News updates: India calls for cross-border collaboration with Pak, B'desh to tackle pollution

Latest news updates: Catch all the latest news developments from across the world here

9:20 PM

India calls for cross-border collaboration with Pakistan, Bangladesh to tackle transboundary pollution

Describing pollution as a "transboundary" issue, India has urged nations, especially Pakistan and Bangladesh, to take proactive and collaborative measures to manage and mitigate air pollution across borders.

 

This appeal comes as northern India has been witnessing a rise in pollution with New Delhi's air quality hitting a severe' level for the first time this season, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 418, on Wednesday.

 

Ministers and heads of delegations from six of the eight countries that share the Earth's tallest cryosphere zone met at a meeting hosted by Bhutan's Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay on day two of the global climate conference COP29 in Azerbaijan on Tuesday, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) said in a statement on Wednesday.

9:05 PM

In a first, sister and brother duo commands warships in Indian Navy

For the first time ever in the Indian Navy, sister and brother duo of Commander Prerna Deosthalee and Commander Ishan Deosthalee are commanding two different warships at the same time in the force.

 

Commander Prerna Deosthalee last year became the first ever female officer to be handed over the command of a warship in the Indian Navy. She is presently commanding the fast attack craft INS Trinkat. Her brother, Commander Ishan Deosthalee has now been given the command of INS Vibhuti which is a Veer-class missile vessel of the Indian Navy.

 

The vessel Vibhuti was part of the steam past given to President Draupadi Murmu off the coast of Goa in the Arabian Sea.

 

Both the brother and sister duo are commanding their warships under the Western Command.

 

The President Droupadi Murmu on November 7 visited the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant along with the Chief of Navy Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and witnessed an operational demonstration by the Indian Navy .

9:02 PM

Nyay Yatra received overwhelming response from people in phase 1: Delhi Congress chief

Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav said on Wednesday that the "Nyay Yatra" organised by his party in the national capital has received overwhelming support from people in its first phase.

 

The first phase of the month-long "Delhi Nyay Yatra", which was launched on November 8 from Rajghat, concluded on Tuesday. It covered 125 kilometres spanning 15 Assembly constituencies in five days.

 

The march has been organised by the Congress, which has been out of power in the capital for more than 10 years now, ahead of the Delhi Assembly polls due early next year.

 

Yadav claimed that people want the Congress back in power in Delhi.

 

The second phase of the yatra will start from the Gokulpuri Assembly segment on Friday.

 

Yadav said he interacted with people from diverse social backgrounds and professions during the march.

9:02 PM

IMA condemns attack on Chennai doctor, calls for exemplary punishment

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Wednesday condemned the attack on an oncologist by a patient's family member at a Chennai hospital and called for exemplary punishment for the accused and proactive safety measures.

 

The oncologist, Dr Balaji Jagannathan, was stabbed multiple times by the son of the patient at Kalaignar Centenary Super Speciality Hospital on Wednesday morning allegedly over grievances regarding the treatment of his mother, according to hospital officials.

 

The accused has been arrested and the doctor's condition is stated to be stable, the officials said.

 

In a statement, the IMA said Jagannathan was stabbed seven times by the son of a patient who suffered from stage IV ovarian cancer.

 

The doctor has been stabilised with great effort. He lost a considerable amount of blood since he was on anticoagulants, it said.

 

"The medical profession of the country is stunned... (in) disbelief. No amount of superficial damage control exercises by governments is going to make doctors work without fear in this country. Strong deterrent legislations, exemplary punishments and proactive safety measures are required now and here," the IMA said.

8:52 PM

Back in Washington for first time since his election victory, Trump tells House Republicans 'it's nice to win'

8:15 PM

Jan Aushadhi Kendras will lower medicine prices in Rajasthan: CM Sharma

People will get medicines at low prices at the three 'Jan Aushadhi Kendras' launched in Rajasthan on Wednesday, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said. The state government is consistently making decisions to expand health services for the people, he said.

7:52 PM

UK Oppn leader Kemi Badenoch to press for FTA with India

The UK's newly elected Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch, said she will continue to press for the conclusion of the free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations which she had worked towards as former business and trade secretary. Addressing a special diaspora gathering to celebrate the festive season at the High Commission of India in London on Tuesday evening, the Conservative Party leader said she would continue to champion the important bilateral partnership from the Opposition benches.

6:43 PM

Vi loss narrows to Rs 7,176 crore in Q2, revenue rises 1.8%

Vodafone Idea loss narrows to Rs 7,176 crore in September quarter, revenue rises 1.8 per cent to Rs 10,918 crore: Company filing

 

6:41 PM

Adani commits $10 bn in US energy, infra projects

Billionaire Gautam Adani on Wednesday committed to investing USD 10 billion in energy and infrastructure projects in the United States. "Congratulations to @realDonaldTrump," he posted on X, congratulating the incoming US President.

6:24 PM

Second quarter subscriber base impacted by recent tariff hikes: Vi

Second quarter subscriber base, including 4G subscriber, impacted by recent tariff hikes, said Vodafone Idea.

6:13 PM

Prez Murmu to inaugurate LokManthan-2024 in Hyderabad on Nov 22

President Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate LokManthan-2024, a colloquium of nationalist thinkers, in the city on November 22. Former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, and other dignitaries are also expected to attend the event to be held from November 21 to 24.

6:01 PM

Sebi proposes tighter regulations for custodians

India's markets regulator on Wednesday proposed changes to the regulatory framework for custodians, including doubling their minimum net worth requirement. Custodians provide services such as safekeeping of assets and maintenance of securities accounts for clients like foreign portfolio investors, mutual funds, and portfolio managers. Currently, India has 17 registered custodians.

5:46 PM

Delhi LG advises CM to revise income limit for EWS admissions in private schools to Rs 5 lakh

Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has strongly recommended to the AAP government in Delhi to raise the income limit for EWS category admissions in the private schools from Rs one lakh to Rs 5 lakh in view of vacant seats and higher minimum wages, officials said on Wednesday. Ideally the income limit should be Rs 8 lakh since the students benefitting at the primary and secondary levels are the ones who go ahead to avail higher education, he noted in a file related to a Delhi High Court matter concerning income limit.

5:38 PM

Total shutdown affects normal life in Manipur's Imphal Valley

Normal life was affected in Manipur's Imphal Valley on Wednesday due to a total shutdown called by 13 civil rights organisations to protest the alleged abduction of three women and children each by militants in Jiribam district, officials said. Business establishments and educational institutions in the five Imphal Valley districts of Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching and Bishnupur were closed due to the shutdown which commenced at 6 pm on Tuesday.

5:36 PM

NTPC Green targets to invest Rs 1 trn in solar, wind assets by FY27

IPO-bound NTPC Green Energy is aiming to invest up to Rs 1 lakh crore in solar and wind assets by FY27, a top official said on Wednesday. Assuming about 20 per cent of the investment to come from equity, it will need Rs 20,000 crore of its own funds for the expansion, its chairman and managing director Gurdeep Singh told reporters here, adding that Rs 10,000 crore of funds will be coming through the upcoming initial public offering.

5:20 PM

Expanding supply capacity will contain inflationary pressure, RBI's inflation target credible, says S&P

S&P Global Ratings on Wednesday said supply capacity in India is continuing to expand pretty quickly which will help contain inflationary pressure. S&P Senior Economist Asia Pacific Vishrut Rana said the central bank's monetary policy and inflation target remains credible and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) should be able to anchor inflationary expectations. "That remains a manageable challenge," he said.

4:55 PM

'TOP' disappearing from plates of poor due to 'failure' of PM Modi's policies: Congress

The Congress on Wednesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over high inflation rate of tomatoes, onions and potatoes, saying 'TOP' is disappearing from the plates of the poor due to the "failure" of his policies. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared on X an old video of Modi in which he is talking about the importance of 'TOP' -- tomatoes, onions and potatoes -- in the Indian households. "What kind of top priority is this, Prime Minister? The prices of the things that you said would be given top priority are skyrocketing. Because of this, the inflation rate of vegetables has reached 42%. The inflation rate of tomatoes is 161.3%, of potatoes is 64.9% and onion is 51.8%," he said in a post in Hindi on X.

4:29 PM

JMM-led alliance gave you migration, unemployment, no rail connectivity, says PM Modi in Godda rally

JMM-led coalition applied salt to your wound by giving ticket to wife of jailed leader (Alamgir Alam), alleges PM Modi.

4:21 PM

Infiltration assuming alarming proportion in Jharkhand, says PM Modi in Godda rally

JMM-led coalition indugled in mafia raj, question paper leak; will bring culprits from 'paatal' who played with children's future: PM Modi. 

4:09 PM

SC reserves order on MCD's plea against fixation of power tariff at Narela plant

The Supreme Court has reserved its order on a plea filed by the MCD challenging the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity's direction that the civic body cannot fix power tariff for electricity at the waste-to-energy power plant at Narela here. A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan heard submissions from the lawyer appearing for the civic body who sought quashing of the Appellate Tribunal's order and sought permission to set up the power plant.

3:44 PM

J-K CM Abdullah calls on V-P Dhankhar; likely to meet president, finance minister

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is on an official visit to Delhi, on Wednesday called on Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar. A picture of Abdullah and Dhankhar exchanging greetings was posted on the official X handle of the vice-president's office."Shri Omar Abdullah ji, Hon'ble chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, called on Hon'ble Vice-President Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar at Vice-President's Enclave today," it said in the caption.

3:40 PM

Pak court acquits Imran Khan, his close aides in Section 144 violation case

In a relief to Imran Khan, a Pakistani court on Wednesday acquitted the former prime minister and his close aides in a case involving Section 144 violations.

A district and sessions court in Islamabad dismissed the charges, acquitting Khan, Sheikh Rashid, Asad Qaiser, Saifullah Niazi, Sadaqat Abbasi, Faisal Javed, and Ali Nawaz.

2:56 PM

BJP will get two-thirds majority in Jharkhand: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday expressed confidence that the BJP will get two-thirds majority in Jharkhand, where the first phase of polling is underway. He also said that people will vote for his party in order to end the "corrupt" rule of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress-Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) alliance. Chouhan is Bharatiya Janata Party's assembly election in-charge in Jharkhand.

2:25 PM

Maratha community will ensure poll defeat of those denying reservation to them: Quota activist Manoj Jarange

Those claiming Hindus are in danger cannot see troubles facing Maratha children:Manoj Jarange Patil stated today.

2:22 PM

No Muslim quota even if your 4th generation comes: Amit Shah to Rahul Gandhi

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should remember that even if his “fourth generation were to come”, Muslims won't get reservations meant for SCs, STs and OBCs. “A few days ago, Ulemas met the president of Congress party and said that Muslims should be given reservation,” Shah said, addressing a rally for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections.

2:09 PM

British author Samantha Harvey wins Booker Prize for ‘Orbital'

British author Samantha Harvey has won the 2024 Booker Prize for her “ambitious and beautiful” ‘Orbital', which becomes the first novel set in space to win the GBP 50,000 literary prize selected from a historic shortlist that was dominated by women this year. ‘Orbital', the biggest-selling book on the shortlist in the UK, takes place over a single day in the life of six astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station who observe 16 sunrises and sunsets on Earth spinning past continents and cycling past seasons.

1:39 PM

Nitish Kumar pulled Bihar out of 'Jungle Raaj', says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday lauded Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his role in transforming the state, pulling it out of what he called the 'Jungle Raaj'. PM Modi's remarks came during a function in Darbhanga, where he laid the foundation for an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and inaugurated several key infrastructure projects worth around Rs 12,100 crore.

1:33 PM

‘Ladli behnas' of Maharashtra are with BJP, says Union minister Amit Shah

I have travelled all over Maharashtra and can say with confidence that BJP-led Mahayuti will sweep November 20 assembly poll, Amit Shah stated today. 

12:53 PM

Demolition drive: SC warns Executive against acting as judge

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will be "totally unconstitutional" if houses of people are demolished merely because they are accused or even convicts. The top court stated that the Executive cannot become a judge, declare an accused as guilty and demolish his house. Read here for a detailed story.

12:19 PM

Bihar witnessing lot of development, NDA govt committed to welfare of people: PM Modi

Previous govts in Bihar never bothered about health infrastructure, PM Modi said today after laying foundation stone for AIIMS Darbhanga.