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On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicked off a Rozgar Mela, with 75,000 handed over letters across the country for various government jobs, at a time when unemployment remains a major concern and is set to figure in the elections to Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Back in the two states, only newbie Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has included job promises in its poll pitch in Gujarat, while in Himachal, it is one of the main narratives for all parties.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal first laid out the party’s detailed roadmap on the topic in Gujarat, beginning with addressing the problem of paper leaks in competitive exams for government jobs, to making a promise to provide 10 lakh jobs, and to provide jobs to all youths in the state in five years, at a public address in Bhavnagar in August this year. He also promised interim unemployment allowance for youths who did not get jobs.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a visit to Uttarakhand, addressed a gathering at Badrinath's Mana, the last village bordering China. While speaking at a public event, the PM on Friday promoted the Local for Vocal initiative and appealed to people to buy locally-made products.

"I appeal to all tourists in the country to spend at least 5 per cent of their travel budget on buying local products," Prime Minister Modi said at a public event held in Mana.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been encouraging Indians to purchase indigenous products to sustain the local economy. PM Modi initiated the 'Vocal for Local' campaign with an aim to boost demand for local products, and therefore, for domestic industries.

A day after the World Bank appointed a “neutral expert” and a chairman of the Court of Arbitration to address disagreements between India and Pakistan over Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric power plants, the government said on Wednesday that the implementation of the Indus Water Treaty must be in the “letter and spirit” of the Treaty.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said, “We have noted the World Bank’s announcement to concurrently appoint a Neutral Expert and a Chair of the Court of Arbitration in the ongoing matter related to the Kishenganga and Ratle projects.”

“Recognising the World Bank’s admission in its announcement that 'carrying out two processes concurrently poses practical and legal challenges', India will assess the matter,” the statement said. “India believes that the implementation of the Indus Water Treaty must be in the letter and spirit of the Treaty.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Mallikarjun Kharge on being elected the Congress party president. “My best wishes to Shri Mallikarjun Kharge Ji for his new responsibility as President of @INCIndia. May he have a fruitful tenure ahead. @kharge,” PM Modi wrote on Twitter.

Kharge became the first non-Gandhi Congress president in 24 years, defeating Shashi Tharoor. He will take charge of the new role on October 26, said party MP Randeep Surjewala.

Congress's central election authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry announced Kharge's name after the counting of votes and said that of the total 9,385 votes polled in the Congress president poll, Kharge got 7,897 votes and Tharoor received 1,072 votes. The rest of the 416 votes were declared invalid.

India’s 1st Case of  Omicron subvariant BQ.1: India has reported the first case of fast spreading and ‘highly infectious’ Omicron subvariant. On Monday, health authorities of Maharashtra said that BQ.1 has been detected during the genome sequencing of a resident’s sample from Pune. According to reports, State surveillance officer Pradeep Awate cited the detection and added that high-risk patients should follow precautions.

Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed that new subvariants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 are the descendants of BA.5 which is a subvariant of Omicron. The BA.5 accounts for over 60 percent of cases in the United States its effect and now its relatives are becoming active. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), It was first detected in Botswana and has spread to become the predominant variant in circulation around the world.