Explained: How Imran Khan's Conviction Will Influence Pakistan Elections

Pakistan - Former Pakistani Prime Minister and cricket star Imran Khan was jailed for 14 years on Wednesday on charges of illegally selling state gifts, a day after he received a 10-year sentence for leaking state secrets.

The convictions come days before a national election scheduled for Feb. 8.

Here are some facts on how these sentences influence his political future, his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, and the upcoming election:

- Imran Khan, 71, was already barred from holding public office for five years following an earlier graft conviction, which ruled him out of next week's polls.

- Wednesday's sentence extends that ban on Imran Khan from holding public office to 10 years, which means he could not be Prime Minister again until 2034.

- The convictions also mean Imran Khan, in jail since August, will not be able to come out of jail to campaign for his party's candidates in the election.

- Imran Khan's absence has already left his party in disarray, with many key aides jailed, on the run, or having abandoned him in the face of a spate of legal challenges.

- There are a number of candidates backed by Imran Khan and his party that are contesting next week's election, but there are no big political names to carry his party in his absence.

- Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is temporarily being led by a little-known lawyer, Gohar Ali Khan, who is also Imran Khan's legal counsel.

- On Jan. 14, Imran Khan's party was stripped of its traditional electoral symbol of a cricket bat in a court ruling, which means his candidates are contesting as independents.

- Even if Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-backed candidates win, as independents they are not bound to stay with the party and are open to joining other parties - and Imran Khan remaining in jail for the foreseeable future increases the chances of this.

- The support of victorious independent candidates in the aftermath of the polls will be crucial for any party vying to secure the numbers necessary in parliament to form a government.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/EGslAq6

Miniaturized Human Heart On A Chip Offers Promise For Safer Cancer Treatments

In a promising development for medical research, a new "heart-on-a-chip" model has been unveiled by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles. This miniature, laboratory-grown heart holds the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment safety.

The primary purpose of the chip is to assess the cardiac risks associated with cancer therapies. Certain treatments, while effectively targeting cancer cells, can inadvertently harm the heart. This heart-on-a-chip model offers a controlled and ethical environment to test these drugs, ensuring patient well-being is prioritized.

Several significant advancements distinguish this model from its predecessors. Firstly, the team employed mature heart cells derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). This enhanced cell maturity translates to a more accurate representation of human heart function. Furthermore, the chip boasts an impressive beating rate of approximately 60 beats per minute, mirroring the natural human rhythm.

The authors of the study say, "We develop a multi-lineage, fully integrated cardiovascular organ chip that can enhance hiPSC-EC and hiPSC-CM functional and genetic maturity, model endothelial barrier permeability, and demonstrate long-term functional stability. This microfluidic organ chip harbors hiPSC-CMs and hiPSC-ECs on separate channels that can be subjected to active fluid flow and rhythmic biomechanical stretch. We demonstrate the utility of this cardiovascular organ chip as a predictive platform for evaluating multi-lineage VPTKI toxicity. This study may lead to the development of new modalities for the evaluation and prevention of cancer therapy-induced cardiotoxicity."

"Ultimately, multi-lineage, hiPSC-based systems such as the heart chip presented here may reduce reliance on animal models that are traditionally used for preclinical drug cardiotoxicity testing," the researchers write in their published paper.

"The heart-chip platform we have developed enables the screening of potentially cardiotoxic chemotherapeutic agents on multiple cardiovascular cell types in a physiologically relevant model," write the researchers.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/cmwH5Bb

"Bandh Karo": Passengers Protest At Delhi Airport After IndiGo Cancels Flight

Scores of passengers at the Delhi airport were on Wednesday seen shouting slogans against domestic carrier IndiGo after their flight was allegedly cancelled.

In a video posted by the news agency ANI, the passengers can be heard shouting "bandh karo, bandh karo" (stop it) after their flight from Delhi to Jharkhand's Deoghar was cancelled.

#WATCH | Passengers of Delhi-Deoghar IndiGo flight raise slogans and protest against the airline after it cancels the flight originating from Terminal 2 of Delhi airport pic.twitter.com/L8Nj1cW4Vq

— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2024

According to the flight tracking website Flightradar24, over 10 flights were cancelled and more than 50 flights were delayed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Wednesday morning due to dense fog and bad weather.

READ | "Falsely Promised" Hotel Stay, Alternate Flights, Flier Snubs IndiGo

Earlier in the day, IndiGo issued an advisory and said that flight operations in Delhi, Srinagar and Chandigarh are likely to be impacted due to inclement weather.

"Please keep a check on your flight status before leaving for the airport," IndiGo said.

IndiGo fined Rs 1.2 crore for five violations

IndiGo was fined Rs 1.2 crore for five violations earlier this month after its passengers were seen eating on the tarmac as they waited for their flight to take off.

Calling it a "violation of apron discipline", the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said, "It came to the notice of the DGCA through social media that on January 15, passengers of two IndiGo flights were on the apron for a considerable period at the CSMI Airport, Mumbai (MIAL). This violates Para 5 of DGCA Air Safety circular 04 of 2007 which directs all agencies working at the airport not to permit walking on an active apron. The presence of passengers on the apron for a considerable period violates apron discipline as it jeopardised the safety of the passengers and the aircraft."

IndiGo was asked to pay the penalty - the highest imposed on airlines in recent times - within 30 days.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/5Qbz6ln

"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. 

 

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/jWc92r6

UP Teen Raped, Threatened By Father; Accused Arrested: Cops

A man was arrested for allegedly raping his minor daughter in the Jani police station area of this district, police on Monday said.

"A 14-year-old girl has accused her father (in mid 30s) of raping her. She also claimed that her father has been raping her since January 15," Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural) Kamlesh Bahadur said.

"The mother of the minor girl lodged a complaint with the police on Monday following which the accused was detained and is being interrogated," he added.

The statement of the minor girl, who has been sent for medical examination, will be recorded, police said.

A video of the minor girl has also gone viral in which she that she was allegedly raped by her father on January 15 when his mother had gone to Lucknow.

The girl also said in the video that her father had threatened to kill her by administering poison if she opened her mouth.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/srE2HZ4

Mamata Banerjee Alleges Border Force Wants To Issue New Identity Cards

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged that the Border Security Force (BSF) wants to provide a separate identity card to the people in the border areas and asked people to refrain from taking the card as they could be kicked out of the country under the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Ms Banerjee's remarks came after Union Minister Shantanu Thakur said on Sunday that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) would be implemented across the country in a week.

"The BSF is oppressing the people. The BSF wants to give a separate identity card to the people in the border areas. Remember, do not take the separate identity card that the BSF wants to give by entering the border area; say that I have an Aadhaar card or that I have a ration card; say that I will not take your card. If you take that card, you will come under the NRC, and they will throw you out," she said.

"Please enroll your name in the voters' list so that Delhi cannot get a chance to throw you out of the state," she added.

The CAA, introduced by the Narendra Modi government, aims to confer Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants, including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians, who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014.

Following the passage of the CAA by Parliament in December 2019 and its subsequent presidential assent, significant protests erupted in various parts of the country.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/UMCjD7I

What Ajit Pawar Said On Party Colleague Opposing Maratha Quota Decision

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday said he would talk to his party and cabinet colleague Chhagan Bhujbal on the latter's opposition to the state government's decision on Maratha quota.

Mr Bhujbal, a senior OBC leader, on Sunday said protests will be held outside the residences of MLAs, MPs and tehsildars on February 1 against the state government's decision regarding the Maratha quota.

Mr Bhujbal's announcement came after Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange called off his stir on Saturday following the state government saying it had accepted his demands.

Steps are being taken to fool OBCs in the state, Mr Bhujbal had said.

Queried on the issue, Mr Pawar said, "In a democracy, everyone has different opinion. Chief Minister Shinde took a decision on Maratha reservation and tried to reach a solution. (Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis) Devendraji has said he will talk to Bhujbal."

"He (Fadnavis) has said he does not feel injustice has been done to anybody. I too feel the same. Give me some time, I will speak to him (Bhujbal)," the senior NCP leader added.

Asked about Mr Bhujbal's statement that the party and government should decide whether to keep him with them, Mr Pawar said it is an internal matter of the party.

Mr Bhujbal, who belongs to the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar which joined the government last July, has been routinely criticising the Shinde-led dispensation over its handling of the Maratha quota issue.

Ajit Pawar further said all constituents of the National Democratic Alliance had resolved to make Narendra Modi Prime Minister for a third time.

Addressing reporters after reviewing developmental projects in Kolhapur, Mr Pawar said the opposition has no work apart from criticising and opposing the Prime Minister.

Ridiculing the opposition, Mr Pawar said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann had decided to take "a different path" (fight polls on their own without allying with the Congress), while the stand of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was known to all.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is setting conditions for seat sharing in Uttar Pradesh, he added.

Mr Kumar ditched the Congress-RJD alliance in Bihar and returned to the NDA.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/x2ctkiT

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.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/f0D4QZk

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.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/aOdmi3L

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.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/UE97phx

Baby Among 4 Killed In Delhi House Fire, 6 Saved By Rescuers

Four people, including an infant, died of suffocation and two were injured when a major fire broke out in a house on the ground floor of a multi-storey building in Delhi's Shahdara area on Friday, police said.

A call was received at 5:22 pm about a fire in a house in the Shahdara area, fire officials said.

"Five fire tenders were pressed into service and the fire was doused by 6:55 pm. Rubber material like wipers and a rubber-cutting machine kept in a house on the ground floor of the building had caught fire," said Delhi Fire Services (DFS) chief Atul Garg.

#WATCH | Delhi: 4 people died in a fire that broke out at a building in Shahdara's Ram Nagar: Surendra Choudhary, DCP Shahdara

(Visuals from the spot) pic.twitter.com/SPxKCbKvIV

— ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2024

Police and fire officials rescued six people from the building and rushed them to GTB Hospital, he said.

A senior police officer said after receiving information about the fire in the building, police personnel rushed to the spot and managed to rescue three people with the help of locals.

They were taken to the hospital in a PCR van, he said.

After fire officials reached the spot, they rescued three more people, including a child. Those who were rescued were in a semi-conscious state and were rushed to GTB Hospital, where doctors declared four of them dead on arrival, he added.

Two women, aged 28 and 40, a nine-month-old girl and a 17-year-old boy died of suffocation. A 16-year-old girl and a 70-year-old woman are undergoing treatment, according to police.

"The building has four floors with a single staircase. Legal action has been initiated against the building owner, Bharat Singh. He had kept the ground and first floor for himself and had given the remaining two floors on rent. Further investigation into the matter is underway," the officer said. 

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/BLVOC5d

2024 Lok Sabha Polls: 96 Crore Citizens, Including 47 Crore Women, Eligible To Cast Vote

Over 96 crore people, including 47 crore women, are eligible to cast votes in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, for which more than 12 lakh polling booths will be set up across India.

Over 1.73 crore of those eligible to vote are in the age group of 18 to 19 years, according to Election Commission data.

As many as 1.5 crore polling personnel will be deployed to ensure smooth conduct of the parliamentary elections to elect members of the 18th Lok Sabha.

According to a 2023 letter sent by the EC to political parties, India had 17.32 crore registered voters in 1951, which rose to 19.37 crore in 1957.

There were 91.20 crore voters in the 2019 polls.

Out of the total voters registered in the electoral rolls, nearly 18 lakh are persons with disabilities.

In the first Lok Sabha elections, the voter turnout was recorded at 45 per cent. It was 67 per cent in the last parliamentary polls.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/jNusZBw

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.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/OHe5PUL

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." 

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/ywaXOqI

DNA From 10,000-Year-Old "Chewing Gum" Reveals Stone Age Secrets

DNA from a type of "chewing gum" used by teenagers in Sweden 10,000 years ago is shedding new light on the Stone Age diet and oral health, researchers said Tuesday.

The wads of gum are made of pieces of birch bark pitch, a tar-like black resin, and are combined with saliva, with teethmarks clearly visible. 

They were found 30 years ago next to bones at the 9,700-year-old Huseby Klev archaeological site north of Sweden's western city of Gothenburg, one of the country's oldest sites for human fossils.

The hunter-gatherers most likely chewed the resin "to be used as glue" to assemble tools and weapons, said Anders Gotherstrom, co-author of a study published in the journal Scientific Reports.

"This is a most likely hypothesis -- they could of course have been chewed just because they liked them or because they thought that they had some medicinal purpose," he told AFP.

The gum was typically chewed by both male and female adolescents.

"There were several chewing gum (samples) and both males and females chewed them. Most of them seem to have been chewed by teenagers," Gotherstrom said.

"There was some kind of age to it."

A previous 2019 study of the wads of gum mapped the genetic profile of the individuals who had chewed it.

This time, Gotherstrom and his team of paleontologists at Stockholm University were able to determine, again from the DNA found in the gum, that the teenagers' Stone Age diet included deer, trout and hazelnuts.

Traces of apple, duck and fox were also detected.

"If we do a human bone then we'll get human DNA. We can do teeth and then we'll get a little bit more. But here we'll get DNA from what they had been chewing previously," Gotherstrom said. 

"You cannot get that in any other way."  

In addition, in one piece chewed by a teenage girl researchers found "a number of bacteria indicating a severe case of periodontitis", a severe gum infection.

"She would probably start to lose her teeth shortly after chewing this chewing gum. It must have hurt as well," said Gotherstrom. 

"You have the imprint from the teenager's mouth who chewed it thousands of years ago. If you want to put some kind of a philosophical layer into it, for us it connects artefacts, the DNA and humans," he said.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/xrN6HFb

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.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/Tp8SuHY

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.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/8RCWrbG

"Rahul Gandhi Used To Be Afraid Of Me, Now He Fears My Son": Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday asserted that his former colleague and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi used to be afraid of him, and now he has started to fear his son.

Mr Sarma also termed the Congress seeking a probe into his family businesses as Mr Gandhi's "bachpana" (childishness).

"Earlier, Rahul Gandhi used to afraid of me, now he has started to fear my son who is a student. My son will not enter politics, then why is he (Rahul Gandhi) afraid of him," he told reporters.

The Congress yesterday wrote to the CBI director, urging him to probe the businesses related to Chief Minister's family.

The Gandhi vs Sarma verbal duel began Friday with the Congress leader terming his former colleague the "most corrupt chief minister" in the country who could "teach corruption" to other BJP chief ministers.

Speaking at a rally during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, he also alleged that Mr Sarma's family - including his son - were engaged in corruption.

The Chief Minister hit back and said no one can be more corrupt than the Gandhi family.

The Congress yatra, which began mid-January from Manipur, is currently passing through Assam.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/KEYBof2

Watch: Mukesh Ambani's Antilia Lights Up Ahead Of Ayodhya Temple Event

Antilia, the iconic Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani, is decked up ahead of the historic 'Pran Pratistha' ceremony at the Ayodhya Ram temple tomorrow.

The 27-storied landmark building this evening lit up with holograms reading 'Jai Shri Ram' in Hindi and diyas. The area around is decorated with lights and banners. 

#WATCH | Mumbai: Reliance Industries Chairman and MD Mukesh Ambani's house 'Antilia' decked up ahead of the Ram Mandir 'Pran Pratistha' ceremony in Ayodhya tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/mKoTRNWZSV

— ANI (@ANI) January 21, 2024

Mr Ambani, who heads the Reliance Industries, is among the top businessmen invited for the grand consecration ceremony of the Ayodhya temple tomorrow.

The event will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of prominent personalities, including industrialists, sportspersons, actors, etc.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/ZmhrNHg

"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.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/bFhWlIw

"Not Only Us, Even Pak...": Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister's Praise For PM Modi

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Saturday said that even Imran Khan, the former prime minister of "enemy country" Pakistan, wants a leader like Prime Minister Narendra Modi in their country.

Mohan Yadav was addressing a function at a Ram temple in Anand Nagar locality of Bhopal.

The chief minister said India is witnessing such a time that the world keeps an eye on the results when Modi walks, acts and takes a decision.

"Not only us, the neighbouring countries also say (this). The former prime minister of an enemy country like Pakistan, Imran Khan, says that he wishes Modi was their leader. (He tells their people that) We should learn from Modi ji," Mohan Yadav said.

Even "17 lakh years after Ram", there is a feeling that there should be Ram Rajya, the Chief Minister said. "Everybody wants a son like Ram, an example of 'maryada' (dignity) like the Himalayas, the highest standard," he said.

The Madhya Pradesh government has already announced a half-day for government offices and a holiday for schools and colleges in the state on the occasion of the consecration of the idol of Ram Lalla at Ayodhya on January 22.

The state government has also declared a holiday for Anganwadi centres on the consecration day, besides ordering the closure of meat shops and slaughterhouses. 

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/OfqGjsN

"World's First Oxpressway": Akhilesh Yadav's Swipe At UP Government

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav today targeted the Yogi Adityanath government over stray cattle menace, terming a road in Uttar Pradesh "Oxpress way" after dozens of stray oxen were seen slowing down the traffic.

He also shared a video showing cars queued up behind the group of oxen, waiting the cattle to move aside.

ये है उप्र में बना दुनिया का पहला ‘ऑक्सप्रेस वे' (OXPRESS WAY)… जिसका उद्घोष है ‘आपकी जान, आपके हाथ'. pic.twitter.com/jrtvw6FdEd

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) January 20, 2024

"This is the world's first 'OXPRESS WAY' built in Uttar Pradesh... whose slogan is 'Aapki Jaan, Aapke Haath'," he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Mr Yadav had been targeting the state government over stray cattle menace.

Last year, a farmer was forced to stay atop a tree for two hours to save himself from a bull attack, prompting the Samajwadi Party chief to claim that the police were needed to protect people from stray cattle.

"Today's 'Saand Samachar': To save his life from the bull, the farmer climbed the tree for two hours," he had posted online, adding that "Today's 'Saand Vichar': Now, a 'Saand Raksha Police' should also be formed in Uttar Pradesh."

The problem of stray cattle damaging crops and attacking people had become a major poll issue in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh polls.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then campaigning in the state, had promised a new system to deal with stray cattle problems.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/58zG6ur

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'. 

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/ZC5xaAP

"No Interest In Supplying Iron Ore To China": Indian Mining Firm NMDC

India's largest state-owned iron ore miner, NMDC Ltd, on Thursday said it has no plans to sell iron ore to China and it is scaling up production to meet domestic demand.

Reuters reported on Wednesday that the federal government had turned down a request from the company to export iron ore to China.

Currently, NMDC has no interest in supplying ore to China, the company said in an emailed statement to Reuters.

"We are a Government of India enterprise committed to the demands of our domestic market and very well-tuned to the realities of the nation's international relations," the company said.

"Currently, NMDC harbors no interest in supplying iron ore to China," it said.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/KjSpUh3

Antony Blinken Briefly Stranded In Davos After Plane Breaks Down

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was briefly stranded in Davos on Wednesday after his plane experienced a "critical failure" related to an oxygen leak and another plane is being flown to Switzerland to pick him up, according to a member of his traveling press pool.

The top U.S. diplomat had traveled to Davos on Monday and was scheduled to fly back to Washington on Wednesday.

A Bloomberg report said the aircraft was a Boeing plane. Reuters could not immediately confirm what aircraft Blinken was using.
 

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/p1JXaVD

Home Ministry Forms Tribunals To Reconsider Ban On 2 Kashmir Organisations

The Union Home Ministry has formed tribunals under the stringent anti-terror law, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act or UAPA, to decide whether the ban on two Kashmir-based organisations, Muslim League and Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, was justified.

Justice Sachin Dutta of the High Court of Delhi will preside over the two tribunals.

The ministry had banned the Muslim League -- led by Masarat Alam Bhat -- and Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, founded by deceased separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, under UAPA on December 27 and December 31, 2023.

"The tribunal will issue showcause notices to the organisations concerned and will be asked to present their side," a senior official said.

The proceedings would involve the recording of statements of investigating officers and experts, evidence against the activities of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat and Muslim League by the home ministry as well as recording of the arguments by the organisations.

Last week, the home ministry had issued two notifications to empower states and Union Territories to act against teh Muslim League and Tehreek-e-Hurriyat. The notifications empower the Jammu and Kashmir administration to seize assets and freeze bank accounts and finances belonging to the two groups.

The Tehreek-e-Hurriyat was declared banned as it has been fomenting terrorism and spreading anti-India propaganda in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said.

"The 'Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, J&K (TeH) has been declared an 'Unlawful Association' under UAPA. The outfit is involved in forbidden activities to separate J&K from India and establish Islamic rule. The group is found spreading anti-India propaganda and continuing terror activities to fuel secessionism in J&K. Under PM @narendramodi Ji's zero-tolerance policy against terrorism, any individual or organization found involved in anti-India activities will be thwarted forthwith," read his post on X, formerly Twitter.
 
The activities of the group and its leaders are prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty, security and communal harmony of the country, the ministry had said.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/GdJ2LXo

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.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/LWtRHCb

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.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/lcDKb48

CEO Charged For Allegedly Raping NRI Ex Colleague In Delhi 5-Star Hotel

The CEO of a private company has been booked for allegedly raping an NRI woman who worked at his office, the police said on Sunday.

According to the police, the incident took place on September 14, 2023 at a five-star hotel in Chanakyapuri district.

Based on a complaint from the Indian-origin US citizen on Saturday night, an FIR has been filed against the accused under Section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code at Chanakyapuri police station, they added.

The complainant alleged she was working as an assistant general manager at the company where the accused was the CEO, the police said.

She said the man was known to her uncle and had helped her in getting a job, the complaint added.

A senior police officer said further probe is underway in the matter.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/fS9Eqd1

"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."

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/PAD310u

Madras High Court Expresses Concern Over Gen-Z "Grappling" With Pornography

The present-day children are 'grappling' with the serious issue of watching porn and instead of punishing them society must be "mature enough" to educate them, the Madras High Court said.

The court also quashed proceedings against a 28-year-old man, charged with downloading pornographic content involving children on his mobile phone, saying the Information Technology Act, 2000, does not make mere watching such material an offence.

"In order to constitute an offence under Section 67-B of the Information Technology Act, 2000, the accused person must have published, transmitted, and created material depicting children in sexually explicit act or conduct. A careful reading of this provision does not make watching child pornography, per se, an offence under Section 67-B of the Information Technology Act, 2000," Justice N Anand Venkatesh said in an order on Thursday.

Even though the said section of the IT Act has been widely worded, it does not cover a case where a person has merely downloaded in his electronic gadget, a child pornography and he has watched the same without doing anything more, the court said.

Admittedly, there were two videos, involving minor boys, downloaded and available in the mobile phone of the petitioner and it was neither published nor transmitted to others and it was within the private domain of the petitioner.

The court, however, expressed concern over children watching pornography.

Viewing pornography can have negative consequences on teenagers down the line, affecting both their psychological and physical well-being.

"The Generation Z Children are grappling with this serious problem and instead of damning and punishing them, the society must be mature enough to properly advise and educate them and try to counsel them to get rid of that addiction. The education must start from the school level since exposure to adult material starts at that stage itself," the judge said.

The court advised the petitioner to attend counselling if he was still afflicted with this addiction.

"This court hopes that the petitioner will listen to the advice and get rid of the addiction for a happy and healthy future. Quashing of the criminal proceedings by itself will not help the petitioner and the petitioner has to help himself by getting rid of the addiction," the judge added.

"In the light of the above discussion, the continuation of the proceedings against the petitioner will amount to abuse of process of the court. That apart, it will be a stumbling block for the petitioner's career in future. Therefore, this Court is inclined to quash the proceedings" on the file of the Sessions Judge, Mahila Neethi Mandram (Fast Track Court), Tiruvallur District, the court ordered.

The judge said porn addiction, like other substances or "things" that people can become addicted to, can be understood through principles of "operant conditioning".

"This is where a certain behaviour, watching porn in this case, is "reinforced", or rewarded, which in turn makes you want to do it again (and again). Lots of different things can be reinforcing, and thus influence our behaviour, but porn can be especially reinforcing because the reward taps into a very basic instinctual drive - sex." "Therefore, it is very easy to become addicted to porn - it is accessing a fundamental (and very enjoyable) natural drive. It is also much easier to obtain than going out and finding a "mate" to fulfill this drive," the court noted.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/yGxhWK0

Chhattisgarh Schools, Colleges To Be Shut On Ram Temple Consecration Day

All schools and colleges in Chhattisgarh will have a holiday on January 22 on the occasion of the idol consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, state minister Brijmohan Agrawal said on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference here, Agrawal, who handles the Religious Trust and Endowment, School and Higher Education as well as Culture and Tourism portfolios in the Vishnu Deo Sai government, said a weekly free train travel scheme for Ayodhya has also been planned.

"As per Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promise, the people of Chhattisgarh will get to travel free by train to Ayodhya to have darshan of Ram Lalla. The state government will ink a memorandum of understanding with Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) for a weekly train in which 850 to 1000 devotees can travel till Ayodhya as part of this scheme," he said.

"Special care will be taken of the elderly and disabled in the train. They can travel with an assistant. There will be a doctor on board. Accommodation and food for the travellers will be made by the state government," Agrawal added.

Speaking about other programmes to mark the temple inauguration, the minister said devotional songs and rituals will be performed in the morning, while "Ganga aarti" will be held on the banks of rivers across the state in the evening.

The state government will develop Shri Ram Van Gaman Path, while Bhuteshwar Mahadeo, Jatmai-Ghatarani, Shiv Mahapeeth, Sirkatti Ashram and Kopeshwar Mahadeo temple in Gariaband will be developed as a tribal circuit, he said. 

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/vOGEgrP

Child Rights Body Summons YouTube Official Over Indecent Content Involving Mothers And Sons

The apex child rights body NCPCR on Wednesday summoned an official of YouTube next week over purportedly portrayal of potentially indecent acts involving mothers and sons on its platform.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has in a notice to the head of government and public policy of YouTube asked him to physically appear on 15 January 15 along with the list of all such channels running on YouTube and the list of channels on YouTube running such content.

The child rights body said it is an alarming trend on YouTube channels where the channels are portraying potentially indecent acts involving mothers and sons.

"This raises serious concerns about the potential harm it could inflict on the child's well-being and safety. Further, these videos have viewership, including minors, which also raises significant concerns," the NCPCR said.

"If you fail to comply with this order without lawful excuse, you will be subjected to the consequences of the non-attendance," the child rights body added. 

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/2o3pySw

Imran Khan And Lekha Washington Ace Minimal Ethnic Style At Ira Khan's Mehendi

Aamir Khan's daughter, Ira Khan and Nupur Shikhare are tucked away in cozy nook of Udaipur revelling as they host their pre-wedding festivities. At Ira's Mehendi celebration, Aamir's nephew Imran Khan was present as part of the bride's tribe. The Delhi Belly star was spotted with his plus one, Lekha Washington, rumoured to be his girlfriend, both serving ethnic chic style. Lekha chose a demure, elegant look in a white and blue lehenga with floral prints. Her dupatta matched the blue on her lehenga and was embellished with gota patti embroidered borders and floral patterns. She paired the ethnic outfit with pearl danglers and minimal makeup comprising of kohl, light eyeshadow and lips coloured in a bright shade of pink. Imran matched her elegance in a dapper beige suit paired with a black shirt beneath. Ira Khan's cousin Zayn Marie, who shared the post with Imran and Lekha, accompanied the duo in the image, while Imran's mother, Nuzhat, and daughter, Imara. All of them wore floral crowns made of white flowers as did many from the bride's tribe. 

Also Read: At Ira Khan-Nupur Shikhare's Wedding, Actor Imran Khan And Lekha Washington Serve Ethnic Style Goals

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Zayn Khan (@zaynmarie)

Recently, Zayn Marie shared a series of pictures Imran Khan and Lekha Washington at the reception for Ira Khan and Nupur Shikhare soon after the couple's registered marriage in Mumbai. Zayn's icy blue lehenga was nothing short of resplendent while Imran looked dashing in a classic black tuxedo with a black blazer, paired with a white shirt, black bow and matching pants. Lekha Washington was seen at the same reception with Imran wearing a gorgeous red and gold ensemble lehenga skirt paired with a black blouse. An intricate Matha patti along with a traditional but light necklace and matching earrings were her choice of accessories for the night. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Zayn Khan (@zaynmarie)

Watch this video below to find out how other guests and family were dressed at the reception, including Ira's father Aamir Khan, his ex-wives Reena Dutta and Kiran Rao and their dear friends Nita and Mukesh Ambani.

Also Read: Ira Khan Was An Unconventionally Edgy Bride In A Colourblocked Harem Pant Ensemble

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/zWQiLZK

S Jaishankar, His Austrian Counterpart Discuss Ukraine, Gaza War

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg on Monday and discussed the situation in Ukraine and Gaza.

In a post on social media platform X, Jaishankar wrote, "Good to speak to my dear friend FM @a_schallenberg of Austria after the New Year."

"Recall last year's visit to Vienna. Exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine and Gaza, especially in light of my recent travels," he added.

Good to speak to my dear friend FM @a_schallenberg of Austria after the New Year. Recall last year's visit to Vienna.

Exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine and Gaza, especially in light of my recent travels.

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 8, 2024

Notably, the diplomatic relations between India and Austria were established in 1949.

The ties between the two nations have been warm and friendly, according to the MEA, with a regular exchange of visits including at the level of leaders, ministers, and Parliamentarians highlighting the importance that the two nations accord to further strengthening their relations.

The two countries also have a robust economic partnership, with bilateral trade pegged at USD 2.47 billion in 2021, the MEA noted, adding that over 150 Austrian companies have a presence in India.

Further, as per the video posted by Mr Jaishankar, the Indian community residing in Austria numbers 31,000.

India and Austria, in 2023, signed an MoU on the exemption of visa requirements for diplomatic passport holders. It was in addition to the MoU on gainful occupation for family members of diplomatic staff.

The nations also inked an MoU on a joint declaration on a working holiday while another pertained to a comprehensive migration and mobility partnership agreement.

Also, the two nations, last year signed an MoU on cultural cooperation between the years 2022-2026.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/2pYjNgU

Bangladesh PM Re-Elected From Her Constituency, Gets Over 249,000 Votes

Bangladesh Prime Minister and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina was re-elected to parliament on Sunday from the Gopalganj-3 constituency after a landslide victory in the general elections marred by sporadic violence and a boycott by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Hasina, 76, bagged 249,965 votes while her nearest rival M Nizam Uddin Lashkar from the Bangladesh Supreme Party secured just 469 votes, bdnews24 reported.

Gopalganj Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Kazi Mahbubul Alam announced the result.

She has won the Gopalganj-3 seat for the eighth time since 1986.

Prime Minister Hasina, who has been ruling the strategically located South Asian nation since 2009, is set to secure a record fourth consecutive term and fifth overall term.

The ruling Awami League candidates are leading in most of the seats, according to the results so far.

Earlier, the counting of votes started after the polling ended in the general elections which registered low voter turnout.

According to the initial estimates, the voter turnout was around 40 per cent but the figure could change after the final count, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/bA9dR8y

Man Claims Woman He Wanted To Marry Set Him On Fire, Dies: Cops

A 23-year-old food delivery agent died after he was allegedly set on fire in northwest Delhi's Wazirabad area by a woman whom he had proposed for marriage, police said on Saturday.

The woman had allegedly turned down his proposal and decided to marry someone else, they added.

The police were informed about the incident around 4 pm on Thursday. By the time a team reached the spot, the victim Nauman was taken to a hospital, the officials said.

Before his death in the hospital, Nauman gave a statement to the police alleging that the woman called him to her house and upon his arrival, set him on fire by pouring some inflammable substance on his body, they said.

The woman, however, told the police that it was Nauman who had brought petrol in a plastic bottle and set himself ablaze, they added.

Nauman suffered 75 per cent burn injuries in the incident and succumbed during treatment on Friday morning, the police said.

According to a police officer, the matter is still being investigated as preliminary investigation revealed certain discrepancies in the statement of the victim.

"Nauman and the accused woman, who is pursuing BSc from open schooling, are relatives," the officer said.

"It was found during investigation that the deceased was in a one-sided love affair with the woman and proposed her for marriage," the officer said.

The woman, however, turned down his request and decided to get married to someone else, the officer added.

Nauman used to work with an online food delivery company, the police said.

"We had earlier registered a case under section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code but Nauman died on Friday during the treatment in the hospital," another officer said.

The crime scene has been forensically examined and evidence including clothes and mobile phone have been seized. The CCTV footage in and around the spot is being analysed, the officer said.

Further legal action in the case will be taken after analysis of the collected evidence, the officer added. 

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/gGM3KZw

Delhi Lt Governor Praises Temple For Bringing Down Its Gate To Facilitate Traffic

Delhi LG VK Saxena commended Jhandewalan Mandir on Rani Jhansi Marg for bringing down its gate to ensure safer pedestrian movement and reduce traffic jams.

In a post on X, VK Saxena shared a video of the Jhandewalan Mandir bringing down its gate and described the incident as exemplary.

"The ancient Jhandewalan Mandir on Rani Jhansi Marg has voluntarily brought down its gate beside the foot-over bridge, on my request. This exemplary exercise will ensure safer pedestrian movement and reduce traffic jams on this important arterial connecting North and South Delhi," Mr Saxena posted on X.

The ancient Jhandewalan Mandir on Rani Jhansi Marg has voluntarily brought down its gate beside the foot over bridge, on my request. This exemplary exercise will ensure safer pedestrian movement & reduce traffic jams on this important arterial connecting North & South Delhi. pic.twitter.com/vZqeMIrb4C

— LG Delhi (@LtGovDelhi) January 5, 2024

He further said that this incident will bring relief to residents and commuters of heavily congested areas and saluted the civic spirit of the temple.

"It will bring major relief to residents and commuters of heavily congested areas like Eid Gaah, Sadar Bazar, Azad Market, Model Basti, Pul Bangash and Motia Khan, among others. My salute to the civic spirit of the Temple Management", Delhi LG added.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/rWq9skT

In Letter To Amit Shah, Union Minister Proposes New Unreserved Lok Sabha Seat In Manipur After 2026

Union Minister Rajkumar Ranjan Singh has written to Home Minister Amit Shah over the delimitation exercise in Manipur which is likely to happen once the moratorium ends in 2026, if it is not postponed.

Mr Singh proposed creating a new unreserved Lok Sabha seat by combining the eight unreserved assembly seats currently under the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat, which is a Scheduled Tribes (ST) reserved constituency.

Delimitation is done to fix the boundaries of constituencies to represent changes in population.

Anticipating a likely increase in assembly seats from the existing 60 to 70, Mr Singh in the letter to the Home Minister said all efforts should be made to ensure fair distribution and creation of reserved (SC/ST) and unreserved seats.

Mr Singh's letter comes amid the ethnic tension in Manipur between the hill-majority Kuki tribes and the valley-majority Meiteis. The Union Minister's house in the state capital Imphal, too, was vandalised and set on fire by a mob in June.

Any indication of the assembly seats rising from 60 to 70 is likely to be controversial, given the claims and counter-claims between the two communities that their population has shrunk, which could mean the community with a larger, growing population may grab the additional seats.

Mr Singh represents the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha constituency; the other MP is Lorho S Pfoze, who represents the Outer Manipur seat in the border state that sends only two MPs to the Lok Sabha.

In the letter, the Minister of State for External Affairs and Education said the comprehensive delimitation exercise for parliamentary and assembly constituencies in Manipur must be based on the latest census data, biometrics, and linked with Aadhaar for accuracy and authenticity.

He said he has informed Mr Shah that apart from relying on the latest census, a fair and unbiased approach should be taken without favouritism towards any community or ethnic group.

Mr Singh also underscored the importance of maintaining complete transparency in the delimitation process to ensure free and fair decision and conclusion.

"... The proposed recommendations would contribute to a more equitable political representation in Manipur, aligning with the great democratic principles and values of Bharat," Mr Singh said in a statement.

The Centre has decided to scrap for now the Free Movement Regime (FMR) that allows people close to the India-Myanmar border to go 16 km into each other's territory without visa.

The crisis in Manipur has been pinned on illegal immigrants from Myanmar crossing over to India over a matter of decades, and a huge network of drug traffickers fed by thousands of acres of poppy cultivation in the hills.

The Kuki tribes in the hills have strongly denied the allegations by the Meiteis, who live in the valley areas, and claimed the Meiteis dominate the state's politics and only want to grab the land of the tribes.

Over 180 have died in the violence that began on May 3 and thousands have been internally displaced. They are still living in relief camps, unable to return home - either to the valley for the Kuki tribes, or the hills for the Meiteis.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/cwL13yQ

Woman Jumps To Death From 14th Floor In Mumbai, Note Cites Depression

A 19-year-old college student ended her life by jumping from the 14th floor of a residential building in Mumbai's Andheri area on Wednesday morning, a police official said.

A one-page note left behind by the victim suggested that she had slipped into depression and took the extreme step due to it, said the official from D N Nagar police station.

The incident took place at the Millionaire Heritage Society located on SV Road in the western suburb, he said.

Victim Vidhi Pramod Kumar Singh had been living in the building for the past few years as a paying guest, while her family members reside in neighouring Thane. She was a student of Mithibai College in Vile Parle, he said.

Nothing suspicious has been found so far. The building watchman first spotted her body on the ground and alerted other society members, who called the police, he said.

The police have registered a case of accidental death and informed her family, the official said, adding that the exact reason behind her death is yet to be determined.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/KQS3BAD

UP Police Special Task Force To Provide Security To Ayodhya Ram Temple

A special task force of the Uttar Pradesh Police will provide a comprehensive security cover to the upcoming Ram temple complex in Ayodhya, a senior government functionary said Tuesday.

The temple spread over 70 acres will be open to the public after Prime Minister Narendra Modi does the "pran pratishtha," or the consecration ceremony of the Ram Lalla idol, on January 22.

A special task force of the UP Police will secure the temple premises including the main complex, built in the traditional Nagara style, that will be 380 feet long (east-west direction), 250 feet wide and 161 feet high.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) that has been guarding the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid complex, after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992, will gradually be withdrawn, the functionary said.

The paramilitary force had thwarted a terrorist attack that took place on July 5, 2005 at the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid with the killing of five militants.

The Supreme Court, in 2019, delivered a historic verdict settling a temple-mosque dispute that went over a century back.

The court backed the construction of the Ram temple at the disputed site, and ruled that an alternative five-acre plot must be found for building a mosque. 

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/3isMzvJ

Women's Panel Received 28,811 Complaints Of Crime Against Women In 2023

The National Commission for Women (NCW) registered 28,811 complaints of crime against women last year and about 55 per cent were from Uttar Pradesh.

The highest number of complaints were received in the right to dignity category that involves harassment other than domestic violence and it stood at 8,540, according to The National Commission for Women data. This was followed by 6,274 complaints of domestic violence.

Dowry harassment complaints stood at 4,797, molestation complaints at 2,349, police indifference against women complaints at 1,618, and rape and attempt to rape complaints at 1,537, the data showed.

There were 805 complaints of sexual harassment, 605 of cyber crime, 472 of stalking and 409 of honour crimes, it stated.

Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of complaints at 16,109 followed by Delhi 2,411, Maharashtra at 1,343, according to the data.

Bihar recorded 1,312 complaints, Madhya Pradesh 1,165, Haryana 1,115, Rajasthan 1,011, Tamil Nadu 608, West Bengal 569 and Karnataka 501.

The number of complaints have seen a drop since 2022 when 30,864 complaints were received, the highest since 2014.

from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/n9CYwWI