India

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping at an informal summit this week, the Indian foreign ministry said on Wednesday, their talks coming at a time of strained ties over the disputed region of Kashmir.

The meeting in the southern Indian city of Chennai on Oct. 11-12 is aimed at enhancing the rapport the leaders built when they met in the Chinese city of Wuhan last year to help stabilize ties after a standoff in another contested section of their long border, far removed from Kashmir.

Chennai, Oct 8 (PTI) More than 40 Tibetans were detained and ten of them arrested, including activist Tenzin Tsundue, to prevent possibility of protest by them against Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit here for a summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, police said on Tuesday.

Mumbai, Oct 8 (PTI) A 20-year-old man and his friend have been arrested for allegedly raping a deaf and mute woman here, police said on Tuesday.

According to a police official, the accused, who were arrested on Monday, have been identified as Lakhan Kaale and his friend Sandip Kurhade (22), both residents of adjoining Thane.

The victim (25) worked as a housemaid in a residential society in upscale suburb of Bandra (East), he said.

Jalna, Oct 8 (PTI) AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday hit out at Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat for his statement that mob lynching was a western concept and it should not be used to defame India.

Addressing the Vijayadashmi function of the RSS at Reshimbagh ground in Nagpur, Bhagwat said lynching is a "western construct" and should not be used in the Indian context to defame the country.

He said the word 'lynching' does not originate from Indian ethos but comes from a separate religious text.

Jammu, Oct 9 (PTI) The Congress on Wednesday decided to boycott the Block Development Council (BDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir, citing "indifferent" attitude of the state administration and continued detention of senior party leaders.

BDC polls will be held in Jammu and Kashmir on October 24. These will be the first elections to be held in the state since its special status was revoked under Article 370 on August 5.

New Delhi, Oct 9 (PTI) After onions, retail price of tomatoes shot up to Rs 80 per kilogram in the national capital on Wednesday due to supply disruption caused by heavy rains in key growing states, including Karnataka.

However, the price of onions has come down marginally compared to past week and is now hovering around Rs 60 per kg in the national capital.

Kolkata, Oct 9 (PTI) In the wake of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi facing criticism for "walking away" after the party's defeat in the general election, Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury Wednesday stood by him and said politicians like Gandhi, who stepped down taking moral responsibility for the drubbing, are rare in Indian politics.

Several Congress leaders, both at the state and at the central levels, had criticised Rahul Gandhi for "walking away" from the party president's post following its massive defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll.

Aurangabad, Oct 9 (PTI) Eleven doctors of the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) here have tested positive for dengue, officials said on Wednesday.

From September this year, dengue has so far claimed the lives of at least seven persons in the city, they said.

"The number of dengue-infected people is rising in Aurangabad. Now, 11 doctors and medical students of the GMCH have tested positive for dengue," GMCH superintendent, Dr Kailas Jhine, told PTI.

Beijing, Oct 9 (PTI) Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit India from October 11 to 12 to take part in the 2nd informal summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during which they are expected to hold comprehensive talks on a host of issues concerning the bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and international issues.

Xi will attend the second informal meeting with Modi at Mamallapuram near Chennai from October 11 to 12 and pay a state visit to Nepal on October 13, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Wednesday.

Nagpur, 8 Oct 19, (UMMn): RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, speaking at the annual Dusshera event in Nagpur, described lynching as a "Western construct", and should not be used to defame the country.