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Live news updates: Noting that doubling of tracks and electrification is underway at a record speed, he said that the eastern and western freight corridors will bring revolutionary changes

8:52 AM

US says Chinese intercept could have caused air collision

The US military says a Chinese navy fighter jet flew dangerously close to an Air Force reconnaissance plane over the South China Sea earlier this month, forcing the American pilot to maneuver to avoid a collision.

 

US Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement Thursday that the incident occurred December 21 when the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy J-11 flew in front of and within 6 metres (20 feet) of the nose of an RC-135, a type of large reconnaissance plane operated by the US Air Force.

 

8:29 AM

PM Modi arrives in Ahmedabad to bid adieu to his mother

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday arrived at Ahmedabad to bid adieu to his mother Heeraben Modi, who passed away at the age of 100.

 

He was received by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel at the airport.

 

PM Modi's brother Somabhai Modi and other family members also arrived at the residence of Heeraben Modi.

 

Earlier, PM Modi was scheduled to embark on a visit to West Bengal to launch some developmental projects, but now he may join the events through video conferencing, sources said on Friday.

8:29 AM

China Covid deaths accelerate to 9,000 a day: UK research firm Airfinity

Around 9,000 people in China are probably dying each day from COVID-19, UK-based health data firm Airfinity said on Thursday, nearly doubling its estimate from a week ago, as infections ripped across the world's most populous nation.

 

COVID infections started to sweep across China in November, picking up pace this month after Beijing dismantled its zero-COVID policies including regular PCR testing on its population and publication of data on asymptomatic cases.

 

Cumulative deaths in China since Dec. 1 likely reached 100,000 with infections totalling 18.6 million, Airfinity said in a statement. 

8:28 AM

PM Modi's mother a role model for all, says Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday expressed deep sadness over the death of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother and said her sacrificial ascetic life will always be remembered.

Modi's mother Hiraben passed away at a hospital in Ahmedabad on Friday. She was 99.

In tweets in Hindi, Shah said he was very sad to know about the demise of the prime minister's mother.

The home minister said a mother is the first friend and teacher of a person's life and the pain of losing a mother is undoubtedly the biggest pain in the world.

8:21 AM

Rajnath, Gujarat CM express grief after PM Modi's mother Heeraben passes away

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday expressed grief on the demise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother Heeraben Modi.

 

Rajnath highlighted the value of a mother in one's life and said that its void is "impossible to fill".

 

"I am deeply pained by the passing away of Hira Ba, mother of Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi. The death of a mother leaves such a void in one's life that is impossible to fill. I express my condolences to the Prime Minister and his entire family in this hour of grief. Om Shanti!" the Defence Minister tweeted.

 

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also condoled the death of the Prime Minister's mother passed away at 100, and said that she was the epitome of simplicity and high values of life.

8:20 AM

PM Modi may join development works in West Bengal via video-conferencing

A host of development programmes, including a Namami Gange meeting and the inauguration of the Vande Bharat train, scheduled to be attended in West Bengal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday will be held as per plan, and he may participate via video-conferencing, officials said.

 

Modi has left for Ahmedabad following the death of his mother Heeraben to attend her last rites. Hiraben passed away at a hospital in Ahmedabad on Friday. She was 99, the hospital said.

 

Development projects worth over Rs 7,800 crore are scheduled to be launched by the prime minister in West Bengal.

 

A Vande Bharat Express connecting Howrah and New Jalpaiguri is also planned to be flagged off.

 

8:20 AM

PM Narendra Modi's mother Heeraben passes away

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother Hiraben (99) passed away at a hospital in Ahmedabad on Friday.

 

A bulletin from the UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre, where she was admitted on Wednesday said Hiraben has passed away.

 

PM Modi had reached Ahmedabad from Delhi on Wednesday afternoon and visited the hospital to meet his mother. He had remained at the hospital for more than an hour and had also spoken to doctors at the hospital, a government-funded autonomous medical facility.

 

Hiraben, also called Hiraba, lived at Raysan village near Gandhinagar city with PM Modi's younger brother Pankaj Modi. The prime minister regularly visited Raysan and spent time with his mother during most of his Gujarat visits.

 

8:20 AM

20 million people to face acute hunger by end of March 2023 in Afghanistan: Report

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in a report highlighted the economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan for the coming year as about 20 million people are at risk of facing acute hunger by the end of March 2023, TOLO news reported.

 

The report predicted that four million children and women will experience acute malnutrition, with malnutrition rates continuing to be exceedingly high.

 

"The deteriorating economy has caused sharp declines in income, rising debt, and high unemployment. Due to a severe increase in commodity prices, people now spend 71 per cent of their income on food," TOLO news said citing the report. Moreover, due to the approaching winters, the residents of Afghanistan have time and again expressed their concerns over their deteriorated situation.

 

8:19 AM

Russia fires around 120 missiles over Ukraine, including Kyiv

Russia fired more than 120 missiles at cities across Ukraine on Thursday, CNN reported Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak.

 

The attack reportedly has damaged homes, as well as playgrounds, according to the Kyiv city military administration.

 

As officials reported missile attacks and the activation of air defence systems in a number of locations, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Zhytomyr, and Poltava, air raid sirens could be heard throughout Ukraine on Thursday morning, CNN reported.

 

8:19 AM

Pele, the legend who made football 'the beautiful game' is no more

Called by various names such as 'Gasolina', 'The Black Pearl' and 'O Rei' (The King), the nickname that stuck like glue to Edson Arantes do Nascimento, who, as 'Pele', became the greatest footballer the world has ever known.

 

It is with that name he left the world as the most cherished and loved sports star we have ever seen.

 

Pele, 82, passed away in a private hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil, after spending nearly a month, battling complications related to advanced cancer.

 

He had a colon tumor removed in September 2021 and neither his family, nor doctors, specified whether it had spread to other organs. He was recently under "elevated care" related to "kidney and cardiac dysfunction".

 

8:19 AM

World population projected at 7.9 billion on New Year's Day

The world population is projected to be 7.9 billion people on New Year's Day 2023, with 73.7 million people added since New Year's Day 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau said Thursday.

 

That marks a 0.9% increase in the world population over the past year.

 

During January 2023, 4.3 births and two deaths are expected worldwide every second, the Census Bureau said.

 

The U.S. population on New Year's Day 2023 is projected to be 334.2 million people, with 1.5 million people added since New Year's Day 2022, or an increase of just under a half percent.

 

The U.S. is projected to have a birth every nine seconds and a death every 10 seconds in January 2023.