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11:28 AM

Indian Railways announces 164 special trains for festive season

According to Railway Board's Information and Publicity Executive Director Dilip Kumar, the Indian Railways is going to run 164 special trains on Wednesday to make sure that people are going to reach their destinations on time during this festive season of Chhath and Diwali. "To ensure that people reach their destination on Chhath and Diwali, Railway has made elaborate arrangements. In this regard, on 30th October we are running 164 special trains. These trains will be run from various locations across the country to cities in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh," he told ANI.

11:12 AM

Curb crimes that vitiate electoral atmosphere: ECI to Maharashtra police

Amid the ongoing commotion over the murder of senior NCP leader Baba Siddique, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday asked the Maharashtra Police to be extra vigilant and to keep additional forces in case any untoward incident occurred in the poll-bound state. Kumar made the comments during a review meeting held by the Election Commission that involved the chief secretaries, police chiefs and other top officials of Maharashtra, Jharkhand and their neighbouring states to evaluate the law and order situation.

 

10:58 AM

Microlenders under RBI lens for 'netting off' loans: Details here

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is seeking to uncover the true financial health of borrowers and address concerns over potential loan rollovers. Read here for more details.

 

10:48 AM

Need to re-imagine India's economic, sustainability model to tackle air pollution: Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh stressed it is time to redo The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 to reflect the public health consequences of air pollution and also called for a review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, 2009. Former environment minister Ramesh cited a report by The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change to flag concerns over air pollution. "A new report by The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change has revealed some disturbing findings on air pollution in India: A total of 16 lakh deaths in India in 2021 were due to air pollution," he said in a post on X.

10:31 AM

Fire breaks out in slum area in Delhi's Rohini

A fire broke out in a slum area in Rohini here, officials of the Delhi Fire Services said on Wednesday. no casualties have been reported. "We received a call regarding a fire in some shanties in the Vijay Vihar area close to Rithala at 9 pm. We rushed a total of seven fire tenders to the spot," a senior DFS official said.

10:24 AM

35-year-old man killed by Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur

A 35-year-old man was killed by Naxalites on suspicion of being a police informer in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, police said on Wednesday. The victim has been identified as Dinesh Pujar, who hailed from Putkel village under Basaguda police station limits. "Dinesh Pujari resident of village Putkel under Thana Basaguda area, was murdered by Naxals with a sharp weapon on the night of October 29," Bijapur police said on Wednesday.

10:12 AM

Israel must step in if it bans UN agency that is lifeline for Gaza: UN

The United Nations emphasised that if Israel puts in place new laws cutting ties with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, the Israeli government will have to meet their needs under international law. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a letter obtained by The Associated Press that there is no other alternative to the agency, known as UNRWA.

9:53 AM

A day before Diwali, Delhi has the fourth worst AQI in India

Delhi's air quality index (AQI) stood at 273 on Wednesday, indicating a ‘poor’ level. As of 8 am, pollution levels across various monitoring stations ranged from poor to very poor, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Read here for more details.

9:40 AM

Two Israeli airstrikes in northern Gaza strip kill 88, say officials

Two Israeli airstrikes in the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday killed at least 88 people, including dozens of women and children, health officials said.  The director of a hospital said life-threatening injuries were going untreated because a weekend raid by Israeli forces led to the detention of dozens of medics.

9:36 AM

Passenger luggage beyond permissible limit to attract fine: Western Railway

Days after a stampede at the Bandra Terminus here, the Western Railway has said a penalty will be imposed if the luggage of passengers exceeds the permissible limit for their respective travel class and urged people not to overcrowd stations. "Western Railway urges all passengers to avoid overcrowding at stations and to enter premises only as necessary, in accordance with train schedules, while adhering to the established luggage limits," the release stated.

 

9:16 AM

Welcome any reduction in tension along India-China border, says US

We are closely following the developments (between India and China). We understand that both countries have taken initial steps to withdraw troops from friction points along the Line of Actual Control. We welcome any reduction in tensions along the border, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference on Tuesday.

9:08 AM

PM Modi to visit Gujarat today, set to launch projects worth Rs 280 cr

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of various infrastructural and development projects worth over Rs 280 crore in Ekta Nagar in Narmada district. Later, PM Modi will address the Officer Trainees of the 99th Common Foundation Course in Aarambh 6.0.

9:06 AM

India facing threat of climate-sensitive diseases, heat exposure, says Lancet report

India faces the risk of climate-sensitive infectious diseases, according to a report by the eighth Lancet Countdown on health and climate change. The spread of these diseases warrants the demand for improved forecasting, strengthened healthcare infrastructure, and enhanced community awareness.

8:46 AM

Disengagement process between India, China in Demchok, Depsang almost over

The disengagement process between the Indian and Chinese troops, initiated a few days ago, is almost over in Depsang and Demchok, news agencies reported. Indian and Chinese troops are verifying the vacation of positions and removal of infrastructure by each other there.