News updates: Dense fog in Delhi, city sees season's longest zero visibility spell

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Dense fog enveloped the national capital on Saturday, reducing visibility to zero for an unprecedented nine-hour stretch, the longest spell of the season, according to the weather department. The dense fog led to the delay of 81 trains while 15 flights got diverted on Saturday, according to officials. "Zero visibility prevailed for nine hours at Palam between 6 pm and 3 am (UTC), marking the longest spell of the season. The city's primary weather station, Safdarjung, recorded eight hours of zero visibility, as per the IMD." With the the maximum temperature in the city settled at 20 degrees Celsius, 0.7 notch above average and the minimum temperature was recorded at 7.8 degrees Celsius, 0.9 notch above the normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

  Flight operations were affected at the Delhi airport on Saturday early morning due to dense fog and IndiGo has temporarily put departures and arrivals on hold. Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), in a post on X at 12.05 am, said that due to dense fog, flight operations have been affected at the airport. "Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted," it said. The airline also said that once operations resume, flights may still encounter delays due to airside congestion. Air India, in an update on X at 1.16 am, said poor visibility due to dense fog is affecting flight operations in Delhi and parts of northern India. On Friday, more than 400 flights were delayed due to bad weather conditions at the airport. 

Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor has vowed to continue his indefinite fast until the Bihar government meets the demands of protesting BPSC students. "There is no question of withdrawing my fast, not until the demands of the students are met. We suggested from our end that the CM should meet the students and together they should bring out a solution. If that happens then I have no problem stopping the fast," he said. The students are calling for the cancellation of the Integrated Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024, conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) on December 13, due to alleged question paper leaks.

 

9:11 PM

Dense fog in Delhi, city sees season's longest zero visibility spell

Dense fog enveloped the national capital on Saturday, reducing visibility to zero for an unprecedented nine-hour stretch, the longest spell of the season, according to the weather department. The dense fog led to the delay of 81 trains while 15 flights got diverted on Saturday, according to officials. "Zero visibility prevailed for nine hours at Palam between 6 pm and 3 am (UTC), marking the longest spell of the season. The city's primary weather station, Safdarjung, recorded eight hours of zero visibility, as per the IMD." With the the maximum temperature in the city settled at 20 degrees Celsius, 0.7 notch above average and the minimum temperature was recorded at 7.8 degrees Celsius, 0.9 notch above the normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

7:31 PM

Stampede-like situation occurred at event of Bageshwar Dham chief Dhirendra Krishna Shastri in Mankoli Naka

6:08 PM

Devajit Saikia set to take over as BCCI secretary, Prabhtej Bhatia likely to become treasurer

5:36 PM

All nine surviving accused in 2006 Nanded bomb blast case acquitted by sessions court

4:26 PM

Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata meets Maharashtra CM Fadnavis

Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata on Saturday met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to discuss collaboration between the Tata Trusts and the government to accelerate the state's economic growth.

 

Fadnavis tweeted about the meeting which took place at the chief minister's official residence in south Mumbai. "We discussed various projects where Tata Trusts and the GoM can collaborate to accelerate our state's growth," he wrote on X.

 

The chief minister thanked Tata for expressing confidence about fostering a strong and enduring partnership between Tata Trusts and the state government.

 

Noel Tata took over as chairman of Tata Trusts last year, succeeding Ratan Tata who died on October 9, 2024.

 

Tata Trusts holds 66 percent stake in Tata Sons, the holding company of the salt-to-software Tata Group.

3:52 PM

Kerala Health Minister says no need to worry over reports of massive flu outbreak in China

3:35 PM

Manipur Guv reviews security situation in state

Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Saturday chaired a meeting with senior police, CRPF, BSF, Assam Rifles officials and reviewed the comprehensive security situation in the state, an official release said.

 

"The Governor of Manipur chaired a security meeting at Raj Bhavan in Imphal today," it said.

 

"Taking stock of the prevailing law and order situation, the Governor reviewed the security apparatus and its arrangements throughout the state, with a particular focus on border areas," the release issued by Raj Bhavan said.

 

The Governor directed the state DGP to prioritize the safety and security of the people and urged officers from the Army and paramilitary forces to extend their fullest cooperation to the administration in maintaining law and order in the state.

 

Security Advisor to Manipur government, Kuldiep Singh, DGP Rajiv Singh, IGAR (South) Maj Gen Ravroop Singh and senior officers of CRPF and BSF attended the security meeting, it said.

 

Bhalla, a former Union Home secretary, took oath as the 19th governor of Manipur on Friday.

3:32 PM

Data protection rules balance regulation & innovation while safeguarding citizens' rights: Vaishnaw

The draft protection rules released by the government create a balance between regulation and innovation while completely protecting citizen rights, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday. The government issued draft rules for the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act on Friday for public consultation till February 18.

2:59 PM

Govt permits export of 200K tonne wheat to Nepal

The government has permitted exports of two lakh tonne of wheat to Nepal, according to a notification issued today. The export is permitted through National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL), the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in the notification. NCEL is a company set up with cooperative societies as its promoters.

2:56 PM

2 soldiers killed, 3 critically hurt in J&K's Bandipora as Army truck skids off road

Two soldiers lost their lives, and three others were critically injured in an accident in Bandipora district, Jammu and Kashmir. The accident took place when the truck, carrying military personnel, skidded off the road.

 

2:50 PM

Army vehicle falls into gorge in J-K's Bandipora, four soldiers injured

At least four Army personnel were injured when their vehicle met with an accident in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district, officials said on Saturday. An Army vehicle skidded off the road and fell into a gorge near SK Payen in the north Kashmir district, they said. The officials added that at least four soldiers were injured in the accident and they had been rushed to a hospital.

2:43 PM

Flight operations resume at Srinagar airport after fog-led disruption

Flight operations at the Srinagar airport resumed after dense fog that had engulfed parts of Kashmir hit air traffic to and from the valley for several hours on Saturday, officials said. Operations resumed after the morning's first flight landed at 11:13 am, they said. Air traffic was restored after the visibility improved. Flight operations were going on normally after some delays, the officials said.

2:34 PM

BJP holds agitation demanding Minister Priyank Kharge's resignation over contractor's suicide

The BJP on Saturday staged a protest here demanding the resignation of Minister Priyank Kharge in connection with the suicide of a Bidar-based civil contractor. BJP State President B Y Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, Legislative Council Leader of Opposition Chalavadi Narayanaswamy led the protest. The saffron party leaders gathered at Jagat Circle in large numbers holding placards, raising slogans against the Minister amid tight security presence.

2:29 PM

Seven soldiers injured as Army truck rolls down hill in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipore

2:26 PM

Beed sarpanch murder: Dhananjay Munde should stay out of cabinet, demands NCP MLA

NCP MLA Prakash Solanke on Saturday suggested that the party leader and minister Dhananjay Munde be ousted from the Maharashtra ministry to ensure a fair probe in the Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case. Solanke is the first Nationalist Congress Party leader and second from the Mahayuti coalition to target Munde, an MLA from Beed district. BJP MLA Suresh Dhas has been criticising Munde, without taking his name, for crime in Beed.