LIVE: Delhi bans construction, demolition activities as air quality worsens

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In an attempt to keep rising air pollution under control, authorities in Delhi have issued fresh restrictions on construction work and demolition activities. Last month, the Centre's air quality panel had directed authorities to impose a ban on all construction and demolition activities in Delhi-NCR, except in essential projects. That ban was later eased as the air quality index improved.

As voters throng the polling stations on Sunday to exercise their franchise in the elections to the 250 wards of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, they set the stage for the high-stakes civic polls largely seen as a three-way contest between the BJP, the AAP and the Congress. Over 1.45 crore people are eligible to vote in civic polls in which 1,349 candidates are in the fray. The polling will be held from 8 am to 5:30 pm and the votes will be counted on December 7.

Elon Musk says Apple has “fully resumed” advertising on Twitter, further de-escalating a brewing war between two of the world’s most influential tech companies. Musk made the comments during a Twitter Spaces conversation, adding that Apple is the largest advertiser on the social media network. The billionaire, who didn’t elaborate further on Apple, spoke for more than two hours from his private plane during the chat, which had more than 90,000 listeners. 

Mizoram Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati says the implementation of India's Act East Policy will improve the relations of the northeast region with the Asean countries. Highlighting the Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project (KMMTTP), being implemented in Myanmar by India's External Affairs Ministry, the Governor said this project would open the door of business for the northeast through Mizoram. Addressing the first International Silchar-Sylhet Festival, he also suggested that Bangladesh will be an important player in this corridor.
 

11:24 PM

Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to visit India on Sunday

During the two-day inaugural visit, cooperation in the energy transition away from oil, coal and gas will play a role: Embassy of Germany, New Delhi

 

10:17 PM

4 killed as pickup truck falls into gorge in Mizoram

At least four persons, including an 11-year-old boy, were killed when a pickup truck in which they were travelling fell into a gorge in south Mizoram's Lunglei district on Sunday, police said. The incident occurred when the four occupants were heading towards their village from Aizawl, the police said

 

10:16 PM

Mumbai Covid-19 cases

Mumbai reported 16 Covid-19 cases, which took the tally to 1,154,940, while the death toll stood unchanged at 19,744, a civic official said.

 

9:51 PM

Countdown begins for final, 25.1 mn voters to decide fate of 833 candidates for 93 seats tomorrow

After the high-voltage campaigning, the countdown has begun for the high-stakes political battle to conclude in Gujarat, with the final phase of polling for the ongoing Assembly elections to be held on Monday.

8:30 PM

India lose to Bangladesh by one wicket in nail-bitter in 1st ODI

8:05 PM

Iran to disband morality police amid ongoing protests

Iran's morality police, which is tasked with enforcing the country's Islamic dress code, is being disbanded, the country's attorney general said, according to a media report.

7:46 PM

Polling percentage in Delhi MCD elections, for all 250 wards, stands at approx 50% till 5.30pm: State EC

3:03 PM

30% voter turnout recorded till 3 pm in Delhi MCD polls

The state election commission says around 30% voter turnout has been recorded till 2 pm in MCD polls in Delhi. 

Till 10:30 am, Delhi has recorded only 9% polling. By noon, that figure doubled to 18%.

The polling began at 8 am across all polling booths in the national capital and is set to conclude at 5:30 pm.

2:28 PM

Trust my friend Narendra Modi to bring us together: French Prez Macron

After India took over G20 Presidency, French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday tweeted a photo of himself with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed confidence that the Indian PM will bring the two countries to build peace and a sustainable world.

"One Earth. One Family. One Future. India has taken over the presidency of #G20India! I trust my friend @NarendraModi to bring us together in order to build peace and a more sustainable world," Macron wrote in a tweet.

India formally assumed the G20 Presidency on Thursday.

1:39 PM

Kharge makes strong pitch for fixing accountability in Cong organisation

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge has strongly pitched for organisational accountability from top to bottom, and said those unable to fulfil their responsibilities will have to make way for their colleagues. In his opening remarks at the first meeting of the Congress steering committee constituted by him, Kharge asked state in-charges to submit a report on people's issues in the next 30-90 days.

"I believe that the biggest part of our responsibility towards the party and the country is -- organisational accountability from top to bottom. If the Congress organisation is strong, accountable, lives up to the expectations of the people, then only we will be able to win elections and serve the people of the country," he said.

In a stern message to office-bearers, Kharge also said that while there are very responsible people in the party, some had assumed that lack of responsibility will be ignored.

 

1:20 PM

Voter turnout improving gradually for MCD polls, brisk polling underway

After only 9% polling recorded in the first two-and-a-half hours, voter turnout for the MCD polls seems to be improving gradually. The voting percentage has doubled in the next 1 and a half hours. The election commission says Delhi has recorded a voter turnout of 18% until noon.

Reports say the polling is progressing at a brisk pace, so a quick uptick in the turnout can be expected when the next update comes.

Polling had begun at 8 am and it is scheduled to continue till 5:30pm.  

12:45 PM

TN professor loses Rs 23 lakh in online scam promising job in Singapore

A Tiruchy-based professor, who was unemployed after returning from Saudi Arabia in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, has lost Rs 23.5 lakh to an online scam. 

 

Tiruchy police told IANS that Prem Navas was searching for new openings abroad after losing his teaching job in Saudi Arabia.

 

Navas said in his police complaint that a person approached him promising a job at the National University Singapore as a professor with a monthly salary of Rs 6 lakh. The scamster spoke to him through Skype and lured him to transfer over Rs 23 lakh as part of  registration charges and other incidental expenses

 

11:30 AM

Delhi MCD polls: State EC says around 9% polling recorded till 10:30 am

The cold weather this morning seems to have delayed plans of voters in Delhi to go to the respective polling booths. The State Election Commission says around 9% of eligible voters have exercised their franschise in the first 2 and a half hours. 

Delhi appeared to be covered under a blanket of fog with a chill in the air. However, the day turned out to be sunny. The voting percentage is expected to pick up as the day progresses.  

10:47 AM

Lucknow declared no 1 city in national ranking of clean air survey

Lucknow has received a reward of Rs 1.50 crore along with a citation after being declared the 'No.1 city' in the national ranking of Clean Air Survey.

Mayor Sanyukta Bhatia and municipal commissioner Indrajeet Singh received the award in Bhubaneshwar from the Minister of State for Environment and Forests Ashwani Kumar Choubey and director general, environment, Chandra Prakash Goyal on Saturday.

Mayor Bhatia said, "Efforts have been made to improve the environment in Lucknow for the last five years. In order to improve the air quality, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation had installed artificial lungs in front of its headquarters in Lalbagh so that the air quality could be checked. LMC purchased nine road-sweeping machines, eight anti-smoke guns, and 40 water-sprinkling machines from the 15th Finance Commission for air quality improvement."

 

10:17 AM

MoU delay holds up translocation of South African cheetahs to India; 12 big cats in quarantine since July

A dozen cheetahs quarantined in South Africa for more than four months have lost fitness in their wait to be flown to Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park (KNP) as a formal signing of an agreement is holding up their inter-continental translocation, wildlife experts say.

They say prolonged quarantine is taking a toll on the health of these big cats, who were to join the eight cheetahs imported from Namibia and released in KNP in Sheopur district in mid-September.

In fact, the 12 South African cheetahs -- seven males and five females -- have not hunted for themselves even once after being kept in bomas (small enclosures).

Though there has been some forward movement in implementation of Project Cheetah with South Africa in recent days, Pretoria is yet to ink a memorandum of understanding with New Delhi for transfer of the spotted cats.