Business News›News›Newsblogs›FICCI 97th AGM Convention Live News Updates: FDI turning to 100% depends on several factors, but foreign companies should be willing to establish JVs and firms within India, observes FICCI panel member
FICCI 97th AGM Convention Live News Updates: FDI turning to 100% depends on several factors, but foreign companies should be willing to establish JVs and firms within India, observes FICCI panel member
20 Nov 2024 | 04:58:52 PM IST
Synopsis
FICCI 97th AGM Convention Live News Updates: FDI turning to 100% depends on several factors, but foreign companies should be willing to establish JVs and firms within India, observes FICCI panel member
FICCI 97th AGM Convention Live News Updates: FDI turning to 100% depends on several factors, but foreign companies should be willing to establish JVs and firms within India, observes FICCI panel member
Semiconductor sector is expanding, and hardware manufacturing also remains an interesting subject for potential investors: S Krishnan at the FICCI 97th AGM Curtain raiser
AI and cyber security two main focus of FDIs in India, electronics is also witnessing a boom: S Krishnan at the FICCI 97th AGM Curtain raiser
FDI turning to 100% depends on several factors, but foreign companies should be willing to establish JVs and firms within India: Rajesh Kumar Singh at the FICCI 97th AGM Curtain raiser
Defence industries is more in the ease of doing business, says Rajesh Kumar Singh at the FICCI 97th AGM Curtain raiser
150 million tons of steel bring produced at private steel sector firms: Sandeep Poundrik at the FICCI 97th AGM Curtain raiser
Out of 180 million tons of capacity, we have only 30 million tons of capacity of production from public sector steel firms: Sandeep Poundrik at the FICCI 97th AGM Curtain raiser
RINL in deep financial crisis, and so are some other steel firms. Some other public sector companies not doing well in this sector: Sandeep Poundrik at the FICCI 97th AGM Curtain raiser
Steel prices are depressed, inventaries have increased, the problem is genuine. 62% of our imports are from FTA countries: Sandeep Poundrik at the FICCI 97th AGM Curtain raiser
Industry needs to have the kind of profitability needed for good investments: Sandeep Poundrik at the FICCI 97th AGM Curtain raiser on steel sector
We have seen a growth of 13% in the steel sector this financial year, says Sandeep Poundrik at the FICCI 97th AGM Curtain raiser
UP by-elections ruckus: This govt has demolished all the system…people are being disturbed, claims Congress chief Ajay Rai
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai said on Wednesday, ” This govt has demolished all the system…people are being disturbed and this govt is making those people suffer who are voting against them. Even though action has been taken against Police, who deployed these Police? Who is using the Police? It is being done by the govt so the Election Commission should take action against the people of this govt”
Kanpur Police Commissioner addresses ruckus at polling station and suspension of officers
Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh: The Kanpur Police Commissioner, Akhil Kumar, responded to the disturbance at a local polling station, confirming that a complaint had been received. “We have received a complaint. We have asked them (BJP candidate) to file an FIR. Legal action would be taken,” Kumar said.
Regarding the suspension of five police personnel, Kumar explained, “We had information that some police personnel were not following the guidelines of the Election Commission. Action has been taken against them… Voting is going on smoothly.” He also mentioned that there were reports of outsiders entering the constituency, prompting the authorities to make “appropriate security arrangements.”
The suspension of the officers, according to Kumar, was in response to a tweet by the Samajwadi Party, signaling the police’s proactive stance in maintaining electoral integrity.
“The suspension was done after we took cognizance of the tweet,” Kumar clarified.
Uttar Pradesh by-polls row live news updates: Fairness of the election has been compromised, says Congress leader Pramod Tiwari
Lucknow: Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said on Wednesday, ” These are big allegations, the fairness of the election has been compromised. It is visible in the video that they had (Police) put up barricades. How can you put barricades during voting? Voters of INDIA alliance were not allowed to cast their votes…Election Commission must seriously take cognisance of what Akhilesh Yadav said…merely suspending Police officers won’t do. Must ensure that every single voter can cast vote…”
On March 14, 2024, the Delhi government had launched the Delhi Solar Policy aiming to bring clean non-polluting sustainable energy in the national capital. This project aims at producing 25 per cent of the power that is being used in Delhi through solar energy. For this, our DISCOMs have a target of purchasing 3,750 MW of electricity via solar. Besides, we will also produce 750 MW of electricity within the state via rooftop solar capacity.
– Delhi CM Atishi
Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai meets HM Amit Shah in Delhi, appraises him of Naxal activities in the state
Delhi: Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai said on Wednesday, “I met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and apprised him of the Naxal activities in Chhattisgarh… In the last 11 months, nearly 200 Naxals have been eliminated, and nearly 600-700 have surrendered… We are fast moving towards the Prime Minister’s and Home Minister’s aim of making India a Naxal-free country by March 2026… There was a lot of corruption in Chhattisgarh under the Congress rule… We have zero tolerance towards corruption and our agencies are doing their job…”
Uttar Pradesh by-elections: Clashes reported between BJP and Samajwadi Party workers at Kanpur polling booth
UP Bypolls: Clashes reported between BJP and Samajwadi Party workers at Kanpur Government Inter College polling booth after a stone was allegedly thrown on BJP candidate’s car. Party workers staged dharna outside the booth and raised slogans. More details awaited.
(Source: ANI)
ED conducts raids at Gaurav Mehta’s residence (employee of an audit firm named Sarathi Associates) in connection with an alleged Bitcoin scam | Watch
Allegations and counter-allegations are common in democracy but we are administrative officials, that is why we rely more on data. Over 36 per cent voting has been reported in all the nine seats where bypolls are happening. I went to many booths of Muslim-dominated areas and there were long queues everywhere.
– Ambedkar Nagar DM Avinash Singh on Samajwadi Party alleging misconduct in the bypolls
They can criticise me, but why are they criticising Rabindranath Tagore?: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on renaming Karimganj district as Sribhumi
Guwahati | On renaming Karimganj district as Sribhumi, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday, “I think they can criticise me, but why are they criticising Rabindranath Tagore? In Assam, why a district should be named after an unknown person? It should have been changed long back.”
We have a process in which to keep the food items safe, they are laced with pesticides… The maintenance work is going on in the whole godown and some shutters and gates are still under repair. Some monkeys entered from there and consumed the food while the pesticides had not yet dissolved… They died after consuming the pesticide tablets… We had performed their last rites. Bajrang Dal and the MP are also here. We have also organised a Sundar Kand path next Tuesday or Saturday… We will instruct the workers to complete the work quickly so that such an incident does not take place again… There were around 8-10 monkeys.
– FCI godown manager Neeraj Sharma on the death of several mοnkeys inside FCI (Food Corporation of India) warehouse after consuming contaminated pesticide-laced food
Congress party will not be participating in the exit polls to be telecast today after the completion of the election process: Congress sources
Source: ANI
Person wanted by ED in Maharashtra’s ‘cash for vote’ case apprehended from Ahmedabad airport: Official sources
Source: PTI
People had no knowledge of the incident, but after Ekta Kapoor decided to make a movie on it, the truth has finally come out. This is a powerful film.
– Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, after the screening of the film ‘The Sabarmati Report’
The counting of votes for Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) elections 2024-25 will be done on November 25, says Prof. Satyapal Singh, Chief Election Officer of DUSU Elections 2024-25.
Source: ANI
Delhi Government advises private sector to shift to 50% work from home to tackle pollution
Delhi’s Environment Minister, Gopal Rai, has called on the private sector to adopt a 50% work-from-home policy, mirroring the government sector’s approach. The advisory aims to reduce traffic congestion, a major contributor to air pollution in the city.
Speaking at a press conference, Rai emphasized the need for the private sector to follow the example set by government offices, which have already shifted to reduced in-office attendance to help alleviate the pollution crisis.
“We want private offices to shift to 50% work-from-home, just like the government sector,” said Gopal Rai. He also presented an alternative measure, urging private companies to stagger office timings to ease traffic congestion during peak hours.
As part of the new measures, office timings in Delhi have been revised, with businesses now being advised to schedule their workday between 10 am and 11 am. This adjustment is intended to help reduce traffic during the early hours, thus reducing vehicular emissions and their impact on the environment.
Additionally, the Delhi government has initiated shuttle bus services for employees, providing an alternative to private cars. “If employees from private firms use these shuttle buses instead of their private vehicles, it will significantly contribute to reducing pollution levels,” Rai stated. He emphasized that this initiative is part of a broader strategy to tackle the city’s pollution problem and improve air quality.
The Minister also made it clear that only essential and emergency services will be permitted to operate from office premises, ensuring that non-essential offices remain closed or adopt remote work practices during this critical period.
Private sector must shift to 50% work from home system, says Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai
Former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has approached the Delhi High Court, challenging the trial court’s decision to take cognizance of the Enforcement Directorate’s prosecution complaints in the Excise Policy case, citing lack of sanction.
Kejriwal is seeking the court’s direction to quash the trial court’s order and halt the proceedings. Hearing on this is likely to be held tomorrow, 21st November.
What we are prepared for is to sit and talk, provided there is acceptable basis for negotiations: Russian envoy to India on Ukraine conflict
As dedicated platform of emerging powers and developing world, BRICS is a reflection of new realities: Russian envoy to India Denis Alipov
Some improvement was witnessed today in the pollution levels, which had shown an upward trend for the last three days across north India. We hope that the improvement will continue further. The Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi has been working continuously to tackle the pollution levels. We had called a meeting today to discuss steps to further control pollution. It was decided that all the Delhi government offices, barring emergency and essential services, will have 50 percent WFH.
– Delhi minister Gopal Rai
Don’t see much ground for negotiations at present: Russian envoy to India Denis Alipov on Ukraine conflict
ED searches Raipur premises of Gaurav Mehta, allegedly linked to bitcoin case in poll-bound Maharashtra
Ekta Kapoor, producer of ‘The Sabarmati Report’, welcomes Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri at the special screening of the film in Delhi.
Harshit Rana bowls with good pace. He also finds ways to extract some extra bounce out of the surface: India bowling coach Morne Morkel
Shubman Gill is improving everyday, picked up the injury during squad game: India bowling coach Morne Morkel
Shubman Gill is improving everyday. He picked up the injury during squad game. It will be a day to day process, fingers crossed, we will wait to take a call until morning of the Test match: India bowling coach Morne Morkel
India’s Lakshya Sen enters men’s singles second round of the China Masters with win over Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia
India’s Lakshya Sen enters men’s singles second round of the China Masters with a 21-14, 13-21, 21-13 win over Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia, avenging his Paris Olympic bronze medal loss, news agency PTI reported on Wednesday.
Hezbollah official Mahmoud Qmati says agreement must lead to swift ceasefire, must not violate Lebanese sovereignty
Source: Reuters
12 soldiers killed in attack on outpost in northwest Pakistan
Source: Reuters
The people have a lot of expectations from this election with respect to the candidate that they are going to elect. They have lost the opportunity not once but thrice and they want to compensate for that… LDF will get more than double the votes it got in 2021, that is, not less than 70,000.
– Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate for Palakkad Assembly by-election, P Sarin
23-year-old girl murdered in UP’s Mainpuri, Parents alleges she was killed so BJP could be deprived of a vote
Uttar Pradesh: Vinod Kumar, SP Mainpuri said on Wednesday, “The body of a 23-year-old girl from Karhal was found this morning. A case has been registered against two people by her father. One of them is Prashant Yadav and the other is Mohan Katheria. Both of them have been arrested. Her parents have given a statement that their daughter was murdered in order to prevent her from voting for the BJP. Further investigation is underway”
Huge loss for our teacher community: Tamil Nadu School Education Minister condoles school teacher murdered in Thanjavur
Chennai: On a school teacher hacked to death in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh said on Wednesday, “It is a huge loss for our teacher community. The main person involved in this incident has been arrested. The Chief Minister has asked me to immediately go to the spot, so I will reach the spot by 5 pm… I have asked the District Collector to give some counselling to the students and declare a holiday today immediately. Within a day or two we will give counselling and only after that we will open the school.”
BJP is pressuring the administration to indulge in foul play, alleges Akhilesh Yadav
Uttar Pradesh by-elections | Lucknow: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said on Wednesday, “…Ever since the voting started, complaints have been coming in…regarding different Assembly constituencies…We have lodged multiple complaints. It seems that the senses of Election Commission have dulled. It can neither see nor hear despite so many complaints. BJP wants to win these by-elections not by vote but by ‘khot’. Fearing a defeat, BJP is pressuring the administration to indulge in foul play.”
India’s Ofbusiness hires Axis Capital, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan among five banks for 2025 IPO: Report
Source: Reuters
CEC Rajiv Kumar directs UP poll officials to ensure fair and smooth voting process.
India’s GDP growth likely to slip at 6.5 pc, maintains 7 pc estimate for FY25: Icra
UP by-polls: EC orders suspension of cops for violating guidelines on checking voters; stopping them from voting.
Western countries on Wednesday formally submitted a new resolution critical of Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency, diplomatic sources say.
Source: AFP
Nokia wins multi-billion 5G extension deal from Bharti Airtel for its India operations
Amid bypolls, UP BJP writes to Election Commission of India, alleging fake voting in Muzaffarnagar’s Meerapur
The Uttar Pradesh BJP has written to the Chief Electoral Officer of the state, alleging that fake voting took place in the Meerapur Assembly constituency of Muzaffarnagar district.
The party claims that individuals from outside the area were brought in and made to stay in mosques, madrasas, and lodges.
Additionally, BJP officials allege that women in veils were allowed to vote without proper identity checks, and men exploited this by voting while disguised in burqas.
The BJP has urged the authorities to investigate the matter and ensure fair voting practices.
If they (police) had not fired, he would have done this: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Naxal leader Vikram Gowda’s encounter
Bengaluru: On the encounter of Naxal leader Vikram Gowda, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Wednesday, “According to the information I have received, he had deadly weapons. If they (police) had not fired, he would have done this. More than 60 cases are registered against him. In such a situation, no risk can be taken.”
The candidates of NDA are going to win with a huge majority. The public is voting for us on the basis of the promises we made. Others have united to stop the progress of the country…We need to have faith in democracy and ECI. It is an independent agency.
– UP Minister Sanjay Nishad on by-elections in Uttar Pradesh
PV Sindhu advances to second round of China Masters with win over Busanan Ongbamrungphan
PV Sindhu moved into the second round of the China Masters, securing a 21-17, 21-19 victory over Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan, extending her dominant head-to-head record to 20-1 against the Thai shuttler.
By-elections are underway at 9 places in the state peacefully. I appeal to the people of the state to come out of their houses and cast their votes. Samajwadi Party is making false allegations only to hide their face from defeat. We are in favour of free and fair elections.
– Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak
India welcomes UK’s announcement to relaunch Free Trade Talks in 2025
The Government of India has expressed its support for the United Kingdom’s decision to relaunch Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with India in early 2025.
The announcement follows a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at the G-20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
India emphasized the importance of securing a balanced and mutually beneficial trade deal, with the goal of addressing remaining issues to the satisfaction of both sides.
The two countries are set to resume talks based on progress made previously, with the aim of finalizing the trade deal expeditiously.
Diplomatic channels will be used to finalize the exact dates for the FTA discussions.
India’s trade relationship with the UK has been steadily growing, with exports to the UK rising by 12.38% from April to September 2024, reaching $7.32 billion, compared to $6.51 billion in the same period in 2023.
Key export categories include mineral fuels, machinery, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals.
India sees the UK as a priority partner in achieving its ambitious $1 trillion export target by FY30, with exports to the UK expected to reach $30 billion by 2029-30.
Iran FM warns European powers against tabling IAEA resolution
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi warned three European powers against tabling a resolution critical of Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency ahead of its board meeting starting on Wednesday.
Araghchi during a conversation with his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot, “strongly condemned the decision of the three countries of Germany, France and the United Kingdom” in tabling the draft, warning it “will only complicate the matter further,” according to a statement by the ministry on Wednesday.
Not the right time to start cutting cables in Bangalore, says Director General, COAI
Delhi: Director General, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) Lt Gen Dr SP Kochhar said on Wednesday, “Bangalore is a premium city of India. It is a showcase city of India, the information technology (ICT) capital of India. So neither from our side nor from the government’s side, we should precipitate matters which put a blur on that image. Now with the GCC meetings happening there, this is not the right time to start cutting cables. This has been a perpetual problem maybe over a year where we’ve been trying to interface with the local government there. We’ve been asking them for permission to either regularise or permit us to take the fibre cable overground. The infrastructure in Bangalore is growing and you’ll find a lot of digging, etc. buildings coming up at different places. So there are existing fibre disrupted and cannot be dug up again because something else has come up there, or we have to provide communications to an area where taking the fibre underground will take time. And permissions are difficult to come by, but we have applied for permissions. Sometimes we have got the permissions, sometimes we haven’t. So we have to take it overground and we do apply for overground regularisation also…”
We are all happy that we can have this opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Modi, says Barbados PM Mia Amor Mottley
Georgetown, Guyana: Barbados PM Mia Amor Mottley said on Wednesday, “I think we are all happy that we can have this opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Modi. It is a historic moment for most of us in CARICOM to be able to meet with and have the CARICOM-India at the level of Heads of Government. The last time we met, was on the sidelines of UN General Assembly and this just speaks of the strength of the relationship between the two regions.”
Blitz raises Rs. 51 crore in series A funding to expand quick commerce operations
Blitz, a leading quick commerce (q-com) logistics enabler, has secured Rs. 51 crore in Series A funding, led by IvyCap Ventures.
The company plans to use the investment to strengthen its 60-minute delivery infrastructure and expand its dark store network across India’s top 20 cities.
The funding round also saw participation from existing investors India Quotient and Alteria Capital, as well as prominent angel investors, including Ramesh Bafna of Zepto, Siddharth from Snitch, Bestseller CEO Vinit Gautam, and Amitabh Suri, CEO of Arvind Fashion.
The capital will support Blitz in scaling its operations to meet the growing demand for rapid delivery services in the country.
‘A heartfelt thank you to the Indian community in Guyana’, Modi says
Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday took to his X account to appreciate the welcome he received from the Indian community based in Guyana.
“A heartfelt thank you to the Indian community in Guyana for their warm and spirited welcome. They have shown that distance is never a barrier to staying connected to one’s roots. Glad to see the community making a mark here across different sectors,” Modi said.
U.S. Embassy in Kyiv warns of potential air attack, advises Americans to prepare for shelter
The U.S. State Department announced on Wednesday that the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has received specific information about a potential significant air attack in the region.
The embassy will be temporarily closed, and U.S. citizens in Kyiv are being urged to be prepared to seek immediate shelter if an air alert is issued.
The embassy’s warning came alongside a statement on the status of the U.S.-Russia special emergency hotline. The Kremlin informed TASS news agency that the hotline is currently not in use.
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv is closely monitoring the situation and advises all American citizens to stay alert and follow local authorities’ instructions regarding safety measures.
Delhi High Court stays trial court proceedings against senior Congress leader P Chidambaram in Aircel-Maxis money laundering case
Source: Press Trust of India
Clash broke out between Congress and AAP workers at the polling booth of village Dera Pathana
Gurdaspur, Punjab: Clash broke out between Congress and AAP workers at the polling booth of village Dera Pathana. Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa also present at the spot.
Voting was going on in Punjab’s Dera Baba Nanak by-elections.
During the Meerapur assembly by-election, there was a clash between two parties near village Kakaroli, says Muzaffarnagar SSP
Muzaffarnagar SSP Abhishek Singh said on Wednesday, “During the Meerapur assembly by-election, there was a clash between two parties near village Kakaroli of police station area Kakaroli. Police reached the spot immediately and removed everyone using force. Peace is maintained at the spot and voting is going on in a free and fair manner.”
‘Confident this visit will deepen the friendship between our nations’, says Modi after landing in Guyana
PM Modi on Wednesday took to his official X account to extend his gratitude to the government of Guyana for a warm welcome.
“Landed in Guyana a short while ago. Gratitude to President Dr. Irfaan Ali, PM Mark Anthony Phillips, senior ministers and other dignitaries for coming to receive me at the airport. I am confident this visit will deepen the friendship between our nations,” Modi said.
I appeal to all the voters of Kedarnath Assembly to vote in large numbers, says Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami
Dehradun: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Wednesday, “I appeal to all the voters of Kedarnath Assembly to vote in large numbers. Provide your cooperation in speeding up the development work going on in Kedarnath. Voting is also taking place in Maharashtra and Jharkhand today. I appeal to all the voters there to participate in the voting and form a double-engine government.”
Argentina football team, featuring Lionel Messi, to play in Kerala next year, says Kerala sports minister
Earthquake of magnitude 4.7 strikes Andaman Sea
Iran warns European powers against submitting IAEA resolution against Tehran
A resolution against Iran pushed for by three European powers at the UN nuclear watchdog board of governors meeting will “complicate matters”, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told his French counterpart, the foreign ministry said on its Telegram channel on Wednesday.
Guyana and Barbados to confer their top awards to PM Narendra Modi
Guyana and Barbados to confer their top awards to PM Narendra Modi. Guyana will confer its highest national award, “The Order of Excellence” on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Barbados will confer the prestigious Honorary Order of Freedom of Barbados.
Iran Foreign Minister Araqchi to France’s Barrot: European resolution draft contradicts ‘positive atmosphere’ created between Iran and UN nuclear watchdog, will complicate matters
Tehran warns France, Germany and Britain about submitting resolution against Iran at IAEA board of governors meeting.
Punjab and Haryana High Court grants parole for 3 hours to death row convict Balwant Singh Rajoan
Punjab and Haryana High Court granted parole for 3 hours to death row convict Balwant Singh Rajoana, imprisoned for his involvement in the 1995 assassination of Punjab’s former chief minister Beant Singh, to attend the antim ardas of his brother Kulwant Singh Rajoana.
PM Narendra Modi presented with the ‘Key to the City’ of Georgetown
PM Modi enjoys a cultural event organised in his honour in Guyana | Watch
BJP can’t win even one seat through honesty. People are tired of them, says SP MP Ram Gopal Yadav
Saifai, Etawah: On UP Assembly by-elections, SP MP Ram Gopal Yadav said on Wednesday, “BJP can’t win even one seat through honesty. People are tired of them. Law and order has collapsed. Due to divisive policies, everyone is sad…But if the CM of a state thinks that they will win elections by speaking such things, then he didn’t learn any lesson from Lok Sabha elections…Trends will be in the favour of SP. We will win most of the seats…INDIA alliance will win both Maharashtra and Jharkhand. The slogan (batoge toh katoge) has ousted BJP from Maharashtra, it won’t work.”
PM Modi Guyana State Visit Live News Updates: After Brazil, Modi starts his state visit to Guyana
PM Modi is on a 2-day visit to Guyana.
During his visit, PM Modi will hold a bilateral with President Mohamed Irfaan Ali and will address a special sitting of Guyana’s parliament.
He will also join leaders from the Caribbean partner countries for the 2nd India-CARICOM Summit
When the ‘Maha Vasooli Aghadi’ was in the government, they used to extort money by placing bombs under the houses of industrialists, claims BJP’s Shehzad Poonawaala
On allegations against Supriya Sule and Nana Patole, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said on Wednesday, “…When the ‘Maha Vasooli Aghadi’ was in the government, they used to extort money by placing bombs under the houses of industrialists. Now that they are out of the government, their nature has not changed. They still have a thirst for extortion that they even did a scam in cryptocurrency. There were some wallets of cryptocurrency, which are said to have thousands of crores of rupees… The only question is that some people have done the work of bringing out such a big expose with proof. So Nana Patole, who is in the main role in this, is not able to say a single word. What is the meaning of Nana Patole’s silence? Nana Patole should have come and clarified everything. There should be a detailed investigation into this entire matter and the truth should come out…”
Modi receives warm welcome by Guyana counterpart, PM Grenada Dickon Mitchell
PM Modi received by President of Guyana Irfaan Ali, PM of Grenada Dickon Mitchell, PM of Barbados Mia Mottley along with four ministers from Guyana at a hotel in Georgetown.
6.03% voter turnout recorded till 9 am for the Lok Sabha by-elections to Nanded, Maharashtra
Source: ANI
Ukraine’s air defence units trying to repel Russia’s air attacks on Kyiv, Ukraine’s military says
Trump says he is not reconsidering Gaetz nomination for attorney general
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he was not reconsidering the nomination of former Congressman Matt Gaetz as attorney general.
Trump, asked if he was reconsidering the nomination, replied “No.” He was speaking in Texas after the launch of a rocket by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
Trump did not respond when asked how far he was willing to go to get Gaetz confirmed.
50 per cent staff of Delhi govt offices to work from home in view of pollution: Env minister Gopal Rai.
US envoy says end to Israel-Hezbollah war ‘within grasp’
US special envoy Amos Hochstein said Tuesday in Beirut that an end to the Israel-Hezbollah war was “now within our grasp” as he met officials to discuss a truce plan largely endorsed by Lebanon.
The United States and France have spearheaded efforts for a ceasefire, which escalated in late September after nearly a year of deadly exchanges between Hezbollah and Israeli troops.
Israel expanded the focus of its operations from Gaza to Lebanon, vowing to secure its northern border to allow tens of thousands of people displaced by the cross-border fire to return home.
After meeting with Hezbollah-allied parliament speaker Nabih Berri, who has led mediation on behalf of the group, Hochstein told reporters he saw “a real opportunity” to end the fighting.
Manipur violence: “Today, I stand here with profound sadness and anger to condemn the horrific killings of three innocent children and three innocent women by the Kuki terrorists after being taken hostages in Jiribam. Such barbaric acts have no place in any civilised society. Let me assure you that the hunt for these terrorists is currently underway. We will not rest until they are held accountable for their actions,” says Manipur CM N Biren Singh
Southeast Asian defense chiefs meet in Laos as maritime disputes with China are flaring
Southeast Asian defense chiefs and representatives are meeting in the Laotian capital on Wednesday for security talks at a time of increasing maritime disputes with China in the Asia-Pacific and as the transition to a new U.S. president looms.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was set to join the meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations defense ministers in Vientiane, where many will be looking for assurances ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s return to power in January.
Austin just wrapped up meetings in Australia with officials there and Japan’s defense minister, where they pledged their ongoing support for ASEAN and their “serious concern about destabilizing actions in the East and South China Seas, including dangerous conduct by the People’s Republic of China against Philippines and other coastal state vessels.”
In addition to the United States, other nations attending the two-day ASEAN meetings include Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and China.
Trump expected to name his Treasury secretary pick as soon as Wednesday, CNN reports
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will name who he has picked to be Treasury secretary as soon as Wednesday, CNN reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter. No one has been has been chosen yet for the role, CNN also reported.
India reaffirms call for dialogue, diplomacy in Russia-Ukraine conflict: Foreign Secretary Misri
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, “The fundamental position of India and our approach towards the conflict (Russia-Ukraine) has not changed in any way. We continue to call for a way to end this conflict through a return to dialogue and diplomacy by discussions directly if need be between the two sides and for the international community to play a supportive role in this regard. Obviously, we would be concerned by any kind of escalation that would threaten more damage and loss of life and destruction to property that has been caused. India’s position on the possible use of nuclear weapons in this conflict has also been made clear in the past and there is no change in that.”
Trump says he picks former small business administration head Linda McMahon for education secretary
West continues to use Ukraine as tool for strategic defeat of Russia, Kremlin says
The West continues to use Ukraine as a tool to defeat Russia, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, told Russia’s RIA state news agency in remarks published on Wednesday.
“Western politicians continue their line of inflicting a strategic defeat on our country,” Peskov told RIA, commenting on reports that Washington has allowed Ukraine to use U.S.-made weapons to strike deep into Russia.
“And, of course, they use Ukraine as a tool in their hands to achieve these goals.”
If US cuts military funding to Ukraine, ‘we will lose’: Zelensky
US envoy says end to Israel-Hezbollah war ‘within grasp’
US special envoy Amos Hochstein said Tuesday in Beirut that an end to the Israel-Hezbollah war was “now within our grasp” as he met officials to discuss a truce plan largely endorsed by Lebanon.
The United States and France have spearheaded efforts for a ceasefire, which escalated in late September after nearly a year of deadly exchanges between Hezbollah and Israeli troops.
Israel expanded the focus of its operations from Gaza to Lebanon, vowing to secure its northern border to allow tens of thousands of people displaced by the cross-border fire to return home.
After meeting with Hezbollah-allied parliament speaker Nabih Berri, who has led mediation on behalf of the group, Hochstein told reporters he saw “a real opportunity” to end the fighting.
G20 highlights role of digital public infrastructure and AI in advancing SDGs, welcomes global DPI Summit outcomes
Accelerating progress towards the SDGs requires inclusive digital transformation. The experiences of several G20 countries have demonstrated that well-designed digital public infrastructure (DPI) augmented by artificial intelligence (AI) can enable the use of data for development, creating new jobs and delivering better health and education outcomes. Their adoption by G20 countries more widely has the potential to radically transform the lives of citizens thereby renewing their faith in vibrant democratic principles. In this context, we recall the adoption of the Global Digital Compact at the UN Summit of the Future. We also welcome the Global DPI Summit held in Cairo, Egypt in 2024: MEA
Rafael Nadal’s last match is a loss to van de Zandschulp as Spain fails to advance in Davis Cup
Rafael Nadal’s last match as a professional was a 6-4, 6-4 loss to No. 80 Botic van de Zandschulp in the Davis Cup as Spain was eliminated by the Netherlands on Tuesday.
Spain lost 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the team event that marked the last tournament for Nadal after more than 20 years on tour and 22 Grand Slam titles.
US envoy says end to Israel-Hezbollah war ‘within grasp’
US special envoy Amos Hochstein said Tuesday in Beirut that an end to the Israel-Hezbollah war was “now within our grasp” as he met officials to discuss a truce plan largely endorsed by Lebanon.
The United States and France have spearheaded efforts for a ceasefire, which escalated in late September after nearly a year of deadly exchanges between Hezbollah and Israeli troops.
Israel expanded the focus of its operations from Gaza to Lebanon, vowing to secure its northern border to allow tens of thousands of people displaced by the cross-border fire to return home.
After meeting with Hezbollah-allied parliament speaker Nabih Berri, who has led mediation on behalf of the group, Hochstein told reporters he saw “a real opportunity” to end the fighting.
Israel seizes weapons found beneath Lebanese schoolyard
Israeli soldiers seized a weapons cache located beneath a schoolyard in southern Lebanon, the Israel Defense Forces disclosed on Tuesday.
The weapons were found in an underground Hezbollah facility tens of meters long. Rockets, explosive charges, rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons were seized.
The army added that soldiers also captured rocket launchers, anti-tank missiles, military equipment, and intelligence documents in a nearby building.
On Monday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed not to allow the Iran-backed Hezbollah return to its pre-war strength.
Australia, India to boost cooperation on renewables, defence, says Albanese
Australia will partner with India to boost investment in renewable energy, including solar manufacturing, battery and mineral processing, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a meeting with his Indian counterpart on the G20 sidelines.
Australia and India will also look to enhance defence and maritime security cooperation, Albanese said in a meeting with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday.
The two countries, along with the United States and Japan, are members of the Quad, which has sought to balance China’s rising military and economic clout in the Indo Pacific region.
Australia was the largest producer per capita of rooftop solar in the world, and projects with India will include training a rooftop solar workforce as India seeks to boost household use of renewables, Albanese said.
MSF suspends activities in Port-au-Prince: statement
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced Tuesday it was ceasing its activities in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince after “violence and threats from police,” just over a week after two of its patients were shot and killed.
After “serious threats against its staff by members of the Haitian police force, MSF has been forced to suspend its activities in Port-au-Prince until further notice,” said a press release from the NGO.
Joe Biden approves antipersonnel mines for Ukraine: Report
US President Joe Biden has approved antipersonnel mines for Ukraine, as reported by the Washington Post.