BYELECTIONS RESULTS: CONG SWEEPS HIMACHAL; BJP TIGHTENS GRIP IN ASSAM, TMC IN BENGAL

Polling for three parliamentary seats and 29 assembly constituencies were held on October 30, an exercise being seen as a barometer of the political mood in the country ahead of assembly elections in politically critical Uttar Pradesh as well as other states.

In Lok Sabha, the BJP and Congress won a seat each. The Shiv Sena won the third — Kalaben Delkar defeated the BJP’s Mahesh Gavit by an impressive margin of over 51,000 at the Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu seat bordering Gujarat.

The BJP won seven of the 29 state Assembly seats, and its allies, the UPPL in Assam and JD(U) in Bihar, won two seats each. The Congress won eight of the 29 Assembly seats.

Of the remaining 10 seats, the TMC won four, the NPP in Meghalaya two, and INLD (Haryana), YSRCP (Andhra Pradesh), MNF (Mizoram), and UDP (Meghalaya) a seat each.

Congress dealt a blow to the ruling BJP in Himachal Pradesh, sweeping all three Assembly seats and the Lok Sabha constituency of Mandi.

The BJP strengthened its control over Assam, winning, along with NDA ally United People’s Party, Liberal, (UPPL) all five Assembly seats.

The BJP also won two of the three byelections to the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, and the Khandwa Lok Sabha seat.

In West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress continued its triumphant march, winning all four Assembly byelections by huge margins. Two of these seats had been won by the BJP in the Assembly elections of April-May, but had been given up by the winning candidates who had chosen to retain their seats in Lok Sabha.

In Rajasthan, the BJP failed to capitalise on the factional fight in the state Congress, which won both seats.

In Karnataka, the BJP won Sindgi, but lost the Hangal seat in Haveri, the home district of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

The Congress retained the Deglur (SC) constituency in Maharashtra by an impressive margin of almost 42,000 votes.

In Haryana’s Ellenabad, Abhay Singh Chautala of the Indian National Lok Dal won. The Congress candidate came in third behind the BJP’s — a cause for concern given the Congress had supported the farmers’ agitation from day 1. Also, the margin of Chautala’s victory was only 6,739 votes, raising some questions about the depth and breadth of the anger against the BJP.

In Telangana’s Huzurabad, the BJP won a very significant victory — former health minister Eatala Rajender, who defected from the ruling TRS in June, defeating the candidate of his former party by a comfortable margin of almost 24,000 votes.

MODI CALLS FOR 'ONE SUN, ONE WORLD, ONE GRID'

Emphasising that everything is created from Sun, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called for ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid' to improve the viability of solar power.

Addressing world leaders at the event ‘Accelerating Clean Technology Innovation and Deployment' on the sidelines of the climate summit in Glasgow, Modi said that fossil fuel powered many nations to become wealthy during the industrial revolution, but it made the earth and environment poor.

"The race for fossil fuels also created geopolitical tensions. However, today, technology has presented us with a better alternative,” he said.

Citing the ‘Suryopanishad' during his address, he said: "In India, it has been mentioned in the ancient text, in the Suryopanishad, that everything is created from the Sun, the source of all energy is the Sun and it is the energy from the Sun that nurtures all. Ever since there has been life on earth, the life cycle of all living beings, the daily routine has been linked with the rising and setting of the Sun.”

"If we want to re-establish a life in balance with nature, the path to this life can only be lit by our Sun.” Calling for ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid', Modi said it was the solution to tackle the challenge of solar power available only during the day.

“I would also like to share that our space agency ISRO is soon going to present the world with a solar calculator application. "This application will be useful in deciding locations for solar projects and strengthen ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid,” he said.

MODI, JOHNSON AGREE TO REIN IN ANTI-INDIA FRINGE GROUPS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his UK counterpart Boris Johnson on Monday evening agreed to ask their National Security Advisers to meet in London to sort out irritants related to Khalistani activists and the long-pending extradition of Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi.

“PM Johnson, I think agrees fully that some of these groups need to be reined in and that steps have to be taken to see how such activity, which under no means is democratic or constitutional, should be addressed,” said Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla while briefing the media about the first day of COP26 in Glasgow. He was asked to elaborate on the discussion between the two PMs on counter-terrorism after a spurt in activity from Khalistani groups that included a recent so-called referendum.

PAKISTAN NSA TURNS DOWN INDIA INVITE FOR TALKS ON AFGHAN SITUATION

Pakistan’s National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yusuf stated yesterday that he would not travel to India for an upcoming conference on Afghanistan being hosted by his counterpart Ajit Doval on Nov 10.

India had sought to keep the momentum going after the Moscow talks that had seen Pakistan and India on the same table along with representatives of the Taliban. At the Moscow talks, the Indian diplomat had also engaged with the Taliban delegation. But New Delhi is unlikely to invite the group for the November 10 talks.

PAK SITS ON INDIA REQUEST TO LET TRUCKS TAKE ITS WHEAT TO AFGHANISTAN

India reached out to Pakistan last month for sending food grains to Afghanistan via the land route.

While Islamabad has not yet said no to the proposal, officials in New Delhi are hoping for a quick response so that they can organise the movement of aid as soon as possible.

On several occasions, India has expressed willingness to send humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan though it has cautioned the international community to think through the consequences of granting recognition to the Taliban regime.

With winter here, and a financial crisis crippling Afghanistan, food shortages are imminent. Some countries like China, Turkey have started distributing food to Afghans in the last few weeks.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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GLASGOW COP 26: COUNTRIES PLEDGE TO CUT METHANE, DEFORESTATION

A pledge to make a 30 per cent cut in global methane emissions by 2030, and another to arrest and reverse deforestation by the same year, kept the momentum going on the second day of the climate change conference in Glasgow on Tuesday after India’s five-point climate agenda had provided the thrust on the opening day.

Methane is a dangerous greenhouse gas, with a global warming potential that is more than 80 times that of carbon dioxide, even though it remains in the atmosphere for significantly lesser time as compared to carbon dioxide.

However, unlike the agreement on HFC reduction, which was made under the Montreal Protocol, Tuesday’s action on methane, which accounts for about 17 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, is not a structured or formal agreement. As of now, it is just a joint pledge made by a group of countries — not a decision taken by all countries at the climate meeting. And its implementation would be the responsibility of individual signatories.

The pledge to arrest and reverse deforestation by 2030 was also made in the same manner. Over 100 countries have signed on to it, but it is not a formal agreement. However, these pledges are being seen as a major step forward — which, if implemented fully, could have a significant impact on slowing down the steady rise in temperatures.

‘PAK TO ALLOW BANNED TLP TO CONTEST POLLS’

Pakistan is to free more than 2,000 jailed activists of a banned Islamist militant group and allow the movement to contest elections, under a deal with the government struck to end weeks of violent clashes, negotiators on both sides said.

In return, the Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan has agreed to shun the politics of violence and withdraw its longstanding demand to have France’s ambassador expelled over the publication of blasphemous caricatures, they said on condition of anonymity.

PM Imran Khan’s government banned TLP after its rallies turned violent earlier this year, designated it a terrorist group and arrested its chief Saad Rizvi. Two members of TLP’s negotiating team and one from the government side said the centrepiece of the deal was to lift the ban and allow the group to contest polls. “The state has acknowledged that TLP is neither a terrorist group nor a banned outfit,” another TLP member said.

25 DEAD IN IS-K TWIN BLASTS, GUNFIRE AT KABUL HOSPITAL

At least 25 people were killed and about 50 others injured when two explosions — followed by gunshots — targeted Afghanistan’s biggest military hospital in Kabul on Tuesday. The bombings were followed by indiscriminate firing from inside the hospital. Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban, said the attack was carried out by members of the local Islamic State affiliate known as Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K). A suicide bomber detonated his explosives at the gate of the 400-bed Sardar Daud Khan hospital in Kabul’s affluent Wazir Akbar Khan area, he said. A car full of explosives outside the hospital also exploded, wounding dozens. Several Taliban fighters were killed and wounded in the ensuing gunbattle, Mujahid said.

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WITH A FIERY LETTER, AMARINDER SINGH RESIGNS FROM CONGRESS

Former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday sent his resignation letter to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. Singh also announced the name of his new political party - Punjab Lok Congress.

Singh's seven-page resignation letter was a no-holds-barred recount of his treatment by the party and the Gandhis. He wrote Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, instead of reining in Navjot Sidhu -- "an unstable individual" and "an acolyte of the Pakistani deep state" - had patronized him.

Mrs Gandhi, he said, had "turned a blind eye" to the "shenanigans of this gentleman who was aided and abetted by the General Secretary In-charge Harish Rawat, perhaps the most dubious individual I had the occasion to make acquaintance off (sic)".

Hitting out at the party's stance about his decision to align with the BJP, Mr Singh questioned a series of party appointments and decisions - including its alliance with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.

"When you chose to appoint a person who had been with the BJP for 14 years as PPC President, I thought to myself where has the Congress come to. However his appointment was only a continuum given that Nana Patole from the BJP and Revnath Reddy from the RSS had earlier been appointed as Presidents of Maharashtra and Telangana respectively. A party that today hurls accusations at me for taking up the farmers cause with the NDA/BJP Government at the Centre did not think twice before getting into bed with the Shiv Sena when it suited it. Who is Communal and who is therefore Secular it is for the people to judge," Amarinder Singh wrote.

MAHARASHTRA DY CM’S PROPERTIES ATTACHED; EX-MINISTER DESHMUKH ARRESTED

The Enforcement Directorate arrested former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh under criminal provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) late Monday night.

The arrest was made after over 12-hour questioning in a case linked to an alleged extortion racket in the Mumbai police establishment.

The NCP leader was produced in a special court in Mumbai that remanded him in ED’s custody till November 6.

The ED registered the PMLA case against Deshmukh and others after the CBI booked him in a corruption case related to Rs 100-crore bribery allegations levelled by Mumbai ex-top cop Param Bir Singh.

The Income Tax Department has issued provisional attachment orders to seize assets worth more than Rs 1,000 crore allegedly linked to NCP leader and Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

Last month, the I-T department had searched offices and residences of the promoters of Dynamix and DB Realty. Raids were also conducted at sugar mills funded by Dynamix and DB Realty and Pawar’s sisters’ houses and companies.

The minister had called the raids “politically motivated”.

SWAPNA COMMITTED NO ACT OF TERROR: HC IN BAIL ORDER

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday granted bail to Swapna Suresh and 7 others in a UAPA case lodged by the NIA in connection with the sensational gold smuggling through diplomatic channels, saying that prima facie it does not find that they committed any terrorist act as alleged against them.

A bench of Justices K Vinod Chandran and C Jayachandran said the facts of the case narrated before it and the charges alleged against the accused "do not commend us to find the accused having any connection with any terrorist act".

The court also said that it does not find that the actions of the accused were a threat to the economic security of the country, since there was no counterfeiting of high quality notes and coins.

BYE-LAWS THAT BAR PETS IN APARTMENTS ARE ILLEGAL: KERALA HC

Bye-laws of resident associations preventing apartment owners or occupiers from keeping pets of their choice at home or accessing elevators and other common facilities are "illegal" and "unenforceable in law", Kerala High Court said on Tuesday.

The high court said that when Kerala announces itself to be 'God's Own Country', it cannot be seen denying just privileges to its animal inhabitants.

The high court said that "trajectory of animal rights jurisprudence in India has sadly been a retrograde one" as over the years we have moved from an eco-centric worldview -- where animals, like humans were seen as living beings containing a life force and therefore morally worthy -- to an anthropocentric one where humans alone are seen as morally worthy and privileged to enjoy nature's bounties.

The order came on a PIL by People for Animals (PFA) Trivandrum -- represented by advocate Bhanu Thilak -- which had challenged the bye-laws of various housing societies, apartment associations and RWAs' barring residents from keeping pets in their homes.

The court, however, said that the resident associations may stipulate reasonable conditions that must be adhered to by the owners/ residents of the individual apartments while keeping pets.

MORE BUSINESSPERSONS DIED BY SUICIDE THAN FARMERS IN 2020, SHOWS DATA

At least 11,716 Indian businesspeople died by suicide in 2020, more than the farm suicides cases, which numbered 10,677, shows data from the National Crime Records Bureau.

There were nearly 144 farmers who died by suicide for every 100 businesspersons in 2015. The ratio has since been dropping. There are now 91 farmer suicides for every 100 businesspeople deaths in 2020, shows the latest data.

“More people would have died due to business issues,” said Mumbai-based psychiatrist Harish Shetty, adding that a lot of deaths remain uncaptured. They are often brushed under the carpet with deaths attributed to other causes such as family issues, he said.

US GIVES FINAL CLEARANCE TO PFIZER'S COVID-19 SHOTS FOR KIDS 5 TO 11

U.S. health officials on Tuesday gave the final signoff to Pfizer's kid-size COVID-19 shot, a milestone that opens a major expansion of the nation's vaccination campaign to children as young as 5.

The Food and Drug Administration already authorized the shots for children ages 5 to 11 doses just a third of the amount given to teens and adults. The decision marks the first opportunity for Americans under 12 to get the powerful protection of any COVID-19 vaccine.

FACEBOOK WILL SHUT DOWN FACIAL RECOGNITION SYSTEM

Facebook Inc announced on Tuesday it is shutting down its facial recognition system, which automatically identifies users in photos and videos, citing growing societal concerns about the use of such technology. “Regulators are still in the process of providing a clear set of rules governing its use,” Jerome Pesenti, vice president of artificial intelligence at Facebook, wrote in a blog post. “Amid this ongoing uncertainty, we believe that limiting the use of facial recognition to a narrow set of use cases is appropriate.”

The removal of face recognition by the world’s largest social media platform comes as the tech industry has faced a reckoning over the past few years over the ethics of using the technology.

Critics say facial recognition technology, which is popular among retailers, hospitals and other businesses for security purposes – could compromise privacy, target marginalized groups and normalize intrusive surveillance.

T20 WORLD CUP: S AFRICA THRASH BANGLADESH, PAK SCORE EASY WIN OVER NAMIBIA

Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje set up a comfortable six-wicket victory over Bangladesh to keep South Africa in the race for a berth in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup, in Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday. The two pacers made most of conditions that aided pace and bounce to take three wickets each as the Proteas skittled out Bangladesh for 84 in 18.2 overs.

Their batsmen then knocked off the required runs in 13.3 overs to consolidate second position in Group 1 of the Super 12s.

With three wins from four matches, South Africa have a match left against in-form table toppers and unbeaten England on November 6.

In the other match yesterday, half-centuries from Mohammed Rizwan and Babar Azam helped Pakistan outclass Namibia by 45 runs and storm into the semi-finals.

Skipper Azam scored 70 and his opening partner Rizwan smashed an unbeaten 79 to power Pakistan to a huge 189 for 2 in their 20 overs.

In reply, Namibia gave a good account of themselves as they finished on 144 for 5 in their 20 overs.

Today’s Matches: New Zealand vs Scotland AND India vs Afghanistan

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

The test of a successful person is not an ability to eliminate all problems before they arise, but to meet and work out difficulties when they do arise. - David Joseph Schwartz

OFF TRACK

-When I have a birthday I take the day off. But when my wife has a birthday, she takes a year or two off.

-Thirty-five is a very attractive age; London society is full of women who have of their own free choice remained thirty-five for years.