General news

The Indian government criticized the Washington Post, accusing it of fostering relentless hostility towards India after reports surfaced about India's alleged covert operations in the Maldives and Pakistan. New Delhi dismissed these claims as baseless and emphasized Pakistan's role in sponsoring terrorism instead.

India's coastline has significantly expanded from 7,516km in 1970 to 11,098km in 2023-24, driven by new measurement methodologies. Gujarat and Bengal saw the most growth, while Puducherry's coastline shrank. The recalculations reflect advances in accurately measuring coastline features, boosting economic prospects in coastal states like AP with new ports and infrastructure projects.

The draft rules for the DPDP Act released by the IT ministry in India state that children under 18 can join social media platforms only with parental consent. Restrictions are imposed on transferring certain personal data outside India, affecting companies like Meta and Google. Stakeholder comments on these rules will be accepted until February 18.

India has lodged a strong protest with China over the creation of two counties in Hotan prefecture, which include areas in Ladakh. India has also raised concerns about China's hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet, emphasizing transparency and consultation with downstream states.

A CBI court sentenced 10 individuals to life imprisonment and four others, including ex-CPM MLA KV Kunhiraman, to five years for the 2019 murder of two Youth Congress workers in Kerala. The court imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on each of the life-term convicts.

Home Minister Amit Shah prioritises 100% renewable energy in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep using solar panels and windmills. He reviews progress, stressing the need for a holistic approach to infrastructure projects, highlighting the focus on tourism and trade while preserving cultural heritage.

A new study reveals that only 25% of India's population has access to stroke-ready hospitals. With 1.5 million stroke cases annually, treatment options like IVT and EVT are limited, especially in the central, east, and north-east regions. Southern states, Chandigarh, Kerala, and Delhi have the best coverage.

Train operations between Jammu and Srinagar will begin in the coming weeks, including a Vande Bharat train taking three hours and 10 minutes. Services will start from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, with round trips daily. Railways also introduced a new Jammu rail division and continue speed trials for the Vande Bharat sleeper train.

The Allahabad High Court has stayed the arrest of Samajwadi Party MP Ziaur Rahman Barq in connection with the violence in Sambhal district. The court refused to quash the FIR and instructed Barq to cooperate with the investigation, noting that specific arrest guidelines must be adhered to if he is taken into custody.

The UAPA Tribunal confirmed the Centre's notification declaring the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) as an unlawful organisation for five years. Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta cited evidence linking SFJ to international Khalistani terror groups, ISI, youth radicalization, terror financing, and threats to politicians, supporting the decision with testimonies from 52 witnesses.

The Supreme Court has ruled that existing laws in a state will remain applicable in a newly formed state unless modified by the new state. It stated that Telangana does not require separate approval for CBI investigations as existing laws from Andhra Pradesh would still apply until altered.

The Supreme Court of India highlighted the importance of protecting senior citizens, stating that gift deeds executed by parents can be invalidated under the Maintenance and Welfare of the Parents and Senior Citizens Act if their children do not provide for them, even if such conditions are not explicitly stated in the deed.

Actor Allu Arjun has been granted regular bail after a stampede at the premiere of his film 'Pushpa 2: The Rule' led to a woman's death and her son's critical injury. The court imposed conditions including restrictions on leaving the country and regular check-ins at a police station.

The Uttarakhand HC dismissed a petition by Welham Boys' School challenging a government order that allowed only tuition fees for online classes during the Covid-19 pandemic. The court upheld the government's authority to prevent private residential schools from charging fees for unused services to ease financial burdens on parents.

The Supreme Court seeks information from the Centre, UGC, and NAAC on measures taken to curb student suicides due to discrimination. Addressing a PIL, senior advocate Indira Jaising highlights the lack of 'Equal Opportunity Cells' in universities as mandated by UGC regulations.

In an unusual incident near Corbett National Park, a leopard injured by a collision with a biker, Sajid Ali, turned and attacked him, resulting in both their deaths. A passerby video showed the leopard's carcass and Ali in a pool of blood. Despite being rushed to a hospital, Ali succumbed to his injuries.

Three days after two-year-old male tiger ST-2402 strayed from Sariska Tiger Reserve, forest authorities tranquillised and rescued it. The young tiger was hiding in a kitchen in Chilki Ka Bas village while villagers stayed indoors. It had injured three people earlier and damaged a forest team's vehicle before being captured.

Isro is preparing to launch Mission ShakthiSAT in Sept 2026, featuring 12,000 talented girls from 108 countries. The mission aims to encourage young female participation in space exploration. Selected participants will gather in Chennai to build payloads for scientific experiments. This initiative highlights the potential of untapped talent among young girls worldwide.

The cold wave is expected to decrease as wet weather is possible in the coming days. It is pertinent to mention that Jammu and Kashmir is expected to witness another spell of snow and rain from the evening of January 4 onwards.

At the 19th India-Iran Foreign Office Consultations held in Delhi, the Iranian side is learnt to have requested New Delhi to explore ways to resume procurement of Iranian crude oil.

There were also speculations that the state would get a new Congress state president replacing Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is holding the post for the past five years.

Patna Police registered a case against MLAs of Congress and Left parties on the charges of taking out a procession, creating law and order issue and also disrupting traffic.

The 58-year-old officer, identified as Ramachandrappa, was posted as DSP in Madhugiri.

The rules have spelled out a mechanism for obtaining explicit consent from individuals and mandate parental consent for children to use their data in any form.

Chhattisgarh: Bijapur police formed a team and started investigating the matter. The police traced the last mobile location of Mukesh and visited the premises which belonged to the contractor against whom Mukesh had done a story. 

Both nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding for implementation of high impact community development projects under phase-III in Maldives through grant assistance from India. 

The Maha Kumbh is being celebrated after 12 years and a huge turnout of devotees is expected in Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat clarified that 'lathi-training' given to its cadres is intended to instill bravery and steadfastness, not for fighting or public display. Speaking at an event in Indore, he emphasized that this training promotes a sense of resolve and patience, as well as fostering patriotism through traditional martial music and arts.

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2023 state visit to the White House, New Delhi gifted US First Lady Jill Biden a $20,000 lab diamond, the most expensive present. Modi also gave President Biden a carved sandalwood box, statue, oil lamp, and a book. Gifts totaling around $35,000 were presented to various US officials.

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2023 state visit to the White House, New Delhi gifted US First Lady Jill Biden a $20,000 lab diamond, the most expensive present. Modi also gave President Biden a carved sandalwood box, statue, oil lamp, and a book. Gifts totaling around $35,000 were presented to various US officials.

Tahawwur Rana, accused in the Mumbai 26/11 attacks, is making his final legal attempt to avoid extradition to India. His lawyer argues that extradition would violate the double jeopardy principle. The US government had disagreed earlier, indicating that some charges, such as forgery, were not addressed in previous trials. The Supreme Court will confer on this matter on January 17.

Right from freebies to development work, the AAP and the BJP have been locked in a credit war as well and now, the two rivals are altering original advertisements to counter each other.

Kejriwal also reacted to PM Modi's 'Aapda' jibe at the AAP-led Delhi government and asserted that his government works in the national capital and said that people consider this as a 'Aashirwad' (blessing).
 

The environment ministry proposes amendments to rules governing GMOs, ensuring transparency by requiring Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) members to disclose conflicts of interest. Members must reveal any personal or professional ties to agenda items before meetings and may be asked to recuse themselves from discussions on those items to avoid bias.

The Supreme Court has ruled the CBI does not require state government consent to register FIRs against Central government employees, overturning an Andhra Pradesh High Court decision. The judgement held state-specific consent unnecessary for probing central offences under central legislation involving federal employees.

Concerns have been raised that the Chinese dam could negatively affect the ecological balance of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, through which the Brahmaputra River flows.

President Joe Biden blocked Japan's Nippon Steel’s proposed $15 billion acquisition of US Steel, citing national security concerns and the need for American steelmaking capacity to remain domestically controlled. This decision, aligning with opposition from political figures like Donald Trump, could impact US-Japan diplomatic relations.

A special MP-MLA court in Muzaffarnagar framed charges against several BJP leaders, including UP minister Kapil Dev Aggarwal and ex-Union minister Sanjeev Balyan, and others for their alleged roles in inciting violence during the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots. The next hearing is scheduled for January 30.

Special judge Vivekanand Sharan Tripathi also imposed a fine of Rs 80,000 on each convict.

So far no case of HMPV has been reported in India.

India's health ministry reassures there is no cause for alarm regarding Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) reports from China. Analysis of respiratory outbreak data in India shows no substantial increase. Public urged to follow precautions, while China downplays flu outbreak severity, asserting it's safe for travel.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah affirmed that enhancing infrastructure and boosting tourism in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep are key priorities for the Modi government. Chairing a meeting of the Island Development Agency, he emphasized the need for a holistic approach to projects and advancing renewable energy initiatives, ensuring 100% solar and wind energy generation.

India-Maldives Relations: MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that Washington Post appears to be nursing hatred towards New Delhi.

Due to worsening air pollution, the Centre's panel in Delhi-NCR has reinstated stage 3 restrictions, banning non-essential construction, implementing hybrid classes for younger students, and restricting certain diesel and petrol vehicles to curb further deterioration of air quality.

A Chhota Rajan gang member, Vilas Balaram Pawar, who had been absconding for 16 years, was arrested in Mumbai. Pawar, involved in crimes like murder and attempt to murder, was apprehended in Chembur. He had been changing his locations to evade authorities since his release on bail in 2008.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addresses Pakistan foreign minister Ishaq Dar's comments on Indo-Pak relations, stressing terrorism as the key issue. Dar also discusses strengthening ties with Bangladesh and Afghanistan, and progress in Pakistan’s nuclear energy and development projects, including the Gwadar port with China's support.

To start with, as many as first five ambulances hit the road in Gurugram started Thursday, Founder and CEO quick commerce firm Blinkit, Albinder Dhindsa, announced through a post on X.

 
 

The woman has not officially reported the incident to the authorities.

An economic blockade and a 24-hour shutdown are underway in Manipur's Kuki-Zo inhabited areas to protest against alleged security forces' action on women in Saibol village. The tribal body, Kuki-Zo Council, demands compensation and threatens to intensify the blockade if steps are not taken to address their grievances.