Dadasaheb Phalke National Award Film Festival 2023: Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani Bag 3 Honours

One of the most prestigious awards, Dadasaheb Phalke National Award Film Festival 23 has been recently held  in Noida. 

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'I See Govinda In You': Sonali Bendre Lauds India's Best Dancer 3 Contestant Shivam Wankhede

Giving a ‘hatke’ performance this week while displaying his showmanship will be Marathi mulga Shivam Wankhede.

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May Horoscope 2023: Monthly Predictions For All Zodiac Signs, Check HERE

May 2023: Let's find out how the month of May will turn out for all 12 zodiac signs - Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.   

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Video: 7-Seater Solar Vehicle Made From Scrap Impresses Harsh Goenka

Harsh Goenka, the chairman of RPG Group, often shares motivational and interesting posts to keep his social media followers entertained. His witty and humorous tweets also garner much traction online. This time, the industrialist shared a fascinating video of a seven-seater vehicle made entirely from scrap. The vehicle looks almost like a scooter and it has a shade-like structure where the solar panels are fixed.

"So much sustainable innovation in one product - produced from scrap, seven-seater vehicle, solar energy and shade from the sun! Frugal innovations like this make me proud of our India!" Mr Goenka wrote in the caption of the post. 

Watch the video below: 

So much sustainable innovation in one product - produced from scrap, seven seater vehicle, solar energy and shade from the sun! Frugal innovations like this make me proud of our India! pic.twitter.com/rwx1GQBNVW

— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) April 29, 2023

The video, which was originally shared on Instagram by user Asad Abdullah, shows a youngster sitting with six other people on the innovative seven-seater solar-powered vehicle that he built himself using scrap. 

In the clip, he shares that the vehicle has a range of over 200 km and can go further if exposed to intense sunlight. The boy revealed that the total cost of manufacturing the vehicle is between Rs 8,000 and Rs 10,000. 

Mr Goenka shared the video just a day back and since then it has garnered more than 69,000 views and over 3,000 likes. In the comment section, while some users called the innovation "brilliant", others called it "incredible". 

Also Read | 'RRR' Director SS Rajamouli Responds To Anand Mahindra's Request To Take Up This Movie Project

"Harsh ji, Brilliant innovative design from scrap -7seater vehicle & the solar panels location act as shade from Sun !!  Another typical sustainability example 'Necessity is the mother of invention'. Thanks for the share," wrote one user. "Brilliant! Should inspire us to be resourceful in limited conditions & build hope that hard work & smart thinking indeed pays!" said another. 

A third user commented, "ndia's golden era for technological advancement!! The innovative creations are seen everywhere- from rich to poor, young to old!!!"

"Such innovations make everyone proud. Small motivations, little study coupled with huge courage making people everywhere think differently. This has paid off tremendously. It also confirms that our huge talent when apply their mindsets, miracles will happen," expressed fourth.  

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Elon Musk Changes Twitter's Parental Leave Policy: Report

Twitter's Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk has made a number of changes to the platform and the policies of the company since taking over the reins last year. The latest change is the reduction of parental leave from 20 weeks - roughly 140 days - to just 14 days, according to internal company documents cited by New York Times. 

The change will affect employees who work in those states in the US that do not have a paid leave policy. 

"New: Twitter used to offer employees 20 weeks of paid parental leave. That's being changed to whatever is required by law in the region where the employees work, along with a "top up" of two weeks of leave, per internal docs," NYT reporter Kate Conger said in a tweet. 

As per a report in New York Post, there is no federal law in the United States mandating paid parental leave. The Family and Medical Leave Act, however, allows for "unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons'' for up to 12 weeks for certain employees. However, it is to be noted that there are 12 states that provide paid family and medical leave of some kind. Employees are permitted to take up to eight weeks of paid leave in California under state law. Both New York and New Jersey permit up to 26 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in addition to 12 weeks of paid leave.

Several people bashed the billionaire for reducing the leave as it will give mothers a little time to rest, recover and spend time with their newborns in many US states. 

"So let me get this straight... as an ex-Tweep who lives in MO - a state that doesn't require employers to give any time off - I would only get 2 weeks under this new policy? Also, how does this not breach the acquisition deal of protecting benefits for 1 year after close?" said a user.

"Shame on Twitter. Only two weeks of paid parental leave?! This is not the way," commented a second person.

A third person added, "As someone who got to take advantage of Twitter's 20 weeks for parental leave, i can say that being with my family during that time was a profoundly meaningful experience. Taking it away is _extremely_ sh****."

"This is how gender pay gap is entrenched. A woman now has the option of either returning to work two weeks after giving birth or taking a long, unpaid break from work. 20 weeks of paid parental leave minimizes that," noted another user.

"Only a company facing bankruptcy does this," said a person.

Another user added, "You can't be obsessed with declining birthrates and then incentivize your employees to not have children."

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Salman Khan Opens Up On Receiving Death Threats, Says, ‘Security Is Better Than...’

Salman Khan opened up on receiving death threats and said that he is roaming around with so many guns that he is also scared these days.

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Sudan Violence Enters Third Week, UN Says Country "Falling Apart"

Warplanes on bombing raids drew heavy anti-aircraft fire over Khartoum on Saturday as fierce fighting between Sudan's army and paramilitaries entered a third week, violating a renewed truce.

More than 500 people have been killed since battles erupted on April 15 between the forces of army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his number two Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

They have agreed to multiple truces but none has effectively taken hold as the number of dead civilians continues to rise and chaos and lawlessness grip Khartoum, a city of five million people where many have been cloistered in their homes lacking food, water, and electricity.

Tens of thousands of people have been uprooted within Sudan or embarked on arduous trips to neighbouring Chad, Egypt, South Sudan and Ethiopia to flee the battles.

"There is no right to go on fighting for power when the country is falling apart," UN chief Antonio Guterres told Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television.

The latest three-day ceasefire -- due to expire at midnight (2200 GMT) Sunday -- was agreed Thursday after mediation led by the United States, Saudi Arabia, the African Union and the United Nations.

"We woke up once again to the sound of fighter jets and anti-aircraft weapons blasting all over our neighbourhood," a witness in south Khartoum told AFP.

Another said fighting had continued since the early morning, especially around the state broadcaster's headquarters in the capital's twin city of Omdurman.

Other witnesses reported exchanges of machine gun fire across the Blue Nile in Khartoum North, while the sound of gunfire rang out in Burri in the east of the city.

Smoke drifted over the area around Khartoum airport.

Trading blame

As battles raged, the rival generals -- who seized power in a 2021 coup -- took aim at each other in the media, with Burhan branding the RSF a militia that aims "to destroy Sudan" and Daglo calling the army chief "a traitor".

Guterres threw his support behind African-led mediation efforts.

"My appeal is for everything to be done to support an African-led initiative for peace in Sudan," he told Al Arabiya.

The violence has killed at least 528 people and wounded 4,599, the health ministry said Saturday, but those figures are likely to be incomplete.

About 75,000 have been displaced by the fighting in Khartoum and the states of Blue Nile, North Kordofan, as well as the western region of Darfur, the UN said.

The fighting has also triggered a mass exodus of foreigners and international staff.

On Saturday, a ferry with around 1,900 evacuees arrived at a Saudi naval base in Jeddah, after crossing the Red Sea from Port Sudan in the latest evacuation to the kingdom by sea.

They were among almost 4,880 people who have been brought to safety in the kingdom, the Saudi foreign ministry said.

A US-organized convoy carrying American citizens, local staff, and nationals from allied countries arrived in Port Sudan Saturday to join the exodus across the Red Sea, the State Department said.

The Pentagon said it had "deployed US intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets to support air and land evacuation routes which Americans are using."

Britain said it was ending its evacuation flights, after airlifting more than 1,500 people this week.

The World Food Programme has said the violence could plunge millions more into hunger in a country where 15 million people -- one-third of the population -- already need aid to stave off famine.

About 70 percent of hospitals in areas near the fighting have been put out of service and many have been shelled, the doctors' union said.

'Incredibly worried'

In West Darfur state, at least 96 people were reported to have been killed in the city of El Geneina this week, the UN said.

"What's happening in Darfur is terrible, the society is falling apart, we see tribes that now try to arm themselves," Guterres said.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said there were reports of widespread looting, destruction, and burning of property, including at camps for displaced people.

MSF deputy operations manager for Sudan, Sylvain Perron, said the fighting had forced the agency to stop almost all its activities in West Darfur.

"We are incredibly worried about the impact this violence is having on people who have already lived through waves of violence in the previous years."

Darfur is still reeling from a war that erupted in 2003 when then hardline president Omar al-Bashir unleashed the Janjaweed militia, mainly recruited from Arab pastoralist tribes, against ethnic minority rebels.

The scorched-earth campaign left at least 300,000 people dead and close to 2.5 million displaced, according to UN figures, and saw Bashir charged with war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide by the International Criminal Court.

The Janjaweed later evolved into the RSF, which was formally created in 2013.

The 2021 coup that brought Burhan and Daglo to power derailed the transition to elective civilian rule launched after Bashir was ousted following mass protests in 2019.

The two generals later fell out, most recently over the planned integration of the RSF into the regular army.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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US Asks China To Stop "Provocative And Unsafe" Acts In South China Sea

The United States called on China Saturday to stop "provocative and unsafe conduct" in the disputed South China Sea after a recent near-collision with a Philippines coast guard boat there, ramping up rhetoric ahead of a visit by the Filipino president to the White House.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, in a statement two days before President Joe Biden is to host his Philippine counterpart Ferdinand Marcos Jr., said the incident was a reminder of China's "harassment and intimidation" of Philippine vessels in the contested waterway.

"We call upon Beijing to desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct," he said, adding that any attack on Philippine armed forces would trigger a US response.

Joe Biden has been working to bolster relations with Asian allies as the US-Chinese relationship remains in a historically deep chill, and the Philippines' proximity to key sea lanes and Taiwan gives it particular strategic importance.

The near-miss Sunday off the Spratly Islands was the latest in a long string of maritime incidents between China and the Philippines.

Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, ignoring an international ruling that the assertion has no legal basis.

- A near-miss -

AFP was one of several media outlets that witnessed the incident after journalists were invited to join two Philippine Coast Guard boats on a six-day patrol of the waters, visiting a dozen islands and reefs.

The Philippine vessels approached Second Thomas Shoal, known in China as Ren'ai Jiao, in the Spratly archipelago.

As one boat, the BRP Malapascua, which was carrying Filipino journalists, neared the shoal, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel more than twice its size sailed into its path.

AFP journalists watched the incident from the other Philippine Coast Guard boat, which was less than a kilometer (0.6 miles) away.

The Malapascua's commanding officer said the Chinese ship came within 45 meters (50 yards) of his boat and only his quick actions avoided the steel-hulled vessels crashing into each other.

The Chinese foreign ministry said Friday that the Philippine boats had "intruded" without China's permission and called it a "premeditated and provocative action."

- Manila pushes back -

But Manila hit back, saying that "routine patrols in our own waters can be neither premeditated or provocative" and insisting they will continue to conduct the patrols.

The near-miss came just a day after Marcos hosted Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang for talks in Manila aimed at defusing tensions in the waterway.

Marcos has insisted he will not let China trample on the Philippines' rights in the sea, and has gravitated toward the United States as he seeks to strengthen defense ties.

Early this month, the Philippines identified four additional military bases -- in addition to five existing sites -- to which US forces will have access, including one near the Spratly Islands.

The two countries also carried out their biggest ever military maneuvers in recent weeks.

This shift has alarmed China, which has accused Washington of trying to drive a wedge between Beijing and Manila.

- 'Ironclad commitment' -

US-Philippine ties were badly frayed under Marcos's predecessor, the authoritarian Rodrigo Duterte.

Marcos has sought to allay public fears that the reviving alliance with the US could bring the Philippines into the conflict if China were to invade Taiwan.

He has said that with Biden he will discuss the "need to tone down the rhetoric" over the South China Sea, Taiwan and North Korea.

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said earlier in the month that Biden intended, in the meeting with Marcos, to "reaffirm the United States' ironclad commitment to the defense of the Philippines."

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

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Alia Bhatt Shares Snippets From Her Preparation For Met Gala 2023 With Her 'Choup-Ed'

Alia Bhatt took to her Instagram stories and shared pictures as she prepared for her debut at the Met Gala 2023 with her cat.

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Weekly Tarot Card Readings 2023: Horoscope April 30 To May 6 For All Zodiacs

Weekly Horoscope, Tarot Card Readings 2023: Read the Tarot Card predictions for all zodiac signs and plan your day ahead.

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Explosive Planted Through 'Foxhole Mechanism' In Chhattisgarh Maoist Blast

The powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED), which claimed the lives of 10 District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel and a civilian driver in insurgency-hit Dantewada district, was planted beneath the road a few months back by digging a tunnel through 'foxhole mechanism', said Bastar Police.

"De-mining is done on the said road from time to time. Prima-facie it appears that the IED was planted far below the road through 'foxhole mechanism' (a style of digging tunnel) due to which it could not be detected during the de-mining exercise," said the police.

Initial investigation revealed that the IED was planted around one-and-half or two months back by digging a tunnel roadside and the wire connected to it was hidden 2-3 inches beneath the ground, the police said.

Based on the investigation findings, police have registered an offence against naxal cadres.

Further investigation is underway.

On April 26, 10 personnel and a civilian were killed in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada after an IED attack was carried out by Naxals on a vehicle carrying District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel near Aranpur.

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

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Fake Passport Racket Helping Gangsters Escape From India Busted In Punjab

The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of Punjab Police arrested three persons allegedly involved in procuring and providing passports on fake particulars to gangsters/criminals of Punjab and other states to facilitate their escape from the country.

The Director General of Police (DGP) in Punjab, Gaurav Yadav said today that the arrested have been identified as Onkar Singh of village Kaki Pind in Jalandhar, Sukhjinder Singh alias Sharpy Ghumman of village Karhali in Patiala and Prabhjot Singh Baheri in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh.

Addressing a press conference, the DGP said, "Acting on reliable human inputs about the involvement of inter-state travel agents in preparing passports using fake particulars to help gangsters/criminals to flee from the law of the country, AGTF teams headed by ADGP Promod Ban and assisted by AIG Sandeep Goel in an overnight operation busted this gang with the arrest of its three members".

"Investigations reveal that this gang, having linkages in states including Delhi, UP, Kolkata, Gujarat and Maharashtra, had facilitated a number of gangsters/criminals from Punjab and other states to flee from the country on fake passports," he added.

Other than this, at least nine passports and several photocopies of passports of absconding gangsters prepared using fake particulars were also recovered by the police.

The DGP said that the police teams have rounded up five more persons linked with this gang and further investigations are on to unearth their entire network.

Divulging more details, ADGP Promod Ban said that accused Onkar, who runs an illegal immigration firm in Jalandhar, was involved in making passports for gangster/criminals using fake particulars and duping innocent people on the pretext of sending them abroad.

As per the police, during questioning, accused Onkar disclosed that he had procured passports on fake particulars for gangsters including Varinder Pal Singh alias Veena Butter (Bambiha gang) and Jaswinder Singh alias Khattu (Dharminder Gugni gang involved in the target killings in Punjab), to help them flee the country.

During the preliminary interrogation, the accused Prabhjot Singh has revealed that one of his conduits Charanjit Singh alias Bareilly (who has been arrested by Delhi Police), had made a passport using fake particulars for gangster Deepak Boxer, who was recently deported from Mexico, the police said.

Accused Sukhjinder Singh alias Sharpy Ghumman has disclosed to have procured a passport on fake particulars for Deepinder Singh alias Deepu of Ajnala, who has a criminal background and is an associate of absconding gangster Harry Chatha, the police added.

"A case FIR no. 2 dated April 26, 2023 has been registered under sections 420, 468, 471, 473 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), section 25 of the Arms Act and section 12 of the Passport Act at Police Station State Crime SAS Nagar," the statement read.

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

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Several Charged In Aligarh For Offering Namaz Outside Mosques On Eid

Several unnamed persons have been booked for offering namaz outside two mosques in the old city area in violation of prohibitory orders on Eid last week, police said on Friday.

City Superintendent Police Kuldeep Singh Gunawat told the media that clerics had assured the district authorities ahead of Eid that no one will be allowed to offer prayers on roads outside mosques.

"Despite such assurances a large number of people offered prayers on the road outside the Eidgah ground under Delhi Gate Police Station and another mosque in a locality under Kotwali police station," said the officer, adding, the FIRs were lodged on April 26.

Police are reviewing video footage of the day to identify those who participated in the outside prayers.

Earlier police in Kanpur said they have booked more than 2,000 people on similar charges in three FIRs.

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

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Bipasha Basu And Karan Singh Grover Complete 7 Years Of Wedding Bliss, Check Out Actress' Adorable Post

In the video, Bipasha could be seen smiling and hugging her husband Karan.

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Devendra Fadnavis Unveils Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Statue In Mauritius

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis unveiled a statue of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Mauritius today. It was his first visit to the island nation.

During his visit, Mr Fadnavis also met representatives of Mauritian companies in an event organised by the Mauritius India Business Community.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji always say that India lives in the states. He always encourages states to interact more with foreign countries, with foreign governments. Because he feels that such types of relationships will be more fruitful and I think that's what brings me here. Here we are in this business forum talking about not just our historic relationship but also about our shared future," Mr Fadnavis said.

"We know that under the leadership of PM Modi, India is heading the G20 presidency and the logo and motto of the G20 is 'one earth, one family, one future'... And I see the manifestation of these ethos when I come to Mauritius because when I interact with the people here I feel I have come to my extended family," Mr Fadnavis said.

He said he was impressed with the progress which Mauritius has achieved and the infrastructure it has created.

He will also attend an event with Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth to sign agreements in the tourism sector.

Mr Fadnavis and Mr Jugnauth attended a cultural event organised by the Maharashtrian community in the island nation.

Tomorrow, the Deputy Chief Minister will meet members of the Maharashtrian community and also call on Mauritian President Prithvirajsing Roopun.

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"Even Dhoni Has Spoken...": Ex India Star On Rahanes Resurrection At CSK

The revival of veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane in T20 cricket has been a surprise to many. Bought by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for his base price of INR 50 lakh, Rahane has done wonders with the bat for the franchise, emerging as one of the top run-getters in the competition. His heroics with the bat also seems to have played a role in his return to the national team for the ICC World Test Championship final. While Rahane has been the talk of the two for a few weeks now, former India batter Pravin Amre revealed that even MS Dhoni has been talking about the technique that the veteran India star has shown this campaign.

"We just reminded him how he came into the international arena through T20 (39-ball 61 at Old Trafford, in August 2011). It's a coincidence that his T20 performance has helped him make a comeback. Hard work always pays, when he was dropped nobody thought he will come back. He had a very good Ranji season, and got a double hundred. We are seeing the new version of Ajinkya, people are really surprised the way he is hitting the ball so long while playing proper cricketing shots," Amre was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

Rahane has always been considered a technically sound batter. But, he was never really seen as a T20 specialist since the shortest format of the game has seen players with brute force and muscle excel more as batters. However, Amre debunked that myth as he revealed how much CSK skipper Dhoni has been impressed seeing Rahane use his technique to excel in T20s for Chennai.

"His game is built on timing and he has got it back," said Amre. "Even Dhoni has spoken about his technique. People wrongly say that technique is not important in T20s. I am very happy because as coaches we always insisted on technique, it really matters in T20," Amre said.

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Filmfare Awards: Alia Bhatt Bags Best Actress Award For 'Gangubai Kathiawadi'

One of Bollywood's most prominent actors, Alia Bhatt is currently on top of her game. Be it off-screen or on-screen, she is ruling everywhere. And, true to her exploits and status in the film industry, Alia took home the Best Actor award with her performance in 'Gangubai Kathiawadi'.

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Delhi Man Hacks His Wife To Death, Injures Son, Daughter With Axe

A 55-year-old property dealer here in south Delhi's Neb Sarai area allegedly hacked his wife to death with an axe and tried to kill his two children, injuring them both in the neck, police said on Thursday.

Vijay Veer, the accused, often used to have a row with his 50-year-old wife over dowry, and after one such fight Thursday, he attacked her with an axe while she was asleep, they said.

According to police, another reason for frequent fights between the couple was Veer's extramarital affairs and his wife's confronting him about it.

He also didn't like the fact that his wife was supported by their son and daughter, both aged 28 and 30, a senior police officer said.

The matter was reported Thursday around 6.30am by the daughter, a law graduate, who said her mother was attacked with an axe by her father.

When police reached the spot, they found Suman, the wife, lying on the bed in a pool of blood with multiple cuts to her neck and Vijay Veer there with an injured hand.

Her daughter and son too were found injured in the neck and forehead. They told police that their father had attacked them with an axe.

Police took the four of them to a hospital, where Suman was declared brought dead.

According to police, Suman had married Veer, originally from Garh Mukteshwar in Uttar Pradesh, in 1992 and the couple soon after started living in Neb Sarai at his relative's house.

When police checked his antecedents, they found Vijay Veer had been arrested in 2017 too for opening fire at his family during a row with his wife and wounding his son Shashank.

At that time, he was booked under section 307 of the Indian Penal Code at Mehrauli Police Station and sent to jail. He was later released since the family refused to press charges and proceedings were quashed, police said.

On Thursday morning, he attacked his wife with an axe while she was sleeping.

After that, he went to the room of his children and attacked them with the same axe.

They somehow snatched the axe from him and bolted themselves inside their room and made a call to police, said a police officer.

Veer was booked under charges of murder and attempt to murder, said police, adding further investigation is underway.

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

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CBI Court Likely To Give Verdict Today In Actor Jiah Khan Suicide Case

A special CBI court in Mumbai is likely to announce its verdict today in the suicide case of actor Jiah Khan, who was found dead in her suburban home on June 3, 2013.

Actor Suraj Pancholi, son of actors Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab, is accused of abetting the suicide of Khan.

Suraj Pancholi was charged on the basis of a 6-page letter purportedly written by Khan, who was found hanging in her Juhu home.

As per the Central Bureau of Investigation, the letter, which was seized by Mumbai police that began its probe on June 10, 2013, was written by Jiah Khan.

The CBI claimed the note narrated her "intimate relationship, physical abuse and mental and physical torture" allegedly at the hands of Pancholi, which led to her committing suicide.

The case was reassigned to a special CBI court in 2021 after the sessions court said it did not have the jurisdiction over the case as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had probed it.

Special CBI Judge AS Sayyad, after hearing the final arguments of both the sides, last week reserved his judgement in the case for April 28.

Jiah Khan's mother Rabia Khan, a key prosecution witness in the case, told the court she believed it was a case of murder and not suicide. The Bombay High Court last year dismissed her petition seeking a fresh probe into the case.

During her deposition, Rabia Khan had told the CBI court Pancholi used to subject Jiah Khan to physical and verbal abuse. She also alleged the police and CBI had not collected legal evidence to prove her daughter had committed suicide.

Pancholi, in his 313-page statement filed before the court, had claimed the investigation and chargesheet were false, adding prosecution witnesses had testified against him on the behest of complainant Rabia Khan, police, and CBI.

Jiah Khan is best known for her performance in Amitabh Bachchan starrer 'Nishabd'.

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

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Style Icon Ranveer Singh Snapped In An Uber-Cool Avatar In NYC, Check Out Pics

The actor can be seen setting fashion goals for his fans, pulling off an oversized trench, knitted sweater, straight-fit jeans, and a pearl necklace.

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Woman Uses Dead Helicopter Pilot's Identity To Avoid Traffic Fee, Charged

An Australian woman has been charged with fraud after she used the identity of a dead pilot in order to avoid a traffic fine, the Independent reported. 33-year-old Stephanie Louise Bennett pleaded guilty to using Sea World pilot Ash Jenkinson's identity after she was caught using her mobile phone behind the wheel last year in December.

In order to avoid the mandatory $1,078 fine, Ms. Bennett went online to claim she was not at fault. She then used information from the pilot's death notice to nominate Mr. Jenkinson as the driver of her vehicle. She allegedly found Mr. Jenkinson's full name and date of birth in an obituary notice following his death.

As per ABC, Mr Jenkinson died on the Gold Coast Broadwater on January 2 when the helicopter he was flying collided with another helicopter in mid-air. He was killed, along with three passengers on board - Sydney woman Vanessa Tadros, and British couple Ron and Diane Hughes. 

When Mr. Jenkinson's widow received the fine notice just weeks after his death, she raised the matter with the traffic office and police on February 13.

After an investigation, Ms. Bennett pleaded guilty at Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Wednesday, April 26 to fraud and identity theft, according to 9News. She said that she was going through "personal matters" and "financial troubles" at the time, and had tried to undo her actions the next morning ''but the website didn't accept it.''

In an email to the court, which was read aloud, she apologised "for the turmoil this has caused anyone" and said she was "immensely regretful for my actions".

Following her guilty plea, Bennet will be sentenced on May 19.

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Opinion: India Overtook China In Population. Now What?

Surpassing China as the world's most populous country, as indicated in the UNFPA State of World Population report, India's demographic composition, with a staggering 65% working-age population, embodies an unparalleled reservoir of human capital. This dynamic workforce has the potential to propel the nation towards remarkable socio-economic progress and has the ability for transformative global impact. Seizing this demographic dividend is critical for India to elevate its position on the world stage and significantly enrich the knowledge economy.

John Steinbeck's classic novel, "The Pearl," serves as an allegory for India's imperative to capitalize on its demographic advantage. The protagonist, Kino, discovers an extraordinary pearl, yet his inability to harness its value culminates in devastating consequences. Similarly, India must recognize the magnitude of its human resource potential and proactively invest in it to avoid squandering this generational opportunity.

The remarkable benefits of the demographic dividend cannot be overstated, particularly for industrial nations that have successfully navigated the demographic transition. This pivotal shift, characterized by a transition from high fertility and mortality rates to their lower counterparts in urbanized, industrial societies, creates an unparalleled opportunity for substantial economic growth. The first dividend, fuelled by declining fertility rates, generates a temporary surge in the labour force, opening doors for amplified investment in economic development and family well-being. This chain reaction results in accelerated per capita income growth. While the first dividend's duration is finite, spanning approximately five decades, it lays the groundwork for a promising second dividend.

Driven by an ageing workforce accumulating assets for extended retirement, the second dividend sees these assets, whether invested domestically or internationally, contributing to a significant rise in national income. As a result, the first dividend offers a fleeting bonus, while the second morphs into enhanced assets and enduring development. It is crucial to note, however, that these dividends are not guaranteed and hinge on the adoption of effective policies within this golden window of opportunity. In essence, skilfully leveraging the demographic dividend can pave the way for elevated living standards and sustained economic growth, as evidenced in diverse regions between 1970 and 2020.

India has a unique opportunity to capitalize on the first demographic dividend, as around half of the country's population is under the age of 25, and the working-age population is forecast to hit more than 1 billion in the next couple of years. An IMF working paper titled "Demographic Dividend: Evidence from the Indian States" authored by Shekhar Aiyar and Ashoka Mody suggests that demographic dividend could add up to 2 percentage points to per capita GDP growth per annum.

But the question remains, how can India capitalize on its demographic dividend? Experiences from countries such as Singapore, Taiwan, and South Korea demonstrate the potential for leveraging the demographic dividend to achieve remarkable economic growth by implementing forward-thinking policies and programs that empower the youth in education, skill development, and health choices. There are two factors which are impeding India from fully exploiting the demographic dividend.

(1) There is a significant gap between the skills imparted in educational institutions in India and the skills required for jobs. The International Labour Organization (ILO) has projected that India will face a 29 million skill deficit by 2030. India's education system is unable to provide the necessary skills to its growing workforce. Many young people lack the required qualifications and vocational training to find suitable jobs. The Department of School Education and Literacy is executing the Vocationalisation of School Education initiative under 'Samagra Shiksha' to integrate vocational education with general academics in secondary and senior secondary schools. The goal is to enhance students' employability, entrepreneurial skills, work environment exposure, and career awareness. NSQF-compliant vocational courses are offered to classes 9-12 as additional subjects or elective subjects. Various job roles across multiple sectors are included in these modules to cater to students' aptitudes and aspirations. Apart from this, under the Skill India Mission, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship offers skill training through schemes like PMKVY, JSS, NAPS, and CTS via ITIs. These demand-driven initiatives aim to improve youth employability by continuously adding industry-relevant courses. Unfortunately, this is not enough, as not all schools offer this.

Fortunately, the India Skills Report 2023 reveals a rise in employability to 50.3% (from 46.2% last year) with women at 52.8% and men at 47.2%. Additionally, 89% of graduates sought internships, and candidates from Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Delhi were the most employable. B.Tech, MBA, and B.Com degrees showed the highest employability rates. The report is based on the Wheebox National Employability Test findings, which 3.75 lakh students took.

India should further strengthen its Technical and Vocational Education & Training (TVET) programs. Finland's TVET program is known for its high-quality education, strong connection with industry needs, and emphasis on practical skills. One of the critical aspects of the Finnish TVET system that India can learn from is its strong collaboration between educational institutions, the private sector, and the government. This cooperation ensures that the curriculum and training programs are tailored to meet the current and future needs of the labour market, thereby enhancing the employability of graduates. India can benefit from adopting a similar approach, encouraging stronger ties between educational institutions and industry players to develop curricula that are aligned with market demands and technological advancements.

Another crucial lesson India can learn from Finland's TVET program is the focus on lifelong learning and continuous skill development. In Finland, vocational education is not limited to initial training but extends to further skill development throughout an individual's career. This approach helps the Finnish workforce stay competitive and adapt to the rapidly changing demands of the global economy. India can adopt this concept by promoting a culture of continuous learning and upskilling among its workforce, supported by government policies and incentives. This would not only help to bridge the skill-employability gap, butt also enable India's workforce to remain agile and prepared for the ever-evolving job market.

(2) Informal nature of the economy: A large proportion of India's economy is informal, which can hinder the full realization of the demographic dividend. This is because informal employment often lacks social security, job security, and opportunities for skill development. According to the ILO, 85% of the non-agricultural workforce in India is informal. As the fastest-growing major economy today, India still grapples with the lingering impact of policy-driven workforce informality, rooted in the first four decades post-independence. Slow growth from 1950 to 1980, a heavy industry focus, and product reservations for small firms fuelled the proliferation of unregistered businesses where workers faced subpar wages and conditions. Restrictive labour laws, applicable only to registered firms, exacerbated the issue. Inadequate state investment in education left workers with limited skills, confining them to the informal economy. India must now forge a path to overcome this informality legacy. Once the four labour codes are notified, the manufacturing units that operate in the informal space would find it easier to navigate their way to formal settings. This would be beneficial not only for the informal sector, but also for the workers employed by these manufacturing units.

(3) Neglected Past of Health and Early Childhood Education Investments: Previously, India did not prioritize early child health and education, but now, a transformation is taking place. An expanding body of research highlights that experiences in early life significantly impact adult health, cognitive abilities, and professional accomplishments across both developed and developing nations. It has been demonstrated that children who enjoy good health from conception to age five ultimately become healthier adults. Furthermore, they achieve higher levels of education, earn more income, and contribute substantially to the economy. India's focus on early child health and education was limited in the past, but a paradigm shift is now underway. The troika of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Women and Child Development are entrusted with this responsibility. The government's prioritization of children's health through targeted interventions like POSHAN Abhiyaan and Mission Poshan 2.0 demonstrates a commitment to addressing malnutrition and fostering wellness in children, adolescents, and mothers. These comprehensive initiatives, which emphasize maternal nutrition, infant and young child feeding norms, and treatment of acute malnutrition, harness the power of technology, traditional knowledge, and community involvement to achieve a lasting impact. With millions benefiting from these programs, the government is taking critical steps to create a healthier, more resilient future for the nation.

India stands at the cusp of a unique opportunity to harness its demographic dividend, reminiscent of Kino's pearl in Steinbeck's classic novel. To seize this potential, India must invest in its human capital, bridging the gap between skills imparted by educational institutions and the skills needed for the job market, adopting more effective vocational training programs, and transitioning to a formal economy.

Bibek Debroy is the Chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) & Aditya Sinha is Additional Private Secretary (Policy & Research), EAC-PM.

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author.

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Guardians Of The Galaxy Director James Gunn Wishes To Work With ‘Amazing’ & ‘Cool’ Jr NTR

Guardians Of The Galaxy director James Gunn said that he would love to work with Jr NTR, who essayed the role of Komaram Bheem in 'RRR'.

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US Couple Arrested For Tying Down And Forcibly Tattooing Their Children

A mother and a stepfather in US' Texas have been arrested after they allegedly tattooed their children by force, then tried to remove the tattoos once authorities got involved, New York Post reported. 

As per an arrest affidavit obtained by KTRE, Megan Mae Farr, 27, and Gunner Farr, 23, tied down their 9-year-old and 5-year-old children and forcibly gave them tattoos. While one received a tattoo on the foot, the other child received one on the shoulder, according to the report. The investigation alleges that the children were tied down with a rope, their mouths covered with tape and a rag covered their eyes.

However, when the biological father and stepmother saw the tattoos on the children, they reported the matter to Child Protective Services (CPS).

When the couple came to know that CPS was looking into the matter, they tried to evade arrest by forcibly removing the tattoos. They tried to cover the tattoos by "cutting, scraping, and scrubbing" the areas, and removing them by rubbing the tattoos with lemon juice.

''There were visible injuries on the child at the specific location of the tattoo and it appeared that the flesh was removed from the body at the tattoo location and this happened about the time that CPS got involved in the allegations of the child abuse,'' interim Zavalla Police Chief Lt. James Denby told KTRE.

On Monday, both parents were arrested and charged with injury to a child and unlawful restraint.

While Megan Mae Farr was charged with two counts of injury to a child and unlawful restraint, Gunner Farr was charged with one count of unlawful restraint and one count of injury to a child.

The children have since been placed in the care of CPS and investigations are ongoing.

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Shah Rukh Khan, Taapsee Pannu's Shoot In Kashmir For Dunki Sparks Hopes For Economic Boost

Shah Rukh and Taapsee reached Kashmir for the shoot of Rajkumar Hiarani's 'Dunki'. Vicky Kaushal is also a part of this movie. 

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Alia Bhatt Is An Ultimate Boss Lady In New Pics. Bhumi, Sophie Reacts

Alia Bhatt has treated her Insta family to oh-so-stunning pictures on her Instagram, and we can't take our eyes off the actress. In the images, the actress is giving boss vibes as she can be seen in a checkered pant-suit set with a blue shirt and a tie. The actress has accessorised her ensemble with hoop earrings and paired the look with black heels. She has left her hair loose and is sporting nude make. In the caption, she simply dropped a person in suit emoticon and let her images do all the talking. 

Soon after Alia Bhatt shared the post, Bumi Pednekar commented "Fab". Sophie Choudry wrote, "Ohh... You Know she means business". Anissa Malhotra (Ranbir Kapoor's cousin Armaan Jain's wife) commented, "Yaaasssss," followed by fire emoticons. Alia's fans also flooded the comment section. A user wrote, "Looking sharp," while another wrote, "Boss Alia".

Check out the post here: 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alia Bhatt 💛 (@aliaabhatt)

Meanwhile, Alia Bhatt, who welcomed her daughter Raha last year in November, revealed that her daughter is so "well-behaved" and "peaceful" in an interview with Vogue. "She's just five months old and I am so impressed with how well-behaved and peaceful she is. And, on days when she isn't, that's fine too, because she's a baby and has the right to have good and bad days," Vogue quoted the actress saying.  

Alia Bhatt also opened up that her husband Ranbir Kapoor is constantly nervous that Raha will forget him as he is travelling for his upcoming film Animal. "It's adorable to watch the two of them together because he's had to bulk up quite a bit for his character in Animal, so when he carries her, it's like this giant picking up a little puppy. He's travelling at the moment, so I try to recreate that same routine with Raha because Ranbir's constantly nervous that she'll forget him," said Alia.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Alia Bhatt will be next seen in Karan Johar's Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani with Ranveer Singh.

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Arjun Tendulkar Ecstatic After Shaking Off Poor Form. Twitter Reacts

Mumbai Indians pacer Arjun Tendulkar drew a lot of criticism after he conceded 48 runs in three overs against Punjab Kings in an IPL 2023 game. Out of those three overs, he conceded 31 in one over alone. Playing only his second IPL match, Arjun, son of the great Sachin Tendulkar, became part of an unwanted tally. Arjun's  31-run over was the second most expensive over by an MI bowler in the IPL. Daniel Sams holds the first position as he conceded 35 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2022. For the third position, there is a tie between three players as Pawan Suyal against Royal Challengers Bangalore (2014), Alzarri Joseph against Rajasthan Royals (2019) and Mitchell McClenaghan vs PBKS (2017) had conceded 28 runs each.

However, against Gujarat Titans, Arjun Tendulkar made a brilliant comeback as he scalped opener Wriddhiman Saha. On the first ball of the third over, Saha edged a pull down leg, and MI players went up in unison for a caught behind. He was given out and DRS also confirmed the decision. Tendulkar was ecstatic after the dismissal. 

Today Arjun Tendulkar be Like

Papa Kehte hai bada naam karega #ACKOForTheFans@ACKOIndia pic.twitter.com/7qGm63AHfA

— Vaibhav Jain 🇮🇳 (@VaibhavJain209) April 25, 2023

The wicket celebration by Arjun Tendulkar. pic.twitter.com/eJ64VjxNI3

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 25, 2023

Arjun Tendulkar in powerplay so far: 2-0-9-1. Outstanding, Arjun!#GTvMI #IPL2023 pic.twitter.com/nFOKpeEmEI

— mycrickettribe (@mycrickettribe) April 25, 2023

Mumbai Indians head coach Mark Boucher backed Arjun Tendulkar, who went for 31 runs in the 15th over of PBKS' innings. Arjun was the most expensive MI bowler, conceding 48 runs in three overs at an economy of 16.

"I think Rohit, who is a very experienced cricketer, felt that he would bowl Arjun at the 14th-15th over. That was a better match-up at that stage in the game. Sometimes, they (decisions) go your way and sometimes they do not. Unfortunately, it did not go his way, and, in hindsight, sometimes the match-ups do not work and that is just the nature of T20 cricket," he said.

"It will be tough on him (Arjun), coming in to bowl at the back end at Wankhede where the conditions were good to bat on. He, maybe, got one or two (deliveries) wrong, he probably felt under the pressure but he will live and learn from it. It is not the end of the world; it is still not the early days but mid days in the IPL and, hopefully, he will come back stronger. He has full support of the support staff and players to try and get over this as quickly as possible," Boucher added.

With PTI and ANI inputs

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Malaika Arora Hogs Limelight In A Deep-Cut Backless Black Gown, Flaunts Her Hourglass Figure - Watch

Malaika Arora's New Video: She runs a yoga studio by the name of Diva Yoga centre in Mumbai and often urges people to follow a healthy lifestyle.

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Pics: Aishwarya Rai Touches Mani Ratnam's Feet At PS 2 Event - Aww

Ponniyin Selvan 2 stars Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Vikram, Trisha, Jayam Ravi and Karthi are busy promoting the film. On Tuesday, the stars, director Mani Ratnam and music composer AR Rahman gathered for a special event in Mumbai. During the event, Aishwarya and Mani Ratnam shared a sweet moment when the actress touched his feet in respect. In the video, Mani Ratnam can be heard praising Aishwarya for her acting skills. He said, "Filmmakers are very selfish, only thing that they care for is the film. However much I love her (Aishwarya), I will ask her only if I think she is right for the role and she has been nice enough to say yes." On hearing this, overwhelmed Aishwarya immediately gets up and touches the director's feet.

Earlier on seeing the director, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan hugged him and happily posed for the cameras. For those who don't know, then let us tell you, Aishwarya shares a great bond with filmmaker Mani Ratnam as he gave her first break in the entertainment industry with his Tamil political drama Iruvar. 

Check out the pictures of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Mani Ratnam here: 

For the event, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan opted for an ivory anarkali suit with golden detailing. The actress accessorized her ensemble with the emerald necklace and posed with her Ponniyin Selvan 2 Team. 

Check out the pictures here: 

Meanwhile, speaking to NDTV, Vikram, who stars as Chola prince Aditha Karikalan in the movie, opened up on his onscreen equation with co-star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the second instalment of the film. "I think it will go down in cinema history as something very special because you know, you have romance, you have one-sided romance. You have someone where you are jilted. This one is something... It's love-hate. She loves me so much that she could kill me. It's almost like in The Fountainhead (Dominique Francon and Howard Roark's movie)... Dominique Francon and Howard Roark," Vikram told NDTV.

Ponniyin Selvan 2 will hit the theatres on April 28.

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In Tamil Nadu Audio Row, State BJP Chief Tweets Second Clip

Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai has released a second audio clip, where his party claims state finance minister PTR Palanivel Thiaga Rajan is heard denigrating the ruling DMK and accusing Chief Minister MK Stalin's family of corruption. In the audio clip – which NDTV cannot independently verify -- the speaker is heard saying, "The CM's son and son-in-law take away a bulk of the spoils".

In what appears to be a reference to his quitting a party position after becoming minister, the speaker is also heard praising the BJP's "one man one post" rule and slams DMK for "lack of system".

In his tweet, Mr Annamalai has thanked "PTR" for "drawing a proper distinction between DMK and BJP".

A similar audio had surfaced recently, in which the speaker -- purportedly PTR -- is heard saying, "Udhayanidhi (Chief Minister M K Stalin's son) and Sabareesan have accumulated 30,000 crore".

Calling the clip "fabricated", the minister had said that "no malicious attempts to divide us will succeed". He had also said "more such audios and videos" could come.

On April 14, Mr Annamalai released what he calls the "DMK files" in which he alleged that key DMK leaders have accumulated assets worth Rs 1.34 lakh crore. The list included including Chief Minister MK Stalin's son and Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, and other ministers including Durai Murugan, EV Velu, K Ponmudy, V Senthil Balaji, and former Union Minister S Jagathrakshakan.  

He had also alleged that in 2011, during the DMK's earlier tenure, Mr Stalin was paid a Rs 200 crore bribe for favouring a private company get a contract to supply coaches for Chennai Metro Rail.

The rail company has denied this, saying "a fair process was followed".

The ruling DMK has denied allegations and issued legal notices to Mr Annamalai, demanding an apology and huge cash damages of upto Rs 500 crore.

Mr Annamalai has refused to apologise and denied he has violated any defamation law. He has also demanded an independent forensic analysis of the audio.

Mr Annamalai has hit back, challenging the minister to produce an incriminating audio clip with his voice.

Since the minister "is resting on an argument that this audio is fabricated, we challenge him to produce an audio clip with similar content but instead in my voice," Mr Annamalai said.

The state BJP leadership has urged Governor RN Ravi to order a forensic audit of the audio clip.

The BJP, which has marginal presence in Tamil Nadu, is also witnessing a strain in ties with ally the AIADMK.

The south party has suffered three consecutive defeats in elections it contested in alliance with the BJP, after which some leaders had aired suspicion that the BJP could engineer a split within its ranks ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP has denied the allegations as baseless.

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Jacqueline Fernandez Teases Fans With A Glimpse From Her Rehearsal For Filmfare Awards 2023- See Pic

Jacqueline Fernandez shared a glimpse on Instagram as she kickstarted her dance rehearsal for 68th Filmfare Awards.

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"Delhi University Is Not Hogwarts": Row Over Rs 5 Lakh Magic Show

The Delhi University's move to spend Rs 5 lakh on a magic show as part of its centenary celebration has run into rough weather with a section of teachers questioning the rationale behind organising such a programme amid a "severe crunch of funds".

According to a poster of the event, famous Jadugar Samrat Shankar will present the show on May 3 at the multipurpose sports complex at the varsity. It also said that the programme is being organised by the University of Delhi's Culture Council.

The entry is strictly through registration, reads the poster.

A varsity official said the show is being organised to develop scientific temperament among the students.

Opposing the move, a section of teachers alleged that the magic show was a "sheer wastage of public money" and pointed out that various R&D grants and innovation projects have been discontinued due to paucity of funds.

"One should not forget that the Delhi University (DU) is not Hogwarts. When the official committee itself has acknowledged severe crunch of funds for library, laboratory, infrastructure development and research, spending public money on magic shows is sheer wastage," Rajesh Jha, a former Executive Council member of DU, rued.

Jha, who teaches at the varsity's Rajdhani College, noted that DU should be a centre to promote excellence in research to disseminate scientific temper.

"The R&D grant and innovation projects have been discontinued. The development fund collected from students was increased by 150 per cent. In such a scenario of fund crisis, organising a magic show is putting unnecessary pressure on the finance of the university," he emphasised.

The magic show also comes in the backdrop of alleged non-payment of pensions and salaries to pensioners and ad hoc teachers of several colleges under the varsity.

Meanwhile, the Delhi University defended the step and said the amount (of Rs 5 lakh) was not big as "singers usually charge Rs 40 lakh to 60 lakh for a single performance".

"Nobody has to pay for the magic show. But the entry is through registration. We are taking out money from the centenary celebration fund. The amount is not big. For big shows, colleges pay in lakhs. This amount is nothing," the varsity official said.

"We are organising this show to build scientific temperament among the students. Around 3,000 people are expected to attend the show. The magician is renowned across India and he is charging us a very less amount," he added.

Assistant Professor Abha Dev Habib from Miranda House suggested that the university could have organised a seminar where researchers could have imparted some kind of knowledge instead of the magic show.

"At a time when the university is facing various issues, money is being wasted on such programmes. It could have been a seminar organised by the alumna, former students and researchers that the university has produced," she argued.

An Academic Council member of the varsity said, "On one hand, they (DU) are seeking Higher Education Funding Agency (HEFA) loans citing fund crunch, and on the other hand, they are hosting a magic show." "This is utter nonsense in the name of centenary celebration. Complete waste of money. The money could have been spent somewhere else," Associate Professor Naveen Gaur said.

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

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Watch: Anushka's Celebration Has Uncanny Similarity With Kohli's

Virat Kohli has often mentioned how his wife and actor Anushka Sharma is a pillar of strength for him. During his low phase, Kohli mentioned recently, how Anushka gave him the right feedback. He also went on to say that had it not been for Anushka, the Indian batting great would have turned into an 'egoistic maniac'. "When you go back from a space like this. It's easy immediately to go like 'ah, everything is so good and it's okay'. That's why I say Anushka's name first because she has seen the challenges of being in this position. She knows it. She has been there for so many years. She knows what it takes to handle public pressure. So, her conversations with me has always been priceless. She tells me the truth, simple," Virat Kohli said in a conversation with ex-CSK star Robin Uthappa on Jio Cinema.

"There is no mollycoddling. Because no one else is (real). there are always so many layers. She is like, my responsibility is to tell you the truth. So, how she spoke to me during that phase was something that kept me in check. If I was left by myself just to figure it out, I would have become an egoistic maniac.

Recently, Virat and Anushka were spotted at a promotional event, where the two played badminton and indulged in other fun activities. In one of the activities, Anushka's celebration was uncannily similar to what Kohli usually does after his team gets a wicket or he scores big.

Watch: Anushka's Celebration Has Uncanny Similarity With Kohli's

#viratkohli #anushkasharma #virushka pic.twitter.com/7QeR1WbLah

— virat_stuffs (@Imlakshay_18) April 24, 2023

Anushka Sharma imitating the Virat Kohli celebration at the Puma event. pic.twitter.com/A8dhpEh9X5

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 24, 2023

Kohli's RCB are at the 5th spot in the IPL 2023 points table at present, with 4 wins in 7 matches.

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Krushna Abhishek Confirms His Comeback On 'The Kapil Sharma Show', Says, 'Issues Have Been Resolved'

Krushna Abhishek has confirmed that he will soon make a comeback on popular comedy show 'The Kapil Sharma Show'.

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Jagdish Shettar Will Lose Election: Amit Shah In Karnataka

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagdish Shettar, who recently left the BJP, "will lose the election" and asserted that Hubballi has always voted for BJP.

Shah said there will not be a loss for BJP. Shettar joined Congress after leaving BJP and is contesting from Hubballi- Dharwad-Central, a seat he has won multiple times.

"There'll be no loss, Jagdish Shettar will himself lose election, Huballii has always voted for BJP & all workers of BJP are united," Shah said at a press conference.

He accused Congress of doing "appeasement politics".

"...Religion-based reservation is unconstitutional. Congress leaders are saying that they'll implement reservation for Muslims, but then, whose reservation will they reduce...," Shah said

He also slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks.

"56 lakh farmers are getting Rs 10,000 every year under direct benefit transfers....does Rahul Gandhi think that these many farmers are of two-three families...," Shah said answering a query.

He said that the ruling BJP has worked for the all-round development of Karnataka and the Modi government gave 140 per cent more money to the state in five years in terms of tax devolution and grant-in-aid compared to the funds sent by the UPA government.

"During Manmohan Singh's government, Karnataka got about Rs 94,224 crore in terms of tax devolution and grant-in-aid between 2009 and 2014. The Modi government gave Rs 2,26,418 crore between 2014 to 2019. This is 140 per cent more than the money sent during Congress government," Shah said.

He said the BJP government in the state created 55 lakh employment opportunities in the last about four years.

Amit Shah listed various development initiatives of the BJP government including those for boosting connectivity and infrastructure and taking the state further in Information Technology.

He rejected Rahul Gandhi's allegations that the BJP government is not working for the common man.

Shah said farmers were benefitting from direct benefit transfer and expressed confidence that BJP would form the government with an absolute majority.

He alleged that PFI had been given " a free run" during the Congress rule and cases against its cadre were withdrawn. Shah said that the BJP banned the organisation and its key cadre was arrested.

BJP's election campaign is likely to get a boost with Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the State on April 29.

According to Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, PM Modi will start his campaign from Belgavi. He will visit Chikodi, Kittur and Kudachi in Belagavi, one of the biggest districts of Karnataka. Prime Miniter will also visit Uttara Kannada district. The PM will also visit the poll-bound State on May 3.

Karnataka will go to polls on May 10 and the votes will be counted on May 13.

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

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Indore's Famous 'Jeerawan' Spice Now Banned In Flight Hand Baggage

The decision by aviation authorities to add 'jeerawan', a spice often sprinkled on poha, salads etc, to the list of items prohibited in hand baggage on flights evoked mixed responses from air passengers at Indore's Devi Ahilyabai Holkar airport on Monday, with some terming it absurd.

Jeerawan, which contains red chillies and several other ingredients and is famous in Indore, has been prohibited in hand baggage as per safety norms laid down by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BSCA), a senior airport official told PTI.

A showcase kept at the airport to inform people about prohibited items contains a packet of jeerawan along with a pistol, knife, scissor, hammer and screwdriver.

Indore-based entrepreneur Sameer Sharma, a frequent air traveller, said, “I reached Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport two days ago to travel to Jammu and was shocked to see a packet of jeerawan in the showcase. This is absolutely absurd. Jeerawan cannot be kept in the category of hot spices like red chillies."

As per experts, jeerawan is made from cumin, coriander, fennel, clove, cinnamon, red chilli, asafoetida, turmeric, salt, dried mango etc. Apart from being a taste enhancer, it is also known to improve digestion and keep the body warm during winter.

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

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Plane Carrying Arsenal Women's Team Bursts Into Flames On Runway

A plane that was to carry the Arsenal women's team back to London following their Champions League draw with Wolfsburg burst into flames on the runway. According to Metro, the incident occurred on Sunday evening at Germany's Braunschweig Wolfsburg Airport shortly before a Boeing 737 was due to take off.

An airport spokesman told the German newspaper Bild that a bird strike had caused the engine fire. Witnesses said that they heard a loud bang, following which the plane was stopped. Flames were spotted coming out of the plane, forcing the pilots to abandon take-off.

Fortunately, all passengers were evacuated and no one was hurt in the incident. However, the team was forced to stay in a hotel in Germany for an extra night owing to the mishap.

Later, Arsenal released a statement confirming the team returned home safely on Monday on a replacement plane.

The statement read, ''Our aircraft developed a technical issue prior to take-off in Germany on Sunday evening.  We remained in Wolfsburg overnight on Sunday before flying back to England on Monday afternoon. We would like to thank the staff onboard the aircraft and on the ground at the airport for their assistance.''

Wolfsburg is due to face Arsenal again in their Champions League semi-final on May 1.

A similar incident was reported on Sunday when an American Airlines plane was forced to return to Ohio airport after a bird strike sparked an engine fire. A video going viral on social media showed the plane returning to John Glenn International Airport in Columbus as flames and smoke are seen coming from the right engine. 

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General Bajwa Advised Me To Dissolve Assemblies: Imran Khan

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan said he dissolved the provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) after the former army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa advised him to do so, The News.com reported.

During a meeting with General Bajwa where President Arif Alvi was also present, the former army chief suggested that if the PTI chief sought elections, he should first dissolve his governments in the two provinces, Khan said in a recent interview with a private news channel on Sunday, The News.com reported.

The deposed premier, who was voted out of office in April last year after a no-confidence motion, said the Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief told him that Bajwa wanted to bring Shehbaz Sharif into power.

"General Bajwa and the [premier intelligence] agency knew that the current rulers had stolen the money from the national kitty and taken it abroad. Despite knowing this, General Bajwa was willing to give them 'NRO' as he had planned an extension [for himself]," Khan said.

During the interview, Imran Khan added that the polls can take place in July if Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif dissolves the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament.

"Elections can be held in July if the prime minister dissolves the assembly," the ousted premier said.

He also stressed that caretaker governments in both Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the provinces where Khan's party was in power before he decided to dissolve its two assemblies on January 14 and 18, respectively, are illegal after the lapse of their stipulated term, The News.com reported.

He demanded that the caretaker government be abolished and a new "neutral" interim setup be instated.

He added that the Supreme Court of Pakistan has given May 14 as the date for Punjab polls and his party won't let the government go beyond that.

"If they think they [incumbent government] will pressurise the Supreme Court, we will not let it happen. They will scandalise the top court to run away from elections," he said.

In response to the PTI's call for elections in the two provinces, the government has, time and again, insisted on conducting elections, to the national and provincial assemblies, together in October, The News.com reported.

A three-member bench of the Supreme Court had fixed May 14 as the new date for the election to the Punjab Assembly, quashing the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) decision to extend the polls date from April 10 to Oct 8.

While security has been cited as a major concern for the government to refuse to hold the polls, the lack of funds for carrying out the task has also been communicated as the main reason for their insistence on delay.

The PTI chief shared the suggestion while refusing to back down from his demand for the snap polls. "There may be no money even in October. The situation may worsen. We cannot go beyond May 14."

The former prime minister further said that inflation irked the public, and the government is running away from its reaction by postponing the elections.

"They are scared of elections," he said censuring the Shehbaz-led administration.

Khan insisted that the ECP is working in connivance with the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an alliance of 13 political parties.

"Maryam Nawaz is receiving protocol. The election commission is with them," he said, directing his criticism towards the electoral body and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior vice-president.

Commenting on talks with the ruling alliance in Islamabad, Khan said he had given the mandate of negotiations to his party's Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi and not to Asad Qaisar, the former speaker of the National Assembly, The News.com reported.

"There has been no discussion on negotiations with Shah Mahmood Qureshi so far," he said amid reports that some major political parties had reached out to the PTI.

Earlier this week, the CJP Bandial said the top court could make some room and change the date of elections if all the political parties evolve a consensus to hold talks. The court had earlier also stressed on political parties to sit together to resolve the issues.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, meanwhile, expressed his support for the proposal, calling on his allies and all other political parties to come together and try to end the ongoing crises, The News.com reported.

PPP senior leader Qamar Zaman Kaira also confirmed that the ruling alliance made a contact with the PTI. Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Siraj Ul Haq has also been actively trying to build a bridge between the PTI and the coalition parties in the government.

Khan, however, claimed that the government would use negotiations to further delay the polls.

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BJP Seeks Jharkhand Minister's Resignation Over Alleged Chat With Woman

The BJP's Jharkhand unit on Sunday launched a no-holds-barred attack on state Health Minister and Congress leader Banna Gupta after a video of his purported video chat with a woman went viral on social media.

The minister, however, was quick to issue a clarification over the alleged video chat, terming it "fake and edited".

Hitting out at the state Health minister over his alleged video chat, the BJP demanded his resignation and a probe into the matter.

Sharing the viral clip of the minister's purported video chat with the woman, BJP MP from Jharkhand, Nishikant Dubey, claimed that the video exposed the true face of the Congress.

Speaking to ANI, the spokesperson for the BJP in Jharkhand, Pratul Shahdeo, said the Congress should clarify its position on the "obscene and objectionable" video.

"The viral video purportedly showing the Health minister is highly objectionable. Though the veracity of the clip hasn't been ascertained as yet, we want to know if it's real or fake. Since he is a member of the state cabinet headed by the chief minister (Hemant Soren), it is the CM's responsibility to order a probe to find out if the clip is real or fake," Shahdeo said.

However, he said if the purported video turns out to be genuine, the minister should step down immediately.

Meanwhile, the state Health minister hit back at the BJP over its "vindictive politics", claiming that the purported clip is part of a "conspiracy" to tarnish his image.

Terming the purported video chat as "fake and edited", the minister released a statement saying that he has already filed an FIR in the matter.

"A fake and edited video has been deliberately circulated on social media. It's quite clear that the video is photoshopped or has been edited through any other editing app. I have already filed an FIR in the matter. I will pursue legal action against those behind this fake video," the Congress leader said.

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RCB's Green Jersey Unlucky For Kohli? Duck vs RR Reveals Shocking IPL Stat

Former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Virat Kohli's green jersey nightmare continued as he walked back to the pavilion without opening his account against Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 on Sunday. It was Kohli's second consecutive golden duck of the IPL in a 'green jersey'. In 2022, Kohli was dismissed in 'green jersey' on the first ball by Jagadeesha Suchith in an IPL match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. On Sunday too, the RCB batter was dismissed on the very first ball of the match by Trent Boult against Rajasthan Royals during an IPL match at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Karnataka's Bengaluru.

He failed to open his account in both matches played in 'Green Jersey'.

While playing against Rajasthan Royals, RCB were asked to bat first and Virat Kohli and Faf Du Plessis stepped onto the pitch.

RR pace bowler Trent Boult drew the first blood as Virat Kohli walked back to the pavilion for a golden duck 0(1). The inswinging delivery from the left armer has been the Achilles heel of Kohli for the past few overs. Shahbaz Ahmed came in but lost his wicket to Boult in the third over of the match.

Du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell stepped up once again to bring RCB's innings back on track. They dealt in boundaries and at the end of the powerplay RCB managed to put a score of 62/2 on the board. Maxwell and Du Plessis continued their onslaught on Rajasthan bowlers. Maxwell completed his quick-fire half-century in 9.4 overs.

RCB crossed the 100-run mark with a four on the final ball of the 10th over. At halfway point of the first innings, RCB had a score of 101/2 on the board.

However, RCB started to lose momentum in the 14th over as they have in the previous matches. Yashasvi Jaiswal produced a sensational effort in the field as he sent Faf Du Plessis back to the dugout for a score of 62(39) following a runout. Ravichandran Ashwin followed up quickly and picked up the wicket of Glenn Maxwell on the final ball of the 15th over for a score of 77(44).

In the remaining five overs RCB lost the wickets on a consistent basis. Suyash Prabhudessai, Wanindu Hasaranga and Mahipal Lomror failed to reach double digits as they ended up losing their wickets of 0(2), 6(7) and 8(6) respectively. Dinesh Karthik tried to put up a fight and take RCB's total close to the 200 run-mark, but he ended up losing his wicket in the final over. Sandeep Sharma produced an economical final over to keep RCB's score below 200.

RCB ended their innings with a score of 189/9 in 20 overs.

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Video: American Airlines Plane Catches Fire After Bird Hits Engine

An American Airlines plane on Sunday was forced to return to Ohio airport after a bird strike sparked an engine fire. A video going viral on social media shows the plane returning to John Glenn International Airport in Columbus as flames and smoke are seen coming from the right engine. 

"@FAANews I just saw  AA1958 with major engine issues just after take off.  Flames shooting from the engine and wonky, pulsing noises from the aircraft," a Twitter user wrote while sharing a clip from the incident. 

Take a look below: 

Taken from Upper Arlington, Ohio. AA1958. pic.twitter.com/yUSSMImaF7

— CBUS4LIFE (@Cbus4Life) April 23, 2023

According to CNN, the Boeing 737 Flight 1958 had departed Columbus for Phoenix before the crew reported a bird strike on Sunday morning. The plane made it to the ground safely, with no injuries reported, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said, adding that an investigation into the incident is underway. 

Also Read | "There Are Things": Warren Buffett On What Worries Him More Than His Company

"Emergency crews responded to an aircraft incident at CMH this morning involving a reported engine fire. The aircraft landed safely and the airport is open and operational," John Glenn Columbus International Airport said in a statement posted on Twitter.

Emergency crews responded to an aircraft incident at CMH this morning involving a reported engine fire. The aircraft landed safely and the airport is open and operational. pic.twitter.com/EeCJzfbVjA

— John Glenn Intl Airport (@columbusairport) April 23, 2023

Speaking about the incident, a passenger aboard the plane told NBC 4 that he and others aboard the flight heard a loud clanking noise in the plane, with a pilot allegedly telling them they had hit a flock of geese shortly after take off. 

The passenger also added that once the plane safely landed, they all were removed and taken to another flight that left later in the morning. 

According to New York Post, this incident comes just days after another engine caught fire during take-off from the Charlotte Douglas Airport in North Carolina. No one was reported injured in the incident, which was later reported as a mechanical failure in the engine. 
 

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Veteran Actor Sarath Babu Hospitalised In Hyderabad, Condition Critical

Veteran Telugu actor Sarath Babu has been hospitalised in Hyderabad and his condition is said to be critical.

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Warren Buffett Reveals What Worries Him More Than His Company

Aside from being recognised as one of the most successful investors of all time, Warren Buffett is also known for his invaluable wisdom. Now, in a recent interview, the billionaire investor has revealed a few things he worries about, and no, the success of his company is not one of them. 

In an interview with CNBC, the 92-year-old CEO of Berkshire Hathaway was asked how much he fretted about economic factors such as recent bank failures and inflation. To this, Mr Buffett said he was more concerned about things out of his control than issues with Berkshire Hathaway. He revealed that he worries more about the prospect of catastrophic global events such as another pandemic and nuclear war than the success of his company when he goes to bed at night. 

"Well, at 92 I've got other things to worry about," he told CNBC last week, adding, "No, I don't worry about our ability. There are things I worry about. Sure. I worry about the nuclear threat. I worry about a pandemic in the future, all kinds of things but I don't worry about them because I can't do anything about them". 

Also Read | Ex-Zilingo CEO Ankiti Bose Hiked Her Salary 10X Without Approval, Made "Unexplained Payments": Report

Further, Mr Buffett said that he never ends his day worried about the performance of Berkshire Hathaway. "I never go to bed worried about Berkshire and how we'll handle a thing. If I'm worried about Berkshire, I should figure out something different to do about what Berkshire is doing," Mr Buffett stated. 

The 92-year-old also told the outlet that he is generally optimistic about the company because he was confident of his own ability to identify risks and trends in the economy before others. 

"I've got 99 and a fraction percent of my net worth in Berkshire, but I've got all my relatives in. I've got everybody in," Mr Buffett said. "If I thought that I wasn't going to be able to do a decent job of managing the risk, a better than decent job, I'd be crazy to take on that responsibility," he added. 

He also said that he believes happiness and optimism are important in living a long life, and that eating his favourite food like burgers, ice cream and Cocacola makes him happy even if they're bad for him. 

Notably, Warren Buffett is a businessman, philanthropist and one of the most successful and widely respected investors globally. He is known as the "Oracle of Omaha" and his investment philosophy is followed widely across the globe. 

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Suhana Khan Looks Chic As She Poses With Parents Shah Rukh Khan, Gauri Khan In Latest Photoshoot - Pics Inside

On Saturday celebrity photographer Avinash Gowariker shared a couple of snaps from Gauri’s coffee table book which features Shah Rukh Khan, Gauri and their daughter Suhana Khan.

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