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12:23 PM

Vistara announces non-stop flights between Mumbai and Muscat

Vistara on Saturday announced non-stop flights between Mumbai and Muscat, the capital of Oman, starting from December 12.

Vistara will operate daily flights between the two cities using its A320neo aircraft and will be the only airline to offer the choice of premium economy class on the route, in addition to Business and Economy Class.

Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer, Vistara, said: "We are excited to expand our presence in the Middle East with the addition of Muscat as the fourth city in the region. Given the strong bilateral ties and the thriving trade and investment relations between India and Oman, this new route will further aid the growing traffic between the two countries.

12:03 PM

Other teams can explore having different coaches across formats: Buttler

Indian cricket has always had one coach across formats but in England, it is practically impossible to have one coach manning three different teams, feels skipper Jos Buttler.

England have already enjoyed some success with Australian Matthew Mott as their white ball head coach and Brendon McCullum in charge of the Test squad.

In India, where Rahul Dravid is in charge, it is believed that communication becomes confusing with different coaches for white-ball and red-ball cricket.

11:59 AM

Himachal Pradesh polls: 17.98% voting till 11 am

Himachal Pradesh, where the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress are locked in an aggressive direct fight, recorded a voter turnout of 17.98 per cent in the first three hours till 11 am on Saturday, Election Commission said.

The voting commenced on a tardy note and gradually picked up pace in a state where the BJP is eyeing history by repeating its government, while the Congress is urging voters to go by the tradition of voting out the incumbent government.

The voting started on a slow note with only around 5 per cent polling recorded in the first hour.

Till 11 am, the highest polling of 21.92 per cent was recorded in Mandi, the home district of Chief Minister Jairam Thakur.

11:51 AM

India has become center point to world's desires, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Saturday that India has become the center point to the world's desires and programmes like PM Gati Shakti were attracting more foreign investments into the country.

Addressing a meeting after launching several infrastructure development projects here, the Prime Minister said PM Gati Shakti has not only speeded up infrastructure development but also helped cut costs. "Integrated view is of prime importance for infrastructure development. Isolated view taken in the past has caused heavy losses to the country," Modi pointed out. He said supply chains and logistics depended on multi-modal connectivity. Multi-modal transport system would be the future of every city. The PM also noted that "blue economy" has become a top priority for the first time. Port-led development has also become the key, he added.

11:48 AM

Confident that people will repeat BJP govt, says Himachal CM after casting vote

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur cast his vote at Bagshyiad in Mandi's Seraj on Saturday as the voting to elect the new government is underway in the Assembly polls.

 

He asserted that Bharatiya Janata Party will return to power in the state.

 

"I'm confident that people want to repeat this govt. I have started receiving greeting wishes this morning. I received PM Modi's message a while ago, he gave me his blessings & best wishes:," Thakur said.

11:22 AM

Poll body prohibits exit, opinion polls for Himachal, Gujarat elections

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has prohibited exit or opinion polls regarding the Vidhan Sabha elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat from today.

Polling for 68 Assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh began at 8 am amid tight security arrangements on Saturday while Gujarat, which is the native state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will vote in two phases on December 1 and 8.

The poll panel issued a notification on Thursday prohibiting the publication of exit-poll projections in any print and electronic media will be prohibited from 8 am on November 12 and 5 pm on December 5.

11:15 AM

Gujarat Assembly polls: BJP releases second list of six candidates

The BJP on Saturday released its second list of six candidates for the Gujarat Assembly polls.

The six seats from which the saffron party has announced the candidates in the second list will go to polls on December 1.

The candidates, who were able to make it to the second list of the BJP, are Mahendrabhai Padlia from Dhoraji, Mullubhai Bera from Khambhalia, Dhelibehan Maldebai Odedara from Kutiyana, Sejal Rajiv Kumar Pandya from Bhavnagar East, Hitesh Devji Vasava from Dediapada and Sandeep Desai from Choryasi.

Earlier, on November 10, the BJP had released its first list of 160 candidates.

11:05 AM

PM Modi launches infra projects worth Rs 15,233 cr in AP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday dedicated to the nation the Rs 2,917 crore U-field Onshore Deepwater Block project of ONGC in Andhra Pradesh.

It is the deepest gas discovery project with a production potential of about three million metric standard cubic metres per day (MMSCMD). On the second day of his two-day tour of the state, the Prime Minister in all launched nine projects worth Rs 15,233 crore in virtual mode from the Andhra University Engineering College grounds and unveiled a plaque. Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, Union Railways and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, state ministers, MPs and legislators attended the event.

Modi dedicated the 39-km Narasannapeta to Pathapatnam section of NH-326A built at a cost of Rs 211 crore as part of the Srikakulam-Gajapati Corridor. The project would provide better connectivity to the backward areas of AP and Odisha. Modi laid foundation stone for the AP section of six-lane 100-km access-controlled greenfield Raipur- Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor of NH-130CD that will be built at a cost of Rs 3,778 crore.

11:05 AM

78% spike in greenhouse gas emissions in Gujarat; Ahmedabad to get hotter

Climate change is going to have a serious impact on the urban areas, hot days will increase, while rainfall will amplify in Gujarat. To address these issues, municipal corporations need to increase forestation in cities like Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Surat, while chemical usage also needs to be controlled, according to a report.

 

The Gujarat government in association with Vasudha Foundation and other agencies has prepared a climate change action plan for Ahmedabad and Rajkot districts, as per the reporst released earlier this year.

 

As per the findings of the report, "Greenhouse gas emissions have increased by 78 per cent since 2005, energy sector emissions have increased by 71.32 per cent, while there is 7.06 per cent increase in water sector emissions. If business continues as usual, by 2030, emissions are likely to grow by 96 per cent."

10:52 AM

Vice President Dhankhar meets Cambodian PM, discuss bilateral ties

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen on Saturday held discussions on ways to further enhance bilateral ties, including in areas like human resource, de-mining and development projects.

 

Both leaders also witnessed the exchange of four agreements in the areas of culture, wildlife and health. The agreements were signed on the sidelines of the ASEAN-India Summit here.

 

Addressing the summit, Dhankhar said he extended warm appreciation to the Cambodian Prime Minister for the country's very successful chairmanship of the ASEAN Summit.

10:51 AM

India's first atmospheric lab will gather data needed to fight climate change

With the largest forest cover in the country, Madhya Pradesh where all three seasons -- summer, monsoon and winter -- complete their full circle, is going to hold centrestage in dealing with the challenges of climate change once the newly established 'Atmospheric Laboratory Centre becomes fully operational.

Madhya Pradesh based weather scientists associated with the mega project said that the development is a big achievement not only for the state but for the entire country because this Atmospheric Laboratory Centre will help to provide more authentic and accurate data on atmospheric changes in the state and adjoining states.

Spread over 100 acres in Madhya Pradesh's Sehore district, the Atmospheric Laboratory Centre (ALC) will be the largest such centre in Asia. It is being established under the aegis of the Indian Institute of Tropical Metrology under the supervision of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

10:30 AM

Delhi's air quality remains 'very poor', min temp settles at 12.6 deg C

Delhi's air quality on Saturday remained in the 'very poor' category with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 311 at 9 am, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

The AQI was 'very poor' in 27 of the 37 monitoring stations. The AQI was at 351 in Jahangirpuri, 347 in Nehru Nagar, 339 in Sri Aurobindo Marg, 335 in RK Puram and 334 in Bawana.

10:26 AM

India logs 833 new coronavirus cases, death toll rises to 530,528

India saw a single day rise of 833 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 44,665,643, while the active cases declined to 12,553, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday.

The death toll has climbed to 530,528 with eight fatalities which includes three reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprises 0.03 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has increased to 98.78 per cent, according to the health ministry website.

A decrease of 199 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 44,122,562, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent.

According to the ministry's website 219.79 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive.

10:24 AM

Guterres calls for greater equality as world population hitting 8 bn

As the world's population is approaching 8 billion, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres gave a review of the mixed implications, urging the world community to seize opportunities and take actions to bridge divides between the global haves and have-nots.

On November 15, the world's population is projected to reach 8 billion people, having grown by 1 billion since 2010, according to a recent policy brief by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

In an op-ed article published on Friday by the USA Today newspaper, Guterres called the milestone "a testament to scientific breakthroughs and improvements in nutrition, public health and sanitation".

10:03 AM

PM Modi to inaugurate slew of projects in AP, Telangana

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch thousands of crores of rupees worth initiatives and projects in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on Saturday.

 

Among those proposed were inauguration of the Rs 26,000 crore expansion and modernisation of HPCL's petroleum refinery, first phase of the new green campus of Indian Institute of Management Visakhapatnam and a cruise terminal at the Visakhapatnam Port in Andhra Pradesh.

 

He will also address a public meeting.

 

Later, in the neighbouring Telangana, the Prime Minister would dedicate to the nation a fertilizer plant at Ramagundam, besides inaugurating and laying foundation stone for multiple development projects in the state.