India Archives - Page 140 of 319

03 Jan

Chandigarh Mayor elections to be held on January 29 via ‘show of hands’ voting

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaChandigarh, Mayor Elections

National Times Bureau :- In Chandigarh, councillors are elected for a five-year term, but the mayor, senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor are chosen every year through indirect elections. For the first time in the city’s history, these elections will be conducted through a show of hands by councillors instead of the secret ballot. The move to scrap the secret ballot was taken after the 2024 vote-rigging controversy, when then presiding officer Anil Masih was caught on camera tampering with ballot papers. As in the past, the contest will be a straight fight between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and…

03 Jan

Red alert issued for dense fog and cold wave in Punjab, Chandigarh as visibility drops to zero in several parts

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndia, PunjabPunjab, Weather

National Times Bureau :- Dense fog and cold wave conditions tightened their grip over parts of Punjab and Chandigarh on Friday, following which the Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for the first time this season. While no rainfall is forecast, extremely poor visibility and plunging temperatures have disrupted normal life across several districts. Amritsar and Halwara reported zero visibility, significantly affecting road and air traffic. Despite the dip, temperatures remained about three degrees above the seasonal average. Faridkot recorded the lowest minimum temperature in the state at 5.5 degrees Celsius. Weather officials have warned that night temperatures are…

02 Jan

Dense Fog, Cold Wave Alert Issued for Delhi as Temperatures Dip

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiacold wave alert, Delhi AQI, Delhi weather, Dense fog, IMD forecast

New Delhi, January 2, 2026: A ‘yellow’ alert has been issued for Delhi with dense fog likely to reduce visibility across the national capital on Saturday morning, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, warning of challenging weather conditions over the next few days. The weather office has also predicted a cold wave in isolated areas of Delhi and Haryana between January 3 and January 6. According to IMD norms, a cold wave is declared when minimum temperatures fall 4.5 to 6.5 degrees Celsius below the seasonal average. On Friday, Delhi recorded a notable improvement in air quality, with the 24-hour…

02 Jan

Shah Rukh Khan Drawn Into Political Storm Over KKR Signing of Bangladeshi Cricketer

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaBangladesh violence, IPL controversy, KKR, Mustafizur Rahman, Shah Rukh Khan

Kolkata, January 2, 2025: Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan has found himself at the centre of a political controversy following reports that his IPL franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders, signed Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman, triggering sharp reactions from leaders across party lines. Leaders from the BJP and the Shiv Sena criticised the decision, arguing that players from Bangladesh should not be allowed to participate in the IPL amid reports of violence against Hindus in the neighbouring country. BJP leader Sangeet Som went as far as calling the move “treason,” accusing Khan of acting against national interest. “In Bangladesh, Hindus are…

02 Jan

Centre Warns Elon Musk’s X to Take Down Obscene Grok Content or Face Legal Action

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaElon Musk, Grok AI, IT Rules 2021, MeitY notice, obscene content, X platform

New Delhi, January 2, 2026: The central government on Friday issued a stern notice to Elon Musk-owned social media platform X, directing it to immediately remove all vulgar, obscene and unlawful content, particularly material generated through its artificial intelligence tool Grok. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) warned that failure to comply could invite strict legal action under existing laws. In an official order dated January 2, MeitY said it has served a notice on X’s Chief Compliance Officer for India for alleged non-compliance with statutory due diligence obligations under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Information…

02 Jan

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani Writes to Umar Khalid, Reflects on “Bitterness” and Solidarity Amid Prolonged Detention

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, World NewsDelhi riots 2020, human rights, UAPA, Umar Khalid, US lawmakers, Zohran Mamdani

New York (USA), January 2, 2026: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has written a personal handwritten note to jailed activist Umar Khalid, recalling conversations on “bitterness” and stressing the importance of not letting it consume one’s spirit. The note was made public after being shared on social media platform X by Khalid’s partner, Banojyotsna Lahiri. Posting an image of the message, Lahiri wrote that even when prisons attempt to isolate individuals, words continue to travel. In the note, Mamdani said he often reflects on Khalid’s thoughts about bitterness and the need to resist being overtaken by it. He also…

02 Jan

FIR Registered After DoE Complaint Over Alleged Misinformation on Stray Dog Circular

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaArvind Kejriwal, Ashish Sood, Delhi Police, Directorate of Education, FIR, Stray Dogs

New Delhi, January 2, 2026: Delhi Police on Friday registered an FIR following a complaint filed by the Directorate of Education (DoE) over the alleged spread of misleading information on social media regarding a government circular related to the appointment of nodal officers for stray dog-related matters. Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood said the action was taken after what he described as false and distorted claims were circulated online, including a social media post by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal. The post had suggested that school teachers in the capital were being directed to count stray dogs…

02 Jan

After Extensive Ladakh Shoot, ‘Dhurandhar’ Declared Tax-Free in UT

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaAditya Dhar, Bollywood box office, Dhurandhar, Kavinder Gupta, Ladakh, tax-free film

Leh (Ladakh), January 2, 2025: The Ladakh administration on Friday announced that filmmaker Aditya Dhar’s blockbuster Dhurandhar has been declared tax-free in the Union Territory, citing the film’s extensive shooting across the region and its contribution to promoting Ladakh’s natural beauty. Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta said the decision reflects the administration’s efforts to project Ladakh as a preferred destination for film production and tourism. He added that the Union Territory is in the process of formulating a new film policy and assured full institutional support to filmmakers choosing Ladakh as a shooting location. In a post on X, the Office…

02 Jan

MHA Restores Financial Approval Powers to Ladakh LG for Projects Up to ₹100 Crore

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiafinancial powers restored, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor, MHA order, Union Territories

New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday restored the delegation of financial powers to the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, allowing appraisal and approval of projects worth up to ₹100 crore under the Delegation of Financial Powers Rules (DFPRs), 2024. In an official order, the ministry said the Centre has approved similar financial powers for Administrators and Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories without legislatures. These include Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and Lakshadweep. The order, issued by MHA Under Secretary Lendup Sherpa, stated that the approval of the…

02 Jan

Contaminated water confirmed behind Indore vomiting and diarrhoea outbreak; 9 dead, over 1,400 taken ill

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaContaminated Water, Indore

National Times Bureau :- A laboratory investigation has confirmed that contaminated drinking water was responsible for a severe vomiting and diarrhoea outbreak in Indore, Madhya Pradesh’s commercial capital, claiming at least nine lives and affecting more than 1,400 people, officials said on Thursday. The outbreak originated in the Bhagirathpura area, raising serious concerns over water safety in a city that has consistently been ranked India’s cleanest for the past eight years. Leakage in pipeline led to contamination Indore’s Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO), Dr Madhav Prasad Hasani, said laboratory tests conducted by a city-based medical college confirmed contamination caused…