Author: Rasmita Jena

  • Delhi MLA Naresh Balyan in Judicial Custody for Organized Crime Case

    Delhi MLA Naresh Balyan in Judicial Custody for Organized Crime Case

    A judge in Delhi sent Naresh Balyan, an MLA from AAP representing Uttam Nagar, to jail for a day in a case about organized crime. Judge Kaveri Baweja decided to keep him in jail because the police wanted to question him for 10 more days, but the discussion about this is still ongoing and will continue on December 6.

    The police believe Balyan holds important information about a larger plan related to the case. Earlier, another judge stopped the police from taking him into custody and told them to bring Balyan to the right court that deals with cases involving lawmakers. When the police tried to justify their actions, the judge pointed out that they were wasting time.

    Balyan was arrested on December 4 and had recently been granted bail in a different case related to extortion.

  • IOC Drops Key Sports for 2026 Youth Olympics: Impact on India

    IOC Drops Key Sports for 2026 Youth Olympics: Impact on India

    In a major setback for India’s hopes of winning medals, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided that shooting, weightlifting, and hockey will not be medal events at the 2026 Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal. These sports have been moved to a special program called the “engagement programme,” which means they won’t award medals.

    At the last Youth Olympics in 2018, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, India won 13 medals, including 4 from shooting and 2 from hockey. Manu Bhaker, a talented young shooter from India, won one gold and one silver medal in shooting events.

    The IOC announced this change on December 3, confirming that the youth games will take place from October 31 to November 13, 2026. The games are for young athletes aged 15 to 18.

    Out of 35 sports, 25 will award medals, while 10 sports will be included in the engagement programme. The 25 sports that will offer medals include athletics, swimming, basketball, and many more.

    This year, for the first time, there will be equal opportunities for boys and girls in every event, with a total of 151 events planned — down from 241 in the previous games. The total number of athletes expected is 2,700.

    Originally, the 2026 Youth Olympics were scheduled for 2022, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they were postponed. The games will be held in three locations in Senegal: Dakar, Diamniadio, and Saly.

  • Police Hunt for Shooter in UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s Murder

    Police Hunt for Shooter in UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s Murder

    New York police are using facial recognition and forensic evidence to find the person who shot Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. Thompson, 50, was shot on Wednesday morning outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan.

    People are paying a lot of attention to this case because Thompson was a well-known figure and the crime seemed strange. Investigators are focusing on a picture from a nearby Starbucks, hoping it will help them identify the shooter.

    What Happened?

    The shooting happened around 6:45 a.m. when Thompson was walking to the Hilton hotel to speak at an investor conference. The attacker was waiting and, dressed in a light brown or cream jacket with a black mask, shot Thompson multiple times in the back and leg. Even when the gun jammed, the shooter fixed it quickly and kept firing before running away.

    There were early reports that the shooter rode away on a Citi Bike, but the bike company, Lyft, confirmed that no bike was used.

    Key Clues: Starbucks and Bullet Casings

    The police are checking video from the Starbucks where the suspect was seen buying something just before the attack. Even though the person was wearing a mask, part of their nose and eyes showed, which may help police match the face using facial recognition technology.

    At the crime scene, police found three bullet casings and three live bullets with words like “deny,” “defend,” and “depose” written on them. They believe these messages might be a clue about why the shooting happened. A phone was also found nearby and is being checked for evidence. Thompson’s hotel room is also being searched for more clues.

    Possible Reasons Behind the Attack

    It’s unclear why Thompson was attacked. The shooter didn’t take any of Thompson’s things, so robbery isn’t thought to be the reason. Thompson’s wife mentioned that he had received threats before, but she couldn’t give specific details about them. In 2018, there was a suspicious incident at his home in Maple Grove, Minnesota, but police found no crime had occurred.

    Attention and Ongoing Investigation

    The murder of Thompson has caused a lot of worry, and police are working hard to gather evidence. They are asking anyone who knows something to come forward.

  • Diddy Spending Christmas in Jail: What His Holiday Will Look Like

    Diddy Spending Christmas in Jail: What His Holiday Will Look Like

    Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs will spend Christmas in jail after his request for bail was denied again. Diddy, who is facing serious charges and has been in prison since September 16, 2023, will have to celebrate the holidays away from his family this year. His trial is set for May 2025.

    Unlike his usual fancy Christmas celebrations, Diddy will take part in activities like card games and sports with other inmates. On Christmas Day, the menu for Diddy and the other prisoners will include baked Cornish hen, macaroni and cheese, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, and a holiday dessert.

    Recently, Diddy enjoyed Thanksgiving in jail with a special meal that included turkey or hot tofu and festive side dishes. This year has been tough for him as he has also spent Halloween and his birthday behind bars. Diddy continues to deny all the charges against him.

  • Macron Decides Next Steps After Barnier’s No-Confidence Vote

    Macron Decides Next Steps After Barnier’s No-Confidence Vote

    Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, is in a tough spot after the Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, lost a no-confidence vote. This has made the country feel uncertain and worried. Macron now has to pick a new Prime Minister who can get support from at least 288 deputies to lead France effectively and handle important national issues.

    Many people are wondering if Barnier will be nominated again, but that seems unlikely since he just lost a vote. Instead, Macron might consider Sébastien Lecornu, the former defense minister, as he is a strong option.

    There’s also a chance that someone from the left-leaning party, La France Insoumise, could be chosen. This party has made it clear they would not support any Prime Minister who isn’t from their group.

    So, will Macron make a smart choice for the next Prime Minister? The nation is waiting to see what he will do next.

  • Government Rules Out Raising Retirement Age for Supreme Court Judges

    Government Rules Out Raising Retirement Age for Supreme Court Judges

    On Thursday, the Indian government told the Rajya Sabha that it does not plan to increase the retirement age for judges in the Supreme Court and high courts. The Law Minister, Arjun Ram Meghwal, explained that Supreme Court judges retire at 65 years, high court judges at 62, and district judges at 60.

    There was a past attempt by the UPA 2 government to change the retirement age of high court judges to match that of Supreme Court judges, but that bill was never discussed and eventually lapsed.

    During a Question Hour, AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chaddha raised concerns about retired judges taking on political roles, like becoming members of the Rajya Sabha or governors. He said this could lead to conflicts of interest and uncertainty about the independence of the judiciary. Chaddha proposed that there should be a cooling-off period of at least two years before any retired judge takes on a political or executive role, and he suggested that judges should receive better pensions to avoid financial dependency on post-retirement jobs.

    In response, Law Minister Meghwal stated that Chaddha’s remarks were politically charged. He mentioned that judges are appointed based on a set process outlined in the Constitution and past Supreme Court rulings. Meghwal also noted that while a resolution was passed in a conference for increasing judges’ retirement age, there is currently no government proposal on this matter. He pointed out that the Prime Minister has not created any new tribunals for retired judges.

  • Rohit Sharma on Dropping Ashwin and Jadeja for Australia Test Match

    Rohit Sharma on Dropping Ashwin and Jadeja for Australia Test Match

    India’s cricket captain, Rohit Sharma, shared that it was tough not being able to tell star players Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja that they wouldn’t play in the first Test against Australia in Perth. Many people were surprised when the team chose to leave out these experienced players for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener.

    Young all-rounder Washington Sundar got the chance to play instead of Ashwin and Jadeja, even though he didn’t have much impact with his bat or ball in the first innings. However, he did show good skills with his bowling in the second innings and formed an important partnership with Virat Kohli while batting.

    Rohit, who was away for paternity leave when India played Australia, noted that leaving out experienced players like Ashwin and Jadeja is always a hard choice. “It’s never easy to leave out players like them,” he said, emphasizing the decision was made to benefit the team at that moment.

    He believes Ashwin and Jadeja, who together have taken 855 wickets in Test matches, will play important roles in the remaining games of the series. “They are quality players who have brought a lot to Indian cricket,” Rohit stated, recognizing their contributions.

    Regarding Washington Sundar, Rohit praised the young player, saying he has the ability to thrive in different playing conditions around the world. Rohit hopes Sundar can stay healthy and continue to grow as a player, as his skills bring balance and depth to the team.

    Rohit also talked about two new players, Rana and Reddy, who impressed him with their fighting spirit during the first Test. He pointed out that these kinds of players, who show determination and strong attitudes, are vital for winning big matches and series.

  • Blinken Accuses Lavrov of Misinformation at OSCE Meeting in Malta

    Blinken Accuses Lavrov of Misinformation at OSCE Meeting in Malta

    On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticized Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, for spreading a lot of false information. Blinken blamed Russia for making the war in Ukraine worse. Both men were in Malta for a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). This was Lavrov’s first visit to a European Union country since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

    Blinken expressed disappointment that Lavrov had left the meeting room without listening to others speak, saying, “It would have been nice if he stayed to listen to us.” He warned everyone not to be fooled by Lavrov’s lies, saying this war has nothing to do with Russia’s safety. It’s really about Russian President Putin wanting to erase Ukraine entirely.

    Blinken also discussed the idea of “escalation” in the conflict. He pointed out concerns like North Korea sending troops to help Russia and ongoing attacks on Ukraine’s energy, which could impact every country in the room. Despite the tensions, Blinken and Lavrov were not scheduled to meet directly in Malta.

  • Devendra Fadnavis Sworn in as Maharashtra CM with New Deputy CMs!

    Devendra Fadnavis Sworn in as Maharashtra CM with New Deputy CMs!

    Devendra Fadnavis Sworn in as Maharashtra Chief Minister for the Third Time

    On Thursday, Devendra Fadnavis took the oath of office as Chief Minister of Maharashtra for the third time. He was joined by Ajit Pawar from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Eknath Shinde from the Shiv Sena as Deputy Chief Ministers.

    The recent state elections held in November saw the Mahayuti alliance, consisting of the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, win a huge victory, securing 230 out of 288 seats. Although the BJP won the most seats (132), it fell short of the 145 needed to have a majority. Eknath Shinde’s faction won 57 seats, while Ajit Pawar’s NCP won 41 seats.

    The swearing-in ceremony, attended by over 40,000 people, including Prime Minister Modi and many state leaders, was a grand event. Prominent business figures and celebrities were also present. Fadnavis had previously served as Chief Minister from 2014 to 2019 and had a brief term in November 2019.

    The BJP wanted Fadnavis back in the Chief Minister role, causing some tension with Shinde’s faction, which wanted to keep their leader in charge. While discussions were happening between the parties, the BJP did offer deputy positions to Shinde and Pawar. They are still figuring out ministers and resources.

    Fadnavis mentioned that he asked Eknath Shinde to join the new government. Fadnavis is hopeful about Shinde’s positive response after their recent conversation. Shinde congratulated Fadnavis but said he would update reporters later about his involvement in the swearing-in.

  • ED Busts Huge ₹640 Crore Scam Involving Chartered Accountants and Crypto Trader

    ED Busts Huge ₹640 Crore Scam Involving Chartered Accountants and Crypto Trader

    A big scam involving chartered accountants, a company secretary, and a cryptocurrency trader has been discovered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). This group tricked people out of more than ₹640 crore with various online scams.

    Two chartered accountants, Ajay and Vipin Yadav, along with crypto trader Jitendra Kaswan, were arrested from November 28 to 30 during searches in the Delhi-NCR area. The investigation showed they ran a huge money-laundering scheme that connected to people overseas and used secret messaging apps.

    This gang operated in different states, using fake online betting, gambling, part-time job listings, and phishing scams to take money from people. They funneled the stolen money through over 5,000 fake bank accounts in India before sending it to a payment service from UAE called “PYYPL.” Some cash was then withdrawn in Dubai using Indian bank cards.

    During a raid at Ashok Kumar Sharma’s home in Bijwasan, Delhi, associates of the suspects attacked ED officials, injuring one. The police and CRPF had to step in to protect the rest of the team. Ashok is currently on the run, but his brother, Radhe Shyam Sharma, was arrested for the attack.

    The ED searched 13 locations in Delhi, Gurgaon, Jodhpur, Jhunjhunu, Hyderabad, Pune, and Kolkata. They found lots of debit cards, cheque books, ATM cards, PAN cards, digital wallet phrases, ₹47 lakh in cash, and cryptocurrency (USDT) worth ₹1.36 crore from a wallet. They also froze several bank accounts.

    The ED said: “The handlers gave instructions about opening fake accounts, handling cash, and buying crypto through a group chat. We found more than 2,000 documents that detail transactions in many bank accounts and crypto purchases. We are currently analyzing these documents.”