D Fadnavis Declares Assets Worth Rs 13.27 Crore Ahead Of Maharashtra Polls

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday declared movable and immovable assets worth Rs 13,27,47,728 in the affidavit filed along with his nomination papers from Nagpur South West seat for the November 20 assembly polls.

As per his tax return forms, his total income stood at Rs 79,30,402 in 2023-24, while it was Rs 92,48,094 in 2022-23.

Devendra Fadnavis declared movable assets of Rs 56,07,867 in his name, Rs 6,96,92,748 in his wife Amruta Fadnavis' name as well as Rs 10,22,113 in his daughter's name.

As per his poll affidavit, the senior BJP leader has Rs 23,500 cash in hand, while this figure is Rs 10,000 in the case of his wife.

His deposits in bank accounts, including term deposits and deposits in financial institutions, NBFCs and cooperative societies, is Rs 2,28,760, while that of his wife stands at Rs 1,43,717.

Devendra Fadnavis has not invested in bonds, debentures, shares and mutual funds but has invested Rs 20,70,607 in NSS, postal savings, insurance policies and financial instruments.

His wife has invested Rs 5,62,59,031 in bonds, debentures, shares and mutual funds, as per the affidavit.

Devendra Fadnavis has declared that he has 450 grams gold ornaments worth Rs 32,85,000, while this figure is Rs 65,70,000 (900 grams) for his wife.

The Deputy CM has declared immovable assets of Rs 4,68,96,000 in his name, including agricultural land in Chandrapur, residential building in Dharampeth in Nagpur and several other properties and Rs 95,29,000 in the name of his wife.

Devendra Fadnavis has taken loan of Rs 62,00,000 from his wife and has no other loans from banks or financial institutions or pending dues.

He and his wife do not have any vehicle registered in their names.

The senior BJP leader has mentioned that he has four FIRs and four pending cases against his name. 

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"Could Make Countries Vulnerable To Coercion": US On China's AI Use

The US government is concerned about China's use of artificial intelligence to repress its population, spread misinformation and undermine the security of the United States and its allies, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Thursday.

Sullivan told an event at the National Defense University that a new US directive on AI was intended in part to help address those concerns, and to help offer alternatives to developing economies and other partners around the world.

"We know that China is building its own technological ecosystem with digital infrastructure that won't protect sensitive data, that can enable mass surveillance and censorship, that can spread misinformation and that can make countries vulnerable to coercion," he said.

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Archaeology Body Explains Stand On Jama Masjid As Protected Monument

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Wednesday told the Delhi High Court that declaring the historic Jama Masjid a "protected monument" would have a "substantial Impact" and no steps have been taken in this regard so far.

In an affidavit filed in response to PILs on the issue, the ASI said once a monument is declared a protected monument, certain regulations and prohibitions in the area around it come into force.

It further said that although the Mughal-era Jama Masjid is currently under the protection and guardianship of the Delhi Waqf Board, the ASI has been undertaking conservation and preservation work there.

A bench headed by Justice Prathiba M Singh orally said it was not inclined to declare Jama Masjid a "protected monument" in view of the stand of the ASI and ordered the petitioners to file their notes with respect to the steps that should be taken for the protection of the historic structure.

"They (ASI) are saying there is a hesitation. There is an impact of declaring it a protected monument," the court observed while dealing with PILs seeking directions to authorities to declare the Jama Masjid a protected monument and remove all encroachments in and around it.

The bench, also comprising Justice Amit Sharma, nonetheless added that it would look into the issue of streamlining the administration of the mosque and asked the Delhi Waqf Board to inform it about the status of the 9-member managing committee that was earlier appointed for the Jama Masjid.

"One thing is clear, even if it is not treated as a protected monument, its revenue cannot exclusively go to any private individual," the court said, while suggesting that some reimbursement could be given to ASI for the preservation work undertaken by it.

The ASI, represented by central government standing counsel Manish Mohan, stated in its affidavit that it has spent over 60 lakh on the conservation works carried out at the Jama Masjid since 2007.

The affidavit by ASI further said that since the Jama Masjid was not a "protected monument", it had no information about the generation and utilisation of its revenue.

"There is a substantial impact of declaring Jama Masjid as a protected monument. The provision of prohibited area will be applicable to the Jama Masjid, which is a 100-metre zone from a protected monument in which new construction is prohibited. Further, in regulated areas (200 metre zone beyond prohibited area) all construction-related activities are regulated and require prior permission from the Competent Authority and National Monuments Authority," the document said.

The authorities, also represented by the Centre's standing counsel Anil Soni, also said the "original file", containing the decision of the then prime minister Manmohan Singh that the Jama Masjid should not be declared a protected monument, could not be traced.

The court had sought production of the file before it on August 28.

During the hearing, senior advocate DP Singh, appearing for one of the petitioners, raised concerns with respect to the utilisation of the revenue generated by the Jama Masjid.

He said the Jama Masjid in Pakistan is a world heritage site.

Another petitioner objected to the use of the title "Shahi Imam" by the religious head in the Jama Masjid.

The bench, however, said it was not concerned with the title but actual benefit to the people.

"This happens in a lot of temples also. We are not concerned with the title but the actual benefit to the people," it said.

Listing the matter for hearing in December, the court said the Centre was free to place on record its views with respect to the streamlining of the revenue utilisation as well as the managing committee appointed by the Waqf board.

It also asked the ASI to carry out a survey of the mosque and place it a sketch along with photographs of its premises.

The PILs, filed by Suhail Ahmed Khan and Ajay Gautam in 2014, have objected to the use of the title 'Shahi Imam' by Jama Masjid's Imam Maulana Syed Ahmed Bukhari and the appointment of his son as the Naib (deputy) Imam.   The pleas have also questioned why Jama Masjid was not under the ASI.

The ASI had in August 2015 told the court that former prime minister Singh had assured the Shahi Imam that the Jama Masjid would not be declared a protected monument. 

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Russia Hosts 16th BRICS Summit: What Is It? History, Members...

Russian President Vladimir Putin is hosting the 16th BRICS Summit this week in Kazan and meeting with over 20 heads of state, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The Kremlin described the gathering as one of the largest foreign policy events ever held in Russia, adding attempts to isolate the country on the global stage had failed.

PM Modi on Tuesday met Mr Putin on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. The Prime Minister will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, following the breakthrough in negotiations for patrolling points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

What is BRICS?

BRICS is an association of five major emerging national economies - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The BRICS nations are characterised by their large, rapidly growing economies, significant influence on regional and global affairs, diverse economies with complementary strengths and emerging markets with increasing global significance. Established to improve cooperation and collaboration among its members, BRICS focuses on promoting peace, security and development in a multipolar world.

BRICS: History

The concept of BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) was first introduced in 2001 by Jim O'Neill, former Chief Economist of Goldman Sachs. He argued these four emerging economies would play a significant role in global economic growth over the coming decades. The BRIC nations held their first formal summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in June 2009.

South Africa joined in 2010, expanding the group to BRICS.

BRICS: Members

For a long time, BRICS comprised the five original members - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

At the 2023 BRICS summit, six nations - Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE - were invited to join the alliance. While all accepted the invitation, Argentina later withdrew, with newly elected President Javier Milei choosing a pro-Western stance and saying that Argentina would not "ally with communists." Saudi Arabia confirmed its intention to join but has delayed its official membership, with no further explanations.

Why Expansion

The expansion of BRICS initially sparked discussions within the group. China and Russia were keen on adding new members, while Brazil and India were more cautious, worried it would dilute their influence.

Egypt and Ethiopia joined to amplify African voices and attract investment. Saudi Arabia and the UAE, major oil producers and key US allies, brought significant economic weight.

The new members also raised questions about their relations with the West. Iran and Russia opposed US influence, while China competed with the United States.

BRICS: Statistics

BRICS nations account for 45 per cent of the global population (3.2 billion people) and 28 per cent of the global economy ($28.5 trillion), reports BBC. They also represent 16 per cent of global trade.

The gathering marks the first BRICS Summit since the group's expansion in Johannesburg last year.

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NDTV World Summit 2024: Why Switch To Electric Vehicles 'Makes Sense'? Charge Zone CEO Kartikey Hariyani Explains

Kartikey Hariyani, the founder and CEO of Electric vehicle (EV) charging network Charge Zone, while speaking at NDTV World Summit 2024, explained why switching to EV makes Sense.

"In India, the purpose of an EV or a car is for personal mobility. 80 percent of the mobility requirement of an Indian consumer is less than 51 k a day. So, with this stat, EV becomes a natural choice for adoption but it also (poses) a question whether the cost makes sense. Then as an individual consumer, you will say I don't need an EV or the payback is not really attractive," he said.

Mr Hariyani, however, insisted that "there is good news around".

"Two developments have happened in the industry so far. In the last two quarters, the cost of the battery has come down by half. The second good news is some of the OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) have initiated battery as a service which means battery and charging will effectively becomes your fuelling system. So, what you are going to buy will be a car without the battery cost, it means (it would be) equivalent to the cost of a petrol car," he said.

Mr Hariyani stressed that one has to think through carefully in terms of how the recharging networks will be planned.

"For each of the EV segments, the industry players have started investing into this. Six years ago, standards got built into this. Later on, local ecosystem played a big part. Localisation did happen in terms of semiconductors as well as power electronics. Today we are ready with the chargers, localised both for three wheelers and four wheelers," he said.

He also said that even though fast-charging is a key for adoption of EVs but it's not just about cars but also buses and trucks.

"For a charging company like us, when we started off in 2019, there were green sprouts around electric cars coming into the market, then electric buses started coming. And today we see the launch of electric trucks. As a priority, I will enable inter-city mobility. In other words, charging infra on highways is our priority number one. We have electrified 33,000 kms of highways in India. Fast-charging is a cornerstone. But, if I invest into fast-charging only for cars, I won't be able to make money even in my whole life time. Inter-city buses and inter-city trucks are going to be the biggest enablers," he added.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the importance of clean energy for a better future, stating that "clean energy is the need of the hour".

At COP26, India committed to reducing projected carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. These commitments necessitate a rapid transition to renewables.

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Elon Musk's Daily $1 Million Payouts At Trump Rally Draw Legal Scrutiny

Billionaire Elon Musk promised on Saturday to give away $1 million each day until November's election to someone who signs his online petition, with the first prize awarded at a PAC event supporting Republican Donald Trump, raising questions about the legality of the payments.

Musk gave a $1 million check to an attendee of his America PAC event in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, aimed at rallying supporters behind presidential candidate Trump. The winner was a man named John Dreher, according to event staff.

"By the way, John had no idea. So anyway, you're welcome," the Tesla founder said as he handed Dreher the check.

The money is the latest example of Musk using his extraordinary wealth to influence the tightly-contested presidential race between Trump and his Democratic rival Vice President Kamala Harris.

Musk started America PAC, a political action organization he founded in support of Trump's presidential campaign. The group is helping mobilize and register voters in battleground states, but there are signs it is having trouble meeting its goals.

'DEEPLY CONCERNING'

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said on Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press" that Musk's plan to give money to registered voters in Pennsylvania is "deeply concerning" and "it's something that law enforcement could take a look at."

Questions about the legality of these cash payments abounded on Saturday night, as election law experts pointed to various provisions in federal law that prohibited making cash payments to voters.

It is a federal crime to pay people with the intention of inducing or rewarding them to cast a vote or to get registered, an offense punishable by prison time. The prohibition covers not only monetary expenditures, but also anything of monetary value like liquor or lottery chances, a Justice Department election-crimes manual says.

The Harrisburg event was the third in as many days in Pennsylvania, where Musk is painting November's election in stark terms and encouraging supporters to vote early and get others to do the same.

He said on Saturday that if Harris wins, it will be "the last election."

He also said the two assassination attempts against Trump prove he is ruffling feathers and upending the status quo.

The petition Musk is asking people to sign reads: "The First and Second Amendments guarantee freedom of speech and the right to bear arms. By signing below, I am pledging my support for the First and Second Amendments."

Attendees of Saturday's event had to sign the petition, which allows America PAC to garner contact details for more potential voters that it can work to get to the polls for Trump.

Musk, ranked by Forbes as the world's richest person, so far has supplied at least $75 million to America PAC, according to federal disclosures, making the group a crucial part of Trump's bid to regain the White House.

The entrepreneur behind carmaker Tesla and rocket and satellite venture SpaceX has increasingly supported Republican causes and this year became an outspoken Trump supporter.

Trump in turn has said if elected he would appoint Musk to head a government efficiency commission.

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Girl Set On Fire By Ex-Boyfriend In Andhra Pradesh, Fighting For Life: Cops

In a shocking incident, a girl was set on fire by her former boyfriend in Andhra Pradesh's Kadapa district on Saturday after a suspected spat, police said.

The victim, a Class 11 student, was battling for life while the police launched a hunt for the accused.

The incident occurred near Badvel town of Kadapa district. Accused Vignesh and the victim had been friends since childhood.

According to police, the accused had recently married another girl but wanted to maintain a relationship with her too. On Saturday, he called her and wanted to meet her. He told her that if she did not meet him, he would end his life. The victim agreed to meet and boarded an autorickshaw from her college. After she travelled some distance, Vignesh also joined her.

They reached a place near Century Plywood factory, about 10 km from Budvel. It was not known what transpired between the two but after some time the accused poured petrol on her and set her afire.

Hearing her cries, farmers working in the nearby fields rushed to her rescue and doused the fire while the accused fled from there. The locals informed the police, who admitted the victim to a hospital in Badvel. Later, she was shifted to Kadapa and admitted to the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Science (RIMS).

The victim suffered 80 per cent burn injuries and was battling for her life. The district judge recorded her statement at RIMS.

Kadapa Superintendent of Police Harshvardhan said four teams have been constituted to nab the accused. He said preliminary investigations revealed that both the girl and youth were residents of the same area in Badvel town and had known each other since childhood.

Meanwhile, taking serious note of the incident, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu directed police officials to immediately arrest the accused. He spoke to officials over the phone and enquired about the girl's condition. He asked them to ensure the best possible treatment for the victim.

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