LIVE: Assam CM speaks to PM Modi, Shah on clash at border with Mizoram

Farooq Abdullah's party linked the questioning to the recent move by him to bring together all J&K parties in a campaign for restoring special status. Stay tuned for Latest LIVE news

2:06 AM

UK says no to more EU trade talks, dashing earlier optimism

Britain sees no basis to resume trade talks with the European Union unless there is a fundamental change in approach from Brussels, chief negotiator David Frost said on Monday, dashing earlier optimism that negotiations could resume.

 

Earlier, Michael Gove, the minister overseeing Brexit, had said there was agreement on the need to intensify trade talks and work on legal texts, after the negotiations broke down last week.

1:57 AM

DU admission: Over 9,700 students apply under second cut off, 2,580 applications approved

1:20 AM

Biden: Trump's closing argument is anti-science

Joe Biden's campaign says President Donald Trump is using staunch opposition to science as his closing argument as Election Day looms.

 

During a campaign conference call on Monday, Trump called Dr. Anthony Fauci a disaster and other top infectious-disease scientists idiots. The president blamed them for what he argued was the nation's mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee, did not answer questions on Trump's comments as he left the taping of a television interview in Delaware on Monday.

1:16 AM

Wall Street slips as losses in Facebook, Amazon weigh

Wall Street's main indexes slipped on Monday as losses in tech-related heavyweights Facebook and Amazon eclipsed optimism on a coronavirus relief deal before the Nov. 3 presidential election.

 

US stocks had opened higher after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she was optimistic legislation could be pushed through before the election, but acknowledged an agreement would have to come by Tuesday for that to happen.

 

Last week the White House proposed a $1.8 trillion stimulus package to help Americans struggling with the economic ravages of the coronavirus pandemic, but Pelosi said the offer fell short in a range of areas and stuck to her demand for $2.2 trillion in aid.

 

"I do believe that both sides, even though two weeks before election, can see the way to getting some money back into unemployment programs," said Kim Forrest, Chief Investment Officer, Bokeh Capital Partners, Pittsburgh

12:58 AM

Trump says Sudan will be removed from terrorism list

President Donald Trump on Monday said Sudan will be removed from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, a move that would open the door for the African country to get the international loans and aid that are essential for reviving its battered economy and rescue the country's transition to democracy.

 

The decision was contingent on Sudan following through on its agreement to pay $335 million to US terror victims and families. The announcement came after Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin was in Bahrain to cement the Gulf state's recognition of Israel.

12:17 AM

Lawsuit accuses Indian hackers of leaking businessman's emails

Iranian-American businessman Farhad Azima has accused a pair of Indian companies of stealing his emails and publishing them to the web, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court in North Carolina.

 

Azima's suit alleges that Indian security company CyberRoot Risk Advisory and New Delhi-based BellTroX InfoTech Services carried out the hack-and-leak at the behest of American private intelligence company Vital Management Services, which in turn had been hired by the international law firm Dechert on behalf of the Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA), an investment fund based in the United Arab Emirates.

 

Reuters reported in June that BellTroX was at the center of a years-long hacking campaign that targeted more than 10,000 accounts across the globe, citing three former employees, outside researchers and a trail of online evidence.

12:16 AM

CAA to be implemented soon, TMC believes in divide and rule politics: Nadda

12:14 AM

It's not really that bad! Trump tries to buck up his team

President Donald Trump on Monday sought to buck up his campaign staffers two weeks from Election Day, dismissing the cautionary coronavirus advice of scientific experts as well as polling showing him trailing Democratic rival Joe Biden across key battleground states.

 

Speaking to campaign aides on a conference call, Trump insisted he believes he's going to win, volunteering he didn't have that sense of confidence two weeks ago when he was hospitalized with Covid-19.

 

One week since returning to the campaign trail, where his handling of the pandemic is a central issue to voters, Trump blasted his government's own scientists for their criticism of his performance.

12:13 AM

Resident doctors of NDMC hospitals meet mayor, give seven-point demand

11:53 PM

Philips growth spurred by Covid-19 demand and distant care

Health technology company Philips saw sales and profits jump in the third quarter, as the Covid-19 pandemic spurred demand for hospital equipment needed to help patients battling the disease.

 

Amsterdam-based Philips on Monday said comparable sales rose 10 per cent to 4.98 billion euros ($5.8 billion) in the July-September period, while core profits improved by almost a third to 769 million euros.

 

Profits and sales easily beat analysts' expectations, taking Philips shares up 2.9 per cent at 0800 GMT in Amsterdam.

 

Growth was mainly driven by a 42 per cent increase in sales at the connected care division, which makes monitoring and respiratory care devices used to treat Covid-19 patients and other appliances which allow carers to work remotely.

11:51 PM

BJP did everything to divide and rule India: Derek O'Brien

After BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda accused the Mamata Banerjee government of "divide and rule" policy during his public address in Siliguri on Monday, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O'Brien issued a public statement on Twitter saying the BJP did everything to "divide and rule" India in over six years of its rule.

 

"The irony is not lost when the President of the BJP talks about 'divide and rule'. 'Divide and rule' is a ploy learnt from the colonial past and played out deviously every day by your party. Over the last six years, your party had done everything it can to 'divide and rule' people of this great nation," O'Brien said in a statement addressed to Nadda.

 

He said his party did a fact check of Nadda's latest public address in the state and found 'gaping holes' in it.

11:50 PM

Brexit brinkmanship: UK says no to more EU trade talks

Britain sees no basis to resume trade talks with the European Union unless there is a fundamental change in approach from Brussels, chief negotiator David Frost said on Monday, dashing earlier optimism that negotiations could resume.

 

Earlier, Michael Gove, the minister overseeing Brexit, had said there was agreement on the need to intensify trade talks and work on legal texts, after the negotiations broke down last week.

 

The two sides are each pressing the other to move first in the high-stakes talks on a deal to protect billions of pounds worth of trade once Britain ends a status quo arrangement with the EU on Jan 1

10:25 PM

Chief of Army Staff Gen MM Naravane visits Ambala-based Kharga Corps and reviewed its security and operational preparedness: Officials

9:17 PM

Assam-Mizoram border clashes: Centre asks both the state governments to resolve their border dispute amicably and restore peace, say officials

9:00 PM

CBI books BSP MLA, wife for over Rs 750 cr bank fraud

The CBI has booked BSP MLA Vinay Shankar Tiwari and his wife Rita Tiwari in a case of alleged fraud of Rs 754.24 crore in a Bank of India-led consortium, officials said Monday.

 

The team booked Tiwari, who is MLA from Chillupar (Gorakhpur) in Uttar Pradesh, his wife Rita, a company named Gangotri Enterprises and its Director Ajit Pandey, they said. They carried out searches in Lucknow and Noida on Monday including the Lucknow office of Gangotri Enterprises and Tiwari's residence, the officials said.

 

Tiwari is the son of former minister and strongman from Gorakhpur Hari Shankar Tiwari.

 

The agency also searched the residence of Pandey and the office of another company Royal Empire Marketing Ltd in Noida, they said.

8:55 PM

New education policy will arrest brain drain: Pokhriyal

Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' on Monday said the new national educational policy will help arrest brain drain and give a boost to research in higher education institutes.

 

He was addressing through video conference the 8th convocation ceremony of the Indian Institute of Technology Indore.

 

"Between 750,000 to 800,000 Indian students are studying abroad and this drains out Rs 1.5 lakh crore from here to foreign countries. We are going to strengthen parameters under our 'stay in India' campaign for which research will be put on the fast-track under the new education policy," he said.

8:45 PM

Assam CM speaks to Modi, Shah on clash at border with Mizoram

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday over the situation at the state's border with Mizoram where a violent clash left several people injured, officials said.

 

Sonowal informed the prime minister about his discussion with Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga and the steps taken by the Assam government to diffuse the tension at the border, they said.

 

During the telephonic conversation, Modi assured Sonowal to take appropriate steps to improve the situation at the inter-state border. Sonowal also briefed Shah about the prevailing situation.

8:35 PM

FM says has not closed option of one more stimulus to perk up demand

Amid the festival season, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday did not rule out one more stimulus to perk up demand in the economy.

 

"I have not closed the option for another stimulus. Every time we have announced one, it is after a lot of consultations with various sections of society and then we work with ministries, the PMO and then take a final call. Yes, I have not closed the option to come out with one more stimulus," Sitharaman said to a query on that stimulus measures announced by the government had a fiscal cost of just 1.2 per cent of India's gross domestic product.

 

At a virtual function to release the autobiography of 15th finance commission chairman N K Singh, titled 'Portraits of Power: Half a Century of Being at Ringside', she said more sectors needed to open up for the private sector. Read more

8:28 PM

L&T emerges lowest bidder for 237-km viaduct of bullet train project

Infrastructure company Larsen & Toubro has emerged as the lowest bidder for the design and construction of 237 km length of viaduct for 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail corridor, the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited said on Monday.

Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train is the first high speed train project of India, which is being built with the help of Japan.

"Financial bids for the design and construction of 237 km length of viaduct for 508 km of Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail corridor were opened today and Larsen & Toubro Ltd is the lowest bidder," said the release.

A total three bidders involving seven major infrastructural companies had participated in the competitive bidding, the NHSRCL said.

8:16 PM

India is seeing a decline in the number and growth rate of Covid cases per day. We have one of the highest recovery rates, and lowest death rate: PM

8:12 PM

India is at the forefront of vaccine development and is planning a well developed vaccine delivery system, says PM in keynote address at Grand Challenges Annual Meeting 2020

8:11 PM

The future will be shaped by societies that invest in science & innovation. But, this cannot be done in a short-sighted manner. One has to invest in science&innovation well in advance. That is when we can reap benefits at the right time: PM

8:09 PM

PM Modi lauds educational institutions in India for fighting Covid-19

In India, we have a strong and vibrant scientific community. We also have good scientific institutions. They have been India’s greatest assets, specially during the last few months, while fighting Covid-19. From containment to capacity building, they have achieved wonders said PM Modi.

8:06 PM

Covid-19 showed that societies need to invest in science and innovation; Science will never prosper in silos: PM Modi at Grand Challenges Meeting 2020

7:51 PM

Delhi govt to deploy 2,500 environment marshals to spread awareness about pollution

The Delhi government will deploy 2,500 environment marshals across the city to generate awareness about its recently launched anti-pollution campaign, ''Red Light On, Gaadi Off'', Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Monday.

These marshals will be deployed at 100 traffic signals across Delhi's 11 districts, he said.

Addressing reporters, Rai said the shortlisted traffic signals are those where the red light is two-minute long.

"From October 21 to November 15, a ground-level awareness drive on 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' campaign will be launched at 100 traffic signals. We are in the process of appointing 2,500 environment marshals who will spread awareness about the campaign at these signals. It is an awareness drive, not an enforcement drive," he said.

7:42 PM

India successfully testfires SANT Missile off Odisha coast

India today successfully testfired the Stand-off Anti-tank (SANT) Missile off the coast of Odisha, sources said on Monday. The Missile is being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and will have both Lock-on After Launch and Lock-on Before Launch capability, the sources informed.

 

On the other hand, the IAF on Sunday congratulated the DRDO on the successful test-firing of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile.

 

BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired from the Indian Navy's indigenously-built stealth destroyer INS Chennai, hitting a target in the Arabian Sea, the DRDO said.

7:33 PM

Andhra CM conducts aerial survey of flood-affected Krishna, Guntur districts

7:27 PM

ADB to provide $346 mn loan for power supply project in rural Maharashtra

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India on Monday signed a $346 million loan pact to help provide efficient and reliable power supply to rural agriculture customers in Maharashtra.

 

The signatories to the loan agreement for the Maharashtra Rural High Voltage Distribution System (HVDS) Expansion Program were Sameer Kumar Khare, Additional Secretary (Fund Bank and ADB), Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance, on behalf of the Government of India, and Takeo Konishi, Country Director of ADB's India Resident Mission.

 

The program aims to provide efficient and reliable power to agricultural customers in Maharashtra's rural areas through adoption of HVDS that will help reduce distribution losses, and improve agricultural productivity and farmer incomes, Khare said after signing the loan agreement.

7:14 PM

Rajnath Singh to address over 18 rallies in Bihar

Senior BJP leader and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will address more than 18 rallies over six days in poll-bound Bihar, his office said Monday. Singh, a former president of the party, will address a rally each in Badh, Nokha and Aurangabad on October 21, and in Banka, Barhara and Ramgarh on October 22.

 

The Union minister will address 18-20 rallies in six days of campaigning during the three phases of polling on October 28, November 3 and 7.

7:10 PM

5G rollout capex for Delhi, Mumbai estimated at Rs 187 bn: Report

The total capital expenditure required for 5G rollout is estimated to be Rs 187 billion (Rs 18,700 crore) for Delhi and Mumbai, as per a telecom report by Motilal Oswal Financial Services.

 

The report based on the TRAI's latest reserve price, the capex requirement for obtaining 100MHz mid band spectrum in Mumbai would be Rs 84 billion, which could increase if the bidding price is higher than the base price.

 

"Assuming 9k sites would be required for coverage with cost at INR 2 million per site, the total capex requirement for the sites would be INR 18b, taking the total capex to around INR 100b," the report said.

 

"Similarly, capex requirement for 5G rollout in Delhi would be INR 87b - assuming 100MHz mid band spectrum at base price (INR 69b)."