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1:52 AM

US long-term mortgage rates fall; 30-year at 2.67 per cent

US long-term mortgage rates declined this week to record low levels for the 15th time this year against the backdrop of an economy ravaged by the pandemic.

 

Mortgage finance giant Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate on the 30-year fixed-rate home loan fell to 2.67 per cent from 2.71 per cent last week. A year ago, the benchmark rate stood at 3.73 per cent.

 

The average rate on 15-year fixed-rate loans eased to 2.21 per cent from 2.26 per cent.

1:20 AM

Trump's move to his Florida estate challenged by neighbour

President Donald Trump's expected move to his Mar-a-Lago club after he leaves office next month is being challenged by a lawyer who says a 1990s agreement allowing Trump to convert the Florida property into a business prohibits anyone from living there, including him.

 

Attorney Reginald Stambaugh sent a letter this week to the Town of Palm Beach saying he represents a neighbor who doesn't want the president to take up residence at the 17-acre property because it would decrease the area's property values.

 

He also asserts that a microwave security barrier operated by the Secret Service is harming his client, who he says is exhibiting symptoms of microwave exposure. He did not give the client's name.

12:43 AM

Earthquake hits Alwar in Rajasthan; tremors felt in Delhi

A medium-intensity earthquake of magnitude 4.2 hit Alwar district in Rajasthan on Thursday, tremors of which were felt in Delhi-NCR, the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said.

 

The epicentre of the quake was Alwar in Rajasthan, according to the NCS.

 

 

The earthquake of magnitude 4.2 occurred at 11.46 pm at a depth of five kilometres, it said.

11:38 PM

PM may flag off Delhi Metro's driverless train soon

Prime Minister Narendra Modi may flag off the country's first driverless metro train later this month in the national capital, official sources said on Thursday.

 

The train will be flagged off on the Magenta Line (Janakpuri West- Botanical Garden) of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), they said.

 

"A proposal has been sent to the Prime Minister's Office to flag off the driverless train around December 25," a source said.

 

"Our driverless metro train, which will be the first in the country, is ready to be flagged off. We have made all preparations on our part," the source said.

9:09 PM

Stormy Mamata battles hard ahead of Bengal polls

Mamata Banerjee was Thursday waging a hardy battle with the Modi government that demanded three of her IPS officers on central deputation against her will, and another with mutinous TMC leaders led by a regional satrap seeking to thwart her bid for a third term in office.

 

As the West Bengal chief minister was busy containing the fallout of an internecine feud in her TMC following a rebellion by a redoubtable Suvendu Adhikari, the Centre shot off a fresh letter to her government to immediately relieve three IPS officers for central deputation.

 

Suitably provoked, a combative Banerjee dubbed the move "unconstitutional and unacceptable" and a "brazen attempt to control the state machinery by proxy", escalating tensions between the state and the Centre.

9:05 PM

'Cold day': Delhi records lowest maximum temperature of the season

Delhi recorded a "cold day" on Thursday as the maximum temperature dropped to 15.2 degrees Celsius, seven notches below normal and the lowest so far this season, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. A "cold day" is when the minimum temperature is less than 10 degrees Celsius and the maximum is 4.4 degrees Celsius below normal.

 

The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative data for the city, recorded a minimum temperature of 4.6 degrees Celsius as frosty winds from the Western Himalayas continued to sweep the national capital. Ayanagar and Ridge weather stations recorded a low of 3.8 degrees Celsius and 3.5 degrees Celsius. The Palam weather station recorded the lowest day temperature of 13.2 degrees Celsius -- nine notches below normal. READ ON...

8:51 PM

Not satisfied with work done by Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR: SC

8:24 PM

Centre seeks 3 Bengal IPS officers, Mamata Banerjee says move 'unconstitutional'

The Centre Thursday shot off a fresh letter to the West Bengal government to immediately relieve its three IPS officers for central deputation, provoking a combative Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to brand the move as "unconstitutional and unacceptable".

 

A defiant Banerjee also declared she will not allow the "brazen attempt to control the state machinery by proxy", in escalation of tension between the state and the Centre.

 

Five days after the West Bengal government said it will not relieve the three IPS officers, the Centre sent a fresh missive on Thursday, asking the state to immediately release them so they could take up their new assignments. READ ON...

 

 

8:03 PM

SC stays Delhi HC order on Bharti Airtel claiming Rs 923 crore GST refund

The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the Delhi High Court order, allowing Bharti Airtel Ltd to claim Rs 923 crore in tax refunds by rectifying its goods and services tax (GST) returns for July to September 2017. The refund was denied earlier by the revenue authorities. A bench comprising Justices A.M. Khanwilkar, B. R. Gavai and Krishna Murari said: "The operation of the impugned judgment shall remain stayed."

 

The top court also sought response from the telecom firm and posted the matter for final disposal in the first week of March 2021.

 

"Issue notice. Dasti, in addition, is permitted. Rahul Jain, Advocate waives notice for respondent. List the matter in the first week of March, 2021 for final disposal," said the top court in its order, which came on the appeal filed by the Centre challenging the Delhi High Court order.

8:00 PM

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan writes to PM Narendra Modi regarding investigation in gold smuggling case

7:26 PM

SC reserves order in Tata plea against tribunal restoring Mistry as chief

The Supreme Court Thursday reserved its verdict on the cross appeals filed by Tata Sons Pvt Ltd and Cyrus Investments Pvt Ltd against the appellate tribunal NCLAT order which had restored Cyrus Mistry as the executive chairman of the over USD 100 billion salt-to-software Tata conglomerate.

 

A bench comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian asked the parties to file compiled written submissions and subject index in the matter.

 

During the hearing conducted through video-conferencing, Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) Group claimed that there was breach of Articles of Association and provisions of the Companies Act in the removal of Cyrus Mistry as the chairman of Tata Sons in October 2016. The Tatas denied the allegations and claimed there was no wrong doing as they were well within their rights to remove Mistry. READ ON...

6:57 PM

CBI books Chennai Port Trust official in Rs 97-lakh bribery case: Officials

The CBI has booked a Chennai Port Trust official, who allegedly took a bribe of over Rs 97 lakh from an elderly man on the purported promise of getting his son appointed as an assistant traffic manager in the trust, officials said on Thursday.

 

It is alleged that K Poopathy, who worked as the personal assistant to the chief engineer of the trust and is currently under suspension, met complainant N Devaraj (63) on a train journey, they said.

 

During a conversation, Poopathy allegedly told Devaraj that the chief engineer has wide powers to appoint people in the port, PTI reported. He allegedly told Devaraj that by spending Rs one crore, his son Sathyaprakash, a diploma holder in mechanical engineering and shipping logistics, can get a job of assistant traffic manager in the port, which is a gazetted officer's position.

6:22 PM

Defence Ministry cleared acquisition proposals worth Rs 28,000 crore: Rajnath Singh

The Ministry of Defence said on Thursday that its Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared proposals worth Rs 28,000 crore, of which acquisitions worth Rs 27,000 crore would be sourced from Indian industries.

 

In a series of tweets, the ministry said that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the meeting of the DAC, in which five more cases valued at Rs 25,000 crore were approved under the indigenous design development and manufacture category.

 

"Five cases valued at Rs 25000 Crore are approved under indigenous design development and manufacture category. Particularly note worthy are the Defence Research and Development Organisation designed and developed Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems (AEW & CS) for the Air Force and modular bridges for the Army," the ministry tweeted.

5:50 PM

BSF kills two Pakistani intruders along international border in Punjab

Two Pakistani "armed intruders" were on Thursday shot dead by the Border Security Force along the International Border in Punjab as the force thwarted three bids of drugs smuggling at this front. In the first interception, two men in their 30s were killed near the Rajatal border post in Amritsar around 2:20 am after the troops on guard detected suspicious movement ahead of the border fence in Indian territory, a BSF spokesperson said.

 

"The Border Security Force (BSF) sentry on duty heard some crawling sound near the fence. He challenged the approaching people in dense fog but he instead heard the sound of cocking the gun by the intruders.

 

"The BSF jawan fired in self defence and later we recovered two bodies of the armed intruders from the spot," BSF Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Bhupinder Singh told reporters in Amritsar.

5:45 PM

Gazipur border (Delhi-UP border) is closed for traffic coming from Ghaziabad to Delhi

5:33 PM

First floating ambulance service to begin soon at Dal Lake in Srinagar

5:11 PM

Trinamool Congress' Suvendu Adhikari quits as MLA, may join BJP: NDTV

Trinamool Congress's Suvendu Adhikari quit from Bengal's legislative assembly on Thursday, he may join the BJP during Union Minister Amit Shah's visit to the state later this week, reported the NDTV.

5:02 PM

PSLV-C50 successfully places communication satellite CMS-01 into orbit, says ISRO

4:59 PM

India contributes $1 million to WADA to support anti-doping research

India has pledged a sum of $1 million to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) towards its scientific research budget to ensure an atmosphere of Clean Sport globally, which will allow the global agency to develop innovative anti-doping testing and detection methods.

 

The money will also be used to further strengthen WADA's independent investigations and intelligence department, a statement from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) read.

 

India's contribution of $1 million is the highest among contributions made by other world governments, including China, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The total contribution of all member nations will be matched by an equal sum by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to create a corpus of $10 million. The decision to build this corpus was made at WADA's Fifth World Conference on Doping in Sport held in Katowice, Poland in 2019. This contribution is over and above the annual contribution made to WADA's core budget by India. READ ON...

4:16 PM

Bangla PM Hasina says India is true friend as both countries sign seven pacts

Premier Sheikh Hasina on Thursday told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that India is Bangladesh's true friend and expressed her gratitude to the country for the support during the 1971 liberation war against Pakistan, as the two countries signed seven agreements to enhance bilateral ties.

 

Addressing a virtual summit with Modi, Hasina said that she is happy to meet her Indian counterpart again, particularly on this month of victory.

 

On Wednesday, Bangladesh celebrated the 49th anniversary of its victory against Pakistan. Bangladesh won the war against Pakistan on December 16, 1971 with Indian support. December evokes in all Bangladeshis the spirit of joy, freedom and celebration as we recall with deep gratitude our Father of the Nation' Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Under whose dynamic leadership we earned our great independence, she said. READ ON...

3:46 PM

Advance corporate tax mop-up jumps 49% to Rs 1,09,506 crore in Q3: CBDT source

3:21 PM

PM Modi will address Farmers' conferences to be held across Madhya Pradesh on Friday: CMO

3:20 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: French President Emmanuel Macron tests Covid-19 positive

3:01 PM

Defence Ministry cleared acquisition proposals worth Rs 28,000 crore: Rajnath Singh

2:53 PM

India-Nepal ties tall as Himalayas, deep as ocean with 'no strings attached': Bipin Rawat

Calling the India- Nepal ties as "tall as the Himalayas and as deep as the Indian Ocean," Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat on Thursday said India's goodwill towards its neighbour comes with "no strings attached", however, without naming China, CDS Rawat warned Kathmandu to be cautious when signing agreements with "other countries" in the region.

 

"...the canvas and spread of cooperation, friendship and people to people contact between India and Nepal are deep and extensive. But in the present age, Nepal is also opening to other nations including China based on its independent foreign policy," said General Rawat at the second annual dialogue with the Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement (NIICE) during the virtual meeting.

 

Speaking on the theme of "Soft Power Dimension: India-Nepal Relations," CDS Rawat said, "India's goodwill comes with no strings attached. Nepal is free to act independently in international affairs but must be vigilant and learn from Sri Lanka and other nations which have also signed agreements with other countries in the region."

 

General Bipin Rawat said it is necessary to strengthen the existing relationship further for the peace and prosperity for both countries who are already "inseparable in every way."

1:54 PM

We will not decide validity of laws today, the only thing we will decide is issue of protest and right to move freely: SC

1:40 PM

Kunal Kamra scandalous tweets: SC order on Friday

The Supreme Court will pass orders on Friday on the contempt petitions against comedian Kunal Kamra for posting scandalous tweets against the top court. Attorney general K.K. Venugopal had already given consent for filing of the contempt pleas against Kamra, IANS reported.

 

A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan and comprising Justices R. Subhash Reddy and M.R. Shah asked advocate Nishant Katneshwarkar not to read all the tweets before the bench, as it has already gone through the contents of the plea. After a brief hearing in the matter, the bench said it will pass orders on Friday.

 

The plea has been filed by law students Shrirang Katneshwarkar, Nitika Duhan, and advocates Amey Abhay Sirsikar, Abhishek Sharan Raskar, and Sattyendra Vinayak Muley. "The alleged contemnor (Kamra) has the following of 1.7 million people. The scandalous tweets of the alleged contemnor were seen by his followers and many of them retweeted the same", said the plea. Citing Section 2 (c) (i) of Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, the petitioners argued that this section is explicit and the tweets published by Kamra clearly show he allegedly committed gross contempt of the apex court.

1:27 PM

Adelaide Test: How Ponting 'exactly' predicted Shaw's dismissal

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting on Thursday predicted the exact way Prithvi Shaw would be dismissed, just seconds before the Indian opener got out for a duck in the first session of the first Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval. Ponting, who was in the commentary box for 7 cricket when play began in the pink-ball Test, explained how Shaw has a tendency to leave a gap between his bat and pad while playing in-coming deliveries.

"If he (Shaw) does have a chink in his armour it's the ball which does come back into him," Ponting, who has been working with Shaw at Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Capitals, said after Shaw defended left-arm Mitchell Starc's first ball. "He's very comfortable playing the ball away from his body. He does get his head in line with the ball but he doesn't commit his front foot to the line of the ball and quite often leaves a big gap between bat and pad and that's where the Aussies will target. Starc will try and swing one back in the gate," he added as Starc started his run-up for the second ball.

1:16 PM

BJP hits back on Rahul Gandhi over storming against standing committee

Rahul Gandhi attended 2 of 14 meetings of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence in the last year & a half.  He's himself absent & then blames govt & all procedure & walks out of meeting in protest. Standing Committee isn't a protest site. Being absent, not disclosing their desired agenda of discussion, & then making insinuations of non-discussion of 'important issues' is an insult to all parliamentary procedures & constitutional institutions. We condemn this attitude: Union Minister Prakash Javadekar

1:08 PM

SC refuses to interfere with HC order quashing detention of Kafeel Khan under NSA

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to interfere with the Allahabad High Court verdict which had quashed the detention of Dr Kafeel Khan under the National Security Act (NSA) and ordered his immediate release. A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde, which was hearing the Uttar Pradesh government's plea challenging the high court's September 1 verdict, said it is a good judgement. We will not interfere in the judgement. However, the observation will not impact any other proceedings, said the bench, also comprising justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state, told the bench that observation made by the high court exonerates Khan in the criminal proceedings.