Page 6 - National News

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(

One dead, over 30 fall ill in Indore amid suspected water contamination

At least 32 people have fallen ill due to suspected water contamination in a locality in Madhya Pradesh's Indore city, prompting the administration to collect samples of drinking water for testing, officials said on Tuesday. According to a local councillor, an 80-year-old man among those affected died during treatment at a hospital. The administration, however, hasn't confirmed the death. Speaking to PTI, Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr Madhav Prasad Hassani said that at least 32 people from the Bhagirathpura area have been admitted to different hospitals in the city. "Patients complained of vomiting and diarrhoea after drinking contaminated water," he said. Hasani said drinking water samples have been collected for testing from the locality, and reports will arrive in 48 hours. Residents of Bhagirathpura said that they fell ill after consuming water from the Narmada River supplied to homes through municipal tap connections. "We have sent water samples for testing. We

Amit Shah to visit Andaman and Nicobar Islands on January 2: Official

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to visit Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the first week of January to chair a meeting of the parliamentary consultative committee, an official said on Tuesday. Shah is likely to arrive here on January 2. He will be received by Lt Governor Admiral D K Joshi (Retd) at the airport, the official said. The Home minister will chair the Parliamentary Consultative Committee meeting of the Ministry of Home Affairs on January 3, he said. "On January 3, Shah will interact with the Parliamentary Consultative Committee in Wandoor, and later he will attend an event on Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Dr B R Ambedkar Institute of Technology (DBRAIT) auditorium in Dollygunj," the official said. Shah will depart from the archipelago on January 4. The Home minister had visited Andaman and Nicobar Islands on December 12 to commemorate the 116th anniversary of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar's (Veer Savarkar) iconic poem, 'Sagara Pran Talamala'. The Chief of Defence S

PIL moved in SC over racial discrimination, attacks on Northeast citizens

A PIL was filed in the Supreme Court seeking judicial intervention to address the "continuing constitutional failure" to prevent and respond to racial discrimination and violence against citizens from northeastern states and other frontier regions. The PIL was filed on December 28 in the backdrop of the brutal killing of Anjel Chakma, a 24-year-old MBA student from Tripura, who succumbed on December 27 to grievous injuries sustained in a racially motivated attack in Selaqui area of Dehradun. Anjel from Unakoti district's Machmara went to Dehradun after completing his graduation in Holy Cross School, Agartala, to pursue MBA, where he was stabbed to death in the presence of his younger brother Michael. The family members of Chakma want capital punishment or at least life imprisonment for all the accused involved in the incident. Anoop Prakash Awasthi, a Delhi-based lawyer, has made the Centre and all the states and Union territories as parties to the PIL. "That the present writ petit

Pahalgam attack, shelling from Pak, floods mark a bleak year for Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir's quest for restoration of statehood suffered twin blows during the year in the form of the Pahalgam terror attack and the Delhi car blast. The elected government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah made all the right noises in the first six months in office for the restoration of statehood, but the deadly strike by terrorists on tourists on Baisaran meadows of Pahalgam on April 22 put a halt to any immediate talk of Jammu and Kashmir's returning as a state. The terrorists shot dead 26 men -- 25 tourists and a local ponywalla. Survivors alleged that the assailants chose their targets after confirming that they were not Muslims a revelation that sent communal shockwaves to the rest of the country. The attack was denounced widely across the valley. For the first time in 35 years, spontaneous protests were held across the length and breadth of the valley in condemnation. The protestors unequivocally declared: "Not in my name." On May 7, the Indian forces launched

States will gain ₹17,000 crore due to VB-G RAM G, says SBI paper

The paper has taken seven criteria and divided them into equity and efficiency. To simulate the hypothetical scenario, it takes seven parameters and assigns weights to balance both equity and efficien

Bengal SIR hearings disrupted in Hooghly after TMC MLA stages protest

SIR hearings at Chinsurah-Mogra block office in West Bengal's Hooghly district were halted for some time on Monday after TMC MLA Asit Mazumdar objected to the exclusion of booth-level agents (BLAs) during the process, officials said. The hearings, which are being conducted at the block office for three assembly constituencies, were stopped after Mazumdar insisted that BLAs be allowed to remain present during the process. He demanded that officials either permit BLAs to attend the hearings or give in writing that they would not be allowed. "Unless BLAs are allowed or officials give in writing that they will not be allowed, we will not allow the hearings," Mazumdar told reporters, following which the entry and exit gates of the block office were closed, preventing people from entering the premises. As per Election Commission guidelines, BLAs are not permitted to be present during such hearings. Later, Mazumdar toned down his stand and allowed the hearings to resume, citing humanitar

Truck carrying concrete mixer overturns in Kerala, 2 killed, 13 injured

Two migrant workers were killed and 13 others injured when a truck carrying a concrete mixer overturned at Mutharikkulam near Sreekandapuram in this north Kerala district on Sunday, police said. The deceased were identified as Vishwajith Das (30) and Krishna (35), natives of West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, respectively. They were among a group of workers returning to their accommodation in Sreekandapuram after completing concreting work at a house in Kunnathur. The accident occurred as the vehicle was descending the Mutharikkulam hill when the driver allegedly lost control of the truck. The truck hit an electric post and overturned, landing upside down, police said. Both Das and Krishna were trapped under the truck and died on the spot. The injured, including the driver and 12 other workers, have been admitted to hospitals in Kannur and Taliparamba, police said. Police have launched a probe after registering a case, officials said.

Ankita Bhandari murder case: Police register 2 FIRs over fresh allegations

The Uttarakhand Police on Saturday said it had filed two FIRs and was probing the allegations made in a video that emerged on social media in connection with the 2022 Ankita Bhandari murder case. Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Dr V Murugesan said, "Based on the facts that emerge during the investigation, legal and effective action will be taken." Dr Murugesan appealed to the general public to come up with evidence, if they have any, that may be related to the murder. The officer called the receptionist's murder an "extremely unfortunate and sensitive incident." Murugesan said that, after the killing, the state government immediately constituted a Special Investigation Team under a female IPS officer, which promptly arrested all the accused and ensured that they did not get bail. He said that during the investigation and the trial, petitions were filed in the high court and the Supreme Court requesting that the investigation of this case be handed over to the

Unnao rape case: SC to hear CBI plea against suspending Sengar's life term

The Supreme Court will hear a plea filed by the CBI challenging a Delhi High Court order suspending the life sentence of expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case on December 29. According to the apex court's cause list for December 29, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices J K Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih is slated to hear the plea. Besides the plea filed by the CBI, the apex court will also hear a separate petition filed by advocates Anjale Patel and Pooja Shilpkar challenging the high court order. On December 23, the high court suspended the jail term of Sengar, who was serving a life sentence in the 2017 Unnao rape case, saying he had already served seven years and five months in prison. The CBI challenged the high court's order in the top court on December 26. The high court suspended Sengar's life term till the pendency of his appeal challenging his conviction and sentencing in the case. Sengar has challenged the Decembe

PM Modi discusses governance, reforms at national chief secretaries' meet

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday chaired a national conference of chief secretaries where he had insightful discussions on various issues relating to governance and reforms, officials said. The conference marked another important milestone in strengthening the Centre-state partnership through structured and sustained dialogue on national development priorities, they said. "Had insightful discussions on various issues relating to governance and reforms during the National Conference of Chief Secretaries being held in Delhi," Modi wrote on X. The event was attended by P K Mishra and Shaktikanta Das, principal secretaries to the prime minister, Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan, members of the NITI Aayog, and chief secretaries of all the states and Union territories. Based on the extensive deliberations between the Central ministries, departments, NITI Aayog, states and UTs and domain experts, the conference will deliberate on the theme 'Human Capital for Viksit Bharat', coveri

1.05 mn names deleted as EC releases Assam draft electoral rolls after SIR

The names of 10.56 lakh voters have been deleted after the Special Revision of electoral rolls in Assam, where assembly polls would be in less than six months. According to the integrated draft rolls released by the Election Commission on Saturday, the state has a total of 2,51,09,754 voters, excluding 93,021 D-Voters or doubtful voters. Additionally, the names of 10,56,291 voters have been deleted due to death, shifting, or multiple entries. D-Voters are a category of voters in Assam who have been disenfranchised by the government on account of their alleged lack of proper citizenship credentials. D-Voters are determined by special tribunals under the Foreigners Act, 1946, and the person declared as a D-Voter is not given a voter card. All related particulars, such as name, age and photograph, of D-Voters have been carried forward to the draft electoral roll without any change. The draft rolls were published after house-to-house verification of the Special Revision was held from .