Latest news LIVE: 247 arrested in second round of nationwide raids on PFI

3:01 PM

Tejashwi takes jibes at Amit Shah on his Purnea airport statement

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday took a dig at Home Minister Amit Shah over his statement that Purnea airport is nearing completion and would be functional shortly.

 

"Since the Purnea airport is almost ready as per our home minister, please arrange for two tickets -- Mr Shah and me -- ," he said in an apparent wisecrack on the BJP leader.

 

The RJD leader was returning to Patna after participating in the Samman rally in Fatehabad when the reporters asked him whether he had been to the Purnea airport.

3:01 PM

Chess: World Champion Carlsen accuses Niemann of cheating

Chess World Champion Magnus Carlsen has accused fellow Grandmaster Hans Niemann of cheating "more and more" than what he has already admitted, saying that he will not play against any rival indulging in such wrongdoing.

 

Carlsen put out a statement late Monday night, a week after he withdrew against the American after just one move at the Julius Baer Generation Cup.

 

Earlier, the 31-year-old Norwegian had quit the Sinquefield Cup in Saint Louis following his surprise defeat against Niemann.

 

"I believe that Niemann has cheated more and more recently- than he has publicly admitted," Carlsen wrote

2:53 PM

Shashi Tharoor to file nomination for post of Cong prez on Sept 30

Amid suspense over who could take on Shashi Tharoor in the Congress president polls, party's central election authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry on Tuesday said AICC treasurer Pawan Kumar Bansal has got nomination forms collected, adding that it may be for someone else.

 

Mistry also said a representative of Tharoor has informed his office that he will file nomination for the post of president on September 30 at 11 AM.

 

Speaking with reporters at his office at the AICC headquarters here, Mistry said he met party chief Sonia Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence on Tuesday and handed over her voter's ID card.

2:45 PM

JD(U) takes out processions across Bihar to caution people against BJP 'conspiracy'

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) on Tuesday took out processions across the state, urging people to be on guard against BJP's alleged politics of communalism.

 

In the state capital, JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan and parliamentary board chief Upendra Kushwaha were among those who took part in 'Satarkata Evam Jagarukta March'.

 

"Ours is a movement aimed at cautioning people against the conspiracy (saazish) of the BJP.

2:32 PM

ADB announces $14 bn support for food security in Asia Pacific

The ADB on Tuesday announced a $14 billion financial support towards the Asia Pacific region's food security, which is threatened by Russia-Ukraine war and global climatic conditions.

 

The funding is for the period 2022-2025.

 

The funding was announced by Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masatsugu Asakawa as part of the 55th ADB annual meeting, during a virtual press conference.

2:23 PM

Akhilesh Yadav set to be re-elected as SP chief

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav is all set to be re-elected as the party's national president for the third consecutive term at the party's national convention on Thursday in Lucknow.

 

Uttar Pradesh unit chief Naresh Uttam Patel is also likely to retain his post, SP sources said.

Akhilesh Yadav and Naresh Uttam were elected to the post they are holding at the SP's national convention in Agra on October 5, 2017.

2:19 PM

Have full faith in my 91 soldiers: Punjab CM after moving confidence motion

"I have full faith in my 91 soldiers (AAP MLAs)," says CM Bhagwant Mann after moving confidence motion in Punjab Assembly

 

2:03 PM

More than 30 alleged PFI activists detained in Delhi

Thirty people allegedly associated with the Popular Front of India (PFI) were detained after raids at  multiple locations, including Nizamuddin and Shaheen Bagh, here on Tuesday, as part of a crackdown against the outfit, police said.

 

The raids by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police began around 12.30 am on Tuesday and continued till early morning, they said.

 

"We have conducted raids at multiple locations in the national capital, including Shaheen Bagh and Nizamuddin. So, far we have detained 30 people associated with the PFI," a senior police officer said.

 

1:45 PM

Google India policy head Archana Gulati quits

Google India's government affairs and public policy head Archana Gulati, who had joined the tech giant just five months back after quitting government service, has resigned from her post, sources said.

 

An economics graduate and a Ph.D. from IIT-Delhi, Gulati was Joint Secretary (Digital Communications) at NITI Aayog, a government think tank that advises the Union government on policy, before she joined Google India.

 

Sources aware of the matter said Gulati has resigned from Google India.

1:44 PM

Amit Shah lays foundation stone of 750-bed hospital in Gujarat today

Union Home Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation stone of a modern 750-bed hospital in Gujarat's Gandhinagar on Tuesday.

The hospital is under construction by Kutch Radiology and Imaging Centre (KRIC). Shah also laid the foundation stone of the hospital around 10.30 am on Tuesday at KRIC College Campus in Gandhinagar's Kalol city.

The hospital is learnt to have many modern facilities including OPD, indoor facilities, X-ray, radiology, laboratory, Operation Theatre, obstetrics, ICU and ultrasound.

1:42 PM

Sri Lanka looks to revive free trade deal with Singapore

Sri Lanka will step up efforts to revive a stalled free trade pact with Singapore, President Ranil Wickremesinghe told the city state's premier on Tuesday, his office said in a statement.

 

The leader of the crisis-hit Indian Ocean nation met Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Japan on the sidelines of a state funeral for Shinzo Abe, the former prime minister assassinated in July.

 

1:39 PM

SC constitutes fourth Constitution Bench

The Supreme Court has constituted one more Constitution Bench, which will hear matters pending before 5-judge benches.

The new bench comprises Justices S Abdul Nazeer, BR Gavai, AS Bopanna, V Ramasubramanian and BV Nagarathna. The bench will sit tomorrow to consider five cases

1:33 PM

Gehlot shouldn't be CM if he decides to contest for Congress prez post: Sachin Pilot

Congress MLA Sachin Pilot has told the Congress high command that Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot should not remain CM if he decides to contest for the party president post & that it is his responsibility to bring MLAs together, reports ANI

1:31 PM

Rajnath Singh reviews preparations for forthcoming DefExpo 2022

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today reviewed the preparations for the forthcoming DefExpo 2022 at a meeting in New Delhi. During the meeting, the Raksha Mantri was briefed by officials about the extensive arrangements being made by multiple stakeholders for the event, says the Ministry of Defence 

 

1:30 PM

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann tables confidence motion

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann tables confidence motion in state Assembly

 

1:25 PM

Sri Lanka looks to revive free trade deal with Singapore

Sri Lanka will step up efforts to revive a stalled free trade pact with Singapore, President Ranil Wickremesinghe told the city state's premier on Tuesday, his office said in a statement.

 

The leader of the crisis-hit Indian Ocean nation met Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Japan on the sidelines of a state funeral for Shinzo Abe, the former prime minister assassinated in July.

 

1:25 PM

ICAO signs an MoU with International Solar Alliance, says Scindia

"A proud moment for India as ICAO signs an MoU with the International Solar Alliance, an initiative first proposed by PM Narendra Modi. Jointly hosted by India and France, the event marks a new dawn for the use of solar energy in the global civil aviation sector," says Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia

1:23 PM

Congress MLAs supporting Sachin Pilot arrive at his residence in Jaipur

Congress MLAs supporting Sachin Pilot for Chief Minister's post arrive at his residence in Jaipur 

The party's top leadership is restructuring the organisation for the 2023 elections here. Top leadership will decide (CM face): MLA Khiladi Lal Bairwa 

1:06 PM

PM Modi pays floral tribute to former Japanese premier Abe at his state funeral

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday offered a floral tribute to former Japanese premier Shinzo Abe at his state funeral in Tokyo.

 

Representatives from over 100 countries, including more than 20 heads of state and governments, attended Abe's funeral.

 

Modi, who arrived here early in the morning, joined several global leaders to pay tributes to the former prime minister who reshaped Japan's foreign policy, including setting out a bold vision for a quantum leap in ties with India.

12:43 PM

Magnus Carlsen courts controversy, calls Niemann a cheat, says not willing to play against him

A day after world No.1 chess player Magnus Carlsen crushed India's Arjun Erigaisi to clinch the Julius Baer Generation Cup -- the seventh leg of the USD1.6 million Meltwater Champions Chess Tour -- and broke the 2900 Tour Rating barrier, the world champion shed light on him sensationally quitting his game against American star Hans Niemann after playing just one move in the preliminary stage of the tournament on September 19, saying it was because his opponent had "cheated".

 

In a statement posted on social media, Carlsen, who had caused a wave of shock when he pulled out of a match for the second time in two weeks, seemingly in protest at alleged cheating by his opponent, said, "At the 2022 Sinquefield Cup, I made the unprecedented professional decision to withdraw from the tournament after my round three game against Hans Niemann. A week later during the Champions Chess Tour, I resigned against Hans Niemann after playing only one move.

 

"I know that my actions have frustrated many in the chess community. I'm frustrated. I want to play chess. I want to continue to play chess at the highest level in the best events," said Carlsen, terming cheating an "existential threat" to the sport.

 

"I believe that cheating in chess is a big deal and an existential threat to the game."

 

12:43 PM

Punjab CM to bring confidence motion: Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will on Tuesday bring a confidence motion in the state assembly, Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said.

 

Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Sunday gave his nod to convene the House on September 27 after days of squabble between the Raj Bhavan and AAP government over holding a session of the state assembly.

 

12:38 PM

Punjab CM Mann to bring confidence motion in Assembly today

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann to bring confidence motion in state Assembly today, says Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan

 

12:30 PM

PFI raids: 247 arrested nationwide so far

At least 247 people have been arrested across the nation so far in the second round of raids on the Popular Front of India (PFI). Raids are being done across Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Delhi, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.

 

12:26 PM

Sena vs Sena case in historic first for SC's livestream hearing

The Supreme Court for the first time live-streamed a hearing of a Constitution bench, headed by Justice DY Chandrachud. The bench was heard the matter related to the Maharashtra political crisis on several petitions filed by both Shiv Sena factions -- led by former CM Uddhav Thackeray and CM Eknath Shinde.

12:25 PM

Hurricane Ian lashes Cuba, aims at Florida as possible Category 4

A strengthening Hurricane Ian's rain and winds lashed Cuba's western tip, where authorities have evacuated 50,000 people, as it roared on a path that could see it hit Florida's west coast as a Category 4 hurricane.

Officials in Cuba's Pinar del Rio province set up 55 shelters, rushed in emergency personnel and took steps to protect crops in Cuba's main tobacco-growing region ahead of Ian's expected landfall early on Tuesday as a major hurricane.

The US National Hurricane Centre said the island's west coast could see as much as 14 feet (4.3 metres) of storm surge.

Cuba is expecting extreme hurricane-force winds, also life-threatening storm surge and heavy rainfall, hurricane centre senior specialist Daniel Brown told The Associated Press.

12:09 PM

7 in 10 cybersecurity professionals losing battle against hackers

Nearly seven in 10 cyber-security professionals globally, including from India, lament that they are losing ground against the growing breed of hackers and nation-state bad actors, a report showed on Tuesday.

Nearly 82 per cent of them estimated their organisation lost up to 10 per cent of revenue from security breaches in the last 12 months.

Only 6 per cent of Indian organisations are working with a fully integrated security model, with another 12 per cent in the process of changing their siloed set-up, according to research by cyber-security firm Trellix.

12:05 PM

Pak PM Sharif summons NSC meet to discuss audio leaks from PMO

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on Wednesday to deliberate on the audio leaks from the Prime Minister's Office that has trigged a controversy with the Opposition demanding his resignation.

 

A slew of audio recordings featuring confidential conversations of the prime minister with high-government officials surfaced on social media last week, raising questions about the security of the highest office of the country.

11:52 AM

Kamala Harris to visit DMZ during South Korea trip

During her trip to South Korea this week, US Vice President Kamala Harris will visit the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that separated the two Koreas, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo announced on Tuesday.

Han made the remarks during a meeting with Harris in Tokyo before they attended the state funeral of late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, reports Yonhap News Agency.

Han said the planned visit by Harris to the DMZ on Thursday is a "symbolic" move for the South Korea-US alliance.

11:39 AM

SC Collegium recommends elevation of Justice Dipankar Datta to top court judge

Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the elevation of Justice Dipankar Datta, Chief Justice of Bombay High Court as Judge of the Supreme Court.

 

11:22 AM

Tense Japan holds funeral for assassinated ex-leader Abe

A rare and controversial state funeral for assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe began Tuesday in tense Japan where the event for one of the country's most divisive leaders has deeply split public opinion.

Abe's widow, Akie Abe, in a black formal kimono, walked slowly into the Budokan hall venue carrying an urn containing her husband's ashes, placed in a wooden box and wrapped in a purple cloth with gold stripes. Defence soldiers in white uniforms took Abe's ashes and placed them on a pedestal filled with white and yellow chrysanthemum flowers and decorations.

Government, parliamentary and judicial representatives, including Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, will make condolence speeches, followed by Akie Abe.