Live update: 7 villagers killed in Chhattisgarh's limestone mine collapse

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11:22 PM

WHO welcomes China's change in Covid strategy

10:20 PM

2 killed, 7 injured as brick kiln collapses in Assam

At least two people, including a 12-year-old child, were killed and seven others injured when a chimney of a brick kiln collapsed on them in Assam's Cachar district on Friday. The incident took place at Kalain area in the Katigora Assembly constituency, about 29 km from Silchar town in the Cachar district. Superintendent of Police of Cachar district, Numal Mahatta told ANI that two people, including a 12-year-old child killed in the incident.

7:45 PM

Around 1000,000 people will benefit from housing scheme: Hardeep Puri

1000,000 people to benefit from Centre's 'Jahan Jhuggi Wahin Makan' scheme, 5000,000 people living in Delhi's unauthorised colonies from PM-UDAY, said Hardeep Puri.Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

7:16 PM

PM Narendra Modi offers prayers at Maa Bhadrakali temple in Ahmedabad, Gujarat

7:14 PM

New case of Zika virus detected in Pune

A case of Zika virus (67-year-old patient) has been detected in Bavdhan, Pune. The patient is originally from Nashik and traveled to Pune on November 6. Earlier, on October 22, he had traveled to Surat. On November 30, National Institute of Virology (NIV) confirmed this Zika virus case. He is well now, informed the Maharashtra Health Department.

 

6:16 PM

ED arrests dy secretary Saumya Chaurasia in a money laundering case

ED arrests Saumya Chaurasia, a deputy secretary posted in Chhattisgarh CM's office, in a money laundering case.

6:06 PM

India's FX reserves rise to $550 bln in week ended Nov. 25

India's foreign exchange reserves rose $2.89 billion to $550.14 billion for the week ending Nov 25, according to data released today by the Reserve Bank of India.

5:15 PM

Delhi trade associations extend support to BJP in MCD polls

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) along with 50 other trade leaders of leading trade associations of Delhi declared their support to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming municipal polls. The high-stakes polls to the 272-ward Municipal Corporation of Delhi are due on December 4 and the votes will be counted on December 7.

 

3:42 PM

Former Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill appointed as national spokesperson of BJP

3:23 PM

Ukrainian engineers scramble to keep mobile phones working during war

With Ukraine scrambling to keep communication lines open during the war, an army of engineers from the country's phone companies has mobilised to help the public and policymakers stay in touch during repeated Russian missile and drone strikes.

 

The engineers, who typically go unseen and unsung in peacetime, often work around the clock to maintain or restore phone service, sometimes braving minefields to do so.

3:10 PM

We will not let our Yoga classes stop at any cost: Delhi CM Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said free yoga classes in the city will continue irrespective of the availability of funds for the scheme.

 

The remark comes against the backdrop of issues surrounding the 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' scheme of the city government. "Stopping yoga (classes) is a sin, rest of the politics can go on," Kejriwal said in his address after felicitating yoga instructors at an event here.

3:00 PM

Prioritise regional languages in court activities, says Law Minister Rijiju

Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday batted for the use of regional languages in the curricular activities of the courts and said he was opposed to "imposition" of one language. Rijiju also said easy access to justice is the "call of the time."

In his address at the 12th Convocation of the Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University, he praised the Tamil language.

"As you all know, our prime minister has a commitment to take the country forward along with our culture and our language. I also have been emphasising on this--that the Indian courts and the Indian legal system must have regional languages in the curricular activities," he said.

2:49 PM

Engaging with 5 social sector depts on PM GatiShakti plan: DPIIT secretary

The commerce and industry ministry has been engaged with five social sector departments including health and panchayati raj for integrated and efficient infrastructure development by them through the PM Gati Shakti initiative, a top government official said Friday.

"The initiative is doing good for infrastructure development projects...We have recently started engaging with the social sector departments also to see how we can utilise (the initiative) to improve functioning in these sectors. We have started expanding our horizon to the social sector also," Secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Anurag Jain told reporters here.

On October 13, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Gati Shakti - National Master Plan aimed at developing integrated infrastructure to reduce logistic costs. The plan is a technology-based tool for effective and integrated infrastructure development in the country.

 

2:41 PM

UP: Keshav Maurya responds to Akhilesh Yadav's 'offer' to make him CM

Akhilesh Yadav will neither become CM nor he will be able to make anyone get that position, Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya said Friday, responding to the Samajwadi Party president's "offer".

On Thursday, Yadav claimed Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, both deputy chief ministers of UP, wanted to become the CM. Yadav offered to support them if they joined SP with another 100 BJP legislators.

In a tweet in Hindi, Maurya said, "SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, you will not be able to become chief minister nor will you be able to make anyone CM. From your statements, it seems you are feeling frustrated and irritated and have also lost your mental balance sensing SP's defeat of SP in the Mainpuri and Rampur bypolls."
 

 

 

2:02 PM

India's G20 presidency: Cong says govt indulging in 'high-voltage drama'

A day after India assumed the leadership of the G-20, the Congress attacked the government, saying the presidency was rotational and inevitable. It said none of the countries that have held the responsibility previously staged a "high-voltage drama" as is being done now.

"Previous presidents of G20 have been USA, UK, Canada, South Korea, France, Mexico, Russia, Australia, Turkey, China, Germany, Argentina, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Italy & Indonesia. None of these countries staged a high voltage drama as is being done around India becoming President of G20 for a year," Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said.

India assumed the presidency of G-20 on Thursday and PM Narendra Modi has made a strong pitch for "fundamental mindset shift", saying India will work to further promote "oneness".

 

India assumed the presidency of G-20 on Thursday and PM Narendra Modi has made a strong pitch for "fundamental mindset shift", saying India will work to further promote "oneness".

1:42 PM

We will not let our Yoga classes stop at any cost: Delhi CM Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said free yoga classes in the city will continue irrespective of the availability of funds for the scheme.

"Stopping yoga (classes) is a sin, rest of the politics can go on," Kejriwal said in his address after felicitating yoga instructors at an event in Delhi.

"But we have decided that we won't let the classes stop, whether funds come or not," he asserted.

Reports have said that Lt Governor VK Saxena has not approved the extension of the scheme after October 31.

1:39 PM

Moosewala's father welcomes detention of gangster Goldy Brar in US

Murdered Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala's father on Friday welcomed the news of detention of gangster Goldy Brar, the prime accused in the case, by the US authorities.
 

However, Moosewala's father Balkaur Singh said he was yet to get any official information about the development. "I do not have any official information. I learnt through media reports that Brar has been detained. If it is so, I welcome it," Singh said when asked by reporters for his reaction.

1:30 PM

Full-service carrier Vistara starts direct flights on Pune-Singapore route

Full service carrier Vistara has started direct flights between Pune and Singapore. The airline said it will operate 4x weekly flights on this route using its A321neo aircraft.

 

"The inaugural flight departed from Pune at 0210 hours (IST) and arrived in Singapore at 1030 hours (GMT)," it said in a release.

 

Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia virtually flagged off the inaugural flight.

 

1:07 PM

Army chief Gen Manoj Pande to review IMA passing out parade on Dec 10

Army chief Gen Manoj Pande will take the salute of the Passing Out Parade at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun on December 10.

According to an IMA spokesperson, 344 gentleman cadets from India and abroad will become an integral part of their respective country's armies as military officers during the parade.

Last year, on December 11, then President Ram Nath Kovind reviewed the Indian Military Academy passing out parade at Chetwode Building Drill Square in Dehradun.

 

12:43 PM

Supreme Court refuses to entertain plea seeking stay of Delhi MCD polls

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking to stay the Municipal Corporation of Delhi polls scheduled to be held on December 4.

A bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Abhay S Oka said with the passage of time, the plea has become infructuous. The counsel for petitioner National Youth Party said they are challenging the delimitation of wards done for the poll and seeking stay of the municipal elections.

The bench said the polling is scheduled to be held on Sunday and it cannot interfere at this juncture.

12:05 PM

MCD polls: Delhi Metro services to begin from 4am on election day (Dec 4)

Delhi Metro's train services will start from 4 am on December 4, the day of the civic polls, officials say. 

"On the day of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi election on December 4, the Delhi Metro train services on all lines will start from 4 am from all terminal stations," DMRC said in a statement. "The trains will run with a frequency of 30 minutes on all the lines till 6 am. After 6 am, metro trains will run as per the normal Sunday timetable throughout the day."

Election to the 250 wards of the MCD is scheduled to be held from 8 am to 5:30pm.

 

11:13 AM

Nambi Narayan case: SC cancels anticipatory bail granted to 4 accused officials

Supreme Court sets aside Kerala High Court order granting anticipatory bail to four persons in connection with the 1994 ISRO espionage case relating to the alleged framing of scientist Nambi Narayanan.
 

 The court asks the high court to decide the pleas of accused afresh within four weeks. It also directs that the accused should not be arrested for five weeks.

11:05 AM

Shallow fog covers Delhi sky, air quality continues to be very poor

Delhi's air quality continues to remain in very poor as a shallow fog and mist covered parts of the city Friday morning.

The overall Air Quality Index was at 335 at 9:13 am, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR). The level of PM 2.5 and PM 10 was at 165 in the 'very poor' category and 281 in the 'poor' category, respectively.

The air quality in Noida and Gurugram was also recorded in the very poor category with AQIs of 375 and 308, respectively.

Around the Delhi University, the AQI was 359. Pusa recorded an AQI of 322 while Dhirpur recorded an AQI of 397.

10:59 AM

Varanasi court to hear plea seeking worship of 'shivling' in Gyanvapi mosque complex

A court in Varanasi is likely to hear on Friday a plea seeking worship of the "shivling" in the Gyanvapi mosque complex.

On November 17, a fast-track court rejected the Gyanvapi masjid committee's objection to a petition seeking right to worship the 'shivling' claimed to have been found in the mosque complex. It fixed December 2 for hearing the case.

The fast-track court judge Mahendra Kumar Pandey found the petition filed by Kiran Singh worth hearing and rejected the objection by Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee questioning the maintainability of the plea.

10:13 AM

Gujarat records a moderate voter turnout of 60% in phase 1 of assembly polls

A moderate voter turnout of 60.23% was recorded in the first phase of Gujarat assembly elections on 89 seats of Saurashtra-Kutch and southern regions of the state. This is the provisional figure given by the EC and a final figure willl be provided later, according to th eelection commission.

Officials said the polling on Thursday ended on a largely peaceful note. There were 788 candidates in the contest in this phase.

The voter turnout this year is less than the 66.75% figure  recorded in the first phase of the Gujarat assembly polls in 2017.

10:04 AM

Al-Qaeda in Indian subcontinent, TTP leaders get global terrorists tag

The US has designated four terrorists of al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as global terrorists.

"The United States is committed to using its full set of counterterrorism tools to counter the threat posed by terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan, including al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent and Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, as part of our relentless efforts to ensure that terrorists do not use Afghanistan as a platform for international terrorism," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

"The Department of State designated four AQIS and TTP leaders as specially designated global terrorists under Executive Order 13224, as amended, for their leadership roles in their respective groups," he added.

9:51 AM

India records 275 new Covid-19 cases, tally of active infections now 4,672

India recorded 275 new coronavirus infections but the number of active cases dipped to 4,672, according to government data released Friday morning.

 

The data released by the Union Health Ministry data showed the active cases declined by 95 cases in the past 24 hours. Active cases now comprise 0.01% of the total infections (4.46 crore).

 

The death toll due to the disease has climbed to 5,30,624 with one fatality being reconciled by Kerala and one death reported from Chhattisgarh. 

 

9:38 AM

Sidhu Moose Wala murder mastermind Goldy Brar reportedly detained in US

Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar, one of the main conspirators behind the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala, has been detained in the US under anti-terror law, NDTV reports. Sources told the broadcaster that Brar was detained in California around November 20.

Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead in Mansa district of Punjab in May this year when he was traveling in his car without his security. Satinderjit Singh, alias Goldy Brar, had taken the responsibility for the killing on behalf of the Lawrence Bishnoi Gang.

9:33 AM

Rahul resumes Bharat Jodo Yatra from Jahanara village in Madhya Pradesh

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra resumed from Jahanara village in the Ujjain district of Madhya Pradesh on Friday morning.

Today is the 86th day of the yatra and its 10 day in Madhya Pradesh. It will enter the Agar Chavani Square town in the Agar Malwa district from Ujjain today.
 

The yatra will enter Rajasthan on December 5. It has already covered parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra.

 

 

9:22 AM

Russia-Pak talks: Moscow refuses to give Islamabad 30-40% discount on crude oil

Russia refused to provide Pakistan a 30-40% discount on Russian crude oil after the Pakistani delegation asked for a reduction in price during talks in Moscow, The News International reported.

A Pakistani delegation comprising State Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik, joint secretary and officials of the Pakistan Embassy asked for a discount on crude oil purchase during talks in Moscow. But Russia said it could not offer anything right now as all volumes were committed.

However, Russia has promised to consider Pakistan's demand at a later stage and share its position through diplomatic channels, the report added.