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EC starts preparations for 5 state polls

 Wed, 16 December 2020
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23:44

COVID-19 +ve Haryana minister Anil Vij's condition stable

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The condition of Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij, who is undergoing treatment for COVID-19 at a Gurgaon hospital, is stable, according to an official statement Wednesday.  Vij, 67, was shifted to Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon Tuesday evening. The minister, who was admitted to Post-Graduate...
23:07

EC starts preparations for 5 state polls

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The Election Commission has started its preparations for five assembly polls due some time in April-May next year with two if its senior officials set to visit West Bengal and Tamil Nadu in the next few days.  While EC Secretary General Umesh Sinha would be visiting Tamil Nadu next week,...
22:43

JEE-Mains to be held four times a year

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The JEE-Mains for admission to engineering colleges will be held four times a year starting 2021 to offer flexibility to students and a chance to improve their scores, Union education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank announced on Wednesday.The first edition of the Joint Entrance...
22:17

Ram temple to be built using only domestic funds: Trust

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The Ram temple in Ayodhya will be built using domestic funds collected from the general public through a mass contact programme as its trust doesn't have required approvals for accepting donations from abroad, general secretary of the trust Champat Rai said on Wednesday.  Underlining that...
21:46

Pained at 'farmers' plight', Sikh cleric shoots self

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A Sikh preacher supporting the farmers' agitation against the Centre's agriculture laws allegedly committed suicide near the Singhu border in Delhi on Wednesday, police said.   A handwritten note in Punjabi, purportedly left behind by the deceased, says he was unable to bear the pain of...
21:28

India ranks 131 in UN's human development index

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India dropped one spot to 131 among 189 countries in the 2020 human development index, according to a report released by the United Nations Development Programme.  Human Development Index is the measure of a nation's health, education, and standards of living.Life expectancy of Indians at...
20:52

Suvendu meets other disgruntled TMC leaders

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Hours after he resigned as MLA, rebel TMC leader Suvedu Adhikari on Wednesday held a closed door meeting with disgruntled leaders of the party including senior MP Sunil Mandal and Asansol civic body chiefJitendra Tiwari in Kanksa, sources said.The closed door meeting began at 7 PM is still on.The...
20:42

CBI seeks more time for probe into Hathras rape case

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The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Wednesday fixed January 27 as the next date of hearing on the Hathras rape case after the Central Bureau of Investigation sought more time to conclude its investigation.   The CBI informed the court that it will take some more time to...
20:26

Covaxin triggers immune response, no side effects

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Bharat Biotech's coronavirus vaccine candidate 'Covaxin' induced an immune response and registered no serious adverse events, interim findings of trials have revealed.Phase I and Phase II results have shown that the vaccine was well tolerated in all groups the data showed.Bharat Biotech said...
19:48

PM Modi to attend AMU's centenary celebrations

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the chief guest at the centenary celebrations of the Aligarh Muslim University via video link on December 22, an official statement said.Modi will attend the online function along with Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, it said.Extending his...
19:37

Urmila Matondkar's Instagram account hacked, FIR filed

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Actor-politician Urmila Matondkar on Wednesday said her Instagram account has been hacked, following which she has filed an FIR with Maharashtra Cyber, the state police's cyber wing.  Matondkar took to Twitter to report that her Instagram profile was compromised after she responded to a...
19:07

Protest against farm laws an 'exception': Tomar

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The ongoing farmers' protest at Delhi borders is an exception and limited to one state, Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Wednesday and hoped for an early solution as the government is in talks with farmer unions.   There is an atmosphere of enthusiasm in the...
19:06

Farmers' stir a planned conspiracy by Oppn: BJP leader

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BJP's Gujarat unit president C R Paatil on Wednesday alleged that the ongoing agitation by farmers on the Delhi borders was a planned conspiracy by the opposition parties to create anarchy in the country and to destabilise it.Paatil, a BJP MP from Navsari Lok Sabha constituency in Gujarat, said...
18:45

LDF heads for win in Kerala, NDA in 3rd position

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday lauded the commendable performance of Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the local body election in Kerala where counting of votes in the local body elections is inching towards the final lap.The ruling LDF has...
18:23

Saif sued for saying Ravan was kind-hearted

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A lawyer moved a court in Jaunpur, UP, on Wednesday seeking the registration of a case against Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan for allegedly hurting religious sentiments in an interview over his upcoming movie, Adipurush. Petitioner Himanshu Shrivastava alleged that Khan termed demon king...
18:20

Delhi court awards 7-yr-jail to ISIS operative

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A Delhi court Wednesday awarded seven-years jail term to an ISIS operative for conspiring to commit terror acts in the country. Tamil Nadu-based Mohamed Naser Packeer was deported from Republic of Sudan and arrested in the case on December 11, 2015. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had...
18:03

Suicide abetment: HC allows Arnab to challenge chargesheet

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The Bombay High Court on Wednesday allowed journalist Arnab Goswami to challenge the chargesheet filed in the 2018 abetment of suicide case against him after it was informed that a magistrates court in Raigad district has taken cognizance of the document.Goswami's counsel Aabad Ponda told the...
17:59

PM discussed vaccine distribution with UK

UK FM Dominic Raab with PM Modi
UK FM Dominic Raab with PM Modi
Experts from India and the United Kingdom will collaborate via a new virtual hub to distribute vaccines for Covid-19 and other deadly viruses, the visiting foreign secretary of the United Kingdom Dominic Raab said on Wednesday.Raab called on Prime Minister Modi today to discuss India and the UK...
17:46

T'gana targets to vaccinate 80 lakh people in 10 days

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Telangana is in the process of creating the required infrastructure for administering COVID- 19 vaccine initially to about 80 lakh people, including front-line warriors, once the preventive medicine is available for the state, official sources said on Wednesday.Training programmes for almost...
17:34

Party waiting for Suvendhu: WB BJP chief

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WB BJP chief Dilip Ghosh on Suvendu Adhikari resigning from the West Bengal legislative assembly: It was bound to happen. Many MLAs left TMC earlier too and joined our party. There's no democracy or respect for people in TMC. Those who want to join in the change in Bengal and contribute to...
16:52

TMC collapsing like house of cards: Mukul Roy

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BJP Vice President Mukul Roy: The day Suvendu Adhikari had resigned from the ministerial post, I had told I will be happy if he leaves TMC and we will welcome him. Today he has resigned from the membership of West Bengal Legislative Assembly and I welcome his decision. Trinamool Congress is...
16:37

10 AC local services on CR's main line in Mumbai from Dec 17

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Ten air-conditioned local train services will be operated on the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus-Kalyan section here from Thursday, replacing the ordinary suburban services, the Central Railway said. This is the first time that the Central Railway (CR) is introducing AC locals on its main...
16:30

FB India head deposes before Parl panel

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Facebook's India head Ajit Mohan deposed before a parliamentary panel on Wednesday and was questioned about a recent report that the social media giant is reluctant to ban the Bajrang Dal due to concerns over the security of its staff. Mohan deposed before the Parliamentary Standing...
16:24

Rebel TMC MLA resigns from Assembly

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TMC leader Suvendu Adhikari arrived at the Vidhan Sabha and resigned from the membership of West Bengal Legislative Assembly. The rebel Trinamool Congress leader is likely to end months of suspense this week by formally joining the BJP, say reports. Adhikari has been at loggerheads with Chief...
16:16

Covid vaccination: UP cancels Jan, Feb leave

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The Health and Family Welfare Department of Uttar Pradesh has cancelled all leaves of officers and employees of the Directorate General, in view of proposed Covid-19 vaccination in the months of December 2020 and January 2021.A departmental notice dated December 15, 2020, stated that the...
15:58

Day 21: Langar, laundry seva for farmers

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It's been over 20 days since thousands of farmers arrived at Delhi's Singhu border to demand a repeal of the Centre's agri reforms. Over the days, Good Samaritans, gurdwara committees and NGOs have pooled technological resources to ensure the agitation isn't hampered by the lack of basic...
15:44

Spectrum worth Rs 3,92,332.70 cr to be auctioned

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The Union Cabinet has approved the next round of spectrum auction, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Wednesday. The minister said that the cabinet has approved relief for sugarcane farmers, improvement in electricity infrastructure in North Eastern states and the...
15:37

Cabinet okays Rs 3,500 cr sugar export subsidy

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The government on Wednesday approved a subsidy of Rs 3,500 crore to sugar mills for the export of 60 lakh tonnes of sweetener during the ongoing marketing year 2020-21 as part of its efforts to help them clear outstanding dues to sugarcane farmers. Briefing the media after the meeting,...
15:34

Tomar thanks MP farmers for not being 'misled'

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Agriculture Minister NS Tomar at the Kisan Sammelan in Gwalior: When attempts are being made to mislead and agitate farmers of Punjab in one corner of the nation, you gathered in Rewa, Sagar, Gwalior, Ujjain and other places to support farm laws by Narendra Modi govt. I thank all of you.When PM...
15:02

How Pakistan surrendered in 1971

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Lieutenant General Ashoke K Chatterjee, former General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command, speaks to Claude Arpi about the 1971 Bangladesh operations and his participation in the Surrender in Dacca.General Chatterjee was then a young officer from the Sikh Light Infantry...
14:51

Muslim voters not your jagir: AIMIM tells Mamata

Mir Jafar
Mir Jafar
And while on the Bengal polls likely to be held in April or May, this is what Asaduddin Owaisi tells CM Mamata Banerjee: So far you've only dealt with obedient Mir Jaffers and Sadiqs. You don't like Muslims who think and speak for themselves. You've insulted our voters in Bihar. Remember what...
14:41

BJP trying to coerce TMC leaders to join: Mamata

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused the BJP of trying to coerce Trinamool Congress leaders to join the saffron party. Addressing a rally here, Banerjee termed detractors in her party as opportunists and blamed the BJP for trying to break the TMC by using moneybags....
14:38

TRP case: Republic TV CEO gets bail

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Esplanade Court grants bail to Republic TV CEO Vikas Khanchandani. He was under police custody till December 15th in alleged TRP manipulation case. Republic TV CEO Vikas Khanchandani was granted bail on a surety of Rs 50,000.
14:33

Central Vista: The ignominy of building Indias parliament by breaking the law

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Welcome to the elitist era of Indian democracy where the public is rendered irrelevant. Read the report here
14:06

Govt talks with farmers bound to fail: SC

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The government's negotiations with farmers on the controversial farm laws will not work and are bound to fail again, the Supreme Court said today, proposing panel that includes representatives of the centre as well as farmers' associations from across the country.This will soon become a national...
13:50

PM discusses India-UK partnership after Covid

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Excellent meeting with Dominic Raab, UK Foreign Secretary. Discussed the vast potential of the India-UK partnership in the post-COVID, post-BREXIT world. Looking forward to next month's visit by PM Boris Johnson as Chief Guest at our Republic Day celebrations, the PM said.UK Foreign Secretary...
13:30

Equity indices touch record high on vaccine progress

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Indian equity benchmark indices touched a record high on Wednesday, after ending flat in the previous session.The domestic markets were trading high this afternoon tracking Asian stocks rose as hopes of effective coronavirus vaccines. The 30-scrip BSE Sensex opened at 46,573.31 and was...
13:21

Can farmers continue protests? SC hearing tomorrow

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Supreme Court begins hearing pleas seeking a direction to authorities to immediately remove the farmers who are protesting at several border points of Delhi against the three new farm laws. After the counsel appearing for petitioner mentions Shaheen Bagh case to remove farmers from Delhi borders,...
12:57

HC pauses Mumbai metro car shed project

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Bombay High Court on Wednesday stayed the metro car shed project at Mumbai's Kanjurmarg and has asked Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to maintain status quo.Maharashtra government is ready to take back its October 15, 2020 order of land allotment to MMRDA for metro car...
12:36

Varun Dhawan tests negative for Covid-19

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Actor Varun Dhawan has tested negative for COVID-19 and is currently gearing up to resume shooting for Jug Jugg Jeeyo. The 33-year-old actor was diagnosed with COVID-19 alongside his Jug Jugg Jeeyo co-stars Neetu Kapoor, Maniesh Paul and director Raj Mehta while they shooting for the film in...
12:29

Kerala polls: NDA leads in 13 wards

BJP workers celebrate early leads
BJP workers celebrate early leads
Kerala: BJP workers celebrate in Thiruvananthapuram, where counting is on, for the Kerala Local Body Election. As per early trends of the local body poll results, the NDA is leading in 13 wards.A total of 21,893 wards in 1,200 local self-governing bodies including 6 corporations, 941 village...
11:52

No intrusions from China since LAC faceoff: Army

PM Modi pays tribute at National War Memorial on the 50th-anniversary of the 1971 India-Pakistan war
PM Modi pays tribute at National War Memorial on the 50th-anniversary of the 1971 India-Pakistan war
Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Anil Chauhan on Wednesday said there have been no intrusions or major faceoffs in the area of responsibility of the Eastern Command since the Ladakh standoff between Indian troops and China's PLA. He said that post the Galwan Valley incident, bonhomie and...
11:48

Not against publishing of my father's memoir: Pranab's son

Pranab Mukherjee's son and daughter before his portrait
Pranab Mukherjee's son and daughter before his portrait
A day after asking the publisher to stop the publication of his father and former President Pranab Mukherjee's last memoir, former Congress MP Abhijit Mukherjee on Wednesday said that he is not against the publishing of his father's memoir but requested the publisher to allow him to go through...
11:39

Day 21: Mega losses at wholesale vegetable mkt

The Azadpur market in Delhi
The Azadpur market in Delhi
Traders from Azadpur Mandi, one of the largest wholesale markets for fruits and vegetables in the country, say that due to the ongoing farmers' agitation against the three farm laws, their business has been adversely affected.It is certainly affected. As you know the border is closed. The...
11:19

Kerala polls update

Kerala local body poll results: LDF wins in 7 wards, NDA -3 and UDF-1, in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.As per trends, NDA leading in 14 wards, LDF- 21, UDF -4.S. Pushpalatha, LDF's mayor candidate has lost to NDA candidate by 145. 
11:15

Kerala Cong candidate loses by 1 vote to BJP

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Congress mayoral candidate N Venugopal, has lost to the BJP candidate by one vote, in the Kochi Corporation North Island ward, in the state's 2020 local body elections. It was a sure seat. I can't say what happened. There was no problem in the party. There was a problem with the voting machine....
11:11

'71 anniversary: PM lights 'Swarnim Vijay Mashaal'

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi lights up 'Swarnim Vijay Mashaal' at the National War Memorial on the 50th-anniversary of the 1971 India-Pakistan war. Modi was joined by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the chief of defence staff and tri-service chiefs as he laid wreath and paid homage to the...
11:01

In memoriam of our eternal braves

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Four 'Victory Mashaals' (flames) lit from the Eternal Flame of National War Memorial will be carried to various parts of the country including to villages of Param Vir Chakra and Maha Vir Chakra awardees of 1971 war.
11:00

Rahul Gandhi takes dig at Centre on Vijay Diwas

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In an apparent dig at the Central government on the occasion of Vijay Diwas, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said it is a matter of time when neighbouring countries of India were afraid of violating the border of the country and believed in the might of Prime Minister of India.On the...
10:56

Brisk walking in narrow corridors ups Covid risk

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Walking fast in narrow spaces behind a group of people can significantly increase COVID-19 transmission risk, especially in children, according to a study which says virus-laden respiratory droplets can trail behind infected individuals moving through such corridors. The results of the...
10:42

Sensex, Nifty climb new peaks in opening trade

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Equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty scaled new highs in opening deals on Wednesday as participants cheered improved domestic macro-economic indicators and positive trends in global markets.The BSE gauge Sensex surged 288.55 points or 0.62 per cent to trade at 46,551.72; while the NSE barometer...
09:56

Modi reaches National War Memorial, pays tribute

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute at National War Memorial on the anniversary of the 1971 India-Pakistan war.He will kickstart the 50th-anniversry celebrations of the 1971 victory today.  -- ANI
09:55

India records 26,382 new Covid cases, 387 deaths in 24 hrs

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With 26,382 new COVID-19 infections, India's total cases rise to 99,32,548.With 387 new deaths, toll mounts to 1,44,096. Total active cases at 3,32,002.Total discharged cases at 94,56,449 with 33,813 new discharges in the last 24 hours.
09:19

Vijay Diwas: PM to light 'Swarnim Vijay Mashaal'

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will light up 'Swarnim Vijay Mashaal' at the National War Memorial (NWM) in Delhi on Wednesday and kickstart the 50th-anniversary celebrations of the 1971 India-Pakistan war, the ministry of defence said.In an official release on Tuesday, the Ministry said, 'In...
08:43

Did China, Pak donate to PM CARES? Asks Cong

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Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday posed various questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over PM CARES Fund, including the receipt of donations to the fund through Indian Embassies.'The intriguing case of 'foreign donations', including from China, Pakistan and Qatar to PM...
08:31

AMU students extend support to protesting farmers

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Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) students on Tuesday urged President Ram Nath Kovind to intervene in farm laws issue and demanded that the legislations be revoked.The students also staged a protest and extended their full support to farmers agitating against the laws at various Delhi border points...
08:11

Polling begins for 7th phase of J-K civic polls

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Polling for the seventh phase of the District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir began on a dull note as freezing weather conditions in the Valley kept most people indoors early on Wednesday, officials said.Polling for 31 DDC seats -- 13 in Kashmir division and 18 in Jammu...
00:14

Canada to get 168K Moderna doses before year end

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday that Canada is contracted to receive up to 168,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine before the end of December, pending approval by Canada's health regulator.  Trudeau said deliveries could begin within 48 hours of regulatory approval and...