News updates: MCOCA court remands eight accused in judicial custody in Baba Siddique murder

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9:38 PM

MCOCA court remands eight accused in judicial custody in Baba Siddique murder.

8:07 PM

Delhi records season's coldest night, light rain expected on Sunday

Delhi experienced the coldest night this winter so far with a minimum temperature of 7.1 degrees Celsius and the weather department has forecast light rain in the city on Sunday.

The minimum temperature recorded on Friday night was three notches below the season's average. The maximum temperature on Saturday was 25.4 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department.

The second-lowest temperature of the season was recorded on Thursday and Friday, with the minimum dipping to 8.5 degrees Celsius.

On Sunday, the maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to settle at 24 degrees Celsius and 8 degrees Celsius, respectively.

8:00 PM

SpiceJet to hold annual general meeting on Dec 30

7:20 PM

Work for making India a developed nation by 2047: Modi tells BAPS volunteers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday praised the dedicated service rendered by volunteers of BAPS, a spiritual, volunteer-driven fellowship, and asked them to work to make India a developed nation by 2047.

 

Modi virtually addressed a Karyakarta Sammelan of Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) organised at Narendra Modi cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

 

"It is said in our culture that 'seva param dharma' (seva is top duty). We not only speak about it, we also practice it", Modi said.

 

He appealed to the BAPS volunteers to work towards making India a developed nation by 2047 through their services.

 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also attended the event.

 

BAP Swaminarayan Sanstha is a spiritual, volunteer-driven fellowship dedicated to improving society through individual growth by fostering the Hindu values of faith, service and global harmony.

6:42 PM

Govt hiking tax rates for common man, giving concessions to billionaires: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said while the Narendra Modi government is hiking the rates of the income tax and other taxes for the common man, it is giving concessions to billionaires, and claimed that it is set to introduce another slab of the GST to burden people.

Gandhi said the Congress will continue to oppose this "injustice" of imposing higher tax rates on things of daily use and giving concessions to big billionaires.

"See another example of concessions to capitalists and looting common people.

6:36 PM

PMLA court grants bail to suspended Jharkhand IAS officer Pooja Singhal in money laundering case

A special PMLA court here on Saturday granted bail to suspended Jharkhand cadre IAS officer Pooja Singhal in a money laundering case.

 

She was given bail on the condition of furnishing two bonds of Rs 2 lakh each and depositing her passport.

 

Singhal's lawyer said that she was granted bail after the court heard her bail petition for two days.

 

Singhal has been in custody since May 11, 2022, after raids were conducted at properties linked to her in connection with the money laundering case.

 

The case relates to alleged corruption in implementing MGNREGA, the Centre's flagship scheme for rural employment.

 

The ED has accused Singhal, a former state mines department secretary, of money laundering. The agency also seized over Rs 36 crore in cash linked to alleged illegal mining in two money laundering cases.

 

On February 10, 2023, the Supreme Court granted Singhal interim bail for two months to enable her to take care of her ailing daughter.

 

Apart from the 2000 batch IAS officer, premises linked to her businessman husband, a chartered accountant associated with the couple, and others were also raided by the ED as part of the probe.

 

Singhal was suspended following her arrest.

6:09 PM

Delhi's air quality slips back to 'poor' with AQI at 233

fter a brief respite of three days, Delhi's air quality dropped again to the 'poor' category on Saturday.

The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city was recorded at 233 at 4 pm on Saturday, marking a deterioration from Friday's reading of 197, which fell in the 'moderate' category.

The primary pollutants on Saturday were PM2.5 and PM10, with PM2.5 levels recorded at 93.2 µg/m³ and PM10 levels at 185.4 µg/m³ at 2 pm. These fine particles pose significant health risks as they can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream.

6:03 PM

PM Modi gets death threat, say media reports

PM Modi gets death threat. Mumbai Police receives alert; text mentions ISI agents, plot to carry out bomb blast, according to media reports

5:37 PM

Surveying mosques is wrong while people and farmers suffering: Robert Vadra

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra said on Saturday that the "excavation of mosques" becoming the focus of politics instead of development is wrong while people are reeling under inflation and farmers protesting.

 

Expressing apprehension about a potential spike in communal issues, Vadra also said (conducting) surveys of mosques is wrong.

 

The religion and politics should be kept separate as India is a diverse, secular nation, he told PTI Videos.

 

Vadra said he has been visiting different places of worship in the country as part of his "spiritual trips" and offered chaddar at the famous Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai on Saturday.

 

"I prayed for the well-being of my family and the country. I wish brotherhood prevails in the society, " he said.

 

Vadra, husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, said surveying mosques is wrong.

5:12 PM

Nadda inaugurates campaign to reduce TB, says rate of decline of disease doubled since 2015

The rate of decline of tuberculosis incidence in India has doubled since 2015 and is ahead of the global average, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said on Saturday while inaugurating a nationwide campaign in Haryana's Panchkula to reduce such cases and mortality due to it.
 

The 100-day TB elimination campaign will be implemented in 347 districts of 33 states where the prevalence of the disease is higher. The campaign is focused on enhancing detection, reducing diagnostic delays and improving treatment outcomes.
 

"Under this programme, we have taken detection, tests, treatment and supportive strategies forward in an accelerated way. I feel this 100-day programme will prove to be a milestone in making a 'TB-mukt Bharat' and it will have a far-reaching impact," Nadda said.

5:05 PM

Nearly 150,000 Korean citizens protest demanding that South Korean president steps down

5:04 PM

AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal holds padyatra in Arjun Nagar, Delhi

3:38 PM

UN says 370,000 people displaced by escalation in Syria

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has estimated that since the escalation of hostilities in Syria, at least 370,000 men, women and children, boys and girls have been displaced, including 100,000 who left their homes more than once.

 

In his daily press briefing, Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, stated that most of the displaced are women and children. "Tens of thousands of people have now arrived in north-east Syria."

2:17 PM

SP decides to walk out of MVA after Babri demolition post by Uddhav's aide

The Samajwadi Party announced on Saturday that it would walk out of the opposition MVA after Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray's close aide hailed the demolition of Babri mosque and a related newspaper advertisement.

The Samajwadi Party has two MLAs in Maharashtra.

2:00 PM

SC forms special bench to hear pleas challenging Places of Worship Act

The Supreme Court has constituted a special bench to hear petitions questioning the constitutional validity of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. This law preserves the character and identity of religious sites as they stood on August 15, 1947.

Read our full report

1:38 PM

1984 anti-Sikh riots: SC seeks CBI's response on ex-councillor's plea for suspension of sentence

The Supreme Court has sought a response from the CBI on a petition filed by former Congress councillor Balwan Khokhar, serving life imprisonment in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, seeking suspension of his life sentence.

1:23 PM

MVA members decide against taking oath as MLAs to protest EVM 'misuse'

Opposition Maha Vikas Agahdi (MVA) members in Maharashtra on Saturday decided not to take oath as MLAs on the first day of the special three-day assembly session, alleging misuse of EVMs in the recently-held state polls.

1:13 PM

Assam CM expands cabinet, 4 new ministers take oath

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday expanded his cabinet with four ministers taking oath. Assam Governor Laxman Prasad Acharya administered the oath of office to the four new ministers - Prasanta Phookan, Kaushik Rai, Krishnendu Paul, and Rupesh Goala. All of them are BJP legislators.

1:05 PM

Rajnath Singh, Rahul Gandhi extend greetings on Armed Forces Flag Day

The Armed Forces Flag Day is observed every year on December 7 since 1949 in honour of martyrs and the men and women in uniform who valiantly fight to protect our nation's honour at the borders.

12:49 PM

Political donation record: Musk spent $270 million on Trump's campaign

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has spent at least $270 million to support Donald Trump's bid for the US presidency, making him the largest political donor in the country, according to new federal filings.

Read our full report here

12:30 PM

Post-election power struggles spark concerns over democracy across US

Lawmakers in several states have already initiated or indicated plans to alter or nullify certain results

12:18 PM

73 complaints against vulgar ads on private TV channels: Govt tells Parl

Seventy-three complaints have been received against obscene and vulgar advertisements on private television channels by the regulatory bodies over the past three years, the government has told parliament.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan said the complaints were "suitably" addressed by a three-level grievance redress system.

11:52 AM

Wedding season in India sets new record for hotel bookings and revenue

As the wedding season in India intensifies, hotels are experiencing a surge in bookings, with many properties fully booked or sold out. 

Read our full report here

11:50 AM

Trump travels to Paris for Notre Dame Cathedral's reopening, to meet Macron

Trump's visit to France comes as Macron and other European leaders are trying to cultivate the president-elect's favor and persuade him to maintain support for Ukraine

11:21 AM

Telcos urge govt to halt internet shutdowns, cite major disruptions

In a letter to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), telecom companies reported that since April 2024, there have been over 3,711 hours (equivalent to 154 days) of internet shutdowns across 11 telecom circles.

Read our full report here

 

11:05 AM

New Maharashtra Assembly special session begins today; 288 MLAs to take oath, Speaker election on agenda

The three-day special session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly is scheduled to begin on Saturday with the swearing-in of newly-elected MLAs and the election of a new Speaker for the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. The election for the Speaker is expected to take place shortly after, as the Assembly gears up for the winter session in Nagpur from December 16 to 21.

10:51 AM

South Korean president apologises, vows accountability for martial law attempt

South Korea's president apologised on Saturday for public anxiety caused by his short-lived attempt to impose martial law earlier this week, and said he would leave it to his conservative political party to chart a course through the turmoil left in its aftermath including matters related to my term in office", hours ahead of a parliamentary vote on impeaching him.

10:35 AM

Police find bag carried by gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, say he likely fled NYC on bus

The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest US health insurer likely left New York City on a bus soon after the brazen ambush that has shaken corporate America, police officials said Friday. But he left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park.

10:30 AM

Five killed as car plunges into lake in Telangana's Yadadri Bhuvanagiri

Five people lost their lives after a car plunged into lake at Jalalpur village of Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district on Saturday morning.

According to preliminary investigation, the incident occurred early morning around 5:30 am. There were six people in the car. They all were residents of LB Nagar RTC Colony in Hyderabad. They were all travelling from Kothagudem to Pochampalli.

10:28 AM

Committed to improving connectivity across country, says PM Modi after cabinet approves Delhi Metro corridor

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the Central government is committed to improving connectivity across the country. His statement followed the Union Cabinet's approval of the Rithala-Kundli corridor under the fourth phase of Delhi Metro in the National Capital Region. In a post on X, PM Modi said, "We are committed to improving connectivity across the country. In this direction, our government has approved the Rithala-Kundli corridor under the fourth phase of Delhi Metro in the National Capital Region. This will make commuting between Delhi and Haryana easier."