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From Delhi air pollution restrictions being lifted to Musk's threat to Twitter account impersonators, catch all the live updates from across the globe here

12:09 PM

BJP leader shot dead in Bihar's Katihar district

A BJP leader was shot dead by two bike borne assailants in Bihar's Katihar district on Monday, police said.

The victim has been identified as Sanjiv Mishra, a native of Telta village who was a former district president of the BJP

He was sitting outside his house in Telta when the assailants arrived and opened fire on him

12:05 PM

BJP leaders laud SC's quota order as win for PM Modi's social justice mission

With the Supreme Court on Monday upholding the EWS quota, the BJP lauded the decision and said it is a victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his "mission" to provide social justice to the country's poor, the PTI reported.

BJP general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh said, "Supreme Court upholds the legality of EWS reservation for unreserved sections. Another big credit for PM Narendra Modi's vision of Gareeb Kalyan. A big boost in the direction of social justice ."

Echoing the view, BJP general secretary C T Ravi said the verdict is yet another victory for Modi in his mission to provide social justice to India's poor.

11:49 AM

20 injured in collision between buses in Maharashtra's Palghar

At least 20 people were injured when two state transport buses they were travelling in collided head-on in Palghar district on Monday morning. No casualty was reported in the accident, the police said.

 

Officials said that the incident took place at the ghat section area on Jawhar-Silvassa Road in Palghar district early morning on Monday.

11:37 AM

200k youth recruited in Central Armed Police Forces in 5 yrs: Official

Nearly two lakh people were recruited in six Central Armed Police Forces like the BSF and the CRPF in the last five years as part of the Narendra Modi government's efforts to provide jobs to unemployed youths, officials said.

 

However, as of July-end this year, there are still over 84,000 vacancies in these forces the Border Security Force (BSF), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Assam Rifles (AR). Steps have been taken to fill them too.

11:28 AM

Hemant Soren writes to EC seeking copy of "second opinion" sought by Governor

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) for a copy of Governor Ramesh Bais's request letter to the election panel seeking a "second opinion" in the office-of-profit case.

The letter sent through the CM's lawyer Vaibhav Tomar on October 31 that was made public today stated, "My client has now come to learn from media reports that recently the honourable governor in a press interview has disclosed that the honourable governor has sought a second opinion from the election commission of India which is pending before the commission".

Bais, in a media interview, said that he had sought a second opinion from the ECI.

 

11:20 AM

Conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar writes another letter to L-G, cites threat

In another letter to Delhi Lieutenant Governor, Vinai Kumar Saxena, incarcerated conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar has alleged that he had been receiving severe threats from the jail administration on behalf of AAP's jailed leader Satyendra Jain and Director General prison Sandeep Goel after his first letter went public.

Chandrashekhar even requested the L-G to order a CBI probe urgently claiming that the truth will expose AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Satyendra Jain.

He even claimed that he would submit every single detail of all the meetings, interactions, number of cash deliveries, locations if a probe was initiated.

11:04 AM

Supreme Court upholds constitutional validity of 10 per cent EWS quota

Supreme Court (SC) on Monday upheld the validity of the 10 per cent reservation to the economically weaker section (EWS) under the 103rd Contitutional Amendment. The five-member bench headed by chief justice of India UU Lalit announed the judgement on Monday. Justice Ravindra Bhat was the only judge that disagreed on the exclusion of SC/ST from the EWS quota.    
 

CJI Lalit is set to retire on November 8. 

SC said that the EWS quota does not violate the basic structure of the Constitution set under the Indra Sawhney Case (1992).

11:02 AM

Gopal Rai calls meeting Monday, decision to be taken on reopening schools

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai will chair a high-level meeting Monday to discuss the new directions by the Centre's air quality panel about revoking curbs imposed under the final stage of the Graded Response Action Plan, officials said.

A decision on reopening primary schools and revocation of order asking 50 per cent of the government staff to work from home is likely to be taken at the meeting, the PTI reported.

The Centre's air quality panel on Sunday had directed authorities to lift the ban on plying of non-BS VI diesel-run light motor vehicles in Delhi-NCR and entry of trucks into the capital imposed under the final stage of the Graded Response Action Plan.

10:47 AM

Elon Musk suspends comedian Kathy Griffin's Twitter account permanently

Comedian Kathy Griffin becomes the latest Twitter casualty, as her account got suspended after Twitter CEO Elon Musk rolled out that handles engaged in 'impersonation' without clearly specifying "parody" will be suspended permanently.

Griffin had changed her profile name to Musk, following which she seems to have been promptly banned from the social media site, as per Fox news reports.

Despite her handle showing her own @kathygriffin name, the moniker by her blue checkmark. Elon Musk said this goes against the company policy against impersonation.

10:26 AM

PM Modi yet to acknowledge 'epic failure' of demonetisation move: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday over his government's 2016 demonetisation move, saying the PM is yet to acknowledge this "epic failure" that led to the "fall of the economy".

Kharge's remarks, a day before demonetisation's sixth anniversary, came over a media report which said that the currency with the public has jumped to a new high of Rs 30.88 lakh crore as of October 21.

"Demonetisation was promised to free the country of black money. But it destroyed businesses and ruined jobs. 6 years after the 'masterstroke' the cash available in public is 72% higher than that in 2016," Kharge said in a tweet.

10:04 AM

Delhi air quality recorded at 326, to deteriorate further, says forecast

Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital Delhi on Monday morning came down and stopped at a 'very poor' category, after continuing to slide from the 'severe' category, which was recorded for three straight days last week, said the forecast system SAFAR.

Even though the air quality in Delhi continued to slide for the second consecutive day from the 'upper end of very poor' to the 'very poor' category, still, it is touching an alarming level on Monday morning as the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city stood at 326.

The National Capital Region (NCR) continued to witness bad air as Noida, which is part of the national capital region, recorded an AQI of 356, in the 'very poor' category, while Gurugram's AQI stood at 364 and continued to remain in the 'very poor category, as per data released by SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research) India.

9:54 AM

Maharashtra govt will plan film city between Mumbai and Thane, says CM Shinde

The Maharashtra government will work on planning a film city between Mumbai and Thane cities to provide a wider platform to artists, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has said.

Speaking at an event on Sunday where noted Marathi theatre actor Prashant Damle was felicitated for the 12,500th show of his play 'Eka Lagnachi Gosht', Shinde said the state government will support Marathi theatre and cinema.

"There is a lot of shooting happening in Thane too," he said, adding that a film city will be planned between Mumbai and Thane.

9:41 AM

India logs 937 Covid-19 infections in a day, active cases decline by 324

India's COVID-19 case tally rose by 937 in a day to reach 4,46,61,516, while active cases declined to 14,515, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.

The death toll has climbed to 5,30,509 with nine more fatalities, including seven deaths reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.

Of the other two deaths, one each has been recorded in Delhi and Odisha.

The active caseload declined by 324 in 24 hours and now comprise 0.03 per cent of the total infections. The national COVID-19 recovery rate has increased to 98.78 per cent, according to the ministry website.

9:12 AM

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra to enter Maharashtra today

After completion of the foot march in southern states, Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra led by party leader Rahul Gandhi will enter Maharashtra on Monday.

The yatra has already covered parts of Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

Now, Rahul Gandhi will enter Maharashtra on Monday evening at Madnur Naka in Degloor of Nanded district.

The Maharashtra Congress Committee has made elaborate arrangements. They are trying to get massive success in Maharashtra too.

Rahul Gandhi and other congress delegations will start the march around 10 pm with a torch and Ekta Mashal.

8:57 AM

Schools, colleges in Assam's Diphu to remain closed due to dengue outbreak

In view of an alarming surge in dengue cases, the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) on Sunday announced that all schools and colleges falling within the Diphu Municipal Board and the Greater Diphu Town area in Karbi Anglong district of Assam will remain closed for five days this month.

An order issued by the Principal Secretary of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council said, "In view of the alarming surge in dengue cases and as preventive measures against impending epidemic, therefore all educational institutions both government and private, etc. from non-formal pre-schools (Anganwadi) to colleges falling within Diphu Municipal Board and Greater Diphu Town area, shall remain closed on from November 7, 9, 10, 11 and 12."

Amid in surge of Dengue cases, as many as three people died in Diphu and more than 20 people are currently undergoing treatment at the government hospitals in the hill district.