Breaking News, December 14 I Highlights

Investigation shows foreign-based terrorist organisation conspired for bomb blast at Bihar's Darbhanga Railway Station that occurred in June this year: Home Ministry in Lok Sabha

In the wake of actors Kareena Kapoor Khan and Amrita Arora contracting COVID-19, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar has said it is not right to be carefree when the pandemic has not ended. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday said the two actors had tested positive for the coronavirus and those who came in contact with them were traced and their tests conducted, the results of which were awaited. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Pednekar said if people flout COVID-19 norms, why strict action should not be taken against them. “Kareena has two kids at home. It does not suit well to act carefree when the COVID-19 pandemic has not ended. We have contacted the Grand Hyatt Hotel where a party was held and Kareena attended it. We are tracing others who were present there,” the mayor said.

The Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 2 pm on Tuesday following sloganeering by the Opposition demanding to revoke the suspension of 12 MPs.
As the sloganeering continued, the Chairman of the House said, "Let's maintain decency and decorum in the House. Unruly and unparliamentary behaviour is not going to work at all." The winter session of Parliament began on November 29 and will continue till December 23. 

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the October 3 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, has filed an application before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) to include new sections against the 13 accused to make their offence punishable under attempt to murder charges. Vidhyaram Diwakar, the SIT investigating officer, filed the application last week in the CJM's court for adding new sections in the warrant, replacing sections 279, 338 and 304A of the IPC. In his application, the investigating officer pointed out that the incident was well-planned and a deliberate act, and not of negligence or callousness.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting on Tuesday at the BLW Guest house in Varanasi, apparently to discuss the 2022 state Assembly elections. The participants of the meeting included BJP President J.P. Nadda, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, state in charge Dharmendra Pradhan and state party President Swatantra Dev Singh.

With 5,784 fresh cases, the lowest in 571 days, India's COVID-19 tally has climbed to 3,47,03,644, while the number of active cases of the infection has declined to 88,993, the lowest in 563 days. The death toll due to the viral disease has shot up to 4,75,888 with 252 more fatalities. 

A terrorist was killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Tuesday, officials said. The security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in the Surankote area of Poonch after inputs were received about the presence of terrorists there, they said.

An undersea quake measuring 7.6 has hit off Indonesia's Flores Island, and meteorological agency has issued tsunami alert.

The death toll in Jammu and Kashmir's terrorist attack has risen to three after another policeman succumbed to his injuries. At least 14 personnel of the ninth battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police sustained injuries as terrorists carried out a deadly attack on a bus carrying the personnel on the outskirts of Srinagar on Monday -- the 20th anniversary of the Parliament Attack.