India resumes quarantine-free entry to foreign travellers from 99 countries
Travellers from 99 countries, who are fully-vaccinated against coronavirus, have now been exempted from mandatory quarantine on arrival in India, according to revised guidelines from the Centre.
Centre to disburse ₹95,082 cr to States in November to sustain recovery
The Centre will remit ₹95,082 crore to States next week, double the funds due to them from the shareable pool of taxes this month in a bid to enable them to deploy more money on capital spending, Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said late on Monday after a six-hour meeting with State Chief Ministers and Finance Ministers.
Government extends ban on Zakir Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation for 5 years
The Centre on Monday extended for five years the ban imposed on the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), headed by India-born preacher Zakir Naik, currently based in Malaysia. The IRF was first declared an unlawful organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967) by the central government on November 17, 2016.
Centre to hold meet with Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and U.P. on air pollution
The Environment Ministry will hold a meeting on Tuesday with officials of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to review the steps taken to address air pollution. “The Minister [Bhupender Yadav] already had meetings with officials from the Central Pollution Control Board and will also have a meeting tomorrow [on Tuesday],” a spokesperson for the Ministry confirmed.
Government considers reopening Kartarpur Corridor
The government is considering reopening the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara corridor to Pakistan this week to allow Sikh pilgrims to cross over, more than 20 months after it was shut down due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Singapore to open ‘vaccinated lane’ for India from November 29
Singapore has announced that it will allow quarantine-free travel for travellers from India November 29. It will open ‘Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTL)’ also for Finland, Indonesia, Malaysia and Sweden.
3 NSCN(K) militants killed by Assam Rifles
Two days after five Assam Rifles personnel, including a colonel-rank officer, were killed in an ambush in Manipur, soldiers of the paramilitary force along with the local police on Monday shot dead three militants of the NSCN(K)’s Yung Aung faction in Arunachal Pradesh’s Longding district, senior officials said.
PM Modi inaugurates modern Rani Kamalapati railway station in Bhopal
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the revamped Rani Kamalapati railway station, earlier known as Habibganj, in the Madhya Pradesh capital. This station, recently named after the queen of Bhopal's Gond kingdom, has the first central concourse with connectivity to all platforms with modern world-class facilities.
Babasaheb Purandare, historian and authority on Chhatrapati Shivaji, passes away at 99
Eminent historian and Padma Vibhushan awardee Balwant Moreshwar Purandare, popularly known as Babasaheb Purandare, passed away aged 99 on Monday. Mr. Purandare, an authority on the 17th century Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji, was diagnosed with pneumonia a week ago and was undergoing treatment at the city’s Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital.
Salman Khurshid’s house in Nainital vandalised
Former Law Minister Salman Khurshid’s house in Uttarakhand’s Nainital was vandalised on Monday by a mob to protest against his remarks in a recent book drawing a parallel between Hindutva and terror outfits like the ISIS.
WPI inflation spikes to 12.54% in October
Inflation in wholesale prices hit a five-month high of 12.54% in October, rising significantly from 10.66% in September, thanks to a broad-based surge in prices of most commodities led by fuel and power, vegetables and oils as well as chemicals.
Biden to discuss ‘guardrails’ for U.S. and China, with Xi Jinping: official
U.S. President Joe Biden will discuss “guardrails” to the U.S.-China dynamic with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, during the duo’s virtual meeting on Monday evening (U.S. time), a senior U.S. administration official said. However, no specific deliverables are expected from the virtual meeting.
American Airlines to connect New Delhi - New York
American Airlines on Monday announced the launch of its maiden flight into India after a gap of 10 years which will connect New Delhi with New York from November 12,2021. The airline will offer a daily service for which it will operate a Boeing 777-300.
