Govt blocks websites leaking Aadhaar, PAN details

The pilgrims, who were in a luxury bus, were transferred safely to a truck by rescuers but this vehicle also got stranded on the flooded causeway, Bhavnagar disaster management division deputy mamlatdar Satish Jambucha said. 

"The incident took place when the bus with 55 pilgrims from Tamil Nadu was trying to cross a flood causeway on a rivulet near Koliyak village in Bhavnagar taluka. The pilgrims were headed towards Bhavnagar city after visiting Nishkalank Mahadev temple near the village," Jambucha said. 

"The causeway got flooded after heavy rains in the region. After the bus got stranded, a rescue operation was launched. The rescuers reached the site in a truck and transferred the pilgrims to the vehicle through the window of the bus. But the truck also got stranded," he said. -- PTI

The action was taken after the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team, under the ministry of electronics and Information Technology, found security flaws in the websites. 

"It has come to the notice of the MeitY that some websites were exposing sensitive personal identifiable information, including Aadhaar and PAN Card details of Indian citizens. This has been taken up seriously as the Government accords the highest priority to safe cyber security practices and the protection of personal data. In line with this, prompt action has been taken to block these websites," the statement said. 

The Unique Identification Authority of India has lodged a complaint with the police authorities concerned for violation of the prohibition under the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 on public display of Aadhaar information. 

"The analysis of these websites by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team has shown some security flaws in these websites. 

The concerned website owners have been provided guidance about the actions to be taken at their end for hardening the ICT infrastructures and fixing the vulnerabilities," the statement said. -- PTI

Justice G Jayachandran gave the directive on a batch of petitions from RSS Tirupur district secretary Jyothi Prakash and RSS Dindigul joint secretary Sethuraj, challenging the orders of the police rejecting their applications seeking permission to conduct route march. 

The judge said the details of the route march shall be given and finalized following the guidelines issued by this court last year and report before it on September 30. 

The court said this order was not only applicable for the petitioners but also for others from the same organisation. 

The judge said the petitioners have filed the petitions seeking permission to conduct route march on the eve of Vijayadasami. 

Counsel for the petitioners submitted that despite the court's order, the police rejected their applications. -- PTI

The call, by a man who identified himself as Pawan, was made on Wednesday evening, after which police were alerted by the trustees, the official added. 

"The man also hurled abuses. A case under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was filed at Tardeo police station. Efforts are on to nab the accused," he said. -- PTI

Speaking at the India Today conclave, he refuted allegations of the opposition parties on the project and asserted the tender was given to the Adani group as it was the highest bidder. 

On Wednesday, Mumbai Congress chief and Lok Sabha MP Varsha Gaikwad had claimed 80 per cent of shares of Dharavi Redevelopment Project Private Limited, which is helming the ambitious makeover, were held by Adani group, while the state government had the remaining 20 percent. 

Gaikwad, who was Dharavi MLA before being elected to the Lok Sabha in the 2024 general polls, also alleged the redevelopment project was real estate's biggest scam. 

Queried on Gaikwad's claims, Fadnavis said, "The Dharavi redevelopment plan is under the state government's control. A principal secretary rank officer will be the chief of DRP. It will draft development control rules. Based on these rules, the actual development will occur. Unless these rules are approved by the state Urban Development Department, the company (DRPPL) cannot start work." 

"Adani (group) will have to do whatever the government wants. If they do not do it, we will take back the contract from them," said Fadnavis, who was state housing minister when billionaire Gautam Adani's group won the bid for redeveloping Dharavi, one of the world's densest urban sprawls. -- PTI

The FIR was lodged against unidentified persons at the Kotwali police station of Mau in Uttar Pradesh under Section 351 (4) (criminal intimidation by anonymous communication) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on September 23, the police said.                 

Rai told PTI that he had been getting calls from a mobile number in Pakistan but was not taking it seriously.                 

"I have lodged a complaint in this connection and asked the police to trace the number," he said.                 

He alleged that the caller not only threatened him but also issued threats to his son. -- PTI

The purported video from Siliguri showed two youths from Bihar allegedly being asked to produce documents and being heckled by a group of people who accused them of trying to get jobs in central forces by producing fake domicile certificates of West Bengal, depriving people born and living in the state. 

Speaking on the incident, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said that West Bengal believes in democratic rights of every citizen of the country and will never allow harassment of anyone. 

"Some conversations were going on, some people wanted to see papers. We are in the process of getting more details. But I reiterate, many people come to West Bengal in search of jobs and many from our state also go to Bihar and other parts of the country. Our government welcomes everyone. There is nothing like that (harassment of prospective candidates), there should not be any such thing for any Indian," he said. -- PTI

The family alleged that the district soldier welfare officer issued a release calling the incident a suicide attempt, while a court inquiry is still pending in the matter.

Kaswan had allegedly sustained bullet injury in his head while on duty in Anantnag and was taken to a hospital, where he was declared dead.

Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal has urged Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to take cognisance of the matter.

According to Beniwal's post on X, Ramswaroop Kaswan was a native of Ranchu village in Nokha tehsil of Bikaner and was employed in the 75th Armed Regiment of the Indian Army in Anantnag, Srinagar.

"The defence minister should immediately send the senior army officials to conduct an impartial investigation of the case, since declaring the death of a soldier as a suicide without a Court of Inquiry shows the narrow mindset of the District Sainik Welfare Officer of Bikaner," he said in a post on X in Hindi.

He demanded the officer be removed and action be taken against him. -- PTI

Thongam claimed that the Kuki-Zo legislators have been "actively involved in the crisis in the state, especially with regard to demanding a separate administration' 

"However, no disciplinary action has yet been taken by the government and the state BJP against them. The BJP is also yet to remove seven of the MLAs from the primary membership of the party (for demanding a separate administration)," Thongam told reporters in Imphal. 

"My demand is removal of the 10 legislators from the House. If the demand is not met within 10 days, I will self-immolate outside the CM's Bungalow," the activist said. 

Thongam also submitted separate queries to Chief Minister N Biren Singh and state BJP president A Sharda, seeking to know what measures were taken against two cabinet ministers (of the Kuki-Zo community) over their call for a separate administration. -- PTI

To further streamline and facilitate the process of rendering consular services to Indians, it is advised that all Indians, including students, residing China register with the Embassy either through its website or by scanning the QR code or using the link 

https://www.eoibeijing.gov.in/indian_national_registration, an advisory issued by the embassy said. 

Upon successful submission of the registration form on the website, a registration document containing the name of the applicant, passport number and registration number will automatically be generated in downloadable pdf format and also sent to the registered email ID provided by the applicant during the process of filling the registration form, the advisory said. 

It is advised to keep this document safe and handy for future reference, it added. -- PTI

Amar Shinde, his uncle, told mediapersons that they were yet to decide where the body should be buried. 

"We have been searching for a place. The police have called us to show some spots. We will bury the body at a secure place," he told reporters in Thane. 

The police protection should be provided for the last rites, and also to Akshay's parents and his lawyer as there was a threat to their lives, he said. 

"We have also sent an email making this request to deputy chief minister and home minister (Devendra Fadnavis)," he added. 

Akshay Shinde had in the past expressed desire that he would like to be buried instead of being cremated, his lawyer Amit Katarnavre said. 

On Wednesday, his father had informed the Bombay high court that the family was ready to take possession of his son's body but could not find a burial site. 

The public prosecutor assured the high court that a deputy commissioner of police of the Thane crime branch would ask the local authority to make necessary arrangements. -- PTI

This adjustment is aimed at helping workers cope with the rising cost of living, the ministry of labour and employment said in a release on Thursday.

Workers engaged in various sectors, including building construction, loading and unloading, watch and ward, sweeping, cleaning, housekeeping, mining, and agriculture within central sphere establishments, will benefit from the revised wage rates.

The new wage rates will take effect on October 1, 2024. The last revision was done in April 2024. 

The minimum wage rates are categorised based on skill levels -- unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled, and highly skilled -- as well as by geographical area -- A, B, and C.  

After revision, minimum wage rates in area "A" for workers in construction, sweeping, cleaning, loading and unloading for unskilled work will be Rs 783 a day ( Rs 20,358 per month) for semi-skilled workers and Rs 868 a day (Rs 22,568 per month) for skilled, clerical and watch and wards without arms, Rs 954 a day ( Rs 24,804 per month) and for highly skilled and watch and wards with arms, Rs 1,035 a day (Rs 26,910 per month).  

The central government revises VDA twice a year, effective from April 1 and October 1, based on the six-month average increase in the Consumer Price Index for industrial workers.  

A detailed information regarding the minimum wage rates by sector, categories and area is available on the website (clc.gov.in) of the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central), Government of India.

A bench of Chief Justice-designate Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said the elections process may proceed but the counting of votes will not take place till the court is satisfied that defacement of property has been removed. 

"This court directs that the elections process may proceed yet no counting of votes shall take place either on Delhi University elections or on college elections till this court is satisfied that posters, hoardings, graffiti, spray paints are removed and public property is restored," the bench said. -- PTI

These supercomputers, built at a cost of Rs 130 crore, have been deployed in Pune, Delhi and Kolkata to facilitate pioneering scientific research, Modi said, addressing scientists and others via video conferencing. 

Modi also inaugurated the Rs 850 crore High-Performance Computing system tailored for weather and climate research, and described the day as one of a "very big achievement' in science and technology sector. 

"There is no sector which does not rely on technology and computing capability," Modi said. 

"In this revolution, our share should not be in bits and bytes but in terabytes and petabytes. Therefore, this achievement proves that we are moving in the right direction at the right pace," he said. -- PTI

A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan also rejected the application for listing review petition in open court. 

"Having carefully gone through the Review Petitions, the order under challenge and the papers annexed therewith, we are satisfied that there is no error apparent on the face of the record or any merit in the Review Petitions, warranting reconsideration of the order impugned. The Review Petitions are, accordingly, dismissed," the bench said. 

The Gujarat government in its plea had said the apex court's observation in the January 8 judgment, holding the state guilty of "usurpation of power" and "abuse of discretion" for complying with an order of another top court bench, was an "error apparent on the face of the record" primarily on three grounds. -- PTI

The passenger, a 16-year-old Iraqi girl, was declared "brought dead" when she was taken to a hospital in the city. 

The flight IA-473 with 100 passengers and 15 crew on board made a diversion from its course and landed at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata at 10:18 pm on Wednesday. 

According to an Airports Authority of India spokesperson, a medical team present at the airport immediately attended to the passenger, Deran Samir Ahmed, the spokesperson said. 

The Iraqi teenager had suddenly fallen ill inside the aircraft about 30 minutes before it touched down at the airport in Kolkata. 

The airport health officer checked the passenger and found no pulse. 

Neither did the doctor find any heartbeat. The doctor referred the passenger to the nearest hospital for further evaluation. 

At about 1.18 am on Thursday, the teenager and her two co-passengers were offloaded after completion of formalities. 

They were taken to a private hospital by an AAI ambulance. 

The hospital said the passenger was brought dead, the AAI official added. -- PTI

 "Yesterday, the Chief Minister gave out a statement that he would make Mumbai pothole-free but just half an hour of rain exposed him. Various places received heavy rains and some witnessed minimal, and it got waterlogged. One person died. Nobody cares about Mumbai," said Aaditya Thackeray. 

 "The situation in Mumbai, Pune, Thane was terrible. A lot of citizens yesterday were stuck in traffic. The situation at metro stations was bad. One of the metro stations started leaking. Nobody from the regime was there on the street to answer. Be it BMC, Mumbai police or any other agency, none took the responsibility and addressed the public," he added. 

 On Wednesday, in the wake of torrential rains across Mumbai, severe waterlogging and traffic snarls were witnessed in several parts of the city, with a landslide also reported at the Mumbra bypass, causing further disruptions to movement in the city. 

 Severe waterlogging was witnessed in Mumbai's Kurla East area, Nehru Nagar, and Chembur and heavy traffic snarls were witnessed on Kurla bridge following the rain. Heavy rains triggered a landslide at the Mumbra bypass at around 11.30 pm which disrupted traffic movement on the bypass and lasted for more than 3 hours.

 Halevi's remarks came after Hezbollah fired a missile at central Israel on early Wednesday and Israel responded with airstrikes, which have killed 569 people and wounded 1,835 others, Al Jazeera reported.

 During a drill simulating the invasion, Halevi addressed soldiers of the 7th Armored Brigade, as per Times of Israel.

 "You can hear the planes above, we are attacking all day. Both to prepare the area for the possibility of your entry [into Lebanon], and also to continue causing blows to Hezbollah," Halevi said. 

 "Hezbollah today expanded its [range] of fire. Later today, it will receive a very strong response," he vows, after the terror group fired a missile at central Israel this morning. 

 "Today we will continue, we do not stop, we continue to attack and continue to strike them everywhere. The goal is a very clear goal, to return the [displaced] residents of the north safely," Halevi continues. 

 "To do this, we are preparing the [ground] maneuver," he says to the soldiers. 

 Highlighting his strategy of invasion, Halevi said, "Your military boots will enter enemy territory, enter villages that Hezbollah has prepared as large military outposts, with underground infrastructure, staging points, and launchpads into our territory [from which Hezbollah intends] to carry out attacks on Israeli civilians."

The BSE Sensex jumped 666.25 points or 0.78 per cent to settle at an all-time high of 85,836.12. During the day, it reached a record intra-day peak of 85,930.43, surging 760.56 points or 0.89 per cent. 

The benchmark is just 69.57 points away from the 86,000-peak. Rallying for the sixth day in a row, the NSE Nifty climbed 211.90 points or 0.81 per cent to close at a record high of 26,216.05. 

 During the day, it soared 246.75 points or 0.94 per cent to hit a fresh intra-day lifetime peak of 26,250.90. From the 30 Sensex firms, Maruti jumped nearly 5 per cent. Tata Motors, Bajaj Finserv, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Steel, JSW Steel, UltraTech Cement, Bajaj Finance and Nestle were the other big gainers. Larsen & Toubro and NTPC were the laggards.

A Mumbai court on Thursday morning sentenced the Rajya Sabha member to 15 days' simple imprisonment in a defamation complaint filed against him by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya's wife Medha Somaiya. It later suspended the sentence for 30 days and granted bail to him. 

 Talking to reporters, Raut asked how people like him who raise voices against corruption and other issues would get justice when the prime minister visits the residence of the Chief Justice of India to eat modak (a sweet dumpling usually offered to Lord Ganesh). 

 He was referring to PM Narendra Modi's visit to CJI D Y Chandrachud's residence during the Ganesh festival earlier this month, which had drawn criticism from the opposition parties. 

 In her complaint, Medha Somaiya said Raut had accused them of being involved in a Rs 100-crore scam over the construction and maintenance of some public toilets under the jurisdiction of the Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation, on the outskirts of Mumbai. "I have been made a scapegoat because of the impending assembly elections in Maharashtra," said Raut. 

The Sena (UBT) leader said he had pointed out that some work had taken place in Mira Bhayander through Yuvak Pratisthan, an organisation linked to Kirit Somaiya, and there were irregularities in it. Even Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik had demanded a probe into the matter and there was some discussion in the state assembly, claimed Raut.

 Several prominent temples in the Sangam city, including Alop Shankari Devi, Bade Hanuman, and Mankameshwar, have announced these restrictions. Shiv Murat Mishra, the chief priest of the famous Lalita Devi temple of Prayagraj, said, "In the meeting of our temple management held on Tuesday, it was decided that prasad of sweets will not be offered to the goddess in the temple, but devotees have been requested to offer coconut, fruits, dry fruits, cardamom etc."

 He said there is a plan to open shops in the temple premises itself where pure sweets are made available to the devotees. Yamuna Puri Maharaj, chief patron of the Alop Shankari Devi Temple and secretary of Shri Panchayati Akhara Mahanirvani, said devotees have been banned from bringing sweets and prasad from outside. Mahant Shridharanand Brahmachari Ji Maharaj of the Mankameshwar temple located on the Yamuna bank said, "After the Tirupati controversy, we have banned bringing prasad from outside to Mankameshwar temple. We have written a letter to the district magistrate to get the 'laddu-peda' available in the shops outside the temple tested. Until the purity of the sweets is clear in the investigation, they will not be allowed to be offered in the temple. Anyway, we believe in fruits more than sweets," he said. 

 Mahant Balbir Giri Ji Maharaj, the patron of the Bade Hanuman temple located on the Sangam coast and head of the Shrimath Baghambari Gaddi, said, After the construction of the corridor of the temple is completed, the temple management itself will prepare 'laddu-peda' prasad for the Shri Bade Hanuman temple. -- PTI

 Amar Shinde, an uncle of Akshay Shinde, told mediapersons that they are yet to identify the place to bury his body. "We have been searching for a place to bury him. Police have called us to show some spots. We will bury the body at a secure place," he said. 

 Security should be provided to Akshay's parents and also his lawyer as there is a threat to their lives, he said. "We have also sent an email with this request to the deputy chief minister and home minister (Devendra Fadnavis)," he said. 

 Shinde, 24, was facing allegations of sexually assaulting two minor girls at a school in Badlapur, Thane district. He was being transported back to Badlapur from Taloja jail on Monday evening when a shootout occurred on the Mumbra bypass near Thane, leading to his death, according to police. The alleged sexual assault of the two kindergarten girls had triggered a massive protest in Badlapur last month. PTI

At least 46 people including 37 children, seven women and two men have died during the 'Jitiya Parv' festival yesterday while taking a holy bath in  rivers and water bodies in Bihar.

Bihar Disaster Management Department (DMD) on Thursday in a press release confirmed the deaths due to drowning.

According to DMD, the deaths were reported in East Champaran, West Champaran, Nalanda, Aurangabad, Kaimur, Buxar, Siwan, Rohtas, Saran, Patna, Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Gopalganj and Arwal districts. 

The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to families of the deceased.

Jitiya Parv is a three-day Hindu festival celebrated for  children's well-being. 

M I Khan/Patna

 Interacting with Haryana BJP workers through the NaMo app, he discussed fieldwork at the booth level for the upcoming state polls and encouraged them to devise a strategy for the party to win the election. 

Alleging the Congress has failed as an opposition in the past 10 years, PM Modi claimed the grand old party's maximum time goes into infighting and taking on each other. Every child in Haryana is aware of the grand old party's internal strife, the prime minister said. 

Attacking the Congress, he said, "The entire basis of those fighting against us in the polls is lies. They repeatedly tell lies, their talks have no head and tail and they vitiate the atmosphere.

"These days, the Congress' loudspeakers which earlier were making big claims have fallen weak," PM Modi said. 

"Some are saying the Congress is becoming weak each day. During the past 10 years, the Congress has failed as opposition too." 

 "The party remained far from people's issues for 10 years... such people can never win the trust of the people of Haryana," he said. 

 Modi said the Congress made tall promises in Himachal Pradesh but after they came to power in the state, development came to a standstill and they were unable to pay salaries. 

"One cannot imagine how many atrocities were committed against the Dalits during the Congress rule in Haryana," PM Modi told the BJP workers and asked them to expose such incidents publicly. 

Recounting the BJP government's initiatives for farmers, the prime minister alleged that during the Congress rule in Haryana, the farmers got Rs 2 compensation cheques for crop damage. 

"The Congress people live only for their family and that is their character," he said in response to a Haryana BJP worker's feedback during the interaction. 

Recalling that he had served in Haryana in the past as a BJP worker, Modi said, "It is my full belief that the people of Haryana have decided to give one more chance to the BJP to serve." "They are happy that in 10 years a government has been run without corruption. This has happened in Haryana for the first time. "Youth have got jobs without "parchi and kharchi" (jobs for cash). Therefore, the people of Haryana are with us, their blessings are with us and victory is certain," he said. -- PTI

The minor went missing from her house situated in the Shahjahanabad locality, Bhopal on Tuesday afternoon. The child's parents were not at home when she disappeared. 

She was with her grandmother and told her that she was going to retrieve a book from a friend's house but did not return.

Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Punit Upadhyay said, "A minor was missing from her home for over 36 hours technically and her body was recovered from a house located in front of her home on Thursday. 

The body was found from a water tank and it has been sent for post mortem further examination and further details will be shared after the PM report."

Speaking to ANI regarding the monsoon in the state, Regional Meteorological Centre in Mumbai Scientist Sunil Kamble said that Mumbai received almost 2900 millimetres of rainfall during this monsoon season, which is 600 mm above the normal average.

"In 3-4 months' monsoon, Mumbai should record 2300 mm rain, but, as of now, it has recorded 2900 mm rains, almost 600 mm above normal," Kamble said.

"In the next 5-6 monsoon will reduce and there are chances that monsoon will withdraw by October 5 but sometimes the chances increase, so the withdrawal date extends to October 10," he added.

Kamble said that a red alert was issued for Mumbai earlier as the monsoon is intensifying and later an orange alert was issued.

 A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud asked the insolvency resolution professional (IRP) to maintain status quo till the apex court delivers its judgement in the matter. 

 The bench, also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, considered the plea of US firm Glas Trust Company LLC and asked the IRP not to proceed with the committee of creditor's meeting to deal with the Byju's case. While hearing the matter on Wednesday, the top court had questioned the verdict of insolvency appellate tribunal NCLAT setting aside the insolvency proceedings against Byju's and approving its Rs 158.9 crore dues settlement with the BCCI. 

 Observing that the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) did not apply its mind while closing the insolvency proceedings against the ed-tech major, the bench had hinted that it may send back the dispute for fresh adjudication. The NCLAT, on August 2, granted relief to the embattled ed-tech firm by setting aside the insolvency proceedings against it after approving its Rs 158.9 crore dues settlement with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). 

 The verdict had come as a huge relief for Byju's as it had effectively put its founder Byju Raveendran back in control. However, the relief remained short-lived as the top court, on August 14, termed the NCLAT verdict as "unconscionable" and stayed its operation while issuing notices to Byju's and others on the appeal of the ed-tech firm's US-based creditor Glas Trust Company LLC against the judgment of the insolvency appellate tribunal. 

-- PTI

Jhumpa Lahiri has chosen to withdraw her acceptance of the 2024 Isamu Noguchi Award in response to our updated dress code policy, the museum said in a statement on Wednesday. 

We respect her perspective and understand that this policy may or may not align with everyone's views, The New York Times cited the statement as saying of Lahiri. 

"We remain committed to our core mission of advancing the understanding and appreciation of Isamu Noguchi's art and legacy while upholding our values of inclusivity and openness." 

The New-York based museum, founded nearly 40 years ago by Noguchi, a Japanese American designer and sculptor, announced last month that employees during their working hours could not wear clothing or accessories expressing political messages, slogans or symbols. 

The policy, which does not apply to visitors, was instituted after several staff members had, over a period of months, often worn kaffiyehs scarves associated with Palestinians for what one fired employee termed cultural reasons. 

The museum, defending the prohibition earlier this month, said such expressions can unintentionally alienate segments of our diverse visitorship. 

A significant majority of staffers signed a petition opposing the rule. 

Lahiri and Lee Ufan, a Korean-born minimalist painter, sculptor and poet, were to receive the Isamu Noguchi Award at the museum's fall benefit gala next month. 

Lahiri, who was born in London to an Indian immigrant couple, won the 2000 Pulitzer for fiction for her debut, the story collection Interpreter of Maladies, and has since published several books of fiction and nonfiction in both English and Italian. 

She is also the director of the creative writing programme at Barnard College. 

Questions of how to express solidarity with Israelis or Palestinians have divided cultural institutions since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 last year, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages. 

Israel's subsequent invasion of the Gaza Strip has killed more than 41,000 people, according to local health authorities. 

Lahiri was one of thousands of scholars who signed a letter to university presidents in May expressing solidarity with campus protests against Israel's military campaign in Gaza, calling it unspeakable destruction.

The Central Board of Film Certification on Thursday told the Bombay high court that a certificate would be issued to Kangana Ranuat's film Emergency if certain cuts are made, as recommended by its revising committee.

 

The movie, which was initially slated for a September 6 release, has been embroiled in a battle with the censor board for non-issuance of certificate for release of the movie.

Ranaut, who has directed and co-produced the film besides playing the lead role of former prime minister late Indira Gandhi, had accused the Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC) of stalling certification to delay the release.

The biographical drama is caught up in controversy after some Sikh organisations including the Shiromani Akali Dal objected, accusing it of misrepresenting the community and getting historical facts wrong.

 

A division bench of Justices B P Colabawalla and Firdosh Pooniwalla last week come down heavily on the  CBFC for not taking a decision on the issuance of certificate for the movie.

 

The HC had then said the censor board cannot sit on a fence and has to take its decision one way or the other as it would otherwise amount to curtailing the freedom of speech and expression.

 

The court had directed the CBFC to take its decision by September 25.

 

The movie's co-producer Zee Entertainment Enterprises had moved the HC, seeking a direction to the CBFC to issue a certificate for the film "Emergency", helmed by Kangana Ranaut.

 

On Thursday, the bench asked the CBFC if it has "good news" for the movie.

 

CBFC's counsel Abhinav Chandrachud told the court that the board's revising committee has taken its decision.

 

"The committee has suggested some cuts before certificate can be issued and movie can be released," he said.

 

Senior counsel Sharan Jagtiani, appearing for Zee Entertainment, sought time to take a decision on whether or not the cuts can be made.

 

The bench then posted the matter for further hearing on September 30. -- PTI

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, under which an area is declared as "disturbed" for the convenience of security forces, has been extended in eight districts in Nagaland, three districts in Arunachal Pradesh and some other areas for six more months after a review of the law and order situation in the two northeastern states.

 

 An area or district is notified as a disturbed area under the AFSPA to facilitate the operations of the armed forces.

The AFSPA gives armed forces operating in disturbed areas sweeping powers to search, arrest and to open fire if they deem it necessary for the "maintenance of public order".

In a notification, the Union Home Ministry said the central government in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (28 of 1958) had declared eight districts, and 21 police stations in five other districts of Nagaland as 'disturbed area' for a period of six months with effect from April 1, 2024.

The home ministry said a further review of the law and order situation in Nagaland has been undertaken.

The districts and police stations areas have been declared as 'disturbed area' again under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 for a period of six months with effect from October 1, 2024, unless withdrawn earlier, the notification issued on Wednesday night said.

The districts in Nagaland where the AFSPA was reimposed are Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek and Peren.

The areas in Nagaland falling within the jurisdiction of Khuzama, Kohima North, Kohima South, Zubza and Kezocha police stations in Kohima District; Mangkolemba, Mokokchung-I, Longtho, Tuli, Longchem and Anaki 'C' police stations in Mokokchung District; Yanglok police station in Longleng District are also declared 'disturbed'.

In addition, Bhandari, Champang and Ralan police stations in Wokha District; and Ghatashi, Pughoboto, Satakha, Suruhuto, Zunheboto and Aghunato police stations in Zunheboto District of Nagaland are also declared 'disturbed' under the AFSPA. -- PTI

In an X post, Embassy of India in Beirut wrote, "As a reiteration of the Advisory issued on 1 August 2024 and in view of the recent developments and escalations in the region, Indian nationals are strongly advised against travelling to Lebanon till further notice."

"All Indian nationals already in Lebanon are also strongly advised to leave Lebanon," it added.

Meanwhile, Israel has told its soldiers to prepare for a possible ground operation against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon as US President Joe Biden warned against "all-out war" in the Middle East.

That's, of course, Kamala Harris with her mother and Tim Walz with his dad.  

DMK MP and Advocate NR Elango says, "The SC granted bail to V Senthil Balaji who is incarcerated in the prison as an under-trial prisoner in an ED case for more than 15 months. The long delay which has occurred...could be there in conducting the trials in the predicate offence as well as the PMLA case. The bail has been granted imposing certain conditions that he should appear before the Enforcement Directorate twice a week, he should not tamper with the witnesses and surrender his passport..."

Dressed casually in a black hoodie, sunglasses, and a cap, Shah Rukh Khan displayed his signature blend of style and comfort while maintaining his composure amid the chaos.

Despite the overwhelming attention, he smiled and acknowledged fans as he made his way to the terminal, with his bodyguard ensuring his safety throughout the encounter.

Anticipation for the IIFA 2024 has been building, especially following a light-hearted press conference where Shah Rukh and Karan Johar shared playful banter.

At the event, Shah Rukh humorously teased Karan about his frequent hosting duties, joking, "Bhai, picture bhi bana na... kitna host karega tu?" to which Karan responded with laughter, showcasing their camaraderie. -- ANI

The developments come close on heels of market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India's (Sebi's) nudge to BSE to halt the listing of a recent SME firm following complaints from industry participants.

Also, according to latest reports, six merchant bankers are under the scanner of Sebi for questionable practices on fee collection.

In a meeting held on Tuesday, BSE's MD and CEO Sundararaman Ramamurthy had apprised over 80 merchant bankers across India for more checks on IPO-bound companies.

"Exchanges are asking merchant bankers to do thorough due diligence based on the stock exchange checklist, specified under the guidelines of Sebi. They are considered to have better financial acumen and have been asked to do more site visits and ground checks of the companies,' said a person familiar with the developments.

"The strictures come after several discrepancies have come to light at the stock exchange level and could have been easily detected by merchant bankers before filing IPO documents. There have been cases where companies showed a need for working capital but had sudden jumps in inventories or jacked up their financial numbers right before the issue," said sources.

-- Khushboo Tiwari/Business Standard

In a joint statement, Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh and DGP Rajiv Singh on Wednesday said, "In view of recent reactions from different communities regarding the input on the infiltration of 900 trained Kuki militants from Myanmar to carry out attacks on Meiteis on September 28, it is clarified that the input was verified from various sources but could not be substantiated on the ground. There is no current basis to believe in any such input." 

 The statement assured that "security forces are on high alert to protect the lives and property of citizens. All communities are assured of their safety," and advised the public to "not believe in any rumors or unverified news." 

 On September 20 the security advisor had said security forces have taken a number of steps in the wake of reports that militants might carry out violence in peripheral villages. He had said reports of movement of these militants have been circulating for the past three to four days. 

 N Geoffrey, Secretary to the Chief Minister, stated, "Based on information regarding the movement of armed groups, this office shared intelligence inputs to enable the Police Department to develop the said information for actionable insights." 

 "It is now ascertained that the possibility of such misadventures by armed groups is remote. The public need not worry in this regard," he added.

Earlier on Wednesday, Manipur Congress MLA Th Lokeshwar expressed concern over Singh's claim that 900 Kuki militants had entered the state, which he argued had caused panic in the outlying villages of the Imphal valley. 

He demanded clarity on the assertion. Lokeshwar stated, "Singh's claim has created unrest in peripheral areas. He should clarify the grounds for his assertions and outline what measures are in place to counter the militants' entry. Villagers should not be left to live in fear." -- PTI

 The BSE Sensex climbed 202.3 points to reach an all-time record peak of 85,372.17 in early trade. The NSE Nifty went up 51.85 points to hit a fresh lifetime high of 26,056. 

 From the 30 Sensex firms, Maruti, Nestle, Tata Motors, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, HCL Technologies, Bajaj Finserv, Tata Consultancy Services, ITC, and Bharti Airtel were the biggest gainers. Power Grid, NTPC, Tata Steel, and JSW Steel were among the laggards.

Three days later, the Jammu and Kashmir police arrested the terrorists -- Vilayat Aziz Mir from Pulwama; Owais Manzoor Sofi and Suhail Ahmad Mir from Anantnag.

The police also recovered the bike and ammunition used to kill Akash.

The motive, according to the terrorists, was to send a message against the abrogation of Article 370 so that no outsider would settle down in Kashmir.

If you are a vegetarian and a tourist in Srinagar, then you must eat at the Krishna Vaishno Bhojanalaya because it serves delicious vegetarian food.

Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com spoke to Akash's father Ramesh Kumar Mehra, 65, who continues to run his restaurant.

Read the story here. 

Sales of CNG vehicles between January and August surged by 46 per cent year-on-year, whereas that of petrol cars declined by 4.5 per cent; diesel model pickups grew by just 5 per cent.

The rise in CNG sales even outstripped that of petrol hybrid, diesel hybrid, and electric cars.

In volume terms, CNG vehicle sales are now roughly 30 per cent of petrol vehicle sales.

One in every three cars produced by the country's largest automaker, Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL), is now a CNG model, with CNG penetration in the company's overall portfolio having reached 34 per cent as of August.

Several factors are driving this growth, from new car launches to an increase in CNG refuelling stations, as well as innovations like Tata Motors' twin-cylinder system. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are also focusing on less polluting fuels to meet corporate average fuel efficiency (CAF) norms, which aim to limit carbon dioxide emissions from car manufacturers in a financial year.

The highest oil consumption and the highest CO2 emissions come from pure petrol and diesel vehicles. All other powertrain technologies -- including electric, hybrid, CNG, and biofuel -- help reduce oil consumption and CO2 emissions,' explained Rahul Bharti, executive director of corporate affairs, MSIL. 

"It is both natural and desirable to minimise the use of pure petrol and diesel engines in favour of these technologies."

-- Sohini Das/Business Standard

The reading on the Indian Residential Index for Online Search by proptech platform Housing.com touched 99 in August, the highest since December 2023, when it was 105.

So far in 2024, it has stayed below 90 points in most months, except in June when the reading was 92.The reading on the index was above 100 in most months of 2023.

In India, the festive season typically begins around mid-August with Raksha Bandhan. It continues with celebrations like Ganesh Chaturthi, Onam, Dussehra, Diwali, and Christmas, culminating with New Year's festivities.

According to Amit Masaldan, chief revenue officer, Housing.com, the festive season has always been a seasonal catalyst for the real estate market.

"What's particularly exciting this year is the intensity of buyer interest we're seeing even before the core festive period begins," he added. 

"It's a clear indication that the market is poised for significant activity in the upcoming festive season, starting with Navratri until December end."

The report also highlighted that Delhi NCR was the most searched city, followed by Mumbai and Bengaluru.

In the NCR, Noida Extension was the most sought-after locality. It was followed by Andheri West and Mira Road Extension in Mumbai. In Bengaluru, Whitefield was the most searched locality.

-- Raghav Aggarwal/Business Standard

 "Less than 10 days after the desecration of the @BAPS Mandir in New York, our Mandir in the Sacramento, CA area was desecrated last night with anti-Hindu hate: Hindus go back! We stand united against hate with prayers for peace," the BAPS Public Affairs said in a post on X. 

 Wednesday night's incident comes after the desecration of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Melville, New York, on September 17. "Our condemnation of hate remains resolute; our sadness has only deepened; and our prayers for all, including those with hate in their heart, have grown stronger," the organisation said in a statement. 

 "BAPS is working with law enforcement authorities on this hate crime," the statement said. "The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Sacramento is home to a vibrant Hindu community engaged in numerous activities and projects to support the larger community. We are and shall remain an integral part of this community's fabric," the statement added. 

 The temple community in response to the incident gathered for a prayer ceremony and called for peace and unity, remembering His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj's ideal of harmony and respect. This was the second incident of desecration at a BAPS temple in less than a month in the US amidst the growing trend of temple vandalism as part of a systematic hate crime against the Hindu community in the country. 

 Amerish Babulal or "Ami" Bera, an American physician and politician serving as a member of the US House of Representatives from California, said on X: "There is no place for religious bigotry and hatred in Sacramento County. I strongly condemn this apparent act of vandalism in our community." "All of us must stand against intolerance and ensure that everyone in our community, regardless of faith, feels safe and respected," Bera said in a post on X. -- PTI

 "Two wagons of a goods trains carrying steel consignment derailed near Tupkadih station in Bokaro district last night at about 9 pm. We have diverted 15 trains including 14 Express trains," Sumit Narula, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Adra division of South Eastern Railway, told PTI. 

 The goods train was carrying steel consignment from Bokaro Steel Plant and overturned on the main line between Tupkadih and Bokaro stations. The incident occurred near the northern cabin yard of Tupkadih station and affected train movement on the Bokaro-Gomo section.

CPRO, Central Railway in a statement said, "Harbour line local trains have resumed after the water receded between Govandi-Mankhurd. Trains are running with caution and a restricted speed of 25kmph. Services resumed at 11.23 pm."

After rains stopped at many places and water receded from tracks, services were resumed on the Central Railway local main line.

The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for Mumbai and its adjoining districts Thane, Palghar, and Raigad for Thursday morning. 

The extremely heavy rainfall in Mumbai prompted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to announce a holiday for all schools and colleges on Thursday. 

Schools and colleges in Thane, Palghar, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad will also be closed on Thursday following heavy rains. The Mumbai civic body and police have advised all people in the city and surrounding areas to stay indoors as much as possible. 

Mumbaikars, if not required, avoid stepping out of home, the BMC posted on X. A 45-year-old woman drowned in a nullah overflowing due to heavy rains in suburban Andheri on Wednesday, police said. 

After Wednesday's heavy rains, some roads virtually turned into rivers of fast-moving water as several areas received more than 100 mm of rain in five hours of evening. 

 As local trains stopped between Kurla and Thane stations on the Central line, thousands of commuters were stranded as CSMT and other stations, while there were traffic jams in various places.

Faced with searing political attacks by the opposition Trump campaign on mass-scale infiltration of illegal immigrants through an unsecured border to the south, Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris will travel to the US-Mexico border for an assessment of the current situation.

The Harris-Walz Campaign on Wednesday announced that the vice president would be travelling to Douglas, Arizona, which is near the US-Mexico border, on Friday.

No other details were immediately available.

Earlier this week, the Trump Campaign alleged that Harris was visiting the US-Mexico border for political reasons.

This would be Harris' first trip to the border after she became the nominee of the Democratic Party in July.

From Arizona, Harris would travel to San Francisco and then to Los Angeles for fundraisers. She also plans to travel to Nevada over the weekend. Nevada is one of the six battleground states. -- PTI

A 45-year-old woman drowned in a nullah overflowing due to heavy rains in suburban Andheri on Wednesday, police said.

 

The incident occurred at around 9.20 pm near gate no. 8 of MIDC, Andheri East, they said. The victim was identified as Vimal Anil Gaikwad.

Local police and the fire brigade were alerted and they took the woman to the Cooper Hospital where she was declared brought dead, they said. -- PTI

Hake and Waghmare had been on an indefinite fast at Wadigodri village, located 2km from Antarwali Sarati village in Maharashtra's Jalna district, where Jarange called off his nine-day-old hunger strike launched for Maratha quota, on late Wednesday afternoon. 

The duo's protest was aimed at countering Jarange's demands, which they deemed unconstitutional. 

Jarange has been seeking reservation for the Maratha community under the OBC category. 

Speaking to media persons at Wadigodri, Hake criticized the Mahayuti government in the state. 

"Maharashtra is not being run by the rule of the mob. If we had not resorted to a counter fast, the government would have implemented Jarange's demands," he said. -- PTI

"We appeal to the people to reach near DC Office, Shimla at 11 am on September 27 and join the Sadbhavna March led by common citizens in protest against the efforts being made to create animosity between different communities," former Mayor of Shimla Municipal Corporation Sanjay Chauhan said at a press conference in Shimla. 

 He alleged that an atmosphere of communal tension and fear is being created in Shimla by turning the quarrel between two persons into a dispute between two communities. 

"Shimla is a historical place where people of different religions, communities and regions have been living together and running their business with mutual brotherhood. In the Constitution of India, everyone has the right to live and do business in any part of the country" he said. -- PTI

A major controversy has erupted over the alleged use of animal fat in Tirupati laddus, with the Andhra Pradesh government forming an SIT to probe the matter. 

Muzaffarpur-based lawyer Sudhir Kumar Ojha filed the complaint against members of the temple trust before the CJM court here and demanded the registration of an FIR against them for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. 

"The incident is an attack on Hindu sentiments... it's an attack on the faith of crores of Hindus. This must be probed thoroughly and a case should be registered against them (trustees) under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)," Ojha told reporters after filing the complaint. -- PTI