Tag: India news today

‘Israel can learn from India the use of soft power to win war of narratives’ | India News – Times of India

11Dec

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‘Israel can learn from India the use of soft power to win war of narratives’ | India News – Times of India

Reuven Azar (Reuters photo) NEW DELHI: Israel can learn from India the use of soft power to win the war of narratives in times of conflict, Israeli ambassador to India Reuven Azar said during an interaction with TOI editors. As Israel has pressed on with its military offensive to destroy Hamas, there's been a wave of support for Palestinians in Gaza. Azar said Israel, as the only Jewish state in the region, was outnumbered in geopolitical composition. "We are the one and only Jewish state. You have very powerful media outlets that are investing billions of dollars like Al Jazeera, TRT, and many other outlets. Frankly, we haven't been investing enough because most of our investment went to hard power, not to soft power. You have been combining hard and soft power in the way that you have be...

Defence minister Rajnath Singh meets Putin in Moscow, says India will continue to stand by Russia | India News – Times of India

10Dec

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Defence minister Rajnath Singh meets Putin in Moscow, says India will continue to stand by Russia | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh, during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, reaffirmed India's support for Russia and highlighted the immense potential of the India-Russia partnership. Both leaders expressed confidence that their collaboration would pave the way for "remarkable outcomes" in the future."Despite geopolitical challenges and great pressure on India, both in public and in private, India has made a conscious decision that the country will not only continue close contacts with Russia but will also deepen and expand our interaction. We will always be with our Russian colleagues," Singh said as quoted by Russian defence ministry.Conveying warm greetings from PM Modi, Singh reiterated India’s longstanding support for Russia. “Friendship between ou...

‘Museum of corruption’: Delhi BJP shares clip of CM house; AAP hits back | India News – Times of India

10Dec

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‘Museum of corruption’: Delhi BJP shares clip of CM house; AAP hits back | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Sharing the video of the renovated Delhi CM house, which was revamped when AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal held office, BJP's local unit chief Virendra Sachdeva on Tuesday called the residence a "museum of corruption", a remark the AAP dismissed as "baseless propaganda".The BJP stepped up its attack on Kejriwal over the controversial renovation, saying "It is the 'sheesh mahal' which he wanted to hide from the people of Delhi".The Delhi BJP chief challenged the AAP chief to "open the doors of this palace and tell the people of Delhi how he has fooled them"."It is the 'sheesh mahal' which he wanted to hide from the people of Delhi. We have shown the first video of it. Look at the bathroom and the gym of that house. There are granites and equipment, look at the sauna and jacuzzi baths...

India made 178 extradition requests but secured only 23 extraditions in past 5 years: Government in Lok Sabha | India News – Times of India

10Dec

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India made 178 extradition requests but secured only 23 extraditions in past 5 years: Government in Lok Sabha | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: As many as 178 requests were made over the past five years to different countries for extradition of fugitives wanted by the Indian law enforcement agencies, though only 23 persons were successfully extradited in the period starting from 01.01.2019. Sharing this information in reply to a written question in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, junior home minister Nityanand Rai said 65 requests made by India for extradition of fugitive criminals based in the US, “are under consideration of the US authorities”.The information mentioned above, Rai said, is based on records received from the ministry of external affairs.Stating that the fugitives sought to be extradited include persons wanted for terrorist activities committed in India, Rai assured that “the government of India has been makin...

‘NDA has majority’: Kiren Rijiju on opposition’s no-confidence motion against Dhankhar | India News – Times of India

10Dec

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‘NDA has majority’: Kiren Rijiju on opposition’s no-confidence motion against Dhankhar | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Dismissing opposition's no-confidence motion against Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday said that the ruling NDA enjoys a clear majority in the Upper House and expressed confidence in Dhankhar’s leadership.Speaking on Tuesday, Rijiju condemned the motion and defended the vice president, who serves as the Rajya Sabha chairman, describing him as a leader deeply committed to farmers and public welfare.“The opposition disrespects the dignity of the Chair, be it in Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha. The Congress party and its allies have consistently disregarded the Chair’s directions. Vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar ji comes from a humble background and always speaks about people’s welfare inside and outside Parliament. We respect him. I condemn the...

No mismatch found in VVPAT slips and votes polled in Maharashtra polls: EC | India News – Times of India

10Dec

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No mismatch found in VVPAT slips and votes polled in Maharashtra polls: EC | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday claimed that, in a mandatory count, there was no mismatch found in the Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trial (VVPAT) slips and the votes polled in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during the recently concluded Maharashtra assembly elections.The commission said as per the guidelines it is required to count VVPAT slips of randomly selected five polling stations across each assembly segment of a state. The poll body, accordingly, counted the slips on November 23 (during the result day) in the presence of the counting observer and representatives of candidates."As per that, slip count of 1440 VVPAT units from 288 assembly constituencies of Maharashtra state has been tallied with respective control unit data. There is no discrepancy f...

Who is Shekhar Kumar Yadav, HC judge whose remark at VHP event triggered uproar | India News – Times of India

10Dec

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Who is Shekhar Kumar Yadav, HC judge whose remark at VHP event triggered uproar | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Allahabad high court judge Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav's remark on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), calling it a measure to "eliminating unequal legal systems" has triggered controversy, with the Supreme Court intervening in the matter.Justice Yadav's speech, made on December 8 while addressing a provincial convention of the legal cell and high court unit of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) in Allahabad high court, included remarks that did not go well with a certain section."UCC's purpose is to promote social harmony, gender equality and secularism by eliminating unequal legal systems based on different religions and communities," Justice Yadav told the gathering in Allahabad. "The aim is to replace various personal laws that currently govern personal matters within different relig...

Stalin urges PM Modi to increase family income ceiling for SC, ST, OBC students for matric scholarships | India News – Times of India

10Dec

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Stalin urges PM Modi to increase family income ceiling for SC, ST, OBC students for matric scholarships | India News – Times of India

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin on Tuesday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to increase the annual family income ceiling for post and pre-matric scholarships for SC, ST and OBC students from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh, which is essential and fully justified. Underscoring an urgent need to enhance the income cap, Stalin, in a letter to Modi, said that the Centre has revised the income ceiling for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) to Rs 8 lakh. Also, the union government has raised the income ceiling for schemes such as National Overseas Scholarship and Top-Class Education Scheme to Rs 8 lakh for SC, ST students. "The refixing of income ceiling has benefitted many students from disadvantaged backgrounds." According to the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) Rep...

‘Partisan’: Opposition moves no-confidence motion to remove Rajya Sabha chairman Dhankhar | India News – Times of India

10Dec

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‘Partisan’: Opposition moves no-confidence motion to remove Rajya Sabha chairman Dhankhar | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The opposition led by Congress on Tuesday submitted a notice to move a motion for the removal of Rajya Sabha chairperson and vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar, accusing him of acting in a "partisan manner."The INDIA bloc managed to rally around 60 opposition MPs from parties including Congress, RJD, TMC, CPI, CPI-M, JMM, AAP, and DMK to sign the notice, according to news agency PTI quoting sources.Congress leader Jairam Ramesh announced that the motion had been submitted to the Secretary-General of the Rajya Sabha, saying that the opposition was compelled to take this step in the "interest of parliamentary democracy.""All parties belonging to the INDIA group had no option but to formally submit a no-confidence motion against the Hon'ble Chairman of the Rajya Sabha due to the extre...

When John F Kennedy wrote to ex-Karnataka CM SM Krishna | India News – Times of India

10Dec

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When John F Kennedy wrote to ex-Karnataka CM SM Krishna | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Former Karnataka chief minister SM Krishna, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 92, considered ex-US President John F Kennedy as his 'political guru'.In 1960, as Democratic leader JFK campaigned for the presidency, a 28-year-old law student Krishna, then studying in the US, wrote to Kennedy offering to campaign on his behalf in Indian American communities. The following year, when Kennedy was elected President, he remembered the support of the young Indian student.The Padma Vibhushan awardee shared the thanks note from Kennedy which said: "I hope that these few lines will convey my warm appreciation for your efforts during the campaign. I am most grateful for the splendid enthusiasm of my associates. I am only sorry I have not been able to personally thank you for the excel...

After T shirts and masks, Congress MPs don ‘Modi-Adani’ bags as Parliament showdown continues | India News – Times of India

10Dec

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After T shirts and masks, Congress MPs don ‘Modi-Adani’ bags as Parliament showdown continues | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: After T shirts and masks, the Congress MPs on Tuesday protested outside Parliament donning "Modi-Adani" bags, which had caricatures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and billionaire Gautam Adani printed and ‘Modi Adani Bhai Bhai’ written on the side. This marks the latest in a string of opposition attacks on the government, alleging that it is sidestepping discussions about the bribery allegations involving Adani in the US."The parties of the INDIA alliance want to discuss the Adani mega scam, but the Modi government is continuously running away from it. Today the leaders of INDIA alliance protested against this dictatorship of Modi government," the Congress posted on its social media handle.A fresh blame game also has erupted between the government and opposition over who is resp...

‘Remarkable leader, prolific reader and thinker’: PM Modi pays tribute to former Karnataka CM SM Krishna | India News – Times of India

10Dec

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‘Remarkable leader, prolific reader and thinker’: PM Modi pays tribute to former Karnataka CM SM Krishna | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed his condolences over the passing of former Karnataka chief minister SM Krishna, describing him as a "remarkable leader, prolific reader, and thinker." SM Krishna passed away early Tuesday morning in Bengaluru at the age of 92.Sharing a series of posts on X, PM Modi said, "Shri SM Krishna Ji was a remarkable leader, admired by people from all walks of life. He always worked tirelessly to improve the lives of others. He is fondly remembered for his tenure as Karnataka’s chief minister, particularly for his focus on infrastructural development. Shri SM Krishna Ji was also a prolific reader and thinker."Recalling his interactions with the former leader, PM Modi said,"I have had many opportunities to interact with Shri SM Krishna Ji o...

Other MPs want debate but Rahul Gandhi enjoys tamasha: BJP reacts to Congress mock interview | India News – Times of India

10Dec

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Other MPs want debate but Rahul Gandhi enjoys tamasha: BJP reacts to Congress mock interview | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Union minister of parliamentary affairs Kiren Rijiju hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying while MPs from other parties like TMC, SP want to engage in Parliament debate and discussion, Rahul Gandhi wants to bring the proceedings to a standstill by creating "tamasha". Referring to Rahul Gandhi's mock interview along with colleagues sporting Adani and PM Modi masks, the minister said that the Congress leader has "nothing to lose because he can't feel people's pain & problem". Seeking to highlight the tiff in the opposition front, Rijiju said, "Rahul Gandhi enjoys creating a tamasha and abusing the Prime Minister but other MPs have responsibilities towards the people who have elected them. "Samajwadi Party, TMC, all Congress MPs in Rajya Sabha, some Congress MPs in Lo...

Payal Kapadia’s ‘All We Imagine As Light’ gets 2 Globe noms | India News – Times of India

10Dec

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Payal Kapadia’s ‘All We Imagine As Light’ gets 2 Globe noms | India News – Times of India

Filmmaker Payal Kapadia's "All We Imagine As Light", a Mumbai-set story about three women and their friendship, on Monday received two nominations at the 82nd Golden Globes in Best Motion Picture Non-English Language and the Best Direction - Motion Picture categories. It will compete with "Emilia Perez" (France), "The Girl With the Needle" (Poland), "I'm Still Here" (Brazil), "The Seed of the Sacred Fig (US) and "Vermiglio" (Italy) in the Best Non-English Language Motion Picture category.In the Best Director category, Kapadia will compete with "The Brutalist" director Brady Corbet, Coralie Fargeat of "The Substance", Edward Berger of "Conclave", "Emilia Perez" director Jacques Audiard and Sean Baker for "Anora"."I'm deeply honoured by this nomination and grateful to the HFPA for this recog...

NGOs, activists cannot try to run country through PILs, Centre tells Supreme Court | India News – Times of India

10Dec

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NGOs, activists cannot try to run country through PILs, Centre tells Supreme Court | India News – Times of India

With NGOs and social activists trying to perpetuate Covid-time free ration to migrant labour, Centre on Monday told SC that it continued to provide foodgrain to the needy under Food Safety Act but strongly resisted what it called attempts by petitioners to run the country through PILs.Appearing for a PIL petitioner, activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan said the govt may be giving free ration to 80 crore people but had illegally left out 2-3 crore poor people from the scheme by telling states that stock of foodgrain meant to be distributed under the scheme was exhausted. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Manmohan said it may fall under the govt's policy domain to decide its food security scheme, but suggested to SG Tushar Mehta that if the financial status of 80 crore beneficiaries of free rat...

CM unveils Telangana ‘mother’ statue, says bid to alter it will invite action | India News – Times of India

10Dec

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CM unveils Telangana ‘mother’ statue, says bid to alter it will invite action | India News – Times of India

Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy (File photo) HYDERABAD: Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy on Monday warned that anyone attempting to change the official image of the Telangana Thalli (mother of Telangana) statue and its features or insulting it in speeches and or on social media platforms would face legal action, reports Roushan Ali.He said this after unveiling the new Telangana Thalli statue on the state secretariat premises in the presence of thousands of women members of self-help groups, poets, artists, ministers and elected representatives.Stating that the statue signifies the existence and self-respect of the people of Telangana, chief secretary A Santhi Kumari said the state govt has prohibited any change, modification, destruction, desecration, defiling, vandalising, breaking, demolishing ...

Sambhal mosque surveyor cites health issues, seeks 15-day extension | India News – Times of India

10Dec

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Sambhal mosque surveyor cites health issues, seeks 15-day extension | India News – Times of India

The Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambha BAREILLY: Advocate commissioner Ramesh Singh Raghav, tasked by the court of the civil judge (senior division) in Sambhal to survey the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid, has sought "15 days more time" to submit a report, citing "health issues" for the delay. Notably, the 10 days given by the court for the survey report's submission concluded on Monday.Raghav had earlier said the report was "almost complete, and some analysis is pending". He added, "Since Supreme Court stay order mandates lower court should not issue any orders, our application has been kept on file. Our report will be submitted within 15 days. The court will not issue any orders until Jan 6 as per the SC guidelines."The mosque committee's counsel, meanwhile, raised objections to the "delay" and s...

Over 11.7 lakh out-of-school children identified nationwide, Uttar Pradesh tops the list | India News – Times of India

9Dec

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Over 11.7 lakh out-of-school children identified nationwide, Uttar Pradesh tops the list | India News – Times of India

Over 11.7 lakh out-of-school children identified nationwide, Uttar Pradesh tops the list NEW DELHI: Over 11.70 lakh children have been identified as out-of-school across the country, with Uttar Pradesh accounting for the highest number, the Lok Sabha was informed on Monday.Union Minister of State for Education, Jayant Chaudhary, provided the data in response to a written question in the Lower House.Highlighting the mechanism for tracking out-of-school children, Chaudhary stated, "The Ministry of Education's Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSE&L) maintains the PRABANDH (Project Appraisal, Budgeting, Achievements, and Data Handling System) portal, where states and Union Territories provide and update data related to Out-of-School Children (OoSC)."According to the statistics...

Three dead in Mumbai’s Kurla as BEST bus loses control, runs over people | India News – Times of India

9Dec

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Three dead in Mumbai’s Kurla as BEST bus loses control, runs over people | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Three people were killed and several others were injured when a BEST bus lost control and ran over pedestrians in Kurla West, Mumbai, late Monday evening.The out-of-control bus also damaged several cars and autorickshaws before coming to a stop. Police said all the injured have been rushed to Bhabha Hospital, adding that it will take time to confirm the exact number of deaths. The BEST bus was travelling from Kurla Station towards Andheri when the crash took place at Ambedkar Nagar in Kurla West Railway Station Road.People expressed their anger over the accident claiming that the road is small there are illegal hawkers, shopkeepers have encroached and there is huge flow of traffic from BKC and SCLR.Traffic in the area remained disrupted for hours. Police has been deployed along ...

Winter session: Soros-Congress connection sparks uproar in Parliament | India News – Times of India

9Dec

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Winter session: Soros-Congress connection sparks uproar in Parliament | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Winter Session of Parliament was washed out on Monday, with both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha erupting over George Soros-Congress links and accusations of Adani being protected by the ruling BJP, respectively, as the House opened for the third week. Proceedings were adjourned in both Houses for the day around mid-afternoon, following several adjournments through the day in Lok Sabha as well as in Rajya Sabha.When Lok Sabha met at 11 am after the weekend, Opposition members were on their feet, trying to raise their issues. A visibly agitated Speaker Om Birla asked the MPs to return to their seats and allow the House to function. "Question Hour is significant. Allow the House to function properly. The country wants the House to run. You are disrupting the proceedings of the House...

Woman strangles 8-year-old nephew to avenge son’s death ‘due to black magic’ | India News – Times of India

9Dec

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Woman strangles 8-year-old nephew to avenge son’s death ‘due to black magic’ | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: An eight-year-old boy was allegedly strangled to death by his aunt in Jharkhand's Palamu district in a chilling case of revenge fueled by superstitions. The accused, Sunita Devi, reportedly believed that the boy's grandmother had practiced witchcraft, leading to the death of her five-month-old son, police revealed on Monday.The tragic incident took place on Sunday in Saltua village which comes under the jurisdiction of Chainpur Police Station. According to Chainpur Police Station in-charge Shriram Sharma, the victim's mother, Kavita Devi, filed a complaint alleging that Sunita Devi had taken the boy from their home and killed him.“During interrogation, the accused admitted she suspected the grandmother of practicing witchcraft, which she believed caused the death of her infant s...

Centre may table ‘one nation, one election’ Bill soon: Reports | India News – Times of India

9Dec

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Centre may table ‘one nation, one election’ Bill soon: Reports | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The government is set to introduce the One Nation, One Election (ONOE) Bill during the ongoing Parliament session, according to several media reports citing sources. The proposal, which aims to synchronise elections across the country, is seen as a significant reform to reduce the time, cost, and resources expended under the current staggered electoral system.According to sources, the Cabinet has already approved the recommendations of the Ram Nath Kovind-led committee on simultaneous elections. The government is now focused on building consensus for the bill, with plans to refer it to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for detailed deliberation. The JPC is expected to engage with political parties, state assembly speakers, and even solicit public opinion, although the method...

Delhi elections: Inspired by ‘Pushpa 2’, BJP attacks AAP’s ‘Kejriwal Jhukega Nahi’ slogan with ‘Rappa-Rappa’ dialogue | India News – Times of India

9Dec

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Delhi elections: Inspired by ‘Pushpa 2’, BJP attacks AAP’s ‘Kejriwal Jhukega Nahi’ slogan with ‘Rappa-Rappa’ dialogue | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The upcoming Delhi assembly polls have sparked a creative poster battle between Aam Aadmi Party and Bharatiya Janata Party, centred around the popular film "Pushpa 2". Taking to X, AAP posted a poster featuring AAP national convenor and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in the protagonist's role, holding the party's 'jhaadu' symbol, with the text "Kejriwal Jhukega Nahi". The poster also highlighted "4th Term Coming Soon", referencing AAP's victories in 2013, 2015 and 2020.Responding to this, Delhi BJP released their counter-poster displaying state president Virendra Sachdeva seated on a throne, mimicking the film's character. Their poster said "Bhrashtachariyon Ko Khatam Karenge" with "Rappa-Rappa" written on it, copying Pushpa's dialogue in movie.AAP seeks to maintain...