Madurai tungsten mining: Centre decides to annul auction of mineral block at Nayakkarpatti

The Union Ministry of Mines on Thursday announced that it has decided to annul the auction of tungsten mineral block at Nayakkarpatti in Madurai district. It may be recalled that locals had carried out a massive rally in Madurai district against the proposal and the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly had last month unanimously adopted a special resolution urging the Union government to immediately cancel the tungsten mining rights granted.

Fire rumour by tea-seller led to Jalgaon train tragedy: Deputy CM Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said the Jalgaon train accident was the result of a “sheer rumour” about fire by a tea-seller inside the Pushpak Express, which led to panic and some passengers jumping off. Some passengers of the Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak Express, who got off the train after an alarm chain-pulling incident, were run over by the Karnataka Express heading from Bengaluru to Delhi on the adjacent tracks in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district on Wednesday (January 22, 2025) evening.

Man kills wife in Hyderabad; cooks her body parts before disposing them in lake

Days after a woman went missing, her husband, an ex-serviceman, confessed that he killed her and disposed her body parts after cooking them. He confessed that he dumped the pieces in a lake at Jillelaguda of Meerpet, a senior official close to the investigation confirmed. He confessed on Wednesday (January 22) amid searches for 35-year-old Venkata Madhavi, who was reported missing from January 18.

Elephants in Kerala religious festivals: Supreme Court refuses urgent hearing of plea to lift stay

The Supreme Court of India on Thursday did not heed an oral plea to urgently take up for hearing an application to lift its Order of December 19, 2024, staying a clutch of directions issued by the Kerala High Court, including that elephants must maintain a minimum distance of three metres from each other at religious festivals, parades and exhibitions.

Arvind Kejriwal promises to end unemployment in Delhi within five years

With voting in Delhi Assembly elections less than two weeks away, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday vowed to eliminate unemployment in the national capital within the next five years. In a video message, the former Delhi Chief Minister emphasised his focus on employment. “My top priority will be to provide employment to our youths. Our team is drafting a detailed plan to address the issue of unemployment,” he said.

Over 500 model code violations reported in Delhi ahead of Assembly polls

Over 500 cases of alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct have been registered so far ahead of the assembly elections in the national capital, an official said on Thursday. The cases were registered between January 7, when the model code came into effect, and January 22. A total of 17,879 people were arrested under various provisions, including the Excise Act, during this period, according to a statement.

Delhi Police launch two AI-based chatbots for effective management of Assembly elections

“As the Delhi Assembly polls draw nearer, the police have introduced two AI-driven chatbots ‘Chunav Mitra’ and ‘Cyber Sarthi’ to assist their personnel and paramilitary forces with their election-related duties,” an officer said. “These bilingual chatbots, available in Hindi and English, will ensure effective management of the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls,” the officer added.

Delhi CM writes to Election Officer accusing Delhi Police of intimidating AAP workers, seeks transfer

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Atishi wrote a letter to the Election Officer of Delhi, alleging that Delhi Police is trying to close the complaint against BJP workers who allegedly intimidated AAP volunteers on January 21 and 22 and sought transfers of accused police officials. CM Atishi has written that AAP workers are being pressured to sign false statements by police that mention that no violence or intimidation took place.

Hight Court seeks NIA’s stand on J&K MP Rashid Engineer’s plea in terror case

The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought the stand of the NIA on Jammu and Kashmir MP Rashid Engineer’s plea on the issue of granting him bail in a terror-funding case. Justice Vikas Mahajan asked the agency to file its response and listed the matter for further hearing on January 30.

National Human Rights Commission faults probe of Foxconn hiring, orders new inquiry

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has admonished Labour Dept. officials for failure to adequately investigate evidence of employment discrimination at Foxconn, which makes Apple iPhones, and told them to re-examine the matter, documents show. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), in June, ordered the Union and Tamil Nadu State Dept. officials to probe Foxconn’s hiring practices, after a Reuters investigation found the manufacturer excluded married women from iPhone assembly jobs at its southern India plant. Foxconn relaxed the ban during high-production periods, Reuters found.

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma gets 3 months jail in cheque bounce case; arrest warrant issued

A court here has sentenced filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma to three months imprisonment in a cheque bounce case and issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him. Judicial Magistrate (First Class) in Andheri, Y P Pujari, on Tuesday (January 21, 2025) convicted Varma for the offence punishable under the provisions of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The court has also directed the filmmaker to pay a compensation of ₹3,72,219 to the complainant within three months from the date of the order. The detailed order was not available yet.

U.S. sanctions hit Russian oil supply to India; BPCL says supplies may be impacted

The wide-ranging sanctions imposed by the U.S. on the Russian oil sector have started to dent near-term oil flows to India with state-owned Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL) saying not enough cargoes are available for March. The U.S. on January 10 issued sweeping sanctions targeting the Russian energy sector. The measures include sanctions on Russian oil producers Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, the blacklisting of 183 vessels involved in Russian energy exports, and curbs on dozens of oil traders, oilfield service providers, tanker owners and managers, insurance companies and energy officials.

Union government sends notices to Uber, Ola over pricing disparity on Apple and Android phones

A Union government body has sent notices to ride-hailing firms Ola and Uber over alleged differential pricing for Android and Apple phones, Consumer Affairs Minister, Pralhad Joshi, said in a post on X on Thursday. The move comes after several reports by local media and complaints by users on social media that iPhone users were charged higher prices for the same ride than those using phones that ran on Android operating systems.

LGBTQ+ couples in Thailand register their marriages on the first day of law giving them equal status

Hundreds of LGBTQ+ couples in Thailand are expected to make their wedded status legal on Thursday, the first day a law took effect granting them the same rights as heterosexual couples. The enactment of the Marriage Equality Act makes Thailand the first country in Southeast Asia and the third place in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, after Taiwan and Nepal. Marriage registration is customarily done at district offices, but on Thursday, around 300 couples are expected to complete the formalities at a daylong gala celebration in an exhibition hall at a shopping mall in central Bangkok. Hundreds more are predicted to register in less fancy circumstances around the country.

Israeli forces kill two Palestinian militants who carried out West Bank bus attack

Israeli forces have killed two Palestinian militants who carried out a deadly attack on a bus in the West Bank earlier this month. The Israeli military said on Thursday that the two men barricaded themselves in a structure in the West Bank village of Burqin and exchanged fire with Israeli troops before they were killed overnight. The army said a soldier was moderately wounded.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels release crew of commercial vessel seized in Red Sea in November 2023

Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Wednesday released the crew of the Galaxy Leader, a vehicle carrier seized in November 2023 at the start of their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea corridor over the Israel-Hamas war. The move by the Iranian-backed Houthis marks their latest effort to de-escalate their attacks following a ceasefire in Gaza. However, it came as U.S. President Donald Trump moved to reinstate a terrorism designation he made on the group late in his first term that President Joe Biden had revoked, potentially setting the stage for new tensions with the rebels.

Islamic State claims responsibility for Chinese national killed in Afghanistan

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the killing of a Chinese national in Afghanistan’s northern Takhar province, in a post on its Telegram channel late on Wednesday. Afghan police in the province had said on Wednesday that a Chinese citizen was murdered and a preliminary investigation had been launched, but it was not clear who was behind the attack.

Trump says he may withhold federal aid for Los Angeles if California doesn’t change water policies

President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to withhold federal disaster aid for wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles unless California leaders change the state’s approach on its management of water. In a Fox News interview, Mr. Trump repeated false claims that the state’s fish conservation efforts in the northern part of the state are responsible for fire hydrants running dry in urban areas. He says the blame for Los Angeles’ struggles to tame some of the deadly fires lies with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, a political foe who has called for partnership and mutual respect as the state fights the blazes.

Australian Open: Sabalenka grinds down Badosa to reach women’s singles final

Double defending champion Aryna Sabalenka overpowered Paula Badosa 6-4 6-2 to reach her third successive Australian Open final on Thursday. Top-seed Sabalenka will meet the winner of second-seed Iga Swiatek versus American Madison Keys in the decider on Saturday as she bids for a fourth Grand Slam title.

Gukesh becomes highest-ranked Indian at 4th in latest FIDE rankings, displaces Erigaisi

Continuing his rapid rise, world champion D. Gukesh dethroned compatriot Arjun Erigiasi to become the highest-ranked Indian chess player, at fourth, in the latest FIDE rankings on Thursday. Gukesh (18) achieved the feat when he logged his second victory in the Tata Steel Tournament in Wijk Aan Zee (Netherlands) defeating Vincent Keymer of Germany.