Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 30 (PTI) Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal has approved the Delhi government's proposal to allow buses to run with full seating capacity even as COVID-19 cases are witnessing a surge in the city.

The buses are currently running with 20 passengers in view of the outbreak of coronavirus.

New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) The month of October was the coldest in 58 years in the national capital, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data.

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

Normally, Delhi records a mean minimum temperature of 19.1 degrees Celsius in October.

Washington, Oct 30 (PTI) India and the US have held wide ranging discussions on issues on the UN Security Council agenda and agreed to work closely given their shared values of democracy, pluralism and rule-based international order, officials here said.

Earlier this year, India, along with Mexico and Ireland, was elected a non-permanent member for a two-year term starting January 1, 2021.

New Delhi, Oct 30 (PTI) The national capital's air quality was recorded in the very poor category on Friday morning, while a government forecasting agency said some improvement is likely due to favourable wind speed.

On Thursday, the city's air quality index (AQI) touched severe levels for a brief period before slipping back into the very poor category.

According to the Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality monitoring agency, SAFAR, the share of stubble burning in Delhi's PM2.5 pollution was 36 percent on Thursday -- the maximum so far this season.

New Delhi, Oct 29 (PTI) The government on Thursday banned exports of onion seeds with immediate effect amidst rising prices of the bulb in the domestic markets.

Earlier, the export of onion seeds was in the restricted category, which means an exporter was required to obtain a licence or permission from the government for shipments.

"The export of onion seeds is prohibited, with immediate effect," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification.

New Delhi, Oct 29 (PTI) Contracting for the seventh consecutive month, the output of eight core infrastructure sectors dropped by 0.8 per cent in September, mainly due to decline in production of crude oil, natural gas, refinery products and cement.

The production of eight core sectors had contracted 5.1 per cent in September 2019, data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry showed on Thursday.

The decline in output during the month under review was lowest since March.

New Delhi, Oct 29 (PTI) The Union Cabinet on Thursday raised the price of ethanol for doping in petrol by 5-8 per cent, I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar said.

The move will help farmers get remunerative price while also cutting down oil imports, he said.

As much as 10 per cent ethanol is doped in petrol.

The move also checks pollution as ethanol is environment-friendly, the minister added.

Indore, Oct 29 (PTI) Amid the soaring prices of onion, Union Agriculture Minister has said one lakh tonne of buffer stock of the key kitchen staple is being released by the government to provide relief to people.

He was talking to reporters on Wednesday after taking part in a rally in Dharampuri town of Indore district ahead of the November 3 bypolls to 28 Assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh.

"The government has already taken cognisance of the issue of rising prices of onion and its one lakh tonne of buffer stock is being released through NAFED," Tomar said.

New Delhi, Oct 29 (PTI) The national capital's overall air quality inched closer to the 'severe' category on Thursday morning as pollution levels rose sharply after a marginal reduction, primarily due to calm winds and spike in farm fires.

The city recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 392 at 10 am. The 24-hour average AQI was 297 on Wednesday, 312 on Tuesday, 353 on Monday, 349 on Sunday, 345 on Saturday and 366 on Friday.

New Delhi, Oct 28 (PTI) Union minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday said she has tested positive for COVID-19.

The women and child development and textiles minister asked the people who came in contact with her to get themselves tested for the disease at the earliest.

"It is rare for me to search for words while making an announcement; hence here's me keeping it simple -- I've tested positive for #COVID and would request those who came in contact with me to get themselves tested at the earliest," she said in a tweet.