Breaking News, December 17

Delhi records minimum 3.5 degrees Celsius temperature at Delhi Ridge: India Meteorological Department (IMD)

BSF troops today killed 2 Pak armed intruders & successfully seized 3 packets of contraband (3.250 kgs approx.) suspected to be heroin, along with arms & ammunition in the area of responsibility of 71 Batallion BSF, Amritsar sector: PRO, Punjab Frontier, Border Security Force

Delhi reports 1,363 new COVID-19 cases, 2,391 recoveries and 35 deaths in the last 24 hours.

PM Narendra Modi wishes French President Emmanuel Macron, who tested positive for coronavirus, a speedy recovery.

Income Tax Department conducted searches at 15 premises of a group in Erode and Chennai, Tamil Nadu on Dec 14. The group is a leading civil contractor for govt works, specialized in erecting Seawave breaks along the coastlines & diversified into bus transport. Rs 21 crores of unaccounted cash was seized in the searches. It was found that the group indulges in inflation of purchases and other work contract expenses. Such inflated payments made to the suppliers and subcontractors are received back in cash regularly: Finance Ministry

Gazipur border (Delhi-UP border) is closed for traffic coming from Ghaziabad to Delhi due to farmers protests. People are advised to take an alternate route for coming to Delhi: Traffic Police

Suvendu Adhikari tendered his Suvendu Adhikari tendered his resignation as a member of TMC as well as from other positions in the party to West Bengal CM and TMC Chairperson Mamata Banerjee yesterday. 

AAP MLA Mahendra Goyal tears copy of Centre's Farm Laws during a special Delhi assembly session called to discuss farmers' agitation. "I refuse to accept these black laws which are against farmers,' he said while tearing the copy.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the meeting of  Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) today clearing the acquisition proposals worth Rs 28000 crores of which acquisitions worth Rs 27000 crores is to be sourced from the Indian industry. 5 cases valued at Rs 25000 crores are approved under indigenous design development and manufacture category. Particularly noteworthy are the DRDO designed and developed AEW&C systems for the Air Force and modular bridges for the Army.

Punjab cabinet today gave the nod for charging process fee for the registration of a new model of a motor vehicle or its variants-CNG/LPG kit approval or electric vehicles in the state. Decision taken at a virtual meeting of the cabinet chaired by CM Captain Amarinder Singh

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said, Rahul Gandhi, attended 2 of 14 meetings of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence in the last year and a half.  He's himself absent and then blames the government and all procedure and walks out of meeting in protest. Standing Committee isn't a protest site.

Being absent, not disclosing their desired agenda of discussion, and then making insinuations of non-discussion of 'important issues' is an insult to all parliamentary procedures and constitutional institutions. We condemn this attitude. 

Muzaffarnagar Police come forward to help an abandoned boy living with his dog on the footpath. "We provided the boy with new winter clothes and other essential items. We're trying to get him admitted to MG Public School," said a police officer.

Supreme Court asks Centre to explore the possibility of putting legislations on hold. Supreme Court asks the Attorney General if the government can assure the Court that it will not take any executive action on implementation of the law till the court hears the matter.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab met Chief Minister of Karnataka BS Yediyurappa in Bengaluru.

Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) has approached Election Commission over the allotment of the 'Battery Torch' symbol to MGR Makkal Katchi for the 2021 Tamil Nadu elections.

India and Bangladesh sign seven agreements in areas of hydrocarbons, agriculture, textiles and community development. 

One arrested over a stabbing case, in a fight over onion salad. 59-year-old accused Riyasat Ali was found opposite Old Delhi Railway Station and arrested. One blood-stained kitchen knife recovered. During questioning accused said he stabbed the victim, over-sharing onion salad.

Delhi High Court asks Delhi Police to look into the protest being held by mayors of three municipal corps outside Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's residence. Court remarks that right of protest guaranteed under the Constitution but it shouldn't set the wrong precedent that anyone can hold protest in residential areas.

West Bengal BJP delegation comprising of Pratap Banerjee, Bharati Ghosh, and Sabyasachi Dutta, to meet Deputy Election Commissioner over law & order issues and early deployment of Central Police Forces in the state. Deputy Election Commissioner to hold a meeting in Kolkata today with DMs and SPs from East, West Midnapore, Burdwan, Siliguri, and Jalpaiguri DM and SPs. 

17 BJP MLAs in Karnataka appointed as president/chairman of various boards and corporations have been given cabinet rank. N. Bhrungeesh, the media advisor to the CM, also given the status of the cabinet minister

Teacher arrested for allegedly sexually harassing five girl students between August to November, in Chintavare village, Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana. 

BSE Sensex up 38 points currently at 46,704. Nifty at 13,702.

A CID Deputy SP dies allegedly by suicide at her residence in Annapoorneshwarinagar, Bengaluru. Case registered.

Former BJP MP Satyadev Singh passed away at a hospital in Gurugram, Haryana. 

A total of 15,78,05,240 samples tested for COVID-19 up to December 16. Of these, 11,58,960 samples were tested yesterday. 

Mizoram reported 5 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, as per the state govt. 

• Total cases: 4,085
• Active cases: 171
• Discharges: 3,907
• Deaths: 7

AC local services on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT)-Kalyan section begins from today. A local said," It's a good step and will be a relief for us in summer." 

Central Railway has decided to run 10 AC local services on the section from today.

Two intruders at the Attari border eliminated by Border Security Force, weapons recovered. Search operation underway.