Live updates: Farmers can't be blamed for NCR pollution, says NHRC

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5:59 PM

Assam reports 70 fresh cases of dengue, tally rises to 796: Official data

5:26 PM

Nalini Sriharan, one of the six convicts in assassination of former PM Rajiv Gandhi released from Vellore Jail

5:08 PM

Himachal Pradesh assembly elections: World's highest polling station booth witnesses 98.08% voting

4:59 PM

105-year-old woman turns up to vote in Himachal elections

4:01 PM

Jai Ram Thakur will continue to be CM face of Himachal Pradesh: JP Nadda

BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda has said that the current chief minister of Himachal Pradesh would continue to be the CM face if the party wins the assembly election. "The election has been contested under the leadership of Jai Ram Thakur and he will continue," Nadda told ANI. The BJP chief also hit out at the opposition calling its leaders "careerist".

4:00 PM

PM Modi visits Ramagundam Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited (RFCL) plant in Peddapalli district of Telangana

3:59 PM

Climate activists take to the trees to save German village

After the last farmer packed up and left in October, climate activists are the only people left in the village of Luetzerath, Germany, which sits above a rich vein of coal. In huts perched six metres (19 feet) above ground in the trees, the young campaigners say they can hold out against the authorities if they try to clear them out. They are there in an effort to stop the village being bulldozed to allow the extension of a neighbouring open-air coal mine.

3:59 PM

'Exercise Garuda-VII' between IAF and French Air and Space Force concluded at Air Force Station, Jodhpur

3:57 PM

All party meet 'rejects' Constitutional amendment providing 10 per cent quota to EWS

The all-party meeting chaired by TN CM MK Stalin concluded with a stand to "reject the so-called 103rd Constitutional amendment which provides 10 per cent quota to EWS as it's against social justice philosophy of Constitution, SC judgments and because it discriminates against the poor."

"We request TN Govt to register its views to establish social justice and equality properly. We support economic development programs to alleviate poverty of poor,needy and vulnerable people, won't allow true values ​​of social justice philosophy to be distorted," stated meeting resolution.

3:07 PM

Modi heaps praise on people of AP, calls them 'entrepreneurial'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday lavished praise on the city of Visakhapatnam and Telugu people, saying they have earned a special recognition across the world.

"Visakhapatnam is a special city of India. It was a significant port of ancient India and has a rich business tradition. It is also the central point of Indian trade," the Prime Minister said as he launched various development projects here. Calling it a "big day for Visakhapatnam", Modi said on one side an exclusive road to the port was being developed, the local railway station was being modernised and on the other the fishing harbour was also being modernised. "Development of the Raipur-Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor will further boost the economy in the region."

3:04 PM

Nobel laureate Venki Ramakrishnan awarded UK's royal Order of Merit

India-born Nobel laureate Professor Venki Ramakrishnan has been awarded the prestigious Order of Merit by Britain's King Charles III in recognition of his distinguished service to science.

The 70-year-old UK-based molecular biologist is among six appointments made to the historic order by the late Queen Elizabeth II before her death in September and the first to be appointed by Charles.

The Order of Merit is an exclusive mark of honour conferred by the British sovereign.

3:00 PM

TN govt to go for medical, engineering education in Tamil medium: Amit Shah

Batting for medical and engineering education in mother tongue, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday described the Tamil Nadu government's starting such courses as a great contribution to the language.

 

Speaking at the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of cement major India Cements Ltd, Shah said medical and engineering education should be in Tamil and the state government should start that.

 

Home Minister Shah said it will be easy for the students to study in their mother tongue and they can also do research and development (R&D) in their own language.

 

He also said Tamil is the oldest language and the whole India is proud of it.

2:58 PM

Refining Covid rules, not relaxing control, says China

China’s top health officials said a sweeping overhaul to its Covid Zero playbook was a refinement of rules and not a relaxation of controls, dismissing interpretations that the changes were a step toward living with the virus. 

 

Brandishing data that showed cutting centralized quarantine for travelers and close contacts to five days would still catch the vast majority of Covid infections, the officials said a strict attitude toward stamping out infections remains China’s guiding principle.

 

The changes, which include reining in mass testing and banning local officials from over-zealous lockdowns, come from “a better understanding of the virus, and better research and development of vaccines,” deputy head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao said at a Saturday briefing.

 

2:55 PM

Focusing on Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi unlikely to attend Winter Session of Parliament

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi is likely to skip the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament to continue with his party's Bharat Jodo Yatra, said party General Secretary, Incharge of Communications Jairam Ramesh.

The upcoming Winter Session of Parliament is likely to be held from December 7 to December 29, this year.

There will be a total of 17 working days in the upcoming Winter Session.

This will be the first session during which Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who is the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, will officiate proceedings in the Upper House.

2:51 PM

Himachal Pradesh election: 83-year-old walks 14 km in snow to cast vote in Chamba

Electors in Himachal Pradesh are enthusiastically participating in the festival of democracy by casting their votes in the state Assembly elections on Saturday.

Aged voters are also not lagging behind in exercising their right to franchise.

Though the Election Commission of India (ECI) provided a voluntary facility to 80 plus aged electors to vote through ballot papers at their homes, yet several aged persons did not opt for that facility and preferred to cast their votes through the electronic voting machine (EVM) at their respective polling station today.