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4:44 PM

Scindia discusses ways to incentivise green steel production, decarbonising

Union Steel Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia held a meeting with five task forces and discussed a range of issues, including incentivising green steel production and financing options for decarbonising the industry. Key stakeholders, industry experts, and government officials attended the meeting to discuss ways to achieve sustainability and decarbonisation in steel production on Thursday, the Ministry of Steel said in a statement on Friday. The meeting was also attended by Steel Secretary Nagendra Nath Sinha, chairpersons of the five task forces and other senior officials.

4:29 PM

India’s fiscal deficit rose to Rs 6.43 trillion in April-August

India's fiscal deficit for the first five months of the financial year that started April 1 was 6.43 trillion rupees ($77.43 billion), 36% of the estimate for the whole year, government data showed on Friday. April-Aug net tax revenues were 8.04 trillion rupees, or 34.5% of the annual estimate, higher than 7 trillion rupees in the same period last year, according to the data.

4:17 PM

Farmers' stir in Punjab: Passengers stranded at Jammu, Katra stations as 7 trains cancelled, 13 diverted

A large number of passengers, many of them pilgrims, were stranded at Jammu and Katra railway stations on Friday as seven trains were cancelled and 13 diverted due to a "rail roko" agitation by farmers in different parts of Punjab. Members of several farmers' bodies began their three-day agitation on Thursday to press their demands such as a financial package for losses caused by recent floods, legal guarantee to minimum support price (MSP) and debt waiver. As part of the protest, farmers squatted on train tracks in many places, including Moga, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Tarn Taran, Sangrur, Patiala, Ferozepur, Bathinda and Amritsar.

 

3:59 PM

China has no claim over Arunachal, state always part of India: CM Khandu

China has no claim over Arunachal Pradesh as the state has always been part of India, Chief Minister Pema Khandu asserted on Friday. Referring to the recent denial of regular visa to three Wushu players from Arunachal Pradesh for the Asian Games in Hangzhou, he said China "unnecessary" tries to bring a "political angle" whenever there is an issue related to the border state. "China has no claim over Arunachal Pradesh. Never in history Arunachal Pradesh has been part of China. It has always been integral part of India," he said on the sidelines of the 36th senior national tug of war championship 2023 that began here.

3:50 PM

India expresses strong commitment towards combating organized crimes at UNTOC Convention

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Friday participated in the two-day UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime Ministerial Conference (September 28-29) at Palermo in Italy. "On behalf of the Republic of Bharat it is a privilege to take the floor. I take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation to the Government of Italy and the UNODC Secretariat for organizing this Ministerial Conference to mark the 20th anniversary of coming into force of UNTOC Convention," MoS Home Nityanand Rai said speaking at the Conference. He further said that India's ancient philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' sees all creation as a family.

3:36 PM

Govt orders probe into Tamil actor Vishal's bribery allegations against CBFC

Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Friday said the government has "zero tolerance" for corruption and has initiated an inquiry into the claim by Tamil actor Vishal that he paid Rs 6.5 lakh bribe to obtain censor certification of the Hindi version of his film 'Mark Antony'. On Thursday the actor took to social media application X to allege that officials from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) Mumbai office had demanded Rs 6.5 lakh in exchange for the screening and granting of a U/A certificate for his film.

2:55 PM

Stir in Punjab: Trains hit; some farmers block Chandigarh-Ambala NH

Farmers in large numbers squatted on rail tracks in parts of Punjab on Friday, while another group of cultivators blocked the Chandigarh-Ambala national highway as part of their stir to demand a financial package for losses incurred in floods, a legal guarantee to MSP and a sweeping debt waiver.

As part of the three-day 'rail roko' protest, farmers squatted on the Amritsar-Delhi railway track in Devidas Pura, while in Hoshiarpur, members of the Azad Kisan Committee, Doaba, sat on dharna at the local railway station.

2:46 PM

India to be third-largest economy by 2027: Amit Shah expresses confidence

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday expressed confidence that India will be the world's third-largest economy by 2027.

Addressing the 118th Annual Session of the PHDCCI at Vigyan Bhawan here, the Home Minister urged the industry to make more investments in research and development to make MSMEs world-class.

He recalled the success of the G20 Summit, Chandrayaan-3, and Mission Aditya L-1 mission at the beginning of his speech and also referred to the passing of the women's reservation bill.

2:34 PM

magicpin partners NCCF, ONDC to sell essential groceries at low price in Delhi-NCR

Hyperlocal e-commerce firm magicpin has partnered with government-backed NCCF to sell groceries, including onions and pulses, through the Open Network for Digital Commerce at low price, the company said on Friday.

The partnership follows a collaboration of magicpin with National Cooperative Consumers Federation of India (NCCF) for selling tomato at Rs 70 per kilogramme when its prices were above Rs 100 a kg in the market.

 

2:16 PM

SonyIndia says merger with Zee Ent likely delayed, to take few more months

Japan's Sony Group Corp said on Friday a merger of its Indian unit with Zee Entertainment Enterprises, which was due to be completed by end-September, would likely take a few more months.

"This transaction was expected to be completed by the end of the first half of fiscal year 2023, but based on the current state of preparation, we expect completion within the next few months," Sony said in a statement.

1:49 PM

DHL Express to hike prices for parcel deliveries by 6.9% from next year

Logistics firm DHL Express will hike the prices for parcel deliveries by an average of 6.9 per cent in India from next year as part of its annual price adjustment exercise, the company said on Friday.

 

Prices are adjusted on an annual basis, taking into consideration various factors, including inflation, DHL Express said. "The average increase in India will be 6.9 per cent and it will take effect on January 1, 2024," the company said, adding that a number of services and surcharges will also be adjusted.

1:34 PM

Millions take to China's roads, railways in 1st big holiday since Covid end

Many millions of Chinese tourists are expected to travel within their country, splurging on hotels, tours, attractions and meals in a boost to the economy during the eight-day autumn holiday period that began Friday.

This year's holiday began with the Mid-Autumn Festival on Friday and also includes the October 1 National Day. The public holidays end on October 6.

1:02 PM

At least 13 killed, 70 injured in bomb blast in Pakistan

At least 13 people were killed and 70 others injured on Friday when a powerful bomb exploded near a mosque when people were gathering for a rally to celebrate the birthday of Prophet Muhammad in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, according to media reports.

The explosion occurred in the Mastung district, Geo News reported.

12:58 PM

Delhi HC restrains unauthorised streaming of ICC Cricket World Cup

The Delhi High Court has restrained online platforms from unauthorisedly broadcasting and streaming the upcoming ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.

 

The court's order came on a lawsuit by Star India Pvt Ltd and Novi Digital Entertainment Pvt Ltd which operates Disney+ Hotstar platform.

 

The plaintiffs said they have the exclusive global media rights, including the television and digital rights for various ICC events like the World Cup, which is scheduled to be held from October 5 to November 19.

 

They said being one of the most popular sporting events in the world, a large number of websites were likely to indulge in unauthorised dissemination of the World Cup content.

12:52 PM

We will take precautions to ensure no disputes among INDIA partners ahead of state polls: Pawar

The INDIA bloc will take precautions to ensure that there are no disputes among its alliance partners in states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh where elections are due in a few months, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said on Friday.
 

He was speaking to reporters in Baramati.

 

More than two dozen opposition parties have formed the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to take on the BJP in next year's general elections.