Morning News -

THE HEADLINES:

Leaders of US, France, Germany, UK and Italy condemn Hamas attack on Israel as death toll in the war climbs to 1500.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman leaves for Marrakech, Morocco to attend Annual Meetings of World Bank and IMF along with G20 FMCBG meetings.
Two terrorists killed in an encounter at Alshipora in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah to launch party's election campaign in Telangana today.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to interact and address contingent of Indian athletes of Asian Games in New Delhi today.
In ICC Men's World Cup, New Zealand beat Netherlands by 99 runs in Hyderabad; England to take on Bangladesh in Dharamsala and Pakistan to clash with Sri Lanka in Hyderabad today.

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The leaders of the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy issued a joint statement have condemned the surprise attacks on Israel carried out by the militant group Hamas. US President Joe Biden, along with President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom, stated in the statement that the terrorist acts of Hamas have no justification. It said, their countries will support Israel in its efforts to defend itself and its people against such atrocities. These leaders said, they recognize the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, but Hamas does not represent those aspirations as it offers nothing for the Palestinian people other than more terror and bloodshed.

Meanwhile, the CNN reports that more than 900 people have died in Israel and more than 600 in Gaza. Israel has warned the war is just beginning.

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Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has embarked on an official visit to Marrakech, Morocco, beginning today. She will attend the Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund, along with G20 FMCBG meetings. The annual meetings will be attended by Finance Ministers and Central Bankers from across the world. Finance Minister Mrs Sitharaman and RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das will co-chair the fourth G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting.

The Finance Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with Indonesia, Morocco, Brazil, Switzerland, Germany and France, besides other meetings, scheduled to take place from 11th to 15th October in Marrakech.

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President Droupadi Murmu received her Tanzanian counterpart Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan at Rashtrapati Bhavan last evening. The President also hosted a banquet in honour of the visiting leader.

Welcoming her, President Murmu recalled India’s centuries old friendship with Tanzania, which is based on a rich history of cultural and trade relations between the people and the shared struggle against colonialism. She said that the presence of the Indian diaspora for over 200 years in Tanzania is testimony to Tanzania’s warm hospitality and inclusive culture.

Both leaders agreed that elevation of the India-Tanzania relationship to a ‘Strategic Partnership’ during this visit would benefit the people of both countries.

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In the Kashmir Valley, two terrorists were killed by a joint team of security forces in a nocturnal gunfight which broke-out at Alshipora hamlet in south Kashmir's Shopian district. According to Additional Director General of Police, Kashmir, the terrorists neutralised in the operation had the association with the banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba. One of the slain terrorists was involved in the killing of a Kashmiri Pandit Sanjay Sharma, few months back.

Meanwhile, search operation in the area is underway.

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The Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) is visiting flash flood affected areas of Mangan, Naga, and Chungthang in Sikkim today. The Team visited, flood-affected areas of Gangtok and Pakyong districts and Phidang, Lower Dzongu yesterday. It visited IBM, Rangpo, ATTC- Bardang, Golitar, Singtam, Dikchu. They assessed damages caused to infrastructures along the way, including Indreni and Sirwani bridges and suspension bridges of Jhorlungay and 20th Mile, Majhitar.

A visit was also made to the relief camp located in Majalgaon to assess relief and rehabilitation efforts. The central team made a recommendation for maintenance of proper sanitation at the relief centres.

The death toll has climbed to 36 including 10 Indian army personnel. State Disaster Management Authority confirmed that 80 people are still missing.

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Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram will be held next month. Counting of votes for all five states will take place on 3rd of December. The Election Commission announced the poll schedule for the five states in New Delhi yesterday. Elections for 40 member Assembly seats in Mizoram will be held on 7th November and 90 member Assembly seats in Chhattisgarh on 7th and 17th November. Notification for Mizoram and first phase election in Chhattisgarh will be issued on Friday. For second phase in Chhattisgarh, it will be issued on 21st October.

In Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana single phase polling will take place. In Madhya Pradesh it will be held on 17th November, in Rajasthan on 23rd and in Telangana on 30th November.

There are 679 assembly seats in these five states and 16 crore electors. Around 60 lakh first-time voters will participate in these polls.

Briefing media in New Delhi, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said polls in these five states hold a unique significance as they serve as the final assembly elections before the grand stage of General Elections in 2024. He assured that the Commission will ensure free, fair, and inducement-free elections in these five states. Mr Rajiv Kumar recalled that the EC had recently brought out a proforma for parties and states to explain how and when the promises made by them in their poll manifesto will be implemented.

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All major political parties are intensifying their preparations following the announcement of schedule for the Assembly elections. In Telangana, the gazette notification will be issued 3rd of next month for the 119 Assembly seats. Telangana state is likely to witness triangular contests at many constituencies between BJP, ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Congress in the election. The BRS has already announced its candidates for almost all Constituencies and on 15th of this month, is likely to issue B-forms to them. However, the Congress and BJP are yet to come up with the candidates lists.

The BRS, then TRS managed to win 88 seats out of 119 and had a dominant vote share of 47.4 per cent in the previous Assembly election held in 2018. Congress was in a distant second position with 19 seats with 28.7 per cent vote share.

Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah will launch party's election campaign in Telangana today with a public meeting at Adilabad followed by a meeting of intellectuals in Secunderabad. Party State President G Kishan Reddy announced this in Hyderabad last evening at a press conference. He claimed that there is silent revolution in the state and people want change of government in the state.

In Madhya Pradesh, political activities have begun with the poll date announcement.

In Madhya Pradesh, the main contest in the 230-member assembly has usually been between the ruling BJP and the Congress. This time too the situation is no different. As far as election preparations are concerned, BJP is leading so far by declaring its candidates for 135 seats out of 230 assembly seats, while the Congress has not yet opened its cards. At the same time, parties like Samajwadi Party and Aam Aadmi Party, which are in alliance with Congress at the national level, have increased the tension of Congress by declaring their candidates on some seats. Sanjeev Sharma, Akashvani News, Bhopal.

Meanwhile, BJP yesterday announced the name of candidates for poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh.

The party issued another list of 57 candidates for Madhya Pradesh. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will contest from Budhni seat while State Minister Narottam Mishra will be the party's candidate from Datia constituency.

For Rajasthan, the BJP released its first list of 41 candidates. The list figures seven MPs. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore will contest from Jhotwara and Kirodi Lal Meena will contest from Sawai Madhopur seat.

For Chhattisgarh, the party announced another list of 64 candidates. Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh will contest from Rajnandgaon assembly seat while Union Minister Renuka Singh will be the BJP candidate from Bharatpur-Sonhat seat.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today interact and address the contingent of Indian athletes who participated in the Asian Games. He will host the athletes in New Delhi for their outstanding achievement at the Asian Games and to motivate them for future competitions. India won a total of 107 medals, including 28 gold medals in Asian Games concluded on Sunday. This is India's best performance in the Asian Games in terms of total number of medals won. Congratulating the Indian contingent on their phenomenal achievement, the Prime Minister said, every awe-inspiring performance has made history and filled the hearts of countrymen with pride.

The programme will be attended by the athletes of the Indian contingent for the Asian Games, their coaches, officials from the Indian Olympic Association and representatives of National Sports Federations.

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In ICC cricket world cup 2023, defending champion England will take on Bangladesh in Dharamsala today at 10.30 A.M. while Pakistan will lock horns with Sri Lanka in Hyderabad from 2 p.m.

Yesterday, New Zealand defeated the Netherlands by 99 runs in league stage match in Hyderabad. Chasing a target of 323 runs, the Netherlands were all out for 223 in 46.3 overs. Opting to bowl, Netherlands started with three maiden overs but they could not capitalize the early momentum as the kiwis scored 322 runs in the stipulated 50 overs.

Meanwhile, the Indian Cricket has landed in Delhi today for its fixture against Afghanistan tomorrow at Arun Jaitley Stadium.

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India Post Delhi Circle began its week long celebrations on World Post Day yesterday. The theme this year is Together for Trust -Collaborating for a Safe and Connected Future. Financial Literacy Day, Philately Day, Mails and Parcels Day and Antyodaya Diwas will be celebrated during the National Postal Week which will take place till 13th October. On the Philately Day on 11th October various workshops and seminars will be organized by all postal units of Delhi Circle to create buzz among the students about Philately as a fascinating hobby.

In Gujarat, more than 7 thousand 600 rural post offices have been brought under New Digital Banking Platform on 5 G-ready networks till October 1. Talking to Akashvani, the Chief Post Master General of Gujarat circle Neeraj Kumar said nearly 12 thousand small-scale merchants in the state have been equipped with India Post Payment bank UPI systems to enable faster digital payment.

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TODAY'S NEWSPAPERS HEADLINE:

"Stage set for polls in 5 states" leads Hindustan Times. The paper says "161 million voters to have their say in last batch of key Assembly Polls in run-up to the Lok Sabha elections; verdict out on December 3".
"Israel begins Gaza siege" leads The Pioneer. "Gaza under 'total siege': No power, fuel or food" reports The Asian Age.
"India, Tanzania to elevate ties to strategic partnership" informs The Tribune.
"Harvard's Claudia Goldin only 3rd woman to win Economics Nobel" states The Asian Age.
On the Afghanistan quakes, The Indian Express writes "Rescue workers search for survivors, bodies as Taliban put toll at 2,400".
"PM to personally congratulate India's Asian Games team" says The Statesman.
And finally, "India's ascendancy in the Asian Games: A confluence of talent, infrastructure and Government support" reports The Times of India.

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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:

Leaders of US, France, Germany, UK and Italy condemn Hamas attack on Israel as death toll in the war climbs to 1500.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman leaves for Marrakech, Morocco to attend Annual Meetings of World Bank and IMF along with G20 FMCBG meetings.
Two terrorists killed in an encounter at Alshipora in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah to launch party's election campaign in Telangana today.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to interact and address contingent of Indian athletes of Asian Games in New Delhi today.
And in ICC Men's World Cup, New Zealand beat Netherlands by 99 runs in Hyderabad; England to take on Bangladesh in Dharamsala and Pakistan to clash with Sri Lanka in Hyderabad today.