Crush kills at least 151 at Halloween festivities in Seoul
At least 151 people were killed and 82 others were injured in a stampede during Halloween festivities in Seoul, officials said of one of the biggest disasters in South Korea. The massive death toll is being tallied after people were crushed by a large crowd pushing forward on a narrow alley in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhoods, a major leisure and night-life district in the capital.
China reported to be upgrading roads opposite eastern Ladakh
China is continuing to upgrade roads opposite eastern Ladakh as well as strengthening alternative approaches around its Moldo garrison opposite the south bank of Pangong Tso, according to official sources.
India informed the United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC) that there has been a steep rise in cross-border terror activities in Jammu & Kashmir since the end of 2021, around the time when severe financial strictures by global terror-financing watchdog, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), were eased on a “troublesome jurisdiction”. Safi Rizvi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), on the first day of the UNSC committee’s meeting in Mumbai on October 28, informed that in mid-2018, there had been close to 600 terror camps across the J&K border.
Two explosions rock Somalia’s capital, killing at least 30
Two car bombs exploded Saturday at a busy junction in Somalia’s capital near key government offices, leaving “scores of civilian casualties” including children, national police said. One hospital worker counted at least 30 bodies.
Amended IT rules are meant to make Web safer for all: Rajeev Chandrasekhar
Minister of State for Electronics Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Friday stressed that with the new amendments to the Information Technology rules, the government’s focus is to make the Internet a safe, trusted and accountable space for users, and to ensure that platforms such as Twitter and Facebook respect the rights accorded to the citizens of India
Kalanamak rice, ‘Buddha’s gift to people’, gets new powers, name
Kalanamak, a traditional variety of paddy with a black husk and a strong fragrance is all set to get a new look and name. Grown in 11 districts of the Terai region of northeastern Uttar Pradesh and in Nepal, the traditional variety has been prone to lodging, a reason for its low yield. Addressing the problem, the Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) has successfully developed two dwarf varieties of Kalanamak rice. They have been named Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1638 and Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1652.
Delhi’s air quality worsens to ‘severe’ for first time this winter
The air quality of the national capital on October 29, 2022 deteriorated to the "severe" category for the first time this winter season, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. The air quality is likely to remain in the "very poor" to "severe" on Sunday and further deteriorate and remain in "severe" category till November 1, according to central government’s Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi.
Russia pulls out of U.N.-brokered Ukraine grain export deal
The Russian Defense Ministry said that Moscow has moved to suspend its implementation of a U.N.-brokered grain export deal which has seen more than 9 million tons of grain exported from Ukraine and brought down global food prices. The Ministry cited an alleged Ukrainian drone attack against Russia’s Black Sea Fleet ships moored off the coast of occupied Crimea, which Russia says took place in early Saturday, as the reason for the move.
India extends curbs on sugar exports by a year through October 2023
India, the world's biggest sugar producer, has extended restrictions for sugar export by one year through October 2023, the government said in a notification late on Friday. In May, India restricted exports through the end of this month to contain a rise in domestic prices following record exports.
Elon Musk says Twitter will form ‘content moderation council’
Twitter’s new owner billionaire Elon Musk has said the social media company will form a “content moderation council” and any major content decisions or account reinstatements will happen after such a body has convened. Mr. Musk has not yet offered details about how his content moderation council will work.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on October 29 called for concerted global efforts to deal with the challenge of the use of new technologies by various terror groups to radicalise people and foment discord in societies. In a message at the U.N. Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee's meeting in Delhi, he expressed concerns over the abuse of new technologies by various terror groups to spread disinformation, foment discord and radicalise youths.
Xi invokes Mao in visit to cradle of Communist revolution
Dressed in matching navy windbreakers and flanking President Xi Jinping, China’s freshly appointed top leadership this week made their first group outing to the Communist Party’s “holy land”. Mr. Xi’s choice to visit Yan’an — a site inextricably linked with Communist China’s founder Mao Zedong — was an important, deliberate indication of the themes of his next five years at the helm, analysts said. The new Politburo Standing Committee he shepherded around the popular “Red tourism” destination on Thursday consists solely of his loyal allies.
India to become global economic power with collective efforts: Piyush Goyal
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said India will become a global economic power with collective efforts. The Minister who was the chief guest during the inaugural of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), Kakinada campus, in Andhra Pradesh said expert management of human resources is necessary for Indian commerce to gain more international recognition in the future.
Sankar makes the men’s U-19 BWF World junior badminton championships final
India’s Sankar Muthusamy seeded four, played a robust defensive game to defeat Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul of Thailand 21-13, 21-15 to enter the men’s u-19 singles final of the BWF World junior badminton championships here on Saturday. He is the lone seeded player left in the championships. An attacking and fleet-footed player, Teeraratsakul did trouble the Indian with his crosscourt and down-the line smashes but Sankar’s relentless retrievals and consistency paid off.
