As the war between Israel and Hamas grows intense, the Indian Embassy in Israel has set up a 24-hour helpline desk for the citizens stranded there and has asked them to follow the security advisories. The Indian Embassy announced the helpline numbers +972-35226748 and +972-543278392 for Indians who need assistance amid the ongoing conflict or wish to register with the Embassy. Meanwhile, Gaza’s only power plant has run out of fuel, forcing it to shut down after Israel cut off supplies, the Energy Ministry said on October 11. That will leave only generators to power the territory. The blackouts come as Israel has decided to block fuel shipments into the Gaza Strip as part of what the Israeli government has called a “complete siege” on the territory run by the Hamas militant group.
Rajasthan Assembly polls | Election Commission revises poll date to November 25
The Election Commission of India on October 11 announced a change in the polling date for the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly elections. The elections, which were scheduled for November 23, will now take place on November 25. “Representations have been received in the Commission from various political parties, social organisations and also issues raised in various media platforms for change of date of poll considering large scale wedding/social engagement on that day which may cause inconvenience to large number of people, various logistic issues and may lead to reduced voters participation during poll,” the notification said.
India on October 11 said a multilateral rules-based international order, along with sincere respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity remains the foundation for reviving the Indian Ocean as a strong community, in a veiled attack on China which is flexing its muscles in the region. Speaking at the 23rd Council of Ministers Meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association in Colombo, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also said that it is important to maintain the Indian Ocean as a free, open and inclusive space based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas, as the Constitution of the Seas.
Supreme Court divided on married woman’s right to abort 26-week pregnancy
A Division Bench of two women judges of the Supreme Court on Wednesday were split in their opinions about the decision of a married woman to abort her 26-week pregnancy and the Centre’s resolve to save the “unborn child”. Unable to reach common ground, Justices Hima Kohli and B.V. Nagarathna finally referred the case to the Chief Justice of India to form a three-judge Bench.
Delhi court summons BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain in rape case
A Delhi court on October 11 summoned BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain on a woman’s complaint alleging rape and criminal intimidation. The court took cognisance of the alleged offence and directed the former Union Minister to appear before it on October 20. “This court after going through the cancellation report, protest petition filed by the complainant, the reply to the protest petition filed by the IO and other material on record is of the view that the complainant has given consistent statements to the police, to the court in her application and before the Ld. Magistrate in her statement u/s 164 Cr.PC,” the judge said.
CBI registers FCRA violation case involving NewsClick, conducts searches
The Central Bureau of Investigation on October 11 conducted searches on the premises of NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha after registering a case alleging violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act. The move comes a day after a Patiala House court sent Mr. Purkayastha and the website’s human resources head Amit Chakraborty to 10 days of judicial custody in the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act case registered by the Delhi police.
Tightening its noose around the unlawful and anti-national activities of the Popular Front of India, the National Investigation Agency on October 11 conducted raids across six States against the suspects linked to the banned outfit in connection with Bihar’s Phulwari Sharif case. The searches were underway since morning at over a dozen locations in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Delhi-NCR based on inputs against suspects.
India allows cough syrup firm linked to Uzbek deaths to re-open factory, shows document
Uttar Pradesh has permitted the resumption of most production at a factory owned by Marion Biotech, which produced cough syrups Uzbekistan linked to the deaths of 65 children last year, an order seen by Reuters shows. The firm is among three Indian companies whose cough syrups the World Health Organization and other agencies have linked to the deaths of 141 children in Uzbekistan, Gambia and Cameroon, in one of the world’s worst such waves of poisoning.
Prevented from leaving home in view of President’s visit to J&K, says Mehbooba Mufti
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on October 11 alleged that she was prevented from leaving her home in view of President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir. “Shocked to know that I can’t even step out of the house to my party office only because the Hon’ble President is visiting Srinagar today. The right of movement is snapped at a whim anytime,” Ms. Mufti said in a post on X.
Congress slams the Modi government for transferring CAG officials
Reacting to news reports that audit officials of the Comptroller and Auditor General, who had exposed corruption in the Ayushman Bharat scheme and Dwarka Expressway project, have been transferred, the Congress on October 11 accused the Narendra Modi government of intimidating the officials, and demanded their reinstatement. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, in a post on X, alleged that the Narendra Modi government threatens and removes anyone who “exposes” it.
Pathankot attack mastermind Shahid Latif killed in Pakistan mosque
Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist Shahid Latif, believed to be the mastermind of the 2016 attack on an Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, was gunned down on October 11 by unidentified assailants in a mosque in Daska town of Pakistan’s Sialkot district, officials said. Latif, alias Bilal, a designated terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, is learnt to have been shot dead along with two of his associates by three gunmen.
Putin to travel to Kyrgyzstan in first known trip abroad since ICC arrest warrant
Vladimir Putin will visit Kyrgyzstan on October 12, the presidential office of the Central Asian country said, in what would be the Russian leader’s first known trip abroad since the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest. “At the invitation of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Sadyr Japarov, on October 12 of this year, the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, will make an official visit to the country,” the Kyrgyz presidential administration said in a statement on its website.
Bankrupt Sri Lanka gets China’s tentative agreement on debt restructure
Sri Lanka on October 11 welcomed China’s tentative agreement to a debt restructure, as the island nation works to restore its ruined finances after suffering its worst-ever economic crisis. The government defaulted on its $46 billion debt last year at a time when months of food and fuel shortages were making life a misery for Sri Lanka’s 22 million people.
Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan from Dubai on October 21: report
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif will reach Pakistan in a chartered plane from Dubai on October 21, ending his four-year-long self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom, according to a media report. The flight carrying Nawaz will have the name “Umeed-e-Pakistan” which can carry approximately 150 passengers, Geo News reported. “The booking has been made and all arrangements are in place,” the report said. The 73-year-old three-time Prime Minister is expected to lead his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party in the general elections likely to be held in January next year.
India has high debt like China, but risks are moderated: IMF
India has a high debt like that of China but the risks associated with it are not as great as that of its northern neighbour, a senior official from the International Monetary Fund has said, advising India in the medium term to have an ambitious fiscal consolidation plan that brings down deficits. “The current debt in India is also high. It stands at 81.9% of GDP. Compared to China, which is 83%, it is very similar. Also, when we compare India’s debt to the pre-pandemic level in 2019, it was 75%. So it is still quite a bit higher,” Ruud de Mooij, Deputy Director, Fiscal Affairs Department at International Monetary Fund, said.
Rizwan credits ton against Sri Lanka to Hyderabad curator, says he will pray for him
Mohammed Rizwan will fondly remember the local curator in his prayers for producing a batting beauty that helped him smash a ton and guide his team to a comfortable six-wicket win against Sri Lanka in a record-breaking chase in the World Cup. The deeply religious keeper-batter scored an unbeaten 131 off 121 balls as Pakistan’s 345 for 4 is the highest successful run-chase in the history of World Cup. “When we got to the ground for the first time, he (curator) said, ‘Rizwan, you must hit two 100s on this ground’. I met him today as well. We can pray for him and you should pray for him too,” Rizwan said at the post-match press conference as Pakistan team ended its two-week Hyderabad leg on a high with two wins in two games.
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