Why parade on republic day

New Delhi, Jan. 26: A grateful nation to-day paid homage to its valiant soldiers, sailors and airmen who laid down their lives and honoured those who displayed exemplary valour in defence of the country during the recent war with Pakistan. The Republic Day this year was turned into a day of commemoration with the Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, laying a wreath at a specially erected memorial under the arcade of the India Gate, where a four foot-high flame was lit on top of the historic monument. The simple memorial consisted of a small pedestal placed on a platform with a reversed rifle and a steel helmet on top symbolising the sacrifice of the unknown warrior who laid down his life so that his countrymen might live in freedom, dignity and peace. The solemn ceremony which lasted only a few minutes was conducted with splendid simplicity befitting the poignant occasion. As the buglers drawn from the three Services sounded the Last Post — and the guard of honour reversed arms — the … [Read more...] about From the Archives (January 27, 1972): Cheering heroes at Delhi parade

While India faces a growing threat from enemy drones, especially for sensitive and high-profile buildings, airports, and other areas, the country’s elite anti-terror force National Security Guard (NSG) is preparing itself to neutralise this danger. News18 has learnt that the force is now gearing up to conduct anti-drone operations in civil areas just like any other counterterror exercise. The NSG is also preparing itself to secure sensitive areas during special occasions from any drone attack. According to sources, the home ministry has given its nod to the force to procure the world’s best technology and equipment required for anti-drone operations. A senior government official told News18 that this has been done after sensing the gravity of the threat from drones. “Drone attacks have taken place in various parts of the world. NSG commandos are now getting trained to conduct anti-drone operations in civil areas. The force has also purchased various anti-drone equipment, … [Read more...] about Elite NSG Commandos Getting Trained to Clip Wings of Enemy Drones amid Rising Terror Threat

Far away in snowbound Ladakh, beyond the cobalt blue Pangong Tso, stands a memorial inscribed with words from Lord Macaulay’s poem, Horatius. How can man die better/ Than facing fearful odds/ For the ashes of his fathers/ And the temples of his gods. The memorial commemorates the heroic stand of Major Shaitan Singh, PVC, and the brave Ahirs of C Company, 13 Kumaon Regiment. In the dark days of 1962, Major Singh and his men, grossly outnumbered, were brutally massacred by the Chinese, and died following the orders, “You will fight till the last man and the last bullet”. It is this enigma of war — what makes some run, others stand their ground, and a remarkable few display astonishing courage — that Rachna unravels in her first book. When Penguin Books thought of this project, Rachna, an award-winning journalist and Army wife, fit the bill. “Men in olive green have been around me for a lifetime — my father and brother are proud paratroopers and my husband is an engineer,” she … [Read more...] about Roll of honour

A furious Vladimir Putin has purged a number of governors from five Russian regions in a new political shake-up. The sweeping move has seen the Kremlin boss oust five regional heads. Some suggested the drastic move could be an effort to open up positions to oust out-of-favour officials from Moscow. It comes after a number of reports Putin was increasingly angry at some of the military and security personnel for failures during the ongoing invasion. Speculation suggests he is ready to fire those he feels has let him down on the ongoing invasion. The worst offenders in Putin’s eyes are reportedly already under arrest. Want all the latest news and analysis from Ukraine? Sign up to our World News Bulletin here Valery Radayev, 61, governor of Saratov region, at 2017 meeting with Vladimir Putin ( Image: Kremlin.ru/e2w) The shock of the simultaneous resignations of five governors was reportedly indicative of pressure put on them by the Kremlin to go. … [Read more...] about Furious Putin swings the axe to oust five regional governors in new political purge

Russian leader Vladimir Putin appeared at a virtual meeting of his security council with a 'bloated head that is too big for his body' commenters say. There was even a claim his head had been artificially attached to his body in manipulated footage. The appearance came amid opposition claims that Putin is due to have surgery imminently as his health sparks debate around the world. Today he made an online appearance with security council members and also spoke by phone to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said the Kremlin . Putin again didn't look himself, with more questions asked about the state of the leader's health. Putin had a bloated look with his 'head too big for body' ( Image: WILL STEWART) One comment on his video appearance read: “His face and head look so bloated, especially his cheeks and around the back of his head. “He looks photoshopped onto his body. It’s clearly him, but what a strange look.” Another said: “Either his clothing is too tight … [Read more...] about Vladimir Putin’s bloated look with ‘head too big for body’ in virtual meeting

Paris will give the famed Champs-Elysees a makeover ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games by planting trees and increasing pedestrian areas, the French capital's officials said recently (May 11). The French often call it "the most beautiful avenue in the world" but activists complain that traffic and luxury retail have turned it into a noisy and elitist area shunned by ordinary Parisians. "We need to re-enchant the capital's most famous avenue, which has lost a lot of its splendour in the past 30 years," the mayor of the capital's 8th district Jeanne d'Hauteserre told reporters. "It's a reduction of the space for cars, to be clear, because that's how we need to envision the city of the future," socialist Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo said. The plan is in keeping with other efforts by the city leader to squeeze cars out of Paris and make the city more green, a push that has divided residents with critics saying her policies go too far too fast. But supporters have lauded the former … [Read more...] about Paris plans green makeover of Champs-Elysees for Olympics

Kim Jong Un's decision not to inoculate North Korea's public for more than two years has resulted in 25 million people becoming the first to face down a potentially devastating COVID outbreak without vaccines. This week, as Pyongyang acknowledged over 1.7 million suspected COVID cases suffering from "fever," the WHO warned "unchecked transmission" in the country could spawn new variants, which risk spilling over into its densely populated neighbors, in particular China. North Korea was among the first nations to impose lockdowns and border restrictions in January 2020. It maintained a widely-doubted claim of zero COVID cases until acknowledging its first cluster of the BA.2 strain on May 12. The cases are believed to be linked to a military parade held in late April. The state-owned Korean Central News Agency has quoted the nation's leader warning of a "great upheaval." But without effective vaccines, the health crisis, which KCNA said had led to 62 deaths as of Tuesday, … [Read more...] about North Korea’s Kim Jong Un begins ultimate no-vaccination experiment

President Joe Biden has said the U.S. will "enhance" deterrence aimed at North Korea amid renewed concerns that the country could perform more tests of long-range missiles. Biden issued a joint statement with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol early on Saturday during his first visit to Asia since becoming president in January last year. Yoon and Biden reiterated their commitment to the South Korea-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty, while Biden affirmed the U.S. deterrence commitment to its ally "using the full range of U.S. defense capabilities, including nuclear, conventional, and missile defense capabilities." That renewed emphasis on deterrence comes about a month after North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un vowed to step up his country's nuclear weapons program during a speech at a major military parade. Biden and Yoon said on Saturday that North Korea—which is officially known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)—posed an "evolving threat" and said they had … [Read more...] about Joe Biden to “enhance” North Korea deterrence after Kim Jong Un nuclear vow

South Korean military officials told reporters on Wednesday that one of three missiles launched by the communist regime in North Korea that day was likely the Hwasong-17, the most advanced of Pyongyang’s intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). A top official in the newly minted administration of conservative South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol also told reporters on Wednesday that South Korea has reason to believe that dictator Kim Jong-un is revamping the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site and appears to be testing a nuclear detonator. North Korea has tested six nuclear bombs in its history, four under President Joe Biden’s former boss, Barack Obama. Biden visited South Korea and Japan last week for, among other things, his first in-person meeting with Yoon since the latter took office on May 10. North Korea has rejected all of the Biden administration’s attempts to communicate and has repeatedly mocked Biden as “feeble” and “senile.” The communist regime in Pyongyang did … [Read more...] about Seoul Says North Korea Launched ICBM, Is Testing Nuclear Detonator