LIVE: New COP28 draft text does not mention phase out of fossil fuels

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7:48 PM

Chhattisgarh CM-designate Vishnu Deo Sai to take oath on December 13 in Raipur

Chhattisgarh CM-designate Vishnu Deo Sai, his council of ministers to take oath on December 13 in Raipur, says state govt official.

7:47 PM

COP28 presidency on latest draft deal: This text is a huge step forward

The COP28 presidency, led by Sultan al-Jaber, described the latest draft version of the summit's final deal on Monday as "a huge step forward".

"The COP28 Presidency has been clear from the beginning about our ambitions. This text reflects those ambitions and is a huge step forward," the presidency said in a statement.

"Now it is in the hands of the parties, who we trust to do what is best for humanity and the planet."

6:59 PM

New COP28 draft text does not mention phase out of fossil fuels

The UN's climate body on Monday published its latest draft text of the deal it hopes to reach at the COP28 summit in Dubai including a range of actions countries could take to reduce emissions.
 

The list did not refer directly to a phase out of fossil fuels.

6:21 PM

Ensure clean and hygienic public toilets in city, Delhi HC tells civic authorities

Delhi High Court on Monday directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and other authorities to ensure that public toilets and conveniences are clean, hygienic and in proper order.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Mini Pushkarna also asked the civic authorities to appoint an officer in-charge of each public toilet for monitoring.

"We direct the authorities to ensure public urinals/toilets are clean, hygienic and in order. Last opportunity is granted to the respondents (civic authorities) to file replies to the petition," the bench said.

6:12 PM

Only BJP can elevate an ordinary party worker to CM: Mohan Yadav's first words after becoming new CM

Only BJP can elevate an ordinary party worker to CM: Mohan Yadav's first words after becoming new CM

 

Mohan Yadav becomes the new chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. He is a MLA from Ujjain South.

 

The three central observers sent by the party leadership to supervise the BJP legislature meeting arrived in Bhopal in the morning, including Haryana Chief Minister Manoharlal Khattar, party OBC Morcha president K Laxman, and party national secretary Asha Lakra.

 

Jagdish Devda and Rajesh Shukla to be two new Deputy CM of Madhya Pradesh.

5:11 PM

With your love and support, I will try to fulfil my responsibilities: New MP CM Mohan Yadav

"I am a small worker of the party. I thank all of you, the state leadership and the central leadership. With your love and support, I will try to fulfil my responsibilities," new MP CM Mohan Yadav

5:09 PM

Who is MPs new CM Mohan Yadav?

The Bhartiya Janata Party on Monday announced Dr Mohan Yadav as the next Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, putting an end to a suspense of days over contenders for the top spot.The two-time sitting MLA from South Ujjain defeated Congress candidate Chetan Yadav by 13,000 votes.He also served as the Minister for Higher Education in Madhya Pradesh under the leadership of former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan further strengthening his position in the state's political scene.A businessman turned politician, Yadav started his political stint with the BJP in 2013 and has been elected as a MLA from this seat ever since.The newly elected leader also holds a Phd. from Vikram University, Ujjain which he completed in 2009, and a M.A. in Political Science from the same university in 2006.

4:54 PM

Mohan Yadav is BJP's Chief Minister choice for Madhya Pradesh

The 163 MLAs of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today elected the leader of the legislative party in a meeting held today in Bhopal. The MLAs picked their Chief Minister eight days after the results of the assembly polls were announced. As expected, Mohan Yadav has been elected as the new Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.

4:51 PM

UN Security Council delays Gaza vote in bid to avoid US veto

The United Nations Security Council delayed voting on a resolution that would call for a cease-fire in Gaza, giving Arab leaders more time to try to persuade the US to let it pass.

Top diplomats from countries including Egypt, Qatar and Jordan were set to met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington later Friday amid a push for the US to abstain from voting. Given the US’s status as a veto-wielding permanent member of the council, a no vote would kill the resolution.

So far the Biden administration has indicated it opposes the resolution, which was introduced following a rare plea to the council by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. Earlier this week, he invoked his highest diplomatic tool for the first time in five decades to urge action by the Security Council given the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

4:30 PM

Khelo India Para Games inauguration

We won 19 medals in para games in Olympics and scripted history by winning 111 medals in Asian Para Games. Now, Khelo India Para Games has been launched in India to ensure good domestic championships," said Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur at the opening ceremony of Khelo India Para Games 2023.

4:22 PM

SC agrees to hear bankruptcy plea against Zee founder

Supreme Court agreed to hear a plea by IDBI Trusteeship Services against Cyquator Media Services, a founder firm of Zee Entertainment Enterprises.

IDBI Trusteeship had challenged an order of the insolvency appellate tribunal that refused to initiate bankruptcy proceedings against Cyquator. The apex court also issued notice on a similar plea against another company Direct Media Ventures.
 

The case relates to a 2015 debenture trust deed between IDBI. Trusteeship and Essel group where Cyquator and Direct Media stood as corporate guarantors.
 

NOTE: In June 2023, India’s National Company Law Tribunal rejected IDBI Trusteeship’s plea against the corporate guarantors for defaulting on payment that was due in 2020. 

4:09 PM

Delhi's air quality gets better

For the first 10-days period of December, Delhi registers its lowest daily average AQI in 2023 as compared to the corresponding period in last 5 years. Delhi has not reported a single day of ‘Severe’ air quality during this period of 2023 as compared to the corresponding period in last 5 years: Commission for Air Quality Management

4:08 PM

Uproar in Rajya Sabha after Amit Shah moves two Jammu and Kashmir Bills

Uproar in Rajya Sabha after Amit Shah moves two Jammu and Kashmir Bills. Supreme Court also directed EC to hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30,2024;Restoration of statehood shall take place as soon as possible, CJI said. SC on Monday refused to rule on the Presidential rule validity in the valley as it was not challenged. The central government further asserted that the status of Jammu and Kashmir as a Union Territory is only temporary and that it will be restored to statehood, while Ladakh will remain a Union Territory.

3:59 PM

Varanasi court gives one more week to ASI to submit Gyanvapi survey report

The Varanasi district court gave one more week to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Monday to submit a scientific survey report of the Gyanvapi mosque complex here.
 

District Judge A K Vishvesh gave the additional time of a week to the ASI to conclude the survey and submit its report.

The court fixed December 18 as the next date of hearing in the matter. 

3:00 PM

Asia lags behind pre-pandemic levels of food security, says UN food agency

Hunger remains a chronic problem in Asia, with 55 million more people undernourished in 2022 than before the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation says in its latest assessment of food security in the region. 

Most of those living without enough to eat are in South Asia, and women tend to be less food secure than men, the report says. The FAO's study focuses on food supply, consumption and dietary energy needs and is designed to capture a state of chronic energy deprivation that stunts growth and saps productivity and quality of life.

2:52 PM

Armies of India, Vietnam begin 11-day military exercise in Hanoi

The Indian and Vietnamese armies began an 11-day military exercise in Vietnam on Monday, in sync with the expanding strategic engagement between the two countries against the backdrop of common concerns over China's increasingly aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea.

 

The aim of the exercise is to foster a collaborative partnership and promote interoperability between the two forces, the Indian Army said.

2:46 PM

ECI's stand to not hold Pune bypoll, as it is busy with other elections, hardly tenable: HC

The Bombay High Court on Monday said the Election Commission of India's stand that it would not be possible to hold the by-election for the Pune Lok Sabha constituency as it was busy with other polls in the country, including the preparatory activities for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, was "hardly tenable". A division bench of Justices Gautam Patel and Kamal Khata said it could understand this position if the elections were to be held in a place like Manipur, where there is unrest.

 

2:36 PM

Google trial focused on app store payments to be handed off to jury

A federal court jury is poised begin its deliberations in an antitrust trial focused on whether Google's efforts to profit from its app store for Android smartphones have been illegally gouging consumers and stifling innovation.

 

Before the nine-person jury in San Francisco starts weighing the evidence on Monday, the lawyers on the opposing sides of the trial will present their closing arguments in a three-year-old case filed by Epic Games, the maker of the popular Fortnite video game.

2:24 PM

Open access solar capacity grows 21% to 907 MW in Sept quarter: Mercom

The country recorded a 20.6 per cent rise in new installations of open access solar capacity to 907 MW in the September quarter, according to Mercom India. India had added 752 MW (Mega Watt) of open access solar capacities in the year-ago period, the research firm said in its 'Q3 2023 Solar Open Access Market Report'. On a quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) basis, the capacity addition was 36 per cent higher than the 666 MW in the April-June quarter, the report said on Monday.

2:09 PM

Stop close people from speaking against Marathas: Jarange to Fadnavis

Quota activist Manoj Jarange has claimed there are some people close to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who speak against the Marathas and appealed to Fadnavis to restrain them from doing so. Speaking to reporters in Latur on Sunday night, Jarange also said he has faith in Chief Minister Eknath Shinde that he would give reservation to the Maratha community and reiterated his demand for the quota by December 24.

1:40 PM

Verdict proves govt decision was constitutional: Shah on SC's decision to uphold abrogation of Article 370

Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the abrogation of Article 370 and said that today's verdict has proved that the decision by the government was completely constitutional.

In his post on X, Amit Shah said "I welcome the Supreme Court of India's verdict upholding the decision to abolish #Article370. On the 5th of August 2019, PM Narendra Modi Ji took a visionary decision to abrogate #Article370. Since then peace and normalcy have returned to J & K. Growth and development have brought new meaning to human life in the valley once torn by violence. Prosperity in the tourism and agriculture sectors has raised the income levels of the residents of both Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh."

1:29 PM

Govt makes it mandatory to register import of yellow peas under import monitoring system till March 2024

The government has made it mandatory to register import of yellow peas under the import monitoring system till March 31 next year, according to a notification. The move is aimed at increasing domestic availability of the commodity. From April 1, 2024, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said that the restricted import policy and associated policy conditions will come into effect.

12:56 PM

I-T dept raids ex-IFA secretary's premises over financial irregularities

The Income Tax Department on Monday conducted raids at premises associated with former Indian Football Association (IFA) secretary Utpal Ganguly in connection with its ongoing probe into financial irregularities in the foreign liquor trade, an official said. I-T officials were checking relevant documents and speaking with Ganguly at his Dhakuria residence, around which a cordon was laid by jawans of central forces since morning. "Our officers are speaking with Ganguly and scrutinising documents related to the trade of IMFL (Indian-made Foreign Liquor) with which he was associated," the official said.

12:43 PM

Supreme Court verdict on abrogation of Article 370 historic: PM Modi

12:32 PM

BJP welcomes the decision given by the Supreme Court on Article 370: JP Nadda

12:22 PM

Disappointed but not disheartened. Struggle will continue: Omar Abdullah on SC verdict on Article 370

Disappointed but not disheartened. Struggle will continue: NC leader Omar Abdullah on SC verdict on abrogation of Article 370 of Constitution.

12:09 PM

Must raise voices against injustice against Palestinians: Priyanka Gandhi

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra urged people on Monday to participate in a global strike demanding a ceasefire in Gaza to stop the "massacre" of the Palestinian people and called for raising voices against the "horrific injustice" being perpetrated against them. Palestinian activists and grassroots organisations have called for a global strike on Monday to demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

12:05 PM

JDS has no existence in Karnataka post elections: Priyank Kharge

11:48 AM

Amendment through the backdoor not permissible: J Kaul on amendment of Article 370 using 367

"Regarding the amendment of Article 370 using 367, I have said when a procedure is prescribed, it has to be followed. Amendment through the backdoor not permissible." said J Kaul

11:41 AM

SG stated that statehood of J&K will be restored except for the carving out of the UT of Ladakh: CJI

"The views of the State legislature under Article 3 proviso is recommendatory. SG stated that statehood of J&K will be restored except for the carving out of the UT of Ladakh. So this issue is left upon," said DY Chandrachud, CJI.

 

"We direct that steps shall be taken by the Election Commission of India to conduct elections to the J&K assembly by September 30. Restoration of statehood shall take place as soon as possible.", he added.