Morning Digest | Modi, Zelenskyy discuss Ukraine conflict; second encounter erupts in J&K’s Shopian, and more

A select list of stories to read before you start your day

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. File. | Photo Credit: PTI

Modi, Zelenskyy discuss Ukraine conflict; PM says there can be ‘no military solution’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and asserted that there can be no military solution to the Ukraine conflict, while also underlining that endangerment of nuclear facilities could have catastrophic consequences.

Another encounter erupts in Shopian

An encounter broke out between security forces and militants in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian on Wednesday, October 5, 2022. police said.This is the second gunfight in the district in less than 12 hours

Congress loses chairmanship of parliamentary committee on IT, Home; 6 key panels with BJP, its allies now

Opposition parties have not been given the chairmanship of any of the four key parliamentary panels including the committee on Home Affairs and Information Technology, which were with the Congress, in the latest rejig announced on Tuesday.

Gujarat Assembly polls | Congress MLA Harshad Ribadia resigns, set to join BJP

Harshad Ribadia, a two-time Congress MLA from Visavadar constituency in Saurashtra region, resigned and is likely to join the ruling BJP in next the few days. 

Heavy casualties feared as bus falls into gorge in Uttarakhand’s Pauri district

Heavy casualties were feared as a bus carrying around 45-50 members of a marriage party fell into a gorge in the Bironkhal area of Uttarakhand’s Pauri district on Tuesday evening, the disaster control room here said.

Rajasthan political crisis: Sachin Pilot meets State Minister Khachariyawas

Days after a crisis erupted in Rajasthan Congress, former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot met Food and Civil Supplies Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas at the latter’s residence in Jaipur on Monday night.

Rahul Gandhi was asked to request me to withdraw from Congress president polls: Shashi Tharoor

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was asked by some party leaders to seek withdrawal of Shashi Tharoor’s candidature, the Thiruvananthapuram MP, who has made an aggressive bid to its top post, claimed on October 4.

Elon Musk proposes going ahead with deal to buy Twitter: report

Trading in shares of Twitter was halted after the stock spiked on reports that Elon Musk would proceed with his $44 billion deal to buy the company after months of legal battles.

Government ‘singularly responsible’ for India’s economic problems: Congress

The Congress attacked the Centre over a top U.N. agency projecting a decline in India’s economic growth, saying the government’s contention that the country’s economic problems are imported is a “smoke screen” and it is “singularly responsible” for the woes.

CBI leads crackdown on cyber enabled financial crimes, 105 places searched throughout the country

In a CBI-led operation, codenamed “Chakra”, against cyber enabled financial crimes, 105 places were searched throughout the country on Tuesday. The search was based on inputs from the FBI, Interpol, Canadian and Australian enforcement agencies. State police were also involved in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Delhi, Chandigarh, Punjab and Assam.

As campaign commences in Kerala, Tharoor hits back at KPCC leaders who back Kharge

Congress presidential candidate Shashi Tharoor took a swipe at Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) heavyweights who publicly pitched for his opponent Mallikarjun Kharge.

Doctrinal aspects of Air Force should not be compromised by new structures under theatre commands: IAF Chief

While the Indian Air Force (IAF) is not opposed to the process of having theatre commands, it has “certain reservations” with respect to the structures and the doctrinal aspects of the force “should not in any way be compromised by this new structure”, said IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal (ACM), V.R. Chaudhari.

Delhi L-G orders probe in AAP’s free power scheme; Kejriwal links it to Gujarat polls

The tussle between Delhi L-G V.K. Saxena and the Kejriwal Government intensified as he ordered an inquiry into alleged irregularities in the power subsidy scheme, raising the hackles of AAP leaders who claimed his move was linked to Gujarat polls and aimed at stalling the free electricity initiative.

U.K.’s Truss refuses to rule out welfare cuts to fund economic plan

Britain’s new Prime Minister Liz Truss triggered a fresh row in her party by suggesting that she could limit increases in benefit payments by less than soaring inflation as she seeks ways to fund her tax-cutting growth plan.

Iran’s President tries to assuage anger as protests continue

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on October 4 appealed for national unity and tried to allay anger against the country’s rulers, even as the anti-government protests that have engulfed the country for weeks continued to spread to universities and high schools.

Ukraine’s war-torn economy will sink 35% in 2022: World Bank

Devastated by Russia’s invasion eight months ago, the Ukrainian economy will plunge 35% this year, the World Bank forecast on October 4. The war has destroyed factories and farmland and displaced millions of Ukrainians.

Dominant South Africa hand India 49-run defeat in third T20

India endured another ordinary day in the field as South Africa outplayed the home team by 49 runs to prevent a clean sweep of the series in the third and final T20I at the Holkar Stadium here on October 4.

World table tennis championships: Indian men enter pre-quarterfinals, to face China

The Indian men’s team advanced to the pre-quarterfinals despite losing 0-3 to France at the World Table Tennis Championship. The Indians escaped elimination by the skin of their teeth, entering the round of 16 as one of the higher-ranked best-placed third teams in the group stages.