India

Jammu, Oct 30 (PTI) The National Conference on Wednesday made a last-minute appeal to the Centre to shelve the plan of bifurcating Jammu and Kashmir into union territories and urged it to maintain the statehood of the 200-year-old state.

Two union territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh -- will come into existence on Thursday.

Kudankulam (TN), Oct 29 (PTI): The Kudankulam nuclear power plant (KKNPP) on Tuesday allayed fears of a cyber attack on its systems and said such attacks were not possible.

KKNPP training superintendent and information officer R Ramdoss said the reports in the social media about cyber attacks were false and clarified that KKNPP and the other nuclear power plants' control systems were 'standalone' and not connected to any cyber networks outside or the internet.

SRINAGAR, India (Reuters) - India will formally split up disputed Jammu and Kashmir state into two federal territories on Thursday, aiming to tighten its grip on the restive region that has been in the grip of a harsh security clampdown for nearly three months.

Street protests against the measures have erupted sporadically, while militants have killed about a dozen people from outside the state in recent weeks.

Hyderabad, Oct 29 (PTI) The Congress on Tuesday claimed the RCEP agreement, likely to be signed by India next month, would be a 'jolt' to the country's economy and demanded that the government explain to the people the cost benefit analysis of the mega free-trade pact involving 16 countries.

Jammu, Oct 29 (PTI) The Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said on Tuesday that the administration had denied permission to its delegation to meet party president Mehbooba Mufti, currently under detention in Srinagar.

On Monday, the PDP leadership in Jammu had forwarded a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar seeking permission afresh to meet the detained leader on October 30.

Mumbai, Oct 29 (PTI) Budget carrier IndiGo announced on Tuesday it has placed a firm order for 300 A320neo family aircraft, comprising A320neos, A321neos and A321XLRs.

The airline, however, did not disclose the value of order.

With this, IndiGos total number of A320neo family aircraft order now stands at 730, the airline said in a statement.

Anand (Guj), Oct 29 (PTI) A 24-year-old labourer was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly raping and killing an eight-year-old girl and dumping her body in a drain in Anand district of Gujarat a day before, police said.

The accused, identified as Arjun Gohil, allegedly lured the girl from outside her house in Kanisa village in Khambhat taluka on Monday under the pretext of buying her fire crackers, said police sub-inspector N M Rami.

He then raped her in an isolated area on the outskirts of the village and strangled her with his hands to destroy evidence.

Srinagar, Oct 30 (PTI) Terming Article 370 an internal issue of India, EU parliamentarians visiting Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday said they stand by the country in its fight against global terrorism

Addressing a press conference on the last day of their two-day visit to the Valley, the group of 23 members of European Parliament also condemned the killing of five labourers from West Bengal by terrorists on Tuesday

New Delhi, Oct 29 (PTI) The free-ride scheme for women on Delhi public buses might be extended to senior citizens, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said as the initiative took off on Tuesday.

This scheme will help in women empowerment by bridging the gender gap that exists in society, the chief minister said on his mobile application 'AK App'.

Muzaffarnagar (UP), Oct 29 (PTI) At least 14 cattle, including cows and buffaloes, died after consuming poisonous fodder at Kaderghar village in neighbouring Shamli district, police said on Tuesday.

The cattle died after eating the fodder on Monday evening, they said.

A medical team has been dispatched to the village for ascertaining the incident. The carcasses have been sent for post-mortem examination and an investigation is underway, police said.