Stay updated with the biggest headlines for Monday, 29 December – politics, crime, sports, and more – all summarized for quick reading. Get instant access to breaking news, major developments, and trending stories in just one click. Perfect for busy readers who want news on the go.
Top news of the day
Total of six wanted accused were arrested in Varanasi and Mirzapur in the codeine cough syrup case on Sunday and Saturday. One of the accused carried a reward of Rs 25,000.
On Saturday, the Police arrested two accused Vishnu Kumar Pandey and Lokesh Agrawal from Varanasi. They both are residents of the Sarnath. They were arrested for committing forgery and knowingly using forged purchase-sale invoices for buying and selling codeine-based drugs.
A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court will hear a petition filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today (December 29) challenging the Delhi High Court's order suspending the life sentence of Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the convicted and suspended BJP leader in the 2017 Unnao rape case. The hearing will be conducted by a vacation bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice J.K. Maheshwari, and Justice Augustine George Masih.
The CBI has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the High Court's December 23 order, which granted conditional bail to Sengar while his appeal is pending. The CBI had strongly opposed Sengar's plea in the High Court as well, highlighting the gravity of the crime and the potential risks involved.
The severe cold and dense fog gripping North India are also affecting Uttar Pradesh. Life across the state has been disrupted due to the cold winds from the mountains and snowfall. The Meteorological Department has predicted that there will be no relief from the biting cold and fog for the next three days. Cold day conditions prevail, particularly in western and eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Due to the cold and fog, the UP government has closed all schools up to class 12 until January 1st. All schools affiliated with ICSE, CBSE, and the UP Board will remain closed. The sun remained hidden behind clouds and fog throughout the day, resulting in near-zero visibility in many districts. Visibility was recorded as zero in Agra, Prayagraj, Kanpur, and Saharanpur, 10 meters in Fatehpur, 15 meters in Meerut, and 20 meters in Hamirpur.
The Economic Offenses Wing (EOW) has launched a major operation regarding the scam in land acquisition under the Bharatmala Project. Raids are being conducted simultaneously at approximately 17 to 20 locations belonging to officials since Friday morning.
It is alleged that officials and middlemen embezzled crores of rupees by manipulating the compensation amount meant for farmers. The amount involved in this scam is estimated to be around Rs 43 crore.
Gold prices in India witnessed a decline on Monday morning, the first day of the week. In the capital city of Delhi, 24-karat gold reached ₹1,41,360 per 10 grams, while 22-karat gold was priced at ₹1,29,590 per 10 grams. In Mumbai, the price of 24-karat gold was ₹1,41,210 and 22-karat gold was ₹1,29,440 per 10 grams. Last week, 24-karat gold had strengthened by ₹7,040 and 22-karat gold by ₹6,450.
The Supreme Court will hear a case related to the protection of the Aravalli hills today. Recently, the court took suo motu cognizance of the controversy surrounding the changes in the definition of the Aravalli hills and mountain range. The case will be heard by the CJI's vacation bench in the Supreme Court on Monday. The court took cognizance of the matter after widespread concern among environmentalists and local communities.
An Interoceanic train derailed on Sunday in the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico. At least 13 people were killed and 98 injured in the accident. The train was carrying approximately 241 passengers and 9 crew members at the time. The accident occurred on a curve near the town of Nizanda, in a rural area. Rescue and relief teams arrived at the scene immediately after the derailment.
According to the Mexican Navy, 193 passengers are safe, while 98 were injured. Of the injured, 36 were hospitalized in serious condition. President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that five of the injured are in critical condition. Local hospitals have been placed on alert for emergencies.
US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a crucial meeting on the Ukraine-Russia war at Mar-a-Lago in Florida on Sunday. Following the meeting, both leaders gave positive signals regarding the peace process during a joint press conference. Zelenskyy stated that 90 percent agreement had been reached on the peace plan, while Trump indicated that an agreement could be possible within a few weeks if conditions were favorable.
During the press conference, Donald Trump described the meeting as “fantastic” and said that significant progress had been made towards ending the Ukraine-Russia war. Trump revealed that he had recently spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin for more than two hours on the phone, during which several important issues were discussed. He said, “I think we’re getting very close, perhaps very close. This war has been one of the deadliest conflicts since World War II, and we’ve made progress towards ending it.”
Severe cold and dense fog have made life difficult for people across North India, including the national capital Delhi. Minimum temperatures have dropped below 5 degrees Celsius in many parts of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Uttarakhand. The cold wave and chilly winds are severely impacting daily life.
Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 6.3 degrees Celsius on Sunday. Along with the cold, pollution has also worsened the situation. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was 390 at 4 PM on Sunday, which falls in the 'severe' category. AQI was recorded at a severe level at 19 out of 40 monitoring stations in the capital. Anand Vihar recorded the highest AQI at 444.
A massive fire broke out in two coaches of the Tatanagar-Ernakulam Express late Sunday night in the Yelamanchili area of Andhra Pradesh. One passenger died in the incident, while several others sustained minor injuries. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, and a forensic investigation is underway.
According to police officials, they received information about the fire on the train at around 12:45 AM. Immediate relief and rescue operations were launched after the incident. A body was recovered from coach B-1 after the fire.
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