Supporters of prominent Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza Jr., who is serving a 25-year sentence for treason, said Monday that he has disappeared from the Siberian prison where he was behind bars.

Kara-Murza, 42, was held in a prison in the Omsk region, but a letter sent to him by activist and journalist Alexander Podrabinek was returned with the notation that Kara-Murza was no longer there, Podrabinek said on Facebook.

A lawyer for Kara-Murza, Vadim Prokhorov, said another lawyer who tried to visit him on Monday was told that he wasn't in the prison, according to the Telegram news channel Agentstvo.

11:20 PM

Indian airports create opportunities for artists to showcase their talent in art: Scindia

As Indian airports are getting a touch of modern architecture, simultaneously they are giving opportunities to budding artists to showcase their talent by portraying Indian art, said Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia while sharing a video clip over 'X' on Monday.

"In our airports now across the country, we are trying to give it a modern bent of architecture. For example, our airport in Ayodhya has been built in the form of the Ram Mandir. Inside the airport, Lord Ram's path and his journey have been exhibited across multiple art forms... Similarly in Tiruchirappalli, the Ranganatha Swamy Temple has been depicted there. This gives a platform to budding artists to be able to showcase their talent," Scindia says in the video clip.

Earlier Scindia has informed that the under-construction new terminal of Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Airport will be ready by January 31 or the first week of February.

10:31 PM

Dozens are presumed dead after an overloaded boat capsizes on Lake Kivu in Congo

The majority of the 50 passengers aboard a wooden boat that capsized on a lake in eastern Congo are presumed to be dead, a local official said.

The boat crossing Lake Kivu was also carrying 20 bags of cement and likely sank Sunday due to being overloaded, said Mustafa Mamboleo, an official with South Kivu province.

Mamboleo said 10 people survived and three bodies had been found, and the search continued for about 37 people.

Deadly boating accidents occur frequently in Congo, where crews often overload small wooden vessels. Earlier in January, 22 people died on Lake Ma-Ndombe. Last April, six were killed and 64 went missing on Lake Kivu.

Maritime regulations often are not adhered to, Daniel Lwaboshi, director of Congo's Public Riverways Authority, said Monday on state television, adding that another primary driver of such accidents is overloading.

10:30 PM

Adityanath inspects arrangements for devotees at Ayodhya's Ram temple

In his sixth visit to Ayodhya this month, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday took stock of arrangements for devotees at the new Ram temple.

The temple has been witnessing a huge rush since the consecration ceremony of the new idol of Ram Lalla on January 22.

Adityanath took information about the arrangements from officials of the temple trust -- Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra -- and also conducted an inspection, according to an official statement.

This is the sixth visit of the chief minister to the city this month, it said.

10:27 PM

Promoters of Tips Industries sells 5 pc stake for Rs 247 crore

Promoters of Tips Industries, including Ramesh Taurani and Kumar Taurani, on Monday divested a 5 per cent stake in the company for Rs 247 crore through open market transactions.

Along with the Taurani brothers, their wives -- Renu Kumar Taurani and Varsha Ramesh Taurani -- were also the promoters of Tips Industries.

According to the bulk deal data available with the BSE, Kumar Sadhuram Taurani, Ramesh Sadhuram Taurani, Renu Kumar Taurani, and Varsha Ramesh Taurani offloaded a total of 65 lakh shares, amounting to a 5.06 per cent stake in Tips Industries.

The shares were disposed of in the price range of Rs 380-380.26 apiece, taking the combined transaction value to about Rs 247 crore.

10:26 PM

Rising sea levels may lead to more methane emitted from wetlands: Research

Global warming is causing sea levels to rise, which is altering ecosystems. Scientists assumed that the tidal wetlands present in estuaries could create less methane, a strong greenhouse gas because the increased influx of seawater renders these habitats less hospitable to methane-producing microorganisms.

However, research from biologists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and UC Berkeley indicates that these assumptions aren't always true. After examining the microbial, chemical, and geological features of 11 wetland zones, the team found that a wetland region exposed to a slight amount of seawater was emitting surprisingly high levels of methane - far more than any of the freshwater sites.

Their results, now published in mSystems, indicate that the factors governing how much greenhouse gas is stored or emitted in natural landscapes are more complex and difficult to predict than we thought.

10:25 PM

Tata Power proposes tariff revisions in Mumbai with sharpest jump for lower end consumers

Discom Tata Power on Monday proposed a "rationalization" of tariffs, which could see a sharp rise in power rates especially for lower end consumers.

The utility published an advertisement in newspapers, wherein it proposed to increase the rate per unit to Rs 7.37 per unit from the present Rs 3.74 paid by subscribers consuming up to 100 units per month, while the same for those for between 101-300 units is proposed to be increased to Rs 9.31 per unit from the present Rs 5.89.

When asked about the virtual doubling of charges for those consuming up to 100 units per month, a Tata Power official explained that the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission had stayed an earlier tariff structure in July and reverted to an older stricture first introduced in 2020.

10:22 PM

Ravindra Waikar leaves from ED office in Mumbai after around 8 hours of questioning

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ravindra Waikar leaves from the ED office in Mumbai after around 8 hours of questioning in connection with Jogeshwari land scam case

He says, "...We have submitted the bank documents and other details. If complaints are made in this manner and permission is revoked after granting it, it is absolutely wrong...".

10:08 PM

ED team camps at J'khand CM Soren's Delhi house, BJP claims he is 'absconding'

An Enforcement Directorate team on Monday visited the Delhi residence of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to question him in connection with a money laundering investigation in an alleged land fraud case and camped there for over 12 hours.

Official sources claimed Soren was "missing" and could not be contacted by the federal agency but a family member alleged that a "false" narrative was being set to "delegitimise" the JMM leader's position.

The member, who did not wish to be identified, claimed there were repeated communications to ED and compliance to the summons including willingness to record his statement on January 31, 2024 at 1 pm at his Ranchi residence.

Soren had left Ranchi for Delhi on January 27, with his party saying on Monday that he had gone for personal work and will be back.

But the Jharkhand unit of the BJP claimed that the chief minister has been absconding for the last 18 hours, fearing action of the ED, and urged Governor C P Radhakrishnan to take cognisance of the matter as the "credibility and reputation of Jharkhand are at stake".

10:06 PM

Noida Airport's first phase development to cost Rs 10,056 crore; over 70 pc already spent

The first phase of development of the upcoming international airport in Noida will cost Rs 10,056 crore and so far, around Rs 7,100 crore has already been spent on it, officials said.

S P Goyal, Additional Chief Secretary to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, on Monday reviewed the progress of the international airport in Jewar and directed officials concerned to ensure completion of work by September this year.

The first phase of the airport, being developed in 1,300 hectares, is scheduled to open for flight operations by September.

Goyal held a review meeting with officials of developer Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), a fully-owned subsidiary of Zurich International Airport AG, the concessionaire for the greenfield airport.

9:55 PM

Telangana CM directs officials to take steps to create 'digital health profile' for citizens

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has directed officials to initiate measures for the creation of a 'digital health profile' for citizens in the state.

Chief Minister Reddy, after a meeting with Health Minister C Damodar Rajanarasimha and officials, proposed the establishment of a 'digital health profile' linked to a unique number to facilitate emergency treatment, an official release said.

9:52 PM

Foreign Secretary Kwatra meets new Bhutanese Prime Minister; discusses ways to boost bilateral ties

Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra on Monday called on Bhutan's new Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and discussed areas of mutual interest and multifaceted cooperation to further boost India's relations with the Himalayan nation.

Kwatra arrived earlier here on a three-day trip, in the first high-level visit from India after the formation of a new government under People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader Tobgay.

9:44 PM

Bar associations cannot bargain for demands like trade unions, says Allahabad HC

Allahabad High Court has observed that courts are not industrial establishments and bar associations cannot bargain for their demands like trade unions, as it expressed serious concern over the ongoing strike at the Tehsil Bar Association, Rasra, in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district.

The court also directed the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh to bring on record guidelines framed by it, if any, on observance of condolences and other instances under which lawyers abstain from work and whether any action has been taken by it in the particular case or not.

9:42 PM

Alcoholic beverages to cost more in TN from Feb 1

The state-run liquor monolith Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) on Monday announced an increase in the price of all varieties of liquor, ranging from Rs 10 to Rs 80, with effect from February 1.

While a 650 ml bottle of beer will cost Rs 10 more, 180 ml (known popularly as quarter) of 'ordinary' and 'medium' range of brandy, whiskey and rum will be dearer by Rs 10 and consumers have to shell out Rs 20 more for the 'premium' range, an official release said.

As per the revised schedule, alcoholic drinks, sold in higher quantities will accordingly cost more.

9:29 PM

NTPC net profit rises 7.3% in Q3 FY24, revenue decreases 4%

NTPC Ltd.'s consolidated profit rose 7.3 per cent in the third quarter of fiscal 2024 on the back of net movement in regulatory deferral account balances, beating analysts' estimates. The state-run power producer's profit increased to Rs 5,208.9 crore in comparison with Rs 4,854.4 crore in the year-ago period, according to an exchange filing on Monday. Analysts polled by Bloomberg had estimated it at Rs 4,866.4 crore. Margin declined to 26.5 per cent, as compared with 32.4 per cent on the back of a drop in revenue and higher fuel costs. Revenue down 4 per cent at Rs 42,820.4 crore vs Rs 44,601.8 crore. Ebitda declined 21.5 per cent to Rs 11,362.1 crore vs Rs 14,477.6 crore.

Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Yadav has left the Enforcement Directorate agency office in Patna after he was questioned for nearly ten hours in the land-for-jobs case.

The first phase of the Rahul Gandhi-led 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in West Bengal concluded on Monday as it crossed into Bihar from Islampur, with plans to resume its journey in the state on January 31. The Congress yatra has exposed internal rifts within opposition bloc INDIA in West Bengal, with the TMC, which has opted to contest the Lok Sabha elections independently, abstaining and the Left extending support. The yatra after a night halt in Siliguri travelled to Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur before moving to Islampur and finally entering Bihar. Party supporters and enthusiasts were seen greeting the Congress leader who was in a vehicle with a tight security cordon around the convoy. The yatra, which commenced in Manipur on January 14, entered West Bengal from Assam on Thursday morning, with a brief hiatus as Gandhi returned to New Delhi.

State-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB) on Monday said the board of the bank has given green signal for raising Rs 7,500 crore through Qualified Institutions Placement (QIP)/Follow-on Public Offer (FPO) during 2024-25. The decision in this respect was taken in a meeting held on January 29. The board gave nod for raising of equity capital for an amount aggregating up to Rs 7,500 crore in one or more tranches during FY2024-25 through Qualified Institutions Placement (QIP)/Follow-on Public Offer (FPO) or any other permitted mode or a combination, PNB said in a regulatory filing. The fund raising should be done in such a manner that the shareholding of the Government of India does not fall below 52 per cent, it added. Vodafone Idea, on Monday, reported Q3 net loss of Rs 6,985.9 crore. The company records marginal rise in revenue.

Amid strains of soulful music, the Beating Retreat ceremony, which marks the culmination of Republic Day celebrations, got underway at the Vijay Chowk here on Monday. The Raisina Hills in the heart of the national capital reverberated with the sound of captivating and foot-tapping Indian tunes played by military and paramilitary bands. President and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Droupadi Murmu arrived at the venue in the traditional 'buggy' adding to the old-world charm of the event that traces its origins to the early 1950s. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and several union ministers, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, the three service chiefs, senior officials, besides the general public are attending the mega event.

Bolstering PM Modi's vision of zero tolerance against terror, SIMI has been declared 'Unlawful Association' for five years under UAPA, says Amit Shah. SIMI found fomenting terrorism, disturbing peace and communal harmony to threaten sovereignty, security, integrity of Bharat.

Edtech major Byju’s to raise $200 million through rights issue.

Gail (India), on Monday, reported Q3 net PAT of Rs 2,843 crore. Its Q3 revenue from operations stands at Rs 34,254 crore. The company's year ago net PAT was Rs 246 crore and revenue was Rs 3,538 crore.

A parliamentary committee examining a bill seeking to raise the age of marriage of women from the present 18 years to 21 has been given another extension to table its report. The Budget session of Parliament beginning January 31 is the last session of the present Lok Sabha before parliamentary elections are announced. The committee will now finalise its report by May following the four-month extension while the term of the 17th Lok Sabha ends on June 16. The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha and remains pending there, is likely to lapse when the tenure of the House ends in June. Bills introduced in the Lok Sabha and pending there as well as those passed by the Rajya Sabha and pending in the lower house lapse on the dissolution of the Lok Sabha.

Indian Navy warship INS Sumitra is rescuing fisherman who were hijacked by Somali pirates 700 nautical miles west of Kochi in the Arabian Sea, ANI reported. The fishing vessel belonged to Iran and there were 17 crew members. The ship was hijacked by Somali pirates, defence officials in the know said.

Elections for 56 Rajya Sabha in 15 states will be conducted on on february 27. The last date for filing nomination papers will be February 15, according to a report published in India Today.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday addressed the seventh edition of Pariksha Par Charcha at the Bharat Mandapam in the national capital. The programme is a part of the larger movement- 'Exam Warriors'. During his address, Prime Minister Modi suggests parents, teachers, and students on diverse topics, ranging from tackling pressure in the exam hall to optimise their use of technology and social media platforms. While addressing these concerns, he also suggests parents to never sow the seeds of competition among children and rather they should be motivated to take inspiration from one another.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to interact with students today on 'Pariksha Pe Charcha'. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, PM Modi on Sunday wrote, 'Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow at 11 am for 'Pariksha Pe Charcha'. The programme is a part of the larger movement, known as 'Exam Warriors', led by PM Modi, in order to create a stress-free atmosphere. Minister of State for Education, Subhas Sarkar, on Sunday, held a press conference regarding Prime Minister Modi's interactive programme, wherein, students, parents, and teachers from across the nation and overseas interact and discuss ways to overcome the stress that emerges out of examinations.

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Topics :Narendra Modi Rahul Gandhi Joe Biden Indian Navy Pariksha Par Charcha Bihar US Army US Military US Iran tensions Students Somali troops somalia pirates piracy Indian Ocean

First Published: Jan 29 2024 | 9:18 AM IST

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Key Events

Russian opposition figure Kara-Murza has disappeared from prison, colleagues say