LIVE! It’s confirmed! Deepika-Ranveer to wed on November 14-15

16:30  It’s confirmed! Deepika-Ranveer to wed on November 14-15:  

Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone’s marriage plans have been doing the rounds for a while now. The two are very active in social media and keep on giving us major relationship goals with their PDA. It was reported earlier that they will get married at the picturesque Lake Como in Italy. 

Deepika Padukone recently took to her Twitter and confirmed the wedding rumours with a grand invite making all of us swoon over the perfect invite. 

The two will be tieing the knot on the 14-15 November. This news has for sure left all of us excited. 

Image: The wedding invite for Deepika and Ranveer’s wedding

16:07  After Bhagwat’s push, law minister says SC must fast-track Ram Mandir case:  

Two days after Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat said the Centre should bring a law to build a Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad urged the Supreme Court to fast-track hearing in the case. 

Speaking to News18, Prasad described the issue as one that is very important for the entire nation. It must get resolved soon. Hindus not only in India, but the world over want that the case gets expedited, he said. 

When asked why this issue crops up every time before elections, Prasad denied that BJP and Sangh leaders were talking about it to gain poll mileage. Its not an electoral issue, but about the faith of the nation. The court should hold an expeditious hearing. This is our request, he added. 

Talk of the temple has grown louder in the run-up to the elections to the five states Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Telangana next month and the Lok Sabha polls in 2019. 

15:51   #Metoo: NCW urges I&B min to direct print, publishing houses to form internal probe panel:  

The National Commission for Women has urged the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to direct print, publication and production houses houses to form internal committee to probe complaints of sexual harassment at workplace.

An NCW official said that in the past few days, the women rights body has received a number of complaints of sexual harassment at workplace against persons in both traditional print organisations as well as digital media.

“We have informed the Secretary of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting that the NCW has received a number of such complaints,” the official said.

He said the NCW has requested Secretary to issue directions to ensure that organisations such as printing/publishing, production houses involved in TV/film production put in place an effective mechanism for addressing such complaints including constituting Internal Committees in terms of the PoSH Act, 2013, she said.

The NCW said perpetrators of such crimes need to be punished as per law.

The NCW had recently said it had received written complaints from various women about sexual harassment at their workplace.

The commission had also created a dedicated email ID to receive such complaints and urged women who have come forward on social media and other platforms about their alleged harassers to send their formal written complaints to [email protected].

— PTI

15:33  Amritsar: Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu today met the people who were injured in the train accident.

15:14  Governor favours fresh assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir:  

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik has favoured holding of early election to the assembly, saying he does not think a popular government can be formed out of the present house after the collapse of the BJP-PDP coalition dispensation in June.

The state has been under Governor’s rule since Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti resigned as Chief Minister in June following the withdrawal of support by the Bharatiya Janata Party to her government.

There have been speculations about behind-the-scene efforts to put together a new government. No party enjoys a majority in the 87-member assembly, in which the PDP has 28 MLAs, the BJP 25 and the National Conference 15.

Putting such speculations to rest, Malik said in an interview that he would not be part of any shenanigans.

Asked if a popular government can be formed out of the present assembly, the Governor replied, “I don’t think so. At least, I will not be part of any ‘dhandli’ (shenanigans). I have not been given any such indication either by the prime minister or by any other central leader.”

To a question on holding of fresh elections to the assembly whose tenure ends in December 2020, Malik said that he wished that the elections were held at the earliest.

“The decision will be taken by the Centre and the Election Commission. My job is to discharge dual responsibility (of Governor and administrator) which I will continue to do… I wish that elections are held at the earliest,” he said.

— PTI

14:18  Delhi’s air quality remains poor, authorities warn further deterioration:  

Delhi’s air quality remained in the “very poor” category for the second consecutive day on Sunday even as authorities warned that it may further deteriorate in the next couple of days.

The overall Air Quality Index of Delhi was recorded at 301, which falls in the ‘very poor’ category, said the data from the Central Pollution Control Board.

On Saturday, a haze engulfed the national capital and the worst air quality of this season was recorded at AQI 324.

Anand Vihar, Mundaka, Narela, Dwarka Sector 8, Nehru Nagar and Rohini all showed ‘very poor’ air quality and are inching towards severe pollution levels, it said.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.

The Supreme Court appointed Environment Protection Control Authority on Friday held a meeting with state governments and Delhi government officials to discuss the pollution situation in the national capital.

An EPCA member on Friday said stock of the situation was taken and it was decided that special attention would be given to vulnerable hotspots where ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ air quality is observed.

The PM2.5 (presence of particles in air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) touched a new high at 167. The PM 2.5, also called “fine particulates”, can be a matter of more serious health concern than PM10.

The PM10 level (presence of particles in the air with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres) in Delhi stood at 293, according to the data from the Centre-run System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).

A CPCB official said a number of factors were responsible for the deteriorating air quality, including vehicular pollution, construction activities and meteorological factors like direction of wind which is now flowing from the stubble burning areas.

— PTI

14:01  Harassment stories anger me: Raveena Tandon on #MeToo:  

Supporting India’s #MeToo movement, Raveena Tandon says even though she has not been a victim of sexual harassment, the countless stories of ill-treatment of women anger her. 

The 43-year-old actor said she has been through “professional harassment” in the film industry and hence understands the trauma. 

“I was never sexually harassed as I was not the one to just take it. I would give it back. But I can imagine the trauma that the young girls go through. It is so sad and disheartening to hear these stories. It angers me. 

“I have been through professional harassment. I did lose out on couple of films. There were few women journalists, who would tarnish our reputation in their magazines or newspapers. Like, from being called a liar to delusional liar, etc. They helped the heroes,” Raveena said.

Talking about her harassment experience, the actor said it was a disturbing phase as her reputation was maligned. 

“They work in tandem to ruin an actress’s life,” she added, without taking any names.

Raveena said in the past, whenever female actors opened up about the issues they faced on a film’s set, they were branded “trouble makers”. 

“…There used to be an entire camp that used to work against the women including the entertainment media, the editors used to be hand-in-glove with the hero or director or producer. They (media) were either offered a lot more money or a bigger cover. 

“Women would have the entire system working against them. This happens not just in the film industry but other professions as well,” she said.  

Raveena said she is happy that women are finally being heard and is hopeful that the moment will bring the much-needed change in gender dynamics. 

— PTI

13:42  Mallya may soon lose possession of his mansion in London:  

Fugitive Vijay Mallya, along with his mother and son, may soon be evicted from his swish multi-million-pound mansion overlooking Regents Park in London. The Swiss bank has applied for the possession of the mansion in UK High Court citing that the mortgage has not been repaid.

The banks claim against Rose Capital Ventures Ltd, Vijay Mallya, mother Lalitha Mallya and son Sidhartha Mallya, in the business and property court of the High Court, will be heard on October 24, the Times of India reported.

In 2012, the Rose Capital Ventures Ltd took out a five-year interest only mortgage on the mansion with UBS for 20.4 million (Rs 195 crore). The mortgage has expired.

In his defence, Mallya has said that the shares in Rose Capital are owned by Gladco, which is owned by the Mallya family trust, Sileta trust. According to UBS, Mallya, his mother and son are the beneficiaries of the trust and live in the mansion.

In its statement, the UBS has said that the defendants have refused to vacate the property, despite the mortgage expiry in March 2017. The property was purchased by Rose Capital and incorporated in the British Virgin Islands on October 3, 2005, for 5.4 million (Rs 52 crore).

UBS has demanded that the loan be repaid and the defendants be evicted from the property, nullifying their entitlement of the property. The amount owed as of September 1, 2017, is 20,718,236 (Rs 198 crore), the bank has claimed. It also states that UBS terminated the loan early on June 9, 2016.

13:23  US-based Dalit writer Sujatha Gidla wins Shakti Bhatt Prize:  

US-based Dalit writer Sujatha Gidla’s debut book, which takes readers through four generations of her family, at the centre of which is her uncle and People’s War Group co-founder K G Satyamurthy, has been named the winner of this year’s Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize.

The panel of judges, Sampurna Chattarji, Raghu Karnad and Githa Hariharan, chose “Ants Among Elephants: An Untouchable Family and the Making of Modern India” from a shortlist of six “because of its urgency, its revelations and its understated but seamless match of form with content”.

According to the judges, “It is a marvel how, with so little friction or strain, ‘Ants’ absorbs readers into undramatised lives of poverty, patriarchy, and rebellion, and the encounter with subaltern Communism.

“But quite apart from the rarity and necessity of the subject – Dalit lives – the book is admirable for its clean skill and technical execution. With no authorial flourishes, it allows the story’s innate passion and gravitas to display themselves.”

The other shortlisted books were: “We That Are Young” (Preti Taneja), “Temporary People” (Deepak Unnikrishnan), “Remnants of a Separation” (Aanchal Malhotra), “The Sensational Life and Death of Qandeel Baloch” (Sanam Maher) and “How to Travel Light” (Shreevatsa Nevatia).

The Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize is funded by the Shakti Bhatt Foundation. It was set up in 2008 in memory of young writer Shakti. It carries a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh.

— PTI

13:23  US-based Dalit writer Sujatha Gidla wins Shakti Bhatt Prize:  

US-based Dalit writer Sujatha Gidla’s debut book, which takes readers through four generations of her family, at the centre of which is her uncle and People’s War Group co-founder K G Satyamurthy, has been named the winner of this year’s Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize.

The panel of judges, Sampurna Chattarji, Raghu Karnad and Githa Hariharan, chose “Ants Among Elephants: An Untouchable Family and the Making of Modern India” from a shortlist of six “because of its urgency, its revelations and its understated but seamless match of form with content”.

According to the judges, “It is a marvel how, with so little friction or strain, ‘Ants’ absorbs readers into undramatised lives of poverty, patriarchy, and rebellion, and the encounter with subaltern Communism.

“But quite apart from the rarity and necessity of the subject – Dalit lives – the book is admirable for its clean skill and technical execution. With no authorial flourishes, it allows the story’s innate passion and gravitas to display themselves.”

The other shortlisted books were: “We That Are Young” (Preti Taneja), “Temporary People” (Deepak Unnikrishnan), “Remnants of a Separation” (Aanchal Malhotra), “The Sensational Life and Death of Qandeel Baloch” (Sanam Maher) and “How to Travel Light” (Shreevatsa Nevatia).

The Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize is funded by the Shakti Bhatt Foundation. It was set up in 2008 in memory of young writer Shakti. It carries a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh.

— PTI

13:01  US-based Dalit writer Sujatha Gidla wins Shakti Bhatt Prize:  

US-based Dalit writer Sujatha Gidla’s debut book, which takes readers through four generations of her family, at the centre of which is her uncle and People’s War Group co-founder K G Satyamurthy, has been named the winner of this year’s Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize.

The panel of judges, Sampurna Chattarji, Raghu Karnad and Githa Hariharan, chose “Ants Among Elephants: An Untouchable Family and the Making of Modern India” from a shortlist of six “because of its urgency, its revelations and its understated but seamless match of form with content”.

According to the judges, “It is a marvel how, with so little friction or strain, ‘Ants’ absorbs readers into undramatised lives of poverty, patriarchy, and rebellion, and the encounter with subaltern Communism.

“But quite apart from the rarity and necessity of the subject – Dalit lives – the book is admirable for its clean skill and technical execution. With no authorial flourishes, it allows the story’s innate passion and gravitas to display themselves.”

The other shortlisted books were: “We That Are Young” (Preti Taneja), “Temporary People” (Deepak Unnikrishnan), “Remnants of a Separation” (Aanchal Malhotra), “The Sensational Life and Death of Qandeel Baloch” (Sanam Maher) and “How to Travel Light” (Shreevatsa Nevatia).

The Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize is funded by the Shakti Bhatt Foundation. It was set up in 2008 in memory of young writer Shakti. It carries a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh.

— PTI

12:50  PM announces national award in Netaji’s name for disaster relief workers:  

A national award in the name of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose will be given every year to police personnel who do excellent work in rescue and relief operations during any kind of disaster, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Sunday.

The announcement came on the 75th anniversary of Bose’s declaration of the formation of India’s first independent government — the Azad Hind Government on October 21, 1943.

“From this year onwards, we will give an award in the name of Netaji Bose to police personnel who do exemplary work while rescuing and providing relief to people during the time of any disaster,” the prime minister said in his address after dedicating to the nation a police memorial and museum here.

Modi said the award will be announced on January 23, Netaji’s birthday.

The PM said the country cannot forget the services rendered by the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force personnel in rescue and relief works during the time of any disaster.

“These NDRF and SDRF personnel are our brave policemen. They are from police forces. The country will not forget their bravery, dedication and sacrifice. Many people even do not know who they are, when they rescue people and provide relief during the collapse of a building, when there is a fire or when there is a train accident,” he said in a voice choked with emotions.

The NDRF and SDRF are constituted with personnel from the central paramilitary forces and state police organisations respectively. 

12:39  Punjab police forcibly removes protesters from Amritsar tracks:  

The Punjab police on Sunday cleared a section of the railway track which was blocked by agitators protesting against a train accident that had claimed 59 lives during Dusshera celebrations.

The agitated protesters resorted to stone-pelting in which some people including police personnel received minor injuries, witnesses said.  

A large number of police officials pushed the protestors to other side of the tracks where the accident took place on Friday evening.

The railway tracks were cleared off the protesters who were raising slogans against the state government and demanding resignation of Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu.

Local residents started the protest Saturday, raising slogans against the state government and demanding action against the train driver.

The Punjab police has deployed its personnel, including commandoes, to manage the crowd. The Rapid Action Force is also present in the Joda Patak area, officials said.

The district administration has said that out of 59 people who were mowed down by the speeding Jalandhar-Amritsar train Friday, 40 have been identified. 

— PTI

12:19  3 terrorists gunned down in encounter in J&K’s Kulgam:  

Three terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir Sunday, police said.

The identity of the slain terrorists is being ascertained, a police official said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Laroo area of Kulgam district in south Kashmir following specific information about the presence of terrorists  in the area, he said.

As the forces were conducting the searches, the ultras fired upon them, triggering the encounter, the official added. — PTI

Air purifier makers are again looking at a big spike in their sales like previous years since the air quality in the national capital region and adjoining areas is likely to deteriorate further in the coming weeks.   

The companies are again expecting Delhi NCR to drive their sales this year, though, they are also witnessing a rise in demand from smaller and tier II cities, other than metros.

“Around Diwali, we have seen in the past the air quality levels going down further and some of it will surely convert into a heightened awareness and demand for the category,” Eureka Forbes chief transformation officer Shashank Sinha said.

Unfortunately, the air purifier sales peak only when consumers see the pollution levels rise to a dangerous level, he said, adding that the winter season contributes to over half of the volume in this category. — PTI

11:20  #MeToo: Anu Malik asked to step down as ‘Indian Idol 10’ judge:  

Veteran music composer Anu Malik, who is under fire for numerous allegations of sexual harassment, has been asked to step down as a judge for “Indian Idol 10”. 

After singers Sona Mohapatra and Shweta Pandit accused Malik of sexual harassment, two budding singers levelled similar allegations against him. 

According to a source, the music director will no longer be shooting episodes of the singing reality show from Monday onwards.  

“In light of the ongoing sexual harassment allegations, Anu Malik, to step down as the judge on Indian Idol. He will not be shooting any further episodes. He will not be shooting from Monday onwards,” the insider said.

A lawyer for the music director Thursday denied the claims against him, saying India’s #MeToo movement is being used for his client’s “character assassination”. Malik has repeatedly denied the allegations.

Noted lyricist Sameer Anjaan also came to Malik’s defence and tweeted that he was present during the time Pandit is talking about but no such incident took place.

Malik has been one of the judges on “Indian Idol”, since the show first aired in  2004.

Vishal Dadlani and Neha Kakkar are the other two judges on the panel currently of the show, which airs on Sony Entertainment Television. — PTI  

10:56  PM hoists tricolour at Red Fort on 75th anniversary of Azad Hind govt:  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today hoisted the national flag at the Red Fort to mark the 75th anniversary of the ‘Azad Hind government’ headed by Subhas Chandra Bose.

Traditionally, the prime minister hoists the national flag at the Red Fort on Independence Day.

Modi said so many people have scarified their lives for the independence and now it is our duty to maintain it. 

“We have reached  Swaraj after lakhs of sacrifices. It is our responsibility to maintain this Swaraj with Suraaj,” he said.

The PM further said, “Netaji had promised an India where everyone has equal rights and equal opportunities. He had promised a prosperous nation which was proud of its traditions, development in all areas. He had promised to uproot divide and rule. Even after so many years those dreams remain unfulfilled.”

Modi also talked about his government’s achievements in last four years. 

“In last four years, several measures were taken to strengthen the defence. Best technologies were brought to the defence. This government has strength to make big and tough decisions. Be it surgical strike or making the files of Netaji public, decision was taken by our government,” he said.

10:31  Petrol, diesel prices cut for fourth straight day:  

Petrol and diesel prices were cut for the fourth straight day Sunday on softening international oil prices, providing some relief to consumers battered by two months of relentless rate hikes.  

Petrol price was cut by 25 paise a litre and diesel by 17 paise, according to the price notification of state-owned oil firms.  

In Delhi, petrol now costs Rs 81.74 a litre and diesel is priced at Rs 75.19 per litre. In Mumbai, petrol is sold for Rs 87.21 per litre and diesel at Rs 78.82.  

Fuel prices have been declining since Thursday as oil companies factored in softening of international rates. In four days, petrol price has been cut by Rs 1.09 per litre and diesel by 50 paise.  

State-run oil marketing companies Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd revise fuel prices with effect from 0600 hrs on a daily basis.  

The rates were reduced by a minimum Rs 2.50 per litre across the country on October 5, when the government cut excise duty on petrol and diesel.

United States  President Donald Trump has accused his predecessor Barack Obama of keeping “quiet” on the alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 Presidential elections despite being advised about it by the Federal Bureau of Investigation before the polls.

He was responding to a question on the Russian meddling in the US elections after a rally in Nevada Saturday, ahead of next month’s midterm polls. 

Russia has denied the allegations.

“I’ve already said that. I always say this an you’ve heard me say this many times… President Obama was contacted by the FBI in September, long before the election in November, and they told him there may be meddling by the Russians, and he did nothing about it, because he thought Hillary Clinton would win,” Trump told reporters.

He said the present government has taken adequate steps to “protect” the upcoming elections.

“He (Obama) did nothing. He didn’t lift a finger, he didn’t spend a dime. We’ve done a lot to protect the elections coming up very shortly. 

“But president Obama, people don’t want to bring it up. The ‘fake news’ don’t want to bring it up. President Obama was told in September by the FBI that there could be problems with Russian meddling,” Trump said.

He also said the Russian meddling in the 2016 Presidential elections did not have to do anything with his campaign then. 

“It had nothing to do with my campaign. All of the hackers, and everybody that you see, nothing to do with my campaign. If they are hackers, a lot of them probably liked Hillary Clinton better than me. Now they do. Now they do,” he said. 

“The good thing is, every single report, Sen. Richard Burr, head of the Senate intelligence, they said, ‘Did you see any collusion? No collusion. I’ve seen no collusion whatsoever.’ Very strong. Couldn’t be stronger. 

“But the good news is it never affected, whatever did take place, never affected the vote,” Trump said.

He said, “Everybody agrees to that. Never affected the vote. The candidate affected the vote. The bad candidate. She should have gone to Wisconsin. She should have gone more to North Carolina; Pennsylvania; Michigan, Florida.” 

Clinton should have gone out a little bit more and worked a little bit harder. “That affected the vote”, Trump said. — PTI

10:04  Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to the policemen killed in an ambush by Chinese troops in 1959 in Ladakh’s Hot Spring area, on National Police Memorial Day today.

09:37  Trump opposes halting Saudi arms deal after journalist death:  

President Donald Trump has said the United States will get to the bottom of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi case and asserted he would not like to scrap an arms deal with Riyadh, amid a global outrage over the dissident scribe’s death.  

Saudi Arabia in a statement Saturday said Khashoggi, 60, died following a “fistfight” at its consulate in Istanbul on October 2, without disclosing any details on the whereabouts of his body.

“It is something that we don’t like. It’s very serious stuff. And we’re going to get to the bottom of it and will make that determination,” Trump told reporters in Nevada on Saturday. 

His comment came when asked about his previous statement that he would be considering severe consequences for Saudi Arabia following the journalist’s death.

Trump also said the Congress would have a role to play in it.”We’ll have very much Congress involved in determining what to do,” he said. 

Responding to a question, the US president indicated that he would not like to scrap an arms deal with Saudi Arabia.

“It’s over a million jobs; that’s not helpful for us to cancel an order like that. That hurts us far more than it hurts them… but there are other things that could be done, including sanctions,” he told reporters. — PTI

Ethiopian teenager Andamalak Belihu overcame stiff competition from compatriot Amdework Walelegn in the men’s elite field to win his maiden Airtel Delhi Half Marathon on Sunday.

The 19-year-old Belihu, who finished second last year, improved on his personal best timing to clock 59:18 seconds. However, he was unable to break the course record of 59.06sec which still stands in the name of Ethiopia’s Guye Adola, set in 2014.

Walelegn clinched the silver, ending the race with a time of 59:22 seconds, while Kenya’s Daniel Kipchumba grabbed the third spot clocking 59:48 seconds.

Among the Indians, Abhishek Pal was the best-placed, clocking 1:04:14seconds. Avinash Sable grabbed the silver with a timing of 1:04:14, while Gopi T claimed the third spot on the podium with 1:04:15s. — PTI  

09:06  Amritsar tragedy: Locals demand action against train driver:  

The situation remained tense on Sunday as locals continued with their sit-in at Joda phatak in Amritsar where 59 people were mowed down by a train. 

The locals had started protesting Saturday, raising slogans against the state government and demanding action against the train’s driver, a day after the accident.

Police said locals are sitting on railway tracks and do not want to leave.

“We hope that the normalcy will be restored in the area by Sunday evening as the number of protestors have come down since Saturday,” a senior police officer said. 

The Punjab Police has deployed its personnel, including commandoes, to manage the crowd. The Rapid Action Force is also present in the Joda Patak area.

The district administration has said out of 59 people who were mowed down by the speeding Jalandhar-Amritsar train Friday, 40 have been identified.

The process of identifying the other persons is underway, it said.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who visited the accident site Saturday, has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. — PTI 

Image: Local people gather at the scene of the accident along train tracks in Amritsar on Saturday, October 20. Photograph: PTI Photo

An encounter is currently underway between terrorists and the security forces in Larro area of Kulgam district of South Kashmir.

One or two terrorists are believed to be holed up in a house.

The encounter comes two days after two terrorists were gunned down when they tried to attack the police in Kralhaar area of Baramulla district in north Kashmir.

The police recovered two AK-47 rifles with Under Barrel Grenade Launcher, three grenades, two Chinese pistols and other weapons from their possession. — ANI

08:16  Trump says US to pull out of nuclear arms treaty with Russia:  

 United States President Donald Trump on Saturday confirmed that the US will be pulling out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, a nuclear deal signed between Washington and Moscow during the Cold War.

“We’re going to terminate the agreement and we’re going to pull out. We’ll have to develop those weapons,” The Hill quoted Trump, as saying.

Trump further claimed that Russia has been violating the treaty and has not adhered to the agreement.

The INF was signed in 1986 between former US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev and allows the US to counter Chinese efforts to accumulate arms in the Pacific. 

It, however, prevents Washington from deploying new weapons in response.

A nuclear strategy document from the Trump administration, which was accessed by The Hill, noted that Russia’s decision to violate the INF Treaty and other commitments was a clear indication of the fact that Russia has “rebuffed repeated US efforts to reduce the salience, role, and the number of nuclear weapons.”

The US’ withdrawal from the treaty comes a week ahead of National Security Adviser John Bolton’s trip to Moscow to meet with top Russian officials. — ANI