NOBODY WILL BE ALLOWED TO DISRUPT PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT IN J-K: AMIT SHAH

Asserting that the govt is aiming to wipe out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir and put an end to civilian killings, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said nobody would be allowed to disrupt peace and development in the Union Territory, which has a place in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s heart.

He said Rs 12,000 crore worth of investment has already come to the Union Territory and the govt aims at a total of Rs 51,000 crore by the end of 2022 to provide 5 lakh jobs to the local youth.

Shah is on a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing a public rally at Bhagwati Nagar there, Shah without naming the Congress, National Conference and the PDP, said the three families are answerable to the people for their failure to develop Jammu and Kashmir over the past seven decades.

“The new phase of development under the leadership of Modi has started in J&K but attempts are being made by inimical elements to create a hurdle. I have come here to assure you that nobody will be able to create a hurdle and disrupt peace and development,” Shah said.

“Between 2004 and 2014, a total of 2,081 civilians were killed with average deaths of 239 annually. From 2014 till September this year, 239 civilians unfortunately lost their lives which accounted 30 deaths per year. The figures are down but we are not satisfied,” the Home Minister said, adding “We want to build such an atmosphere that not a single person loses his life and the terrorism is wiped out.” He said a new phase of development has started which cannot be stopped by anyone.

INDIA'S FIRST INDIGENOUS AIRCRAFT CARRIER BEGINS SECOND PHASE OF SEA TRIALS

India's first indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant set sail on Sunday for the second sea trials, ahead of its planned induction into the Indian Navy by August next year.

The 40,000-tonne aircraft carrier, the largest and most complex warship to be built in India, successfully completed a five-day maiden sea voyage in August.

The warship has been built at a cost of around Rs 23,000 crore and its construction propelled India into a select group of countries having capabilities to build state-of-the-art aircraft carriers.

Vikrant has a top speed of around 28 knots and a cruising speed of 18 knots with an endurance of about 7,500 nautical miles, officials said.

CHINA DOES NOT HAVE ANY RIGHT IN CHOOSING NEXT DALAI LAMA: MONASTERY HEAD

China has no authority at all to get involved in choosing the next Dalai Lama, especially since the Chinese govt does not believe in religion, and the succession is entirely a spiritual matter for the Tibetan people, the head of the Tawang monastery in Arunachal Pradesh has said.

Gyangbung Rinpoche, the Abbot of the nearly 350-year-old monastery near India's border with China, said only the current Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people have the right to decide about the succession of the Tibetan spiritual leader and China has no role to play in the matter.

The issue of a successor to the 14th Dalai Lama, who has been living in exile in Dharamshala in India since 1959, gained traction as he turned 86 in July. The Dalai Lama is believed to be a living Buddha who is reincarnated after his death.

China has been insisting that the selection of the next Dalai Lama has to be decided within Chinese territory and that it has to have a say in the matter.

LAST WEEK SAW A DECLINE IN INDIA’S COVID CASES SLOWDOWN

India this week reported nearly the same number of cases as in the previous seven days, recording a decline of just1%, as infections rose in several states in the days following major festivities.

The country recorded just over 1,08,500 fresh cases in the week ending Sunday (October 18-24), a drop of just 1,200 over the previous week’s tally of 1,09,760. In each of the preceding six weeks, India had seen double-digit percentage fall in cases. Last week, infections had declined by over 27% while the week before had seen an 18% fall.

States that witnessed an increase in infections include Bengal, where the numbers were up 41% over the previous week, Assam (42% rise) and Himachal Pradesh (25%). Besides, there has been a slight uptick in cases in some states of south India. Kerala reported a 2.5% rise in weekly numbers, with 61,010 fresh cases this week as opposed to 59,521 in the previous seven days. Karnataka too saw infections increase by almost 4% over the preceding week while Telangana logged a 24% rise, although the overall numbers in the state weren't very high at 1,319.

KEY COVID NUMBERS

Current Active Cases Countrywide: 1,61,932

New Cases in last 24 hours: 14,639

Recovered in last 24 hours: 18,699

Change in no. of Active cases in last 24 hours: -4,502

No. of deaths in last 24 hours (Total Covid Deaths so far): 442 (4,54,743)

Daily Tests (Friday): 13,40,158

Daily Positivity Rate (Proportion of Positives among total Tested): 1.1%

Percentage of Population Vaccinated (At Least One Dose / Two Doses): 53.7% / 22.9%

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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COVID-19 CASES IN EASTERN EUROPE HIT 20M: REPORT

The number of coronavirus infections recorded so far in eastern Europe surpassed 20 million on Sunday, according to a Reuters tally, as the region grapples with its worst outbreak since the pandemic started and inoculation efforts lag. Countries in the region have the lowest vaccination rates in Europe, with less than half of the population having received a single dose.

Hungary tops the region’s vaccination rates with 62% of its population having gotten at least one shot, whereas Ukraine has given just19% of its residents a single dose. New infections in the region have steadily risen and now average over 83,700 new cases per day, the highest level since November last year.

Although it has just 4% of the world’s population, eastern Europe accounts for roughly 20% of all new cases reported globally. According to a Reuters analysis, three of the top five countries reporting the most deaths in the world are in eastern Europe — Russia, Ukraine and Romania.

More social gathering indoors after the lifting of restrictions just as winter sets in is driving a rise in Covid-19 infections in many countries across Europe, the WHO’s emergency director Mike Ryan said.

CHINA PASSES NEW LAND BORDER LAW

Asserting that sovereignty and territorial integrity of China are “sacred and inviolable”, the country’s national legislature has adopted a new law on the protection and exploitation of the land border areas, which could have a bearing on Beijing’s border dispute with India.

Members of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) approved the law at the closing meeting of a legislative session on Saturday, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The law, which becomes operational from January 1 next year, stipulates that “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the People’s Republic of China are sacred and inviolable”, it said. The state shall take measures to safeguard territorial integrity and land boundaries and guard against and combat any act that undermines territorial sovereignty and land boundaries, the report said.

The state shall, following the principle of equality, mutual trust and friendly consultation, handle land border-related affairs with neighbouring countries through negotiations to properly resolve disputes and longstanding border issues, it said.

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ON ‘MANN KI BAAT’, MODI LAUDS MEDICAL FRATERNITY FOR VAX DRIVE

Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday lauded the medico and healthcare fraternity for overcoming odds to make the Covid vaccination drive successful, and crossing the 100 crore vaccine doses milestone.

On the “Mann Ki Baat” radio broadcast, Modi said: “The success of our vaccine programme displays India’s capability and the strength of the sabka prayas (collective effort) mantra.”

The PM also talked about the new drone policy, saying it had been formulated according to the present and future prospects related to drones. “The use of drones will dominate the socio-economic landscape in the coming times.”

He lauded the emergence of women, and their growing participation in myriad disciplines. “There were 15,000 women in the police force in 2014, but the number doubled in 2020. In Central Armed Forces, their number has doubled in the past seven years,” he added.

BARELY 60% WILLING TO GO FOR SECOND COVID-19 JAB, SAYS BCG REPORT

India on October 21 touched a historical milestone of having administered one billion vaccine doses. The path to the next billion, however, seems uphill.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan highlighted the challenge himself. “Completion of the second dose is the next challenge.”

Why so? A recent study based on primary research with 3,500 citizens conducted by Boston Consulting Group’s (BCG’s) Centre of Customer Insight (CCI) shows that only about half the population (54-62 per cent) who are vaccinated with the first dose, have high willingness to take the second dose.

About 35 per cent of this segment is indifferent, driven by lower Covid-19 cases, and believe one shot is sufficient to protect them against the infection.

BCG pointed out that across India only 54-62 per cent is willing to take the second dose.

"WE'RE LOOKING FOR BOBBY DEOL": BAJRANG DAL ATTACKS PRAKASH JHA'S SET

Filmmaker Prakash Jha was roughed up, his face smeared with ink on Sunday when a group of Bajrang Dal members went on a rampage on the set of his web series being shot in Bhopal.

Videos shot by witnesses on cellphones showed Bajrang Dal members chasing down crew, managing to catch at least one of them and beating him mercilessly with a metal light stand.

Members of the right-wing group said Prakash Jha's web series 'Ashram' starring Bobby Deol was an assault on Hinduism and they will not allow its filming till the title was changed.

"So far we have just blackened Prakash Jha's face. We are looking for Bobby Deol. He should learn something from his brother (Sunny Deol). He made such patriotic movies," a Bajrang Dal leader said.

ALLEGATIONS OF PAYOFF SURFACE IN ARYAN KHAN CASE

Senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut tweeted on Sunday to say that the claims of payoffs in the case involving Aryan Khan by the Narcotics Control Bureau's own witness is "shocking" and asked the police to take cognizance of the matter. "Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said the cases were made to defame Maharashtra and this seems to be coming true," he tweeted.

Prabhakar Sail - who says he is a personal bodyguard to KP Gosavi, an alleged private investigator whose selfie with Aryan Khan went viral -- claimed he heard a ₹ 18 crore deal made between KP Gosavi and one Sam D'Souza, of which 8 crore was to be paid to Sameer Wankhede.

Mr Raut also tweeted a 12-second video which showed KP Gosavi and Aryan Khan sitting inside the NCB office. Gosavi is holding a phone into which Aryan Khan is speaking.

KP Gosavi, Prabhakar Sail said in the affidavit, met one Sam D'Souza and heard a telephonic conversation between the two.

TATA MOTORS TO ELECTRIFY CAR BIZ WITH $2BN CHARGE

Tata Motors will invest as much as $2 billion (Rs 15,000 crore) over the next four years to launch 10 new electric vehicles just as its broader passenger vehicles division — which was in losses till a few years ago — hopes to turn around and generate free cash flow by 2022-23, a top official has said.

The move comes within days of private equity firm TPG Rise Climate announcing plans to pump in $1 billion into Tata Motors’s passenger electric vehicles division at a valuation of $9.1 billion. Shailesh Chandra, president of Tata Motors’s passenger vehicles business unit, said the company has a strong product launch plan for electrics, with expectations of 20% sales coming from green powertrains over four to five years.

“With just two green products right now (Nexon and Tigor EVs), we are getting bookings of 3,000-3,500 units per month. However, we are able to supply only around 1,000 units… We are now lining up new investments to the tune of $2 billion just for electrics and this would be used to add 10 new green vehicles, boost production capacity and charging infrastructure, and create IP (intellectual property),” Chandra said.

THROUGH A CADBURY AD’ AS SHAH RUKH KHAN BECOMES THE BRAND AMBASSADOR FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES

This Diwali, the confectionery brand Cadbury has decided to do something for the local businesses by making superstar Shah Rukh Khan their brand ambassador.

An ad begins with a voiceover that says,  “Big businesses and brands that suffered during the pandemic found their way back but the smaller stores still suffer.”

In the 2.18-minute clip, we get to see many shopkeepers and small business owners which then takes the focus on Shah Rukh Khan promoting local cloth merchant, shoe shop, electronic store and the nearby kirana shop. As begin the smiles and that warm feeling of Diwali celebrations, the ad goes on to explain that it is ‘Not Just A Cadbury Ad’. It says, “Last year we helped small business through Diwali so this year we decided to bring it back.” How, the ad tells. “By making India’s biggest brand ambassador be their brand ambassador.”

The ad has uses machine learning to recreate Shah Rukh Khan’s face and voice to take the local store names in ads. This means different versions of the same ad can be created therefore promoting local stores. It explains the process as it goes, “Since it is not possible to cover every local store, we give the power to the people to create their own version of not just a Cadbury ad. Any small business owner could promote their stores through their own social media networks.”

NOW IT'S DABUR'S TURN TO GET TROLLED

Dabur’s latest advertisement about a same-sex couple celebrating Karva Chauth has drawn mixed reactions on social media—a development that comes in a week that has seen product ads generating buzz on social media.

The advertisement for Dabur’s Fem Crème bleach shows two women getting ready to celebrate their first Karva Chauth.

The advertisement drew objection to “Hindu festivals being misused”.

This week has two advertisements that have courted controversies,  - an advertisement by clothing brand FabIndia and another by Tyre major Ceat Ltd. The first drew criticism from the Hindu right for having used the Urdu phrase "Jashn-e-Riwaaz". The second, which featured actor Aamir Khan, courted controversy for advising people not to burn crackers on roads this Diwali as they can cause harm to vehicles.  

The Hindu right claims both ads "disrespect Hinduism". The barrage of criticism forced FabIndia to withdraw its advertisement.

T20 WORLD CUP, MATCH 15: SRI LANKA EASE PAST BANGLADESH

Young left-hander Charith Asalanka smashed an unbeaten 80 off 49 balls while fellow-southpaw Bhanuka Rajapaksa scored a quickfire half-century as Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by five wickets in their T20 World Cup Super 12 Group 1 match, in Sharjah, on Sunday.

Sri Lanka suffered a mid-innings batting collapse but recovered in time to chase down the target of 172 with seven balls to spare, thanks to brilliant half centuries from Asalanka and Rajapaksa (53 off 31 balls), the duo stitching 86 runs in quick time for the fifth wicket in just 8.4 overs.

However, Bangladesh would certainly be disappointed with their shoddy out-fielding as Litton Das dropped regulation catches off both Rajapaksa and Asalanka, denying his team a shot at victory.

Earlier, opener Mohammad Naim and Mushfiqur Rahim scored impressive half centuries to steer Bangladesh to a competitive 171 for 4.

PAKISTAN ENDS WORLD CUP LOSING STREAK AGAINST INDIA, AND DO IT IN STYLE

Openers Mohammed Rizwan and Babar Azam hit half-centuries as Pakistan outclassed India by 10 wickets in the Super 12s match at the ICC T20 World Cup, in Dubai, on Sunday.

The thumping victory ended Pakistan's losing run against India across all World Cups.

The defeat is not only India’s first at a World Cup to Pakistan, but also their first-ever 10-wicket defeat in T20 internationals.

The law of averages finally caught up with India after having won seven ODI and five T20 World Cup games since they first met at Sydney in 1992.

Babar scored 68 off 52 balls, while Rizwan stroked 79 from 55s as Pakistan chased down India's total of 151 for 7, made possible by a gutsy 57 off 49 balls from skipper Virat Kohli.

And Pakistan won with 13 balls to spare, and with all 10 wickets in hand.

On the day, there was only one team that could have won and that was Pakistan, who were better on a man-to-man comparison with each Indian player.

It started with the captains. On a track where Kohli struggled, Babar just effortlessly found the gaps and when required, hit those sixes as release shots.

If India lost three wickets in power play, Pakistan came up with an opening stand, which will be billed as one of the best in this format for years to come.

If Shaheen Shah Afridi was a rockstar with his searing pace and incisive swing, his new-ball counterpart Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled at early to mid 120 kmph with no swing at all.

If Pakistan's spin troika of left-armer Imad Wasim (0/10 in 2 overs), leg-spinner Shadab Khan (1/25 in 4 overs) and off-spinner Mohammed Hafeez (0/10 in 2 overs) gave only 47 runs in their eight overs together, Varun Chakravarthy (0/33 in 4 overs) didn't have any 'mystery' about him as he and Ravindra Jadeja (0/28 in 4 overs) gave away 61 runs.

"We did not execute the things that we wanted to but credit is certainly due - they outplayed us today. When you lose three early it's very difficult to come back, especially when you know the dew is coming," said the India captain.Virat Kohli. "We're certainly not a team that presses the panic button, it's the start of the tournament, not the end," he added.

Today's Match – Afghanistan vs Scotland

T20 WORLD CUP: INDIAN PLAYERS TOOK THE KNEE

The Indian players took the knee in solidarity with the BLM (Black Lives Matter) movement. On the other hand, Pakistan stood with their hands on their hearts.

"That was communicated to us by the management, the Pakistan team agreed to pay their tribute to the same cause. We accepted our side of things and that was how it was decided," said Kohli after the match.

India's openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul took the knee in the centre, while the rest of the squad did the same outside the team dugout.

The Black Lives Matter movement gained momentum after the death of African American George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer last year.

England and the West Indies teams, along with the match officials, took a knee last summer during their three-match Test series, the first from the sport.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

It is not a lack of love but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages. - Friedrich Nietzsche

OFF TRACK

Two political candidates were having a hot debate. Finally, one of them jumped up and yelled at the other ,"What about the powerful interest that controls you?"

And the other guy screamed back, "You leave my wife out of this!"