ISRO TO GROW CROPS IN SPACE ON PSLV-C60 SPADEX MISSION 24 experiments include 10 from pvt sector Of the 24 payloads, 14 will be from various ISRO labs and 10 from private universities and start-ups. In one of the experiments, ISRO will grow eight cowpea seeds from seed germination and plant sustenance until the two-leaf stage in a closed-box environment with thermal controls. Amity University, Mumbai, plans to study the growth of spinach in space India, Kuwait now strategic partners Key defence pact signed; Modi holds extensive talks with the Emir, invites him to visit India RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR @ New Delhi INDIA and Kuwait on Sunday decided to elevate their bilateral relationship to a ‘strategic partnership’, under which both countries will explore ways to enhance cooperation in several sectors including education, information technology pharma, ceuticals, fintech, infrastructure, and security . Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in the Gulf nation on Saturday for a twoday visit, held extensive talks with Kuwait’s top leaders, including Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and signed a number of pacts. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence will provide for cooperation in the areas of defence industries, supply of defence equipment, training, exchange of experts Prime Minister Narendra Modi being conferred with ‘The Order of Mubarak Al Kabeer’ by Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al Sabah, in Kuwait on Sunday | PTI and joint exercises, and collaboration in research and development. The other MoUs cover sports, culture, and solar energy according to the Ministry of , External Affairs (MEA). Modi’s meeting with the Emir was at the iconic Bayan Palace. During the interaction, EXPRESS READ Nitish, Modi to lead NDA’s poll fight in Bihar New Delhi: Senior Bihar BJP leader and the state’s deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Sunday said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would contest the 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly elections under the joint leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “The NDA will seek the people’s mandate again under CM Nitish Kumar and PM Narendra Modi’s leadership,” Choudhary said Only 121 cops deployed at Naidu’s residence Vijayawada: Following the directives of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the security detail assigned to him has been significantly reduced. Only 121 police personnel have been deployed outside his residence in Undavalli, which is just one-fifth of the 980 officers who were assigned to guard the residence of YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in Tadepalli during his tenure as chief minister | P5 Modi invited the Emir to visit India. Modi also expressed his gratitude to the Emir for ensuring the wellbeing of over one million Indians in Kuwait. The Kuwaiti leader, in turn, acknowledged the vital contributions of the Indian community to Kuwait’s development. The PM said the talks covered ways to deepen economic and cultural linkages between India and Kuwait, adding: “We are optimistic about the IndiaKuwait Strategic Partnership scaling new heights of success in the times to come.” Modi also held wide-ranging talks with Crown Prince Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah and Kuwaiti Prime Minister Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. In their delegation-level talks, the two prime ministers d i s c u s s e d a ro a d m ap t o strengthen the partnership in diverse areas including trade, investment, energy defence, se, curity, health, education, technology and people-to-people ties, the MEA said. Modi is the first Indian prime minister to visit Kuwait in 43 years after Indira Gandhi visited the country in 1981. PSLV-C60 Six in custody for attack on actor’s house E X P R E SS N E WS S E R V I C E @ Hyderabad A group of people, claiming to be members of OU JAC, raised slogans against Pushpa 2: The Rule actor Allu Arjun and vandalised flower pots at his residence on Sunday. A case was registered and six persons were taken into custody . Taking to X, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said he condemned the attack on cine personalities. “I am directing the State DGP and City Police Commissioner to take strict action regarding law and order. No laxity will be tolerated in this regard,” he said. The police said on Sunday, around 4.45 pm, a few persons holding placards rushed to the residence of Allu Arjun in Jubilee Hills and raising slogans. One of them climbed the compound wall and started to throw CONTINUED ON P4 tomatoes. ‘Atrocities in the name of Dharma due to ignorance’ E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Mumbai DAYS after expressing concern over the resurgence of templemosque disputes threatening to disrupt communal harmony , Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said that all acts of persecution and atrocities committed in the name of Dharma (religion) were due to lack of true comprehension of Dharma. Speaking at an event in Maharashtra’s Amravati, he said improper and incomplete understanding of Dharma leads to Adharma. “Dharma has always existed, governing the workings of the world, which is why it is called ‘Sanatan’ (eternal). The practice of Dharma itself ensures its protection. The various reformative sects in our Dharma played a crucial role and these sects are real wealth of Dharma,” he said. He said no religion teaches to divide people, but rather they impart the wisdom of uniting people. “Unity is eternal. The whole universe is one. Practising non-violence protects the Dharma. If we really and properly understand the Dharma, then there will be tranquillity, equality, unity and prosperity he said. ,” He said while even illiterates can easily understand Dharma, it’s often the educated lot, who are bloated with selfpride of their knowledge, who fail to comprehend it. CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOGGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI ■ ■ SOURCE: ISRO CP releases video footage to debunk Allu Arjun’s claim C H I T H A L U R I R E V A N T H @ Hyderabad HYDERABAD Commissioner of Police (CP) CV Anand on Sunday debunked actor Allu Arjun’s claims regarding the stampede at Sandhya Theatre, where a 32year-old woman lost her life while her eight-year-old son was severely injured. After Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy gave a blow-by-blow account in the Legislative Assembly regarding the December 4 incident, Allu Arjun held a press conference in the evening the same day denying the allegations. In response, Hyderabad police released a video timeline of the incident. According to Anand, the police and local teams collected around 1,000 video clippings, including media footage. After analysing the material, the police compiled a 10-minute video to provide a clear account of what had transpired on December 4. “After watching the video, decide for yourself what happened that day,” the CP remarked. As per the video, Sandhya Theatre manager Nagaraju submitted an application to the SHO concerned at 5.35 pm on December 2, seeking bandobast for the actor’s visit. The request was denied, and a written response was issued to the management the following day . On December 4 at 9.15 pm, Allu Arjun’s daughter and father-in-law entered the theatre, followed shortly by the actor’s PIC | Sri Loganathan Velmurugan HYDERABAD  MONDAY  DECEMBER 23, 2024  `9.00  PAGES 12  LATE CITY EDITION SPADEX, THE FOURTH POEM MISSION, IS EXPECTED TO BE LAUNCHED LATER THIS MONTH The PSLV Orbital Experiment Module (POEM-4) will carry 24 experimental payloads to demonstrate various technologies in space Harish and KTR questioned the arrest of Allu Arjun. When a person dies, action will be taken as per law. It doesn’t matter if the person in question is an icon or a superstar Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, minister Everyone has condemned the stampede that led to the woman’s death. Everyone wants Sri Tej to recover... But it is shameful to create another issue by allowing an MIM member to raise the matter in the Assembly Bandi Sanjay, MoS (Home) They are heroes in films. But, on the ground they should understand the problems of the society. Promotion of a film is not that important as the safety of the citizens Dr Jithender, Telangana DGP son. Around 9.25 pm, Revathi and her family arrived at the theatre, where she and her son were separated from her husband and daughter. CONTINUED ON P4