The Morning Standard - February 01, 2025

In this issue

February 01, 2025

SONIA'S REMARK ON PREZ SPARKS CONTROVERSY

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's comments about the hour-long address of President Droupadi Murmu to Parliament on Friday gave the BJP ammunition to launch a scathing attack on the grand old party.

1 min

Sonia's Remark on Prez Sparks Controversy

IN a rather sharp remark, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that for the first time since 2014, no foreign attempts were made this year to stoke trouble before the start of a Parliament session.

1 min

GET OUT OF THE WAY OF GROWTH, SAYS SURVEY

A 'business as usual' attitude will end up in growth stagnation, warns annual Economic Survey

1 min

Days ahead of polls, 8 AAP MLAs quit, say 'lost faith in Kejriwal'

IN a significant setback for AAP, eight of its MLAs resigned from the party on Friday, days before assembly elections, citing corruption.

1 min

Message to Trump: No de-dollarisation policy

Don's Open Threat

1 min

'Priority to make Shakur Basti model constituency'

IN the key battleground of Shakur Basti, Congress candidate Satish Luthra is mounting a challenge against AAP’s Satyender Jain and BJP’s Karnail Singh, pledging transformative change through decades of grassroots social service. Luthra, in an interview with Shekhar Singh, criticised AAP’s governance and BJP’s disconnect from local issues, promising to prioritise sanitation, water supply and infrastructure.

2 mins

Ammonia levels in Yamuna drop after stir: Kejriwal

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Friday claimed that Haryana had finally stopped supplying high-ammonia water to Delhi after his party raised the alarm.

1 min

AAP Has Failed to Govern Capital, Says PM

Modi takes a dig at Kejriwal, says he has been misusing city's resources for election campaigns in other states

2 mins

Over 900 Cases Of MCC Violation Registered

Ahead of the February 5 assembly polls, more than 900 cases of alleged violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) have been registered, an official said on Friday.

1 min

'Shooting the messenger', says Kejriwal in reply to EC notice

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Friday submitted his response to the Election Commission (EC) regarding his claim that the Haryana government was \"poisoning\" the Yamuna River.

1 min

Cong says AAP blocked drainage plan leading to Yamuna water pollution

CONGRESS leader and former Union Water Resources Minister Harish Rawat on Friday accused former CM and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal of halting the construction of master drains along the Yamuna, a project intended to divert untreated sewage to treatment plants in Vrindavan.

1 min

Street wit offers rare relief from poll heat

AS electioneering heats up in the capital, the markets, with an array of retailers, customers and passersby, all from diverse walks of life, serve as excellent grounds to gauge public sympathies.

2 mins

Anti-Sikh riots: Court reserves verdict against Sajjan Kumar

A Delhi court has reserved its verdict in a case against former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar related to the killing of a father-son duo during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

1 min

DUSU prez's inspection highlights sanitation issues at college hostels

A surprise inspection of the washrooms of Delhi University's hostels by DUSU president Ronak Khatri on Friday revealed multiple maintenance and cleanliness issues in the toilets.

1 min

Voter-friendly steps in place: CEO Vaz

Measures such as wheelchairs, medical teams, and home voting options have been introduced

2 mins

Will pass order': HC on pleas against '2020 Delhi'

THE high court on Friday reserved its verdict on a batch of petitions challenging the release of the film 2020 Delhi, based on the 2020 Delhi riots, along with its trailer on YouTube.

1 min

Plea filed against AAP MLA for hiding info in poll papers

A petition has been filed in the high court against AAP leader and Delhi minister Mukesh Ahlawat, accusing him of repeatedly contesting elections while deliberately suppressing crucial information.

1 min

Edu officials directed to hold students' rallies for voter awareness on Feb 3

THE district election officer (South West) on Friday issued a notice to the Deputy Director of Education for South West Delhi (Najafgarh) and West Delhi (Vikaspuri), instructing them to organise a \"Prabhat Rally\" for students in various schools under their jurisdiction.

1 min

In a final lap, trains with empty rakes run to Rameswaram stn

IN one of the final trials before the line becomes operational again, trains with empty rakes were run across the new Pamban bridge to the Rameswaram station on Friday.

1 min

No money for funeral, two girls spend a week with mother's body

IN a heart-wrenching incident, two young women lived with their deceased mother's body for at least seven days as they lacked the money to perform her last rites.

1 min

Tiger-occupied area up by 30% in 20 years, says study

NOT only the number of tigers, but also the area occupied by them has increased in the country, according to a study.

1 min

K'taka backs right to die with dignity

Implements Supreme Court directive over withholding treatment to terminal patients

2 mins

First Population-Based Childhood Cancer Registry Launched in TN

POPULATION-BASED Childhood Cancer Registry (PBCCR), the first high-resolution dataset in India exclusively for pediatric cancer, launched by the Cancer Institute (WIA) at Adyar on Friday showed that the median time from the onset of symptoms to diagnosis of cancer was 12.5 days while the median time from diagnosis to the start of treatment was just two days in Tamil Nadu.

1 min

ED Sleuths Arrest Four From TN Over Links to Bogus China-Based Loan Apps

ENFORCEMENT Directorate sleuths have arrested four Tamil Nadu natives over their links to China-based bogus loan apps, after a probe revealed the shell companies operated by them transferred over ₹170 crore to their Chinese operators via Singapore since 2023.

1 min

CROWD CONTROL LESSONS UNLEARNT AT PRAYAGRAJ

THOUSAnDS of pilgrims were crushed under a moonless winter sky in the wee hours of Wednesday at Prayagraj.

2 mins

SURVEY A REMINDER OF BUMPS ON ROAD TO VIKSIT BHARAT

THE Economic Survey has summed up the enormous task that lies ahead if we are to be a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

1 min

DeepSeek Torpedoes Western AI Oligopoly

On Tuesday, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists set the Doomsday Clock forward by a second.

3 mins

Roads That Fork With Budget 2025

In the next two years, we'll know the outcomes of the census, and the finance and pay commissions. This budget is a chance to address some issues before the imperatives change

4 mins

Petition against VIP darshans at temples junked

THE Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking directions against the rising practice of allowing preferential visits to 'VIPs' in temples across India.

2 mins

Need climate-resilient crops to sustain prices, stem inflation

CLIMATE and weather variabilities are major threats to Indian agricultural land, as a major portion of them are rainfed, the Economic Survey report tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament on Friday underlined.

1 min

BJP spent over ₹1,737 cr on 2024 polls, 37% more than 2019: Data

THE BJP has informed the Election Commission of India (EC) that it spent a total of ₹1,737.68 crore on the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and the elections for four state assemblies.

1 min

Warmer, drier Feb likely to hit wheat crop: IMD

THE India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday forecast a drier and hotter February which would cause adverse impact on standing food grain crops like wheat at flowering and grain filling stages.

1 min

NMC flip-flop as patients & relatives can appeal against medical negligence

Course correction

2 mins

Only goal is Viksit Bharat: Prez

Addressing joint sitting of both Houses, Murmu says pace of work tripled in govt's third term

2 mins

Meghalaya cops step up probe as fossil of whale ancestor goes missing

EVIDENCE that Northeast was possibly once a part of the mighty ocean has gone missing.

1 min

Punjab's debt may reach ₹3.53L cr by March, govt plans ₹1K sops to women

THE public debt of fund-starved Punjab government is expected to reach ₹3.53 lakh crore by March this year.

1 min

Muslims throw open mosques, shrines for Kumbh devotees

FOLLOWING the stampede on January 29 in Prayagraj during Mauni Amavasya at the Maha Kumbh, which resulted in the loss of 30 lives and left many injured, members of the minority community stepped in to assist the exhausted devotees wandering tired and hungry on the crowded roads of the Sangam city.

1 min

12 Held for Parading Gujarat Tribal Woman

A woman was disrobed, tied to a motorcycle, and paraded through Dhalsimal village for reportedly living with a man, police said on Friday.

1 min

Byrnihat brings smog in Assam, Conrad seeks help from Himanta on curbs

COME winter, smog shrouds idyllic Assam cities, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) hitting unexpected highs in Guwahati.

1 min

Former glam girl as Kinnar akhara chief triggers waves

FORMER Bollywood actor Mamta Kulkarni's anointment as Mahamandaleshwar (religious superior) of the Kinnar Akhara has sparked controversy after Rishi Ajay Das, who claims to be a founding member of the akhara, removed Kinnar Akhara Acharya Mahamandeleshwar Dr Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi, from her post.

1 min

Rafah crossing to reopen, three Israelis to be freed in fourth swap today

GAZA'S Rafah border crossing with Egypt is to reopen Saturday following a fourth exchange of hostages and prisoners under a truce agreement, a Hamas official and a source told AFP.

1 min

Confusion and chaos in US aid agency after White House freezes assistance

DONALD Trump's administration changes have upended the US agency charged with providing humanitarian aid to countries overseas, with dozens of senior officials put on leave, thousands of contractors laid off, and a sweeping freeze imposed on billions of dollars in foreign assistance.

1 min

DC crash: Busy Reagan Airport's ATC was understaffed, controller was multi-tasking

According to a New York Times report, staffing was thin in the control tower at Reagan National Airport, where the crashed American Airlines plane was about to land when the collision occurred.

1 min

25% Tariffs on Canada and Mexico Coming Today, Says Donald Trump

Considering similar measure against China too for sending fentanyl into the US: Prez

2 mins

Sri Lankan President Dissanayake ready to release Tamil land in Jaffna

SRI LANKAN President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Friday assured the northern Tamils that their lands held by the military would be fully returned back to them soon.

1 min

Busy Bee Airways to Reach Out to Go First Lenders

BUSY BEE AIRWAYS on Friday informed the insolvency appellate tribunal NCLAT that it will try to reach out to the lenders of Go First.

1 min

Eco survey advocates tax breaks on e-vehicles, subsidies for new energy

TAX breaks on electric vehicles (EVs) and subsidies for renewable energy can encourage a shift toward low-carbon lifestyles, the Economic Survey 2024-25 stated on Friday.

1 min

Economic Survey warns against long working hours

INDIA INC still debates over the 70-90-hour workweek proposal, but the Economic Survey has finally put an end to this by citing a study that documented adverse health effects if employees' work hours exceed 55-60 per week.

1 min

India lags in R&D, requires private sector contribution

INDIA is facing a significant gap in research and development (R&D) across key sectors, with a strong need for greater private sector involvement, according to the Economic Survey 2025, released on Friday.

1 min

Apple expanding mfg in India for domestic needs, export: Cook

APPLE CEO Tim Cook on Friday said the company is expanding its manufacturing in India to meet both domestic demand and global export needs.

1 min

Need to ramp up investment in battery storage tech

INDIA'S energy transition requires a comprehensive approach and can't solely focus on renewable energy, said Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran on Friday.

1 min

India Inc warned against overuse of AI

As OpenAI's ChatGPT and the recent 'R1' low-cost AI model by Chinese firm DeepSeek have raised concerns about the future of jobs, the Economic Survey stresses on skilling employees so that artificial intelligence (AI) can augment their efforts rather than replacing them.

1 min

Enhance eco freedom for individuals, small biz

Economic Survey calls for significant deregulation and structural changes; wish-list includes strategy for growth, expansion of MSMEs

1 min

Excessive financialisation can hurt real economy as it comes with risks: Survey

Market may see correction in 2025, warns survey

1 min

Mumbai held by East Bengal in ISL

MUMBAI City FC were held to a goalless draw against the East Bengal FC at the Mumbai Football Arena in the Indian Super League on Friday.

1 min

Mukund, Ramkumar look to lift India

SEASONED players Mukund Sasikumar and Ramkumar Ramanathan will lead Team India's challenge in the men's singles matches for their Davis Cup 2025 World Group I Playoffs tie against Togo to be played at DLTA Complex on February 1 to 2.

1 min

Kohli falls for 6 but Delhi in command against Railways

SKIPPER Ayush Badoni's audacious 99 helped Delhi take the first innings lead against Railways after pacer Himanshu Sangwan got the coveted wicket of Virat Kohli on day two of their Group D Ranji Trophy match in New Delhi on Friday.

2 mins

Super Kings win to stay in hunt for SA20 playoffs

Joburg Super Kings maintained their challenge for a place in the Betway SA20 playoffs with a victory over the table-topping Paarl Royals at the Wanderers on Thursday evening.

1 min

Big Real Madrid test for Man City in CL play-off

REAL Madrid will play Manchester City in the Champions League knockout playoffs round in a standout clash of the past two title winners after the draw was made Friday.

1 min

With flowers & chocolate, GM Yakubboev says sorry to Vaishali

UZBEK Grandmaster Nodirbek Yakubboev offered flowers, chocolate and a personal apology to Indian GM R Vaishali after causing quite a stir by refusing to shake hands with her before their game in the Tata Steel Chess Tournament here, citing \"religious reasons\".

1 min

All-round India win T20I series

Hardik, Dube resurrect hosts after they were reduced to 12 for three in two overs in Pune

2 mins

Bindyarani Dominates Proceedings, Clinches Gold Medal With Record Lift

MANIPUR's star weightlifter S Bindyarani Devi set a national record in snatch en route to her gold medal-winning effort in the women's 55kg category at the ongoing National Games here on Friday.

1 min

FREEZE FRAME

At 65, Delhi's Yogesh Bhatia achieves a remarkable feat by capturing the elusive snow leopard. His fearless pursuit of predators, braving -15 to 50 degrees, and his understanding of animal behaviour makes him a master of wildlife photography.

3 mins

Unleashing Art on Skin

PRIDE comes in all forms and mankind will always find innovative ways to exhibit it.

2 mins

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