New Delhi, Sep 25 Following are the top stories at 5 PM
NATION
DEL19 PM-LD SEVA YATRA (12.22 PM)
**** Focus on positive changes in society, not on vote bank politics: PM to BJP workers
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday urged BJP workers to focus on social reforms and positive changes rather than vote bank politics. ****
DEL53 JK-3RDLD STATEHOOD-RESOLUTION (4.23 PM)
**** Ruckus after J-K CM moves resolution for full statehood restoration in assembly; House adjourned
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday moved a resolution in the assembly to seek urgent restoration of full statehood to the union territory, leading to ugly scenes in the House and even fist fights. ****
DEL47 UP-SHAH-GDP (3.34 PM)
**** ‘Vakradrashtas’ disputing GDP figures; they see dead everywhere: Shah
Noida: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday took a veiled swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, describing those who dispute the country’s growth figures as “vakradrashtas” — people with a distorted outlook. ****
DEL43 ADR-LAWMAKERS-PARTY CHANGE (3.23 PM)
**** 111 MPs, MLAs changed parties after winning elections since 2022: ADR
New Delhi: As many as 111 MPs and MLAs changed their parties after winning elections to Parliament or state assemblies between 2022 and 2026, with the highest number of such switches recorded in Nagaland and West Bengal, according to an analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch. ****
DEL36 CONG-US-VANDYKE (2.19 PM)
**** ‘PM failed to protect national security’: Cong after US national VanDyke walks out on bail
New Delhi: The Congress on Friday attacked the Modi government after American national Matthew VanDyke was reportedly released on default bail for a month to travel home, alleging that US pressure determined this outcome and Prime Minister Narendra Modi failed to protect India’s national security. ****
DEL13 CONG-MAKE IN INDIA (11.37 AM)
**** ‘Make in India’ belied expectations; pvt investment boom didn’t happen, job growth missing: Cong
New Delhi: The Congress on Friday claimed that the Modi government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative has “significantly belied” hopes and expectations, with the private investment boom not happening and broad-based job growth missing. ****
BOM20 MP-LD-BUS-SERVICE (3.53 PM)
**** MP gets public bus service after gap of 21 years; 351 buses flagged off
Bhopal: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav inaugurated the ‘Mukhyamantri Sugam Parivahan Seva’ and ‘PM-eBus Sewa’ in Madhya Pradesh on Friday, relaunching a public bus service in the state after 21 years. ****
CAL29 WB-SUVENDU-MEETING (2.59 PM)
**** Suvendu announces power subsidy of Rs 2 per unit for farmers
Burdwan (WB): West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday said his government will provide a power subsidy of Rs 2 per unit to nearly four lakh farmers of the state. ****
DEL39 EDU-IIT-ISRO (2.38 PM)
**** India’s journey towards ‘Viksit Bharat’ being written in rockets built on Indian soil: ISRO chief
New Delhi: India’s journey towards ‘Viksit Bharat’ is not confined to the boundaries of Earth but is being written in the rockets built on Indian soil and in the cryogenic engines the world once refused to share, ISRO Chairman V Narayanan has said. ****
LEGAL
LGD25 DL-COURT-LD BRIJ BHUSHAN (4.16 PM)
**** 4 women wrestlers challenge acquittal of Brij Bhushan in sexual harassment case
New Delhi: Four women wrestlers on Friday moved a sessions court, challenging a magistrate’s order acquitting former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case. The plea also assails the acquittal of former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar of the charge of criminal intimidation in the case. ****
LGD17 SC-CEC-LD PLEA (3.11 PM)
**** Plea in SC challenges decisions taken by CEC without concurrence of other poll panel members
New Delhi: A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging decisions, guidelines and software changes allegedly made by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar without the concurrence of the two Election Commissioners, saying such actions violate the statutory requirement of collective decision-making. ****
BUSINESS
DEL37 BIZ-GOYAL-AUSTRALIA (2.18 PM)
**** India, Australia working on bilateral investment treaty: Goyal
New Delhi: India and Australia are working on a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement and a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) to boost two-way trade and strengthen economic ties, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday. ****
DEL40 BIZ-FM-UPI-OPPOSITION (2.41 PM)
**** UPI MDR decision completely professional, no external pressure: FM Sitharaman
New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has rejected as “absolutely baseless” allegations by the Opposition that the decision to levy a 0.4 per cent Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on specified UPI transactions above Rs 2,000 was taken under external pressure, saying it was a professional decision by the payment ecosystem. ****
FOREIGN
FGN30 US-XI-INVITE (2.28 PM)
**** Xi invites 1,00,000 young Americans for exchanges, study in China
Washington: China’s President Xi Jinping has said one lakh young Americans will be invited to visit China for exchanges and study over the next five years. ****
FGN29 NEPAL-FLOODS-RECOVERY-RAIN (2.19 PM)
**** Fresh rains pose new challenge to Nepal flood recovery
Kathmandu: Heavy rainfall across large parts of Nepal has posed a fresh challenge to recovery efforts in areas devastated by the August 26 Bhotekoshi floods, with authorities warning of renewed risks of landslides, floods and debris flows.
(PTI News)
