Highlights

By K J M Varma Shirish B Pradhan FGN37 UK-INDIA-FTA India, UK working intensively to meet Diwali deadline for FTA London India and the UK will continue to work intensively to meet the Diwali deadline at the end of October for a Free Trade Agreement FTA announced during the India visit of outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a UK government statement said.

Following are the top stories at 9 pm: NATION DEL77 JK-LDALL ATTACK 3 soldiers killed in 'Fidayeen' attack on J&K's army camp in Rajouri; 2 terrorists dead in shootout Jammu: Terrorists attacked an Army camp in Rajouri district on Thursday killing three soldiers and the two attackers were gunned down in the shootout after the pre-dawn suicide strike that marked the return of 'fidayeen' to Jammu and Kashmir after more than three years.

FGN56 LDALL AZHAR-UN-SINOINDIA China blocks US-India bid at UN to blacklist JeM dy chief Abdul Rauf Azhar:New Delhi says 'politically motivated' United Nations/New Delhi: China has blocked a proposal by the US and India at the UN Security Council to designate Pakistan-based JeM's deputy chief Abdul Rauf Azhar as a global terrorist, an action dubbed as ''politically motivated'' by the government sources in New Delhi on Thursday.

DEL31 VP-DHANKHAR-LD OATH Jagdeep Dhankhar takes over as 14th Vice President of India New Delhi: Jagdeep Dhankhar was on Thursday sworn in as the 14th Vice President of India.

DEL75 BIZ-FM-FREEBIES Kejriwal giving 'perverse twist' to debate on freebies: FM New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday hit out at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for giving a ''perverse twist'' to the debate on freebies, saying the AAP leader's comments are an attempt to create fears in the minds of the poor.

DEL74 BJP-LD AAP Welfare schemes empower deprived sections, 'revdi' culture is about freebies for political gains: BJP New Delhi: The BJP Thursday claimed that while the central government's welfare policies empower different deprived sections of society with targeted schemes, some parties' engage in 'revdi' culture by dishing out freebies for everyone for political gains.

DEL13 RAHUL-PM-BLACK MAGIC Stop lowering dignity of PM post by talking about 'black magic', Rahul hits back at Modi New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his ''black magic'' remark, saying he must ''stop lowering the dignity'' of the PM's post by talking about such superstitious things.

CAL12 WB-ANUBRATA-2NDLD ARREST TMC's Anubrata Mondal arrested in cattle smuggling case, CBI raids underway at close aides' residences Bolpur: Senior Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal was Thursday arrested by the CBI from his residence here in connection with a cattle smuggling case, after twice skipping his scheduled appearance before the central probe agency in three days, an official said.

MDS14 KL-LD ALL ISAAC ED probe into KIIFB, summons to Thomas Isaac set stage for political and legal battle in Kerala Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram: The summons issued to senior CPI(M) leader Thomas Isaac by the ED over KIIFB transactions has set the stage for a political slugfest in Kerala with the Left and Congress on Thursday questioning the central agency's action, while the BJP termed the two rival fronts as ''birds of a feather''.

MDS12 KA-BJYM-MURDER-LD ARREST Three key suspects involved in BJYM leader murder arrested Mangaluru: In a major breakthrough, three key accused in the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha leader Praveen Nettar's murder case have been arrested, a senior police officer said on Thursday.

MDS16 KL-ACTRESS-LD GEORGE Actress sexual assault case: P C George stokes another controversy with comments against survivor Kottayam: Senior politician P C George on Thursday courted yet another controversy by making 'distasteful' remarks against the actress, who was abducted and sexually assaulted by a gang in 2017, saying it was she who has benefitted by getting more opportunities in movies, after the incident. LEGAL LGD4 SC-FREEBIES Freebies, welfare schemes different: SC New Delhi: Observing that freebies and social welfare schemes are two different things, the Supreme Court on Thursday said a balance has to be struck between the economy losing money and welfare measures.

LGD9 SC-FREEBIES-CENTRE Freebie culture elevated to level of art for fighting polls: Centre to SC New Delhi: The ''freebie culture'' has been elevated to the level of “art” for fighting elections and will lead to “disaster” if some political parties understand this is the only way to deliver public welfare measures, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Thursday.

BUSINESS DEL79 BIZ-LD FINMIN-ECONOMY No chance of recession, India to be fastest growing economy this yr: Govt source New Delhi: India will be the fastest growing major economy this year and the next despite headwinds from rising inflation, widening trade deficit and a declining rupee, a top government source said on Thursday.

FOREIGN FGN58 CHINA-NEPAL-LD ASSISTANCE China to provide USD 118 million assistance to Nepal, promises to expedite work on BRI projects Beijing/Kathmandu: Facing headwinds over its South Asia push after Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis, China has warmed up to Nepal by pledging USD 118 million in aid and announcing a slew of trade concessions while vowing to speed up work on the stalled BRI projects. By K J M Varma & Shirish B Pradhan FGN37 UK-INDIA-FTA India, UK working intensively to meet Diwali deadline for FTA London: India and the UK will continue to work intensively to meet the Diwali deadline at the end of October for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) announced during the India visit of outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a UK government statement said. By Aditi Khanna PTI TDS TDS