News updates from Hindustan Times at 9 pm: Balasaheb Thorat, Amit Deshmukh among 51 candidates in Congress’s first list for Maharashtra polls and all the latest news at this hour

Here are today’s top news, analysis and opinion at 9 pm curated for you. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times.

Here are today’s top news, analysis and opinion at 9 pm curated for you. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times.

Amit Vilasrao Deshmukh is contesting from the Latur City seat in Maharashtra assembly elections 2019. (HT File Photo)

Here’s the first list of Congress candidates for Maharashtra assembly polls

The Congress Central Election Committee on Sunday announced the first list of candidates for the upcoming elections to the Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra. Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, current Congress state president Balasaheb Thorat and leader of the opposition in the assembly Namdevrao Wadettiwar were among the prominent names in the party’s first list of candidates for Maharashtra assembly polls slated for October 21.

Check the first list of Congress candidates for the Maharashtra assembly elections here

‘Can’t forget 26/11… Navy on alert’: Rajnath Singh onboard INS Vikramaditya

Defence minister Rajnath Singh said Indian Navy was alert to foil any possible attempts to destabilize the country and had made full arrangements to ensure maritime security, while on board India’s largest warship INS Vikramaditya on Sunday. He also interacted with Indian Naval Air Squadron 303, also known as “Black Panthers” during his overnight stay on the aircraft carrier. Read more

Ex-CM Beant Singh assassin Balwant Rajoana’s death sentence commuted to life

The death sentence of dreaded Babbar Khalsa terrorist, Balwant Singh Rajoana-- convicted for the assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh -- has been commuted to life.

Beant Singh, often credited with ending terrorism in Punjab, was assassinated on August 31, 1995. A human bomb triggered the explosives as the chief minister was getting into his official vehicle at about 5.30 pm at the Punjab and Haryana Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh. Rajoana, subsequent investigations revealed, was to be the second human bomb in case the first human bomb failed. Read more

First fix your own country: Shikhar Dhawan hits out at Pakistani cricketers for advising India

India opener Shikhar Dhawan hit out at Pakistan cricketers for trying to preach India and for trying to meddle in internal affairs of the country.

This is not the first occasion when Dhawan lashed out at Pakistan. In April this year, he hit out at Shahid Afridi for his comments on Kashmir. Even then, Dhawan had told Afridi that India does not need the advice of outsiders on Kashmir related issues. Read more

Pakistan’s offensive on Kashmir will persist. India must be ready | Opinion

For the moment, India has prevailed in the Kashmir argument with Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s week-long visit to the United States (US) capped a period of fervid diplomacy. This stretched from Howdy Modi in Houston to a series of bilateral/plurilateral meetings in global capitals as well as at the United Nations (UN) in New York to staving off a challenge at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, writes Ashok Malik. Read more

Salman Khan and Ameesha Patel launch Bigg Boss 13, unveil contestants

Actor Salman Khan launched the 13th season of the popular reality show Bigg Boss on Sunday. Salman also unveiled this season’s contestants, some of whom were revealed prior to the premiere. Besides Rashami Desai, Sidharth Shukla and Devoleena Bhattacharjee, Salman also introduced the other participants in this edition of Bigg Boss. Read more