Dubai: Today’s India is one of the most open countries in the world and it offers maximum growth, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday, inviting investors to the country.

In his video message to a gathering at the India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, Modi said India is a powerhouse of talent and is making many advances in the world of technology, research and innovation.

“Our economic growth is powered by a combination of legacy industries and start-ups,” he said.

Referring to the theme of India’s pavilion — ‘Openness, Opportunity and Growth’ — Modi said today’s India is one of the most open countries in the world — open to learning, perspectives, innovation and investment.

“That is why I invite you to come and invest in our nation. Today, India is a land of opportunities. Be it in the field of arts or commerce, industry or academia,” he said.

There is opportunity to discover, opportunity to partner, opportunity to progress, Modi said, urging investors to come to India and explore these opportunities.

“India also offers you maximum growth. Growth in scale, growth in ambition, growth in results. Come to India and be a part of our growth story,” he said.

Over the last seven years, the government of India has undertaken several reforms to boost economic growth, he said.

“We will keep doing more to continue this trend,” he added.

Underlining that India is famous for its vibrancy and diversity, Modi said the country has different cultures, languages, cuisines, forms of art, music and dance.

“This diversity is reflected in our pavilion…. India’s pavilion will showcase the best of India across these multiple areas. It will also showcase investment opportunities in multiple sectors like health, textiles, infrastructure, services and more,” the prime minister said.

Noting that the main theme of the Expo 2020 is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, Modi said the spirit of this theme is also seen in India’s efforts as it moves ahead to create a New India.

“I would also like to congratulate the Government of UAE for organising the Expo 2020 in a splendid way. This expo is also testimony to the resilience of mankind against the once-in-a-century pandemic,” he said.

Welcoming people to the India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, Modi said this is a historic event as it is the first one to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region.

“India is participating with one of the largest pavilions in the Expo. I am sure the Expo will go a long way in further building our deep and historical relations with UAE, and with Dubai,” he said.

Modi also conveyed greetings on behalf of the government and people of India to UAE President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Al Nahyan.

“I would also like to convey hearty congratulations to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice President of UAE and the Ruler of Dubai. Let me also express my best wishes to my brother, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. He has been instrumental in the progress we have achieved in our strategic partnership,” Modi said.

He said he looks forward to continuing the work for the progress and prosperity of both countries.

“As India celebrates 75 years of Independence in the form of Amrit Mahotsav, we invite everyone to visit the India Pavilion and capitalise on the opportunities in the resurgent New India. Let us make the world a much better place to live with Sabka Saaath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas,” Modi said in his remarks on the occasion.

The Expo 2020, which was postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, opened on Friday and will conclude on March 31, 2022.

Muzaffarpur (Bihar]: Bihar’s main opposition party RJD on Friday mocked Kanhaiya Kumar’s induction into the Congress, saying that the former JNU student is like “another Navjot Singh Sidhu” who would “destroy” the grand old party.

Ridiculing the Congress by calling it a sinking ship, senior RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari said that Kanhaiya’s joining won’t make any difference to the party.

Referring to the CPI turncoat’s statement that “Congress is a big ship that needs to be saved”, Tiwari said, “He is just like another Navjot Singh Sidhu who will further destroy the party.”

“Kanhaiya Kumar’s induction won’t make any difference. He can’t save the party. Congress is a sinking ship and it has no future,” the RJD leader told reporters.

RJD sources said that the party is unhappy with the fact that Kumar was inducted into the Congress without consulting the Tejashwi Yadav-led party.

The Congress is a part of the RJD-led opposition alliance Mahagathbandhan that fought the 2020 Bihar assembly elections against the NDA.

Bihar Congress leaders declined to comment on the matter.

Vijayapura: An earthquake of 2.5 magnitude was reported in Vijayapura district, Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) said on Friday.

The earthquake occurred at 13:47:06 IST, epicentred at 2.5 km NE of Masuti gram panchayat in Basavana Bagewadi taluk of Vijayapura, it said in a statement.

According to KSNDMC, people need not panic as the intensity observed is very low and not destructive.

“The Seismic Intensity map of the Earthquake from the Epicentre is presented, wherein intensities observed are very low. This type of earthquake does not create any harm to the local community, although there may be slight shaking observed locally,” it said.

Muzaffarnagar (UP): Four people died and 10 were injured in an explosion at a factory manufacturing firecrackers illegally in Shamli district on Friday evening, police said.

The explosion took place at a pickle factory in Kairana town, and some of the injured people are in critical condition, they added.

The police said a rescue operation is underway, and four bodies have been recovered so far.

Senior police and administration officials are at the spot, they said.

Canberra: Australia has outlined plans to lift a pandemic ban on its vaccinated citizens travelling overseas from November. But no date has yet been set for welcoming international tourists back.

Travel restrictions that have trapped most Australians and permanent residents at home over the past 18 months would be removed when 80 per cent of the population aged 16 and older were fully vaccinated, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday.

Australia introduced some of the toughest travel restrictions of any democracy in the world on people entering and leaving the island nation on March 20 last year.

Most Australians have had to argue for rare exemptions from the travel ban to leave the country. There are a few exceptions from the ban including government employees and essential workers. Tourism is never accepted as a reason to cross the border.

Hundreds of thousands have failed to reach relatives’ death beads, missed funerals or weddings and have yet to be introduced to grandchildren because of restrictions aimed at keeping COVID-19 out of Australia.

New South Wales would likely become the first state to reach the 80 per cent vaccination benchmark and Sydney’s airport the first to open to international travel, Morrison said.

We’ve saved lives. We’ve saved livelihoods, but we must work together to ensure that Australians can reclaim the lives that they once had in this country, Morrison said.

Sydney-based Qantas Airways announced international flights would resume from November 14 to London and Los Angeles.

Morrison offered no clue to when other nationalities would be welcome to visit Australia.

We’ll be working towards complete quarantine-free travel for certain countries, such as New Zealand, when it is safe to do so, he said.

Australia has its closest relationship with New Zealand, whose citizens are considered Australian permanent residents. The neighbours allowed quarantine-free travel across the Tasman Sea before the delta variant outbreak began in Sydney in June.

The Australian Tourism Export Council, which represents a sector that made 45 billion Australian dollars ( 33 billion) a year from international tourists before the pandemic, said the end of the travel ban paved the way for visitors from around the world returning by March.

“It marks a shift in thinking within both the government and community sentiment to reengaging with the world, the council’s managing director Peter Shelley said in a statement.

A cap on the number of Australian citizens and permanent residents allowed to return each week has left 45,000 people stranded overseas. It’s aimed at reducing pressure on hotel quarantine, which the more contagious delta variant had made more difficult to manage.

The cap would only apply to the unvaccinated under the new regime. Fully vaccinated Australians would be able to quarantine at home and for only a week instead of the current two weeks in a hotel.

Australia on Friday added China’s Sinovac and Indian-made AstraZeneca shots known as Covishield to a list of vaccines that Australians can take and be recognised as fully vaccinated.

Travel restrictions would not be lifted for Australians who chose not to be vaccinated. People who could not be vaccinated for medical reasons or children too young to get the jab would have the same privileges as those inoculated.

Guwahati: The Assam Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has held a prima facie case exists of alleged human rights violation during the recent eviction drive at Gorukhuti in Darrang district to take cognisance of the matter for inquiry.

However, before taking cognisance, the panel has asked the state’s home department to inform whether an inquiry commission has been constituted to probe the incidents.

Taking up a complaint filed by Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia, the Commission said in its order on Thursday, After perusing the aforesaid letter a prima facie case of violation of human rights appear to exist to take cognizance of the matter for enquiry.

Before taking cognizance it would be expedient to ask the Home Department to inform whether a Commission under the Commission of Enquiry Act, 1952, has been instituted to enquire into the incident that took place recently at Gorukhuti, Dholpur, in Darrang district, it added.

The AHRC has asked the home department to inform it about the steps taken within 21 days, and said the next course of action will be decided on the basis of the response.

The complaint was filed by Saikia on September 24 alleging human rights violation during the eviction drive carried out on September 21 and 23 which had left two people dead in police firing, including a 12-year-old boy, on the second day.

Another complaint filed on the same day as Saikia’s, given jointly by Nikhil Bharat Krishak Sabha, Jatiya Suraksha Mancha and Sanmeleeta Eikya Mancha, on the matter has also been taken on record by the Commission.