Pained by the condition of the Yamuna, hundreds of kite fliers thronged to a dry riverbed here to send messages to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urging them to save the dying river.

Special kites with printed messages dotted the Agra skyline on Sunday evening.

“The dry river bed was aptly used for a sport with a grim message: If Yamuna doesn’t live, Agra too would perish,” said activist Shravan Kumar Singh.

River Connect Campaign activists and hundreds of men, women and children joined the kite flying festival at the Yamuna to celebrate Makar Sankranti.

Activist Devashish Bhattacharya told IANS: “The purpose of organising the festival with special messages was to focus the attention of our leaders towards a polluted river which was not only affecting human life but also proving a threat to the Taj Mahal.”

River Connect Campaign has been holding daily meetings with puja and arti of the Yamuna to build pressure on the government to construct a barrage downstream of the Taj Mahal.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on the six-day visit to India, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among those present during the ceremony.

“It began with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic visit to Israel, which created tremendous enthusiasm that continues with my visit here, which, I must say, is deeply moving for me and my wife and the entire people of Israel,” Netanyahu said after the ceremony.

“And, I think, it helps us flourishing our partnership to bring prosperity, peace and progress for both our people.”

Netanyahu and Modi are expected to discuss a variety of subjects related to bilateral relations and the global situation.

This is the first visit to India by an Israeli Prime Minister since Ariel Sharon came in 2003.

Breaking protocol, Modi on Sunday personally went to the airport and received his Israeli counterpart who arrived here to begin a six-day visit that will also take him to Mumbai and Gujarat.

It was a sunny and cold Monday morning in the national capital with the minimum temperature recorded at 6.4 degrees Celsius, one notch below the season’s average.

At least 13 trains were cancelled, 39 delayed and four rescheduled due to fog in several parts of northern India.

Humidity in Delhi at 8.30 a.m. was 92 per cent.

“The sky will be mainly clear during the day,” an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official told IANS.

The maximum temperature was likely to hover around 25 degrees Celsius.

The maximum temperature on Sunday settled at 23.3 degrees Celsius, three notches above the season’s average and the minimum temperature was recorded at 5.7 degrees Celsius, three notches below the average.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said on Monday that Israel has “ended” the landmark Oslo peace accords of the 1990s with its actions.

“I am saying that Oslo, there is no Oslo,” he said at the start of a meeting of Palestinian leaders called to discuss US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

“Israel ended Oslo,” Abbas said, adding that the meeting must take decisions on how to move forward.

Four senior-most Supreme Court judges, who had held an unprecedented press conference and raised the issue of assignment of cases, on Monday attended court and took up routine work.

The four judges — Justices J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph — have taken up their respective business on the first working day of the top court after the January 12 press conference.

In the presser, these judges had flagged some problems, including the assigning of cases in the apex court, and said there were certain issues afflicting the country’s highest court.

On Sunday, Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra had met a seven-member delegation of the Bar Council of India and Supreme Court Bar Association President Vikas Singh and had assured them that the crisis would be sorted out soon and congeniality would prevail.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday saluted the country’s soldiers on the occasion of Army Day for their exemplary sense of duty towards their motherland.

On Army Day, my salute to all Army personnel for their exemplary sense of duty to the nation, Banerjee wrote on her Twitter handle this morning.

Army Day is celebrated on January 15 every year. The celebrations mark the day when Lieutenant General K M Cariappa s took charge as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army in 1949.

Anupam Kher thanked filmmaker Mahesh bhatt for contributing in his life and journey in Hindi filmdom.

Anupam on Sunday shared a still from the film 1989 film Daddy and said that the movie will always remain as one of his most favourites.

Daddy will always remain one of my most favourite films. Pooja Bhatt was stunning in her very first film. Thank you Mahesh Bhatt Saab for your contribution to my life and to my so far journey in Cinema,” he captioned the still.

Daddy which also starred Soni Razdan and Neena Gupta among many others, told the story about a daughter who decides to save her father from getting destroyed at the hands of alcoholism with help of her unconditional love and care.

Anupam and Mahesh together have worked in films like Saaransh, Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin, Tadipaar and Papa Kehte Hai.

A day after the Bar Council of India (BCI) delegation met Chief Justice Dipak Misra to end the ongoing crisis in the Supreme Court, Attorney General KK Venugopal on Monday said that everything was “okay” as he hinted that a resolution might be in sight.

Talking to the media, Venugopal said: “All the judges are sitting (in their courts)… everything is okay,” referring to the four rebel judges– J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Kurian Joseph and Madan B Lokur.

The rebel judges had criticised the Chief Justice over allocation of cases, saying the administration of the top court was “not in order”.

Meanwhile, all 25 SC judges are expected to meet soon to resolve the crisis in the country’s apex court.

Supreme Court Bar Association President Vikas Singh met Justice Misra and gave him a copy of the resolution the Bar passed on Saturday. The resolution also suggested a Full Court meeting to resolve the matter.

Two days after the crisis began, a seven-member delegation of the BCI had on Sunday met the Chief Justice to convey its concern over the issue. The BCI also met three of the four rebel judges.

As the crisis lingered, four retired judges wrote to Justice Misra on Sunday, throwing their weight behind the four rebel judges who “have brought to light a serious issue regarding the manner of allocation of cases, particularly sensitive cases, to various benches of the Supreme Court”.

Night temperatures throughout the Kashmir Valley remained several degrees below the freezing point on Monday with Kargil town freezing at minus 20 degree Celsius.

“At minus 20 degree Celsius as the minimum temperature, Kargil was the coldest town in Jammu and Kashmir followed by Leh at minus 10.9 degree Celsius.

“Minimum temperature recorded in Srinagar was minus 3.3, in Pahalgam minus 5.6 and minus 6.4 degree Celsius in Gulmarg,” an official of the MET department said.

The official said the weather was likely to remain cold and dry during the next four to five days and as such the night temperatures could fall further in the Kashmir Valley and the Ladakh region.

In Jammu region, the minimum temperature recorded in the city was 4.7, in Katra 8.2, in Batote 3.3, Banihal 1.8, Bhaderwah 0.6 and Udhampur 0.2 degree Celsius.

Actress Jessica Chastain says she is planning to step back from acting and is keen to direct in future.

In an interview to Grazia magazine, the “Molly’s Game” expressed her desire to go behind the camera, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

“Every day I feel like there is something new I never imagined I’d be doing. If anything, I think in the future I’m going to step back and I’m probably going to produce more. I may even direct,” Chastain said.

“I’m interested in taking the light that has been shined on me and maybe shining it on some other people. I don’t feel like I’m having to sacrifice anything because in reality, this world is bigger than what my dream was,” she added.

Singer Selena Gomez’s mother Mandy Teefey says she is not happy with her daughter reuniting with singer Justin Bieber.

Gomez’s mother opened up about her famous daughter’s love life in an interview with Gossip Cop, reports dailymail.co.uk.

Teefey has said she’s “not happy” about her 25-year-old daughter rekindling her romance with Bieber, 23.

“Selena can live her life however she wants as long as she is happy, safe and healthy. She is 25 years old and knows what is at stake with her health. I do not control her the way it has been portrayed.

“Selena is an adult and can make her own choices,” she said.

Teefey said she hasn’t spoken to or texted Bieber in “years”.

She also debunked claims that she is no longer acting as her daughter’s manager because of ongoing tensions between herself, Gomez and her stepfather Brian Teefey, who also managed her career.

“We never expected to manage her whole life. We lost family time because the only time we saw her, we talked business,” she said of giving up the role in 2014.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday wished the nation on the occasion of Makar Sankranti and saluted the hardwork of farmers while paying for their prosperity.

In a tweet, Modi said: “The Makar Sankranti festivities have been observed with great fervour across India. We salute the hardwork of our farmers and pray for their prosperity.”

Modi in particular wished the people of Karnataka where Makar Sankranti is celebrated as a harvest festival.

“Sankranti wishes to my sisters and brothers of Karnataka,” tweeted Modi along with a signed poster that read: “My Sankranti greetings to all Kannadigas. May this auspicious festival bring happiness, harmony and well-being to all.”

In Karnataka, the festival is called ‘Suggi’ or harvest festival for the farmers of the state and signifies the harvest of the season.

The festival is celebrated in different parts of the country every year in January. While, in many parts, the festival falls on January 14 every year, in some parts the festivities can go on for days.

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan celebrated Makar Sankranti on the sets of his upcoming film Zero.

Shah Rukh on Sunday night shared a photograph of himself flying a kite and he said it was fun.

“Celebrated Makar Sankranti the festival of harvesting and happiness for our farmers around the country by flying a kite on Aanand L Rai sets of Zero. Too much fun,” the Don star captioned the image.

Celebrated Makar Sankranti the festival of harvesting & happiness for our farmers around the country by flying a kite on @aanandlrai sets of Zero. Too much fun… pic.x.com/P5ftZY3vsI

— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) January 14, 2018

Directed by Aanand L Rai, Zero features Shah Rukh in a dwarf avatar. According to Rai, this is a story that celebrates the imperfections in one’s life.

The film, releasing on December 21, also features Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif. The actors had last featured together in Jab Tak Hai Jaan.

This will be the first time that Shah Rukh and Rai have collaborated for a project together.

Five militants from Jaish-e-Mohammed’s suicide squad were killed on Monday near the Line of Control (LoC) in a joint operation by Jammu and Kashmir Police, army and paramilitary forces, officials said.

Defence spokesperson Col Rajesh Kalia said a group of militants was spotted infiltrating from Pakistan into India near Dulanja area of border town Uri — some 120 km from here.

The infiltrating militants opened fire at the forces, ensuing into a fierce gun battle that left five militants dead, Col Kalia said.

Director General of Police S.P. Vaid tweeted about the operation and said four “suicidal JeM terrorists were killed in Dulanja while infiltrating, in a joint operation by (Jammu and Kashmir) Police, army and (central armed police forces) CAPF”.

“Keep up the good work,” he lauded the forces.

Police sources here said all the slain militant were Pakistan nationals.

The rupee rose by 23 paise to trade at 63.40 against the dollar in opening session on Monday, helped by strong gains in domestic stocks and losses in the greenback in obverses markets.

The rupee opened strong at 63.45 at the interbank forex market against previous close of 63.63 per dollar as stocks soared to record levels after strong economic data.

The rupee moved in range of 63.4875 per dollar to 63.3900 per dollar in early session before quoting at 63.40, displaying strong gains of 23 paise against the greenback.

Industrial production growth zoomed to a 17-month of 8.4 per cent in November 2017.

Selling of the American currency by exporters supported the rupee, forex dealers said.

The US dollar was struggling against the yen and pound after reports of monetary tightening by Bank of Japan.

On Friday, the rupee had ended higher by a modest three paise at 63.63 against the US dollar in a highly volatile trade.

The benchmark BSE Sensex rose by 209.35 points, or 0.60 per cent to hit an all-time high of 34,801.74 while the NSE Nifty climbed 52.15 points, or 0.48 per cent, to a new peak of 10,733.40 on Monday.

Visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said his visit was a “dawn of a new era” in friendship between India and Israel.

Speaking to the media after inspecting the Guard of Honour at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, Netanyahu said: “This is a dawn of a new era in friendship between India and Israel.”

“It began with PM Modi’s historic visit to Israel that created tremendous enthusiasm, it continues with my visit here which I must say is deeply moving for me, my wife and people of Israel,” he added.

“This visit heralds a flourishing partnership to bring prosperity, peace and progress for our people,” he said further.

Netanyahu was welcomed by President Ram Nath Kovind and was accompanied by Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with the chiefs of the three armed forces and senior ministers.

The Israeli Prime Minister is scheduled to hold delegation level talks with later in the day at Hyderabad House to pave way for various projects related to cooperation in innovation, technology transfer, defence supplies, and economic relations.

The issue of India’s vote at the UN will also figure in the talks.

The two sides will sign agreements and also issue a joint press statement.

Breaking protocol, Modi on Sunday personally received Netanyahu with a warm hug as he arrived here on a six-day visit to step up growing trade as well as military and strategic ties between the two countries.

The visit, which marks 25 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, comes six months after Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the Jewish state in July last year.

In a sign of growing importance to the ties with Israel, the government on Sunday renamed Delhi’s Teen Murti Chowk as Teen Murti-Haifa Chowk after the Israeli city.

Netanyahu’s entourage includes the largest-ever delegation of Israeli business people of some 130.

This is the first visit to India by an Israeli Prime Minister since Ariel Sharon came in 2003.

(With inputs from agencies)

A 58-year-old man, who claims to be singer Taylor Swift’s boyfriend, has told the police that he needs a gun to protect her in Africa.

According to the police in New Hampshire, a man was at the station for voluntary questioning on an unrelated case when he bragged he was the singer’s boyfriend.

“He went as far as showing them texts with a ‘Taylor Swift’ as the recipient,” said the police officials.

The police got suspicious when he started asking how many states he can drive through with a concealed carry weapons permit. He also told the police he wanted a gun to protect Taylor in Africa.

However, it is unclear why he thinks Swift will be in Africa.

The police could not detain the man as “someone simply saying they want a gun to protect someone is not a crime”.

The officials are trying to contact Swift’s team to warn her.