The New Indian Express News

DEHRADUN: In a story that exemplifies grit over glamour, a soldier from a family steeped in military tradition has emerged as a powerful role model for India's youth. Gurmukh Singh, hailing from Haryana, recently commissioned as a Lieutenant from the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun, marking the latest chapter in a family dedicated to serving the nation across three generations. The Passing Out Parade at the prestigious IMA is always a moment of immense pride, but for the 33-year-old Gu

NEW DELHI: Over one lakh drugs samples were tested in 2024-25, out of which over 3,000 were declared not of standard quality, the centre informed the Rajya Sabha Tuesday. In a written reply, Minister of State of Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel said, of the total 1,16, 323 drug samples that were tested, 245 were found to be adulterated. Sharing more details, the minister said, in 2023-24, 1,06, 150 drug samples were tested, of which 2,988 were declared not of standard quality, while 282

NEW DELHI: There is an increase of 48,563 MBBS seats and 29,080 PG seats in the country from academic year 2020-21 to 2025-26, the centre informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. In a written reply, the Minister of State of Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel, as per the National Medical Commission (NMC) the government has approved the addition of 10,023 medical seats under Centrally Sponsored Schemes across government colleges from financial year 2025-26 to 2028-29. The expansion of medical s

NEW DELHI: Dense fog led to flight cancellations across northern India for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, though the impact was less severe than on Monday. Disruptions are expected to continue on Wednesday as low-visibility conditions persist. At Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport alone, a total of 131 flights of various airlines were cancelled upto 9 pm on Wednesday, said a senior official. Due to low visibility, 52 departures and 79 arrivals have been cancelled, he said. On Tue

BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday approved a Rs 1,782 crore special relief package for families affected by submergence due to three major multipurpose dam and irrigation projects in the state. The decision was taken at a state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav. The package will benefit families displaced by the Upper Narmada Project, Raghavpur Multipurpose Project and Basania Multipurpose Project in Anuppur, Mandla and Dindori districts. The special package

NEW DELHI: As many as 60,590 patients are on the waiting list for a kidney transplant and 18,724 for a liver transplant till December 8, the Centre said in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. In a written reply, Minister of State of Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav, said the total number of persons who received organ transplants in the country during the last three years are: 15,968 in 2022; 18,336 in 2023; and 18,811 in 2024. The minister said the government is implementing the National Orga

ADDIS ABABA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday was conferred with Ethiopia's highest award 'The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia' by his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali. The award was conferred upon Prime Minister Modi in a special ceremony hosted at the Addis International Convention Centre on Tuesday. Prime Minister Modi was conferred with the award for his exceptional contribution towards strengthening India-Ethiopia partnership and for his visionary leadership as a global statesman

NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said that raising the FDI limit to 100 per cent in the insurance sector will help attract more capital, improve competition and increase insurance penetration by making policies more affordable. Replying to the debate on the Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the proposed removal of the upper cap on FDI in the insurance sector would ensure capital fl

NEW DELHI: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Tuesday directed all states and Union Territories to launch a special nationwide enforcement drive against adulterated milk and milk products, including paneer and khoya. The step was taken amid mounting concerns over consumer health and food safety, official sources said. The directive has been issued under Section 16(5) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which empowers the food regulator to take urgent measures in

GUWAHATI: Gunfire was heard on Tuesday night in Manipurs Bishnupur district bordering Churachandpur district, sparking fresh tensions among people in the ethnic violence-hit state. The locals of Torbung and Phougakchao Ikhai areas reported hearing gunshots. Gunshots were also heard in a video that is being widely circulated. The incident comes a day after 389 internally displaced persons (IDPs) had returned to their homes in the Bishnupur areas after spending more than two and a half years in th

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday denied bail to Vishal Agarwal, the father of the minor who was arrested in the Pune Porsche hit-and-run case for allegedly falsifying the medical and blood sample reports to save his minor son from the case. Vishal Agarwal's minor son had killed two Madhya Pradesh engineers in the accident. The high court also denied bail to the other seven accused in the Porches crash case, which includes Ashish Mittal, Aditya Sood, Arunkumar Singh, Ashpak Makandar, Dr A

A 60-year-old Indian-origin woman who has lived in the United States for over three decades was reportedly detained by US immigration authorities earlier this month, prompting concern from her family and local lawmakers. Babblejit Bubbly Kaur was taken into custody by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on December 1 while attending a routine biometrics appointment linked to her pending green card application, according to her family. The incident was first reported by Long Beach

KOLKATA: Hours after the Election Commission of India (ECI) released the draft electoral rolls on Tuesday, the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a meeting with Booth Level Agents (BLAs) in Bhawanipore assembly constituency this evening. Senior leaders and Kolkata civic body councillors of the party and ministers like Firhad Hakim attended the meeting. Bhawanipore constituency recorded around 44,000 dead and bogus voters as per the draft electoral rolls after completion of the Speci

MUMBAI: The NCP minister Manikrao Kokate is in trouble after the Nashik District Session court upheld the order of the First Class court on Tuesday, confirming the two years imprisonment and fine of Rs 50,000 for falsifying the income proof documents. The minister falsified the documents to get two swanky apartments in the Chief Ministers 10 per cent housing quota. The verdict of the district court is a big setback for Minister Kokate. If Kokate did not get respite by the Bombay High Court immed

NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy commissioned DSC A20, the first of the five Diving Support Craft (DSC), built indigenously by M/s Titagarh Rail System Limited, during a ceremony held at Naval Base, Kochi, on Tuesday. As per the MoD, the Craft features a catamaran hull form, the ship offers superior stability, enhanced deck area, improved seakeeping characteristics, and has a displacement of approximately 390 tons. Fitted with state-of-the-art Diving Equipment, the vessel would play a vital role in un

GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said India would not stay silent on Bangladeshs repeated threats of merging the Northeast with Bangladesh. He called it a reflection of a bad mindset. Statements have been emanating from Bangladesh for the past year with calls to merge the Northeast with that country. But how will Bangladesh do it? Its wrong to even imagine this, Sarma told the media. He mentioned that India is a large and sovereign nation with the worlds fourth-large

RAIPUR: Dhamtari police on Tuesday arrested twelve members of an inter-state fraud gang who posed as Income Tax officers, conducting a fake raid in Raipur. According to authorities, An inter-state gang involved in organised crime had entered the house of a doctor without carrying any valid search warrant or identification cards and pretended to be IT officials. Following a complaint,the Kotwali police registered a case and launched an investigation. Separate police teams were dispatched to diffe

CHANDIGARH: Questioning the BJP Governments handling of the pollution crisis in Delhi and what he described as a false narrative blaming Punjab for the national capitals poor air quality, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the state has been unfairly targeted year after year despite having significantly better air conditions. Addressing the issue, Mann said Punjabs Air Quality Index (AQI) currently ranges between 70 and 110, while Delhis AQI stands at around 500. Who is responsible for pol

RAIPUR: A total of 34 Maoist cadres, carrying a cumulative reward of 84 lakh, surrendered in the insurgency-hit district of Bijapur, around 400 km south of Raipur, on Tuesday, marking another significant instance of cadres laying down arms under the states rehabilitation drive. Seven of those who surrendered are women. The cadres said they had decided to renounce the armed and violent ideology of the banned CPI (Maoist) and return to the mainstream under the Poona Margham: Rehabilitation to Rebi

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday declared Hansi as the 23rd district of Haryana, marking a significant administrative milestone for the region. The official notification will be issued within a week, he said . With the creation of the new district, Hisar district will now have two subdivisionsHisar and Barwalawhile the newly formed Hansi district will comprise two subdivisions, Hansi and Narnaund. Addressing a Vikas rally in Hansi, CM Saini also inaugurated and lai

NEW DELHI: In a significant initiative aimed at strengthening public trust and accountability, Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) Vinay Kumar is holding daily jansunvai (public grievance hearings) at the state police headquarters, where people from across the state arrive each day seeking police assistance to resolve their problems. At the centre of the initiative is the DGP himself, who personally meets members of the public and listens to their complaints. This marks the first time in the

NEW DELHI: Observing that courts should not compel estranged couples to continue marriages that survive only on paper, the Supreme Court on Monday dissolved the marriage of a husband and wife who had been living separately for the past 24 years. Allowing the husbands plea, a two-judge Bench headed by Justice Manmohan and Justice Joymalya Bagchi restored the divorce decree passed by the trial court and formally dissolved the marriage, noting that the relationship had irretrievably broken down. Lo

SRINAGAR: The counter intelligence wing of Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday carried out pre-dawn raids at multiple locations across the valley and busted a terror-linked network of anti-national elements operating under the garb of social activism, officials said. During the operation across seven districts, 12 suspects were detained for questioning. The Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) conducted coordinated searches across multiple districts of the Kashmir valley, exposing a clandestine te

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday sought the Centre's response on a plea filed by the mother of an Agniveer who was killed in cross-border shelling in Jammu & Kashmir during Operation Sindoor, challenging the denial of benefits to which a regular soldier's family is entitled to in such cases. A bench headed by Justice Ravindra Ghuge issued a notice to the Ministry of Defence, seeking its response on the plea filed by the mother of Agniveer Murali Naik, and posted the matter for hearing on

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Tuesday said dengue cases and deaths in the country have registered a sharp decline till November 2025 compared to the corresponding period last year. In a written reply in Parliament, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said there has been a 48.85 per cent decline in dengue cases and a 64.15 per cent decline in deaths across the country till November 2025 as compared to the same period in 2024. The minister said the National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC)

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Tuesday said dengue cases and deaths in the country have registered a sharp decline till November 2025 compared to the corresponding period last year. In a written reply in Parliament, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said there has been a 48.85 per cent decline in dengue cases and a 64.15 per cent decline in deaths across the country till November 2025 as compared to the same period in 2024. The minister said the National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC)

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that to ensure speedy trial, it has decided to set up a dedicated NIA court in each state and Union territory and more than one court at places where there are over 10 cases under anti-terror law. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was also told by the Delhi government that 16 special courts are being created in the national capital to deal with organised crime and terror cases. The top court asked the Centre an

RANCHI: Tiger pugmarks found on the very first day of the tiger census have lent significant weight to forest officials claims about the presence of big cats in the Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR). The census began across Jharkhand on December 15. According to officials, it is being carried out across 31 territorial forest divisions and five protected wildlife divisions in the state, including major conservation areas such as the Palamu Tiger Reserve and the Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary. The exercise is

AHMEDABAD: After evading arrest for nine years after jumping parole in a wife-murder case, a life-term convict has been arrested by Surats Sachin Police in Haryana, ending one of the forces longest manhunts under an operation codenamed Operation Prison. Surendra Kallu Prasad Verma, sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife back in 2007, was traced and arrested following a meticulously planned crackdown that pieced together old case files, ground intelligence and sustained surveil

NEW DELHI: The centre on Tuesday said there is no plan to introduce a separate law for the protection and safety of medical professionals from workplace violence. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, the Minister of State of Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel, said, As the state laws have adequate provisions to address day-to-day minor offences and serious offences can be addressed by BNS, 2023, there is no proposal in the central government for introduction of a separate legislation in

HYDERABAD: One of the alleged attackers in the Bondi Beach mass shooting in Sydney , Australia, Sajid Akram, is originally from Hyderabad, Telangana police said on Sunday, adding that the factors leading to his alleged radicalisation had no connection with India. A mass shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney, on 14 December 2025, carried out by two perpetrators during a public Hanukkah celebration , has reportedly resulted in the deaths of 15 people and one of the two attackers. The incident is being t

AHMEDABAD: At a time when the Centre has pushed through a bill to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), official data submitted in the Lok Sabha on December 16 points to a steady erosion of the schemes reach in Gujarat rather than a revival. The figures show a clear and sustained decline in employment under MGNREGS in the state, closely linked to large-scale deletions of workers from official rolls and mounting delays in wage payments. Employment in Guja

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday set an ambitious target of doubling IndiaJordan bilateral trade to USD 5 billion over the next five years, as India and Jordan agreed to significantly broaden their economic, strategic and cultural engagement during his visit to Amman. Addressing the IndiaJordan Business Forum alongside King Abdullah II, Modi urged Jordanian companies to tap into Indias rapid economic expansion, underlining Indias position as the worlds fastest-growing major eco

CHANDIGARH: A tussle among rival gangsters over dominance in the organisation of kabaddi tournaments in Punjab has led to the killing of 30-year-old kabaddi player-cum-promoter Kanwar Digvijay Singh alias Rana Balachauria, who was shot dead in Mohali on Sunday evening. He was killed by associates of gangsters Doni Bal and Lucky Patial. This is not the first such incident, as two well-known players of the sport have earlier been assassinated in similar circumstances. Punjab Police have identified

SATNA/BHOPAL: Four children suffering from thalassemia have tested HIV positive at Satna District Hospital in Madhya Pradesh allegedly due to contaminated blood transfusions, officials said on Tuesday. The case is four months old and an investigation is underway into it, an official said. Officials suspect the use of contaminated needles or blood transfusions for the spread of infection to the children. MP Health Minister Rajendra Shukla told reporters in Bhopal that he has ordered a probe into

SRINAGAR : Political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir have strongly criticised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for pulling down the hijab (veil) of a woman doctor during a public function , demanding that he issue an unconditional public apology and step down from office. The criticism followed an incident on Monday in which the Bihar Chief Minister pulled down the hijab of a woman Ayush doctor while she was receiving her appointment letter from him at an official event. The act has drawn widespre

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Secretariats and sought detailed replies after hearing a plea filed by Allahabad High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma challenging the impeachment proceedings initiated against him. A two-judge Bench headed by Justice Dipankar Datta issued the notices while taking up Justice Varmas petition, in which he has questioned the procedure adopted for initiating his removal. We issue notice and seek reply, the apex

Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa's Apora, where a devestating fire claimed the lives of 25 people, landed in India on Tuesday after being deported from Thailand. The brothers were accompanied by a team from central agencies, while the Goa police were present at the immigration area to complete formal arrest procedures. The Luthras, who allegedly fled to Thailand within hours of the deadly fire at the club they own, were detained by Thai authorities

NEW DELHI : Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday attacked the government over its bill to replace MGNREGA, saying that it stands to weaken the original Act's guaranteed 100 days of employment to the poorest of the poor. The Congress general secretary also said she does not understand the Modi government's obsession with renaming schemes. Firstly, the process of renaming schemes costs a lot of money to the country, so I don't understand why they are doing it, Priyanka Gandhi told repo

CHANDIGARH: As the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has given political clearance to the Himachal Pradesh government, IndoChina border trade through the Shipki La strategic pass in Kinnaur district will resume from June next year after a gap of six years. The barter-based trade will operate via the Land Customs Station (LCS) at NamgiaShipki La near the Line of Actual Control (LAC). A trade mart is also likely to be set up near the pass to facilitate traders and tourists. Imports and exports fr

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Tuesday claimed the illegality of the Narendra Modi government and its politically motivated prosecution stands fully exposed after a court here refused to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate's National Herald money laundering case against Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and others. In a statement, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the ED's proceedings against Congress leadership -- Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi -- in the case have been found to be comp

BHOPAL: Genetic science researchers from across the country have turned their focus to genomic factors that may underlie the abnormally high prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) among the Sahariyas, one of the three Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in Madhya Pradesh. The Sahariya population is largely concentrated in the GwaliorChambal region of Madhya Pradesh, particularly in Sheopur, Shivpuri, Guna, Ashoknagar, Gwalior, Morena and Bhind districts, with some presence in adjoining parts

A Delhi court on Tuesday declined to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorates (ED) money laundering charges against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, along with five others, in the National Herald case. The agency said it would challenge the order in a higher court. Special Judge Vishal Gogne observed that the EDs chargesheet stemmed from a complaint filed by a private individual rather than from a registered FIR relating to a scheduled (predicate) offence. As a result, taki

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday lauded the valour of the armed forces on Vijay Diwas the day the Indian Army defeated Pakistan in the 1971 War. On Vijay Diwas, we remember the brave soldiers whose courage and sacrifice ensured India had a historic victory in 1971. Their steadfast resolve and selfless service protected our nation and etched a moment of pride in our history, Modi said. This day stands as a salute to their valour and a reminder of their unmatched spirit. Their h

After weeks of debate on key issues, the Winter Session has entered the final week. Amid ongoing Opposition protests, the Centre is likely to bring the VB-G RAM G Bill to replace MGNREGA, which is set to be introduced in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Winter session of Parliament. Opposition MPs express concern over Atomic Bill Opposition MPs meet Speaker to express concern over the sudden inclusion of the Atomic bill as supplementary business for discussion in the House. The Sustainable Harne

KOLKATA: The EC on Tuesday published the draft electoral rolls of West Bengal based on its enumeration feedback. The commission also published on its website the names of voters whose names were included in the electoral rolls of the state in 2025 but were deleted from the draft rolls of 2026, stating reasons for their deletion. The draft rolls have been made available on the official website of CEO, West Bengal, ceowestbengal.wb.gov.in/Electors as well as the voter portal of the EC, voters.eci.

KOLKATA: Barely hours ahead of the publication of the draft electoral rolls of West Bengal , where assembly elections are due early next year, the Election Commission on Tuesday morning released the names of deleted voters on its website. The list features voters whose names were included in the electoral rolls of the state in 2025 but were deleted from the draft rolls of 2026. The list is currently available on the commission's portal link ceowestbengal.wb.gov.in/asd_sir. The number of uncollec

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram slammed the Union government increasing practice of using Hindi words, written in English script- in the titles of Bills introduced in Parliament, calling it an affront to non-Hindi-speaking citizens and states. In a post on X, the former Union minister said that such titles make it difficult for non-Hindi speakers to identify, understand, or even pronounce the names of Bills and Acts. I am opposed to the increasing practice of the government using Hindi word

At least four people were killed and 66 others were injured in a major multi-vehicle collision on the Yamuna Expressway in Mathura district early on Tuesday, police said. The accident occurred around 4 am on the AgraNoida stretch of the expressway amid extremely low visibility caused by dense fog. At least seven buses and three cars were involved in the collision, which triggered a fire. Fire and emergency services rushed to the spot, deploying 11 fire tenders to control the blaze and rescue tra

At least four people were killed and 25 others injured after a major collision involving multiple vehicles triggered a fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Mathura district early on Tuesday, police said. The accident occurred around 4 am on the Agra-Noida expressway amid extremely low visibility caused by dense fog. At least seven buses and several smaller vehicles collided with each other in the dense fog around 4.30 am, the police said. Four people died, and 25 were injured in the accident. The ve