Welcome 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. Indian stocks continue to surge as Trump 2.0 begin, markets relieved as no universal tariffs imposed so far Indian stock markets continued to gain on Tuesday's opening as Trump 2.0 began, with both indices surging in the opening session. The Nifty 50 index opened at 23,421.65 with a surge of 76.90 points or 0.33 per cent, while the BSE Sensex was up by 188.28 points or 0.24 per cent to open at 77,261.72. Saif Ali Khan attack case: The river crossing that assailant used to enter India The arrest of Saif Ali Khan’s attacker, Shariful Islam, 30, has not only fetched police officers laurels but has also brought to light an unusual route Bangladeshis use to cross the border in a manner akin to that depicted in the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Dunki. Hours after his arrest, Shariful narrated to the cops how he eluded the Border Security Force (BSF) by crossing the Dawki river, also known as the Umngot, which flows between India and Bangladesh. Read more. 270 trains cancelled, major block on Mumbai-Pune expressway this weekend Mumbaikars are set to face a double whammy this weekend as over 270 suburban train services are set to be cancelled, with 150 partially affected, due to a major block for Bandra-Mahim rail bridge work. Adding to the woes, a traffic block on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway will disrupt travel from Wednesday to Friday afternoon. Read more. Net gains for dizzy Sinner Defending champion Jannik Sinner battled dizzy spells on Monday in energy-sapping heat to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals, admitting a long interruption when he accidentally broke the net was “big, big luck”. The World No. 1 again dropped a set before coming home 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 against Danish 13th seed Holger Rune on Rod Laver Arena with both men needing medical attention. Read more. Sikh body on Panjab 95: 'We want to save CBFC from the shame of banning a gut-wrenching biopic' On January 17, leading man Diljit Dosanjh unveiled the teaser of Panjab ’95 on Instagram, announcing that it will be released internationally on February 7. He ended the post with, “P.S. Full movie, no cuts.” While human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra’s biopic is poised to release around the globe, director Honey Trehan’s hope of familiarising the Indian audience to the braveheart’s journey remains unfulfilled so far. The biopic’s teaser was pulled down from YouTube India on January 18, indicating a ban of sorts on the movie. Read more.
21 January,2025 10:21 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate from Rohini assembly seat, Pradeep Mittal has expressed confidence in his party's victory in the assembly election saying Arvind Kejriwal will become the Chief Minister for the fourth time. Mittal is contesting against BJP's sitting MLA and Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta. Speaking to ANI on Monday, Mittal said, "Security is a big issue in Rohini assembly constituency. Incidents like chain snatching, mobile snatching and bomb blasts keep happening here every day. This time the people of Rohini have made up their minds that they want all the changes and certainly this time AAP will win with a huge number of votes in Delhi. Arvind Kejriwal will become the Chief Minister of Delhi for the fourth time." With polling day approaching, Delhi's political landscape is heating up. BJP has alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party, which once claimed it would not allow criminals in the assembly to ensure the passage of strict laws, had fielded the highest number of candidates with criminal records. Speaking to ANI, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla said, "Aam Aadmi Party used to say that they do not want criminals in their assembly because criminals will not be able to pass important and strict laws. But when the list (of candidates) was released, it was found that the Aam Aadmi Party has the highest number of people with criminal records nearly 60%, followed by Congress. This means that Aam Aadmi Party has taken a U-turn once again." A total of 699 candidates are in the fray for the 70 assembly seats in Delhi in the elections to be held on February 5; counting of votes will take place on February 8. The Congress, which was in power for 15 consecutive years in Delhi, has suffered setbacks in the last two assembly elections and has failed to win any seat. In contrast, the AAP dominated the 2015 and 2020 assembly elections by winning 67 and 62 seats respectively out of a total of 70 seats while the BJP got only three and eight seats. 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
21 January,2025 08:22 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIUnion Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, who is in Brussels, met with the delegation of Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) on Monday and asserted that India will safeguard the interests of its small and medium enterprises and individuals in the diamond industry. In a post on X, Goyal said, "Met with the delegation of Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) led by their President and other stakeholders from the diamond industry. Conveyed India's stand on safeguarding the interests of our Small & Medium Enterprises and individuals in the diamond industry." During the meeting, Goyal requested the European Commission trade commissioner to extend the deadline for technology-based certification in the diamond sector. "Also, deliberated on the progress of the request made to the Trade Commissioner regarding an extension of the deadline for technology-based certification, highlighting its crucial role in supporting Indian small businesses and protecting consumer interests in the diamond sector," Goyal said on X. Earlier, Union Minister Piyush Goyal held discussion with senior management of several European companies and heads of business associations in Brussels. "Had a wonderful interaction with senior management of several European companies and heads of business associations in Brussels," Goyal said on X. During the discussion with senior management of several European companies and heads of business associations Goyal called upon captains of industry to explore India's fullest potential. "Conveyed to them India's commitment to a fair, equitable, and commercially meaningful Free Trade Agreement. Underlined that India offers a great investment opportunity and called upon captains of industry to explore its fullest potential," Goyal said on X. Goyal also met with Maros Sefcovic, the European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, in Brussels from January 18 to 19 and engaged in high-level dialogue with the Commissioner. As part of their discussions, the two leaders outlined directions for both sides to work together on establishing a mutually beneficial trade and investment agenda, as well as a roadmap for a Free Trade Agreement. They also reviewed progress within the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) and agreed to resolve any legacy issues, the press release stated. Both sides committed to continuous consultations at the senior official and ministerial levels, ensuring that global challenges are met with strong, aligned efforts. Senior officials from both sides were present at the meeting, underscoring the importance of ongoing collaboration. 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
21 January,2025 08:21 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIRajya Sabha MP Sudha Murty on Monday expressed her immense joy as she arrived in Prayagraj to attend the Maha Kumbh, saying that she was excited, hopeful, and extremely happy. She is on a three-day visit to the Maha Kumbh.. Speaking to ANI, Sudha Murty said, "I am very excited because this is 'Teerthraj'. It (Maha Khumbh) came after 144 years and I am excited, hopeful and extremely happy. I am here for three days." She was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2023 and the Padma Shri in 2006 for her contribution to the field of social work. Murty, also a well-known author, has contributed to English and Kannada literature and retired as the chairperson of the Infosys Foundation on December 31, 2021. Murty is married to Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy and is the mother-in-law of former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The Maha Kumbh Mela, which began on January 13, has witnessed a continuous flow of devotees. By 6 PM on the eighth day of the festival on Monday, over 5.33 million devotees had taken the holy dip. Overall around 87.9 million pilgrims have taken a dip in the Sangam Triveni as of January 20. People strongly believe that taking a dip at Sangam Triveni washes away their sins and also paves the way to Heaven Maha Kumbh is one of the largest and most significant religious congregations in the world. The key 'snan' dates left are: January 29 (Mauni Amavasya - Second Shahi Snan), February 3 (Basant Panchami - Third Shahi Snan), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri). Uttar Pradesh police deployed over 10,000 personnel, including local police and paramilitary forces for the event's security. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed "water ambulance" stationed at Sangam to ensure the safety of devotees. The Maha Kumbh began on January 13 and will continue until February 26. 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
21 January,2025 08:20 AM IST | Uttar Pradesh | ANIThe Uttarakhand cabinet in a meeting held on Monday at the State Secretariat under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami approved the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) manual. The approval follows a thorough scrutiny by the legislative Department, which had already reviewed the manual. On UCC, Dhami said that the government kept the promises that was made before the 2022 elections. He asserted that the dates of implementation will be announced soon. "We had promised the people of Uttarakhand in 2022 that we would bring the UCC Bill as soon as our government was formed. We brought it. The draft committee drafted it, it was passed, the President approved it and it became an act. The process of training is also almost complete... After analysing everything, we will announce the dates soon," Dhami said. The Bharatiya Janata Party government introduced the UCC Bill during a special session of the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly on February 6 last year and it was passed with a comfortable majority a day later on February 7. 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
21 January,2025 08:10 AM IST | Dehradun | AgenciesThe Supreme Court on Monday stayed trial court proceedings against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case filed against him for alleged defamatory remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Naveen Jha, a BJP worker, had filed the case against Gandhi in 2019 for his alleged remarks against Shah. During one of his public speeches in Chaibasa before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Gandhi had allegedly referred to Shah as a “murderer”. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued notice to the Jharkhand government and the BJP leader while seeking their response on Gandhi's appeal. "Issue notice. Till further orders, further proceedings in the trial shall remain stayed," the bench said. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Gandhi, said there are several judgments which say that only the aggrieved person can file a criminal defamation complaint. 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
21 January,2025 08:09 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesThe the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Kerala police probing the sexual assault case of an 18-year-old Dalit girl in Pathanamthitta district arrested 57 out of the 59 accused. The case was registered by the Elavumthitta police on January 10. The police made the latest arrests in the case on Sunday. On January 11, the ADGP had ordered a 25-member SIT. A total of 30 cases were registered in four stations in the district based on the girl’s statement. Among the arrested are five minors. 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
21 January,2025 08:08 AM IST | Pathanamthitta | AgenciesA court in Kerala on Monday sentenced a woman to death for the sensational murder of her boyfriend in 2022. The 24-year-old convict, Greeshma, had sought leniency in sentencing by citing her academic achievements, lack of prior criminal history, and the fact that she is her parents' only daughter. In its 586-page verdict, the court observed that there was no need to consider the convict's age and other circumstances over the gravity of the crime committed, according to the prosecutor. The victim, Sharon Raj, was a native of Parassala in the Thiruvananthapuram district. According to the prosecution, Raj was lured by Greeshma to her house in Ramavarmanchirai, located in Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari district, on October 14, 2022, and poisoned with an ayurvedic tonic laced with paraquat, a herbicide. Raj, 23, succumbed to multiple organ failure at a hospital 11 days later, on October 25, 2022, after consuming the lethal concoction. 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
21 January,2025 08:07 AM IST | Thiruvananthapuram | AgenciesAfter months of widespread protests sparked by the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata, the Sealdah Court in the state capital on January 18 pronounced 33-year-old Sanjay Roy guilty in connection with the heinous crime. The decision was handed down by Additional District and Sessions Judge Anirban Das, 57 days after the in-camera trial began on November 12. On Monday, Roy was sentenced to life imprisonment until death for the brutal crime that shook the nation. Here’s a timeline of the Kolkata rape -murder case: August 9, 2024: A 31-year-old junior doctor was found dead in the seminar hall on the fourth floor of RG Kar Hospital, where she was practising. The post-mortem report would later confirm that she was strangled to death after sexual assault. Her body had 16 external and nine internal injuries, the post-mortem confirmed. August 10, 2024: In the initial investigation, the Kolkata Police arrested Roy as a suspect. The traffic police volunteer was later charged for committing the crime. The revelation led to nationwide outrage and prolonged protests by junior doctors, medical professionals and Indian Medical Association (IMA) in Kolkata and other parts of the country, demanding justice for their colleague and increased safety for healthcare professionals. August 12, 2024: The hospital's principal, Sandip Ghosh, stepped down amid the protests over the incident. The West Bengal government also transferred the hospital's superintendent. August 13, 2024: The victim’s parents, along with others, filed a petition before the Calcutta High Court, demanding a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), due to distrust in Kolkata Police. The High Court then transferred the case to the CBI. August 14, 2024: The Kolkata Police formally handed over Roy to CBI. August 15, 2024: As the country celebrates its independence, the horrific night could not be overshadowed, as ‘Reclaim the Night’ rallies emerged across Kolkata. The rallies are organised by women and activists who demand justice for the victim and protection of women in the country. However, at RG Kar Medical College, the protest turned violent. A mob vandalised the hospital and the crime scene. The National Commission for Women (NCM) accused the authorities of security lapses and claimed that the crime site had undergone premature renovations, leading to more tensions. August 17, 2024: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) declared a 24-hour withdrawal of medical services in solidarity with the victim, referred to as 'Abhaya (the fearless).’ August 18, 2024: The Supreme Court took suo moto cognisance of the case amid the nationwide protest and scheduled the hearing for August 20. August 20, 2024: The apex court formed a 10-member task force to address the safety of the nations’s healthcare professionals. The three-judge bench headed by then Chief Justice DY Chandrachud also criticised the Mamata Banerjee-led government, the Kolkata Police, and the hospital administration over the delay in filing the FIR. August 27, 2024: A 'Nabanna Abhijan' march was given by an unregistered student body named 'Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj' and a dissident state government employees' platform 'Sangrami Joutha Mancha'. The ruling Trinamool Congress claimed that this was a BJP-backed protest. August 28, 2024: However, the march to the West Bengal secretariat turned into clashes between police and protestors, leading to a state-wide strike called by the BJP. September 2, 2024: The CBI arrested Sandip Gosh in relation to an alleged financial fraud at RG Kar Hospital during his tenure. September 14, 2024: Mamata Banerjee took a step to end the stand-off between her government and protesting doctors and finally visited the site where the medical professionals were staging a sit-in and interacted with them. The same day, the CBI took Sandip Ghosh and a Kolkata police officer, Abhijit Mondal, into custody over delays in filing an FIR and tampering with evidence in the Kolkata rape-murder case October 5, 2024: After more than 50 days of protest in two phases, doctors launched a hunger strike October 7, 2024: The CBI filed a chargesheet against the accused Sanjay Roy in the case and said he allegedly committed the crime that took place on August 9 when the medic had gone to sleep in the hospital's seminar room during a break. October 24, 2024: The protesting doctors called off the hunger strike following a meeting with the CM Mamata Banerjee. November 12, 2024: The in-camera trial in the Kolkata rape and murder of the junior doctor began. A delay in filing the chargesheet resulted in bail being granted to the accused in the case, including Abhijit Mondal and Sandip Ghosh. T December 13, 2024: The Sealadh court granted bail to both Sandip Ghosh and Abhijit Mondal after the CBI failed to file its chargesheets within the statutory 90-day period. January 9, 2025: The hearings in Sanjay Roy’s trial were concluded, during the trial 50 witnesses were examined. January 18, 2025: Sealdah court convicts Sanjay Roy of rape-murder of kolkata woman doctor January 20, 2025: Sealdah court sentences Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment . It also directs state to pay compensation of Rs 17 lakh to RG Kar doctor's family in rape and murder case.
20 January,2025 05:30 PM IST | Kolkata | mid-day online correspondentA 26-year-old student from Telangana was allegedly shot dead in the United States (US) by unidentified persons, his family members said here on Monday. K Ravi Teja, had gone to the US in 2022 and was looking for a job after completing his MS course eight months ago, they said, and urged the government to help in bringing back his mortal remains here as early as possible. "I have come to know that my son was shot dead. My appeal to the government is to send back the mortal remains as early as possible. I am not able to speak anything else," his grieving father told reporters. "Whether I will be alive or not till that time (the body arrives)," his father said, fighting back tears. Teja had told his father that he would come back home after securing a job. In November 2024, a 22-year-old youth from Khammam district of Telangana was shot dead by miscreants at a gas station in the United States where he was working, family members had said. 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
20 January,2025 04:40 PM IST | Hyderabad | PTIA big fire broke out at the Maha Kumbh Mela on Sunday due to a cylinder blast, injuring one person and engulfing 18 tents in Sector 19, officials told news agency PTI. The fire, which started at around 4 pm, was brought under control within an hour through 15 fire tenders, officials stated. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was in Prayagraj to review the Mauni Amavasya preparations at Maha Kumbh 2025. He reached the spot and directed authorities to take steps to avoid any such incident in future, PTI reported. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to CM Adityanath over phone to enquire about the incident. "The chief minister told PM Modi that the blaze was quickly brought under control by teams of SDRF (State Disaster Response Force), NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) and fire department," a senior official said. The fire broke out at 4.10 pm in the kitchen of Gita Press camp, and was doused by 5 pm, an official statement read. "The fire broke out after a small cylinder started leaking while preparing tea. Soon, two other gas cylinders kept there exploded," it said, adding that 40 straw huts and six other tents were gutted. According to the official statement, while running from the spot, a person named Jaspreet fainted and injured his leg, and was rushed to the Maha Kumbh Mela hospital to receive first aid. He was later shifted to Swaruprani Medical College, Prayagraj. The condition of the injured was stated to be out of danger, PTI reported. "In the fire, items such as cots, blankets, chairs, etc were destroyed," the official statement said. Massive fire erupts at Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, panic among devotees, WATCH VIDEO: Prayagraj Zone Additional DGP Bhanu Bhaskar on Sunday told PTI that the blaze was extinguished and the situation was under control. "...People have been evacuated and the fire has been brought under control. The situation is normal here and losses are being quantified," he said. The thatched roofs of the tents caught fire while the rest of the structures are still there, said Bhaskar. Fire brigade and police teams extinguished the blaze Prayagraj District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Mander said that they received information at 4.30 pm about a fire in a tent in Sector 19, one of the 24 sectors of the fairground. "The blaze spread to some other tents. Fire brigade and police teams reached the spot and extinguished the blaze. There is no report of any loss of life," Mander said. "I was inside the akhada when I heard a loud sound and saw everybody running. I rushed outside and within minutes there were two more blasts. Soon everybody came out of their camps...my heart is still racing," said Samant Bharti, a seer. The affected area was closed for pilgrims. "Usually inside the akhadas, 'yagnas' are performed which also create smoke. So we were in panic after seeing the blaze," the seer told PTI. Urban Development Minister A K Sharma, who also reached the spot, said that fire was doused within minutes and directed mela authorities to immediately rehabilitate affected people. "Arrangements should be made for their night stay and the cause of the incident should be reviewed to avoid occurrence of such incidents in future," Sharma said. Mahakumbh 2025 kicks off with Paush Poornima, Thousands of devotees reach Sangam Ghat, WATCH VIDEO: 15 fire tenders Earlier, Kumbh Mela Chief Fire Officer Pramod Sharma said 15 fire tenders were pressed into service to contain the blaze which engulfed 18 tents, PTI stated. "Fire has been doused and the situation in the area is under control," Sharma said. Akhada Police Station In-charge Bhaskar Mishra said the fire was caused due to the explosion of two LPG cylinders in Sector 19 of the Maha Kumbh Mela. The 45-day Maha Kumbh 2025 started on Paush Purnima on January 13. More than 7.72 crore people have taken the holy dip, according to official figures as of Saturday. Officials said that more than 46.95 lakh devotees took a dip in the Sangam on Sunday. (With inputs from PTI)
20 January,2025 04:15 PM IST | Mahakumbh Nagar (Uttar Pradesh) | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
