Here are the top highlights of all the breaking news from the world of business and politics in India and the globe, on November 4.
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Give priority to entities having JVs with international players to improve road safety: Nitin Gadkari
Union Roads Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said there is a need to get best global practices for road engineering projects by giving priority to entities having joint ventures international consultants.
Speaking at an India Today event in Mumbai, Gadkari said he used to insist on "swadeshi and Indian" consultants for preparing detailed project reports but feels the need to revisit the same.
India witnesses the highest number of road accidents in the world and also the number of fatalities at 1.5 lakh a year is the highest, he said, adding that road safety is his top priority.
"I used to insist on Swadeshi and Indian DPR (Detailed Project Report) makers, but I told our secretary yesterday that for improvements in road engineering, we should give priority to those who have joint ventures with international players so that world's expertise comes with us," Gadkari said.
PTI
UN chief urges North Korea to resume denuclearisation talks
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday condemned North Korea's recent missile launches, urging Pyongyang to "immediately desist from taking any further provocative action" and take immediate steps to resume talks aimed at the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, a U.N. spokesman said.
Guterres also "asks all parties concerned to come together and to foster an environment that is conducive to dialogue," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. (Reuters)
That is not in BCCI's hands. : BCCI chief on information regarding Asia Cup 2023
-That is not in BCCI's hands. That has to be done from the Government's side. They give the clearances: BCCI chief Roger Binny, in Chennai (Tamil Nadu) when asked if Indian Team will go to Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup
(ANI)
I don't think we're favoured by ICC: BCCI chief
-Not fair. I don't think we're favoured by ICC.Everyone gets same treatment. No way in which you can say that. What do we get different from other teams? India is a big powerhouse in cricket but we're all treated the same: BCCI chief on allegations that ICC favours BCCI & Team India
(ANI)
Elon Musk says Twitter saw revenue slump as activist groups pressured advertisers
-"Twitter has had a massive drop in revenue, due to activist groups pressuring advertisers, even though nothing has changed with content moderation and we did everything we could to appease the activists," he tweeted.
(ANI)
Indranil Rajguru, who had earlier quit the Congress to join AAP Gujarat, rejoined Congress Delhi today
-He says, "We were always with Congress, even my family didn't approve when I quit. I had joined AAP to defeat BJP but felt that they mislead people just like BJP."
(ANI)
"Was hit by four bullets", says Imran Khan, day after assassination attempt
(ANI)
CAQM asks Dy Commissioners to bring down farm fires
-Centre's air quality panel CAQM directs deputy commissioners of all districts in Punjab to take measures to "drastically" bring down number of farm fires in state.
(PTI)
Delhi smog causes primary schools to shut down
-Delhi schools to be closed for primary classes as thick smog blankets city, people gasp for breath.
Pakistan PM says he was already aware of the attack a day before
-I already came to know a day before that there will be an attack on me, says Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan
-I have come from among the common people, my party wasn't made under a military establishment. I have struggled for 22 yrs, he says
(ANI)
Indian Navy has been closely monitoring the movement of a Chinese research vessel from the instance it entered the Indian Ocean region: Defence Sources
(ANI)
Indian Coast Guard held a two-day multispeciality health camp for the serving and retired personnel at its establishment in Noida.
- The camp was inaugurated today by Mrs Neela Pathania, President Tatrakshika, stated Indian Coast Guard.
(ANI)
Reliance Strategic Investments appoints KV Kamath as non-executive Chairman
-RSIL will be renamed as Jio Financial Services & will be listed.
KV Kamath will continue as Independent Director & non-executive Chairman of JFSL.
(ANI)
Twitter lays off employees in India
-Layoffs in marketing, communication and some other departments, state sources
(ANI)
Congress demands Delhi CM's resignation over Delhi air quality
The Congress demanded Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's resignation over the hazardous pollution levels in Delhi and also sought a blueprint in the next 15 days on how to improve the air quality.
Thick smog blanketed Delhi on Friday as the air quality remained in the 'severe' zone for the second consecutive day, primarily due to unfavourable meteorological conditions and raging farm fires in Punjab.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said Delhi must be the only city in the world where schools and offices are shut because of pollution.
"Past 8 yrs, Delhi Govt couldn't determine the cause of pollution nor could they make a policy to prevent it? While Delhi gasps for air, the CM & PM are breathing elections," Kharge tweeted.
Accused in wrestler Sagar Dhankar murder case granted custody parole for exam
A court in Delhi has granted custody parole to an accused in the wrestler Sagar Dhankar murder case to appear in an examination.
Accused Gaurav Laura had filed a plea before the court for grant of custody bail or parole on November 5 and November 9. (PTI)
US hiring remains strong, employers added 261,000 workers in Oct
US job gains topped expectations in October, as hiring rose at a solid pace, even as the unemployment rate edged up, according to the closely-watched US employment report Friday.
Employers added 261,000 workers last month, far higher than economists had forecast, while the jobless rate rose two-tenths to 3.7 percent, the Labor Department said. (AFP)
Twitter starts laying off staff in India
Twitter has started laying off employees in India as part of a global job cut ordered by the social media platform's new owner Elon Musk to attain economies of scale and make the USD 44 billion acquisition viable.(PTI)
Terror funding case: ED attaches J&K separatist Shabir Shah's Srinagar house
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday said it has attached Jammu and Kashmir separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah's Srinagar house as part of a money laundering probe linked to a case of fuelling terrorist activities in the Union territory.
The house, worth Rs 21.80 lakh, is located in Botshah colony, Sanat Nagar, in Srinagar's Barzulla police station area, officials said.
The money laundering case against Shah stems from an FIR filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in May 2017 against Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed and others under various sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). (PTI)
India's forex reserves increase by $6.561 bn to $531.081 bn
India's forex reserves increased by $6.561 billion to reach $531.081 billion for the week ended October 28, the RBI said.
The overall reserves, which have been on a declining spree, had dropped by USD 3.847 billion to USD 524.52 billion in the previous reporting week.
SC to hear PIL on Delhi's air pollution on Nov 10
The Supreme Court agreed to list for hearing on November 10 a PIL seeking fresh guidelines on stubble burning to curb rising air pollution in Delhi and the national capital region (NCR).
"Even normal people cannot walk in such a situation," the lawyer Shashank Shekhar Jha, who filed the PIL in his personal capacity said, adding that "Air Quality Index (AQI) level has risen due to stubble burning."
T20 World Cup 2022: Australia beat Afghanistan by four runs
Australia beat Afghanistan by four runs to keep semifinal hopes alive in T20 World Cup.
Australia survived a late Rashid Khan onslaught.
By virtue of the win, Australia moved to the second spot in Group 1 with seven points from five games, same as New Zealand, who became the first team to qualify for the semifinals on account of a better net run rate.
Attack on Imran Khan: Pakistan police arrest two more suspects
Police in Pakistan's Punjab province have arrested two more suspects, who they believe had sold the pistol and bullets for PKR 20,000 to Naveed Mohammad Basheer, the assailant who tried to assassinate former premier Imran Khan during a political rally, according to a media report on Friday. (PTI)
Leased property dispute: Delhi court asks BJP leader Kuldeep Bishnoi's company to pay Rs 3.75 cr
A court in Delhi has directed a company owned by Haryana politician Kuldeep Bishnoi to deposit Rs 3.75 crore towards use and occupation charges of a leased property.
According to the lease deed, the property -- a farmhouse in Rajokari village -- was taken on lease by the defendant company, M/s Seth Enterprises Pvt Ltd, specifically for residential use by its managing director Kuldeep Bishnoi and his family on a rent of Rs 4.25 lakh per month for a period of two years, the suit said.
But the lease agreement dated May 20, 2013 ended on April 14, 2015 and despite receiving two legal notices, the possession of the property was not handed over to the owner and plaintiff, Nimitaya Properties Ltd, nor was any charge paid for its use and occupation, it said. (PTI)
IndiGo Q2 loss widens to Rs 1,583.34 crore
InterGlobe Aviation, the parent of the country's largest airline IndiGo, on Friday posted widening of loss to Rs 1,583.34 crore for the September quarter, mainly due to higher expenses.
The airline had a loss of Rs 1,435.66 crore in the year-ago period.
However revenues of the company rose to Rs 12,852.29 crore in the second quarter of the current fiscal, from Rs 5,798.73 crore in the same period a year ago, according to a release.
Shiv Sena leader Sudhir Suri shot dead by unidentified people in Punjab's Amritsar: Police
The incident took place outside Gopal Mandir on Majitha Road -- one of the busiest places in the city -- where Suri and some other leaders of the party were holding a protest, they said.
According to police, more than five shots were fired at Suri after which he fell down and lost consciousness. He was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to bullet injuries, they said.
The accused has been arrested and the weapon used in the crime seized, police said. (PTI)
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar says farmers backbone of rising India, credits industry with driving agriculture sector into “new trajectory"
Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan urges Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik to convene all-party meet on border issues with Andhra Pradesh
Rupee rises 45 paise to close at 82.43 (provisional) against US dollar
New Zealand becomes first team to qualify for semifinals of T20 World Cup T20 WC
50% Delhi govt staff to work from home, private offices advised to follow suit: Env min Gopal Rai on anti-pollution curbs
“Imran Khan waved at us, as if not to worry…” Eyewitness to assassination attempt on Imran Khan
Isudhan Gadhvi to be AAP's CM face for Gujarat elections
Kejriwal to announce Gujarat chief ministerial candidate
Delhi govt has set up 6-member panel to monitor implementation of anti-pollution curbs
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Raisays
- Delhi govt has decided to implement curbs recommended by Centre's air quality panel under final stage of GRAP
- Delhi govt has set up 6-member panel to monitor implementation of anti-pollution curbs
- 50% Delhi govt staff to work from home, private offices advised to follow suit
- Anti-pollution curbs: Revenue commissioners to prepare plan for staggered timings for markets & offices
- Special task forces to be set up to curb air pollution at hotspots in Delhi
2008 Malegaon blast: One more witness declared hostile
Another witness declared hostile today, before the Special NIA Court. He is the 27th witness in this case who has turned hostile.
(ANI)
Union Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurated the Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference in Kochi
South Korea scrambles fighter jets after detecting around 180 North Korean warplanes
South Korea says it has scrambled fighter jets after detecting around 180 North Korean warplanes moving near the border between the two countries, according to the Yonhap news agency.
Almost 2 lakh of the 9 lakh people registered as construction workers by AAP between 2018-2021 were fake: Sambit Patra
- Three NGOs working for construction workers have alleged massive corruption in their registration in Delhi through proxies
- Investigations have revealed 2 lakh fake construction workers have been registered in Delhi. 65,000 have same mobile number
Unemployment rate surges to 7.77% in October from 6.43% in a month: CMIE
- The unemployment rate in India rose to 7.77 percent in October compared to a four-year low of 6.43 percent in September, data from Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) show.
- Among the 25 states for which data is available with the CMIE, six states - Bihar (14.5 percent), Haryana (31.8 percent), Jammu and Kashmir (22.4 percent), Jharkhand (16.5 percent), Rajasthan (30.7 percent), and Tripura (10.5 percent) - registered the unemployment rate in double digits.
- Madhya Pradesh recordrd the lowest unemployment rate at 0.9 percent, followed by Chhattisgrah at 0.9 percent, Odisha at 1.1 percent, and Gujrat at 1.7 percent.
- According to the data, rural unemployment has seen a steep surge from 5.8 percent in October to 8 percent in September.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra says Delhi is reeling under the pollution of corruption
- Arvind Kejriwal's intent and integrity polluted, Delhi reeling under the pollution of corruption.
- The case we are talking about is the biggest corruption case in the history of India as far as construction industries are concerned.
- We will leave no stone unturned to unfold the ill deed of corruption carried out by the Labour Ministry of Delhi.
- The registries made under the AAP have been severely mischievous;the scam exists to the tune of crores of rupees.
- The candidates are not real entities, but proxies with ghost registries.
ED probing illegal occupants of Indian Army lands
ED is conducting searches at nearly one dozen locations in West Bengal & Jharkhand against those illegally occupying Indian Army lands
(DD News)
Sambit Patra and Manoj Tiwari address a press conference at party headquarters in New Delhi
(Image credits: ANI)
Arvind Kejriwal says primary schools in Delhi to be shut from tomorrow
- Odd-even policy is being considered again in wake of pollution
- We are closing outdoor activities for the above primary classes
- Abusing Arvind Kejriwal will not solve the pollutionissues
- Give Punjab government one more year to resolve this problem
- You should not be facing this problem in the next season
Delhi and Punjab Chief Ministers address the press on severe AQI in NCR
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann says
- Steps are being taken to ensure, the problem of stubble burning are solved in Punjab
- After formation of government in Punjab, there were two seasons of crops in the state, we got less time to ensure there’s no stubble burning
- If we are breaking the records of producing rice crop, it’s evident there will be increase in stubble as well
- Next year November, we will ensure we will not be discussing issue of stubble burning in Punjab
CM Arvind Kejriwal addresses the press with Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann
- Kejriwal Govt not solely responsible, Centre needs to step in and take measures
- This is not the time to do politics, it will not give solution
- We admit stubble burning in Punjab, but the farmers need solution
- It’s been six months we have formed government in Punjab, we take the responsibility of stubble biting in the state
(Picture credit: ANI)
Imran Khan vows to continue protest march after attack on him
- Imran Khan is stable after an attempt on his life and the former Pakistan prime minister is determined to continue his political struggle to press the government to call for an early election, his party has said.
-Khan, 70, suffered a bullet injury in the right leg when a gun-wielding man 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 government.
- Fawad Chaudhry, a senior leader from Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI), alleged it was a planned assassination attempt on Imran Khan and he escaped narrowly. (PTI)
SC to hear plea seeking measures to reduce the pollution in Delhi NCR on Nov 10
- The Supreme Court will hear on November 10 a plea seeking necessary measures to reduce the pollution in Delhi NCR. (ANI)