Latest LIVE updates: Earthquake of 4.1 magnitude hits Himachal Pradesh

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11:10 PM

Sabarimala temple reopened for pilgrims

10:48 PM

Over 100 roads closed in Himachal following snowfall in high altitude

More than 100 roads have been blocked in Himachal Pradesh following snowfall in the higher reaches of the hill state for the past three days, official sources said on Wednesday. According to the sources from the disaster management department, 90 roads have been blocked in Lahaul and Spiti, six in Kullu, including National Highways 03 and 305 at Rohtang pass and Jalori pass, four in Kullu, three in Kangra, two in Chamba and one in Mandi.

 

10:47 PM

Five foreign tourists injured in road accident in Rajasthan

Five foreign nationals were grievously injured after the SUV in which they were travelling collided head-on with a speeding car in Rajasthan's Sawai Madhopur district on Wednesday, officials said. The accident took place on Khandar road when the foreign nationals were going to the Ranthambore National Park for an evening safari, they said. Due to the impact of the collision, one of the rear tyres of the SUV popped out and the tourists fell down, while the car fell into a ditch, they said.

10:23 PM

DeMo decision taken to fight fake currency, terror financing & black money, Centre tells SC

10:14 PM

Earthquake hits Himachal Pradesh

8:25 PM

Press Council of India celebrates National Press Day

8:22 PM

Agniveer recruitment drive starts at Purnea Rangbhumi ground and Indira Gandhi stadium

8:16 PM

Indian banking sector resilient: RBI Governor

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das on Wednesday said that despite challenges, the Indian banking sector has been resilient and improved in various performance parameters. At the same time though, he asked public as well as private sector banks to remain watchful of the evolving macroeconomic situation and take necessary mitigating measures to minimise their impact on balance sheets and contain financial stability risks. Das made these remarks during a review meeting with Chairpersons of public sector banks and some private sector banks, which was also attended by other senior officials of the RBI.

7:12 PM

Congress releases the final list of 37 candidates for Gujarat Assembly polls.

7:11 PM

'United by friendship,' tweets UK PM

United by friendship

एक मज़बूत दोस्ती

7:09 PM

India's first private rocket set to be launched on Nov 18

Indian Space Research Organisation is all set for the maiden launch of the country's first privately developed rocket "Vikram-S" by space startup Skyroot Aerospace on November 18 from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. Skyroot Aerospace has become the first private space company in India giving wings to the space programme, after the sector was opened up in 2020 by the Centre to facilitate the private players. The maiden sub-orbital launch of the rocket was rescheduled to the forenoon of November 18 from the earlier planned November 15 due to inclement weather conditions, Skyroot said.

7:09 PM

HC adjourns Twitter's plea against govt blocking orders to Dec 12

The Karnataka High Court has adjourned the hearing of the petition filed by microblogging site Twitter against the Central government's takedown orders to December 12. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology sought time to present its arguments in the case following which Justice Krishna S Dixit adjourned the case on Wednesday. Twitter has approached the High Court challenging the several blocking directions issued to it to remove tweets, accounts and URLs on the platform.

7:07 PM

Covid-19: DGCA lifts mask mandate for air travel, says its no longer compulsory

The Civil Aviation Ministry on November 16 said the use of masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is no longer compulsory during air travel but passengers should preferably use them. The announcement came amid a declining number of coronavirus cases in the country.

 

Till now, the use of masks or face covers while travelling on flights was mandatory.

 

In a communication to the scheduled airlines, the ministry said the latest decision has been taken in line with the government's policy of a graded approach to COVID-19 management response.

3:00 PM

India likely to import 64% less soyabean; nil soyabean meal in 2022-23: SOPA

India's soyabean import is pegged lower by 64 per cent at 2 lakh tonnes in the 2022-23 season on prospects of higher domestic production, industry body SOPA said on Wednesday.

The country had imported 5.55 lakh tonnes of soyabean during the 2021-22 season (October-September), it said. According to the Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA), the domestic production of soyabean is estimated to increase to 120.40 lakh tonnes in the 2022-23 season when compared with 118.89 lakh tonnes last season.

2:41 PM

Gujarat Assembly polls: BJP uprooted appeasement politics and established rule of law: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the BJP ended "appeasement politics" and established the rule of law in Gujarat during its 27-year rule and slammed Congress on various issues.

 

Shah alleged the Congress used to mock Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its cadres over the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya and asked Rahul Gandhi to visit the temple, which he said will be ready for inauguration in January 2024.

2:28 PM

NATO holds emergency talks after missile lands in Poland

Ambassadors from the 30 NATO nations gathered in Brussels Wednesday for emergency talks after Poland said that a Russian-made missile fell on its territory, killing two people, and US President Joe Biden and his allies promised support for the investigation into the incident.

 

The blast came as Russia launched widespread aerial strikes across Ukraine and immediately raised concern and confusion about whether Russia might be broadening the war it launched against Ukraine in February, potentially dragging NATO into the conflict.

2:08 PM

India's G-20 presidency will be inclusive, ambitious and action-oriented, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India's G-20 presidency will be inclusive, ambitious, decisive, and action-oriented, noting that the country is taking the charge at a time when the world is grappling with geopolitical tensions, economic slowdown and rising food and energy prices.

 

India was handed over the presidency of the influential bloc at the end of the two-day G-20 summit here which was hosted by Indonesia.

1:58 PM

PM Modi holds 'fruitful' talks with German Chancellor Scholz

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held "fruitful" talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the sidelines of the G-20 summit here and the two leaders examined ways to expand bilateral economic engagement and defence collaboration.

 

This is the third time that Modi and Scholz have met this year. In a tweet, Modi said he was "delighted" to meet the German Chancellor.

1:52 PM

No difference in condition of roads in Maharashtra and Bihar: Jairam Ramesh takes dig at Centre

AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh, who is walking with Rahul Gandhi in Bharat Jodo Yatra, on Wednesday said the condition of roads in Maharashtra and Bihar is equally bad and took a dig at the Central government over the road construction.

 

Talking to reporters in Washim, Ramesh said the condition of roads in Maharashtra is bad unlike in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. He said he experienced difficulty in walking on roads in Maharashtra leg of the foot march.

1:48 PM

Gujarat HC warns Morbi civic body, asks to either file reply or pay Rs 1 lakh fine

The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday hauled up the Morbi Nagar palika for its "casual" approach towards a PIL filed in connection with the bridge collapse which claimed over 140 lives on October 30.

 

A first division bench comprising Chief Arvind Kumar and Justice A.J. Shastri pulled up Morbi Nagar palika for not filing a reply despite the court keeping a special hearing. "Don't take this matter casually, the nagarpalika is asked to file a reply before 4.30 p.m. today or face Rs one lakh fine," the bench said in its order.

1:46 PM

Close India-France ties 'force of great global good': PM Modi after talks with Macron

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held "fruitful" talks with French President Emmanuel Macron over a working lunch with a focus on ramping up cooperation in areas of defence, nuclear energy, trade and food security.

 

After the meeting that took place on the sidelines of the G-20 summit here, Modi said close India-France ties are a "force of great global good". It is understood that the Ukraine conflict and its implications including on food and energy security figured in the talks.

1:36 PM

President Droupadi Murmu, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan visit tribal museum in Bhopal

President Droupadi Murmu along with state Governor Mangubhai Patel and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday visited a tribal museum in Bhopal.

 

President Droupadi Murmu who is on a two-day visit to Madhya Pradesh from November 15 said that the people of Madhya Pradesh have made invaluable contributions to Indian culture and developmental journey.

1:19 PM

India takes over G20 presidency for 2023, PM Modi extends invitation

As the G20 Summit in Bali ended on Wednesday, Indonesia handed over the presidency for the coming year to India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who took over the "key" from Indonesian president Joko Widodo extended the invitation to all the member countries. India will officially assume the presidency on December 1. 

He added that digital transformation is the "most remarkable change" of this era, and its benefits should reach everyone. 

"During its G-20 Presidency next year, India will work jointly with G-20 partners towards this objective. The principle of 'Data for development' will be an integral part of the overall theme of our Presidency 'One Earth, One Family, One Future'," Modi said.

1:06 PM

Gujarat Assembly polls: Amit Shah, CM Bhupendra Patel hold roadshow in Ghatlodiya

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Bhupendra Patel on Wednesday held a roadshow in Ghatlodya in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, ahead of nomination filing by the Chief Minister for upcoming Assembly elections.

Shah will accompany Patel during the filing of nominations for the polls.

Earlier on Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah exuded confidence in the BJP forming government in the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections and said that the party will "break all records and win with the most number of seats".

12:51 PM

Missile 'most likely produced in Russia', says Poland president Andrzej Duda

Poland does not have any conclusive evidence on who fired the missile that caused an explosion in the Przedwodow village near Ukraine's border, president Andrzej Duda said on Wednesday, ANI reported.

In an address, Andrzej Duda said that the missile was "most likely produced in Russia," CNN reported.

During his address from the Bureau of National Security in Warsaw, Duda said that Poland is working in a "very calm manner," as per the CNN report. Duda announced that Poland has raised the alert status for its military, the ANI reported.

12:41 PM

Mizoram stone quarry collapse: Toll rises to 10, PM announces ex gratia for kin of deceased

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each of those who lost their lives in the stone quarry collapse in Mizoram.

 

He also said the injured persons in the tragic incident would be given Rs 50,000 each.

12:36 PM

NASA's mightiest rocket lifts off 50 years after Apollo

NASA's new moon rocket blasted off on its debut flight with three test dummies aboard early Wednesday, bringing the US, a big step closer to putting astronauts back on the lunar surface for the first time since the end of the Apollo programme 50 years ago.

 

If all goes well during the three-week, make-or-break shakedown flight, the rocket will propel an empty crew capsule into a wide orbit around the moon, and then the capsule will return to Earth with a splashdown in the Pacific in December.

12:32 PM

Maken expresses unwillingness to continue as Congress' Rajasthan in-charge: Report

Congress leader Ajay Maken has written to party president Mallikarjun Kharge, expressing his unwillingness to continue as the in-charge of Rajasthan, sources said on Wednesday.

 

In his one-page letter on November 8, Maken cited the developments on September 25, which warrants the party's interest in having a new in-charge of Rajasthan.

12:21 PM

Bombay HC orders fresh testing of J&J baby powder; allows company to manufacture but not sell it

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday ordered for fresh testing of Johnson & Johnson baby powder samples and permitted the company to manufacture the product but to not sell it, as per the Maharashtra government order.

 

The company had filed a petition challenging two orders of the state government- one dated September 15 cancelling the license and the second dated September 20 ordering to immediately stop manufacturing and sale of the company's baby powder product.

 

12:09 PM

Over 68.5 million IT returns filed for FY22 so far

Over 68.5 million income tax returns have been filed so far for fiscal 2021-22 and the number is expected to go up further by December 31, a senior official said.

 

The last date for filing income tax returns (ITRs) for 2021-22 fiscal for individuals was July 31, while for corporates and others who need to get their accounts audited was November 7, 2022.