India

Mohali Building Collapse: Hours after being pulled out of rubble, Himachal woman dies

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Our teams are working. Efforts are underway to clear the debris as soon as possible. Lighting arrangements have been made for the operation.

Published Date – 22 December 2024, 05:18 AM


Mohali Building Collapse: Hours after being pulled out of rubble, Himachal woman dies

Mohali building collapse

Chandigarh: A 20-year-old woman, hailing from Himachal Pradesh, died after she was pulled out of the debris of a four-storey building that collapsed in the Sohana village of Punjab’s Mohali district on Saturday, officials said.

Drishti Verma, a native of Theog, was rescued from the rubble in critical condition and was rushed to Sohana Hospital, Viraj S Tidke, officiating deputy commissioner, said.

Verma, however, succumbed to her injuries.

A multi-storey building collapsed Saturday evening, with at least five people trapped in its rubble.

Police have booked building owners — Parwinder Singh and Gagandeep Singh, Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police Deepak Pareek said.

Several excavators were pressed into service as part of the rescue operation.

Officials said a National Disaster Response Team (NDRF) team was carrying out the operation.

Medical teams, along with an ambulance, have also been deployed.

Tidke said anyone with apprehension that their family members may be the ones trapped in the debris can dial district control room number 0172-2219506.

He said all major hospitals in the city, such as Civil Hospital (attached within Medical College), Fortis, Max and Sohana, have been put on alert to cater to the wounded.

He said that required equipment and machinery have been made available to the rescuers, in addition to those brought by the NDRF and army.

Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed his sorrow at the incident.

“Sad news has been received that a multistorey building near Sohana in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali) has collapsed. The entire administration and other rescue teams have been deployed at the spot. I am in constant touch with the administration,” he wrote on X.

“We pray that there is no loss of life, we will also take action against the culprits. Appeal to the people to cooperate with the administration,” he added.

Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, who was at the spot, said a multi-agency rescue effort was underway.

Mohali SSP Pareek said, “Our teams are working. Efforts are underway to clear the debris as soon as possible. Lighting arrangements have been made for the operation.”

A resident said a loud noise was heard when the building collapsed.

Preliminary information suggests the building, which also had a gym, collapsed due to digging in an adjacent plot.

A gym member said she escaped the collapse as she skipped her session on Saturday. Anandpur Sahib MP Malvinder Singh Kang and Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh reached the spot to oversee the rescue work.

Kulwant Singh said, “It is an unfortunate incident. Rescue operation is in full swing.”

Hyderabad

Telangana to set up solar units in podu lands to help tribal farmers

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Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka has reportedly instructed the Tribal Welfare Department to make arrangements for Podu farmers to establish solar power units. The state government aims to provide these solar power units at subsidized rates under the central government’s Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) scheme.





Published Date – 22 December 2024, 12:55 PM


Telangana to set up solar units in podu lands to help tribal farmers


Hyderabad: The State government has reportedly taken a decision to set up solar units in podu lands to help tribal farmers run agriculture pump sets. The facility will be provided to the farmers who were given pattas under the Forest Rights Act to cultivate their lands.

Sources say Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka has directed the Tribal welfare department to make necessary arrangements for Podu farmers to set up solar power units. The State government is planning to install solar power units on subsidized rates under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) scheme of the Centre.

The PM Kusum Yojana has been launched by the central government to provide assistance to the farmers of the country in the field of agriculture. Under this scheme, farmers of the country are provided up to 90 percent subsidy on installing solar pumps in their fields.

A budget of Rs 500 crore has been set by the central government for this scheme. Under which 35 lakh farmers of the country will be provided the benefit of this scheme.

Already, the State government was making efforts to set up solar power plants in farm lands with an installed capacity of 4,000 megawatts by next March under the PM KUSUM scheme. The Telangana State Renewable Energy Development Corporation (TGREDCO) has been appointed as the nodal agency for the implementation of this scheme.

If a farmer owns 10 acres of land, he can set up a solar power plant with an installed capacity of 2 MW. It is estimated that the cost of setting up one megawatt power plant will be Rs. 5 crore.

The money for installing solar plants could be borrowed from banks. Gram Panchayat, Primary Agricultural Co-operative Society (PACS), Farmers Producers Association, Water Users Association, Self Help Groups or any other association in the village. The farmers can partner with these associations and install solar plants in their farms.

The farmers can lease the farm to the investing partnership company or organization and sign an agreement with regard to the project.

Apart from this, the State government’s plan to hand over the works of installing 1000 MW solar power through women self-help groups (SHGs) under the Indira Mahila Shakti Scheme. The TGREDCO has recently invited tenders for a cumulative capacity of 1000 MW solar plant across the State under the Indira Mahila Shakti Scheme.

The scheme aims to install 1 MW capacity solar power plants that will be operated by women self-help groups (SHGs).

Sports

Kohli loses cool at journalist on his arrival at Melbourne airport: Reports

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After the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy ended in a stalemate at the Gabba, both Australian and Indian teams headed to their next battle in Melbourne for the fourth Test of the series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Updated On – 19 December 2024, 01:21 PM


Kohli loses cool at journalist on his arrival at Melbourne airport: Reports


Melbourne: Veteran Indian batter Virat Kohli has reportedly lashed out at the mediaperson on his arrival at Melbourne airport ahead of the Boxing Day Test.

After the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy ended in a stalemate at the Gabba, both Australian and Indian teams headed to their next battle in Melbourne for the fourth Test of the series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

On his arrival at the Melbourne airport, Kohli was engaged in a heated exchange with a journalist, as he appeared to be upset by the presence of cameras directed at his family.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, reporters were interviewing Australian pacer Scott Boland, when Virat Kohli and his family were spotted nearby. Cameras shifted focus to Kohli, who appeared displeased with his family being filmed in a public setting and engaged in a heated exchange with a reporter.

A reporter from Channel 7 shed more light on the situation. “It was upon seeing the waiting cameras that Kohli became a little heated over what is largely a misunderstanding when he thought the media was filming him with his children,” he said on 7NEWS.

Kohli then made his position clear. “With my kids I need some privacy, you can’t film without asking me,” he can be heard saying, as quoted by 7News. Later, the India star cleared the air with the media once it was explained his kids in fact weren’t being filmed and he shook hands with the cameraperson before leaving.

Kohli, who started the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia with a century in Perth, has since faltered, accumulating only 21 runs in the last three outings.

India were comprehensively outplayed during the second Test in Adelaide and the third Test at the Gabba ended up in a draw due to rain. The Border-Gavaskar series is currently poised at 1-1, with the crucial fourth Test beginning on December 26 before the series heads to Sydney for the final Test.

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Smriti Mandhana Scripts History, Becomes First-Ever Woman Cricketer To…

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Stylish opener Smriti Mandhana extended her purple patch with a classy 91 off 102 balls, propelling India to 314/9 in the first Women’s ODI against the West Indies in Vadodara Sunday. Mandhana, who recorded a 50-plus score for the fifth time in as many innings, got the bulk of the runs in her 110-run stand alongside debutant Pratika Rawal (40 off 69). The launch pad was provided by Mandhana for the middle-order to go big and that is what the likes of Harmanpreet Kaur (34 off 23), Harleen Deol (44 off 50), Richa Ghosh (26 off 12) and Jemimah Rodrigues (31 off 19) did to take India past 300.

After dropping hard-hitting Shafali Verma, India have tried multiple batters to open alonside Mandhana and on Sunday it was the turn of Delhi cricketer Pratika, who batted at a strike rate of 57.97.

The 24-year-old was also dropped at mid-off when she was batting on three in the 10th over. Her four boundaries came on the leg-side as she employed the sweep multiple times.

Mandhana, at the other end, entertained the crowd with her trademark shots including a cover drive and pull.

During the knock, Mandhana also became the first-ever woman player to score over 1600 runs in a calendar year.

Woman cricketers with most runs in a calendar year –

1. Smriti Mandhana (2024) – 1602

2. Laura Wolvaardt (2024) 1593

3. Nat Sciver-Brunt (2022) 1346

4. Smriti Mandhana (2018) 1291

5. Smriti Mandhana(2022) 1290

India changed gears after the arrival of fit-again skipper Harmanpreet who struck at close to 150 to give the innings a timely move on.

The momentum was carried by Richa and Rodrigues who has been in top form of late.

For the West Indies, the pick of the bowlers was left-arm spinner Zaida James who took five wickets for 45 runs in eight overs.

India could have got a lot more in the death overs but the last three overs only yielded 20 runs with James picking three wickets in the final over.

Topics mentioned in this article

World

At least 2 dead and 60 hurt after car drives into German Christmas market in suspected attack

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The suspected attack in Magdeburg, a city of about 240,000 people that is west of Berlin and is the state capital of Saxony-Anhalt, came eight years after an Islamic extremist drove a truck into crowded Christmas market in the German capital, killing 13 people and injuring many others

Magdeburg (Germany): A car plowed into a busy outdoor Christmas market in the eastern German city of Magdeburg on Friday, killing at least two people and injuring at least 60 others in what authorities suspect was an attack.

The driver of the car was arrested shortly after the car barrelled into the market at around 7 pm, when it was busy with holiday shoppers looking forward to the weekend. The suspect is a 50-year-old Saudi doctor who first came to Germany in 2006, Saxony-Anhalt’s interior minister, Tamara Zieschang, said at a news conference.

“As things stand, he is a lone perpetrator, so that as far as we know, there is no further danger to the city,” Saxony-Anhalt’s governor, Reiner Haseloff, told reporters.

Fifteen of the injured were were hurt very seriously, according to government officials and the city government’s website.

Haseloff said the two people who were confirmed to have died were an adult and a toddler, but that he could not rule out further deaths.

“But that is speculation now. Every human life that has fallen victim to this attack is a terrible tragedy and one human life too many,” he said.

Magdeburg’s University Hospital said it was taking care of 10 to 20 patients but was preparing for more, dpa reported.

The suspected attack in Magdeburg, a city of about 240,000 people that is west of Berlin and is the state capital of Saxony-Anhalt, came eight years after an Islamic extremist drove a truck into crowded Christmas market in the German capital, killing 13 people and injuring many others. The attacker was killed days later in a shootout in Italy.

Christmas markets are a huge part of German culture as an annual holiday tradition cherished since the Middle Ages and successfully exported to much of the Western world. In Berlin alone, more than 100 markets opened late last month and brought the smells of mulled wine, roasted almonds and bratwurst to the capital. Other markets abound across the country.

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said late last month that there were no concrete indications of a danger to Christmas markets this year, but that it was wise to be vigilant.

Hours after Friday’s suspected attack, the sound of sirens clashed with the market’s holiday decorations, including ornaments, stars and leafy garland festooning the vendors’ booths.

“It’s a terrible tragedy — this is a catastrophe for the city of Magdeburg and for the state, and for German generally as well,” Haseloff said. “It is really one of the worst things one can imagine, particularly in connection with what a Christmas market should bring.”

Chancellor OIaf Scholz posted on X: “My thoughts are with the victims and their relatives. We stand beside them and beside the people of Magdeburg.”

Business

India’s forex reserves top $700 billion, gold share surges 209% since 2018-Telangana Today

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India’s gold reserves reached $65.76 billion as of October 4, up from $21.15 billion on December 7, 2018, according to RBI data. Since Shaktikanta Das took office as RBI Governor in December 2018, foreign exchange reserves have also surged by 78%, rising to $701.18 billion as of October 4, compared to $393.74 billion in December 2018.





Updated On – 17 October 2024, 02:52 PM


India’s forex reserves top $700 billion, gold share surges 209% since 2018


New Delhi: As India’s foreign exchange reserves surpassed $700 billion, the share of gold in the country’s forex has also surged more than 209 per cent since 2018.

India’s gold reserves stands at $65.76 billion (as on October 4), compared to $21.15 billion as on December 7, 2018, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data. Shaktikanta Das assumed the RBI office in December 2018.

Under his tenure, forex also went up 78 per cent. The total foreign exchange reserves of India stood at $701.176 billion (as on October 4) compared to $393.735 billion on December 7, 2018.

The central bank’s gold holding increased by 27.46 metric tonnes to 822.10 metric tonnes in FY24, according to its “Half Yearly Report on Management of Foreign Exchange Reserves”.

The RBI also brought home more than 100 tonnes of gold from the UK this year.

In value terms (USD), the share of gold in the total foreign exchange reserves increased to about 8.15 per cent as at end-March 2024 from about 7.81 per cent as at end-March 2023.

Of the total gold holdings, 408.31 metric tonnes were held domestically while 387.26 metric tonnes were kept in safe custody with the Bank of England and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS).

According to industry experts, gold prices stayed elevated on Wednesday with gains of Rs 350 in MCX, while Comex gold traded above $2,675, up 0.55 per cent.

Traders continue to position themselves on expectations that the Federal Reserve will maintain its path of interest rate cuts. This has sustained bullish sentiment around the yellow metal, which reached record highs in September.

Since then, gold has been consolidating in the low-to-mid $2,600 per ounce range, as traders anticipate a slower pace of rate cuts from the Fed.

The geopolitical situation in the Middle East has further bolstered safe-haven demand for gold, adding to its upward momentum. D

As long as the Federal Reserve’s dovish tone and geopolitical risks remain, gold is likely to continue trading with a positive bias, said Jateen Trivedi from LKP Securities.

Hyderabad

Watch: Caught red-handed, corrupt official breaks down in Karimnagar district, video goes viral

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A Revenue official caught red handed while accepting bribe in Huzurabad RDO office, breaks down and his video goes viral

Published Date – 22 December 2024, 08:33 AM


Watch: Caught red-handed, corrupt official breaks down in Karimnagar district, video goes viral

ACB offials nab RDO’s CC while accepting bribe in Huzuarabad

Karimnagar: A revenue official broke down after being caught red-handed while accepting a bribe in Huzurabad town, The video of the apparently terrified official has gone viral on social media platforms.

The video shows the official, Sandeep, camp clerk to the Revenue Divisional Officer in Huzurabad being held by plainclothes officers advising him to dip his hands in two glasses of water to perform the ‘phenolphthalein test’, after he accepted the tainted currency wad laced with a chemical substance.

On touching water with traces of the chemical on hands, the water turns pink and is used as a conclusive proof of the bribe money being accepted. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) usually hands over the demanded bribe amount to the complainant after applying a thick coat of the invisible chemical to the currency notes.

After the complainant hands over the bribe money to the official, the ACB officials, who lay in wait in plainclothes swoop down on him, on receiving a signal from the complainant about the ‘tainted’ money being accepted. The wads of currency is recovered and the bribe seeker official is made to dip his hands in water in two glasses.

The pink colour water is then sealed along with the wads of currency notes, whose numbers are noted down and submitted to the court as an ‘irrefutable’ and conclusive evidence of the bribe being accepted.

In the currenet case, the RDO’s camp clerk (or assistant) Sandeep was accused of having demanded and accepted Rs 75,000 bribe from a farmer for doing an official favour of ‘nala conversion’. The arrested official is being produced before a court.

 

Sports

Anushka Sharma lauds the legacy of Ravichandran Ashwin

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The actress took to the Stories section of her Instagram, and shared a video from BCCI, and wrote, “A lasting legacy”.

Published Date – 19 December 2024, 03:32 PM


Anushka Sharma lauds the legacy of Ravichandran Ashwin


Mumbai: Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, who has been on an acting sabbatical owing to her motherhood duties, has lauded cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin after he announced his retirement from international cricket.

The actress took to the Stories section of her Instagram, and shared a video from BCCI, and wrote, “A lasting legacy”.

Ravichandran Ashwin was one the formidable forces of the Indian squad during his tenure in international cricket, and is considered to be one of the greatest spinners of all time. He was a part of the 2011 ODI World Cup winning squad and also the 2013 Champions Trophy, where in the 2013 final, he bowled the final over which led to India’s win.

Ravichandran Ashwin also contributed to Indian cricket with his bat as he gave a strong support in the batting department in the lower order.

Ashwin also played the 2nd pink ball test in the ongoing BGT. He was kept out of the team in the 3rd test of the series where India struggled in the 1st innings. However, as the managed to salvage the match following the rain delay, and the match was drawn, Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket, and left for India the same day he made the announcement.

With this move, he contradicted skipper Rohit Sharma, who said that the legendary spinner would leave a day after announcing his retirement.

Ashwin has taken more than 700 wickets in international cricket and more than 500 wickets in Tests, placing him amongst the top ten wicket takers in Tests. He has scored more than 4000 runs in international cricket with 6 centuries and 14 half-centuries in Tests.

He stands next to India’s legendary spinner Anil Kumble. With Ashwin’s departure, team India now has Ravindra Jadeja as a bankable player in that position and the spin department. The 2 upcoming matches will decide the fate of team India and its qualification for WTC.

Top News

Helicopter Crashes Into Turkish Hospital During Take-Off, Four Killed

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Ankara:

Four people died when a helicopter crashed into a hospital in southwestern Turkey on Sunday, the provincial governor said, blaming the accident on thick fog.

“The helicopter fell to the ground after having struck the fourth storey of a hospital during take-off,” killing two pilots, a doctor and an employee on board the vehicle, Mugla provincial governor Idris Akbiyik said.

“There was intense fog,” Akbiyik said, adding that the authorities were investigating the accident’s cause.

The helicopter took off in conditions with poor visibility from the roof of the city of Mugla’s hospital en route to the city of Antalya, as seen in images broadcast by the NTV television channel.

The chopper can then be seen drifting in the fog several minutes after take-off, before crashing into an empty field next to the hospital it hit, Turkish media reported.

The accident comes just under two weeks after six soldiers were killed when two helicopters collided during an army training exercise in Turkey’s southwestern Isparta province.

At the time the defence ministry did not specify what caused that crash.

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


World

Iran condemns car ramming attack in Germany

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The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman condemned the violent car ramming attack at a market in the German city of Magdeburg, which resulted in the deaths and injuries of a number of German citizens.

Expressing condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims and the people of Germany, Baghaei wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the incident.

At least five people died in the Magdeburg Christmas market attack. According to the Western media, local officials said that the suspect was a 50-year-old doctor from Saudi Arabia who worked in the city and has lived in Germany since 2006.

MNA