December 30: Top headlines at 2 pm

Developing News

*The Delhi High Court has issued notice to ex-IAF chief SP Tyagi on a CBI plea against bail given to him in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam case.

*Takam Pario, PHED minister, is likely to be the next Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister, said PPA President Kahfa Bengia

Seven miners dead in Lalmatia colliery mishap in Jharkhand

Seven miners were killed and several others feared trapped following a mishap in Lalmatia opencast coal mine at Rajmahal area of Eastern Coalfields Ltd (ECL) n Godda district of Jharkhand last night. "So far, bodies of seven miners have been recovered from the mine. Rescue work is on," RR Mishra, officiating CMD of ECL, told PTI. There was a cave-in at the mine at around 7.30 pm last night when excavators and tippers were working there following which rescue operations were launched immediately, Mishra said. Police said two persons were injured in the incident and were being treated at a hospital. Expressing sorrow, the Jharkhand Chief Minister on Friday announced assistance of Rs two lakh for the families of the miners who died in the accident. He also announced Rs 25,000 to the injured, official sources said.

TMC accuses BJP-RSS of spreading canard about Dhulagarh riots

With the Opposition in West Bengal attacking the ruling TMC on the issue of Dhulagarh riots, the TMC today accused the BJP and RSS of spreading canard on social media to give "a local incident communal twist". "All the old social media tricks and habits of the BJP-RSS combo. Amplify a local issue. Give it a communal twist. Spread hate even after arrests," TMC national spokesperson Derek O'Brien said in a statement. O'Brien said Bengal has rejected "communal bigots in historic elections few months back".

Saibaba temple gets Rs 31.73 crore in donations post note-ban

The Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust in Shirdi, Maharashtra has received donations of Rs 31.73 crore during the past 50 days post the government's demonetisation move, an official said today. These donations include Rs 4.53 crore in the scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes and Rs 3.80 crore in the new Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 notes denominations, said Sachin Tambe, one of the trustees of the Saibaba Sansthan. During the last 50 days, the Sansthan received Rs 18.96 crore in donation boxes, Rs 4.25 crore, including Rs 2.62 crore through credit/debit cards, at its various donation counters, Rs 3.96 crore through bank demand drafts, Rs 1.46 crore in donations online and Rs 35 lakh through money orders.

Apart from cash donations, the trust also received gold ornaments weighing nearly 2.90 kg worth around Rs 73 lakh, silver ornaments of 56 kg worth about Rs 18 lakh, and Rs 3.18 crore from VIP devotees through 'darshan' and 'aarti' paid passes issued to them after November 8.

6 killed in bakery shop fire, exit locked from outside

Six workers were suffocated to death when a fire broke out in a bakery shop whose only exit was locked from outside in Kondhwa area in Pune in the wee hours today. The victims, all hailing from Uttar Pradesh, used to sleep on the loft inside the bakery shop, 'Bakes and Cakes', which is owned by three partners. "We received a call at around 4.45 am today and immediately fire tenders were rushed to the spot. There were six workers, who were found in an unconscious state. They were rushed to the Sassoon General hospital, where they were declared dead," a fire brigade official said. "Since the main shutter was locked from outside, all the six got trapped inside and died of suffocation," the fire official informed. Prima facie a short-circuit is suspected to have caused the blaze.

Trump to meet with intelligence officials on Russian hacking

US President-elect Donald Trump will meet intelligence officials next week "to be updated on the facts" after the Obama administration sanctioned Russian intelligence services, expelled 35 Russian officials and shuttered two Russian-owned compounds in the US. "It's time for our country to move on to bigger and better things. Nevertheless, in the interest of our country and its great people, I will meet with leaders of the intelligence community next week in order to be updated on the facts of this situation," Trump said. Trump's vaguely worded statement, which did not mention Russia directly, came soon after the Obama Administration yesterday announced a series of punitive measures against alleged Russian hackings during the presidential elections.