Several flights cancelled at Chennai airport due to cyclone Mandous
With the cyclonic storm Mandous likely to hit north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts early on December 10, intense rain lashed many districts of Tamil Nadu since December 8. In Chennai, over 15 flights were cancelled due to adverse weather conditions. According to Airports Authority of India officials, domestic flights arriving from and departing to destinations including Thoothukudi, Cuddapah, Bengaluru, Mysore, Madurai, Vijayawada, Mangaluru, Kozhikode, Tiruchi, Hubli and Kannur were cancelled. In the international terminal too, flights which were bound for Abu Dhabhi and Colombo were cancelled.
Congress observers meet Himachal Pradesh Governor ahead of MLAs meeting to choose Chief Minister
Congress observers sent to Himachal Pradesh after the party wrested power from the BJP met Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Friday, ahead of a meeting of the newly elected MLAs. The MLAs are expected to pass a resolution authorising the party president to choose the legislature party leader who will be the next Chief Minister. Earlier, the Congress observers — Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and former Chief Minister of Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda — and AICC in-charge for Himachal Pradesh Rajeev Shukla met State Congress chief Pratibha Singh at a hotel.
Private member’s bill on Uniform Civil Code introduced in Rajya Sabha; faces stiff opposition
The introduction of a private member bill by a BJP member on implementation of Uniform Civil Code (UCC) across the country witnessed vociferous protest from the Opposition members in Rajya Sabha on Friday. The Opposition members requested the BJP member Kirodi Lal Meena to withdraw the Bill and also asked Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar to not accept the legislation as it will destroy the secular fabric of the country. The Bill seeks constitution of the National Inspection and Investigation Committee for preparation of UCC and its implementation throughout India.
Only final decisions of the Collegium need to be put in the public domain: Supreme Court
A “final decision” of the Supreme Court Collegium would mean a resolution drawn and signed by all the collegium members of the court after due deliberations, discussions among them and post consultations conducted among the other Supreme Court judges, a Bench led by Justice M.R. Shah laid down in a judgment. The Collegium is composed of the Chief Justice of India and four senior most judges. The Collegium unanimously recommends names for Supreme Court and High Court judgeships to the government, which appoints them through the President under Article 124(2) and 217(1) of the Constitution.
Chandrasekhar Rao officially launches Bharat Rashtra Samiti
Heralding a new journey for himself and for the 21-year-old Telangana Rashtra Samiti, the party’s chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao officially launched the Bharat Rashtra Samiti by signing the papers at the auspicious time of 1.20 p.m. at the Telangana Bhavan in Hyderabad. Mr. Rao also called for a meeting of senior party leaders including Ministers, MLAs and MLCs where he will lay down the plans for its journey in national politics. Telangana Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and Legislative Council Chairman Gutha Sukhender Reddy were present.
Mehrauli murder case | Delhi court extends Poonawala’s judicial custody by 14 days
A Delhi court on Friday extended by 14 days the judicial custody of Aftab Amin Poonawala, who allegedly strangled his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar and chopped her body into pieces, a source said. Poonawala was produced before the court through videoconferencing, the court source said.
Bharat Jodo Yatra to take a nine-day break
The Bharat Jodo Yatra will take a nine-day break in Delhi, halting for maintenance of 60 containers that house the Bharat Yatris on December 25 and resume the march on January 3, the Congress informed on Friday. “We are taking a break because the 60 containers that we are using need upkeep. They haven’t had maintenance in the last 90-days. Also we have to service and equip them for the winters since we will passing regions which will have four to five degree Celsius temperature,” Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said.
Saudi Arabia gathers China’s Xi Jinping with Arab leaders in ‘new era’ of ties
Chinese President Xi Jinping met Gulf Arab leaders in Riyadh on Friday in the first of two “milestone” Arab summits showcasing Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as an aspiring leader of the Middle East and key partner for global powers. Xi, who has been welcomed in Saudi Arabia with pomp and ceremony, signed a strategic partnership pact with the world’s top oil exporter a day before Friday’s meeting with the energy-rich, six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council. He was due to hold wider talks later with leaders of Arab League states spanning the Gulf, Levant and Africa.
Brittney Griner back home in U.S. after Russian prisoner swap
Brittney Griner returned to the United States early on December 9, nearly 10 months after the basketball star’s detention in Russia made her the most high-profile American jailed abroad and set off a political firestorm. The deal announced Thursday that saw Griner exchanged for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout achieved a top goal for President Joe Biden. But the U.S. failed to win freedom for another American, Paul Whelan, who has been jailed for nearly four years.
Trade in goods, passenger vehicles under India-U.K. FTA talks: MoS Commerce and Industry
Trade in goods, including passenger vehicles, is one of the areas under the negotiations for a proposed free trade agreement between India and the U.K., Parliament was informed on Friday. India and the U.K. have so far completed five rounds of negotiations for a proposed free trade agreement and both countries are working with an aim to conclude the talks at the earliest, Minister of state for Commerce and Industry Anupriya Patel said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
FIFA World Cup | Portugal looks to end Morocco’s dream run to quarterfinals
These really are pinch-yourself times for Morocco: A first ever spot in the quarterfinals of a FIFA World Cup — the first to take place in the Arab world, no less — and now a meeting with Portugal and its superstar striker, Cristiano Ronaldo. As for Morocco, the nation is in uncharted territory after becoming only the fourth African country to reach the quarterfinals at football’s biggest tournament, after Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010). None of them reached the semifinals. Morocco is also the only team from outside Europe or South America to make it to the last eight in Qatar.
Ind vs Ban 3rd ODI | Injury-plagued India stare at clean sweep by Bangla Tigers
A struggling Indian team, severely depleted by a spate of on-field injuries and fitness-related problems, will be determined to avoid the ignominy of a clean sweep against Bangladesh in the final ODI of the three-match series here on Saturday. Bangladesh, riding on two contrasting yet brilliant knocks from Mehidy Hasan Miraz, have already sealed the series after winning the first two matches but if Litton Das’ men can blank the Men in Blue 3-0, it will be a historic first in the country’s cricket.
