Latest LIVE: UK, German fighter jets intercept Russian plane near Estonia

Catch all the live news updates from across the globe here

9:59 PM

Good way to keep healthy is to practice Yoga at workplace: PM Modi

8:27 PM

Lt Gen Daljit Singh appointed new Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services

7:07 PM

Raipur police use water cannons, tear gas shells on protesting BJP workers

6:48 PM

Nuclear power sector saves 41 mn tonnes of carbon emissions every year: Union Minister Jitendra Singh

India's nuclear power sector is saving 41 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, compared to emissions that would have been generated by equivalent electricity generation from coal-based thermal power plants, Union Minister Jitendra Singh informed Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the PTI reported. 

6:20 PM

Putin set to host Syrian leader Assad at the Kremlin: Dmitry Peskov

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to host Syrian leader Bashar Assad for talks in the Kremlin on Wednesday that are expected to focus on rebuilding Syria after a devastating civil war. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the two leaders would talk about postwar reconstruction and the continuation of the peace process, the PTI reported.

6:08 PM

Mayawati calls BJP, SP, Congress 'extremely casteist', 'anti-reservation'

BSP president Mayawati on Wednesday accused the BJP, Congress and the SP of being "extremely casteist" and "anti-reservation" and called upon people to give a befitting reply to the detractors of party founder Kanshi Ram by obtaining the "master key" of electoral success, the PTI reported.

5:00 PM

Lahore High Court stops police operation at Imran Khan's residence till 10am tomorrow

4:23 PM

84,866 posts vacant in 6 Central Armed Police Forces: Centre tells Rajya Sabha

A total of 84,866 posts are lying vacant in six Central Armed Police Forces like the CRPF and BSF against the total sanctioned strength of 1,005,520, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said recruitment of 31,785 personnel in the CAPFs has been done in the past five months, the PTI reported.

4:06 PM

No compromise in PM's security will be tolerated, says Punjab CM

3:59 PM

Naval forces from China, Russia, Iran hold joint drills in Gulf of Oman

Naval forces from China, Iran and Russia all countries at varying degrees of odds with the United States are staging joint drills in the Gulf of Oman this week, China's Defence Ministry has announced. Other countries are also taking part in the Security Bond-2023 exercises, the ministry said Tuesday without giving details.

Iran, Pakistan, Oman and the United Arab Emirates all have coastline along the waterbody lying at the mouth of the strategic Persian Gulf, the PTI reported.

3:02 PM

Puducherry declares school holiday from March 16 to 26 over H3N2 flu scare

The Puducherry government on Wednesday announced a holiday for all schools up to Class 8 from March 16 to March 26 in view of the spread of H3N2 influenza virus in the Union Territory.

The order will be in force for schools in all the four regions of Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam in the Union Territory in view of prevalence of the viral subtype of influenza, particularly among children.

2:03 PM

Paytm UPI LITE crosses 2 mn users with over half million daily transactions

Homegrown Paytm Payments Bank on Wednesday announced it now has over 2 million users on Paytm UPI LITE.

The Bank recorded over half a million daily transactions for Paytm UPI LITE through the Paytm app, it said in a statement.

"We have seen great adoption of Paytm UPI LITE, having crossed the milestone mark of over 2 million users within a short span of time," said a Paytm Payments Bank spokesperson.

1:29 PM

Bihar: RJD & BJP MLAs enter into scuffle with each other following the bail granted to Lalu land-for-job case

Bihar: RJD & BJP MLAs enter into a scuffle with each other over distribution of laddus at Assembly premises following the bail granted to Lalu Yadav, Rabri Devi & Misa Bharti in land-for-job case.

 

BJP alleges that RJD MLAs tried to forcefully feed them & disturbed them.

 

1:11 PM

Delhi airport witnesses chaos, passengers complain about long waiting hours

Delhi airport again witnessed chaos on Wednesday morning with some passengers complaining about three-hour-long queues for immigration and security check.

"It's an absolute mess at the Delhi International Airport. Yet again. Three-hour-long queues for immigration and security check. People are fainting, fighting. Most of the counters are not operational. Is this the new normal," said an air passenger Tanushree Pandey on Twitter on Wednesday.

1:03 PM

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm amid ruckus on Rahul Gandhi's democracy remarks

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm amid ruckus on Rahul Gandhi's democracy remarks

12:32 PM

Security stepped up outside ED office ahead of march by MPs on Adani issue

The Delhi Police on Wednesday implemented increased security measures outside the Enforcement Directorate's office after leaders of opposition parties called for a protest march from Parliament House to the probe agency's headquarters here, officials said.

A senior police officer said that the adequate security arrangements have been made outside the ED office on Wednesday in view of the protest march.

12:07 PM

Delhi's AQI falls to poor category, maximum temperature at 34 degrees: IMD

The air quality in Delhi slipped to "poor" category on Wednesday while the city's minimum temperature settled at 16.3 degrees Celsius, one notch above the season's average, according to an Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin.

Partly cloudy sky is expected during the day and the maximum temperature is expected to hover around 34 degrees Celsius, it forecast.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 9 am stood at 202, which falls in the "poor"category.

12:03 PM

No question of apology: Kharge on BJP demand over Rahul's remarks in UK

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said there is no question of an apology over Rahul Gandhi's remarks in the UK and that those demanding so must answer on Prime Minister Narendra Modi "humiliating" the people of the country with his comments abroad.

 

The BJP and several senior ministers have been demanding an apology from Gandhi over his "democracy under attack" remarks in the UK.

 

"I would like to ask a question to the people demanding an apology (from Rahul Gandhi) that (what about) when Modi ji went to five-six countries and humiliated the people of our country and we were told by him that being born in India is a sin," Kharge said.

 

11:44 AM

Delhi court grants bail to Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, daughter Misa Bharti & other

Delhi court grants bail to ex-Railway Min Lalu Prasad Yadav, ex-Bihar CM Rabri Devi, their daughter-RJD MP Misa Bharti & other accused. Court noted that CBI filed the chargesheet without arrest.

 

Court directed every accused to furnish Rs 50,000 personal bail bond & a like amount surety.

11:15 AM

Leaders of several opposition parties march to ED office on Adani issue

Leaders of several opposition parties on Wednesday decided to take out a protest march from Parliament House to the ED office here and hand over a complaint to the probe agency on the Adani issue.

 

The leaders met in the office of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament House complex to coordinate their joint strategy on the issue.

11:12 AM

Land for job scam case: Lalu Yadav, Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti reach Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi

Land for job scam case: Lalu Yadav, Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti reach Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi

10:55 AM

US recognises McMahon Line as international boundary between China, Arunachal Pradesh

The United States recognises the McMahon Line as the international boundary between China and Arunachal Pradesh, according to a bipartisan Senate resolution which sees Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India.

At a time when China continues to pose grave and gathering threats to the Free and Open Indo-Pacific, it is critical for the United States to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our strategic partners in the region, especially India, Senator Bill Hagerty, who along with Senator Jeff Merkley introduced a resolution in the Senate, said.

10:38 AM

Rahul Gandhi has returned to Delhi, likely to attend Parliament today: Congress

Rahul Gandhi has returned to Delhi today from abroad. He is likely to attend Parliament today: Congress Sources

10:36 AM

4.7 magnitude earthquake hits China's Hotan

An earthquake of magnitude 4.7 on the Richter scale struck 263 km south-south-east of Hotan, China on Wednesday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported.

Hotan is a major oasis town in southwestern Xinjiang, an autonomous region in Western China.

The earthquake occurred at 02:32:21 (UTC+05:30) and hit Hotan, China on Wednesday, at a depth of 17 km, the USGS informed.

10:26 AM

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari gives suspension of business notice in Rajya Sabha on Adani row

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari on Wednesday gave a suspension of business notice under rule 267 in Rajya Sabha, demanding discussion on the Adani Group issue.

The notice submitted by Pramod Tiwari, read, "I hereby give notice under Rule 267 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) of my intention to move the following motion for the suspension of business listed for 15 March 2023".

9:52 AM

Do something, do something big, says US President Joe Biden on gun control

The grief is still suffocating, the anger still visceral, President Joe Biden said Tuesday, in this suburban Los Angeles community where a gunman stormed a dance hall and killed 11 in January. He announced fresh federal measures to curb gun violence but emotionally declared there must be more.

Do something. Do something big, he implored.

I'm determined to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, Biden told the families of some of the victims who were in the audience for his remarks, along with the 26-year-old who wrestled the semiautomatic pistol away from the gunman.

9:40 AM

Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif sees 'more burden' on masses as country scrambles to secure IMF deal

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said he sees "more burden" coming on the already inflation-hit public as Pakistan scrambles to secure the International Monetary Fund's conditions for reviving the stalled USS 1.1 billion loan tranche.

Pakistan's economy is in dire straits. The country is awaiting a much-needed USD 1.1 billion tranche of funding from the Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF).

9:25 AM

West Bengal teachers' recruitment scam: ED arrests TMC's Santanu Banerjee

Trinamool Congress (TMC) youthwing leader Santanu Banerjee was arrested by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the teachers' recruitment scam and was produced before the Special Court (PMLA) in Kolkata, which remanded him to the ED custody till March 24.

"Santanu Banerjee was acting as a conduit to facilitate the illegal qualification and appointments of primary teachers, Group 'C' & 'D' staff of schools of the government of West Bengal in lieu of money. Banerjee was in cahoots with (another TMC youthwing leader) Kuntal Ghosh, who is presently in judicial custody for the said illegal activities," the ED said in a statement.

9:06 AM

ED arrests four in Andhra govt's 'Siemens Project' money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday said that they have arrested four persons in a case related to "diversion and misutilisation of funds worth crores of rupees" of the Andhra Pradesh government disbursed for implementation of the 'Siemens Project'.

Through the 'Siemens Project', the Andhra Pradesh government aimed to provide advanced software and technical skills to the youth.

9:05 AM

MCD to use drones to survey industrial area properties for tax assessment

In a first, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will use drones to survey properties in the city's industrial areas for tax assessment, officials said on Tuesday.

This will help in verifying details submitted by residents of their properties while paying tax, an MCD official said.

The MCD has invited bids to conduct a drone-based survey through an agency for the purpose of tax assessment. The last date to submit a bid is March 16.