Mohammad Azharuddin appointed Telangana state Congress working president

The Congress on Friday appointed cricketer-turned-politician Mohammad Azharuddin the working president of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee. The development comes ahead of the state Assembly elections on December 7.

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GDP growth slowed to 7.1% in July-September quarter, shows government data

The growth in Gross Domestic Product slowed to 7.1% in the July-September quarter, the Central Statistics Office said on Friday. The GDP had grown 8.2% during the April-June quarter and 7.7% in the quarter before that.

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‘I won’t be cowed down’: Delhi minister Satyendar Jain says charges against him are ‘laughable’

Delhi minister Satyendar Jain on Friday accused the Narendra Modi-led central government of using a disproportionate assets case against him to try to stop his efforts to regularise unauthorised colonies in the national Capital, PTI reported. On Thursday, the Centre had allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation to prosecute him in the case.

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AIMIM seeks quota for Muslims in Maharashtra, to approach Bombay High Court

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen on Friday said it would approach the Bombay High Court demanding reservation for Muslims in education and government jobs in the state.

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Delhi: TDP leader YS Chowdary granted protection from arrest in money laundering case

The Delhi High Court on Friday directed the Enforcement Directorate to refrain from taking any coercive action against Telugu Desam Party leader Y Satyanarayana Chowdary in a money laundering case, ANI reported. The court also asked him to appear before the agency on December 3.

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Seven Indian employees of IL&FS detained in Ethiopia by local staff over unpaid salaries: Report

At least seven employees of the debt-ridden Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd have been reportedly detained at three sites in Ethiopia’s Oromia and Amhara states by unpaid local staff, according to a news report.

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Sabarimala row: Kerala Assembly adjourned for third consecutive day amid Opposition protests

The Kerala Assembly witnessed chaos for the third straight day as the Congress-led United Democratic Front opposition disrupted proceedings and sought a discussion on the Sabarimala matter. The House was adjourned 22 minutes after the proceedings began.

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Goa: There is no question of replacing Manohar Parrikar as chief minister, says BJP ally

The Goa Forward Party, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ally in Goa, on Friday said there was no question of replacing Manohar Parrikar as chief minister of the state.

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Odisha: Two senior BJP leaders resign, say they will not be ‘showpieces in the party’

Two senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders in Odisha quit the party on Friday, saying they would “no longer continue in the party as showpieces”.

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Defamation case proceedings against MK Stalin stayed by Madras High Court

The Madras High Court on Thursday stayed proceedings in a criminal defamation case against Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam President MK Stalin.

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Delhi’s air quality remains ‘very poor’, likely to worsen during weekend

Delhi’s air quality remained “very poor” on Friday due to unfavourable meteorological conditions that slowed down dispersion of pollutants in the atmosphere, PTI reported. Pollution is likely to increase in the national capital during the weekend.

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Muzaffarnagar: NHRC issues notice to UP government, police chief in alleged fake encounter case

The National Human Rights Commission has issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh government and the police after taking cognizance of reports of an alleged fake encounter in Muzaffarnagar. In a statement issued on Thursday, the commission said any death caused in an encounter, “if not justified, would amount to an offence of culpable homicide”.

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Tamil Nadu sex scandal: Madras High Court refuses to halt SIT inquiry

The Madras High Court on Thursday said it cannot stop the Special Investigation Team appointed by the Tamil Nadu governor from conducting inquiries into the alleged sex scandal at Madurai Kamaraj University. In April, Devanga Arts College professor Nirmala Devi was arrested for allegedly luring students to provide sexual favours to senior university officials.

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Ramdev book ban: Supreme Court issues notice to yoga guru on plea against Delhi HC order

The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to yoga guru Ramdev on a petition filed by a publisher challenging a Delhi High Court order restraining the sale and publication of a book on his life. Godman to Tycoon: The Untold Story of Baba Ramdev was published by Juggernaut Books on July 29, 2017, but a civil court in Delhi restrained its publication and sale six days later.

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Jammu University professor allegedly calls Bhagat Singh a terrorist, inquiry ordered

The University of Jammu on Thursday ordered an inquiry after a senior professor allegedly referred to freedom fighter Bhagat Singh as a terrorist. Vice Chancellor Manoj K Dhar said a six-member committee would look into the alleged remark by Mohammad Taj-ud-din, who heads the political science department.

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Army chief Bipin Rawat says Pakistan will have to become a secular country for good ties with India

Indian Army Chief Bipin Rawat said on Friday that Pakistan would have to become a secular state if it wishes to “stay together” with India. His comments came after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said that India and Pakistan can stay together like France and Germany.

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One-third of world’s stunted children live in India, says global nutrition report

Almost a third of the world’s stunted children live in India, according to a report published on Thursday. In India, 46.6 million children suffer from inadequate development for their age, followed by Nigeria with 13.9 million stunted children and Pakistan with 10.7 million, the 2018 Global Nutrition Report said.

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Noida: Phone factory workers protest after they are allegedly asked to go on leave

Around 1,000 employees of a factory in Noida manufacturing phones for Chinese companies protested outside the plant on Thursday after around 200 of them were allegedly asked to go on leave. The protestors hurled stones at the building and barged into the facility.

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Kerala floods: Centre sought over Rs 290 crore for aircraft rescue operations, claims chief minister

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the Legislative Assembly on Thursday that the Centre has sought Rs 290.74 crore from the state as compensation for launching aircraft that helped in rescue and relief operations during the floods in August.

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Rupee rises to three-month high against US dollar; Sensex, Nifty trade higher

The Indian rupee surged to a three-month high on Friday, rising 21 paise against the United States dollar to 69.63 at 11.20 am. The rise in the Indian currency was the result of increased selling of the greenback by exporters and banks, and continued foreign fund inflows into India, PTI reported. On Thursday, the rupee had gained 77 paise to close at 69.85 against the dollar.

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Coal scam: Delhi court finds former Coal Secretary HC Gupta, four others and a private firm guilty

Gupta was held guilty of corruption and criminal conspiracy in the coal allocation scam, PTI reported. Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar also convicted private firm Vikash Metals and Power Limited, its managing director Vikash Patni, authorised signatory Anand Mallick, former joint secretary in Ministry of Coal KS Kropha and a former director in the ministry, KC Samria, in the case.

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Lieutenant governor refusing to approve release of funds for aided schools, claims Puducherry CM

Narayanasamy said that his government had sent a file to Bedi seeking her approval to release funds to 35 aided schools in the Union Territory. Bedi, however, returned the file recommending that the government scrap the release of funds to the schools in a phased manner.

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Special court rejects Vijay Mallya’s plea against ED attempt to declare him a fugitive

A special court in Mumbai on Thursday rejected businessman Vijay Mallya’s plea seeking a stay on the Enforcement Directorate’s application to declare him a fugitive economic offender. It will continue hearing the Enforcement Directorate’s plea to confiscate Mallya’s property on Friday.

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Recruitment in central armed forces: Centre relaxes height norms for Gorkhas and STs from North East

The government has relaxed with immediate effect height norms in a few categories for male candidates from the northeastern region applying for the posts of constables and sub-inspectors in central paramilitary forces, PTI reported on Thursday.

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Lieutenant governor refusing to approve release of funds for aided schools, claims Puducherry CM

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Thursday criticised Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi for declining to approve the release of funds for aided schools, saying she has no authority in such matters.

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Delhi: Thousands of farmers march to Parliament protesting against agrarian distress

The protest is being organised by the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, a coalition of 200 farmer groups from across India. Their demands include a joint session of Parliament to discuss the agrarian distress and two Bills tabled in the Lok Sabha, increased minimum support prices, and implementation of the MS Swaminathan Commission report.

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G20 summit: Narendra Modi meets Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UN chief Antonio Guterres

Modi and Salman discussed ways to “boost economic, cultural and energy ties”. The two leaders also discussed enhancing investment in technology, renewable energy and food security over the next three years, PTI reported.

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Johnson & Johnson hip implants: Centre approves compensations between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 1.23 crore

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday approved compensations between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 1.23 crore for patients who received faulty hip implants from Johnson & Johnson before August 2010. The compensation paid will depend on the age and level of disability of the person.

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Gujarat: 11 people sentenced to life imprisonment for burning alive Dalit man in Una in 2012

A mob belonging to the upper caste Koli community had burnt alive Lalji Sarvaiya, 27, in his house in Ankolali village, forcing his family of 14 to flee. The man’s brother Piyush Sarvaiya told Ahmedabad Mirror there was still much to do to rehabilitate the family.

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It is not in Pakistan’s interest to let its soil be used for terror acts, says PM Imran Khan

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said it was not in his country’s interest to allow use of Islamabad’s territory for terror activities outside the country, PTI reported. In an interaction with Indian journalists in Islamabad following the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor, Khan said he looked forward to talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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