India's headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation is projected to settle around 4.7-4.8 per cent for FY25, driven by a favourable statistical base, easing food inflation, and stable global commodity prices, according to Bank of Baroda (BoB) report, reported news agency ANI. The arrival of fresh harvests of tomatoes, onions, and potatoes has been reflected in higher mandi arrivals, easing supply pressures. December data indicates further corrections in vegetable prices, while favourable soil moisture and reservoir levels are expected to support a robust Rabi harvest. Additionally, benign global food and energy prices are expected to keep food inflation risks low in the near term, reported news agency ANI. BoB's Economic Conditions Index (ECI) shows minimal sequential price growth in December, at 0.1 per cent compared to 0.4 per cent in November. The report suggests that these favourable inflation trends may guide the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) towards a more accommodative monetary policy stance in the coming months, as demand-side pressures remain contained, reported news agency ANI. The report highlights that November 2024 CPI inflation moderated to 5.5 per cent, down from 6.2 per cent in October 2024, aided by broad-based declines in food prices. Notably, vegetable inflation dropped sharply to 29.3 per cent in November, compared to 42.2 per cent in October. Key staples like pulses, fruits, and cereals also saw price relief, attributed to a good Kharif harvest and seasonal factors, reported news agency ANI. Core inflation (excluding food and fuel) held steady at 3.7 per cent in November 2024, with most demand-driven subcomponents showing subdued momentum. While there was a slight uptick in household goods and services during the festive season, categories like clothing and footwear remained stable. A dip in gold prices contributed to easing personal care inflation, reported news agency ANI. On a month-on-month basis, headline CPI inflation declined for the first time since January 2024, with food inflation entering deflation territory at -0.6 per cent in November, compared to a 2.6 per cent rise in October. The report noted corrections in key segments like vegetables, oils, and fruits. (With inputs from ANI)
14 December,2024 01:50 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe Delhi Police Special Cell has identified a private school student responsible for sending a bomb threat email to a school in Paschim Vihar, police said, reported news agency ANI. According to police, the student had sent the threat email to his own school, and after tracing the IP address, the police team traced his home. Upon questioning, the child admitted to the act and was later counselled. He was let off with a warning to his parents to keep a watch on his behaviour, reported ANI. According to the Special Cell, this individual is not connected to the group bomb threat emails sent to many schools in Delhi on Friday. Earlier today, several schools in Delhi, received bomb threat emails. "Today again Delhi Schools including DPS RK Puram, Ryan International School, Vasant Kunj received a bomb threat email," Delhi Police said, reported ANI. According to the police a group mail was received by the schools at 6:12 am today. "A Group mail received by the school at 6:12 am today morning, by the name of Barry Allah, from [email protected]," police added. After getting a bomb threat email schools informed the Delhi Police. After receiving information Delhi Police, a bomb detection team and fire officials reached the spot but nothing suspicious was found yet, officials said, reported ANI. The bomb threat email received by the schools said, "Allah sees your efforts to resist his punishment. But they are futile. For no mortal being can escape the judgement of Allah. The Prophet Mohammed declares all who go against Allah enemies to the world. We see your attempt to stop us. It will not work. The Prophet Mohammed has allowed the children to burn in the sacred flame of Allah," reported ANI. "On Saturday where students may not be there in your buildings, is when the buildings shall be brought down. Our bomb vests are blessed by the Prophet Muhammad. They shall not fail in their goal. Our children are brave servants of Allah. They shall complete their task," said the mail. On Friday, South East Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ravi Kumar Singh said that as many as 30 schools across Delhi received hoax bomb threat emails. The DCP said that the investigation into the fake threats revealed that the e-mails sent to the schools had been generated outside the country. Upon receiving the information, schools were evacuated and the Bomb Disposal Squad carried out checks at the locations. The threatening emails raised concerns among parents and staff, though the police assured that investigations are ongoing and safety remains their priority. No explosives or hazardous materials have been found in any of the schools so far. This is not the first instance of such threats disrupting schools in the national capital, underlining the need for robust security protocols. The schools that received the threats on Friday, included the Bhatnagar Public School in Paschim Vihar, Cambridge School in Srinivaspuri, Delhi Public School in East of Kailash, and Delhi Public School in Defence Colony. Earlier, over 40 schools in the national capital received bomb threats via e-mail demanding a ransom of USD 30,000. This email came on December 8 at around 11:38 pm. Former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Friday voiced serious concerns about recurring bomb threats targeting schools in the national capital. Kejriwal questioned the potential psychological and academic impact on children, saying such incidents could disrupt their studies and well-being if they continue unabated. Earlier on November 19, the Delhi High Court instructed the Delhi Government and Delhi Police to develop a comprehensive action plan, including a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to address bomb threats and related emergencies. The court set a deadline of eight weeks for the completion of these directives. (With inputs from ANI)
14 December,2024 01:29 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe minimum temperature settled a notch below normal at 8 degrees Celsius in Delhi on Saturday, the Met office said. On Thursday, the city had recorded the lowest temperature of this winter season as the minimum temperature dipped to 4.5 degrees Celsius. The Met office has forecast mainly clear skies during the day, with the maximum temperature expected to settle at 23 degrees Celsius. At 8:30 am, the humidity was at 69 per cent. The national capital's Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the 'poor' category with a reading of 204 at 9 am. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'. In Delhi's Alipur, Anand Vihar, Bawana and Chandni Chowk, the AQI was recorded at 205,249, 278 and 168, respectively. In Dwarka Sec 8 AQI was recorded at 212, Nehru Nagar at 247, IGI Airport (T3) at 247, Rohini at 253, Pusa at 242 and Mundka at 264. On Wednesday, Delhi recorded its coldest December morning, with minimum temperatures plunging to 4.9 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature reached 23 degrees Celsius, according to the IMD. The IMD attributed the sudden temperature drop to a western disturbance and predicted that minimum temperatures would stabilise around 8-9 degrees Celsius over the next five to seven days. (With inputs from Agencies)
14 December,2024 01:03 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentVeteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani has been admitted to Apollo Hospital in New Delhi. His condition is said to be "stable," and he is being kept under observation, reported news agency PTI. He has been admitted under Dr Vinit Suri, a senior consultant in the neurology department, reported PTI. The 96-year-old former deputy prime minister was brought to the hospital about two days ago. Veteran BJP leader LK Advani had been admitted to the same hospital earlier this year. The reason for this latest hospitalisation could not be immediately known. In July this year, Veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani was admitted to the Apollo Hospital. This came days after the 96-year-old former deputy prime minister was discharged from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) after a night-long stay there. He was recently conferred with Bharat Ratna by President Draupadi Murmu on March 30, 2024. Born in Karachi (present-day Pakistan) on November 8, 1927, Advani joined the RSS as a Swayamsevak in 1942. He served as the BJP National President from 1986 to 1990, then from 1993 to 1998, and from 2004 to 2005. Advani had served as the President of the party for the longest period since its inception in 1980. Capping a parliamentary career of nearly three decades, LK Advani was first the Home Minister and, later, the Deputy Prime Minister in the cabinet of Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1999-2004). In the run-up to the 2009 elections, Advani being the Leader of the Opposition in a parliamentary democracy was assumingly considered the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate for the general elections, ending on 16 May 2009, according to the official website of BJP. On 10 December 2007, the Parliamentary Board of BJP formally announced Advani as its prime ministerial candidate for the general elections due in 2009. But when Congress and its allies won the 2009 general elections, Advani paved the way for Sushma Swaraj to become the Leader of the Opposition in the 15th Lok Sabha. (With inputs from PTI)
14 December,2024 12:47 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentA 10-year-old boy died after reportedly being bitten by a rat on one of his toes while receiving cancer treatment at a government hospital in Jaipur, an official said on Saturday, PTI reported. While the State Cancer Institute, where the boy was admitted on December 11, claimed that the death was caused by "septicaemia shock and high infection" and not a rat bite, the Rajasthan government has launched a committee to investigate the matter. As per PTI, the hospital superintendent Dr Sandeep Jasuja said, "The child also had fever and pneumonia. He died due to high infection septicaemia shock on Friday". Medical education secretary Ambrish Kumar has requested a report from the principal of Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Medical College, which is affiliated with the State Cancer Institute, PTI sources said. According to a news report published in a vernacular daily, the infant began crying soon after being admitted. When his family members lifted the blanket he was laying under, they saw blood flowing from one of his toes as a result of a rat bite, PTI cited. The family members notified the nursing staff present, who bandaged the leg after applying first aid. Jasuja stated that they treated the child as soon as they learnt about the rat bite. He stated that directions have been sent to guarantee cleanliness on the hospital premises, PTI cited. Mumbai: Following mid-day report, Aarey Hospital’s renovation begins Following a mid-day report highlighting the poor condition of Aarey Hospital, which is managed by the Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Department, renovation work commenced with an estimated budget of Rs 1.10 crore. An official from the department, speaking anonymously, said, "We have started the repair work at Aarey Hospital. The project includes plastering the internal and external walls, installing doors and windows with safety grills and renovating the flooring. Also, upgrades will be made to the toilet block, stormwater drainage system and water supply pipeline, along with terrace waterproofing. We aim to complete the work within the next three to four months." On October 18, mid-day in a report, ‘Aarey dairy punished, asked to submit a plan for improving hospital’, highlighted how there was only one doctor for a population of one lakh within Aarey Milk Colony. On October 21, the commission issued directives to the department to deposit Rs 50,000 in the chief minister's relief fund within four weeks for failing to submit its plans for improving health services and facilities at Aarey Hospital. The directives were issued while hearing a case pertaining to a 2022 mid-day report which shed light on the dire state of Aarey Hospital. The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) had taken a suo motu cognisance of the 2022 report and sought details from the department to improve services at the health facility. (With inputs from PTI)
14 December,2024 12:46 PM IST | Jaipur | mid-day online correspondentIn a joint operation by the Delhi Police Special Cell and the Special Task Force (STF), Sonu Matka, a wanted criminal who was involved in a double murder case, was killed during an encounter at TP Nagar Police Station in Meerut, ANI reported. As per ANI, Matka, who took a bounty of Rs 50,000, was a legendary gunman for the Hashim Baba gang and faced numerous criminal charges. According to Delhi Police, Matka was a "notorious shooter of Hashim Baba Gang", well-known for its criminal activities across Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. He was allegedly involved in at least half a dozen cases, which included robbery and murder in both regions. The encounter occurred near Meerut's TP Nagar Police Station, and Matka was injured during the gunfire exchange. The operation resulted in the recovery of one handgun 30 bore, one pistol 32 bore, ten live cartridges, and four motorcycles. According to the Delhi Police, he later died while being treated, ANI reported. Earlier this week on December 12, Delhi Police arrested two minors in connection to the murder of a person in Maujpur in Delhi. The victim was found injured near Puja Modal School in Ghonda, Maujpur, Delhi, on December 11, 2024, according to the police. According to the police, a PCR call was received at 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday, and upon arrival, the victim was discovered to have been transported to the hospital by a PCR van, where he was pronounced dead. The police filed a case under Section 103(1) BNS and began an investigation, ANI reported. During the course of the investigation a police team led by Inspector. Surender Kumar, SHO/PS Jafarabad was appointed under the supervision of ACP Bhajanpura. The team set up technical surveillance and scanned and analysed CCTV footage from cameras put nearby. The team also obtained intelligence from locally deployed sources. Based on the information gathered, the team identified two suspects. The team carried out repeated raids and apprehended two children in conflict with the Law (CCLs) who were involved in the crime, ANI reported. (With ANI inputs)
14 December,2024 12:09 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Assembly Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar responded to reports about Nana Patole's potential resignation as the State Congress chief and said that he was unaware of the development, reported news agency ANI. Vijay Wadettiwar emphasized that the party's senior leadership is credited for both victories and defeats. He suggested that electoral setbacks might have influenced Patole's reported decision, adding that the final decision on such matters rests with the Congress's high command in Delhi. Speaking to ANI, Wadettiwar said, "I am not aware of this. Senior leadership gets the credit for wins and losses both. Everyone in the Parliament gives him the credit for the loss (in the Maharashtra Assembly election). Maybe that's why he resigned. The High command in Delhi will decide on this." Reportedly, Maharashtra Congress president, Nana Patole, wrote to party leader Mallikarjun Kharge, seeking to be relieved of his position, reported ANI. Nana Patole managed to retain his Sakoli assembly seat in the Bhandara district, though his victory was secured with a slim margin of just 208 votes. Earlier last week, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders held a meeting in Mumbai following the alliance setback in the recent Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024. In November, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said the Congress Working Committee (CWC) reviewed the party's performance in the last assembly elections and decided to form internal committees at the block and district levels to address "electoral performance and organisational issues," reported ANI. In the Maharashtra Assembly Election Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance secured a landslide by winning 235 seats. The results marked a significant milestone for the BJP, which emerged as the single-largest party with 132 seats. The Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party made notable gains, with 57 and 41 seats, respectively. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a major setback with Congress winning just 16 seats. Its alliance partner, Shiv Sena (UBT), won 20 seats, while the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) secured only 10 seats. (With inputs from ANI)
14 December,2024 12:01 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentWelcome to Mid-Day's Top News at this hour! We bring you a curated selection of the most significant and compelling news from around the globe. Stay informed with the latest developments in the nation, Mumbai, entertainment, sports, and more. Let's dive into the headlines shaping our world today. Not BEST solution: Citizens want decongested roads, not smaller buses in Mumbai The plan by the BEST undertaking to stop plying 12-metre-long buses on busy and congested streets, especially near railway stations, will defeat the purpose of public transport, leading to more crowding, more buses, more services, and more manpower, commuters have said. Commuters questioned the logic behind such a decision, suggesting that authorities should instead focus on clearing roads of illegal hawkers and parking, which drastically narrow the roads. Transport experts have offered mixed opinions. Read more. Mumbai: Malwani school parents get calls their kids have been kidnapped or arrested, one family pays ransom Parents of students from a school at Malwani in Malad have raised concerns after receiving fraudulent calls from unknown individuals. The callers, posing as crime branch officers or kidnappers, falsely claimed that their children had been arrested or kidnapped and demanded ransom. Read more. Mumbai faces 15 per cent water cut on December 14-15: How it will affect you Mumbai, Thane, and Bhiwandi will experience a 15 per cent water cut on Saturday and Sunday. A sudden transformer failure at the Pise Power Substation has led to the shutdown of six out of the 20 booster pumps supplying water to Mumbai and surrounding areas. The incident occurred at 1:00 AM on Saturday, December 14, when the B-phase current transformer of the main transformer (No. 1) failed unexpectedly. Read more. Indians must 'run' hard The middle day of a Test match is considered the moving day, though in this series, by the time of Day Three, the outcome has been a foregone conclusion. By extension, the middle Test of a five-match series, especially one beautifully balanced at 1-1, is of vital significance for obvious reasons. Read more. Aryan Khan to shoot award function sequence featuring 18 stars including Shah Rukh Khan for Stardom Whenever there is a series about the entertainment industry, an award show sequence is almost always woven into it. It seems to be true of Aryan Khan’s debut series, Stardom, as well. mid-day has learnt that the first-time writer-director began shooting an award function scene in Mehboob Studios in Bandra yesterday. Sources tell us that as many as 18 stars have been lined up for the sequence. Read more.
14 December,2024 11:26 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Haryana government has ordered a temporary suspension of mobile internet, SMS, and dongle services in the Ambala district from December 14 to 17 to prevent the spread of misinformation and potential law-and-order disruptions as a result of farmers' organisations' "Delhi Kooch" call amid ongoing protests, ANI reported. The restrictions are in effect from December 14, 6:00 AM to December 17, 11:59 PM, and apply to specific villages, including Dangdehri, Lohgarh, and Saddopur. As per ANI, essential services like individual SMS, banking communications, voice calls, and broadband remain unaffected to reduce public inconvenience while ensuring peace and order. In an official order, the Haryana authorities said, "In view of the call for Delhi kooch given by certain farmer organizations, there is an apprehension of causing tension, annoyance, agitation, damage of public & private property and disturbance of public peace and tranquillity in the area of district Ambala." "There is a clear potential for disruption of public utilities, damage to public assets and amenities and disturbance of public law and order in district Ambala on account of misuse of internet services by way of spread of inflammatory material and false rumours, which could be circulated to the public through social media, messaging services on mobile internet services, SMS services and other dongle services," it said. "In order to stop the spread of misinformation and rumours through various social media platforms, such as WhatsApp, Facebook Twitter, etc. on mobile phones and SMS, for facilitation and mobilisation of mobs of agitators and demonstrators who can cause serious loss of life and damage to public and private properties by indulging in arson or vandalism and other types of violent activities. In exercise of powers conferred upon me under Section 20 of The Telecommunications Act, 2023 to be read along with Rule (3) of the Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024, I, Home Secretary, Haryana do hereby order the suspension of the mobile internet services. All telecom service providers of Haryana are hereby directed to ensure the compliance of this order," the order read. "This order is issued to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order in the area of villages Dangdehri, Lohgarh, Manakpur, Dadiyana, Bari Ghel, Choti Ghel, Liharsa, Kalu Majra, Devi Nagar (Hira Nagar, Naresh Vihar), Saddopur, Sultanpur and Kakru in the jurisdiction of district Ambala," it read, ANI cited. Meanwhile, Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) leader Sarwan Singh Pandher declared that a 'Jathha' of 101 farmers will make a new attempt to march to Delhi from the Shambhu border point of Haryana at noon on Saturday, ANI reported. The farmers' leader stated that the protest against problematic agricultural laws has entered its 307th day and is expecting negotiations with the Centre, emphasising broad support for the movement from the people of the country. Speaking to ANI, Sarwan Singh Pandher said, "The farmers' protest has now entered its 307th day. By noon today, our third 'Jattha of 101 farmers will depart for Delhi. The whole country is connected with us and supporting the protest, but our Prime Minister has remained silent about it and maintained a distance from the subject." "The Union Agriculture Minister has not been speaking about the protest either and the way BJP MPs are doing 'bayanbazi' is going to cause division in communities. The government agencies are trying their best to ensure that the 'morcha' does not win. They are trying to prove that even if all of Punjab and Haryana come together, even then the morcha cannot win," Pandher said. The farmers' protest has seen widespread participation from states like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. The protest sites near the borders of Delhi have become epicentres of resistance, with thousands of farmers staying in makeshift arrangements despite the terrible weather, ANI reported. As the protest gains momentum, farmers want to hold more intense rallies to put pressure on the government to address their demands. Drone footage from the Haryana-Punjab Shambhu Border shows farmers obstructing highways with automobiles. Notably, farmers are requesting a charter of 12 demands, including MSP for crops, to be met by state and federal governments, ANI reported. (With inputs from ANI)
14 December,2024 11:07 AM IST | Ambala | mid-day online correspondentA case was registered at the Vidhana Soudha Police Station on Friday in connection with alleged irregularities in COVID-19 management. The case was registered on a complaint by Medical Education Department Chief Accounts Officer Dr M Vishnu Prasad against Dr P G Girish, government officer Raghu G P, non gazetted officer in the Health and Family Welfare Muniraju N, two firms Laj Exports, Prudent Management Solutions, unknown public representatives, government officers and others. Prasad in his complaint said that during the Covid-19 pandemic, Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) was misused while buying N95 Masks, Personal Protection Equipments (PPE) kits and other materials which were essential for the prevention of Covid-19 through the Medical Education Department and defrauded all the processes of the law. The government officers along with other individuals connived and collected these essential materials and misappropriated hundreds of crores of rupees in the name of COVID management, he said. The action was taken on the basis of the recommendations of an inquiry panel headed by Justice John Michael D'Cunha, who said that large scale corruption has taken place in the COVID management. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too had said a few weeks ago that the government would get the COVID-19 related irregularities investigated. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
14 December,2024 08:49 AM IST | Bengaluru | PTIWest Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee welcomed the local court's decision to hand death penalty to the convict in the rape and murder case of a minor in Farakka. She also recalled the previous instance, where the court handed capital punishment to the convict in Joynagar in 62 days, and further asserted the need for capital punishment for rape convicts. A local court in Bengal's Murshidabad handed a death sentence to a rape convict and a life sentence to the other in the rape-murder case of a minor. Taking to social media platform X, CM Mamata said, "Barely a week ago, @WBPolice and our justice system secured capital punishment within just 62 days for the perpetrator of a brutal rape-murder of a minor in Joynagar. Today, death penalty has been awarded to one of two accused in the heinous rape-murder of yet another minor in Farakka on 13.10.24, with his co-accused getting a life term." She called on people to 'unite' in eradicating the "social malice" through "swift, time-bound trials and punishments" which serve as a powerful deterrent and send a "clear message." "I have said this before, and I will say it again: Every rapist deserves nothing less than the harshest punishment--capital punishment. As a society, we must unite to eradicate this heinous social malice. I believe that swift, time-bound trials and punishments will serve as a powerful deterrent, sending a clear message that such crimes will not be tolerated," the Chief Minister said. "I congratulate the state police and all involved in the prosecution process for this achievement, while my thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim," she added. Earlier on December 6, a POCSO court sentenced a man to death for the rape and murder of a 9-year-old in the Joynagar area of South 24 Parganas district. According to officials, the incident took place on October 4, and the conviction was handed within 62 days of the incident. CM Mamata had called the sentence "unprecedented" in the history of the state and lauded the police for the "outstanding achievement." Earlier in September, the state government came up with the Aparajita Women and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024. It calls for the death penalty or life imprisonment for those convicted of rape, aiming to amend sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the new penal code. This came in the wake of the horrific rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College, which brought a lot of flak for the Trinamool government. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
14 December,2024 08:46 AM IST | Kolkata (West Bengal) | ANIADVERTISEMENT
