Hyderabad : As the State Legislative Assembly elections approach, a comprehensive training program was organized for Sector Officers at Banjara Bhavan on Friday.
The training session featured participation from District Election Officer and GHMC Commissioner Ronald Rose, who emphasized the importance of conducting elections in accordance with the regulations set by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
In addition to acquainting Sector Officers with their roles and responsibilities, the training also focused on various critical aspects of poll duty. Ensuring the availability of essential amenities such as ramps, drinking water, fans, lighting, internet connectivity, restrooms, and other necessary facilities at the polling stations was a key part of the discussion.
This training program plays a crucial role in preparing election officials for their vital roles in the upcoming State Legislative Assembly elections.
Hyderabad : In a tightly contested election for the Apex Council of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), A Jagan Mohan Rao emerged victorious as the new President. The elections took place at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Uppal, Hyderabad on Friday.
Jagan Mohan secured the position by a slender margin of just one vote, with a total of 63 votes in his favor, narrowly edging out his closest competitor, Amarnath, who garnered 62 votes. The other candidates vying for the president’s role, Anil Kumar and PL Srinivas, received 34 and 10 votes, respectively.
In the race for the Vice-President post, Daljeet Singh, a member of the Good Governance panel, clinched victory with a comfortable lead of 17 votes, securing a total of 63 votes. His nearest rivals, T Srinivas and Sridhar, secured 46 and 41 votes, respectively.
The Joint Secretary position was won by Basavaraju from the Panel for Good Governance, who narrowly defeated Chitti Sridhar by just one vote. Basavaraju received 60 votes, while Sridhar secured 59. The other contestants, Noel David and Satish, received 40 and 8 votes, respectively.
United Members of HCA panel’s CJ Srinivas Rao secured the Treasurer’s post with a substantial lead of 33 votes, attracting 66 votes in total. His closest rival, Sanjeev, received 33 votes.
The Councilor post witnessed a closely fought battle, with Sunil Kumar Agarwal of the Cricket First panel emerging victorious by a slim margin. Agarwal secured 59 votes, narrowly surpassing Ansar Ahmed with 50 votes and Vinod Ingle with 47.
Election Results:
President: A Jagan Mohan Rao (United Members of HCA)
Vice-President: Daljith Singh (Good Governance)
Secretary: R Devaraj (Cricket First)
Joint Secretary: T Basava Raju (Panel for Good Governance)
In response to allegations of bribery against TMC MP Mahua Moitra, Telangana Minister and BRS leader KT Rama Rao has expressed his viewpoint, emphasizing the importance of the questions raised in Parliament. He questions whether the government has answers to these inquiries and why it appears perturbed when questions are directed at Adani.
KT Rama Rao posits that the government’s actions may be perceived as a form of witch-hunt and an attempt to create difficulties for Moitra. He extends his unwavering support to Mahua Moitra, commending her resolute efforts within Parliament. Rao asserts that she has been engaged in a commendable struggle and declares his full support for her.
He suggests that the real issue at hand should revolve around whether or not Moitra’s allegations point in the right direction, and he firmly believes that they do.
This statement reflects KT Rama Rao’s perspective on the matter, aligning himself with Mahua Moitra and her parliamentary endeavors.
Hyderabad : In a distressing incident, cyber fraudsters managed to siphon off Rs. 7 lakh from the bank account of a senior government official employed in the Chief Minister’s office.
The victim, D Sridhar, serves as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Chief Minister’s Office. His ordeal began when he initiated an online search for customer care contact numbers of a bank. During this search, he came across a phone number that he believed to be associated with the bank. He contacted this number and spoke with an individual who claimed to be a bank executive, assuring him assistance with his issue.
On October 15, to his horror, D Sridhar discovered that Rs. 7 lakh had been debited from his bank account. He promptly reported the cybercrime to the dedicated helpline at 1930. While the authorities were able to halt a transaction of Rs. 3 lakh, the remaining amount had already been successfully transferred by the fraudsters.
Following the official’s complaint, the cybercrime police have initiated an investigation into the matter.
Jagtial : Rahul Gandhi, a prominent leader of the Congress party, intensified his criticism of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in a rally on Friday. He alleged that a single family holds the reins of power in Telangana and that the state’s wealth is disproportionately concentrated within that family.
Gandhi framed the upcoming Assembly election as a battle between ‘Dorala Telangana and Prajala Telangana’ (feudals’ Telangana and people’s Telangana). He implored the public to empower the Congress to fulfill the vision for which they had strived to establish Telangana as a separate state.
Speaking in Jagtial as part of his ‘Vijayabheri Yatra’ in Telangana, the former Congress leader reiterated his party’s commitment to conduct a caste census in the state if elected to power. This, he stated, would be the initial step towards realizing the aspiration of a people’s Telangana.
Gandhi accused one family of monopolizing the state’s resources, including land, sand, and liquor. He highlighted the contrast between the people’s initial dream of self-governance and the reality of familial rule in Telangana.
The Congress MP also repeated his allegation that the BJP, BRS, and MIM are collaborating in various ways. He claimed that BRS supports the BJP at the national level and in Telangana, the BJP and MIM extend support to BRS.
Gandhi criticized the government for closing sugar factories in the region and vowed that the Congress would reopen them if elected to power. He also pledged that turmeric farmers would receive a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 12,000 to 15,000 per quintal.
Furthermore, he assured that farmers would receive Rs 500 above the MSP for their produce. Rahul Gandhi emphasized that his relationship with Telangana transcends politics, describing it as a bond of love and family that dates back several decades to the time of Jawaharlal Nehru.
He announced that, if elected to power, the Congress would conduct a caste census in Telangana to determine the OBC population and allocate resources accordingly. Gandhi likened the caste census to an X-ray, stating that treatment would follow after diagnosis, marking the first step toward achieving the dream of a people’s Telangana.
He also pledged that if the Congress assumes power at the national level, it would make the findings of the previous caste census public and conduct a new census based on caste.
Gandhi alleged that both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister KCR were averse to conducting a caste census, contending that they did not want OBCs to be aware of their population size, despite OBCs being the backbone of the country.
The political rally in Jagtial served as a platform for Rahul Gandhi to address key issues, extend policy promises, and rally support for the upcoming Assembly election in Telangana.
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a show of solidarity amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, engaged in a conversation with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. During this exchange, PM Modi expressed his condolences for the victims of the tragic blast at Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza.
PM Modi, in a tweet on the microblogging site ‘X’, conveyed his sympathies to President Mahmoud Abbas for the loss of civilian lives in the Al Ahli Hospital incident. Furthermore, he assured the Palestinian Authority that India would persist in providing humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people.
The Prime Minister also shared his deep concerns regarding the escalating terrorism, violence, and deteriorating security situation in the region. He reiterated India’s unwavering principled position on the Israel-Palestine issue.
This communication between PM Modi and the Palestinian President takes place as Western leaders, including US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, make visits to Israel in an effort to mitigate the escalation of the Israel-Hamas war.
Days after a devastating explosion at a Gaza hospital claimed around 500 lives, India issued a call for the strict observance of international humanitarian law. The Indian External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi, expressed profound concern over the civilian casualties resulting from the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Referring to Hamas’s multi-pronged attack on Israeli cities on October 7, Bagchi stressed the importance of the international community coming together to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
He also noted that approximately 1,200 Indians and 18 Nepali nationals have returned to India in five flights from Tel Aviv under ‘Operation Ajay.’ The Indian government is continuously monitoring the situation and will make further arrangements for the return of more individuals as needed.
The explosion at the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, which claimed the lives of around 500 people, sparked widespread international condemnation.
Hyderabad : The heart-wrenching case of Pravalika’s suicide, a dedicated aspirant preparing for the Telangana Public Service Commission (TSPSC) group examinations, took a dark turn as the police apprehended her boyfriend in Mumbai on charges of abetment to suicide.
Pravalika, a resident of a private hostel in the Brindavan area, was found dead, sending shockwaves through the community. Initial investigations revealed a failed love affair as the underlying cause of her extreme step.
Police inquiries unveiled a distressing tale of love gone awry. Pravalika was allegedly in a relationship with Shivaram Rathod, with plans for marriage on the horizon. However, the situation took a tragic turn when Rathod abruptly ended their relationship and became engaged to another woman. Devastated by this betrayal, Pravalika tragically ended her life in her hostel room.
Crucial evidence, including WhatsApp chat messages and a suicide note, pointed towards Rathod’s actions as a significant factor contributing to Pravalika’s decision.
Consequently, the police escalated the charges from CrPC section 174 to IPC sections 147, 420 (cheating), and 306 (suicide abetment), formally accusing Shivaram Rathod of abetment to suicide and cheating.
In the aftermath of Pravalika’s suicide, the Chikkadpally area witnessed protests and outrage. The escalating tensions led to the suspension of Chikkadpally Inspector P Naresh by the Commissioner of Police, citing failure to maintain order during the period of unrest.
While the investigation is ongoing, student organizations and opposition parties have voiced concerns about the repeated postponement of public service examinations in the state. They argue that these delays have significantly impacted the mental well-being of students like Pravalika.
Shivaram Rathod was tracked down in Mumbai by the police, where he was apprehended and later transferred to Hyderabad to face the charges brought against him.
Hyderabad : A fire incident at a shop located at the entrance of Palika Bazar in Hyderabad was swiftly managed by local authorities, preventing any casualties and limiting the property loss to an estimated Rs 8-10 lakhs.
Upon receiving the alert, fire tenders rushed to the scene, and officials confirmed that the fire has been effectively extinguished with no reported injuries.
A #FireAccident broke out at the ladies cloth shops in the #PalikaBazar, under Market ps limits, near the #Secunderabad rly stn today, spread to other shops also, huge #smoke was coming out.
The shop owner, identified as Mazhar, suggested that a short circuit originating from a service wire outside the shop may have triggered the fire, which subsequently spread into the premises.
Fire officer Mohan Rao shared, “We received reports of a fire breaking out at approximately 8:30 AM in a shop at the entrance of Palika Bazar. Fortunately, there were no casualties. Given the high density of shops in Palika Bazar, our team acted promptly to contain the fire, ensuring it did not spread beyond the initial shop.”
Despite the significant property damage, the swift and efficient response from fire authorities ensured the safety of individuals and minimized the overall loss to approximately Rs 8-10 lakhs.
In response to mounting security concerns associated with the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, Israel has reportedly evacuated all its diplomatic staff from Turkey. The decision comes amid growing tensions and protests in Turkey related to the conflict.
According to unnamed diplomatic sources, the withdrawal of Israeli personnel from diplomatic missions in Turkey is primarily due to security reasons.
The Israeli National Security Council also issued a travel advisory to Israeli citizens in Turkey, urging them to leave the country as soon as possible.
Protests erupted in Turkey after a blast at a Gaza hospital resulted in heavy casualties. Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets across Turkey, with some demonstrations occurring outside Israeli diplomatic missions in Istanbul and Ankara.
The Gaza-based Health Ministry revealed that at least 471 Palestinians were killed in the blast at the Al-Ahli Arabi Baptist Hospital in the Gaza Strip. While Hamas claimed that Israel carried out an airstrike on the hospital, Israel contended that a failed rocket launch by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) was responsible for the explosion.
The Israel-Hamas conflict intensified when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israeli military targets and towns near the Gaza Strip on October 7, prompting a series of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza.
The toll of the conflict has been high, with approximately 1,300 people in Israel killed as a result of Hamas’s attacks, while the Gaza-based Health Ministry reported that the death toll among Palestinians due to Israeli retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza had reached 3,478.
The situation remains highly volatile, with ongoing international efforts to broker a ceasefire and ease tensions in the region.
Canada has made the bold move to withdraw 41 diplomats and their 42 family members from India amid intensifying diplomatic tensions between the two nations. The decision follows India’s suspension of visa operations to Canada and its demand for a reduction in the number of Canadian diplomats in India, emphasizing ‘parity’ in the midst of a diplomatic row.
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly revealed the decision, expressing concerns about the safety of their diplomats if India were to unilaterally strip them of diplomatic immunities. She emphasized the importance of diplomatic immunities in the world of international relations, calling them a fundamental principle of diplomacy.
Joly asserted that a unilateral revocation of diplomatic privilege and immunities violates international law, especially the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. She warned that allowing such norms to be broken would put diplomats worldwide at risk.
Despite the tensions, Joly made it clear that Canada would not reciprocate the actions taken by India, in line with its commitment to upholding international diplomatic norms.
The move is expected to affect the level of service delivery Canada can offer to its citizens in both countries. Canada has temporarily suspended in-person services in its consulates in Chandigarh, Mumbai, and Bangalore.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in response to the escalating situation, emphasized that his government had been continuously engaged in diplomacy and dialogue with the Indian government. He acknowledged the seriousness of the matter and the need to address it.
India has expressed its focus on achieving ‘parity’ in terms of diplomatic presence and called for a reduction in the number of Canadian diplomats in the country, citing perceived interference in its internal affairs. Discussions are ongoing between the two countries to determine the specifics of this reduction.
This latest development comes after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that the Indian government was behind the fatal shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. However, India has categorically denied these allegations, deeming them ‘absurd’ and ‘motivated.’
Nijjar, designated as a terrorist in India, was fatally shot outside a Gurdwara in Canada’s Surrey, British Columbia, in June.
The situation remains a critical diplomatic challenge, and further developments are anticipated as discussions continue between the two nations.
