The big news: Modi claims normalcy will return to Kashmir in four months, and nine other top stories
Other headlines: A major fire broke out at Mumbai’s Aditya Arcade building, and the World Bank said GST and note ban increased the risks for poorer homes.
A look at the headlines right now:
- At election rally in Maharashtra, PM Narendra Modi challenges Opposition to bring back Article 370: The prime minister claimed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir would become normal in the next four months.
- Three injured as major fire breaks out at Aditya Arcade in Mumbai, all trapped people rescued: The blaze has been brought under control, but rescue operation is still under way.
- World Bank lowers India’s growth rate projection to 6% amid economic slowdown: However, it said that if the monetary policy remains accommodative, the country would gradually recover to 6.9% in 2021 and 7.2% in 2022.
- Western standards of human rights do not apply to India, says Home Minister Amit Shah: In another event, the home minister said fewer RTI queries was a proof of a transparent system of governance.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s niece robbed in Delhi, one of the two accused arrested: Damayanti Ben Modi had reached the city from Amritsar, and was getting out of an autorickshaw when the incident occurred.
- Happiest Muslims are found in India because of Hindus, says RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat: He said that India was the only nation where Jews got shelter when ‘they were wandering’, and Parsis practiced their religion freely.
- Typhoon Hagibis kills nine, triggers,floods and landslides in Japan: Over seven million people were asked to shift to the shelters to prepare for the storm, but reportedly only 50,000 opted to move.
- Dance of dragon, elephant correct choice for China and India, says Chinese President Xi Jinping: Xi said New Delhi and Beijing should not let bilateral disagreements come in the way of strengthening the cooperation.
- India’s fiscal deficit conceals a lot, may push economy to ‘worrisome situation’, says Raghuram Rajan: The former RBI governor attributed the economic slowdown to a decline in investments, consumption and exports, among other things.
- Assam Police arrest nine assaulted by crowd in Hailakandi after locals file complaints: Police and CRPF personnel had rescued six of the nine arrested after a mob attacked them while three others were arrested later.