News updates: Grap 3 curbs back in Delhi-NCR amid rise in air pollution levels

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8:27 PM

I could see some loopholes in the monitoring system in Tirupati, says CM Naidu on stampede incident

6:54 PM

Grap 3 curbs back in Delhi-NCR amid rise in air pollution levels

The Centre's panel on Delhi-NCR's air quality on Thursday re-implemented stage 3 curbs under the Graded Response Action Plan amid a sharp rise in air pollution levels owing to unfavourable meteorological conditions, according to an official order.
 

Delhi's air pollution levels showed an increasing trend and the 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 357 at 4 pm, up from 297 on Wednesday, owing to "calm winds and foggy conditions".
 

The Commission for Air Quality Management, responsible for strategising air pollution mitigation in Delhi-NCR, directed authorities in the region to immediately implement curbs prescribed under stage 3 to prevent further worsening of the situation.
 

GRAP Stage 3, which was revoked on Sunday, entails a ban on non-essential construction work.

6:50 PM

Judicial inquiry will be ordered into Tirupati stampede incident, says CM Naidu

6:19 PM

Nobel winner Malala Yousafzai to visit Pakistan for conference on girls' education

6:06 PM

A chimney collapsed at a steel plant in Mungeli, Chhattisgarh today. Several labourers feared trapped.

5:50 PM

Police may be 'lacking somewhere' if they are unable to tackle crime in Pune, says Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said police may be "lacking somewhere" if they are unable to rein in crime in Pune despite being given all infrastructural support and there being no political interference in their work.

 

Maharashtra's second largest city is often in the news for 'koyta' gangs, which get their names from the sickle-type long blade weapons used to hack down opponents. Many of these attacks are captured on CCTVs, thereby increasing the fear and distress among ordinary citizens. Asked about these gangs, Pawar said, "Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (who holds the home portfolio) has taken serious cognisance of these cases. Being a representative of this area (Pawar is MLA from Baramati in the district), I have also taken this issue very seriously." Everyone knows there is no political interference in the work of the police, Pawar claimed. "Despite being given various facilities in terms of infrastructure, housing, new offices and manpower, if police are unable to rein in these crimes, then it shows senior officers in the force must be lacking somewhere. If they are not able to tackle the situation, they should admit it and we will bring better officers to control crime," the NCP chief said. Asserting that he would talk to senior police officials on the issue of crime, Pawar emphasised it was the state government's duty to live up to the expectations of the citizens after getting a massive mandate (in the November assembly polls).

4:50 PM

Dhananjay Munde has said he is not involved in sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh's brutal murder: Ajit Pawar

Ajit Pawar asserted that the court, SIT, and CID are probing sarpanch murder; Fadnavis has said action will be taken against anyone linked to brutal killing.

4:39 PM

News update: TCS total income increases 6.13% to Rs 65,216 crore for December quarter

4:30 PM

TCS Q3 results: Third interim dividend and special dividend

Tata Consultancy Services Ltd declared a third interim dividend of Rs 10 and a special dividend of Rs 66 per equity share of Re 1 each of the company.

4:26 PM

TCS Q3 results: Net profit rises 12% to Rs 12,380 crore, beats estimates

IT major Tata Consultancy Services Ltd registered a consolidated net profit of Rs 12,380 crore, a rise of 12 per cent when compared to Rs 11,058 crore in the year-ago period.

4:15 PM

Tamil Nadu Assembly demands rollback of new UGC regulations 2025

The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Thursday urged the Union Education Ministry to immediately withdraw the University Grants Commission's new regulation 2025 on appointing vice-chancellors of universities, a move which was against the fundamental principle of the Constitution and federalism, it said. It can harm the higher education system of Tamil Nadu, the resolution passed with the support of all political parties, including the PMK, an ally of the BJP, said. The Opposition AIADMK, too, backed the DMK and its allies on the resolution.

3:34 PM

'Misleading': UP Police on reports 1978 Sambhal riots to be reinvestigated

The Uttar Pradesh Police Thursday rejected reports that the 1978 communal riots in Sambhal, which claimed several lives, will be reinvestigated. "A misleading piece of information is being spread through social media and other platforms that a reinvestigation into the 1978 communal riots in Sambhal is being initiated. However, no such development is taking place," Sambhal Superintendent of Police (SP) Krishna Kumar Bishnoi said.

3:29 PM

ITBP jawan dies under suspicious circumstances in Greater Noida

A jawan from the 39th battalion of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP) died under suspicious circumstances in a toilet of a complex set up by the battalion in Greater Noida, police said on Thursday. The deceased has been identified as Sajjan Singh (59), who was posted as an Assistant Sub-Inspector in the 39th battalion of ITBP, located in the Surajpur police station area.

3:19 PM

Three Naxalites killed in encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Sukma

Three Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Thursday, state Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said. So far, bodies of three Naxalites have been recovered and the search operation is still underway, Sharma said.

2:54 PM

Britain plans new sanctions laws to target people-smuggling gangs

Britain will create a new sanctions regime to target the leaders of networks that smuggle tens of thousands of people into Britain each year, as well as the often-Chinese makers of the boats and motors they use, the government said on Wednesday.

2:32 PM

External Affairs Minister Jaishankar stresses on importance of diaspora

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said the diaspora has become more important with each passing year as India strives to build a "global workforce". Addressing the Indian diaspora at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention here, Jaishankar said that in times of difficulty abroad, they can be confident that the Narendra Modi government "has got your back". "We are proud of the achievements of our Indian diaspora," he said.

2:14 PM

Cong MLA, 3 others booked for abetment of party worker's suicide: Police

Congress MLA I C Balakrishnan, Wayanad DCC president N D Appachan and two others have been booked for abetment to suicide of the party's Wayanad district office-bearer N M Vijayan, police said on Thursday. A senior police officer of the district confirmed that the section of abetment of suicide under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been added to the FIR in connection with the death of Vijayan, the Wayanad District Congress Committee (DCC) treasurer, and his son.

2:10 PM

Four Karnataka pilgrims killed in road accident in Tamil Nadu

At least four pilgrims from Karnataka were killed when the bus they were travelling in was involved in an accident with a vegetable-laden truck and another heavy vehicle here on Thursday, police sources said. The victims, mostly hailing from Kolar, were returning home in a KSRTC bus after visiting a temple near Chennai.

2:07 PM

SC orders status quo on construction under PM Awas Yojana on Abbas Ansari's land in Lucknow

The top court ordered status quo on the construction of housing units under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana at a disputed site in Lucknow's Jiamau whose ownership is claimed by the sons of late gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari. In 2020, the Lucknow Development Authority had bulldozed the bungalow that belonged to Ansari and his sons including Abbas Ansari. The government plans to build flats on the land under the PM Awas Yojana.

1:33 PM

All 4 Indians accused of Hardeep Nijjar's murder granted bail by Canada court

Hardeep Nijjar, a Khalistani  extremist, was murdered in June 2023 in Surrey, British Columbia. The case gained global attention after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of being involved in the murder.

12:44 PM

News update: Disband INDIA bloc if it's over, says Omar Abdullah on AAP-Congress feud in Delhi

12:39 PM

Encounter breaks out between security personnel and Naxalites in Chhattisgarh

An encounter broke out between security personnel and Naxalites in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Thursday, a senior police official said. The gunfight started in the morning in a forest along the border of Sukma and Bijapur districts when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxalite operation, the official said.

11:58 AM

Winter chill continues in Rajasthan, Fatehpur coldest at 3 degrees Celsius

Cold conditions continued in parts of Rajasthan on Thursday with Fatehpur in Sikar district recording the lowest night temperature in the state at 3 degrees Celsius, up by couple of notches from the 1.1 degrees Celsius recorded the night before. Sikar recorded a low of 4 degrees Celsius, Karauli 4.2 degrees, Sangaria and Jalore 4.3 degrees each, Sirohi 4.4 degrees, Churu and Dausa 4.7 degrees each, and Baran 4.9 degrees, the weather office said.

11:55 AM

India is now known as 'Vishwa Bandhu', need to strengthen this further: PM Modi at Bhubaneswar convention

We consider it our responsibility to help our diaspora during crisis situations no matter where they are, says PM Modi.

11:32 AM

World today listens to India, which not only presents its own views but those of the global south: PM Modi

India is not only young country but also country of skilled youths, PM Modi said at the diaspora convention in Bhubaneswar. 

11:08 AM

We are not only mother of democracy, but democracy is part of our lives: PM Modi

Due to strength of its heritage, India is able to tell the world that future does not lie in war, but in Buddha, says PM Modi.

10:50 AM

PM Modi arrives at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reached the Janata Maidan here to inaugurate the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, 2025. He will also inaugurate four exhibitions and then take a tour of the exhibitions and promotional stalls of Union and state ministries and departments, officials said.

The 18th PBD is being jointly organised by the ministry of external affairs and the Odisha government from January 8 to January 10. 

 

10:36 AM

BRS leader Rama Rao says Formula E race was to enhance Hyderabad's brand image

Ahead of his appearance before the Anti-Corruption Bureau, BRS Working President K T Rama Rao on Thursday said his agenda when he was minister in the previous regime was to make Hyderabad a pivotal hub for sustainable mobility as the world transitions towards it and Formula-E race was a part of that ambitious vision. Rao, also known as KTR, was summoned by the ACB for questioning in a case related to "unauthorised" payments to conduct Formula E race, on Thursday at 10 am.

10:07 AM

Tirupati tragedy: Pilgrims rushed as police opened gate, says eyewitness

An eyewitness shared details about the incident, stating that the stampede occurred due to the overwhelming rush of pilgrims when the police opened the gates for token distribution.

9:54 AM

Trump's inaugural committee raises record $170 million in donations

President-elect Donald Trump has raised more than $170 million for his upcoming inauguration, a record amount as tech executives and big donors have eagerly written large checks to help bankroll the ceremony. Trump's inaugural committee is expected to raise more than $200 million by the end of the effort.