Breaking News, December 17

Currently, there is a ban on construction and demolition works in Delhi. Despite the ban, a construction project of NBCC was ongoing at Netaji Subhash Nagar. NBCC has been fined Rs 1 crore for violating the ban and the construction site sealed: Delhi Environment minister Gopal Rai.

French Defence Minister Florence Parly inspects Guard of Honour in the national capital today.

Supreme Court stays all proceedings of two-member Inquiry Commission headed by ex-top court judge Justice Madan B Lokur, constituted by West Bengal to investigate alleged Pegasus snooping row; issues notice to the Commission. Earlier West Bengal government assured Supreme Court that Commission won't go ahead with inquiry. 

A 1971-era MiG-21 aircraft was gifted to the National Museum of Bangladesh. A replica of the aircraft was handed over by the President to the President of Bangladesh: MEA. 

10 new cases of Omicron Variant reported in Delhi, taking the total number of cases of the variant here to 20. A total of 10 people, out of these 20, have been discharged: Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain.

Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan will be on a visit to India from December 17-20. During his visit, he will meet EAM Dr S Jaishankar and also take part in India - Central Asia Dialogue. 

President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurates the renovated Ramna Kali Mandir in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The temple was destroyed by the Pakistani forces during the 1971 war.

A meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the MPs of Uttar Pradesh is underway at 7, LKM in Delhi. The PM had earlier held a meeting with the MPs of northeastern and southern states.

Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan reviews the parade at Motilal Nehru Stadium in Bhopal, on the occasion of Madhya Pradesh Police Foundation Day.

A layer of fog settles in Delhi as temperatures drop. As per IMD, Delhi is likely to experience 'shallow fog' today with the mercury dropping to as low as 8°C. AQI in Delhi is presently at 339 (overall) in the 'very poor' category, as per SAFAR-India.

Punjab government appointed Sidharth Chattopadhyaya as director-general of police replacing IPS Iqbal Preet Sahota.

Odisha: Employees of SBI in Bhubaneswar went on a two-day strike from Thursday to protest against privatisation of banks and demand that the government withdraw the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021. 

US Senate approves Joe Biden pick Burns as China envoy after delay, reports AFP News Agency.

Assam: Police rescued 24 local dogs in Jorhat from being illegally smuggled to Nagaland. The dogs were tied with ropes and sacks. One person was arrested: Mamoni Hazarika, DSP, Jorhat.