actor Dharmendra hospitalised
Veteran actor Dharmendra has been admitted to a hospital for a routine health check-up, a family insider said on Saturday. The 89-year-old actor was admitted to the Breach Candy hospital in south Mumbai earlier this week. “He went to the hospital on Thursday. Since the results would take some time to arrive, the family decided that it would be better for him to stay there until all the routine check-ups were done properly. He is old and needs proper attention from the doctors. There’s nothing to worry about,” the insider said.
Countdown begins for ISRO’s satellite
The 24-hour countdown for the launch of over 4,000 kg communication satellite CMS-03 commenced at this spaceport on Saturday, ISRO said. The satellite, weighing about 4,410 kg, will be the heaviest to be launched from Indian soil and into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO), the space agency said. The spacecraft will travel on board a LVM3-M5 rocket, dubbed ‘Bahubali’ for its heavy-lift capability. The launch vehicle has been fully assembled and integrated with the spacecraft and it has been moved to the second launch pad here for taking up pre-launch operations, the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency said on Saturday. Later in a social media post, ISRO said, “Countdown commences!! Final preparations complete and the countdown for LVM3-M5 (mission) has officially begun at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota”. “All systems are GO as we move closer to liftoff,” the space agency said in its update. The 43.5 metre tall rocket is scheduled for a 5.26 pm liftoff on November 2.
PM, President extend greetings
Several states and Union Territories, including Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Punjab celebrated their formation day on Saturday, with political leaders hailing their contribution in the country’s progress. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Lakshadweep, Delhi, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands also have their foundation days on November 1. Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Lakshadweep came into being on this day in 1956. Punjab and Haryana were formed in 1966, while Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in 2000. Delhi attained Union Territory status on this day 69 years ago, on November 1, 1956, following the reorganisation of Indian states. In a series of posts on microblogging platform X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the people of the states celebrating their formation day. Modi, who is on a visit to Chhattisgarh on the 25th anniversary of its formation, said, “This state, dedicated to nature and culture, is today engaged in setting ever-new benchmarks of progress. Many areas here, once affected by Naxalism, are now competing in development.” The Prime Minister inaugurated the new building of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly in Nava Raipur Atal Nagar, and also unveiled a statue of former prime minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee on its premises.
RJD pushing jungle raj in Bihar: Nadda
BJP president JP Nadda on Saturday alleged that the RJD wants to bring back ‘jungle raj’ in Bihar if it is voted to power, and nominating late gangster-turned-politician Mohammad Shahabuddin’s son points to it. Addressing election rallies in Siwan and Muzaffarpur virtually as bad weather prevented him from reaching the venues, Nadda alleged that kidnapping had become an industry during ‘jungle raaj’ (lawlessness) and ransom used to be settled at the then CM’s house.
“Bihar witnessed ‘jungle raj’ under the RJD regime. There was complete anarchy in the state. Law and order had collapsed, and along with that, an industry of kidnapping started growing here,” he alleged.
