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5:54 PM

Russia replaces Iraq as top oil supplier to India in Nov with 23% share

Russia has for the first time emerged as top oil supplier to India replacing Iraq as refiners last month snapped up oil from Moscow fearing a price cap from Dec. 5 could hit supplies and choke payment avenues, data obtained from trade sources showed.

India's oil imports from Russia rose for the fifth straight month, totaling 908,000 barrels per day (bpd) in November, up 4% from October, the data showed.

The Group of Seven nations, Australia, and the 27 European Union countries have imposed a price cap of $60 a barrel on Russian seaborne oil from Dec. 5 as the West tries to limit Moscow's ability to finance its war in Ukraine.

The price cap plan calls for G7 countries to deny insurance, finance, brokering, navigation, and other services to oil cargoes priced above the price cap on crude and oil products.

Russian oil accounted for about 23% of India's overall import of about 4 million bpd oil in November, the data showed. (Source: Reuters)

5:37 PM

Rahul Gandhi will contest 2024 Lok Sabha polls from Amethi, claims UP Cong leader Ajay Rai

Rahul Gandhi would contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections again from Amethi with which the Nehru-Gandhi family has old ties, Uttar Pradesh Congress leader Ajay Rai claimed on Wednesday.

Rai, the regional head of the party in UP, also said it is his appeal to the people of Amethi to send Rahul Gandhi to Delhi by electing him as an MP again with a huge margin. "The Gandhi-Nehru family has old relations with Amethi. No one can weaken it. Rahul Gandhi will contest from Amethi in 2024," Rai told reporters.

There has been no word from the party so far on this.

Rahul Gandhi, who had won the Amethi parliamentary seat for three times in a row, was defeated by BJP leader and Union minister Smriti Irani in 2019 elections.

He currently represents Kerala's Wayanad in Lok Sabha.

5:17 PM

Talks with Pakistan on 9th review of USD 7 billion fund 'productive' so far: IMF official

A top IMF official on Wednesday said talks with Pakistan on the ninth review of USD 7 billion fund had been "productive" so far and the global money lender looked forward to continuing the discussions over policies that adequately address the rehabilitation needs from the floods while preserving fiscal and external sustainability.

Pakistan entered a USD 6 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme during Imran Khan's government in 2019, which was hiked to USD 7 billion earlier this year. The programme's ninth review is currently pending with remote talks being held between IMF officials and the government for the release of USD 1.18 billion.

"Discussions to date in the context of the 9th review have been productive, and have enabled a revision to the macroeconomic outlook post floods as well as an in-depth evaluation of fiscal, monetary, exchange rate, and energy policies adopted since the completion of the combined seventh and eight reviews," IMF Resident Representative for Pakistan Esther Perez Ruiz was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper.

 

4:40 PM

SC refuses submissions seeking early setting up of bench to hear Bilkis Bano's plea

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain submissions seeking early setting up of a fresh bench to hear Bilkis Bano's plea challenging the remission of sentence of 11 convicts by the Gujarat government in her gangrape case.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha was urged by lawyer Shobha Gupta, appearing for Bilkis Bano, that another bench should be constituted to hear the case.

"The writ (petition) will be listed. Please, do not keep mentioning the same thing again and again. It is very irritating," the CJI said.

The lawyer said though the petition was listed Tuesday, it was not taken up for hearing.

"It will be listed. The review (plea) was also circulated yesterday," the CJI said.

3:32 PM

20 new nuclear power plants to be commissioned in country by 2031: minister

India plans to commission 20 nuclear power plants by 2031, adding nearly 15,000 MW in power generating capacity, the government told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The first of these nuclear power plants, a 700 MW unit, is expected to be commissioned in 2023 at Kakrapar in Gujarat, which already has three atomic power generating units operational.

According to a written reply by MoS in the PMO Jitendra Singh, the 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam is likely to be operational in 2024, followed by two 1,000 MW units at Kudankulam in 2025.

Two 700 MW units at Rawatbhata in Rajasthan are likely to be completed by 2026, while another two 1,000 MW units are likely to be completed at Kudankulam by 2027, he said.

Two 700 MW units are expected to be completed at Gorakhpur in Haryana by 2029, the minister said listing out details of projects under consideration.

3:24 PM

Vaishnaw says railways' expenses high, hints at no senior citizen allowance

Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday hinted that the concessions given to senior citizens in the railways may not be restored as of now as he said that Rs 59,000 crore subsidy for the passenger services were given last year and pension and salary bills of the public transporter are very high.

 

Vaishnaw was responding to a question by independent MP from Maharashtra Navneet Rana in Lok Sabha on when the concessions given to senior citizens in train travel will be restored. It was suspended since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

The minister said the railways had given Rs 59,000 crore subsidy for passenger services, which is a big amount and larger than the annual budget of some states.

 

He said the annual pension bill of the railways is Rs 60,000 crore, the salary bill is Rs 97,000 crore while Rs 40,000 crore is being spent on fuel.

3:14 PM

Russian drone strikes damage 5 buildings in Ukraine capital; no casualties reported

Russian drone strikes damaged five buildings in Kyiv on Wednesday even as Ukrainian air defences thwarted many more, authorities said. No casualties were reported.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a brief video statement, said the “terrorists” fired 13 Iranian-made drones, and all were intercepted. Such drones have been part of Russia's firepower along with mortar, artillery and rocket strikes across Ukraine in recent weeks.
 

The head of the Kyiv city administration, Serhii Popko, wrote on Telegram that the strikes came in two waves, and shrapnel from the intercepted drones damaged one administrative building, while four residential buildings sustained minor damage.

3:00 PM

Tawang faceoff: Tharoor slams govt for 'small statement without clarification', calls for debate

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday hit out at the government for not holding a discussion in parliament on the India-China border issue, and said giving out a "small statement" without any clarification is not democratic.

Tharoor's remarks came a day after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in a statement to parliament, said Chinese troops tried to "unilaterally" change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control in the Yangtse area of Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang sector on December 9, but the Indian Army compelled them to retreat with its "firm and resolute" response.

The Congress has been demanding a discussion on the border issue and accusing the government of hiding the truth.

2:21 PM

9 states have withdrawn general consent to CBI: Union minister Jitendra Singh

Nine states, including Telangana and Meghalaya, have withdrawn general consent given to the Central Bureau of Investigation for probing certain offences, Union minister Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday.

According to section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946, the CBI needs consent from respective state governments to conduct investigation in their jurisdiction, he said in reply to a written question in Lok Sabha.

In terms of the provision of section 6 of the DSPE Act, 1946, the state governments have granted general consent to the CBI for the investigation of a specified class of offences against specified categories of persons, enabling the agency to register and investigate those specified matters, Singh, the minister of state for personnel, said.

2:11 PM

Officials suggest Chinese involvement in hacking of AIIMS Delhi servers

The AIIMS Delhi servers were compromised in an attack originating in China, ANI reported Wednesday, citing the FIR registered in the case.

Government officials, however, said that the data in the five servers have been successfully retrieved now. 

At least five servers of the premier medical college and hospital were successfully infiltrated by hackers. A case in this connection was registered by the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit of the Delhi Police on November 25. 

AIIMS Delhi reportedly has a total of 100 servers, 40 physical and 60 virtual. These servers hold the details of lakhs of patients registered at the hospital.

1:36 PM

Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar visits Sri Lankan Navy Ship Sindurala

1:18 PM

Water level in Kerala's Mullaperiyar dam crosses 141 ft; second flood warning issued

A second flood alert has been sounded by Kerala as the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam in Idukki crossed 141 ft early Wednesday.

"The water level reached 141.20ft at 12pm. If the excess water is released, it will reach the Idukki reservoir downstream," an official source said.

District Collector Sheeba George said in a statement that the maximum permissible limit of water storage in the dam is 142 ft.

There are chances of releasing extra water by opening its shutters if the water level touches the maximum permissible limit, she said.

12:53 PM

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar loses cool during discussion on effectiveness of liquor ban in state

12:13 PM

Congress MPs walk out of Lok Sabha after discussion denied on Tawang faceoff

Congress lawmakers again stage a walkout from Lok Sabha after being denied discussion on China-India faceoff in Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh.

Congress leaders Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Sonia Gandhi lead the walk out.

Early on December 9, Chinese troops entered a disputed area at Yangtse in Tawang sector but were repelled by the Indian forces. Some soldiesr on both sides suffered injuries in the clash. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in parliament on Tuesday that the troops have diengaged after a brief faceoff and the matter has been taken up with China at th ediplomatic level.

The Congress and some other parrties are demanding a discussion on the issue in Parliament. On Tuesday, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh permission to opposition MPs to seek clarification on the defence minister's statement, saying clarifications are not allowed on sensitive issues.

11:34 AM

Delhi airport starts giving real-time data on waiting hours after severe congestion complaints

As part of remedial measures to improve passenger flow at the T3 terminal, the Delhi airport has started informing people about the waiting time at the entry gates. Through social media platforms, Delhi airport on Wednesday informed travellers about the waiting time at regular intervals.

"Smooth passengers movement observed at all terminal entry gates with an average waiting time of 0-5 minutes. Smart Travel Tip: For a smooth security check experience, travel with only one hand baggage as cabin luggage to the airport," the authorities said this morning.

Separately, airlines have started informing passengers that they should reach at least 3.5 hours prior to their flights and possibly with just one handbag for quicker passage. Following Indigo, other airlines, including SpiceJet and Air India, also asked its passengers to come early to the airport.

Moreover, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has prepared a pool of more than 100 personnel to man additional security counters expected to be handed over to it to ease the congestion at airports in Delhi and Mumbai. A senior CISF officer told PTI that the force has brought on board more than 100 personnel "over and above" its sanctioned strength at around 4,500 personnel at the Delhi and Mumbai airports each.