Breaking News December 13 | Highlights

Karnataka's road transport employees on Sunday called off their 4-day strike after the state government responded to some of their demands, enabling resumption of bus services across the southern state.

India's largest renewable energy generation park will come up in Gujarat with a generation capacity of 30 gigawatts (GW).

The foundation stone of Hybrid Renewable Energy Park near Vighakot village in Gujarat's Kutch district will be laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, the PMO said.

The Assam government on Sunday approved a proposal to bring in a new legislation for controlling the micro finance firms, which charge exorbitant interests from borrowers, as per the RBI guidelines.

A meeting of the state cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, decided to reign in the micro finance entities, who mostly give loans to women self help groups at high rates, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary told.

Following an attack on the Government Science Secondary School in Katsina in Abuja, hundreds of students are feared missing.

Gunmen raided the school, where more than 800 students are said to reside, on Friday evening. The attackers arrived on motorbikes and started shooting into the air, causing people to flee, witnesses said, the BBC reported.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday said notifications would be issued shortly to fill vacancies of teachers, police personnel and those in other government departments in the state.

A BJP activist was found dead near his residence in West Bengal's East Burdwan district on Sunday, triggering protests by party workers, who alleged that he was killed by members of the ruling TMC.

Italy’s special commissioner for the pandemic says the vaccination campaign against COVID-19 will begin in all 27 European Union countries on the same “symbolic” day, to be followed with individual countries’ rollouts of larger inoculation programs.

The first trucks carrying a COVID-19 vaccine for widespread use in the United States were set to pull out of a Michigan manufacturing plant on Sunday, with the shots that are critical to stopping the nation’s coronavirus outbreak destined to reach states a day later.

Bharatiya Janata Party President Jagat Prakash Nadda on Sunday said that he has tested for coronavirus.

The BJP on Sunday expelled two local leaders in Jammu after they were found indulging in anti-party activities, according to a party release.

The BJP's Miran Sahib Mandal president Vijay Sharma and R S Pura Mandal president Shiv Kumar Bali were expelled following a complaint by R S Pura district president H S Pammi, the release said.

"Vidyavachaspati Bannanje Govindacharya Ji will be remembered for his great contributions to literature. His passion towards Sanskrit and Kannada were admirable. His works will continue influencing the future generations. Pained by his demise. Condolences to his family. Om Shanti," Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.

Germany is closing most stores and schools, and further limiting social contacts in an effort to drive down the rate of coronavirus infections that have remained stubbornly high in recent weeks.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said she and the governors of Germany’s 16 states agreed Sunday to step up the country’s lockdown measures from Dec. 16 to Jan. 10 to stop the exponential rise of COVID-19 cases.

The death toll in the cylinder blast-fire incident that occurred in Mumbai's Lalbaug area last week grew to six after a man succumbed to his injuries in a hospital in Mumbai, a fire brigade official said on Sunday.

42.79% votes polled in the 6th phase of District Development Council (DDC) elections till 1 pm across Jammu and Kashmir.

East Midnapore district Trinamool Congress leader Kanishka Panda suspended from the party for making 'anti-party remarks'.

Narendra Singh Tomar and Som Parkash meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah at latter's residence over farmers' issue. 

A couple in Amritsar, have placards supporting the farmers' agitation, raised during their marriage procession. "I went to Delhi to get married & also met with farmers. I want to reinforce my support for the withdrawal of the farm laws," said the groom.

A 100-year-old woman named Ganeru Devi votes in the 6th phase of polling of the District Development Council (DDC) elections in the Doda district. "I'm here to vote for development and public works," she said. 

Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan takes part in Bhoomi Pujan programme of Airstrip in Singrauli via video conference. "Covid has changed the way of work. There shouldn't be any delay in development of Airstrip. This place is not only MP's but country's power hub," he said.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor joined protest being held by party MPs from Punjab at Jantar Mantar. He said, "My friends here are asking the Centre to settle the matter with the farmers' unions & also to have winter session which should have been held by 3rd week of Nov."

Eminent Sanskrit scholar Bannanje Govindacharya passes away

Puducherry reported 49 new COVID-19 cases and 57 discharges today. Total positive cases in the Union Territory rise to 37,492 till date, including 337 active cases, 36,536 recoveries and 619 deaths. 

RTGS (Real-Time Gross Settlement) facility becomes operational 24X7 from 12:30 am tonight, announced RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh pay tributes to those who lost their lives in 2001 Parliament attack.

Delhi police detain Aam Admi Party MLAs Raghav Chadha, Ritu Raj, Kuldeep Kumar and Sanjeev Jha who were on their way to the Home Minister's residence to hold a protest demonstration.

Delhi Police reject AAP leader Raghav Chadha's request for permission to hold 'peaceful demonstration outside residence of Union Home Minister today' against alleged misappropriation of funds by NDMC. Police said, "Any type of gathering is not allowed outside the residence of Home Minister."

A magnetic IED blast occurred in Kabul's PD15 (Afghanistan) this morning. Information about casualties is not yet available.

With 30,254 new COVID-19 infections, India's total cases rise to 98,57,029. With 391 new deaths, toll mounts to 1,43,019. Total active cases at 3,56,546.

Total discharged cases at 93,57,464 with 33,136 new discharges in the last 24 hours.

Telangana reported 573 new COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths and 609 recoveries on December 12.

• Total cases: 2,77,724
• Active cases:  7,630
• Total recoveries: 2,68,601
• Death toll: 1,493

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, "We will never forget the cowardly attack on our Parliament on this day in 2001. We recall the valour and sacrifice of those who lost their lives protecting our Parliament. India will always be thankful to them."