The New Indian Express News

CHANDIGARH: The Congress high command has stepped in to defuse the crisis triggered by former Punjab MLA Navjot Kaur Sidhus remark on Rs 500 crore for CM post, with senior party leader Rahul Gandhi calling a meeting with AICC general secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs Bhupesh Baghel and other senior leaders later this week to discuss the issues. Meanwhile, Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring met Baghel on Thursday. Sources in the party claimed that a high-level committee wi

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Thursday inaugurated a 3-day divisional-level annual Bastar Olympics at Indira Priyadarshini Stadium in Jagdalpur, where the athletes from all seven districts of the Bastar division presented an impressive march past. Around 3,500 athletes from districts of Bijapur, Dantewada, Kanker, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Sukma and Jagdalpur, along with those from the Nua Baat category, are participating in the divisional-level Bastar Olympics. Maoists who

Amid the ongoing impasse between the Kerala Chief Minister and Governor over the appointment of vice chancellors in two technical universities in the state, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked a committee headed by Justice (Retd) Sudhanshu Dhulia to recommend one name each for the posts. The apex court's two-judge bench, headed by Justice JB Pardiwala and including Justice KV Viswanathan, was hearing the matter related to the appointments of VCs of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University an

LUCKNOW: A high-profile impostor, posing as an IAS officer for nearly three years, was arrested in Gorakhpur on Tuesday. Accused Gaurav Kumar Singh alias Lalit Kishor, 27, was nabbed after a probe exposed a massive fraud racket spanning several states, fake identities, luxury cars and promises of lucrative government jobs and contracts. As per police sources, Gaurav Kumar Singh was living as a 2022-batch IAS officer, meticulously maintaining a lifestyle equipped with a white Innova with red-blue

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump held a telephonic conversation on Thursday, reviewing progress in the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and discussing ways to expand cooperation across multiple sectors, including trade, critical technologies, energy, defence, and security. Describing the conversation as warm and engaging, PM Modi posted on X that the leaders discussed regional and global developments and reaffirmed their commitment to work together fo

AHMEDABAD: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has intercepted a Pakistani fishing vessel operating illegally inside Indias Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off the Gujarat coast and apprehended all 11 crew members on board, officials said on Thursday. The detainees have been handed over to the Jakhau Marine Police for further investigation. The operation, carried out on Wednesday, was confirmed by the ICG in a post on X, stating that it had intercepted and apprehended a Pakistani fishing vessel along wit

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked chief justices of all high courts to examine the status of pending trials in their states under laws such as the UAPA, posing a reverse burden of proof on the accused. A bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh also directed the State Legal Services Authority to make aware each undertrial of his/her right to representation, either by counsel of their own choice or through a legal aid counsel. For those who choose the latter, as

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday said there should be stringent condition that should be imposed on persons accused of committing acid attacks, calling them a hreat to the society, civilians and even rule of law. They (acid attack accused) are threat to the society, civilians and even the rule of law. There should be some stringent condition that should be imposed on these persons, observed, a two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bag

Mexico's Congress approved Wednesday most of the tariff increases proposed by the government on more than 1,400 products imported from India, China and other countries that do not have free trade agreements with Mexico. The Senate passed the measure Wednesday evening, following the lower chamber, which had approved the increases before dawn. The governing Morena party of President Claudia Sheinbaum, who said the tariffs were necessary to spur domestic production, controls both chambers. The Sena

PATNA: After disowning her family and quitting politics, RJD chief Lalu Prasads daughter Rohini Acharya on Thursday signalled further strain within the family, appealing to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar to ensure that every daughter can return to her parental home without fear, guilt, shame or the need to justify herself. In an oblique reference to CM Nitish Kumar, she wrote on X that schemes like giving girls Rs 10,000 or distributing bicycles, though well-intentioned, fall short of address

NEW DELHI: The Central Government has dismissed any external climate risk rankings and air quality rankings for domestic policymaking. Recently, the Global Climate Risk Index assessed countries based on the human and economic impact of extreme weather events. The government also rejected global air quality rankings, stating that these rankings were not conducted by any official authority. It emphasized that the World Health Organization's (WHO) air quality guidelines are advisory values rather t

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has signed MoUs with six state universities to launch a new academic course named Rakshak Curriculum that will focus on child rights and protection. Cited to be the first academic programme of its kind in India, the initiative is a one-year Postgraduate Diploma in Child Rights & Protection. Chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai said that Rakshak Curriculum will play a significant role in creating a safer and more responsible future for

LUCKNOW: The Allahabad High Court came to the rescue of a Samajwadi Party leader who owns a banquet hall - Aiwane-e-Farhat - in Bareilly by restraining the Bareilly Development Authority (BDA) from carrying out any further demolition of the residential structure and marriage hall. A division bench comprising Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Kunal Ravi Singh directed the parties, on Wednesday, to maintain the status quo and granted liberty to the petitioners to approach the Vice-Chairm

GUWAHATI: President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Manipur on Thursday on a two-day visit amid a shutdown called by a conglomerate of banned insurgent groups. The Coordination Committee had called the shutdown in protest against the Presidents visit. Two days ago, it had stated that the shutdown would remain in force till she left the ethnic violence-hit state. Shops and markets remained closed in the state capital Imphal. The movement of vehicles was also thin. The President, on her maiden visit to

AHMEDABAD: A recent survey by the Gujarat Health Department has revealed that, in district of Mehsana alone, 341 minor girls aged 13-17 have become pregnant in the past year between April and December. Female health workers, while compiling maternal health data, stumbled upon one case after another girls barely in their teens already carrying the burden of motherhood. In-charge District Health Officer Dr. Ghanshyam Gadhvi, speaking with stark clarity, laid out the disturbing numbers. Between Apr

AHMEDABAD: A recent survey by the Gujarat Health Department has revealed that 341 minor girls aged 13-17 have become pregnant in the past year between April and December. Female health workers, while compiling maternal health data, stumbled upon one case after another girls barely in their teens already carrying the burden of motherhood. In-charge District Health Officer Dr. Ghanshyam Gadhvi, speaking with stark clarity, laid out the disturbing numbers. Between April and December 2025, 22,812 pr

AHMEDABAD: Fresh Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha data on Thursday have highlighted gaps in Gujarats road management architecture, where road accidents and fatalities continue to rise despite an increase in e-challans and fines. The data showed an explosive rise in e-challans -- Gujarat issued 2.84 lakh challans in 2022, a number that shot up nearly six times to 16.04 lakh in 2023, and then spiralled to an astonishing 43.24 lakh in 2024. But the enforcement surge comes with a troubling twist: unpaid ch

DEHRADUN: As environmentalists continue to protest the felling of over 6,000 trees for a highway project in Uttarkashi, another major ecological concern has emerged from the Kumaon region. Authorities are preparing to clear more than 5,745 trees for the upgradation of the Bageshwar-Kanda National Highway. The ambitious project, aimed at improving connectivity between Bageshwar district headquarters and Ghingarutola, spans five phases and primarily impacts the Bageshwar and Almora districts, with

Delhi court on Thursday dismissed anticipatory bail to Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, co-owners of the 'Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub, where fire claimed 25 lives. Earlier today, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, said the Luthra brothers will be brought back to India from Thailand at the earliest. A local panchayat official will also be arrested in the fire case, which took place, as he was not cooperating with the probe, Sawant told reporters here. The team of Goa Police and CBI would bring

DEHRADUN: The State Police Complaints Authority (PCA) has held ex-Superintendent of Police (SP) of Pithoragarh, Lokeshwar Singh (IPS, retired from service), guilty of brutalising a citizen who approached him with a grievance. The PCA, after reviewing evidence presented before its officials, concluded that the former SP subjected the complainant to severe physical abuse, including allegedly stripping him naked inside his office and then threatening him with false implication in criminal cases. Th

GUWAHATI: At least 18 people died when a truck, in which they were travelling in, plunged into a deep gorge near Metengliang in the Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh. The mishap occurred on the night of December 8 but authorities learnt about it on December 10 after an injured survivor had managed to reach a camp of the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) and narrated the incident. After first aid, he was shifted to Assam for further treatment. A group of 22 labourers had left from Assams Ti

JAIPUR: Farmers in Rajasthan's Hanumangarh district continued their protest against an under-construction ethanol factory for the second consecutive day. From early morning, farmers began assembling at a gurdwara near Tibbi, even as internet services in the region remained suspended for the second consecutive day. Around 30 families living near the plant site have left their homes due to fear. Violence after farmers storm site The situation escalated sharply on Wednesday when hundreds of farmers

KOLKATA: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has pulled up the district magistrates (DMs), who are traditionally engaged in the election process as district electoral officers (DEOs), for not acting on the ECI proposals for setting up of polling stations inside private housing complexes with multiple high-rise buildings across West Bengal. The ECI, on December 10, sent a letter to the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal, directing him to take immediate steps in this regard. The

KOLKATA: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has pulled up the district magistrates (DMs), who are traditionally engaged in the election process as district electoral officers (DEOs), for not acting on the ECI proposals for setting up of polling stations inside private housing complexes with multiple high-rise buildings across West Bengal. The ECI, on December 10, sent a letter to the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal, directing him to take immediate steps in this regard. The

NEW DELHI: The case of two women migrant workers from West Bengal, who were deported to Bangladesh, was raised in Rajya Sabha on Thursday by Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose, who questioned the hurry in deporting the women without proper verification. Raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha in the Zero Hour, Ghose also mentioned the Goa nightclub fire incident, and said most of those who died were migrant workers. On June 21, Sunali Khatun, a 26-year-old heavily pregnant migrant worker, was pic

SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday said the abrogation of Article 370 brought dynamic changes in Jammu and Kashmir, as militants, separatists and their patrons, are no longer being given government jobs but, identified and given the harshest punishment for their deeds. The LG handed over appointment letters to 22 beneficiaries in age relaxation cases and 19 wards of J&K Police martyrs under Compassionate Appointment Rules SRO-43 and Rehabilitation Assistance Scheme (RAS). Earl

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed former Telangana Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) chief T Prabhakar Rao , who is an accused in the phone-tapping case, to surrender before police by 11 am Friday. A bench comprising justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan said the order was passed for the purpose of further investigation into the offences against Rao. We direct the petitioner to surrender before the Jubilee Hills police station and the investigating officer by 11.00 am tomorrow.

AHMEDABAD: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has seized a Pakistani fishing boat and apprehended 11 crew members operating illegally in the Indian waters, officials said on Thursday. The detainees have been handed over to Jakhau Marine Police in Gujarat for further investigation, they said. The Indian Coast Guard, in a swift action on Wednesday, apprehended a Pakistani fishing boat with 11 crew inside India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Gujarat Defence PRO Wing Commander Abhishek Kumar Tiwari said

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday--relaxing a bit the bail conditions--allowed former Union Minister's son Ashish Mishra , the main accused, to visit his native place in Lakhimpur from December 25-31, on the terms and conditions imposed on him by the Court in May. Liberty is granted to the petitioner (Ashish Mishra) to visit and stay in Lakhimpur Kheri from 25th December to 31st December, subject to the same terms and conditions which were there earlier. The two-judge bench of the apex co

As many as 1,951 incidents of GPS spoofing and interference with aircraft have been reported across various airports in the country during the two years since November 2023, the government said on Thursday. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said, Total GPS interference issues reported (November, 2023 to November, 2025) are 1,951 nos after publication of DGCA circular. The minister said the GPS interference reporting started after the public

RANCHI: Amid the investigation into the explosion near Red Fort in Delhi, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday raided the residence of a suspected terrorist, Shahnawaz Alam. The raids were conducted by a joint team of NIA and Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), in Ansar Nagar, under the Pelawal police station area in Hazaribagh. According to sources, this action was taken based on information provided by a doctor who was previously arrested by the NIA. This operation is being conducted as

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday launched a blistering attack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah, calling him dangerous. The TMC supremo also asserted that she would sit on a dharna if the name of a single voter is deleted from the electoral roll. Addressing a public meeting in Krishnanagar in Nadia district, the chief minister said, The country's home minister is dangerous. You can see it in his eyes... it's terrifying. In one eye, you see 'Duryodhan', and in the other, 'Dus

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday condemned the assault on two food vendors at a recent Gita recital in Kolkata, asserting that such acts of intimidation would not be tolerated in the state. Addressing a public meeting in Krishnanagar in Nadia district, the chief minister said, All of them (accused) have been arrested. This is West Bengal, not Uttar Pradesh. They beat up patty sellers. We arrested everyone last night. She accused the BJP of trying to import a cultur

IndiGo on Thursday announced a special compensation package for passengers caught in the widespread operational disruptions between December 3 and 5. The airline said it will issue Rs 10,000 travel vouchers to customers who were severely impacted by prolonged delays or cancellations during the period. In a statement, IndiGo said it regrettably acknowledges that part of its customers travelling on December 3, 4 and 5 were stranded for many hours at certain airports, and a number of them were seve

NEW DELHI : In a major crackdown on a suspected ISIS-linked terror module, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out raids at around 40 places across Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and other regions, targeting accused individuals, their close associates, family members and entities suspected of facilitating illicit financial transactions. The raids were carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED teams were provided security by the Anti-Terrorist Sq

NEW DELHI: Union minister and BJP President J P Nadda on Thursday tore into the Opposition Congress, accusing the party of being opportunistic and not according due respect to the national song Vande Mataram. Concluding the debate on Vande Mataram in the Rajya Sabha, Nadda asserted that the government does not want to tarnish the image of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and that its only intention was to set the historical records straight. Vande Mataram did not receive the due respect th

NEW DELHI: NCP-SCP MP Fauzia Khan on Thursday said in Rajya Sabha that as many as 766 farmers have died by suicide in Maharashtra in the last three months, and questioned when farmers will ecome dear to the government. Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Khan said Maharashtra leads the country in farmer suicides, with the state government informing the Assembly about the 766 deaths in three months. Of these, 676 families received government aid, while 200 were denied assistan

NEW DELHI: BJD Rajya Sabha member Manas Ranjan Mangaraj on Thursday appealed to the government to relocate Parliament's Winter and Budget sessions out of Delhi until air quality improves, calling the capital's annual pollution crisis a man-made disaster. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Mangaraj, who hails from Odisha, drew parallels between his state's efficient response to natural calamities and the need for similar urgency in addressing Delhi's air pollution. Coming from Odisha, a state th

NEW DELHI : The Lok Sabha on Thursday extended the tenure of the parliamentary committee examining bills that seek to introduce simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. Committee Chairman P P Chaudhary moved the motion seeking extension of the tenure of the Joint Committee on the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, up to the first day of the last week of the 2026 Budget session. The Lok Sabha adopted the m

CHANDIGARH: A man was shot dead by three car-borne assailants in the parking lot of a court in Abohar in Punjab's Fazilka district, where he had come for a hearing in an Arms Act case, police said. Akash alias Golu Pandit, a resident of Abohar, was rushed to the hospital, where he succumbed, police said. Fazilka Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gurmeet Singh said the three assailants came in a car and one of them opened fire at Akash, who had come to court for a hearing in an Arms Act case.

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said he directly challenged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss his press conferences on vote chori in Parliament but did not get any answer. A day after the Lok Sabha witnessed a heated exchange between him and Shah during a debate on election reforms, Gandhi claimed that Shah appeared to be under pressure. He (Shah) used the wrong language, his hands were shaking, you would have seen all this. He is under pressure mentally that was witne

NEW DELHI: After both Houses held a debate on 150 years of Vande Mataram, the Congress on Thursday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his entire brigade have been thoroughly ruised and exposed for their lies. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh noted that the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha debated Vande Mataram for three days. The national anthem also figured in some speeches, he said in a post on X. It is clear that the PM and his entire brigade have NOT rea

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday handed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh a copy of Vallabhbhai Patels daughter Maniben Patels original diary entries in Gujarati, asserting that they contain no reference to Singhs claim that Jawaharlal Nehru wanted to construct the Babri Masjid using public funds. Ramesh met Singh outside Parliaments Makar Dwar and presented him with the Gujarati pages alongside a Hindi translation. When Ramesh urged him to read the entries, Singh responded that he did not

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a plea filed by former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt seeking seeking suspension of the 20-year jail sentence imposed on him in a 1996 drug seizure case. A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi said it was not inclined to entertain the matter. The top court was hearing an appeal filed by Bhatt seeking suspension of sentence in the case. A sessions court in Palanpur town of Gujarat's Banaskantha district had sentenced Bhatt to 20 years in th

MUMBAI: Crisis-hit IndiGo cancelled 60 flights from Bengaluru Airport on Thursday, as safety watchdog DGCA tightened its scrutiny following large-scale disruptions in services on account of planning failures related to the implementation of new pilot and crew duty norms, a source said. IndiGo has cancelled 60 flights -- 32 arrivals and 28 departures from Bengaluru Airport, the source said. Meanwhile, IndiGo CEO Piter Elbers has been summoned by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to

The Thailand Police have detained Saurabh Luthra and his brother Gaurav Luthra, who fled India after a fire at their Goa nightclub claimed 25 lives, officials said on Thursday. Senior officials confirmed that the duo was apprehended in Phuket following a request from the Indian government. The brothers, against whom an Interpol Blue Corner Notice had been issued, had fled India within hours of the tragedy. According to officials, the Luthras booked their tickets for Phuket through an online trav

Electoral reforms, Vande Mataram to be discussed in Rajya Sabha today The Rajya Sabha is set for a charged sitting on Thursday, as the Upper House is prepared to take up discussions on the 150th anniversary of the national song Vande Mataram and the long-running debate over the Special Intensive Review (SIR). Both issues have already sparked heated exchanges in the Lok Sabha earlier this week, setting a combative tone for the ninth day of the Winter Session. Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sab

MUMBAI: Mumbai Customs have seized hydroponic weed, gold and diamonds, collectively valued at Rs 45 crore, that were being smuggled through the airport here and arrested 12 passengers, officials said. The seizures were made during operations conducted between December 3 and 10 at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, they said. Based on specific information, the Customs personnel apprehended nine passengers and recovered hydroponic weed (marijuana) valued at Rs 37.26 crore from

GUWAHATI: A massive fire that broke out at a commercial complex in Guwahati remained untamed for over 33 hours even as more than two dozen fire tenders have been struggling to douse the blaze, a senior official said on Thursday. The fire broke out at Swagata Square Complex in ABC Point around 12.30 am on Wednesday. The multi-storey building houses SBI's zonal office, commercial branch and the premium banking branch, and a shopping mall, 'Sohum Emporia'. More than 25 fire tenders have been strugg

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The second phase of polling in the crucial local body elections commenced in seven districts of Kerala on Thursday morning with the turnout crossing 8 per cent in the first two hours of voting. Voters began casting ballots from 7 am at the 18,274 polling stations in the districts of Thrissur, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod. Polling will conclude at 6 pm. People of all ages and professions, including political leaders, queued up at polling stati