Beatroot News: Text-only

Aviation

Minor held for issuing hoax bomb threats to three flights: Union aviation minister

After at least 17 flights operated by Indian carriers received bomb threats over three days, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Kinjarapu Naidu said that the Mumbai Police has arrested a minor for issuing three of the threats.

“All others responsible for the disruptions will be identified and duly prosecuted,” Naidu added in his statement on social media.

Naidu added “I strongly condemn any attempts to compromise the safety, security, and operational integrity of our aviation sector.” Mumbai Police have also confirmed  a 17-year-old teenager from Chhattisgarh was detained for allegedly posting three of the bomb threat messages on the social media handle of Indian Airlines. 

The Mumbai Police informed his father to bring his son to Mumbai for the bomb threat investigation. He was presented before the Juvenile Justice Board, Dongri and sent to remand custody till October 24. 

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Business

Gold jumps Rs 450 to breach Rs 79,000-mark

Gold prices advanced Rs 450 to hit another record of Rs 79,350 per 10 grams in the national capital on Thursday on the back of continued buying by jewellers and stockists, according to the All India Sarafa Association.

The precious metal of 99.9% purity had closed at Rs 78,900 per 10 grams in the previous session on Wednesday. Rallying for the second straight day, gold of 99.5% climbed Rs 450 to hit another fresh high of Rs 78,950 per 10 grams. It had finished at Rs 78,500 per 10 grams.

However, silver remained flat at Rs 93,500 per kg.

Traders said increased buying by local jewellers to meet festive demand and a rally in the precious metal rates in the global markets mainly lifted gold prices to record high levels.

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Tomato prices to cool down soon, says Consumer Affairs Secretary

Relief may be in sight for Delhi-NCR residents reeling under soaring tomato prices, which have crossed Rs 100 per kg mark, with increased supplies expected from Maharashtra in the coming days, Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said on Thursday.

The government will continue selling tomatoes at a subsidised rate of Rs 65 per kg in Delhi-NCR and Mumbai through the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF), Khare told reporters. The price surge comes as supplies from key southern states Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have been disrupted due to retreating monsoon rains causing crop damage and pest infestation. 

This supply crunch, coupled with festive season demand, has pushed prices northward.

"While weekly arrivals have been impacted, we expect supplies from Maharashtra to improve shortly, which should help stabilise prices in the national capital," Khare said, adding that the government is maintaining strict vigilance on price movements.

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In a first, ‘Kanda Express’ to bring 1,600 tonnes of onions to Delhi on October 20

In a significant move to control the spiralling onion prices ahead of the festive season, the government will transport 1,600 tonnes of buffer stock via railways from Maharashtra to Delhi — the first such initiative using rail transport for the kitchen staple.

The special rake, dubbed 'Kanda Express', will depart from Maharashtra's Lasalgaon Railway Station and reach Delhi's Kishanganj Railway Station on October 20, Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare announced on Thursday. The government expects this bulk movement to help stabilise prices in the Delhi-NCR region, where buffer stock onions are currently being sold at a subsidised rate of Rs 35 per kg.

Currently, retail prices are ruling high up to Rs 75 per kg in different cities.

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Infosys Q2 net profit rises 4.7%

Infosys Ltd on Thursday reported a 4.7% rise in the September quarter net profit and raised revenue guidance after broadbased growth.

Net profit of Rs 6,506 crore in July-September was up 4.7% when compared to Rs 6,212 crore earnings in the same period last year.

It was 2.2% higher quarter-on-year, according to a company statement.

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Workers call off over a month-long strike at Samsung's Tamil Nadu plant

In a major relief to consumer electronic major Samsung, the over a month-long strike by its employees at Tamil Nadu-based plant was called off on Tuesday following extensive discussions between representatives of workers, the state government and company management.

The 37-day strike was called off after various departments conducted meetings with parties concerned at various stages and the Samusung management announced several welfare measures in the interest of the workers, according to a statement issued by the Tamil Nadu government. A Samsung India spokesperson said the company welcomed the decision of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) to call off the strike.

Besides, it also assured not to take action against workers who merely participated in the strike, which Samsung termed as "illegal" and said it is committed to work closely with them to "make the Chennai factory a great place to work". Samsung had already accepted a majority of the demands put forth by the striking workers led by trade union body CITU. However, the issue of giving recognition to the workers' union remained unresolved.

About 1,100 workers of the total 1,750 employees of Samsung India had been on strike since September 9 to press for various demands which included wage revision, better work conditions, and registration of the newly-formed Samsung India Workers Union backed by CITU by the labour department.

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City

Woman shot at after argument over sharing pizzas in Delhi

A woman was shot at by her sister-in-law's brother following a heated argument over sharing pizzas in northeast Delhi's Welcome area, police said on Thursday.

Four people have been arrested in connection with the incident which took place on Wednesday night, they said.

The matter came to light after Seelampur police station received information from GTB Hospital that a woman, Saadma, was brought to the facility with a gunshot injury, a senior police officer said. "Initial investigation revealed that the victim's brother-in-law Zeeshan brought pizzas for the entire family on Wednesday. He gave them to everyone in the family, including Saadma, the wife of his younger brother Javed," the officer said.

Zeeshan's wife Saadiya, who had a dispute with Saadma, got upset over her husband sharing food with her sister-in-law and this led to a fight between the three, the officer said.

"At night, Saadiya called her four brothers - Muntahir, Tafseer, Shahzad and Gulrej - to her home. Her brothers had an argument with her in-laws. During the argument, Muntahir fired a shot and the bullet hit Saadma," the officer said. Saadma sustained a bullet injury in her stomach and is undergoing treatment at GTB Hospital. Her condition is stated to be stable, police said.

Muntahir, Tafseer, Shahzad and Gulrej have been arrested, they said."We are probing the matter from all angles. We are recording statements of the family members. Further investigation is underway," the officer said.

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Election

Congress fields Vasantrao Chavan’s son for Nanded bypoll

The Congress on Thursday named Ravindra Chavan, the son of the late Vasantrao Chavan, as its candidate for the Nanded parliamentary seat bypoll.

The Congress also announced the candidature of Jingjang M Marak for the bypoll to Gambegre (ST) Assembly seat in Meghalaya.

Congress MP Vasant Chavan, who represented Nanded, passed away in August. Bypolls to the Nanded Lok Sabha seat and the Kedarnath Assembly constituency will be held on November 20 along with Maharashtra Assembly polls and the second phase of the Jharkhand elections.

The Election Commission announced bypolls to the Wayanad and Nanded Lok Sabha seats as well as 48 Assembly constituencies on Tuesday.

The results for the bypolls will be announced on November 23.

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Haryana poll results won't have bearing on Maharashtra elections, says Sharad Pawar

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday said the results of Haryana polls, where the BJP retained power by defeating the Congress, will not have any bearing on the next month's Maharashtra Assembly elections.

He noted that the results of Jammu and Kashmir polls were significant from the country's perspective as the Union territory garners more attention globally. Speaking to reporters at Karad in Satara district, Pawar also said that with the unveiling of the new Lady of Justice statue, Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud has shown a new direction as nobody else earlier thought of making the changes.

Responding to a query about the I.N.D.I.A bloc's strategy after the Congress's defeat in the Haryana Assembly elections, Pawar said the BJP was ruling that state and it managed to retain power. "We are studying Haryana, but at the same time look at the results of Jammu and Kashmir (polls). I do not think that it (Haryana results) will have any bearing on the state's (Maharashtra's) elections. As far as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, the world community gives more attention to it and the results of Jammu and Kashmir are more important for the country," he said.

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Remove GRs published on government website after enforcement of poll code: Election body

Various government departments in Maharashtra have removed orders published on the official website after the enforcement of the model code of conduct, following instructions from the office of the state chief electoral officer.

The website saw a number of orders, or Government Resolutions (GRs), uploaded even after the model code of conduct came into effect on Tuesday following the announcement of the state Assembly polls schedule by the Election Commission of India. Asked about it, additional chief electoral officer Kiran Kulkarni said, "We have asked departments to remove the GRs uploaded on the government website after 3.30 pm on Tuesday. It was at this time that the chief election commissioner announced the schedule for the Maharashtra legislative assembly polls, and the model code of conduct came into effect immediately."

The GRs, however, are not withdrawn (as only removed from the website) and their scrutiny will be done, the official said.

"If the GRs are not violating the model code of conduct, then the respective department can upload it again on the state government's website," he said.

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Nayab Saini to take oath as Haryana CM today; Modi, Shah to attend

Nayab Singh Saini will be sworn-in as the chief minister of Haryana today with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP's top leadership, among others attending the oath-taking ceremony.

Saini, 54, on Wednesday met Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya and staked claim to form the next government after he was unanimously elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party in a meeting held at the party office in Panchkula. Massive security arrangements have been made in the wake of the swearing-in ceremony which will take place in Panchkula.

Besides Modi and Shah, several Union ministers including Rajnath Singh and J P Nadda, who is also the BJP president, chief ministers of many states, and senior party leaders will attend the oath-taking event.

Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya will administer the oath of office and secrecy. In the October 5 Haryana polls, the BJP secured an unprecedented third term in the state, winning 48 seats in the 90-member assembly. The Congress won 37 seats.

With the BJP forming the government for a third time in a row in Haryana, Saini will be taking oath as the chief minister for the second time.

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International

US has broken immigration system that needs to be repaired: Kamala Harris

The United States has a broken immigration system that needs to be repaired, Vice President Kamala Harris said on Wednesday in a rare interview with the Republican-leaning news channel during which she sparred with its popular host.

Harris made these remarks in an interview with 'Fox News' anchor Bret Baier. Baier repeatedly pressed the Democratic presidential nominee on illegal immigration, taxpayer support for gender transition surgery and other areas that closely aligned with former President Donald Trump’s regular attacks against her.

With 20 days before the election, Harris tried to defend her record on immigration and the economy.

On being asked how many undocumented immigrants have illegally entered the US under the Biden-Harris administration. Harris did not give a number.

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Bangladesh tribunal issues arrest warrant against Hasina

Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal on Thursday issued arrest warrants against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 45 others, including top Awami League leaders, in connection with alleged crimes against humanity during the recent mass student movement.

The tribunal led by its chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumdar, passed the orders after the prosecution filed two petitions with The tribunal, seeking arrest warrants against them, Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam was quoted as saying by the Daily Star. The Tribunal also directed the authorities concerned to produce the 46, including Hasina, before it after arresting them by November 18, he said.

In August, Bangladesh’s interim government said that it would try those involved in the killings during the recent mass movement of the students against the Hasina-led government in the International Crimes Tribunal.

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Had no evidence, only intel on Nijjar killing before going public, admits Trudeau

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday acknowledged that he had only intelligence and no "hard evidentiary proof" when he alleged the involvement of Indian government agents in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year.

In his strongest comments on the issue he also said “the Indian government made a horrific mistake in thinking that they could interfere as aggressively as they did in the safety and sovereignty of Canada”. His remarks were made while testifying before the public inquiry into foreign interference in federal electoral processes and democratic institutions.

Trudeau claimed the Indian diplomats were collecting information on Canadians who are in disagreement with the Narendra Modi government and passing it to the highest levels within the Indian government and criminal organisations like the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. "I was briefed on the fact that there was intelligence from Canada, and possibly from Five Eyes allies that made it fairly clear, incredibly clear, that India was involved in this... Agents of the government of India were involved in the killing of a Canadian on Canadian soil," he said.

'Five Eyes' network is an intelligence alliance consisting of the US, the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. It is both surveillance-based and signals intelligence.  "India had indeed done it, and we had reasons to believe that they had," Trudeau said, adding that his government's immediate approach was to engage with the government of India to work on this together to make sure that there was accountability.

Trudeau said the Indian side asked for evidence "and our response was, well, it's within your security agencies…And at that point, it was primarily intelligence, not hard evidentiary proof. So we said, well, let's work together and look into your security services and maybe we can get that done." Trudeau said he tried to explain that there is freedom of speech in Canada to criticise governments overseas or indeed to criticise a Canadian government.

"We launched investigations. The Indian response to these allegations and our investigations was to double down on attacks against this government, attacks against this government's integrity, attacks against Canada in general, but also to arbitrarily eject dozens of Canadian diplomats from India," he said.

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Responsibility for damage caused to India-Canada ties lies with PM Trudeau alone: MEA

As Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified before a Commission of Inquiry, the MEA said today that what it has heard only "confirms" New Delhi's consistent stand that Canada has "presented us no evidence" in support of the serious allegations Ottawa chose to level against India and Indian diplomats.

Trudeau on Wednesday acknowledged that he had only intelligence and no "hard evidentiary proof" when he alleged the involvement of Indian government agents in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement early today in response to media queries related to Trudeau's deposition, some of whose details came out in media reports.

The ministry said, "The responsibility for the damage that this cavalier behaviour has caused to India-Canada relations lies with Prime Minister Trudeau alone." Testifying before the public inquiry into foreign interference in federal electoral processes and democratic institutions, Trudeau claimed the Indian diplomats were collecting information on Canadians who are in disagreement with the Narendra Modi government and passing it to the highest levels within the Indian government and criminal organisations like the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

India strongly rejected attempts by the Canadian authorities to link Indian agents with criminal gangs in Canada with official sources in New Delhi even saying that Ottawa's assertion that it shared evidence with New Delhi in the Nijjar case was simply not true.

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Former One Direction member Liam Payne dies at 31

Liam Payne, a former member of boyband ‘One Direction’, has died at the age of 31, after falling from the third-floor room balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Reuters reports quoting police there. 

Payne died on Wednesday at a hotel on Costa Rica Street in the Palermo neighbourhood, according to a statement from the police provided to CNN. The police said they were called to the Hotel on Wednesday afternoon after receiving a 911 call about “an aggressive man who was possibly under the influence of drugs or alcohol”. The police’s statement did not identify that person as Payne.

CNN notes that Payne was last seen in Argentina at former band member Niall Horan’s concert on October 2. The two had posted videos together and with fans.

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Gaza has become a ‘wasteland’: UNRWA chief

Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has said Gaza has “become a kind of wasteland” that is now “almost unliveable”.

Lazzarini while speaking at a press conference in Berlin said “There is a real risk today … that we enter a situation where famine or acute malnutrition is unfortunately again a likelihood.”  He noted that the upcoming winter and the weakened immune systems of Gaza’s population were a lethal combination.

He also said that with appropriate action, a hunger crisis in Gaza “can be avoided” if convoys and food are allowed to enter the territory, which has been under attack by Israeli forces for over a year.

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Italy makes it illegal to seek surrogacy abroad

Italy’s parliament has made it illegal for couples to go abroad to have a baby via surrogacy. 

The move extends a ban on the practice inside the country to also include those who seek it out in places where it is legal, like the US or Canada. The new law penalises non-adherence with up to two years in prison and fines of up to €1 million.  The law, proposed by Italy's far-right governing party led by PM Georgia Meloni, is seen by critics to target LGBT+ couples — who are not allowed to adopt or use IVF in the country.

Since coming to office in 2022, Meloni has pursued “a highly conservative social agenda, looking to promote what she sees as traditional family values”, making it progressively harder for Queer couples to become legal parents. The upper-house senate voted into law the bill that was proposed by Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy party by 84 votes to 58. The bill had already been approved by the lower house last year.

“Motherhood is absolutely unique, it absolutely cannot be surrogated and it is the foundation of our civilization…We want to uproot the phenomenon of surrogacy tourism,” senator Lavinia Mennuni said during the parliamentary debate. 

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Markets

Sensex, Nifty fall for third day amid foreign fund exodus

Market benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty slumped on Thursday, taking their downward trend to the third day running amid unabated foreign fund outflows.

Intense selling in realty, auto, consumer discretionary and consumer durable stocks also dragged the markets lower.

The BSE Sensex tanked 494.75 points or 0.61% to settle at 81,006.61. During the day, it tumbled 595.72 points or 0.73% to 80,905.64. The NSE Nifty slumped 221.45 points or 0.89% to 24,749.85.

From the 30 Sensex firms, Nestle declined over 3% after the FMCG major reported a decline of 0.94% in its net profit at Rs 899.49 crore for the second quarter that ended September 2024, as some of its key brands faced softer consumer demand and high commodity prices.

Mahindra & Mahindra, UltraTech Cement, Bajaj Finserv, Titan, Maruti, Axis Bank and Tata Steel were among the other big laggards. However, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, Power Grid, Larsen & Toubro and State Bank of India were among the biggest gainers.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 3,435.94 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.

In Asian markets, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong ended lower.

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Markets fall after rising in opening trade

Market benchmark indices climbed in opening trade today but later gave up all the initial gains and were trading lower amid unabated foreign fund outflows.

The BSE Sensex climbed 280.04 points to 81,781.40 in early trade. The NSE Nifty went up by 58.2 points to 25,029.50. 

However, later both the benchmark indices turned negative and were trading lower. The BSE benchmark gauge quoted 210.87 points lower at 81,265.97 while the Nifty traded 116.15 points down at 24,848.25. From the 30 Sensex firms, Infosys, State Bank of India, Larsen & Toubro, Reliance Industries, Sun Pharma and Tata Consultancy Services were the biggest gainers.

Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti, Axis Bank and HDFC Bank were among the laggards. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 3,435.94 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.

In Asian markets, Seoul and Tokyo quoted lower while Shanghai and Hong Kong traded higher. The US markets ended in the positive territory on Wednesday.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude climbed 0.28% to USD 74.43 a barrel.

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National

Railways reduces time limit for advance train reservation to 60 days

The Railway Board has reduced the advance reservation period of seats from the existing 120 days to 60 days with effect from November 1, 2024.

"It has been decided that w.e.f 01.11.2024, the existing time limit for advance reservation by trains will be reduced from 120 days to 60 days (excluding the date of journey)," a Railway Board's circular, dated Oct 16, 2024, said.

All bookings done up to October 31 under the ARP (Advance Reservation Period) of 120 days will remain intact, it added. The circular did not cite any reason for the reduction in ARP.

According to the Board, cancellation of the booking made beyond the ARP of 60 days will, however, be permitted.

On March 25, 2015, the Ministry of Railways had increased the ARP from 60 days to 120 days.

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One more held in connection with plot to kill Salman Khan

The Navi Mumbai police have arrested a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in connection with an alleged plot to kill Bollywood actor Salman Khan, an official said on Thursday.

The accused, Sukha alias Sukhbir Balbir Singh, was apprehended from Panipat in Haryana by a team of Panvel Town police (in Navi Mumbai) on Wednesday, he said.

Sukhbir Singh was in touch with his alleged handler Dogar, who is based in Pakistan, he said. Singh along with the other Bishnoi gang members had planned to use weapons from Pakistan, such as AK-47s, M16s and AK92s, to execute the alleged plot to kill Salman Khan, the official said.

He will be produced before a court after being brought to Navi Mumbai, the police said. The Navi Mumbai police will also interrogate Sukhbir Singh in connection with the case of the murder of NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, the official said.

On April 24 this year, the Navi Mumbai police registered a case against 18 identified accused and others of the Bishnoi gang for hatching a conspiracy to kill Salman Khan, he said.

The development followed a firing outside the actor's Bandra residence in Mumbai by Bishnoi gang members.

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Nayab Singh Saini takes oath as Haryana CM for second time

OBC leader Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday took oath as the Chief Minister of Haryana at a ceremony in Panchkula attended by a galaxy of NDA leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Anil Vij, Krishan Lal Panwar and Rao Narbir Singh were among those administered the oath of office by Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya.

The BJP's choice of the day for the swearing-in ceremony is significant as it is Valmiki Jayanti. Sage-poet Valmiki is the author of the Hindu epic Ramayana and a revered figure, especially among Dalits. Haryana can have a maximum of 14 ministers, including the Chief Minister.

Chief ministers of several NDA-ruled states were in attendance as were BJP president J P Nadda, Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah.

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Sports

New Zealand in driver’s seat after bundling out India for embarrassing 46

New Zealand were 180 for three in their first innings in reply to India's 46 all-out on the second day of the rain-hit opening Test in Bengaluru on Thursday.

India crashed to their lowest-ever total in a Test at home, folding in just 31.2 overs with five home batters not even managing to open their accounts.

Rishabh Pant scored 20 while opener Yashasvi Jaiswal made 13. None of the other Indian batters got a double-digit score. New Zealand, in complete contrast, batted solidly to gain a lead of 134 runs by the end of the day's play.

Devon Conway (91) and Will Young (33) raised a 75-run partnership after the Kiwis lost Tom Latham (15).

Rachin Ravindra (22) and Daryl Mitchell (14) were at the crease when the stumps were drawn for the day due to bad light.

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India tottering at 34/6 at lunch against New Zealand on Day 2

India were tottering at 34 for six at lunch on the second day of the rain-affected opening Test against New Zealand, in Bengaluru on Thursday.

India’s top order was blown away in the first hour’s play by the Kiwi seamers, who returned after a rain intervention to prise out the wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal (13).

Rohit Sharma (2) was cleaned up by Tim Southee, while the young William O’Rourke had Virat Kohli (0) bounced out, caught at leg gully. Sarfaraz Khan (0) could last only three balls, while KL Rahul (0) faced six.

Rishabh Pant did well to reach 15 not out but Ravindra Jadeja (0) fell at the stroke of lunch.

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Dale Steyn to leave Sunrisers Hyderabad as bowling coach

Fast bowling great Dale Steyn has confirmed he will not be returning to the Indian Premier League side Sunrisers Hyderabad for the next edition as their bowling coach.

However, the former South African pacer will continue with the franchise’s other team in the SA20 competition, Sunrisers Eastern Cape, who have won both the editions of the competition so far. Steyn was not a part of SRH’s successful campaign in IPL last year as he made himself unavailable for the campaign in which the 2016 title winners and 2018 runner-up qualified for the final.

The former New Zealand bowler James Franklin had filled in for the former South African pacer.

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India collapse to 46 against New Zealand for lowest total in Test at home

India were on Thursday bowled for just 46 runs in their first innings, their lowest total in a home Test on the second day of the rain-hit opening Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru.

India's previous lowest score at home was 75, recorded against West Indies in New Delhi in 1987. The Indian batters struggled to negotiate the conditions, folding in 31.1 overs.  Rishabh Pant top-scored for the hosts with his 20 off 49 balls. Yashasvi Jaiswal (13) was the only other batter to reach double digits.

Matt Henry (5/15), William O'Rourke (4/22), and Tim Southee (1/8) were in fine form, dominating the proceedings as India lost six wickets for just 34 runs during a stunning first session. In the second session, India could add only 12 runs, losing the remaining four wickets.

Brief Scores: India 1st innings: 46 all out in 31.2 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 13, Rishabh Pant 20; Matt Henry 5/15, William O’Rourke 4/22, Tim Southee 1/8).

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Neetu David becomes second Indian woman to be inducted into ICC Hall of Fame

Former India spinner Neetu David, who still holds the record for the best figures (8/53) by a woman in an individual Test innings, on Wednesday became the second female cricketer from the country to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.

David, the current chairman of selectors for the Indian women's team, enters the ICC Hall of Fame a year after the induction of former captain Diana Edulji. David made more than 100 appearances (10 Tests and 97 ODIs) for India as a prolific left-arm spinner and was inducted alongside South Africa and England legends AB de Villiers and Alastair Cook, joining a long list of great cricketers.

The 47-year-old David is the second-highest wicket-taker for India in ODIs cricket with 141 scalps and was also the first female player from the country to claim 100 wickets in the 50-over game. Topping the wicket-taking list at the World Cup in 2005, to inspire her country to their first-ever final, is also among her standout achievements.

David said in an ICC release: "It is truly an honour to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, something that I consider to be the highest recognition available to anyone who puts on their national team jersey.

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State

Internet services restored in Bahraich after four days

Internet services were restored in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich district on Thursday as local authorities continued to work towards restoring normalcy in and around Maharajganj where a 22-year-old man was killed in communal violence during a Durga idol immersion procession on Sunday, officials said.

The police have also issued a stern warning against the spread of rumours, urging the residents to prioritise communal harmony amid the ongoing efforts to restore peace in the area. Additional Superintendent of Police Pavitra Mohan Tripathi said in a video message, "In relation to the incident in Maharajganj on October 13, false information is being spread on social media to disrupt communal harmony. Claims that the deceased was electrocuted, attacked with a sword, or had his nails pulled out are baseless."

"The post-mortem report confirmed that the cause of death was gunshot wounds. No other fatalities occurred in this incident. We request everyone to ignore rumours and refrain from spreading false information," Tripathi added. The violence broke out at Maharajganj under Mahsi tehsil on Sunday over the alleged playing of loud music outside a place of worship during a Durga Puja immersion procession, in which Ram Gopal Mishra (22) died of gunshot injuries.

The incident triggered vandalism and arson in the area as houses, shops, showrooms, hospitals and vehicles were torched by mobs, prompting the police to lodge multiple FIRs against unidentified rioters and some named accused.

The police have so far rounded up 55 suspects besides deploying heavy security in the mixed-population town where tension escalated over the playing of the song - 'Chahe Jitna Jor Laga Lo, Aayenge Phir Yogi Ji'.

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❖ - Syndicated news, primarily from PTI

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