‘Agar mujhe kuchh huaa…’: Girl declares love for boyfriend days before marriage, shot dead by father
In a purported case of honour killing, a 20-year-old girl was shot dead by her father in Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior on Tuesday, i.e., January 14. x
Saif Ali Khan attacked: ‘Just based on one or two incidents, it won’t be right to say…’, says Maharashtra CM Fadnavis
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis on Thursday stated that the law and order of Mumbai cannot be judged based on a few incidents and asserted that the city is the safest place.
Race for DNC chair narrows after longshot candidate drops out, endorses Minnesota’s Ken Martin
The field of contenders to become the next Democratic National Committee chair has narrowed after a long-shot candidate dropped out and endorsed Ken Martin, Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party chair. Martin, a DNC vice chair who has led the association of state Democratic Party chairs, has been considered a frontrunner for the DNC job. Martin received a boost after New York state Sen. James Skoufis dropped out of the race and endorsed him, Politico reported Thursday morning. Skoufis told the outlet in a statement that Martin “will re-center what is most important for our party: expanding the map and rebuilding our once-big Democratic tent by taking power outside of the DC Beltway and kicking the out-of-touch consultant class to the curb.” DNC HIRES FORMER HARRIS STAFFERS BEHIND @KAMALAHQ FOR SOCIAL MEDIA RESPONSES TO TRUMP Democrats suffered major setbacks up and down the ballot in the 2024 elections as former President Trump recaptured the White House and the GOP flipped the Senate and held onto its fragile majority in the House. Martin told Fox News Digital last month that if he becomes chair, the first thing he would do is “figure out a plan to win.” “And we need to start writing that plan, making sure we’re looking underneath the hood,” he said. “How much money do we have at the party? What are the contracts? What contracts do we need to get rid of? And, frankly, bringing all of our stakeholder groups together, that’s the biggest thing.” DNC CHAIR HOPEFUL MARTIN O’MALLEY SAYS DEMS WILL CONTINUE TO LOSE IF PARTY DOESN’T CONNECT WITH WORKING CLASS Two other top contenders in the DNC race are Ben Wikler, who has steered the state Democratic Party in battleground Wisconsin since 2019, and Martin O’Malley, the former two-term Maryland governor and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate who served as commissioner of the Social Security Administration the past year. Current DNC chair Jaime Harrison is not seeking another four-year term steering the national party committee. The next chair will be chosen by the roughly 450 voting members of the national party committee when they meet Feb. 1 at National Harbor in Maryland for the DNC’s winter meeting. Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Texas lawmakers eye sharing health care workers with other states to address provider shortages
Advocates say interstate compacts, which allow professionals to use their work licenses in multiple states, can solve Texas’ workforce shortage. Skeptics fear Texas would send more workers than it would receive.
Fort Worth is inching closer to 1 million residents. Here’s why.
The growth is fueling higher rents and home prices in the North Texas city that was once seen as a more affordable option to Dallas and other major cities.
Good news for central government employees, as 8th Pay Commission gets cabinet approval ahead of Budget 2025
In a major decision, the Union Cabinet on Thursday decided to set up the 8th Pay Commission to revise salaries of central government employees and allowances of pensioners.
AG nominee Pam Bondi seen as steadying force to steer DOJ in Trump’s second term
Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, has vowed to head up a Justice Department free from political influence and mismanagement if confirmed – using her confirmation hearing Wednesday to assuage concerns that she might use the role to go after Trump’s so-called “enemies” or otherwise weaponize the Department of Justice. For weeks, Bondi has done the same behind closed doors – meeting with nearly every member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, a bipartisan charm offensive designed to head off any unexpected encounters and ensure an easy path to confirmation. As of Wednesday, the careful strategy seems to have paid off, with even Democrats on the panel praising the former Florida AG in light of their earlier in light of their earlier one-on-one meetings in private. TRUMP’S AG PICK HAS ‘HISTORY OF CONSENSUS BUILDING’ “I had a good meeting with her,” Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., told Politico Wednesday following the hearing. Speaking to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee at the start of her confirmation Wednesday, Bondi highlighted her early dreams of becoming a prosecutor – a dream she said was realized almost immediately after beginning law school. “From the moment I interned at the State Attorney’s office in Tampa, Florida, all I wanted to do was be a prosecutor,” Bondi said, noting that she had four jury trials while in law school. “I lost most of them,” she laughed, but still “never wanted to do anything else.” “If confirmed,” Bondi continued, her tone turned serious, “I will fight every day to restore confidence and integrity to the Department of Justice and each of its components.” She also vowed to collaborate closely with the Judiciary Committee, building on earlier relationships developed with Senate offices in the run-up to Wednesday’s hearing. Trump’s Democratic detractors wasted little time in the hearing detailing their concerns about Bondi’s confirmation and her ability to steer the Justice Department in the face of a willful, and at times seemingly impulsive president-elect; many of them confronted her directly with the names of her would-be predecessors who tried and failed to do the same. They questioned her willingness to go after political “enemies” and asked her to give credence to certain remarks made by Kash Patel, Trump’s FBI nominee. But Bondi appeared composed and largely unflappable during the course of Wednesday’s hearing, which stretched for more than five hours, save for a 30-minute lunch break. She highlighted her record on fighting violent crime, drug trafficking, and human trafficking as Florida’s top prosecutor, and outlined her broader vision for heading up the Justice Department, where she stressed her desire to lead a department free from political influence. If confirmed, Bondi’s former colleagues have told Fox News Digital they expect her to bring the same playbook she used in Florida to Washington – this time with an eye to cracking down on drug trafficking, illicit fentanyl use, and the cartels responsible for smuggling the drugs across the border. Whether the approach will prove successful, however, remains to be seen. ‘UNLIKELY COALITION’: A CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM ADVOCATE SEES OPPORTUNITIES IN A SECOND TRUMP TERM Sunshine State endorsements Those who have worked with Bondi in her decades-long prosecutorial career have described her in both a series of interviews and letters previewed exclusively to Fox News Digital as an experienced and motivated prosecutor whose record has proved to be more consensus-builder than bridge-burner. Democrat Dave Aronberg, who challenged Bondi in her bid for Florida attorney general, told Fox News Digital in an interview that he was stunned when Bondi called him up after winning the race and asked him to be her drug czar – a role where they would go on to work in tandem to crack down on the state’s opioid crisis – some of the office’s most important and lasting work. He credited her in an interview as the “most responsible for ridding the state of Florida of destructive pill mills,” citing her push for statewide legislation, and her work in enforcing Florida’s “Statewide Prescription Drug Diversion and Abuse Road Map” to coordinate federal, state and local efforts to fight the opioid crisis, among other actions. At the time, the Sunshine State was at the epicenter of the U.S. opioid crisis, with an abundance of “pill mills,” cash-only clinics, and lack of statewide prescribing laws that allowed for the purchase of addictive medications largely without restrictions. When Bondi took office, opioids were killing around seven people each day, Aronberg said in an interview. There were also “more pain clinics than McDonald’s locations” in Florida at the time, he said, illustrating the magnitude of the problem. If confirmed as U.S. attorney general, Bondi has made clear she plans to remain focused on cracking down on illicit drugs – albeit on a national scale. Other parts of her record in Florida were also highlighted Wednesday, including consumer protection victories and economic relief secured by then-Florida attorney general Bondi on behalf of residents in the Sunshine State. After the 2008 financial crisis, her work leading the National Mortgage Settlement resulted in $56 billion in compensation to victims, and in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Bondi’s lawsuit against BP and other companies responsible resulted in a $2 billion settlement in economic relief. These issues are likely to take center stage in Thursday’s hearing – the second day of Bondi’s two-day confirmation – which will focus on testimony of others who have worked with her over the years. National praise In the weeks ahead of Bondi’s hearing, dozens of former state attorneys general and more than 100 former top Justice Department officials urged the Senate Judiciary Committee to confirm Bondi, praising both her experience for the role and commitment to the rule of law. The letter from the former Justice Department officials was signed by top officials who served in Democratic and Republican administrations, and by former U.S. attorneys general John Ashcroft, Jeff Sessions, Bill Barr and Edwin Meese, who noted: “It is all too rare for senior Justice
Jan. 6 committee member says pardons are unnecessary: ‘We didn’t do anything wrong’
Rep. Pete Aguilar, a top Democrat who served on the congressional committee investigating President-elect Donald Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election, isn’t expecting any favors from the outgoing commander-in-chief. He said he thinks a preemptive pardon from President Joe Biden, protecting him from Trump’s potential retaliation, is unnecessary because the Jan. 6 committee “didn’t do anything wrong.” “I don’t think a pardon is necessary. I stand by the work that we did,” on the committee, Aguilar told reporters at the Capitol Tuesday. The California Democrat also said that he has “not sought a pardon,” nor has he spoken to anyone at the White House about one. Fox News Digital reached out to Aguilar to inquire whether he would accept one, if it were granted to him, but did not hear back. Lawmakers who served on the House committee investigating Jan. 6 have been split about the importance of a preemptive pardon. Some fear it will set a bad precedent for future presidents and assert that the Constitution’s speech and debate clause provides adequate protection against criminal prosecutions, or civil lawsuits, over their legislative work. Others, meanwhile, have welcomed the idea of a pardon, fearing “retribution” from Trump. MICHAEL COHEN PLEAS FOR BIDEN PRESIDENTIAL PARDON: ‘I’M SOMEBODY’S SON ALSO’ Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., chairman of the former Jan. 6 committee investigating Trump, said he spoke with the White House last month about the potential of issuing pardons for lawmakers who served on the committee, and said he would accept a pardon from Biden if it were granted to him. “I believe Donald Trump when he says he’s going to inflict retribution on this,” Thompson said this week. “I believe when he says my name and Liz Cheney and the others. I believe him.” Other than Thompson, no other members of the committee have indicated they will accept a pardon granted to them by Biden. However, they have stopped short of saying whether they would decline one. “I’ve not been in touch with the White House. I’ve not sought one,” Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., who served on the committee, said Tuesday. “It would be the wrong precedent to set. I don’t want to see each president hereafter on their way out the door giving out a broad category of pardons,” Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif, who also served on the committee, said in an interview with CNN earlier this month. Former GOP Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger made the same argument as Schiff, but went a step further, saying that he did not want one. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said during a live event this week hosted by Politico that he wasn’t sure what the right call for Biden was. “Different people have different feelings about the whole pardon thing because there are these outrageous threats that are being leveled against people just for doing their jobs, like Jan. 6 prosecutors at the Department of Justice,” Raskin said. He added that “in a just world” there would be no need for a pardon because the committee did nothing wrong. “I’m glad we’ve got a wise president with wise people around him who will be able to figure that out,” Raskin said. BIDEN’S HHS SECRETARY WARNS AGAINST IMPLICATIONS OF PREEMPTIVE PARDON FOR FAUCI, OTHERS During Biden’s final interview as president with a print publication last week, he indicated that preemptive pardons for Trump’s political foes were still under consideration. Biden also noted in the interview that he had personally urged Trump not to “try to settle scores” when he met with the president-elect at the White House following his November election victory. Trump has referred to Thompson and other members on the Jan. 6 committee as “thugs” and “creeps.” During an interview on NBC’s “Meet The Press” last month, Trump accused the members on the committee of destroying evidence, adding that “everybody on that committee … should go to jail.” BIDEN CLAIMS HE ‘MEANT WHAT I SAID’ WITH PROMISE NOT TO PARDON HUNTER, HOPES IT DOESN’T SET PRECEDENT “They lied. And what did they do? They deleted and destroyed a whole year and a half worth of testimony. Do you know that I can’t get — I think those people committed a major crime,” Trump told NBC’s Kristen Welker. On Tuesday, the Justice Department released a 137-page report outlining the details of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Due to Trump’s election victory, prosecutors were forced to drop the case, but the report, according to Smith, shows how Trump allegedly used “lies as a weapon to defeat a federal government function foundational to the United States’ democratic process.” The Jan. 6 committee concluded its work after roughly a year and a half of investigations with a final report that determined Trump played a central role in the events that led to the siege on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 and that there was enough evidence for federal prosecutors to convict him. The report included several criminal referrals that the committee ultimately passed on to the Department of Justice.
Al Jazeera reporter in Gaza removes protective gear
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif greeted the announcement of a Gaza ceasefire deal by taking off his press gear.
Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan stabbed in ‘attempted burglary’ at Mumbai home
Khan is currently in surgery after receiving six stab wounds as police search for suspect. Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan has been stabbed after an intruder invaded his home in Mumbai. Khan, 54, was taken to a nearby hospital in Mumbai at about 3:30am (22:00 GMT on Wednesday) with six injuries, two deeper than the rest and one close to his spine, ANI news agency said, quoting the hospital’s chief operating officer. Khan’s public representatives also confirmed the incident, calling it an “attempted burglary”, adding that “the rest of the family is doing fine”. Later on Thursday, senior police officer Gedam Dixit told Reuters news agency that the actor was out of danger. “He [Khan[ is being treated … and is out of danger,” said Dixit. A female employee at their home was also attacked and was being treated, police said. It’s scary to think of an intruder walking into an apartment and stabbing the resident! Many questions about how this can happen but first all our prayers with #SaifAliKhan and his family. — Saba Naqvi (@_sabanaqvi) January 16, 2025 Khan lives in an apartment in the western Mumbai suburb of Bandra, along with his wife Kareena Kapoor-Khan, who is also an actor, and their two children. Advertisement According to news outlet NDTV, the police were still searching for the suspect and have launched an investigation into the attack. Khan is among the country’s most bankable actors, having featured in more than 70 films and television series, in some also as a producer. He is the son of former India cricket captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi and actress Sharmila Tagore. ‘So unsafe’ Messages of solidarity and prayers poured across social media including from fans, politicians and Khan’s Bollywood colleagues. “Shocked and saddened to hear about the attack on Saif sir. Wishing and praying for his speedy recovery and good health,” actor Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Jr, also known as NTR Jr, posted on X. Celebrities, opposition leaders and other public figures also called for tougher security. “If such high-profile people with… security can be attacked in their homes, what could happen to common citizens?” Clyde Crasto, spokesperson of the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party, said on social media. Actor and filmmaker Pooja Bhatt also called for a greater police presence in the suburb, home to many in the film industry. “The city, and especially the queen of the suburbs, have never felt so unsafe before,” she posted on X, using a popular description for the trendy area. Adblock test (Why?)