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2:21 PM

ED arrests Abbas Ansari, son of UP don Mukhtar Ansari, in money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Abbas Ansari, the son of ganster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, in connection with a Prevention of Money Laundering case, officials said on Saturday.

 

He was placed under arrest late on Friday night after nine hours of questioning.

 

According to the officials, the probe agency had enough crucial evidence based on which he was placed under arrest.

 

The ED had initiated investigation under PMLA, 2002 against Mukhtar Ansari (Ex MLA) and his aides on the bases of multiple FIRs lodged by Uttar Pradesh Police.

2:05 PM

PM handing over some thousand appointment letters when 'millions search for jobs': Cong Prez Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue of unemployment, saying the PM is handing over some thousand appointment letters when "millions of youth search for jobs".

Kharge said Modi came to power with a promise of two crore new jobs every year, but forget creating two crore new well-paying jobs, it took eight years for the BJP-led Centre to even think of filling 10 lakh existing central government vacancies.

Prime Minister Modi is holding 'Rozgar Melas', handing out appointment letters, and has addressed the melas giving 75,000 letters in Delhi, 13,000 in Gujarat, and 3,000 in Jammu and Kashmir, Kharge said.

"Today, when millions of youth search for jobs, PM is handing over some thousand appointment letters!" the Congress president said in a series of tweets.

Kharge said rural India is facing the unprecedented challenge of unemployment.

2:04 PM

Kejriwal is part-time Delhi CM: BJP

The BJP on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of failing to contain pollution in Delhi and visiting poll-bound Gujarat time and again.

Talking to mediapersons, Delhi BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana said: "Delhi CM visited the national capital for two hours, did press conference and left for Gujarat again. He is a part time Chief Minister of Delhi."

"If Kejriwal doesn't have time for Delhi, he should give the national capital a full time Chief Minister. Kejriwal has 63 MLAs and he can choose anyone for CM post," Khurana added.

1:51 PM

Ex-Gujarat minister Jaynarayan Vyas resigns from BJP ahead of Assembly polls

Former Gujarat minister and veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jaynarayan Vyas on Saturday resigned from the ruling party citing personal reasons ahead of the Assembly elections next month.

A Gujarat Congress leader said Vyas is likely to join the grand old party. However, Vyas has kept the cards close to his chest so far.

Vyas, 75, had recently met former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, the Congress leader said.

1:39 PM

NIIT acquires US-based St. Charles Consulting Group for $23.4 mn

Global skills and talent development corporation NIIT Ltd on Saturday announced it has acquired US-based St. Charles Consulting Group for $23.4 million.

 

Headquartered in St. Charles, Illinois, St. Charles Consulting Group is a leading provider of consulting, design, and implementation solutions for strategic learning programmes to professional services firms and Fortune 500 companies.

 

The acquisition will help NIIT add significant presence in the professional services and management consulting sectors while strengthening its growing learning consulting practice.

1:34 PM

Navy chief begins 5-day visit to Japan

Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar on Saturday began a five-day visit to Japan to attend the International Fleet Review, the inaugural ceremony of the Malabar exercise and hold talks to further expand bilateral maritime ties.

 

The Indian Navy's two frontline warships, Shivalik and Kamorta, have already arrived in Yokosuka to participate in the IFR to be held at Sagami Bay on Sunday.

 

The IFR is being hosted to mark the 70th anniversary of the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF).

1:26 PM

Cement companies mull price hike of Rs 10-30/bag

Cement companies are planning to hike the price between Rs 10 and Rs 30 per bag in November after a increase of about Rs 3-4/bag last month, said Emkay Global Financial Services Ltd.

Emkay Global in a recent sectoral report said the average pan-India cement price increase was about Rs.3-4/bag in October 2022.

On a month-on-month (MoM) basis, prices rose by 2-3 per cent in the East and South, and about one per cent in the West; while declining 1-2 per cent in the northern and central regions, the report said.

1:23 PM

President Murmu concludes NE visit

President Droupadi Murmu Saturday concluded her two-day visit to Sikkim and left for Bagdogra in an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter on way to the national capital.

She was seen off at Namchi helipad by Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang and senior state government officials.

Earlier in the day, the president visited Siddheswara Dham located on Solophok Hill on the second day of her visit.

1:08 PM

Long-term exposure to air pollution ups kidney disease risk

As air pollution worsens in Delhi-NCR, a new study has warned that long-term exposure to air pollution may increase kidney disease risk.

 

Among adults with normal kidney function, exposure to higher concentrations of components of air pollution was linked with higher risks of later developing chronic kidney disease.

 

Compared with individuals with high genetic risk of developing kidney disease, those with high air pollution exposure and low genetic risk faced a higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease, according to new research being presented at the aASN Kidney Week 2022a¿ in Florida state in the US.

12:56 PM

Allow Virat Kohli to play at his No.3 spot; let him feel comfortable there: Ponting

Legendary Australian cricketer and IPL side Delhi Capitals' head coach Ricky Ponting doesn't want any uncertainty in charismatic India player Virat Kohli's batting position, saying, "let him feel comfortable" at the No.3 slot.

Kohli has scored most of his centuries and made his maximum contributions coming in at his favourite No.3 slot, though he scored his maiden T20I century -- 122 not out vs Afghanistan in the 2022 Asia Cup in the UAE -- opening the innings.

Kohli's form slump had made the India team management experiment with his batting order but he returned to his usual No.3 slot in the ICC T20 World Cup and has been in supreme form with 220 runs in four matches and emerging as the leading run-scorer in the tournament with an average of 220. He played an astonishing knock of 82 not out against Pakistan in India's four-wicket win at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 23.

12:55 PM

PM Modi visits Radha Soami Satsang Beas, meets chief Dhillon

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited Radha Soami Satsang at Beas in Amritsar and met its chief Baba Gurinder Singh Dhillon.

Later, Modi went to the Dera community kitchen where women followers were making chapatis and chopping vegetables, the Dera officials said.

The prime minister spent about an hour at the Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB), they said.

On Friday, Modi had in a tweet said he would have the honour of visiting RSSB.

12:47 PM

Deadlock persists over filing of FIR over attack on Imran Khan

A deadlock persists over filing an FIR in connection with an assassination attempt on Imran Khan after the former prime minister refused to withdraw the name of a senior Pakistan Army officer from the complaint, which also carries the names of the Prime Minister and the Interior Minister.

Khan, 70, suffered a bullet injury in the right leg when two gunmen fired a volley of bullets at him and others mounting on a container-mounted truck in the Wazirabad area of Punjab province, where he was leading a protest march against the Shehbaz Sharif government.

12:34 PM

Kerala Literature Festival (KLF) 2023 to be held from Jan 12-15

Over 400 eminent speakers including world-renowned writers, thinkers, historians, nobel laureates, and actors are expected to take part in the sixth edition of Kerala Literature Festival (KLF) to be held at Kozhikode beach from January 12-15, 2023.

Billed as one of the largest literature festivals in Asia, the KLF is now open for delegate registration, organisers said.

With an aggregate footfall of more than three lakh, KLF brings writers, artists, actors, celebrities, thinkers, and activists closer to people of different backgrounds and interests.

12:32 PM

Tata Motors hikes passenger vehicle prices

Tata Motors on Saturday said it has increased prices of its passenger vehicles with effect from November 7.

The weighted average increase will be 0.9 per cent, depending on the variant and model, the auto major said in a statement.

The company has been absorbing a significant portion of the increased costs but the steep rise in overall input costs has compelled it to pass on some proportion through this minimal price hike, it added.

12:31 PM

Divert trucks on peripheral expressways to prevent jams at Delhi borders: Gopal Rai to UP, Haryana CMs

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Saturday appealed to the chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh to take measures to divert trucks carrying non-essential goods on peripheral expressways to avoid traffic jams at Delhi borders.

With pollution levels in the national capital worsening, the Centre's air quality panel had on Thursday banned the entry of trucks other than electric and CNG ones into Delhi. Those carrying essential commodities are exempted.

"Stage IV of GRAP has already been invoked with immediate effect from November 3... mandating the NCR and Delhi authorities to ensure that trucks carrying non-essential items should not be allowed to enter Delhi till further date as deemed necessary," Rai said in a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.