LIVE! India invites SCO countries for virtual summit

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Thu, 12 November 2020

India invites SCO countries for virtual summit

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23:16 India invites SCO countries for virtual summit

India has invited all eight member nations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to a virtual summit of the bloc which it is hosting on November 30, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

For the first time, India is hosting the summit of the council of heads of government of the SCO.

India and Pakistan became permanent members of the SCO in 2017.

The other member nations of the SCO are Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

"The country hosting the SCO summit invites all SCO member states to attend the meeting. We have accordingly informed all eight SCO member states, the four observer states, the SCO Secretary general and the director of SCO RATS," Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Anurag Srivastava said.

He was replying to a question on the issue.

India had earlier this month announced that it will host the summit of the council of heads of government of the SCO in the virtual format and that it will be participated by prime ministers of the member countries of the bloc.

The SCO summit of the Council of Heads of State is considered as the main annual event. It was hosted by Russia on November 10 in the virtual format.

Seen as a counterweight to NATO, the SCO has emerged as one of the largest transregional international organisations.

The aim of the SCO is to maintain peace, stability and security of the region. -- PTI

23:12 Arjun Rampal summoned by NCB tomorrow

Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal's partner Gabriella Demetriades appeared before the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) here for the second day on Thursday, while he himself has been summoned on Friday, an official said.

The NCB, which is probing alleged drug use in Bollywood, had questioned Demetriades for almost six hours on Wednesday.

She was again questioned at the NCB's zonal office at Ballard Estate in south Mumbai on Thursday, the official said. Rampal has been summoned on Friday, he added.

The NCB summoned Rampal and Demetriades after conducting raid at the actor's residence on Monday.

The probe agency had seized electronic gadgets like laptops, mobile phones and tablets during the raid and also questioned the actor's driver.

A day before the raid at Rampal's house, the NCB had arrested Bollywood producer Firoz Nadiadwala's wife after ganja was allegedly found at their residence in suburban Juhu.

Last month, Gabriella's brother Agisilaos Demetriades was arrested by the NCB from a resort at Lonavala in neighbouring Pune district in a drugs case, the official said.

The NCB launched a probe into alleged drug use in Bollywood after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June.

The central agency arrested Rajput's girlfriend, actor Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik and a few others under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Rhea and some other accused are currently out on bail. -- PTI

22:34 CWC to review Bihar performance soon: Cong

The Congress said on Thursday it was disappointed with its performance in Bihar Assembly elections and the party's working committee would soon review it.

The Congress managed to win only 19 of the 70 seats it had contested, down from its previous tally of 27 seats out of 41 it had fought in the 2015 assembly elections in the state.

The people of Bihar came 'pretty close' to change the government, the Congress' senior spokesperson P Chidambaram told reporters.

Asked about the party's performance in the Assembly polls, he said, "We accept the verdict. We are disappointed with our performance in Bihar. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) will review it in due course and come up with an official statement of our position."

The former finance minister said one should remember that Bihar was the poorest state of India, even though Narendra Modi has been the prime minister since 2014 and Nitish Kumar the chief minister of the state since 2005.

"In the poorest state of India, as I agree in the alternative analysis, voted for no change in the government. Well, they came pretty close to change the government. I think, 10 seats either this way or that would have changed the government," he said.

The vote difference between the NDA and the 'Mahagathbandhan' was only 0.3 per cent, Chidambaram said.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the mandate in Bihar was not in favour of the chief minister.

The difference in voting percentage was very low and the Congress should have done better, he said, adding the performance would be analysed and reviewed in the CWC meeting.

"But to say that the result has negated the issues raised by the Mahagathbandhan or that those did not have a resonance in Bihar, I don't agree to that. The issues raised by us are there and they would remain," Ramesh said. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United States president-elect Joe Biden will speak with each other in due course at a mutually convenient time, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday and asserted that India-US ties enjoy bipartisan support in America.

The MEA's assertion comes days after Biden defeated incumbent President Donald Trump in a bitterly-fought presidential election that attracted a record number of Americans to cast their votes.

MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said the prime minister had congratulated US president-elect Biden through a tweet and had also appreciated the former American vice president's contribution to strengthening India-US relations.

Prime Minister Modi had also conveyed that he looks forward to working with him to take India-US relations to greater heights, Srivastava said at an online media briefing.

Asked when will the two leaders speak with each other, he said it will happen in 'due course at a mutually convenient time'.

On the future of ties under the incoming US administration, Srivastava said the foundation of India-US relations is very strong and this comprehensive global strategic partnership between the two countries has bipartisan support in the United States.

"It has been seen that successive presidents and administrations have deepened the ties," he said.

The ties between India and the US have witnessed a major upswing in the last four years, particularly in areas of defence and security. -- PTI

21:13 Maha HM lauds Centre's move to regulate OTT

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Thursday welcomed the Centre's decision to bring OTT platforms under its ambit, citing that it was good for society.

The Centre has brought OTT platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime video as well as online news and current affairs content under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, giving it powers to regulate policies and rules of digital space.

In an official statement, Deshmukh stressed on the need to ensure that children are not exposed to obscene content on the internet.

"Digital platforms will fall under the purview of the central government and regulating them will be a good thing for society," the minister said.

He also called for the need to ensure that integrity of women working in the entertainment industry isn't compromised under any kind of pressure.

The minister further said he is confident that by regulating OTT platforms such malpractices can be curbed and social health can be maintained.

Deshmukh also referred to the Maharashtra cyber police's recent action against some production houses and crew members for allegedly transmitting obscene and sexually explicit content on the internet. -- PTI

20:42 PM unveils Vivekananda statue in JNU campus

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday unveiled a statue of Swami Vivekananda in the JNU campus and asserted that people may have ideological differences but ideology should be seen supporting and not opposing the nation in matters of national interest.

Giving priority to one's ideology over national interest has harmed the democratic system of the country a lot, he said in his address to students after unveiling the statue through video conferencing.

Jawaharlal Nehru University has long been considered a citadel of the Left, with student unions affiliated to it calling the shots in the campus.

The BJP and Hindutva groups, including the RSS's student wing ABVP, have often claimed that those with "anti-national" sentiments have found support from the Left-affiliated bodies.

The decision to install a life-size statue of Vivekananda, a widely respected Hindu monk, is imbued with symbolism.

In his address, Modi said good reforms were earlier considered bad politics but now it is good politics because his government's intentions and commitment are pure, and it has prepared a "protection shield" for the poor and other vulnerable sections before carrying out reforms.

People have endorsed our reform measures with their votes, he said.

The prime minister said the statue in the campus will inspire everyone and instill courage and compassion that Swami Vivekananda wanted to see in everyone.

"Swami Vivekananda wanted that education in the country should be such that it provides self-confidence to individuals and makes them 'atmanirbhar' in every way. The new National Education Policy is on the same line and has inclusion at its core," he added.

-- PTI

20:28 Cong leader Sachin Pilot tests Covid positive

Congress leader and former deputy chief minister of Rajasthan, Sachin Pilot, tested positive for novel coronavirus on Thursday.

"I have tested positive for Covid 19. Anyone who may have come in contact with me over the last few days, please get yourselves tested. Am taking appropriate doctoral advice. Hope to recover soon," Pilot informed via Twitter.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot wished Pilot a speedy recovery.

"Wish you a speedy recovery @SachinPilot ji. May you get well soon," he tweeted.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan has reported 2,176 new Covid-19 cases, 13 deaths, and 1,804 recoveries/discharges on Thursday.

According to the official data, total cases in the state has reached 2,19,327 including 17,352 active cases, 2,032 deaths and 1,99,943 recoveries/discharges.

-- ANI

20:09 Govt notice to Twitter for showing Leh in J-K

The government has issued a notice to Twitter for showing Leh as part of Jammu and Kashmir instead of the Union Territory of Ladakh, according to IT ministry sources.

The ministry, in its notice, has directed Twitter to explain within five working days why legal action should not be initiated against the micro-blogging platform and its representatives for disrespecting the territorial integrity of India by showing an incorrect map.

The notice was issued to Twitter by the Ministry of Electronics and IT on November 9, the sources said.

In the notice sent to the global vice president of Twitter, the ministry asserted that showing Leh as part of Jammu and Kashmir is a deliberate attempt by the micro-blogging platform to undermine the will of sovereign Parliament of India which has declared Ladakh as a Union Territory with its headquarter in Leh.

Twitter had earlier shown Leh as part of China, following which the IT secretary had written a stern letter to the company's CEO Jack Dorsey.

In response, Twitter had replaced China with Jammu and Kashmir.

However, Twitter has not yet corrected the map to show Leh as part of the Union Territory of Ladakh.

It is still showing Leh as part of Jammu and Kashmir, which is against the official position of the Government of India.

Last month, Twitter came under heavy criticism and faced backlash from social media users after its geotagging feature displayed 'Jammu & Kashmir, People's Republic of China' in a live broadcast from Leh's Hall of Fame, a war memorial for fallen soldiers in Ladakh.

This had triggered angry responses from netizens who demanded that stringent action be initiated against the micro-blogging platform.

Meanwhile, an industry watcher said that in case Twitter does not fall in line even after the latest notice, possible options could include action initiated under Section 69A of the IT Act for banning access to Twitter in India.

Also, under the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, the government can lodge an FIR, which has punishment of up to 6 months of imprisonment. -- PTI

19:31 Arnab withdraws bail plea from lower court

Journalist Arnab Goswami on Thursday withdrew his bail plea filed before the sessions court at Alibaug in Raigad district in connection with an abetment of suicide case of an interior designer.

The Republic TV Editor-in-Chief, arrested on November 4, was on Wednesday granted interim bail in the 2018 case by the Supreme Court.

Hours later, he was released from Taloja prison, where he was lodged under judicial custody.

Two other accused in the case were also granted interim bail by the apex court.

The 47-year-old news anchor had on Monday filed a regular bail plea before the sessions court in Alibaug, around 90km from Mumbai where the abetment of suicide case has been registered.

However, on Monday, after the Bombay high court refused to grant him interim bail, Goswami approached the apex court for relief on Tuesday.

We have withdrawn the bail plea filed in the sessions court, Goswamis lawyer Gaurav Parkar said.

Meanwhile, Additional Sessions Judge R G Maleshetti on Thursday adjourned till November 23 order on the revision application filed by the Alibaug police challenging a November 4 local magistrate's order refusing police custody of Goswami and the other accused, and sending them to judicial remand.

The sessions court will on November 23 also hear the regular bail pleas filed by the two other accused Feroze Shaikh and Nitish Sarda.

Lawyers of the accused persons told the sessions court that since the trio has already been granted interim bail, the revision application has become infructuous.

The prosecution, however, argued the court could still pass its order on the revision application.

The police, in their application, had sought the sessions court to remand the three accused to police custody for interrogation.

The 2018 case relates to suicide by interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother Kumodini, residents of Alibaug, over alleged non-payment of dues by companies of the accused persons. -- PTI

The condition of Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, admitted at the Medanta hospital in Lucknow, continued to be critical on Thursday, a health bulletin issued by the hospital said.

"His condition is critical but under control. He has been kept under the supervision of critical care experts," the bulletin said.

Das was admitted to the hospital for thromboembolism. On Monday, the seer was taken to the government-run Shriram Hospital in Ayodhya after he complained of breathlessness, but doctors referred him to the Medanta hospital in Lucknow as his condition was "serious".

Former finance minister P Chidambaram, reacting to the RBI admitting on Wednesday that the economy has gone into a recession for the first time, made this statement:

'For the first time since data was recorded methodically -- some say for the first time in the history of independent India -- the Indian economy has gone into a recession, as defined by economists.

In Q2 of 2020-21, according to the RBI, the quarterly economic growth rate is expected to decline by -8.6 per cent. A negative growth rate in two successive quarters is a recession.

It is therefore surprising that the finance minister should quote the RBI as predicting that the economy will register a positive growth rate in the third quarter.

Nearly 1 1/2 months of the third quarter is already over and there are no signs that the growth rate will turn positive in the third quarter.

The Congress party has repeatedly emphasized the steps that need to be taken to revive the economy. Let me list four of them:

1. Farmers must get fair and remunerative prices for their produce. Only a small fraction gets MSP. The recent farm Bills have put even that in jeopardy. Government has done nothing to ensure that farmers get fair prices.

2. The very poor are outside the formal economy. There are millions who have lost their jobs and livelihoods. Unless money is put in their hands, they will not be able to contribute to the revival of demand and the consequent revival of the economy. It is absolutely necessary that a scheme like NYAY must be implemented.

3. As far as the formal economy is concerned, the government has done nothing to bring back the jobs that were lost or to create new jobs. The unemployment rate on 11-11-2020 stood at 6.4 per cent.

4. It is feared that state governments will cut their capital expenditure by nearly Rs 2.7 lakh crore. That is about one-half of the budgeted capital expenditure by the states. The Centre is starving the state governments of funds and doling out measly sums of money.

Unless more money is devolved on the states, the states will curtail capital expenditure in 2020-21 and the revival of the economy this year will be a pious wish.

The economy continues to be in dire straits and the government does not have a plan to revive the economy. On the other hand it is busy deflecting the attention of the people from the economy and managing the headlines about the economy.'

18:43 'Paatal Lok' actor Asif Basra found dead

Actor Asif Basra, known for starring in movies such as Jab We Met, Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai and Kai Po Che!, died on Thursday in Dharamshala, the police said. He was 53.

The actor was found hanging in a private complex here by the police and a team of forensic experts is on the spot, said Senior Superintendent of Police Kangra Vimukt Ranjan.

The police is investigating the case and further details are awaited, Ranjan added.

It is being reported that the actor had a property on lease for the past five-six years in McLeodganj, Upper Dharamshala, and used to visit the place regularly.

In his over two decade-long career, Basra played supporting parts in many critically-acclaimed features like Black Friday, Parzania and Outsourced.

Among his notable performances in Hindi cinema, Basra played a cunning stall owner in Imtiaz Ali's 2007 film Jab We Met, alongside the likes of Kareena Kapoor Khan and Shahid Kapoor.

He played the father of Emraan Hashmi's Shoaib Khan in Milan Luthria's Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010).

Basra most recently starred in Amazon Prime Video's smash-hit series Paatal Lok. -- PTI

18:02 AG approves contempt proceedings against Kamra

Attorney General K K Venugopal Thursday granted consent for initiation of contempt proceedings against stand-up comic artist Kunal Kamra for his tweets which allegedly criticised the Supreme Court.

'The tweets which I am extracting below are not only in bad taste but clearly cross the line between humour and contempt of the court,' said Venugopal in his letter to one of the applicants who had sought consent of the top law officer for initiation of contempt proceedings against Kamra.

'I, therefore ,grant consent to proceed by way of initiating contempt proceedings against Kunal Kamra,' Venugopal said in his letter.

In one of the letters seeking Attorney General's consent for initiation of contempt proceedings against Kamra, three lawyers have claimed that he allegedly attempted to lower the authority of the Supreme Court of India through his tweets after the apex court had granted interim bail to Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami. -- PTI

Pic: Courtesy, Haymarket Books/Facebook

17:46 TN university removes Arundhati Roy's book from syllabus

Author Arundhati Roy's book titled Walking with the Comrades got removed from the Manonmaniam Sundaranar University's syllabus in Tirunelveli.

Reacting to this development, Member of Parliament (MP) from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Kanimozhi, took to Twitter and said, "If politics is going to decide what literature, art and curriculum is all about, it is very dangerous for a pluralistic society."

The Master of Arts (MA) syllabus of English Literature in Manonmaniam Sundaranar University had put Arundhati Roy's book Walking with the Comrades as a part of its syllabus in 2017.

According to Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, "The book talks about Arundhati Roy's journey in the Maoist regions in the country."

This book has been opposed by ABVP, which claimed that Arundhati Roy glorified the culture of Maoists.

Post the opposition by ABVP, a committee was formed wherein a panel discussion was conducted. After the meeting, the book was decided to be removed from the syllabus.

-- ANI

17:14 Manjhi says Cong MLAs should join Nitish govt

Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi was on Thursday elected the leader of its four-member legislature party.

All the four newly elected MLAs met at Manjhi's residence where they elected the former chief minister the leader of the legislature group.

They were all felicitated by party leaders and workers present there following the party's best-ever performance in an assembly election.

Manjhi was the lone HAM MLA in the outgoing assembly.

Later, talking to reporters Manjhi advised the newly elected lawmakers of the Congress to join the National Democratic Alliance for the progress of the state.

"Nitish Kumar's development plans are not much different from those of the Congress. Moreover, he has kept away from many issues that are not in the interest of the state. So, you can join us in the NDA and contribute to the development of the state," Manjhi said.

He was apparently hinting at Kumar distancing himself from contentious issues like Ram temple in Ayodhya and instant triple talaq.

Manjhi had started his political career with the Congress in 1980.

He later shifted to the Rashtriya Janata Dal and then to Janata Dal-United.

He quit the JD-U after he was forced to step down to pave the way for the return of Nitish Kumar as the chief minister and later formed the Hindustani Awam Morcha.

Kumar had stepped down as the chief minister in 2014 after taking moral responsibility for JD-U's abysmal performance in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, when only two of its candidates won, and installed Manjhi as the CM.

When Kumar wanted the chair back, a defiant Manjhi initially refused but gave in to pressure.

Kumar facilitated his return to the NDA just before the assembly elections to counterbalance another Dalit leader Chirag Paswan, who walked out of the ruling alliance in Bihar and went to the hustings alone.

Manjhi's party was given seven seats to contest from the JD-U's quota of 122, and the party did well winning four.

He HAM leader said he will not become a minister in the new government headed by Nitish Kumar after having been the chief minister. -- PTI

Senior Akali leader and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia on Thursday said he has tested positive for Covid-19.

Majithia asked the people who came in contact with him during the last few days to get themselves tested for the infection.

'This is to inform everyone that I have tested positive for Covid-19. I request all those who have come in contact with me since the last couple of days to be observant about their health, follow self quarantine and get themselves tested,' Majithia said in a tweet.

-- PTI

A special court in Mumbai on Thursday rejected the default bail plea of businessman Deepak Kochhar, husband of former ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar and an accused in money laundering case.

Deepak Kochhar was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in September under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in the ICICI Bank-Videocon money laundering case.

The businessman, through his lawyer, applied for bail on merits as well as on account of default, claiming the prosecution has failed to file a charge-sheet in the case within stipulated period.

The special PMLA judge rejected his default bail plea, while the one filed on merits is posted for hearing on November 23, ED's lawyer Hiten Venegaokar said.

Responding to Kochhar's claim that the probe agency had failed to file the charge-sheet on time, the prosecution had submitted that the same was filed on November 3, but it is pending scrutiny by the concerned department, as there are five trunks full of documents that needed to be verified.

Thus, the court is yet to take the cognisance of the prosecution's complaint.

The ED had arrested Deepak Kochhar in September after it filed a criminal case of money laundering after studying an FIR registered by the CBI against the Kochhars, Videocon Group promoter Venugopal Dhoot and others.

The central probe agency slapped money laundering charges against the Kochhars and their business entities for 'illegal sanctioning of loans amounting to Rs 1,875 crore to the Videocon Group of companies'.

The ED had earlier said an amount of Rs 64 crore, out of the Rs 300 crore loan sanctioned by a committee headed by Chanda Kochhar to Videocon International Electronics Ltd, was transferred to Nupower Renewables Pvt Ltd (NRPL) by Videocon Industries Ltd on September 8, 2009, just a day after disbursement of the loan by ICICI Bank. NRPL was earlier known as Nupower Renewables Ltd (NRL) and is a company of Deepak Kochhar.

The agency had alleged that the 'net revenue of Rs 10.65 crore was generated by NRL from these tainted funds'.

"Therefore, proceeds of crime amounting to Rs 74.65 crore were transferred to or to say generated in NRPL," the ED had claimed. -- PTI

16:38 Nitish may take oath as CM on Monday

Nitish Kumar may take oath as Bihar chief minister for a fourth successive term next week but the date has not been finalised yet, a close aide said on Thurday.

However, speculation is rife in political circles that he will be sworn in on Monday, the day 'Bhaiyya Dooj' festival will be celebrated, as it is considered an auspicious day.

He will visit the state party headquarters later Thursday to meet the newly elected MLAs and other Janata Dal-United functionaries.

Raj Bhavan sources said they have not received any communication about when the swearing-in ceremony will take place.

Before he is sworn-in as the chief minister again, Nitish Kumar has to tender his resignation to the governor.

The newly elected MLAs of the National Democratic Alliance are yet to meet formally and elect Kumar as their leader.

However, with top Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, strongly endorsing Kumar as the chief minister, there are no doubts over a fourth straight term for him in the high office.

Chief Electoral Officer H R Srinivas, meanwhile, submitted the list of winning candidates in the assembly elections to Governor Phagu Chauhan at Raj Bhavan. -- PTI

Russia on Thursday said it was working "very hard" to advance the supply of the S-400 surface-to-air missiles to India even though the delivery of the first batch of the weapons system is scheduled by the end of next year.

At an online media briefing, Russian Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin also said that both sides are working on a mutual logistics support agreement and close to seal a multi-billion dollar deal under which an Indo-Russian joint venture will produce 200 Kamov Ka-226T attack helicopters for the Indian armed forces.

Asked whether the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement signed between India and the US will have security implications in operation of Russian-origin platforms by the Indian armed forces, Babushkin did not give a direct reply, but said Moscow's defence ties with India are immune to any "restrictions and foreign interference".

"We are watching quite closely the relations in strategic areas between India and other nations including the US, of course. But at the same time we are absolutely sure that whatever ties India is developing with other nations, they would not be at the expense of Russia's interests," he said.

Last month, India and the US inked the landmark BECA agreement that will provide for sharing of high-end military technology, geospatial maps and classified satellite data between their militaries.

"As far as our defence cooperation with India is concerned, it is immune to any restrictions and foreign interference, because it reflects national interests of both countries and we are proceeding with a great sense of confidence to the future progress in our ties," Babushkin said.

On the S-400 deal, he said: "The deadlines remained unchanged at the moment. The first batch is expected to be supplied by end of 2021 but we are working very hard for an earlier supply."

In October 2018, India had signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, notwithstanding warning from the Trump administration that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanction.

In view of the evolving security scenario in its neighbourhood, India recently requested Russia to explore the possibility of advancing the supply of the interceptor-based missile systems which can destroy incoming hostile aircraft, missiles and even drones at ranges of up to 400 km.

Last year, India made the first tranche of payment of around USD 800 million to Russia for the missile systems. The S-400 is known as Russia's most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system.

Babushkin said the Kamov helicopter deal and another one to manufacture 700,000 AK-47 203 rifles in India under a Indo-Russian joint venture were in the final stages of conclusion.

In October 2016, India and Russia had finalised a broad agreement to set up joint venture between Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and two Russian defence majors for procuring 200 Kamov Ka-226T choppers for Indian armed forces. -- PTI

United States Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has assured Americans that there would be no increase in taxes for those having an annual income of less than USD 400,000.

At the same time, Harris has insisted that in the Joe Biden administration, corporations and the wealthiest will finally be made to pay their fair share.

"(As President Biden) Will make corporations and the wealthiest finally pay their fair share and he won't ask a single person making under USD 400,000 per year to pay a penny more in taxes," Harris tweeted on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, Harris and her husband Douglas Emhoff stopped by a bakery in Washington DC. Harris said such shops empower the nation's veterans, military families, and caregivers.

"Grateful to all who support our veterans in our communities," Harris said in a tweet.

The US media has projected Biden, a Democrat, as the winner of the November 3 presidential election. However, incumbent President Donald Trump, a Republican, is yet to concede defeat, vowing to mount legal fights in several key battleground states.

Harris, 56, is set to make history becoming the first woman - and the first woman of colour - to occupy the office.

Meanwhile, TV superstar Oprah Winfry, in an interview with PEOPLE, said Harris' election is extraordinary.

"I think what she means for women of the world is so extraordinary. For women here in the United States, we can't even measure it. Because to see someone who looks like you in this role, you see what's possible for yourself. Period," she said.

Winfry had organised a major voter education initiative in support of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris ahead of the election.

"And the generational impact: You can't put a price on it. You can't put a measurement on it. I'm just hoping we get through the inauguration and turn the page on this really challenging time for democracy," Winfry said. -- PTI

15:13 NDA won Bihar polls due to money: Tejashwi

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav today said that his party got support of the people but the National Democratic Alliance achieved the Bihar poll victory through dhan, chhal and bal (money, muscle and deceit).

Targetting Nitish Kumar, Tejashwi said, "Nitish Kumar's JD-U has been relegated to the third position. If he has any conscience left, he must give up his attachment to the chief ministers chair."

"It is surprising that the NDA got only 12,270 seats more than Mahagathbandhan, and yet managed to win 15 more seats," Tejashwi said after being unanimously elected by 109 Mahagathbandhan' MLAs as their leader.

Casting doubts on the electoral process, the RJD leader demanded recounting of postal ballots in "all those constituencies where these were counted at the end, and not in the beginning".

We lost 20 seats by a wafer-thin margin. In many constituencies, as many as 900 postal ballots were invalidated, alleges Tejashwi.

Two weeks after undergoing an angioplasty, World Cup-winning former India captain Kapil Dev was back to playing golf, a sport he took up passionately after bidding adieu to cricket.

The 61-year-old had said that he would like to get back to playing golf as soon as the doctors allowed him and on Thursday he was seen teeing off at the Delhi Golf Club.

"You can't express in words what fun it is to be back on the golf course or a cricket ground. It is beautiful to be back at the golf course, having fun and playing with friends. That's what life is all about," Kapil posted a video message on his Twitter handle.

Kapil has been an avid amateur golfer since his retirement from international cricket back in 1994 and also taken part in many events over the years.

Last month, he suffered a heart attack and was rushed to a hospital where he underwent an emergency angioplasty.

He was back home in a couple of days and since then has kept his fans posted and updated about his health status and also started his job as TV analyst for a reputed channel. -- PTI

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharman on Thursday announced a Rs 900 crore grant to the Department of Biotechnology for COVID-19 vaccine research.

She said the grant does not cover the actual cost of vaccine and distribution expenses, which will be made separately as and when the vaccine is available.

She also said that Rs 10,200 crore additional budget outlay will be provided towards capital and industrial expenditure for domestic defence equipment, industrial incentives and infrastructure and green energy. -- PTI

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced relaxations in income tax rules to allow sale of primary residential units of up to Rs 2 crore value below the circle rate.

Till now, only 10 per cent difference between the circle rate and the agreement value was allowed.

To boost residential real estate sector, she said the differential has now been increased to 20 per cent for period up to June 30, 2021 for only primary sale of residential units of value up to Rs 2 crore.

"This measure will reduce harships faced by both home-buyers and developers and help in clearing the unsold inventory," she said. -- PTI

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced a Rs 65,000-crore fertilizer subsidy for farmers as part of her stimulus package to boost the economy.

She said Rs 65,000 crore is being provided to ensure adequate availability of fertilisers to farmers and to enable timely accessibility of fertilisers in the upcoming crop season.

She said an additional outlay of Rs 10,000 crore will be provided for PM Garib Kalyan Rozgar Yojana in the current financial year.

This, she said, will accelerate growth of the rural economy.

Sitharaman further said, Rs 3,000 crore will be released to EXIM Bank for promotion of 'Project Exports' through lines of credits.

EXIM Bank extends lines of credits on behalf of the government of India as assistance to developing countries under Indian Development and Economic Assistance Scheme (IDEAS) Scheme. -- PTI

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced a Rs 18,000 crore additonal outlay for the urban housing scheme to help complete real estate projects that would create jobs and boost the economy.

She said the Rs 18,000 crore would be provided over and above the Budget Estimates for 2020-21 for the Prime Minister Awas Yojana (Urban) through additional allocation and extra budgetary resources.

This is over and above Rs 8,000 crore already provided this year.

She said the move would help start work on 12 lakh houses as well as complete 18 lakh houses. This would create 78 lakh new jobs as well as demand for steel and cement.

Announcing support for construction and infrastructure, she said Earnest Money Deposit and performance security requirements will be relaxed for government tenders.

Performance security on contracts will be reduced to 3 per cent instead of 5 to 10 per cent. This would be extended to ongoing contracts which are free of disputes.

It would also be extended to public sector enterprises, she said, adding states will also be encouraged to adopt the same.

Earnest money deposit will not be required for tenders and will be replaced by bid security declaration.

These relaxations will be given till December 31, 2021, she said, adding the move would give relief to contractors by reducing locking up of capital and cost of bank guarantees. -- PTI

FM Nirmala Sitharaman announces additional outlay of Rs 10,000 crores will be provided for Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Rozgar Yojana in the current financial year, to boost rural employment.

14:19 Rapper Cardi B sorry for Goddess Durga look

American rapper Cardi B has apologised for appropriating Goddess Durga's image for a magazine cover shoot.

The 28-year-old musician recently appeared on the cover of Footwear News magazine, posing as Goddess Durga with shoes in her hands, while promoting her first line of sneakers with Reebok.

In the magazine's cover photo, Cardi B is seen holding a shoe while multiple arms stretched out around her from her shoulders.

The singer was then slammed on social media with many Indian users claiming that she has insulted the Hindu goddess, while others took offence to her outfit.

On Wednesday, Cardi B took to her Instagram story and apologised to her Indian fans.

In a video message, the musician said, "When I did the shoot, the creatives told me I was going to represent a Goddess; that she represents strength, femininity and liberation, and that's something I love and I'm all about."

"And though it was dope, if people think I'm offending their culture or their religion I want to say that was not my intent. I do not like offending anyone's religion; I wouldn't like it if someone did it to my religion," she added.

Cardi B maintained that her intention was not to disrespect anyone's god.

"When people dress as Virgin Mary and Jesus, as long as they do it in a beautiful, graceful way. But I wasn't trying to be disrespectful; maybe I should have done my research. I'm sorry, I can't change the past but I will do more research for the future," she added. -- PTI

13:58 FM announces incentives to firms on new hires

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman offered incentives for companies on new hires during her press conference on Thursday in which she announced more stimulus measures to boost growth.

The Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana was launched to incentivise creation of new employment opportunities during Covid recovery. Every EPFO registered orgs -- if they take in new employees or those who had lost jobs between March 1 and September 30 -- these employees will get benefits.

If new employees of requisite number are recruited from October 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021, the establishments will be covered for the next two years.

Establishments registering with EPFO after the commencement of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana to get subsidy for all new employees. Scheme to be operation till 30th June, 2021, she said.

13:37 Mirzapur will be back with third season

Amazon Prime Video on Thursday announced they were renewing popular crime drama series Mirzapur for a third season.

The season two of the show, which became the most-watched show on the streamer in India within just seven days of its release, debuted last month.

The second season of Mirzapur not only recorded one of the highest completion rates but remarkably almost half of the viewers who completed the series, binge-watched the second season within just 48 hours of its launch, setting a new benchmark, the streamer said in a release.

READ: Mirzapur 2 review

Mirzapur features a stellar ensemble cast featuring Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Divyenndu, Shweta Tripathi Sharma, Rasika Dugal, Harshita Shekhar Gaur, in the lead roles alongside Amit Sial, Anjum Sharma, Sheeba Chaddha, Manu Rishi Chadha and Rajesh Tailang.

The second season also saw a new set actors such as Vijay Varma, Priyanshu Painyuli, and Isha Talwar being introduced.

The second season of the series, created and produced by Excel Media and Entertainment, was watched in over 180 countries within seven days of its release on the service, the release said.

The second season, originally scheduled for release on October 23, arrived a day early amid the high anticipation from fans.

Aparna Purohit, Head of India Originals, Amazon Prime Video India said, the overwhelming response on the new season of Mirzapur is a testament to the streamer's commitment and efforts.

"Over the last two years, viewers continued to engage with the immersive universe of Mirzapur and its characters. The love that they have showered on the show for this season has been unprecedented," Purohit said in a statement.

Ritesh Sidhwani, Producer, Excel Entertainment, said, "Across two gripping seasons, Mirzapur has become a global sensation and we couldn't be happier associating with Amazon Prime Video to make this happen! The show's massive fandom and the viewers' magnitude of love towards the new season was seen through reactions on social media within days of its release, and we are truly humbled by the response."

Munna (Divyenndu) and Guddu's (Ali Fazal) fight to take over Mirzapur intensified in the second season with power, politics and revenge coming to a head even as the nexus between politics and criminals prevails. -- PTI

13:33 Indian economy witnessing strong recovery: FM

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said the Indian economy is witnessing a strong recovery after a long and strict lockdown.

Addressing a press conference to announce more stimulus measures to boost growth, she said macro-economic indicators are pointing towards recovery.

COVID-19 active cases have declined from over 10 lakh to 4.89 lakh with case fatality rate at 1.47 per cent, she said.

Giving out details of recovery, she said composite purchasing managers index (PMI) rose to 58.9 per cent in October versus 54.6 per cent in the previous month, registering strongest increase in output in close to nine years.

Energy consumption growth trended higher in October at 12 per cent year-on-year, while Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections have grown 10 per cent to over Rs 1.05 lakh crore.

Daily railway freight tonnage grew by an average 20 per cent year-on-year versus 12 per cent, she said adding bank credit has improved 5.1 per cent.

Also, foreign direct investment inflows in April-August at USD 35.37 billion has seen a 13 per cent rise on a year-on-year basis.

The RBI has predicted a strong likelihood of Indian economy returning to positive growth in Q3 2020-21, ahead by a quarter from the earlier forecast, she said adding prominent economists have suggested that the rebound is not only due to pent up demand but also due to strong economic growth. -- PTI

13:01 COVID: Delhi govt bans Chhath Puja at ghats

The Delhi government has decided to ban community Chhath Puja celebrations near the ghats to contain the spread of COVID-19, said health minister Satyendar Jain on Thursday.

"In the view of safety and to avoid crowd gathering amid the pandemic, we have decided to ban community Chhath Puja celebrations near the ghats this year. The officials have been directed to take strict action against people not following COVID-19 protocols," Jain told reporters here.

The COVID-19 cases have rapidly increased in national capital and touched a new peak by crossing 8,000 positive cases in the past 24 hours.

It recorded 8,593 new positive cases and 85 deaths on Wednesday while 7,264 patients recovered from the infection.

The death rate so far stands at 1.57 percent while it remained at 0.99 per cent in the last 10 days.

Taking into account the rising infections, Jain said that the new peak could be credited to rapid testing.

He assured a gradual decline in the peak in a week's time. -- ANI

A sessions court in Mumbai has adjourned till November 23 the hearing into the pre-arrest bail plea of Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami and his wife in a case registered against them by Mumbai Police for

allegedly assaulting a woman police officer.

Their lawyer Shyam Kalyankar said the plea could not be heard on Thursday as the judge did not preside.

"The anticipatory bail plea of Goswami and his wife was simply adjourned till November 23," he said.

"We did not seek any interim protection from arrest today as we are waiting for the detailed order of the Supreme Court (passed on Wednesday granting bail to Goswami in another matter)," Kalyankar said.

The apex court on Wednesday granted interim bail to Goswami in a case of alleged abetment to suicide of interior designer Anvay Naik in 2018.

Goswami, who was arrested on November 4, was released from the Taloja prison in Navi Mumbai late Wednesday evening.

Last week, an FIR was registered against Arnab Goswami, his wife Samyabrata Ray Goswami and his son at N M Joshi Marg police station in central Mumbai for allegedly assaulting a woman police officer when a police team went to his house to arrest him on November 4.

Currently, Arnab Goswami and his wife have filed an anticipatory bail plea in the assault case.

They have been booked under Indian Penal Code sections 353 (assault to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation) and under the Damage to Public Property Act. -- PTI

The Delhi high court on Thursday expressed concern over rise in COVID-19 cases in the national capital and questioned the Aam Aadmi Party government's "doing everything under the Sun to 'unlock' things".

The high court said the Delhi government cannot be allowed to play with the lives of citizens and the state is responsible for the health of citizens for which others have to chip in, including private hospitals.

A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad said the Delhi government has to be much more alive to the current situation which the whole city can see for itself.

The high court was hearing a plea by the Delhi government urging it to empower it to enforce reservation of 80 per cent of ICU beds for COVID-19 patients in 33 private hospitals at least for 15 days in view of the rise in the number of cases.

Delhi recorded its biggest single-day jump of 8,593 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday that took its infection tally to over 4.59 lakh people, while 85 new fatalities pushed the national capital's death toll to 7,228. -- PTI

The Biden administration is likely to be pragmatic in its dealings with Pakistan, pressing Islamabad to act on terrorism related issues and support America's endeavours for peace in Afghanistan, according to a former top Pakistani diplomat.

There may be a resumption of the strategic dialogue process with Pakistan, but it will not be of the same level or scale as during the Obama administration, former Pakistani Ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani, told PTI.

"A Biden administration is likely to be pragmatic in its dealings with Islamabad. It will continue to engage with Pakistan, asking Islamabad to act on terrorism related issues, including at the FATF, and support US endeavours for peace in Afghanistan. It is unlikely that a Biden administration will resume payments of security assistance or Coalition Support Funds," he said.

Coalition Support Funds are drawn from a presidentially designed and congressionally authorised fund of money to reimburse counterterrorism allies for incremental costs associated with supporting US combat operations, an incremental cost being a cost over and above the normal military expenditures of that government's military.

In 2018, the Trump administration suspended security aid to Pakistan after it failed to rein in terrorist groups.

During his first official visit to Pakistan in 2018, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had said he hoped to "reset the relationship" with the Imran Khan-led Pakistan government after a period of sharp disagreements between the longtime security allies over Pakistan's harbouring of anti-Afghan militants.

Pakistan's close ties with China and its lack of democracy and disregard for human rights will not be overlooked, said Haqqani, who currently is a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute think-tank in Washington.

Observing that US President-elect Joe Biden and his advisors understand the importance of a stable and peaceful Afghanistan, Haqqani said they may prefer to stretch out the US troops withdrawal, making it truly conditional to end of Taliban violence, and use the extra time to apply more pressure on the Taliban and Pakistan to ensure an agreement that is a peace deal not just a withdrawal deal.

"Biden will listen more to America's allies there, the Kabul government, and not keep giving in to the Taliban as the Trump administration's negotiators have done so far. Biden has publicly supported maintaining a counter-terrorism presence in Afghanistan," the former top Pakistani diplomat said.

The US has been pulling out troops from Afghanistan under a landmark peace deal, which envisages the withdrawal to be complete by May next year, subject to certain security guarantees, while the Taliban holds peace talks with the Afghan government in Doha, capital of Qatar. -- PTI

Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal's girlfriend Gabriella Demetriades appeared before the Narcotics Control Bureau for the second day as part of its probe into alleged drug use in Bollywood.

Gabriella reached the NCB's zonal office at Ballard Estate in south Mumbai in her car, the official said.

A large number of media persons gathered outside the office.

On Monday, the NCB had carried out a search at Rampal's residence in Mumbai as part of its probe into the alleged drug use in Bollywood.

The search at the residence of the model-turned-actor came a day after the NCB arrested Bollywood producer Firoz Nadiadwala's wife Shabana Saeed after ganja was allegedly found at their residence in suburban Juhu.

The NCB had seizedelectronic gadgets like laptops, mobile phones and tablets during the search at Rampal's residence and questioned the actor's driver.

Last month, Gabriella's brother Agisilaos Demetriades was arrested by the NCB from a resort in Lonavala in drugs case, the official had said.

It was alleged that he was in touch with drug peddlers.

Last Thursday, the court had awarded to the anti-drugs agency his custody along with that of executive producer Kshitij Prasad in another drugs case in which four grams of cocaine was recovered from a Nigerian national Uka Emeka in Andheri last month.

The NCB had launched a probe into the alleged drug use in Bollywood after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June on the basis of WhatsApp chats involving drugs.

The central agency had earlier arrested Rajput's girlfriend, actress Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik, some employees of the late filmstar and a few others under various sections of the NDPS Act.

Rhea Chakraborty and some other accused are currently out on bail.

Representational image

12:07 Tamil Nadu cancels decision to reopen schools

Days after seeking the views of parents, the Tamil Nadu government on Thursday reversed its move to reopen schools from November 16 for classes 9-12 and said they shall continue to remain closed.

While colleges were also earlier scheduled to function from November 16 , the government said colleges and varsities shall reopen from December 2 only for research scholars and final year postgraduate students of science and technology streams.

"The opening of colleges for all other courses will be announced later," the government said in an official release, adding hostels would be opened only for those students who shall resume studies from next month.

Disclosing the outcome of state-wide consultations held with parents of private, government and aided schools on November 9 on starting classes for the 2020-21 academic year for higher standards, the government said the opinion was divided.

Parents of some schools wanted the institutions to reopen, but others were against such a move in view of the coronavirus pandemic and the school education department analysed the opnions holistically, the release said.

"The order on reopening schools from November 16 for classes 9-12 is cancelled. An announcement on reopening schools will be made later based on the situation," the government said based on the feedback received from parents.

-- PTI

The Pakistan Army on Thursday opened heavy fire and shelled forward areas and posts in four sectors along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

The Indian Army effectively retaliated.

This is third consecutive day that the Pakistan Army has targeted hamlets and posts with mortar bombs and heavy firing triggering fear and panic among the residents along the LoC in Poonch district.

Pakistan also opened fire along the International Border targeting hamlets and Border Out Posts in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district overnight, they said.

"At about 0900 hours, Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms & shelling with mortars along LoC in Shahpur, Kirni and Qasba sectors in district Poonch and also in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district", a defence spokesman said.

Pakistani troops have violated the ceasefire 24 times this month. -- PTI

11:38 India in recession due to PM's policies: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday targeted the government over the state of the economy, claiming the country has entered into a recession for the first time in history due to the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"India has entered into recession for the first time in history. Mr Modi's actions have turned India's strength into its weakness," he said on Twitter.

Gandhi cited a news report wherein the Reserve Bank of India has said that the country's GDP is likely to contract by 8.6 per cent in the July-September quarter, which means the Indian economy is likely to enter into a technical recession for the first time in history. -- PTI

The United States hit a record-setting 136,325 new daily cases of the novel coronavirus disease, the latest data from Johns Hopkins University revealed.

The United States has reported more than 10.3 million cases of COVID-19 and more than 240,800 deaths caused by the disease, data showed on Wednesday.

The third wave of COVID-19 infections is underway in the United States as winter approaches.

Numerous US states are facing strained resources at medical facilities, such as shortages of medical personnel and hospital beds, forcing additional lockdowns in the communities considered hotspots.

The Trump administration has vowed to have a vaccine ready to be distributed by the end of the year. -- ANI

11:00 Gurjar stir over reservation called off

A major Gurjar organisation on Thursday called off its agitation over reservation after reaching a consensus with the Rajasthan government, a community leader said.

The Gurjar Aarakshan Sangarsh Samiti is demanding that the state government get the Gurjar reservation included in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, fill the backlog of vacancies and give the benefit of five per cent quota to the Most Backward Classes in the pending recruitment process.

The Gurjar body had launched the agitation on November 1 and it lasted for 11 days.

Mobile internet services, which were suspended in parts of the state due to the agitation, were restored, police said.

The protestors vacated the railway tracks early Thursday morning and returned home after the agreement was read out to them by their leaders, police said.

After a marathon meeting with a ministerial group on Wednesday, the Gurjar delegation, including Col Kirori Singh Bainsla, met Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

However, the delegation had said on Wednesday night that they would take a decision on calling off the agitation at the protest site in Bharatpur's Bayana.

"A consensus has been reached over the demands with the state government. We have trust that the government will work on the agreement. However, we will take a decision on the calling off of the agitation at the protest site," Gurjar leader Vijay Bainsla had said after the meeting.

Gurjars had blocked the Hindaun-Bayana road and the Delhi-Mumbai rail route.

On October 31, a delegation of the Gurjar Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti held discussions with a Cabinet sub-committee in Jaipur, in which a consensus had emerged on 14 points but it was not accepted by Gurjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla and his supporters. -- PTI

Indian Navy's fifth Scorpene class submarine 'Vagir' was launched on Thursday at Mumbai's Mazagon Dock.

Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik launched the submarine through video conferencing.

Vagir is part of the six Kalvari-class submarines being built in India. The submarines, designed by French naval defence and energy company DCNS, are being built as part of Indian Navy's Project-75.

INS Kalvari, the first of the six Scorpene-class submarines, was launched in 2017, followed by Khanderi, Karanj and Vela.

These submarines can undertake missions like anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying, and area surveillance, an official said. -- PTI

The BJP MLA from Salt in Almora district, Surendra Singh Jeena, who was undergoing treatment for Covid-19 at a hospital in New Delhi, died early Thursday, a party leader said.

The 50-year-old Jeena was admitted to the Sir Gangaram Hospital nearly a week ago. He breathed his last at around 4 am, pradesh BJP vice president Devendra Bhasin said.

Pradesh BJP president Bansidhar Bhagat expressed grief at Jeena's demise, describing it as an irreparable loss not just for the party but for the entire society.

"He was a young and energetic leader always active in public interest and organisational affairs. His death is an irreparable loss for the party and the society," Bhagat said.

Jeena's wife had also passed away recently in Delhi.

-- PTI

10:04 India reports 47,905 new COVID19 cases

With 47,905 new COVID19 infections in last 24 hours, India's total cases surge to 86,83,917.

With 550 new fatalities, total death toll mounts to 1,28,121.

Currently, there are 4,89,294 total active cases in the country.

Till now, 80,66,502 have been recovered from the deadly disease.

09:21 Smriti Irani tests negative for COVID-19

Union minister Smriti Irani on Thursday said that she has tested negative for COVID-19.

"I have tested negative for COVID. Would like to extend my grateful thanks to everyone for their good wishes and prayers," Smriti Irani said in a tweet.

The MP from Uttar Pradesh's Amethi had tested positive for the infection on October 28.

She had requested those who came in her contact to undergo a COVID test at the earliest. -- ANI

09:10 Moderna on track to release Covid vaccine data

Moderna expects to have an announcement on the efficacy of its COVID-19 vaccine after it finished accumulating data for a first analysis of the vaccine, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

Moderna is conducting a clinical trial of about 30,000 participants, with half of the participants receiving the vaccine and the other half receiving a placebo, which is a shot of saline that does not seem to have any effect, reported CNN.

In order for the vaccine to be considered for authorization by the US Food and Drug Administration, at least 53 study participants needed to become ill with COVID-19.

The trial hit the 53-mark Wednesday, but Moderna doesn't know if the participants who became ill received the vaccine or the placebo.

The company is now preparing data to send to the trial's Data and Safety Monitoring Board, an independent panel of experts.

If a statistically significant number of participants received the placebo, that would mean that the vaccine is effective against the virus.

Since cases are rapidly rising in the US, more than 53 participants will become ill with COVID-19 by the time the announcement is made, according to CNN.

Meanwhile, Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading expert on infectious diseases, said on Wednesday that Pfizer's promising outcomes are good news for Moderna as well.

Fauci mentioned that Pfizer's results from the never-before-approved mRNA technology were better than expected. -- ANI

United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday won the election in the state of Alaska, taking his electoral college tally to 217 after winning three electoral votes.

The Republican Party has also retained the Senate seat, giving the party 50 seats in the 100-member United States Senate.

When the election was called in Alaska, Trump had received 56.9 per cent of the total votes counted and President-elect Joe Biden from the Democratic Party with 39.1 per cent.

With this, Trump's tally of electoral college votes has increased to 217, as per the count maintained by The New York Times.

Biden has already been declared winner with 279 of the 538 electoral college votes.

Trump has refused to concede and has filed lawsuits in multiple states, challenging election results.

The election results in Alaska also gave the Republican Party an edge over the Democrats in the Senate. Republican senator Dan Sullivan won his Senate re-election bid. This gives the Republicans 50 Senate seats, while the Democrats have 48. The two Senate seats are going in for elections on January 5.

"President Trump and Senate Republicans win Alaska, overwhelmingly and by a massive 20 point spread!" Ivanka Trump, daughter of Trump and a presidential advisor, said in a tweet. -- PTI

United States President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday announced the appointment of Ron Klain, his longtime aide, as White House Chief of Staff.

In this capacity, Klain will oversee the Executive Office of the President and serve as a senior advisor.

In addition to supporting the president-elect, Klain will work to build a diverse, experienced and talented team to help President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris meet the urgent challenges facing the country, a media release said.

"Ron has been invaluable to me over the many years that we have worked together, including as we rescued the American economy from one of the worst downturns in our history in 2009 and later overcame a daunting public health emergency in 2014," said Biden.

"His deep, varied experience and capacity to work with people all across the political spectrum is precisely what I need in a White House chief of staff as we confront this moment of crisis and bring our country together again," Biden said.

Klain was most recently a senior advisor to the Biden for President campaign and has previously served Biden in a number of roles including as his Chief of Staff when he became Vice President.

Klain is also known for his role as the White House Ebola Response Coordinator at the height of the public health crisis.

Klain said, "It's the honor of a lifetime to serve President-elect Biden in this role, and I am humbled by his confidence. I look forward to helping him and the Vice President-elect assemble a talented and diverse team to work in the White House, as we tackle their ambitious agenda for change, and seek to heal the divides in our country."

Klain served as Biden's first Chief of Staff when he became Vice President (2009-11); Chief Counsel of the Senate Judiciary Committee during his tenure as Chair of the Committee (1989-92); and Policy Advisor on the Judiciary Committee staff (1986-87). Klain also worked as an advisor on Biden's 1988 and 2008 presidential campaigns.

According to the Biden-Harris Transition, Klain has devoted many years to public service, serving as White House Ebola Response Coordinator (2014-15).

At the conclusion of his work coordinating the US response, President Obama said that Klain had taken on "a challenge that many called insurmountable, and, in leading the team responsible for tremendous progress, helped remind the world what makes America exceptional."

Earlier, in addition to his work with then-Vice President Biden, Klain served as Chief of Staff for Vice President Al Gore, Chief of Staff and Counsellor to Attorney General Janet Reno, and Staff Director of the Senate Democratic Leadership Committee. -- PTI

01:05 Back in TV studio, Arnab dares Thackeray

Back in the familiar environs of the TV newsroom after a week in judicial custody, journalist Arnab Goswami on Wednesday hit out at Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for arresting him in a 'fake' case.

"Uddhav Thackeray, listen to me. You lost. You have been defeated," said Goswami, 47, while being surrounded by visibly relieved colleagues from his Republic TV channel.

Soon after his release from Taloja jail near Mumbai around 8.30 pm, Goswami drove to the Lower Parel studio of the channel, of which he is the Editor-in-Chief.

Goswami also singled out Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh for his 'illegal' arrest on November 4 in a 2018 suicide abetment case.

Goswami said that while in Taloja jail since November 8, he was subjected to three rounds of police interrogation.

"Uddhav Thackeray, you arrested me in an old, fake case and did not even apologise to me," said Goswami, who was seen sporting a stubble.

"The game has just begun," he said and announced that he will launch Republic TV channel in every language and also have a presence in international media.

Saying he apprehended being arrested again, Goswami said, "I will launch (the channels) even from inside the jail and you (Thackeray) won't be able to do anything."

Thanking the Supreme Court for granting him interim bail, Goswami spoke a few words in Marathi, rounding off with the 'Jai Maharashtra' slogan.

Goswami was released on Wednesday night, hours after the Supreme Court granted interim bail observing it will be a 'travesty of justice' if personal liberty is curtailed. -- PTI

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