From Florida airport shooting to GDP growth forecast: 5 key developments

In other news, EPFO makes Aadhaar mandatory for its pensioners, members

Business Standard brings to you a list of five key developments across the country.

Shooting at Florida airport

At least five persons were killed after a gunman opened fire at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida on Friday, officials said. The shooter has been taken into custody. The motive for the attack is yet to be known, according to law enforcement officials, CNBC reported. All flights were grounded and additional areas of the airport were being evacuated. The Broward County sheriff's office tweeted that there were unconfirmed reports of additional shots fired on airport property and it was conducting an active search.

Veteran actor Om Puri passes away
 

Veteran Indian actor Om Puri died on Friday morning of a heart attack at his residence here, a family friend said. He was 66. Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, who was going to direct the actor in his new movie, told IANS over phone: "It is a very sad news. Om Puriji passed away after a heart attack today morning. He was at his home." "His body of work in the Indian film industry has been tremendous across the commercial and parallel genres. We've lost a great talent."

Aadhaar made mandatory for EPFO members

Retirement fund body EPFO has made it mandatory for its about 50 lakh pensioners and around four crore subscribers to provide either Aadhaar or a proof that they have applied for it till month-end to remain the beneficiary of its social security schemes. "At present it is the correct position that the pensioners as well as members would have to provide Aadhaar or enrolment slips by January 31, 2017, to continue services provided by the EPFO," Employees' Provide Fund Organisation's Central Provident Fund Commissioner V P Joy told PTI.

Bahadur Ali chargesheet

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a charge sheet at the NIA Special Court against Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Bahadur Ali in a case related to a conspiracy hatched by the LeT to commit terror attacks in India. "NIA has filed a charge sheet against Bahadur Ali, under sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), Explosives Act, Foreigners Act and Arms Act. Strong and clinching evidence has been found in the investigations regarding his involvement with LeT, his training in Pakistan and that in a very much organised manner he has been sent to India to carry out the terrorist attack," Inspector General of NIA, Alok Mittal said.

GDP growth to slow to 7.1% in 2016-17: CSO

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) projected India’s economic growth at an optimistic 7.1 per cent in 2016-17, lower than 7.6 per cent in the previous financial year. Economists expect a significant downward revision in the number once data for the months after November is made available. However, the finance ministry said the estimates are based on ‘real statistics’ and not ‘anecdotal evidence’.