LIVE: Centre asks for 'rigorous' screening of international passengers

Multiple cases of a Covid variant 8.1.1529 have been reported in Botswana, South Africa and Honk Kong, writes Centre

1:25 PM

Things to know about Noida's upcoming airport

The upcoming Noida International Airport is being developed on the themes of seamless connectivity and sustainable operations, and promises fast passenger transfers, lower operating costs and use of renewable energy. Prime Minister Modi will start work to build the airport soon. More about the airport here.

 

1:13 PM

High Court rejects plea to ban Khurshid's book

The Delhi High Court dismissed on Thursday a petition seeking a ban on 'Sunrise Over Ayodhya', a book written by Congress leader Salman Khurshid, says news agency ANI. Right wing groups allege the book equates Hindutva ideology with Islamic terrorist groups.

12:56 PM

China CO2 emissions fall for first time since rebound

China's carbon emissions fell in the third quarter for the first time since its economic recovery from the coronavirus began, new research shows, partly as a result of a clampdown on property development and widespread coal shortages. The world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases saw CO2 emissions drop by around 0.5% in July-September from a year earlier, Reuter reported citing an anaylst.

11:46 AM

Bombay HC commutes death penalty in Shakti Mills gangrape

The Bombay High Court on Thursday commuted to life imprisonment the death penalty awarded to three convicts in the 2013 rape of a 22-year-old photojournalist inside the defunct Shakti Mills compound in central Mumbai. The convicts "deserve imprisonment for life to repent the offence committed by them," said the court, according to PTI.

11:22 AM

Sweden's first female prime minister resigns hours after she was appointed

Hours after being tapped as Sweden's first female prime minister, Magdalena Andersson resigned Wednesday after suffering a budget defeat in parliament and her coalition partner the Greens left the two-party minority government. The government's own budget proposal was rejected in favor of one presented by the opposition that includes the right-wing populist Sweden Democrats, the AP reported. 

 

10:55 AM

Kolkata municipal polls on Dec 19

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) polls will be held on December 19, a notification issued by the State Election Commission (SEC) on Thursday said.

Votes polled in the 144 wards will be counted on December 21.

10:13 AM

Oil Ministry 'systematic weakening' of ONGC: Ex-bureaucrat

The Oil Ministry's proposal to strip ONGC of its oil and gas fields in the western offshore is a "systematic weakening" of the state-owned firm, E A S Sarma, a former civil servant, has written to the Prime Minister in a letter. "Is it a part of a larger plan to divest public equity in ONGC, as has been the case with many strategic PSUs of late? The government's real intentions, in this case, raise serious public concern," he wrote on November 23, according to PTI.

9:53 AM

12 Congress MLAs join Trinamool in Meghalaya

Congress leader Mukul Sangma, a former chief minister of Meghalaya, along with 11 other lawmakers of his party in the state have joined the Trinamool Congress. Despite not winning any seat in 2018 Assembly elections to the 60-member assembly, the Trinamool Congress has became the main opposition party in Meghalaya house, said IANS.

9:37 AM

India's daily Covid-19 cases rise by 9,119

India's daily Covid-19 cases rise by 9,119 and total infections reach 34.54 million, says health ministry.

8:54 AM

West Bengal Governor returns bill to Trinamool govt

West Bengal Governor on Wednesday returned to the state government a Bill that excludes areas of erstwhile Bally municipality from Howrah Municipal Corporation. Jagdeep Dhankhar said government authorities had been "arbitrary, unfair" in reorganising the municipality, according to PTI.

8:24 AM

Delhi to offer 15,000 apartments

Delhi Development Authority, the city’s urban planner, will offer some 15,000 flats in its new housing scheme, PTI reported. The flats will be located in Dwarka, Narela, Rohini and Jasola, among other places.

6:47 AM

China so far non-committal to Washington's oil release

China, the world's largest crude importer, was non-committal about its intentions to release oil from its reserves as requested by the United States, while OPEC producers were not considering changing tactics in light of the U.S. action, Reuters reported citing three sources in the group.

6:17 AM

Andhra passes Bill banning sale of movie tickets at theatres

The Andhra Pradesh assembly on Wednesday passed a bill prohibiting the sale of movie tickets at counters, making it mandatory for cinema halls to sell their tickets through a government-run online platform -- the first state in the country to take over sale of movie tickets to minimise tax evasion, Hindustan Times reported.

 

5:29 AM

India to allow regular international flights by year-end

India will allow regular international passenger flights by the end of the year, said a senior civil servant. A restart of scheduled international commercial passenger flights will increase travel options for passengers, and potentially lower airfares. More here

5:25 AM

Asian Paints' promoters come under fire

The Dani family, a promoter of Asian Paints, faces fire from proxy advisory firm InGovern over related party transactions between Asian Paints and a private company they own. More here