LIVE: PM Modi pays tribute to Gen Bipin Rawat at special ceremony in Delhi

The bodies of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and Brig LS Lidder and 10 others killed in the tragic helicopter crash near Coonoor were brought to the national capital

Latest Live news: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today made a statement in both houses of the Parliament in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and briefed the Parliament on the crash of the military chopper yesterday, which was carrying Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and 13 other persons.

“Indian Air Force (IAF) has ordered a tri-service inquiry into the military chopper crash. The investigation will be led by Air Marshal Manavendra Singh. The inquiry team reached Wellington yesterday itself and started the investigation,"  Rajnath Singh said in Lok Sabha.

Group Captain Varun, the sole survivor of the crash, is on life support, he said.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a collective of farmer unions, intends calling off this afternoon 14-month protests against three agriculture laws, but only after receiving a final copy of the central government’s revised proposal about its demands.

1:40 AM

India extends ban on international commercial flights till Jan 31

India's civil aviation regulator, the DGCA, on Thursday extended the ban on scheduled international commercial flights till January 31.

 

Earlier, India had announced plans to allow resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services from December 15 with certain conditions.

 

However, on December 1, the Directorate General of Central Aviation (DGCA) said it is "closely monitoring" the situation emerging out of the Covid-19's Omicron variant and the final decision on the resumption of near normal international flight operations will be taken after consultation with stakeholders.

 

In the notification on Thursday, the DGCA extended the ban on scheduled international commercial flights till January 31, 2022.

1:24 AM

Mumbai reports 218 new Covid cases, 1 death; active tally at 1,765

Mumbai reported 218 new coronavirus cases and just one fatality on Thursday, while 103 patients recovered from the infection in the city, a civic official said.

 

With fresh additions, the tally of COVID-19 cases climbed to 7,64,662, while the death toll increased to 16,354 in the financial capital, he said. For the second day in a row, Mumbai has logged over 200 new COVID-19 cases. 

 

A day before, the city had logged 250 COVID-19 cases and a single fatality. According to the official, the city now has 1,765 active COVID-19 cases after 103 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours.

12:52 AM

Assam records 146 new cases, two deaths, 142 recoveries

Assam reported 146 new coronavirus cases and two fatalities on Thursday while 142 patients recovered from the infection, a bulletin issued by National Health Mission said.

 

With the fresh figures, the tally of COVID-19 cases increased to 6,18,188, while the death toll rose to 6,129.

 

Sixty-five new cases were reported from Kamrup (Metropolitan), followed by14 in Sonitpur, 11 in Barpeta and nine in Goalpara, the bulletin said.

 

The fresh infections were detected out of 30,393 tests, while the cumulative tests in the state have so far reached 2,60,09,094.

 

Two patients succumbed to the disease in Bongaigaon and Udalguri districts.

 

As many as 134 COVID-19 cases and zero deaths had been reported on Wednesday.

12:26 AM

40 flying squads deployed in NCR across air pollution contributing sectors

A total of 40 flying squads have been set up by the Enforcement Task Force (ETF) of the Commission for Air Quality Management, which is reviewing the field level action and inspection reports across air pollution contributing sectors in the NCR, on a daily basis.

 

Flying squads, particularly, check for compliance in respect of various directions and orders issued by the Commission from time to time towards abatement of air pollution, particularly for measures to be taken for the critical winter months, including related statutory environmental rules, regulations and guidelines issued by the agencies concerned in the Central and state governments, an Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry statement said.

 

General compliance levels are reported to be satisfactory and improving over the days. However, serious violations still being reported across sectors, majorly in industrial units, construction and demolition project sites, use of diesel generator sets in industrial installation commercial complexes and residential set-ups.

10:43 PM

23 Omicron variant cases across India, health officials inform standing committee

Top officials of Health Ministry on Thursday informed a parliamentary panel that there are 23 cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 and authorities are closely monitoring the situation, government sources said.

 

Maharashtra leads the chart with 10 cases, followed by Rajasthan with nine, officials told the panel in the presentation, adding that globally there are 2303 cases of Omicron variant, the sources said.

 

The health officials gave a detailed presentation on Omnicron variant and other issues related to COVID-19.

 

Health Secretary, ICMR Director General, and other top officials from the ministry deposed before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health chaired by Ram Gopal Yadav on the issue 'Challenges posed by Omicron variant of COVID-19'.

10:11 PM

Low-intensity explosion inside Delhi's Rohini court, one injured

A man was injured in a low-intensity explosion that took place inside a courtroom in Rohini district court here on Thursday morning, creating panic among lawyers and the public and raising questions about security arrangements there.

 

The incident comes months after jailed gangster Jitendra Gogi was shot dead by two members of a rival gang dressed as lawyers inside a courtroom of the district court on September 24.

 

The explosion took place inside courtroom number 102 that belongs to Metropolitan Magistrate Prituraj, police said.

 

Seventy-seven cases, including those related to drugs and one of the CBI, were listed for hearing on Thursday in the courtroom.

9:35 PM

Farmer unions suspend agitation, protesters to head home from Dec 11

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Thursday announced the suspension of its over a year-long agitation after they received a formal letter from the central government accepting their key pending demands including withdrawal of police cases against the protesters and on MSP.

 

Calling off the agitation, the SKM, an umbrella body of 40 farm unions, said

 

farmers will celebrate December 11 as 'Vijay Diwas' and take out victory marches following which they will head home.

 

Asserting that this is not the end of the movement, Farmer leaders said they would meet on January 15 to see if the demands have been fulfilled by the government.

9:26 PM

K'taka Guv, CM visit hospital, inquire about Group Captain Varun Singh's health

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday visited IAF Group Captain Varun Singh, at the Air Force's Command Hospital here, and inquired about his health.

 

Singh is the lone survivor in the IAF helicopter crash that killed Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and 12 others.

 

The Governor and the CM visited Command Hospital here and inquired about Singh's health, the CMO statement said.

 

Initially admitted to a hospital at Wellington in the Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu, Singh was shifted to Bengaluru on Thursday evening, for higher treatment.

 

He was air-lifted to Bengaluru from Coimbatore for higher treatment at the Command Hospital here, official sources said.

 

Singh was undergoing treatment at the Military Hospital in Wellington for 80 per cent burns and his condition was said to be "critical but stable," they said.

9:01 PM

PM Modi pays tribute to Gen Bipin Rawat at special ceremony in Delhi

8:51 PM

Rajnath meets families of Rawat and other victims of chopper crash

8:40 PM

Bodies of Gen Rawat, his wife, 2 others identified so far

8:37 PM

NSA Ajit Doval at Palam airbase

8:17 PM

Mortal remains of Gen Rawat, 12 others placed at Palam airbase

7:58 PM

Bodies of Gen Rawat, 12 others land in Delhi

7:50 PM

Subject Expert Committee to hold a meeting tomorrow on booster doses