UGC-NET exam on January 15 postponed
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has decided to postpone the University Grants Commission – National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) scheduled on January 15 (Wednesday) on account of Pongal, Makar Sankranti and other festivals. The new exam date would be announced later, a circular issued by the NTA on Monday (January 13, 2024) said. The NTA said it had received representation to postpone the UGC-NET December 2024 examination and it had decided to grant the request in the interest of aspirants.
Minister terms Meta CEO’s description of Indian election as ‘misinformation’
Union Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday accused Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg of furthering “misinformation” following the latter’s characterisation of the 2024 General Election as a loss for the “incumbent” government. “People of India reaffirmed their trust in NDA [National Democratic Alliance] led by PM @narendramodi Ji’s leadership,” Mr. Vaishnaw said.
Lebanon’s President names ICJ judge Nawaf Salam Prime Minister
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Monday picked international jurist Nawaf Salam to form a government to pull the war-scarred country out of economic crisis. A majority of Lebanese lawmakers endorsed Mr. Salam, the presiding judge at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, after two years of a caretaker government. “The president of the republic has called on Judge Nawaf Mr. Salam to task him with forming a government,” the presidency said.
Magnitude 6.9 earthquake rattles southwestern Japan, followed by tsunami advisories
A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.9 has hit southwestern Japan, the country’s Meteorological Agency said on Monday (January 13, 2025), while warning the public to stay away from coastal areas because of a tsunami threat. Tsunami advisories were issued for Miyazaki Prefecture, where the quake was centred, in the southwestern island of Kyushu, as well as nearby Kochi Prefecture, shortly after the quake struck at 9.19 p.m. local time, according to the agency.
SBI manager saves 68-year-old retired school teacher from digital arrest scam
An alert bank manager with the State Bank of India (SBI) in central Delhi saved a 68-year-old retired school teacher from becoming a victim of a “digital arrest” scam a few days ago. The manager saved ₹79 lakh belonging to the victim, which the latter was all set to transfer to the scam accused. From January 1 to November 15, 2024, as many as 92,323 cases of digital arrests were reported across the country with the swindled amount pegged at ₹2,140.99 crore.
Congress to carry out caste census in Delhi if voted to power: Rahul Gandhi
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday (January 13, 2025) asserted that a caste census will be carried out in Delhi if the Congress is voted to power in the National Capital. Addressing a his first public meeting for Delhi polls in Seelampur, North East Delhi, Mr. Gandhi said, “People should ask (former Delhi Chief Miister Arvind) Kejriwal whether he wants reservation for the backward classes and his stance on carrying out a caste census.”
Bangladesh files graft cases against Sheikh Hasina’s family
Bangladesh’s anti-graft commission has filed cases against ousted leader Sheikh Hasina and her family, including a British government Minister and a senior United Nations official, its chief said Monday (January 13, 2025). Ms. Hasina, 77, fled a revolution in August 2024 to neighbouring India, where she has defied extradition requests from Bangladesh to face charges including mass murder. The cases are linked to an alleged large-scale land grab of lucrative plots in a suburb of the densely populated capital Dhaka.
Judge clears the way for release of special counsel’s report on Donald Trump’s 2020 election interference case
The Justice Department can publicly release its investigative report on President-elect Donald Trump’s 2020 election interference case, a federal judge said on Monday (January 13, 2025) — the latest ruling in a court dispute over the highly anticipated document days before Mr. Trump is set to take office again. But a temporary injunction barring the immediate release of the report remains in effect until Tuesday (January 14, 2025), and it’s unlikely U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon’s order will be the last word on the matter. Defence lawyers may seek to challenge it all the way up to the Supreme Court.
Three people die at Gangasagar Mela in WB, five more taken ill
Three people have died at the Gangasagar Mela in West Bengal this year, which includes one who drowned while taking a dip at the ghats on Sagar Island in front of the Kapil Muni temple. NDRF officials said a body was recovered from ghat number three of the Kapil Muni temple at 7 a.m. on Monday. The state government has not provided any cause of death. Five persons were airlifted from the mela after falling ill over the past three days.
GST rate cut uncertainty dents life insurers’ new business 22% in Dec.
New business of life insurers declined almost 22% year on year in December to ₹30,218.71 crore, likely due to the continuing suspense over the indirect tax levies on insurance policies with the GST Council deferring a call on an expected tax cut at its December 21 meeting, along with tight liquidity conditions and a general slowdown in the economy. December’s drop in new business marks a deepening contraction from November, when such business fell for the first time in 2024-25, albeit by a relatively moderate 4.5% to ₹25,306.56 crore In December 2023, insurers had reported ₹38,583.13 crore as first year premium receipts.
M.P. CM changes names of 11 villages in Shajapur district
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has announced name changes for 11 villages in Shajapur district. The move comes just days after he changed the names of three villages in his home district of Ujjain. At an event in Shajapur’s Kalapipal tehsil on Sunday (January 12, 2024), Mr. Yadav changed names of villages Mohammadpur Machhanai to Mohanpur, Dhabla Hussainpur to Dhabla Ram, Mohammadpur Pawadiya to Rampur Pawadiya,Khajuri Alahdad to Khajuri Ram, Hajipur to Hirapur, Nipaniya Hisamuddin to Nipaniya Dev, Reechdi Muradabad to Ritchdi, Khalilpur to Rampur, Ghatti Mukhtiyarpur to Ghatti, Unchhod to Unchavad and Sheikhpur Bongi to Avadhpuri.
National Conference mobilises locals to attend PM Modi rally in Kashmir
Unlike the past trend of ferrying government employees, locals braved the cold and walked over two feet of snowfall to converge at the venue where Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public function after the inauguration of the Z-Morh tunnel in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal on Monday (January 13, 2024). One estimate suggested that over 5,000 locals attended the function. “I have been preparing for the PM’s visit for the past three days.
SC returns to full strength with elevation of Justice Vinod Chandran
President Droupadi Murmu on Monday (January 13, 2024) appointed Justice Krishnan Vinod Chandran, Chief Justice of Patna High Court, as a judge of the Supreme Court. The appointment returns the apex court to its full sanctioned strength of 34 judges. The Supreme Court Collegium had on January 7 recommended Justice Chandran for the appointment. In its resolution, the Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna noted that there was currently no judge from the High Court of Kerala on the Bench of the Supreme Court.
Published – January 14, 2025 07:01 am IST