THE HEADLINES:

• Government approves procurement of 14 lakh metric tonnes of pulses and oilseeds at MSP in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Haryana.
• Full Election Commission to review preparedness for upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar today.
• Centre releases COVID-19 Safe Workplace Guidelines for Industry.
• Tamil Nadu government extends lockdown till October 31st with additional relaxations.
• In IPL Cricket, Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Delhi Capitals by 15 runs in Abu Dhabi.

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In our special series on the occasion of 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, we begin this bulletin with Bapu Ki Baat. Addresing prisoners in a Jail, on 25th October  1947, Mahatma Gandhi had said, crime is a disease and jails should serve to treat the ailment.

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The Government has continued to procure Kharif 2020-21 crops at Minimum Support Price (MSP) from farmers as per its existing MSP Schemes. The Ministry of Agriculture said, based on the proposal from the States, approval has been accorded for procurement of over 14 Lakh Metric Tonnes  of Pulses and Oilseeds  for the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Haryana. It said, for other States and Union Territories, approval will also be accorded on receipt of proposal for Kharif Pulses and Oilseeds.

Inaugurating six mega projects in Uttarakhand under the Namami Gange Mission yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured farmers about continuity of guaranteed Minimum Support Price and government procurements of agri produce.

The Prime Minister said major reforms have been brought to empower farmers, workers, youth and women of the country. He criticized the opposition for launching agitation against the reforms in labour and farm sectors.  

The procurement of Paddy during the Kharif Marketing Season, 2020-21 has started from 26th September in Haryana and Punjab. So far, the Paddy Procurement of 3,164 Metric Tonnes  in Haryana and 13,256 Metric Tonnes in Punjab having MSP value of 31 crore rupees has been done from 1443 farmers of Haryana and Punjab. The procurement of paddy for the remaining States began on Monday.

The Ministry said, so far, the Government through its Nodal Agencies has procured 46.35 Metric Tonnes of Moong having MSP value of 33 lakh rupees benefitting 48 farmers in Tamil Nadu. Similarly, 5089 Metric Tonnes  of copra have been procured benefitting 3961 farmers in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. We spoke to Union Minister Raosaheb Patil Danve about the procurement:

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Full Election Commission led by Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora arrived in Patna last evening to review preparedness for the upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar. The team also comprising Election Commissioners Sushil Chandra and Rajiv Kumar is on a three day tour to the state. Soon after the arrival,  Chief Election Commissioner held a review meeting with Bihar Chief Electoral Officer and nodal officers.

Today, Election Commission team will hold meeting with representatives of different political parties. The team will also hold a review meeting in Patna with DMs and SPs of 26 districts.

Tomorrow, the EC team will go to Gaya where review meeting with DMs and SPs of 12 districts will be held. Before returning to Delhi on Friday, the Chief Election Commissioner will hold review meeting with Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and Director General of police.

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Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar have virtually released a booklet on ‘COVID-19- Safe Workplace Guidelines for Industry’ in the presence of Member (Health) in NITI Aayog, VK Paul.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said, these guidelines are commendable and timely and it will help in welfare of the industrial workers. He said, the guidelines will act as a comprehensive planning guidance for employers and workers to use it to help identify risk levels of Covid-19 at individual workplace settings in their premises and to determine appropriate control measures. The Minister said, these guidelines consolidate all important measures into a ready reckoner of action points to make the workplace safe based on the bulwark of infection control measures like respiratory hygiene, frequent hand washing, social distancing and frequent sanitization of the workplace.

Dr Vardhan said, the Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to the welfare of the workers. He said, as the country is moving towards the unlocking of economic activities, it is important that the guidelines are followed within the industry premises. He added that scientific prevention, precaution and positive attitude will help in the fight against COVID. He also lauded ESIC hospitals which are playing an important role in providing services to the COVID patients.

Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar said, these guidelines for safety of industrial workers will encourage people. He said, it is important to prepare ourselves mentally for the present situation and spread awareness about the COVID appropriate behaviour.

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Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu who underwent a routine COVID-19 test has been tested positive. Vice President’s Secretariat said, Mr Naidu is, asymptomatic and in good health. He has been advised home quarantine. Mr Naidu’s wife Usha Naidu has been tested negative and is in self-isolation.

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The Health Ministry today said that as India witnesses high single day recoveries, several States and UTs are reporting more patients recovering than the new cases. In a tweet, the Ministry said, the average single day recoveries have touched a record high of 90 thousand in the recent days. It said, India’s steep rise in recoveries has been possible due to focussed and effective implementation of Centre-led strategies through a ‘Whole of Government’ approach. The Ministry said, focus on 5Ts- TEST, TRACK, TRACE, TREAT, TECHNOLOGY- has resulted in high level of sustained nation wide outcomes.

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ICMR’s second sero-survey findings released yesterday has revealed that one in 15 individuals aged 10 years and above were estimated to be exposed to SARS-CoV2 by August, showing that a considerable population is still susceptible to COVID-19. Briefing media yesterday, DG ICMR Dr Balram Bhargava said, 6.6 per cent of  over 29 thousand people, aged 10 and above, surveyed from 17th August to 22nd September showed evidence of past exposure to COVID-19 and 7.1 per cent of the adult population, aged 18 and above, also showed evidence of past exposure to it.

He said lockdown, containment and behavioural change at the population level have effectively checked the potential spread of SARS-CoV2. Dr Bhargava said the risk in urban slums was twice than that in non-slum urban areas and four times the risk in rural settings.

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The Uttar Pradesh government will establish L2 level covid hospitals in each and every district of the state for better treatment of Covid patients. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will inaugurate seven hundred bedded L2 level covid hospitals today which will help in strengthening the health services in state.

“These L2 level covid hospitals are in six districts of state which includes Bareilly Sant Kabir Nagar Shamli Amethi Mirzapur and Bhadohi. These hospitals will increase capacity of 700 beds for the treatment of covid patients in  state. Out of these 700 beds 300 beds are in Bareilly, 100 each in Amethi, Shamli and Bhadohi and 50 each in Mirzapur and Sant Kabir Nagar. To provide better health facilities and expert’s advice for the serious patients Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also asked to connect King George Medical University of Lucknow with district hospitals and Sanjay Gandhi postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences with different medical colleges of state through virtual ICU. SUSHIL CHANDRA TIWARI, AIR NEWS, LUCKNOW.” 

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The Madhya Pradesh government has made it mandatory for all nursing homes and private hospitals to display the prescribed rates of treatment of COVID-19 at their reception counter. Prescribed rates of treatment will also have to be provided to the patient and the family of the patients. This order has been issued by the Health Department in compliance with the order of the High Court.

“The state government has also clarified that the rates of Corona treatment should not exceed more than 40 percent of the rates fixed on February 29 this year. The state health Commissioner has instructed the Chief Medical and Health officers of all the districts to ensure that the rates of treatment prescribed for COVID-19 is displayed at the reception counter of all nursing homes and private hospitals.Meanwhile, the numbers of COVID-19 cases in the state climbed up to around 1 lakh 26 thousand after 1 thousand 877 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours. According to the state health bulletin, 2 thousand 433 coronavirus patients were discharged from the hospitals yesterday taking the number of recovered cases in the state to 1 lakh marks. There are now 21 thousand 317 active cases in Madhya Pradesh. Sanjeev Sharma, AIR News, Bhopal.”

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Odisha assembly, that began its monsoon session yesterday,was conducted smoothly amid Covid-19 restrictions. A number of members, including Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik participated in the proceedings through virtual mode.

“The impact of the ill-natured infection was writ large all over the house with members meticulously maintaining protocols of social distancing, face masking and hand sanitizing. In the first half of the sitting that was devoted to the memory of the departed leaders and covid warriors among others, even Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik moved the obituary references through digital mode from his residence. However the house that was united in paying homage in the first half, soon got devided in the second half, with opposition BJP and Congress taking strong exception to the Odisha University (Amendment) Bill 2020, tabled and defended by the BJD government. Amid the uproar, even as a member tore a copy of the contentious bill, the Higher Education Minister sought to allay opposition fear that the bill would dilute the autonomy of the Universities. Girish Chandra Dash, AIR News,  Bhubaneswar.”

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In Gujarat, a total of 1 lakh 15 thousand 859 patients have recovered from Covid-19 till now. The recovery rate has also improved to 85.19 per cent.

“The total cases detected so far in Gujarat have reached up to 1 lakh 36 thousand 4. 1383 patients recovered during the last 24 hours. More than 43 lakh 56 thousand tests have been carried out in the state till date, out of which 62338 tests were carried out yesterday. Maximum 311 new cases reported from Surat. At present total active cases in the state are 16703, out of which 89 patients are on ventilator. 11 patients died yesterday taking the total deaths due to Covid19 up to 3442. Meanwhile, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has added 15 new areas in the micro containment zone following detection of new cases. Yogesh Pandya, AIR News, Ahmedabad.”

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The civic corporation in Mumbai announced that people not wearing masks will not be allowed entry inside public transport buses, taxis and rickshaws. Officials said malls, offices and societies, among others, will paste ‘no mask, no entry’ stickers as part of the measures taken to increase awareness among people.

Among rising cases of Coronvirus in the metropolis and people’s careless attitude towards it, the civic body would now forcefully make people wear mask in public places to control the spread of deadly virus.  Chahal asked civic officials to enforce fines for mask violations strictly. Between April 1 and September 26, the civic body has fined 14,000 people in the metropolis for not wearing masks in public and collected nearly 53 lakh from them. BEST general manager Surendrakumar Bagde said the decision would be implemented strictly on the civic-run metropolitan bus service. Devapriyo Bhattacharjee, AIR NEWS, Mumbai.”

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The Home department of Maharashtra government has issued guidelines for the upcoming Navratri and Dussehra festivals and urged people to celebrate them in a low-key manner due to the coronavirus outbreak. The government suggested to organise health and blood donation camps instead of dandiya, garba and cultural events involving mass participation. The state home department also asked, festival organisers and mandals to spread awareness about COVID-19, malaria and dengue among other diseases. As per the guidelines, the height of Goddess Durga idols installed in pandals has been capped at four feet and household ones at two feet.

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Tamil Nadu Government has extended the lockdown till October 31st with additional relaxations. In a statement yesterday in Chennai, Chief Minister Edappady Palaniswamy said the relaxations are aimed at boosting the state economy. 

“Notable among the relaxations include the doubling of the arrival of domestic flights at Chennai Airport to a hundred a day. The working hours for the hotels and tea stalls have been extended. All educational institutions, cinema halls, tourist places, beaches and museums will continue to remain closed. The Chennai suburban train service will continue to remain suspended. Earlier, shooting for the small screen has been permitted. Now it is extended to the silver screen a well, with the cap of a hundred people at a time at work. Reopening of schools and colleges will have to wait for more time, as the government plans to consult the parents before taking a call on it. Jayasingh, AIR News, Chennai.”

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In Karnataka, highest number of single day surge in Covid 19 cases were reported yesterday. The state reported 10,453 new Covid  cases taking the tally  to 5,92,911. Bengaluru city alone recorded 4,868 cases.

“Karnataka Medical Education Minister Dr. K.Sudhakar reviewed the situation yesterday on measures to contain the pandemic in the state. He has warned of stern action against  people who flout social distancing norms in public places.  Speaking to media after the meeting with expert committee regarding Covid -19,  the Minister said that State Government is pondering on imposing strict fine on those who flout the social distancing norms in public places.  A detailed directive will be out in a few days.  He also said that the government has plans to organize awareness programmes jointly in cooperation with cinema stars, religious heads, political leaders and artists on Covid 19 preventive measures. He appealed to public to follow home quarantine norms, wear mask, sanitise hands and maintain social distance in public places. R. MURTHY, AIR NEWS, BENGALURU.”

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President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have expressed condolences on the passing away of Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah who died in a hospital in the United States yesterday. He was 91.

In a tweet, Mr Modi described him as a beloved leader of the Arab world and a close friend of India. The Prime Minister said in this moment of grief our thoughts are with the Al-Sabah family and the people of Kuwait. He said the late leader played a leading role in strengthening bilateral relations and always took special care of the Indian community in Kuwait.

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On this day in 1932, Harijan Sevak Sangh was founded, when Gandhi Ji was in Yervada Jail, Pune and on fast. The immediate historical background dates back to the Second Round Table Conference in London in 1931 when Gandhi ji had opposed the segregation of the depressed classes of the Hindu community into a separate electoral group. Gandhi Ji saw in it a sinister device of the British government to create a split in the Hindu community in furtherance of its policy of divide and rule.

 “The Sangh was established to combat untouchability and a new weekly paper, the Harijan, was started. Harijan means children of God,  it was Gandhi Ji’s name for the untouchables. On 20th September 1932, when the fast began, was observed as a day of fasting and prayer. At Shantiniketan, poet Tagore, dressed in black, spoke to a large gathering on the significance of the fast and the urgency of fighting an age-old evil. There was a spontaneous upsurge of feeling, temples, wells and public places were thrown open to the untouchables. A number of Hindu leaders met the representatives of the untouchables; an alternative electoral arrangement was agreed upon, and received the approval of the British Government before Gandhi broke his fast.The scrapping of separate electorates was only the beginning of the end of untouchability. Gandhi Ji always said, so long as the Hindus wilfully regard untouchability as part of their religion, so long as the mass of Hindus consider it a sin to touch a section of their brethren, Swaraj is impossible of attainment. Swaraj is as much for the untouchable as for the touchable. With Veerendra, Anupam Mishra, AIR News, Delhi.”

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Hudali village near Belagavi district in Karnataka is a living monument of Gandhian way of life. It has imbibed Gandhian Philosophy and continues to live in the Gandhian way, even today. Mahatma Gandhi had spent a few days in the village in 1937 and introduced charkha and Khadi.

President of Karnataka Sarvodaya Mandali L.Narasimhaiah spoke to AIR News on how Hudali village even today follows Gandhi and his ideals and has become a proponent of village industry.

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The newly-launched alliance of the major Opposition parties in Pakistan yesterday announced that it will hold its first public rally against the Imran Khan-led government on October 11.

The country’s main Opposition parties last week launched the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an alliance to hold a countrywide protest movement to oust the ruling government.

A 26-point joint resolution was adopted by the All Parties Conference (APC) on September 20th, which was hosted by the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) and attended by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) and several other parties.

Meanwhile Pakistan’s Leader of the Opposition and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Chief Shahbaz Sharif,  the younger brother of three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, was sent on a 14-day physical remand yesterday by court in assets beyond means and money laundering case, a day after he was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in Lahore.

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In IPL Cricket, Rashid Khan’s brilliant performance and Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s gutsy show with the ball guided Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to a 15 run win over Delhi Capitals (DC) in Abu Dhabi last night.

Rashid took three key wickets of Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, and Rishabh Pant to hand Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) their first win of the tournament. He was adjudged the Man of the Match.

Defending the total, leg-spinner Rashid (3/14) returned with three crucial wickets, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/25) scalped two and T Natarajan and Khaleel Ahmed took 1 wicket each to restrict Delhi Capitals to 147 for 7 in 20 overs for a deserving win.

Earlier after being asked to bat first, Jonny Bairstow (53 off 48), scored his second fifty of the tournament while David Warner (45 off 33 balls) and Kane Williamson (41 off 26 ) also came up with valuable contributions, helping Sunrisers Hyderabad post a competitive 162 for the loss of 4 wickets in 20 overs.

Earlier, Delhi Capitals won the toss and elected to bowl.

In today’s fixture, Rajasthan Royals will take on Kolkata Knight Riders in Dubai.

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In French Open Tennis, World number one Djokovic, eased past Sweden’s Mikael Ymer, ranked 80, in straight sets 6-Nil, 6-2, 6-3. It was his 32nd win in 33 matches in 2020 and kept him on course for a second French Open title following his 2016 triumph, and 18th career major.

Earlier, Seventh seed Matteo Berrettini of Italy also won before rain suspended play on the outside courts.

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Today’s weather forecast

The National Capital Delhi will have mainly clear sky. The minimum temperature was recorded at 23 degree Celsius and maximum is expected to be around 37 degree.

In Mumbai, there will be rain or thundershowers would occur towards afternoon or evening. The minimum temperature was 25 degree Celsius and the maximum will be around 32 degree.

Chennai will have generally cloudy sky with light rain or Drizzle. The temperature is likely to hover between 27 and 35 degree Celsius.

Kolkata will witness partly cloudy sky with possibility of moderate rain or thunderstorm. The minimum temperature in the metropolis was 27 degree celsius while the maximum is expected to be around 34 degree.

On to the North, in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the minimum temperature was 21 degree Celsius in Jammu while the maximum will be around 35 degree. The city is likely to have mainly clear sky.

In Srinagar, the minimum temperature was around 9 degree Celsius while the maximum will be around 27 degree. The city will have mainly clear sky becoming partly cloudy towards afternoon or evening.

Ladakh will have mainly clear sky. The temperature is likely to hover between 2 and 22 degree Celsius.

In Gilgit, the temperature is likely to hover between 11 and 26 degree Celsius. It will have Partly cloudy sky becoming generally cloudy towards afternoon or evening or night.

In Muzzafarabad, there will be mainly clear sky becoming partly cloudy towards afternoon or evening. The temperature is likely to hover between 15 and 33 degree Celsius.

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Newspaper Headlines

• India rejecting China’s ‘unilateral’ claims on the LAC gets highlighted by newspapers.

• “Never accepted unilaterally defined 1959 LAC: India on China’s assertion” headlines the Statesman.  “India retorts as China provokes” writes the Pioneer. The Asian Age quotes the IAF Chief – “Uneasy ‘no war, no peace’ in Ladakh now”. 

• The Asian Age reports “Jaishanker in Tokyo on Oct 6-7: ‘Quad’ to send signal to China” — Quad here referring to the US, India, Japan & Australia.

• Several papers highlight the outrage over the death of a 19 year old Dalit rape victim. “Gang-raped & tortured, Dalit teen dies after 15-day battle” headlines the Times of India.  “Hathras Nirbhaya succumbs to brutality” reports the Pioneer.

• The Financial Express writes “Over 9 crore infected shows (ICMR’s second National) Sero Survey”. The Asian Age reveals “One in every 15 individuals has been exposed to Covid 19 virus by August”.

• The Hindustan Times reports “women outwork men 10 times to one when it comes to unpaid house chores says a government report.”

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THE HEADLINES,

• Prime Minister  Narendra Modi  to inaugurate six mega projects in Uttarakhand under Namami Gange Mission today through video conference.

• India and Denmark to work in close partnership in addressing global challenges and solutions on green energy transition and climate change.

• Defence Acquisition Council approves proposals for capital acquisition of equipment worth 2,290 crore rupees.

• COVID-19 recovery rate reaches 82.58 per cent.

• In IPL Cricket, Delhi Capitals to take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in Abu Dhabi today.

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In our special series on the occasion of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, we begin this bulletin with Bapu Ki Baat. In his speech, Mahatma Gandhi had talked about striving for other’s welfare even while facing difficulties. 

“अगर मुझको ज़्यादा दिनों तक जिंदा रहने की तमन्ना होनी चाहिए तो इसी शर्त से हो सकती है कि हां मैं जो कुछ भी काम कर रहा हूं वह लोगों को भाता है, लोगों को उसमें से शक नहीं पैदा होता है और समझते हैं कि यह गांधी जी हमकों यह काम कराने को कहते हैं तो उसमें हम ऊंचे जाने वाले हैं, हम कभी नीचे नहीं जाएंगे। अगर यह किया तो हिन्दुस्तान का तो भला होता ही है तब आप जगत का भला कर सकते हैं।“

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate six mega projects in Uttarakhand under the Namami Gange Mission today through video conference.

In all, 30 projects  are now complete in Uttarakhand for taking care of pollution from 17 towns near the river Ganga. This is a landmark achievement.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate “Ganga Avalokan”. A museum located at Chandi Ghat, Haridwar.

A book, ‘Rowing down the Ganges’, co-published by the National Mission for Clean Ganga and Wildlife Institute of India and the logo of Jal Jeevan Mission and ‘Margdarshika for Gram Panchayats and Paani Samitis will also be unveiled by the Prime Minister.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Denmark counterpart Mette Frederiksen held a virtual bilateral summit yesterday. In his opening remarks during the Summit, Prime Minister Modi said that the virtual summit will not only prove to be useful for India-Denmark relations, but will also help in creating a common approach towards global challenges.

He said, collaboration among like-minded countries in vaccine development will help in dealing with the Corona pandemic. Prime Minister Modi said that during the pandemic, India’s pharma production capability has been useful to the entire world.

“पिछले कई महीने की घटनाओं ने यह स्पष्ट कर दिया है कि हमारे जैसे लाइक–माइंडेड देशों का जो एक रूल्स–बेस्ट ट्रांस्पेरेंट, ह्यूमैनिटेरियन और डेमोक्रेटिक वैल्यू सिस्टम शेयर करते हैं साथ मिलकर काम करना कितना आवश्यक है। वैक्सीन डेवलेपमेंट में भी लाइक माइंडेड कंट्रीज़ के बीच कोलैबोरेशन से इस पैनडैमिक से निपटने में मदद मिलेगी। इस महामारी के दौरान भारत की फार्मा उत्पादन क्षमताएं पूरे विश्व के लिये उपयोगी रही हैं। हम यही प्रयास वैक्सीन के क्षेत्र में भी कर रहे हैं। हमारे आत्मनिर्भर भारत अभियान का भी यही प्रयास है कि प्रमुख आर्थिक क्षेत्रों में भारत की क्षमताएं बढ़ें और वे विश्व के भी काम आएं।“

In her opening remarks, Denmark Prime Minister said that the Summit is a milestone in their bilateral relations, and their forward-looking agreement on green strategic partnership. She said, COVID-19 has posed a challenge to all which the world has to deal with unitedly.

In a Joint Statement for India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership, the two Prime Ministers confirmed the close partnership in addressing global challenges and solutions on green energy transition and climate change. India and Denmark also agreed to be at the forefront in the global fight against climate change. Both countries have set very ambitious national targets on climate and energy that will contribute to an ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement.

The two Prime Ministers also agreed to join efforts and initiatives to support and promote a rule-based multilateral system.

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The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved proposals for capital acquisition of various equipment required by the Indian Armed Forces at an approximate cost of 2,290 crore rupees. These include procurement from Domestic Industry as well as Foreign vendors. The DAC meeting was chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh yesterday.

Under the Buy Indian category, the DAC approved procurement of Static HF Trans-receiver sets and Smart Anti Airfield Weapon. The HF radio sets will enable seamless communication for the field units of Army and Air Force and are being procured at an approximate cost of 540 crore rupees. The Smart Anti Airfield Weapon being procured at an approximate cost of 970 crore rupees will add to the fire power of Navy and Airforce.

Further, to equip the Frontline Troops of the Army the DAC also accorded approval for procurement of SIG SAUER Assault Rifles at a cost of approximately 780 crore rupees.

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The COVID-19 recovery rate in the country has reached 82.58 per cent. The total number of recoveries from COVID-19 in India yesterday crossed the landmark milestone of 50 lakh. The Health Ministry said, over 50 lakh 16 thousand people have been cured so far. The Ministry said, 10 lakh recoveries were added in just 11 days. It said, India is continuously witnessing a very high level of more than 90 thousand recoveries every day recently. Recovered cases have outpaced active cases by more than five times.

During the last 24 hours, more than 74 thousand people have recovered. India’s COVID-19 tally has crossed 60 lakh with 82 thousand 170 new infections being reported in a day.

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India has witnessed close to 100 per cent increase in recoveries in the past month. More than 82 per cent of total cases, exceeding 50 lakhs, have recovered and have been discharged. The Health Ministry today said, active cases are a small proportion and less than one fifth of total cases.

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In a discussion with AIR News, Dr. Rajendra K Dhameeja Neurologist, Lady Hardinge Medical College, clarified the misconception about wearing a mask. He said that wearing a mask is the best social vaccine to stay safe from the Coronavirus infection.

A total of one thousand 84 new confirmed cases of Corona virus infection were reported in Delhi in the last 24 hours taking the total number of cases to over two lakh 73 thousand. The Delhi Government said that over two lakh 40 thousand people affected with Corona virus have been cured so far. In the last 24 hours, four thousand 52 people recovered and 37 deaths were reported in the National Capital taking the toll to five thousand 272.

Presently, the total number of active cases in the National Capital is over 27 thousand.

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In Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed to prepare a special strategy for COVID control in Lucknow, Kanpur city and Meerut districts. These districts have seen a surge in the number of new COVID cases recently. The Chief Minister said the state has been able to control the spread of the pandemic to a great extent. This is a good sign that the number of active cases has come down during the last one week. It clearly shows that the strategy with regard to Corona control has been effective.  More from our correspondent:

“The strategy of UP Government for curbing the spread of infection is providing positive results now. Despite having the highest number of COVID tests per day in the country which is more than 1. 5 lakh per day positivity rate is coming down and the recovery rate has reached 84.75 per cent. From 18th of this month, the number of new COVID cases is less than the patients recovered per day. The Chief Minister has appointed special officers in those 16 districts which have more than 100 new cases per day. One Principal Secretary, one Special Secretary, one health specialist and one medical education expert are camping in these districts. State currently has 53,953 active COVID patients and with 60 new deaths the toll has reached 5,652. SUSHIL CHANDRA TIWARI, AIR NEWS, LUCKNOW”.

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In Madhya Pradesh, the number of patients recovering from Corona virus infection has crossedthe  one lakh mark. More in this report:

“The number of infected patients has come down to less than two thousand in Madhya Pradesh after several days. The positivity rate has also come down to nine per cent. With more than 21 thousand tests conducted in the state yesterday, the total number of tests in the state has exceeded 20 lakhs. Meanwhile, the numbers of COVID-19 cases in the state climbed up to around one lakh 24 thousand after one thousand 957 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours. With 35 patients succumbing to the infection, the death toll rose to two thousand 242. Maximum 23 thousand people have been infected in Indore. Sanjeev Sharma, AIR News, Bhopal”.

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The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir yesterday reported 824 fresh cases of Corona Virus taking the total number of positive cases due to the dreaded virus to 73,014. AIR Correspondent reports that 14 people also died of the deadly Novel Corona virus across the UT, taking the death toll to 1,146, including 320 in Jammu and 826 in Kashmir division.

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In Gujarat, total one lakh 14 thousand 476 patients have recovered from COVID-19 so far. The state recovery rate has crossed 85 per cent. More from our correspondent:

“The total cases detected so far in Gujarat have gone up to one lakh 34 thousand 631. In all, 1,336 patients recovered during the last 24 hours. More than 61 thousand 300 tests were carried out yesterday. Maximum 299 new cases were reported from Surat. At present, total active cases in the state are 16,716. Twelve patients died yesterday taking the total deaths due to COVID-19 up to 3,431. A complete close down has been imposed in 27 areas of Ahmedabad after 10 p.m. to contain the infection. Medical shops will be exempted during this overnight close down. Yogesh Pandya, AIR News, Ahmedabad”.

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In Maharashtra, the State Government is soon expected to come up with a decision to open hotels and restaurants which have been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic since the last six months. More from our correspondent:

“The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India, HRAWI, President Sherry Bhatia said, the CM has assured them that restaurants will be allowed to re-open in the first week of October. However, the CM has reiterated on the restaurants’ responsibility towards their customers’ health and safety. Bhatia said, the Chief Minister has also agreed to consider the industry association’s petition for the waiver of excise licence fees for a period of six months, the duration for which establishments were required to be kept shut. The Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association, AHAR said, the announcement will bring in a huge relief to the industry that is reeling under a financial mess because of the lockdown. DEVAPRIYO BHATTACHARJEE, AIR NEWS, MUMBAI”.

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In Tamil Nadu, the rank list for Engineering Admissions has been released by the State Department of Higher Education last evening, overcoming the hurdles of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the total caseload of COVID-19 infection in the state has crossed the five lakh eighty six thousand mark. More from our correspondent:

“Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the State Higher Education Department has released the rank list of undergraduate engineering aspirants. It is a crucial step just before the process of the counselling for the admission. This year, most of the processes like submission of applications, paying the registration fees and uploading of certificates were done through online mode. Out of the nearly 1.61 lakh applications received this year for Engineering Admissions in government-run institutions and for the government quota seats in private colleges, over 1.12 lakh were found eligible. Among the top ten rank-holders, except one student each from Chennai, Madurai and Coimbatore, all others are from small towns and remote villages. Jayasingh, AIR News, Chennai”.

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In Karnataka, 6,892 new COVID-19 active cases were reported yesterday taking the tally to 5,82,458.  On the other hand, 7,509 people recovered from the disease and were discharged from the hospitals and the total discharged people have gone up to 4,69,750. The state recovery rate is 80.65 per cent. At present, 1,04,048 active patients are taking treatment across the state.

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In Mizoram, 50 more Corona virus cases have been detected in the past 24 hours. With this, the total number of COVID-19 cases has reached 1,958 in the state.

According to the official statement, so far 1,459 patients have been discharged after recovery while 499 patients are presently undergoing treatment.

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In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan Army troops initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing with small arms and heavy mortar shelling along the Line of Control in Mankote sector of district Poonch in the wee hours today. Public Relations Officer (Defence) Colonel Davinder Anand said, Pakistan Army troops initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing with small arms and thereafter heavy mortar shelling along the LoC in yet another ceasefire violation at 0430 hours. There are no reports of damage to property or loss of any on the Indian side so far.

The exchange of fire continued till reports last came in. More details are awaited.

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In Gujarat, three people including a woman died in a building collapse incident in the Bawamanpura area of Vadodara city. The incident occurred late midnight. According to sources, the three-storey building was about three decades old and under renovation. Several vehicles parked near the building were also damaged in the incident.

Fire and Emergency Services personnel rushed to the spot and began rescue operations. Several others are feared trapped in the debris. Two injured persons have been admitted to the SSG hospital in the city. More details are awaited.

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Following the withdrawal of the call to boycott the ensuing election of Leh Hill Council, the Minister of state for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy visited Leh yesterday. 

In a joint Press Conference with the Apex body, he personally conveyed the assurances given to the veteran leaders of Ladakh by Home Minister Amit Shah about the constitutional safeguards to Ladakh and other development plans.

Mr. Reddy said that the Union Government will not only consult, but also take consent of people of Ladakh. He also said, the Union Government will soon announce development package for Ladakh.

The Apex Body leader and former Member of Parliament Thupstan Chhewang said that the talks with Home Minister Amit Shah were conducive and friendly.

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The Union Home Ministry has sanctioned  three new National Investigation Agency (NIA) branches. They will be at Imphal, Chennai and Ranchi. The opening of new branches  will help in ensuring quick response to any emergent situation in the concerned states by the premier anti-terror investigation agency. The decision will also strengthen the NIA’s capability in the investigation of terrorism-related cases and other national security-related matters.

Currently, the NIA has nine branches besides specialized units at Headquarters, New Delhi.

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In Maharashtra, a delegation of Congress leaders from the state met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai yesterday and demanded withdrawal of the Centre’s new laws related to the agriculture sector.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, who was part of the delegation, alleged that these laws were passed in Parliament hurriedly without listening to views of parties opposing them.

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The Monsoon Session of the Odisha Assembly is beginning from today. The short duration session with a total of eight sittings will continue till the 7th of October including on Sunday.

“The session is going to be short, but will however be long enough for a number of live issues like COVID-19 management, hike in electricity tariff and the agriculture bills to make their presence felt on the floor. The session without any question-hour will have other customary provisions like the calling attention and adjournment motion. A number of ordinances are lined up to be tabled in the house for discussion. While the session is to be conducted with all COVID-19 protocols in place, some aged members including those who have tested positive for the virus may take to the virtual mode to participate in the deliberations. Girish Chandra Dash, Bhubaneswar”.

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Today is World Heart Day, aimed at drawing people’s attention to heart ailments and the whole range of associated health issues. This initiative was launched in 2000 by the World Heart Federation as an annual event and gets celebrated on the 29th day of September ever since. We have a report:

“World Heart Day is commemorated to promote different preventative steps and changes in lifestyle to avoid any cardiovascular diseases, like heart attack, stroke, heart failure and any other condition related to the same. On an average, more than 17 million people die from heart-related illnesses every year. Various organizations celebrate World Heart Day from all over the globe by organizing activities like marathons, walks, public talks, fitness sessions, exhibitions and science fairs. There are several ways one can be more attentive to their heart health, like partaking in physical exercises, stop smoking, quit alcohol and start eating a healthy diet. It is advisable for every individual to have their heart, blood pressure and cholesterol checked frequently. TANVI KHURANA, AIR NEWS, DELHI”.

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The Union Secretary of Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Dr. Guruprasad Mohapatra yesterday chaired a meeting of the Empowered Committee for consideration of registration of manufacturing and service sector Units under Industrial Development Scheme-2017 of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

During the meeting, 29 cases of the Union Territory were placed before the Empowered Committee for consideration of registration under IDS-2017, of which 13 cases from Jammu and 16 from Kashmir Division were cleared. The total investment in the cases cleared by the Empowered Committee is to the tune of 79.62 crore rupees and these units will be able to generate employment for about 629 persons.

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In Indian Premier League cricket, Delhi Capitals will take on Sun Risers Hyderabad at Abu Dhabi this evening.

Earlier, Royal Challengers Bangalore Skipper Virat Kohli hailed young pacer Navdeep Saini’s brilliant Super Over that helped his side win the pulsating match against Mumbai Indians in Dubai last night.

RCB defeated Mumbai Indians via Super Over after the original game was tied. Saini bowled the Super Over for RCB conceding only seven runs and Kohli finished the game with a last ball boundary off Jasprit Bumrah.

Chasing the victory target of 202 runs set by RCB, Mumbai Indians made 201 for five wickets in 20 overs. For Mumbai, Ishan Kishan was the highest scorer with 99 runs off 58 balls.

Put in to bat, RCB had also scored 201 runs for three wickets in stipulated 20 overs.  For Bangalore, A. B. De Villiers was the highest scorer with 55 runs off 24 balls coupled with two more fine half centuries by openers Devdutt Padikkal and Aaron Finch.

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In Tennis, Rafael Nadal started his quest for a record-extending 13th French Open with a straightforward 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 first-round win against Belarusian Egor Gerasimov last night. In another first round match of Men’s Singles, A. Bublic defeated G. Monfils 6-4, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.

In Women’s Singles, Serena Williams, G. Muguruza and Amanda Anisimova progressed to the second round.

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THE HEADLINES,

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi says freedom from Mandi restrictions will benefit farmers.
• Centre releases first installment of over 19 thousand  Crore Rupees for Paddy procurement in three states under MSP Scheme.
• Paddy procurement touches all time high of over 32 Lakh metric tonnes in Tamil Nadu.
• Health Minister Harsh Vardhan says India is still far away from achieving Herd Immunity against Coronavirus.
• India’s total COVID-19 recovery crosses 50 lakh mark.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold Virtual Bilateral Summit  with his Danish counterpart  today.
• Nation pays homage to revolutionary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh on his 113th birth anniversary.

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In our special series on the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, we begin this bulletin with ‘Bapu Ki Baat’. In a Speech at Inter-Asian Relations Conference, Mahatma Gandhi had spoken about the villages of India.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that freedom from Mandi restrictions will benefit the farmers. In his Mann Ki Baat program yesterday, the Prime Minister said, a large number of farmers have benefited from being allowed to sell their produce outside the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees or mandies. He said, in 2014, fruits and vegetables were excluded from the APMC Act, which greatly benefited the farmers. The Prime Minister cited example of farmers from Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh who narrated how they had benefited and made higher profits by selling their produce directly to buyers. Prime Minister Modi said the farmers will now be out of the clutches of the middle men and will get remunerative prices. 

The Prime Minister lauded farmers for strengthening the country’s agricultural sector and said the farm sector played a major role in building a self reliant India. He added even in this hour of Corona crisis, agricultural sector has shown its resilience. 

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National Cooperative Development Corporation, NCDC has sanctioned the first installment fund of 19 thousand 444 crore rupees to three states for Kharif paddy procurement under Minimum Support Price operations. These states are Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Telangana. Agriculture Ministry said, these amounts have been sanctioned to assist the States and State Marketing Federations in undertaking paddy procurement operations in a timely manner through their respective cooperative organizations. Chhattisgarh gets the highest amount to the tune of nine thousand crore rupeess. Telangana has been sanctioned five thousand 500 crores and Haryana five thousand 444 crore. The Ministry said, this proactive step by NCDC during the COVID pandemic will give the much needed financial support to farmers of these three states who account for nearly 75 per cent of production of paddy in the country. Managing Director, NCDC, Sundeep Nayak said that in response to the clarion call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, NCDC was ready to assist more States in carrying out MSP operations for giving fair value to farmers in the light of the historic farm related legislations.

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In Tamil Nadu, the procurement of paddy from farmers by the government has exceeded all previous years’ record, despite the ongoing pandemic.  State Food Minister Kamraj said, the figure has reached about 32.24 lakh metric tonnes so far and is set to go up. The Koyambedu Wholesale Market in Chennai, considered one of the biggest in Asia, reopened this morning, after a gap of about five months. It was closed in early May due to the pandemic.

“The farmers seem to have prevailed over the pandemic as Covid-19 has failed to dampen the agriculture sector. It is more so in the field of paddy cultivation, as indicated by the latest data. The state Food Minister Kamaraj told reporters at Tiruvarur in the Delta that the paddy procurement this season so far has exceeded 32.24 lakh metric tonnes. He said this is the highest quantity of paddy procurement from the farmers by the state government. He further said the paddy would possibly fetch more prices from October 1st as the price for the kharif season would apply from next month. The inflow of the food grains to the procurement centres may further go up from then.  Jayasingh, AIR News, Chennai“.

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Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan has said that India is still far from achieving herd immunity against COVID-19 and people should continue to follow coronavirus norms laid out by the government. He said, even the soon-to-be-released second sero survey indicates  that we are far from having achieved any kind of herd immunity which necessitates that all of us should continue following COVID-appropriate behaviour. Dr. Harsh Vardhan was answering questions posed by his social media interactors in the third episode of Sunday Samvaad yesterday. Dr Harsh Vardhan said, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is actively investigating and researching reports of COVID-19 reinfection. He said, although the number of reinfection cases is negligible at this moment, the government is fully seized of the matter. Dr Harsh Vardhan stressed that plasma therapy and Remdesivir should not be encouraged for COVID-19 treatment. He said, private hospitals have also been advised against routine use of these investigational therapies. Health Minister said, the government is committed to increase the public healthcare spending from the existing 1.15 per cent of the GDP to 2.5 per cent by 2025. He added the 15th Finance Commission’s high-level group on health has concurred that health care spending must be raised substantially in the next five years keeping in mind the ongoing pandemic. Dr Harsh Vardhan said that States have been advised to lower the prices of COVID tests.

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India’s total recovery of Covid-19 cases today crossed the landmark milestone of 50 lakh. In a tweet, the Health Ministry said, the rise from one lakh in June this year has been steep. The last 10 lakh recoveries were added in just 11 days. The Ministry said, India has witnessed a very high level of more than 90 thousand recoveries every day recently. Recovered cases have outpaced the active cases by more than five times. Health Ministry said, the commendable feat has been achieved through enhanced medical infrastructure, implementation of Standard Treatment Protocol, full dedication and commitment of Doctors, paramedics and frontline workers.

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Talking to All India Radio News, Dr. AK Varshney of RML Hospital, Delhi spoke about the precautions to keep ourselves safe from COVID-19 infection especially in the upcoming winter season. He said, people must follow all Covid related advice like wearing a mask and maintaining physical distancing.

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A total of three thousand 292 fresh cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Delhi yesterday taking the infection tally in the national capital to over two lakh 71 thousand. The Delhi Government has said that over two lakh 36 thousand people affected with Coronavirus have been cured so far.

In the last 24 hours, three thousand 739 people recovered and 42 deaths were reported in the National Capital taking the death toll to five thousand 235. Presently, the total number of active cases in Delhi is 29 thousand 228.

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In Himachal Pradesh, 195 fresh COVID-19 cases were detected yesterday, taking the tally to 14,191 . The death toll due to covid-19 in the state has risen to 170 with 11 more fatalities. Three deaths were reported from Shimla, two each from Kangra and Mandi and one each from Chamba, Kullu, Solan and Sirmaur. 629 patients recovered yesterday, bringing the total recoveries in the state to 10,339.Currently, 3,657 active cases are being treated in the state.

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Madhya Pradesh government will honour Corona warriors from the medical field in the state capital  Bhopal today. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will present a letter of appreciation to all the doctors and health workers who contributed during the pandemic.

“The Chief Minister will interact with Corona warriors, who contributed a lot in rendering their services in handling the Covid-19 pandemic. The program will be jointly organized by Medical Education and Public Health & Family Welfare departments. Meanwhile, the numbers of COVID-19 cases in the state climbed up to 1 lakh 22 thousand after 2 thousand 310 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours. With 26 patients succumbing to the infection, the death toll rose to 2 thousand 207. As per the state health bulletin, 2 thousand 81 coronavirus patients were discharged from the hospitals in the past 24 hours taking the number of recovered cases in the state to around 97 thousand 571. There are now 22 thousand 431 active cases in Madhya Pradesh. Sanjeev Sharma, AIR News, Bhopal.”

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In Gujarat, the Crime Branch of Rajkot Police has busted black marketing racket of life-saving Remdesivir injections. Police has nabbed five people including a woman in this connection. The state  reported 1411 new cases of Covid-19 during the last 24 hours.

“The total cases detected so far in Gujarat have reached up to 1 lakh 33 thousand 219. With the recovery of 1231 patients yesterday, the recovery rate has further improved and reached up to 84.93 percent. Total 1 lakh 13 thousand 140 patients have been recovered in the state till now. More than 42 lakh 32 thousand tests have been carried out in the state till date, out of which 60357 tests were carried out yesterday. At present total active cases in the state are 16660, out of which 86 patients are on ventilator. 10 patients died yesterday taking the total deaths due to Covid19 up to 3419. Yogesh Pandya, AIR News, Ahmedabad”.

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Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said that the Home department is keeping a close vigil on the health service sector of the state to curb any mal practice. He said the state is taking several measures to keep a check on overcharging by health service providers which includes sting operations and also launch of a toll free number for public for registering complaints pertaining to over charging.

“Deshmukh said there are many hospitals which are providing services as per govt norms. He said the govt has taken a note of such socially conscious hospitals, but there are some private hospitals, testing laboratories and plasma laboratories who are looting people. He said officials from FDA, Municipal and Police administrations will be made to visit private hospitals in Nagpur city from Monday. He said the citizens can also register their complaints at toll free number 100 or in an alternative whatsapp number. The administration has decided to intensify their effort by introducing a series of new measures which includes stamping of the infected patient in home quarantine for ease in identification and fining them if they are found to be out in public places, 500 rs fine for anyone not using a mask in public places and registration of any complaints through toll free numbers. Devapriyo Bhattacharjee, AIR News, Mumbai”.

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In Karnataka 9,543 fresh Covid  cases were reported yesterday taking the tally to 5,75,566. On the other hand 6,522 people  recovered from the disease and were discharged. As many as 1,04,724 active patients are taking treatment at various hospitals in the State. 79 covid patients lost their life and the total fatalities have gone up to 8,582.

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In view of the prevailing pandemic, Odisha Government is launching Radio Pathshala program for students upto class 8 from today. The program will be broadcast on All India Radio stations in the state for 15 minutes daily.

“Even as covid-19 continues to ride the crest in Odisha, the School and Mass Education department has turned to All India Radio as an effective medium for learning for about 60 lakh students in the government and aided schools across the state. More than ten Akashvani Kendras in the state will carry the classes between 10 to 1015 hours daily  from Monday to Friday beginning today. The audio of the program will also be made available on the online DIKSHA platform for the students for whom schools have been kept out of bounds since March this year. The government has already cut the school syllabus down by 30% for 2020-21 academic session. Girish Chandra Dash, bhubaneswar”.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen will hold a Virtual Bilateral Summit today. An MoU in the field of intellectual property cooperation between the two countries will be signed on the occasion. Our Correspondent reports that during the summit, another major outcome will be the joining of International Solar Alliance, ISA by Denmark.

“The Bilateral Summit will give an opportunity to the two leaders to comprehensively review the broad framework of the bilateral relationship in the context of the time-tested friendly ties between the two countries. Bilateral trade in goods and services between India and Denmark has grown by over 30 per cent to 3.68 billion dollars in 2019. Around 200 Danish companies have invested in India in different sectors including shipping, renewable energy, environment, agriculture, food processing and smart urban development. Several major Danish companies have built new manufacturing factories under the Make in India scheme. Around 25 Indian companies are also present in Denmark in IT, renewable energy and engineering. With Dipendra Kumar, Suparna Saikia, AIR News Delhi“.

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The Nation pays homage to the revolutionary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh on his 113th birth anniversary today. It was on this day in 1907, Bhagat Singh was born in Banga village of Lyallpur district of undivided Punjab province. He fought against the British rule for the country’s independence and was hanged in Lahore jail at the age of 23, along with Rajguru and Sukhdev.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Bhagat Singh and highlighted his contributions to India’s freedom struggle. In his Mann Ki Baat programme yesterday, the Prime Minister described the great freedom fighter as a symbol of bravery and courage. Prime Minister Modi said another beautiful aspect of Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s life was that he very well understood the importance of teamwork, be it dedication towards Lala Lajpat Rai, or his attachment with Chandrashekhar Azad, Sukhdev and Rajguru and other freedom fighters.

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Home Minister Amit Shah paid a tribute to freedom fighter Shaheed Bhagat Singh on his birth anniversary. In a tweet, the Home Minister expressed his gratitude to Shaheed Bhagat Singh who gave a new direction to freedom struggle through his revolutionary ideas and supreme sacrifice and awakened resolve of independence amongst the youth of the country. The Home Minister said, Bhagat Singh will always remain a source of inspiration for everyone.

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BJP President JP Nadda also paid a tribute to Shaheed Bhagat Singh on his birth anniversary. In a tweet, the BJP president  said, he was a great revolutionary freedom fighter, who raised his voice against the British rule at a young age. He said, the stories of Bhagat Singh’s indomitable courage and valor still awakens the patriotism in the youth. Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar has also paid tribute to Shaheed Bhagat Singh on his birth anniversary.

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In Tennis, top-seeded Simona Halep won 10 straight games. She defeated Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-4, 6-0 to reach the second round of the French Open last night and extend her winning streak to 15 matches. Now she next faces  Irina Camelia Begu of Romania. Irina beat Jil Teichmann of Spain by 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

The 10th-seeded Victoria Azarenka beat Danka Kovinic of Montenegro, 6-1,6-2 in the opening match. She next faces Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, who won 6-4, 6-4 against American veteran Venus Williams. 40-year-old Williams exited in the first round at Roland Garros for the third straight year. In the Men’s Singles, former World No.1 Andy Murray has lost in straight sets to Stan Wawrinka in the first round.    US Open runner-up sixth seeded Alexander Zverev overcame a slow start to launch his challenge with a 7-5 6-2 6-4 victory over Austrian Dennis Novak. Earlier, the final grand slam of the year, the French Open got off in Paris yesterday with many changes in place amidst the ongoing pandemic.

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In IPL Cricket, Rajasthan Royals recorded the highest run chase in the history of the tournament to beat Kings XI Punjab by four wickets in a high-scoring encounter at Sharjah, last night. Put into bat first, Mayank Agarwal smashed a 50-ball 106, while skipper KL Rahul cracked a 54-ball 69 as the duo stitched a 183-run opening stand off 99 balls to power Punjab to an imposing 223 for 2.

It was Rahul Tewatia, who turned hero when he smashed five sixes in the 18th over off Sheldon Cottrell to turn the match on his side. He scored a 31-ball 53. Rajasthan chased down the target for the loss of six wickets in 19.3 overs. Earlier, Rajasthan won the toss and elected to field. In today’s fixture, Royal Challengers Bangalore will take on Mumbai Indians at Dubai.

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India’s largest power producer, NTPC Limited has invited bids for procurement of biomass pellets for its various thermal plants as part of its endeavour to reduce burning of crop residue on farmlands that cause air pollution. The power producer has envisaged consumption of five million tonnes of pellets in the current year at its 17 power plants including NTPC Korba, (Chhattisgarh), NTPC Farakka, (West Bengal), NTPC Dadri (Uttar Pradesh), NTPC Kudgi (Karnataka) and NTPC Rihand (Uttar Pradesh).

In a statement, NTPC Limited said, it had first undertaken this unique initiative on pilot basis in 2017 for biomass co-firing by replacing some of the coal with pellet based fuel at NTPC Dadri, Uttar Pradesh. Post successful implementation, NTPC now plans to replicate the model in 17 of its state of the art plants. NTPC is confident that co-firing will help create large scale rural employment opportunities in processing as well as supply chain for biomass. The power producer will give preference to bids from suppliers from Punjab and Haryana.

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UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres yesterday called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to immediately stop fighting, de-escalate tensions and return to meaningful negotiations without delay. In a statement, the UN chief will be speaking to both the President of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia. Mr.Guterres said he was extremely concerned about the resumption of armed hostilities, condemning the use of force and regretting casualties, including among the civilian population. Mr.Guterres further acknowledged the “important role” of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs – France, Russia and the US. He called on the conflict parties to cooperate with them toward an urgent resumption of dialogue without preconditions.

Fighting erupted anew today between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. A top territorial official said 16 people were killed and more than 100 wounded, while Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev said his military has suffered losses. The Azerbaijani President ordered martial law be imposed in some regions of the country and called for a curfew in major cities.

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An earthquake measuring 5.1 on Richter scale hit Leh in Ladakh last night. Met department informed the earthquake hit the region at 10.57 pm at a depth of 10 Km. It shook the Leh region and the tremors were felt strong in Nubra, Karakoram and Lalok areas in Leh. Kargil also felt the tremors. So far no reports of damage were received from any parts of Ladakh. Since 22nd of September, this is the fourth time, an Earthquake occurred with an intensity ranging between 3.7 to 5.4 on Richter scale in Ladakh region.

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Today’s weather forecast

The National Capital Delhi will have a mainly Clear sky. The minimum temperature was recorded at 23 degree Celsius and maximum is expected to be around 36 degrees. Mumbai, will see a generally cloudy sky with Light rain. The minimum temperature was 26 Celsius and the maximum will be around 32. Chennai will see a generally cloudy sky with Light rain. The temperature is likely to hover between 27 and 33.Kolkata will see a partly cloudy sky with possibility of moderate rain or Thunderstorm. The minimum temperature in the metropolis was 27 degree celsius while the maximum is expected to be around 34 degrees.In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the minimum temperature was 22 in Jammu while the maximum will be around 30. The city is likely to see  a Mainly clear sky becoming partly cloudy. In Srinagar, the minimum temperature was around 8 while the maximum will be 27 degrees. The city will see a Mainly clear sky becoming partly cloudy. Ladakh will have a mainly clear sky. The temperature is likely to hover between 5 and 24 degree Celsius. In Gilgit, the temperature is likely to hover between 12 and 26. It will see a partly cloudy sky with possibility of rain or Thunderstorm or Duststorm. Muzzafarabad,  will see a mainly clear sky becoming partly cloudy towards afternoon or evening. The temperature is likely to hover between 14 and 29 degree Celsius.

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