National News

Odisha approves ₹55,783 cr projects, set to create over 14,500 jobs

The Odisha government on Thursday approved seven major industrial projects worth an investment of Rs 55,783 crore and having the potential to generate 14,507 jobs, an official said. The project proposals were approved at the High-Level Clearance Authority (HLCA) meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. "Through these investment clearances, we are focusing on making the state strong, Atmanirbhar and ready for Samruddha Odisha by 2036," he said. The approved projects span key sectors including steel, rare earth manufacturing, automobiles and auto-components, semiconductors, industrial gases, ferroalloys and power and renewable energy and are spread across districts such as Dhenkanal, Ganjam, Keonjhar and Khurda. In the steel sector, Saffron Resources Private Limited, (a JSW Group Company) leads the approvals with a mega investment of Rs 35,000 crore to establish a 6 MTPA steel plant in Dhenkanal. The project alone is expected to generate around 8,000 employment ...

Fix parole bond terms based on prisoner's financial status: Rajasthan HC

The Rajasthan High Court has ruled that the conditions of a bond should be determined after considering the financial status of the prisoner. In an order passed on Tuesday, the court said poverty is not a crime, while expressing strong displeasure over the mechanical attitude of authorities in demanding sureties from poor prisoners for release on parole. A bench of Justices Arun Monga and Farjand Ali issued new guidelines for granting parole in the future, while treating a letter from Khartaram, who is serving a life term in a murder case in the Jodhpur Central Jail since 2014, as a writ petition. On September 29, 2025, the District Parole Committee ordered Khartaram's release for the fourth time on regular parole for 40 days. However, it imposed a condition, requiring the submission of two sureties of Rs 25,000 each. As Khartaram could not fulfil the condition and was also unable to afford legal intervention, he appealed to the high court for relief through a postcard. This was no

Lunatic fringe protests won't define JNU: Vice-Chancellor Santishree Pandit

A "lunatic fringe" does not define the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit said on Thursday, two days after slogans were raised by a section of students against the prime minister and the Union home minister. Pandit said that "some slogans were raised two days ago," but the university "bounced back within 24 hours." "There are lunatics in every university, and these do not define the characteristics of this varsity," she said, addressing a conference on campus. "JNU stands as the most nationalistic university in the country," she added. The university is "normal and peaceful", and the varsity runs "various narratives," she said. "JNU is a brand. We are not limited to India; even New York's mayor has mentioned us," the VC said, adding, whatever is said in JNU has a "cosmic impact." On Monday night, a group of students raised slogans against Narendra Modi and Amit Shah on the JNU campus during a protest that was held hours after the Supreme Cour

Karnataka cabinet to challenge VBG RAM G Act in court, rejects rollout

The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday decided not to accept the VBG RAM G Act and to take up a legal battle against the repeal of MGNREGA. The cabinet also decided to go to the people's court' against repealing' of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and introducing Viksit BharatGuarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act (VBG RAM G Act) in its place. Briefing reporters about the cabinet decision, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said, It is unanimously decided not to accept the (VB-G RAM G) Act and to challenge the same in the court of law. A cabinet note on the subject said the VBG RAM G is in violation of right to work and livelihood of the citizens as enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The Act tramples upon the legitimate rights of Panchayats as vested by the constitution and is against the spirit of the 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution. The bottom-up planning approach, as per local

Mumbai court drops case against Navneet Rana over caste certificate issue

A Mumbai court on Wednesday discharged BJP leader and former Member of Parliament (MP) Navneet Rana in a fake caste certificate case. Her discharge plea was allowed by Judicial Magistrate First Class (Mazgaon court) A A Kulkarni. A reasoned order was not available yet. However, the case against her father Harbhajansingh Kundless will continue as the court adjourned the matter to February 16 for framing of charges against him. Rana, who claims to belong to a Scheduled Caste, is a former Independent Lok Sabha MP from Amravati (2019-24) in eastern Maharashtra. She later joined the BJP. As per a complaint lodged at the Mulund police station in Mumbai, Rana and her father allegedly forged documents to obtain a caste certificate for her as the Amravati Lok Sabha seat, from where she contested, is reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates. The Bombay High Court in 2021 cancelled the caste certificate issued to Rana, saying it was obtained fraudulently using fabricated documents. However,

Haryana govt forms monitoring panel to fast-track development projects

The Haryana government has set up a high-level monitoring committee to speed up development projects and ensure timely execution, according to an official order issued on Monday. The committee will review the progress of projects every two weeks, while overall reviews will also be held at the chief minister's level, preferably once in two months. As per the order issued by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, the initiative aims to improve efficiency, accountability and timely delivery of development works across the state. The committee includes Additional Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Saket Kumar, Officer on Special Duty to the CM Narender Pal Malik and Senior Consultant to the CM Karan Ahlawadi. Meanwhile, Chief Engineer (Public Health) Rajeev Batish will provide technical support. The panel will monitor timelines from administrative approval to award of work, examine delays in approvals, and review the time taken between award and start of projects, including required ..

PM Modi calls return of Piprahwa relics a moment of pride and reverence

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the return of Piprahwa relics associated with Lord Buddha is a "moment of pride, reverence and cultural connect."Sharing the highlights of today's programme, the Prime Minister, in a post on X, wrote, "The return of the sacred Piprahwa relics associated with Bhagwan Buddha after over a century is a moment of pride, reverence and cultural connect. Here are the highlights from today's programme."Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the Grand International Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics, titled "The Light & the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One," at the Rai Pithora Cultural Complex in New Delhi.The exhibition marks a historic moment with the reunification of the Piprahwa gem relics of Lord Buddha, repatriated after 127 years. The display also features relics, gem relics, and reliquaries unearthed during the 1898 excavation and the subsequent 1971-1975 excavations at the Piprahwa site.Prime Minister Modi said that ...

Zubeen Garg death case: Four accused file bail pleas, hearing on Jan 17

Four accused in singer Zubeen Garg's death case filed bail petitions before the court on Saturday. The Kamrup (Metro) District and Sessions Court, which is hearing the case, fixed January 17 as the next date of hearing when the bail objection by the public prosecutor will be filed. The bail pleas were moved by Garg's band member Amritprava Mahanta, his cousin Sandipan Garg, a police officer, and his two personal security officers (PSOs), Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya. The singer-composer-actor had died on September 19 while swimming in the sea in Singapore, where he had gone to attend the Northeast Festival. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the CID, which is probing the case, has charged festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer's secretary Siddhartha Sharma and his two band members, Shekharjyoti Goswami and Amritprava, with murder, and his cousin, who was accompanying him, with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The two PSOs were charged with criminal ...

Switch to LNG may save $1 billion spent on oil imports, says PNGRB

Regulator's study is based on a scenario where 10% of diesel vehicle owners opt for LNG

India Gate protest case: Delhi court grants bail to one of the accused

A Delhi court on Wednesday granted bail to one of the protesters arrested in connection with an agitation against air pollution at the India Gate on November 23, where slogans were allegedly raised in support of slain Maoist commander Madvi Hidma, saying he was not required for further investigation. Hearing the bail plea of Akshay E R, the court of District Judge Dharmendra Rana said, The applicant (Akshay) was arrested on November 23 and has been in continuous custody since then. It is submitted that the investigation is complete and thus no custodial detention of the applicant is required. The court noted that the co-accused in the case had been granted bail and that the accused had no past criminal antecedents. Considering the nature of the allegations, the period of incarceration, past criminal antecedents and on the ground of parity, the applicant is admitted to bail subject to furnishing of personal bond of Rs 50,000 with one surety of the like amount, the court said. The ..

Indore water contamination: After 7 deaths, minister promises action

The district administration said 149 patients were admitted to 27 hospitals across the city and are under observation

Kushavati, with four talukas, to become Goa's third district: CM Sawant

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said the proposed third district in the state will be called 'Kushavati', named after a river that flows through the region. It will be an aspirational district in the country, he said. At present, the coastal state comprises two districts - North Goa and South Goa. Talking to reporters, Sawant said the new district will comprise four talukas - Dharbandora, Quepem, Sanguem and Canacona - that are currently part of South Goa. "All the administrative works of the new district will be run from South Goa district till the infrastructure required for the new district is made available," the CM said. The new district will be named as Kushavati, a river that flows in these parts of Goa, he said. Till the time a full time collector is appointed in the nwe district, the responsibility will be handled by the collector of South Goa district, according to him. Quepem town will be the headquarters of the new district, which will be connected ...

Vande Bharat sleeper clears final high-speed trial at 180 kmph: Railways

Indian Railways has achieved a significant milestone in its journey towards self-reliant rail technology with the successful completion of the final high-speed trial of the indigenously designed Vande Bharat sleeper train, ministry officials said on Wednesday. "The trial, conducted under the supervision of the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), took place on the Kota-Nagda section, where the train achieved a maximum speed of 180 kmph," it added, without specifying a new date for its launch. The Vande Bharat sleeper train has missed several launch deadlines in the past. In mid-November, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that this train would be launched in December 2025. Vaishnaw shared a video of the safety trial on his social media handle X on December 30, showcasing a water-glass stability demonstration, in which glasses filled with water remained steady without spillage even at high speed. "Vande Bharat Sleeper tested today by the Commissioner of Railway Safety, ran at 1

Centre prohibits oral nimesulide doses above 100 mg, cites safety risks

The Union Health Ministry has banned the manufacture, sale and distribution of all oral formulations containing the popular painkiller nimesulide above 100 mg, citing serious risks to health, an official notification said. The decision was taken following a recommendation by ICMR, the apex health research body of India, it said. "The Central government is satisfied that the use of all oral formulations containing Nimesulide above 100 mg in immediate release dosage form is likely to involve risk to human beings and that safer alternatives to the said drug are available," the notification issued on Monday said. It stated that it is necessary and expedient in the public interest to prohibit the manufacture, sale and distribution of the drug in the country for human use. "Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and after consultation with the Drugs Technical Advisory Board, the Centre, hereby prohibits the manufacture, sal

MoD signs ₹4,666 crore contracts for carbines and heavy weight torpedoes

The Defence Ministry signed ₹4,666 crore capital acquisition contracts for 5.56 mm CQB carbines and 48 heavy weight torpedoes for Kalvari-class submarines under Project-75

Over 180 flights cancelled as dense fog hits North India; delays continue

Dense fog has hit flight operations across North India, forcing over 180 cancellations and widespread delays, with Delhi airport seeing cancellations and diversions during low visibility

Punjab govt's move against VB-G RAM G Act unconstitutional: Shivraj Chouhan

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said the move to bring a resolution against the VB-G RAM G Act in the Punjab assembly was undemocratic and against the basic spirit of the Constitution, which reflected "blind opposition" politics. Addressing a press conference here, Chouhan said it is the Constitutional responsibility of states to abide by Parliamentary laws. The AAP government on Tuesday brought a resolution against the VB-G RAM G Act in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha and accused the BJP-led Centre of trying to finish the MGNREGA. Punjab Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond tabled the resolution in the House for discussion during the one-day session of the assembly. Chouhan targeted opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, saying he lives in a "world of imagination" and has no connection with the realities of the country. "Speaking out whatever comes to one's mind is not responsible politics," Chouhan said. He was referring to Gandhi's recent claim that

Govt in talks on lateral entry requirements and future impact: DoPT

The Centre is in consultation with the stakeholders on requirements and impact of lateral entry recruitment, a top government official said on Tuesday. Lateral recruitment in the central government has been undertaken since 2018 to appoint persons for specific assignments, including those from the private sector, keeping in view their specialised knowledge and expertise in the domain area. Addressing a presser, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) Secretary Rachna Shah said almost 60 officers were taken under the lateral entry in three installments -- at the level of Joint Secretary and Deputy Secretary/Director -- and almost 38 to 40 of them are continuing and contributing in various ministries and departments. Shah said that "we are in consultation and discussion with the stakeholder ministries and departments". Asked if the government was considering forming new rules and procedures on lateral entry recruitment, she said if something comes up in the course of consultation

UP SIR schedule revised: Draft electoral roll on Jan 6, final on Mar 6

The Election Commission has revised the schedule for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh, with the draft voter list now slated to be published on January 6, 2026, and the final list on March 6, the state's Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa said in a statement on Tuesday. According to the new schedule, claims and objections will be invited from January 6 to February 6, he said. Rinwa said the notice stage, disposal of claims and objections, and decisions on enumeration forms will continue from January 6 to February 27, after which the final electoral roll will be published on March 6. The revision of the schedule comes amid heightened scrutiny of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in the state, where a large-scale pruning of voter list has been carried out. The nearly 52-day SIR exercise, conducted with the theme 'Shuddh Nirvachak Namavali, Majboot Loktantra' (Clean Electoral Roll, Strong Democracy), began on November 4 and ...

Delhi Police crack cyber fraud racket using fake stock app; two held

The Delhi Police has busted a cyber fraud syndicate operating through a fraudulent stock trading application and apprehended two men from Haryana for allegedly cheating a woman of Rs 22.7 lakh, officials said on Tuesday. The probe began following a complaint lodged by Dr Amita Garg on November 13. The complainant alleged that she was added to a messaging app group 'Stan Chart Dialogue Forum L7', where administrators shared advice on D-mat share investments. DCP (Shahdara) Prashant Gautam said one of the group admins, identifying herself as Yalini Guna, persuaded the victim to invest via a mobile application and shared a download link. The complainant, initially, invested around Rs 2.7 lakh through multiple transactions. While the application displayed apparent profits, the victim was pressured to invest further sums when she attempted to withdraw her money. In total, she transferred Rs 22.70 lakh before being blocked from the app, police said. An e-FIR was filed under sections 318(