THE HEADLINES:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds delegation-level talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Gandhinagar; Asserts, close cooperation between India and Germany vital for humanity as a whole.
Nation pays homage to Swami Vivekananda on National Youth Day today.
Anti-government protests in Iran enter 16th day with hundreds reported killed; US President Donald Trump hints at negotiations with Iranian leadership
Leonardo DiCaprio’s ‘One Battle After Another’ sweeps five awards at Golden Globe; Hamnet wins best drama movie prize; KPop animation Demon Hunters takes home two honours.
And IMD issues warning for dense to very dense fog conditions in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz held a high-level meeting at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar today. India and Germany announced a wide range of initiatives spanning defence, trade, and technology, marking a new chapter in bilateral relations. In order to strengthen defense industrial cooperation, both nations signed a declaration focused on co-development and co-production. Addressing the joint press meet with Chancellor Friedrich Merz Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India and Germany are not just economic partners, but the two nations are committed to global peace and stability.
The Prime Minister said, the bilateral trade between India and Germany has reached its highest level ever, surpassing the 50 billion dollar mark. Mr Modi said that more than two thousand German companies have a long-standing presence in India.
The Prime Minister highlighted that the technology cooperation between the two nations has strengthened year after year, and today its impact is clearly visible on the ground.
Speaking at the briefing, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said both countries want to elevate India-Germany relations to an even higher level.
Earlier the two leaders visited the historic Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad and paid tributes to the father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. Both the leaders also participated in the International Kite festival at Sabarmati Riverfront. Mr Merz arrived in Ahmedabad early this morning on a two day visit to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi.
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Nation pays homage to Swami Vivekananda on National Youth Day today. President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President C P Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders have paid tributes to Swami Vivekananda. The President said, Swami Vivekanand was a timeless visionary and spiritual icon who preached that inner strength and service to humanity were foundations of a meaningful life. The Vice President said, Swami Vivekananda’s life and teachings emphasised inner strength, self-discipline, and selfless service as the pillars of a purposeful life. Prime Minister Modi said that Swami Vivekanand is the powerful source of inspiration for India’s youth power. He asserted that Swami Vivekanand’s personality and works continuously infuse new energy into the resolve for a developed India.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also paid tributes to Swami Vivekanand.
On the occasion of National Youth Day, the Prime Minister will participate in the concluding session of the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026 in New Delhi this evening. He will interact with around three thousand youth from across the country, along with young delegates representing the international diaspora. The Prime Minister will release Essay Compilation for Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026, comprising selected essays on India’s developmental priorities and long-term nation-building goals. More from our correspondent:
The Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, now in its second edition, is a national platform designed to facilitate structured engagement between India’s youth and national leadership. Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue aligns with the Prime Minister’s Independence Day call to engage one lakh youth in politics without political affiliations and provide them a national platform to make their ideas for Viksit Bharat, a reality. Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026, which began on Friday, has witnessed participation from over 50 lakh youth across the country at various levels. The young leaders converging at the national-level championship have been selected through a rigorous, merit-based three-stage selection process, comprising a nationwide digital quiz, an essay challenge, and state-level vision presentations. The second edition of the Dialogue builds upon the success of its inaugural edition with key new additions, including the introduction of Design for Bharat, Tech for Viksit Bharat – Hack for a Social Cause, expanded thematic engagements, and international participation for the first time, further strengthening the Dialogue’s scope and impact. ANUPAM MISHRA, AKASHVANI NEWS, DELHI.
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Vice President C P Radhakrishnan today said that education should be used to reduce inequalities, empower marginalised communities and ensure that development reaches every corner of the country. Speaking at the 9th convocation ceremony of Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi today, he said education not only forms character but also strengthens the mind and expands intelligence. Mr Radhakrishnan urged the students to work for the country’s economic, social and scientific prosperity.
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The 64th mission of the PSLV-C62, carrying an Earth Observation Satellite (EOS-N1) and 14 other commercial payloads, encountered an anomaly toward the end of the PS3 stage after launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota this morning. ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan said the performance of the vehicle up to the end of the third stage was as expected. However, close to the end of the third stage, a slightly higher disturbance in the vehicle’s roll rates was observed, followed by a deviation in the flight path. He added that the data is currently being analysed.
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The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) successfully flight-tested its Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile with top attack capability against a moving target in Hyderabad yesterday. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has complimented DRDO, Partners and the Industry for the successful test. He said that the test is an important step towards building a self-reliant nation.
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In Jammu and Kashmir, the security forces picked up movement of suspected drones in several forward areas along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) in Samba, Rajouri and Poonch districts last evening. Our Correspondent reports that all the flying objects came from the Pakistan side, and returned after hovering over Indian Territory for a few minutes. According to officials, security forces have launched a search operation on the ground after noticing the suspected drone activity in the forward areas.
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Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor Vijay has reached the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) headquarters in New Delhi in connection with the probe into the Karur stampede tragedy. The incident had claimed the lives of 41 people. The stampede occurred in September last year, during a massive gathering organised by the TVK to welcome actor-turned-politician and the party’s founder, Vijay.
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In Iran, nationwide anti-government protests have entered their 16th day. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said the death toll has reached 544, and the protests have continued to grow despite an internet shutdown and phone lines being cut across the country. More than 10,600 people have reportedly been arrested.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has said that Iran wants to negotiate, adding that a meeting with the Islamic Republic’s leadership is being organized. The US president however said that Washington may have to act before the meeting due to the ongoing protests and violence against protesters.
On the other hand, Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has warned that Tehran will consider US military and commercial bases as the legitimate targets for retaliation.
The government’s response in Iran has intensified sharply, with a near-total internet blackout in place since January eighth, cutting off communications and raising concerns about unchecked repression. Human rights groups report a rising death toll, with the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency verifying so far, including four-hundred-and-ninety protesters and forty-eight members of the security forces. Iranian officials continue to blame foreign interference, particularly the United States and Israel. President Masoud Pezeshkian has pledged economic reforms while accusing outside powers of fuelling unrest, and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has ruled out any retreat, describing protesters as vandals and terrorists. This Vinod Kumar for Akashvani News from Dubai.
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Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw will participate in the G7 Critical Minerals Ministerial Meeting in Washington DC today. The key gathering aims at securing global supply chains for strategic resources.
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The 83rd Golden Globe Awards 2026 witnessed a night full of stars, big as well as unexpected wins last night. This year, the night did not just celebrate excellence from the movie and television world but also from podcasts for the first time. It’s the third time the Globes have included the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement category for the movies that don’t fit in the general awards. Leonardo DiCaprio’s ‘One Battle After Another’ sweeped five awards, winning best film, comedy, supporting female actor for Teyana Taylor and best director and best screenplay for Paul Thomas Anderson. While Chloe Zhao’s Shakespeare drama Hamnet won best film, drama. Animated Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters continued its strong awards-season run, winning two trophies at the ceremony. The Golden Globe Awards 2026 were held at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles to honour outstanding achievements in film and television.
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India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red colour warning for dense to very dense fog conditions in Rajasthan today. IMD also issued an orange alert for dense fog over Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh today. According to the IMD, dense fog will prevail over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, Bihar, Sub Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during the next two to three days.
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In Women’s Premier League Cricket, Royal Challengers Bengaluru will take on UP Warriorz in the 5th match of the tournament in Navi Mumbai at 07:30 this evening. .
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Benchmark domestic equity indices, the Sensex and the Nifty, were trading around 0.2 per cent higher in afternoon session today. The Sensex climbed 171 points to 83 thousand 747, while the Nifty added 68 points to 25 thousand 751, when reports last came in.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds delegation-level talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Gandhinagar; Asserts, close cooperation between India and Germany vital for humanity as a whole.
Nation pays homage to Swami Vivekananda on National Youth Day today.
Anti-government protests in Iran enter 16th day with hundreds reported killed; US President Donald Trump hints at negotiations with Iranian leadership.
Leonardo DiCaprio’s ‘One Battle After Another’ sweeps five awards at Golden Globe; Hamnet wins best drama movie prize; KPop animation Demon Hunters takes home two honours.
And IMD issues warning for dense to very dense fog conditions in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
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