News updates: As we move towards goal of developed India, you're our protectors, says PM to soldiers

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrates Diwali with Indian Army officials and personnel by giving them sweets, in Kachchh.

Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday accused NCP leaders including state minister Dilip Walse Patil of splitting the party solely for power, labelling the decision as inappropriate. Pawar was addressing party workers and supporters of Devdatta Nikam, the NCP (SP) candidate in Ambegaon, contesting against sitting MLA Walse Patil, a long-time representative of the constituency in Pune district.

T P Gopalan Nambiar, the 94-year-old founder of Indian electronics company BPL Group, passed away Thursday morning after experiencing poor health for some time, according to family members. He was widely known as TPG and was the father-in-law of former Union Minister and BJP politician Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

At a mega event for the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that the government's 'One Nation, One Election' proposal,  will be cleared soon and will become a reality.

Despite several measures to control pollution, Delhi woke up to a thick layer of stifling smog this morning, and the air quality index (AQI) remained in the "very poor" category .  The AQI on the morning of Diwali was registered at 328, which falls under the "very poor" category. In Aya Nagar, the AQI was 308, while Jahangirpuri saw an AQI of 395, and Dwarka reached 359, all in the 'Very Poor' category. The CPCB's data highlights significant pollution levels in the National Capital, creating health risks for residents in affected areas. Former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday asked Delhi residents to refrain from bursting firecrackers and light diyas in Diwali, noting that Diwali is a festival of lights and not firecrackers.

At least 95 people have died due to severe flash floods in Spain, with emergency responders on their toes searching for others who are still missing, according to authorities, CNN reported on Wednesday, citing authorities. The region's hardest hit was Valencia, where 92 fatalities were confirmed by Angel Victor Torres, Spain's Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, as reported by CNN. Additionally, two deaths occurred in Castile-La Mancha and one in Andalusia. In the town of Paiporta of Valencia, 40 individuals, including six residents of a retirement home, lost their lives, according to Mayor Maribel Albalat, CNN reported, citing Spanish state news agency EFE.

 

8:12 PM

PM Modi sends condolences over TPG Nambiar's passing away

"Shri TPG Nambiar Ji was a pioneering innovator and industrialist, who was a strong votary of making India economically strong. Pained by his passing away. Condolences to his family and admirers," he wrote in a post on X.

7:38 PM

Germany orders 3 Iranian consulates shut in response to the execution of Iranian-German prisoner

Germany orders 3 Iranian consulates shut in response to the execution of Iranian-German prisoner Jamshid Sharmahd, reports AP

7:38 PM

Health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says war death toll at 43,204

7:20 PM

Germany orders 3 Iranian consulates to shut after Iranian German prisoner is executed

Germany ordered the closure of all three Iranian consulates in the country on Thursday in response to the execution of Iranian German prisoner Jamshid Sharmahd, who lived in the United States and was kidnapped in Dubai in 2020 by Iranian security forces.

Sharmahd, 69, was put to death in Iran on Monday on terrorism charges, the Iranian judiciary said. That followed a 2023 trial that Germany, the US and international rights groups dismissed as a sham.

The decision to close the Iranian consulates in Frankfurt, Hamburg and Munich, announced by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, leaves the Islamic Republic with only its embassy in Berlin.

6:29 PM

Syria state media report Israel strike on town near Lebanon border

5:58 PM

PM Modi is winning elections through 'fraud', alleges Mallikarjun Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is winning the elections by resorting to "fraud" and questioned the authenticity of EVMs.

 

The Congress veteran also referred to business tycoon Elon Musk's statement questioning the genuineness of EVMs to support his claim.

 

"Modi hasn't won a by election. Everything is fraud. He gets 10,000 names removed from the voter list or get 10,000 to 20,000 new names added. This is the truth but the question is how to prove it," Kharge said at the Congress Bhavan here.

 

He was speaking at an event to pay tribute to former Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi and Congress stalwart and first Deputy Prime Minister of India Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel.

 

Kharge said Musk, who is a tech expert, has said EVMs can be altered and hacked through computers.

 

He added that no major western nation such as the US, Canada, Britain, Germany, France or Italy use EVMs.

 

The Congress chief took a dig at the BJP leaders for defending EVMs everytime.

5:20 PM

More evacuations as Israeli airstrikes kill 8 in Lebanon

The Israeli military has warned people to evacuate from more areas of southern Lebanon as airstrikes across the country killed at least eight people on Thursday. Meanwhile, Palestinian officials said an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank killed three people.

 

The Palestinian Health Ministry said two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli strike and a third by Israeli gunfire. The Israeli military said its forces were targeting militants in the area of the Nur Shams refugee camp, which has seen repeated battles in recent months. The military said it eliminated a Hamas militant who was involved in planning attacks on Israelis.

 

Also Thursday, Israeli police said they have arrested a couple accused of spying on Israeli intelligence sites and collecting information on an Israeli academic on behalf of Iran.

 

The developments come as mediators are ramping up efforts to halt the wars in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, circulating new proposals to wind down the regional conflict.

 

Hezbollah's newly named leader, Naim Kassem, said the militant group will keep fighting in its war with Israel until it is offered cease-fire terms it deems acceptable.

5:20 PM

Odisha govt downgrades Patnaik's security to Y category: Official

The Odisha government has downgraded the security of the state's five-time former chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who is also the leader of opposition, from Z to Y category, an official said on Thursday.

 

Most of the security personnel assigned to Patnaik have been withdrawn after a high-level committee dealing with security issues of important persons recommended the downgrade of the BJD chief's security, he said.

 

Patnaik would now be assigned only two constables in Havildar rank, the official said.

 

"Former chief ministers are provided with two PSOs. Additional security is provided as and when required," he said.

 

As the leader of opposition, Patnaik will be provided with required security by the local police when he undertakes a tour outside Bhubaneswar, he said.

 

However, Patnaik has also personally appointed two senior PSOs who have recently retired from government service.

5:00 PM

UN says Israel-Hezbollah war has killed one child a day in Lebanon in past month

4:59 PM

Yen firms after less dovish BOJ, dollar dips ahead of inflation data

The yen firmed on Thursday after the Bank of Japan took a less dovish tone than expected while the U.S. dollar ticked lower ahead of jobs data later this week and the U.S. presidential election next week.

 

The dollar was last down 0.6% on the Japanese currency at 152.360 yen as the BOJ maintained ultra-low interest rates but said risks around the U.S. economy were somewhat subsiding, signalling that conditions are falling into place to raise interest rates again.

 

Governor Kazuo Ueda's remarks were seen as less dovish than those made before the meeting that the BOJ could "afford to spend time" scrutinising the fallout from risks such as U.S. economic uncertainties.

 

The BOJ cut its core consumer inflation forecast but said risks were skewed to the upside for that year, causing the yen to rise, said Andrea Cicione, head of strategy at GlobalData.TSLombard.

 

"This was a deliberate comment by the BOJ to stop this weakening in the yen that has been going on for six weeks."

4:49 PM

When world sees you, it sees India's strength: PM Modi to Indian soldiers

"When world sees you, it sees India's strength, when enemies see you, they see end of their sinister plans," said PM Modi to Indian soldiers.

4:49 PM

Bharat will not compromise on borders, aligns policies with armed forces' resolve, says Modi

Modi also stressed the need for unity among the army, navy, and air force, asserting that their collective strength would significantly enhance India’s defense capabilities. He commended the soldiers as the protectors of the nation's aspirations, stating, "You all are the protectors of this dream," as India progresses towards becoming a developed nation.

4:00 PM

J-K LG Sinha hits out at politicians for missing UT's Foundation Day

"I am seeing that those who took oath as MLA of a Union Territory and often refer to the Constitution of India (are not here)," Sinha said in his address at the UT's fifth Foundation Day. The National Conference did not attend the event, nor did People's Conference leader Sajad Gani Lone and CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, who said the administration went ahead with the programme despite people "clearly voting" against it.

3:55 PM

Everyone who works at Tirumala should be Hindu, says new Tirupati board chairman

"Everyone who works at Tirumala should be Hindu. That would be my first effort. There are many issues in this. We have to look into that," the newly-appointed chairman of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) Board B R Naidu stated. Naidu is a media personality who runs Telugu TV channels, including a Hindu devotional channel. Naidu stated that he would speak to the Andhra Pradesh government on how to deal with staff members belonging to other religions, whether they should be sent to other government departments or given VRS (Voluntary Retirement Scheme).

3:50 PM

India, China troops 'making progress' in disengagement in 'orderly manner', says Chinese military

Commenting for the first time after the October 21 agreement to disengage the troops, Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defence, told a media briefing that "China and India have reached resolutions on the issues concerning the border areas through diplomatic and military channels". "The frontline troops of the two militaries are making progress in implementing resolutions in an orderly manner," he said, reiterating the foreign ministry's comments on Wednesday.