Seven dead as helicopter ferrying Kedarnath pilgrims crashes
A helicopter ferrying pilgrims from Kedarnath temple to Guptkashi in Rudraprayag crashed into a hill due to poor visibility on October 18, killing all six pilgrims and the pilot on the spot. The chopper — Bell 407 (VT-RPN) and operated by Aryan Aviation — burst into flames at around 11.45 a.m. at Dev Darshini in Garud Chatti, Rudraprayag District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh said.
A special court on Tuesday said it would continue hearing on October 21 into the bail plea of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering case. Special Judge M. G. Deshpande also extended Raut’s judicial custody till October 21 after he was produced in the court at the end of his remand on Tuesday.
Two killed in Kyiv as Russia attacks Ukrainian energy facilities
A Russian missile strike killed two people in Kyiv as Moscow pounded Ukrainian energy facilities on October 18, causing explosions, fires and power outages. Thick smoke rose into the sky after several loud blasts echoed through northern Kyiv, where there is a thermal power station, Reuters witnesses said.
The Justice Arumughaswamy Commission of Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, has found her aide V.K. Sasikala, her doctor K.S. Sivakumar, IAS officer and then Health Secretary Dr. J. Radhakrishnan and former Health Minister Dr. C. Vijayabaskar ‘at fault’. The report, which was tabled in the Assembly again, recommended further investigations into their role.
Mamata offers jobs to bravehearts who saved people from drowning in Jalpaiguri
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday handed over job offer letters, cheques of ₹1 lakh and certificates of appreciation to seven men who risked their lives to save people from drowning in Jalpaiguri district recently. However, two of them did not accept the jobs offered stating that they would continue with their current profession.
Haryana Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal holds meeting with envoys of India to seven countries
To draw foreign investment and explore the possibilities of mutual cooperation in various fields, Haryana Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal held a meeting with the envoys of India to seven countries in Chandigarh, on October 18, according to an official statement. Mr. Kaushal apprised the Ambassadors about Haryana’s investment-friendly policies, its agriculture and food-processing industries, skill development and logistics facilities, etc.
U.S. to continue imposing sanctions on Russian, Iranian arms trade: White House
The United States will continue to vigorously enforce sanctions on Russian and Iranian arms trade, the White House said, asserting that it will stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes. This will make it harder for Iran to sell these weapons to Russia, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference on Monday.
Centre shuts down MDMA formed to probe Rajiv Gandhi assassination case
The Central government has closed the Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA) which was constituted about 24 years ago to investigate the larger conspiracy behind the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The order to disband the MDMA, which was functioning as part of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), was issued in May.
Watch | Global wildlife population down by 69% in the last 50 years
According to WWF’s Living Planet Report (LPR) 2022, the global wildlife population has declined by 69% between 1970 and 2018. Biodiversity loss and climate crisis are reported to be the major reasons for the fall.
Centre hikes minimum support price for wheat, mustard
The Centre on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, hiked the minimum support price for wheat by ₹110 to ₹2,125 per quintal and mustard by ₹400 to ₹5,450 per quintal for the current crop year with an aim to boost production and income of the farmers. The decision to increase the MSPs (minimum support prices) was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Peace and tranquillity in the border areas clearly remains the basis for normal relations between India and China, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on October 18 amid the lingering border row in eastern Ladakh. Mr. Jaishankar said the last few years have been a period of “serious challenge”, both for the relationship and for the prospects of the Asian continent.
Roger Binny elected 36th BCCI President, replaces Sourav Ganguly
Former cricketer Roger Binny has been elected as the 36th President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India at the Annual General Meeting of India’s top cricket body. He replaces Sourav Ganguly, who held the post since 2019. The 91st Annual General Meeting of the BCCI was held in Mumbai. Notably, Binny was the only candidate to have filed a nomination for the top post.
U.N. chief Guterres ‘fully supports’ PM Modi’s ‘not an era of war’ remark to Putin
U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said that he fully supports Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark to Russian President Vladimir Putin that this is “not an era of war”, emphasising that all efforts towards creating conditions for a solution to the Ukraine conflict under the U.N. Charter and international law will be “very much welcomed”.
Bilkis Bano case | SC to hear pleas against premature release of 11 convicts on November 29
The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave petitioners time to respond to a Gujarat government affidavit which showed that the Special Judge and the CBI in Mumbai opposed the premature release of 11 convicts sentenced to life in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case while the Centre and Gujarat authorities went ahead to approve the proposal to set them free early.
