Locals oppose establishment of ethanol factory in Nirmal

A Hyderabad-based private firm is establishing the ethanol producing unit on the outskirts of Gundamapalli village costing Rs 100 crore

Updated On – 07:46 PM, Wed – 3 January 24


Locals oppose establishment of ethanol factory in Nirmal

A vehicle belonging to the ethanol factory was damaged by protesting farmers at Gundampalli village in Dilawarpur mandal on Wednesday.

Nirmal: Locals are opposing the establishment of an ethanol factory at Gundampalli village in Diwalarpur mandal, citing it would pollute their farms and throw their life out of gear.

A Hyderabad-based private firm is establishing the ethanol producing unit on the outskirts of Gundamapalli village costing Rs 100 crore. It bought around 60 acres of land to set up the factory and secured permission from the Telangana State Pollution Control Board and other government bodies to set up the unit here. It has already commenced works on various structures of the factory.


However, residents of Gundampalli have been relentlessly staging protests against setting up the factory for over six months. They had submitted representation to the then minister A Indrakaran Reddy requesting him to take steps to prevent the private firm from launching the factory.

The agitating farmers contended that the industrial effluents would not only leave an adverse impact on their health, but pollute their agriculture fields on which they had been depending for quite a long time.

“The industrial effluents will affect the health of residents in many ways, while polluting paddy and other fields. We will be diagnosed with respiratory diseases if we inhale gases released by the factory. Similarly, we will lose our source of income once the fields are damaged by the pollutants. We will be forced to migrate to towns in search of livelihood,” Venkanna, a farmer, expressed concern.

Notwithstanding the protests and objections of the farmers, the firm is learnt to be determined to go ahead with its move. It has said that it would manufacture the industrial chemical with zero-pollution and assured that it would procure both paddy and maize produce from the farmers by paying a minimum support price fixed by the government.

The firm also said industrial effluents discharged from the factory would be converted into organic fertilizers with the help of a special unit.

Shivraj Chouhan Names His House 'Mama Ka Ghar', Says Doors Open For All

Shivraj Chouhan Names His House 'Mama Ka Ghar', Says Doors Open For All

Shivraj Chouhan named his house, a government bungalow in Bhopal, as “Mama Ka Ghar”

Bhopal:

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today named his house, a government bungalow in Bhopal, as “Mama Ka Ghar” and said its doors were open for everyone.

Mr Chouhan’s government accommodation is located off Link Road No. 1 in the posh 74 Bungalows locality in the state capital where he moved after vacating the chief minister’s house on relinquishing the top post last month.

The four-term former chief minister, who was at the helm in Madhya Pradesh for more than 16 years, is popularly known as “mama” (maternal uncle).

On Wednesday, Mr Chouhan, 64, shared photos of the naming of his bungalow as “Mama Ka Ghar”, nearly a month after he resigned as Chief Minister following the BJP’s decision to select three-term MLA Mohan Yadav as his successor on winning the November 17 assembly polls.

Sharing the pictures on his official X account, the BJP stalwart, who is the MLA from Budhni in Sehore district, said his relationship with his “sisters, brothers, nephews and nieces” was one of love, trust and affection.

“The address has changed, but ‘Mama Ka Ghar’ is still mama’s house. I will remain connected to you like a brother and maternal uncle. The doors of my house will always be open for you,” he said.

Mr Chouhan further added, “Whenever you miss me or need me, feel free to come home, after all this is your maternal uncle and brother’s house.” The house in the upscale 74 Bungalows locality was one of the two government accommodations Chouhan was possessing for the past several years.

As chief minister, Mr Chouhan resided in chief minister’s house located on a hillock named Shyamla Hills, adjoining Bhopal’s Upper Lake.

When the BJP lost assembly elections in 2018, Chouhan vacated the chief minister’s residence and shifted to his second bungalow. After getting the top post in March 2020 when the BJP came back to power, he again moved to the chief minister’s residence.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

IRGC warns Israeli regime of flared up struggle

In a statement released on Wednesday, the IRGC strongly condemned the Israeli drone strike on Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahiyeh that resulted in the martyrdom of al-Arouri and two other forces of Hamas’ armed wing on Tuesday.

The IRGC described assassination and crime as the fake Israeli regime’s options for making up for the irreparable damages sustained in the October 7 Al-Aqsa Storm operation and evading the quagmire of Gaza.

The statement added that the most recent assassination attack will bring fresh blood into the Resistance Front, which has tightened the noose around the Zionist regime, and embolden the Palestinian forces across the occupied territories, specifically in the West Bank, to struggle against the occupiers with steely determination.

It also reminded the Israeli regime that the “strategic patience” of Hezbollah and the Resistance Front won’t deviate from the orbit of rationality and logic under the influence of the sinister wishes of the Zionist regime and its proponents.

Denouncing the fatal assassination attack as a violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty, the statement said it revealed that “the continuation of lunacy, barbarism, and passion for belligerency” constitute the Zionist regime’s evil strategy sponsored by the terrorist US government.

The IRGC added that the Israeli regime’s humiliating defeat in the Al-Aqsa Storm operation won’t be healed with such acts of terror and crime, because the Zionist regime is unable to ruin the calculations of Resistance.

MP/TSN

Nikesh Arora, Once Google's Highest Paid Executive, Is Now A Billionaire

Nikesh Arora, Once Google's Highest Paid Executive, Is Now A Billionaire

Nikesh Arora sold nearly $300 million worth of shares in 2023

Nikesh Arora has repeatedly succeeded in winning big paychecks. At Google, he became the firm’s highest-paid executive after getting a compensation package worth about $51 million in 2012, on his way to collecting stock awards worth at least $200 million by the time he left.

Poached in 2014 by SoftBank Group Corp.’s Masayoshi Son — and touted as the legendary investor’s likely successor — he amassed a $135 million first-year compensation package that broke Japanese records and made him the world’s best-paid executive.

But it’s Nikesh Arora’s latest stint, as chief executive officer of cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks Inc., that’s catapulted the 55-year-old into the billionaire class.

Nikesh Arora

Palo Alto Networks handed Nikesh Arora a $125 million stock and options compensation package when he was hired in 2018. Thanks to a boom in cybersecurity software after a series of high-profile hacking incidents that disrupted casinos, ports and even Treasury markets, the company’s share price has more than quadrupled since then — and Arora’s stake is now worth $830 million.

Combined with enormous pay awards he secured earlier in his career, Arora’s net worth stands at $1.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. That makes him a rare non-founder billionaire tech CEO.

A spokesperson for Palo Alto Networks didn’t respond to requests for comment.

The bulk of Arora’s stake in Palo Alto Networks relates to more than 3.4 million options he was awarded upon joining the firm. Those were subject to meeting share-price targets, all of which have now been achieved including the highest goal: a 300% gain.

Stock Awards

Nikesh Arora sold nearly $300 million worth of shares in 2023 after exercising some of the options.

He is primed to continue building his fortune at Palo Alto Networks. Nikesh Arora’s 2023 compensation includes a maximum of 750,000 stock awards that vest upon the achievement of certain performance conditions, which would currently be worth more than $220 million.

In its proxy statement, the company wrote the award was justified because Arora’s strong performance over his first five years meant he’d already been able to vest “$102 million of value each year.”

“Because of this significant vested ownership and the amount that Mr. Arora was projected to vest in over the next several years, the Board determined that a meaningful equity award would be necessary to ensure that such award retains and engages Mr. Arora.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Hyderabad-based Shia organization extends Rs 10 Lakh health insurance cover to religious scholars

In a significant move toward safeguarding the health and well-being of Shia religious scholars and orators, the Kull Hind Shia Majlis Ulemo Zakireen has implemented a comprehensive health insurance policy.

Published Date – 07:29 PM, Wed – 3 January 24


Hyderabad-based Shia organization extends Rs 10 Lakh health insurance cover to religious scholars

In a significant move toward safeguarding the health and well-being of Shia religious scholars and orators, the Kull Hind Shia Majlis Ulemo Zakireen has implemented a comprehensive health insurance policy.

Hyderabad: A city based Shia organization, Kull Hind Shia Majlis Ulemo Zakireen, has provided health insurance policy of Rs. 10 lakh cover to Shia religious scholars and orators.

Dr Syed Nisar Hussain Hyder Agha, president of the organization said the religious scholars play an important role in disseminating knowledge and fostering a deep understanding of our faith.


“Over 50 Shia community religious scholars will benefit through the initiative. The medical insurance will provide a safety net for these individuals and ensure that they have access to quality healthcare,” he said.

Assassination of Arouri sign of Zionists disgraceful defeat

In a message to Hamas’s Ismail Haniyeh, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raeisi extended his condolences over the martyrdom of a senior Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri.

Raeisi said that the blood of this noble martyr, along with the blood of other martyrs of the Resistance and the oppressed Palestinian people will make the strong tree of Resistance more fruitful which will soon lead to the definitive victory of Palestine in the current war and finally the celebration of the liberation of the holy land of Palestine from the claws of the Zionist occupation.

The terrorist crime of the provisional Zionist regime in targeting one of the leaders and commanders of the Resistance outside the geographical area of Palestine and the repeated violation of the territorial integrity of the regional countries by the usurping regime is a clear sign of the inability, helplessness and disgraceful failure in the historical operation of Al-Aqsa Storm and the heroic Resistance of the Palestinian nation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in the past three months, Raeisi further stated.

Al-Arouri was martyred as in an explosion in a building in al-Musharrafieh district in southern Beirut, Lebanon.

Later, Hamas confirmed that al-Arouri was martyred in Israel’s terror attack, which also killed a few of his companions.

SD/FNA14021013000673

PM Talks Of "Modi's Guarantee", Slams Congress, Left For Women's Bill Delay

PM Talks Of 'Modi's Guarantee', Slams Congress, Left For Women's Bill Delay

PM Modi also said he guaranteed freedom from triple talaq for Muslim women and fulfilled it honestly.

Thrissur, Kerala:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today slammed the Congress and Left parties, alleging that they had delayed the Women’s Reservation Bill, whereas the BJP had ensured the passage of the quota legislation that would empower women.

The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam has now become law, the Prime Minister said addressing a large gathering of women, emphasising that he has fulfilled his commitment to the cause of women empowerment.

“Regrettably, after independence, the Leftist Congress government undermined the strength of our women,” the Prime Minister said.

“The Congress and other parties delayed the reservation bill in the Lok Sabha. However, the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam has now become law. PM Modi has fulfilled his commitment,” he said.

Asserting that the progress of the poor, women, youth and farmers will ensure national growth, he also said there was a buzz around “Modi’s guarantee”, apparently referring to the Centre’s developmental initiatives.

PM Modi also said he guaranteed freedom from triple talaq for Muslim women and fulfilled it honestly.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Telangana: Sankranti holidays for schools, inter colleges announced

After the vacation, formative assessment-4 for Class X and Classes I to IX students will be conducted by January 29 and February 29 respectively

Published Date – 07:23 PM, Wed – 3 January 24


Telangana: Sankranti holidays for schools, inter colleges announced

Representational Image

Hyderabad: The schools in the State will have a short-term vacation for Sankranti festival for six days starting January 12. The schools will reopen on January 18.

After the vacation, formative assessment-4 for Class X and Classes I to IX students will be conducted by January 29 and February 29 respectively. Similarly, the summative assessment-2 for classes I to IX is scheduled to be held from April 8 to 18.


Meanwhile, the intermediate students will have Sankranti vacation from January 13 to 16 and junior colleges will reopen on January 17. The pre-final exams will be held from January 22 to 29.

The intermediate practical examinations for both general and vocational courses will be conducted from February 1 to 15. The English practical examination for the first-year students admitted in academic year 2023-24 is on February 16.

The TS BIE will be holding the ethics and human values examination for students admitted prior to academic year 2023-24 and having backlogs on February 17. The environmental education exam is on February 19.

IRGC: Arouri’s killing will inspirit Palestinians in struggle against Israel

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has condemned in the strongest terms the assassination of senior Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri in an Israeli drone strike on Lebanon, saying the targeted killing will further boost Palestinian fighters’ resolve to fight off the occupying regime.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the IRGC announced that the killing of Arouri along with six others, including two commanders of al-Qassam Brigades – the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement, will embolden Palestinian combatants across the occupied territories, especially in the West Bank, to stand up to Israeli occupiers more determinedly.

The IRGC went on to emphasize that the bogus Israeli regime resorts to assassination and atrocities in order to compensate for the irreparable damage sustained in the aftermath of the October 7multi-pronged attack by Hamas and other Gaza-based resistance groups, dubbed Al-Aqsa Storm Operation, and to get out of the quagmire in Gaza. 

It denounced the Israeli assassination drone strike as a violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty, stressing that the attack exposed that the malicious strategies of the US-backed Tel Aviv regime, pivot on insanity, viciousness and warmongering policies.

The IRGC added that Israel’s humiliating defeat in Al-Aqsa Storm Operation cannot be reversed through acts of terror and crimes, as the regime, already brought to its knees, is unable to disrupt the calculations of the resistance front.

“The strategic patience of the Axis of Resistance and Hezbollah won’t snap as desperately wished by the Zionist regime and its sponsors. The resistance force won’t distance itself from rationality and wisdom, and will focus on necessary tools in its struggle against occupiers of al-Quds and usurpers of Palestinian territories,” it stated.

The IRGC underscored that Arouri’s assassination gave fresh impetus to the resistance front, which has tightened the noose around Israel.

Arouri was killed on Tuesday in a “treacherous Zionist strike” on Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahiyeh, Hamas announced on its official channel.

Hamas politburo member Izzat al-Rishq described it as a “cowardly assassination.”

Arouri was a senior official in Hamas’s politburo, and known to be deeply involved in its military affairs. He had previously headed the group’s presence in the occupied West Bank.

The Israeli regime launched its devastating war on the Gaza Strip on October 7 after the territory’s Hamas-led Palestinian resistance groups carried out a surprise retaliatory attack, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, against the occupying entity.

The Israeli military has also been carrying out attacks against the Lebanese territory since then, prompting retaliatory strikes from Lebanon’s resistance movement Hezbollah in support of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

The movement has vowed to keep up its retaliatory operations as long as the regime continues its onslaught on Gaza.

The relentless Israeli military campaign against Gaza has killed at least 21,978 people, most of them women and children. Another 57,697 individuals have also been wounded.

73 Dead In Twin Blasts Near Grave Of Iran's Top General Qassem Soleimani

73 Dead In Twin Blasts Near Grave Of Iran's Top General Qassem Soleimani

Hundreds of Iranians had gathered to mark the anniversary of Soleimani’s death

Two explosions caused by ‘terrorist attacks’ killed more than 70 people and wounded scores at a ceremony in Iran to commemorate top commander Qassem Soleimani who was killed in a 2020 U.S. drone attack, Iranian officials said on Wednesday.

Iranian state television reported a first and then a second explosion during an anniversary event at the cemetery where Soleimani is buried in the southeastern city of Kerman.

“The blasts were caused by terrorist attacks,” state media quoted a local official in the Kerman province as saying. Babak Yektaparast, a spokesperson for Iran’s emergency services, was reported later as saying 73 people had been killed and 170 injured.

The semi-official Nournews had said earlier that “several gas canisters exploded on the road leading to the cemetery”.

State TV showed Red Crescent rescuers attending to wounded people at the ceremony, where hundreds of Iranians had gathered to mark the anniversary of Soleimani’s death. Some Iranian news agencies said the number of wounded people was much higher.

“Our rapid response teams are evacuating the injured… But there are waves of crowds blocking roads,” Reza Fallah, head of the Kerman province Red Crescent told state TV.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)