Latest news LIVE: ED attaches assets worth Rs 2,747 cr in ABG Shipyard case

From Covid to the Russia-Ukraine war, catch all the latest news development here

3:02 PM

Several injured, unconscious as thousands rush for India-Aus match tickets in Hyderabad

At least 20 people fell unconscious and several people were injured after a pandemonium broke out at the Secunderabad Gymkhana Grounds on Thursday.

 

Police had to resort to lathi charge as close to 30,000 people thronged to purchase tickets for the India-Australia cricket match slated for September 25.

 

The Hyderabad Cricket Association had organised ticket sales at the Gymkhana Grounds for the match to be held at the Uppal stadium in the city. From early morning itself, people were seen standing in serpentine queues for the tickets.

 

 

2:58 PM

India discusses cooperation among IBSA countries in various multilateral fora, including UN, WTO and G20

India has discussed ways to step up cooperation among IBSA countries in various multilateral fora, including the UN, WTO and G20, on major issues of in the international agenda.

 

The IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) has emerged as a key tripartite grouping for the promotion of cooperation in a range of areas.

 

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday hosted the 10th India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Trilateral Ministerial Commission Meeting along with Brazil's Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Alberto Franco França and Dr. Joe Phaahla, Minister of Health of the Republic of South Africa.

2:44 PM

BJP spent over Rs 340 cr on poll campaign in five states, maximum expenditure in UP

The Bharatiya Janata Party spent over Rs 340 crore in the assembly polls in five states held earlier this year, while the Congress shelled out more than Rs 194 crore for its campaigning in these states, according to the election expenditure reports of the two parties.

 

According to the report filed by the BJP and put in public domain by the Election Commission, the party spent more than Rs 340 crore on its campaigns for the Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Goa and Punjab assembly elections held early this year.

2:31 PM

Pakistan’s former PM Imran Khan to resume push for early election

Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan plans to resume his push for snap elections in the South Asian nation even as he faces legal worries that could derail his political career.

 

On Wednesday, Khan asked his supporters to prepare for the new protest -- the “True Freedom” movement -- which would start Saturday. He gave no other details. In the past, the former leader has held large public rallies and urged his supporters to march to the capital Islamabad.

2:20 PM

SpiceJet hikes salary of section of pilots after getting ECLGS funds

SpiceJet has hiked salary of its captains and senior first officers by around 20 per cent from October as it gets the first tranche of funds under the government's credit guarantee scheme, according to an internal communication.

 

The loss-making Ajay Singh-promoted carrier is also expected to deposit TDS of all employees in next two to three weeks, as per the communication sent to the airline pilots on Wednesday.

 

The communication to the airline pilots came on the day it sent 80 of its cockpit crew on Leave Without Pay for three months and aviation regulator DGCA announced that it has extended the 50 per cent restrictions on its flights till October 29.

2:02 PM

ED attaches assets worth Rs 2,747.69 cr in ABG Shipyard Limited case

Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth Rs 2,747.69 crore in ABG Shipyard Limited case. The attached assets include Shipyard at Surat and Dahej located in Gujarat, agricultural lands and plots, various commercial and residential premises in Gujarat and Maharashtra, says the ED.
 

 

1:56 PM

"Will never surrender", says PFI after NIA-ED raids at party offices across 11 states

The Popular Front of India on Thursday, while condemning the raids by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against its leaders, stated that it will "never surrender" and alleged that the agency's claims are aimed at "creating an atmosphere of terror".

A total of 106 Popular Front of India (PFI) cadres were arrested on Thursday in a joint operation conducted by the National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate and state police forces across 11 states in the country's multiple locations, according to the sources.

Issuing a statement against it, PFI's National Executive Council (NEC) said, "NEC has condemned the national wide raids by the NIA and ED and the unjust arrests and the harassments of its National and state leaders across India and the witch-hunting against the members, and supporters of the organization."

1:53 PM

New York retains top position, Moscow sinks in financial centres ranking

New York remains far and away the world's most favoured financial centre, with London still second and Singapore overtaking Hong Kong to come in third, latest rankings from the Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI) showed on Thursday.

Paris returned to the top 10 to replace Tokyo, but Moscow sank 22 places to 73rd as Western countries severed ties with the capital after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, GFCI said.

GFCI, compiled by Z/Yen, a City of London think tank, and the China Development Institute, rated 119 centres using 66,121 assessments from 11,038 financial professionals, and quantitative data.

New York has held the top position among global financial centres ranked by GFCI for four years, overtaking London.

 

1:31 PM

HC allows Uddhav-led Shiv Sena to amend plea to challenge BMC decision refusing permission for Dussehra rally

The Bombay High Court on Thursday permitted the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena to amend its petition to challenge the Mumbai civic body's decision refusing them permission to hold their annual Dussehra rally at the iconic Shivaji Park in Mumbai.

 

A division bench of Justices R D Dhanuka and Kamal Khata said it would hear the petition on Friday.

The court will also hear the application filed by MLA Sada Sarvankar, belonging to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's faction, opposing the Thackeray-led Sena's petition.

 

1:29 PM

Maha: Why no resignations before joining hands with Cong, NCP, Fadnavis asks Uddhav

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday countered Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's suggestion that the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Eknath Shinde faction of the SS resign and face civic and Assembly polls "within a month".

 

Speaking to reporters at the airport here, Fadnavis asked if Thackeray's legislators had resigned and faced the electorate afresh after he broke the alliance with the BJP post the 2019 Assembly polls and joined hands with the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress.

 

1:26 PM

Russia-Ukraine war dominates discussions with 150 mentions at UNGA meet

After two years of discourse dominated by the coronavirus pandemic, this year's UN General Assembly has a new occupant of centre stage: the war in Ukraine.

The pleas made by leaders from around the world for peace were both an altruistic amplification of besieged Ukrainians' plight as well as born from self-interest.

As several speeches made clear, the repercussions of the Russian invasion have been felt even thousands of miles away.

It is not just the dismay that we feel at seeing such deliberate devastation of cities and towns in Europe in the year 2022. We are feeling this war directly in our lives in Africa, Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said on Wednesday.

"Every bullet, every bomb, every shell that hits a target in Ukraine, hits our pockets and our economies in Africa.

The speeches that elided any direct reference to the conflict were few, but the war resonated even in the absence of its direct invocation. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the president of Kazakhstan, never let the words Ukraine or Russia slip from his lips, but he made several seemingly pointed allusions.

 

12:57 PM

Amit Shah holds meet to discuss action against PFI, terror suspects

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday held a meeting wherein the ongoing searches at premises linked to the Popular Front of India and action against terror suspects, were believed to have been discussed, officials said.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Director General of National Investigation Agency (NIA) Dinkar Gupta were among the top officials who attended the high-level meeting.

Shah is said to have took stock of the action taken against the terror suspects and activists of the Popular Front of India (PFI) across the country, an official said.

In near simultaneous raids across the length and breadth of the country, a multi-agency operation spearheaded by the NIA on Thursday led to the arrest of 106 activists of the PFI in 11 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country.

 

12:44 PM

RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat meets muslim intellectuals, discusses religious harmony

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday, met many Muslim intellectuals including Chief Imam, Dr Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi.

As per sources close to RSS, issues like the Hijab controversy, Gyanvapi and maintenance of peace and harmony among religions were discussed in the meeting.

Other than Bhagwat, senior RSS members including Dr Krishna Gopal, Indresh Kumar, Ramlal and Karish Kumar also participated in today's meeting.

12:43 PM

PFI planning protest marches across TN against NIA raids

Shocked by early morning raids across the country, the Popular Front of India (PFI) is planning protest marches across Tamil Nadu on Thursday.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids in many places across Tamil Nadu. The raids are part of a nationwide search and raid operation against the PFI in various parts of the country.

NIA sources told IANS that 106 Popular Front leaders were taken into custody since the early morning raids across the country. The National President of the organisation, O.M.A. Salam and its General secretary, Naseerudin Elamaram were among those who have been taken into custody.

12:34 PM

India defends decision to ban rice, wheat exports at WTO meeting

India has defended its decision to ban export of wheat and rice at a WTO meeting even as some member countries have flagged concerns over the country's stand, an official said.

At a meeting last week in Geneva, Senegal, the US and the European Union raised questions over this decision, stating it could have adverse implications on global markets.

In May, India restricted export of wheat to enhance domestic availability. This month, it also banned export of broken rice and imposed a 20 per cent export duty on non-Basmati rice except for parboiled rice to boost domestic supplies amid a fall in area under paddy crop in the current kharif season.

Defending its decision, India clarified that the ban on export of broken rice, which is used in poultry feed, follows a rise in the grain's exports in recent months which put pressure on the domestic market.

 

12:10 PM

CM Mann holds AAP's meeting after Punjab assembly session gets cancelled

A meeting of AAP legislators chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is here underway on Thursday to discuss the next strategy after the governor cancelled the special session of the state assembly called to bring a confidence motion.

AAP legislators on Thursday morning reached the assembly complex for the meeting.

A meeting of the Punjab Cabinet has also been called after the MLAs meeting, party sources said.

Later, a march will also be taken out by the AAP legislators here, they said.

 

11:38 AM

Congress' election authority issues notification for AICC prez polls

The Congress’ central election authority issued a notification today for the AICC president polls. In the notification, the Chairman of the Central Election Authority Madhusudan Mistry announced the election of the president of the party to be held as per the given schedule.

Here's the full schedule of Congress president election:

Process for filing nominations for the election will be held from September 24 to 30

Date of scrutiny of the nomination papers on October 1

Last date of withdrawal of nominations is October 8

The election, if there is more than one candidate, will take place on October 17

The counting of votes and the declaration of results on October 19

 

11:34 AM

Cong's central election authority issues notification for AICC president polls

The Congress' central election authority on Thursday issued a notification for the AICC president polls, setting the ball rolling for electing the successor to the longest-serving party chief Sonia Gandhi.

In the notification issued, Chairman of the Central Election Authority Madhusudan Mistry, under the power vested in him by provision of Article XVIII of the Constitution of the Indian National Congress, announced the election of the president of the party to be held as per the given schedule.

According to the notification, the process for filing nominations for the election will be held from September 24 to 30.

11:24 AM

Odisha to invest Rs 400 crore to boost disaster management capacity

Faced with frequent natural calamities, Odisha has decided to invest Rs 400 crore to bolster the state's disaster management apparatus with modern equipment and intensive training of frontline units, officials said.

 

The move was discussed at the State Executive Committee meeting held under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary S C Mohapatra.

 

The investment would empower frontline agencies like the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and Fire Service personnel, Development Commissioner-cum-Special Relief Commissioner P K Jena said.

11:01 AM

Twitter fixes bug that left users' account logged in after password reset

Twitter has disclosed a bug that allowed accounts to stay logged in from multiple devices after a voluntary password reset, putting users' data at potential hacking risk.

The company said that it has fixed the bug that didn't close all active logged in sessions on Android and iOS devices after an account's password was reset.

'If you proactively changed your password on one device, but still had an open session on another device, that session may not have been closed. Web sessions were not affected and were closed appropriately,' the micro-blogging platform said in a statement late on Wednesday.

 

10:41 AM

Gates Foundation announces $1.27 bn aid for social issues, climate change

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has announced fresh financial assistance totalling USD 1.27 billion to address poverty and social inequalities at the end of its two-day event that saw the participation of over 300 young change-makers from across the globe.

The announcement on the financial commitment came over a week after the Foundation in its annual Goalkeepers report noted that nearly every indicator of the UN sustainable development goals are off track for achieving them by 2030.

Despite these challenges, the report highlighted opportunities to accelerate progress by investing in long-term solutions and innovative approaches to entrenched issues, including poverty, inequality, and climate change.

 

10:35 AM

PFI workers stage protest against NIA raids in Tamil Nadu, K'taka

In a major crackdown on the Popular Front of India (PFI), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids at eight places in Tamil Nadu in the early hours on Thursday.

NIA conducted searches at in the Madurai city area including Villapuram, Gomatipuram, and Kulamangalam.

More than 50 members of the PFI are protesting against the raids outside the party office in the Dindigul district.

10:32 AM

Rupee slumps to new low as Fed hikes rates, signals longer tightening cycle

The rupee weakened sharply against the US dollar, hitting a fresh low, as the greenback surged following a 75-basis-point rate hike by the Federal Reserve. The dollar’s strength was also amplified by indications from the Fed that its rate hike cycle would continue for longer than earlier expected.

The rupee hit a new low of 80.47 versus the US dollar in the first few minutes of trade on Thursday. The domestic currency, which was trading at 80.36 per dollar at 09:15 am IST, had settled at 79.98 per dollar on Wednesday.

The previous intraday low for the rupee was 80.13 per dollar on August 29. Read more

 

10:09 AM

Bombay HC to hear Shiv Sena's plea for Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park today

The Bombay High Court will on Thursday hear a petition filed by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena seeking permission to hold its annual Dussehra rally at the iconic Shivaji Park in central Mumbai on October 5.

The petition, seeking urgent hearing, was mentioned before a division bench of Justices R D Dhanuka and Kamal Khata on Wednesday.

The bench posted it for hearing on Thursday.

The plea said the party was constrained to approach the HC as the Mumbai civic body was yet to take a decision on their applications submitted in August seeking permission for the rally.

 

10:07 AM

Powell's stark message: Inflation fight may cause recession

The Federal Reserve delivered its bluntest reckoning on Wednesday of what it will take to finally tame painfully high inflation: Slower growth, higher unemployment and potentially a recession.

Speaking at a news conference, Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged what many economists have been saying for months: That the Fed's goal of engineering a soft landing in which it would manage to slow growth enough to curb inflation but not so much as to cause a recession looks increasingly unlikely.

The chances of a soft landing, Powell said, are likely to diminish as the Fed steadily raises borrowing costs to slow the worst streak of inflation in four decades.

10:07 AM

UK Foreign Secretary thanks India for "very senior representation" at Queen's funeral

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has expressed gratitude for the representation by Indian President Droupadi Murmu at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth, saying it was really noticed.

President Murmu attended the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey in London on Monday morning.

"I would like to say a huge thank you for the very very senior representation that India sent to Her Majesty the Queen's funeral. I had the opportunity to meet President Murmu and it was really noticed," Cleverly told PTI in an interview here on Wednesday on the margins of the high-level UN General Assembly session.

9:39 AM

Nearly 100 arrested in NIA's 'largest-ever' raids in 11 states over terror funding charges

As many as 106 activists of the Popular Front of India were arrested on Thursday in early morning raids by multi-agencies led by the National Investigation Agency, covering around 11 states, for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country, officials said.

The maximum number of arrests were made in Kerala (22) followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka (20 each), Andhra Pradesh (5), Assam (9), Delhi (3), Madhya Pradesh (4), Puducherry (3), Tamil Nadu (10), Uttar Pradesh (8) and Rajasthan (2).

According to the officials, the arrests were made during the raids which have been termed as the "largest-ever investigation process till date".

 

9:38 AM

Lalu, Nitish to meet Sonia soon for opposition unity ahead of 2024 LS polls

RJD chief Lalu Prasad has said that he along with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would soon meet Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, in an effort to unite opposition parties ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Prasad claimed that the BJP wants to disturb communal harmony in society to hide the real issues that people are facing.

I along with Nitish Kumar ji will meet Sonia (Gandhi) ji in Delhi. I will also meet Rahul Gandhi after completion of his padyatra'. The united opposition will throw the BJP out of power in the next Lok Sabha polls, Prasad said while addressing the party's state council meeting.

9:31 AM

Dollar towering, Asian stocks cowering as Fed interest rates jump higher

The dollar surged to a fresh two-decade high and Asian stocks hit a two-year low on Thursday as the prospect of U.S. interest rates rising further and faster than expected spooked investors.

The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark rate by 75 basis points on Wednesday, the third such rise in a row, and officials project rates hitting 4.4% this year - higher than markets had priced in before the meeting and 100 bps more than the Fed projected three months ago.

The dollar rose, short-dated bonds sold off and Wall Street fell overnight, with the moves extending into the Asia session.

9:13 AM

India's palm oil imports to jump 9% on rising demand, lower prices

India's palm oil imports in 2022/23 could jump 9% from a year earlier on a rise in domestic consumption and as competitive prices allow the tropical oil to regain its share in the world's biggest market, a Reuters survey showed on Wednesday.

The higher buying could help top producer Indonesia in bringing down ballooning inventories and support benchmark Malaysian palm oil prices, which have nearly halved from record highs earlier this year.

Palm oil imports in the new marketing year starting from Nov. 1 could rise to 8.4 million tonnes from 7.7 million tonnes this year, according to the average estimate of nine dealers and one industry official polled on the sidelines of the Globoil conference in Agra.