Farmers Suspend 'Delhi Chalo' March After Tear Gas Shelling at Shambhu Border

 The members of the 16th Finance Commission, led by former NITI Aayog vice chairman Arvind Panagariya, reached Kerala on Sunday for a three-day visit.

The team was accorded a reception at the international airport here under the aegis of state Finance Minister K N Balagopal.

The minister later said a detailed memorandum has been prepared to be submitted to the Finance Commission.

Expressing hope that the state would get due consideration in the new Finance Commission report, he said the matters wound be presented before the Commission by pointing out its peculiarities.

Kerala would make the presentation with proposals to resolve the "imbalance" in the distribution of tax share to the state, he said, adding that the state would also convince the Finance Commission regarding the steps to be taken to provide the deserving grants on time.

A day after a Congress office was allegedly vandalised in this Kerala district, the party's state chief K Sudhakaran on Sunday warned that CPI(M) offices could be demolished overnight.

Addressing party workers at the inauguration of a new Congress office in Venduttayi, which had allegedly been vandalised by unidentified people on Saturday, Sudhakaran claimed it would only take 10 Congress workers to "bring down" CPI(M) offices in a single night.

"We do not promote violence but, if you say it is required, we will retaliate in the same way," he said.

"Ten Congress workers will be sent at night and they are enough to demolish CPI(M) offices," Sudhakaran told the party workers.

Late on Saturday, a new Congress booth committee office at Venduttayi, near Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's hometown of Pinarayi, was allegedly vandalised.

The Congress has accused the CPI(M) of orchestrating the vandalism.

A "big" fire broke out at a steel company in Maharashtra’s Palghar district on Sunday night, an official said.

There are no reports of any injuries in the fire that erupted in the factory in Boisar area around 10.15 pm, the official said, quoting District Disaster Management Officer Vivekanand Kadam.

An official with the Boisar MIDC fire station told PTI that three fire engines were rushed to the spot to douse the fire.

Huge plumes of flames rising from the factory could be seen from a long distance.

The cause of the blaze is being probed, the official said. 

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said he has no magic wand to set everything right within no time, asserting that his party-led government in Jammu and Kashmir will fulfil all its election promises made to people of the Union Territory.

The former chief minister also sought support of voters in the panchayat and Urban Local Bodies (ULB) elections likely to be held early next year.

All Indian nationals in Syria are safe, government sources were quoted as saying by news agency PTI on Sunday, hours after Islamist rebels captured power in Damascus evicting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power. 

The Indian embassy continues to remain operational in Damascus, they said. The sources said the embassy is in touch with all Indian nationals, and they are safe.

Fresh snowfall in the tourist resort town of Gulmarg on Sunday brought cheer to Kashmir's tourism stakeholders.

The Gulmarg bowl, as it is popularly known, witnessed snowfall in the afternoon. The snowfall was going on when the last report was received, officials said.

They said two to three inches of snow had accumulated, according to the latest report.

Snowfall was also recorded in several areas, including the Kupwara and the Baramulla districts of north Kashmir, the officials said.

The Met office has forecast wet weather for the next 24 hours, with the possibility of light snowfall in parts of south Kashmir.

The snowfall brightened the hopes of better winter tourism in Kashmir, which witnessed a relatively dry winter last year.

Security has been tightened in Haryana's Panipat for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit on Monday for the launch of LIC's Bima Sakhi Yojana, officials said.

Modi will also be laying the foundation stone of the main campus of the Maharana Pratap Horticultural University.

The initiative of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is designed to empower women aged 18-70 years, who are class X pass, they said.

This will be Modi's second visit to Haryana after the formation of the BJP government in October. Earlier, he had attended the oath-taking ceremony of Nayab Singh Saini as the chief minister and his Cabinet on October 18 in Panchkula.

BJP formed the government for the third consecutive time in Haryana after the Assembly polls in October.

In line with his commitment to women empowerment and financial inclusion, Modi will launch 'Bima Sakhi Yojana' in Panipat, a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office said.

Senior BJP leader Satish Poonia said around one lakh women will welcome Modi at the launch event of the scheme. Poonia Sunday visited the venue of Modi's event and took stock of the preparations.

 Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday said that "Viksit Bharat" is no longer a dream, but a target that has to be achieved with the collective efforts of the citizens, keeping the message of the Bhagavad Gita in mind.

He also warned people about forces that want to hurt India.

"We have chosen the path of Viksit Bharat in 2047. Viksit Bharat is no longer a dream, but a target before us. To achieve it, we will have to keep the message of the Gita in mind.... Like Arjuna was focused on his target, we will have to have the same vision, the same determination, the same concentration," Dhankhar said.

Addressing an event here during the ongoing International Gita festival, the vice president said he has no doubt in his mind that the target of a developed India will be achieved with the collective efforts of the people of the country by 2047 or even before that.

"The role of 'sathi' and 'sarathi' is critical. India has witnessed this over the last 10 years -- unprecedented economic progress, the creation of incredible institutional frameworks and an unparalleled status and respect at the global level, which was once unimaginable," Dhankhar said He added that India's voice resonates strongly today.

The vice president emphasised the need for a "Panchamrit" model of governance inspired by the teachings of the Gita.

"I deeply reflected on what message I could deliver from this sacred place that every citizen can adopt without relying on others. I propose five fundamental principles from the Gita, which I call the Panchamrit of governance, that every citizen can implement with a strong resolve," he said.

Senior Delhi BJP leader and former Union minister Vijay Goel on Sunday led a protest march in Ghazipur against the garbage crisis and the growing landfill in the national capital.

Attacking the AAP government, Goel said, "Over the past 10 years, the Kejriwal government has failed to address issues like pollution, broken roads, deteriorating public services and the growing garbage crisis. Instead, they keep asking for more time without taking any concrete steps." He also accused the government of neglecting the city's waste management and said that it has led to severe health problems among residents near landfill sites.

Goel alleged that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) disposes of over 3,400 tonnes of fresh waste daily at sites like Ghazipur and Bhalswa, with little progress in reducing the existing waste mound.

"If Kejriwal stops giving freebies, AAP candidates will not even be able to save their deposits in the elections. The government has no achievements to show and has turned Delhi into a garbage dump," the BJP leader added.

Former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar on Sunday criticised the CPI(M)-led LDF government and the Congress-led UDF opposition for failing to deliver justice to the residents of Munambam, who are protesting the Waqf Board’s claim over their properties.

Addressing the protesters at Munambam, Javadekar accused the state government of attempting to downplay the issue by appointing a judicial commission, calling it a "ploy to mislead the people." He said that the Munambam dispute could only be resolved permanently through an amendment to the Waqf Act, which would address the alleged overreach of Waqf Board powers.

"The Waqf Amendment Act, aimed at removing arbitrary powers of the Waqf Board and ensuring accountability and transparency, will be introduced in the upcoming budget session of Parliament," Javadekar added.

 The Trinamool Congress on Sunday raised the pitch on the demand to make its chief Mamata Banerjee the leader of the INDIA bloc, with party MP Kirti Azad saying she is the "most suitable" for the job as she is the only leader who has repeatedly defeated the BJP.

West Bengal Chief Minister Banerjee's statement signalling her intent to take charge of the opposition alliance drew support from NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar who described her as a capable leader, while RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav stressed that the decision must be reached through consensus.

"We have no issue with Mamata Banerjee leading the bloc, but keeping in mind there are so many senior politicians in the anti-BJP coalition, there's a need to sit together and take a collective decision on choosing a leader," Yadav told reporters in Kolkata on Sunday.

Asked about Banerjee's remarks, Pawar said on Saturday that the Trinamool Congress chief has the right to show her intent to head the opposition alliance.

The BJP on Sunday alleged that former Congress president Sonia Gandhi has links to an organisation financed by the George Soros Foundation and which has backed the idea of Kashmir as an independent nation.

This association shows the influence of foreign entities in India's internal affairs, the ruling party said in a series of posts on X.

Meanwhile, notwithstanding the US' dismissal of BJP's allegations that it is backing attempts to destabilise India, party MP Nishikant Dubey said he would pose 10 questions to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha on the issue.

He said media portal Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and Hungarian-American businessman have colluded with the opposition to ruin India's economy and defame the Modi government.

After a brief respite, Delhi's air quality plunged again into the 'very poor' category with an AQI reading of 302 after having improved to the ‘moderate’ level at the start of December.

The air quality was last recorded in the 'very poor' category on November 30, with a reading of 346.

The city's 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 302 at 4 pm on Sunday, showing a decline from Saturday's reading of 233, which fell in the 'poor' category.

Out of the city's 38 air quality monitoring stations, 23 reported 'very poor' air quality on Sunday, up from just two on Saturday.

 Lead by Himachal Pradesh BJP president Rajiv Bindal, hundreds of party workers from parts of Sirmour district on Sunday took out a march and held a public meeting here against the alleged betrayal of the public by the Congress government.

Rajya Sabha MP Indu Goswami and Lok Sabha MP Suresh Kashyap, former minister Sukhram Chaudhari, Pachhad MLA Reena Kashyap and other leaders of the BJP also participated in the protest.

The BJP workers came from all six BJP mandals in the district and assembled here at the Hindu Ashram. Holding placards with slogans against the state government, they accused the ruling Congress of non-performance on all fronts and cheating people by making false promises during the last assembly election.

The protest march passed through the Mall road and the Gunnu Ghat bazaar before reaching the Bada Chowk in the heart of the town in the afternoon, where the BJP workers held a public meeting.

Addressing the workers, Bindal alleged that the state government had not fulfilled election guarantees and was spreading lies every day to misguide the people.

He claimed that the people of Himachal Pradesh were fed up with the Sukhu government.

The Congress on Sunday said that leaders of INDIA bloc parties from violence-hit Manipur would go ahead with their protest against the BJP-led NDA governments in the state and at the Centre at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on December 9.

State Congress chief spokesperson Hareshwar Goswami told reporters here that INDIA bloc leaders from Manipur would hold the demonstration on Monday in the national capital, irrespective of whether the permission for the proposed programme is granted or not.

Manipur Congress president Keisham Meghachandra has been making all arrangements in Delhi for the protest since November 25, he said.

Several leaders and office bearers of the INDIA bloc, including five MLAs of Manipur Congress, are already in the national capital for the protest, Goswami said.

Leaders of CPI(M), Trinamool Congress, AAP and NCP from Manipur would join the protest in the national capital, he said.

"We had planned for a protest on December 6 in Delhi but had to be postponed due to certain inconveniences. Now, whether we are given permission or not by the Centre, we will go ahead with the protest on Monday. It could be a sit-in or any other form of protest. We have taken our stand to stage the demonstration," Goswami said here.

His comment comes after a delegation of leaders from 10 political parties, representing the INDIA bloc, held a press conference in New Delhi on December 6 and claimed that they were denied permission to hold a sit-in at Jantar Mantar.

The Himachal Pradesh BJP has increased its organisational mandals from 74 to 171 in the state, state party chief Rajeev Bindal said on Sunday.

In a statement issued here, Bindal said the mandals have been constituted by a delimitation committee and the restructuring has been approved by the central leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Of the 171 mandals, 16 have been constituted in Chamba district, 13 each in Sundernagar, Mahasu, Solan, Mandi, 12 each in Kullu, Nurpur, and Sirmour, 10 each in Palampur, Una and Hamirpur, nine in Kangra, eight in Bilaspur, six each in Shimla and Dehra, five in Kinnaur and three in Lahaul and Spiti.

He further said this restructuring would significantly strengthen the party's organisational framework in the state and ensure better coordination and outreach at the grassroots level.

The relationship or absence of it between Israel and Iran has been a source of concern and some of India's diplomatic efforts are focused on that aspect, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday.

In an address at the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain, Jaishankar, without directly referring to attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea by Houthi militants, said India has an interest in trying to mitigate the security situation.

Jaishankar, on a two-day visit to Bahrain from Saturday, touched upon various issues, including how to prevent conflicts from spreading further, the importance of key connectivity projects and the need to improve the security situation in the region.

"In recent times, for all of us, the relationship or absence of it between Israel and Iran has been particularly a source of concern, so some of our diplomatic efforts have focused on that particular aspect," he said.

There have been mounting global concerns over escalating tensions between Iran and Israel in the last few months.

Protests were held in various parts of West Bengal on Sunday over the alleged atrocities on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.Hundreds of people joined the protest rallies organised by Hindutva groups in Kolkata, Kanthi, Kakdwip, Sandeshkhali and Purulia, calling for the immediate release of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das.

Delhi's air quality took a downturn on Sunday, plunging again into the 'very poor' category with an AQI reading of 302 after having improved to the 'moderate' level at the start of December. The air quality had last been recorded in the 'very poor' category on November 30, with a reading of 346.

 Taking a swipe at the INDIA bloc, senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Sunday said "wrestling" is going on within the opposition alliance with competing ambitions leading to "chaos" within its ranks.The Congress, when it was in power, used to "get hit wicket" every day and now in opposition, it is "creating a record of bowling no balls", Naqvi told reporters in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur.

Election promises of the ruling Congress, attack on government officials during public hearing for land acquisition and Musir river redevelopment are among the issues likely to figure prominently during the winter session of Telangana Assembly beginning on December 9.

The session assumes significance as it coincides with the first anniversary of the Congress government which assumed office on December 7 last year.

The session is expected to witness heated exchanges between the opposition and the treasury benches on various issues concerning the government's performance.

While the government would showcase its achievements, the opposition BRS and BJP plan to forcefully raise the alleged failures of the Revanth Reddy regime.

"During the first year, your government set a record in farm loan waiver, crop bonus, jobs creation, investments. Our women welfare schemes, caste census, and environmental-centred urban development policies are being discussed for emulation by other governments," Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said in a post on social media platform X on Sunday.

However, the BRS released a 'chargesheet' against the Congress government on Sunday, while the BJP had issued its own 'chargesheet' on December 1.

BRS MLA T Harish Rao, a nephew of party president K Chandrasekhar Rao, who released the 'chargesheet' alleged that the Congress rule during the last one year is a 'saga of endless deceit'.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday launched the distribution of additional input assistance of Rs 800 over and above the MSP of Rs 2,300 per quintal of paddy to the farmers of the state.

The state government paid additional input assistance of Rs 66 crore to more than 16,000 farmers through DBT on Sunday.

Addressing a gathering at Sohela in Bargarh district, Majhi said, "Today will be a historic day for Odisha. For farmers, this will be written in golden letters as the government has reached out to them to provide them an accurate price for their paddy." To give respect to the farmers, the government has started providing additional input assistance of Rs 800 over and above the MSP of Rs 2,300 per quintal of paddy to the farmers of the state, he said.

"I am very happy with launching this initiative for the farmers," he said.

The government has selected Sohela to launch the distribution of the additional input subsidy because the area is treated as a hub of farmers, he said.

Former chief minister Naveen Patnaik had given a false promise to provide a Rs 100 bonus to the farmers in 2016, Majhi alleged.

Police sprang into action after an unidentified caller claimed that bombs had been at three major commuter stations in Lucknow on Sunday morning, but it turned out to be a hoax.

The call received around 8 am through Dial 112 emergency service indicated the presence of bombs at Hussainganj Metro Station, Charbagh Railway Station and Alambagh Bus Station, officials said.

The police and security forces were alerted and teams of bomb disposal experts and dog squads were dispatched to the sites.

"The police teams, along with the bomb squad, conducted a thorough search of the stations. No suspicious objects or explosives were discovered at any of the sites," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Manisha Singh said.

The officials stated that the bomb threat was a hoax.

"No explosives or dangerous materials were found, and the public was assured that there was no threat to their safety," Singh said.

The police are tracking the phone number from which the hoax call was made and efforts are on to arrest the caller, said the officer.

The Government of Andhra Pradesh in collaboration with state-owned Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) has launched three transformative programmes to drive energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, and economic empowerment across the state, according to a statement.

The EESL is a joint venture of PSUs under the Ministry of Power.

The first programme launched, the URJAVEER, developed by EESL, aims to empower 1 lakh individuals in Andhra as "Urjaveers" – ambassadors for energy efficiency who promote appliances available on EESLmart.in through affiliate-based marketing, EESL said in the statement.

Under this programme, any Indian citizen aged 18 and above can register on the Urjaveer platform, complete a short skill training on energy efficiency, and promote products like BEE 5-star LED bulbs, BLDC fans, air conditioners, and induction cooktops using unique QR codes.

The second initiative focuses on the distribution of energy-efficient appliances to economically vulnerable households under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) initiative.

Under this programme, EESL, in partnership with the Andhra Pradesh State Housing Company Ltd (APSHCL), will supply a minimum of 6 lakh LED bulbs, 3 lakh LED battens, and 3 lakh five-star-rated BLDC fans, with each beneficiary household receiving 4 LED bulbs, 2 LED battens, and 2 BLDC fans.

Farmers suspended 'Delhi Chalo' march for day after some of them suffer injuries due to tear gas shells at Shambhu along Punjab-Haryana border. 

 The Airports Authority Of India is all set to celebrate 100 years of flight operations at Kolkata airport, officials said on Sunday.

Flight operations in Kolkata airport started in 1924.

"The Airports Authority of India proudly celebrates 100 Glorious Years of #KolkataAirport @aaikolairport, a gateway that has seamlessly bridged the world with the soul of #WestBengal. Originally known as #DumDumAirport, this Iconic Airport stands as a testament to Timeless Brilliance, where History Whispers, Culture Thrives & the Skies Unite," AAI Kolkata Airport said in a post on X.

"A Century of Excellence, welcoming the world to the City of Joy!" it said.

According to sources at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport, the celebrations will begin from the third week of December and will continue till March end next year.

There is a possibility that Union Civil Aviation minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu will be present at the inauguration of 100 years celebrations of the airport, sources said, adding that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee may also be present on the occasion.

"We have lined up a number of events for the celebrations," Director of NSCBI airport Dr Pravat Ranjan Beuria told PTI over phone.

A search operation was launched in the Hiranagar town area of Kathua district following suspicious movement of three persons on Sunday, officials said.

Speaking to reporters, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kathua Shobhit Saxena said that since Sunday night, a joint operation has been carried out to search the area in collaboration with the Army, Special Operations Group (SOG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and other agencies.

"There was some suspected movement. So, we responded within one hour. Since last night, together with Army, SOG, CRPF and others, we searched the entire area. Aerial surveillance is also being done. So, let's see what happens. We had reports about the presence of 3-4 people. We are corroborating this, people are being questioned. Search continues," SSP Kathua said.

 A 22-year-old man was allegedly stabbed to death here following a dispute over Rs 100 while gambling, police said on Sunday.

The incident took place in Pachpahara village of Sadar area when a dispute broke out between two groups late Saturday, they said.

Nilesh was attacked with a sharp-edged weapon by the people of one group, resulting in his death, Superintendent of Police Palash Bansal said.

Gold chains, mobile phones and cash cumulatively valued at Rs 12 lakh were stolen during the swearing-in ceremony of the Mahayuti government at the sprawling Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on December 5, a police official said on Sunday.

FIRs have been lodged against unidentified persons and efforts are on to nab the accused, the Azad Maidan police station official said.

The ceremony, in which BJP stalwart Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as chief minister and Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde and NCP leader Ajit Pawar as his deputies, was a grand affair with top names of industry, cinema and politics in attendance, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Two people died while another was injured when their motorcycle collided with another motorcycle in UP's Barabanki, police said on Sunday.

The accident occurred in Fatehpur tehsil area on Saturday night when Umakant Singh(45) and Rajesh Kumar (55) were travelling and crashed into Ankit's (25) motorcycle, they said.

The injured were taken to Community Health Center Suratganj where doctors declared Singh and Kumar brought dead, the police said.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Sunday said Greater Noida farmers, currently jailed, have gone on a hunger strike.

"Farmers from Greater Noida, currently imprisoned in the District Jail of Gautam Buddha Nagar, have gone on a hunger strike to defend their rights and interests," SKM said in a statement.

They said the farmers have long-pending demands, including the implementation of a new law that ensures 10 per cent land allotment.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said India will soon create a comprehensive anti-drone unit to secure its borders as the "menace" of unmanned aerial vehicles is going to get serious in the coming days.

Addressing BSF troops during the 60th Raising Day event of the force here at its training camp, about 300 km from the India-Pakistan border, Shah said the initial results of a "laser equipped anti-drone gun-mounted" mechanism have been encouraging.

This has led to an increase in drone neutralisation and detection cases, up from 3 per cent to 55 per cent, along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab, he said.

 As many as 200 cartridges of 9mm pistols and self-loading rifles were allegedly stolen from the armouries of the Madhya Pradesh police's special armed forces (SAF) in Morena district, an official said on Sunday.

The commandants of the SAF's 2nd and 5th battalion suspended their company commanders after the theft came to light on Saturday, Morena additional superintendent of police Gopal Dhakad told PTI.

The official said a first information report was registered with the Kotwali police after the guards of the armouries informed the reserve inspector (RI) of the police lines about the theft.

As many as 105 members, including leaders of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, took oath as MLAs in the newly constituted Maharashtra legislative assembly on Sunday, the second day of the special session.

On Saturday, 173 MLAs took oath, while nine absent legislators will take oath on Monday.

Police use tear gas to disperse farmers who began their 'Dilli Chalo' march today, but stopped at the Shambhu border. 
 

Gorakhpur is set to establish the country's first Integrated Waste Management City-cum-Learning Centre by September 2025, aimed at making the city garbage-free and promoting sustainable waste management through circular economy model.

Spread across 40 acres in Suthni village, Sahjanwa, the ambitious project will process various types of waste while generating charcoal and Bio-CNG, Gorakhpur Municipal Commissioner (GMC) Gaurav Sogarwal said.

The initiative is expected to create jobs, boost revenue and serve as a learning hub for technical expertise, he said.

A 40-year-old woman was killed allegedly by Naxalites on suspicion of being a police informer in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, police said on Sunday.

As per preliminary information, Naxalites abducted Yalam Sukra from Laded village under Madded police station limits and took her to a nearby hill on Saturday, an official said.

Sukra was strangled, and her body was abandoned in the area, he said.

Police say that farmers don't have permission to move towards Delhi while the farmers are asking for the permission letter the police have that allows them (police) to enter the Punjab border.

Members of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on Sunday took oath as MLAs in the newly constituted Maharashtra assembly.

The opposition members had boycotted the oath-taking ceremony on Saturday, the first day of the special three-day session of the assembly, alleging misuse of EVMs in the recently-held state polls.

 Farmers begin their "Dilli Chalo' march from the Haryana-Punjab Shambhu Border, protesting over various demands.

A court in Gujarat's Porbandar has acquitted former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt in a 1997 custodial torture case, citing that the prosecution could not "prove the case beyond reasonable doubt".

Additional chief judicial magistrate Mukesh Pandya on Saturday acquitted Bhatt, the then superintendent of police (SP) of Porbandar, in a case registered against him under IPC sections pertaining to causing grievous hurt to obtain confession and other provisions by giving him the benefit of the doubt due to lack of evidence.

Bhatt was earlier sentenced to life imprisonment in a 1990 custodial death case in Jamnagar and 20 years in jail in a 1996 case relating to planting drugs to frame a Rajasthan-based lawyer in Palanpur. He is currently lodged in the Rajkot Central Jail.

Indian priest George Jacob Koovakad being elevated as a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Catholic Church by Pope Francis is a matter of great joy and pride for India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday.

He said George Cardinal Koovakad has devoted his life to the service of humanity as an ardent follower of Jesus Christ.

"A matter of great joy and pride for India! Delighted at His Eminence George Jacob Koovakad being created a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Catholic Church by His Holiness Pope Francis," Modi said in a post on X.

"His Eminence George Cardinal Koovakad has devoted his life in service of humanity as an ardent follower of Lord Jesus Christ. My best wishes for his future endeavours," the prime minister said.

Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said in a video statement that the government is ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and hand over its functions to a transitional government.

“I am in my house and I have not left, and this is because of my belonging to this country,” Jalili said.

He said he would go to his office to continue work in the morning and called on Syrian citizens not to deface public property.

He did not address reports that President Bashar Assad has left the country.

A pickup vehicle rammed into a stationary truck on the Lucknow-Sultanpur highway on Sunday, leaving two persons dead and two others injured, police said.

The incident occurred around 5 am near the Nageshwar Ganj canal. Two passengers in the pickup --Asgar Ali (40) and an unnamed individual -- died on the spot.

Two others, identified as Razi Ahmed and Aftab, sustained injuries in the crash and were rushed to the Community Health Centre in Musafirkhana, Station House Officer (SHO) of Musafirkhana Police Station, Vivek Singh, said.

The head of a Syrian opposition war monitor said early Sunday that Syria's President Bashar Assad left the country for an undisclosed location.

Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told The Associated Press that Assad took a flight from Damascus early Sunday.

Abdurrahman's comments came shortly after Syrian insurgents said they had entered Damascus, capping a stunning advance across the country, as residents of the capital reported sounds of gunfire and explosions.

Two police personnel were found dead with bullet injuries in Udhampur district early Sunday, officials said, suspecting fratricide as the reason behind the incident.

The bullet-riddled bodies of the cops were seen lying inside a police van outside Kali Mata temple in the district headquarters around 6.30 am, the officials said.

They said a police party rushed to the scene and shifted the bodies to the district hospital for postmortem.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will begin his three-day trip to Russia from today to witness the commissioning of a stealth warship into the Indian Navy and hold talks with his Russian counterpart Andrey Belousov to co-chair the 21st meeting of India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military-Technical Cooperation in Moscow

Police put barricades and install nails at the Shambhu Border as the farmers have announced to resume their 'Dilli Chalo' march today. 

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in Bahrain on Saturday, where he will participate in the Manama Dialogue and co-chair a ministerial meeting. Jaishankar, in Manama on the final leg of his four-day, two-nation trip, was received by his Bahrain counterpart Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani. "

Delighted to arrive in Manama this evening. Great to see my brother FM Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani," he said in a post on X.

Insurgents’ stunning march across Syria accelerated Saturday with news that they had reached the gates of the capital and that government forces had abandoned the central city of Homs.

The government was forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The loss of Homs was a potentially crippling blow for Assad. It stands at an important intersection between Damascus, the capital, and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian leader’s base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base.

A massive fire broke out in a private resort in Kullu's Manali on Saturday, officials said. The fire department rushed to the spot to douse the blaze and managed to control the fire. According to the officials, no casualties or injuries were reported in the fire incident.

Farmers will continue their protest march towards Delhi today. A total of 101 farmers will head towards the national capital from Shambu Border. Security has been heightened at the Delhi-Haryana Shambu border. The march continues after farmers heading to Delhi on Friday ceased their march following several injuries when security forces used tear gas to block them at the Punjab-Haryana border