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7:14 AM

Telangana polls: PM Modi urges people to vote in record numbers

7:08 AM

Voting underway for 119 seats in Telangana, 2,290 candidates in the fray

7:03 AM

Canada says Google will pay $74 million annually to Canadian news industry under new online law

Canada's government has said it has reached a deal with Google for the company to contribute $100 million Canadian dollars annually to the country's news industry to comply with a new Canadian law requiring tech companies to pay publishers for their content.

The agreement removes a threat by Google to block the ability to search for Canadian news on Googl

6:50 AM

Ten Israelis, 4 Thai nationals released by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners

Hamas released 16 hostages late Wednesday in the last swap for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel under the current Gaza truce, as international mediators raced to seal another extension to allow further exchanges and prolong the halt of Israel's air and ground offensive.

The Israeli military said a group of 10 Israeli women and children and four Thai nationals had been freed by Hamas and exited Gaza. Earlier, two Russian-Israeli women were freed by Hamas in a separate release. Israel was set to free 30 Palestinian prisoners in return.

6:49 AM

Telangana Assembly polls: Ahead of elections, mock polling underway in various districts

6:46 AM

"We're on high alert," AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj on Pneumonia outbreak in China

After an advisory issued by the Centre to all the states in connection to the emergence of a mysterious pneumonia outbreak in China, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj on Wednesday said that although it is not clear in the advisory as to which disease we have to prepare for, but we are on high alert.

"A letter has been sent to all the states by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) of the Central Government. It has been said that in China, respiratory infection is being seen in children, which is like influenza and pneumonia and corona-like symptoms have also been seen in it. But it is not clear in the Central Government's letter as to which disease it is and what is its treatment. It's a general advisory. I believe if there will be a specific advisory in it then it will be easy for the states to take proper actions," the Aam Aadmi Party leader told ANI.

6:46 AM

Directions issued to ensure strict implementation of GRAP-I, GRAP-II restrictions in Delhi: Gopal Rai

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday said all the departments concerned have been directed to ensure strict implementation of restrictions under GRAP Stage-I and Stage-II following a weather department prediction that pollution levels in the national capital might fluctuate.

Addressing a press conference, Rai said, "Keeping the improved pollution levels in mind, GRAP-III restrictions have been removed. However, the weather department has predicted that the pollution level could fluctuate if the wind speed slows. To avoid such a situation, all the departments concerned have been directed to ensure strict implementation of GRAP-I and GRAP-II restrictions."

6:45 AM

Triangular battle set for Telangana assembly polls: Key constituencies and candidates in focus

The high-stakes Telangana Assembly elections, scheduled for Thursday, will witness a triangular contest involving the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Congress. Polling is set for all 119 constituencies from 7 am to 6 pm. 

In the hours preceding voters' presence at polling booths, here's a glimpse into key constituencies that will shape the political landscape. The list of important constituencies includes Gajwel, Huzurabad, Korutla, Maheshwaram, Goshamahal, Mahbubnagar, LB Nagar, Warangal East and West, Bhupalapally, Khairatabad, Amberpet, Boath, Nirmal, Adilabad, Ramagundam, Peddapalli, Kothagudem, Armoor, Nizamabad Urban, Patancheru, Serilingampally, Husnabad, Dubbak, Kalwakurthy, and others.