LIVE: Court acquits Umar Khalid in Delhi riots case, to stay in custody

Special Public Prosecutor Madhukar Pandey confirmed that Umar Khalid and Khalid Saifi were discharged in the matter by the court of Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala

A court has acquitted former JNU student Umar Khalid in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots case. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed over 31 rallies and led three big road shows in Gujarat wrapping up on Friday his campaign for the BJP in the assembly polls as the party looks to maintain its uninterrupted winning streak there since 1995 in a triangular contest involving the Congress and the AAP.

With campaiging for Gujarat Assembly and Delhi civic polls coming to an end, BJP National President J.P. Nadda has called a "massive" meeting of all national and state level office bearers of the party in the national capital on December 5 and 6 to discuss future elections. The meeting, party sources say, has been called to discuss the strategy and preparations for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well as the 2023 assembly elections in several states.

The US and France appear to be forming a united front seeking end of the war in Ukraine as leaders of both countries are taking a common approach to talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the issue even as Ukraine forces seem to be pushing back the Russian army in some areas. French President Emmanuel Macron has underscored his outrage over Moscow's "attoricties" in its war against Ukraine, while the US President Joe Biden said on Thursday that he is open for dialogue with Putin to end the war in Ukraine.

10:54 PM

Ready for war with India if attacked: Pak's new Army chief Munir

Pakistan's newly-appointed Army chief General Asim Munir on Saturday said that if his country is attacked, the Pakistani armed forces will "not only defend every inch of our motherland, but to take the fight back to the enemy."

 

Munir made the remarks during his first-ever visit to troops in the frontline areas in Rakhchikri Sector of the Line of Control (LoC) on Saturday.

10:37 PM

NGT dismisses Karnataka's plea to modify earlier levied fine of Rs 500 cr

The National Green Tribunal has dismissed an application filed by Karnataka seeking modification of the tribunal's earlier order to pay Rs 500 crore for its failure to prevent and remedy the environmental damage to Chandapura lake.

 

The lake in Anekal taluk is located around 25 km from Bengaluru. A bench comprising Chairperson Justice A K Goel said the state is taking liberty in fixing its own timelines in violation of those fixed by the Supreme Court and "violating law with impunity".

10:29 PM

Odisha business summit receives Rs 10.5 trn investment intents: CM

Odisha has received an impressive Rs 10.50 trn investment intents at the third edition of the Make In Odisha (MIO), Conclave, 2022, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said on Saturday.

 

It's a win-win situation for the investors and the state, he said. "I am happy to announce that the conclave has generated investment intents of Rs 10.50 trn with potential for 10.50 lakh direct and indirect employment. It's heartening to see the huge response we have got especially in the post covid scenario," an elated chief minister said at the concluding session of the MIO, Conclave

10:19 PM

J-K LG Sinha chairs Amarnath shrine board meeting, reviews projects

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday chaired the 43rd meeting of Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB) in Delhi and said his administration is committed to ensure a hassle-free pilgrimage.

 

During the meeting, the members discussed various ongoing and upcoming projects, an official release said. This year, 365,000 pilgrims visited the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas from June 30 to August 11

10:13 PM

World views India as voice of nations left behind in changing global order: Om Birla

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday said the world views India as the voice of nations that have been left behind in the changing global order.

 

Delivering the Rajendra Prasad Memorial Lecture on All India Radio, Birla said India has achieved this honour by reaching out to more than 150 nations during the COVID-19 pandemic with vaccines and other assistance.

9:58 PM

Mumbai records 15 new measles cases, zero fatality: BMC

Mumbai on Saturday recorded 15 new measles cases, which took the infection tally here to 386, while the death toll remained unchanged at eight, a civic official said.

 

A statement from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said its special 'outbreak response immunisation' drive saw 55 children between six to nine months of age and 3.064 children in the nine months to five years segment being given measles vaccines during the day.

9:48 PM

New Pak Army chief warns India of 'any misadventure' during LoC visit

Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Asim Munir, has warned India of strict action in case of any 'misadventure', the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said, according to a media report.

 

The military's media wing said that the newly-appointed Army chief visited frontline troops in the Rakhchikri Sector along the Line of Control (LoC) on Saturday, where he was briefed on the latest situation and operational preparedness of the formation, The News reported.

9:34 PM

TRS leader Kavitha seeks details of complaint in Delhi excise policy scam case

TRS MLC K Kavitha, who has been issued a notice by CBI for questioning in connection with the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, on Saturday asked the central agency to provide details, including copies of the complaint in the case, to acquaint herself and answer appropriately "within a reasonable period of time".

 

In a letter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official who sent the notice to her on Friday, she said the date of her meeting with the agency can be fixed at Hyderabad after the receipt of the documents.

9:23 PM

Kerala HC holds special sitting to hear pleas on Sabarimala

The Kerala High Court on Saturday held a special sitting to hear pleas on the appointment of the chief priests and transport facilities for pilgrims to the famous Sabarimala temple at Pathanamthitta district.

 

A Bench comprising Justices Anil K Narendran and P G Ajith Kumar held the special sitting to hear a petition challenging a Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) notification that 'melshanti' (chief priest) of Sabarimala and Malikappuram temples must be Kerala-born Brahmins.

9:03 PM

Natural farming to be included in agri curriculum, says minister Tomar

The government will include natural farming in the curriculum of agri education, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Saturday.

 

Tomar was speaking at the National Workshop on Natural Farming in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, according to an official statement. Tomar noted that natural farming is the need of the hour, in which the cost is less and the produce fetches more price.

8:50 PM

Russia rejects $60-a-barrel price cap on its oil, warns of cutoffs

Russian authorities rejected a price cap on the country's oil set by Ukraine's Western supporters and threatened Saturday to stop supplying the nations that endorsed it.

 

Australia, Britain, Canada, Japan, the United States and the 27-nation European Union agreed Friday to cap what they would pay for Russian oil at $60-per-barrel. The limit is set to take effect Monday, along with an EU embargo on Russian oil shipped by sea.

8:39 PM

MCD poll: Wholesale, retail markets to remained closed on Sunday, says CTI

All wholesale and retail markets in the national capital will remain closed on December 4 in view of the civic body polls here, a traders' body said on Saturday.

 

The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) said popular markets, including Lajpat Nagar, Gandhi Nagar, Krishna Nagar, Kamala Nagar, Karol Bagh, Laxmi Nagar among others will remain closed.

8:30 PM

Poll authorities find 'MCC violation' in Delhi yoga event by AAP, direct action

A day ahead of the high-stakes municipal elections in Delhi, poll authorities on Saturday directed police to take necessary action and "lodge an FIR" for alleged violation of the model code of conduct during an event organised by the AAP here.

 

The alleged model code of conduct (MCC) violation took place at the event -- 'Dilli ki Yogshala: Yog Prashikon ko Samman Rashi Ka Vitran' -- held on Friday at the Constitution Club, which was attended by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia.

8:19 PM

Mumbai sees 8 new Covid-19 cases, zero fatality; active tally at 51

With the addition of eight new cases of coronavirus, the tally of infections in Mumbai reached 11,54,924 on Saturday, an official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) said.

 

As per a bulletin issued by the civic body, the toll remained unchanged at 19,744 and the count of recoveries reached 11,35,129 after 15 patients recovered in the last 24 hours.

8:09 PM

Cong to seek discussion on issues of reservation, border and economic situations in Parliament winter session

The Congress on Saturday decided to seek discussions on issues of EWS reservation, state of the economy and situation at the border during Parliament's winter session, even as many of its leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, are unlikely to be present due to the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

 

Besides these, the party during its parliamentary strategy group's meeting at Sonia Gandhi's residence also decided to raise the issue of "weakening" of constitutional institutions in the country.