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☆ Canada is seeking more cooperation from India in light of US allegations
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The U.S. charges come about two months after Canada said there were "credible" allegations linking Indian agents to the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in a Vancouver suburb, in June. "The news coming out of the United States further underscores what we've been talking about from the very beginning, which is that India needs to take this seriously," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa. Earlier on Wednesday, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly urged India to be more forthcoming in the ongoing murder investigation. Both the United States and Canada are looking to build better ties with India to counter Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region, and the allegations undermine that effort. Neither New Delhi nor Ottawa looks likely to take dramatic steps to reconcile soon as Canada's murder investigation proceeds and Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares for Indian national elections by May.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Hardeep Singh, Melanie Joly, Nijjar, Joly, Narendra Modi, Ismail Shakil, Steve Scherer, Chizu Nomiyama, Sandra Maler Organizations: Canadian, U.S . Justice, New York City, Indian, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, OTTAWA, Canada, India, British Columbia, The U.S, Vancouver, United States, Ottawa, Delhi

To be sure, China is still Walmart's biggest country for importing goods. "We want the best prices," Andrea Albright, Walmart's executive vice president of sourcing said in an interview. Walmart has been accelerating growth in India since 2018, when it bought a 77% stake in Indian e-commerce firm Flipkart. Its rapidly growing workforce and technological advancement were a draw for Walmart, Albright said. The rising cost of shipping goods from China has also contributed to the switch to India, supply chain experts say.

Persons: Eduardo Munoz, Andrea Albright, we're, Albright, Doug McMillon, Narendra Modi, Modi, McMillon, Rajesh Kharabanda, Chris Rogers, Shekhar Gupta, Devgiri, Richa Naidu, Siddharth Cavale, Casey Hall, Manoj Kumar, Matthew Scuffham, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Walmart, REUTERS, Companies Walmart, Reuters, Flipkart, Walmart Global Tech India, Indian, Amazon, Freewill, P, Thomson Locations: Teterboro , New Jersey, U.S, India, China, United States, Washington, Beijing, Thailand, Vietnam, Bangalore, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mundra Port, Gujarat

Prosecutors did not name the Indian official or the target, although they did describe the latter as a U.S. citizen of Indian origin. The Indian official is described in the related indictment as a "senior field officer" with responsibilities in "security management" and "intelligence" employed by the Indian government who "directed the plot from India." It was a "matter of concern" that an Indian government official was linked to the plot, foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday, adding, "This is also contrary to government policy." 'WE HAVE SO MANY TARGETS'According to U.S. prosecutors, the Indian official recruited Gupta in May 2023 to orchestrate the assassination. The groups have kept alive the movement for Khalistan, or the demand for an independent Sikh state to be carved out of India.

Persons: Nikhil Gupta, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Gupta, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Damian Williams, Biden, Bill Burns, Narendra Modi, Jake Sullivan, Antony Blinken, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Arindam Bagchi, Bagchi, Adrienne Watson, credibly, Pannun, Nijjar, Luc Cohen, Krishn Kaushik, Shivam Patel, Jeff Mason, David Brunnstrom, Heather Timmons, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: U.S . Department of Justice, Indian, U.S . Justice, New, New York City, Prosecutors, Biden, National, National Intelligence, White House National Security Council, Reuters, Administration, Air, Air India Boeing, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York City, U.S, New York, India, United States, Canada, Czech, Vancouver, New Delhi, China, Air India, Washington

☆ US Vice President Harris to attend COP28 climate summit in Dubai -Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris arrives before a tribute service for former U.S. first lady Rosalynn Carter at Glenn Memorial Church at Emory University in Atlanta, U.S., November 28, 2023. Brynn Anderson/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsNov 28 (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will attend the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak are among the leaders expected to attend the event that begins on Thursday. Reuters reported earlier this week that U.S. President Joe Biden would not attend the gathering. Reporting by Gnaneshwar Rajan in Bengaluru; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Tom HogueOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Rosalynn Carter, Brynn Anderson, Antony Blinken, Narendra Modi, Rishi Sunak, Joe Biden, Gnaneshwar Rajan, Jacqueline Wong, Tom Hogue Organizations: U.S, Glenn Memorial Church, Emory University, REUTERS Acquire, Bloomberg, United Nations, Conference, United Arab, Indian, UK, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Atlanta , U.S, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Bengaluru

As the trapped workers came out of the under-construction road tunnel after 17 days, the happy end to a rescue effort that had riveted India set off celebrations across the country. Gone for the moment were questions about why the 41 men had been put at risk of being entombed in the tunnel in the first place. Cameras focused on local representatives of India’s governing party, who credited the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While activists and environmentalists also watched with relief, the scenes carried another, very different meaning for them. They had long warned, in futile court cases and failed tribunal hearings, that the $1.5 billion road-widening project was dangerously destabilizing the already fragile Himalayan landscape.

Persons: Narendra Modi, “ Modi, Modi Locations: India

☆ 'Like brothers': rescued Indian tunnel workers stayed hopeful through ordeal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Saurabh Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

One of the trapped workers is checked out after he was rescued from the collapsed tunnel site in Uttarkashi in the northern state of Uttarakhand, India, November 28, 2023. They went for daily walks and did yoga in the 2-km (1-mile) stretch of the highway tunnel in which they were trapped. But many said knowing they were not forgotten, and would be soon pulled out, was what really kept them hopeful and strong. A rescue mission is currently underway at the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand to free 41 workers who are stuck inside following a landslide. "We lived like brothers," Saba Ahmed, a worker of the private firm contracted to build the tunnel, told Modi.

Persons: Doctors, Birendra Kishku, Subodh Kumar Verma, Narendra Modi, Saba Ahmed, Modi, Sukanti Nayak, Raju, consoling, Jatindra, YP Rajesh, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Authorities, YP, Thomson Locations: Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, India, Rishikesh, Sukanti, Bhubaneswar

☆ 'Like Brothers': Rescued Indian Tunnel Workers Stayed Hopeful Through Ordeal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

They went for daily walks and did yoga in the 2-km (1-mile) stretch of the highway tunnel in which they were trapped. But many said knowing they were not forgotten, and would be soon pulled out, was what really kept them hopeful and strong. "For the first day or so, everyone inside was very hopeless and sad," worker Birendra Kishku, 39, told Reuters. "We lived like brothers," Saba Ahmed, a worker of the private firm contracted to build the tunnel, told Modi. "My son was consoling me, telling me not to worry and assuring me that they would soon come out."

Persons: Saurabh Sharma CHINYALISAUR, Doctors, Birendra Kishku, Subodh Kumar Verma, Narendra Modi, Saba Ahmed, Modi, Sukanti Nayak, Raju, consoling, Jatindra, YP Rajesh, Miral Fahmy Organizations: Reuters, Authorities, YP Locations: India, Rishikesh, Sukanti, Bhubaneswar

The flags of the United States and India are displayed on the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 21, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Nov 29 (Reuters) - India will formally investigate security concerns aired by the United States in a warning to New Delhi about its links to a foiled plot to murder a Sikh separatist leader, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday. The Financial Times newspaper on Nov. 22 first reported the thwarted plot against Pannun in the United States. The White House said it was treating the issue with "utmost seriousness" and had raised it with India at the "seniormost levels". The foiled plot and the U.S. concerns were reported two months after Canada said it was looking at credible allegations linking Indian agents to the June murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, another Sikh separatist, in a Vancouver suburb.

Persons: Elizabeth Frantz, Biden, Gurpatwant Singh, Pannun, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Narendra Modi's, Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, Sanjay Verma, India’s, Verma, Krishn Kaushik, Shivam Patel, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Eisenhower, White, REUTERS, White House, Financial Times, U.S, Indian, Reuters, Defence, CTV, Thomson Locations: United States, India, Washington , U.S, DELHI, New Delhi, China, Delhi, U.S, Canada, Vancouver, . New Delhi, Canadian, Ottawa

☆ An Indian government official directed a plot to assassinate a Sikh US citizen on American soil, feds say — and more attempts were planned
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

AdvertisementA member of the Indian government directed a foiled plot to assassinate a US citizen on American soil, according to a newly unsealed federal indictment. Students give final touches to paintings of US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at an art school in Mumbai on September 5, 2023, ahead of the two-day G20 summit in New Delhi. President Joe Biden personally raised the issue with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 summit in September, according to the Financial Times. In September, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India's government of being involved in the attack. Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India welcomes US President Joe Biden for the 2023 G20 Leaders' Summit in New Delhi.

Persons: —, Nikhil Gupta, Gurpatwant Singh, Gupta, Pannum, Joe Biden, Narendra Modi, Giorgia Meloni, PUNIT PARANJPE, Getty Images Biden, William Burns, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Pannum's, Justin Trudeau, India's, Hardeep Singh, Trudeau, Dan Kitwood, Affairs didn't, GUPTA, Punnam Organizations: Justice Department, Service, Indian, Washington Post, Department, Prosecutors, Italian, Getty Images, Financial Times, CIA, National Intelligence, Justice, Financial, Canadian, of, India, White, India's Ministry, Affairs, Getty Locations: Canada, India, Manhattan, Punjab, New Delhi, New York City, California, Czech Republic, Mumbai, AFP, United States, China, Surrey, of India

The target in New York was identified by American officials as Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who is general counsel for the New York-based group Sikhs for Justice. Mr. Pannun is an outspoken proponent of independence for the northern Indian state of Punjab, which is home to a large number of Sikhs, a powerful but minority group in the nation. The indictment said that the supposed hit man hired to kill Mr. Pannun was in fact a federal agent. agents warned a number of Sikh leaders around the United States about potential threats against them. Mr. Biden himself raised the issue directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi when they met at the Group of 20 summit in September.

Persons: Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Pannun, Adrienne Watson, Biden, Gupta, ”, ” Ms, Watson, William J, Burns, Narendra Modi Organizations: New, National Security Council, ”, Group Locations: New York, Punjab, Vancouver, F.B.I, United States, India

CNN —US federal prosecutors have charged an Indian national in an alleged murder-for-hire plot to try to assassinate a Sikh political activist in New York City, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was murdered in Canada in June, and the Canadian government said it had credible information linking India to the murder. People stomp on an Indian flag and a cutout of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi during a Sikh rally outside the Indian consulate in Toronto to raise awareness for the Indian government's alleged involvement in the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia on September 25, 2023. Cole Burston/AFP/Getty ImagesNijjar and Pannun were associates, US prosecutors say, as they were both leaders of the Sikh separatist movement. The Indian official gave Gupta Pannun’s home address, phone numbers and details on his daily activities, prosecutors allege.

Persons: Nikhil Gupta, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Gupta, “, ” Pannun, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Narendra Modi, Cole Burston, Pannun, Nijjar, Nijjar “, – Organizations: CNN, Justice, Indian, Getty Locations: New York City, New York, India, Czech Republic, Canada, Toronto, British Columbia, AFP

Greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels are the biggest cause of climate change. "We have a world which has more fossil fuels than ever," said Ani Dasgupta, president of the World Resources Institute, a climate NGO. U.S. officials and others are hopeful a recent climate deal between the U.S. and China may also set a positive tone for the talks. Another test is whether wealthy nations announce money for the fund at COP28 - to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. "Speaking from previous experience, unfortunately most of the global agreements, most of the global climate related pledges went uncompleted," said Najib Ahmed, National Consultant at Somalia's Climate Ministry.

Persons: Sultan al, Jaber, ADNOC, Ani Dasgupta, Narendra Modi, Britain's King Charles, Joe Biden, Gayane, Najib Ahmed, Valerie Volcovici, Josie Kao Organizations: OPEC, United Nations, International Energy Agency, BBC, World Resources Institute, Indian, European Union, Reuters, U.S, FINANCE, EU, Climate Ministry, “, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, WASHINGTON, BRUSSELS, Dubai, UAE, U.S, China, India

☆ Indian rescuers say very close to reaching 41 men trapped in tunnel
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Saurabh Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Rescue operations continue as evening approaches, where workers got trapped in a tunnel construction collapse in Uttarkashi, northern state of Uttarakhand, India, November 27, 2023. The men, low-wage workers from India's poorest states, have been stuck in the 4.5 km (3 miles) tunnel in Uttarakhand state since it collapsed on Nov. 12. "Sure, 100%," he said when asked if the men could be reached on Tuesday. Rescuers on Monday brought in the "rat miners", experts at a primitive, hazardous and controversial method used mostly to get at coal deposits through narrow passages. Authorities have not said what caused the cave-in but the region is prone to landslides, earthquakes and floods.

Persons: Francis Mascarenhas, Deepak Patil, Narendra Modi's Organizations: REUTERS, Authorities, YP Rajesh, Thomson Locations: Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, India

☆ ‘A year of volatility’: Morgan Stanley names its top stocks as India prepares to head to the polls
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Amala Balakrishner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The investment case for India is hard to argue with, according to analysts at Morgan Stanley — but they warn that upcoming elections with "potential binary outcomes sets the market up for volatility." "Government policy remains supportive, and the RBI (Reserve Bank of India) executes a calibrated exit from its current hold stance. For Morgan Stanley, the downside, or bear case, to its forecast would see India's elections result in a change in government. Focus list of overweight-rated stocks Looking ahead to India in 2024, Morgan Stanley is overweight on companies in the financials, consumer discretionary, industrials and technology sectors. From the financial services sector, Morgan Stanley is overweight on ICICI Bank and insurer SBI Life Insurance .

Persons: Morgan Stanley —, Ridham Desai, Narendra Modi, Morgan Stanley, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Bombay Stock Exchange, Reserve Bank of India, International Monetary Fund, Maruti Suzuki, Hindustan Aeronautics, Infosys, ICICI Bank, SBI Life Insurance Locations: India, U.S, Government, F2026E

☆ India tunnel collapse: Rescuers begin risky vertical drilling after bid to free trapped Himalayan tunnel workers falters
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

India airlifted a high-powered drilling machine to assist in the rescue of dozens of road workers trapped underground. “The vertical drilling will disturb the rock formation and will cause vibrations to the mountain,” said Sundriyal, who is considered an expert in local rock formations. “However, it is difficult to say which one of the two methods would help us reach the trapped workers first,” he told reporters Monday. But for most of the families of the trapped men, the wait has been an agonizing switch between hope and despair. One of the trapped workers can be seen on camera.

Persons: Mahmood Ahmed, Yaspal, ”, Sundriyal, Harpal Singh, Mahi Shah, Sonu, Shah, ” Shah, ” Krishna Chauhan, Manjeet, Chauhan, ” Chauhan, Narendra Modi’s Char, Anrold Dix, ” Dix, “ Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN, Engineers, Authorities, India’s Ministry of, Highways, Garhwal, CNN, Roads Organization, Indian, Ministry of Environment, “ Locations: New Delhi, India’s, Uttarakhand, India, Garhwal University, Uttarakhand Government, Bihar, Mumbai, Mizoram, Morbi, Gujarat, Australian

☆ Pack your jerseys. The era of 'sports tourism' is here
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Randy Mulyanto | Marylou Costa | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Sports tourism, as it's called, is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the travel industry, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization. "The sport tourism market will continue as long as new opportunities to play and compete exist," she said. Justin Setterfield | Getty Images Sport | Getty ImagesFor some countries, these events are an opportunity to raise their international standing. Patrick Smith | Getty Images Sport | Getty ImagesTravel + Leisure Co. and Sports Illustrated Resorts announced plans to open a network of sports-themed resorts in American college towns. Ryan Pierse | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images

Persons: Lisa Delpy Neirotti, George, Neirotti, Delpy, Justin Setterfield, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dustin Johnson, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Delpy Neirotti, Lewis Hamilton, Kym Illman, Jay Wardle, Narendra Modi, Robert Cianflone, Gianni Infantino, Major League Baseball —, Patrick Smith, GetYourGuide, Ryan Pierse Organizations: Summer, Games, Sports, United Nations World Tourism Organization, George Washington University's, Management, Sport, Padres, NFL, MLB, FIFA, Getty, CNBC Travel, Saudi Crown, Fox News, Adara, ICC Men's Cricket, The Bank of Baroda Economics Research, Narendra, MotoGP, Rugby, Las Vegas, Companies, Major League Baseball, Sports Illustrated Resorts, University of Alabama —, McLaren Technology, U.S ., CNBC, Olympic Games, Olympic Locations: Mexico City, Germany, London, Brisbane, Australia, Saudi Arabia, China, Qatar, Singapore, India, New Zealand, Indonesia, France, United States, Tuscaloosa , Alabama, U.S, New York

☆ After machines fail, 'rat miners' to help rescue 41 men stuck in Indian tunnel
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Saurabh Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SILKYARA, India, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Rescuers on Monday brought in "rat miners" to drill through a narrow pipe and help pull out 41 construction workers trapped in a tunnel in the Indian Himalayas for more than two weeks after high-powered machines failed, officials said. The men, low-wage workers from India's poorest states, have been stuck in the 4.5km (3 miles) tunnel in Uttarakhand state since it collapsed on Nov. 12. The men have been getting food, water, light, oxygen and medicines through a pipe but efforts to dig a tunnel have run into a series of snags with machines. "Rat mining" is a primitive, hazardous and controversial method used in India mostly to remove coal deposits through narrow passages. Mishra visited the site and spoke to the trapped men through a communication link.

Persons: Rakesh Rajput, Francis Mascarenhas, Harpal Singh, Mahmood Ahmad, Narendra Modi's, P.K, Mishra, Sakshi Dayal, YP Rajesh, Ed Osmond Organizations: Reuters, REUTERS, Government, Organisation, Authorities, YP, Thomson Locations: SILKYARA, India, Uttarakhand, Uttarkashi, Char, New Delhi

☆ Indian tunnel rescue set to take much longer after drill damaged
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Saurabh Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Pushkar Singh Dhami, chief minister of Uttarakhand state said on Saturday the damaged drilling machine would be taken out by Sunday morning, allowing manual drilling to start. On Saturday morning the trapped workers, all migrants, were "very worried", said Sunita Hembrom, whose brother-in-law Birendra Kishku, 39, is in the tunnel. A rescue mission is currently underway at the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand to free 41 workers who are stuck inside following a landslide. The rescue plan involves pushing a pipe wide enough to pull the trapped men out on wheeled stretchers. Rescue workers rehearsed the evacuation by going into the pipe and being pulled out on stretchers, a video clip provided by the authorities showed.

Persons: Shankar Prasad Nautiyal, Pushkar Singh Dhami, Syed Ata Hasnain, Sunita Hembrom, Birendra Kishku, Rohit Gondwal, Narendra Modi's, Saurabh Sharma, Krishn Kauhsik, Jacqueline Wong, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Authorities, National Disaster Management Authority, Thomson Locations: Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, India

☆ Manual drilling likely in last stretch to rescue 41 trapped workers in Indian tunnel
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Saurabh Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The machine broke at a joint and some parts are being cut so it can be pulled from the tunnel. Sunita Hembrom, who spoke to her trapped brother-in-law Birendra Kishku, 39, said that "everyone trapped inside is very worried". A rescue mission is currently underway at the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand to free 41 workers who are stuck inside following a landslide. The rescue plan involves pushing a pipe wide enough to pull the trapped men out on wheeled stretchers. Rescue workers rehearsed the evacuation by going into the pipe and being pulled out on stretchers, a video clip provided by the authorities showed.

Persons: Stringer, Sunita Hembrom, Birendra Kishku, Rohit Gondwal, Narendra Modi's, Saurabh Sharma, Krishn Kauhsik, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: REUTERS, Authorities, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, India

☆ Manual Drilling Likely in Last Stretch to Rescue 41 Trapped Workers in Indian Tunnel
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Saurabh SharmaSILKYARA, India (Reuters) - Efforts to rescue 41 workers trapped in a highway tunnel in the Indian Himalayas for two weeks will be further slowed as rescuers are considering drilling through the last 10 meters of debris manually, an official said on Saturday. The machine broke at a joint and some parts are being cut so it can be pulled from the tunnel. Sunita Hembrom, who spoke to her trapped brother-in-law Birendra Kishku, 39, said that "everyone trapped inside is very worried". The rescue plan involves pushing a pipe wide enough to pull the trapped men out on wheeled stretchers. Rescue workers rehearsed the evacuation by going into the pipe and being pulled out on stretchers, a video clip provided by the authorities showed.

Persons: Saurabh Sharma SILKYARA, Sunita Hembrom, Birendra Kishku, Rohit Gondwal, Narendra Modi's, Saurabh Sharma, Krishn Kauhsik, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Authorities, Reuters Locations: India, Uttarakhand

☆ India set to miss divestment targets by more than half this year - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Nikunj Ohri | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The government may fall short of its divestment goal by 300 billion rupees ($3.60 billion) in 2023/24, two government sources told Reuters. New Delhi had targeted 510 billion rupees from divestment proceeds for the current fiscal year that ends March, 2024. So far this year, the government has received 80 billion rupees through stake sales, according to government data. The government expects to surpass its 430 billion rupees dividend target and has so far received 203 billion rupees from state-run firms. "As long as the government is meeting its fiscal targets and there isn't a shortfall, missing divestment targets is fine," said Rahul Bajoria, an economist at Barclays Investment Bank.

Persons: Niharika Kulkarni, Narendra Modi's, Subhash Chandra Garg, Rahul Bajoria, Nikunj Ohri, Sam Holmes Organizations: IDBI, REUTERS, Reuters, IDBI Bank, NMDC Steel, Reserve Bank of India, NMDC, Barclays Investment Bank, Thomson Locations: Mumbai, India, DELHI, New Delhi, Chhattisgarh

☆ Collapsed Indian tunnel had no safety exit, was built through geological fault - panel member
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Manoj Kumar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Rahul Grover Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Nov 24 (Reuters) - A tunnel which collapsed, trapping 41 workers in the Indian Himalayas this month, did not have an emergency exit and was built through a geological fault, a member of a panel of experts investigating the disaster said on Friday. Rescuers are still struggling to reach the construction workers 12 days after the 4.5-km (3-mile) tunnel caved in. Preliminary findings indicated the collapse may have been caused by a geological fault, known as a "shear zone", a member of the panel told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to talk to the media. "Once the rescue operations are over, we will conduct detailed investigations to find out loopholes in the construction," the panel member said. The tunnel was being built by the state-run National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation which is under India's Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

Persons: Rahul Grover, Vishal Chauhan, Narendra Modi's, Hemant Dhyani, Manoj Kumar, YP Rajesh, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Media, REUTERS, Highways, Infrastructure Development Corporation, India's Ministry of Road Transport, National Highways Authority of India, Supreme, Reuters, YP, Thomson Locations: Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, India, DELHI

☆ Drilling snag delays rescue of 41 men stuck in Indian tunnel
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Saurabh Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Hindu priests pray at a makeshift shrine outside the entrance of a tunnel where workers are trapped after the tunnel collapsed in Uttarkashi, in the northern state of Uttarakhand, India, November 23, 2023. The men, low-wage construction workers, have been confined in the 4.5-km (3-mile) tunnel in Uttarakhand state since it caved in early on Nov. 12. Attempts to pull them out by drilling through the debris of rock, stones and metal and pushing through an evacuation pipe have been slowed by snags. The collapsed tunnel is on the Char Dham pilgrimage route, one of the most ambitious projects of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. It aims to link four key Hindu pilgrimage sites with 890 km (550 miles) of two-lane road, at a cost of $1.5 billion.

Persons: Shankar Prasad Nautiyal, Rescuers, Deepak Patil, Narendra Modi's, YP Rajesh, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, Authorities, snags, Reuters, National Highways Authority, YP, Thomson Locations: Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, India

The minister described it as a "non-negotiable" demand of the Indian government during the meeting, said one of the sources. India's IT ministry said in a press statement all platforms had agreed to align their content guidelines with government rules. Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) YouTube, Facebook and Chandrasekhar did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Indian government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have raised concerns over deepfakes in recent days. India has been tightening regulations of social media companies, which count the South Asian nation as a top growth market.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Chandrasekhar, Narendra Modi, Munsif Vengattil, Aditya Kalra Organizations: Facebook, REUTERS, Rights, YouTube, Reuters, Thomson Locations: India

☆ Indian rescue effort for 41 trapped in tunnel breaks through steel obstacle
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Saurabh Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] An ambulance arrives at the tunnel where workers are trapped after the tunnel collapsed in Uttarkashi in the northern state of Uttarakhand, India, November 23, 2023. Once the drilling is completed, officials plan to send rescuers through the evacuation pipe with stretchers on wheels to bring out the trapped men, they said. Authorities have not said what caused the tunnel collapse, but the region is prone to landslides, earthquakes and floods. Efforts to bring the men out have been slowed by snags in drilling in the mountainous terrain. The collapsed tunnel is located on the Char Dham pilgrimage route, one of the most ambitious projects of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

Persons: Shankar Prasad Nautiyal, Bhaskar Khulbe, Khulbe, Narendra Modi's Organizations: REUTERS, Authorities, Wednesday, National Highways Authority, YP Rajesh, Thomson Locations: Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, India

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