Supreme Court Approves Rajasthan Government's Two-Child Rule

People with more than two children will not be eligible for government jobs in Rajasthan -- this 1989 law of the state has now got the Supreme Court's seal of approval.

The rule is non-discriminatory, the judges said, hearing a petition challenging it.

It falls within the purview of policy and there is "no need to interfere with it," said the bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Dutta and KV Vishwanathan, in an order on February 20.

The bench upheld the decision of Rajasthan High Court of October 12, 2022, and dismissed the petition of former soldier Ramji Lal Jat.

After retirement from defence services in January 2017, the soldier had applied for the post of a constable in Rajasthan Police in May 2018.

But his application was rejected under the Rajasthan Police Subordinate Service Rules, 1989, as he had more than two children after 1 June 2002.

The court said it had earlier approved similar rules – meant to promote family planning -- for contestants of Panchayat elections.

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"One Chai, Please": Bill Gates Enjoys Tea Made By Dolly Chaiwala

Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft and a philanthropist, is currently on a visit to India, and his various excursions have created considerable attention and discussion on the internet.

In a recently shared video on social media, Bill Gates was captured relishing a cup of chai from a renowned tea stall in India. The footage shows Mr Gates engaging with Dolly Chaiwalla, a celebrated tea vendor and a familiar presence on social media, while enjoying a cup of chai prepared by him.

Watch the video here:

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A post shared by Bill Gates (@thisisbillgates)

The video opens with Mr Gates placing an order for "one chai" with Chaiwalla. Chaiwalla then prepares the tea in his signature style, using a special cart. The final shot shows Gates enjoying the piping hot tea from a glass.

The video concludes with Mr Gates taking a sip of the hot beverage from a glass and posing for a photo with Dolly Chaiwalla, accompanied by the text "Looking forward to many chai pe charcha," which translates to "looking forward to many conversations over chai." This suggests Gates may be looking forward to further interactions and discussions during his visit to India.

The video has garnered significant attention online, with many surprised and delighted to see Mr Gates embracing the local culture and enjoying a cup of chai from a popular street vendor.

The video has garnered approximately 4 million views on social media, accompanied by nearly 300,000 likes on Instagram.

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Congress 3, BJP 1: Rajya Sabha Election Results Out For Karnataka

The ruling Congress in Karnataka won three seats and the BJP one in the Rajya Sabha elections in Karnataka on Tuesday, which were marred by cross-voting in a setback to the saffron party.

Ajay Maken, G C Chandrasekhar and Syed Naseer Hussain, all from the Congress, and Narayansa K Bhandage of the BJP got elected to the Upper House in the polls in which elected MLAs were the voters.

Five candidates, including D Kupendra Reddy of the JD(S) who lost the election, were in the fray for the four seats.

According to official sources, the value of each MLA's vote is 100 and the number of votes sufficient to secure the election of a candidate is 4,441.

Maken, Hussain and Bhandage got 4,700 votes each and Chandrashekhar 4,500. Reddy got only 3,600 votes and therefore did not make the cut.

BJP MLA S T Somashekar voted for Mr Maken, while another party legislator A Shivaram Hebbar abstained.

The BJP said it was exploring the possibility of taking legal action them and lodging a complaint with the Speaker U T Khader seeking their disqualification from the assembly for violating the whip issued to them to vote in favour of the party candidate.

"We have got the information that Somashekar has done cross-voting. I consulted with advocate Vivek Reddy who is our state legal cell president and a high court lawyer. We will ask the Speaker to initiate action (of disqualification) against him (Somashekar) and explore the possibilities to take steps in accordance with the law," Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly R Ashoka said.

Mr Somashekar had earlier quit the Congress and joined the BJP. He served as a minister in the previous BJP government and was made the Mysuru district in-charge minister back then.

In recent months, Mr Somashekar and Mr Hebbar had distanced themselves from the BJP and increasingly began identifying with the Congress.

The BJP (66 MLAs) and the JD(S) (19 MLAs) combined had fielded Kupendra Reddy though they did not have the requisite votes to get him elected. 

The NDA partners said they were expecting "conscience votes", apparently from the rival Congress camp, in favour of Mr Reddy.

The Congress has 134 members in the assembly. There are also four others members, including two independents.

Mr Somashekar said he heard the "voice of his conscience" and voted in favour of the Congress, "which built schools and carried out developmental works in his constituency". Hebbar too said he abstained from voting adhering to his conscience.

"This is not 'atma sakshi' (conscience) but 'atma droha' (self betrayal)," BJP MLC N Ravi Kumar said, commenting on Somashekar's and Hebbar's actions.

The BJP and JD(S) workers staged a demonstration in Bengaluru against Mr Somashekar. Raising slogans, they burnt his effigy.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress chief, ridiculed the BJP and the JD(S) saying, "'Conscience vote seekers' have become 'conscience vote givers'." "I don't know about cross-voting. I haven't seen the votes of others and independents. Ask the BJP, who spoke about conscience votes," Mr Shivakumar quipped.

Asked if there is legal support for those who have cast conscience votes to Congress candidates, he said, "Let's talk about it when it happens. I am not aware of any complaint filed with the Speaker regarding cross-voting.

"Mr Somashekar has cast his vote as per his conscience. It's a vote against the unholy BJP-JD(S) alliance. The general public, graduates, and teachers have rejected the alliance. Let's see what the legislators think." Chief Minister Siddaramaiah earlier hit out at the JD(S), alleging that the party had sought to lure and threaten its MLAs.

"JDS needs 45 votes (for their candidate) to win. Do they have that many votes? Even though they don't have enough votes, they still fielded the candidate and are luring our MLAs. Do they have a conscience?" the chief minister asked.

"An FIR has been lodged regarding the threat to us," Siddaramaiah said.

Speaking to reporters here, Siddaramaiah lashed out at the JD(S), saying, "When JD(S) does not have 'atma' (soul), how can it have 'atma sakshi' (conscience)? They call themselves Janata Dal (Secular) but whom did they join with?". He was referring to the JD(S) forming an alliance with the BJP.

Former chief minister and JD(S) second-in-command H D Kumaraswamy said the FIR against Kupendra Reddy and his aides was registered at Vidhana Soudha police station.

Mr Kumaraswamy said the complainant MLA did not say that he was lured, but that some other MLAs were "approached".

"Melukote MLA Darshan Puttannaiah of Karnataka Sarvodaya Paksha too had said that it's true that his vote was sought but no one had lured him," the JD(S) state chief claimed.

Mr Kumaraswamy said the BJP and JD(S) had decided to field Kupendra Reddy on the basis of the votes of the 19 JD(S) MLAs and the additional BJP votes after its first preferential votes.

(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're Close": Biden Says Gaza Ceasefire Could Happen By Monday

US President Joe Biden said Monday he hoped a ceasefire in Gaza could start by the beginning of next week.

Amid a spiraling humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory, representatives from Egypt, Qatar, the United States, France and elsewhere have acted as go-betweens for Israel and Hamas, seeking a halt to the fighting and the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.

A deal could also include the exchange of dozens of hostages for several hundred Palestinian detainees held by Israel. 

Biden was asked during a visit to New York when such an agreement might start, and answered, "My national security advisor tells me that we're close, we're close, we're not done yet."

"My hope is by next Monday we'll have a ceasefire," Biden added.

Representatives from several parties, not including Gaza rulers Hamas, met in Paris over the weekend and "came to an understanding... about what the basic contours of a hostage deal for a temporary ceasefire would look like," White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CNN Sunday.

After the Paris meeting, Egyptian, Qatari and US "experts" met in Doha in recent days for talks also attended by Israeli and Hamas representatives, state-linked Egyptian media said, hoping to secure a truce before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

A Hamas source told AFP that "some new amendments" were proposed on contentious issues, but "Israel did not present any substantive position on the terms of the ceasefire and the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed the troop withdrawal demand as "delusional," and said that any ceasefire deal would only delay a military incursion into the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where around 1.4 million Palestinians have sought shelter from fighting elsewhere in Gaza. 

On Monday, an unnamed Israeli official told news site Ynet the "direction (of the talks) is positive," and Israeli media reported that military and intelligence officials were headed to Qatar for further talks on a deal.

And Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani -- whose country hosts Hamas leaders and helped broker a one-week truce in November -- is due in Paris this week, the French presidency said.

Sheikh Tamim has met Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Doha and discussed efforts "aimed at reaching an immediate and permanent ceasefire agreement" in Gaza, the official Qatar News Agency said.

Israel's military campaign has killed at least 29,782 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the ministry. 

The war broke out after Hamas launched their unprecedented attack which killed 1,160 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.

Hamas also took about 250 hostages, 130 of whom remain in Gaza, including 31 presumed dead, according to Israel.

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

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ACA Initiates Inquiry Against Vihari After Revelations About Mistreatment

The bitter spat between Hanuma Vihari and Andhra Cricket Association took a fresh turn as the state body on Monday announced an inquiry against the senior batter, who had accused the ACA of forcing him to resign from captaincy at the start of the ongoing season. Drama unfolded after Andhra's campaign in the Ranji Trophy ended in a defeat on Monday as Vihari announced that he will never play for the side due to "mistreatment" by the state association.

“Complaints were received from teammates, support staff and ACA administrators about Vihari's use of foul language and abusive behaviour. ACA will conduct a thorough inquiry into all complaints and the due course of action will be communicated,” said the ACA in a media release.

Vihari had also hit out at a reserve team-mate (son of a politician) who he alleged had asked his father to take action against him after the veteran player shouted at him during a match.

ACA stated that it had received a complaint from the junior player about Vihari at that time.

“It has come to our attention that Mr Vihari personally verbally abuse a specific player during the Bengal Ranji game in front of everyone. The affected player filed an official compliant with the ACA,” the release said.

Vihari had shared the copy of his statement on his X account signed by other players in the Andhra team with a one-line comment -- "the whole team knows (what had happened on that day)." "Sad part is the association thinks that players have to listen to whatever they say and players are there because of them (association). I've decided that I'll never play for Andhra where I lost my self-respect.

"I love the team. I love the way we're growing every season but the association doesn't want us to grow," Vihari wrote on Instagram.

The middle-order batter, who has played 16 Tests for India, started the season as Andhra captain but stepped down after the first match against last year's runners-up Bengal.

Ricky Bhui led the team for the rest of the season.

At the time, Vihari attributed his decision to move away from leadership role due to "personal reasons" but now the right-handed batter said the association had asked him to resign.

"I was the captain in the first game against Bengal, during that game I shouted at the 17th player and he complained to his dad (who is a politician), his dad in return asked the association to take action against me.

"I was asked to resign from captaincy without any fault of mine. I never said anything on a personal note to the player," said Vihari.

But the ACA said the decision to appoint a new captain was taken in view of Vihari's possible non-availability because of him being an India prospect.

Later the player in question, KN Prudhvi Raj, took to Instagram and accused Vihari of making false claims.

"Hello everyone! I'm that guy, you guys are searching in the comment box, whatever you guys heard is absolutely false, no one is higher than the game and my self-respect is much bigger than anything.

"Personal attacks and vulgar language are unacceptable in any kind of human platform. Everyone in the team knows what happened that day…Mr so called champion. Play this sympathy game however you want," wrote Prudhvi.

Vihari has also expressed grouse that the association did not value his sacrifices for the team over the years, recalling last year's Ranji Trophy quarterfinal match against Madhya Pradesh when he played through an injury.

"The association thought that player was more important than the guy who gave his body on the line last year and batted left-handed, took Andhra to knock outs 5 times in the last 7 years and played for India in 16 Tests.

"I felt embarrassed but the only reason I continued playing this season was because I respect the game and my team," he added.

Ahead of the 2023-2024 domestic season, Vihari was also linked with a switch to Madhya Pradesh but he decided to stay on with Andhra.

The ACA said it was Vihari who reversed the decision and decided to stay on with Andhra team. 

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"Not Freedom Of Speech": Minister On Space To Khalistani Elements Abroad

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called out the space given to extremist Khalistani elements in foreign countries and said this is not freedom of speech, but a misuse of it.

He said it is not good for any country to send that kind of message for their own reputation and expressed hope that action will be taken against those who attacked Indian missions.

The Minister was speaking at the event 'The Rise of the Global South' at TV9 Bharatvarsh Conclave on Monday.

Speaking about the situation in Canada, Mr Jaishankar said, "We had to suspend the issue of visas in Canada because our diplomats were not safe going to work, they were repeatedly threatened, intimidated, and got very little comfort from the Canadian system at that time...which has improved since then."

"We reached a stage, where, as a minister, I could not risk exposing my diplomats to the kind of violence prevalent there. That part of it has been rectified, so today our visa operations are pretty much normal," he added.

The Minister further called out the argument of 'freedom of expression' stating that throwing smoke bombs at missions and advocating violence is a "misuse" of freedom of speech.

"Regarding the space that is being given to extremists, they keep telling us, 'There is freedom of speech, democracy'. Freedom of speech can't extend to intimidating diplomats, throwing smoke bombs in embassies and consulates, advocating violence and separatism against a friendly state. To me, this is not freedom of speech. This is a misuse of freedom of speech," Mr Jaishankar said.

Recalling the vandalism incident on the Indian High Commission in the UK, he said that the mission didn't get the protection New Delhi had expected.

"To the point of someone climbing on to our HC and bringing down our Indian flag. I asked my colleagues 'Let's put us in each other's shoes'. How would you react if a mob attacked your premises anywhere in the world? You will not say freedom of speech and expression, you will be jumping up and down. But, things have improved in the UK," the Minister said.

In a stern message, Mr Jaishankar said that if a country is not taking action against someone attacking foreign missions, "there is a message in it."

"We have had a much firmer response in Australia and the US. We had an arson attack in the US, but that is under investigation. If the receiving state does not take action against someone who attacks an embassy or a consulate, there's a message in it. Now, I don't think it's good for any country to send that kind of message for their own reputation. That's why we want action to be taken against those who attacked our missions," Mr Jaishankar added.

Notably, there has been a rise in Khalistani extremism in several countries like Canada, Australia, the US and the UK.

After the killing of the designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last June, the Khalistani extremists targeted Indian diplomats in several countries and issued threats against them.

Especially in Canada, multiple incidents of Khalistan extremism were reported lately. In June this year, a tableau parade was organised in Canada celebrating the assassination of former PM Indira Gandhi, which drew severe criticism from New Delhi. Multiple temples were also vandalised in Canada by pro-Khalistani protestors, with anti-India graffiti.

Amid strained ties, India stopped issuing visas to Canada amid concerns over the safety of Indian envoys there. Later, the e-visa service was resumed, and physical visa was also started in multiple categories.

In the UK, a group of extremist elements attacked the Indian High Commission in London last March.

Similarly, in the US, the Consulate General of India in San Francisco was attacked on March 19 by a group of assailants. Subsequently, on July 2, at midnight, a few people attempted to set the Consulate building on fire. The case is being probed by the National Investigation Agency.

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

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70-Year-Old Woman Killed In Bengaluru, Body Chopped Up In Pieces

A 70-year-old woman's body has been found in KR Puram area in Bengaluru. The dismembered body was put in a drum, which was dumped at a vacant lot near an abandoned house.

The woman has been identified as Sushilamma, who was living with her daughter in a rented flat near Nisarga Layout, close to KR Puram. "The victim was living with her daughter and 2-3 relatives. All their relatives live nearby," Raman Gupta, the Additional Commissioner East, told reporters.

The police said the perpetrators had cut off the woman's arms and legs, which are missing.

The body was discovered after the locals complained to the police about the foul smell emanating from the place.

"The incident may have happened yesterday. I am here with senior officers to examine the spot," Mr Gupta said.

"All necessary investigation will be conducted by our officers. We are actively pursuing the investigation, and we aim to catch the perpetrators as soon as possible," he added.

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"Unfortunate": Minister As Akali Dal Leader Raises Farmers' Issue At Event

In a veiled attack on Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, after attending the inauguration of AIIMS Bathinda, on Sunday said that "seasoned politicians" should resist the temptation of injecting their own "political frustration" in these type of occasions.

This comes after Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal raised the issue of protesting farmers after the virtual inauguration of AIIMS Bathinda by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"In this function that I attended virtually, I heard one particular person made a highly political speech. I don't think an occasion like the dedication of a medical facility..... They take an oath and they are totally committed to human life and they're apolitical...Look, the government of the Prime Minister is dealing with those problems in a manner no government has done before," Mr Puri told news agency ANI.

He further said that the event was not the right time and platform to raise other demands and called it "unfortunate."

"The MSP has gone up several times with more coverage and more benefits to the farmers and what the farmers are being paid every three months (under PM Kisan Samman Yojana). The reference to politics in today's programme was unfortunate. I thought seasoned politicians should resist the temptation of injecting their own political frustration into occasions like this," he added.

This comes after PM Modi inaugurated five All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rae Bareli (Uttar Pradesh), Rajkot (Gujarat), Mangalagiri (Andhra Pradesh), Bathinda (Punjab) and Kalyani (West Bengal), Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he has completed the guarantee given to the people of Rae Bareli.

During the last round of talks, which ended past midnight on February 18, the panel of three Union ministers made an offer to buy five crops --moong dal, urad dal, tur dal, maize and cotton--from farmers at MSP for five years through central agencies.

However, the protesting farmers turned down the demand and returned to their protest sites.

The SAD and BJP became alliance partners in 1996, but the controversy over the Centre's now-repealed agriculture laws led to the SAD one of the BJP's oldest allies breaking away from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2020.

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

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"Helmet Pehen Le": Delhi Police's Road Safety Post Has Rohit Sharma Twist

Delhi Police is known for its amusing posts and witty responses to sensitise people about various issues. Their social media posts are always on point when it comes to relaying hard-hitting messages and cracking you up at the same time. On Sunday, Delhi Police yet again demonstrated their social media prowess by sharing a road safety with a twist. 

Amid the ongoing India vs England Test Series, Indian captain Rohit Sharma warned  Sarfaraz Khan to wear a helmet before fielding. The incident took place when he was requested by Rohit to stand beside batsman Shoaib Bashir. However, the young player forgot to put on a helmet. At that moment, the captain urged Sarfaraz to put on the gear and also stopped Ravichandran Ashwin from delivering the ball. "Aye bhai, zyada hero nahi banne ka idhar, helmet pehen le (Hey brother, don't try to be a hero. Wear a helmet)," Rohit Sharma was heard on the stump mic. This instantly went viral on social media and also caught the attention of the Delhi Police who used the same footage to urge people to wear helmets while driving a two-wheeler.

Two-wheeler par hero nahi banne ka!

Hamesha helmet pehenne ka!#INDvENG#INDvsENG#RohitSharma#RoadSafety pic.twitter.com/NsXB80tF56

— Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) February 25, 2024

"Two-wheeler par hero nahi banne ka! Hamesha helmet pehenne ka!" the police department wrote in the caption of the post on X.

Since being shared, the post has amassed over one lakh views and seven thousand likes.

"Good one," said a user.

A second user added, "Rohit Sharma should be the brand ambassador Delhi police"

"My Captain Spreading Awareness," remarked  a person.

"Absolute genius delhi police always convey there informative messages through unique way of currently happening..." commented an X user.

"Well done Skipper @ImRo45. Every traffic police should use this snippet to educate people to always wear helmets. Road accidents are worse than pandemics which kills more people. @MumbaiPolice," added a person.

A person wrote, "Rohit Sharma truly sounds like a policeman from Mumbai"

"Just Rohit Sharma casually dropping new gems, every single day of play," stated a user.

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Maharashtra Revokes Licence Of McDonald's Outlet After Action Over Cheese

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revoked the licence of a McDonald's outlet in the state's Ahmednagar district after taking action against it over cheese, an official said on Saturday.

The eatery belonging to the fast food giant had faced FDA scrutiny for allegedly using a "cheese-like" product in their dishes without indicating that it was actually a cheese substitute, thereby misleading customers, he said.

Following an inspection and subsequent objections, the licence of the outlet was suspended, but it was revoked recently after the chain filed a compliance report confirming that they had removed the word 'cheese' from product names.

"In October 2023, we visited the outlet in Kedgaon and discovered that the names of food items displayed at the outlet included American Cheese Burger, American Cheese Nuggets, Cheese Burger, Italian Cheesy Lava Burger, and Blueberry Cheese Cake. All these names are their brand names for their products," said Rajendra Bade, a food safety official from FDA-Ahmednagar.

After analysing, Bade said, they found that instead of pure cheese, the joint was using a cheese-like product. "Technically, this is called a cheese analogue or cheese substitute. While pure cheese contains milk fat, the cheese analogue contains both milk fat and vegetable fat," he said.

FDA then sought the fast food giant's clarification over the presence of milk fat and vegetable fat in products advertised as containing cheese.

"Since their clarification was unsatisfactory, we suspended their licence in November last year. They appealed against the suspension before the FDA commissioner in Mumbai. The commissioner heard arguments from both sides and instructed the fast food restaurant chain that they cannot use the word 'cheese' in their product names if they are not using real cheese," he said.

In the order, FDA Commissioner Abhimanyu Kale directed McDonald's to revise their labelling and prominently tag the products as "cheese analogue nuggets" or "non-dairy cheese nuggets" in a font size and colour that is easily visible and distinguishable from regular cheese products.

The order also required the outlet to list the ingredients on the packaging, ensuring that the terms cheese analogue or non-dairy cheese are prominently displayed.

McDonald's was further told to keep customers informed about the use of cheese analogues in certain products through signage, handouts, and explanations regarding the reasons for using cheese analogues.

In their compliance report, Bade said, the American company said that they had amended the labels. "Upon receiving their compliance report, a decision was made to revoke the suspension, and they have been granted permission to resume business as before," Bade said.

Hardcastle Restaurant, a subsidiary of Westlife Foodworld Ltd, which has the franchisee rights to own and operate McDonald's restaurants in west and south markets in India, said in its compliance report to the FDA that it had renamed certain products by removing the word 'cheese'.

It listed the items as Cheesy Nuggets (now Veg Nuggets), Mc Cheese Veg Burger (now Cheddar Delight Veg Burger), Mc Cheese Veg Non Veg Burger (Cheddar Delight Non-Veg Burger), Corn and Cheese Burger (American Veg Burger), Grilled Chicken and Cheese Burger (American Non Veg-Burger), Blueberry Cheese Cake (Blueberry Cake), Cheesy Italian Veg Burger (Italian Veg Burger) and Cheesy Italian Chicken Burger (now Italian Chicken Burger).

Meanwhile, Hardcastle Restaurant said on Friday that it was engaging with the "competent authorities" in the FDA matter.

"We are actively engaging with the competent authorities on this issue and awaiting their final clarification. We have always been adhering to stringent food standards and are fully compliant with all applicable food laws," said a statement from McDonald's India (West & South) shared on BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange) by Westlife Foodworld.

"Amid recent reports about the removal of 'Cheese' from our menu at McDonald's locations in Maharashtra, we want to assure our valued customers that only genuine, high-quality cheese is used in all our cheese-containing products," the statement said.

It further said, "Collaborating with suppliers adhering to global standards ensures top-quality cheese in our product offerings and not cheese analogues or any substitute." McDonald's India (West & South) said, "Our commitment to transparency in our ingredients and dedication to providing delicious, high-quality meals to our customers remains unwavering." 

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

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Watch: On Gujarat Visit, PM Modi Holds Mega Roadshow In Jamnagar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a massive roadshow from Jamnagar airport on Saturday night after arriving in Gujarat. A large number of people lined up on both sides of the illuminated road holding saffron flags, and chants of 'Modi, Modi' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' filled the air as the PM's cavalcade moved towards the Circuit House.

During the two-km journey, PM Modi greeted people from his vehicle by waving at them.

At one point, the prime minister came out of his vehicle to wave at the enthusiastic supporters which included women and children.

#WATCH | Gujarat: A large number of people gathered to see the roadshow by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Jamnagar. pic.twitter.com/oWtMhWWKDz

— ANI (@ANI) February 24, 2024

The PM will halt at the Jamnagar Ccircuit House for the night. He is scheduled to attend two functions in the Devbhumi Dwarka and Rajkot districts in Saurashtra region on Sunday.

Earlier, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, state BJP president CR Paatil, and other leaders received the prime minister at Jamnagar Air Force station upon his arrival.

The PM is scheduled to inaugurate Gujarat's first All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rajkot on February 25.

He will also inaugurate the four-lane cable-stayed bridge between Okha and Beyt Dwarka in Devbhumi Dwarka district.

As per a government release, the prime minister will arrive at Rajkot AIIMS on Sunday afternoon and address a rally at the Race Course ground in the city later in the evening.

He will take part in a kilometre-long road show from the old airport to the venue of the public rally, it stated.

During the function, the prime minister will also virtually inaugurate four other newly-built AIIMS, located in Mangalagiri (Andhra Pradesh), Bathinda (Punjab), Rae Bareli (Uttar Pradesh), and Kalyani (West Bengal).

PM Modi will also inaugurate and perform ground-breaking for projects of Rs 48,000 crore of different state and Central departments, such as NHAI, Railways, Energy and Petrochemicals, Road and Building, Ports and Health and Family Welfare.

Of these, projects of Rs 35,700 crore are for Gujarat, while the remaining are for other states.

The prime minister will launch key projects, including power generation projects in Kutch, ground-breaking for the new Mundra Panipat crude-oil pipeline project, a new cardiology hospital in Vadodara and doubling of the Rajkot-Surendranagar railway line, among others.

On Sunday morning, he will offer prayers at the Shri Beyt Dwarkadhish Mandir and then inaugurate the four-lane cable-stayed bridge between Okha and Beyt Dwarka island.

"The 2.32 km bridge, including 900 metres of central double span cable-stayed portion and a 2.45 km long approach road, was constructed at a cost of Rs 979 crore. The four-lane 27.20 metre wide bridge has 2.50 metre wide footpaths on each side," as per an official release.

The bridge, which was known as 'Signature Bridge', has been renamed as 'Sudarshan Setu' or Sudarshan Bridge.

Beyt Dwarka is an island near Okha port, which is nearly 30 km from Dwarka town, where the famous Dwarkadhish temple of Lord Krishna is situated.

At present, devotees visiting the temple at Beyt Dwarka can travel only during the day by boat, while the construction of the bridge will allow them to travel at all times, officials said.

The PM will also visit Dwarka town and offer prayers at Dwarkadhish temple before addressing a large gathering nearby.

From the venue, he will inaugurate or perform groundbreaking of several projects in Jamnagar, Devbhumi Dwarka and Porbandar districts, according to the official release.

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

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Property Purchased In Homemaker Wife's Name Belongs To Family: Court

The Allahabad High Court has held that a property purchased by a husband in the name of a wife, who is a homemaker and has no independent source of income, is a family property.

Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal said that it is common and natural for Hindu husbands to purchase properties in the name of their wives.

The Judge was hearing a case involving a son's claim for declaration of co-ownership of his dead father's property.

"This court under Section 114 of the Indian Evidence Act may presume the existence of fact that the property purchased by a Hindu husband in the name of his spouse, who is a homemaker and does not have an independent source of income, will be the property of family, because in common course of natural event Hindu husband purchases a property in the name of his wife, who is homemaker and does not have any source of income for the benefit of family," the court observed.

It said that unless it is otherwise proved that the property was purchased with the income earned by the wife, the property is deemed to have been purchased by the husband using his own income.

The appellant, Saurabh Gupta, the son, had filed a civil suit seeking the status of co-sharer of one-fourth of the property purchased by his father.

He contended that since the property was purchased by his dead father, he was a co-sharer in it along with his mother, who is a defendant in the suit and respondent in the present appeal before the high court.

Since the property was purchased in the name of the mother, i.e., wife of the dead father, the appellant (son) filed an application seeking an injunction (stay) against the transfer of property to a third party.

In a written statement, the mother pleaded that the property was gifted to her by her husband as she had no independent source of income.

Accordingly, the application for interim injunction was rejected by the trial court.

Allowing the appeal filed by the appellant, the high court in its February 15 judgement held that the property purchased by a Hindu husband in the name of homemaker wife, without any independent income, is deemed to have been purchased from his personal income.

Such property, prima facie, becomes the property of the joint Hindu family.

The court further held that in such circumstances, it is necessary to protect the property from creation of third-party rights. "In such a case, the protection is necessary against further transferring the property or changing the nature of the same."

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

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US Spaceship Odysseus On Moon "Alive And Well", Images Expected Soon

The first American spaceship on the Moon since Apollo is "alive and well" following a drama-packed touchdown, the company that built it said Friday as it worked to download data and images from the uncrewed robot.

Odysseus landed near the lunar south pole Thursday at 6:23 pm Eastern Time (2323 GMT), after a nail-biting final descent when ground teams had to switch to a backup guidance system and took several minutes to establish radio contact after the lander came to rest.

"Odysseus is alive and well," Intuitive Machines, which achieved the first lunar landing by a private company, posted on X on Friday morning. "Flight controllers are communicating and commanding the vehicle to download science data."

The Houston-based company's stock price soared by 40 percent in early trading before paring back to 20 percent. 

Engineers are working to learn the robot's precise coordinates in the Malapert A impact crater and its tilt, as the landing phase was carried out by the robot autonomously, using its instruments to navigate the Moon's terrain.

The company said Odysseus, which is the size of a large golf cart, is upright -- a relief after the Japanese space agency's SLIM lander, which touched down in January, ended up upside-down. 

Private enterprise

Intuitive Machines pledged to soon downlink the first images taken by the lander, while "EagleCam," a camera could also soon release pictures from an external perspective after the device was shot out of Odysseus in the final seconds of landing.

Odysseus is the first success for a new fleet of NASA-funded lunar landers designed to carry out science investigations that pave the way for the return of American astronauts to the Moon later this decade, under the Artemis program. 

NASA, along with international partners, are planning to develop long term habitats in the south pole, harvesting ice there for drinking water and for rocket fuel for eventual onward voyages to Mars.

A moonshot by another American company last month ended in failure, raising the stakes to demonstrate that private industry had what it took to repeat a feat last achieved by US space agency NASA during its manned Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

Underscoring the technical challenges inherent in the task, Intuitive Machines' own navigation system failed and Odysseus instead flew the final leg of its trip using an experimental laser guidance system developed by NASA.

Confirmation of landing was supposed to come seconds after the milestone, but instead nearly 15 minutes passed as announcers mused whether the hexagon-shaped craft had come down "off angle."

Finally, the company's chief technology officer Tim Crain confirmed "our equipment is on the surface of the Moon and we are transmitting," as applause broke out in mission control.

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

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IPL's "Digital Rating 130 Million, PSL's Is...": Najam Sethi's Bold Claim

The eighth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) ended on Saturday with Lahore Qalandars emerging as the winners. The Shaheen Afridi-led side defeated Multan Sultans by 1 run in a thrilling summit clash. Opting to bat first, the Qalandars posted a huge total of 200/6 in 20 overs with Abdullah Shafique smashing 65 off 40 balls and Shaheen playing a quick knock of 44* off just 15 balls. Later, the Sultans were restricted at 199/8 as the Qalandars lifted their second PSL title. As the thrilling T20 league of Pakistan is now over, the fans are gearing up for the 16th edition of Indian Premier League (IPL), which will kick-start from March 31. 

IPL is regarded as the richest and the most loved T20 league in the world, due to it's massive fan-following and nail-biting action. However, Pakistan Cricket Board Chief Najam Sethi has now come up with a shocking opinion regarding the two leagues and stated that PSL is a bigger success than IPL in terms of digital ratings. 

"Let's talk about digital. PSL was only at the half stage, so I asked about our digital rating. Najam Sethi show used to have a 0.5 rating on TV, whereas PSL is getting a rating of more than 11. So, it would be 18 or 20, when it completes," Sethi said in a press conference ahead of the PSL final. 

"Over 150 million people watched it digitally. It is not a small thing. At the same stage, IPL's digital rating was 130 million and PSL's is more than 150 million. So this is a great success for Pakistan", he added.

Talking about IPL, the first match of the cash-rich league will be played between the defending champions Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

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Inside Pics From Kareena's Son Jeh's Birthday Bash. Courtesy Saba Pataudi

Saba Patuadi, aunt of Jeh Ali Khan, shared some inside pictures from his third birthday celebrations and they are absolutely aww-dorable. Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan hosted a birthday party on Wednesday evening. In the first picture, Saba Patuadi can be seen posing with sister-in-law Kareena Kapoor. While Saba wore a floral dress, Kareena kept her style statement casual. She wore a yellow t-shirt and paired it with Jeans. Don't miss the giant Spider-Man themed cake in the pictures. The other pictures feature Kareena-Saif, Babita, Soha Ali Khan with daughter Inaaya at the cake-cutting ceremony. Saba wrote in the caption, "Birthday Boy Bash! Mahsha'Allah..#jehjaan turns 3! Take a look:

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Saba shared some funny pictures of Jeh to wish him happy birthday. She wrote in the caption, "My Jeh Jàan turns 3!Happy Birthday my Munchkin....1. Keep smiling and taking the world by storm! 2.Eat allllll the cake u want today! 3. And I will Always have your back my baby boy. Love U to the moon n back! Take a look:

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Soha shared a bunch of images of Jeh with herself, Kareena Kapoor-Saif Ali Khan, Inaaya (Soha and Kunal Kemmu's daughter) and Kunal Kemmu. She shared a few happy pictures of Jeh, in which the toddler can be seen smiling for the cameras. In one click, Jeh, seated on his father's lap, can be seen showing his mother a spoon while Kareena makes a funny face. In another photo, big sister Inaaya can be seen holding baby Jeh. Sharing the pictures, Soha wrote, "Happy birthday Jeh baba!!! Officially a three-nager." Take a look:

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The guest list at Jeh's birthday bash included Ranbir Kapoor with Raha,  Sonam Kapoor with son Vayu, Neha Dhupia with son Guriq, Amrita Arora, Soha Ali Khan-Kunal Kemmu, Malaika Arora, Randhir Kapoor and Babita.

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"India Is Standing Against A Bully": Top Bureaucrat On Situation At LAC

India is standing against a "bully" in a very "determined fashion", Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane said on Wednesday, referring to the situation arising out of China's military assertiveness along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh.

His remarks came while replying to a question during an interactive session at the INDUS-X Summit.

India and the US can play a pivotal role in shaping the geopolitical landscape of the Indo-Pacific, promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the region, Mr Aramane said.

"The possibility that we may encounter a similar situation to what we faced in 2020 is keeping us active all the time," he said.

Aramane was asked about challenges India is facing along the LAC and New Delhi's expectations from Washington to deal with common challenges.

"One thing which helped us very quickly is the intelligence, the situational awareness which the US equipment and the US government helped us with. So that is one single most important area ...," he said.

The defence secretary said the strong resolve that both India and the US support each other in the face of a common threat is going to be of critical importance.

"India is giving a face-off to our neighbour in almost all the fronts we have with them, wherever there is a mountain pass, we are stationed there... and wherever there is a road we have to be there. So that way we are there standing against a bully in a very determined fashion," he said.

Mr Aramane said India expects friends like the US to be supportive.

"We expect that our friends in the US will be there with us in case we need their support," he said.

"We greatly appreciate the support and resolve from our friends in supporting us during such an event, basically the information, the intelligence and any support by way of equipment will be of great use to us," he said.

The Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a standoff in certain friction points in eastern Ladakh even as the two sides completed disengagement from several areas following extensive diplomatic and military talks.

In his address at the summit, Mr Aramane stressed that India and the US are key stakeholders in the Indo-Pacific bounded by shared values and common interests.

"Today, we are witnessing a pivotal moment in the history of the Indo-Pacific region. The Indo-Pacific, with its vast expanse of oceans and strategic waterways, stands as the crossroad of global commerce, geopolitics, and security," Aramane said.

"In navigating the complex dynamics of this region, India and the US find themselves as key stakeholders, bound by shared values and common interests," he said.

Noting that the robust defence partnership between the two countries is rooted in mutual respect and strategic convergence, Aramane also cited the launch of Initiatives on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) as a key measure to bolster ties.

"A pivotal aspect of our burgeoning relationship is the iCET that aims to establish 'Innovation Bridges' across key sectors," he said.

On the bilateral partnership in the aerospace and defence sectors, Aramane said, "Our bilateral relationship is flourishing, with India increasingly turning to the US for cutting-edge equipment and technology. The US in turn, sees India as a key partner in its Indo-Pacific strategy, leveraging India's growing defence capabilities." He also talked about the multilateral engagements where both the countries are stakeholders.

The defence secretary underscored the "success stories" of India's defence production, ranging from shipbuilding, including aircraft carriers, to the development of advanced platforms such as Tejas multi-role fighter aircraft.

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

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"Made Me Watch Porn For Spiritual Growth": Ex Nuns On Renowned Priest

Two former nuns said Wednesday that a world-renowned artist priest made them take part in threesomes and watch porn so they would "grow spiritually".

Slovenian mosaic artist Marko Rupnik, 69, is accused of sexually and psychologically abusing at least 20 women for nearly 30 years at a religious community in Slovenia.

"He took me to pornographic theatres to help me 'grow spiritually'," Gloria Branciani, who was a member of the community until 1994, told journalists at a press conference in Rome.

"He said that I would not grow spiritually if I did not meet his sexual needs," she said, describing how he sexualised religious concepts.

"We had another nun have sex with us because he said it was like the Trinity," Branciani said, referring to the central Christian doctrine of three persons within one God.

Rupnik was briefly excommunicated in 2020 for absolving someone of having sexual relations with him, but was reinstated after he formally repented.

He was finally expelled from the Jesuit order -- of which Pope Francis is a member -- last June.

In October, Francis waived the statute of limitations on the offences, opening the way for potential disciplinary proceedings.

Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of the abuse tracking site Bishop Accountability, which documents abuse within the Catholic Church, described Rupnik as a "powerful cleric who was protected at the highest levels of the Church and the Vatican."

The press conference comes five years after an unprecedented summit at the Vatican on sexual abuse in the Church, at the end of which Francis promised a "zero tolerance" approached.

"The Rupnik case shows that little has changed," said Barrett Doyle, who called for an independent investigation and the publication of its findings.

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

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Tech Millionaire Claims He Reversed His Hair Loss Using 3 Tactics

Bryan Johnson, the 46-year-old software billionaire, who is on a quest to reverse his biological age, recently claimed in a video that he has beat both balding and graying. In a video posted on YouTube on February 9, he revealed 3 tactics he uses to keep his hair looking healthy and luscious. This routine forms part of his Project Blueprint initiative to stay forever young.

In the clip, he told his followers to start taking precautionary measures before their strands start to thin or shed. ''The best time to work on your hair is before you start losing it,'' Mr Johnson said.

The anti-aging guru revealed he uses red light therapy every morning to maintain a full head of hair. The method requires him to wear a battery-powered red light therapy cap for six minutes, as it ''increases blood flow and also stimulates hair follicle activity''.

He then uses a special topical treatment made up of ingredients like Caffeine, Finasteride, Minoxidil Azelaic Acid, Diclofenac,  Tea Tree Oil, Rosemary, Ginko Biloba, Biotin and Melatonin.

Watch the video here:

Mr Johnson has also been using microneedling and taking specialized platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections. To fight off grey hair, he uses GR7, an anti-hair loss and anti-gray treatment which he applies three or four times per week, and Mayraki, a colored herbal extract that he applies once a week. 

''We biopsied my hair, we looked at it under the microscope and we see that the color is being produced beneath the scalp – so it's working,'' he explained. 

People who don't know where to start could begin with using 5% of Romaine or the generic version, Minoxidil, the tech mogul advised. 

Notably, the entrepreneur spends $2 million a year on medical diagnostics and treatments combined with a meticulously crafted regimen of eating, sleeping, and exercise to see if he can slow, and perhaps even reverse, the aging process.

Last year, Mr Johnson claimed that his daily regimen had given him the lung capacity and physical endurance of an 18-year-old, the heart of a 37-year-old, and the skin of a 28-year-old. He goes to bed by 8.30 pm, eats 2,250 calories a day between 6 am and 11 am, and has four to five hours of "concentrated thought". He doesn't drink and swallows a staggering 111 pills a day.

He takes more than 100 supplements a day and undergoes daily body fat scans and routine MRIs, conducted by a team of 30 doctors, as per Fortune. He has also swapped blood with his teenage son. 

Notably, Mr Johnson made his fortune in his 30s when he sold his payment processing company Braintree Payment Solutions to eBay for $800 million in cash.  He is reportedly worth $400 million.

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Shilpa And Raj Will Perform At Rakul And Jackky's Wedding: Report

Ahead of Rakul Preet Singh and Jackky Bhagnani's wedding, a Pinkvilla report claimed that Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra will perform at their wedding festivities. Pinkvilla quoted an inside source stating, "Raj and Shilpa are all set to elevate the festivities with their dynamic performance, delivering an electrifying Punjabi wedding mashup that will undoubtedly enhance the glamor and musical ambiance of the event." The report mentioned that Raj Kundra shares a long-standing friendship with Jackky's father Vashu Bhagnani while Shilpa is a close friend of Jackky. The couple will get married on February 21 in Goa.

Meanwhile, bride-to-be Rakul Preet Singh travelled to Goa on Saturday evening with her parents. Rakul looked pretty in an orange co-ord set as she smiled for the paparazzi. Jackky Bhagnani was also spotted at the airport. The actor-producer was spotted in a printed shirt and pants.

On Saturday afternoon, Rakul Preet Singh and Jackky Bhagnani offered prayers at the Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai. Rakul Preet Singh was dressed in a pink salwar suit. She kept her accessories minimal while Jackky wore a green kurta. He teamed it up with black pants. In a viral video from the venue, a paparazzo can be heard saying, "Congratulations, in advance." Another paparazzo teases Jackky with these words, "Sir, see you in Goa." To this, Jackky only smiles. ICYMI, this is the video we are talking about:

After making her relationship public with Jackky in 2021, Rakul told  Film Companion, "We're both of the opinion that there is nothing to hide or be sly about a relationship. If you are in one, the best thing is to give each other that respect and acknowledge it. Let's face it. We all know who the couples are, hiding and running. Both of us don't come from that school of thought."

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"Mountain Out Of A Molehill": Mamata Banerjee Amid Sandeshkhali Controversy

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee doubled down on her claim that the BJP is behind the massive controversy over sexual exploitation allegations from Sandeshkhali. Her detractors, she alleged, are making a "mountain out of a molehill".

Speaking at an event in Birbhum, the Chief Minister doubled down on detractors and said the incident was engineered. "You try to create knots in Bengal and we try to untie knots. If any person is tortured then our government takes steps. One incident has happened. The incident has been made to happen," she said.

"First they sent the ED there. Then its friend the BJP entered with the ED. And some media along with them. After going there, they are making a mountain of a molehill. Instead of peace, they are starting fires," Mamata Banerjee said.

So far, the local women have held more than one protest, alleging that local Trinamool leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides are systematically exploiting them. Union minister Smriti Irani has spoken of a religious angle -- which the Trinamool has vehemently rejected.

"No woman has made any police complaint or an FIR so far,"Mamata Banerjee said, declaring that because of this, she has asked the police to file "suo motu" cases.

"I want to tell people that whoever has any complaint, I will send officers and they will listen to you. If anyone feels that someone has taken something from someone, everything will be returned," Ms Banerjee said, in what was apparently a reference to the land-grabbing allegations against the Trinamool strongman.  

Three ministers of the Trinamool Congress visited the area today and promised that all the complaints will be resolved. On instructions of the party's second-in-command Abhishek Banerjee, ministers Birbaha Hansda, Sujit Bose and Partha Bhowmick visited Sandeshkhali. The complaints that have been reported will be addressed by the party, they assured the locals.

Many residents of Sandeshkhali have complained about Sheikh Shahjahan and his henchmen Uttam Sardar and Shibu Prasad Hazra.

Hazra and Sardar have been arrested. Sheikh Jahan is still on the run. State police chief Rajeev Kumar told reporters that the case which was registered by the police, has been stopped by the ED and the central agency should arrest him.

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UP's Yogi Adityanath Second Most Popular Chief Minister. First Is...

Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha occupied the prestigious fifth position in India in terms of popularity rating among the Chief Ministers, according to a recent survey by one of the media aimed at gauging the acceptability of the leaders.

The survey aimed to gauge the popularity and acceptability of the country's chief ministers, unveiling some intriguing results.

According to the survey, Odisha's Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik topped the list with a remarkable popularity rating of 52.7 percent. Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath secured the second position with a 51.3 percent popularity rating.

The third spot is held by Assam's Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who garnered a 48.6 percent rating, while the fourth position is occupied by Gujarat's Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, with a 42.6 percent rating. Dr Manik Saha, with a commendable 41.4 per cent popularity rating, highlighting his significant acceptance and approval among the citizens of Tripura and beyond.

Following the survey, the people of Tripura praised Chief Minister Saha for his simplicity, dedication, honesty, and the developmental strides made under his leadership. Residents commended him for being a compassionate leader who shares in their joys and sorrows.

Meanwhile, a local of Tripura who runs a shop and a businessman praised Chief Minister Saha and said, " CM Saha is very honest, and always works at the grassroots level. He is always there to solve any type of problem".

Another shopkeeper Debabrata Chakraborty said that he is very fortunate to be a native of Tripura while emphasizing the positive impact on the state's gradual development.

"We are in very good condition under the leadership of CM Dr Manik Saha. Under his guidance, each and every person in Tripura is gradually developing," Deepak Debnath a shop owner in Kashipur said.

A businessman from Agartala Basudeb Chakraborty said that CM Saha is working for the development of the people of Tripura.

"I had heard that our CM Dr Manik Saha had been ranked in the 5th position in popularity. It's very true, as he is very honest, he always interacts with everyone and is committed to the well- being and progress of the people. According to me, he must be in the 1st position," he added.

"Our CM Dr Manik Saha is greatly working on his work. He is always delightful and devoted to God. He takes care of every person in the state. He is honest," Vakti Kamal Saint Maharaj, Jagannath Jew Mandir, Agartala said.

Prof. Jagadish Gan Choudhary said that he is feeling proud of this survey, adding that it is a matter of respect for Tripura.

"I feel that the present CM Saha is the most popular and best. He is a very simple person, active and dedicated towards his work. He serves the people of Tripura very sincerely and honestly. Among so many Chief Ministers he is the best," Asutosh Ranjan Ghosh, a Retired Government employee said.

A social activist, Bipin Debbarma said that CM Saha has been working for all the classes of people, especially for the tribal people.

"For the last 25 years, we hadn't seen such common people taking so much facilities from the CM. He always thinks about the development of the Janajati people of Tripura, and how to develop them from the grassroot level he is working on continuously," he added.

Moreover, Durjay Kumar Chowdhury, a shop owner said that the CM Saha has boosted the infrastructure development in the state.

"Manik Saha has been successfully working for the development of the state. He is working on various developmental projects that we haven't seen in the last 25 years of rule of another political party," he added.

Earlier in March 2023, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manik Saha, a dentist-turned-politician who steered the party to power in Tripura, took oath as the Chief Minister of the state for the second consecutive term.

Manik Saha, who led the BJP to victory, is a dental surgeon who joined the BJP in 2016 after quitting Congress. He was made party chief of the state in 2020 and elected to Rajya Sabha in March 2022.

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

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From "Naughty" To "Smarty Boy": Journey Of ISRO's GSLV-II Launch Vehicle

Often dubbed as "naughty boy" for its spotty success rate, the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-II of ISRO has earned new sobriquets such as "mature", "obedient", "smarty" and "natty" after two consecutive successful launches.

The GSLV on Saturday placed the INSAT-3DS satellite in the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO), the second successful mission after it placed the NVS-01 satellite for India's own satellite-based navigation system NavIC.

"Coming to the launch vehicle, GSLV doesn't have a good name ('Naughty Boy') with regards to its performance, but that has been a thing of the past. So far, the rocket and satellites have performed very well," ISRO Chairman S Somanath said, addressing reporters after the successful launch of INSAT-3DS.

Mission Director Tomy Joseph said, "The naughty boy has matured as a very obedient and disciplined boy." "Like PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle), GSLV has also become a robust vehicle for ISRO," he said, remarks that were welcomed with applause.

Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre Director S Unnikrishnan Nair described the GSLV as "smarty" and "natty" and said the reliability of the launch vehicle was high like other rockets.

U R Rao Satellite Centre Director M Sankaran likened the GSLV to a "matured wine" which delivered a textbook performance by placing the INSAT-3DS satellite in orbit.

GSLV used the indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage, generating a nominal thrust of 75 kiloNewton, which enabled ISRO launch up to two tonne class of communication satellites.

The first development flight of GSLV took place on April 18, 2001 followed by another development flight on May 8 2003.

The GSLV saw some back-to-back failures in 2006, when it failed to place the INSAT-4C satellite in orbit. Two GSLV missions in 2010 ended in a failure.

ISRO developed the GSLV-Mark III launch vehicle powered with the indigenously built cryogenic engine (C25) by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre at Thiruvananthapuram. GSLV Mark III, renamed as Launch Vehicle Mark III (LVM3) can place up to four tonne satellites in GTO and eight tonne payloads in low earth orbits.

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

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Dangal Actor, 19, Died Of Rare Inflammatory Disease: Family

Actor Suhani Bhatnagar, who played young Babita Phogat in Aamir Khan-starrer wrestling drama 'Dangal', died in Delhi yesterday. Her family today revealed that she was suffering from Dermatomyositis, a rare inflammatory disease that causes skin rash and muscle weakness.
The 19-year-old was admitted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences on February 7 and died on February 16 after medical complications.

The family said that the symptoms showed two months ago while she was diagnosed with the disease only ten days back.

"She developed a red spot on her hands about two months ago. We consulted with doctors in different hospitals but it couldn't be diagnosed, said Suhani's mother Puja Bhatnagar.

She was admitted to AIIMS after her health started deteriorating.

Suhani's father Sumit Bhatnagar said there was no improvement in her health and eventually her "lungs got damaged due to an infection and accumulation of excess fluid".

"She was put on the ventilator but there was no improvement," he said.

Her father claimed that there are only five to six people all over the world who have been diagnosed with the disease.

Dermatomyositis is a rare inflammatory disease marked by muscle weakness and a distinctive skin rash. It can also affect other organ systems such as the pulmonary, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal systems.

The cremation of Suhani Bhatnagar, who was a resident of Faridabad, took place at the Ajronda cremation ground.

She had appeared in the 2016 biographical drama about a wrestler who mentors his two daughters to success. Zaira Wasim played young Geeta while Bhatnagar portrayed the role of Babita. The grown-up versions of the characters were played by Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra. Aamir Khan played the role of their father, Mahavir Phogat.

Aamir Khan's production house also condoled her death: "We are deeply saddened to hear about our Suhani passing away. Our heartfelt condolences to her mother Poojaji and the entire family. Such a talented young girl, such a team player, 'Dangal' would have been incomplete without Suhani".

Suhani had taken a break from acting to complete her studies.

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Russian Man Transforms An Abandoned Boeing 737 Plane Into A Luxury Villa

Industrialist Anand Mahindra, who is quite active on Twitter regularly posts about trending topics and engaging stories, for his 11 million followers. On Saturday, he shared a fascinating video of a man who turned a commercial plane into a villa. The man, identified as Russian entrepreneur Felix Demin, transformed an abandoned Boeing 737 airliner into a luxury private villa, complete with two bedrooms, an infinity pool with Indian Ocean views, and a terrace. The unique property is perched atop the mesmerising Nyang Nyang Cliffs in Bali, Indonesia.

"Some people are fortunate enough to be able to turn their fantasies into reality. And this chap doesn't seem to impose any constraints on his imagination! I'm trying to figure out whether I'd ever be interested in booking a stay here, but I'm a bit worried about jet lag post the experience," Mr Mahindra wrote on X. In the video, Mr Demin gave a virtual tour of the plane-turned-villa.

Inside, there's a living room with a bar, a sofa bed, and a glass portal, as well as two bedrooms with walk-in closets. The cockpit has been converted into a large bathroom, and he property also has sun loungers, an outdoor lounge area, and a fire pit.

Watch the video here:

Some people are fortunate enough to be able to turn their fantasies into reality.

And this chap doesn't seem to impose any constraints on his imagination!

I'm trying to figure out whether I'd ever be interested in booking a stay here but I'm a bit worried about jet lag post… pic.twitter.com/LhH2Rtn5Ht

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) February 17, 2024

Notably, the retired Boeing 737 was purchased by Mr Demin back in 2021 and transported to its remote location, CNN reported. It opened its doors in 2023, and quickly earned its place among the world's most prestigious luxury retreats.

X users were fascinated with the unique villa, and many said that they would love an opportunity to stay in it. Notably, this private jet villa is also available for rent.

Here are some other videos of the villa:

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A post shared by Виталия Лапина | Организатор свадеб и мероприятий Дубай Москва (@vitaliya_lapina)

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A post shared by FPV pilot • CG | AI artist • VFX (@eno_fpv)

One user said, ''This is a super rich life,'' while others called it ''awesome'' and ''amazing.''

Another commented, ''The fusion of fantasy and luxury always crafts the most unforgettable memories, doesn't it? The concept of adjusting your body clock might seem daunting at first, but the experience promises to transcend any temporary discomfort.''

A third said, ''Considering staying at a place that sparks your imagination! Jet lag can be a concern, but it might be worth it for such a unique experience. Maybe plan some extra time to adjust before getting back to reality.''

A fourth added, ''Only relaxation. And no turbulence.''

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/xD8JfMS