Updates: Kuwait confers its highest honour 'The Order of Mubarak Al Kabeer' to PM Modi

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10:40 PM

Special trains announced from Bengaluru for Christmas and Kumbh Mela

To clear the extra rush of passengers during the Christmas festival, South Western Railway has organised special trains to multiple locations from Bengaluru. SWR will also run a special one-way express train (06215) from Mysuru to Prayagraj to the Kumbh Mela.

9:55 PM

BJP has always insulted Dalits: Cong leader Ajoy Kumar

Amid ongoing protests over Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on B R Ambedkar, senior Congress leader Ajoy Kumar on Sunday alleged that the BJP, which adheres to the principles of Manusmriti, has always insulted Dalits. The AICC executive committee member, in a statement issued here, said that the "true character of the BJP, which practices Manusmriti, was exposed" with Shah's comments in Rajya Sabha.

9:35 PM

UP PCS prelims conclude with 42% turnout

The PCS prelims, hit by large-scale protests at the beginning, were concluded on Sunday, with only about 42 per cent of the candidates appearing. Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) Secretary Ashok Kumar said the exams were conducted peacefully under the watch of police and other agencies.

9:07 PM

Haryana govt notifies procurement of 24 crops at MSP

The Haryana government has notified the procurement of 24 crops at a minimum support price (MSP), extending the list of 14 farm produces that were earlier eligible for guaranteed rates under public procurement system. The state cabinet of the previous government, which was also headed by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, already approved the proposal of buying 10 additional crops at MSP.

7:29 PM

Integrity of constitutional institutions should be insulated from political influence, says SC Judge

India must protect the integrity of its constitutional institutions from outside interference, including those that are politically motivated, said Justice P S Narasimha, Judge, Supreme Court of India, on Sunday. Justice Narasimha was delivering the Justice E S Ventakaramiah Centennial Memorial Lecture, organised by the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru.

7:16 PM

CPI(M) demands immediate withdrawal of election rule amendment

The CPI(M) on Sunday demanded the immediate withdrawal of an election rule amendment preventing public inspection of certain electronic documents such as CCTV camera and webcasting footage. In a statement, the CPI(M) Politburo expressed its strong objection to the amendment, restricting the access of political parties and candidates to electronic records, including video and other digital trails.

6:51 PM

ISRO to study how crops grow in space on PSLV-C60 mission

Demonstration of seed germination in outer space, a robotic arm to catch a tethered debris there, and testing of green propulsion systems are some of the experiments planned on the POEM-4 -- the fourth stage of ISRO's PSLV rocket that remains in orbit after launching a satellite. The PSLV-C60 mission, slated for an yearend launch, is scheduled to place the twin satellites 'Chaser and Target' to demonstrate the space docking technologies that are crucial for building India's space station.

6:30 PM

Three-day rituals to mark anniversary of Ram Lalla's consecration

Three-day rituals beginning January 11 will be held at the Ayodhya Ram temple to mark the first anniversary of the consecration of the Ram Lalla idol. Ram Lalla will be anointed and a grand aarti performed at 12:20 pm on January 11 -- Paush Shukla Dwadashi, according to the Hindu calendar.

6:23 PM

Vandalism at Allu Arjun''s residence in Hyderabad

A group of persons, claiming to be members of Osmania University Joint Action Committee, on Sunday vandalised flower pots and other things at the residence of top Telugu actor Allu Arjun here. The protesters raised slogans against the actor and sought justice to the woman who died in a stampede at a movie theatre here earlier this month on the occasion of screening of the actor's latest film 'Pushpa-2'.

6:11 PM

Will ensure jobs in Maharashtra coperative sector: Minister Patil

Maharashtra Cooperatives Minister Babasaheb Patil said on Sunday that generating employment for youths would be his top priority. "I am committed to revitalising the cooperative movement. My focus would be to create jobs for youths and ensure their active participation in the cooperative sector," Patil said after he was felicitated in Ahmedpur constituency in Latur district.

5:43 PM

Car part of Vasundhara Raje's convoy overturns, 3 cops sustain minor injuries

Three policemen sustained minor injuries when a vehicle of former chief minister Vasundhara Raje's carcade overturned in an attempt to avoid hitting a motorcycle in Rajasthan's Pali district on Sunday, police said. The accident occurred while Raje was on her way to meet former minister Otaram Dewasi to express her condolence over his mother's death.

5:30 PM

Indore airport to get new terminal building in 3 years to increase passenger capacity

Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu on Sunday said that a new terminal building will be constructed in three years to increase the passenger capacity and facilities at the Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport in Indore. Naidu inaugurated the new tower-cum-technical block of air traffic control and garbage disposal plant at the city airport.

5:11 PM

Income Tax serves notice to PDP's J&K MLA Para, seeks books of accounts

The Income Tax department has served a notice to senior PDP leader and Jammu and Kashmir MLA Waheed Para to submit his books of accounts, officials said on Sunday. Though, according to the notice, Para was scheduled to appear before the Income Tax authorities on December 20, he received the intimation on the same day.

5:03 PM

V-P Dhankhar calls for accountability of MPs

Against the backdrop of Parliament witnessing poor productivity due to disruptions, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday called for accountability of lawmakers and said people would force them to think why they were sent to Parliament. He also said that for any democracy to succeed, expression and dialogue must go hand in hand with great responsibility on both sides.

 

4:36 PM

Tripura remained backward during Left rule, BJP brought development, says Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday hit out at Left parties for turning Tripura into a "backward" state during their 35-year rule and said it could witness progress only after the BJP assumed power in 2018. Addressing a public meeting here after visiting a village where displaced Bru tribals were rehabilitated, Shah said that Tripura remained behind on all parameters of development during the communist rule but is now moving forward on the path of progress.

4:19 PM

Rahul Gandhi to visit violence-hit Parbhani on Dec 23; BJP dubs it 'drama'

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will visit Maharashtra's Parbhani city on Monday to meet the families of two persons who died following violence there earlier this month. The state BJP, however, has dubbed Gandhi's visit as a "drama". Parbhani witnessed violence after a glass-enclosed replica of the Constitution near Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's statue outside the railway station in the city

3:44 PM

New 'darshan' system in Puri Jagannath temple from Jan 1: Minister

The Odisha government is going to introduce a new system in the Jagannath temple, Puri to provide devotees better facilities to have 'darshan' of the deities, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said. Special arrangements are also being made for women, children, differently abled persons, and senior individuals visiting the temple.

3:25 PM

Persecution in name of Dharma took place due to lack of its understanding: Bhagwat

Speaking at the centenary function of 'Mahanubhav Ashram' in Maharashtra's Amravati, he said Dharma was important and must be taught properly. "Because improper and incomplete knowledge of Dharma leads to Adharma. All the persecution and atrocities that took place across the world in the name of Dharma actually took place because of misunderstanding and lack of understanding of Dharma," he emphasised.

3:06 PM

Delhi-NCR housing mkt remains buoyant; sales up 25 pc, supply rises 59 pc in Oct-Dec: PropEquity

India's key property market Delhi-NCR has remained buoyant during the December quarter, with housing sales and new supply estimated to rise 25 per cent and 59 per cent, respectively, according to PropEquity.

Real estate data analytic firm PropEquity data shows that housing sales in Delhi-NCR are likely to rise to 12,915 units during the October-December period of this calendar year from 10,354 units in the year-ago period.

2:49 PM

Registration for women, elderly welfare schemes to start tomorrow: Kejriwal

Ahead of the upcoming 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced that registration for 'Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojana' and 'Sanjeevani Yojana' will begin across the national capital from tomorrow.

2:48 PM

Akasa Air expects to add more planes to its fleet by March 2025: CEO

Amid concerns in certain quarters about virtual duopoly in the Indian aviation market, Akasa Air chief said the airline does not have the luxury of being concerned by things that it does not control.

2:36 PM

Venture capital investments hit $16.7 billion, up 14.1% till November

Venture capital activity in India between January and November 2024 recorded a total value of $16.77 billion across 888 deals, a 14.1 per cent increase in value and a 21.8 per cent rise in deal count compared with $14.69 billion across 729 deals during the same period in 2023, according to Bloomberg data.

2:21 PM

Bihar receives record Rs 1.81 trillion investment proposals, says minister

"Ab humara samay hai" - The time for Bihar has come, said state's Industries and Tourism Minister Nitish Mishra after it received a record Rs 1.81 lakh crore worth of investment proposals in its only second investor meet. Mishra said the focus will now shift to providing all the promised support to the investors so that the units could start quickly.

2:16 PM

Leather exports likely to grow by over 12% to $5.3 bn this fiscal: CLE

CLE Chairman Rajendra Kumar Jalan said several global companies, including from the US, are showing keen interest in setting up manufacturing bases in India.

2:15 PM

Nita Ambani to lead India's global influence at Harvard India Conference

The India Conference at Harvard is one of the largest and most influential student-led India-focused conferences in the US. An annual event hosted jointly at Harvard Business School and Harvard Kenned

2:14 PM

SC asks HC, Maharashtra govt to ensure accused appear before trial courts

In its order passed on December 18, the apex court noted that material placed on record revealed that in the last six years, out of 102 dates, the accused was not produced before the court.

2:14 PM

Delhi Police verification drive identifies 175 illegal B'deshi immigrants

The city police launched a drive for the identification of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants residing in Delhi on December 11, a day after the LG Secretariat ordered a crackdown on such persons

1:18 PM

Sharad Pawar urges Maharashtra CM to address Beed, Parbhani cases

NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Sunday had a telephonic conversation with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis about the murder of a sarpanch in Beed and the death of a man following violence in Parbhani.

1:03 PM

EAM Jaishankar honoured with Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi National Eminence Award for public leadership

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was awarded the Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi National Eminence Award for Public Leadership by the South Indian Education Society (SIES). His remarks were streamed on X. In his comments, he thanked the SIES for the exceptional honour by one of the oldest educational societies of the country.

12:43 PM

Who is the Saudi-born suspect behind Germany Christmas market attack?

German police arrested a 50-year-old Saudi immigrant doctor for the deadly Christmas market attack in Magdeburg on December 20. The man claims himself to be an ex-Muslim and his social media activity shows his leaning towards far-right in Germany.

 

On December 20, a speeding car rammed into crowds at a Christmas market in Saxony-Anhalt state's Magdeburg, leaving at least five people dead and nearly 200 injured. The same evening, state premier Reiner Haseloff said the suspect was a 50-year-old man from Saudi Arabia who had been living in Germany since 2006 and had likely acted alone.

 

While Haseloff did not name the suspect, the German media identified the man as Taleb A and and reported that he was a specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy. According to a report in DW, Taleb was practicing in Bernburg, about 40 kilometers south of Magdeburg, where the attack happened.