All the news reports that surfaced in a section of the media are just speculations. If I have any plans, I will definitely share them with the media, Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan said
Published Date – 04:39 PM, Sat – 30 December 23
File Photo
Hyderabad: Dismissing speculations that she was keen on contesting the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan said there were no such plans and stated that no request either was made to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership.
“All the news reports that surfaced in a section of the media are just speculations. If I have any plans, I will definitely share them with the media,” Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan said here on Saturday.
The Governor visited the Anuradha Timbers International unit at Bowenpally. The management of Anuradha Timbers is making as many as 100 doors for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The management has set up a workshop with a team of as many as 50 members in Ayodhya to prepare the doors.
The Governor complimented the Anuradha Timbers management for the work being done by them.
Speaking on the occasion, the Governor said she would follow the party leadership’s decision and deliver all the responsibilities entrusted upon her.
The Governor further said she likes to be among the people. “I am always with the people. At present, I am serving as Telangana and Puducherry Governor. With the blessings of lord Rama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I am delivering my duties,” Soundararajan said.
In reply to a question by media persons over her New Delhi visit, the Governor said: “I have not made any request seeking permission to contest as MP nor did I visit New Delhi. I have been to Thoothukudi to speak to the flood affected people.”
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs made the remarks while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a commemoration ceremony held for Martyr Seyed Razi Mousavi in Tehran on Saturday.
“Martyr Seyed Razi Mousavi was truly one of the best. During all my trips to Syria for many years, I was in contact with the martyr and I saw that he worked honestly and sincerely to ensure the maximum national security of Iran and that of the region in the fight against terrorism,” the top Iranian diplomat said.
“Do not doubt that the path of this martyr will continue,” he asserted, stressing that his assassination will not have any impact on Iran in pursuing its goals.
“The regime’s action will increase our resolve on this path,” he added.
Accoridng to the Iranian foreign minister, the Zionist regime has suffered two major failures in the past eighty days; The first defeat was on the 7th of October, when Israel totally collapsed in every political and security aspect; and in the past eighty days, it has been defeated on the battlefield against the Resistance of Gaza.
He further said that “Israel’s action against Seyed Razi was out of anger at their political, military and security failures. This issue has been recorded in the world and all military strategists highlight it.
S Jaishankar also held discussions with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. (File)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s visit to Russia this week provided an opportunity to review ongoing bilateral cooperation and examine ways to further bolster the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership, according to an official statement on Saturday.
S Jaishankar was in Russia from December 25 to 29 during which he called on President Vladimir Putin and held discussions with the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov.
S Jaishankar also held discussions with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
The External Affairs Minister (EAM) had a comprehensive exchange of views on bilateral cooperation in trade and economics, energy, defence, connectivity, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and cooperation between regions of the two countries. He also shared perspectives on global and regional developments including multilateral cooperation.
Three documents relating to the Kudan Kulam Nuclear Power Plants, an MoU on cooperation in pharmaceuticals and healthcare and a Protocol on Foreign Office Consultations were signed during the visit.
“The EAM’s visit to Russia provided an opportunity to review ongoing bilateral cooperation and consider ways to further strengthen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
“India-Russia relations have remained strong and steady building upon strategic convergences, geopolitical interests, and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries,” it said.
During S Jaishankar’s meeting with Putin at the Kremlin on Wednesday, the Russian president invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Russia next year.
“We will be glad to see our friend, Mr Prime Minister Modi in Russia,” Putin told S Jaishankar.
So far, 21 annual summits have taken place alternatively in India and Russia. The last summit took place in New Delhi in December 2021.
The ties between India and Russia remained strong notwithstanding Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. India has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and it has been maintaining that the crisis must be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue.
S Jaishankar also interacted with Russian think tanks/academics and exchanged views on Indian foreign policy perspectives as well as Russia-India relations.
The rich contribution of cultural ties and people-to-people exchanges in enhancing the goodwill and friendship between India and Russia was reflected in EAM’s interaction with the Indian community in Moscow, the statement said.
In Saint Petersburg, S Jaishankar met the Governor, Alexander Beglov, and discussed possibilities of cooperation in the economic and cultural fields.
He had a discussion with a diverse cross-section of Indologists at Saint Petersburg University.
Views were exchanged on how to enhance a better direct understanding and appreciation of developments in the two countries.
He also interacted with teachers and students at School No 653 named after Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, a premier Russian government school which teaches Hindi as part of its regular curriculum.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
The decision aims to facilitate safe and convenient travel for revelers on the night of December 31
Published Date – 04:26 PM, Sat – 30 December 23
Hyderabad:Hyderabad‘s Metro Rail services are set to extend their operating hours until midnight on the eve of New Year’s celebrations, as announced by Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited Managing Director, NVS Reddy.
The decision aims to facilitate safe and convenient travel for revelers on the night of December 31.
Reddy confirmed that the last trains departing from their respective originating stations will run until 12:15 am, reaching their destinations around 1 am on January 1.
Highlighting safety measures, he assured the deployment of Metro Rail police and security personnel to maintain a vigilant eye, ensuring a peaceful and orderly commute for all passengers.
Acknowledging the significance of passenger cooperation, L&TMRHL Managing Director, KVB Reddy, urged travelers to responsibly adhere to guidelines and travel etiquettes while aboard the metro trains. He stressed the importance of avoiding any behavior that might lead to untoward incidents during the late hours of New Year’s celebrations.
A sensational murder, driven by jealousy and a love triangle, unfolded in the narrow lanes of northeast Delhi’s Bhagirathi Vihar Wednesday night, police said.
The victim, 20-year-old Mahir from Ghaziabad, worked at a flex printing shop in Delhi’s Paharganj. Mahir found himself entangled in a deadly rivalry with the main accused Arman Khan, 18, over a common acquaintance – a 21-year-old woman who has not been identified by the police yet. Both Mahir and Arman had formed a connection with the woman on Instagram, setting the stage for a tragic confrontation.
The jealousy between the two reached a boiling point when Arman stumbled upon a video call between Mahir and the woman. Enraged, he confronted Mahir, accusing him of interfering in their relationship. Arman, to stop the woman from ever speaking with Mahir, had snatched her phone away.
In a sinister plot, Arman lured Mahir to Bhagirathi Vihar on the pretext of returning the woman’s phone. Accompanied by two other accused – Faisal (21) and Sameer (19) – the three ambushed Mahir, ruthlessly stabbed him to death, and fled the scene, leaving his body by the roadside.
A distress call later that night led the police to Mahir’s lifeless body on the road, bearing multiple stab wounds to his abdomen. A blood-stained knife was also recovered at the crime scene, police said.
Delhi Police and its Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS) tracked down all three accused and arrested him in connection with the murder. According to the police, Arman is the proprietor of a general store, Faisal works as an LCD TV repairman and Sameer is a scrap dealer. All three accused belong to the Bhagirathi Vihar area where the murder took place.
The lawsuit says Israel’s actions are “genocidal in character because they are intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group.”
“The acts in question include killing Palestinians in Gaza, causing them serious bodily and mental harm, and inflicting on them conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction,” the lawsuit said, according to Press TV.
The application said Israeli attacks breach the UN’s Genocide Convention, and urged the court to “order Israel to cease killing and causing serious mental and bodily harm to Palestinian people in Gaza.”
It said that “Israel has engaged in, is engaging in and risks further engaging in genocidal acts against the Palestinian people in Gaza.”
“The acts in question include killing Palestinians in Gaza, causing them serious bodily and mental harm, and inflicting on them conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction,” the lawsuit said.
The application urged the court to “order Israel to cease killing and causing serious mental and bodily harm to Palestinian people in Gaza.”
Israel’s foreign ministry said it rejects the case launched by South Africa at the ICJ.
Various governments and rights organizations have denounced the Israeli genocide in Gaza and called for international investigations into it.
South Africa has been one of the outspoken critics of Israeli’s ongoing onslaught against Palestinians and has led some initiatives to hold Israel accountable for its actions in Gaza.
The country’s lawmakers last month voted in favor of closing down the Israeli embassy in Pretoria and suspending all diplomatic relations until the onslaught stops.
In November, the country referred Israel to the International Criminal Court, which is already investigating the occupied Palestinian territories.
South Africa has backed the Palestinian cause for statehood in Israeli-occupied territories for decades, likening the plight of Palestinians to those of the Black majority in South Africa during the repressive apartheid era.
The ICJ is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and helps settle disputes between states per international law.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the public not to visit Ayodhya on January 22 for inauguration of the Ram Temple. “As bhakts, we would not like to cause any problems to Lord Ram. You all can come starting January 23 till eternity… Ram Mandir is now there forever and ever,” PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister also asked every Indian to light a diya in their house on January 22.
PM Modi made the remarks while addressing a public meeting after inaugurating a renovated railway station and an airport in the city. He said the strength of “vikas” (development) and “virasat” (heritage) will take the country forward.
The much-awaited inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is expected to be a grand affair on January 22 and devotees from across the country have already begun visiting the site to witness the construction of the temple complex.
NDTV visited Ayodhya this week and found that construction activities are in full swing on the first phase of the Ram Temple, which is expected to be completed in a few days. Decoration work will begin after that.
The site is dotted with mounds of Makrana Marble brought from Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district and stone from other places that are being used in the construction of the grand temple.
Nearly 8,000 dignitaries have been invited to attend the consecration ceremony on January 22 and 15% of the people working at the site will also get invites.
Expressing her dissatisfaction, Gupta narrated her ordeal on Instagram, questioning the airline’s commitment to passenger safety and well-being
Published Date – 03:11 PM, Sat – 30 December 23
New Delhi: A woman took to social media to share her distressing experience on an IndiGo flight, slamming the low-cost airline for its alleged decline in food quality and service standards.
Dietician Khushboo Gupta, a resident of Delhi, posted a stomach-churning video on Instagram revealing a live worm she discovered in the veg sandwich she had purchased during her IndiGo flight from Delhi to Mumbai on the morning of December 29.
Expressing her dissatisfaction, Gupta narrated her ordeal on Instagram, questioning the airline’s commitment to passenger safety and well-being. Despite knowing the quality of sandwiches was not good… the flight attendant continued to serve sandwiches to other passengers. There were kids, elderly, and other passengers… What if anyone catches an infection?” Gupta voiced her concerns. When Gupta reported the discovery of the worm to the IndiGo flight attendant, she claimed the response was inadequate.
According to Gupta, the flight attendant merely stated, “We will replace it with something else,” without addressing the broader issue of food safety on board. The attendant assured Gupta that the matter would be brought to the attention of the concerned department.
Meanwhile, the airline in a statement said that the crew had immediately ceased the service of the specific sandwich in question We are aware of a concern raised by one of our customers regarding their experience on flight 6E 6107 from Delhi to Mumbai. We want to emphasise our unwavering commitment to maintain the highest standards of food and beverage service on board, said the spokesperson.
Upon investigation, our crew had immediately ceased the service of the specific sandwich in question. The matter is currently under thorough examination, and we are working closely with our caterer to ensure appropriate corrective measures are taken.
We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused to the passenger, the spokesperson added.
PM Modi was pictured exchanging pleasantries with the beneficiaries and enquiring about her well-being over tea
Updated On – 03:40 PM, Sat – 30 December 23
Photo: Screen-grabbed from X
Ayodhya: Taking time out from his hectic engagements and scheduled events on a day-long visit to Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday dropped in at the residence of a woman, who is the tenth-crore beneficiary of the Centre’s flagship Ujjwala Yojana.
PM Modi was pictured exchanging pleasantries with the beneficiaries and enquiring about her well-being over tea.
A large crowd gathered and greeted PM Modi as he walked the narrow streets of the temple town.
He also met two children in Ayodhya and took selfies with them while also obliging their requests for autographs.
The Prime Minister also signed a painting that a boy showed him.
The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was started in May 2016 to provide clean cooking fuel to poor households across the country. Under PMUY, a deposit-free LPG connection is provided to adult women from poor households.
Ahead of the Ram Mandir’s grand opening on January 22, PM Modi inaugurated several projects at Ayodhya as part of a conscious bid to bring about a transformation and a public infrastructure overhaul in the ancient city, which is believed to be the birthplace of Ram Lalla.
He also visited the Lata Mangeshkar Chowk in Ayodhya.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi inaugurated the redeveloped Ayodhya Dham Railway Station and flagged off new Amrit Bharat trains and Vande Bharat trains.
The six Vande Bharat trains were inaugurated virtually by PM Modi from Ayodhya Dham Railway Station.
He then proceeded to inaugurate the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport at Ayodhya Dham.
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, MoS Civil Aviation General VK Singh (Retd) were present at the inauguration event at the Ayodhya airport.
peaking on his visit to the temple town, BJP MP Lallu Singh said earlier in the day that the people of Ayodhya were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the most popular world leader.
“The entire Ayodhya has been decorated to welcome PM Modi. The people here are waiting eagerly for the most popular world leader to arrive. Devotees of Lord Ram in Ayodhya will give a rousing welcome to PM Modi,” he added.
Earlier, on Saturday, National Award-winning artists from Goddess Sita’s village, Mithila, arrived with paintings of the Ram Temple and Ram Vivah to welcome Prime Minister Modi. On reaching Ayodhya, they said they considered themselves to be blessed to be in the ancient city on a historic day.
“The team from Janakpur is here. These are the people who will travel on the Amrit Bharat train inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We are delighted and happy. With this train, they (Centre) have connected Mithala to Awadh,” Pradyuman Singh said.
“I have been making paintings of Ram Lalla for the past 48 years. My paintings were showcased abroad but today marks a golden opportunity for us to come here and present these paintings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is like my dream coming true,” Vinita Jha, the National Award winner, told ANI on Saturday.
However, another National Award winner, Urmila Devi, said they were called to meet PM Modi here.
“I have brought a gift for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is a painting I made for him. I have come from Madhubani. The painting I will gift PM is of Ram-Sita. We were asked to come here to meet PM Modi. We’ve been making such paintings for the last 60 years,” Urmila Devi said.
Phase 1 of the state-of-the-art airport has been developed at a cost of more than Rs 1450 crore.
The airport’s terminal building will have an area of 6500 sqm, equipped to serve about 10 lakh passengers annually.
The facade of the terminal building depicts the temple architecture of the upcoming Shri Ram Mandir of Ayodhya. The interiors of the terminal building are decorated with local art, paintings and murals depicting the life of Bhagwan Shri Ram.
The terminal building of Ayodhya Airport is also equipped with various sustainability features, like an insulated roofing system, LED lighting, rainwater harvesting, landscaping with fountains, a water treatment plant, a sewage treatment plant, a solar power plant and many other such features have been provided to meet GRIHA – 5-star ratings.
The airport will improve connectivity in the region, leading to a boost in tourism and business activities while generating new employment opportunities.
Prime Minister Modi has broadly outlined his vision to develop modern, world-class infrastructure in Ayodhya, improve connectivity and revamp its civic facilities while also conforming to the rich history and heritage of the city. In realisation of this vision, a new airport, a new redeveloped railway station, newly redeveloped, widened and beautified roads, and other civic infrastructure are being inaugurated in the city.
The foundation stones for a number of other new projects will be laid, contributing to the beautification and revamp of civic facilities in and around the temple town.
2023 will be remembered as the year of skipper Pat Cummins, as the silent, smiling Australian assassin guided the multi-time World Cup-winning side to numerous memorable championship title wins and concluded the year with a huge win over Pakistan in the Boxing Day Test, in which he also took a ten-wicket haul. The year is definitely not the one to remember for Cummins on a personal front, as he lost his mother Maria to breast cancer in March of this year.
But in what has been an inspiring story filled with passion for the sport and country, resilience, tonnes of mental and physical strength and determination, the skipper led from the front and made the Men in Yellow, the cricketing fraternity and most importantly, his mother, proud.
Here is a look at Cummins’ 2023 at a glance:
Retaining the Ashes as captain
Having not won the Ashes in England since 2001, Australia headed to the UK with a lot of expectations and pressure on their shoulders. On the other side, a reenergized England was unleashing their ‘Bazball’ rampage on their opponents under the leadership of skipper Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.
The first Test at Edgbaston was a thrilling encounter, with “ice in the veins” captain Cummins scoring a fighting 44* and stitching a 55-run stand with Nathan Lyon during a tense but a successful 281-run chase.
It set the tone for a highly competitive, intense five-match Test series that had everything from top performances to endless controversies and debates on ‘Spirit of Cricket’. The series ended in a 2-2 draw and Aussies retained the Ashes.
Cummins starred in the series with 18 wickets, with the best figures of 6/91 and also made 162 runs with his bat in nine innings, worth its weight in gold.
Defeating India in ICC World Test Championship final
In the finals of the ICC World Test Championship, the Aussies once again broke the hearts of Indian players and millions of their followers as India’s wait for an ICC trophy continued. Centuries from Travis Head and Steve Smith in the first inning ultimately led to India chasing 444 runs in the fourth inning but being bundled out for just 234 runs.
Cummins took four wickets, including 3/83 in the first innings, which included the scalps of skipper Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane.
Securing sixth ICC Cricket World Cup for Australia
Captain Cummins had the humongous task of beating an invincible Team India in India during the ICC Cricket World Cup final. With some sharp bowling, great field settings and a Travis Head century, Australia repeated the heroics of the 2003 World Cup final, crushing the Men in Blue’s incredible 10-match winning streak to nothingness as their wait for a big trophy continued.
Cummins took 15 wickets in the tournament and scored 128 important runs in eight innings.
Securing a Rs 20.50 crores Indian Premier League (IPL) deal with SRH
In the IPL auctions recently held in Dubai, Pat Cummins secured a Rs 20.50 crore deal with Sunrisers Hyderabad, becoming the most expensive IPL player ever at one point before his teammate Mitchell Starc beat him with a Rs 24.75 crore deal with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Victory and ten-wicket haul at home Boxing Day Test
In the home Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Cummins took 5/48 and 5/49 in both innings to guide Australia to 79-run win over a fighting Pakistan unit, winning the series 2-0 with a game left.
Cummins ended this year with 59 wickets in 24 matches, with the best bowling figures of 6/91. 42 of these wickets came in Tests, while 17 came in ODIs.
Cummins also delivered some valuable performances with the bat during the Ashes and World Cup, scoring 422 runs in 28 innings this year at an average of 21.10. His 44* against England in an instant classic first Ashes Test and 12* in a double century stand with Glenn Maxwell against Afghanistan in the Cricket World Cup come to mind in an instant.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
