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West Bengal CM and Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee on Friday gave the Centre a seven-day ultimatum to clear all dues failing which the party would launch a massive protest. Ms Banerjee made these remarks during a programme at Raj Bhavan to celebrate the 75th Republic Day. Ms Banerjee said, "If the central government does not clear the funds, then we (TMC) will initiate a massive protest." According to West Bengal government's figures, the Centre owes the state Rs 9,330 crore under the PMAY, Rs 6,900 crore under MGNREGA, Rs 830 crore under National Health Mission, Rs 770 crore under PM Gram Sadak Yojna, Rs 350 crore under the Swachh Bharat Mission, Rs 175 crore for mid Day Meals, as well as money under other schemes. Ms Banerjee had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 20, and discussed the issue of pending central funds. After the meeting, she said PM Modi proposed that officials from state and Centre can sit together and clear the issues. Earlier this week,

Based on the twin themes of 'Viksit Bharat' and 'Bharat - Loktantra Ki Matruka', this year's parade will see the participation of 13,000 special guests. For the first time ever, the parade will be heralded by over 100 women artists playing Indian musical instruments. The parade would start with the music of Sankh, Naadswaram, Nagada, etc. to be played by these women artists. It will also see the first participation of an all-women tri-service contingent marching down the Kartavya Path. Women pilots will also enthral the audience during the flypast, representing "Nari Shakti". The contingents of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) will also consist of only women personnel. The Republic Day parade will start at 10,30 am and run for a duration of 90 minutes. The ceremony will start with the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the National War Memorial. Kartavya Path will be witness to a march past by a combined band and marching contingent of the

In a clear example of California's homelessness crisis, authorities found caves along the Tuolumne River where people had been living. These 20-foot-deep underground dwellings, reached by makeshift stairs, were filled with makeshift furniture and personal belongings, revealing the desperate measures some take for shelter. Located near Modesto, the caves were cleared over the weekend by police and volunteers from local homeless outreach organizations. Authorities expressed concern about safety risks from unstable structures and potential flooding from the nearby river. "This particular area has been plagued by vagrancy and illegal camps, which have raised concerns due to the fact that these camps were actually caves dug into the riverbanks," the Modesto Police Department said in a statement. "During the operation on Saturday, a total of 7,600 lbs of trash, as well as two truckloads and a trailer of garbage, were successfully removed from the area," the police

The government today announced the prestigious Padma Awards on the eve of the 75th Republic Day celebrations. The Padma Vibhushan has been awarded to Vyjayantimala Bali, Konidela Chiranjeevi, M Venkaiah Naidu, Bindeshwar Pathak (posthumous), and Padma Subrahmanyam. BJP leader Ram Naik, singer Usha Uthup and actor Vijaykanth (posthumous) are among the 17 who have been awarded the Padma Bhushan. The first woman judge of the Supreme Court Chief Justice M Fathima Beevi (posthumous), actor Mithun Chakraborty, and Bombay Samachar owner Hormusji N Cama are also among the Padma Bhushan awardees. Young Liu, the CEO of Taiwan's Foxconn, has also been honoured with Padma Bhushan. https://ift.tt/MB5XroZ from NDTV News- Topstories https://ift.tt/EQVLj8m

Manish Tripathi who designed the outfit adorned by the Ram Lalla idol in the newly constructed temple in Ayodhya said a divine connection with the deity helped him achieve the task. Explaining about the material and design of the outfit, Mr Tripathi told PTI, "We got a pitambari (yellow) cloth prepared for the lord in Kashi (Varanasi)," He added that along with silk, gold and silver wires were used in preparation of the clothing material. "The embroidery done on the outfit has Vaishnavite symbols," the designer said. Asked about the challenges faced in the conceptualisation and making of the outfit, Mr Tripathi said, "The biggest challenge was prepare a cloth which suits the grandeur of a prince and a god. I prayed to god to show me the way and he showed me signs and gave wisdom so that I could prepare apt clothing for him." The young designer, who was born and brought up in Lucknow, said it was also a challenge for him to live up to the imagination an

Six-time World Champion and 2012 Olympic medallist Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom on Wednesday announced her retirement from boxing. Mary Kom hung her boxing gloves as the International Boxing Association's (IBA) rules allow male and female boxers to fight in elite-level competition only till the age of 40. During an event, Mary, 41, admitted that she still has the hunger to compete at the elite level, but she has to bring curtains down on her career because of the age limit. "I have the hunger still but unfortunately because of the age limit it is over I cannot compete in any competition. I want to play more but I am being forced to quit (due to the age limit). I have to retire. I have achieved everything in my life," Mary said during an event. Mary is the first female boxer in boxing history to have captured six world titles. The five-time Asian champion was the first female boxer from India to take home a gold medal at the 2014 Asian Games. The experienced pugilist wo