Breaking News January 20 | Highlights

The Punjab School Education Department on Wednesday announced to restart primary classes at all schools from January 27.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the convocation of Assam's Tezpur University on Friday through video conferencing, the Prime Minister's Office said.

Assam Governor Professor Jagdish Mukhi, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will also be present on the occasion.

The government on Wednesday proposed to suspend the three contentious farm laws for one and half years and set up a joint committee to discuss the Acts to end the stalemate, but farmer leaders did not immediately accept the proposal and said they will revert after their internal consultations.

The next meeting has been scheduled for January 22, a day after the farmer unions hold their internal discussions on Thursday, farmer leaders said after the 10th round of talks ended at Vigyan Bhawan here after nearly five hours of talks, including two breaks.

Donald Trump has left the White House for the final time as president.

Schools in Haryana will reopen for Classes 6 to 8 from the first week of February, state Education Minister Kanwar Pal said on Wednesday. READ MORE

President-elect Joe Biden has nominated Rachel Levine, currently Pennsylvania’s top health official, as the next Assistant Health Secretary of the US, a move that could make her the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the Senate.

Describing the nomination of Levine for the post as historic, Biden said she would lead his administration’s health efforts amidst the pandemic.

The announcement makes Levine, a 64-year-old pediatrician, to be the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the US Senate, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

Three criminals were arrested here after they opened fire at a police party and injured a constable, leading to a gunfight between the two sides, officials said on Wednesday. A police team was checking an area near the Ramlila Maidan in the city on Tuesday night after receiving an input about the presence of miscreants there when it was fired upon, Superintendent of Police (SP) Shiv Hari Meena said.

Constable Krishnakant (24) suffered an injury, following which the police team opened retaliatory fire, Meena said, adding three miscreants were injured in the police action.

The injured were taken to the district hospital for treatment, and an investigation is underway, the SP said. Three countrymade pistols were seized from the criminals, he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday released financial assistance of Rs 2,691 crore to 6.1 lakh beneficiaries in Uttar Pradesh under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

Modi released the assistance via video conference.Union Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were present on the occasion.

The assistance includes release of first installment to 5.30 lakh beneficiaries and second installment to 80,000 beneficiaries who have already availed of the first installment of assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G).

Three people were killed in a collision between two dumpers near Nahdora village here, police said on Wednesday. The accident took place late on Tuesday evening, SHO, Kabrai, Dipak Kumar Pandey, said.

Those killed included drivers of both the dumpers, Mahesh (36), Upendra (30) and cleaner of one of the vehicles, Chandrabhan (35). The bodies have been sent for postmortem.

Police have busted a high-profile flesh trade racket at a plush hotel in Mumbai and rescued eight models from there, an official said on Wednesday. Acting on a specific information, the police''s Crime Intelligence Unit conducted a raid on the hotel located near the Juhu beach in western suburbs on Tuesday, he said.

During the raid, the police rescued eight models who were being forced into prostitution, the official said. The police also arrested three persons for allegedly pushing the models into flesh trade, he said.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday paid tributes on the auspicious occasion of Guru Gobind Singh's 'Parkash Purab', saying his life has been inspiring for humanity, propagating equality and inclusiveness. Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, was a spiritual master, warrior, poet and philosopher.

“My humble tributes on the auspicious occasion of Guru Gobind Singh ji's Parkash Purab. His life has been inspiring for humanity, propagating equality & inclusiveness. He was not just a spiritual ideal but a warrior who stood by principles even in the face of supreme sacrifice,” Kovind tweeted.

A meeting of NDA (National Democratic Alliance) to be held on 30th January in Delhi, ahead of Budget Session of the Parliament.

13 trains running late on 20th January, due to low visibility caused by fog, said Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO), Northern Railway (NR)

At least two security personnel were killed and one injured when unknown terrorists riding a bike opened fire at a Security Forces Road Protection team in northwest Pakistan late Tuesday night, local police said.

The incident occurred in the jurisdiction of Gomal police station in Tank district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering the South Waziristan tribal district.

Devotees offer prayers at Gurudwara Bangla Sahib in Delhi on 'Prakash Purab' of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru.