Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacting with the students, teachers and parents, during the 6th edition of ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha 2023’, at Talkatora Stadium, in New Delhi on Friday.
| Photo Credit: ANI
Pariksha Pe Charcha | Tamil is the oldest language, let your chest swell with pride: PM Modi to students
Tamil is the oldest language of the world, and is a big treasure and source of pride, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his address to students at the sixth edition of the Pariksha Pe Charcha event held on Friday, while urging them to learn languages other than their mother tongue. “Did you know Tamil is the oldest language of the whole world, not just of India? Shouldn’t such a country be proud? We have such a big treasure, a big source of pride. Our chest should swell with pride and we must tell the world this,” Mr. Modi said during the event, remarking that he had spoken in Tamil during an address at the UN General Assembly in 2019 in order to spread this message.
GoFirst fined ₹10 lakh by DGCA for leaving 55 passengers behind
The aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) imposed a penalty of ₹10 lakh on GoFirst for leaving behind 55 passengers at Bengaluru airport. “There was improper communication, coordination between terminal coordinator (TC), commercial staff and crew regarding boarding of passengers in the aircraft. The airline failed to ensure adequate arrangement for ground handling, preparation of load and trim sheet [documents that help in calculating maximum take-off weight and maximum landing weight], flight dispatch and passenger/cargo handling,” the DGCA said in press note after it received a response from the airline to its show-cause notice.
At least seven dead in shooting outside east Jerusalem synagogue
A gunman killed seven people at an east Jerusalem synagogue on Friday, Israeli police said, in a dramatic escalation of violence that followed a deadly raid in the West Bank a day earlier. The shooting in the Neve Yaakov neighbourhood of Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem came even as international calls for calm mounted after Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip traded missile fire earlier on January 27.
EPFO Central Board of Trustees member, pensioners question circulars on higher pension, seek clarity
Pensioners’ organisations and members of the Central Board of Trustees (CBT) of the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) have alleged that the recent circulars of the EPFO on higher PF pension are against the Supreme Court verdict on the matter and previous circulars of the organisation. They questioned the EPFO’s stand that the cases of employees, who retired prior to September 1, 2014 without exercising any option under paragraph 11(3) of the pre-amended Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS), 1995, and were availing higher pension on higher wages, “need to be re-examined.”
U.P. Mayors approach Supreme Court over local body poll issue
The Supreme Court on January 27, 2023 allowed a group of 14 Mayors from Uttar Pradesh to intervene in a case concerning the holding of local body elections in the State. The court had, on January 4, stayed an Allahabad High Court direction to the Uttar Pradesh government and the Election Commission to hold local body elections without reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC).
West Bank on the edge after Israeli raids, rocket attacks
Israel’s defense minister signaled Friday that the military would stop its airstrikes if Palestinian militant groups halted rocket attacks, a day after the deadliest Israeli raid in decades raised the prospect of a major flare-up in fighting. The limited exchange of fire between Gaza militants and the Israeli armed forces has so far followed a familiar pattern that allows both sides to respond without leading to a major escalation. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s instruction to the military to prepare for new strikes in the Gaza Strip “if necessary” also appeared to leave open the possibility that the violence would subside.
No security lapse, were not intimated about large crowds at Banihal: J&K Police on Bharat Jodo Yatra
The J&K Police on Friday refuted the allegations of security breach levelled by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, as the Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY) arrived in the Kashmir Valley earlier in the day. A police spokesman clarified that only authorised persons as identified by organisers and frisked crowd were allowed inside, towards the route of the yatra. “Organisers and managers of the BJY did not intimate about the large gathering from Banihal joining the yatra, which thronged near the starting point,” the J&K Police said.
Fiji suspends national police chief
Fiji suspended its police chief “effective immediately” on Friday, shunting aside an ally of the former prime minister who was defeated in general elections last month. The sidelined police chief, Sitiveni Qiliho, is regarded as a close supporter of former prime minister Frank Bainimarama, who ruled the Pacific nation for 16 years after leading a 2006 military coup.
India vs New Zealand, 1st T20I | Conway, Mitchell, and spinners guide NZ to 21-run win over India
Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell conjured up fluent and fiery half-centuries before the spinners choked the hosts as New Zealand outplayed India by 21 runs in the opening T20I to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series here on Friday. Asked to take first strike, opener Conway continued his purple patch with a 35-ball 52, while Mitchell smashed a 30-ball unbeaten 59, which included a last-over thrashing of Arshdeep Singh for 27 runs, to power the Black Caps to a challenging 176 for six.
Hockey World Cup | Gonzalo Peillat sends Germany to final with sensational hat-trick
Star drag-flicker Gonzalo Peillat struck a second-half hat-trick as Germany made a sensational comeback after being two goals down to beat Australia 4-3 and enter the FIH Men’s World Cup final for the fifth time in Bhubaneswar on January 27, 2023. Peillat scored from penalty corners in the 43rd, 52nd and 59th minutes, while ‘Player of the Match’ Niklas Wellen (60th) struck with just a few seconds left in the game to stun Australia, who squandered a 2-0 half-time lead in the semi-final at the Kalinga Stadium.