News Highlights: AFSPA to continue in Assam, says CM Sarma

Track DH's latest updates of India and the world here!

UP court sentences man to death for rape, murder of 10-year-old girl

A court in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras district has sentenced a 35-year-old man to death for raping and killing a 10-year-old girl, officials said on Monday.

The man, also convicted under the stringent POCSO Act, has been slapped with a penalty of Rs 50,000 as well by the district and sessions court.

Lakshadweep administration ends system of holidays on Fridays for schools in islands

Fridays will no longer be weekly holidays for school students in Muslim dominated Lakshadweep.

The Lakshadweep Education Department has brought out a new calendar declaring Fridays working days and all Sundays holidays for schools in the islands, ending the decades old privilege of the students for having Fridays as holidays in the islands on religious grounds.

Lakshadweep MP Mohammed Faizal said ever since the schools were opened in islands for providing education for students some six decades ago, Friday was holiday and Saturday up to half day was working day.

5,601 incidents of ceasefire violations reported along LoC in last two years: Govt

As many as 5,601 ceasefire violations by Pakistan were reported along the Line of Control (LoC) in the last two years and Indian troops responded to them by inflicting "substantial damage" on Pakistani posts and personnel, the government said in Rajya Sabha on Monday.

Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt, replying to a question, also said that the Indian troops deployed on forward posts enjoy complete "freedom of action" to respond to Pakistan's ceasefire violations.

Karnataka Assembly passes Bill to make UVCE autonomous

Pakistan Test cricketer Yasir Shah accused of aiding in rape of 14-yr-old

Leg-spinner Yasir Shah, who is a key member of Pakistan's Test team, has been named in a case registered at Islamabad's Shalimar police station for allegedly aiding in the rape and harassment of a 14-year-old girl, Geo News reported.

In the FIR, the girl said that Yasir Shah's friend, Farhan, had allegedly raped her at gunpoint, filmed her ordeal, and harassed her.

"When I approached Yasir Shah on WhatsApp and told him about the incident, he made fun of me and said that he likes underage girls," the complainant alleged in the FIR, the report said.

AFSPA to continue in Assam, to be withdrawn if peace lasts: CM Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said the state will continue to be under Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 and a decision on withdrawing it will be taken only if the present peace prevails for a longer term.

Read more

Parliament passes NDPS (Amendment) Bill

Parliament passed a bill to rectify errors that had crept into the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, with Rajya Sabha giving its nod to it on Monday.

The Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill-2021 was passed by Lok Sabha on December 13.

Moving the bill in the Upper House for its consideration and passage, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said it replaces the ordinance which was promulgated in September this year as Parliament was not in session then.

Rajya Sabha passed the bill by a voice vote.

Delhi HC rejects woman's claim to Red Fort

The Delhi High Court on Monday declined to consider a plea by a woman seeking possession of the Red Fort on the ground that she was the legal heir of the last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar II.

Read more

Aishwarya Rai leaves ED office after 5 hours of questioning

Nagaland Assembly unanimoulsy passes resolution demanding AFSPA repeal from Northeast

World Economic Forum in Davos called off over Omicron surge

The planned World Economic Forum in the Swiss mountain resort of Davos has been called off due to surging cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

Assam moves bill for recruitment commissions for class III, IV posts

The Assam government on Monday moved a bill for constituting direct recruitment commissions for appointments to Class III and Class IV posts in different establishments and offices under it.

The Assam Direct Recruitment Commissions for Analogous Posts in Class-III and Class-IV Bill, 2021, was placed in the House by Industry and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, on behalf of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who also holds the Personnel department, on the first day of the Winter Session of the Assembly.

The bill seeks to provide for regulating the process of direct recruitment to Class III and IV posts which have similar eligibility requirements by holding a common selection test.

It will help in expediting the recruitment process and also curb expenditure.

Gujarat extends Covid-19 night curfew (1 am to 5 am) in 8 major cities till December 31

PSBs recover more than Rs 5.49 lakh crore over last 7 fiscal years: Govt

The government has taken comprehensive steps to reduce NPAs and to effect recovery, enabling public sector banks to recover more than Rs 5.49 lakh crore over the last seven fiscal years, the Lok Sabha was informed on Monday.

In a written reply, Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat Karad said that with regard to the details of the recovery rate of non-performing assets (NPAs), the RBI has informed that it has not formally defined 'recovery rate' in the context of NPAs in the banking industry.

"Comprehensive steps have been taken by the Government to reduce NPAs and to effect recovery, which enabled PSBs to recover Rs 5,49,327 crore over the last seven financial years," he said.

Noida airport project: Centre says UP govt has acquired 52 hectares land for Rs 716 crore to rehabilitate displaced farmers

The Uttar Pradesh government has acquired approximately 52 hectares of land for around Rs 716 crore for the rehabilitation of families that have been displaced due to the Noida international airport project in Jewar, Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh said on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on November 25 laid the foundation stone of the airport in Jewar in Uttar Pradesh.

"The GoUP has informed that the rehabilitation of the displaced families as a result of Jewar airport project has been carried out in accordance with the provision of Land Acquisition Act, 2013," Singh said in his written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.

'Practice what you preach, Modi ji', says Congress

Delimitation Commission’s recommendations guided by BJP’s political agenda, allege NC, PDP, PC

Valley-based mainstream political parties on Monday expressed dismay over the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission in Jammu and Kashmir, alleging that it seems the exercise was carried out in furtherance of the BJP’s political agenda.

The Delimitation Commission, set up to redraw the assembly seats of the union territory, is learnt to have proposed six additional seats for Jammu region and one for Kashmir Valley in its 'Paper 1' discussed with its five associate members on Monday.

"The draft recommendation of the J&K delimitation commission is unacceptable. The distribution of newly created assembly constituencies with 6 going to Jammu & only 1 to Kashmir is not justified by the data of the 2011 census," National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said in a series of tweets.

He said the commission appears to have allowed the political agenda of BJP to dictate its recommendations.

Those guilty of sacrilege must be hanged in public: Sidhu

Sensex plummets over 1,700 points on Omicron worries, FII selloffs

Equity benchmark Sensex plummeted over 1,700 points on Monday afternoon amid scare of Omicron cases rising and FII selloffs.

Read More

ED summons Aishwarya Rai

Enforcement Directorate summons Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in a case being investigated by the agency: Sources (ANI)

BSF personnel fire at drone in Gurdaspur; returns to Pakistan territory

Punjab | A drone was sighted in Gurdaspur sector near the International Border. BSF personnel fired 5 rounds after the patrolling team heard a humming sound but it managed to return to Pakistan territory. The incident was reported at 1230am on Monday, says a senior BSF officer (ANI)

Karnataka Cabinet likely to take up anti-conversion bill today

All eyes will be on the Cabinet meeting scheduled on Monday noon, during which the state government is expected to clear the controversial anti-conversion Bill.

Read More

Mercury dips to 3,2 degrees Celsius in Jammu; locals sit around a fire to stay warm

Notwithstanding Omicron, Indian economy set for strong rebound: CEO poll

A CEOs poll by industry body Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has shown the economy is set for a strong rebound this financial year ending March 31, 2022. At least 56 per cent of about 100 CEOs polled have said it would grow in the range of 9 to 10 per cent, while another 10 per cent expect it may grow at a faster pace of more than 10 per cent.

Read More