LIVE: Delhi reports 1,603 new Covid cases, 1,526 recoveries in last 24 hrs

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10:01 PM

WHO chief calls situation in Sudan "heartbreaking," says peace only solution

10:01 PM

PM Modi sends Eid wishes to Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama

10:00 PM

Centre holds meeting with stakeholders on restoration of 5G services near airports

10:00 PM

Centre holds meeting with stakeholders on restoration of 5G services near airports

9:59 PM

Delhi reports 1,603 fresh Covid cases and 1,526 recoveries in the last 24 hours. Active cases 6,120

4:07 PM

CUET-PG to be conducted from June 5-12, says National Testing Agency

The Common University Entrance Test-PG for admission to postgraduate programmes in universities across the country will be conducted from June 5-12, the National Testing Agency announced on Thursday.

 

Candidates can apply for the exam till May 5. The application deadline earlier was April 19.

3:45 PM

Tamil Nadu govt to install former PM V P Singh's statue in Chennai

A statue of former Prime Minister V P Singh, a champion of social justice, will be installed in Chennai to honour his contribution and commitment to social justice, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Thursday.

Making a suo motu statement in the Assembly, the Chief Minister said Singh implemented the 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes in Central government jobs based on the recommendation of the B P Mandal Commission

3:37 PM

GST evasion detection nearly doubles to Rs 1.01 trn in FY23

GST evasion detection by tax officers almost doubled year-on-year to over Rs 1.01 trn in the just concluded 2022-23 fiscal, an official said.

During the last fiscal, a recovery of Rs 21,000 crore was made by the officers of the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI).

2:50 PM

Gautam Adani meets Sharad Pawar amid Oppn's demand for JPC probe into Hindenburg-Adani row

Industrialist Gautam Adani met Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar at the latter's residence here on Thursday amid the Opposition's demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Adani-Hindenburg issue.

The meeting, held at Pawar's residence Silver Oak in south Mumbai this morning, lasted for nearly two hours, sources said.

2:41 PM

Big story for India is how it will effectively invest to gain demographic dividend: UN expert

With India becoming the world's most populous nation, a top UN expert said the big focus for the country now would be quick and effective investments in education, job creation and gender equality that will yield demographic dividend and enable its large population to boost economic growth.

According to the United Nations Population Fund's latest data, India has surpassed China to become the world's most populous nation with 142.86 crore people.

I think the big story for India is how they will effectively and quickly invest in what's required to gain a demographic dividend, UNFPA lead demographer Rachel Snow said Wednesday as she briefed reporters here on the agency's State of the World Population report.

2:20 PM

By decriminalising homosexuality, one can contemplate same-sex people would be in stable marriage: SC

The Supreme Court on Thursday observed that looking at India, constitutionally and socially, "we have already reached the intermediate stage that by decriminalising homosexuality, one can contemplate that people who belong to the same sex would be in stable marriage-like relationships".

"When you decriminalise homosexuality, you also realise that these are not one-off relationships, these are also stable relationships...by decriminalising homosexuality, we have not just recognised relationships between consenting adults of same gender...we have also recognised implicitly, therefore, the fact that people who are of same sex would be in stable relationships", said the Chief Justice

2:18 PM

Victory of people, judiciary: BJP on court rejecting Rahul's plea in criminal defamation case

The BJP Thursday hailed the Surat court's decision to reject Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's plea for a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case as a "victory" of the judiciary and the people.

Hitting out at the Congress, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said, "The court's decision is a blow to the arrogance of the Gandhi family, especially Rahul Gandhi."

2:02 PM

Sri Lanka confirms Chinese company request for exporting 100,000 endangered monkeys

Sri Lanka on Wednesday confirmed China's request for importing 1,00,000 endangered monkeys from the cash-strapped island nation, amidst protests from environmental groups against the deal.

Gunadasa Samarasinghe, the top bureaucrat in Sri Lanka's Ministry of Agriculture said that a privately-owned Chinese company connected to Zoological Gardens which are animal breeders had made the request to his ministry.

1:21 PM

BJP's Lingayat leaders raise "Lingayat CM" pitch to counter Congress narrative

Lingayat leaders of the BJP have raised the pitch for unleashing the "Lingayat CM" campaign in poll-bound Karnataka to counter the Congress' narrative to brand the ruling party as "anti-Lingayat".

The politically influential Lingayat community forms about 17 per cent of the State's population, mostly in northern parts of the State which the BJP counts as its strong vote-base.

1:06 PM

Buddha's teachings antidote for global problems: PM in address to Buddhist summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the current global situation is the most challenging as there is war, economic instability, terrorism and religious fanaticism, adding that in such times, teachings of Buddha are the best solution for all such problems.

"This hope, this faith is the biggest strength of this earth. When this hope gets united, the Buddha's Dhamma will become the world's belief and Buddha's realisation will become the belief of humanity," he said while addressing the inaugural session of Global Buddhist Summit here.

1:06 PM

Section 17A of anti-graft act ensured civil servants can properly discharge duties: Vice Prez Dhankhar

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday said the 2018 amendment of the Prevention of Corruption Act to insert Section 17A was a "step in the right direction" for ensuring that civil servants can properly discharge their duties.

"It (the section) regulates investigation of issues regarding decisions taken by public servants in discharge of their official duties by providing prior approval of the authority concerned," he said.

12:54 PM

80 fall sick in Jharkhand's Dhanbad after having food at village fair

Eighty people, mostly children, fell ill allegedly after having food with spurious 'chaat masala' at a village fair in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district, officials said on Thursday.

The incident happened in Karmatand panchayat area on Wednesday evening, they said.

People of the Huchuktandhad village complained of stomach pain and were vomiting after returning from the Bhokta fair, officials said.

12:23 PM

India aims to make 121 airports carbon neutral by 2025: Scindia

Twenty-five airports in the country are using 100 per cent green energy, while another 121 airports will be made carbon neutral by 2025, Union Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announced on Thursday.

 

"The emission contribution of the aviation industry has been under immense scrutiny. We have taken several measures to minimise the carbon footprint and mitigate emissions from the aviation industry," said Scindia asserting that India and the European Union have a common goal of tackling climate change.

 

12:22 PM

Merely being MP not a ground to suspend conviction: Surat Court to Rahul Gandhi

The court has observed that this is not an exceptional case. The complainant is made out sufficient case... Merely being an MP is not a ground to suspend the conviction. That is also observed by the judge. Relying upon the judgment of the Supreme Court, the criminal cases pending against the accused is also taken into consideration, told Harshit Toliya, Advocate of Purnesh Modi to ANI on Rahul Gandhi's plea rejected by Surat Court

11:51 AM

PM Modi visits Buddha exhibition in Delhi

11:48 AM

Google LLC summoned over suit filed by Abhishek Bachchan over alleged fake news about his daughter's health

Delhi HC issues summons to Google LLC and several entities operating channels on YouTube in a suit filed by Abhishek Bachchan for allegedly spreading fake news about his daughter's health. Court, while issuing interim directions, said Google LLC  is duty-bound in law to ensure strict compliance with the entire statutory regime relating to intermediaries with which it is governed which includes IT Rules 2021.

 

11:24 AM

Teachings of Buddha impacted countless people over centuries: PM Modi

The noble teachings of Gautama Buddha have impacted countless people over centuries. Inspired by the teachings of Lord Buddha, India is taking new initiatives for global welfare, said PM Narendra Modi at Global Buddhist Summit, Delhi

11:12 AM

Rahul Gandhi's plea in 2019 'Modi surname' remark case rejected

Surat Court rejects the application filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seeking stay on his conviction in the 2019 defamation case on 'Modi surname' remark.

11:04 AM

Pre-poll alliance with like-minded parties essential to save country: AAP leader Gopal Rai

A pre-poll alliance among like-minded parties has become essential to save the country and democracy, senior AAP leader Gopal Rai has said while asserting that the next generation will be put in grave danger if the opposition does not unite now.

He told PTI in an interview that parties that are still thinking of "being the leader" of a possible united front against the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls have not understood the gravity of the situation at all.

10:53 AM

Yo Yo Honey Singh booked for assault, kidnap

A person named Vivek Raman has given a written complaint against Yo Yo Honey Singh and others at the BKC police station in Mumbai. Vivek Raman, the owner of an event company, has lodged a complaint against Yo Yo Honey Singh and others for kidnapping, keeping him captive, and assaulting him, reported ANI quoting Mumbai Police

10:44 AM

Visva-Bharati asks Amartya Sen to vacate 'excess' land by May 6

Visva-Bharati University has issued a final eviction notice to Nobel Laureate economist Amartya Sen asking him to vacate by May 6, the "disputed" 13 decimals of land within the varsity campus in West Bengal's Birbhum district.

 

According to IANS sources, the order from the executive magistrate was given following a petition filed by the counsel of the Nobel Laureate economist expressing apprehension of breach of law and order over the probable eviction drive by the university authorities against Sen over that disputed portion of land.

 

10:41 AM

Elon Musk threatens to sue Microsoft over 'illegally using Twitter data'

Twitter CEO Elon Musk on Thursday threatened to sue Satya Nadella-run Microsoft over claims that the company "trained illegally using Twitter data".

Musk reacted after Microsoft dropped Twitter from its advertising platform as it allegedly refused to pay Twitter's application programming interface (API) fees.

10:13 AM

India logs 12,591 new Covid cases in a day, highest in around 8 months

India recorded 12,591 new Covid cases in a day, the highest in around eight months, while the active case burden increased to 65,286, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.

 

The death toll has increased to 5,31,230 with 40 fatalities, which includes 11 reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.

 

The total tally of Covid cases was recorded at 4.48 crore. The daily positivity rate was 5.46 per cent and the weekly positivity rate was 5.32 per cent.

10:10 AM

Tim Cook inaugurates India’s second Apple Store in Saket

10:05 AM

Crowd outside Apple store in Delhi

Crowd waits outside the Apple store in Delhi for its opening 

Crowd outside Apple Delhi