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4:32 PM

You cannot enforce peace from position of weakness: Jagdeep Dhankhar

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday said one cannot enforce and negotiate peace from a position of weakness and asserted that ideals such as Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam' get meaning in physical terms only when they are elucidated from a position of strength.

He also said that India as a nation can be singled out as a consistent proponent of peace.

"This country has never engaged in expansion," he said.

4:27 PM

UK PM Rishi Sunak hits inflation target amid Suella Braverman's scathing attack

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appeared buoyant on Wednesday as official statistics revealed that inflation dropped to 4.6 per cent, meeting his end of year target to curb price rises against the backdrop of his sacked home secretary's attack claiming his plan is not working.

The target to half inflation from the highs of over 10 per cent when he took charge at 10 Downing Street last year was among Sunak's top five priorities for his government.

The British Indian leader, who undertook a surprise Cabinet reshuffle earlier this week starting by sacking Suella Braverman for repeated insubordination, firmly declared that he will stay the course a day after his former Cabinet minister unleashed a scathing attack on his leadership in a very public three-page letter.

4:14 PM

President Murmu, political leaders express shock, sadness over loss of lives J-K bus accident

President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minster Narendra Modi and political leaders on Wednesday expressed shock and sadness over a bus accident in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda that has killed at least 36 people.

"I am deeply saddened by the news of the unfortunate death of several passengers in a bus accident in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir. I express my condolences to the bereaved family members and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured," Murmu said in a post in Hindi on X, formerly Twitter.

At least 36 people were killed and 19 injured when the bus carrying passengers skidded off the road and rolled down into a 300-foot deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on Wednesday.

4:07 PM

Foreign diplomats witness PM Modi's roadshow in MP

A three-member delegation of foreign diplomats witnessed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's roadshow in Indore ahead of the November 17 assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, with one of them describing polls in India are like a festival that people celebrate.

The delegation had first-hand experience of the ruling party's election campaign, a BJP functionary said on Wednesday.

Michael Rees, second secretary in the Australian High Commission, Bazil M Lyakinana, minister (consular affairs) in the Tanzanian High Commission, and Mayumi Tsubakimoto, second secretary at the Japanese embassy were part of the delegation that witnessed the BJP's campaign for the assembly elections, the official said.

4:05 PM

PM's visit aimed at assembly elections in five states: Jharkhand Cong chief

Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee (JPCC) on Wednesday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly doing politics in the name of paying tribute to tribal icon Birsa Munda.

Referring to assembly polls in five states Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram JPCC alleged that the prime minister wanted to derive political mileage out of the visit.

JPCC president Rajesh Thakur said, "We welcome Prime Minister Modi to the state. The PM visited the birthplace of Birsa Munda. But, the way the stage was saffronised, we can say he (PM) did not come to pay tribute to him, but to derive political mileage for the elections being conducted in five states."

2:50 PM

Worsening sand and dust storms driving global land loss, says UNCCD

The world is losing almost 1 million square kilometres (386,000 square miles) of productive land a year to sand and dust storms made worse by human activities, the United Nations body in charge of fighting desertification warned on Wednesday. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) said an estimated two billion tons of sand and dust enters the atmosphere every year, wreaking havoc across large parts of Asia and Africa and causing significant economic damage throughout the world.

2:36 PM

India's exports rise 6.21% to $33.57 billion in October: Govt data

India's exports rose by 6.21 per cent to USD 33.57 billion in October this year, as against USD 31.6 billion a year-ago, government data showed on Wednesday. Imports also increased to USD 65.03 billion in the month under consideration, as against USD 57.91 billion recorded in October 2022. The country's trade deficit in October stood at USD 31.46 billion. During the April-October period of this fiscal year, exports contracted by 7 per cent to USD 244.89 billion.

2:02 PM

Modi releases Rs 18,000-crore PM-Kisan installment

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday released Rs 18,000 crore as the 15th installment of the PM-Kisan scheme to more than 8 crore farmers across the country. From a function celebrating the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas in Jharkhand's Khunti district, the PM transferred the money digitally to the bank accounts of the farmers by clicking a button. The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) aims to support farmers in meeting their agricultural and other incidental needs. Under the scheme, financial assistance of Rs 6,000 per year is transferred to the bank accounts of farmers in three equal installments. Before this installment, more than Rs 2.62 lakh crore was transferred.

1:48 PM

NHRC to hold camp in NE states to hear human rights violation cases

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) will hold a camp sitting here on Friday to hear cases of alleged human rights violations in the North Eastern states, an official statement said. A national-level conference on sensitising local self-governments on various aspects of human rights will also be organised by the Commission, it said. The Commission will also meet members of civil society and NGOs as well as the press during its two-day visit, beginning from Thursday.

1:35 PM

China and US pledge to step up climate efforts ahead of Biden-Xi summit

China and the U.S. have pledged to accelerate their efforts to address climate change ahead of a major U.N. meeting on the issue, making a commitment to take steps to reduce emissions of methane and other greenhouse gases besides carbon dioxide. The joint announcement came on the eve of a summit between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping that is aimed at stabilizing the rocky U.S.-China relationship.

1:22 PM

10 dead as bus falls into gorge in J&K's Doda district, rescue op underway

At least 10 people were killed when a bus carrying passengers skidded off the road and rolled down into a 300-foot gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on Wednesday, Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar said.

 

The bus bearing registration number JK02CN-6555 was reportedly carrying around 40 passengers, officials said, adding that it skidded off the road near Trungal-Assar on the Batote-Kishtwar national highway and fell 300 feet downhill.

 

A rescue operation has been launched and some bodies have been retrieved, they added.

1:06 PM

PM Modi launches Rs 24,000 cr project for development of tribals

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched the Rs 24,000-crore Pradhan Mantri Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PM PVTG) Mission for the holistic development of around 28 lakh PVTGs in the country.Modi launched the mission from Birsa College ground in Jharkhand's Khunti district on the occasion of tribal icon Birsa Munda's birth anniversary and the third Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas'.

 

12:51 PM

MP polls: Kharge's rally at Amla cancelled as helicopter develops snag

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's poll rally at Amla in Betul district on Wednesday got cancelled as the helicopter that was supposed to carry him developed some technical snag, a party leader said. Kharge was scheduled to address the meeting at 11.20 am but the meeting stands cancelled as the helicopter developed some technical snag, the Congress leader said. The Congress president will address two other meetings in Berasia and Bhopal city as scheduled, he said.

12:42 PM

PM Modi unveils fighter jet used in 1971 war at Raj Bhavan in Ranchi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday unveiled a decommissioned MiG-211 fighter jet that was used in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War at the Raj Bhavan here. Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan and Chief Minister Hemant Soren were also present on the occasion. "Today, our most respected Honourable Prime Minister Shri. @narendramodi Ji inaugurated the Mikoyan Gurevich (MiG-211) fighter jet aircraft at Raj Bhavan which was inducted into the Indian Air Force in 1964 and successfully used in the Bangladesh Liberation War," Radhakrishnan wrote on 'X'.

12:29 PM

Haryana Roadways employees go on strike over death of driver

Employees of the Haryana Roadways went on a strike demanding the arrest of attackers who killed a bus driver after an argument here. The employees, under the banner of the Haryana Roadways Employees' Union, proceeded on the strike from midnight. The protesting employees held 'dharnas' at several bus stands including Yamunnanagar, Charkhi Dadri, Karnal, Sonipat, Sirsa, Hisar and Narnaul.