THE HEADLINES:
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates Grand International Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics related to Lord Buddha in New Delhi; says, sacred relics of Buddha are not merely artefacts, but part of our revered heritage.
- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife captured by American army and flown out of the country after large scale attack; To face drug and terror related charges in New York court.
- Venezuela demands emergency meeting of UN Security Council to discuss US attack on the country.
- 20 Maoists including a Commander of the banned CPI Maoist outfit surrender before Police in Hyderabad.
- Kolkata Knight Riders release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from its IPL squad after instructions from BCCI.
- Indian Cricket Team for three-match ODI series against New Zealand announced; Shubman Gill to lead the 15 member squad.
- 43-day-long Magh Mela begins in Prayagraj, over 21 lakh devotees take holy dip at Sangam on the first day.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that wisdom and path shown by Lord Buddha belong to all of humanity and his sacred relics are not merely artefacts but part of country’s revered heritage. He said, these relics are inseparable part of its civilisation. Mr. Modi today inaugurated the Grand International Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics related to Lord Buddha, titled, The Light and the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One at the Rai Pithora Cultural Complex in New Delhi. He also unveiled the catalogue of this Exposition.
The Prime Minister said, after a long wait, country’s heritage has returned. He said, from today, the people of the country will be able to have the sacred darshan of these holy relics of Lord Buddha and receive his divine blessings. Mr Modi emphasised that India is not only the custodian of the sacred relics of Lord Buddha, but also a living carrier of that timeless tradition.
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US President Donald Trump has said that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, along with his wife, has been captured and flown out of the country, which came under large-scale attack early this morning. In a social media post, Mr. Trump said, US has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader. He mentioned that this operation was done in conjunction with US Law Enforcement. Several large explosions were heard early this morning in Venezuela capital Caracas. US Attorney General Pamela Bondi said, deposed Venezuelan President Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, will face criminal charges after an indictment in New York.
Venezuela has strongly criticised the Trump-led government of the United States, accusing it of carrying out what it described as extremely serious military aggression.
Venezuela has declared a national emergency and denounced the US military aggression. Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, demanded for proof of life and the location of the President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López announced a deployment of military forces across the country. Venezula also demanded an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to discuss the U.S. attacks on the country.
Several countries across the globe, including Russia, Iran have criticised the US military attack on Venezuela, calling it a flagrant violation of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel also condemned the attack and demanded an urgent response from the international community.
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Home Minister Amit Shah today inaugurated nine projects and laid the foundation stone of two projects worth 373 crore rupees at a function held at Sri Vijaya Puram in Andaman and Nicobar. This includes inauguration of an integrated command and control centre costing 229 crore rupees. It will be a comprehensive integrated command and control centre for security purposes, comparable to those in any developed city in India. The Home Minister said the transformation that has taken place in these 11 years is a result of BJP’s unwavering commitment to considering every inch of the country’s land as Mother India.
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Union Railway Minister Ashiwini Viashnaw today inspected the nation’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train. Talking to media Mr. Vaishnaw said that the train is designed for overnight and long-haul journeys. The Minister stated that the fully air-conditioned sleeper service will be flagged off in the second half of this month between Guwahati and Kolkata, marking a major upgrade in long-distance rail journeys under Indian Railways. He added that the Vande Bharat sleeper marks the next phase of India’s semi-high-speed rail transformation, promising faster travel, better comfort and modern safety systems.
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Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw underscored that India has made significant strides in technology, with major advancements in 4G and 5G networks, semiconductor chips, and telecom equipment. He said this while participating in the Panch Parivartan programme organised in memory of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Shrikant Shankar Joshi in New Delhi today. The Minister highlighted that the country’s manufacturing sector has grown substantially, with a strong focus on producing essential goods.
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Prime Minister’s flagship platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, PRAGATI, has marked a significant milestone with the successful conduct of its 50th meeting. Since its launch by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015, PRAGATI has transformed governance by enabling real-time monitoring and resolution of key infrastructure projects and public grievances through direct Prime Ministerial review governance reforms. Today, in this special series, we take a look at Bhubaneswar-Delang-Puri Rail Line project.
“The Doubling of the Bhubaneswar-Delang-Puri Rail Line of 70 kilometers was a critical railway infrastructure project undertaken by the Ministry of Railways and implemented by East Coast Railway in Odisha. The project worth one thousand 650 crore rupees was sanctioned in March 2012. This project was conceived in anticipation of the Nabakalebara festival scheduled in July 2015, which was expected to attract nearly 50 lakh devotees. The project faced significant challenges concerning timely completion and commissioning. While substantial progress had been achieved, including doubling of the 40 kilometer Bhubaneswar-Delang section and the 13 kilometer Delang-Sakhigopal section, the remaining 17 km Sakhigopal-Puri stretch remained under execution. To avoid delay, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the projects under PRAGATI in June 2015. Mr Modi directed the Ministry of Railways to ensure completion of all works well before the festival and State Government was advised to focus on security, drinking water and sanitation issues. This directive brought focused accountability to the implementing agency and elevated the project to a priority status. Following these interventions, the project achieved 100 per cent physical progress and was commissioned on 2nd July 2015. With Dipendra Kumar, Suparna Saikia, Akashvani News, Delhi”.
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A total of 20 Maoists including People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army Battalion Commander of the banned CPI Maoists has surrendered before Telangana Director General of Police Shivadhar Reddy in Hyderabad. Along with Battalion Commander Badse Sukka alias Deva and Telangana Committee member Kankanala Raji Reddy, 18 other Maoists surrendered.
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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have released Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL squad following instructions from the BCCI. Earlier, confirming the move, the franchise said in a statement that the board has permitted KKR to sign a replacement in accordance with IPL regulations. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the decision.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 72nd National Volleyball Tournament in Varanasi tomorrow via video conferencing. Over 1,000 players will compete as part of 58 teams representing various states and institutions in the tournament, which will be held till the 11th of this month.
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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today announced India’s squad for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, beginning January 11, with Shubman Gill named captain and Shreyas Iyer appointed vice-captain. Shreyas Iyer returns after a spleen injury from last year’s Australia tour. Rishabh Pant retains his spot despite Ishan Kishan being named for the upcoming T20Is and T20 World Cup. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are also included. India squad for New Zealand ODIs: Shubman Gill (captain), Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal.
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The 43-day-long Magh Mela commenced today at the Sangam in Prayagraj with the auspicious dip on Paush Purnima. Devotees began taking the holy dip early in the morning. According to the Magh Mela Authority, 21 lakh 50 thousand pilgrims had taken the sacred dip at the Sangam till 4 PM today.
The 43-day long Magh Mela started today in sangam area with Paush Purnima snan which will culminate with Mahashivratri snan. The important dates of bathing this year includes Makar Sankranti on January 14, Mauni Amavasya on January 18, Basant Panchami on January 23, Maghi Purnima on February 1 and Mahashivratri on February 15. The Mela administration has made elaborate arrangements for the pilgrims including Kalpwasis who stay here at the bank’s of Sangam for one month. SUSHIL CHANDRA TIWARI, AAKASHWANI NEWS, LUCKNOW.”
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates Grand International Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics related to Lord Buddha in New Delhi; says, sacred relics of Buddha are not merely artefacts, but part of our revered heritage.
- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife captured by American army and flown out of the country after large scale attack; To face drug and terror related charges in New York court.
- Venezuela demands emergency meeting of UN Security Council to discuss US attack on the country.
- 20 Maoists including a Commander of the banned CPI Maoist outfit surrender before Police in Hyderabad.
- Kolkata Knight Riders release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from its IPL squad after instructions from BCCI.
- Indian Cricket Team for three-match ODI series against New Zealand announced; Shubman Gill to lead the 15 member squad.
- 43-day-long Magh Mela begins in Prayagraj, over 21 lakh devotees take holy dip at Sangam on the first day.
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