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10:50 AM

Bharat Jodo Yatra resumes from Dodwa-Taraori crossing in Haryana on Day 114

The Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi saw people walking with enthusiasm as the yatra resumed from the Dodwa-Taraori crossing Sunday morning. On the 114th day of the yatra, party leaders Selja Kumari and Deepender Singh Hooda joined Rahul Gandhi.

The yatra will stop for a night halt at Pratapgarh GT Road in Kurukshetra.

The supporters seemed excited despite the cold wave conditions and dense fog witnessed all over north India, including Haryana.

Supporters carrying posters for the yatra could also be spotted along with a drum procession.

 

10:33 AM

Himachal Pradesh Cabinet expansion: Seven ministers take oath

A total of 7 MLAs take oath as Cabinet ministers. MLA Vikramaditya Singh, son of former chief minister Virbhadhra Singh, takes oath as a cabinet minister.

Besides him, Dr Dhani Ram Shandil, Chander Kumar, Harshwardhan Chauhan, Jagat Singh Negi, Rohit Thakur and Anirudh Singh took oath.

The swearing-in ceremony was held in presence of Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri. 

 

10:26 AM

TN CM bats for reviving Sethusamudram project to achieve economic prosperity

The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu has called for reviving the Sethusamudram Ship Canal project in the wake of the Centre's claim on the presence of the real form of Ram Setu in Rameswaram.

Chief Minister M K Stalin batted for reviving the project for economic prosperity of the nation and enhancing the freight handling capacity of Indian ports.

The project, which was started on July 2, 2005 at an estimated cost of Rs 2,500 crore, came to a standstill after protests by environmentalists and Hindu activists against the demolition of the Ram Setu, a symbol of heritage.

The DMK had in the run-up to the 2021 Assembly election promised to complete the project when it comes to power for bringing economic benefits for southern Tamil Nadu.

 

10:07 AM

'Bade log hain': Prashant Kishor on Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' on Saturday won grudging praise, couched in sarcasm, from political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor.

Kishor, who is on a padayatra in his home state Bihar, was asked by journalists in Motihari about parallels, if any, he saw between his own effort and the marathon march of Gandhi.

"Bade log hain (they are big people). Compared with them, I am a nobody," said Kishor whose 'Jan Suraaj' campaign in Bihar came after a lengthy round of failed negotiations with the top leadership of the Congress, which he had wanted to join and was confident of reviving using his professional skills.

"Rahul Gandhi is on a 3,500 km-long march. For me, kilometres do not matter. I have been walking non-stop since October. But I do not want to show it off as evidence of my physical fitness," Kishor remarked, with thinly veiled sarcasm.

 

9:56 AM

IMD's Safdarjung station in Delhi records a minimum temperature of 1.9 degrees Celsius

9:47 AM

Presidents of Guyana, Suriname arrive in India for 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

The presidents of Guyana and Suriname arrived in India to attend the 17th Pravasi Divas convention beginning in Indore on Sunday.

Guyana President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who is on a seven-day visit to the country, is the chief guest at India's biggest diaspora conclave and also a recipient of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award. Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi was received by Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra, Water Resources Minister Tulsi Silawat and other officials upon his arrival in Indore.

Santokhi is the special guest of honour at the Diaspora convention.

Both the leaders are scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi where they will be discussing migration, mobily, food processing and energy.

 

9:45 AM

PM Modi to flag off Ganga Vilas Cruise from Varanasi on January 13

Excitement is high among the people of Varanasi for the Ganga Vilas Cruise, which is scheduled to be virtually flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 13.

 

The cruise, which will start from Varanasi (UP) and end its journey in Dibrugarh (Assam), will cover a distance of nearly 4,000 km in 50 days. It will pass through the rivers of India and Bangladesh and will have halts near important cities like Patna, Kolkata, and Dhaka, officials said.

 

"The Ganga Vilas cruise will have foreign nationals and it will send a message to the people of the world on India's tourism and this cruise will be very helpful in attracting tourists," said Sunil Upadhyay, a resident of Varanasi.

 

9:34 AM

Former WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan honoured at AAPI summit

Former World Health Organisation (WHO) chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan has been awarded the Prof P. Brahmayya Sastry Oration & Dr T. Ravi Raju Excellence Award for her contributions to the healthcare sector. She was presented the award during the 16th Annual Global Healthcare Summit organised by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) in Visakhapatnam on Friday.

Swaminathan, 63, has been a known face at the international media briefings held by WHO to speak on Covid-19, and other global outbreaks like monkeypox and ebola.

"Of the lessons I have learned since the pandemic began, the most important one is the significance of investing in public health and primary healthcare. Countries that invested in primary healthcare over the past decade or two are reaping the benefits now," she said. "Another lesson is the positive role of science and scientists. The global collaboration between scientists to take forward advances in knowledge so that science is continuously informing our response to the pandemic has been encouraging."

9:23 AM

Ashram flyover closed for traffic: Delhi Police issues traffic advisory

Delhi Police has issued a traffic advisory for commuters as the Ashram flyover has been closed for traffic for the construction of a connecting road.

The advisory has suggested alternative routes to commuters as follows:
 

• Those coming from C V Raman Marg should take a right turn at Taimur Nagar cut, Ring Road, to reach Sarai Kale Khan, NH-24, Ghaziabad and Noida.
• Those coming from New Friends Colony, Sukhdev Bihar, Shaheen Bagh, Sarai Julena, and Jamia Nagar have been advised to take Mathura Road, Modi Mill Flyover, Outer Ring Road, Lala Lajpat Rai Marg to reach Lajpat Nagar Market, AlIMS and Dhaula Kuan.
• Commuters from Lajpat Nagar, Defence Colony, Jangpura, Bhogal, and CGO Complex have been advised to follow Lala Lajpat Rai Marg, Outer Ring Road, Modi Mill Flyover, Mathura Road, Sarita Vihar, Badarpur and Faridabad.
• Motorists from Noida should follow Kalindi Kunj, Jasola and Sarita Vihar, to reach IGI Airport, Outer Ring Road, IIT, and Chirag Delhi.
• Those coming from IGI Airport, Outer Ring Road, IIT, Chirag Delhi are advised to follow Modi Mill Flyover, Mathura Road, Sarita Vihar, Jasola, Kalindi Kunj to reach Noida and Badarpur.

9:15 AM

Several flights delayed due to bad weather at Delhi's IGI airport

Several flights from the national capital's Indira Gandhi International airport were delayed early Sunday due to inclement weather and other operational issues, said an official at the Delhi airport.

Cold wave conditions and dense fog over north India disrupted flight operations at the airport. "There was no flight diversion reported till 6 AM," the official added.

On Saturday, the airport authorities had issued an advisory in view of the low-visibility conditions caused due to fog.