Breaking News: October 29, 2020 | Highlights

 The Ministry of External Affairs was issuing approximately 10 lakh passports per month on an average before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said on Thursday.

The Indian Railways on Thursday launched 'Meri Saheli' initiative for focused action on security of women passengers across all zones.

An initiative of the Railways Protection Force, the strategy entails interaction with women passengers, especially those travelling alone, by a team of young women RPF personnel at the originating station, according to a statement by the national transporter.

These women passengers will then be briefed about all precautions to be taken during the journey and told to dial 182 in case they face or see any problem in the coach, it said.

The Reserve Bank of India will conduct the second Open Market Operations (OMOs) purchase of State Developments Loans (SDLs), aggregating Rs 10,000 crore, on November 5, 2020.

Tamil Nadu government has passed an order to provide 7.5% reservation in medical colleges to students from govt schools who have cleared NEET.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Ahmedabad on Friday morning on a two-day Gujarat visit during which he is scheduled to launch a host of projects, including the famed seaplane service between Kevadiya and Ahmedabad, said an official on Thursday.

Water supply will be affected in parts of Delhi due to an "abnormal" increase in ammonia levels in raw water discharged into the Yamuna by Haryana, Delhi Jal Board vice-chairman Raghav Chadha said on Thursday.

"Due to an abnormal increase in pollutants (ammonia levels) in Yamuna raw water discharged by Haryana, production at Sonia Vihar and Bhagirithi Water Treatment Plants will be adversely impacted," Chadha tweeted.

As a result, water supply will be affected in parts of East, North East and South Delhi, he said.

"It is advised to store and use water judiciously. Adequate number of water tankers are being deployed. We are working relentlessly, in collaboration with Haryana, to restore normal supply," Chadha said.

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday said bidding for Air India would be done on the basis of its enterprise value instead of equity value.

Enterprise value of a company includes the equity value, debt as well as cash with the company. Equity value measures the value of a company's shares.

"We have decided to ask for bids for Air India on enterprise value," Puri said at a press conference.

Heavy rains lashed the city early on Thursday, the first spell since the onset of the North East monsoon in the state on October 28, leading to inundation of
several roads and slowing down traffic in many localities.

Budget carrier IndiGo on Thursday reported a net loss of Rs 1,194 crore for the second quarter ended September 30.

It had posted a net loss of Rs 1,062 crore in the September quarter of the previous financial year. In the April-June period this year, the airline had incurred a net loss of Rs 2,884 crore.

IFS Officer Ranjana Kala appointed as the Uttarakhand Principal Chief Conservator of Forests on Thursday.

New coronavirus infections are rising by an estimated 96,000 cases daily across England, according to the findings of a new government-backed study released in London on Thursday.

An interim report led by Imperial College London and Ipsos MORI, which includes swab tests on thousands of people taken between October 16 and 25, shows that the prevalence of infection has more than doubled since the last round of similar testing.

This means an estimated 128 people per 10,000 of England’s population has the virus that causes COVID-19, compared to 60 as of October 5.

The government is likely to extend the deadline to bid for Air India till December 14 and also give flexibility to a potential investor to decide on the humongous debt with the national carrier, a source said.

The deadline to bid for buying out Air India ends on October 30.

Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Dilip Walse-Patil on Thursday said he has tested positive for coronavirus and is undergoing treatment for the infection.

Equity benchmark Sensex tumbled 173 points on Thursday, tracking losses in index majors HDFC twins, L&T and HUL as volatility persisted amid expiry of month derivatives contracts. Lacklustre cues from global markets also kept domestic investors on the edge, traders said.

The 30-share BSE Sensex ended 172.61 points or 0.43 per cent lower at 39,749.85. The broader NSE Nifty fell 58.80 points or 0.50 per cent to 11,670.80.

One killed & several injured after a knife attack near a church in the southern French city of Nice. Suspect arrested

Automobile major Maruti Suzuki India on Thursday reported a rise of 1 per cent in its net profit for Q2FY21. The profit after tax (PAT) for the quarter under consideration rose to Rs 1,371.6 crore.

According to the company, the net profit in second quarter of the previous year FY19-20 was higher due to mark-to-market gains on the invested surplus and lower tax provision.

"As a result of this, while the operating profit increased by 71.7 per cent over the same period previous year, the net profit increased by 1 per cent," the company said in a statement.

A local BJP leader was arrested in connection with celebratory firing at his residence that had left a Bhojpuri singer and actor injured, police said on Thursday.

Bhanu Dubey, the district vice president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Yuva Morcha, was arrested on Wednesday evening from near his native village of Mahakarpur, police said.

An FIR was filed against Dubey under different sections of the IPC for holding the programme during the pandemic without permission and under the disaster management act, Station House Officer (SHO), Garwar, Anil Chandra Tiwari said.

Unidentified persons cause arson at SDO & SP office in Bihar's Munger setting several vehicles on fire & damaging office. The mob was protesting against a man's death during firing incident on Oct 26 at the time of Goddess Durga immersion & demanded action against Munger SP & SDO.

Schools & Colleges will be opened in the state from 2nd November. Classes for 9, 10, 11 & 12 will commence from 2nd Nov. Classes for 6, 7 & 8 will start from 23rd November. Classes will be held for half-day only & on alternate days only, says Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister's Office

Maruti Suzuki India consolidated net profit rises 2.04 pc in second qtr to Rs 1,419.6 cr; total revenue up 10.34 pc at Rs 18,755.6 cr

SC stays Uttarakhand HC order on lodging FIR against CM Trivendra Singh Rawat on corruption allegations

Indian Army has developed a simple and secure messaging application named the 'Secure Application for Internet (SAI)'.  The application supports end to end secure voice, text & video calling services for Android platform over the internet, says Ministry of Defence

Over 18 per cent of the electorate cast their votes in the initial few hours in the first-phase polling in the Rajasthan civic elections on Thursday. The polling began at 7.30 am in Jaipur, Kota and Jodhpur for Jaipur Heritage, Kota North and Jodhpur North municipal corporations amid tight security and special arrangements for COVID-19.

"A voting percentage of 18.30 was recorded till 10 am. Maximum voting percentage of 20.43 was recorded in Jodhpur and minimum of 16.91 per cent was recorded in Jaipur. The voting is going on peacefully," a spokesperson of the state election commission said. The voting will continue till 5.30 pm. 

Supreme Court issues notice to the Centre on a plea seeking registration of an FIR by CBI against ten Indian pharmaceutical firms for manufacturing and selling Remdesivir and Favipiravir allegedly as medicines that treat #COVID19 patients without valid licences.

A four-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a juvenile in Punjab's Barnala district, the police said on Thursday. The 16-year-old boy, who lived in the same neighbourhood as the victim in Dangarh village, allegedly took her to his home where he committed the crime on Wednesday, said the police. The accused has been booked under the relevant sections of the IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences, said the police.

Former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel passes away

It is too early to say that Delhi is experiencing the 3rd wave of COVID-19 cases. We must wait for another week in order to definitively say that, but it possible that we're already in that phase, says Satyendar Jain, Delhi Health Minister on the spike in COVID cases

A 32-year-old woman died and seven of her family members were injured after a fire broke out in her house due to leakage in the LPG cylinder, police said on Thursday. The incident took place on Wednesday night in Gurgava village under Nigohi Police Station area when Vimala was preparing dinner, SP City Sanjay Kumar said.

Seven members of her family, who rushed to save her, received burn injuries and have been hospitalised, the SP said, adding that five of them have been referred to Lucknow for treatment. The body has been sent for post mortem examination, police said. 

M Sivasankar, former Principal Secretary to Kerala CM, sent to 7-day Enforcement Directorate custody by a court in Kochi, in connection with gold smuggling case

"My delegation had met Adani & BEST officials, so I met the Governor today regarding the increased electricity bill. Companies are ready to reduce the electricity bill. Governor will soon convey to CM & take a decision," says MNS Chief Raj Thackeray after meeting Maharashtra Governor

"There are lot of issues in Maharashtra, there is no shortage of questions, one has to get the answers from govt. I will meet Sharad Pawar. If required, I will meet the Chief Minister as well when the right time comes," he added.

Telangana recorded 1,504 COVID-19 new cases, 1,436 recoveries and 5 deaths on 28th October, taking total cases to 2,35,656 including 2,16,353 recoveries, 1,324 deaths and  17,979 active cases, says State Health Department, Govt of Telangana

National Investigation Agency (NIA) continues raids at nine locations in Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) and Delhi.

Assam reported three more COVID-19 fatalities on Wednesday, taking the death toll to 917, while 448 new positive cases pushed the tally to 2,05,237, Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

He said that 1,487 cured patients were released during the day, increasing the total number recovered people to 1,92,514. The recovery rate in Assam is now 93.80 per cent, the minister said. The number of active cases currently is 11,803, while three patients had migrated out of the state.

A fire broke out at a garbage dumping site in Noida's Sector 54 late on Wednesday night, officials said. Five fire tenders were rushed to the spot which brought the blaze under control in around 45 minutes, a police spokesperson said. 

Fire safety department officials and personnel from the local Sector 24 police station were at the site. A probe was on to ascertain the cause of the fire, the police official said. There was no report of any person getting injured in the incident.

Odisha's COVID-19 caseload mounted to 2,85,482 on Wednesday after 1,540 more people tested positive for the infection, a health official said. Twelve fresh fatalities pushed the coastal state''s coronavirus death toll to 1,284, he said.

Odisha also registered recovery of 2,015 COVID-19 patients taking the total number of cured people to 2,70,130, which is 94.62 per cent of the caseload. Of the new 1,540 cases, 886 were reported from quarantine centres, while 654 were detected during contact tracing, the official said.

An earthquake of magnitude 4.1 occurred in Afghanistan at 1:19 am today

Delhi: Air Quality Index is at 401 in Anand Vihar, 405 in Alipur and 410 in Wazirpur; all three in 'severe' category as per Delhi Pollution Control Committee data