The rupee depreciated 4 paise to 81.66 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday amid high volatility as rising crude oil prices weighed on the local unit.
At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened on a strong note at 81.52 against the greenback, then pared the gains and fell to 81.66, registering a fall of 4 paise over its previous closing.
In initial trading, the rupee also touched 81.51 against the American currency. On Tuesday, the rupee appreciated by 20 paise to end at 81.62 against the US dollar.
The forex market was closed on Wednesday on account of Dussehra.
According to Sriram Iyer, Senior Research Analyst at Reliance Securities, the rupee opened stronger tracking a fall in the dollar over the past two sessions.
Moreover, Asian and emerging market peers were also stronger this Thursday morning and lent support. However, stronger crude oil prices, hawkish rhetoric from Fed officials and JP Morgan’s decision to hold off the inclusion of Indian bonds into its global index weighed on the local unit, Iyer added.
The dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, fell 0.35 per cent to 110.81.
Global oil benchmark Brent crude futures surged 0.13 per cent to USD 93.49 per barrel. On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share BSE Sensex was trading 357.3 points or 0.62 per cent higher at 58,422.77, while the broader NSE Nifty advanced 109.25 points or 0.63 per cent to 17,383.55.
Foreign institutional investors were net buyers in the capital market on Tuesday as they purchased shares worth Rs 1,344.63 crore, as per exchange data.
Eight persons died during a flash flood that hit the Mal River at Jalpaiguri district in West Bengal on Wednesday evening District Magistrate Moumita Godara Basu said.
One more body was recovered taking the toll up to eight, the district official said. Moumita Godara said that a search is underway to find if there were more casualties.
Four women were among those killed in the tragic incident. People who sustained minor injuries have been admitted to a nearby hospital, the district magistrate said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the kin of those who lost their lives in the flash flood.
Leader of the Opposition in Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari also expressed his grief over the incident and in a tweet. “Saddening news coming from Jalpaiguri as flash flood in Mal river during Durga Puja immersion swept away many people. Few deaths have been reported till now. I request the DM of Jalpaiguri & @chief_west to urgently step up rescue efforts & provide assistance to those in distress.” Earlier, Jalpaiguri SP Debarshi Dutta said that seven people had died and several were feared missing after flash floods hit Mal River in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri during Goddess Durga idol Visarjan (immersion), on Wednesday. “Flash flood hits Mal River in Jalpaiguri during Durga Visarjan. Seven people were dead, several were feared missing and many people were trapped in the river and many washed away. Bodies of seven people were recovered. NDRF and civil defence deployed; rescue underway,” Debarshi Dutta said.
Saddening news coming from Jalpaiguri as flash flood in Mal river during Durga Puja immersion swept away many people. Few deaths have been reported till now. I request the DM of Jalpaiguri & @chief_west to urgently step up rescue efforts & provide assistance to those in distress. pic.twitter.com/4dZdm2WlLO
— Suvendu Adhikari • শুভেন্দু অধিকারী (@SuvenduWB) October 5, 2022
Personnel of the national defence reserve force (NDRF) and civil defence were deployed in the search and rescue operations the police official said.
Nine people were killed and 38 others were injured after a tourist bus carrying students crashed into a Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus at Mangalam near Vadakkenchery area of Palakkad, Kerala minister M B Rajesh said on Thursday.
The horrific road accident occurred after the tourist bus rear-ended into the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus.
The tourist bus carrying students and teachers of the Baselios Vidhyanikethan School was headed to Ooty from Ernakulam, while the KSRTC bus was on its way to Coimbatore.
The deceased include five students, one teacher and three passengers from the KSRTC bus. A total of 38 people have been admitted to the hospital.
“Five people sustained serious injuries but they are said to be out of danger,” Rajesh said. Further details are awaited.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday said that it is “neither the nature of the Sangh nor Hindus” to endanger the minorities while also adding that the RSS resolves to stand on the side of brotherhood.
Notably, opposition parties including the Congress have accused RSS of trying to divide society and making people fight against each other.
Addressing the occasion of the Vijayadashmi festival here, where mountaineer Santosh Yadav was the chief guest, Bhagwat said, “Scare-mongering is done among minorities that there is a danger to them because of us or Hindus.
This has not happened in the past, nor will it happen in future. This is neither the nature of Sangh nor of the Hindus.”
He said that “neither threatens nor gets threatened” is the kind of Hindu society that is needed. “Self-defence and defence of our own become a duty for everyone against those who spread hatred, commit injustice and atrocity, and engage in acts of hooliganism and enmity towards society.
‘Neither threatens nor gets threatened’, this kind of Hindu society that is the need of the present times. This is not anti-anybody. Sangh resolves to stand on the side of brotherhood, amity and peace,” he said.
“The second type of obstacle that hinders our Sanatana Dharma is created by forces who are inimical to Bharat’s unity and progress. They spread fake narratives, encourage anarchy, engage in criminal acts, foment terror, conflict and social unrest,” Bhagwat added.
The RSS chief said that the Sangh will “keep emphasizing the word Hindu”.
Angelina Jolie has filed a countersuit against Brad Pitt in the midst of their legal battle over ‘Chateau Miraval’, a French winery the former couple purchased more than ten years ago.
According to Variety, in the countersuit, Jolie’s legal team provides fresh information regarding an alleged altercation between Pitt, Jolie, and their children aboard a plane in September 2016. Jolie sold her share of Chateau Miraval without telling him, and Pitt then sued her, claiming she had violated his “contractural rights.”
Variety reports that in the countersuit, Jolie’s attorneys assert that negotiations with Pitt’s team about selling her stake in the business came to an end when Pitt insisted, she sign “a nondisclosure agreement that would have contractually prohibited her from speaking outside of court about Pitt’s physical and emotional abuse of her and their children.”
The countersuit claims that during the 2016 confrontation, “Pitt choked one of the children and struck another in the face” and “grabbed Jolie by the head and shook her.”
According to Jolie’s attorney, Pitt accused her of being “too deferential” to their children, which sparked the argument. The two began to argue in the airplane’s restroom.
“Pitt grabbed Jolie by the head and shook her, and then grabbed her shoulders and shook her again before pushing her into the bathroom wall,” the countersuit reads. “Pitt then punched the ceiling of the plane numerous times, prompting Jolie to leave the bathroom.”
According to Variety, the countersuit claims that after one of their children defended Jolie, Pitt made an attempt to physically assault the child. “When one of the children verbally defended Jolie, Pitt lunged at his own child and Jolie grabbed him from behind to stop him,” the countersuit states.
“To get Jolie off his back, Pitt threw himself backwards into the airplane’s seats injuring Jolie’s back and elbow. The children rushed in and all bravely tried to protect each other. Before it was over, Pitt choked one of the children and struck another in the face. Some of the children pleaded with Pitt to stop. They were all frightened. Many were crying.” Variety further reported.
Jolie then “arranged for separate transportation at the airport” to bring her and the children to a hotel without Pitt, the suit continues. “She then went to wake Pitt up and told him that she and the children were going to a hotel. Pitt once again screamed at her, and pushed her down yet again.”
According to Variety’s August report, Jolie was the driving force behind a 2016 lawsuit in which the plaintiff claimed that her “then-husband” had raped her on a private plane. An FBI agent was contacted by the actor after she claimed that Pitt had “physically and verbally assaulted” her and their kids, and the agent later met with the assistant US attorney.
After the agent said they would not press charges, Jolie secretly sued the FBI under the Freedom of Information Act to get access to records pertaining to the federal investigation into Pitt.
According to Jolie’s attorney, the FBI agent who looked into the claims “concluded that the government had probable cause to charge Pitt with a federal crime for his conduct that day.” This is stated in the current countersuit.
At least five people have been reported dead after a speeding car rammed into an accident site on the Bandra-Worli sea link in Mumbai in the early morning hours of Wednesday.
Earlier according to reports, over 10 people sustained injuries in the incident when an ambulance and a car and some other vehicles were parked on the side of the road, preparing to take victims of an earlier accident to a hospital.
A car being driven at a high speed came and crashed into the ambulance and three more vehicles as well as the car that was involved in the previous crash.
Police have rushed to the spot after receiving information and relief and rescue operations are underway. Police took the injured to the hospital with the help of local people, The condition of many is very critical.
The road from Bandra to Worli has been closed. Further details are awaited.
Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde announced that the government will set up 700 Aapla Davakhana (health clinics) in the state named after Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. The chief minister in a statement said strengthening the health infrastructure remains a top priority of his government and the health budget will be doubled.
Prakash Surve, Shiv Sena politician who now joined Shinde faction said “We will do all that the state needs be it medical facility, education or infrastructure. Our priority is welfare to the state and that was Bala Saheb’s dream too”.
Shivsena leader Ramdas Kadam said “ Balasaheb is our god, inspiration and existence. By announcing this project in the name of Bala Saheb, our CM has done a great job. This is a big tribute to saheb”.
Meanwhile, With the Election Commission announcing that by poll for the Andheri East assembly segment will be held on November 3, the stage is set for the first direct electoral clash between the Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena and the BJP-Eknath Shinde combine after the formation of the Shinde-Fadnavis government.
The Thackeray faction has announced that Rutuja Latke, widow of MLA Ramesh Latke whose death in May has demanded the by-election, will be its candidate, while BJP Mumbai unit chief Ashish Shelar said former corporator Murji Patel will be the party’s candidate, though the official announcement will be made by the central leadership. The Shinde faction will back the BJP nominee though it’s yet to make a formal announcement.
Shiv Sena leader and LoP Ambadas Danve said, “This scheme was already declared in MVA Government.”
Shiv sena MLC Vilas Potnis Said, “They are using their power and bringing the same policies which were announced by the earlier government.”
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 here on Tuesday.
Tharoor, who is in Kerala as part of the poll campaign, told reporters here that Gandhi said he will not ask the former to withdraw as a contest would benefit the grand old party.
“He reminded me that he has been saying so for the past 10 years that there should be a contest for the party chief’s post. “He also told me that some persons have asked him to request me to withdraw my candidature. He told me he will not do so. He said I should not withdraw and that I should contest in the election,” the Thiruvananthapuram MP said.
Earlier in the day, he said that he never expected big leaders to support him and does not expect it even now, but at the same time he needs everyone’s backing. The statement came in the wake of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K Sudhakaran publicly declaring his support for veteran leader Mallikarjun Kharge for the party chief’s post.
Tharoor also said he was not going to betray those who supported him till now in this endeavor of his by backing off from the election.
“I was not expecting any support from the big leaders of the party and I am not expecting that now either. In fact, I met party workers at Nagpur, Wardha and then Hyderabad. They are the ones asking me to contest and not back away from it. “I assured them I will not back away. I will not betray those who have supported me till now. Their confidence in me is what gives me the strength to move forward,” he said.
He also said that while the “majority of his supporters are young party leaders and party workers”, he needs support from everyone and was not going to discount anyone.
On being asked whether Sudhakaran’s public support for Kharge was meant to discourage others from supporting him, Tharoor said, “Maybe. But I am not saying that. I do not need to decipher what is going on in people’s minds. I will say one thing, whatever one says secretly or publicly, the ballot is secret.”
“No one is going to know who voted for whom. People can vote according to their wishes and beliefs. They can decide whom they want to strengthen the party and prepare it to counter the challenges it would face in the future.”
Regarding Sudhakaran’s statement, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said the KPCC chief probably expressed his personal decision and preference and “there is nothing wrong with that.”
“He cannot give a direction which is clear from the circular issued by the party debarring party office-bearers from campaigning for candidates. But please don’t ask me about it. If the election authority wants to do something about it, it is up to them,” he said.
The election circular issued by the party on Monday said that AICC general secretaries/ in-charges, secretaries, joint secretaries, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) presidents, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leaders, heads of frontal organisations, chiefs of departments, cells and all official spokespersons “shall not campaign for or against contesting candidates.”
“If they wish to support any candidate, they must first resign from their organisational post, after that they participate in the campaign process,” it said.
The polling for the Congress presidential election will be held on October 17. The counting of votes will be taken up on October 19 and the results will be declared the same day.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on October 4 wrote to L-G V.K. Saxena, accusing him of bypassing the elected government in Delhi and ordering inquiries into its works in a “politically motivated and unconstitutional” manner.
Mr. Sisodia’s attack came hours after Mr. Saxena directed Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to conduct a probe into the alleged irregularities in in the AAP Government’s power subsidy scheme, and submit a report within seven days.
The AAP leader said the L-G has no power to issue orders on any matters concerning the Delhi Government except for land, police, and law and order.
Stating the L-G has been regularly ordering probes into decisions taken by the elected government in Delhi, Mr. Sisodia alleged these inquiries were “illegal and unconstitutional”.
Nothing has come out of the probe into the “so-called” bus procurement scam, school scam, liquor scam, but it weakens the morale of officers, Mr. Sisodia said, and urged the L-G to work “according to the Constitution”.
