Breaking News, September 21 | HIGHLIGHTS

In order to strengthen last-mile connectivity, the Delhi government plans to deploy 3,000 electric scooters and e-cycles at 90 locations in Dwarka, said a government statement on Thursday. The government has invited proposals for the deployment of high-speed e-scooters, low-speed e-scooters and e-cycles, the statement said.

Budget carrier IndiGo on Thursday announced a codeshare partnership with British Airways. Under this partnership, British Airways will add its code onto a couple of destinations across IndiGo's network and customers can enjoy improved connectivity between India and the United Kingdom for travel, the airline said in a release.

The CBI informed a Delhi court on Thursday the sanctions required to prosecute three accused in the land-for-jobs case involving former railway minister Lalu Prasad has been received. The central probe agency told Special Judge Geetanjali Goel the necessary sanctions in respect to Maheep Kapur, Manoj Pande and P L Bankar have been obtained from competent authorities.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off Odisha’s second Vande Bharat Express train on Puri-Rourkela-Puri route on September 24, a railway official said.

The Mumbai police's Anti Narcotics Cell arrested three persons allegedly with 4.773 kilograms of charas worth Rs 1.43 crore, an official said on Thursday. The three persons were held from Wadala West and Sewri by the Bandra unit of the ANC on a specific tip off, he said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will hold a meeting with senior officials of the Emirati-based multinational conglomerate the Lulu Group in Dubai on September 22, a senior state government official said on Thursday. The Lulu Group headquartered in Abu Dhabi, UAE, which operates a chain of hypermarkets and retail companies, is keen on investing in West Bengal and has requested a meeting with Banerjee during her visit to Dubai, he said. "There is a meeting between Mamata Banerjee and officials of the Lulu Group in Dubai on Friday. There are possibilities of discussion on the company's plans to invest here in the state," the bureaucrat told PTI.

Automaker Kia India on Thursday said it will increase prices of Seltos and Carens by up to 2 per cent from October 1, according to a senior company official. However, the company will not hike the prices of its entry-level model Sonet.

A man was allegedly thrashed with hammers and iron rods by unidentified men in south Delhi, police said on Thursday. They said a PCR call regarding the incident was received at 12.37 am at the Tigri police station and a police team rushed the victim to a hospital. "Balraj Choudhary, a resident of Sangam Vihar, had injuries on his forehead and right arm," Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Chandan Chowdhary said.

Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram on Thursday suspended three members- two from Telugu Desam Party and one of the YSR Congress- for the current session and the other opposition legislators for the day for 'disrupting' House proceedings. The Speaker also warned Hindupur MLA and movie actor Balakrishna for "twirling his moustache" and "slapping thigh" in the House, saying he will excuse the legislator this time as it was his first instance of unacceptable behaviour.

India on Thursday "suspended till further notice" its visa services in Canada. The move comes amid the escalating diplomatic row that erupted following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations of a "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of a Khalistani separatist in June. Sources said India has suspended visa services for Canadians in the wake of the ongoing row.

Lithium-ion battery recycling firm Lohum has announced its entry in Nepal with plans to supply 25,000 MT of electric vehicle battery materials to multiple partners dealing with major automobile brands in the Himalayan nation. This collaboration aims to make Nepal energy-abundant and self-sustaining by regenerating parallel reserves of transition materials through battery recycling, Lohum said in a statement. The partnership will entail an estimated recycling of 2,00,000 batteries, and the production of battery materials over a period of five years from the batteries of EV brands sold by the partners, it said.

A landmark bill to reserve a third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. The 128th Constitution Amendment Bill, which was approved by two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, was introduced in the Upper House by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. Rajya Sabha will have a seven-and-a-half hour window to discuss the bill. The legislation is widely expected to get approval of the Upper House.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has announced the creation of a new district, Keyi Panyor, fulfilling a long-standing demand of the people of Yachuli assembly constituency in Lower Subansiri district. The announcement was made during a public meeting held at Yachuli on Wednesday, and the new district would be carved out of Lower Subansiri, an official communique said. The chief minister announced that the government is ready to create the Keyi Panyor district by bifurcating the existing Lower Subansiri district.

The Punjab Police launched raids at several places on Thursday to nab criminals linked with dreaded gangster Goldy Brar, official sources said. The special operation, which started at around 7 am, is being carried out in all the districts of the state, they added. Several police teams comprising senior officials are part of the operation, the sources said. Goldy Brar was the main accused in the killing of singer Sidhu Moosewala.

A five-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her 20-year-old neighbour in the Pharenda area of this Uttar Pradesh district, police said on Thursday. The girl was playing outside her home on Wednesday when the accused -- identified as Mohit -- allegedly took her to his house on some pretext and raped her, they said. The victim later narrated the incident to her family members, who lodged a complaint with the police. Mohit was booked in the case and arrested, they added. Deputy Superintendent of Police (Pharenda) Anuj Kumar Singh said police teams were deployed as soon as the family lodged the complaint and the accused was arrested.

Two police constables were arrested for allegedly misbehaving with a woman sub-inspector in the Chandausi area of this Uttar Pradesh district, officials said on Thursday. The woman sub-inspector was returning from duty on Wednesday when the two constables followed her in a car and misbehaved with her, Circle Officer Deepak Kumar said. The pair -- Pawan Chaudhary and Ravindra -- also abused and threatened her, he said.

An unknown gunman opened fire outside the US embassy in Beirut late Wednesday night. Embassy spokesperson Jake Nelson said in a statement that "small arms fire was reported in the vicinity of the entrance" of the sprawling- and heavily fortified- compound in the suburb of Awkar.

The class 5 students of a government primary school in Prem Nagar Colony of Loni here suffered from stomach ache and vomiting on Wednesday after allegedly consuming mid-day meal, officials said. They were immediately rushed to the Community Health Centre (CHC), where 22 out of the 25 children were discharged while three were referred to the combined government hospital in Ghaziabad's Sanjay Nagar, they said. District Magistrate R K Singh told PTI that three children are presently undergoing treatment.

The Biden administration said that it was granting temporary legal status to hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans who are already in the country as it grapples with growing numbers of people fleeing the South American country and elsewhere to arrive at the US border with Mexico. The move — along with promises to accelerate work permits for many migrants — may appease Democratic leaders who have pressured the White House to do more to aid asylum-seekers, while also providing grist for Republicans who say the president has been too lax on immigration.

Students from a private school protested outside a police station here alleging that a policeman slapped the mother of a former schoolmate and pressured her to withdraw a case of kidnapping and harassing of her daughter. Taking note of the incident, the district administration has removed a Circle Officer,Station House Officer of Milak Police Station along with two constables while the accused outpost in charge has been suspended, officials said. The agitation near the police station caused a massive traffic jam.

Rajasthan cabinet on Wednesday approved 63 proposals, including those regarding land allotment to more than 200 social institutions and giving government jobs to children orphaned due to the coronavirus pandemic when they attain adulthood. The cabinet also decided to give government jobs to two youths for their role in the arrest of the main accused in the Kanhaiyalal murder case, besides increasing promotion opportunities for government employees and removing salary discrepancies, a statement issued after the meeting said. The cabinet meeting was held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot at his residence.

An unknown gunman opened fire outside the US embassy in Beirut late Wednesday night. Embassy spokesperson Jake Nelson said in a statement that "small arms fire was reported in the vicinity of the entrance" of the sprawling- and heavily fortified- compound in the suburb of Awkar.