Morning Brief: R&AW Infiltrated Pakistan-Trained IS Ring Tasked To Hit Delhi; Andhra Pradesh Tops Ease Of Doing Business Ranking; Sensex Surges To Five-Month Closing High

Good morning, dear reader! Here’s your morning news and views brief for today.

R&AW Infiltrated Pakistan-Trained IS Ring Tasked To Hit Delhi

Indian intelligence agencies, including the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), infiltrated a group of Islamic State (IS) terrorists trained by Pakistan to attack targets in Delhi in September 2017, The Indian Express has reported. According to the report, a suicide bomber of Afghan origin was sent to the national capital to conduct the attack. The IS saboteur had visited the Delhi Airport, Ansal Plaza mall, a Vasant Kunj mall as well as the South Extension market to identify a place for the attack and gave constant feedback to his handlers.

The operation began when R&AW tracked a suspicious transfer of $50,000 by individuals under their watch from Dubai to a location in Afghanistan. In no time, Indian intelligence infiltrated the ring and supplied the IS operative with explosives which had no triggers. The IS operative was arrested in Delhi and is currently in custody at a key US military base in Afghanistan.

Andhra Pradesh Tops States’ Ease Of Doing Business Ranking

Andhra Pradesh has emerged as the most business-friendly state in this year’s Ease of Doing Business rankings. In the ranking, based on a survey done by the Centre, Andhra Pradesh scored a near perfect score of 98.42. The Telugu Desam Party-ruled state, however, scored lower than Telangana and Jharkhand on reforms. In the final chart, Telangana was ranked second with a score of 98.33, followed by Haryana with a score of 98.07. While Jharkhand came in at number four, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state Gujarat was ranked fifth.

Other states which made it to the top 10 include Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan and West Bengal. Meghalaya was ranked 36th. In the first two years, the ranking was based only on evidence provided by state governments. This year, the government took into account user feedback. The ranking, introduced in 2015, will be based entirely on user feedback from 2019.

Sensex Surges To Over Five-Month Closing High

Bombay Stock Exchange Sensex reclaimed the 36,000-mark on Tuesday as shares rose for a third straight session and posted their highest close in more than five months. While local investors bought shares worth Rs 740.39 crore, foreign investors sold shares worth Rs 569.91 crore. Reliance Industries led the gains by rising 3.02 per cent. Gail, Hindalco and Yes Bank were also among the top gainers on Tuesday. HPCL and Sun Pharma were among the major losers.

National Stock Exchange’s Nifty rose past 10,900 on Tuesday led by gains in Reliance Industries. At least 10 out of the 12 public sector banking stocks gained in trade. Sun Pharma (down 1.65 per cent), Kotak Mahindra Bank (down 1.34 per cent), Hindustan Petroleum (down 1.21 per cent) were the top laggards.

Iran Criticises India For Going Slow On Chabahar Port Plan

Iran has criticised India for not making the promised investments in the strategically located Chabahar port and said New Delhi will lose “special privileges” if it cuts import of Iranian oil. After withdrawing from the nuclear deal with Tehran, the US has said it will impose sanctions on Iran and those doing business with the country. Countries importing oil from Iran have been asked to look at alternate sources of energy before the sanctions kick in. India, which is the second largest buyer of Iranian crude, may also have to look for other sources.

Section 377: Supreme Court To Continue Hearing Today

The constitution bench of the Supreme Court will today continue hearing petitions challenging the criminalisation of consensual gay sex between two adults under section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. The apex court had in 2013 restored the criminality of the sexual relationship between persons of the same sex, after it was decriminalised by the Delhi High Court in 2009. A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra will hear the petitions. Those making arguments against Section 377 will quote from a range of references, including Hindu philosophy and past judgments of the Supreme Court itself.

In 2016, a bench led by then Chief Justice of India T S Thakur indicated that the question required a possible back-to-roots, in-depth hearing. Petitions challenging Section 377 got a big boost when the Supreme Court upheld the right to privacy as a fundamental right intrinsic to life and liberty. On Section 377, the bench had said that it “poses a grave danger to the unhindered fulfilment of one’s sexual orientation, as an element of privacy and dignity”.

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We hope you enjoyed reading our morning brief. Have a great day ahead!

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