"No Binding Agreement For Any Airport Project In Kenya": Adani Group

The Adani Group on Saturday clarified on reports of Kenya cancelling more than $2.5 billion in deals after the US' allegations, saying it had not entered into any binding agreement to operate Kenya's main airport.

On the pact it had signed last month to build and operate key electricity transmission lines in Kenya for 30 years, the group said the project did not fall within the ambit of SEBI's disclosure regulations, thereby not warranting any disclosure on its cancellation.

The Adani Group was responding to notices sent by stock exchanges to confirm reports of Kenyan President William Ruto ordering the cancellation of a procurement process that had been expected to award control of the country's main airport.

The flagship firm Adani Enterprises Ltd, which houses its airport business, in a filing said it had in August this year incorporated a step-down subsidiary in Kenya to upgrade, modernise, and manage airports.

"While the company was in discussion with the relevant authority for the said project, till date neither the company nor its subsidiaries (i) have been awarded any airport project in Kenya, or (ii) entered into any binding or definitive agreement in connection with any airport in Kenya," the firm said.

Adani Energy Solutions Ltd, the firm that operates power transmission lines, in a separate filing said on October 9 it was awarded the project to construct transmission lines in Kenya. Thereafter, it had incorporated a step-down subsidiary in Kenya.

"We submit that the project does not fall within the ambit of item 4 of Para B, Part A, Schedule III of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, as amended (Sebi Listing Regulations) which requires intimation to be made for any awarding, bagging/ receiving, amendment or termination of awarded/bagged orders/contracts other than in the ordinary course of business," it said.

It said the award of the project was in the ordinary course of business of the company and its subsidiaries as they are engaged in the business of transmission and distribution of energy (among other things).

"Consequently, any cancellation of such Project will also not fall within the ambit of item 4 of Para B, Part A, Schedule III of the Sebi Listing Regulations," it added.

Adani Energy Solutions Ltd had last month signed a project agreement with the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Ltd (Ketraco) for developing three transmission lines and two substations.

(Disclaimer: New Delhi Television is a subsidiary of AMG Media Networks Limited, an Adani Group Company.)

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Supreme Court Stays Disqualification Of 6 Himachal MLAs

In a relief to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Himachal Pradesh government, the Supreme Court on Friday stayed the initiation of disqualification proceedings against six MLAs who were appointed as chief parliamentary secretaries in 2023.

A bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar stayed the findings of the Himachal Pradesh High Court that held as illegal and unconstitutional the protection from disqualification granted to the MLAs for being chosen as chief parliamentary secretary (CPS) and parliamentary secretary (PS) under a state law and cleared the way for initiation of disqualification proceedings as MLAs for holding office of profit.

Following the stay of the top court, though the six MLAs will not hold the post of CPS, they will not be disqualified as members of the legislative assembly.

The bench said it was not staying the entire November 13 judgement of the high court but only paragraph 50 of the verdict that paved way for the initiation of disqualification proceedings of the MLAs.

"Till the next date of hearing, no further proceedings in pursuant to paragraph 50 of the impugned judgement shall take place," the bench directed while issuing notice on the state government's plea challenging the high court's verdict.

Paragraph 50 of the 33-page high court verdict stated, "Protection granted to such appointment to the office of Chief Parliamentary Secretary/or Parliamentary Secretary as per Section 3 with Clause (d) of Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Members (Removal of Disqualifications) Act, 1971 is also declared illegal and unconstitutional and thus, claim of such protection under above referred Section 3(d) is inconsequential. Natural consequences and legal implications whereof shall follow forthwith in accordance with law." Section 3 with Clause (d) of the 1971 law grants protection to the MLAs from being disqualified for being chosen to the office of CPS or PS.

The top court further made it clear to the Himachal government to not make any further appointment of chief parliamentary secretaries or parliamentary secretaries saying "it will be contrary to law".

The bench sought the response of BJP leader Kalpana Devi, who has moved the high court challenging the appointment of chief parliamentary secretaries along with several other BJP leaders.

The top court posted the hearing after a month while granting two weeks to Ms Devi to file her response and the state government to file its rejoinder, respectively.

The bench tagged the state government's plea filed through advocate Sugandha Anand along with other pending petitions in the top court and observed that contrary views have been taken by different high courts.

Mr Sukhu appointed the six chief parliamentary secretaries -- Sanjay Awasthi, the MLA from the Arki assembly constituency, Sunder Singh from Kullu, Ram Kumar from Doon, Mohan Lal Barakta from Rohru, Ashish Butail from Palampur and Kishori Lal from Baijnath -- on January 8, 2023, ahead of his cabinet expansion.

The high court noted that unlike the MLAs, CPS and parliamentary secretaries had access to official files to participate in the decision-making process of the government. They have been also allotted departments by the chief minister and have been attached with the cabinet ministers like deputy or junior ministers.

During the hearing, a battery of senior lawyers including Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Anand Sharma and Advocate General Anup Rattan, appeared for the state government and said contrary views were taken by different high courts on the issue of appointment of CPS and parliamentary secretaries.

"Some have quashed it and some like Chhattisgarh High Court have upheld it. These matters from Chhattisgarh, West Bengal are pending here. Please issue notice and tag it along with those matters," argued Sibal.

Senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the BJP leader vehemently opposed the issuance of notice and said that Justice Khanna, during his tenure in the Delhi High Court, had dealt with the issue.

He said the creation of office of CPS was beyond the legislative competence of the state legislature and the Supreme Court had struck down a state law in a similar case from Manipur.

The bench said, "The thumb rule is that when we admit appeal, the status quo has to be maintained. We will not allow the process (disqualification) to go on in the meanwhile." Chief Justice Khanna pointed out to senior advocate Maninder Singh that there was no discussion on the reasons to strike down the protection from disqualification as MLAs in the high court.

"See first there was a legislation, it was struck down. Then they came out with second legislation, which says this would not amount to an office of profit, but it was also struck down, there is no discussion on the issue in the judgement," the Mr Khanna said.

The high court declared the Himachal Pradesh Parliamentary Secretaries (Appointment, Salaries, Allowances, Powers, Privileges and Amenities) Act, 2006 as void.

It was for the second time that the appointments of the CPS and PS have been quashed in the hill state.

On August 18, 2005, the high court had quashed the appointments of eight chief parliamentary secretaries and four parliamentary secretaries. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Mobile Internet Suspension Extended For 3 Days In 7 Manipur Districts

The Manipur government on Wednesday extended the suspension of mobile internet and data services for three more days in seven trouble-torn districts, while with some improvement in the law and order situation, like the previous day, curfew was relaxed in four Imphal Valley districts for five hours.

Commissioner, Home, N. Ashok Kumar in his order said that in view of the prevailing law and order situation, the government has decided to extend the suspension of mobile internet and data services for three more days in seven trouble-torn districts with effect from 5.15 pm on Wednesday to 5.15 pm on Saturday. The seven districts, comprising both the valley and hills, are Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Kangpokpi, and Churachandpur.

After the widespread violence and attacks by mobs started in valley districts including Imphal East and Imphal West on November 16 following the recovery of six bodies of missing three children and three women in Jiribam district on November 15 and 16, Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi on November 16 ordered the suspension of mobile internet and data services in these seven districts for two days.

The Commissioner, Home, in his order on November 18, extended the suspension of mobile internet and data services for two more days in seven districts till 5.15 pm on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, with no major incident reported from any of the districts in Manipur, the Home Department on Tuesday conditionally lifted the suspension on broadband services (fixed line) considering the hardships faced by students, employees, common people, healthcare facilities, educational institutions and other offices.

Officials said that with no major incident reported from any of the four districts, curfew was relaxed in Imphal East and West, Thoubal, and Kakching districts from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Thursday to facilitate the people to purchase essential items and perform important work.

District Magistrates of four districts issued separate notifications relaxing the curfew, which was imposed for an indefinite period on November 16 after the widespread violence started in the Valley districts after the recovery of the bodies of children and women in Jiribam on November 15 and 16.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Manipur Government Sets Up Committee To Probe Recent Jiribam Violence

The Manipur government on Monday said it has constituted a two-member inquiry committee to look into the causes that led to a firing in the Jiribam district, which left one person dead and another injured.

A protester was killed and another was injured in firing during a clash between security forces and a mob that was vandalising properties in the Babupara areas of Jiribam on Sunday night. Police could not confirm who opened fire, while eyewitnesses claimed the firing came from the direction of the security forces.

The committee will be led by IGP (Intelligence) K Kabib as the Chairman with Ningsen Worngam DIG (Range III) as the member, according to a notice issued by the home department.

The panel will inquire into the cause and circumstances leading to the incident and find out if there was any foul play on the part of any person including public authority, it said.

The committee was asked to submit its findings within 30 days.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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He Broke Into Homes To Hit Sleeping Women On Head. Cops Explain Why

A 30-year-old man, who was arrested for allegedly breaking into homes at night and hitting sleeping women on the head in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur, has told police that he held a grudge against women and sought to take revenge after he was imprisoned in a 2022 child abuse case.

At a press briefing at the White House at Gorakhpur Police Line on Sunday, Gorakhpur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gaurav Grover said the accused, Ajay Nishad, was involved in five such attacks on women, one of whom even succumbed to injuries. He would also speak to his girlfriend over the phone after committing each assault, police said.

"He always wore black clothes and remained barefoot as he broke into homes and hit women on the head with sticks or rods. He liked hitting the head of his women inmates in jail and that is why he carried out such assaults once he was released," SSP Grover said.

The police earlier said that Nishad was in prison for six months in a 2022 child abuse case. Out on bail, he lived in Surat for a while before returning to Gorakhpur. He carried out his first attack on the night of July 30, when he entered a house and hit a woman on the head, before fleeing away with some jewellery.

The police said that Nishad's role in the crime was established on the basis of CCTV footage of the localities he struck in.

They added that tracing the accused was a "challenging" task. Several teams were formed and a prize of Rs 100,000 was also announced for the team that would arrest the accused.

The police have recovered several blunt objects, including an iron rod and a bed leg, suspected to have been used in the attacks. They said they would put the matter before a fast-track court and ensure strict punishment for Nishad.

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K Sanjay Murthy To Be The Next Comptroller And Auditor General Of India

The government on Monday said K Sanjay Murthy will be the next Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

Murthy, a 1989 batch IAS officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre, will succeed Girish Chandra Murmu.

He is currently Secretary, of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education.

"By virtue of the power vested in her by clause (1) of article 148 of the Constitution of India, the President has been pleased to appoint K Sanjay Murthy to be the Comptroller and Auditor General of India with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office," said a notification issued by the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance.

Girish Chandra Murmu assumed office as the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on August 8, 2020. He will complete his term on November 20. 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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40 Injured In Cylinder Blast At 'Chaat' Stall In Madhya Pradesh

At least 40 people have been injured in a cylinder blast that occurred at a 'chaat' stall in Chhattarpur, Madhya Pradesh on Sunday, officials said.

Upper Collector Milind Kumar Nagdev said, "A small cyclinder blast occurred at a chat centre. On orders of the SDM, the injured were taken to the district hospital, the cost of which will be borne by the district administration... About 40 people have been injured."

Chief Medical Officer RP Gupta said that 23 people were brought to the hospital with burn injuries, adding that some patients have sustained 40 per cent injuries but none of them are in serious condition.

"23 people with burn injuries have been brought to the hospital. After being administered first aid, the patients have now been shifted to the normal ward... Some patients have come with 40 per cent burn injuries but none of them are in serious condition," Gupta said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Madhya Pradesh Official Gets Show Cause Notice For Laughing During Hearing

A government official received a show cause notice for allegedly laughing in the presence of his senior colleagues during a public hearing in Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur district.

The show cause notice, issued on October 30, surfaced on social media on Saturday evening.

The notice was purportedly issued by additional collector Milind Nagdev to KK Tiwari, the assistant manager of e-governance at the district collector's office.

The notice stated that Tiwari was found laughing during the public hearing on October 29 in the presence of senior officials, which amounted to indiscipline and carelessness towards duty.

Public hearings are organised at select government offices on Tuesdays across the state.

In the notice, the additional collector stated that this was serious misconduct under the MP Civil Services Conduct Rules 1965 and punishable under MP Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules 1966.

Talking to reporters, the additional collector claimed he was unaware of how the show cause notice was issued and that he would inquire at his office.

Tiwari, however, said he had already submitted his reply to the notice.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"India Is My Second Home": Lonely Star Akon

Senegalese-American pop star Akon, who is in Shillong to perform at the Cherry Blossom Festival 2024, has said he thinks of India as his "second home" and can never find himself in a situation "far away" from the country.

Speaking exclusively to NDTV on Friday, the 'Lonely' and 'Chammak Challo' star said, "I have always had unforgettable moments here in India. It's like a second home to me. So, I am always here to do many things. Often for weddings... we do a lot of (performances for) weddings. So I always find myself in and out of India. I don't think I will ever be in a position where India would be far away from me."

The 51-year-old Grammy winning artiste made his Bollywood debut by singing the iconic 'Chammak Challo' and 'Criminal' songs in the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Ra.One. He is also engaged in philanthropy in Africa and said he is "100 per cent" willing to be involved in social work in India.

"One hundred percent... The most important thing is finding the best potential partners here. But I would love to do a lot of work here in India for sure," he said, when asked about his philanthropic work such as the solar lighting project (Akon Lighting Africa) in Africa and the possibility of carrying out similar work in India.

He said he is visiting the northeast for the first time and the trip has been "amazing" so far. "This is the first time that I am visiting this side of India. It's beautiful," he said.

The R&B singer also visited an undisclosed location linked to the indigenous Khasi tribe in Meghalaya.

"Music is one of those things that you have to spread... (it) also speaks in a language that, most often, the world doesn't speak,.. music, everybody understands (stands for the language of) love, good karma and positive energy. So, oftentimes, if you do music with positive energy, it will spread quicker and you can become the biggest thing ever. So just keep it (your music) as positive as possible," he said.

In a message to all his fans, Akon said: "I appreciate all you guys for all the support and one love."

The Cherry Blossom Festival, which is supported by the Meghalaya government, is being held on Friday and Saturday. With impressive lineups, the festival attracts thousands of music enthusiasts from across the country every year.

Akon's performance at the event this year is part of his "Superfan Tour," which includes one show per country in Asia during November and December, with additional stops in as many as eight countries.

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Video: Students Put Cracker In Petrol Bag, Burst It In Front Of Fuel Tanker

In an attempt to make a viral social media post, three students in Karnataka's Hassan district placed a cracker inside a transparent plastic bag full of petrol and exploded it in front of a stationary fuel tanker. All three were arrested, produced in court and let off with a warning after paying a fine.

The 25-second video, shot on Tuesday, shows a massive explosion in front of the parked tanker as the youngsters set the bag ablaze before running to safety. The tanker, however, was unaffected by the blast and a bigger mishap was averted.

Police said the students are pursuing a graduation in Ayurvedic medicine. After the clip went viral, a case was registered against the three students and they were arrested.

"The three students were arrested under provisions of the Karnataka Police Act and produced in court. The court gave the students a warning and imposed a fine, before releasing them," Hassan Superintendent of Police MS Sujita said.

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After Maharashtra Polls, A Fresh Battle Brews For The Top Post

"Complicated" is going to be the middle name of the assembly election in Maharashtra this year. But the state is bracing for an even tougher battle once the dust settles - one for the Chief Minister's chair. No matter which side wins, ruling alliance Mahayuti or the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, that decision is unlikely to be simple or straightforward - so much so that many are expecting a political reconfiguration post-result, a sequel of what happened in 2019 that set the stage for a drastic political upheaval two years down the line.

What makes the situation complicated is resolute nature of the claimants -- on each side, only two appear to be running for the top post.

It is difficult to assess the ambitions of both factions of the NCP. On one side is veteran leader Sharad Pawar, dubbed by many as the Chanakya of Maharashtra, on the other hand, there is his nephew Ajit Pawar, who is being seen as the "kingmaker" in this election.

In the ruling alliance, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena is eager to see its leader get the top job again, and many surveys have already declared him a popular leader. But that could prove insufficient should the Mahayuti win, with Devendra Fadnavis and his supporters waiting in the wings.

Back in June 2022, Mr Fadnavis's supporters had been disgruntled over what they saw as short shrift to their leader despite the key role he played in steering the party back to power.

Mr Fadnavis had made his reluctance to accept the number 2 position clear - he accepted only at the last minute after orders from the party high command.  An extra chair had to be brought so he could join Mr Shinde on the dais for the oath ceremony at the Raj Bhavan.

This time, there are whispers that the BJP's chief strategist, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, is garnering votes for Mr Fadnavis. At a recent public rally, he said, "Maharashtra has a lot of faith in Modi ji and Fadnavis ji". There was no mention of Eknath Shinde.

But the real drama appears reserved for the Opposition MVA should it come to power.

In 2019, the BJP had accused Uddhav Thackeray of breaking the alliance with his steadfast demand for the top post. This time, while Mr Thackeray has not been explicit, his allies are not expecting him to give up on his claim.

But unlike in 2019, a new claimant has appeared on the scene - the Congress with its 13 Lok Sabha seats.

While Mr Thackeray has repeatedly demanded that the Chief ministerial face of the alliance be declared well in advance, Congress' big leader and former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan made it clear that the party which has more MLAs, will get the top job.

There is also talk of Sharad Pawar's faction of the Nationalist Congress Party adding the veteran leader's daughter, Supriya Sule, in the mix if need be.

Maharashtra votes on November 20 in a single phase and the counting of votes will be held on November 23.

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Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's Daughter Gets Married In Rajasthan's Kota

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's daughter Anjali got married at a function here on Tuesday night. His son-in-law Aneesh hails from a noted business family in Kota.

The marriage was solemnised on the occasion of Dev Uthani Gyaras.

Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly Rajendra Singh Rathore, the state's minister of youth affairs Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, MLAs and other dignitaries attended the function.

A reception will be held on Wednesday at a resort on Bundi Road and the city is expected to witness some VIP movement. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma are scheduled to visit Kota for the reception

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Smog Blanket Over North India, Air Quality In "Severe" Level

There has been an early onset of toxic cover across Delhi and north India this year owing to stubble burning across the north Indian states. What is also shocking is the scale of the smog cover, as well as the level of pollutants present in it.

Satellite images show the white blanked stretching across the whole of north India -- all the way down to Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. In the east, it stretches well beyond Central Uttar Pradesh.

The smog blanket, while registering its presence just around Diwali, settles down in earnest towards the end of December and continues throughout January.

What makes this doubly clear is a satellite image from last year. Here is a comparison of both images from the Korean Geo Kompsat 2A satellite.

The smog cover over Delhi was thick and significantly dropped air quality to the 'Severe' category. The Air Quality Index had crossed the 400 mark -- when the approved mark is around 60.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Pollution board CAQM said: "Today, Delhi's daily average AQI clocked 418 as per the 4 PM AQI Bulletin by CPCB. The CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP accordingly took stock of the air quality scenario and the AQI forecast, including for the meteorological conditions as made by IMD/ IITM."

Today, Delhi's daily average AQI clocked 418 as per the 4 PM AQI Bulletin by CPCB. The CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP accordingly took stock of the air quality scenario and the AQI forecast, including for the meteorological conditions as made by IMD/ IITM.
Cont. (1/5)

— Commission for Air Quality Management (@CAQM_Official) November 13, 2024

The low visibility sevrely hampered flight operations. The smog caused zero visibility at the Indira Gandhi International Airport at 8.30 am. The Runway Visual Range varied between 125 and 500 metres, the met department said.

The pollution board said they expect the situation to improve by tomorrow morning, "owing to stronger winds".

The Air Quality Index is also expected to move back to the 'Very Poor' category tomorrow.

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Display Names, Phone Numbers: Vendors At Delhi Vegetable Market Told

Street vendors at a vegetable market in Delhi's Najafgarh will have to display their names on carts in a move the local councillor and the market association claimed was aimed at preventing "illegal" Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants from selling produce there.

The market association has also directed the vendors to display their phone numbers on nameplates on the carts, which will have a unique "thela number" issued by it.

The decision to implement this plan was made in a meeting of the market association with the local councillor earlier this month, following complaints of unidentified sellers, suspected to be illegal migrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar, selling produce.

Local BJP Councillor Amit Kharkhari said the move was not meant to discriminate against anyone or any particular community but for security.

Nazafgarh Vyapar Mandal President Santosh Rajput told PTI, "We have asked all street vendors in the area to submit identity documents such as Aadhaar for verification." This record will be maintained by the market association and submitted to the local police as well as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for security purposes, he added.

The association said there were around 300 street vendors who sold farm produce in the market area.

There are plans to complete the verification process by November 20, Rajput said.

"With this move, we aim to improve the system in the vegetable market. If the names and phone numbers of vendors are displayed on their carts, any buyer with a grievance can report it to us. This will also help us identify illegal migrants selling goods. We will forward their details to the MCD and the police," he said.

Anyone who does not have a nameplate will not be allowed to sell their produce in the market, he added.

Kharkhari said the decision to implement the action was taken unanimously by the market association and locals during a meeting at his office.

"This is not being done to discriminate against anyone or any particular community. This is just for security. We have received several complaints about unauthorised persons operating in the market. Keeping this in mind, the decision was made and is being implemented," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Imported Seeds, Full-Spectrum Lights: High-Tech Marijuana Op Busted In Noida

A high-tech marijuana operation, using imported seeds and full-spectrum grow lights, has been busted in Greater Noida and an English graduate from Meerut has been arrested. Police said the man cultivated at least 100 marijuana plants, including premium (OG) and other varieties, at his flat in Beta-2's Parsvnath Panorama society, selling the produce from each of them on the dark web for between Rs 50,000 and Rs 60,000.

He was inspired to get into the drug trade after watching web series and used to gather information on growing marijuana on the internet, said an official.

Briefing reporters on Tuesday, a senior police officer said the accused, Rahul Chowdhary, would grow premium marijuana (OG) in flower pots by purchasing cannabis seeds from an international website, making payments through PayPal. He said since Chowdhary could not expose the plants to sunlight for fear of getting caught, he used full-spectrum lights for the purpose and also had air conditioners set at specific temperatures to facilitate their growth.

"During his interrogation, Chowdhary said he started the cultivation around four months ago. It would take him roughly 100-110 days to grow one plant. Cultivating a plant would cost Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 and he would get Rs 50,000-Rs 60,000 for each of them on the dark web," deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Saad Mian Khan told a press briefing.

The accused told police that he had managed to sell ganja from around 20 plants so far. At least 80 cannabis plants, over two kilograms of different types of marijuana, several chemicals and farming equipment were recovered from his flat, said Mr Khan.

"Chowdhary is a graduate in English and he used to watch web series on narcotics and read information on the internet to figure out how to grow marijuana," the DCP said, adding that Chowdhary's arrest was part of an ongoing crackdown on drug traffickers.

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2 Climb Mobile Tower In Jaipur, Demand CBI Probe Into 10-Year-Old's Murder

Two persons climbed atop a mobile tower on Monday demanding a CBI probe into the murder of a 10-year-old deaf and mute girl earlier this year, police said.

The two, the girl's uncle Tikaram and social activist Kamal Meena, also posted a video online in which they claimed that despite running from pillar to post for the last six months, justice has not been done, according to police.

In the video, they demanded that the case should be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The two men climbed atop the mobile tower in the MI Road area after which civil defence and police teams reached the spot. Efforts were being made to bring down the two men safely, said Station House Officer, Vidhayakpuri, Poonam Chaudhary.

In May, Dimple Meena, 10, was found in a half-burnt condition in Karauli. Her family members suspected that she was burnt after being raped. However, rape was not confirmed in the investigation. She died on May 20 during treatment. The post-mortem report showed that she was poisoned.

Police have arrested her maternal uncle and parents in the case.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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India Not Among Nations Nervous About US After Trump's Return: S Jaishankar

There is a trend towards a more diverse, multipolar world but older, industrialised economies have not gone away and remain prime investment targets, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday.

Speaking at the silver jubilee celebrations of the Aditya Birla Group's Scholarships programme in Mumbai, S Jaishankar said while a lot of countries are nervous about the US -- following the return of Donald Trump as President -- India is not one among them.

"Yes, there is a shift. We are ourselves an example of the shift... if you look at our economic weight, you look at our economic ranking, you look at even Indian corporates, their reach, their presence, Indian professionals, which I spoke about. So no question there is a rebalancing," S Jaishankar said in response to a question on the reset in the global power dynamic that was playing out amid the shift in the balance of power from the west to the east.

"And to my mind, it was inevitable," he said, adding, "because once these countries after the colonial period got their independence, they started making their own policy choices, then they were bound to grow." "The part which is not inevitable is that some grew faster, some grew slower, some grew better, and there the quality of governance and the quality of leadership came in. So, there is, in a sense, therefore, the constant and the variable.

"There is a trend towards a more diverse, multipolar world. But there is also, you know, a period when countries really surge ahead. I mean, it's like what happened in the corporate world as well." He, however, said the industrialised economies in the west cannot be ignored and remain prime investment targets.

"But do remember one thing, the older, the western economies, the older industrialised economies, they have not gone away. They still count, they are still prime investment targets. They are big markets, strong technology centres, hubs for innovation. So let's recognise the shift, but let's not get carried away and kind of overstate it and distort our own understanding of the world," the minister said.

Speaking on the India-US relationship and Trump's win, he said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first three calls, I think, that President (elect) Trump took." India and Prime Minister Modi have built rapport with multiple presidents, he said.

"For him (PM Modi) there's something natural in terms of how he forges those relationships. So that's helped hugely. And I think the changes in India have helped as well," he said, when asked how he sees the US presidential election outcome impacting India-US ties, especially given PM Modi's strong personal rapport with the US President-elect.

"I know today a lot of countries are nervous about the US, let's be honest about it. We are not one of them," S Jaishankar said.

Earlier, Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla said investment in talent is what shapes the future, and emphasised that with the scholarship programme, "we were driven by the ambition to create a cadre of handpicked leaders who would excel in India and also represent our country abroad".

"The Aditya Birla Scholarship is a tribute to my father's legacy and an ode to the spirit of ambition and extraordinary determination that defines India. With this scholarship programme, we were driven by the ambition to create a cadre of handpicked leaders who would excel in India and also represent our country abroad," he said.

Terming the scholarship a microcosm of India's immense talent -- abundant and outstanding -- Birla said, "The extraordinary success of the programme, as measured by the achievements of our scholars over the years, only indicates that ultimately investment in talent is what shapes the future." Established in 1999 in memory of late industrialist Aditya Vikram Birla, the programme has emerged as one of India's most-coveted merit-based scholarships, according to the group.

The programme partners with 22 premier institutions, including select IITS, BITS Pilani, leading IIMS, XLRI, and national law schools.

Over its 25-year journey, over 10,000 applications have been evaluated by a team of experts, maintaining a steadfast commitment to excellence and diversity. The total number of Aditya Birla Scholars now stands at 781 across engineering, management, and law disciplines, according to the group.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Made Mistake Twice": Nitish Kumar Says He Will Stay With NDA 'Permanently'

Maintaining that he "made a mistake twice" in the past by joining hands with RJD, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said that now he would stay permanently with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Addressing a public meeting in favour of NDA nominee, Vishal Prashant of BJP for the Tarari assembly byelection, Kumar said, "I have said it earlier also...I am once again saying that we (BJP-JDU) were together earlier. I made a mistake twice in the past by joining hands with the RJD...I went 'idhar udhar' twice in the past...But now, I have again come to the NDA. I will remain permanently with the NDA".

He said, "We have been working for the development of Bihar since 2005. Several infrastructural and development works have been done in Bihar after 2005.....and it will continue further under the NDA rule".

Kumar accused RJD of trying to "polarise" votes on "communal lines" in the upcoming bypolls in the state.

"They (RJD) always try to create a divide on communal lines. When RJD was in power in Bihar, the state witnessed several communal clashes. But, now the situation is totally different when the NDA is in power. I am sure that people will give a befitting reply to the INDIA bloc in the coming bypolls in the state", he said.

By-polls on four Bihar assembly seats will be held on November 13 for which results will be out on November 23.

All four assembly seats had fallen vacant after MLAs representing them were elected to the Lok Sabha. The four seats where by-polls will be held are Ramgarh, Tarari, Belaganj, and Imamganj.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Yoga Teacher Buried Alive, Escapes Death Using Breathing Techniques

A 34-year-old Yoga teacher faked her death using breathing techniques and saved herself after allegedly being assaulted, strangled and then buried by a group of people who assumed she was dead, police said on Friday.

Five people, including a woman identified as Bindu and her friend named Satish Reddy who runs a detective agency in Bengaluru, have been arrested in connection with the incident, they said.

"Bindu suspected her husband of having an affair with the Yoga teacher and asked Reddy to keep a tab on the woman and her proximity to him. As part of the plan, Reddy allegedly befriended the victim some three months ago on the pretext of taking Yoga classes from her and during this period, he managed to gain her confidence," a police official said.

In her complaint, the victim alleged that on the pretext of showing some places around the city on October 23, he came to her house near Dibburahalli and took her in a car in which three other men were also present.

She alleged that they took her to a secluded spot on the outskirts of the city and allegedly stripped and assaulted her.

According to her, she was thrashed, threatened and strangled using a cable. She claimed that she played along, pretended to be unconscious and faked her death using breathing techniques.

"Assuming the woman died, the accused allegedly dug a pit and covered her body with thin layers of soil because they were in a hurry and feared to be caught. But before leaving, they took away all her gold jewellery," a senior police officer said.

She claimed that she later managed to wriggle out of the pit and with the help of some villagers, got clothes and managed to reach the police station to file a complaint, he said.

The woman was sent for a medical examination as per procedure and admitted to a hospital.

"Based on the complaint, we registered a case under sections of kidnapping, attempt to murder and other appropriate sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Based on the investigation, we arrested five people, including Reddy and Bindu, on November 6," the officer said.

The vehicle in which the victim was kidnapped was allegedly stolen from Bengaluru, police said, adding, the victim's jewellery has also been recovered with the arrests.

"We are trying to verify all the claims made by the victim. There were also some online money transactions between Bindu and the associates and we are investigating the money trail also," he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Sinclair, IIT Bombay Partner For Next Gen Wireless Broadcast-To-Everything Research

The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and Sinclair Inc have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for "collaboration of technology and standards development in wireless broadcast services over next generation telecom and broadcast networks." 

Sinclair, a diversified media company and a leading provider of local broadcast television, in a statement said, "Research efforts will focus on enhancements to the international ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) 3.0 wireless broadcast standard for a variety of mobile, television and other fixed applications that can benefit India and the world." 

The new capabilities of ATSC 3.0, they said, will advance "Broadcast-to-Everything (B2X) use cases to provide dynamic traffic management and fast interworking with 5G networks, efficient spectrum utilization, low-latency datacasting, edge content distribution and improved battery life for smartphones, featurephones, wearables and IoT devices."

How Will IIT Bombay Contribute? 

IIT Bombay will also contribute directly to the B2X release standardization work under way as a member of ATSC, Sinclair said.

"B2X will help relieve network congestion, provide a high quality of service for concurrent and popular content, and promote sustainability. B2X further improves upon Direct-to-Mobile (D2M), extending broadcast into the IMT-2030 (6G) ecosystem," they added.

India has over 1 billion mobile subscribers, over 200 million homes with TV, high per-capita mobile data consumption and proliferation of news, sports and other TV and radio channels. 

In the long term, Sinclair says, "B2X will drive progress in emergency and disaster management, remote education and skilling, advanced agricultural techniques, augmentation of satellite positioning and timing, vehicular communications and open AI-based applications for broadcasting and datacasting." 

'Excited To Partner'

Professor Shireesh Kedare, Director of IIT Bombay, said, "We are excited to partner with Sinclair in wireless telecom transformation and promote academic excellence, joint projects, and joint intellectual property development including Make in India initiatives to drive B2X adoption in India. It touches IIT Bombay's mission to address the needs of society and country at large and develop technologies and products that improve the quality of life for both urban and rural population." 

Chris Ripley, President and CEO, Sinclair, Inc, said, "We consider the collaboration work with IIT Bombay to be of the utmost importance in establishing ATSC 3.0-based B2X as the preferred technology for broadcasting and multicasting for diverse applications, not just in India, but ultimately across the globe. Sinclair is proud to have IIT Bombay reinforce our foundational role in advancing next generation broadcast."  

Mark Aitken, Senior Vice President, Sinclair, Inc. and the guiding architect of the ATSC 3.0 standard, said "ATSC 3.0's high bandwidth efficiency, and time and frequency interleaving features make it undisputedly the best mobile broadcast standard. ATSC 3.0 also stands alone with its bootstrap "blanking" feature that facilitates the introduction of B2X release enhancements without disrupting the operation of earlier releases." 

Madeleine Noland, President of ATSC, said, "Telecom networks focus on unicast (one-to-one) communications, while B2X adds ATSC 3.0's high performance broadcast (one-to-many) distribution aligned with mobile specifications. ATSC applauds Sinclair's and IIT Bombay's participation in B2X standards and technology development, which has the potential to revolutionize data distribution efficiency across multiple networks. IIT Bombay joins other world class academic and research institutions as ATSC's newest member." 

Shashi Shekhar Vempati, former CEO Prasar Bharati, and member of the ATSC Business Advisory Council, said, "The recent decision by Brazil to adopt the ATSC 3.0 standard for broadcast services, based on extensive testing of multiple systems, paves the way for B2X to further advance the standard's broadcast resilience for the greater public good. This collaboration furthers the developmental goals of a Viksit Bharat (Developed Bharat) as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi." 

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