Breaking news on January 1

1 Border Security Force (BSF) personnel injured in cross border firing in Mankote sector, Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir. More details awaited.

Delhi: Alumni Association of Jamia Millia Islamia participate in a candle light march at Jamia Nagar, against Citizenship Amendment Act, National Register of Citizens and National Population Register.

Defence Ministry: The tableau proposal of Govt. of West Bengal was examined by the Expert Committee in two rounds of meetings and was not taken forward for further consideration by the Expert Committee after deliberations in the second meeting.

For Republic Day Parade 2020, 56 tableaux proposals (32 from States/UTs&24 from Ministries/Departments) were received. Out of these,22 proposals, comprising of 16 States/UTs&6 Ministries/Depts, have been shortlisted for participation in the parade after a series of five meetings.

Maharashtra Deputy CM, Ajit Pawar on reports of Congress and Shiv Sena being unhappy with portfolio allocation said: "Order on portfolios might be released tomorrow. Nobody is unhappy with it."

Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra Deputy CM on meeting with CM Uddhav Thackeray and other Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders said: "We discussed which responsibility should be given to which minister, we also discussed other issues."

DMRC: Entry & exit gates at all stations have been opened. Normal services have resumed in all stations.

New Army Chief General Naravane said: "Internet is responsible for fake news."

General Naravane said: "Modernisation, the welfare of soldier and infrastructure are necessary to enhance national security."

Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) said: "G Babita Rayudu took charge as Executive Director in SEBI, today. She will handle Legal Affairs Department, Enforcement Department & Special Enforcement Cell (SEC)."

New Army Chief General Naravane said: "Terrorism on a decline in J&K after Article 370 was scrapped."

Counting of votes for the two-phased rural local bodies poll held on Dec 27 and 30 in Tamil Nadu will be done on Thursday. Tight security has been deployed at the 315 couting centres across the state. The elections for the rural local bodies were held in two phases in 27 districts, barring the nine newly carved ones in line with the apex court's order. Ballot papers in four different colours were used in the poll instead of electronic voting machines (EVM). According to the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission (TNSEC) the first phase saw polling of 76.19 per cent, and the second phase saw 77.73 per cent. Over 2.31 lakh contested the polls for 91,975 posts. The posts are Gram Panchayat Ward member posts, Gram Panchayat President posts, Panchayat Union ward member posts and District Panchayat Union Ward member posts.

Delhi Traffic Police: Metro stations have been closed due to heavy rush around India Gate.

 In two different cases, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) nabbed two persons including one foreign national for entering into the terminal building on edited tickets at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi.

Prime Minister's Office: On the occasion of New Year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had telephone conversations with Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Bhutan PM Lotay Tshering, Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, & Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC): Entry & exit gates of Central Secretariat, Udyog Bhawan, Pragati Maidan, Khan Market and Mandi House are closed. Interchange is available at Central Secretariat and Mandi House.

Bharatiya Janata Party meeting chaired by party president Amit Shah underway at party headquarters. BJP working president JP Nadda & national general secretary (organization) B L Santosh, also present at the meeting.

Meeting of Union Council of Ministers to take place on 3rd January, at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra in Delhi.

Uttar Pradesh Minister Mohsin Raza said: "Those who were involved with Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), after its ban made a new organisation Popular Front of India (PFI). They want to radicalise youth and push them towards terrorism."

Praveen Kumar, IG (Law & Order), Uttar Pradesh: 25 persons affiliated with Popular Front of India (PFI) have been arrested across the state, for their involvement in different criminal activities.

Rupee kick starts New Year on positive note, settles 14 paise higher at 71.22 against US dollar

MEA: India and Pakistan today exchanged, simultaneously at New Delhi & Islamabad, the lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen in their custody. This is in keeping with provisions of the 2008 Agreement under which such lists are exchanged on 1st January and 1st July, every year.

Ministry of External Affairs: India handed over lists of 267 Pakistan civilian prisoners & 99 fishermen to Pakistan who are in India’s custody. Similarly, Pakistan has shared lists of 55 civilian prisoners and 227 fishermen in its custody, who are Indians or believed-to-be Indians.

Raghu Sharma, Rajasthan Health Minister on death of a new born who was critically injured in a fire that broke out in a hospital in Alwar, yesterday said: "It is a very sad incident, we have formed a committee of three people to look into it. Action will be taken against the culprits."

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said: "There is a Constitutional obligation on every state to exercise the executive power in such a way that ensures compliance with laws made by Parliament."

Gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue collected in the month of December 2019 is Rs 1,03,184 crore of which Central GST is Rs 19,962 crore, State GST is Rs 26,792 crore, Integrated GST is Rs 48,099 crore & Cess is Rs 8,331 crore.

Professor Ilyas Husain has been appointed as the Pro-Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), Delhi. He is Professor in Department of Educational Studies, Faculty of Education of JMI.

A Rajasthan recruitment board has cancelled its statewide exam held on Sunday for recruiting librarians due to a paper leak, a senior official said.

In a peaceful city like Delhi, the atmosphere that was created by spreading misinformation on the Citizenship Amendment Act, and the damage that was done to property, Congress and AAP are responsible for it. They must apologise to the people.

"The resolution passed by Kerala assembly is against the unconstitutional act passed by the Centre. It has been noticed by the whole country," Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan said

Prevention of Money Laundering Act Court in Mumbai allowed banks that lent money to Vijay Mallya to utilize seized assets. Court also said the ruling has been stayed till January 18, until which all parties affected by the order can appeal to the Bombay High Court

"Government has approved Chandrayan-3, the project is ongoing. The land acquisition for a second spaceport has been initiated and the port will be in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu,"  ISRO chief K Sivan said.

"We have made good progress on Chandrayan-2, even though we could not land successfully, the orbiter is still functioning, its going to function for the next 7 years to produce science data," he added.

A conductor of a Rajasthan roadways bus was killed while the driver was injured after the vehicle hit a divider and turned turtle near the bridge in front of Hyatt hotel, a Delhi Fire Service official said.

The fire department said they received a call at 6.50 am that a bus has overturned in front of Hyatt hotel after which three fire tenders were rushed to the spot.

The bus did not have any passengers on board. But the bus driver and conductor were injured, said Atul Garg, Director of Delhi Fire Service. The driver was saved but the conductor died in a hospital, he said.

Three people found dead in a car on Mathura highway. A pistol also found in the car. Police investigation underway

The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday observed its 22nd Foundation Day as 'Citizens' Day' as a mark of protest against the amended Citizenship Act.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, also the TMC supremo, congratulated party workers on the occasion and said TMC is observing the day as 'Nagorik Dibas' (Citizens'
Day) at the booth-level.

Delhiites continued to remain in grip of cold conditions on Wednesday as the minimum temperature settled at 2.4 degrees Celsius, five notches below the normal, officials said. Twenty-nine trains were delayed for over two-nine hours due to weather conditions, they said.

"The minimum temperature was recorded at 2.4 degrees Celsius, five notches below normal," a MeT official said, adding, the humidity was 97 per cent. The air quality recorded at 9.38 am was 433 in the "severe" category.

According to the Meteorological department, it would be partly cloudly sky with moderate fog in the morning. The maximum temperature in the national capital would hover around 16 degrees Celsius.

"We stay far away from politics, very far. We have to work according to the directions of the Government in power," CDS General Bipin Rawat said on allegations that he is politically inclined.

All three services will work as a team. As per the task was given to the Chief of Defence Staff we have to enhance integration and do better resource management: CDS General Bipin Rawat

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat receives guard of honour. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat with Army Chief Manoj Mukund Naravane, Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria and Navy Chief Karambir Singh and other senior officers

Equity benchmark BSE Sensex jumped over 150 points in opening session on the first day of 2020, tracking buying in index heavyweights Reliance Industries, HDFC twins, ICICI Bank, L&T and Axis Bank.

After rising 164 points in early trade on Wednesday, the 30-share BSE index was quoting 131.47 points or 0.32 per cent higher at 41,385.21. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty rose 46.75 points or 0.38 per cent to 12,215.20.

Reliance Industries was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rising up to 0.82 per cent, followed by L&T, IndusInd Bank, Bharti Airtel, Tata Steel and Axis Bank.

Two Army soldiers were killed during a cordon and search operation Jammu and Kashmir's Nowshera sector, officials said. The operation is going on and more details are awaited.

Two Indian Army soldiers have lost their lives during a cordon & search operation in Nowshera sector in Jammu and Kashmir. The operation is still in progress. 

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday extended new year greetings, hoping aspirations of everyone are fulfilled in 2020.

The new year is a time for new beginnings, the Vice President said. "I convey my warm greetings and best wishes to all our citizens on the advent of the New Year 2020," Naidu said.

Prime Minister Modi hoped that 2020 is filled with joy and prosperity. "May everyone be healthy and may everyone's aspirations be fulfilled," he wrote on Twitter.

 Our priority will be to be operationally prepared at all times. We will pay special attention to respect human rights: Army Chief General MM Naravane

"I pray to Waheguru ji to give me courage and strength to perform my duties as the chief of Army Staff. All three services are ready to defend the country," Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane said.

"Have a wonderful 2020! May this year be filled with joy and prosperity. May everyone is healthy and may everyone’s aspirations be fulfilled," PM Modi tweeted

29 trains running late due to low visibility in the Northern Railway region

At least six people died and many others were injured after a lift installed at the farm house of business tycoon Puneet Agrawal in Patalpani area fell on Tuesday night, a police officer said.

The government has extended the Sabka Vishwas (Legacy Dispute Resolution) Scheme, which received huge response with 73 per cent of the eligible taxpayers availing the amnesty scheme and committing to pay Rs 30,627 crore, by 15 days to January 15, 2020.

"Keeping in view the taxpayers' response, the central government has extended the scheme for 15 days, till January 15," said the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) said in a statement, here on Tuesday.

It's one-time and final extension, the CBIC added.

Of the 1.84 lakh taxpayers eligible to avail the scheme, 1,33,661 submitted their applications by December 31, 2019, the CBIC said.

Frenzy gripped India's tech hub as thousands of revellers ushered in the New Year on early Wednesday by greeting each other, dancing to loud music and partying through the night, with the police watching them celebrate the event safely and peacefully.

As on every New Year eve, hundreds of revellers, flocked to the city's central business district and gathered in downtown, choking its famous M.G. Road and Brigade Road hours before the clock struck midnight and the New Year dawned.

Bidding goodbye to a tumultuous 2019 and welcoming 2020 in style, many were seen bursting crackers, cheering, hooting, waving and hugging others in excitement.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed charge-sheet against six for attack on an Assam Rifles personnel in Manipur in 2017.

An NIA spokesperson said here on Tuesday, the agency had filed charges against three absconding persons -- Koijam Ibochouba aka Sumo, Mayanglambam Siromani aka Kesper, Thokchom Ningthemba aka Ningthem Feiroijamba -- before the Special NIA court in Imphal.

Charge-sheet has also been filed against Laishram Priyokumar Meitei aka Amuthoi, Thangjam Achou aka Thangjam Achan and Chandam Tondon Singh aka Shileiba under several sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

The case relates to ambush on a road-opening party of the 4th Assam Rifles at Chamol-Sajir Tampak road in the Chandel district of Manipur on November 15, 2017 by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the Manipur Naga People's Front (MNPF) activists.