LIVE! Rains likely in TN, Kerala till Dec 3: IMD

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Sun, 29 November 2020

Rains likely in TN, Kerala till Dec 3: IMD

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20:58 Rains likely in TN, Kerala till Dec 3: IMD

A well marked low pressure area lay over Bay of Bengal and it is very likely to concentrate into a depression and bring rains in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and south coastal Andhra Pradesh till December 3, the India

Meteorological Department said on Sunday.

The low pressure area on Saturday over south Andaman sea and adjoining areas of southeast Bay of Bengal has organised into a well marked low pressure area, the Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai said in a bulletin.

"It is very likely to concentrate into a depression during next 36 hours and likely to intensify further thereafter. It is likely to move west-northwestwards and reach near south Tamil Nadu coast around December 2."

Under the influence of the system, light to moderate rainfall or thundershower is likely over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal till December 3.

The showers, in such regions, starting with isolated places, could extend to many areas and then spread to most places during the next four days, the bulletin said.

The IMD tweeted,"Scattered to widespread rainfall activity very likely over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal, Kerala & Mahe, Lakshadweep, south coastal Andhra Pradesh and south Rayalaseema during 01st-03rd December, 2020."

Also, the department said, "Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall with moderate thunderstorm & lightning very likely over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal during December 1-3 and isolated extremely rainfall likely over south Tamil Nadu and south Kerala on 02nd December 2020."

The expected rainfall is due to the well marked low pressure area, it said.

In Kerala, a red alert has been sounded for Idukki district on Wednesday and fishermen restrained from putting out to sea from the midnight of November 30.

An Orange alert has been issued for Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathanamthitta districts on December 2 anda yellow alert for Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam districts on the same day.

Red alert indicates heavy to very heavy rainfall of over 20 cm in 24 hours,an Orange alert (6 cm to 20 cm) and yellow alert (6-11 cm). -- PTI

Vaccine major Serum Institute of India on Sunday rejected charges that AstraZeneca-Oxford's COVID-19 vaccine candidate has serious side effects and said it will seek damages in excess of Rs 100 crore for "malicious" allegations.

A 40-year-old Chennai-based business consultant, who was a volunteer for the third phase of the vaccine trial conducted by Serum Institute of India, has alleged serious side effects, including a virtual neurological breakdown and impairment of cognitive functions and has sought Rs 5 crore compensation in a legal notice to SII and others, besides seeking a halt to the trial.

He was administered the shot at Chennai's Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, one of the trial sites.

"The allegations in the notice are malicious and misconceived. While the Serum Institute of India is sympathetic with the volunteer's medical condition, there is absolutely no correlation with the vaccine trial and the medical condition of the volunteer," Serum Institute of India said in a statement.

The volunteer is falsely laying the blame for his medical problems on the COVID vaccine trial, it added.

"The claim is malicious because the volunteer was specifically informed by the medical team that the complications he suffered were independent of the vaccine trial he underwent. In-spite of specifically being made aware of the same, he still chose to go public and malign the reputation of the company," Serum Institute said.

It is evident that the intention behind the spreading of such malicious information is an oblique pecuniary motive, it added.

"The Serum Institute of India, will seek damages in excess of (Rs) 100 crore for the same and will defend such malicious claims," the statement said.

The Drugs Controller General of India and the institutional ethics committee at the implementation site are investigating if the adverse event as claimed to have been suffered by an Oxford COVID-19 vaccine trial participant in Chennai are related to the shot administered to him.

A law firm on his behalf has sent a legal notice to Director General, ICMR, Drugs Controller General of India, Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, CEO AstraZeneca UK, CEO Serum Institute of India, Professor Andrew Pollard, Chief Investigator, Oxford Vaccine Trial and Vice Chancellor of Sri Ramachandra Higher Education and Research.

Dr Samiran Panda, who heads the Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases division of the ICMR, said the causal link, if any, of the serious adverse events with the investigational product is objectively assessed in any clinical trial following a pre-defined scientific pathway and within a stipulated period. -- PTI

Against the backdrop of doctors advising him against entering politics, top star Rajinikanth is all set to deliberate the possibility of his political entry with the office bearers of his forum on Monday.

The meeting with Rajini Makkal Mandram's district secretaries would be held at the actor's Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam in Chennai, the mandram said.

A month after the actor said "at the right time, I will let the people know about my political stand after consulting the office-bearers of Rajini Makkal Mandram," the meeting has been scheduled for Monday.

Assembly elections are due in Tamil Nadu during April-May 2021.

On the agenda of the meeting, sources indicated that an announcement may be expected following consultations since Rajinikanth had himself said that he would make his stand known after consulting Mandram's office-bearers.

Rajinikanth had on October 29 said he has been advised against entering politics by doctors as he had undergone a kidney transplant in 2016 and due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The disclosure of his health status was seen as an indication that the actor was seriously rethinking launching a political party.

The Mandram, billed as a 'launch vehicle,' was seen as a preparatory exercise to help the actor float his political party successfully ahead of 2021 elections. -- PTI

20:06 Modi govt doubles Ambani-Adani's income: Rahul

Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reiterating that the new agri-laws are beneficial for farmers, the Congress on Sunday said the insistence in support of the legislations shows that the government is "drunk with power" and is rigid even in reconsidering the laws.

The Opposition party also demanded that Prime Minister Modi should immediately announce the suspension of the three "anti-agriculture" laws.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked the government over the protest by farmers, alleging "promise was to double farmers' income, the Modi government did double income, but that of Adani-Ambani".

"Those who are still defending the black farm laws, what solution will they find in favour of farmers?" he said in a tweet in Hindi, adding that, "Ab hogi (now there will be) #KisaanKiBaat".

Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the prime minister's "obduracy, arrogance and rigidity in dealing with 62 crore farmers and farm labourers of India is writ large" over his insistence in the 'Mann ki Baat' that the three "anti-farmer, anti-agriculture" laws are correct.

"For the prime minister to say that these three laws are absolutely right when lakhs and lakhs of farmers are sitting around Delhi agitating, demanding their withdrawal, shows that the Modi government is drunk with power and Prime Minister Modi does not at a press conference at the AICC headquarters here.

It shows that a government "drunk with power" is rigid even in re-contemplating and reconsidering the three "anti-agriculture black laws".

Surjewala's remarks came hours after Prime Minister Modi, in his monthly 'Mann ki Baat' broadcast, asserted that these reforms have opened doors of new opportunities for farmers and bestowed on them new rights.

Modi also said the farm laws have begun mitigating the troubles of farmers in a short period of time since their enactment in September as he cited the example of a Maharashtra farmer who used their provisions to get the money a trader had promised but not paid to him in time.

Surjewala also hit out at Union home minister Amit Shah for attending a political event in Hyderabad but not reaching out to farmers immediately.

"If the home minister of India has time to travel 1,200 km to Hyderabad to attend a public meeting, why does Amit Shah does not have the time to go 15 km to the borders of Delhi and talk to the agitating farmers, why is it that the agriculture minister has taken out a date of December 3 before which no conversation can be held, have they consulted an astrologer for this purpose," the Congress leader said.

Posing several questions to the Modi government, Surjewala asked why "12,000 FIRs have been lodged against farmers" and why is that that no dialogue is taking place with them.

He accused the BJP leaders and chief ministers of branding farmers as "terrorists" and asked why is it that select TV channels "aided and abetted by the Modi government are out to prove 62 crore farmers are anti-nationals".

China's Defence Minister Gen. Wei Fenghe arrived here on Sunday to meet Nepal's top leadership and bolster military cooperation and take the existing friendly bilateral relations to a new height.

Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa welcomed him at the Tribhuvan International Airport, according to the state-run Nepal Television.

The Chinese Defence Minister, also a State Councillor, told reporters that his visit is aimed at implementing bilateral understandings reached between the two governments in the past.

Wei said that the visit will promote bilateral military cooperation between Nepal and China, and take the existing friendly relations between the two neighbours to a new height.

This is the highest-level visit from China after President Xi Jinping's two-day state visit that took place in October last year.

According to Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wei will pay courtesy calls on President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister and Minister for Defence K P Sharma Oli during his brief stay in Kathmandu.

He is also scheduled to hold a delegation-level meeting with Nepal's Chief of Army Staff General Purna Chandra Thapa.

The Chinese Defence Minister, who is leading a 21-member delegation, will return to Beijing on Sunday evening.

His visit comes days after India's Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla wrapped up his maiden two-day visit to Nepal. In the first week of November, Indian Army chief Gen. M M Naravane paid a three-day visit to Nepal aimed at resetting bilateral ties that came under severe strain following a bitter border row between the two countries.

Wei's visit also comes amidst an ongoing political rift in the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) that resurfaced following a meeting between Prime Minister Oli and his rival Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'.

China's political profile in Nepal has been on the rise in the recent years with billions of dollars of investments under Beijing's multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), including the building of the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network.

Besides the investments, China's ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi has made open efforts to garner support for Oli, who faced a massive rebellion in his party headed by 'Prachanda'.

In August this year, Chinese President Xi said that he attached great importance to the development of China-Nepal relations and was willing to work with his Nepali counterpart Bhandari to push for the continued advancement of the bilateral relationship.

During his two-day state visit - the first by a Chinese leader in 23 years - in October last year, President Xi said China will provide Nepalese Rs 56 billion assistance to Kathmandu over the next two years to help Nepal's development programmes and transform the landlocked nation into a land-linked country. -- PTI

19:47 Hold dialogue with Pak: Mehbooba to govt

People's Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday said elections are no solution to the Kashmir problem and called for a dialogue between India and Pakistan to address the issue.

She also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre of murdering the democracy in the name of District Development Council polls as alliance candidates were being confined to homes while others enjoyed full freedom to campaign.

"Election is no solution to the Kashmir problem. There should be a dialogue between the two countries. If we are talking to China, which has taken our land, why not with Pakistan? Is it about being a Muslim country because everything is communal now," Mehbooba told reporters at her Gupkar residence.

The former chief minister was not allowed to address a press conference on Friday after police prevented her from visiting PDP youth chief Waheed Para's residence in Pulwama district following his arrest over alleged connections with Hizbul Mujahideen.

Asked about the significance of Saturday's poll percentage, Mehbooba said poll percentages have been huge before also, but that is not a solution to the Kashmir issue.

"India has around nine lakh security forces here. Which other state has so much of security forces in the civilian areas? If (abrogation of) Article 370 has resolved all issues, why is the army still stationed in Kashmir? They should have gone to the border.

"Participation in elections has no bearing on the Kashmir issue. It is there and it will be there as long as it is not resolved through dialogue with Pakistan and the people of Kashmir," she said.

The PDP chief said the alliance candidates were not allowed to freely campaign for the DDC polls.

"Our people do not have security. They have been confined to their homes and not allowed to run poll campaign while BJP candidates are freely roaming around. This is not done? Will this country run on the BJP's agenda?

"They tell us not to talk about Article 370. BJP ministers visit Kashmir and nine out of 10 times, they talk about the revocation of Article 370. I fail to understand that when they are confident that Artilce 370 is gone and will not be restored, why do they get rattled so much when I speak about it," she said.

Mehbooba said there was no freedom to talk about issues.

"Whosoever tries to raise voice is booked under UAPA. There is no greater a peace-loving person than Waheed, but he has been booked under the UAPA. This is very unfortunate what is happening here," she said.

Referring to her house arrest on Friday, Mehbooba said fiction was being portrayed as reality in Kashmir.

"It is unfortunate that after I was detained, the Election Commission and other officers said I was not under detention. It tells you what is happening in J-K, what is fiction and what is reality. Fiction is portrayed as reality and reality is not shown," the PDP chief said. -- PTI

Actor Rahul Roy, best known for starring in the 1990 musical blockbuster Aashiqui, has suffered a brain stroke and is recuperating at a hospital here, a family source said.

The 52-year-old actor, who was recently shooting in Kargil, was admitted to the intensive care unit of Nanavati Hospital two days ago, according to the insider.

"He was hospitalised two days ago after he arrived from Kargil. He was admitted due to a progressive brain stroke," the family source told PTI.

"He is safe and recovering well. The recovery will take sometime," they added.

Roy made his Bollywood debut at the age of 22 in the Mahesh Bhatt-directed Aashiqui and went on to work with the filmmaker on 1990s films like Junoon and Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee.

Roy also won the first season of the popular TV reality show Bigg Boss in 2006. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with three teams involved in developing COVID-19 vaccine via video conferencing on Monday.

The Prime Minister's Office said in a tweet on Sunday that the three teams are from Gennova Biopharma, Biological E and Dr. Reddy's.

"Tomorrow, on 30th November, 2020, PM @narendramodi will interact, via video conferencing, with three teams that are involved in developing a COVID-19 vaccine. The teams he will interact with are from Gennova Biopharma, Biological E and Dr. Reddy's," it said.

Modi had on Saturday visited Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Pune to review the development and manufacturing process of coronavirus vaccines at facilities in these cities. -- PTI

19:19 Farmers protests not political, says Amit Shah

With thousands of farmers continuing their protest against the Centre's new agri laws, Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday said they were for the welfare of farmers and called their agitation apolitical.

Speaking to reporters, he said, "The new farm laws are meant for the welfare of farmers. After a long time the farmer is going to come out of a locked system. Whoever wants to oppose it politically let them do it. I

have never said the farmers protest is political and would never say (that it is political)."

Shah has already appealed to the protesting farmers to shift to the Burari ground in the national capital to stage their protests and said the Centre was ready to hold discussions with them as soon as they move to the designated place.

Replying to a query, Shah also criticised All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi over his reported remarks on what action the National Democratic Alliance government had taken over charges that Pakistanis, Rohingyas and Bangladeshis were illegally staying in Hyderabad.

Shah demanded Owaisi to give in writing on removing those staying illegally to initiate government's action against them.

"When I take action they (Owaisi and other parties) create ruckus in the Parliament. Have you not seen?" he asked.

"Let them once give me in writing to expel Rohingyas and Bangladeshis..then I will initiate action. It should not just be a speech limited to elections. When there is discussion over the matter in the Parliament, who takes their side? the people of the country know it," Shah added.

During the poll campaign for December 1 city civic body polls, both the AIMIM and the BJP had engaged in heated exchange of statements over alleged presence of illegal migrants in the old city here. -- PTI

Late music composer Wajid Khan's wife, Kamalrukh Khan, has claimed she was subjected to "scare tactics" and was made an "outcast" by her in-laws after she refused to convert to Islam.

Wajid Khan of composer duo Sajid-Wajid passed away in June.

Opening up about her experience through an unverified Instagram handle, Kamalrukh said she is a Parsi who got married to the "Dabangg" composer under the Special Marriages Act.

As per her profile, Kamalrukh is a clinical psychotherapist and in the lengthy post shared on Friday said, she grew up in an environment where education, independence of thought and "democratic" value system was encouraged, but it clashed with her husband's family.

"An educated, thinking, independent woman with an opinion was just not acceptable. And resisting the pressures of conversion was sacrilege. I have always respected, participated and celebrated all faiths.

"But my resistance to convert to Islam drastically widened the divide between me and my husband, making it toxic enough to destroy our relationship as husband and wife, and his ability to be a present father to our kids," she claimed.

Kamalrukh said it was her dignity and self respect which did not permit her to "bend backwards for him and his family" by converting to Islam.

"I fought this terrible way of thinking tooth and nail throughout my marriage. The result - being outcast from my husband's family, scare tactics to make me convert included taking me to court seeking divorce. I was devastated, felt betrayed and was emotionally drained, but my children and I held on," she said of children 16-year-old daughter Arshi and nine-year-old son Hrehaan she shares with Wajid.

Kamalrukh also alleged she is "fighting for the rights and inheritance of my children which have been usurped" by Wajid's family.

She further said though her husband was a gifted musician, she wished he dedicated more time to the family, "devoid of religious prejudices, the way he did while creating his melodies".

"We never got to be a family due to his and his family's religious fanaticism," she claimed.

Despite multiple attempts to reach out for a comment on these allegations, there was no response from composer Sajid Khan, Kamalrukh's brother-in-law.

On Saturday, Uttar Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel gave assent to an ordinance against forcible or fraudulent religious conversions that provides for imprisonment up to 10 years and a maximum fine of Rs 50,000 under different categories.

The promulgation of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020, came four days after the Yogi Adityanath government approved the draft of the legislation which also curbs religious conversions only for the sake of marriage. -- PTI

18:12 North India likely to have harsher winter: IMD

North India is likely to expect a harsher winter and can see a rise in the frequency of cold waves this season, India Meteorological Department Director General Mrutunjay Mohapatra said on Sunday.

The IMD, in its winter forecast for December to February, said below normal minimum temperatures are likely over north and central India.

"The winter is likely to be harsher in north India this season," Mohapatra said.

He added that the night temperatures in north India are likely to be below normal, while the day temperatures are expected to be above normal. -- PTI

The Centre has once again appealed to the farmers who are agitating against the new agri laws to shift to a ground in Delhi's Burari and said a high-level team of Union ministers is ready to hold talks with them at the capital's Vigyan Bhavan once they move to the designated place.

Union home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla stated this in a letter to 32 farmers organisations sent on Saturday, the day Union home minister Amit Shah too had promised dialogue with them as soon as they shift to the ground.

In his letter in Hindi, Bhalla cited the cold conditions and the COVID-19 outbreak and said the farmers should move to the Burarai ground where adequate facilities have been made for them.

He said that the farmers' organisations have called for the 'Delhi chalo' programme on November 26 and 27 following which a large number of farmers from Punjab and other parts of the country have reached the borders of Delhi.

He said the farmers have gathered along two major highways connecting Punjab and as a result, normal life and travel of common people have been affected.

Bhalla said the farmers are also inconvenienced due to the cold, and because of the Coronavirus outbreak, there is a possibility of the spread of the virus as there is a large congregation of people.

The home secretary said keeping in mind all these issues, the central government has made arrangements for a big ground at Burari so that proper facilities could be made for the farmers.

"I request you to take all the farmers from the borders of Delhi to the ground at Burari where facilities have been created for them and they can hold their demonstration peacefully and police will permit it," he said

Bhalla said a delegation of the farmers has been invited on December 3 by the central government for detailed discussions on their problems.

"Some farmers and farmers unions have demanded that the meeting should take place earlier than December 3.

"As soon as you shift to the ground at Burari, the very next day a high-level committee of union ministers will hold talks at Vigyan Bhavan with the representatives of all farmers unions, with whom dialogue had taken place earlier," he said in the letter.

Bhalla also said detailed discussions were held in New Delhi on November 13 regarding farmers' problems, which was attended by Union Ministers for Agriculture and Railways. -- PTI

17:41 Covid vaccine participant alleges side effects

A 40-year-old man who took part in the 'Covidshield' vaccine trial in Chennai has alleged serious side effects, including a virtual neurological breakdown and impairment of cognitive functions and has sought Rs 5 crore

compensation in a legal notice to Serum Institute and others, besides seeking a halt to the trial.

Alleging that the candidate vaccine was not safe, he has also sought cancelling approval for its testing, 'manufacture and distribution', failing which legal action would be taken.

The legal notice has been sent to Pune based Serum Institute of India, which has collaborated with Oxford University and Astra Zeneca, a pharmaceutial company, in connection with making of the vaccine, 'Covidshield.'

The Indian Council of Medical Research, one of the sponsors besides SII, and Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, which administered the vaccine to the man, have been served with the notice.

The man, it alleged, suffered acute encephalopathy, damage or disease that affects the brain, following vaccination and all tests confirmed that the setback in his health was due to the test vaccine.

The trauma he underwent after taking it 'cleary proves' that the vaccine was not safe as made out to be and all the stakeholders were trying to hide the adverse effect that the vaccine has had on him, the notice claimed.

An electroencephalogram (EEG) test showed that the brain was affected partially (dysfunction involving both hemispheres and the ascending sensory pathways on both sides from both the lower extremities).

A pyschiatric evaluation revealed mild deficit in verbal and visual memory functions and an under functioning in overall cognitive functions, it said.

"He has gone through extreme sufferings, both neurologically and psychologically. The vaccine had led to a virtual neurological breakdown in him."

The notice said it is impossible to "quantify monetarily, the sufferings, trauma, pain and humiliation (of hands, legs and body being tied and fastened firmly to the bed), which he and his family have undergone and are likely to undergo for a long time to come".

When contacted, a spokesperson for Ramachandra said,"we also have got the notice," but declined to elaborate.

According to the legal notice, the information provided in the 'Participant Information Sheet (PIS)' was absolutely certain that Covishield, the vaccine developed by Oxford University, is safe and the man was hence led to believe it.

Hence, he decided to become a volunteer and signed the informed consent on September 29 and the test result for antibodies against coronavirus turned negative the same day.

On October 1, he was administered the vaccine.

Though there was no side effects for the first 10 days, he subsequently had episodes like severe headache and vomitting.

A doctor suggested investigations like a CT-scan as the man was oblivious of what was happening around him and could not respond to questions.

Detailing the sequence of events since October 11 when he was admitted to the Ramachandra Hospital and as narrated by the man's wife, the notice said he showed behavioural changes.

He could neither recognise anyone nor speak and was totally disoriented and was shifted to the ICU and was on October 26, "discharged at our (family's) request."

At home, he seemed quite disoriented at times and was unable to relate to things or work.

He would not have volunteered for the test vaccine if all the potential risk factors of the test vaccine had been known to him.

But on the other hand, there was a clear assertion of the safety nature of the test vaccine in the PIS which made him to become a volunteer, the notice said.

The legal notice has also been addressed to the Drugs Controller General of India, Professor Andrew Pollard, chief investigator, Oxford vaccine trial, The Jenner Institute Laboratories of the University of Oxford and Astra Zeneca UK.

"For all the trauma he is undergoing and with an uncertain future in his health, he should be given a financial compensation of Rs 5 crore within a period of two weeks," the notice said. -- PTI

16:50 71% Covid deaths in last 24 hrs from 8 states

Nearly 71 per cent of the 496 new COVID-19 fatalities reported in a span of 24 hours were from eight states and union territories with Delhi recording the highest number of 89 deaths followed by Maharashtra with 88 and West Bengal with 52, the Union health ministry said on Sunday.

It said 22 states and UTs have recorded case fatality rates lower than the national average of 1.46 per cent.

The current active COVID-19 caseload of the country stands at 4,53,956, which comprises 4.83 per cent of the total coronavirus infections reported so far.

Maharashtra recorded the highest positive change with the addition of 1,940 cases, whereas Delhi recorded the highest negative change with a decrease of 1,603 active cases in a span of 24 hours, the ministry said.

A total 41,810 new confirmed COVID-19 cases have been registered in a span of 24 hours in the country, according to the data updated at 8 am on Sunday.

The ministry said 70.43 per cent of the daily new cases were contributed by eight states and UTs -- Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Chhattisgarh.

Kerala leads the tally with 6,250 new COVID cases. Maharashtra recorded 5,965 new cases, while Delhi follows with 4,998 new infections.

The number of COVID-19 recoveries in India stands at 88,02,267 with 42,298 recoveries being registered in a span of 24 hours in the country.

The ministry said 68.73 per cent of the new recovered cases were observed to be concentrated in eight states and UTs.

Delhi has reported the highest number of 6,512 single-day recoveries followed by 5,275 in Kerala and 3,937 in Maharashtra, it said.

The COVID-19 infection tally in the country mounted to 93,92,919 on Sunday, while the death toll climbed to 1,36,696, the data showed. -- PTI

Tea will be sold in environment-friendly 'kulhads' (earthen cups) in place of plastic cups at all railway stations in the country, railway minister Piyush Goyal said on Sunday.

The minister was speaking at an event organised at the Dhigawara railway station in Rajasthan's Alwar district to mark the inauguration of the newly electrified Dhigawara-Bandikui section under the North Western Railway.

This initiative will be the contribution of the Railways towards a plastic-free India, Goyal said.

"Tea is given in 'kulhad' at nearly 400 railway stations in the country today, and in future, it is our planning that tea will be sold only in kulhads at all railway stations in the country. This will be the contribution of Railways towards plastic-free India," he said.

Kulhads save the environment and lakhs of people can get employment from it, Goyal added. -- PTI

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday said farmers protesting against the Centre's new agri laws are being treated as if they are "terrorists", and it is sad that they are not being allowed to enter Delhi.

The government should consider the farmers' demands sympathetically, Raut told reporters in Mumbai.

Thousands of farmers, protesting against three agriculture laws enacted by the Centre, have gathered at border points of the national capital as part of their 'Delhi Chalo' march.

"It is sad they are not being allowed to come to Delhi and are being treated as if they are terrorists and have come from outside the country. The government should consider the demands of farmers sympathetically," Raut said.

"Farm laws is one issue. Consider all other demands sympathetically. Different states are not doing well. It is up to the Centre to step in and help them," the Rajya Sabha member said.

Replying to a query, Raut claimed farmers were being dubbed as "divisive" because they come from Punjab.

"Do you want to create instability by reminding the Punjab farmers of the Khalistan movement period?" he asked the Centre.

Thousands of farmers continued their protest for the fourth consecutive day on Sunday, staying put at the Singhu and Tikri border points, with farmer leaders deliberating upon their future course of action about proposed talks with the government. -- PTI

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday released its election manifesto in Urdu for the ongoing District Development Council polls in Kashmir.

Former MLC Vibhod Gupta released the manifesto in presence of senior party leaders from the Valley such as Sofi Yosuf and Darakhshan Abdrabi.

The manifesto claims that while the BJP has unified the country by abrogating provisions of Article 370 and Article 35A that provided special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration -- an amalgam of several mainstream political parties, including the Ntional Conference and the People's Democratic Party -- was working against the national interest for vote bank politics.

It further says that after reorganisation, Jammu and Kashmir has been put on a track of development and peace. The party claimed that stone-pelting was ended and terrorism was being dealt with an iron hand.

In the manifesto, the BJP also claimed credit for reserving 100 per cent of government jobs in the union territory for its residents only and framing a policy that will spur industrialisation.

The party said it has launched a war against corruption and land grabbing in the union territory. It has said basic amenities like electricity, water supply and road networks in the union territory have been improved as well.

The BJP also claimed credit for doing away with SRO-202, a policy brought in by the PDP-BJP government in 2015 under which newly recruited government employees in Jammu and Kashmir were paid a paltry remuneration for seven years before being paid full salary.

The first round of polling in the eight-phase maiden DDC elections was held on Saturday. This is the first electoral exercise in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 last year. -- PTI

15:10 Farmers reject govt's conditional talk offer

A joint forum of about 30 farmer unions rejected the Centre's offer of early talks to resolve deadlock over farm laws on Sunday.

These farmer bodies said that the protesting farmers will only engage the government in the absence of any pre-condition.

Union home minister Amit Shah had said that the farmers should move their protest to a designated spot in the national capital if they agreed to talks.

14:08 Finally, Stan Swamy to get sipper, straw

Tribal rights activist Father Stan Swamy, an accused in the alleged Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, is being provided sipper and other facilities in the Taloja prison from the day second of his arrest, a senior prison official said on Sunday.

Swamy, 83, who is suffering from various health issues including Parkinson's disease, was arrested on October 8 and has been lodged at the Taloja prison in Navi Mumbai.

Talking to PTI, a senior prison official said the allegation that prison authorities were not providing sipper and straw to Swamy were "baseless".

"Not just sipper and straw, we are providing him other facilities too like wheelchair, walking stick, walker, and two attendants were also provided to him," the official said.

"We know he is a patient, he suffers from Parkinsons disease. Why would we not provide him things which he requires," the official said.

Meanwhile, some Delhi-based lawyers have also sent straws and sippers for the activist in a parcel along with a letter to the Taloja prison on Saturday.

"As lawyers, we were pained by the situation as all jail manuals provide for special facilities for inmates who have special needs," said Nandita Rao, one of the advocates who have signed the letter sent to the jail.

"We felt if someone does not even have a right to dignified drinking water in judicial custody, then the basic values of our Constitution and humanity are being disrespected," she added.

Swamy had earlier filed a plea in a special NIA court in Mumbai, seeking that he be provided a straw and a sipper.

The court on Thursday rejected his previous application seeking a direction to the National Investigation Agency to return the straw and sipper allegedly seized from him during the arrest. -- PTI

Uttar Pradesh has registered its first case under the new anti-conversion law in Bareilly district based on a complaint from the father of a young woman.

The case was registered at the Devarniyan police station in Bareilly district on Saturday, officials said.

In a statement issued in Lucknow on Sunday, Additional Chief Secretary-Home Awanish Awasthi said that a case was registered by Tikaram, a resident of Sharif Nagar village under Devarniyan police station (in Bareilly), who accused a man -- Uvaish Ahmed -- of the same village of trying to convert his daughter through "allurement" (bahla-phuslaakar).

The case was registered against Uvaish Ahmed under IPC and the new anti-conversion law.

On Saturday, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel gave assent to an ordinance against forcible or fraudulent religious conversions that provides for imprisonment up to 10 years and a maximum fine of Rs 50,000 under different categories.

Under the law which deals with different categories of offences, a marriage will be declared "null and void" if the conversion of a woman is solely for that purpose, and those wishing to change their religion after marriage need to apply to the district magistrate.

The ordinance mainly envisages that no person shall convert, either directly or indirectly from one religion to another by use or practice of misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means or by marriage nor shall any person abet, convince or conspire such conversion. -- PTI

12:56 Farmers hold meet, to discuss next move

A meeting of farmers underway at Singhu border as they continue their protest against the farm laws on the fourth consecutive day on Sunday.

With many roads and entry points being blocked, Union home minister Amit Shah had appealed to the farmers to shift to the Burari ground and said the Centre was ready to hold discussions with them as soon as they move to the designated place.

A delegation of the farmers has been invited for a discussion on December 3, he said, adding that now that some of their unions have demanded that talks be held immediately, the central government is ready to do so as soon as the protesters shift to the ground in Burari.

"There is a crucial meeting today to decide future course of action. We will stay put till then and decide accordingly. In any situation, we will not call off the protest till our demands are met," Brij Singh, one of the farmers at Singhu border said.

Pakistani Rangers violated the ceasefire overnight by unprovoked firing on forward posts and villages along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, officials said on Sunday.

The firing from across the border in Pansar, Manyari and Karol Krishna in Hiranagar sector started around 9.50 pm on Saturday, prompting strong and effective retaliation by the Border Security Force, they said.

The officials said cross-border firing between the two sides continued till 4.15 am on Sunday, and added that there was no report of any casualty or damage on the Indian side.

Frequent ceasefire violations by Pakistani soldiers over the last eight months have rendered lives miserable in border villages.

"The life is very difficult, and every night, we have to shift to underground bunkers due to Pakistani firing to save our lives," Dharam Paul, a resident of Manyari village, said.

He said nearly a dozen houses in the village have been damaged in the firing and mortar shelling from Pakistan during the past two years.

"Pakistan has made our lives miserable," Paul said. He alleged nobody was listening to the border residents, who were braving the mortar shelling and firing and still holding ground.

Meanwhile, BSF fired a few shots at a suspected drone, which was trying to enter into the Indian side from across the IB in Arnia sector of Jammu district on Saturday evening.

The officials said the drone-like object flying towards Indian territory was fired upon by the BSF, following which it immediately returned to the Pakistani side.

Security forces are maintaining high vigil along the border as Pakistan, over the past many months, have been using drones to airdrop weapons and narcotics. -- PTI

Niti Aayog Member-Agriculture Ramesh Chand has said protesting farmers have not fully or properly understood the new farm laws, asserting that these legislations have potential to increase farm income in a big way.

He further said that the motive of the three new farm laws is exactly the opposite of what the protesting farmers have understood.

In an interview to PTI, Chand said, "The way, I am reading these farmers, who are protesting, it looks like that they have not fully or properly understood these three laws."

"If these new farm laws are allowed to be implemented, there are very high chances of big increase in income of the farmers and in many states, it may even double," he said while replying to a question on whether the government is still confident of doubling farm income by 2022.

The Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government has set a target of doubling farmers' income by 2022.

On September 27, President Ram Nath Kovind gave assent to the three farm bills -- The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020; The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020.

Elaborating further on farmer contentions, the Niti Aayog member said protesting farmers are saying that the Essential Commodities Act (ECA) has been removed and full freedom has been given to stockists, black marketers, etc.

"If you look at what actually has been done is, there is a modification done in the Essential Commodity Act. According to that modification, a criterion has been laid when Essential Commodities Act can be imposed, and that is if there is a 50 per cent increase in prices of cereals, oil seeds and pulses, then it can be imposed," Chand explained.

"Or if there is 100 per cent increase of price of onion and potato then Essential Commodities Act can be imposed," he added.

Citing an example, the Niti Aayog member said that on October 23, the Centre had invoked the Act when onion prices were rising.

It was required, he said adding "states were told to put stock limit".

Similarly, allaying fears of protesting farmers about contract farming, he pointed out that there is a big difference between corporate farming and contract farming.

"Corporate farming is not allowed in any states in India... and contract farming is already happening in many states and not even a single incidence has come where land of farmers has been taken over by private companies," Chand said.

The Niti Aayog member asserted that the new Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act has been tilted in favour of farmers. -- PTI

Barack Obama says Drake has his official "stamp of approval" whenever the rapper is ready to play the former president in a future project.

The Grammy winner, who started his career acting in the 2001 teen drama Degrassi: The Next Generation and went on to star in Charlie Bartlett, a 2007 comedy drama, first expressed interest in playing Obama in 2010.

In a new interview with Complex, Obama said, "I will say this, Drake seems to be able to do anything he wants. I mean, that is a talented, talented brother. So if the time comes and he's ready..."

Apart from him, the former POTUS added, Drake also has his daughters' blessings to portray him on-screen.

"Drake has, more importantly, I think, my household's stamp of approval. I suspect Malia and Sasha would be just fine with it," Obama, who recently released his memoir A Promised Land, said.

In the 2010 interview with Paper magazine, Drake had said he hopes someone makes a movie about Obama's life soon "because I could play him".

"I watch all the addresses. Anytime I see him on TV, I don't change the channel, I definitely pay attention and listen to the inflections of his voice. If you ask anyone who knows me, I'm pretty good at impressions," the Signs hitmaker had said.

Obama has been immortalised in television and film by Kingsley Ben-Adir on the 2020 miniseries drama The Comey Rule, Devon Terrell in Barry and Parker Sawyers in Southside With You, both films released in 2016.

However, a full biopic of his political career has yet to be made. -- PTI

11:49 New laws gave farmers new opportunities: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today spoke of the advantages of the Centre's new farm laws as thousands of farmers, protesting against the laws.

"The new farm laws have opened the doors of opportunity for the Indian farmers," Modi said in his monthly radio address Mann ki Baat today.

As the PM speaks, thousands of farmers continued to protest against the Centre's new agri laws on the fourth consecutive day on Sunday, camped in and around Delhi.

10:59 Delhi set to record coldest Nov in a decade

The national capital is all set to record coldest November in at least 10 years, with the mean minimum temperature for the month this year hovering around 10 degrees Celsius, according to India Meteorological Department data.

In Delhi, the average minimum temperature for the month of November is 12.9 degrees Celsius.

From November 1 to November 29, the city has recorded a mean minimum temperature of 10.3 degrees Celsius, which is the lowest in at least a decade, according to IMD data.

The mean minimum temperature was 15 degrees Celsius last year, 13.4 degrees Celsius in 2018 and 12.8 degrees Celsius in 2017 and 2016.

On Sunday, Delhi recorded a minimum of 7 degrees Celsius.

This is the seventh day this month that the minimum temperature remained below 10 degrees Celsius.

The minimum temperature is likely to settle around 7 degrees Celsius on Monday as well, according to IMD.

On November 23, Delhi recorded a minimum of 6.3 degrees Celsius -- its lowest minimum temperature in the month since November 2003, when the city recorded a minimum of 6.1 degrees Celsius, according to Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the IMD's regional forecasting centre.

The minimum temperature this month, barring on November 16, has remained 2-3 degrees Celsius below normal in the absence of a cloud cover on most days, according to IMD officials.

Clouds trap some of the outgoing infrared radiation and radiate it back downward, warming the ground.

The month of October was the coldest in 58 years in the national capital.

The mean minimum temperature in October this year was 17.2 degrees Celsius, the lowest since 1962, when it was 16.9 degrees Celsius. -- PTI

10:12 41,810 new Covid cases, 496 deaths in 24 hrs

India reported 41,810 new COVID-19 infections in the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 93,92,920, according to the data by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday.

The country reported more recoveries than new confirmed cases in the last 24 hours.

The total active cases reached 4,53,956 while the total recoveries climbed to 88,02,267 with 42,298 new discharges in a single day.

With 496 new deaths, the toll mounted to 1,36,696.

Today is the 22nd day when India reported less than 50,000 cases in a day.

The last time daily new cases crossed the 50,000-threshold was on November 7.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 13,95,03,803 samples have been tested up to November 28, of these 12,83,449 samples tested yesterday.

On Saturday, the Union Health Ministry informed that the present contribution of Active Caseload to India's total positive cases is 4.87 per cent. -- ANI

Army Chief General M M Naravane on Saturday said terrorists were making desperate attempts to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir to disrupt the District Development Council (DDC) polls there.

He also said terrorism emanating from across the border continues to be a serious threat and that it was not abating despite all the efforts being made to check it.

In the first electoral exercise in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370, nearly 52 per cent voter turnout was recorded on Saturday in the staggered polls to district development councils.

Days after a 150-metre long underground tunnel suspected to be used by four Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists for infiltration from Pakistan was detected by the Border Security Force at the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district, the Army chief also said the terrorists, with the onset of winters, have started 'moving southwards'.

They 'are now attempting to infiltrate through lower regions including to tunnels across the international border'.

"With the ongoing situation on our western borders, terrorism continues to be a serious threat, and that is not abating in spite of all the efforts that we have made," the Army chief told reporters at Ezhimala Naval Academy in Kannur district.

"They (the terrorists) are making desperate attempts to infiltrate into the Union Territory of J-K, trying to create as much problem as possible and to disrupt normal democratic processes that we cherish," he said.

General Naravane was in the Academy to review the Passing out Parade and award medals to meritorious midshipmen and cadets of the Indian Navy at the end of their 'Course Completion Ceremony'. -- PTI

08:46 CRPF officer killed, 9 hurt in blast by Naxals

An officer of the Central Reserve Police Force's jungle warfare unit, CoBRA, was killed while nine commandos were injured after Maoists triggered an improvised explosive device blast in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, security officials said on Sunday.

They said the IED blast took place in the Chintalnar forest area of the district around 9 pm and the injured personnel were evacuated by a helicopter around midnight.

Assistant Commandant Nitin Bhalerao succumbed to the injuries suffered in the blast while nine other commandos, including a second-in-command rank officer, were injured and have been admitted to a local hospital in Raipur, they said.

The injured troops belong to the 206th battalion of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA). A joint team of CoBRA and local police was out in the area for a special operation when the blast took place, they said. -- PTI

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