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IAF will evolve, ready to safeguard India’s sovereignty and interests ON 88th Indian Air Force Day

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‘I want to assure the nation that the Indian Air Force will evolve and be ever ready to safeguard our nation’s sovereignty and interests in all circumstances,’ said Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria.

Air Chief Marshal R K Bhadauria inspecting the guard of honour during the 88th Airforce Day celebration in Hindon airbase

GHAZIABAD: On the occasion of Indian Air Force Day, 2020 Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria on Thursday assured the nation that the Indian Air Force will evolve and be ever ready to safeguard India’s sovereignty and interests in all circumstances.

“I want to assure the nation that the Indian Air Force will evolve and be ever ready to safeguard our nation’s sovereignty and interests in all circumstances,” said Bhadauria at Hindon airbase.

“As we enter the 89th year, the IAF is undergoing a transformational change. We are entering an era which will redefine where we employ aerospace power and conduct integrated multi-domain operations,” he added.

Bhadauria further stated that this year has indeed been an unprecedented one. As COVID-19 spread across the globe, our nation’s response was firm.

“The tenacity and resolve of our air warriors ensured that IAF continued to retain its capability to undertake full-scale operations throughout this period,” said IAF Chief.

“I commend all air warriors for quick response in the recent standoff on the northern frontiers when we deployed our combat assets at short notice to handle any eventuality and provided proactive support to all requirements of deployment and sustenance for Indian Army,” he added.

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Army Staff, General Manoj Mukund Naravane and Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh attended the 88th Indian Air Force Day celebrations at Hindon airbase in Ghaziabad.

Bhadauria inspected the 88th Indian Air Force Day parade here.

Nishan Toli being led by Squadron Leader Shivangi Rajawat marched at the Hindon Air Force Station in Ghaziabad on the occasion.

Two Chinook helicopters also took part in the flypast to mark

COVID-19 Update India’s tally crosses 68-lakh mark with spike of 78,524 new cases

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Total case tally stands at 68,35,656 including 9,02,425 active cases, 58,27,705 cured/discharged/migrated cases & 1,05,526 deaths, Union Health Ministry said.

India’s Covid tally crossed the 68-lakh mark with a spike of 78,524 new cases & 971 deaths reported in the last 24 hours.

Total case tally stands at 68,35,656 including 9,02,425 active cases, 58,27,705 cured/discharged/migrated cases & 1,05,526 deaths, according to the Union Health Ministry’s Thursday update.

West Bengal’s COVID-19 tally mounted to 2,80,504 after the highest single-day spike of 3,455 new infections was reported on Wednesday, the health department said in a bulletin.

The death toll in the state rose to 5,376 with 58 more fatalities.

Meanwhile, Kerala ministers M M Mani and K T Jaleel tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday.

With this five members of the Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet have so far been infected by the deadly virus.

Airline industry to suffer USD 77 billion loss: IATA

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The slow recovery in air travel will see the airline industry continuing to burn through cash at an average rate of $5 to $6 billion per month in 2021, IATA said. 

NEW DELHI:  The International Air Transport Association (IATA) in a fresh report has estimated that the airline industry will burn through $77 billion in cash during the second half of 2020 (almost $13 billion/month or $300,000 per minute), despite the restart of operations. 

The slow recovery in air travel will see the airline industry continuing to burn through cash at an average rate of $5 to $6 billion per month in 2021, IATA said. IATA called on governments to support the industry during the coming winter season with additional relief measures, including financial aid that does not add more debt to the industry’s already-highly-indebted balance sheet. To date, governments around the world have provided $160 billion in support.

“If these support programs are not replaced or extended, the consequences for an already hobbled industry will be dire,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO. IATA estimates that despite cutting costs just over 50 per cent during the second quarter, the industry went through $51 billion in cash as revenues fell almost 80 per cent.

The industry is not expected to turn cash positive until 2022. As for India’s aviation industry, the situation is no better. Except two airlines, all other payers continue to struggle hard to remain operational and have their net worth in negative territory. 

India to overtake China as world’s largest LPG residential market by 2030

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Driven by environmental and health concerns, the government has also been implementing schemes to help lower-income families cope with the cost of switching from dirtier biomass to LPG.

NEW DELHI: India is expected to overtake China as the world’s largest cooking gas LPG residential sector market by 2030, Wood Mackenzie said on Tuesday.

“Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) demand in the residential sector will continue to see sustainable growth at a cumulative annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.3 per cent, reaching 34 million tonnes (MT) in 2030 as households’ dependence on solid biomass diminishes in the long run supported by rising average household incomes and urban population,” it said in a report.

Driven by environmental and health concerns, the government has also been implementing schemes to help lower-income families cope with the cost of switching from dirtier biomass to LPG.

The Direct Benefit Transfer of LPG (DBTL) gives out subsidies to the vulnerable population, while the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) provides families living below the poverty line access to free LPG stoves.

Wood Mackenzie research analyst Qiaoling Chen said: “Although nationwide LPG coverage has reached 98 per cent, up 42 per cent from 2014, usage is still low. Average annual cylinder refills have not kept up with the pace of new connections, with average consumption remaining below the benchmark of 12 cylinders.”

Even with subsidy and the initial cost of set-up covered by the government, LPG is more expensive than biomass.

Still, the Indian government is committed to roll out plans to further address affordability and infrastructure challenges in the LPG sector.

These include smaller-size LPG cylinders which reduce upfront cash payment required for each refill, more LPG distributors as well as the ‘Give it Up’ campaign where households can voluntarily give up their LPG subsidies from the DBTL scheme to benefit lower-income families.

Chen said: “Assuming the government continues to subsidise residential LPG throughout the decade, total subsidy for LPG could reach USD 5.7 billion annually by 2030.

“By then, it will overtake China as the world’s largest LPG demand centre for the residential sector.”

However, the lack of infrastructure continues to restrain piped natural gas (PNG) penetration in areas outside of top tier cities and retail PNG prices continue to be at a premium to subsidised LPG prices, making PNG a less attractive alternative to LPG before 2030, Wood Mackenzie said.

Wood Mackenzie senior analyst Vidur Singhal said: “Between 2020 and 2030, PNG demand will primarily be from urban households in tier I and tier II cities awarded under CGD bidding rounds.

City gas companies will increase PNG connections and its related infrastructure, which typically takes five to eight years to construct and commercialise fully.”

“In addition, growing LPG demand in the residential sector requires more subsidies, which will increasingly become a huge burden for the government,” Singhal said adding it is likely that subsidies will taper off over time, as growing income allows more households to pay the unsubsidised price.

The combination of ready PNG infrastructure and less policy support for LPG help to support PNG demand growth post-2030.

“We expect PNG demand in India’s residential sector to grow at a CAGR of 12.7 per cent, reaching 2.5 billion cubic metres (bcm) by 2030 from 0.8 bcm currently,” Singhal said.

By the end of 2030, India’s LPG demand in the residential sector will account for 82 per cent of the country’s total LPG demand while natural gas demand in the same sector will only account for 3 per cent of total natural gas demand in India, Wood Mackenzie added.

Nearly 40 nations demand China respect Uighur human rights

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Among the 39 signatory countries were the United States, most of the EU member states including Albania and Bosnia, as well as Canada among others.

UNITED NATIONS: The US, Japan and many EU nations joined a call on Tuesday urging China to respect the human rights of minority Uighurs, and also expressing concern about the situation in Hong Kong.

“We call on China to respect human rights, particularly the rights of persons belonging to religious and ethnic minorities, especially in Xinjiang and Tibet,” said German UN ambassador Christoph Heusgen, who led the initiative during of a meeting on human rights.

Among the 39 signatory countries were the United States, most of the EU member states including Albania and Bosnia, as well as Canada, Haiti, Honduras, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

“We are gravely concerned about the human rights situation in Xinjiang and the recent developments in Hong Kong,” the declaration said.

“We call on China to allow immediate, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang for independent observers including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,” it added.

Immediately afterward, the envoy for Pakistan stood up and read out a statement signed by 55 countries, including China, denouncing any use of the situation in Hong Kong as an excuse for interference in China’s internal affairs.

Addressing Germany, the United States and Britain, Chinese ambassador Zhang Jun criticized what he called their “hypocritical” attitude and demanded that the three countries “put away your arrogance and prejudice, and pull back from the brink, now.” 

The organization Human Rights Watch praised the fact that so many countries had signed on to the declaration “despite China’s persistent threats and intimidation tactics against those who speak out.”

In 2019, a similar text drafted by Britain only garnered 23 signatures.

Western diplomats have said that China is piling on more pressure each year to dissuade UN member states from signing such statements, threatening to block the renewal of peacekeeping missions for some countries or preventing others from building new embassy facilities in China.

On Monday, China led a group of 26 countries in a joint declaration calling for an end to US sanctions which they said violate human rights during the struggle to combat the coronavirus pandemic. 

Last month, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) said it had identified more than 380 “suspected detention facilities” in the Xinjiang region, where China is believed to have held more than one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim Turkic-speaking residents.

In the United States, the House of Representatives passed a bill at the end of September that aims to ban imports from Xinjiang, contending that abuses of the Uighur people are so widespread that all goods from the region should be considered made with slave labor.

With LJP quitting, NDA power equation may go for a reset in Bihar after polls

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The BJP had a better strike rate than the JD(U) in the 2010 polls, the last assembly election they fought together before parting ways in 2013 for four years.

NEW DELHI: With the BJP and the JD(U) contesting nearly equal number of seats in the Bihar assembly polls, the saffron party is looking at the prospect of emerging as the ‘big brother’ in their about 25-year-old alliance, except for a break-up in between, a scenario that can rearrange the power equation in the state.

The BJP had a better strike rate than the JD(U) in the 2010 polls, the last assembly election they fought together before parting ways in 2013 for four years, when it won 91 of 102 seats against the JD(U)’s 115 of 141 seats in the polls to the 243-seat assembly.

As the saffron party’s organisation is considered stronger and its poll machinery much more formidable compared to the JD(U) or any other party in the state, there is a view that it can reap a better political harvest than the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led party, if conditions favour the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The decision of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party to contest against the JD(U) while speaking favourably of the BJP has added a twist.

JD (U) spokesperson K C Tyagi, however, refuted any such suggestion and said the joint press conference by his party’s leaders and the BJP in Patna on Tuesday has finished off all “disinformation” campaign.

“Top leaders of the BJP have again reiterated that the NDA in Bihar means the acceptance of Nitish Kumar’s leadership. The polls will be fought under him and he will become chief minister again irrespective of how many seats a party wins,” he said.

Targeting the LJP, he said if a party “misuses” Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pictures, then the NDA alliance will ask the Election Commission to take action.

“The NDA will win with three/fourth seats,” he asserted.

Tyagi’s remarks came amid LJP president Chirag Paswan’s fulsome praise for the BJP and Modi, and his assertion that his party will seek votes to strengthen the prime minister’s leadership.

Paswan has claimed in a tweet that the BJP and the LJP will form the next government in Bihar and that it will probe “corruption” during Kumar’s government and send accused behind bars.

The BJP on its part is backing to the hilt Kumar as the alliance’s leader in the state but has acknowledged that the LJP as an ally at the Centre.

The view that the LJP may make the upcoming electoral battle difficult for the JD(U) was enforced on Tuesday again as senior Bihar BJP leader Rajendra Singh joined Paswan’s party after the seat he wanted to contest from fell in the quota of Kumar’s party.

Ending days of intense speculation, the NDA on Tuesday announced its seat-sharing formula for the Bihar assembly polls under which JD(U) will contest on 122 seats and the BJP on 121 out of a total of 243 seats.

In the outgoing assembly, the RJD was the largest party with 73 MLAs followed by the JD(U) with 69 MLAs, BJP (54) and the Congress (23).

Kumar has called the shots in running the government in Bihar and in setting the alliance’s agenda, with the BJP mostly playing the second fiddle.

He may return at the helm for one more time but he may no longer have the same authority, political watchers believe.

A day after CBI search, Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar’s brother Suresh tests COVID positive

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DK Suresh appealed to all those who had come in contact with him, including CBI officials, to get themselves tested.

Bengaluru Rural MP DK Suresh

BENGALURU: A day after the CBI conducted searches at his premises and that of his brother and state Congress chief DK Shivakumar, Bengaluru Rural MP DK Suresh on Tuesday said he has tested positive for COVID-19.

He has also appealed to all those who had come in contact with him, including CBI officials, to get themselves tested.

“I would like to let you know that I have tested positive for COVID-19. I am asymptomatic and in isolation. I request friends and family who have been in contact with me to test themselves. I also request the CBI officials and media friends who were with me to do the same,” Suresh tweeted.

CBI on Monday had conducted searches at 14 locations linked to Shivakumar, including Karnataka, Delhi and Mumbai, in connection with allegations of possession of disproportionate assets.

Suresh’s residence was also under the ambit of the CBI search.

Shivakumar too had tested positive for COVID in August.

After being discharged from the hospital, he was hospitalised for the second time on September 4 as the fever had relapsed, and had subsequently recovered.

Congress to hold farmer convention on Oct 10, to launch signature drive

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In addition to the convention, the state Congress will also launch a signature campaign against amendments to these laws. 

BENGALURU: In line with the Congress’ agitations across the country, the Karnataka unit of the party will hold a farmer convention in Mandya on Saturday. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief D K Shivakumar announced the details of the convention on Tuesday, a day after the Central Bureau of Investigation carried out raids on his and his brothers properties.  

“We had initially decided to hold the convention in Davangere, but since the election code of conduct is in place now, we have decided to hold it in Mandya at 11 am on October 10. It will be a non-partisan event where farmer leaders will also address the gathering,” Shivakumar said.The farmer convention, which is scheduled to be held at the Ambedkar Bhavan, comes at a time when large gatherings are still prohibited under Covid-19 lockdown norms. 

Farmer leaders, activists like Kurubara Shantakumar, Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, Sunanda Jayaram and Prakash Ramanna are expected to participate at the event to speak against amendments brought to the APMC, Farm, Labour and Land Acts by the Union government as well as the BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government in Karnataka.

In addition to the convention, the state Congress will also launch a signature campaign against amendments to these laws. “We will strive to collect two crore signatures which will eventually be submitted by AICC president Sonia Gandhi to President Ram Nath Kovind to draw his attention to the opposition to these anti-farmer amendments,” Shivakumar added. 

COVID-19 Updates 986 deaths in last 24 hours takes India’s coronavirus toll to 1,04,555

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Total tally, as of Wednesday, stands at 67,57,132 including 9,07,883 active cases, 57,44,694  recoveries  and 1,04,555 deaths, as per Union Health Ministry data.

According to the Union Health Ministry India’s coronavirus tally crossed the 67-lakh with a spike of 72,049 new COVID-19 cases and 986 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Total tally, as of Wednesday, stands at 67,57,132 including 9,07,883 active cases, 57,44,694 recoveries  and 1,04,555 deaths, as per Union Health Ministry data.

The ministry also said that India’s Positivity Rate is steadily maintained below 10 per cent. The cumulative figure is 8.28 per cent and the daily figure is 7.52 per cent.

AIADMK announces Edappadi Palaniswami as CM candidate for Tamil Nadu 2021 Assembly polls

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Panneerselvam told reporters that Palaniswami was elected as CM candidate by all office bearers, deputy coordinators of the party besides the 11 member steering committee. 

CHENNAI: AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam today announced joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami as the party’s Chief Minister candidate for 2021 Assembly elections. Meanwhile Palaniswami announced the constitution of the 11 member steering committee, a promise made three years ago when the faction led by Panneerselvam merged with the faction led by Palaniswami. However, the powers of the committee were not announced today. 

Later, Palaniswami and Paannerselvam visited the memorial of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. 

Panneerselvam told reporters that Palaniswami was elected as CM candidate by all office bearers, deputy coordinators of the party besides the 11 member steering committee. 

The 11-member steering committee includes Dindigul Sreenivasan, Thangamani, SP Velumani, Jayakumar, CV Shanmugam, Kamaraj, Prabakaram (former MLA), PH Manoj Pandian, Pa Mohan, Gopala Krishnan, Manikam MLA (Cholavandam constituency).

Deputy Chief Minister O Paneerselvam said: “As per the resolution passed in the general body meeting, our Chief Minister announced the 11 member names of the steering committee and I wish them all.”

“Our party is found by MG Ramachandran in name of Anna. And it is a party movement and nobody has won three times. Our Amma led the party with the same path of MGR. His dreams of party and government should be with cadres. We are doing it now,” he said.

On October 1, Tamil Nadu Minister D Jayakumar had sought to play down reports of differences between Chief Minister E Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, saying that there are no differences between the two.

On reports that Panneerselvam earlier skipped the meeting called by the Chief Minister and met party members, he said, “He is our party organisation coordinator, so what is the problem if he meets party members. There could be many reasons for not attending the Chief Minister’s meeting, like meeting medical experts etc. But please don’t link it to politics.”

Earlier, sources told ANI that during the AIADMK’s executive party meet on September 28, the discussions for party’s Chief Ministerial face was debated for more than five hours with Palaniswami and Panneerselvam in the race.

During the meeting, it was also felt that in case the current Chief Minister was not named as the candidate for the next year’s Assembly elections it would make the party and its government in the state a subject of ridicule for the Opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

Palaniswami got backing from senior leaders S Semmalai, P Thangamani, CV Shanmugam and Natham R Viswanathan in the meeting.

A top source in the party, who himself was earlier backing Panneerselvam before the merger that the debate around the Chief Minister post candidate should be considered settled now with most of the leaders agreeing with the final outcome “as of now” to Palaniswami as a candidate for 2021 elections.

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