The Morning Standard - December 20, 2024

In this issue

December 20, 2024

UNPRECEDENTED FRACAS

'PITCHED BATTLE' OUTSIDE HOUSE | TWO BJP MPS INJURED | CROSS-COMPLAINTS FILED

1 min

Burhan Wani's last surviving aide among 5 Hizbul terrorists killed

SECURITY forces on Thursday killed five Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists, including its operations commander Farooq Ahmed Bhat alias Farooq Nali, in a six-hour-long encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district.

1 min

K'taka BJP leader taken into custody for 'derogatory' remarks on minister

THE 10-day winter session of the Karnataka legislature ended here on Thursday. Soon after the Council was adjourned sine die, BJP MLC CT Ravi was arrested on a complaint filed by the aide of Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar over his alleged derogatory remarks in the House.

1 min

Diversity: Signages to have info in 4 languages

TO promote linguistic inclusivity, the city will soon feature Hindi, English, Punjabi, and Urdu on road signages, directional boards, and the names of the public places, in compliance with a recent directive from the Department of Arts, Culture and Language.

1 min

Farmer leader on fast faints, SC asks Mann govt why no med tests

THE condition of Jagjit Singh Dallewal, a Punjab farmer leader who is on a hunger strike demanding the acceptance of their demands, including a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) on crops, worsened as he fainted on Thursday, the 24th day of his protest.

1 min

Deputy Chair rejects Oppn bid to impeach Dhankhar in RS

RAJYA Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh on Thursday dismissed the impeachment notice against Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.

1 min

ACB names KTR accused No 1 in Formula-E case

THE Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday named Bharat Rashtra Samithi working president and former Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao, known as KTR, as Accused No. 1 (A-1) in the alleged Formula E race case.

1 min

Rai inaugurates several road development projects; so far 900 roads constructed

DELHI Environment Minister Gopal Rai inaugurated the development of several roads in areas including Yamuna Vihar, Noor-e-Ilahi, Subhash Mohalla, Mohanpuri, and North Ghonda on Thursday.

1 min

Dalits, students' outfits stage demonstrations

SEVERAL organisations working on issues related to social justice and students' outfits held protests on Thursday accusing home minister Amit Shah of insulting B R Ambedkar.

1 min

Ruckus erupts in MCD house over Rohingya, Bangladeshi immigrants

THE Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House descended into chaos on Thursday as opposition councillors accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of sheltering Rohingya and Bangladeshi immigrants.

1 min

HC orders swift action on mental health authority appointments

THE Delhi High Court has instructed the Delhi Government to expedite the appointment of non-official members to the Delhi Mental Health Authority and ensure the swift establishment of Mental Health Review Boards as mandated by the Mental Health Care Act, 2017.

1 min

Cong must apologise for 'disrespect' to Babasaheb, says BJP

DELHI BJP President Virendra Sachdeva has called on Congress leaders, particularly the Gandhi family, to apologise for the disrespect shown to B R Ambedkar both during his lifetime and posthumously.

1 min

HC shifts Balyan's case to MP/MLA court

Kuldeep Sengar seeks 5-month bail extension

1 min

Cong holds protest at BJP office over 'insult to Ambedkar'

THE Delhi unit of the Congress, on Thursday, staged a protest in the city against Union home minister Amit Shah's remarks on Babasaheb Ambedkar.

1 min

AAP steps up heat over Shah remarks

THE Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday demanded an apology and resignation from Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his remarks on BR Ambedkar in Parliament.

1 min

Kuldeep Sengar seeks 5-month bail extension

EXPELLED BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar, a convict in the 2017 Unnao rape case, on Thursday requested the Delhi High Court to extend his interim bail by five months, citing medical issues.

1 min

Total ban on crackers in city, top court told

THE Delhi government, on Thursday, apprised the Supreme Court that it has imposed a complete ban on manufacturing, storing, selling, and bursting all kinds of firecrackers in the national capital throughout the year with immediate effect.

1 min

CBSE conducts surprise inspection, 18 schools found flouting enrolment norms

EIGHTEEN schools in Delhi have been found to be violating CBSE's affiliation bye-laws by enrolling students beyond their actual attendance records creating \"non-attending\" enrolments.

1 min

Farmers urge Punjab to reject agri marketing policy

The Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government has been categorically urged by farmer unions in the state to reject the draft National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing, describing it as detrimental to Punjab's farm-based economy.

1 min

SC seeks urgent action on solid waste crisis

Court asks govt, MCD to explain how far they have complied with timelines prescribed under waste management rules

1 min

At 451, capital's air quality plummets to 'severe plus'

THE air quality in the national capital plummeted to 'severe plus' category, with a 24-hour average AQI of 451 recorded at 4 pm on Thursday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board data.

1 min

IIT and DRDO partner with industry to produce lightweight bullet-proof jackets

THE Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and IIT Delhi, on Thursday, came together with industry partners at the DIA-GARIMA event to strengthen the defence capabilities through collaborative research and technology transfer.

1 min

MCD approves proposal to allocate ₹25 crore for assembly poll preparations

13k booths to be set up

1 min

BJP alleges ₹250 crore shelter homes scam, demands CBI inquiry

DELHI BJP, on Thursday, alleged a scam of ₹250 crore in the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), which functions under the Delhi government.

1 min

MUDA scam: Jan 28 deadline for Lokayukta report

THE Karnataka High Court on Thursday extended the December 24 deadline to January 28, for submission of the investigation report by Lokayukta police into alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 compensatory sites to BM Parvathy, wife of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).

1 min

Kerala asked to clear biomed waste dumped in TN

THE National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday directed the Kerala state government and its pollution control board to remove the biomedical waste and mixed solid waste illegally dumped at multiple points bordering Tirunelveli district within three days and file a compliance report on December 23.

1 min

T'gana CM announces probe into ring road tender process

CHIEF Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday announced that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) would be constituted to investigate alleged irregularities in the lease and tendering process of the Outer Ring Road (ORR) during the BRS regime.

1 min

Majhi says efforts on to boost infra, recruitments in state education sector

CHIEF Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday said the state government is mounting efforts to strengthen the education sector of Odisha by building infrastructure and recruiting teachers.

1 min

AP nod to ₹33K cr Amaravati projects

Naidu cabinet approval for availing loans from World Bank, ADB, HUDCO and German firm

2 mins

15-year-old girl raped by two in Rourkela

A 15-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by two youths while a third man in his 50s, taking advantage of her precarious situation, unsuccessfully attempted to assault her sexually in Bisra police limits of Sundargarh district.

1 min

SC stays high court order imposing curbs on elephant parade at festivals

THE Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the guidelines issued by the Kerala High Court on parading of elephants at festivals, bringing relief to the devaswoms of Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu, the major participants of Thrissur Pooram.

1 min

FOR GRACE IN LEGAL EVOLUTION

THE recent decision of a nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court, in Property Owners Association vs State of Maharashtra, which interprets Article 39(b) of the Constitution, represents a noteworthy development in the complex and often contentious history of property rights in India.

3 mins

Tremors From The Long Night Of December 3

South Korea has clawed back most of the economic losses caused by the shocking declaration of martial law. Its next president is likely to be colder to the West, warmer to China

4 mins

BJP tears into Rahul, says doesn't deserve to be LoP...

ACCUSING Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of pushing and shoving its MPs on the Parliament premises, the BJP on Thursday said he does not deserve to be the Leader of Opposition after such \"indecent and shameful\" conduct.

1 min

I was physically pushed by BJP MPs, lost my balance & forced to sit down: Kharge

CONGRESS chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, saying that BJP MPs pushed him on Parliament premises, and he lost his balance.

1 min

Shah vows dominance over J&K terrorism

UNION Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting to review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

1 min

BJP MP writes to RS Chair, says LoP 'misbehaved' with her during House protest

BJP MP from Nagaland S Phangnon Konyak on Thursday alleged in the Rajya Sabha that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi came in her \"close proximity\" and shouted at her during a protest outside the Parliament's Makar Dwar which made her feel \"extremely uncomfortable\".

1 min

Cross complaints: Case registered against Rahul for 'injuring' 2 BJP MPs

DELHI Police registered an FIR against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other Congress MPs following a scuffle on Parliament premises on Thursday, hours after BJP and Opposition party members filed cross complaints alleging assault.

1 min

Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum in North, South blocks to have over 25K artefacts

YUGE Yugeen Bharat Museum (YYBM) to be set up in North and South blocks will have about 25,000 artefacts – depicting the history of 5,000 years of India's civilization – on display in eight thematic galleries.

1 min

Meanwhile, Cong slams BJP's 'distraction politics'

HOURS after the Parliament showdown, Congress on Thursday launched a blistering attack on the BJP, accusing it of diverting attention from Home Minister Amit Shah's \"insult\" to BR Ambedkar.

2 mins

'Ideology remains same': Jogi's wife writes to Cong, proposes merger of party

THE regional outfit Janta Congress Chhattisgarh-J (JCC-J), floated by the first chief minister late Ajit Jogi in June 2016, owing to the declining political footprint across the state, has approached the Congress seeking a merger with the latter.

1 min

U'khand records tiger death decline, 8 this yr

UTTARAKHAND has witnessed a significant decrease in tiger mortality cases this year.

1 min

Assam STF nabs 8 Bangla terror outfit operatives

THE Special Task Force (STF) of Assam Police arrested eight operatives of terror outfit, Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), during simultaneous operations carried out in Kerala, West Bengal and Assam on the intervening night of December 17 and 18.

1 min

Mumbai ferry tragedy toll 14, search on for kid

THE body of a 43-year-old man, who was among the two missing passengers after a Navy craft rammed into their ferry off the Mumbai coast, was found on Thursday.

1 min

SP's Sambhal MP booked for power theft at residence

THE troubles for Samajwadi Party's Sambhal MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq seem to be deepening as a fresh FIR in connection with power theft lodged against him on Thursday.

1 min

R-G Kar victim's parents in HC for fresh probe

THE parents of the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder victim moved Calcutta High Court on Thursday seeking a fresh investigation into the horrific crime.

1 min

Grim reality belies development plank, Gujarat schools lack toilets

DESPITE Gujarat's government championing its development narrative, unsettling data presented in the Lok Sabha on Thursday revealed glaring shortcomings in the state's basic infrastructure.

1 min

MP's Take Home Ration scheme: CAG flags ₹428 cr irregularities from '18-'21

IRREGULARITIES worth around ₹428 crore have been detected by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in the Take Home Ration (THR) scheme in Madhya Pradesh between 2018-2021.

1 min

Trump brings budget chaos back with help from Musk

PRESIDENT-ELECT Donald Trump delivered a likely death blow to bipartisan congressional budget negotiations on Wednesday, rejecting the measure as full of giveaways to Democrats as billionaire ally Elon Musk whipped up outrage toward the bill and cheered on Republican lawmakers who announced their opposition.

1 min

US urges SC to dismiss 26/11 convict's petition against extradition to India

THE United States government urged the Supreme Court to dismiss a petition filed by Mumbai-attack convict Tahawwur Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, to avoid his extradition to India.

1 min

Israel hits back after missile attack from Yemen

ISRAELI airstrikes shook Yemen's rebel-held capital and a port city early on Thursday and killed at least nine people, officials said, shortly after a Houthi missile targeted central Israel.

1 min

Putin says war boosted military, economy

Regrets not invading Ukraine earlier; denies ouster of Assad hurt his image; year-end conference lasts 4.5 hours

2 mins

US sanctions 4 Pakistan aerospace, defence firms

THE United States on Wednesday slapped sanctions on four Pakistani entities, including the state-owned flagship aerospace and defence agency - National Development Complex (NDC) - on charges of them contributing to Pakistan's ballistic missile programme.

1 min

Thailand hosts regional talks to find solution to Myanmar's bloody war

TWO days of meetings on Myanmar's violent political crisis began on Thursday in the Thai capital Bangkok, the latest in a long series of regional talks that have made no headway in restoring peace to the war-torn Southeast Asian nation.

1 min

Ex-husband gets 20 years in jail for letting 50 rape his spouse

A court in France on Thursday sentenced the ex-husband of Gisèle Pelicot to a maximum 20 years of imprisonment for drugging and raping her and allowing other men to rape her while she was knocked out, in abuse that lasted a decade.

1 min

Start-up funding up 6% YoY at $11.3 bn in 2024

IN 2024, the start-up ecosystem saw a marginal 6% increase in funding at $11.3 billion compared to $10.7 billion in 2023.

1 min

Mkt falls as Fed indicates lower rate cut in 2025

DOMESTIC equity market declined sharply on Thursday following a cautious Federal Reserve commentary and weak global cues.

2 mins

Accenture posts $17.7 bn revenue, beats Street view

IT service provider Accenture has beat Street estimates and posted $17.7 billion revenues in the first quarter ended November 2024.

1 min

Bharti Airtel prepays ₹3,626 crore spectrum purchase dues to govt

TELECOM service provider Bharti Airtel has made a pre-payment of ₹3,626 crore to the government for the spectrum it purchased in 2016.

1 min

IT sector to drive 15% growth in hiring in 2025, followed by retail

WITH the expansion of Global Capability Centers (GCCs) and multi-cloud adoption, the IT sector will drive 15% growth in hiring in 2025, as per the latest data from jobs platform foundit.

1 min

Kia sees 20% sales growth vs industry's 5-10%

KOREAN carmaker Kia aims to achieve a 20% growth in sales volume in India next year, targeting sales of nearly 3 lakh passenger vehicles (PVs).

1 min

INR hits all-time low, breaches 85 mark against USD

Indian currency slips 13 paise on Thursday as US Fed scales back rate cut in 2025

2 mins

Govt proposes new legislation to curb proliferation of illegal lending apps

THE government is planning a comprehensive legislature to curb the proliferation of illegal lending apps.

1 min

Day of records for Richa & India as hosts win series 2-1

RICHA Ghosh (54) equalled the world record for the fastest fifty in women's T20Is (18 balls) after Smriti Mandhana's (77) fireworks as India registered 217 for 4 in the series-deciding third and final match against the West Indies here on Thursday.

1 min

AFTER ASHWIN, WHO? THE LAST OF OGS IN FINAL STRETCH

Post offie's retirement, focus is on senior players like Rohit, Kohli and India's transition phase

4 mins

NCC, the heartbeat of Australia cricket

IT was about 12 noon on a breezy Thursday in Brisbane. Less than 24 hours ago the India and Australia men's teams had played out a draw.

2 mins

Dubai may host India matches in 2025 Champions Trophy

EXPECTEDLY, the International Cricket Council on Thursday announced that India will play their 2025 Champions Trophy matches at a neutral venue.

2 mins

Ashwin gets hero's welcome at home from family and friends

RAVICHANDRAN Ashwin, who took the cricketing world by surprise with his sudden retirement from international cricket, arrived in Chennai early morning on Thursday.

2 mins

Liverpool & Arsenal reach semifinals

LIVERPOOL moved into the League Cup semifinals as the holders won 2-1 against managerless Southampton, while Gabriel Jesus ended his goal drought with a hat-trick in Arsenal's 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

1 min

HYDRO CHIC

This brand is setting a new standard in travel gear with its new collection

1 min

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