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2:50 PM

J'khand may witness 5pc rise in aerosol pollution in 2023: Study

Aerosol pollution is expected to rise by five per cent in Jharkhand next year, which may lead to a drop in visibility levels and pose a host of health problems for its citizens, a study by a premier research organisation said.

Such pollution is likely to remain in the "highly vulnerable" red zone in the eastern state, it said.

The study found that emission from thermal power plants was the main contributor to high aerosol amounts comprising particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), sea salt, dust, sulphate, black and organic carbon.

2:49 PM

BJP subverting independence of Election Commission: Mehbooba Mufti

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday accused the BJP of subverting the Election Commission to an extent that it was no more an independent body.

 

She alleged that the Election Commission has become "an extension" of the BJP. "It will do whatever the BJP tells it to do."

 

"Election commission has been subverted to an extent that it is no more the independent body of which the country was proud. Our election commissioners were invited by other countries to seek expert advice on conducting elections," Mufti told reporters in Khiram area of Anantnag district.

2:35 PM

Lotus will bloom everywhere in Telangana: PM Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took apparent potshots at the ruling TRS in Telangana, saying it has 'betrayed' the people and asserted the 'Lotus will bloom' everywhere in the state.

The PM's statement comes ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections in the state, where the BJP is seeking to challenge the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led TRS.

The political party on which Telangana had a lot of faith has betrayed the people, Modi said without naming the TRS and added signals are indicating that Lotus will bloom in the state.

2:25 PM

Voters in HP queue up to elect new govt, 37.19% turnout till 1 pm

From Shimla to the icy heights of Spiti, people across Himachal Pradesh voted on Saturday to elect a new state government. It is a crucial test for the BJP hoping to beat precedent and return to power as well as for the Congress looking for electoral revival.

 

Voting began at 8 am on a slow note but picked up as the day progressed and the sun warmed the winter chill. By 1 pm, 37.19 per cent of the electorate had voted, the Election Commission said.

 

Polling will continue till 5 pm in all 68 assembly constituencies.

 

The highest polling of 41.89 per cent till 1 pm was recorded in Sirmour district, followed by 41.17 per cent in Mandi, Chief Minister Jairam Thakur's home district. The high altitude district of Lahaul and Spiti recorded 21.95 per cent.

2:23 PM

Multi-agency searches at many locations in Gujarat for suspected tax offences; several being questioned

In a multi-agency operation led by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), officials are carrying out searches at around 200 locations in the state linked to more than 100 firms, and questioning people for suspected tax evasion and similar offences, sources said.

Apart from the ATS, officials of the state Goods and Services Tax (GST) department and Ahmedabad crime branch are involved in the mega operation, they said.

According to the sources, the searches are being carried out in several districts of the state, including Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar and Jamnagar, against 122 firms.

2:12 PM

Himachal Assembly elections: 157 polling stations solely being managed by women staff

As part of its firm commitment towards gender equality and constructive participation of women in the electoral process, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar said that as many as 157 polling stations across the State are being managed solely by women staff.

Addressing a press conference, CEC Kumar said, "157 polling stations across the state are such that are being managed solely by women staff. In Hamirpur district, a creche facility has also been made available so that those who come with children don't have to face any issues."

He further said that there are 56,000 Persons with Disabilities(PwD) voters in Himachal.

1:59 PM

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

An all Legislative party meeting chaired by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday said it "rejected" the 103rd Constitutional Amendment providing 10 per cent EWS quota by the Centre, saying it created "caste-discrimination" among the poor.

The meeting, boycotted by Principal opposition AIADMK and its ally BJP, urged the state government to "strongly" register its opinions when a review petition is filed.

The ruling DMK has already announced it will file a review petition against the November 8 five-judge Supreme Court bench upholding the 10 per cent reservation for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). The quota was upheld 3-2 by the bench.

1:42 PM

India has become focal point of world's expectations, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Saturday that India has become the focal point of the world's expectations as "we are scripting a new development story". "The world is looking at us very keenly at a time when many countries are struggling. While some countries are facing shortage of essentials, some are facing energy crisis. Almost every country is worried about its sliding economy," the Prime Minister noted. 

 

Addressing a public meeting at Andhra University Engineering College grounds after launching various infrastructure development projects, Modi said India was touching new peaks in many sectors amid the gloom world over. "This has become possible because India is working by placing the hopes and needs of its citizens on the top. Every policy, every decision of ours is aimed at making lives of common people better," he said. 

 

Modi said India, during the Amrit Kaal, was going ahead fast on the path to progress and become a developed nation. "The development journey is multidimensional. The needs of common people and building better and modern infrastructure are entwined to it," he noted. Observing that the country suffered heavy losses due to "isolated views" on infrastructure development, the Prime Minister said his government has taken a new approach with importance to an integrated view. 

1:40 PM

UK, India need each other now more than ever: Boris Johnson

Ties between the United Kingdom and India will remain on a "phenomenal upward trajectory" under Indian-origin UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, that country's former premier Boris Johnson said on Saturday.

The two countries need each other now more than ever as "we live in dangerous and turbulent times", he said.

Johnson also called on the two countries to finalise a free trade agreement, saying he could not wait till next Diwali for it.

"No mission that I have led has been as successful as the one in April this year when I arrived in Gujarat and was greeted like Sachin Tendulkar. There were pictures of me everywhere and literally thousands of people dancing on the streets," Johnson said in his address at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit here.

Noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he had discussed the future of India-UK partnership during his India visit, Johnson said they had "fantastic talks" and there have been results.

"India has become the number one supplier of overseas students to the UK. There are 1,08,000 Indian students in the UK to support our education industry," he said.

1:29 PM

Ukraine FM: Moscow playing 'hunger games' with world

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba pressed Southeast Asian countries for political and material support in his county's fight against Russia, while accusing Moscow on Saturday of playing hunger games with the world by holding up shipments of Ukrainian grain and other agricultural products.

Kuleba told reporters on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit that with a deal allowing Ukraine to export grain and fertilizer due to expire Nov. 19, the world needed to pressure Russia not to object to its extension, saying Ukrainian products were critical in Africa and Asia.

More than just continuing the deal, however, Kuleba accused Russian inspectors of quiet sabotage," saying they were intentionally dragging their feet in allowing shipments through.

1:19 PM

BJP seeks Giri's dismissal from West Bengal govt over remarks on Murmu

The BJP on Saturday condemned West Bengal minister Akhil Giri's derogatory comments on President Droupadi Murmu's looks and sought his dismissal.

Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda also demanded that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tender a public apology for Giri's comments and also clarify that at whose behest he made such "unfortunate" and "indecent" remarks.

He has hurt the sentiments of over 10 crore tribals and dented the country's democratic values, Munda, a tribal like Murmu, told reporters here.

12:57 PM

Chinese cities reduce mass testing as nation eases Covid measures

Some Chinese cities reduced mass Covid testing following authorities’ announcement of sweeping changes to ease control measures, even as the national case tally continued to climb.

 

Sanya in the southern island of Hainan canceled a city-wide testing scheduled for Saturday, and instead asked residents to make their own arrangements to get tested once every three days, according to a notice posted by the local government late Friday. Fuzhou in the southeastern province of Fujian suspended daily mass testings in five districts for four days from Saturday, according to an official notice.

 

The fine-tuning of local policy came after China on Friday reduced the amount of time travelers and close contacts of virus cases must spend in quarantine, in a significant calibration of the Covid Zero policy that has upended the world’s second-largest economy. Among a list of 20 guidelines for local officials, mass testing is to be conducted only when the source of infection is unknown.

12:48 PM

Kerala govt sends ordinance to axe Guv as Chancellor to Raj Bhavan

The CPI(M)-led government in Kerala on Saturday sent its ordinance to remove the Governor from the post of Chancellor of universities in the state, to the Raj Bhavan for approval, days after the cabinet had taken a decision in this connection.

Raj Bhavan sources confirmed that the ordinance to replace the Governor as Chancellor of varsities and appoint eminent academicians in that role, has reached for the assent of Arif Mohammed Khan. However, it is unlikely for Khan to promulgate the ordinance soon as the tussle between him and the state government over the issue was yet to die down, sources added.

The Pinarayi Vijayan-headed government on Wednesday had decided to come out with the ordinance, a move opposed by both the Congress and BJP. The opposition parties have alleged that the cabinet decision was aimed at turning universities in Kerala into "Communist centres".

12:47 PM

Kerala Guv vs CPI-M govt spat to intensify, as fresh assembly session likely in Dec

The spat between Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and the Pinarayi Vijayan government is likley to worsen with the CPI-M planning to convene the state Assembly next month.

By calling for a fresh assembly session in December which will spill over to January, the CPI(M) will succeed in preventing Khan from delivering the customary Governor's address.

Asked whether it is a "game plan", Party state secretary M.V.Govindan on Saturday told the media that all such things are decided by the government.

12:24 PM

Nawaz Sharif may return to Pak in Dec: PML-N insider

PML-N leaders have expressed confidence that party supremo Nawaz Sharif will finally return to Pakistan in December to lead his party but say that the long-anticipated homecoming will not signal the governments intentions to concede on the issue of early elections, as demanded by the PTI.

A party insider said that Nawaz Sharif, if all remains well, will return in December to take back the reins of the party but said that indications that he will return only close to elections to run an election campaign were not true "as his return does not in any way means that PML-N has agreed to any early elections", reports The Express Tribune.

"The party will not concede on the matter of early elections, come what may. The PML-N, even if it loses its government, will not agree to this demand, and this was final," he added.