Breaking News Live Updates: Pope Francis accepts PM Modi's invitation to visit India

A special court designated under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act on Saturday rejected the bail plea of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s friend and flatmate Siddharth Pithani. This was the second time that the court rejected Pithani's bail plea since his arrest in May this year. Earlier, the court had rejected his bail plea in August. 

Pope Francis has accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's invitation to visit India. At their meeting on Saturday, the Pope told PM Modi said that the invitation to visit India was a 'great gift'. Accepting the invitation, Pope Francis said that he is looking forward to visiting India. As per sources, dates for the visit will be decided mutually.

India is ready to produce over 5 billion Covid vaccine doses by the end of next year to help the world in its fight against the pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his remarks at the G-20 meeting here on Saturday, as he highlighted India's contributions to fighting the deadly disease.

Briefing reporters on Modi's engagements in Rome, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said the prime minister also stressed on the need for facilitating international travel and spoke about having a mechanism of mutual recognition of vaccine certification as a means for this.

Noting that the WHO approval for the emergency use authorisation for Covaxin, India's indigenous vaccine, is pending, India suggested that a nod for the jab will help India assist other countries.

A technical advisory group of the UN health agency will meet on November 3 to conduct a final risk-benefit assessment for Emergency Use Listing of Covaxin. Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and AstraZeneca and Oxford University's Covishield are the two widely used vaccines in India.

Modi also highlighted India's medical supply to over 150 countries and contribution in maintaining the global supply chain during the pandemic.

He made these remarks during his intervention at the "global economy and global health" session at the G20 meet, Shringla said.

Stressing on the need for resilient global supply chains, Prime Minister Modi spoke about India's bold economic reforms and invited G20 nations to make India their partner in economic recovery and supply chain diversification.

Modi also spoke about "One Earth, One Health" vision in the context of fighting the pandemic and future global health issues, Shringla added.

The leaders of the world's economic bulls gathered on Saturday, October 30, for the first time in-person for G20 Summit since the COVID pandemic broke out. Held at Roma convention center in Rome, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other world leaders assembled for 'family photo'. 

On the sidelines of the G20 Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met world leaders, including US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were also spotted, as PM Modi was seen exchanging pleasantries. 

The world leaders have all gathered to take part in the G20 Summit which this time is taking place in Rome, Italy. The Summit, which is scheduled for October 30-31, will be centred around the theme 'People, Planet, Prosperity, focussing on the areas of recovery from the pandemic and strengthening of global health governance.

13-year-old Indian Champion Tajamul Islam who hails Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora district once again made the country proud by clinching a gold medal for the second time in the World Kickboxing Championship. Speaking exclusively to Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami on Saturday, Tajamul said that she wants to grow up quickly and win Gold for India at the Olympics. She added that she also wants to become an orthopedic surgeon to treat opponents after thrashing them!

Many remember Tajamul's memorable visit to the Republic Newsroom in Mumbai on Republic Day 2018, as she had been interviewed by Arnab and added an infectious energy to the #ProudToBeIndian broadcast, captivating audiences and her co-panelists alike, with the broadcast ending with Tajamul leading all gathered in an on-air selfie session. Three-and-a-half years on, Tajamul's quick wit and optimism dazzled once again.

"I want to win an Olympic Gold for India, and want to become an Orthopedic surgeon, 'ta ki opponent ki haddi tod bhi doon, aur jod bhi doon' (So that I can break and fix bones)," the gold medalist said in a delightful conversation with Arnab after winning her second World Kickboxing Gold for India.

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 a Mumbai sessions court on Saturday has issued a non-bailable warrant against former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, three days after the Mumbai Police Crime Branch had filed an application at the court seeking the same. Param Bir Singh has reportedly fled the country or is at the very least, absconding. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other world leaders, who are in the country to participate in the 16th G20 Leaders Summit, assembled for a 'family photo' in Rome. Even the frontline workers joined the leaders to pose for the photograph. Earlier, PM Modi met German Chancellor Angela Merkel. 

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommain told reporters that the last rites of Actor Puneeth Raj Kumar will be done tomorrow at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru as the funeral rituals are not be performed after sunset. The daughter of the actor has arrived in India from the US. He further informed that the star actor had visited him on Thursday regarding the release of the Karnataka tourism website.

Afghan women protest against Taliban brutalities in Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. Women lead protesters told Republic that a memorandum has been submitted to Pakistan stating the ill-treatment faced by the Muslim women.  Earlier, an online campaign was also organized in protest against the strict new dress code for female students imposed by the Taliban that mandated the segregation of genders in classrooms and said women students, teachers and employees must wear hijabs. 

PM Modi arrived for G20 Summit at Roma Convention Center, after meeting Pope Francis in the Vatican. He was received by Prime Minister of Italy, Mario Draghi.

Amit Shah who is in Dehradun for campaigning for the BJP ahead of Uttarkhand polls said that the state in the past four years has witnessed overall development under the leadership of CM Pushkar Singh Dhami. Further attacking the opposition, Shah said that the Congress was invisible in the state during tough times such as COVID-19 and floods but emerge when elections approach. He also informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the Kedarnath Dham on 5th November and inaugurate an idol of Adi Shankaracharya. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pope Francis's sixty-minute meeting concluded after discussing a wide range of issues including climate change and poverty. According to sources, Modi has invited Pope to visit India. It is to be noted that, last Papal to visit India was Pope John Paul II in 1999 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Pope Francis concluded. He departed from the Vatican after holding the meeting with the Pope which was held with no agenda and was a formal meet aimed to discuss the health issues including COVID-19. 

The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has extended the ban on scheduled international commercial passenger flights till November 30, taking off to and from India. In an official circular, the Central body informed that international flights would be allowed on a case-to-case basis only on a few selected routes. This new announcement comes in line with the current COVID-19 pandemic situation. 

Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee who is on a 3-day visit to Goa visited a fish market and three temples and inducted former tennis star Leander Paes, actor Nafisa Ali and several others into the party on October 30. While Popular Tiatrist Francis De Tuem joined the party in the presence of Mamata Banerjee in Dona Paula, Goa. Earlier when visiting a fish market in Betim, Banerjee made four promises to the fishing community:

•  A 2.5 times increase in government subsidy to Rs 75,000
• A minimum selling price that fish will be procured at 
• An allowance of Rs 4,000 per month for those engaged in fishing activities
• Formation of a Fishermen’s Welfare Board

Union Home Minister Amit Shah who arrived in Dehradun was received by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami at the airport. Amit Shah is scheduled to launch `Ghasiyari Kalyan Yojana` in Dehradun. Later in the evening, he is expected to address the Shantikunj Golden Jubilee Year lecture series in Haridwar. In his second visit to the state this month, he will review BJP's strategy for the coming year's assembly elections. 

The 17th edition of India-US exercise 'Yudh Abhyas' concluded at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson in Alaska. The Indian Army informed that the exercise has strengthened the mutual interoperability, confidence and enabled sharing of best practices between the two Armies. The exercise was conducted from October 25-28 to validate the skills required to operate in extreme cold weather conditions.  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm welcome as he arrived at the Vatican City to meet Pope Francis. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval also arrived at the Vatican. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi shortly to meet Pope Francis. It will be a 30-minute meeting where matters including India and Italy working together in battling the deadly COVID-19 pandemic will be discussed. PM Modi will also meet President of France Emmanuel Macron and discuss strengthening strategic ties.

Following a meeting of the Disaster Management Authority chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, the Jharkhand government has decided to allow Chhath Puja ceremonies at rivers and ponds ahead of the festivals to be held publicly. But, COVID appropriate behaviours like wearing masks in public places, and maintaining social distance must be followed. Earlier on October 24, all lockdown restrictions were removed and further permitted the opening of clubs, theatres, and stadiums. 

Voting for by-polls is underway in Himachal Pradesh's Fatehpur, Arki, Jubbal- Kotkhai constituencies. Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are the frontrunners in the state. While CM Jairam Thakur along with his family cast his vote in Mandi Parliamentary constituency by-polls at polling station number 36 in Murhag. The results of these polls are scheduled to be announced on November 2. 

Sounding the poll bugle for the Uttar Pradesh polls, Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday, taunted the Opposition affirming that soon a 'skytouching temple' for Ram Lalla will be made. Addressing a BJP membership drive in Lucknow, he countered Samajwadi party's taunt on the deadline for Ram Mandir stating 'foundation for temple has been put'. The 403-seat UP assembly where Yogi rules with an iron-clad majority of 314 seats, is up for grabs in February 2022.

India on Saturday, October 30, has reported 14,313 fresh Coronavirus infections with 13,543 recoveries and 549 deaths in the past 24 hours. According to Union health ministry data, out of the total infections, the active cases account for less than 1%, which is currently at 0.47%, the lowest since March 2020. The COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 98.19%. 

To date, India has administred 1,05,47,13,392 COVID-19 vaccine doses across 64,898 vaccination sites.

Family, film fraternity and fans of Actor Puneeth Raj Kumar gathered at Shree Kanteerva Stadium in Bangalore to pay tribute to the star who passed away on Friday after suffering a heart attack. The final rites will be done with state honours on Sunday upon the arrival of his elder daughter from the US. Earlier, a large crowd had gathered outside the Vikram hospital in Bengaluru after the actor was admitted to the hospital's Intensive Care Unit over chest pain symptoms. 

Following the 15th meeting of the India-Israel Joint Working Group (JWG) on Bilateral Defense Cooperation held on October 27, the defence ministry in a statement informed that India and Israel have decided to set up a task force to identify new areas of cooperation for the next decade. During the meeting, two sides reviewed the progress made in military-to-military engagements including exercises and industry cooperation. The 15th JWG meeting was co-chaired by defence secretary Ajay Kumar and the Director-General of Israel’s Ministry of Defence, Maj Gen Amir Eshel (retd). 

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) cancelled a webinar titled  “Gendered Resistance and Fresh Challenges in Post-2019 Kashmir” organized by the Centre for Women’s Studies (CWS) which had been planned without permission. Condemning the event, JNU vice-chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar stated that the subject of the webinar questions the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India and so JNU cannot be a platform for this kind of questionable webinars. 

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee addressed TMC workers in Goa on October 29 for the first time and stated she didn't come to the state to capture power but to help people who are in trouble under BJP's rule. Responding to BJP's remarks that she is an 'anti-Hindu', the TMC chief said, "Who are they to give me caste certificate?'. She further attacked the BJP and stated that Trinamool Congress is launched in Goa as its high time to fight BJP.  She said, "If we can't fight, then they'll finish the country, they'll sell the country. When I came to Goa yesterday, they showed black flags to me, but I only said 'namaste'".

On the second day of his Italy and UK trip, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Pope Francis at the Vatican City to discuss a range of issues ahead of delegation-level talks. While Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Foreign Secretary has stated that the meeting's general agenda in the discussions will be COVID-19 pandemic management. After meeting the Pope, PM Modi will then participate in the 16th G20 summit and discuss various issues including the global economic situation, COVID-19 pandemic, sustainable development, and climate change. 

Sharukh Khan's son, Aryan Khan, one of the accused in connection with NCB’s Mumbai unit raids conducted on a cruise ship off the city coast, will be released today from Arthur Road Jail since the 5.30 pm deadline for paperwork at the jail was exceeded. As per jail officials, Aryan Khan was granted bail on Thursday and was hoping to walk out of the jail on Friday., but the formalities took time and could not be completed before 5:30 pm. Therefore, he has to spend another night in the prison. Earlier on October 29, Actor Juhi Chawla had signed a Rs 1 lakh bail bond in court for Aryan and walked out of court at around 6:10 pm.