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1:48 AM

Will ensure free, fair and fearless polls in West Bengal: Governor

Asserting that he is not a party to politics, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday assured the people of the state that 2021 Assembly elections will be free, fair and fairless.

 

"The biggest challenge for me is West Bengal's image related to elections, which is scary...But I assure people that 2021 state elections will be free, fair and fearless. Right step will be taken at the right time. I'm not a party to politics," Dhankhar told media persons at Sarisa in South 24 Parganas.

 

Dhankhar, who has been at loggerheads with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, said that those who oppose free and fair elections will be sternly dealt with.

1:34 AM

Vaccine offers hope but outlook remains uncertain, says Fed's Powell

12:33 AM

Fed to continue bond buying

12:32 AM

Just In | US Fed officials slightly more optimistic on 2021-22 growth

11:51 PM

MEA launches website to boost two-way economic engagement

The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday launched an economic diplomacy website which will act as a two-way funnel connecting Indian nationals' businesses and states globally for enhancing exports, exploring employment opportunities as well as attracting foreign industries and business to India.

 

The website www.indbiz.gov.in was launched by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar who said it aims to provide critical and relevant information on major economic indicators, central and state government policy updates as well as the latest business news and trade data.

 

The website also includes information on global mineral resource endowments, opportunities for agricultural exports and employment abroad for Indian nationals and businesses, he said at the virtual launch event.

11:50 PM

Venezuelan village mourns 23 drownings, seeks those missing

Twinkling Christmas lights have been turned off in the remote fishing village of Giria in Venezuela as hundreds mourn and gather on its shores to await word of loved ones who remain missing after two boats carrying some 40 migrants disappeared nearly two weeks ago.

 

Aboard the boats named My Memories and My Refuge were men, women and children headed to the nearby eastern Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago to visit family members or to buy goods not available in Venezuela given the scarcity of food in their country, according to a resident of Giria who asked that her name be withheld for fear of reprisal from authorities.

 

The travellers were all from Giria, a town of about 40,000 people that is only a two-and-a-half-hour ferry ride away from Trinidad and Tobago.

 

The fatal trip was one that thousands of others had made before them, with human rights organizations estimating that at least 40,000 migrants have traveled illegally to Trinidad and Tobago after crossing a maritime boundary known as Dragon Mouths.

10:51 PM

Facebook criticises Apple privacy policy in newspaper ads

Facebook is again pushing back on new Apple privacy rules for its mobile devices, this time saying in full page newspaper ads that the social media giant is standing up for small businesses.

 

In ads that ran in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and other national newspapers, Facebook said Apple's new rules limit businesses ability to run personalised ads and reach their customers effectively."

 

While limiting how personalised ads can be used does impact larger companies like us, these changes will be devastating to small businesses adding to the many challenges they face right now," the ad states.

10:50 PM

Rebellion brewing in TMC as Suvendu quits as MLA

Rebel Trinamool Congress leader Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday resigned as an MLA intensifying speculations about his switching over to the saffron camp and setting of churnings in the party as several disgruntled lawmakers rallied behind him.

 

Adhikari, the face of the Nandigram movement that added to the political heft of Mamata Banerjee and catapulted her to power in West Bengal in 2011, submitted his resignation letter to the assembly secretary.

 

The TMC MLA of Nandigram constituency in Purba Medinipur district had resigned from the state cabinet last month.

 

Hinting at a brewing rebellion in the party ahead of the assembly polls, Adhikari later held a closed-door meeting with disgruntled leaders including Asansol civic body chief Jitendra Tiwari and senior MP Sunil Mandal at the latter's residence at Kanksa area in Paschim Bardhaman district.

9:47 PM

57% polling in J&K DDC elections

57.22 per cent polling has been recorded in seventh phase of district development council elections in Jammu and Kashmir, according to the officials.

 

9:32 PM

Suvendu Adhikari holds meeting with disgruntled TMC MLAs

Hours after resigning as MLA, rebel TMC leader Suvendu Adhikari holds closed door meeting at Kanksa, West Bengal, with disgruntled leaders of the party, news agency PTI reported

8:57 PM

Kerala local body polls: Thank you Kerala for reposing faith in LDF, says CM Pinarayi Vijayan

8:38 PM

LIVE: LDF leading in 514, UDF in 375 and NDA in 23 gram panchayats in Kerala

8:34 PM

Kerala local body polls: Ruling LDF surges ahead, BJP on way to better its 2015 show

The ruling CPI(M)-led LDF in Kerala on Wednesday appeared to make a sweep of the local body polls in the state, while the BJP seemed to have made some gains, leading in Pandalam, the centre of protests against women's entry into Sabarimala, among others. The Left front was leading in 514 grama panchayats, five corporations and 11 district panchayats, prompting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to attribute the good show to the people of the state.

 

Opposition Congress-led UDF was in the second spot, leading in over 400 local bodies. The Left front is also ahead in 108 block panchayats, Vijayan told reporters. He also took to Twitter to thank the people for reposing faith in the ruling front.

 

"Thank you Kerala. Thank you for reposing faith in LDF. We are humbled by the trust and the confidence of the people of Kerala. This is a victory for secularism and inclusive development," he said.

8:11 PM

Kerala civic polls LIVE: LDF's win a befitting reply to UDF, BJP, says CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) has won a comprehensive victory in the local body polls which were held recently in the state. As per latest trends, the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF is leading in 516 out of the total 941 gram panchayats, according to the State Election Commission figures.

 

The Congress-led UDF was ahead in 375 gram panchayats while NDA is leading in 22 gram panchayats.Out of the six corporations in the state, the LDF and the UDF were leading in three each. Vijayan said at a press conference here, "This is the victory of the people of the state. This election result are a befitting reply to those who are trying to destroy Kerala and its achievements. The efforts of those who tried to destabilise the government using central agencies have been defeated."

 

"The results have shown that UDF and it's opportunistic politics have no space in Kerala. Congress was siding with the BJP to carry out false campaign and malign LDF. It has not succeeded," he added.

7:38 PM

SC notice to Centre on plea against regularisation of illegal constructions

The Supreme Court Wednesday sought response from the Centre and others on a plea to take action against regularisation of illegal constructions resulting in massive corruption and damage to natural resources.

 

A bench Justices L Nageswara Rao, Hemant Gupta and Ajay Rastogi issued notice to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Housing and Urban Affairs, CBI, National Disaster Management Authority and Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh governments.

 

The apex court was hearing a petition filed by social worker Juvvadi Sagar Rao alleging that Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh governments have been implementing regularisation of illegal layouts in their respective states. The petition alleged that state governments are regularising the illegal act committed by real estate mafia with the help of government officials in the respondent states.

7:14 PM

JEE-Mains to be held four times a year starting 2021, first round in February

The JEE-Mains exam for admission to engineering colleges will be held four times a year starting 2021 to offer flexibility to students and a chance to improve their scores, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank announced on Wednesday. The first edition of the exam will be held from February 23 to 26, followed by rounds in March, April and May.

 

"We have examined the suggestions received from students and various quarters and it has been decided that JEE-Mains will be held in four sessions in February, March, April and May," Nishank said. "The first session will be held from February 23-26 and the results will be declared within five days from the last date of exams," he said. "The move will ensure that students don't miss out on opportunities due to clash of exams or due to the COVID-19 situation at present," he added.

 

Nishank also said students will be given a choice to answer 75 questions (25 each in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics) out of 90 (30 each in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics).

6:57 PM

CBI seeks more time for probe into Hathras rape case

The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday fixed January 27 as the next date of hearing on the Hathras rape case after the CBI sought more time to conclude its investigation. The CBI informed the court that it will take some more time to conclude the investigation and failed to file any status report of the probe. The Bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and Rajan Roy fixed January 27 as the next date of the hearing.

 

The CBI had on November 25 had furnished a status report of the rape case before the Bench and said the probe will be over by December 10.

 

The 19-year-old Hathras victim had died at a Delhi hospital a fortnight after her alleged rape by four men from her village on September 14. She was cremated in the middle of the night in her village. Her family members claimed that the cremation, which took place well past midnight, was without their consent and they were not allowed to bring home the body one last time.

6:46 PM

JEE-Mains to be held from February 23 to 26, 2021: Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank

6:27 PM

JEE-Mains to be held four times in a year: Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank

6:06 PM

Kerala Civic Polls: LDF maintains lead In 515 Gram, 10 District and 108 Block Panchayats

6:02 PM

Cabinet approves Rs 3,500 crore sugar export subsidy for 2020-21: Javadekar

The government on Wednesday approved a subsidy of Rs 3,500 crore to sugar mills for the export of 60 lakh tonnes of sweetener during the ongoing marketing year 2020-21 as part of its efforts to help them clear outstanding dues to sugarcane farmers. Briefing media after the meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved a subsidy of Rs 3,500 crore on exports of 60 lakh tonnes of sweetener and the subsidy amount will directly be given to farmers. Read more

 

5:27 PM

India to set up national security panel on trusted telecom sources, devices

India will set up a national security committee to list "trusted and not trusted sources" of telecom vendors and devices, said union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday. The committee will declare a list of trusted sources and products for telecom service providers; it will be headed by deputy National Security Advisor and comprise "all stakeholders", he said. Read more

5:27 PM

India to set up national security panel on trusted telecom sources, devices

India will set up a national security committee to list "trusted and not trusted sources" of telecom vendors and devices, said union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday. The committee will declare a list of trusted sources and products for telecom service providers; it will be headed by deputy National Security Advisor and comprise "all stakeholders", he said. Read more

 

5:27 PM

India to set up national security panel on trusted telecom sources, devices

India will set up a national security committee to list "trusted and not trusted sources" of telecom vendors and devices, said union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday. The committee will declare a list of trusted sources and products for telecom service providers; it will be headed by deputy National Security Advisor and comprise "all stakeholders", he said. Read more

 

4:55 PM

Rupee settles 5 paise higher at 73.58 (provisional) against US dollar

4:43 PM

DDC elections LIVE: Over 47% votes polled in Jammu and Kashmir till 1 pm

The seventh phase of district development council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir recorded a voting percentage of 47.43 percent till 1 pm on Wednesday, officials said. Voting began at 7 am and ended at 2 pm. However, final voting percentage is not immediately available.

 

Bandipora district of north Kashmir recorded highest 58.78 percent polling in the valley, while Samba district of Jammu region polled highest 64.90 percent votes across J-K till the same period.

 

As per the figures given by the office of the State Election Commissioner, in Kashmir division, Pulwama recorded 9.37 percent voting, Baramulla 49.50 percent, Kulgam 14.32 percent, Shopian 5.20 percent, Anantnag 18.81 percent, Bandipora 58.78 percent, Ganderbal 41.60 percent, Kupwara 42.19 percent and Budgam 39.48 percent till 1 pm.

4:14 PM

Cabinet to help farmers directly by putting money of subsidy into their bank accounts

4:05 PM

Trends show LDF ahead in civic polls in Kerala

With counting of votes for local body polls in Kerala underway on Wednesday, early trends showed that the ruling CPI(M) led Left Democratic Front was leading in 520 of the total of 941 panchayats. The LDF was also leading in 10 out of the 14 district panchayats and 108 block panchayats of the total of 152, according to the State Election Commission figures. The Congress led UDF was ahead in four district panchayats.

 

Out of the six corporations in the state, the LDF and the UDF were leading in three each. BJP is ahead in 26 panchayats. A total of 21,893 wards in 1,200 local self-governing bodies, including six corporations, 941 village panchayats, 14 district panchayats and 87 municipalities went to the polls in three phases on December 8, 10 and 14.

 

The first phase saw 73.12 per cent turnout, the second phase 76.78 and the third and final phase, 78.64 per cent.

3:56 PM

LIVE: Cabinet okays Rs 3,500 crore sugar export subsidy

The government on Wednesday approved a subsidy of Rs 3,500 crore to sugar mills for the export of 60 lakh tonnes of sweetener during the ongoing marketing year 2020-21 as part of its efforts to help them clear outstanding dues to sugarcane farmers. Briefing media after the meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved a subsidy of Rs 3,500 crore on exports of 60 lakh tonnes of sweetener and the subsidy amount will directly be given to farmers.

 

The minister said both "sugar industry as well as sugarcane farmers are in crisis" because of high domestic production at 310 lakh tonnes as against the annual demand of 260 lakh tonnes. The decision will benefit 5 crore farmers, said Javadekar, who is also Union Environment Minister.

 

In the previous marketing year 2019-20 (October-September), the government provided a lump sum export subsidy of Rs 10,448 per tonne, costing the exchequer Rs 6,268 crore. Mills exported 5.7 million tonnes of sugar against the mandatory quota of 6 million tonnes set for the 2019-20 season (October-September), according to official data.

3:51 PM

LIVE: National Security Directive on telecom industry for trusted devices and services will be set up, says Ravi Shanakar Prasad