SCO summit: Modi, Xi to come face-to-face amid ongoing LAC standoff
This is for the first time Modi and Xi are expected to come face-to-face, albeit virtually, since the border standoff between India and China began in eastern Ladakh in early May.
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other top leaders of the SCO member-states are set to deliberate on a plethora of pressing issues, including ways to deal with adverse economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic and rising threat of terrorism, at a virtual summit of the bloc on Tuesday.
This is for the first time Modi and Xi are expected to come face-to-face, albeit virtually, since the border standoff between India and China began in eastern Ladakh in early May.
Government sources said, the summit is expected to focus on countering the spread of terrorism including use of the internet for spreading radicalisation, as also issues relating to trade and economic activities.
Beijing-headquartered Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), seen as a counterweight to NATO, is an eight-member economic and security bloc and has emerged as one of the largest transregional international organisations.
India and Pakistan became its permanent members in 2017.
The annual summit of SCO council of heads of state deals with all the key areas of the activities of the powerful bloc including political, security, trade, economic and cultural.
Prime Minister Modi has led the Indian delegation at the annual SCO summit since India became a full member in 2017.
However, India’s association with the organisation dates back to 2005 when it became an Observer State of the grouping.
Since then, India has played a positive and constructive role in all areas of SCO activities with a special emphasis on cooperation in trade and economy, officials said.
Russia is the current chair of the SCO and President Vladimir Putin will be chairing the summit meeting which is being held for the first time in virtual format due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The summit will culminate with the release of a Moscow declaration which will reflect the broad agenda of the bloc for the next one year, sources said.
Apart from the Moscow declaration, the summit may issue separate documents on digital economy, COVID-19, countering the spread of terrorism, according to officials.
“There will also be other decisions relating to major projects and initiatives in trade and economic sphere of activities,” said a source.
Apart from India, China and Russia, the summit is scheduled to be attended by heads all other member states, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
The heads of four Observer States of SCO, Iran, Afghanistan, Belarus and Mongolia will also participate.
In the summit held in Bishkek last year, Prime Minister Modi had given his vision for the SCO with the acronym HEALTH with H for health care cooperation, E for economic cooperation, A for alternative energy, L for literature and culture, T for terrorism free society and H for humanitarian cooperation.
India also participated in two in-person meetings of the SCO defence ministers and council of foreign ministers in Moscow in September.
Covid-19 test now must to attend college
Degree and post-graduate students and their teachers opting for regular classes in their respective colleges from November 17 onwards will have to get a Covid-19 negative certificate.
BENGALURU: Degree and post-graduate students and their teachers opting for regular classes in their respective colleges from November 17 onwards will have to get a Covid-19 negative certificate. The students will also have to get a written consent from their parents for letting them attend classes in person. These are some of the standard operating protocols (SOPs) released by the State Government on Monday in preparation for offline classes for degree and postgraduate courses.
However, while colleges will now open their doors, the government has not restricted online classes, although those who opt for online classes will have contact classes for solving their doubts. While masks are mandatory for all, the teaching faculty are advised to wear masks as well as face shields. Up to 50 per cent of students can be asked to come to classrooms per batch on a rotational basis decided by the colleges.
The teaching time at colleges can be extended or modified by the teachers. However, libraries and canteens at colleges will not be allowed to open. The SOPs state that it is mandatory for teachers, students and other staff of respective institutions to undergo an RT-PCR test three days prior to starting the classes and only those testing negative will be allowed to attend offline classes. Colleges must also reserve a room for Covid- 19 emergencies with firstaid kits and pulse oxymeter.
The principal has to create a special task force of teaching and non-teaching staff to handle emergencies, while vicechancellors will have to set up similar task forces at the university level. Colleges are asked to take continuous feedback from students and encourage exercises — like yoga and pranayama with social distancing — to increase immunity. Colleges should ensure thermal scanning, social distancing at entrances and exits and install sanitising facilities.
In an elaborate 12-page SOPs, the government has laid emphasis on teaching and non-teaching staff ensuring safety protocols at the colleges, and spreading awareness about hygienic practices and mental health to keep Covid-19 at bay. A tollfree counselling helpline fo r students (0804611007) has also been set up for the purpose. The national helpline for telecounselling is 84454440632. Besides, colleges will have to ensure mapping with the nearest Primary Health Centre.
While not giving clear guidelines on person-limit per room in the hostels, the SOPs state that all categories of hostels, both private and those under the education department, have to follow health guidelines already issued by the Backward Classes and Social Welfare Departments. Each district will have a monitoring and coordination committee, chaired by the district deputy commissioner, and nine members including the Zilla Panchayat CEO, officials from transport, health, social and minority welfare and education departments.
Shanghai airport worker gets coronavirus, close to 8,000 people tested
It remains unclear how the 51-year-old man contracted the virus, which has largely spared the sprawling metropolis despite its dense population and strong international links.
BEIJING: Authorities in China’s financial hub of Shanghai have quarantined 186 people and conducted coronavirus tests on more than 8,000 after a freight handler at the city’s main international airport tested positive for the virus.
No additional cases have been found, the city government said on its microblog Tuesday.
It remains unclear how the 51-year-old man contracted the virus, which has largely spared the sprawling metropolis despite its dense population and strong international links.
In the northern port city of Tianjin, more than 77,000 people have been tested after a locally transmitted case was reported there on Monday.
That case was believed to be linked to a cold storage warehouse, reinforcing suspicions that the virus may be spreading to victims from frozen food packaging.
The National Health Administration on Tuesday reported 21 additional cases brought from overseas, while 426 people remain in treatment for COVID-19, which was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.
China has reported 4,634 deaths among 86,267 cases of the virus, while 788 people are currently being held in isolation for being suspected case or for testing positive without showing symptoms.
Bypolls 2020 India BJP consolidates in Gujarat, MP, Karnataka; Congress ahead in Haryana
BJP’s Pradhumansinh Jadeja is leading by over 2,300 votes in Abdasa seat while former minister Kiritsinh Rana is ahead by 5,400 votes in Limbdi, among other candidates.
Candidates of the ruling BJP in Gujarat are leading in seven out of the eight Assembly constituencies for which bypolls were held while the Congress is ahead in one seat, as per the early trends of counting on Tuesday.
BJP’s Pradhumansinh Jadeja is leading by over 2,300 votes in Abdasa seat while former minister Kiritsinh Rana is ahead by 5,400 votes in Limbdi, among other candidates.
Congress’ Jayantilal Patel is leading in Morbi constituency by a margin of more than 1,500 votes, as per the Election Commission data.
The counting began at 8 am in eight centres set up in these constituencies, an election official said.
The bypolls were necessitated after sitting Congress MLAs resigned ahead of Rajya Sabha polls in June this year.
Five of them then joined the ruling BJP, which fielded them from the same seats they had won in the 2017 elections.
A 60.75 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the bypolls held on November 3 in Abdasa (Kutch), Limbdi (Surendranagar), Morbi (Morbi district), Dhari (Amreli), Gadhada (Botad), Karjan (Vadodara), Dang (Dang district) and Kaprada (Valsad) Assembly seats.
As many as 81 candidates contested the bypolls across the eight seats.
MP bypolls: In early trends, BJP leads in 6 seats, Congress in two
The ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh is leading in six of the 28 Assembly constituencies for which byelections were held while the Congress is ahead in two seats, as per the early trends of counting on Tuesday.
BJP’s Tulsiram Silawat is leading from Sanver, while Rajvardhan Singh Dattigaon is ahead in Badnawar, Brajendra Singh Yadav from Mungaoli, Narayan Singh Pawar from Biora, Hardeep Singh Dung from Suwasara, and Jajpal Singh Jajji from Ashok Nagar against their rivals from the Congress.
Congress’ Vipin Wankhede and Rajendra Singh Baghel are ahead against their challengers from the BJP in Agar and Hatpipalya constituencies, respectively.
The counting began at 8 am in 19 districts where the by-elections were held on November 3, an election official said.
The BJP needs to win at least eight of these 28 seats to attain a simple majority in the 230-member Assembly, whose effective strength is 229.
The BJP currently has 107 MLAs, while the Congress has 87 legislators in the House.
Baroda bypoll: Congress candidate Indu Raj leading over BJP’s Yogeshwar Dutt .
Congress candidate Indu Raj Narwal is leading over his nearest rival and BJP nominee Yogeshwar Dutt by a margin of 2,843 votes from the Baroda Assembly seat in Haryana, as per initial trends.
After the fourth round of counting, Narwal polled 11,504 votes while Dutt got 8,661, as per Election Commission data.
The counting of votes for the bypoll to the Baroda assembly seat began at 8 am on Tuesday.
There will be 20 rounds of counting.
Three-tier security has been provided at the counting centre in Sonipat’s Mohana, the officials said.
The polling on November 3 for the Baroda assembly seat had recorded an overall turnout of 68.57 per cent, sealing the fate of 14 candidates.
The Baroda assembly seat fell vacant in April following the death of Congress MLA Shri Krishan Hooda, who had won it thrice consecutively in the 2009, 2014 and 2019 assembly polls.
Karnataka bypolls: Trends show BJP leading in both seats .
The ruling BJP is leading ahead of opposition Congress and JD(S) in the bypolls held for two assembly constituencies in the state, poll officials said on Tuesday.
Votes polled in the November 3 bypolls to Sira in Tumakuru district and Rajarajeshwari Nagar (R R Nagar) in the city were taken up for counting at 8 am and the results are expected to be out by afternoon.
According to the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer’s office, the trends show- BJP’s Dr C M Rajesh Gowda is leading with 8,919 votes in Sira, followed by Congress’ T B Jayachandra with 7,577.
JD(S)’ Ammajamma B is in third place with 4842 votes.
In R R Nagar too BJP’s N Munirathana is leading with 22,845 votes, followed by Congress’ Kusuma H with 11,121.
JD(S) is in third place here too with party candidate V Krishtramurthy so far securing 728 votes.
The bypoll has been necessitated in Sira following the death of JD(S) MLA B Sathyanarayana in August, while R R Nagar seat here fell vacant due to disqualification of the then Congress MLA N Munirathna last year under anti-defection law.
If Rajesh Gowda, a radiologist wins Sira, this will be the BJP’s first ever win in the assembly segment.
He is the son of former Congress MP C P Mudalagiriyappa, and had recently joined the party.
His opponent is 71-year-old Congress leader T B Jayachandra, a six time MLA and former Minister who had lost to Sathyanarayana of JD(S) during 2018 assembly polls.
The JD(S) with an eye on sympathy votes had fielded Ammajamma, wife of late MLA Sathyanarayana.
Jayachandra is currently under treatment in hospital for COVID-19.
In RR Nagar, if Munirathna wins this will be his third consecutive victory and first as the BJP candidate.
He had won the seat in 2013 and 2018 assembly polls on the Congress’ ticket.
Munirathna, after his disqualification last year, had joined the BJP.
The party gave his ticket after he was cleared by the courts of the charges of election malpractices, despite stiff resistance from within.
He is pitted against fresh faces, the Congress has fielded Kusuma H, wife of late IAS officer D K Ravi and V Krishnamurthy is the JD(S) candidate.
Some exit polls had indicated that BJP will sweep RR Nagar and Sira bypolls, but the opposition parties have rejected the predictions.
It was said that the bypoll results would be seen in many quarters as a reflection on Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa led government’s performance, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
While the Congress and JD(S) were keen to strike after facing a rout in December 2019 bypolls, the BJP is aiming to keep its winning streak intact.
BJD candidates lead over BJP rivals in Odisha bypolls .
The ruling BJD candidates have established early leads over their nearest BJP rivals in both Balasore and Tirtol assembly constituencies, where counting of votes polled in the by-elections held last week is in progress on Tuesday.
As per early trends, BJD’s Bijay Shankar Das was leading over BJP candidate Rajkishore Behera by 1,078 votes in Tirtol seat in Jagatsinghpur district, election officials said.
Das has polled 3,852 votes so far, while Behera has bagged 2,774 votes.
Congress nominee Himanshu Bhushan Mallick has got 442 votes.
In Balasore, BJD candidate Swarup Kumar Das was leading over his nearest BJP nominee Manas Kumar Dutta by 615 votes.
Das has bagged 3,459 votes while Dutta closely followed with 2,844 votes.
Congress candidate Mamata Kundu was trailing in third place with 523 votes.
The deaths of Balasore’s BJP MLA Madan Mohan Dutta and Tirtol’s BJD legislator Bishnu Charan Das necessitated the by-elections which were held on November 3.
Chhattisgarh bypoll: Congress candidate leading in Marwahi seat .
The Congress contestant is leading by a margin of 3,664 votes in Marwahi Assembly constituency in Chhattisgarh, where counting of votes is underway.
The seat, reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST) candidates, falls in the newly formed Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi district.
“The counting of votes in the bypoll held on November 3 in Marwahi seat began at 8 am at the Government Gurukul Vidyalaya, Gaurela,” a poll official said.
As per the early trends, Dr KK Dhruw of the Congress is leading by a margin of 3,664 votes against his nearest rival Dr Gambheer Singh of the BJP, he said.
The ruling Congress and main opposition BJP are locked in a direct fight in this seat where a bypoll was necessitated after Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) sitting MLA and former chief minister Ajit Jogi died on May 29.
Nagaland bypoll: Independent candidates leading in both seats
Independent candidates were leading in bypolls to Southern Angami I and Pungro Kiphire seats in Nagaland as per early trends.
Independent candidate Seyievilie Peter Zashumo was leading over his nearest rival Medo Yhokha of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) by 922 votes in the Southern Angami I seat, as per the ECI website.
In the Pungro Kiphire constituency, Independent candidate T Yangsea Sangtam was leading over his nearest rival and BJP nominee Lirimong Sangtam by 1,161 votes.
The by-elections were held in Southern Angami-I and Pungro-Khipre seats on November 3 after the death of sitting legislators Vikho-o Yhoshu and T Torechu respectively.
Jharkhand bypoll: BJP leading in both Dumka, Bermo .
BJP candidates were leading in bypolls to Dumka and Bermo assembly seats in Jharkhand, as per early trends.
BJP candidate Lois Marandi was leading over his nearest rival Basant Soren of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) by over 7,938 votes in the Dumka seat, as per the ECI website.
In the Bermo Assembly constituency, BJP candidate Yogeshwar Mahto “Batul” was leading over his nearest rival Kumar Jaimangal (Anup Singh) of the Indian National Congress by a 455 votes.
By-election to the Dumka seat was necessitated as Chief Minister Heman Soren vacated the seat and retained the Barhait constituency.
By-election to the Berma seat was necessitated due to the death of sitting MLA Rajendra Singh.
COVID-19 Updates India records single day rise of over 38,000 new infections, 448 more deaths
The coronavirus death toll climbed to 1,27,059 with 448 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
NEW DELHI: The number of new coronavirus infections reported in India in a span of 24 hours dropped below 40,000 for the second time this month, as India’s COVID-19 caseload rose to 85.91 lakh while the total number of recoveries neared 80 lakh, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.
The COVID-19 caseload increased to 85,91,730 with 38,073 new infections being reported in a day, while the death toll climbed to 1,27,059 with 448 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 79,59,406 pushing the national recovery rate to 92.64 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.48 per cent.
The number of active cases remained below six lakh for the twelfth consecutive day.
There are 5,05,265 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country as on date which comprise 5.88 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.
India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23 and 40 lakh on September 5.
It went past 50 lakh on September 16, 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11 and crossed 80 lakh on October 29.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a cumulative total of 11,96,15,857 samples have been tested up to November 9 with 10,43,665 samples being tested on Monday.
The 448 new fatalities include 85 from Maharashtra, 71 from Delhi, 56 from West Bengal, 25 from Uttar Pradesh, 22 from Kerala and 20 from Punjab.
Total 1,27,059 deaths reported so far in the country include 45,325 from Maharashtra followed by 11,410 from Karnataka, 11,362 from Tamil Nadu, 7,350 from West Bengal, 7,231 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,060 from Delhi, 6,802 from Andhra Pradesh, 4,338 from Punjab and 3,765 from Gujarat.
The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.
“Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.
Karnataka bypoll results: BJP takes a steady lead in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Sira to go to the wire
Till 11 AM, BJP continued to lead – with a huge margin in Rajarajeshwari Nagar and a slight advantage in Sira – in both seats.
BENGALURU: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took early leads in both assembly seats of Sira and Rajarajeshwari Nagar on Tuesday as counting for the bypolls is underway. Till 11 AM, BJP continued to lead – with a huge margin in Rajarajeshwari Nagar and a slight advantage in Sira – in both seats.
With a lead in every round of counting and clearly increasing margin, BJP candidate in Muniratna is all set to emerge victorious in Rajarajeshwari Nagar while Congress’ candidate and debutante Kusuma H is trailing. JDS, with abysmal votes, seems to have been reduced to a non-entity this bypoll in the seat. In Sira, the ice thin margin between BJP and Congress is likely to go to the wire.
At the end of 5th round of counting in Sira, BJP’s Rajesh Gowda was leading with 14,206 votes. While Congress’ TB Jayachandra was trailing with 12,718 votes with BJP leading with a thin margin of 1488. In Rajarajeshwari Nagar BJP’s Munirathna at the end of seventh round of counting was leading with 39,087 votes while Congress’ candidate Kusuma was trailing with 19,315 votes. A huge margin of 19,772.
Bihar Elections Results LIVE: Early trends show NDA comfortably crossing majority-mark
Nitish Kumar had in one of his rallies termed it his “last election”. Will it be the sushasan babu’s last bow after 15 years at the helm in Bihar? Or will he return mocking most exit poll predictions.
Despite exit polls giving an edge for the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan over the NDA in Bihar, the latter has moved above the half-way majority.
As per the latest numbers, the ruling NDA has crossed the magic number of 122.
The poll outcome will decide the fate of the Nitish Kumar government that has been at the helm in Bihar for over 15 years. Most exit polls on Saturday predicted that the ruling JD(U)-BJP combine will have to make way for the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan.
The Bihar assembly elections for 243 sets took place on October 28 (for 71 seats), November 3 (for 94 seats) and November 7 (for 78 seats).
As the state awaits the verdict of a closely-fought election, the Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements for the counting of votes on November 10. The poll panel has set up 55 counting centres in 414 halls, spread across all the 38 districts of the state.
Face masks have been made mandatory for those arriving at counting centres. This apart, hand sanitisers will be available in abundance at the centres.
Demonetisation ‘destroyed’ economy, helped few crony capitalists, alleges Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday slammed the government over demonetisation, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s move four years ago was aimed at helping a few of his “crony capitalist friends” and had “destroyed” the Indian economy.
Gandhi and the Congress have been alleging that the 2016 demonetisation was not in the interest of the people and had adverse effects on the economy, a charge the government has dismissed repeatedly.
In a video released as part of the party’s online ‘SpeakUpAgainstDeMoDisaster’ campaign, Gandhi said the question is how the economy of Bangladesh “surpassed” the Indian economy as there was a time when India used to be one of the most high performing economies of the world.
“The government says that the reason is COVID but if that is the reason, there is COVID in Bangladesh and elsewhere in the world also. The reason is not COVID, the reason is ‘Notebandi’ and GST,” Gandhi said in Hindi.
“Four years ago Prime Minister Narendra Modi began an assault on the Indian economy. He hurt farmers, labourers and small shopkeepers. Manmohan Singh ji said the economy will lose two per cent and that is what we saw,” the former Congress chief said.
The prime minister had stated that it is a fight against black money, but it was not so, Gandhi said.
“This was a lie. The attack was on you, Modi wanted to take your money and give it to his 2-3 crony capitalist friends. You stood in lines, not his crony capitalist friends. You put your money in banks and PM Modi gave that money to his friends and gave them a loan waiver of Rs 3,50,000 crore,” Gandhi alleged.
Then Modi implemented a “faulty GST” and small, middle-sized businesses were destroyed as “he cleared the way for his 3-4 crony capitalist friends”, the Congress leader claimed.
Gandhi alleged that now farmers were being targeted with the three new agricultural laws which, he said, would “finish off” them. Modi has “destroyed” the pride of India — its economy, Gandhi said, and added, “We have to jointly rebuild india”. The Congress is observing the fourth anniversary of demonetisation as “Vikshwasghaat Diwas” (Betrayal Day).
On November 8, 2016, Prime Minister Modi announced the decision to ban all currency notes of higher denomination of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 from midnight.
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