UPDATES: Statements on Yamuna were made to highlight severe contamination of water, says Kejriwal

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10:08 PM

Sonipat court asks Kejriwal to appear on Feb 17 over 'poison in Yamuna' remark

A court in Haryana's Sonipat on Wednesday issued a notice to AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal over his claim that the BJP-ruled state was mixing "poison in the Yamuna" river, and asked him to appear on February 17. The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Neha Goyal issued the notice to the former Delhi chief minister on a complaint filed by an executive engineer of the Rai Water Services Division, Sonipat.

9:44 PM

9 Bangladeshis arrested from Ghatkopar for illegal stay

At least nine Bangladeshi immigrants were arrested from Ghatkopar area of Mumbai for staying illegally in the city, police said on Wednesday. Police also found three children staying with the group of Bangladeshis and deciding on legal action, an official said.

9:30 PM

Hamas to release 3 Israelis and 5 Thais this week, says Israeli official

An Israeli official said Wednesday that Hamas will release three Israelis, including two women and an 80-year-old man, and five Thai nationals in the next hostage release, slated for Thursday.

9:07 PM

Contamination in Yamuna water so extreme that treatment plants unable to process it: Kejriwal

Replying to ECI notice, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said that contamination in raw water from Haryana is so extreme that treatment plants in Delhi are unable to process it within safe limits.

8:24 PM

R-Day 2025: Delhi Police wins 'Best Marching Contingent' trophy

The Delhi Police has been adjudged the 'Best Marching Contingent' at the Republic Day Parade 2025 held at Kartavya Path on January 26, an official said on Wednesday. The team included three sub-inspectors, 44 head constables and 100 constables, all donned in iconic 'Red Safa' attire.

7:22 PM

Steel Minister Kumaraswamy inaugurates air separation unit at SAIL Bokaro

Union Steel Minister H D Kumaraswamy has inaugurated an air separation unit project at state-owned SAIL's Bokaro Steel Plant in Jharkhand. The project has been set up for SAIL with an investment of Rs 750 crore, INOX Air Products (INOXAP) said in a statement on Wednesday.

6:56 PM

Centre's Delhi-NCR air quality panel invokes Grap stage 3 curbs amid spike in pollution levels

Central government's Delhi-NCR air quality panel has invoked Grap stage 3 curbs amid spike in pollution levels.

6:37 PM

Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane demands ban on burqa at board exams

Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane on Wednesday sought a ban on wearing burqa during the next month's Std 10th and 12th examinations of the state board. In a letter to school education minister Dada Bhuse, he said allowing girl candidates to wear a burqa inside examination halls could lead to malpractices and also create security issues.

6:27 PM

Digital payments rise 11.1% at Sept-end 2024, shows RBI data

Digital payments across the country registered an 11.11 per cent year-on-year rise as on September 2024, according to RBI's index that measures the adoption of online transactions. RBI's Digital Payments Index (RBI-DPI) for September 2024 stands at 465.33 as against 445.5 for March 2024, the Reserve Bank said in a statement on Wednesday.

6:01 PM

Delhi HC tribunal confirms extension of 5-year ban imposed on SFJ founded by Pannun

A tribunal of the Delhi High Court has confirmed the extension of a five-year ban imposed on pro-Khalistan separatist group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) founded by US-based lawyer Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, citing a slew of subversive activities carried out by the outfit.

5:37 PM

Air India to resume Delhi-Tel Aviv flights from March 2

Air India will resume direct flights to Tel Aviv from March 2, after suspending the services in August last year amid tensions in the Middle East. Five weekly flights will be operated from the national capital to Tel Aviv in Israel, the airline said in a release on Wednesday.

5:19 PM

SC asks Centre to setup panel to safeguard domestic workers' rights

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre for a legal framework on the protection of the rights of domestic workers rights observing their exploitation and a "legal vacuum". In the opinion of a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, for now, there seemed no effective legislative or executive action to enact a statute, which could provide solace to millions of vulnerable domestic workers across the country.

4:55 PM

Ready to resign from cabinet if asked by Devendra Fadnavis or Ajit Pawar, says minister Dhananjay Munde

Munde is facing the heat on account of his links with Walmik Karad who has been booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) for being an accused in several criminal cases.

4:36 PM

Dhananjay Munde should resign over Deshmukh murder case: Supriya Sule

NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule on Wednesday said that Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde, who is under fire over the Beed sarpanch murder case, should resign on "moral grounds." Talking to reporters here, she said 50 days have passed after Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh's gruesome murder, but despite fingers being pointed at Munde's close associate, the NCP minister has not been sacked from the BJP-led government.

4:29 PM

Court grants custody parole to 2020 riots accused Shafa ur Rehman to campaign for Assembly polls

A Delhi court on Wednesday granted five days custody parole to February 2020 riots accused Shafa ur Rehman to contest and campaign for the upcoming state assembly elections. Additional sessions judge Sameer Bajpai who was hearing Rehman's interim bail plea for four weeks, directed his release from January 30 to February 3 for 12 hours each day upon a deposit of Rs 2.07 lakh as security expenses.

3:32 PM

News update: Adani Power Q3 Consolidated PAT grows 7% YoY to Rs 2,940 crore, revenue up 5%

3:27 PM

News update: Cabinet clears higher ex-mill price for ethanol produced from C heavy molasses to Rs 57.97

2:48 PM

2 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire in occupied West Bank, officials say

The Palestinian Health Ministry says two Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire in the occupied West Bank overnight and into Wednesday. A 23-year-old man was shot dead in Tulkarem and a 25-year-old man was killed in a strike on Jenin, where Israel launched a large operation earlier this month. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its reports. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

2:42 PM

Odisha to set up industrial park exclusively for women entrepreneurs: CM Mohan Charan Majhi

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday said an industrial park exclusively for women entrepreneurs would be set up in the state. Attending the plenary session on women entrepreneurship enabled by 'Subhadra' on the second day of the 'Utkarsh Odisha, Make in Odisha Conclave, 2025' here on Wednesday, Majhi said a special cell for women entrepreneurs will also be opened at the Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha Limited (IPICOL).

1:52 PM

All promises made to people will be fulfilled in time-bound manner after BJP comes to power, says PM Modi

Delhiites want a government that builds houses for poor, provides water to every household, PM Modi said at poll rally in east Delhi.

1:35 PM

Congress manifesto for Delhi polls promises monetary grant of Rs 2,500 to women

Pollution major issue in Delhi, both Centre and AAP-led Delhi govt failed to control it: Cong leader Jairam Ramesh. 

1:11 PM

SC asks Centre to give details of FIRs filed against Muslim men for pronouncing instant triple talaq

The Supreme sks Centre, others to file submissions in pleas challenging validity of Muslim Women (Protection of Rights in Marriage) Act.

12:56 PM

News update: Saif Ali Khan attacker sent to 14 days judicial custody by Bandra Court

12:45 PM

Brewery case: UDF releases cabinet note, reiterates corruption charges against govt

Days after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan rejected graft charges related to the allocation of a brewery unit in Palakkad, the opposition UDF on Wednesday released a cabinet note, reiterating their claim that the decision was made without consulting concerned government departments.

The decision to give permission to the Oasis Commercial Private Limited Company to set up "liquor manufacturing plants" was taken unilaterally by CM Vijayan and Excise Minister M B Rajesh, it alleged.

12:22 PM

Tahir Hussain launches poll campaign in Mustafabad under police supervision

Former AAP councillor and 2020 Delhi riots accused Tahir Hussain launched his election campaign in Mustafabad here on Wednesday under police custody, a day after the Supreme Court granted him six-day custody parole. Contesting the upcoming Delhi assembly polls on an AIMIM ticket, Hussain stepped out of Tihar Jail at 6 am and reached his election office in Mustafabad's 25-Foota Road where he interacted with supporters and greeted local residents while being escorted by armed security personnel.

12:05 PM

Waqf committee adopts recommendations, revised Bill

The Joint Committee of Parliament scrutinising the Waqf (Amendment) Bill on Wednesday adopted its draft report and the amended version of the proposed law with a majority vote, JPC chairperson Jagdambika Pal said. MPs have been given time till 4 pm to submit their dissent. Opposition MPs, some of whom have given their dissent, slammed the exercise as undemocratic, claiming that they were given little time to study the final report and frame their dissent notes.

11:23 AM

Pregnant woman in Maharashtra detected with rare 'fetus in fetu' condition

 A 32-year-old pregnant woman in Maharashtra's Buldhana district has been detected with 'fetus in fetu', an extremely rare condition in which a malformed fetus is located within the body of another fetus, an official said. The rare congenital anomaly was detected a few days back when the woman, who is 35 weeks pregnant, went to Buldhana District Women's Hospital for a regular check-up, he said. Doctors came to know about the condition during the woman's sonography at the hospital, the official said.

10:34 AM

Passenger plane catches fire at South Korean airport. All 176 people on board evacuated

A passenger plane caught fire before takeoff at an airport in South Korea late Tuesday, but all 176 people on board were safely evacuated, authorities said. The Airbus plane operated by South Korean airline Air Busan was preparing to leave for Hong Kong when its rear parts caught fire at Gimhae International Airport in the southeast, the Transport Ministry said in a statement.

9:41 AM

Himalayan winds to bring chill back to Delhi; IMD forecasts weekend rain

Temperatures are likely to rise in the National Capital. The minimum temperature in the capital is predicted to be around 9 degrees Celsius today. Cloudy conditions are expected on Thursday, while clear skies are likely to prevail until Friday. 

9:08 AM

Apple's iPhones to support Starlink direct-to-cell coverage in US

Apple's iPhone devices are now eligible to test SpaceX-owned Starlink's direct-to-cell capability that provides coverage from space, according to T-Mobile, a partner in the program. T-Mobile and Elon Musk's SpaceX are currently testing the Starlink cell network on a trial basis after receiving approval from the Federal Communications Commission in November last year.