HIGHLIGHTS

DEL76 CONG-MIZORAM PM didnt have courage to visit Mizoram fearing criticism for his unwillingness to go to Manipur, claims Cong New Delhi A day before the Mizoram Assembly polls, the Congress on Monday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that he did not have the courage to visit the northeastern state fearing criticism for his unwillingness to go to Manipur.

Following are the top stories at 9 pm: NATION DEL77 PM-LD IRAN **** PM, Iran prez share views on 'difficult situation' in West Asia; stress de-escalation, continued humanitarian aid New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi on Monday exchanged views on the ''difficult situation'' in the West Asia region, with the PM expressing deep concern at the ''terrorist incidents, violence and loss of civilian lives''. **** BOM23 ELECTIONS-CG-FIRST PHASE **** First phase of Chhattisgarh elections on Tuesday; more than 25,000 poll staffers, 60k security personnel in place Raipur: Voting for the first phase of Assembly polls for 20 seats, several of them in Naxal-affected Bastar division, in Chhattisgarh will take place on Tuesday, with poll officials stating that 25,249 personnel have been deployed for the purpose. **** DEL84 DELHI-LD POLLUTION **** Odd-even system in Delhi next week, physical classes in schools paused as air quality stays 'severe' New Delhi: Schools in Delhi have been directed to suspend physical classes, except for classes 10 and 12, until November 10 while the odd-even car rationing system will be enforced from November 13 to 20 to combat air pollution in the city which was seven to eight times above the safe level on Monday. **** BOM25 ELECTIONS-MP-PRIYANKA-INFLATION **** Onion prices distressing housewives ahead of Diwali, Centre acts on inflation only during polls: Priyanka Gandhi Indore: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday attacked the Union government over the rise in prices of onions and other essential commodities and said it tries to control inflation only when elections are round the corner. **** DEL47 DL-QUAKE **** 5.6 magnitude quake strikes Nepal, tremors felt in north India New Delhi: An earthquake of 5.6 magnitude struck west Nepal on Monday and strong tremors were felt in parts of north India, the National Centre for Seismology said. **** DEL76 CONG-MIZORAM **** PM didn’t have courage to visit Mizoram 'fearing criticism' for his unwillingness to go to Manipur, claims Cong New Delhi: A day before the Mizoram Assembly polls, the Congress on Monday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that he did not have the courage to visit the northeastern state ''fearing criticism'' for his ''unwillingness'' to go to Manipur. **** DEL53 ELECTIONS-RJ-LD KHARGE **** PM Modi thinking of the poor now only because it's election time: Kharge on extension of free ration scheme Jodhpur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is thinking of the poor now only because it is election time, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Monday, days after the PM announced the extension of the free grain distribution scheme for five years. **** DEL70 DL-KEJRIWAL-LD MEETING **** AAP MLAs urge Arvind Kejriwal to continue as Delhi CM even if he is arrested New Delhi: The AAP said on Monday that all party MLAs have urged Arvind Kejriwal to continue as the chief minister of Delhi even if he is arrested by any investigative agency. **** DEL28 LS-COMMITTEE-MOITRA **** Mahua Moitra case: Meeting of Lok Sabha's Ethics Committee postponed to Nov 9 New Delhi: The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee meeting to consider and adopt its draft report on the cash-for-query allegations against TMC MP Mahua Moitra has been postponed to November 9 from November 7, according to a notice from the Lok Sabha secretariat. **** DEL29 CONG-MAHADEV APP-GOVT **** Mahadev app: Chhattisgarh CM demanded ban in August, people will give befitting reply in polls, says Cong New Delhi: The Congress on Monday accused the Centre of delaying the imposition of a ban on the Mahadev app, at the centre of a political row in poll-bound Chhattisgarh, despite Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel seeking action against the betting platform months ago. **** DEL57 DL-KEJRIWAL-LD BONUS **** Kejriwal announces Rs 7,000 Diwali bonus for Group B non-gazetted, Group C employees New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced a bonus of Rs 7,000 each to all Group B non-gazetted and Group C employees of Delhi government ahead of Diwali. **** BOM29 ELECTIONS-MP-RAJNATH **** Oppn bloc INDIA falling apart, says Rajnath; asks people not to let MP become 'ATM of Congress' Bhopal: The opposition bloc INDIA was falling apart as its constituents are fighting each other, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday. **** MDS23 TN-UDHAYANIDHI-LD SANATAN DHARMA **** Udhayanidhi Stalin stands by his remark on Sanatan Dharma Chennai: Tamil Nadu Minister for Youth Welfare, Udhayanidhi Stalin, on Monday yet again defended his remark on Sanatan Dharma that sparked a nation-wide row. There was nothing wrong in his comment made in September in a conference here and he would legally face the issue, he said. **** BOM30 MH-HC-POLLUTION-FIRECRACKERS **** HC says can't ban firecrackers, sets 7 pm-10 pm time for bursting them in Mumbai in Diwali Mumbai: Citizens have to choose between a disease-free environment and bursting firecrackers during Diwali, the Bombay High Court observed on Monday while limiting fireworks between 7 pm and 10 pm for Mumbai residents during the festival of lights starting later this week. **** CAL12 MN-FRESH TENSION **** Fresh tension grips Imphal following disappearance of two teenagers Imphal: Fresh tension gripped the state capital and its adjoining areas on Monday after two teenage boys went missing from Imphal West district in Manipur. **** LEGAL LGD33 SC-PFI-LD CHALLENGE **** SC dismisses PFI's plea against UAPA tribunal's order confirming Centre's ban, allows it to approach HC New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the Popular Front of India's plea against an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) tribunal confirming the five-year ban imposed on it by the central government. **** LGD24 SC-DEFAMATION-TEJASHWI **** SC stays proceedings in criminal defamation complaint against Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the proceedings in a criminal defamation complaint filed in Gujarat against RJD leader and Bihar deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav over his alleged ''only Gujaratis can be thugs'' remark. **** LGD16 SC-ADANI-HINDENBURG-MENTIONING **** SC to consider plea for listing of PILs on Adani-Hindenburg row New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday said the apex court registry will look into the issue of listing for hearing PILs related to allegations of stock price manipulation by the Adani group. **** BUSINESS DEL48 BIZ-BHARAT ATTA **** Govt formally launches 'Bharat Atta' at subsidised rate of Rs 27.50/kg to give relief to consumers New Delhi: Ahead of Diwali festival, the Centre on Monday formally launched the sale of wheat flour at a subsidised rate of Rs 27.50 per kg under the brand name 'Bharat Atta' across the country to provide relief to consumers from high prices. **** FOREIGN FGN43 NEPAL-LDALL QUAKE ****Relief materials given by India dispatched to Nepal's quake-affected areas as fresh tremor jolts region Jajarkot/Kathmandu: Two truck-loads of emergency relief materials provided by India to Nepal were dispatched to the quake-affected northwest mountainous region where people are facing a shortage of food, clothes and medicines as a fresh tremor struck the region on Monday.**** FGN38 PAK-COURT-LD MUSHARRAF **** Pakistan's apex court to take up deceased dictator Musharraf's plea against death penalty Islamabad: Pakistan's apex court will start from Friday the hearing on a set of appeals related to conviction of now deceased former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, including one moved by the ex-leader, seeking to overturn his death sentence by a special court in a high treason case.****