Fire reported at Iran’s Evin prison; state media says situation is ‘under control’
Fire and gunshots erupted at Tehran’s notorious Evin prison on Saturday night, an Oslo-based rights group reported, as the protest movement sparked by Mahsa Amini’s death in custody entered a fifth week .Flames and a plume of smoke could be seen billowing into the night sky and pops of what appeared to be gunfire could be heard in video footage shared by Iran Human Rights on Twitter.
U.S.-India Trade Policy Forum set for November 8, modest outcomes likely
The U.S.-India Trade Policy Forum (TPF) has been scheduled for November 8 in Washington DC, The Hindu has confirmed. U.S. trade officials are arriving in New Delhi next week to finalise issues for discussion , an Indian government official told The Hindu. A few weeks ahead of this meeting, it appears that that the gains are most likely going to be modest and incremental in the immediate future, given the structural differences in both economies and political considerations in India and the U.S. — both of which have general elections in 2024.
Global Hunger Index attempt to tarnish India’s image: Centre
The government has yet again rejected the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2022 which ranks India 107 among 121 countries and has called it “an erroneous measure of hunger” and an attempt to “taint” India’s image. It also wrongly claims that the ranks are based on an opinion poll.
Attack on Indian sovereignty, says Centre on Wall Street Journal advertisement
The government reacted strongly on Saturday to an advertisement in U.S. newspaper Wall Street Journal by a U.S. group calling for sanctions against Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Supreme court judges and Enforcement Directorate and other officials in the Devas-Antrix case, calling it an “attack on Indian sovereignty”.
Xi set for third term, China to unveil new leadership on October 23
China’s Communist Party (CPC) will unveil its new leadership for the next five years on October 23, when General Secretary and President Xi Jinping is set to begin an unprecedented third term.
Situation deteriorating fast in J&K: Gupkar alliance
The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), an amalgam of political parties in J&K, on Saturday met in Srinagar and expressed concern over the “fast deteriorating situation in Jammu and Kashmir”. PAGD president Farooq Abdullah chaired the meeting at his residence, just days after the official move to enrol outsiders as voters in J&K was enforced for the first time ever. The meeting was also attended by former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti.
At Prayagraj meet, RSS to brainstorm on population control, minority outreach
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will hold brainstorming sessions on population control, women empowerment, minority outreach and the use of mother tongue in education, among other issues, during its four-day national executive meeting which begins in Prayagraj on Sunday.
Civic elections on mind, Nadda to attack AAP govt. at mega rally today
In what is being seen as a clarion call for civic elections in the Capital, BJP’s national president Jagat Prakash Nadda, along with other senior party leaders, will address a mega rally at the Ramlila Maidan here on Sunday.
First Russian soldiers arrive in Belarus for joint force
The first Russian soldiers to take part in a new joint force with Belarusian troops have arrived in Belarus, Minsk’s Defence Ministry said on Saturday. “The first convoys of Russian servicemen from the regional force group have arrived in Belarus,” the Ministry said, adding that their mission was “exclusively to strengthen the protection and defence of the border”. Images from the Ministry showed soldiers welcomed by women wearing traditional costumes and handing out bread and salt.
Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh have highest number of UG medical colleges in India
For India the average annual growth of medical colleges from 2011-12 to 2021-22 stands at 5.9% — the highest in the last five decades with Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh (in 2021-22) having the highest share of both public and private undergraduate (UG) medical colleges followed by Karnataka and Maharashtra.
India maintained its dominance in the Women’s Asia Cup with an eight-wicket demolition of a self-destructing Sri Lanka in the final here on Saturday for its seventh title in eight editions.
