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Mon, 19 September 2022
Ex-SP MLA held for threatening to blow up Parl
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23:58 Ex-SP MLA held for threatening to blow up Parl
The Delhi police crime branch on Monday arrested former Samajwadi Party MLA Kishore Samrite from Bhopal for allegedly threatening to blow up Parliament, officials in the national capital said.
They said Samrite had on Saturday allegedly sent a package along with the threat letter to the authorities.
He threatened to blow up Parliament on September 30 if his demands were not met, the officials said.
Samrite was held from his house in Kolar after the state police was duly informed about the action, Bhopal additional commissioner of police Sachin Atulkar said.
"They produced him in a local court and have taken him to Delhi on transit remand," the official said.
In Delhi, special commissioner of police (crime) Ravindra Yadav said the Speaker's office received the package containing a letter, a national flag and gelatin sticks.
Samrite had written down 70 demands in the letter, Yadav added.
"We registered a case and sent a team to Bhopal and arrested him today (Monday) with help of the local police," he said. -- PTI
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23:27 Child abduction messages on social media fake, says Mumbai police
The Mumbai police on Monday said news circulating on social media of children getting kidnapped from various parts of the metropolis was fake and asked people not to believe in rumours in this connection.
News that children have been kidnapped from areas like HDIL Kohinoor, Kanjurmarg, BMC school Vikhroli and Ghatkopar keeps getting circulated on social media, but these are all fake, said Prashant Kadam, deputy commissioner of police (Zone VII).
Senior officials visited the site mentioned in the messages, probed for details and complaints, and found all these were fake and spread to cause alarm, the DCP added.
"People should not believe in such messages, audio clips etc. They must not fall prey to rumours in this connection," he said.
Zone X DCP Mahesh Reddy said an alert was received on Sunday about a man in his 20s abducting a 10-year-boy and taking him to Andheri, but a spot probe, checking of CCTV and talks with residents and shopkeepers in the vicinity proved it was a fake. -- PTI
23:08 UP Dalit rape survivor set afire by accused dies
A Dalit girl, who was allegedly burnt after rape by two men in Madhotanda area in Lucknow, succumbed to her burns at a hospital in Lucknow on Monday, 12 days after the incident.
Superintendent of police Dinesh Kumar Prabhu said that the victim died during treatment at the King George Medical University hospital in Lucknow.
The relatives took her body and left for their village after post mortem, he said.
Adequate police force has been deployed in the village as a precautionary measure.
The officer said that on September 7, in a village in Madhotanda area, two men, Rajveer and Tarachand, entered the 16-year-old Dalit girl's house and raped her.
The accused then burnt the girl after pouring some inflammable oil over her. She was undergoing treatment in Lucknow.
Prabhu said that the police had arrested both the accused within two hours.
A charge of murder will now be added to the original FIR and the two accused will be tried under the Gangster Act, said police. -- PTI
22:47 Kedarnath temple panel bans entry of devotees into sanctum sanctorum
The Badrinath-Kedarnath temple committee on Monday banned the entry of devotees into the sanctum sanctorum of Kedarnath for the time being in view of a huge rush of pilgrims.
After nearly a two-month dip in footfall during the monsoon season, there has been a sharp rise in the number of devotees thronging the temple of late.
"We have put a ban on the entry of devotees into the sanctum sanctorum of the temple for the time being as there is limited space inside it and the rush is too much. As long as the ban is in force, devotees cannot go beyond the sabha mandap for darshan," BKTC president Ajendra Ajay said.
A similar ban was imposed at the Himalayan temple before the onset of the monsoon as well as the daily turnout had climbed, he said.
"The restriction can be removed only when the crowd gets smaller," Ajay said. -- PTI
22:23 Gyanvapi post: Raj BJP worker gets death threat
A Bharatiya Janata Party worker in Rajasthan's Alwar district has received a death threat in a letter which accuses her of having insulted the prophet, the police said on Monday.
The woman said she found the letter days after she put up a social media post on the Gyanvapi mosque.
"A complaint has been received. The beat constable and the SHO of the area have been asked to keep a watch. Footage from a CCTV camera installed at the apartment is being examined," Alwar superintendent of police Tejaswini Gautam said.
Sadar police station SHO Ajit Singh said preliminary investigation suggested that the letter was written by a child, who threatened the BJP worker with an 'Udaipur-like incident'.
The letter said the punishment for insulting the prophet is beheading, he added.
The letter referred to the brutal murder of a tailor in Rajasthan's Udaipur by two men over an "insult to Islam' on June 28. -- PTI
22:11 Goa Congress MLAs who joined BJP meet Nadda, Amit Shah in New Delhi
Seven out of the eight former Congress MLAs in Goa, who joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party last week, on Monday met BJP president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.
Goa BJP president Sadanand Shet Tanavade and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was also present during the meeting with Nadda and Shah in the national capital.
The seven MLAs -- Digambar Kamat, Delilah Lobo, Kedar Naik, Rajesh Phaldesai, Sankalp Amonkar, Rudolf Fernandes and Aleixo Sequeira -- called on the two senior BJP leaders, Tanavade said.
The eighth MLA who switched sides, Michael Lobo, could not attend the meeting as he is currently out of station, he said.
Tanavade said discussion at the meeting revolved around providing good administration in the state.
The state BJP president said all the MLAs will return to Goa from New Delhi by Monday night.
On Wednesday last, all the eight legislators joined the BJP after passing a resolution in a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party. -- PTI
21:30 Maharaja Hari Singh's birthday declared as annual holiday in J-K
Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday declared the birthday of Maharaja Hari Singh, which falls on September 23, as an annual holiday in the Union Territory.
"To commemorate the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh ji, 23rd of September every year shall be observed as a holiday in government offices and educational institutions across the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir under the Negotiable Instruments Act 1881," a notification issued by the general administration department reads.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had last week announced the decision to observe the birthday of the last Dogra ruler of J&K as a public holiday. -- PTI
21:25 Queen concludes final journey to be laid at rest at Windsor
After an epic journey by road and air since she passed away peacefully aged 96 in Scotland on September 8, Queen Elizabeth II's coffin concluded its final journey to Windsor Castle for a Committal Service and private burial at St. George's Chapel on Monday evening.
The roughly 40-km route by road from Westminster Abbey in London, the site of a grand state funeral attended by thousands earlier in the day, to Windsor included the coffin processing by state gun carriage and then in the state hearse, a customised Jaguar, to the steps of the chapel.
Thousands lined the streets on the route of this final procession, which Buckingham Palace said had been drawn up with the public in mind, and the Order of Service for the Committal Service was discussed with the late monarch "over a number of years.
"We have come together to commit into the hands of God the soul of his servant Queen Elizabeth," said the Dean of Windsor, who led the service.
"In the midst of our rapidly changing and frequently troubled world, her calm and dignified presence has given us confidence to face the future, as she did, with courage and with hope. As, with grateful hearts, we reflect on these and all the many other ways in which her long life has been a blessing to us, we pray that God will give us grace to honour her memory by following her example, and that, with our sister Elizabeth, at the last, we shall know the joys of life eternal," he said. -- PTI
21:11 Tharoor gets Sonia's nod to fight Cong prez poll
Senior Congress leader and Kerala MP Shashi Tharoor has reportedly received nod from Congress president Sonia Gandhi to contest for the post of the party president.
Tharoor had reached out to Sonia Gandhi in a meeting on Monday, citing he can make internal democracy stronger, said sources. -- ANI
21:04 Kangana Ranaut visits Mathura's Banke Bihari temple with family
Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut, on Monday, visited the Thakur Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan, where she along with her family offered prayers.
A crowd of devotees and locals were seen running towards her as she got down from the car on the VIP route heading towards the Banke Bihari temple.
Tight security had to be arranged to make Kangana's exit from the temple possible.
Kangana reached the temple's VIP area inside a circle of security guards and there, amidst Vedic chanting, she was engrossed in offering prayers for some time.
Following that, she chanted "Radhe Radhe" and left for the Nidhivan Raj Temple, which is the birthplace of Banke Bihari.
After worshipping there too, Kangana interacted with the media and said, "it is our good fortune that we get the privilege of seeing Krishna and Radhe Maa."
The actor said she had come here to seek Lord Krishna's blessings at his birthplace as she has completed filming her second directorial movie Emergency.
During her visit, the actor avoided answering any politics-related questions. -- ANI
Modi clicks photos of a cheetah released in Kuno National Park, MP/PIB Photo
20:43 MP orders probe into 'morphed' photo of Modi
A photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi holding a camera with its lens cap on while apparently clicking pictures of the recently-released cheetahs has gone viral, prompting the Madhya Pradesh government to order a probe into the 'morphed' image.
"This is a very serious issue. Fabrication has been done with PM Modi's camera (in the photograph). I have directed the cyber cell of the police to investigate the matter. Stern action would be taken against the guilty after the probe," Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra told reporters in Bhopal.
The prime minister, wearing a light blue kurta and a light brown jacket with sunglasses and a brown-colour hat, clicked photographs of cheetahs with a DSLR camera from the high dais after releasing them in special enclosures in the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district on September 17.
According to the government, PM Modi's photo was morphed and circulated on social media to show that he didn't click photos.
The "morphed" photo shows Modi looking through the lens of the DSLR camera whose lens cap is not open, with a caption in Hindi: "Did not even remove the cap of the camera for the picture of self. This is the identity of an educated person (sic)."
Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh wondered if the photo of the prime minister is morphed. -- PTI
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20:22 Foreign currency worth Rs 6.05 crore seized at Amritsar international airport
The customs department at the Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport in Amritsar has seized foreign currency worth Rs 6.05 crore from a passenger, officials said on Monday.
On the evening of September 18, during security check of baggage of outgoing international passengers, airline staff alerted customs officers about a suspicious luggage, they said.
Customs officers carried out profiling of the passenger who owned the luggage and found him to be suspicious, following which his movement was monitored, the officials said.
When he was intercepted and asked whether he was carrying excess Indian or foreign currency with him, he denied, they said.
Thereafter his checked-in bag was examined and 80 packets of foreign currency concealed in special cavities were found, an official said.
It included $7,55,700, worth nearly Rs 6 crore in Indian currency, and some Saudi Riyals, he said.
The passenger could not produce any evidence for its lawful acquisition, possession and exportation.
He was offloaded and searches carried out at his residence and shop, the officials said. -- PTI
20:07 India records 14th monkeypox case
A 30-year-old Nigerian woman has tested positive for monkeypox in Delhi, making it the city's ninth and India's 14th case of the infection, officials said on Monday.
The woman was admitted to the LNJP Hospital in New Delhi with blisters and pus-filled lesions on genitals on September 16.
Her test report came back on Sunday, they added.
Another suspected patient, also of Nigerian origin, was admitted to the state-run hospital on Sunday.
His test reports are awaited. -- PTI
19:54 Queen's funeral: Why Harry didn't wear his uniform
At Queen Elizabeth's funeral ceremony on Monday, while several members of the royal family were seen sporting military uniforms, there were some who wore suits.
According to People magazine, the late monarch's state funeral started with a procession from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey.
Though King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Prince William sported military regalia, Prince Andrew and Prince Harry did not.
It had been previously confirmed by Buckingham Palace that only working members of the royal family who hold military rank will wear military uniforms during the events leading up to and including the Queen's funeral, reported People magazine.
As both Andrew and Harry are no longer senior working royals, hence they wore dark suits to join the procession.
Peter Phillips, who walked beside his cousin Prince Harry, also wore a suit as he does not hold any military ranks.
Netizens have been expressing their opinions on Prince Harry not being allowed to wear his military uniform.
One user wrote on Twitter, 'One thing I don't agree with is that Prince Harry wasn't allowed to wear his military uniform to Queen Elizabeth's funeral. Given he was the only royal to serve two tours of Afghanistan, I thought he should be bestowed this right #queensfuneral #QueenElizabethIl.'
Answering this, Clive Hill, whose Twitter bio says that he's an ex-REME soldier, also shared the explanation for this.
He tweeted, 'For all the civilians that keep asking why Prince Harry is not wearing the military uniform: He isn't the Colonel-in-Chief of any units. He's not serving & resigned his commission when he left the Army. He wore it at the vigil with dispensation from the King.'
Hill also shared an excerpt regarding the United Kingdom's Uniforms Act 1984 which regulates and restricts the wearing of Naval and military uniforms in the UK.
It read, 'If any person not serving in Her Majesty's naval or military forces wears without Her Majesty's permission the uniform of any of those forces or any dress having the appearance or bearing any of the regimental or other distinctive marks of any such uniform in such a manner as to bring or under circumstances as to be likely to bring contempt upon that uniform, or employs any other person so as to wear that uniform or dress, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding GBP 400, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month.'
It's been more than two years since Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle opted to step back from their duties as senior members of the royal family, resulting in the Duke of Sussex losing his royal patronages and military titles.
Harry had officially returned the titles of Captain General Royal Marines, Honorary Air Commandant, RAF Honington and Commodore-in-Chief, Small Ships and Diving, Royal Naval Command to Queen Elizabeth II, as per the US Magazine.
Rising to the rank of Captain and undertaking two tours in Afghanistan, Harry has spent 10 years in the Army and still continues to work with fellow servicemen, sponsoring support for wounded women and men.
According to People magazine, despite this rule, an exception was made for both Prince Harry and Prince Andrew to wear their uniforms once during the mourning period.
Andrew wore his military garb on Friday for a Vigil of the Princes.
In contrast, Queen Elizabeth's eight grandchildren performed a similar vigil on Saturday, with Prince Harry wearing his Blues and Royals uniform.
The reason Prince Andrew was not allowed to wear his uniform is that he had been stripped of his military affiliations and royal patronages in January 2022, one day after his lawyers failed to convince a US judge to dismiss a civil lawsuit brought against him by Virginia Giuffre, who alleged that he sexually abused her when she was 17 years old, reported E! News. -- ANI
IMAGE: Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, reacts as she, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Queen Camilla and King Charles attend the state funeral and burial of Britain's Queen Elizabeth, in London, on September 19, 2022 Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters
19:03 President Murmu at Westminster Abbey
President Droupadi Murmu at the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey, London. She is accompanied by Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra. -- ANI
18:55 Queen's coffin being taken to Windsor Castle
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II has competed a procession at walking pace through central London and is bound in a hearse for her final resting place at Windsor Castle.
After being pulled more than a mile from Westminster Abbey on a gun carriage by 142 Royal Navy sailors, the coffin was transferred to a hearse at Wellington Arch, near Buckingham Palace.
The monarch's coffin will go by car the 32 kilometers to Windsor Castle, where she will be interred later Monday alongside her husband Prince Philip, who died last year. -- Agncies
IMAGE: A person throws a flower towards Britain's Queen Elizabeth's coffin, as it is transported, on the day of her state funeral and burial, in London, on September 19, 2022. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters
18:23 TV actress Nishi Singh passes away
TV actress Nishi Singh, best known for her role in Qubool Hai, is no more.
Confirming Nishi's demise, actor Karanvir Bohra took to Instagram Stories and wrote, "Sad to hear this news. #Omnamahshivay."
Nishi Singh, who acted in shows like Tenali Rama and Hitler Didi, died on Sunday, September 18, after a long illness that stretched on for over three years.
Nishi, reportedly, suffered three paralytic strokes over the last few years and was battling the resultant health woes.
Sanjay, who is a writer-actor by profession, had asked for financial help in September 2020 after Nishi suffered a paralytic attack in February 2019, and another one in February 2020.
The Cine & TV Artistes' Association (CINTAA) also paid tribute to the actress on social media.
Nishi Singh is survived by husband Sanjay and their two children -- a 21-year-old son and an 18-year-old daughter.
-- ANI
18:15 World leaders observe 2-min silence for Queen
World leaders from American President Joe Biden to French President Emmanuel Macron to Indian President Droupadi Murmu joined members of the public in observing a two-minute silence in memory of Queen Elizabeth II as the funeral service ended in London with the recitation of 'God Save the King', the reworded national anthem on Monday.
The coffin of the longest-serving monarch of the United Kingdom was carried at Westminster Abbey in London today with the Royal family members and top world leaders in attendance.
Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
It is the first state funeral in the UK since Winston Churchill's in 1965.
Queen's wreath contains foliage of rosemary, English oak and myrtle and flowers, in shades of gold, pink and deep burgundy, with touches of white, cut from the gardens of Royal residences.
'At The King's request, the wreath contains foliage of Rosemary, English Oak and Myrtle (cut from a plant grown from Myrtle in The Queen's wedding bouquet) and flowers, in shades of gold, pink and deep burgundy, with touches of white, cut from the gardens of Royal Residences,' the Royal Family tweeted.
The coffin of the Queen was borne in a procession to Westminster Abbey on the State Gun Carriage.
'As for her father King George VI, grandfather King George V, great-grandfather King Edward VII and great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, Her Majesty The Queen's coffin was borne in a Procession to Westminster Abbey on the State Gun Carriage,' the Royal Family tweeted.
Numerous guests ranging from political heads of countries to distinct royal family members and dignitaries from across the world landed in the UK for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
A state funeral means that the UK government has officially declared the day of the funeral as a bank holiday.
President Murmu arrived in London to attend Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral on September 17 and offered condolences on behalf of the government of India.
On Sunday, US President Joe Biden also expressed his condolences to the royal family.
While mourning the passing of Queen Elizabeth, Biden remembered Queen's warm candour and said: "The way she touched when she leaned over. The way -- she had that look like, 'Are you okay? Anything I can do for you? What do you need?' And then also, 'Make sure you do what you're supposed to do'," Biden said adding that she reminded him of his mother.
Moreover, senior citizens and children are among those camping along the funeral routes, for over 48 hours in some cases, to bid a final goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II today.
Notably, the funeral service is conducted by the Dean of Westminster, and readings will be given by Patricia Scotland, the secretary general of the Commonwealth, and Prime Minister Liz Truss.
The sermon is delivered by Canterbury's archbishop, the Most Reverend Justin Welby.
"Rarely has such a promise been so well kept," he said.
The Queen was born on April 21, 1926, at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair, London.
She was the first child of The Duke and Duchess of York -- who later became King George VI -- and Queen Elizabeth. -- ANI
IMAGE: Britain's King Charles III and other members of the Royal Family follow the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as it is carried out of Westminster Abbey during her funeral in central London, on Monday, September 19, 2022. Photograph: Frank Augstein/Pool via Reuters
18:05 Capt Amarinder Singh joins BJP, merges his party
Former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh joins the Bharatiya Janata Party.
He alos merged his party Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) with the BJP.
More details awaited. -- ANI
17:18 Recognise him?
That's adventurer and Britain's Chief Scout, Bear Grylls, at the funeral. The TV star was appointed as Chief Scout in 2009 when he was 34, making him the UK's youngest ever Chief Scout.
17:15 The grand abbey of Westminster
The Cosmati Pavement of Westminster Abbey was laid in 1268 by craftsmen from Rome. It is comprised almost entirely of stone recycled from ancient Roman monuments, including purple porphyry beloved by emperors.
Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, David Livingstone, Charles Dickens, Rudyard Kipling, Laurence Olivier are among some world renowned people buried at Westminster Abbey.
17:09 From a son to his mother
On top of the Queen's coffin inside a wreath of flowers lies a card that read: 'In loving and devoted memory. Charles R.'
R stands for Rex.
Kate with George, Louis and Charlotte
16:50 Queen's coffin leaves Abbey for Windsor
The Queen's coffin is now being carried out of Westminster Abbey and will begin the journey to St George's Chapel in Windsor.
Following her coffin are the King and the Queen Consort, then the Princess Royal (Anne), the Duke of York (Andrew) and the Earl of Wessex (Edward).
The Prince and Princess of Wales follow with their children George and Charlotte, the then Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
16:39 Last Post, National Anthem played at Abbey
King Charles III, joined by royal family members as well as members of the royal household, followed the coffin as it made its journey from-- Westminster Hall to the Abbey.
The Queen's children -- King Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward were part of the journey.
Camilla, the Queen Consort, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and Sarah, Duchess of York, also followed the coffin.
The coffin will be carried on the state funeral gun carriage from Westminster Hall to the Abbey, towed by 142 sailors from the Royal Navy. The tradition dates back to the funeral of Queen Victoria in 1901.
The congregation sang the national anthem following the two-minute silence. The Last Post was played, and was followed by a two-minute silence.
16:07 A message for the queen
King Charles III reached to the people of Britain and wrote yesterday, "As we all prepare to say our last farewell, I wanted simply to take this opportunity to say thank you to all those countless people who have been such a support and comfort to my Family and myself in this time of grief."
16:00 The message in the wreath for the queen
At King Charles III's request, the wreath on the coffin contains foliage of Rosemary, English Oak and Myrtle (cut from a plant grown from Myrtle in the Queen's wedding bouquet) and flowers, in shades of gold, pink and deep burgundy, with touches of white, cut from the gardens of Royal Residences.
15:49 President Murmu signed the Condolence Book yesterday
President Droupadi Murmu and Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra formed the official Indian delegation at the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey in London on Monday. The President and the Foreign Secretary arrived at the Abbey in a procession alongside other Commonwealth heads of state and government, including the President of Tanzania Samia Suluhu Hassan and Singapore President Halimah Yacob.
15:47 The symbols or royalty
Flowers and a card were place at the top of the Queens coffin. That's the Queen's crown, the orb and the scepter.
15:42 Queen's coffin enters Westminster Abbey
The procession carrying the Queen's coffin enters Westminster Abbey through the West Gate. Members of the Queen's guard will carry the coffin from the gun carriage and into the funeral service.
As the coffin entered the abbey, the choir sang lines, known as The Sentences, from Revelation 14:13 set to music written by William Croft and used at every state funeral since the early 18th century.
15:36 After 30 years, cinema halls to reopen in Kashmir
Aaqib Bhat is eagerly waiting for the opening of the first multiplex of Kashmir in Sonawar area of the city, which he says will put an end to his regular visits outside the valley to watch Bollywood movies on big screen.
"I travel once every three to four months to Delhi or Jammu to watch the latest Hindi movies on the big screen. Although all the movies are available on various platforms within no time, the feel and experience of watching it on a big screen is unmatched," Bhat told PTI.
The 30-year-old said eversince noted businessman Vijay Dhar announced his project for opening the first multiplex in Kashmir, he has been keeping a track of the development.
"I think the wait is finally over!" he said. Dhar, who also owns a reputed private school here, said the multiplex will be thrown open to the public on Tuesday with a special screening of Aamir Khan-starrer 'Lal Singh Chaddha'.
"Regular shows will start from September 30 with the screening of Vikram Vedha, starring Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan," Dhar said.
The first multiplex in Kashmir will have three movie theatres with a total capacity of 520 seats. The premises will also have a food court aimed at promoting the local cuisine.
Bhat, who is into handicrafts business, said he travels regularly to places outside Kashmir mostly related to his work.
"Many a time the line between business and pleasure, which for me is watching movies in a theatre, would blur. Now on, I will be travelling purely for business," he said with a sheepish smile.
The scheduled opening of the multiplex, which will be operated by INOX, comes close on the heels of Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurating multipurpose cinema halls -- one each in the twin Pulwama and Shopian districts.
The cinema halls have reopened in the valley after three decades as theatre owners downed their shutters in the Valley due to threats and attacks by militants in 1989-90. Sinha described the occasion as "historic" saying "we will build such multipurpose cinema halls in every district of Jammu and Kashmir soon".
He said cinema halls in Anantnag, Srinagar, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Doda, Rajouri, Poonch, Kishtwar and Reasi will be inaugurated soon. -- PTI
15:34 Ukraine's First Lady in London for funeral
Ukraine's First Lady visits Westminster Hall. Prior to Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, First Lady Olena Zelenska paid her respects to the Queen and met with Princess of Wales Kate Middleton in Buckingham Palace.
15:20 Queen's coffin leaves Westminster Hall
The Queen's coffin was lifted from the catafalque where it has been resting since Wednesday afternoon and will be taken to Westminster Abbey for her funeral service. It will be carried on the state funeral gun carriage from Westminster Hall to the Abbey, towed by 142 sailors from the Royal Navy.
15:11 Elgar case: HC refuses to grant bail to DU professor
The Bombay High Court on Monday rejected the bail plea filed by Delhi University's associate professor Hany Babu, who is an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case.
A division bench of Justices N M Jamdar and N R Borkar said the appeal filed by Babu against the special court order refusing him bail was dismissed.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is conducting a probe into the case, has accused Babu of being a co-conspirator in propagating Maoist activities and ideology on the instructions of leaders of the banned CPI (Maoist) organisation.
Hany Babu was arrested in July 2020 in the case and is currently lodged at the Taloja prison in neighbouring Navi Mumbai.
The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches delivered at the Elgar Parishad conclave, held in Shaniwarwada in Pune on December 31, 2017, which police claimed triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon Bhima war memorial located on the city's outskirts. One person was killed and several others were injured in the violence. -- PTI
14:48 Bidens met the Queen in 1982
US president Joe Biden@QEII funeral. "Today Jill and I signed the Official Condolence Book for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. We first met the Queen in 1982, and will always remember her kindness and hospitality. Her legacy will loom large in the pages of British history, and in the story of our world," Biden tweeted.
14:40 President Murmu meets Bangladesh PM in London
President Droupadi Murmu met with Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina and her sister, Sheikh Rehana just before commencement of the State Funeral at London.
One of the cheetahs brought from Namibia
14:29 Cheetahs from Namibia enjoy 1st meal in India
Siblings Freddy and Alton, two of the eight cheetahs brought from Namibia, were seen frolicking in their quarantine enclosure in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park on Monday, a day after all of them were served food for the first time since their arrival in India. Sisters Savannah and Sasha also looked cheerful.
The four other cheetahs - Obaan, Asha, Cibili, Saisa - also appeared in good spirits, KNP officials said.
The eight felines - five female and three male and aged between 30 to 66 months- were on Sunday evening served food for the first time since their arrival from the African country to India on Saturday, an official said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday released these cheetahs brought from Namibia, 8,000 km away from their native place, into a quarantine enclosure at the KNP in Sheopur district as part of a project to revive the population of the animal which became extinct in India in 1952.
On Sunday evening, each of the eight cheetahs was served two kg of buffalo meat. Only one of them ate less, the official said, adding that there was nothing concerning about it.
The cheetahs looked cheerful and active on Monday, said the official who is part of the team keeping a close watch on the movements of the animals. These animals are believed to take food once in three days, he added.
The new guests are still observing the new surroundings with curiosity, the official said. On Monday morning, Freddy and Alton were seen running in a playful mood and drinking water often in their enclosure. The eight cheetahs were given their names in Namibia.
"Right now we don't have plans to rename them," the official said. At the time of their release on Saturday, the big cats looked hesitant. But the initial hesitation appeared to be gradually fading on Monday, he said. Asked about the Hindi name of a female cheetah 'Asha', which means hope, he said it seemed an Indian official might have written it on its cage while the big cats were being brought here. -- PTI
13:30 Queen to be buried in 30-yr-old special coffin
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, the United Kingdom's longest-reigning monarch, is made of English oak, lined with lead and it was built decades ago, according to British media reports on Monday.
The coffin is made of oak from the Royal Family's Sandringham Estate according to royal tradition, the Sky News reported.
According to the Telegraph, it was originally built by the specialist firm Henry Smith over three decades ago.
The records of the exact date that the casket was made were lost when Henry Smith was taken over by another firm in 2005. Since its manufacture, it has been in storage under the care of two different firms who have been responsible for royal funerals.
The coffin is two-in-one, with the internal portion lead poured over a simple inner wood coffin. That is then placed inside the outer casket made of English oak. The combination of materials used to make Her Majesty's coffin mean that it is much heavier than a normal coffin. It requires eight pallbearers, which will be from the Armed Forces, to carry it instead of the normal six.
The practice of encasing Royal Family members in lead coffins dates back hundreds of years at least to Queen Elizabeth I. Using lead allows the casket to be sealed, keeping out moisture and slows the decomposition process for up to a year longer than would normally occur.
Since lead doesn't decay, the airtightness of the casket is not compromised which also keeps any smells and gases from escaping. Both qualities are important when interring a body above ground as will be the case with Queen Elizabeth II at her final resting place in the royal vault called King George VI Memorial Chapel.
Former Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Prince Philip and Princess Diana all had such coffins made for them, Sarah Hayes, manager for the Coffin Works museum in Birmingham, has said. "It's to preserve the body for as long as possible, it's really about slowing down the process of decomposition," she said. PTI
13:11 A True Countrywoman
King Charles has a hard act to follow and he ascended thethrone at a difficult time for the country whose union is weak. I hope he will be what Kautilya calls, in the Arthashastra, a Rajarshi who brings about the welfare of his people, writes Rachel Dwyer. Read the column here.
12:55 Dog is tied to car and dragged on road in Jodhpur
A video going viral on social media shows a dog chained to a car driven by a doctor being dragged on the road in Jodhpur. The police booked a case against the driver on the complaint of Bharatiya Janata Party leader and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi.
On the other hand, the principal of SN Medical College Dilip Kachhwaha has given a show cause notice to the accused doctor and sought response within 24 hours.
Pukar Animal NGO has also registered a case at Shastrinagar police station following the case.
The video was shot in Rajasthan's Jodhpur on Sunday, as per the reports. Aparna Bissa of the NGO said that Dr Rajneesh Galwa is an Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery at MGH.
"The person who did this is a Dr Rajneesh Gwala and the dog's legs have multiple fractures and this incident is of Shastri Nagar Jodhpur. Please spread this video so that CP Jodhpur should take action against him and cancel his licence," reads the tweet of the NGO which carries the video.
On the information, the dog home workers reached the spot and sent the dog for treatment. Some people alleged that when they tried to stop the doctor's car, he tried to hit them with the vehicle.
The doctor said that the dog often enters the house and keeps barking outside the house and that is why he was going to leave the dog in the corporation's enclosure. -- ANI
12:41 Cong leader DK Shivakumar appears before ED
Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar on Monday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate here for questioning in a money laundering case.
The 60-year-old Congress leader reached the office of the federal agency at A P J Abdul Kalam Road around noon and was seen entering the office after getting a pass made from the front office. He was accompanied by a few persons. Shivakumar was summoned by the ED last week.
The Congress leader had said he was not aware of the case for which he has been asked to appear before the agency. The agency is understood to have issued him the latest summons after taking cognisance of a CBI case against him linked to alleged possession of disproportionate assets.
"In the midst of the #BharatJodoYatra and the Assembly session, they have again issued me an ED summon to appear. I am ready to cooperate but the timing of this summon and the harassment I am put through, is coming in the way of discharging my constitutional and political duties, Shivakumar had then tweeted.
The ED had arrested Shivakumar on September 3, 2019 in an another money-laundering case and the Delhi High Court granted him bail in October that year. The agency had in May this year filed a charge sheet against him and others in this case which was registered after taking cognisance of a Income Tax department charge sheet field against him. PTI
Representational image
12:05 Man held for making hoax bomb call in Mumbai
A man was arrested for making a false bomb threat call at Zaveri Bazaar in Mumbai, police said on Monday. The arrested has been identified as Dinesh Suttar and will be presented before the court today.
"The accused, Dinesh Suttar will be presented before the court today. FIR was registered against him under multiple sections of the IPC," said Mumbai Police. A case has been registered against him under sections 506(2) 505(1)(b) 504,182, and 507 of IPC. Further investigations are underway. -- ANI
11:58 Thousands camp on roads for Queen's funeral
Senior citizens and children are among those camping along the funeral routes, over 48 hours in some cases, to bid a final goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II on Monday.
Some of those have come from as far as the UK countryside and have even brought with them bedding and tents to battle a reasonably cold breeze that flows through London this time of the year.
Visitors are also carrying food and beverage for their extended stay on the streets.
The Queen's coffin will be taken in a ceremonial procession to Westminster Abbey for the state funeral service.
According to local reports, the police have made extensive arrangements for crowd control and security measures as thousands of people are expected to line the route on Monday to say their final goodbyes to the Queen. Terence Bantock, a senior citizen, who is in a wheelchair, was inconsolable while speaking about the Queen.
"I have written a poem for her. On my birthday, I used to send her a box of chocolate. She was the mother of the nation, everyone will miss her presence," he said.
In some cases, multiple generations from the same family have come. The mourners say what they are doing is nothing compared to the seven decades of selfless service by "her majesty".
Sua Wake, who has come to attend the funeral from Yorkshire, says the country will miss her for years to come. "By camping along the funeral route and spending the night along with children in cold is nothing because we are doing our duty for her," she said.
Authorities have arranged urinals and medical facilities for any emergency situation. Emma Jones, a local said the long queues outside Buckingham Palace and Westminster Hall show people's love for the queen. She was everyone's favourite. It is an emotional and historic opportunity to pay tribute to the Queen."
People gathered to spend the night were seen sharing stories of the queen and discussing other members of the Royal family. -- ANI
Image: People sit and sleep on The Mall overnight on the day of the state funeral and burial of Britain's Queen Elizabeth in London. Pic: Reuters/Kevin Coombs
11:40 Amarinder meets Nadda
Former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh meets BJP National president JP Nadda in Delhi. He will join the BJP in Delhi today.
11:12 Canada shooting: Indian student dies
A 28-year-old Indian student has succumbed to the injuries sustained during a shooting rampage in Canada's Ontario province that also claimed two other lives, including that of a police constable, police said.
Satwinder Singh, who was injured in the shooting last Monday in Milton, died at the Hamilton General Hospital with his family and friends by his side, the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) said in a statement on Saturday.
Singh was an international student from India who was working part-time at MK Auto Repairs at the time of the shooting, the statement said on Saturday.
"The HRPS would like to express heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the victim, and the communities impacted by this horrible tragedy," it said.
Monday's shooting resulted in the deaths of Toronto Police Constable Andrew Hong, 48, and Shakeel Ashraf, 38, a mechanic who owned MK Auto Repairs. The gunman was identified as 40-year-old Sean Petrie. He was later shot dead by police in Hamilton.
At the Oakville home of a relative, Singh's grieving father was surrounded by relatives and friends after giving staff at the Hamilton General Hospital permission to pull his son off life support Saturday afternoon, said Sarabjot Kaur, a cousin who grew up with Singh told Toronto Star newspaper.
The father, who had not seen his son since before the pandemic, had just arrived earlier from Dubai, where he works as a truck driver, Kaur said. Tanner had previously confirmed that Petrie had worked briefly at MK Auto Repairs.
According to an online GoFundMe page honouring Singh, the former international student had been on life support and had been declared brain-dead. He is described in the post as a loving son, brother and grandson who will be missed daily. He had a passion for reading and writing poetry. Singh, who obtained an MBA in marketing in India, was a student at Conestoga College. He had been working part-time at MK Collision Centre in Milton.
The violence erupted in Mississauga shortly after 2 pm, when Constable Hong, who was in the city for a training session and on his lunch break at a Tim Hortons, was shot and killed at close range.
Investigators believe the killing was unprovoked and that the suspect was on the lookout for an officer, The Globe and Mail newspaper reported. As of Sunday afternoon, the GoFundMe had raised more than 35,000 dollars to help support Singh's family and return his body to India. -- PTI
10:45 Rahul to walk through Kerala for 12 days
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi along with party leaders and workers resumed the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' from Punnapra Aravukad, Alappuzha, on Monday.
The yatra entered its 12th day in Alappuzha.
Over 200 kilometres have been covered till now.
Earlier, the Congress leaders resumed the Kerala leg of the yatra from Haripad in Alappuzha district on Sunday morning. The padyatra will take halt at Sree Kuruttu Bhagavathi Temple in Thottappally. In the evening, the yatra will take a halt at TD Medical College and Hospital, Vandanam.
The Yatra is in its Kerala leg and would traverse through the state for the next 12 days.
The 3,500-km march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir will be completed in 150 days and cover as many as 12 states. From Kerala, the Yatra will traverse through the state for the next 18 days, reaching Karnataka on September 30. It will be in Karnataka for 21 days before moving north. The Padyatra (march) will cover a distance of 25 km every day.
Meanwhile, Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra was mired with controversy after a video surfaced of local Congress leaders allegedly extorting donations from a vegetable vendor in Kollam, Kerala. -- ANI
10:41 Markets bounce back after falling in early trade
Benchmark indices began the trade on a bearish note on Monday in tandem with weak global market trends, but soon recovered all the early lost ground and were trading in the positive territory.
After a weak beginning, the 30-share BSE Sensex further declined 299.15 points to 58,541.64 in early trade. The NSE Nifty too fell by 89.85 points to 17,441. However, later both the benchmark indices recovered all the early lost ground and were trading higher.
The Sensex traded 157.23 points higher at 58,998.02, while the Nifty quoted 49.70 points up at 17,580.55. From the Sensex pack, UltraTech Cement, Asian Paints, Titan, Dr Reddy's, Tata Steel, HCL Technologies, Maruti and ICICI Bank were the major laggards in early trade. Mahindra & Mahindra, IndusInd Bank, Infosys, Bajaj Finserv and State Bank of India were trading in the green.
10:10 Kickstarting a new career?
"Fun moments from the final of the Krishnanagar MP Cup Tournament 2022. And yes, I play in a saree," Mohua Moitra, the MP from Krishnanagar, tweets.
10:00 Biden says Covid pandemic is over in US
US President Joe Biden says the coronavirus pandemic is 'over' in the US.
Biden said in an interview aired Sunday that the Covid pandemic in the United States is over.
With Covid restrictions largely eliminated in the country and travel having rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, the comments were reflective of the current status of much of US society.
"The pandemic is over. We still have a problem with Covid. We're still doing a lot of work on it..., but the pandemic is over," Biden told the CBS news program "60 Minutes" in an interview taped as he walked the floor of the Detroit Auto Show last week.
"If you notice, no one's wearing masks," Biden said, gesturing around the hall.
EAM Jaishankar with Ruchira Khamboj
09:51 Jaishankar arrives in New York for UNGA
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has arrived here for the high-level UN General Assembly session, with a packed diplomatic week ahead that will include more than 50 official engagements including bilateral, plurilateral and multilateral meetings.
Jaishankar arrived in New York Sunday to participate in the high-level 77th session of the UN General Assembly, which kick-starts September 20 with the opening of the General Debate.
"#IndiaAtUNGA. Delighted to welcome our External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar who is now here to attend the 77th Session of the @UN General Assembly #UNGA. He will co-host & participate in several bilateral, plurilateral & multilateral meetings during this hectic week," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj said in a tweet.
Counter-terrorism, peacekeeping, reformed multilateralism, climate action and equitable access to COVID19 vaccines will be among the key focus areas for India during the high-level UN General Assembly session that begins this week here.
Jaishankar will address world leaders from the UNGA podium on September 24, after a packed week of more than 50 official engagements including bilateral, plurilateral and multilateral meetings at the high-level session and on the sidelines.
His first day of engagements will include several bilateral meetings, including with counterparts from Albania, Malta, Egypt and Indonesia as well as President of the 77th UNGA Session Csaba Korosi.
He will also headline the France India UAE trilateral. India's Permanent Mission to the UN had said in a video posted on Twitter that the five S's - Samman (Respect), Samvad (Dialogue), Sahyog (Cooperation), Shanti (Peace) and Samriddhi (Prosperity) - set out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be India's guiding light in its approach to the 77th session of the General Assembly. -- PTI
09:40 Charles reflects on 'dear mother' ahead of funeral
Britain's King Charles III reflected upon his late mother's lifelong service in a thank you message ahead of Queen Elizabeth II's funeral at Westminster Abbey in London on Monday morning.
President Droupadi Murmu, who is representing India at the state funeral, and the heads of state and government from around the world including US President Joe Biden attended an official state event hosted by the King and Queen Consort Camilla at Buckingham Palace on Sunday evening.
Queen Elizabeth II, 96, passed away peacefully at her Scottish residence of Balmoral Castle on September 8 and has been Lying-in-State at Westminster Hall, where Murmu and the world leaders joined thousands of mourners to pay their respects to the late monarch.
"Over the last 10 days, my wife and I have been so deeply touched by the many messages of condolence and support we have received from this country and across the world," Charles said in a statement, in the wake of a one-minute silence as a national moment of reflection in memory of the Queen at 20:00 local time on Sunday.
"In London, Edinburgh, Hillsborough and Cardiff we were moved beyond measure by everyone who took the trouble to come and pay their respects to the lifelong service of my dear mother, the late Queen," he said.
"As we all prepare to say our last farewell, I wanted simply to take this opportunity to say thank you to all those countless people who have been such a support and comfort to my family and myself in this time of grief," he added.
Westminster Hall will close to the public early on Monday morning as preparations are made for the coffin to be conveyed in procession to Westminster Abbey nearby, where a congregation of around 2,000 will gather for a sombre ceremony starting at 11 am local time and concluding with a two-minute silence around an hour later.
Besides the visiting foreign dignitaries, hundreds of people who were recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours list in June this year will also join the congregation, including those who made extraordinary contributions to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. British Prime Minister Liz Truss and Commonwealth Secretary-General Baroness Patricia Scotland will be among those reading lessons during the service.
The Archbishop of York, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and the Free Churches Moderator will say prayers and the sermon will be given by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who will also give the Commendation. Around 4,000 military personnel have been rehearsing for days for one of the UK's largest state events in decades, with the last state funeral at the Abbey held in 1965 for Britain's war-time Prime Minister Winston Churchill. -- PTI
09:37 That's a new picture of the Queen
The Royal Family released this picture ahead of Queen Elizabeth II's funeral today. "The photo was taken to mark Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee - the first British Monarch to reach this milestone. Tomorrow, millions will come together to commemorate her remarkable life,"
09:15 No objection to madrassas survey, but...: Deoband
Prominent Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband on Sunday said it has no objections to the Uttar Pradesh government's survey of private madrassas but the whole system of such institutions should not be denigrated if a few don't follow rules.
At a conference of representatives from various madrassas held at Deoband to discuss the survey issue, the seminary's principal Maulana Arshad Madani asserted that the madrassas operate under the country's Constitution.
During the conference, a 12-member steering committee was constituted and its objectives include helping the madrassa managements during the survey and placing their grievances, if any, before the government.
Madani, who is also the president of the Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind and Vice President All India Muslim Personal Law Board, had been earlier critical of the government survey of Islamic religious schools.
Talking to reporters after the conference, Madani said he has urged all the madrassa managements to cooperate in the survey as they have nothing to hide.
He asked the managements to provide accurate information to the officials and also keep documents such as land papers and audit reports ready, besides ensuring cleanliness on their premises.
He said that if a madrassa has been built illegally on government land and the court has declared it illegal, the Muslims should themselves remove it as Shariyat does not allow this.
At the same time, he urged the government not to disregard the entire madrassa system if one or two institutions failed to abide by the rules.
Madni also said that the sacrifices made by the madrassas in the freedom movement cannot be forgotten.
Heavy security arrangements were made for the conference and the media was kept away.
On August 31, the Uttar Pradesh government ordered the survey of all unrecognised private madrassas operating in the state and teams were formed accordingly.
According to the order, the teams have been asked to complete the survey by October 15 and submit the report to the government in 10 days thereafter.
At present, about 16,000 private madrassas are operating in the state, including the world-famous Nadwatul Ulama and Darul Uloom Deoband.
After the government's decision, several madrassa operators expressed apprehensions about the survey.
Earlier, Madani had questioned why only a survey of madrassas was being done.
08:58 Mumbai Police prohibit transportation of cattle to curb lumpy skin disease
The Mumbai Police have prohibited the transportation of cattle in the city in order to prevent the spread of lumpy skin disease.
The police issued an order to this effect on September 14 and it will remain in force till October 13, an official said on Sunday.
Anybody found violating the order will be penalised, he said.
The area under the Mumbai Police commissionerate is declared as "controlled area" for lumpy skin disease, the order said.
It is forbidden to bring cattle out of the places where they are being raised. There is a prohibition on transporting bovine animals to market places or exhibition centres, the order said.
Besides cattle, the transportation of any kind of fodder, grass or equipment which came in contact with the lumpy skin disease-affected bovine animals is prohibited, it said.
The lumpy skin disease is a contagious viral disease that affects cattle and causes fever, nodules on the skin and can also lead to death.
Thousands of cattle have died due to the disease in more than eight states including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Maharashtra. -- PTI
08:55 Delhi Police to question actor Jacqueline Fernandez again on Monday
The Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing is likely to question Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez on Monday in connection with an extortion case linked to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar.
This is the second time that she has been summoned for questioning by Delhi Police for her alleged role in the case, officials said.
A senior police officer said Fernandez has been asked to join the probe at 11 am at the office of Economic Offences Wing on Mandir Marg.
"We need to scrutinise certain documents and also question her further in connection with the case," he said.
Last Wednesday, Fernandez was quizzed for over eight hours along with Pinki Irani, who allegedly introduced the actor to Chandrashekhar.
Investigation had revealed that Chandrashekhar had offered a motorcycle to Fernandez's agent Prashant on his birthday but he declined to take it. However, Chandrashekhar left the two-wheeler and its keys at Prashant's place, police had said earlier, adding the vehicle was seized.
Chandrashekhar, who is currently in jail, is accused of cheating many people, including high-profile individuals such as former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh's wife Aditi Singh.
On August 17, the Enforcement Directorate filed a chargesheet naming Fernandez as an accused in a multi-crore money laundering case linked to Chandrashekhar.
According to the ED, Fernandez and another Bollywood actor Nora Fatehi received luxury cars and other expensive gifts from him. -- PTI
08:26 Prez Murmu meets King Charles ahead of Queen's funeral
Ahead of Queen Elizabeth's state funeral, President Droupadi Murmu met King Charles III at a reception held at Buckingham Palace on Sunday.
President Murmu also signed the condolence book for Queen Elizabeth II, at the Lancaster House near Buckingham Palace in London.
The president also offered tributes to Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Hall in London where the queen's coffin is lying-in-State.
"President Droupadi Murmu visited Westminster Hall London where the body of Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II is lying in state. The President offered tributes to the departed soul on her own behalf and on behalf of the people of India," Rashtrapati Bhawan tweeted earlier.
She was accompanied by Acting High Commissioner of India to the UK Sujit Ghosh at Lancaster House in London, where visiting world leaders are stopping by to sign a book of condolence in memory of Queen Elizabeth II who died aged 96 in Scotland on September 8.
The President is on an official tour to the United Kingdom from September 17 to 19 to attend the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on Monday and offer condolences on behalf of the Government of India
The Indian head of state, who arrived on Saturday evening, will join around 500 world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, and royals from across the world in a congregation of around 2,000 expected at the Abbey for a sombre ceremony starting at 11am local time and concluding with a two-minute silence around an hour later.
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