Breaking News Updates: India, Russia to ink AK-203 deal during Putin's visit to Delhi

India and Russia are scheduled to ink the deal on supplying 7.5 lakh AK-203 assault rifles on Monday during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Delhi, ANI reported citing government sources.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu informed, "The emergence of the Omicron variant has understandably captured global attention. At least 23 countries from five of six WHO regions have now reported cases of Omicron, and we expect that number to grow".

Union Home Minister Amit Shah wrote on Twitter, "I welcome Manjinder Singh Sirsa to BJP. Placing his trust in the BJP's resolve for the welfare of the Sikh community, under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, he joined the party. I believe that his joining will further strengthen this resolve".

Lok Sabha passed a bill to regulate and supervise assisted reproductive technology clinics. The Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill, 2020 bill that sought to establish a national board and state boards for the regulation and supervision of ART clinics and ART banks for the safe and ethical practice of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) services was passed with a voice vote after a reply to the debate by Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

Serum Institute of India has sought from India's drug regulator approval for Covishield as a booster dose citing adequate stock of the vaccine in the country and a demand for a booster shot due to the emergence of new coronavirus variants, official sources said.

Terrorists fired upon a traffic police cop left him critically injured at Rajori Kadal in Srinagar. He is taken to the hospital for treatment. 

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) India has taken suo motu cognizance of the media report about the removal of eyes of 6 patients due to botched-up cataract surgeries at Shrikrishna Medical College & Hospital, SKMCH in Muzaffarpur, Bihar on November 22, 2021.

Accordingly, it has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Bihar calling for a detailed report in the matter. The response is expected within 4 weeks.

India joined the G20 Troika which consists of Indonesia, Italy, and India - the current, previous, and incoming G20 Presidencies, respectively, the Ministry of External Affairs informed. 

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan interacted with beneficiaries of 'Mukhya Mantri Ration Aapke Gram Yojana' via video conferencing. MP CM said, "Ration will be distributed in villages via ration distribution vehicles. Tribal beneficiaries won't have to go to Panchayat HQ to get ration at a fair price". 

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various development schemes in Pauri Garhwal. He also distributed cheques to women of Self Help Groups.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa resigned from the Shiromani Akali Dal and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

Akhali Dal's Manjinder Singh Sirsa is likely to join BJP.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar informed, "International Gita Mahotsav in Kurukshetra will be starting from Dec 2 till Dec 19 & have multiple cultural programs with different themes; the main programs will be on Dec 9-14. A total of 3.5 lakh people will be connected virtually from abroad".

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will lay the foundation for 'Maa Shakumbhari University' in Saharanpur of Uttar Pradesh on December 2.

TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee visited Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar at his residence ‘Silver Oak’. 

Gulam Azad rules out Congress's chances to win the 2024 election says, "Opposition cannot get 300 seats to restore Article 370". He added that only Supreme Court and Union Government can decide on getting back Article 370.

Union Health Secy writes to Maharashtra Additional Chief Secy to "align orders issued by Maharashtra for international arrivals at Mumbai airport with the guidelines issued by Ministry of Health&Family Welfare to ensure uniform implementation of guidelines across all States/UTs."

Closing the doors for Sasikala, who claims to be the General Secretary of the AIADMK, the party amended its bylaws on Wednesday, retaining Edapaddi Palaniswami and O Paneerselvam as its top leaders. The amendment effectively shuts doors for Sasikala, who has been trying to make her return to Tamil Nadu politics. 

Amid ongoing power tussle in the Punjab Congres,s the party High Command has summoned Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, PPCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and state-in-charge Sunil Jakhar to Delhi.

Amid the rising concern over the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the Tamil Nadu government have beefed up screening and testing for international travellers. According to the latest update, the TN govt has now upped the screening process for international arrivals at the Chennai international airport. The airport authorities have set up an ‘exclusive corridor’ to screen passengers arriving in Tamil Nadu from ‘at-risk’ countries. 

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is on a three-day visit to Mumbai, is set to meet NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar at the party office in Mumbai. 

MoS Home Nityanand Rai said in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that an ex-gratia amount of Rs 1 lakh is paid to the Next of the Kins of civilians killed in terrorism-related violence under the existing scheme of J&K govt. In addition, Rs 5 lakhs is given under a separate Central scheme. A total of 417 terrorist incidents was reported in 2018. This year (till NOV 21), a total of 244 terrorist incidents was reported, the MHA informed. 

The developer of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine said Monday that it will immediately start working on adapting that COVID-19 vaccine to counter the omicron variant.

The Gamaleya Institute and the Russian Direct Investment Fund that bankrolled Sputnik V and its one-shot version Sputnik Light said in a statement that the existing vaccine should be efficient against the new variant.

In a huge embarrassment for the Pakistan government led by Imran Khan, the nation's Auditor-General Javaid Jahangir detected massive irregularities in its COVID-19 expenditure. This report was based on the audit of various departments and organizations of the Pakistan government that incurred expenditure during the pandemic on relief activities, provision of subsidized food items, and implementation of the Economic Stimulus Package. It has been submitted to Pakistan President Arif Albi following which it will be tabled before the country's Parliament.

Following the Rajya Sabha suspended 12 members on the first day of the Winter Session, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Dola Sen, one of the 12 suspended MPs, stated that the order was the ‘murder of Democracy’. Sen slammed the decision and said that she will continue to fight and raise her voice for the public. Sen also informed that the Opposition will protest the order at the parliament today.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned against the “blanket ban” imposed by over 50 nations across the globe as a way to limit the spread of the new Omicron COVID-19 variant. As the world swiftly geared up to tackle the highly-mutated variant of SARS-CoV-2 after South Africa reported the strain to WHO, the United Nations (UN) health agency has said that travel bans will not prevent the spread of the B.1.1.529 variant.

The Border Security Force (BSF)  is commemorating its 57th Raising Day on Wednesday, December 1. On this occasion, BSF ensured security on the borders and commitment towards the nation. Taking to Koo, BSF said, "On BSF Day as we turn 57, our 'journey' in the service of the motherland continues for eternity. It is an honour to serve and protect. A promise we shall forever keep: Jeevan Paryant Kartavya".

PM Modi and other leaders extend greetings to BSF on 57th Foundation Day. Taking to Twitter, the Prime Minister wrote, "On their Raising Day, greetings to the BSF India family. BSF is widely respected for its courage and professionalism. The force makes a significant contribution towards securing India and is also at the forefront of many humanitarian efforts in times of crisis and calamities".

Delhi Govt reduces VAT on petrol to 19.40% from 30%, petrol price to reduce by Rs 8 per litre, new rates to come in to effect from midnight today

As Lok Sabha resumed proceedings after adjournment, opposition MPs raised placards and continued with sloganeering. The MPs held banners and raised slogans against their suspension and accused the Centre of silencing the Opposition. The impasse between the government and Opposition over the suspension has increased with RS Chairman and Vice President Venkaiah Naidu refusing to reconsider his decision.

Amid the Omicron scare, India has imposed new travel restrictions at international airports effective today. The international arrivals will be subjected to a mandatory 7-day quarantine period.  States across the nation are on high alert after WHO termed the new variant as a "variant of concern".

IMAGE: mohfw.gov.in

Rajya Sabha speaker M. Venkaiah Naidu slams the destructors as the session was adjourned till 12pm. 

Twelve Opposition MPs who were suspended from their Rajya Sabha for their unruly behaviour in the previous Monsoon session staged a protest in the Parliament premises on Wednesday. The MPs held banners and raised slogans against their suspension and accused the Centre of silencing the Opposition. The impasse between the government and Opposition over the suspension has increased with RS Chairman and Vice President Venkaiah Naidu refusing to reconsider his decision.

Meanwhile, the Opposition MPs are scheduled to meet LoP Mallikarjun Kharge's office after their protest to chalk out the further strategy for the third day of the Parliament Winter Session. 

The third day of the Parliament Winter Session has begun. Watch the proceedings live on

Two major terrorists of the Jaish-E-Mohammad were neutralized in an ongoing operation by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Wednesday. 

Terrorist commander of proscribed terror outfit JeM Yasir Parray and an IED Expert and foreign terrorist Furqan were gunned by the Kashmir Zone Police in a successful operation. According to police, the slain terrorists were responsible for several terror crime cases in the union territory. Their dead bodies were recovered by the forces this morning.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has sought a booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine for all medical staff and frontline workers across the state. Bommai said he will meet Union Health Minister Mansukh Madaviya on Thursday, December 2 to discuss the same. 

"I will request for a booster shot of vaccine for all our medical staff and frontline workers. It has been almost 6-7 months since they have received the two doses. I check with the union minister on how to scientifically give a booster dose to the health workers," the CM told reporters on Wednesday.

Bommai said he will take suggestions from the Central government and learn their opinion on delivering booster shots to the front line workers. "We (Karnataka government) already discussed giving a third booster dose to them in our task force meeting," he added. 

Ahead of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, BJP will take out 6 yatras covering all the 403 Assembly seats of the state to make people aware of the development work done by its governments at the Centre and in the state. As per sources, many national and state-level leaders of the saffron party are likely to participate in these yatras which will start from Awadh, Kashi, Gorakhpur, Braj, Western UP and Bundelkhand. 

In the latest development, the prime accused of the Jorhat Mob lynching case, the ‘Kola Lora’ aka Niraj Das, died in a car accident while trying to escape police custody. As per sources, Niraj Das jumped from the running police car while misleading the investigation officer (IO) and team on the pretext of recovery of NDPS material.

However, he got hit by a following escort car which got unbalanced and hit the wall. Three other police personnel were injured in the incident along with the prime accused. The prime accused of Animesh Bhuyan’s murder case was declared dead at Jorhat Medical College & Hospital.

A discussion on the new COVID-19 variant 'Omicron' will be held in the Lok Sabha on December 1, sources have reported. Time has been allotted for a short-duration discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told Rajya Sabha that the new COVID-19 variant has not been reported in India yet and asserted the government has taken measures to ensure it does not reach the country and has issued an advisory after looking at the developments globally.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who is on a three-day visit to Mumbai will meet NCP chief Sharad Pawar besides attending a host of events, including an entrepreneur's conference. On Tuesday evening, the Trinamool Supremo met Maharashtra minister Aditya Thackeray and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut. Earlier in the day, Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik informed that the state government is ready for an alliance with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) for a united opposition.

Twelve opposition MPs have decided to stage a dharna in front of the Gandhi statue on the Parliament premises on Wednesday in protest against their suspension from the Winter Session. They will also write to Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu, arguing against their suspension.

TMC spokesperson Derek O'Brien confirmed that his party's MPs Dola Sen and Shanta Chhetri will stage a sit-in protest from 10 am to 6 pm on weekdays until the culmination of the Winter session on December 23. He also urged other MPs and well-wishers to show solidarity with the suspended MPs by visiting the protest site.