The Free Press Journal - Mumbai - December 24, 2024

In this issue

December 24, 2024

Shah remarks spark nationwide protests

Congress wants the Home Minister's resignation over his remarks in Parliament on Ambedkar

3 mins

BANGLADESH WANTS HASINA RETURNED

EXTRADITION REQUEST | Dhaka wants Sheikh Hasina to stand trial; a note verbale was sent to Delhi in the second week of Dec

2 mins

'No-detention' policy for classes 5 & 8 ends

The Central government on Monday abolished the 'No-Detention Policy' for students in classes 5 and 8 who fail their year-end exams in schools under its jurisdiction.

1 min

Bhagwat warns against misinterpreting 'dharma'

RSS supremo says atrocities around the world are a result of misinterpretation of religion, which fuels persecution

2 mins

UK minister warning after Sikhs complain

The UK will not tolerate attempts by foreign countries to harass or intimidate British citizens, the security minister Dan Jarvis has warned, after a number of Sikhs complained they were being targeted either by or on behalf of the Indian government.

1 min

Family loses ₹7.5 cr via SIM swap fraud

In a shocking case of cybercrime, the Gupta family has been defrauded of Rs. 7.50 crore following a SIM swap scam that targeted their company's account at ICICI Bank's Churchgate branch.

1 min

HC accepts apology of woman who messaged judge hearing her appeal

The woman moved HC challenging the district court's order that granted custody of their 6-yr-old daughter to her husband

1 min

Rural Maha to get 19.6 lakh houses

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that 19.66 lakh houses will be provided to rural Maharashtra this year under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

1 min

MPCB asked to clarify salt pan land status

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to file a reply affidavit regarding the Wadala salt pan land, clarifying actions taken by the joint committee constituted earlier for the same.

1 min

Dhaneshwar to receive lifetime award

Hridayesh Arts to honour Mumbai singer at festival

1 min

2 sentenced in separate child sex assault cases

A special court for the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has sentenced two persons in different cases to 20 years and life in jail for assault on minor children.

1 min

2 held from Raj for stealing ₹2cr gold bars

Three persons have been arrested from Mumbai and Jaipur for breaking into a 65-year-old businessman's office and stealing three gold bricks, each weighing 1kg, worth Rs2.4 crore, along with Rs25,000 cash.

1 min

Boy escapes crash, killed due to airbag

A six-year-old boy died of asphyxiation when an airbag deployed in his face after the car in which he was travelling rammed into another accident-riddled car.

1 min

Debt-ridden man takes own life on tracks

A 57-year-old man died by suicide on the tracks at Guru Tegh Bahadur (GTB) Nagar station on the intervening night of December 22-23.

1 min

Man booked for assaulting 9-year-old girl

The Manpada police have booked a 45-year-old man for sexually harassing a nine-year-old girl while she was playing in a residential complex in Dombivli.

1 min

Temple trust opposes parking tower project

MUMBADEVI TEMPLE | Trust says not against upgrade; tower will hide temple and become a safety hazard for devotees

2 mins

Bros kill Ola driver as mum hurt in mishap

The Shivaji Nagar police arrested two brothers for allegedly killing a 35-year-old Ola driver over a minor accident on December 21, in which their mother was hurt.

1 min

In India without valid docus for 34 yrs, Bangladeshi man held

Accused told cops that he sent money to his friend in Bangladesh, who converted it into Bangladeshi Taka

1 min

We are the victims and whistleblowers, say Somaiya colleges

Till now four people, including a junior clerk in state edu dept and 2 clerks at Somaiya colleges, have been arrested

1 min

Five held in Surat for Thane jewellery heist

The Thane Crime Branch arrested five persons from Surat for allegedly breaking into the Waman Shankar Marathe jewellery shop in Thane on December 17 and stealing 5.6kg of gold ornaments worth Rs5.79 crore.

1 min

Fraudsters lure investor, take ₹1cr loan in her name

The Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) police have booked four history-sheeters for allegedly cheating a woman, whom they allegedly trapped with the lure of investment and subsequently secured loans totalling up to Rs.1.17 crore in her name.

1 min

BMC's another go at clearing the air

As the city's air quality is on a steady decline, the BMC on Monday issued new guidelines which came into effect from today to tackle construction and road dust, which significantly contribute to the pollution.

1 min

70,930 illegal displays pulled down in 2024

As Lok Sabha and assembly polls were held in 2024, Mumbai saw a rise in the number of illegal hoardings, banners and posters.

1 min

TWO EVENTS END

Sunday saw the successful conclusion of two major events in the city, each captivating different audiences.

1 min

Man arrested with counterfeit currency notes

The Samartha Police have apprehended a man from Gujarat with counterfeit currency notes of Rs100 and Rs500 from Rasta Peth during a late-night operation between Friday and Saturday.

1 min

Civic body mulls proposal to bear dog bite treatment cost

The increasing menace of stray dog bites in Pune has become a growing concern for residents.

1 min

Guardian minister's post: Bone of contention

The much-awaited expansion of the cabinet and distribution of the ministry was done on Saturday.

1 min

Retail inflation for farm, rural workers eases in November

Retail inflation for farm workers and rural labourers dipped to 5.35 per cent and 5.47 per cent in November compared to 5.96 per cent and 6 per cent, respectively, in October this year.

1 min

Claims ratio of non-life insurers decreases to 82.52% in FY24

Net incurred claims to net earned premium (claims ratio) of non-life insurance industry stood at 82.52 per cent during 2023-24 as against 82.95 per cent in the preceding fiscal year, as per the Irdai's annual report.

1 min

Stock markets to remain open for trading: BSE, NSE

The BSE and the NSE said the stock markets will be open for trading on February 1, 2025, Saturday, on account of the Union Budget for 2025-26.

1 min

Exporting MSMEs up to 1,73,350 in 2024-25: Centre

The total number of exporting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) increased considerably from 52,849 in 2020-21 to 1,73,350 in 2024-25, the government said on Monday.

1 min

ADB commits USD 70 mn to Vastu Hsg Fin

Manila-based multilateral funding agency Asian Development Bank (ADB) has committed USD 70 million (about Rs 595 crore) to Vastu Housing Finance to bolster affordable home loans.

1 min

More planes, flights, airports to brighten Indian aviation in 2025

The trails of mega-mergers, tailwinds of expanding fleets, flights and airports will dot the fast-growing Indian aviation firmament in 2025, though the dark clouds of supply chain woes will persist longer.

1 min

NCLAT upholds Reliance Broadcast sale to Sapphire Media

The NCLAT on Monday set aside a batch of appeals filed against an NCLT order approving bids of Sapphire Media for Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd.

1 min

ReNew in pact with Anzen to sell 300 MW solar asset

ReNew Energy Global Plc (ReNew) on Monday said it has signed an agreement with Anzen to sell its entire stake in its wholly owned subsidiary RSWPL at an enterprise value of USD 176 million.

1 min

Cabinet Minister Lodha takes charge of Skill Development Dept

At the Maharashtra State Skill University on Monday, Cabinet Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha once again assumed charge of the Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Department.

1 min

Is FMCG slowdown temporary?

The FMCG sector has been under pressure lately, with Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL) reporting weaker-than-expected Q3 results, sparking concerns across the market.

1 min

Priyanka tears into BJP for GST on exam forms

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday attacked the BJP over levying GST on examination forms, saying the government had turned the dreams of parents who saved every penny to prepare their children for exams into a source of income.

1 min

Pay ₹9.9L, cops tell farmer, who threatened to end life

Payment sought for his security arrangements

1 min

190 illegal Bangladeshis nabbed in West Bengal's Nadia in 1 year

52 arrested in the last 45 days

1 min

How Benegal was influenced by Ray

If maestro Satyajit Ray had influenced parallel Hindi cinema in the late Sixties and the early Seventies, several budding talents had joined the bandwagon among whom the likes of Shyam Benegal, Govind Nihalani and Saeed Mirza can be named.

1 min

PM attends CBCI Christmas event

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday attended a Christmas program organised by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) at their centre in New Delhi.

1 min

3 held in Lucknow bank heist

ULTIMATE DARING | Miscreants break into IOB's Chinhat branch in the wee hours, scoot with crores of rupees; manhunt underway for another four

2 mins

Christmas dampener as beef supply hit by strike

Beef stalls ran empty in the commercial capital and Salcete countryside on Monday after the beef traders went on a flash strike in protest against what they termed as the assault on traders at the PDA market by members of Gau Rakshas on Saturday.

2 mins

Entire nation is going to look at Telangana in wonder: Bhatti

Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka said that everyone would witness vibrant Telangana with extensive development and welfare programmes in the coming days.

1 min

Youth Congress protests against BJP Government

The Chhattisgarh Youth Congress staged a massive protest against the BJP-led state government, marking the completion of its first year in power on Monday.

1 min

Swift action against illegal plotting, encroachment

In a decisive move to curb illegal plotting and encroachment, Raipur District Collector Dr. Gaurav Singh issued strict directives to revenue officials during the weekly deadline meeting held at the Red Cross meeting room in the Collectorate premises on Monday.

1 min

Chhattisgarh to celebrate 'Veer Bal Diwas' on December 26

The Chhattisgarh Government's School Education Department has announced the celebration of 'Veer Bal Diwas' on December 26, 2024, across all schools in the state.

1 min

Sunny Leone fake bank account holder claims: I am being framed

The man alleged of fraudulently operating ex-porn star Sunny Leone bank account and reaping cash benefits of government run Mahtari Vandan scheme, has been reportedly identified and arrested.

2 mins

Man adopts Hindu name to befriend, sexually assault female

A case of alleged \"love jihad\" has come to light in the city involving a textile trader, Yusuf Mia Mohammad Mandapwala, who lives in Adajan Patiya.

1 min

Adani Foundation empowers tribal communities

Adani Foundation, the philanthropic arm of India's corporate giant Adani Group, has been driving significant changes in the remotest tribal areas of Umarpada taluka, Surat, for the past three years.

1 min

BJP MLA Shah calls for razing of illegal shops

BJP MLA from Ellisbridge Amit Shah alleged in a meeting that a municipal school was turned into an illegal shopping complex in Jamalpur area of Ahmedabad.

1 min

Ahmedabad police plan safety measures for New Year festivity

To ensure a safe and secure New Year's Eve celebration in Ahmedabad, the city police have announced comprehensive measures, including the deployment of extensive manpower, checkpoints to curb drunken driving, and dedicated teams to address women's safety and illegal activities.

1 min

Aditi Patel Makes History as the 1st Forever Miss Universe India 2024

In a dazzling celebration of grace, beauty, and empowerment, Aditi Patel has been crowned the first-ever Forever Miss Universe India 2024.

1 min

I-T dept to issue lookout notice against Sharma

The Income Tax department is contemplating to issue a lookout notice against former transport constable Saurabh Sharma in connection with the seizure of 52 kg gold and Rs 11 crore in cash from an abandoned car in Mendori village recently.

1 min

Man kills wife over infidelity suspicion, jumps before train

A man allegedly strangulated his wife with a wire and later committed suicide by jumping in front of a train in Lasudia police station area on Monday afternoon.

1 min

Massive fire at two plastic factories

Firemen battle for 12 hrs to bring fire under control

1 min

Only 218 public toilets exist among 26 lakh people

City struggles with inadequate public sanitation facilities ■ 13 urinals ■ 62 community toilets ■ 143 public toilets

1 min

Saurabh extorted money from check posts for 4 yrs

REVELATIONS: Ex-RTO constable and his team shook down the truck operators and shared the carrots among themselves

1 min

Land records in name of officers found from land dealer's house

In the raid against three builders and a land dealer, the Income Tax (I-T) department has recovered a vast amount of incriminating documents.

1 min

Slovak PM Fico holds talks with Putin during surprise Russia trip

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has held one-on-one talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a surprise visit to Moscow, according to the Kremlin.

1 min

Woman dies after being set on fire on New York subway

A man has been arrested in New York in connection with the death of a woman who was set on fire on a subway train in Brooklyn.

1 min

Trump vows to stop transgender lunacy

President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday (December 22, 2024) pledged to \"stop the transgender lunacy\" on day one of his presidency, as Republicans set to control both chambers of Congress and the White House continue their push against LGBTQ rights.

1 min

Katich's ploy to deal with Bumrah

Ex-Australian cricketer says strike rotation, solid defence will be crucial

2 mins

Konstas set for Bumrah battle

Aus opener ready with plan to tackle Indian pacer

1 min

India Women eye series win against West Indies

Coming off one of their biggest wins in terms of runs, fancied India will look to guard against complacency when they take on a beleaguered West Indies side with an aim to bag the three-match series in the second Women's ODI here on Tuesday.

1 min

Indians unhappy with 'used' practice pitches

MCG curator says protocol followed in preparing pitches

1 min

Liverpool routs Spurs to remain top of the table

EPL | United lost 3-0 at home to Bournemouth for 2nd season

1 min

Bombay Gym FC, Iron Born FC play out thrilling draw

The second half saw relentless end-to-end action, with both teams capitalizing on opportunities

1 min

Honey Singh's sister recalls heartbreaking moment

During Honey Singh's newly released documentary, Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous, his sister, Sneha, opened up about his mental health struggles.

1 min

Read all stories from The Free Press Journal - Mumbai

The Free Press Journal - Mumbai Newspaper Description:

The Free Press Journal is one of the oldest English Daily newspapers from Mumbai with a heritage of more than 90 years. And yet, The Free Press Journal is a contemporary paper and rooted in current urban realities.

In keeping with the international trend, it has reinvented itself in terms of design, get up and content. It means different thing to different people – a platform for the articulate, a trendsetter for the young and a chronicle for the old.

It was at the forefront of freedom struggle against the British and continues with the free and fearless journalism till date. Indeed, the history of The Free Press Journalism mirrors that of Indian independence.

Swaminath Sadanand, a 30-year-old idealist from Madras trudged his way to Bombay and with a vision that was to prove uncomfortably ahead of his day, brought out a newspaper as unorthodox in character as it was innovative in concept. For Swaminath Sadanand, the Free Press Journal was not so much a business venture as a cause.

The spirit with which he launched the paper and ran it for almost three decades helped it make it an integral part of two great Indian movements — the struggle for independence and the evolution of Indian publishing.