Welcome to Mid-Day's Top News at this hour! We bring you a curated selection of the most significant and compelling news from around the globe. Stay informed with the latest developments in the nation, Mumbai, entertainment, sports, and more. Let's dive into the headlines shaping our world today. Markets decline in early trade dragged by bank stocks, weak Asian peers Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty fell in early trade on Wednesday dragged down by bank stocks and weak trends in Asian markets. The BSE Sensex declined 366.53 points to 80,002.50 in early trade. The NSE Nifty dropped 129.25 points to 24,337.60. Mumbai: This 350m missing link will make walk to Bandra Terminus a breeze A 350-metre foot overbridge (FOB) could help commuters heading to Bandra Terminus bypass the menace of duplicitous auto drivers and the chaos outside Bandra station. Auto drivers charge Rs 30-40 per passenger to ferry them between the station and terminus, dropping them off at the north end (towards Khar). The distance is nearly 400 metres because an existing south entry/exit gate of Bandra Terminus, which includes a booking office and circulating area, has been sealed by Railways. Read more. Bollywood actor Salman Khan receives new death threat with Rs 2 cr demand Bollywood actor Salman Khan has reportedly received another death threat. On Tuesday, an unidentified individual sent a threatening message to Traffic Control. Sources revealed that the sender allegedly demanded a sum of Rs 2 crore. An official stated that the sender mentioned in the message that if the money was not received, he would kill Salman Khan. Read more. Will Wankhede help Rohit Sharma get mojo back? When Rohit Sharma set foot in Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium for the first time more than two decades back as a teenager, he would hardly have imagined that one day, he would be leading his country in a Test match there. The 37-year-old has captained India previously at the iconic venue where, in his absence, the team lifted the 50-over World Cup trophy in 2011, but to helm the nation in a Test at a ground where he cut his teeth as a cricketer must be special. Read more. Advance bookings suggest Singham Again's strong box office opening; Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3's fate uncertain There have been enough fireworks even before the two Diwali releases have hit the theatres, with the makers of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 filing a complaint with the Competition Commission of India (CCI), alleging that Singham Again’s makers are employing unfair practices in screen allocation. Even as the fight for screens is ongoing, the advance booking for the two movies finally opened, albeit in select theatres. So, who is emerging as the winner in this box-office clash between Ajay Devgn’s super cop and Kartik Aaryan’s ghostbuster? Read more.
30 October,2024 10:25 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Election Commission on Tuesday rejected allegations levelled by the Congress party over irregularities in the recently held Haryana Assembly polls, saying the party was raising “the smoke of a generic doubt” about the credibility of an entire electoral outcome like it did in the past. “This is least expected of a national political party. The commission appreciates the criticality of the considered views of political parties in sustaining and strengthening electoral democracy in the country and assures that it will remain committed towards timely grievance redressal,” it said in a letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. The poll authority said that “once again”, it was compelled to note that with “no evidence whatsoever” of any statutory electoral step being compromised, the Congress has “once again raised the smoke of a generic doubt” about the credibility of an entire electoral outcome “exactly in a similar manner as it has done in recent past”. “At the same time, the commission sincerely urges INC to take firm and concrete steps, matching with the party’s long and illustrious standing, to amend their ... approach...,” the EC added. The poll body further said that such “frivolous and unfounded” doubts have the potential of creating “turbulence” when crucial steps like polling and counting are in live play. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
30 October,2024 08:01 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesSecurity forces on Tuesday morning gunned down two terrorists in a forest area near a village in the Akhnoor sector in Jammu and Kashmir, taking the number of militants killed in the 27-hour gunfight near the Line of Control (LoC) to three, officials said. One of the three terrorists who fired at an ambulance that was part of an army convoy moving near the LoC on Monday morning was killed on the same evening in the operation that also witnessed action by special forces and NSG commandos and the use of BMP-II infantry combat vehicles. The other two terrorists were killed on Tuesday in a span of two hours after joint teams of the army and the police launched the final assault near Assan temple in Jogwan village in the Battal-Khour area, the officials said. A hero falls: Army dog dies shielding troops Indian Army's four-year-old sniffer dog ‘Phantom’ who was killed during a counter-ambush operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Akhnoor sector played a critical role in ensuring the containment of terrorists, officials said. It sustained fatal bullet injuries on Monday while attempting to protect the troops from the terrorist assault. Born in May 2020, the Belgian Malinois sniffer dog was posted to the region in August 2022. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
30 October,2024 07:59 AM IST | Jammu | AgenciesPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hit out at Delhi and West Bengal governments for not implementing the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme out of “political interests” and said he was pained that the elderly from these two states cannot avail free treatment under the expanded programme. Modi on Tuesday extended his government’s flagship health insurance scheme ‘Ayushman Bharat’ to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above. “I apologise to all the elderly aged above 70 years of Delhi and West Bengal that I cannot serve them. I would get to know about your pains and sufferings but I won’t be able to help you,” Modi said. “The reason is that the state governments are not implementing the scheme due to their political interests,” he said. People aged above 70 will get free treatment in hospitals and they will be given ‘Ayushman Vaya Vandana’ card, Modi said while regretting that while he would be able to serve people in other states, but not in Delhi and West Bengal. Modi, who launched development projects worth over Rs 12,850 crore on the occasion of the ninth Ayurveda Day and the birth anniversary of Dhanvantari, the Hindu god of medicine, said that during this year’s general elections, he had promised that people of 70 years and above would be brought under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme. “This guarantee is being fulfilled today,” he said. Modi’s Rs 12,850-cr health push Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched development projects worth nearly Rs 12,850 crore and extended his government's flagship health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above. The major push in the health sector was unveiled on the occasion of the ninth Ayurveda Day and the birth anniversary of Dhanvantari, the Hindu god of medicine.Modi also inaugurated phase II of India's first All India Institute of Ayurveda in the national capital which includes a Panchakarma hospital, an Ayurvedic pharmacy for drug manufacturing, a sports medicine unit, a central library, an IT and startup incubation centre, and a 500-seat auditorium among others.
30 October,2024 07:57 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesCongress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing the the him of protecting SEBI chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch. In a post on X Kharge wrote, “@narendramodi ji, You cannot shield the rot created in SEBI under the chairperson appointed by you. The continuing barrage of exposes makes her position untenable.” Kharge further accused Modi of ‘destroying the sanctity’ of SEBI. “You have destroyed the sanctity of SEBI, India’s market regulator, painstakingly created over the years, thereby jeopardising the hard-earned savings of crores of small and medium investors,” he added in his post. Calling for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the matter, Kharge further wrote, “It also unmasks how you engineered a monopoly for your dear friend Adani. A thorough JPC is required to probe every aspect of this syndicate.” Earlier in the day, Congress leader Pawan Khera hit out at the NDA government at the centre, claiming that it was ‘protecting’ the SEBI chairperson. “We have another expose regarding SEBI chief Buch today. Rahul Gandhi, through his videos, is questioning what the compulsions of the government are that it is protecting the SEBI chief. Does she blackmail the government? It is not possible for any democratically elected government to continue protecting a tainted individual, especially when there is a smoking gun, evidence out there in the public domain,” Khera, while addressing a press conference in the national capital, said. Buch has termed the allegations as “false, incorrect, malicious and motivated.” This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
30 October,2024 07:54 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesKhalistani separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, for the first time, has come on record in a video message to issue threats to Air India amid the ongoing wave bomb threats for the past 16 days. More than 100 new threats were received on Tuesday alone. Air India, Vistara, and IndiGo are among the airlines affected by this unprecedented series of threats, leading to heightened security protocols at airports nationwide. Authorities have responded swiftly to the growing number of alerts, intensifying screenings and deploying additional security personnel to monitor passengers and their belongings more closely. Khalistani separatists, who are known for previously carrying out a bomb blast on an Air India flight while it was mid-air decades ago, have issued threats to flights from India to destinations such as the US, Canada, UK, Germany, and Australia, among others. Sikhs for Justice chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in a new video, issued threats to flights flying on certain routes. He stated that the flights from India to Canada, which operate from New Delhi to Toronto, should be "boycotted" between November 1 and 19, 2024.
29 October,2024 11:03 PM IST | Mumbai | Prasun ChoudhariTwo persons were killed and 30 others, mostly students of a nursing college, were injured in two separate road accidents in Kishtwar and Udhampur districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, officials said. Bilal Ahmad (28) and Ishrat Hussain (42), both residents of Changa village, were killed when they were hit by a truck at Drabshalla in Kishtwar district late this afternoon, the officials said. They said the truck driver abandoned his vehicle and fled the scene. Police have registered a case and launched a hunt to nab the erring driver, the officials said. In another incident, at least 30 passengers, mostly students of a nursing college, were injured when a private mini-bus fell into a ditch in Udhampur district, the officials said. The mini-bus was headed for Udhampur from Salmari when it met with an accident near village Farma around 12.30 pm, they said. Authorities launched a rescue operation immediately and rushed 30 passengers to Government Medical College Hospital in Udhampur for treatment. Three of the wounded were declared "serious" and were referred to Jammu for specialised treatment, the officials said. Udhampur Deputy Commissioner Saloni Rai visited the hospital to take stock of the situation. "Some 30 to 35 persons were travelling in the mini-bus which, according to preliminary information, fell into a gorge after experiencing brake failure," she told reporters. She said an inquiry will be initiated to ascertain the cause of the accident. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
29 October,2024 10:33 PM IST | Jammu | PTIBack home after spending more than two years behind bars, AAP leader Satyendar Jain says he battled loneliness during his time in jail and often longed to talk to someone while he was in solitary confinement in an 8x8 foot cell. In an interview with PTI Videos on Tuesday, the former Delhi minister said he turned to books to fill his time. Now, Jain plans to write a book on his time in prison which will be titled 'Mohalla Clinic and Beyond'. Jain, who was among the first AAP leaders to be arrested in different cases, says despite the party's leadership being jailed in "false cases", the BJP has been unable to dent its image. The AAP remains committed to fighting corruption and working for the betterment of people, he said. Jain walked out of Tihar Jail on October 18 after a Delhi court granted him bail in a money laundering case. He was hugged by senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia as he walked out of prison and greeted by hundreds of excited party workers. The former health minister was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on May 30, 2022, for allegedly laundering about Rs 4.5 crore through four companies that the agency claimed were linked to him. "I learned a lot from my time there (in jail). It was an 8x8 (foot) cell but it felt much larger because there was no one to talk to. I was kept in solitary confinement for many months, meaning no one could speak to me. I realised what it meant to be alone. It was a very different experience," Jain said, recalling his time in prison. "When I was in jail, I often longed to talk to someone but no one could communicate with me. I studied a lot, reading many history books. I have also written a very thick book, which I need to complete and publish soon. It will be titled 'Mohalla Clinic and Beyond'," he said. Jain said he was able to come out of jail alive because of God. "There is a dispensary in jail and I was admitted there for a long time. I fell in the toilet and it led to a spine issue. I had two operations in jail and one after I was granted interim bail. While in jail, I lost a significant amount of weight -- 38 kg. Despite many challenges, I feel that God's hand was on me and it allowed me to come out alive," he said. He denied the BJP's allegations that he received special treatment in jail. "I used to eat only fruits. What they were calling a privilege was not a privilege but my religious belief," he added. Asked about the impact of arrests of AAP leaders on the Delhi Assembly polls, Jain said the BJP has been unable to dent the ruling party's image despite all its efforts, including jailing its leadership in "false cases". "The oppressor’s (BJP) image has been dented instead,” he said. On alleged efforts by the BJP to lure AAP leaders by offering them money, Jain said, "Those who compromised became chief ministers in some states. If I had compromised, I would not have had to stay in jail for two and a half years." Asked if he would contest the Delhi Assembly polls, he said the party will decide on that. For now, Jain is happy to be back home and looking forward to celebrate Diwali with his family. "This is going to be a special Diwali for us. After a long time, I will celebrate the festival with my family and the larger family of AAP volunteers," he said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
29 October,2024 10:23 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIThe Telangana government's social economic and caste survey would begin from November 6, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said on Tuesday. Vikramarka, who attended a video conference of ministers with district Collectors, urged the officials to conduct the survey in a foolproof manner. "This socio-economic survey will inform policies and uplift marginalized communities starting November 6th," he said on X. The Collectors can use the services of teachers as enumerators in the survey, he said, according to an official release. State Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said on October 26 that the survey is expected to commence from November 4-5 and it is likely to be completed by November 30. He said the exercise is being taken up in line with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's commitment to conduct a caste survey in the state as well as across the nation. According to the government, 80,000 government employees will be roped in for conducting the survey and they will be appropriately trained for it. As per the Congress government's decision to conduct the caste survey, the Telangana Commission for Backward Classes on Monday kicked off its public hearings to receive representations from interested parties. Following the decision taken at a meeting held by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy recently, the deadline for submitting the data is December 9. The commission would recommend the percentage of reservations for backward classes in local bodies based on the data. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
29 October,2024 10:18 PM IST | Hyderabad | PTITwelve people died and around 30 passengers got injured after a private bus crashed into the wing wall of a flyover in Rajasthan's Sikar district on Tuesday afternoon, police said. District Superintendent of Police Bhuvan Bhushan Yadav said the bus coming from Salasar rammed into a part of the flyover in Laxmangarh while taking a turn. According to the police, the bus was speeding and filled with passengers due to which the driver lost control and the vehicle rammed into the wing wall of the flyover. The right side of the bus got completely crushed and the driver died on the spot. A crane was called to take out the passengers stuck inside, they said. Sikar IGP Satyendra Singh said some of the injured have been referred to Jaipur and others are undergoing treatment at SK Hospital here. Twelve people have died in the accident, he said. Vinita, Seema, Kiran Kanwar, Kamla, Banarasi Meghwal, Aditya Meghwal and Pramod Singh are among those killed in the accident. Efforts are on to identify the rest, the police said. A team of doctors and administration has taken control of the situation and all arrangements have been made. Passengers are local residents. Their family members have been informed, the IGP said. He said that the reason behind the accident is yet not known. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths and also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from Prime Minister's National Relief Fund for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 each to the injured. "The bus accident in Sikar, Rajasthan is heartbreaking. My deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in the accident. May God give them strength to bear this pain," PM Modi posted on X. He wished for the speedy recovery of all the injured and said under the supervision of the state government, the local administration is engaged in helping the victims in every possible way. Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma has expressed grief over the accident. "The loss of life in the bus accident in Sikar's Laxmangarh area is extremely sad and heartbreaking. My deepest condolences are with the bereaved families of the deceased. The concerned officials have been directed to ensure proper treatment of the injured. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to give place to the departed souls in his feet and grant speedy recovery to the injured. Om Shanti," Sharma said on X. Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) President and Laxmangarh MLA Govind Singh Dotasra said, "My deepest condolences to those who lost their loved ones in this sad and unfortunate accident. As soon as the accident came to light, we spoke to the local administrative officials for immediate treatment of the injured and all possible assistance. May God give peace to the souls of the departed and strength to the families to bear this shock." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
29 October,2024 09:58 PM IST | Jaipur | PTIIn a jolt to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), former Lok Sabha MP Sudhakar Shrangare joined the Congress in Maharashtra's Latur district on Tuesday ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly election 2024, reported the PTI. In a message on social media, Sudhakar Shrangare said that he was committed to public welfare and prioritising Latur's development. He said decision to join the Congress was motivated by his faith in the party's vision for a progressive future. Shrangare was inducted into the party in the presence of Congress leaders, former ministers Dileeprao Deshmukh and Amit Deshmukh. लोककल्याणासाठी सदैव तत्पर! लातूरच्या विकासाला प्राधान्य देत, काँग्रेस पक्षाच्या दूरदृष्टीवर विश्वास ठेवत, मा. दिलीपरावजी देशमुख व मा. अमितजी देशमुख यांच्या उपस्थितीत काँग्रेस पक्षात प्रवेश.#CongressParty #Latur #AmitDeshmukh #DilipraojiDeshmukh #Maharashtra@AmitV_Deshmukh pic.twitter.com/6C7HDWyB3Z — Sudhakar Shrangare (@mpsshrangare) October 29, 2024 Shrangare's move is likely to impact the BJP's voter base in Latur district of Maharashtra, especially at the grassroots, as per the PTI. Shrangare emerged victorious for the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but lost to the Congress's Dr Shivajirao Kalge in the 2024 general elections. Polls for the 288-member Maharashtra assembly will be held on November 20, and votes will be counted on November 23. BJP's Archana Patil Chakurkar files nomination from Latur city Meanwhile, Archana Patil Chakurkar, daughter-in-law of veteran Congress leader Shivraj Patil Chakurkar, on Tuesday filed her nomination as BJP candidate from Latur city for the Maharashtra assembly election 2024. Chakurkar, a prominent member of the Lingayat community here, left the Congress and joined the BJP in March. Chakurkar, accompanied by prominent Mahayuti leaders, including former union minister Bhagwat Karad, State Minister Sanjay Bansode and Abhimanyu Pawar, among others, filed her nomination. She will take on Congress's Amit Deshmukh, who has been MLA from Latur City since 2009. He was also the medical education minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Uddhav Thackeray. Maharashtra assembly polls will be held on November 20, while results will be declared on November 23. (with PTI inputs)
29 October,2024 08:30 PM IST | Latur | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
