LIVE: Court acquits Umar Khalid in Delhi riots case, to stay in custody

Special Public Prosecutor Madhukar Pandey confirmed that Umar Khalid and Khalid Saifi were discharged in the matter by the court of Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala

7:57 PM

President Droupadi Murmu on two-day visit to Andhra Pradesh from Sunday

President Droupadi Murmu will visit Andhra Pradesh from December 4 to 5, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a statement on Saturday.

 

The President will attend a civic reception hosted in her honour by the Andhra Pradesh government at Vijayawada on Sunday, it said.

7:40 PM

JNU has adopted nationalism, leftist agenda on campus won't succeed anymore: VHP

The VHP on Saturday described as "coward leftist" those who wrote anti-Brahmin slogans in the JNU and asserted that such activities will never succeed in disrupting "peace and amity" on the campus.

 

It said that the university has adopted the idea of "nationalism and social harmony" which cannot be undermined by such slogans. In a video statement, VHP working president Alok Kumar also said he was confident that the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration and Delhi police will conduct a probe into the incident and take legal action against them.

7:28 PM

TMC's Abhishek Banerjee dares BJP's Adhikary on home grounds, points out

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday mocked BJP's Suvendu Adhikary calling him as 'Reservation Against Cancellation' (RAC) Leader of the Opposition, pointing out that the BJP leader's victory was under a legal challenge in courts of law.

 

Alleging that Adhikary had won the assembly election against Mamata Banerjee in 2021 by resorting to unfair means, Banerjee claimed fresh elections would see the locals defeating the former TMC leader-turned BJP strongman befittingly.

 

7:19 PM

Be ready for 'big battle': Suvendu to BJP workers ahead of rural polls

Leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday asked BJP workers to be prepared for a "big battle" with an eye on the panchayat polls, due to be held early next year.

 

Addressing a rally in South 24 Parganas's Diamond Harbour -- the constituency of TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, Adhikari alleged that BJP candidates were not allowed to file their nominations in the 2018 panchayat polls in the district.

6:56 PM

Delhi's max temp settles at 26.4 deg C, AQI 'very poor'

Air quality in the national capital continued to remain in the "very poor" category on Saturday, while the maximum temperature settled a notch above the season's average at 26.4 degrees Celsius, the Met office said.

 

Delhi residents woke up to a cold morning on Saturday as the minimum temperature settled at 8.4 degrees Celsius, one notch below the season's average, according to an India Meteorological Department (IMD).

6:31 PM

Gold worth Rs 4 cr seized at Mangaluru Airport in November: Officials

Customs officials at the Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) have in different cases seized 7,692 gm of gold worth over Rs 4 crore between November 1 and 30.

 

A total of 10 people were taken into custody in connection with the cases, a Customs release here said Saturday.

 

6:16 PM

4 killed, 3 injured as car falls into gorge in Uttarakhand's Almora

Four people including two women were killed when a car carrying members of a marriage party fell into a gorge in Uttarakhand's Almora district on Saturday, police said.

 

The accident occurred on Sheraghad road killing Jayant Singh (65), Seema (36), Anita (32) and her 10-year-old son Samar on the spot, SDRF sub-inspector Rajesh Joshi said.

5:55 PM

Navy aims to become self-reliant by 2047: Navy Chief Admiral Kumar

The Indian Navy is contemplating whether to go for indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC) II or prefer a repeat order for the IAC I, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar said on Saturday while setting a timeline of 2047 for making his force 'Atmanirbhar' (self-reliant).

 

Addressing a press conference ahead of Navy Day, Admiral Kumar said the proposed procurement of a fleet of Predator drones from the US is under process and that the Navy is on course for a major capability enhancement to deal with myriad security challenges.

5:33 PM

Umar Khalid acquitted in 2020 Delhi riots case along with Khalid Saifi

A court discharged former JNU student Umar Khalid and United Against Hate founder Khalid Saifi in a case related to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots.

 

The FIR in the case was registered on the basis of the statement of Constable Sangram Singh who said a riotous mob had pelted stones on Main Karawal Nagar Road, besides setting ablaze several vehicles in a nearby parking lot on February 24, 2020.

5:16 PM

Britain nears bottom of the heap for economic growth potential: Economist

Britain’s growth potential has fallen behind every large economy except Mexico due to collapsing productivity and severe labor market shortages, according to former Bank of England rate-setter Michael Saunders.

Saunders, who finished his term at the UK central bank in August and is now senior economic adviser at Oxford Economics, said his analysis of 43 country forecasts by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development showed the UK’s economic “speed limit” will be the second lowest in the group for the period from 2020 to 2024.

4:40 PM

FIR lodged against Azam Khan for commenting against police, EC

Senior SP leader Azam Khan has landed in fresh trouble with the Rampur administration lodging a case accusing him of using provocative words against police and the Election Commission during an election meeting two days ago.

 

The FIR was lodged Friday evening at Kotwali Police Station on the complaint of one Sujesh Kumar Sagar, the in-charge of the video surveillance team set up by a poll panel for the Rampur by-election.

4:27 PM

Tight security arrangements put in place for MCD elections on Sunday

Around 40,000 police personnel, 20,000 home guards as well as 108 companies of paramilitary and state armed police forces will be deployed to ensure smooth conduct of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi election on Sunday, officials said.

 

Sixty drones will also be used to ensure law and order in sensitive areas, police said. Increasing visibility, preventing the chances of communal flare-ups and checking candidates from luring voters by illegal means will be the focus of the police for the civic elections in 250 wards.

4:10 PM

Govt allows sale of electoral bonds through 29 SBI branches from Dec 5-12

The Government on Saturday authorised sale and encashment of electoral bonds through 29 branches of State Bank of India (SBI) across the country between December 5 and December 12, 2022.

As per provisions of the electoral bonds scheme, these can be purchased by a person who is a citizen of India or incorporated or established in India.

3:57 PM

Bank of Baroda approves Rs 134 crore agri-loans to farmers in Tamil Nadu

Public sector Bank of Baroda has sanctioned over Rs 100 crore worth of agricultural loans in Tamil Nadu during its 15-day farmer outreach programme held here recently.

 

At the fifth edition of 'Baroda Kisan Pakhwada' held between November 15 and 30, as many as 161 semi-urban and rural branches of the bank took part. More than 20,000 farmers across Tamil Nadu received farm loans of Rs 134 crore, the bank said in a statement on Saturday.

3:47 PM

Maharashtra: Uddhav Thackeray demands fixing criteria for appointment of governors

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said some criteria must be fixed for selection of persons for the post of state governors.

 

Thackeray said Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has been insulting revered figures like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and social reformers Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule.