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1:46 PM

Showed 'red card' to obstacles that came in way of NE development: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says his government has removed several obstacles that came in the way of development of the northeast region in the past eight years.

Addressing a public meeting on the occasion of the golden jubilee of the North East Council (NEC), he also said that improved air connectivity has helped boost export of agricultural produce from the region and benefited farmers.

Ahead of the FIFA World Cup final in Qatar, Modi said the NDA government has "shown the red card to many obstacles" that came in the way of the development for the northeast.

"Obstacles such as corruption, discrimination, violence and vote bank politics were removed," the PM said. "Earlier, attempts were made to divide NE. Now, we are removing these divisions."

1:34 PM

Stealth guided missile destroyer Mormugao commissioned into Indian Navy

The Indian Navy commissioned the stealth guided missile destroyer Mormugao on Sunday.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh, navy chief admiral R Hari Kumar and Goa CM Pramod Sawant were among those present at the commissioning ceremony in Mumbai.

Singh said the warship will boost India's maritime power. He termed INS Mormugao as the most technologically advanced warship.

The navy chief said the commissioning of the warship, on the eve of the Goa Liberation Day, is indicative of the large strides taken in warship design and building capability over the last decade.

 

1:23 PM

Day not far when Indians will cheer for the national flag at Fifa WC, says PM Modi

1:10 PM

Modi govt established peace in northeast region, says Amit Shah

Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday said the Narendra Modi government has established peace in the northeast, which was once a militancy-affected region.

Addressing a public meeting on the golden jubilee of the North East Council (NEC) in presence of the prime minister, Shah said Modi visited the region over 50 times during the past eight years and laid out the roadmap for its progress.

Northeast was known for violence and separatism but during the last eight years, such incidents have come down by 70 per cent. Attacks on security personnel have also been reduced by 60 per cent while civil casualties have come down to 89 per cent, he said.

 

12:19 PM

AAP's national council meets on Sunday to discuss party's expansion plans

After the assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh and the civic body polls in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party has called a meeting of its national council on Sunday to discuss the party's expansion plans.

All elected representatives of AAP and its key office-bearers from various states are expected to attend the meeting, which will be chaired by national convenor and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

AAP's Rajya Sabha MPs and Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann too are likely to attend the meeting.

The party members are likely to discuss the strategy for the assembly polls due next year and also chalk out a roadmap for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

 

11:52 AM

Playing against BJP on Congress-prepared pitch due to yatra: Ramesh

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said the Bharat Jodo Yatra has ensured that the Congress is now setting the political narrative in the country and the BJP has been made to play on a pitch prepared by his party.

 

In an interview with PTI on the yatra completing 100 days, Ramesh also said that Rahul Gandhi is trying to sharpen the ideological basis of the Congress and is working along with the party's elected president, Mallikarjun Kharge, as a 'jugalbandi' (together).

 

Asked whether the party could undertake another such yatra next year, Ramesh said, "I would certainly love to participate in a Porbandar (Gujarat) to Parshuram Kund (Arunachal Pradesh) Yatra but whether we can do it next year and how we can do it next year, it has to be discussed and debated in appropriate party forums."

 

11:34 AM

AIIMS server attack: Delhi police writes to CBI to seek Interpol help

11:14 AM

PM mediates in Russia-Ukraine war but ignores Maha-K'taka boundary dispute: Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut says the Prime Minister Narendra Modi mediates in the Russia-Ukraine war but turns a blind eye to the simmering Maharashtra-Karnataka boundary dispute, adding this is "not a sign of a good politician".

In his weekly column 'Rokhthok' in the party mouthpiece Saamana, Raut also claimed the boundary dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka is a struggle for humanity and not a fight between people and governments of the two states.

Maharashtra has been long claiming Belagavi and surrounding areas in north Karnataka as they have a sizable Marathi-speaking population. 

10:48 AM

Gehlot says no anti-incumbency in Raj, his biggest achievement after 4 years as CM

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot claims there's no anti-incumbency under his four-year rule and it is his biggest achievement.

"Even after four years, the people of Rajasthan are not against the state government. Usually, it happens everywhere and people start finding faults (with the government). In Rajasthan, the situation is different. There can be no bigger achievement than this for the state government," Gehlot said at an event to mark the fourth anniversary of his government.

He also reiterated a demand from the Centre, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure social security across the country.

Several government programmes were organised in Jaipur, including a development exhibition at the Jawahar Kala Kendra, on this occassion.

 

10:35 AM

At 6.2C, minimum temperature drops two notches below normal in Delhi

The minimum temperature in Delhi settled at 6.2 degrees Celsius on Sunday morning, which was two notches below the season's average.

 

The relative humidity was 87 per cent at 8.30 am, the meteorological department said.

 

According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the air quality index (AQI) stood at 315 at 9 am.

 

An AQI between 301 and 400 is considered "very poor", above that is "severe".

 

The weatherman has forecast a largely clear sky during the day. The maximum temperature is likely to settle at around 24 degrees Celsius.

9:58 AM

India, China's concerns about use of nuclear weapons impacted Russia: CIA chief

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) chief William Burns has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin's saber-rattling over using tactical nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine is only meant to intimidate the rivals. He also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping's concerns over the use of nuclear weapons have had an impact on the Russians to tone down their rhetoric.

"I think it has also been very useful that Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi in India have also raised their concerns about the use of nuclear weapons as well. I think that's also having an impact on the Russians," Burns said during an interview with PBS.

Burns during the interview said he doesn't see any clear evidence today of Russia's plans to use tactical nuclear weapons.

Putin previously acknowledged that the conflict in Ukraine will going to take a while to resolve. He also warned of the increasing threat of a nuclear war.

 

9:48 AM

Covid-19: India records 176 fresh cases; active cases decline to 3,552

With 176 fresh cases, India's Covid-19 tally has climbed to 4,46,75,952 while the number of active cases has declined to 3,552, the Union health ministry said on Sunday.

The death toll due to the viral disease has gone up to 5,30,672 with five more fatalities, including four reconciled by Kerala and one reported by Maharashtra in the last 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am.

The active cases account for 0.01 per cent of the total caseload, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate has gone up to 98.8 per cent. A decrease of 56 cases was recorded in the active caseload in a span of 24 hours.

 

9:29 AM

Fearless sense of independence of courts saved democracy during Emergency: CJI Chandrachud

The "fearless sense of independence of courts" saved democracy during the Emergency in 1975, Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud has said.

CJI Chandrachud, who assumed the office of the Chief Justice of India in November, was felicitated by the Bombay High Court on Saturday. At the ceremony, he spoke at length about several judges of the past and his experience while working with them.

"It was judges like Rane who kept the torch of liberty burning which had become dim in those years of Emergency in 1975. It was the fearless sense of independence of our courts which saved Indian democracy in 1975," the CJI said.

 

9:18 AM

Bharat Jodo Yatra: Some participants raise slogans in support of Sachin Pilot on his home turf

9:10 AM

North Korea launches ballistic missile off east coast, says Seoul

North Korea launched a ballistic missile Sunday off its east coast, South Korea said.

South Korea's Joint Chief of Staff said the launch was made on Sunday morning but gave no further details.

The launch came three days after North Korea said it tested a high-thrust solid-fuel motor for a new strategic weapon, a development that could allow it to possess a more mobile, harder-to-detect arsenal of intercontinental ballistic missiles that can reach the U.S. mainland.