Mentally Challenged Woman Raped On Hospital Campus In Madhya Pradesh, 1 Arrested

A 24-year-old mentally challenged woman was allegedly raped on the campus of a government medical college and hospital in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur district on Tuesday, police said.

A 22-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident on the campus of NSCB Medical College and Hospital, Garha police station in-charge Nilesh Dohare said.

The action was taken based on a complaint lodged by activists of Moksha Sanstha, a social organisation, he said.

The woman was staying in a shelter home at the medical college and hospital for the last one-and-a-half-month, Ashish Thakur, founder of Moksha Sanstha, told reporters.

Activists found out about the assault and rushed to the spot in the early hours of the day and took the woman to the police station, he said.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/tV5mONX
via IFTTT

No Illegal Coaching Centres To Be Spared: Delhi Mayor On Students' Deaths

Following the tragic deaths of three students at a coaching institute in Old Rajinder Nagar due to severe waterlogging, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi stated on Monday that she reached the site immediately after receiving the information, assessed the situation, and assured that illegally operating coaching centres would not be spared.

"Three students died after the basement of their coaching institute here was flooded with rainwater on July 27. As soon as I received information about the incident, I immediately reached the spot and assessed the situation. I wrote a letter to the MCD Commissioner and directed that action be taken against all coaching centres in Delhi that are operating illegally or not following MCD norms," said the Delhi Mayor.

"A sealing drive was launched in Rajinder Nagar by the MCD, during which 13 such coaching centres were seized. Today, another sealing drive took place in Rajinder Nagar, and six coaching institutes were sealed. An encroachment drive also took place. A sealing drive also occurred in Mukherjee Nagar. A Junior Engineer was terminated, and an Assistant Engineer was suspended. No illegal coaching centres will be spared," she further stated.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) formed a high-level committee to investigate the flooding of the basement of the coaching institute, which led to the deaths of three civil service aspirants in Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar.

The committee will examine the circumstances surrounding the incident, identify the responsible parties, and recommend measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

The incident, which occurred on Saturday after a nearby drain burst, claimed the lives of Shreya Yadav (from Uttar Pradesh), Nivin Dalwin (from Kerala), and Tanya Soni (from Telangana) when the basement of Rau's IAS Study Circle in Old Rajinder Nagar was flooded.
The coaching centre was later sealed by the police.

The three civil services aspirants--two women and one man--died after a basement library at Rau's IAS Centre was flooded during heavy rain on Saturday night, reportedly causing the failure of the single biometric entry and exit point.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/uOkHyEa
via IFTTT

Man Marries Over 20 Women To Steal Valuables In Maharashtra, Arrested

The police in Maharashtra's Palghar district have arrested a 43-year-old man who allegedly married more than 20 women across the country and duped them of their valuables, an official said on Sunday.

The MBVV police, probing a complaint lodged by a Nalla Sopara-based woman, caught the accused, Firoz Niaz Sheikh, from Kalyan in Thane district on July 23, an official said.

According to the complainant, the accused befriended her on a matrimonial website and married her, senior inspector Vijaysingh Bhagal said.

Sheikh took cash, a laptop and other valuables worth Rs. 6.5 lakh from the woman in October and November 2023, he said, adding that an FIR was registered under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code.

The police recovered a laptop, mobile phones, debit and credit cards, chequebooks and jewellery from the accused, the official said.

The investigation has revealed that Sheikh targeted divorcees and widows on matrimonial sites, married them and cheated them of their valuables, he said.

The accused has cheated more than 20 women since 2015 in different parts of the country, including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Gujarat, the official said.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/0Zq9jxt
via IFTTT

Tourists Duped Into Eating Dog Meat In Bali, Authorities Launch Crackdown

A recent investigation has revealed that Australian tourists were being tricked into eating dog meat skewers during their holidays on an Indonesian island. On Thursday, Bali officials seized hundreds of kilograms of raw dog meat and numerous skewers from vendors, despite a comprehensive ban on the trade of such meat on the popular resort island, the Independent reported. 

According to AFP, public order officers in Bali's Jembrana district seized at least 500 dog meat skewers and 56 kilograms of raw dog meat from various sellers following a series of inspections. Dewa Nyoman Rai Dharmadi, head of the Bali Public Order Agency, said that inspections conducted this week found three vendors still peddling dog meat, defying local regulations that prohibit its sale.

Two of the vendors had previously received warnings from Bali Police regarding their engagement in the trade of dog meat. 

"We won't suddenly take legal action, but we are giving them the chance to know the ban and why it was banned. But we will process recurrent (sellers) for deterrent effect. We're not playing around,'' Mr Dharmadi said. 

''Dog meat is not food and can also potentially cause disease. Don't believe in the superstitions that dog meat is healthy. That's misleading,'' he added. 

Two of the vendors are reportedly set to attend court in August.

Notably, Bali has enacted a stringent ban on the dog meat trade, imposing severe penalties on offenders, including a maximum prison sentence of three months and a hefty fine of up to 50 million rupiah (approximately 2,300 pounds), serving as a strong deterrent to those who would engage in this illicit activity.

Unlike regulated agricultural practices, the dog meat trade often relies on the inhumane seizure of dogs that are not raised for food, including stolen pets, community-owned dogs, and street dogs. 

Animal welfare organizations, including Animals International, have condemned the sale and consumption of dog and cat meat, citing the inherent cruelty of the trade. They argue that the dog meat trade not only subjects dogs to immense suffering but also poses serious health and safety risks to both tourists and local communities. 

However, dog meat is considered a part of traditional cuisine and consumed in certain regions of Southeast and East Asia, including China, Vietnam, and North Korea. 
 

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/Td7ZweA
via IFTTT

Franco-Swiss Airport Briefly Evacuated For "Security Reasons" Ahead Of Olympics Opening Ceremony

A Franco-Swiss airport was temporarily evacuated following a bomb threat Friday, hours after arson attacks disrupted the French rail network ahead of the Olympics opening ceremony.

EuroAirport, located on the French side of the border near Basel, said on its website that it had reopened and that flight operations were gradually restarting.

Earlier, the Basel-Mulhouse airport said it had been evacuated and closed "for safety reasons".

The prefecture of France's Haut-Rhin department told AFP the evacuation had been due to a bomb threat and that bomb-disposal experts were deployed.

Several French airports, including EuroAirport, had to be evacuated late last year due to a series of fake bomb threats.

EuroAirport welcomed eight million passengers in 2023.

The evacuation came as French authorities were hunting for the perpetrators of arson attacks on the high-speed train network, which disrupted travel for hundreds of thousands of people.

The Paris Olympics opening ceremony will be held Friday evening.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/BjX6ipt
via IFTTT

When 80% Andhra MLAs Stood Up In Response To This Question By Chandrababu Naidu

The Andhra Pradesh Assembly witnessed some lighter moments on Thursday as almost 80 per cent of the MLAs responded when Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu wanted all those who were booked during the previous government of YSR Congress Party to stand up.

Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Human Resources Development Minister Nara Lokesh and several other ministers were among those who stood up.

One of the women MLAs heard saying she had seven cases booked against her.

"Cases were booked against all those who were fighting politically. He (former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy) did not want to see any of them out (of jail) but people sent all of them directly to the Assembly," Naidu said in the Assembly while presenting a White Paper on the law and order situation during the YSRCP rule.

Mr Naidu vowed to place Andhra Pradesh in the first position in the country in terms of the best law and order situation. He said all the politically motivated cases would be reviewed. The Chief Minister said the government was also ready to punish all those officials who registered illegal cases.

He said except the Babli case, he never had any other case against him but after the YSRCP came to power, 17 cases were booked against him while seven cases were booked against Pawan Kalyan.

Mr Naidu mentioned that about 60 cases were booked against TDP leader J. C. Prabhakar Reddy. Cases under the SC/ST Atrocities Act were registered against present Home Minister Anitha Vangalapudi and Speaker Ayyanna Patrudu. Then MP Raghurama Krishna Raju was tortured in lock-up, he said and alleged that then Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy drew sadistic pleasure by watching the video of the torture.

He alleged that under the YSRCP rule, people suffered physical and mental trauma. "YSRCP leaders with the police attacked the very roots of democracy," he said and recalled that the Legislative Council Chairman was not allowed to function when a bill for creating three state capitals was tabled.

Mr Naidu agreed to Pawan Kalyan's suggestion that another session be called for a thorough discussion on law and order. He also advised NDA members not to land the government in trouble and made it clear that the government would punish anyone disturbing peace and law and order.

The Chief Minister said law and order can be maintained when officials perform their duties in accordance with the law. He also assured the house that a separate wing would be created in the police department to monitor social media. He warned that those posting content derogatory to women would not be spared.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/lPMTB0C
via IFTTT

Thousands Protest Netanyahu Outside US Capitol, Call For Gaza Ceasefire

Thousands gathered in Washington on Wednesday to protest Benjamin Netanyahu and call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, as the Israeli premier prepared to address the US Congress.

Crowds carrying Palestinian flags and signs ranging from left-wing slogans to Bible verses gathered outside the Capitol calling for a ceasefire and the arrest of Netanyahu, as prosecutors seek a warrant for him at the International Criminal Court.

"The hypocrisy of our (US) politicians today has gone beyond any limits," Mo, a 58-year-old protester, told AFP.

Netanyahu will address Congress later Wednesday in a high-profile speech to the US government, Israel's steadfast ally in its war against Hamas.

Relations have grown strained as the civilian death count in Gaza has grown, leading to protests in the United States and increasing criticism from President Joe Biden's administration, though little has changed in the way of US military support.

Protesters gathered Wednesday were calling for a ceasefire while also criticizing Netanyahu's appearance in the United States.

"Seek peace and pursue it," read one sign, quoting a Bible verse, while others were designed as criminal "wanted" signs, with photos of Netanyahu in place of a mugshot.

"Arrest that war criminal," read another.

"We are horrified by the destruction of the health system in Gaza," Karameh Kuemmerle, of the organization Doctors Against Genocide, told AFP.

"And we are here to show our opposition to having the criminal Netanyahu come to our capital and being greeted by the politicians who sent him weapons to kill children in Gaza," the doctor, who traveled to Washington from Boston, said.

Israel has recently intensified its attacks on Gaza and Netanyahu has insisted that only piling on military pressure can free the hostages and defeat Hamas, which launched a shock attack on October 7 that resulted in the deaths of 1,197 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

The militants also seized 251 hostages, 116 of whom are still in Gaza, including 44 the Israeli military says are dead.

Israel's retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 39,145 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/jlLYOZJ
via IFTTT

Arti Singh Says She Was Not Involved In Mama Govinda's Fight With Krushna Abhishek

Television actress Arti Singh, who got married earlier this year, has finally opened up about her brother, Krushna Abhishek's fight with Chi chi mama Govinda. For the unversed, the Hero No.1 star had attended the actress' wedding this year along with his son. Talking  to Paras Chhabra on his podcast, the actress revealed  was never involved in their fight. She said, "I was the happiest that my Mama came. He came for a short time, but he came. For me, his coming was a big thing. Because after a long time, we all met. As soon as I saw him, I was very happy. I never had anything with him. You know me. I love him a lot. And I always used to tell everyone that… I mean, he has taken a lot of care of me. And he has loved me a lot. He has given me so much love. So, I was never involved in that. Whatever happened, I was never a part of it. But I am happy that he came for the marriage.”

In an earlier interview with Indian Express, Arti Singh revealed that her uncle Govinda had stopped all communication with her, following his tiff with Krushna. "There's a saying that gehun ke sath ghoon bhi pees jata hai (when bulls fight, grass gets trampled). Whatever issue happened between them, I too have to face the consequences. Chi Chi mama and his family don't speak to me anymore," the publication quoted Arti Singh as saying.

Talking about the feud, Govinda's wife Sunita told Times Of India in an earlier interview: "We have broken all ties with Krushna and Kashmera, and I swear I won't initiate a patch-up this time around. I was a fool to do so two years ago. Govinda was right about them. It was my mistake that I thought that we should give them another chance."

source https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/arti-singh-says-she-was-not-involved-in-mama-govindas-fight-with-krushna-abhishek-6180539#publisher=newsstand

In Budget 2024, The Lok Sabha Election Effect

The first budget of the third term of Narendra Modi government bore a clear imprint of the recent Lok Sabha election, in which the BJP failed to gain majority on its own and had to depend on allies to form government. The reaction went beyond the special packages for Nitish Kumar's Bihar and Chandrababu Naidu's Andhra Pradesh – a compensatory gesture for the blocked special category status that both states had demanded.

The biggest focus of this budget was employment for the country's young people -- across all sectors and including the opportunity for apprenticeship in private companies. The government is also providing a month's salary upto Rs 15,000 to the new recruits through Direct Benefit Transfer.

The deal is sweetened for employers with subsidy on the employer's share of Provident Fund Payments.

One crore people will get jobs in a year under this project, the minister said, making it clear that the BJP considers unemployment and the subsequent concern among the young people as one of  the  key reasons for its lacklustre performance.

There is also an effort to boost economy by reworking of tax slabs in the new tax regime and pushing up the standard deduction from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000 that alone can provide an extra 17,500 in the hands of employees and boost consumption and therefore demand.

The deduction on family pension for pensioners was enhanced from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000.

There is also some relief in other areas, with cuts on customs duty on cellphones and chargers, drugs for cancer, seafood, leather and gold. After many years, the government has not increased tax on tobacco.

"My proposals for customs duties intend to support domestic manufacturing, deepen local value addition, promote export competitiveness, and simplify taxation, while keeping the interest of the general public and consumers surmount," Ms Sitharaman said while presenting the budget.

Largescale unemployment and the lack of disposable income in the hands of the people had kept the economy stymied and big projects lie unfinished. A case in point would be infrastructure for which there are few takers. Investments have been subdued and the labour market weak, with millions holding down low-productive jobs.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/LXFY7cB
via IFTTT

Russia Jails US-Russian Journalist Alsu Kurmasheva For Over 6 Years

A Russian court has sentenced US-Russian journalist Alsu Alsu Kurmasheva to more than six years in prison for violating military censorship laws, a court spokesperson said Monday, a ruling her employer slammed as a "mockery of justice".

Alsu Kurmasheva, 47, was convicted on Friday -- the same day a separate Russian court sentenced US journalist Evan Gershkovich for 16 years on espionage charges, also rejected as baseless -- but the details were not made public until Monday.

"On Friday, Alsu Kurmasheva was sentenced. Six years, six months," Natalya Loseva, a spokesperson for the Supreme Court of Tatarstan, told AFP.

The court's website states only that she had been found guilty in a hearing on Friday, with no details of the sentence.

Alsu Kurmasheva, an editor with the US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) outlet in Prague, was arrested last year while travelling to Russia for a family emergency.

She had her passports confiscated for not declaring her dual citizenship, was then arrested for not registering as a "foreign agent" and while in pre-trial detention was hit with the more serious "false information" charge.

The sentencing was slammed by RFE/RL.

"This secret trial and conviction make a mockery of justice," RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus told AFP in an emailed statement.

"The only just outcome is for Alsu Kurmasheva to be immediately released from prison by her Russian captors. It's beyond time for this American citizen, our dear colleague, to be reunited with her loving family."

Russia often holds trials behind closed doors, but issuing a verdict and sentencing in such a manner is extremely unorthodox.

Gershkovich was also convicted in a fast-track trial after spending more than a year in prison.

The speed of the process raised hopes among allies that Washington and Moscow could be close to agreeing a prisoner exchange, as the Kremlin has previously said it will only enter such a deal after a conviction.

Washington and Moscow have both said negotiations for Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, are ongoing, though the fate of Alsu Kurmasheva, as a dual US-Russian citizen, has been less clear.

Her employer and family have been pushing for her release.

Alsu Kurmasheva edited a 2022 book titled "Saying No to War", which is a collection of interviews and stories from Russians opposed to the military campaign against Ukraine ordered by President Vladimir Putin.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/cB4djLF
via IFTTT

Kanwar Yatra Starts Tomorrow: Delhi Police's Traffic Advisory, Roads To Avoid

The Delhi Police on Sunday issued a traffic advisory regarding the elaborate arrangements for the upcoming Kanwar Yatra and cautioned that congestion is expected at several places.

The Kanwar Yatra will commence on the first day of Sawan (Shravan) on Monday and will culminate on August 2 as holy Ganga water will be offered to Lord Shiva.

A large number of Kanwariyas will reach Delhi, while some of them will go to Haryana and Rajasthan via Delhi borders. This year, the expected number of people is about 15- 20 lakh, the advisory said.

The advisory said that during the period of the Kanwarias movement, traffic violations will be checked by on-the-spot prosecution and by photography or videography of violations The devotees carrying Kanwars will pass through several routes, including Apsara Border, Shahdara Flyover, Seelampur 'T' Point, ISBT Flyover Boulevard Road, Rani Jhansi Road, Faiz Road, Upper Ridge Road, Dhaula Kuan, NH-8 and exit from Rajokri Border for Haryana, the advisory said.

To ensure a smooth yatra for the Kanwarias, heavy transport vehicles (HTV) will be diverted by the Uttar Pradesh Police from Mohan Nagar towards NH-24, and no such traffic will be allowed towards Wazirabad Road via Bhopura and towards GT Road via Apsra Border, the advisory read.

The HTVs, except city buses, will not be allowed on GT Road towards Shahdra and Wazirabad Road. The heavy commercial transport vehicles, except city buses coming from GT Karnal Road at Outer Ring Road, will be diverted straight towards NH-24 and will not be allowed to move on Wazirabad Road and GT Road towards Shahadra, it said.

During this period, due to the movement of Kanwarias and setting up of Kanwaria camps on the side, traffic congestion or obstruction is likely to be experienced at several places, it stated.

Generally, heavy traffic congestion occurs on Najafgarh Firni, Rohtak Road, Pankha Road, Outer Ring Road, Rani Jhansi Road from Baraf Khana Chowk to the fire station, Boulevard Road, Maujpur Chowk, Badarpur T-Point, Mathura Raod etc., the advisory said.

Similarly, traffic congestion is likely to be experienced on NH-8 from Dhaula Kuan metro station up to Rajokri Border. Due to the diversion of vehicular traffic bound for the Apsara Border and Maharajpur Border to Ghazipur by UP Police, there will be congestion on NH-24 as well, the advisory mentioned.

Motorists and commuters are advised to plan their movement in advance to avoid inconvenience and delay. In addition to these important roads and intersections, Kanwarias movement will be observed in smaller numbers in several locations across Delhi, it said.

The traffic police have made elaborate arrangements to segregate the movement of Kanwrias and other commuters and to minimise inconvenience to the general public and devotees, the advisory said.

The devotees and commuters are advised to follow the traffic rules and adhere to the directions of police, it added. 

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/u4tQT0E
via IFTTT

UP Man, His Wife Slit Mother's Throat Over Property Dispute: Cops

A man along with his wife allegedly killed his mother by slitting her throat with a sharp weapon on Saturday, police said.

The incident took place in the Hariharpur area under the Sinduria police station.

According to police, Rajkumar Sahni, along with his wife Rajeshwari, killed his mother, Shyamdei (60), over a property dispute. They slit her throat with a sharp weapon.

After committing the crime, they fled from the spot, police said.

Sinduria police station in-charge Dinesh Kumar said that based on Shyamdei's younger son's complaint, a case was registered against the couple. Efforts are being made to arrest them. 

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/iKYyM0L
via IFTTT

Doctors Remove 77 Needles From 19-Year-Old Woman's Head In Odisha

A day after doctors at Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) in Odisha's Burla removed 70 needles from the skull of a sorcery victim, neurosurgeons retrieved another seven during a follow-up surgery on Saturday.

Director Bhabagrahi Rath said, "So far, 77 needles have been retrieved from the woman's head in two surgeries. Fortunately, the needles have not caused any bone injuries, but there are soft tissue injuries on her head." The patient is under observation and will be checked for other issues for which she visited the sorcerer, Rath added.

He noted it is premature to assume the problems were psychological and emphasised the need for thorough diagnosis.

The woman, referred from Bolangir to VIMSAR due to pain and infection risk, is out of danger but will remain under post-operative care for about a week.

On Thursday, Reshma Behera (19) of Ichgaon under Sindhikela police limits in Bolangir was admitted to Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital with severe headache, leading to a CT scan revealing multiple needles in her head.

Despite initial removal of eight needles, her condition did not improve, prompting her referral to VIMSAR, where 70 more needles were removed.

Reshma, frequently ill since her mother's death four years ago, sought help from a sorcerer in 2021. The family discovered the needles' presence recently when Reshma complained of pain.

The fraud doctor has been arrested, and Kantabanji police are investigating if there were other victims subjected to needle piercing by the accused. 

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/aAoZdSm
via IFTTT

"Had Distinct Misfortune Of Watching Trump's Speech": Biden

US President Joe Biden hit out at Donald Trump on Saturday for his "dark vision" for the country and said he will resume campaign next week to expose his Republican rival's Project 2025 agenda amidst Democrats' calls for him to quit the race.

In a thread of 13 posts on X, Biden, 81, said he had the “distinct misfortune of watching” Trump's speech, which he fact-checked and tore down the latter's claims one by one, at times, supporting it by what his government did on that issue late on Friday night local time.

Biden, who tested positive for COVID-19 a few days ago, is in isolation at his home in Delaware. After this week's rest, he is expected to hit the campaign trail next week as he aims to seek re-election.

“I'm stuck at home with COVID, so I had the distinct misfortune of watching Donald Trump's speech to the RNC. What the hell was he talking about?” Biden started with this post on X while poking fun at the keynote speech of the opposition party's presidential nominee for the November 5 election at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Thursday.

Biden then added 11 other posts each fact-checking issues, including what Trump, 78, did with COVID-19, his claim about Social Security and Medical, tax cuts, inflation, and Project 2025 agenda where Trump wants “to throw immigrants into mass detention camps.” The post which said, “He praised Hannibal Lecter. Donald, Hannibal Lecter is not real. And he is a cannibal,” almost went viral garnering the most retweets and likes among other posts in the thread.

The thread ended with: “And if you're with me, pitch in to our campaign” and had a poster showing Trump and his running mate J D Vance and a caption: ‘Protect Democracy. Defeat Trump-Vance.' Meanwhile, in a statement issued by his campaign, Biden said: “Donald Trump's dark vision for the future is not who we are as Americans. Together, as a party and as a country, we can and will defeat him at the ballot box.” “I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week to continue exposing the threat of Donald Trump's Project 2025 agenda while making the case for my own record and the vision that I have for America: one where we save our democracy, protect our rights and freedoms and create opportunity for everyone,” he said.

“For over 90 minutes, he focused on his own grievances, with no plan to unite us and no plan to make life better for working people,” said the president referring to Trump's speech.

“He avoided mentioning his Project 2025 agenda, but still proudly flaunted the worst of MAGA (Make America Great Again) extremism," Biden said, referring to Trump's mention of immigrants. “Americans know exactly where he wants to take this country.” One of the priorities of Project 2025, published by the Heritage Foundation, is to create a roadmap for the first 180 days of the new Trump administration to quickly reorient every federal agency around its conservative vision. It also aims to recruit and train thousands of people loyal to the conservative movement to fill federal government positions, according to CNN.

The Biden-Harris campaign alleged: “Trump is still the same twice-impeached, 34-time convicted felon consumed by revenge and hell-bent on seeking retribution in a second term.” Days after Biden's disastrous performance against Trump in the first presidential debate, Democrats remained split on whether he can beat the former president in November and as of Friday at least 10 Democrats had joined the chorus calling on him to step back. 

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/dqH1lX4
via IFTTT

Man Shot, Burnt To Death In Gurugram, Accused On The Run: Cops

The charred body of a 35-year-old man was recovered in Gurugram's Sector-15 area in the early hours of Friday, the police said.

The victim was identified as Gorelal alias Halle, a native of Madhya Pradesh.

According to the police, the victim along with his friends had visited an under-construction house located in the Sector-15 area of the district in the intervening night of Thursday and Friday.

The victim met his brother-in-law Rajesh, who was the security guard of the under-construction building.

During Thursday night the victim along with his friends had consumed liquor but on Friday morning, Rajesh was not present at the spot.

Rajesh then informed one of the victim's friends over the phone and just went to the gallery of the house and there the victim's friends found Gorelal's charred body who later informed the police.

Initial police investigation suggests that the accused and the victim had an argument over some issue which led to a fight.

The accused allegedly shot the victim and set him ablaze before fleeing the spot.

Police have launched a search to catch the accused.

The body has been kept in the mortuary for medical examination.

"The reason behind the incident is yet to be known. Prima facie it appeared that some dispute between the two led to the incident. We have identified the accused, he will be caught soon," said Sandeep Singh, a Gurugram police spokesperson.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/FHzUNaQ
via IFTTT

Assam Flood Situation Improves, Over 3.5 Lakh Still Affected In 11 Districts

The flood situation in Assam continued to improve on Wednesday, even as over 3.5 lakh people continue to be impacted by the deluge in 11 districts, an official bulletin said.

According to the daily flood report of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), more than 3,55,400 people are affected in Cachar, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Golaghat, Kamrup Metropolitan, Karimganj, Nagaon, Nalbari and Sivasagar districts.

Dhubri is the worst hit with nearly 80,000 people impacted, followed by Nagaon (77,500) and Cachar (almost 72,000), it said.

Till Tuesday, over 4.04 lakh people were hit due to flooding across 12 districts.

The count in this year's flood, landslide, storm and lightning stands at 113, the report said.

The administration has been operating 85 relief camps and relief distribution centres in eight districts, taking care of 24,336 displaced people at present.

The bulletin said 823 villages are under water and 16,673.86 hectares of crop area has been damaged across the state.

Embankments, roads, bridges and other infrastructure have been damaged by flood waters in Bajali, Goalpara, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Dhubri, Barpeta, Charaideo, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Jorhat, Kamrup, Karimganj and Morigaon.

On account of widespread flooding, over 1,63,800 domestic animals and poultry have also been affected in Assam, it added.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/gdHNuXi
via IFTTT

Case Against 2 Men For Storing Hazardous Petroleum Product Without Permits Near Mumbai

A case has been registered against two individuals for allegedly handling and storing a hazardous petroleum product without proper permits in Navi Mumbai's Uran town, police said on Wednesday.

The FIR was filed on Tuesday at the Uran police station under provisions of the Essential Commodities Act and Petroleum Rules against the accused identified as Anmolsingh Sethi and Kavishi Singh, they said, adding the product's stock worth nearly Rs 14 lakh was also seized.

The duo had handled and stored process oil 40, a highly inflammable substance, without permission from relevant authorities at a parking area in Uran in April, said the police.

The FIR was registered following the receipt of laboratory reports confirming the hazardous nature of the substance.

The police seized the petroleum product's stock valued at Rs 13.80 lakh, along with a container truck and other vehicles worth Rs 21.40 lakh, according to the police.

The accused handled the hazardous chemical despite lacking the necessary permits and being aware of the potential risks to human safety due to the highly inflammable nature of the substance, they said. 

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/I8K61Ei
via IFTTT

'Hashim Baba', Gangster Behind Delhi Hospital Shooting, Faces 16 Cases

Jailed gangster Hashim Baba, who is suspected to be behind the shooting at a Delhi hospital that left a man dead, is facing 16 criminal cases, including murder and attempt to murder, a police officer said.

Hashim Baba, whose real name is Ashim, was arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police in 2019 and booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), according to a Delhi Police dossier.

The incarceration, however, has failed to deter Hashim Baba who has been running his crime syndicate from behind bars. Since 2019, he allegedly ordered five killings, including the GTB hospital shooting, from jail, the officer said.

He is facing 16 criminal cases, including murder, attempt to murder and dacoity in east Delhi's Jaffrabad, Bhajanpura and Welcome areas. The murders were executed by the members of Hashim Baba's gang on his orders, the officer said.

It is believed that Hashim Baba formed an alliance with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, an accused in the murder of Punjabi singer-politician Sidhu Moosewala, inside Tihar jail.

Hashim Baba allegedly helped members of the Bishnoi gang in Delhi procure firearms, the officer said.

Bishnoi was lodged in Tihar jail till May 2023 when he was taken to Gujarat by the state's Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) in connection with a case of cross-border smuggling of drugs. He is currently lodged in the Sabarmati Central Prison in Gujarat's Ahmedabad.

Before forming his own gang, Hashim Baba was a sharpshooter of the Nassir gang, active in trans-Yamuna areas. He and one Rashid alias Rashid Cablewala, were the henchmen of Nassir -- also lodged in Tihar jail.

Rashid is believed to have escaped to Dubai after jumping parole, police said.

Hashim Baba's name also cropped up in the 2016 shooting inside the Karkardooma court leading to the death of a Delhi Police constable.

Four juveniles had allegedly orchestrated the attack at the behest of Hashim Baba and Nassir to eliminate their arch-rival Chennu Pehalwan, while he was produced in the court.

Hashim Baba deliberately hires minors from their gangs, as they get bail easily despite being involved in heinous crimes.

The officer said the shooting at the GTB hospital was an outcome of a gang war. The shooters of Hashim Baba had come to eliminate Waseem, but they shot and killed Riyazuddin in a case of mistaken identity.

Riyazuddin, 32, was shot dead inside a ward of the Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital here on July 14 in a case of mistaken identity, police said.

According to the officer, the gangs of Nassir and Chennu Pehalwan have been fighting to gain supremacy over the illegal betting and gambling business in the trans-Yamuna areas.

The gangwars in the area began establishing dominance in the cable TV business in the early 2000s. In the last two decades, however, it has shifted to the illegal drug trade and betting and gambling business.

Hashim Baba's first brush with the law was in 2007 when he was caught with an illegal firearm in the I P Estates area, according to the dossier.

According to a police officer, Hashim Baba was in class eight when he decided to quit his studies and began making slippers at a factory in northeast Delhi.

Soon he fell into the company of local criminals dealing drugs and running illegal betting rackets and became their sharpshooter, the officer said, adding Hashim Baba never hesitates to shoot.

Due to his long hair, the gang members started calling him 'Baba' -- a nickname of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt who made long hair popular among men in the 1990s -- while Ashim got changed to Hashim as it was easy on the tongue, the officer said.

The dossier said due to his criminal activities in Delhi, Hashmi Baba's family members shifted base to Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh after 2010. 

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/LQId4aK
via IFTTT

Indian Children Who Missed Out On Vaccines Drop To 16 lakh 2023: UN, WHO

At nearly 16 lakh, India had the second highest number of children who did not receive any vaccine in 2023, preceded by Nigeria which had the most number of zero-dose children at 21 lakh in the same year.

However, India's rank improved from 2021 when the country had recorded the most number of zero-dose kids globally at 27.3 lakh.

According to data published on Monday jointly by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, Nigeria had the most number of zero-dose children at 21 lakh in 2023. Other countries following India are Ethiopia, Congo, Sudan and Indonesia.

China is 18th on the list of top 20 zero-dose countries rank, while Pakistan is at the 10th position.

Twenty countries were prioritised in the context of the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), based on their number of zero-dose children in 2021.

Among the countries ranked by the number of zero-dose children, ROSA, 2021-2023, India ranked number 1 out of 8 countries with 1,592,000 zero-dose children.

The World Health Organization on Tuesday called on countries in South-East Asia Region to further strengthen efforts at all levels, with tailored approaches at sub-national levels, to identify and immunize unvaccinated and under vaccinated children.

"The increasing numbers of unvaccinated and under vaccinated children calls for urgent and accelerated action. We need to identify where and why these children are missed and prioritize reaching them at the earliest.

"No child should fall sick or die of any vaccine preventable disease when safe and effective vaccines exist to protect them against these deadly diseases," said Ms Saima Wazed, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia.

The region is off track to achieve 2030 immunization agenda, she added.

In 2023, India had the third highest number of children who did not receive measles-containing-vaccine first-dose (MCV1) immunization at nearly 16 lakh.

The percentage of children receiving MCV1, 'typically at nine or 12 months depending on the national vaccination schedule', declined at 93 per cent. This is lower than in 2019, where coverage was 95 per cent.

In 2023, 1,592,000 children missed their routine first dose of measles vaccine in India. MCV2 is typically administered to children between 18 months and five years old. MCV2 coverage remained constant at 90 per cent in 2023.

In 2023, MCV1 coverage in India (93 per cent) was 10 percentage points higher than the global average (83 per cent) and 3 percentage points higher than the average across all ROSA countries (90 per cent). MCV2 is typically administered to children between 18 months and five years old. MCV2 coverage remained constant at at 90 per cent in 2023.

The latest WHO and UNICEF estimates of national immunization coverage (WUENIC), which provide the world's largest and most comprehensive dataset on immunization trends for vaccinations against 14 diseases," underscore the need for ongoing catch-up, recovery and system-strengthening efforts.

"The latest trends demonstrate that many countries continue to miss far too many children," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

"Closing the immunization gap requires a global effort, with governments, partners, and local leaders investing in primary healthcare and community workers to ensure every child gets vaccinated, and that overall healthcare is strengthened.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/PrTgGFX
via IFTTT

Supreme Court Notice To Centre In Nagaland's Petition To Prosecute 30 Army Personnel

The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Centre and the Ministry of Defence on a plea of the Nagaland government challenging denial of sanction to prosecute 30 Army personnel, who were accused of killing 13 civilians in a botched-up operation to ambush militants in the state in 2021.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, on Monday, took note of the submissions of the state government and issued notices to the Centre and the Union Ministry of Defence.

The bench has now fixed the plea of Nagaland on September 3.

In April last year, the Central government had denied sanction to prosecute the Army men who were allegedly involved in the botched up ambush at Oting in Mon district of the state.

The state government has filed the writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution. A plea under this Article can be filed alleging violation of fundamental rights.

The state, which had filed an FIR, claimed it has clinching evidence against the Army personnel, including a Major, and yet the Centre has arbitrarily denied sanction to prosecute them.

The competent authority in the central government has, without application of mind and going through the entire material collected by the special investigation team of state police during the course of the probe, has denied the sanction to try them.

In July 2022, the top court stayed prosecution of the Army personnel belonging to a special forces on the pleas from the wives of the accused, who claimed that their husbands were being prosecuted without the state obtaining mandatory sanction for prosecution.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/OM5xH8a
via IFTTT

5 Seniors Beat Class 10 Students For Refusing To Wash Clothes, Suspended

At least five class 12 students of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Theog in Shimla district have been suspended for 15 days for ragging, officials of the school administration said on Tuesday.

On the night of July 13, the five students beat up some students of class 10 in a hostel after they refused to wash the clothes of their seniors, the officials said, adding the junior students suffered minor injuries.

Later, one of the students narrated the incident to his parent over phone. The victims also alleged that the seniors used to ask for money from them, the school administration said.

Principal of JNV Theog, Sanjita Shaunik said that she reached the hostel and stopped the fight. She said that stern action will be taken against the students and action will also be taken against the warden.

The principal further said that steps will be taken to prevent such incidents from happening again.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/G9PgD0K
via IFTTT

Rapper 50 Cent Puts Donald Trump's Face On Album Cover After Rally Shooting

Rapper 50 Cent honoured former US President Donald Trump at a concert in a unique way in the wake of an assassination attempt at the 45th American President. During his performance of the song "Many Men" from his 2003 first album on Saturday night in Boston, the rapper unveiled the iconic cover of 'Get Rich or Die Tryin'" with Mr Trump's face on it, as per a report in Page Six.

Mr Trump's face was photoshopped onto the 49-year-old hip-hop star's shirtless, muscular figure as he stood behind glass that appeared to have been shattered by a bullet. The song "Many Men," which recounts 50 Cent's own near-death experience when he was shot nine times in Queens, New York, in 2000, seemed to be a response to the shooting at the former president's campaign rally on Saturday.

He took to X (formerly Twitter) to share the album cover. He wrote alongside the picture, "Trump gets shot and now I'm trending."

Trump gets shot and now I'm trending ??‍♂️ • https://t.co/V3LJsr0f6A pic.twitter.com/UKQZb6gles

— 50cent (@50cent) July 14, 2024

Meanwhile, the 45th US President was hit in the ear in an assassination bid by a gunman at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania today. Blood was visible on his cheeks and mouth. The shooter was identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. He has been killed. A spectator was also killed in the shooting and two others were "critically" injured, officials said.

The 78-year-old Republican presidential contender, whose team claimed he was "fine," was attacked shortly as he began his speech."I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin," Mr Trump said on his Truth Social account.

He added, "Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening." Earlier in the statement, he stated, "I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear."
 

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/D7gWtMh
via IFTTT

Punjab Cops Bust Interstate Weapon Smuggling Racket, Arrest Aides Of Canada-Based Terrorist

The Punjab Police on Monday said it has busted an interstate weapon smuggling module with the arrest of two operatives of Canada-based terrorist Lakhbir Singh alias Landa.

Police recovered six pistols from the accused, said Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav.

Those arrested have been identified as Sumitpal Singh of village Thathian in Tarn Taran and Arpandeep Singh of Chamba Kalan in Tarn Taran.

Mr Yadav said acting on inputs that associates of Landa retrieved a consignment of weapons from Madhya Pradesh (MP), police teams from Amritsar launched an operation and apprehended both the accused from near Amritsar railway station.

In an intelligence-based operation, Punjab Police busts interstate weapon smuggling module and apprehends 2 operatives of foreign-based terrorist Lakhbir @ Landa and recovers six sophisticated pistols along with magazines and ammunition

FIR registered at State Special Operation… pic.twitter.com/m4fNRuCps8

— DGP Punjab Police (@DGPPunjabPolice) July 15, 2024

Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were directly in touch with an MP-based illegal weapons dealer, he said, adding that about a fortnight back they went to MP by bus to procure this weapon consignment and travelled back to Amritsar by train.

The DGP said this is the second consignment procured by the accused persons from the same MP-based weapon dealer in the last two months, who has been identified by police.

Investigations are going on to establish backward and forward linkages to further arrest remaining accused persons and dismantle weapon smuggling operating from Madhya Pradesh.

Police said arrested accused persons revealed that they procured this weapon consignment to further sell it to criminal elements.

The accused also confessed to have sold two pistols to two unknown persons in the area of Harike a month back, the DGP said.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/VgOadfP
via IFTTT

6 Children Die From Suspected Chandipura Virus In 5 Days: Gujarat Minister

As many as six children have died from suspected Chandipura virus in Gujarat in the last five days, with the total number of suspected cases rising to 12, state Health Minister Rushikesh Patel said Monday.

Chandipura virus causes fever, with symptoms similar to flu, and acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). The pathogen is a member of the Vesiculovirus genus of the family Rhabdoviridae. It is transmitted by vectors like mosquitoes, ticks and sand flies.

"Four of these 12 patients are from Sabarkantha district, three from Aravalli and one each from Mahisagar and Kheda. Two patients are from Rajasthan and one from Madhya Pradesh. They received treatment in Gujarat. Six deaths due to suspected Chandipura virus have been reported in the state, but only after the results of the samples will it be clear whether they were caused by Chandipura virus," Mr Patel said.

"Five out of six deaths have been reported from the civil hospital in Himatnagar in Sabarkantha district. All 12 samples, including eight from Sabarkantha, have been sent to Pune's National Institute of Virology (NIV) for confirmation," he said.

Paediatricians at the civil hospital at Himatnagar had suspected Chandipura virus as the cause of death of four children on July 10 and sent their samples to NIV for confirmation. Later four more children at the hospital showed similar symptoms.

"Chandipura virus is not contagious. However, intensive surveillance has been undertaken in the affected areas. We have screened 18,646 persons in 4,487 houses. The health department is working round the clock to prevent the spread of the disease," Mr Patel said.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/5uwKIOi
via IFTTT

Himachal Warns Against Spreading False News About Chief Minister

The Himachal Pradesh Government has warned that FIRs will be filed against those spreading false news against Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on social media.

Principal Advisor (Media) Naresh Chauhan said the state government has taken strict action against the dissemination of false news targeting the chief minister on social media.

In the statement, he said that instructions have been issued to register FIRs against those responsible for spreading misleading information.

He said that there has been a concerted effort to tarnish the image of the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister through unfounded propaganda on social media for the last few days.

"This is an unfortunate and deliberate conspiracy," he said.

In response, the Chief Minister's Office has directed that FIRs be filed against the channels involved in this false propaganda. Besides, legal action would be taken to put an end to the baseless and malicious content being circulated, the statement said.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/aM6nHZp
via IFTTT

Delhi Pollution Under Control Centres To Be Shut From July 15: Petrol Pump Owners

Petrol pump owners said PUC centres will be shut from Monday onwards, expressing their dissatisfaction over the recent proposed hike in rates of pollution certificates by the city government.

The operation of the pollution under control (PUC) centres is unviable, they said in a statement issued on Sunday.

Delhi government on Thursday increased the PUC certificate charges for petrol, CNG and diesel vehicles after a gap of about 13 years. The hike ranges between Rs 20 and Rs 40.

The new rates will be effective as soon as it is notified by the Delhi government, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot had said.

In a statement issued, the Delhi Petrol Dealers' Association (DPDA) said, "Since the operation of PUC centres is unviable, many PUC centres have surrendered their licenses in the last few months. The managing committee of the Delhi Petrol Dealers Association has thus resolved to close PUC centres at their retail outlets across Delhi from July 15 in light of arbitrary and grossly insufficient hike in PUC certification rates, which will not in any way mitigate the losses of the dealers in operating the PUC centres," the statement said.

The Delhi Petrol Dealers' Association, after eight years of writing letters to the transport department and the transport minister had earlier called for a closure of the PUC centres from July 1 due to its unviability, it said.

The association said PUC rates were last revised in 2011 after a gap of six years and the percentage increase then was more than 70 per cent.

"The rate hike announced by the Delhi government now after 13 years is merely 35 per cent whereas all our expenses in the operation of a PUC centre have increased multiple times with just the wages having increased three times from 2011 to 2024," the statement said.

Oil marketing companies have also been charging heavy rents from the PUC centres -- 10-15 per cent of the total revenue -- which was not the case earlier, the statement said.

"Various other operational costs of the PUC centre have drastically increased over the last 13 years. The expense to the customer earlier was four times the current cost as the frequency of PUC certification was once a quarter, which has now come down to once a year due to changes in certification norms for BS-IV and above vehicles. This also has led to a reduction of revenue by 75 per cent," it said.

"The Hon'ble Minister of Transport, Govt. of NCT of Delhi in a meeting with Delhi Petrol Dealers Association had called our demands legitimate. The Delhi govt proposed a 75 per cent hike based on the inflation index with simple interest calculation, after which we deferred our strike on June 30.

"While we were trying to convince our dealers to agree on the 75 per cent hike in pollution checking rates, we were informed by the press of a hike of Rs. 20, Rs. 30 and Rs. 40 in the above mentioned segments, which is merely a 35 per cent average hike. We have also come to know that there is no basis or justification for the calculation, and the figure is arrived at arbitrarily," the statement said.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/aMnSLmc
via IFTTT

No Independent MLAs - A First For Himachal's Electoral History

With the two-party system taking deep roots in Himachal Pradesh, and the Congress and the BJP coming to power alternately, the presence of Independents has been declining and, in a first, the assembly has no Independent MLAs in the state assembly.

With victory in two out of three assembly by-elections, the strength of Congress has increased to 40. This is also the first time that a man and his wife - Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and his wife Kamlesh Thakur - would sit in the House. Kamlesh Thakur's win from the Dehra assembly seat has taken the number of women legislators in the state to two.

In the 2022 assembly elections, three Independents - Hoshiyar Singh (Dehra), Ashish Sharma (Hamirpur). and KL Thakur (Nalagarh) - were elected but they resigned after voting for BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan in the Rajya Sabha election on February 27.

The Independent MLAs resigned on March 22 and joined the BJP the next day. Their resignation was accepted by Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania on June 3 and by-elections were held on July 10.

All three former Independent legislators got tickets from the BJP but lost to Congress in two seats while the BJP won one.

During the election campaign, Chief Minister Sukhu maintained that the Independent MLAs did not need to resign as "they can support or oppose any party" and questioned why they sought re-election after 15 months when they did not have to.

The Independent MLAs have played an important role in the state's electoral politics. Sixteen Independents were elected in 1967 while 12 were elected in 1957, eight in 1952, seven each in 1972 and 1993, six each in 1977, 1982, and 2003, five in 2012, three each in 1962, 2007, and 2022, two each in 1985 and 2017, and one each in 1990 and 1998.

In 1998, Romesh Dhawala who was the lone Independent MLA, emerged kingmaker as the Congress with his support, and BJP-HVC (Himachal Vikas Congress) combine had 32 members each in the House which had an effective strength of 64. Elections in three snowbound tribal constituencies were slated for June while in another seat BJP MLA Varinder Kumar died before taking oath, necessitating a by-election.

Being the leader of the single-largest party, Governor VS Ramadevi invited Congress leader Virbhadra Singh to form the government on March 6, 1998, and Mr Dhawala was inducted as a cabinet minister.

However, Virbhadra Singh announced his resignation in the House on March 12 without facing the floor test, and the assembly was held in suspended animation by the Governor.

In the meantime, Mr Dhawala extended support to the BJP-HVC combine and the Governor asked the BJP to form the government Prem Kumar Dhumal took oath as Chief Minister on March 24, and Mr Dhawala was inducted as a minister in his cabinet.

Later that year, BJP-HVC won all four seats in the bypolls and the strength of the ruling alliance rose to 36 and the government lasted the full term.

In this year's Rajya Sabha election too, after both candidates got 34 votes each, the support of three Independents broke the deadlock and helped the BJP candidate win by a draw of lots.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/5tMwsHz
via IFTTT

Tata Curvv Shows Off Water-Wading, Temperature-Bearing Skills In Videos: Watch

Tata Motors is preparing to launch a new SUV in the country - Curvv. We all know about it and saw its near-production concept with a petrol-powerplant at the last Auto Expo. The carmaker has been testing for quite some time now. Spyshots have revealed its silhouette, which has raised the excitement around the Curvv. The upcoming Tata Curvv will be a coupe SUV, sitting in between the Harrier and the Nexon. Yes! It will be the much-needed rival from the indigenous brand for the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos. If all goes right, it could be to Creta, what the Punch is to the Exter. Expect it to score big marks on the design front, at least. The brand has released some videos on its official YouTube channel, showcasing Curvv's water-wading, gradient-climbing, heat-bearing, and cold-sustaining skills.

In another video, the Curvv can be seen doing some action around Jaisalmer and in Ladakh. The vehicle is shown operating seamlessly in both scorching heat and freezing cold, reflecting its ability to maintain performance and reliability in varied climates.

The video shot in Jaisalmer claims that the temperature was 50 degrees Celsius, whereas, in the hilly environment, it ranged from -20 to 30 degrees Celsius at an elevation of more than 17,000 ft from the sea level. These numbers testify to Tata Motors' sheer interest in making the Curvv capable of handling extremes of both ends. However, for real-world tests, we will have to wait until its launch.

The videos further show different kinds of underhood ventilation openings on the test mules, giving a hint of multiple powertrain choices. The dashboard shows a battery indicator, confirming the arrival of the Curvv EV as well. The Curvv will also get steering-mounted paddle shifters and a rotary dial for driving modes, namely City, Eco, and Spot.

Also Read - Tata Motors To Launch 4 New EVs In India by FY26: Curvv EV To Sierra EV

The video highlights the Curvv's capability to navigate deep water. This water-wading demonstration is done at the brand's R&D centre. Furthermore, it takes up a 50% gradient with ease, even in reverse gear. In all likelihood, the Curvv will be a strong contender in the mid-size SUV space, where the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, and MG Astor compete with each other.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/Lf91VW6
via IFTTT

Viral Video: Just Neena Gupta Living Her Best Life In France. We're Jealous

Neena Gupta is currently holidaying in France with her husband Vivek Mehra and their friends. The actress shared a video from her travel escapades on social media. In the video, she is seen standing on a chair and dancing at a restaurant. Neena Gupta looked pretty in a blue dress. She completed her look with a cool pair of shades. Sharing the video on Instagram, she wrote, "Once again at La Guerite, same friends, same fun - jealous na."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Neena Gupta (@neena_gupta)

ICYMI: In July last year, Masaba Gupta shared a video wherein Neena Gupta is seen enjoying herself at a party in France at the same restaurant. Neena Gupta, dressed in a beautiful green summer dress, can be seen blending in with the crowd and grooving to the music. Alongside the video, Masaba humorously captioned, "While I trek to another shoot, Neenaji says, 'I'm living my life.'"

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Masaba (@masabagupta)

On the work front, Neena Gupta was last seen in Panchayat 3. Before the series, she was seen in Lust Stories 2, Goodbye alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Rashmika Mandanna. She was also seen in Uunchai with Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher, Boman Irani and Parineeti Chopra.

source https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/viral-video-just-neena-gupta-living-her-best-life-in-france-were-jealous-6092991#publisher=newsstand

UK's Conservative Party MP Bob Blackman Takes Oath On Bible, Bhagavad Gita

Conservative MP Bob Blackman has taken the oath of office, swearing allegiance to King Charles on both the Bible and the Bhagavad Gita. Mr Blackman took the oath on the Gita in 2019 as well.

The 68-year-old posted a video on X, saying he was “proud” to have taken his oath of allegiance to King Charles “on the King James Bible and the Gita”. He was seen holding both the Bhagavad Gita and the Bible in his hands during the event.

Proud to have taken my oath of allegiance to HM King Charles on the King James Bible and the Gita as we return to Parliament after the General Election pic.twitter.com/6GeOrbB8Ha

— Bob Blackman (@BobBlackman) July 10, 2024

Mr Blackman represents the Harrow East constituency, which has a significant Hindu population. His decision to take the oath on the Gita may be seen as a gesture to connect with his Hindu voters.

Earlier, Mr Blackman, an avid supporter of Hindu rights, spoke out over the British media's biased reporting of the Ram Mandir consecration in Ayodhya. He claimed that the BBC's coverage was inaccurate as they failed to acknowledge the site's 2000-year-old history as a temple before the “Muslims had been allocated a five-acre site on which to erect a mosque adjacent to the town.” Instead, he said, that the BBC focused solely on the mosque's destruction, putting forth a narrative that has caused "great disharmony" among Hindus worldwide. 

Bob Blackman was recently elected as the Chairman of the 1922 Committee, a powerful group that will play a major role in selecting the next leader of the Conservative Party. 

Meanwhile, Indian-origin Shivani Raja, the new Conservative MP for Leicester East, also took oath on the sacred Bhagavad Gita. It's the first time in 37 years that a Conservative has won the Leicester East seat.

In the recent UK elections, the Conservative Party suffered a major blow, winning only 121 seats. Meanwhile, the Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer, won a staggering 411 seats in the 650-seat house.  

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/Se1G2MZ
via IFTTT

Rare Mid-Sized Black Hole Spotted At Center Of Swallowed Galaxy: Study

Astronomers have scrutinized a cluster of stars that is the apparent remnant core of a relatively small galaxy that was swallowed by the sprawling Milky Way 8 to 10 billion years ago. What lurks at the center of this cluster has them excited.

The researchers said on Wednesday the unusual motion of seven stars in this cluster provides compelling evidence for the presence of an elusive mid-sized black hole at its heart. These are bigger than the class of ordinary black holes formed in the implosion of a single star but smaller than the behemoths residing at the nucleus of most galaxies.

The cluster, called Omega Centauri, contains about 10 million stars. The black hole within it is at least 8,200 times as massive as our sun, the researchers said.

The supermassive black hole called Sagittarius A* at the center of the Milky Way possesses 4 million times the mass of the sun. And that is dwarfed by supermassive black holes billions of times the mass of the sun in other galaxies.

"There has been a long debate whether intermediate-mass black holes exist in general, and specifically in Omega Centauri, and our detection might help to resolve that debate," said astronomer Maximilian Haberle of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Germany, lead author of the study published in the journal Nature.

This black hole is located about 17,700 light-years from Earth. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, 5.9 trillion miles (9.5 trillion km). The Milky Way's only larger-known black hole is Sagittarius A*, located about 26,700 light years from Earth.

Black holes are extraordinarily dense objects with gravity so strong not even light can escape, making it difficult to spot them. This one was detected based on how its gravitational pull influences the velocity of seven fast-moving stars in its vicinity, documented in two decades of Hubble Space Telescope observations.

The researchers believe the smaller galaxy, which had been perhaps 10% the Milky Way's size, harbored a black hole that, if left undisturbed, would have become supermassive as it fed off gas and other nearby material drawn by its gravitational pull. But the galactic merger, which occurred when the Milky Way was about a quarter or third its current age, left the black hole frozen in time.

"In this merger process, the galaxy lost all of its gas, and hence the growth of its central black hole got interrupted, leaving it in an intermediate-mass state," Max Planck Institute for Astronomy astronomer and study co-author Nadine Neumayer said.

The merger stripped away most of the smaller galaxy's stars, leaving just the central batch - now the Omega Centauri star cluster.

"Intermediate-mass black holes have been suspected in the centers of low-mass galaxies or also in the center of certain star clusters. However, they have been very challenging to detect. Due to their lower mass with respect to supermassive black holes, their region of influence is small," Haberle said.

Other candidates for mid-sized black holes have been identified in previous research.

Black holes that are the mass of a single star form when large stars explode at the end of their life cycle and the core collapses in on itself.

"The most likely scenario for the formation of the intermediate-mass black hole at the center of Omega Centauri is the collision and merging of very massive stars very early on during the formation of the star cluster. These stars get very close to each other, collide and form even more massive stars that evolve to black holes fairly rapidly. The intermediate-mass black hole can grow via the merger of several of these black holes," Neumayer said.

These mid-sized black holes may be the key to understanding the formation of the supermassive ones.

"Intermediate-mass black holes are likely very common, especially in the early evolution of the universe," Neumayer said. "They are thought to be the seeds for supermassive black holes."

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/S09DXrM
via IFTTT

Unconditional Apology To Supreme Court Published Widely: Medical Body Chief

Indian Medical Association (IMA) president RV Asokan told the Supreme Court on Tuesday his unconditional apology to the top court over his "damaging" statements in an interview to PTI, where he had answered queries about Patanjali Ayurved Ltd's misleading advertisements case, has been published in various publications.

The IMA's counsel told a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Sandeep Mehta that his unconditional apology has been published in the association's monthly publication, on the IMA's website, as also by PTI.

"Last time, I (Asokan) had submitted an affidavit of apology. Your lordships were of the opinion that the apology should be given proper publicity like the interview...," senior advocate PS Patwalia, appearing for the IMA, told the bench.

He said the IMA has a monthly publication, and on its first page, a full page advertisement says that Mr Asokan has apologised, expressed regret to the top court and has submitted his affidavit tendering unconditional apology.

Mr Patwalia said if the IMA's website is opened, the apology comes immediately as a pop-up.

"Third, I have sent the apology to the PTI news. PTI has published it," he said, adding that the same has been shared with other media houses as well. "Where is your publication in PTI?" Justice Kohli asked Mr Patwalia, who then referred to the news published by PTI.

"The deponent (Asokan) has also conveyed his unconditional apology and regret expressed to this court in the deponent's affidavit to the same news agency to whom the interview had been given by the deponent on April 29," he said, adding the unconditional apology was reported in various news publications.

The bench asked senior advocate Balbir Singh, who was appearing for Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, whether they have seen the additional affidavit filed by Mr Asokan.

"Balbir Singh, senior advocate appearing for the respondents, states that the respondents may be permitted to peruse the affidavit and assist the court on the next date of hearing," the bench noted in its order and posted the matter for further hearing on August 6.

The bench told Singh, "If you want to file a reply, its okay. You don't need to file a reply. It is really between the court and the party but you can assist the court in whatever way you want to." Mr Patwalia told the bench that Mr Asokan was personally present in the court and he may be exempted from personal appearance.

"He is exempted for the present from appearance," the bench said, while granting the request.

During the hearing on May 14, the bench had posed some tough question to Mr Asokan over his "damaging" statements against the court in an interview to PTI and said, "You cannot sit on a couch giving an interview to the press and lampooning the court." The court had then made it clear that it will not accept his affidavit tendering apology at that stage.

Expressing displeasure over Mr Asokan's comments a day before the top court was slated to the hear the matter, it had sought his response on an application filed by Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, which had urged the court to take judicial notice of the statements made by him.

In an interaction with PTI editors on April 29 for its programme '@4 Parliament Street,' the IMA president had said it was "unfortunate" that the Supreme Court criticised the association and also some of the practices of private doctors.

Mr Asokan was replying to a query about the Supreme Court's observations during a hearing on April 23, when it had said while it was pointing one finger at Patanjali, the remaining four fingers were pointed towards IMA. The top court is hearing a plea filed in 2022 by the IMA alleging a smear campaign by Patanjali against the Covid vaccination drive and modern systems of medicine. 

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/gBsHk8F
via IFTTT

Julia Fox Comes Out As Lesbian More Than 2 Years After She Dated Kanye West

Actress Julia Fox, who earlier dated rapper Kanye West, has seemingly come out of the closet. The actress briefly dated Kanye West, 47, after his split from Kim Kardashian.

She made the revelation following a viral TikTok by comedian Gracin, known as @emgwaciedawgie on the platform, reports ‘Mirror.co.uk'.

Fox, the 'Uncut Gems' actress and mother to three-year-old Valentino with ex-husband Peter Artemiev, responded to the clip saying she could relate and vowed never to date men again. As per ‘Mirror.co.uk', the video stated, "I love when I see a lesbian with their boyfriend. It's like 'Aww, you hate that man. You literally hate him.”

Julia Fox commented: "Hey, that was me. I was that lesbian. So sorry, boys. Um, won't happen again.” In a candid chat with ‘Variety', Julia opened up about her past insecurities, revealing that despite others seeing potential in her, she lacked the confidence to believe it herself.

She said, "I always had people telling me that I could do so much more and I didn't have that same level of confidence.” She added: "People would say, 'You could be a writer, you should write a book about your life, you could be a movie star,' and I was just like, 'You guys are crazy.' Like, I definitely, did not have the self-esteem to even see that for myself. I guess I always saw myself in the art world in some way, but I had a very myopic view of what the art world meant. I definitely did not picture it being on this very large scale with the world as a stage.”

source https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/julia-fox-appears-to-come-out-as-lesbian-more-than-2-years-after-she-dated-kanye-west-6068342#publisher=newsstand

PM Modi in Moscow Highlights: Putin Hosts Private Dinner For PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Moscow on a two-day visit to Russia for the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit, during which he will hold summit talks with President Vladimir Putin to review all aspects of bilateral ties and explore opportunities to further boost cooperation in sectors like trade, energy and defence.

It is Prime Minister Modi's first trip to Russia in nearly five years. His last visit to Russia was in 2019 when he attended an economic conclave in the Far East city of Vladivostok. 

Among the slew of programmes, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to host a dinner for PM Modi while the latter is slated to address the Indian community during the two-day visit.

PM Modi-Vladimir Putin meeting will see the world media including the Chinese, zeroing in on the high-profile meeting that is bound to have a wide geo-political impact in the region.

Here are the highlights on PM Modi's 2-Day Russia Visit:

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/LBdwozc
via IFTTT

The Reason Shweta Tiwari Took Nine Years To File Divorce Against Raja Chaudhary: "Was Worried For My Daughter"

Popular television actor Shweta Tiwari opened up about why she took nine years to file divorce against her first husband Raja Chaudhary in an interview with Galatta India. Shweta Tiwari claimed that Raja Chaudhary used to beat her on a regular basis. The actress also revealed that Raja used to create a ruckus on the sets of her serials. When asked about what stopped her (initially) to come out of the troubled relationship, Shweta said, "In my entire family, nobody had ever done a love marriage, I had. There was also caste problems that existed in our family, yet I had an inter-caste marriage. People had already started to taunt my mother and judging my marriage. On top of that, if I filed for a divorce, it would have been a whole different thing. At that point in time, it wasn't that I was not financially independent, but it was more of an emotional thing."

Shweta continued, "I was worried for my daughter not having a father while growing up. It was later that I realised that you can have a happy family only when you are mentally happy. It's not a good upbringing for your child to be in a dysfunctional family. If two people can't co-exist, it is better to part ways." Raja Chaudhary and Shweta Tiwari got married in 1998. Shweta filed for divorce in 2007 on the ground of domestic violence and Raja's drinking problem. They share a daughter Palak Tiwari, who made her debut with Salman Khan's Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan last year.

In 2013, Shweta Tiwari married Abhinav Kohli after dating him for three years. The couple together welcomed a son Reyansh Kohli. However, in 2019, the actor filed a complaint of domestic violence against Abhinav alleging harassment towards her and daughter Palak Tiwari. They separated in the same year.

Shweta Tiwari became a household name after she portrayed the role of Prerna Sharma in Ektaa Kapoor's Kasautii Zindagii Kay. She was last seen in the serial Main Hoon Aparajita. She also participated in reality shows like Nach Baliye 2, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 3. She emerged as the winner of Bigg Boss 4.

source https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/the-reason-shweta-tiwari-took-nine-years-to-file-divorce-against-raja-chaudhary-was-worried-for-my-daughter-6062452#publisher=newsstand

8 More People Die As Flood Situation Remains Grim In Assam, Death Count Now 78

Eight more people lost their lives as the flood situation in Assam remained grim on Sunday, an official bulletin said.

Two deaths each were reported from Dhubri and Nalbari, and one each from Cachar, Goalpara, Dhemaji and Sivsagar, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) bulletin said.

With this, the toll in this year's flood, landslide and storm increased to 78.

Altogether 22,74,289 people in 28 districts were affected by the flood. Dhubri continued to be the worst-hit with 7,54,791 affected people.

A total of 269 relief camps were operating in the state, providing shelter to 53,689 people.

The Brahmaputra was flowing above the danger mark at Nematighat, Tezpur and Dhubri.

Other rivers that have breached the red mark are Burhidihing in Khowang, Dikhou in Sivsagar, DIsang in Nanglamuraghat, Dhansiri in Numaligarh, Kopili in DHaramtul, Beki in Barpeta, Sankosh in Golakganj, Barak in BP Ghat and Kushiyara in Karimganj.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/HgCOpLd
via IFTTT

Law Commission Was Bypassed For New Criminal Laws, Says P Chidambaram

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday claimed that the Centre bypassed the Law Commission in enacting the three new criminal laws that came into effect from July 1.

The Law Commission, comprising of retired judges, legal experts, professors, and permanent legal staff, would normally hold consultations with bar council members, and advocate associations and prepare a draft to be presented in the Parliament, he said.

But the Law Commission was bypassed and five or six "part-timers" were appointed for a panel, he said on the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, replacing the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act.

"The laws were not referred to the Law Commission nor was it consulted. This is wrong," Mr Chidambaram said while speaking at a protest organised here by the DMK advocate wing against the new laws.

"World over, the death penalty has been abolished. But, here solitary confinement was included as a punishment, which is an unusual and cruel punishment as per the Constitution," he said.

Such a punishment was not prevailing anywhere in the world, the former Union Minister added.

"Similarly, life sentence and life sentence to the remainder of life have been included. What is the difference?" he asked.

Further, Mr Chidambram said that he has been insisting upon a debate on the new laws for several months but the government has not agreed it was not prepared for it.

He reiterated that 90-99 per cent of the new laws were cut, copy and paste work. The government could have instead brought a few amendments.

"I did not say there should be no reforms. ... they should have brought an amendment. They changed only the section numbers. Advocates, judges and police should now read again," the Congress leader said.

For instance, even a child or a newly recruited police constable would know that section 302 referred to murder but now this number has been changed, adding to the confusion, he claimed.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/s4MY1Xl
via IFTTT