Top news of the day | January 9, 2025

India will fulfill world’s demand for skilled talent, PM Modi says at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention on Thursday. Tirupati stampede: Nearly 1.20 lakh ‘Vaikunta Dwara Darshan’ tokens at Tirumala temple exhausted in whiff The tokens for the first three days of the ten-day ‘Vaikunta Dwara Darshan’ at Tirumala Sri Venkateswara temple got exhausted within hours of the opening of the counters, albeit after the unfortunate stampede in which six devotees breathed their last. Three Naxalites killed in encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma Three Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Thursday, State Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said. Himachal cabinet gives nod to rename Himachal Pradesh Institute of Public Administration after Manmohan Singh Even as suspense surrounding the selection of a memorial site in the country’s national capital for former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh continues, the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh gave nod to rename an institute in his name, acknowledging Dr. Singh’s significant contributions for development of the hill state. The 82-year-old Democrat, who leaves office on January 20, was asked by USA Today if he believed victory over Republican Donald Trump was a realistic prospect last November, and he pointed to unspecified polling and said: “I think yes.” Tens of thousands ordered to evacuate as fires tear through Los Angeles area Fierce wildfires are raging in the Los Angeles area, fuelled by powerful Santa Ana winds, sending residents fleeing from burning homes through flames, ferocious winds and towering clouds of smoke.