Prince William Banned Meghan Markle From Wearing Princess Diana's Jewellery

A royal insider has revealed in an explosive new biography that Prince William banned Meghan Markle from wearing Princess Diana's jewellry during her wedding, as per a report in the Independent. The Prince of Wales, who proposed to Kate Middleton with his mother's engagement ring, is reported to have been anxious about Prince Harry's decision to marry Meghan Markle from the beginning of their relationship.

According to the report, he begged his 39-year-old younger brother to "cool the relationship" so the actress would have time to get used to life as a royal before committing entirely. These claims came from royal author Rob Jobson in his upcoming book, "Catherine, the Princess of Wales". He detailed how there were rifts in the Sussex and Wales' ties prior to Ms Markle formally joining the family in 2018.

"William, still concerned by the match, even sought assurances from the Queen that his brother's bride-to-be would not wear any jewellery in the collection once worn by Diana, Princess of Wales, even though his wife Catherine had been allowed to wear some, which would be due to her rank," he wrote in the book.

According to the book, the relationship between the brothers deteriorated even before Ms Markle became a member of the royal family. Mr Jobson said that William and Kate Middleton expressed concern about the speed at which Harry and Ms Markle were progressing, which only made their already tumultuous relationship worse when Harry brought the former actress to meet them.

The author wrote, "Harry claimed that the goodwill from William and Catherine disappeared long before the build-up to his wedding. William had confided to his brother that he believed it would be better to give Meghan more time to adjust to the royal way of life and suggested he cool the relationship."

"Harry felt affronted and judged it to be an insult. As a direct result, his relationship with his brother deteriorated fast. According to Harry's book 'Spare,' William physically attacked him," he added.

One of the book's other shocking revelations included that Ms Markle's relationship with Prince William and Princess of Wales didn't start out well because she "ignored the royal hierarchy." "She had not so much stepped on royal toes as stamped on them," Mr Jobson wrote.

"When Meghan, who had forgotten her lip gloss, asked to borrow Catherine's, the duchess was 'taken aback' but reluctantly handed it to her. According to Harry, she 'grimaced' after Meghan had squeezed some onto her finger and applied it to her lips," he wrote.

Less than a year ago, when Prince Harry's memoir 'Spare' was released, it shocked the world. The book talked about the extent of division between Harry and his brother Prince William. Some of the revelations included how Prince William, heir to the British royal throne, allegedly pushed Harry to the ground in 2019 and how the once-close brothers persuaded their father not to marry the Queen Consort, Camilla.

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Late-Night Traffic Chaos In Delhi Due To Heavy Rain. See Affected Areas

Severe waterlogging and heavy traffic jams were reported in Delhi today after persistent rainfall. A 'red' warning was issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) after the national capital recorded over 100 millimeters of rainfall within an hour.

Though no official statement has been made by the weather office, according to IMD, 100 millimeters of rainfall within an hour is defined as a "cloud burst."

The Pragati Maidan area recorded 112.5 mm of rain within an hour, causing widespread waterlogging in low-lying areas.

Heavy traffic has been reported across the national capital with some areas reporting severe congestion. Major disruptions have been reported from Kashmere Gate, Rajinder Nagar and the Qutub Minar area.

Due to water logging near the Qutub Minar metro station area, traffic has been majorly affected in both carriageways of Anuvrat Marg.

Major traffic jams have also been reported from Guru Ravi Das Marg on both carriageways due to the falling of a tree near Tank Road Chowk.

The Outer Ring Road, especially the stretch from Chirag Delhi to Nehru Place, has seen major traffic congestions due to waterlogging under the Savitri flyover, according to reports.

Mahatma Gandhi Marg has also been majorly impacted due to the waterlogging at Nigam Bodh Ghat, leading to traffic being rerouted from Chandgi Ram Akhara.

Near Delhi University's North Campus area, visuals from Kamla Nagar show waterlogged streets and vehicles partially submerged in water. Streets near Connaught Place are also suffering from severe waterlogging.

Delhi's Lieutenant Governor has "cautioned all officers to remain alert" and ensure minimum inconvenience to people amid the ongoing heavy rainfall.

With Inputs From PTI, ANI

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"I Am Getting Targeted": Vikas Divyakirti Amid Row Over Basement Deaths

Amid the Delhi civic body's crackdown on coaching institutes for violating norms after the deaths of three IAS aspirants in Old Rajinder Nagar due to drowning on Tuesday, founder and MD of Drishti IAS, Dr. Vikas Divyakirti, said there are more than 1000 coaching institutions in the national capital but not one has a no objection certificate (NOC) from the fire department.

Explaining the complexities, he said the fire department argues that since the building is commercial, the certificate should be for commercial purposes, while MCD demands for an educational certificate.

The incident occurred at Rau's Study Circle in Old Rajinder Nagar on Saturday evening after heavy rains.

In an interview with ANI, Mr Divyakirti said that they had a meeting with the Delhi LG on Tuesday. Some students had also come to that meeting and there were also owners of many institutes. There were also top officials of the Delhi government, from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the fire department, and the Chief Secretary.

"When we ask for the certificate from the fire department, they ask us to come through the MCD or DDA. We discussed this in the meeting today. The fire department has assured us that they will make a system through which we can take the certificate directly from them. Even if we get the certificate from the fire department, it is mentioned in it that since the building is commercial, the certificate is also for commercial purposes. MCD says that they want an educational certificate. To the best of my knowledge, not even one educational institution has an educational building certificate. Only colleges, schools, and universities get this. This also happened because before 2020, according to the DDA, we were not in the educational category; we were in the commercial category. According to GST, coaching institutes still come in the commercial category," he said.

He said that even if they get permission in the future to run the institute in the basement, they will not work and will also try to ensure that not a single coaching institute should run in the basement.

Pointing to the contradiction in the norms of the DDA, MCD and Delhi Fire Department, he said, "Why are we not getting the NOC? DDA believes that this is the work of MCD and MCD says that this is the work of DDA. MCD has written many letters to DDA, and DDA has also replied to various letters and even said that they don't have the documents and you have to see them. In the last meeting in the High Court, the DDA said for the first time that they were giving the rights to the MCD, and now the MCD in the hearing that is scheduled to take place on Wednesday may give us permission."

Notably, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has sealed the basements of several coaching institutes in the national capital in a crackdown on "illegally run establishments".

"We completely agree that the basement should be sealed. But Delhi Metro runs in the basement, underground, and Palika Bazar is in the basement itself. Almost every mall in Delhi has very big shopping complexes in the basement because the basement has been built properly," he said.

Agreeing that coaching centres should not be run in the basement, he said, "I am saying on record that we have submitted the complete layout structure of the basement to MCD, DDA, and the fire department for NOC, and there has been no rejection from there till now. But despite this, after seeing the incident that happened in the last 3 days, I feel that this was carelessness. The thought never came to our minds, and I am saying very openly that even if we get permission in future, we will not work in the basement. I assure you of this and not a single coaching institute should run in the basement."

When asked about why he is being targeted in the coaching centre tragedy, Mr Divyakirti said that everyone wants a scapegoat as it makes things easier for the administration.

"I am getting targeted because, in such cases, everyone wants a scapegoat. It makes things easier for the administration, they think they are safe; they let that one person suffer, and even society feels that they have got the accused...The students are going through an emotional turmoil, and the reason for their anger is why I did not stand with them...The sealing action took place in more than 50 institutes, one of which is ours," he said.

Speaking on why he hasn't shared any opinions till now, the founder of Drishti IAS said that it is his nature and he's not very expressive.

"This is my nature, I'm not very expressive. 3 children died, and it was a painful death. For the last 3 days, whenever we talk at home or I go to sleep, an image comes to mind of what those children must have gone through when the water was filled inside...All the things said by the students who are protesting right now are valid. It is good that I have met 3-4 students today. I had a meeting with the Delhi LG. Some students had also come to that meeting, and there were also owners of many institutes. There were also top officials of the Delhi government, from DDA, MCD, fire department, and Chief Secretary," Mr Divyakirti 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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Opinion: Why Are So Many Tech Graduates In India Unemployable? It's The 'Cliff Effect'

A young tech graduate, full of potential, steps into the job market, only to find their skills outdated and their opportunities limited. This scenario is all too common in India, where despite substantial investments in higher education, a stark divide has emerged among students, particularly in the computer science stream. I call this phenomenon the 'Cliff Effect' as it highlights the precipitous drop in the quality of education beyond top-tier tech institutes like the IITs and IIScs. This 'cliff', which leaves many students underprepared and alienated from cutting-edge advancements, underscores the need for comprehensive reform in India's computer science education.

Squandering The Demographic Dividend

As much as 65% of India's population is under the age of 35. Yet, many lack the necessary skills required to function in a modern economy. According to the recent Economic Survey, just about half of India's youth is employable. Another report, by NASSCOM, flags a significant employability gap among engineering graduates in India. This gap has far-reaching implications, considering that India aims to become a $5 trillion economy by 2025. 

The quality of computer science education across many Indian institutions is far from what's needed in today's job market. Universities do not update their syllabi frequently, leaving students unprepared for the demands of the industry. The lack of experiential learning and hands-on training further exacerbates the problem. Compounding all these issues is the stagnant entry-level pay offered by some major IT companies in India. Despite the industry's growth, salaries have seen little change over the years. For instance, one major company's campus placement offer was just about Rs 3.5 lakh per annum, compared to an average of Rs 4.15 lakh per annum a decade ago. The stagnation indicates the lack of value ascribed to fresh graduates.

India, all in all, needs a systemic overhaul in education and industry practices.

Beyond Just 'Coding'

Knowing how to code is no longer enough. Thanks to AI, the job landscape is evolving rapidly, and employers in the coming years will seek candidates with deep domain knowledge and an interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving. This shift will be crucial because technology alone cannot drive innovation; it must be complemented by a thorough understanding of the domain in which it is applied. Only then can solutions be developed to effectively address real-world problems.

For instance, a coder with a deep understanding of agriculture can design AI-driven solutions to optimise crop yields, manage pest control, and predict weather patterns, thereby enhancing productivity and sustainability in the agricultural sector. Similarly, a coder who understands pedagogy can develop advanced learning platforms that cater to diverse educational needs, personalise learning experiences, and track student progress effectively.

India stands to benefit significantly from computer scientists who possess interdisciplinary skills and don't rely solely on technical knowledge. In that light, integrating interdisciplinary courses in computer science education is important to foster a holistic understanding of technology and its impact on society. It is essential that the next generation of technologists embodies responsible and trustworthy AI values and is aware of and actively addressing challenges like privacy, security, and other ethical concerns. 

An Interdisciplinary Framework

To build an interdisciplinary approach to India's computer science education, it is essential to foster collaborations between universities, industry experts, and policymakers to ensure that the curriculum is both relevant and future-proof. Universities should design programmes that include mandatory courses on ethics, data privacy, cybersecurity, and AI. Incorporating case studies and practical examples from various industries can help students grasp the real-world applications of their technical skills.

Practical training should be a cornerstone of this interdisciplinary approach. Internships, live projects, and workshops should be mandatory components. Establishing partnerships with other academic departments can promote cross-disciplinary projects, fostering a holistic understanding of technology's impact on different fields. Additionally, universities should create platforms for students to engage with industry professionals through guest lectures, mentorship programmes, and industry-led workshops.

Mozilla Foundation's Responsible Computing Challenge in India (RCC), backed by USAID, exemplifies this approach. It funds and supports the development of curricula that combine computer science with ethics, social sciences, and interdisciplinary knowledge. The RCC aims to revolutionise the teaching of technology and computer science by embedding responsible computing practices into the education system. By integrating ethics and interdisciplinary approaches into computer science curricula, RCC fosters a more inclusive computational future, as well as a culture of ethical innovation. 

Breaking The Status Quo

Building an interdisciplinary approach in computer science education is fraught with challenges. One significant obstacle is the institutional framework, which often clings to the status quo. Many institutions are resistant to reform. While most educators are dedicated to providing the best for their students, a substantial number also harbour a "this-is-how-we-have-always-done-it" attitude, which hinders progress and innovation. 

Additionally, there is a crucial need to convince parents to think beyond traditional programmes. Many parents, understandably, want their kids to follow 'safe bet', conventional career paths over more innovative and interdisciplinary fields. Changing this mindset is vital for students to have diverse educational experiences that equip them with the skills needed for the complexities of the modern workforce.

(Jibu Elias is an AI ethicist, activist, researcher, and currently the Country Lead (India) for the Responsible Computing Challenge at Mozilla Foundation)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

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Indian Influencer Under Fire For Mocking Chinese Locals: "Racist, Uncouth"

Jaspreet Kaur Dyora, a social media influencer from India, is facing criticism online for her disrespectful behaviour while travelling in China. A video posted by Ms Kaur shows her roaming the streets of China and mocking the locals by passing derogatory and rude comments in Hindi. 

The video begins with Ms Kaur saying, “Jaise aap log corona de sakte ho world ko, toh kya mein aapko trauma de sakti hu? (Just like how you gave the world corona, can I give you trauma in exchange?)''

Ms Kaur's comments in the video include asking a food vendor about the type of animal they slaughtered, inquiring about the quality of a bridge because it's "made in China," and asking people if they're wearing knock-off brands. She asks them if they are from Sarojini Nagar, as they could be seen wearing a ''Gucci copy.''. 

This video was shared in March, though it has gone viral now.

Here's the video:

The video has faced severe backlash, with netizens calling out her behaviour as ''offensive'' and ''racist''. Many expressed disappointment, stating that there's a thin line between being funny and being disrespectful and accused her of defaming India. 

One user wrote, ''Why do some people want to act like this and bring shame to others? I don't understand.''

Another wrote, ''This makes me sad to see this type of content. There is a thin line between being funny and disrespectful. This might get you lots of engagement for sure, but it won't last long as a person. They are the sweetest people. Sorry from India.''

A third said, ''These words are harassment, and it is criminal offence, you will be charged if someone report to Indian police or Chinese police.'' A fourth stated, ''These type of influencers do more harm than good. Totally racist and uncouth way to treat random people for no reason and film them.''

A fifth added, ''This is not good. Disrespecting other human being in their own country. If someone from Europe does the same in India, how would we feel?''

 

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Air Canada Flight Cancelled After Staff's Meltdown Over Blanket Request

An Air Canada flight from Morocco to Montreal was cancelled on Friday morning following an altercation between a passenger and a flight attendant. According to the New York Post, the argument occurred when a passenger requested a blanket due to excessive air conditioning, which enraged the flight attendant. She yelled at the passenger, called the police, and asked the passenger to disembark.

The flight attendant was heard shouting in French, ''You will behave or we will get off! I'll tell the captain right away. Yes or no?'' 

When a passenger asked the flight attendant to call the captain, she refused and said, ''I don't want any bullying against my crew.'' She then stormed up the aisle, turned around and shouted, ''Everyone behaves! Be quiet … or you're getting off.''

In support of the passenger, other passengers onboard also left the flight, leading to the cancellation. Flight radar data shows that flight AC73 was taxiing to the runway before returning to the terminal.

Here's the video:

Stress levels are quite high in the sky these days : An Air Canada flight from Casablanca (CMN) to Montreal (YUL) was canceled due to the inappropriate behavior of a flight attendant on July 26, 2024.

The Airbus A330-343 aircraft (C-GHLM) did the taxi aiming a departure while… pic.twitter.com/h3s4fbGF5A

— FL360aero (@fl360aero) July 27, 2024

Air Canada confirmed that the flight was cancelled, with a different crew brought in to take the passengers to their destination on Sunday. The airline stated that they are taking the incident seriously and will take appropriate action. They also apologised to their customers and offered compensation for the inconvenience.

A representative for Air Canada added, ''We take this issue extremely seriously. It is being reviewed, and we will take the right action. We apologize to our customers and deeply regret that their experience today fell far short of what they have come to expect when flying with Air Canada.''

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Anand Mahindra's Big Shoutout To Rapper Sooraj Cherukat: ''Extraordinary''

Industrialist Anand Mahindra, who is quite active on X, regularly posts about trending topics and engaging stories, for his 11.2 million followers. The 68-year-old businessman also shares inspiring stories of people who have achieved great success in their respective fields. He recently expressed his admiration for Indo-American rapper Sooraj Cherukat, who has been making waves with his ''authentic sound and his extraordinary, raw videos.''

Mr Mahindra praised the Kerala-born artist's recent performance called ''Big Dawgs'', which has taken the internet by storm, creating a massive buzz and garnering millions of views. He also shared a screenshot from the video that shows the rapper riding a car inside the infamous ''Well of Death'', a heart-stopping stunt. 

''Have posted recently about astonishingly talented young women of Indian origin making waves in indigenous American music genres. Now here's Sooraj Cherukat, @Hanumankind1 @hanumankind (Insta) who's rapping his way to global recognition,'' he said. 

''Rap may not be for everyone, but this guy from Kerala & now Bengaluru via Texas is popping eyes across to U.S. for his authentic sound & his extraordinary, raw videos. Especially his latest: Big Dawgs, which features the Well of Death. Seems like there's no form of music young Indian trailbreakers can't cross into,'' he added. 

Mr Mahindra also shared a YouTube link to Sooraj Cherukat's viral hit posted on July 10, which has garnered an impressive 4.1 million views. The rapper dedicated the powerful song to the unsung heroes who risk their lives daily to make a living. 

Watch the video here:

Have posted recently about astonishingly talented young women of Indian origin making waves in indigenous American music genres.

Now here's Sooraj Cherukat, @Hanumankind1 @hanumankind (Insta) who's rapping his way to global recognition.

Rap may not be for everyone, but this… pic.twitter.com/4udUHqSjHK

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) July 28, 2024

Internet users thanked him for spotlighting emerging talent and celebrated the global recognition of Indian artists. Reacting to his post, one user wrote, ''Thanks for highlighting the talented youths. You are a great person with a positive outlook and encouraging talent.''

Another said, ''Indians will rule the world.'' A third commented, ''Wonderful tune... I still need to understand the lyrics, but Wonderful rap and video!!''

A fourth added, ''Sir.. you always find something new for us.''

A few days back, he gave a shoutout to Pranysqa Mishra, a 9-year-old girl of Indian descent, who won over the judges on America's Got Talent with her stunning singing skills. 

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"Excited For Future Collaborations": Gautam Adani Meets FedEx CEO

Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, on Monday had an "insightful meeting" with FedEx CEO Rajesh Subramaniam, adding that he is "excited" about future collaborations with the global logistics company.

In a post on X, Gautam Adani appreciated Subramaniam for visiting Mundra to see the Group's world-class Port and Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

"Proud to see an Indian at the helm of a top company revolutionising global logistics through digital innovation," said the Adani Group Chairman.

Just had an insightful meeting with FedEx CEO Rajesh Subramaniam. Appreciate him visiting Mundra to see our world-class Port and Special Economic Zone. Proud to see an Indian at the helm of a top company revolutionizing global logistics through digital innovation.… pic.twitter.com/iurl6haqx5

— Gautam Adani (@gautam_adani) July 29, 2024

Gautam Adani further said that the FedEx CEO's vision is truly inspiring, adding that he is "excited for future collaborations".

Subramaniam said recently that India is a key market for the company as its GDP continues to grow amid robust talent and digital transformation. FedEx recently launched its advanced capability community in India that will serve as a hub for the company's technological and digital innovation.

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

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"We'll Remember This Day": Harmanpreet After India's Asia Cup Final Loss

A distraught India captain Harmanpreet Kaur admitted that there is room for a lot of improvement before the upcoming T20 World Cup and her team won't easily forget the eight-wicket humbling at the hands of Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final here on Sunday. India scored a decent 165 for 6 but rival skipper Chamari Athapaththu (62) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (69 not out) were severe on the visiting bowlers, finishing the match in 18.4 overs. The women's T20 World Cup will be held in Bangladesh later this October.

“We are looking to improve in some areas. We will definitely work hard and remember this day. They have played such good cricket for so long and they played good cricket throughout this tournament,” Harmanpreet said at the post-match presentation ceremony on Sunday.

She admitted that her side's bowling didn't work as per plans with hardly any breakthroughs to show for their efforts.

“We played good cricket throughout the tournament and, no doubt, we made a lot of fumbles today and that cost us.

“It was a decent total, we were looking for breakthroughs in the powerplay but it didn't go according to plan and Sri Lanka batted really well,” the India skipper added.

Her Lankan counterpart Athapaththu was delighted after the island nation's first major success in women's international cricket.

“I am really happy about our team performance, especially the batting performances, especially Harshitha and Dilhari.

“We have played really good cricket in the last 12 months and we want to continue it. Never saw such a crowd, so special thanks go to the Sri Lankan people who came out to watch the game.

“This win is good not only for the team but the whole Sri Lanka because we have to inspire the next generation,” Chamari said.

Athapaththu played the most important knock of her life while anchoring the chase.

“I have to lead from the front, that's my duty for my country. We always talk about positive things in the dressing room, for which the credit goes to the head coach and the support staff. Our next target is the (T20) World Cup,” she concluded.

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

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PM, Biren Singh's First Face-To-Face On Manipur Violence: Sources

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his ongoing visit to Delhi. Mr Singh and PM Modi had discussed the situation in the state that was hit massive ethnic violence last year, sources told NDTV amid much speculation over the meeting.

The Chief Minister is in Delhi for a special conclave of Chief Ministers from BJP-ruled states. But the 25-minute closed door session was specially scheduled to ensure that the state sticks to the Centre's peace plan for the state, sources said.

Union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh were also present for the meeting, but no officials from the Centre or the state attended it, sources said, underscoring its exclusivity.

The meeting comes amid massive Opposition pressure on the BJP over the Prime Minister's alleged silence on Manipur. Slogans of Manipur had rent Lok Sabha as the Opposition interrupted PM Modi's speech on the Motion of Thanks following President Droupadi Murmu's joint address for over two hours.

The BJP, though, has been especially focussed on Manipur after the two Lok Sabha seats in the northeastern state went to the Congress in the recent general election.

The meeting also comes on a day that Manipur governor Anusiya Uikey was removed and new Assam governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya was given additional charge of Manipur.

Over the last year, the clashes between the valley-dominant Meitei community and nearly two dozen tribes known as Kukis -- a term given by the British in colonial times -- who are dominant in some hill areas of Manipur, has killed over 220 people and internally displaced nearly 50,000.

The general category Meiteis want to be included under the Scheduled Tribes category, while the nearly two dozen tribes that share ethnic ties with people in neighbouring Myanmar's Chin State and Mizoram, want a separate administrative carved out of Manipur, citing discrimination and unequal share of resources and power with the Meiteis.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval meanwhile has gone to Myanmar, where ethnic pro-democracy rebels are fighting the junta. 40,000 Myanmar refugees living in Mizoram, and a few thousands in Manipur.

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Killer Whales Sink Yacht In Mediterranean Sea In Harrowing 2-Hour Attack

A $128,000 yacht was attacked and sunk by a group of killer whales in the Mediterranean Sea, leaving the crew in shock. According to New York Post, Robert Powell, 59, and his crew were just 22 hours into their 10-day trip from Vilamoura, Portugal, to Greece on Wednesday when they saw killer whales approaching them. 

The orcas, typically known for their intelligence and curiosity, began to exhibit aggressive behaviour, ramming the yacht with incredible force. The five orcas circled the 39-foot sailing boat and, in a coordinated assault, took turns ramming it to pieces around 8 p.m.

''To me, they were not playing at all, they knew exactly what they were doing. They knew the weak points of the boat, and they knew how to sink it. Their sole intention was to sink the boat, and that was it,'' Mr Powell, who was meant to be celebrating his birthday aboard the boat, said.

The pod of five first targeted the rudder, rendering the sailboat unable to steer after approximately 15 strikes. The orcas then broke apart and systematically attacked distinct parts of the boat's exterior, with one concentrating on the keel, another on the stern, and the others targeting other vulnerable areas.

''They were circling. It was like watching wolves hunt. They were taking it in turns to come in — sometimes two would come in at the same time and hit it. So obviously pretty terrifying,'' Mr Powell added. 

The crew, caught off guard by the ferocity of the assault, attempted to steer the vessel away from the whales, but their efforts were in vain. The orcas seemed determined to sink the yacht, displaying an unusual level of aggression.

Fortunately, a Spanish salvage vessel intervened, evacuating the crew just moments before the sailboat plunged 130 feet into the Mediterranean, disappearing beneath the waves.

Killer whales are known for their complex social structures and typically do not exhibit unprovoked aggression towards human vessels. While there have been reports of orcas interacting with boats, such extreme behaviour is rare. Some experts speculate that the attack could have been triggered by environmental stressors, changes in their habitat, or even previous negative encounters with boats.

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Woman Gym Trainer, 21, Killed Inside Delhi Flat

A 21-year-old woman was killed inside a flat in Delhi this evening. The woman, a gym trainer, was found unconscious inside the flat when the police reached there.

She was later declared dead.

The police got a call this evening after which it reached the flat in the Pochanpur colony of Dwarka.

The accused, a 24-year-old man, was arrested from the flat, police said. The accused and victim are from Assam and knew each other, they said.

As per the initial investigation, the man killed Sneha Nath over some dispute. He first attacked the woman with a knife and then strangled her. During the scuffle, the accused Raj injured himself, police said.

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Ex-India Selector Pinpoints Gambhir's Biggest Challenge, Says "You Need..."

Gautam Gambhir's key task as India head coach will be man-management and not coaching a bunch of talented players in their respective skills, said former player and ex-chief selector Sandeep Patil on Friday. Gambhir is set to start his tenure with a limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka comprising three T20Is and as many ODIs, with the first game in the shortest format set to be played on Saturday. "I don't think his job is to coach the Indian team. His job is to help the Indian team,” Patil told PTI Videos in an exclusive interview here.

“That's how it works at the top level. You need player management. That will be the challenge for Gambhir.” “He has done it and I am sure he will continue to do the same with the Indian cricket team," said Patil on the sidelines of an event organised by Shrachi Rajasthan Tigers.

Patil, a member of India's World Cup winning team in 1983, hoped Gambhir will continue to have success at international level after excelling in the IPL.

"Gambhir had done an exceptional job as a coach for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL. I hope that he continues to help the Indian team in the same way,” he added.

Patil backed senior India players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who retired from the T20 internationals after winning the World Cup last month, to continue featuring in the other formats for a long run.

"Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are still doing extremely well and there is no question of an Indian team without them. I wish the Indian team all the best wherever they are playing and whatever tournament they are playing, they are bound to do exceedingly well,” he said.

"Surya comes from Mumbai and is a very dear friend of mine. He has been given the captaincy and he deserved it. I wish him all the best,” he said about India's newest T20I captain.

Patil said cricket has made significant progress in India since the country's maiden title triumph in 1983.

“Like every Indian, I wish the Indian cricket team good luck. I am happy that I am part of 1983 and the progress the Indian team has made over the years has been commendable,” he said.

Patil said it is important for India to be a contender in all sports.

"Cricket has changed over time, so has coaching and the approach to sports. We need to ensure India can become a contender in all sports and all avenues of sports,” he 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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Paris Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony: When And Where To Watch Live

Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony Live Streaming, Telecast: The Paris Olympics 2024 will officially get underway on Friday with a grand opening ceremony, which will be held at the River Seine in the French capital. For the first time ever, the opening ceremony will be held outside a stadium, instead the city of Paris will be turned into a grand arena. Veteran table tennis veteran Achanta Sharath Kamal and ace shuttler and two-time medallist PV Sindhu will be India's flag bearers for the opening ceremony. Sharath Kamal was selected as India's flagbearer in March this year but Sindhu was named as the female flagbearer earlier this month.

As far as the Opening Ceremony is concerned, almost 100 boats carrying an estimated 10,500 athletes will float along the Seine during the parade.

Majority of the 206 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) represented in the parade will have boats to themselves, while the smaller ones will share boats.

When will the Paris Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony take place?

The Paris Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony will take place on Friday, July 26.

Where will the Paris Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony take place?

The Paris Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony will take place at the River Seine, Paris.

What time will the Paris Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony start?

The Paris Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony is expected to start at 11:30 PM IST.

Which TV channels will telecast the Paris Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony?

The Paris Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony will be telecasted on Sports 18.

Where to follow the live streaming of the Paris Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony?

The Paris Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony will be streamed live for free on Jio Cinema.

(All the details are as per the information provided by the broadcaster)

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Deadly Rat Disease Spreads to Humans, Kills 4 In US

A health alert has been issued in the state of Arizona, in the United States, after a rodent-borne hantavirus killed four people. The virus spreads to humans through droplets from the urine, saliva, or faeces of the rats.

From January to July, the Arizona Department of Health Services documented seven instances of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, a serious and occasionally lethal respiratory disease.

Two cases related to this deadly virus have also been found in California. The virus, primarily carried by deer mice in the Grand Canyon State, causes symptoms such as fever, headache, and muscle pain, which can rapidly progress to difficulty breathing. While hantavirus is not spread from person to person, it can occur in various regions and is not limited to a specific area.

According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hantaviruses are a family of viruses spread mainly by rodents and can cause varied disease syndromes in people worldwide. This can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), the CDC website says.

Symptoms:

Hantavirus symptoms start with fatigue, fever, muscle aches, headaches, chills, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Late symptoms include coughing and shortness of breath, with a 38% mortality rate for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) symptoms appear 1-8 weeks post-exposure, causing headaches, pain, fever, chills, nausea, and blurred vision. Severe cases may lead to low blood pressure, shock, vascular leakage, and kidney failure. Recovery can take weeks or months.

Treatment:

The CDC says there is no specific treatment, cure, or vaccine for hantavirus infection. However, if the infected are recognised early on and are provided medical care in an intensive care unit, they may do better. In intensive care, patients are intubated and given oxygen therapy to help them through the period of severe respiratory distress.

Prevention:

According to the Centres for Disease Control, rodent control is the primary necessity to prevent hantavirus infections. Contact with rodent urine, droppings, saliva, and nesting materials should be avoided when cleaning rodent-infested areas.

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"5 Decades To Realise Mistake": Court On Staff Barred From Joining RSS

The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Thursday said it took the Union government nearly five decades to realise that an "internationally renowned" organisation like Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was wrongly placed in the list of organisations banned for government employees.

The HC's remark came while a bench of Justices Sushruta Arvind Dharmadhikari and Gajendra Singh disposed of the writ petition of retired Central government employee Purushottam Gupta.

Gupta had filed a petition in the High Court on September 19 last year challenging the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules as well as the office memorandums of the Centre that were preventing the participation of government employees in the activities of the Sangh.

"The court laments the fact that it took almost five decades for the Central government to realise its mistake; to acknowledge that an internationally renowned organisation like RSS was wrongly placed amongst the banned organisations of the country and that its removal therefrom is quintessential," the bench said.

"Aspirations of many Central government employees of serving the countries in many ways, therefore, got diminished in these five decades because of this ban, which got removed only when it was brought to the notice of this court vide the present proceedings," the HC further said.

The bench directed the Union government's Department of Personnel and Training and the Ministry of Home Affairs to publicly display on the home page of their official website the July 9 office memorandum through which the ban on government employees from joining Sangh activities was lifted.

"In the fitness of things, therefore, we direct the Department of Personnel and Training and Ministry of Home Affairs, GOI to display publicly on the Home Page of its Official Website the contents and copy of the circular /OM dated 9th July, 2024 as filed in the present petition," it said.

"This is to ensure public knowledge and information about the issuance of the said circular/ OM. Besides the above, within 15 days of the judgement of this Court, the circular /OM dated 9th July, 2024 is also directed to be transmitted to all the departments and undertakings of the Central Government across India," the HC added.

Speaking to PTI. Indore-based petitioner Gupta, who retired from the Central Warehousing Corporation in 2022, said, "I am happy with the Centre's decision to lift the ban on participation of government employees in Sangh activities. It will now become easier for thousands of people like me to join the RSS."

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

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Centre Criticises Kerala For Appointing Official For "External Cooperation"

State governments should not intrude into matters beyond their constitutional jurisdiction, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday criticising the Kerala government for appointing a secretary for "external cooperation".

Citing provisions in the Constitution, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that matters relating to foreign affairs are the "sole prerogative" of the central government.

On July 15, the Kerala government issued an order giving K Vasuki, secretary in the labour and skills department, the additional charge of "the matters connected with external cooperation".

"The Constitution of India under the seventh schedule, list 1 (or the) Union list, item 10, clearly specifies that foreign affairs and all matters which bring the Union into relation with any foreign country, are the sole prerogative of the Union Government," Jaiswal said.

"It is not a concurrent subject and definitely not a state subject. Our position is that state governments should not intrude into matters that are beyond their constitutional jurisdiction," he said.

On Monday, BJP parliamentarian P P Chaudhary raised the issue in Lok Sabha and described the Kerala government's action as "unconstitutional" and an "encroachment" on the responsibilities of the Centre.

"Is the Kerala government treating itself as a separate nation," he asked.

The BJP lawmaker said external cooperation meant dealing with various nations, Indian embassies and missions abroad, functions that formed part of the Union List as per the allocation of business rules.

"As per the allocation of business rules, these functions can only be performed by the Government of India through the Ministry of External Affairs," the MP from Pali in Rajasthan said.

"So, the action on the part of Kerala government by issuing such an order and appointing an IAS officer as foreign secretary is unconstitutional, and it is an encroachment on the union list," he 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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"Pak Army Officers Touched Nawaz Sharif's Knees...": Son-In-Law's Big Claim

Pakistan's powerful army sent its officers to London in 2022 to convince former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to return to the country to "save" it from destruction under Imran Khan's regime, the ruling PML-N supremo's son-in-law claimed on Wednesday.

Nawaz, 74, had returned from London in October last year after spending four years in self-imposed exile on medical grounds. Upon his arrival, he was acquitted in all the cases he was facing including the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case in which he was serving a seven-year imprisonment before leaving for the UK.

"The Army had gone to London (in 2022) and touched the knees of Nawaz Sharif and requested him to come to Pakistan and save it from the destruction of (former prime minister) Imran Khan," Capt Muhammad Safdar (retd.) while addressing party workers of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). He said when Nawaz returned to become prime minister for the fourth time then the powerful circles (a reference to the powerful military) decided against it.

"To stop him from becoming the premier they ensured that Nawaz lost the election from NA-15 Mansehra," he said and chided the Election Commission of Pakistan for manipulating the result of Nawaz, a three-time former prime minister.

Interestingly, Nawaz had won Lahore's seat in the February 8 general election which Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf alleged that he had also lost this seat but the ECP declared him successful in the country's worst-ever rigged polls.

Nawaz himself had admitted that he was a candidate to become premier but his party failed to get a simple majority therefore it was decided that his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif should be made the prime minister.

The PTI has alleged that the PML-N had won only six per cent seats of the National Assembly and the military establishment gifted dozens of its winning seats after getting the results changed through ECP to the PML-N so that its puppet setup led by Shehbaz Sharif could come to power and serve its interests.

PML-N sources said that Nawaz had agreed not to contest for the Prime Minister's slot after the military establishment offered him to make his daughter Maryam Nawaz Punjab Chief Minister.

The powerful Army, which has ruled the coup-prone country for more than half of its 75-plus years of existence, has hitherto wielded considerable power in the matters of security and foreign policy. 

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

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"Firing Should Scare Salman Khan": Lawrence Bishnoi's Brother Told Shooter

Fire shots in such a manner that it scares Bollywood superstar Salman Khan -- this was the blunt, one-line message given by jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's younger brother Anmol to one of the gunmen involved in the shooting outside the actor's Mumbai home, police said in a chargesheet filed in the case.

The Mumbai police's crime branch, probing the sensational firing case, earlier this month filed a 1,735-page chargesheet before the special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court.

Conspiracy of firing at the actor's house was hatched with the intention of establishing a stronghold and supremacy in the country's financial capital with the aim of getting pecuniary and other advantages for the Bishnoi gang, according to the chargesheet.

The chargesheet included various investigation papers incorporated in three volumes. One such document is the transcript of an audio chat between Anmol Bishnoi and arrested shooter Vickykumar Gupta.

In one of the conversations, Anmol Bishnoi is heard instructing Gupta to carry out the firing thoughtfully and everywhere, even if it takes more than a minute and should be done in such a manner that it scares 'Bhai' (Salman Khan), the chargesheet said.

Further, he asks Gupta if he smokes. When the latter replies in the affirmative, Anmol Bishnoi tells him to smoke while firing so that he comes across as a fearless individual in CCTV cameras installed in the area, according to the voluminous police document.

"You will create history by doing this job and your name will be there in all newspapers and other media," it said, citing their conversation.

Two motorbike-borne individuals, Gupta and Sagar Pal, had fired multiple shots outside Mr Khan's home in Galaxy Apartment in Bandra on the morning of April 14.

The two, along with three others -- Sonukumar Bishnoi, Mohammad Rafiq Choudhary and Harpal Singh -- are currently in judicial custody in connection with the case.

Lawrence Bishnoi, Anmol and one Rawtaran Bishnoi have been shown as wanted accused in the chargesheet. 

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

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"Every State Benefits...": Minister On "Discriminatory" Budget Charge

Union Minister Hardeep Puri on Tuesday dismissed the opposition's charge that the Budget 2024 was "discriminatory" and handed out special treatment to states run by supporting parties. "Every state in the country benefits from the central government schemes," he said in an exclusive interview with NDTV.

"I want to say that they (opposition) should read the Budget very carefully. They should also hear what the Finance Minister said. When you talk about Purvodaya, that is for the eastern (region), Bihar is not the only state in the east, there are other states in the east which will benefit. Now in the case of Bihar, it's not about problems arising inside the state but also problems arising from Nepal. So if the central government helps Bihar vis-a-vis trying to solve the problem of flooding in Nepal, how is that discrimination against other states? So many states have benefitted from the central assistance. I could drop calculations for you how every state in the country benefits from the central government schemes, the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas said.

Purvodaya is a plan for the development of the eastern region.

The INDIA bloc parties on Tuesday decided that they will protest in Parliament and outside over "discrimination" against the opposition-ruled states in the Union Budget. All Congress Chief Ministers and DMK boss and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin will also be boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting scheduled for July 27 to protest the Budget.

Mr Puri appealed to "all his friends in the opposition" to "read the Budget and the related Budget document, the annexure, and you will come to the conclusion that you have to pick on some better point for criticism than this because you will be laughed out of court if you only go on harping on this".

Earlier, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman rebutted the allegations of the Opposition parties, saying "Rs 1.5 lakh crore assistance" has been promised for all states in the Budget.

"We get proposals for all states and try to finance their projects following due process," she said.

If some of the energy and security issues can be sorted out through small (nuclear) reactors, that's a very good area for the government and the states and the private sector to explore. So, we should welcome that development.

Hardeep Puri also listed out proposals in the Budget that would benefit the middle class amid criticism from some sections that not much relief was given to them.

"The issues of the middle class are addressed in many ways. If you address the issue of urban transport, that benefits the middle class. If you do Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana of 1 crore houses in an urban sector that again helps the middle class, including some below the middle class. If you build more airports, it helps the middle class. If you are spending 11.1 lakh crore on capital expenditure that is increasing by 30 per cent every year, again you are helping the middle class," he said/

"The tax element is one that gets a lot of focus, people say relief should be more but there is relief. For instance, the slab which was for Rs 6-9 lakh has now become Rs 7-10 lakh and Rs 3-6 lakh has become 3-7 lakh, so there is relief. If you simplify the TDS for instance, if you simplify the GST slab, it helps the traders. Study the Budget in its totality, look at the provisions, see how each of these provisions works out, and you will get a pretty good idea of how it is producing a feel-good factor," he added.

Ms Sitharaman on Tuesday announced a marginal income tax relief for the middle class, by raising standard deduction - a flat deduction from the total salary earned by an employee in a year before calculating the applicable income tax rate - by 50 per cent to Rs 75,000 and tweaking tax slabs for taxpayers opting for the new income tax regime.

This will lead to taxpayers under the new tax regime - which offers lower rates of taxes but permits limited deductions and exemptions - saving up to Rs 17,500 in tax annually, she said.

Minister Puri also praised the proposals on job creation, and programmes on re-skilling and internship: "It's a very innovative programme. Apart from the announcement of creating 4.1 lakh crore jobs, you are also giving 1 crore of our youngsters an internship with a stipend of Rs 5,000 a month in 500 of our biggest companies. Now the very exposure for a youngster in a top-class company itself is an education."

Ms Sitharaman in her seventh straight budget, besides providing Rs 2 lakh crore provided over a five-year period for schemes and initiatives to facilitate employment, skilling and other opportunities for 4.1 crore youth, made a provision of Rs 1.48 lakh crore for education, employment and skilling.

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"It Happened When I Was In My 30s": Mona Singh On Facing Ageism

Mona Singh, who was last seen in the horror comedy Munjya, addresed the prevalent issue of ageism in the industry. Mona, who has been making her presence felt across mediums (OTT, big screen) shared she was worried about ageism in her 30s. She decided to take a break from television as no substantial role was coming her way. Recalling the days, Mona Singh told India Today, "30s mein yeh hua tha (It happened in my 30s). There was a gap, because I wasn't doing TV as I wanted to challenge myself as an actor. I was experimenting with theatre then. That was the time when there was this lull, and it made me wonder 'Is that really happening with me? I am not getting roles because I am 34-35'," said the Kaala Paani actor.

However, Mona's career took a new dimension with the boom in the OTT industry. Shifting to new space and medium, Mona re-discovered her potential after 2017. "The kind of stories, and even storytelling has changed. It's much bolder and more creative. There are a lot many parts for me to play. Also, characters are no more just black and white, and you can do grey shades, without being judged," said the Laal Singh Chaddha actor.

Even now, Mona is stedfast towards her goals  - she wants to break the barrier with new opportunities. "I want to play a cop, do action scenes. I am hungry for more and want to explore every genre. When it comes to picking projects, the script needs to make me go wow, and move me. It should have an impact and give me sleepless nights worrying about how I would do it, said Mona.

Mona Singh became a household name after she featured in the popular TV show Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin, which marked her debut in the industry. The actress has also starred in TV shows like Kya Huaa Tera Vaada, Itna Karo Na Mujhe Pyaar,Pyaar Ko Ho Jaane Do, Kavach...Kaali Shaktiyon Se. She has also featured in films like 3 Idiots and Utt Pataang, Laal Singh Chaddha. Mona was praised for her performances in series like Made In Heaven 2 and Kaala Paani.

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Unhappy With Budget 2024, Congress Chief Ministers To Skip NITI Aayog Meet

Calling the Union Budget 2024-25 "discriminatory" and "dangerous", the Congress on Tuesday evening announced that the party's Chief Ministers -- Siddaramaiah (Karnataka), Revanth Reddy (Telangana), and Sukhvinder Sukhu (Himachal Pradesh) -- will not attend the Niti Aayog Governing Council meeting scheduled in the national capital on July 27.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief MK Stalin too has said that he would boycott the NITI Aayog meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27 as a mark of protest.

"The Union Budget presented today was extremely discriminatory and dangerous, which completely goes against the principles of federalism and fairness that the Union government must follow. In protest, INC CMs will be boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting scheduled for 27th July," Congress General Secretary (Organisation), KC Venugopal said in a post on X.

"This government's attitude is completely antithetical to Constitutional principles. We will not participate in an event that is solely designed to hide the true, discriminatory colours of this regime," he added.

Earlier in the day, Finance Minister Niramala Sitharaman announced a slew of measures during her 80-minute Budget speech, including a hike in standard deduction in the new tax regime from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000, revisions to tax slabs in the new regime, cut in Customs duty on gold and silver, three schemes under employment-linked incentives, and Rs 2 lakh crore for job creation, among others.

However, the Congress took a jibe at the Centre soon after the announcements, calling them nothing but a "Sarkar Bachao" Budget driven by the political compulsions for the survival of this "lame duck" government.

Taking to X, Mr Venugopal said, "The Budget will do nothing to address inflation or solve the farmers' crisis. It has absolutely nothing for the middle classes. Much like the 10 (previous) Budgets, this Union Budget is also far removed from the concerns of the ordinary Indian."

"While the government has belatedly recognised that job creation is the need of the hour, its so-called announcements are totally insincere and non-serious. They could not even properly copy from our Nyay Patra."

According to Mr Venugopal, merely throwing large headline numbers while giving pittances in reality is nothing but a cruel joke on the future of India's youth.

"Every segment of the Indian society is going to be in an even worse situation after this Budget, and this government that is completely cut off from the pain of the people will simply be concerned about its survival," he 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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"I Am Married To Him In My Head": Avika Gor On Boyfriend Milind Chandwani

Avika Gor, who is currently promoting her upcoming film Bloody Ishq, opened up about her relationship with Milind Chandwani in a candid manner on the podcast show of Harsh Limbachia and Bharti Singh. The Balika Vadhu  actor met her boyfriend in Hyderabad and she fell in love with him at first sight. The actor also shared that she is married to him in her head. Sharing the details of their first meet and how Milind friend-zoned her for six months, Avika said, "He is a 9-5 corporate guy who also runs an NGO. We met each other through a mutual friend in Hyderabad. He friend-zoned me for six months. I started liking him since day one. I was very sure about him. In the beginning, I also agreed to being friends. Mera bhi ego agaya ki hum toh hum dost hi rahenge (I also became egoistic and said let's be just friends). But within a few weeks, I was very sure about him," she added.

Avika recalled when she first introduced Milind to her family, the question of marriage popped up instantly. "I introduced him as a friend par Maa toh maa hoti hai. She figured out. I was involved with him in conversations and raising funds for his NGO!" Avika continued, "Maine toh pehle hi bola hua tha (I had proposed to him six months ago). Woh bahot  samjhdar hai (He is very intelligent) After six months, he told me, 'Okay, I love you, too!' So I asked him  'yeh chhe mahine kya drama kya tha?' and like a nice boy he explained it to me that he didn't want to rush things and see we actually liked each other as friends and only then we will take thing forward."

Avika, who wants to get married as early as possible, said Milind wants to take things slow and in a more matured way. "Mere haath mein hota toh main sadhe chaar saal pehle shaadi kar chuki hoti (If it were in my hands, I would have got married four years ago). Kuch sochna nahin tha (I didn't need to think much). Ab jo hai yahi hai. Mere dimaag mein ho chuki hai shaadi (I am married to him in my head). But he was sensible enough. He told me, "You're still 26 and I am 32. You take your time to work and see life," she added.

Avika and Milind started dating in 2020. They treat their social media fans with their pictures together on a regular basis. Avika Gor became a household name after she played Anandi in the serial Balika Vadhu. She also played the lead in the serial Sasural Simar Ka. She acted in Telugu films like Lakshmi Raave Maa Intiki, Cinema Choopistha Mava, #Bro, Net to name a few.

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Pendulum Swung To Republican Party: Elon Musk's Jab After Biden Announcement

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has tweeted his disapproval of US President Biden's move to end his reelection campaign.

"I believe in an America that maximizes individual freedom and merit. That used to be the Democratic Party, but now the pendulum has swung to the Republican Party,"read his post on X, formerly Twitter.

I believe in an America that maximizes individual freedom and merit.

That used to be the Democratic Party, but now the pendulum has swung to the Republican Party.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 21, 2024

US President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign on Sunday after fellow Democrats lost faith in his mental acuity and ability to beat Republican candidate Donald Trump.

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US Billionaire Buys Dinosaur Skeleton For $45 Million, Sets Auction Records

Billionaire investor Ken Griffin, founder and CEO of hedge fund Citadel, has shattered auction records by splurging $44.6 million for a dinosaur skeleton. According to the New York Post, Mr Griffin purchased the largest and the most intact stegosaurus skeleton at Sotheby's on Wednesday, making it the most valuable fossil ever sold at auction.

Estimated to be 150 million years old, the behemoth dubbed "Apex," was excavated just outside present-day Dinosaur, Colorado, in May 2022 by palaeontologist Jason Cooper. According to Sotheby's, the Apex stegosaurus is the largest ever discovered, standing at an impressive 11 feet (3.3 meters) in height and 27 feet (8.2 meters) in length, with a remarkable 254 out of an estimated 319 bones preserved, making it nearly complete.

Mr Griffin secured the skeleton by outbidding six other participants in an auction that lasted 15 minutes. The skeleton, initially anticipated to sell for around $6 million, was purchased for $44.6 million, 11 times its lower estimate, marking a new record for dinosaur fossils. 

Watch the auction video here:

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A post shared by Sotheby's (@sothebys)

''Apex' lived up to its name today, inspiring bidders globally to become the most valuable fossil ever sold at auction. This sale has been years in the making, and at every turn, we have worked closely with Jason Cooper, from the moment of its discovery in Dinosaur, Colorado, to its sale in New York,'' said Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby's global head of science and popular culture in a statement.

According to Forbes, the hedge fund chief is a regular donor to the Republican party and has a net worth of approximately $37.8 billion. He now plans to loan the skeleton to institutions across the United States instead of keeping it for his private collection.

The first ever Stegosaurus fossil just hit auction and it fetched a whopping $44.6m USD when it sold at Sotheby's New York — the largest sum paid for a dinosaur skeleton in history. pic.twitter.com/O7unz0vXSs

— HYPEBEAST (@HYPEBEAST) July 18, 2024

"Apex was born in America and is going to stay in America!" he said following the sale, according to CBS News.

In 2017, he donated $16.5 to Chicago's Field Museum to fund an exhibit featuring the largest tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever discovered.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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"Atmanirbharta" Cannot Be At Cost Of Nation's Defence: Air Force Vice Chief

Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal A P Singh, on Friday said 'atmanirbharata' is "not just a buzzword", it is something that all stakeholders need to put their heart and soul into, even as he underlined that this 'atmanirbharta' cannot be at the cost of nation's defence.

In his address at a CAPS seminar here, he asserted that "nation's defence comes first and foremost".

The VCAS said defending a nation is "everybody's job and not just the job of persons in uniform".

Pitching for 'atmanirbharta' in defence, he said the DRDO, private industries and others can bolster armed forces' capabilities in radars, communications and a plethora of other things.

'Atmanirbharata' is "not just a buzzword", it is something that all stakeholders need to put their heart and soul into, and make sure technologies and weapons are developed and manufactured in India, "so that we are not relying on an outside agency who could change its alliance or stop flow of weapons to our country" when the time comes, he said.

Air Marshal Singh emphasised that the "biggest lesson that we have learned from today's geopolitics is to be self-reliant".

As they say, there is no permanent enemy or permanent friend, there is only permanent interest, he said.

In his address, the VCAS pitched for fostering greater 'atmanirbharta' but with a rider.

"Atmanirbharta is what we are riding on. Majority of contracts are with Indian partners, Indian industry... But, this atmanirbharta cannot be at the cost of nation's defence. Nation's defence comes first and foremost," he said.

"And, if the IAF and Indian forces have to ride on this atmanirbharta, it is only possible if everyone, from DRDO to DPSUs to the private industry, hold our hands and take us on that path. And, don't let us deviate from that path. Because, when it comes to national defence, there will be compulsions to deviate from that path in case we do not get the things that we need, or the kind of systems or weaponry required to survive in today's world," the air marshal said.

He urged that "we all have to work in unison" and at a "much, much faster pace".

However, the VCAS flagged that "the rate at which we are getting our equipment at the moment, is too low" and there was a need to increase it. "When we look at our adversaries, the rate at which they are growing, the rate at which they are imbibing these technologies and still growing in numbers... we have a long gap to catch up with and this gap is widening further. This is something that we need to look at as a whole and we need to find a solution to this gap that is building," he said.

During the seminar exhibition on air and missile defence hosted by the think-tank at Subroto Park here, many speakers also spoke about various lessons from ongoing conflicts in the world.

The VCAS in his address also said the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has demonstrated the integration of multiple forces in domains of air, land, sea, cyber, information and space, and how they are "united" to achieve the goal.

"One thing is certain, if we need to do something, we need to stay... in the game, we need to modernise, we need to continue to grow, continue to innovate and we need to continue being ahead of the curve. Otherwise, we lag behind and we are just chasing," Air Marshal Singh said.

Technological advancements, the rapid pace that is being seen in people's normal life, has also "infused themselves into our weaponry, defence systems". Today, what was unthinkable or unimaginable few years back, is a reality, he said, adding, impact on the defence forces, on the warfighting, has made it clear that "we need to be agile and flexible in our thoughts as well as actions".

The ongoing conflicts that has been alluded about, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the multi-domain battlespace. It is a "classic example of what is going on today and what we are likely to face in our future conflicts", the Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) said.

"This conflict has also demonstrated the integration of multiple forces in domains of air, land, sea, cyber, information, space and how they are united to achieve the goal. I am sure everyone present here, including my friends from other services will agree that the air domain has clearly emerged as a singular trans-domain link and strong force across domains, a strong method for cross-domain application of force. It is not just an enabler, it has become a force multiplier," he asserted.

The VCAS also referred to the Israel-Hamas war to underline the importance of air domain.

Even in the urban warfare construct that is seen in Israel-Hamas war, the air domain has been used extensively, whether it is utilising those fighter aircraft with precision weapons or the formidable Iron Dome (air defence) system or utilising those low-cost rockets and loiter munitions by Hamas in challenging that very formidable and very costly system itself, he said.

The VCAS also said that in this highly dense battlespace, "we need to put in place plans to have optimal and innovative utilisation of available resources, and at the same we need to ensure we are improving our systems through upgrade or procurement".

Keeping an eye on the future, the IAF has operationalised a dedicated Weapon Systems (WS) Branch and a sub-branch of this is going to be dedicatedly responsible for surface-to-air guided weapons, he 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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With Shadow Cabinet, Naveen Patnaik Makes His Intentions Clear

Former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who is now the state's Leader of Opposition, has drawn up a shadow cabinet to scrutinise and take on the ruling BJP and its Chief Minister Mohan Majhi. The move comes ahead of the budget session of the state assembly, which is set to begin from next Monday.

The 50-member UK-style shadow cabinet reflects the early experiences of Mr Patnaik who spent a large part of his pre-politics life in the UK.

The members of the shadow cabinet are mostly former ministers of his government, who are expected to keep tabs on each minister and his department and prepare alternative plans and policies in areas the government could slip up.

"The Opposition party is the custodian of people's interests. The Opposition party has a significant role to play in the state Assembly.

The MLAs will keep close watch on the activities of departments assigned to them and actively take part during discussion of those departments in the state Assembly. They will work to protect the interests of the people," a statement issued by the BJD on Wednesday quoted Mr Patnaik as saying.

The former Chief Minister's move not only underscores the active role he plans to play from the Opposition benches, it also brushes off the notion that many had -- that the Biju Janata Dal will now be politically irrelevant.

The BJD found itself out of power in the recently concluded election after 24 years. The BJP unseated the government of Naveen Patnaik winning 78 of the 147 assembly seats. The BJD won 51 seats.

Days later, as Mr Patnaik was elected the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, the BJD signalled that it means business.

The party, which was the BJP's friend in Rajya Sabha, said its MPs would not be confined to speaking on issues only, but would hold agitation if the BJP-led government at the Centre "ignores Odisha's interest".

The party has already ranged itself alongside the Opposition on the NEET issue and even held walkouts in parliament.

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After 53 Years, Mortar Shells From 1971 Indo-Pak War Found In Fish Pond

A large quantity of mortar shells believed to be from the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war, which led to the liberation of Bangladesh, was discovered while excavating a fish pond in West Tripura district's Rangutia on Thursday. The discovery has caused a stir in the entire area.

Initially, it was unclear whether the shells were from cannons or mortars; later, it was confirmed they were mortar shells.

On getting information, a police team and TSR personnel from the Bamuthia outpost arrived to continue the excavation. A total of 27 mortar shells were recovered.

Anthony Jamatia, the officer-in-charge of the Bamuthia outpost, said 27 mortar shells were found buried at Dulal Nam's house in Rangutia while digging a fish pond. The shells had been fused together and were estimated to have been buried for approximately 53 years. However, no information has been found regarding the country of origin or the manufacturer of these shells.

Local senior citizens claim that during the 1971 war, the Mukti Bahini frequently travelled and trained in the Bamuthia area. It is believed that the Mukti Bahini might have buried the mortar shells in this location, but later did not need to retrieve them.

The Indian Army's 4, 33 and 2 Corps had marched toward Bangladesh from three directions. The objective was to capture the "fortress cities" built by Pakistani troops and move through the gaps to take on Dhaka. The fall of Sylhet, Chittagong, Tangail, Khulna, Jessore, etc. ensured no escape route was left.

Dhaka is between the Padma River on its west and Meghna on its east. The Indian Army's 2 and 33 Corps quickly marched deep into Bangladesh in districts west of the Jamna-Padma river. The Tezpur-based 4 corps started operations to cross the Meghna and finally enter Dhaka.

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Gen Z Employee's Out-Of-Office Video Goes Viral, Internet Reacts

When employees are on vacation or are away from the office for a few days, they create an out-of-office autoresponder email message. This lets your contacts know how to access the information or services they require while you are away and explain why your response will be delayed. With changing times and workplace trends, the way of responding to and creating out-of-office messages is also evolving. Amid this, a Gen Z employee's out-of-office video has gone viral online.

The clip was shared by travel insurance company Butter Insurance. The footage shows a person clicking on a video shared by Joshua Kessel which shows a plane's wing with the airplane's call bell sound. Further, the man says in the clip, "If you are watching this, I am probably on a plane to Europe right now." The video then shows him sitting on a bench with an animation of a plane, making it appear that he is sitting on an airplane's seat. The Gen Z employee also shares his email id and answers questions related to returning to work. The now-viral video ends with the text "We'll be right back."

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A post shared by Butter Insurance (@butterinsurance)

"Our Gen Z marketing guy set this as his out of office," read the text in the video. The caption of the post added, "I wish this was a joke but he's not even here to make this a video."

Since being shared, the footage has amassed eight million views and two lakh likes on Instagram.

A person said, "Out: email signatures. In: email videos."

"That has millenial sarcasm written all over it," said a user.

Another added, "Gen Z are not bothered to inform at first place. They just disappear lol"

"Bros sending the entire company a 22mb attachment," said a third person.

"At first I thought he was Jake Peralta from Brooklyn Nine Nine," commented a user.

"As a millennial, I confirm that this make me laugh... Definitely millennial's stuff," added another social media user.

An Instagram user said, "But how do I get the bravery... I love this."

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Hegemonistic Ambitions: Tibet PM-In-Exile On China Renaming Places In India

Renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh and belligerence in Ladakh -- this is what reflects China's hegemonistic ambition and now that the US law about Tibet has been passed, it has challenged China's claim that no nation recognises Tibetan Independence, Tibetan Prime Minister-in-Exile, Sikyong Penpa Tsering told NDTV today in an exclusive interview.

Asked about the Resolve Tibet Act -- which became a law in the United States four days ago -- he said through the Act, the US government says they do not accept the Chinese narrative that Tibet has been part of China since ancient times.

"So far, the Chinese government has been saying that there is not a single country that recognises the independence of Tibet or the government in exile... 'But with this act, would the Chinese government be able to say that?" he said.

China has watched warily as  a bipartisan delegation led by ex-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Michael McCaul came to India last month and met the Dalai Lama, underscoring an acceleration in US diplomatic initiative on a long-pending human rights issue.

China had asked the US to respect its sensitivity on matters related to Tibet and suggested that the Dalai Lama "correct" his political propositions before talks can be held with him.

Asked about that, Mr McKaul said the US message to China was that "Do not destroy the culture of these people, their religion... Every people and country have a right to self-determination".

The US message to China was also a silent criticism of Beijing's alleged hegemonistic ambition that has led to discomfort among some.

Mr Tsering also alluded to it, saying,  "All the neighboring countries from Japan to Taiwan to Philippines, now they are having serious problems in the strategies... Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, everywhere they are escalating the situation. And then also because of their behavior, all the defense expenditures of all these countries are going on increasing every year, including New Zealand and Australia''.

''Some 8, 10 years ago, China declared an air identification [zone] and so on. At that time, I told our US friends when China can claim the air, they will claim everything under that air, sea or land or whatever," he said.

"So these days, China's hegemonistic ambitions are also reflected in terms of how they are renaming places, not just in Arunachal Pradesh or belligerence on Ladakh," he added.

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