Row Over Certain Verse In Ramcharitmanas "5,000 Years Old": Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday said he is not against Ramcharitmanas but asserted that the controversy over a certain verse of the Hindu epic is "5,000 years old".

During the budget discussion in Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Mr Yadav said, "We are not against Ramcharitmanas. Why do you do 'prachar'. God is for all and not for anyone (person). You take donations (for the construction of Ram temple) so has God become yours. But whatever is wrong is wrong." Mentioning the word 'tadan' in one of the verses of Ramcharitmanas, he said, "If you make one person stand to know what is the meaning of 'tadan', then we can also make 10 stand about this. Will you make anyone stand up and explain the meaning of 'tadan'? You tell what the situation is in UP."

While reciting a poem by Ramdhari Singh Dinkar on the issue, Mr Yadav said, "This fight is not of today. This fight is 5,000 years old."

"I did not ask about Ramcharitmanas. I had said that the Leader of the House should tell what is a 'Shudra'. If this 'Shudra' does not become your shield, then you could not have come to power."

Mr Yadav was mentioning a verse "Dhol, ganwar, shudra, pashu, naari, sakal tadan ke adhikari" on which a controversy erupted last month after SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya alleged that certain verses of the Ramcharitmanas "insult" a large section of society on the basis of caste and demanded that these be "banned".

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday accused Samajwadi Party of humiliating 100 crore Hindus by burning a copy of Ramcharitmanas.

CM Adityanath, explaining the verse, which was described as objectionable by SP leader Maurya, had said that 'tadan' meant 'dekhbhal' (caring).

Reacting on an alleged comment by Mr Adityanath, Akhilesh Yadav said, "if a person speaks about someone's father, then the other can also do so. But I will not do so as 'Netaji' (Mulayam Singh Yadav) has not given such values to me." Ramcharitmanas, an epic poem in Awadhi language, is based on the Ramayana and has been composed by 16th-century Bhakti poet Tulsidas.

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Bail Plea Of Hemant Soren's Aide Rejected In Jharkhand Illegal Mining Case

The Jharkhand High Court on Tuesday rejected the bail plea of Pankaj Mishra, the former political representative of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, in a money laundering case related to illegal mining.

Mr Mishra was arrested in July last year by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Justice Gautam Kumar Choudhary dismissed Mr Mishra's bail application after hearing arguments in the case.

The ED had filed a charge sheet against Mr Mishra and his two aides -- Bachhu Yadav and Prem Prakash -- on September 16 last year before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ranchi.

"PMLA investigation revealed that Pankaj Mishra, who enjoys political clout, being the representative of the Chief Minister, MLA from Barhait, Sahibganj, Jharkhand controls the illegal mining businesses as well as inland ferry services in Sahibganj and its adjoining areas through his accomplices," the ED had alleged in a statement earlier.

"He exercises considerable control over the mining of stone chips and boulders as well as installation and operations of several crushers, set up across various mining sites in Sahibganj," the statement had claimed.

It had said proceeds of crime amounting to about Rs 42 crore "acquired" by Mr Mishra have been identified.

The agency had also claimed that it has "identified" proceeds of crimes, relating to illegal mining in the state, to the tune of more than Rs 1,000 crore.

The ED filed a case under the PMLA against Mr Mishra in March last year, alleging that he "illegally grabbed or amassed huge assets in his favour".

It took cognisance of a state police FIR filed against Mr Mishra at Barharwa police station in Sahibganj district, and some other police complaints filed in illegal mining trade instances under various sections of the Arms Act and Explosive Substances Act, among others.

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'Show That You Have Political Majority': Supreme Court To Shinde Camp

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's faction on Tuesday claimed their right to the Shiv Sena party and said that a legislature party is integral and organically connected to the political party.

Senior Advocate NK Kaul, appearing for Shinde faction, told a five-judge constitution bench that rival leaders had no faith in the ministry any longer.

Five-judge Constitution bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justices MR Shah, Krishna Murari, Hima Kohli and PS Narasimha was dealing with the issue related to Maharashtra political crisis.

Justice Narasimha, who was part of the bench, asked the Shinde camp to show that they have a political majority and not a legislative majority.

Senior Advocate NK Kaul, replied to the court that he would address this issue on Wednesday.

The court also asked several questions to the Shinde camp on various issues, legal aspects on various judgements and sought to know how to separate defection and floor test.

CJI Chandrachud also remarked that if the antecedent reason for a floor test is based on a violation of the tenth schedule, then holding a floor test at that stage will defeat the whole basis and purpose of the tenth schedule. The court also sought to know if they are legitimizing a defection which is otherwise not permissible under the tenth schedule.

Advocate replied that their case is not a case of split under the tenth schedule, they are talking about a rival faction within a party which is dissent and the essence of democracy within a party and they claim that their camp is the Shiv Sena.

During the hearing, the court noted that the problem which necessitated the floor test is an alleged defection and said the problem arises because the trust vote is so intrinsically connected with the disqualification proceedings.

Senior Advocate Kaul said that this is a case of internal dissent and the Shinde group is the faction that represents Shiv Sena, which can be decided by the Election Commission of India. As far as floor test is concerned, it is only related to the issue of whether the Chief Minister has the confidence, Kaul said.

The court also noted that the head of the political party did not inform the Governor that they were withdrawing from the alliance of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

Kaul replied that 34 out of 55 have written to the Governor saying they had no faith in this government.

As the hearing remained inconclusive on Tuesday, the matter was adjourned for Wednesday.

Uddhav Thackeray faction had earlier submitted that the opposite camp has no defence under the tenth schedule.

A five-judge Constitution bench was hearing a batch of petitions filed by rival factions Uddhav Thackeray and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in relation to the Maharashtra political crisis.

The Supreme Court's Constitution bench has earlier said it would decide later on referring the cases related to the Maharashtra political crisis to a larger seven-judge bench for reconsideration of a 2016 Nabam Rebia judgment on powers of Assembly Speakers to deal with disqualification pleas.

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Priyanka Chopra Reviews The Elephant Whisperers. Guneet Monga's Reply

Priyanka Chopra recently watched Guneet Monga's documentary The Elephant Whisperers, and she couldn't stop gushing over it. The actress shared two posts on her Instagram stories lauding the makers Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Monga for "bringing this amazing story to life". In the first post, Priyanka wrote, "A trunk-filled with emotions! One of the most heartwarming documentaries I've watched recently...loved it! Big shout out to @kartikigonsalves @guneetmonga for bringing this amazing story to life (red heart emoji)." In the next post, the actress tagged The Elephant Whisperers team. For those who don't know, then let us tell you the documentary is nominated for Oscars 2023 in the Best Documentary Short category.

Soon after Priyanka Chopra shared the posts, Guneet Monga quickly replied. She re-shared the posts on her Instagram stories and wrote sweet notes thanking the actress. In the first post, she wrote, "Thank you Priyanka. You are the best," followed by heart emoticons. In the second, she wrote, "We are over the moon Priyanka. We love you so so much." 

Take a look at both the post below: 

Helmed by Kartiki Gonsalves and produced by Guneet Monga and Achin Jain, The Elephant Whisperers has been nominated against Haul Out, How Do You Measure A Year, The Martha Mitchell Effect and Stranger At The Gate. The documentary, set in South India, tells the story of a couple who adopts an orphan baby elephant. 

Coming back to Priyanka Chopra, the actress is gearing up for the release of the much-awaited Citadel trailer. The trailer of the spy thriller is slated to release on March 1, 2023.

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Pics: At Gulmohar Screening, Manoj Bajpayee's Plus One Was Wife Shabana

Sharmila Tagore and Manoj Bajpayee's Gulmohar is all set to release on March 3 on Disney Plus Hotstar. And ahead of the release, the makers hosted a special screening, which was attended by the celebs on Tuesday. However, what grabbed our attention was Manoj's plus one - wife Shabana Raza. Yes, she made a rare appearance at a screening. As they arrived, the couple happily posed for the shutterbugs stationed at the venue. Shabana looked pretty in a shimmery top paired with black pants. She added a black jacket to accentuate her look. On the other hand, Manoj looked dashing in a formal outfit. 

Take a look at Manoj Bajpayee and his wife Shabana's picture below: 

Gulmohar stars, Suraj Sharma, Simran Rishi Bagga, Kaveri Seth and Santhy, were also spotted at a screening. 

Other celebs who attended Gulmohar screening were Tanuja, Nandita Das, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Saiyami Kher, Raashii Khanna, Alka Yagnik, Boman Irani with wife Zenobia Irani and Sharmila Tagore's daughter Saba Ali Khan. 

Check out the pictures below:   

Coming back to Manoj Bajpayee and Shabana, the couple is rarely spotted together at an event. Last month, Manoj Bajpayee shared many pictures from his vacation with his wife Shabana and daughter Ava Nayla. In the images, Manoj, Shabana and their daughter Ava Nayla can be seen enjoying the holidays to the fullest. Sharing the post, he wrote, "Cherishing beautiful moments with family & friends," followed by a heart emoticon.

Take a look below: 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Manoj Bajpayee (@bajpayee.manoj)

Meanwhile, on the work front, Manoj Bajpayee is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film Gulmohar, co-starring Sharmila Tagore, Suraj Sharma and others. 
 

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Madhya Pradesh Couple Gets Life In Jail For Killing Daughter Born Without Ear

A couple was on Monday sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in Indore in Madhya Pradesh for killing their three-month-old daughter, who was born without an ear, and disposing of her body in a garbage dump.

Pappu Rawal (50) and his wife Sangeeta Rawal (45) were convicted under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code for killing their child with a kitchen plier, a prosecution official said.

The child's body was found wrapped in cloth in a garbage heap in Khajrana area here on March 16, 2016.

The child, who was the second daughter of the couple, did not have an ear, due to which they disowned her and killed her, the official said.

However, DNA tests established them as the biological parents and a probe found them guilty.

Assistant District Public Prosecution Officer Avisarika Jain convinced the court about the couple's guilt through circumstantial and scientific evidence, the official said.

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Air Pipe With Its Valve Opened Inserted In UP Man's Private Part: Police

A 19-year-old car cleaner was hospitalised after a man inserted the nozzle of a pressure air pipe in his private part and opened the valve following a minor dispute, police said.

The accused named Mohit is absconding.

According to police, the victim identified as Vijay worked as a car cleaner at a petrol pump at Rakesh Marg under the Sihani Gate police Station in Uttar Pradesh. On Saturday, he had an argument with one Mohit.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of police Alok Dubey said, "Mohit attacked Vijay and later inserted the nozzle of pressure air pipe in his private part and opened the air valve. Mohit also sat on the accused." The victim was taken to a hospital and his condition is said to be critical.

"We have lodged an FIR under sections of IPC and initiated an investigation. The accused is absconding since the incident and efforts are being made to arrest him," said the officer.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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With 'Hera Pheri 3' Post, Suniel Shetty Explains Bollywood Film Business

Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty on Monday confirmed that the much-awaited 'Hera Pheri 3' is "finally happening". Taking to LinkedIn, Mr Shetty, who played the role of Shaam in the movie, announced that the film's shooting has started. 

"So Hera Pheri 3 is finally happening! Look forward to being back on set with Pareshji & Akki. Like all good things, this one took some time, but it's a relief to finally have an answer to this question!" the actor wrote in his post. 

Mr Shetty also spoke about how movies are financed, produced and released, as well as how they make money. "The movie business isn't very different. To explain the entirety of the movie business here would be oversimplifying it. But let's just say having a good script, a set of actors & a director is literally just the starting point," he wrote. 

Further, while explaining the several revenue outlets for a film, ranging from box office receipts to digital and satellite rights and music, Mr Shetty said that there are several factors for any business to succeed - a good idea, thorough market research, a solid business plan, a skilled team, funding at the right time and a strong distribution network. 

"The movie business isn't very different. To explain the entirety of the movie business here would be oversimplifying it. But let's just say having a good script, a set of actors & a director is literally just the starting point," the actor explained. 

Also Read | "Everything Is Mystical": Mexico President Shares Photo Of What He Claims To Be An Elf

The 'Refugee' actor termed the distribution of films as a complex process that involves several layers like producers, distributors and exhibitors. "Once a film's made, a studio typically either sells the distribution rights to a distributor or appoints one on a commission basis, who is then responsible for securing screens from theatre owners, negotiating terms & releasing the film in theatres. Sometimes distributors negotiate a % of the box office collections," he wrote on LinkedIn.

Mr Shetty also mentioned various ways to monetise films. "#BoxOffice collections, domestic & international, are the primary ones," he said. Further, pointing out that music rights are another key source of revenue, he stated, "#MusicRights are another important source of revenue. Usually sold to a #musiclabel who in turn monetise it through channels like streaming, licensing, digital ad revenues, etc..." 

"33 years & 125 films later I don't have it all figured out, but I will keep getting better at it," the actor concluded. 

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"Many Manish Sisodias Behind Bars": Ashok Gehlot Slams Delhi Minister's Arrest

A day after the CBI arrested Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday said "many Sisodias" have been arrested in the country but people don't get to know about them.

There is "terror" of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), and Income Tax department in the country, while the judiciary and Election Commission are under pressure, he claimed.

Mr Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on Sunday evening in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22.

A special court in Delhi on Monday sent him to five-day CBI custody for effective interrogation to unravel the alleged scam.

"Many Sisodias have been arrested in the country," Mr Gehlot told reporters in Sikar in response to a question.

People don't find out about them. They found out about Mr Sisodia's arrest because he is a deputy chief minister, he said.

"There are many such instances where journalists, writers and litterateurs have been put behind bars. The general public will have to think about what is happening in the country," he said.

Delhi's ruling AAP claims Mr Sisodia is innocent and has been arrested due to political vendetta. The party on Monday staged protests across the country against Mr Sisodia's arrest.

Mr Gehlot further claimed there is "terror" of central probe agencies and an atmosphere of tension and violence prevails in the country.

"There is severe inflation, unemployment, an atmosphere of tension and violence in the country, there is terror of ED, Income Tax department and CBI. The judiciary and the Election Commission are under pressure and the gap between the rich and the poor is growing. These issues have shaken the whole country," the chief minister said.

"The government of India is not paying attention to this. All... issues are of great importance. It is its duty to pay attention to them when the Opposition raises them through dharnas, demonstrations and yatras ... like (Congress leader) Rahul Gandhi did," he said.

It is the country's misfortune that these "fascist" people, who have no faith in democracy, have formed the government by putting on the mask of democracy.

Referring to the Rajasthan government's Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme and other welfare initiatives, Mr Gehlot said these measures are being discussed across the country and the state has set an example.

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Spanish Man Jailed For 1 Year For Hitting Wife During TikTok Livestream

A Spanish man who slapped his wife during a TikTok livestream was sentenced today to a year in jail although the victim declined to file a police complaint.

A court in the northern city of Soria found the man guilty of violence against women, banned him from coming within 300 metres (1,000 feet) of his wife or communicating with her for three years, and of acquiring a weapon during that time.

The sentence stems from an incident during a TikTok "battle" -- a real-time competition between streamers where the winner is decided by viewers -- held between the woman and three men during the early hours of January 28.

In images that went viral in Spain, the man is seen slapping his wife in the face so hard that her head turns and she bursts out crying.

"The defendant assaulted his wife publicly and openly, in front of thousands of people, with the aim of undermining her physical integrity and humiliating her in public," the court ruled.

"There is no need for a complaint from the victim in gender violence crimes. These should be punished once it becomes clear they have been committed," the court added.

"Broadcasting the slap live is sufficient for the authorities to step in and protect the victim, regardless of whether she recognises herself as such."

The woman had declined to press charges against her husband and refused to take the stand against him during the trial.

But the court said police had been called to the couple's home in the past because of "disputes between the accused and his wife" which proved there was "continued mistreatment".

Successive Spanish governments on both the right and left have made the fight against domestic violence a priority.

Parliament in 2004 overwhelmingly approved Europe's first law to specifically crack down on gender-based violence.

It established special courts and offered free legal aid for victims, and set up a hotline that would not appear on users' phone bills.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Man's Creative "Kidney For Sale" Poster To Pay Rent Deposit Wins Internet

From dealing with soaring rent to unusually high-security deposit demands from landlords, house hunting has always been a tough job for people who have to move to a different city. Now, recently a man in Bengaluru decided to bring attention to this issue in a hilarious way by creating a poster that pokes fun at the excessive demands of some landlords. 

Taking to social media, Ramyakh Jain mentioned the difficulties of finding a place in the Indiranagar area of Bengaluru. He shared pictures of the poster that was attached to a pole. It read, "Left kidney on sale. Need money to fund the security deposit amount landlords are asking for". 

Take a look below: 

Does this qualify for @peakbengaluru? pic.twitter.com/GGuMZXy2iH

— Ramyakh (@ramyakh) February 25, 2023

The second part of the poster clarified that it was just a joke and that the advertiser was actually looking for a house to rent in Indiranagar, Bengaluru. It also featured a QR code that landlords could scan to access the advertiser's profile. 

The post quickly gained popularity on social media. While on LinkedIn it garnered more than 1,300 reactions, on Twitter, it accumulated more than 82,000 views and over 1,600 likes. 

Also Read | Pakistani Actor Ushna Shah Trolled For "Dressing Up Like An Indian Bride". Her Reply

In the comment section, while one user jokingly wrote, "Should have put the 'right' one on sale. There are very few buyers for the 'left' in India lately," another said, "I 100% would do this too. Need to attract right ToF, then gotta resort to marketing tactics". 

A third user commented, "Saving this one as I need to use this in coming days". A fourth wrote, "While on house hunt landlord got offended on rejection. Because I said that I'm not interested in making you rich. Instead will opt for Honda City and pay EMI for the long commute." "All those kidney jokes just got real," expressed fifth. 

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Congress Adopted 85 Resolutions During 3-Day All Party Meet

As curtains came down on the Congress' 85th plenary session on Sunday, there were several takeaways from the three-day conclave of the party -- from opting to authorise the AICC president to nominate CWC members to making its stance clear on alliances for 2024 polls.

The main takeaways from the session are as follows:

• The Congress Steering Committee unanimously decided not to hold elections to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and authorised party chief Mallikarjun Kharge to nominate its members.
• Mr Kharge said his party is willing to forge a viable alternative by aligning with like-minded parties in order to get rid of the "anti-people" BJP government in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and is ready to make any sacrifice required to achieve the goal.
• The Congress said it is the only party that can provide capable and decisive leadership to the country, but is ready to make sacrifices to defeat the BJP-led NDA and would go all out to identify, mobilise and align like-minded secular forces to achieve its goal.
• The party also cautioned that the emergence of any third force would give an advantage to the BJP and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
• Former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi launched an all-out attack on the BJP government, accusing it of "fuelling the fire of hatred" and "viciously targeting minorities, women, Dalits and tribals".
• Congress leader Sonia Gandhi said she was happy that her innings could conclude with the Bharat Jodo Yatra, with the party asserting that the remark was about her tenure as the party president and had nothing to do with her retirement from politics.
• The Congress carried out 85 amendments in its constitution at its plenary session to provide 50 per cent reservation to Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), women, youth and minorities in its working committee and at all party positions.
• According to the amended constitution of the party, the CWC will now include former prime ministers from the party and former AICC chiefs besides leaders of the Congress in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
• The party decided to provide 50 per cent vertical reservation to SCs/STs/OBCs/minorities and horizontal reservation to youths aged below 50 and women in both reserved and unreserved categories.
• The number of CWC members will go up to 35 from the earlier 23, with 18 members to be elected and 17 to be nominated.
• The amended constitution says from now on, the party will only have digital membership and records.
• The party also amended its constitution to make stringent provisions for those taking Congress membership and ensure that they abstain from taking intoxicating drugs and psychotropic substances.
• In its economic resolution, the Congress said is against "government-facilitated" private monopolies and not any person rising from a humble background to become the world's second richest. It reiterated its demand for a joint parliamentary committee probe into the Adani-Hindenburg issue.
• The Congress will bring a legislation against hate crimes in the country if voted to power. The assertion was part of the party's 58-point political resolution that was adopted at the plenary session.
• In its Raipur Declaration, the Congress gave a call to party leaders in poll-bound states, including Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka, to work with discipline and complete unity to ensure victory that will "set the tone" for 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
• In its five-point Raipur Declaration adopted at the party's plenary session here, the Congress declared that it is ready to work with like-minded political parties on the basis of a common, constructive programme to preserve and protect the Constitution.
• In his remarks at the plenary, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi flayed BJP leaders for coming out in support of the Adani Group in Parliament over the fraud allegations levelled against it in a report by Hindenburg Research. He likened the business conglomerate to the British East India Company and said the party would keep raising questions about its business practices until the truth comes out.
• In a scathing attack on External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Mr Gandhi said his recent remarks on China did not show nationalism but cowardice and that these were in line with V D Savarkar's ideology of "bowing before the strong".

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Old Video: CEO Takes Shots From AK-47 To Prove Bulletproof Cars' Security

An old video showing what it's like to be shot at with an AK-47 in a bulletproof Mercedes Benz has resurfaced on social media and left users stunned. The clip was posted on Twitter on Saturday by an account called Interesting Engineering. It showed Texas Armoring Corporation's (TAC) CEO sitting inside a bulletproof Mercedes Benz SUV while it was being shot at by an AK-47. 

"Texan armored vehicle company markets its product in the most Texas way possible," the caption of the post read. The short video showed TAC CEO Trent Kimball sitting alone inside the Mercedes-Benz as 8-10 rounds from an AK-47 rained down upon the SUV.

Watch the video below: 

Texan armored vehicle company markets its product in the most Texas way possible.#engineering pic.twitter.com/M0bqZlcgXE

— Interesting Engineering (@IntEngineering) February 25, 2023

The clip was first released by the company back in 2014. According to New York Post, the shots were fired by the firm's sales and export compliance manager, Lawrence Kosub, who seemed very familiar with an assault rifle. In the video, all of Mr Kosub's shots hit the windscreen but none of them breached it. 

Coming back to the video, since being shared it has accumulated more than 4.8 million views and hundreds of likes and comments. Internet users were shocked to see how the company's CEO didn't even flinch once during the whole scene. 

"Confidence in one's product," wrote one user. "A lot of confidence must have gone in there...whew," said another. 

Also Read | Chinese University Invents "Kissing Device" That Lets Users Smooch Over The Internet

A third user commented, "Gotta admire a man who stands behind his products 100%". A fourth added, "Now this is a CEO who truly stands behind his product.  Give that man a raise". One user even expressed, "This is both terrifying and very serious. You guys are bosses." 

Meanwhile, according to Fox News, Texas Armoring Corporation is a supplier of bulletproof vehicles based out of San Antonio, US. the company produces a range of armoured passenger vehicles and they can even upgrade a person's current car.

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Eknath Shinde's "Ties With Dawood Ibrahim" Dig At Opposition

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday took a dig at the Opposition for boycotting the customary tea party on the eve of the Budget session of the state legislature, and said it was good that those having ties with terrorist Dawood Ibrahim did not turn up for it.

The budget session of the state legislature, which begins on Monday, will end on March 25. The opposition parties - the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the Congress - boycotted the tea party hosted by the government on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters here later, CM Shinde said, "In a way, it was good that the opposition did not turn for the high tea when some of them have ties with terrorist Dawood Ibrahim. Instead of calling our (Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party) alliance as anti-Maharashtra, will you not call such people anti-nationals? There are some people in the opposition parties who have had ties with Haseen Parkar, sister of Dawood Ibrahim." Shinde was apparently referring to former state minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik, who is currently in jail following his arrest last year in a money-laundering case linked to the activities of Dawood Ibrahim and his aides.

The chief minister also took a dig at senior NCP leader and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.

"Ajit Pawar is saying that I changed my allegiance (from Uddhav Thackeray to the BJP), but he should not forget that I am still following what late Balasaheb Thackeray taught us. Even the Election Commission's decision to allot us the name Shiv Sena and symbol (of bow and arrow) proves it," Shinde said.

"Unlike Pawar, who on one day took an oath with Devendra Fadnavis (in November 2019) and changed it again within a couple of days. You need not have to be wise to make any random allegations. Pawar is like a fish out of water. Since he is out of power, he is acting in this manner," the CM added.

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Minister Anurag Thakur's "Chinese Donations" Swipe At Rahul Gandhi

Launching a verbal broadside on Rahul Gandhi, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Sunday demanded to know why the Congress leader is not speaking about donations that the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation had allegedly received from China.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Thakur also hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party for raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during CBI's questioning of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

"Rahul Gandhi always speaks about the country (China) from which the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation accepted donations. Till now there was no answer on the Chinese donations accepted by Rajiv Gandhi Foundation nor what he was doing with Chinese officials when China was trying to encroach," Mr Thakur said.

He alleged that Rahul Gandhi insulted Indian defence forces when they were busy giving a befitting reply to Chinese encroachment.

"You and your party and supporters raised doubts on surgical strikes and tried to demoralise our soldiers. The Congress never gave up showing our defence forces in poor light," he charged.

Meanwhile, Union Minister inaugurated the Heartfulness International Sports Centre.

Telangana State Minister Srinivas Goud, chief national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand and Daaji participated in the inaugural of the 54,680 sq ft facility, an official release said.

Heartfulness in association with the Ministry of Sports, Khelo India, FIT India and Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy inaugurated a one-of-a-kind Heartfulness International Sports Centre at Kanha Shanti Vanam, the Heartfulness Headquarters that houses the world's largest meditation centre.

"I laud Pujya Daaji's vision to develop this centre at Kanha as a hub of Sporting Excellence which shall inspire future development of sporting talent for our nation. I also resonate deeply with him and believe sports to be a key integral dimension for cultivating human excellence," he said.

Only sports and meditation can help in channeling their energies. The government and society have to play an important role in their fight against drugs. India has the solution to millions of problems – with this soft power the country can heal the world and can show the path to the world. Daaji is helping millions of people across the world with a mission, the minister further said.

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Girls Poisoned To Stop Them From Going To School: Iran Minister

An Iranian deputy minister on Sunday said "some people" were poisoning schoolgirls in the holy city of Qom with the aim of shutting down education for girls, state media reported.

Since late November, hundreds of cases of respiratory poisoning have been reported among schoolgirls mainly in Qom, south of Tehran, with some needing hospital treatment.

On Sunday the deputy health minister, Younes Panahi, implicitly confirmed the poisonings had been deliberate.

"After the poisoning of several students in Qom schools, it was found that some people wanted all schools, especially girls' schools, to be closed," the IRNA state news agency quoted Panahi as saying.

He did not elaborate. So far, there have been no arrests linked to the poisonings.

On February 14, parents of students who had been ill had gathered outside the city's governorate to "demand an explanation" from the authorities, IRNA reported.

The next day government spokesman Ali Bahadori Jahromi said the intelligence and education ministries were trying to find the cause of the poisonings.

Last week, Prosecutor General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri ordered a judicial probe into the incidents.

The poisonings come as Iran has been rocked by protests since the December 16 death in custody of 22-year-old Iranian Kurd Mahsa Amini for an alleged violation of country's strict dress code for women.

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Kolkata Cop Helps Student Reach Examination Centre, Internet Praises Kind Gesture

A Kolkata police inspector's benevolent gesture for a schoolgirl is winning hearts on social media. Taking to Facebook, the official profile of Kolkata Police shared how a cop extended a helping hand to a student who was totally confused about her examination centre. The post featured two pictures of the young student and the Inspector, identified as Souvik Chakraborty, the OC Howrah Bridge Traffic Guard. 

"Today at about 11.20 am, Inspector Souvik Chakraborty, OC Howrah Bridge Traffic Guard, was patrolling Strand Road near Raja Katra when he noticed a young girl in school uniform crying and asking various people for help," read the caption. It also described how the girl was confused about her examination centre and ended up at the wrong place. She had no one to escort her as her family went to attend a funeral. 

Take a look below: 

"On enquiry, he learned that she was a Madhyamik examinee and her examination centre was at Adarsh Shiksha Niketan in Shyambazar. A resident of NS Road, she was unaccompanied since her grandfather had recently passed away and her family had gone to attend the funeral. Alone and already late for the exam, she was running from pillar to post in search of help," the caption further read. 

"Realising her situation, Inspector Chakraborty immediately picked up the student in his official vehicle, ensured a green corridor by informing the Traffic Control Room, and rushed towards the examination centre, asking her not to worry. They reached the venue  at 11.30 am sharp, just as the centre was about to open its doors. and the OC wished the relieved and grateful student the best for her ensuing exam," it added. 

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The incredible story was shared on Facebook a few hours ago and it has already garnered more than 45,000 likes and over 3,000 reshares. In the comment section, while some users called the cop's kind gesture "commendable," others praised the officer for his "great job". 

"Very good effort, salute for helpful person," wrote one user. "Super overwhelmed by the kind gesture of police," expressed another. 

A third user said, "He is a gem of a person. Very helpful. He helped me in Science City, when he was posted there," while a fourth added, "We expect all the heartiest co-operation from kolkata police.. and all respected police persons are doing their excellent ... Thanks to the Kolkata police. The Kolkata police our pride." "God bless you.There is nothing more than helping a helpless guy by a helpful man. Salute to you Sir," commented fifth. 

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Ground Report: At Village Of Separatist Leader Who Challenged Punjab Government

Punjab's radical preacher Amritpal Singh, who was at the centre of a massive protest against the arrest of his key aide, has blamed the Punjab Police for the violence in Amritsar on Thursday.

Often escorted by armed supporters, the radical preacher and Khalistan sympathiser has been active for some time in Punjab.

Mr Singh heads "Waris Punjab De", a radical organisation started by actor and activist Deep Sidhu, who died in a road accident in February last year.

He alleged the police filed a "false case" against his aide Lovepreet Singh aka Toofan Singh, so he and hundreds of "Waris Punjab De" supporters went to meet the police at Amritsar's Ajnala, where Lovepreet Singh was kept.

"The media is misrepresenting the whole issue. A false FIR (first information report) was filed against Lovepreet Singh. The police stopped our vehicles before they launched a lathi-charge," Mr Singh told NDTV. "The violence wouldn't have happened if the police had not lathi-charged people," he added.

Supporters of "Waris Punjab De" clash with Punjab Police on Thursday

He denied allegations that he took refuge from police action using the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhs.

"Wherever we go, the palanquin of Guru Granth Sahib moves ahead," Mr Singh said.

"I went inside the police station and told them to arrest me. A wrong FIR was filed against us. I had requested them to close the FIR within a week, after which I went to the police station," Mr Singh said.

On the Punjab Police's planned action against them, Mr Singh said the cycle of protest will repeat if the cops move in. He denied he's giving a threat. "Remember, we are talking about a fake FIR," Mr Singh said, adding the year-long protest by farmers against the now scrapped farm laws is a case in point.

His aide and kidnapping accused Lovepreet Singh walked out of a jail yesterday, following the protests by Waris Punjab De supporters.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today slammed Mr Singh over taking the holy book to the police station, saying the radical preacher's argument makes no sense. "Those who take the Guru Granth Sahib to a police station as a shield cannot be called waris (heir) of Punjab and Punjabiyat in any way," Mr Mann tweeted in Punjabi.

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Core Within Earth's Core: Scientists Discover Deepest Region Of Earth

In order to comprehend planetary origin and evolution, scientists have been investigating the Earth's centre for a very long time, and recently they have made a huge discovery related to the innercore of the planet Earth.

Until recently, it was believed that the crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core made up the structure of the Earth. But, new research published in Nature Communications confirms that there is actually a fifth layer.

According to a new study, scientists have made previously unheard-of observations of a mystery metal ball that resides within the Earth's deep core, revealing a structure that has long been the subject of conjecture but has never been seen in such detail.

Researchers said the intensive study of Earth's deep interior, based on the behavior of seismic waves from large earthquakes, confirmed the existence of a distinct structure inside our planet's inner core - a wickedly hot innermost solid ball of iron and nickel about 800 miles (1,350 km) wide.

Earth's diameter is about 7,900 miles (12,750 km). The planet's internal structure comprises four layers: a rocky crust on the outside, then a rocky mantle, an outer core made of magma and a solid inner core. This metallic inner core, about 1,500 miles (2,440) wide, was discovered in the 1930s, also based on seismic waves traveling through Earth.

"We may know more about the surface of other distant celestial bodies than the deep interior of our planet," said observational seismologist Thanh-Son Pham of the Australian National University in Canberra, lead author of the study published in the journal Nature Communications.

"We analyzed digital records of ground motion, known as seismograms, from large earthquakes in the last decade. Our study becomes possible thanks to the unprecedented expansion of the global seismic networks, particularly the dense networks in the contiguous US, the Alaskan peninsula, and over the European Alps," Pham added.

"Earth's inner core (IC), which accounts for less than 1% of the Earth's volume, is a time capsule of our planet's history. As the IC grows, the latent heat and light elements released by the solidification process drive the convection of the liquid outer core, which, in turn, maintains the geodynamo," said Pham and Tkalcic in the study.

"As the IC grows, the latent heat and light elements released by the solidification process drive the convection of the liquid outer core, which, in turn, maintains the geodynamo," they said referring to the mechanism that generates Earth's magnetic field.  

(With inputs from Reuters)

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Old Video: Zookeeper Puts Head Inside Crocodile's Mouth, This Happens Next

A horrific old video has resurfaced online showing the moment a crocodile bit a zookeeper's head before viciously thrashing him side to side. The short clip was shared a few days back by an Instagram page called 'earth.reel'. According to the Express, the incident took place in 2017 at a free crocodile show on the island of Ko Samui, in Thailand.

In the video, a zookeeper is seen kneeling before a crocodile and placing his entire head inside its motionless mouth. The man holds his position for ten seconds before the reptile suddenly snaps down on his head and violently thrashes him around. 

"WARNING! Not for Weak Heart People," the Instagram user wrote in the caption of the post. 

Watch the video below: 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Earth Reels (@earth.reel)

Towards the end of the clip, as the crocodile continues to thrash the man around, shrieks are heard in the background. But fortunately, seconds later he is left on the ground reeling from his injuries while the crocodile slides back into the water. 

According to the Express, the horrifying incident took place around six years back at one of Thailand's famed crocodile shows for a small group of people on the tourist island of Ko Samui. At the time, it was reported that the zookeeper's condition remained unknown. The man was also said to have been "showing off" previous crocodile-related wounds, including a missing finger, to the crowd of six shortly before the performance.

Also Read | Bureaucrat Shares Pic Of Old Indian Coins, Internet Says "Gone Are The Beautiful Era Of 90s"

Meanwhile, on Instagram, the old video has accumulated more than 1,800 likes and over 44,000 views. In the comment section, one user wrote, "If you mess with a wild animals, you have to expect this will probably happen, and it is on you". Another said, "When you play with fire you get burned, when you play Russian roulette you get shot, when you play with alligators or crocodiles you get your a** ate up lol the lesson here has been learned by the idiot and taught by the wild a** professor."

"Some people have to learn the hard way," added third. "Human stupidity is unbelievable!! I can't believe what this guy does!! What the animal does is instinct, what the other animal does is stupidity," expressed fourth. 

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UP Boy Dies By Suicide Day After Questioning By Cops In Robbery Case

A 16-year-old boy was found dead at his home in Greater Noida in a suspected suicide case, a day after he was taken by police for "inquiry" in a robbery case related to his brother.

The police today denied the teenager's death was connected to his questioning but said that two officials have been suspended and a departmental probe launched into the matter.

The boy, a resident of Ilahbans village, was found hanging inside the room of his house on Thursday, his relatives said, claiming that he was "picked up" by the local police on Wednesday and beaten during inquiry after which he was deeply depressed.

According to a police officer, the teenager was taken to the local police post for inquiry into a robbery case in which his absconding elder brother is an accused.

When contacted, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Greater Noida) Saad Miya Khan on Saturday termed the episode as "unfortunate" but denied the charges against the police.

"After the inquiry, the boy was handed over to his family after due legal procedures and no such claim of injury featured then. Also, the post-mortem report showed death by hanging and no mention of injuries," Khan told PTI.

"However, considering the sensitivity of the matter, two local police officials have been suspended and a departmental inquiry initiated to ascertain facts in the case," the officer said.

Further action would be taken on the basis of the findings of the inquiry, he added.

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Hyderabad Man Beheads Friend, Chops Up His Fingers, Private Parts: Cops

A 22-year-old man allegedly killed his friend for texting and making calls to his girlfriend, who was previously in a relationship with the victim, police said today.

The accused later beheaded his friend, removed his heart and private parts, chopped his fingers, and later walked to the police station to surrender himself yesterday, the police said.

Police launched a detailed investigation after registering a case on the accused's statement and recovered the body to shift it to a local government hospital for autopsy.

As per the police, Naveen and Harihara Krishna completed their intermediate together at college in Dilsukhnagar.

The girl at the center of the incident was also a student of the same college.

The two fell in love with the girl, however, Naveen first expressed his love for her and she accepted her proposal, although a couple of years later the two parted ways, and the girl got into a relationship with Harihara Krishna after the latter proposed to her, Police said.

Despite breaking up, Naveen was in constant touch with the girl and kept on texting and making calls to her which got Krishna badly upset.

The accused waited for more than three months for an opportunity.

On February 17 the two men got into an ugly scuffle after getting high on alcohol, and Krishna throttled Naveen to death, Police said adding that the accused separated victim's head, removed his private parts, heart, and chopped fingers.

"The accused allegedly took pictures and sent them to his girlfriend on WhatsApp," the police said, adding that a detailed probe into the matter is underway.

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Core Within Earth's Core: Scientists Discover Deepest Region Of Earth

In order to comprehend planetary origin and evolution, scientists have been investigating the Earth's centre for a very long time, and recently they have made a huge discovery related to the innercore of the planet Earth.

Until recently, it was believed that the crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core made up the structure of the Earth. But, new research published in Nature Communications confirms that there is actually a fifth layer.

According to a new study, scientists have made previously unheard-of observations of a mystery metal ball that resides within the Earth's deep core, revealing a structure that has long been the subject of conjecture but has never been seen in such detail.

Researchers said the intensive study of Earth's deep interior, based on the behavior of seismic waves from large earthquakes, confirmed the existence of a distinct structure inside our planet's inner core - a wickedly hot innermost solid ball of iron and nickel about 800 miles (1,350 km) wide.

Earth's diameter is about 7,900 miles (12,750 km). The planet's internal structure comprises four layers: a rocky crust on the outside, then a rocky mantle, an outer core made of magma and a solid inner core. This metallic inner core, about 1,500 miles (2,440) wide, was discovered in the 1930s, also based on seismic waves traveling through Earth.

"We may know more about the surface of other distant celestial bodies than the deep interior of our planet," said observational seismologist Thanh-Son Pham of the Australian National University in Canberra, lead author of the study published in the journal Nature Communications.

"We analyzed digital records of ground motion, known as seismograms, from large earthquakes in the last decade. Our study becomes possible thanks to the unprecedented expansion of the global seismic networks, particularly the dense networks in the contiguous US, the Alaskan peninsula, and over the European Alps," Pham added.

"Earth's inner core (IC), which accounts for less than 1% of the Earth's volume, is a time capsule of our planet's history. As the IC grows, the latent heat and light elements released by the solidification process drive the convection of the liquid outer core, which, in turn, maintains the geodynamo," said Pham and Tkalcic in the study.

"As the IC grows, the latent heat and light elements released by the solidification process drive the convection of the liquid outer core, which, in turn, maintains the geodynamo," they said referring to the mechanism that generates Earth's magnetic field.  

(With inputs from Reuters)

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On Camera, Witness In UP MLA Murder Case Shot Dead, 2 Guards Injured

A witness in the murder case of an MLA in Uttar Pradesh was shot dead in Prayagraj today. The attack was caught on multiple CCTV cameras.

Umesh Pal, a key witness in the murder case of Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Raju Pal in 2005, was shot dead by an unidentified man while he was getting out of the backseat of a Hyundai Creta SUV in Prayagraj.

CCTV footage shows Umesh Pal and one of his two police bodyguards getting out of the SUV when suddenly a man came from behind and shot him. The police said some other men used crude bombs during the assault, which exploded in a cloud of smoke, leading to panic and chaos on the road with people running to safety. Many abandoned their vehicles and ran towards shops.

Umesh Pal's bodyguard tried to catch the attacker, but he too was shot. The second bodyguard also caught a bullet.

Umesh Pal, who appeared to be injured, ran towards an alley with the attacker in pursuit while his bodyguards lay injured on the road. The attacker shot him there for a final time before fleeing.

Atiq Ahmed, a don and former Lok Sabha MP serving time in a Gujarat jail, is an accused in the 2005 murder case.

Umesh Pal was taken to a local hospital, where he died during treatment, the police said.

The condition of one of the bodyguards is critical and he has been put on ventilator, while doctors are performing a surgery on the other, the police said.

"The incident happened  right outside Umesh Pal's home. So far it has been confirmed that two bombs were thrown and he was fired at by a small firearm," Prayagraj police chief Ramit Sharma told reporters.

A murder case has been filed.

"We have formed eight teams to investigate every aspect of the incident and arrest those behind the attack," Mr Sharma said.

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Jammu And Kashmir Teacher Suspended Over Post "Critical" Of Government

A teacher of a government school in Jammu and Kashmir has been suspended for a social media post "critical" of the government.

Joginder Singh, a schoolteacher in Ramban district, allegedly posted some comments on his Facebook page criticising the Union Territory administration's policies.

The action was taken a week after the administration warned government employees to avoid criticising the government on social media.

According to an order issued by the administration, Mr Singh was suspended for violating government directions "regarding criticism of policies" on social media platforms.

Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta had warned employees last week against criticising its policies on social media.

Mr Mehta had asked all administrative secretaries to monitor social media activities of their employees and identify those criticising or commenting adversely on policies and achievements of the government.

The administration, however, has not made a specific mention of its policies that were criticised by the suspended teacher.

According to the order, it was found after a "proper scrutiny" that the teacher has been running four Facebook pages. On two pages, he has given his designation as a "teacher". On the other two, he called himself a "socio-political activist".

"It has been found that the said teacher has posted various posts criticizing and commenting adversely about the government policies on his Facebook page. He has concealed his identity (in two Facebook accounts) and made fake Facebook ID with a profession as socio-political activist and not a government Teacher," said the order by the Ramban Deputy Commissioner Musarrat ul Islam.

Mr Islam said the teacher will remain attached to the office of the Ramban Chief Education Officer till the investigation is complete. The administration has asked the additional district development commissioner to look into the matter.

The order also said the government withheld Mr Singh's salary in 2020 for allegedly misusing social media.

Since 2019, the Union Territory's administration has launched a crackdown on "misuse" of social. Many have been charged under the anti-terror law UAPA over their social media posts.

In 2021, the Jammu and Kashmir administration told employees to give details of their social media accounts for police verification.

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Video: Baby Langur Weeps After Mother's Tragic Death, Internet Emotional

Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Susanta Nanda on Friday shared a heartbreaking video of a baby langur weeping while holding on to its dead mother. Sharing the short clip on Twitter, Mr Nanda wrote that the incident took place in Assam. The video showed a golden baby langur sobbing uncontrollably over the lifeless body of its mother after she was killed by a speeding vehicle. 

"This will haunt me for a long long time. A Golden langur was assassinated on the road in Assam. The baby is still in its arm not knowing what has befallen him. I am informed that all steps are being taken to save the baby," Mr Nanda wrote in the caption of the post. 

Watch the video below: 

This will hunt me for a long long time💔💔
A Golden langur assassinated on the road in Assam. The baby still in its arm not knowing what has befallen him.

I am informed that all steps are being taken to save the baby. pic.twitter.com/iMOcEHquZw

— Susanta Nanda (@susantananda3) February 24, 2023

In the clip, the baby langur is seen weeping, clutching its mother's face and trying to wake her up but to no avail. The two animals are also seen surrounded by several people. 

Internet users were quick to react to the video. While some expressed their condolence over the tragic accident, others expressed anger. 

"This is so sad! Why can't we care for the co-inhabitants of our planet? Poor Baby!" wrote one user. "Can't bear to watch..... hope the baby recovers from the trauma," said another. 

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A third user said, "O God! My heart is breaking when I see this accident and the plight of the baby langur. One has to drive carefully keeping other's safety also in mind," while a fourth commented, "Be it be a clear road,it doesn't give the right to anyone to overspeed. Moreover, while we drive, we should always be careful and speed should be moderate."

"Saddest thing!! Brutal! Can't bear to watch. Prayers for the baby to recover from this tragedy," wrote another user. "This is very tragic and heart-wrenching," expressed another. 

Mr Nanda's video has accumulated more than 37,000 views and over 1,500 likes. 

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Man Robs Houses In Delhi To Buy Costly Gifts For Fiancee, Arrested: Cops

A 22-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly burgling houses in southwest Delhi's Chhawla area to buy expensive gifts for his fiancee and live a lavish life post marriage, police said on Friday.

The accused has been identified as Ashutosh Yadav, a resident of Burari, they said, adding that he works in a printing press in Samaypur Badli.

Police said several burglary incidents were reported in Chhawla area in the last few days. It was found that all these crimes were committed by one person, they said.

"Yadav was apprehended on Wednesday," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) M Harsha Vardhan said, adding that the accused confessed to his involvement in the crime.

Yadav told police that he got engaged last month and that his expenses had shot up. He then made plans to burgle locked houses in the locality to make easy money.

According to police, the accused deposited the stolen cash in his bank account to buy expensive gifts for his future wife.

Police recovered cash worth Rs 1.27 lakh, two gold chains, three gold rings, a silver chain and other jewellery items, a mobile phone and house breaking tools from his possession.
 

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Dinner Outing Turns Fatal For 25-Year-Old Man Days After Birthday In Delhi

Barely two weeks back, Suhail Ahmed celebrated his 25th birthday. He used to occasionally go out for dinner with his friends but who knew this time, the outing will take such a tragic turn, said his cousin Nafees.

Suhail was among the two people who were killed when his car collided with another four-wheeler in central Delhi on Friday morning while returning after having dinner. Puneet Kohli (33) was also killed in the accident.

Nafees said the family learnt about the accident from his friend Arslan who was passing by the area.

"We received information about the incident around 2.30 am. Suhail's friend Arslan, who was passing by the stretch where the incident took place, heard that some people from his area had met with the incident and enquired further. Later, he informed us about it.

"By the time we reached the hospital, Suhail had been declared dead. He recieved injuries on his head and neck. Suhail left home with his friends at around 11.30 pm. When the incident happened, they were returning from Okhla after having dinner. The car belonged to his friend Taalish," Nafees said.

He occasionally used to go out for dinner with his friends. When he left on late Thursday evening, it was just like another outing with his friends, but nobody knew that it will take this tragic turn, Nafees said.

Suhail celebrated his 25th birthday on February 11. He used to work in a car AC compressor repair shop in Daryaganj, he said.

He is survived by his father Akil Ahmed and four sisters, three of whom are married. His mother died around 12 years back, Nafees said, adding that he was not married.

Police informed us that they pulled the victims out of the cars. Sohail had a driving license, however, we have no idea who was driving the car at the time of the incident, Nafees claimed.

Two others were also injured in the accident. A Ford EcoSport approaching Sarai Kale Khan from ITO and a Honda Civic coming towards ITO from Sarai Kale Khan collided with each other at the Ring Road near IP Metro station, a senior officer said.

The family of Shiv Puri Extension resident Kohli were also in a state of shock after loosing the elder son in the accident.

Sharad Kapoor, Kohli's cousin said Puneet had admitted his uncle to a hospital last night.

"Puneet took his uncle, suffering with jaundice, to the Lady Hardinge Hospital last night in the emergency ward. When they reached the hospital, the doctors admitted his uncle. He had gone to Noida and later was going back to the hospital to stay there for night," he said.

Kohli used to work as a relationship manager in a private insurance company in Defence Colony here.

Amit Walia, who knew Kohli, claimed, "The family recently sold off their property in Chander Nagar area and had moved to Ghaziabad. They did not like the location where they were currently residing and were planning to return back Chander Nagar."

Puneet is survived by his father, mother and younger brother. Another person who knew Kohli but requested annonimity said, "I am a professional singer and Puneet called me day before yesterday. we had a good conversation for around 20 minutes. He told me to follow my passion and said that he will fund my first album. He was a very kind and generous guy. He is a very good friend of my elder brother."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"If Its Basic Industry Is Terrorism...": S Jaishankar On Helping Pakistan

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday virtually dismissed the idea of helping Pakistan to come out of its economic mess.

Speaking at the annual Asia Economic Dialogue organised by the external affairs ministry in Pune, Mr Jaishankar said he will consider the local public sentiment while making a big decision.

"I would have a pulse (on) what do my people feel about it. And I think you know the answer," he said.

Pakistan is grappling with an economic crisis and has not been successful in getting an agreement from multilateral institutions either. In the recent past, India has helped neighbours like Sri Lanka as it struggled to come out of its economic troubles and regularly helps others in the neighbourhood as well.

However, when it comes to Pakistan, the fundamental issue impacting the New Delhi-Islamabad ties is terrorism, Mr Jaishankar said, adding that one must not be in denial of this problem.

"No country is ever going to come out of a difficult situation and become a prosperous power if its basic industry is terrorism.

"Just as a country has to fix its economic issues, a country has to fix its political issues too, a country has to fix its social issues," he said without naming Pakistan.

Mr Jaishankar also made it clear that it is in nobody's interest to see a country get into severe economic difficulties, and that too a neighbour.

Once a country is in the throes of a serious economic problem, it has to make policy choices to get out of it, the career diplomat-turned-politician said, adding that others cannot solve it for the country.

The world can only provide options and support systems, Mr Jaishankar said, making it clear that Pakistan will have to make "tough choices".

He said India has also undergone the same challenges several times in its modern history, with the last one being 30 years ago with the balance of payment crisis.

Meanwhile, Mr Jaishankar said ever since Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, the country's approach to the neighbouring countries has undergone a perceptible change and also reminded all about the Prime Minister's decision to call heads of state for the swearing-in function to start a new relationship.

Citing the case of Maldives, he said India's help in the recent past includes the Greater Male project and also added that he was present at the foundation stone laying event a few weeks ago.

India is also buying or selling power with many of its neighbours, Mr Jaishankar said, adding that it recently started buying power from Nepal.

Going forward, the country is also mulling to up its focus on education and healthcare spending in the neighbourhood, Mr Jaishankar said.

He also assured that India will also be using its G-20 presidency to give a voice to the problems of the 'global south' and asserted that India is the best-placed country to do that.

The prime minister and his top ministers have spoken to 125 countries in the past month in India's effort to be an effective voice of the global south, Jaishankar said.

Speaking at the same event, Maldives' Minister of Finance Ibrahim Ameer said climate finance is a big challenge and expected help to flow through on the commitment at the earliest. His counterpart from Bhutan, Lyonpo Namgay Tshering said an easing of global financial conditions is also the need of the hour.

Mr Jaishankar said there are multiple second and third-order impacts of the major world events and policy decisions, which India will be flagging to the world as part of its G-20 presidency.

The EAM also said that the G-20, with nearly 200 events across the country, is a marketing of India to influential people across the world by exposing them to cultural and socio-economic changes taking place in the country.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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2 Dead After Man Who Didn't Know How To Drive Rams Into Wedding Procession

Two persons were killed and eight others injured when an untrained man ploughed a jeep into a marriage party after its driver decided to join their dance procession in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district, an official said on Thursday.

The jeep was part of a marriage party that had arrived at Khatora village from Shyampur when the accident took place on Wednesday night, said Indaar police station in-charge K N Sharma.

As 30-40 guests were dancing their way to the wedding venue, the jeep driver decided to join them. He left the engine on and asked an untrained person to be in his seat, said the official.

The other person managed to drive the vehicle slowly for a short distance before suddenly running into the dancing group at great speed, perhaps after hitting the accelerator hard, he said.

Two from the marriage party were killed and eight suffered injuries due to the impact, he said. The condition of three persons is serious and they have been referred to Gwalior for treatment, he said.

The other injured persons are being treated at the district hospital, the official said.

The person at the wheel at the time of the accident has been arrested, he added.

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"The Way I Got Runout...": Harmanpreet On India's T20 World Cup Heartbreak

The Indian women's cricket team fell at the penultimate hurdle as Australia book their seventh successive Women's T20 World Cup final spot. Despite a disappointing fielding performance, India did well with the bat in phases to come close to Australia's total of 172 runs. Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues kept India's hopes alive before the skipper got run out in the most bizarre fashion. When Harmanpreet was asked about her dismissal, she admitted that there can't be a more 'unlucky' way to get dismissed.

It was the 15th over of India's chase, with Harmapreet keeping the team afloat. During the 4the delivery of the over, Harmanpreet's bat got stuck into the ground while running. The batter was found just inches shy of her crease as the bails were dislodged.

The incident changed the momentum of the game, with Australia taking the driving seat.

Speaking of the incident, Harmanpreet said that she couldn't have been unluckier.

"Can't be unluckier than this, to get that momentum back when me and Jemi were batting. And to lose after that, we didn't expect this today. The way I got runout, can't be unluckier than that. Putting in the effort was more important. We discussed about fighting till the last ball. The result didn't go our way, but I am happy with the way we played in this tournament. We know we have a good batting line up even if we lose early wickets," she said.

Harmanpreet also credited Jemimah Rodrigues for her performance that saw her score a quick-fire 43 off 24.

"Need to give credit to Jemi for the way she batted today. She got us the momentum we were looking for. Happy to see such performances. Happy to see them play their natural game. We even though we didn't play to our strengths, we reached the semis," said the India captain.

At the end, Harmanpree also confessed that India were poor in the field.

"We gave those easy catches away. Got to take those when you want to win. We misfielded. We can only learn from these lessons and not repeat the mistakes," she concluded.

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China Clamps Down On Access to ChatGPT As AI Race Intensifies: Report

OpenAI's ChatGPT, which was launched in November last year, has exploded in popularity worldwide and has become the fastest-growing consumer application in history. The chatbot has been grabbing eyeballs with its ability to have natural conversations with users and answer a range of questions.

Needless to say, the software's success has already ruffled some of the biggest technology firms, prompting Alphabet Inc and Microsoft Corp to hastily debut new functions in Google and Bing. As the AI race heats up, major tech companies in China are also scrambling to create their own homegrown version. Meanwhile, authorities are now clamping down on the usage of the chatbot, with several popular Chinese apps removing access to ChatGPT, as per a CNN report. 

Though ChatGPT is not officially available in China, residents have been using virtual private networks and foreign phone numbers to help bypass restrictions. However, over the weekend, things seemed to have changed.

Searches for ChatGPT on Chinese platforms no longer returned results, while workaround programs had been disabled or replaced with a notice saying they had been suspended for “violating relevant laws and regulations”, the South China Morning Post reported.

Apps called ChatGPTRobot and AIGC Chat Robot said their programs had been suspended due to ''violation of relevant laws and regulations.'' Even Shenlan BL and AI Duihua told their users that their ChatGPT access services had become “unavailable” without specifying a reason. Other apps, like ChatgptAiAi and Chat AI Conversation, also met with the same fate.

A user told SCMP that his personal WeChat account was blocked last week, three days after he embedded a ChatGPT API. 

As of now, it's not really clear what prompted these closures. However, the CNN report says that there might be some political reasons. State-run media on Monday released a video in which it is claimed that the chatbot could be used by US authorities to ''spread disinformation and manipulate public opinion.'' 

Recently, a team from China's Fudan University developed a ChatGPT-like chatbot platform but it crashed hours after it launched to the public, due to a sudden surge of traffic.

Apart from China, OpenAI does not allow users in Hong Kong, Iran, Russia and parts of Africa to sign up.

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Hospital Submits Report On Premature Baby's Death to Delhi Government

The LNJP Hospital in Delhi has sent its inquiry report on the case of a newborn baby, who was "declared dead" soon after birth, but was later found alive, to the Delhi government for further action, said a senior doctor.

The premature baby, born when her mother was 23 weeks pregnant and weighing only 490 grams, was found alive Sunday when the family was making plans for her burial.

She was brought back to the state-run hospital and was put on ventilator support. She died on Wednesday.

Doctors had earlier said that in medical terms, such babies are considered "non-viable" and their chances of survival are slim.

The hospital had constituted a three-member panel to probe the incident and a report was submitted on Wednesday.

"The report was submitted to the medical director of the hospital, Dr Suresh Kumar, who has forwarded it to Health Department for further action," said a senior doctor at the hospital.

The panel has spoken to doctors who were on duty that day to ascertain the sequence of events.

The hospital has said such babies are considered 'aborted babies' and after the baby showed signs of life, she was immediately put on life support.

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India vs Australia: ICC Announces Ratings For Nagpur, Delhi Pitches

India's pitches in Nagpur and Delhi for the first two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia have received an average rating from the International Cricket Council (ICC), reported Sydney Morning Herald on Thursday. The playing surfaces were a subject of huge discussion ahead of the blockbuster series. The pitch at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur has received an "average" rating from the governing body of the sport and its match referee, Zimbabwe's Andy Pycroft.

The strip for the second Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, where Australia fought hard for two days before bundling out for 113 runs in the third, was also an "average" rating by Pycroft. The surface was deemed to be fair if not perfect.

The preparation of the Nagpur pitch was of heavy interest to the Australian side. Star batters David Warner and Steve Smith were seen observing the surface closely and pressing against the pitch to check its hardness at various points before the match started. Images of "selective watering" also emerged online, which was done to ensure the areas outside off stump of left-handers were left dry for spinners.

Warner's concerns about the surface were very evident the way he practised. He batted right-handed during the nets session and even considered doing so during the match.

Indian spinners were able to exploit the surface better, evident by the fact that both matches ended in three days with the spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja dominating the Australian batters.

Jadeja and Axar Patel proved to be difficult to dismiss for Australians as spin veteran Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Pat Cummins, Scott Boland failed to dismiss them for low scores.

Jadeja and Patel have scored 254 runs combined in the series, which is more than 242 runs made by seven left-handers playing in the Australian team - Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Alex Carey, Warner, Matt Kuhnemann, Matt Renshaw and Murphy.

Australia's high-performance chief, Ben Oliver defended his side's truncated preparation for Indian pitches, but his predecessor Pat Howard pointed out that a prolonged period of preparations are needed. Back in 2017 during their last visit to India, Australia had taken a 1-0 lead, but lost the series by 2-1.

India will play the third Test in Indore from March 1 onwards, while the final Test will be held in Ahmedabad from March 9. The first ODI between Australia and India is in Mumbai on March 17, before the remaining two games in Vizag (March 19) and Chennai (March 22).

India's Test squad for the third and fourth Test against Australia: Rohit Sharma (Captain), K L Rahul, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Umesh Yadav and Jaydev Unadkat.

India's ODI squad against Australia: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, K L Rahul, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (Vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel and Jaydev Unadkat.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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