The Indian Army killed seven Pakistani soldiers in firing along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. The Attorney General and the bar council said the crisis created by four Supreme Court judges publicly criticising the Chief Justice has been resolved. The judges denied any resolution. These stories made news on Monday. Here is more about them.
Seven Pakistani soldiers killed across LoC: Indian Army
The Indian Army said it killed seven Pakistani soldiers and injured four others in “retaliatory action” along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district. One of the soldiers killed was a Major, PTI quoted an unnamed Indian Army officer as saying. Pakistan’s Army said it lost four soldiers and killed three Indian troops when India opened fire across LoC .
Judges resume work, but Supreme Court crisis not resolved
The issues raised by four senior Supreme Court judges who publicly dissented against the Chief Justice has been resolved, said Bar Council of India chief Manan Kumar Mishra. “Kahani khatam ho gaya (the story is over),” Mishra said. The crisis was “storm in a tea cup” and it has ended, said attorney general K K Venugopal. The Supreme Court on Monday announced the composition of a five-judge Constitution bench that will begin hearing several important cases on January 17. None of the four senior judges, who on Friday aired grievances against the Chief Justice of India (CJI), is on the bench which will hear, among other cases, challenges to Aadhaar, a challenge to its own judgment criminalising homosexual relationships between consenting adults, and a petition on the ban on women between the ages of 10 and 50 entering the Sabarimala temple.
Facial authentication for Aadhaar security
{{/usCountry}}Facial authentication for Aadhaar security
{{/usCountry}}Facial recognition will become a security feature of Aadhaar in addition to fingerprints after a series of breaches in the world’s biggest biometric identification programme. Card holders will be required to match their photographs with that stored in the database for authentication in addition to fingerprints and iris scans, said the Unique Identification Authority of India in a statement. The feature will help people who are not able to biometrically authenticate because of “worn out fingerprints, old age or hard work conditions”.
Brutal rapes reported in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab
Two men allegedly raped and burnt alive a 17-year-old girl in Majhgawan village of Hamirpur district in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday evening, police said. A 50-year-old man was arrested for allegedly mutilating the private parts of a 10-year-old girl by inserting a wooden object near Pinjore town of Haryana on Saturday. A 11-year-old girl was found dead and semi-nude outside Urlana Kalan village of Panipat district on Sunday. Two men of the village arrested for her death allegedly told the police they had sex with the deal girl. A 23-year-old woman was abducted and gang-raped in a car in the old part of Faridabad city in Haryana on Saturday. Police are looking for a Class 12 student in the rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl, who had her private parts mutilated and liver ruptured when she was found near a village in Jind district of Haryana last week, police said. A 62-year-old speech impaired woman was raped in Diwanawala village in Patiala district of Punjab.
Netanyahu calls Modi ‘revolutionary leader’ as Israel and India deepen ties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu in Hebrew and stressed the close friendship between the two leaders and their countries as officials from both sides signed nine agreements on defence, trade, energy and agricultural ties. “You are a revolutionary leader,” Netanyahu said about Modi in a joint press conference in Delhi.
China and Pakistan protest General Rawat’s comments
China said Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat’s comment that Doklam, where the two nations engaged in a 73-day military standoff last year, was “unconstructive”. “Donglang [Doklam] belongs to China and has always been in the effective jurisdiction of China,” said a spokesperson in Beijing. In Islamabad, Pakistan’s foreign secretary told visiting US diplomat Alice Wells that Rawat’s statement was “irresponsible”. Rawat had said his army will call Pakistan’s “nuclear bluff” if it’s asked to.
Spectator killed during Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu
A 19-year-old spectator was gored to death during Jallikattu, the traditional bull-taming festival, in a village in Madurai district of Tamil Nadu. As many as 25 other people were injured in the event, which was held using a double barricade separating the fighting arena from the gallery. This year, the sport is being held according to new rules and regulations.
Govt plans to split Air India into 4 entities ahead of sale: Report
The government will split national carrier Air India into four separate companies and offer at least 51% in each of them as part of a divestment plan, Bloomberg reported on Monday. The debt-laden airline would be divided into core airline business, regional arm, ground handling and engineering operations, the report said.
Bigg Boss winner Shilpa Shinde doesn’t want to act in TV
Actress Shilpa Shinde, winner of the eleventh season of reality TV show Bigg Boss, said she does not want to act in television. “I would rather explore the medium of films than television. After working for so many years, the way few people of the industry treated me, I am disheartened,” she said, referring to her dispute with the makers of the TV series Bhabhi Ji Ghar Par Hai.
True Terminal story: Businessman stranded at Delhi airport for three days
An Indian-origin businessman is stranded at Delhi’s international airport for three days after his handbag containing his passport was mistakenly taken away by a passenger to Canada. Satyendra Singh, an American citizen who was returning home after visiting his parents in Lucknow, was left without money or fresh clothes. He spent the night on the floor of the terminal.