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Moderate To Dense Fog Blankets North India, Visibility Reduced

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Moderate To Dense Fog Blankets North India, Visibility Reduced

As cold wave conditions prevailed in North India, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

New Delhi:

As cold wave conditions prevailed in North India, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday that moderate to dense fog cover was observed over parts of the region, including Punjab, Haryana, and central parts of Uttar Pradesh.

According to the IMD, due to the fog cover late Tuesday evening, visibility in the areas was reduced, with Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly recording the lowest at 25.

‘Very dense’ fog is when visibility is between 0 and 50 meters, 51 and 200 meters is ‘dense’, 201 and 500 meters ‘moderate’, and 501 and 1,000 meters ‘shallow.’

Taking to the social media platform X, the IMD said that at 11:30 pm on Tuesday, very dense fog enveloped isolated pockets of West Uttar Pradesh, and dense fog was over isolated pockets of East Uttar Pradesh and East Rajasthan.

Moderate to Dense fog cover visible over Punjab, Haryana, north Rajasthan, West Madhya Pradesh adjoining East Rajasthan, Central parts of Uttar Pradesh south Assam & Tripura. 1/4 pic.twitter.com/zVqMYglnXj

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) January 2, 2024

“Moderate to dense fog cover visible over Punjab, Haryana, north Rajasthan, West Madhya Pradesh adjoining East Rajasthan, Central parts of Uttar Pradesh south Assam & Tripura,” IMD wrote in a series of posts on X.

“Fog Observed at 2330 hours IST of 02nd Jan: Very dense fog in isolated pockets of West UP; Dense fog in isol. pockets of East UP & East Rajasthan; Moderate fog in isol. pockets of Jammu, Haryana & MP & Shallow fog in isol, pockets of Punjab, Delhi, West Rajasthan & Bihar,” IMD added.

As per IMD, the visibility recorded in West Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly was the lowest at 25, followed by Varanasi (50). While Ajmer in Rajasthan recorded visibility of 50, Kota and Jaipur each recorded visibility of 500.

Earlier on Monday, the Director General of Meteorology, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, told ANI that above-normal maximum temperatures are likely over most parts of peninsular and Northeast India. He also mentioned that during the upcoming winter season (January to March 2024), the rainfall over North India is most likely to be normal.

“Seasonal rainfall over the country as a whole during January to March is most likely to be above normal. Normal to above-normal seasonal rainfall is likely over most parts of the country except parts from extreme south peninsular India, extreme northwest, and northeast India, where below-normal rainfall is likely,” he said.

During January 2024, monthly minimum temperatures are most likely to be above normal in many parts of the country, except in some parts of North India, where normal to below-normal minimum temperatures are likely, he added.

According to the IMD, the anomaly forecast for the number of cold wave days is expected to be below normal over most parts of Central India during the month of January 2024.

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

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Japan Earthquake Death Count Rises To 57, Officials Warn of More Quakes

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Japan Earthquake Death Count Rises To 55, Officials Warn Of More Quakes

According to reports, 25 buildings, including houses, have collapsed in Japan’s Wajima City after quake.

Tokyo:

Japanese rescuers scrambled to search for survivors Wednesday as authorities warned of landslides and heavy rain after a powerful earthquake that killed at least 55 people.

The 7.5 magnitude quake on January 1 that rattled Ishikawa prefecture on the main island of Honshu triggered tsunami waves more than a metre high, sparked a major fire and tore apart roads.

The Noto Peninsula of the prefecture was most severely hit, with several hundred buildings ravaged by fire and houses flattened.

The regional government announced late Tuesday that 55 people had been confirmed dead and 22 severely injured.

But the toll was expected to climb as rescuers battle aftershocks and poor weather to comb through rubble.

More than 31,800 people were in shelters, they added.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government was due to hold a meeting of an emergency task force Wednesday morning to discuss responses.   

Kishida reiterated Tuesday night that “it’s a race against time” given how many people may have been caught in the collapsed buildings, according to public broadcaster NHK.

The operation was given extra urgency as the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued a heavy rain warning for Noto.  

“Be on the lookout for landslides until the evening of Wednesday,” the agency said.

In the coastal city of Suzu, mayor Masuhiro Izumiya said there were “almost no houses standing”.

“About 90 percent of the houses (in the town) are completely or almost completely destroyed… the situation is really catastrophic,” he said according to broadcaster TBS.

A woman at a shelter in the town of Shika told TV Asahi that she “hasn’t been able to sleep” due to aftershocks.

“I’ve been scared because we don’t know when the next quake will hit,” she said.

Nearly 34,000 households were still without power in Ishikawa prefecture, the local utility said.

Many cities were without running water.

Shinkansen bullet trains and highways have resumed operations after several thousand people were stranded, some for almost 24 hours.

The US Geological Survey said the quake had a magnitude of 7.5, while the JMA measured it at 7.6, triggering a major tsunami warning.

The powerful quake was one of more than 210 to shake the region through Tuesday evening, the JMA said.  

Japan lifted all tsunami warnings after waves at least 1.2 metres (four feet) high hit the city of Wajima and a series of smaller tsunamis were reported elsewhere.

Japan experiences hundreds of earthquakes every year and the vast majority cause no damage.

The number of earthquakes in the Noto Peninsula region has been steadily increasing since 2018, a Japanese government report said last year.

The country is haunted by a massive 9.0 magnitude undersea quake off northeastern Japan in 2011 which triggered a tsunami that left around 18,500 people dead or missing.

It also swamped the Fukushima atomic plant, causing one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters.

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

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"Jan Dhan Yojana…": India Great On PM Modi-led Government's Policies

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Venkatesh Prasad is one of the best pacers to have donned the Indian cricket team jersey. Prasad delivered some memorable performances in his 15-year-long international career for Indian cricket team. While Prasad won many laurels, his show against Pakistan in the ODI Cricket World Cups, especially in  the 1996 and the 1999 World Cups, are the most talked about. Prasad played his last match for the Indian cricket in 2001 in an ODI against Kenya. After that he also served as a BCCI selector for junior India teams.

On the last day of 2023, Venkatesh Prasad did an Q and A session where he was asked on a variety of subjects. Some of the questions went beyond the sporting spectrum. Among the many questions was a query on the policies of the Narendra Modi-led government.

“Ayushmaan Bharat, Swachh Bharat, Jan Dhan yojna to name a few definitely,” Venkatesh Prasad replied to a query asking: “After Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, which are the policies that the past government should have implemented much earlier.”

Venkatesh Prasad has been known to be outspoken about his opinions. During the Cricket World Cup 2023, he urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to ensure that the experience of the fans should be easy and smooth in comparison to previous years.

“We have a good team and are strong contenders for the World Cup but we need genuine fans inside the stadium cheering for the team and their experience needs to be far smoother and easier than what it has been, and for that the BCCI needs to do far better than they have done so far. It is a reflection of the country as a whole and we as a nation should not be let down at any cost,” Prasad posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Earlier, Venkatesh Prasad had blasted the Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) decision to have a reserve day only for the match between India and Pakistan in the Super four stage of the Asia Cup 2023. The other teams in the tournament had no reserve day , in case of rain, for their matches.

The former Indian bowler slammed ACC’s decision and said it is unethical to have different rules for two teams.

“If true this is absolute shamelessness. The organisers have made a mockery and it is unethical to have a tournament with rules being different for the other two teams. In the name of justice, will only be fair if it is abandoned the first day, may it rain harder on the second day and these malicious plans not succeed,” Venkatesh wrote on X.

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"Avoid Escalation In Lebanon": Macron To Israel As War Intensifies

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'Avoid Escalation In Lebanon': France's Macron To Israel As War Intensifies

French President Emmanuel Macron called on Israel to avoid escalation, “particularly in Lebanon”.

Paris:

French President Emmanuel Macron called on Israel to avoid escalation, “particularly in Lebanon”, following a strike attributed to Israel that killed Hamas’s deputy leader in Beirut, the Elysee Palace said Tuesday.

Macron, who spoke by telephone with the Israeli minister and war cabinet member Benny Gantz, said “it is essential to avoid any escalatory attitude, particularly in Lebanon” and that France would continue to pass on these messages to all players directly or indirectly involved in the area”, the presidency said.

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

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Man Arrested For Unzipping Pants While Woman Passenger Sleeps On Goa Train

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Man Arrested For Unzipping Pants While Woman Passenger Sleeps On Goa Train

The man was arrested by Goa police (Representational)

Panaji:

A 47-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday for alleged indecent behaviour with a 22-year-old woman passenger on a moving express train when it reached Margaon station in Goa, a police official said. The woman was on her way to Goa from Kerala along with her friends when the incident happened this morning.

“Two friends of the young woman saw the accused unzipping himself and indulging in an indecent act when she was asleep in a coach of Purna Express when it reached Gokarna station in Karnataka. They immediately called up on the emergency number of Railways, following which Konkan Railway Police, were alerted,” the official said.

Chavan was arrested by the Konkan Railway unit of Goa Police when the train reached Margao railway station, he added. 

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

India

Man Stabbed To Death Over Financial Dispute In Delhi

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Man Stabbed To Death Over Financial Dispute In Delhi

The accused has cases of snatching and robbery registered against him, said police (Representational)

New Delhi:

A 33-year-old man was allegedly stabbed to death following a financial dispute in Bindapur area of Dwarka sub-city in Delhi, police said on Tuesday.

The incident occurred on the intervening night and Monday and Tuesday, when the victim, Neeraj, went to meet Bobby over some financial dispute, they said.

“Both engaged in a verbal spat on Monday night over an old financial issue. Accused Ajay (27) was passing from the same road, when he asked Neeraj and his associates not to fight,” a senior police officer said.

The officer said Neeraj asked Ajay to leave and threatened him of dire consequences.

“Ajay left from there and returned with some other people and started searching for him. They found Neeraj alone and stabbed him multiple times and fled the spot. The victim was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead. Police were informed about the matter. An FIR was registered and police team nabbed Ajay,” the police officer.

The accused is a criminal and there are cases of snatching, cheating and robbery registered against him. He was in Gujarat, but in November last year he returned to Delhi. Further investigation into the matter has been started, the officer said, adding that efforts are on to nab the other accused. 

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

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Chhattisgarh Declares Dry Day On Jan 22 To Mark Ram Temple Consecration

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Chhattisgarh Declares Dry Day On Jan 22 To Mark Ram Temple Consecration

Like Diwali, lamps will be lit in homes on January 22, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said.

Raipur:

The Chhattisgarh government has decided to observe a ‘dry day’ on January 22 on the occasion of the consecration of Shri Ram Lalla at the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said on Tuesday evening.

While speaking to reporters in the state capital, CM Sai stated that it is a fortune for Chhattisgarh to be the home of the maternal grandparents of Lord Ram, with Chandkhuri being considered their home.

“It is our fortune that Chhattisgarh is the maternal birthplace of Lord Ram, and it is our fortune that the consecration of the Ram temple is going to take place in Ayodhya on January 22. There will be an atmosphere of enthusiasm across the state on that day. Like Diwali, lamps will be lit in homes, and the Chhattisgarh government has decided to declare January 22 as a dry day in the entire state,” the CM said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend the Pran-Pratishtha (consecration) of Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on January 22.

Vedic rituals for the ceremony in the temple town will begin on January 16, a week before the event. A priest from Varanasi, Lakshmi Kant Dixit, will perform the main rituals of the consecration ceremony.

A 1008 Hundi Mahayagya will also be organised, in which thousands of devotees will be fed. Several tent cities are being set up in Ayodhya to accommodate thousands of devotees who are expected to arrive in the temple town of Uttar Pradesh for the grand consecration.

According to the Sri Ram Janambhoomi Trust, arrangements will be made for 10,000-15,000 people.

Local authorities are gearing up for the anticipated surge in visitors around the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony and are in the process of implementing enhanced security measures and making logistical arrangements to ensure a smooth and spiritually enriching experience for all attendees.

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

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Women's ODI: India Suffer 190-Run Loss As Australia Complete 3-0 Whitewash

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India produced an abject batting display after a poor show with the ball to suffer a 190-run loss, their third heaviest defeat, in the third and final ODI as a rampant Australia completed a 3-0 series whitewash on Tuesday. Having conceded the highest total ever of 338/7 recorded by any opposition against them, India’s frailties with the bat came to the fore as they were shot out for 148 in 32.4 overs. None of the Indian batters, who had put up a strong fight in the second ODI here at the Wankhede Stadium, could make a dent in the opposition’s march to a 10th consecutive win in away bilateral games. For Australia, it is their ninth series win against India and fifth in the opponent’s backyard. Australia have beaten India in India 3-0 in 2018, 3-0 in 2012 and 4-0 in 1984. India have also suffered 0-3 whitewash in 2006 and 0-5 clean sweep in 2008 in Australia.

India were rocked twice in the powerplay when Megan Schutt (2/23) cleaned up Yastika Bhatia (6) and then Smriti Mandhana (29) played one straight down the throat of Kim Garth at deep extra cover.

India’s plight deepened when skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (3) was dismissed for her third single-digit score in a row.

Looking to sweep Georgia Wareham (3/21), Harmanpreet was beaten by Beth Mooney’s anticipation to quickly move on her left from the first slip to complete the dismissal.

Richa Ghosh (19), coming off a superb 96 in the second ODI, played on to her wickets off Wareham with the Australian leg-spinner once again snaffling crucial wickets.

India’s hopes to take the game deep then suffered a body blow in the 20th over when their most consistent batter in the series Jemimah Rodrigues (25) smashed one straight to Alana King at short midwicket off Ashleigh Gardner.

But the highlight for Australia in the second innings was Phoebe Litchfield’s stunning one-handed catch. She flew on her right to complete a diving effort at cover, to dismiss Amanjot Kaur (3) off King.

King (2/21) then produced the ball of the series when she bamboozled Pooja Vastrakar (14) to get one turning from leg stump to hit the top of off.

Annabel Sutherland also chipped in with a measly 3-0-9-2.

Earlier, Litchfield continued her rich vein of form with a magnificent century as Australia Women flayed India.

Litchfield cracked as many as 16 fours and a six to make 119 off 125 balls and put on a record 189-run stand for the first wicket with Alyssa Healy, who also cashed in on the opportunity with an 85-ball 82 (4x4s, 3x6s).

Australia were relentless with the bat from the word go and despite Shreyanka Patil’s 3/57, the visitors made merry on a placid wicket that proved to be a batting haven.

Litchfield and Healy’s 189-run stand is now the highest for any wicket among all the visiting sides in India in the 50-overs format, bettering South Africans Lizelle Lee and Laura Wolvaardt’s 169-run partnership for the first wicket in 2021.

Having possibly missed out on making tons in each of the first two ODIs with scores of 78 and 63, Litchfield showcased her rich arsenal of strokes all around the park to flatten India.

Litchfield, however, was also lucky when Deepti Sharma could not hold onto a tough diving catch to her left, off Amanjot Kaur (10-0-70-2) in the 19th over, when the batter was on 62.

If it was any consolation, Deepti had Litchfield caught by Harmanpreet and with that the right-arm spinner became only the fourth Indian to have taken 100 wickets in one-day cricket.

Patil was the most successful Indian bowlers with 3 for 57 in her 10-over spell, with her twin strikes in the 36th over providing some respite on a tough day out.

Patil trapped Mooney (3) and Tahlia McGrath (0) leg-before on consecutive deliveries to peg Australia back, albeit momentarily, as the visitors’ aggressive approach again brought them back on top.

Gardner’s 27-ball 30 with four fours, Sutherland’s 21-ball 23 (2x4s, 1x6s) and late fireworks yet again from King — 26 not out off 14 balls, three sixes, one four — helped Australia better their own record.

King took 19 runs off Vastrakar’s final over as Australia bettered their own record for highest-ever total against India in ODIs. Australia had made 332/7 in March 2018 at Vadodara.

Apart from a slew of misfields and dropped catches, Indian team was also guilty of conceding 28 extras, which gave further push to the visitor’s massive total.

Having spilled as many as seven catches in the last game, India’s fielding certainly did not seem to have improved a great deal when Mandhana spilled a sitter at deep midwicket to give Ellyse Perry a reprieve.

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3 More Nepalese Die Fighting For Russia Against Ukraine: Government

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3 More Nepalese Die Fighting For Russia Against Ukraine: Government

As of now, 10 Nepalese have died in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Kathmandu:

 Nepal government on Tuesday said three more Nepalese nationals fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war have died, taking the number of such deaths to ten.

According to the Foreign Ministry sources, details are awaited about these Nepalese, who were fighting for the Russian side.

Apart from the three deaths confirmed in 2024, the Foreign Ministry confirmed the death of seven Nepali nationals fighting for Russia in mid-December.

Before that, it was claimed that four Nepalese nationals fighting on the Russian side were kept in captivity by the Ukrainian Army but no other details were available.

The government has estimated that more than 200 Nepalese who went to Russia on tourist and student visas have joined the Russian Army without permission of the Nepal government.

The Foreign Ministry has repeatedly reiterated its policy that no Nepali national is allowed to join any foreign army except those recruited in friendly countries like India under a traditional agreement.

The ministry has also maintained that it has requested the Russian government to send back the bodies of Nepalese soldiers who died in the war at the earliest and to provide due compensation to those injured and other victims of the war.

On December 26, Nepal’s Foreign Minister N P Saud said that around 100 Nepali nationals, who joined the Russian Army, have been reported missing. The Foreign Office had discussed the matter with the Russian ambassador in Nepal.

Saud had also said that there were at least four Nepalese Prisoners of War in Ukraine, and the government had contacted the Ukrainian government to release them.

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

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Congress Raises Rs 10 Crore In 2 Weeks Through Crowdfunding Ahead Of Polls

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Congress Raises Rs 10 Crore In 2 Weeks Through Crowdfunding Ahead Of 2024 Polls

Congress had launched its ‘Donate for Desh’ crowdfunding campaign on December 18 (Representational)

The Congress on Tuesday said it has raised Rs 10 crore through crowdfunding campaign in the first two weeks of its launch ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Congress treasurer Ajay Maken said the online donation campaign launched by the party on December 18 has crossed the Rs 100 million (Rs 10 crore) mark in the New Year.

“New Year, New Milestones – We just crossed Rs 10 crores in 2 weeks. As 2024 unfolds, we at the Indian National Congress are thrilled to share two significant achievements: Celebrating 138 Years of Service: Our journey in serving our great nation has now spanned 138 remarkable years. Phenomenal Success in Online Donations: Our online donation campaign (https://donateinc.in) marks culmination of 2nd week with a groundbreaking milestone. We’ve raised a whopping Rs 100 Million (Rs 10 crore),” Ajay Maken said in a post on X.

“A heartfelt Thank You: To the lakhs of supporters who have joined us in this journey – your generosity is overwhelming. With 2,48,929 (2.49 lakhs) valid transaction requests in just two weeks, your support is the backbone of this success,” he said.

Urging those who have not contributed so far to come forward and donate to the party, Ajay Maken said, “A Call to Action: Haven’t contributed yet? Now is the time to strengthen our democracy. Join us in this vital exercise. Already contributed? Consider supporting again as per your capability. Every contribution, big or small, is a step towards a stronger nation.” “Remember, the nation needs you, the Indian National Congress needs you. Your support fuels our mission and empowers us to keep moving forward. Together, let’s make 2024 a year of unparalleled success and progress. Join us, contribute, and be a part of this historic journey,” the Congress treasurer said in his post.

The Congress had launched its ‘Donate for Desh’ crowdfunding campaign on December 18 with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge donating Rs 1.38 lakh to the party on the first day. The campaign is aimed at generating resources for the party ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP has, however, hit out at the opposition party, alleging it was “another attempt to siphon off public money and enrich the Gandhis” and pointed to the recent record cash seizure during income tax raids against a company linked to a Congress MP.

Congress leaders have said that the crowdfunding initiative was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s historic ‘Tilak Swaraj Fund’, which was launched more than a hundred years ago in 1920-21.

The party had launched an ‘outreach-cum-crowdfunding’ campaign on October 2, 2018, ahead of the last general elections, but the campaign did not gain much momentum on the ground.

The campaign was launched to coincide with the 138th year of the formation of the Congress.

The initiative aims at empowering the party in creating a country that is rich in equal resource distribution and opportunities, a senior leader said.

Donors have been asked to donate in the multiples of Rs 138, symbolising the party’s enduring commitment to a better India.

Congress sources said the party is cash-strapped and facing a dearth of money to fight “the well-oiled BJP poll machinery”. The grand old party has alleged that the BJP is garnering a majority of electoral bonds as the scheme is designed to favour the ruling party.

“Our inaugural campaign — ‘Donate for Behtar Bharat’ — commemorates the 138-year journey of the Indian National Congress. Embracing our history, we invite supporters to donate in multiples of Rs 138, symbolising the party’s enduring commitment to a better India,” AICC general secretary K C Venugopal had said ahead of the campaign launch. 

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