Jan 11 News Live: Iranian president vows to listen to protesters but warns against rioters

Doval calling for revenge for centuries-old events 'deeply unfortunate', says Mehbooba

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday hit out at National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval for calling for revenge for centuries-old events, saying it is "merely a dog whistle".

It is unfortunate that the NSA, whose duty is to protect the nation, has chosen to join the "communal ideology of hate", the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said in a post on X.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue in Delhi on Saturday, Doval said India has to strengthen itself not just at the borders, but in every other way, including economically, to "avenge" a painful history of attacks and subjugation.

In her post, Mehbooba said, "It is deeply unfortunate that a high-ranking officer like Mr Doval, whose duty is to guard the nation against internal and external nefarious designs, has chosen to join a communal ideology of hate and normalise violence against Muslims." "Calling for REVENGE in the 21st century over centuries-old events is merely a dog whistle, inciting poor and uneducated youth to target a minority community already facing an onslaught from all sides," she said.

Indore water contamination deaths fallout of urban planning failure: Digvijaya

Senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh CM Digvijaya Singh on Sunday described the deaths due to contaminated water in Indore as a "fatal outcome of the failure of urban planning" and called for fixing accountability to prevent recurrence.

In a statement to media, the Rajya Sabha member also said such tragedies would continue to recur unless sewage and drinking water lines running through the "veins of the system" were completely separated.

Seven persons died recently in Indore's Bhagirathpura area following a diarrhoea outbreak triggered by the consumption of contaminated water, as per the health department, while local residents have claimed 17 deaths. The Indore district collector has distributed compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to 18 affected families.

Singh said the water contamination tragedy was the "fatal outcome of the failure of urban planning". He claimed that more than 20 persons lost their lives in the tragedy and said lives lost to contaminated water could neither be brought back nor could compensation mitigate the sorrow of their families.

TN people dissatisfied with DMK rule: BJP leader Nitin Nabin

BJP national working president Nitin Nabin on Sunday said people of Tamil Nadu are "deeply dissatisfied" with the DMK government's administrative failures.

The senior saffron party leader, who is on a two day visit to the textile town, said the BJP karyakartas are fully prepared to take the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of a corruption-free and prosperous Tamil Nadu to every household and polling booth.

"The people of Tamil Nadu are deeply dissatisfied with the DMK government's administrative failures. Our dedicated karyakartas are fully prepared and committed to taking the noble vision of a corruption-free, prosperous Tamil Nadu under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi- National Democratic Alliance to every house and every polling booth," he wrote in a social media post.

Addressing the BJP's 'Professionals Connect' programme on Saturday, criticised the ruling DMK, alleging that it neither understood development nor respected the state's culture.

Iran's parliament meets to discuss ongoing protests shaking nation

Iran’s parliament met on Sunday to discuss the ongoing protests shaking the nation, with lawmakers at one point rushing to the front of the assembly to chant “Death to America!”. The display in the hardline-controlled parliament came as Iran’s theocracy struggles to contain demonstrations that are now two weeks old. Lawmakers later chanted other slogans in support of the government.

Scientists discover two new frog species in Arunachal Pradesh

Scientists have discovered two new frog species in Arunachal Pradesh. The newly identified species - Leptobrachium somani (Soman's Slender Armed Frog) and Leptobrachium mechuka (Mechuka Slender Armed Frog), belong to the slender armed frog genus Leptobrachium.

The discovery was announced in a research paper published in the international scientific journal PeerJ on January 9.

Globally, 39 species of this genus are known, of which only four had earlier been reported from India.

The study was authored by A N Dikshit, Akalabya Sarmah, Sonali Garg, Tage Tajo, Radhakrishna Upadhyaya K, James Hanken and S D Biju.

The researchers are from the Systematics Lab, Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, and the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University.

Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein welcomed the discovery, calling it a proud moment for the state.

"The discovery of Leptobrachium somani and Leptobrachium mechuka is a proud moment for Arunachal Pradesh. These newly documented species highlight the rich and still unfolding biodiversity of our state," Mein said in a social media post.

Fog reduces visibility in parts of Punjab, Haryana

Several parts of Punjab and Haryana reeled under intense cold conditions on Sunday, with minimum temperatures settling below the season's average.

Bathinda was the coldest place in Punjab recording a minimum temperature of 1.6 degrees Celsius while Hisar, at a low of 2.2 degrees Celsius, was the coldest place in Haryana, according to the weather office.

Fog reduced visibility in the morning at some places in Punjab and Haryana.

In Punjab, Faridkot reeled under severe chill at a minimum of 2.9 degrees Celsius, while Ludhiana, Patiala, Amritsar and Gurdaspur registered respective minimums of 4.6 degrees, 3.8 degrees, 3.2 degrees and 3.8 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, also experienced a cold night at 5 degrees Celsius.

In Haryana, biting cold swept Narnaul, which recorded a low of 3 degrees Celsius. Ambala, Faridabad and Rohtak also reeled under piercing chill at respective minimums of 5.5 degrees, 4.2 degrees and 4 degrees Celsius, respectively. 

23-year-old Hindu farmer shot dead by landlord in Pakistan’s Sindh

A 23-year-old Hindu farmer has been shot dead in Pakistan’s Sindh province allegedly by his landlord for building a shelter on his land, leading to widespread protests by the Hindu community.

The police arrested the landlord Sarfaraz Nizamani, and his facilitator, Zafarullah Khan, from Hyderabad on Saturday night, SSP Badin Qamar Reza Jaskani said.

Kelash Kohli was shot at for allegedly constructing a shelter in the land owned by Nizamani in Talhar village of Badin district on January 4.

“A special team was formed in this case after the accused fled the scene and went underground but we finally arrested him last night from the Fateh Chowk area in Hyderabad,” Jaskani said.

The Hindu community erupted in protests after Kohli was shot dead by Nizamani who didn’t want him building a shelter on his land. Kohli succumbed at a hospital due to the bullet wounds.

Jurel replaces injured Pant in India's ODI squad for NZ series

Dhruv Jurel on Sunday replaced an injured Rishabh Pant in India's ODI squad for the three-match series against New Zealand.

Jurel, who has been in stellar form in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, has joined the squad for the series beginning here on Sunday.

Pant suffered a side strain while batting in the nets on Saturday.

"Wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant felt a sudden onset discomfort in his right lateral abdominal area while batting in the nets during India's practice session on Saturday afternoon at the BCA Stadium, Vadodara," said the BCCI.

"He was taken for MRI scans immediately and the BCCI Medical Team had a detailed discussion with an expert on his clinical and radiological findings. Pant has been diagnosed with a side strain (Oblique Muscle Tear) and is subsequently ruled out of the ODI Series.

"The Men's Selection Committee has named Dhruv Jurel as Pant's replacement, and Jurel has linked up with the squad." Jurel will be the reserve wicket-keeper batter in the ODI squad. He goes into the series at the back of six fifty-plus scores in seven innings including two hundreds.

Air quality a nationwide crisis, govt response exceedingly ineffective:Congress

The Congress on Sunday cited a report to claim that air quality is a nation-wide, structural crisis for which the government response is "exceedingly ineffective and inadequate", as it demanded a thorough reform of the National Clear Air Programme.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the NCAP propagated as the National Clear Air Programme is actually another type of NCAP - "Notional Clear Air Programme".

The former environment minister said a new analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) has now confirmed what was always India's "worst-kept secret that the air quality is a nation-wide, structural crisis for which the government response is exceedingly ineffective and inadequate".

Using satellite data, the study found that nearly 44 per cent of Indian cities that is 1,787 out of 4,041 statutory towns assessed have chronic air pollution, with annual PM2.5 levels consistently exceeding the national standard over five years (2019-2024, excluding 2020), Ramesh said in a statement.

Pointing out that the report also highlighted the ineffectiveness of the NCAP, the Congress leader said that despite the scale of the problem (1,787 towns), only 130 cities are covered under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).

Of these 130 cities, 28 still lack continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS), he claimed.

CJI to lay foundation stone for new court complex in Assam today

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant will lay the foundation stone for an integrated Judicial Court Complex at Rangmahal in Assam's North Guwahati on Sunday.

The CJI, who reached here on Saturday evening, attended a cultural show and dinner hosted in his honour, the officials said. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and several dignitaries were also present there, they said.

Envisioned as a modern judicial city, the new complex will be developed over 148 bighas (48 acres) with a phase-I cost of around Rs 479 crore, they said. The new complex will house the Gauhati High Court and district court buildings, along with integrated facilities for faster and more accessible justice delivery, the officials said.

However, members of the Gauhati High Court Bar Association have been protesting against the proposed shifting to the new site, and have announced a four-hour hunger strike from 10 am on Sunday.