LIVE: India is world's 3rd largest startup ecosystem, says Smriti Irani

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India has the world's third-largest startup ecosystem. More than 80,000 startups in over 650 districts, and more than 100 unicorns worth more than 330 billion dollars. According to Irani, this is a clear indication to young people of how India is rising in the field of entrepreneurship.

A roadshow in the French capital Paris by a delagation from the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government evoked a tremendous response, with investors not only expressing their desire to strengthen business ties with the state but also showing a willingness to invest in various sectors, including defence, agriculture, dairy, food processing, IT, renewable energy and water transport, stated a government release.

The delegation, led by Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya and IT Minister Yogendra Upadhyay, reached Paris on Monday and met representatives of the big industrial houses of France, inviting them to invest in Uttar Pradesh and to the 'Global Investors Summit', which is to be held from February 10 to 12, next year.

India is set to offer 2 to 3 million tonnes of wheat to bulk consumers such as flour millers and biscuit makers as part of efforts to cool record high prices, two government sources said, even as state reserves have dropped to the lowest in six years. Wheat prices have surged in India this year after a sudden rise in temperatures hit crop yields and output.

The United Nations chief expressed strong hopes that the Ukraine war will end in 2023 and on other global hotspots condemned the Iranian government's crackdown on demonstrators, urged all countries to fight terrorist threats from the extreme right and called on the international community to tell Israel's new right-wing government that there is no alternative to the two-state solution.

 

11:10 PM

Taliban official: University education banned for women in Afghanistan

10:47 PM

UPSC aspirants held a protest in Old Rajinder Nagar area demanding an extra attempt for the exam

10:45 PM

Retail inflation for rural workers rises to 6.99 pc in Nov

Retail inflation for farm and rural workers rose to 6.87 per cent and 6.99 per cent, respectively, in November on annual basis mainly due to lower prices of certain food items. Point to point rate of inflation based on the CPI-AL (consumer price index-agricultural labours) and CPI-RL (rural labourers) stood at 7.22 per cent & 7.34 per cent respectively in October, 2022 and 3.02 per cent and 3.38 per cent, respectively, during the corresponding month (November 2021) of the previous year, a labour bureau statement said.

 

10:44 PM

India steps up Covid genome sequencing as China cases soar

India's federal health ministry instructed state authorities on Tuesday to step up genome sequencing of Covid cases in view of a "sudden spurt" in cases in China and elsewhere.In a letter seen by AFP, the ministry said that it is "essential to gear up the whole genome sequencing of positive case samples" in order to track any new variants.

 

8:50 PM

Govt to wind up its overseas tourism offices by March 31 next year, experts criticise move

The Ministry of Tourism has decided to shut down its seven overseas offices tasked with promotional activities by March 31 next year.At present, the ministry runs tourism offices in London, Tokyo, Beijing, Dubai, Singapore, New York and Frankfurt.An office memorandum, issued by under secretary Rajesh Kumar, reads, "The undersigned is directed to intimate that as per the approval of the competent authority, Ministry of Tourism has decided to wind up all the overseas Indian Tourism offices before March 31, 2023."

8:43 PM

Elon Musk actively searching for a new twitter CEO - CNBC

Billionaire Elon Musk is actively searching for a new chief executive officer for Twitter Inc, CNBC reported on Tuesday, citing sources.

8:03 PM

The 2023 IBA Women's World Championships will be held from March 15 to 31 in New Delhi

The 2023 IBA Women's World Championships will be held from March 15 to 31 in New Delhi.

7:47 PM

UPSRTC buses will not operate from 8 pm to 8 am till fog clears

Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses will not operate from 8 pm to 8 am (or till fog is clear), in view of fog conditions in the state. Regional/Assistant Regional Managers will be on duty at bus stations from 8 pm to 12 am to monitor fog condition, says UPSRTC.

7:47 PM

Delhi government to build water recycling plant of 2 MGD capacity in Bawana

The Delhi government will build a water recycling plant of two million gallons per day (MGD) capacity in Bawana as part of its plan to provide round-the-clock water supply in the city, according to a statement on Tuesday. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia approved the Delhi Jal Board's project for the construction of the plant at the 20-MGD Bawana water treatment plant at a cost of Rs 10.3 crore.

 

7:46 PM

Domino's launches 20-mins delivery across 20 zones in India to deliver hotter, fresher pizzas to consumers

Domino's launches 20-minutes delivery across 20 zones in India to deliver hotter, fresher and tastier pizzas to consumers.

6:44 PM

Bihar Police recovered 8,000 litres of liquor from a godown in Patna's Paliganj

6:43 PM

Covid-19 deaths from 'respiratory failures' will be counted in official toll: China

China said only Covid-19 deaths from 'respiratory failures' will be included in the official death toll, as the country witnessed a massive spike in infections fuelled by new variants of the Omicron strain. Beijing, which is hit by the BF.7 variant of the Omicron strain, has announced five more deaths in addition to the two on Monday, the first official fatalities since the government abandoned its stringent anti-virus controls earlier this month following widespread anti-government protests against the Zero-Covid policy.

6:40 PM

US Central Command conducts raids in Syria, detains IS operatives: Report

The US Central Command forces conducted three helicopter raids in eastern Syria over the past 48 hours, which resulted in detaining six Islamic State operatives, according to a statement on Tuesday.One of those detained was a senior IS Syria province member involved in attacks in Syria, according to the statement.

 

6:20 PM

UP Congress leader booked for sexist remark against Smriti Irani

Police here have registered a case against Congress leader Ajay Rai for his "latka-jhatka" remark against Union minister Smriti Irani, an official said on Tuesday. The Uttar Pradesh Congress leader on Monday took a jibe at Irani here, saying she only comes to her constituency Amethi to show "latkas" and "jhatkas", an unflattering reference to dance moves that provoked a sharp response from the BJP.

 

5:40 PM

School timings changed in Punjab due to fog: CM Bhagwant Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday announced that all schools in the state will open at 10 am from December 21 till January 21 due to foggy weather. The closing time of the schools will remain the same, he said.

"In view of the safety of school students and teachers because of dense fog in the state, the timing of government, aided, recognised and private schools will be 10 am from 21-12-2022 to 21-01-2023, said Mann in a tweet.

At present, schools start at 9 am and close at 3 pm.