Indian Sub-continent

BAKU, Oct 25 (NNN-Bernama) — The 18th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit opened Friday in this capital city of Azerbaijan, gathering the leaders of more than 120 member countries at a time when the world faces new challenges including a trade war.

At this summit, Azerbaijan, helmed by President Ilham Aliyev, takes over the chairmanship of NAM for the next three years from Venezuela.

Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is among more than 20 top leaders attending the two-day summit being held at the Baku Congress Centre.

25 Oct 2019; MEMO: The Saudi authorities have arrested Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Mahmoud, a former faculty member of Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, for criticising forms of entertainment.

Lahore/Dera Baba Nanak, Oct 24; GANASHAKTI: India and Pakistan on Thursday signed a landmark agreement to operationalise the historic Kartarpur Corridor to allow Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit the holy Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, notwithstanding a chill in bilateral ties.

The corridor will connect the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India's Punjab with Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur, just about four kilometres from the International Border, located at Narowal district of Pakistan's Punjab province.

New Delhi, Oct 25 (PTI) Five Independent MLAs, along with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and BJP's Haryana in-charge Anil Jain, met the party's working president, J P Nadda, at his residence here on Friday to finalise the modalities of government formation, sources said.

The five Independent legislators -- Dharampal Gondan, Nayanpal Rawat, Sombir Sangwan, Rakesh Daulatabad and Randheer Golan -- met Nadda and extended their support to the saffron party, BJP leader Jawahar Yadav said.

New Delhi, Oct 25 (PTI) As many as 2,155 people lost their lives and another 45 were reported missing this monsoon season in rains and floods, which affected more than 26 lakh people in 22 states, Union Home Ministry officials said on Friday.

The maximum number of 430 people died in Maharashtra, followed by 227 in West Bengal in rains, floods and landslides that hit as many as 361 districts in the country.

New Delhi/Mumbai, Oct 25 (PTI) Gold and jewellery sales were muted so far on the occasion of Dhanteras as people preferred silver coins and utentils for token buying amid sluggish consumer spending and high rates of the precious metal, according to industry players.

Dhanteras, celebrated in northern and western parts of India on Friday, is considered an auspicious day for buying gold, silver and other valuables.

Palghar, Oct 25 (PTI) The police have registered a case against the driver of a private jeep for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl at Mokhada town in Maharashtra's Palghar district, the district police said on Friday.

The incident took place on October 19, when the victim, a resident of Kurudpada, Jawhar, was travelling in a private jeep, commonly used by locals in the area, the official said.

New Delhi, Oct 25 (PTI) Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leader Dushyant Chautala, who has emerged as a kingmaker in Haryana, will meet his 10 legislators on Friday at his residence here to decide on the future course of the party.

The Haryana Assembly poll verdict threw up a fractured mandate with the Congress winning 31 of the 90 seats at stake and the BJP bagging 40 seats. The half-way mark is 46.

He will also meet his father Ajay Chautala, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail, before taking a final decision on the future course of action.

Lucknow, Oct 24 (PTI) Samajwadi Party on Thursday retained its Rampur assembly seat, which fell vacant after Azam Khan successfully fought the Lok Sabha polls with his wife emerging victorious by a margin of over 7,000 votes.

Khan's wife and SP candidate Tazeen Fatma won by defeating her nearest rival BJP candidate Bharat Bhushan.

While Tazeen secured 79,043 votes, Bhushan got 71,327 votes.

Mumbai, Oct 24 (PTI) Indicating that he would drive a hard bargain in talks with the ally BJP during government formation, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said on Thursday that it was time to implement "fifty-fifty" formula for power-sharing.

The BJP had won or was leading on 101 seats and Sena on 57 seats out of the total 288 Assembly seats in Maharashtra as counting was underway for the state polls.