HIGHLIGHTS

DEL37 RAMTEMPLE-OFFICE-CLOSURE Ram Temple consecration Half day for all central govt offices on Jan 22 New Delhi All central government offices across the country will remain closed for half a day on January 22, due to the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, a Personnel Ministry order issued on Thursday said.

Following are the top stories at 9.10 pm: NATION DEL71 MEA-INDIA-MALDIVES **** Committed to take forward development partnership with Maldives: India New Delhi: India on Thursday said it remains committed to take forward its development agenda with the Maldives including implementation of various welfare projects in the island nation. **** DEL69 MEA-REDSEA-CONCERN **** Matter of concern: India on situation in Red Sea New Delhi: India on Thursday described as a ''matter of concern'' the unfolding security situation in the Red Sea and said it is closely watching the developments in the critical sea lanes in the region. **** DEL86 MEA-INDIANS-ISRAEL-JOBS **** Conscious of responsibility to ensure safety of citizens abroad: MEA on Indians going to Israel for employment New Delhi: With thousands of Indians looking for jobs in Israel notwithstanding the ongoing conflict in Gaza, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said it is conscious of its responsibility to ensure safety of Indian citizens abroad. **** DEL56 AYODHYA-PM-2NDLD STAMP **** PM Modi releases commemorative postage stamps on Ram temple New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday released commemorative postage stamps on the Ram temple in Ayodhya and a book of stamps issued on Lord Ram around the world, and said these are not merely pieces of paper but act as medium to pass on historical events to future generations. **** DEL77 DL-KEJRIWAL-LD ED **** Kejriwal refuses to depose before ED for fourth time, terms summonses 'illegal' New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday refused to depose before the Enforcement Directorate for the fourth time and termed the summonses issued to him ''illegal'' and part of a ''political conspiracy'' to arrest him before the Lok Sabha polls. **** DEL91 FAROOQ ABDULLAH-INDIA BLOC **** Threat to INDIA bloc, some members may form separate alliance: Farooq Abdullah New Delhi: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said there is a threat to the INDIA bloc if a consensus on seat sharing is not reached soon, asserting that some members may try to form a separate grouping. **** DEL37 RAMTEMPLE-OFFICE-CLOSURE **** Ram Temple consecration: Half day for all central govt offices on Jan 22 New Delhi: All central government offices across the country will remain closed for half a day on January 22, due to the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, a Personnel Ministry order issued on Thursday said. **** DEL88 CONG-SHOWCAUSE **** Cong show cause notice to its national media panelist Alok Sharma over remarks against Kamal Nath New Delhi: Chairman of Congress' media and publicity department Pawan Khera on Thursday issued a show cause notice to party's national media panelist Alok Sharma asking him to explain why he made certain derogatory remarks against former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath. **** CAL21 AS-YATRA-3RD-LD-RAHUL **** Assam govt, CM most corrupt in India: Rahul Gandhi Sivasagar/Jorhat (Assam): Kickstarting the Assam leg of 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' on Thursday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed the state perhaps has the ''most corrupt government'' and the ''most corrupt CM'' in the country. **** BOM17 GJ-BOAT-LD STUDENTS **** 14 students, 2 teachers die as boat overturns in lake near Vadodara city during school picnic Vadodara: A school picnic turned tragic as 16 persons --14 students and two teachers -- died after a boat overturned in a lake on the outskirts of Vadodara city in Gujarat on Thursday, police officials said. **** LEGAL LGD34 DL-HC-MAHUA MOITRA-ORDER **** Delhi HC refuses to stay notice asking Mahua Moitra to vacate government accommodation New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Thursday refused to stay the eviction notice issued to expelled Lok Sabha member of TMC Mahua Moitra asking her to vacate her government accommodation. **** LGD16 SC-LD BILKIS **** Bilkis Bano case: 5 convicts move SC seeking more time to surrender New Delhi: Days after the Supreme Court quashed the remission the Gujarat government had granted them, five of those convicted of gang-raping Bilkis Bano and massacring seven members of her family during the 2002 communal riots moved the Supreme Court on Thursday seeking more time to surrender.**** LGD13 DL-HC-DEFAMATION-LD DHONI HC asks registry to inform cricketer Dhoni of defamation suit against him by ex-biz partners New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked its registry to inform former Team India cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni about filing of a defamation suit against him by his two former business partners.

FOREIGN FGN71 PAK-STRIKES-7THLD IRAN Pakistan conducts 'precision military strikes' against 'terrorist hideouts' in Iran's Siestan-Balochistan province, 9 killed Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday used killer drones and rockets to carry out ''precision military strikes'' against what it called ''terrorist hideouts'' in Iran's Siestan-Balochistan province, killing 9 people, a day after Islamabad downgraded diplomatic ties with Tehran following Iranian attacks on terror bases in Balochistan. By Sajjad Hussain FGN57 WEF-INDIA-MINISTERS India has already seized the moment: Union ministers at WEF Davos: Asserting that the Indian economy has undergone a significant transformation in the last one decade, three union ministers on Thursday said the country's economic growth now is not only high but also inclusive. By Barun Jha