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9:48 AM

COP27: Call for urgent action to reduce emissions across industry

COP27's thematic day dedicated to Decarbonization called for urgent action to reduce emissions across industry with a specific focus on the most carbon intensive sectors including steel, oil, gas, and fertilizers.

The agenda featured several sessions that launched initiatives including the Sharm El-Sheikh Methane Reduction Roadmap and East Mediterranean Gas Forum decarbonization initiative.

"The climate crisis is existential, overriding and ever present and we need to look at every piece of the puzzle, including the decarbonization of the industrial sectors that underpin the global economy," said COP27 President Sameh Shoukry, commenting on Decarbonization Day.

9:42 AM

"Vote to further strengthen democracy," appeals Himachal CM Jairam Thakur on poll day

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur offered prayers in Mandi district ahead of casting his vote and urged all voters to cast their vote today to "further strengthen democracy".

Polling began at 8 am amid tight security arrangements on Saturday.

CM's wife Sadhana Thakur and daughters Chandrika Thakur and Priyanka Thakur also offered their prayers.

Among the seats expected to see tough competition is Seraj where Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur will be facing Congress leader Chet Ram Thakur and Aam Admi Party candidate Gita Nand Thakur.

Jairam Thakur also urged all voters to cast their votes today.

9:23 AM

Maharashtra: Bharat Jodo Yatra resumes from Shevala village

The Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi resumed from Shevala village in Hingoli district Saturday morning on its sixth day in Maharashtra.

The foot march will pass through Arati village, Pardi Mod bus stand and Kalamnuri zilla parishad high school ground, before halting for the night at the Shankarrao Satav arts and commerce college ground in Kalamnuri, a party functionary said.

The yatra, which began on September 7 from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, entered its 66th day on Saturday and has so far covered 28 districts in six states.

9:11 AM

Polling underway to elect sarpanches, panches in 9 Haryana districts

Polling to elect sarpanches and panches in the second phase of the panchayat polls in nine districts of Haryana began on Saturday morning, officials said.

The polling is being held for the post of 2,683 sarpanches and 25,655 panches in 57 blocks of Ambala, Charkhi Dadri, Gurugram, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Rewari, Rohtak, Sirsa and Sonipat districts.

The voting started at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm.

9:08 AM

Most EU countries set to slide into recession in Q4

European Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni warned that the outlook for next year has "weakened significantly", and that most European Union (EU) countries will be in recession in the fourth quarter of this year.

The EU economy is now "at a turning point" Gentiloni said while addressing a press conference in Brussels on Friday shortly after the European Commission announced that it had slashed its forecast for economic growth next year.

The European Commission's autumn forecast predicted falling economic output in the last three months of this year and the first months of 2023, reports Xinhua news agency.

9:01 AM

Trump files lawsuit to avoid Jan. 6 committee subpoena

Former President Donald Trump is suing the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol to avoid cooperating with a subpoena requiring him to testify.

The suit filed Friday evening contends that, while former presidents have voluntarily agreed to provide testimony or documents in response to congressional subpoenas in the past, no president or former president has ever been compelled to do so.

Long-held precedent and practice maintain that separation of powers prohibits Congress from compelling a President to testify before it, Trump attorney David A. Warrington said in a statement announcing Trump's intentions.

8:40 AM

There shouldn't be any threat to India despite presence of any superpower enter Indian Ocean: SL Prez

Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe reiterated that whatever superpower enters the Indian Ocean, there should not be any threat to India.

Wickremesinghe said that Sri Lanka would not be a party to big power rivalry, specially in the Indian ocean, and at the same time there won't be any objection whether the US, Japan or China being there as long as there is no any threat to Sri Lanka and India.

"The total competition in the world has gone from US and Russia to US and China," the President added on Friday addressing the General Convocation of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University in Colombo.

8:39 AM

Elon Musk critisises "media elite" says, "oligopoly on information" will be disrupted

Twitter CEO Elon Musk has criticised "media elite" and stated that the increased competition from citizen journalism will lead the mainstream media's "oligopoly on information" to be disrupted.

On Friday, Musk took to Twitter and shared a couple of tweets that reflected his thoughts on the current state of journalism.

In the first one he spoke about Twitter's goal of elevating citizen journalism and wrote, "As Twitter pursues the goal of elevating citizen journalism, media elite will try everything to stop that from happening."

8:17 AM

Polling begins in Himachal to elect 68-member Assembly

Over 5 million voters in Himachal Pradesh will exercise their franchise on Saturday to elect the 68-member Assembly in the single-phase poll that began at 8 a.m. and will continue till 5 p.m.

 

"Despite the cold weather and minor hiccups at polling stations at some places, there was no report of any delay in starting the poll process," an electoral officer told IANS.

 

Out of 412 candidates in the fray, 24 are women and 388 men.

 

A total of 5,592,828 voters will elect their representatives. Of them, 193,106 are first-time voters in the age of 18-19 years.

 

8:17 AM

Make new voting record: PM Modi to Himachal voters

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Himachal Pradesh voters on Saturday to enthusiastically participate in the "festival of democracy", a reference to the assembly polls, and register a voting record.

 

In a tweet, Modi also greeted the young voters who will be exercising their franchise for the first time.

 

People of the hill state will be voting during the day to elect a new government, with the incumbent BJP and the opposition Congress squaring off in their bid to form the next government.

8:16 AM

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy calls Kherson ‘ours’ after Russia exit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Telegram that Kherson is “ours” after his forces entered the regional city in a dramatic setback for President Vladimir Putin. 

 

Kherson was part of the territory that Putin illegally annexed in September. He said then it would remain Russian forever.

 

One of the main challenges facing Ukraine’s military now is clearing roughly 170,000 square kilometers (66,000 square miles) of retaken territory of Russian munitions, with Moscow’s forces mining everything from power lines, fields, forests and buildings, Zelenskiy said in an earlier address. 

8:16 AM

Russia bans 200 more Americans from entry

The Russian Foreign Ministry has barred an additional 200 US citizens from entry in response to repeated anti-Russian sanctions imposed by Washington.

 

Of the newly blacklisted are officials and their close relatives, heads of companies, experts and lobbyists involved in the Russophobic campaign and support for Ukraine, the Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

 

Now 1,073 US nationals are under Russian sanctions, including a travel ban, according to a full list issued by the Ministry as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

8:15 AM

Nearly 30,000 security personnel deployed to ensure free, fair polls in HP

About 30,000 security personnel including 67 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and over 11,500 state police personnel will be deployed for peaceful conduct of polling in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday.

 

Polling for 68 Assembly segments would be held in a single phase.

 

About 50,000 government employees are on poll duty.

 

Of the 7881 polling stations, 981 are critical and 901 have been categorised as vulnerable.

8:15 AM

Winter session likely to commence from Dec 1st week in old building

The Winter Session of Parliament is likely to commence in the first week of December in the old building and conclude by the end of the month, sources said on Friday.

 

There is a proposal to hold the session between December 7 and 29 and a final and formal decision regarding the dates will be taken by the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, they said.

 

The Winter Session usually starts around the third week of November every year but this time it is going to commence in the month of December.

8:15 AM

President Biden is eager to meet PM Modi at G20 this year: Jake Sullivan

US President Joe Biden is looking forward to seeing Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 summit this year, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Friday, ahead of India's G20 Presidency which is set to begin on December 1.

 

While addressing a press conference, Sullivan was asked whether Prime Minister Modi will be visiting the White House, replying to which he said, "India is the President of G20 next year, so President Biden will certainly intend to be a participant in G20."

 

He pointed out that PM Modi has already been to the White House since President Biden took office.