Breaking News, December 3 | Highlights

Popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, booked last year for allegedly promoting gun culture through his song, joined the Congress on Friday. The singer joined the party in the presence of Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and the party's state chief Navjot Singh Sidhu here and may contest the Punjab Assembly elections.          

Later, Moosewala along with Navjot Sidhu, the party's Punjab affairs in-charge at the AICC Harish Chaudhary and minister Amarinder Singh Raja Warring met party leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi.  

A 46-year-old autorickshaw driver died after he suffered a heart attack near Nethravati bridge here while he was on his way to drop a passenger at nearby Kallaup on Friday, police sources said.

The deceased has been identified as Muhammad Haneef, a resident of Katipalla in the city, they said. Sources said the driver felt dizzy as the autorickshaw approached Jeppinamogaru. The vehicle then went out of control and rammed into a divider.

Local people rushed to his help and Haneef later managed to drive the autorickshaw a little further. The driver of an ambulance which was behind the vehicle, rushed to him to a hospital, but he was declared brought dead, the sources said.

A 22-year-old man was arrested from Bihar on charges of raping a minor girl in Bhiwadi of Alwar district, police said on Friday. Neetu Kumar, the accused, was allegedly arrested for kidnapping and raping a 13-year-old girl last month, they said.

The arrest was made from Chapra district, Bhiwadi Superintendent of Police Rammurti Joshi said.

According to a statement issued by the police, the victim's father had lodged a report on November 20 against Neetu Kumar at a Women’s Police Station accusing him of abducting and raping his daughter.

The victim's family also is originally from Bihar.

A special team of police took the accused into custody on Thursday from a police station in Bihar's Amnaur area. He was arrested after interrogation, police said

Gold in the national capital on Friday dipped Rs 196 to Rs 46,581 per 10 gram in line with fall in international precious metal prices, according to HDFC Securities.

In the previous trade, the precious metal settled at Rs 46,777 per 10 gram. Silver also declined Rs 146 to Rs 59,878 per kilogram from Rs 60,024 per kilogram in the previous trade.

In the international market, gold was trading lower at USD 1,767 per ounce and silver was flat at USD 22.30 per ounce.

Bengaluru: Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai chairs meeting related to COVID-19 situation and the two Omicron cases. 

Congress appoints Jagdish Thakor as the President of Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC).

Punjab: Police have recovered a tiffin bomb and four hand grenades from Salimpur Afghana village in Gurdaspur district.

A BJP minister said yesterday (December 02) in the Parliament that NRC won't be implemented throughout India. They have (Central government) repealed the three farm laws and will also repeal NRC: Dola Sen, TMC MP. 

We had written to all States asking for data on it. 19 States responded, only Punjab reported four 'suspected' deaths due to oxygen shortage: Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya in Lok Sabha on the question of 'deaths due to oxygen shortage'. 

Delhi: Resident doctors of RML Hospital hold protest over NEET-PG counselling. New students, who were expected to join by March-April, might join by next March-April. Counselling's getting delayed. Our strike is indefinite, till the Centre expedites the process: Dr Raghuraj, a protestor. 

COVID-19: India reports 9,216 new cases in the last 24 hours; Active caseload stands at 99,976: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

We are conducting contact tracing. I will be holding a meeting with health experts at 1:00 pm today. I have spoken to Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, he will get back to me with some guidelines: Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai on the two Omicron cases in India.

Nepal imposes ban on entry from nine countries including Hong Kong, in view of emergence of Omicron variant of COVID-19. 

A majority in US House of Representatives on Thursday approved a bill to avoid a partial government shutdown by extending through February 18 federal agency funding that would have expired on Friday night: Reuters. 

International Monetary Fund (IMF) says its First Deputy Managing Director Geoffrey Okamoto will leave the Fund early next year and Gita Gopinath, the IMF’s Chief Economist, is proposed to be the Fund’s new First Deputy Managing Director. 

New York state has confirmed five cases of Omicron COVID-19 variant, reports US media quoting Governor Kathy Hochul. 

Odisha: 5-day International Sand Art Festival that started on December 1 is underway at Chandrabhaga beach in Konark.