CHINA RELEASES 'GALWAN VIDEO', CONG QUESTIONS PM

The Congress on Friday questioned the silence of the government on the veracity of a video which purportedly shows injured Indian soldiers in captivity of the Chinese and said if it is genuine, then Prime Minister Narendra Modi must ensure that China is held globally accountable for indulging in war crimes.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said what is very disturbing to every single Indian is the video of Galwan that was released by the Chinese which shows 'our braveheart soldiers injured and in captivity of the Chinese'.

"The silence by our government on the veracity of this video is mind-boggling. If this video is genuine, then by all standards, this would fall within the category of war crimes for which China is definitely liable for prosecution under the International Criminal Court," he asserted.

"Instead of patting each other's back, the prime minister and home minister of India should ensure that China is held globally accountable for indulging in war crimes against our bravehearts," he said.

Khera said China shamelessly objects to the Indian Vice President visiting Arunachal Pradesh, it enters 5 km into India's sovereign territory along Barahoti crossing the Tun Jun La pass in Uttarakhand and destroys our border -- military infrastructure, before going back.

Noting that the 13th round of Corps Commander Level Meeting was held between both the Indian and Chinese militaries and there was no agreement coming out of it, Khera said this added to the extensive infrastructural build up along the Hotsprings region including a logistical facility, artillery units and an air defence base among others, poses a potential threat to India's strategic interests in the northern sector.

"The implications of the Chinese incursions are extremely critical, especially when the PLA isn't even open to discuss de-escalation in two extremely strategic and critical sectors for India -- Depsang and Daulat Beg Oldi," the Congress leader said.

Posing questions to the government, he asked when will it respond to this verbal, geographic, military and strategic aggression of China.

Why is it that on one hand China is brazenly entering into Indian territory, releasing videos of its own misdeeds, and yet our trade with China goes up by a whopping 62.7 per cent, Khera asked and wondered what kind of diplomacy, politics and governance is this. "You first ban some apps and then do business with the enemy? - Just this week a Chinese company was invited to invest Rs. 600 crores at the Integrated Industrial Township Greater Noida Limited (DMIC - IITGNL)," he alleged.

GOVT SLAMS HUNGER INDEX, CALLS METHODOLOGY ‘UNSCIENTIFIC’

The Centre on Friday said it was shocking that India’s rank was lowered on the Global Hunger Index and it termed the methodology used for rankings “unscientific”.

India slipped to 101st position in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2021 of 116 countries, from its 2020 position of 94th. It is now behind its neighbours Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.

The GHI report, prepared jointly by Irish aid agency Concern Worldwide and German organisation Welt Hungerhilfe, termed the level of hunger in the country “alarming”.

Reacting sharply to the Global Hunger Report 2021, the Women and Child Development Ministry said it is “shocking” to find that it has lowered the rank of India on the basis of FAO estimate on proportion of undernourished population which is found to be “devoid of ground reality and facts, and suffers from serious methodological issues”.

“The publishing agencies of the Global Hunger Report, Concern Worldwide and Welt Hungerhilfe, have not done their due diligence before releasing the report,” the ministry said in a statement.

“They have based their assessment on the results of a ‘four question’ opinion poll which was conducted telephonically by Gallup. The scientific measurement of undernourishment would require measurement of weight and height, whereas the methodology involved here is based on Gallup poll based on pure telephonic estimate of the population,” it said.

The ministry said the report “completely disregards” the government’s massive effort to ensure food security of the entire population during the Covid period, verifiable data on which are available.

TEMPLE VANDALISM: BANGLADESH PM SHEIKH HASINA PROMISES SWIFT ACTION

Even as India has sought action against the culprits for the attacks on Hindu temples and Durga Puja celebrations in Bangladesh, its Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina interacted with Hindus at the Dhakeshwari National Temple in Dhaka and assured them that the perpetrators would be hunted down.

Four people were killed in violence after some Hindu temples were vandalised during Durga Puja celebrations, prompting Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to deploy paramilitary force in 22 districts on Thursday.

The MEA had described the reports as `` disturbing’’ but had also appreciated the Bangladesh Government’s prompt deployment of the law enforcement machinery.

``We are getting a large amount of information. This is an era of technology and those involved in the incident will definitely be tracked down with the use of the technology. The incidents in Comilla are being thoroughly investigated. Nobody will be spared. It doesn't matter which religion they belong to. They will be hunted down and punished,’’ said the Bangladesh PM during the visit to the temple in Dhaka.

CWC MEETS TODAY, LEADERS SAY THIS IS NO TIME FOR PARTY POLLS

Ahead of the first meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) in five months on Saturday, the chances of the party announcing organisational elections, including to the post of party president, seemed bleak. On the eve of the meeting, several Congress leaders, including members of the Group of 23 who have been seeking sweeping changes in the party structure, argued that the party should not go in for polls now and should focus on the forthcoming Assembly elections in five states.

The G-23 leaders also indicated that they would not oppose if the high-powered body decides to put off organisational elections once again in view of the elections.

“There is again election in some states. There will be continuously elections in one or the other state or group of states till 2024. I think the party’s priority should be to win these elections or consolidating our position, instead of thinking of these issues. There are challenges before the party and there are bigger challenges before the nation… There are issues of democratic values, the issue of weaker sections, unemployment… economy is in a very bad shape. All these things are very dear to the Congress. I think we should focus on these issues and on winning elections in the states. Everybody realises this… But anyway, if the party feels there should be elections, we are ready for elections also,” CWC member Harish Rawat said.

KEY COVID NUMBERS

Current Active Cases Countrywide: 1,95,206

New Cases in last 24 hours: 15,998

Recovered in last 24 hours: 17,868

Change in no. of Active cases in last 24 hours: -2,033

No. of deaths in last 24 hours (Total Covid Deaths so far): 163 (4,52,010)

Daily Tests (Sunday): 11,80,148

Daily Positivity Rate (Proportion of Positives among total Tested): 1.4%

Percentage of Population Vaccinated (At Least One Dose / Two Doses): 52.0% / 20.9%

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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RUSSIA SAYS IT CHASED US NAVAL DESTROYER AWAY. WASHINGTON DISMISSES CLAIM

Russia said one of its military vessels chased away a U.S. naval destroyer that attempted to violate Russian territorial waters during Russian-Chinese naval drills in the Sea of Japan on Friday, something Washington said was false.

The U.S. military said the guided missile destroyer Chafee was conducting routine operations in international waters in the Sea of Japan when a Russian destroyer came within 65 yards (60 metres) of the American ship, though all interactions were safe and professional.

"The statement from the Russian Defense Ministry about the interaction between our two Navy ships is false," the U.S. military statement said.

"At all times, USS Chafee conducted operations in accordance with international law and custom," it added.

Earlier, the Russian defence ministry said the crew of a Russian anti-submarine vessel, the Admiral Tributs, had radioed a warning to the Chafee that it was "in an area closed to navigation due to exercises with artillery fire."

The U.S. destroyer failed to change course and instead raised flags indicating it was preparing to launch a helicopter from its deck, meaning it could not turn or change speed, the Russian ministry said in a statement. "Acting within the framework of the international rules of navigation, the Admiral Tributs set a course for ousting the intruder from Russian territorial waters," it said.

The Chafee eventually changed course when the two vessels were less than 60 metres apart, it said. It said the incident lasted about 50 minutes and took place in Peter the Great Bay in the west of the Sea of Japan.

BLASTS AT KANDAHAR MOSQUE KILL 35

At least 35 worshippers were killed and more than 70 others injured after three suicide bombers detonated their explosives inside a mosque during the weekly Friday congregation prayers in the neighbourhood of the minority Shia community in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. The incident took place a week after dozens of people were killed in a bloody attack on a Shia mosque during the congregation prayers in the northern province of Kunduz. The previous attack was claimed by the IS-K, a regional affiliate of the Islamic State. Local residents said that three blasts took place one after another at Bibi Fatima mosque in the heart of the Kandahar city.

Two similar terrorist attacks on a minority community within seven days during the busiest congregation prayers of the week indicate that the security threat from the terror outfits in the war-battered country poses the biggest challenge for the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.

BRITISH CONSERVATIVE MP DAVID AMESS STABBED TO DEATH IN CHURCH

A British lawmaker was stabbed to death on Friday in a church by a 25-year-old man who lunged at him at a meeting with voters from his constituency, knifing him repeatedly in an attack which politicians described as an assault on democracy.

David Amess, a 69-year-old lawmaker from Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party, was attacked around midday at a meeting at the red-brick Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, east of London.

Paramedics fought to save his life on the floor of the church - where a sign says "All are welcome here: where old friends meet and strangers feel at home" - but in vain.

THE REST

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BJP ACTING LIKE A JILTED LOVER, SAYS UDDHAV THACKERAY

Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said the BJP was behaving “like a jilted lover throwing acid on Maharashtra”, and called for a debate on Centre-state relations.

He said the threat to Hindutva was from “neo-Hindus” who have “used Hindutva to come to power but are now adopting Britishers’ divide and rule policy”.

Thackeray was speaking at the party’s annual Dussehra rally.

“What are the rights of the Centre and of the states? At the time of making the Constitution, questions were raised on the powers of the Centre and the states, asking whether the states will have to bow down to the Centre. Babasaheb Ambedkar had firmly said that like the Centre, the states too have sovereign rights and will not have to bow down to the Centre.

“If the Centre interferes in the working of the state, it will be unconstitutional. Let there be an open discussion on the federal structure of the country. I want the opinions of intellectuals and constitutional experts on this issue… But if the Constitution has given us sovereign rights as the Centre, then the Centre’s daily interference should not happen and cannot be tolerated. Now the time has come for all the states in the country to decide on this,” the Shiv Sena chief added.

Taking a dig at the BJP over the recent statements of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, the Sena chief said the BJP hasn’t understood Savarkar and Gandhi both. “We are celebrating the Amrut Mahotsav of Independence but these people were not part of the Independence movement. They must tell us what they have done for the country. It is time to ponder about what we have lost and gained in these years,” he added.

MAN LYNCHED AT SINGHU, HANDS CUT OFF FOR 'DESECRATING' HOLY BOOK

A man was lynched, his hand chopped off and the body bearing over 10 wounds caused by sharp-edged weapons tied to a barricade at a farmers' protest site at Kundli near the Delhi-Haryana border, a gruesome incident being blamed on a group of Nihangs.

Hours after the macabre crime, a man wearing the blue robes of the Sikhs' Nihang order appeared before the media, claiming that he had 'punished' the victim for 'desecrating' a holy book. Other Nihangs claimed he had 'surrendered' to police, who were yet to confirm this till late in the evening.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmer unions, said a group of Nihangs has claimed responsibility for the killing after the man allegedly tried to desecrate the Sarbloh Granth.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar ordered strict action against those found guilty.

The victim, Lakhbir Singh, was a labourer from Cheema Khurd village in Punjab's Tarn Taran and aged around 35 years, police said.

The Nihangs are a Sikh order, distinguished by their blue robes and often seen carrying spears and swords.

In a statement, the SKM said it wanted to make it clear that 'both the parties to the incident', the Nihang group and the victim, have no relation with the Morcha. The peaceful and democratic movement of the farmers is opposed to violence in any form, it added.

The SKM demanded that the culprits be punished in accordance with the law after investigating the allegation of murder and the 'conspiracy' behind the 'sacrilege'. 'As always, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha will cooperate with the police and the administration in any lawful action,' it added.

In a video message, Yogendra Yadav, condemned the incident and said several SKM leaders had asked the Nihangs to leave the site, but they stayed put.

"EVERYTHING SORTED": NAVJOT SIDHU MEETS RAHUL GANDHI, CANCELS RESIGNATION

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu met party leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday and withdrew his exit notice. "I shared all my concerns with Rahul Gandhi. Everything has been sorted out," he said.

That he had withdrawn his curt resignation letter from last month was made official after the meeting by the party leadership's emissary to the state unit, Harish Rawat, who said, "He (Mr Sidhu) shared his concerns with Rahul Gandhi. We have told him that his concerns will be taken care of here. He assured Rahul Gandhi that he has withdrawn his resignation and he will resume his duties as the PCC (Pradesh Congress Committee) president."

"I have placed my concerns to party high command, I have full trust that whatever party president, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra decide, it will be for Punjab. I consider them supreme and follow their orders," the cricketer-turned politician said..

DR MANMOHAN SINGH'S CONDITION STABLE, IMPROVING: AIIMS

The condition of former prime minister Manmohan Singh, who is admitted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, is stable and improving, a hospital official said on Friday.

The Congress also said that Dr Singh is 'better than yesterday' and asserted that any unfounded speculation is unnecessary and in bad taste.

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya’s visit to the AIIMS in the capital to enquire about Singh’s health Thursday has become controversial with Singh’s daughter, Daman Singh, accusing the minister of getting in a photographer against the wishes of the family.

Daman said that her mother was very upset because a photographer had entered the room along with the minister. But when she insisted that the photographer leave the room, “she was completely ignored”.

FULLY VACCINATED FOREIGN VISITORS CAN ENTER US FROM NOV 8: WHITE HOUSE

The White House on Friday said it will lift COVID-19 travel restrictions for fully vaccinated foreign nationals effective November 8, ending historic restrictions that barred much of the world from the United States.

US airline, hotel and cruise industry stocks rose on the news, including American Airlines, up 1.9%; Marriott International Inc, up 2.2%; and Carnival Corp, up 1.3%.

The United States had lagged many other countries in lifting such restrictions, and allies welcomed the move. The US restrictions have barred travelers from most of the world, including tens of thousands of foreign nationals with relatives or business links in the United States.

CHENNAI SUPER KINGS BEAT KKR FOR 4TH IPL CROWN

Chennai Super Kings turned in a superb all-round display to overwhelm Kolkata Knight Riders by 27 runs in the final of the Indian Premier League 2021, at the Dubai International Stadium, on Friday.

The victory gave Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 'band of old men' their fourth IPL crown, having previously emerged champions in 2010, 2011 and 2018.

The in-form Faf du Plessis paved the way for the triumph, hitting a magnificent 86 off 59 balls as Super Kings put up 192 for 3.

The Knight Riders, in reply, could score just 165 for 9 in their 20 overs. Openers Shubman Gill and Venkatesh Iyer gave KKR an excellent start, scoring 51 and 50 respectively. But a dramatic collapse from 91 without loss in the 11th over to 125 for 8 in the 17th ended whatever hopes Eoin Morgan's team may have entertained of emerging champions.

INDICATORS

(Indian markets were closed yesterday on account of Dussehra)

Nasdaq 14,897 (+74) Dow 35,295 (+382), S&P 4,471 (+33)

US$-Rs. 74.89 GBP-Rs. 102.79, Euro-Rs. 86.88, UAE Dhm-Rs.20.38, Can$-Rs. 60.56, Aus$- Rs. 55.55

GBP 0.72 /US$, Euro 0.86 /US$, Jap.Yen 114.17 /US$, Aus$ 1.34 /US$, Sing 1.34 /US$, Bang Taka 84.11 /US$, Can$ 1.23 /US$, Mal Ring 4.15 /US$,

Pak Re 170.52 /US$, Phil Peso 50.69 /US$, Russian Rouble 71.15 /US$, NZ$ 1.41 /US$, Thai Baht 33.29 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 26.13 /US$

Bitcoin - USD 61,386

Dollar Index 93.96 Brent Crude 84,86 BDI 4,854.00

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,767 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 4,807 / 4,707, Silver (Rs. Per KG) 67,700

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

I can accept failure; everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying. - Michael Jordan

OFF TRACK

“My husband and I have clearly defined decision-making areas. I decide on the small things and he decides on the big things. Like, I decide what to eat, what furniture to buy, which school the kids go to, which house to buy..”

“Then what does your husband decide on?”

“Oh, he decides on if Israel should bomb Iran, if Modi should accept the farmers’ demands, or how India should leverage the Quad to counter China.”