Xpress Times Team

Bengaluru, December 17, 2024: Babai Hotel, an iconic name synonymous with authentic Andhra cuisine, has officially opened its doors in Bengaluru. The grand launch, held on Friday, December 13, 2024, was a resounding success, with Telugu superstar Sreeleela gracing the occasion as the guest of honor.

A Delhi court has granted seven days of interim bail to former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader, Umar Khalid, to allow him to attend his cousin’s wedding. The bail, which was granted on Wednesday, will be effective from December 28 to January 3. Khalid had initially requested a 10-day interim bail for the occasion.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the immediate hospitalisation of 70-year-old farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on a hunger strike since November 26 at the Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana. Concerned about his deteriorating health, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan emphasized that any misfortune would hold the "entire state machinery" accountable.

A Starlink dish and router, recovered by security forces during an operation in Manipur's Keirao Khunou village, have been deemed non-functional and incompatible in the region, according to central intelligence agencies. The devices, marked with Starlink branding, were seized alongside weapons, including an MA4 assault rifle, a pistol, ammunition, and other items suspected to belong to insurgents.

A tragic collision between a navy boat and a passenger ferry off the Mumbai coast has claimed 13 lives, including a navy personnel and two individuals from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). The incident occurred during engine trials of the navy craft near Karanja in the Arabian Sea.

Kashmir is experiencing a deep chill as temperatures continue to dip across the region. The southern hill resort of Pahalgam recorded the lowest night temperature of the season, reaching -5°C on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, dropping slightly from the previous -4.8°C. Cold and dry weather conditions persisted throughout the region, with temperatures further falling in several areas.

Cold wave conditions have gripped several parts of India, with temperatures dropping significantly in regions such as Telangana, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Odisha, and Delhi. On Monday, many areas in Telangana, including Hyderabad, saw temperatures plunge into the single digits, triggering cold wave conditions that affected the daily life of residents.

Indore, India's cleanest city, is taking an aggressive step in its quest to become beggar-free. Starting January 1, the district administration will begin registering FIRs against anyone found giving money to beggars. This drastic move is part of the city’s ongoing efforts to eliminate begging and rehabilitate beggars through a central government pilot project.

A tailor’s tag stitched to a blood-stained shirt found near a crime scene helped the Odisha Police solve a mysterious murder case, leading to the arrest of three individuals.

Delhi has experienced its cleanest first half of December since the air quality index (AQI) data was first collected in 2015, with significant improvements in air quality across the capital. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi recorded an average AQI of 238 from December 1 to December 15, the lowest ever for the month.

Farmers have ramped up their protest at the Shambhu border, as they take out tractors for a march following the announcement of a new series of protests in Punjab. The demonstration gained momentum on Sunday when farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher revealed plans for a tractor march outside Punjab on December 16, followed by a ‘Rail Roko’ protest in Punjab on December 18.

Seven people from two families, including a man and his four children, as well as two siblings from another couple, tragically died in Badhal village, Kotranka, in Rajouri district, Jammu and Kashmir, due to suspected food poisoning. The deaths occurred in two separate incidents, one on December 8 and the other on December 12.

Danish Merchant, also known as Danish Chikna, a key associate of underworld gangster Dawood Ibrahim, was arrested by Mumbai Police on Friday in connection with a major drug racket. Merchant, who allegedly manages Dawood's illicit drug operations in the Dongri area, was apprehended along with his associate, Kader Ghulam Sheikh.

A severe cold wave continues to affect Delhi NCR, along with neighboring Punjab and Haryana, causing a significant drop in temperatures across the region. On Sunday, the minimum temperature in the national capital recorded a further decline, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). By 5:30 PM, the temperature in Delhi was at 4.9°C, while at Pusa Observatory, it dropped to 3.8°C, a decrease of 5°C from previous readings. Narela also saw a chilly 5°C.