Indian Sub-continent

New Delhi, Oct 5 (PTI) The Aam Aadmi Party claimed that its MP Sanjay Singh and some other party leaders were arrested while trying to go to Lakhimpur Kheri on Tuesday to meet the families of the victims killed during a farmers' protest recently.

However, there was no statement on the issue by the authorities.

Lucknow, Oct 5 (PTI) the Uttar Pradesh cabinet on Tuesday gave its approval to the distribution of free tablets and smartphone among students pursuing higher studies.

The scheme will put a burden of Rs 3,000 crore on the state exchequer, a government statement said.

The cabinet also approved Rs 37.35 lakh for the installation of a statue of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the Circuit House in Kanpur.

The CM has been authorised to make any amendments to resolve practical difficulties in the scheme.

New Delhi, Oct 6 (PTI) Cooking gas LPG price on Wednesday was hiked by Rs 15 per cylinder in line with a surge in international fuel prices.

Rates of both subsidised and non-subsidised LPG prices were hiked, oil company officials said.

Muzaffarnagar (UP), Oct 6 (PTI) A 20-year-old woman was allegedly abducted and raped by two men in the New Mandi area here, police said on Wednesday.

The woman, a student, was abducted when she was returning home from school on Tuesday. She was taken to a nearby place where she was raped by accused Sagar and Pawan Kumar, they said.

A case was registered against the two men, who are absconding, police said, adding the medical examination of the victim was carried out.

New Delhi, Oct 6 (PTI) Robert Vadra on Wednesday claimed that he has been stopped from going to Lucknow to meet his wife and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who has been detained in Sitapur while on her way to meet victims of violence in Lakhimpur Kheri.

In a Facebook post, Vadra also said that he was "shocked" at the manner his wife has been "arrested".

New Delhi, Oct 6 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Wednesday urged the Supreme Court to suo motu act on the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which eight people, including four farmers, were killed.

"Supreme Court, there was a time when there was no YouTube, no social media, the Supreme Court acted suo motu on the basis of news in the print media. It heard the voice of the voiceless," Sibal said in a tweet.

New Delhi, Oct 5 (PTI) Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday alleged that she was being held illegally at the PAC compound in Sitapur and no notice or FIR has been provided to her even after her 38-hour detention and was not allowed to meet her legal counsel.

In a statement, she said she has not been produced in front of a magistrate or any other judicial officer and neither has she been allowed to meet her legal counsel, who has been standing at the gate of the compound since morning.

Kanpur: The IIT-K and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has endorsed a project to provide valid information about the sources of air pollution in Delhi and also to generate forecasts for air pollution management.

The air quality will be deciphered a weekly, monthly as well as seasonal basis. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, molecular markers, secondary organic and inorganic aerosols will also be considered.

Monitoring oxides of nitrogen, ozone, sulphur dioxide, elemental carbon, organic carbon and other organic compounds will be part of the project.

ISLAMABAD, Oct 5 (APP): Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday reiterated his call for debt relief and prioritizing vaccine equity for COVID-hit developing countries for their economic recovery.

The prime minister, virtually addressing World Leaders Summit Dialogue organized on the occasion of 15th Quadrennial Meeting of UNCTAD, also emphasised the climate finance and return of stolen wealth to developing countries as part of global economic recovery from the devastating effects of the pandemic.

KABUL, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Afghanistan will start issuing passports to its citizens again on Tuesday, a senior official said, following months of delays that hampered attempts by those trying to flee the country after the Taliban seized control in August.

The process, which had slowed even before the Islamist militants' return to power following the withdrawal of U.S. forces, will provide applicants with documents physically identical to those issued by the previous government, the official said.