Ukraine: Russian general 'blown up on mine'

Several pro-Kremlin sources reported Maj-Gen Vladimir Zavadsky's death, but his location is unclear.

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Japan asks US to stop flying Osprey military aircrafts after deadly crash

An Osprey military aircraft came down off the coast of Yakushima, killing one crew member

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Mehul Choksi To Not Object Petition Seeking Release Of Properties: Court

A special court in Mumbai on Wednesday rejected absconding diamond merchant Mehul Choksi's application seeking to intervene in an application filed by the ICICI Bank for the release of certain mortgaged properties worth Rs 636 crore.

Mehul Choksi, an accused in the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, is currently living in Antigua in Barbados.

The ICICI Bank has sought release of certain properties mortgaged with it.

His intervention application took objection to the release of his flats in south Mumbai and a bungalow in Alibaug, attached by the Enforcement Directorate during its probe, in the bank's favour.

But special judge for the Prevention of Money Laundering Act cases SM Menjoge said the bank had not sought these properties. The properties which the ICICI Bank was seeking were not owned by Choksi personally but by different companies, hence, he had no right to intervene, the court said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate are investigating diamond businessman Nirav Modi, his uncle Choksi and others in the PNB scam. Nirav Modi, Choksi and the companies owned by them borrowed more than Rs 13,000 crore from PNB through fraudulent Letters of Undertaking and Letters of Credit between 2011 and 2017 in connivance with some bank officials, the central agencies have alleged.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Sticky Vicky: Legendary Benidorm dancer dies aged 80

The X-rated performer had a legendary status among Brits travelling to the Spanish resort on holiday.

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BJP Slams Nitish Kumar Government For "Reducing" Hindu Holidays In Schools

The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar on Tuesday came under heavy fire from BJP for the alleged reduction in "Hindu holidays" proposed for government schools across the state for next year.

Alleging that it is an assault on Hindu sentiment, the BJP demanded immediate withdrawal of the proposed calendar.

The education department, however, stated that the confusion arose because of its two notifications on Monday pertaining to separate holiday calendars for Hindi and Urdu medium schools.

The department made it clear that the total number of holidays proposed for 2024 was 60, “the same as the preceding years”, which was in accordance with the Right To Education (RTE) Act that postulates a minimum of 220 working days at schools.

The department also clarified that neither calendar mentioned the birth anniversaries of Emperor Asoka, Lord Mahavira and Veer Kunwar Singh in 2024 since these fell during the summer vacation.

It also said that the summer vacations were taking place from April 15 to May 15, earlier than usual, in view of the Lok Sabha polls.

However, leaders of the BJP, the main opposition party in the state, alleged that holidays falling on Muslim festivals have been increased while Hindus were being made to forego offs on Janmashtami, Ram Navami and Maha Shivaratri.

"The government in Bihar is following Islamic rule - a reason why weekly offs have been allowed on Fridays in Muslim majority districts like Araria, Kishanganj and Purnea, besides raising the number of days schools will be closed for Eid and Bakrid," Union minister Giriraj Singh alleged.

Neeraj Kumar, the chief spokesperson of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U), rejected the charges.

"It is a canard to say Muslim holidays have been increased. The number of days for which schools will remain closed during Shabebaraat has been reduced. Weekly offs on Fridays in Muslim majority localities is a convention that is followed in many states," said Neeraj Kumar, an MLC.

The JD(U) leader also said that Hindus have not been deprived of holidays as is clear from the calendar for Hindi medium schools.

"Holi, Diwali and Chhath are all there and so are Janmashtami, Maha Shivratri and Ram Navami," he said.

Giriraj Singh claimed that the changes were brought in "to Islamise Bihar" and taunted the Chief Minister and his ally, RJD president Lalu Prasad, that their names would be prefixed with "Mohammed" if the new calendars were not withdrawn.

RJD spokesperson Shakti Yadav, however, conceded that doing away with a holiday on Raksha Bandhan was problematic and hoped the education department, which is held by his party leader Chandra Shekhar, would look into it.

JD(U) leader and Minority Affairs Minister Zama Khan also said, "The education department would look into the matter and make necessary changes if the new calendar causes inconvenience to a large number of people. However, the BJP would do well to avoid raising issues in a manner that may trigger communal tensions." Nonetheless, many leaders of the BJP, besides Giriraj Singh, came out with statements accusing the government in Bihar of "Islamisation" and "appeasement".

The party, which was stripped of power in Bihar, when Nitish Kumar snapped ties last year, received ample support from its current allies.

"Separate calendars for Hindi and Urdu medium schools show that Nitish Kumar believes in dividing people in the name of religion," said Chirag Paswan, who heads Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas).

Former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha, who quit the JD(U) earlier this year to float Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal, alleged: "The intent behind the revised calendars is not to improve education, which is in dire straits as per the caste survey conducted by this very government".

"Nitish and Lalu have together ruled Bihar for 33 years and they are wary of facing the public which would ask them why their lot has not improved. They think by separate calendars they will be able to gratify the minority community which will gratefully vote in their favour.

"But the minorities are unlikely to be swayed by such gimmicks and they are not going to forget the duplicity shown by JD(U) in having supported the Citizenship bill in Parliament," Mr Kushwaha said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: Rescuers free 41 trapped workers

The workers were stuck for two weeks after a part of a tunnel they were working in collapsed.

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Madhya Pradesh Teen Raped In Car By Man She Befriended On Social Media

A 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a youth who had befriended her on social media and his three friends in a car in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior, police said on Monday.

Police have invoked provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act since the victim is a Dalit, an official said, adding that nobody has been arrested so far.

The incident occurred on November 21 but a complaint was lodged four days later as the girl kept mum because she was threatened by the accused against disclosing the incident, an official said.

Additional Superintendent of Police Niranjan Sharma said the girl and her family lodged a complaint.

"The girl became friends with a youth on Facebook last year. On November 21, her male friend took her to a deserted forest area in a car where he and his three friends raped her and also threatened to kill her," he said.

A case was registered under sections 376 (Punishment for rape), and 377 (unnatural act) among others, along with the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

According to sources in police, the victim has claimed that one of the accused is a close relative of a politician.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Zoo Keeper Dies After Being Attacked By Black Bear At Vizag Zoo

A 23-year-old animal keeper was mauled to death by a Himalayan black bear in the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (Vizag Zoo) on Monday.

B Nagesh Babu was attacked by Jihwan, the bear, estimated to be around 15 years old, an official said.

"Nagesh had left all the doors open in the animal night house and gone inside to clean, following which the animal came into the night house and attacked the keeper," said Vizag Zoo curator Nandani Salaria in a release.

According to the Zoo, Mr Babu was found lying in an unconscious state with serious injuries on his head, left arm, and chest by the animal night house.

Following the attack, the zoo officials managed to lure the beast back into its enclosure using honey.

The Forest Department declared a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to Babu's family. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Slovenia Covid: Thousands to get lockdown fine refunds

One man fined €400 (£350) for eating a burek pasty outdoors in 2020 will get his money back.

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Karnataka BJP Chief, My Son Will Tour State Like Brothers: H D Kumaraswamy

The BJP in Karnataka with its new ally Janata Dal (Secular) on Sunday resolved to win all the 28 seats in the state in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, which is about six months away.

In a further display of bonhomie, the BJP state president B Y Vijayendra on Sunday called on former chief minister and JD(S) second-in-command H D Kumaraswamy at his Bidadi farm in Ramanagara and held talks.

Later, the two leaders told reporters after the meeting that they discussed various issues including the Lok Sabha elections, the alliance between the two parties and the current political development in the state.

"In the interests of the country, we have discussed that Narendra Modi should be the Prime Minister for the next term as well. Seat sharing will be discussed at the High Command level. Our alliance will win 28 out of 28 seats in the state," Mr Kumaraswamy said.

Recalling the coalition government of the BJP and the JD(S) in 2006, the JD(S) state chief said he and former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa had done excellent work together. It is the wish of the people of the state that it should be repeated, he added.

"Vijayendra, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, me along with all the leaders of both the parties will work hard to bring back the good days of 2006-07," said the former Chief Minister.

Both Mr Vijayendra and Nikhil Kumaraswamy will tour the state like brothers, the JD(S) leader said, adding that both the parties will strive together and highlight the mistakes of the ruling party with documentary evidence.

Speaking on the occasion, Vijayendra said there will not be a single Congress member from Karnataka in the Lok Sabha as the coalition will win all the 28 seats.

"We discussed teaching a lesson to the corrupt Congress government," Mr Vijayendra said.

He also said the seniors will discuss seat-sharing in Delhi.

Mr Vijayendra, who is a Shikaripur MLA and Yediyurappa's son, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president J P Nadda and Kumarswamy have already discussed in Delhi.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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3 Repairmen Die Of Electric Shock In Delhi Hospital Tank, Cops File Case

The Delhi Police has registered an FIR after three people -- a plumber, his son and an electrician -- died allegedly due to electric shock at a private hospital in outer Delhi's Ranhola area, officials said on Saturday.

The three men, who had gone inside a water tank to repair a motor, were trapped due to electric shock in the tank at the private hospital on Friday and died, they said.

"We have registered an FIR and the matter is under . We are waiting for the autopsy reports," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) Jimmy Chinvestigationiram.

The FIR was registered on Friday night against unknown people under sections 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and 304-A (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code at Ranhola police station, the officials said.

The victims were identified as Sarven Kumar, 59, an electrician employed by the hospital, Kunwar Pal, 40, and his 20-year-old son Raman -- both plumbers by profession, police said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Companies Waiting": What S Somnath Said About Retired ISRO Scientists

ISRO Chairman S Somanath on Saturday emphasised the necessity of deregulating unnecessary controls in the space sector to foster improved growth.

He also attributed India's significant progress in the space industry to the opening up of the sector.

Speaking to media here during the celebration of 60 years since India's first sounded rocket launch, Somanath highlighted that the involvement of the private sector in space science development has led to remarkable expansion in India's satellite-building capabilities.

"Earlier, it was only ISRO for the development and production of satellites, launch vehicles, and related technologies. ISRO has only 17,000 people and a budget of Rs 13,000 crore. It remained so for all these years," S Somanath said.

He said that India now has more than 130 startups in the space sector, with some companies boasting a workforce of 400 to 500 employees and a turnover ranging from Rs 500 to 1000 crores.

"Some of them are paying better salaries than ISRO, and the scientists retired from ISRO are in great demand. In fact, these companies are waiting for people who are retiring from ISRO," Mr Somanath said.

The ISRO chief further said that India has the potential to become an excellent hub for satellite manufacturing and could significantly expand its presence in the business.

"Technology development and progress in space science are all fine, but business is important. It has to bring money," he noted.

Currently, there are five Indian companies with the capability to manufacture satellites, and three of them have successfully manufactured and launched their satellites from foreign countries, he pointed out.

"We don't want them to launch their satellites from outside, and we want them to use our facilities. We want them to build satellites here; they can bring in the technologies from wherever they want, but build them here and launch them from here." He clarified that the expansion of the private sector in space science does not imply a reduction in ISRO's role.

"ISRO will continue to do what it does at present. We are now talking about sending men into space. ISRO will continue to strategise and grow. This is not scaling down, but scaling up," Mr Somanath said.

He said that the GSLV rocket has undergone regular upgrades, demonstrating its capability to carry a higher payload than its original design specifications.

"GSLV was designed to carry 4 tonnes of payload, but we have already successfully launched a 7.5-tonne payload. Its cryogenic stage is also being upgraded. In the semi-cryogenic stage, the new SE 120 is being developed," Mr Somanath said.

He mentioned that the PSLV, which initially had a payload capacity of 850 kg, now boasts a payload capacity of two tonnes.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Army Dog Domino, His Handler Awarded For Finding Terrorists In Encounter

Indian Army dog Domino and his handler Lance Naik Lucky Kumar were awarded the Northern Army Commendation Card for tracking down a Pakistani terrorist in the recent Rajouri encounter.

They were awarded on the spot by Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi where Domino sniffed the blood trail of the terrorists to find their hideouts. This helped the security forces locate and neutralize the threat.

The Northern Army Commendation Card is an award given to Indian Army personnel for gallantry, distinguished service, or devotion to duty.

Domino helped the troops reach the hideout of terrorists by sniffing his blood trail in the Kalakote area after he had been injured in a gunfight, Indian Army officials said.

Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Friday visited the Kalakote area in Rajouri to revise the operational situation after the encounter in which two Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists including its top commander were eliminated and five Indian Army personnel died in their line of duties.

The Lieutenant General was briefed on the operation, said the Army officials.

Five soldiers, including two Army Captains, lost their lives in the firefight carried over from Wednesday.

The encounter broke out between terrorists and a joint team of the Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police in the Bajimaal area of Dharamsala.

The top LeT commander was identified as Quari. The army informed further that it recovered large quantities of 'War Like Stores' from the encounter site.

Quari was infamous for orchestrating several attacks, including the Dangri incident, where six innocent civilians lost their lives on January 23, and the Kandi attacks in Rajouri's Poonch areas.

His elimination marks a significant blow to the revival of terrorism in these districts, according to an army official.

Meanwhile, in heart-wrenching visuals from the wreath laying on Friday, army officers and soldiers were seen paying their last respects to their fallen comrades.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Who are the released Israeli hostages?

Twenty-four hostages captured during the 7 October attacks have been released by Hamas.

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In India's 'Amritkaal', Country Has Come Out Of Mentality Of Slavery: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said for the first time in the 'Amritkaal' of India's independence, the country has come out of the mentality of slavery and is moving ahead with the feeling of pride for its heritage.

He was addressing the 'Mirabai Janmotsav', organised here to celebrate the 525th birth anniversary of the poet and Lord Krishna devotee.

"Today for the first time in the 'Amritkaal' of India's independence, the country has come out of the mentality of slavery, PM Modi said.

"We have taken the pledge of 'Panch Pran' from the Red Fort. We are moving ahead with the feeling of pride for our heritage," he said.

Mentioning Mirabai, he said, "Our country has always been the one that worships women power".

PM Modi also released a commemorative stamp and coin in the honour of Mirabai and attend a cultural programme, in which Hema Malini performed. Before attending the event, the prime minister paid obeisance at the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple in Mathura.

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Rainbow Bridge car explosion: US-Canada bridge still shut after deadly car blast

A vehicle that exploded on the Rainbow Bridge was incinerated, killing a couple who have not been named.

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Pakistan charging refugees $830 to leave

Pakistan is charging undocumented refugees an $830 exit fee to leave the country if they arrived without a visa.

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Bihar Urges Centre To Add Its Quota Hike In Constitution's 9th Schedule

The Bihar government on Wednesday decided to urge the Centre to incorporate the hiked reservation for deprived castes from 50 to 65 per cent in state government jobs and educational institutions in the 9th schedule of the Constitution, so that it is guaranteed immunity from legal scrutiny, an official said.

The Ninth Schedule of the Constitution includes a list of Central and state laws that cannot be challenged in courts. In 1992, the Supreme Court capped reservations for the backward classes at 50 per cent.

The Cabinet also increased the dearness allowance of government employees in Bihar by 4 per cent. They will get a DA of 46 per cent with effect from July 1 this year, Additional Chief Secretary (Cabinet Secretariat), S Siddharth, told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.

The Nitish Kumar government on Tuesday issued gazette notifications for raising the quota for deprived castes to 65 per cent, after Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar gave his assent to two bills, paving the way for implementing the new reservation system.

On Wednesday, the Bihar Cabinet in a meeting chaired by the chief minister passed a resolution on asking the Centre to include the provision in the 9th schedule of the Constitution, Siddharth said.

"The state government is of the opinion that keeping in view the special circumstances, the inclusion of amended provisions of hiked reservation in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution will help in ensuring justice to deprived and backward sections," Siddharth said.

The resolution was mooted by the General Administration Department.

Following a caste survey in Bihar, the state government tabled an analysis of it in the assembly earlier this month. The House then passed two bills - Bihar Reservation of Vacancies in Posts and Services Amendment Bill and the Bihar Reservation (Admission In Educational Institutions) Amendment Bill - to increase the quota.

The bills sought a hike in the quota for Scheduled Castes (SC) from 16 to 20 per cent, Scheduled Tribes (STs) from 1 to 2 per cent, extremely backward castes (EBCs) from 18 to 25 per cent and other backward classes (OBCs) from 15 to 18 per cent to elevate the total quantum of caste-based reservations from 50 to 65 per cent.

On the increased dearness allowance, Siddharth said, "The increased dearness allowance will be effective from July 1, 2023. With the hike, the state government will spend an additional Rs 966 crore." 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Congress Took Revenge...": PM Modi's Open Letter To People Of Rajasthan

Ahead of the Assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday wrote an open letter to the people of Rajasthan, promising to take the state to newer heights and accusing the Congress government of causing unimaginable damage to the state's reputation.

"It seems as if the Congress has taken revenge for some old enmity with Rajasthan in these five years," he said and claimed the people of the state are embarrassed by the Ashok Gehlot government.

Attacking the Congress government over a range of issues, including crime against women and corruption, PM Modi alleged the ruling party has made Rajasthan the number one state in crimes.

Because of its appeasement policy, the Congress government has avoided taking action against criminals and gave a free hand to anti-social elements in Rajasthan, the Prime Minister claimed.

"Today, the situation is such that even following one's faith has become difficult in Rajasthan."

"Rajasthan is the land of those who sacrificed their lives for the respect of women power. But the last five years became the most unsafe years for women power in Rajasthan. Therefore, today the women of Rajasthan have resolved to uproot this Congress government,” PM Modi said.

He claimed that the BJP on the other hand has always thought about the development and prosperity of the state. After the BJP forms government in Rajasthan, water resources will be the government's top priority, PM Modi said.

"Our vision is the path of effort, prestige and progress. The coming BJP government in Rajasthan will work as a double-engine government. For this double engine government, fast development, respect for the poor and a policy of zero tolerance towards corruption will be the basic mantras of good governance," PM Modi added.

Polling for the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly will be held on November 25 and votes will be counted on December 3.

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Rajneesh Goel appointed as Karnataka's new Chief Secretary

The Karnataka government on Tuesday appointed senior IAS officer Rajneesh Goel as the next Chief Secretary, with incumbent Vandita Sharma due to retire at the end of November.

Mr Goel, a 1986-batch IAS officer, is currently the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) in the Home Department of the Government of Karnataka.

In May this year, after the Congress government came to power, he was given concurrent charge of the post of ACS to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

"Dr Rajneesh Goel IAS, (KA:1986), Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home Department, Government of Karnataka is appointed as Chief Secretary to Government of Karnataka" as the incumbent "Smt. Vandita Sharma IAS is retiring from service on superannuation on 30.11.2023," an official notification said.

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Video allegedly shows A$AP Rocky bearing gun

The rapper will stand trial on charges that he fired a pistol in a feud with a former childhood friend in 2021.

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Video shows car interior mauled by a trapped bear

Wildlife officials in Colorado say the animal likely entered the vehicle searching for food.

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Supreme Court's Big Order On Extra-Territorial Pre-Arrest Bail Requests

In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court on Monday held that a high court or sessions court can grant anticipatory bail for a limited period to a person apprehending arrest in connection with an FIR registered outside their territorial jurisdiction, saying it was necessary to protect a citizen's right to life, personal liberty and dignity.

The top court in its order, having wide ramifications in criminal matters where accused apprehend arrests in cases lodged in other states, laid down several conditions for grant of such a relief.

“We are of the view that considering the constitutional imperative of protecting a citizen's right to life, personal liberty and dignity, the High Court or the Court of Session could grant limited anticipatory bail in the form of an interim protection under Section 438 of CrPC in the interest of justice with respect to an FIR registered outside the territorial jurisdiction of the said court,” a bench comprising justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan said.

At the same time, it said such power to grant extra-territorial anticipatory bail should be exercised in exceptional and compelling circumstances.

The verdict came on an appeal of a woman challenging the grant of anticipatory bail by a Bengaluru local court to her estranged husband and his family members in connection with a dowry harassment FIR lodged at Chirawa Police Station at Jhunjhunu district in Rajasthan.

This gave rise to a legal question of whether a sessions court can grant anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in connection with an FIR lodged outside its jurisdiction.

Answering in affirmative, Justice Nagarathna, in her 85-page judgment, laid down certain conditions for granting such a relief.

“Prior to passing an order of limited anticipatory bail, the investigating officer and public prosecutor who are seized of the FIR shall be issued notice on the first date of the hearing, though the court in an appropriate case would have the discretion to grant interim anticipatory bail,” it said.

The bench said the order of grant of “limited anticipatory bail” must record reasons as to why the applicant apprehends an inter-state arrest and the impact of such grant of limited anticipatory bail or interim protection, as the case may be, on the status of the investigation.

“The jurisdiction in which the cognisance of the offence has been taken does not exclude the said offence from the scope of anticipatory bail by way of a State Amendment to Section 438 of CrPC,” it said.

The person, seeking anticipatory bail, must satisfy the court regarding his inability to seek anticipatory bail from the court which has the territorial jurisdiction to take cognisance of the offence, it said.

The grounds raised by the applicant may be “a reasonable and immediate threat to life, personal liberty and bodily harm in the jurisdiction where the FIR is registered”, it said.

The person apprehending arrest will have to prima facie establish the violation of the right to liberty or impediments owing to arbitrariness and “the medical status/ disability of the person".

Dealing with the facts of the case, the bench took note of the social reality of “criminal complaints relating to dowry harassment, cruelty and domestic violence arising out of unsuccessful matrimonial relationships”.

“With the increasing migration of young people for marital and career prospects, supplemented by the forces of economic liberalisation, a significant number of couples hail from two different states, with the corollary being that the matrimonial home of a complainant-wife is located in a different state from where her parental home is located,” it said.

The judgment said it would be impossible to fully account for all exigent circumstances in which an order of extra-territorial anticipatory bail may be imminently essential to safeguard the fundamental rights of the applicant.

“We reiterate that such power to grant extra-territorial anticipatory bail should be exercised in exceptional and compelling circumstances only - which means where denying transit anticipatory bail or interim protection to enable the applicant to make an application under Section 438 of CrPC before a Court of competent jurisdiction would cause irremediable and irreversible prejudice to the applicant,” it said.

The court, while considering such an application for extra-territorial anticipatory bail, in case it deems fit may grant interim protection instead for a fixed period and direct the applicant to make an application before a court of competent jurisdiction, it said.

By this judgment, the top court set aside verdicts of the Patna High Court and the Calcutta High Court “to the extent that they hold that the High Court does not possess jurisdiction to grant extra-territorial anticipatory bail that is even a limited or transit anticipatory bail.” The judgement also answered a query with regard to jurisdiction.

The question was if a person commits an offence in one state and the FIR is lodged there, can he approach a court at his native place in another state seeking “transit anticipatory bail for a limited duration”? “We have held that the accused could approach the competent court in the State where he is residing or is visiting for a legitimate purpose and seek the relief of limited transit anticipatory bail although the FIR is not filed in the territorial jurisdiction of the District or State in which the accused resides, or is present depending upon the facts and circumstances of each case,” it held. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Jamala: Ukrainian Eurovision winner added to Russia's wanted list

Jamala, the song competition's 2016 winner, is critical of the Kremlin and its invasion of Ukraine.

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BJP Chief Holds Roadshow In Hyderabad In Support Of Party Candidate

BJP president J P Nadda on Sunday held a roadshow in Hyderabad as part of his Telangana election campaign in support of the party's candidate from Malkajgiri N Ramchander Rao.

Mr Nadda, accompanied by Ramchander Rao and BJP MP K Laxman, took part in the roadshow in the evening in a campaign vehicle in Malkajgiri.

Mr Nadda also watched the India-Australia World Cup final match at Malkajgiri, known as a mini-India, party sources said.

Earlier in the day, Mr Nadda addressed campaign rallies at Narayanpet and Chevella.

Speaking at the rallies, Mr Nadda said the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led dispensation in Telangana should be sent packing after the upcoming assembly polls and urged the people to elect the saffron party to power.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Tuskless Elephant Found Dead At Tamil Nadu's Anamalai Reserve Forest

A 35-year-old tuskless elephant was found dead while patrolling at Anamalai Reserve Forest in Tamil Nadu's Nagamalai at around 3 pm.

The patrolling team found the carcass of the elephant. The veterinary doctor has been informed and a post-mortem examination has been scheduled.

The elephant was monitored with the help of its collar ID. It appeared that the elephant slipped down from a rocky cliff and died.

Earlier on Friday, a male wild elephant was electrocuted and found dead in the Gudalur area of Nilgiris district.

The carcass of the elephant was discovered by forest officials. As per reports from Rajesh Kumar, a veterinary assistant surgeon, the elephant died due to electrocution.

According to Forest Range Officer, Gudalur Division, the elephant died after it came into contact with an electric board line installed in the area.

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Yemen's Houthi rebels hijack cargo ship in Red Sea

The Iran-backed rebels say the vessel is Israeli - a claim denied by Israel which blames Iran.

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Taylor Swift appears out of breath at Rio concert

Video showed the singer gasping for air in between songs during her performance in the stifling heat.

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Evidence Deleted: Minister After Alleging Official Favoured Son's Company

Delhi Vigilance Minister Atishi has submitted an additional report to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claiming that the 'digital evidence' related to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar's son's company and ILBS are being destroyed, sources said on Saturday.

This came a day after the Vigilance Minister raised serious allegations against Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, claiming that the latter unfairly benefited his son Karan Chauhan in getting a tender from the Delhi government, among others.

Minister Atishi also submitted a supplementary report to CM Kejriwal, with all the accusations against the chief secretary mentioned in it with various details.

It was alleged by the Delhi Government that Naresh Kumar's son Karan Chauhan's company MetaMix was allegedly tasked with the job of making an AI software "without tender" from the Delhi government's ILBS Hospital. Also, it was alleged that the company made windfall profits worth hundreds of crores from it.

Naresh Kumar, the Chief Secretary of Delhi, is also the Chairman of the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) Hospital.

However, the hospital later refuted the claims of Vigilance Minister Atishi and said that Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar's son Karan Chauhan is not related to the hospital in any way.

The hospital further clarified that Karan Chauhan is not a signatory to the MoU.

Meanwhile, in today's additional report, Atishi also questioned the clarification issued by ILBS on Friday, sources said.

She also said that the 'digital evidence' is being deleted from various social media platforms.

"Within 24 hours of the Metamix-ILBS investigation report, Multiple web posts and links related to Karan Chauhan (Chief Secy Naresh Kumar's son), MetaMix and the partnership between ILBS-MetaMix are being deleted in a bid to destroy evidence and suppress the facts" Atishi said in the additional report.

"The official LinkedIn profile of MetaMix including a post made about 4 months ago announcing the partnership between MetaMix and ILBS to set up an innovation lab at ILBS has been taken down," it claimed.

The report also said, "A post on Twitter/X profile of ILBS Hospital (@ILBS_India) dated September 1, 2023 referred to the ILBS-MetaMix partnership deleted."

"ILBS statement does not deny indisputable facts that have resulted in huge financial and reputational gains to MetaMix," it added.

Moreover, MetaMix Technologies Pvt. Ltd. in a statement said that the company has neither any stakeholder having the name 'Karan Chauhan' nor any Director or employee with such a name.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Case Against Man After Teen Dies By Suicide In Ghaziabad: Police

A 16-year-old girl allegedly hanged herself in her house in Ghaziabad, police said on Friday.

The police have booked a man for alleged abetment to suicide in the case, they added.

Neha was found hanging from her room's ceiling fan at her house in the Sudama Puri area here on Thursday, they added.

An FIR has been lodged in this connection by her father Kushamvir at Wave City police station, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rural) Vivek Chandra Yadav said.

Neha's father alleged that he was informed by his neighbour that a man named Lucky came to his house when his daughter was alone, Mr Yadav said.

He also accused Lucky of allegedly abetting the suicide of his daughter, he added.

The DCP said the girl had called the man in the absence of her family members. One of the neighbours informed Neha's father after he spotted her with Lucky around 11 am on Thursday.

When Neha's father and brother reached home, they saw the man trying to escape from the terrace. They caught him and handed him over to the police, the DCP said.

The police are trying to ascertain whether Neha allegedly died by suicide due to fear of her parents or the Lucky provoked her. According to her call record details, Neha used to frequently speak to him over the phone, he said.

The possibility of honour killing cannot be ruled out, the DCP added. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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How An Indian Startup Hacked The World

Chuck Randall was on the verge of unveiling an ambitious real estate deal he hoped would give his small Native American tribe a bigger cut of a potentially lucrative casino project.

A well-timed leak derailed it all.

In July of 2012, printed excerpts from Randall's private emails were hand-distributed across the Shinnecock Nation's square-mile reservation, a wooded peninsula hanging off the South Fork of Long Island.

The five-page pamphlets detailed secret negotiations between Randall, his tribal government allies and outside investors to wrest some of the profits from the tribe's then-partner in the gambling deal.

They sparked an uproar. The pamphlets claimed Randall's plan would sell out the tribe's “LANDS, RESOURCES, and FUTURE REVENUES.” Within days, four of Randall's allies were voted out of tribal government. Randall, who held no formal position with the tribe, was ordered to cease acting on its behalf.

Amid the upheaval, the Shinnecocks' casino hopes faded. “We lost the biggest economic opportunity that has come to the tribe in forever,” Randall told Reuters. “My emails were weaponized.”

The scandal that roiled the Shinnecocks barely registered beyond the reservation. But it was part of a phenomenon that has drawn interest from law enforcement and intelligence agencies on both sides of the Atlantic.

Randall's inbox was breached by a New Delhi-based information technology firm named Appin, whose sudden interference in the matters of a faraway tribe was part of a sprawling cyber-mercenary operation that extended across the world, a Reuters investigation found.

The Indian company hacked on an industrial scale, stealing data from political leaders, international executives, prominent attorneys and more. By the time of the Shinnecock scandal, Appin was a premier provider of cyberespionage services for private investigators working on behalf of big business, law firms and wealthy clients.

Unauthorized access to computer systems is a crime worldwide, including in India. Yet at least 17 pitch documents prepared for prospective business partners and reviewed by Reuters advertised Appin's prowess in activities such as “cyber spying,” “email monitoring,” “cyber warfare” and “social engineering,” security lingo for manipulating people into revealing sensitive information. In one 2010 presentation, the company explicitly bragged about hacking businessmen on behalf of corporate clients.

Reuters previously named Appin in a story about Indian cyber mercenaries published last year. Other media outlets – including The New Yorker, Paris-based Intelligence Online, Swiss investigative program Rundschau and tech companies such as Alphabet-owned Google– have also reported on the firm's activities.

This report paints the clearest picture yet of how Appin operated, detailing the world-spanning extent of its business, and international law enforcement's abortive efforts to get a handle on it.

Run by a pair of brothers, Rajat and Anuj Khare, the company began as a small Indian educational startup. It went on to train a generation of spies for hire that are still in business today.

Several cyber defense training organizations in India carry the Appin name, the legacy of an old franchise model. But there's no suggestion that those firms are involved in hacking.

The Indian company hacked on an industrial scale, stealing data from political leaders, international executives, sports figures and more.

Rajat Khare's U.S. representative, the law firm Clare Locke, rejected any association between its client and the cyber-mercenary business. It said Khare “has never operated or supported, and certainly did not create, any illegal ‘hack for hire' industry in India or anywhere else.”

In a series of letters sent to Reuters over the past year, Clare Locke said that “Mr. Khare has dedicated much of his career to the fields of information technology security – that is, cyber-defense and the prevention of illicit hacking.”

Clare Locke said that, under Khare's tenure, Appin specialized in training thousands of students in cybersecurity, robotics and artificial intelligence, “never in illicit hacking.” The lawyers said Khare left Appin, in part, because rogue actors were operating under the company's brand, and he wanted “to avoid the appearance of associations with people who were misusing the Appin name.”

The lawyers described media articles tying Khare to hacking as “false” or “fundamentally flawed.” As for the 2010 Appin presentation boasting of hacking services, they said Khare had never seen it before. “The document is a forgery or was doctored,” they said.

Clare Locke added that Khare could not be held responsible for Appin employees who went on to work as mercenary hackers, saying that doing so “would be akin to holding Harvard University responsible for the terrorist bombings carried out by its former student Ted Kaczynski,” referring to the former math prodigy known as the “Unabomber.”

A lawyer acting for Rajat's brother, Anuj, said his client's position was the same as the one laid out by Clare Locke.

This report on Appin draws on thousands of company emails as well as financial records, presentations, photos and instant messages from the firm. Reporters also reviewed case files from American, Norwegian, Dominican and Swiss law enforcement, and interviewed dozens of former Appin employees and hundreds of victims of India-based hackers.

Reuters gathered the material – which spans 2005 until earlier this year – from ex-employees, clients and security professionals who've studied the company.

Reuters verified the authenticity of the Appin communications with 15 people, including private investigators who commissioned hacks and ex-Appin hackers themselves. The news agency also asked U.S. cybersecurity firm SentinelOne to review the material for signs that it had been digitally altered. The firm said it found none.

“We assess the emails to be accurately represented and verifiably associated with the Appin organization,” SentinelOne researcher Tom Hegel said.

Though Khare's lawyers say Appin “focused on teaching cybersecurity and cyber-defense,” company communications seen by Reuters detailed the creation of an arsenal of hacking tools, including malicious code and websites. Hegel and two other U.S.-based researchers – one from cybersecurity firm Mandiant, the other from Symantec – all working independently, were able to match that infrastructure to publicly known cyberespionage campaigns.

“It all lines up perfectly,” Hegel said.

Over the last decade, Google saw hackers linked to Appin target tens of thousands of email accounts on its service alone, according to Shane Huntley, who leads the California company's cyber threat intelligence team.

“These groups worked very high volumes, to the point that we actually had to expand our systems and procedures to work out how to track them,” Huntley said.

The original Appin has now largely disappeared from public view, but its impact is still felt today. Copycat firms led by Appin alumni continue to target thousands, according to court records and cybersecurity industry reporting.

“They were groundbreaking,” Google's Huntley said. “If you look at the companies at the moment who are picking up the baton, many of them are led by ex-employees” of Appin.

‘Get me result ASAP!!!'

Private eyes have been hiring hackers to do their dirty work since the dawn of the internet. Former clients say Appin's central innovation was turning the cloak-and-dagger market into something more like an e-commerce platform for spy services.

The mercenaries marketed a digital dashboard with a menu of options for breaking into inboxes, including sending fake, booby-trapped job opportunities, bogus bribe offers and risqué messages with subject lines like “My Sister's Hot Friend.”

Customers would log in to a discreet site – once dubbed “My Commando” – and ask Appin to break into emails, computers or phones. Users could follow the spies' progress as if they were tracking a delivery, eventually receiving instructions to download their victim's data from digital dead drops, according to logs of the system reviewed by Reuters.

“It was the best-organized system that I have ever seen,” said Jochi Gómez, a former news publisher in the Dominican Republic. Gómez told Reuters that in 2011 he paid Appin $5,000 to $10,000 a month to spy on the Caribbean nation's elite and mine the material for stories for his now-defunct digital newspaper, El Siglo 21.

One of Appin's selling points was a project management tool once called “My Commando.” Appin told customers it used the tool to tailor its hacking attempts, enticing targets with bogus business proposals, fake interview requests or porn.

Some booby-trapped emails were elaborate deceptions, like this message created in the name of a non-existent journalist.

Others relied on sex appeal, like this message promising photos of a woman taking off a traditional Indian dress.

Targets who clicked would soon have their emails stolen by Appin – and read by the hackers' clients.

Reuters reviewed more than a year's worth of activity from Appin's “My Commando” system. The logs showed that Gómez was one of 70 clients, mostly private investigators, from the United States, Britain, Switzerland and beyond who sought Appin's help in hacking hundreds of targets.

Some of these marks were high-society figures, including a top New York art dealer and a French diamond heiress, according to the logs. Others were less prominent, like a New Jersey landscape architect suspected of having an affair.

Several detectives used the service frequently, among them Israeli private eye Aviram Halevi, who tasked the spies with going after at least three dozen people via the system.

“There is a returning customer who needs the following addresses cracked ASAP,” the logs show Halevi telling the hackers in August 2011.

Reuters previously reported that Halevi, a former lieutenant colonel in the Israeli Defense Forces, hired Appin to spy on a litigant in a lawsuit in Israel on behalf of a client on the opposing side of the case. Halevi did not respond to questions about his ties to the hackers.

Another big user of My Commando was Israeli private detective Tamir Mor, who used the service around the same time to order hacks on more than 40 targets, the logs show. Among them were the late Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky and Malaysian politician Mohamed Azmin Ali.

“Please get me result ASAP!!!” Mor wrote on the My Commando chat feature after providing Appin with details about two members of Berezovsky's legal team in December 2011, the logs show.

Reuters could not establish Mor's motives for targeting Berezovsky and Azmin, whether he succeeded in hacking either of them, or on whose behalf he was working. Mor did not respond to requests for comment.

Azmin, a former cabinet minister, was a prominent opposition leader at the time of the hack attempts. He and his former party didn't respond to messages seeking comment.

The order to hack Berezovsky came while the tycoon was in the middle of a British court battle against fellow oligarch Roman Abramovich over the sale of a Russian oil company. The multibillion dollar case ended in a decisive defeat for Berezovsky. The 67-year-old was found dead at his suburban English home the following year.

Mark Hastings, one of the Berezovsky lawyers mentioned in the My Commando logs, said he was not aware that he had been in Appin's crosshairs, but that he was “not entirely surprised.”

“It is an open secret that lawyers are often targeted by hackers in major commercial litigations,” said Hastings, now with the London firm Quillon Law.

Abramovich's representatives said the tycoon had no dealings with or knowledge of Mor or Appin, and that he had never engaged with hackers or hacked material of any kind.

Many of Appin's clients signed into My Commando using their real names. A prolific customer who didn't was someone using the alias “Jim H.”

Jim H assigned the Appin hackers more than 30 targets in 2011 and 2012, including a Rwandan dissident and the wife of another wealthy Russian who was in the middle of a divorce, the logs show.

Among Jim H's most sensitive requests: hacking Kristi Rogers, wife of Representative Mike Rogers, then-Chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee. The Michigan Republican served in Congress from 2001 until his retirement in 2015; he's currently running for U.S. Senate.

Back in 2012, Kristi Rogers was an executive at Aegis, a London-based security company. Jim H told the hackers that Aegis competed with his client, another security contractor called Global Security, an apparent reference to Virginia-based Global Integrated Security.

Cracking Rogers' corporate email was a “top priority,” Jim H told the hackers. He claimed that her company was trying to undermine Global's bid for a $480 million U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contract to provide security for Afghanistan's reconstruction.

Jim H said he needed dirt on Aegis to sully its reputation, and he suggested a way to trick Rogers into opening a malicious link.

“You could send an invitation to an event organised by the Rotary Club or a gala dinner,” he wrote, according to the logs.

Shortly thereafter, Appin reported back that it had successfully broken into Aegis' network.

Reuters could not verify whether Rogers' account was ultimately compromised. Global eventually won the contract.

Rogers, who left Aegis in late 2012, told Reuters she was outraged to learn of the hacking operation.

His emails were stolen; now he's exposing the hack-and-leak industry

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“It gives me goosebumps right now,” she said. “It angers me that people are so cavalier with other people's reputations and their lives.”

Reuters was unable to determine Jim H's identity or whether he was telling the truth when he said Global was his client. Messages sent to Jim H's old email account were returned as undeliverable.

Global Integrated Security's website is inoperative, and corporate records show its Virginia branch is inactive. Damian Perl, the founder of Britain's Global Strategies Group – Global Integrated Security's former parent company – “vehemently” denies any allegations of wrongdoing, his family office said in a statement.

The Army Corps of Engineers confirmed that Aegis had protested Global's contract, but said it could offer no further comment. Canadian security company GardaWorld, which acquired Aegis in 2015, said it had no information on the incident.

The My Commando logs also shine new light on the Shinnecock casino scandal. In January 2012, a New York private eye named Steven Santarpia ordered the hack of tribal member Chuck Randall, whose leaked emails sparked chaos.

Within days, an Appin hacker reported to Santarpia that he had hit pay dirt, according to the logs: “We got success in investigating Chuck@shinnecock.org.”

“Excellent,” Santarpia replied.

Santarpia didn't respond to repeated messages sent by Reuters over several months, and he declined comment when a reporter approached him outside his Long Island home.

Operations like Jim H's or Santarpia's were aimed at only three or four email accounts at a time. But Appin had greater capabilities.

Gómez, the Dominican publisher, ordered break-in attempts aimed at the email accounts of more than 200 high-profile Dominicans, the logs show. Among them was an account belonging to then-President Leonel Fernández, a frequent target of Gómez's reporting.

Gómez's hacking requests preceded several stories alleging government corruption that his paper published before it was raided by Dominican authorities in February 2012. Gómez eventually shut it down amidst mounting official scrutiny of the hacking.

“I was very active in requesting emails,” he told Reuters, adding that those days are firmly “in my past.”

Fernández did not return messages seeking comment.

Lawyers for Rajat Khare said he “does not know” Gómez, Santarpia, Mor or Halevi and “has no knowledge” of the My Commando dashboard “or anything similar.”

The ability to target heads of state was an improbable amount of power for a company that only a few years earlier had been teaching college kids to code.

Approaching infinity

Rajat Khare was a 20-year-old computer science major when he and his friends came up with the idea for Appin over chicken pizza at a Domino's in New Delhi.

Rajat Khare at a party in New Delhi in or around 2007. He hatched the idea for Appin with some school chums back in 2003. 

It was December 2003. Khare had joined his high school buddies to catch up and bemoan the state of India's universities, which they thought weren't preparing students for the professional world. When one suggested organizing technology training workshops to supplement undergraduates' education, people present at the meal said Khare jumped on the idea.

“Let's give the students what they want,” he quoted himself telling the group in a book on entrepreneurship he co-wrote years later. “Let's start something that will not only change their lives, but our lives too … forever.”

After the Domino's meeting, Khare and his friends came up with the name Appin – short for “Approaching infinity” – and launched their first classes on computer programming.

It was the right idea at the right time. India's IT outsourcing boom had created voracious demand for tech talent. Appin franchises would soon sprout across India, offering not just programming lessons but also courses on robotics and cybersecurity, nicknamed “ethical hacking.”

By 2005, the company had an office in western New Delhi. Rajat had been joined by his older brother, Anuj, a motivational speaker who returned to India after a stint running a startup in Texas. As other members of the Domino's group stepped away, the Khare brothers took charge of the fast-growing firm.

The cybersecurity classes proved especially popular. By 2007, Appin opened a digital security consultancy helping Indian organizations protect themselves online, according to a draft pitch deck intended for potential investors.

That soon drew the attention of Indian government officials who were still feeling their way through intelligence work in the internet age. To help the officials break into computers and emails, Appin set up a team of hackers out of a subsidiary called Appin Software Security Pvt. Ltd., also known as the Appin Security Group, according to a former executive, company communications, an ex-senior Indian intelligence figure and promotional documents seen by Reuters.

The spying was a secret within the wider company. Some early Appin employees signed nondisclosure agreements before being shipped off to military-controlled safe houses where they worked out of sight from their colleagues, according to another former executive familiar with the matter and three hackers who spent time in the safe houses.

One of the hackers recalled being only 22 years old when he broke into the inboxes of Khalistani separatists – Sikh militants fighting to carve an independent homeland out of India's Punjab province – and delivering the trove to his handlers.

“It was the experience of a lifetime,” he said, recalling how proud he was to be contributing to India's national security.

Anuj Khare walks on a bed of broken glass on a rooftop in New Delhi in or around 2007.  A former motivational speaker, he ran Appin together with his brother Rajat as it grew from a modest Indian education company into a hub for outsourced cyberespionage services. 

One of Appin's primary targets was Pakistan, according to interviews with former insiders, company emails, and stolen passwords and key logs of Pakistani officials reviewed by Reuters. The hackers created fake dating websites designed to ensnare Pakistani military officers, two of the insiders said.

Another early mission, dubbed Operation Rainbow, involved penetrating Chinese military computers and stealing information about missiles and radar, according to an undated Appin memo. The memo said the company's hackers compromised several Chinese officials; Reuters was unable to confirm the alleged intrusions independently.

Those early operations led to more contracts.

Soon Appin was working with the Research & Analysis Wing (RAW), India's external intelligence service; and the Intelligence Bureau, the country's domestic spy agency, according to the two former executives, one former Appin hacker and a former senior Indian intelligence official.

Detailed messages from Reuters seeking comment from the Intelligence Bureau and RAW, sent via India's Ministry of Home Affairs and its Cabinet Secretariat, respectively, were not returned. India's Ministry of Defense did not return messages about the hacking. The Pakistani foreign affairs ministry did not return messages. China's foreign ministry said in a statement that it was unaware of the hacking activity.

By 2008, Appin was claiming it offered a “one stop interception solution” for government clients, according to one company presentation.

Company executives marketed software for the analysis of call record data– the who, what, when of phone calls monitored by spy agencies and law enforcement – and discussed the importation of Israeli cell phone interception devices, Appin emails show.

In 2009, Appin boasted to prospective customers that it was serving India's military, its Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), an Indian agency roughly equivalent to America's Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), emails show.

Appin's solutions “are being used by various elite intelligence agencies in government to monitor hostile people,” one pitch claimed.

The CBI and Ministry of Home Affairs didn't return detailed messages seeking comment.

Company revenues in the fiscal year ending in 2009 were estimated at nearly $1 million, with profit after tax pegged at about $170,000, according to the draft pitch deck aimed at potential investors. The deck projected that figure would multiply almost tenfold over the next 36 months.

But Appin had hit a speed bump. The two former executives, one of the former hackers, and the former Indian intelligence official said the company earned extra money by quietly taking material it hacked for one Indian agency and reselling it to another. This double dipping was eventually discovered, the people said, and several enraged spy agency clients canceled their contracts with Appin.

With intelligence work drying up, Appin pivoted to the private sector, the sources said.

‘Fucking with the wrong people'

The influx of Western clients brought new revenue – and new risk.

American and Swiss law enforcement documents, including emails and investigative reports reviewed by Reuters, reveal how Appin got caught hacking as it fulfilled its customers' orders.

An early example was the compromise of prominent Zurich-based communications consultant Peter Hargitay, who had served as an advisor to Australia's football federation. He and his filmmaker son Stevie detected the intrusion and filed a Swiss criminal complaint.

Within weeks, an expert they hired traced the hack to a server near the Zurich airport, according to the law enforcement documents. Billing records tied to the server listed Rajat Khare as the client.

Father and son had come off a failed bid to bring the 2022 FIFA World Cup to Australia and were in no mood to let the hack slide, according to emails provided by an independent source.

In a March 2012 message to his father, Stevie said he had spoken on the phone with an Appin employee who was clearly rattled by the exchange. “I told him in no uncertain terms that they are fucking with the wrong people,” Stevie wrote.

Rajat Khare called Stevie the same day to try to smooth things over, saying he “wants to cooperate ‘100%,'” Stevie wrote. The emails show that an Appin employee later told Stevie the hack was ordered by a U.S. private investigator; contact fell off as the Hargitays pushed for more information about who was ultimately behind the spying.

“We don't know who his client was,” Peter Hargitay said.

Khare's lawyers told Reuters he “does not know” the Hargitays.

A few months later, Appin was implicated in another incident, this time in India. Cybersecurity consultant K. K. Mookhey told a conference near New Delhi that he had tied an attempted hack against one of his clients to the firm. In a report published in 2013, Mookhey wrote that the link to Appin was “not concrete.” But he told Reuters he had been “overcautious” in choosing those words and that the evidence, including Appin documentation inadvertently left on the hackers' servers, made it obvious they were involved.

“The link was actually pretty clear,” he said.

Appin's name had popped up earlier that year in Norway. In February 2013, technicians at telecommunications company Telenor discovered that hackers had stolen as many as 66,000 emails from the company's chief executive, two personal assistants and a senior lawyer at the firm, according to Norwegian law enforcement documents reviewed by Reuters.

Three months later, Oslo-based cybersecurity firm Norman Shark – which had launched its own independent investigation into the Telenor hack – publicly linked the intrusion to Appin.

Telenor's headquarters in Fornebu, Norway. Hackers stole 66,000 emails from the telecom firm in 2013, an incident the company described as “industrial espionage.” REUTERS/Ints Kalnins

The Oslo headquarters of Kripos, Norway's national criminal police service. Kripos traced the Telenor hack to India, according to law enforcement files reviewed by Reuters. But the investigation ran aground and was eventually closed in 2016.

Norman Shark stopped short of directly blaming the company, saying only that “there seems to be some connection” between Appin and the Telenor hackers. One of the report's coauthors, security researcher Jonathan Camp, told Reuters that Norman Shark had softened the report's language to avoid legal trouble.

Camp said he and his colleagues privately were confident that Appin was behind the hacking, citing an unusually large number of digital clues pointing to the company, including multiple malicious websites registered under the Appin name.

“There was no doubt in our minds,” he said.

California-based tech firm Broadcom, which absorbed Norman Shark following a series of acquisitions, did not respond to requests seeking comment. Telenor confirmed it had been the victim of “industrial espionage,” which it reported to police at the time. It declined further comment. The motive behind the hacking has never been made public.

Appin denied all wrongdoing in the wake of Camp's report, and the Khares' lawyers still insist the research didn't implicate the company. Nevertheless, Appin came under increasing scrutiny in the years that followed.

Norway was one of at least four countries – along with the United States, Switzerland and the Dominican Republic – that had opened investigations into Appin. Some began comparing notes.

In an undated written exchange reviewed by Reuters, FBI official Dan Brady told Swiss prosecutor Sandra Schweingruber that U.S. officials looking into the hack of the Shinnecock tribe on Long Island had “accumulated a fair amount of data identifying other victims.”

Schweingruber declined to comment for this story. Reuters was unable to reach Brady. The FBI declined to answer a list of questions about its investigation into Appin.

In his note to Schweingruber, Brady said “the link in our respective cases is that I believe we have the same ultimate perpetrator.”

Then he added, in parentheses: “Appin.”

Lost leads, lasting pain

The multinational investigations into Appin each carried on for years before petering out.

Jochi Gómez, the Dominican newspaper publisher, was formally accused of working with Rajat Khare to hack emails following the 2012 raid on his publication.

But the case never went to trial; it was quashed on procedural grounds in 2013, a decision reaffirmed by the country's highest court the following year. Dominican prosecutors described Khare as a member of Gómez's “international criminal network.” But one of the judges involved dismissed the idea as a “theory.” Khare was never charged in the matter.

Dominican entrepreneur Jochi Gómez in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic in January 2023. Gómez hired Appin to dig up dirt on the country's elite for his now-defunct digital newspaper. 

Dominican judiciary officials didn't return messages seeking comment about the case.

Speaking to Reuters a decade later, Gómez acknowledged hiring Khare for surveillance, saying he had been hunting for evidence of corruption.

“I did it for journalism,” Gómez said. “Is it lawful or not? That's another story.”

Norway's investigation into the Telenor hack led to four internet protocol addresses in New Delhi, according to the law enforcement files reviewed by Reuters. In an undated email sent to the FBI, the Swiss prosecutor Schweingruber said the Norwegians had gone further still. “Their investigation leads also to Appin,” she wrote.

That inquiry similarly ran aground. A spokesperson for Norway's National Criminal Investigation Service confirmed to Reuters that the case was closed in June 2016 “taking into consideration the chances of obtaining further evidence and information through further investigation.”

Swiss authorities also implicated Appin in the case of PR consultant Peter Hargitay, according to the files.

In her email to the FBI, Schweingruber said the Swiss investigation  – nicknamed “Tandoori” – had found that “the Indian company Appin Security Group as well as their CEO Rajat Khare are involved in this case.”

Yet the files show Swiss authorities rebuffed the Hargitays' request to have Khare quizzed about the hack. In a message to the Hargitays sent in September 2020, Schweingruber's successor, Anna Carter, said she was discontinuing the case “due to the lack of further promising investigative approaches.”

Swiss prosecutors confirmed that the investigation was closed, but wouldn't elaborate. Peter Hargitay told Reuters that the prosecutors' decision “remains a mystery to us to this day.”

“You can do this from across the world. The penalties and the laws have to catch up.”

Hacking victim Chuck Randall of the Shinnecock Nation

Former U.S. cybercrime prosecutor Mark Califano told Reuters that cracking international hacking cases is “really very hard.” But he said it was still “very disconcerting” that Appin's hackers were “so successful in evading law enforcement despite apparently significant effort to try to track them down – and some very good evidence.”

Rajat Khare's lawyers said their client had never been charged with hacking “by any police, investigative, regulatory, or charging authority.”

Reuters was unable to establish whether Appin was ever investigated in its native India.

K. K. Mookhey, the cybersecurity consultant whose client was targeted by Appin, said he alerted India's cyber response agency, CERT-In, in 2013, but never heard back. CERT-In did not respond to requests for comment.

Rajat Khare has come to the attention of the Indian government on a separate matter: A 2021 complaint filed with the country's Central Bureau of Investigation accused Khare of being one of at least eight people who embezzled roughly 8.06 billion rupees ($97 million) lent to the Indian education company Educomp, where he had previously served as a director. There is no indication that the case is related to hacking.

The complaint was filed by a senior official at the country's biggest lender, the State Bank of India. Reuters could not determine the case's status. The State Bank, the CBI and Educomp did not respond to requests for comment. Khare's lawyers said he had been “cleared” by Educomp's management. They didn't provide evidence and said they could not offer details on the CBI probe.

U.S. intelligence agencies have known about Appin's capabilities for more than a decade, according to three former American security officials and law enforcement documents reviewed by Reuters.

The National Security Agency (NSA), which spies on foreigners for the U.S. government, began surveilling the company after watching it hack “high value” Pakistani officials around 2009, one of the sources said. An NSA spokesperson declined to comment.

Another former U.S. security official said Rajat Khare was of such interest that the FBI tracked his travel and communications. The law enforcement case files also show that the FBI told its Swiss counterparts that it had “a confidential human source who has the capacity to report on Appin Security matters.”

Rajat Khare's lawyers said the notion that he had been investigated by the FBI or any other such law enforcement body was “absurd.”

The bureau's investigation into the Appin hack that sparked turmoil within the Shinnecock Nation did yield two convictions.

The first came in 2016, when a Shinnecock tribal official named Karen Hunter pleaded guilty at a federal court in the Long Island town of Islip to unlawfully accessing the email account of her fellow Shinnecock tribal member Chuck Randall.

A van drives past a “No Trespassing” sign at the border of Shinnecock Indian Nation Territory on Long Island, New York. In 2012, the Shinnecocks were thrown into turmoil by a hack-and-leak operation that led to the removal of several members from tribal government and sparked an FBI investigation.

The court filings, which were partially sealed, show that Hunter got probation. It was not until several years later that Steven Santarpia, the private eye, said he had been hired by Hunter to carry out the job.

Santarpia was the second to be convicted. He received probation from the same court in Islip in 2020 after pleading guilty to a single count of computer hacking, saying in an affidavit reviewed by Reuters that he hired Appin to carry out the email heist. Most of the filings in that case, which mask his identity, remain secret. No public mention of Appin was made in either his or Hunter's prosecution.

Hunter did not return repeated messages from Reuters seeking comment. A reporter who visited Shinnecock Nation territory in an effort to interview her was intercepted by the tribe's chairman, Bryan Polite, and ordered off the reservation. Polite said in an email that the tribe's governing body was not interested in commenting.

Randall said he was baffled by the U.S. government's lack of action against Appin.

“You can do this from across the world,” he said. “The penalties and the laws have to catch up.”

Spoke with the client today. Her husband seems to be a big sex addict. She found out he goes to swinger clubs. She believes these 2 mail addresses. [email addresses redacted], will be the addresses we will find stuff about him cheating. She doesn't think the aol address will have much information about his cheating. So if we can get in those 2 email addresses, we should find stuff.

Long Island private detective Steven Santarpia on May 10, 2011, chats with Appin employees about hacking a man whose wife suspects infidelity.

Spoke with the client today. Her husband seems to be a big sex addict. She found out he goes to swinger clubs. She believes these 2 mail addresses. [email addresses redacted], will be the addresses we will find stuff about him cheating. She doesn't think the aol address will have much information about his cheating. So if we can get in those 2 email addresses, we should find stuff.

Long Island private detective Steven Santarpia on May 10, 2011, chats with Appin employees about hacking a man whose wife suspects infidelity.

A California private eye asks Appin on Nov. 16, 2011, for advice on how to move undetected through a woman's hacked email account.

‘Godfather for all hackers'

Appin's legacy still lingers more than a decade after the Shinnecock hack.

Its web presence faded in the months following the publication of the Norman Shark report in 2013, internet archives show. Eight former employees say their old managers told them to delete references to Appin from their public profiles.

Its former holding company, Appin Technology, changed its name three times, finally settling on Sunkissed Organic Farms in 2017, records filed with India's Ministry of Corporate Affairs show. Its subsidiaries also underwent rebrandings: Appin Software Security, the arm which billed private eyes for the hacking work, became Adaptive Control Security Global Corporate, or ACSG, in 2015.

Rajat Khare's lawyers say he left Appin Technology in December 2012, a move that “officially and immediately separated him from all Appin entities.” They produced two letters they said showed those resignations.

Yet Khare's signature is on several Appin corporate filings dating to 2013 and 2014; and shareholder data shows he maintained a stake in Appin Technology for several years past 2012. According to Indian corporate records, Khare – who is now a Switzerland-based investor – resigned as director of the company once known as Appin Technology only in 2016.

His family still controlled the companies as recently as last year. Rajat's brother, Anuj, and their father, Vijay Kumar, are majority owners of Sunkissed Organic Farms, which in turn owns ACSG and at least two other firms founded under the Appin name, according to the latest available financial data disclosed to the corporate affairs ministry.

In an exchange of messages over WhatsApp this week, ACSG company secretary Deepak Kumar confirmed that his firm was once known as Appin and described Rajat Khare as the corporate group's “owner.” The following day, he said he would no longer reply to questions.

Anuj Khare's lawyer, Kumar & Kumar Advocates, said questions about his client's financial dealings were “not relevant.” The Khare brothers' father, Vijay Kumar, did not return repeated messages seeking comment.

On its website, ACSG describes itself as a critical infrastructure protection company that caters to government clients. Employee resumes posted to job sites say the company carries out “lawful interception” and “offensive security,” industry terms for digital surveillance work.

More than 50 current and former ACSG employees reached by Reuters either did not respond or declined to comment, saying their work was confidential.

A metro train moves past commercial buildings in the Netaji Subhash Place area of New Delhi. The neighborhood is a technology hotbed where Appin once operated.

Reuters found at least half a dozen other hack-for-hire firms in India that have adopted Appin's business model of serving private investigators and corporate lawyers. Some have run into trouble with American tech companies or been named in U.S. lawsuits.

Last year, Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms identified CyberRoot Risk Advisory, a firm created by Appin alumni, as a mercenary spy company that used bogus accounts to trick people into clicking malicious links.

In October 2022, CyberRoot and BellTroX InfoTech Services, another firm founded by a former Appin employee, were accused of hacking former Wall Street Journal reporter Jay Solomon and one of his key sources, according to lawsuits filed last year by each of the men in federal court, one in Washington, the other in New York. Solomon later settled his Washington case on undisclosed terms; the New York lawsuit filed by his source is ongoing.

In June 2022, Google researchers linked hack-for-hire activity to another Indian company named Rebsec Solutions, which Google said “openly advertises corporate espionage.”

Rebsec's founder, Vishavdeep Singh, told Reuters he had worked for Appin and BellTroX but was never involved in hacking, and that Rebsec merely taught cybersecurity courses.

CyberRoot said in a public statement issued last year that it “has never engaged in illegal activities.” It declined further comment. Attempts to reach BellTroX's founder, Sumit Gupta, have been unsuccessful.

In his last known interview, speaking with Reuters in 2020, Gupta claimed he was not personally involved in cyberespionage. But he did acknowledge the outsized role that his former employer played in shaping the industry.

“Appin is the godfather for all the hackers,” he said.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Sena vs Sena At Bal Thackeray Memorial, Cops Intervene

Workers of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Shiv Sena (UBT) of Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday came face to face and shouted slogans against each other at the memorial of party founder late Bal Thackeray, whose 11th death anniversary will be observed on Friday.

The crowd was dispersed by police, an official said.

While workers of the Shiv Sena shouted that the party belongs to them, those owing allegiance to Uddhav Thackeray responded with "traitors go back" slogans.

The incident took place after Chief Minister Shinde arrived at the memorial at Shivaji Park in Dadar to pay tribute to Bal Thackeray.

Speaking to reporters, the CM said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had fulfilled the late Shiv Sena founder's dream of constructing a Ram Temple in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.

It will be inaugurated on the eve of late Bal Thackeray's birth anniversary, he pointed out.

Thackeray was born on January 23 in 1926, while the idol consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya will take place on January 22.

Shinde said his government was working to fulfil the dreams and aspirations of Bal Thackeray.

Krishna Hegde, spokesperson of the Shiv Sena said, like last year, CM Shinde paid tribute at the Shivaji Park memorial on the eve of the death anniversary to avoid any conflict.

He was accompanied by senior leaders and left Shivaji Park some time later, the spokesperson said.

"Everything was peaceful till we saw the arrival of (Uddhav Thackeray faction) MP Anil Desai and MLC Anil Parab, who had come with a group of people to disturb the peaceful and solemn occasion. This was a deliberate attempt to create ruckus and a law and order situation," Hegde alleged.

"This was uncalled for. Balasaheb Thackeray belongs to everyone and all can pay tribute to him. If they (Uddhav faction) want to truly show respect to Balaseheb Thackeray, then they must first follow his ideology," he added.

The Shiv Sena split in June last year following a rebellion by Shinde and both factions have since been trying to claim the legacy of Bal Thackeray, reverentially called 'Hinduhriday Samrat' by supporters.

Meanwhile, an official said Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Satyanarayan Choudhary and additional commissioners of all regions in the city are at the spot to maintain and law and order.

A large contingent of police has been stationed at Shivaji Park to maintain law and order, he added.

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Assam Rifles Vehicle Targeted In Manipur With Bomb, No Casualties

A low-intensity Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast was triggered under an Assam Rifles mine-protected vehicle in Manipur's Tengnoupal district on Thursday morning, officials said.

A banned militant outfit, People's Liberation Army (PLA), has claimed responsibility for the attack, they said.

The paramilitary force's vehicle was on routine patrolling in the district's Saibol area when it was targeted around 8.15 am, they said.

"A team of Assam Rifles personnel were on routine patrolling duty in the area when a low-intensity IED went off under the vehicle. None of the soldiers present inside the armoured vehicle was injured," they added.

Police said soon after triggering the explosive, the gunmen fired indiscriminately at the vehicle.

"The soldiers retaliated. There is no information if any of the attackers have been injured or killed," police said.

Assam Rifles have begun an operation to track the perpetrators.

"The Assam Rifles has launched a search operation to find the attackers. The forces have cordoned off the area," police added.

The Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal District, a tribal organisation, condemned the attack.

It also demanded that militant bodies leave Kuki-Zo areas immediately.

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India Calls On Canada To Respect Vienna Convention On Diplomatic Ties

India on Thursday called on Canada to provide for a conducive environment in line with provisions of the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations so that its officials can discharge their duties without any hindrance or security concerns.

India's fresh call to Ottawa came days after certain pro-Khalistani elements in Vancouver attempted to disturb a camp organised by the Indian consulate in that city.

The ties between India and Canada came under severe strain following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations in September of "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

India strongly rejected the allegations.

"Our High Commission and consulates in Canada regularly organise consular camps. One such camp was organized near Vancouver on November 12 to provide life certificates to pensioners," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said during his weekly media briefing.

"The event was held successfully despite attempts by a few radical elements to cause trouble. Our Consul General was not present at that camp," he said.

"We reiterate the need for nations to respect the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations so that our diplomats can discharge their diplomatic obligations," he added.

Asked about reports of an incident near Brampton during Diwali, Mr Bagchi it was sort of an "unrest' between two groups.

As regards to events that you alluded to near Brampton in Diwali. I think that was more in the nature of unrest between the two groups, he said.

"I don't think there has been any complaint that our consulate has received... I saw some social media reports. We also understand that the authorities there are looking into that incident," he said.

Days after Mr Trudeau's allegations, India temporarily suspended issuance of visas to Canadian citizens and asked Ottawa to downsize its diplomatic presence in the country to ensure parity.

Canada has already withdrawn 41 diplomats and their family members from India. India has resumed some of the visa services. 

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3 Drones, Heroin Seized Near Pakistan Border In Punjab Districts

Three drones and a 500-gram packet of heroin were seized near the India-Pakistan border in Punjab's Tarn Taran and Amritsar districts, a BSF official said on Wednesday.

Border Security Force (BSF) troops carrying out an area domination exercise ahead of the border fencing on Wednesday observed some suspicious items lying in a field near the Roranwala Khurd village in Amritsar.

During a search operation, they seized a drone and a packet of heroin, weighing 500 grams, the official said.

In another incident, a joint operation by the BSF and the Punjab Police on the outskirts of Kalash Havelian village in Tarn Taran led to the seizure of a China-made drone, the official said.

In the third incident, BSF troops intercepted a drone on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday in Tarn Taran.

During the joint search operation with the police, the BSF troops recovered the damaged drone from a field in the district's Mianwali village, the official added.

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"Karnataka Celebrated Diwali In Darkness Due To Power Cuts": KTR

The "stable government and able leadership" of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has enabled Telangana to make rapid strides in development since 2014, BRS Working President and IT Minister K T Rama Rao on Tuesday said.

The BRS government ensured major development in the state which Congress could not do in six decades, he claimed.

Addressing the Telangana Builders' Association members here, Rama Rao said the land value in Hyderabad has increased 10-20 fold in the last decade.

"Value of lands increased not just in Hyderabad but across Telangana under CM KCR's governance. Stable government and able leadership has played a key role in ensuring development in the state," Rama Rao said, according to a release issued by his office.

Rama Rao, also known as KTR, said that Telangana is seen as a progressive state and has no communal riots or other disturbances, and hence investments from other states and countries are coming here.

Taking a dig at the Congress, Rama Rao claimed, "Karnataka celebrated Diwali in darkness due to power cuts. So decide if you want current (electricity) or Congress".

He said that Maoism prevailed in the Telangana region during the Congress government and charged that Congress failed to give water, jobs, and any kind of social and economic security which encouraged a few to take up Naxalism.

Talking about the plans for Hyderabad, KTR said that the new Hyderabad will be developed between Outer Ring Road and Regional Ring Road. He said that the regional ring road of 330 km will connect Bhongir, Choutuppal, Shadnagar, Sangareddy, and other areas.

He said, "The development you see in Hyderabad now is just the trailer. You will see the movie in the future. If you want the progress and development story to continue, vote for BRS in the coming election." Assembly elections in Telangana will be held on November 30. 

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Arab and Muslim leaders blame West for Gaza misery

Leaders accuse the US and other powers of hypocrisy over Israel's actions and warn of repercussions.

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PM Modi To Hold Roadshow In Ranchi Tomorrow

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a roadshow in Jharkhand's capital Ranchi on Tuesday evening, officials said.

The roadshow is scheduled to begin from the Birsa Munda Airport soon after his arrival here around 8 pm and culminate at the Raj Bhavan around 9:30 pm, a distance of 10 km, they added.

As per Ranchi police traffic advisory, movement of vehicles has been restricted from 8 pm to 10:30 pm from Birsa Munda Airport to Raj Bhavan via Hinoo Chowk, Birsa Chowk, Satellite Chowk, Argora Chowk and New Market Chowk on November 14 in view of the Prime Minister's visit.

After an overnight stay at Raj Bhavan, the PM will head to Ulihatu, the birthplace of Birsa Munda around 9:30 am on November 15, the birthday of the tribal leader. The day is also celebrated as Jharkhand Statehood Day and Janjatiya Gaurav Divas.

Prior to his journey to Ulihatu, about 65 km from here, the PM will visit the Birsa Munda Museum at Jail Chowk at 8:15 am, officials added. After Ulihatu, PM Modi will head to Birsa College Football Stadium in Khunti where he will hold a public rally and launch the PM PVTG Development Mission.

The Rs 24,000-crore scheme aimed at holistic development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG), officials said. In 2021, the Modi government announced that the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda will be commemorated as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas. The mission, announced in the 2023-24 Union budget, is aimed at improving the socio-economic condition of the particularly vulnerable tribal groups, the officials said. 

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Hungary theatre chief offers to quit after Romeo and Juliet accident

Two actors in Hungary are in a serious condition following the accident during Romeo and Juliet.

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Most Drugs Entering Tripura Through Mizoram: Police

Tripura's 107 km-long boundary with Mizoram is a cause of concern for law enforcement agencies as most of the drugs from Myanmar enter the state through that border.

Vigil has been stepped up along the border between the two northeastern neighbours to prevent drug trafficking, said Bhanupada Chakraborty, Superintendent of Police of North Tripura district, which shares the boundary with Mizoram.

"Law enforcement agencies are working hard to curb drug trafficking but smuggling of drugs especially heroin continues along the inter-state border," Mr Chakraborty told PTI on Monday.

Chief Minister Manik Saha has declared a war against increasing drug trafficking and law enforcement agencies have adopted a zero-tolerance policy to curb the drug menace.

Till August 2023, a total of 746 people were booked in connection with 445 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) cases and contraband items including heroin amounting to Rs 91.84 crore was seized during the period, according to a police report.

"Myanmar appears a potential threat to the war against drugs declared by Tripura... We are sure these drugs are coming from Myanmar. Mizoram is just a transit point as far as drug trafficking is concerned," the police officer said.

According to Mr Chakraborty, drug mafias sometimes also use Silchar-Churaibari (entry point to Tripura from Assam) to transport drug items.

"We often foiled drug smuggling under Churaibari police station despite having severe staff constraints. The police need to be strengthened further to intensify war against the drug trafficking", the SP said.

"Police have sent two or three teams to Mizoram in connection with some specific NDPS cases but they did not make much progress as the origin of the drug peddlers could not be found. In the course of interrogation and probe, we came to know that Mizoram border is being used as a safe corridor for trafficking drugs to the state," Officer in Charge (OC), Damcherra police station, Raju Bhowmik told PTI.

Three police stations- Damcherra, Khedacherra and Vangmum share 107 km inter-state border with Mizoram with a skeleton staff.

"At present, Damcherra police station has only two sub-inspectors along with one inspector and six to eight constables and some Tripura State Rifles (TSR) jawans. It is very difficult to maintain close control at Nripen Chakraborty setu (bridge) which connects Mizoram's Mamit district to Damcherra in North Tripura," the OC said.

The bridge over river Longai connects Tripura and Mizoram.

Mr Bhowmik said, "We require adequate staff to maintain strict vigil at the entry point to Damcherra. Around 40/50 vehicles are coming to Damcherra through the bridge daily. If we want to check all vehicles, more policemen are needed at the check gate at Damcherra".

Taking advantage of skeleton police presence, the drug mafia are using Damcherra to smuggle drugs along with goods to the northeastern state, he said.

North Tripura, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Arunabh Chakraborty said the number of injected drug users (IDUs) among the inmates of Bruhapra resettlement village (Bru camp) under Damcherra police station has been on the rise over the past few years.

"... Tripura State AIDS Control Society (TSACS) is working in the field to check the menace. We have identified some potential pockets of drug users and opened two Oral Substitution Therapy (OST) clinics in two Public Health Centres (PHCs) at Jampui Hills (Vangmun) and Damcherra to provide them medical attention", he said.

Meanwhile, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) will soon have a zonal-level office in Agartala to curb drug and narcotics trafficking effectively, officials said.

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Maryanne Trump Barry, retired judge and Trump's older sister, dead at 86

Mrs Barry, who served as a federal judge in New Jersey, was the former president's eldest sister.

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Five US troops die in training air crash in eastern Mediterranean

The service members died in a helicopter crash in a region where the US has boosted operations.

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S Jaishankar Meets Rishi Sunak, Gifts Bat Signed By Virat Kohli

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty at 10 Downing Street and conveyed the best wishes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Diwali on Sunday.

S Jaishankar along with his wife, Kyoko Jaishankar met with the UK PM and presented him a Lord Ganesha Statue and a cricket bat signed by Indian batting great Virat Kohli.

Taking to his official handle on X, EAM S Jaishankar shared details about his meeting with the UK PM, posting, "Delighted to call on Prime Minister @RishiSunak on #Diwali Day. Conveyed the best wishes of PM @narendramodi. India and UK are actively engaged in reframing the relationship for contemporary times. Thank Mr. and Mrs. Sunak for their warm reception and gracious hospitality."

The Prime Minister @RishiSunak welcomed @DrSJaishankar to Downing Street this evening.

Together they expressed their very best wishes as Indian communities around the world begin #Diwali celebrations.

???? pic.twitter.com/gjCxQ0vr8d

— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) November 12, 2023

S Jaishankar is currently on an official visit to the United Kingdom, during which he is scheduled to hold a meeting with his UK counterpart James Cleverly. He arrived in Britain on Saturday and will conclude his visit on November 15.

He is also scheduled to meet several other dignitaries during his visit.

India and the UK have a "growing bilateral partnership", the MEA stated in a release earlier, noting that the two countries launched a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2021.

"India and the UK share a warm and thriving relationship. The India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership was launched in 2021 along with the India-UK Roadmap 2030," the MEA stated in its release.

"The Roadmap is a commitment to a partnership that delivers for both the countries. EAM's visit will give a new impetus to the friendly ties between the two countries," it added.

Significantly, India and the UK are negotiating a Free Trade Agreement. Talks for FTA between India and the UK started in 2022 and the 12th round of negotiations took place from August 8-31 this year.

Earlier, on November 3, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his UK counterpart Rishi Sunak discussed the progress on the Free Trade Agreement during a telephone conversation.

Rishi Sunak also congratulated PM Modi on Team India's dazzling performances in the ongoing Cricket World Cup.

"Turning to the friendship between the UK and India, the leaders discussed recent progress on Free Trade Agreement negotiations. They agreed on the importance of securing an ambitious deal that benefitted both sides," the UK government stated in an official release.

"The leaders discussed the ongoing Cricket World Cup being held in India. The Prime Minister congratulated Prime Minister Modi on the strong performance of the India team and said he hoped England would have more luck during their test series in India in January," it added.

PM Modi and Rishi Sunak also discussed the conflict in West Asia, especially in the context of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The two leaders condemned Hamas's attacks on Israel and reiterated that the terror group "did not represent" the Palestinian people.

The two leaders also reflected on the need to de-escalate tensions in the wider region.

PM Rishi Sunak underscored the importance of protecting innocent civilians in Gaza and ensuring aid was able to flow into the country, the statement added.

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