New Delhi, December 3 (IANS): With the farmers' protests escalating day-by-day, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday said 'there was nothing for him to resolve'. He urged the Centre, which is holding discussions with the farmer representatives, to resolve the issue quickly. Singh's statement comes after he discussed the farmers' issue with Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence in about half-an-hour meeting. The meeting happened before the fo

New Delhi, December 3 (IANS): The Congress has stepped up the demand of immediately scrapping the farm laws in the wake of the farmers' protest in the national capital. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet,"Accepting less than scrapping of three black farm laws will be deceit to farmers and the country." The Congress leader's reaction comes even as the meeting between the farmers and the government is going on to resolve the issue. Talks between the Cent

New Delhi, December 3 (IANS): The over seven-hour long talks between the representatives of the farmers' bodies and the Union government ended without any breakthrough on Thursday and the next round of talks has been scheduled for December 5. As per sources, the farmers have given their suggestions to the government in writing. Earlier in the day, a group of more than 34 farmer leaders put out a five-point set of demands that seeks to frame a specific law on minimum support pric

Lucknow, December 3 (IANS): Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, on Thursday, distributed a loan of Rs 10,390 crores to 3,54,825 MSME units and tool kits to 5000 interns under the 'One District One Product' (ODOP) scheme. The scheme is designed to help the youth, in particular, to create their own job opportunities and give a push to the ODOP scheme as well. "Under the Atmanirbhar Bharat programme, the loans being disbursed to make the people self-reliant,&q

Chennai, December 3 (IANS): Cyclonic storm Burevi is expected to cross the south Tamil Nadu coast between Pamban and Kanniyakumari, during late Thursday night/early Friday morning, with wind speed of 70-80 gusting to 90 kmph, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. According to the IMD, the impact would continue over Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari districts of south Tamil Nadu and adjoining districts of south Kerala till early on Friday. The IM

New Delhi, December 3 (PTI): The Supreme Court directed the Centre on Wednesday to install CCTV cameras and recording equipment at the offices of investigating agencies, including the CBI, the ED and National Investigation Agency (NIA), which conduct interrogations and have the power of arrest. A bench headed by Justice R F Nariman said that states and Union Territories (UTs) should ensure that CCTV cameras are installed at each and every police station, at all entry and exit points

Chennai, December 3 (IANS): Actor Rajinikanth on Thursday said he would float his political party in January and an announcement in that regard will be made on December 31, 2020. With this Rajinikanth puts an end to various speculations about his plunge into Tamil Nadu politics. Announcing this in a tweet he added: "In the upcoming assembly polls, with people's massive support, in Tamil Nadu, an honest, transparent corruption less, secular and spiritual politics is sure

Kendrapara (Odisha), December 3 (PTI): Pairs of olive ridley sea turtles have begun emerging on the swirling sea waters off Gahirmatha in Odisha, marking the commencement of the annual natural heritage of mass nesting, forest officials said on Thursday. Forest personnel on patrolling drives have sighted pairs of mating turtles. For undisturbed breeding of the aquatic animals, prohibition on sea fishing continues to remain in force in the marine sanctuary, they said. Gahirmatha be

New Delhi, December 3 (PTI): The Chief Executive and Secretary Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) has written to all chief ministers to allow schools to reopen partially from January onwards, especially for students of class 10 and 12 who will be appearing for board exams. The council has also written to the Chief Election Commissioner of India to share the poll schedule of the states where elections are due in April and May so the datesheet for board exa

New Delhi, December 3 (PTI): Board exams in 2021 will be in written mode only and not online, Central Board of Secondary Education officials said on Wednesday even as consultations on dates for conduct of the examination are still underway.        The officials of the board also said that if students were not able to sit for practicals in classes before the exams, alternatives would be explored.      "No final decision has been taken regardin

New Delhi, December 3 (IANS): With 35,551 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, India's overall tally increased to 95,34,964 on Thursday, as 526 more fatalities took the Covid-19 death toll to 1,38,648, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said. Currently, there are 4,22,943 active cases, whereas 89,73,373 patients have been discharged so far, including 40,726 discharged in the last 24 hours. The recovery rate stands at 94.11 per cent and fatality rate at 1.45 as p

New Delhi, December 2 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has formally invited UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to be the chief guest for the Republic Day celebrations on January 26, 2021. The invitation was extended by Modi to Johnson during their phone conversation on November 27, sources said. It is after a gap of 27 years that a UK Prime Minister will be the chief guest at India's 70th Republic Day next month. John Major was the last British Prime Minister to attend the Repu

Chandigarh, December 2 (IANS): With the Covid-19 vaccine in the final stages of operationalisation in India, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said he will take the first shot of the vaccine in Punjab, once it is cleared by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The Chief Minister made this announcement at the virtual Cabinet meeting, during a presentation to discuss the Covid situation and the state's preparedness to roll out the vaccine. In line with the g

New Delhi, December 2 (IANS): Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde on Wednesday told senior advocate Kapil Sibal that every case is different, as he cited quick relief to Republic TV editor Arnab Goswami while seeking relief for Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan, who was arrested by Uttar Pradesh Police on October 5 while he was on way to Hathras. Sibal, representing the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ), submitted before a bench headed by the Chief Justice that Goswami's

New Delhi, December 2 (IANS): Attorney General K.K. Venugopal has told the Supreme Court that it is essential to improve the representation of women in the judiciary to develop a more balanced and empathetic approach in cases involving sexual violence, noting that the top court has only 2 women judges, out of the sanctioned strength of 34 judges and also there has never been a female Chief Justice of India. The response from the AG came in a response on a plea filed by advocate Apar

New Delhi, December 2 (IANS): The agitating farmers on Wednesday urged the Union government to convene a special session of the Parliament to repeal the three farm laws, besides threatening to hold a nationwide protest on December 5. Addressing a press conference at the Delhi-Haryana border in Singhu, Darshan Pal, President of Krantikari Kisan Union, said, "We will celebrate December 3, when the Bhopal gas tragedy took place several decades ago, as anti-corporate day. On Decemb

New Delhi, December 2 (PTI): The Indian economy is coming out of the pandemic-induced degrowth and GDP growth will enter the positive territory in the fourth quarter of this fiscal, Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar said on Wednesday. In an interview to PTI, Kumar also said the Centre's new agriculture reform laws are aimed at increasing the income of farmers and the present agitation was a result of misunderstanding and miscommunication which need to be removed. "The

New Delhi, December 2 (IANS): China is making last minute efforts to make emergency procurements of high-altitude gear and clothing for its troops as they were caught unaware with India's readiness for the harsh winter atop the Eastern Ladkah heights -- that has been the bone of contention between the two Asian majors. India has occupied critical mountain heights on the southern bank of the Pangong Lake including Rechin La, Rezang La, Mukpari that were unmanned till now. This

New Delhi, December 2 (IANS): With 36,604 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, India's overall tally increased to 94,99,413 on Wednesday, as 501 more fatalities took the COVID-19 death toll to 1,38,122, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said. Currently, there are 4,28,644 active cases, whereas 89,32,647 patients have been discharged so far, including 43,062 discharged in the last 24 hours. The recovery rate stands at 94.03 per cent and fatality rate at 1.45 as

New Delhi, December 1 (IANS): Abdul Rashid Shora, the father of student activist Shehla Rashid, alleged on Tuesday that his daughter has ultimately succeeded in cornering him by turning his wife and other daughter against him due to their lust for money. Shora, who has accused his daughter Shehla, a former JNU student leader, of indulging in anti-national activities, issued a statement on Tuesday to clarify his stand on his daughter's comments against him on Twitter. "Si