Breaking News, January 9 | Highlights

The Gautam Buddh Nagar Police arrested six people, including three women, as it busted a Haryana-based gang allegedly involved in kidnapping and selling minor girls for marriage with men much older to them, officials said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Women and Child Safety) Vrinda Shukla said the local Rabupura police team was probing the case of a missing 12-year-old girl which led it to the gang and its members were arrested on Saturday.

Pakistani authorities have arrested two people in connection with Rs 200 million online business scam, days after the country's top investigation agency launched a probe into a cryptocurrency investment fraud of more than USD 100 million, according to media reports on Sunday. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) carried out a raid in Karachi and arrested two people involved in the Rs 200 million scam in the name of the online business, The Nation newspaper reported, quoting agency officials.

Alluding to his Telangana counterpart K Chandrasekhar Rao, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said people would reject leaders with dictatorial streaks.

Calling upon BJP workers to be ready to fight, he urged the party would not compromise with 'injustice'.

Taking potshots at Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, Sarma said the day is not far when the AIMIM president's name like that of the Nizam's would fade away.

Police in Germany have arrested an 18-year-old man on suspicion of killing a couple in their home while their four children were present. The 47-year-old woman and her 51-year-old husband were found with stab wounds early Sunday in the basement of their house in Mistelbach, near the Bavarian town of Bayreuth. Upper Franconia police said they were alerted by neighbours who had heard cries for help shortly after midnight. Officers launched a manhunt for the suspect, who gave himself up to police several hours later.

Hundreds of migrant labourers were provided cooked food and winter clothing by the army amid biting cold and heavy snowfall in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, a defence spokesman said on Sunday. The army went beyond the call of duty and provided assistance in the form of cooked food for the migrant labourers in Mendhard area, the spokesman said. Essential items including winter clothing, gloves and blankets were also distributed, the spokesman said. He said Mendhar Gunners have been doing this for the last three days despite bad weather and heavy snowfall.

In a first for a college under Delhi University, Kalindi College has constituted a transgender cell to educate its students about issues related to the community and build awareness. Naina Hasija, principal of the college, said the idea to have such a cell was floated by a faculty member, Prof Anita Tagore. "Initially, I was scared about the society. But, we thought the society is slowly accepting them and we must educate our students about the community," she told PTI.

Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka assembly, Siddaramaiah who took part in the Congress' padayatra in Ramanagara district on Sunday, demanding implementation of Mekedatu project across river Cauvery, has returned to the city post lunch, due to fever, party sources said. Videos of former Chief Minister speaking to Bengaluru Rural MP D K Suresh, former Minister R V Deshpande and other Congress leaders about him having fever and wanting to take rest for some time, and later leaving in his official car, have surfaced.

A 35-km stretch of national highway between Hapur and Moradabad, generating a revenue of Rs 272 crore between 2017 and 2021 has claimed nearly 900 lives during the same period, official data reveal.

The toll road under the Brijghat toll plaza falls on the national highway 24 between its 58-km to 93-km milestones and is a key connecting route for the people travelling between Delhi and interiors of UP or towards Nainital in Uttarakhand.

Saudi authorities have released a princess detained in the kingdom under mysterious circumstances for nearly three years, her supporters said on Sunday. The princess, Basmah bint Saud, a daughter of Saudi Arabia's second king, disappeared in March 2019 and landed in a notorious Saudi prison without charge, she wrote on social media at the time.

A Zomato delivery executive died after a police constable, who was driving a car allegedly under alcohol influence hit his bike in Budh Vihar, Rohini on Saturday. Victim was lone bread earner of his family. His father died of COVID. The constable has been arrested, said the Delhi Police

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) apprehended a Pakistani fishing boat with ten crew members in Indian waters in the Arabian sea off the Gujarat coast, it said on Sunday. The boat, named 'Yaseen,' was intercepted by the ICG vessel 'Ankit' during the operational patrol on Saturday night. When the crew members of the boat failed to justify their presence in Indian waters after being questioned, the ICG ship apprehended it, the ICG said in a release.

The Kolkata Police on Sunday said it has introduced mobile phone service with WhatsApp facility at every police station for smooth communication with people, amid a surge of COVID-19 cases.

An encounter has started between terrorists and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district, officials said on Sunday. "Encounter has started at Hasanpora area of Kulgam. Police and security forces are on the job," police said.

IndiGo on Sunday said it will cancel around 20 per cent of its flights because of the surge in Covid cases driven by the Omicron variant and waive change fees till March 31 in response to customer needs. Change fee is paid by a passenger to switch to a different flight date. In a press release, the airline stated that owing to the increasing number of infections, a large number of IndiGo customers are changing their travel plans.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) has written a letter to the Election Commission of India, seeking the removal of two IAS and two IPS officers in order to ensure free and fair elections in Uttar Pradesh. The letter sent by SP secretary Rajendra Chaudhary alleges that these officers were working like "BJP workers".

A life-size statue of social reformer 'Periyar' E V Ramasamy was on Sunday allegedly desecrated by miscreants at Vellalore on the city outskirts leading to tension in the town for some time. A garland of slippers was found placed around the statue, police said. The forehead of the statue, erected in 2005 in front of the Thanthai Periyar Library, was smeared with saffron powder, which was noticed by the residents in the early hours.

A day after the Election Commission announced poll schedule for five states, a survey claimed that 41 per cent of people supported a ban on all political rallies. According to the survey, held after the announcement by the EC, 31 per cent of citizens favoured postponing elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and Manipur altogether. In an unprecedented step, the commission on Saturday banned public rallies, roadshows and corner meetings till January 15 in the five states, citing the fresh surge in Covid cases, and issued stringent safety guidelines.

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Youth Affairs, and Sports Anurag Thakur said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and address the 25th National Youth Festival on 12th January, which is Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary.

A suspected gunman is at large after shooting one person dead while leaving two others wounded at an club in Houston, the largest city in the US state of Texas, authorities said. The shooting took place at around 8:00 am on Saturday, according to Houston police. About 10 minutes before the shooting, a commotion happened inside the club and the DJ stopped the music, Xinhua news agency quoted report from local news outlet ABC13. It was at that point that several people were removed from the club. The suspect opened fire in the parking lot before fleeing, wounding a customer, a security guard and an employee at the club. Houston police later confirmed the customer died from his injuries. Cities across the US are experiencing a rise in homicides and gun violence incidents. In Houston, homicides rose 18 per cent last year from 2020, according to local media reports.

NEET PG Counselling to start from 12 January, 2022: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. 

The Special Cell of Delhi Police has busted an international syndicate involved in circulation of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) and arrested its key supplier in the national capital, an official said here on Sunday. The accused has been identified as Raisul Aazam, a resident of Motihari in Bihar. Furnishing details about the operation, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Jasmeet Singh said in the last week of October 2021, information was received regarding indulging in circulation of FICN in India from Indo-Nepal border through Raxaul in District Motihari (Bihar). The said information was further developed and the police team got a tip-off after two months about a key supplier of this FICN syndicate, which was actively involved in supply of FICNs in Delhi-NCR, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and other parts of India. The accused Aazam was apprehended near Indraprastha Park near Sarai Kale Khan Bus Terminal, Ring Road while he was there to deliver a consignment of fake Indian currency notes. "Currency notes in denomination of Rs 500/- amounting Rs 2.98 lakh were recovered from him and subsequently a case under appropriate sections of the law was registered at the Special Cell police station," the DCP said.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will address party workers across the country through virtual mode at 4 pm on Sunday.The address comes a day after the Election Commission announced poll dates for five states.With Uttar Pradesh going for a seven-phase Assembly election from February 10. Manipur will go for a two-phase election from February 27. Punjab, Goa and Uttarakhand will go for voting on Februrary 14.The counting of votes in all states will take place on March 10. 

Himachal Pradesh on Sunday continued to experience moderate to heavy snowfall, temporarily closing over 400 roads, officials said. Roads in Kinnaur district and towns in Shimla district such as Narkanda, Jubbal, Kharapathar, Rohru and Chopal have been cut off with heavy snow cover piled on roads, a government official told IANS. While picturesque tourist resort Kufri recorded the highest snowfall in the state at 55 cm, it was 30 cm in Dalhousie, 21.6 cm in Kalpa, 15 cm in Shimla and 2 cm in Manali. The state capital recorded a low of minus 0.2 degree Celsius. The higher reaches of Kullu, Chamba, Sirmaur, Shimla, Mandi, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts experienced heavy snowfall in the past 24 hours. Upper areas in Manali have also been closed for traffic owing to heavy snow, the official said. There are chances of moderate to heavy snowfall in the state till Monday, a MeT Department official told news agency IANS. He said most of the lower areas in the state, particularly Solan, Kangra, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Una districts, have been experiencing moderate to heavy rainfall. Reports of the maximum road blocking are from Lahaul and Spiti district, followed by Chamba, Kinnaur, Shimla, Mandi, Kullu and Sirmaur districts, officials said.

BJP president JP Nadda appointed  Phunchok Stanzin as new State president of Ladakh BJP.

The guidelines set by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for the conduct of the campaign for the upcoming state elections are a huge paradigm shift for political parties. Used to sweat it out on the roads and streets, political parties and their leaders now have the digital/virtual world to decide their future -- a scenario which no one had thought about but is a reality today, and could as well become an acceptable way to fight elections, which may also help in minimising the huge spending by parties. The ECI on Saturday laid down unambiguous guidelines for political parties and candidates contesting the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur in view of the surge in Covid cases, especially of the Omicron variant. It said: "No road show, padyatra, cycle/bike/vehicle rally and procession shall be allowed till January 15, 2022. The Commission shall subsequently review the situation and issue further instructions accordingly.

PM Narendra Modi announces that "26th December shall be marked as Veer Baal Diwas, this is a fitting tribute to the courage of the Sahibzades and their quest for justice".

Assam Police: 287 bags of suspected illegal Burmese supari has been seized from train no. 13174, Agartala to Sealdah Express at Badarpur Railway Station, Badarpur.

Ministry of Defence surveys 17.78 lakh acres of Defence Land in over three years using modern surveying technologies.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will address an important press conference today at 12 noon.

PM Narendra  Modi to chair a meeting to review the COVID-19 situation in the country at 4:30 pm today: GoI sources. 

Troops of the Indian Army performed 'Khukuri Dance' in the snow-clad ranges of the Tangdhar sector in the Kupwara district of north Kashmir. 

Delhi: Devotees visit Gurudwara Sisganj Sahib to offer prayers on the occasion of Parkash Purab of Sri Guru Gobind Singh. Delhi government has relaxed the weekend curfew for devotees in view of Guru Gobind Singh birth anniversary. 

Ladakh: Air logistics operation underway at Leh and the surrounding region.

Snowfall visuals from Badrinath shrine in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.

Himachal Pradesh's Shimla receives fresh snowfall.

Myanmar's military has planned to further extend its ceasefire with ethnic armed groups until the end of 2022, according to a joint statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, chairman of the State Administration Council and commander-in-chief of Defense Services, announced the move during a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen in Nay Pyi Taw on Friday, Xinhua news agency reported. Last year, the military announced the extension of a five-month suspension of military operations from October 1, 2021 to February 28 this year, in order to enable effective efforts to combat Covid-19 nationwide and boost the peace process in the country. So far, 10 ethnic armed groups have signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement with the government since it was initiated in October 2015. Hun Sen, whose country this year holds the rotating chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, discussed with Min Aung Hlaing a number of bilateral and regional issues of common interest and concerns during a two-day visit to Myanmar, Cambodia's Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said.

Delhi: Rain lashes parts of the national capital; visuals from GT Karnal road.

COVID-19 | Mizoram reports 903 new cases; Active caseload stands at 4,367.

Kerala reported 23 new cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus on Saturday, said the state health department. With this, the count of Omicron cases in the state has gone up to 328. Kerala reported 5,944 new COVID-19 cases during the last 24 hours, said the state government on Saturday. During the last 24 hours, 60,075 samples were tested. 2,463 people recovered from the infection during the last 24 hours while 33 people lost their lives to the deadly virus within the same time frame. Additionally, 209 more deaths were designated as Covid-19 that occurred before June 2021 but were not initially added to the state death tally after receiving the new guidelines of the Centre. There are currently 31,098 active COVID-19 cases in the state.

At least seven people have died and nine were seriously injured when a wall of rock collapsed on top of motorboats below a waterfall in southeastern Brazil on Saturday, reports Reuters.

Ladakh: We have decided to suspend the Chadar Trek. The decision has been taken after considering the suggestions of all the stakeholders. We have suspended such winter tourism activities in view of the increase in COVID cases, says Leh DM, Shrikant Balasaheb Suse. 

Delhi's air quality improves to 'Satisfactory' category with Air Quality Index (AQI) standing at 90, as per System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR)-India.