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1:51 AM

Quad officials meet to advance a inclusive Indo Pacific region

Senior officials from the United States, Australia, India, and Japan met virtually Friday as part of regular Quad consultations to advance a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.

 

Quad is the informal grouping of four major democracies in the region: US, Australia, Japan and India.

 

The meeting followed the productive discussions held in Tokyo during the second Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting on October 6, the State Department said in a readout.

12:32 AM

China emerging as major challenge for India: Retired military official

China is emerging as a major challenge for India, therefore the country needs to look at the future and frame its diplomatic, political and military strategies accordingly, Lt Gen (retd) D S Hooda said on Friday.

 

Participating in a discussion on "Sabre Rattling in Ladakh" on the inaugural day of the three-day Military Literature Festival, the former Northern Army commander talked about the India-China border standoff in eastern Ladakh.

 

He said a series of talks at political, diplomatic and military levels were held but there seems to be very little progress happening on the ground.

 

"...is this the situation we are continuing to see over the next months and years with thousands of soldiers standing on both sides or is there some potential for negotiations, settlement," he said.

12:10 AM

Ahead of crucial Congress meet, Bihar socialist has one advise for Sonia

Senior RJD leader and veteran Bihar socialist Shivanand Tiwary on Friday called Rahul Gandhi a "reluctant and uninspiring" leader and urged Congress president Sonia Gandhi to overcome "putra moh" (weakness for her son) in deciding her political successor.

 

Tiwary, who is currently a national vice president of the RJD founded and headed by Lalu Prasad, made the explosive statement with the remark that he was aware that he could "irk the leadership of the very party of which I am at present a member".

 

"But, I have reached a stage where I do not always care about party diktats and choose to speak my mind.....Sonia Gandhi is going to hold an important meeting tomorrow. I wonder if it is going to yield any result," the former Bihar minister and ex-Rajya Sabha member said in his statement.

12:09 AM

It's good that rotten elements are leaving: Mamata to TMC leaders

Amid the ongoing spree of desertions, TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Friday night termed the deserters as "baggage" for the party and said it is good that rotten elements are leaving on their own.

 

Banerjee held an internal meeting with a select group of leaders at her residence to take stock of the situation.

 

According to party sources, Banerjee told TMC leaders not to be "worried about the desertions" as the people of the state are with them.

 

"Our party supremo during the meeting told us not to be worried about the desertions as it is good that the rotten elements are leaving the party on their own. She said deserters were baggage for the party," a senior TMC leader said on condition of anonymity after the closed-door meet.

11:51 PM

Modi to hold virtual summit with Vietnamese counterpart Monday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a virtual summit with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Monday with a focus on future development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

 

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) made an announcement about the summit.

 

"The two leaders will exchange views on wide-ranging bilateral, regional and global issues and provide guidance for the future development of India-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," the MEA said in a statement.

11:50 PM

TMC rocked by a fresh desertions

The ruling TMC was rocked by a fresh bout of desertions on Friday with at least ten of its leaders exiting it and deepening the crisis in the party hours before the arrival of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the state.

 

A new twist was added to the unfolding political drama when Speaker Biman Banerjee rejected the resignation of senior leader Suvendu Adhikari as a member of the House on technical grounds.

 

A day after four senior TMC leaders including two MLAs

 

Suvendu Adhikari and Jitendra Tiwari quit the party, nine disgruntled leaders including Barrackpore MLA Silbhadra Dutta and Uttar Kanthi representative Banasree Maity sent their resignations to the TMC top brass.

 

Opposition CPI(M) too felt the tremors of desertion as one of its MLAs quit the party.

10:59 PM

Sebi bans 16 entities for front-running activities

Regulator Sebi on Friday barred 16 entities from the capital markets for up to seven years for indulging in front-running activities.

 

The entities have been prohibited from the capital markets for a period ranging from five to seven years. Of the 16 entities, six have been asked to disgorge illegal gains of nearly Rs 20 crore.

 

Front-running refers to an illegal practice in stock market where an entity trades on the basis of advance information from a broker or analyst before the information has been made available to their clients.

10:37 PM

ADB, India sign $300 million loan agreement

Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the union government have signed a $300 million loan to upgrade rural power distribution networks and provide reliable electricity supply to consumers in Uttar Pradesh, the Finance Ministry said

9:51 PM

Exam paper leak scam: Assam Police files charge sheet

Assam Police files charge sheet before special court in Guwahati against 36 people for their alleged involvement in state police exam paper leak scam

9:05 PM

Pakistan army shells forward posts in two sectors along LoC in Jammu and Kashmir

The Pakistan army on Friday opened heavy fire and shelled forward posts in two sectors along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district. Indian troops retaliated befittingly, they said.

 

"At 1740 hours today, the Pakistan army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars along the LoC in Mendhar and Balakote sectors in district Poonch," defence spokesman said.

 

The LoC has witnessed heavy firing and shelling during the last few weeks, resulting in an increased number of casualties and triggering a fear psychosis among the residents of border areas. On December 1, the Pakistan army violated the ceasefire by shelling forwards posts in Rajouri sector along the LoC. A BSF sub-inspector was killed in the shelling.

On November 27, two soldiers of the Indian Army were killed when Pakistani troops opened heavy fire and shelled forward posts in Sunderbani sector in Rajouri district.