JEE (Main) and NEET (UG) exams for admission to IITs and medical courses will be held starting today. The exams – JEE is from September 1 to 6 and NEET on September 13 – were cleared by the Supreme Court last month, after it rejected a petition from 11 students to defer them – and will be conducted with strict restrictions on social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic. The exams – a crucial event in the academic calendar of lakhs of IIT and medical aspirants – have already been postponed twice. On Friday a last-gasp challenge was mounted by six…
Author: Our Correspondent
Parliament was adjourned sine die in March days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the countrywide lockdown. The monsoon session of parliament will begin on September 14 under the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic, the government said today. It would continue till October 1 “subject to exigencies of business”, and will be held with strict observance of safety norms. Around 11 ordinances that have been passed over the last five months and need clearance are on the agenda, sources said. The list is topped by the “One Nation One Market” ordinance for farmers, sources said, to which the Congress has…
The Pakistan army on Monday violated ceasefire by resorting to heavy firing and mortar shelling in forward areas along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district, officials said. The Indian Army retaliated befittingly, they said. “At 2115 hours today, Pak army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms & intense shelling with mortars along LoC in Nowshera sector”, defence spokesman said. Pakistani rangers also resorted to firing along the International Border (IB) in Jammu frontier, the officials said.
Pranab Mukherjee, the elder statesman of Indian politics, has died at 84. The former President of India, who had tested positive for coronavirus, had been in coma after a brain surgery earlier this month. “With a Heavy Heart , this is to inform you that my father Shri Pranab Mukherjee has just passed away inspite of the best efforts of Doctors of RR Hospital and prayers, duas and prarthanas from people throughout India ! I thank all of You,” his son Abhijit Mukherjee tweeted. The Centre has announced seven days of state mourning for the former President. Prime Minister Narendra…
Three alleged naxals who werewanted in Jharkhand and trying to incite tribals in Gujarat against the government are arrested by the Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS), said a politician release on Friday. The arrested men were identified as Saamu Oreya, Birsa Oreya and Babita Kachhap, all from Jharkhand. While Saamu and Birsa Oreya were nabbed from Vyara taluka of tribal-dominated Tapi district, Babita was picked up from Santrampur taluka of Mahisagar district, the ATS said. They were active members of the Patthalgadi movement in Jharkhand which incited locals against the govt , it said. Babita and Birsa were wanted in…
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was admitted to the AIIMS here on August 18 for post-COVID care, was discharged on Monday morning, sources said. The AIIMS had said during a statement on Saturday that “he has recovered and is probably going to be discharged during a short time”. On August 2, Shah, 55, had said on Twitter that he had tested positive for COVID-19. He had undergone treatment at Medanta Hospital and was discharged after he tested negative for the disease. He was later admitted to the AIIMS following complaints of fatigue and body ache
“Freedom of speech cannot be curtailed,” said the Supreme Court while handing down the sentence, referring to “sane advice” from Attorney General KK Venugopal to the court and to Prashant Bhushan. Lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan, held guilty of contempt for his tweets criticising Chief Justice of India SA Bobde and the Supreme Court, has been fined Re 1 by the top court. If he doesn’t pay the fine by September 15, he can face jail for three months and a ban from practicing for three years. Prashant Bhushan, photographed holding up a Re 1 coin, told reporters he would reveal later…
Pranab Mukherjee’s health has worsened after a lung infection, a hospital in Delhi said today. The former President has been in coma since a brain surgery earlier this month. “There is a decline in the medical condition of Pranab Mukherjee since yesterday. He is in septic shock due to his lung infection and is being managed by team of specialists. He continues to be in deep coma and on ventilator support,” the Army’s Research and Referral Hospital said in a statement. Mr Mukherjee, 84, has been on ventilator support. Last week, he developed a lung infection. He was admitted to…
China’s new rules around tech exports mean ByteDance’s sale of TikTok’s US operations could need Beijing’s approval, a Chinese trade expert told state media, a requirement that would complicate the forced and politically charged divestment. ByteDance has been ordered by US President Donald Trump to divest short video app TikTok – which is challenging the order – in the United States amid security concerns over the personal data it handles. Microsoft and Oracle are among the suitors for the assets, which also includes TikTok’s Canada, New Zealand and Australia operations. However, China late on Friday revised a list of technologies…
Redmi 9 is set to go on sale in India today. The latest Redmi phone will be available for purchase for the first time since its launch in the country last week, via Amazon and Mi.com. Key highlights of the Redmi 9 include a waterdrop-style display notch as well as dual rear cameras. The smartphone also comes in three distinct colour options and is touted to deliver up to two days of battery life. Moreover, the Redmi 9 competes against the likes of the Realme C12 and Samsung Galaxy M01s. Redmi 9 price in India, sale details Redmi 9 price…