Highlights: Govt demands explanation from edible oil companies on rising prices

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10:53 PM

Secret Service releases report detailing communication failures preceding July assassination attempt on Trump

Communication breakdowns with local law enforcement hampered the Secret Service's performance ahead of a July assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, according to a new report that lays out a litany of missed opportunities to stop a gunman who opened fire from an unsecured roof.

10:31 PM

Samsung urges employees on strike to return to work

Electronics giant Samsung has appealed to the agitating workers to resume work as operations at the Tamil Nadu factory have been affected due to the protests since September 9. In a communication to the workers on Friday, Samsung assured that it would not take action against those employees who wish to resume work, but warned of termination from the services if they continue with their protest.

10:06 PM

WB officials kept informed at every stage about water release: Centre to Mamata on flood

Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil wrote to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday, saying the state's officials were informed at every stage about the release of water from Damodar Valley Corporation reservoirs, which was essential to prevent a major disaster. Earlier in the day, Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying her state would sever all ties with the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) for "unilaterally releasing water" leading to floods in south Bengal districts. 

9:52 PM

Encounter breaks out between security forces, terrorists in J&K

An encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district, officials said.

9:45 PM

J'khand cabinet clears Rs 100 per quintal bonus over Centre's MSP for paddy

The Jharkhand government on Friday announced a bonus of Rs 100 per quintal on paddy in addition to the Centre's minimum support price (MSP) for crops in the 2024-25 fiscal, an official said. A total of Rs 60 crore has been approved in this regard during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, he said.

8:49 PM

Junior doctors withdraw 42-day 'cease work'; thousands rally for justice

Junior doctors protesting the rape-murder of a colleague at RG Kar hospital ended their 42-day 'cease work' on Friday, announcing partial resumption of duties in essential services after a march to the CBI office following a week-long demonstration outside the state health department's headquarters.

8:37 PM

Army to carry out record-setting plantation drive in Thar desert on Sunday

The Army will hold a large-scale record setting plantation drive in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district on Sunday, aiming to plant 3.5 lakh saplings in one hour in the arid and difficult terrain of the Thar desert, officials said. A total of 128 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army), Ecological, Rajputana Rifles, also known as 'The Desert Tamers' who have been deployed in Jaisalmer since 1997, will carry out the special drive, they said.

8:13 PM

Two Russians set record for longest single stay on International Space Station

Two Russians on Friday set a record for the longest continuous stay on the International Space Station, according to Russia's space agency. Roscosmos said Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub broke the old record of 370 days, 21 hours and 22 minutes, which was set in September 2023 by Russians Sergei Prokopiev and Dmitry Petelin and American Francisco Rubio.

7:43 PM

Bengal junior doctors call off 'cease work', to partially resume duties from Saturday

Junior doctors agitating over the RG Kar incident called off their ‘cease work' on Friday evening, announcing partial resumption of duties entailing attending essential services in state-run hospitals from Saturday. Ending the logjam persisting for 42 days, the medics withdrew the ‘cease work' after holing a march to the CBI office in Salt Lake from the state health department's headquarters, where they had been demonstrating for over a week.

7:26 PM

SC stays Telangana HC order on local quota in MBBS admissions

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed a Telangana High Court order, which ruled that permanent residents or those domiciled in the state cannot be denied the benefit of admission in the medical colleges in the state merely because of their study or residence outside Telangana.

6:34 PM

Sebi allows mutual funds to buy, sell credit default swaps

Markets regulator Sebi on Friday allowed mutual funds to both buy and sell Credit Default Swaps (CDS), a move aimed at increasing liquidity in the corporate bond market. This flexibility to participate in CDS would serve as an additional investment product for mutual funds, Sebi said in a circular. Earlier, mutual funds were only permitted to use CDS transactions to buy protection against the credit risk of corporate bonds they held. These transactions were limited to Fixed Maturity Plan (FMP) schemes with a duration of more than one year.

6:24 PM

Govt seeks explanation from edible oil cos on rising prices

The government on Friday sought an explanation from edible oil firms for the rise in retail prices of cooking oils despite advising them to ensure price stability amid the availability of adequate stocks imported at lower duties. On September 14, the Centre hiked the basic customs duty on various edible oils to support domestic oilseed prices, and subsequently on September 17 the food ministry convened a meeting with edible oil industry bodies to make sure that there was no rise in retail prices.

6:07 PM

Laddu row: K'taka govt directs temples to use only home brand 'Nandini' ghee

With Tirupati Laddu row snowballing into a major controversy, Karnataka government issued a circular instructing all temples coming under the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department, to maintain quality in 'prasada' prepared there.

6:04 PM

Thousands take out torch rally in Kolkata to demand justice for RG Kar doctor

Thousands of people from all sections of society on Friday took part in a torch rally from Highland Park in the southern fringes of the city, demanding justice for the woman medic who was raped and murdered in state-run RG Kar hospital last month. Doctors, members of voluntary bodies and associations of specially abled people, cartoonists, IT professionals, scientists and professors participated in the 42-km march.

5:26 PM

Hezbollah hits northern Israel with 140 rockets

Hezbollah pounded northern Israel with 140 rockets Friday, a day after the militant group's leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed to retaliate against Israel for a mass bombing attack, the Israeli military and the militant group said.

Israel's military said the rockets came in three waves Friday afternoon targeting sites along the ravaged border with Lebanon.

Hezbollah said it had targeted several sites along the border with Katyusha rockets, including multiple air defense bases as well as the headquarters of an Israeli armored brigade they said they'd struck for the first time.

Hezbollah said the rockets were in retaliation for Israeli strikes on villages and homes in southern Lebanon.

5:18 PM

Forex reserves hit a fresh high of $ 689.46 billion; up by $ 223 million

4:44 PM

Father of woman 'sexually' assaulted at police station demands dismissal of cops

The father of the woman, who was allegedly sexually assaulted at a police station in Bhubaneswar, on Friday demanded the arrest and dismissal of the cops for taking the law into their hands. The woman's father, who is a retired brigadier, said: "The police personnel have violated several laws by putting an army officer in the lock up, physically assaulting him, sexually harassing my daughter." While condemning the September 15 incident at the Bharatpur police station in the state capital where his daughter was allegedly subjected to sexual assault, the father said: "They (cops) have not just committed crime, rather their acts can be termed as heinous crime. They must be punished." 

4:42 PM

Gaganyaan should proceed with caution, don''t want another Boeing incident: Isro chief

Although Gaganyaan is ready for launch by the end of the year, we should proceed with caution, said Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S Somanath.Gaganyaan, which is among the projects approved by the Union cabinet on Wednesday, is India's first human mission. “I don't want what happened to the Boeing Starliner, so we should be very careful,” added Somanath.

4:21 PM

Tirupati laddu controversy: Govt seeks report; temple trust issues first reaction

Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Friday said that he has asked Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for a complete report on the controversy related to laddu preparation at the revered Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirupati. Read here for more details.

4:07 PM

Only Chandrababu Naidu has mentality to use god for politics: Ex-AP CM Jagan Mohan Reddy

Ghee adulteration allegations to divert attention from Chandrababu Naidu's 100 days rule in AP, YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy said today. 

4:03 PM

Laddu row: Ghee suppliers took advantage of lack of in-house testing facilities, says TTD

Amidst a raging controversy over the quality of ghee and alleged presence of animal fat in the laddus distributed to the devotees of Lord Venkateswara shrine here, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) on Friday said ghee suppliers to the temple body took advantage of the lack of in-house adulteration testing facility and also not making use of outside facilities. Lab tests had revealed the presence of animal fat and lard in chosen samples, TTD Executive Officer J Shyamala Rao said.

3:31 PM

GeM cuts transaction charges levied on sellers, service providers

Public procurement portal GeM has significantly slashed transaction charges levied on sellers and service providers on its portal, a senior government official said on Friday. Government e-marketplace (GeM) Additional CEO Ajit B Chavan said that this "bold" move was part of the government's 100 days initiative.

3:14 PM

AP CM had earlier highlighted complaints of animal fat being used in laddus: TTD EO Shyamala Rao

TTD executive officer today stated that the chief minister had expressed concern over quality of ghee as well as the Laddu.Suppliers were warned of being blacklisted if they didn't supply quality goods, the executive officer stated. 

3:09 PM

NEET paper leak: CBI charge sheets principal, VP of Hazaribagh school

The principal and vice principal of the Oasis School in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, allegedly conspired with others to steal the NEET-UG 2024 question paper, the CBI has alleged in its second charge sheet in the paper leak case that also names four others. Officials said on Friday the charge sheet, naming Principal Ahsanul Haque, Vice Principal Mohd Imtiyaz Alam and four others, was filed before a special court in Patna.

3:07 PM

Justice should be delivered as soon as possible: Congress on Tirupati temple ladoo controversy

Amid the controversy surrounding Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s allegation that ‘beef tallow’ and fish oil were used in the preparation of ladoos at the famous Tirupati temple during Jaganmohan Reddy’s tenure, Congress Media Incharge Pawan Khera expressed concern on Friday, calling the issue deeply disturbing and upsetting for everyone. “It is a very disturbing report that has saddened us all, as crores of people, including myself, are devotees of Lord Tirupati. Justice should be delivered as soon as possible…more details need to come out,” Khera said. Read here for more details.

3:02 PM

Time has come to show exit door to 'corrupt' JMM govt in Jharkhand: Amit Shah

"Infiltrators vote bank of RJD, Congress, JMM; I promise to drive out illegal immigrants," Home Minister Amit Shah said at BJP's 'Parivartan' rally in Jharkhand.

 

2:53 PM

PM Modi to launch online vaccine management portal U-WIN in October: Nadda

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch online vaccine management portal U-WIN, currently operational on a pilot basis, in October, Union Health Minister JP Nadda said on Friday. The portal has been developed to maintain a permanent digital record of vaccination and medicines of pregnant women as well as children from birth up to the age of 17, he said.

2:49 PM

Centre will examine matter, take suitable action: Health minister Nadda on Tirupati laddu issue

Health Minister Nadda seeks full report on Tirupati laddu issue, says govt further examine matter and take suitable action. 

2:34 PM

Andhra Pradesh HC to hear YSRCP leader Reddy's plea on Tirupati laddu issue on Sept 25

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has stated that it will hear a petition filed by senior YSRCP leader Y V Subba Reddy on September 25 over the Tirupati laddu (consecrated sweet) controversy raging in the country.

2:32 PM

UPSC aspirants deaths: SC asks appointed panel to submit interim measures

The Supreme Court today asked a Union government-appointed high-level committee probing the death of three IAS aspirants in a coaching centre here in July due to flooding in the building's basement to submit interim measures in four weeks to prevent such incidents. The bench said uniform initiatives should be taken in the entire National Capital Region to prevent another Old Rajendra Nagar-type incident from happening.