India

Chennai, Feb 26 (IANS) The DMK, which aims at a clean sweep in the upcoming general elections, will conduct seat sharing talks with its alliance partners on Monday.

The Dalit political party, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), the left parties, CPI and CPI-M and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) leaders will hold talks with the DMK leadership led by former Union Minister T.R. Baalu at the DMK headquarters in Chennai.

The DMK leadership will also hold a similar meeting with the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) leadership on Tuesday.

The DMK is adamant on not allocating the Coimbatore Lok Sabha seat to the CPI-M for the upcoming general elections.

Sources said that the DMK has told CPI-M leaders that they can contest from Madurai and another seat but not from Coimbatore. The CPI-M State Secretary K. Balakrishnan has however said that the party is keen to contest from Coimbatore.

The CPI is likely to get the Nagpattinam and Tiruppur, the two seats it is representing since 2019.

The DMK has also been holding discussions with Tamil super star and President of Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) Kamal Haasan. The DMK leadership is keen that Kamal Haasan should contest the elections along with its alliance from either Coimbatore or from one of three seats in Chennai.

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) will be contesting on two seats. Party founder Thol Thirumavalan and General Secretary C. Ravikumar -- sitting MPs are likely to be fielded again from these seats.

In the 2019 general elections, DMK led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) won 38 of the 39 seats from Tamil Nadu. The party is expecting a clean sweep in the upcoming election by winning all the 39. The party leadership is conducting several layers of screening before finalising on the seat distribution among allies.

--IANS

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Seoul, Feb 26 (IANS) The combined overseas production of Hyundai Motor and Kia, including in India, surpassed 3.68 million units in 2023, setting the biggest offshore output since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, data showed on Monday.

According to data from the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association, Hyundai Motor and Kia, South Korea's leading automakers, produced 3,678,831 finished vehicles at 13 overseas production bases last year., reports Yonhap news agency.

Hyundai produced 2,243,069 vehicles in eight countries -- the United States, India, China, Turkey, Czech Republic, Brazil, Indonesia and Singapore -- and Kia produced 1,435,762 vehicles in the U.S., China, Slovakia, Mexico and India.

Last year's combined output represents a 2.9 percent increase compared with 2022. It also marked their biggest tally in four years since 2019 before the onset of the pandemic.

Per nation, vehicles produced from India amounted to 1.08 million units, followed by those from the U.S., China and Slovakia, with 727,000 units, 394,249 units and 352,240 units, respectively.

Within an overall growth trajectory in production, the consistent production decline in China stood out. The combined output of the companies in China amounted to 1.83 million units in 2016.

Russia stood out as well, as Hyundai, which has operated a production base in Saint Petersburg, did not produce a single vehicle in the country last year.

Hyundai had consistently produced over 200,000 units annually in Russia from 2012 to 2022. However, production sharply declined to around 40,000 units in 2022 and has remained suspended since the outbreak of the Ukrainian War.

For the first time, the company last year produced 595 vehicles in Singapore, where it opened the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore.

--IANS

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Bengaluru, Feb 26 (IANS) Three persons died and six people were injured after the tempo they were travelling in overturned when one of the tyres burst on the national highway in the outskirts of Davanagere city in Karnataka on Monday

The injured persons were being treated at the KIMS Hospital in Hubballi city.

According to police, the condition of one of the injured persons was critical. Police said the injured hailed from Singarajanahalli in Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool district.

The incident took place on the Bengaluru-Pune National Highway 48 near Punjabi Dhaba in the outskirts of Davanagere.

The victims were transporting Byadagi chillies from Karnataka's Haveri district. The identity of the deceased and injured persons are yet to be ascertained.

The police have taken up further investigation.

More details are yet to emerge regarding the incident.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 26 (IANS) The Ministry of External Affairs said on Monday that it remains committed to pursuing all the relevant cases of its nationals for an early discharge from the Russian army.

The remarks were in response to "inaccurate reports" in the media regarding Indians with the Russian army seeking help for discharge.

"We have seen some inaccurate reports in the media regarding Indians with the Russian army seeking help for discharge," the ministry said in a statement.

"We remain committed, as a matter of top priority, to actively pursuing with the Russian authorities all the relevant cases of Indian nationals for an early discharge from the Russian army."

"Each and every such case brought to the attention of the Indian Embassy in Moscow has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities and those brought to the attention of the Ministry have been taken up with the Russian Embassy in New Delhi."

As a result, several Indians have already been discharged, the statement read.

Last week, spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal acknowledged that the ministry was aware about the recruitment of Indians by some agents who duped them into joining the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

In a statement, the ministry called on the Indian community to stay away from the Russia-Ukraine conflict and urged them to exercise due caution.

As per media reports, 23-year-old Hemil Ashvinbhai Mangukiya from Gujarat, was killed in a Ukrainian air strike in the Donetsk region on February 21.

Indian officials are yet to confirm the killing of Mangukiya, reportedly hired as a security helper by the Russian Army.

The development comes amidst recent reports that a group of Indian youths fell victim to agents who deceitfully sent them to Russia under the false pretext of providing them with security guard jobs.

Instead, all of them were dispatched to war-torn Ukraine-Russia areas.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 26 (IANS) Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone, inaugurate and dedicate to the nation around 2,000 railway infrastructure projects worth more than Rs 41,000 crore on Monday.

The event will be held at 12:30 p.m. via video conferencing.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, "Today is a historic day for our Railways! At 12:30 PM, 2000 railway infrastructure projects worth over Rs. 41,000 crores will be dedicated to the nation.

"In order to enhance the travel experience, 553 stations will be redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. The foundation stones for these stations would be laid. Overbridges and underpasses across India will also be inaugurated.

"These works will further ‘Ease of Living’ for the people."

In a major step to provide world class amenities at railway stations, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for redevelopment of 553 railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.

These stations, spread across 27 states and Union Territories, will be redeveloped at a cost of over Rs 19,000 crore. These stations will act as ‘City Centres’ integrating both sides of the city. They will have modern passenger amenities like roof plaza, beautiful landscaping, inter modal connectivity, improved modern façade, kids play area, kiosks, food courts, etc.

They will be redeveloped as environment friendly and also Divyang friendly. The design of these station buildings will be inspired by local culture, heritage and architecture.

Further, the Prime Minister will inaugurate Gomti Nagar station in Uttar Pradesh which has been redeveloped at a total cost of around Rs 385 crore. To cater to the increased future passenger footfall, this station has segregated arrival and departure facilities. It integrates both sides of the city. This centrally air-conditioned station has modern passenger amenities like Air Concourse, congestion free circulation, food courts and ample parking space in upper and lower basement.

The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone, inaugurate and dedicate to the nation 1500 Road Over Bridges and Underpasses. These Road Over Bridges and Underpasses spread across 24 states and Union Territories, the total cost of these projects is around Rs 21,520 crore. These projects will reduce congestion, enhance safety and connectivity, improve capacity, and efficiency of rail travel.

--IANS

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Panaji, Feb 26 (IANS) Goa's Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Dessai said on Sunday that performance and intelligence are not linked to any specific language.

Minister Phal Dessai was speaking during an educational programme in South Goa's Ponda.

"We send our children to 'big schools' only because they teach them to speak good English; we have a misunderstanding that mere speaking good English makes students expert. If they speak good English, it doesn’t mean that they may be good in performance and intelligence. So don't link intelligence with language," he said.

He said that "our intelligence is not related to any specific language and hence parents need to imbibe 'Sanskars' in them".

"We need to identify the talent they possess and encourage them in that field," the minister added.

"People of my age will admit that we did our primary education in Government Primary school in Marathi language and then in fifth standard, we started learning the basics of English. To learn this we spent around six months of our academic year. We struggled to learn English. But today we can communicate in English," he said.

Minister Phal Dessai urged parents to not take the stress of getting their children admitted to big schools just to make them speak good English.

He said that along with academics other things should also be taught to the students.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Feb 9 (IANS) Actors Ali Fazal and Richa Chadha, who received a lot of positive response to their production at the Sundance Film Festival recently, are expecting their first child together.

The couple took to their Instagram handles on Friday and shared two pictures as they confirmed the news.

They posted an image which read: "1 + 1 = 3," followed by an image of themselves looking at each other with love.

They wrote in the caption: "A tiny heartbeat is the loudest sound in our world.”

Richa and Ali celebrated their union in 2022 but they actually got married under the Special Marriage Act in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Richa and Ali first met on the sets of 'Fukrey' in 2012. After dating for seven years, Ali had proposed to Richa in 2019.

Meanwhile, the couple has been going strong on the professional front aa well as the film 'Girls will be Girls', which marks the debut of their home production, won big at Sundance Film Festival as it bagged two major awards: the Audience award in the World Dramatic Entry category, and the Special Jury Award for the Lead actress Preeti Panigrahi.

Written and directed by debutant Shuchi Talati, 'Girls will be Girls' is a coming-of-age film.

--IANS

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Srinagar, Feb 9 (IANS) In a proverbial cheat vs. cheat style, two groups of cheats trying to dupe each other were arrested by police in J&K’s Ganderbal district on Friday.

Twelve people of two groups of thugs planning to dupe each other were arrested on the spot by police in Ganderbal district when one group was selling a fake ‘magical stone’ claimed to bring fortune and the other group was buying it with fake currency notes.

Sandeep Gupta, SSP (Ganderbal) said that at least 12 persons were arrested in the Kangan area of Ganderbal district while selling a fake ‘magical stone’ and others buying it with fake currency notes.

“An information was received by Police Station Kangan through reliable sources that some persons are moving in a suspicious manner at Kijpara, behind Dumping Park.

“Acting swiftly, a special Police team was constituted under the supervision of SDPO Kangan, Muzaffar Jan led by station house officer Kangan, Turk Zahoor that raided the spot and apprehended 12 persons who were roaming in suspicious conditions. Among the arrested persons is one policeman identified as Riyaz Ahmad Mir.

“During the search of apprehended persons, 30 bundles of Rs 50,000 each, which constitutes a total Rs 15,00,000 fake currency notes of Children Bank & total cash of Rs 56,600 (Indian currency) were recovered from their possession,

“Further, five vehicles used by the accused in the commission of crime have also been seized on the spot.

“A case under FIR number 08/2024 under relevant sections of law has been registered in Kangan police station”.

--IANS

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Islamabad, Feb 9 (IANS) Even as delay in general polls outcome raised many eyebrows including that of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and a US lawmaker, interior ministry claimed that it is happening due to lack of connectivity.

The ministry said that internet was suspended on the poll day to ensure security, Dawn reported.

In a post on X, the ministry said that the delay was assessed, stating that the situation was now "satisfactory" .

It expressed hope that the arrival of results would continue without interruptions.

Earlier in the day, US lawmaker Brad Sherman has said that there should be no "unwarranted" delay in announcing results.

In a post on X, he said: "Press organizations in #Pakistan should be free to report vote tabulations and there should be no unwarranted delay in announcing results."

PTI-backed candidate Basharat Raja for Rawalpindi's NA-55 constituency has alleged a discrepancy in between Form 45 and Form 47 results.

The PTI has said its supporters have "shocked and worried the entire system with the historic turnout" during the general elections 2024.

It has alleged that election results are now being withheld "fearing the historic victory" of the party.

As political parties cried foul about delay in poll outcome and questioned the poll watchdog, the ECP directed all the provincial Election Commissioners and Returning Officers to announce the results within half an hour or else face strict action.

To form the government in the country, a party needs to secure win on 133 of the 265 seats. Polling was postponed on one seat after death of a candidate.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Feb 9 (IANS) Mira Rajput has reviewed her husband Shahid Kapoor’s latest release ‘Teri Baaton Main Aisa Uljha Jiya’ and called the actor the ‘OG loverboy’.

Mira took to her Instagram, where she shared a snap-shot from the film, which she called a complete “laugh riot.”

She wrote: “Complete laughter riot entertainment overload after ages. Love, laughter, masti, dancing and heart-touching message at the end. Kriti Sanon you were pitch perfect."

“Shahid Kapoor The OG loverboy there’s no one like you. You made my heart melt Dil se hasaaya stomach is hurting.”

The film is based on a love story between a human and a robot. It talks about the character Aryan, who is not able to find a perfect life partner. But he meets a perfect girl, Sifra, during an official assignment in the US and falls in love with her only to discover later that it's an impossible love story.

The film is directed by Amit Joshi and Aradhana Sah. It also stars Kriti Sanon and Dharmendra.

--IANS

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