Today: Fourth and last phase of panchayat elections in Rajasthan; IPL — KXIP vs KKR, CSK vs RCB; French Open women’s singles final;
Tomorrow: IPL — SRH vs RR, MI vs DC; French Open men’s singles final
1. RBI does the heavy lifting, again
The Reserve Bank of India left key interest rates unchanged on Friday but signalled more easing ahead to support an economy.
2. Now, NIA has an 83-year-old ‘conspirator’
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a chargesheet against eight people, including activists Gautam Navlakha and 83-year-old social and tribal rights activist Stan Swamy (he was arrested only a few hours before chargesheet was filed), for their alleged involvement in inciting a mob to violence in Bhima Koregaon near Pune on January 1, 2018.
3. A Covid ‘revelation’ from China
China on Friday claimed that the coronavirus broke out in the various parts of the world last year but it was the only one to have reported and acted first. That refutes the widely-held view that the deadly contagion originated in Wuhan before turning out to be a pandemic.
Friday’s count:
Cases: 73,357; Overall: 6,975,380
Recoveries: 5,978,381; Recovery rate: 85.7%.
Deaths: 934, below 1000-mark for 7th consecutive day; Overall: 107,388
4. World Food Programme wins Peace Nobel
The 2020 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the United Nations agency for its efforts to combat hunger and improve conditions for peace in areas affected by conflict. The Rome-based World Food Programme (WFP) estimates it helps about 97 million people a year in 88 countries and that one in nine people worldwide still do not have enough to eat.
5. Is this the best time to send these kids home?
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) the rationale behind its letter which directed eight states, accounting for over 70% of children in care homes, to ensure their return to their families.
In the letter issued on September 24, NCPCR had said that it is the right of every child to grow up in a familial environment. It said the decision to send children home was taken keeping in view the concerns over their safety and security in these institutions. Those who could not be sent back to their families, preferably within a 100-day period, must be placed for adoption or in foster homes, it had said.
6. India gets a ‘stealth’ missile
India successfully test-fired its New Generation Anti-Radiation Missile (NGARM), Rudram-1, on Friday, which can allow it to take down enemy radars and surveillance systems, allowing IAF fighter jets to penetrate deep into enemy territory unhindered.
7. Big 2 confirm French Open summit clash
Defending champion Rafael Nadal (left in pic) swept into the 2020 French Open final, beating Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7-0) on Friday. Gaining revenge for his Rome quarter-final loss to the Argentine, Nadal landed 38 winners and converted six of nine breakpoints, while saving three breakpoints in a tense 11th game (lasting 12 minutes) in the third set.
8. That’s most un-Sharjahlike!
The story: The pitch at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium has been a batting paradise this IPL, what with short boundaries. The top six innings totals have come at the ground, with all teams (barring Sunrisers Hyderabad) having touched the 200-run landmark. The average first innings total in Sharjah this IPL, before Friday, was 219.
And so, Rajasthan Royals (RR) — who had won both their matches here — would have been confident keeping Delhi Capitals (DC) to a below-par score, thanks to Messrs Archer and Tewatia and some crucial run-outs. In fact, the target was 32 fewer than what RR chased down emphatically the other night against Kings XI Punjab.
The scorecard: DC 184/8 (Hetmyer 45, Archer 3-24) beat RR 138 (Rabada 3-35, Ashwin 2-22) by 46 runs.
9. A bail for Lalu but he’ll still miss polls
The Jharkhand High Court on Friday granted bail to RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in a fodder scam case related to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 33.67 crore from the Chaibasa treasury when he was the chief minister of undivided Bihar.
However, Lalu will continue to remain in jail at least until November 9, when his bail plea in another case related to the Dumka treasury comes up for hearing. He has been convicted and jailed in the case for 14 years.
10. Manipulation of Television Rating Points: How TRPs work, the scam
Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh said on Thursday that police are looking into a scam about manipulation of TRPs (Television Rating Points) by rigging the devices used by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India, which has the mandate to measure television audience in India.
Reference: TOI
