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December 15, 2024 2:47 PM

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Midday News

THE HEADLINES :
 

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the concluding session of the three day National Conference of Chief Secretaries in New Delhi, today.  

  • Union Home Minister Amit Shah presents ‘President’s Colour’ to Chhattisgarh Police at Raipur; Appeals Maoists to give up arms and join the national mainstream.

  • Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah pay tributes to Sardar Patel on his death anniversary today.

  • In Maharashtra, Cabinet Expansion of newly inducted Government to take place in Nagpur, this evening.

  • India Meteorological Department forecasts Severe Cold Wave Conditions over Northwest and Central India, during the next 2 to 3 days.

  • In Cricket, Australia score 405 for 7 in first Innings against India at stumps on day two of third Test at Gabba in Brisbane.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is chairing the fourth National conference of Chief Secretaries for the second day in New Delhi. The three-day conference began on Friday. Mr. Modi will also address the concluding session of the conference today.

 

The conference aims to further strengthen the partnership between the Centre and the State Governments, with a focus on enhancing cooperative federalism and ensuring better coordination to achieve faster growth and development. Chief Secretaries, senior officials of all States and Union Territories and domain experts among others are attending the Conference.

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah presented the prestigious President’s Colour to Chhattisgarh Police at a ceremony held in Raipur today. On this occasion, the Union Home Minister also inspected the parade. Addressing the ceremony, Mr. Shah said that the Chhattisgarh Police is carrying out the anti-naxal campaign with full bravery and dedication to fulfill the resolve of the Central Government to make Chhattisgarh Naxal-free before March 31, 2026.

 

Mr. Shah appealed to the Maoists to give up arms and join the mainstream of society. He said that the Chhattisgarh government has prepared a very good surrender policy and will give the surrendered Maoists a good package. The Union Home Minister said that the President’s Nishan given to the Chhattisgarh Police is a symbol of its service, renunciation and sacrifice.

 

During his Chhattisgarh visit, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will attend the closing ceremony of the Bastar Olympics this evening in Jagdalpur, the divisional headquarters of Bastar. He will also interact with surrendered Maoists.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today paid tribute to the Iron Man of the country, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, on his death anniversary. In a social media post, the Prime Minister remarked that the personality and work of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel will continue to be an inspiration for the countrymen for the unity and integrity of the nation and the achievement of the resolution of a developed India.

 

Home Minister Amit Shah also paid tribute to Sardar Patel on his death anniversary. In a social media post, Mr. Shah called him the symbol of the country’s unity and added that his dedication towards national unity and integrity laid a strong foundation for ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’.

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In Maharashtra, the Cabinet Expansion of newly inducted Government will take place in Nagpur. More from Our Correspondent.

 

After swearing in ceremony of Chief Minster Devendra Fadnavis and his deputies in Mumbai, the much awaited  cabinet expansion of the ruling Mahayuti Government is set to take place at Raj Bhawan premises in State’s sub capital Nagpur this evening ahead of the weeklong winter assembly session. Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, will administer the oath to the new ministers in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CMs. The winter session of Maharashtra assembly will begin tomorrow. With Dhananjay Wankhede, Namrata Falke, Akashvani News, Nagpur.

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Aam Aadmi Party has released the fourth list of 38 candidates for the upcoming Delhi Assembly Elections. Delhi Chief Minister Atishi has been fielded from the Kalkaji Assembly seat. Other notable names include, AAP National Convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal from New Delhi seat. The list also includes State Cabinet Ministers Saurabh Bhardwaj, who will contest from Greater Kailash.

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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast cold wave to severe cold wave conditions over Northwest and Central India during the next 2 to 3 days. According to the IMD, cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are likely to prevail in of Punjab and Madhya Pradesh today. More from our correspondent:

 

Cold wave conditions are also likely to persist in isolated pockets of Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gangetic West Bengal and Odisha today and in Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan and Muzaffarabad over the next two days. Further the IMD has forecast dense fog conditions in night and morning hours in isolated pockets over Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura over the next two days. The IMD added that smog and mist conditions are likely to prevail in the night and morning hours of Delhi-NCR as well. The met department has also predicted heavy rainfall in Andaman & Nicobar Islands today and  heavy rainfall with thunderstorm accompanied with lightning over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal tomorrow. Bhanu Pratap Singh, Akashvani News, Delhi.

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President of Sri Lanka Anura Kumara Dissanayake will be on a three-day visit to India from today. This will be the first bilateral visit of President Dissanayake to India after the recently concluded presidential and parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka. During his visit, he will meet President Droupadi Murmu and hold discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on bilateral issues of mutual interest.

 

President Dissanayake will also participate in a business event in Delhi to promote investment and commercial linkages between India and Sri Lanka. He will visit Bodh Gaya, Bihar. External Affairs Ministry said that the visit of President Dissanayake to India is expected to further strengthen the multi-faceted and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

 

Sri Lanka is India’s closest maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region and holds a central place in the Prime Minister’s vision of (Security and Growth for All in the Region) SAGAR and India’s Neighbourhood First policy.

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Chief of the Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi engaged in a series of productive discussions with his Nepali counterpart, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Nepali Army, Suprabal Janasewashree General Ashok during his visit to India.

 

The three-day visit, which concluded yesterday, saw key engagements between senior leaders and officials from both sides with focus on ways to expand and deepen the cooperation between the two armies. The Defence Ministry said several key outcomes from the visit will further strengthen the bond between both nations.

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Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Moldova, Mihail Popsoi arrived in New Delhi today. Welcoming the leader, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal said that Mr. Popsoi’s visit will deepen India-Moldova bilateral ties and foster a stronger partnership.

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Britain today became the first European nation to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), becoming the 12th member. The bloc comprises Canada and Japan, Australia, New Zealand,  Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. The UK, following its 2016 Brexit referendum, is attempting to establish new trade deals abroad after signing the accession treaty with most EU members.

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Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has confirmed that the Lebanese armed group has temporarily lost its weapons supply route through Syria following the recent fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government. In his first televised address since the collapse of Assad’s government, Qassem said that the supply route could be restored once a new regime is in place, or Hezbollah may seek alternative pathways.

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Public Sector Banks (PSBs) in India have recorded their highest-ever aggregate net profit of around 1 lakh 41 thousand crore in the financial year 2023-24. Meanwhile, the Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA) ratio has declined, dropping to 3.12 percent in September this year. This is a steep decline from the peak GNPA of 14.58 percent in March 2018. The Finance Ministry revealed that the PSBs have also contributed significantly to shareholder returns, paying a total dividend of almost 62 thousand crore rupees over the past three years.

 

The Ministry hailed this as a landmark achievement and said it reflects the sector’s robust turnaround, underpinned by a significant improvement in asset quality. It added that this remarkable financial growth underscores the sector’s operational efficiency, improved asset quality, and stronger capital base.

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The Lok Sabha Speaker XI today won against the Rajya Sabha Chairman XI in the TB Mukt Bharat Awareness Cricket Match at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi today. The friendly cricket match featured Members of Parliaments across political parties. The cricket match was aimed at raising awareness and advocating for a tuberculosis free country.

 

The Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla attended the inaugural session as the chief guest in the 20 over match. The Lok Sabha Speaker XI was led by former Union Minister and Hamirpur Lok Sabha MP Anurag Singh Thakur and while the Rajya Sabha Chairman XI led by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju. Speaking on the occasion, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of eliminating the disease by 2025 under the PM TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan. Mr Birla added that the match would effectively raise awareness through the participation of MPs of different regions in eradicating the disease.

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In Cricket, Australia were 405  for 7 against India in their first innings at stumps, on day two of the third Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Gabba in Brisbane.

 

The highlight of the Australian innings was a 241 run fourth wicket partnership between centurians Steven Smith and Travis Head. Travis Head scored his second consecutive century in the series. For India Bumrah took five wickets.

 

The five-match series is currently tied 1-1 after Australia won the second Test at Adelaide Oval, while India won the opening game in Perth.

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In Hockey, India will face China in the final of Women’s Junior Asia Cup 2024 at Muscat, Oman today. Defending champions India are now on the brink of retaining their title. Earlier in the tournament, China had defeated India in a pool match narrowly by 2-1. China had grabbed the top position in Pool A with nine points, while India were at the second place.

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In Domestic Cricket, Mumbai will face Madhya Pradesh in the final match of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru today. The match will begin at 04:30 PM. Shreyas Iyer led Mumbai will try to lift the trophy for the second time after 2022, while Rajat Patidar led Madhya Pradesh are still in search of their first title.

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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN :-

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the concluding session of the three day National Conference of Chief Secretaries in New Delhi, today.  

  • Union Home Minister Amit Shah presents ‘President’s Colour’ to Chhattisgarh Police at Raipur; Appeals Maoists to give up arms and join the national mainstream.

  • Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah pay tributes to Sardar Patel on his death anniversary today.

  • In Maharashtra, Cabinet Expansion of newly inducted Government to take place in Nagpur, this evening.

  • India Meteorological Department forecasts Severe Cold Wave Conditions over Northwest and Central India, during the next 2 to 3 days.

  • In Cricket, Australia score 405 for 7 in first Innings against India at stumps on day two of third Test at Gabba in Brisbane.

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