09:46 Rupee again breaches 72-mark, down 81 paise in early trade: The rupee depreciated 81 paise to 72.65 against the dollar in early trade Monday at the forex market, despite the government’s steps to stem a steep fall in the currency, amid reports that the US could announce a new round of tariffs on Chinese imports later in the day.
The dollar rose against a basket of major currencies overseas, with investors cautiously awaiting news on the implementation of US tariffs on an additional USD 200 billion of Chinese imports, forex dealers said.
On Friday, the rupee had gained 34 paise to close at a one-week high of 71.84 against the US dollar on positive macro data and hopes of policy intervention by the government to defend the volatile currency. — PTI
09:43 Lucknow: Flag of Shivpal Yadav’s recently launched party Samajwadi Secular Morcha seen on his car as he leaves for the family bastion of Saifai.
09:34 Bishop accused of rape asks Pope for permission to step down : Bishop Franco Mulakkal has written to the Pope yesterday expressing his desire to step down temporarily from the responsibilities of the diocese and has sought permission for it, the Diocese of Jalandhar says.
Bishop Mulakkal had last week handed over administrative responsibility of the Jalandhar diocese to a senior priest.
In a circular addressed to priests, nuns and brothers of the diocese, the bishop had said, “In my absence Msgr Mathew Kokkandam will administer the Diocese as in the normal practice when I am away from the Diocese”.
The bishop claimed there were “several contradictions” in the evidence collected against him by the police probing the case. “I leave everything into the hand of God as I await the result of the findings of the team probing the allegation,” he had said in the circular.
The Bishop is due to appear before an investigating team of the Kerala Police on September 19.
The nun had recently sought urgent intervention of the Vatican for justice and demanded the bishop’s removal as the head of the Jalandhar diocese, questioning why the church was “closing its eyes to the truth” when she had mustered courage to make public her suffering.
08:42 Netanyahu nominates Ron Malka as Israel’s next envoy to India:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has nominated academician Dr Ron Malka as the country’s next envoy to India.
Malka, a senior lecturer at the College of Law and Business and Dean of the graduate programme in financial markets and banking, completed his doctorate from Israel’s Bar-IIan University. He has also served as a director and acting chairman of the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange.
Netanyahu, who according to sources is entitled to make 11 political appointments as envoys to Israeli missions, has chosen to send his own nominee instead of a career diplomat to India amid burgeoning bilateral ties.
The agreement to the appointment is awaited from New Delhi.
Malka has also served as a Colonel at the unit of the financial adviser to the Chief of the Israel Defence Forces General Staff.
He currently serves as the chairman of the investment committees of three investment funds as well as economic and financial adviser to various bodies in the country, including the Office of the Prime Minister.
He would be replacing Ambassador Daniel Carmon who completed his tenure in August. — PTI
08:37 Indian ‘Mard’ beats Hollywood bigwigs to win TIFF award:
Vasan Bala’s Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota, which premiered at the tail-end of the Midnight Madness section of the 43rd Toronto International Film Festival, bagged the Grolsch Viewers’ Choice Award in Toronto, pushing David Gordon Green’s Halloween and Sam Levinson’s Assassination Nation to the second and third positions respectively.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” said Vasan Bala during the post-awards brunch.
“It probably will when I am on the flight back to Mumbai,” the director said.
Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota, completed just in time for TIFF, stars newcomer Abhimanyu Dassani in the role of a young man who has a congenital disorder that makes him incapable of feeling any pain. The condition allows him to jump into violent fights and brawls without worrying about being hurt.
The film stars Radhika Madan in the key role of the hero’s girlfriend who is no mean fighter herself.
Another Indian film, The Field, directed by London-based Sandhya Suri, won the IWC International Short Films Award.
“It is amazing that this film about a woman in rural India has been recognised in this way in TIFF, she said in a recorded message from the UK.
The Field is a 19-minute fiction film about a woman who works on a north Indian farm and finds a way against all odds to assert her innermost urges in an ultra-conservative setting.
Peter Farrelly’s The Green Book, starring Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen, won the festival’s Grolsch People’s Choice Award, while Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk, adapted from a James Baldwin story, and Alfonso Cuaron’s black and white Venice winner Roma took home the runners-up prizes. — PTI
08:32 ‘Hind Kesari’ Ganpatrao Andalkar dies:
Well-known wrestler Ganpatrao Andalkar died on Sunday at a private hospital in Pune, his son said.
He was 83.
Andalkar, a former Olympian who took part in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, had bagged the coveted “Hind Kesari” title in 1960.
He also went on to clinch Gold and Silver medals in two different weight categories in the 1962 Jakarta Asian Games.
“My father passed away at a hospital in Pune,” his son Abhijit told PTI.
Andalkar was also a recipient of the Arjuna award (1964) and the Maharashtra government’s ‘Shiv Chhatrapati Award’ in 1982 for his contribution to wrestling.
Kaka Pawar, the coach of Commonwealth Gold medallist wrestler Rahul Aware, termed Andalkar’s contribution to wrestling in Maharashtra as notable.
“He had notable contribution in wrestling in Maharashtra,” Pawar said. — PTI
08:24 Parrikar fine, no leadership change in Goa, says BJP:
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday ruled out change in leadership in Goa, claiming Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, admitted to the New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences, is fine.
BJP president Amit Shah has sent three senior members of the party — B L Santhosh, Ram Lal and Vinay Puranik — to Goa to take stock of the political situation in the coastal state in view of Parrikar’s indisposition.
“Whatever was discussed today will be briefed to you tomorrow. There is no issue about the government and there is no demand of change in leadership from anyone,” Ram Lal told reporters after a series of meetings with state BJP leaders and MLAs in Panji.
The three-member team, which is on a two-day visit to Goa, also met BJP’s allies in the state.
He declined to divulge details about the meetings, but Goa BJP president Vinay Tendulkar said there is no question of leadership change in the state as Parrikar is “fine”.
“During the meetings with central observers today we discussed organisational issues. There is no issue of leadership,” Ram Lal said.
Parrikar has been admitted to the AIIMS for follow-up treatment reportedly for a pancreatic ailment.
The 62-year-old IIT engineer-turned-politician is running the BJP-led government with the help of two regional allies — the Goa Forward Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party — and three Independents. — PTI
Source: Rediff