Category: News

Dense fog Delhi

Delhi: Dense Fog Disrupts Flights, 22 Trains Delayed

By LokMarg

Dense fog and severe cold conditions continued to hamper flight and train movements to and from the national capital on Friday morning, causing inconvenience to passengers.

The arrival of nearly two dozen passenger trains to Delhi was delayed by up to 6 hours or more, and several flights were also late due to fog and poor visibility conditions.

As per the India Meteorological Department, the visibility was recorded as low as 50 metres at around 5.30 am on Friday in isolated regions.

This included parts of Punjab, West Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Tripura, Uttarakhand, East Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and East Rajasthan.

However, as per IMD, the visibility at Delhi’s Palam airport improved from ‘zero’ at 4.30 am today to 50 metres at 5 am and further improved to 150 metres at 6.30 am.

As on Friday at 5.30 am, very dense fog was observed in many parts of Punjab, in isolated parts of West Rajasthan, dense fog was observed in many parts of Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi and in isolated parts of East Rajasthan and Tripura.

Also, moderate fog was observed in isolated parts of Uttarakhand, East Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha on Friday morning.

As many as 22 Delhi-bound trains are running behind schedule following the dense fog conditions in many parts of the country.

According to Northern Railways, five trains namely, Khajaurao-Kurukshetra Express, Puri-New Delhi Purushottam Express, Hyderabad-New Delhi Express, Rani Kamlapati-New Delhi Bhopal Express and Kamakhya-Delhi Junction are delayed by around 6-6.30 hours.

At least seven trains are expected to arrive late by around 2-2.45 hours.

This included Amritsar-Nanded Express, Rewa-Anand Vihar Express, Muzaffarpur-AnandVihar Express, Vasco-Nizamuddin Express, Amritsar-Mumbai Express, Jammutawi-Ajmer Pooja Express and Manikpur-Nizamuddin Express.

A delay of around 45 minutes is expected on the arrival of the Chennai-New Delhi Express. In addition to these, as many as nine trains are running behind schedule of around 1-1.45 hours, the railways said.

The long-distance trains namely Saharsa-New Delhi Vaishali Express, Bhagalpur-Anandvihar Express, Rajendranagar-New Delhi Express, Banaras-New Delhi Express, Ambedkarnagar-Katra, Chennai-New Delhi Express, Ferozpur-Mumbai Express, Bikaner-Delhi Sarai Rohilla Express and Islampur-New Delhi Magadh Express are among those delayed.

The minimum temperatures in many parts of north India were recorded in the range of 3-6 degree Celsius while parts of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, north Madhya Pradesh and Bihar saw a rise in minimum temperatures ranging between 7-10 degree Celsius on Friday morning.

As per the IMD, no significant change in minimum temperatures is expected over Northwest India during the next 24 hours and a rise by about 2 degree Celsius is expected in the next seven days.

Dense fog and low visibility affected several flight operations consecutively for the fifth day of the week.

Several passengers complained of delayed arrival of flights at Delhi airport.

“I have come from Dubai. My flight was delayed due to fog in Delhi,” a passenger at IGI airport said. (ANI)

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Never Intended To Hurt Anyone’s Sentiment: Nayanthara

By LokMarg

Amid the controversy around her latest release ‘Annapoorani: The Goddess of Food’, South star Nayanthara issued an apology saying the makers of the film did not intend to “hurt anyone’s sentiments”.

The film landed in a legal soup over some alleged disparaging references to Lord Ram.

Taking to her Instagram handle to issue a clarification amid the controversy, the actor, who made her Bollywood debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the blockbuster ‘Jawan’, posted, “I am writing this note with a heavy heart and a genuine desire to address the recent turn of events concerning our film ‘Annapoorni’. Crafting ‘Annapoorni’ was not just a cinematic endeavour but a heartfelt pursuit of inspiring resilience and instilling the spirit of never giving up. It aimed to mirror life’s journey, where we learn that obstacles can be overcome with sheer willpower.”

“In our sincere attempt to share a positive message, we may have inadvertently caused hurt. We did not expect the removal of a censored film, previously showcased in theatres, from the OTT platform. My team and I never intended to hurt anyone’s sentiments and we understand that the gravity of this issue. Being someone who wholely believes in God and frequently visits temples accross the country, it is the last thing I would intentionally do. To those whose feelings we’ve touched, I extend my sincere & heartfelt apologies,” the actor added in her post.

“The intention behind ‘Annapoorni was to uplift and inspire, not to cause distress Over the last two decades, my journey in the film industry has been guided with a singular intention – To spread positivity & foster learning from one another,” Nayanthara added.

An FIR was filed in Omti Police Station in Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh against Nayanthara, the film’s director Nilesh Krishnaa and another person for allegedly hurting religious sentiments, SP Pankaj Mishra informed.

The movie, which was released in theatres on December 1, started streaming on Netflix on December 29.

However, following the legal trouble, Netflix removed the Nayanthara-starrer from the OTT platform.

While featuring the South star in the lead role, the film also stars Jai and Sathyaraj. The story revolves around Annapoorani, who dreams of being a chef, and the obstacles she comes across while trying to fulfil her dream.

It also stars Achyuth Kumar, KS Ravikumar, Karthik Kumar and Renuka in pivotal roles. (ANI)

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'Garbha Griha' of the Ram Temple Ayodhya

Ram Lalla Idol Placed In ‘Garbha Griha’ In Ram Temple

By LokMarg

As part of the elaborate rituals leading up to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony to be held on January 22, the idol of Ram Lalla was placed in the ‘Garbha Griha’ of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on Thursday amid joyous chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram.’

In a significant prelude to the upcoming ceremony, a special puja was held in the sanctum sanctorum before the idol was brought inside with the help of a crane on Wednesday night.

The video shared by Sharad Sharma, media in-charge of Vishwa Hindu Parishad showed the joyous atmosphere at the temple.

The statue of Ram Lalla sculpted by Karnataka sculptor Arun Yogiraj has been selected for installation at Ram Temple.

“The Murti sculpted on Krishna Shila, by renowned sculptor Arun Yogiraj, has been selected as Shri Vigraha of Bhagwan Shri Ramlalla Sarkar,” Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra announced on X.

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra is the trust entrusted with the construction and management of the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Pran Pratishtha of Lord Ram’s idol is scheduled at the grand temple in Ayodhya at 12:30 PM on January 22, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Elaborate arrangements are being made for the ceremony.

The rituals for the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony began on Tuesday and will continue for seven days. Thousands of VIP guests have received invitations from the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust for the ceremony. (ANI)

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Arbaaz Khan

Arbaaz Wishes Wife Shura On Her Birthday

By LokMarg

Actor Arbaaz Khan shared a mushy picture to wish his wife and make-up artist Shura Khan on her birthday with a sweet note.

Taking to Instagram, Arbaaz penned a note, which read, “Happiest birthday my love Shura. Nobody makes me smile the way you do. You light up my life. I look forward to growing old with you , oops older actually very very old when the universe brought us together it was the best thing that’s ever happened to me. From the first date I knew I was going to spend the rest of my life with you. You continue to amaze me with your beauty and kindness. Every day I’m reminded that saying ” Qubool Hai ” to you were the best words to ever come out of my mouth. Love you to the moon and back .”

As soon as the post was uploaded, fans and industry members flooded the comment section.

Raveena Tandon dropped several heart emojis.

One of the users wrote, “Happy birthday shura.”

Arbaaz and Shura got married in an intimate nikah ceremony on December 24 at the latter’s sister Arpita Khan Sharma’s residence in Mumbai.

After the ceremony, Arbaaz took to Instagram and announced his sacred union with Shura via a heartfelt Instagram post.

“In the presence of our loved ones, me and mine begin a lifetime of love and togetherness from this day on![?] Need all your blessings and good wishes on our special day!,” he wrote.

The ceremony happened in the presence of close friends and family members.

Arbaaz was previously married to Malaika Arora. They separated in 2016 and officially divorced in 2017; they have a son, Arhaan. Arbaaz also dated Giorgia Andriani but the two called it quits last year.

Reportedly, he met Shura, a makeup artist, on the sets of his upcoming film ‘Patna Shukla’, which features Ravena Tandon in the lead role. (ANI)

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Piryanka Chopra and Nick Jonas

Priyanka, Nick Seek Blessings At Temple On Malti Marie’s 2nd B’day

By LokMarg

Celebrity couple Piryanka Chopra and Nick Jonas recently celebrated their daughter Malti Marie Chopra Jonas’s second birthday.

On Wednesday, the ‘Don’ actor took to Instagram and shared a string of pictures from her daughter’s second birthday celebrations.

She captioned the post, “She is our miracle. And she is 2,” followed by a red heart and joined hand emoticons.

In the first picture, little Malti, could be seen dressed in a white dress and donning a huge garland. She completed her look with a green bindi.

In the next post, she dropped a picture from her daughter’s birthday bash in which Malti is seen wearing heart shaped sun glasses.

The next picture features the ‘Bajirao Mastani’ actor carrying Malti in her arms as the panditji did some puja in front of the deity of a Goddess for her. The actor’s hubby Nick Jonas and mother Madhu Chopra also joined them for the temple visit and prayed to God for their daughter’s well-being.

In the next photos, the family is seen spending some quality time by the beach with their doggo and enjoying a cozy dinner date.

Soon after she dropped the pictures, Priyanka’s friends and fans swamped down the comment section and dropped red heart emoticons and sweet birthday wishes for the little munchkin.

Dia Mirza commented, “Happy Birthday baby girl.”

Lara Dutta commented, “Happy birthday beautiful baby girl!!”

Priyanka and Nick Jonas got married in a Christian and a Hindu ceremony in Jodhpur’s Umaid Bhawan Palace on December 1 and 2 in 2018. Later, the couple also hosted two receptions in Delhi and Mumbai. In January 2022, the two announced that they welcomed daughter Malti Marie via surrogacy.

Meanwhile, on the work front, in the coming months, she will be seen in ‘Heads of State’, alongside John Cena and Idris Elba.

On the Bollywood front, she will be seen in Farhan Akhtar’s next directorial ‘Jee Le Zaraa’ alongside Katrina Kaif and Alia Bhatt. (ANI)

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Katrina Kaif

Katrina Enjoys Being A Punjabi Daughter-In-Law

By LokMarg

Katrina Kaif on Thursday conducted an interactive Q&A session on Instagram for her followers.

From answering questions about her latest release ‘Merry Christmas’ to sharing a few details about her personal life, Katrina was in a full candid mood. One of her replies to a fan’s question is heavily trending on social media.

“What do you like about being Punjabi’s daughter-in-law?” the fan asked.

Responding to it, Katrina wrote, “Dher saara pyaar aur ghar ka bana hua sarso ka saag aur maki ki roti with white makhan (A lot of love and homemade delicacies).”

She also shared a picture of a plate filled with saag and maki ki roti.

Katrina married actor Vicky Kaushal in November 2021.

On ‘Koffee With Karan’, Katrina revealed that she met Vicky at Zoya Akhtar’s party and that’s when romance started brewing between them.

Sharing the details of her relationship with Vicky, Katrina shared how Vicky was never on her ‘radar’. She said, “I did not even know much about him. He was just a name I had heard of but had never associated with. But then, when I met him, I was won over!” Calling her relationship ‘unexpected and out of the blue’, Katrina added, “It was my destiny and it was really meant to be. There were so many coincidences that at one point all of it just felt so unreal.”

Meanwhile, on the work front, Katrina will be seen in Farhan Akhtar’s upcoming film ‘Jee Le Zara’ along with Alia Bhatt and Priyanka Chopra.

Vicky will be next seen in an upcoming untitled romantic drama film. Helmed by Anand Tiwari and produced by Karan Johar, the film also stars Tripti Dimri and Ammy Vrik in the lead roles. (ANI)

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ICCR 'Ramayana-Mahabharata

We Can Float A Grouping Of Ramayana-Mahabharata Countries: Dr Sahasrabuddhe

By LokMarg

Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)’s former President Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe has said that a group of ‘Ramayana-Mahabharata’ countries can also be constituted where these holy epics are deeply engraved in the culture.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Vinay Sahasrabuddhe recalled an anecdote he encountered in Azerbaijan, where he witnessed a Hindu fire Temple.

“Many times it comes to mind that we have several groupings like the G20, BIMSTEC, SAARC, and perhaps others. We can also float another grouping of Ramayana- Mahabharat countries. There are so many countries that are linked to Ramayana and Mahabharat. I was in Baku a few years ago, the capital city of Azerbaijan. Right on the outskirts of the capital city, there is a ‘Fire Temple’, which is a Hindu temple. As the saying goes, that spot is related to the story of Daksha and Sati and is now considered a Shakti Peetha,” Sahasrabuddhe said.

Vinay Sahasrabuddhe also mentioned that since 2015, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations has continuously engaged with Asian and Southeast Asian countries by conducting the Ramayana Festival.

“Since 2015, ICCR has been engaging itself in the conduct of the Ramayana festival which is an international festival and we invite troops from all those countries from which Ramayana is part of their tradition: Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka,” he said.

Recalling his surprise at a group of artists from Brunei who also participated in the Ramayana Festival, Dr Sahasrabuddhe said, “Brunei also came. We did not expect anyone to come from Brunei since they are a 100 percent Islamic country. Our officials were a little bit surprised that a delegation from Brunei came.”

“Their group presented a skit on the theme of Jatayu Vadh. When we told them that we were not thinking that someone would come from your country, the head who was leading the artist contingent said, You are making a mistake, we have changed our religion, not the culture,” he added.

On the question of figures like Jatayu and Varuna, who hold importance in Southeast Asian countries but not so dominantly in India, Sahasrabuddhe said that research should be carried out on this aspect.

“It is interesting and it merits deeper research into why there is so much love affection reverence for the story of Jatayu and the kind of struggle he did against Ravana in his bid to save Sita,” Sahasrabuddhe said.

Dr. Vinay Prabhakar Sahasrabuddhe served as a Rajya Sabha member from 2016 to 2022 and held the position of Vice President in the BJP from 2014 to 2020. (ANI)

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Myanmar

India Got Consular Access For Its Ex-Navy Personnel In Qatari Custody: MEA

By LokMarg

The Indian ambassador to Qatar and the embassy officials met with the eight detained veteran navy officials and a legal team is looking into the appeal aspect as 60 days have been provided to file an appeal, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

“Our ambassador, along with our embassy officials, met the eight detained. As we had conveyed to you last time, the legal team is looking into the appeal aspect. There is a period of 60 days within which they have to file this appeal,” MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

“On December 28, the court of appeal had given their verdict. Now, the matter is to go to the court of secession, which will be decided by the legal team…We still have some time. The consular access we had, our ambassador went and met and looked after their well-being,” he said while addressing a press briefing about the consular access with ex-navy personnel.

The eight Indian nationals have been imprisoned in Qatar since October 2022 and were accused of allegedly spying on a submarine programme. The retired naval personnel were sentenced to death by a Qatar court on charges that have not yet been made public officially.

Earlier, the Qatari Court commuted the death penalty sentence of eight ex-Indian naval officers it had arrested last year in the Dahra Global case, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press statement. The sentence has now been reduced to jail terms.

Describing the judgement, the Ministry of External Affairs 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.

“The MEA also said that the detailed judgement in the case is awaited and are in close touch with the legal team in Qatar.

MEA added, “The detailed judgement is awaited. We are in close touch with the legal team as well as the family members to decide on the next steps. Our Ambassador to Qatar and other officials were present in the Court of Appeal today, along with the family members. We have stood by them since the beginning of the matter and we will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance. We will also continue to take up the matter with the Qatari authorities.”

Earlier, the newly appointed spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Jaiswal, emphasised the temporal significance of this period, stating, “As far as the issue is concerned, there is a time of 60 days when this issue can be appealed in the Court of Cassation, which is the highest court in Qatar.”

The MEA’s legal team possesses the confidential court order detailing the commutation of the death sentences to imprisonment terms, a move revealed in a press release following the court of appeal’s judgement on December 28.

“We issued a press release in which we informed you that the death sentence, which was originally a death penalty, has been changed to imprisonment sentences. Now our legal team has that court order, and I can confirm that all of them have received sentences of different durations, and the death penalty has been abolished,” Jaiswal said.

Moreover, the Court of First Instance of Qatar passed the judgement against them, according to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs.

The MEA spokesperson also highlighted the recent meeting that took place between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad and said that they have had a good conversation on the overall bilateral relationship.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai and discussed bilateral partnership and the “well-being of the Indian community” living in Qatar. (ANI)

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Shaksgam MEA Siachen

India, Maldives Seeking Mutually Workable Solution: MEA

By LokMarg

India and Maldives held a core group meeting on January 14 in which both sides deliberated on finding a “mutually workable solution” to ensure the “continued operation” of Indian aviation platforms providing humanitarian and Medvec services, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

The MEA announced that the next meeting will be held in the national capital.

During the core group meeting, both nations delved “on several aspects of the bilateral relationship,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a weekly briefing while sharing insights on the deliberations that took place in the meeting.

“We mentioned that both sides held discussions on finding a mutually workable solution to enable continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and Medvec services to the people of the Maldives,” he also said.

“The next meeting is to be held in India to take discussions forward. So that is where the situation as far as the Maldives is concerned,” Jaiswal added.

When asked if India received a formal request from Maldives to withdraw the Indian military, Jaiswal said, “Whatever’s discussed was put out in the press release. That is where the situation actually stands. It is an ongoing process. Both sides held discussions on finding mutually workable solutions…This is an ongoing discussion, so things will go forward or things will be discussed in the next meeting of the core group subsequently soon.”

India and the Maldives also discussed enhancing bilateral cooperation and expediting the implementation of ongoing projects, the MEA had said earlier.

India and the Maldives on January 14 “agreed to fast-track the withdrawal of Indian military personnel” from the island nation, according to the Maldives’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The first meeting of the High-Level Core Group between the Maldives and India took place in Male’.

“During the meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, both sides reviewed the existing bilateral cooperation. Discussions were held on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including development cooperation,” the Maldives’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release earlier.

“Both sides expressed willingness to intensify cooperation and agreed to fast-track the withdrawal of Indian military personnel,” it also said, adding, “It was agreed that the second meeting of the High-Level Core Group will be held at a mutually convenient time.”

Earlier, the Maldives local media reported that Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has asked the Indian government to withdraw the Indian troops from the island nation before March 15.

Notably, the removal of Indian troops in the Maldives was the main campaign of Muizzu’s party. Currently, there are around 70 Indian troops, along with Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft and two HAL Dhruv helicopters, stationed in the Maldives.

On the second day of assuming office, Muizzu officially requested the Indian government to withdraw its military personnel from the Maldives.

In December last year, President Muizzu claimed that, after dialogue with the Indian government, an agreement was reached to withdraw Indian military personnel.

Apart from withdrawal of Indian military personnel, a massive row was triggered after the Maldives deputy minister, along with other cabinet members and government officials, made disparaging and unsavoury references to PM Modi’s Lakshadweep visit.

The Maldives government has, however, distanced itself from the remarks made by its ministers. Maldivian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Moosa Zameer, said that these remarks against foreign leaders are “unacceptable” and do not reflect the official position of the Maldives government. (ANI)

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Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Deepfake Case: Mumbai Cyber Police Register FIR

By LokMarg

Mumbai Cyber Police registered an FIR under relevant sections against the gaming app for morphing former India batting great Sachin Tendulkar’s old video for a false promotional campaign.

The batting maestro on Monday took to X and cautioned everyone against a deep fake video of himself that has been used to promote an app. In the video, Sachin’s voice was manipulated to make it sound like the iconic batter was promoting the app.

The video also falsely portrayed that Sachin’s daughter Sara Tendulkar engages with the app frequently.

He also tagged the Maharashtra Cyber Police, Union Electronics and Information Technology Ministry and Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrashekar, in his tweet.

“These videos are fake. It is disturbing to see rampant misuse of technology. Request everyone to report videos, ads & apps like these in large numbers. Social media platforms need to be alert and responsive to complaints. Swift action from their end is crucial to stopping the spread of misinformation and fake news. @GoI_MeitY, @Rajeev_GoI and @MahaCyber1,” Sachin wrote on X.

Hours after legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar cautioned everyone against a deepfake video that manipulated his voice and picture, the Union Minister of State for Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar assured that the government will shortly notify tighter rules under the Information Technology Act to ensure compliance by platforms in the country.

The Union Minister took to X and expressed gratitude to Tendulkar for pointing out the video. He said deepfakes and misinformation powered by AI are a threat to the safety and trust of Indian users and the platforms are required to comply with the advisory issued by the Centre.

“Thank you @sachin_rt for this tweet #DeepFakes and misinformation powered by #AI are a threat to Safety&Trust of Indian users and represents harm & legal violation that platforms have to prevent and take down. Recent Advisory by @GoI_MeitY requires platforms to comply wth this 100%. We will be shortly notifying tighter rules under IT Act to ensure compliance by platforms,” Chandrasekhar posted on X.

Notably, on November 6 last year, a modified video of actor Rashmika Mandanna appeared online sparking discussions of digital safety. The video quickly went viral and several social media users came forward to confirm that it was a deep fake. It was later identified that the video was of a British actress. (ANI)

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