LIVE! Pillion rider killed in Kanjhawala-like incident in Delhi

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Fri, 27 January 2023

Pillion rider killed in Kanjhawala-like incident in Delhi

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23:57 Google brings locking Incognito tabs on Chrome for Android

American tech conglomerate Google has revealed that Chrome for Android browser is getting a new feature, which allows users to lock Incognito tabs when they leave the app.

According to GSM Arena, a tech news-related website, a new privacy setting lets users unlock these tabs with a screen lock, be it with biometric info, PIN or pattern.

This new feature is pretty straightforward.

When Chrome is opened, and a user wants to use the Incognito tabs after the phone was locked, there will be a prompt on the screen to use your preferred screen unlock method and verify you have access.

The public tabs will remain publicly available, reported GSM Arena.

The feature is extremely useful for devices used by more than one person where one doesn't want the others to know what is being browsed. This is the closest Chrome for Android has gotten to different profiles for different users.

As per GSM Arena, Google said the feature is still rolling out, so some users might have to wait a bit to get it. -- ANI

The 5 persons who were arrested in connection incident/ANI

23:40 Pillion rider killed in Kanjhawala-like incident in Delhi

In a near rerun of the Kanjhawala hit-and-drag incident, a motorist allegedly rammed his car into a scooter and dragged the rider on its roof for about 350 metres in the Keshav Puram area of the national capital on Friday.

According to the FIR registered at the Keshav Puram police station, such was the impact of the collision that the scooter rider was thrown off the pilot seat of his two-wheeler and landed on the vehicle's roof, while the pillion rider died on the spot.

The biker was then allegedly dragged for 350 metres, the police said, adding the five persons were arrested in connection with the incident.

The biker was rushed to a nearby hospital, the police informed further.

There were two people riding the scooty, one of them died in the accident while the other one is hospitalised.

In a similar incident at Kanjhawala on New Year's night, 20-year-old Anjali Singh, who was driving a scooter, was allegedly rammed by a car and dragged for several kilometres as she held on to the vehicle in Outer Delhi's Kanjhawala area.

The woman was found dead in the middle of the road, with her clothes tattered and torn. -- ANI

The 5 persons who were arrested in connection incident/ANI

23:40 Pillion rider killed in Kanjhawala-like incident in Delhi

The biker was then allegedly dragged for 350 metres, the police said, adding the five persons were arrested in connection with the incident.

The biker was rushed to a nearby hospital, the police informed further.

There were two people riding the scooty, one of them died in the accident while the other one is hospitalised.

The woman was found dead in the middle of the road, with her clothes tattered and torn. -- ANI

23:14 Kamal Haasan's party website hacked

The website of Makkal Needhi Maiam, a party floated by actor-politician Kamal Haasan has been hacked, the party said on Friday.

Hours after the website was hacked, MNM's twitter handle announced that the official website of the party has been hacked by some miscreants and that the party would not be cowed down by such threat and would give a befitting reply.

Many eyebrows were raised and the party workers were surprised over a statement posted on the website proclaiming to merge MNM with the Congress on January 30.

The statement has since been withdrawn and a party spokesperson said, "no such decision was made (on the merger) and that it was the handiwork of the hackers."

MNM had announced to support the Congress candidate in the Erode East by-election scheduled for February 27.

It may be recalled that Haasan had joined the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo yatra last month. -- PTI

File image/ANI

22:47 No new Covid cases in Mumbai for 2nd time in 4 days; active tally at 15

No new COVID-19 case was reported in Mumbai on Friday, the second such occurrence this week, while the infection-linked death toll remained unchanged at 19,747, the city civic body said.

With this, the city's overall COVID-19 case tally remained static at 11,55,242, said a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation bulletin.

This was the second time in the current week that the financial capital of the country has reported zero COVID-19 cases.

On January 24, Mumbai had logged zero COVID-19 infections for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020.

With no fresh death linked to the infection registered in the last 24 hours, the toll remained unchanged at 19,747.

The number of recoveries reached 11,35,480 after four more patients recuperated from the respiratory illness, leaving the city with 15 active cases, according to the bulletin.

Mumbai's coronavirus recovery rate stood at 98.3 per cent, while the case doubling rate improved to 3,63,932 days. -- PTI

File image/Fayaz Aziz/Reuters

22:29 Pak currency plunges to Rs 262.6 against US dollar

Cash-strapped Pakistan's currency depreciated to its lowest against the US dollar on Friday in the interbank and open market and closed at Rs 262.6.

At one stage the currency depreciated to Rs 265 in the open market and Rs 266 in the interbank before making a slight recovery by the end of the day.

According to the State Bank of Pakistan, when the market opened on Friday the currency fell by Rs 7.17 or 2.73 per cent from Thursday's close. -- PTI

File image/PTI

21:32 AMMK fields 29-yr-old candidate for Erode East assembly by-poll in TN

The Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam on Friday announced its candidate for the Erode East assembly by-poll scheduled on February 27.

The party's general secretary TTV Dhinakaran said AMMK's Erode district secretary AM Siva Prashanth will contest the by-election on the "pressure cooker" symbol.

The 29-year-old candidate will take on Congress leader and former Union Minister EVK S Elangovan backed by the ruling DMK and allies.

The opposition AIADMK factions led by former Chief Ministers: K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam, are yet to name their candidates.

Speaking to reporters in Chennai, Dhinakaran claimed that leadership tussle in the AIADMK would cost that party dearly in the ensuing by-elections, as neither of the two factions would succeed in securing the 'Two Leaves' symbol from the election commission to contest the poll.

Also, he claimed that the voters would teach a befitting lesson to the ruling DMK for failing to fulfill its promises made in the run up to the 2021 assembly election. -- PTI

File image/ANI

21:12 Savarkar appears on Congress poster in Kerala again

A Congress leader in Kerala posted a Republic Day greetings on his Facebook page with the image of Hindutva ideolouge VD Savarkar among other freedom fighters drawing protest from party workers.

After facing huge social media backlash, Kasaragod District Congress Committee president PK Faisal deleted the post and said it was a mistake committed by the designer of the poster.

The Facebook post became viral on social media after it was shared by many.

"It was a mistake done by the designer of the poster for Republic Day. My Facebook account was being handled by my office staff. We have rectified it and the Indian National Congress does not need to endorse people like Savarkar," Faisal told reporters on Friday.

Last September, a picture of Savarkar was found on an 88-feet long banner erected as part of welcoming the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Ernakulam district. -- PTI

Ashish Shelar/ANI Photo

20:48 Mumbai BJP chief Shelar gets death threat

The Bharatiya Janata Party's Mumbai unit chief Ashish Shelar on Friday got a death threat through a letter that was received at his office in suburban Bandra, a police official said.

The letter, written in indecent, intemperate language, was posted by an unidentified person, who asked the BJP MLA to keep quiet and not talk much or else he and and his kin would have bear the consequences, the official said.

The process of a registering a First Information Report under Section 506 of the Indian Penal Code for criminal intimidation and other offences was underway at Bandra police station, the official added. -- PTI

File image/PTI

20:32 Metro car shed: PIL in HC against BMC notice for removal of 177 trees in Aarey

A public interest litigation was filed in the Bombay high court on Friday against the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's notice seeking suggestions and objections for removal of 177 trees at Aarey Colony for the construction of a car shed for Metro Line 3.

The civic body had issued a notice on January 12, following an application filed by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd seeking permission to remove 84 trees for the car shed project.

In the PIL, activist Zoru Bathena claimed that the notice was in violation of the Supreme Court order of November 2022, which only allowed for removal of 84 trees.

"The notice dated January 12, 2023, issued by the tree authority is for removal of 177 trees, having a different set of tree ID numbers in comparison to the MMRCL's application, which was only for 84 trees," the petition stated.

The notice was issued without application of mind and hence, deserves to be quashed and set aside, it said.

The metro car shed project at Aarey Colony in suburban Goregaon has been embroiled in controversy since 2014, with environmentalists holding protests against indiscriminate felling of trees in the area which they claim is a forest area. -- PTI

File image/ANI

20:04 Lakhimpur Kheri case: Ashish Mishra released from jail

Ashish Mishra, the son of Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra, was released from jail on Friday after the Supreme Court had granted him interim bail in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.

Senior superintendent of the Kheri district jail Vipin Kumar Mishra told PTI, "He (Ashish Mishra) has been released from the jail. We have got the release order from the sessions court."

The Supreme Court on Wednesday had granted eight-week interim bail to him in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence which claimed eight lives.

A bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice J K Maheshwari directed that Ashish Mishra shall not stay in Uttar Pradesh or Delhi during the interim bail period. -- PTI

India on Friday repatriated 17 Pakistani nationals/ANI/Pakistan High Commission of India/Twitter

19:53 India repatriates 17 Pak prisoners: Envoy

India on Friday repatriated 17 Pakistani nationals imprisoned in the country, the Pakistan high commission said in New Delhi.

"Seventeen Pakistani nationals imprisoned in India were repatriated today via Attari-Wagah border after hectic efforts of the Pakistan high commission, the Pakistan foreign ministry and cooperation of the Indian side," the Pakistani mission said on Twitter.

"Our efforts will continue to repatriate all Pakistan prisoners from India on completion of their sentences," it said.

On January 1, India shared with Pakistan lists of 339 Pakistani civilian prisoners and 95 Pakistani fishermen in its custody, the external affairs ministry had said in a statement.

Pakistan shared lists of 51 civilian prisoners and 654 fishermen in its custody who are Indians or are believed to be Indians, it had said. -- PTI

Shankar Mishra/ANI Photo

19:21 Air India urination case: Court adjourns Shankar Mishra's bail plea to Jan 30

A sessions court on Friday adjourned the hearing of the bail application of Shankar Mishra, the man accused of urinating on an elderly woman co-passenger on an Air India flight, to January 30 as the investigating officer in the case did not turn up.

The court also noted a copy of the bail plea of the alleged offender was not made available to the complainant.

Mishra has applied afresh for regular bail after a magisterial court dismissed his application on January 11, saying his act had shocked the civic consciousness of people and needed to be deprecated.

Additional sessions Judge Harjyot Singh Bhalla adjourned the matter to Monday after the complainant's advocate informed the court that a copy of the application was not provided to him.

The judge also noted the absence of the investigating officer.

The alleged incident had occurred on November 26 last year when a drunk Mishra walked up to the woman's seat in the business class on an Air India New York-New Delhi flight, exposed himself and urinated on her.

The alleged act of the accused of relieving himself upon the complainant is "utterly disgusting and repulsive,' the magisterial court had said while denying him bail. -- PTI

File image/ANI

18:59 No security lapse at Bharat Jodo Yatra, says J-K police

There was no security lapse at the Bharat Jodo Yatra, a senior Jammu and Kashmir police official said on Friday while stressing that the organisers had not informed the police about a large crowd joining the march from Banihal.

"The Jammu and Kashmir police was not consulted before the Bharat Jodo Yatra was discontinued. We will provide foolproof security (to the yatra)," additional director general of police Vijay Kumar, who is in charge of security in Kashmir Valley, said in a statement.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said he had to call off his walk on Friday because police arrangements "unfortunately completely collapsed" when the yatra crossed Banihal into Qazigund in the Valley through the Jawahar tunnel.

"Only authorised persons as identified by organisers and frisked crowd were allowed inside towards the route of the yatra. Organisers and managers of the BJY did not intimate about large gathering from Banihal joining the yatra," Kumar said.

Crowds, he said, were thronging Qazigund.

"Full security arrangements were in place... JK police was not consulted before taking any decision on discontinuation of the yatra," he added.

"The rest of the yatra continued peacefully. There was no security lapse at all," Kumar said in the statement. -- PTI

Rahul Gandhi and NC leader Omar Abdullah during Bharat Jodo Yatra in Banihal/@INCIndia/Twitter

18:41 Congress blames govt for Rahul security breach

The Congress on Friday accused the government of withdrawing security personnel from around Rahul Gandhi as the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' reached near Qazigund in Jammu and Kashmir, and demanded action against those responsible for the alleged security breach.

"Lapse in Shri Rahul Gandhi's security detail in Jammu and Kashmir during Bharat Jodo Yatra is disconcerting to say the least. It is GOI's prime responsibility to provide security. India has already lost two PMs and scores of leaders & we demand better security for the Yatris," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Twitter.

"The sudden withdrawal of security personnel from the D-area has caused a serious security breach at the Bharat Jodo Yatra at Banihal, Kashmir. Who ordered this?" asked AICC general secretary K C Venugopal.

"The authorities responsible must answer for this lapse and take appropriate steps to prevent such incidents in future," he tweeted.

The senior party leader also accused the authorities of playing with the security of Gandhi and Congress workers during the Yatra which is in its last phase now.

The Yatra is currently in Kashmir's Anantnag district. AICC general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh also tweeted, saying Gandhi was forced to change his plans at the last moment due to this morning's "serious security lapse" at Qazigund. -- PTI

File image/ANI

18:13 DGCA slaps Rs 10L fine on Go First for Bangalore airport incident on Jan 9

Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Friday imposed a Rs 10 lakh fine on Go First for the incident wherein 55 passengers were left behind in a passenger coach at Bangalore airport on January 9.

The DGCA had issued a show-cause notice to the airline following the incident.

"Perusal of (the) reply of Go First reveals that there was improper communication, coordination between terminal coordinator, commercial staff and crew regarding (the) boarding of passengers in the aircraft."

"The airline failed to ensure adequate arrangement for ground handling, preparation of load and trim sheet, flight dispatch and passenger/cargo handling," DGCA said in a statement.

For these lapses, the watchdog has imposed a penalty of Rs 10 lakh on the airline. -- PTI

SFI members attend the screening of BBC documentary at Jadavpur University, in Kolkata/ANI

17:50 24 DU students held for BBC docu screening plan

The Delhi police on Friday detained 24 students from the Delhi University's arts faculty for planning to screen the controversial BBC documentary on the 2002 Godhra riots, a senior police official said.

The action comes days after a similar ruckus at Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia Islamia over the documentary's screening. deputy commissioner of police (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi said, "Around 4 pm, some 20 people came outside the Arts Faculty gate to screen the banned BBC documentary. As it can cause disturbance of peace and tranquility in the area, they were asked to disperse from there."

"When they did not, they were peacefully detained. A total of 24 people were detained." -- PTI

Hemant Soren on Friday became the first Jharkhand chief minister to visit the 'Budha Pahad' -- a former Maoist hotbed -- situated near the border with Chhattisgarh, where he launched a development project worth Rs 100 crore, officials said.

Soren arrived at the hilltop a little after noon, where the CRPF has now set up a camp, they said.

The Rs 100-crore Budha Pahar Development Project will cover 11 villages of Tehri panchayat in Garhwa and 11 villages of Aksi panchayat in Latehar, the officials said.

"If need be, this amount can be increased to Rs 500 crore," Soren said.

During the last three months, benefits of schemes worth over Rs 4 crore have been provided to villagers in the area, a senior official said.

"After it was freed from Maoists, the government launched the 'Aapki Yojana, Aapki Sarkar, Aapke Dwar' -- an outreach programme at Khapri Mahua village to ensure the benefits of welfare schemes can be availed by people there,' he said.

Soren was accompanied by Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh and director general of police Neeraj Sinha, among other top officials.

'Budha Pahar', located along the Latehar and Garhwa districts, around 150 km from state capital Ranchi, was freed from the red rebels' control by security forces after over three decades. -- PTI

16:54 'Pathaan' enters Rs 200-cr club on Day 2

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan continued to rake in big numbers at the global box office as the film's worldwide collection on day two reached Rs 219.6 crore, the makers announced on Thursday.

According to production house Yash Raj Films, the SRK-Deepika Padukone starrer raised Rs 113.6 crore in worldwide gross on day two of its release.

The film's opening day figure was Rs 106 crore.

In the domestic market, the film's net day two collection stood at Rs 70.5 crore (Rs 82.94 crore gross).

The film's Hindi version amassed Rs 68 crore in net earnings, with its dubbed formats bringing in additional Rs 2.5 crore.

Pathaan was also released in Tamil and Telugu on Wednesday.

With its day two haul, the movie created another record -- first Hindi film to breach the Rs 70 crore nett collection on a single day.

Internationally, the film earned Rs 30.70 crore gross.

The Siddharth Anand directorial, which faced boycott calls over the song Besharam Rang, marks Shah Rukh's return to movies after a gap of over four years.

His previous film was 2018's Zero.

"As an industry, we are rejoicing today. This is the most important sentiment emerging out of Pathaan's success. All of us at Yash Raj Films are grateful for the incredibly humbling support from media, audiences and the industry towards Pathaan. -- PTI

Fashion designer Masaba Gupta and and actor Satyadeep Mishra/ANI

16:41 Masaba Gupta, Satyadeep Mishra are married

Fashion designer Masaba Gupta and and actor Satyadeep Mishra have tied the knot, the couple announced on Friday.

The 33-year-old fashion designer-actor shared the news on her official Instagram page and posted photos with Mishra, who has worked in movies such as "No One Killed Jessica" and "Bombay Velvet".

"Married my ocean of calm, this morning. Here's to many many lifetimes of love,peace,stability & most importantly laughter. And thanks for letting me pick the caption - this is gonna be great!" Masaba Gupta wrote.

Many celebrities, including Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Vicky Kaushal, Ayushmann Khurrana, Anil Kapoor, Bhumi Pednekar, Zoya Akhtar, Konkona Sensharma and Ananya Panday, sent their best wishes to the newly-married couple.

In a follow-up post, Masaba Gupta posted a family photo with father, West Indies cricket legend Vivian Richards and mother Neena Gupta.

"For the first time ever -- My whole life came together. This is us. My beautiful blended family. Everything from here on is just bonus," she wrote in the caption.

Neena Gupta also shared the pictures on her Instagram.

"My daughter got married today and the heart is filled happiness, gratitude and love...," she said. -- PTI

Janata Dal-United's rebellious parliamentary board president Upendra Kushwaha on Friday demanded that the truth be known about a "deal" allegedly struck by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with ally RJD and demanded an urgent party meeting to clear the air.

Addressing a press conference at his official residence in Patna, Kushwaha, who is also a member of the legislative council, also made it clear that he will not quit the JD-U "just because" Kumar, the supreme leader, asks him to do so.

"The chief minister has been saying that I have quit the party thrice and come back out of my own wish. I must correct him. I have parted ways and returned only twice. My first comeback was in 2009 when Kumar requested me to return at a public function. My return in 2021, again, followed helpless pleadings of Kumar who had become very vulnerable by the time", said the former Union minister who merged his RLSP with the JD-U two years ago.

Kushwaha also made little secret of the anguish he felt over the limelight on Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav whom he did not mention by name but referred to as "half the Chief Minister's age, whom Kumar now wants to promote".

The JD-U leader also sought to remind Kumar of personal insults by Yadav on the floor of the assembly when the latter was the leader of the opposition.

Kushwaha, whose statements before the media and on social media have been frowned upon by the chief minister, defended himself saying "I am ready to raise my concerns on a party platform as desired by Kumar, provided I am provided with one".

"For long I have been demanding that a meeting be convened of the national executive. We have issues to discuss. The party is growing weak. Grapevine has it that some sort of a deal has been struck with the RJD. These must be discussed on party forum", he said.

The allusion was to speculations that the longest serving CM of Bihar has agreed to pass over the mantle to Yadav at some point of time in future, devoting his own time and energy to national politics.

"The other option before me was to speak to the CM directly. Of what avail would that be? I met him in the third week of December to flag the weakening of the party. He snubbed me by asking whether I was thinking of joining hands with the BJP", alleged Kushwaha.

Responding to Kumar's repeated refrain that Kushwaha was "free to go wherever he pleases, as early as possible" the JD-U parliamentary board president said "I have been with this organization since its previous avatar, the Samata Party. I will not leave just because I am being told to do so".

He also said that while he was being derided by the CM as someone who has "come and gone" many times, "the party is full of turncoats, including the national president (Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan)".

"It appears the CM is not able to distinguish between apne (his own people) and paraaye (whose loyalties were elsewhere). Unfortunately, such people have become his advisers. And it seems he is being guided by such people, not able to exercise his own judgement", alleged Kushwaha.

He also bristled at "communications being received from the party that I do not take part in a function to be held by a non-political organization on February 2. Nobody had any problems with the birth anniversary of Maharana Pratap which was attended by all top leaders, including the CM himself, I don't say that was wrong. But why different standards are being applied to me".

Delhi Police personnel entered the Ambedkar University campus on Friday to stop SFI activists from screening the controversial BBC documentary on the 2002 Godhra riots, several students alleged, even as alternative arrangements to watch it on phones and laptops were made.

Police officials, however, said they were visiting all college and university campuses in the district to ensure peace and tranquility in the area.

The Left-affiliated Students' Federation of India (SFI) alleged that the screening could not be held as the administration of the government-run university disconnected the power supply but a QR code with a link to the short film were shared with students so that they could watch it on their personal devices.

The SFI had given a call for screening the documentary at 1 pm, while the All India Students' Association (AISA) announced that it would hold a protest to condemn the events that unfolded at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and the Jamia Millia Islamia earlier this week following a call for screening of the film.

"Why has the Police been called inside AUD? Students of AUD wish to express solidarity against the ABVP violence and police repression unleashed on the students of JNU and Jamia respectively. Why should the Police have any presence inside the campus," the AISA Delhi tweeted.

A senior police officer said DCP (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi and his team were visiting all colleges and universities in his district.

"We are visiting various colleges and universities to ensure that there is no disruption of peace and tranquility in the area. The situation at Ambedkar University is peaceful and under control. Police is on the spot," he added.

SFI Delhi joint secretary Yashita Singhi said the university cut off the electricity supply to stop the screening. "Even the supply to the adjacent Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women (IGDTUW) was cut. But we shared the QR code with students who are either watching it on their laptops or phones."

"The proctor was not happy seeing the screening proceeding like this and so, he has asked the guards to call the police," Singhi claimed.

Several students claimed that the police were asking security guards to carry out "checking" of students.

There was no immediate reaction from the university administration on the presence of police inside the campus.

Earlier in the day, a university official said they came to know about the screening through media reports. The official said no permission had been sought from them for the event.

The government had recently directed social media platforms to block links to the documentary titled India: The Modi Question with the External Affairs Ministry trashing it as a "propaganda piece" that lacks objectivity and reflects a colonial mindset. -- PTI

Indian stock markets on Friday achieved a complete transition to a shorter settlement cycle or T+1 regime, a move that will bring significant capital efficiencies to the investors and improve risk mitigation for the entire industry.

T+1 (trade plus one) means that market trade-related settlements will need to be cleared within one day of the actual transactions taking place. Earlier, trades on the Indian stock exchanges are settled in two working days after the transaction is done (T+2).

All trades from January 27 executed in any securities in the equity segment will be settled on a T+1 basis, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) said in a statement.

The journey to shortening the settlement cycle began on September 7, 2021, when capital markets regulator Sebi allowed stock exchanges to introduce the T+1 settlement cycle from January 1, 2022, on any of the securities available in the equity segment.

Following this, all the market infrastructure institutions -- stock exchanges, clearing corporations and depositories -- jointly finalised the roadmap for the implementation of the T+1 settlement cycle in a phased manner.

The first batch of securities transitioned to T+1 settlement on February 25, 2022, and thereafter, every month a batch of around 500 securities transitioned to T+1 settlement.

From January 27, all securities -- equity shares including SME shares, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs), Sovereign Gold Bond (SGB), Government Bonds and Corporate Bonds trading in the equity segment will now be settled only on T+1 basis.

Globally most stock exchanges in developed as well as emerging markets follow the T+2 settlement system.

"It's a great achievement for the Indian capital market. The achievement would not have been possible without the continuous guidance provided by Sebi and painstaking effort taken by all MIIs (Market Infrastructure Institutions), particularly the clearing corporations, trading members, clearing members, custodians, and all other stakeholders in re-engineering the processes and crunching timelines to adapt to shorten the settlement cycle.

"The shortening of the settlement cycle to T+1 will bring in significant capital efficiencies to the investors and improve risk mitigation for the entire industry," NSE MD and CEO Ashishkumar Chauhan said.

The exchange said that achievement is significant considering the NSE size and scale of operations in the equity segment. -- PTI

15:34 Capt Amarinder Singh next Maha governor?

According to buzz in New Delhi, former Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh is likely to replace Bhagat Singh Koshyari as the Maharashtra governor days after the latter conveyed his desire to step down from the position to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

However, there is no official confirmation of the same.

The Delhi high court Friday modified its order granting interim bail to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar, serving life term for raping a minor in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao in 2017, by asking him to surrender after his daughter's 'tilak' ceremony and then be released again before her marriage.

The court had earlier granted interim bail to Sengar for two weeks.

The high court, which was informed that Sengar has been released from Tihar jail this morning, passed the modification order on an application by the victim seeking to recall the interim bail order as she and her family faces threat.

A bench of Justices Mukta Gupta and Poonam A Bamba, which had on January 16 granted interim bail to Sengar from January 27 to February 10 on account of his daughter's marriage, directed that the politician shall surrender before jail authorities on February 1 as the tilak' ceremony is scheduled on January 30.

It said Sengar shall be again released from jail on February 6 and surrender on February 10 as the wedding is fixed for February 8.

The victim, who was present in the court, said, "If Kuldeep Sengar is granted bail, I and the witnesses will be in danger. All the government officials there are his appointees. I request not to release him or else he can get me killed."

Advocate Mehmood Pracha, representing the girl, said the threat perception was also there even when Sengar was in custody and while ordinarily people are released from jail in the evening, the politician has been released early in the morning which shows his clout.

Senior advocate Pramod Dubey, appearing for Sengar, opposed the victim's plea saying the court has imposed sufficient conditions on the leader while granting him the relief and court may ask him to stay in his house instead of reducing the period.

Sengar has been granted interim bail to attend his daughter's marriage in the rape case as well as in the case in which he is serving 10 years' imprisonment for the death of the Unnao rape victim's father in custody.

The victim has sought recall of the January 16 order by which Sengar was granted interim bail in the rape case.

The CBI, which had earlier verified the factum of marriage of Sengar's daughter, told the court in a latest status report that it may reconsider and recall its interim bail order.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said he had to cancel his walk for the day because police arrangements unfortunately "completely collapsed".

Police personnel who were supposed to manage the crowd were nowhere to be seen, the former Congress president told reporters here.

"It's the Jammu and Kashmir administration's responsibility to provide security... I hope security will now be ensured for remaining days of the yatra," Gandhi, who started his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kanyakumari in September and ends it in Srinagar on January 30, said.

"I had to call off my walk because I can't go against my security people," the Congress leader said.

His party colleague Jairam Ramesh added that Gandhi's security team is holding discussions with the Jammu and Kashmir administration to ensure that everything goes off smoothly for the next few days.

India is an important partner of choice for the United States, the Biden administration has said ahead of a crucial visit by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval for talks with the top American leadership, including his counterpart Jake Sullivan.

In response to a question on Doval's planned visit to Washington next week, State Department's Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters in Washington, DC on Thursday that enhanced security cooperation with India was also part of US-India relations.

"India is an important partner of choice for the United States in a number of spaces, and that includes trade cooperation, Patel said.

"It, of course, includes security cooperation. It also includes technological cooperation as well. I don't want to get too ahead of the process or get ahead of any specific meetings that might be coming down the pike, he said.

Both sides are yet to announce the visit of Doval to Washington.

"This (India-US ties) is, of course, of great importance to us," Patel said.

Earleir this week, India Deputy National Security Advisor Vikram Misri was in Washington and met top officials from the Biden administration.

"Delighted to host India's Deputy NSA, dear colleague and friend @VikramMisri at India House. Thank you @WhiteHouse NSC PDNSA Jon Finer, Indo- Pacific coordinator Dr Kurt Campbell and friends from the US Admin, think - tanks, strategic community & industry for joining," India's ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu tweeted on Wednesday. -- PTI

An avalanche hit remote Paddar area of Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Friday, but there was no loss of life or damage to property, officials said.

An avalanche warning has been issued by the administration in various areas of Jammu and Kashmir, they said.

The avalanche rolled into a river near a hamlet in Mechail belt, but there was no damage caused as the village was away from area, they said. -- PTI

The Bharat Jodo march led by Rahul Gandhi was stopped on Friday near Qazigund, the gateway to the valley, after Congress alleged breach of security and mismanagement of crowd by Jammu and Kashmir administration.

AICC incharge Rajni Patil tweeted that JK administration "failed to provide security to Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Shri Rahul Gandhi.

"Security lapses indicate unfair and unprepared attitude of the UT administration," Patil said.

Gandhi, after reaching Qazigund, started to walk towards Vessu in South Kashmir as per the plan but the Congress workers suddenly found that the outer cordon, which was to be managed by Jammu and Kashmir police, had disappeared, Congress leaders alleged.

Gandhi was scheduled to walk 11 kms on Friday but had to call off after he barely walked 500 metres, they said.

"Due to security reasons, we had to stop the yatra temporarily as there was crowd mismanagement along the yatra route approved by the security apparatus," a senior congress leader said.

He said while people had turned up in numbers to show their affection for Rahul Gandhi, there were apprehensions regarding the security of the Congress leader as "people are coming too close to him."

However, because of security mismanagement, Rahul's security did not allow him to walk and he rode his car to the venue of march's night halt at Khanabal, the Congress leader added. -- PTI

A Delhi court on Friday adjourned Shankar Mishra's petition seeking bail to January 30.

Mishra, who is accused of urinating on a woman co-passenger onboard a flight in November last year had filed a fresh bail application seeking regular bail.

The court adjourned the matter after noting the investigating officer was not present.

Further, the complainant's counsel was not provided a copy of the bail plea, it noted.

The incident took place onboard the Air India flight from New York to Delhi on November 26, 2022.

Mishra was allegedly in an inebriated condition. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that parents should not pressure children due to social status, and asked students to focus on their work to come out of any such burden of expectations.

Replying to students' questions during the sixth edition of 'Pariksha Pe Charcha", an annual interaction he has with students about issues like stress and studies related to exams, he said students should try to maintain focus on their work.

Modi also spoke strongly against the use of unfair practices in exams.

Cheating may help someone in an exam or two but not in life in the long run, he said. Never take the shortcut, he added.

Hardwork of students will always help them advance in life, he said.

He added students should at times analyse the pressure applied on them to see if they are underestimating their strengths.

Modi said it is natural for family members to have expectations but it is wrong if they are linked to consciousness about social class or status.

As a batter focuses on the ball thrown to him ignoring the shouts of fours and sixes from the crowd, students should also concentrate on their work, he said.

A record 38 lakh students registered this year for participation in "Pariksha Pe Charcha".

The registrations are at least 15 lakh higher than last year, according to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. -- PTI

Police on Friday filed a charge-sheet in the suspension bridge collapse incident that had occurred in Morbi town of Gujarat in October last year, in which 135 people were killed.

The charge-sheet, which runs into more than 1,200 pages, was filed in the Morbi sessions court by Deputy Superintendent of Police P S Zala, who is the investigating officer of the case.

In addition to the nine accused who are already behind bars, Jaysukh Patel of Oreva Group, which used to operate the bridge, has been named as the tenth accused in the charge-sheet, sources said.

A magistrate's court has already issued an arrest warrant against Jaysukh Patel in connection with the October 30, 2022 bridge collapse incident. His anticipatory bail plea will come up for hearing on February 1.

Ajanta Manufacturing Limited (Oreva Group) was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the British-era suspension bridge on the Machchhu river that had collapsed. PTI

A Delhi court on Friday allowed Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez to travel to Dubai.

The court was hearing her application seeking permission to travel abroad for a conference.

A detailed order in the matter is awaited.

Fernandez is an accused in a Rs 200 crore money laundering case also involving alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar. -- PTI

Delhi University will not allow BBC's documentary on the 2002 Godhra Riots to be screened on campus, the university's proctor Rajni Abbi said on Friday and added that the administration's permission had not been sought.

"We have written to Delhi Police regarding this. They will take action. Proper police deployment would be done. We cannot allow such a screening," Abbi told PTI.

"We have received information that NSUI is planning to screen this documentary at the Arts faculty... No permission has been sought for it. We will not allow such behaviour," she said, adding that the film had been banned by the government.

The Congress-affiliated National Students Union of India and the Bhim Army Student Federation have said they will screen the film at different times in North Campus.

The Congress on Friday demanded an investigation by the (SEBI) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) into charges of alleged financial irregularities against the Adani Group, which has denied the charges.

Congress general secretary Communications Jairam Ramesh said the forensic analysis by the Hindenburg research into the Adani Group requires serious investigation by bodies like the SEBI and the RBI, as they are responsible for ensuring stability and security of the country's financial system.

"We fully understand the close relationship between the Adani Group and the current government. But it is incumbent on the Congress party as a responsible opposition party to urge SEBI and RBI to play their roles as stewards of the financial system and to investigate these allegations in the wider public interest," Ramesh said in a statement.

Hindenburg Research has alleged that Adani Group was "engaged in a brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud", a charge the conglomerate described as malicious, unsubstantiated, one-sided, and having done with malafide intention to ruin its share-sale.

Hindenburg, a US-based investment research firm that specialises in activist short-selling, said its two-year investigation reveals that "the Rs 17.8 trillion (USD 218 billion) Indian conglomerate Adani Group has engaged in a brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud scheme over the course of decades."

Adani Group said it was shocked to see the report that came out without any attempt to contact it to get the factual matrix. "The report is a malicious combination of selective misinformation and stale, baseless and discredited allegations that have been tested and rejected by India's highest courts," the ports-to-energy conglomerate said in a statement.

Ramesh said the Modi Government can try and impose censorship, "But in an era of globalisation of Indian businesses and financial markets can Hindenburg-type reports that focus on corporate 'misgovernance' be simply brushed aside and dismissed as being 'malicious'?"

He said the evolution and modernisation of India's financial markets since the 1991 reforms has aimed to improve transparency and to a level playing field for domestic and foreign investors.

It has specifically sought to increase the transparency of financial flows into the country to prevent round-tripping and money-laundering by actors that could include criminals, terrorists and hostile countries and to reduce dependence on offshore tax havens, the Congress leader said.

"For all its posturing about black money, has the Modi government chosen to turn a blind eye towards illicit activities by its favourite business group? Is there a quid pro quo? Will SEBI investigate these allegations to the fullest and not just in name?" he asked.

The allegations of financial malfeasance would be bad enough, but what is worse is that the Modi government may have exposed India's financial system to systemic risks through the liberal investments in the Adani Group made by strategic state entities like LIC, SBI and other public sector banks, he alleged in the statement. -- PTI

The major fire that broke out in a multi-storey residential building at Dadar in central Mumbai was extinguished in the wee hours of Friday after more than seven hours of efforts, officials said.

The blaze had erupted inside a closed flat on the 42nd floor of the 44-storey R A Residency building located opposite the Mumbai Marathi Grantha Sanghahalaya around 8.30 pm, they said.

"The fire was doused by the Mumbai fire brigade by around 3.50 am, after more than seven hours of efforts. No casualties were reported in the incident," a civic official said.

It was tagged as a level-4 (major) fire, he said, adding that at least 16 fire engines, along with other equipment were involved in the firefighting operation.

"The fire was confined to the electric fittings in the affected flat located on the 42nd floor. Although a short circuit is suspected to be the primary cause of the fire, the exact reason behind it is yet to be known," the official said.

Veteran Telugu actress Jamuna, who was the female lead to legendary N T Rama Rao and other leading stars of yesteryear, passed away in Hyderabad on Friday due to old age. She was 87.

She passed away Friday morning due to age-related issues, family members told reporters.

Jamuna, who immortalised the character of Satyabhama in mythological films, had started acting in stage plays at a young age and went on to act in over 200 films.

Though she acted mainly in Telugu films, Jamuna also worked in a few Tamil, Kannada and Hindi films.

She had won the Filmfare award for Hindi Film Milan.

Some of her iconic films include Missamma, Gundamma Katha and Sri Krishna Tulabharam.

Jamuna was elected to Lok Sabha from Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh on the Congress ticket in 1989.

Former Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Tourism and Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy, AP Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, actor-turned-politician and Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan condoled the demise of Jamuna.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah Friday joined the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir's Banihal saying that the Rahul Gandhi-led march is not being carried out for the image makeover of the Congress leader, but rather to change the situation and atmosphere of the country.

The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir said he does not want to delve into Congress' stand on the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

"The Bharat Jodo Yatra is not aimed at improving the image of Rahul Gandhi but for improving the situation in the country," the National Conference leader told reporters upon his arrival in Banihal, 120 kilometres from Srinagar.

Abdullah said he joined the yatra as he was more concerned about the image of the country.

"We have not joined this for the image of an individual but for the image of the county," he said.

The NC leader further said Gandhi did not start the yatra for personal reasons but due to his concern over the attempts to create communal tensions and target minorities in the country.

"This government might be making friends with Arab countries but the fact remains that there is no representative in this government from the largest minority of the country," he said.

"It might be for the first time since Independence that the ruling party does not have a single member of parliament -- either in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha -- from the Muslim community. It shows their attitude, " he added.

Speaking on the Congress's stand on the abrogation of Article 370, Abdullah said, "We will fight the case for the restoration of Article 370 in the court. The way the government is dragging its feet on the hearing of the petition tells us that our case is very strong."

On the elections in Jammu and Kashmir, he said it has been eight years.

"The last assembly elections were held in 2014. This has been the longest period between the two elections in Jammu and Kashmir. It was not the case even at the peak of militancy," he said.

Omar said the government wants the people of Jammu and Kashmir to beg for elections.

"We are not beggars and we won't beg for it," he said. -- PTI

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday accused the Sangh Parivar of treating Muslims and Christians as 'enemies of the nation' and urged everyone to unite against such divisive actions, drawing sharp criticism from the BJP.

Vijayan said that the Constitution, which was the best weapon to fight against caste discrimination and religious hatred, was presently under attack.

The CM alleged that the Sangh Parivar and the RSS have made it clear that their aim was to turn India into a 'Hindu rashtra'.

He also accused the party in power at the Centre of being followers of a political group which did not take part in the freedom struggle.

"They are attacking the very roots of our country, its democracy and the Constitution," he said while speaking after inaugurating the Constitution Protection Conference and Secular Meet.

In his speech at the event held here, Vijayan said that if the Constitution was destroyed, everything -- from an individual's dignity to the sovereignty of the country -- would be lost, he said.

Meanwhile, the BJP hit back, saying the CM has no moral right to utter a single word on the Constitution.

BJP state president K Surendran alleged that Vijayan does not give any importance to the Constitution and accused him of 'whitewashing' extremist and terror groups.

The Kerala CM also alleged that besides the attacks on the Constitution, there were also attempts to rewrite history.

Examples of the same that he mentioned were -- the terming of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination as a 'death' and the claims from certain quarters that B R Ambedkar was not one of the drafters of the Constitution.

Apart from that, in some parts of the country Muslims are being termed as the opposite of Hindu, he claimed.

Vijayan claimed that not only religious minorities, but Dalits and tribals were also under threat and were being attacked and exploited in various parts of the country.

The Constitution was one of the best weapons to fight against caste discrimination and religious hatred and therefore, it should be protected against the attacks on it and values upheld by it.

He further alleged that the Constitution was under threat from those duty bound to protect it.

Those who take oath on the Constitution were airing dangerous views that were contrary to it. -- PTI

The Adani group stocks continued to remain under pressure on Friday, falling up to 20 per cent in morning trade, after the United States-based investment research firm Hindenburg Research made damaging allegations.

Shares of Adani Total Gas plummeted 19.65 per cent, Adani Transmission tumbled 19 per cent, Adani Green Energy plunged 15.50 per cent and Adani Enterprises tanked 6.19 per cent on the BSE.

Also, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone fell 5.31 per cent, Adani Wilmar dipped 5 per cent and Adani Power declined 4.99 per cent.

In the broader market, the 30-share BSE benchmark declined 537.91 points or 0.89 per cent to trade at 59,667.15.

The Adani Group on Thursday said it is examining legal options to take "punitive action" against Hindenburg Research for its "reckless" attempt to sabotage a mega share sale at the conglomerate's flagship firm - a statement that the US activist investor responded by saying it stands by its report that alleged "brazen" market manipulation and accounting fraud by the group.

"The maliciously mischievous, unresearched report published by Hindenburg Research on January 24, 2023, has adversely affected the Adani Group, our shareholders and investors. The volatility in Indian stock markets created by the report is of great concern and has led to unwanted anguish for Indian citizens," Adani Group's lead head Jatin Jalundhwala said in a statement.

The report and its unsubstantiated contents were designed to have a deleterious effect on the share values of Adani Group companies as Hindenburg Research, by their own admission, is positioned to benefit from a slide in Adani shares, he said.

"We are deeply disturbed by this intentional and reckless attempt by a foreign entity to mislead the investor community and the general public, undermine the goodwill and reputation of the Adani Group and its leaders, and sabotage the FPO (Follow-on Public Offering) from Adani Enterprises," he said.

"We are evaluating the relevant provisions under US and Indian laws for remedial and punitive action against Hindenburg Research."

Hindenburg, a US-based investment research firm that specialises in activist short-selling, said on Wednesday that its two-year investigation revealed that Adani Group has "engaged in a brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud scheme over the course of decades". -- PTI

10:47 Who will win if Lok Sabha poll is held today?

The Bharatiya Janata Party is projected to win 284 seats, while the Congress may bag 191 seats if Lok Sabha elections are to be held today, the India Today-CVoter Mood of the Nation poll survey found.

The next general elections are due for early next year.

According to the survey, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity remains undented. The survey found that 72 per cent of the respondents were satisfied with the prime minister's performance.

However, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who leading Kanyakumari-to-Kashmir Bharat Jodo Yatra, found few takers for his 3500-km-long journey.

The survey found that 37 per cent of respondents believed that the Bharat Jodo Yatra created a buzz, but would not help the Congress to return to power at the Centre.

India Today said a total of 1,40,917 respondents were considered for the survey.

Representational image

10:46 India tells Pak of modifying Indus Water treaty

India issues notice to Pakistan for modification of Indus Water Treaty of September 1960, revealed govt sources.

India has been steadfast supporter, responsible partner in implementing Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan in letter and spirit, the sources said, but Pakistan's actions adversely impinged on the provisions of Indus Treaty, forcing India to issue appropriate notice for its modification.

10:25 Actor Annu Kapoor admitted to hospital

Film actor Annu Kapoor was on Thursday admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi after he complained of chest pain, doctors said.

The 66-year-old actor was admitted in the hospital in the early hours, hospital sources said.

Ajay Swaroop, Chairman (Board of Management), Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said the actor was admitted for a chest problem.

The hospital, in a health bulletin, said Kapoor is "currently stable and recovering".

It also said that he is admitted under Dr Sushant Wattal in the cardiology department. -- PTI

09:52 India to get 12 more cheetahs in Feb

India has signed an agreement with South Africa to translocate 12 cheetahs to the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, a senior official in the Union Environment Ministry said on Friday.

The pact was signed last week and seven male and five female cheetahs are expected to reach Kuno by February 15, the official said.

The 12 South African cheetahs have been in quarantine for more than six months and were expected to reach Kuno this month but the transfer was delayed as "some processes in South Africa took some time", the official said on condition of anonymity.

Cheetah is the only large carnivore that got completely wiped out from India due to over-hunting and habitat loss.

The last cheetah died in Koriya district of present-day Chhattisgarh in 1947 and the species was declared extinct in 1952.

Under the Cheetah reintroduction programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had released the first batch of eight eight spotted felines -- five females and three males -- from Namibia into a quarantine enclosure at Kuno on his 72nd birthday on September 17 last year.

According to the 'Action Plan for Reintroduction of Cheetah in India' prepared by the Wildlife Institute of India, around 12-14 wild cheetahs (8-10 males and 4-6 females) that are ideal for establishing a new cheetah population would be imported from South Africa, Namibia and other African countries as a founder stock for five years initially and then as required by the programme. -- PTI

The Students Federation of India on Thursday organised the screening of the BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots at the University of Hyderabad even as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's student wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad showed the controversial film 'The Kashmir Files', on the campus.

The Fraternity Movement in UoH campus, a students' group, had earlier organised the screening of the BBC documentary "India: The Modi Question" on January 21, at the varsity campus without prior notice or permission, prompting the University authorities to seek a report on the incident for taking necessary action.

The screening of the documentary "India: The Modi Question", the access to which was recently blocked by the Centre on social media platforms, was earlier announced by the SFI at the university campus.

"Glimpses from the successful screening of the documentary 'India: The Modi Question' organised by SFI HCU on the Republic Day following the call of SFI CEC. More than 400 students turned up for the screening, rejecting the false propaganda and the attempts of ABVP to create unrest and the administration to disrupt the screening of the documentary. SFI-HCU salutes the student community who have stood for freedom of expression and campus democracy, a social media post by SFI HCU said, tagging the photos.

UoH, is also known as Hyderabad Central University.

Countering it, the students of ABVP HCU organised the screening of 'The Kashmir Files,' on the university campus today.

Written and directed by Vivek Agnihotri, the Bollywood film depicts the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from Kashmir following systematic killings of people from the community by Pakistan-backed terrorists.

UoH Registrar Devesh Nigam in a statement said the Dean-Students' Welfare had counselled the student groups and issued an appeal not to do any screening of films in view of the law and order issue, maintaining peace and tranquility in campus and forthcoming end semester exams starting from next week.

However, students decided to go ahead with their programme schedule.

08:33 Sania-Bopanna lose in Australia Open final

Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna went down to Rafael Matos and Luisa Stefani in the mixed doubles final at the Australian Open on Friday.

Sania and Rohan suffered a 6-7, 2-6 defeat in the title clash.

This was Sania's last appearance at a Grand Slam before she retires from tennis after next month's Dubai Tennis Championships.

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07:52 BJP ex-corporator, family die by suicide in MP

In a shocking incident, an ex-corporator from the BJP and his wife and their two children -- who were suffering from muscular dystrophy -- died by suicide in Vidisha district of Madhya Pradesh on Thursday evening, the police said.

The deceased were identified as Sanjeev Mishra (45), his wife Neelam (42), and their sons Anmol (13) and Sarthak (7), added the police.

According to the police, the couple was stressed due to the children's medical condition.

Mishra posted on social media before taking the extreme step, "May God spare even enemy's children from this disease... I am not able to save the children, I do not want to live anymore."

A case has been registered at the Civil Lines Police Station of Vidisha. The police reached the spot and broke open the room's locked door and rushed the four family members to the hospital where all four died during treatment.

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07:44 US kills top ISIS operative al-Sudani in Somalia

A US counter-terrorism operation in northern Somalia killed a senior Islamic State (ISIS) figure, Bilal-al-Sudani, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed in a statement on Thursday.

No civilians were harmed as a result of this operation that killed a number of other ISIS members; the US assault operation was conducted on orders from President Joe Biden.

"On January 25, on orders from the President, the US military conducted an assault operation in northern Somalia that resulted in the death of a number of ISIS members, including Bilal-al-Sudani, an ISIS leader in Somalia and a key facilitator for ISIS's global network. Al-Sudani was responsible for fostering the growing presence of ISIS in Africa and for funding the group's operations worldwide, including in Afghanistan," the official release of the US department of defense quoted Austin as saying.

"This action leaves the United States and its partners safer and more secure, and it reflects our steadfast commitment to protecting Americans from the threat of terrorism at home and abroad. No civilians were harmed as a result of this operation. We are grateful to our extraordinary service members as well as our intelligence community and other interagency partners for their support to this successful counterterrorism operation," Austin added.

Prior to last year's end, US forces conducted an airstrike in Syria that resulted in the deaths of two senior ISIS figures, CNN reported. Notably, in Somalia till date, the military operations have only paid heed to al-Shabaab fighters which are the dominant militant group in the region.

According to the first official, al-Sudani received sanctions from the US treasury in 2012 for facilitating foreign fighters' travel to an al-Shabaab training camp and providing funding.

Upendra Khushwaha

07:15 Nitish tells Khushwaha to quit JD-U. He retorts...

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has asked his party colleague and parliamentary board chairman Upendra Kushwaha to quit the Janata Dal-United.

Kushwaha has retorted saying that he could not leave the party without his share in the "paternal property".

This comes amid speculation about Kushwaha 'being in touch' with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"Well said, Bhai Saheb....! If the younger brothers keep leaving the house like this at the advice of the elder brothers, then all elder brothers will grab the entire property of Baap-Dada (ancestors) by throwing away the younger brothers. How can I go out (of the party) while leaving behind my share in entire properties...?" Upendra Kushwaha tweeted in Hindi.

07:11 Cricketer Axar Patel ties the knot

Indian cricketer Axar Patel tied the knot with Meha Patel in Vadodara on Thursday.

The all-rounder skipped the ODI series against New Zealand this time owing to his wedding.

Although he did not share any photos or videos, many fan accounts on Twitter shared some from his memorable day.

Talking about his career, Patel did extremely well in the recently concluded T20Is and ODIs against Sri Lanka.

More details about his wife Meha and their wedding are awaited

Pic courtesy: Meta Patel on Twitter

-- ANI

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