Latest LIVE: State funeral to be accorded to Paswan, say MHA officials

In a modification to the reopening guidelines, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) today allowed political parties to hold rallies in 12 election-bound states before October 15.

5:42 PM

Covid-19, China and jobs dominates lone vice presidential debate between Harris and Pence

The much-awaited vice presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Mike Pence saw the duo sparring on US President Donald Trump's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, jobs, China, racial tensions and climate change, less than four week's ahead of the election.

Harris, the Democratic Party's vice president nominee described the Trump's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic as the "greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history" of America as she opened the vice debate with a sharp attack on Vice President Pence, who leads the president's coronavirus task force.

5:37 PM

Unemployment, diseases emerge top challenges for business leaders: Report

'Unemployment' is the main concern for business executives globally, followed by 'infectious diseases' that progressed by 28 spots to emerge as the second-most recurring risk, according to the World Economic Forum's (WEF) interactive map on 'Regional Risks for Doing Business 2020'.

 

Fiscal crisis the top concern in 2019 came in third among the top risks cited by business leaders globally.

 

'Infectious diseases' progressed by 28 spots, appearing in the top-10 risks in all regions except South Asia, in a year where the COVID-19 pandemic dominated global health concerns.

5:02 PM

4:57 PM

Moody's revises global steel sector outlook to stable

Moody's Investors Service on Thursday said it has revised its outlook for the global steel sector to stable on the back of recovery in demand worldwide.

The agency had earlier cut the outlook for the global industry to negative.

Moody's said it is changing "steel outlook" for all regions which include the US, Europe, Russia, Brazil and Asia to stable.

Moody's Senior Vice President Carol Cowan said the demand for steel is improving owing to resumption of production in important end markets and on a stronger global economic data, particularly in China. After shutdowns, production is now ramping up in the automotive and industrial sectors.

4:56 PM

Three channels including Republic TV are being investigated for ratings or TRP manipulation, the Mumbai police said on Thurs. Two persons have been arrested. One of them is a former employee of an agency that installed "people metres" to assess ratings, reported NDTV

4:40 PM

Covid:-19 impact Housing sales down 43%, office space leasing fall 70% in July-Sept

India's top eight cities have witnessed 70 per cent fall in gross office space leasing and 43 per cent dip in housing sales during July-September quarter compared with the year-ago period on lower demand amid Covid-19 pandemic, Knight Frank India said on Thursday.

However, housing sales jumped over three fold and office space leasing rose 81 per cent compared with the April-June quarter, which was severely impacted due to the nationwide lockdown to curb coronavirus disease. Read more... 

4:34 PM

2020 Nobel Prize in Literature is awarded to the American poet Louise Glück

4:25 PM

Two in 5 Indian professionals experiencing increased stress due to Covid-19: Survey

Covid-19 has taken a toll on working professionals in India as two in five professionals are experiencing increased anxiety due to the pandemic, according to a survey.

Leading professional network LinkedIn on Thursday released key survey data from April to September 2020 to highlight how pandemic stress and remote work burnout have adversely impacted the mental health of professionals in India.

Findings of the latest LinkedIn survey showed that two in five (39 per cent) professionals are experiencing increased stress or anxiety due to Covid-19, and as the pandemic took hold only one in five professionals were offered more time off for well-being.

4:05 PM

India, largest spewer of sulfur dioxide, sees first decline in 4 years

India’s sulfur dioxide emissions dropped in 2019, the first decline in four years for the world’s largest spewer of the pollutant responsible for human health risks and acid rain.

 

Emissions from India dropped 6% last year as the country consumed less coal, mirroring a similar decline in global emissions of the toxic gas, according to a report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, and Greenpeace. All three of the world’s top emitters -- India, Russia and China -- saw reductions in sulfur dioxide, according to the report which analyzed NASA satellite data. Read more...

 

 

3:51 PM

Hathras victim deserves justice and not slander: Priyanka Gandhi

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday accused the BJP of building a narrative to defame the Hathras victim, saying she deserves justice and not slander.

 

She charged that a narrative is being built by the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh for holding the woman responsible for crimes committed against her.

 

"Creating a narrative that defames a woman's character and holding her somehow responsible for crimes committed against her is revolting and regressive," she said on Twitter. Read more...

3:34 PM

Future Group to go for mediation over Amazon's legal notice on RIL deal

US online retailer Amazon.com Inc has slapped a legal notice on Future Group, alleging that the retailer's Rs 24,713 crore asset sale to Reliance Industries violated an agreement with the e-commerce giant.

"We have initiated steps to enforce our contractual rights," a spokesperson for the Seattle-based e-commerce giant said. "As the matter is sub-judice, we can't provide details."

Amazon last year bought a 49 per cent stake in one of Future's unlisted firms, Future Coupons Ltd, with the right to buy into flagship Future Retail after a period between 3 and 10 years. Future Coupons owns a 7.3 per cent stake in Future Retail.

3:27 PM

Hathras case: Activist moves SC for monitored CBI probe, witness protection

Civil rights activist Teesta Setalvad led Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) has approached the Supreme Court to transfer the Hathras case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and ensure proper witness protection is accorded in the case.

 

The plea said that there are senior police officials and elected representatives who were "underplaying" the heinous offence and "prejudging" the issue. The CJP moved the court while filing an intervention application seeking to intervene in the Hathras case pending before it. 

3:08 PM

Gehlot vs Pilot: Fresh cracks start reappearing in Rajasthan Congress

All does not seem to be well in the Rajasthan Congress as fresh cracks have started reappearing with the police lodging an FIR against the media manager of former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and a Jaipur-based journalist.

 

The case pertains to the 'phone tapping of Congress MLAs' during their stay in a hotel in Jaisalmer amid the political crisis in the state in July-August.

2:46 PM

Freedom of speech most abused right: SC on media reporting of Tablighi meet

The Supreme Court Thursday said freedom of speech and expression is the most abused right in recent times.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde, which was hearing pleas of Jamiat Ulama I Hind and others alleging that a section of media was spreading communal hatred over Tablighi Jamaat congregation during the onset of COVID-19 pandemic, pulled up the Centre for its "evasive" and "brazen" affidavit on the issue.

Freedom of speech and expression is the most abused right in recent times, the apex court said.

The bench observed this when senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for Jamaat, said the Centre in its affidavit has stated that petitioners are trying to muzzle freedom of speech and expression.

2:35 PM

Combined FY21 fiscal deficit of Centre, states may reach 14%: Rangarajan

The combined fiscal deficit of states and the centre during the current year may go up to 14 per cent against the mandated level of six per cent, former Reserve Bank Governor C Rangarajan said on Thursday.

 

Speaking at a programme organised by the ICFAI Business School here, the former Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister said banks should neither be timid nor adventurous while lending as the loans of today should not become NPAs of tomorrow. Read on...