NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams are set to return to Earth after a nine-month mission on the ISS due to spacecraft issues. Their return was made possible by SpaceX's Crew-10 mission. The new crew's arrival prompted a joyful reunion as Williams celebrated with warm embraces and dancing.
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The Tamil Nadu government has announced that Jan 17 will be a holiday for government offices, public sector undertakings, and educational institutions. This declaration creates a six-day holiday stretch starting from Pongal on Jan 14 to Jan 19. Institutions will make up for this by functioning on Jan 25.
India will start their Champions Trophy campaign on February 20 in Dubai, facing Bangladesh. They have included five spinners in their squad, which has raised concerns about being too spin-heavy. Former off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin suggests that India might have one or two spinners too many in their 15-member squad.
India awards the Kirti Chakra to Major Manjit and posthumously to Naik Dilwar Khan for bravery in J&K anti-terror operations. On Republic Day, 93 armed forces and CAPF personnel receive gallantry medals, including 14 Shaurya Chakras. Honorees include Major Ashish Dahiya and CRPF's Vikrant Kumar for exceptional courage in high-risk situations.
Gurindervir Singh set a new men's 100m national record with 10.20 seconds at the Indian Grand Prix 1, surpassing Manikanta Hoblidhar's previous record. Hoblidhar finished second with 10.22 seconds, followed by Amlan Borgohain in third with 10.43 seconds. Singh's performance highlights a strong competition and Reliance's dominance on the podium.
Four persons, including two children, lost their lives and three others were injured when a truck's girders fell onto a car and two auto-rickshaws in Warangal. The truck driver was reportedly under the influence of alcohol. The accident caused a significant traffic jam, and the injured were rushed to the hospital. Authorities have taken necessary actions.
Following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Prime Minister Modi pledged decisive action against those responsible, vowing to "identify, track, and punish" the perpetrators. Pakistan responded sharply, warning that any threat to its sovereignty would be met with "firm reciprocal measures." Islamabad condemned India's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty as an "Act of War," and took retaliatory measures, including airspace closure, trade suspension, and the expulsion of Indian military advisors.
The Delhi high court reserved its order on MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh's plea to attend Parliament while in custody for a terror funding case. The court assured stringent conditions to address the NIA's concerns about security. Rashid's counsel argued that parliamentary discipline would be maintained, and the court emphasized respect for the law within Parliament.
Virat Kohli reached 14,000 runs in ODI cricket during the match against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy. In his 299th game, Kohli achieved this milestone, maintaining his position as the second-highest ODI run-scorer for India behind Sachin Tendulkar. In the contest, Pakistan managed to score 241 but a potential loss to India could jeopardise their semi-final chances.
Robert Vadra ignited controversy by linking the Pahalgam terror attack to perceived mistreatment of Muslims in India, alleging they feel unsafe. He cited restrictions on religious practices and mosque surveys as examples of marginalization. The BJP strongly criticized Vadra's statement as irresponsible, divisive, and an attempt to shield terrorists, demanding an explanation from Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party.
An 18-year-old NEET aspirant from Mayurbhanj district was found dead in his Kota hostel room on Thursday night in a suspected suicide. No suicide note was discovered. This is the third coaching student suicide in Kota this year. Abhijeet Giri had been preparing for the medical entrance exam since April and was performing well in his studies.