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Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) national president Nitish Kumar arrived at the Raj Bhavan in Patna and handed over his resignation to Governor Rajendra Arlekar on Sunday. Calling on the Governor at Raj Bhavan, Nitish told him, “We have decided to sever ties with the Mahagathbandhan in the state”. The development comes amid a deafening buzz that Nitish would rejoin the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), bringing an end to the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ rule in the state. The fast-changing political events in the state were triggered by a social media post from former CM and RJD chief Lalu Yadav’s daughter, Rohini Acharya, in which she took a swipe at the JD(U) saying that while the ‘socialist party’ styles itself as progressive, its ideology shifts with the changing wind patterns. If Nitish crosses over, it would mark the fourth time that he would be switching sides. In the Bihar Assembly of 243, the RJD has 79 MLAs; followed by the BJP at 78; JD(U) at 45, Congress at

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated tennis player Rohan Bopanna on winning men’s doubles in the finals of the Australian Open 2024. “Time and again, the phenomenally talented @rohanbopanna shows age is no bar! Congratulations to him on his historic Australian Open win. His remarkable journey is a beautiful reminder that it is always our spirit, hard work and perseverance that define our capabilities. Best wishes for his future endeavours,” he wrote on X. Time and again, the phenomenally talented @rohanbopanna shows age is no bar! Congratulations to him on his historic Australian Open win. His remarkable journey is a beautiful reminder that it is always our spirit, hard work and perseverance that define our capabilities. Best… pic.twitter.com/r06hkkJOnN — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 27, 2024 Bopanna made history on Saturday by defeating the Italian duo of Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in the finals of the Australian Open 2024. Rohan Bopanna’s second gr

Indian Navy’s guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam deployed in the Gulf of Aden responded to a distress call from MV Merlin Luanda on Friday night. The MV has 22 Indian and 01 Bangladeshi crew onboard, according to the Indian Navy. Based on the request from the MV Merlin Luanda, INS Visakhapatnam has deployed the Ship’s NBCD team along with firefighting equipment to provide assistance to the crew towards augmenting firefighting efforts onboard the distressed MV Merlin Luanda, according to the Indian Navy. The Indian Navy remains steadfast and committed towards safeguarding MVs and ensuring safety of life at sea, according to the statement released by Indian Navy spokesperson on X. In a post on X, the Indian Navy spokesperson stated, “IndianNavy’s Guided missile destroyer, #INSVisakhapatnam, deployed in the #GulfofAden responded to a distress call from MV #MarlinLuanda on the night of #26Jan 24. The fire fighting efforts onboard the distressed Merchant Vessel is being augmented

It has been an eventful week for India. Monday started on a spiritual note for Hindus in the country and the world over with the consecration of the Ram mandir in Ayodhya. Millions tuned in to get the first glimpse of the Ram Lalla idol, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed rituals. With the temple now open to the public (we’ve all seen images of the crowd), Ayodhya is bracing for a big change. The city is now a brand in itself and there are many takers. The mandir will bring economic benefits to Ayodhya and the rest of Uttar Pradesh. For the Bharatiya Janata Party, it is a big brownie point ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. However, all’s not well with the INDIA bloc. Mamata Banerjee and Bhagwant Mann have decided to go it alone in the upcoming elections. And there is talk that Nitish Kumar might quit the alliance. How will the opposition parties take on the BJP? Meanwhile, PM Modi has his eyes set on the goal. After the opening of the mandir, he kicked off the 2024 poll ra

India has awarded its third highest civilian honour, the Padma Chushan to Taiwan’s Liu Young-way, the Chief Executive Officer of Foxconn, in a move that will send a very strong message to the Communist Party of China. The 66-year-old Liu is set to receive the accolade in a ceremony later this year, with the presentation to be made by the President of India. The announcement of the 132 recipients across various Padma categories was made on the eve of India’s Republic Day. This recognition comes amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to attract foreign investments and position India as the next manufacturing hub in Asia. It aligns with the broader context of global initiatives to shift supply chains away from China, led by the United States and its allies. Liu Young-way had previously visited New Delhi and held discussions with Prime Minister Modi in March. Foxconn, in a statement, expressed its commitment to building an ecosystem in India, fostering collaboration and growth amon

08:23 (IST) Republic Day 2024 LIVE Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi unfurls the national flag in Chennai #WATCH | Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi unfurls the national flag in Chennai, on #RepublicDay2024 CM M.K. Stalin is also present at the ceremony. pic.twitter.com/Pn84edumBV — ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2024 08:18 (IST) Republic Day 2024 LIVE RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat unfurls the national flag at RSS headquarters #WATCH | Maharashtra | RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat unfurls the national flag at RSS headquarters in Nagpur, on #RepublicDay2024 pic.twitter.com/W2ZmlYwOb5 — ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2024 08:15 (IST) Republic Day 2024 LIVE US congratulates India, praises 'vibrant people-to-people' ties India is celebrating its 75th Republic Day Friday. US Secretary of state Antony Blinken congratulated people of the country on this day and hoped to deepen the “vibrant people-to-people ties between our nations”. Blinken said President Joe Biden has termed the United States’ r

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has released a scientific survey report on the Gyanvapi mosque, saying that there was a Hindu temple at the site of Gyanvapi before the construction of the mosque. According to the report, the pre-existing structure was demolished in the 17th century during the rule of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and sculptures of Hindu deities were found buried underneath. Hindu side Vishnu Shankar Jain said on Thursday the survey report suggests that the mosque was built on remains of a pre-existing temple. Jain told reporters that copies of the survey report consisting of 839 pages were made available to the parties concerned by the court late Thursday evening. The survey report makes it clear that the mosque was built on remains of a pre-existing temple by demolishing it in the past, said Hindu side Vishnu Shankar Jain. He also claimed that the survey report has sufficient evidence of existence of a temple over which the mosque was built. “The pre-exist

French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in India Thursday to attend the Republic Day 2024 Parade as its chief guest. Macron landed in Jaipur Thursday afternoon. His visit caps the 25th-anniversary celebrations of the India-France Strategic Partnership. Ahead of the French president’s visit, the pink city of Jaipur has been decked up. Macron’s state visit marks France’s sixth participation, the highest of any other nation, as chief guest on India’s Republic Day. Furthermore, it comes months after PM Modi’s Paris trip on France’s Bastille Day on 14 July, 2023. LIVE Update of France PM Emmanuel Macron’s India visit   03:38 PM (IST): On 26 January, Macron will attend the Republic Day parade and attend reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Later, he will attend the State Banquet, at the invitation of the President of India Droupadi Murmu 03:55 PM (IST): Macron has previously been in India on a state visit in March 2018 and on an official visit in September 2023 for the G20 Summit i

A new survey titled ‘The Mood of Bharat: Optimism ka Mahaul’ has found that 85 per cent of citizens of Bharat have a positive outlook for 2024 with three key factors — national pride, technology and the economy. The report is based on in-depth interviews of 1,565 people in the Hindi heartland through telephonic and internet surveys. The survey carried out by Bharat Lab, a think-tank created by the coming together of ad agency Rediffusion and Lucknow University, found that over 62 per cent respondents radiated “positive vibes”, 35 per cent exuded a “confident balance”, and merely 3 per cent expressed “clear pessimism” for 2024. Work-life balance The Mood of Bharat 2024 report cited work-life balance as a “key driver of optimism (something India — as opposed to Bharat — seems to struggle with)”. “Good career prospects and positive personal life circumstances together make up the primary source of optimism for close to 76 per cent of Bharat-wasis,” the report said. Bharat positive a

India is set to begin the export of ground systems designed for the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to Philippines within the next 10 days and the missiles for the system are likely to be dispatched by March this year, DRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat said on Thursday. #WATCH | On export of ground systems for BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines, DRDO Chairman Dr Samir V Kamat says, “The ground systems should be sent very soon, in the next 10 days. The missiles, hopefully, will go by March to Philippines.” pic.twitter.com/Hpoog3JW9g — ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2024 Speaking to ANI news agency, Kamat said the first set of BrahMos missile systems is expected to reach Philippines by the end of March. “The ground systems should be sent in the next 10 days, the missiles will hopefully go by March (to Philippines),” Kamat said. BrahMos missiles export to the Philippines is the biggest ever defence export contract signed with any foreign country by India. India had sig

Four Indians, who were allegedly swimming at an unpatrolled location, died after drowning at the Phillip Island beach in Australia’s Victoria. Among those who died in a mass drowning incident near Forrest Caves Beach in Melbourne were three woman and a man. One of the women was from Punjab’s Phagwara. “Heart breaking tragedy in Australia: 4 Indians lost their lives in a drowning incident at Phillip Island, Victoria. Deepest condolences to families of the victims. The team of the Consulate General of India in Melbourne is in touch with friends of the deceased for all necessary assistance,” the Indian High Commission in Australia informed in a post on X. Heart breaking tragedy in Australia: 4 Indians lost their lives in a drowning incident at Phillip Island, Victoria. Deepest condolences to families of the victims. @cgimelbourne team is in touch with friends of the deceased for all necessary assistance. @MEAIndia @DrSJaishankar — India in Australia (@HCICanberra) January 25, 2024

After communal unrest in Mira Bhayander city in Maharashtra’s Thane district, a clash broke out between members of Hindutva outfits and students of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune on Tuesday (23 January). While the tensions in Mira Bhayander arose on the eve of the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the FTII incident took place a day after the grand event in Uttar Pradesh’s temple town. The police have registered First Information Reports (FIRs) in both cases. What happened in Pune and Mira Bhayander? Let’s understand. Hindutva outfits ‘barge’ into FTII A group of men belonging to right-wing Hindutva outfits allegedly entered the FTII campus on Tuesday and burned a poster about the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya , as per a Maktoob Media report. According to Scroll, footage on social media showed men shouting “Jai Shri Ram” slogans. Some men reportedly burnt the poster reading “Remember Babri, death of Constitution” and de

An Assam Rifles soldier allegedly opened fire at six of his colleagues before shooting himself in Manipur on Wednesday. The incident occurred in an Assam Rifles battalion deployed near the Indo-Myanmar border in south Manipur. All the six soldiers (all non-natives of Manipur) fired at by the Assam Rifles jawan were injured in the incident. They were evacuated to Military Hospital for further treatment and reported to be stable. Assam Rifles released a statement saying there was no relation whatsoever of this particular incident to the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur. “In light of the ongoing ethnic strife in Manipur, it is important to share the details of the incident transparently to dispel any potential rumours and avoid any speculation. This unfortunate incident should not be correlated with ongoing conflict, given the fact that none of the injured are from Manipur,” the statement by PRO of IG AR read. “An investigation into the incident has been ordered to ascertain the fac

He was often referred to as Jan Nayak. And now, one could even call him Bharat Ratna. On Tuesday (23 January), former chief minister of Bihar Karpoori Thakur was awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously, two days before his 100th birth anniversary. Shortly after the Rashtrapati Bhavan made the announcement of conferring upon Thakur India’s highest civilian honour, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the decision, saying he was “delighted”. “I am delighted that the Government of India has decided to confer the Bharat Ratna on the beacon of social justice, the great Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Ji and that too at a time when we are marking his birth centenary. This prestigious recognition is a testament to his enduring efforts as a champion for the marginalised and a stalwart of equality and empowerment,” tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar called the Bharat Ratna to Thakur a right decision. This will create a positive vibe among Dalits, deprived and negl

A Myanmar Army plane with 14 people, including the pilot, on board crashed at Mizoram’s Lengpui airport on Tuesday. At least six people were injured in the Burmese Army plane crash. Myanmar army plane crash lands in Mizoram Airport, six injured Sources said the plane, which came to take back its soldiers from Mizoram, crashed while landing at the airport. There were 14 persons on board including the crew. #Mizoram #Myanmar #Airport #Planecrash #crashed … pic.twitter.com/ruiyWzS503 — mishikasingh (@mishika_singh) January 23, 2024 As per initial reports, the Myanmar military aircraft, which came to pick up Myanmar soldiers who fled the Lawngtlai district due to clashes between the Myanmar Army and rebels, skidded off the runway at Lengpui airport in Myanmar. "The injured were admitted to Lengpui Hospital," the Mizoram DGP said. Mizoram’s Lengpui airport has a tabletop runway and as the name suggests it is located and built on top of a plateau or hilly surface, w

Monday (22 January) was a big, big day for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He presided over the consecration ceremony, also known as the pran pratishtha, of the Ram mandir in Ayodhya during the day and then later announced a huge scheme for people. In a post on X, PM Modi on Monday evening wrote, “The first decision I have taken after returning from Ayodhya is that our government will launch ‘Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana’ with the target of installing rooftop solar on one crore houses.” He further added that the scheme was inspired by Lord Ram and that this scheme would not only help people, but also make the nation self-reliant in energy production. Here’s what we know about the Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana and how it will benefit India. About the Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana On Monday, upon his arrival from Ayodhya where he presided over the consecration ceremony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the scheme, called the Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana, under which one c

A Namibian cheetah has given birth to three cubs at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, weeks after three cubs were born to another feline. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav shared the news on X on Tuesday, saying, “Kuno’s new cubs! Namibian cheetah named Jwala has given birth to three cubs. This comes just weeks after Namibian cheetah Aasha gave birth to her cubs.” Kuno’s new cubs! Namibian Cheetah named Jwala has given birth to three cubs. This comes just weeks after Namibian Cheetah Aasha gave birth to her cubs. Congratulations to all wildlife frontline warriors and wildlife lovers across the country. May Bharat’s wildlife thrive… pic.twitter.com/aasusRiXtG — Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) January 23, 2024 He further said in the post, "Congratulations to all wildlife frontline warriors and wildlife lovers across the country. May Bharat's wildlife thrive." On January 3, Kuno National Park officials reported that the Namibian cheetah Aasha had gi

After a long, long wait, the day is finally here. After the much-celebrated consecration ceremony presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ram mandir in Ayodhya is now open to the public. Crowds have already gathered in large numbers and are braving the cold to get a glimpse of the new 51-inch idol of the child Ram, which will be referred to as “Balak Ram” of Ayodhya that has been placed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple along with the old idol. And those who do get the chance to enter the temple and offer their prayers will be treated to a view of opulence and beauty when they glance at the Ram Lalla idol. According to devotees and the temple trust, the array of magnificent jewellery and attire adorned by the deity reflects his divine status. Moreover, each piece of jewellery has a significant meaning based on extensive research. But what’s so special about all the jewellery? We get you the details. The crown (mukut) The deity in the Ram mandir wears a beautiful y