Latest News: Fire Breaks Out at Delhi’s Aya Nagar
Catch the latest news updates of the day here.
Catch the latest news updates of the day here.
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At Least 18 Dead, Hundreds Hurt as Quake Hits Eastern Turkey
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake rocked a sparsely-populated part of eastern Turkey on Friday, 24 January, killing at least 18 people, injuring more than 500 and leaving some 30 trapped in the wreckage of toppled buildings, Turkish officials said.
Rescue teams from neighboring provinces were dispatched to the affected areas, working in the dark with floodlights in the freezing cold, and Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said troops were on standby to help.
Hundreds of residents were left homeless or with damaged homes.
(Source: AP)
China Virus Death Toll Jumps to 41, Cases Soar to Nearly 1,300
A deadly viral outbreak in China has now killed 41 people, while the number of infected cases has soared to nearly 1,300, authorities said on Saturday, 25 January.
The 15 new deaths all took place in Wuhan, the city of 11 million where the deadly respiratory contagion first emerged, the Hubei Health Commission said.
At least 444 new cases of the virus have been found, raising the total number to 1,287, the National Health Commission said in a separate statement.
The disease has spread to 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities.
(Source: AFP)
Encounter Underway in J&K’s Awantipora District
An encounter is underway in Jammu and Kashmir’s Awantipora district.
Maharashtra: Factory Gutted in Fire; No Casualties
A fire broke out at a cardboard factory in Bhiwandi town of Maharashtra's Thane district in the early hours of Saturday, 25 January, and no casualties were reported in the incident, an official said.
Four fire engines were pressed into service to fight the blaze that erupted at the factory in Kaneri, chief of Thane Municipal Corporation's disaster management cell Santosh Kadam said.
The fire was brought under control in four hours, he said, adding that no casualties were reported in the mishap.
The factory was completely destroyed in the fire, the cause of which is being probed, Kadam said.
(Source: PTI)
Trump Impeachment: Dems Say Oust Trump or He'll Betray Again; 'He is who he is'
Closing out their case, House Democrats warned on Friday, 24 January, in Donald Trump's impeachment trial, that the president will persist in abusing his power and endangering American democracy unless Congress intervenes to remove him before the 2020 election.
They then implored Republican senators to allow new testimony before rendering a final verdict.
“Give America a fair trial,” said Rep. Adam Schiff, the lead Democratic impeachment manager. “She’s worth it.”
Schiff delivered Democrats’ final remarks in the Senate trial after three days of methodical and impassioned arguments detailing charges that Trump abused power by asking Ukraine for politically motivated probes of political rivals, then obstructed Congress’ investigation into the matter. The president’s lawyers get their first chance to defend him Saturday, and are expected to argue he acted appropriately.
(Source: AP)
Telangana Urban Local Body Polls: Vote Counting Begins
Counting of votes for the municipal elections in Telangana began on Saturday, 25 January, in the morning, with the ruling TRS, which swept the rural local body polls last year, hopeful of continuing its dominance.
The counting commenced at 8 AM and the results are expected to be fully available by evening. The Telangana State Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements for the exercise. Polling for 120 municipalities and nine corporations in the state was held amid tight security on January 22 and 24.
According to official sources, 40 per cent of voters exercised their franchise in the municipalities while that of municipal corporations was 58.83.
(Source: PTI)
Maharashtra: Five-year-old Sexually Assaulted in Matunga
A five-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by an unidentified person at Matunga in Central Mumbai, police said on Saturday, 25 January.
The incident came to light on Thursday, 23 January, in the morning, when the police received a call about girl lying unconscious at Arora Junction in Matunga, an official said.
The police rushed the minor to civic-run Sion Hospital, where it was ascertained that she had been sexually assaulted, he said.
The victim's mother was traced and based on her complaint, a case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he said.
The police are working on some leads to nab the accused and have also formed six teams for investigation, the official added.
(Source: PTI)
Jaishankar Calls on Brazilian President Bolsonaro
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday, 25 January, met Brazilian President Jair Messias Bolsonaro and discussed ways to deepen ties between the two countries in a range of areas, including trade and investment.
Later in the day, Bolsonaro and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold extensive talks following which the two countries are expected to ink 15 agreements to boost cooperation in a wide-range of areas like oil and gas, mining and cyber security.
The Brazilian president is in India primarily to grace the Republic Day celebrations on Sunday, 26 January, as chief guest and explore ways to boost trade ties with India at a time when both the large economies are hit by slowdowns.
(Source: PTI)
Patna College Bans Burqa For Students
JD Women's College in Patna issued a direction for students, saying that 'all students have to come to college in the prescribed dress code, every day except on Saturday. Students can't wear burqa in college.’
Students violating the rule would be fined Rs 250, the notice added.
(Source: ANI)
Country Expresses Gratitude to EC for Making Electoral Process Vibrant, Participative: PM
Extending greetings to people on the National Voters' Day on Saturday, 25 January, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country expresses gratitude to the Election Commission for its efforts to make the electoral process more vibrant and participative.
For the past 10 years, the Election Commission (EC) has been celebrating 25 January as the National Voters' Day. The EC came into being on 25 January, 1950, a day before India became a republic.
"We express gratitude to ECI for their many efforts towards making our electoral process more vibrant and participative," the prime minister wrote on Twitter.
(Source: PTI)
Awantipora Encounter: Jaish-e-Mohammed Commander, 2 Others Reportedly Trapped
Jammu & Kashmir Police made an update on the Awantipora encounter, saying that a top Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) commander and two other hardcore terrorists have reportedly been trapped. The encounter is still going on.
(Source: ANI)
Human Rights Groups to Hold Rallies Against CAA on 26 Jan in US
A coalition of various human rights and civil rights groups has said it will hold protest rallies in several cities in the US on 26 January, demanding repeal of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
In Washington DC, the coalition will hold a rally from the premises near the Indian Embassy to the White House.
The group, mostly comprising Indian Americans, would also hold protest rallies in front of the Indian Consulates in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Atlanta and Houston.
"We demand that the Govt. of India immediately move Parliament to repeal CAA and immediately terminate its plans for an NPR and NRC," the group said in a statement.
(Source: PTI)
Nirbhaya Case: Court Says No Further Directions Required to Supply Documents to Convicts
A Delhi court on Saturday, 25 January, said no further directions were required on a plea by the lawyer of the death row convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case alleging the prison authorities were not handing over certain documents required to file mercy and curative petitions, and disposed of the petition.
Additional Sessions Judge Ajay Kumar Jain said the convicts' lawyer can take pictures of the relevant documents, notebook and paintings or sketches from the Tihar jail authorities.
The court noted that the jail authorities had already complied with the request made by the convicts by supplying the documents whatever was lying with them.
"In view thereof, no further directions for supply of any documents required. However, the jail authorities are directed to hand over copy of paintings and note book titled 'Darinda' to the counsel for convicts today in court itself against acknowledgement.
"Application disposed of accordingly," the judge said. The hanging of all four convicts in the case is to take place on February 1 at 6 am, according to the court order.
(Source: PTI)
Drive out Bangladeshi & Pak Muslim Infiltrators: Shiv Sena
Two days after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray declared his support to the Modi government over eviction of Bangladeshi and Pakistani infiltrators, the Shiv Sena on Saturday, 25 January, said that Muslim infiltrators from these countries should be thrown out of India.
The Sena also took a dig at Raj Thackeray over his ideological shift towards Hindutva saying that dealing with the Hindutva ideology as propagated by V D Savarkar and late party founder Balasaheb Thackeray was not a child's play.
It also taunted him saying that having two flags showed the confused state of mind.
"The Muslim infiltrators from Pakistan and Bangladesh should be driven out of India. There should be no doubt about that. But it is amusing to see a party changing its flag for it," the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'.
"Secondly, having two flags shows the confused state of mind. Raj Thackeray founded his party 14 years back on the issue of Marathi. But it appears to be turning towards Hindutva now," it added.
(Source: PTI)
Uddhav Thackeray to Visit Ayodhya on 7 March: Raut
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will visit Ayodhya on 7 March, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut announced on Saturday, 25 January.
"Ayodhya mein jallosh! March 7, 2020," Raut said in a tweet.
Raut had announced on Wednesday that Uddhav Thackeray, who heads the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, will visit Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh to mark the completion of 100 days in power. However, he had not specified the date at that time.
This will be Thackeray's first visit to Ayodhya after becoming the state chief minister. He was sworn in as the CM on 28 November, 2019.
(Source: PTI)
Woman Fatally Shoots Man, Self at Cigar Bar Near Chicago
A shooting at a cigar lounge in the Chicago suburbs left one man dead and two others injured, police said. The shooter, whom police identified as a 51-year-old woman, died after shooting herself.
The shooting happened just after 10 p.m. Friday at the Humidor Cigar Lounge in Lisle, police there said in a statement posted to Facebook. Acting Police Chief Ron Wilkes later told the Chicago Tribune that responding officers found four people shot who needed life-saving aid.
He said the woman had shot three men before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. One of the men was pronounced dead and the two surviving men were hospitalized. The extent of their injuries wasn’t immediately clear.
“At this time, the matter is contained to the business and there is no danger to the community,” the statement read. It’s unclear what led to the shooting, Wilkes said.
The names of the shooter and the victims weren’t immediately released.
(Source: AP)
Some Voters Do Not Realise Importance of Right to Exercise Franchise: President Kovind
President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday, 25 January, lamented that there are some voters who do not understand the importance of the right to exercise their franchise and reminded them that in several democracies people had to struggle to get it.
Addressing the National Voters’ Day event here to mark the establishment of the Election Commission in 1950, the President said from the first general election to the 17th Lok Sabha polls held last year, the voters have increased the credibility of Indian democracy all over the world.
“For this I congratulate all the voters of the country. But even today some of our voters do not understand the importance of their franchise. They should know that in most of the democratic countries of the world, the common people had to agitate to get the franchise and many sacrifices had to be made,” Kovind said.
He pointed out that even in old democracies such as England, women were able to get equal voting rights in the 20th century, after nearly three decades of struggle.
The framers of the Indian Constitution gave this invaluable right to all adult Indians without any discrimination, he said.
(Source: PTI)
TRS Set for Big Win in Telangana Municipal Polls
The ruling TRS in Telangana on Saturday was set to score an emphatic win in the Urban Local Body (ULB) polls held three days ago to 120 municipalities and nine corporations in the state, according to trends available around noon.
Counting of votes in the municipal polls began on Saturday, 25 January, in the morning, and the full results are expected to be available by evening.
TRS candidates were leading in majority of wards in ULBs across the state, leaving the opposition Congress, BJP and others way behind, as per trends available around noon.
The TRS bagged 337 of them, followed by the Congress-94, BJP-35, AIMIM-20, Independents-34 and other parties. In undivided Warangal district, the TRS was ahead in Mahabubabad, Bhupalpally, Thorrur, Parkal, Dornakal, Wardhannapet and Marripeda municipalities
(Source: PTI)
Maharashtra: Tiger Kills Woman in Chandrapur
A 42-year-old woman was killed by a tiger in Brahmapuri forest division of Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district, a forest official said on Saturday, 25 January.
The incident took place in the north forest range under Bramhapuri forest division on Friday evening when Varsha Dharmadas Jibhkate (42), a resident of Tulana-Mendha village, was out tending her field, range forest officer Poonam Bramhane said.
The tiger, which was lurking in the bushes, pounced on the victim and killed her on the spot, she said.
When the deceased didn’t return home, her family went looking for her and found her dead 100 metres from the field, she added.
The tiger has been identified as N-1, the official said, adding that two teams have been constituted to look for the big cat.
The victim’s family has been provided an immediate relief of Rs 20,000 and the remaining compensation will be released on completion of formalities, Bramhane said.
(Source: PTI)
Iraq Security Forces Clear Streets Stoking Protester Fears
Iraqi security forces cleared anti-government protesters from streets and squares in Baghdad and the south on Saturday, 25 January, AFP journalists reported, stoking protester fears their long-running campaign risks being sidelined.
It came a day after populist politician Moqtada Sadr organised his own mass rally demanding US troops leave Iraq before announcing that he would no longer back the separate youth-dominated protest movement demanding sweeping reform.
Within hours, security forces had stormed a protest camp in the southern port city of Basra, forcibly dispersing activists, an AFP correspondent reported.
Their tents were burned down and municipal staff could be seen clearing the charred remains to reopen the square.
Many demonstrators were seen taking down tents in the cities of Hilla, Diwaniyah, Kut and Amarah. In the capital, security forces cleared sit-ins from Tayaran Square, Mohammad Qasim highway and Ahrar Bridge, according to Baghdad military command.
A medical source told AFP six protesters had been wounded.
(Source: PTI)
No UT Status for Bodo-Dominated Areas in Assam: Minister
Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday, 25 January, clarified that the Centre would not upgrade the state’s ‘Bodoland Territorial Area Districts’ (BTAD) to a Union Territory, as part of a new peace accord likely to be inked between various stakeholders and the Centre.
Addressing a press meet, Sarma, who is also the North-East Democratic Alliance convener, said no new village or area would be added to the BTAD under the new accord.
“The Centre has informed the state government that no Union Territory will be created or new areas be added to the BTAD, but the accord will ensure that the territorial integrity of Assam is maintained,” he told reporters.
People of Assam should be rest assured that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah would not agree to the division of Assam, he stated.
“The Union government has taken the initiative to hold peace talks with the various stakeholders in the BTAD. The entire framework (of the accord) is being prepared by the Centre,” the minister said.
“If a fresh Accord is signed in the near future, permanent peace will come to Bodoland and Assam’s territorial integrity will also remain intact,” Sarma added.
(Source: PTI)
Iraq Protest Tents Set Ablaze After Cleric Withdraws Support
Security forces set fire to anti-government protest tents in the country’s south on Saturday, 25 January, and re-opened key public squares in Baghdad that had been occupied by demonstrators for months.
The crackdown came hours after a powerful Shiite cleric dealt the protest movement a blow by withdrawing his support, prompting his followers to pack up and leave the demonstration encampments.
At least eight people were wounded when security forces fired tear gas in Baghdad’s central Khilani Square as clearance operations were underway, medical and security officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.
Activists said the presence of Muqtada al-Sadr’s followers and his militia group had shielded the protesters from security forces and unknown groups looking to harm and suppress them. With that cover gone, many in the four-month-old movement feared the worst.
The demonstrations have been critical of government corruption, high unemployment and Iranian influence in Iraqi politics. Crackdowns by security forces have killed at least 500 protesters. But many of the protesters are worried that the conflict between the U.S. and Iran, which is playing out in part on Iraqi soil, is killing their momentum.
(Source: AP)
Gujarat: 11 ‘Illegal’ Bangladeshi Migrants Detained
As many as 11 Bangladeshi nationals who were living in the city illegally were detained in Ahmedabad on Saturday, 25 January, police said.
The Special Operations Group of the Gujarat police said it detained 11 persons from a settlement near Chandola Lake in Ishanpur.
The police will now initiate the process to deport them to Bangladesh, SOG assistant commissioner of police B C Solanki said. "The 11 Bangladeshi nationals lived here illegally and worked as labourers. They have been detained and we will initiate the process to deport them," Solanki said.
The detainees had failed to provide any documents supporting their Indian nationality, he said, adding that the police are investigating if they were involved in any criminal activity.
The men were detained after the SOG formed two teams to find them following instructions from the police commissioner, the official said.
(Source: PTI)
DRI Seizes 10kg of Smuggled Gold
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted a smuggling syndicate and seized 10 kg of gold, 429 kg of silver and Rs 20.16 lakh in Indian currency and arrested two persons, an official said.
The total value of the seizure is estimated at Rs 6.42 crore, a DRI statement said on Saturday, 25 January.
The syndicate is involved in the smuggling of gold biscuit from Bangladesh through the border of North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.
Acting on a tip-off, DRI sleuths on Thursday, 23 January, conducted searches at different premises in Burrabazar area of Kolkata. The agency also seized coins made of silver of foreign origin and Rs 20.16 lakh of Indian currency, the statement said.
The DRI sleuths also arrested two persons under the provisions of the Customs Act.
In the current financial year, the DRI has seized 256 kg of gold in West Bengal and Sikkim region.
(Source: PTI)
Selection Process for Tamil Nadu BJP President to be held soon
The new president of the Tamil Nadu unit of BJP would be appointed in a week or 10 days, senior party leader L Ganesan said on Saturday, 25 January. The BJP's TN unit, with a strength of about 35 lakh, was functioning headless since Tamilisai Soundararajan quit the post in September 2019, after being appointed as the Telangana governor.
Talking to reporters in Chennai, Ganesan said the President of the party's state unit would be selected in a week or 10 days.
Recently, reports emerged that the top post was filled and the name of the candidate would be announced by party leader and Uttar Pradesh Minister Sidharthnath Singh during his visit to the State on 17 January. Those who were heading the post of Tamil Nadu unit in the past include former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, La Ganesan, KN Lakshmanan, C P Radhakrishnan among others.
(Source: PTI)
Kerala School Headmaster Sentenced to 20 Years RI for Sexual Abuse
The headmaster of a school was sentenced to 20 years Rigorous Imprisonment by a court in Kasaragod on Saturday, 25 January, for sexually abusing a fourth standard student in 2018.
Additional District Sessions Court Judge PS Sasikumar, while sentencing P Rajan Nair (58) for the crime committed in 2018, also slapped a fine of Rs 25,000 on him. The court directed the state government to provide a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the child as the crime took place in a government school. The state has to give the compensation within a month, the court said.
The matter came to light when the girl disclosed the abuse to the child line authorities during regular counselling at the school in October 2018.
(Source: PTI)
7 Over Ground Workers of LeT/HM Outfits Arrested in Bandipora
7 over ground workers of LeT/HM outfits have been arrested in joint operations by the Bandipora Police, Army and CRPF, the Bandipora Police said. Arms and ammunition have also been recovered. They were involved in harbouring and providing logistics support to militants. Two FIRs have been registered under relevant sections of law.
(Source: ANI)
Airport Bomb Case: Suspect Taken to Udupi
The man suspected to have planted a bomb at the Mangaluru airport was on Saturday, 25 January, taken to Udupi where he has a bank account and a few other places he had frequented in the past. Aditya Rao was taken to the Kunjibettu branch of Karnataka Bank in Udupi where he has an account and safe deposit locker, police sources said.
After the spot inspection in the bank, he will later be taken to places also where he resided and worked in the recent past, they said.
Rao, now in police custody as per a court order, will be taken to all places where he had contacts in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts, the sources said.
The police has got Rao's custody for 10 days for interrogation and for collecting evidence. Rao had surrendered before police on 22 January and was remanded to 10 days police custody by a city court here on Thursday for further probe into the case. A 'live' explosive device was found in an unattended bag near a ticket counter of the departure gate of the airport here on Monday and later defused at a nearby open ground.
(Source: PTI)
Eight Union Ministers to Be Part of UP Govt’s Ganga Yatra
Eight Union ministers will take part in the Uttar Pradesh government's five-day Ganga Yatra, which will begin on 27 January, an official spokesman said on Saturday, 25 January.
Besides the central ministers, ministers in-charge of districts in Uttar Pradesh will also participate in the Yatra, which will conclude in Kanpur on 31 January, he said, adding that there will be two routes of the Yatra.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat and Union Minister Sanjeev Balyan will be present in Bijnor on 27 January, he said. Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Modi, State Jal Shakti Minister Mahendra Singh and Union Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey will attend the event on its first day in Ballia.
(Source: PTI)
Mangaluru: Man Held for Acid Attack on Sister-In-Law
A 55-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly attacking his sister-in-law and her daughter with acid used to make rubber sheets in Mangaluru’s Dakshina Kannada district, police said on Saturday, 25 January.
The victim, a 35-year-old widow having three daughters, has been admitted to the government Wenlock hospital here with severe burns. Her daughter, who suffered minor injuries, is also hospitalised.
In her complaint, the woman said her late husband's elder brother came to her house on Thursday, 23 January, abused her in foul language before opening an acid bottle and throwing it at her through the window. The woman suffered burn injuries on her face, neck and shoulders while her daughter, on her legs and hands.
The victim's husband had taken a loan of Rs 5 lakh from a co-operative bank. He died in 2018 after paying only two instalments and the woman could not repay it further. The bank notices were coming in the elder sibling's address which infuriated him. There was also long-pending land dispute between the two, sources said. Based on the woman's complaint, a case was registered on Friday, 24 January, and the man arrested soon after. Kadaba sub-inspector police Rukma Naik visited Wenlock hospital to record the woman's statement, police added.
(Source: PTI)
Onion Prices to Calm Down in Next 2 Days in Kolkata Markets: Traders
Retail prices of onion, which had suddenly increased in the city with supply constraints in the wake of 'Makar Sankranti', will ease in the next two days as shipments have started arriving in the wholesale markets, traders said on Saturday, 25 January.
The price of the kitchen staple had soared to Rs 80 a kg this week in the city markets.
"Nasik market was closed for four days on account of Makar Sakranti and there was a shortage of supply. Today, wholesale price of onion slipped to Rs 50 a kg from Rs 65 on Friday," agri-commodity analyst Sibu Malakar said.
"Supplies from other states has been normal and Bengal onions have also started arriving though farmers have harvested premature crop to reap benefits from high prices in mandis," a wholesale trader said.
West Bengal's agricultural marketing department officials said they are monitoring the situation. Recently, the state government had sold onions at Rs 59 a kg, when the retail price of the edible bulb soared over Rs 100 per kg.
(Source: PTI)
MP Tehsildar Held by Lokayukta Police for Bribery
A Madhya Pradesh Revenue department official was caught on Saturday, 25 January, by Lokayukta police in Panna district for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe from a brick kiln owner, an official said.
Gunnaur tehsildar Ravishankar Shukla had demanded Rs 35,000 from brick kiln owner Brijbihari Prajapati for release of the latter's seized tractor-trolley, said Lokayukta Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajesh Khede.
"The complainant paid Rs 10,000 earlier. Shukla was caught while accepting Rs 25,000 at his residence on Saturday. He has been charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act," the Deputy SP informed.
(Source: PTI)
Jaitley, Sushma to be Honoured With Padma Vibhushan Posthumously
Former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, former Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, boxer Mary Kom among those who will be honoured with Padma Vibhushan awards on Reublic Day.
A total of seven people will receive Padma Vibhushans, while 16 Padma Bhushan and 118 Padma Shri awards have been announced.
Murder Convict Stabbed to Death in Nagpur
A murder convict was killed by unidentified people on Saturday in Kachipura area of Nagpur, police said.
Harish Raghunath Patel, 35, was found dead with multiple stab wounds near his house under Bajaj Nagar police station limits in the early hours of the day, an official said.
(Source: PTI)
Fire Breaks Out at Delhi's Aya Nagar
Fire breaks out at a wood warehouse in Delhi’s Aya Nagar. Six fire tenders are at the spot. More details are awaited.
(Source: ANI)