CATEGORIES

Cong panel holds talks with state units on INDIA poll pacts for 2024

The Congress' five-member national alliance committee led by Mukul Wasnik has concluded talks with nearly all state units barring Punjab for possible poll pacts in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. While there are varying degrees of reluctance to alliance in many states, the local units largely see seat adjustments as the best option for the party, Congress leaders indicated.

BJP MP's kin held in tree-felling case in K'taka, later granted bail

BJP MP Pratap Simha's brother Vikram Simha, who was arrested over illegal felling of trees in Hassan district of Karnataka on Saturday, was released on Sunday, forest officials familiar with the developments said.

Punjab-Centre row over R-Day tableau escalates

Days after slamming the central government over rejecting Punjab's tableau for the Republic Day parade, chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday turned down the defence ministry's offer to display it at the Bharat Parv event to be held at the Red Fort in New Delhi.

3 charged with rape of IIT-BHU student; Oppn says linked to BJP

The Uttar Pradesh police on Sunday arrested three people and charged them with gang-rape for allegedly sexually assaulting a student inside the Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University) campus in November.

10,000 cops on guard ahead of NYE festivities

As many as 10,000 security and traffic personnel were deployed across the Capital on Sunday near prominent markets and public places as the city ushered in the New Year 2024.

Foul air in Nov, Dec offsets AQI gains made throughout 2023

In 2023, Delhi was on course to record its cleanest year in terms of air quality since 2020, but a polluted November and December negated these gains, with the Capital ending the year with an annual PM2.5 concentration of 101 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3) - more polluted than 2022's average of 99 µg/m3.

Nuh beats notoriety with passion for sports

Before the first rays of the sun even touch his house in Haryana's Nuh, Akram Khan wakes up, gobbles up a quick breakfast, and cycles to Nagina village stadium - 6 km away from his home, and 67 km away from Gurugram.

It was warmest Dec since 2017: IMD data

MAHESH PALAWAT OF SKYMET SAID A DIP IN DAY-TIME TEMPERATURE AND RISE IN NIGHT-TIME TEMPERATURE WERE SEEN ONLY TOWARDS THE LAST WEEK OF DECEMBER THIS YEAR (2023)

Max temp lowest of season, city shivers

The National Capital Region (NCR) recorded its coldest day of the season on Sunday, with the maximum temperature plummeting and making the daytime feel virtually as frigid as the night conditions brought on by a thick band of fog in the upper reaches of the atmosphere.

Sri Lanka says it will not allow any Chinese research vessel to dock at its ports or in EEZ

Sri Lanka has informed India that it will not allow any Chinese research vessel to dock at its ports or operate within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for a period of one year, people aware of the matter said on Sunday.

240 new items to face compulsory quality control

India has lined up at least 240 new items such as electric fans, freezers, water bottles, sanitary napkins, aluminium cans and plywood to be brought under compulsory quality control in 2024 to nudge Indian manufacturers for producing quality products for local consumers and also command premium in overseas markets, two officials said.

Militants fire at cops in Manipur, 4 injured

There was high alert in Manipur's border town Moreh on Sunday after militants attacked Manipur police commandos inside their barracks on Saturday night, during which rocket propelled grenades (RPG) were fired, officials aware of the matter said.

From space to sport, PM lists India's achievements of year

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India attained \"many special achievements\" in 2023, recounting the successes of a wide array of people from scientists to athletes and artistes, calling it reflection of the \"strength of 140 crore Indians\", as he looked back during the year's final episode of the Mann ki Baat radio show on Sunday.

Hardline Hurriyat faction banned by Centre, says Shah

The central government has banned Tehreeke-Hurriyat (TeH), Jammu and Kashmir, under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for \"fomenting terrorism and anti-India propaganda\", a statement by the Union ministry of home affairs said on Sunday.

Vinesh leaves Khel Ratna, Arjuna close to PM's office

Four days after she penned a social media message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and announced her decision to return the Khel Ratna and Arjuna awards, international wrestler Vinesh Phogat left the two honours on Kartavya Path near the PM's office on Saturday.

Gukesh joins Pragg, Gujrathi, confirms his Candidates spot

Gukesh D spent the last five days in Samarkand, Uzbekistan away from the year-end tournament’s top standings, confetti and broadcast cameras but managed to quietly put to bed the gnawing, crushing pressure of the past few months. The 17-year-old confirmed his place in next year’s Candidates tournament after he retained his Fide circuit lead at the end of the World Rapid and Blitz Championships.

India women drop catches and series as Aussies clinch 2nd ODI

When Amol Muzumdar addressed his first press conference as India head coach in early December, he picked fielding as one of his \"top priorities\".

A jolt to India's batting future

Defeat at Centurion underlines need to find more hard-boiled competitors for Tests from younger batters

Storms batter Australia's east, heatwave grips north

Severe thunderstorms battered parts of eastern Australia on Saturday, bringing heavy rain, giant hail and strong winds, days after another storm hit the region over the Christmas holidays.

Pak election body rejects ex-PM Imran's nomination

Pakistan's election body has rejected former Prime Minister Imran Khan's nomination to contest the 2024 national elections in two constituencies, officials and his party's media team said on Saturday.

Israeli attacks in Gaza continue as US approves a fresh weapons sale

Israeli tanks pushed deeper into central and southern Gaza, as the Biden govt approved a $147.5mn weapons sale to Israel

Asian Games success sets India up for Paris 2024

The season leading into an Olympic year assumes greater significance for athletes, for it provides them with some significant checkpoints to assess where they're at in terms of their Games preparation and periodisation.

CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR

The Indian cricket team came very close to ending their decade-long wait for an ICC trophy while off the field, massive financial gains were made, with even more yet to come still

World sees a glimpse of climate crisis, yet action slow

The Dubai Consensus at COP28 drew the curtains on a rather dramatic year for climate.

RIFTS SPLIT WIDE OPEN

2023 saw the intensification of old trends: explosion of old conflicts, multilateralism in crisis, growing gulf between the global north and south, along with an American polity under strain

TRIUMPHS AND TRIALS

India delivered a common global vision at a time of deep fractures, continued to navigate and leverage great power competition; but it also faced serious global challenges

Top court delivers assortment of milestone verdicts

The year 2023 witnessed a flurry of Constitution bench verdicts by the Supreme Court, delivering milestone decisions that included ratifying some of the Union government's major moves such as abrogation of Article 370 and demonetisation of 500 and ₹1,000 currency notes, even as the Centre found itself at the receiving end when the court ruled in favour of the Delhi government's legislative and executive control over services in the national capital except for public order, police and land, and questioned the independence of the procedure to pick election commissioners.

SET FOR A POLL VAULT

To succeed in the electoral arena, a party needs three things – narrative, organisation and leadership. For the BJP all three appear sorted; for the Opposition, all remain works in progress

Sharma expands cabinet, 22 MLAS take oath as ministers in Rajasthan

Former Union minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirodi Lal Meena were among 22 MLAs sworn in as ministers on Saturday as newly appointed Rajasthan chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma expanded his cabinet. Sixteen of the new inductees are first-time ministers, underlining the generational shift in state politics.

K'taka cops recover note, say probing all angles after 5 skeletons found in house

Days after skeletons of five people were found inside a dilapidated house in Chitradurga district of Karnataka, police on Saturday recovered an undated and unsigned note written in Kannada from the site, with officers saying that they are probing the matter from all angles.