LIVE: 25 states/UTs reduced VAT on petrol and diesel so far, says Centre

Covaxin, a vaccine developed in India, was found to have a 77.8 per cent efficacy rate against symptomatic Covid-19, said The Lancet

9:01 PM

Amit Shah in Azamgarh tomorrow, Akhilesh to visit Gorakhpur

Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah will be visiting Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's Lok Sabha constituency Azamgarh on Saturday, on a day the opposition leader will be in Gorakhpur, the UP chief minister's home turf, PTI reported.

 

Akhilesh Yadav will start third leg of his "Samajwadi Vijay Yatra" from Gorakhpur.

 

Amit Shah will be in Azamgarh and Basti on Saturday, BJP's regional vice-president Dr Satyendra Sinha said.

8:35 PM

Over 1.11 billion vaccine doses administered in India so far: Health Ministry

The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country crossed 111 crore (1.11 billion) on Friday, the Union Health Ministry said, according to PTI.

 

Over 52 lakh vaccine doses were administered on Friday till 7 pm. The tally is expected to increase with the compilation of the final reports for the day by late in the night, it said.

 

The vaccination exercise as a tool to protect the most vulnerable population groups in the country from COVID-19 continues to be regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level, the ministry underlined.

8:14 PM

Covid-19: 227 new cases, 2 deaths in Karnataka

Karnataka has reported 227 fresh cases of coronavirus and 2 deaths, taking the total number of infections to 29,91,369 and the toll to 38,140, the health department said on Friday, PTI reported.

 

The day also saw 206 discharges, taking the total number of recoveries in the state so far to 29.45 lakh.

 

Out of 227 new cases reported, 147 were from Bengaluru Urban, as the city saw 62 discharges and 1 death.

8:14 PM

Aim to make Indian automobile sector no. 1 in world: Nitin Gadkari

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Friday said his aim was to make the Indian automobile industry number one in the world, for export of electric vehicles, in five years time, PTI reported.

 

"India's future is very bright, presently our automobile industry's turnover is Rs 7.5 lakh crore. Within five years our it will be more than 15 lakh crore and this is the industry which is generating the highest number of jobs, exports and revenue to state and central governments," Gadkari said.

 

Speaking at the first edition of Ananthkumar memorial lecture virtually, he said his vision and commitment is to make the Indian automobile industry number one in the world for export of electric car, scooter, buses, auto rickshaw and trucks, in five years.

7:50 PM

Pacific leaders agree on vaccines but not on US hosting APEC

Pacific Rim leaders agreed to do all they can to improve access to coronavirus vaccines and reduce carbon emissions, but failed to reach agreement on whether the U.S. should host talks in two years' time, AP reported.

 

U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping were among those taking part in the online meeting of 21 leaders at the end of the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum on Friday, which was being hosted virtually by New Zealand.

 

The focus was on areas in which the unlikely mix of leaders could find common ground. But the failure of the group to endorse a U.S. bid to host APEC in 2023 pointed to the deep divisions that lie just beneath the surface.

7:49 PM

Tamil Nadu reports 812 new Covid cases

7:23 PM

NASA's SpaceX Crew-3 mission reaches ISS

Running more than 30 minutes ahead of schedule, the SpaceX Crew-3 astronauts have safely docked to the International Space Station (ISS), less than 24 hours after launching from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, IANS reported.

 

NASA astronauts Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, Kayla Barron, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer opened the hatch of their Crew Dragon spacecraft Endurance and participated in a welcome ceremony with their new Expedition 66 crewmates, the US space agency said in a statement.

 

The newest crew to the microgravity laboratory is the agency's third crew rotation mission with SpaceX, and will remain on board until April 2022 as part of Expedition 66.

7:22 PM

Pak's Lahore declared most polluted city globally after breaching AQI 700 mark

Pakistan's Lahore has been declared the most polluted city globally after the city recorded its highest ever smog levels as the Air Quality Index (AQI) went above 700, reported local media, ANI said.

 

The Air Quality Index data was released on Thursday and put Lahore on the list of the most polluted cities in the world.

 

The AQI remained above 500 for the fourth consecutive day in various parts of the city which worsened to 700 after 12 pm on Thursday, reported Samaa TV.

7:00 PM

Kerala reports 6,674 new Covid cases

6:59 PM

Delhi air pollution: Central Pollution Control Board advises people to stay indoors

6:22 PM

From people to snakes, rescue galore in TN amid intense rains

During the heavy rains through the week here and other regions of Tamil Nadu not only inflatable boats, but preparedness, determination and presence of mind came in handy for personnel including policemen and women, civic and forest workers who rescued people, animals and snakes, PTI reported.

 

When a resident here was about to be washed away in floods, being caught in a gush of whirling flood water amid pounding rains, alert armed reserve police personnel rescued him despite challenges and by sheer determination.

 

It later emerged that the rescued man, identified as Sudhakar of Pulianthope area had tried to save another man, 40-year old Ezhumalai from being carried away by strong water currents. Ezhumalai, however, could not be saved despite efforts and he lost his life.

6:19 PM

25 states/UTs reduced VAT on petrol and diesel so far, says Centre

25 states/UTs have so far undertaken commensurate reduction of VAT on petrol and diesel to give relief to the consumers, the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas said in a statement.

This follows the decision of the Government of India on 3rd November, 2021 to significantly reduce central excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 5 and Rs 10 respectively, the ministry said.

While doing so, the states were also urged to commensurately reduce VAT on Petrol and diesel to give relief to consumers, the ministry added.

 

5:58 PM

India should focus on supply through reforms: K V Subramanian

India should focus on supply through reforms and capital expenditure to create assets in the economy, said Dr. K.V. Subramanian, Chief Economic Adviser, Government of India, IANS reported.

 

He was speaking about the three decades of 1991 economic reforms at the 3rd Global Finance Conclave organised by the Jindal School of Banking & Finance (JSBF) on Friday.

 

Elaborating on how the economy has grown since 1991, Subramanian pointed out how the country handled the demand and supply line impact during the Covid-19 crisis.

5:57 PM

Cong alleges Facebook used by BJP as weapon to spread hate

The Congress on Friday alleged that Facebook was being used as a weapon by the BJP to spread hate and fake news in the country and demanded that a JPC probe be conducted on the issue and laws be enacted to restrict Facebook and WhatsApp, PTI reported.

 

The party also alleged that India's democracy is being manipulated by an American technology company and demanded that it holds an independent inquiry into the issue.

 

Congress leaders Rohan Gupta and Praveen Chakravarty said at a joint press conference that it is time Facebook stops being used as a weapon by the BJP to spread hate that threatens the country's unity.

 

5:34 PM

Pacific leaders expected to agree on vaccines, fossil fuels

Pacific Rim leaders are expected to find common ground on improving access to coronavirus vaccines and reducing fossil fuel subsidies in their annual summit, being held virtually with New Zealand as host, AP reported.

 

The pledges are among those likely to be included in a joint statement issued at the end of the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

 

It was unclear Friday if the leaders would manage to agree on a U.S. bid to host APEC in 2023 after Russia raised objections.

5:29 PM

Govt sanctions extra borrowing of Rs 16,691 cr to seven states

Seven states namely, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Punjab, Rajasthan and Telangana have achieved the target set by the Ministry of Finance for the capital expenditure upto 2nd Quarter of 2021-22. As an incentive, these states have been granted permission by the Department of Expenditure on Friday to borrow an additional amount of Rs 16,691 crore. The additional open market borrowing permission issued is equivalent to 0.5% of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). Additional financial resources thus made available will help the states in pushing their capital expenditure further. 

 

To become eligible for incremental borrowing, States were required to achieve at least 15 percent of the target set for 2021-22 by the end of 1st quarter of 2021-22, 45 percent by the end of 2nd quarter, 70 percent by the end of 3rd quarter and 100 percent by 31st March 2022. 

Read the release here

4:59 PM

Indian women's team to tour New Zealand ahead of 2022 ODI World Cup

The Indian women's cricket team will play five ODIs and one T20I in New Zealand next year as part of their preparations for the 50-over World Cup scheduled for March-April, IANS reported.

 

The six-match series will get underway with a one-off T20I on February 9 and end on February 24.

 

"The White Ferns will put the finishing touches on their preparations for the upcoming World Cup, to be hosted in New Zealand for the first time in 22 years, when they play India in a six-match series comprising a T20, and five ODIs," New Zealand Cricket announced on Friday.

4:58 PM

EAM meets US Congress delegation, discusses developments in Afghanistan, Indo-Pacific

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday met a delegation of US Congress and exchanged views on the developments in Afghanistan as well as the situation in the Indo-Pacific, PTI reported.

 

The delegation, led by Senator John Cornyn, is on a visit to India.

 

"Pleased to meet US Congress Delegation led by Sen @JohnCornyn today in New Delhi. A productive exchange of views on bilateral cooperation and regional issues, including Indo-Pacific and Afghanistan," Jaishankar tweeted.

4:19 PM

Bomb hits mosque in Afghanistan, wounds at least 15

A Taliban provincial spokesman says a bomb exploded in a mosque during Friday prayers in a town near the eastern Afghanistan city of Jalalabad, wounding 15 people, AP reported

 

Qari Hanif, the government spokesman for Nangarhar Province, said the bomb appeared to have been planted in the mosque in the town of Traili.

 

The Islamic State group has been waging a campaign of violence in Nangarhar Province, where shootings and bombings against Taliban fighters take place frequently.

4:18 PM

IAF contingent set to perform at the Dubai Air Show

3:55 PM

UP to help govt's commitment to fulfilling needs of defence industry: Rajnath

The government is committed to fulfilling the needs of the defence industry, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday, exuding confidence that a strong defence manufacturing ecosystem will be developed in Uttar Pradesh, PTI reported.

 

Singh also praised the cooperation of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in the growth of the defence manufacturing ecosystem in the state and said this system will help in the realisation of the dream of India becoming self-reliant.

 

Speaking at a meeting in the state capital for the promotion of investment in the UP Defence Industrial Corridor, Singh said, The government is committed to meet the requirements of the defence industry."

3:55 PM

Suspected militant arrested in JK's Ganderbal district

Security forces have arrested an alleged militant from Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Friday, PTI reported.

 

The accused was arrested at a police check point erected near Khann in Ganderbal district on Thursday, the police spokesperson said.

 

The suspect, identified as Arshad Ahmad Mir, was booked under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and section 7/25 of the Arms Act as preliminary investigation revealed he was a close associate of terror group Lashkar-e-Toiba.

3:17 PM

Insolvency proceedings can be initiated against state-owned discoms: Power Min

Ministry of Power has affirmed that insolvency proceedings can be initiated against state-owned electricity distribution as well as generation firms in case of default of payment by the creditors, PTI reported.

 

The ministry clarified its stand in a letter written to Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs, earlier this month.

 

The clarification came in reference to a case filed by Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Company (TANGEDCO) against ClRP (Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process) proceedings initiated by South lndia Corporation Pvt Ltd in High Court of Madras.

3:13 PM

11 more women army officers to get PC in 10 days, Centre tells SC

2:54 PM

UP govt approves 735 drinking water supply schemes worth Rs 1,882 cr

The State Level Scheme Sanctioning Committee (SLSSC) of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday approved proposals submitted by the State worth Rs 1,882 Crore for making provision of tap water connections in rural areas, informed the Ministry of Jal Shakti on Friday, ANI reported.

 

As per the ministry, these schemes will cover a population of 39 lakh in 1,262 villages of 33 districts. In the said meeting, 735 schemes were approved by the committee. As per the approval, tap water connections to be provided to 4.03 lakh rural households of the State.

2:52 PM

AAP announces first list of candidates for Punjab polls

2:24 PM

Yogi govt to set up 5,000 health centres in rural areas

The Uttar Pradesh government will set up over 5,000 health and wellness centres (HWCs) to cater to the rural populace, IANS reported.

 

The decision is designed to provide comprehensive primary health care services to the communities closer to their homes.

 

According to the government spokesman, the Yogi Adityanath government has worked in a planned and phased manner to expand the healthcare facilities and improve the medical and health infrastructure in the state.

 

2:21 PM

Bahrain approves Bharat Biotech's Covaxin for emergency use

1:50 PM

Chennai: Residents continue to face waterlogging even as heavy rains stop

1:48 PM

Anil Deshmukh sent to ED custody till 15th November