Highlights: North Korean troops in Russian uniforms heading toward Ukraine, says US

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2:53 PM

Police summon CEO of Aviva India in religion-based discrimination case

Police officials have asked Asit Rath, the chief executive of British insurer Aviva in the country, to join an investigation into a former employee's accusations of religious discrimination at workplace. Aviva denied the discrimination accusations as being "factually incorrect". The matter stems from a complaint to police on Sept 14 by the former employee, Gurbir Singh, a Sikh who accused company executives of subjecting him to discrimination and derogatory comments because of his religion, police records show.

2:38 PM

Non-invitation to govt events: Kerala lawmaker Chandy Oommen lodges breach of privilege complaint

"Being a local MLA, not inviting me to the programme and not giving me a place in the dias is an insult to my position as a legislative member. So, I raise a breach of privilege in this matter," Chandy Oommen said in the letter. He is the son of the late Oommen Chandy, the former chief minister of Kerala.

2:26 PM

Will secure decisive victory: NCP leader Nawab Malik on Maharashtra Assembly elections

BJP and Shiv Sena Shinde faction are opposing the nomination of Nawab Malik due to his alleged links with fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim. Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Mumbai chief Ashish Shelar has announced that the party would not be campaigning in support of Nationalist Congress Party's (Ajit Pawar) Nawab Malik.

2:22 PM

K'taka Home minister denies claims of actor Darshan's VIP treatment in jail

Karnataka Home Minister G Parmeshwara today denied reports of VIP treatment to actor Darshan, who was lodged in Bellary Jail for Renuka Swamy murder case.

G Parmeshwara said that if somebody is not well in the prison, then the medical team of the prison takes care or they outsource the medical team from a government hospital, denying this a VIP treatment.

1:56 PM

Delhi BJP MPs file writ petition against AAP for not implementing Ayushman Bharat scheme

In a press conference, state president Virendra Sachdeva lashed at the AAP and its convener Arvind Kejriwal for depriving lakhs of eligible people in Delhi of the Centre's health insurance scheme.

1:41 PM

Kerala government to cover medical costs for temple fire accident victims

The Kerala government has announced that it has decided to bear the medical expenses of those injured in the fire accident at a temple near Neeleswaram in Kasargod district. The decision to bear the medical expenses of those injured in the incident was taken in a Cabinet meeting, the chief minister's office (CMO) said in a statement.

1:22 PM

Second high court rules that Japan's ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional

A second Japanese high court ruled Wednesday that the government's policy against same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, the latest in a series of decisions upholding plaintiffs' demands for marriage equality. The Tokyo High Court called the ongoing ban a groundless legal discrimination based on sexual orientation, saying it violates the constitutional guarantee of right to equality, as well as individuals' dignity and equality between sexes. It was a clearer statement than the 2022 lower court decision that described the situation as an unconstitutional state.

1:20 PM

ADM suicide case: Kerala govt, police action correct, says CPI(M)

Kerala's ruling CPI(M) on Wednesday threw its support behind the government's handling of the Additional District Magistrate Naveen Babu suicide case, just a day after the arrest and judicial remand of its leader, P P Divya. CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan said that the steps taken by the state government and the police in the case were "correct" and not a drama as claimed by the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, V D Satheesan.

12:59 PM

King Charles III, Queen Camilla make secret wellness visit to Bengaluru

Upon arrival in Bengaluru on October 26, King Charles III and Queen Consort headed directly to Soukya Health and Wellness Centre in Whitefield.  Soukya is run by Issac Mathai Nooranal, a holistic health consultant with long-standing ties to the British royal family. Read here for more details. 

12:53 PM

Election Commission has exposed Congress's lies: Haryana CM Nayab Saini on rigging allegations

The Congress' lies have been exposed and its attempts to undermine the election process thwarted, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said here on Wednesday, a day after the Election Commission rejected allegations of rigging in the Haryana Assembly polls. "The Hon'ble Election Commission has exposed that lie of Congress," Saini told reporters on the sidelines of the 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas' oath-taking ceremony at the Haryana Civil Secretariat.

12:33 PM

Digital question papers, limited attempts: Panel proposes reforms for NEET

A panel led by former Isro chief K Radhakrishnan has suggested reforms for NEET exams, placing importance on online testing, multi-stage assessments, and enhanced security measures. Read here for a detailed story.

12:28 PM

Kofi Annan appreciated us: AAP hits out at PM Modi over Ayushman Bharat

The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday kept up its attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remark that the Delhi and West Bengal governments have not implemented the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme out of "political interests". "Health is an important issue for the Aam Aadmi Party. We have presented such a model of health that Kofi Annan (former United Nations Secretary-General) appreciated us, and PM Modi has presented a scam under Ayushman Bharat... the CAG has to speak about this fraud," AAP Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said.

12:12 PM

Three Chinese astronauts enter Tiangong space station after successful launch

Three Chinese astronauts, including a woman, of Shenzhou-19 spaceflight mission have entered the Tiangong space station and met with another astronaut trio starting a new round of in-orbit crew handover, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced. The Shenzhou-19 spaceship was successfully launched by a Long March-2F carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China. China built its space station after it was reportedly excluded from the International Space Station (ISS) over concerns that China's space programme is manned by its military, the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

12:03 PM

VBA candidate Anees Ahmed misses filing nomination by few minutes

High drama was witnessed at the collectorate here as former Maharashtra minister Anees Ahmed, given ticket by the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi to contest Nagpur Central seat, missed the deadline for filing nomination by just a few minutes. Ahmed, a Gandhi family loyalist who won the Nagpur Central seat three times in the past on Congress ticket, stayed put at the collectorate till 8 pm on Tuesday, the last day of filing nominations for the state assembly polls, but in vain as his form was not accepted.  Ahmed claimed he had to face various obstacles like road closure, vehicular restrictions and security protocols at the office of the Returning Officer (RO) on Tuesday.

 

 

11:47 AM

'Our stand is clear': BJP refuses to campaign for NCP candidate Nawab Malik

Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Mumbai chief Ashish Shelar that the party has made its stand "very clear" and that even though their Mahayuti alliance partners have the right to declare whatever candidate, they have opposed Nawab Malik's candidature before, saying he is accused of having links with Dawood Ibrahim.