News updates: Arunish Chawla elected as revenue secretary

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The government has appointed Arunish Chawla as revenue secretary, according to a government order issued on Wednesday.

  Three people were killed and over 24 were injured after a bus, heading to Haldwani from Almora,  fell into a gorge near Uttarakhand's Bhimtal town today. The bus lost control and fell into a 1,500-ft deep gorge near Bhimtal.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Ken-Betwa River Linking project at Khajuraho by pouring water of 2 rivers from 'kalash'. 

  A passenger plane crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan today and initial reports suggested there were survivors, the Central Asian country's Emergencies Ministry stated today. Emergency services were trying to put out a fire at the crash site.  AAP chief Kejriwal has hit out at the BJP today, stating that the party will try to file a false case to implicate Delhi Chief Minister Atishi. Earlier today, the AAP government’s proposed schemes promising monthly aid to women hit a roadblock on as Delhi’s women welfare and health departments issued public notices warning against registrations for these “non-existent” schemes.

  Flight operations at Delhi airport and train services were affected due to foggy weather conditions. Warning of dense fog in the early morning hours, the Met Department has issued a yellow alert for today. Visibility at Safdarjung, Delhi's official weather station, and Palam were at 100 metres. 

  A proposal by the Mysuru City Corporation council to name a stretch of road in the city after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has evoked strong objections. According to official sources, the proposal calls for naming a stretch of KRS Road from the Lakshmi Venkataramanaswamy temple to the Outer Ring Road junction as 'Siddaramaiah Arogya Marga'. Based on a suggestion by Chamaraja Congress MLA Harish Gowda, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) took the decision at its meeting on November 22. The matter was first placed before the Mysuru deputy commissioner prior to being tabled in the council meeting. The MCC then issued a newspaper notice inviting views from the public on the proposal within 30 days on December 13, the sources said. 

 

Violence that engulfed Mozambique after the country's highest court confirmed ruling Frelimo party presidential candidate Daniel Chapo as the winner of disputed Oct. 9 elections killed at least 21 people, including two police officers, authorities said Tuesday. Mozambique Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda told a news conference in Maputo late Tuesday that a wave of violence and looting was sparked by the court's announcement a day earlier. He said it was led by mostly youthful supporters of losing candidate Venancio Mondlane, who received 24% of the vote, second to Chapo, who got 65 per cent. From the preliminary survey, in the last 24 hours, 236 acts of violence were recorded throughout the national territory that resulted in 21 deaths, of which two members of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique also died," Ronda said. He said 13 civilians and 12 police were injured.

 

 

9:06 PM

Fake Facebook profile created in Goa minister's name; case registered

A case has been registered against an unidentified social media user for creating a fake Facebook profile of Goa Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, a police official said. The minister had lodged a complaint that someone was impersonating him on Facebook, using his photographs and sending friend requests in his name. The case was registered on Tuesday under sections 319 (cheating by impersonation) and 204 (impersonating as a public servant) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Information Technology Act. Further probe was on, the official said.

7:50 PM

One dead, around 20 others rescued after tourist boat capsizes off Calangute beach in North Goa: Police

7:06 PM

Israel accuses Hamas of creating 'new obstacles' to hostage deal

6:41 PM

J&K Bank appoints Amitava Chatterjee as its new MD

6:33 PM

Arunish Chawla elected as revenue secretary

The Indian government has appointed Arunish Chawla as revenue secretary, according to a government order issued on Wednesday.

6:26 PM

India Cements says N. Srinivasan Resigns as CEO, MD

4:56 PM

Latur doctor sent in police custody till Dec 30 in security guard murder case

A court in Maharashtra's Latur city on Wednesday remanded a doctor, arrested for allegedly murdering a security guard working at his hospital, in police custody till December 30. The doctor, Pramod Ghuge, and his nephew Aniket Munde, were booked after the victim, Balu Bharat Dongre, employed as a security guard at the absconding physician's hospital in Latur, died on December 12 and his family alleged murder

4:47 PM

Man preparing for competitive exams dies by suicide in Patna

A 25-year-old man preparing for competitive exams died allegedly by suicide in Patna's Kankarbagh area, police said on Wednesday.The deceased has been identified as Sonu Kumar (25), police said.  Locals and his relatives told police that Sonu, who was preparing for multiple competitive exams, including Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC), was under stress for the last few months due to career anxieties.

4:39 PM

Pakistani airstrikes have killed 46 people in eastern Afghanistan, says Taliban

Pakistan conducted rare airstrikes on suspected Pakistani Taliban hideouts in neighbouring Afghanistan on December 24. The Taliban has stated that the airstrikes have killed 46 people in eastern Afghanistan, mostly women and children.

 

4:29 PM

Giriraj seeks Bharat Ratna for Nitish Kumar, Naveen Patnaik

 Union minister Giriraj Singh on Wednesday said the highest civilian honour, Bharat Ratna, should be conferred upon Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and former CM of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik. "Bihar was known for decrepit roads, schools and buildings until the ascent to power of Nitish Kumar, who took the state to new heights. Likewise, Naveen Patnaik served Odisha for so many years. Leaders like them deserve the highest honour, like Bharat Ratna," he said.

4:10 PM

Supreme Court restrains ED from accessing seized electronic devices of 'lottery king' Santiago Martin

In a significant order, the Supreme Court has restrained the Enforcement Directorate from accessing and copying content from electronic devices seized during searches against Santiago Martin, also known as the "lottery king", his relatives, and employees. The court order of December 13 was passed on a petition of Future Gaming and Hotels Services Pvt Ltd (FGHSPL) and Martin and it may lead to re-think by investigative agencies before they decide to confiscate mobile phones or laptops of accused. The order may come to aid other similarly placed accused.

4:08 PM

News update: Allu Arjun donates Rs 1 crore to 'Pushpa-2' stampede victim's son

3:28 PM

Congress brings out 'white paper' targeting AAP, BJP in Delhi

Delhi Congress today released a 12-point "white paper" targeting the Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP over their alleged unkept promises and mismanagement on various issues like pollution, civic facilities and law and order. "If there is one word to describe former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal here then it would be Farziwal," AICC treasurer Ajay Maken said while releasing the white paper titled "Mauka Mauka, Har Baar Dhoka".

3:19 PM

20 injured as bus overturns in fields on Jalandhar-Jammu NH

A private bus overturned in fields near village Kurala on the Jalandhar-Jammu National Highway on Wednesday, injuring 20 passengers, police said. Tanda SHO Gurwinderjit Singh said nine injured passengers were admitted to the Civil Hospital in Dasuya, while 11 were taken to the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Tanda for treatment.

3:07 PM

NDA leaders meet at BJP chief's residence

Leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) met here at BJP president J P Nadda's residence on Wednesday on the birth centenary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, JD-U leader and Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Apna Dal (S) president and Union minister Anupriya Patel, as well as JD (S) leader and Union minister H D Kumaraswamy, were present at the meeting. Though there was no official word on the agenda of the meeting.