Latest News: 9 Killed in A Road Accident in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal
Catch all the latest news and updates here.
Catch all the latest news and updates here.
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KCR to Meet Mamata Banerjee
After pitching a ‘third front’ to Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao will meet West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee today.
Earthquake Hits Honshu
An earthquake of magnitude 5.5 hit Honshu, Japan, says USGS, as reported by ANI.
Fire Breaks Out in Mumabi's Malad
A fire broke out in shanties near Malwani area of Malad in Mumbai late night on Sunday, 23 December. No casualty have been reported.
(Source: ANI)
Congress, NCP to Fight 2019 Together in Maharashtra
NCP's Sharad Pawar said that in Maharashtra, Congress and NCP will contest 2019 polls together along with Peasants & Workers Party of India. Talks have taken place over 40 seats,8 seats remain. Final decision will be taken shortly. If any confusion remains then chiefs of both the parties will solve it, he said.
(Source: ANI)
Order Signed for US Military's Controversial Syria Exit
The order to withdraw American troops from Syria has been signed, the US military said Sunday, 23 December, after President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart agreed to prevent a power vacuum in the wake of the controversial move.
The announcement that US troops would leave the civil war-racked country -- where they have been deployed to assist in the multinational fight against the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group -- shocked global partners and American politicians alike.
"The execute order for Syria has been signed," a US military spokesperson told AFP when asked about the withdrawal order, without providing further details.
(Source: PTI)
One ITBP Personnel Dead, 24 Injured As Bus Falls Down Highway
One ITBP personnel was killed and 24 were injured as the bus they were travelling in falls down Jammu-Srinagar highway near Khooni Nala in Ramban district in Jammu and Kashmir.
DC Ramban said, "We have rescued 24 persons with injuries & 1 dead. We are evacuating seriously injured to Jammu via chopper. There were reportedly 35 persons travelling."
(Source: ANI)
25 People Injured After Mini-Van Collides with Tractor in Muzaffarnagar
At least 25 people, most of them labourers, were injured when a mini-van collided with a tractor-trolley here, police said Monday, 24 December.
The accident took place on the Nawla road in Muzaffarnagar district Sunday evening.
The injured are undergoing treatment at a hospital here, police said.Pakistan violates ceasefire in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district.
(Source: PTI)
Rupee Gains 8 Paise Against Dollar in Early Trade
The rupee gained 8 paise against the US dollar Monday, 24 December, to trade at 70.10 in on selling of the US currency by exporters and banks.
The dollar was weak against major currencies in global markets which supported the local currency, a currency dealer said, but choppy trend at the stock exchanges limited the gains.
The rupee opened a shade lower at 70.19 a dollar against the previous close of 70.18 a dollar. It moved in a range of 70.21 to 70.12 a dollar in early trade before quoting at 70.10, showing a gain of 8 paise.
On Friday, the rupee snapped its four-day rising streak by falling 48 paise to close at 70.18 against the US currency due to month-end dollar demand and sharp losses in domestic equities.
Meanwhile, the benchmark BSE Sensex fell by 34.30 points, or 0.11 per cent to 35,703 in early choppy trade Monday after rising to 35,872.02.
(Source: PTI)
Delhi's Air Quality in 'Severe' Category
Major pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10, both are at 500 (Severe category) in Lodhi Road area, according to the Air Quality Index (AQI) data.
(Source: ANI)
Cold Morning in Delhi
Delhiites woke up to a chilly Monday morning, with the minimum temperature settling at 4.6 degrees Celsius.
The fall in temperature is due to cold wave conditions prevailing over northwest India, the Meteorological Department said.
The minimum temperature in Delhi was recorded at 4.6 degrees, three notches below the season's average, it said.
The humidity level at 8.30 AM on Monday was recorded at 100 per cent.
The weather office has forecast clear skies for the day ahead.
(Source: PTI)
PM Modi Releases Rs 100 Coin in Memory of AB Vajpayee
Prime Minister Narendra Modi releases commemorative Rs 100 coin in memory of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
(Source: ANI)
Veteran CPI(M) Leader Nirupam Sen Passes Away
Veteran CPI(M) leader Nirupam Sen, credited as the architect of West Bengal's industrial drive during the Left Front rule, died at a city hospital on Monday, 24 December, morning after a prolonged illness, family sources said.
He was 72. The former politburo member of the party left behind his wife, a son and a daughter.
Sen passed away at 5:10 am following a cardiac arrest, hospital sources said.
The former West Bengal commerce and industry minister was on life support system after his health condition deteriorated in early December and had been critical since then.
(Source: PTI)
PV Sindhu Meets Vice President
Indian shuttler PV Sindhu & her family meets Vice President Venkaiah Naidu after her recent victory in BWF World Tour Finals. Naidu says, “She has brought name & fame to our country. She has created history by her recent victory. I congratulate her."
(Source: ANI)
MK Stalin Holds Meeting With Party Workers
DMK President MK Stalin holds a strategy meeting with party workers for 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
(Source: ANI)
Pak Troops Target Forward Posts, Villages in Rajouri
Pakistani troops Monday, 24 December, opened fire and shelled forward posts and villages along the LoC in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said. The firing and shelling from across the border started in Keri, Lam, Pukharni and Peer Badaser areas of Noushera sector around 9.30 am, a police officer said.
Army personnel guarding the LoC retaliated and the cross-border firing between the two sides was going on when last reports came in. There was no immediate report of any casualty, the officer said.
DDC Rajouri said all government and private schools located in 0-5 km range from LoC in Keri and Pukherni sectors of Rajouri district shall remain closed on Monday due to heavy shelling along the LoC.
(Source: PTI and ANI)
Muzaffarnagar Riots Accused Found Dead
An accused in the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots was found dead under mysterious circumstances at Sikheda village here, police said Monday.
Sodan Singh's body was found Sunday evening hanging from the ceiling of a room, which housed a tube well, they said.
The body was sent for postmortem and the matter is being investigated, police said.
Singh's son has lodged a complaint at the local police station and alleged that his 60-year-old father was murdered, they said.
(Source: PTI)
Thousands of Troops Deployed in Bangladesh Ahead of General Elections
Thousands of army troops were deployed across Bangladesh on Monday to provide security and help conduct parliamentary elections on December 30, amid concerns that violence could happen.
The Election Commission on December 13 announced that the army will be deployed as a striking force across the country during the 11th parliamentary elections and it will remain in the field until January 2.
Election Commission's Joint Secretary Farhad Ahmed Khan said that about 400-450 platoons of the armed forces are deployed in 389 areas in 270 constituencies across the country.
(Source: PTI)
4 Dead in Fire Accident in Mumbai's Kandivali
Four men were charred to death in a fire that gutted a cloth godown in suburban Kandivli here Sunday, 23 December, a civic official said Monday.
The blaze was reported in the facility, located in Damu Nagar near MIDC bus stop, at around 4 pm Sunday, said an official from the Disaster Management Unit of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
"Four casualties were recovered from debris of the godown by fire personnel who were conduction fire fighting operations at the spot by 5 AM Monday", he said.
They were taken to Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivli, where doctors declared them brought dead, he said. The cause of the blaze is under investigation. The official said fire personnel are conducting search operations at the storeroom premises.
(Source: PTI)
TRS Juggernaut Rolls on in 2018, KCR Shifts Focus to LS Polls
The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) juggernaut rolled on in 2018 with the party storming to power with a two-thirds majority in the assembly elections to form its second straight government in the state.
During the year, the state witnessed one of the worst road tragedies in the country when 60 people were killed in a bus accident in September.
Verdicts in key terror cases saw Hindutva preacher Swami Aseemanand being acquitted by an NIA court in the 11-year old Mecca Masjid blast case and two terrorists awarded capital punishment in another blast case.
TRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao, who scripted the stunning victory in the December 7 polls, swiftly elevated his son K T Rama Rao as the working president of the party and announced plans to push his initiative for a non-BJP and non-Congress front at the national level.
(Source: PTI)
UK, India Ties Moved Forward Smoothly in 2018
The UK and India pledged to work closely post-Brexit as the bilateral ties moved forward smoothly in 2018, a year in which India scored a major diplomatic victory when a British court ordered the extradition of liquor baron Vijay Mallya wanted back home for alleged bank fraud.
The year 2018 was important one for India-UK ties, with Britain playing host to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in April and Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the summit.
Modi's visit to the UK included bilateral talks with his British counterpart Theresa May, with senior diplomats keen to highlight that the prime minister was accorded special treatment on the sidelines of the summit, including an audience with Queen Elizabeth II.
The visit marked the signing of the UK-India Tech Partnership, which played out through the course of the year to culminate in the first India-UK FutureTech Festival in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore in December.
(Source: PTI)
Tremors Felt in Kutch
Tremor with an intensity of 3.8 on the Richter scale felt in Kutch. No damage reported.
(Source: News18)
7 Dead in Haryana's Rohtak As 50 Vehicles Collide Due to Fog
7 dead, over a dozen injured as more than 50 vehicles collide in Rohtak due to dense fog.
(Source: News18)
Pollution Level Severe for Third Consecutive Day in Delhi
Pollution in Delhi remained in the 'severe' level for the third consecutive day as wind speed and other meteorological factors remained "highly unfavourable" for dispersion of pollutants on Monday, 24 December, according to authorities.
People have been advised by the authorities to minimise outdoor activities and avoid use of private vehicles.
While the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed the overall air quality index (AQI) at 'severe' level of 445, the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR) showed a higher AQI of 477.
An AQI between 100 to 200 comes under the 'moderate' category, 201 and 300 is considered 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', while that between 401 and 500 is 'severe'.
(Source: PTI)
Wreath Laying Ceremony of Two Soldiers in J&K
Wreath laying ceremony of Subedar Raman Thapa & Subedar Gamar Bahadur Thapa who lost their lives in a ceasefire violation in Kupwara district, Jammu & Kashmir on 21 December.
(Source: ANI)
US Package Delivery Giant to Pay USD 4.9 Mn to Settle Religious Discrimination Lawsuit
An American package delivery giant will pay USD 4.9 million to settle a discrimination lawsuit that alleged the company excluded employees from certain religious groups, including Muslims and Sikhs, from opportunities of being promoted at work due to a strict appearance policy.
United Parcel Service (UPS), the world's largest package delivery company, will pay USD 4.9 million and provide other relief to settle a class religious discrimination lawsuit filed by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency said.
(Source: PTI)
65 US Univs Oppose Trump Administration's Visa Policy Changes for Foreign Students
As many as 65 top US universities, including Harvard and MIT, have challenged the Trump administration in a court against its new stringent visa policy for foreign students, warning that the new 'backdating' rule will have a detrimental effect on America's higher education system.
The new policy announced by the Trump administration in August places restrictions on overstaying a visa.
Under longstanding immigration policies, when an individual is no longer authorised to remain in the US — such as when a visa expires — a period of "unlawful presence" begins. After six months of unlawful presence, an individual can be forced to return to their country of origin and subject to a three year bar from the US.
Prior to the August policy change, individuals only began to accrue unlawful presence the day after the government issued an official determination that the visa holder was "out of status".
(Source: PTI)
PIL Filed Against MHA Notification Allowing Agencies to Conduct Surveillence
Advocate ML Sharma files PIL in the Supreme Court against the MHA notification allowing 10 agencies to conduct surveillance.
The apex court had earlier imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on advocate ML Sharma for filing frivolous public interest litigations (PIL).
(Source: ANI)
Chandrababu Naidu Releases White Paper on Status of AP Bifurcation
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday released the first of 10 ‘white papers’ on the implementation of various developmental promises. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief used the occasion to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not delivering on promises made to the state at the time of the state’s bifurcation.
The 32-page white paper was on the ‘Implementation of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 and the connected assurances’ containing details about the current status of various promises made to Andhra Pradesh at the time of bifurcation.
Listing out the present status of the Act, Naidu said that various promises made to the state are yet to be fulfilled. “The Special Category Status (SCS) was not given to AP. Even the provisions like the establishment of Greyhounds Training Centre, increase in the number of Assembly seats, the division of AP Bhavan, bifurcation of institutions listed in Schedule IX (89 institutions) and Schedule X (142 institutions) and setting up of river management boards were not implemented.”
(Source: The News Minute)
Infant Boy Found Choked to Death in Bengaluru
A 29-day-old baby boy, one of the two male twins born to C Karthik and Stella— residents of Neelasandra in central Bengaluru— was allegedly killed by one of his family members on Friday night. A post-mortem report has established that the boy died as a result of strangulation.
According to police, the couple was staying in an apartment in Neelasandra after moving out of Karthik’s paternal home in the same building following a family dispute. Karthik had converted to Christianity despite reservations from his family before his marriage with Stella.
Karthik is also currently unemployed after he recently left a catering company. It was Karthik who told the police that his brother or father could be behind the murder.
(Source: The News Minute)
Bus Carrying 35 Falls in Gorge After Skidding Off The Road
An Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel was killed and 34 others were injured Monday, 24 December, when a bus carrying them skidded off the road and fell into a gorge along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, police said. Five of the injured ITBP personnel are in a critical condition, a police officer said.
The vehicle was part of a Jammu-bound convoy and the accident occurred near Khuni Nallah in Ramban district around 8.45 am, a police officer said.
An ITBP personnel was killed while 34 others, including a civilian driver and conductor, were rescued and rushed to the district hospital in Ramban, the officer said. Trees prevented the bus from falling further down in the gorge, the officer said.
(Source: PTI)
China-India Yoga College to Open 50 Branches in China
China's first Yoga college in Yunnan province, which was set up as part of cultural exchange programme between the two nations, has planned to open 50 more branches across the country as the popularity of India's ancient physical and spiritual discipline continues to grow all over China, state media reported.
The China-India Yoga College was opened at Yunnan Minzu University in Kunming in 2015 after the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The announcement came as the college opened its first branch on Saturday at the Yunnan University in the city of Lijiang, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
(Source: PTI)
Gear Up For 2019 LS Polls: BJP Leader to Workers After Defeat in Rajasthan Election
Rajasthan BJP general secretary Chandrashekhar Monday, 24 December, asked workers to gear up for the 2019 general elections after the Congress's victory in the recently held state polls.
The Congress won 99 of the 200 assembly seats in the desert state, which went to polls on December 7. Counting was held on December 11.
The BJP is reviewing its performance in the Rajasthan assembly elections. Party workers must gear up and work for the 2019 general elections, Chandrashekhar said during a meeting here.
(Source: PTI)
Kumbh Mela 2019 to Be Spread Over Larger Area
One of the largest religious gatherings in the world - the Kumbh Mela - will be this time spread over an area of 45 km from the earlier 20 km radius.
Pilgrims visiting the holy city will also get a glimpse of Akshay Vat, a Banyan Tree held sacred by Hindus, and Saraswati Koop, a well believed to be the source of the mythical Saraswati River.
Prayagraj Mayor Abhilasha Gupta Nandi told PTI, "The area of the Kumbh Mela has almost doubled this time. Earlier, the Kumbh Mela used to be spread over an area of of 15-20 km. Now, the mela is spread over an area of 45 km.”
(Source: PTI)
Pakistan Violates Ceasefire in Rajouri District, Indian Forces Retaliate
SSP Rajouri, Yougal Manhas said Pakistan violated ceasefire in Keri and Pukherni sectors of Rajouri district Monday, 24 December, morning. Shelling is continuing, our forces are retaliating appropriately. The schools in the area have been closed for today.
(Source: ANI)
GST May Have Single Standard Rate Between 12-18%: Jaitley
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday, 24 December, hinted that the country may eventually have a single standard rate of GST adding that the 28 per cent slab will soon be phased out, except on luxury and "sin goods".
He noted that the standard rate could be between the 12 and 18 per cent.
"A future roadmap could well be to work towards a single standard rate instead of two standard rates of 12 per cent and 18 per cent.
"It could be a rate at some mid-point between the two. Obviously, this will take some reasonable time when the tax will rise significantly," Jaitley said on a Facebook post.
(Source: IANS)
Matter in Sunanda Pushkar Death Case Deferred For 8 Jan
Delhi's Patiala House Court deferred the matter in Sunanda Pushkar death case for 8 January for further compliance under section 207 CrPC. The court also defers order on 2 applications of Subramanian Swamy seeking direction to Delhi Police to produce the report of the vigilance inquiry.
(Source: ANI)
Amritsar Reels 1.1 Degrees Celsius as Cold Wave Grips Punjab, Haryana
Ongoing cold wave conditions sweeping Punjab and Haryana continued unabated on Monday, 24 December, with Amritsar reeling at 1.1 degrees Celsius.
Amritsar and Halwara recorded identical minimum temperatures as the minimum in both states settled below normal limits, a Meteorological (Met) Department official said here.
A thick blanket of fog reduced visibility at several places in the two states, including Ludhiana, Patiala, Adampur, Amritsar, Halwara, Sirsa, Bhiwani, Rohtak, Jhajjar and Ambala.
(Source: PTI)
Bhutan PM to Visit India
Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering will be coming here on a three-day visit from December 27 in what will be his first state visit to India after asuming office in November, it was announced on Monday, 24 December.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, Tshering will be accompanied by Bhutanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Economic Affairs and other senior officials.
"India and Bhutan enjoy exemplary ties of friendship and cooperation, based on utmost trust, goodwill and mutual understanding at all levels," the ministry statement said.
(Source: IANS)
PM Modi, Odisha CM Patnaik Inaugurate IIT-Bhubaneswar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the inauguration of IIT- Bhubaneswar and other development projects. The prime minister realeases a postage stamp and a commemorative coin on the bicentenary of 1817 Paika Rebellion.
The Paika Rebellion was an armed uprising against the British East India Company's rule in Odisha in 1817.
(Source: ANI)
IMFL Worth Rs 19.34 Lakh Seized From Boat in Gujarat
Ahead of New Year, Gujarat Police have seized illicit liquor worth Rs 19.34 lakh that was smuggled to the Gir Somnath district headquarters in a fishing boat from Union Territory of Daman, police said Monday, 24 December.
Local crime branch of Gir-Somnath district police raided a fishing boat that had arrived at Veraval harbour, around 400 kms from here, on Sunday morning and seized 10,597 liquor bottles and 2,764 beer cans hidden inside the storage area of the boat, said LCB police inspector B B Koli.
Veraval is the headquarters of Gir Somnath district.
(Source: PTI)
Jailed Reporters Appear in Myanmar Court to Appeal Convictions
Two Reuters journalists jailed for violating Myanmar's Official Secrets Act appeared in a court here on Monday, 24 December, to appeal against their convictions.
In September, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were sentenced to seven years in jail each for allegedly compromising state secrets, while investigating a story on the Rohingya crisis in Rakhine state. The case has been widely seen as a test of press freedom in Myanmar.
The court indicated on Monday that a decision would be announced next month, Efe news reported.
(Source: IANS)
China Announces Tariff Cut on 700 Foreign Products
China on Monday, 24 December, said it would lower provisional tariffs on over 700 foreign products, including certain high-tech items, from early 2019, the media reported.
Citing China's Finance Ministry, the state-run Global Times reported that the government would impose "zero tariffs on ingredients for livestock feeds and certain medicines", including manganese slag.
The tariff reductions will also be imposed on aircraft engines, robots and other advanced equipment.
(Source: IANS)
Bihar's Ruling JD-U MLA Resigns
Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) legislator Shyam Bahadur Singh on Monday, 24 December, resigned from the party's primary membership here, saying his voice was not being heard by those in power while the district administration has also turned a deaf ear.
"I have resigned from JD-U as neither district administration officers in Siwan nor the top brass of the government in Patna listen to my genuine complaints.
(Source: IANS)
Over 2,000 Evacuated as 5.8 Quake Strikes Tibet
More than 2,100 people were evacuated after a 5.8-magnitude earthquake jolted Xigaze city in Tibet autonomous region early on Monday, 24 December, authorities said. No casualties were reported.
The earthquake hit Xaitongmoin County at 3.32 a.m. It struck at a depth of 8 km, the China Earthquake Networks Centre was cited as saying by Xinhua news agency.
(Source: IANS)
Pakistani Foreign Minister Visits Kabul
Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi paid a visit to Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Monday, 24 December, to discuss the ongoing peace efforts in the war-torn country.
This is Qureshi's second visit to Kabul since December 15, during which he is expected to exchange views with Afghan officials on matters pertaining to mutual interests including the ongoing peace process, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
(Source: IANS)
Security Beefed Up in Bengal for X-Mas, New Year Festivities
Elaborate security arrangements have been made in and around the city as well as the areas bordering West Bengal to avert any attempt to disrupt normal life during Christmas and New Year festivities, a senior official of the state police department said.
Altogether, 21 divisional mobile vans will be patrolling the capital city and its surrounding areas over the next few days to ensure hassle-free celebrations, he said.
"We have chalked out a detailed plan for this period.
Traffic have been restricted or diverted on several roads leading to Park Street the hub of festivities. Apart from that, we have erected check points at Dharamtala, Sealdah, Howrah and other entry points to the city," the officer said.
(Source: PTI)
Rahul Gandhi Not Acceptable as a Pivot to Many Parties: BJP
The BJP Monday, 24 December, said the Congress and its President Rahul Gandhi are not acceptable as a pivot to many parties outside the NDA and dubbed the "so-called" opposition unity against his outfit as a "bogus claim." "That the so-called Opposition unity against the BJP is a bogus claim is evident from the multiple fronts being forged by non-NDA parties," the BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao said.
He was responding to a question on Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K Chandrasekhar Rao's stepped-up efforts to forge a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front of regional parties.
(Source: PTI)
Pak PM Imran Khan Should Learn from India: AIMIM Leader Owaisi
Member of Parliament and AIMIM president Asauddin Owaisi took to Twitter to hit out at Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan over the latter's remark that he would show the Narendra Modi government "how to treat minorities".
In a tweet on Sunday, 23 December, Owaisi said Khan should instead take a lesson from India's inclusive politics and minority right.
(Source: PTI)
Sydney Apartment High-Rise Evacuated After 'Cracking' Heard
A 33-story apartment high-rise near central Sydney was evacuated Monday, 24 December, after residents reported hearing cracking noises.
More than 140 residents of the Opal Tower in Sydney's Olympic Park were forced from their homes along with occupants of nearby houses.
Train stations and roads near the building were closed while New South Wales state fire and rescue personnel assessed the structural integrity of the building.
(Source: PTI)
Number of Japanese Firms in India Rises to 1,441: Japan's Envoy
The number of Japanese companies operating in India has gone up to 1,441 till October this year, on account of improving business environment in the country, said Ambassador of Japan to India Kenji Hiramatsu.
In a communication to Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu, the Ambassador said there was a significant increase in the number of companies in metal manufacturing and services.
"We have completed the annual survey of Japanese business establishments in India...the number of Japanese companies in India has reached 1,441 as of October 2018, which is an increase of 72 companies or 5 per cent as compared to the previous year," Hiramatsu said.
(Source: PTI)
SC Denies Early Hearing in PIL Against MHA Notification
Supreme Court Registrar denies early hearing in the PIL against the MHA notification allowing 10 agencies to conduct surveillance, said “there is no urgency in the case”.
(Source: ANI)
Us Lawmakers Home for Christmas, Govt Workers Unpaid on Shutdown
US lawmakers headed home for Christmas leaving the government partially shut for a third day Monday in an impasse over President Donald Trump's demand for border wall funding, a standoff which the White House budget director said may continue until a new Congress takes over in January.
The shutdown adds to uncertainties from Washington which have spooked global stock markets, and capped a tumultuous week in which Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned over Trump's foreign policies.
(Source: PTI)
Israeli Soldiers Fire at 'Armed Suspects' in Golan
Israeli soldiers fired toward "armed suspects" who crossed the ceasefire line with Syria in the annexed Golan Heights, the army said Monday, 24 December.
The army said in a statement the incident occurred late Sunday near the border fence, but provided few other details. No Israeli soldiers were injured.
It was not clear who the suspects were, why they had infiltrated or whether any were wounded.
(Source: PTI)
7 Killed in Afghan Explosion
Seven civilians have been killed in an explosion in Afghanistan's Ghazni province, officials said on Monday, 24 December.
"Seven civilians were killed following an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion in Ghazni late Sunday," government spokesman Harif Noori told Xinhua news agency.
The incident occurred when a running mini bus touched off the IED along a dusty road in Shahkhog area of Dih Yak district. The official blamed the Taliban militant for the attack.
(Source: IANS)
Al Qaeda Plotting Plane Attacks in Europe: UK Security Minister
A "resurgent" Al Qaeda is looking to carry out terror attacks on passenger planes and airports, UK Security Minister Ben Wallace has warned following the widespread chaos at the country's Gatwick Airport over multiple drone sightings that triggered security concerns and led to numerous flight cancellations.
In an interview with British newspaper The Sunday Times, Wallace said Al Qaeda -- the group behind the World Trade Centre attacks that killed almost 3,000 people in the US on September 11, 2001 -- "still aspires for aviation attacks" and was developing technology to bring down airliners.
(Source: IANS)
GBN Admin Seeks CSR Partnerships for Uplifting Infrastructure of Govt Schools
The Gautam Buddh Nagar administration has invited private players to join it in uplifting the infrastructure and quality of education in state-run primary schools under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, an official said.
The administration's move comes days after a wall of a private school collapsed in Noida's Salarpur village, killing two children and injuring three others.
Officials had said that the illegally-run school's building was in a "poor and deteriorated" condition.
(Source: PTI)
Court Reserves Order of Alok Nath's Bail Application
Dindoshi sessions court has reserved order for 26 December on anticipatory bail application filed by actor Alok Nath in writer Vinta Nanda rape case where she had alleged sexual harassment by Nath.
(Source: ANI)
Four Charred to Death in a Fire in Cloth Godown in Suburban Kandivli
Four men were charred to death in a fire that gutted a cloth godown in suburban Kandivli here Sunday, a civic official said today.
The city also witnessed two more incidents of fire in suburban Khar and Mahim on Sunday in which two persons were critically injured.
The Kandivli blaze was reported in the godown, located in Damu Nagar near MIDC bus stop, at around 4 pm on Sunday, said an official from the Disaster Management Unit of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
"Four casualties were recovered from debris of the godown by fire personnel who were conduction fire fighting operations at the spot by 5 AM Monday," he said.
(Source: PTI)
Shatrughan Sinha Says Modi Govt 'One-Man Show', Mocks PM, Shah
BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha today took potshots at PM Modi and party chief Amit Shah, saying he was personally against the "one-man show and the two-men army".
Sinha, who is known for his sharp attacks on the ruling BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, said in a democracy "a party is bigger than the individual but nation is bigger than the party".
"So, whatever I have said and done was in the national interest and certainly not in self interest. So far, I have never asked for any favour, or anything for me," the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said.
(Source: PTI)
Bhutan PM to Visit India for Three Days, to Meet PM Modi
Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering will be on a three-day visit to India from Thursday, during which he will hold talks with counterpart Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs said Monday.
This is Tshering's first visit to the country since taking charge last month. The ministers of Foreign Affairs, Economic Affairs and other senior officials will be accompanying the Bhutanese prime minister, a statement said.
The two sides are likely to discuss all aspects of bilateral relations, including high-level exchanges, people-to-people ties, and economic, development and hydropower cooperation, it said.
(Source: PTI)
Delhi Cabinet Aprroves Proposal for CCTVs in Tihar
Delhi cabinet today approved proposal worth Rs 120 crore for CCTVs in Tihar, Mandoli and Rohini jails to check allegations of VIP treatment for influential inmates in these prisons and to ensure transparency in functioning of jails.
(Source: ANI)
Blast Rocks Kabul Govt Compound in Ongoing Attack: Officials
Militants detonated a car bomb before storming a Kabul government compound in an ongoing attack today, officials and witnesses said, in the latest violence to rock the Afghan capital.
A number of gunmen have entered the compound where an office of the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled is located, interior ministry deputy spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said.
(Source: PTI)
BJP Workers, Police Clash in West Bengal
A clash reportedly broke out between Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) workers and police in Basirhat in West Bengal today. More details awaited.
(Source: ANI)
Congress President Rahul Gandhi to Visit UAE: Reports
Congress President Rahul Gandhi will visit United Arab Emirates in January, sources told ANI.
O Raja Rejoins Brother Panneerselvam's AIADMK Camp
Tamil Nadu’s Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam's brother O Raja who was removed from AIADMK last week rejoins party today after expressing regret.
Raja has apologised "for having acted against the party’s principles and ideologies, and for bringing disrepute to the party."
(Source: ANI)
Woman in Meerut Attempts Self Immolation in Police Station
A woman tried to immolate herself at Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) office today.
"She poured kerosene oil on her and entered our office. She alleged she had filed complaint against 3 people for gang rape yet no action was taken. We've investigated but no strong evidence has been found yet", superintendent of police, rural told ANI.
Fire Breaks Out at UGC Office in Central Delhi
A fire broke out today on the second floor of the University Grants Commission office near ITO in central Delhi, the UGC said.
A call about the blaze in the office record room on the second floor of the building was received at 2.16 pm and six fire tenders were rushed to the spot, said an officer from the Delhi Fire Service, adding the fire was brought under control by 2.45 pm.
(Source: PTI)
Astrologist Hacked to Death in Public View at Tirupur
An astrologist was brutally murdered by two people in full public view in nearby Tirupur today, police said.
Ramesh was seated at his usual spot on Kumaran Road, when the two motorcycle-borne men covering their faces with helmets attacked him with sickles, the police said.
Before police could arrive, Ramesh with serious injuries on the neck, shoulder and face died, they said.
Previous enmity was the reason for the murder, they said adding that a search was on for the assailants.
(Source: PTI)
SC to Hear PIL on Ayodhya Matter on 4 January
The Supreme Court is scheduled to take up a batch of petitions in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case for hearing on 4 January.
The matter is listed before a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S K Kaul.
The bench is likely to constitute a three-judge bench for hearing as many as 14 appeals filed against the Allahabad High Court judgement, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77 acre land be partitioned equally among three parties - the Sunni Waqf Board, Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
(Source: ANI)
President Ends 'Southern Sojourn', Flies Back to New Delhi
President Ram Nath Kovind concluded his four-day customary 'southern sojourn' today and flew back to New Delhi.
Kovind and the first lady Savitha Kovind were given a farewell by Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Governor ESL Narasimhan and his wifeVimala Narasimhan at Hakimpet airport in Hyderabad.
Telangana Home Minister Mohd Mahmood Ali, chief secretary S K Joshi and other dignitaries were also present.
(Source: PTI)
Six Trains Cancelled Due to Weather Conditions
Owing to a poor weather conditions, six trains have been cancelled, two have been partially cancelled and frequency of four has been reduced due to foggy weather conditions.
(Source: ANI)
Three Dead, One Injured After Getting Run Over By Bus in Gujarat
Three people were killed and one was injured after being run over by a state transport bus. The brakes of the bus had reportedly failed. Driver and conductor of the bus fled from the spot.
(Source: ANI)
Janta Dal (Secular) Leader Murdered by Unidentified Assailants
Prakash, a Janta Dal (Secular) leader and husband of Zila Panchayat ex-president was murdered by unidentified assailants while he was travelling in his car in Maddur in Karnataka. Chief Minister’s Office has ordered an inquiry in the matter.
(Source: ANI)
Fire Breaks Out in ONGC Well in Gujarat
A fire broke out in an ONGC well during drilling in Padra, Vadodara today in Gujarat. Fire tenders were rushed to the spot. Situation under control, no casualty reported.
CBI Starts Interrogation of Workers in Muzaffarpur Shelter Home Case
Four member CBI team arrived at District Child Welfare Committee (DCWC) office earlier today to interrogate 6 workers and officers in relation with the case.
(Source: ANI)
Nine Killed in A Road Accident in Maha's Yavatmal
Nine people were killed and six others injured in a collision between a passenger vehicle and a truck on Kalamb road in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal.