LIVE News Updates: Priyanka Gandhi arrives in Lucknow on two-day visit

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrived in Lucknow on Friday to participate in the foundation day function of the party on Saturday.

On a two-day visit, she is expected to attend a meeting of the party's advisory council and strategy group besides addressing the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) to revamp the state unit after a number of leaders were recently expelled.

The Congress has planned a peace march from its headquarters to the Ambedkar statue opposite GPO Park, but it may not take place in view of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC.

The Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) has denied reports of operations being affected due to Ghatkopar fire.

"The reports of Mumbai Airport operations affected due to Ghatkopar fire are not correct. Operations are normal at the airport," it said.

Entry and exit gates at Lok Kalyan Marg Metro station were closed on Friday for over an hour in view of protest marches being taken out near it in the city.

A Delhi Court to hear the bail plea of 10 accused in the case tomorrow.

People gather in large numbers at Azad Maidan in Mumbai, Maharashtra to protest against the Citizenship Act

India Meteorological Department (IMD): During past 24-hours, day temperature has risen by 2-3 °C over East Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and by 1-2 °C over Haryana, Delhi, Jammu and West Uttar Pradesh. It has, however, fallen by 2-3°C in isolated pockets over.

Rajasthan: People stage protest in Ajmer against the amended Citizenship Act

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation: Entry & exit gates of Lok Kalyan Marg are closed. Trains will not be halting at this station.

Delhi: People staged a protest in Jor Bagh today, demanding release of Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad

Braving cold weather, several people gathered outside the iconic Jama Masjid in Old Delhi on Friday to protest against the amended citizenship law.

Congress leader Alka Lamba and former Delhi MLA Shoaib Iqbal were among those who joined the demonstrations.

Lamba hit out at the BJP government saying "unemployment is the real issue in the county, but you (PM) are trying to put people in a queue for NRC, as it was done during demonetisation".

Whether NRC or NPR, it is a tax on the poor, demonetisation was a tax on the poor. It is an attack on poor people, now the poor is asking how will we get jobs?, says Rahul Gandhi

Flag march was conducted in some areas of the Northeast district in the national capital and heavy police force was deployed in parts of the city ahead of Friday prayers and protests calls by some organisations against the amended citizenship act, police said.

The police organised flag march in northeast Delhi's Seelampur, Jafrabad, Welcome and Mustafabad areas, they said.

Adequate police force from adjoining districts and fifteen companies of paramilitary forces were deployed in the Northeast district to maintain the law and order situation in the area, they said.

India's economy can not run without taking people of all religions & castes along. Until the voice of every Indian is heard in Lok Sabha and in state Assemblies, nothing can be done about unemployment and the state of economy, said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Raipur

Chhattisgarh govt is working for the people of the state. This govt listens to the voices of all the people. Everyone knows what’s happening in other states and the country – farmers’ distress and suicides, unemployment, economic crisis, says Rahul Gandhi

Television actor Kushal Punjabi found hanging at his Pali Hill residence. Police has found a suicide note at his residence. Accidental Death Report (ADR) filed, further investigation underway

At least 21 Delhi-bound trains were delayed due to intense fog in several parts of northern India, railway officials said on Friday.

A senior Northern Railway official said that 21 trains were running late by over two to six-hours.

He said Jabalpur-New Delhi Mahakaushal Express was delayed by six hours, Rewa-Anand Vihar Express was delayed by over four hours and 15 minutes followed by Katihar-Amritsar Express, which was running behind schedule by over three hours and 30 minutes while the Malda-New Delhi Farakka Express was delayed by over three hours and 45 minutes.

The Yogi Adityanath government has again suspended the internet services in 21 districts of the state till Friday midnight.

Initially, nine districts in the state had been marked for internet shutdown, but close to midnight on Thursday, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Avanish Awasthi issued an order that internet services in 21 districts would remain suspended till Friday midnight

The districts where internet has been blocked include: Lucknow, Hapur, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Meerut, Kanpur, Ferozabad, Bareilly, Saharanpur, Bijnor, Rampur, Amroha, Bahraich, Muzaffarnagar, Sambhal, Shamli, Varanasi, Azamgarh, Moradabad, Agra, and Aligarh.

The internet shutdown is a preventive measure in view of the Friday prayers and possible protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Internet black out is aimed to prevent the dissemination of information through social media in event of any trouble.

Mobile Internet services and sms messages of all mobile service providers except BSNL to remain suspended in Lucknow on 27th December.

Security was beefed up and patrolling intensified in Uttar Pradesh to ensure peace ahead of the Friday prayers, keeping in mind the widespread violence that hit the state last week during protests against the amended citizenship law.

As a precautionary measure, internet services, that were resumed after nearly a week, were suspended again in Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar and Shamli.

In Agra also, the services will remain suspended from 8 am till 6 pm on Friday, a senior police official said.

To avoid a repeat of last Friday's violence in Gorakhpur, police staged a flag march in sensitive areas and held a meeting with peace committees in all circle and police station areas.