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Wed, 18 January 2023
Man beaten to death by 2 in Maha over FB post
Timeline Refresh
23:40 Man beaten to death by 2 in Maha over FB post
A 30-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death with an iron rod by two persons following a tiff over a Facebook post written by the victim in Maharashtra's Nashik city, police said on Wednesday.
The incident took place at Kashmire Mala (farm) in Satpur suburb of the city on late Tuesday night, they said.
"The two accused had a quarrel with the victim Santosh Jaiswal, a garage mechanic, over a Facebook post and a comment made on it. The victim had posted something on Facebook and the two suspects had commented on it which had led to a feud between them," a police official said.
"The accused attacked Jaiswal with an iron road late Tuesday night. The victim suffered serious injuries in the assault, in which he died," he said, adding that he hailed from Uttar Pradesh. -- PTI
23:34 MSRTC bus catches fire in Nashik, all passengers safe
The passengers of a Mumbai-bound Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation bus had a narrow escape as they managed to step out of the vehicle in the nick of time after it caught fire in a ghat section of the Mumbai-Agra national highway in Nashik district on Wednesday, the police said.
The presence of mind shown by the driver and conductor of the bus saved the lives of the passengers, they said.
The incident took place around 12 pm, the police said.
"The Shahada-Mumbai MSRTC bus was passing from Rahud ghat section when it suddenly caught fire. There were 32 passengers in the bus that was coming towards Nashik. When the driver of the bus saw it, he immediately informed the conductor and asked passengers to step out," a police official said.
Due to the presence of mind shown by the driver and the conductor, nobody received even a minor injury in the accident, he said.
"Just after the passengers got out of the bus, the blaze intensified. It was completely gutted in the incident," he added.
After being informed, the personnel of police and fire brigade departments reached the spot and the fire was doused after some time, the police said. -- PTI
22:58 Extortion module linked to Babbar Khalsa terrorists busted: Punjab police
The Punjab police on Wednesday said it has arrested 13 people and busted an extortion module allegedly having links with Babbar Khalsa terrorists based abroad.
Director general of police Gaurav Yadav said five weapons and 53 cartridges have been seized.
"In a major breakthrough, Khanna police busted an international extortion and targeting module operated by Amrit Bal-Jaggu Bhagwanpuria-Pargat Sekhon Gang," Yadav said in a tweet.
"The module has links with foreign-based terrorists of Babbar Khalsa. A total of 13 target suppliers and shelter providers have been arrested with the recovery of five weapons and 53 cartridges," he added.
A case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act has been registered in the matter, the police chief said. -- PTI
22:13 Law soon to fix working hrs of truck drivers: Gadkari
A law will be introduced to determine the working hours for truck drivers and efforts are being made to reduce road accidents by 50 per cent before the end of 2025, according to Union Road Transport and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari.
Participating in an outreach campaign 'Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan' during the Road Safety week, he said the road ministry is committed to reduction in road fatalities and injuries and has undertaken multiple initiatives across all 4Es of road safety -- engineering, enforcement, education and emergency care.
The minister said a law will be brought in to determine the working hours for truck drivers, according to an official statement on Wednesday.
This year, the ministry observed the road safety week from January 11 to 17 under 'Swachhata Pakhwada' to propagate the cause of safer roads for all. -- PTI
22:08 IAF commences Kargil courier services, airlifts 35 passengers
The Indian Air Force on Wednesday commenced a key air courier service that serves the people of Kargil and ferried more than 30 people to and fro Srinagar, officials said.
The civilian population of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh face challenges in the winters due to closure of road from Srinagar to Kargil due to snowfall.
"As many as 35 passengers were lifted today. Sixteen passengers were airlifted from Srinagar to Kargil and 15 passengers from Kargil to Srinagar in the Indian Air Force AN-32 aircraft", an official said.
Four passengers, including a patient, were also lifted in Mi-17 and Pawan Hans helicopters from Kargil to Srinagar, they said.
During these difficult times, IAF provides airlift to the locals from Srinagar to Kargil and from Kargil to Jammu-Srinagar, they said.
IAF also assists by evacuating patients using helicopters from remote locations, they said.
"This year courier services from Kargil to Srinagar and Jammu will commence from January 18 and will continue throughout the road closure period.
"The courier services will operate between Srinagar and Kargil on every Monday and Wednesday and between Kargil and Jammu on every Tuesday and Thursday," official said. -- PTI
21:49 BJP district gen secy booked for 'abducting' SP leader's daughter in UP
A Bharatiya Janata Party district general secretary was booked for allegedly abducting the daughter of a Samajwadi Party leader in Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi, the police said on Wednesday.
The BJP has cancelled the primary membership of Ashish Shukla (47) and expelled him from the party, BJP district president Saurabh Mishra said. In the complaint, the SP leader alleged that Shukla, who lives in his locality and is a father of two -- a 21-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter -- abducted his 26-year-old daughter after luring her on the pretext of marriage.
An FIR was lodged against Shukla under section 366 (kidnapping or abducting a woman) of the Indian Penal Code, police said.
A search has been launched to find Shukla and the SP leader's daughter who are untraceable, they said.
The girl will soon be rescued and strict action will be taken in the matter, additional superintendent of police (East), Anil Kumar said.
Meanwhile, SP's district president Jitendra Verma Jeetu demanded strict action against Shukla. -- PTI
21:14 Microsoft to lay off 10K staffers by Q3 of 2023
Microsoft Corporation will lay off approximately 10,000 employees by the end of the third fiscal quarter of 2023 in response to macroeconomic conditions and changing customer priorities, the US Securities and Exchange Commission said on Wednesday.
"On January 18, 2023, Microsoft Corporation announced to its employees a series of actions it is taking in response to macroeconomic conditions and changing customer priorities. These actions include workforce reductions of approximately 10,000 employees by the end of the third fiscal quarter of 2023, changes to our hardware portfolio, and lease consolidation to create higher density across our workspaces," the US Securities and Exchange Commission said in a statement.
"Collectively these actions will result in a charge of $1.2 billion in the second quarter of our 2023 fiscal year, representing a $0.12 negative impact to diluted earnings per share," the statement added.
Earlier, it was reported that Microsoft was laying off thousands of employees to cut 5 per cent of its workforce.
Thousands of job cuts are expected in human resources and engineering divisions on Wednesday, Reuters reported citing Sky News.
The layoffs would be the latest in the US technology sector, where companies including Amazon.com Inc and Meta Platforms Inc have announced retrenchment exercises in response to slowing demand and a worsening global economic outlook.
The company had 221,000 full-time employees, including 122,000 in the United States and 99,000 internationally, as of June 30, according to filings.
Microsoft is under pressure to maintain growth rates at its cloud unit Azure, after several quarters of the downturn in the personal computer market hurt Windows and devices sales, Reuters reported. -- ANI
20:39 PFI 'reporter' arrested in Kerala: NIA
The National Investigation Agency has arrested a 'reporter' of the banned Popular Front of India who was assigned to collect details about the leaders of other community for possible targeting by "hit squads'', an official said on Wednesday.
Mohammed Sadik, a resident of Mannezhathu Thata in Kerala, was arrested during searches at a location in Kollam district, a spokesperson for the federal anti-terror agency said.
The official said the searches were carried out on Tuesday in connection with a case pertaining to conspiracy and unlawful activities of the PFI, its office-bearers, members and affiliates in Kerala.
The group was conspiring to create enmity between members of different religions and groups prejudicial to maintenance of peace and communal harmony, the spokesperson said.
They also encouraged vulnerable youth to join terrorist organisations, including Lashkar-e-Tayiba, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, also known as Daesh and al-Qaeda, the spokesperson said. -- PTI
20:19 2 houses, PWD bungalow to be razed in Joshimath
The district administration on Wednesday extended the demolition exercise to unsafe private buildings in Joshimath with authorities issuing orders to demolish two private houses and PWD's Dak bungalow near the main market.
The two private houses to be demolished are located in Manoharbagh which falls under ward no 5 of Joshimath municipal area.
The house owners have given their consent for the demolition in writing.
The PWD dak bungalow was constructed after 1976.
These buildings had been declared unsafe by the Central Building Research Institute which is the nodal agency for the exercise.
The orders for demolition were issued by Chamoli district magistrate Himanshu Khurana.
Before this orders for the demolition of two hotels, Malari Inn and Mount View were issued and their scientific dismantling under CBRI supervision is underway. -- PTI
19:56 Services on Delhi Metro's Magenta Line affected, restoration work planned at night
Services on a section of the Delhi Metro's Magenta Line corridor have been affected for several hours since morning due to a case of attempted theft of signalling cable, the DMRC said on Wednesday.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation tweeted to alert commuters.
"Magenta Line update delay in services between Kalindi Kunj and Okhla Bird Sanctuary. Normal service on all other lines," it tweeted in the morning.
Many commuters took to Twitter to share the inconvenience they faced on account of the delay.
"Since undertaking repair work on the affected section during operational hours would have resulted in stopping of all services in that section, it was decided that to avoid hardship to the passengers, trains would be allowed to operate with a restricted speed of 25 kmph during the entire day today," a senior DMRC official said.
The restoration work is planned for the night after the last passenger service.
Access to the track will be provided to replace the cables damaged during the attempted theft, the DMRC said in a statement. -- PTI
19:37 Assembly election schedule of 2023
The Election Commission on Wednesday fixed February 16 as the date for the Tripura assembly polls and February 27 for the elections to the Nagaland and Meghalaya assemblies, with the counting of votes scheduled for March 2.
19:13 Snag: Vistara Mumbai flight returns to Singapore
A Vistara flight from Singapore to Mumbai on Wednesday returned to the Changi Airport in Singapore after a technical snag was detected in one of the engines of the Airbus A321 aircraft, an airlines official said.
As a precautionary step, the pilots decided to turn back and landed the aircraft safely at Changi Airport, The Straits Times newspaper quoted a Vistara spokesman as saying.
He said a technical snag was detected in one of the engines of the aircraft shortly after take-off from Singapore, the spokesman said, adding that the airline was working with partner airlines to offer alternative flight options to the affected passengers.
According to the Flightradar website, flight UK106 departed Singapore at about 11 am (local time).
It was then seen circling over Malaysia before returning to the airport.
Most of the passengers have been transferred to other flights scheduled to take off on the same day, the Singapore daily cited the spokesman as saying.
Although Vistara did not say how many passengers were on board, its website states that the Airbus A321 in its fleet can seat 188 passengers. Some passengers were transferred to a Singapore Airlines flight slated for departure on Wednesday evening.
They were also given meal vouchers, according to media reports. -- PTI
19:08 MBA student held in Mumbai for hacking female medic's social media
The Mumbai police arrested a 22-year-old MBA student for allegedly hacking the social media accounts of a female medical student and sending her pictures clicked with her boyfriend to her family members, an official said here on Wednesday.
He was arrested late night on Tuesday from Daund in Pune district, he said.
''The accused was nabbed after the victim, who is a medical student in a college attached to the KEM hospital, lodged a complaint. The incident came to light after the victim realised that someone had hacked her e-mail account, Instagram and Google password and sent her pictures clicked with her boyfriend to her family members," senior inspector Jitendra Pawar of Bhoiwada police station in Mumbai said.
During the probe, the police came to know that the girlfriend of the accused was studying with the victim.
The former objected to the victim bringing her boyfriend to their college.
She asked the victim several times that she should meet her boyfriend outside the college.
But since she did not stop, the girlfriend of the accused hatched a plan to teach the victim a lesson, he said. -- PTI
18:26 Overall crime in Mumbai rose by 9% in 2022 but detection rate fell by 14%: Police
The crime detection rate in Mumbai dipped by 14 per cent in 2022 as compared to 2021 even as the overall crime graph went up by nine per cent, as per the crime report released by the police.
The poor detection of cybercrime cases could have pulled down the overall Mumbai crime detection rate in 2022, it said.
Post the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of cases of thefts swelled three-fold to 14,818 the previous year compared to 4,534 such cases registered in 2021.
Overall, street crimes which include theft, attacks, molestation, robbery, and chain snatching rose by nearly 100 per cent in 2022, the report said.
The overall detection of crime dipped by 14 per cent to 68 per cent in 2022 from 82 per cent in 2021.
"Overall crime in Mumbai rose by nine per cent in 2022, which is mainly because of prompt registration of street crimes such as theft, assault, chain snatching, robbery, and molestation," it said.
The number of serious offences like dacoity, rape, and extortion rose marginally but at the same time, crimes like murder, house-breaking, and riots dipped in 2022.
Overall, serious offences as a category have seen a marginal increase in registration, the report said. -- PTI
Vinesh Phogat
18:07 WFI prez exploiting women wrestlers: Phogat
In a startling revelation, a crying Vinesh Phogat on Wednesday alleged that Wresting Federation of India president and Bharatiya Janata Party MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has been sexually exploiting women wrestlers for many years and sought the intervention of Prime Minister and Home Minister for his removal.
Vinesh, a world championship medallist and Olympian, also claimed that several coaches at the national camp in Lucknow have also exploited women wrestlers, adding that there are a few women at the camp who approach wresters at the behest of the WFI president.
The 28-year-old though clarified that she herself has not faced such exploitation but claimed that she had received death threats at the behest of WFI president from officials close to him because she dared to draw Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attention to several issues plaguing Indian wrestling when she met him after the Tokyo Games.
"I know at least 10-12 women wrestlers who have told me about the sexual exploitation they faced at the hands of (the) WFI president. They told me their stories. I can't take their names now but I can definitely reveal the names if we get to meet the Prime Minister and the Home Minister of the country," Vinesh said addressing the media after staging a four-hour dharna at Jantar Mantar.
Sitting beside Vinesh, Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia said the federation is being run in an arbitrary manner and they will not compete in any international competition unless the WFI President is removed. -- PTI
17:53 Unnao rape victim opposes parole to Sengar
The victim in the 2017 Unnao rape incident has opposed the 15-day parole granted to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who is serving life sentence in the case, to attend his daughter's marriage.
The victim has issued a video statement and written to President Draupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in this regard, claiming a threat to her life and that of her family members.
In the letter which was shared on social media along with the video, she claimed that as long as Sengar, a former MLA, remains outside jail, he will remain a threat to her, her family and witnesses in the case.
The victim also claimed that her uncle could not interim bail for her sister's marriage under a conspiracy hatched by the family members of Sengar.
The Delhi high court had on January 16 ordered the release of Sengar on parole from January 27 to February 10 to attend his daughter's wedding.
A similar plea by Sengar was listed in the high court in a separate case of the death of the Unnao rape victim's father in custody in which Sengar has been serving 10 years imprisonment. -- PTI
17:02 Bengali detective story writer found dead in Kolkata flat
Bengali writer Sujan Dasgupta, the creator of the popular detective character Ekenbabu, was found dead at his residence in Kolkata on Wednesday, a family member said.
Dasgupta, 80, is survived by wife, daughter and two grandchildren.
The police had to break open the door of his apartment in Survey Park area, after there was no response when the maid turned up in the morning.
She alerted the neighbours, who called the police, the family member said. Dasgupta was found lying motionless on the floor near his bed, a police officer said.
He was later declared dead by a doctor.
The writer's wife is in Santiniketan on a trip, while his daughter stays abroad.
The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, the officer said. -- PTI
16:38 Tejaswi Surya's plane fiasco: Scindia gives 'facts'
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on BJP leader Tejaswi Surya opening the emergency door of an Indigo plane: "It's important to look at the facts. The door was opened by him by mistake when the flight was on the ground. After all checks, the flight was allowed to take off. He also apologised for the mistake."
IndiGo in a statement yesterday said that a passenger travelling on Flight 6E 7339 from Chennai to Tiruchirapalli on December 10 accidentally opened the emergency exit during the boarding process. The passenger apologised for the action. As per SOPs, the aircraft underwent mandatory engineering checks which led to delay departure.
The Congress targeted the BJP's Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, amid reports that the passenger, who accidentally opened the emergency exit of the plane was in fact the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha chief.
It has also questioned as to why the government hid the incident so long.
Neither Surya nor his office have reacted to the allegations so far.
16:09 Kerala CM: Those who bowed to British are in power
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan is in Telangana today. Addressing a meeting, the CM said, "The statement of Union Law Minister to the effect that the Union Govt should have a decisive say in the appointment of judges goes to prove that the BJP govt is hell-bent on destroying judicial autonomy. The CJI himself has resisted the move.
"Today, we have a situation. A political formation which wasn't a part of our national freedom struggle, is in power in the country. Followers of those who tendered unconditional apologies to colonisers and promised to serve the imperial crown are at the helm of affairs today.
"Efforts are on to portray Hindi as the national language while sidelining all our native languages. Imposing Hindi by doing away with our mother tongues will affect the integrity of the nation."
15:46 Centre seeks report from WB on 'Azad Kashmir' row
The Ministry of Education has asked for a factual report from the West Bengal government on a class 10 model question paper asking students to mark "Azad Kashmir" in a map, sources said on Wednesday.
"The ministry has taken a serious view of news reports on a question for class 10 examination 2022-23 of the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education asking the students to identify 'Azad Kashmir' on India's map," a source said.
"The ministry has asked for a factual report along with an Action Taken Report from the Education Department of West Bengal in connection with the question in the test paper," the source added.
A political row had erupted in West Bengal on Tuesday after an image of the class 10 model question paper asking students to mark "Azad Kashmir" in a map went viral on social media, with the opposition BJP claiming it to be a "jihadi conspiracy" and the ruling TMC in the state terming it a mistake that it does not support.
West Bengal Board of Secondary Education president Ramanuj Ganguly had conceded that the "goof-up" took place in the test papers published by the autonomous body, adding that action was being taken against those responsible for the mistake. -- PTI
15:06 Polls: Tripura: Feb 16, Nagaland, Meghalaya: 27
Voting for Assembly elections in Tripura to be held on February 16 and in Nagaland and Meghalaya on February 27. Results to be declared on March 2.
14:57 What ails Congress? Leader who joined BJP says...
Former Congress leader Manpreet Singh Badal joins BJP. When asked what ails the Congress party, Badal said, "How can you operate with a party that's at war with itself? There are coteries. One is made LoP, another is made leader of Legislative party and these coteries fight among themselves. This is the situation in every state."
Talking about the BJP Badal said, "In politics, I have got a few opportunities when I met a 'Sher'.
A few days ago, I met a 'Sher' and that is India's Home minister Amit Shah. He said a heart-touching thing about Punjab that it has suffered 400 attacks for India."
Manpreet Singh Badal on Wednesday resigned from the primary membership of the Congress party and alleged that the Punjab unit of the Congress supported "factionalism."
In the resignation letter issued to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Badal said, "It is with deep sadness that I am writing to tender my resignation from primary official membership of the Indian National Congress."
He further wrote, "I merged the People's Party of Punjab seven years ago with your party. I did so with immense hope, and an expectation of being integrated into an organisation with a rich history, that would allow me to serve the people of Punjab and its interests to the best of my ability. Initial enthusiasm gradually gave way to disappointing disillusionment."
Jain monks. Representational image
14:48 Girl, 9, of Guj diamond merchant becomes monk
A nine-year-old daughter of a wealthy diamond merchant embraced monkhood in Gujarat on Wednesday, renouncing material comforts.
Devanshi, the eldest of the two daughters of Dhanesh and Ami Sanghvi, took 'diksha' in the presence of Jain monk Acharya Vijay Kirtiyashsuri and hundreds of other people at a venue in Vesu locality of Surat, a family associate said.
Her father is the owner of Sanghvi and Sons, a nearly three-decade old diamond polishing and export firm in Surat.
The minor girl's 'diksha' -- or vow of renunciation -- marks her initiation into the ascetic life. The ceremony began last Saturday. She will now shun all the material comforts and luxury, which her family of diamond merchants could have provided her.
Devanshi was inclined towards spiritual life since a very young age and had even walked about 700 km with other monks and embraced their life before formally being initiated into monkhood, family friend Nirav Shah said. She knows five languages and also has other skills, he said.
"Today, she was given 'diksha' at a function. The Sanghvis have two daughters -- Devanshi is the elder one and she has a four-year-old sister," he said.
"Devanshi showed religious inclination since she was a toddler. She has followed the ascetic life since a very young age," he said. On Tuesday, a day before Devanshi took 'diksha,' a religious procession was taken out with fanfare in the city, Shah said. A similar procession was also taken out in Belgium, he added. Several diamond traders from the Jain community have close business links with Belgium. PTI
14:27 IIT student killed in hit-and-run in Delhi
In a likely hit-and-run case, a PhD student died after being hit by a speeding car while crossing the road along with his friend near IIT Delhi gate on Tuesday night, confirmed the Delhi Police.
Identified as Ashraf Nawaz Khan, the 30-year-old went to dinner in the SDA market opposite IIT Delhi with his friend Ankur Shukla who is 29 years old, said the police.
According to the police, both Ankur and Ashraf were allegedly hit by a car coming from the Nehru Place side at around 11:15 pm.
While Ashraf was declared dead at the Safdarjung hospital, Ankur got a fracture on his leg and is currently undergoing treatment at the Max Hospital in Saket.
The police found the car abandoned at some distance in a damaged condition while the accused fled the spot. The police are verifying the CCTV footage recovered from the spot and have identified the accused. No arrest has taken place till now, confirmed the police. Further investigations are underway. -- ANI
14:16 Helicopter crash near Kyiv kills 16
A helicopter crash in a Kyiv suburb Wednesday killed 16 people, including Ukraine's interior minister and two children, according to Ihor Klymenko, chief of Ukraine's National Police.
Nine of those killed were aboard the emergency services helicopter that crashed in Brovary, Kyiv's eastern suburb, Klymenko said. A total of 22 people were injured, including 10 children. Earlier, officials and media reports said the helicopter crashed near a kindergarten.
Image: At least 20 people were reported dead after a missile hit the apartment building on in Dnipro. Pic: Getty Images/Spencer Platt
14:08 'I was in the best team that never played for India'
Michael Dalvi, who played first class cricket for Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Bengal, once hit a century against a fiery Malcolm Marshall and the West Indies. At 77, he has a razor sharp memory, a ready wit and is a rare cricketing treasure, writes Archana Masih/Rediff.com. Read the interview here.
14:03 Kashmir Files to re-release on Jan 19 because...
Vivek Agnihotri's film, 'The Kashmir Files', which was released in theatres last year is all set to hit the silver screens once again this year on January 19, which the Kashmiri Hindu community observes as 'Exodus Day'.
Actor Anupam Kher who essays a pivotal role in the film, on Wednesday, took to his Instagram Twitter handle and made the special announcement.
He wrote, "Probably for the first time a film releases a second time in the same year. Please watch #TheKashmirFiles releasing tomorrow again to pay tribute to #33YearsOfKPEXodus!"Agnihotri too took to Twitter and shared, "ANNOUNCEMENT: #TheKashmirFiles is re-releasing on 19th January - The Kashmiri Hindu Genocide Day. This is the first time ever a film is releasing twice in a year. If you missed watching it on BIG SCREEN, book your tickets NOW."
13:53 MV Ganga's furniture from Rajasthan
River Cruise MV Ganga Vilas is furnished with colorful wooden handicraft furniture from Jodhpur in Rajasthan. The 28 rooms, lobby, sun deck, and restaurant of the cruise are decorated with furniture depicting the ethnic design and vibrant colors of Rajasthan.
13:45 Former Punjab Congress leader to join BJP today
Congress leader and former Punjab minister Manpreet Singh Badal to join BJP on Wednesday. He has resigned from the primary membership of the Congress party.
He blamed the Congress top brass for factionalism within the party. In a letter addressed to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Badal wrote that a coterie of men in Delhi is running affairs in Punjab and have only increased factionalism.
'Go back Ravi' posters were festooned across Chennai
13:32 Far-fetched, wrong: TN guv on Tamizhagam row
Amid the "Tamizhagam" row, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Wednesday said that he never "suggested" changing the name of the state.
Asserting that interpreting his statement as a suggestion to change the name of the state is erroneous and far-fetched, a statement released by Raj Bhavan said, "Without understanding the basis of my speech, arguments that the Governor is against the word 'Tamil Nadu' have become a topic of discussion. Hence, I am giving this clarification to put an end to it."
A political controversy was triggered after the governor said Tamizhagam was a more appropriate name for the state than Tamil Nadu. This remark also brought him into the line of fire of several political parties.
The governor was criticised for using a name other than the one approved by the Constitution. Both words find mentioned in Tamil literature, but Tamil Nadu is being accepted and Tamizhagam is opposed. -- ANI
13:27 Rare orange bat spotted in Chhattisgarh
A rare orange coloured bat, which is a "near threatened" species, has been spotted in Chhattisgarh's Kanger Valley National Park, officials said on Wednesday.
The animal, also known as 'painted bat' and characterised by bright orange and black wings, was sighted at a banana farm in Parali Bodal village of the park on Monday, the national park's director, Dhammshil Ganvir, told PTI.
The bright orange-coloured bat was seen for the third time in the last few years in the Kanger Valley National Park located in Bastar district, he said, adding that earlier it was seen in 2020 and 2022. The national park is famous for its limestone caves which also provide a suitable habitat for the bats, as per experts.
The painted bat, whose scientific name is 'Kerivoula picta', is a "near threatened" species and commonly seen in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam, Ganvir said.
"The painted bats are aerial hawkers, which means they catch insects while flying in the air. It is often observed at the time of maize harvest, Ganvir said. A survey will soon be conducted to ascertain varieties of bats found in the national park," he said.
The park, spread over an area about 200 sq km, is rich in biodiversity and sightings of some of the rare species of fauna were reported multiple times in the past, Ganvir said. In India, this bat has so far been seen in the Western Ghats, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha and the Kanger Valley in Chhattisgarh, he said. These bats prefer to live in dry areas and dense moist forests. For roosting, they prefer to take shelter under banana leaves, the official said.
"We have decided to launch a survey to ascertain the varieties of bats found in the park and take conservation measures accordingly," he added. Bastar-based ornithologist Ravi Naidu told PTI that the painted bat was first found in the Kanger Valley National Park in an injured condition in November 2020. -- PTI
13:21 Jamaat-e-Islami Hindi delegation visit Joshimath
A delegation of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind visited Joshimath today.
Hundreds of houses have been marked and vacated by the administration, and are being prepared for demolition.
On behalf of the victims, under the joint banner of Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, demonstrations are being held at the tehsil office with their demands.
The JIH delegation demanded from the government and administration officials to do their utmost in the rehabilitation of the victims on humanitarian grounds.
The delegation also met the officials of the Mutt and expressed solidarity and sympathy with them. The people in charge of the Mutt expressed great happiness at this expression of support and solidarity.
The delegation also met the Muslim leaders of Joshimath to know their situation and assured them of support. At least 20 houses belong to Muslims in Joshimath. The delegation also inspected these affected places and houses.
Bandi Sanjay
13:10 On son assaulting student, T'gana BJP chief says...
A day after state police booked Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay's son for allegedly harassing and assaulting a fellow student, the BJP leader on Wednesday alleged that the state Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao was dragging his son's name into the matter with an intention to "spoil" his career.
The case was registered against Kumar's son Bandi Bhagirath Sai based on a complaint filed by Mahindra University, where both study -- after the videos of the alleged assault went viral.
Alleging that the ruling BRS government "leaked" the video at the behest of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, in a bid to settle political scores, Bandi Sanjay said, "The IT cell of BRS Party has leaked it on social media purely for political gains and with a sole intention to tarnish my image.
"The cowardly Chief minister of Telangana Mr KCR and his prodigal son is unable to face me politically and resort to cheap politics. KCR is stooping too low and he is dragging my son with the intention of spoiling his career," he said.
He further claimed that the incident took place two months ago.
"My son's batch mate harassed a girl by texting her messages late in the night and forced her to love him. The girl considers my son an elder brother and she has shared the incident and shown the messages sent by his batch mate. Later, my son found that his batchmate took the number of the girl from his mobile without his knowledge," Sanjay said adding that a heated argument between both them led to a fight.
He went on to say that later, both compromised and the issue was resolved amicably and both are good friends now. -- ANI
12:47 PM visit: Ban on drones over Mumbai tomorrow
In view of PM Narendra Modi's Mumbai visit no drones, paragliders, remote control microlight aircraft flying activities are allowed in jurisdiction of BKC PS, Andheri PS, Meghwadi PS, Jogeshwari Police Station on January 19. Order will remain in force from 12:01 am to 11 pm of 19th January.
Modi will inaugurate the new Mumbai Metro line 2A and line 7 tomorrow, which is built at the cost of around Rs 12,600 crore.
The Prime Minister will also ride the metro after the inauguration.
According to the Prime Minister's Office, the metro line 2A connecting Dahisar E and DN Nagar (yellow line) is around 18.6 Km long, while metro line 7 connecting Andheri E - Dahisar E (red line) is around 16.5 Km long.
The foundation stone of these lines was also laid by the Prime Minister in 2015. These Metro Trains are Made in India.
As per the PMO office, the Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of projects worth around Rs 38,800 crore in Mumbai providing seamless urban mobility has been one of the key focus areas of PM Modi.
12:30 Happy birthday Vinod Kambli
Sachin Tendulkar wishes his friend and former batting partner Vinod Kambli on his birthday. "Many happy returns of the day @vinodkambli349! Wishing you the best of health & happiness," Tendulkar tweeted with this throwback pic.
Kambli and Tendulkar had stitched a 664-run partnership in the Harris Shield Trophy in 1988.
12:14 SC transfers Delhi-Centre power row to large bench
The Supreme Court on Wednesday permitted the Central government to file additional submissions seeking reference of the Delhi-Centre power dispute to a larger bench of nine judges.
As a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud commenced hearing on the vexatious Centre-Delhi government row over control of services, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, sought the nod to file an additional note for reference of the matter to a larger bench.
"Please permit me to file a two-page note...My note will also contain a prayer for reference (of the case to a larger bench)," the law officer said.
"The issue of reference was never argued. We are in rejoinder (hearing rejoinder submissions). Mr Singhvi (AM Singhvi for Delhi government) would have finished yesterday. How can you argue reference now," the CJI observed.
The contours of federalism between the Centre and the union territory needed a re-look, Mehta said, adding the reference to a larger bench was needed Singhvi opposed the submissions of the solicitor general, saying this matter had come before a division bench at least 10 times over a year.
He said the review of the 2018 judgement in the Delhi-Centre case is being sought now and this is hugely dilatory.
"It can be anything but dilatory. We are dealing with the capital of the nation. My friend (Singhvi) is in tremendous hurry, we may not be remembered as handing over the capital to complete anarchy, the law officer responded. This is a question of law. You (solicitor general) can circulate a note," said the bench which also comprised justices M R Shah, Krishna Murari, Hima Kohli and P S Narasimha. Singhvi then commenced his rejoinder submissions which are likely to be concluded during the day.
Earlier also, the Centre had filed an interim application seeking reference to a larger bench of nine or more judges in the Delhi-Centre power dispute.
The application filed by the Centre had said that it is seeking reference of appeal to a larger bench of this court for a holistic interpretation of Article 239AA of the Constitution, which is Central to the determination of issues involved herein.
It is submitted that the issue pertains to the administration of India's capital and, therefore can doubtlessly be said to be a question of constitutional interpretation as narrated in detail hereunder, the Constitution Bench could not be assisted on some of the vital issues going to the root of the matter as a result of which a judicial interpretation is given which may defeat the very object and intent of special provisions made for national capital territory of Delhi, it had said.
11:52 Bathinda reels at minus 0.2 deg C
Severe cold weather conditions prevailed in Punjab and Haryana on Wednesday, with minimum temperatures hovering below normal limits at most places in the region.
Bathinda and Faridkot in Punjab recorded minimum temperatures of minus 0.2 degree Celsius and 0.5 degree Celsius respectively, according to the meteorological department's weather report.
Amritsar recorded a low of 2.9 degrees Celsius, Ludhiana 2.8 degrees Celsius, Patiala 2.6 degrees Celsius, Pathankot 3.8 degrees Celsius, Gurdaspur 2 degrees Celsius, Moga 0.5 degree Celsius and Mohali 4.2 degrees Celsius, it stated. Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, recorded a low of 3.3 degrees Celsius.
In Haryana, Narnaul recorded a minimum temperature of 0.5 degree Celsius, Sirsa 1 degree Celsius, Hisar 2 degrees Celsius, Karnal 2.4 degrees Celsius, Rohtak 2.8 degrees Celsius and Ambala 4.9 degrees Celsius, according to the weather department. Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh have been in the grip of severe cold for more than three weeks. -- PTI
11:43 'BJP plans attacks on Army during elections'
Bihar minister Surendra Prasad on Tuesday stoked a controversy claiming that the Bharatiya Janata Party plans attacks on the Army whenever elections are around the corner.
Prasad told the media in Patna, "BJP will be wiped out. When elections come, BJP attacks the Army. This time, it seems the BJP will attack some country."
The minister in Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government reacted to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement about BJP returning to power in 2024.
Earlier, state education minister and RJD leader Chandra Shekhar drew criticism for his remark that religious books such as the Ramcharitmanas perpetuate a 'social divide' in the society.
On Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah exuded confidence that the BJP would win the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by an even bigger majority.
On the final day of the two-day National Executive meeting on the BJP, members of the top party panel arrived at a consensus on extending BJP national president JP Nadda's tenure till June 2024.
Addressing a press conference on the sidelines of the National Executive meet at the NDMC Convention Centre in the national capital on Tuesday, Shah had said, "I am confident that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and (JP) Nadda ji, the BJP will win the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by an even bigger majority. Modi ji will return to lead the country as Prime Minister." -- ANI
11:17 Nepal crash: Search on for last missing person
The search for the last missing person in the Nepal plane crash resumed on Wednesday after rescuers on Tuesday pulled out one more body from the crash site where a Yeti Airlines aircraft carrying 72 people, including five Indians, had plunged in a river gorge in the resort city of Pokhara.
Two days after the fatal crash, a woman's body was found deep down in the Seti River gorge on Tuesday.
With this, the bodies of 71 people who died in the crash have been retrieved. The search for the missing person started early morning on Wednesday with the help of divers and four drones, rescuers have given up hope of finding the missing person alive, MyRepublica newspaper reported.
The Yeti Airlines aircraft took off from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport at 10:33 am on Sunday and crashed on the bank of the Seti River between the old airport and the new airport in Pokhara, minutes before landing.
Fifty-three Nepalese passengers and 15 foreign nationals, including 5 Indians, and four crew members were on board the Yeti Airlines aircraft when it crashed.
The five Indians, all from Uttar Pradesh, have been identified as Abhisekh Kushwaha, 25, Bishal Sharma, 22, Anil Kumar Rajbhar, 27, Sonu Jaiswal, 35, and Sanjaya Jaiswal.
As many as 48 bodies of the deceased have been brought to Kathmandu, the report added. The dead bodies except that of the locals and those who could not be identified and those of foreigners were flown to Kathmandu on Tuesday afternoon.
The bodies of the 48 victims have been brought to Kathmandu via Nepal Army helicopters for post-mortem at Maharajgunj-based Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. Superintendent of Police Dinesh Mainali of Kathmandu Police Range said the bodies will be handed over to the respective families only after the completion of an autopsy.
Forensics experts are currently working to complete the autopsy of the deceased.
After we get the autopsy report, we will hand over the mortal remains of the deceased to the respective family members, he said. Meanwhile, a team of experts from France arrived in Nepal on Tuesday to study the ATR plane crash of Yeti Airlines that took place in Pokhara on January 15. -- PTI
10:42 It's a myth that Nehru invited the RSS to the 1963 Republic Day event
The much-hyped claim that India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, invited the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to take part in the Republic Day parade of 1963 is nothing but an outright attempt to insert a lie in Indian history. Archival records refute the claim.
Instead, they suggest a completely different scenario: some members of the RSS, in their full uniform, entered that year's Republic Day event, which was more of a citizens' march than a military parade due to the national emergency caused by the Sino-Indian War of 1962.
Read more here
10:36 Churu is -1.2 today
Churu in Rajasthan recorded a minimum temperature of -1.2C while Sikar recorded a minimum temperature of -1.5C, says IMD. Narnaul in Haryana recorded a minimum temperature of 0.5C while Hisar recorded a minimum temperature of 2.0C, says IMD.
Deepika Pushkar Nath
10:32 J-K Cong spokes quits ahead of Yatra entering Jammu
Jammu and Kashmir Congress spokesperson Deepika Pushkar Nath has resigned from the party after its state unit "allowed" former BJP leader and minister Choudhary Lal Singh to join Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra which is scheduled to enter the union territory on January 20. Nath resigned from the party on Tuesday.
Taking to Twitter, Nath said that she is leaving the party on ideological grounds as Singh was responsible for "sabotaging" the 2018 Kathua rape case by "brazenly defending" the rapists of an eight-year-old nomadic girl.
"In view of Choudhary Lal Singh's proposal of joining Bharat Jodo Yatra and Congress allowing the same, I am left with no other option but to resign from Congress. Lal Singh was responsible for sabotaging the Kathua rape case in 2018 by brazenly defending rapists," she tweeted.
10:22 140 people hospitalized in Herat due to carbon monoxide poisoning
At least 140 people were hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning in Herat province on Tuesday, Afghan news agency TOLOnews reported citing officials.
Amongst those hospitalised, there are many children and women.
Herat residents said that they are using gas as the only option to warm their homes amid harsh winters as the price of firewood and other basic amenities are too high in the country.
"It was cold and my family turned on the gas. I would have lost 21 members of my family if I had arrived five minutes late," said Abdul Qadir, a Herat resident who brought his family to the regional hospital in the province.
"Within the past 24 hours, 130 to 140 patients have been brought to the emergency ward of the hospital," said the head of the hospital, Ahmad Farhad Afzali, according to TOLOnews.
A sudden fall in temperature has severely affected people, already hit hard by poverty, lack of food and fuel, in the trouble-torn country. Over 16 people have been killed across 4 provinces due to cold, TOLOnews reported.
"We don't have power, and we are forced to use the gas. So far, two of my family members have died of carbon monoxide poisoning," said Shakila, a resident of Herat. -- ANI
10:13 Qantas flight suffers mid-air engine trouble
Sydney-bound Qantas flight from Auckland, New Zealand suffers mid-air engine trouble, issues 'mayday' alert; emergency crews on standby at Sydney Airport, reports Australian media. Details awaited
10:02 Delhi records eighth day of cold wave
Delhi logged its eighth cold wave day in January on Wednesday, the most in the month in at least 12 years, according to data available on the India Meteorological Department website.
The Sadarjung observatory, Delhi's primary weather station, recorded a minimum temperature of 2.6 degrees Celsius. It was 2.4 degrees Celsius on Tuesday and 1.4 degrees on Monday. Delhi saw seven cold wave days in January 2020, while it did not record any such day last year.
The city recorded an intense cold wave spell from January 5 to 9, the second longest in the month in a decade, according to IMD data. It has also logged over 50 hours of dense fog this month so far, the most since 2019. The Met office said cold wave conditions would abate from Thursday-Friday under the influence of two western disturbances that are likely to affect the region in quick succession.
When a western disturbance -- a weather system characterised by warm moist winds from the Middle East -- approaches a region, the wind direction changes. The city may also see light rain or drizzle towards Thursday night.
Light to moderate rain and a hailstorm with winds gusting up to 50 kilometres per hour are predicted to lash northwest India, including Delhi, on January 23-24 under the influence of another western disturbance. Delhi has not recorded any rainfall this winter season so far.
The Met department attributed it to the lack of strong western disturbances in November and December. Last year, the city had recorded 82.2 mm rainfall in January, the highest in the month since 1901. -- PTI
09:57 Poll schedule for Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya today
Update: The Election Commission will announce the schedule of assembly elections in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland on Wednesday afternoon. The poll panel has convened a press conference at 2.30 pm here for the purpose The term of the three assemblies is ending on different dates in March. -- PTI
09:33 EC to announce poll schedule for Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya today
EC to announce poll schedule for Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya today.
09:18 Maha facing shortage of 1 crore eggs per day
Maharashtra is facing a shortage of one crore eggs per day. The animal husbandry department has chalked out a scheme to increase its production in the state, a senior official has said.
More than 2.25 crore eggs are consumed in Maharashtra per day.
The state has a capacity to produce 1 to 1.25 crore eggs per day and the department has been chalking out a plan to meet the need, animal husbandry department's additional commissioner Dr Dhananjay Parkale told PTI on Tuesday.
Currently, eggs are procured from Karnataka, Telangana and Tamil Nadu to overcome the shortage, he said.
"The animal husbandry department plans to give 50 White Leghorn chickens at a subsidised rate of Rs 21,000 along with 1,000 cages to each district in an attempt to increase the production," the official said.
The department has sent the proposal to the state government for further sanctions, he added. In Aurangabad, the price of eggs has increased in the last two months. "As on date, the price of 100 eggs in Aurangabad is Rs 575. The prices have been above Rs 500 (100 eggs) since more than two months," wholesaler Abdul Wahid Shah said. PTI
09:10 Bengal test paper refers to 'Azad Kashmir'
A political row has erupted after a picture of a Class 10 practice test paper directing students to mark 'Azad Kashmir' on map went viral. Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir is dubbed as Azad Kashmir in Pakistan.
The image of the test paper was shared on social media by various BJP leaders including state president Sukanta Majumdar and national vice president Dilip Ghosh accusing the Mamata Banerjee government of trying to "create anti-India mentality" among the young minds.
The practice tests paper books are published by West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE).
Union Minister of State for Education Subhas Sarkar alleged that the question setter is "inspiring terrorism" and sought an immediate end to the sale of the book.
"The paper setter is anti-national. He is inspiring terrorism. This is shameful. The West Bengal Education Minister should write to him and this test paper cell should be shut immediately. I will apprise the Union Education Ministry about this and cognizance would be taken of it," Sarkar told ANI.
On Tuesday, BJP West Bengal chief Sukanta Majumdar slammed the Mamata government over the issue and termed it as the "worst kind of appeasement".
"Students have been asked to mark the Azad Kashmir in WB Madhyamik exam paper. Does the CM @MamataOfficial endorse such views? This is worst kind of appeasement by TMC govt. This is condemnable. Strict action should be taken against the people who did this," he tweeted.
Dilip Ghosh thrashed the TMC government calling it a supporter of "separatist forces". "The Mamata Govt is a supporter of the separatist forces Check the Marked Section of History Question Paper on page 132 in Madhyamik Test Paper 2023. Students have been asked to identify the part of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as Azad Kashmir," Ghosh tweeted.
The BJP leader further accused the Mamata government of "trying to create anti-India mentality".
"This state government is not only supporting militants, but also trying to create anti-India mentality among young students. TMC means Corruption, Lies and Terrorism," Ghosh tweeted.
However, the national spokesperson of the Trinamool Congress Riju Dutta termed the paper an "individual mistake" and said that the state government has initiated strict action into the matter.
"It is an individual mistake...Strict Action already initiated by the Govt. Of WB !! Plz Stop exposing the political bankruptcy of your party but posting such tweets," Dutta tweeted.
08:58 Microsoft to lay off thousands of employees today
Microsoft is set to lay off thousands of employees today. Citing Sky News, Reuters reported that thousands of roles would be cut, with the software giant looking to cut around 5 per cent of its workforce or about 11,000 roles.
Thousands of job cuts are expected in human resources and engineering divisions on Wednesday. The layoffs would be the latest in the US technology sector, where companies including Amazon.com Inc and Meta Platforms Inc have announced retrenchment exercises in response to slowing demand and a worsening global economic outlook.
The company had 221,000 full-time employees, including 122,000 in the United States and 99,000 internationally, as of June 30, according to filings.
Microsoft is under pressure to maintain growth rates at its cloud unit Azure, after several quarters of the downturn in the personal computer market hurt Windows and devices sales, reported Reuters.
It had said in July last year that a small number of roles had been eliminated. In October, news site Axios reported that Microsoft had laid off under 1,000 employees across several divisions.
Shares of Microsoft, which is set to report quarterly results on January 24, were marginally higher in late afternoon trading, reported Reuters.
Microsoft's move could indicate that the tech sector may continue to shed jobs.
08:19 Taliban publicly cut off hands of 4 people over robbery
The Taliban on Tuesday publicly flogged nine convicted of robbery and "sodomy" in Ahmad Shahi Stadium in Kandahar.
"The Supreme Court said in a statement that nine people were punished in Ahmad Shahi Stadium in Kandahar on Tuesday on charges of robbery and sodomy'", tweeted Tolo News.
Local authorities and Kandahar residents were in attendance during the lashing. The spokesman for the provincial governor, Haji Zaid, said the convicts were lashed 35-39 times.
Meanwhile, former Policy Advisor to Minister for Afghan Resettlement & Minister for Refugees in the UK, Shabnam Nasimi said that the Taliban have reportedly cut off the hands of four people in a football stadium in Kandahar.
"The Taliban have reportedly cut off the hands of 4 people in a football stadium in Kandahar today, accused of theft, in front of spectators. People are being lashed, amputated & executed in Afghanistan, without fair trial and due process. This is a human rights violation," she tweeted.
Despite international condemnation, the Taliban has resumed the flogging and the public execution of criminals following a decree by the hard-liners' supreme leader.
UN experts are deeply aggrieved about a public execution and that flogging has resumed in Afghanistan and call on the de facto authorities to halt immediately all forms of severe, cruel and degrading forms of punishments.
01:50 3 held at Magh Mela for selling books 'misrepresenting' Hindu verses
Three people have been arrested at the Magh Mela in Prayagraj for allegedly selling books that misrepresented religious verses to denigrate Hinduism, police said on Tuesday.
The accused, identified as Mahmood Hasan Ghazi, Mohd Monish alias Ashish Kumar Gupta and Sameer alias Naresh Kumar Saroj, were arrested on Monday, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Satish Chandra claimed.
Ghazi is the main accused and also a teacher at the Islamia Imdadia Madrasa that falls under the Puramufti police station limits, police claimed.
He (Ghazi) was found misrepresenting verses from the Vedas and getting them printed in books to project the Hindu religion in a bad light while talking highly of Islam, police claimed.
Satish Chandra claimed that Ghazi got the books printed and used to sell them through poor boys after luring them with money.
Mohammad Monish and Sameer used to note down the names, addresses and mobile numbers of the people who bought the books so that they could be contacted and attracted towards Islam and converted, the police claimed.
Both Mohammed Monish and Sameer alias Naresh Kumar were the first Hindus to get converted, Chandra claimed.
The police have recovered 204 suspected religious books, three mobile phones, four Aadhaar cards, a diary and a cart used for selling them, officials claimed.
An FIR has been lodged against them under different sections of the Indian Penal Code and Section 3/5 the Prohibition Of Unlawful Conversion Of Religion Act, 2021 at the Daraganj police station, Chandra added. -- PTI
IMAGE: Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) commandos patrol along the Sangam on the occasion of Makar Sankranti during Magh Mela, in Prayagraj on Sunday. Photograph: ANI Photo
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