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Two recent events are worth mentioning. First came the controversy surrounding the Hadith cited by Nupur Sharma, which exposed her to death threats. More sensationally, it led to some people losing their lives for merely expressing support for her online. Then, some days later, the sword of Damocles, hanging on the head of Salman Rushdie ever since the fatwa for his death issued by Ayatollah Khomeini provoked by the The Satanic Verses , came down on him, wounding him seriously. That this should have happened after an interval of thirty-three years, after the fatwa was issued, has shaken many. These events have brought the issue of freedom of expression to the fore both nationally and globally. I offer some views on the matter as we grapple with this issue. I would like to do so by going back to my trend of thoughts at the time the original fatwa against Salman Rushdie was issued. It certainly seemed excessive to me but I was more alarmed by the number of deaths the agitation again

New Delhi: Four persons were killed and 42 others were injured after a sleeper bus they were travelling in met with an accident on Agra-Lucknow Expressway in Uttar Pradesh’s Etawah district on Sunday. “A sleeper bus en route to Ajmer from Gorakhpur with passengers met with an accident on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway under Saifai Police Station. Four people were killed and about 42 are seriously injured,” said ADM, Etawah district. Etawah, UP | A sleeper bus en route to Ajmer from Gorakhpur with passengers met with an accident on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway under Saifai PS. 4 people were killed & about 42 who are seriously injured have been admitted to Saifai’s PGI Hospital: ADM — ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) October 23, 2022 According to the Etawah administration, there were 50 passengers onboard and the authorities fear the death toll might go up. The injured have been admitted to Saifai’s PGI Hospital, added the ADM. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest New

Read your horoscope to know what the stars have in store for you on Choti Diwali. Under Sunday’s skies, Aries will be in the mood for love and intimacy. Taurus should focus on completing their to-do list. Geminis must watch out for dramas within their social circle. It is a good time for Cancerians to plan a special outing with their family. Leos are advised to dedicate some time to self-care and spirituality. Libras must save or invest money instead of spending. The Sunday skies will encourage Virgos to nurture their friendship and communicate easily. Pisces must avoid spending money on unnecessary extravagances. Capricorns must prioritise self-care. Check what the day holds for you this Sunday, 23 October: Aries: (21 March – 19 April): You will be in the mood for true connection and intimacy. You might meet old friends. Some will be busy with social get-togethers. Married couples will spend quality time together. Communication is important for a healthy relationship, so be open to

One of the major festivals celebrated across the country and also in various other parts of the world, Diwali is rightfully known as the festival of light as it symbolises the victory of light over darkness or good over evil. As stated by the Hindu lunar calendar, Diwali usually falls in the month of October or November and people start preparation weeks before the main day. This year, Diwali falls on 24 October 2022, Monday, preparations are already underway as people have started shopping and further decorating their homes. Markets are also flooded by people rushing to purchase lights, candles, diyas, rangoli, and other decorative items for the festival, besides sweets and crackers. On the evening of Diwali, most people worship Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha and further spend the evening with their family and friends. However, as it is celebrated across the country, it is a festival that has several stories associated with it in line with different traditions and religions. With

Rajsamand, Rajasthan:  Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited announced the launch of 5G services in Rajasthan from the famous Shrinathji temple in Nathdwara town of Rajsamand on Saturday, a company official said. Reliance Jio Chairman Akash Ambani has launched the services in Rajasthan from the famous Shrinathji temple in Rajsamand. Reliance Jio Chairman Akash Ambani visits the famous Shrinathji temple in Nathdwara town, Rajasmand… after which he will make an announcement on 5G services for Rajasthan. 5G was launched in India on 1st October by PM Modi. #5G #5Glaunch #jio #ambani https://t.co/V1iK2Zk6Aj — Moneycontrol (@moneycontrolcom) October 22, 2022 As announced two months back, the telecom operator on Saturday has finally launched the new-age high-speed services in the country. This year, it aims to launch 5G services in major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. The telecom operator intends to expand its 5G network to each and every town, tehsil and talukas ac

The Karunya KR 572 lottery draw results will be announced by the Kerala Lottery Department today, 22 October 2022 at 3 pm. Once the lottery result announcement has been made, KR 572 ticket holders must check the lottery results on the official web portal of the state lottery department. In order to make it easy for the ticket holders, the KR 572 results will also be published in the Kerala Government Gazette. The detailed KR 572 results will be published on the web portal from 4 pm onwards. The winner of the Karunya KR 572 lottery’s first prize will take home a prize money of Rs 80 lakh. The second prize winner of the lottery draw will be getting a sum of Rs 5 lakh and the third prize winner is entitled to get an amount of Rs 1 lakh. The Karunya KR 572 lottery draw will be organised at the Gorky Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram, near Bakery Junction. KR 572 ticket holders should be aware that a Kerala lottery tax deduction of 30 per cent and an agent lottery commission of 10 per cent wil

As air quality deteriorates in the National Capital with the coming winter, the Delhi government has adopted several measures to keep a check on pollution. One such measure under the government’s 15-point ‘winter action plan’ is making anti-smog guns mandatory for construction sites above 5,000 square metres (sqm). Moreover, these anti-smog guns are also being used on roads by the Public Works Department (PWD), especially at busy traffic crossings. This year, 120 anti-smog guns are running between 8 am and 8 pm on the roads of the National Capital, while 30 more will ply soon, a PWD official told Indian Express. CNG or BS-VI engine vehicles are being deployed to carry these anti-smog guns, the official informed. What are anti-smog guns and how effective are they in combating air pollution? Let’s take a closer look. ALSO READ: The new and improved plan to battle air pollution in Delhi What are anti-smog guns? Shaped like a canon, anti-smog guns (ASG) spray tiny droplets of water

From Union ministers to chief ministers of several BJP ruled-states, birthday wishes for Amit Shah flooded social media. Prime Minister Modi lauded Amit Shah for his numerous efforts towards nation building further praying for his long and healthy life. PM Modi and Amit Shah share a close bond and have worked together for decades. “Birthday greetings to Shri Amit Shah Ji. As India’s Home Minister he is making numerous efforts for our nation’s progress. He is also doing commendable work in reforming the important cooperatives sector. May he lead a long and healthy life in service of our nation,” PM Modi tweeted. Birthday greetings to Shri @AmitShah Ji. As India’s Home Minister he is making numerous efforts for our nation’s progress. He is also doing commendable work in reforming the important cooperatives sector. May he lead a long and healthy life in service of our nation. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 22, 2022 In a tweet in Hindi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh wro

Rewa: Fifteen persons were killed and more than 35 others injured, some of them seriously, after an Uttar Pradesh-bound bus collided with a stationary truck in Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh, an official said on Saturday. The accident took place between 10:30 pm to 11 pm on Friday when the bus with about 100 people on board, headed to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh from Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh, collided with a truck trolley in the Suhagi Pahari area. Navneet Bhasin, Rewa Superintendent of Police, said most of the passengers on the bus were residents of Uttar Pradesh “Of the 40 injured, 25 have been admitted to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Rewa where one person succumbed to his injuries. The death toll has increased to 15,” said Rewa SP Bhasin. Rewa District Collector Manoj Pushp said, “It seems that the trolley truck had an accident with a truck in front of it and when the driver applied brakes, the bus behind it rammed into it. Rescue operations were conducted and the injured have

Festivals and shopping go hand in hand as people love to buy new clothes, electronic appliances, and furniture, among other items these days. As Diwali is just around the corner shopping has already begun and markets have been flooded by people rushing to make their last-minute purchases. An integral part of Diwali shopping includes buying new clothes for family members including men, women, and children. With festivities in the air, different styles and outfits continue to come into the market and further grab the customer’s attention. One such Diwali outfit has recently grabbed people’s attention, however, not for the outfit but for the mannequin that wears it. Notably, mannequins are usually put out in shops and stores to display clothes and are quite common in shopping centres. However, this mannequin has got attention for its uncanny resemblance with none other than former US President Barack Obama. The picture shared on Twitter shows the mannequin inside a shop wearing a blue-c

Ghaziabad: Police have registered a case against the woman, who had earlier claimed to have been abducted and gang raped by five men, and three others for allegedly ‘fabricating’ gang-rape charge in an attempt to grab property. An alleged case of gang rape of a 38-year-old woman was reported on 18th October in the National Capital Regions’s Ghaziabad. Media reports claimed that the woman, who was waiting for a bus, was abducted by five men, raped and then thrown away wrapped in a jute bag with her hands and legs tied. Her genitals were mutilated with an iron rod, which was left inside her body, the reports said. A Delhi woman was abducted&gang-raped by 5 men in Ghaziabad (UP) SP City (Ghaziabad) says, “On 18 Oct, Nandgram(UP)Police received info that a woman is lying near Ashram Road. Police took her to hospital. She’s a resident of Delhi&had come to her brother’s residence in Nandgram” pic.twitter.com/RYRqpGHEv9 — ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2022 The case was highlighted

Ghaziabad: The alleged gang-rape incident in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad that shocked the entire state with the intensity of the brutality of the crime has now turned out to be a case of a 36-year-old Delhi woman lying and hatching the entire “conspiracy” to frame the five men over a property dispute. The police, on Thursday, dismissed as “fabricated” a Delhi woman’s claim that she had been gang-raped and brutalised by five men in Ghaziabad. Three of the associates of the woman have been detained by the police and have been identified as Azad Tehsin – resident of Welcome in Delhi, Gaurav Sharan – resident of Shivam Garden in Badalpur (Gautam Budh Nagar), and Mohammad Afzal – resident of Kaila Bhatta in Ghaziabad. “The alleged incident did not take place. We have arrested three friends of the woman on the basis of their confessional statements which have been corroborated with evidences. The incident was planned to nail the five men (initial suspects) who had a land dispute with the w

Dehradun: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday had a free-wheeling interacted with shramjeevis working on development projects in Uttarakhand’s Kedarnath. Some shramjeevis told PM Modi that they were farmers and that they greatly value the PM Kisan yojna. Prime Minister Modi enquired whether they are getting benefits of governments welfare schemes, to which they said that they have got a home under PM Awas Yojana and that PM Kisan Yojna greatly valued them. During his interaction, the Prime Minister asked them about their native states and their family background. The Prime Minister asked them to take care of their health and keep drinking warm water. He also enquired about their Corona vaccination status. 'श्रमेव जयते' 'श्री केदारनाथ धाम' के पुनर्निर्माण में योगदान देने वाले श्रम साधकों से संवाद करते कर्म साधक प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi । जय-जय श्री केदार 🛕 #ModiInDevBhumi pic.twitter.com/km7Y3PFKYv — BJP (@BJP4India) October 21, 2022 Prime Minister

Dehradun: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday had a free-wheeling interacted with shramjeevis working on development projects in Uttarakhand’s Kedarnath. Some shramjeevis told PM Modi that they were farmers and that they greatly value the PM Kisan yojna. Prime Minister Modi enquired whether they are getting benefits of governments welfare schemes, to which they said that they have got a home under PM Awas Yojana and that PM Kisan Yojna greatly valued them. During his interaction, the Prime Minister asked them about their native states and their family background. The Prime Minister asked them to take care of their health and keep drinking warm water. He also enquired about their Corona vaccination status. 'श्रमेव जयते' 'श्री केदारनाथ धाम' के पुनर्निर्माण में योगदान देने वाले श्रम साधकों से संवाद करते कर्म साधक प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi । जय-जय श्री केदार 🛕 #ModiInDevBhumi pic.twitter.com/km7Y3PFKYv — BJP (@BJP4India) October 21, 2022 Prime Minister

On 6 September, Britain got a new prime minister when Queen Elizabeth II formally appointed Liz Truss. Forty-five days later, on 20 October, after a disastrous time in Downing Street, she announced her resignation , saying, “I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party. I have therefore spoken to His Majesty the King to notify him that I am resigning as leader of the Conservative Party.” With this, 47-year-old Truss earned the ignominy of becoming the shortest-serving leader in British history — a joke made by a British tabloid asking if she would wilt faster than a lettuce actually came true. However, there have been a few other world leaders who have lasted far less than Truss’ 45 days. Here’s a look at these other short tenures, which may provide little comfort to Truss and make her time in office look positively lengthy. Britain’s prime ministers Until Thursday when Liz Truss resigned, Tory statesman George Canning held the distinction of hold

Dehradun: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the famous Kedarnath temple in this Uttarakhand district on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaches Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 21, 2022 The prime minister will perform a puja at the temple, before proceeding towards Badrinath. Uttarakhand | PM Narendra Modi offers prayers at Kedarnath temple pic.twitter.com/4C5Tv5i63u — ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2022 Modi will also lay the foundation stone of the 9.7 km long Gaurikund-Kedarnath ropeway project. PM Modi arrived at Jolly Grant airport in Dehradun and was received by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Gurmeet Singh. During his two-day tour of the state, Modi is scheduled to inspect various ongoing development projects and lay the foundation stones of some new projects. Security has been tightened around the two famous temples of Kedarnath and Badrinath in view of the prime minister&

New Delhi: Pushing for complete self-reliance in the defence sector, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Thursday said in modern times no country can aspire to emerge stronger without achieving self-reliance in defence, research and development and manufacturing of weapons. Mentioning the ongoing war in Ukraine, heightened tensions around Taiwan straits and growing instability globally, CDS General Chauhan said given the fragile nature of regional and global security, nations need to be equipped so that they do not depend on other countries for their defence needs. “The ongoing war in Ukraine, heightened tensions around Taiwan straits, growing instability post-withdrawal of the United States troops from Afghanistan has highlighted the fragile nature of regional and global security. This has reinforced belief in self-reliance in the defence sector,” the CDS said at the ongoing Defence-Expo 2022. Moving forward in any joint venture, India would be looking at not only trans