Nation

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday raised critical questions to the Election Commission (EC) regarding the recent Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. The top court sought to know how many voters were removed from the electoral rolls on the grounds of “suspected citizenship.” The matter is being heard by a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. Supreme Court Seeks Clarity on Citizenship-Based RemovalsThe bench pointed out that the Election Commission has so far categorized voter deletions under three main reasons—death, duplication, and migration. Senior Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, representing the EC, was asked whether there exists a separate category for removing names based on “suspected citizenship.” The court emphasized its intent to under...

New Delhi: A frightening incident unfolded at Delhi’s IGI Airport on Thursday morning when Air India Flight AI-101, en route from Delhi to New York, had to return due to the closure of Iranian airspace. During taxiing, a small cargo container was sucked into one of the powerful engines of the Airbus A-350 wide-body aircraft. Miraculously, no fire broke out, and all 300 passengers and crew members escaped unharmed. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered a detailed investigation. The IncidentThe flight, carrying around 300 passengers and crew, had taken off early on January 15. Due to the unexpected closure of Iranian airspace, it was recalled to Delhi. While taxiing on the runway (Runway-28) and moving towards taxiway N/N4IR INDIA, the aircraft’s Engine No.2 drew in...

New Delhi: Northern India continues to shiver under a biting cold wave and dense fog, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing warnings of severe cold over the next 2–3 days. Between January 16 and 21, light to moderate rain and snowfall is expected in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, while Delhi and six other northern states remain under a cold wave alert. Cold and Fog Across North IndiaDelhi-NCR and many other parts of northern India are experiencing harsh winter conditions, compounded by fog and smog. The IMD has issued alerts for Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Odisha, forecasting sustained cold over the next few days, with temperatures gradually expected to rise thereafter. Dense fog is likely to persist ov...

New Delhi: January 16 marks a remarkable chapter in India’s history, celebrating the achievements of a daughter who fulfilled her dream of becoming an astronaut in the United States. Kalpana Chawla, selected twice by NASA for space missions, embarked on her second journey to space on this day in 2003. She flew aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-107), conducting over 80 scientific experiments during the 16-day mission. Tragically, her return to Earth ended in disaster when the shuttle disintegrated on February 1, claiming the lives of Chawla and six other crew members. A Childhood Inspired by the SkiesBorn on March 17, 1962, in Karnal, Haryana, Kalpana Chawla displayed a fascination with the skies and aircraft from an early age. She pursued Aeronautical Engineering at Punjab Engineer...

New Delhi: In a move aimed at preventing cases of “digital arrest,” the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has informed the Supreme Court that banks and telecom companies should be held accountable if their negligence causes financial or other losses to citizens. The statement came during a report filed before the top court by an internal high-level committee set up by the MHA under the Supreme Court’s direction. The committee, headed by the Special Secretary (Internal Security) of the MHA, recommended tightening rules for obtaining SIM cards and suggested that cases above a certain threshold should be investigated by the CBI. The committee also considered the implementation of compensatory mechanisms for victims, ensuring that individuals are not penalized due to system failures or other l...

New Delhi: A severe cold wave continues to sweep across northern India, with temperatures in several parts of Punjab and Haryana approaching freezing point. The chill is not limited to the north; eastern states are also experiencing unusually cold weather, leaving residents struggling to cope. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Hisar in Haryana recorded a minimum temperature of 0.2°C on Thursday, while Delhi registered its lowest January temperature since 2023. Other cities in Haryana saw similarly low readings: Narnaul at 1.5°C, Nuh at 4.6°C, Gurugram at 5.3°C, Ambala at 5°C, Karnal at 4.8°C, Faridabad at 4.1°C, and Rohtak at 4.4°C—around four degrees below normal. Punjab’s coldest spot was Bathinda at 1.6°C. Other readings included Amritsar 5.3°C, Ludhiana 5.2°...

New Delhi: European Union (EU) leaders Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, will be the chief guests at India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations. Every year, India invites global leaders to mark the occasion, underscoring its growing diplomatic engagement. Amid rising concerns over US trade and tariff policies, both sides are expected to sign a long-anticipated free trade agreement (FTA) on January 27. The agreement is seen as a major step to further strengthen bilateral trade, with the EU being India’s largest trading partner. Bilateral trade reached USD 135 billion in FY 2023-24. The three-day visit from January 25 to 27 will see von der Leyen and Costa engaging in high-level discussions to prepare a compreh...

Amid escalating tensions between Iran and the United States, there are growing concerns that Israel could also be affected if the situation escalates into a conflict. In response, the Indian Embassy in Israel has issued an important advisory for all Indian citizens residing in the country. The embassy has urged Indians to remain vigilant and strictly follow all safety instructions issued by Israeli authorities and the Home Front Command. Citizens have also been advised to avoid non-essential travel within the country. For any emergency, the embassy has provided a 24x7 helpline and an email address for assistance: Helpline Numbers: +972-54-7520711, +972-54-3278392 Email: cons1.telaviv@mea.gov.in The advisory emphasizes that all Indians in Israel should exercise extreme caut...

New Delhi:A major mishap was narrowly avoided on Thursday at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport when a large iron container struck the engine of an Air India Airbus A350. Reports suggest that the container penetrated the engine, causing significant damage. Fortunately, no other part of the aircraft was affected, and no injuries were reported. Engine Sustains Severe Damage The impact caused severe damage to the aircraft’s engine, which is now undergoing repairs. Airport authorities confirmed that the incident was contained without further complications. Flight Returns Due to Technical Glitch In a separate incident, Air India Flight AI 2380, bound for Singapore, returned to Delhi shortly after takeoff due to a suspected technical malfunction. Acting on the crew’s precautio...

New Delhi:Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Thursday announced that the Indian Army is evolving into a ‘Future-Ready Force’, designed not only to tackle present-day challenges but also to prepare for the wars of tomorrow. Speaking to the media on the occasion of the Army Day parade, he emphasized that the transformation focuses on creating highly trained soldiers, modernised systems, and capabilities for multi-domain operations. Embracing Technology to Empower Soldiers General Dwivedi clarified that technological advancements in the army are intended to enhance soldiers’ capabilities, not replace them. “Technology increases efficiency, but it cannot substitute human judgment and skill,” he said. Highlighting the importance of agility, he noted that smaller, well-coordinate...