THE HEADLINES:
- Last rites of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh performed with full state honours at Nigam Bodh Ghat in Delhi.
- President, Vice President, Prime Minister, other dignitaries and leaders from across political spectrum pay their last respects to Dr Singh.
- Government to allocate space for memorial of Dr Manmohan Singh, says Home Ministry.
- Two people killed after being struck by a train near Palghar railway station in Maharashtra while crossing the railway track.
- India MeT Department forecasts thunderstorms with hailstorm over Madhya Pradesh today.
- In Indian Super League Football, East Bengal set to face Hyderabad Football Club in Hyderabad, this afternoon.
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The mortal remains of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh were consigned to flames with full State honours at Nigam Bodh Ghat in Delhi today. Sikh priests and family members of Dr Singh recited verses from Gurbani before the last rite. After the ceremonial guard of honour, President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and Jagat Prakash Nadda and LoK Sabha Speaker Om Birla paid their last respects to the former Prime Minister at the Nigan Bodh Ghat. Besides, several leaders from the Congress party including Party President Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi offered their tributes.
Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Foreign Minister of Mauritius, Dhananjay Ramful also paid tributes to Dr Manmohan Singh.
The final journey of former Prime Minister commenced from Congress Headquarters to the cremation ground at Nigam Bodh Ghat. Earlier, the mortal remains of Dr Singh were brought from his residence to the Congress Headquarters in Delhi for the public and party workers to offer their tributes.He passed away on 26th December at the AIIMS, New Delhi at the age of 92. We have a report:
The final rites of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was performed with full state honors at Nigam Bodh Ghat in Delhi. Earlier in the morning, his mortal remains were taken to the Congress party Headquarters and then to the funeral venue in a flower-decked vehicle.. Union Home Ministry has also announced that the government will allocate space for the memorial of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. State mourning has been declared for seven days till 1st January. Dr Manmohan Singh’s life was dedicated to public service and the upliftment of society. With Rahisuddein, this is Anand Kumar for Akashvani News, Delhi.
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President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and other leaders across party lines paid their last respects to former Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh at his residence in New Delhi, yesterday.
Union Ministers, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and party President Mallikarjun Kharge, AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, NCP leader Praful Patel were among those who visited the residence of the former Prime Minister to pay tributes.
In a video message, Mr. Modi said, the nation is deeply saddened by the demise of former Prime Minister. The Prime Minister said, Dr Singh’s life is an example for future generations regarding how people can rise above struggles and achieve greater heights.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh also expressed its condolences on the passing away of Dr. Manmohan Singh.
The Union Cabinet passed a Condolence Resolution yesterday in his memory and paid homage by observing a two-minute silence.
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Union Home Ministry has said that the government will allocate space for the memorial of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. The Ministry said in a statement that the Government received a request from the Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in this regard yesterday. The Ministry said, immediately after the Union Cabinet meeting, Home Minister Amit Shah communicated to Mr Kharge and the family of Dr Singh that the Government will allocate space for the memorial.
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BJP Member of Parliament and party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi has said that the BJP and the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is fully committed to giving due respect to former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who laid a major foundation for the country’s economic development. On the issue of allocating space for a memorial of Dr Singh, Mr Trivedi said that the Union Cabinet decided in its meeting yesterday that a memorial will be built in the memory of the former Prime Minister and this was conveyed to the Congress party.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will share his thoughts with the people of the country and abroad in the ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme on Akashvani tomorrow. It will be the 117th episode of the monthly radio programme. It will be broadcast on the entire network of Akashvani and Doordarshan, the AIR News website and the Newsonair mobile app. It will also be live-streamed on YouTube channels of AIR News, DD News, PMO and I&B Ministry. Akashvani will broadcast the programme in regional languages immediately after the Hindi broadcast.
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In Maharashtra, two people were killed and one seriously injured after being struck by a train near Palghar railway station last night. The accident occurred around 8:30 PM when the three victims were attempting to cross the railway tracks and were hit by the Jaipur Superfast Express. The injured person is being treated.
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The National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson, Vijaya Rahatkar, has constituted a fact-finding committee to investigate the alleged sexual assault incident at Anna University in Chennai. The Commission, in a statement, said that the two-member committee will examine the circumstances leading to the incident and assess the actions taken by the authorities. It will also interact with concerned officials, victims, her family, friends, and various NGOs to ascertain the facts and propose measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
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A hardcore Naxalite, Deva Sumado Mudam, aged 27, who had a bounty of 7 lakh rupees on his head, surrendered to the police in Gondia district of Maharashtra. A resident of Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh, Deva has been involved in Naxalite activities from a young age.
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The Enforcement Directorate conducted raids on different locations of former Member of Legislative Council and leader of LJP (Ramvilas) Hulas Pandey in connection of disproportionate assets case and illegal mining. The raids were conduted in Patna and in Bengaluru. The sleuths of agency seized several incriminating documents during the search operations.
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The government has successfully auctioned 88 mineral blocks in the current financial year, including 24 critical mineral blocks completed in four tranches.The Ministry of Mines said in a statement, the National Mineral Exploration Trust has approved 120 exploration and procurement projects with a budget of over 609 crore rupees. The Mines Ministry recently organized a webinar to promote offshore mineral exploration, showcasing 13 offshore blocks up for e-auction.
China, Japan, Norway, Brazil, South Africa, Papua New Guinea, Namibia are among the major countries pursuing offshore mining.
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The Indian Army contingent comprising 334 personnel has departed today to participate in the 18th edition of Battalion Level Joint Military Exercise Surya Kiran. The exercise will be conducted in Saljhandi, Nepal from the 31st of this month to the 13th of next month. In a statement, the Defense Ministry said, the exercise aims to enhance interoperability in jungle warfare, counter-terrorism operations in mountains, and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief under the United Nations Charter. It also said that the focus will be on enhancing operational preparedness, aviation aspects, medical training, and environment conservation.
The Ministry also added that the exercise signifies the strong bonds of friendship, trust, and common cultural linkages that exist between India and Nepal.
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In Mexico, at least eight people were killed and 27 others injured after a passenger bus collided with a semi-trailer truck in eastern part of the country. The collision occurred yesterday on the Perote-Xalapa highway in the eastern state of Veracruz, killing 8 people including four women and one minor.
In another instance on Thursday, at least six people were killed in a road accident in the western Mexican state of Michoacan. The World Health Organization this year ranked Mexico as the seventh country with the most traffic accidents in the world and the third in deaths resulting from these incidents in Latin America.
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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast thunderstorms accompanied with hail storms over Madhya Pradesh today.Scattered rainfall is likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan today. According to MeT Department similar conditions are expected to prevail over Vidarbha, Maharashtra and Gujarat today.
It has forecast dense fog conditions during the late night and early morning hours over Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh for the next two to three days.
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Uttarakhand has witnessed snowfall in several of its mountainous regions, with heavy snow reported in areas at higher altitudes. Our correspondent reports that significant snowfall has been observed in the state’s highest regions.
Today, fresh snowfall has blanketed parts of Uttarkashi, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, Chamoli, Pauri, Nainital, and Dehradun at elevated altitudes. Meanwhile, the plains are experiencing moderate to heavy rainfall. This combination of snow and rain has led to a significant drop in temperatures across the state. The Met Department has issued a yellow alert for heavy snowfall in all hilly areas above 2,500 meters, except for Tehri Garhwal, Almora, and Champawat. There is also a possibility of hailstorms in some parts of the region. In response to the weather warnings, the district administrations of Bageshwar and Chamoli have declared holidays for all schools and Anganwadi centers from classes 1 to 12 today. However, the Meteorological Department forecasts that the weather is expected to clear up in most parts of the state tomorrow. Sakshi Singh, Akashvani News, Dehradun.
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In Himachal Pradesh, intermittent snowfall in higher reaches and rain in lower parts continued for the past 24 hours. Chitkul, a popular tourist destination in Kinnaur district, has received more than one foot of fresh snowfall. Heavy snowfall has also been recorded in the high-altitude areas of Lahaul-Spiti and the tribal areas of Pangi and Bharmour in Chamba district. In view of the inclement weather, the administration has advised people to avoid unnecessary travel.
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The air quality in Delhi has improved after rain lashed the national capital and its adjoining areas yesterday. It remains in the moderate category with an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 140 this afternoon. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, some areas of the city recorded improved AQI levels.
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In Indian Super League Football, East Bengal is set to face Hyderabad Football Club in Hyderabad, this afternoon. The match is scheduled to begin at 5 pm.
On the other hand Chennai FC will take on Bengaluru FC in Chennai. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 this evening.
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Indian ace shuttler Lakshya Sen will take on China’s Hu Zhe An in the semifinal of the Kings Cup International Badminton Open in Shenzhen, China today. The Match is scheduled to begin at 5 PM Indian Standard Time.
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In Cricket, India were 358 for 9 against Australia in their first innings at stumps on day three of fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Melbourne. The visitors are still trailing by 116 runs in reply to Australia’s first innings totals of 474. Stumps were drawn early today due to poor light. Indian batter Nitish Kumar Reddy scored his maiden Test century. Nitish with impressive 105 and Mohammed Siraj with 2 were at the crease when stumps were drawn today.
The visitors resumed their first innings at the overnight score of 164 for 5 this morning.
The five-match series is currently tied at 1-1.
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The 2024-25 edition of the Hockey India League (HIL) is set to begin at Rourkela in Odisha today. The opening match will feature Delhi SG Pipers facing off Gonasika at the Birsa Munda Stadium. The match is schedule to begin at 8:15 PM.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:
- Last rites of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh performed with full state honours at Nigam Bodh Ghat in Delhi.
- President, Vice President, Prime Minister, other dignitaries and leaders from across political spectrum pay their last respects to Dr Singh.
- Government to allocate space for memorial of Dr Manmohan Singh, says Home Ministry.
- Two people killed after being struck by a train near Palghar railway station in Maharashtra while crossing the railway track.
- India MeT Department forecasts thunderstorms with hailstorm over Madhya Pradesh today.
- In Indian Super League Football, East Bengal set to face Hyderabad Football Club in Hyderabad, this afternoon.
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