The Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO), an international mega-science project that will serve as the largest radio telescope in the world, will now include scientists in India. This comes as ISRO launched a unique observatory on Monday to study X-rays and black holes in deep space, and plans are underway to build the third LIGO node in Maharashtra.

India is now part of world’s largest radio telescope project SKAO

Days after the 'Donkey flight,' which was halted in France for allegedly involvement in human trafficking, came in spotlight, authorities reveal that more than 60 people from Gujarat on board the Nicaragua-bound plane had agreed to pay $76,000 to $96,000 to immigration agents, who promised to cross into the US illegally after reaching the Latin American country.

Gujarat: Donkey flight investigation continues

In the Indian state of Punjab a massive blaze erupted out of the flyover in Ludhiana sending plumes of thick black smoke blowing into the sky after fuel a tanker caught fire. The oil tanker hit a divider and overturned take a look at these visuals.

Ludhiana oil tanker catches fire sets flyover ablaze

<p>Even as Delhi is experiencing a chilling winter with cold wave conditions in the first week of January, the Indian capital city recorded its warmest December in the last six years. In December 2023, the Indian capital has zero 'cold wave' days, as per the India Meteorological Department.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Many states across India are currently experiencing cold-wave-like conditions with bone-chilling temperatures.&nbsp;</p>

<p>‘Core cold wave zone’ states include Uttarakhand, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Bihar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-weather-update-dense-fog-continues-to-blanket-delhi-north-india-grapples-with-cold-wave-676144">India Weather Update: Dense fog continues to blanket Delhi; North India grapples with cold wave</a></p>

<p>In the past couple of days, temperatures in many northern regions, including Delhi, have dropped below 5 degrees Celsius (23 Fahrenheit), as per reports.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A day is said to have been hit by a cold wave in case the minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius or below and is 4.5 degrees Celsius (C) less than normal for two straight days.</p>

<p>The cold wave is accompanied by dense fog conditions, prompting authorities to issue advisories in many states, including Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Delhi, among others.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Drivers are been asked to exercise caution. Additionally, IMD also urged people to use fog lights to increase visibility avoiding potential accidents.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/passengers-on-france-human-trafficking-plane-paid-nearly-100k-for-illegal-us-entry-676141">Passengers on France 'human trafficking' plane paid nearly $100k for illegal US entry</a></p>

<h2><strong>Minimum temp 6.9 degrees on Jan 3&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Reports citing India Meteorological Department data on January 2 said the normal minimum temperature recorded was 6.9 degrees. Meanwhile, the minimum temperature was at 7.3 degrees Celsius on Wednesday (Jan 3), as per the weather department.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ram-mandir-trustees-divides-over-the-colour-of-ram-lalla-idol-676165">Ram Mandir trustees divides over the colour of Ram Lalla idol</a></strong></p>

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<p>In another update on the weather, the highest temperature is expected to remain under 20 degrees Celsius up until 8 January, 2024, as per IMD.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apart from the dense fog and shivering temperatures, the 24-hour Air Quality Index (AQI) average in the Indian capital on Wednesday (Jan 3) was recorded at 332 at 7 am.</p>

<p>This comes under the "very poor" category on the AQI scale.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Even as Delhi is experiencing a chilling winter with cold wave conditions in the first week of January, the Indian capital city recorded its warmest December in the last six years.

Even as Delhi is experiencing a chilling winter with cold wave conditions in the first week of January, the Indian capital city recorded its warmest December in the last six years. In December 2023, the Indian capital has zero 'cold wave' days, as per the India Meteorological Department. Many states across India are currently experiencing cold-wave-like conditions with bone-chilling temperatures. ‘Core cold wave zone’ states include Uttarakhand, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Bihar. Also Read | India Weather Update: Dense fog continues to blanket Delhi; North India grapples with cold wave In the past couple of days, temperatures in many northern regions, including Delhi, have dropped below 5 degrees Celsius (23 Fahrenheit), as per reports. A day is said to have been hit by a cold wave in case the minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius or below and is 4.5 degrees Celsius (C) less than normal for two straight days. The cold wave is accompanied by dense fog conditions, prompting authorities to issue advisories in many states, including Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Delhi, among others. Drivers are been asked to exercise caution. Additionally, IMD also urged people to use fog lights to increase visibility avoiding potential accidents. Also Read | Passengers on France 'human trafficking' plane paid nearly $100k for illegal US entry Minimum temp 6.9 degrees on Jan 3 Reports citing India Meteorological Department data on January 2 said the normal minimum temperature recorded was 6.9 degrees. Meanwhile, the minimum temperature was at 7.3 degrees Celsius on Wednesday (Jan 3), as per the weather department. Watch | Ram Mandir trustees divides over the colour of Ram Lalla idol × In another update on the weather, the highest temperature is expected to remain under 20 degrees Celsius up until 8 January, 2024, as per IMD. Apart from the dense fog and shivering temperatures, the 24-hour Air Quality Index (AQI) average in the Indian capital on Wednesday (Jan 3) was recorded at 332 at 7 am. This comes under the "very poor" category on the AQI scale. (With inputs from agencies)

India: For Delhi, there were zero 'cold wave' days in December 2023, warmest in last six years

303 passengers predominantly Indians found themselves at the centre of a high-stakes legal showdown in France. The passengers detained by the French authorities are back in India. Latest probe reveals agents booked air tickets & gave funds for emergency situations. Watch to get more insights!

India-France Plane Row: Gujarat state probes 'Donkey Flight,' at least 55 questioned

Is the Junta losing ground in Myanmar? Myanmar's Junta is battling unprecedented opposition alliance & struggling to recruit people amid poor equipment issues. Watch to get more insights!

Myanmar's Junta battles unprecedented opposition alliance

<p>As many as 66 people on board the&nbsp;Nicaragua-bound plane that was sent back to India on "human trafficking" concerns were reportedly from the western state of Gujarat. Initial investigation by the&nbsp;state Crime Investigation Department (CID) has found that these 66 had agreed to pay anywhere between Rs 60-80 lakh ($72,000-$96,000) to immigration agents to cross into the US illegally.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“In order to migrate illegally to the US, they had agreed to pay between Rs 60 lakh to 80 lakh (in total) to the local agents,” the CID stated, adding that passengers paid an advance of up to Rs 8 lakh ($9,600), including the ticket fees to the agents.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The state CID said it has the information of 15 agents, who had promised to facilitate the alleged illegal immigration and that it will soon question them.&nbsp;CID says the majority of the passengers from Gujarat had only studied till the 8th or maximum 12th standard.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To expand its probe, Gujarat CID has written to&nbsp;the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and sought details from Dubai authorities on the agency that chartered the flight&nbsp;as well as on the financial transactions to secure visas from the UAE.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/first-visuals-of-passengers-of-plane-grounded-in-france-returns-with-276-indian-passengers-673559"><strong>Watch | First visuals of passengers of plane grounded in France; returns with 276 indian passengers</strong></a></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" data-gtm-yt-inspected-7="true" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="lazy" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/first-visuals-of-passengers-of-plane-grounded-in-france-returns-with-276-indian-passengers-673559/embed?autoplay=0" title="live tv" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<h2><strong>What happened with the plane and passengers?</strong></h2>

<p>On December 21, 303 Indian passengers boarded a Legend Airlines' A340 flight operated by Romanian company Legend Airlines in Dubai. The plane had stopped in Vatry, France for refuelling, where, based on a tip-off that the plane was carrying suspected victims of trafficking - it&nbsp;was grounded for four days.</p>

<p>After being interrogated by the French authorities, the plane landed in Mumbai on December 26, albeit with 276 passengers. The rest applied for asylum and were transferred to a special zone in Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport for asylum-seekers.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/plane-held-in-france-with-303-indian-passengers-onboard-departs-for-mumbai-673434">Plane with Indians grounded in France lands in Mumbai, only 276 passengers return</a></strong></p>

<p>Among the passengers who stayed in France were five minors, who have now been taken into the care of child welfare services.</p>

<p>Notably, passengers of the chartered plane had arrived in UAE at different times and each of them had legal tourist visas for entering Dubai. However, they all congregated at the same place and left for Nicaragua together before the flight was cut short in France.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


As many as 66 people on board the Nicaragua-bound plane that was sent back to India on "human trafficking" concerns were reportedly from the western state of Gujarat.

As many as 66 people on board the Nicaragua-bound plane that was sent back to India on "human trafficking" concerns were reportedly from the western state of Gujarat. Initial investigation by the state Crime Investigation Department (CID) has found that these 66 had agreed to pay anywhere between Rs 60-80 lakh ($72,000-$96,000) to immigration agents to cross into the US illegally. “In order to migrate illegally to the US, they had agreed to pay between Rs 60 lakh to 80 lakh (in total) to the local agents,” the CID stated, adding that passengers paid an advance of up to Rs 8 lakh ($9,600), including the ticket fees to the agents. The state CID said it has the information of 15 agents, who had promised to facilitate the alleged illegal immigration and that it will soon question them. CID says the majority of the passengers from Gujarat had only studied till the 8th or maximum 12th standard. To expand its probe, Gujarat CID has written to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and sought details from Dubai authorities on the agency that chartered the flight as well as on the financial transactions to secure visas from the UAE. Watch | First visuals of passengers of plane grounded in France; returns with 276 indian passengers What happened with the plane and passengers? On December 21, 303 Indian passengers boarded a Legend Airlines' A340 flight operated by Romanian company Legend Airlines in Dubai. The plane had stopped in Vatry, France for refuelling, where, based on a tip-off that the plane was carrying suspected victims of trafficking - it was grounded for four days. After being interrogated by the French authorities, the plane landed in Mumbai on December 26, albeit with 276 passengers. The rest applied for asylum and were transferred to a special zone in Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport for asylum-seekers. Also read | Plane with Indians grounded in France lands in Mumbai, only 276 passengers return Among the passengers who stayed in France were five minors, who have now been taken into the care of child welfare services. Notably, passengers of the chartered plane had arrived in UAE at different times and each of them had legal tourist visas for entering Dubai. However, they all congregated at the same place and left for Nicaragua together before the flight was cut short in France. (With inputs from agencies)

Passengers on France 'human trafficking' plane paid nearly $100K for illegal US entry

India-France Plane Row: Gujarat state probes 'Donkey Flight,' at least 55 questioned so far

<p>Forty years after Indian Air Force Pilot and Astronaut Rakesh Sharma flew to space and stayed there for a week (as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme), Indian astronauts are to commence training for a trip to the International Space Station (ISS), as part of a US-led mission. Expected to happen in 2024, the Indian trip to the International Space Station (ISS) is meant to offer a practical learning experience and serve as a precursor to India's own effort to send&nbsp;astronauts to space and return&nbsp;them safely - an ambitious mission known as 'Gaganyaan'. So far, astronauts from more than 20 nations have visited and stayed at the ISS, a space-based lab that has been orbiting the Earth (at an altitude of 400 km) for more than 25 years.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">India: ISRO plans 2 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gaganyaan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gaganyaan</a> unmanned flights in 2024<br />
<br />
It's a highly challenging mission, we need to gain experience, and our astronauts are going through training for it: S. Somanath, <a href="https://twitter.com/isro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@isro</a> chief, speaks to <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sdhrthmp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aditi_dv?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@aditi_dv</a> brings you this report<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIONExclusive?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIONExclusive</a> <a href="https://t.co/x56OgkefGU">pic.twitter.com/x56OgkefGU</a></p>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1742413351987421615?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Starting the New Year with a successful launch mission PSLV-C58/XPoSat, Dr S&nbsp;Somanath, the chief of the Indian space agency said, 2024 would be the year of Gaganyaan preparedness. "Our target is to carry out the astronaut mission by 2025-end, for that we have to cross many milestones. Some of the milestones are three unmanned flights (full rehearsals) of the Human spaceflight mission but without the astronauts. In 2024, we have scheduled two unmanned missions and everything should go well," he told WION.</p>

<p>In the unmanned flights, ISRO would be flying a humanoid robot 'Vyommitra', designed and developed by the ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU). The AI-equipped humanoid robot, onboard computers, and a host of sensors would offer ISRO situational awareness about the conditions within the astronaut-carrying capsule that's going to space and returning.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/rewind-2023-india-has-204-space-startups-sector-received-123mn-investments-675353">Rewind 2023: India has 204 space startups, sector received $123mn investments</a></p>

<p>In October 2023, ISRO had flight tested the Crew Escape System (a mission designated TV-D1), a means of ejecting the crew capsule from the rocket, in case of a mid-flight failure, thereby ensuring a slow and safe parachute-assisted landing in the ocean. ISRO hopes to perform three more such tests, under varying conditions. Two of these are expected in 2024 and one in 2025.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In addition to these, ISRO would have to conduct helicopter-drop tests of the crew-carrying capsule, to validate the parachute systems and also conduct a Pad-abort test, which ejects the crew-carrying capsule from the rocket, in case of a mishap while the rocket is at the launchpad. Overall, 2024 would be a year where ISRO would have to carry out routine launch missions of its operational rockets (SSLV, PSLV, GSLV and LVM3), while also developing and engineering key technologies related to the Gaganyaan mission.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">“Collaboration on Human Spaceflight, including sending an <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Indian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Indian</a> astronaut to the International <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/space?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#space</a> station in 2024” says <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> as he lists out areas of bilateral cooperation between <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/india?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#india</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USA</a><br />
<br />
Travel to <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a> &amp; working there will prep astronauts for Gaganyaan <a href="https://t.co/mJfcX4sKdP">pic.twitter.com/mJfcX4sKdP</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1672074359031361537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>In recent years, Indian astronaut candidates (specifically chosen Indian Air Force pilots) have completed their initial training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre, in Russia. They were at the famed Russian 'Star City', about 30 kilometres north of Moscow, where several generations of Russian and American astronauts have trained for their respective missions. After their return to India, the astronaut candidates have also undergone several theoretical and practical sessions at ISRO centres in India and the Indian Air Force's Institute of Aerospace Medicine. As a part of the Gaganyaan team, they are also assisting ISRO with the design and development of the crew-carrying capsule. At India's Human Spaceflight Centre in Bengaluru, they have also been undergoing simulator training and physical training</p>

<p>Queried about the commencement of the US phase of training for the Indian astronauts, Dr&nbsp;Somanath told WION that it will happen soon. He told WION that it is on India's wish list to have an astronaut flying to the International Space Station (ISS), as India's only reference point for Human Spaceflight is that of Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma (Retd), who flew in 1984. That maiden spaceflight by an Indian was on a Soviet-era crew capsule and since then the technologies have changed drastically.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The US Human spaceflight scenario is completely changed and the launches are being carried out by the private firms and it is not being done by the US Government, as was the case earlier. As per the India-US (ISRO-NASA) arrangement, NASA will sponsor a seat in the private launch that will happen to the ISS, our astronaut will undergo training at their facility and will then be sent to the International Space Station," he had told WION.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;India plans two Gaganyaan unmanned flights in 2024 | ISRO Chief S Somanath speaks to WION</strong></p>

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<p>He added that there are many crew modules and different approaches being taken by various American firms to reach the Space Station. He referred to the SpaceX Crew Dragon Capsule, the Boeing Starliner capsule and the variant offered by Blue Origin.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Indian astronaut candidates would be offered advanced training at NASA's Johnson Space Center, which is also known in the US as the Hub of Human Spaceflight. Established in 1961, this facility in Houston, Texas, started off as the Manned Spacecraft Centre, the home and Mission Control Center for the US Human Spaceflight programme. In 1973, the facility was renamed in honour of the late President and Texas Native Lyndon B Johnson. In more than six decades of operation, the facility has made notable advances in science, technology, engineering and medicine, thereby enabling crewed space exploration.</p>

<p>Significant initiatives towards Indo-US Space Cooperation were announced during the Joint Statement delivered by Prime Minister Modi and President Biden, in June 2022. It included the announcement by NASA to provide advanced training to Indian astronauts at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, with a goal of mounting a joint effort to the International Space Station in 2024.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">First-look of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/indian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#indian</a> astronaut candidates revealed in latest <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianAirForce?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianAirForce</a> video 🇮🇳🚀👨‍🚀<br />
<br />
Could be the IAF pilot-astronauts working out&amp; preparing for their new role..why else would they share a back-facing-camera shot ?? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/isro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#isro</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/india?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#india</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/space?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#space</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gaganyaan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gaganyaan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Science?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Science</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tech?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tech</a> <a href="https://t.co/0WbsyHElXI">pic.twitter.com/0WbsyHElXI</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1709200253130543198?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>So far, the identities of the four Indian astronaut candidates have not been revealed. The only glimpse offered in this regard is from an Indian Air Force video released as part of the 91st IAF Day celebrations.&nbsp;</p>


Forty years after Indian Air Force Pilot and Astronaut Rakesh Sharma flew to space and stayed there for a week (as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme), Indian astronauts are to commence training for a trip to the International Space Station (ISS), as part of a US-led mission.

Forty years after Indian Air Force Pilot and Astronaut Rakesh Sharma flew to space and stayed there for a week (as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme), Indian astronauts are to commence training for a trip to the International Space Station (ISS), as part of a US-led mission. Expected to happen in 2024, the Indian trip to the International Space Station (ISS) is meant to offer a practical learning experience and serve as a precursor to India's own effort to send astronauts to space and return them safely - an ambitious mission known as 'Gaganyaan'. So far, astronauts from more than 20 nations have visited and stayed at the ISS, a space-based lab that has been orbiting the Earth (at an altitude of 400 km) for more than 25 years. India: ISRO plans 2 #Gaganyaan unmanned flights in 2024 It's a highly challenging mission, we need to gain experience, and our astronauts are going through training for it: S. Somanath, @isro chief, speaks to @sdhrthmp @aditi_dv brings you this report#WIONExclusive pic.twitter.com/x56OgkefGU — WION (@WIONews) January 3, 2024 × Starting the New Year with a successful launch mission PSLV-C58/XPoSat, Dr S Somanath, the chief of the Indian space agency said, 2024 would be the year of Gaganyaan preparedness. "Our target is to carry out the astronaut mission by 2025-end, for that we have to cross many milestones. Some of the milestones are three unmanned flights (full rehearsals) of the Human spaceflight mission but without the astronauts. In 2024, we have scheduled two unmanned missions and everything should go well," he told WION. In the unmanned flights, ISRO would be flying a humanoid robot 'Vyommitra', designed and developed by the ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU). The AI-equipped humanoid robot, onboard computers, and a host of sensors would offer ISRO situational awareness about the conditions within the astronaut-carrying capsule that's going to space and returning. Also read: Rewind 2023: India has 204 space startups, sector received $123mn investments In October 2023, ISRO had flight tested the Crew Escape System (a mission designated TV-D1), a means of ejecting the crew capsule from the rocket, in case of a mid-flight failure, thereby ensuring a slow and safe parachute-assisted landing in the ocean. ISRO hopes to perform three more such tests, under varying conditions. Two of these are expected in 2024 and one in 2025. In addition to these, ISRO would have to conduct helicopter-drop tests of the crew-carrying capsule, to validate the parachute systems and also conduct a Pad-abort test, which ejects the crew-carrying capsule from the rocket, in case of a mishap while the rocket is at the launchpad. Overall, 2024 would be a year where ISRO would have to carry out routine launch missions of its operational rockets (SSLV, PSLV, GSLV and LVM3), while also developing and engineering key technologies related to the Gaganyaan mission. “Collaboration on Human Spaceflight, including sending an #Indian astronaut to the International #space station in 2024” says @POTUS as he lists out areas of bilateral cooperation between #india & #USA Travel to @Space_Station & working there will prep astronauts for Gaganyaan pic.twitter.com/mJfcX4sKdP — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) June 23, 2023 × In recent years, Indian astronaut candidates (specifically chosen Indian Air Force pilots) have completed their initial training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre, in Russia. They were at the famed Russian 'Star City', about 30 kilometres north of Moscow, where several generations of Russian and American astronauts have trained for their respective missions. After their return to India, the astronaut candidates have also undergone several theoretical and practical sessions at ISRO centres in India and the Indian Air Force's Institute of Aerospace Medicine. As a part of the Gaganyaan team, they are also assisting ISRO with the design and development of the crew-carrying capsule. At India's Human Spaceflight Centre in Bengaluru, they have also been undergoing simulator training and physical training Queried about the commencement of the US phase of training for the Indian astronauts, Dr Somanath told WION that it will happen soon. He told WION that it is on India's wish list to have an astronaut flying to the International Space Station (ISS), as India's only reference point for Human Spaceflight is that of Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma (Retd), who flew in 1984. That maiden spaceflight by an Indian was on a Soviet-era crew capsule and since then the technologies have changed drastically. "The US Human spaceflight scenario is completely changed and the launches are being carried out by the private firms and it is not being done by the US Government, as was the case earlier. As per the India-US (ISRO-NASA) arrangement, NASA will sponsor a seat in the private launch that will happen to the ISS, our astronaut will undergo training at their facility and will then be sent to the International Space Station," he had told WION. Watch: India plans two Gaganyaan unmanned flights in 2024 | ISRO Chief S Somanath speaks to WION He added that there are many crew modules and different approaches being taken by various American firms to reach the Space Station. He referred to the SpaceX Crew Dragon Capsule, the Boeing Starliner capsule and the variant offered by Blue Origin. Indian astronaut candidates would be offered advanced training at NASA's Johnson Space Center, which is also known in the US as the Hub of Human Spaceflight. Established in 1961, this facility in Houston, Texas, started off as the Manned Spacecraft Centre, the home and Mission Control Center for the US Human Spaceflight programme. In 1973, the facility was renamed in honour of the late President and Texas Native Lyndon B Johnson. In more than six decades of operation, the facility has made notable advances in science, technology, engineering and medicine, thereby enabling crewed space exploration. Significant initiatives towards Indo-US Space Cooperation were announced during the Joint Statement delivered by Prime Minister Modi and President Biden, in June 2022. It included the announcement by NASA to provide advanced training to Indian astronauts at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, with a goal of mounting a joint effort to the International Space Station in 2024. First-look of #indian astronaut candidates revealed in latest #IndianAirForce video 🇮🇳🚀👨‍🚀 Could be the IAF pilot-astronauts working out& preparing for their new role..why else would they share a back-facing-camera shot ?? #isro #india #space #Gaganyaan #Science #tech pic.twitter.com/0WbsyHElXI — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) October 3, 2023 × So far, the identities of the four Indian astronaut candidates have not been revealed. The only glimpse offered in this regard is from an Indian Air Force video released as part of the 91st IAF Day celebrations.

Exclusive: Indian astronauts to soon train at NASA's Johnson Space Center

After Chandrayaan-3's success, ISRO is determined to send two unmanned flights in 2024. The Gaganyaan mission targetted for 2025 aims to send astronauts to space and the mission will carry a crew of two or three astronauts.

WION Exclusive: Indian astronauts to soon train at NASA's Johnson Centre | India News | WION

Ahead of the 2024 General elections in India, the unity efforts of the opposition I.N.D.I.A. Alliance seem to be already coming under strain. The challenges became evident at a recent meeting of the bloc in New Delhi, when the Chief Minister of the state of Bihar Nitish Kumar lost his cool with DMK leader T.R. Baalu who asked for an English translation of his Hindi speech.

I.N.D.I.A Groupings meet: Will Nitish Kumar break unity of opposition alliance?

<p>India's foreign ministry reacted to the commutation of the death sentence of eight&nbsp;Indian Navy veterans in Qatar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We will be waiting for the judgment," Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.</p>

<p>&nbsp;"The interest of the Indians and the family members are of utmost concern,"&nbsp; Bagchi added.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">"Waiting for full judgement," MEA Spox on Qatar ex Indian sailors case <a href="https://t.co/NQAh1xcpdu">pic.twitter.com/NQAh1xcpdu</a></p>
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) <a href="https://twitter.com/sidhant/status/1740685973409919454?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>A Qatari court on Thursday (Dec 28) commuted the death sentence given to eight former Indian Navy personnel earlier this year and sentenced them to prison for varying durations ranging from three to 25 years.</p>

<p>The detailed order of the Qatar court is awaited, but the government on Thursday&nbsp;said that the sentences have been "reduced".</p>

<p>The Indian&nbsp;Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday (Dec 28) said: "We have noted the verdict today of the Court of Appeal of Qatar in the Dahra Global case, in which the sentences have been reduced."</p>

<p>It added, "The detailed judgment is awaited. We are in close touch with the legal team as well as the family members to decide on the next steps."</p>

<p>In October this year, a Qatari court sentenced the men to death, following which the Indian foreign ministry said it was "exploring all legal options".</p>

<h2><strong>A timeline</strong></h2>

<p>The men were arrested in August 2022 when they were working for&nbsp;Al Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, a defence services provider company in Qatar.<br />
<br />
The imprisoned men met India’s ambassador in Doha in October 2022 and received limited access to relatives via phone calls.</p>

<p>In March 2023, the last of multiple bail pleas filed for them was rejected.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Dahra Case: Big relief for 8 Indian Navy veterans on death row in Qatar as court reduces punishment</strong></p>

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<p>A trial began later in March and on October 26, the death sentences were handed.</p>

<p>India's Foreign Minister Dr S Jaishankar then met the family members of the sentenced men.</p>

<p>In November, the Indian foreign ministry&nbsp;announced it had filed an appeal and that its legal team had details of the charges.</p>

<p>The Indian ambassador in Doha also met them in prison on December 3.</p>

<p>The consular access followed days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai on December 1.</p>


India's foreign ministry reacted to the commutation of the death sentence of eight Indian Navy veterans in Qatar. "We will be waiting for the judgment," Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

India's foreign ministry reacted to the commutation of the death sentence of eight Indian Navy veterans in Qatar. "We will be waiting for the judgment," Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. "The interest of the Indians and the family members are of utmost concern," Bagchi added. "Waiting for full judgement," MEA Spox on Qatar ex Indian sailors case pic.twitter.com/NQAh1xcpdu — Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) December 29, 2023 × A Qatari court on Thursday (Dec 28) commuted the death sentence given to eight former Indian Navy personnel earlier this year and sentenced them to prison for varying durations ranging from three to 25 years. The detailed order of the Qatar court is awaited, but the government on Thursday said that the sentences have been "reduced". The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday (Dec 28) said: "We have noted the verdict today of the Court of Appeal of Qatar in the Dahra Global case, in which the sentences have been reduced." It added, "The detailed judgment is awaited. We are in close touch with the legal team as well as the family members to decide on the next steps." In October this year, a Qatari court sentenced the men to death, following which the Indian foreign ministry said it was "exploring all legal options". A timeline The men were arrested in August 2022 when they were working for Al Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, a defence services provider company in Qatar. The imprisoned men met India’s ambassador in Doha in October 2022 and received limited access to relatives via phone calls. In March 2023, the last of multiple bail pleas filed for them was rejected. Also watch | Dahra Case: Big relief for 8 Indian Navy veterans on death row in Qatar as court reduces punishment × A trial began later in March and on October 26, the death sentences were handed. India's Foreign Minister Dr S Jaishankar then met the family members of the sentenced men. In November, the Indian foreign ministry announced it had filed an appeal and that its legal team had details of the charges. The Indian ambassador in Doha also met them in prison on December 3. The consular access followed days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai on December 1.

India says 'waiting for full judgment' after reduced sentence for Navy veterans in Qatar

In a strategic move, the Congress party has decided to independently contest elections on approximately 290 seats in the upcoming 2024 polls. The decision comes after a consensus was reached during the two-day meeting of the Alliance Committee held on December 29 and 30, said sources.

INDIA alliance: Seat sharing talks underway, Congress wants to contest 290 seats: Sources

<p>In an unprecedented move, Ideas2IT, an India-headquartered tech firm has announced that 33% of the $100 million company's ownership would be transferred to its employees. Of the 33% stake in the company, 5% would be given to 40 select employees who have been with the firm since its inception (in 2009) and the rest would be distributed to the remaining 700 personnel. In addition to this, the firm is also giving away 50 cars to 50 employees, who have served with them for more than five years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Having started off in 2009, we've grown to a $100 million firm and we wanted to share the fruits of this with our employees.&nbsp;This is part of our wealth-sharing initiative. We have a total of 750 employees spread across India, US and Mexico. Employees spend some 30-40 per cent of their waking hours for the company. We believe in Lofty goals and Happy journey. This idea is poised to transform the employees working experience and forge a strong collaborative corporate culture, emotional attachment with the company" Murali Vivekanandan, Founder, Ideas2IT told WION.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Statement from Ideas2IT, announcing the unprecedented initiative of giving away 33% of their $100mn firm's ownership to employees..<br />
<br />
Officials tell me- We don't hunt for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IIT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IIT</a>, instead we hire <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/software?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#software</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tech?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tech</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Engineering?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Engineering</a> grads from Tier-2&amp; 3 cities, modest backgrounds <a href="https://t.co/oiOglE7NJr">https://t.co/oiOglE7NJr</a> <a href="https://t.co/NbsTdQuZQ8">pic.twitter.com/NbsTdQuZQ8</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1742190864095674507?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>According to the company, this 'Employee Ownership Programme' would make the employees valued stakeholders, thereby aligning their interests directly with the company's long-term success. "We are now valued at $100 million and we have a strategy to triple this in a span of four years" said Murali Vivekanandan, who calls himself a Bay Area techie, who has worked at Sun, Oracle, and Google, among others, before starting the custom software engineering firm Ideas2IT. Now based in the US, he shuttles between Chennai, India and Mexico.</p>

<p>Within the price range of Rs. 8-15 lakhs, we've allowed employees to pick vehicles of their choice from the Maruti Suzuki lineup and these vehicles would be completely registered in the employee's name, there's no strings attached whatsoever and there's no expenditure for the employees, say company officials.&nbsp;According to the firm, they've given away only 50 cars this time, as they had already&nbsp;given away 100 cars to employees who had then completed five years, as of 2022.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ideas2IT, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tech?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tech</a> firm valued at $100mn, announces transfer of 1/3rd of company ownership to its most-trusted employees<br />
<br />
They've just given away 50cars(₹8-15lakh range) to those that have served 5+yrs..In 2022, 100 staff got cars(regd in own name)<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/chennai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#chennai</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/india?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#india</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/business?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#business</a>… <a href="https://t.co/yYXA7Isddm">pic.twitter.com/yYXA7Isddm</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1742174388764708912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>"When we initially gave away as many cars, people doubted whether we could sustain this. However, now we've gone much beyond cars and given away 33 per cent of the firm's ownership to our staff," says Gayathri Vivekanandan, CEO, Ideas2IT.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Queried about how the company manages to carry out such initiatives, amid uncertain market conditions and fluctuations, Murali tells WION that their firm has many Fortune 500 clients who span across sectors, therefore, ensuring a steady growth. In recent years, we've been growing at 30 per cent and some sectors that we cater to have remained consistent or steady-growing.</p>

<p>He adds that his firm does not go after IITians or the best graduates from top-tier engineering colleges. Instead, they recruit those from modest backgrounds and lesser-known colleges. "90 per cent of our employees are from tier-2 or tier 3 Indian cities. We mainly look for freshers and those who are sharp and quick-to-grasp. We don't deeply analyze their programming ability or knowledge, we just want those who learn on the job and deliver,"&nbsp;he says.</p>

<p>However, getting into this firm is not easy, as their recruitment process is very stringent. Officials say that they screen more than 10,000 students and end up picking barely 50 of them.&nbsp;</p>


In an unprecedented move, Ideas2IT, an India-headquartered tech firm has announced that 33% of the $100 million company's ownership would be transferred to its employees.

In an unprecedented move, Ideas2IT, an India-headquartered tech firm has announced that 33% of the $100 million company's ownership would be transferred to its employees. Of the 33% stake in the company, 5% would be given to 40 select employees who have been with the firm since its inception (in 2009) and the rest would be distributed to the remaining 700 personnel. In addition to this, the firm is also giving away 50 cars to 50 employees, who have served with them for more than five years. "Having started off in 2009, we've grown to a $100 million firm and we wanted to share the fruits of this with our employees. This is part of our wealth-sharing initiative. We have a total of 750 employees spread across India, US and Mexico. Employees spend some 30-40 per cent of their waking hours for the company. We believe in Lofty goals and Happy journey. This idea is poised to transform the employees working experience and forge a strong collaborative corporate culture, emotional attachment with the company" Murali Vivekanandan, Founder, Ideas2IT told WION. Statement from Ideas2IT, announcing the unprecedented initiative of giving away 33% of their $100mn firm's ownership to employees.. Officials tell me- We don't hunt for #IIT, instead we hire #software #tech #Engineering grads from Tier-2& 3 cities, modest backgrounds https://t.co/oiOglE7NJr pic.twitter.com/NbsTdQuZQ8 — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) January 2, 2024 × According to the company, this 'Employee Ownership Programme' would make the employees valued stakeholders, thereby aligning their interests directly with the company's long-term success. "We are now valued at $100 million and we have a strategy to triple this in a span of four years" said Murali Vivekanandan, who calls himself a Bay Area techie, who has worked at Sun, Oracle, and Google, among others, before starting the custom software engineering firm Ideas2IT. Now based in the US, he shuttles between Chennai, India and Mexico. Within the price range of Rs. 8-15 lakhs, we've allowed employees to pick vehicles of their choice from the Maruti Suzuki lineup and these vehicles would be completely registered in the employee's name, there's no strings attached whatsoever and there's no expenditure for the employees, say company officials. According to the firm, they've given away only 50 cars this time, as they had already given away 100 cars to employees who had then completed five years, as of 2022. Ideas2IT, #tech firm valued at $100mn, announces transfer of 1/3rd of company ownership to its most-trusted employees They've just given away 50cars(₹8-15lakh range) to those that have served 5+yrs..In 2022, 100 staff got cars(regd in own name)#chennai #india #business… pic.twitter.com/yYXA7Isddm — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) January 2, 2024 × "When we initially gave away as many cars, people doubted whether we could sustain this. However, now we've gone much beyond cars and given away 33 per cent of the firm's ownership to our staff," says Gayathri Vivekanandan, CEO, Ideas2IT. Queried about how the company manages to carry out such initiatives, amid uncertain market conditions and fluctuations, Murali tells WION that their firm has many Fortune 500 clients who span across sectors, therefore, ensuring a steady growth. In recent years, we've been growing at 30 per cent and some sectors that we cater to have remained consistent or steady-growing. He adds that his firm does not go after IITians or the best graduates from top-tier engineering colleges. Instead, they recruit those from modest backgrounds and lesser-known colleges. "90 per cent of our employees are from tier-2 or tier 3 Indian cities. We mainly look for freshers and those who are sharp and quick-to-grasp. We don't deeply analyze their programming ability or knowledge, we just want those who learn on the job and deliver," he says. However, getting into this firm is not easy, as their recruitment process is very stringent. Officials say that they screen more than 10,000 students and end up picking barely 50 of them.

India: Tech firm valued at $100 million gives away 33 per cent ownership to staff

Amid the ongoing communal clash between the Meitei and Kuki tribes in India's Manipur state, fresh instances of violence were reported from the Churachadrapur district on Tuesday. Curfew orders were imposed in the district for 2 months which is until the 18th of February and nearly 30 people were injured in the clashes that broke out between the two groups.

India: Manipur sees fresh round of violence, curfew announced; 3 civilians shot dead in Imphal

<p>As celebrations for the Ram temple consecration in the Indian temple city of Ayodhya gain momentum, the politics between BJP and Congress has taken a new turn with the arrest of a 50-year-old man, Poojary, in connection to the 1992 riots when the Babri Masjid was demolished by violent mobsters.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ram Temple is due to be consecrated on January 22, 2024. This comes after India's apex court ruled in favour of the Hindu community for the construction of the Hindu place of worship while providing separate land for the mosque in Ayodhya in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Following the arrest of Poojary, who was 20 years old at the time the riots took place, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is now being accused of playing a politics of hate ahead of the ceremonies at Ram temple.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-wall-collapse-near-ajmer-sharif-dargah-several-trapped-under-rubble-as-rescue-ops-underway-675879">India: Wall collapse near Ajmer Sharif Dargah, several trapped under rubble as rescue ops underway</a></p>

<p>"What should be done to the wrongdoers? Should we just leave them?," he questioned while adding, "We have told the police to dispose off old cases. No innocents have been arrested. We will proceed according to the court's direction."&nbsp;</p>

<p>While the opposition remains undecided whether to attend the grand ceremony in Ayodhya or not, a response from a Congress leader over the attendance of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has unleashed a fresh row.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/british-medias-hinduphobia-focus-on-cows-curry-caste-leading-to-prejudice-against-indians-in-uk-survey-675859">British media's Hinduphobia, focus on 'cows, curry &amp; caste' leading to prejudice against Indians in UK: Survey</a></p>

<p>Congress leader and former Karnataka minister, H Anjaneya, on Monday (Jan 1) said, "Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is our Lord Ram."</p>

<p>"He (Siddaramaiah) is our Ram. Why should he visit Ayodhya for the consecration event? He could pay obeisance at his native village which has a Ram temple," the leader said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This comes as Congress leader Sonia Gandhi also refrained from giving a straightforward response. The party did not clear the air on whether Gandhi would attend the ceremony or not. The party, while keeping the suspense lingering in the air, said that it would respond in 'appropriate time'.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, another point of contention has emerged against the backdrop of the allegations and counter-allegations between the BJP and Congress leadership.</p>

<p>BJP MLA Yashpal Suvarna has written to&nbsp;CM Siddaramaiah to declare January 22 as a public holiday. Speaking over this, Siddaramaiah&nbsp;said, "I am not aware of the BJP's demand for a government holiday. I don't know about the leave."</p>

<p>"The central government is organising the programme, and they can decide on leave," he added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


As celebrations for the Ram temple consecration in the Indian temple city of Ayodhya gain momentum, the politics between BJP and Congress has taken a new turn with the arrest of a 50-year-old man, Poojary, in connection to the 1992 riots when the Babri Masjid was demolished by violent mobsters.

As celebrations for the Ram temple consecration in the Indian temple city of Ayodhya gain momentum, the politics between BJP and Congress has taken a new turn with the arrest of a 50-year-old man, Poojary, in connection to the 1992 riots when the Babri Masjid was demolished by violent mobsters. Ram Temple is due to be consecrated on January 22, 2024. This comes after India's apex court ruled in favour of the Hindu community for the construction of the Hindu place of worship while providing separate land for the mosque in Ayodhya in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Following the arrest of Poojary, who was 20 years old at the time the riots took place, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is now being accused of playing a politics of hate ahead of the ceremonies at Ram temple. Also Read | India: Wall collapse near Ajmer Sharif Dargah, several trapped under rubble as rescue ops underway "What should be done to the wrongdoers? Should we just leave them?," he questioned while adding, "We have told the police to dispose off old cases. No innocents have been arrested. We will proceed according to the court's direction." While the opposition remains undecided whether to attend the grand ceremony in Ayodhya or not, a response from a Congress leader over the attendance of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has unleashed a fresh row. Also Read | British media's Hinduphobia, focus on 'cows, curry & caste' leading to prejudice against Indians in UK: Survey Congress leader and former Karnataka minister, H Anjaneya, on Monday (Jan 1) said, "Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is our Lord Ram." "He (Siddaramaiah) is our Ram. Why should he visit Ayodhya for the consecration event? He could pay obeisance at his native village which has a Ram temple," the leader said. This comes as Congress leader Sonia Gandhi also refrained from giving a straightforward response. The party did not clear the air on whether Gandhi would attend the ceremony or not. The party, while keeping the suspense lingering in the air, said that it would respond in 'appropriate time'. Meanwhile, another point of contention has emerged against the backdrop of the allegations and counter-allegations between the BJP and Congress leadership. BJP MLA Yashpal Suvarna has written to CM Siddaramaiah to declare January 22 as a public holiday. Speaking over this, Siddaramaiah said, "I am not aware of the BJP's demand for a government holiday. I don't know about the leave." "The central government is organising the programme, and they can decide on leave," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Ram temple consecration: Arrest from Karnataka in connection to 1992 Babri Masjid riots opens fresh row

As the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh gears up for the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the birthplace of lord Rama, scammers are using this historic occasion to scam innocent pilgrims.

Ayodhya Ram Temple: Criminals loot devotees in Ram Temple's name, QR code fraud targets devotees

NIA scales up the crackdown on terror networks. The arrests made by the investigative body were up by 28% in 2023. A sixfold increase in seized terror & organised crime assets. Watch the video to know more!

India's NIA arrests 625 people, registers 68 cases in 2023

The New Year in Northern India has come with cold weather. The national capital New Delhi saw the maximum temperatures to be lower than 1.4°C but despite the cold wave of December 2023 set to be the warmest winter month in the city in the past 5 years.

Delhi: Minimum temperatures lower than 1.4°C, fog reduces visibility to 500m in NCR region

<p>Gujarat Director General of Police Vikas Sahay on Monday refuted reports that a two-year-old boy on board the Nicaragua-bound flight that was sent back to India from France had gone missing.</p>

<p>The Nicaragua-bound aircraft, an Airbus A340, carrying 276 passengers, was grounded in France for four days over suspected human trafficking. It landed in Mumbai in the early hours on December 26.</p>

<p>"The news report (claiming the child is untraceable) is incorrect. Our officers checked the records of passengers and found out the boy had already returned home with his parents," said Sahay.</p>

<p>As per news reports that appeared during the day, the two-year-old boy was not accompanied by anyone during the flight and had gone untraceable.</p>

<p>Some 60 passengers are from Gujarat and many of them have been questioned by the CID-Crime in a bid to unearth a suspected illegal immigration network operating from the state, officials had said earlier.</p>

<p>They are being questioned to find out whether they had any plans to cross into the USA illegally after reaching Latin America, officials had said some days ago.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-donkey-flights-what-it-means-and-the-modus-operandi-behind-risky-border-crossings-674766">Also read |&nbsp;Explained | 'Donkey flights': What it means and the modus operandi behind risky border crossings</a></p>

<p>"They were sent back from France. Now there was a rumour they had planned to enter into the US illegally after landing at Nicaragua. In their statements, they told us that they were going there as tourists. We are going into the details to find out who were agents behind their trip," Additional Director General of Police, CID-Crime and Railways, S P Rajkumar, had said on December 29.</p>

<p>The chartered flight, which was operated by Romanian charter company Legend Airlines and bound for Nicaragua, landed at Vatry near Paris on December 21 for a technical stopover en route from Dubai when the French police intervened.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Gravitas | France donkey flight: The mystery deepens</strong></div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">&nbsp;</div>

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<p>French authorities launched a judicial investigation into the conditions and purpose of the trip, with a unit specialising in organised crime investigating suspected human trafficking.</p>

<p>Nicaragua has become a popular destination for those seeking asylum in the US.</p>


Gujarat Director General of Police Vikas Sahay on Monday refuted reports that a two-year-old boy on board the Nicaragua-bound flight that was sent back to India from France had gone missing.

Gujarat Director General of Police Vikas Sahay on Monday refuted reports that a two-year-old boy on board the Nicaragua-bound flight that was sent back to India from France had gone missing. The Nicaragua-bound aircraft, an Airbus A340, carrying 276 passengers, was grounded in France for four days over suspected human trafficking. It landed in Mumbai in the early hours on December 26. "The news report (claiming the child is untraceable) is incorrect. Our officers checked the records of passengers and found out the boy had already returned home with his parents," said Sahay. As per news reports that appeared during the day, the two-year-old boy was not accompanied by anyone during the flight and had gone untraceable. Some 60 passengers are from Gujarat and many of them have been questioned by the CID-Crime in a bid to unearth a suspected illegal immigration network operating from the state, officials had said earlier. They are being questioned to find out whether they had any plans to cross into the USA illegally after reaching Latin America, officials had said some days ago. Also read | Explained | 'Donkey flights': What it means and the modus operandi behind risky border crossings "They were sent back from France. Now there was a rumour they had planned to enter into the US illegally after landing at Nicaragua. In their statements, they told us that they were going there as tourists. We are going into the details to find out who were agents behind their trip," Additional Director General of Police, CID-Crime and Railways, S P Rajkumar, had said on December 29. The chartered flight, which was operated by Romanian charter company Legend Airlines and bound for Nicaragua, landed at Vatry near Paris on December 21 for a technical stopover en route from Dubai when the French police intervened. Also watch | Gravitas | France donkey flight: The mystery deepens French authorities launched a judicial investigation into the conditions and purpose of the trip, with a unit specialising in organised crime investigating suspected human trafficking. Nicaragua has become a popular destination for those seeking asylum in the US.

Child on board ‘donkey flight’ not missing, reports are false: Gujarat top cop

<p>A major change in the colonial-era criminal laws by the Indian government has triggered nationwide protests by truckers. The strike entered its second day on Tuesday (Jan 2) as&nbsp;demonstrations were reported from various parts of the country.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Why the truck strike?</strong></h2>

<p>The three-day strike has been launched by truck, bus and tanker drivers to&nbsp;protest against the newly enacted&nbsp;Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), for the additions in provision for hit-and-run cases. Previously, the cases were filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), with a punishment of two years.</p>

<p>However, the new law stipulates that drivers who cause a serious road accident by negligent driving and run away without informing the police or any official from the administration can face punishment of up to 10 years or a fine of Rs 7 lakh ($8400).</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-airplane-transported-by-truck-gets-trapped-under-bridge-in-motihari-bihar-674918"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;India: Airplane transported by truck gets trapped under bridge in Motihari, Bihar</strong></a></p>

<h2>What are the truckers claiming?</h2>

<p>Transporters across the spectrum are fiercely opposed to the legislation. They have petitioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking withdrawal of the stringent sections.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The majority&nbsp;are of the view that the enforcement of the law without addressing concerns may disrupt the supply chains. Additionally, they argue that the law was passed without consultation with stakeholders.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The major bone of contention remains the investigation process to be followed in the event of an alleged hit-and-run case.&nbsp;Transporters argue that the legislation might be used to exploit the truckers who are unfairly accused even when they are not at fault in accidents.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What is the ground situation?</strong></h2>

<p>While the Centre is yet to engage the various stakeholders, the state governments are scurrying to ensure that the strike&nbsp;does not affect the public.</p>

<p>The Maharashtra government has urged police to ensure an uninterrupted supply of petrol, diesel, and LPG cylinders.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In Gujarat, the protesters blocked highways passing through Kheda, Valsad, Gir Somnath, Bharuch, and Mehsana districts on Monday. On some routes, the protesters burned tyres, leading to massive snarls.</p>

<p>In Chhattisgarh, more than 12,000 private bus drivers announced a strike, leaving commuters stranded at bus stations in&nbsp;Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, and Rajnandgaon.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In West Bengal, truck and commercial vehicle drivers blocked National Highway number 2 near the Dankuni toll plaza in the Hooghly district.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A major change in the colonial-era criminal laws by the Indian government has triggered nationwide protests by truckers. The strike entered its second day on Tuesday (Jan 2) as demonstrations were reported from various parts of the country.

A major change in the colonial-era criminal laws by the Indian government has triggered nationwide protests by truckers. The strike entered its second day on Tuesday (Jan 2) as demonstrations were reported from various parts of the country. Why the truck strike? The three-day strike has been launched by truck, bus and tanker drivers to protest against the newly enacted Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), for the additions in provision for hit-and-run cases. Previously, the cases were filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), with a punishment of two years. However, the new law stipulates that drivers who cause a serious road accident by negligent driving and run away without informing the police or any official from the administration can face punishment of up to 10 years or a fine of Rs 7 lakh ($8400). Also read | India: Airplane transported by truck gets trapped under bridge in Motihari, Bihar What are the truckers claiming? Transporters across the spectrum are fiercely opposed to the legislation. They have petitioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking withdrawal of the stringent sections. The majority are of the view that the enforcement of the law without addressing concerns may disrupt the supply chains. Additionally, they argue that the law was passed without consultation with stakeholders. The major bone of contention remains the investigation process to be followed in the event of an alleged hit-and-run case. Transporters argue that the legislation might be used to exploit the truckers who are unfairly accused even when they are not at fault in accidents. What is the ground situation? While the Centre is yet to engage the various stakeholders, the state governments are scurrying to ensure that the strike does not affect the public. The Maharashtra government has urged police to ensure an uninterrupted supply of petrol, diesel, and LPG cylinders. In Gujarat, the protesters blocked highways passing through Kheda, Valsad, Gir Somnath, Bharuch, and Mehsana districts on Monday. On some routes, the protesters burned tyres, leading to massive snarls. In Chhattisgarh, more than 12,000 private bus drivers announced a strike, leaving commuters stranded at bus stations in Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, and Rajnandgaon. In West Bengal, truck and commercial vehicle drivers blocked National Highway number 2 near the Dankuni toll plaza in the Hooghly district. (With inputs from agencies)

Why are Indian truckers on nationwide strike? What are they protesting against?

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