James Webb Telescope Spots Strange Shapes In Jupiter's Upper Atmosphere

A team of astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have found previously unseen structures and activity in Jupiter's upper atmosphere. The region observed in the study using the Webb Telescope is located right above the Great Red Spot. According to NASA, the Great Red Spot is the largest storm in the solar system, twice as big as Earth, and is believed to have been raging for at least 300 years.

The upper atmosphere of Jupiter is the interface between the planet's magnetic field and the underlying atmosphere. It's within Jupiter's upper atmosphere that its aurorae can be seen. The structures of the upper atmosphere towards the planet's equator, however, are influenced by sunlight, and thus harder to observe.

In July 2022, the Great Red Spot of Jupiter was observed by Webb's Near-InfraRed Spectrograph (NIRSpec) using the instrument's Integral Field Unit capabilities. The team was surprised to discover that the upper atmosphere hosts a variety of intricate structures, including dark arcs and bright spots, across the entire field of view. 

"We thought this region, perhaps naively, would be boring. It is just as interesting as the northern lights, if not more so. Jupiter never ceases to surprise,'' planetary scientist Henrik Melin of the University of Leicester said in a statement. 

See the images here:

 

🆕 Scientists have found intricate features above Jupiter's famous Great Red Spot! Read more: https://t.co/wHAiYBap2l or 🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/71J9ToJGIH

— ESA Webb Telescope (@ESA_Webb) June 25, 2024

Although the light emitted from this region is driven by sunlight, the team suggested there must be another mechanism altering the shape and structure of the upper atmosphere. 

''One way in which you can change this structure is by gravity waves - similar to waves crashing on a beach, creating ripples in the sand. These waves are generated deep in the turbulent lower atmosphere, all around the Great Red Spot, and they can travel up in altitude, changing the structure and emissions of the upper atmosphere, '' said Mr Melin. 

The team further explained that these atmospheric waves can be observed on Earth on occasion, however, they are much weaker than those observed on Jupiter by Webb.

The scientists hope to investigate these patterns in more detail and understand how Jupiter's upper atmosphere changes over time. hey also hope that these findings will inform the upcoming ESA Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer mission, where a spacecraft named Juice will study Jupiter and its moons Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa.

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Coach Dravid's Team India Journey Culminates With T20 World Cup Title

When Rahul Dravid coached India to an U-19 World Cup win in 2018 - guiding the likes of Shubman Gill and Arshdeep Singh - it seemed like it was a matter of time till he became the Head Coach of the senior India Men's cricket team. And so it proved to be. Now, as the curtains are drawn on the 2024 T20 World Cup, Rahul Dravid's two-and-a-half-year-long tenure comes to a close. Will he, nay should he, be remembered fondly for guiding India in a transitional phase despite the burning hunger for a major title?

Much like his predecessor Ravi Shastri, Rahul Dravid has possessed a dominant Indian team with very little ICC silverware to show for it. But should it define his legacy?

The undisputed best team in the world

By all stats and figures - and performances - Rahul Dravid's Team India has been the best team in the world. Team India have won 41 out of 56 ODIs, 48 out of 69 T20Is, and lost just one Test series, winning five and drawing two. In all formats, India's form has been dominant and a cut above any other team on earth.

In 2023, India walked to the Asia Cup title. And in 2024, Dravid's India held the No. 1 spot in the teams' rankings in all three formats, an unprecedented first in Indian cricket history.

At home, Australia and England have been no match for India. Away from home, India took the fight to England and South Africa, with two drawn series.

The hurt of lost Finals

2023 proved to be a year of hurt for India, as the World Test championship and ODI World Cup campaigns ended in pain in the Final. The two tournaments remain rare black spots in a shining era of Team India under Rahul Dravid.

In reality, the pain of the lost finals shows the level of dominance that Dravid's India managed to hit. India were nearly unbeaten in the 2023 World Cup and unbeaten in the 2024 T20 World Cup. It says something when a semi-final in the 2022 T20 World Cup is the worst India has done in a major ICC tournament in this period.

If anything, Dravid's era should be celebrated as one of India's finest periods, and not be looked back on with the hurt of lost finals.

Transition to the Rohit Sharma era; and transition in identity

The start of Rahul Dravid's tenure as Head Coach collided with the tumultuous change in captaincy from Virat Kohli to Rohit Sharma in all formats. But Dravid didn't look to replicate the boisterous nature of the Kohli-Shastri era. Choosing to stay behind the scenes, Dravid let Rohit Sharma's India become a cohesive unit.

But the calmer it was off the field, the bolder India played on it. Rohit led by example, going hard at the top during the World Cup and showing 'Team Comes First'. Dravid's India then out-Bazballed Baz in India.

With captaincy debuts for Hardik Pandya and Shubman Gill, a pathway for the future has also been set in stone.

Final thoughts

Dravid's era as India Head Coach ends with well-deserved silverware; this time an unbeaten tournament coming to fruition. It is a fitting finale to mark the end of another historic legacy for one of India's greatest cricket personalities.

As the famous saying goes, "Ant bhala toh sab bhala" (All's well that ends well).

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Rolled Up Trousers, Shoes In Hands: How MPs Reached Parliament In Delhi Rain

Monsoon's first spell in Delhi early Friday inundated the most posh areas of the city alike, including the Lutyens' Delhi which is home to several ministers and MPs, giving them a hard time reaching Parliament for the 18th Lok Sabha session.

From braving the flood-like situation with rolled up trousers and carrying shoes in their hands to being carried up by aides, the political figures opted for different and peculiar ways to reach Parliament.

Taking a dig at the situation, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said he "wouldn't be able to make it to Parliament without a boat".

Sharing visuals of waist deep waterlogging outside his residence, the minister wrote on X, "This is the corner just outside my home in Lutyens' Delhi. Woke up to find my entire home under a foot of water — every room. Carpets and furniture, indeed anything on the ground, ruined.

"Apparently the storm water drains in the neighbourhood are all clogged so the water had no place to go. And they switched off the electricity since 6 am for fear of electrocuting people. Warned my Parliament colleagues that I might not make it there without a boat. But the city managed to pump water out of the roads and I did arrive in time," he said.

In another post in which he shared a video of a road towards AIIMS where cars were seen completely submerged in water, and trucks and buses barely visible, he wrote, "Now on my way to the airport to fly to my constituency for the weekend as usual. This was our usual route, which we avoided today." Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena took stock of the situation and ensured speedy action to deal with the issue, Mr Tharoor claimed.

Now on my way to the airport to fly to my constituency for the weekend as usual. This was our usual route, which we avoided today!! pic.twitter.com/2XpdRfSBdK

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 28, 2024

"Amazed and impressed that this tweet elicited, within minutes, a phone call from the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi himself! VK Saxena was courteous and responsive and explained the constraints on effective action arising from the division of responsibilities between Union and State Governments.

"He does understand the principal problem lies in the failure to clear clogged drains regularly and pledged to do everything in his power to ensure this is done before the next major shower. Hats off to a conscientious civil servant," he wrote.

Amazed and impressed that this tweet elicited, within minutes, a phone call from the Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi himself! Shri VK Saxena was courteous & responsive and explained the constraints on effective action arising from the division of responsibilities between Union and… https://t.co/GdaDTwEkxJ

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 28, 2024

Congress MP from Chandigarh Manish Tiwari posted his video while heading for Parliament. He was seen carrying his shoes in his hands and rolled up his trousers while walking through the accumulated water inside in the premises of his residence.

"On the way to Parliament in the morning," he captioned the video.

On the way to Parliament in the morning pic.twitter.com/MtjSl3LUzs

— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) June 28, 2024

In a photo shared on social media, the lawn of his residence was seen having turned into a pool due to the heavy rains.

Rain water also accumulated inside the premises of Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha MP Ramgopal Yadav's residence at Lodhi Estate. The MP, dressed in white kurta-pyjama, had to be carried with the support of two people to his car to help him leave for a meeting.

AAP leader and Delhi water minister Atishi's residence at Mathura road was also inundated following the heavy rains that lashed Delhi in early hours of the day.

On Friday, a discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address was scheduled for both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

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

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"Doesn't Scare Me": Asaduddin Owaisi Says Delhi Home Vandalised With Ink

AIMIM chief and the party's lone Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi claimed his home in Delhi's high-security Ashoka Road area was vandalised with black ink by some unknown miscreants today.

Sharing a video of police officers wiping the ink off the plaque outside his residence, the MP wrote: "Some "unknown miscreants" vandalised my house with black ink today. I have now lost count of the number of times my Delhi residence has been targeted. When I asked the Delhi Police officials how this was happening right under their noses, they expressed helplessness."

Some “unknown miscreants” vandalised my house with black ink today. I have now lost count the number of times my Delhi residence has targeted. When I asked @DelhiPolice officials how this was happening right under their nose, they expressed helplessness. @AmitShah this is… pic.twitter.com/LmOuXu6W63

— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) June 27, 2024

Tagging Home Minister Amit Shah and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Mr Owaisi said. "Amit Shah, this is happening under your oversight. Om Birla, please tell us if MPs' safety will be guaranteed or not."

The MP, who registered a decisive win from Hyderabad by defeating the BJP's firebrand candidate Kompella Madhavi Latha by over 3.38 lakh votes, also sent out a message for the "two-bit goons who keep targeting my house".

"To the two-bit goons who keep targeting my house: this does not scare me... be men enough to face me. Do not scurry away after throwing some ink or pelting a few stones," he wrote.

Last year, his Delhi home was attacked twice - once in August, when two glass panels on a door were found broken and another in February, when stones were thrown and the nameplate was damaged.

In 2022, his convoy came under fire in Uttar Pradesh while the MP was travelling from Meerut to Delhi. Mr Owaisi, who had a close shave, had said that four shots were fired at his cavalcade. Later two men were arrested in the case.

The five-time Hyderabad MP stirred a huge controversy earlier this week as he expressed solidarity with war-torn Palestine while taking oath as an MP.

The mention triggered massive outrage and strong reactions from members of the treasury benches, prompting the Chair to expunge it.

However, Mr Owaisi defended his Palestine chant and said: "Other members are also saying different things. I said 'Jai Bheem, Jai Meem, Jai Telangana, Jai Palestine'. How is it wrong? Tell me the provision of the Constitution. You should also listen to what others said. I said what I had to. Read what Mahatma Gandhi had said about Palestine."

Asked why he mentioned Palestine, Mr Owaisi clarified, "They are oppressed people".

The Hyderabad MP could be disqualified for "demonstrating adherence to a foreign State, that is Palestine", sources in the BJP said.

Union Minister and BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje wrote to the Home Minister's office objecting to the speech and requested the pro tem Speaker to ask Mr Owaisi to take oath once again.

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Ashamed To See People Travelling Like Cattle: High Court On Mumbai Trains

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday said it was ashamed to see commuters forced to travel like cattle in the local trains, the lifeline of the Mumbai region.

Hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on rising number of deaths of commuters due to falling from overcrowded trains or in other accidents on the tracks, the high court said this "very very serious" issue must be dealt with.

A division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar said it will hold the top officials of both the Central and Western Railways accountable as the "situation in Mumbai is pathetic".

The PIL was filed by Yatin Jadhav.

"Very very serious issue has been raised in the PIL and therefore you (railway authorities) have to address it. You can't say, we can't do this or can't do that due to the large number of people (in the city). You carry people like cattle. We feel ashamed at the manner in which commuters are made to commute," the court said.

The bench directed the general managers (GM) of the Western and Central Railways to "look into the entire issue" and file affidavits in response.

The affidavits shall be "personally vetted" by the GMs and "indicate the measures which are available and are in force to check such mishaps," said the court.

It would hear the PIL next after eight weeks, the HC said.

As per the petition, 2,590 commuters lost their lives on the tracks in 2023, which was seven deaths every day. As many as 2,441 persons were injured during the same period.

While 1,650 people were killed in accidents on the Central Railway route, 940 died on the Western Railway.

Advocate Suresh Kumar, appearing for the Western Railway, said it was taking measures such as putting up barricades between tracks and construction of two or three foot-over-bridges at every station. The WR has implemented HC directions passed in an earlier PIL on the issue, he added.

"You should not depend only on orders for saving people's lives. We agree you have followed those directions. But have you been able to check these deaths? Question is whether it (measures) has yielded results? Have you been able to reduce or stop deaths," asked the bench.

Kumar pointed out that the WR was running services at the highest possible frequency, with trains leaving every 2-3 minutes during peak hours.

The high court said it was not suggesting that the Railways increase the number of trains or their capacity, but a solution has to be found.

"This time we will make the highest-level officers accountable. The situation in Mumbai is pathetic," the bench said.

"You (Railways) can't feel happy that you have been ferrying 35 lakh people daily. You can't say considering the number of people in Mumbai you are doing a good job. You can't even take a refuge saying there are too many people. You have to change your mindset. Your officers need not be satisfied by commuting such a large number of commuters," it added.

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

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Cameroon Man Hides Cocaine Worth ₹ 11 Crore In Stomach, Arrested In Delhi

A 70-year-old Cameroon national was arrested for smuggling cocaine worth about Rs 11 crore at the Delhi International Airport, the customs department said today.

The cocaine was recovered from his alimentary canal, according to officials.

Simon Alfred Nagong, the accused, touched down at Delhi's Indira Gandhi Airport on June 17 after traveling from Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). He was pulled up for additional questioning and investigation after he exhibited odd behaviour at terminal 3 of the Delhi airport, according to the Customs Department.

During questioning, the accused confessed that he had several drugs concealed throughout his body. After this, the Customs Department team took the accused to Safdarjung Hospital and a medical board kept a constant watch on him.

To remove the drugs from his body, an ejection procedure was performed under professional guidance. 73 capsules containing cocaine were removed from the accused's stomach through stool after many days of constant monitoring. The capsules weighed a total of 1.96 kg, whose value is about Rs 11 crore, according to the Customs Department.

A passport of the Republic of Cameroon has also been recovered from the accused.

Simon has been arrested under the Customs Act and a further investigation is underway to establish who he had come to deliver this cocaine to in India.

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Scolded By Father, Mumbai Teenager Jumps From Terrace Of 22-Storey Building

 Angered by his father's prodding to report to work, a 19-year-old man jumped to death from the terrace of a 22-storey building in the Kandivali area of Mumbai, police said on Tuesday.

The teenager, identified as Pratham Krishna Naik, used to work at a pizza shop in a mall, an official said.

"Naik didn't go to work on Monday, following which his father received a call. He started looking for his son and spotted him sitting at the Dahanukarwadi metro station at night. He asked the teenager why he skipped work and asked him to go to the pizza shop," the official from Kandivli police station said.

In a fit of rage, the teenage boy rushed to the terrace of a 22-storey building and jumped, he said.

After residents of the building spotted Naik lying in a pool of blood, he was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead before admission.

Police have registered a case of accidental death and investigating further, the official added. 

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

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How Can Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh Qualify For T20 WC Semi-finals

The T20 World Cup semi-final race in Group 1 has become really interesting. India became the first team from the group to enter the semi-finals as they beat the Mitchell March-led  Australia by 24 runs on Monday. However, the other three teams in the group are not out. The points table is as follows - India (6 points, 3 games, NRR +2.017), Australia (2 points, 3 games, NRR -0.331), Afghanistan (2 points, 2 matches, NRR -0.650), Bangladesh (0 points, 2 matches, NRR -2.489). 

Now, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Australia can qualify for semi-finals. Following are the scenarios: 

1. Afghanistan can enter the semi-finals with a win over Bangladesh. That way they will reach 4 points and be the second team from Group 1 of Super 8 to enter last four stage. 

2. Australia can enter semi-finals only if Afghanistan lose to Bangladesh with a margin of less than 61 runs (considering the first innings total is 160) or outside 13 overs.

3. Bangladesh can enter semi-finals only if they beat Afghanistan by a big margin (by 61 runs if they score 160 or chase the target in 13 overs)

Talking about Monday's match that Australia lost, India rode on skipper Rohit Sharma's scintillating 41-ball 92 to beat Australia by 24 runs in their final Super Eights fixture and qualify for the semifinals of the T20 World Cup.

Batting first, Rohit fired on all cylinders and struck as many as eight sixes and seven fours during his sparkling knock, which powered India to an imposing 205 for five.

In reply, Australia were restricted to 181 for seven in the stipulated 20 overs. Travis Head top-scored for Australia with 76 off 43 balls.

Among Indian bowlers, Kuldeep Yadav (2/24) performed brilliantly in the middle overs, while Arshdeep Singh ended with figures of 3/37.

Earlier, unperturbed by Virat Kohli's early dismissal, Rohit went after pacer Mitchell Starc and bludgeoned him for 29 runs in his second over, setting the tone for India.

Starc, who was taken to the cleaners by Rohit, returned to dismiss the India captain and give some relief to the Australian camp.

But Suryakumar Yadav (31 off 16 balls) and Shivam Dube (28 off 22) kept up the tempo with their big hits before Hardik Pandya (27 off 17) finished the India innings in style.

With PTI inputs

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Jammu Paper Leak "Kingpin" Under Scanner Amid NEET-NET Row: Sources

An alleged kingpin of a paper leak in Jammu and Kashmir is being probed by the Enforcement Directorate to see if he has links to the irregularities in the NEET-UG and UGC-NET exams. Yatin Yadav, the alleged mastermind of the 2022 JKSSB sub-inspector recruitment exam paper leak was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate or ED today as part of a money laundering case.

According to the ED sources, it is being investigated whether Yadav has any connection to the paper leak cases of the key examinations that have hit headlines recently.

The ED probe stems from a CBI First Information Report and chargesheet against Yadav, a suspected tout, and some others. The ED sources claimed that being the "kingpin" of the alleged paper leak gang, Yadav executed a well-crafted plan involving other accused touts based in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir to arrange candidates willing to access the leaked paper against payments ranging from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 30 lakh.

The Jammu and Kashmir Service Selection Board (JKSSB) sub-inspector recruitment exam was held on March 27, 2022.

After the exam, the payments - mainly in cash - collected from the aspirants were routed to Yadav's bank accounts, they said.

The ED had earlier attached Yadav's bank accounts, a company called New Global Fumigation Corporation and assets of some others worth Rs 1 crore under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as part of its probe.

The arrest comes at a time when allegations of irregularities in the conduct of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) and the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) have rocked the country, leading to the Centre handing over their investigation to the CBI.

The CBI is looking into the allegations of malpractice in both exams conducted by the National Testing Agency.

The Centre on Saturday replaced NTA Director General Subodh Singh and handed over the probe into irregularities in NEET-UG to the CBI, which is now probing a total of six cases in the matter. Pradeep Singh Kharola took the additional charge of NTA on Monday and had meetings with officials of the testing body.

The Education Ministry had also set up a seven-member panel headed by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan to review the NTA's functioning.

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Mutual Fund Investor's Complaint, Resolution Post On 'Groww' App Viral

In a recent social media outcry, a user on X platform accused Groww of engaging in fraudulent investment practices. The user alleged that despite their investment through Groww in Parag Parikh Mutual Fund in 2020, subsequent attempts to redeem the funds revealed that no investment had actually been made with the fund company. The user further claimed that Groww's customer service was unhelpful and that unauthorised attempts were made to access OTPs from mutual fund portals.

New fear unlocked.

Mutual fund platform took money but investment was never made 😱 pic.twitter.com/caUPBAGGCp

— Finance Memes (@Qid_Memez) June 23, 2024

Expressing frustration, the user stated, "Where is the Money? You can not just wipe a Record and say the issue is sorted."

In response to these serious accusations, Groww issued a statement clarifying its position. It asserted, "We have investigated the matter and we can assure that the customer did not make any investment."

This statement prompted skepticism from another user who questioned Groww's explanation, asking, "If the money was deducted from the user's bank account, where did it go? Or was the money never deducted at all?"

To which Groww responded, "No, the money was never deducted from the customer's bank account in this matter."

In an official statement addressing the situation, Groww elaborated, "We assure everyone that no transaction took place and the customer's money was not deducted from customer's bank account in the said matter. The customer's dashboard erroneously reflected a folio. We have explained the same to the customer, regretting the error. We have resolved the reporting issue and are in touch with the customer for any support required".

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"Myanmar Nationals In 6 Villages Outnumber Locals": Manipur's Maring Tribe

An influential students' body of the Maring tribe in Manipur's border district Tengnoupal has alleged Myanmar nationals living in six Maring Naga villages have outnumbered the locals.

The Maring Students' Union (MSU) in a statement said 1,428 Myanmar nationals whose biometrics have been taken are living in six Maring Naga villages, and it acknowledges the plight of the Myanmar nationals and expresses "heartfelt sympathy towards them".

The MSU, however, said the Myanmar nationals have outnumbered the locals in these villages. The Myanmar nationals are actually refugees who fled from the fighting between the junta forces and pro-democracy insurgents.

"The Myanmar nationals being sheltered in the six Maring Naga villages (Saibol, Moirengthel, Chanringphai, Lamlong Khunou, Choktong, and Satang), numbering about 1,428 (only those whose biometrics were captured), have outnumbered the local residents, which is of great concern," the MSU said.

The MSU's statement comes over a month after Naga People's Front (NPF) MLA Leishiyo Keishing in a letter to Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on May 9 alleged Myanmar nationals living in shelter homes in eight villages "have outnumbered" locals, raising feelings of insecurity among the locals amid the ethnic tension in Manipur.

Responding to the claims by the NPF MLA, BJP MLA Paolienlal Haokip had told NDTV that if the data quoted by Mr Keishing was correct, then it clearly indicated the number of refugees coming from war-torn Myanmar was highest in Ukhrul and Kamjong districts. Mr Haokip had alleged the state government focussed only on Kuki villages, and not the villages where tribes other than Kukis live.

The MSU alleged Rilram Area Maring Organisation (RAMO) have been targeted after a survey by its volunteers in the border district found refugees from Myanmar allegedly building houses without informing the state authorities.

"The Union demands an end to their intimidation to village leaders and dissemination of misleading reports, particularly those unjustly targeting RAMO," the MSU said.

The Assam Rifles, which guards the border in this region, had in a statement to local media denied the existence of such "illegal settlements", as alleged by RAMO.

Some refugees have indeed taken shelter in that area due to the war-like situation in Myanmar; however, they are immediately repatriated as the security situation improves across the Indo-Myanmar border, the Assam Rifles had said in the statement.

In fact, the accommodation arrangements for the refugees consist of self-help, bare essential thatched huts with polythene covers, the Assam Rifles said, adding the state administration is fully aware of the presence of refugees in the area and has also collected their biometric data.

Security sources have refuted the MSU's allegations that security forces have been hindering movement of commuters in the Maring tribe's areas.

RAMO on Tuesday had said it sent out volunteers to check their villages near border pillar numbers 82 to 89, following reports of a significant number of Myanmar refugees pouring into Maring tribe's areas in Tengnoupal district.

RAMO said they told the authorities they found a considerable presence of Myanmar refugees building houses and other structures. The areas RAMO volunteers visited were Chanringphai, Choktong, N Satang, and Sangtong villages under Lamlong Khunou circle. Village chiefs in the area have complained they were no longer able to manage the influx of refugees from Myanmar, the RAMO volunteers said.

As highlighted by Kamjong MLA Mr Leishiyo Keishing, the total number of illegal influx touched 5800 in the area of Kamjong District, outnumbering the local populace, detection of such illegal migrants along with capturing of biometrics has been done for more than 5100 of them.... pic.twitter.com/08mIVhEWTn

— Rajkumar Imo Singh (@imosingh) May 13, 2024

Several Naga civil bodies and organisations in Manipur last week asked Home Minister Amit Shah to repatriate "illegal Myanmar immigrants". After visiting border areas on a fact-finding mission, the United Naga Council (UNC), Naga Women's Union (NWU), All Naga Students Association Manipur (ANSAM), and Naga People's Movement for Human Rights (NPM-HR) gave a memorandum to Mr Shah.

Mr Shah in August 2023 had told Lok Sabha the problem in Manipur started with the influx of Chin-Kuki refugees from neighbouring Myanmar after the military rulers there started a crackdown against insurgents in 2021. The refugees coming to Manipur raised fears of a demographic change in the region, Mr Shah had said, adding rumours that refugee settlements have been declared as villages was the final straw.

The ethnic clashes between the Meitei community and the Kuki tribes began over cataclysmic disagreements on sharing land, resources, affirmative action policies, and political representation, mainly with the 'general' category Meiteis seeking to be included under the Scheduled Tribes category. Over 220 have been killed, and more than 50,000 have been internally displaced.

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Flights Cancelled At UK's 3rd-Busiest Airport After Power Cut

Flights at the UK's third-busiest airport were being delayed or cancelled Sunday after a major power cut, the airport operator said.

The Manchester Airports Group, which also operates London Stansted and the East Midlands airports, said Manchester Airport had been "affected by a major power cut in the area earlier this morning."

Power has now been restored at the international airport in the north of England, but passengers due to travel from Terminals One and Two were told to "not come to the airport" as all flights were cancelled "until further notice".

Passengers for Terminal Three were told to come to the airport as normal, but were warned they "could be affected by delays".

The airport operator said that while passengers already checked in were scheduled to depart as planned, the disruption meant "some baggage may not be on those flights".

"We will work with airlines and handling partners to reunite affected passengers with their luggage as soon as possible", the group added.

The airline Jet2 -- which operates from both terminals -- said that as well as cancelling dozens of flights, it was unable to load bags onto planes as the airport's baggage system remained "inoperable".

Airline easyJet, which operates flights from Terminal One, warned of "very long queues" for security, and said passengers could only board flights with cabin bags.

In addition, some arriving flights were being diverted to other airports according to the airport statement, including London Heathrow and Birmingham.

Some flyers took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to describe the "chaos", with one passenger saying they had been waiting for their bags after landing after midnight and another saying they were "stuck on the plane".

The UK's travel industry has been hit by a series of disruptions in the last few years, including technical problems and industrial action affecting rail and air passengers.

Last month, a nationwide outage of immigration e-gates caused long delays for thousands of passengers.

In August last year, the country faced its worst air traffic control disruption in almost ten years due to a technical fault.

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

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Case Against Prajwal Revanna's Brother For Sexually Assaulting Worker

JD(S) MLC Suraj Revanna was booked on Saturday for allegedly sexually assaulting a party worker a few days ago, police said.

Chethan K S (27) had complained to the police that Suraj Revanna, the eldest son of Holenarasipura MLA H D Revanna, sexually assaulted him at his farmhouse in Ghannikada in Holenarasipura Taluk on June 16 evening.

Based on the complaint, the Holenarasipura police registered a case against the JD(S) MLC under IPC sections 377 (unnatural sex) and 506 (criminal intimidation) late on Saturday evening.

However, Suraj Revanna (37), the grandson of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and the nephew of Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, has categorically refuted the charge. Instead, he has alleged that Chethan filed a false complaint to extort Rs 5 crore from him.

Police have not yet arrested Suraj Revanna.

On Friday, police registered a case of extortion against Chethan on a complaint by Suraj Revanna's close aide Shivakumar.

Shivakumar has alleged that Chethan was trying to extort money from Suraj Revanna by threatening to lodge a false case of sexual assault against him. It has been alleged that Chethan demanded Rs 5 crore from Suraj Revanna and later it was reduced to Rs 2 crore.

Suraj is the elder brother of former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna who is in police custody for allegedly sexually assaulting several women. Prajwal, who lost from Hassan Lok Sabha seat, was arrested on May 31 soon after returning from Germany where he was holed up after rape and intimidation cases were registered against him.

Their father H D Revanna and mother Bhavani are out on bail. They have been accused of kidnapping and keeping an alleged victim of their son Prajwal's sexual assaults.

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

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Why India Aren't In T20 WC Semis Despite Win vs Bangladesh - Explained

The Indian cricket team's march in the T20 World Cup 2024 continued with a big 50-run win over Bangladesh in Antigua on Saturday. The likes of Hardik Pandya, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh performed really well as India stayed unbeaten in the T20 World Cup 2024. However, despite the second successive win in the Super 8 stage of T20 World Cup, India are not yet in the semi-final. Here's how: India have four points in two matches (NRR +2.425). The other teams are: Australia (two points in one game, NRR + 2.471), Afghanistan (0 points from 1 match, NRR -2.350) and Bangladesh (0 points from 2 games, -2.489). 

Now, if Afghanistan beat Australia in their next match, then Australia beat India and then Afghanistan win vs Bangladesh, three teams will be on four points. The NRR will then decide the top two teams in the group. Hence, India are not yet in the semi-finals. 

Hardik Pandya produced an all-round show while Kuldeep Yadav foxed Bangladesh batters with his guile as India all but assured themselves of a semifinals berth through a dominant 50-run victory in their second Super 8 game of the T20 World Cup on Saturday.

Star batter Virat Kohli (37 off 28) found much-needed rhythm before Shivam Dube (34 off 24) and Hardik (50 not out off 27) pushed India to 196 for five, the highest total at this venue so far.

Bangladesh could never really challenge India in the steep run-chase and ended up with 146/8 in 20 overs, their second straight loss in the Super 8s.

India will meet their match in Australia, the two unbeaten teams so far, in their final Super 8 fixture in St Lucia on Monday.

Kuldeep (3/19), who got his opportunity in the Caribbean leg of the competition, made the Bangladesh batters look clueless with the effective use of googly and stock ball.

Bumrah (2/13 in four) produced a frugal effort as usual. Bangladesh skipper Najmul Shanto (40 off 32) played some attacking shots including two sixes over fine leg off Hardik but did not get support from others as the batters let the team down once again.

 With PTI inputs

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NEET-PG Test Scheduled For Tomorrow Postponed As Exam Mess Spirals

The NEET-PG scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed and fresh dates will be announced soon, the Health Ministry said in a statement today.

The government alluding to the huge row over alleged irregularities in NEET-UG and UGC-NET said it decided to "undertake a thorough assessment of the robustness of processes of NEET-PG, conducted by the National Board of Examination for medical students."

"It has accordingly been decided, as a precautionary measure, to postpone the NEET-PG scheduled to be held tomorrow (June 23). Fresh date of this examination will be notified at the earliest," the Health Ministry said, adding it "sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to students".

The government said the decision was taken in the best interests of students and to maintain the sanctity of examination.

An hour before the announcement of the exam postponement came, the government issued an order that said it has replaced the chief of the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts the NEET-UG and UGC-NET.

Subodh Kumar Singh, who was NTA director general, has been replaced by retired Indian Administration Service (IAS) officer Pradeep Singh Kharola. The move is significant as it shows the government is cracking down on NTA officials.

With the parliament session beginning soon, the Centre is bracing to face an onslaught of questions on the controversies surrounding these key exams for entry into medical and higher education teaching positions.

Earlier in the day, the Education Ministry formed a high-level committee of experts to make recommendations on reform in the mechanism of the examination process, improvement in data security protocols, structure and functioning of the NTA.

The UGC-NET was recently cancelled just a day after the exam was conducted. Also, the NTA on Friday announced the postponement of the Joint CSIR-UGC-NET, which was scheduled for June 25-27.

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Why Some People Are Protected Against Covid-19, Study Reveals

A new study published in the science journal Nature has revealed why some people never get COVID-19, even after exposure. Researchers conducted a world-first experiment where they intentionally infected healthy volunteers with a pre-Alpha strain of SARS-CoV-2. 

They found that people who resist infection have a much faster immune response in their nasal tissues compared to those who get sick. This response includes the activation of mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells and a drop in inflammatory white blood cells, which clear the virus before it sets in. 

The study also found that people who resist infection have elevated expression of a gene called HLA-DQA2 in nasal cells. 

Professor Christopher Chiu, from the Department of Infectious Disease at Imperial College London, and who led the COVID-19 human challenge study, said: "This paper highlights the value of the powerful, cutting-edge approaches applied through collaboration in the first-in-the-world SARS-CoV-2 human challenge study.

"This programme of research continues to provide unique insights into how the immune system protects us from infection that cannot be achieved in any other setting.

"Not only will these findings have an important impact on the development of next-generation interventions for SARS-CoV-2, but they should also be generalisable for other future outbreaks and pandemics."

This research could provide a basis for developing new treatments and vaccines that mimic these natural protective responses.

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Acted On Unsecured Loans To Avert Bigger Problems: RBI Governor

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) endeavors to smell out a crisis early and act on it, Governor Shaktikanta Das said, stating that not taking any action on the unsecured lending front would have created "bigger problems".

The November 2023 action to curb growth in the riskier unsecured lending has had the desired impact as the growth in such portfolios slowed down, Mr Das said addressing an international conference on financial resilience at the RBI's College of Supervisors in Mumbai.

Restrictions on unsecured lending were the result of a view that there could be a potential problem in the credit market because of growth in unsecured lending, he said.

The overall headline parameters were looking good, but there was "clear evidence" of dilution of underwriting standards, lack of proper appraisals, and a mentality to join the bandwagon for driving up the unsecured lending among some lenders, he added.

"We thought if left unattended, these vulnerabilities can become a bigger problem. So, we thought it is better to act in advance and slow down the credit growth," Mr Das said.

He expressed satisfaction that the RBI's action has had the desired impact, as the growth in unsecured lending has indeed slowed down.

The growth in credit card portfolios slowed down to 23% from 30% before the RBI's action, while the growth in bank lending to Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFC) has slowed to 18% from the earlier 29%.

On November 16 last year, the RBI increased risk weights on unsecured lending and exposure to NBFCs, which made banks set aside larger amounts of capital on such assets.

Mr Das, who has been at the helm of the central bank for over five years now, said that the RBI shifted its approach to be as proactive as possible to ensure systemic stability.

"I cannot afford to say that we are smelling a crisis on every occasion but it is our endeavour to smell out a crisis. It is at the forefront of our agenda," he said.

This agenda is at the back of the RBI's mind all the time - to see if something is building up either at the systemic level or at an individual organisation, he said.

The governor asked lenders to look beyond "mindless" growth in profits and keep other factors in mind.

"While business models may be designed to drive profitability and growth, they sometimes contain vulnerabilities that may not be apparent. Pursuit of business growth is important, but it should never come at the expense of taking on unacceptable risks," he said.

Mr Das also referred to the YES Bank bailout, pointing out that the RBI had been watching developments at the bank closely since late 2018 and had to launch the multi-agency bailout in March 2020, just before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

"India's domestic financial system is now in a much stronger position than it was before we entered the period of the COVID crisis. The Indian financial system is now in a much stronger position, characterised by robust capital adequacy, low levels of non-performing assets, and healthy profitability of banks and non-banking lenders, or NBFCs," Mr Das said.

The RBI has undertaken a slew of efforts to increase its supervisory function, including making a provision of a detailed presentation to a bank board by an executive director if it finds something amiss and also meeting the auditors of a bank if it feels the need, he said.

The onsite supervision of credit information companies has been made "annual and intense", the RBI governor added.

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

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Arrested Man Gives Cops The Slip At Mumbai Airport, Then A Dramatic Chase

A 32-year-old man being taken to Goa after his arrest from Uttar Pradesh dashed out of Mumbai airport and fled despite a chase by a cop from the coastal state, police said on Thursday.

Imad Wasim Khan made the daring escape around 6 am on Wednesday after a Goa police team arrived with him at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, an official said.

Khan is an accused in a case registered at Mapusa in Goa for alleged wrongful confinement, voluntarily causing hurt, and personating a public servant, he said.

Based on inputs, Goa recently police visited Khan's hometown in UP's Saharanpur and took him into custody with the help of their local counterparts.

The two-member police team boarded a flight to Mumbai and arrived at T2 (terminal 2). As one of the cops was asking the airport staff about T1, from where they were to take a flight to Goa, Khan escaped from the clutches of the other.

The policeman gave chase, but Khan sprinted out of the airport and got into a car, according to the FIR registered at the Sahar police station here.

The cop even tried to pull Khan out but he managed to stay put inside despite a scuffle and escaped in the vehicle, the official said citing the FIR.

The two Goa policemen filed a complaint against Khan after they failed to trace him, the official said.

A case has been registered against Khan and efforts are on to track him down, the official added.

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

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"Chahal Or...": Dravid's Mega Hint On Change In India XI vs Afghanistan

India head coach Rahul Dravid on Wednesday indicated that one among wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav or Yuzvendra Chahal could be included in the playing XI in their T20 World Cup Super Eight match against Afghanistan on Thursday, looking at the conditions, which seem conducive for slow bowlers. India had relied predominantly on its pace bowling arsenal at the Nassau County Stadium in New York as the drop-in pitches there had uneven bounce, which aided the quicks.

"It's tough to leave anyone out. New York had pace bowlers conditions... slightly different. We might need something different here (in Barbados). Yuzi (Chahal) or Kuldeep (Yadav) could be used here," said Dravid, while interacting with the media on the eve of the Super Eight game.

"We are lucky to have players with all-round abilities. We had eight batters but we (also) had seven bowling options," he added.

Dravid also added that India will be flexible with its batting order and change it as per the situation.

"Each situation is unique. Can't set it in stone. I believe in flexibility. The Pakistan game we moved Axar (Patel), specifically thinking around it... Rishabh (Pant) up the order (at No. 3), lots of thinking goes into it. I don't think in Tests (cricket), we will have that flexibility. In T20s where it is a lot about match-ups, you see it happening more (flexibility in batting position)." 

Match-up in cricketing lingo means when a bowler or a batter holds sway over a particular player in the opposition.

At a crucial moment when India were struggling at 19/2 with both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli back in the dressing room, Axar was promoted at No. 4 and he made a useful 20 off 18 balls against arch-rivals Pakistan in a league game.

Dravid added it felt nice coming to the West Indies for the Super Eights.

"Lovely to come to Caribbean and play cricket. Couple of practice sessions. We are prepared. Afghanistan are a very dangerous side. Their players play more in leagues than our players. They are not a team to be taken lightly. Deservingly in Super 8."

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'Ganga Aarti', Temple Visit: PM's 1st Varanasi Visit After Poll Win In Pics

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today visited his constituency Varanasi after being elected to the Lok Sabha for a third consecutive time. PM Modi released ₹ 20,000 crore as part of the 17th instalment of the Kisan Samman Nidhi, an income support scheme under which farmers get up to ₹ 6,000 per year. 

PM Modi releases 17th instalment of PM-KISAN scheme during PM Kisan Samman Sammelan (ANI)

When PM Modi arrived in the city, he waved to the crowd before heading to attend the 'Ganga Aarti' at Dashashwamedh Ghat.

PM Modi waves as he arrives to attend 'Ganga Aarti' (PTI)

The Prime Minister also offered prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath temple and sought the deity's blessings. Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accompanied the prime minister at the temple.

PM Modi Modi offers prayers at Kashi Vishwanath Temple, in Varanasi on Tuesday (ANI)

He participated in the Ganga aarti at the Dashashwamedh Ghat with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

PM Modi performs Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat, in Varanasi on Tuesday (ANI)

PM Modi and Yogi Adityanath offer prayers during Ganga aarti, at Dashashwamedh Ghat (ANI)

The temple's chief priest Shrikant Mishra performed the pooja amid chanting of mantras. The aarti was performed amid the chants of vedic mantras by priests and those part of it took pledges of "I will keep Maa Ganga and India clean and pure" and of conserving water.

PM Modi performs Ganga Aarti at Varanasi Ghat (PTI)

Priests perform Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat (ANI)

PM Modi offers prayers during Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat (PTI)

PM Modi was welcomed with the chants 'Har Har Mahadev', blowing of conches and drum beats.

In a post on X, Modi said," I prayed at the Kashi Vishwanath temple for the progress of India and the prosperity of 140 crore Indians. May the blessings of mahadev always remain upon us and may everyone be happy and healthy." "I prayed to Baba for the happiness, peace, prosperity and good health of all citizens," he said in another post on X in Hindi. 

(With agency inputs)

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US Woman Welcomes Twins Born 6 Months Apart And 1,400 Km Away

In an extraordinary story of motherhood reported by The Sun, Erin Clancy, a 42-year-old construction company owner from New York, USA, has embraced the arrival of twins born six months apart-one biologically hers and the other carried by a surrogate based 900 miles (1448.41 kilometres) away in Illinois.

"Holding my newborn Dylan in my arms, I couldn't believe it. He was perfect. I couldn't wait for him to meet his 'twin' who was due to be born in six months. I met Brian in January 2016 on an online dating site. Handsome and caring, he was just what I was looking for. Three years later, he proposed, and we married in September 2020. It was a beautiful day. We started trying to get pregnant in January 2021, confident it would happen easily, which it didn't," Erin told The Sun.

Erin Clancy shared that in June 2021, at the age of 39, she began IVF treatment. The first round was unsuccessful, and while the second attempt initially showed promise, it ended in a miscarriage at seven weeks. Devastated and unsure of the next steps, especially with the medication causing severe migraines, she and her partner began to consider surrogacy as an alternative.

"After extensive research, we registered with an agency and, in May 2022, were matched with a surrogate. In August, I discovered I was pregnant but began bleeding at six weeks. We decided to continue with surrogacy. Both pregnancies were successful, and in May 2023, I gave birth to Dylan. In November, our surrogate delivered Declan. From infertility struggles, I became a mother to two healthy boys, filled with love and joy," she said.

The next day, the boys met for the first time, which was amazing. While I had the same love for Declan, he didn't sleep and screamed a lot, which made me feel guilty for not carrying him. At two months, he was diagnosed with a milk protein allergy, which explained everything. Strangers were confused about the age gap, and when I posted about it on a forum, things really blew up.

People went crazy, saying things like, 'It must be a scam,' and, 'How is this even possible?'. The boys have such a close bond. Dylan loves dancing, and Declan adores our dogs.

"When they're old enough, I'll explain how they became brothers. I don't care what people think of the journey we've taken," she added.

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"Every Tesla Car Can Be Hacked": Ex-Minister Shreds Elon Musk's EVM Comment

Former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who had offered US billionaire Elon Musk a "tutorial" on Indian Electronic Voting Machines, today doubled down on his argument, saying going by the Tesla chief's logic, "every Tesla car can be hacked".

Responding to Mr Musk's claim that "everything can be hacked", Mr Chandrasekhar, who headed the Union ministry of Electronics and Information Technology during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's second tenure, said, "I think he is factually incorrect in saying that".

"A calculator or a toaster cannot be hacked. Therefore, there is a limit in terms of where this paradigm of hacking can extend," he told news agency ANI. "He (Elon Musk) is factually wrong... To claim that there cannot be a secure digital product in the world is to then say that every Tesla car can be hacked," he added.

Mr Musk would be right only if the machines in question are connected like phones or computers, which EVMs are not, Mr Chandrasekhar had earlier argued. "Elon Musk's view may apply to the US and other places - where they use regular compute platforms to build internet-connected voting machines," he had said.

"Elon Musk has not understood what the Indian EVM is. Indian EVMs do not lend themselves to being hacked because they are precisely a very limited-intelligence device," he explained today.

The Tesla chief had set the ball rolling over the weekend with his post questioning the reliability of EVMs.

"We should eliminate electronic voting machines. The risk of being hacked by humans or AI, while small, is still too high," he had posted on X in response to Independent US Presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr's post on reports that Puerto Rico's elections saw voting irregularities in hundreds of EVMs.

As the Opposition used the post to support its reservations about EVMs, Mr Chandrasekhar claimed that Mr Musk's comment was a "huge sweeping generalisation".

"This is a huge sweeping generalisation statement that implies no one can build secure digital hardware. Wrong," replied the former minister. "No connectivity, no bluetooth, wifi, Internet; there is no way in. Factory-programmed controllers that cannot be reprogrammed. Electronic voting machines can be architected and built right as India has done. We would be happy to run a tutorial, Elon," his post read.

"Anything can be hacked," shot back Mr Musk.

Coming amid reports that claimed a relative of Ravindra Waikar, Shiv Sena MP from Mumbai North West, was using a phone that could be connected to an EVM, Mr Musk's comments fuelled massive Opposition criticism.

Congress's Rahul Gandhi said EVMs in India "are a 'black box" and "nobody is allowed to scrutinize them". "Serious concerns are being raised about transparency in our electoral process," he added.

"When risks of EVM tampering are being flagged in several elections across the world and well-known technology experts are flagging risks, the BJP must clear the air on why they are bent on using EVMs," posted Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

Rajya Sabha MP and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi flagged the reports on Mumbai election. "This is a fraud at the highest level and yet the @ECISVEEP continues to sleep," she said in a post on X.

Calls for a return to paper ballot has already been decisively turned down by the Supreme Court, which said the machines offer significant advantages. They have eliminated booth capturing and invalid votes, reduce paper wastage and  expedite the counting process minimizing errors, the judges have said.
   

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Telangana Congress MLA's Bakrid Greeting Sparks Row, He Apologises

A ruling Congress MLA in Telangana on Monday landed in a controversy after his Bakrid greetings on social media included a graphic image of a cow, drawing sharp response from the BJP.

The Congress legislator, Kumbam Anil Kumar Reddy, later apologised for the "inadvertent error", even as the post was removed from all related social media accounts.

The poster was supposed to have the image of a goat and it has now been removed from social media platforms, he said.

BJP MLA Raja Singh, taking exception to the image of a cow in Mr Reddy's Bakrid greetings, alleged Hindus are insulted wherever Congress forms government.

While there is nothing objectionable about greeting people on the occasion of Bakrid, what message does the MLA want to convey, Raja Singh, known for his strong Hindutva views, asked.

Why is Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy silent on the matter, he asked.

Anil Kumar Reddy, in a video release later, said he is a 'Ram bhakt' and that he has always followed traditions.

He said the poster was removed soon after the error was found out.

"If anyone is hurt, we apologise for it. Because, I am a Ram Bhakt," he said.

Mr Reddy said he has asked his social media team to thoroughly check before posting and that who posted the said poster (for him) is also being looked into.

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

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Euro 2024 Live: Bellingham Scores Opening Goal | SRB 0-1 ENG At Half-Time

Serbia vs England Live Updates, Euro 2024: Jude Bellingham scores as England lead 1-0 against Serbia at half-time during their Euro 2024 match. The Three Lions must cope with the pressure of being hyped as one of the favourites for the tournament as Gareth Southgate aims to finally steer a richly-talented generation to glory. Tens of thousands of England supporters have arrived in Gelsenkirchen, in western Germany, eager to see a show from their team after a shock 1-0 defeat by Iceland in their final warm-up match. There is little for Southgate to fear based on Serbia's performance in qualifying. Dragan Stojkovic's side won just four of their eight qualifiers, losing twice to Hungary and being held on both occasions by Bulgaria.

Follow Serbia vs England Live Updates, Euro 2024 here -

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Israel Military's Daily Pauses For Gaza Aid Delivery Pitch Irks Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized plans announced by the military on Sunday to hold daily tactical pauses in fighting along one of the main roads into Gaza to facilitate aid delivery into the Palestinian enclave.

The military had announced the daily pauses from 0500 GMT until 1600 GMT in the area from the Kerem Shalom Crossing to the Salah al-Din Road and then northwards.

"When the prime minister heard the reports of an 11-hour humanitarian pause in the morning, he turned to his military secretary and made it clear that this was unacceptable to him," an Israeli official said.

The military clarified that normal operations would continue in Rafah, the main focus of its operation in southern Gaza, where eight soldiers were killed on Saturday.

The reaction from Netanyahu underlined political tensions over the issue of aid coming into Gaza, where international organisations have warned of a growing humanitarian crisis.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who leads one of the nationalist religious parties in Netanyahu's ruling coalition, denounced the idea of a tactical pause, saying whoever decided it was a "fool" who should lose their job.

Divisions Between Coalition, Army

The spat was the latest in a series of clashes between members of the coalition and the military over the conduct of the war, now in its ninth month.

It came a week after centrist former general Benny Gantz quit the government, accusing Netanyahu of having no effective strategy in Gaza.

The divisions were laid bare last week in a parliamentary vote on a law on conscripting ultra-Orthodox Jews into the military, with Defence Minister Yoav Gallant voting against it in defiance of party orders, saying it was insufficient for the needs of the military.

Religious parties in the coalition have strongly opposed conscription for the ultra-Orthodox, drawing widespread anger from many Israelis, which has deepened as the war has gone on.

Lieutenant-General Herzi Halevi, the head of the military, said on Sunday there was a "definite need" to recruit more soldiers from the fast-growing ultra-Orthodox community.

Reservists Under Strain

Despite growing international pressure for a ceasefire, an agreement to halt the fighting still appears distant, more than eight months since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas fighters on Israel triggered a ground assault on the enclave by Israeli forces.

Since the attack, which killed some 1,200 Israelis and foreigners in Israeli communities, Israel's military campaign has killed more than 37,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health ministry figures, and destroyed much of Gaza.

Although opinion polls suggest most Israelis support the government's aim of destroying Hamas, there have been widespread protests attacking the government for not doing more to bring home around 120 hostages who are still in Gaza after being taken hostage on Oct. 7.

Meanwhile, Palestinian health officials said seven Palestinians were killed in two air strikes on two houses in Al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza Strip.

As fighting in Gaza has continued, a lower level conflict across the Israel-Lebanon border is now threatening to spiral into a wider war as near-daily exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia have escalated.

In a further sign that fighting in Gaza could drag on, Netanyahu's government said on Sunday it was extending until Aug. 15 the period it would fund hotels and guest houses for residents evacuated from southern Israeli border towns.

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

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Father's Day: "You Are An Amazing Dad": Priyanka's Shout Out To Nick

Priyanka Chopra's Father's Day special posts will melt your hearts. Priyanka Chopra shared adorable messages along with beautiful snapshots. She shared a picture of Nick Jonas in which he can be seen feeding daughter Malti Marie while he looks outside a window. Priyanka wrote in the note, "Watching you with our daughter fills my heart with gratitude. You are an amazing dad and husband." Priyanka Chopra added Happyfatherday hashtag to her post. Remembering her late father Ashok Chopra on this occasion, Priyanka shared a throwback picture from her childhood days. In the picture shared, Priyanka can be seen looking at her father wistfully. She wrote in the caption, "Dearest papa - You're always with me in my heart. Miss you papa."

This is what Priyanka Chopra posted about her father:

Priyanka also shared a lovely snap of father-in-law Kevin Jonas in which he can be seen holding Malti Marie on his lap and showing her a thing at a distance. Priyanka wrote in the caption, "Happy Father's Day Dad, love youuuu." Take a look:

Incidentally, Priyanka celebrated her mother's birthday a day ago. Sharing pictures from the intimate celebration, Priyanka Chopra wrote, "Happiest birthday to the most magical woman I have ever known. Thank you for sharing your grace with us. Thank you for helping us become the best versions of ourselves, our matriarch, our leader, my mother, happy birthday." Take a look:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Priyanka (@priyankachopra)

Priyanka Chopra was last seen in the Hollywood rom-com Love Again.  Priyanka has recently wrapped the shooting of her upcoming film Heads Of State, helmed by Ilya Naishuller. It also features Idris Elba, John Cena and Jack Quaid. Priyanka Chopra is busy with the shooting of her new film Bluff. 

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"Murabba Bana Diya": Ex-PCB Chief's Rant As Pakistan Commit Age-Old Blunder

The Pakistan cricket team's second successive capitulation in an ICC World Cup has been receiving quite the flak. After an early exit from the ODI World Cup 2023, Pakistan were eliminated from the group stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup. What was even more disheartening for a Pakistan fan was that the team went out after losses against USA and India. Against the latter, Pakistan came close but could not make full use of a commanding situation. 

Ramiz Raja, former Pakistan cricket team captain and ex-Pakistan Cricket Board chief, lost his cool while decoding the side's poor show.  

"Aapne choon-choon ka murabba bana diya hai iss team ko (you have turned this team into a mixture of varied things)," Raja said on hi YouTube channel.

"You brought back old, retired players so that somehow you save your face in the T20 World Cup...(you) let some of the good talent slip away just because this is a World Cup and it requires experience, we have to bring back retired players, even if they have bitched about the captain." 

Raja went on to say that this was an age-old blunder by the Pakistan team. 

"Aise thodi team chalti hai. Yeh pehle bhi humne kar ke dekh liya tha (the team doesn't work that way; we have tried this before)," Ramiz said. "I think it was the 2003 World Cup. We gathered all the super stars in that team thinking that experience will come handy. But those were ageing stars, and Pakistan couldn't be saved. We got beaten badly there as well."

"You have to see who to play, what is the captain's role. Unless you allow the leadership to flourish in this environment, let them take decision, introduce discipline and merit, and not try to run it (the team) from the sidelines, unless you have the cricket IQ and thinking and take good decisions morally and cricket-wise, until that time it's almost impossible for this team to get back up on its legs," Ramiz said.

"You will now find sacrificial lambs to save your place. That's not how you run cricket."

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Live: England Fear Elimination As Rain Delays Start Of Game vs Namibia

Namibia vs England Live Updates, T20 World Cup: Heavy rain has delayed the toss for England's crucial game against Namibia at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua on Saturday. This is a must-win game for defending champions England. They are at the third spot in the Group B points table with three points from as many games. They need to beat Namibia to stay alive in the Super Eight race. If England win this game, they will be needing Scotland, who have 5 points, to lose their final group game which is against Australia. In such a case, England will advance to the next stage as they have a better net run rate than Scotland. It is worth noting that if the Namibia vs England game is washed out, Scotland will enter the Super Eight. (Live Scorecard | Points Table)

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Euro 2024 LIVE: Germany Aim To Fire In Opener vs Scotland. Lineups Out

Germany vs Scotland Live Updates, Euro Cup 2024: Germany kick off their Euro 2024 campaign in Munich against Scotland, the start of a journey the three-time continental champions hope will conclude with victory in the final in Berlin on July 14. On the other hand, it is just Scotland's second major tournament since 1998. They returned to the big stage at Euro 2020 but finished bottom of the group, picking up their only point in a 0-0 draw with England.

Here are the Live Updates of Euro 2024 game between Germany and Scotland -

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Kate Middleton Says "Making Good Progress" With Cancer Treatment

Kate, Britain's Princess of Wales, has said she is making good progress as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy but is "not out of the woods" ahead of her first public appearance on Saturday since surgery revealed the presence of cancer.

In a personal written message released on Friday, Kate said she had been "blown away" by the thousands of kind messages from across the globe which followed her cancer announcement in March.

She said they had made a world of difference to her and her husband, heir-to-the-throne Prince William.

"I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days," her statement said.

"On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well."

I have been blown away by all the kind messages of support and encouragement over the last couple of months. It really has made the world of difference to William and me and has helped us both through some of the harder times.

I am making good progress, but as anyone going… pic.twitter.com/J1jTlgwRU8

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) June 14, 2024

Her improved health means she will be able to appear in public for the first time since last December when she joined other senior royals for an annual Christmas Day church service.

Kate, 42, will accompany her three children, Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte, in a carriage during Saturday's 'Trooping the Colour', an annual military parade held in central London to mark the monarch's official birthday.

She will also join King Charles, Queen Camilla and the other senior family members on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, the high-profile pinnacle of the event.

While Kate said she was hoping to take part in other events this year, aides cautioned that Saturday did not mark a return to a full schedule of work.

"My treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months," she said. "I'm looking forward to attending The King's Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and hope to join a few public engagements over the summer, but equally knowing I am not out of the woods yet."

ABDOMINAL SURGERY

Kate spent two weeks in hospital in January after she underwent major abdominal surgery, and two months later she announced in a video message that tests had revealed the presence of cancer, and she would begin preventative chemotherapy.

Her office, Kensington Palace, has declined to give further details about the type of cancer or about her treatment, other than to say the preventative chemotherapy had begun in February.

In her message, Kate said on days when she felt well, it was "a joy to engage with school life, spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity". As part of that, she was starting to do work from home, and was able to hold some meetings.

"I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty," said the princess, who is often known by her maiden name Kate Middleton. "Taking each day as it comes, listening to my body, and allowing myself to take this much needed time to heal."

A new photo of the princess was also released to coincide with her message, showing Kate looking well dressed in a jacket and jeans, standing under a tree on the Windsor estate to the west of London, where the family home is located.

Her illness has coincided with that of Charles, 75, who has also been undergoing treatment for cancer. He returned to public duties in April, and has remained busy, although his diary commitments are being limited to minimise risks to his recovery.

The monarch was delighted to hear Kate was attending Saturday's parade, a royal source said. Kensington Palace also said William was pleased to see Kate starting to return to the work and projects that were so important to her.

"He will continue to focus his time on supporting his wife and children, while continuing to undertake his public duties," a spokesperson 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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Cricketer-Turned-MP Yusuf Pathan Gets Notice For Encroachment In Gujarat

The BJP-ruled Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) in Gujarat has issued a notice to former India cricketer and recently elected Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha MP from Baharampur Yusuf Pathan for allegedly encroaching on a plot of land the civic body said belongs to it.

While the notice was served to Mr Pathan on June 6, VMC's standing committee chairman Shital Mistry informed the media on Thursday after the issue was highlighted by former BJP corporator Vijay Pawar.

Talking to reporters earlier in the day, Mr Pawar had alleged that though the state government had rejected VMC's proposal to sell the plot to Mr Pathan in 2012, the newly elected MP had encroached on the plot by constructing a compound wall.

"I don't have any grudge against Yusuf Pathan. A plot in Tanadalja area under TP 22 is a residential plot owned by VMC. In 2012, Mr Pathan had demanded this plot from VMC because his house, which was under construction at that time, was adjacent to that plot. He had offered nearly Rs 57,000 per square meter," Mr Pawar told reporters.

The proposal was cleared by the VMC at that time and it was passed in the general board meeting. However, the state government, which is the final authority in such matters, did not give its approval, he said.

"Though the proposal was rejected, the VMC did not put up a fence around the plot. Then I came to know that Mr Pathan has encroached upon the plot by constructing a compound wall around it. Thus, I have asked the municipal corporation to conduct an inquiry," said Mr Pawar.

Mr Mistry confirmed the sequence of events leading to the state government not approving the sale of the 978 square metre plot to Mr Pathan and said a notice had been served to him for alleged encroachment.

"Recently, we received some representations about him constructing a compound wall. Thus, on June 6, we served a notice to Mr Pathan and asked him to remove all the encroachments. We will wait for a couple of weeks and then we will decide further course of action. This land belongs to VMC and we will claim it back," Mr Mistry asserted.

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

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Doctor Stumped By Family Member's Illness, Maid Diagnoses It In 10 Seconds

Cyriac Abby Philips, a Kerala-based hepatologist known online as 'The Liver Doc,' recently shared a humbling experience. Despite being a specialist, he encountered difficulty diagnosing a family member's illness. Standard medical tests proved inconclusive, leaving him frustrated.

"My adult family member had episodes of relentless low-grade fever with chills and crippling fatigue and arthritis and a weird rash and I tested everything from viral hepatitis to covid-19 to influenza and dengue and Ebstein Barr Virus and nothing came back positive and it was frustrating," he wrote on X.

As Dr Philips continued his research by consulting medical texts, his maid unexpectedly offered valuable insight.

My adult family member had episodes of relentless low grade fever with chills and crippling fatigue and arthritis and a weird rash and I tested everything from viral hepatitis to covid-19 to Influenza and Dengue and Ebstein Barr Virus and nothing came back positive and it was…

— TheLiverDoc (@theliverdr) June 13, 2024

"My elderly maid comes in and tells me she has seen this rash in her grandchildren and it's called 'Anjaampani' in the local language (5th Disease) and I don't have to worry and got checked for Parvovirus B19 and it came positive," Dr Philips wrote."17 years of medical school and a Harrisons on my lap and my elderly maid got it in like 10 seconds."

Medline Plus describes the fifth disease, also known as erythema infectiosum, as a viral infection caused by human parvovirus B19. It primarily affects children and is spread through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

The most recognizable symptom is a characteristic bright-red rash on the cheeks, often referred to as "slapped cheek syndrome." This rash can then spread to other parts of the body and may be accompanied by additional symptoms.

When social media users asked the doctor why he did not consult a general practitioner, he replied, "People do not understand that most times, nowadays, a 'GP' is not the GP that we expect these days. Half my time in outpatient is spent deprescribing medications unnecessarily given by so-called GPs and specialists. It is easy to virtue signal on social media, but the reality is far different. For me, the maid's diagnosis was extremely valuable and I did not have to take a day off to see a 'GP'."

Earlier this year, Dr Philips emerged as a hero when he acted swiftly to save a man's life in mid-air on an Akasa Air flight from Kochi to Mumbai. He is also known for his research efforts aimed at dispelling myths surrounding alternative medicine."

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No One Can Restrain Adults From Marrying As Per Their Will: High Court

The Allahabad High Court has quashed a kidnapping case against a man registered on the complaint of his wife's uncle after the couple eloped and said the judicial magistrate was wrong in sending the adult petitioner back to her parental home even when she had expressed fear for her life there.

"No one can restrain an adult from going anywhere that he or she likes, staying with a person of his/her choice, or solemnising marriage according to his/ her will or wish as this is a right which flows from Article 21 of the Constitution, which provides protection of life and personal liberty," the court observed.

The woman aged about 21 years had married the man according to Muslim rites in April 2024, regarding which the Telangana state waqf board issued a marriage certificate.

The woman's uncle lodged an FIR against her husband under section 363 (kidnapping) of IPC. Thereafter, the police not only arrested her husband but also took the woman into custody and handed her over to her uncle.

When the police produced the woman before the Magistrate to get her statement recorded under Section 164 CrPC, she categorically said that she had married the man of her own choice and that her husband had been implicated in the case falsely.

Subsequently, the couple jointly challenged the FIR before the high court.

A bench comprising justices JJ Munir and Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal said the judicial magistrate had sent the woman to her uncle's home despite her statement under section 164 of the criminal procedure code (CrPC), wherein she had expressed fear for her life if sent to her uncle/parent's home.

The court said that the judicial magistrate, before whom the first petitioner lady claimed that she feared for her life because her uncle had threatened to do her death, was duty bound to get an FIR registered against the uncle, besides taking adequate measures to secure the safety and life of the first petitioner.

Emphasising that the honour killing in such matters is not an unknown phenomenon", the court added that the Superintendent of Police, Siddharth Nagar and the Station House Officer, police station-Bansi, Siddharth Nagar district were equally answerable for not taking action against the woman's uncle by registering an appropriate FIR and safeguarding the woman's life and security.

While making the above observations, the court quashed the FIR against the husband.

In the decision dated June 7, the court also directed the officers concerned to ensure that her uncle or any other family member does not harm her in any manner.

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

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"Shameless": Pakistan Ace Slammed For Celebrating Personal Milestone

Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi was blasted on social media by fans, after he was seen enjoying a video of his own batting after Pakistan's loss to the USA in the ongoing 2024 T20 World Cup. Afridi had played a great cameo of 23 in 16 balls, including hitting two sixes, to take Pakistan to a total of 159 in 20 overs. However, a video of him - recorded on the TikTok application - went viral, where he is seen smiling at a video of his batting.

The video was seemingly recorded by someone close to Shaheen Afridi, as he's seen enjoying the clip in a casual manner.

Afridi caught flak for the video, with some fans pointing out that he had failed to take a wicket during the USA run chase.

What a shameless behaviour lol how can you watch a match in which you took zero wickets (your main role) and then make a tiktok about it pic.twitter.com/bGWSV8z7T6

— yang goi (@GongR1ght) June 8, 2024

"Shameless behaviour... how can you watch a match in which you took zero wickets (your main role) and then make a tiktok about it," said one angry fan.

Pakistan suffered defeat to USA after the match went to the Super Over. Afridi wasn't handed the ball for the Super Over. Instead, the returning Mohammad Amir bowled it, but conceded 18.

Afridi conceded 33 runs in his 4 overs.

The defeat to USA has left Pakistan in a precarious position in Group A of the 2024 T20 World Cup. USA are now on top of the group with two wins in as many games, thereby increasing the pressure on Pakistan ahead of their blockbuster game against arch rivals India.

To add to Pakistan's pressure, they play against India at the Nassau County International Stadium in New York, a stadium where India has already played twice and gotten used to the pitch conditions.

However, Pakistan's pace attack, comprising Afridi, Amir, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, are likely to found more assistance in the New York track.

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