Waqf Bill likely to be discussed in Parl today

BAFs, a hybrid mutual fund category, invest in both equity and debt assets, with allocation primarily guided by equity valuations.

"This strategy makes BAF less sensitive to equity market volatility while offering higher return potential compared to debt-based instruments. Investment experts recommend BAFs for risk-averse investors, particularly during periods of market turbulence. They are also favoured for one-time investments in volatile market phases.

The October inflows coincided with a downturn in equity markets. The Nifty 50 dropped more than 6 per cent during the month, slipping into correction zone after a fall of over 10 per cent from its peak. After subdued inflows since July 2022, BAF investments regained momentum in January 2024. 

-- Abhishek Kumar/Business Standard

A woman was duped of Rs 34 lakh here in a case of 'digital arrest' by cyber criminals who threatened her with fake notices by the Enforcement Directorate, officials said on Sunday.

The fraudsters claimed that a parcel is being sent from Mumbai to Iran in her name containing five passports, two debit cards, two laptops, $900 and 200 grams of narcotics, they said.

The victim received a call form the fraudsters on around 10 pm on August 8, she said in her complaint.

The Gautam Buddha cyber crime police station has registered a case and started investigation in the matter, Inspector-in-charge Vijay Kumar Gautam said.

According to the complaint of Nidhi Paliwal, a resident of Sector-41, the fraudsters sent her a complaint via WhatsApp and asked her to send Rs 34 lakh.

An accused also video called her on Skype with the video switched off, Paliwal said in her complaint.

Inspector Gautam said the accused also sent two notices of Enforcement Directorate (ED), in which serious allegations were made against the victim. A probe on the matter is underway, he said.   -- PTI

The Parliament session is set to start today, with various issues slated to be discussed, including the Waqf Act (Amendment) Bill.

The session will conclude on December 20.

There will be no sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on November 26, to commemorate 'Constitution Day'.

Other bills that are listed for introduction, consideration and passing include the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, the Bills of Lading Bill, the Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, the Railways (Amendment) Bill, the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, and the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Bill.

The Boilers Bill, the Rashtriya Sahkari Vishwavidyalaya Bill, the Punjab Courts (Amendment) Bill, the Merchant Shipping Bill, the Coastal Shipping Bill, and the Indian Ports Bill, are also included in the list.

Moreover, the leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) are also planning to meet today in the Parliament House, to discuss the strategy of the opposition.

Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge is expected to decide the strategy, according to sources.

The party is also expected to raise the issue of Manipur violence and bribery charges against the Adani group.   -- ANI

Dozens of people have been killed in a series of Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon, including 29 deaths from a devastating attack that flattened a multi-story residential building in central Beirut's densely populated Basta area.

According to the IDF, 12 Hezbollah command centers were struck by the Israel Air Force in Dahieh, Beirut, including sites used by Hezbollah's Intelligence Unit, coast-to-sea missile unit, and Unit 4400--responsible for smuggling weapons from Iran through Syria into Lebanon.

The IDF said, these command centers were used to plan, command, and execute terrorist attacks against Israel and monitor terrorist activity against IDF troops operating in southern Lebanon.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese Ministry of Health revised the death toll upward on Sunday, initially reporting 20 deaths before confirming the higher number. 

Rescue teams continued working late into the weekend as the tragic aftermath of the Israeli airstrike became clear.

The Beirut airstrike is just one of several across the country as Israel continues its aggressive military campaign against Hezbollah, despite efforts to establish a ceasefire. 

The IDF confirmed that its strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut targeted Hezbollah positions.

The Israeli military issued evacuation orders for several buildings in the area to reduce civilian harm, but those affected reported heavy bombings. The strike in Basta, among others, marks an escalation of Israeli air raids on central Beirut, following a similar airstrike last Sunday that killed a Hezbollah spokesperson, reported CNN.

Outside Beirut, Israeli airstrikes have also struck the Baalbek-Hermel region in eastern Lebanon, where at least 13 people, including four children, were killed in an attack on Shmistar.

Another 13 were wounded in that strike, while additional airstrikes in surrounding towns resulted in at least 11 deaths and 32 injuries.

In southern Lebanon, the city of Tyre was also targeted, with five people killed and 19 others injured in the Israeli bombardment.

Since September, Israeli airstrikes have killed numerous Hezbollah commanders and targeted key infrastructure, leading to widespread devastation in southern Lebanon.

The toll of this conflict has been heavy on Lebanon, with more than 3,000 killed and over a million displaced, according to the United Nations.  -- ANI

Lok Sabha members attending the Winter Session of Parliament beginning Monday will have the option of marking their attendance using a digital pen on an electronic tab.

Electronic tabs will be kept at four counters in the lobby of the Lok Sabha chamber as part of Speaker Om Birla's initiative to make Parliament paperless.

"Physical attendance registers will continue to be kept at the counters. However, members are advised to use the tab as a preferred choice and help make Parliament paperless," the Lok Sabha Secretariat said.

Officials said the members would have to first select their names from the drop down menu on the tab, affix their signatures with the help of the digital pen, and press the 'submit' button to register their attendance.

A team of engineers from the National Informatics Centre will be deployed at each counter for technical assistance.

Members have to mark their attendance in the register to avail of their daily allowance when Parliament is in session.

Earlier, Lok Sabha members marked their attendance using a mobile app. -- PTI

As suspense over who will become the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra continues, Nationalist Congress Party leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Sunday backed his party's chief, Ajit Pawar, for the top post.

Of 288 assembly constituencies, the ruling Mahayuti secured 230 seats in the assembly polls, the results for which came on Saturday.

The Bharatiya Janata Party won 132 seats while its allies -- the Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, won 57 seats, and the NCP, led by Ajit Pawar, won 41 seats.

"All the three parties will sit together and decide who will be our leader. We three parties will sit together and decide who will become the chief minister. Ajit Pawar can also become the CM, his strike rate is very good," Bhujbal told ANI.

"Today all our MLAs came to the meeting, many council members also came, and everyone has decided that Ajit Pawar will lead us in the Vidhan Sabha. But who will be the CM, we three parties will decide together," he added.

Earlier in the day, NCP president Deepak Mankar said that the party workers are in favour of making 'dada' (Ajit Pawar) the chief minister of the state.

"The workers of NCP wish that if 'dada' (Ajit Pawar), then Maharashtra will get a good direction. Dada has the capacity to do work...we know the kind of work he did in Maharashtra as deputy CM in the last 2.5 years...let's see...Mahayuti is taking everyone along," Mankar told ANI.

When asked about CM's face, he said it had been decided that leaders of three parties would sit together and decide on the chief minister.  -- ANI

Ghaziabad Police on Sunday put Dasna temple priest Yati Narsinghanand under house arrest and stopped his movement and that of his disciples to counter the conference organised by Muslim cleric Tauqeer Raza regarding the Waqf Board Amendment Bill at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, an official said.

When the police stopped them, Narsinghanand and his disciples started reciting Hanuman Chalisa inside the temple premises.

Narsinghanand in a statement said that Raza, Madni and Owaisi take the Hindus' gentlemanliness as their weakness.

"If they can gather a crowd to terrify the Hindus, then we can also stand in front of them," he said.

ACP, Wave City, Lipi Nagayach, said that the movement of Yati and his disciples was restricted on Sunday morning when they were boarding their vehicles to go to Delhi.

Narsinghanand had on Friday urged the Hindu community to recite Hanuman Chalisa at a Muslim community gathering slated to take place in Delhi.  -- PTI