New Delhi: Zinc prices on Monday fell by 1.56 percent to Rs 321 per kilogram in the futures trade as speculators reduced their exposure taking negative cues from the spot market.On the Multi Commodity Exchange, zinc contracts for May delivery traded lower by Rs 5.10 or 1.56 percent at Rs 321 per kg in 1,186 lots.Analysts said offloading of positions by participants, owing to slackened demand from consuming industries in the physical market, mainly weighed on zinc prices—PTI

 Zinc prices on Monday fell by 1.56 percent to Rs 321 per kilogram in the futures trade as speculators reduced their exposure taking negative cues from the spot market.

Zinc futures down on muted demand

Chandigarh: Punjab farmers ended their protest at the Chandigarh-Mohali border on Wednesday after the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led state government accepted several of their demands. The development came after representatives of more than 20 farmer bodies held a marathon meeting with Mann at Punjab Bhawan in Chandigarh.Conceding one of the key demands of the protesting farmers, Mann announced a fresh schedule for staggered sowing of paddy on June 14 and June 17, thus restricting the total number of zones to just two instead of the earlier four. However, the border belt across the fence has been excluded from the zonal restrictions and farmers of this region have been allowed to sow paddy from June 10.Notably, it was earlier decided to undertake paddy cultivation in a staggered manner by dividing the entire state into four zones with dates of sowing being June 18, 22, 24 and 26 but the farmer bodies had rejected this schedule. Mann told the farmer leaders that the state government has already issued a notification to procure the entire moong (green gram) crop at a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 7,275 per quintal, according to an official statement. He also said the state government is finalising modalities to also procure maize at MSP to give a boost to its ambitious programme of crop diversification. On the issue of MSP for Basmati crop, Mann said he will call on Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday to urge the Centre to announce MSP on Basmati crop so as to encourage growers to cultivate it in a big way. He told Samyukt Kisan Morcha members that he will also take up the contentious issue of change of rules for appointment of top officers to the Bhakra Beas Management Board with Shah. Later, Rural Development Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said Mann will also raise with Shah the issue of giving bonuses on wheat to farmers. Mann urged the union leaders to give him at least a year's time to bring farmer-friendly reforms in the agriculture sector. He said his office and residence are always open to resolve any issue related to farmers' welfare. He urged farmers to shun the path of agitation and said if they have any grouse against the government, they should sit across the table to find an amicable solution. On Tuesday, the chief minister had termed the farmers' protest 'unwarranted and undesirable'.Responding to another issue raised by the representatives of farm unions, Mann said the state government will soon come out with a comprehensive policy for bestowing ownership rights on cultivators in possession of panchayat land and cultivating the same crop for long to make barren land cultivable. He asked Dhaliwal to convene a meeting with the representatives of farm associations to resolve this issue at the earliest. Later, Dhaliwal shared the details of the meeting with the agitating farmers at the protest site in Mohali and said it was held in a conducive atmosphere. He told farmers that sugarcane arrears will be released and chip-based smart electricity meters will not be installed. No arrest warrants will be issued against farmers over their unpaid debt, he added. Later, Bharti Kisan Union (Sidhupur) state president Jagjit Singh Dallewal announced the decision to lift the protest. The state government also released a picture of Mann hugging Dallewal after the three-hour meeting. Earlier in the day, farmer leaders were invited to hold a meeting with Mann and 36 of them were taken to Punjab Bhawan in a bus. Several temporary teachers also joined the farmers' protest at the site, demanding regularisation of their services. Scores of Punjab farmers began a protest near the Chandigarh-Mohali border on Tuesday after they were stopped from heading to the state capital to press their various demands, including a bonus on wheat and beginning paddy sowing from June 10. Farmers had given an ultimatum to the government and had said if the chief minister did not hold a meeting with them by Wednesday, they would break barricades and move towards Chandigarh for holding an indefinite protest. They spent the night on the Chandigarh-Mohali road near YPS Chowk.The farmers had submitted a list of 13 demands including Rs 500 bonus on each quintal of wheat as its yield has been low and shrivelled due to unprecedented heatwave conditions, issuing a notification on MSP for maize, moong and basmati, lowering of charges on the extension of electricity load and 10-12 hours of power supply. They were also against the Punjab government's decision to allow paddy sowing in a staggered manner from June 18.—PTI

Punjab farmers ended their protest at the Chandigarh-Mohali border on Wednesday after the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led state government accepted several of their demands.

Punjab farmers end protest after govt accepts several demands

Srinagar: Kashmiri Pandits, employed under the prime minister's package, on Tuesday threatened to undertake mass migration from the Kashmir Valley if the government did not relocate them to safe places within the next 24 hours as they hit the streets at various places to protest against the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rediff.com/news/report/kashmiri-pandit-teacher-shot-dead-by-terrorists-in-jk/20220531.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(71, 123, 196);">killing of a lady teacher</a>&nbsp;by terrorists in Kulgam district. "We have decided that if the government did not take any concrete steps for us (safety) within 24 hours, there will be mass migration again," one of the protestors said in Srinagar.The targeted killing of Kashmiri Pandits is continuing and the community is now tired of making appeals to the government, he added."We should be relocated so that we can be saved. Our delegation had met the LG (Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha) earlier and we had asked him to save us. We are asking for temporary relocation for two to three years till situation in the valley returns to normal. It is the same time frame put by the IGP Kashmir for making Kashmir terrorism free," he added. A handful of Kashmiri Pandit employees assembled at the Ghanta Ghar at Lal Chowk in the hearr of Srinagar to protest against the killing, the officials said.Another group of employees assembled at Batwara in the Sonawar area of Srinagar and raised slogans against the Union territory administration for its failure to ensure foolproof security for employees of Hindu communities.The protestors,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rediff.com/news/report/teachers-murder-kashmiri-pandits-protest/20220531.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(71, 123, 196);">mostly women</a>, raised slogans like 'Administration&nbsp;hai hai&nbsp;(down with the administration)', 'minorities&nbsp;ko jeene do&nbsp;(let the minorities live)' and 'We want justice'.In Qazigund, South Kashmir, Kashmiri Pandit employees blocked one tube of the Jammu-Srinagar national nighway to protest the killing of Rajni Bala inside a school at Gopalpora in Kulgam district on Tuesday.The protestors appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene and ensure security of the Kashmiri Pandit minorities.<a href="https://www.rediff.com/news/report/kashmiri-pandit-employee-shot-dead-inside-j-k-government-office/20220512.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(71, 123, 196);">Rahul Bhat was killed</a>&nbsp;inside a Tehsil office on May 12 and today our sister Rajni Bala was shot dead inside the school," one of the protestors said."Kashmiri Pandits are on the roads now, there is no hope of survival," he added.Protests against the teacher's murder rocked several parts of Jammu city as well on Tuesday, with protesters burning an effigy of the administration and raising slogans against Pakistan.In Jammu, Kashmiri Pandits took out a rally in the Durga Nagar area to protest Rajni Bala's killing and the administration's "total failure" to protect them. They also raised slogans against Pakistan.Terming the killing a "cowardly act", the protesters said assurances given by the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir administration to ensure the safety of minorities in the Valley have proved to be false.Some demanded that members of the community be provided arms licences to enable them to possess weapons for their protection."There have been 22 killings of Hindus by terrorists in the Valley and over 14 people have been injured. Four temples have been attacked. This is an undeclared assault on minorities in Kashmir and the government is saying that the situation is normal," Kashmiri Pandit leader Vinod Tickoo said.The Dogra Front also took out a protest rally in the city. Two hundred Bajrang Dal activists also held a protest against Bala's killing.They raised slogans against the Jammu and Kashmir administration for failing to protect government employees belonging to the minority community. They blocked a road for an hour and burnt an effigy of the administration."The government should grant us arms licences, we will fight in Kashmir. Minority Hindu employees serving in the Muslim-majority Kashmir Valley should also be given weapons for their personal protection," Rakesh Kumar, president of the Bajrang Dal's Jammu unit, told reporters.Shiv Sena activists led by the party's Jammu and Kashmir unit president Manish Sahni also held a protest against Bala's killing. Sahni told reporters that all the assurances of security given by the central and state governments are proving to be completely false.Sahni also demanded that people be granted arms licences to be able to fight terrorism in the Kashmir Valley. Licensed weapons in the hands of people is the only way for them to protect themselves and their families, he added. Activists of Mission Statehood Jammu and Kashmir also held a protest at the Janipur high court road in Jammu and blocked traffic. They raised anti-Pakistan slogans and demanded that all government employees from the minority community be transferred to Jammu from Kashmir.Bala's was the seventh targeted killing in Kashmir this month. While three of the victims were off-duty policemen, four were civilians.—PTI

Kashmiri Pandits, employed under the prime minister's package, on Tuesday threatened to undertake mass migration from the Kashmir Valley if the government did not relocate them to safe places within the next 24 hours as they hit the streets at various places to protest against the killing of a lady teacher by terrorists in Kulgam district.

Kashmiri Pandits protest teacher's killing, demand arms licence

Kochi: As Congress candidate Uma Thomas headed for comfortable victory in Thrikkakara bypoll with over 25,000 votes on Friday, top Congress leaders slammed Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan saying that his “arrogance” and “rude behaviour” led to his party “faring poorly” in the bypoll. Uma’s late husband P.T.Thomas won the April 2021 Thrikkakara Assembly polls with a margin of close to 14,500 votes and even with a few more votes to be counted, she has recorded the highest ever margin of victory surpassing the 22,406 votes which Congress candidate Benny Behanan got in 2011, when the constituency first came into being. State Congress president K.Sudhakaran said that the ‘Captain’ (that’s what the CPI-M cadres call Vijayan) has been floored. “It was no one else but CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan who said that the verdict in Thrikkakara bypoll would be an assessment of the Vijayan government. And now that the verdict has come, it’s best that Vijayan should quit. What Vijayan should understand is the people of Kerala does not think on the lines of development that he and his party thinks,” said Sudhakaran.Former Defence Minister A.K.Antony after campaigning at Thrikkakara said that the electorate will give a shock treatment to Vijayan. “The voters have done it and they have given a shock treatment to the arrogance and rudeness of Vijayan,” said Antony. Two-time former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, despite his failing health, was the star campaigner for Uma. He was in the constituency for most of the days concentrating only on family meetings. “This is a huge win for the Congress and the prime reason is there was absolute cooperation among the entire UDF and all worked with total discipline. Vijayan and the CPI-M’s hash tag of development was never going to be a clincher as people in Ernakulam know that they played spoilsport for each infrastructure project which came up here. The electorate knew that and voted for us,” said Chandy.CPI-M candidate Joe Joseph an interventional cardiologist said that he congratulates the winner. “I accept the people’s verdict and the CPI-M will look into what happened,” said Joseph, who often during the campaign used to say he will win by hitting a sixer and help the CPI-M -led Left to a century of legislators. Meanwhile, angry Congress workers vented out their ire against turncoat former Congress veteran K.V.Thomas who left Congress and teamed up with Vijayan and burned him in effigy. Congress workers was seen distributing a particular fish, which is often referred to as something that Thomas used to gift to top Congress leaders in Delhi for getting his things done. Ernakulam CPI-M district secretary C.V.Mohan termed the development “unexpected”. “We never expected this, but we humbly accept the people’s verdict. With the kind of efforts we put in this should not have happened. We have to analyse where we went wrong,” he said. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had reportedly led the campaign at Thrikkakara accompanied by his cabinet ministers, while his 75 legislators had campaigned at the constituency.Mohan, however, gave a clean chit to the chief minister saying that he never led the campaign. “The Chief Minister never leads an Assembly by-election and it was the district party which do it. This verdict cannot be an assessment of the Vijayan government, as this is only one constituency and not a state-level election,” said Mohan. As soon as Mohan said this, TV channels started airing CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan’s earlier statement that they have no qualms in saying that this would be an “assessment” of the Vijayan government. Meanwhile, the CPI-M top brass, including Vijayan and Balakrishnan, and others were closeted at the state party headquarters in the state capital. The election was necessitated after the sudden demise of two-time Thrikkakara’s Congress legislator P.T.Thomas in December last year. While many expected the turnout to be the highest ever since the constituency came into being, when polling ended it turned out to be the least ever with only 68.77 per cent electorate exercising their franchise.—IANS

As Congress candidate Uma Thomas headed for comfortable victory in Thrikkakara bypoll with over 25,000 votes on Friday, top Congress leaders slammed Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan saying that his “arrogance” and “rude behaviour” led to his party “faring poorly” in the bypoll.

As Uma Heads For Comfortable Win, Cong Demands Kerala CM’s Resignation

Singur: Amid demands for a separate state carved out of Bengal by some Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday asserted that she is ready to shed her blood, if need be, to thwart attempts to divide the state. Lashing out at the saffron camp "for trying to fan separatism" in the state, ahead of the general election in 2024, the Trinamool Congress supremo maintained that all communities in north Bengal had been living in harmony for decades."With elections approaching, the BJP is fanning the demands of separate statehood... sometimes seeking Gorkhaland, and at other times a separate state of North Bengal. I am ready to give my blood but will never allow the division of the state," Banerjee said, addressing a party meeting in Alipurduar. The TMC later tweeted, 'BENGAL STANDS UNITED. I will give my blood, but I will not let @BJP4India divide #Bengal according to their whims &amp; fancies! You can threaten me, put a gun on my chest and still I will continue fighting for a united Bengal -- our Hon'ble Chairperson @MamataOfficial in Alipurduar.'In an apparent reference to a purported video by Kamtapur Liberation Organisation leader Jeevan Singha, threatening Banerjee of a 'bloodbath' if she opposed the demand for a separate Kamtapur, the feisty TMC boss said such threats do not intimidate her."Some people are threatening me. They are saying they will kill me if I don't allow the division of Bengal. I don't care. I am not afraid of such threats," the chief minister declared.North Bengal, with its eight districts, is economically important for West Bengal as it is home to money-minting tea, timber, and tourism industries.The region, which shares an international border with Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, is also strategically important for the country due to its Siliguri corridor, commonly known as 'Chicken's Neck', connecting the mainland with the north eastern states.People in North Bengal have witnessed several violent statehood movements since the early 1980s by various ethnic groups such as the Gorkha, Rajbanshi, Koch and Kamatapuri communities.Mamata said the BJP had been trying to create divisions between the people of the hills and the plains."Before elections, they said they would ensure the creation of Gorkhaland. But I will never allow that," she said.Anandamay Barman, the BJP MLA from Matigara-Naxalbari, and Shikha Chatterjee, the MLA from Dabgram-Phulbari, had spoken in favour of a Union Territory status for North Bengal.Bishnu Prasad Sharma, ther BJP MLA from Kurseong, had demanded the separation of Darjeeling from Bengal.John Barla, the BJP's Alipurduar MP, had stirred a hornet's nest last year after he sought a Union Territory by carving out the districts of North Bengal. "You people have voted for the BJP. But what did it give you in return? Nothing," the chief minister said. "Instead, they removed slum-dwellers next to railway tracks. If they try to remove you, there will be protests. I will soon hand over land rights documents to refugees' families. No one can evict you."Once considered a stronghold of the Left Front, Alipurduar was clinched by the TMC in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. But the BJP gained ground in the area and won the Lok Sabha seat in 2019.In the 2021 assembly polls, the BJP won all the seven assembly seats under this Lok Sabha segment.—PTI

Amid demands for a separate state carved out of Bengal by some Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday asserted that she is ready to shed her blood, if need be, to thwart attempts to divide the state.

Will shed my blood to stop Bengal's division: Mamata

New Delhi: Protests erupted outside the Jama Masjid after Friday prayers with hundreds of people demanding the arrest of suspended Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma for her controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammed, the police said. A large crowd of people could be seen gathering on the steps of the famous mosque, some carrying placards and shouting slogans against Sharma. A senior police officer said that while some of the demonstrators left the site after some time, others continued to protest. The protest was carried out peacefully and lasted for 10-15 minutes.The Delhi police has registered an FIR against 31 people, including AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and controversial priest Yati Narsinghanand, and filed a separate case against former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma for allegedly spreading hate and hurting religious sentiments.The two FIRs were registered on Wednesday after a social media analysis, they had said.Former Delhi BJP media unit head Naveen Kumar Jindal, who was expelled from the party over his alleged remarks against Prophet Mohammed, and journalist Saba Naqvi have also been named in the FIR.—PTI

Protests erupted outside the Jama Masjid after Friday prayers with hundreds of people demanding the arrest of suspended Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma for her controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammed, the police said.

Muslims protest outside Delhi's Jama Masjid demanding Nupur Sharma's arrest

New Delhi:&nbsp;The interest rate hike by RBI is unlikely to have a significant impact on tractor demand but high inflation is a concern that can affect sales, says Escorts Kubota Ltd Group CFO Bharat Madan.With the second and third quarters of ongoing fiscal year likely to witness flattish or even decline in sales due to off-season and high base of last year, and pick-up happening again in the fourth quarter, the tractor industry is likely to clock low to mid single-digit growth."There is a marginal impact on demand...We don't see any significant impact on the demand side because of interest rate hikes," Madan told PTI.He was responding to a query on how the interest rate hike by the RBI could impact tractor sales. Escorts Kubota is a farm equipment manufacturer.The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday raised the key interest rate by 50 basis points. This was the third consecutive increase since May, effectively bringing interest rate to the pre-pandemic level."If you look at the industry in retail finance in tractors, the interest rate charges as it is are very high. Those rates do not move with the happenings in the RBI side. They're not really floating rate," he explained.At present, interest rates on tractor loans could range from 9 per cent to over 20 per cent per annum, depending on tenure and banks.On what could impact tractor demand, he said,"I think it'll be more because of the inflation where the impact is coming, but the RBI increasing interest rates has a marginal impact only."There have been some pressures on the rubber side and tyre prices are moving up, he said, adding, however prices of other commodities like steel have gone down.As for the outlook of the industry, Madan said,"We are still expecting low to mid single-digit growth for the industry this year. We have seen that in the first quarter, the industry has grown 16 per cent because of the low base effect of COVID. Last year was the second wave of COVID and the industry got impacted."The next two to three months will not be really good, he added."Normally, monsoon is not a season month for the industry but from September onward, we see the pick-up should happen. If the monsoon distribution is really good we should see some positives coming in the second half of this year," Madan said.The expectation is that the industry will do well in the last quarter, he said adding,"Q2 and Q3 may see flattish growth or marginal degrowth. In Q3 the base (of last year) is high but in Q4 we can see a good growth number coming in".Madan said Q2 is normally a softer quarter due to the off-season, while in Q3 normally the peak season comes up.However, he said,"This time, festive season is starting early. So the stocking will start happening from September onwards and October, they're all expecting to be the big month. The three months really play between two quarters and that's why overall for the six-month period, you may not see a major impact coming in."The Q4, which is a standalone quarter, normally sees a good growth, especially in the northern pockets if the rainfall is good, Madan said.As per industry estimates, domestic tractor sales grew 13 per cent at over 9 lakh units in 2021 compared to more than 8 lakh units in 2020.—PTI

The interest rate hike by RBI is unlikely to have a significant impact on tractor demand but high inflation is a concern that can affect sales, says Escorts Kubota Ltd Group CFO Bharat Madan

Interest rate hike unlikely to impact tractor demand, says Escorts Kubota Group CFO Bharat Madan

Bengaluru: As India plans to usher in the 5G era, the demand for 5G-compatible devices has nosedived in Southeast Aisa as practical uses of 5G have yet to be seen amid rising inflation, a new report said on Monday.
5G deployment in developing Southeast Asian markets has been abysmal, ensuring the hype for 5G has dwindled, and demand has shifted to more practical aspects of smartphones such as battery life, storage, processor speed and camera quality, reports Canalys.
"The demand for 5G devices has come to a standstill. 5G devices experienced their first sequential decline to 18 per cent of overall smartphone shipments in Q2," said research analyst Chiew Le Xuan.
Growing inflation has resulted in consumers looking for longer-lasting devices over less practical qualities such as 5G.
Practical uses of 5G have yet to be seen, and is especially unnecessary for low-mid devices when 4G speeds are sufficient in day-to-day usage.
"Maintaining device affordability while boosting profitability is the greatest challenge fora-vendors," Xuan added.
In the second quarter (Q2), Southeast Asian smartphone shipments reached 24.5 million units, a 7 per cent drop from the previous quarter.
Samsung retained its leading position, despite a 19 per cent fall from Q1, owing to lower than anticipated demand for its mid-to-high-end A series.
Indonesia remained the largest market, with 37 per cent share and 9.1 million shipments, followed by Philippines with 4.4 million shipments.
Thailand's smartphone market declined 14 per cent sequentially to 4 million units, and Vietnam smartphone market declined 32 per cent quarter-on-quarter to 3.1 million shipments, as a result of weakened consumer demand stemming from global uncertainties and rising commodity prices.
Malaysia's smartphone market grew 6 per cent to 2.4 million shipments.&nbsp;
—IANS

As India plans to usher in the 5G era, the demand for 5G-compatible devices has nosedived in Southeast Aisa as practical uses of 5G have yet to be seen amid rising inflation, a new report said on Monday.

 Demand for 5G smartphones nosedives in Southeast Asian countries

San Francisco: Tech giant Apple's next-generation iPhone 14 Pro models are still seeing high demand as compared to the iPhone 13 Pro, says a new report.
According to a product availability tracker claims, the demand for the iPhone 14 appears to be lower than it was for the iPhone 13, but there are some positive signs for the iPhone 14 Plus, reports AppleInsider.
In the fourth week, Sunday's Apple Product Availability Tracker by analysts at JP Morgan saw a similar situation to one week prior, with strong demand for the Pro models, weak for the non-Pro, the report said.
However, the silver lining for the iPhone 14 is the iPhone 14 Plus.
Overall, the at-home delivery times for the iPhone 14, Pro, and Pro Max averaged across all regions at 2 days, 33 days, and 40 days respectively.
In the US, the iPhone 14 is stable at 4 days, with the Plus seemingly tracking to its first available date. These are "less favorable" relative to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini at this stage, at 14 and 20 days respectively.
The Pro and Pro Max are seeing a modest increase in their lead times, to 32 days and 39 days, as per the report.&nbsp;
—IANS

Tech giant Apple's next-generation iPhone 14 Pro models are still seeing high demand as compared to the iPhone 13 Pro, says a new report.

 iPhone 14 Pro models are still seeing high demand than 13 Pro: Report

New Delhi (The Hawk): Sukesh Chandrashekhar, an imprisoned conman, has issued another letter applauding the BJP's demand that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal submit to a lie detector test after he claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party forced him to pay a bribe.
Chandrashekhar, an inmate at Mandoli Prison, agreed to take the lie detector test in a letter, but only if Satyendar Jain, a convicted leader of the AAP, and Kejriwal were both on board.
Chandrashekhar recommended that the entire event be broadcast live so that the entire nation may witness the pandora box of Kejriwal and Jain's reality play out in the open in his letter to the media.
"Kejriwal Ji and Satyendar Ji, you have the guts to consent to the polygraph test now that the test has been suggested and I am prepared to grant my approval. If you are telling the truth and claim that what I'm stating is false and motivated, you should gladly accept my offer of a polygraph test "the letter sent out on Friday stated.
"Instead of complaining and claiming that the BJP forced him to write this, Kejriwal Ji should have had the guts to agree to the polygraph test. Don't try to sidestep the problem by saying anything silly as you and Jain used to say and laugh when we said that the best defence is an attack "The letter was written by Chandrashekhar.
"I want to remind you, Kejriwal ji, that you probably still own the Jacob and Co. Astronomia watch that I gave you and that you later requested have the strap changed from blue to black. Because of your hurry, I had rented a plane specifically to fly to Dubai and change the strap, which was carried by my employees and brought back to Delhi to offer to you "He said.
"Satyendar Ji requested me to buy Patek Phillip for him and Cartier Panther edition women's watch, model of photographs supplied by him on my Whatsapp, was also purchased," he continued in his letter. "Satyendar Ji knew that someone from my side had gone to Dubai expressly for this."
"So Kejriwal ji, I want to know why you lately published paid news in your favour regarding your Delhi School model using my funds and my PR agent. on the top page of a newspaper published in another country? So, are you and your group alright with accepting this from a supposedly "thug"? What does this make you, then, once more? You continued to use my money and the PR I already paid for, notwithstanding my recent incarceration in the 200 crore case "In his letter, he stated.
"Kejriwal ji, why are you responding, panicking, and distracting if I am nobody? The fact that you diverted attention shows that you are hiding, and people are not stupid. Don't repeatedly stray from the main issue with such statements because, regardless of what, your and Jain's masks will be permanently removed from the investigation. Instead, have guts to accept the CBI investigation and give your and Jain's consent to the polygraph test because I am prepared in all ways. As numerous other problems with which you are familiar and have dealt must be revealed, "the additional letter.
(Inputs from Agencies)

Sukesh Chandrashekhar, an imprisoned conman, has issued another letter applauding the BJP's demand that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal submit to a lie detector test after he claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party forced him to pay a bribe.

Convicted conman Sukesh challenges both Kejriwal and Jain to a polygraph test

New Delhi (The Hawk): On Thursday, Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) urged farmers to participate in the national "March to Raj Bhawans" campaigns and deliver a memorandum to the President on November 26 through their respective Governors.
The SKM National Council met earlier on November 14 at Gurudwara Rakabganj and strongly denounced the Modi government for betraying the farmers by failing to carry out the written promises made on December 9, 2021, including the withdrawal of the Electricity Bill and a legally guaranteed MSP, among other demands.
The gathering decided to advise all participating organisations to be ready to step up the fight nationwide.
The farmers' protest has entered its next phase with the "March to Raj Bhawans."
Additionally, it urged farmers all over the nation to participate in ongoing, committed national struggles until the government complies with all demands, including "Karz Mukti - Poora Daam" (Freedom from Indebtedness and Full Remunerative Price).
Since the implementation of neo-liberal policies that exacerbated the agrarian crisis and peasant suicides, farmers have been fighting for two major demands: legally guaranteed MSP for all crops and freedom from debt.
In India, more than 4 lakh farmers have committed suicide since 1995, and 68% of peasant households are in debt or other financial difficulty. These demands, along with those for the repeal of three farm laws that favoured corporations and the Electricity Bill 2020, sparked a year-long historic farmers' movement at the Delhi borders beginning on November 26, 2020, which received active support from almost all groups of Indian workers.
The withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill 2022, legal action against the accused Lakhimpur Kheri farmer and journalist Ajay Mishra Teni, dismissal from his position as Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, and a comprehensive and efficient crop insurance programme are among the other demands made by farmers.
This afternoon, the morcha held a press conference at which Darshan Pal, Hannan Mollah, Yudhvir Singh, Avik Saha, and Ashok Dhawale spoke. The following meeting, where the movement's next phase will be decided and announced, is scheduled for December 8 in Karnal.
(Inputs from Agencies)

On Thursday, Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) urged farmers to participate in the national "March to Raj Bhawans" campaigns and deliver a memorandum to the President on November 26 through their respective Governors.

SKM exhorts farmers to continue their fight until all demands are satisfied

Lucknow (The Hawk): Students at Lucknow University (LU) are demanding for the lifting of the ban on birthday parties on campus.
Additionally, they want the hostels' admission and leave hours to be abolished.
Rakesh Dwivedi's dismissal from his position as chief proctor is being demanded by irate students who have begun staging protests.
Both of the judgements have been labelled as dictatorial by the students.
You might remember that the LU had prohibited birthday parties after a birthday party led to a fight between two groups of students at the canteen.
The LU has also established a deadline of 8 p.m. for female hostel residents and 10 p.m. for male residents. After the deadline, hosteller entry and exit are prohibited.
Vishal Singh, president of the NSUI section, suggested that LU increase security rather than forbid students from celebrating special occasions on campus.
He claimed that restricting hostel movement was also inappropriate because the majority of students spend their nights studying in libraries.
(Inputs from Agencies)

Students at Lucknow University (LU) are demanding for the lifting of the ban on birthday parties on campus. Additionally, they want the hostels' admission and leave hours to be abolished.

LU students demand lifting birthday celebrations restriction

Solapur (The Hawk): This was a "marriage procession" unlike any other. About 50 young to middle-aged unmarried men rode in a parade to the Solapur Collector while dressed in full, glittering bridal costume and demanded, of all things, wives!The unusual march, organised by the NGO Jyoti Kranti Parishad (JKP), attracted attention, jeers, and even cheers, but it also brought attention to a serious issue that plagues the rural hinterlands of Solapur and other districts: there is a severe "shortage" of girls for marriage to bachelors in the 25–40 age range, as well as even older hopefuls.All of the "single-grooms" participated in the one-kilometer-long procession wearing the traditional wedding garb of a sherwani or kurta, pyjamas, a red headpiece (pheta), a dangling sword, and a well-decorated white horse. They also carried placards around their necks and raised slogans to focus the government's attention on their sole issue."Wanted a Wife, A Wife!" was written on the placards. "Anybody can give a Girl to Marry Me!" "Government, come to your senses and talk to us, You will have to take heed of our suffering!" and "In future, Will I get married or Not?!" were among the cries heard during the parade, which was headed by an agitated 12-year-old girl named Vicky Sadigle.According to JKP President Ramesh Baraskar, the dejected bachelors who attended the parade on Wednesday ranged in age from 25 to 40, were primarily well-educated, came from respectable middle-class families, included some farmers, and worked for a few private enterprises, among other things."These strong, successful, and capable guys don't find eligible ladies for marriage for years because of the imbalanced male to female population here. They are willing to "marry today" with any girl, regardless of caste, religion, widows, orphans, or even girls with disabilities, but no luck, lamented Baraskar in a conversation with IANS.The procession came to an end close to the Collectorate, where the "single-grooms" knelt down, described their heartbreaking situation, and gave an unexpected note to Solapur Collector Milind Shambharkar addressed to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.According to Dr. Ganesh Rakh of Pune, who founded the "Beti Bachao" (Save the Girl Child) initiative in January 2022, there are 1,000 boys for every 1,000 girls in India, with Maharashtra having a ratio of 1,000 boys for every 920 girls."Except for Kerala, where the ratio is 1,000 boys to 1,050 girls, the statistics for the rest of the nation are false. In rural areas or among middle class and lower middle class boys who don't get girls, there are significant issues. If immediate corrective action is not taken right away, the issue will get worse, Dr. Rakh warned.According to Baraskar, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former council chief of Mohol town, all girls of marriageable age prefer people in the armed forces, people who work abroad or in large cities like Mumbai and Pune, big businessmen, or people from wealthy families, according to JKP studies.Even those from less affluent backgrounds who already reside in urban regions, according to Baraskar, are reluctant to move to rural areas for a variety of reasons.According to him, the outcomes are devastating for the "starved" bachelors, who become depraved or hooked to various vices like alcoholism, and their parents contract various illnesses as a result of their worries about their unmarried sons and concern for the future of their family or clan.One such would-be groom, Luv Mali, 40, told IANS that his entire family and the extended clan have been desperately looking for a girl in Solapur and other areas of Maharashtra for more than two decades, but they have been unsuccessful.Kiran Todkar, 39, claimed that despite regularly attending matchmaking events in Solapur and other cities, he has been submitting his photos, bios, and family information on various social media platforms for the past 20 years without receiving a "hit" from any appropriate girls."My family is exhausted after a 15-year bride-hunt," Any woman willing to marry me will be accepted by them. Through social media and WhatsApp groups, as well as the local priests who serve as "matchmakers," I am having trouble finding one. After this Solstice march, I'm hoping for good luck, a lamented. age 36, Gorkha HedeAn angry 38-year-old officer at a private company recounted how his parents practically stop people on the street, on buses, in temples, or at social gatherings and ask them if they know a good girl to marry their son!Baraskar claimed that the JKP eventually took action after facing harsh opposition and derision from the villagers for more than a month in attempts to bring attention to the problem in public.In most villages, there are between 100 and 150 single males; in towns, the number is higher. People are already requesting that we hold similar processions in other districts due to the outpouring of support that has occurred. In Mumbai in the summer of 2023, we are organising a state-level morcha of such bachelors, according to Baraskar.(Inputs from Agencies)

This was a "marriage procession" unlike any other. About 50 young to middle-aged unmarried men rode in a parade to the Solapur Collector while dressed in full, glittering bridal costume and demanded, of all things, wives!

Maha: Would-be 'grooms' riding horses to Solapur Collector, demand 'brides'

Pratapgarh: In the Pratapgarh district of Uttar Pradesh, a bridegroom was tied to a tree after he allegedly requested dowry from the girl's family right before the garlands were exchanged.

This made the two sides argue while the bridegroom, whose name was Amarjeet Verma, was still tied to the tree. What fuelled the situation further was the fact that the friends of Amarjeet misbehaved during the incident.

After several rounds of negotiations between the bride's and groom's family resulted in no agreement, the bridegroom was taken captive and tied to a tree at his side for several hours.

Later, police from the Mandhata police station came to the scene, freed the bridegroom, and took him into custody.

SHO Mandhata said, "Both sides are present in the police station, but no compromise has been reached yet. Friends of the bridegroom misbehaved, which led to an argument between the two sides. In the meantime, the bridegroom, Amarjeet, made demands for a dowry."

SHO added that a meeting was taking place between the two families to reach a resolution and compensate the woman's family for their expenses incurred during the wedding ceremony preparations.—Inputs from Agencies

In the Pratapgarh district of Uttar Pradesh, a bridegroom was tied to a tree after he allegedly requested dowry from the girl's family right before the garlands were exchanged

 Bridegroom tied to tree for demanding dowry in UP

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh clocked a peak electricity demand of 28,043 mw on Sunday/Monday night, which was the highest-ever in the state’s history, said officials with the UP Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL).
The demand increased as a result of the persistent heat and humidity.
Prior to this, the highest recorded power consumption was 27,622 mw on July 22 and 27,611 mw in June.
Officials claimed that the power corporation was meeting the entire demand by providing electricity to consumers as per the schedule, but the ground reality was a bit different.
Along with power outages brought on by overloaded transformer failure, complaints regarding undeclared load shedding were still being received from all around the state.
UPPCL chairman M. Devraj said, “Power demand has reached 28,043 mw for the first time in the state’s history. We are ensuring a record supply of power to consumers as desired by the chief minister and the energy minister.”
He claimed that the extensive planning and management for procuring power from diverse sources was proving useful in supplying sufficient electricity to consumers as per the schedule.
“We are supplying power to villages for 18 hours on an average 21.30 hours to Nagar panchayats and tehsil headquarters, 20 hours to Bundelkhand and 24 hours to district and divisional headquarters and cities,” he claimed.
Devraj said that instructions had been issued to all the field officials to take all possible steps to avoid power disruptions resulting from transformer failure. “We have told officials to keep trolley transformers in reserve to quickly replace damaged transformers and also necessarily take consumers’ phone calls,” he said.
The chairman of UPPCL also asked customers to pay their bills on time so that the corporation could improve its services.
Even though the daytime load on Monday midday was over 25,000 mw, A.K. Verma, chairman of the UP Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad, predicted that demand for electricity within the state will continue to rise.
“Months back, we had forecast that power demand in the state would cross 28,000 mw this year and even demanded the UPPCL and the UP Power Transmission Corporation Ltd to upgrade their networks accordingly. But they did not pay heed,” he said.—Inputs from Agencies

Uttar Pradesh clocked a peak electricity demand of 28,043 mw on Sunday/Monday night, which was the highest-ever in the state’s history, said officials with the UP Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL)

Electricity demand peaks in UP as heat, humidity rise

Barabanki: An FIR has been registered against Mohammed Shakil, 40, for allegedly pronouncing instant triple talaq to his wife while she was taking a class at a school in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki.The shocking case happened on Wednesday.  The woman, Tamanna, 23, had married Shakeel in 2020.  SHO, Kotwali, Sanjay Maurya said that shortly after the wedding, Tamanna’s in-laws reportedly started demanding a dowry of Rs 2 lakh.  Unable to meet the demand, Tamanna was sent back to her parents’ home while Shakeel went to Saudi Arabia for a job.  “Shakeel had abruptly left for Saudi Arabia without any prior notice to his wife. Upon discovering his sudden departure, Tamanna attempted to confront her in-laws but was told to go to her parents’ home. Thereafter, Tamanna decided to secure employment as a teacher in a private school,” said the SHO.  When Shakeel returned from Saudi Arabia last week, he began issuing divorce threats to Tamanna.  He made an unannounced appearance at Tamanna’s school and pronounced triple talaq to Tamanna in front of her students on Wednesday, said SHO Maurya.  Tamanna lodged a police complaint against Shakeel, her mother-in-law Sakina, and Rashid and Majid, sons of Shakeel from his first marriage.  “We have registered a case under IPC section 498 A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty), the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act and Dowry Prohibition Act,” said Maurya.
—IANS

An FIR has been registered against Mohammed Shakil, 40, for allegedly pronouncing instant triple talaq to his wife while she was taking a class at a school in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki.The shocking case happened on Wednesday.

UP man booked for giving triple talaq to wife in school

An FIR has been registered against Mohammed Shakil, 40, for allegedly pronouncing instant triple talaq to his wife while she was taking a class at a school in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki.The shocking case happened on Wednesday.


Bengaluru: IT city Bengaluru is seeing an upward trajectory in investments in premium plotted properties and real estate with people preferring to purchase premium plots to get their dream villas. Bengaluru has always seen a steady rise in the number of people settling down. The trend in metros is people go for apartments. However, people now prefer villas, villaments and gated communities. “From a geographical point of view, in the Bengaluru market, North Bengaluru (around Devanahalli) and East Bengaluru (Sarjapur Road) have witnessed maximum demand, with more than 10,000 plots from Tier-1 organised developers sold in the last 3 years alone,” explains Sunil Pareek, Executive Director at Assetz Property Group. Earlier, these were large tracts of farmland or had unorganised plotted developments, but now the areas are emerging as an IT hotspot with hardware, electronics, and aerospace hubs and new-age assembly lines such as Foxconn, Sunil Pareek said. He said that the proximity to Bengaluru International Airport and the upcoming Metro corridor is also adding to the investment demand in North Bengaluru. Being among the top players in the city, Assetz Property Group is set to launch multiple new plotted developments in North Bengaluru and off-Sarjapur Road over the next six months. With capital values experiencing a steady annual growth of about 10 to 20 per cent in this specific region, a compelling incentive emerges for potential buyers, says Sunil Pareek. He said that the demand is so high that it may take some time for quality supply to catch up. “Faster sales and premiums due to better brand and project offerings are making the return on investment in plotted projects highly attractive from an IRR (internal rate of return) metric,” he explains. Navin Dhanuka, CEO and MD of ArisUnitern RE Solutions Pvt Ltd speaking to IANS said that the demand for plotted development is on the rise, especially at this time when buyers are either actively looking to upgrade, going for a second home, or simply wanting more luxurious options. Even the Grade A developers in Bengaluru are now entering into plotted developments to manage their cash flows. From a buyer's point of view, the appreciation value for plots is also quite good in these markets, thus attracting a lot of home buyers to opt for plotted developments. “Between 2018 and 2021, Hyderabad saw maximum price appreciation of plots at 21 per cent the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR), followed by Chennai at 18 per cent and Bengaluru at 13 per cent giving a clear picture of how this market is performing,” says Navin Dhanuka. He said that looking at the current growth story, we can anticipate that plotted developments will pick up more speed in the coming years. “North Bengaluru is emerging as a prominent destination for both buyers and builders. Since the area is witnessing a lot of infrastructural developments and the connectivity is also improving. Buyers are keen on investing in plots there as they can foresee a bright future there.” “If we talk about the Bengaluru and Chennai markets and the southern market as a whole, the demand is on a continuous upward trajectory, owing to the maturity of these markets. Due to healthy sales velocity in these markets, a lot of developers are actively venturing into plotted developments,” he said. Karthik M V, Sr. Vice-president sales and marketing, Vaishnavi Group told IANS that the consumers have realised the importance of housing as an asset for financial and emotional security over the last years. He said that according to a report by Housing.com, the rates of residential plots in Chennai and Bengaluru grew at a CAGR of 18 per cent and 13 per cent between 2018 and 2021, respectively, in a testament to consumers' growing affinity towards this investment tool. “From low investment options to the flexibility of designing homes as per the customers’ choice and the availability of a host of amenities make plotted developments a preferred option for customers,” he said. He said that it also provides rental income and tax deductions in the long run apart from offering complete control over the building and design. “It assumes significance as customers are looking for bigger and better residential spaces that fulfill their evolving requirements, quality of construction, offer a sense of community living and ample open spaces,” he said. He said that the asset class also becomes important for the end consumers as land prices have steadily increased over the years, making plotted development more profitable while offering a low-risk and high-return investment tool. He said that the both realty developers and institutional investors are planning significant investments into this segment, given the robust response witnessed to several launches in the last two years. “While the segment was earlier fragmented with smaller developers catering to the demand, the entry of established developers along with institutional investors is helping it turn more organised,” Karthik said. Angad Bedi, Managing Director, BCD Group, said plotted developments are becoming extremely popular among homebuyers and a lot of buyers who are looking for luxury properties are now going for plots. “The simple reason behind this is that they are getting a blank canvas, bigger space and a lot of flexibility to design and construct their dream luxurious abode,” he said. He said that from a market share point of view, the Southern market, especially markets like Bengaluru and Chennai are witnessing a lot of demand. “The real estate market in these regions is on a high-octane growth journey and the buyer mindset is also very positive. Besides, due to the region’s economic stability, availability of large MNCs and job prospects, the population has disposable income to spend on properties,” Bedi explained. He said that as a result, plotted developments are getting a fair amount of attraction as plots have greater appreciation and can be liquidated quickly. “We also have a lot of projects there and due to the region's fast-paced development, both buyers and developers are optimistic about the future. Besides, Sarjapur, an upcoming IT hub of Bengaluru is witnessing a lot of activity and many buyers are buying plots as they foresee accelerated development in the next 2-3 years,” Bedi said. —IANS

IT city Bengaluru is seeing an upward trajectory in investments in premium plotted properties and real estate

Bengaluru's Premium Property Segments See Surge In Investments

Mumbai (Maharashtra): Shiva Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Monday took a dig at the Maharashtra government over the police lathi-charge on protesters in Jalna who were demanding reservation for the Marathas and called the government "shameless". "I had gone to Jalna to meet protesters...This state government is 'shameless'...They have brutally beaten everyone including women...Now they are not taking responsibility and playing the blame game. This government is sending the message that if anyone protests for justice we will break their head," Uddhav said.
Earlier on September 2, Uddhav Thackeray visited the Jalna and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give reservations to Marathas during the special session of Parliament called on September 18. He also condemned the prevailing tension in Maharashtra's Jalna over the police lathi charge on protesters demanding reservation for the Maratha community.&nbsp;
Earlier in the day, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis apologized on behalf of the Government. "Lathicharge by police was not right... I am apologising on behalf of the Government. CM has said that the action will be taken against those who are responsible for it," Fadnavis said at a Maratha reservation meeting chaired by CM.
A meeting was called with Maratha agitation leader Manoj Jarange Patil for discussion on the matter, the Deputy Chief Minister's office informed. The meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet sub-committee on Maratha Reservation took place at 12 pm. The CM and both the Deputy CMs were present at the meeting.
Manoj Jarange Patil has undertaken umpteen agitations seeking reservations for the Maratha community. Earlier on Friday, a clash had broken out between police and protesters in Jalna demanding reservation for the Marathas. Police resorted to lathi charges to disperse the protesters.&nbsp;
—ANI
 &nbsp;

Shiva Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Monday took a dig at the Maharashtra government over the police lathi-charge on protesters

Maharashtra government is shameless: Uddhav Thackeray on Jalna incident

Patna: The Bihar Forest and Wildlife Department has started a campaign against people who are keeping tortoises in their homes as pets.
As per the Hindu tradition, people used to keep tortoises in aquariums for prosperity. People believe that this helps in passing the examinations, and a growth in wealth and business.
Due to this, demand for the animal turns high during Dushahra and Diwali and the smuggling of tortoises also increases during the festival session after monsoon.&nbsp;
With this in view, Bhagalpur administration has appealed to people to hand over tortoises to the Wildlife Department or the Sundarvan tortoise rescue center.
"Keeping tortoises as pets in the home is a crime. It comes under animal cruelty act and the offenders can be liable to pay hefty fines or face jail as well," said wildlife official Sanjit Kumar.
As per the Animal Cruelty Act, 1960, keeping pets hungry, or teasing them is a crime.
The tortoises smuggling network has a deep route starting from the coastal areas of West Bengal, Bihar and going all the way to Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and other parts of the country.
Bihar Police also seized a number of tortoises smuggled through trains and through private and commercial vehicles.&nbsp;
—IANS

The Bihar Forest and Wildlife Department has started a campaign against people who are keeping tortoises in their homes as pets.

Campaign launched in Bihar against people keeping tortoises as pets

Lucknow: The  Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Ajay Rai has demanded a judicial probe, by a sitting judge, into the murder that took place at the residence of Union Minister Kaushal Kishore’s son in Thakur Ganj police station area of Lucknow here, last week.
Rai alleged on Wednesday that the Union minister was now making efforts to protect his son. He said Kaushal Kishore was the second Union minister from the state after Ajay Mishra Teni who was protecting his son. He alleged that the police were completing mere formalities in the case.
He said a case under section 30 of the Arms Act had only been registered against the Union minister’s son in Lucknow.&nbsp;
“The BJP government is adopting dual standards. It is protecting legislators and ministers,” said Rai.
He also referred to the case of a woman police head constable who was found badly injured on-board a train at Ayodhya railway station and said the police stopped him from visiting the victim at KGMU.
He said he only wanted to inquire about the health of the woman head constable.
Rai alleged that contractors from Gujarat were being given contracts in the state and inflation and corruption were on the rise.&nbsp;
—IANS

The  Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Ajay Rai has demanded a judicial probe, by a sitting judge, into the murder that took place at the residence

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Zinc futures down on muted demand

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Zinc futures down on muted demand

Sunil Aswal

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