Latest news LIVE: Delhi's air quality second best on Diwali in seven years

From Diwali celebrations and Cyclone Sitrang to coronavirus cases and air pollution, catch all the latest developments from across the globe here

As India's streets and homes lit up with colourful lanterns and glowing lamps with millions celebrating Diwali, the "festival of Lights," President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi extend greeting for the occassion to the citizens. This year, India is celebrating the festival in a grand way across the world after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic.

With the pandemic still far from being over, India continues to record new cases every day. The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics (INSACOG) has raised alarm regarding the rise in Covid-19 cases and said that the Omicron variant of coronavirus and its sub-lineages continue to be the dominant variant in the country. 

The deep depression over Bay of Bengal that intensified into a cyclone on Sunday is expected to intensify further into more severe cyclonic storm, according to a warning issues by the India Meteorological Department.

India continues to grapple with air pollution as the Delhi-NCR region along with other major cities like Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai remains under a think blanket of smog. 

Britain's former finance minister Rishi Sunak could end up becoming the country's next prime minister if his opponent Penny Mordaunt fails to win the backing of 100 MPs by today. Sunak already has the backing of 142 members of the parliament.

 

10:22 PM

Real-time monitoring of sound, air pollution on Diwali underway in Bengal: Minister

West Bengal Environment Minister Manas Bhuniya Monday said the new central control room at Paribesh Bhavan here is monitoring sound and air pollution in real time on Diwali and Kali Puja.

Bhuniya, who inspected the control room at the West Bengal Pollution Control Board headquarters, told reporters that experts from IIT-Delhi are examining the data at regular intervals, particularly during evening, and passing on the information to departments concerned.

9:08 PM

Liz Truss led with dignity and grace under exceptionally difficult circumstances: Rishi Sunak

I would like to pay tribute to Liz Truss for her dedicated public service to the country. She has led with dignity and grace for a time of great change and under exceptionally difficult circumstances both at home and abroad, said the UK PM-designate Rishi Sunak in London.

9:07 PM

I pledge that I will serve you with integrity and humility: Rishi Sunak

I pledge that I will serve you with integrity and humility and I will work day in and day out to deliver for the British people, said the UK PM-designate Rishi Sunak at the Conservative Party Headquarters in London.

 

Humbled & honoured to have support of my Parliamentary colleagues & to be elected as Leader of the Conservative & Unionist Party. It is the greatest privilege of my life to be able to serve the party I love & give back to the country I owe so much to, he said.

 

 

9:06 PM

I'll make it my utmost priority to bring our party & country together: Rishi Sunak

UK is a great country but we face a profound economic challenge. We now need stability  & unity. I'll make it my utmost priority to bring our party & country together as that's the only way we'll overcome challenges & build a better future for our children & grandchildren, said Rishi Sunak

 

7:22 PM

Maha govt not taking concrete steps to help rain-hit farmers, says Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on Monday said the Eknath Shinde-Bharatiya Janata Party government in Maharashtra has failed to take concrete measures to help cultivators who have incurred heavy losses due to rains in parts of the state.

The former Union agriculture minister interacted with farmers in his home district of Pune to understand their grievances and losses faced by them due to heavy rainfall.

 

6:36 PM

Britain's Conservative Party leader Rishi Sunak becomes the Prime Minister of the UK

6:31 PM

'Muhurat Trading' underway at Bombay Stock Exchange

6:04 PM

Chhattisgarh eyes 11 million MT paddy procurement in 2022-23

About 11 million metric tonnes (MT) of paddy is estimated to be procured at the minimum support price (MSP) in the ongoing kharif marketing season from farmers in Chhattisgarh, a government official said on Monday.

Last year, around 98 lakh MT of paddy was purchased from cultivators in the state.

4:04 PM

India considered war never first but last resort; strength necessary for peace: PM Modi

India stands for peace and has always considered war as not the first but last resort, but its armed forces have the strength and strategies to give a befitting reply to anyone who casts an evil eye on the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Monday.

Addressing soldiers here on Diwali, Modi said India is against war but also underscored the need for strength to ensure peace and asserted that its growing power boosts the chances of global peace and prosperity.

 

3:34 PM

Cyclone Sitrang: Vizag Coast Guard shepherds fisher boats to return harbour

The Indian Coast Guard has asked the fishermen to return with their boats as the fear of Cyclone Sitrang grips.

In an attempt to ensure safety of the people, the Indian Coast Guard Ship Sagar is making efforts to keep the fishing boats at sea.

"#CoastGuard Region East remains committed to ensure safety of fishermen. Amidst the fury of developing cyclone in #BayofBengal, @IndiaCoastGuard Ship Sagar maintains its efforts to ensure safety of all fishing boats at sea. All fishing boats being shepherded to return harbour," Defence PRO Visakhapatnam tweeted.

2:31 PM

VCs of 9 Kerala universities challenge Governor's order in HC

1:17 PM

'Fluffiest planet ever': Scientists discover gas giant with density of a marshmallow in deep space

Scientists discovered a gas giant planet with the density of a marshmallow orbiting a cool red dwarf star located 580 light years from Earth. The planet, identified as TOI-3757 b, is the "fluffiest" ever found, according to the National Science Foundation's NOIRLab, which operates some of the telescopes used in the research. The newly discovered exoplanet has a diameter of 150,000 kilometres, making it slightly bigger than our solar system's largest planet Jupiter. 

It orbits its host star once every 3.5 days. The research team calculated its average density as being 0.27 grams per cubic, which is about one-quarter the density of water - meaning it would float if placed in a giant bathtub filled with water. 

Photo: https://noirlab.edu/

1:00 PM

Ecuador issues yellow alert for Cotopaxi volcano activity

The government of Ecuador has declared a yellow alert (moderate risk) in areas near the Cotopaxi volcano amid increasing seismic activity. At present, nearby residents can see gas and water vapour hovering 500 metres above the crater, and an ash column as high as 2,353 metres, according to IANS. he last major eruption of the volcano occurred on June 26, 1877. In 2015, the volcano exhibited new activity but did not erupt.

12:47 PM

"Peace impossible without power": PM's Diwali message to Kargil soldiers

Peace is impossible to attain without power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the soldiers in Kargil, even as he said his government has always considered war as the last option. PM Modi is in Kargil to celebrate Diwali with the soldiers deployed there.

He addressed the soldiers in Kargil as his "family" and said he couldn't have celebrated a better Diwali without them. He also praised their bravery and said there has been no war with Pakistan where Kargil has not seen victory.

 

"Sweetness and brightness of my Diwali is amid you," he told the soldiers.

PM Modi celebrates Diwali in Kargil (Photo: ANI)

11:52 AM

India's prestige has risen globally, its standing going up, says PM Modi

"Atmanirbhar Bharat is the key scope for the development of 'New India'. The induction of women officers into 'Permanent Commission' has been a boon to the Armed Forces of our country," says PM Modi in Kargil as he celebrates Diwali with Indian soldiers today.