Latest LIVE: India slams Pakistan for raking up Kashmir issue at UNGA

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3:01 PM

'Friends of BJP' approached me to join party, I politely rejected: KCR's daughter Kavitha

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter and TRS MLC K Kavitha on Friday said some friends of BJP have approached her to join the party, but she refused the "offer".

"I am a decent politician. I want to remain in this country in politics for a very long time. I am not going to name anybody. There have been proposals that were brought to me and friends of BJP, friendly organisations of BJP asking me to join the party and the proposed model called 'Shinde model'," Kavitha said replying to a query on media reports suggesting that she was approached by BJP inviting her into the party.

2:14 PM

Use of cryptocurrency, virtual assets new ways to radicalise youth: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday highlighted the use of 'darknet' by terrorists to spread radical content and said that there is a need to find solutions to the darknet patterns which has also witnessed an uptick in the use of cryptocurrency.

"To confront terrorism, we have made significant progress in fortifying the security architecture and the legal and financial systems. In spite of this, terrorists are constantly finding new ways to carry out violence, radicalise youth and raise financial resources. Terrorists are using the darknet to spread radical content and conceal their identities. Additionally, there is an increase in the use of virtual assets like cryptocurrency. We need to understand the patterns of these darknet activities and find their solutions," the home minister said, addressing the 3rd 'No Money for Terror' ministerial conference.

 

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1:59 PM

All SC benches to hear 10 matrimonial transfer cases, 10 bail pleas every day: CJI

Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud on Friday said the Supreme Court, in its full court meeting, has decided that all the 13 benches will hear 10 transfer petitions pertaining to matrimonial disputes and equal number of bail petitions daily in a bid to lessen the pendency of cases. At the start of the proceedings, the bench said the decision has been taken at a meeting of all apex court judges.

"After a full court meeting, we have decided that each Bench will take up 10 transfer petitions, which are family matters, followed by 10 bail matters every day to dispose of all such matters before the winter vacation," the CJI said, adding bail matters needed to be given primacy as they pertained to personal liberty.

1:42 PM

TRS workers attack BJP MP Dharmapuri Arvind's residence in Hyderabad

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) workers attacked the residence of BJP MP Dharmapuri Arvind in Hyderabad on Friday in protest against some personal remarks made by him against Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his daughter and party MLC K Kavitha.

The ruling party workers barged into the Nizamabad MP's house in Banjara Hills, broke window panes and ransacked the furniture. They raised slogans against Arvind and burnt his effigy. They vent their anger over Aravind's personal comments against KCR and Kavitha.

1:17 PM

Govt releases draft of new data protection bill

Govt releases the draft of a new comprehensive data protection bill, three months after withdrawing a previous bill that had alarmed big technology companies, Reuters reported.

 

The new measure, now up for public consultation, is expected to be presented in the next session of Parliament.

The bill proposes to impose a fine of Rs 250 crore if safety of data compromised.

1:10 PM

Terrorism should not be linked to any religion: Home Minister Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah Friday said financing of terrorism is more dangerous than terrorism the threat. He also said terrorism cannot and should not be linked to any religion, nationality or group.

Shah said terrorists are constantly finding new ways to carry out violence, radicalise youth and raise financial resources and the darknet is being used by terrorists to spread radical content and conceal their identities.

"Terrorism is, undoubtedly, the most serious threat to global peace and security. But I believe that the financing of terrorism is more dangerous than terrorism itself because the 'means and methods' of terrorism are nurtured from such funding.

12:19 PM

Maha: Defamation case filed against Rahul Gandhi for 'derogatory' remarks against Savarkar

The police in Thane city of Maharashtra have registered a case of defamation against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his "derogatory" remarks against freedom fighter V D Savarkar, an official said on Friday.

The first information report (FIR) against Gandhi was registered at Thane Nagar police station on Thursday, he said.

12:10 PM

Pak's desperate attempts to peddle falsehood deserve collective contempt: India at UN

India slammed Pakistan for again raking up the Kashmir issue at a UN General Assembly meeting on Security Council reforms, saying Islamabad's desperate attempts to peddle falsehood and its bad habit of abusing the sanctity of multilateral forums deserve the international community's collective contempt.

 

While the UNGA is meeting to discuss the extremely important topic of UNSC reforms, the representative of Pakistan has yet again made unwarranted references to Jammu and Kashmir, said Counsellor in India's Permanent Mission to the UN Pratik Mathur.

 

"Jammu and Kashmir, let me repeat once again for his benefit, remains an integral and inalienable part of India, irrespective of what the representative of Pakistan believes or covets. Pakistan's desperate attempts to peddle falsehood and a bad habit of abusing the sanctity of multilateral forums deserve our collective contempt and perhaps some sympathy as well," Mathur said.

11:35 AM

Elgar Parishad case: Bombay HC grants bail to accused Anand Teltumbde

The Bombay High Court on Friday granted bail to scholar-activist Anand Teltumbde, arrested in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case.

The high court, however, stayed its order for a week so that the National Investigation Agency, the prosecuting agency, can approach the Supreme Court. This means that Teltumbde will not be able to walk out of jail till then.

A division bench of Justices A S Gadkari and M N Jadhav allowed the bail plea filed by the 73-year-old Teltumbde, who has been in jail since April 2020.

The court granted him bail on a surety of Rs 1 lakh.

11:24 AM

NASA's Webb Space telescope spots early galaxies hidden from Hubble

NASA's Webb Space Telescope is finding bright, early galaxies that until now were hidden from view, including one that may have formed a mere 350 million (35 crore) years after the cosmic-creating Big Bang.

Astronomers say that if the results are verified, this newly discovered throng of stars would beat the most distant galaxy identified by the Hubble Space Telescope, a record-holder that formed 40 crore years after the universe began.

Launched last December as a successor to Hubble, the Webb telescope is indicating stars may have formed sooner than previously thought -- perhaps within a couple million years of creation.

11:04 AM

Farooq Abdullah quits as NC chief, says new generation should take over

Veteran politician and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Friday announced that he was stepping down as the president of National Conference. He said it's time to hand over the mantle to the new generation.

There is widespread speculation that Abdullah, 85, will assume the role of party patron and his son Omar, the party's vice-president, will succeed him.

"I will not be contesting for the post of president any longer. The elections for the post will be held on December 5. It is time for the new generation to take over the responsibilities," Abdullah told PTI. "Anyone from the party can contest for the post. It is a democratic exercise," the Lok Sabha MP added.

 

10:49 AM

Australian PM Anthony Albanese to visit India in March

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will visit India in March next year to lock India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) and upgrade the bilateral relationship.

Albanese said on the sidelines of the G20 summit, "I also met with Prime Minister Modi of India, where we discussed the finalisation of the closer economic cooperation agreement between Australia and India, which we regard as being very important for expanding the economic relationship between Australia and India. I will visit India in March. We'll take a business delegation to India. And that will be an important visit and an upgrade in the relationship that we have between our two nations."

10:23 AM

Twitter rival Koo plans US entry

Aprameya Radhakrishna, the co-founder and chief executive of Koo, tells NDTV that the homegrown microblogging platform plans to enter the US market amid Twitter chaos. 

The app, available in 10 languages, was launched just two years ago. It said earlier this month that it has crossed over 50 million downloads.

10:15 AM

PM Modi says certain countries support terror as foreign policy

"Well known that terrorist organisations get money through several sources - one is state support. Certain countries support terrorism as part of their foreign policy. They offer political, ideological & financial support to them," says PM Modi.

10:09 AM

We cannot wait until terror comes to our homes, says PM Modi

10:07 AM

All terrorist attacks deserve equal outrage, says PM Modi

The intensity of the reaction to different attacks cannot vary based on where it happens. All terrorist attacks deserve equal outrage and action, says PM Modi at 'No Money for Terror’ Conference in Delhi, the ANI reported

10:02 AM

Will not rest till terrorism is uprooted: PM Modi

9:55 AM

PM Modi adresses Global Anti-terror financing meet in New Delhi

9:48 AM

Active Covid cases decline to 7,034

India logged 656 new coronavirus infections, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday morning.

The total number of Covid-19 cases recorded so far has reached 4,46,67,967. But there are only 7,034, active cases in the country, the data showed.

The death toll rose to 5,30,553 with seven fatalities, which include two deaths reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprise 0.02 per cent of the total, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate increased to 98.79 per cent.

9:33 AM

BJP releases list of 40 star campaigners for UP bypolls

The BJP has released a list of 40 star campaigners for UP bypolls scheduled for December 5.

The list includes Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brijesh Pathak. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be a part of the campaign.

Bypolls will be held in Mainpuri parliamentary constituency, and Khatauli and Rampur assembly constituencies.

The BJP has fielded Raghuraj Singh Shakya from Mainpuri against Samajwadi Party's Dimple Yadav.

9:11 AM

Delhi's air quality still in 'poor' category; overall AQI at 283

Air quality in Delhi-NCR continued to remain in the 'poor' category this morning with an overall AQI of 283, according to SAFAR.

The national capital was shrouded in a layer of smog.

The AQI was 305 at Gurugram, 314 at Noida, 315 at Delhi University and 266 at IIT Delhi.

New Delhi's air quality had improved on Wednesday but slid to the 'poor' category on Thursday morning with an overall AQI of 249.

9:01 AM

US President Biden urged to craft grand strategy to counter Chinese threat

Two influential Republican senators urged US President Joe Biden to craft a grand strategy to counter the Chinese threat.

"We urge your administration to promptly begin developing a comprehensive strategy with respect to the People's Republic of China," senators Jim Risch and Mitt Romney said in a letter, a copy of which was released to the press.

The United States, they said, must move rapidly to deter China's unabated aggression.

"Key among China's actions are its own rapid military and nuclear buildups, significant violations of freedom of navigation, aggression against India and Japan, and ever-increasing belligerence toward Taiwan -- including its stated willingness to 'reunite' the island by force," they wrote to Biden.

8:54 AM

Approve remote work at 'your own risk': New CEO Musk dares Twitter managers

After telling Twitter employees to be "extremely hardcore" at work or quit, Elon Musk has sent another email to them, daring managers to approve remote work at their own risk. The new email, seen by The Verge, also told employees to do in-person meetings.

"Regarding remote work, all that is required for approval is that your manager takes responsibility for ensuring that you are making an excellent contribution," Musk wrote. "It is also expected that you have in-person meetings with your colleagues on a reasonable cadence, ideally weekly, but not less than once per month."

Earlier, Musk had given employees ultimatum that they have to perform "extremely hardcore" work or leave the micro-blogging platform.

8:42 AM

ED grills Jharkhand CM Soren for over nine hours in 'illegal' mining case

The Enforcement Directorate questioned Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren for over nine hours in connection with an alleged illegal stone mining case.
Soren reached ED's zonal office in Ranchi at 12:05 pm and left at 9.35 pm last night.

According to sources, a team of three ED officials asked him about 100 questions. The chief minister may be again called for questioning.

8:37 AM

Fire at Kolkata's SSKM Hospital under control, cooling process underway

A fire which broke out in SSKM Hospital in Kolkata on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday has been brought under control, said Commissioner of Police Vineet Kumar Goyal.

"At around, 10.30 pm fire broke out in the CT scan room at SSKM hospital and fire tenders were called. Locals helped in the evacuation. The fire is under control, the cooling process is underway. Forensic experts to probe further," Goyal told ANI.

8:35 AM

Mass job cuts will extend into next year, says Amazon CEO Andy Jassy

The mass layoffs that began in Amazon's corporate ranks this week will extend into next year, CEO Andy Jassy said on Thursday.

In a note sent to employees, Jassy said the company told workers in its devices and books divisions about layoffs on Wednesday. He said it also offered some other employees a voluntary buyout offer.

"I have been in this role now for about a year and a half, and without a doubt, this is the most difficult decision we have made during that time (and, we have had to make some very tough calls over the past couple of years, particularly during the heart of the pandemic)," Jassy wrote in the memo.