India

New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday appointed a five- member committee headed by former apex court judge Indu Malhotra to probe the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Punjab.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana also appointed the Inspector General of the National Investigation Agency, Director General of Police of Chandigarh, the Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Additional DGP (Security) of Punjab as members to the Justice Malhotra panel.

New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) After a gap of over three months, India and China on Wednesday are holding another round of high-level military talks to resolve the 20-month-long military standoff in the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh, sources in the security establishment said.

The 14th round of Corps Commander-level talks are taking place at the Chushul-Moldo border point on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, they said.

New Delhi, Jan 11 (PTI) US Climate Envoy John Kerry is likely to visit the country soon to take forward the India-US Climate Action and Finance Mobilisation Dialogue, officials said on Tuesday

While some officials said the visit should take place by the end of this month depending on the Covid situation, others said there is no final fix on the dates so far

New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has tested positive for COVID-19 and is in home quarantine.

In a tweet, he said he has "mild symptoms" and is under home quarantine.

"I have tested positive for Covid 19 today with mild symptoms. Following all the necessary protocols, I have isolated myself and I am under home quarantine. I request all those who have come in contact with me to isolate themselves and get tested," Gadkari said in a social media post.

Shamli, Jan 12 (PTI) A teenager was raped by a 50-year-old man in a sugarcane field in Unn area of the district, police said.

The incident happened on Tuesday when the 16-year-old girl has gone to cut grass in the fields, they said.

The accused is absconding and the girl has been sent for medical examination, the police said.

A case has been registered and probe is on, they added.

New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel on Wednesday said that he has tested positive for COVID-19 with mild symptoms and has isolated himself at home.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator also appealed to those who have come in contact with him to get tested.

Sultanpur (UP), Jan 11 (PTI) A court here has sentenced a man to 10 years in prison for raping a minor girl two years ago and filming the act to prevent her from telling anyone about it.

The court of Special Judge, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Pawan Kumar Sharma also slapped a fine of Rs 51,000 on the convict, Suraj Saroj.

Patna, Jan 10 (PTI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has tested positive for COVID 19 and is in home isolation, his office said on Monday.

The chief minister's office shared the information on its Twitter handle, adding that the septuagenarian has urged people of the state to follow all measures which are part of the Covid protocol.

Saharanpur, Jan 10 (PTI) A former Congress MLA on Monday said he has joined the Samajwadi Party along with his supporters.

Imran Masood, a western UP leader, who is believed to be close to Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, said he decided to join the SP after consulting with his supporters at his residence.

Massod, meanwhile, was booked by the local police for amassing a large crowd of his supports without taking permission from the authorities amid the enforcement of the model code of conduct.

New Delhi, Jan 10 (PTI) BJP president J P Nadda on Monday said that he has tested positive for COVID-19.

Nadda said he has isolated himself on the advise of doctors and urged those who came in his contact recently to get themselves tested for the virus.

He underwent the test after having some symptoms for the disease and added that he has been feeling alright.

India has been seeing a surge in the number of infections as the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the virus fuels the spread.