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Extreme weather claimed over 3,200 lives in first nine months of 2024: CSE report

Extreme weather events claimed over 3,200 lives and destroyed over 2.3 lakh houses in India in the first nine months of 2024, according to a new report.

The report by the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said India faced extreme weather events on 93% of the days in the year’s first nine months - 255 out of 274 days. The report said extreme weather events claimed 3,238 lives, affected 3.2 million hectares (mha) of crops, destroyed 2,35,862 houses and buildings, and killed 9,457 livestock.

In comparison, the first nine months of 2023 recorded extreme weather on 235 of 273 days, with 2,923 deaths, 1.84 mha of crops affected, 80,293 houses damaged, and 92,519 animal deaths.

It is very likely that even these reported damages are an underestimation due to incomplete data collection on event-specific losses, particularly on public property and crop damages, data analysts who compiled the report pointed out. Madhya Pradesh experienced extreme weather on 176 days - the most in the country. 

Kerala recorded the highest fatalities at 550, followed by Madhya Pradesh (353) and Assam (256). 

Andhra Pradesh had the most houses damaged (85,806), while Maharashtra, which saw extreme events on 142 days, accounted for over 60% of the affected crop area nationwide, followed by Madhya Pradesh (25,170 ha).

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Three coaches of Secunderabad-Shalimar Superfast Express derail near Howrah

Three coaches of the Secunderabad-Shalimar Superfast Express derailed near Howrah in West Bengal around 5.30 am today, South Eastern Railway officials said.

"The weekly special train derailed at Nalpur, about 40 km from Kolkata. No casualties or injuries have been reported so far," they said.

A parcel van was among the derailed coaches. The 22850 Secunderabad — Shalimar Weekly Express was passing through Nalpur station in Kharagpur Division when the coaches derailed. 

The railways said an accident relief train and medical relief trains from Santragachi and Kharagpur were immediately dispatched for assistance. Buses have also been sent to ferry the passengers to Kolkata.

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Lokpal seeks SEBI chief’s response on conflict of interest charges

Anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal on Friday sought SEBI chief Madhabi Puri Buch's "explanation" on complaints of impropriety and conflict of interest filed by a Lok Sabha member and two others on the basis of a report by US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research, according to an official order.

The Lokpal, however, clarified its order is only a "procedural directive" and "not an expression of our opinion on any matter in issue, either way". Buch, the chairperson of capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), has been asked to submit her response within four weeks, according to the order.

It said she can submit her response or explanation complaint wise in all the three complaints to avoid repetition, the order said.

The Lokpal has listed the matter on December 19 for further consideration. The anti-graft ombudsman's observation came while hearing two complaints, including one by the Parliamentarian, filed on the basis of a report by US-based "activist short-seller" Hindenburg Research.

In its report, Hindenburg Research alleged that Buch and her husband had stakes in obscure offshore funds used in the alleged money syphoning scandal involving the Adani Group. The allegations were denied by them, saying the short-seller was attacking the capital markets regulator's credibility and attempting a character assassination. The Adani Group had also termed Hindenburg Research's allegations malicious and manipulation of selective public information.

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Opposition MPs to boycott five-state tour of Parliamentary panel on Waqf Bill

Opposition members have decided to boycott the five-day tour of the Joint Committee on Waqf Amendment Bill starting Saturday to hear the views of diverse stakeholders on the matter.

All the Opposition members of the JPC have decided to boycott the tour and its meetings as the chairman is working in an arbitrary and high-handed manner, Trinamool Congress (TMC) member Kalyan Banerjee told reporters at a press conference jointly addressed with party MP Nadimul Haque at the Press Club in Kolkata. Opposition members accused Committee chairman Jagdambika Pal of taking unilateral actions and visiting Karnataka to look into some "local matter".

"The Committee does not have investigation powers, its job is to look into the Bill alone. Moreover, the Chairman cannot act unilaterally and the Committee has to act collectively," AIMIM Lok Sabha member Asaduddin Owaisi said in a post on X.

He said the Committee had already visited Karnataka and held consultations with various stakeholders there. "We are bound by parliamentary procedure so we aren't in a position to explain the questionable conduct of the Chairman since the formation of the Committee. I hope the Lok Sabha Speaker will take notice of the Chairman's behaviour," Owaisi said.

Banerjee said the Committee's chairman has fixed a hectic schedule of meetings in Guwahati, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Patna and Lucknow over six days beginning Saturday. He said the opposition members of the JPC met the Lok Sabha Speaker on November 5 and sought deferment of the schedule and also reduction in the number of days of meetings of the JPC from two days a week to one day a week or two consecutive days every fortnight.

From Saturday, the Committee will begin its five-state tour from Guwahati, where it will have informal interactions with representatives of the ministry of minority affairs and law and justice of Assam, the state minority commission and that of the Waqf Boards of Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur and Tripura.

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Salman Khan gets another threat, message sent to Mumbai traffic police helpline

Another threat has been issued to Bollywood actor Salman Khan, with the sender demanding Rs 5 crore on “behalf of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang”, officials said on Friday.

The threat message was sent to Mumbai traffic police’s WhatsApp helpline on Thursday night, an official said. The sender of the message threatened the actor and demanded Rs 5 crore, claiming it was being made on behalf of the Bishnoi gang. Besides, the individual also threatened the lyricist of the song ‘Main Sikandar Hoon’, the official said.

On a complaint by traffic officials, the Worli police have registered a case and launched a probe, he said. In the past few weeks, the traffic police helpline has received many threat messages for Salman Khan.

Khan had earlier received death threats from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. While Bishnoi himself is lodged in Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati jail in cases including attempted murder and extortion, suspected members of his gang opened fire outside the actor’s Bandra home in April.

Weeks after that, Navi Mumbai Police claimed to have uncovered a plot by the Bishnoi gang to kill Khan while on his way to his farmhouse at Panvel near Mumbai.

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Income Tax department conducts survey at Truecaller India offices

The Income-Tax Department Thursday carried out a survey operation at offices of Swedish caller ID platform Truecaller on charges of tax evasion, official sources said.

The Stockholm-headquartered company said it was cooperating with the investigators. Tax officials said the survey operation was aimed to gather detailed information and check documents in connection with certain charges of tax evasion including those pertaining to transfer pricing (TP) issues.

They had earlier said it was search action. As part of a survey, the taxman only visits the business premises of an entity under probe whereas as part of a search operation, business as well as residential and linked premises are covered. According to the company's website, Truecaller has offices in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Gurugram in India.

The company said in a public statement that “On Thursday 7 November 2024, Truecaller's India offices were visited by Indian Tax officials…Truecaller are currently assisting the authorities to the full extent at our offices. This came without prior notice and Truecaller are currently awaiting official confirmation and communication from the tax departments.”

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