Latest News: Second Trump-Kim Summit to be Held in Late February
Catch the latest news updates of the day here.
Catch the latest news updates of the day here.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)
PM 2.5, PM 10 Levels in 'Severe' Category in Delhi
The levels of PM 2.5 and PM 10 in Delhi shot up on Friday morning, 18 January, to 500 and 484 respectively – both in the ‘severe’ category – according to the Air Quality Index (AQI) data from Lodhi Road area.
(Source: ANI)
Petrol Price Hiked by 7-8 Paise and Diesel by 19-20 Paise in Metros
Petrol price has been increased by 7-8 paise and by 19-20 paise in metros on Friday, 18 January. In Delhi, petrol price is at Rs 70.55/litre & diesel is at Rs 64.97/litre. In Mumbai, petrol is at Rs 76.18/litre and diesel at Rs 68.02/litre.
(Source: ANI)
Bad Weather Disrupts Flights in Delhi Airport
All departures from Delhi Airport was on hold from 5:30 am to 7 am on Friday, 18 January and most of the arrivals were also affected due to bad weather. One international flight has been diverted as of now.
(Source: ANI)
Ten Trains to Delhi Delayed Due to Low Visibility
Ten trains to Delhi running late on Friday, 18 January due to fog and low visibility.
(Source: ANI)
Tesla Recalls Over 14,000 Cars in China
Tesla to recall more than 14,000 cars in China over airbags.
(Source: ANI)
Sensex, Nifty Open in the Green
Indian equity benchmarks opened higher and are headed for their second week of gains.
The S&P BSE Sensex Index rose as much as 0.26 percent to 36,469.98 and the NSE Nifty 50 Index rose as much as 0.2 percent to 10,928.20.
However, the opening gains were erased as Nifty slips below the 10,900 mark, Sensex trades lower as well.
(Source: BloombergQuint)
10 People Trapped Under Snow in Ladakh’s Khardung La
At least 10 people are trapped under snow after an avalanche hit Ladakh’s Khardung La. The search operations are underway. More details for awaited.
(Source: ANI)
ED Summons B Chandrakala and Others in the UP Mining Scam
Enforcement Directorate summons former Hamirpur District Magistrate B Chandrakala and others in the alleged Uttar Pradesh mining scam. The questioning is scheduled for next week.
(Source: ANI)
Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice Sanjay Khanna Sworn in as SC Judges
Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice Sanjay Khanna were sworn in as judges of the Supreme Court on Friday, 18 January, taking its strength to 28 judges, as against sanction strength of 31.
(Source: ANI)
DMK Organising Secretary Opposes 10% Quota for Poorer Sections
DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) Organising Secretary RS Bharathi has filed a writ petition in the Madras High Court challenging the recent constitutional amendment for granting 10% reservation to economically weaker sections of the society.
(Source: ANI)
Pipeline Blast at Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, 6 Vehicles Damaged
Work was halted at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant following a pipeline blast in blast furnace 3 on Friday, 18 January. Six vehicles were damaged, no casualties reported so far.
(Source: ANI)
K'taka CM All Set to Participate in TMC's Mega Rally on 19 Jan
Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy will leave for Kolkata on Friday, 18 January, to participate in Mamata Banerjee's mega opposition rally on 19 January.
(Source: ANI)
Srinivas Reddy Is New Telangana Speaker
Senior TRS MLA Pocharam Srinivas Reddy was unanimously elected Speaker of the Telangana Assembly on Friday, 18 January.
Reddy's unanimous election was announced by Pro-tem Speaker Mumtaz Ahmed Khan in the House. Reddy's nomination was the only one to be filed on Thursday.
(Source: IANS)
SC Agrees to Hear Vodafone's Plea Seeking Income Tax Refund
The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear Vodafone's plea seeking income tax refund of Rs 4,800 crore. A notice has been issued to tax department and a reply is being sought within four weeks.
(Source: CNBC)
New Chief Justice of Pakistan Sworn In
Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa took oath as the 26th Chief Justice of Pakistan on Friday. Chief Justice Khosa is scheduled to retire on 21 December 2019.
(Source: IANS)
Death Toll in Colombia Police School Car Bomb Attack Rises to 21
The death toll in the Colombia police school car bomb attack rose to 21 on Friday. The attack occurred on the evening of 17 January.
(Source: AFP)
Congress MLA Jogesh Singh in Odisha Tenders Resignation
Odisha Congress MLA Jogesh Singh tendered his resignation from the party on moral grounds.
He has also resigned from the post of the member of Odisha Legislative Assembly
(Source: ANI)
Zimbabwe's Biggest Mobile Operator Econet Ordered to Shut Down Internet
Zimbabwe’s biggest mobile operator Econet Wireless said on Friday *,* it had been ordered to shut down internet in the southern African country until further notice following days of deadly protests over steep fuel price hikes.
(Source: Reuters)
Blast in J&K's Ghanta Ghar Chowk
Suspected militants lobbed a grenade at a CRPF party near Ghanta Ghar in Lal chowk area of Srinagar on Friday. More details awaited.
(Source: Greater Kashmir)
Pak Rangers Attack BSF Troops in J&K's Kathua District
Pakistani rangers on Friday attacked Border Security Force duty points in Hiranagar area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district. The BSF troops responded by limited fire, however no loss of life or damage occurred on Indian side.
No further firing resorted to by either side.
(Source: ANI)
Saina Enters Malaysia Masters Semis
Saina Nehwal defeats World Number 2 Nozomi Okuhara 21-18, 23-21 to enter the semi-finals of the Malaysia Masters.
UP Govt Approves Mughal Sarai Tehsil Renaming
Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Friday approved the decision to rename Mughal Sarai tehsil to Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay tehsil.
(Source: ANI)
Srinivasa Reddy Elected Telangana Assembly Speaker
Senior TRS MLA Pocharam Srinivasa Reddy was unanimously elected Speaker of the Telangana Assembly on Friday, 18 January.
Reddy's unanimous election was announced by Pro Tem Speaker Mumtaz Ahmad Khan in the House.
Reddy's nomination was the only one to be filed Thursday.
JU Mulling Legal Step Against Prof for 'Virginity' Remark: VC
Two days after the Jadavpur University barred professor Kanak Sarkar from entering the campus for a misogynist social media post, its Vice Chancellor Suranjan Das has said he was mulling legal action in the case to ensure such incidents do not occur again.
Sarkar, a professor at the university's international relations department, had extolled women's virginity, comparing it to the seal of a bottle, in a Facebook post.
(Source: PTI)
HC Grants Bail to Mohd Aslam Wani in Money Laundering Case
Delhi High Court granted bail to alleged hawala dealer Mohd Aslam Wani in an Enforcement Directorate case against him.
The HC has directed him to furnish Rs 3 lakh personal bond and two surety like amount.
Wani is being probed in a money laundering case involving Kashmiri separatist leader Shabbir Shah.
(Source: ANI)
PM Modi Meets Czech Republic PM Andrej Babis
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met Czech Republic Prime Minister Andrej Babis on the sidelines of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2019.
(Source: ANI)
Sensex - Nifty Ends Flat, Healthcare Stocks Fall 2%
Mixed global cues, weakness in the Indian currency and heavy selling in the healthcare and finance stocks dragged the key equity indices on Friday, with Sensex and Nifty ending flat with a positive bias.
BSE Healthcare index tanked 2 per cent, while telecom scrips also witnessed heavy selling pressure, losing over 3 per cent.
The BSE Sensex closed higher 12.53 points, or 0.03 per cent, after touching a high of 36,469.98 and a low of 36,218.33 points.
(Source: IANS)
BJP Leader Uday Singh Resigns from BJP
Former BJP MP Uday Singh, who has represented the Purnea Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar twice, announced his resignation from the party on Friday alleging that it has surrendered before the discredited JD(U) headed by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Singh did not reveal his cards saying until resigning from the BJP, he had no right to negotiate with any other party but gave ample hints saying he may join a Grand Alliance constituent.
(Source: PTI)
HC Relieves Ex-BJP State Secretary Sanjay Kumar in Rape Case
The Nainital High Court on Friday gave interim relief to former BJP state secretary Sanjay Kumar from getting arrested. Kumar is accused in a rape case against him.
(Source: ANI)
Deworming Day in Delhi Schools on 8 Feb
To tackle the threat of intestinal worm infections in children, the Delhi government has directed schools in the national capital to conduct deworming programme on 8 February.
The initiative is part of the school-based biannual National Mass Deworming programme.
(Source: PTI)
Militants Hurl Grenade at Police Station in J&K Pulwama Area
Militants on Friday hurled grenade at Kakapora police station in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama area, which exploded inside the compound.
No loss of life or injury was reported.
(Source: ANI)
Train Runs Over 25 Cows in UP's Hamirpur District
A train ran over 25 cows near Ragaol railway station in neighbouring Hamirpur district on Friday.
"The cows were found dead on the track. They were buried in a nearby field," Superintendent of Police (SP), rural, Hamirpur, Hemraj Meena said.
(Source: PTI)
Pakistan to Host Next Round of Afghan Peace Talks: Report
Pakistan will host the next round of talks between the US and Afghan Taliban in Islamabad, it was decided on Friday during a meeting between Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and US special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, according to a media report.
Quoting diplomatic sources, GEO News reported that Pakistan decided to extend an invitation to the Afghan Taliban representatives to come to Islamabad and hold talks.
(Source: PTI)
ISRO to Give Students Practical Experience of Satellite Building Under New Programme
The Indian Space Research Organisation will select over 100 students from across India and give them a practical experience of how satellites are built under the new 'Young Scientist Programme', its chairman K Sivan announced Friday.
The initiative, chalked to attract young minds and arouse interest in this niche arena, is conceptualised on the lines of a similar programme run by American space agency NASA.
(Source: PTI)
Women to Be Inducted as Jawans in Corps of Military Police in Army
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman takes decision to induct women as jawans in Corps of Military Police in Army. The women will be inducted in a graded manner to eventually comprise 20 percent of total Corps of Military Police of the Army.
(Source: ANI)
Pompeo, N Korean Official to Meet About Possible Kim Summit
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is to meet former North Korean spy chief Kim Yong Chol on Friday for talks aimed at finalizing a second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
(Source: AP)
Delhi Govt Informs SC About Steps Taken to Curb Pollution
The Delhi government has informed the Supreme Court about the steps taken by it for implementing the comprehensive action plan (CAP) which is meant for combating the menace of air pollution in the national capital.
In an affidavit filed in the apex court, the Delhi government has given the status on several issues, including augmenting the service of metro by inducting more coaches and Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses, which would improve the public transport system.
(Source: PTI)
NIT Scholars Stage Dharna & Candle March
Research scholars of the National Institute of Technology in Hairpur boycotted their classes on Friday in protest against the detention of their counterparts in Delhi during a dharna outside the Human Resource Development ministry office two days ago.
The NIT Hamirpur students also staged dharna in the campus demanding an increase in their scholarships.
(Source: PTI)
Assailants Shot at Journalist in Bihar's Muzaffarpur
Unknown assailants shot at a journalist named Feroze Akhtar in Aurai in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur, and decamped with his bike, mobile phone and cash, earlier today. The journalist is undergoing treatment in a Primary Health Centre.
(Source: ANI)
Explosion in North Syria Targets Al-Qaida Gunmen, Kills 11
Syrian opposition activists say an explosion outside an office belonging to an al-Qaida-linked group in the country's northwestern has killed at least 11 people.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Smart news agency, an activist collective, said the blast occurred Friday on the southern edge of the rebel-held city of Idlib.
(Source: AP)
CM Intensifies Demand for Special Category Status in Poll-Bound Odisha
Ahead of the 2019 elections, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday intensified the demand for Special Category Status for the state and said Odisha has been a victim of central neglect and natural calamities.
Patnaik, who prior to 2014 general elections had taken up the Special Category Status (SCS) demand to Delhi, this time choose to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue.
(Source: PTI)
2 Killed, 7 Hurt as LPG Cyclinder Explodes, Triggers House Collapse in Hyderabad
Two people, including a pedestrian, died and seven others were injured in an LPG cylinder explosion that triggered an house collapse here Friday, police said.
A 35-year old man, a passerby, died on the spot after debris fell on him while the owner of the house Mohan Lal (45) succumbed to injuries at a hospital, they said.
(Source: PTI)
Three Debt-Ridden Farmers Commit Suicide in Maharashtra
Three farmers allegedly committed suicide in separate incidents here apparently due to crop failure and mounting loan burden, police said Friday.
The cultivators hailed from Malegaon taluka of Nashik district in North Maharashtra.
(Source: PTI)
Pompeo Meets North Korean General For Possible Trump-Kim Summit
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets senior North Korean general Kim Yong Chol in Washington for talks aimed at finalizing a second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
(Source: AFP)
Ram Temple Will Be Constructed by 2025: RSS
RSS executive head Bhaiyyaji Joshi has expressed confidence that the Ram temple will be constructed in Ayodhya by the time of next 'Kumbh' in 2025, the Sangh said in a statement on Friday.
In a bid to "contextualise" the comments, the RSS in a statement issued by spokesperson Arun Kumar said Joshi had made these remarks on Thursday at the ongoing Kumbh in Praygraj in Uttar Pradesh.
(Source: PTI)
AGP Workers Stage Protest Against Citizenship Amendment Bill
Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) workers stage torch rally in Guwahati opposing the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016.
(Source: ANI)
Vikramarka Mallu Appointed as Leader of Congress of Telangana
Congress President Rahul Gandhi has appointed Vikramarka Mallu as the Leader of Congress Legislature Party of Telangana.
(Source: ANI)
SC Judge Complains About Delhi Pollution
Justice Arun Misra said on Friday that it's not worth staying in Delhi. I was earlier attracted. But now not. There is so much pollution and traffic congestion. Today I was about to miss the swearing-in ceremony of new judges.
Second Trump-Kim Summit to Be Held in Late February: White House
The White House has said that US President Donald Trump will hold a second summit in late February with Kim Jong-Un, seeking end to North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, reported AP.
Three People Found Dead in a House in UP's Sambhal
Three people were found dead in a house in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal.
Regarding the incident, IGP Moradabad Ramit Sharma said, “Three bodies have been recovered – a female member of the family Santosh Kumari, her brother-in-law Kesar Singh and probably one is that of their maid. The bodies are to be sent for post-mortem. No sign of forceful entry. The probe is on.”
(Source: ANI)
5.6 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Northern Peru
An earthquake of 5.6 magnitude struck northern Peru on 18 January.