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Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned on Monday, the first day of the Winter session of the Parliament, amid unrelenting protests by the opposition parties demanding a discussion on the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Opposition has been pushing for a debate on the exercise launched by the Election Commission, pointing out several issues, including the rising number of suicides of the booth level officers (BLO), allegedly due to work pressure. Before being a

DHAKA: A court in Bangladeshs capital sentenced ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to five years in prison and her niece, British Labour Party lawmaker Tulip Siddiq, to two years in prison Monday for corruption involving a government land project. Rabiul Alam, the judge of Dhakas Special Judges Court, said Hasina misused her power as prime minister while Siddiq was guilty of corruptly influencing her aunt in helping her mother and two siblings get a land plot in a government project. Siddiqs mo

Australia will soon ban under-16s from the likes of Facebook and TikTok, a world-first move of huge interest to all those worried about the harms of social media. Internet regulators around the world are watching to see if Australia can rein in the tech giants -- but questions remain as the ban approaches on December 10. Here's what we know about how Australia will enforce the new restrictions. - Prove age - Starting December 10, some of the world's largest social media platforms will be forced

CHANDIGARH: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has declined the proposal of the Haryana Government to construct a separate assembly building in Chandigarh. Highly placed sources said that the MHA has advised the senior officials of the Haryana Government not to pursue this matter any further. Sources further said that this kind of land swap might not fall within the purview of the Capital of Punjab (Development and Regulation) Act, 1952, which governs land use in Chandigarh. Earlier this year, t

A 51-year-old businesswoman in Mumbai was allegedly forcibly stripped naked at gunpoint, abused and threatened by senior officials of a private company, according to reports by NDTV and India Today . The woman, in her complaint to the Mumbai Police, named Joy John Pascal Post, Managing Director and founder member of Franco-Indian Pharmaceuticals. According to the complaint, the woman was called to the pharma company's premises under the pretext of a business meeting. Once there, she claimed the

Thiruvananthapuram MP and senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday missed yet another crucial party meeting, fueling speculation about his strained relationship with the Congress as the Winter Session of Parliament commenced. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, chaired by Sonia Gandhi on Sunday, was convened to finalise the partys strategy for the session, which is expected to be dominated by debates on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls and national security in

NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday introduced two bills in the Lok Sabha to levy excise duty on tobacco and tobacco products, and a new cess on manufacturing of pan masala, which will replace the GST compensation cess on such sin goods. The Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025, will replace the GST compensation cess, which is currently levied on all tobacco products like cigarette, chewing tobacco, cigars, hookahs, zarda, and scented tobacco. The bill seeks o give the gov

NEW DELHI: Parliament is not a place for drama, it is a place for delivery, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday in a hard-hitting attack on the opposition and accused it of turning the House into a warm up arena for elections or as an outlet to vent out frustration after defeat. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament ahead of the Winter session, he said the session must not become a stage for political theatrics but a platform for constructive and result-driven debate, and offered to g

DEORIA: Police have detained a man after a video allegedly showing a group of people assaulting a youth with a belt and slippers, and forcing him to lick spit in a village here surfaced online, officials said on Monday. The video, purportedly from Gobarai village, has been circulating on social media since Sunday evening. According to the police complaint lodged by the victim's mother, her son was on his way to Deoria town for shopping around 3 pm on November 29 when four men from Sakra Par and

NEW DELHI: India on Monday pitched for a global mechanism to check any possible misuse of biological weapons in view of the uncertain international security environment. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said misuse of biological weapons by non-state actors is no longer a distant possibility and international cooperation is needed to combat such a challenge. He was speaking at a conference on 50 years of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). Bioterrorism is a serious concern that the int

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Monday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, dubbing him the iggest dramabaaz after he accused the opposition of indulging in drama in Parliament. In a statement on X, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said that instead of addressing the real issue of people, Prime Minister Modi has once again made his 'dramebazi delivery. He said the reality is that the government has been continuously trampling parliamentary decorum and system for the past 11 years, and the long

MUZAFFARNAGAR: A 28-year-old woman was allegedly strangled to death by her in-laws over dowry demands at Kasoli village in Muzaffarnagar district, police said on Monday. The victim, Hina, was killed on Sunday evening after prolonged harassment for dowry, officials said. Circle Officer D Bajpai told reporters that police rushed to the spot upon receiving information and sent the body for postmortem. A case has been registered against the victim's husband Khushnaseeb, father-in-law Intazar, mother

SRINAGAR: In the aftermath of the demolition of journalist Arfaz Daings house in Jammu, a wave of unexpected goodwill and communal harmony has swept across Jammu and Kashmir. At the centre of this moment is Kuldeep Sharma, who gifted five marlas of land to his Muslim neighbour to help him rebuild his home. Sharmas act of compassion and communal harmony has triggered an outpouring of support in the Valley with individuals offering land and even a houseboat to honour his selfless act. Sharma, a re

BHOPAL: In a significant departure from the extravagant five-star and destination weddings often associated with the families of political heavyweights, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadavs son, Dr Abhimanyu Yadav, married his bride, Dr Ishita Yadav, at a mass marriage ceremony in the familys home city of Ujjain on Sunday. Abhimanyu and Ishita were among 21 couples from various Hindu communities who tied the knot at the vibrant ceremony held in Sawarakhedi, Ujjain. The newly married cou

RANCHI: Making a sensational revelation, State BJP Chief and Leader of the Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, Babulal Marandi, has claimed that fearing the possibility of normal phone calls being traced, the police and the coal mafia in Dhanbad are now preparing to operate a coal theft syndicate using Apples FaceTime. According to Marandi, this indicates a new strategy in which elements within the police and the coal mafia may be shifting to FaceTime, considered more difficult to intercept du

Parliament Winter Session to begin today The Winter Session of Parliament begins today, with the government set to push through an extensive legislative agenda that includes 14 Bills. The session comes amid heightened tensions between the ruling NDA and the Opposition, with the latter demanding debates on issues such as the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the recent suicides of Booth Level Officers (BLOs), and national security concerns following the Delhi car blast. Parliam

SRINAGAR: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday carried out raids at eight locations in Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam districts of Kashmir in connection with a white-collar terror module that was behind a car blast near Delhi's Red Fort, officials said here. The NIA teams conducted searches at the residence of Moulvi Irfan Ahmad Wagay in Shopian, officials said. Wagay has emerged as the mastermind of the radicalisation and recruitment of the 'white-collar' terror module busted early la

COLOMBO: India on Monday evacuated its last batch of stranded nationals from Sri Lanka, as New Delhi intensified its assistance to Colombo's rescue operations for Cyclone Ditwah disaster victims, officials said. Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, the last batch of 104 Indian passengers stranded at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo reached Thiruvananthapuram, onboard an IAF aircraft, at around 6.30 am, the Indian High Commission here said in a social media post. In a press release, the mis

A small gesture from Amit Shaha brief pat on the back of a Union Minister during a victory dinner at JP Naddas residencehas set BJP circles buzzing louder than the Bihar win itself. The pat came after Nadda offered the minister sweets in appreciation of his role in helping the BJP emerge as the single largest party. The moment was witnessed by MPs and MLAs who worked on the campaign, and many now see the minister as a serious contender to eventually succeed Nadda as BJP president. At the same di

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded Tamil as a great language and a source of pride for India, while highlighting the countrys achievements in agriculture, science, defence, tourism and indigenous products during his Mann Ki Baat radio address. Focusing on the upcoming fourth edition of the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi from December 2, Modi urged citizens to participate and learn the language. In Tamil, he said, Tamil kalachaaram uyarvanathu, Tamil mozhi uyarvanathu, Tam

NEW DELHI: The Winter Session of Parliament will commence on Monday with Prime Minister Narendra Modis customary address to the media. Newly elected Vice President (V-P) CP Radhakrishnan will preside over Rajya Sabha for the first time. With Opposition parties already up in arms against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across states, Radhakrishnan will have the delicate task of steering proceedings smoothly amid their expected protests. The Opposition has already sharpened

NEW DELHI: The Congress has decided to corner the government on issues such as national security, the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and air pollution, among other issues during the winter session of Parliament, to begin on Monday. However, the party will take a final call on Parliament strategies after a discussion with the INDIA bloc partners on Monday morning. The decisions were reached at a meeting of the Congress parliamentary strategy group, chaired by CPP chai

SRINAGAR: Against the backdrop of launch pads of several terrorists being active across the Line of Control (LoC), the border guards have deployed advanced surveillance equipment and upped the vigil to foil infiltration attempts from across the border, a senior BSF officer said on Sunday. IG BSF Kashmir Frontier Ashok Yadav told reporters that during Operation Sindoor in May, the BSF and Army destroyed many launch pads and forward locations of Pakistan at the Line of Control (LoC). On May 7, the

Haryana Transport Minister Anil Vij was recently left stranded outside the Kurushetra Development Board Office and had to hitch a ride to reach the Kurushetra University for an event. The incident took place when the minister attended an inaugural event at Bharam Sarovar where Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh performed a puja. After the event, Singh left for the university to participate in the International Gita seminar, leaving the transport minister behind. A viral video shows Vij standin

BHOPAL: Haryanas Nuh district, which is under glare as an operational base of the white-collar terror module linked to 10/11 Delhi blast case, has also come out as the nucleus of Madhya Pradeshs biggest-ever inter-state cybercrime ring. MP polices cybercrime unit has traced masterminds of the racket to Nuh. The cyber fraud ring involved over 1000 bank accounts of people in Vindhya and Mahakoshal region of MP, being used as mule accounts to park and circulate fraud money. More than 25 people from

NEW DELHI: The Central government is set to replace the Compensation Cess with a new levy of 70% or higher on tobacco and tobacco-related products. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will introduce the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha on Monday to replace the existing GST Compensation Cess currently imposed on these products. Under the new Bill, tobacco and related products will attract a 70% cess over and above 40% GST, while cigarettes will face a specific cess ranging

When women rise, the nation soars. In a society rooted in values of equality and justice, a womans dignity must be non-negotiable. The Government of India, under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has reaffirmed this belief by translating it into institutional frameworks through Mission Shaktiour comprehensive programme for safety, security, and empowerment of women. As the Prime Minister has rightly said, Our government places utmost importance on Samman and Suvidha for w

NEW DELHI: The stage is set for a stormy start to Parliaments Winter Session on Monday, with the Opposition demanding a full discussion on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, while the ruling party is pushing for a discussion on 150 years of Vande Mataram. During the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting of the Rajya Sabha on Sunday, the government declined to clarify whether any debate would take place on the broader topic of electoral reforms, despite repeated demands from t

BHOPAL:Three brothers aged between 35 and 44 years were reportedly killed when a dispute pertaining to ownership of an agricultural land turned violent in Simara Khurd village of Madhya Pradeshs Tikamgarh district on Sunday. The three brothers, identified as Chaturbhuj (35), Paramlal (37) and Balram Lodhi (44), were killed after a group of men and women armed with sharp-edged weapons attacked them in Simara Khurd village under Jatara police station area. Four more members of the Lodhi community

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has said that the United States has benefitted immensely from skilled Indians who have moved there over the years. Speaking on Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamaths WTF is podcast, released on Sunday, Musk said that Indian engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs have been instrumental in advancing American innovation. He described the contribution of Indian talent as significant in strengthening the US tech industry. Kamath began the conversation by pointing out that

KHAGARIA: A team of the National Investigating Agency (NIA) on Sunday raided the house of a retired postal department official in Bihar in connection with the blast near Red Fort in Delhi earlier this month, police said. According to Deepak Kumar, SHO of Mansi police station in Khagaria district, the NIA team raided a house in Saidpur village at around 3 am, and the search operation continued for nearly five hours. The SHO did not divulge the case in connection with which the raid was conducted,

DEHRADUN: The gates of the famed Gangotri National Park and the adventurous Gartang Valley have been ceremoniously shut for the winter season, concluding a remarkably successful year for tourism in the ecologically sensitive region. Despite the impact of recent natural events, the park has not only welcomed a record number of visitors but also generated substantial revenue. The park, a global hotspot for mountaineering and trekking, officially closed its entry points on Sunday. Officials confirm

NEW DELHI: To ensure flyers across the country have a safe air journey this winter when fog and mist envelop the skies, causing low visibility, the aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has come out with a set of guidelines to be followed by all airlines. Flight operators are now individually preparing a detailed plan to be submitted to the DGCA on how each one of them is prepared to handle the upcoming harsh weather conditions across different airports. An airline sou

NEW DELHI: The risk of HIV transmission through blood transfusion in India has dipped over the years due to improved screening and testing protocols. However, the recent incident in which six children with thalassemia got infected with HIV once again exposes that the overall risk has still not been eliminated, said experts. On the eve of World AIDS Day on December 1, experts said the Jharkhand incident serves as a reminder that strict adherence to safety standards are vital to maintaining and fu

MORADBAD: Six members of a family, including two children, were killed and five others seriously injured on Sunday when a tempo carrying them was hit by a speeding roadways bus in Katghar area of this district, police said. The accident took place at Zero Point near Rafatpur underpass when the victims were on their way to attend a wedding in Rafatpur, they said. According to police, the bus rammed the tempo from behind. The deceased were identified as Mati alias Sanju (30), Suman (30), Seema (35

PATNA: The Winter Session of the Bihar legislature, beginning from Monday, is likely to be stormy as the Opposition is expected to raise issues related to promises made to people by the National Democratic Alliance during the recently concluded assembly elections. Issues like one crore jobs, financial aids of Rs 2 lakh each to women associated with Jeevika and opening of new sugar factories and closed units will dominate the five-day session of the state legislature being held after the formatio

Days after a BLO died by suicide in Jaipur, the suspicious death of another Booth Level Officer has shaken Rajasthan. A young BLO in his early 40s from Dholpur district has died under suspicious circumstances, and his family has alleged that excessive work pressure led to his death. Anuj Garg (42), the BLO of Part Number 158 of the Gaushala sector in Dholpur city, collapsed in Pratap Vihar Colony on Saturday night while uploading Special Intensive Review (SIR) forms. The incident occurred in the

RANCHI: In a major decision, Jharkhand Health Minister Dr. Irfan Ansari said that everyone in the state will be made to undergo tests for thalassemia and sickle cell. According to Ansari, Jharkhand still lacks concrete data on these serious diseases, posing a major challenge to the state's health system. There is no information available about the number of patients suffering from Thalassemia and Sickle Cell in any of the districts. This is a very serious disease, and its treatment will be ensur

Opposition parties on Sunday slammed the Election Commissions decision to extend the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls by a week, saying the move only confirmed that the exercise had been launched in haste and without adequate preparation. The Congress, Trinamool Congress, CPI(M) and Samajwadi Party accused the poll body of pushing ahead with impractical timelines that were causing distress to voters and placing an excessive burden on Booth Level Officers (BLOs). Congress leade

MORADABAD: A 46-year-old booth-level officer (BLO) hanged himself in the storage room of his home here in Baheri village because of work pressure, police said on Sunday. Sarvesh Singh was an assistant teacher and was posted in a school in Bhagatpur Tanda village. He was assigned the duty of a BLO on October 7. It was his first time working as a BLO. According to police, around 4 am, Sarvesh's wife Babli found that her husband had hanged himself. In a suicide note Sarvesh confessed to feeling suf

NEW DELHI: Drafts of at least 43 Heritage Bye-laws (HBLs) covering over 50 monuments readied by the National Monument Authority (NMA) are likely to be laid in Parliament during the winter session starting Monday. The documents will subsequently be put in the public domain to seek feedback. So far, 124 HBLs covering about 178 heritage sites have been placed before the both Houses of Parliament. (450) The drafts are approved in Parliament. In this session, we are planning to lay 43 HBLs covering 5

GUWAHATI: Tension is brewing in Assam over the proposed inclusion of six communities in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list. A Group of Ministers (GoM) tabled an interim report in the Assembly on Saturday, recommending a three-tier classification of STs ST (Plains), ST (Hills) and ST (Valley). While the ST (Plains) and the ST (Hills) continue to cover the existing tribal communities residing in the plains and the hills, the ST (Valley) will cover the six communities Ahom, Chutia, Moran, Matak, Koch

BHOPAL:The Nuh district of Haryana has emerged as an alleged hideout, operational base for sourcing materials and recruitment ground for the white collar modules operatives. This comes against the investigations' progress into the white-collar terror module and the 10/11 Delhi blast case. The same southeastern Haryana district has also turned out to be the nucleus of Madhya Pradeshs biggest-ever inter-state cyber crime ring, which was busted by the police in early 2025. As the MP polices cyber c

KOLKATA: The Election Commission of Indias decision to extend the schedules of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 12 states, including West Bengal, has prompted ruling Trinamool Congress and opposition CPI-M and Congress to come together to criticise the Commission for its move. Coming down heavily on the Commission, the Bengal leadership of Trinamool Congress, CPI-M and Congress said that it should have considered the situation earlier because the SIR exercise wa

MUMBAI: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has said a fresh FIR against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case was based on investigations, and ruled out any role of the Central government in the matter. National Herald had long been associated with the Congress, and allegations of financial irregularities linked to it had been discussed several times publicly. The Enforcement Directorate and other investigating bodies had carried out inquiries and levelled charge

RAIPUR: On the final day of the 60th All India Conference of Director Generals/Inspector Generals of Police at the Indian Institute of Management in Raipur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed the need to transform public perception of the police. He said that it can be achieved by enhancing professionalism, sensitivity, and responsiveness, besides strengthening urban policing. The PM directed state and UT police and the wider administration to adopt innovative strategies, make effective use o

Sri Lanka pressed on with large-scale rescue and relief operations on Sunday, supported by India, as the death toll from Cyclone Ditwah climbed past 200 amid widespread flooding and landslides. According to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), 212 people have been confirmed dead and 218 remain missing since Thursday. Nearly 10 lakh people from over 2.7 lakh families have been affected by the disaster. India has deployed National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and Indian Air Force (IAF) as

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his monthly radio broadcast Mann Ki Baat on Sunday, not only described Tamil as a great language and the pride of India, but also spoke about a range of the countrys achievements across several fields, including scientific advancements from space to the ground level, agriculture, honey production as an economically empowering subsidiary agro-initiative, and other sectors including tourism. Indias growing strength in the drone and defence sectors, as we

DANTEWADA: Thirty-seven Naxalites, 27 of them collectively carrying a reward of Rs 65 lakh, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on Sunday, police said. The cadres, including 12 women, turned themselves in before senior police and CRPF officials here as part of the Poona Margem (from rehabilitation to social reintegration) initiative, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai said. The initiative, launched by Bastar range police, has been emerging as a transformative drive for es

COLOMBO: At least 400 Indian nationals stranded at the Colombo airport following the extreme weather conditions in cyclone-hit Sri Lanka, were sent back home on Sunday. Around 150 of them were sent back to Delhi aboard flight C130 while 250 of them were sent to Trivandrum on flight IL 76 from the Bandaranaike International Airport here, Sri Lankan officials said. Both the aircraft had arrived in Sri Lanka on Saturday carrying food and humanitarian aid for flash floods victims. As Sri Lanka battl