Latest LIVE: Congress prez Kharge constitutes 47-member Steering Committee

From INC getting a non-Gandhi president after 24 years and Rishi Sunak's appointment as UK PM to coronavirus cases and air pollution, catch all the latest developments from across the globe here

2:54 PM

Hope Virat doesn't repeat Pakistan show against us: Scott Edwards

Netherlands captain Scott Edwards is hoping that Virat Kohli doesn't repeat his "surreal show against Pakistan" when India take on the minnows in a T20 World Cup game, here on Thursday.

 

Edwards, a Melbourne local who has migrated to The Netherlands, doesn't have any undue expectation from his side but would like his team-mates to play the best brand of cricket possible.

 

"What Virat (Kohli) did the other day was surreal. Hope he doesn't repeat it against us," Edwards said at the pre-match media conference on Wednesday.

2:45 PM

Canadian city gets first turban-wearing Sikh woman councillor

Indo-Canadian healthcare worker Navjit Kaur Brar has become the first turban-wearing Sikh woman to be elected as Brampton City Councillor in the recent Municipal council polls.

Brar, a respiratory therapist and a mother of three, won the race for City Councillor in Wards 2 and 6, beating Jermaine Chambers, a former Conservative MP candidate for Brampton West.

Brar had 28.85 per cent of the votes cast on Monday with Chambers as nearest contender with 22.59 per cent, and Carmen Wilson coming in third at 15.41 per cent, the Brampton Guardian reported.

2:42 PM

Fire breaks out in the godown of RO Plant in Gujarat

2:41 PM

Kerala CM rejects Governor's directive seeking constitutionally appropriate action against FM: Govt. source

2:36 PM

SC to hear on Oct 31 plea to establish special anti-corruption courts in every district

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on October 31 a plea seeking to establish special anti-corruption courts in every district to decide cases related to various economic offences like money laundering and tax evasion within one year.

According to the cause list of October 31 uploaded on the apex court website, the petition is slated to come up for hearing before a bench comprising Chief Justice U U Lalit and Justices S R Bhat and Bela M Trivedi.

The PIL filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay has also sought directions to high courts to take appropriate steps to decide cases related to economic offences.

2:17 PM

UK PM Rishi Sunak to hold first Cabinet meeting with his new team

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday will hold the first Cabinet meeting with his new team, a day after he became Britain's first Indian-origin premier.

 

Sunak on Tuesday began putting his top team in place with key Cabinet appointments and decided to keep the new Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, in place for economic stability and brought back Indian-origin Suella Braverman as Home Secretary.

 

In another move aimed at continuity, James Cleverly will stay in his post as Foreign Secretary despite not being a Sunak loyalist.

 

2:16 PM

Mercedes-Benz to quit Russian market, sell shares to local investor

Mercedes-Benz said on Wednesday it would withdraw from the Russian market and sell shares in its industrial and financial services subsidiaries to a local investor, becoming the latest carmaker to exit the country.

 

Japan's Nissan this month took a $687 million loss in handing over its business in Russia to a state-owned entity for one euro, mirroring an earlier move by Renault which sold its majority stake in Russia's Avtovaz for one rouble.

 

2:13 PM

China launches a COVID-19 vaccine inhaled through the mouth

The Chinese city of Shanghai started administering an inhalable COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday in what appears to be a world first.

 

The vaccine, a mist that is sucked in through the mouth, is being offered for free as a booster dose for previously vaccinated individuals, according to an announcement posted on an official city social media account.

 

Needle-free vaccines may persuade people who don't like getting a shot to get vaccinated, as well as help expand vaccination in poor countries because they are easier to administer.

1:44 PM

'Normalisation of India, China ties in world's interest': Jaishankar after China envoy's farewell call

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar met the outgoing Chinese envoy to India, Sun Weidong on Wednesday and emphasized that peace and tranquillity in the border areas are essential to maintaining bilateral ties.

 

"Received Ambassador Sun Weidong of China for a farewell call. Emphasized that the development of India-China relations is guided by the 3 Mutuals. Peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential," Jaishankar tweeted after meeting ambassador Sun.

 

"The normalisation of India-China relations is in the interest of both countries, of Asia and the world at large," he said in another tweet.

1:25 PM

Govt receives dividends worth Rs 361 cr from PSUs

The government has received Rs 129 crore, Rs 76 crore and Rs 33 crore from SJVN, Antariksh Corporation of India and Manganese Ore (India) Ltd, respectively, as dividend tranches.

Secretary in the department of investment and public asset management (DIPAM) Tuhin Kanta Pandey tweeted the details on his official Twitter account.

The Centre has also received Rs 33 crore, Rs 34 crore and Rs 56 crore from Electronics Corporation of India Ltd, Mineral Exploration Corporation and NBCC respectively as dividend tranches.

1:08 PM

Pledged my full support, cooperation to Kharge in taking Cong forward: Tharoor

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who lost out to Mallikarjun Kharge in the party's presidential race, on Wednesday pledged his full support and cooperation to the new AICC chief in taking the party forward.

Kharge, the first non-Gandhi to head the party in 24 years, formally took over as the Congress president at the AICC headquarters here.

Tharoor, who attended the event, in a tweet said, "Gathered for a brief chat after Kharge ji sat in his new office for a symbolic moment. Pledged him my full support & cooperation in taking Congress forward."

1:02 PM

Delhi LG VK Saxena approves Chhath Puja at designated ghats on the Yamuna

Delhi LG has asked CM Arvind Kejriwal to ensure clean ghats and water for devotees. He cautioned Arvind Kejriwal against misleading and pre-mature publicity.

12:58 PM

Elon Musk plans to close the Twitter deal by Friday

Elon Musk has notified co-investors who committed to help fund his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter that he plans to close his buyout of the social media firm by Friday. 

12:50 PM

BJP-Shinde coalition to contest some Maha civic polls separately and others jointly: DyCM Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said the ruling BJP and Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will contest some of the civic polls separately and others in alliance.

 

Notably, CM Shinde had in August said the "original" Shiv Sena and the BJP will contest the forthcoming elections to civic bodies in Maharashtra together. He had claimed that the led by him represents the "original" Shiv Sena.

 

The elections are due in various civic bodies in the state, including the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

12:38 PM

Will break system of lies, hatred of current rulers, says Kharge

Veteran leader Mallikarjun Kharge formally took over as Congress president on Wednesday and said the party will break the "system of lies and hatred" prevailing under the current government.

 

Kharge, the first non-Gandhi to head the party in 24 years, had defeated Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor in a direct contest for the president's post in the grand old party after the Gandhis opted out of the race.