LIVE: Unlock 5 guidelines out; cinema halls to re-open from October 15

UPSC has informed the Supreme Court that it would not be possible to defer the UPSC preliminary exams beyond October. Stay tuned for Latest LIVE news

10:01 PM

Protests near UP Bhawan, India Gate for justice to woman who died after being gang-raped in Hathras

Congress, Left and Bhim Army activists staged protests near the Uttar Pradesh Bhawan and India Gate in the national capital on Wednesday, demanding justice for a 19-year-old woman who died a fortnight after she was allegedly gang-raped in Hathras.
 

Delhi witnessed protests on Tuesday evening as well when the body of the woman, who died at a hospital here earlier in the day, was taken to Hathras in Uttar Pradesh. She was cremated in the dead of the night with family members alleging they were forced by police to hurriedly conduct the last rites, a charge that triggered further outrage.
 

On Wednesday morning, Congress and Left activists gathered outside the UP Bhawan for protests separately, but were detained by the police.

The police have booked the protesters, mostly students and women activists, for assembling in violation of prohibitory orders and COVID-19 guidelines, and detained some of them briefly.
 

The Left-affiliated All India Students' Association (AISA), which gave the call for a candlelight march at India Gate in the evening, alleged that the police forcibly removed the protesters from the spot and harassed and detained women, a charge denied by the police.

Some Bhim Army activists also joined the protest near India Gate.
 

10:00 PM

Assaulted by Delhi cops when asked about Hathras victim's body at Safdarjung hospital: AAP MLA

AAP MLA Ajay Dutt on Wednesday claimed he was "kicked and slapped" by senior Delhi Police officers when he went to meet the family of the Hathras gang rape victim at the Safdarjung hospital here.
 

Delhi Police refused to comment on the allegation.
 

Dutt told reporters that he was at the hospital and when he sought to know the whereabouts of the victim's body, he was allegedly taken to a room and assaulted.

"They took me to a room by pulling my collar and there I was slapped and kicked by the SHO, ACP and DCP. If this is the treatment given to an elected representative then think about the common man," Dutt, MLA from Delhi's Ambedkar Nagar assembly constituency, said.
 

He demanded action against the police officials who allegedly assaulted him.
 

Delhi Cabinet Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam also demanded an FIR against the local SHO, ACP, DCP and other Delhi Police officials who allegedly manhandled and assaulted Dutt for questioning the police action in the Hathras gang rape case.
 

9:59 PM

BrahMos missile launch showcases enhanced operational capabilities: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated scientists and engineers after India successfully test fired a new version of the surface-to-surface supersonic cruise missile BrahMos having a range of around 400 km.  "Brahmos Supersonic Cruise Missile has achieved yet another milestone with successful test launch showcasing enhanced operational capabilities and additional indigenous technologies. Congratulations to all the scientists and engineers. @DRDO_India @BrahMosMissile," he tweeted.  The missile was fired from an integrated test range at Balasore in Odisha.
 

The missile, featuring a number of indigenously developed sub-systems, was flight tested from a land based mobile launcher for a designated range at 10:30 am from the integrated test range in Balasore.

9:02 PM

RBI excludes 6 PSBs from Second Schedule of RBI Act

The RBI has excluded six public sector banks, including OBC and Allahabad Bank, from the Second Schedule of the RBI Act following their merger with other banks.

 

The six banks are Syndicate Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC), United Bank of India, Andhra Bank, Corporation Bank, and Allahabad Bank.

 

"We advise that Syndicate Bank has been excluded from the Second Schedule to the RBI Act, 1934 with effect from April 01, 2020 since it has ceased to carry on banking business with effect from April 01, 2020 vide Notification of March 27 which is published in the Gazette of India...dated September 26 October 02, 2020," RBI said in a notification on Wednesday.

8:36 PM

Unlock 5: No restriction on inter-, intra-state movement

State/UTs shall not impose any local lockdown (State/ District/ sub-division/City/ village level), outside the containment zones, without prior consultation with the Central Govt. No restriction on inter-state & intra-state movement. 

8:32 PM

Odisha issues guidelines for reopening of Zoos and Deer Parks

8:31 PM

Unlock 5: Strict enforcement of lockdown in containment zones to continue till October 31

8:24 PM

Maharashtra unlock guidelines

- Hotels, food courts, restaurants & bars allowed to operate from 5th October with 50% capacity

- Dabbawallas in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region to be allowed in the local trains after procuring QR codes from the office of Commissioner of Police Mumbai
- Locals trains in Pune region to be resumed: Maharashtra Government

 

8:19 PM

Unlock 5: Social gathering permitted but conditions apply

Social, academic, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious, political functions and other congregations to be permitted with a ceiling of 100 persons, outside Covid-19 containment zones only.

8:15 PM

Unlock 5: States allowed to decide on re-opening schools after Oct 15, parental consent required

8:13 PM

Unlock 5 guidelines out!

8:13 PM

Unlock 5: Cinema halls, swimming pools used for training of sportspersons, entertainment parks to re-open from Oct 15

Cinemas/ theatres/ multiplexes will be permitted to open with up to 50% of their seating capacity, for which, SOP will be issued by I&B Ministry

8:06 PM

India's external debt at $554.5 bn at June-end: RBI

India's external debt stood at USD 554.5 billion at end-June, recording a decrease of USD 3.9 billion over its level at the end of March 2020, the RBI said on Wednesday.

 

Further, the external debt to GDP ratio increased to 21.8 per cent at June-end 2020 from 20.6 per cent as on March 31.

 

Valuation loss due to the depreciation of the US dollar vis-a-vis major currencies such as euro, yen and SDR was at USD 0.7 billion.

 

"Excluding the valuation effect, the decrease in external debt would have been USD 4.5 billion instead of USD 3.9 billion at end-June 2020 over end-March 2020," the central bank said.

7:58 PM

NHRC notice to Home Ministry over Amnesty closing operations, alleging 'witch-hunt'

The NHRC has issued notice to the Union Home Secretary over rights organisation Amnesty International winding up its operations in the country after alleging witch-hunt by the government, officials said on Wednesday.

 

According to media reports, after the complete freezing of its bank accounts in India the Amnesty International has reportedly halted all the work in the country, the NHRC said in a statement.

 

"The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of the matter and directs issuance of the notice to the Home Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, government of India, calling for their comments on the allegations levelled by the Amnesty International as mentioned in the news report," it said.

 

7:57 PM

Lockdown in Maharashtra extended till October 31

7:46 PM

Vodafone CEO defends brand integration, says network is 5G-ready

Vodafone Idea's chief executive officer Ravinder Takkar on Wednesday said the company's network is 5G-ready and defended the company's rebranding exercise after a shareholder raised concerns about advertising and marketing costs in the wake of its continuous losses.

 

Takkar said the launch of new single brand identity Vi would help the company to effectively communicate its value proposition to subscribers and expand customer base. " We have integrated our brand and that has been well received. The intention is to promote the brand strongly which will allow our customers to understand the proposition we offer and the quality of network we offer," Takkar said in response to a shareholder queries at the company's annual general meeting today. Read more

7:39 PM

Aarey protest: Maharashtra govt to withdraw charges against citizens

7:33 PM

Himachal CM reviews preparations for PM's arrival to inaugurate Atal Tunnel

7:26 PM

Southern Railway to operate more special trains

Southern Railway on Wednesday announced running more special trains, including inter-state service between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The railways would operate trains between Karaikal in neighboring Puducherry and Ernakulam in Kerala, an official press release here said.

 

The Southern Railway announced fully reserved special trains from Chennai-Egmore to Tirunelveli, Madurai (Tejas), Sengottai and Rameswaram and the various services would start between October 2-5.

 

7:19 PM

UP govt announces Rs 25 lakh as ex-gratia for kin of Hathras gangrape victim

Uttar Pradesh government announces Rs 25 lakh as ex-gratia for kin of Hathras gang-rape victim to be given and a house along with a governmnet job to one family member. Fastrack court to hear the matter; three-member SIT formed to probe the case.

7:06 PM

'Car can overturn anytime in UP': Kailash Vijayvargiya on Hathras gangrape case

6:58 PM

Hathras gangrape: Congress, Bhim Army stage protests in UP

Congress and Bhim Army workers held demonstrations in different parts of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday over the gangrape of a 19-year-old Dalit woman a fortnight ago and demanded stern punishment for the culprits.

 

A report from Hathras said tempers ran high in the victim's village when Panchayti Raj Minister Bhupendra Chaudhary, who is also in charge of the district, reached there along with the local MP, MLA and other BJP leaders.

 

Besides justice for the victim and capital punishment to the culprits, the locals also demanded a transfer of district officials.

 

The woman died in a Delhi hospital on Tuesday and was cremated in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras in the early hours of Wednesday, with her family members alleging that the local police forced them to perform her last rites at the dead of night.

 

6:44 PM

Hathras rape case: PIL in SC demands CBI probe, seeks to transfer case to Delhi

Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in Supreme Court seeking investigation by CBI or SIT headed by a sitting or retired into the #Hathras gang-rape. 

 

Plea also seeks direction to transfer the case from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi.

6:41 PM

Hathras rape case: NHRC issues notice to UP Chief Secretary, DGP

6:31 PM

NHPC shuts 120 MW plant in J-K till March 2021

State-run hydro power giant NHPC on Wednesday said its 120 MW Sewa-II power station in Jammu and Kashmir has been shut till March 31, 2021 due to some damage in its head race tunnel (HRT). The HRT carries water from intake to a power house for electricity generation.

 

"It is to inform that Sewa-II Power Station (120 MW) in UT of Jammu & Kashmir has been under complete shutdown w.e.f. 25.09.2020 to 31.03.2021 for damage of HRT," the company said in a BSE filing.

 

The shutdown will cause tentative loss of 157.4 MUs (million units) in generation (design energy) and 35.61 per cent in NAPAF (Normative Annual Plant Availability Factor), it added.

 

6:09 PM

Govt cuts natural gas price by 25% to $1.79

The government on Wednesday slashed the rate at which most of the natural gas produced in India is sold by a steep 25 per cent to USD 1.79.

Gas produced by state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) and Oil India from areas given to them on nomination basis will cost USD 1.79 per million British thermal unit for six-month period beginning October 1, 2020, an official order said.

The price of new gas from difficult fields such as deepsea has also been cut to USD 4.06 per mmBtu from USD 5.61, the order said.

6:00 PM

Rupee jumps 10 paise to 73.76 per US dollar

Snapping a two-session losing streak, the rupee strengthened by 10 paise to close at 73.76 against the US dollar on Wednesday, supported by macroeconomic data and positive domestic equities.

 

At the interbank forex market, the domestic unit opened strong at 73.81 and shuttled between a high of 73.69 and a low of 73.86 against the greenback.

 

It finally finished at 73.76, registering a gain of 10 paise over its previous close of 73.86.

 

According to Devarsh Vakil, Deputy Head Retail Research - HDFC Securities, better-than-expected current account data helped the rupee outperform amongst its Asian currency peers.

5:46 PM

Farmers continue 'rail roko' agitation in Punjab against farm sector laws

Farmers protesting against three recently enacted agriculture laws continued their 'rail roko' stir in Punjab for the seventh day on Wednesday.

 

The farmers have decided to intensify their agitation from next month and extend the 'rail roko' stir for an indefinite period.

 

The farmers under the banner of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee have been squatting on rail tracks at various places in the state since September 24.

 

The farmers have decided to intensify their protest against the Centre and will continue to block rail tracks in Tanda, Mukerian, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Ferozepur.

 

5:36 PM

House price index rises 2.8% on annual basis: RBI

The all-India House Price Index (HPI) rose 2.8 per cent in the first quarter of the current financial year on an annual basis, according to data released by the Reserve Bank of India.

 

The quarterly HPI for the April-June 2020 period is based on transaction-level data received from housing registration authorities in 10 major cities.

 

The cities are Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Jaipur, Kanpur, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow and Mumbai.

5:33 PM

India's AI spending to grow at 30.8% CAGR to $880.5mn in 2023: IDC

India's AI (artificial intelligence) spending is expected to grow at a CAGR of 30.8 per cent to touch $880.5 million (around Rs 6,490.6 cr) in 2023, research firm IDC said on Wednesday.

 

"Enterprises are relying on AI to maintain business continuity, transform how businesses operate and gain competitive advantage. India's AI spending will grow from USD 300.7 million in 2019 to USD 880.5 million in 2023 at a CAGR (Compound annual growth rate) of 30.8 per cent," as per IDC's Worldwide Artificial Intelligence Spending Guide Forecast.