New Delhi:

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday announced cash prizes for armed forces’ personnel who won medals at the recently-concluded Asian Games and said whether on a battlefield or a playground “a soldier always performs” because of dedication, discipline, hard work and the desire to do something for the nation.

“Within a soldier, there is a player; within a player, there is a soldier,” he said during his address at a felicitation function held here.

The performance of the players also “reflected the image” of a rapidly growing and powerful ‘new India’, Mr Singh was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the the defence ministry.

He felicitated medal winners, other participants and support staff from the country’s armed forces, who were part of its contingent at the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou.

He interacted with a total of 76 players and staff, who attended the event, and congratulated them for their excellent display at the Games.

Had a wonderful interaction with the Asian Games medal winners from the Armed Forces. Their success and spirited performance will inspire India’s youth. Wishing them the very best for their future endeavours.

The Government led by PM Shri @narendramodi has worked assiduously… pic.twitter.com/kv0v8ZaDxA

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) October 17, 2023

On behalf of the Ministry of Defence, Mr Singh announced cash prizes to the armed forces personnel, who brought laurels to the country and once again proved their mettle at an international event by “bagging 16 individual medals (3 Gold, 6 Silver and 7 Bronze) and eight team medals (2 Gold, 3 Silver and 3 Bronze) at the Games”, the statement said.

“Gold medal winners will be given Rs 25 lakh; silver medallists will get Rs 15 lakh and bronze medal winners will be awarded Rs 10 lakh. A contingent of 88 soldiers, including three sportswomen, participated in 18 disciplines at the Games, which were held from September 23 to October 8,” it added.

Mr Singh lauded the efforts of the players, including those who gave their best, but could not win medals.

He reminded them of ‘Flying Sikh’ Milkha Singh, who missed a medal in the 400-m race in the 1960 Olympics in Rome by a whisker, but became a guiding star of Indian athletics. Milkha Singh is an inspiration for all even today, the defence minister said.

Defence Minister Singh exuded confidence that these medals and performance will inspire the country’s youth to come forward in sports.

“You are not just representing a medal, but are also representing a narrative of excellence of Indian society. You are a great medium to provide inspiration to the youth,” he told the gathering.

Mr Singh commended the armed forces personnel for always being among the medal winners at different Games.

“Be it a battlefield or a playground, a soldier always performs because of dedication, discipline, hard work and the desire to do something for the nation. These virtues help in bringing medals for us in sports. Within a soldier, there is a player; within a player, there is a soldier,” he said.

He also pointed out that the performance of the players reflected the image of a rapidly growing and powerful ‘new India’.

“Many studies show that the progress in sports of any nation is more or less proportional to the economic prosperity of that country. In this context, as India is becoming an economically strong nation, our medals are also increasing in every field,” Mr Singh said.

He emphasised that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is “witnessing growth in every field” such as defence, infrastructure, health and education.

“Be it the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund, India’s development journey is being discussed everywhere. Recently, American financial company JP Morgan Chase released the ‘Government Bond Index – Emerging Markets’ which guides investors. It has included India for the first time. It is the result of our growing economic strength.

“Now, there is an ambition to become the best; a vision to create the best and action to take the country to greater heights. The world is today recognising India’s growth story,” he asserted.

Mr Singh said the government is making relentless efforts to develop sports culture in India.

“On one hand, we have worked to increase awareness about sports among the youth through Fit India and Khelo India campaigns; on the other, through the Target Olympic Podium Scheme, we are committed to increasing India’s medal count in the Olympics. Today, our country is taking steps to host the Olympic Games in 2036. I am confident that with the support of the government, our athletes will take India to the top of the medals tally through their hard work, dedication and passion,” he said.

The ceremony was also attended by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari, Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande, Vice Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh and senior officers of Sports Control Board of respective services, the statement said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The FIR filed by the Delhi Police cites tax evasion cases being faced by companies such as Xiaomi and Vivo in India. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

FIR links NewsClick case to legal aid for Chinese companies

The Delhi police have levelled a wide range of charges in their First Information Report (FIR) against NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha, American millionaire Neville Roy Singham, and activist Gautam Navlakha, a shareholder of Newsclick who is presently under house arrest as accused in a terror case. These three individuals have been named as the accused in the FIR.

Asian Games | Jyothi, Deotale claim hat-trick of gold as archers return with record nine medals

Ojas Deotale and Jyothi Surekha Vennam claimed a hat-trick of gold medals, while Aditi Swami bagged a bronze as Indian archers signed off with a historic haul of nine medals at the Asian Games, on October 7. India’s previous best was at Incheon 2014 when the country had won three medals.

Canada moves diplomats out of India to Singapore, Malaysia: report

Canada has shifted a number of its diplomats stationed at missions in India outside of New Delhi to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, CTV news of Canada has reported citing sources. The report came a day after External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi informed that the two sides were in conversation to ensure “parity” in the presence of diplomatic staff in each other’s missions. 

Sikkim flash flood toll rises to 26, search on for missing

Army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, both on foot and in boats, have recovered 26 bodies, including those of seven Army men from the slush and debris of the flash flood which swept through Sikkim’s Teesta river, officials said October 6.

Strictly followed all aspects of Indian law, says NewsClick investor 

Worldwide Media Holdings (WMH), the investor in NewsClick, on Friday said it “strictly followed all aspects of Indian law” before investing in the news portal in 2018 and that false allegations continued to circulate despite all the facts WMH had given to the Indian authorities.

Congress workers protest against BJP’s depiction of Rahul Gandhi as Ravan

Congress workers took out spontaneous protests against the BJP for depicting former party chief Rahul Gandhi as “new age Ravan”, party general secretary K.C. Venugopal said on Friday. In a post on X, Mr. Venugopal also shared photos of protests in State units such as West Bengal and Delhi, among others. 

Election Commission briefs observers ahead of Assembly polls in five states

Ahead of Assembly polls in Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana, the Election Commission on Friday conducted a briefing session for around 1,180 observers who will monitor polls to ensure the process is free and fair. 

Sharad Pawar meets Kharge and Rahul, discusses road ahead for INDIA bloc

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi at Mr. Kharge’s official residence on October 6, and is learnt to have discussed the next course of action for the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).

MGNREGS runs out of funds; Rural Development Ministry seeks supplementary budget 

Six months into the financial year, the flagship rural employment programme, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), has run out of funds and as per the statistics put out by the Ministry on its website is running a deficit of ₹6,146.93 crore. 

New Maldives President won’t be anti-India or pro-China: Mohamed Nasheed

The new Maldives President-elect’s transition team hopes to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the swearing-in ceremony of Mohamed Muizzu in Male next month, says Maldives speaker and former President Mohamed Nasheed. In an interview to The Hindu, Mr. Nasheed — who has broken away from outgoing President Ibu Solih and his Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to form his own party, which could join the incoming government — said that he would also send an invitation to Mr. Modi for the ceremony expected to be held on November 17.  

Change in Iran ‘irreversible’, says 2023 Nobel Peace laureate Narges Mohammadi

Rights campaigner and 2023 Nobel Peace laureate Narges Mohammadi said in a September interview with AFP that she retained hope for change in Iran, despite having no prospect of release from prison and enduring the pain of separation from her family. In the interview, where Mohammadi gave written answers to AFP from Evin prison in Tehran, she insisted the protest movement that erupted one year ago in Iran against the Islamic republic is still alive.

₹2,000 notes worth ₹3.43 lakh crore have come back: RBI Governor

Governor Shaktikanta Das on October 6 said ₹3.43 lakh crore of ₹2,000 denomination notes have come back to the system so far, and reminded the public that they can return the withdrawn notes at 19 RBI offices from October 8.

Stock markets rally after RBI keeps repo rate unchanged

Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty rallied for a second straight session on Friday after the Reserve Bank maintained the status quo on policy rates, resulting in gains for rate-sensitive sectors like financial, realty and auto.

Hangzhou Asian Games | Aman fights his way to bronze as Bajrang finishes without a medal

Aman Sehrawat booked his Asian Games ticket the hard way but there was always a question whether he would be as good as Ravi Dahiya, Olympic silver medalist and the man who rules in his weight category. On October 6, the 20-year old proved he was with a bronze in the 57kg here that stood out among the three India won in wrestling on the day for Aman’s resilience and determination. 

Hangzhou Asian Games | Satwik-Chirag enter final, keep first-ever gold medal hopes alive

‘Ice and fire’ was how Sattwiksairaj Rankireddy described his doubles partnership with friend Chirag Shetty as he embraced him. Satwik is the Iceman to Chirag’s Maverick. 

Tilak Varma plays a shot during the 2022 Asian Games men’s semi-final cricket match between Bangladesh and India in Hangzhou in China’s eastern Zhejiang province on October 6, 2023. Varma scored a half-century.
| Photo Credit: AFP

India crushed Bangladesh by nine wickets on Friday to power into the gold medal match in Hangzhou as they bid to win the Asian Games title on their first attempt.

Awaiting their young, but still formidable, side in Saturday’s title-decider will be Pakistan or Afghanistan, who meet later.

Twenty20 cricket has been played at the Asian Games twice before, at Guangzhou 2010 and Incheon 2014, with Bangladesh and then Sri Lanka crowned champions.

India did not take part and are playing at an Asiad for the first time.

On an overcast day at the Zhejiang University of Technology Pingfeng Cricket Field, they won the toss and chose to field on a pitch that has been susceptible to spin.

It proved to be the case again, with Bangladesh stumbling to 96/9. Sai Kishore grabbed 3/12 and Washington Sundar 2/15.

Only three Bangladesh batters made double figures, led by Jaker Ali’s unbeaten 24.

While Bangladesh struggled, India made it look easy, steaming to their target in 9.2 overs for the loss of one wicket. Tilak Varma was 55 not out and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad unbeaten on 40.

Their chase got off to a horror start with quarter-final century-maker Yashasvi Jaiswal out for a duck in the first over, caught at fine leg.

But fellow opener Gaikwad quickly seized back control, plundering 20 from the third over including two big consecutives sixes off fast bowler Ripon Mondol.

Varma got in on the act in the next over, also crashing straight sixes, this time off Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, as they raced to 50-1.

In contrast, while opener Parvez Hossain Emon hit a six in their second over, Bangladesh had found runs hard to come by.

India got the breakthrough in the fifth over with Mahmudul Hasan Joy holing out to Jaiswal at mid-on off Kishore for five.

Most of India’s big names, including Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, are at home for the one-day World Cup, but their squad in Hangzhou still has some top talent.

Spinner Sundar has played all three formats of the game for his country and Bangladesh couldn’t cope with his tricky offbreaks.

Skipper Saif Hassan and Zakir Hasan were both out in the space of three balls.

Emon ground 23 off 32, but he too succumbed to spin, shanking to cover off Varma as Bangladesh crawled to 36-4 in the ninth over.

Gaikwad’s decision to deploy Kishore again paid immediate dividends with Afif Hossain and Shahadat Hossain both out to soft dismissals, before Ali’s late flurry.

Army says officer injured in ‘grenade accident’ at a post in J&K’s Rajouri

The Army on October 5 evening said one officer has been injured in a likely grenade accident at a post in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri sector. “The officer was evacuated and stable post initial treatment. Further investigation of the incident in progress,” the Army said in an official statement. 

Sikkim flash floods death toll mounts to 18; searches on for 98 missing people

The toll in the flash flood in Sikkim mounted to 18 on Thursday as Army and NDRF teams worked their way through slushy earth and fast flowing water in the Teesta river basin and downstream north Bengal for the second day in search of those who were swept away and are still missing, officials said. Ninety eight people, including 22 army personnel, remained missing after a cloudburst over Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim in the early hours of Wednesday triggered the flash flood, Chief Secretary V.B. Pathak said.

Supply copy of FIR to NewsClick founder, court tells Delhi Police

The Patiala House Court on Thursday allowed news portal NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and its human resource head Amit Chakraborty to get a copy of the First Information Report (FIR) in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) case filed against them by the Delhi Police. The police had opposed the application earlier in the day. Additional sessions judge Hardeep Kaur passed the order after hearing the counsel of the accused, Arshdeep Singh, and Additional Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava.

Amit Shah suggests uniform anti-terrorism structure under NIA for all States 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday that along with a ruthless approach, an uniform anti-terrorism structure should be established under the purview of National Investigation Agency (NIA) in all the States. Mr. Shah made the remarks at the inauguration of the two-day anti-terror conference organised by the NIA.

INDIA parties speak up for arrested AAP MP Sanjay Singh; Congress gives qualified support

The Congress has extended qualified support to Aam Aadmi Party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, who was arrested on Wednesday by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with its money laundering probe linked to the Delhi excise policy case. Equating Mr. Singh’s arrest with that of Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira in Punjab, the party’s general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal said, “We cannot become those we oppose”. The remark was also a swipe at the AAP government in Punjab over the arrest of Mr. Khaira. 

IIT-Bombay ‘veg. table’ row | Dean says policy made by elected body, calls protest ‘provocative, insensitive’

As voices against the policy of a hostel canteen of the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B), segregating certain tables for vegetarian food begin to grow louder within the campus, the Dean of Student Affairs (SA) on October 5 sent an email to all students and staff on the issue, the first from the administration on the controversy.

India, Canada in conversation on parity of diplomatic staff: MEA

India and Canada are in conversation about attaining “parity” in the diplomatic staff posted in each other’s missions, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday. During his weekly press briefing, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi reiterated India’s charge of Canadian “interference” in India’s internal affairs and indicated that India expects Canada to reduce the total number of its diplomats stationed here. 

India conveys concerns to U.S. over American envoy to Pakistan’s visit to Gilgit-Baltistan

India on Thursday said it raised its concerns with the U.S. over American envoy to Islamabad Donald Blome’s recent visit to Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and called on the world community to respect the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi asserted that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.

Reports say dozens have been killed and wounded as drone strikes hit a Syrian military ceremony

A drone attack struck a packed graduation ceremony for military officers in the Syrian city of Homs on Thursday, killing and wounding dozens, including civilians and military personnel, reports said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack and the reports could not be independently confirmed.

EU Parliament decries ‘ethnic cleansing’ in Nagorno-Karabakh

EU lawmakers on Thursday accused Azerbaijan of carrying out “ethnic cleansing” against the Armenian residents of Nagorno-Karabakh, and urged the bloc to impose sanctions on Baku. Almost all of the 120,000-strong ethnic Armenia population has fled the breakaway region since Azerbaijan seized it back in a lightning offensive last month.

Chinese firm sold satellites for intelligence to Russia’s Wagner: contract

Russian mercenary group Wagner in 2022 signed a contract with a Chinese firm to acquire two satellites and use their images, aiding its intelligence work as the organisation sought to push Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to a document seen by AFP. The contract was signed in November 2022, over half a year into Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in which the Wagner group under its founder Yevgeny Prigozhin was playing a key role on the battlefield.

Musk’s X strips headlines from news links

Elon Musk’s social media platform X has stripped headlines from news articles shared by users, in a move likely to further worsen relations with media groups. The tycoon has long railed against the “legacy media” and claims X, formerly Twitter, is a better source of information. However, he said the latest change was for “aesthetic” reasons — news and other links now appear only as pictures with no accompanying text.

Political stability, policy consistency needed to ensure Indian economy’s growth to world’s third-largest: FM

Taking on critics who argue that India will become the world’s third largest economy in a few years with or without government intervention, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that political stability and policy consistency was essential for the prospect to turn into a reality, especially in a world marred by unprecedented volatility. 

Lower prices for tomatoes, chillis and LPG may have pulled food inflation down last month

Retail food inflation may have eased in September, thanks to cooling tomato prices and a reduction in LPG cylinder prices, even as onion prices rose further during the month, a CRISIL study on food plate costs suggested. Retail inflation had eased to 6.83% in August from a 15-month high of 7.44% in July, but food price inflation stood at about 10%.

SEBI to tell court Adani inquiry began 2014, but hit dead end: sources

Markets regulator SEBI will tell the Supreme Court why it paused, then restarted investigations into the Adani Group after a tip in 2014 amid questions around regulatory delays, according to two people with direct knowledge of the matter. SEBI will say for the first time that India’s customs authority alerted it to an alleged misuse of offshore funds by Adani Group companies in 2014 but that the initial investigation did not yield anything and was paused in 2017, the sources said.

Asian Games | Indian compound archery teams’ domination complete

With the scores tied at 200 each, Indian archers needed to hit three perfect 10s in a row to stay alive in the compound women’s team final at the Fuyang Arena. First, Parneet Kaur hit a 10 before Aditi Swami and Jyothi Surekha followed suit with 10s to put the pressure back on Chinese Taipei. Taipei slipped up with the first arrow which assured India’s gold medal and it won 230-229 Later, the trio of Abhishek Verma, Ojas Pravin Deotale and Prathamaesh Jawkar won the men’s team gold by beating South Korea 235-230 in the final.

A flood affected locality at Singtam, in Gangtok district, Wednesday, October. 4, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI

10 dead, 22 army men among 82 missing as flash flood wreaks havoc in Sikkim; PM Modi dials CM

At least ten people died and 80 others, including 22 army personnel, went missing on Wednesday after a cloudburst over Lhonak Lake in north Sikkim triggered a flash flood in the Teesta River basin, officials said. All 10 who died have been identified as civilians including 3 of the dead who were washed up in north Bengal, they said adding that one of the 23 army men who had gone missing in the morning was rescued later.

UAPA case against NewsClick for plot to disrupt sovereignty of India: police

A day after the Delhi Police arrested Prabir Purkayastha, founder and Editor-in-Chief of NewsClick, and Amit Chakraborty, Human Resources head of the news portal, a government source told The Hindu that the police were investigating a “terror case that has Chinese links.” The foreign remittances received by the news portal are already being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) since 2021. The source said that the fresh terror case registered by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police was being investigated by multiple agencies.

NewsClick raids | Media bodies write to CJI, call for norms on interrogation of journalists

Over a dozen media bodies on Wednesday sought Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud’s intervention on the issue of raids against those linked to NewsClick, a digital news platform. Media persons and activists also turned up in large numbers at the Press Club of India to protest the police action. In a letter to the Chief Justice, the media organisations urged the courts to consider framing norms to discourage the seizure of journalists’ phones and laptops on a “whim”; and to develop guidelines for the interrogation of journalists and for seizures from them, to ensure that “these are not undertaken as fishing expeditions with no bearing to an actual offence”.

With Bihar caste survey, Nitish Kumar has set the national agenda, says JD(U) chief

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has set the national agenda ahead of the 2024 general election with the caste survey conducted in the State, Janata Dal (United)‘s Rajiv Ranjan Singh said on Wednesday. In an interview with The Hindu, he also criticised the BJP for alleging large-scale irregularities in the survey’s data collection process during an all-party meeting in Patna on Tuesday. 

Batches of India-manufactured syrups for cough, allergic rhinitis found contaminated: CDSCO

At least five batches of syrups for cough and allergic rhinitis of two Indian manufacturers — one Gujarat-based and one Tamil Nadu-based — have been found to contain higher than permissible levels of contaminants — diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, as per a recent report released by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). Previously the World Health Organisation (WHO) too had issued alerts on contamination in cold-cough syrups exported by India and said these two contaminants were found in the drug.

Activists call for defeat of BJP to save MGNREGA from neglect

MGNREGA Sangharsh Morcha, a collective of workers, activists and academics have called for the defeat of the BJP government in the 2024 general elections to save the MGNREGS scheme. The various groups had just concluded their two-day national convention where the state of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act was discussed.

New defence indigenisation list has futuristic weapons, systems

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday released the fifth Positive Indigenisation List (PIL) of 98 items which will be procured by the three armed services from indigenous suppliers in a staggered manner as per specified timelines. He also released the Indian Navy’s updated indigenisation roadmap, named Swavlamban 2.0.

Akshata Murty makes U.K. political stage debut for ‘best friend’ PM Sunak

Britain’s Indian First Lady, Akshata Murty, made a surprise debut on the political stage on October 4 when she stepped out to introduce “best friend” Rishi Sunak for his maiden speech as U.K. Prime Minister to the Conservative Party conference in Manchester.

Former Russian journalist sentenced in absentia for Ukraine war criticism

A court in Moscow on Wednesday handed a former state TV journalist an 8 1/2-year prison term in absentia for protesting Russia’s war in Ukraine, the latest in a months-long crackdown against dissent that has intensified since Moscow’s invasion 20 months ago. Marina Ovsyannikova was charged with spreading false information about the Russian army, a criminal offense under a law adopted shortly after the Kremlin sent troops to Ukraine. 

Nepal town imposes lockdown and beefs up security to prevent clashes between Hindus and Muslims

Despite quickly escalating tensions between Hindus and Muslims, the night passed peacefully after a lockdown was imposed and security heightened in a city in southwest Nepal, officials said. Trouble began in the regional hub city of Nepalgunj over the weekend after a Hindu boy posted a status about Muslims on social media. Muslims protested the status inside the region’s main government administrator’s office building, burned tires on the streets and blocked traffic.

Lawyers of Imran Khan in Pakistan oppose his closed-door trial over revealing official secrets

Lawyers for Pakistan’s imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday opposed his closed-door trial in a case in which he is accused of revealing state secrets after his 2022 ouster, saying it’s aimed at convicting the popular opposition leader quickly.

Moratorium under IBC to exempt aircraft and engines, govt. notifies

In a big relief for aircraft lessors, the government has notified that the protection offered to a corporate debtor from recovery of dues under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016 will not cover aircraft, helicopters and engines. If implemented retrospectively, the move may impact Go First’s insolvency resolution proceedings under which the National Company Law Tribunal had granted it a blanket moratorium in May to shield it from lessors and creditors and also restrained the DGCA from accepting any applications for de-registration of aircraft from any lessors.

Tata Group to focus on coffee as core business category for future

Tata Group plans to intensify its focus on branded coffee as part of its strategy of “building core categories for the future.” Tea and salts have so far been Tata’s core categories and the company said it was currently in the process of building more core categories for the future and coffee was clearly a prominent one.

Asian Games | Why did so many decisions go wrong, questions Neeraj

Never before has Neeraj Chopra questioned officiating in any meet at any level. The Olympic and World Champion has preferred to let his performance do the talking so when he says “gadbad to hai” it speaks volumes about the level of officiating in athletics at the Asian Games.

Asian Games | Neeraj defends title, quartermilers take gold as India manages best-ever medal haul in athletics

Neeraj Chopra defended his Asian Games title with a season’s best throw of 88.88m and Kishore Kumar Jena managed a personal best of 87.54m as India completed a one-two in javelin but not before both got the short end of dodgy officiating as India finished the track & field assignments here with a best-ever haul of 29 medals including six on Wednesday – two golds and four silvers – for second spot on the table by numbers.

Women take part in a candlelight vigil against the “killing” of two missing students by unknown miscreants and demand peace in Manipur, Imphal. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

Four arrested in Manipur for abduction, killing of two Meitei students

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday arrested four people, including two women, for their alleged role in the abduction and killing of two Meitei students in Manipur in July. They were arrested from the hill district of Churachandpur. The suspects were identified as Paominlun Haokip, S. Malsawm Haokip, Lhingneichong Baite, and Tinneilhing Henthang. They were flown to Guwahati from Imphal by a joint team of the CBI and Manipur Police.

No shortage of TB drugs in India: Union Health Ministry

There is no shortage of anti-tuberculosis medicines in India, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday, slamming media reports claiming that such a shortage exists as “false, motivated and misleading”. In a sharp statement, the Ministry asserted that there is a sufficient stock of all anti-TB drugs in the country. The Centre proactively undertakes regular assessments to evaluate the stock positions at various levels, from central warehouses to peripheral health institutes, it said.

Over 9.2 lakh sites host cleanliness drive; PM appeals for swachhata

More than 9.2 lakh sites across the country hosted a mega cleanliness drive on Sunday in which people from across the spectrum, including politicians, celebrities, and students participated. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took part in this cleanliness drive along with fitness influencer Ankit Baiyanpuria.

AFSPA extended in four districts of Assam, withdrawn from four others

The Assam Police on October 1 said the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act or AFSPA has been extended in four districts of the State for six more months. At the Assam Police Day 2023 celebrations in Guwahati, DGP Gyanendra Pratap Singh said the ‘disturbed area’ tag, which allows enforcement of the AFSPA, has, however, been withdrawn from four other districts.

Congress, AAP back protest seeking restoration of old pension scheme

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said that he has requested the Union government to implement the old pension scheme (OPS) for Delhi government employees. He voiced his support on a day when thousands of protesters gathered at Ramlila Maidan in the capital for an agitation against the new pension scheme (NPS). Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely also participated in the rally and offered his support to the protesters.

Students make 154 sculptures of Mahatma Gandhi

To observe the 154th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Chembrakanam Chitra Shilpakala Academy and Thrikaripur St. Paul’s School are jointly conducting a four-day Chitra Shilpakala Camp, which began on Saturday. The camp saw the creation of 154 sculptures of Gandhi, each meticulously crafted from 1 kg to 5 kg of clay by students. As many as 154 students from over 17 schools participated in the camp.

Demand for inquest into Khalistan activist’s death in Birmingham likely on October 2

The Sikh Federation UK (SFUK) plans to make a formal demand, likely on Monday, for a coroner’s inquest into the death of Khalistani activist Avtar Singh Khanda in Birmingham last June, according to sources aware of the plan. Pro-Khalistani Sikhs also plan to hold a demonstration outside the Indian High Commission in London on October 2, accusing the Indian government of involvement in the death of a pro-Khalistan activist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Canada. The protest is part of a coordinated strategy by Sikh separatists in various countries.

Biden says there’s ‘not much time’ to keep aid flowing to Ukraine and Congress must ‘stop the games’

President Joe Biden said Sunday that American aid to Ukraine will keep flowing for now as he sought to reassure allies of continued U.S. financial support for the war effort. But time is running out, the President said in a warning to Congress. “We cannot under any circumstances allow American for Ukraine to be interrupted,” Mr. Biden said in remarks from the Roosevelt Room after Congress averted a government shutdown by passing a short-term funding package late Saturday that dropped assistance for Ukraine in the battle against Russia.

Turkiye strikes suspected Kurdish militant targets in northern Iraq after suicide attack in Ankara

The Turkish Defence Ministry says its warplanes have carried out raids on suspected Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq on Sunday following a suicide attack on a government building in the Turkish capital. A Ministry statement said some 20 targets of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) were “destroyed” in the aerial operation, including caves, shelters, and depots. Earlier, a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device near an entrance of the Ministry of Interior Affairs, injuring two police officers. A second assailant was killed in a shootout with police on Sunday, the interior minister said.

Indonesia to launch China-funded high-speed rail, first in Southeast Asia

Indonesia is set to launch Southeast Asia’s first high-speed railway on Monday, a delayed multibillion-dollar project backed by China that will cut travel between capital Jakarta and another major city by hours. The Chinese-made bullet train named “Whoosh” is built to take more than 600 people to and from Jakarta and the Javan city of Bandung in 45 minutes and is part of China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.

GST revenue growth slowed to 10.2% in September

Growth in India’s gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenues slowed to a 27-month low of 10.2% in September, from around 10.8% in the previous two months. However, collections improved 2.3% over August revenues to touch ₹1,62,712 crore. Revenues from domestic transactions, including services imports, were 14% higher than the tax collected from these sources during September 2022. This is the fourth time that the gross GST kitty has crossed the ₹1.60 lakh crore mark in 2023-24, the Finance Ministry said. 

Hangzhou Asian Games | Abhay’s performance in the final is one for the history books

Abhay Singh is a proud product of the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai. The 23-year-old made his alma mater proud by rising from the ashes to help India regain the men’s team gold medal in Hangzhou with a dazzling performance in the third and final rubber against Pakistan in the summit clash. It was an outstanding performance that will go down in history books as one of India’s finest wins in the Asian Games.

Teams deal with warm-up games conundrum

Not much to gain for us. Priority is to look after the players. Just a formality.” That was the crux of India captain Rohit Sharma’s brief chat with the host broadcaster after winning the toss against England in Saturday’s World Cup warm-up match. No wonder then that India would not have been too disappointed when a thunderstorm that started minutes before the start of play washed the game out. As a result, India left for Thiruvananthapuram for its last warm-up game with only four players training on the pre-match day.

The U.S. House approved a 45-day funding bill to keep federal agencies open as Speaker Kevin McCarthy dropped demands for steep spending cuts and relied on Democratic votes for passage to send the package to the Senate.
| Photo Credit: AP

Afghanistan Embassy in India announces decision to cease operations from October 1

The Afghanistan Embassy in India announced Saturday night that it is ceasing its operations from October 1, citing a lack of support from the host government, failure to meet expectations in serving Afghanistan’s interests and reduction in personnel and resources. In a statement, the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi said it regrets to announce the decision to cease its operations, effective October 1, 2023.

Threat of government shutdown ends as Congress passes a temporary funding plan and sends it to Biden

The threat of a federal government shutdown ended late Saturday, hours before a midnight deadline, as Congress approved a temporary funding bill to keep agencies open and sent the measure to President Joe Biden to sign.

NIA arrests one from Manipur’s Churachandpur for ‘waging war against India’ 

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday arrested a 51-year-old man from the hill district of Churachandpur in a case related to a transnational conspiracy by terror outfits based in Myanmar and Bangladesh to “wage war” against the Government of India by exploiting the current ethnic unrest in Manipur. The accused has been identified as Seiminlun Gangte. The case was registered suo moto by the NIA on July 19 at New Delhi.

Modi attacks Congress, says party is against OBCs

In an attempt to counter the Congress’ recent pitch to other backward classes (OBC), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused the principal Opposition party of being anti-backward, citing its repeated attacks on him. Addressing a poll rally in Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh, a State dominated by tribals and OBCs, Mr. Modi said that the Congress “hated” the poor, Dalits, tribals, and OBCs. For the BJP, on the other hand, social justice was a way to ensure everyone’s participation and lay the foundation of a developed India, he said. 

Punjab govt.’s anti-pollution promise set for ‘field trial’

As paddy harvesting gains momentum in parts of Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s immediate challenge is to curb stubble burning – which every year causes a spike in air pollution in the northern States, including the national capital. AAP’s Delhi government over the years has invariably kept blaming successive governments in Punjab for not making sincere efforts to solve the problem of stubble burning. With the party governing both the States now, shifting the blame may not be an option this time around.

Centre seeks ‘seamless transition’ of education system using regional languages

The Union Education Ministry has emphasised the need to promote technology in Bharatiya bhasha (regional languages), including in their teaching, training, examination and translating educational materials. On the first day of a two-day summit on Indian languages in New Delhi on Saturday, organised by the Ministry, directions were given to facilitate a “seamless transition” from the present education ecosystem to one rooted in the country’s languages.

TIPRA’s 12-hour strike over statehood demand peaceful

The dawn-to-dusk general strike called by the TIPRA Motha on Saturday to demand a separate State – Greater Tipraland – evoked huge response in areas under the tribal autonomous district council in Tripura. Although the strike was peaceful amid heavy deployment of security forces, normal life and business were disrupted. Vehicles did not ply in some sections of the Assam-Agartala National Highway.

Omar Abdullah launches campaign for Kargil hill council polls, targets BJP

National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah on Saturday launched its election campaign for the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Kargil (LAHDC-K) polls, weeks after the party won a legal battle to retain the party symbol, plough, for the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh. During the road trip of the region on Saturday, Mr. Abdullah, while referring to BJP MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal’s statements, said, “The BJP MP had claimed our party symbol has been removed forever from this region. Our symbol won’t go so easily. It is etched on the hearts of the people. That MP will be forgotten, not our symbol”.

Opposition candidate Muizzu beats India-friendly Solih in Maldives presidential run-off

Front runner and Opposition candidate Mohamed Muizzu was elected President of the Maldives on Saturday, as he beat the India-friendly incumbent, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, in a closely fought contest. The outcome signals a likely shift in both domestic governance and foreign policy of the island nation. Mr. Muizzu garnered about 54% of the vote, while Mr. Solih secured nearly 46%, according to the provisional results published by Male-based media.

Hangzhou Asian Games badminton: Indian men one win away from first-ever team gold

Kidambi Srikanth rallied his way to a thrilling win in a tense decider as India kept alive their hopes of winning a first-ever gold medal at the Asian Games, reaching the men’s team championships final with a 3-2 win over South Korea in Hangzhou on September 30. This is India’s maiden entry into the final of the team event at the continental showpiece.

Hangzhou Asian Games athletics | Kartik wins silver, Gulveer claims bronze in 10,000m

When Kartik Kumar bolted away from the rest of the pack at the start of the men’s 10,000 meter Asian Games race, his countryman Gulveer Singh was meant to be up with him and not back with the group behind him. At least, that was the plan devised by their coach.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar attends an interactive session at the Hudson Institute, in Washington, D.C. on September 29.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Afghan consulates counter embassy’s decision to shut down

As Afghanistan’s last remaining diplomats in Delhi plan their exit, citing a resource crunch and lack of support from the Ministry of External Affairs, the move to shut down the Embassy could cast a long shadow on the future of about 25,000 Afghan refugees in India. According to the diplomats, it could also allow the Taliban to take control of the missions in India.

Cauvery dispute | Cauvery Water Management Authority upholds panel’s decision

The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on September 29 upheld the decision of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC), asking Karnataka to release 3,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) to Tamil Nadu till October 15. It also told Karnataka to make good the shortfall of 0.71 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft) that arose during the 15-day period that ended on September 27. 

Hangzhou Asian Games | Kiran Baliyan ends India’s 72-year wait for a women’s shot put medal

India opened its account in athletics with a historic bronze on the first day of track and field action as Kiran Baliyan picked up the country’s first medal in women’s shot put in 72 years on September 29. Baliyan threw to a distance of 17.36m in her third attempt to finish third behind the Chinese duo of reigning Olympic champion Lijiao Gong and Jiayuan Song. 

Discussed India-Canada issue with Blinken, says Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar confirmed that there was a discussion of the India-Canada dispute in his meetings with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The Minister met with the U.S. cabinet officials on September 28, during his visit to Washington DC.

Ahmedabad Police book Khalistani ‘terrorist’ Gurpatwant Singh Pannun

The cybercrime branch of the Ahmedabad police on September 29 lodged an FIR against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the chief of banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), for threatening to turn the cricket World Cup, starting on October 5 at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad, into “World Terror Cup.” 

Bangladesh Minister hits out at Canada

Wading into the ongoing Canada-India row over Ottawa’s allegations of Indian involvement in the June 2023 murder of Khalistan Tiger Force chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Bangladesh has now accused Canada of sheltering “murderers”.

Higher PF pension | Employers get three more months to validate joint options

The Employees Pension Fund Organisation (EPFO) on September 29 has extended the time for employers to upload and validate the joint options and wage details of employees for higher provident fund pension. The employers will get another three months for completing the process and the revised last date is December 31. The deadline for submitting the joint options was September 30.

Rail services hit as farmers keep up stir against Centre

As farmers continued with their ‘rail roko’ agitation against the Central government, blaming apathy towards their demands, train services were disrupted for the second consecutive day in Punjab on Friday.

ISKCON slaps 100-crore defamation notice on Maneka Gandhi

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) on Friday said it has sent a ₹100-crore defamation notice to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Maneka Gandhi for questioning the religious organisation over its upkeep of cows in its gaushalas (cowsheds). An undated video of the former Union Minister has gone viral on social media where Ms. Gandhi could be heard making accusations against the ISKCON.

India is non-Western, India is not anti-Western: Jaishankar in Washington

India would like to add a non-western layer to the existing world architecture, rather than pulling down the existing system, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Friday in Washington DC. He was speaking at the Hudson Institute on ‘India’s Role in a New Pacific Order’.

New York flooded by heavy rains, subway partly paralysed

Heavy rains overnight in the northeastern United States left parts of New York City underwater on Friday, partially paralysing subways and airports in the country’s financial capital. LaGuardia airport closed down one of its terminals, with social media images showing passengers walking through water well above the tops of their shoes.

World is taking note of rising India’s resolve, says Army chief

India’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, is a fine example of how we stood “steadfast and clear” towards addressing “legitimate pursuits” of our national interests, Army Chief Gen. Manoj Pande said on September 29. He also stated that the resolute and firm manner with which the country stood up to the northern adversary, during the events of April-May 2020, had made the world take notice of the “political and military resolve of a rising India”.

Jaishankar points to equal access to benefits to rebut criticism of religious discrimination

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar defended the Modi Government against concerns around the issue of minority rights, arguing that equal access to benefits and services was evidence enough to address these concerns. He also suggested that ‘vote banks’ in India and abroad had a role in motivating such criticism.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar say a few words to the news media as they meet at the State Department in Washington, U.S. on September 28, 2023.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Jaishankar meets Blinken, Sullivan in Washington

Kicking off the Washington segment of his U.S. trip, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. As The Hindu went to press, Mr. Jaishankar was also in talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The meetings are routine but also particularly significant given the recent and serious diplomatic challenges in the India-Canada relationship following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegation that the Indian Government was linked to the assassination of a Khalistani separatist leader in British Columbia.

Two killed in Rotterdam twin shootings

Two people have been killed and a teenager is fighting for her life after a 32-year-old gunman opened fire at a house and a hospital in Rotterdam on Thursday. Dutch police said they were still investigating the motive for the twin attacks by the man dressed in combat gear, who also set fire to the hospital.

Mob tries to storm Manipur CM’s home

A mob tried to storm the personal residence of Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh at Heingang in Imphal East on Thursday evening, amid simmering anger over the murder of two Meitei students who went missing in July. The photos of their bodies surfaced on social media earlier this week, leading to agitations and demonstrations by students.

Centre extends deadline for Manipur to record details of illegal migrants

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has extended its deadline for the Manipur government to record details of illegal migrants in the State, including biometric details. Although the State was due to complete the exercise by September 30, it has now been granted an additional six months till March 31, 2024.

Canadian police say probe into killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar ‘active and ongoing’

The killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar remains an “active and ongoing investigation”, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have said. Nijjar, the chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), was killed in Surrey, British Columbia on June 18. India had designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020.

Afghanistan embassy announces shutdown citing lack of MEA support

Two years after the Taliban took over Kabul, the Afghanistan Embassy to India informed the government that it was being forced to close down, given the lack of resources with the Taliban regime and blamed the Indian Government for not supporting it despite several requests.

RS Chairman Dhankhar signs women‘s reservation Bill; to be placed before President for her assent

Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on September 28 signed the women’s reservation Bill as passed by Parliament before it was presented to President Droupadi Murmu for her assent. The Constitution Amendment Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha with near unanimity and the Rajya Sabha with unanimity during a special session of Parliament earlier this month.

Elderly have low awareness about welfare schemes, says India Ageing Report 2023

The awareness among the elderly population among the social welfare schemes in the country remains low, the recently published India Ageing Report 2023 has pointed out. The report, produced by the United Nations Population Fund, India, in collaboration with the International Institute for Population Sciences, throws light on the challenges, opportunities, and institutional responses surrounding elderly care in India as the country’s elderly are likely to make up 20% of the country’s population by 2050. 

Auto driver arrested in Ujjain rape case

An autorickshaw driver, who was arrested for allegedly raping a minor girl he found on the streets of Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain, sustained injuries while attempting to escape from police custody on September 28, investigators said. Earlier this week, the girl, who was left semi-clad and bleeding after the sexual assault, was found wandering the streets of the holy town. 

Karnataka bandh call likely to affect normal life in Bengaluru today

Bengaluru is gearing up for yet another bandh scheduled for Friday, as Kannada organisations have declared a day-long shutdown across the state opposing releasing Cauvery water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu. This bandh is expected to disrupt the daily lives of residents, with the possibility of private and public transport going off roads, shops, eateries and theatres shutting down, even as schools and colleges have been declared a holiday, as a precautionary measure.

Cricket World Cup 2023 | R. Ashwin replaces injured Axar Patel in India’s final World Cup squad

India have predictably named veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin as a replacement for injured spin bowling all-rounder Axar Patel in their 15-member squad for the upcoming ODI World Cup, ICC announced on Thursday.

Sena Split | Cross-examination set for November 23, Sena (UBT) criticises delay

Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar has announced that the cross-examination process, related to disqualification petitions filed by Shiv Sena MLAs, will commence on November 23. According to the schedule issued by Mr. Narwekar, cross-examination will be held twice a week. 

Indian, French Army Chiefs exchange lessons from war in Ukraine

Pointing to the strategic partnership between India and France and the close cooperation between the two Navies and Air Forces, French Army Chief General Pierre Schill said the two Armies were also looking to deepen cooperation with more exercises and sharing best practices among others.

Heavy rain likely in West Bengal, Odisha over weekend

A low-pressure area brewing over the Bay of Bengal is likely to bring heavy rain across Gangetic West Bengal and Odisha this weekend, the IMD said on September 28. It said that a low-pressure area is likely to form over eastcentral and adjoining northeast Bay of Bengal by Friday and intensify thereafter into a well-marked low-pressure area, moving northwestwards in the direction of north Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal.