"You Want Him To Be A Farmer?" Chinese Principal Forces Mother To Send Sick Child To School

A Chinese school principal has sparked controversy on social media after paying a visit to a student's home. The incident unfolded when the boy, who had taken the morning off due to illness, was found by the principal, surnamed Li, playing outside. The principal, who heads a school in Hainan province, expressed concern for the child's absence and decided to visit the family. Upon reaching their residence, she became upset and raised her voice while speaking to the boy's mother. This incident has left social media users in the country divided, according to the South China Morning Post. 

"My son does not feel well, don't you understand? Is it wrong to take half a day off school?" the boy's mother told the principal in a video shared on social media.

"Yes. In his condition, he should go to school," the principal replied.

The mother of the boy was perplexed by the principal's actions, considering that her son had fainted at school the day before. A teacher had contacted her, requesting that she come to pick him up.

The mother conveyed to the principal that her son had experienced dizziness the night before. However, the principal remained adamant, asserting that an official sick leave required a medical certificate.

"He still felt dizzy last night and I had already said he would be off sick," the mother said.

"Taking sick leave requires a medical certificate. If he has any problems at school, our teachers will look after him," the principal responded.

The principal shifted the conversation's focus and inquired of the boy's mother whether she envisioned her child pursuing a career as a farmer.

The principal shifted the conversation's focus and inquired of the boy's mother whether she envisioned her child pursuing a career as a farmer.

The video soon went viral on the internet and received mixed reactions from social media users in China. 

A user wrote, "Li must be a responsible principal. Not only does she make time to visit the pupil's home, she also tries hard to convince the mother."

"The principal's attitude is very rude," another user commented. 

"The mother is right," the third user wrote. 

"They are so lucky to have such a responsible principal," the fourth user commented. 

 

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Woman's Body With Neck Slit, Injuries On Private Part Found In Delhi: Cops

A 21-year-old man was arrested for allegedly killing a woman over suspicion of having multiple affairs and ignoring him in Delhi's Rani Bagh area, police said on Monday.

The woman's body was found on a railway track near the Shakurbasti railway yard, they said.

The woman's neck was slit and over 20 cut injuries were found on her body, including private part, police said.

The accused has been identified as Pandav Kumar, a resident of Budh Vihar, who suspected the woman of having multiple affairs, they said.

"On January 25, the body of a woman with cut marks almost on every part of her body by a sharp-edged weapon was found near the railway track. Police also recovered a blood-stained broken knife and a blood-stained shaving blade from the spot. A case was registered and an investigation was taken up," Deputy Commissioner of Police (outer) Jimmy Chiram said.

The police team checked over 100 CCTV footage and identified the accused, who was later arrested, he added.

The DCP said that the woman was in her late 20s.

"During interrogation, Pandav revealed that he had been friend with the woman for the past year and-a-half. They first met at his native village in Bihar where the woman's elder sister was married," he added.

Pandav began suspecting that the woman was involved in multiple affairs and was neglecting him, police said, adding this suspicion led him to the decision to kill her.

"He acquired two knives from a local vendor at Rani Bagh market to carry out his plan. On January 24, Pandav lured the victim to Budh Vihar Nala. When she refused his proposal to live together in a rented accommodation, he took her to a railway yard where he attacked her with a knife," the DCP said.

The accused inflicted multiple injuries on the woman using the knife and blade and later fled from the spot, police said.

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Bhutan's Liberal Tshering Tobgay Becomes Prime Minister After Fourth Free Vote

Bhutan's liberal politician Tshering Tobgay, leader of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), officially began his second term as prime minister on Sunday, following elections earlier this month.

To mark his appointment formally, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck handed a scarf to Tobgay, a statement posted on the king's official Facebook page said.

Tobgay, 58, is the country's fourth freely elected Prime Minister since democracy was established in the Himalayan kingdom 15 years ago.

A former bureaucrat and an advocate for Bhutan's Buddhist culture, he was previously prime minister from 2013 to 2018. He was also the leader of the opposition in the parliament set up after the first free vote in 2008 until 2013.

Bhutan is a country of fewer than 800,000 people, situated between China and India. It is known for its Gross National Happiness (GNH) index, an economic gauge that takes into account factors such as recreation and emotional well-being that are ignored by gross domestic product measures.

But Tobgay faces the challenge of revamping the $3 billion economy following the COVID-19 pandemic and creating jobs to prevent young Bhutanese people from going abroad, mainly to Australia, in pursuit of better opportunities.

Bhutan has extensive economic and cultural ties with India, which is also its largest donor and trade partner and Tobgay has made clear his wish to maintain a deep relationship with the country.

It has no formal diplomatic relations with China but is in talks with Beijing to resolve border disputes - negotiations closely watched by India, which has a border dispute with China.

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ISRO's Meteorological Satellite Flagged Off To Sriharikota Spaceport For Launch

ISRO on Saturday said its meteorological satellite INSAT-3DS has been flagged off to Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR at Sriharikota for it to be launched onboard GSLV F14.

Satellite assembly, integration, and testing activities were successfully done at the UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru.

The satellite is a user-funded project with the Ministry of Earth Science (MoES), configured around ISRO's I-2k bus platform with a lift-off mass of 2,275 kg. Indian Industries have significantly contributed to the making of the satellite.

According to sources, the space agency is said to be aiming for a mid-February launch.

"INSAT-3DS is an exclusive meteorological satellite realised by ISRO with the primary objective to provide continuity of services to the existing in-orbit INSAT-3D and 3DR satellites and significantly enhancing the capabilities of the INSAT system," ISRO said.

It was flagged off to the SDSC-SHAR launch port in Andhra Pradesh on January 25, it said, adding that a Pre-Shipment Review (PSR) was also held with the participation of members from the user community.

According to ISRO, the satellite is designed for enhanced meteorological observations and monitoring of land and ocean surfaces for weather forecasting and disaster warning, with state-of-the-art payloads: 6 channel Imager & 19 channel Sounder meteorology payloads, communication payloads viz., The Data Relay Transponder (DRT) and Satellite aided Search and Rescue (SAS&R) transponder.

The DRT instrument receives meteorological, hydrological, and oceanographic data from automatic Data Collection Platforms or Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) and augments the weather forecasting capabilities.

SAS&R transponder is incorporated in the satellite to relay a distress signal or alert detection from the beacon transmitters for search and rescue services with global receive coverage.

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Lollapalooza India 2024: Crowd Chants "Jiju" During Nick Jonas' Performance

Singer Nick Jonas along with his brothers Kevin and Joe Jonas, performed at the music festival Lollapalooza India on Saturday evening, in Mumbai. This marked Jonas Brothers' first ever India concert. A moment from the Jonas Brothers' performance is trending a great deal on social media. It features the crowd cheering and chanting "jiju, jiju" as Nick Jonas performs on the stage. Nick Jonas is often lovingly called "jiju" by the Indian paparazzi as the singer is married to superstar Priyanka Chopra. The video has been shared by several fan pages dedicated to Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra on social media.

Here is a video of fans chanting "jiju" during the concert. The video is viral, naturally.

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A post shared by Jerry x Mimi (@jerryxmimi)

Nick, Kevin Jonas along with brother Joe, are a part of the famous musical band Jonas Brothers. The band became a household name after they made appearances on the Disney channel. Nick, Kevin and Joe started the band in the year 2005 and they featured in the Camp Rock films. They were also a part of the Disney series titled Jonas. The Jonas Brothers returned to the music scenario in March 2019 with their comeback singleSucker, which ruled all the music charts.

Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas met at the grand fashion event Met Gala 2017, where they represented designer Ralph Lauren. They got married at the Umaid Bhawan Palace in 2018. Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas welcomed daughter Malti Marie in January, 2022. Nick Jonas had a cameo appearance in Priyanka Chopra's film Love Again with Celine Dion and Sam Heughan.

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S Jaishankar Meets French Counterpart, Discusses Regional, Global Issues

External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, met with his French counterpart, Stephane Sejourne and held a discussion on a range of regional and global issues.

The meeting, held in the spirit of the enduring India-France strategic partnership, focused on key matters pertinent to both nations.

"Great to meet with French FM @steph_sejourne. A good discussion on regional and global issues, befitting our strategic partnership. Look forward to staying in touch," Mr Jaishankar said in a post on X.

The dialogue between the two foreign ministers was held as French President Emmanuel Macron is on a State visit to India on the occasion of Republic Day.

Macron, who arrived in India on Thursday in Jaipur, held a bilateral discussion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

PM Modi said that it is a matter of great pride that the French President is participating in the 75th Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi.

In a post on X, PM Modi wrote," Welcome to India, my friend President @EmmanuelMacron. I am happy that President Macron begins his India visit from Jaipur in Rajasthan, a land with rich culture, heritage and talented people. It is a matter of great pride that he will be taking part in our Republic Day celebrations tomorrow, 26th January, in Delhi. His presence not only strengthens the ties between our nations but also adds a significant chapter to our shared history of friendship and collaboration."

This momentous visit by President Macron culminates in the 25th-anniversary celebrations of the Strategic Partnership between India and France.

Macron and PM Modi have engaged in a series of high-profile meetings throughout 2023, underscoring the strength and depth of the bilateral relationship.

Their interactions have spanned various global platforms, including the COP 28 Summit in Dubai, the G20 Leaders' Summit, and the G7 Summit in Hiroshima. Notably, President Macron was also the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Celebrations in France in July 2023.

This visit by President Macron marks the sixth time a French leader has been invited as the Chief Guest on India's Republic Day. This tradition began with President Jacques Chirac in 1976, followed by Valery Giscard d'Estaing in 1980, Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008, and Francois Hollande in 2016.

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3 'Hybrid' Terrorists Arrested In Jammu And Kashmir's Baramulla

Three 'hybrid' terrorists were arrested in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district on the eve of Republic Day while conducting an arms consignment exchange, officials said on Thursday.

Infiltration into social media groups and precise tracking led to the arrest of the terrorists from the Boniyar area of the Uri sector in north Kashmir averting a major incident ahead of Republic Day, they said.

Officials said swift action underscores Indian Army's and Jammu and Kashmir Police's dedication to national security.

The individuals are in custody and further investigation is underway, they added.

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John Abraham On Pathaan Completing 1 Year: "This Was The Film That Made Us As An Industry Bounce Back"

As 2023's biggest blockbuster Pathaan starring Shah Rukh Khan clocked a year of its theatrical release, actor John Abraham said he has fond memories of the film in which he plays the role of the antagonist who recieved immense love and acclaim from audiences.

Pathaan's anniversary will always be nostalgic for me personally and also for the Hindi film industry because this was the film that made us as an industry bounce back," said the actor.

"This film brought a lot of respect and glory back to the industry. It changed perception, emotion and the forward journey of the Hindi film industry. Just see how the film industry bounced back with Pathaan to deliver its biggest year ever in cinema!"

John expressed his gratitude for the love and support he received for his performance in Pathaan.

"I will always have extremely fond memories of Pathaan for this reason because this industry is my home. The amount of love I have got for Pathaan is incredible. Playing an anti-hero and winning hearts is a very special feeling," he said.

The actor also shared his desire to be part of Aditya Chopra's fabled YRF Spy Universe.

He said, "I hope I continue to be a part of this YRF Spy Universe and enthral you all with my craft and passion towards cinema."

Helmed by Siddharth Anand, Pathaan, which was released on January 25, also stars Deepika Padukone in the lead role. Apart from "seeti maar" dialogues and high-octane action scenes, it's Salman Khan's extended cameo as Tiger that has made the film more special.

After a few years of tough phase, SRK, in 2023, made a grand comeback and let his work silence the detractors.

SRK returned to silver screen with Siddharth Anand's Pathaan in January. In the film, SRK donned an action avatar and left everyone in awe.

The film broke several records at the box office and managed to grab a name in the list of one of the highest-grossing films in the Indian film industry. Remember the clamorous death knell tolling for the Hindi film industry all through 2021 and 2022? His film literally ended Bollywood's dry spell at the box office.

Pathaan will always remain special for SRK and his fans as the film marked SRK's first hit after his sabbatical of four years post delivering a series of duds like Zero and Jab Harry Met Sejal.

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Karpoori Thakur's Village In Bihar Celebrates As Centre Awards Bharat Ratna

A day after the Centre decided to confer Bharat Ratna on former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur, the native village of the socialist icon erupted in joy on Wednesday with a large number of people gathering outside his ancestral house and celebrating his 100th birth anniversary.

Villagers of the 'Karpoori gram' in Samastipur district met family members of Thakur and his elder son and JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP Ramnath Thakur.

On the occasion of the 100th birth anniversary of Thakur, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar garlanded a statue of the socialist icon on the Bihar Assembly premises on Wednesday. Several other leaders also paid tributes to him. Thakur was chosen for the country's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna on Tuesday. Talking to PTI on Wednesday, the JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP said, "After 36 years of the death of my father, the central government has decided to award him Bharat Ratna. I want to thank the Centre on behalf of my party, myself and the people in Bihar." Family members of the former Bihar chief minister termed the Centre's decision to award him Bharat Ratna posthumously as a "proud moment".

While talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function organised by the state government on the occasion of the centenary birth anniversary of Karpoori Thakur, Jagriti, granddaughter of the socialist icon, said, "It is a proud moment for all of us. It just cannot be expressed in words." "The respect and honour granted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to my late grandfather have not been given before. We are overwhelmed," she said.

Abhinav Vikas, grandson of Thakur, told reporters, "It is a matter of pride for everyone, especially those who come from the lower strata of the society. It was great news for all of us when we came to know about it on Tuesday".

He also said it is "an honour for all the poor and deprived and all those for whom my grandfather worked all his life". The state government has organised several events during the day to celebrate Thakur's legacy.

Commenting on the Centre's decision to confer Bharat Ratna on Thakur, senior JD (U) leader Neeraj Kumar said, "After repeated requests by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Bharat Ratna has been finally conferred on Jannayak Karpoori Thakur. Although it came late, it is a welcome decision and will inspire the youth to take up his ideals." 

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Trump Re-Election Would Mean Unpredictability For Canada: Justin Trudeau

A win for Republican frontrunner Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential election this November would mean a certain amount of unpredictability for Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Tuesday.

Trudeau, whose center-left Liberals came to power in November 2015, had rocky relations with Trump during his first four-year White House term. In 2018, Trump accused Trudeau of being weak and dishonest.

"We don't know exactly what he'll do ... obviously, Mr. Trump represents a certain amount of unpredictability," Trudeau told reporters during a cabinet retreat in Montreal.

Canada sends 75% of its goods and services exports to the United States and is particularly vulnerable to any U.S. shift toward protectionism.

Trudeau said his Liberal government had managed to meet the challenges posed by the first Trump administration. These included the U.S. placing tariffs on Canadian steel and Washington's demand for the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which also includes Mexico.

During the NAFTA renegotiation, Canada sent dozens of cabinet ministers and top officials to a number of key U.S. states to stress the value of continental free trade and Trudeau said Ottawa would take the same approach this time.

"We were able to manage Mr. Trump by defending Canadian interests and showing we can create economic growth on both sides of the border," said Trudeau.

Kirsten Hillman, Canada's ambassador to Washington, is due to address cabinet ministers on Tuesday.

About two-thirds of Canadians surveyed this month said U.S. democracy cannot survive another four years of Trump in power, according to a poll released last week.

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2 Tiger Bodies Found In Maharashtra Reserve, "Territorial Fight" Suspected

The carcasses of a tiger and tigress, who may have died in a territorial fight, were found in the core zone of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TADR) in Chandrapur on Monday, an official said.

Tiger T-142 and tigress T-92 were found dead near Khantole pond in compartment 338 in Kolsa range in the TADR ocre zone, he said.

"They might have died in a territorial fight in the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. We are collecting more information from camera traps installed at the spot. The body of the tigress is partially eaten," the official said.

The tiger was 6-7 years old while the tigress was a sub adult, he added.

"The carcasses were sent to the Transit Treatment Centre, Chandrapur for autopsy, which will be conducted on Tuesday," the official said.

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OYO Founder Ritesh Agarwal Visits Jagannath Temple, Says "Next Stop Ayodhya"

The preparations for the grand 'Pran Prathistha' (consecration) ceremony of Ayodhya's Ram Temple on January 22 are in full swing. OYO Founder and Chief Executive Officer Ritesh Agarwal is also on his way to attend the ceremony at Ram Mandir. Before the event, he shared that he kicked off his pilgrimage with the Jagannath temple in Puri.

He took to X and shared a video of the same. The entrepreneur stated since he hails from Odisha, he wanted to begin the "holy week" with the blessings of Lord Jagannath. While sharing the video, he said, "Kickstarting this holy week with a visit to the Puri Jagannath Temple. Next stop is Ayodhya. I will be sharing more updates along the way. Jai Jagannath."

Kickstarting this holy week with a visit to the Puri Jagannath Temple. Next stop is Ayodhya. I will be sharing more updates along the way. Jai Jagannath. pic.twitter.com/ejwLmWjXg8

— Ritesh Agarwal (@riteshagar) January 21, 2024

In the clip, Mr Agarwal is dressed in a grey tracksuit and can be heard saying, "Namaste. Aap log jaisa ki jaante hain main yahan se apne Ayodhya ke darshan ka Pran Prathishtha ke raaste mein shuruwaat kar raha hoon. Aur main Odisha se hoon toh islie mujhe laga shuruwaat karnege Jagannat Puri se. Yaha se main aapko Ayodhya ke Ram Lalla jee ke mandir aur Pran Prathishtha tak ke updates deta rahunga. Bhot bhot dhanyawad. (Namaste, as you know, from here I am starting my Ayodhya pilgrimage to the Pran Prathishtha ceremony. Since I am from Odisha, I thought I would start from Jagannat Puri. From here, I will give you updates till Ram Mandir and Pran Prathishtha in Ayodhya. Many thanks)."

A few days ago, the OYO CEO received an invite to attend the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony at Ram Temple. Mr Agarwal took to X (formerly Twitter) and said that it was a moment of "personal pride". "I am humbled by the invitation to attend this momentous occasion. The consecration ceremony on January 22nd represents the opening of a new chapter in India's spiritual legacy. As someone raised on stories of Ayodhya's cultural significance, this is a matter of personal pride and honour." The entrepreneur stated that Ayodhya is the biggest destination for spiritual travel in India with over three lakh visitors expected daily and it "stands as a bright spot in India's spiritual tourism ecosystem."

Concluding the post, the OYO CEO said that "business and belief seamlessly converge" in the city. He said, "In Ayodhya, business and belief seamlessly converge - a city of immense spiritual significance that also presents valuable business opportunities. This is not only a source of personal joy, but also a proud moment for the entire nation."

Meanwhile, in Ayodhya, the main ceremony will begin at 12.20 pm and is expected to end by 1 pm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will then address a gathering of more than 7,000 people, including seers and prominent personalities, at the venue. The entire event will be telecasted live. The new idol of Ram Lalla, sculpted by Arun Yogiraj, was placed inside the temple today. The idol shows Ram Lalla as a five-year-old standing on a lotus, also crafted from the same stone.

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"We Are Going To Respond": White House On US Military Base Attack In Iraq

The United States is taking the attack by Iran-backed operatives on a base hosting US forces in Iraq over the weekend "extremely seriously," the White House said Sunday.

"Multiple ballistic missiles and rockets" were fired by Iranian-backed operatives at Al-Assad Airbase in western Iraq late Saturday, the US military said, leading to one Iraqi and possible American casualties.

"It was a very serious attack, using a capability of ballistic missiles that posed a genuine threat," White House Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer said Sunday.

"We are going to respond... to establish deterrence in these situations, and to hold these groups accountable that continue to attack us," Finer added during his appearance on ABC's This Week.

"You can be assured that we are taking this extremely seriously."

Most of the projectiles fired at the base were intercepted by air defense systems, Finer and the Pentagon said.

Since mid-October, there have been dozens of attacks on the approximately 2,500 US troops in Iraq and the around 900 in Syria, deployed there with other coalition forces to fight jihadists of the Islamic State group.

Most incidents, including Saturday's attack, have been claimed by "Islamic Resistance in Iraq," a loose alliance of Iran-linked armed groups that oppose US support for Israel in the Gaza conflict.

The use of ballistic missiles marks an escalation in the attacks, which had previously been carried out with lower-tech rockets and drones.

Saturday's air base attack comes amid soaring tensions in the Middle East following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7.

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Anti-Israel Protesters Fire Smoke bombs, Flares In Clash With Cops In Italy

Protesters clashed with police in the Italian city of Vicenza on Saturday after a demonstration against the presence of Israeli exhibitors at an international jewellery fair.

Police used water cannon against demonstrators who fired smoke bombs and flares after violence erupted after a planned march by hundreds of people, some holding up banners saying "Free Palestine" and "Stop Bombing Gaza".

More than 1,300 exhibitors from almost 40 countries are showing at the Vicenzaoro fair, which opened on Friday and runs until Tuesday, according to organisers.

A spokesperson told AFP the clashes took place several kilometres away and had no impact on the event, while declining to give information on the Israeli presence at the fair.

Vicenza mayor Giacomo Possamai said there was "no justification" for the violence.

"It also hurts the causes that it claims to support -- it is a contradiction in terms to demonstrate for peace and a ceasefire through violence," he said in a statement posted on social media.

Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, resulting in the death of about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Operatives also seized about 250 hostages, around 132 of whom Israel says remain in Gaza. At least 27 captives are believed to have been killed, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

Vowing to destroy Hamas, Israel has been conducting a relentless air and ground offensive in Gaza that has killed at least 24,927 Palestinians, around 70 percent of them women, children and adolescents, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run territory.

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Severe Cold To Persist In Delhi, Orange Alert Issued Amid Dense Fog

The weather department has issued an "orange alert" for dense fog on Saturday in the national capital and adjoining areas, officials on Friday said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast mainly clear skies with dense to very dense fog during the early hours.

There will be cold to severe cold day condition at isolated places in Delhi, with maximum and minimum temperatures likely to settle around 15 and 7 degrees Celsius, respectively, they said.

Kuldeep Srivastava, scientist and head of the Regional Weather Forecasting Centre, said there will be a marginal increase in the maximum temperature next week.

"Mornings and evenings in Delhi will be cold. However, there will be relief during the daytime due to sunlight," he said.

He added there will be no significant change in Delhi's weather conditions in the month of January so far.

The national capital is continuously experiencing a foggy and cold week, with the maximum temperature on Friday settling at 14.2 degrees Celsius, five notches below the season's average.

On Friday, cold to severe cold conditions were observed across Delhi.

The minimum temperature settled at 7.1 degrees Celsius in Delhi, with a thick layer of fog enveloping several parts of the city, affecting rail, runway and road traffic.

The visibility at the Indira Gandhi International Airport was recorded at 500 meters at 8.30 am, as per the IMD.

Due to foggy conditions, at least 22 Delhi-bound trains or those having a route through the national capital were running late as on January 19, according to railway officials.

As per the data by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 4 pm stood at 348 under 'very poor' category.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'. 

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Drishyam 2 Star Ishita Dutta And Vatsal Sheth Share Pics From Son Vaayu's Annaprashan

Ishita Dutta and Vatsal Sheth, who became parents to a baby boy Vaayu last year, shared pictures from his Annaprashan ceremony (Rice Ceremony) on Instagram. The couple celebrated the special occasion with friends and family. In the first picture shared, Ishita can be seen kissing her baby boy on his forehead. In a family picture, Ishita's sister Tanushree Dutta can be spotted. For the occasion, Vatsal Sheth wore a kurta while Ishita chose a saree. Sharing the pictures they wrote in the caption, "Happy 6 months my baby.Vaayu's Annaprashan ceremony. For those who don't know it's a Bengali traditional ceremony which also known as the rice ceremony where solid food is introduced to the baby by his mama for the first time..Off course the baby is too small to eat so we only touch the food to introduce him to flavours." Bobby Deol shared a bunch of heart emojis in the comments section. Take a look:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ishita Dutta Sheth (@ishidutta)

Announcing the arrival of the baby, Vatsal Sheth posted a picture of himself with wife Ishita and their baby boy. "Us," he wrote, adding a heart emoji and added in the caption, "We have been blessed with a baby boy. Thank you all for the love and wishes." Take a look:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Vatsal Sheth (@vatsalsheth)

The couple also shared a video from his son's namkaran ceremony. They wrote in the caption, "Namkaran Ceremony of our little one. Vaayu Sheth. Thankyou for all the love and blessings." Take a look:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ishita Dutta Sheth (@ishidutta)

Ishita Dutta and Vatsal Sheth got married on November 28, 2017. The couple fell in love during the shoot of the TV show Rishton Ka Saudagar - Baazigar. In terms of work, Ishita Dutta was last seen in the thriller Drishyam 2, co-starring Ajay Devgn, Tabu and Shriya Saran. Meanwhile, Vatsal Sheth recently starred in Om Raut's Adipurush, alongside Prabhas, Saif Ali Khan and Kriti Sanon.

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Deposit 150 Crores By January 31, Supreme Court To New Owners Of Jet Airways

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed Jalan-Kalrock consortium, the new owners of the cash-strapped Jet Airways, to deposit Rs 150 crore in SBI's escrow account by January 31, saying failure to do so will mean that the consortium is not in compliance with the terms of the resolution plan for reviving the airline.

The top court, meanwhile, also refused to allow the separate plea of the Jet Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Welfare Association seeking payment of provident fund and gratuity dues, observing if additional money is awarded, the resolution plan will become “unworkable”.

The consortium, as per the lawyers for the workmen, has to pay over Rs 200 crore towards dues on account of PF and gratuity.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said the insolvency appellate tribunal NCLAT was not correct in permitting adjustment of Rs 150 crore from the performance bank guarantee (PBG) towards payment of Rs 350 crore by the consortium to the lenders led by the State Bank of India. The amount was to be deposited in SBI's escrow account.

Escrow is a legal concept whereby an asset or money is held by a third party on behalf of two other parties that are in the process of completing a transaction.

"In the circumstances, we have come to the conclusion that the NCLAT (National Company Law Appellate Tribunal) was not justified in holding in its order dated August 28, 2023 that the last tranche of Rs 150 crores, which was to be paid, would be adjusted against the PBG," the bench said.

Out of the Rs 350 crore, which was to be paid by the consortium, Rs 200 crore was deposited in two equal instalments of Rs 100 crore and the remaining Rs 150 crore was adjusted from the performance bank guarantee (PBG) to which lender banks led by the State Bank of India objected.

Under a performance guarantee, monetary compensation has to be paid by the bank when there is any delay in delivering the performance or operation. Payment has to be made even if the service is delivered inadequately.

While referring the case back to the NCLAT for expeditious disposal, the top court said, "The SRA (successful resolution applicant- the Jalan-Kalrock consortium) shall on or before January 31, deposit an amount of Rs 150 crores to the SBI's escrow account failing which the SRA shall be treated as non compliant to the resolution plan." Modifying the August 28, 2023 order of the NCLAT, the bench said the permission granted to the consortium to adjust the last tranche of Rs 150 crore against the PBG is substituted with the direction.

The top court refused to extend the time for deposit of Rs 150 crore from January 31 to February 15 as sought by the consortium.

It said the rights and contentions of rival parties with regard to the compliance of the terms of the resolution plan will be adjudicated upon by the NCLAT.

During the day-long hearing, the bench said the consortium “must restore the performance bank guarantee of Rs 150 crore”.

On Wednesday, the top court had asked the consortium how much have they paid towards provident fund and gratuity dues to the former employees of the troubled airline.

On Thursday, the bench said though it was aware of the plight of the workmen, the amount sought cannot be awarded as it would make the resolution plan to revive the Jet Airways “unworkable”.

On August 28, 2023, the NCLAT had extended till September 30 the time for Jalan-Kalrock consortium to pay Rs 350 crore to the lenders of the bankrupt Jet Airways.

The tribunal had accepted the consortium's plea for extending the deadline and for adjustment of Rs 150 crore from performance bank guarantee (PBG) towards payment of Rs 350 crore.

Jalan-Kalrock Consortium had emerged as the winning bidder for the airline, which stopped flying in April 2019 and later underwent an insolvency resolution process.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor General N Venkataraman, appearing for the SBI-led consortium of banks which had lent money to Jet Airways, said the financial institutions have to recover Rs 7,800 crore. They said they are also incurring expenses on maintaining aircraft.

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Kerala's Padmanabhaswamy Temple To Present 'Onavillu' To Ram Temple

The famed Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala will present 'Onavillu', a traditional ceremonial bow, to the Lord Ram Temple in Ayodhya to mark the occasion of its consecration on January 22.

The bow is presented as a gift to the Lord Ram Temple.

Temple Tantri and its administrative panel members would hand over the 'Onavillu' to the Shri Ram Teerth Kshetra Trust representatives at a function to be held at the eastern entrance of the shrine on January 18, the executive officer of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple said in a statement on Wednesday.

'Onavillu' is a ceremonial offering dedicated to Lord Sree Padmanabha as part of a three-century-old tradition.

The members of a traditional family here make an artistic offering at the Lord Padmanabha Temple on the auspicious 'Thiru Onam' day every year.

"The ceremonial bow is presented to the Ayodhya Temple on behalf of the devotees of Lord Padmanabha," a temple official told PTI.

It would be taken to Ayodhya on a flight from Kochi, he said.

Arrangements will be made for devotees to catch a glimpse of the auspicious bow on the shrine premises tomorrow. They would also get to circumnutate the temple, carrying the ceremonial bow later, the official said.

Considered sacred by devotees, the 'villu' is generally a bow-shaped wooden panel with paintings on both sides with themes like 'Ananthasayanam', the mythical serpent Aanantha, 'Dashavataram', incarnations of Lord Vishnu, Sreerama Pattabhishekam, anointing of Lord Rama as King and so on. 

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Citizens In This European Country Now Can't Adopt Children From Abroad

Danes will no longer be able to adopt children from abroad after the country's only adoption agency said Tuesday it was ceasing operations amid reports of irregularities.

The Danish International Adoption (DIA) agency said in a statement it was "initiating a controlled wind-up of its activities as a facilitator of international adoptions".

The announcement came after Denmark's social affairs ministry suspended adoptions from the six countries with which DIA currently cooperates due to irregularities involving employment regulations.

The six countries are the Czech Republic, India, the Philippines, South Africa, Taiwan and Thailand.

DIA, which halted adoptions from Madagascar last year amid concerns over possible fraud, said Tuesday it had no choice but to shut down.

"International adoption can no longer, under the current conditions in Denmark, be run by an NGO like ours," DIA said.

It said it was currently handling 36 adoption procedures, and provided no details about what would happen to those cases.

International adoptions have in recent years plunged more than ten-fold in Denmark since 2010, when 418 were registered.

Meanwhile in Norway, the Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs (Bufdir) in December put an end to all adoptions from the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand, after several cases of illegal adoptions emerged in the media.

And as of January, no new adoption procedures from South Korea are allowed.

Bufdir had recommended a two-year freeze on all international adoptions pending the outcome of an investigation, but the government ruled that out and asked Bufdir to submit an evaluation as soon as possible.

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Kartik Aaryan's Birthday Post For His "Favourite Person In The World" Mom Mala Tiwari Is Everything

Actor Kartik Aaryan penned a sweet note for his mother Mala Tiwari on her birthday.
Taking to Instagram, Kartik shared a dancing video featuring her mother.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan)

Sharing the video, he wrote, "Happy Birthday to my favourite person in the world. I wish you keep dancing like this and be this happy person always.. Love you Mummy." As soon as the video was uploaded, fans and industry members flooded the comment section. Ayushmann Khurrana dropped heart and cake emoticons. Raveena Tandon wrote, "Many many happy returns of the day!"
Shilpa Shetty Kundra commented, "Awwwww. Happy Birthday to your beautiful mom. One of the users wrote, "Proud parents!! Koki always makes your parents proud." Another user comment, "Happy birthday dear auntie."

Meanwhile, on the work front, Kartik is currently occupied with his upcoming projects. He is busy shooting for his upcoming film 'Chandu Champion'.

Helmed by Kabir Khan, 'Chandu Champion' is based on the extraordinary real-life story of a sportsman and his spirit of never giving up. Kartik will portray the character of Chandu. Chandu Champion marks Kartik's first collaboration with director Kabir Khan.
On his birthday, Kartik also announced his new project with Karan Johar. The untitled film will feature Kartik Aaryan in the lead, directed by Sandeep Modi and it is slated to release on August 15, 2025. The film is being backed by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions and Ektaa Kapoor's Balaji Telefilms Ltd.

Taking to Instagram, Kartik wrote, "An unforgettable chapter of our glorious Indian history full of valour and sacrifice is now going to be part of my life a subject close to my heart... super proud and excited to embark on a new journey with the extremely talented @sandeep_modi and the powerhouse #karanjohar and @EktaaRKapoor."
Apart from that, Kartik will also be seen in director Hansal Mehta's upcoming film Captain India, director Anurag Basu's next Aashiqui 3 and the horror comedy film Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3.

source https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/kartik-aryan-shares-adorable-dancing-video-to-wish-mom-on-her-birthday-4872070#publisher=newsstand

Ira Khan And Nupur Shikhare In A Wedding Pic With Their Friends "From All Over The World"

Days after hosting a grand wedding reception in Mumbai for her family and friends from the film industry, Ira Khan treated her Instagram fans and followers to yet another picture from her wedding day. On Tuesday, Ira Khan, who is the daughter of actor Aamir Khan, shared a picture from her wedding day with her friends "from all over the world". In the picture shared, we can see Ira and her husband Nupur Shikhare posing adorably with a bunch of their friends. The picture is from their wedding day in Mumbai on January 3rd. For the caption, Ira wrote, "I dragged a bunch of people from all over the world to India and they came also."

Take a look at the post below:

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A post shared by Ira Khan (@khan.ira)

On Monday, Ira Khan has now shared a series of pictures from her pre-wedding festivities. The first photo in her Instagram post captures the bride-to-be relaxing with her friend, Smritee Paul, while wearing under-eye patches. Following that, Nupur Shikhare and Ira, are seated in what appears to be a garden. Additionally, there is a picture of Ira and Nupur posing with their mothers, Reena Dutta and Pritam Shikhare. Besides, there are snapshots of Ira posing with her friends. The last image captures Ira getting her hair coloured. In the caption, Ira wrote, “Pre-wedding things.” Fans of the couple have flooded the comments section with heart emojis.

On Saturday, Ira Khan's husband Nupur Shikhare delighted their fans by sharing a few pictures from their wedding reception. In the candid snapshots, the couple is seen posing adorably. The first image captures Nupur holding Ira in his arms, while in the next frame, Ira is seen hugging Nupur. Ira looks radiant in a red lehenga, and Nupur complements her in a shimmery black sherwani. In the caption, Nupur simply wrote, "I want to be very married with you bubs."

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A post shared by Popeye ⚓ (@nupur_popeye)

Ira Khan and Nupur Shikhare registered their marriage on January 3 in a private ceremony. Following that, they organised a grand celebration in Rajasthan and a reception in Mumbai.

source https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/ira-khan-and-nupur-shikhare-in-a-wedding-pic-with-their-friends-from-all-over-the-world-4875523#publisher=newsstand

Poll Body Reschedules UP Bypoll Due To Public Holiday For Ram Temple Event

The Election Commission (EC) on Monday rescheduled a bypoll to fill a vacancy in the Uttar Pradesh legislative council as the last date to withdraw candidature was January 22, which the state government has declared a public holiday to mark the Ram temple consecration ceremony at Ayodhya.

In a statement, the poll panel said January 22 was the last day to withdraw candidature for the January 29 bypoll. But in view of the public holiday, the last date to withdraw nominations has now been fixed at January 23 and the bypoll itself will take place on January 30, instead of January 29.

On January 4, the EC announced two legislative council by-polls for Telangana and one for Uttar Pradesh.

It made it clear that the by-polls scheduled for Telangana will go ahead in accordance with the schedule announced earlier.

According to the established practice, polls and counting of votes for the Rajya Sabha and legislative councils take place on the same day.

The by-poll for the Uttar Pradesh legislative council was necessitated after former deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma resigned from the state's Upper House after being elected to the Rajya Sabha.

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Teapot, Bottle: Options For Pak Ex-PM Imran Khan's Party After 'Bat' Symbol Snubbed

As Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) stands deprived of its iconic 'bat' symbol after the Peshawar High Court order, the party candidates are being allotted other symbols by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), ARY News reported.

In a late-night decision, the Supreme Court on Saturday upheld the December 22 decision of the ECP depriving the PTI of its iconic poll symbol.

Following the verdict, PTI chairman Barrister Gohar said that all party candidates would contest elections independently.

Barrister Khan, who has been deprived of his post of PTI chairman after the top court judgement, was allotted "teapot" as election symbol while Shaukat Yousafzai's symbol has been "racket", ARY News reported.

PTI's Shahryar Afridi will contest the election with the "bottle" symbol, and Shandana Gulzar has been given the symbol "bowl".

On the other hand, PTI senior leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi's children Mehr Bano Qureshi and Zain Hussain Qureshi have been allotted electoral symbols chimta (tongs) for NA-151 and shoe for NA-150 constituencies of Multan, respectively.

Umair Niazi will fight the election with the symbol 'door' on Mianwali's NA-90 seat. Shoaib Shaheen has been given a 'shoe' to contest elections in Islamabad's NA-46 constituency, according to ARY News.

'Piyala' (bowl) will represent Shandana Gulzar in the NA-30 constituency of Peshawar and 'kettle' will represent Barrister Gohar Ali Khan in NA-10 constituency of Buner.

Jamshed Dasti, who is contesting on two National Assembly seats from Muzaffargardh, has been allotted 'harmonium' for NA-175 seat and 'aeroplane' for NA-176.

According to the returning officer, in NA-177, PTI's Maqsood Khan Jatoi has been allotted the symbol of a 'hookah', and in NA-178, PTI's Daud Khan Jatoi has been given the symbol of a keychain, ARY News reported.

PTI's Shairam Tarkai from PA-20 and Rangzeb Khan from PK-49 have been given the symbol of a dove.

In PK-50, a peacock has been allotted to PTI's Aqibullah Khan, and in PK-51, Abdul Karim has been given the symbol of a kettle.

On the other hand, PMLN has been allotted the 'lion' symbol, PPPP 'arrow', JI 'scale', PTI-Nazaryati 'batsman', IPP 'eagle', MQM-P 'kite' and TLP allotted 'crane'.

A three-member bench -- headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Musarrat Hilali -- announced the verdict after a day-long hearing on Saturday, ARY News reported.

The decision was announced minutes before the expiry of the fifth extended deadline by the election watchdog for the intending candidates for the submission of party tickets.

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"Had Not Been Pregnant, Would Have Ended My Life": UK Post Office Scandal Victim

Wrongly convicted due to bugs in the UK Post Office's computer system, Seema Misra was sent to prison while two months pregnant. 

Had she had not been expecting her second child, Misra told AFP that she would have ended her own life "for sure".

Misra, now aged 48, took over the post office in West Byfleet, a village southwest of London, in 2005.

Her very first day ended with her system registering an £80 ($102) deficit, a seemingly trivial problem that soon turned into a nightmare, she explained from her home in Woking. 

At first, she tried to reassure herself that tallying up "is never penny to penny." 

But deep down she thought: "Why wouldn't it be penny to penny? Money goes in money, goes out, it should be all balanced up." 

The following week, her accounts showed a 163;200 deficit, which instantly doubled to 163;400 after she carried out instructions given to her by an adviser on a telephone helpline. 

The deficits grew over time, but the Post Office turned a deaf ear, blaming Misra's accounting.

Following an audit, an investigation and prosecution for theft, Misra was found culpable for a black hole of nearly 163;75,000. 

Misra pleaded guilty to falsifying accounts, having put her signature on inaccurate balance sheets, and pleaded not guilty to theft. 

Childbirth with electronic tag

But all along the real culprit was "Horizon", the accounting software developed by Japanese IT giant Fujitsu.  

Around 900 postal workers were convicted in total in what British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak this week called "one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in our nation's history".

Until her court case, Misra said she was "confident that I will get justice, it will be all fine."

But on November 10, 2010 -- her eldest child's 10th birthday -- a judge sentenced her to 15 months in prison.

Misra fainted on hearing her punishment, coming around in hospital before being taken to jail. 

"If I hadn't been pregnant I would have killed myself, that's for sure," she recalled.

At least four suicides have been recorded among those caught up in the scandal. 

She served four months behind bars, and then spent four months having to wear an electronic bracelet, even while giving birth. 

"I was thinking... the midwife would be thinking what kind of mother I'm going to be," she said, fearing that she might end up back in prison if she broke her curfew.

"All those kind of things were going on in my mind while I was giving birth."

She was forced to borrow from relatives for years, sell her business at a loss and a London flat she had bought to rent out was confiscated. 

Her family suffered "mentally" and "financially" as Misra could no longer find work because of her conviction.

"We couldn't enjoy the family moments together, all the special days were ruined," she said. 

The family's "dignity, our confidence" was another victim of the scandal, and "you can't put any price tag on that," she added.

Suffering of the innocent

Misra's conviction was finally overturned in 2021, along with those of around 40 of her colleagues.

Running a post office "could have been our adventure" and the start of a "business empire", but "all that shattered," said Misra, who arrived in the UK from India in 1994. 

She thought about returning to India, but decided not as she still harboured the hope of a better life for her family.

Misra is still understandably "very angry" at the Post Office, which she said "could have stopped it a while ago", but instead "hid the evidence and made innocent people suffer."

She wants to see those responsible "behind bars" and have their property confiscated, with their bonuses used to compensate victims.

While welcoming this week's announcement of a new law to exonerate and compensate wrongly convicted postal workers, she stresses that the government must now make this promise a reality quickly. 

But beyond that, "we need to set the right example to the world that we are developed country, that the system works here. We should feel safe."

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