Natioanal

Northern India continues to reel under biting cold, dense fog, and an intense cold wave. Residents of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Odisha are unlikely to see relief from the chill over the next 2–3 days, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Delhi-NCR Cold Continues Delhi-NCR will experience another cold day on January 17, with minimum temperatures around 6°C and maximum around 23°C. Moderate fog is expected in the morning and evening, though no specific weather warnings have been issued. On January 18, temperatures are expected to remain between 7°C and 23°C, with fog persisting. Cold Wave Alerts Across North India The IMD has issued alerts ranging from cold wave to severe cold wave for several states. Northern India rem...

New Delhi: Congress has targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a media report concerning the Chabahar port project, alleging that the PM is yielding to American pressure. The party claimed that India has quietly stepped back from the strategic project under US influence, undermining the country’s foreign policy. The government, however, has not made any official statement on the matter. Why is Congress Angered?Pawan Khera, Chairman of Congress’s media cell, emphasized the strategic importance of Chabahar. He said the port provides India with a crucial maritime route to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan and countering China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Khera remarked, “To hear that India has retreated from Chabahar under minor US pressure, silently and without any pu...

New Delhi: In a heartwarming display of sports diplomacy, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar exchanged cricket memorabilia with his Japanese counterpart, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, during the latter’s visit to India on Friday. Jaishankar presented Motegi, an avid cricket fan, with a bat signed by the Indian cricket team. In return, Motegi gifted Jaishankar the official jersey of the Japanese national cricket team, highlighting their shared passion for the sport. Sharing pictures from the meeting on his social media account X, Jaishankar wrote that he was delighted to welcome Foreign Minister Motegi to India and was even more thrilled to discover a fellow cricket enthusiast. “In the spirit of our shared love for the game, I feel honored to receive the national...

New Delhi: In a major geopolitical and economic move, India has strengthened its footprint in Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical sector, dealing a significant blow to Pakistan’s longstanding dominance in the market. Indian medicines are now rapidly replacing Pakistani brands, reshaping the regional supply chain and boosting Afghanistan’s healthcare access. India’s Strategic Move Against PakistanHistorically, Pakistan dominated Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical imports, supplying 70–85% of the country’s medicines. But recent political and economic shifts, combined with border tensions, have accelerated India’s entry. Afghan blogger Fazal Afghan reported that Indian medicines were four times cheaper than comparable Pakistani or Turkish brands, offering better results and significantly reducing costs...

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has delivered a significant ruling on financial bankruptcy, clarifying that Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) or any housing societies cannot intervene when a bank or financial institution initiates insolvency proceedings against a real estate developer. The Court emphasized that such matters fall strictly between the creditor and the debtor. Bench ObservationsA bench comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan noted during the hearing that when a company is subjected to insolvency proceedings under Section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), the matter is exclusively between the lender and the borrower. Consequently, third-party organizations like RWAs or housing societies have no right to participate, either at the initial hearing or ...

New Delhi: The blockbuster film Dhurandhar has sparked controversy over its portrayal of the 1999 Kandahar plane hijacking (IC-814) and India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Critics and some reports allege that certain facts have been distorted for cinematic effect. Claims of ExaggerationAn article in The Caravan magazine claims that the scene depicting passengers chanting “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” on the hijacked flight has no concrete historical record and was included solely for narrative purposes. While the film references the RAW chief at the time, it does not specify who held the post then. The article further alleges that the film exaggerated certain aspects, portraying the release of three terrorists as a political compulsion, while making intelligence personnel appear mor...

New Delhi: In the ongoing $36 billion deal for 114 multi-role fighter aircraft (MRFA) or Rafale jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF), it has been confirmed that the transfer of source code is mandatory, with no room for compromise. The decision underscores India’s commitment to self-reliance in defence technology. Earlier, experts had raised concerns that if the source code was not transferred, the deal could prove costly in the long run. According to reports in The New Indian Express, the ongoing negotiations with the French company have now clarified that source code transfer will be part of the agreement. The procurement process is underway and is expected to be submitted soon to the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) for approval. Use of Indigenous Weapons EnsuredThe report also cl...

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the writ petition filed by Justice Yashwant Verma challenging the formation of an inquiry committee under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, in connection with the impeachment motion against him. Justice Verma’s petition sought to contest the Lok Sabha Speaker’s decision to constitute the committee following an impeachment notice filed after cash was recovered from his official residence. After hearing the arguments from senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi on behalf of Justice Verma and Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta representing the Lok Sabha Secretariat on 8 January, the bench reserved its verdict. Today, a bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra pronounced the decision, refusing to interfere with the Speaker’s de...