Give US New Trains, Release GST: Bhupesh Baghel Ahead Of Budget 2023

Ahead of the presentation of the Union Budget for fiscal 2023-24, on Wednesday, Chattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said locals have put forward a demand for new trains in Jagadalpur and Surguja areas.

CM Baghel further demanded that GST and central excise dues to the state be released at the earliest.

"People have demanded new trains in Jagadalpur and Surguja areas. Earlier, there used to be a separate Railway Budget. But now, such announcements are not made separately. We also demand that our share of GST and central excise dues be released at the earliest," said Mr Baghel.

This year's Budget assumes significance as it is the BJP-led NDA government's last full budget before the next parliamentary elections in 2024.

Like the previous two Union Budgets, Union Budget 2023-24 will also be delivered in paperless form.

The Union Budget, also comprising the Railway Budget, will be presented on the floor of the Parliament on February 1, Wednesday.

Earlier on Wednesday, President Droupadi Murmu addressed the joint session of the Parliament ahead of the commencement of the Budget Session.

The President touched upon several issues in her address including defence, space, women empowerment, the importance of duties during the Amrit Kaal to build a developed India etc.

Underlining the role of political stability in the country's development, President Droupadi Murmu said that India is in a better position as compared to other countries due to the decisions taken in the national interest of the central government.

Addressing a joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in Parliament today President Murmu said, "The benefit of a stable and decisive government is being reaped by us against the biggest crisis in 100 years and in tackling the situation that arose after it. Wherever there is political instability anywhere in the world, those countries are surrounded by a massive crisis. But due to the decisions my government took in the national interest, India is in a better position as compared to other countries."

The budget session that began on Tuesday with the President's address will take place in 27 sittings till April 6 with a month-long recess to examine the budget papers. The first part of the session will conclude on February 13. Parliament will reconvene on March 12 for the second part of the Budget Session and will conclude on April 6.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Auckland weather: Flood-hit region suffers more heavy rain

Only days after deadly floods killed four in Auckland, severe weather once again hit the region.

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Floating pirate-themed restaurant sinks off Thailand coast

Eyewitnesses reported the vessel slowly sinking in rough water in Pattaya Bay.

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Russian Tourist Arrested In Goa For Using Banned Satellite Phone: Cops

Goa police on Tuesday arrested a 38-year-old female Russian tourist for using a banned satellite phone, a senior official said.

The Colva police in South Goa booked Aleksei Kamynin for possessing and using a satellite phone of make 'Thuraya' with a SIM card which is banned for usage in India, said the official.

The woman was taken into custody from a resort where she was staying, he said.

She has been booked under the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act and Section 20 of the Indian Telegraph Act, while the device has been seized, he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Pope in DR Congo: 'Hands off Africa' says Pope Francis in Kinshasa speech

Pope Francis gave a speech where he spoke of the centuries of exploitation faced by the country.

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Stalker Sends Woman Blood-Stained Letter, Arrested: Ghaziabad Cops

A man was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly stalking a woman and sending her a blood-stained letter with a blade enclosed within, police in Ghaziabad said.

The woman in her complaint said that the man used to bother her and ask her for money to buy a new mobile phone, police said.

Later, he sent her a blood-stained letter, with a blade, and stuck it with the handle of her car.

The accused has been identified as Haider Ali Khan of Vishwakarma colony of the city. The woman lives in the same colony.

According to the police, when the woman found the letter, she lodged a complaint at the Sihani Gate Police Station. In it she wrote that she was being stalked by a man from her colony for the past many days.

She also said that the accused made objectionable gestures towards her and would stare at her, all that made her uneasy.

"Police arrested the accused today in the afternoon and registered an FIR against him," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Alok Dubey said.

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14 Get Life Sentence In Connection With Ex-BJP MLA's Murder

 A local court here on Monday sentenced 14 people to life imprisonment in connection with the murder of former Iglas MLA Malkhan Singh and his bodyguard.

District and Sessions judge Pankaj Kumar Singh also slapped a fine of Rs 1.50 lakh on the main accused and former zila panchayat chairman Tejveer Singh.

Malkhan Singh was the BJP MLA from Iglas assembly constituency from 1996 to 2002.

Assistant district advocate Manu Raj Bahadur said Malkhan Singh was sitting outside his residence on March 20, 2006 with his friends when Tejveer Singh came there with 14-15 men and killed the MLA and his bodyguard.

A case was registered in the matter on a complaint by Malkhan Singh's elder brother and eyewitness Dalveer Singh. On the directions of the Allahabad High Court, the matter was transferred to Bulandshahr in 2008.

Of the 18 accused persons, two have died and two are absconding.

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US shooting suspect 'killed seven after $100 bill'

A San Mateo County District Attorney has said the suspect was angered over a workplace dispute.

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Antony Blinken in Jerusalem: Urgent steps needed for calm

The US Secretary of State also calls for a two-state solution, following bloody attacks on Israelis.

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Central Team Visits Schools In Bengal To Review Midday Meal Scheme

A 13-member central team on Monday started a review of the midday meal scheme in schools in West Bengal, a senior official said.

The joint review mission consisting of Union education ministry officials, one nutritionist, and a representative of Unicef along with the director of PM Poshan Scheme, V Bhaskar, also held a meeting with state education department officials.

The officials, who are scheduled to conduct their review till February 6, visited several schools in North and South 24 Parganas districts on Monday.

The team, which reached the city on Sunday evening, will check school infrastructure and the quality of food served to school children under the mid-day meal scheme.

"This is a routine visit. We carry out such reviews in the states every year. We will try to visit as many districts as possible. Today we met the officials of the School Education department," an official of the team said after the meeting.

She said that after conducting the review, when they will talk to school children and their parents, the team will prepare statistics that will be submitted to the Centre.

The team went to a school at Rajarhat in North 24 Parganas districts, where they spoke to parents of students and enquired about the quality of food served to the children there.

Thereafter, the team went to visit schools in South 24 Parganas district.

The Centre has recently allocated a fund of Rs 372 crore under the PM Poshan scheme to the state in order to provide nutritious food to school students.

It has also released an additional fund of Rs 250 crore to the school education department for infrastructural development.

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Super Bowl 57: Empire State Building trolls New York Giants and Jets

New Yorkers were not happy after the Empire State building lit up in the colours of fellow NFL side and fierce rivals the Philadelphia Eagles.

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Odisha Health Minister, Who Was Shot By Cop, To Be Accorded State Honour

The Odisha government on Sunday evening said state honour would be accorded to Naba Kishore Das, the health and family welfare minister who died in hospital hours after being shot by a policeman.

A government release said there will be no official entertainment for three days from January 29-31 throughout the state.

"It has been decided by the Government of Odisha that as a mark of respect, state honour would be accorded to the departed dignitary. National flag will be flown at half-mast on the day of death in the state capital and on the day of funeral at the place where it takes place," an official release said.

The minister, 60, was shot at Brajrajnagar town around 1 pm by Assistant Sub-inspector of Police (ASI) Gopal Das, who is believed to be suffering from mental disorder.

A team of doctors at Apollo Hospital operated on him after he was airlifted from Jharsugada to Bhubaneshwar, but he eventually succumbed to injuries.

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Erdogan says Turkey may block Sweden's Nato membership bid

The president said he would not support Sweden's bid until it extradited dozens of "terrorists".

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Australian Open 2023: Novak Djokovic beats Stefanos Tsitsipas in Melbourne final

Novak Djokovic wins a record-extending 10th Australian Open and a record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam men's title by seeing off Stefanos Tsitsipas.

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Enrolment In Higher Education Crosses 4 Crore-Mark For First Time In India

The enrolment in higher education institutions increased to 4.14 crore during 2020-21, crossing the 4 crore mark for first time, according to the government's All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2020-2021.

It registered an increase of 7.5 per cent from 2019-20 and 21 per cent from 2014-15.

The female enrolment has increased to 2.01 crore from 1.88 crore in 2019-20. There has been an increase of around 44 lakh (28 per cent) in their number since 2014-15, the survey report said.

The Ministry of Education has been conducting All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) since 2011, covering all higher educational institutions located in Indian Territory and imparting higher education in the country.

The survey collects detailed information on different parameters such as student enrollment, teachers' data, infrastructural information, financial information etc.

For the first time, in AISHE 2020-21, the higher education institutions, or HEIs, have filled the data online through the Web Data Capture Format (DCF) developed by the Department of Higher Education with the help of the National Informatics Centre (NIC).

"The total enrolment in higher education has increased to nearly 4.14 crore in 2020-21 from 3.85 crore in 2019-20. Since 2014-15, there has been an increase of around 72 lakh in the enrolment (21 pc). The female enrolment has increased to 2.01 crore from 1.88 crore in 2019-20. There has been an increase of around 44 Lakh (28 pc) since 2014-15," the Ministry of Education said in a statement.

"The percentage of female enrolment to total enrolment has increased from 45 pc in 2014-15 to around 49 pc in 2020-21. As per 2011 population projections for 18-23 years age group, GER has increased to 27.3 from 25.6 in 2019-20," it added.

According to the survey, there was a significant increase, 28 per cent, in enrolment of SC students, and 38 per cent in enrolment of female SC Students in 2020-21, as compared to 2014-15.

"Substantial increase of 47 pc in enrolment of ST students and 63.4 pc increase in the enrolment of Female ST Students in 2020-21, compared to 2014-15. The enrolment in Institute of National Importance (INIs) has increased by nearly 61 pc during the period 2014-15 to 2020-21.

"Enrolment has increased in 2020-21 compared to 2014-15 in the specialized universities relating to Defence, Sanskrit, Biotechnology, Forensics, Design, Sports etc. The total number of pass-outs has increased to 95.4 Lakh in 2020-21 as against 94 Lakh in 2019-20," it said.

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Photocopied Pages From Hindu Epic Ramcharitmanas Burnt In Protest In UP

A group called Akhil Bharatiya OBC Mahasabha on Sunday in Vrindavan burned photocopies of pages allegedly carrying "objectionable comments on women and Dalits" in Ramcharitmanas, supporting SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya.

The protest was held in Vrindavan Yojana sector apparently in solidarity with Maurya, who had on January 22 in a statement said the Hindu epic contained passages discriminatory of women and shudras.

"As reported in a section of media that we had burnt copies of Ramcharitmanas, it is incorrect to say that. We took out the photocopies of the objectionable comments from the Ramcharitmanas, which were against the 'shudras' and women, and burned the photocopied page in a symbolic protest," Devendra Pratap Yadav, a state office bearer of the Akhil Bharatiya OBC Mahasabha, told PTI.

"Swami Prasad Maurya has already demanded that the objectionable comments mentioned in the Ramcharitmanas should be removed or banned. The government did not take any step in this regard. We have extended support to Swami Prasad Maurya on this, and the Akhil Bharatiya OBC Mahasabha stands with Swami Prasad Maurya," he said.

Ramcharitmanas, an epic poem in Awadhi language, is based on the Ramayana and has been composed by 16th-century Bhakti movement poet Tulsidas.

"We stand united with him as far as his statement and the move is concerned," Yadav said, and added that the group will continue to stage such protests in future.

Maurya, a prominent OBC leader in Uttar Pradesh, had kicked up a controversy by alleging that certain verses of the Ramcharitmanas "insult" a large section of society on the basis of caste and demanded that these be "banned." Maurya, who was a cabinet minister in the BJP government, had resigned and joined the Samajwadi Party before the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.

He had contested from the Fazilnagar assembly seat in Kushinagar district but lost. He was later sent to the legislative council by SP president Akhilesh Yadav.

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German chancellor says he won't send fighter jets to Ukraine

The request for the jets comes just days after Germany committed to supplying Leopard 2 tanks.

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Nigeria floods: Songs and testimonies from a drowning world

Portraits of communities devastated by the worst recorded floods in Nigeria.

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Tyre Nichols: Police unit is disbanded after death

The so-called Scorpion special unit will be disbanded after its officers were seen beating Mr Nichols.

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Fear Of Defeat In Karnataka Elections "Haunts Congress": B Bommai

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday hit out at the Congress party saying "the party use cheap language which shows that they are scared of defeat in the upcoming Karnataka assembly election."

Speaking at Jan Sankalp Yatra in M.K Hubli in Belagavi, he said, "The Congress has now remembered 'Praja Dhwani' but what did they do while they were in power from 2013 to 2018? In the name of social justice, they cheated SC/ST communities. The present BJP government has ensured social justice. When Farmers were in difficulty, it was CM Yediyurappa who went to their rescue. While he was the CM, Yediyurappa had given free power supply, interest-free agro loan, input subsidy during the flood fury, support price for food produces and subsidy for the working classes."

"We have introduced Vidyanidhi scheme for the children of farmers, and extended to the children of coolies, fishermen and cab drivers, Rs 5 lakh for youths," the CM said.

Mr Bommai further said that the Congress party had promised 200 units of free power while Yediyurappa as CM had given unrestricted power in 2008 and it is continued even now. The Congress party is copying the BJP schemes, he claimed.

"This is the land of brave hearts like Rani Chennamma, Sangolli Rayanna and Amateur Balappa who openly fought against the Britishers. But today, the organizations like PFI and SDPI are trying to destabilize the nation through terrorism and to disturb peace and tranquillity in Karnataka. To check this, Amit Shah took a bold decision to ban PFI and check terrorist activities. Let that organisation come up again under a different name Shah is capable of taking strong action against them. So, the country is safe and secure," he added.

"Development is possible only if the country is safe and secure, and everyone must support to strengthen the laws. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is effectively dealing with terrorism from across the border. No one was living peacefully during the Congress-led-UPA government was in power, due to bomb blasts and terrorist attacks. Now everything has stopped due to the Modi government and the engine government must come in Karnataka also," he concluded.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi and others dignitaries were also present at the event.

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Pilot dies in Indian army jet mid-air collision

The planes were on a routine "operational flying training mission" when the incident happened.

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Uma Bharti To "Stay In Temple" Over Madhya Pradesh's New Liquor Policy

BJP leader Uma Bharti has once again hit the headlines for her move against liquor sale in Madhya Pradesh.

Ms Bharti on Saturday said, "New liquor policy will be introduced on January 31 in the state, till then I will remain in the shelter of God."

Ahead of the introduction of the new liquor policy, Ms Bharti will stay at Panchmukhi Hanuman and Durga temple located in Ayodhya Nagar locality in the state capital Bhopal for the next three days demanding the policy be made more stringent.

Notably, a liquor shop is situated in front of the above-mentioned temple in the city. Ms Bharti said, "The one to be destroyed is in front (liquor shop), the one from whom to gain power is behind (temple). I have come here because I had a lot of trouble. There is a temple of Goddess Durga and Lord Hanuman but in front of it just 50 metres away there is a liquor shop and bar."

"On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti when it was time of Navratri on October 2, 2022, a group of a few women had taken out a march against liquor sale. During this, the state government had made the announcement that they would consult on liquor policy and also said about revenue that would not consider it as a huge basis for recovery. The government also said that they had understood the problem of women and also would try to find a way for taverns," she said.

"I have full faith in CM Chouhan, but there is fear that those whom the government consulted may not have created any trouble. Now, I will hear on January 31, what decision has the government taken in the New Liquor Policy," She added.

"I believe that if the controlled liquor distribution system is implemented at my behest, then as many women will cast a vote that the record of 2003 will be repeated in Madhya Pradesh. Because everything gets washed away in alcohol as even Ladli Laxmiya is not safe to walk on the road and even residential people do not live happily. All the plans get destroyed and washed away in the flow of liquor. Therefore a healthy society has to be built and Madhya Pradesh will become the model state in the controlled liquor distribution system," Ms Bharti added.

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Woman Gives Birth In Haryana Roadways Bus, Premature Baby Dies: Cops

A woman gave birth to a child in a Dehradun-bound Haryana Roadways bus near Mullana on Friday, around 25 kilometers from Ambala, officials said.

However, the child could not survive as it was a premature delivery, doctors said.

The woman complained of severe labour pain when the bus was crossing Mullana. Some women present in the bus helped her give birth to the child, they said.

Bus driver Salim Khan also took the bus to the civil hospital at Mullana. The doctors at the hospital declared the child brought dead while the woman was admitted to the facility.

Salim Khan said the woman along with her husband, two children and brother-in-law boarded the bus for Saharanpur from Ambala.

As soon as the bus reached Mullana, the woman had labour pains, said the bus driver.

Principal medical officer, Mullana Civil Hospital, Kuldeep Singh said the woman's delivery was premature.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Downward dog is easy in this pup-filled yoga class

An animal shelter teamed up with a gym to bring some furry friends into workout classes.

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Colorado bear poses for roughly 400 'selfies' on wildlife camera

One motion-detecting camera captured roughly 400 images of the surprise selfie star.

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Body-cam footage shows moment of Paul Pelosi attack

A US court authorised the release of video from the October 2020 assault on Nancy Pelosi's husband.

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US to make it easier for gay men to donate blood

The FDA will soon remove a three month abstinence policy for donations for men who have sex with men.

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36 School Students Fall Sick Due To Food Poisoning In Maharashtra

Thirty-six students in Sangli in Maharashtra on Friday fell ill due to suspected food poisoning, an official said.

All of them were shifted to a hospital, where 35 were discharged post treatment, while one has been kept under observation, he said.

The incident took place in Wanlesswadi High School after the children, from Classes V and VII, had rice and dal prepared at a central kitchen run by a self-help group, he said.

"After having the mid-day meal, 36 students complained of stomach ache and nausea, and many of them vomited. One child is still hospitalised for stomach pain. Saline has been administered to him and his condition is stable," Mohan Gaikwad, the education officer (primary section) said.

"Food samples from the school and the central kitchen have been sent to a lab for tests. A three-member committee has been formed to probe the matter," Gaikwad added.

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This Padma Shri Awardee Is Wood Art Trainer, 'Counsellor' For Jail Inmates

 Ajay Kumar Mandavi, one of the three persons chosen from Chhattisgarh for the Padma Shri awards this year, has for more than a decade been teaching Kanker jail inmates, several of them arrested in cases related to the outlawed Maoist movement, wooden calligraphy art.

Speaking about the honour, the 55-year-old on Friday said he becomes more of a counsellor than a wood art trainer when he enters the jail premises as many inmates recount their pain and problems to him even without being prodded about their past.

Mr Mandavi, who hails from Kanker district, said making toys out of wood and clay was a childhood interest, which turned him into an artist later in life, resulting in him training youth, several of them victims of Naxalite violence, from 2005.

He was asked by the then collector of Kanker to teach wood art to jail inmates in 2010, when the Maoist menace was at its peak in the district.

He began his classes with a dozen inmates, all of them held for alleged Maoist links, a journey that has been instrumental in motivating many of them to understand the futility of violence and the need to live fulfilling, peaceful lives.

"I never asked them (jail inmates) about their past. However, they often share their pain and problems with me and I listen to them patiently. Gradually my role became that of a counsellor than just an art trainer. I too started enjoying counselling them," Mr Mandavi said.

"One of the inmates, who was subjected to rigorous interrogation post arrest in a Naxalite-related case, once said he wanted to observe the nine-day Navratri fast but wanted me to suggest some wish he could seek from the goddess," he said.

On being told he should forgive all the security personnel involved in his custodial interrogation, the inmate readily agreed, resulting in him admitting to being relaxed and stress free at the end of the nine-day fast, Mr Mandavi claimed.

"He told me he has forgiven all those who interrogated him. So far, I have taught around 400 inmates of Kanker jail, of which 250 were arrested for Naxalite-related incidents. Nearly all of them have walked out of jail after completing prison terms, while some have been released on bail," Mr Mandavi, fondly called 'Guruji' by his students, said.

Mr Mandavi said these students have not only continued practising wooden calligraphy art after being released from jail, but they also claim to be more attentive while engaged in various works, including farming.

"What can be a bigger achievement than this for me if a person who once wielded rifles returns to the mainstream and leads a peaceful life," Mr Mandavi, who founded self help group 'Shanta Art' in 2015 in remote Bhaisasur village in Kanker, said.

Sanjeet Kumar Yadav, who was lodged in Kanker Jail in 2020 and learnt wooden calligraphy from Mr Mandavi, said his meeting with the latter gave a him a new purpose in life.

"After meeting guruji in jail, I found a new purpose in life. I never imagined I would learn an art," Yadav, hailing from the district's Charama area, said.

"I was in jail for six to seven months. After I was acquitted, I requested guruji to let met stay with him as I wanted to take up woodcraft as a profession," said Yadav, who has been living in Mr Mandavi's house for the past two years.

The 'Shanta Art' group, which includes several former Naxalites, makes nameplates, key rings, pen case and other items for sale from wood, with Mr Mandavi often sending his students to fairs across the country to earn revenue from their craft.

Apart from Mr Mandavi, eminent Pandvani singer Usha Barle and Nacha artiste Domar Singh Kunvar have been selected for the Padma Shri awards from the state.

Ms Barle hails from Durg district and learnt Pandwani, a traditional performing art form, from Padma Vibhushan awardee Teejan Bai, a legendary exponent of the traditional performing art form. Ms Barle has performed in London and New York.

Mr Kunvar, who belongs to Balod district, has been widely recognised for his fight against the social ill of child marriage.

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Who is Jeff Zients, Biden's new chief of staff?

The former Covid czar returns to one of the most powerful jobs in the US government.

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Ukraine war: Auschwitz anniversary marked without Russia

Moscow accuses Poland of attempting to "rewrite history" after it is not invited to the event.

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Bhagwant Mann To Inaugurate 500 'Aam Aadmi Clinic' In Amritsar Today

 Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is going to inaugurate 500 'Aam Aadmi Clinics' (Mohalla Clinics) across Amritsar on January 27.

AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal will be present as the chief guest on the occassion.

Earlier, Mr Mann inaugurated 100 Aam Aadmi Clinics on August 15, 2022 on the occasion of Independence Day.

More than 10 lakh people have received free treatment in these 100 Aam Aadmi Clinics till now. Whereas more than three lakh people benefited from free tests, the government said in an official statement.

Addressing a press conference in Mohali, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh said that the inauguration program would be held in Amritsar on January 27.

Harpal Singh Cheema said, "It is a matter of great pride that the health revolution started in Punjab within just a year of the formation of the Aam Aadmi Party government. Before the elections, party chief Arvind Kejriwal had given a guarantee to the people of Punjab that to provide free treatment, Mohalla Clinics would be set up in Punjab. Now the government is fulfilling the promises and working assiduously to fulfil its dream of making the state again Rangla Punjab."

Health Minister Dr Balbir mentioned the successes of Aam Aadmi Clinic and said that till now more than one million people have taken advantage of Aam Aadmi Clinic and over three lakh people were examined free of cost. Also, medicines were also given free of cost to the people.

Dr Balbir said that the first priority of the AAP government is to ensure that the people of Punjab get free education and the best quality treatment in the state.

"When the children of common people get free education, treatment, medicines and health check-ups, they will save a lot of money. They will use this money for their daily needs. This will raise the standard of living of the common people and the society will progress in the true sense," he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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India To Get More Than 100 Cheetahs From South Africa

South Africa said Thursday that it had reached a deal to transfer more than 100 cheetahs to India as part of an ambitious project to reintroduce the spotted cats in the south Asian country.

The environment ministry said an initial batch of 12 cheetahs would be flown to India next month, after eight cheetahs arrived from Namibia last September.

"The plan is to translocate a further 12 annually for the next eight to 10 years" to help establish a "viable and secure cheetah population," the ministry said in a statement.

India was once home to the Asiatic cheetah but the animal was declared extinct there by 1952, primarily because of habitat loss and deaths at the hands of hunters seeking their distinctive spotted hides.

Efforts to reintroduce the animals gathered pace in 2020 when India's Supreme Court ruled that African cheetahs, a different subspecies, could be brought into the country at a "carefully chosen location" on an experimental basis.

Negotiations for the deal with South Africa were long in the making, with the first cheetahs initially expected to be flown to India last August. They have been living in quarantine in the meantime.

"The cheetahs in quarantine... are all still doing well," said Adrian Tordiffe, a veterinary wildlife specialist at the University of Pretoria who is involved in the project.

Officials said the previous transfer from Namibia marked the first intercontinental relocation of cheetahs, the planet's fastest land animal.

The Namibian specimens were released at Kuno National Park, a wildlife sanctuary 320 kilometres (200 miles) south of New Delhi, selected for its abundant prey and grasslands.

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Man smashes vehicle into Colorado police station

The driver has been charged with several offences, including attempted murder.

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BJP Leaders Meet To Finalise Candidates For Upcoming Tripura Polls

Top leaders of the BJP including party chief J P Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and others met on Thursday to finalise candidates for the upcoming Tripura assembly elections.

The meeting was also attended by Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, BJP's state incharge Mahesh Sharma and Rajya Sabha MP Biplab Deb.

Earlier in the day, BJP's Tripura unit core group members met at party leader and northeast incharge Sambit Patra's residence.

The BJP is likely to finalise its candidates for the Tripura assembly elections on Friday in its central election committee meeting.

The 60-member Tripura assembly will go to polls on February 16. The last date for filling nominations is January 30. The counting of votes will be taken up on March 2.

In 2018, the BJP formed the government for the first time in Tripura, ending the 20-year run of the CPI(M). 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Gaza's only all-girl boxing club finds a home

After training women on the beach and in a garage, Osama has now moved to a professional centre.

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Texas hit by extreme weather as storms sweep the US

Houston, Texas was battered by a powerful storm on Tuesday as severe weather hit the Gulf Coast.

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74th Republic Day Today, First Parade On Kartavya Path: 10 Points

1. President Droupadi Murmu will lead the nation in celebrating Republic Day from Kartavya Path. The grand parade, to begin at 10.30 am, will be a mix of the country's military strength and cultural diversity.
2. Massive security arrangements have been made for the programme with the deployment of 6,000 soldiers as part of security arrangements. The Kartavya Path will be monitored with around 150 CCTV cameras, some of which are high-resolution.
3. In a first, a combined band and marching contingent of the Egyptian Armed Forces will take part in the parade. The contingent will have 144 soldiers, representing the main branches of the Egyptian Armed Forces.
4. In a statement, the Defence Ministry said the parade on the 75th year of Independence, celebrated as the "Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav", will "witness zeal, enthusiasm, patriotic fervour and janbhagidari, as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi".
5. There will be tableaux from 17 states and Union Territories, and six from various ministries and departments depicting the emergence of a "New India" through growing indigenous capabilities, cultural heritage, economic and social progress and women power.
6. Cultural performances will be presented by 479 artistes chosen through the nationwide "Vande Bharatam" dance competition. This is the second time that the dancers have been selected through a nationwide competition.
7. The perennial draw of motorcycle display by the Corps of Signals' Dare Devils team will be a part of the show. Eleven children who received the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar for outstanding achievement in the fields of bravery, art and culture, sports, innovation and social service will also be part of the parade.
8. The grand finale will be the eagerly-awaited flypast, where aircraft from three forces will participate. The country's new Rafale fighter aircraft will perform the concluding Vertical Charlie manoeuvre. Though Rafale had been part of the parade in the last two years, this is the first time a quarter of the fleet - nine aircraft - will participate in the flypast.
9. This year, invites have been sent to people involved in the construction of the Central Vista, Kartavya Path, New Parliament Building, milk, vegetable vendors and street vendors, who will be given a prominent spot in the galleries.
10. The Republic Day celebrations, which started with the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on January 23, will end with the traditional "Beating the Retreat" ceremony on January 28. The country's biggest drone show, comprising 3,500 indigenous drones, will light up the sky over the Raisina hills during the performance.

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US joins Germany in sending battle tanks to Ukraine

Ukraine hails the twin announcements as a turning point, while Russia says they are a provocation.

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Virginia school had three warnings about 6-year-old with gun, says lawyer

Teacher Abigail Zwerner was left with serious injuries after being shot in her classroom.

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BJP Chief JP Nadda, Mohan Bhagwat Likely To Attend RSS Meet In March

Issues related to social harmony, environment and other prevalent topics will be discussed at the three-day meeting of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha, the top decision-making body of RSS, at Panipat from March 12-14.

All top functionaries of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, including Mohan Bhagwat and Dattatreya Hosabale, BJP president JP Nadda and heads of other allied organisations of the Sangh are expected to take part in the meeting, sources said.

All organisations, including the BJP, will give the annual report of the activities undertaken by them throughout the year, they said.

RSS' Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Sunil Ambekar tweeted on Wednesday, saying "RSS's Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha will be held from March 12-14 2023 at Samalkha in Haryana."

Around 1,800 participants, including Sangh functionaries and members of its allied organisations will attend the meeting.

The entire year's programme and agenda of the Sangh will be decided in this meeting.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Burkina Faso unrest: France agrees to pull its troops out

Burkina Faso wants to defend itself against jihadists, who have forced two million from their homes.

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Justin Bieber sells rights to songs for $200m

The pop star joins a growing group of artists who have cashed out on their catalogues.

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Two People Found Dead In Well In Rajasthan: Cops

The bodies of a 27-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman were found in a well in Rajasthan's Sirohi district on Tuesday, police said.

The incident took place in Marwada Khalsa village, which comes under the Swaroopganj police station area of the district, they said.

The deceased were identified as Arjun Kumar Meghwal and Inka Kumari.

Police officials said the family members of the victims told them that the woman accidentally fell into the well and man jumped in to save her.

A case has been registered under section 174 of the CrPC and an investigation is underway, they added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Ukraine war: British pair killed trying 'humanitarian evacuation'

Chris Parry and Andrew Bagshaw were killed in Soledar, eastern Ukraine, the Parry family says.

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Tanks for Ukraine: Germany to send Leopard 2s and allow others to export - reports

Germany has been under pressure over its reluctance to send the battle tanks to Ukraine.

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Delhi Lt Governor, Arvind Kejriwal Meet Amid Tussle

Amid the ongoing tussle between the elected government and the constitutional head over the issue of supremacy in Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena on Tuesday met at LG House in traditional 'At Home'.

The Lieutenant Governor and his wife Sangita Saxena hosted the traditional 'At Home' at Raj Niwas, in the run-up to the 74th Republic Day on January 26, 2023.

The 'At Home' was attended by the Delhi Chief Minister, Ministers of the Delhi government and MLAs were also present here.

Apart from them, MPs and, representatives of Foreign Missions in India, representatives of political parties, vice-chancellors, academics, doctors, lawyers, civil society, media and officers from the Government of India, Delhi Government, Delhi Police, armed forces, DDA, MCD and NDMC amongst others were present.

Organized after a gap of two years, owing to the COVID pandemic-related restrictions, the 'At Home' this year had guests from the diverse and varied spectrum that included freedom fighters, Padma Awardees from Delhi, students of government and private schools and colleges, families of martyrs of Delhi Police and Delhi Fire Service, sportspersons, paralympians, swachhagrahis, divyangjan, priests and religious leaders of different religions and sects and officers/officials working dedicatedly on key innovative developmental projects like cleaning of Najafgarh Drain, landfill sites of MCD and rejuvenation of the Yamuna floodplains.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Classified documents found at Mike Pence's home

Documents have been found at the former US vice-president's home in the latest secret paper discovery.

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Capitol rioter who posed with feet on Nancy Pelosi's desk found guilty

Richard Barnett carried a stun gun as he joined the crowds storming the Capitol on 6 January 2021.

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Akhilesh Yadav Unhappy Over Party Leader's Ramcharitmanas Remarks: Report

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav is believed to be unhappy with his party colleague Swami Prasad Maurya over his controversial remarks on Ramcharitmanas.

According to sources, Akhilesh Yadav is very angry with Mr Maurya and a press conference can also be held on behalf of the party.

Apart from Akhilesh Yadav, several MLAs of the party are also keeping themselves away from the statement of Mr Maurya.

According to sources, several MLAs have spoken to Akhilesh Yadav over the phone. There is huge discontent within the party over SP MLC's controversial statement.

The Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya on Sunday, sparked a major controversy after he demanded the deletion of "insulting comments and sarcasm" targeted at particular castes and sects in Ramcharitmanas, a poem based on the epic Ramayana.

Speaking to ANI, the SP leader said, "I don't have any issue with Ramcharitramanas but parts of it have insulting comments and sarcasm directed at particular castes and sects. Those should be removed."

Mr Maurya further claimed that in the Ramcharitmanas, which was composed by Tulsidas, there are words hurting the sentiments of the Dalit community.

Uttar Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed the Samajwadi Party over Mr Maurya's statement.

UP BJP chief Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary said, "People like Swami Prasad Maurya are deranged. Akhilesh Yadav should clarify whether it is his party's view or Swami Prasad's personal view.

Senior Samajwadi Party leader and party MLA Ravidas Malhotra said that Swami Prasad Maurya's statement is his personal thoughts and not the statement of the party.

Speaking to ANI, Ravidas Mehrotra said that his statement has reached the party's national president Akhilesh Yadav and action will definitely be taken against such statements in the coming days.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Monterey Park shooting: Who were the victims?

The 10 people killed in the Monterey Park dance hall shooting were all in their 50s, 60s or 70s.

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11 Children Receive PM Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, 2023

A Mallakhamb player, a singer suffering from bone disorder and a YouTuber were among 11 children who received Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, 2023 by President Droupadi Murmu on Monday.

There were six boys and five girls among the awardees from 11 states and Union territories. Each awardee was given a medal, a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh and a certificate.

This year, the PM Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP) was conferred on 11 children selected for their exceptional achievement in the fields of art and culture (4), bravery (1), innovation (2), social service (1), and sports (3).

Among the awardees was Aadithya Suresh who even after being diagnosed with a bone disorder since birth (osteogenesis imperfecta) transformed himself into a singer.

As of now, he has performed at more than 500 singing events including those on different TV channels. He has won the award in the field of art and culture.

M Gauravi Reddy was another awardee in the field who is an accomplished dancer and has performed classical dance on various platforms.

Other awardee included Shreya Bhattacharjee, 12, a tabla artiste who has registered a record of playing the instrument for the longest duration in India Book of Records, according to a government citation.

Besides various awards, Shreya stood first in the All North-East Tabla Solo Competition, All India Pt. Rupak Kulkarni Music Competition and All India Tabla Solo Competition. She was also awarded a gold medal at the 9th Cultural Olympiad of Performing Arts.

In the bravery category, Rohan Ramchandra Bahir was awarded for saving a woman's life by jumping into a river .

In the category of innovation, Aditya Pratap Singh Chauhan was awarded who developed a unique technology named 'MICROPA' to detect and filter micro-plastics from drinking water. The detection is done through Nile Red Dye, followed by quantification using a computer algorithm. Project 'MICROPA' is not just an efficient solution to micro- plastics, but is also cost-effective.

Another awardee in the innovation category was Rishi Shiv Prasanna who with a certified IQ level of 180 is the youngest certified android application developer, the citation said.

He is also the youngest YouTuber who runs a channel and in every episode he shares insights on science-related topics.

In the field of sports, Shauryajit Ranjitkumar Khaire who is a 10-year-old national level Mallakhamb player was awarded.

This youngest medallist among all sports has bagged a bronze medal in the standing Pole Open Category at the National Games 2022 held in Gujarat. Apart from this, he has received three bronze medals at the National Level Championships conducted by the Mallakhamb Federation of India.

Hanaya Nisar was also awarded in the sports category. She has been an SQAY martial arts player for the last seven years. She represented India in the 3rd World SQAY Martial Arts Championship at Chingju, South Korea (October, 2018) at the tender age of 12 years and bagged a gold medal.

SQAY is the ancient traditional martial art of Kashmir.

The government gives the PMRBP award to children for their exceptional achievements. The award is conferred on children in the age group 5-18 years for their excellence in different fields.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Swedish PM in hot water over eel fishing scandal

Ulf Kristersson is criticised after hiring an aide who had broken poaching laws and misled police.

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5 Dead After Consuming Toxic Liquor In Bihar's Siwan

The toll in the suspected hooch tragedy in dry Bihar's Siwan district rose to five after two more deaths were reported on Monday, a senior police officer said

Seven people, who had also taken ill after allegedly consuming the spurious liquor, are currently undergoing treatment at a government hospital, he said.

A probe has been initiated into the matter, and as many as 16 people, including two who had "50 litres spirit in possession", have been arrested thus far in connection with the incident at Bhopatpur sub-division, the officer said.

According to a statement issued by the Bihar Police, "Twelve people were admitted to a district hospital in Siwan around 7 pm on Sunday after they complained of stomach pain, nausea and dizziness. One person was declared dead on arrival by the doctors, and two died when they were taken to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) from the Siwan facility.

"Two more died on Monday on their way to the Patna hospital," it said.

The statement also said that seven people are undergoing treatment at the district hospital, with no major threat looming on them.

Talking to reporters, Additional Director General of Police (headquarters) J S Gangwar said, "Sixteen people, including prime accused Sandeep Chouhan and his brother Deepak, have been arrested in connection with the case; their custodial interrogation is on.

"The duo had brought spirit from Kolkata via Muzaffarpur, claiming that it would be used to make sanitiser. The consignment reached Muzaffarpur on January 18, and the Chouhan brothers then gave the spirit to five people in Siwan." A team of officers has left for Kolkata to nab the supplier, he said.

"Searches to arrest others involved in the illegal liquor trade is currently underway," said the ADG.

A district administration official said that the exact cause of death would be ascertained after the post-mortem report of the deceased arrives.

Sale and consumption of liquor is banned in Bihar.

In December last year, spurious liquor claimed the lives over 50 people in Saran district. The incident had triggered a political slugfest, with opposition leaders mounting a strong attack on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the hooch-related deaths.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had also come under criticism for refusing compensation to the families of the deceased.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Delhi BJP President "Misused Mayor's Post", Son Made Illegal Earnings: AAP

AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj on Sunday alleged that Delhi BJP president and former north Delhi mayor Adesh Gupta's son and BJP leader Shyam Jaju's son made illegal earnings through a company named Majboot Solutions Private Limited.

AAP Leader Saurabh Bhardwaj said that in 2022, a lawyer named Hemant Chaudhary had complained about Adesh Gupta to the Lokpal. When Adesh Gupta was the mayor of MCD from April 2018 to 2019, he formed a company named "Majboot" Solutions. Adesh Gupta and Shyam Jaju's sons were equal partners and directors in this company.

He alleged that while misusing the post of Mayor, Adesh Gupta bought and sold a lot of property and earned more property than his source of income.

Lokayukta Harish Chandra Mishra ordered an inquiry, and issued notices to Adesh Gupta several times to explain his sources of income but did not respond. He was given notices on November 3, 2022 and on January 19, 2023. However, he did not answer what the source of income of the order is, alleged Saurabh Bhardwaj.

Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Adesh Gupta resigned on 11th December 2022 after the defeat of the BJP in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections.

The Aam Aadmi Party won the Delhi Municipal Corporation elections and the BJP had to face defeat under the leadership of Adesh Gupta.

The AAP won the MCD polls with 134 of the total 250 wards in the national capital's civic body polls, uprooting the 15-year rule by the BJP.

AAP won 134 wards, while BJP came second with 104 wards. Congress only managed to get 9 wards while three wards were bagged by Independents.

The polls for 250 wards in the national capital were held on December 4, 2022.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Police surround white van after Monterey Park shooting

Aerial video shows a vehicle which may hold the suspect after 10 people were shot dead in Monterey Park.

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Maharashtra Man Stabs Pani Puri Vendor Over Rs 20: Nagpur Police

A man allegedly stabbed and injured a 'pani puri' vendor after arguing over a bill of Rs 20, Nagpur police said on Sunday.

The man, who works in a shop close to the vendor's stall, was asked to pay a pending bill of Rs 20 by the latter, he said.

"This led to an argument and vendor Jairam Gupta was stabbed in the stomach. He has been hospitalised. The accused has been charged with attempt to murder," the Jaripatka police station official said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Senior Gujarat High Court Lawyer Krishnakant Vakharia Dies At 92

Senior Congress leader and Gujarat high court advocate Krishnakant Vakharia died in Ahmedabad on Sunday at 92.

Vakharia, a former chairman of the legal cell of Gujarat Congress, died at his residence. He was not well, Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said.

A native of Bagasara village in Amreli district, Vakharia studied law in Ahmedabad. He started his legal career in 1954 in Rajkot.

He was a successful lawyer and a known expert on the Constitution with six decades of practice in the Gujarat High Court, Doshi said. Vakharia mentored many successful lawyers including Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.

He was a legal adviser to Gujarat Congress until 2010 as the president of the party's legal cell.

Vakharia also served the Gujarati diaspora as a founder and chairman of Vishwa Gujarati Samaj, Doshi said.

He is survived by a son, also a Gujarat High Court lawyer, and two daughters.

Vakharia became involved in politics as a student and went on to become a labour activist under the banner of the Indian National Trade Union Congress, stated a release issued by the state Congress unit.

He contested the second Lok Sabha election from then Girnar and now Amreli seat in 1957 as a member of the Praja Socialist Party. He had also contested the assembly elections from Babra, Jasdan and Dhari seats, it said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Rs 3 Crore Seized From Package At Delhi Airport

Cash worth more than Rs 3 crore was seized by the Delhi Police while scanning a package at the cargo terminal of the IGI Airport, informed the police on Sunday.

The Delhi Police told ANI that counting the seized cash is still continuing and further probe is on.

"Cash worth more than Rs 3 crore seized during scanning a package at the cargo terminal of IGI Airport in Delhi. Counting of the cash seized is still underway. CISF and Delhi Police are conducting further probe," Delhi Police said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Ukraine war: Resilient civilians return to liberated town of Lyman

Ukrainian civilians are returning to Lyman, close to the front line, despite the threat of strikes.

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Tennessee fires officials after damning death penalty report

The lethal injection is under increased scrutiny after a series of botched executions in several states.

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Lunar New Year: How the world celebrated

Fireworks and lanterns in the street start the 2023 celebrations for one of the world's biggest festivals.

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Mining Mafia Held Forest Officials At Gunpoint To Free Seized Tractor: Cops

Members of the mining mafia in Antri district of Gwalior freed a tractor which had been seized by the forest officials but while they were taking it away, it overturned and they fled. Now the police are searching for them.

In Santau forest near Toda village which comes under the jurisdiction of Antri police station, information was received by the forest officials about a tractor full of stones being taken out of the forest area by the mining mafia.

As soon as the information was received, the forest officials rushed to the spot along with a team and started investigating the tractor driver. They later seized the tractor on suspicion after the driver failed to provide relevant documents.

Later on, a dozen people, armed with weapons reached the spot and took away the tractor. The forest official continued their pursuit of the tractor. However, after reaching the highway, the tractor was found overturned and the mafia gang, along with the tractor driver fled the site.

After the incident, the forest officials called the DFO and lodged a complaint at Antri police station.

Speaking to ANI, DFO Brijendra Shrivastava said, "After receiving the information of illegal mining in the area, the team rushed to the spot and seized the tractor. However, some anti-social elements took away the tractor at gunpoint. A case has been registered at the concerned police station," he added.

Amit Sanghi, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Gwalior told ANI, "We have lodged a complaint under IPC section 186 among other sections and are investigating the matter. We have also informed the regional authorities to immediately arrest the accused."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Assam's Himanta Sarma Wants To "Reduce Number Of Madrassas" In The State

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that the government wants to reduce the number of Madrassas in the state and start registration of the system.

Addressing a press conference, the Assam Chief Minister said, "We want to reduce the number of Madrasas in the state in the first phase."

"We want to put general education in Madrasas and start a system of registration in Madrasas," he added.

He also said that they are working with the minority community and they are also helping in it.

"We are working with the community on this and they are also helping the Assam government," he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Assam's Director General of Police (DGP) Bhaskar Jyoti Mahant said that discussions were underway for bringing reforms to madrasas in the state.

Addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Monday, the Assam DGP said, "Madrasas are running properly in Assam. Today, we interacted with 68 people running madrasas."

He said they discussed merging small madrasas with the bigger ones.

"Discussions were also held on how to bring about further reforms to madrasas, set rules and form boards. We also talked about merging small madrasas with bigger ones," he said.

He added that surveys were being conducted in this direction.

"About 100 small madrasas have merged with the big ones. Surveys are also being done in this direction," he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Gurugram Woman Cheated Of Rs 7 Lakh By Fraudster Posing As Mumbai Police

A woman was allegedly duped of around Rs 7 lakh by a fraudster posing as a courier company executive on the pretext of rejecting an international parcel carrying narcotics, police said on Saturday.

The victim, Prachi Dhoke, in her complaint said that she received a call from a person posing as a courier company's customer service executive.

He told her that an international parcel, in her name, containing two passports, five ATM cards, 300g weed and a laptop has been rejected, police said citing the complaint.

When Prachi Dhoke told the person that the parcel was not sent by her, the caller urged her to file a complaint with the police as her Aadhaar card has been misused, they said.

Following this, the caller transferred the call to a person posing as an official of Mumbai Police who told her that her ID is being misused for international smuggling and money laundering in Mumbai, Prachi Dhoke said in her complaint.

"They asked me to help them in the investigation saying that they will give me a certificate that I am not involved in the matter," she said.

The fraudsters asked the woman to transfer Rs 95,499 on the pretext of investigation with the RBI, police said.

The victim transferred a total of Rs 6,93,437.50 in four transactions after the accused asked her for more money in the name of security deposit and investigation, they said citing Prachi Dhoke's complaint.

An FIR has been registered against unknown people under sections 419 (cheating by impersonation), 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code at cybercrime, east police station on Friday, said the investigating officer Inspector Surender Singh.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Don't Wish To Spoil My Time...": Tejasvi Surya On Plane Door Row

Bengaluru south MP Tejasvi Surya has declined to comment on the ongoing row over alleged opening of the emergency door of a plane last month.

Surya, also the BJP youth wing president, said he wishes not to spoil his time and others' on the issue, as authorised people have spoken on it.

"Already, Indigo airline officials, Union Minister for Civil Aviation (Jyotiraditya Scindia), my co-passenger and eye-witness Annamalai, chief of Tamil Nadu unit of the party, and two other passengers, have spoken of what exactly had happened," Surya told reporters here.

"I don't wish to spoil my time and your time because the Congress and others have been talking about it time and again. Certain people, authorised to issue appropriate clarification and tell the facts, have spoken. You can refer to that," said the MP.

Surya had reported that he accidentally opened the emergency exit of the IndiGo flight to Tiruchirappalli from Chennai in December 2022.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Peru protests: Iconic Machu Picchu closed indefinitely

Thousands of visitors to the tourist site have been stranded as violent protests rock the country.

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River Drina: 'Embarrassment' of beauty spot's plastic waste

An activist calls the River Drina waste an "embarrassment" and says it's been like it for 20 years.

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US to designate Wagner Group as a transnational criminal organisation

The Wagner Group is believed to be receiving shipments of missiles and rockets from North Korea.

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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Demands A Separate Railway Budget

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday demanded a separate Railway Budget to be presented in the house from the general budget. Nitish said it has a lot of importance.

Nitish Kumar, who is on a Samadhan Yatra told reporters in Nalanda, "When I was the Railway Minister, we used to give numerous jobs to people. When Rail Budget was presented in Parliament, there were discussions across all newspapers".

"I want a separate Railway Budget to be presented in the House. It has a lot of importance," Nitish Kumar added.

Mr Kumar again raised the issue of demanding special status for Bihar. Development work has been done in Bihar Sharif, he added.

"I have always been listening to the problems of people since the time I was an MLA. I keep visiting places, sitting with people and addressing their issues. We have always been demanding special status for Bihar," CM Nitish.

The government is in the process of finalising the Budget document to be presented on February 1.

The formal exercise to prepare the annual Budget for the next financial year commenced on October 10.

Budget 2023 is likely to be the last full budget of the Modi government in its second term with the next Lok Sabha elections due in April-May of 2024.

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Alabama man secretly helped pay strangers' prescriptions for years

Every month for 10 years, Hody Childress quietly gave $100 to a local pharmacy to help people in need.

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Ukrainian soldiers receive bionic arms

After losing their hands in a landmine explosion, Andrii and Vitalii receive 3D printed prosthetics.

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Search Intensifies For Last Missing Person In Nepal Plane Crash: Army

The search for the lone missing person in the Nepal plane crash intensified on Friday, Nepal Army officials said, as the postmortem of the remaining victims continued here at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital.

A Yeti Airlines aircraft with 72 people on board, including five Indians, plunged into a river gorge in the resort city of Pokhara on January 15.

The five Indians, all from Uttar Pradesh, have been identified as Abhisekh Kushwaha, 25, Bishal Sharma, 22, Anil Kumar Rajbhar, 27, Sonu Jaiswal, 35, and Sanjaya Jaiswal.

Sanjaya Jaiswal's body was handed over to his relatives who returned to India, hospital sources said. So far, only 71 dead bodies have been recovered and the search is on for the remaining person.

On Thursday, 12 bodies including one belonging to an Indian national were handed over to the family members.

The remaining bodies will be handed over their families once the postmortem is over, hospital sources said.

Nepal Army on Friday said that it has intensified the search operations to locate the lone missing person.

The Nepal Army officials conducted search operations from the Seti River in Pokhara to Damauli and Kharenitar of Tanhu district looking for the remains of the crash.

The search will continue on Saturday, according to a press release issued by the Nepal Army.

According to Nepal's civil aviation body, 914 people have died in air crashes in the country since the first disaster was recorded in August 1955.

The Yeti Airlines tragedy in Pokhara on Sunday is the 104th crash in Nepali skies and the third biggest in terms of casualties.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Ukraine war: Germany yet to make decision on sending tanks

Berlin denies it is preventing countries from donating Leopard 2s, but Poland criticises its "hesitation".

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The California storms were great for wine

After years of drought, vineyards got a much-needed infusion of water from weeks of torrential rain.

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Officials Looking For Permanent Relocation For Affected Joshimath Families

Following the land subsidence in Joshimath town of Uttarakhand, Chamoli District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana on Thursday said the authorities are seeking suggestions for suitable land for permanent relocation of affected families.

Looking at the current situation of the land subsidence in Joshimath, DM Khurana said, "We're asking for suggestions and opinions of the affected families regarding rehabilitation. We want their suggestions so that we can carry out the rehabilitation procedures better."

"Our intention is to take permanent displacement action according to the suggestions of those who are affected," Mr Khurana said.

Earlier today morning, Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and gave him detailed information about the current situation in Joshimath.

In the nearly half-an-hour meeting at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Dhami said he gave detailed information about the situation in Joshimath, the condition of people in the region and other points.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister also said that the Home Minister assured him to give whatever help can be provided from the Centre. Asked if any report was submitted, Mr Dhami said input will be submitted after the complete report is received.

Due to land subsidence in the Joshimath city area, over 720 buildings have been identified that developed cracks. Residents, as a part of the rehabilitation, have been moved to safer places even as geologists and experts scramble to ascertain the reasons for subsidence in the ecologically fragile region.

Uttarakhand government has also ordered the authorities to start surveying and dismantling the infrastructures that are posing a threat to the surrounding buildings as well.

Joshimath, on the Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway (NH 7), is an overnight halt for the people visiting the holy shrines at Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib and tourist destinations Auli, and the Valley of Flowers.

Along with Joshimath, the same phenomenon of land subsidence is also being reported from other areas of Uttarakhand including Uttarkashi, Tehri, Pauri and Karanprayag.

Uttarakhand government has also announced a relief package of Rs 45 crore to families in Joshimath, where large cracks appeared in homes and on roads. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has also declared a relief package for nearly 3,000 families affected by gradual land subsidence in the Himalayan state.

The Chief Minister has also announced that Rs 50,000 have been given by the state disaster authority to each family as a non-adjustable one-time special grant for the transportation of goods and immediate needs of their buildings.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Rajasthan Teen Dies After House Set On Fire By Drug Smugglers: Cops

 A father-son duo involved in heroin smuggling allegedly set the house of a man on fire on Thursday over a financial dispute killing his seven-year-old son, police said.

Superintendent of Police, Hanumangarh, Ajay Singh said the accused, Baaj Singh (53) and his son Sharaj (27), were arrested from Abohar in Punjab.

Jasveer Das (36), his wife Manpreet Kaur (34) and their son Ekmjit Singh, residents of Pilibanga, Hanumangarh, were sleeping when the accused poured petrol from under the door and lit the fire.

While Das and Kaur were referred to Bikaner for treatment, their son succumbed to injuries at the hospital, police said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Ukraine war: Serbia uproar over Wagner mercenaries recruiting for Russia

A Russian news video showing Serbians being trained to fight in Ukraine prompts fury in Belgrade.

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India Seeks Probe Into Vandalisation Of 2 Temples In Australia

India has urged Australia to investigate incidents of vandalisation of two temples near Melbourne and take action against the perpetrators, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the matter has been taken up with the Australian government both in Canberra and New Delhi.

"Recently a couple of temples have been vandalised in Australia. We condemned these incidents. Both are near Melbourne. We strongly condemned these actions," Arindam Bagchi said.

"These actions have also been publicly condemned by Australian leaders, community leaders and religious associations there," he said, replying to a question at his weekly media briefing.

Mr Bagchi said the Indian consulate general in Melbourne has taken up the matter with local police.

"We have requested expeditious investigation, action against the perpetrators and measures to prevent such incidents in future. The matter has also been taken up with the Australian government both in Canberra and in New Delhi," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Jacinda Ardern: Key moments from the New Zealand PM's time in office

A look back at some memorable moments from Jacinda Ardern's six years as New Zealand prime minister.

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Israel's Supreme Court blocks appointment of key Netanyahu ally

Supreme Court judges disqualify Aryeh Deri from being a minister due to a tax fraud conviction.

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Dnipro missile: Son in search of his mother

Roman is unsure if his mother is alive after a Russian missile strike on 14 January on his apartment block in Dnipro.

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Ahead Of Budget, Ashok Gehlot Firm On Old Pension Scheme In Rajasthan

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said that the Rajasthan government is firm on its decision to revive the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for the state government employees.

He said the employees are an integral part of the state government and play an important role in taking the benefits of public welfare schemes run by the government to the last mile.

Speaking at the pre-budget dialogue with the representatives of the employees' organisations at the secretariat on Wednesday, Mr Gehlot said his government is continuously working in the interest of the state employees.

He said the employees act as an important link in the effective implementation of the schemes till the lower level.

The CM invited suggestions from the employees' organizations to make the upcoming budget inclusive.

"Unprecedented decisions have been taken by the state government in the last four years for the welfare of the employees. In view of the future security of the employees, the government re-implemented OPS from a human perspective," a release quoting him said.

With the implementation of OPS, he said, the "employees will be free from worrying about the future and will be able to work with responsibility".

Mr Gehlot said there should be continuous dialogue between the government and the employees. He said the government's concept of good governance is affected by the employees going on strike and there is unnecessary delay in the work of the common man.

Various types of problems can be easily resolved in a timely manner by establishing dialogue, he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Germany says it is no longer reliant on Russian energy

New sources of energy mean Germany is no longer dependent on Russia, Germany's finance minister said.

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On Camera, Madhya Pradesh Man Beaten For Alleged Molestation, 6 Arrested

A young man was assaulted mercilessly in Madhya Pradesh for allegedly molesting a woman. Six men have been arrested and a case has been filed by the police in Khandwa, where the assault took place.

A video of the attack, which is being widely circulated on social media, show a group of men surrounding the man in the parking lot of a shopping mall. Initially they threaten him and demand that he answer their questions. Then they abuse him and start slapping him. He was then dragged in the middle of the room and two men with rods start hitting him.

Police sources said the incident took place on January 3 and was reported to them the same day. The men allegedly responsible were arrested today, after the video went viral.

Earlier today, with no arrest being made even after two weeks of the attack, a delegation of the local Muslim community met the district police chief.

"The boy is a resident of Sahar village and a college student. There was a conspiracy against him. He was wrongly accused and beaten up just because he is a Muslim," Khandwa Shahar Qazi Syed Nisar Ali told reporters.

Sehbaz is doing his post-graduation course in computer applications at the local SN College.

"The perpetrators are hooligans who call themselves members of a group. Such incidents will sully the name of our city," he added.

He said they have asked the police to take immediate action, arrest the men responsible and accuse them of kidnapping and mob lynching.

"The accused have been identified from the viral video. All six of them have been taken into custody now," said Vivek Singh, the district police chief.

Earlier, the police had filed a case against Sehbaaz for molesting a girl.

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Ukriane: Scene of devastation after Brovary helicopter crash

Ukraine's interior minister and a child were among those killed when a helicopter came down near Kyiv.

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Union Cabinet Meeting To Be Held In Delhi Today

A meeting of the Union Cabinet is scheduled to be held in the national capital on Wednesday.

The meeting has come two days after the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday conducted its two-day National Executive meeting in Delhi which concluded on Tuesday with the extension of the party's national president JP Nadda till June 2024.

This has been the first major meeting of the party after the landslide victory in Gujarat.

Addressing a press conference, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, "I am confident that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and (JP) Nadda-ji, the BJP will win the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by an even bigger majority. Modi-ji will return to lead the country as the Prime Minister."

According to sources, the proposal for Nadda's extension was mooted by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and was agreed upon unanimously by the members of the National Executive.

Earlier on Monday, PM Modi asked party workers to sketch more events like Kashi-Tamil Sangamam in future for strong cultural national unity, sources said.

Laying emphasis on programs that bind the nation in one thread, PM Modi asked party workers, to insist on organizing more programs like the Kashi-Tamil Sangam, so that all the states share their culture, civilization and heritage with each other and the country unites culturally in the one thread of unity.

Sources added that the attendees also discussed a nine-point political resolution moved by Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Cyrus Mistry Death Case: Plea Against Doctor Who Was Driving Car Dismissed

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a culpable homicide charge against gynaecologist Dr Anahita Pandole in industrialist Cyrus Mistry's death case.

Anahita Pandole has been accused in the death of Cyrus Mistry as she was driving the latter's car when the accident took place near Mumbai on September 4, 2022.

Balasaheb Patil, Superintendent of Police, Palghar on January 6 said that police had submitted 152-page evidence in the Cyrus Mistry death case.

The Palghar Police in Maharashtra had registered a case against Dr Pandole for negligence and rash driving on the day of the accident.

According to Palghar Police, Mistry was travelling from Ahmedabad to Mumbai when his car hit the divider. There were four people in the car. Two died on the spot, including Mistry, while the other two were shifted to hospital.

Apart from Mistry, another deceased was identified as Jahangir Dinsha Pandole.

The car in which Cyrus Mistry was travelling lost control due to overspeeding and rammed into the divider said Palghar Police then.

Mistry, who was the sixth chairman of Tata Sons, was ousted from the position in October 2016. He had taken over as the chairman in December 2012 after Ratan Tata announced his retirement. N Chandrasekaran later took over as Executive Chairman of Tata Sons.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Query On Kashmir In Bengal School Question Papers Stirs Controversy

An image of a model question paper from a school in Bengal, asking students to mark "Azad Kashmir" on a map, has been widely distributed on social media, setting off a controversy ahead of Class 10 board exams.

The school in question is Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Vidyamandir School of Malda. Pakistan and terrorist organisations refer to Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir as "Azad Kashmir".  

Various schools and teachers' association, as well as the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education, issue model question papers every year to aid the preparations for board examinees. These are printed in a book format and Bengal board students solve them as part of their preparations.

 Union Minister Subhas Sarkar, who has called for a state-level inquiry, told NDTV that the education ministry should stop selling the test paper and investigate the matter.  

"They should find out who set the paper, find out who published it and take necessary action... Their mentality is anti-national, and the paper setter would like to inspire terrorist activities," he added.

West Bengal Board of Secondary Education president Ramanuja Ganguly said action will be taken.'

 "We are trying to rectify and clarify and see what exactly transpired. The people who have framed the question and edited the question, we will inquire with them and then based on the model act and its clauses, we will take a decision. We will relay our decision through our website," he told reporters.

"We have found that a school called Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Vidyamandir School in Malda set this question in a test. I have heard this, but it is not confirmed that the history teacher did not create the question paper. The physical education teacher did it even though his personal academic qualification is in history. I don't know what the headmaster has done about it and these are matters that need to be inquired into," Ramanuja Ganguly said.

This test paper has already been distributed all over the state. The board president said it was not possible to recall it.   

Subhash Sarkar said the incident, if true, can be attributed to the "appeasement politics of the Trinamool-run government, which has emboldened some people to insert a question with anti-national overtones in the test paper".
 
Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh later told PTI his party doesn't support anything that is wrong. "If someone has set such a question, he has done the wrong thing. We don't support such acts," he said. "The Trinamool is a secular party, which does not believe in appeasing any particular community. Sarkar has made a baseless comment against our party," Mr Ghosh added.

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Italian held in EU-Qatargate bribery probe agrees to tell all

Pier Antonio Panzeri is an alleged leader of a criminal network suspected of taking bribes from Qatar.

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Ex BSF Director General Appointed Deputy National Security Adviser

Retired director general of the Border Security Force (BSF) Pankaj Kumar Singh was on Monday appointed as deputy national security adviser.

According to an official order, Mr Singh, a 1988-batch IPS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, has been appointed on a re-employment contract for a period of two years. Mr Singh retired as BSF chief on December 31, 2022. When he took charge of the BSF on August 31, 2021, he had created history of a son and a father holding the top post of a paramilitary force during their services.

His father and retired IPS officer of the 1959-batch, Prakash Singh, had also headed the BSF from June, 1993 to January, 1994.

Prakash Singh is considered an architect of police reforms in the country.

He had petitioned the Supreme Court in 1996 for carrying out reforms in the police establishment following which the government started giving a fixed tenure of two years at least to the chief of the Intelligence Bureau, the CBI, foreign secretary, the RAW chief and the Union home secretary.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Greta Thunberg detained at German coal protest

Protesters have been trying to stop a coal mine from swallowing up an abandoned village.

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Eiffel Tower lights up in support of women protesting in Iran

The Paris landmark displays the message "Femme, Vie, Liberte" in French meaning "Women, Life, Freedom".

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Mumbai Saw 30% Drop In Road Accident Deaths In 2022, Say Traffic Police

Mumbai witnessed a decline in casualties due to road accidents by 30 per cent in 2022 compared to the previous year thanks to the awareness campaigns conducted by the traffic police, a senior official said on Monday.

At least 268 people were killed in 257 road accidents in the city last year, while 387 people lost their lives in 376 accidents in 2021, joint commissioner of police (Traffic) Pravin Padwal said.

It is a good sign that in 2022 the traffic police recorded 30 per cent less deaths in road accidents compared to 2021, he said.

The number of fatal accidents has also dropped and the decline can be attributed to the frequent awareness programmes and campaigns conducted by the traffic police, the official said during the road safety week, which will end on January 17.

"We will launch more campaigns in the coming days to make people aware about traffic norms and ways to follow them," he said, adding that a Bollywood personality has also been roped in to be part of a drive.

Seatbelts have been made compulsory for drivers and passengers in four-wheelers, while helmets are mandatory for two-wheeler riders and those riding pillion, the official said, urging people to cooperate with the traffic police.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Andrew Tate: Brothers' luxury cars are seized by Romanian police

Romanian officials were seen towing vehicles away from his compound in Bucharest.

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3 Students Injured In Fight At Meerut College: Police

Three students were injured in a fight between two groups at Meerut College during which shots were allegedly fired, police said on Monday.

The two groups clashed during the afternoon and the three students were injured, Senior Superintendent of Police Rohit Singh Sajwan told PTI.

The trio is undergoing treatment at the district hospital, where their condition is said to be stable.

Asked about shots being allegedly fired, Mr Sajwan said the police had received information about the firing.

Mr Sajwan added that the FIR was being written on the police's behalf since the college administration had not lodged a complaint.

Lalkurti police station in-charge Naresh Kumar said the three injured students were in police custody.

One of the injured students said some outsiders had allegedly entered the campus.

"They started fighting without any reason. One of them had a pistol. The police were informed about the incident. As soon as they arrived, the outsiders fled," he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Nepal air crash: Indian passenger's video caught plane's last moments

Sonu Jaiswal captured the final seconds on board the doomed Yeti Airlines flight which crashed in Pokhara.

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The green trade row dividing the Davos elite

A transatlantic spat over green subsidies is casting a shadow over this year's World Economic Forum.

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Indian Naval Ship 'Delhi' Arrives At Sri Lanka's Trincomalee Port

The Sri Lankan Navy welcomed the Indian Naval Ship (INS) 'Delhi', which arrived at the Port of Trincomalee on January 15. During the ship's stay, the crew will participate in several programmes organized by the Sri Lanka Navy to promote cooperation and goodwill between the two navies, according to the statement released by Sri Lankan Navy.

"The Indian Naval Ship (INS) 'Delhi' arrived at the Port of Trincomalee on a formal visit this morning (15th January 2023). The visiting ship was welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in compliance with naval traditions," the Sri Lankan Navy said in a statement.

The INS 'Delhi' is a 163.2 metre-long destroyer and is manned by a crew of 390 and the ship is commanded by Captain Shiraz Husain Azad. The

Commanding Officer of INS is due to meet Commander Eastern Naval Area and Commandant Volunteer Naval Force, Rear Admiral Dammika Kumara at the Eastern Naval Command headquarters on January 16.

During the ship's stay, the crew is expected to go on a sightseeing excursion in Trincomalee. Furthermore, Sri Lankan Navy personnel will engage in a training visit onboard INS Delhi. INS Delhi is scheduled to depart the island on January 17.

"In the meantime, the Commanding Officer of INS is scheduled to call on Commander Eastern Naval Area and Commandant Volunteer Naval Force, Rear Admiral Dammika Kumara on 16th January at the Eastern Naval Command Headquarters," the Sri Lankan Navy said in the statement.

"During the ship's stay, the crew will take part in several programmes organized by the Sri Lanka Navy, with a view to promoting cooperation and goodwill between the two navies. They are also expected to go on a sightseeing excursion in Trincomalee," it added.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is expected to visit Sri Lanka next week to discuss the debt restructuring process, according to Sri Lankan President Media Division statement.

"India's Foreign Minister will be arriving in Sri Lanka next week. India is in debt restructuring discussions," Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe said while addressing the "Pratibha Abhisheka 2022, on Wednesday.

Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the island nation will receive USD 2.5 billion from the International Monetary Fund and USD 5 billion from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, according to Sri Lanka's President Media Division.

He further said, "After that, we can get nearly 5 billion dollars from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. The total will be USD 7.5 billion. Adding the USD 3 billion from the restructuring of unprofitable government agencies can add up to USD 10 billion, which will enable the economy to recover and bring the country out of this suffering."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Two Arrested For Kidnapping, Raping Girl In UP's Mau District: Cops

Two men have been arrested and sent to jail for allegedly kidnapping and raping a girl by threatening to harm her and her family through witchcraft in Uttar Pradesh's Mau, the police said on Sunday.

Officials said that two men, each other's brother in laws raped a scheduled caste girl after kidnapping her. The accused blackmailed her into surrendering by putting her in a delusion and showing her the fear to harm her family through "Black Magic".

Both the accused kidnapped and raped her by showing her the fear of witchcraft. Police have arrested both the accused. 

When the girl resisted, the accused threatened to harm the family members through witchcraft for not obeying them. After a medical examination of both the arrested accused, the police sent them to jail.

The victim girl is a resident of a locality under the police station area of Mau district, Dhananjay Mishra CO City Mau said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Woman rescued from rubble of Ukrainian building

A woman is rescued from the debris of a building in Dnipro, a day after it was hit by a Russian missile strike.

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Delhi Man Beheaded On Camera, Video Sent To Pak: Cops

A man killed, allegedly by two arrested terror suspects in Delhi, was also beheaded, police sources have told NDTV. The identity of the victim is yet to be established. The police have recovered several body parts -- among them his hand, which had a Trushul tatoo. The man, aged around 21, was apparently a drug addict whom the two had befriended, sources said.

Police sources said Naushad was tasked with killing influential Hindus by his handler Sohail, who is a Pakistan-based operative of terror group Harkat-ul Ansar.

His accomplice, Jagjit Singh, was asked to propagate the Sikh separatist group Khalistan's activities in India, sources said. Jagjit Singh was allegedly in contact with Khalistani terrorist Arshdeep Dalla, who is currently in Canada.

The arrested men, sources said, have confessed that they took the man to Naushad's house in Bhalswa Dairy in northeast Delhi on December 14-15 and strangled him. His body was beheaded and chopped into eight pieces. A 37-second video of the proceedings was sent to Sohail, sources said.

The police, who found traces of human blood in the house in Bhalswa, are also trying to ascertain if the two have carried out any other target killing.

They are also probing the nexus between Khalistani terrorists and Pakistani intelligence agency. The men had rented the Bhalswa house together around Diwali and both were tasked with the murder.

Naushad was in jail in cases involving murder and extortion and had met Sohail there. In jail, he also met Arif Mohammad, an accused in the Red Fort attack.

Sohail went to Pakistan and after being released from jail in April 2022, Naushad got in touch with him, sources said.

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2 Minors Rape 9-Year-Old Girl, Record Video To Blackmail: Cops

A nine-year-old girl was allegedly raped by two minor boys, who also made a video of the act and threatened to make it viral on social media if she told anyone about it, police said.

Station House Officer (SHO) of Highway Police Station Chhote Lal said on the basis of the complaint lodged by the relatives of the victim, an FIR has been registered and the girl has been sent for a medical examination.

According to the relatives, the incident took place on Saturday evening when the girl was alone in the house. The boys, who live in the neighbourhood, entered the house and began molesting her. When she protested, they raped her.

The accused also made a video of the incident and threatened to share it on social media platforms if the victim told anyone about it, according to the complaint.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Nepal mourns victims of worst air disaster in decades

At least 68 people died when a Yeti airlines flight crashed on its approach to the tourist town Pokhara.

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Over 80,000 Israelis protest against Supreme Court reform

Demonstrators in Tel Aviv say government plans to overhaul the judiciary would be an attack on democracy.

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Thousands of Israelis hold legal reforms protest in Tel Aviv

Organisers have accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of undermining democratic rule.

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More classified material found at Joe Biden's Delaware home

The US president's lawyers found additional documents at his property in Delaware.

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Russia fires new waves of missiles at Ukraine and hits energy infrastructure

Several cities were struck, including Dnipro, where an apartment block was hit killing at least five.

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California's hydro-climate whiplash explained

From droughts and wildfires to floods and landslides - why extreme weather may be the new norm.

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Human Feces Found In Water Tank In Tamil Nadu, Probe Ordered

Taking note of the Vengavayil village incident where human feces were found dumped in a water tank supplying drinking water to a Dalit colony, Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP) on Saturday ordered a CB-CID (Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Department probe) into the incident.

"To intensify the probe and to identify and to arrest the accused soon the case on human excreta mixed in the water tank of SC residential area orders to transfer to CBCID," the DGP order copy said.

Last year in December, Human excrement was mixed in an overhead storage tank in Vengaivayal village in the area where the Arunthathiyar community lives.

Many children reportedly had vomiting and diarrhea after drinking this water.

Two-tumbler system (two-tumbler system: in places like teahouses where the upper classes drink from one tumbler and the other classes from another tumbler) is a practice in those areas.

Residents of Vengaivasal in Muttukadu panchayat in the Pudukkottai district later complained to the police after finding that human excreta was dumped into the overhead water tank that supplies water to the colony.

Following the incident, a petition was filed in the Madurai bench of the Madras High court seeking compensation for more than 30 families who drank the water.

The special Investigation Team is already probing the matter.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin earlier on Wednesday said that the incident shows that caste discrimination and untouchability exist in some pockets of society.

"The issue has exposed the prevalence of caste discrimination and untouchability in some pockets. Untouchability is saddening and condemnable. A new water tank and distribution pipeline were installed for the 32 houses. Affected people were given medical treatment and clean drinking water was supplied. Medical teams continue in the village," Mr Stalin said.

"So far 70 people have been inquired and the guilty will be brought to book with an iron hand," Chief Minister said while replying to a motion moved by the Opposition in the assembly.

AIADMK MLA Vijayabhakar demanded arresting those responsible for mixing human excreta in water tanks.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Romanian police seize luxury cars from Andrew Tate's property

Vehicles including a Rolls-Royce, BMW and Mercedes were taken away from the detained influencer's home.

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COP28: Why has an oil boss been chosen to head climate summit?

The UAE has named state oil company chief Sultan Al Jaber as president of the UN climate conference.

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Lützerath: Greta Thunberg joins German coal mine protests

The Swedish climate activist joined coal mine protesters in the German village of Lützerath.

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Rajasthan Court's Observations In Murder Case "Unwarranted": Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Friday termed as "absolutely unwarranted" and against "judicial discipline and propriety" certain observations made by the Rajasthan High Court in its verdict in a matter in which the top court had earlier confirmed the conviction of an accused in a murder case.

A bench of Justices M R Shah and S R Bhat said it was "not open" for the high court to make comments on the investigation or merits of the case when the conviction was already confirmed by the top court after hearing the counsel for the accused.

The bench noted the top court had earlier set aside an order commuting the death penalty of the accused to life imprisonment and remanded the matter to the high court to consider the question of sentence for murder.

It also noted that thereafter, after considering the aggravating and mitigating circumstances, the high court not only commuted the death penalty to life imprisonment, but made certain observations in its judgement, including the investigation.

"Judicial discipline requires that once the conviction was confirmed by this court that too after hearing the accused, the high court should not have thereafter made any comment on the merits of the case, more particularly, when the conviction was specifically confirmed by this court and the matter was remitted to the high court only for the purpose of considering the sentence," the bench said.

The top court passed the order on an appeal filed by the state against the May 2022 judgement of the high court which commuted the death penalty to life imprisonment.

The bench noted that the state is also aggrieved by certain observations made by the high court in one of the paragraphs of its verdict. It also noted the accused was earlier convicted in the case and the trial court had awarded him death penalty.

Later, the high court commuted the death penalty to life imprisonment and the state challenged it before the top court.

In its judgement, the Supreme Court noted the high court directed fresh investigation to book certain other accused whose DNA samples were obtained from the leggings of the victim in the case.

"....having gone through the impugned judgment and order passed by the high court, more particularly, the observations made in paragraph 42, we are of the opinion that the observations made by the high court in paragraph 42 are absolutely unwarranted and against the judicial discipline and propriety," the bench said.

"When this court earlier confirmed the conviction of the accused for the offence under section 302 IPC and that too after hearing senior advocate appearing on behalf of the accused, thereafter, it was not open for the high court to make comments upon the investigation and/or on merits of the case," it said.

The bench noted the high court ought not to have made the observation that certain aspects were not brought to the notice of the top court and conviction was upheld without hearing the side of the accused.

The top court said it is required to be noted that when it had passed the order remanding the matter for sentence and confirmed the conviction, it had heard the advocate appearing for the accused.

"Therefore, the high court is not right even factually in observing that this court confirmed the conviction without hearing the side of the accused on merits," it said, while setting aside the observations made by the high court.

Regarding the high court judgment commuting the death penalty to life imprisonment, the bench said it saw no reason to interfere with it.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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