Latest News: Bhim Army Chief Detained by Mumbai Police
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Fire Breaks Out in Mumbai's Bhiwandi
Fire broke out in a warehouse in Bhiwandi, Thane earlier today. Fire tenders were rushed to the spot, no casualty reported. More details awaited.
(Source: ANI)
Air Quality Remains 'Poor'
Major pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 in 'Poor' category in Lodhi Road area in Delhi, according to the Air Quality Index (AQI) data.
(Source: ANI)
Car Falls in Gorge Due to Poor Visibility in Uttarakhand, Three Dead
Three youngsters were killed in Tehri on Thursday night after their vehicle lost way due to heavy fog and fell into a gorge, police said on Friday.
The incident happened on a road near Banali village late in the evening. All the victims worked on a project of laying electricity wires.
(Source: IANS)
Karnataka ACB Conducts Raids at 17 Locations
Karnataka ACB teams are conducting raids at 17 locations corresponding to 5 government officials. Search is on at Bengaluru, Chintamani, Mysuru, Hunsur, Udupi, Davanagere, Chikkamagaluru, Mangaluru and Karwar.
(Source: ANI)
UP Govt Orders SIT Into Bribe Sting
UP Government has ordered a probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) after private secretaries of three UP ministers were caught in a sting allegedly asking for bribes, inside the secretariat building.The three officers have also been suspended.
(Source: ANI)
Dissident Pak Leaders Demand Action Against Killers of Former MP Ali Raza Abidi
Horrified at the assassination of former member of parliament Ali Raza Abidi, a group of dissident Pakistanis living in self-exile in the US on Thursday demanded that his killers be brought to account.
"We are shocked and horrified, and condemn in the strongest possible terms the heinous murder of former parliamentarian and senior leader of the MQM, Syed Ali Raza Abidi," members of the Steering Committee of South Asians Against Terrorism and for Human Rights (SAATH) said in a statement on the assassination of Abidi.
(Source: PTI)
Cohen Dismisses Report of Prague Meeting with Russians
Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's former attorney, denied Thursday that he had ever visited Prague, shooting down a report that he had a meeting with Russian officials there during the 2016 presidential election campaign.
"I hear #Prague #CzechRepublic is beautiful in the summertime," Cohen tweeted. "I wouldn't know as I have never been." "#Mueller knows everything!" he added in a reference to Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the former FBI director who is investigating whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia to get him elected to the White House.
(Source: PTI)
Now, A Demand For House For Lord Ram in Ayodhya
Hari Narayan Rajbhar has written to Ayodhya DM seeking a house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana for Lord Ram as 'he has been living in a tent.’
(Source: ANI)
Bailable Warrant Issued Against Sambit Patra
Bailable warrant issued against BJP leader and spokesperson Sambit Patra by CJM Court in a model of code of conduct violation case in Bhopal.
(Source: ANI)
Security Forces, Terrorists Exchange Fire
Exchange of fire between security forces and terrorists in South Kashmir's Pulwama. Area cordoned off, more details awaited.
2 Dead in Dehradun's Garhi Cantt
A bridge collapsed in Garhi Cantt in Dehradun district, two people dead, three injured.
(Source: ANI)
CBI Registers Case Against Punjab Resident Over Illegal Trafficking of Minor Girls
CBI registers case against Kala, a resident of Punjab and Aryan, a resident of Delhi over illegal trafficking of minor girls into Kenya on the pretext of providing employment. Three girls were rescued by Indian High Commission in Kenya.
Based on the complaint from US Embassy, CBI also registers a case against five persons from Punjab for illegally trafficking minor girls into the US on the pretext of an educational trip.
(Source: ANI)
NDRF Personnel to Land in Guwahati For Rescue Operation
Indian Air Force C-130J transport airplane has taken off from Bhubaneswar carrying NDRF personnel and equipment to help in the process to rescue the Meghalaya Miners, the aircraft will land in Guwahati, said Air Force sources.
(Source: ANI)
Winter Storm Snarls Holiday Travel in Parts of Us
Hundreds of flights were cancelled and thousands more delayed across the United States on Thursday as a powerful winter storm swept through the centre of the country, frustrating holiday travellers.
More than 6,500 flights were delayed and some 800 more were cancelled, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.
(Source: PTI)
Sensex Rises Over 300 Points
Starting on a positive note, the Sensex rose 258.5 points and touched 36,065.78 and the Nifty50 barometer of the National Stock Exchange.
Manmohan Singh Arrives At Congress HQ on Party Foundation Day
Senior Congress leaders including Dr Manmohan Singh arrive at party headquarters on Congress Foundation Day.
(Source: ANI)
Fire Services Team From Odisha Flies to Meghalaya
Odisha Fire Services team also left for Meghalaya in a special aircraft to assist local authorities in the rescue of trapped coal miners.
(Source: ANI)
Goa Mining: GMPF to Protest During Pm Modi's Visit in Jan
The Goa Mining People's Front, an umbrella organisation of people dependent on the state's mining sector, has decided to stage a protest during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi here next month, its chief Puti Goankar said.
The GMPF has been agitating for several months now demanding amendment in mining laws for the resumption of mining operations in Goa.
(Source: PTI)
5 Arrested for Poaching in Muzaffarnagar Forest
Five people were arrested for allegedly poaching wildlife animals for meat in the Shukertal forest range in the Hastinapur sanctuary here, police said Friday.
They were members of a gang that supplied meat of wildlife animals, Shukertal Range Officer Raj Singh Pundhir said.
(Source: PTI)
Dalit Leader Mevani Not Allowed to Meet Bhim Army Activists at Muzaffarnagar Jail
Gujarat MLA and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani was not allowed to meet Bhim Army activists at a jail here as he had come after visiting hours, officials said Friday.
The Bhim Army is a Dalit outfit based in Uttar Pradesh and its activist are lodged at the Muzaffarnagar district jail in connection with the April 2 violence here.
Mevani had come to meet the activists after visiting hours on Thursday evening, therefore, he was not allowed a meeting, Jail Superintendent A K Saxena said.
(Source: PTI)
One Terrorist Gunned Down in Pulwama
One terrorist has been gunned down by security forces as they exchanged fire with terrorist in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama.
Defence sources said the terrorists opened fire at a patrol party of the Rashtriya Rifles in Rinzipora village of Awantipora area on Friday morning.
"In retaliatory firing by the army, one militant was killed. The area has been cordoned off for searches," an informed source said.
(Source: ANI)
Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Party Headquarters on Party's Foundation Day
Congress President Rahul Gandhi at party HQ on Congress Foundation Day.
He could be seen unfurling a flag in the pictures.
(Source: ANI)
Pompeo to Meet Netanyahu in Brazil After Syria Decision
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet next week in Brazil with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Washington prepares to withdraw troops from Syria, the State Department said Thursday.
Pompeo and Netanyahu will meet in Brasilia where both will be attending the New Year's Day inauguration of president-elect Jair Bolsonaro, a right-wing firebrand who has vowed to move Brazil closer to Israel and US President Donald Trump.
(Source: PTI)
US Govt Shutdown Set to Drag on to 2019 as Trump, Dems Stick to Their Stands
The partial US government shutdown is all set to drag on to the new year as opposition Democrats and Republicans refused to show any sign of compromise Thursday to end the impasse over President Donald Trump's demand for border wall funding.
Trump has refused to sign any stopgap spending bill that does not has provisions to fund a wall along the US-Mexico border which he says is essential to stop the flow of illegal immigrants.
(Source: PTI)
2 of 5 Eclipses in 2019 to Be Visible in India: Observatory Official
Astronomy enthusiasts and skygazers will be able to watch five eclipses in 2019, two of which will be visible in India.
It will start with a partial solar eclipse on January 6, though it will not be visible in India, Dr Rajendraprakash Gupt, Superintendent of the Ujjain-based Jiwaji Observatory, told PTI.
Cold Morning in Delhi, Minimum Temperature Settles at 5 Deg Celsius
Delhiites woke up to a cold Friday morning as the minimum temperature was recorded at five degrees Celsius, two notches below the season's average.
Humidity was recorded at 91 per cent.
The weatherman has forecast clear skies through the day with the possibility of haze or smoke, and the maximum temperature is likely to settle at 21 degrees Celsius.
(Source: PTI)
Ragubhar Das-Led Jharkhand Govt Completes 4 Years
Raghubar Das-led Jharkhand Government completes four years in office, a press conference to be held later on Friday, 28 December.
(Source: ANI)
Bhutan PM Arrives in India
Newly elected Bhutan PM Lotay Tshering meets PM Narendra Modi. This is Tshering's maiden foreign visit as Prime Minister.
(Source: ANI)
District Jail Chief Warden Shot Dead in Up
The chief warden of the district jail was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne assailants at the Jail Road Crossing here, police said Friday.
The incident took place Harinarain Trivedi (55) was going to buy vegetables on Thursday afternoon, Superintendent of Police (SP) S Anand said.
(Source: PTI)
Vadodara Police Commissioner Issues Notification For New Year Celebration
Vadodara Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gehlot said, “We have issued notification for New Year celebrations. CCTVs should be present at all venues, no drugs or alcohol should be served and such clothes should not be worn which have an adverse effect on children.”
(Source: ANI)
6 Farmers on Fast Against Power Towers in Farm Lands Faint in TN
Six farmers on a relay fast near here against installation of power transmission towers in farm lands were hospitalised after their health deteriorated Friday, police said.
The farmers, including four women in their 50s, fainted this morning on the sixth day of the fast at Mollakkarai village, they said.
(Source: PTI)
3 Women Rescued from Flesh Trade Racket in Goa, 3 Arrested
Three women were rescued from a flesh trade racket and three persons were arrested in Goa's Anjuna area, police said Friday.
Inspector C L Patil of Anjuna police station said the three women, hailing from Thane and Mumbai in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, were rescued Thursday evening.
(Source: PTI)
Amit Shah to Visit Tripura in Jan, Address Party Workers
BJP national president Amit Shah would visit Tripura on January 5 to check the party's preparedness for the Lok Sabha elections scheduled next year.
During the visit, Shah would address a conference of 'Pristha Pramukhs', considered to be the saffron party's organisational backbone.
There would be no public rally as it would be purely an organisational matter, and only 'Pristha Pramukhs' would participate in the conference apart from state-level leaders of the party.
(Source: PTI)
6.1-Magnitude Quake Strikes Indonesia
An earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale rocked Indonesia's Papua Barat province on Friday, officials said. There was, however, no report of any casualty.
The earthquake had an epicentre of 26 km under Manokwari town, but no tsunami warning was issued, Xinhua news agency quoted an meteorology official as saying.
(Source: IANS)
Woman Arrested in Maha's Thane for 3 House-Breaking Thefts
A 33-year-old woman was arrested in Maharashtra's Thane district for allegedly being involved in three house-breaking thefts here, a senior police official said Friday.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Deepak Deoraj Friday said the accused, identified as Shirin Noor Ali Shaikh, had broken into three houses in Ulhasnagar and Ambernath in the district and looted cash, gold and silver totalling Rs 13 lakh.
(Source: PTI)
Sena Attacks Maha Govt for Falling Onion Prices, Farm Distress
Expressing distress over the falling prices of onions in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena Friday asked why farmers cannot be given their due if the state government can implement the 7th Pay Commission.
The Sena, in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana', pointed out that onion farmers in Aurangabad's Vaijapur Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) were getting as little as 20 paise per kilogram for their produce.
(Source: PTI)
CPEC Has No Military Dimensions: Pakistan
Pakistan has said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a bilateral economic project and has no military dimensions.
Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal said this at the weekly media briefing here on Thursday when asked about a US media report that alleged that China has hatched a secret plan to build fighter jets and other military hardware in Pakistan as part of the USD 60 billion project.
(Source: PTI)
Foreign Journalists Violating Indian Laws Liable to Be Punished: MHA
All foreigners have to respect Indian law and those found in violation are liable to be punished but that does not mean they are blacklisted forever, a Home Ministry official said on Friday after a Reuters journalist was denied entry into India for allegedly violating visa rules.
The action against Cathal McNaughton, chief photographer at the news agency's Delhi office who was recently sent back from the airport here after his arrival from an overseas trip, is not permanent and can be reviewed after six months or a year, the official told PTI.
(Source: PTI)
Sanjay Sethi Appointed JNPT Chairman
Senior bureaucrat Sanjay Sethi has been appointed as the chairman of the Navi Mumbai-based Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), according to a government order.
The 1992-batch IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre has been appointed to the post for a period of five years, the order issued by the Personnel Ministry said.
(Source: PTI)
PM Modi Holds Joint Press Conference With Bhutanese Counterpart
Prime Minister Narednra Modi addresses media at a joint press conference with his Bhutanese counterpart Dr Lotay Tshering in New Delhi.
The two held delegation level talks at Hyderabad House in the capital. Tshering arrived in Delhi on Friday, 28 December.
India, Bhutan to Work Together For Development in South Asian Region
India will play a key role in development of Bhutan. It have extended support in the hydro projects in the neighbouring country, said PM Modi.
Both the countries want to speed up the developmental projects, the prime minister said. He also said that Indian will be investing Rs 4,000 crore for development of various projects in Bhutan.
DMK Chief MK Stalin Urges Party Cadres to Work Towards Uprooting BJP, AIADMK
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief MK Stalin has urged his party workers to gear up their efforts to throw BJP governmnt and AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu.
Stalin was addressing a public meeting in Kanur. He said, “He (Modi) did not expect the reverses (of fortune in the recent elections in three states) and hence has started criticizing this alliance and raising questions of ideologies and principles.”
(Source: The News Minute)
NCP to Take Action Against Corporators For Supporting BJP
NCP leader Nawab Malik told ANI that 18 NCP corporators defied party orders and supported BJP candidate for Ahmednagar Mayor post. NCP to take action against them and one MLA. Will issue show cause notices and if they fail to explain, they will be expelled from the party.
(Source: ANI)
Fire Breaks Out Inside ISRO's Ahmendabad Centre
A fire broke out inside Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) centre in Ahmedabad. Five fire tenders at the spot. More details awaited.
(Source: ANI)
PM Modi to Visit Uttar Pradesh on 29 Dec
PM Modi will visit Varanasi and Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh on 29th December, 2018. During the visit, he will dedicate the 6th International Rice Research Institute South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC) campus to the nation in Varanasi and attend the One District, One Product Regional Summit at Deendayal Hastakala Sankul in Varanasi.
A commemorative postal stamp on the Maharaja Suheldeo will be released by the Prime Minister in Ghazipur where he will also address a public rally.
(Source: PIB)
Rebels Breach Myanmar Ceasefire in Army Attack: Military
Myanmar's army accused rebels on Friday of attacking and killing "some" of its soldiers, the first skirmish acknowledged by the military in the wake of it unprecedented ceasefire with ethnic armed groups.
The military announced last week it would suspend "all military movements" in the troubled northern and eastern regions for four months, a move observers say is unprecedented.
(Source: AFP)
Woman Dies After Being Hit by Train, Police Blame Fog
A 28-year-old woman was killed and her six-year-old daughter seriously injured when they were hit by a goods train while trying to cross a railway track here Friday, with the police saying the dense fog in the area might have contributed to the accident.
The local police said Maya was trying to cross the railway track in Tulsipur police station area with her daughter when they were hit by the train.
(Source: PTI)
Two Killed in Road Accident in Rajasthan's Baran District
Two persons were killed after their motorcycle was hit by a vehicle on the NH-27 in Rajasthan's Baran district, police said Friday.
Mahavir Aheer (38) and Basanti lal Meghawal (45), both residents of Sultanpur of Kota district, were killed in the accident that took place Thursday night near Palaitha village, they said.
Police said the bodies were on Friday morning handed over to the family members after postmortem.
(Source: PTI)
Tremors Force Dahanu Ashram School to Hold Classes in the Open
Classes at an ashram school in Dahanu taluka in Maharashtra's Palghar district are being conducted in the open as several tremors in the past few weeks have left residents and students frightened.
The Dahanu area has seen at least eight tremors since November, most of them centred around Dundalwadi, the area where the ashram school is located.
(Source: PTI)
100 Kgs of Fentanyl Drug Worth Rs 1,000 Crore Siezed
Shivdeep Lande, DCP (Anti Narcotics Cell), Mumbai said they have recovered 100 kgs of fentanyl drug worth Rs 1,000 crore, after a tip off. It was meant to be exported to foreign countries especially Mexico, 4 people have been arrested in connection with the case.
(Source: ANI)
Justice Arumughaswamy Commission Summons UK doctor Richard Beale
Justice Arumughaswamy Commission summons UK doctor Richard Beale, Tamil Nadu Health Minister C Vijayabaskar, Deputy CM O Panneerselvam and Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha M Thambidurai in the J Jayalalithaa death matter.
(Source: ANI)
N Korea Defectors' Details Leaked in Hacking
Personal details of nearly 1,000 North Korean defectors living in the South have been leaked in a hacking case, officials said Friday, exposing them to potential threats from the North.
This is the first time that personal details including names and addresses of North Korean defectors have been stolen on such a large scale, the Unification Ministry said.
(Source: AFP)
Australia Swelters in Record-Breaking Heatwave
Australia's vast continent is sizzling through extreme heatwave conditions this week, with temperatures reaching record highs and emergency services on high alert for bushfires.
The mercury is up to 16 degree Celsius (60.8 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than usual for this time of the year for southern Australia, with numerous towns setting new December records, the Bureau of Meteorology said Friday.
(Source: AFP)
Sri Lanka's Ruling UNP Rules out Early Snap Poll
Sri Lanka's ruling UNP has no intention to go for an early snap general election, a party spokesman said Friday, ending weeks of speculation that the government may dissolve parliament before the end of its term.
Ajith P Perera, a United National Party (UNP) spokesman, said no parliamentary election would be held before February 2020 when President Maithripala Sirisena could sack the assembly.
"We must make it very clear that the UNP has not expressed any willingness to dissolve parliament before its term ends," Perera said.
(Source: PTI)
Three of Indian-Origin Family Killed in Accident in Iceland
Seven members of a UK-based Indian-origin family were involved in a freak accident in Iceland when their SUV crashed off a bridge on Thursday, killing two women and a child.
Four others, including two British Indian brothers and two young children, remain in critical condition after being airlifted to a hospital in Iceland's capital Reykjavik.
(Source: PTI)
Tripura Cabinet Okays Proposal for NCERT Curriculum from Next Session
The Tripura Cabinet has given its nod to a proposal to introduce the NCERT curriculum in all state government and aided schools from the next academic session, beginning April 2019.
The Department of Education has initiated the process to introduce the NCERT curriculum to replace the existing one prescribed by the State Council of Educational Research and Training, Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath told reporters after the Cabinet meeting on Thursday. The meeting ended late in the evening.
(Source: PTI)
Sisters Shot Dead over Property Dispute in Up
Two sisters were shot dead allegedly over property dispute in Pachawali village here, police said Friday.
Laxmi (18) and Sunita (45) were killed on Thursday while they were sleeping in their house, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ashok Kumar Tripathi said.
(Source: PTI)
2 Killed as 100-Yr-Old Bridge Collapses in U'Khand
Two persons were killed and as many injured after a 100-year-old bridge collapsed here on Friday morning while a mini-truck and a motorcycle were crossing it, police said.
The incident occurred around 5 am when the two vehicles fell down along with the british-era bridge over the Tamsa river in Birpur area, they said.
(Source: PTI)
Odisha Seeks Financial Assistance for Helping Drought-Affected Farmers
Odisha has sought an assistance of Rs 1,534.82 crore from the central government towards mitigation of farmers' problems due to the drought situation in certain pockets of nine districts, an official said on Friday.
The state government, in its memorandum submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, said that a crop loss (mainly paddy) of 33 per cent and above had been recorded in some pockets of the state as a result of erratic rainfall and moisture-stress condition.
(Source: PTI)
Russian Teenagers Use Social Media to Rebel Against Teachers
The principal of a prestigious school near St Petersburg summoned 16-year-old Leonid Shaidurov and 14-year-old Maxim Dautov in for a chat.
Then he threatened them with expulsion, a criminal probe and being blacklisted from all Russian universities.
Their crime? Setting up an independent student union.
(Source: AP)
Sensex, Nifty Jump 1% Led by Gains in Financials
The financial sector led the gains on the major indices -- BSE Sensex and Nifty50 -- during the Friday afternoon trade, as Asian markets advanced, tracking overnight gains in the US markets.
Finance stocks, which have the highest weightage among all the sectors on BSE, rose 1.24 per cent.
(Source: IANS)
Fire Inside ISRO Extinguished
Fire inside the ISRO has been extinguished by the fire department. The incident of fire took place in the store room of ISRO. No deaths or injuries reported in the incident.
2 Killed as 100-Yr-Old Bridge Collapses in Uttarakhand
Two persons were killed and as many injured after a 100-year-old bridge collapsed in Dehradun on 29 December morning while a mini-truck and a motorcycle were crossing it, police said.
The incident occurred around 5 am when the two vehicles fell down along with the british-era bridge over the Tamsa river in Birpur area, they said.
Cabinet Approves Death Penalty For Sexual Crimes Under POCSO
Union Law Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad said on 28 December that the cabinet has approved death penalty in aggravated sexual offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Navy Divers to Join Operations to Rescue Trapped Miners in Meghalaya
Navy divers being airlifted to join operations to rescue the trapped coal miners in Meghalaya, reported ANI quoting Indian Navy.
Govt Increases Export Incentives on Onions from 5% to 105
Central Government, on 28 December, increased the export incentives granted for onions under the Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) from existing 5% to 10%.
Three Headless Bodies Found in Haryana
Three headless bodies were found inside a plastic drum lying near a canal in Haryana's Bhiwani district on Friday, police said. The bodies, which were dumped along the Bhiwani-Rohtak highway, were found by people in Kharak village of Bhiwani, some 300 km from here, who then informed the police.
(Source: IANS)
Delhi's Air Quality Slightly Improves, May Turn 'Severe' Again
Delhi's air quality showed a slight improvement Friday as it recorded 'very poor' pollution level, but remained on the brink of turning 'severe' due to drop in temperature which is slowing dispersion of pollutants, authorities said.
(Source: PTI)
Complaint Against Chairman of Nakoda Ltd Filed in Gujarat
Enforcement Directorate (ED) files prosecution complaint against Babulal Jain, Chairman, Nakoda Ltd. Surat and 13 others in connection with a bank fraud case. ED had already attached properties worth Rs. 375.71 crore belonging to Nakoda Ltd.
(Source: ANI)
SEBI Slaps Rs 50 Lakh Fines on Citrus Check, Directors
Markets regulator SEBI today imposed a penalty of Rs 50 lakh on Citrus Check Inns and its directors for non-compliance of its order, wherein it had barred them from raising funds from the public.
The regulator, through its orders passed in June and August 2015, had directed the firm as well as its directors — Omprakash Basantlal Goenka, Prakash Ganpat Untekar, Venkatraman Natarajan and Narayan Shivram Kotnis — not to collect any more money from investors through the existing or new schemes.
Citrus collected Rs 770 crore from about 4.5 lakh members in March 2013 through its various 'holiday plans' which later went up to Rs 1,600 crore in 2015, the orders had noted.
(Source: PTI)
India Announces Rs 4,500 Crore Assistance to Bhutan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a Rs 4,500-crore financial assistance to Bhutan to help the country implement its 12th five-year plan, after he held wide-ranging talks with his Bhutanese counterpart Lotay Tshering.
In his media statement today, Modi said he has assured the Bhutanese prime minister that India, as a "trusted friend", will continue to play an important role in Bhutan's overall development.
The prime minister also thanked the Bhutanese leader for deciding to introduce in Bhutan the Indian RuPay card which is a debit and credit card payment network.
(Source: PTI)
1.9 Lakh Children Missing in Last 3 Years: WCD
Over 1.9 lakh children went missing in the last three years, the Lok Sabha was told today.
From 2 June, 2015, to 21 December, 2018, a total of 1,91,679 children have gone missing, Minister of State for Women and Child Development Virendra Kumar told the Lok Sabha.
The highest number of children went missing from Gujarat at 37,063 followed by Madhya Pradesh 32,925 and West Bengal 25,275, he said.
(Source: PTI)
Three Arrested for Raping College Student at Knifepoint
A college student was raped at knifepoint in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district earlier this week, following which three accused have been arrested, police said today.
The incident took place on 25 December when she had gone for a walk with her male friend on Gochar road in Karnaprayag, station house officer, Karnaprayag, Chitragupt said.
The three men accosted them and threatened them with a knife, asking him to leave. When the student's friend left, the accused took turns to rape her at knifepoint, he said.
(Source: PTI)
Sohrabuddin-Prajapati Killings: Special Court Verdict Rips CBI's Probe
The entire CBI investigation in the politically sensitive Sohrabuddin Shaikh-Tulsiram Prajapati and Kausar Bi's alleged encounter killings case was targeted "to act upon a script" and "anyhow implicate political leaders", the case judgement delivered on 21 December, and made available on Friday, said.
"The entire investigation was thus targeted to act upon a script to achieve the said goal and in the process of its zeal to anyhow implicate political leaders, anyhow the CBI created the evidence and placed statements purported to have been recorded under Section 161 or Sec. 164 of the Cr.PC of witnesses in the chargesheet," said Special CBI Judge SJ Sharma in a strong indictment of the CBI.
(Source: IANS)
Egypt Jails Woman for 3 Years for 'Harassing' Monkey
An Egyptian court has sentenced a 25-year-old woman to three years in prison for "sexually harassing" a monkey in the country's north, state daily Al-Ahram reported today.
A court in Mansoura city charged Basma Ahmed with "inciting debauchery" and "committing an obscene act in public", a judicial source told the newspaper.
She was arrested in October after a 90-second video of the incident went viral, Al-Ahram said.
Syria Military Says It Entered Flashpoint Kurdish-Held Town
Syria's military announced today that it entered the flashpoint Kurdish-held town of Manbij, where Turkey has threatened an offensive, and raised the national flag there.
A Syrian Kurdish official however said the government troops arrived only at the town's perimeter.
Turkey's president said the facts on the ground in Manbij remain uncertain, calling the government entering the town a "psychological act."
"I spoke with my friends, with intelligence, etc, about an hour ago and there is nothing certain at this moment," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul.
(Source: AP)
Six Indians Arrested in Nepal for Duping Villagers with Fake Gold
Six Indian nationals have been arrested from Nepal's Bhojpur district for allegedly duping local villagers on the pretext of forging new ornaments and exchanging them with gold coated ones, said a media report on Friday.
(Source: PTI)
Nirav Modi Located in UK, British Authorities Inform India
British authorities have informed India that bank fraud fugitive Nirav Modi is living in the UK, the government has said.
Replying to a question, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh told Rajya Sabha that National Central Bureau of Manchester conveyed to Indian agencies that their investigations have led to the location of Nirav Modi in the UK.
(Source: PTI)
Four Labourers Injured in Factory Fire in UP
Four labourers at an illegal noodles factory on Maholi road suffered severe burn injuries Friday after a gas leak caused fire in the unit, police said.
(Source: PTI)
Fire Breaks out in Gauhati Medical College Hospital, No Reports of Casualties.
A fire broke out in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the Gauhati Medical College Hospital on Friday but all the newborns are safe, the hospital authorities said.
The fire broke out in a ventilator machine in the ICU situated in the Special Newborn Care Unit of the hospital, they said.
(Source: PTI)
Oil Marketing Companies to Manufacture Sanitary Napkins in Odisha as CSR
Leading oil marketing companies(OMCs) have joined hands to set up units for manufacturing sanitary napkins at the common service centres (CSCs) across Odisha.
The Ujjwala sanitary pads will be made of virgin wood pulp sheet, non-woven white sheet and a gel sheet which are all biodegradable in nature and will leave minimal carbon footprint, the OMC officials said.
The state government had in February 2018 launched a programme for distributing free sanitary napkins to school going girls.
(Source: PTI)
Pakistan Army Chief Confirms Death Penalty for 22 'Hardcore Terrorists'
Pakistan Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has confirmed death sentences handed down to 22 "hardcore terrorists" by military courts, a report said on Friday.
The terrorists were convicted by military courts which were set up after the 2014 Peshawar school attack that killed 150 people, mostly schoolchildren, Radio Pakistan reported.
Their terrorist acts resulted in the deaths of 176 people, including 19 armed forces personnel, 41 police and levies officials and 116 civilians and injured 217 others, it said.
(Source: PTI)
British Indian Family in Freak Iceland Crash, 3 Dead
Seven members of a UK-based Indian-origin family were involved in a freak accident in Iceland when their SUV crashed off a bridge on Thursday, killing two women and a child.
(Source: PTI)
Ex DMK MLA Rajkumar Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Rape and Murder of 15 Year Old Girl
Former DMK MLA Rajkumar who represented the Perambalur constituency, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by a Special Court in Chennai today in connection with a 2012 case of the alleged rape and killing of a 15-year-old girl from Kerala.
(Source: ANI)
Ten Booked for Ransacking Shops over 'Cow Slaughter'
The police have booked 10 men over the ransacking of shops at a market in Shimla after the discovery of a severed cattle head.
Protesters from some Hindu groups Thursday damaged shops belonging to Muslims in Rohru tehsil's meat market after a chopped head, allegedly of a calf, was found in a building near Arhal Road, police said.
(Source: PTI)
Eight Hostages in Czech Bank Hold-Up
An armed man was holding eight people hostage at a bank in the central Czech town of Pribram on Friday, insisting he wanted to file a criminal complaint rather than rob the bank, a police spokeswoman said.
(Source: PTI)
Drugs Worth Rs 1000 Crores Seized in Mumbai, Four Arrested
A major haul of drugs valued at a whopping Rs 1,000 crore was seized in Mumbai, police said Friday, adding that four alleged drug peddlers were arrested. Acting on a tip-off, the Azad Maidan unit of the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) laid a trap and intercepted a car in which the drug peddlers were travelling, said the official.
(Source: PTI)
Four Injured in Fire Caused by Explosion of Mobile Phone Thane
Four members of a family suffered severe burn injuries in a fire following the explosion of a mobile phone at Shahapur in Thane district on Friday, police said.
(Source: PTI)
Thousands of Youth to Hold March in Delhi on 7 February
Thousands of youngsters from across the country will hold a march in the national capital on 7 February to demand education and jobs, a youth organisation said Friday.
The youth will be marching under the Young India National Coordination Committee, which came into existence with the coming together of more than 50 youth movements, student unions and organisations.
(Source: PTI)
Bulandshahr Violence: Man Who 'Shot' Cop Sent to 14-Day Custody
Today a court sent to 14-day judicial custody the man who allegedly shot dead a police inspector during mob violence in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr district earlier this month.
(Source: PTI)
Sukumar Hansda New Deputy Speaker of West Bengal Assembly
Trinamool Congress MLA and former minister Sukumar Hansda was sworn in as the deputy speaker of the West Bengal legislative assembly today.
(Source: PTI)
Portfolios Allocated to Ministers in Madhya Pradesh
In Madhya Pradesh, portfolios have been allocated to ministers today, according to ANI. On 25 December, Chief Minister Kamal Nath had expanded his council of ministers by inducting 28 MLAs.
Exchange of Fire Underway in Jammu and Kashmir
Exchange of fire underway between security forces and terrorists in Wagoora, Nowgam on the outskirts of Srinagar city. The area has been cordoned off, and no loss of life or property reported. More details are awaited.
(Source: ANI)
Uttarkhand HC Directs Ramdev's Company to Share Profits with Locals
In a first-of-its-kind order, the Uttarakhand High Court has directed a company run by Yoga guru Ramdev to share a percentage of its profits with local farmers and communities.
(Source: PTI)
Bhim Army Chief Detained by Mumbai Police
Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan was detained by Mumbai Police, ANI reported.
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