SATURDAY 04 NOVEMBER 2023 www.thestatesman.com twitter.com/thestatesman facebook.com/thestatesman INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ‘DEEP TECHNOLOGIES REWRITING THE VERY CHARACTER OF WAR’ ‘NO COMPROMISE ON IDEOLOGY’ P7 SENSEX 64,363.78282.88 WEATHER Partly cloudy sky. Rain/Thundershowers very likely to occur.Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 30 °C and 26 °C respectively. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 92 % Min. 50 % Max: 32.4°C (+1) SUN RISES 05:42 hrs MOON RISES 21:40 hrs Min: 25.0°C (+3) SUN SETS 16:59 hrs MOON SETS 10:53 hrs TEMPERATURE New Moon on 13 November THUMBNAILS Idols of Goddess Kali await assembly ahead of Kali Pujo at Kumartuli in Kolkata on Friday.  BISWAJIT GHOSHAL PM speaks to UAE president on W Asia situation: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephone conversation with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Friday. The two leaders exchanged views on developments in the West Asian region. Both leaders expressed deep concern at terrorism, deteriorating security situation and the loss of civilian lives in the Israel-Hamas conflict. NIFTY 19,230.6097.35 P5 ` vs $ 83.264 PAISE P9 GOLD 61,750110 Red alert: Toxic air leaves Delhi gasping Air pollution reaches near-maximum level possible in Delhi, 100 times WHO's limits AGRAJ PRATAP SINGH NEW DELHI, 3 NOVEMBER attered by toxic air, Delhi continued to reel under 'severe' air quality on Friday as residents struggled to breathe easily. The Average Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital increased to 470 this evening, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Okhla phase-II recorded the worst air quality as per the pollution control authority data with AQI level here shooting to 499 at 4 pm ~ around 100 times the limit deemed to be healthy by theWorld Health Organisation. Seven areas recorded toxic air with 'severe' AQI levels measuring above 490, as per the CPCB. These include Okhla phase-II, IGI Airport, Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range, Dwarka Sector-8, Major Dhyanchand National Stadium, Najafgarh, and Sirifort. According to the pollution control agency, the AQI between 401and 500, DEADLY AIR B Smoky haze blanketed the skyline of the national Capital on Friday. SUBRATA DUTTA With high levels of relative humidity, dust and smog in the air rendered the city’s atmosphere hazy throughout the day. The concentration of particulate matter (PM) 2.5 exceeded the safe limit, which is also a cause of health concerns Commuters in the city experienced discomfort in breathing, along with other problems such as irritation in the eyes. under the 'severe' category, affects healthy people while seriously impacting those with existing diseases. The concentration of particulate matter (PM) 2.5 exceeded the safe limit, which is also a cause of health concerns. Commuters in the city experienced discomfort in breathing, along with other problems such as irritation in the eyes. On streets, in buses and metro trains, many people were seen wearing face masks to protect themselves from CMYK ‘BEST BOWLING ATTACK THAT INDIA HAVE EVER HAD’ CHHATTISGARH POLLS: AMIT SHAH UNVEILS BJP MANIFESTO the toxic air. With high relative humidity, pegged at 94 per cent in the morning, as per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), dust and smog in the air rendered the city’s atmosphere hazy throughout the day. The coming 15 days would be critical as far as the city's pollution levels are concerned, Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai had said. Meteorological conditions are such that the pollution is likely to be stagnant with low wind speed and drop in temperature, the minister had said. Meanwhile, the Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Thursday evening imposed Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)-III as the air quality was recorded under a 'severe' level, while measures under GRAP-I, II are already in place to curb the rising pollution. Plying of BS-3 petrol and BS-4 diesel cars has been banned from plying on Delhi roads till further orders as part of the GRAP-III. P12 SILVER 74,100700 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 87.42 SC orders AAP MP to tender unconditional apology to RS chairperson STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 3 NOVEMBER The Supreme Court on Friday directed AAP MP Raghav Chadha to tender an unconditional apology to Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar with regard to his indefinite suspension from the Upper House. Heading a Bench comprising Justice J B Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra, Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud expressed hope that the Rajya Sabha Chairperson would take a “sympathetic” view of the matter. The court's directive came after Chadha's lawyer recorded his statement that the MP had no intention to undermine the dignity of the House and that he would seek an appointment with the Rajya Sabha Chairperson to tender an unconditional apology. Baghel received `508 cr from Mahadev app promoters: ED AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 3 NOVEMBER Four days before the first phase of the crucial Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday claimed that state chief minister Bhupesh Baghel was paid Rs 508 crore by the promoters of the Mahadev online betting app. The ED said that it received credible inputs and conducted successful search operations on 2 November in Chhattisgarh in which Rs 5.39 crore cash has been intercepted in the poll-bound state. "ED conducted searches at Hotel Triton and another location in Bhilai and successfully intercepted cash courier Asim Das who was sent from UAE especially, to deliver a large amount of cash for electioneering expenses of the ruling Congress," it alleged.