Latest News: Trump Rebukes 'Unstable' Iran over Internet Shutdown

Catch the latest news updates of the day here.

Trump Rebukes ‘Unstable’ Iran over Internet Shutdown

President Donald Trump on Thursday accused Iran of blocking the internet to cover up "death and tragedy" while the powerful Revolutionary Guards suggested that a wave of street protests is now over.

"Iran has become so unstable that the regime has shut down their entire Internet System so that the Great Iranian people cannot talk about the tremendous violence taking place within the country," Trump tweeted.

(Source: AFP)

Michael Bloomberg Files Paperwork to Run for US Prez

Billionaire Michael Bloomberg files paperwork to run for U.S. president as a Democrat.

(Source: Reuters)

Navy to Get First Woman Pilot for Dornier Surveillance Planes

Indian Navy is set to get its first woman pilot for flying fixed-wing Dornier surveillance planes on 2 December. The woman officer, Sub Lieutenant Shivangi, will join operational duties in Kochi, according to Navy officials.

(Source: ANI)

CBSE Seeks Report on School Land Leased to Nithyananda's Ashram

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has sought a report from Gujarat Education department on how land of a school was leased out to self-styled godman Nithyananda's ashram in Ahmedabad without its permission, officials said on Thursday.

The CBSE directive came on a day Gujarat Police informed that Nithyananda, booked in a criminal case related to his ashram, has fled the country.

"The board has written to the State Education Department to inquire into the matter of leasing out land of DPS Maninagar, Ahmedabad to Swami Nithyananda ashram without permission of the board," a senior CBSE official said.

(Source: PTI)

India Repatriates PoK National in Humanitarian Gesture

Shabir Ahmed was repatriated on humanitarian grounds today at Tithwal crossing point in Kashmir’s Tangdhar sector to Chilehana in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, where Pakistani authorities accepted the individual and appreciated the gesture, Indian Army officials said.

The 32-year-old PoK national had inadvertently crossed over LoC on 17 May 2019. With support of people of Tangdhar, he was apprehended by Indian Army. Once he was stabilized, PoK authorities were approached for repatriation by Indian Army.

(Source: ANI)

Madras HC Grants 30-Day Parole to Rajiv Gandhi Killer Robert Payas

The Madras High Court on Thursday granted a 30-day parole to Robert Payas, one of the seven convicts serving a life term for the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

A division bench of justices MM Sundresh and RMT Teekaa Raaman gave the order on a plea by Payas seeking parole for making arrangements for his son Tamilko's marriage.

His parole will be from 25 November till 24 December.

(Source: PTI)

Bangladesh PM to Visit Kolkata Tomorrow to Inaugurate Day-Night Test Match

“Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina is visiting Kolkata tomorrow at the request of our PM,” MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

“We felt that it was most appropriate that the first day-night test (cricket) match in India should be inaugurated by a good friend of India and that is the reason she is visiting Kolkata,” he added.

(Source: ANI)

OECD Trims Global 2020 Growth Forecast

The OECD trimmed on Thursday its 2020 global economic growth forecast and said it did not see a strong rebound in 2021 owing to risks stemming from trade tensions.

The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development now estimates that business activity around the world will expand by 2.9 percent next year, a decline of 0.1 percentage points from a previous forecast issued in September.

In 2021, the OECD, which groups the world's wealthiest nations, sees global economic growth edging back up to 3.0 percent, according to its November 2019 Economic Outlook.

(Source: AFP)

‘Irregularities’ in Water Sample Collection, Says DJB Vice Chairman

Delhi Jal Board Vice Chairman Dinesh Mohaniya on Thursday claimed that "irregularities" have emerged in the process of water sample collection in the city and asked Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan to fix responsibility on the officials of the Bureau of Indian Standards.

"We have come to know that a Lok Janshakti Party worker collected water sample from a house and not BIS officials," he said.

"It's politics in the run up to elections," Mohaniya added.

(Source: PTI)

Bank Unions to Stage Sit-In Before Parliament on 10 Dec

Thousands of employees of various state-run banks are planning to stage a sit-in on 10 December in front of the Parliament to protest against the government's mega merger plan of public sector banks.

In August, the government announced its plan to merge 10 public sector lenders into four to create fewer and stronger global-sized banks.

"The government has been pursuing the policy of merger of public sector banks despite the adverse implications. Experience of mergers in the country and elsewhere has clearly shown that no benefit accrues to any of the stakeholder," a statement said.

(Source: PTI)

Pakistan Rejects Indian Tourism Plans in Siachen

Pakistan on Thursday said the Siachen area, the world's highest battlefield, was a disputed territory and could not be opened for tourism by India.

Responding to media reports that India was starting tourism in the Siachen area, Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Muhammad Faisal said, "India forcibly occupied Siachen Glacier and it is a disputed area. How can India open it for tourism?"

On 21 October, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the Indian government had decided to open the entire area from Siachen base camp to Kumar Post for tourism purposes.

(Source: PTI)

N Korea Says Kim Turned Down Moon Invitation to Visit South

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un turned down an invitation by South Korean President Moon Jae-in to participate in a regional summit next week in the southern city of Busan, the country's state media said on Thursday, 21 November.

A statement carried by Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency said there's no reason for Kim to visit the South under a “murky” atmosphere and criticized Moon's government for failing to uphold agreements reached between their leaders in three summits last year.

(Source: AP)

Mahinda Rajapaksa Sworn in as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka

Mahinda Rajapaksa has been sworn in as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

(Source: ANI)

HC Grants 30-Day Parole to Rajiv Gandhi Killer Robert Payas

The Madras High Court on Thursday granted a 30-day parole to Robert Payas, one of the seven convicts serving a life term for assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

A division bench of justices MM Sundresh and RMT Teekaa Raaman gave the order on a plea by Payas seeking parole for making arrangements for his son's wedding.

(Source: PTI)

One Killed, Two Injured as Speeding Car Hits Motorcycle in UP's Banda

One person was killed while two others were seriously injured when their motorcycle was hit by a speeding car in Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur district, police said on Thursday.

The accident took place near Bibupur convert on the Kanpur-Prayagraj national highway on Wednesday evening when a speeding car hit their motorcycle, Bindki Circle Officer, Abhishek Tiwari said.

(Source: PTI)

5 Indians Apprehended for Trying to Enter US Illegally

Five Indian nationals have been taken into custody by the US patrol agents in New York for trying to enter America illegally, authorities said.

The US Border Patrol agents assigned to the Ogdensburg Border Patrol Station in New York apprehended the five persons from India and a suspected smuggler on November 15 after the smuggler attempted to evade a temporary immigration checkpoint.

(Source: PTI)

Shallow 6.1-Magnitude Quake Hits Thai-Lao Border

A shallow 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit northwestern Laos near the Thai border on Thursday, the United States Geological Survey reported, alarming locals who felt buildings shake as far away as Bangkok. There were no immediate reports of damage after the quake hit.

(Source: AFP)

BSF Sepoy Injured in Ceasefire Violation by Pakistan in Krishna Ghati Sector

A Border Security Force (BSF) Sepoy was injured in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Krishna Ghati sector of Mendhar sub-division on Wednesday. He is under treatment and his condition is stable.

(Source: ANI)

3.5 Magnitude Quake Hits Maharashtra's Palghar District

An earthquake of 3.5 magnitude was recorded in Palghar district of Maharashtra on Thursday morning, civic officials said.

The tremors were felt around 7:20 am at Dhundalwadi village in Dahanu taluka of Palghar, said Santosh Kadam, chief of the Regional Disaster Management Cell (RDMC) of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC).

(Source: PTI)

Rupee Depreciates 2 Paise to 71.83 Against the US Dollar

Rupee opens on a flat note, depreciates 2 paise to 71.83 against the US dollar.

(Source: PTI)

Fire Breaks Out at Sales Tax Office in Delhi's ITO

Fire breaks out at Sales Tax Office in ITO in Delhi. Five fire tenders are present at the spot.

(Source: ANI)

6.1-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Northwestern Laos

A 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit northwestern Laos near the Thai border early Thursday, the United States Geological Survey reported. The shallow quake hit at 6:50 am local time, USGS said.

(Source: AFP)

Hong Kong Rights Bill Clears US Congress, Heads to Trump

US lawmakers Wednesday overwhelmingly approved legislation that supports human rights and democracy in Hong Kong and also backs the territory's anti-China protesters, sending the measure opposed by Beijing to President Donald Trump.

(Source: AFP)