Highlights at 1245 hours

Following are the top stories at 1245 hours:

NATION

DEL12 DL-2NDLD AIR QUALITY

Delh's air quality drops to 'emergency' category first time since January

New Delhi: The blanket of haze over Delhi thickened on Friday morning with the national capital's pollution levels increasing overnight by around 50 points, taking the overall air quality index to 459.

BOM7 MH-SENA

Maharashtra will have Shiv Sena chief minister: Raut

Mumbai: Maharashtra will have chief minister from the Shiv Sena, senior party leader Sanjay Raut said on Friday amid standoff with ally BJP over sharing the top post.

DEL6 MERKEL-TIES

Germany, India have broad-based ties, will build on close cooperation: Merkel

New Delhi: A number of agreements will be signed between India and Germany signifying their broad-based ties and the "very close" relationship between the two countries, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday.

 

DEL5 DL-AIRPORT-2NDLD BAG

Bag with suspected RDX contents found at Delhi airport, security tightened

New Delhi: A bag with suspected RDX contents was found at the Delhi airport in the early hours of Friday, leading to restrictions in passenger movements for a couple of hours, officials said.

LEGAL

LGD3 DL-HC-ODD EVEN

Treat PILs against odd-even scheme as representation and decide by Nov 5: HC

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday directed the AAP government to treat as a representation three PILs challenging the road rationing odd-even scheme, expected to be in force in the national capital from November 4-15.

LGD2 DL-HC-PMC

PIL in HC seeks lifting of restriction on cash withdrawal from PMC bank

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday sought response of the Centre, AAP government and the RBI on a PIL seeking removal of restrictions on cash withdrawals from the scam-hit Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank Ltd.

FOREIGN

FGN9 PAK-LD KARTARPUR

No need for passport for Sikh pilgrims from India visiting Kartarpur: Pak PM

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday announced that Sikh pilgrims from India would only need a valid ID and not a passport to travel to Kartarpur and no fee would be charged from them on the opening day of the Corridor and on Guru Nanak's 550th birth anniversary.

FGN8 PAK-MARCH

Protesters led by influential cleric gather in Islamabad, demand PM Khan's resignation

Islamabad: An influential Pakistani cleric, who is leading a demonstration against Prime Minister Imran Khan, arrived here on Friday to hold a mammoth protest rally, demanding the premier to step down.

BUSINESS

DCM6 BIZ-PMI-MANUFACTURING

India manufacturing activity growth drops to 2-year low in Oct: Report

New Delhi: Manufacturing activity in the country continued to weaken in October, with factory orders and production rising at the weakest rates in two years, a monthly survey said on Friday.

SPORTS

SPF9 SPO-TENNIS-IND

Bopanna progresses, Sharan our of Paris Masters

Paris: India's top doubles player Rohan Bopanna advanced to the quarterfinals of the Paris Master with partner Denis Shapovalov but his compatriot Divij Sharan made a second round exit, here.