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10:24 PM

Uttarkashi tunnel rescue: New equipment shows some results, raises hopes

A heavy-duty drilling machine bored through 12 metres of rubble of the collapsed tunnel on the Char Dham route in Uttarakhand on Thursday, raising hopes for the rescue of 40 workers trapped inside for over four days.

 

Officials said in the evening that a six-metre section of a steel pipe had been inserted into the bored passage. Another section was being welded into it.

 

The plan is to insert 800 mm- and 900 mm diameter pipes – one after the other -- with the help of the giant drill till an escape passage is created for the workers stranded beyond the collapsed portion of the under-construction tunnel.

 

After a smaller drilling machine failed to do the job, IAF's C-130 Hercules planes brought the US-made auger machine, in parts, from Delhi to an airport 30 kilometres away on Wednesday. The 25-tonne piece of equipment was installed overnight.

10:23 PM

Israeli opposition leader says time has come to replace Netanyahu

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said on Thursday it was time to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and that there would be broad support to form a unity government led by Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party.

 

Centrist Lapid, who served briefly as prime minister last year, said he believed a large majority of the 120 lawmakers in the Knesset, or parliament, would sign on to such a coalition.

 

He made his comments as Israel pressed on with its military offensive in Gaza following Hamas' deadly Oct. 7 rampage through southern Israel.

10:23 PM

Russia jails artist for 7 years over Ukraine supermarket protest

A Russian court on Thursday sentenced artist Alexandra Skochilenko to seven years in prison for spreading "false information" about the army after she swapped supermarket price tags with slogans criticising Russia's offensive in Ukraine. The 33-year-old, known as Sasha, is the latest among thousands of Russians to be detained, jailed or fined for speaking out against Moscow's military intervention.

 

Supporters shouted "shame" and "we're with you Sasha" after the judge, Oksana Demiasheva, read out the verdict, an AFP journalist in court reported.

10:23 PM

Israel shelling Southern Lebanon in response to rocket fire

The Israeli military struck a terror cell in Lebanon that fired anti-tank missiles towards Israeli territory, the Israel Defence Forces announced.

 

The military said the terrorists fired towards the area of Misgav Am in northern Israel and at army posts in the areas of Metula and Kibbutz Yiftah.

 

No injuries were reported.

 

In response, IDF soldiers are striking with artillery fire towards the sources of the launches.

8:38 PM

MEA calls for 'secession of violence' in Myanmar after airstrikes at Indo-Myanmar border

India on Thursday called for the end of violence after an airstrike at the Indo-Myanmar border and emphasised the resolution of the situation through constructive dialogue.

7:30 PM

"We are extending consular assistance": MEA on Indian national sentenced to death in Yemen

India is extending whatever consular assistance possible to the Indian national who has been sentenced to death in Yemen and her mercy plea was rejected by the apex court in Sanaa, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

7:29 PM

We are not targeting hospitals: Isreal

7:28 PM

Hamas-Israel conflict: India once again calls for de-escalation

With Israel continuing its military offensive in Gaza in retaliation to last month's attacks by Hamas, India on Thursday once again called for de-escalating the situation and underlined the need for observing international humanitarian law in the face of increasing civilian casualties in the conflict.

 

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at his weekly media briefing that India is looking at sending more humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people.

 

Israel has been carrying out a massive military operation in Gaza following the unprecedented and multi-pronged attacks on Israeli cities by Hamas militants on October 7.

7:10 PM

Amit Shah to meet MRPS leaders during Telangana visit on Nov 18

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit the poll-bound state of Telangana on November 18, a party release said on Thursday.

 

As per the release, the Union Minister will address public meetings in Gadwal, Nalgonda and Warangal East Assembly constituencies.

 

Shah is scheduled to hold a meeting with Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) leaders in Hyderabad, who have been demanding internal reservations within the Scheduled Caste (SC) category.

 

During his visit, Amit Shah will also release BJP's election manifesto in Hyderabad.

7:03 PM

JSW Steel withdraws application to surrender Jajang iron ore mine in Odisha

JSW Steel on Thursday said it has withdrawn the application to surrender one of its iron ore mines in Odisha's Keonjhar.

 

The company had in September submitted a notice to surrender the mining lease of the Jajang iron ore mine, which it had acquired through auction.

 

"The company upon considering demand and supply scenario of iron ore in India, has today withdrawn its application for the Final Mine Closure Plan submitted on 1st September 2023 before the Indian Bureau of Mines for the purpose of surrender of Jajang Iron Ore Block located in the district of Keonjhar, Odisha," the company said in a filing to the BSE.

6:52 PM

Key terror launch commander killed in Uri infiltration bid

In a major blow to terror infrastructure and terror sympathisers in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, security forces have eliminated key launch commander Bashir Ahmad Malik in an anti-infiltration operation in the Uri sector, the army said on Thursday.

 

Malik and another terrorist were killed Wednesday in a joint operation, codenamed Op Kali, by the army and Jammu and Kashmir Police along the Line of Control.

 

"The salient aspect of this operation is the neutralization of Bashir Ahmed Malik, one of the two terrorists killed. He was an important cog in the Pakistan-enabled crossborder terrorism Jammu and Kashmir. He was an important terrorist launch commander for terror tanzeems (organisations) from Leepa in the North to the areas in PoJ&K, opposite Rajouri in the South," an army official said.

6:52 PM

Spain's Pedro Sánchez reelected prime minister despite controversy over amnesty for separatists

Spain’s acting Socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, was chosen by a majority of legislators to form a new government in a parliamentary vote Thursday.

 

Sánchez was backed by 179 lawmakers in the 350-seat lower house of parliament. Only right-wing opposition deputies voted against him.

 

The vote came after nearly two days of debate among party leaders that centered almost entirely on a highly controversial amnesty deal for Catalonia’s separatists that Sánchez agreed to in return for vital support to get elected prime minister again.

 

Sánchez won the vote after clinching the support of six smaller parties, allowing him to achieve the majority lawmakers needed to be reelected and form another minority coalition government with the left-wing Sumar (Joining Forces) party.

6:52 PM

Five dead in tanker-car collision in Dharapuram in TN

At least five persons, including three women, were killed in a collision between a petroleum tanker and a car at Manakadavu in Dharapuram in the district, police said on Thursday.

 

The deceased were occupants of the car which collided head-on with the petroleum tanker at Manakadavu, police said.

 

The tanker was approaching Dharapuram from Coimbatore while the car was proceeding to Dharapuram from Palani when the accident took place.

6:52 PM

Australia passes laws to handle migrant convicts who can't be held indefinitely or deported

Migrants with criminal records face up to five years in prison for breaching their visa conditions under emergency legislation passed by the Australian Parliament on Thursday.

 

The new legislation was in response to a High Court ruling that foreigners can’t be detained indefinitely as an alternative to deportation.

 

The government said it has released 84 people — most of whom have convictions for crimes including murder and rape — since the court ruled last week that indefinite detention of migrants is unconstitutional.

 

The decision reversed a High Court ruling from 2004 that had allowed stateless people to be held in migrant centers for any length of time in cases where there were no prospects of deporting them from Australia.

6:35 PM

Mayor ticks off pvt firm over not picking garbage in MCD's West Zone

Mayor Shelly Oberoi has reprimanded a private firm engaged by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for allegedly not picking garbage in area under its West Zone, officials said on Thursday.

 

The mayor held a meeting with the representatives of the firm on Thursday and instructed it to deal with the issue on an urgent basis, they said.

 

The mayor has warned that it will be blacklisted if garbage is not picked timely in the West Zone, the officials said.

 

There was no immediate reaction from the firm.