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December 31, 2024 2:58 PM

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Midday News

THE HEADLINES :-

  • Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh hails ISRO scientists for successful launch of SpaDeX mission; Says India is ready to send female robot into space under the Gaganyaan mission in coming year.

  • Quad stands as vital force for stability, progress and prosperity in Indo-Pacific region says, External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar. 

  • Government assures all possible help following death sentence declared to Indian Nurse in Yemen.

  • People gear up to welcome New Year 2025 across the country; Police beef up security measures for peaceful celebrations.

  • In Hockey India League, Delhi SG Pipers to clash with Hyderabad Toofans at Rourkela this evening.

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Union Minister of State for PMO, Atomic Energy and Space Dr Jitendra Singh has said that year 2024 has been an important year for Indian Space sector. Briefing media in New Delhi this afternoon, Mr Singh said, the first day of the year began with launch of XPoSat then Aditya L1 Mission was inserted in its targeted halo orbit, the country celebrated it’s maiden National Space Day in August and yesterday  SpaDeX Mission was launched by ISRO. He said, in between so many trials have happened for the Gaganyan which is in the pipeline. Dr Singh said, the trials are almost now through and the dress rehearsal with a female robot will happen sometime next year. He said, the launch of the SpaDeX mission is one of the first experiments undertaken by India as far as the docking technology is concerned.

 

Meanwhile, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission last night. ISRO’s PSLV-C60 rocket lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. It successfully deployed two satellites SDX01 (the Chaser) and SDX02 (the Target) in low earth orbit shortly after its launch.

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The Ministry of External Affairs has said the government is extending all possible help in the matter of the death sentence declared by the Yemen government to Nimisha Priya, who is an Indian nurse and living in Yemen. In response to media queries regarding this case, MEA’s spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the Government is aware of the Yemen incident. He added, the ministry understands that the family of Ms. Priya is exploring relevant options. As per media reports, Ms. Priya is from Kerala, and convicted of murder in Yemen.

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External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar said that Quad stands as a vital force for stability, progress and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. In a social media post, Dr. Jaishankar reaffirmed the commitment of addressing the region’s needs together with Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Takeshi Iwaya and USA’s Secretary of state Antony Blinken.

 

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Quad, a joint statement from the Quad Foreign Ministers said what started as an emergency response to a catastrophe has grown into a full-fledged partnership. It also said that Quad countries now work together, and with partners across the Indo-Pacific. It addresses complex challenges, from fighting climate change, cancer and pandemics to bolstering quality infrastructure, counter-terrorism efforts and cyber security. The statement mentioned that four countries contributed over 40 thousand emergency responders and other partners across the Indo-Pacific region to support millions of people affected by Tsunami.

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The Supreme Court has granted additional time to Punjab government to shift farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal to hospital or take medical aid. A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and Sudhanshu Dhulia gave the order on the request of the state government and deferred the hearing till 2nd January.

 

The court was hearing a contempt petition against the Punjab government, after its two day deadline to shift Dallewal to a hospital was over. The bench said those who are not allowing Dallewal to be taken to the hospital are involved in the criminal offence of abetment to suicide.  

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Political war has intensified in Delhi ahead of assembly polls as BJP has put out posters targeting the Aam Aadmi Party government. The posters displayed outside the Delhi BJP office accused AAP of corruption and misgovernance in the city. The BJP also slammed the ruling party in Delhi on the issues of air pollution,  alleged poor health facilities, water problem and  other matters. Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia attacked the AAP after the National Human Rights Commission directed social media platform X to remove a post by AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Atishi which featured children participating in political campaigns. Briefing media in New Delhi, Mr.  Gaurav Bhatia alleged that the AAP leaders are using the children for their politics. 

 

Congress is also continuously raising fingers on the issue of governance of AAP in Delhi. Briefing the media in New Delhi, senior party leader Sandeep Dikshit hit out at the AAP over its promise of cleaning the river Yamuna. He demanded that the Comptroller and Auditor General of India’s report on the schemes of the city government should be put in the Delhi assembly.

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Akashvani News brings you glimpses of 2024 in its special Year-Ender series. Today, we take a look at the key initiatives and achievements of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Our correspondent has the details…

 

The Home Ministry initiated historic reforms to ensure ‘ease of justice for all’ and build a secure Bharat as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This year, the Ministry introduced three new criminal laws which are – the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam. The new laws are justice-oriented and victim-centric where priority is given to justice instead of punishment, making the delays redundant and ensuring speedy trials and justice. To ensure seamless implementation of these laws, the MHA launched e-Sakshya, Nyaya Setu, Nyaya Shruti, and e-Summon App in Chandigarh. The Ministry also launched a series of game-changing initiatives engulfing security, women’s rights, inclusion of the marginalized sections. The Citizenship Amendment Act, which came into force in March, provides citizenship to persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian communities. The Modi government is building a terror-free Jammu and Kashmir through a multipronged approach. Unprecedented participation of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the Assembly elections and Lok Sabha elections has shown that they have full faith in democracy. The year 2024 witnessed the security forces achieve exemplary success in curbing left-wing extremism, Owing to this, the death toll in LWE-affected areas, has fallen below 100 for the first time in four decades. BHANU PRATAP SINGH, AKASHVANI NEWS, DELHI.

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In the last 10 years, the Make in India initiative has worked as a pivotal step in India’s nation-building efforts. Launched on the 25th of September 2014 by the Prime Minister, this scheme has completed a landmark decade of empowering India to become a global manufacturing hub. A report:

 

India has turned the tide, transforming from ‘Make in India’ to ‘Made in India’-a leap that speaks volumes about its grit and determination. The program was aimed at revitalizing the manufacturing sector, enhancing job creation, and boosting the country’s economy by fostering local production. Now with the Make in India 2.0 phase encompassing 27 sectors, the program continues to drive forward, reinforcing India’s position as a major player in the global manufacturing landscape. Make In India has brought massive Foreign Direct Investment FDI starting from over 45 billion dollars in 2014-15 to a record of around 85 billion in 2021-22. Between April 2014 and March 2024, India attracted over 667 billion in FDI, representing nearly 67 per cent of the total FDI received over the last 24 years. A decade after its launch, Make in India broke several records, cementing its success as one of India’s most impactful economic initiatives. Make in India has become a symbol of resilience, innovation, and progress. ANUPAM MISHRA, AKASHVANI NEWS, DELHI.

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The People across the country are all set to welcome the New Year 2025. On the eve of New Year, the streets in Delhi-NCR have been lit up and party places along with hotels and restaurants in several parts of the city are preparing for a huge rush. Our Correspondent reports that over 20 thousand police personnel and Paramilitary forces are being deployed in the National Capital to ensure public safety and peaceful New Year celebrations in the national capital.

 

As Delhites prepare for celebrations of the New Year, special preparations are being made by the hotels, restaurants, pubs and malls with special offers and discounts to make the eve a memorable one. The National Capital and its adjoining areas have been decked up with colourful lights creating a party vibe in the air. Delhi Police are putting in extra vigil to make it safe for the people of the city. Special arrangements have been made in major markets, including CCTV cameras. The exit gates of Rajiv Chowk Metro Station will be closed at 9 PM today. However, entry of passengers will be allowed until the last train departs from the Station. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) informed that QR tickets with a destination to Rajiv Chowk Metro Station will also be not issued through DMRC’s mobile app from 8 PM today. Metro services on the rest of the network will continue to operate as per the regular timetable. Despite experiencing intense cold, the people of Delhi are in no mood to skip celebrations of welcoming New Year 2025. SUMIT SAHA FOR AKASHVANI NEWS, DELHI. 

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Delhi Traffic Police Additional Commissioner of Police, Dinesh Kumar Gupta, said the restrictions will be imposed from 8 PM onwards today in the vicinity of Connaught Place.

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Uttarakhand is all set to welcome the New Year, with a significant influx of tourists arriving at the state’s popular tourist destinations. More from our correspondent:

 

After snowfall in the hill stations, there has been a surge in tourist arrivals in key locations like Nainital, Mussoorie, Dhanaulti, Auli, Tehri and Almora. These picturesque destinations are brimming with tourists, all eager to celebrate the arrival of the New Year in the lap of the Himalayas. Local traders are excited about the influx of tourists, as they believe it will bring a boost to their businesses the administration and police have made elaborate arrangements for security and transportation during the celebration. In Nainital, traffic management has been strengthened for the New Year celebrations. From 9 AM today until 10 PM tomorrow, the movement of heavy vehicles is completely prohibited on the travel routes to avoid disruptions. Sakshi Singh, Akashvani News, Dehradun.

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The India Meteorological Department has forecast Dense Fog conditions over Odisha, Assam, Sub Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura today. Similar Conditions are also expected over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh for the next 2-3 days.

 

Talking to Media, IMD Scientist Dr Naresh Kumar said that light to moderate rainfall is expected in Northwest India with snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir.

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The Central Board of Direct Taxes  has extended the last date to 15th January for furnishing belated and revised return of income for the Assessment Year 2024-25 in the case of resident individuals. Earlier, today was the last date for the taxpayers to file  belated and revised Income Tax Returns. The move will provide two additional weeks to the taxpayers to revise and complete their IT return filings.

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In the Hockey India League, Delhi SG Pipers will clash with Hyderabad Toofans in Rourkela tonight. The match will begin at 8:15 PM IST.

 

Last night, the UP Rudras registered 3-1 win over defending champions Kalinga Lancers.

 

UP Rudras keeper James Mazarelo received the Player of the Match Award for his superb performance between the sticks. The win took Rudras to the top of the HIL 2024-25 points table whereas the Lancers are rooted to the bottom.

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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN :-

  • Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh hails ISRO scientists for successful launch of SpaDeX mission; Says India is ready to send female robot into space under the Gaganyaan mission in coming year.

  • Quad stands as vital force for stability, progress and prosperity in Indo-Pacific region says, External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar. 

  • Government assures all possible help following death sentence declared to Indian Nurse in Yemen.

  • People gear up to welcome New Year 2025 across the country; Police beef up security measures for peaceful celebrations.

  • In Hockey India League, Delhi SG Pipers to clash with Hyderabad Toofans at Rourkela this evening.

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