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Drought affects over 11 million people in Ethiopia: UN humanitarians

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 More than 11 million people in Ethiopia alone are affected by the Horn of Africa drought, UN humanitarians said.

“More than 7.2 million people need food assistance, and 4 million people need water assistance,” said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

“At least 286,000 people in Ethiopia have migrated in search of water, pasture, or assistance. These are people with the means to travel. Others, often the elderly or the sick, have had to stay behind.”

The office said lack of pasture and water killed at least 1.5 million head of livestock. An additional 10 million head are at risk. Many of the remaining livestock are weak and provide little or no milk, affecting children’s nutrition, reports Xinhua news agency.

The humanitarian office said the severe drought, following three consecutive failed rainy seasons, also affected the schooling of more than 500,000 children.

OCHA said its humanitarian partners are scaling up assistance, supporting the Ethiopian government.

Humanitarians provided food to about 4.9 million people, treated or vaccinated more than 2 million head of livestock. More than 3.3 million people received water assistance.

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths, who heads OCHA, is visiting the drought-afflicted area, calling attention to the suffering in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.

He virtually met people directly affected by the drought in Ethiopia’s Somali region.

Griffiths’ office said he released $12 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to support the humanitarian action.

The Ethiopia humanitarian fund has also allocated $17 million for the crisis.

However, OCHA said additional funding is urgently needed.

The UN and humanitarian partners require $480 million to support the response through October.

Crime

Mumbai: Mulund Gym Owner, Trainer Booked For Cheating 205 Members Of ₹20 Lakh After Sudden Shutdown

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Mumbai: Police registered a case against the owner and a trainer of a gym in Mulund East for allegedly cheating over 200 members by abruptly shutting down the facility after collecting annual subscription fees amounting to more than Rs 20 lakh. The case came to light after several members complained that the gym closed without notice and their money was not refunded.

According to police officials, the accused have been identified as Swapnil Nigot, the owner, and Salokhe, a trainer who was managing the facility. The duo allegedly collected approximately Rs 20.05 lakh from 205 members before shutting down Flexfit Gymnasium, located near Hanuman Chowk in Mulund East.

Police stated Nigot had rented the premises and started Flexfit Gymnasium in February 2024. A few months later, in July 2024, the gym’s operations were handed over to Salokhe, who began managing day-to-day activities. The accused allegedly attracted customers by offering heavily discounted annual membership plans, assuring them of long-term access to the facility.

The case was registered based on a complaint filed by Nilesh Nandre (53), one of the gym’s members. In his statement to the police, Nandre said he visited Flexfit Gymnasium in May 2025 while searching for a fitness centre in the area. During his visit, he met Salokhe, who offered him an annual membership for Rs 10,000, which appeared to be a lucrative deal compared to prevailing market rates.

After enrolling, Nandre recommended the gym and its discounted scheme to several of his friends and acquaintances. Many of them also signed up for annual memberships and paid the required fees. The members were able to use the gym facilities for around two months without any issues.

However, on August 9, members were suddenly informed that the gym would be temporarily shut. The management reportedly told them that there was a dispute with the property owner and assured them that the issue would be resolved within two to three days. Despite these assurances, the situation did not improve.

The accused had failed to pay the rent for the premises, following which the landlord locked the gym, leading to its abrupt closure, confirmed police. When members repeatedly contacted the management seeking refunds of their subscription amounts, they allegedly received no response.

With no refunds forthcoming and the gym remaining shut, Nandre approached the police, prompting an investigation. Based on preliminary findings, a case has been registered against Nigot and Salokhe under Section 318 (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, according to the report. Further investigation is underway.

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Crime

Delhi Police intensify search for YouTuber Salman in Turkman Gate stone-pelting case

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New Delhi, Jan 8: Delhi Police on Thursday intensified its search for YouTuber Salman in connection with the violence that erupted during the Municipal Corporation’s demolition drive near the Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque in the Turkman Gate area.

According to police sources, Salman allegedly attempted to disrupt peace by using social media platforms. He is accused of calling upon locals to gather at the site during the demolition drive.

The investigation has also revealed that some influential people in the area allegedly incited residents to assemble through their respective WhatsApp groups. Police said their objective was to create unrest and obstruct the work of the administration and law enforcement agencies during the operation.

Meanwhile, an anti-encroachment drive is underway near Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque at Turkman Gate. Debris is being cleared from the site, and peace is being maintained in the area. Security forces are deployed to ensure order during the operation.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Police said they have identified 30 people involved in the violence that erupted during the municipal corporation’s demolition drive near the Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque in the Turkman Gate area. The identification was made on the basis of CCTV footage, body-worn camera recordings of police personnel, and several viral videos from the area.

Police officials said a summons will soon be sent to Samajwadi Party MP Mohibbullah Nadvi to join the investigation, as he was allegedly present at the site before the violence broke out.

According to Delhi Police, senior officials had requested the MP to stay away from the immediate vicinity, but he continued to remain near the area before the incident.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police have till now arrested five people in connection with the stone pelting incident during the demolition drive near the mosque. Several police teams have been formed, and raids are being conducted to take the identified individuals into custody.

The copy of FIR, accessed by Media, documented the sequence of events, right from barricading of the encroached land to provocative slogans by locals and then hurling of stones at the policemen, even as the latter tried to explain to them that the demolition drive was limited to illegal constructions and freeing of illegally occupied government land.

According to the FIR, the unrest occurred at 12.40 a.m. when the policemen started barricading the area. A group of 30-35 people gathered at the spot and started shouting slogans, hindering cops from blockading the area.

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Crime

Mumbai Crime: Oshiwara Police Arrest Habitual Thief, Recover Stolen Valuables Worth ₹1.26 Crore

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Mumbai: The Oshiwara Police have arrested a habitual offender involved in a major housebreaking case and successfully recovered stolen property worth ₹1,26,10,450.

According to police officials, between 11:00 pm on December 29, 2025, and 7:30 am on December 30, 2025, an unidentified person gained entry through the bathroom window of a bungalow (No. 15, Magnum Tower, Bank Road, 2nd Cross Road, Lokhandwala, Andheri West). The accused broke into the complainant’s cupboard and stole a safe containing gold, diamond and silver ornaments along with cash altogether valued at approximately ₹1,37,20,000.

Based on the complaint, Oshiwara Police registered an FIR  on December 30, 2025, under sections 331(4) and 305(A) of BNS. Following the registration of the case, the Senior Police Inspector, Crime Detection Officer and the police team visited the crime scene and conducted a detailed inspection.

Even without knowing the suspect’s residence, officers skillfully gathered intelligence. Sub-Inspector Vikas Kadam and his team laid a trap in the locality where the accused was suspected to be hiding and kept watch for two days. The suspect finally appeared, and on January 3, 2026, the team detained him for interrogation.

During questioning, the accused confessed that he had kept the stolen valuables at his residence and some with a jeweller. Acting promptly, the police recovered stolen diamond, gold and silver ornaments valued at ₹1,26,10,450.

Further investigation revealed that the arrested accused has a criminal history with 14 previous cases registered against him. Police officials also stated that more cases from Oshiwara Police Station and other police jurisdictions are likely to be detected during further interrogation.

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