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Tag: Ladakh News

  • MP: BJP leader Uma Bharti staying in Bhopal temple for stringent liquor policy

    MP: BJP leader Uma Bharti staying in Bhopal temple for stringent liquor policy

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    Bhopal: Ahead of the Madhya Pradesh government’s likely announcement of a new liquor policy, BJP veteran Uma Bharti on Saturday reached a temple here where she would stay put till January 31 demanding the policy be made more stringent.

    Bharti has been demanding appropriate amendments in liquor policy, which the state government releases every year, and incorporating more controls to promote de-addiction.

    On Saturday afternoon, Bharti reached a temple located near a liquor shop in Ayodhya Nagar trisection and announced she will stay there till January 31 awaiting the liquor policy announcement. Bharti had earlier opposed the wine shop located near the temple.

    The state government has not announced a date but a new liquor policy is generally announced in January end.

    The former Union minister told reporters she had expressed a desire to tour various spots in Madhya Pradesh last November but the visit could not materialise for the lack of arrangements for her staff including security personnel.

    “I have never demanded absolute prohibition. I said I would implement a total prohibition if it is in my control. I have full faith in Shivraj ji (MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan). I will wait for the decision about the liquor policy on January 31,” she said.

    The former chief minister said she didn’t want the opposition Congress to benefit from her stand.

    “If a controlled liquor policy, as I had told (to the BJP government), is implemented, the BJP will repeat its record victory like 2003,” she said.

    The BJP had won 165 seats in the 230-member Assembly in the 2003 polls decimating Congress, which was in power at that time, to 58 seats. After that election, Bharti became the chief minister. She resigned after eight months.

    The Assembly elections in MP are due in December this year.

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    #BJP #leader #Uma #Bharti #staying #Bhopal #temple #stringent #liquor #policy

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • AAP govt’s mega project to transform 1,400 kms Delhi roads to kick off from April 1

    AAP govt’s mega project to transform 1,400 kms Delhi roads to kick off from April 1

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    New Delhi: Repairing broken pavements, central verges and manholes, resurfacing roads and sprinkling of water on them on a daily basis — these are some of initiatives that will be undertaken as part of the Delhi government’s mega project to transform the city roads that will kick off from April 1.

    Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said about Rs 4,500 crore will be spent on the project in the first year and then Rs 2,000 crore every year.

    The Delhi government will also introduce deep scrubbing machines and litter picker machines, he said, adding that it will also hire over 100 mechanised road sweepers, over 150 sprinkler tankers and 250 anti-smog-guns-cum-sprinklers.

    The chief minister said they will be transforming a total of 1,400 kms of roads that come under the jurisdiction of the Delhi Public Works Department.

    He added that heavy penalties will be imposed on the contractor in case of any shortcoming in the project.

    The entire system will be monitored remotely from a dashboard and there will be a centralised complaint system for citizens to reach out to the government, he said.

    “The PWD has jurisdiction only on roads wider than 18m (45ft) across the national capital, and we will leave no stone unturned to transform them,” he said.

    Kejriwal said all the footpaths and central verges along the roads will be repaired when necessary.

    “This means that in contrast to the usual practice of replacing footpaths on the entire stretch as adopted by governments who want to spend away all public funds, in this project, we will take up spot-repairs.

    “If one stone is missing, it will be replaced. If two are damaged, they will be repaired. We will not misuse public funds,” he explained.

    Outlining the timeline for the project, he said the work orders will be issued by March 20 and the work will commence from April 1.

    He said the repair work will be completed within six months and once it is complete, a 10-year maintenance contract will be put in place.

    Roads will be resurfaced every five years while regular painting of roads, medians, central verges will be taken every three to six months, he said.

    “All roads and footpaths will be washed in a daily basis or thrice a week,” he said.

    He asserted that all central verges will be repaired along with damaged manholes, street furniture, railings, precast slabs, signages and electrical poles.

    “In all the city subways, the railings and light fittings will be repaired, as will the foot over bridges. Beyond these, civil and electrical repairs, all potholes and cracks on roads will be repaired,” he said.

    All railings, trees and plants around the roads will be washed as well, he said.

    The government is also introducing deep scrubbing machines to thoroughly clean the roads of all dirt and litter picker machines to pick up all littered material and debris from the roads.

    “We will hire over 100 mechanised road sweepers, over 150 sprinkler tankers and 250 anti-smog-guns-cum-sprinklers. There are 250 wards in Delhi and each ward will get one machine. The 150 sprinkler tankers will be deployed on the large PWD roads.
    “But the 250 smog guns will be handy in cleaning the smaller roads and lanes in the city. These machines too will be engaged for 10 years. 10,000 kilolitres of water will be needed for this purpose. We will be using the water treated at Delhi Jal Board’s STPs for this purpose, instead of discharging it into the Yamuna,” he said.

    The chief minister said all posters, banners and other material stuck on roadsides will be removed on a daily basis, with the government taking up tree plantation on a very large scale on the roadsides and central verges.

    “A 10-year contract will be awarded for daily maintenance, washing, trimming, soil upkeep and watering of such plants. This project also needs rigorous monitoring, so we will deploy a third party monitoring system.

    “Camera-enabled vehicles will go around Delhi throughout the day and record the live situation of the roads and maintenance work,” he said.

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    #AAP #govts #mega #project #transform #kms #Delhi #roads #kick #April

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Cannabis most commonly used among teens in Kerala, says report by Excise

    Cannabis most commonly used among teens in Kerala, says report by Excise

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    Thiruvananthapuram: Cannabis is the most common drug used among teenagers who were either arrested or treated for related cases in Kerala, according to a report on a survey by the State Excise Department.

    The report, released by Excise Minister M B Rajesh on Saturday, was based on a study conducted among 600 people under the age of 19.

    “Cannabis is the most common drug used among teenegers… They get into it through smoking cigarettes,” said the report received by the Excise Commissioner Ananthakrishnan.

    The Excise Department said the survey was conducted only among the drug cases detected by the department and the teenagers who were in the de-addiction centre under Vimukti scheme and not the general public.

    “All the 600 people were either arrested in drug cases or housed and treated at de-addiction centres under Vimukti in the State. Of the total 600 people, 155 are accused in various drug cases while 376 were those who reached various de-addiction centres,” an official statement said.

    The study, led by Excise sociologist Vinu Vijayan and psychologist Reeja Rajan, sought for stronger enforcement measures.

    Also, the department initiated a study, in association with the Student Police Cadets, among the general public on the same matter.

    “A comprehensive survey is being conducted by collecting information from one lakh people. The source of intoxication, the main intoxicating substances used, and the reasons why teenagers are attracted to intoxication will be surveyed in the first phase,” the statement said.

    The effectiveness of the activities and further suggestions would be collected in the second phase while the strengthening of enforcement activities would be studied in the final phase, it said.

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    #Cannabis #commonly #among #teens #Kerala #report #Excise

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • PM Modi cautions against attempts to create divisions in the country

    PM Modi cautions against attempts to create divisions in the country

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    New Delhi, Jan 28 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday cautioned against attempts to sow differences and create divisions in the country but asserted that such efforts will not succeed.

    Addressing a rally of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) at the Cariappa Ground in Delhi Cantonment, Modi said the mantra of unity was the only way for India to achieve grandeur.

    The prime minister said that the entire world was looking towards India because of the youth of the country.

    “This is the time of new opportunities for the youth of India. Everywhere it is evident that India’s time has arrived,” Modi said addressing the NCC cadets who took part in the Republic Day celebrations.

    At the same time, the prime minister urged caution against attempts to divide the country.

    “Desh ko todne ke kai bahane dhoode jaate hai. Bhaanti, bhaanti ki baatein nikaal kar, Maa Bharti ke santaano ke beech main doodh mein daraar karne ki koshishe ho rahi hai (Several pretexts are being raised to break the country. Several issues are raked up to create divisions among the children of Mother India),” the prime minister said.

    “Despite such efforts, there will never be differences among the people of India,” he said.

    “Maa ke doodh main kabhi darar nahi ho sakti (there can be no fissures in the mother’s milk),” he said.

    “For this, the mantra of unity is the ultimate antidote. The mantra of unity is a pledge as well as India’s strength. This is the only way India will achieve grandeur,” the prime minister said.

    The prime minister’s remarks came against the backdrop of the raging controversy over a BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots and Modi that has been banned in India.

    Modi lauded the NCC cadets who participated in the Republic Day celebration and said the priority for the country would always be the young people who are brimming with energy and enthusiasm.

    He said the youngsters have immense opportunities as his government was encouraging private participation in space and defence sectors where start-ups were making huge strides.

    Modi said his government had unleashed a digital revolution, start-up revolution and innovation revolution.

    He highlighted the reforms in the defence sector, saying assault rifles that were imported earlier were now being manufactured within the country.

    The prime minister said fast-paced border infrastructure work was taking place and it would open a new world of opportunities and possibilities for the youth.

    Modi said it was also a time of great possibilities for the daughters of the country.

    “Police and paramilitary forces have witnessed the number of women doubling in the last eight years. The path has been paved for the deployment of women on the frontiers of all three armed,” he said.

    He said women have been recruited as sailors in the Navy and have also started entering combat roles in the armed forces.

    “First batch of women cadets has started training at the National Defence Academy in Pune and 1500 girl students have been admitted in Sainik Schools which were thrown open for the girl students for the first time,” Modi said.

    The prime minister said the National Cadet Corps too has seen a consistent rise in women participation in the last decade.

    Earlier, the prime minister released a special Day Cover and a commemorative specially minted coin of Rs 75 denomination, commemorating 75 years of NCC.

    Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NCC Director General Lt Gen Gurbirpal Singh, Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan, Chief of Army Staff Gen Manoj Pande, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Harikumar, Chief of Air Staff V R Chaudhari and Defence Secretary Girdhar Armaane were present on occasion.

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    #Modi #cautions #attempts #create #divisions #country

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Canada appoints its first government position to combat Islamophobia

    Canada appoints its first government position to combat Islamophobia

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    Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday appointed activist Amira Elghawaby as the country’s first representative to combat Islamophobia.

    In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office said that “in her capacity as Special Representative, Amira Elghawaby will fill the position to be an advisor, expert and representative to support and strengthen the government’s efforts to combat Islamophobia, systemic racism, racial discrimination and religious intolerance.”

    Specifically, she will advise the Trudeau government on what policies and legislation should be introduced to counter the threat of Islamophobia.

    Elghawaby is a former journalist and founding member of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, and was instrumental in the creation of the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), the largest Muslim organization in the country.

    Elghawaby graduated from the School of Journalism at Carleton University in Canada, and worked briefly for CBC in Ottawa after her graduation, and currently contributes a freelance column to the “Toronto Star” newspaper.

    In a series of tweets on Thursday, Elghawaby wrote,

    “Thanks to @HonAhmedHussen, his team and the Government of Canada for making this position a reality to foster greater diversity and inclusion across the country.”
    “It is an honor for me to serve in this role. I want to thank PM @JustinTrudeau for his work in fighting Islamophobia and ensuring that Canadian institutions are inclusive for Canadian Muslims, and for all people.”

    “I look forward to meeting with elected officials, policy makers and community leaders across the country to amplify the voices of Canadian Muslims and work together to combat discrimination and hate in all its forms.”

    “I look forward to meeting with elected officials, policy makers and community leaders across the country to amplify the voices of Canadian Muslims and work together to combat discrimination and hate in all its forms.”

    “We must never forget: Ibrahima Barry, Mamadou Tanou Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Aboubaker Thabti, Abdelkrim Hassane, Mohamed-Aslim Zafis and Azzedine Soufiane #RememberJan29.”

    “We must never forget: Salman Afzaal, Madiha Salman, Yumna Salman, Talat Afzaal #OurLondonFamily Always in our hearts.”

    In recent years, a series of bloody attacks have targeted Canadian Muslims, most recently in 2021, when four members of a Muslim family were killed when someone ran them over with his truck in Ontario.

    In 2017, six Muslims were killed and five injured in an attack on a mosque in Quebec City.

    The creation of the new position is part of the recommendations of a national summit on Islamophobia organized by the federal government, in June 2021, in response to the attacks.



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    #Canada #appoints #government #position #combat #Islamophobia

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • BBC documentary on PM Modi is “international conspiracy”: BJP leader CT Ravi

    BBC documentary on PM Modi is “international conspiracy”: BJP leader CT Ravi

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    Bengaluru: BJP national general secretary CT Ravi on Saturday condemned BBC for misleading the audience with its documentary ‘The Modi Question’ and called it an “international conspiracy”.

    While speaking at a press conference in Bengaluru, the BJP leader accused BBC of presenting incomplete information in the documentary.

    “The BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi is nothing but an international conspiracy. After the 2002 riots, BJP won more than five times in Gujarat and a second time in the centre. He is a world-known and popular leader,” he said.

    He stated that the documentary did not cover the Nanavati report which concluded that the Gujarat riots were devoid of any conspiracy.

    Targeting the anti-government elements, he said that the documentary is a propaganda of the people who despise the Modi-led government.

    He further exclaimed that the people should trust the verdict of the Supreme court which gave a clean chit to PM Modi and not the BBC documentary and English people who plundered India during the British rule.

    “With ‘Anti-Modi gangs interviews’ BBC did not show the Nanavati report. Even SC in January 2022 order gave a clean chit and rejected the plea. What is the agenda for making such documentaries? Those who do not like the development of India, the anti-Modi gang and the frustrated lost parties created the conspiracy through the BBC documentary,” he said.

    The general secretary slammed Congress and alleged the party’s link with the documentary.

    He questioned BBC’s decision to make the documentary about the Gujarat riots 20 years after the incident and stated that the BJP has overcome such false narratives, while also mentioning that the documentary could have been made by presenting all the truthful facts.

    “BBC interviewed only anti-modi people and did not consider the SC’s order. This is an agenda to create a bad image of the country and the PM,” he said.

    Earlier, this month, the government denounced the BBC series ‘The Modi Question’, calling it a “propaganda piece designed to push a discredited narrative”.

    The government also pulled down the series from various social media platforms, including Twitter and Youtube.

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    #BBC #documentary #Modi #international #conspiracy #BJP #leader #Ravi

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Mohsin Shaikh murder case: Pune court acquits Hindu outfit leader, 19 others

    Mohsin Shaikh murder case: Pune court acquits Hindu outfit leader, 19 others

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    Pune: A sessions court has acquitted Hindu Rashtra Sena (HRS) leader Dhananjay Desai and 19 others in the June 2, 2014 murder of IT professional Mohsin Shaikh during the violence.

    The Defence lawyer advocate Milind Pawar who was representing Dhananjay Desai said that all the accused were acquitted on Friday as the evidence on record was not strong enough.

    “All 20 accused including Dhananjay Desai have been acquitted by the Session court today citing lack of evidence,” he said.

    The defence lawyer further said that the prosecutor failed to prove the charge of “criminal conspiracy” on which police had arrested.

    “We had argued in the court that Dhanajay who was allegedly part of a group who had beaten Shaikh was in Yerwada jail on the date of the incident in a different case, but Police have accused and arrested Dhanajay Desai on the charge of criminal conspiracy but Public Prosecutor failed to prove the case,” he further said, adding that the witnesses in the case failed to identify all the accused saying there were dark during the incident.

    Mohsin Shaikh, 28-year-old was killed by a mob during the violence which had erupted at Unnatinagar and adjoining localities in Hadapsar over an objectionable post on social media.

    The case dates back to June 2014 when Shaikh was returning home with a friend after offering evening prayers when he was randomly targeted and attacked by the mob and attacked with hockey sticks and cricket bats. Later, he succumbed to his injuries at a hospital.

    Police had booked 22 people, including two minors, in the case. The two minors were acquitted earlier. The remaining 20 accused were acquitted on Friday.

    Additional sessions judge SB Salunke of the Pune session court pronounced the order.

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    #Mohsin #Shaikh #murder #case #Pune #court #acquits #Hindu #outfit #leader

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Karnataka AAP demands transparency in probe into ‘Santro Ravi’s’ Case

    Karnataka AAP demands transparency in probe into ‘Santro Ravi’s’ Case

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    Bengaluru: The Karnataka unit of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has posed several questions to the ruling BJP government in Karnataka about the investigation in power broker ‘Santro Ravi’s’ case.

    K.S. Manjunath, also known as ‘Santro Ravi’, was nabbed by the Gujarat Police earlier this moth. The alleged human trafficker was on the run for the past 11 days. Ravi was in the eye of a political storm over his alleged role in police transfers and links to several politicians. He has at least 21 criminal cases lodged against him related to human trafficking, murder, fraud, and kidnapping.

    Speaking to the press at the party office here, AAP’s communication in-charge for Karnataka, Brijesh Kalappa, said, “It has been over two weeks since the arrest of Santro Ravi, but the government has not goven any information about the investigation. Are they trying to shield him or do away with him?”

    Kalappa asked several pointed questions to the government, including why Ravi was apprehended in Gujarat and not in Karnataka, what was the reason for his visit to Gujarat, and who were the people with whom Ravi had business dealings.

    He also questioned the government’s lack of action against those who may have helped Ravi amass a wealth of Rs 1000 crore, and asked why the ED, CBI, or the Income Tax department are not probing how Ravi acquired so much money.

    In response to a question about ADGP Alok Kumar’s comment that the investigation only pertains to the harassment complaint filed by Ravi’s wife, Kalappa said, “Why is the ADGP not investigating the links of this white-collar criminal with the politicians? Alok Kumar should not give in to political pressure. If he is working on the behest of politicians, he is incompetent to hold to his post.”

    Kalappa also asked who helped Ravi stay in the Kumara Kurpa government guest house and questioned the reported overdose of drugs found in Ravi’s system. He compared the lack of information about Ravi’s case to that of Ajmal Kasab, pointing out that the public had more information about Kasab’s whereabouts and daily activities.

    “Of the three political parties, both Congress and JD(S) have fallen silent on the issue of Santro Ravi, after Ravi himself said that he has provided his services to all the three political parties. They are hand-in-glove in both Santro Ravi and Shirki’s case and are happy with the government’s inaction against these criminals,” the AAP leader said.

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    #Karnataka #AAP #demands #transparency #probe #Santro #Ravis #Case

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Saudi scholarship student killed in US, police arrest suspect

    Saudi scholarship student killed in US, police arrest suspect

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    Police in the US state of Philadelphia have arrested a Georgian woman on Friday, in connection with the fatal stabbing incident of a Saudi scholarship student to death, the Saudi embassy in United States of America (USA) announced, local media reported.

    19-year-old, Nicole Marie Rodgers, hails from Columbus, Georgia is in police custody.

    She has been charged with premeditated murder and robbery, in addition to several other charges, according to ABC6 news.

    Al-Waleed Al-Gharibi was found dead inside his residential building after being stabbed Monday, January 23, at approximately 11:50 EST.

    As per media reports, police found Al-Waleed Al-Gharibi suffering from a stab wound in the neck in the third-floor bathroom. The victim was declared dead at the scene.

    Shortly after Gharibi’s body was discovered, police offered a 20,000 dollars (Rs 16,30,310) reward for information leading to Rodgers’ arrest.

    25-year-old computer science student had two months to go before graduating and returning to Saudi Arabia.

    It was discovered that the suspected killer stole the student’s mobile phone and other belongings before fleeing the scene.

    Police did not say what led to the stabbing or that Rodgers knew the victim.

    Al-Waleed’s father told Arabic daily Okaz, that she was a neighbor who lived in the apartment opposite, and that her son’s body was found in her bathroom.

    The owner of the building in which Al-Walid Al-Gharibi lived in American Philadelphia, Al-Walid Al-Gharibi, told Al Arabiya that he was a kind and wonderful person, and one of the best people she had met.

    The embassy’s statement said, “The embassy received with pain the news of the death of the student Al-Waleed Al-Gharibi. Princess Reema bint Bandar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States, contacted the victim’s family to offer condolences and full assistance for the distressing circumstances.”



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    #Saudi #scholarship #student #killed #police #arrest #suspect

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • BBC Ara­bic ra­dio goes off air after 85 years of continuous broadcasting

    BBC Ara­bic ra­dio goes off air after 85 years of continuous broadcasting

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    The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Arabic radio broadcasting journey on January 27 went off air, after 85 years of broadcasting media service.

    The BBC announced in September 2022, that January 27, 2023 will be the date for the end of the journey that began in 1938, during which the radio built “great confidence” with its listeners around the world.

    BBC Arabic radio, was launched on January 3, 1938 in London.

    “Here is London, ladies and gentlemen. We are broadcasting today from London in Arabic for the first time in history.” That is the voice of broadcaster Ahmad Kamal Sorour, and that is the first phrase that was launched by the British Broadcasting Corporation “BBC” in Arabic, on January 3, 1938. To be the beginning of the broadcast of the Arabic section of the world’s most famous radio.

    BBC Arabic Radio finally stopped at 1 pm London time on Friday, January 27, with presenter Mahmoud Almossallami signing off with what called the station’s “prized slogan” — “This is London.”

    However, the BBC Arabic website and the BBC’s social networking platforms (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) will continue to operate in addition to hosting existing and new audio programmes, the BBC said in a tweet.

    The broadcaster said that its decision was based on the slogan “time changes, but does not stop”, announcing the start of plans to accelerate the pace of transformation of its services towards digital content and increase public influence around the world, in light of relentless efforts to save costs.

    It added that the decision to close “is in line with the changes that have taken place in the needs of the public around the world, and the shift of more people towards digital news platforms.”

    Almost 382 people will lose their jobs at BBC.

    The BBC was set up by the British government but is funded by television license fees paid by the British public. Therefore, it is not funded by the state and maintains editorial independence.

    BBC Arabio radio covered news of World War II and the Suez Canal crisis and its aftermath in 1956 of a “triple aggression” carried out by France, Britain and Israel against Egypt. 

    BBC Arabic radio correspondents also covered most of the crises and all the Arab-Israeli wars, in addition to the Palestinian uprisings and the invasion of Iraq, which made it attract 40 million daily listeners.

    Friday, January 27, 2023, was the day of the end of the journey, in which the “Big Ben” clock stopped transmitting the sound of its most famous bell on the “BBC” Arabic radio station, at the top of every hour, announcing the arrival of another hour during which more news and miscellaneous materials would be broadcast.

    Many current or former workers expressed their astonishment at this decision, as this radio station – according to some – is not an ordinary radio station.

    The farewell expressions were not limited to the BBC radio workers, but even those who passed through there in their previous years of work still had a good memory of the broadcaster, and they did not understand this decision.



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    #BBC #Arabic #radio #air #years #continuous #broadcasting

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )