live" veteran John Mulaney will also feature in the movie, which will be written and directed by Kemp Powers, reported entertainment news outlet Variety.

“Lunik Heist”, which hails from Searchlight Pictures, follows the American government’s plot to steal a Soviet spacecraft during a 1959 expedition in Mexico City and is based on an article by Jeff Maysh that was published in MIT Technology Review.

Powers is best known for co-directing “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”. He also wrote “One Night in Miami”, which was based on his 2013 stage play.

Leto and Emma Ludbrook are producing the project under their Paradox banner, along with Mark Johnson for Gran Via Productions. Maysh serves as an executive producer. PTI RB RB

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Election anxiety doesn’t need to win − here are 3 science-backed strategies fromclinical psychologist to rein in stress

Lexington (US), Nov 2 (The Conversation) Uncertainty about the election getting to you? Is anxiety the dominant feature of your emotional landscape, maybe with a small sprinkling of impending doom?

You are not alone. A recent survey found 69% of American adults are seriously stressed about the 2024 presidential election.

It’s difficult not to be worked up about politics in today’s polarised climate. Regardless of which side of the political aisle you sit on, you may find yourself glued to your browser or TV, gobbling up every tiny tidbit of news and feeling your stress levels skyrocket.

I’m a psychologist who develops and tests strategies for combating anxiety. As I constantly tell my stressed-out clients, when it comes to election news, there’s a fine line between being well informed and being oversaturated with information.

If you’re ready to short-circuit your stress spiral, here are three science-backed strategies for coping with anxiety in times of uncertainty.

Approach your emotions with mindfulness

Being mindful refers to the quality of awareness you bring to your experiences – specifically, nonjudgmental attention focused on what’s happening right now.

Mindfulness practices originated in Eastern spiritual traditions, including Buddhism. Over the past several decades, mindfulness has gained popularity as a powerful tool for managing anxiety. For instance, meditation apps such as Headspace and Calm incorporate it. Even if meditation isn’t your thing, though, you can still apply nonjudgmental awareness, focused on the present, to election-related anxiety.

Be present. Anxiety can draw you into an uncomfortable spiral of “what-ifs” about the future. When you make a point to be present, you remind yourself what is actually happening right now, rather than letting hypothetical fears take over.

Although you may have serious concerns about the fate of the nation, those outcomes have not yet come to bear. As I tell my patients, “We’ll cross that bridge if we come to it. For now, focus on the step right in front of you.”

If you notice yourself getting carried away by thoughts of the future, you can pull yourself back to the present by bringing awareness to simple sensations – the feel of your feet on the floor, the rhythm of your breath, or the sounds around you – and remind yourself that you are safe in the current moment.

Pay nonjudgmental attention. Many people are hard on themselves for feeling strong emotions. This critical mindset might look like telling yourself that you’re overreacting, or that it’s weak to let others see that you’re upset. You might even view that uncomfortable feeling in the pit of your stomach as evidence that negative outcomes are right around the corner.

Making judgments about your emotions only serves to make you feel worse. In fact, researchers find that pushing away emotions or beating yourself up for having them leads to more frequent and stronger anxiety.

Instead, try giving yourself a break. Tell yourself, “This election is high stakes, so it makes sense I’m anxious.” Then, notice if your anxiety is driven by a fear about the future, and bring yourself back to the present.

Get flexible with your thinking

Cognitive flexibility is the ability to shift away from rigid, all-or-nothing thinking about the future.

When people are anxious, they tend to focus on the worst-case scenario. For example, you might be telling yourself, “With this candidate in office, things will be terrible and I won’t be able to cope.”

In this scenario, I encourage my patients to move past that initial thought of how awful it will be and instead consider exactly how they will respond to the inauguration, the next day, week, month and so on.

Cognitive flexibility allows you to explore how you will cope, even in the face of a negative outcome, helping you feel a bit less out of control. If you’re experiencing a lot of anxiety about the election, try thinking through what you’d do if the undesirable candidate takes office – thoughts like “I’ll donate to causes that are important to me” and “I’ll attend protests.”

Choose your actions with intention

Another tool for managing your anxiety is to consider whether your behaviours are affecting how you feel.

Remember, for instance, the goal of 24-hour news networks is to increase ratings. It’s in their interest to keep you riveted to your screens by making it seem like important announcements are imminent. As a result, it may feel difficult to disconnect and take part in your usual self-care behavior.

Try telling yourself, “If something happens, someone will text me,” and go for a walk or, better yet, to bed. Keeping up with healthy habits can help reduce your vulnerability to uncontrolled anxiety.

Post-Election Day, you may continue to feel drawn to the news and motivated to show up – whether that means donating, volunteering or protesting – for a variety of causes you think will be affected by the election results. Many people describe feeling guilty if they say no or disengage, leading them to overcommit and wind up overwhelmed.

If this sounds like you, try reminding yourself that taking a break from politics to cook, engage with your family or friends, get some work done or go to the gym does not mean you don’t care. In fact, keeping up with the activities that fuel you will give you the energy to contribute to important causes more meaningfully. (The Conversation) NSA

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'Nocebo effect’ in IBS: Why gluten might not be real problem

Hamilton, Nov 2 (The Conversation) Many people find that wheat or gluten cause them to react in some way: Some people have a wheat allergy, some have the autoimmune condition celiac disease, but the majority find they have some sort of intolerance or sensitivity to wheat and gluten.

This is challenging to diagnose because there still aren’t any reliable biomarkers to confirm gluten or wheat sensitivity, and clinicians typically rely on patient self-reports.

In irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), patients experience gastrointestinal symptoms without any visible damage to the digestive tract. Many patients with IBS believe that specific foods, like gluten or wheat, trigger their symptoms, prompting them to exclude these foods from their diets without consulting a dietitian or their doctor.

Unsurprisingly, about a third of IBS patients develop disordered eating habits and perceptions about food that may cause symptoms in and of themselves, such as orthorexia, or an unhealthy preoccupation with healthy eating. This may cause a “nocebo effect,” where patients experience symptoms due to their beliefs and expectations about a substance they assume is causing their issues but is actually inert — a “nocebo.”

As a nutrition researcher at McMaster University’s Farncombe Institute, I’m a member of a team that ran a clinical trial to find out whether wheat, gluten or a gluten-free nocebo caused symptoms in IBS. And the results were surprising: even though some patients experienced worse symptoms from gluten or wheat, they weren’t very different from the nocebo, with similar proportions of patients reacting to each.

These results are similar to other published studies. Identifying the true sensitivities for patients with IBS is a controversial research area, with some studies finding gluten avoidance to be beneficial versus others finding it to have no significant effect.

Researchers from the United Kingdom and the Netherlands published an innovative study from the Lancet medical journal. Patients with reported gluten sensitivity were divided into four groups: Two groups were given gluten-free bread, but one of these groups was told it contained gluten and one was told it didn’t. Two other groups were given bread that did contain gluten, with one group believing it was gluten-free and the other believing it contained gluten.

The results showed that the patients who ate gluten and were also told they were eating gluten had significantly worse symptoms than the other three groups.

Why are people concerned about gluten?

Given the controversial evidence that not only gluten, but other wheat components like fermentable carbohydrates or immune-stimulating proteins, may exacerbate IBS symptoms, it’s possible for this hot topic to get blown out of proportion or taken out of context, contributing to nutrition misinformation.

All of these factors — that it is often diagnosed by excluding all other options, the significant psychological component, the division in the scientific community and clinicians who often discount patients’ experiences — make treatment difficult for patients with this disorder.

As a result, patients with IBS are often left to navigate conflicting online resources and test new diets to treat their symptoms.

How patients respond to evidence

When researchers challenge patients with gluten, wheat or a nocebo, they rarely report the personalised results back to the patients and see how this information impacts patient behaviour.

At McMaster University, we wanted to see how presenting personalized nutrition information would affect our patients. After providing them with personal results about their gluten and wheat reactions, we followed up with patients after six months or more to see how this impacted their beliefs, behaviours and symptoms.

Again, we were in for a surprise! Patients largely kept similar beliefs about gluten, maintained a gluten-free diet and had consistent symptoms even after learning that most of them did not react to gluten or wheat. This begs the question: when people more generally learn new information that conflicts with an existing belief, what may help them to change accordingly?

The role of psychology in treating IBS

IBS has been long understood as a disorder of the gut-brain interaction. Psychological treatments are being increasingly investigated to minimise patient fears of foods, or nocebo effects, and to treat IBS symptoms more generally. At Harvard, a recent study found that exposure-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) showed promise to improve IBS symptoms in five sessions with a nurse practitioner.

Similarly, CBT correlated with shifts in brain networks and the gut microbiome, or gut bacteria, that were also correlated with improvements in gastrointestinal symptoms. At the University of Calgary, virtually delivered yoga was highly feasible and helped improve symptoms for patients with IBS.

However, IBS is a complex disorder which may be exacerbated due to many different causes, and psychological treatment will likely be only one component of an effective treatment plan for many patients.

Diet plays an important role in human health, but how it does so — especially among those with gastrointestinal diseases — becomes complicated by the emotional aspects of eating and the real needs for people to have nutritious, well-balanced diets without risking malnutrition. If you have concerns that certain foods, like gluten, trigger your symptoms, it’s a good idea to consult your doctor or a registered dietitian. (The Conversation) NSA

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Sikhs pilgrims from UK, US and Canada to get free online visas in Pakistan: Interior Minister

Islamabad, Nov 2 (PTI) Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said that Sikh pilgrims from the US, UK and Canada will receive free online visas within 30 minutes upon arrival in the country to pay respect to their religious sites.

Naqvi's remarks came as he met with a 44-member foreign delegation of Sikh pilgrims in Lahore on Thursday.

The minister warmly welcomed the Sikh pilgrims to Pakistan. He acknowledged that the Sikh pilgrims faced difficulties while visiting Pakistan in the past, according to a statement by the Ministry of Interior.

Naqvi announced that the government has made the visa process easier for Sikhs by making it online. He added that holders of American, Canadian, and UK passports can apply online and receive their visas within 30 minutes without any fees.

He noted that this facility extends also to Sikhs of Indian origin residing in these countries. He stated that providing more facilities to the Sikh community is his government's priority.

He encouraged Sikhs pilgrims to visit Pakistan, saying, “You can come to Pakistan 10 times a year, and we will welcome you every time.”

Naqvi said that just as Saudi Arabia is sacred for Muslims, Pakistan is sacred for the Sikh community.

He announced that several Sikh heritage sites in Pakistan will be opened for visits, and no permit will be required in this regard.

Naqvi expressed his desire to increase the number of Sikh pilgrims visiting Pakistan from 1 lakh to 1 million annually with particular emphasis on attracting younger generations.

The Sikh delegation thanked Naqvi for his hospitality and appreciated the ease of online visa processing, saying, “You have won our hearts", the statement said.

Naqvi also mentioned that the Pakistan government has started the facility of free-of-cost visas for the citizens of 124 countries.

In a major change in visa policy aimed at attracting tourists and investment from across the world, Pakistan from August 14 completely waived the visa fee for the citizens of these countries. PTI SH NSA

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TOP BUSINESS NEWS...
SBI appoints Debasish Mishra as CGM of New Delhi circle

New Delhi, Nov 2 (PTI) State Bank of India (SBI) on Saturday said it has appointed Debasish Mishra as the Chief General Manager of its New Delhi Circle.

The appointment is effective November 1, 2024, SBI said in a statement.

He replaces Kalpesh K Avasia who recently retired.

Mishra brings a wealth of experience across credit, operations, forex, IT, HR, and MSME sectors, both in India and overseas, it said.

SBI's New Delhi circle comprises over 1,700 branches. PTI DP TRB

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ACI appoints SGK Kishore as president for APAC, Middle East

Mumbai, Nov 2 (PTI) SGK Kishore, a senior GMR Group executive, has been appointed the new president for the Asia Pacific and Middle East of the world airport operators' apex body, Airport Council International (ACI), effective January 1 next year.

Kishore, currently the executive director and chief innovation officer at GMR Airports, will succeed Emmanuel Menanteau, Board Director of Cambodia Airports/Regional Director, VINCI Airports, GMR group said in a statement.

As President of Hong-Kong headquarterd ACI-APAC & MID, he will be at the forefront of supporting and driving growth in the region, it stated.

According to the GMR group, Kishore's leadership will focus on enhancing regional standards, fostering collaboration among members, and addressing challenges unique to this rapidly expanding aviation landscape.

This appointment further reinforces India's influence within ACI APAC & MID, supporting global partnerships that drive innovation, sustainability, and economic progress across member airports, it said.

ACI APAC & MID represents the interests of over 600 airports in 47 member countries/territories.

Menanteau said he was confident of the ACI-Asia Pacific and Middle East will continue to be a powerful advocate for the regions' airports under the new leadership.

The Asia-Pacific & Middle East region is projected to experience rapid growth in air travel, with passenger traffic estimated to grow from the current 3.4 billion to 9.7 billion by 2042 -- nearly half of global passenger traffic, according to the statement.

Indian aviation is one of the fastest-growing aviation markets globally. It is currently the third largest domestic market globally.

GMR Group said Kishore's appointment marks a significant milestone in the Indian aviation industry. It is also a testimony of the game changer that India has been in the aviation landscape and this representation in a prestigious world forum such as ACI APAC & MID is a welcome move, it said. PTI IAS TRB

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Markets note

Bengaluru, Nov 2 (PTI) Saturday's Bengaluru commodities, Mangaluru areca and coconut markets remain closed on account of "Balipadyami" being a government holiday. PTI DVR KH

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Deepak Fertilisers Reports Impressive Growth & Margin Expansion

Pune, Maharashtra, India (NewsVoir)

Deepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corporation Limited, one of India’s leading producers of industrial & mining chemicals and fertilisers (“DFPCL” or the “Company”), announced its results for the quarter ended September 30, 2024. The company reported a remarkable 237% year-on-year surge in net profits.

Consolidated

(INR CR)

Q2FY25

Q2FY24*

YoY Change

Q1FY25

QoQ Change

H1FY25

H1FY24

YoY

Change

Operating Revenue

2,747

2,424

13%

2,281

20%

5,028

4,737

6%

Operating EBITDA

494

286

73%

464

6%

959

567

69%

Margins (%)

18%

12%

619 bps

20%

(237) bps

19%

12%

710 bps

Net Profit

214

63

237%

200

7%

414

177

134%

Margin (%)

8%

3%

518 bps

9%

(96) bps

8%

4%

449 bps

*Q2FY24 includes the impact of NBS subsidy on channel inventories of Rs. 106 Cr and Rs.87 Cr on account of stabilization of Ammonia Plant

Key Highlights for Q2FY25

• EBITDA Margin Growth: Improved to 18% compared to 12% year-over-year.

• Record Sales Volume in Bulk Fertilizer: Achieved an 83% year-over-year increase in sales volume of manufactured bulk fertilizer, marking the highest sales in a quarter.

• Anti-Dumping Duty Implementation: USD 217 per metric ton Anti-Dumping Duty (ADD) on IPA for a period of 5 years.

• In-House Capture of Ammonia Price Hikes: Increases in global ammonia prices are now fully captured internally.

• Capacity enhancement of approximately 10% resulting from debottlenecking of the TAN plants, delivering an additional 50 KTPA and bringing the total TAN capacity volumes to 587 KTPA to support the growing needs of India’s Mining sector.

• Debt Reduction: Prepaid Rs. 200 crores in debt, improving the Net Debt to EBITDA ratio from 2.66x to 1.64x.

• Change in key RM Prices in Q2FY25: Ammonia: ~11% YoY; MOP: ~40% YoY; Gas: ~9% YoY

Commenting on the performance, Mr. Sailesh C. Mehta, Chairman & Managing Director said, DFPCL has shown impressive performance in Q2 FY25, achieving a 13% growth in revenue. This growth was primarily driven by the Crop Nutrition business, which experienced an 18% YoY increase in revenue, while the Chemical business grew by 8% YoY despite a lean quarter for the chemical sectors. Fertilizer and Chemical businesses acted as a natural hedge, enabling the company to deliver consistent and improved performance.

There has been a consistent increase in the proportion of revenue from specialty products, along with an overall rise in revenue, driven by the strategic move of transitioning from commodity to specialty.

• Crop Nutrition Business (CNB) achieved a remarkable 83% YoY increase in sales volume of manufactured bulk fertilizer, which is highest ever sales.

• Mining Chemical: Monsoon is a lean period due to slowdown in mining activities. Accordingly, we had taken a planned shutdown of Technical Ammonium Nitrate (TAN) plant for maintenance and capacity enhancement of 50 KTPA, taking total capacity to 587 KTPA.

• The Industrial Chemicals business experienced a healthy revenue growth of 9%, despite marginal decrease in volumes. This performance underscores our strategic shift from commodities to specialty chemicals, which has effectively mitigated price volatility.

• The ammonia plant has enabled all our businesses to reap substantial benefits from backward integration, effectively mitigating supply chain risks and price volatility. As a result, we are now able to capture the increases in global ammonia prices within the group.

As India continues to grow, the chemical and fertilizer sectors are poised to thrive. The demand outlook for the Crop Nutrition, Mining Chemicals, and Industrial Chemicals Business is well aligned with India’s growth story, providing strong and positive tailwinds. We are actively working on the execution of the TAN Project and the Nitric Acid Project in Gopalpur and Dahej, respectively, to capitalize on future growth.

Chemicals Review

• Mining Chemicals (Technical Ammonium Nitrate):

• In Q2 FY25, our premium product LDAN's sales volume soared by 16% YoY and rose by an impressive 20% in H1 FY25 compared to H1 FY24

• Overall sales volume was down by 21% YoY in Q2 due to a planned shutdown and lean seasons due to monsoon. The volumes were down by 1% in H1 FY25 compared to H1 FY24.

• Business Outlook: The mining and infrastructure is expected to pick up post monsoon as demand for Power (Coal), Cement & Steel is expected to increase thereby providing robust support for TAN demand.

• Industrial Chemicals:

• Nitric acid volumes was marginally down by 1% on YoY basis and up by 13% on QoQ basis.

• The specialty stainless steel grade nitric acid has received positive feedback from customers.

• IPA volumes experienced a 10% YoY decline due to process constraints and a plant shutdown. However, the recent implementation of an ADD at USD 217 per metric ton for a period of five years is anticipated to enhance both demand and pricing moving forward.

• Business Outlook: For Nitric Acid, the demand and margins are expected to be stable over the next few quarters. Propylene-based IPA demand and margins are expected to be stable and improve following the implementation of the ADD on Chinese suppliers over few quarters.

​Crop Nutrition Business (Fertilisers) Review

• In Q2 FY25, manufactured bulk fertilizer has achieved highest ever sales volume of 268 KMT, an 83% YoY increase, driven by improved demand from above-average rains, which led to 102% Kharif crop sowing and positive market sentiment across all regions.

• Sales volume of Croptek surged to 37 KMT, reflecting a 70% YoY growth, with continued focus on providing crop-specific solutions for targeted crops, including cotton, soybean, sugarcane, corn, grapes, pomegranate, and banana.

• The company has recently launched premium water-soluble fertilizer grades.

• Sale of specialty fertilizer Bensulf was 9 KMT, up 7% YoY.

• Business Outlook: Above-normal monsoon rainfall in our core states has significantly enhanced groundwater table as well as water reservoirs for irrigation, which will help promising rabi season ahead.

​• We expect the acreages under rabi cash crops to go up especially for Sugarcane, Onion, Potato etc.

​Company Overview

Deepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd. (DFPCL) is among the India’s leading manufacturers of industrial chemicals and fertilisers. With a strong presence in Technical Ammonium Nitrate (mining chemicals), Industrial Chemicals and Crop Nutrition (fertilisers), the Company supports critical sectors of the economy such as infrastructure, mining, chemicals, pharmaceutical and agriculture. DFPCL is a publicly listed, multi-product Indian conglomerate and has plants located in four states, namely Maharashtra (Taloja), Gujarat (Daher), Andhra Pradesh (Srikakulam) and Haryana (Panipat).

DFPCL is Leading manufacturer and marketer of Iso Propyl Alcohol (IPA) in India and Largest Manufacturer of Nitric Acid in Southeast Asia. The Company is developing specialised grades of Nitric acid and IPA to meet specific requirements to cater needs of the industry/consumer.

DFPCL is one of the leading manufacturers of Technical Ammonium Nitrate in the world, it is the only producer of pilled Technical Grade Ammonium Nitrate solids and medical grade Ammonium Nitrate in India. The Company has commenced best in-class Technical Services to drive downstream productivity benefits for the mining end consumers.

CNB Segment (fertilisers) offers a basket of 48 products which include bulk fertilisers, Crop nutrient solutions, specialty fertilisers, water-soluble fertilisers, bio-stimulants, micro-nutrients, and secondary nutrients, catering to every crop’s nutrient requirement. Enhanced-efficiency speciality fertilisers are developed basis rigorous R&D efforts and product trials at over 50,000 farmer demo plots. The R&D efforts have shown distinct yield and quality improvements for crops across segments such as cotton, sugarcane, onion, fruits and vegetables. Over last three years, value-added nutrition products have benefitted 6 million farmers.

(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Newsvoir and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR

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ADB lauds India's fossil fuel subsidy reforms

New Delhi, Nov 2 (PTI) India has since 2010 made noteworthy progress on fossil fuel subsidy reform through a calibrated 'remove', 'target', and 'shift' approach, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said in a new report.

"By carefully balancing the combined effect of three key policy levers - retail prices, tax rates, and subsidies on selected petroleum products - the country was able to reduce its fiscal subsidy in the oil and gas sector by 85 per cent, from an unsustainable peak of USD 25 billion in 2013 to USD 3.5 billion in 2023," it said.

In its 'Asia-Pacific Climate Report', ADB said India gradually phased out the subsidy on petrol and diesel (from 2010 to 2014) and carried out incremental tax increases (from 2010 to 2017), which created fiscal space to increase government support for renewable energy, electric vehicles, and strengthening of electricity infrastructure.

"The additional tax revenues from increases in excise duty on petrol and diesel from 2014 to 2017, a period of low international crude oil prices, were also redirected to improve access and target subsidies for expanding the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) among the rural poor," it said.

Subsidies for LPG have since grown and "may now require efforts to improve targeting and to incubate non-fossil-fuel cooking alternatives," it said.

From 2010 to 2017, Government of India introduced a cess (tax) on coal production and imports. Around 30 per cent of the cess collections were channelled to a national clean energy and environment fund that supported clean energy projects and research.

ADB said the cess significantly contributed to strengthening the budget of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy during 2010–2017 and provided the initial funds for the country’s Green Energy Corridor scheme and its National Solar Mission, which helped bring down the cost of utility-scale solar energy and fund many off-grid renewable energy solutions.

"However, with the introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India after 2017, the cess on coal production and imports was subsumed within the country’s GST compensation cess, the flows of which were redirected to compensate states for revenue losses associated with the new tax regime," it said.

As a result of India’s subsidy reforms and taxation measures, the country’s fossil fuel subsidies plummeted from 2014 to 2018.

"Its renewable energy subsidies also reached a peak in 2017 but are now once again growing, with major support schemes targeting solar parks, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and distributed renewable energy," the report said. PTI ANZ ANU

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ANOTHER NEWS...
In letter to PM, Cong's Tagore questions logic behind decision to hike prices of 8 essential drugs

New Delhi, Nov 2 (PTI) Congress MP Manickam Tagore has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing concern over the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority's recent decision to increase prices of eight commonly-used drugs and sought the establishment of an independent review committee to assess the real impact of the price hike.

In the letter, Tagore said he was writing to express his concern regarding the recent decision by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) to increase the ceiling prices of eight commonly-used drugs by 50 per cent.

"While I understand that the government cited 'extraordinary circumstances' and 'public interest' as reasons for this increase, I believe it is crucial to clarify the rationale behind such a significant decision," the Congress MP from Tamil Nadu's Virudhunagar said.

"This price hike affects vital medications for conditions like asthma, tuberculosis, bipolar disorder, and glaucoma, which are essential for millions of citizens," Tagore said.

Many patients and their families already face financial challenges in accessing necessary treatments, he said.

A sudden increase in medicine prices can place an additional burden on these individuals, potentially compromising their health outcomes, Tagore said.

"I urge the government to provide a more detailed explanation of the extraordinary circumstances that necessitated this price hike. Furthermore, I propose the establishment of an independent review committee to assess the real impact of this increase on patients and healthcare providers," he said in the letter dated October 25.

Such a committee could offer recommendations for future pricing policies that balance industry viability with public health needs, he said.

"Transparency in this decision-making process is vital to maintaining public trust. A thorough review could lead to informed policies ensuring that essential medicines remain affordable and accessible for all," Tagore asserted.

"I look forward to your response and hope for a resolution that prioritises the wellbeing of our citizens," the Congress leader said. PTI ASK ASK

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TVS Motor Company Registers Highest Ever Monthly Sales in October 2024; Records 4.89 lakh Units with a Growth of 13%

Registers highest ever EV monthly sales with a growth of 45%

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India (NewsVoir)

TVS Motor Company recorded monthly sales of 489,015 units in October 2024 with a growth of 13% as against 434,714 units in the month of October 2023.

Two-Wheeler

Total two-wheelers registered a growth of 14% with sales increasing from 420,610 units in October 2023 to 478,159 units in October 2024. Domestic two-wheeler registered growth of 13% with sales increasing from 344,957 units in October 2023 to 390,489 units in October 2024.

Motorcycle registered a growth of 14% with sales increasing from 201,965 units in October 2023 to 230,822 units in October 2024. Scooter registered a growth of 17% with sales increasing from 165,135 units in October 2023 to 193,439 units in October 2024.

Electric Vehicle

EV sales registered a growth of 45% with sales increasing from 20,153 units in October 2023 to 29,308 units in October 2024.

International Business

The Company's total exports registered a growth of 9% with sales increasing from 87,952 units in October 2023 to 95,708 units in October 2024. Two-wheeler exports registered a growth of 16% with sales increasing from 75,653 units in October 2023 to 87,670 units in October 2024.

Three-Wheeler

Three-wheeler registered sales of 10,856 units in October 2024 as against 14,104 units in October 2023.

About TVS Motor Company

TVS Motor Company (BSE:532343 and NSE: TVSMOTOR) is a reputed two and three-wheeler manufacturer globally, championing progress through sustainable mobility with four state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities located in India and Indonesia. Rooted in our 100-year legacy of trust, value, and passion for customers, it takes pride in making internationally accepted products of the highest quality through innovative and sustainable processes. TVS Motor is the only two-wheeler company to have won the prestigious Deming Prize. Our products lead in their respective categories in the J.D. Power IQS and APEAL surveys. We have been ranked No. 1 Company in the J.D. Power Customer Service Satisfaction Survey for four consecutive years. Our group company Norton Motorcycles, based in the United Kingdom, is one of the most emotive motorcycle brands in the world. Our subsidiaries in the personal e-mobility space, Swiss E-Mobility Group (SEMG) and EGO Movement have a leading position in the e-bike market in Switzerland. TVS Motor Company endeavours to deliver the most superior customer experience across 80 countries in which we operate.

For more information, please visit www.tvsmotor.com.

(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Newsvoir and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR

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India’s forex reserves drop by USD 3.463 bln to USD 684.805 bln

Mumbai, Nov 1 (PTI) India’s forex reserves dropped by USD 3.463 billion to USD 684.805 billion in the week ended October 25, the RBI said on Friday.

The overall reserves had dropped by USD 2.163 billion to USD 688.267 billion in the previous reporting week. In end-September, the reserves had hit an all time high of USD 704.885 billion.

For the week ended October 25, foreign currency assets, a major component of the reserves, decreased by USD 4.484 billion to USD 593.751 billion, the data released on Friday showed.

Expressed in dollar terms, the foreign currency assets include the effect of appreciation or depreciation of non-US units like the euro, pound and yen held in the foreign exchange reserves.

Gold reserves increased by USD 1.082 billion to USD 68.527 billion during the week, the RBI said.

The Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) were down by USD 52 million to USD 18.219 billion, the apex bank said.

India’s reserve position with the IMF was down by USD 9 million to USD 4.307 billion in the reporting week, the apex bank data showed. PTI AA KRK KRK

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Hero MotoCorp sales rise 18 pc to 6.8 lakh units in Oct

New Delhi, Nov 1 (PTI) Hero MotoCorp on Friday said its overall sales increased by 18 per cent year-on-year to 6,79,091 units in October.

The country's largest two-wheeler maker has sold 5,74,930 units in October 2023.

Domestic dispatches to dealers rose to 6,57,403 units compared to 5,59,766 units in the year-ago period, the company said in a statement.

The company's exports rose to 21,688 units last month from 15,164 units in the year-ago period, it added.

This significant growth was primarily driven by robust demand from key urban and rural areas, particularly in the 100cc and 125cc segments during the festive period, the company said.

Hero MotoCorp said its electric vehicle brand VIDA continued to have a strong growth trajectory this year and achieved its highest-ever monthly dispatches, reaching 8,750 units in October 2024. PTI MSS

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Govt revises wastage, input-output norms for gold, silver jewellery exports

New Delhi, Nov 1 (PTI) The government on Friday revised norms related to the permissible amount of wastage with regard to the export of gold, silver and platinum jewellery.

The wastage norms are the permissible amount of gold or silver that can be lost during the manufacturing process of jewellery for export.

An industry official said the wastage norms have been slightly adjusted from the earlier norms, released on May 27, after the industry urged the government to look into the issue.

The industry had expressed concerns over the May rules which reduced the wastage norms across jewellery categories.

After their concerns, the Commerce Ministry deferred the implementation of those rules till December 2024.

Now, the ministry has come out with the revised norms again, which have been welcomed by the industry.

"The wastage permissible and standard input-output norms with regard to export of jewellery have been revised," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a public notice.

The new norms will be applicable from January 1, next year.

The industry had made two key requests - to set the wastage norms that realistically align with the jewellery manufacturing process and permit an adequate transition period for adapting to new regulations.

Standard input-output norms (SION) are rules that define the amount of input/inputs required to manufacture a unit of output for export purposes.

Input output norms are applicable for products such as electronics, engineering, chemical, and food products including fish and marine products, handicrafts, plastic and leather products.

In May the wastage by weight in plain gold and platinum jewellery was reduced to 0.5 per cent from 2.5 per cent and in silver to 0.75 per cent from 3.2 per cent. In studded jewellery, the wastage was reduced to 0.75 per cent in gold, silver and platinum jewellery from 5 per cent earlier.

According to the new norms announced on Friday, wastage of 2.25 per cent is allowed in handmade jewellery of gold and platinum from 2.5 per cent applicable now and 3 per cent in silver jewellery from 3.2 per cent.

For gold and platinum jewellery made by machines, the wastage of 0.45 per cent is allowed and for silver, it is down to 0.5 per cent. In studded handmade jewellery of gold, silver and platinum the new norms allow for 4 per cent wastage. For machine-made studded jewellery wastage of 2.8 per cent is allowed.

Apart from jewellery the order also covers idols, coins and medallions, and other items made from these metals.

To manufacture jewellery and other items for exports, the precious metals are imported duty-free. Exports by weight must be in line with the amount of metal imported duty-free minus the wastage that can occur at the making stage. The wastage norms are strictly imposed to ensure that the duty-free metal does not find its way to the domestic market. PTI RR MR

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Catching of trout fish banned in Himachal for 4 months

Bilaspur (HP), Nov 1 (PTI) The Himachal Pradesh fisheries department on Friday imposed a four-month ban on catching trout fish in major rivers and their tributaries spread over 600 km in the state.

"In order to promote the breeding of trout fish in the cold-water regions of Himachal Pradesh and to conserve this natural resource, a complete ban on trout fishing has been implemented from November 1, 2024 to February 28, 2025," Director Fisheries Vivek Chandekl said in a statement issued here.

These include the Pabbar river in Shimla district, Beas, Sarvari, Parvati, Gadsa, and Sainj rivers in Kullu district, Uhal river in Mandi and Kangra districts, and Bhandal Nala in Chamba district, the statement said.

Chandel said the ban is necessary to conserve trout fish during their natural breeding season, allowing for natural seed collection in reservoirs. This four-month ban will ensure the long-term preservation of Himachal Pradesh's fishery resources and boost trout fish production in the state, he added.

He said during this period, the fisheries department has made special arrangements to ensure the safety of trout waters. A dedicated monitoring force has been deployed to patrol these water areas, and leaves of departmental employees working in these cold regions have also been cancelled.

Last year, the department's eight trout farms produced 1.5576 million trout seeds, he informed. PTI COR BPL TRB

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Rohit Bal was a true pioneer: Manish Malhotra
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Rohit Bal: The Valley boy who strode to great heights in fashion
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Fashion industry, Bollywood stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Sushmita Sen mourn Rohit Bal's death
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Lupita Nyong'o, Jared Leto to lead 'Lunik Heist'

Los Angeles, Nov 2 (PTI) Oscar-winning actors Lupita Nyong’o and Jared Leto are set to headline "Lunik Heist", an upcoming Cold War-era heist movie.

Actor-comic and "Saturday Night Live" veteran John Mulaney will also feature in the movie, which will be written and directed by Kemp Powers, reported entertainment news outlet Variety.

“Lunik Heist”, which hails from Searchlight Pictures, follows the American government’s plot to steal a Soviet spacecraft during a 1959 expedition in Mexico City and is based on an article by Jeff Maysh that was published in MIT Technology Review.

Powers is best known for co-directing “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”. He also wrote “One Night in Miami”, which was based on his 2013 stage play.

Leto and Emma Ludbrook are producing the project under their Paradox banner, along with Mark Johnson for Gran Via Productions. Maysh serves as an executive producer. PTI RB RB

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Fashion industry, Bollywood stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Sushmita Sen mourn Rohit Bal's death
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Actor Darshan admitted in Bengaluru hospital to treat back, leg pain
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Angelina Jolie to be honoured with Performer Tribute at Gotham Awards

Los Angeles, Nov 1 (PTI) Hollywood star Angelina Jolie will be felicitated with the Performer Tribute at the 34th edition of Gotham Awards in New York City.

The Oscar-winning actor will be honoured for her role in filmmaker Pablo Larain's "Maria", about the popular American-born Greek opera singer Maria Callas, the Gotham Film & Media Institute, which organises the award gala annually, said in a statement.

The awards will be held on December 2 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.

“Like the legendary figure she portrays, Angelina Jolie transcends mere performance to craft something extraordinary. Her interpretation captures both Maria Callas’s complexity as an artist and the cultural resonance that defines an icon,” said Jeffrey Sharp, Executive Director of The Gothams.

“We are thrilled to celebrate what is truly one of Ms. Jolie’s career-defining performances in the final installment of Pablo Larrain’s magnificent trilogy," he added.

Written by Steven Knight, "Maria" follows Maria Callas, one of the most iconic performers of the 20th century as she retreats to Paris after a glamorous and tumultuous life in the public eye.

The Netflix film, which had its world premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival, reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days as the diva reckons with her identity and life.

The movie also features Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer, and Kodi Smit-McPhee in supporting roles. PTI RB RB

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Lily James, Pierce Brosnan to lead 'Cliffhanger' reboot

Los Angeles, Nov 1 (PTI) A reboot of the 1993 action-thriller "Cliffhanger" is in development with Lily James and former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan leading the cast.

It was earlier reported that the original film's lead, veteran actor Sylvester Stallone, will be returning for a follow-up to the original movie that would be directed by Ric Roman Waugh of "Greenland".

The project has now been reimagined but will retain the original’s high-stakes, mountainous action, while exploring a fresh storyline, according to entertainment news outlet Variety.

The reboot will be directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, who earlier worked with Brosnan on the Dwayne Johnson-led "Black Adam".

"Cliffhanger" featured Stallone as Gabe Walker, a former mountain rescue ranger who becomes embroiled in a high-stakes heist gone wrong.

The new script is based on a story by Ana Lily Amirpour. Filming is underway in Austria. Brosnan will play seasoned mountaineer Ray Cooper, who operates a luxury chalet in the Dolomites with daughter Sydney. During a weekend trip with a billionaire’s son, they are targeted by a gang of kidnappers.

Ray’s daughter Naomi (James), still haunted by a past climbing accident, witnesses the attack and escapes. To save her family, she must confront her fears and fight for survival.

The movie will also feature Nell Tiger Free, Franz Rogowski, Shubham Saraf, Assaad Bouab, Suzy Bemba and Bruno Gouery in pivotal roles.

Lars Sylvest of Thank You Pictures, Joe Neurauter of Supernix and Rocket Science’s Thorsten Schumacher will produce the project with Neal Moritz and Toby Jaffe. PTI RB RB

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Amy Jackson, Ed Westwick to become parents soon

New Delhi, Nov 1 (PTI) Actor-couple Amy Jackson and Ed Westwick are expecting their first child together.

The couple, who tied the knot in August this year, shared the news by posting pictures from Jackson's maternity shoot on their respective Instagram pages.

"Perfection," they wrote in the caption.

Jackson, 32, also shared one of the pregnancy portraits on her Instagram story and captioned it, “Beyond excited.”

Jackson is best known for Indian films such as "Ekk Deewana Tha", "Theri", "2.0" and "I", whereas 37-year-old Westwick is most popular for his work in the American teen drama series "Gossip Girl".

The couple started dating after they met at the Silverstone racetrack in the UK in 2021. They announced their engagement in January and got married in August in a dreamy wedding in Italy.

Jackson also has a four-year-old son from her prior relationship with hotelier George Panayiotou. PTI RB RB

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Prithviraj Sukumaran's 'L2: Empuraan' to hit theatres in March 2025

New Delhi, Nov 1 (PTI) "L2: Empuraan", the sequel to Malayalam star Prithviraj Sukumaran's 2019 film "Lucifer", will be released in theatres on March 27, the actor announced on Friday.

In the second installment of the action franchise, Malayalam superstar Mohanlal reprise his role of Stephen Nedumpally aka Khureshi-Ab'raam

Sukumaran, who directed the movie from a script by Murali Gopy, also features in the movie alongside Manju Warrier, Tovino Thomas, Indrajith Sukumaran, Saniya Iyappan and Arjun Das.

"#L2E #EMPURAAN The 2nd instalment of the #Lucifer franchise hits cinemas world wide on 27th March 2025," the actor wrote on X alongside a poster of the movie.

"L2 Empuraan" will be released in theatres in five languages -- Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.

The film is produced under the banner of Lyca Productions and Aashirvad Cinemas.

"Lucifer", which follows Mohanlal's Stephen Nedumpally, an enigmatic political figure who becomes embroiled in a battle for power after the death of a political leader, was a major commercial and critical success.

The movie was praised for its action sequences, drama, and Mohanlal’s performance. PTI RB RB

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Just going whichever way god is showing me: Actor Abhimanyu Kashinath

Bengaluru, Nov 1 (PTI) The title of his latest film, ‘Ellige Payana Yavudo Daari’ (roughly translates to ‘which way the journey is and what is the path’) pretty much sums up his life’s journey, said Abhimanyu Kashinath, who plays the hero of the debut film of Kiran Surya.

"I know I want to be a good actor, but I am not sure of my wheres and hows also. Like my film title, I am full of questions too. So, I am doing the next best thing – just going whichever way god is showing me," said Abhimanyu.

Son of Kashinath, one of the legendary actor-directors of the Kannada film industry, Abhimanyu said unlike most star kids, growing up he was busy chasing the dreams of being a cricketer.

"My father always believed that we all must do what we want to do, so he stood by all my decisions. He never said I should try my luck in films instead of cricket. That is how I ended up playing for Bangalore University," said Abhimanyu.

But despite going for selection matches for the state team at all levels – under 16, 19 and 22 – Abhimanyu said he could not really make the cut.

"I guess there came a point when I had to make up my mind about cricket. So after finishing my college, I decided to get into films," added Abhimanyu.

When he decided to carve a career for himself in the film world, Abhimanyu said his father again took it in his stride.

"But he told me to try theatre first, so I understand the nuances of acting. And that is what I did for a couple of years," said Abhimanyu.

While the theatre took care of his acting training, he knew to be a hero in the Insta era, he had to hone his body too.

"If given a choice, I would choose just to act. But nowadays, you have to market yourself too. Whether you like it or not, you have to get on social media and show the world how good you are. I am more on the scrawny side, so I knew I needed to build some mass. I also learnt to dance, and trained myself for stunts…" said Abhimanyu.

Although a newcomer, since his father is a veteran, Abhimanyu said his journey into the film world was somewhat smooth.

"For instance, my first film ‘Baaji (2009)’, which also featured the legendary Anant Nag, was directed by S Shidlaghatta Srinivas, who had trained under my father. I know my father tried to ensure that I did something different," said Abhimanyu.

His second film, ‘12am Madhyarathri’ , a horror film, was produced by his father, who also appeared in a supporting role. The success that was enjoyed by his father eluded him, said Abhimanyu.

"At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if your father is famous or not. Unless you give a hit, there is no way you can sustain yourself in this industry," he said.

Still, having a mentor like Kashinath was something he never took for granted, said Abhimanyu. So, when his father passed away in 2018, Abhimanyu said he was doubly heartbroken as he lost not just his father but also his mentor.

"For most part my father left me on my own, so I could figure things out for myself. But whenever I went to him with things that were bothering me, he was there to guide me," said Abhimanyu.

But, as it happens, it was Kashinath’s legacy, almost five years after his death, which helped Abhimanyu land the role in ‘Ellige Payana Yavudo Daari’ too.

"Kiran Surya is a great fan of my father and he announced his film – which he financed himself with the help of a few friends – on social media on my father’s birthday anniversary, as a tribute to him. This is how we got in touch and Kiran decided to cast me as the hero eventually," said Abhimanyu.

Things are finally going his way, he acknowledged.

Unlike earlier, where there was a huge gap between his films, now his next is almost ready. "My next film, ‘Suri Loves Sandhya’ is also by debutante director, Yadav Raj. I think it will be ready for release in December or early January next year," said Abhimanyu.

Quite recently, he had been booked for another project, again by a fan and assistant director of his father.

"This one is called ‘Abhimanyu, Son of Kashinath’, again a debut directorial venture. This one will be directed by Raj Murali, who is a great fan of my father’s ability to mirror society with humour. The story he has narrated to me is great, very like my father’s idea of a film. So I am very excited about it," said Abhimanyu. PTI JR KH

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India reduce NZ to 171 for 9 in second innings at stumps on Day 2

Mumbai, Nov 2 (PTI) New Zealand reached 171 for nine at stumps in their second innings on day two of the third Test against India here on Saturday.

Will Young (51 off 100) top-scored for New Zealand.

The visitors lead India by 143 runs and the Test match will likely end by the second session of third day.

At the close of play, Ajaz Patel (7 not out) was at the crease.

Ravindra Jadeja (4/52) and Ravichandran Ashwin (3/63) shared seven wickets between them for India.

Earlier, left-arm-spinner Patel (5/103) took five wickets to help dismiss India for 263 in their first innings.

Shubman Gill, who was unlucky to miss out on a century, anchored India's innings with a 146-ball 90 while Washington Sundar, who scored a brisk 38 off 36 deliveries, helped India take a slender 28-run first innings lead.

Rishabh Pant (60) scored an entertaining fifty in the morning session.

Brief Scores:

New Zealand 235 all out and 171 for 9 in 43.3 overs (Will Young 51; Ravindra Jadeja 4/52, Ravichandran Ashwin 3/63).

India: 263 all out in 59.4 overs (Shubman Gill 90, Rishabh Pant 60; Ajaz Patel 5/103). PTI SSC SSC KHS

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We are hoping to pick up our players from last year in auction: LSG coach Justin Langer

New Delhi, Nov 2 (PTI) Their objective of forming a strong core achieved with the retention of men like Nicholas Pooran and Mayank Yadav, Lucknow Super Giants are now aiming to bring back their players from last year's squad in the upcoming IPL mega auction, said head coach Justin Langer on Saturday.

LSG ended retained five players -- four of whom are Indians, and two of whom are uncapped, including swashbuckling West Indian batter Pooran.

"We are really pleased with announcing the four of the most talented Indian players in the country at the moment. We are setting a base for those strong Indian players -- Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Ayush Badoni, Mohsin Khan -- four incredibly talented players and I'm excited about that," Langer said in a video posted on X by the franchise.

"Nicholas Pooran is a dynamic player in world cricket and we can't wait to see him in action again. We have got one more Right To Match (RTM) and we are hoping to pick up as many of our players as possible from last year in the auction.

"Mr Goenka has thought long and hard about this and like I have said, we have talked over and over all the possibilities," the former Australia opener said.

LSG released KL Rahul before the team submitted its list of retained players by the October 31 deadline.

Rahul, who had captained the team for the three seasons since it came into existence in 2022, was let go following LSG's seventh-place finish in IPL 2024.

Rahul will now go into the mega auction.

"The retention for next year's IPL was really tough. There were lots of very careful deliberations, strong considerations to come up list of retentions," Langer said.

The side will go into the mega auction with a purse of Rs 69 crore.

West Indies batter Pooran was retained for a whopping Rs 21 crore, the joint second-most paid to a player in this retention cycle along with Royal Challengers Bengaluru talisman Virat Kohli and behind only Sunrisers Hyderabad's Heinrich Klaasen (Rs 23 crore).

Rahul was LSG's top-scorer in IPL 2024 with 520 runs at a strike rate of 136, but Pooran's 499 runs came at a strike rate of 178.

Bishnoi (Rs 11 crore), Mayank (Rs 11 crore), Mohsin (Rs 4 crore) and Badoni (Rs 11 crore) are the other players retained by LSG. PTI AH AH APA

APA

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Mumbai City FC seek winning momentum against Kerala Blasters FC

Mumbai, Nov 2 (PTI) Mumbai City FC will look to return to winning ways when they take on visiting Kerala Blasters FC in their Indian Super League match here on Sunday.

The Islanders, determined to bounce back after a draw in the last match against Odisha FC, will aim to avoid a second straight defeat to Kerala Blasters FC -- a streak they haven't experienced since the 2021-22 season.

With Mumbai City FC and Kerala Blasters FC tied closely in standings, every point counts, especially in the highly competitive race for the playoffs.

Mumbai City FC have recently faced challenges in breaking down defences, netting fewer than two goals in each of their last two home matches. The Islanders haven't seen a goalless stretch of this sort since early 2023, and they'll be eager to rediscover their attacking form.

Although Mumbai City FC create an impressive 2.6 big chances per game (second highest in the ISL), their big chance conversion rate of just 15.4% is the lowest. The upcoming game will be a crucial test of their finishing skills.

Kerala Blasters FC have gone 10 straight away games without a clean sheet, a trend they will need to fix quickly. Their defence will be tested by Mumbai's home advantage and scoring potential.

With 63.4% of their shots coming from inside the box, Kerala Blasters FC's attack will seek openings in Mumbai's backline, led by Noah Sadaoui and his league-high expected assists tally of 2.15.

Kick-off: 7.30 pm IST.

Odisha FC, NorthEast United desperate to rise above mid-table

======================================

An exciting clash is set to take place in Guwahati between NorthEast United FC and Odisha FC, with both teams eager to climb out of the mid-table in the second match of Sunday’s double-header.

The Highlanders and the Juggernauts have eight points from six matches each, placed fifth and seventh on the table, respectively.

While NEUFC are coming off an enthralling 5-0 victory over Jamshedpur FC, OFC settled for a competitive 1-1 draw at home to MCFC.

The Highlanders have netted four of their opening goals within 15 minutes into their matches this season -- the highest such tally for any team in the ISL.

Meanwhile, the Juggernauts, along with Bengaluru FC and Punjab FC, are yet to concede in this period.

While Odisha would be desperate to snatch away success, having been winless in their previous seven such outings, their head coach, Sergio Lobera, too, does not have a sound record here, having not won a single game in Guwahati in his last four visits.

The two teams have contested against each other on 10 instances in the ISL, with the Juggernauts and the Highlanders prevailing in six and three fixtures, respectively, while only one clash ended in a draw.

Moreover, NEUFC's Alaaeddine Ajaraie will fancy his chances to become only the second ISL player to find the back of the net in seven straight ISL ties, after Kalu Uche for Delhi Dynamos FC between January and March 2018.

Kick-off: 5.00 pm IST. PTI AH/AYG APA

APA

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IPL Retention: Kohli drops his hints of completing 20 years with RCB till 2027

Bengaluru, Nov 2 (PTI) Virat Kohli has dropped elaborate hints that he would like to continue playing competitive cricket till 2027 with an aim to complete 20 years with Royal Challengers Bengaluru after being retained by the franchise for a hefty fee of Rs 21 crore.

Having entered the twilight zone of his illustrious career, speculations are rife about how long the 36-year-old would continue in top flight cricket having endured a prolonged lull for the last four years since the start of COVID-19.

Kohli has been playing for RCB ever since IPL's inception in 2008 and is the leading run-scorer in the competition, amassing over 8,000 runs at a healthy if not spectacular strike rate of 131.97, including eight hundreds and 55 fifties.

“At the end of this cycle, it is going to be 20 years that I am going to be playing for RCB and that in itself is a very, very special feeling for me," Kohli told 'RCB Bold Diaries' indicating that he aims to continue for at least another three years till 2027.

"I have never thought that I am going to play so many years for one team, but the relationship has truly become special over so many years.

He reiterated that he doesn't see himself playing for any other franchise.

“I don’t see myself anywhere other than RCB, and I am very happy that it happened. I am very excited that I got a chance to create a strong new squad in this auction, something that we are really looking forward to as a franchise, as a team," Kohli said in RCB's Bold Diaries video.

He also pondered on the fact that he shared a close bond with the franchise and its fans, while his goal would be to win the elusive title.

“I am super excited as ever as everyone knows what RCB means to me. It’s been a very, very special relationship over so many years, which continues to grow stronger, and what I have experienced playing for RCB is truly special. I hope that the fans and everyone who’s connected to the franchise feel the same way," he continued.

"I am also just looking forward to this cycle. Obviously, the goal is to win the IPL title at least once in the next cycle."

He promised that RCB will leave no stone unturned to win their elusive IPL title.

“We are going to give it our best shot as always and try to make everyone proud of the way we play our cricket. A big shout out to the fans for your unwavering support over so many years. I am really grateful, really thankful,” Kohli concluded.

Kohli will be a key to RCB’s success: Andy Flower

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Meanwhile, following Kohli's retention, RCB head coach Andy Flower admitted that while the retention itself is not surprising, he would be the key to RCB's success in the coming years.

"Virat’s retention won’t come as much of a surprise to anyone in India. He is and will be a key to RCB’s success in the future. He was sensational last year. He was one of the leaders who propelled us into the playoffs despite a poor first half of the season," he told JioCinema.

Besides Kohli, RCB has also retained two more players -- Rajat Patidar (Rs 11 crore) and Yash Dayal (Rs 5 crore).

As a result, RCB will have a purse of Rs 83 crore heading into the mega auction tentatively scheduled later this month.

The franchise would also contain three Right To Match (RTM) cards, allowing it to retain three more players (an uncapped player and two capped players, or three capped players).

Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj, Faf du Plessis and Cameron Green are among the top RCB players set to go under the hammer. PTI AYG KHS

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Mumbai City FC seek winning momentum against Kerala Blasters FC

Mumbai, Nov 2 (PTI) Mumbai City FC will look to return to winning ways when they take on visiting Kerala Blasters FC in their Indian Super League match here on Sunday.

The Islanders, determined to bounce back after a draw in the last match against Odisha FC, will aim to avoid a second straight defeat to Kerala Blasters FC -- a streak they haven't experienced since the 2021-22 season.

With Mumbai City FC and Kerala Blasters FC tied closely in standings, every point counts, especially in the highly competitive race for the playoffs.

Mumbai City FC have recently faced challenges in breaking down defenses, netting fewer than two goals in each of their last two home matches. The Islanders haven't seen a goalless stretch of this sort since early 2023, and they'll be eager to rediscover their attacking form.

Although Mumbai City FC create an impressive 2.6 big chances per game (second highest in the ISL), their big chance conversion rate of just 15.4% is the lowest. The upcoming game will be a crucial test of their finishing skills.

Kerala Blasters FC have gone 10 straight away games without a clean sheet, a trend they will need to fix quickly. Their defense will be tested by Mumbai's home advantage and scoring potential.

With 63.4% of their shots coming from inside the box, Kerala Blasters FC's attack will seek openings in Mumbai's backline, led by Noah Sadaoui and his league-high expected assists tally of 2.15. PTI AH AH APA

APA

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HIL: Two-time Olympic medallist Lily Owsley signs for Delhi SG Pipers

New Delhi, Nov 2 (PTI) Delhi SG Pipers on Saturday announced the acquisition of England's woman hockey midfielder and superstar Lily Owsley for the upcoming season of Hockey India League (HIL).

The 29-year-old two-time Olympic medallist will be replacing 28-year-old Dutch midfielder Xan de Waard following her pull-out from HIL this season due to personal reasons.

Owsley is one of the most highly decorated players in English hockey, having won the gold medal at the Rio Olympics 2016, followed by the bronze in Tokyo 2020.

Besides, she also won the gold and silver at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham 2022 and Glasgow 2014, respectively.

Owsley also clinched two European Championship medals -- gold in London 2015 and bronze in Amstelveen 2017.

"Losing Xan de Waard, undoubtedly one of the best players in the world, is a setback for the team. But, being able to replace her with a 2-time Olympic medal winner, Lily Owsley, is a big relief," said Delhi SG Pipers women's team coach Dave Smolenaars in a statement.

"She will bring in her experience, leadership and high-speed play to help the team reach its potential."

It will be the inaugural edition of the Women's HIL, slated to get underway on December 28, comprising four teams, with the other three sides being Odisha Warriors, Rarh Bengal Tigers and Soorma Hockey Club.

The tournament final takes place in Ranchi on February 1 next year. PTI AYG SSC

SSC

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SCOREBOARD: India vs New Zealand

Mumbai, Nov 2 (PTI) Scoreboard at tea on the second day of the third and final Test between India and New Zealand here on Saturday.

New Zealand 1st innings: 235

India 1st innings: 263

New Zealand 2nd innings:

Tom Latham b Akash Deep 1

Devon Conway batting 15

Will Young batting 8

Extras: (LB-2) 2

Total: (For 1 wicket in 9 overs) 26

Fall of wicket: 1-2.

Bowling: Akash Deep 4-0-9-1, Washington Sundar 2-0-5-0, Ravichandran Ashwin 2-0-8-0, Ravindra Jadeja 1-0-2-0. PTI AYG APA

APA

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India strike early after taking slender lead against New Zealand at tea, 3rd Test
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New Zealand reach 26/1 at tea on day 2

Mumbai, Nov 2 (PTI) New Zealand reached 26/1 at tea on day two of the third Test against India here on Saturday.

The tourists lost skipper Tom Latham (1), who was bowled by pacer Akash Deep, early in the second innings. The visitors trail India by two runs.

Devon Conway and Will Young were batting on 15 and 8 respectively when tea was taken.

Earlier, left-arm-spinner Ajaz Patel (5/103) took five wickets to help dismiss India for 263 in their first innings.

Shubman Gill, who was unlucky to miss out on a century, anchored India's innings with a 146-ball 90 while Washington Sundar, who scored a brisk 38 off 36 deliveries, helped India take a slender 28-run first innings lead.

Rishabh Pant (60) scored an entertaining fifty in the morning session.

Brief Scores:

New Zealand 235 all out and 26 for 1 in 9 overs (Devon Conway 15 batting ; Akash Deep 1/9)

India: 263 all out in 59.4 overs (Shubman Gill 90, Rishabh Pant 60; Ajaz Patel 5/103). PTI APA AH

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India lose to UAE, England in Hong Kong Sixes

Hong Kong, Nov 2 (PTI) India suffered twin defeats, to UAE and England by a run and 15 runs respectively, in the Hong Kong Sixes at the Tin Kwong Road Cricket Ground here on Saturday.

Having lost to Pakistan in their opener on Friday, India needed a win against UAE to move to the quarterfinals but fell short by a run.

Chasing 131, India required 32 in the final over and all-rounder Stuart Binny (44 off 11 balls) tried his best to take the team over the line.

Binny struck a four on the first ball, the second one was a wide and then followed it with four maximums on the trot to bring the equation down to three off one. But he was run out on the final ball while trying for a second run.

Earlier, Robin Uthappa struck 43 off 10 balls. UAE posted 130/5 in 6 overs, courtesy Khalid Shah's 42 off 10 and Zahoor Khan's 37 not out off 11.

India then locked horns with England in Bowl Match 2.

Batting first, Ravi Bopara and Samit Patel took on the Indian bowlers. Bopara hit six maximums in an over off Uthappa, who ended up giving away 37 runs in the over.

Both the batters notched up individual half-centuries before retiring as England got to 120/1 in 6 overs.

Bopara then dominated India with his bowling as he picked two wickets in one over which included the dismissal of Uthappa for a golden duck.

India could only manage to score 105/3 and lost the game by 15 runs. PTI APA AH

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TOP CRIME NEWS...
Barber booked for sexually harassing 7-year-old girl in UP's Budaun

Budaun (UP), Nov 2 (PTI) A barber has been booked for allegedly sexually harassing a seven-year-old girl in a salon here, police said on Saturday.

The accused was identified as Shahid (18), they said.

According to police, the incident occurred on Friday evening when the girl had gone to a doctor's clinic with her aunt. Shahid, who works at a salon nearby, called the girl and sexually harassed her. He also took some objectionable pictures of her.

Upon returning home, the girl narrated the incident to her family who then approached the police, they said.

Senior Superintendent of Police Brijesh Kumar Singh said that a case has been registered against Shahid and raids are being conducted to arrest him.

Following the incident, members of the Vishwa Hindu Mahasangh and Bajrang Sena reached the police station and staged a protest, demanding action against the accused. PTI COR NAV HIG

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Mumbai cops send proposal for Anmol Bishnoi's extradition after alert from US

Mumbai, Nov 2 (PTI) The Mumbai police have sent a proposal for extradition of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's younger brother Anmol Bishnoi, who has been named as an accused in some high-profile crimes, including the Baba Siddique murder case, an official said.

The proposal was sent after the US authorities informed the Mumbai police about Anmol Bishnoi's presence in their country, the senior police official said on Saturday.

Last month, the Mumbai police's crime branch moved the special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court here stating that it intends to "initiate the extradition procedure of fugitive criminal Anmol Bishnoi". It filed an affidavit "for further necessary action", which was allowed by the special court.

The Mumbai police have sent the proposal for Anmol Bishnoi's extradition to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which will then be forwarded to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the police official said.

Both Lawrence and Anmol Bishnoi have been named as wanted accused in the April 14 firing incident outside the Bollywood actor Salman Khan's Galaxy Apartment in Mumbai's Bandra area.

Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal had carried out the firing. They, along with Sonukumar Bishnoi, Mohammed Rafiq Choudhary and Harpal Singh, were arrested and are currently in judicial custody.

One accused Anujkumar Thapan committed suicide during his police custody.

In the chargesheet filed in the case, police have shown Lawrence Bishnoi and Anmol Bishnoi as wanted accused in the case.

NCP leader and former MLA Baba Siddique was shot dead by three gunmen near the office of his MLA-son Zeeshan Siddique on October 12. The police have so far arrested 15 persons in connection with the murder. The involvement of Bishnoi brothers, who hail from Fazilka in Punjab, is suspected in the case.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) recently announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for information leading to the arrest of Anmol Bishnoi.

Lawrence Bishnoi is currently lodged in a jail in Sabarmati in Gujarat.

A lookout circular was issued in April against Anmol Bishnoi, who had claimed responsibility for the firing incident outside Salman Khan's residence.

An FIR was also registered by the NIA against nine accused, including both the Bishnoi brothers, in August 2022 for being part of a conspiracy to "raise funds, recruit youth to carry out terrorist acts in the Union Territory of Delhi and other parts of the country" besides "targeted killings of prominent persons". PTI DC AVI NP

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Mumbai cops move proposal for Anmol Bishnoi's extradition after alert from US

Mumbai, Nov 2 (PTI) The Mumbai police have forwarded a proposal for extradition of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's younger brother Anmol Bishnoi, who has been named as an accused in some high-profile crimes, including the Baba Siddique murder case, an official said.

The proposal was sent after the US authorities informed the Mumbai police about Anmol Bishnoi's presence in their country, the senior police official said on Saturday.

Last month, the Mumbai police's crime branch moved the special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court here stating that it intends to "initiate the extradition procedure of fugitive criminal Anmol Bishnoi". It filed an affidavit "for further necessary action", which was allowed by the special court.

Both Lawrence and Anmol Bishnoi have been named as wanted accused in the April 14 firing incident outside the Bollywood actor Salman Khan's Galaxy Apartment in Mumbai's Bandra area.

Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal had carried out the firing. They, along with Sonukumar Bishnoi, Mohammed Rafiq Choudhary and Harpal Singh, were arrested and are currently in judicial custody.

One accused Anujkumar Thapan committed suicide during his police custody.

In the chargesheet filed in the case, police have shown Lawrence Bishnoi and Anmol Bishnoi as wanted accused in the case.

NCP leader and former MLA Baba Siddique was shot dead by three gunmen near the office of his MLA-son Zeeshan Siddique on October 12. The police have so far arrested 15 persons in connection with the murder. The role of Bishnoi brothers, who hail from Fazilka in Punjab, is suspected in the case.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) recently announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for information leading to the arrest of Anmol Bishnoi.

Lawrence Bishnoi is currently lodged in a jail in Sabarmati in Gujarat.

A lookout circular was issued in April against Anmol Bishnoi, who had claimed responsibility for the firing incident outside Salman Khan's residence.

An FIR was also registered by the NIA against nine accused, including both the Bishnoi brothers, in August 2022 for being part of a conspiracy to "raise funds, recruit youth to carry out terrorist acts in the Union Territory of Delhi and other parts of the country" besides "targeted killings of prominent persons". PTI DC AVI NP

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UP: 8-year-old girl found dead in sack in Agra, locals suspect occult practice

Agra (UP), Nov 1 (PTI) An eight-year-old girl was found dead in a sack in a village here on Friday morning, police said.

Some of the villagers suspect that the girl was allegedly killed as part of "tantric rituals".

According to police, the family, residents of Mirzapur village, had filed a missing person complaint of their daughter on Thursday evening.

"In CCTV cameras installed in the village, the girl was seen walking towards the spot where she was found dead," Devesh Singh, Assistant Police Commissioner of Police (ACP), Saiyan said.

Following this, the police reached the spot and found the girl's body in a sack near a canal on Friday morning. The body was sent for post-mortem and a complaint was registered against the accused, Singh said.

Meanwhile, talking to the reporters, an eyewitness said the locals suspect that the girl was killed to perform tantric rituals. He claimed that he had seen the body and her neck, ears and fingers had injury marks. Her forehead had a "tilak".

Ashoka, the girl's kin, told the report that they had been looking for her all evening. Her body was found 50 metres from their house. PTI COR HIG

HIG

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Man stabbed to death in Delhi's Dwarka

New Delhi, Nov 1 (PTI) A man died after he was stabbed by a few people early Friday in Delhi's Dwarka area, police said.

According to the police, a PCR call was received at 2.53 am about a man being stabbed by some people on Hastsal Road in Uttam Nagar.

A police team rushed to the spot and learnt that the injured was taken to a hospital where he died during treatment, a senior police officer said.

The officer said an FIR has been registered and a probe has been launched to find the exact reason behind the murder.

"The accused have been identified and teams are on the lookout to nab them," the officer added. PTI BM RPA

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ANOTHER NEWS...
Argument over children bursting crackers leads to group clash, stone pelting in Indore

Indore, Nov 1 (PTI) An argument over children bursting crackers in Diwali escalated into a clash between two groups in Madhya Pradesh's Indore city on Friday, resulting in injuries to four persons and prompting police to hold a flag march to restore order.

The incident took place in Chhatripura area, Deputy Commissioner of Police Rishikesh Meena told reporters.

"Some people had an argument over children bursting crackers. This was fanned by an old rivalry between neighbours. It soon led to stone pelting between two groups, resulting in minor injuries to four persons. Some vehicles were also damaged in the stone pelting," he said.

"A flag march was carried out in the area, where the situation now is completely under control. People must ignore rumours and maintain peace. There is sizable police presence in Chhatripura area. We are checking CCTV footage to identify those who disturbed law and order," Meena added.

The area has residents from Hindu and Muslim communities, another official said.

After the stone pelting incident, members of a Hindu outfit protested in front of Chhatripura police station seeking action against those from the other side. PTI HWP LAL BNM

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Shaina NC complains against Sena (UBT) MP Sawant over 'imported maal' jibe; FIR filed

Mumbai, Nov 1 (PTI) Ruling Shiv Sena's Mumbadevi assembly seat candidate Shaina N C on Friday lodged a complaint against Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant for allegedly referring to her as "imported maal" and thereby "insulting" her.

Based on her complaint, the police registered a case against Sawant, who represents the Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency, on the charge of insulting the modesty of a woman, an official said.

Shaina said his remark shows the mentality of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party, while Sawant said his words have been "misinterpreted" by her.

Shaina, who was earlier with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), joined Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena recently. She is contesting the November 20 assembly election from the Mumbadevi constituency in Mumbai. She is pitted against Amin Patel of congress from the constituency.

Speaking to reporters, she showed a video clip of Sawant's comment that imported maal will not work in Mumbadevi.

"Calling a professional and a political worker of 20 years a 'maal' shows the mentality of Shiv Sena (UBT). Why are Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, Nana Patole silent?" she asked.

The voters of Mumbadevi will teach the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) a lesson, she said.

Shaina approached the Nagpada police station and lodged the complaint against Sawant, an official said.

Based on her complaint, a case was registered under sections 79 (anyone who intends to insult the modesty of a woman through words, gestures, sounds) and 356 (2) (defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) he said.

Reacting to her charge, Sawant said Shaina has misinterpreted the word maal.

"In Hindi it means goods. I also said our candidate is the original maal. Shaina is an old friend not an enemy," he said.

"Understand the motive of spreading a narrative about bringing a video clip of a speech made two days ago. In my 50 years of political life I have never insulted anyone," he said, adding that Shaina had misinterpreted the word.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chairperson of the state legislative council Neelam Gorhe demanded that the Election Commission of India (ECI) take action against Sawant for making an "insulting" comment against women.

She said she will file a complaint with the ECI. PTI MR DC NP

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Diwali shooting incident: AAP slams BJP over rising crime in Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 1 (PTI) The ruling AAP on Friday questioned the Bhartiya Janta Party’s handling of law and order, accusing the central government's inaction as a contributing factor following a double murder in East Delhi's Shahdara. 

The incident took place around 8 pm on October 31 in Shahdara’s Farsh Bazar area, where Akash Sharma (40), alias Chottu, and his 16-year-old nephew, Rishabh Sharma, were shot dead outside their residence.

Krish Sharma, aged 10, suffered injuries during the incident. According to the police, the victims were celebrating Diwali when they were attacked.

In a press conference, senior AAP leader and Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj expressed concerns, alleging the worsening law and order situation in Delhi. 

"Due to the collapsed law and order situation in the city, two people celebrating Diwali were murdered in public last night. If the BJP had put efforts into improving the law and order situation, then murders, gang wars, and looting would not be taking place every day," Bharadwaj said. 

No immediate response was available from the saffron party over the allegations.

The minister also raised questions over the presence of gangs allegedly operating from jails in BJP-led states, noting an increase in incidents of snatching and theft that have left citizens fearful. 

"The kinds of gang-led crimes we hear in Delhi these days used to happen in Mumbai when underworld gangs were active there," he said. "The BJP has to answer how the situation got so severe in the national capital. This could not have happened without the nod of the central government."

He added that cases of snatching have also exceeded all limits, with women now avoiding carrying phones and wearing gold ornaments in public. 

Bharadwaj further said that even the French Ambassador fell victim to pickpocketing in the national capital of the country, underscoring concerns despite the installation of CCTV cameras across Delhi.

According to the police, French Ambassador Thierry Mathou and his wife had gone to visit the Chandni Chowk market for shopping in the afternoon of October 20, when his mobile phone was stolen from his pocket. Two persons have already been arrested by the Delhi Police for allegedly stealing the mobile phone. PTI MHS HIG

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Two children found dead in UP's Saharanpur, family suspect 'tantric' sacrifice

Saharanpur (UP), Nov 1 (PTI) Two children were found dead under suspicious circumstances in the Deoband area of this Uttar Pradesh district, police said Friday.

Their family members claimed the children were killed as part of a Tantric ritual, they added.

Superintendent of Police (Rural) Sagar Jain said Dev (11) and his 9-year-old cousin Mahi had gone to a temple outside their village in Bhayal on Thursday.

"When they did not return by late night, the family began a search. Around midnight, the children's bodies were found on the roadside, prompting villagers to notify the police," Jain said.

The police, who arrived at the scene with a forensic team, noted that both the bodies showed signs of broken bones, indicating possibility of a road accident.

Their remains have been sent for a postmortem, Jain said.

However, the incident has stirred anger among the villagers, who blocked the Deoband-Nanota road, alleging that the cousins were killed as part of a Tantric ritual.

Local authorities assured the villagers of a thorough investigation into the incident. PTI COR KIS RPA

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Elderly woman killed in UP's Banda

Banda (UP), Oct 31 (PTI) A 70-year-old woman was killed by slitting her throat with a sharp weapon in a village here in Uttar Pradesh, police said on Thursday.

Banda district's Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Shivraj said that in Hardhamafi village of Badaus police station area, unknown miscreants on Wednesday night murdered an elderly woman Rambai (70) who lived alone in her house. The woman's husband had died a few years ago, he said.

He said a case of murder has been registered against unknown persons and investigation has been started. The woman's body has been sent for post-mortem.

The ASP said that the investigation so far has revealed that the murder could be linked to a property she sold around a year back. He said it seems that the murder might have been committed for money, and added that the police is investigating every angle. PTI COR KIS SKY

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Five held for gangrape of woman in Maharashtra's Amravati

Amravati, Oct 31 (PTI) Five persons have been arrested for allegedly raping a 25-year-old woman in Maharashtra's Amravati district, a police official said on Thursday.

The victim has told police the crime occurred after she left her house on Tuesday following a quarrel with her parents, the official said.

"As per the complainant, two youths gave her a lift on their two-wheeler. They took her to a secluded place, plied her with liquor and raped her. Three more persons were also involved in the gangrape," he said.

After the victim approached police on Wednesday morning, a case was registered and one person was initially apprehended with the help of CCTV footage.

"His interrogation led to the arrest of four others within two hours. Further probe is underway," the official informed. PTI COR CLS BNM

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