National
Boy falls off first floor at Tirumala facility in Andhra Pradesh, dies
Three-year-old slips through staircase grill of Padmanabha Nilayam while playing with brother Tirupati: A three-year-old boy died after he slipped through the grill of a staircase in a Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) facility here on Wednesday, police said. “The boy accidentally fell down while playing with his brother. They came with their parents for darshan (visiting the deity),” the official said. The incident occurred around 3.30 pm when the boy slipped from the first floor of Padmanabha Nilayam near verandah number three, said the official. According to police, the family was waiting to visit the deity on Thursday evening when this tragedy happened and it came from Chinna Chow village in Kadapa district. Police registered a case and are probing the incident.
National
People with more than two kids allowed to contest local body polls: Andhra CM
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said he will bring out policies to encourage people to have more children Tirupati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that an individual can become a sarpanch, municipal councillor or a mayor only if he/she has more than two children, hinting that it will arrest the falling population. Naidu said he will bring out policies to encourage people to have more children. “At one time, individuals with many children were not allowed to contest the panchayat (election) or local bodies. Now what I am saying is that individuals with lower numbers of children cannot contest. You will be a sarpanch, municipal councillor, corporation chairman, or a mayor only if you have more than two children,” he told reporters in Naravaripalle here recently. According to the CM, North India may lose its advantage of having a stable fertility rate in about 15 years. The TDP…
National
Dallewal loses 20 kg as farmer leader’s indefinite fast enters 52nd day
Dallewal has been on an indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 last year in support of various demands of the farmers Chandigarh: Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, whose indefinite fast entered 52nd on Thursday has lost about 20 kg, the farmers protesting at the Punjab-Haryana border point claimed. According to them, the weight of the convener of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) has reduced to 66.4 kg from 86.9 kg when he began the fast unto death. Dallewal has been on an indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 last year in support of various demands of the farmers, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price of crops. Addressing the media at the Khanauri border point on Thursday, farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar said Dallewal’s weight was measured through a digital weighing machine. There has been a 23.59 per cent loss of his total body weight, Kohar said. Dr Harinder Singh of Rajindra Medical College in Patiala said Dallewal’s body has a positive ketone level. A higher level…
National
Government signs Rs 2,960 crore deal with Bharat Dynamics to make missiles for Indian Navy
Medium-range surface-to-air missile system is a standard fit, onboard Indian naval ships; to be fitted on majority of the future platforms New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence on Thursday signed a contract with Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) for the supply of medium-range surface-to-air missiles (MRSAM) to the Indian Navy at a cost of approximately Rs 2,960 crore. The MRSAM system is a standard fit, onboard multiple Indian Naval Ships and is planned to be fitted on the majority of the future platforms planned for acquisition. The contract marks a critical milestone in the ongoing efforts to bolster India’s defence capabilities and indigenise advanced military technology, according to a Defence Ministry statement. With the emphasis on ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, the missiles would be supplied by BDL under the ‘Buy (Indian)’ category with largely indigenous content. The contract would generate employment of approximately 3.5 lakh man-days in the defence industry, including various MSMEs, the statement added. The contract…
International
Biden warns in farewell address about ‘oligarchy’ of ultrarich in US
President Joe Biden talks about how ultra-wealthy are taking root in the country and a ‘tech-industrial complex’ that is infringing on Americans’ rights and the future of democracy President Joe Biden used his farewell address to the nation on Wednesday to deliver stark warnings about an “oligarchy” of the ultra-wealthy taking root in the country and a “tech-industrial complex” that is infringing on Americans’ rights and the future of democracy. Speaking from the Oval Office as he prepares to hand over power on Monday to President-elect Donald Trump, Biden seized what is likely to be his final opportunity to address the country before he departs the White House to spotlight the accumulation of power and wealth in the US among just a small few. “Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and…
International
One of toughest negotiations: Biden celebrates Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal
Reflecting on the challenging path to this agreement, US President Joe Biden remarked that this was one of the toughest negotiations he has ever experienced. Washington: In a significant development following months of intense diplomatic efforts Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage deal. The agreement, reached with the mediation of the US, Egypt, and Qatar, will halt the ongoing violence in Gaza, facilitate vital humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians, and bring home hostages who have been held captive for over 15 months. Reflecting on the challenging path to this agreement, US President Joe Biden remarked that this was one of the toughest negotiations he has ever experienced. “The road to this deal has not been easy. I have worked in foreign policy for decades – this has been one of the toughest negotiations I have ever experienced. And we have reached this point because of the pressure that Israel built on…
Bollywood
Chowraasta band recreates popular vintage song ‘Palleturi Pillagada’
Music director Yashwanth Nag spends around a month in Tiryani mandal remaking the song, uses local tribal boy as lead Kumram Bheem Asifabad: Yashwanth Nag, music director and founder of Chowraasta music band, has recreated the immensely popular Palleturi Pillagada song from the movie Maa Bhumi directed by B Narsinga Rao in 1979. The song will be released by Collector Venkatesh Dothre at Mohinda village in Tiryani mandal on Friday. The music composer said he remade the song to carry forward it to future generations and show the present generation how privileged they were due to the sacrifices of the previous generations. It would also be a tribute to the makers of the original song, he noted. Yashwanth spent around a month in Tiryani mandal remaking the song. He revealed that he had used a local tribal boy as the lead role in it. He and his crew members stayed at a tribal woman’s house during the…
Tollywood
Boyapati Srinu shoots ‘Akhanda 2: Taandavam’ at Maha Kumbh Mela
It is reported that parts of the film, which portrays Balakrishna as an Aghora, have been shot at the ongoing Maha Kumbh to incorporate religious elements into the narrative. Hyderabad: The shooting of Boyapati Srinu‘s upcoming movie with Nandamuri Balakrishna, Akhanda 2: Taandavam, is currently underway. According to reports and videos circulating on the internet, Boyapati’s crew filmed a significant portion of the movie at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. It is reported that parts of the film, which portrays Balakrishna as an Aghora, have been shot at the ongoing Maha Kumbh to incorporate religious elements into the narrative. In a video that surfaced online, director Boyapati Srinu praised the arrangements made at Prayagraj for the mega event, stating, “We have been here since January 11 and completed our schedule today.” He added, “We met Naga Sadhus and Aghoras here to ensure we deliver an exciting and authentic output.” Akhanda 2: Taandavam…
Hollywood
Enchanting melody: ‘Madhuvaramae’ from Pradeep Ranganathan’s ‘Return of the Dragon’ unveiled
The second single from the upcoming movie, which is picturised on Pradeep Ranganathan and Kayadu Lohar in scenic foreign locales, has been released by AGS Entertainment AGS Entertainment and director Pradeep Ranganathan joined hands once again after the entertainer ‘Love Today’. The film, titled ‘Return of the Dragon’ is gearing up for a release soon. Produced by Kalpathi S Aghoram, Kalpathi S Ganesh, and Kalpathi S Suresh, this film is written and directed by ‘Ori Devuda’ fame, Ashwath Marimuthu with Pradeep Ranganathan as the protagonist. The film is AGS Entertainment banner’s 26th production. After the chartbuster first single ‘Rise of Dragon’, the team dropped the second single titled ‘Madhuvaramae’. The enchanting melody features Pradeep Ranganathan and Kayadu Lohar. Looks like the duo feels the magic of love in the beautiful and scenic foreign locales. Leon James, who is known for beautiful melodies, composed another magical song that will charm every…
Badminton
Satwik-Chirag’s speed, power, tall stature make them formidable opponents: Liang and Wang
Satwik and Chirag inched closer to their first title of the season by reaching the quarterfinals of the India Open Super 750 tournament with a 20-22 21-14 21-16 win over Japan’s Kenya Mitsuhashi and Hiroki Okamura New Delhi: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have established themselves as a formidable pair in men’s doubles badminton because of their speed, power, and height, top opponents who could often run into the Indian duo in the coming times opined on Thursday. Satwik and Chirag inched closer to their first title of the season by reaching the quarterfinals of the India Open Super 750 tournament with a 20-22 21-14 21-16 win over Japan’s Kenya Mitsuhashi and Hiroki Okamura. Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chi-lin, the world No. 3 and Olympic silver medallists, acknowledged the Indian pair’s strength. “The Indian players’ style is characterised by their exceptional strength and power,” Wang said. “Their attacks are highly…
Cricket
WPL 2025: Full schedule out, season begins from February 14, final on March 15
The WPL 2025 will kick start at the newly built BCA Stadium in Baroda, where the Gujarat Giants will square off against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru New Delhi: The third edition of the Women’s Premier League will begin on February 14 and for the first the WPL will be played across four cities — Baroda, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Lucknow, the BCCI announced on Thursday while releasing the full schedule. The WPL 2025 will kick start at the newly built BCA Stadium in Baroda, where the Gujarat Giants will square off against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Both Baroda and Lucknow are hosting the league for the first time, while Mumbai made a return to the host stadium’s list. In 2024, the WPL was held across Bengaluru and New Delhi. The Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai will host the final on March 15. “The reigning champions RCB will have their first home…
Cricket
Vidarbha outclass Maharashtra, march into Vijay Hazare Trophy final
Vidarbha will face four-time champions Karnataka in the title clash here on Saturday Vadodara: Hundreds by Dhruv Shorey and Yash Rathod found a perfect ally in in-form Karun Nair’s brutal fifty as Vidarbha outclassed Maharashtra by 69 runs to enter the Vijay Hazare Trophy final here on Thursday. Vidarbha will face four-time champions Karnataka in the title clash here on Saturday. Vidarbha posted a mammoth 380 for three, riding on Shorey’s 114 (120b, 14×4, 1×6), Rathod’s 116 (101b, 14×4, 1×6) and Karun’s breezy unbeaten 88 (44b, 9×4, 5×6) after they were asked to bat first. At no point, Maharashtra were able to challenge Vidarbha and they were restricted to 311 for seven despite solid fifties by Arshin Kulkarni (90) and Ankit Bawne (50). Nikhil Naik made a quick 49 (26b) to carry Maharashtra past the 300-run mark. Earlier, openers Shorey and Rathod gave Vidarbha a wonderful start adding 224 runs in…
Tennis
Australian Open: US teen Learner Tien knocks Daniil Medvedev out in Round two thriller
The 4-hour, 49-minute contest had a bit of everything, including — hard to believe — a six-minute rain delay that interrupted play shortly before 2:30 a.m. with Tien serving at 5-all, 15-all in the fifth set Melbourne: Learner Tien, a 19-year-old qualifier from California, became the youngest American man to reach the Australian Open’s third round since Pete Sampras in 1990, upsetting a racket-tossing Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (8), 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) on Thursday night. The 4-hour, 49-minute contest had a bit of everything, including — hard to believe — a six-minute rain delay that interrupted play shortly before 2:30 a.m. with Tien serving at 5-all, 15-all in the fifth set. When they resumed, Medvedev broke and served for the victory at 6-5, but Tien wouldn’t cede a thing, broke back, and forced the concluding first-to-10 tiebreaker that he emerged to win shortly before 3 am, about two hours…
Cricket
BCCI’s 10-point policy: Domestic cricket mandatory, restrictions on family and personal staff stay
The measures have been announced in the wake of the team’s disastrous tour of Australia which was preceded by a series whitewash against New Zealand at home New Delhi: Mandatory domestic cricket, restriction on the presence of families and personal staff on tours and a bar on individual endorsements during series were among a slew of measures that the BCCI unveiled on Thursday in a 10-point policy to promote “discipline and unity” in the embattled national cricket team. Non-compliance would invite sanctions, including cuts in their retainer fee from central contracts and a bar on participating in the cash-rich Indian Premier League. The measures have been announced in the wake of the team’s disastrous tour of Australia which was preceded by a series whitewash against New Zealand at home. The Board has approved only a two-week window for families to stay with the players during overseas tours, besides imposing restrictions on personal staff, and…
SCIENCE
ISRO docks satellites as part of SpaDeX Mission
According to ISRO, the SpaDeX mission is a cost-effective technology demonstrator mission for the demonstration of in-space docking using two small spacecraft launched by PSLV Bengaluru: ISRO on Thursday successfully performed the docking of satellites as part of the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX). “India docked its name in space history! Good Morning India ISRO’s SpaDeX mission accomplishes historic docking success. Proud to witness this moment!”, ISRO said in a post on ‘X’. Earlier on January 12, ISRO brought the two spacecraft to three metres and then moved them back to safe distance in its trial attempt to dock the satellites. ISRO successfully launched the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission on December 30, 2024. The PSLV C60 rocket carrying two small satellites, SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target), along with 24 payloads, had lifted off from the first launchpad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, and about 15 minutes after liftoff, the…
SCIENCE
How ISRO accomplished space docking
With this, India becomes the fourth nation after the US, Russia and China to have demonstrated space docking capability The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a historic milestone on January 16, 2025, by successfully performing the docking of satellites as part of the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX). With this, India becomes the fourth nation after the US, Russia and China to have demonstrated space docking capability. What is Space Docking Space Docking is a process where two spacecraft are connected in space. Here a spacecraft joins with another spacecraft or space station. For example, the International Space Station (ISS) receives cargo and crew through docking from spacecraft such as SpaceX’s Dragon or Russia’s Soyuz. This process requires precise alignment and control to ensure the safety and stability of both spacecraft. Why space docking is important for India SpaDeX has paved the way for India’s future endeavours in space exploration…
TECHNOLOGY
Here’s how to win Mahindra BE 6 Electric SUV by playing Battlegrounds Mobile India
To heighten the excitement, Krafton and Mahindra have set up a digital contest for the players, in which the winners will be rewarded with the actual BE 6 eSUV. Hyderabad: Mahindra has collaborated with Krafton India, the developers of Battlegrounds Mobile India, to introduce Mahindra BE 6 electric SUV to the gaming world. Players can start experiencing the BE 6 on January 16, and it will have exclusive features like custom suits, weapons, and backpacks inspired by the car. To heighten the excitement, Krafton and Mahindra have set up a digital contest for the players, in which the winners will be rewarded with the actual BE 6 eSUV. Here’s how you can participate: Complete Missions: Players need to complete the missions from Mahindra BE 6 Exchange Centre in the game for earning “Nitro Wheel” and redeem those for “Mahindra Event Crate.” Make a Video: Make a video of the BE 6 in BGMI…
TECHNOLOGY
LinkedIn launches AI-powered ‘job match’ feature to simplify job search, recruitment
“With a single click, job seekers can gain detailed insights into the qualifications they meet and those they may lack, enabling them to decide whether to apply,” LinkedIn explained, highlighting that this feature helps users focus on opportunities where they have a higher chance of receiving a response. New Delhi: LinkedIn on Thursday rolled out a new artificial intelligence-(AI) based feature that can help both employment seekers find the right job and recruiters to get the apt talent. The new LinkedIn feature will help job seekers understand how their skills and experience line up with open positions. “With one click, job seekers get detailed insights into which qualifications they meet and which ones they might be missing so they can decide if they should apply,” LinkedIn said, noting that it will help them better focus their search on the opportunities where they’re more likely to hear back. “Job match will be…
BUSINESS
Jio Platforms joins hands with Polygon Labs to debut in Web3 technology
Web3 technology is built on blockchain technology that enables access and control of a technology platform from multiple points. It also gives users control over their data New Delhi: Jio Platforms Ltd has partnered with Polygon Labs, the developer arm of Polygon Protocols, for its debut in Web3 technology in India, Polygon Labs said on Thursday. Under the partnership, Jio Platforms plans to add Web3 capabilities to some of its existing applications and services, owned and operated by the RIL Group firm, for its over 450 million customers. “Joining forces with Polygon Labs marks a significant milestone in Jio’s journey towards digital excellence. We are excited to explore the boundless possibilities of Web3 and bring unparalleled digital experiences to our users,” JPL CEO Kiran Thomas said. The Web3 technology is built on blockchain technology that enables seamless access and control of a technology platform from multiple points without any compromise on security and…
BUSINESS
HDFC Life shares soar nearly 12 pc after December quarter earnings
Shares of HDFC Life jumped nearly 12 per cent after the firm reported a 14 per cent rise in net profit to Rs 415 crore in the December quarter. The stock surged 11.15 per cent to Rs 660.55 on the BSE. At the NSE, it soared 11.67 per cent to Rs 663.60 New Delhi: Shares of HDFC Life on Thursday jumped nearly 12 per cent after the firm reported a 14 per cent rise in net profit to Rs 415 crore in the December quarter. The stock surged 11.15 per cent to Rs 660.55 on the BSE. At the NSE, it soared 11.67 per cent to Rs 663.60. The private sector insurer’s profit stood at Rs 365 crore in the year-ago period, HDFC Life said in a regulatory filing on Wednesday. However, total income declined to Rs 16,914 crore in the latest quarter from Rs 26,694 crore in the year-ago period. The company’s solvency ratio…
