An IndiGo plane declared emergency at the Delhi airport on Friday after one of its engines caught fire at the time of taxiing, according to sources.

The Bengaluru-bound A320 aircraft, which had 184 people on board, later returned to the bay. The people were safely deboarded, the sources said.

A video on Twitter showed one of the plane's engines on fire and sparks flying at the time of taxiing at the airport.

The incident took place at around 10 pm.

In a statement, IndiGo said the aircraft operating flight 6E2131 from Delhi to Bengaluru experienced an engine stall during take off roll. "The take off was aborted and the aircraft safely returned to the bay. All passengers are being accommodated on an alternate aircraft," the statement said.

Delhi police officials said the control room at the airport received a call from the CISF control room regarding fire in engine of the IndiGo plane. The plane had 177 passengers and seven crew members. Later, passengers were safely deboarded, they added.

According to the sources, the pilot of a SpiceJet plane that was behind the IndiGo aircraft in the line up while taxiing alerted the Air Traffic Controller about the fire in the engine.

New Delhi, Oct 29 (PTI) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday called for concerted global efforts to deal with the challenge of the use of new technologies by terror groups to foment discord.

In a message at the UN Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee's meeting in Delhi, he expressed concerns over the abuse of new technologies by various terror groups to spread disinformation, foment discord and radicalise youths.
The counter-terror meeting in Delhi is being attended by representatives from all 15 member nations of the UN Security Council.
The message by Guterres was read out by an official of the global body.
 "New and emerging technologies have unmatched potential to improve the human conditions everywhere, regrettably they have been also been misused by many including malicious actors," the UN Secretary-General said. "Terrorists and others posing hateful ideologies are abusing new and emerging technologies to spread disinformation, foment discord, recruit and radicalise, mobilise resources and execute attacks," he said.

New Delhi, Oct 29 (PTI) Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh has said it is the Centre's firm commitment to ensure every part of Jammu and Kashmir gets durable road network for its rapid growth The prime objective of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) is to provide connectivity, by way of all-weather road to the unconnected habitations in rural areas, he said on Friday.

While highlighting the government's initiatives towards strengthening road connectivity, he said it is the firm commitment of present dispensation that every part of the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory gets a durable road network for rapid growth and development, according to an official statement.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday dedicated 75 projects to the nation, a number of them falling in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, from Shyok village in Leh district of Ladakh.

The projects are of vital importance for the troops as well as the civilians, said the statement issued by the Personnel Ministry. In his address, Jitendra Singh said the highest number of projects including seven bridges and one road were inaugurated in his parliamentary constituency of Udhampur-Kathua-Doda in Jammu and Kashmir.

The seven bridges e-inaugurated by the defence minister in Kathua district of Singh's constituency comprise Jantriya, Konyali-I, Konyali-II, Chenab Badi, Pakka Kotha, Challa Nallah and Benadi.

Jitendra Singh informed that Benadi bridge has been constructed in just 90 days by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) which is a BRO record till date while Pakka Kotha bridge, which is 181 metres long multi span bridge, has been built in 102 days.

Commenting on the inauguration of 10 per cent of total projects in his parliamentary segment, the minister said, "With inauguration of new roads in Kathua district, road connectivity up to zero line on the International Border has been achieved".

Singh thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for prompt approval of projects in his parliamentary constituency and said with 200 bridges, including small puliyas, a "sort of record" has been made in the last eight years of the Modi government, the statement said. 

 New Delhi, October 29

*Counter-terrorism has become one of top priorities during India’s ongoing tenure in UN Security Council: EAM Jaishankar at UN meet in Delhi.

*Terrorism remains one of gravest threats to humanity: EAM Jaishankar at UN Counter-Terrorism Committee meet in Delhi. 

*UNSC evolved important architecture built primarily around counter-terror sanctions regime to combat terrorism: Jaishankar.

*UN counter-terror sanction regime effective to put countries on notice that turned terrorism a state-funded enterprise: Jaishankar.

*Despite UN efforts, threat of terrorism growing and expanding, particularly in Asia, Africa as highlighted in UN reports: Jaishankar.

*New technologies throws open new challenges for governments due to their vulnerability for misuse by non-state actors: Jaishankar.

*Terrorists, their fellows, and lone wolf attackers enhanced their capabilities by gaining access to new technologies: Jaishankar.

*Ethos of open societies is being used to attack freedom, tolerance and progress: Jaishankar.

*Internet and social media platforms turned into potent instruments in toolkit of terrorists, militant groups: Jaishankar.

 Jaipur, Oct 28 (PTI) Senior IPS officer Umesh Mishra will be the new Rajasthan Director General of Police (DGP).

The 1989-batch officer will take over as the DGP upon the retirement of incumbent M L Lather on November 3, an order issued by the department of personnel on Thursday night said.

Mishra, who is currently the DG Intelligence, has been appointed as the DG (head of police force for a period of two years (irrespective of his date of superannuation) or until further orders, whichever is earlier, it said.

At the same time, he has also been promoted to the apex scale (Level 17 in the pay matrix) of the Indian Police Service, the order read.

Mishra has held posts like Additional Director General of Police (ADG) Intelligence, ADG Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Special Operations Group (SOG), ADG Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), IG Bharatpur in the past. He has also been the Superintendent of Police of Kota city, Bharatpur, Pali and Churu districts. PTI

Jammu, Oct 28 (PTI) A massive search operation was carried out in and around the railway station here on Friday after 18 detonators were found in a drain near it, officials said.

The railway police on Thursday evening foiled a plan of terrorists to possibly trigger an IED blast by recovering 18 detonators and explosive material packed in a bag near the station.

The bag was found in a drain near a taxi station.

Sleuths of railway police and Railway Protection Force (RPF) conducted a search operation at the railway station, platforms and parking areas, they said.

Trains were checked and patrolling on the tracks has been intensified in wake of the threat perception due to recovery of the explosive material, they said, adding sniffer dogs have been pressed into service Checking of incoming vehicles have been intensified and people have been asked to keep a eye on suspicious objects, they said. PTI

New Delhi, Oct 28 (PTI) With billionaire Elon Musk closing the deal to buy Twitter and firing the social media firm's four top executives, twitterati in India on Friday seemed divided with many who were vocal against content moderation on the platform hailing the development while others sounding a note of caution.
Musk has completed his USD 44 billion (one billion=100 crore) takeover of Twitter and fired the social media company's four top executives, including CEO Parag Agrawal and legal executive Vijaya Gadde, according to the New York Times.
Musk singled out Gadde, 48, criticising her for her role in content moderation decisions at the company, the report said.
"The bird is freed," Musk, 51, tweeted after closing the deal.
Reacting to the development, filmmaker Ashoke Pandit tweeted, "While wickets are falling in Twitter after Elon Musk takes over Urban Naxals in India must be worried."
Another filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri posted a picture of Gadde with Twitter's ex-CEO Jack Dorsey, holding a placard saying "smash brahminical patriarchy", also in the frame, and said, "They wanted to smash Brahminical Patriarchy but got smashed themselves."
"An example of Brahminical Justice. Thanks Elon Musk," he added.
Shefali Vaidya, who describes herself as a social media influencer, reacted to the development of Musk firing the top executives of Twitter, saying, "Excellent! I was shadow banned and my follower count dropped steadily from the day I welcomed Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter.""Hopefully, now Twitter India, Twitter Support will actually make it an unbiased platform!" she said.There were also others who sounded a note of caution over the development.
Sanjay Jha, former Congress leader and author, said Musk firing top Twitter team immediately on acquiring it upends basic leadership principles.
"This man is like Donald Trump on a lower dose of steroids," Jha said.Swati Chaturvedi, a columnist and journalist, reacted to the development saying, "Belt up folks, this is going to be a crazy ride."There has also been talk of imminent danger that social media will splinter into far-right wing and far left-wing echo chambers that generate more hate and divide society.K T Lakshmi Kanthan, the head of Tamil Nadu Congress' social media department said, "There are many right-wing supporters in Twitter India and letting fake handles to do their hate propaganda which spreads venom in the society. Elon Musk should look into this, if he really cares for the freedom of the bird."The New York Times said that Musk, the world's richest man, closed the deal to buy Twitter on Thursday.  According to the NYT report, the Twitter executives who were fired include Agrawal, Gadde, Chief Financial Officer Ned Segal and General Counsel Sean Edgett. At least one of the executives who was fired was escorted out of Twitter's office, the report said. Agrawal, who was appointed Twitter's chief executive last year, had clashed  with Musk  publicly and privately in recent months about the takeover, the NYT report said.As the Twitter account of former US President Donald Trump was permanently suspended in January last year, Hyderabad-born Gadde was at the forefront of this dramatic decision undertaken within days of the attempted insurrection by pro-Trump supporters at the US Capitol.Musk had promised to transform Twitter by loosening the service's content moderation rules, making its algorithm more transparent and nurturing subscription businesses, as well as laying off employees. In April, Twitter accepted Musk's proposal to buy the social media service and take it private.  However, Musk soon began sowing doubt about his intentions to follow through with the agreement, alleging that the company failed to adequately disclose the number of spam and fake accounts on the service. When Musk said he was terminating the deal, Twitter sued the billionaire, alleging he refused to honour his obligations to Twitter and its stockholders because the deal he signed no longer serves his personal interests. PTI

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who created a political flutter with his appeal to incorporate images of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha on currency notes, has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi pushing forward the demand.

Claiming that the Indian economy was not in good shape, Kejriwal had on Wednesday said the country needed a lot of effort to get the economy back on track along with the "blessings of our gods and goddesses".

It's a wish of 130 crore Indians that there should a picture of Mahatma Gandhi on one side of currency notes and the photos of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi on the other side, he wrote in the letter on Thursday.

"Tremendous support has been received on this issue. There is massive enthusiasm among the people and everyone wants this to be implemented immediately," Kejriwal claimed.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener said in the letter that Indian economy is passing through a very bad phase and India and is listed among developing countries despite 75 years of Independence.

"On the one hand, all countrymen need to work hard and on the other, we also need blessings of the deities so that our efforts bear fruits," Kejriwal wrote.

The country will progress only with a confluence of correct policy, hard work and blessings of the gods, he said.

Kejriwal's demand has evoked sharp reactions from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which called it an unsuccessful attempt to hide the "ugly anti-Hindu face" of the AAP in view of upcoming elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.

 SRI NAGAR: A Kashmiri Muslim potter, receiving his highest order ever, made 16,000 earthen lamps (diyas) for Diwali this year with much enthusiasm and passion. Mohammed Umar said that he received a bulk order of 16,000 diyas for this Diwali festive season. He said he had to work very hard to ensure that the diyas were supplied on time.

“My father, brother and I worked very hard for about a month to make the diyas. We were making about 500-600 diyas per day and completed the order well on time and these diyas were also dispatched to other states,” he said.

“We could not rush with making of diyas as this is an art and we never want to bring a bad name to our art by rushing with the manufacturing process,’’ he added. Hailing from Isbher, Nishat area of Srinagar, Umar said it gives him satisfaction that the Hindu brethren are celebrating Diwali this year by lighting their homes with the diyas made by him (a Muslim). He said that besides earning money, he has also contributed in strengthening communal harmony and bond by making diyas for Diwali. Diwali, the festival of lights, was celebrated today across the count ry wi th re l igious fervour. Umar said that he used to earlier make 500-700 diyas every year, but this year he received a bulk order.

He said, “Besides, I also made diyas for some other customers. I also used to sell diyas at my shop in Hazratbal area of Srinagar.” He said making each diya costs him between Rs 2 to 5, while it is sold in the market for Rs 5 to 10 per piece. Umar, who is a graduate, instead of looking for a government job wants to revive the dying art of pottery and glazed (decorative) pottery in the valley.
"Once upon a time, over 600 families in Kashmir were associated with this trade, but at present only a handful are engaged in pottery making,” he said. Umar said it is a tough challenge to revive the age-old craft, but he is determined in its revival and is not giving up. “There are some encouraging signs as demand for the pottery has increased,” he said.

RAIPUR: One of the key poll promises by the ruling Congress ahead of the Assembly polls 2018 was on liquor ban, which is now rumbling politically in Chhattisgarh with the opposition BJP gearing-up to sharpen its attack on the Bhupesh Baghel government. The elections in the state are due next year.

While the opposition has been consistently demanding total prohibition in the state, the Congress is not expressing any disinclination, but countered that the process on liquor ban will not be done like the demonetisation. It will be done on the basis of the observations compiled by the three committees constituted by the government. The Congress maintained that it will review the possibilities of closing down liquor sales.

The state health minister T S Singhdeo recently expressed reservations over Chhattisgarh likely becoming a complete ‘dry state’. “Liquor can be banned in around 61 development blocks but imposing prohibition in the tribal areas may not be possible,” he said.Political observers believed that liquor ban promise by Congress party apparently won the appreciation from the women who constitute nearly 50 per cent of the voters in the state.

Three committees comprisedexperts, social workers and legislators were formed to study the prospect of prohibition in the state. “Based on observations of the committees the government will initiate action. We have corresponded with four states that imposed liquor ban regarding study tours, but have not received any response so far. The process will begin after we receive the reply,” said Satyanarayan Sharma, who heads a political committee on liquor prohibition.