Indian Sub-continent

Mumbai, Jul 24 (PTI) Domestic equity benchmark BSE Sensex dropped over 100 points in early trade on Wednesday as investor sentiment dampened further after IMF cut India's growth outlook.

Massive foreign fund outflow too hit market mood here, traders said.

After swinging nearly 250 point in highly volatile opening session, the 30-share index was trading 104.13 points or 0.27 per cent lower at 37,878.61 at 0930 hours; and the broader Nifty also fell 38.30 points or 0.34 per cent to 11,292.75.

Bengaluru, Jul 23 (PTI) Congress leader Siddaramaiah Tuesday accused the BJP of trying to topple the H D Kumaraswamy government and come to power through backdoor using bribery and "whosesale" trade of MLAs.

Speaking during the debate on the confidence votion moved by Kumaraswamy in the assembly, Siddaramaiah alleged that "Rs 20,25 and 30 crore" were offered to lure the MLAs and asked "Where did this money come from?"

Srinagar, July 23 (PTI) The moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Tuesday welcomed US president Donald Trump's offer of mediation between Indian and Pakistan for resolution of Kashmir issue.

"People of Kashmir, being the most affected party in the conflict, have always strongly advocated resolution through dialogue at all levels and among India and Pakistan. Every effort and push in that direction is welcome," Hurriyat said in a statement.

Lucknow, Jul 23 (PTI) A two-month-old baby died after he was thrown from the window of a hospital here on Tuesday by his mother who was apparently depressed about her son being underweight, police said.

The woman, Shanti, gave birth to the boy on May 26 and he weighed only 750 gm. The newborn was admitted in the paediatric surgery department of the King George's Medical University, hospital spokesperson Sandeep Tiwari said.

Bhopal, Jul 23 (PTI) The erstwhile BJP government in Madhya Pradesh had spent about Rs 753 crore on advertisements in print and electronic media during a period of 34 months preceding the assembly elections held in November 2018, the Legislative Assembly was told Tuesday.

Submitting a written reply to a question by Congress MLA Vinay Saxena, Chief Minister Kamal Nath provided the details of the spend, which pertains to the period between January 1, 2016 and November 10, 2018.

Nath also holds Public Relations portfolio in the Congress-led government.

Muzaffarnagar, Jul 24 (PTI) Two youths were admitted to a hospital in Muzaffarnagar district after they were allegedly beaten up by a group of men after identifying them, a police official said Wednesday.

Sajjad and Waris were returning to their homes in Dolatpur village on a motorcycle from another village when they were stopped and told to identify themselves, Kakroli police station SHO Jitender Kumar Ambavat said.

The group of men then thrashed the youths, he said.

New Delhi, Jul 24 (PTI) The Congress on Wednesday continued to demand a reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on US President Donald Trump's remarks on Kashmir mediation, with Lok Sabha witnessing ruckus for the second straight day.

Joined by members from some other Opposition parties, Congress members trooped into the Well soon after the Question Hour began and were engaged in sloganeering.

More than 30 members, mainly from the Congress, were in the Well shouting slogans even as Speaker Om Birla went ahead with the Question Hour.

New Delhi, Jul 24 (PTI) There was no discussion on Kashmir in the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Japan recently and there is no question of any mediation on the issue, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday.

Making a statement in Lok Sabha, Singh said mediation on the Kashmir issue is ruled out as it is a question of national pride for India.

"There was no discussion on Kashmir during the meeting between the Prime Minister and US President Trump in June.

Mumbai, Jul 24 (PTI) The opposition Congress and NCP in Maharashtra have no dispute on nearly 150 out of the total 288 Assembly seats and would soon decide on sharing these for the state polls due later this year, a Congress leader said on Wednesday.

Senior leaders of the two parties met here on Tuesday evening to deliberate on the broad contours of seat-sharing arrangements for the forthcoming state Assembly polls.

Bhawanipatna, Jul 24 (PTI) A Maoist was gunned down in an exchange of fire with security personnel inside a forest in Odisha's Kalahandi district on Wednesday, a police officer said.

The encounter took place in the forest near Kotbundel village when Special Operation Group (SOG) personnel were conducting a combing operation, Kalahandi Superintendent of Police B Gangadhar said.