Top India and India-related News
1. Targeted Killing Returns To Kashmir: Suspected terrorists of The Resistance Force (TRF) fatally shot a 31-year-old Sikh shopkeeper, Amritpal Singh from Punjab, at point-blank range and wounded his 27-year-old friend Rohit Mashi in Srinagar city around 7 pm Wednesday. This marks the first targeted killing in 2024 and the first attack on non-Kashmiris this year. Rohit Mashi, also a resident of Punjab, succumbed to the bullet injury today morning.
2. Building Collapse In Ooty: Six women construction workers tragically lost their lives when a portion of a public toilet, situated on a slope above an under-construction building in Lovedale near Ooty, collapsed on them. Four other workers were injured and rescued from the debris.
3. Yogi On Kashi and Mathura: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has publicly supported the demand for temples in Mathura and Varanasi, citing their historical and cultural significance. This marks the first time a front-ranking BJP functionary has endorsed temple construction at disputed sites in these cities.
4. Tamil Signboards By April-end: The Tamil Nadu government has initiated a statewide transition to Tamil name boards for commercial establishments, shops, and enterprises across the state. Minister M. P. Swaminathan urged traders to ensure a smooth transition to Tamil name boards by the end of April.
5. BJP’s Alliance Talks: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has initiated talks with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (Akalis) for a potential alliance. The BJP aims to strengthen its regional partnerships ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Additionally, discussions continue with Rashtriya Lok Dal’s Jayant Chaudhary.
6. Tata’s 24×7 Animal Hospital: At 86, Ratan Tata is ready to roll out his latest and long-pending ‘pet’ project — a 24×7 animal hospital in Mumbai for dogs, cats, rabbits, and other small animals. Conceived out of his struggle and the transcontinental quest to find advanced healthcare for his injured dog, the hospital is all set to finally see the light of day in the first week of March.
7. EC Gives Sharad Pawar Bloc A New Name: The Election Commission has allotted the NCP faction led by Sharad Pawar to use the title ‘Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar’ as its party name for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Maharashtra. This decision came after the poll panel declared that the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar is the “real NCP” based on its legislative strength.
8. 17th Century Lamppost Discovered: A 390-year-old lamppost discovered in Mudimanikyam, Telangana, bears an inscription dedicated to Kasi Viswanatha. The 20-foot-tall lamppost, situated near a ruined Siva temple on the banks of the Krishna River, features a unique blend of Telugu and Tamil languages, hinting at trade links, and serving as a geographical marker for traders and ships passing through the area.
9. Lok Sabha Session Extension: As per a Lok Sabha Secretariat notification issued on Wednesday, the current session of Lok Sabha has been extended up to Saturday, February 10, 2024. This extension aims to provide sufficient time for the completion of essential items of Government Business. However, there will be no Question Hour session on this extended date.
10. Karnataka’s Hookah Ban: The Karnataka health department has issued a notification banning the sale and consumption of hookah with immediate effect. This decision aims to safeguard public health by prohibiting the use of hookah in hookah bars, citing violations of state fire control and safety laws.
11. Harda Blast Tragedy: At least 11 people tragically lost their lives at an illegal firecracker factory in Madhya Pradesh’s Harda on February 6. The blast was so intense that its effects were felt in a radius of 15 kilometers. The police have arrested owner Rajesh Agarwal, the general manager, and another person in connection with the case.
12. EVM Mistaken for Briefcase: Burglars mistakenly stole a demo Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), thinking it was a briefcase, from a strongroom in Pune’s Saswad. The two suspects, Shivaji Bandgar and Ajinkya Salunke have been arrested and confessed to the crime. A third suspect seen in the footage remains at large. The incident occurred when the burglars entered the office, confusing it for an old Wada.
13. Pragati Maidan Tunnel Dispute: The Delhi government’s Public Works Department (PWD) has issued a notice to Larsen and Toubro (L&T) regarding issues with the Pragati Maidan tunnel project. The notice was issued on February 3, and the company has 15 days to respond. The tunnel has faced closures due to waterlogging during last year’s Delhi floods.
14. BJP’s Tamil Nadu Influx: In a significant development, 15 former All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) MLAs and one former MP have joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The induction ceremony took place in New Delhi in the presence of Union ministers Rajeev Chandrasekhar and L Murugan.
15. Balochistan Blasts: Two bomb explosions near candidates’ offices in the Pakistani province of Balochistan killed at least 28 people and wounded dozens on the eve of general elections. The first blast killed 16 people in Pishin district, north of Quetta city. The second explosion left 12 people dead in Qila Saifullah to the east.
16. Iran’s Visa-Free Travel for Indians: Tehran announced a 15-day visa-free policy for Indian tourists visiting Iran. Under this new order, Indian citizens can enter Iran with ordinary passports once every six months, with a maximum stay of 15 days, which will not be extended.
17. Red Sea Ship Attacks: Two ships traveling in Middle East waters were attacked by suspected Yemen Houthi rebel drones early on Tuesday. One of them is a Marshall Islands-flagged, Greek-owned vessel heading to India from the US, which reported an explosion but no injuries or damage.
18. EFTA Investments In India: India is nearing the finalization of a groundbreaking trade agreement that could lead to significant investment from a select group of European nations (comprising Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland), potentially totaling $100 billion over 15 years. The proposed investment is expected to generate over 1 million jobs in India.
19. Maldives’ Debt Risk: The Maldives, which has borrowed heavily from China, remains at “high risk of external and overall debt distress”, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned. The country’s fiscal and external vulnerabilities have increased, necessitating urgent policy adjustments.
20. India’s Quantum Algorithm: Indian scientists at the Raman Research Institute (RRI) have developed an innovative image-correction algorithm that significantly enhances the study of ultracold atoms. This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of quantum mechanics and advance research in this fascinating field.