By Shashank Bengali from NYT World https://ift.tt/9sXiDE2
Here are the steps the court ordered Israel to take.
By Shashank Bengali from NYT World https://ift.tt/9sXiDE2
2024 Polls: 96 Crore Citizens, Including 47 Crore Women Eligible to Vote
Over 96 crore people, including 47 crore women, are eligible to cast votes in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, for which more than 12 lakh polling booths will be set up across India.
Over 1.73 crore of those eligible to vote are in the age group of 18 to 19 years, according to Election Commission data.
As many as 1.5 crore polling personnel will be deployed to ensure smooth conduct of the parliamentary elections to elect members of the 18th Lok Sabha.
According to a 2023 letter sent by the EC to political parties, India had 17.32 crore registered voters in 1951, which rose to 19.37 crore in 1957.
There were 91.20 crore voters in the 2019 polls.
Out of the total voters registered in the electoral rolls, nearly 18 lakh are persons with disabilities.
In the first Lok Sabha elections, the voter turnout was recorded at 45 per cent. It was 67 per cent in the last parliamentary polls.
Qatar Expresses Anger Over Netanyahu’s Leaked Criticism
By The New York Times from NYT World https://ift.tt/2Cq5wFX
Padma Vibhushan For Venkaiah Naidu, Actor Chiranjeevi. See Full List
The government today announced the prestigious Padma Awards on the eve of the 75th Republic Day celebrations.
The Padma Vibhushan has been awarded to Vyjayantimala Bali, Konidela Chiranjeevi, M Venkaiah Naidu, Bindeshwar Pathak (posthumous), and Padma Subrahmanyam.
BJP leader Ram Naik, singer Usha Uthup and actor Vijaykanth (posthumous) are among the 17 who have been awarded the Padma Bhushan.
The first woman judge of the Supreme Court Chief Justice M Fathima Beevi (posthumous), actor Mithun Chakraborty, and Bombay Samachar owner Hormusji N Cama are also among the Padma Bhushan awardees.
Young Liu, the CEO of Taiwan's Foxconn, has also been honoured with Padma Bhushan.
Anti Terror Agency Files Fresh Chargesheet Against 2 In Coimbatore Car Blast
The NIA on Wednesday filed a fresh charge sheet and named two more accused in the ISIS-inspired Coimbatore car bomb blast case of 2022, an agency spokesperson said.
Mohammed Azarudeen alias Azar and Mohammed Idris, both residents of Coimbatore, have been named in the supplementary charge sheet and have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Explosive Substances Act, the spokesperson said.
With this, a total of 13 people have been charge-sheeted in this case till now. The rest were named in the prosecution complaints filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in April and June last year.
The probe pertains to an explosion that took place in front of the ancient Arulmigu Kottai Sangameshwarar Thirukovil Temple at Eswaran Kovil Street in Ukkadam, Coimbatore on October 23, 2022, through a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), allegedly driven by one Jamesha Mubeen.
Mubeen was "inspired" by hardcore ISIS ideology to commit this act of terror.
The NIA probe found, the spokesperson said, that Mubeen, along with Mohammed Azarudeen, Umar Faaruq, Sheikh Hidayathullah and Sanofer Ali, conspired to carry out a series of suicidal terror attacks in Coimbatore city following a conspiracy hatched in the forested area of Sathyamangalam region in Erode district of Tamil Nadu.
The attack was intended to wreak vengeance on 'kafirs' (non-believers), as stated in one of the self-made confessional videos by the accused a few days before the attack, the spokesperson said.
Azarudeen, who acted as a pedagogue to the module involved in the attack, was earlier arrested by the NIA in another case related to the indoctrination of ISIS ideology and in connection with the NTJ (National Thowheeth Jama'ath) module of Sri Lanka, which was responsible for the 2019 Easter blast attacks in the island country.
"Azarudeen had motivated three other accused who met him in the high-security prison (HSP) Viyyur. This led to the subsequent Sathyamangalam Conspiracy meeting, resulting in the planning and preparation of the instant terror attack," the spokesperson added.
Accused Umar Faaruq was elected as the "Amir" to lead the execution.
Mohammed Idris, part of the module of Azarudeen and radicalised in the ISIS and by the 'bayans' (statements) of accused Zahran Hashim, was tasked with purchasing a used vehicle for the blast and to assisting the main accused in the attack, he said.
"The larger aim of the conspiracy was to create terror in the minds of a section of the society by targeting its various branches like general administration, police, judiciary," the spokesperson said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Security Tightened In Imphal As Manipur Ministers To Meet This Key Group
Security has been tightened in and around Manipur capital Imphal after Arambai Tenggol asked all ministers and MLAs from the valley districts for a meeting at Kangla Fort on Wednesday.
Arambai Tenggol, an organisation of around 50,000 people engaged in guarding villages in the valley areas of the state, has asked all ministers and MLAs from the valley districts to come for discussions, the details of which have not been specified, an official said, adding "there are intel reports that they (Arambai Tenggol) are planning to enter Kangla fort with arms before the meeting."
According to the officials, a large number of security forces including CRPF, Assam Rifles, Army and state police have been deployed near the fort as a precautionary measure.
Kangla Fort served as the royal seat of Manipur kingdom till 1891.
Earlier too, Arambai Tenggol had asked all legislators to attend a meeting at Kangla Fort, the official said.
The development comes a day after a three-member Union home ministry team met the leaders of the group at the residence of Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba on Monday, the official added.
The group has demanded delisting of Kukis from the ST list, deportation of refugees to camps in Mizoram, border fencing, replacement of Assam Rifles with other paramilitary force and revoking Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement between Centre and Kuki militant groups, officials said.
The central team included former Intelligence Bureau special director AK Mishra, SIB New Delhi joint director Mandeep Singh and SIB Imphal joint director Rajesh Kamble.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
From US To Nepal, Indian Community Celebrates Grand Ram Temple Event
Joyous Ram devotees and members of the Indian diaspora around the world came together, including at the iconic Times Square in New York, for prayers, car rallies, cultural and other religious events along with live streaming to celebrate the consecration of 'Ram Lalla' in Ayodhya on Monday.
Nepal's Janakpurdham, the birthplace of goddess Sita, on Monday, decked up for the Ram Temple consecration ceremony, with temple authorities decorating the Janaki temple with garlands and flowers.
Hindus in Janakpurdham, who joined the celebrations with multiple cultural and religious festivities, wrote "Jai Siyaram" with flowers.
Lord Ram's wife Sita's other name is Janaki, daughter of King Janak of Janakpur. It is 500-odd kms east of Ayodhya in India and has been a symbol of the ancient bond shared by the two countries.
Houses and streets of Janakpur were decorated with colourful lights, paper flags, banners and garlands, local authorities said.
As many as 1.25 lakh earthen lamps were lit to celebrate the auspicious occasion of 'pran pratistha'.
The Indian diaspora gathered at New York's Times Square to witness the live screening of the 'Pran Pratistha' ceremony at Ram Mandir. The iconic location was lit up to mark the ceremony. People were seen donning traditional attire, dancing, singing bhajans and other songs.
At SV Lotus Temple in Fairfax County of Virginia, a suburb of Washington DC, members of the Sikh, Muslim and Pakistani American communities also joined the celebrations. Over 2,500 people attended the event coinciding with the consecration at Ayodhya.
Pictures of the Ram Mandir were also displayed on the NASDAQ screen.
At an event organised by the Hindus of Greater Houston, members from various countries where Lord Rama is part of the culture were facilitated.
In Los Angeles, 1,000 people attended a car rally to celebrate the occasion. About 250 cars participated in the rally.
Immediately after the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the World Hindu Council of America (VHPA) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad of Canada announced a Ram Mandir Yatra to visit over 1,000 temples in the two countries.
The epic journey is scheduled to commence on March 25 from the Om Hindu Centre in Billerica, Massachusetts, featuring a specially adorned van carrying statues of Shree Ram, Sita, Lakshaman, and Hanuman, according to a statement issued by VHP America.
“The primary goal of this monumental endeavour is to personally deliver Prasad and Akshat (rice) obtained by VHPA delegates who actively participated in the Shree Ram Lalla Murti Prana Pratishtha in Ayodhya Dham on January 22, 2024,” it said.
“Additionally, the initiative aims to present written recognition of participation in the Shree Ram Lalla Murti Prana Pratishtha,” it said, adding, this ambitious task is set to be accomplished in 45 days, encompassing the entire expanse of the USA and Canada.
Thousands of people in Trinidad and Tobago, a Caribbean nation with a large Indian-origin population, attended a grand event on the eve of the consecration of 'Ram Lalla' in Ayodhya.
More than 5,000 people attended the celebration on Sunday which was marked by cultural events and the singing of popular Ram songs.
“Indeed, an honour to participate in the grand celebrations by the Indian Diaspora in Trinidad and Tobago on the eve of Pran Pratishtha of Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya,” the Indian High Commission in Trinidad and Tobago posted on X.
In Canberra, the members of Indian diaspora in Australia had gathered at a community event to witness live streaming of consecration of Ram Lalla at Ayodhya. Indian High Commissioner and several of his colleagues attended the event.
In United Kingdom, car rallies, community celebrations and cultural events marked the celebrations.
Car dressed up as 'rath' in London was part of a rally held ahead of the Ayodhya event while temples across UK, including the famous Ram Temple at South Hall in London, saw gatherings of the members of the diaspora. They organised langars to mark the occasion, held Ram Dhun and distributed laddoos.
The Mauritian government granted a one-off special leave for two hours to public servants of the Hindu faith to attend prayers marking the "landmark" inauguration.
"Let us rejoice as Shri Ram returns to Ayodhya. May his blessings and teachings light our way towards peace and prosperity. Jai Hind! Jai Mauritius!" Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth posted on X.
Presenting the rustic melodies of Ram bhajans, the Roche Bois Ramayana Group from Mauritius created a heartwarming ambience that filled the air with devotion, peace, and a sense of unity.
The Indian community in Dubai celebrated the consecration ceremony of the new Ram Temple in Ayodhya by organising a cultural event where hundreds of members of the Indian diaspora performed traditional dances and sang devotional songs to mark the occasion.
On the eve of the ‘Pran Pratishtha' ceremony at Ayodhya, Queretaro in Mexico got the first Lord Ram temple. Queretaro also hosts the first Lord Hanuman temple in Mexico.
"The ‘Pran Pratishtha' ceremony was performed by an American Priest with Mexican hosts & the idols brought from India. The atmosphere was filled with divine energy as the hymns & songs sung by the Indian diaspora reverberated throughout the hall," the Embassy of India in Mexico posted on X.
Over 250 diaspora members attended the event.
In Fiji, Ram Lalla Utsav was organised from January 18-22 by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations in Suva and Shree Sanatan Dharm Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji to commemorate the inauguration.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
