Nawab Malik, now the official candidate of the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party, told NDTV today that the allegations now levelled at him were "irresponsible" and the verdicts in the cases would vindicate him. His response was to the remarks of senior BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, who had called him a "terrorist".
"These are irresponsible statements. Nawab Malik was never a terrorist nor was ever with any terrorist or any criminal. Nawab Malik has been in politics in this country for 50 years," Mr Malik told NDTV in an exclusive interview.
Some people think giving such comments would help increase their vote bank but it actually has the opposite effect, he said.
"Now the matter is sub judice, so I can't obviously discuss it. Once the verdict comes, everything will be clear," he added.
Mr Malik was arrested by central agencies in an alleged money laundering case involving mafia don Dawood Ibrahim and his associates Chhota Shakeel and Tigar Memon. He is currently out on bail.
The BJP had refused to support his candidature, citing the case against him.
"We won't endorse anyone who's related to any Dawood or Dawood related case," Maharashtra BJP chief Ashish Shelar had said yesterday, after Ajit Pawar's last-minute backing fr Mr Malik, he said the BJP would not campaign for him.
"Nawab Malik is a terrorist who tried to break India into pieces. He is Dawood's agent and Ajit Pawar's NCP has betrayed the country by giving ticket to Nawab Malik," Kirit Somaiyya later said.
Mr Malik, who had filed two nominations yesterday - one of them as an Independent and the other as a member of the NCP, to day said he ws not keen on contesting this time.
"I have been a 5-term MLA and have been a minister 6 times. I did not want to contest the election," he said, explaining that he changed his mind because of appeals from the people of Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar.
An Arctic seed vault on Norway's Spitsbergen island received new samples last week from the largest number of depositors since 2020, reflecting fear about the threat of conflict and climate change to food security, a custodian of the facility said recently.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, set deep inside a mountain to withstand disasters from nuclear war to global warming, was launched in 2008 as a backup for the world's gene banks that store the genetic code for thousands of plant species.
Billed as a doomsday vault protected by permafrost, the deposit has received samples from across the world, and played a leading role between 2015 and 2019 in rebuilding seed collections damaged during the war in Syria.
"Climate change and conflict threaten infrastructure and impact food security for over 700 million people in more than 75 countries worldwide," Executive Director Stefan Schmitz of the Crop Trust said in a statement.
Among the new desposits, Bolivia's first contribution to the vault was made by the 400-year-old Universidad Mayor Real y Pontificia de San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca, and assembled by some 125 farming families from local communities.
"This deposit goes beyond conserving crops; it's about protecting our culture," the project coordinator of the Norway-funded Biodiversity for Opportunities, Livelihoods, and Development in Bolivia said in a statement.
Chad, another newcomer, deposited 1,145 samples of sesame, rice, maize and sorghum - all adapted to the country's climate and crucial for developing crops that can withstand rising temperatures and erratic rainfall.
The total of more than 30,000 new samples from 21 countries, also included seeds of vegetables, legumes and herbs from the Union of Agricultural Work Committees in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Located on a sparsely populated island halfway between mainland Europe and the North Pole, the vault's chambers are only opened two or three times a year to limit exposure to the outside world.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Graham 'Dingo' Dinkelman, a popular YouTuber and conservationist known as South Africa's Steve Irwin, has died following an extremely poisonous snake bite. The tragic incident occurred about a month ago when 44-year-old Dinkelman was attacked by a cobra. He had serious side effects from the bite, such as anaphylactic shock, which required him to be put in an induced coma and given potent sedatives.
Kirsty, his wife, confirmed his death on Saturday. Dinkelman was devoted to wildlife protection and a father of three children. Many admirers and followers were shocked to learn of his passing.
"Dingo fought incredibly hard throughout this very difficult period. We know that he was fighting to be here with us, and we are so grateful for this," Kirsty told The Metro. "Sadly, despite his strength and resilience, my beloved husband passed away peacefully today, surrounded by his family."
She too thanked well-wishers for their support.
"Today is one month since the incident, and we have experienced such comfort and love from your messages and prayers from all over the world," she added.
Graham "Dingo" Dinkelman, who was popularly called South Africa's Steve Irwin, had a sizable YouTube following.
He had more than 100,000 subscribers to his "DINGO DINKELMAN" YouTube channel. Dingo would share risk-taking videos of himself handling some of the most dangerous creatures on the planet, such as crocodiles and snakes. He was bitten by a black mamba approximately eight months ago, according to a video that is pinned to his channel.
A 17,000-year-old infant skeleton, found in Italy's Grotta delle Mura cave, is providing new insights into human populations during the Ice Age. Discovered in 1998, the remains were recently analyzed for DNA, allowing scientists to reconstruct aspects of the infant's appearance, ancestry, and health. The DNA results suggest that the child likely had dark skin, blue eyes, and curly hair—a combination found in other ancient European hunter-gatherers. The genetic profile connects the infant to an ancient population known as the Villabruna cluster, which lived in Europe after the Last Glacial Maximum.
This group represents an early lineage of modern Europeans, suggesting that the boy's community may have been among the earliest ancestors of later European populations.
Inherited Heart Condition Revealed
The DNA analysis also indicates that the infant may have had a genetic heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which causes the heart muscle to thicken. In infants, this condition can lead to congestive heart failure. This potentially explains the boy's early death at an age between seven months and one and a half years.
Teeth Analysis Reflects Health and Stress
Examination of the infant's teeth provided clues about his brief life and his mother's health. Multiple growth lines on the teeth suggest that both mother and child may have faced physiological stress, likely from malnutrition or illness, during and shortly after pregnancy. Further analysis showed that the mother remained close to her community during pregnancy, likely indicating a localized lifestyle within the Puglia region.
Preservation and Genetic Study
The child's remains was preserved in the cool environment of Grotta delle Mura. This allowed scientists to recover around 75 percent of his genome. Preservation of ancient remains in warm climates is rare, making this genetic information particularly valuable for studying early human populations.
Implications for Understanding Ice Age Populations
This research sheds light on the adaptation and migration of ancient human populations during a period of significant environmental change. Through genetic insights into the child's traits and health, scientists can better understand the lives of early Europeans and their responses to Ice Age conditions.
A men's rights activist, known as Kish Siff on social media platform X, shared screenshots of a conversation with a potential matrimonial match who became irate upon learning his actual salary was Rs 3 lakh per annum, not Rs 30 lakh as previously stated.
Kish, whose bio describes him as a counsellor at the men's rights NGO Save Indian Family Foundation, initially claimed his income was a "typo error." In his post on X, Mr Siff explained that the woman had been eager for an early engagement until he clarified his actual salary.
He agreed to an engagement in mid-November and revealed that his profile mistakenly listed an extra zero, showing Rs 30 LPA instead of Rs 3 LPA. Screenshots show the woman reacting with anger and using language he described as too offensive to repeat.
In another post, Mr Siff alleged that he had discovered through court orders that the woman received Rs 80 lakh in alimony from her ex-husband following a compromise in a false 498A case against her in-laws, though she had previously denied taking any money during the divorce.
He also shared screenshots of messages from the woman's mother, who threatened to file a police complaint against him for misleading her daughter.
The post soon caught the attention of internet users and triggered an array of comments. Several users lauded the man for exposing fraudulent practices by women on matrimonial websites.
As per reports, Japanese car manufacturers Toyota and Suzuki are collaborating to launch a new compact electric vehicle (EV), which is expected to hit the global markets next year. The two Japanese automobile giants have signed an agreement to share technologies and models with each other globally. Codenamed ‘bZ' (Beyond Zero), this crossover is dubbed as the compact version of the Toyota bZ4X, which is available in the international market.
Suzuki and Toyota aims to form a partnership which will lead to developing compact vehicles. Their partnership has resulted in successful models which are available in the Indian and European market.
The partnership is part of a effort by Toyota to improve its EV lineup. The company has been continuously working towards improving and expanding its Electric Vehicle catalogue. When launched, bZ will be Toyota's budget friendly EV till date, thus attempting to attract a large pool of customers especially in markets prefers Electric cars.
Upcoming EV Expected Features and Specifications
Toyota's e-TNGA platform will serve as the cornerstone for the bZ. Thus, guaranteeing a strong performance and efficiency base. It can be noted that the Japanese Carmaker is also developing a new SUV. This will be a marketed below the Fortuner in the price range and will be sharing its platform with bZ.
Bz is expected to have an impressive range of over 300 kilometers when fully charged. This will make it suitable for commuting in Urban roads. The overall length is expected to be 3700mm, width 1700mm and a height of 1530mm. The wheelbase is expected to be around 2450mm. This Ev will have a power output of approximately 118bhp and 294Nm, thus making it an ideal and efficient choice for driving in the city.
This can be seen as great initiative between the two companies as both Toyota and Suzuki share a substantial market share in the automobile market. This partnership will especially help Toyota, which has been hesitant about entering the EV market to grab the consumer's attention in the global market.
This collaboration will see a direct rival in Tata Punch EV and the upcoming Hyundai Inster.
The Congress on Saturday released its second list of 23 candidates for the November 20 Maharashtra Assembly elections, fielding a "strong" contender against state Bharatiya Janata Party President Chandrashekhar Bawankule.
Bawankule, who is recontesting Kamthi seat in Nagpur district - which he had bagged in 2004, 2009 and 2014 till he was dropped in 2019, will lock horns with Suresh Y. Bhoyar, a former President of the Nagpur Zila Panchayat.
Similarly, in Savner in Nagpur district, the Congress has fielded Anuja S. Kedar, the wife of former minister and five-term MLA Sunil C. Kedar, who was convicted in a graft case and disqualified. The daughter of the legendary cricket administrator and former Maharashtra Speaker SK Wankhede, whose name adorns the BCCI stadium in Mumbai, Kedar had filed her nomination papers as an Independent, but will now contest on a Congress ticket.
The Congress' second list comes two days after the first list with 48 candidates was issued as the party was purportedly in a tug-of-war with Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ally Shiv Sena-UBT over certain seats in the Vidarbha region.
The others figuring in Saturday's list also include Rajesh Manavatkar (Bhusawal), Swati Wakekar (Jamod), Mahesh Gange (Akot), Shekhar Shende (Wardha), Girish Pandav (Nagpur South), Pooja Thavker (Bhandara), Dalip Banson (Arjuni-Morgaon), Rajkumar Puram (Amgaon), Vasant Purke (Ralegaon), Anil Balasaheb Mangulkar (Yavatmal), Jitendra Moghe (Arni), Sahebrao Kamble (Umarkhed), Kailas Gorantyal (Jalna), and Madhukar Deshmukh (Aurangabad East).
Vijay Patil will contest from Vasai, Kalu Bhadeliya from Kandivali East, Yashwant Singh from Charkop, Ganesh Kumar Yadav from Sion-Koliwada, Hemant Ogle from Srirampur, Abhay K. Salunkhe from Nilanga, and Ganpatrao Patil for Shiro).
Maharashtra Congress Legislative Party Leader Vijay alias Balasaheb Thorat is likely to call on NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and SS-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray this afternoon to finalise the remaining seat-sharing ratio, including the number of seats that will be allocated to smaller allies, as the last date for filing nominations (October 29) approaches.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Despite familial ties, Yugendra Pawar, a candidate from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, is set to contest the Maharashtra assembly elections against his uncle Ajit Pawar from Baramati.
Yugendra Pawar is the grandnephew of Sharad Pawar and will be making his political debut in the Maharashtra Assembly elections to be held on November 20.
Speaking to ANI, when asked about him contesting election against his own uncle who has won this seat seven times, he said, "I feel it is quite sad, quite unfortunate that this had to come in the family. Not in Vidhan Sabha but it started in Lok Sabha and we were always together and even the incumbent MLA was always under the guidance of the founder of the party and family patriarch Sharad Pawar Sahab. What happened all of India has seen. The party split and the symbol was given to them by the election commission."
Baramati will see another Pawar versus Pawar contest, after Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar, defeated Sunetra Pawar, wife of Ajit Pawar, during the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year. Ajit Pawar had split the NCP in June 2023.
Yugendra Pawar added, "This was unfortunate but all of us in the family decided that we need to stay with Pawar Sahab because he is the founder of the NCP, he is the patriarch of the family and it is because of him that not only Baramati but everybody around also prospered."
Yugendra Pawar feels that the fight against his own uncle won't be tough but won't be easy either. He said, "I don't think it will be tough but I don't even think that it will be easy either. Initially, Pawar Sahab was supporting Ajit Pawar, we fondly call him Dada, but people of Baramati in large numbers are behind Pawar Sahab and that is what they showed in Lok Sabha. They will show this in the upcoming assembly as well as other elections also."
On his political debut from Baramati he said, "It is very satisfying, I am quite happy and I humbly accept the responsibility given to me by the party and respectable Pawar Sahab, State President Jayant Patil and as well as our Working President Supriya Tai Sule," he said.
In its first list, the Nationalist Congress party (Sharad Pawar faction) has fielded 12 sitting MLAs who remained loyal to Sharad Pawar when the party split last year. The party declared its first list of 45 candidates on Thursday. It has been allotted 85 seats in the seat-sharing arrangement among the three parties in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition.
The Baramati candidate emphasised various issues that need to be addressed in the region.
"There are lot of issues, there are a range of problems that need to be taken care of. Like crime has increased not only in Baramati but all of Maharashtra. Then there is also a local issue like the old people, we call them Gao Pudharis, these local netas or the sewaks have not been changed for quite some time. They have not been the way a lok pratinidhi should behave. That needs to change somewhere. We need someone who will be amongst them, somebody who will be with them, will be available, who can hear them out and that system has not only been there in Baramati for quite a long time that needs to change," Yugendra Pawar said.
"Unemployment is a very big issue in Baramati as well as in Maharashtra. Also, water is a major problem in Baramati. Today, even though the monsoon is going on, there are close to 25 to 30 villages that still do not have drinking water. This is a drought-prone area. Pawar sahab brought water to the region around 35 to 40 years ago but after that not a single irrigation scheme has been brought to Baramati because of which a lot of villages today also are still drought-prone. We have a river over here called the Nira, the water is so polluted that even though we have water we cannot spread it to where it is actually needed," he added.
Mr Pawar also spoke about the controversies going around the reservation system in the country.
"Reservation is something that was given to us by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and I feel like there are certain sections of society that still do need them. It will still be useful to them and our MP from Baramati Supriya Tai Sule has also spoken on this issue in Parliament and asked for reservation for certain sections so I personally also support her stand and our party's stand on this issue," he said.
Yugendra Pawar has been to all the villages in Baramati before contesting the election and plans to go around the area again after two days. "Pawar sahab is my mentor, my guide or 'margdarshak'. He always tells me that you should go amongst people, you should not only focus on big cities or the big villages but it's important to go to small 'wadis' or 'vastis'. When I go there people, tell me after Pawar Sahab nobody else has ever reached out to them. Being there, you get to see the constituency and the issues, the problems that people are facing. I like to be on the field and not sitting on a desk or (in front of a) computer," he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Rahul Gandhi, with a pink towel wrapped around his neck, sat down for a trim at a barber's shop in Delhi. The Leader of Opposition used the time, and opportunity, to ask the west Delhi barber about his dreams and ambitions and how have they fared over time.
Dressed in his trademark white T-shirt, Mr Gandhi visited the 'Classic Hair Salon' in Delhi's Uttam Nagar area and spoke to Ajit, the barber. He also shared a video of the visit on X.
While talking to the barber, Mr Gandhi says, "What will one save from Rs 15,000, nothing." "What is your house rent," Mr Gandhi asks.
"It is Rs 2,500. I get a pension of Rs 2,500 and it goes into rent," Ajit replies. He later tells Mr Gandhi that his wife is a heart patient.
As Ajit's hands quiver while trimming Mr Gandhi's beard with an electric trimmer, the latter holds his hand and says "You're taking too much tension," to which he gets a "What do I do, sir?" reply.
"I earn Rs 14,000-15,000 in a month, my house and shop are on rent," Ajit tells Mr Gandhi.
When asked about what he thought when he started, Ajit tells Mr Gandhi, "I thought our future will be bright, I will work hard but we're still here". "We were very happy under your rule. There was peace during Congress' rule," he adds.
Ajit later reveals in the video that he is physically challenged. "People like us are unable to progress, we'll remain stuck here. Our children's future is in jeopardy," he says.
Praising Mr Gandhi for visiting him, he says, "At least there is someone to support us poor people, otherwise who looks out for other people in this world? I am very happy to meet Rahul ji." He later shares a hug with Mr Gandhi as his eyes tear up.
Sharing the video on X, Mr Gandhi said, ""There is nothing left!" These four words of Ajit Bhai and his tears are telling the story of every hard-working poor and middle class person of India today."
"कुछ नहीं बचता है!"
अजीत भाई के ये चार शब्द और उनके आसूं आज भारत के हर मेहनतकश गरीब और मध्यमवर्गीय की कहानी बयां कर रहे हैं।
नाई से लेकर मोची, कुम्हार से लेकर बढ़ई - घटती आमदनी और बढ़ती महंगाई ने हाथ से काम करने वालों से अपनी दुकान, अपना मकान और स्वाभिमान तक के अरमान छीन लिए… pic.twitter.com/1gYGdui2ll
"From barbers to cobblers, potters to carpenters-declining incomes and rising inflation have stripped these hardworking individuals of their dreams of owning a shop, a home, and even their self-respect. Today, there is a need for modern solutions and new schemes that can bring back growth in income and savings at home. And, a society where skills are rightfully valued, and every step of hard work leads you up the ladder of progress," he wrote in the caption.
Rahul Gandhi often meets people from different walks of life to understand their struggles. He has earlier met a cobbler, construction workers, mechanics, truck drivers among other people.
This was not Mr Gandhi's first barber visit. Earlier, while campaigning for Lok Sabha polls, Mr Gandhi visited a barber shop in Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli In May. The barber shop, run by Mithun, saw a jump in the number of visitors after Mr Gandhi's visit.
चुनाव की तैयारी पूरी है, लेकिन हेयर कटिंग भी जरूरी है।
हम ऐसे ही हुनरमंद नौजवानों के हक के लिए लड़ रहे हैं, देश के विकास में इनकी हिस्सेदारी मांग रहे हैं।
Mr Gandhi also sent a gift to Mithun in UP after almost three months of visiting his shop. "After more than three months, a vehicle stopped near my shop. Two people unloaded two chairs, a shampoo chair, inverter set, etc. from that vehicle and handed them over," Mithun said. He was told that these were sent by Mr Gandhi
Rahul Gandhi often meets people from different walks of life to understand their struggles. He has earlier met a cobbler, construction workers, mechanics, truck drivers among other people.
Nvidia dethroned Apple as the world's most valuable company on Friday, following a record-setting rally in the stock powered by an insatiable demand for its new supercomputing AI chips.
Nvidia's stock market value briefly touched $3.53 trillion, while that of Apple was $3.52 trillion, according to data from LSEG.
In June, Nvidia briefly became the world's most valuable company, before it was overtaken by Microsoft and Apple. The tech trio's market capitalizations have been neck-and-neck for several months. Microsoft's market value stood at $3.20 trillion.
Nvidia's stock has risen about 18% so far in October, with a string of gains coming after OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, announced a funding round of $6.6 billion. Nvidia provides chips used to train so-called foundation models such as OpenAI's GPT-4.
"More companies are now embracing artificial intelligence in their everyday tasks and demand remains strong for Nvidia chips," said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.
"It is certainly in a sweet spot and so long as we avoid a big economic downturn in the United States, there is a feeling that companies will continue to invest heavily in AI capabilities, creating a healthy tailwind for Nvidia."
Nvidia's shares hit a record high on Tuesday, building on a rally from last week when TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, posted a forecast-beating 54% jump in quarterly profit driven by soaring demand for chips used in AI.
The next big test will be when Nvidia reports third-quarter results in November. Nvidia in August forecast third-quarter revenue of $32.5 billion, plus or minus 2%, compared with the current average analyst expectation of $32.90 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.
Morgan Stanley analyst Joseph Moore said in a note dated Oct. 10 that he remains "very bullish" about the company longer term, but the recent rally "raises the bar for earnings somewhat".
After a meeting with Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang, Moore noted the ramp up in production of its next-generation Blackwell chips appeared to be "quite strong" and are booked out for 12 months. The stock came under pressure in August after Nvidia confirmed reports that the production of Blackwell chips was delayed until the fourth quarter.
Shares of Nvidia, Apple and Microsoft have an outsized influence on the richly valued technology sector as well as the broader U.S. stock market, with the trio accounting for about a fifth of the S&P 500 index's weightage.
Frenzy around the prospects of AI, expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve will considerably bring down interest rates, and most recently, an upbeat start to the earnings season, have pushed the benchmark S&P 500 to an all-time high last week.
Nvidia's massive gains have helped boost the stock's appeal for option traders and the company's options are among the most traded on any given day in recent months, according to data from options analytics provider Trade Alert.
The stock has surged nearly 190% so far this year as a boom in generative AI prompted the company to issue a series of blowout forecasts.
"The question is whether the revenue stream will last for a long time and will be driven by the emotion of investors rather than by any ability to prove or disprove the thesis that AI is overdone," said Rick Meckler, partner at Cherry Lane Investments, a family investment office in New Vernon, New Jersey.
"I think Nvidia knows that near term, their numbers are likely to be quite remarkable."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
For all the movie buffs waiting for Pushpa 2: The Rule, we have an update. The movie has a new release date once again. The film, featuring Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna in lead roles, will now hit the big screens on December 5. It is worth noting that the movie was previously slated for release a day later, on December 6. Before that, the makers had announced August 15 as the release date. Now, announcing the new date, Allu Arjun has shared a post on X (formerly Twitter). In the poster, we see Allu Arjun dressed as his character, holding a gun with a cigar in his mouth. The side note read, “Pushpa 2: The Rule on Dec 5th.”
In June, when the makers postponed Pushpa 2: The Rule's release date from August 16 to November 6, they shared an elaborate note on X. The note read, "Pushpa 2 The Rule is one of the most anticipated Indian films. Following the immense success of Pushpa: The Rise, our responsibility to deliver excellence has increased significantly. We have been tirelessly working to complete the movie and release it on time. However, due to the remaining shoot and subsequent post-production work, we will not be releasing the film on August 15th, 2024. This decision is made in the best interests of the film, the audience, and all stakeholders. Our goal is to provide a memorable experience on the big screen without compromising quality.”
It continued, "The overwhelming response to our teasers and songs across all languages has been heartening, and we promise to deliver a film that you will truly love. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the audiences and our partners worldwide for their unwavering support. The media and film industries have also been incredibly supportive. Pushpa 2 The Rule will now be released worldwide on December 6th, 2024. We are committed to giving you the best, and you will see only the best in cinemas.”
The seasonal pollution spike in Delhi is affecting the health regimen of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud. The Chief Justice, in an informal conversation with reporters at the Supreme Court on Thursday, said he has stopped going for morning walks due to rising levels of air pollution.
"I have stopped going for morning walks from today. I usually go for a walk around 4 am to 4.15 am," he said.
His doctor, the Chief Justice added, has advised him to avoid going out in the mornings, saying it is better for him to stay indoors and avoid respiratory diseases.
The air quality in Delhi has remained "very poor" for the better part of the week, prompting concern over the increased risk of respiratory diseases. On Wednesday, Delhi recorded the worst air quality in the country despite the Commission for Air Quality Management invoking stage two of the anti-pollution plan GRAP.
The top court had grilled the Centre and Punjab and Haryana governments over the states' non-compliance with the necessary anti-pollution measures.
A bench of Justice Abhay S Oka, Justice A Amanullah, and Justice AG Masih, dismissed Punjab and Haryana governments' efforts to stamp out stubble burning, calling it "an eyewash".
The toxic fumes from over the two states, often visible in satellite images, contribute to the suffocating blanket smothering the national capital every winter.
Last month, the top court took to task Delhi's air quality panel, saying the body set up to control pollution in the National Capital Region has failed to serve its purpose.
The court's strictures came after the Delhi government issued its action plan to deal with the annual pollution.
The 50th Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, is retiring on November 10. He would be succeeded by Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who will take oath on November 11.
In an incident that would terrify any parent, two children of a businessman were kidnapped right from inside their home while they were playing. The incident was reported from Karnataka's Belagavi.
CCTV footage of the incident has been shared widely on social media. The footage showed two men running inside the house and carrying away the children - three and four years old - on their shoulders.
Both were with their mother when the men kidnapped them, the police said. Both the children had just returned from kindergarten before the kidnappers barged into their home.
The two men pushed the children inside a waiting car and sped away.
Three police teams have been formed to search for the children, the police said. Their father is into real estate business.
Mayank Yadav should be on the plane to Australia if Mohammed Shami is not available for selection, asserted Brett Lee, one of the most devastatingly destructive bowlers, who has high hopes from the Indian pace sensation on the true, bouncy wickets Down Under. Aiming to qualify for a third successive World Test Championship (WTC) final, India will be travelling to Australia next month to defend the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and doubts remain over seasoned seamer Shami's selection in the squad for the five-match Test series. "I can tell you that batters are okay when you bowl that 135-140 kmph speed, but when you bowl high 150s, I don't care who it is, no one wants to face that."
"He looks like someone who is a complete package, if Mohammed Shami is not ready, at least get him (Mayank) in the squad. I think he would do pretty well on these Australian wickets," Lee told Fox Cricket.
Shami has not played since featuring in the final of the ODI World Cup last November, and even though he went full tilt at the nets recently, India skipper Rohit Sharma is averse to taking an "undercooked" version of the seamer to Australia.
Former Aussie pacer Lee knows a thing or two about batters' discomfort while standing up to express pace.
Lee said, "The great thing is with me that I get to work on the IPL and see a lot of good young Indian cricketers. Mayank Yadav, to watch his first IPL game recently, hit 157 kmph first up in his first game.
"Unfortunately, his franchise probably brought him a little early and he did his side again.
"They put him in cotton wool for a bit. The great thing about India is that they are not worried about how much cricket someone has played or hasn't played, if he is ready to go, get him in there. I actually love that theory," Lee added.
India boast of a world-class bowling attack that can trouble the Australian batters in their own den, and Lee acknowledged that.
"Ashwin is approaching 600 wickets, he has got that beautiful shape when he bowls spin. He can bowl with the new ball as well but I think if India have to win there, then Shami (provided he is fit) can definitely hold the key.
"Jasprit Bumrah, we all know how good he is, he can bowl both ways, he is a great exponent of reverse swing. Mohammed Siraj knows how to make the new ball talk.
"On wickets like Perth, Adelaide, for me it's the combination, these three fast bowlers with Ashwin as the spinner. Then they have got options with guys like who are part-time spinners. But you need to have those three quicks firing if India wants to win," Lee said.
'India don't want to bow down'
Lee described the Indian team as a "powerhouse that don't want to bow down" to anyone, cautioning his compatriots who will take on the Asian giants from November 22.
Lee's remarks came after India's eight-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the Bengaluru Test earlier this week.
"This day and age, India is a powerhouse that don't want to bow down. They know how to win, and they know they can beat Australia; they know they can beat the Kiwis. They know they can beat anyone on any given day," Lee said.
Commenting on India's outing in the Bengaluru Test against the Kiwis, Lee felt that they might have got influenced by 'Bazball', leading to playing some loose shots.
"India just didn't go into their shell. Maybe it's Bazball brushing off on other cricketers around the world," he noted.
"I know that India won't be proud of the way they played. They played some pretty loose shots." India's decision to bat first in overcast conditions raised eyebrows, as the team was bowled out for 46 in the first innings of the opening Test, its lowest Test score at home.
Lee said the side needs to "weigh up the risk factor" and added the Indians should have judged the conditions better.
"But, you've got to weigh up the risk factor as well. There are times when you've got to go, 'Okay, well, maybe the big shots aren't working today'.
"Maybe, just rein it in a little bit. I don't think they sort of summed up the conditions as quickly as what they should have done," Lee said.
India play two more Tests against New Zealand -- Pune (October 24-28) and Mumbai (November 1-5) -- before leaving for Australia.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday met legislators from his ruling Liberals, some of whom blame him for the party's poor showing in the polls and want him to quit after nine years in power.
While Trudeau is in no immediate danger, since he cannot be pushed out, the public display of unhappiness is among the most serious political challenges he has faced. Major parties usually meet on Wednesdays, but the circumstances this time are unusual.
Trudeau insists he will lead the Liberals into the next election, which must be held by the end of October 2025, even though surveys of public opinion suggest that with him at the helm, the party will lose badly to the official opposition Conservatives.
A Nanos Research poll released on Oct. 15 put the Conservatives on 39% public support, with the Liberals well behind on 23% and the rival left-leaning New Democrats on 21%. Such a result on election day would give the Conservatives a comfortable majority.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corp said 24 of the party's 153 legislators had signed a letter calling on Trudeau to go.
Ken McDonald, a Liberal parliamentarian from Atlantic Canada who is not standing in the next election, said ahead of the meeting that some of those who signed the letter "are worried because of the polling that is going constantly down."
Wayne Long, another legislator from the same region, said if the party had a new leader it could beat the Conservatives, who blame Trudeau for rising prices and a housing crisis.
There is no mechanism to oust Trudeau. Unlike Australia, where leaders are elected by legislators, Canadian party chiefs are chosen by members at a special convention.
Unhappiness with Trudeau bubbled up after the party lost two of its safest parliamentary seats in special elections in June and September.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
A viral video has sparked outrage after showing a young girl riding a scooter with her father as the pillion rider. The girl, wearing a school uniform, was not wearing a helmet. The clip, purportedly from Maharashtra, has ignited a debate about road safety and parental responsibility.
The video has raked in 4.9 million views since being shared online.
The caption of the video reads, "Shocking visuals from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar."
Netizens have condemned the father's actions, arguing that he should prioritize his daughter's safety and that of others on the road.
A user asked, "Where is the helmet, sir? Na khud pehna na beti ko pehnaya hai (Neither has he worn it, nor have made his daughter wear it)."
Another user commented, "Arrest the father," while a third said, "That's the reason so many accidents are happening. I am not sure what kind of parenting is this?"
"No hate for the kid, please. Parents need to be responsible," read the fourth comment.
"Ok she is riding very nice, but it's not age to ride and parents should take care of it, it's very dangerous," fifth user commented.
While some have suggested that the father might have been controlling the vehicle, others have criticized the excessive backlash. "The father has full control over the vehicle. They are just allowing her to give some acceleration for her happiness itna social drama accha nhi. (This much social drama is not good)," a user wrote.
Sabse bada support system uske peeche baitha hai! So don't worry (The biggest support system is sitting behind her)," another user wrote. One person wrote, "It's only about the kid's happiness. Chill."
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was seen meeting residents of Wayanad this evening, a day before marking her electoral debut by filing her nomination for the bypoll in the Lok Sabha constituency.
Ms Vadra was greeted warmly by locals and she was seen shaking hands with people, asking their names and clicking selfies with them.
She also visited a local family in Wayanad. "Her hearty visit was greeted joyously by the locals and the mother of the house presented her with a rosary, which she used for years, as a symbol of her love & blessings," the Congress party posted on X.
Congress General Secretary Smt. @priyankagandhi ji made a heartwarming visit to a local family in Wayanad on her way to Sultan Bathery.
Her hearty visit was greeted joyously by the locals and the mother of the house presented her with a rosary, which she used for years, as a… pic.twitter.com/jndddaKJwL
Both Priyanka and veteran Congress leader and her mother Sonia Gandhi reached Wayanad by road after landing at Mysore airport where they were greeted by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, chief ministers of other Congress-ruled states and various senior party leaders are expected to reach the hill district ahead of the roadshow which will be held at Kalpetta on Wednesday morning prior to the filing of nomination.
On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi - who won the seat in Lok Sabha polls but vacated it to hold on to the family constituency Raebareli - said that his sister will emerge as a passionate champion of Wayanad's needs and a powerful voice in Parliament.
"The people of Wayanad hold a special place in my heart, and I can't imagine a better representative for them than my sister, Priyanka Gandhi. I'm confident she will be a passionate champion of Wayanad's needs and a powerful voice in Parliament. Join us tomorrow, 23rd October, as she files her nomination for the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency. Together, let's ensure Wayanad continues to be represented with love," Rahul Gandhi wrote on X.
The CPI has fielded veteran former legislator Sathyan Mokeri who finished a close third during the 2014 General Elections in Wayanad while the BJP has brought in Kozhikode Corporation Councilor Navya Haridas, a former software engineer who quit her job and entered full-time politics.
Days after Yahya Sinwar was killed in an Israeli operation in southern Gaza, a video has surfaced showing the Hamas leader, along with his wife and children, moving through a tunnel the night before the October 7 attack on Israel last year.
The CCTV footage, released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), captures Sinwar and his group carrying various supplies, including pillows, mattresses, a television, and several bags, into the tunnel.
In the clip, Sinwar's wife is seen holding a bag, which Israel claimed to be worth $32,000 (around Rs 26.90 lakh).
"Sinwar's wife was caught on camera sneaking into the tunnels the night before October 7, clutching a $32,000 Hermes Birkin bag! While Gazans faced hardships under Hamas, Sinwar and his family shamelessly lived in luxury, indulging while sending others to fight," Israel stated.
Lieutenant Colonel Avichay Adraee, the IDF's Arabic language spokesperson, reiterated this claim, highlighting the contrast between the opulent lifestyle of Sinwar's family and the poverty experienced by most residents of Gaza, who "struggle to afford basic necessities."
However, internet users were quick to criticize these claims. Many on X pointed out that the bag was not a "Birkin," accusing Israel of spreading false information.
They are not stupid, they know that's not a Birkin, but they're pandering to an audience of evil, delusional beings who are willing to believe anything Israel says so they can continue their support without feelings of guilt bc the ppl they're murdering somehow deserve it. https://t.co/GZXsm1hx9O
A user wrote, "They are not stupid, they know that's not a Birkin, but they're pandering to an audience of evil, delusional beings who are willing to believe anything Israel says so they can continue their support without feelings of guilt bc the ppl they're murdering somehow deserve it."
Another user commented, "Even someone with zero fashion sense knows this bag ain't no Hermes, not even close. How's the official Israel account gonna mess that up? Y'all are embarrassing yourselves out here."
"Haha such a lame propaganda to come up with, The oceans of the world are gonna dry up but your lies are never ending," the third user remarked.
"Desperately clutching at straws. It's not a Birkin. And it's hilarious to see this coming from an official state account. You're neck and neck with old Katzy for the weirdest official account propaganda posts prize," the fourth user commented.
"Isn't it embarrassing when an official account representing a state posts desperate propaganda? The world is laughing at you," the fifth user wrote.
Shraddha Kapoor is basking in the stupendous success of Stree 2, which has emerged as the highest grossing Hindi film of all time. At the NDTV World Summit, she was asked to share the biggest compliment she received for her Stree 2 performance. Shraddha said, "I had a lovely conversation with Tabu Ma'am. She sent me a personalized perfume which has "Stree" written over it. We had a lovely conversation. She is one of the iconic actors of our time. She made me feel proud, empowered."
Earlier this month, the actress paid a visit to the Sai Baba Mandir in Shirdi in Mumbai to celebrate the film's 50-day run in theatres. Dressed in a yellow salwar suit, the actress looked vibrant. Shraddha shared pictures from the temple on her Instagram stories. The Instagram handle of Shree Saibaba Sansthan Trust Shirdi also shared pictures of Shraddha Kapoor visiting the place. She was welcomed at the temple by the staff members.
After 34 days of its release, the movie has earned over ₹586 crore domestically, leaving behind the lifetime collection of Shah Rukh Khan's Jawan (₹582.31 crore). Bollywood trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared the happy news on X (formerly Twitter). He wrote, "#Stree2 scripts HISTORY... Becomes the HIGHEST-GROSSING *HINDI* FILM EVER... Crosses *lifetime biz* of #Jawan [#Hindi version]... Next stop: Inaugurating the ₹ 600 cr Club. [Week 5] Fri 3.60 cr, Sat 5.55 cr, Sun 6.85 cr, Mon 3.17 cr, Tue 2.65 cr. Total: ₹ 586 cr." The movie crossed Rs 600 crore mark after 50 days of its release.
Stree 2 is a sequel to the 2018 film Stree. The franchise is a part of Dinesh Vijan's horror-comedy universe, which also includes Roohi, Bhediya and Munjya. In Stree 2, the winning ensemble cast of the first part reprised their roles and they won hearts of the millions one more time.
Seema Sajdeh is basking in the success of Fabulous Lives Vs Bollywood Wives. The Netflix original also features Maheep Kapoor, Neelam Kothari and Bhavana Pandey. This season also introduces new cast members Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, Shalini Passi and Kalyani Saha Chawla. In one of the episodes, Seema introduced her new boyfriend, businessman Vikram Ahuja, to her friends. She was previously married to actor Sohail Khan. They got divorced in 2022. The duo share two sons, Nirvaan and Yohan. Just like many of us, we are sure that you must be curious to know the details of Seema Sajdeh's new beau, Vikram Ahuja. Here's what we know about him.
1. Vikram Ahuja is a businessman and the son of Devendra Ahuja, who was a multi-millionaire and served as the Managing Director of 20th Century Finance. Devendra Ahuja was also a promoter of Centurion Bank, according to Hindustan Times.
2. According to the same report, Vikram Ahuja and Seema Sajdeh were engaged in the 1990s.
3. Vikram Ahuja is the brother of Tanya Deol, a successful interior designer married to actor Bobby Deol.
4. According to a report from India Forums, Vikram Ahuja made headlines after his father, Devendra Ahuja, excluded his first wife, Marlene Ahuja and their two children, Vikram and Munisha, from his will.
5. The same report alleges that Vikram Ahuja was insulted by his father, Devendra Ahuja, who left everything to his sister, Tanya Deol. Devendra fell in love with an air hostess and married her.
Coming back to Fabulous Lives Vs Bollywood Wives, internet sensation Orry, also known as Orhan Awatramani, accused the show's creators of copying his content without giving him credit. A Reddit post shared a screenshot of Orry's Instagram Stories, where he expressed his concerns. He posted a video from the show, labelling it a "cheap copy" of his original reel. Orry expressed frustration about how much effort content creators put into developing their ideas over months. He described the situation as "shameful" and "unethical," emphasising the issue of plagiarism without recognizing the original creator. Click here to read the full copy.
Rakul Preet Singh's first Karwa Chauth celebrations after wedding was not a fun-filled one as she was advised to take rest following an injury she suffered during her workout session. The De De Pyaar De actor shared a picture of herself, lying in bed, on her Instagram stories. She can be seen sporting sindoor and wearing a red ensemble. Rakul wrote in the caption, "Bed rest wala first Karwa Chauth". Earlier, Rakul shared glimpses of her minimal mehendi. Re-sharing the story on his Instagram feed, Jackky Bhagnani wrote, "I am so hungry but I won't eat too." Rakul and Jackky had a destination wedding in Goa earlier this year.
Following her injury, Rakul shared a health update on her Instagram stories and said in a video message, "Well here's a little health update. I did something very stupid. I didn't listen to my body. I had a spasm, kept pushing it, turned into a major injury and I have been in bed for the last six days and I think it will take another week or so for me to fully recover." "I really hope I recover faster than that because it's not easy for me to give in and rest but it's a lesson learnt that please listen to your body when it gives you signals. Don't try to push. I thought that my mind was stronger than my body and it doesn't always work like that.", she added. She signed off by concluding, "Thank you so much for all your wishes for people who messaged me and I will bounce back stronger. Lots of love."
Rakul Preet Singh is known for films like Sardar Ka Grandson, Runway 34, Doctor G, Chhatriwali, Indian 2 to name a few.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called this week for troops to strengthen their preparedness for war, state media reported today, just days after Beijing staged large-scale military drills around Taiwan.
Xi made his comments while visiting a brigade of the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force on Thursday, according to state-run broadcaster CCTV.
Xi said the military should "comprehensively strengthen training and preparation for war, (and) ensure troops have solid combat capabilities", state media CCTV reported.
Soldiers must "enhance their strategic deterrent and combat capability," Xi said.
China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, has stepped up its shows of force around the self-ruled island in recent years.
On Monday, Beijing had deployed fighter jets, drones, warships and coast guard vessels to encircle Taiwan -- its fourth round of large-scale war games around the democratic island in just over two years.
China's communist leaders have insisted they will not rule out using force to bring Taiwan under Beijing's control.
Xi on Thursday said the Chinese military must "strongly safeguard the country's strategic security and core interests", according to the CCTV report.
The dispute between China and Taiwan dates back to a civil war in which the nationalist forces of Chiang Kai-shek were defeated by Mao Zedong's communist fighters and fled to the island in 1949.
China and Taiwan have been ruled separately since then.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
A senior bureaucrat and a former RJD MLA have been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate for their involvement in an alleged tender scam in the Bihar power ministry.
Sanjeev Hans, an IAS officer from the Bihar cadre, was the principal secretary of the state energy department but was transferred to the general administration department in August after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out the first round of searches in this case. Officials said Gulab Yadav, a former MLA from Jhanjarpur, was a close associate of Hans.
The ED had carried out multiple raids at premises linked to Hans and Yadav and the last round of searches was conducted on Thursday. Hans was arrested from Patna on Friday while Yadav was taken into custody from Delhi under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The money laundering case by the agency is based on a first information report registered by Bihar police.
Hans had also been accused of sexually exploiting a woman on the pretext of helping her get a post on a government panel but the case had been quashed by the Patna High Court in August.
Harmanpreet Kaur was on Thursday retained as India captain for the three Women's ODIs against New Zealand while the selectors also picked four uncapped players for the series starting October 24. Days after India's early exit from the T20 World Cup, questions were raised about Harmanpreet's future as captain after another failure in an ICC event. However, the selectors have decided to stick with her for the moment. The games against New Zealand in Ahmedabad will also mark the start of preparations for the ODI World Cup which India hosts next year.
Wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh, 21, was not available for the series as it was coinciding with her 12th standard board exams, said the BCCI in a statement.
Asha Sobhana was not considered due to injury while all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar has been rested.
The uncapped players who were part of the India A squad in Australia recently have been given an opportunity and they include Tejal Hasabnis, Sayali Satgare and Priya Mishra.
Pacer Saima Thakor, who has played in the WPL, is another uncapped member of the squad.
Smriti Mandhana, who was off coloured in the T20 World Cup, has been named vice-captain. Batter Uma Chetry, who has played four T20 Internationals, is also part of the team and could make her ODI debut in the series.
All three games will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedbad.
Coincidences are rare in diplomacy. It may be significant to keep a note of that as the issue of the killing of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar blows up between India and Canada. The timing of the allegations, each time, from Canada and the escalation of the row despite Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's domestic political troubles indicate that the actions may have been carefully thought through rather than being just a diversionary tactic, which it initially appeared to be. Here's why.
America Has Canada's Back
In the latest round of allegations, Canadian foreign minister Melanie Joly said about the Nijjar killing investigation that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) “gathered information that established linkages between the investigation and agents of the Government of India". It was this message that the Deputy Commissioner of Federal Policing, Mark Flynn, wanted to communicate to his Indian counterpart last week. When the attempts were unsuccessful, he met with officials of the Indian government, along with National Security and Intelligence Advisor (NSIA) Nathalie Drouin and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs David Morrison over the weekend.
The Canadian government's decision to expel the diplomats has been based on the RCMP's findings and was taken within a day of the stated meeting, where the NSIA was present along with his Indian counterpart, Ajit Doval, as reported by a US publication. What explains the hurry to present the evidence to India and then immediately act on it with expulsion? Could this have been prompted because the Indian enquiry committee looking into similar allegations by the US was visiting Washington DC just a day after Canada's action?
Now, turn the clock back to September last year when Justin Trudeau told the Canadian Parliament that Indian government agents possibly had a hand in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurudwara in Surrey, British Columbia. Many were taken aback by the public announcement by Trudeau on a sensitive issue.
That Trudeau may have wanted to create a distraction from domestic issues only partly explained his action. What seemed more probable was the fact that he was possibly aware of the parallel investigations underway in the US. That Canada was sounded out by the US on the issue is now quite evident, even though what we know now is only that a Five Eyes country alerted Ottawa. Within 10 days of Trudeau's Parliament statement, the US released details of their investigations against Indian national Nikhil Gupta and an Indian government employee referred to as 'CC1' by the US Department of Justice, who plotted the foiled assassination bid on Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, another Khalistani extremist who lives in New York.
The unfolding of the events in September 2023 and today should give a clear sense that there is much greater coordination on this matter between the US and Canada than what meets the eye. Having America's backing on the issue can explain the steps that Canada has taken and the ones it has indicated when Joly did not rule out sanctions by saying that “everything is on the table”.
Foreign Interference
India has repeatedly raised the issue of Khalistan with Canada as a threat to its sovereignty and territorial integrity. With the killing of Nijjar, Canada is using the argument of sovereignty. The issue is also being conflated with the overarching concern over foreign interference. As a result, the matter has gained traction not just with the public but also politically from an otherwise adversarial opposition, the Conservatives. Pierre Poilievre said, “Any foreign interference from any country, including India, is unacceptable and must be stopped.”
A Parliamentary Committee report identified India as the second most significant foreign threat to Canada following China. The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians report said, “In addition to interference against Canadian democratic processes and institutions by the PRC, India and to a limited extent Pakistan, other countries, notably Iran engaged in episodic foreign interference directed towards suppressing dissidents and critics in Canada. Known as 'transnational repression,' these activities represent one of the most egregious forms of foreign interference.”
The issue of foreign interference could be a prickly matter for any sovereign nation but more so for Canada and the US in the recent past with their concerns about China and Russia. Hence, this issue is one that generates fear or worry, and thus has the power to mobilise both public and political opinion around India.
Another Five Eyes country, Australia, had earlier reported about a "nest of spies" that was discovered by the Australian Security Intelligence Organization in 2020. Australian news channel ABC reported that “National security and government figures have now confirmed to the ABC that India's foreign intelligence service was responsible for the 'nest of spies', and 'a number' of Indian officials were later removed from Australia by the Morrison government.”
With these two broad factors – US backing and foreign interference – closely associated with the Nijjar killing, the Justin Trudeau government is making drastic and dramatic moves, but perhaps with the knowledge that any backfire will be cushioned.
(Maha Siddiqui is a journalist who has extensively reported on public policy and global affairs.)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
The rain played spoilsport in more ways than one on Day 1 of the first Test between India and New Zealand at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Consistent rain throughout the day led to play being called off without a ball being bowled or even the toss taking place on Day 1. However, even though the rain stopped at times, there was another technological issue that further held back play. The hawk-eye system – crucial in the working of the Decision Review System (DRS) – could not be formatted into the ground due to the rain.
As revealed by former India cricketer-turned-pundit Saba Karim on air, the hawk-eye system can only be implemented and formatted into the ground once the covers are removed. Rain prior to the game, as well as during Day 1, meant that the formatting process could not take place. The formatting takes about an hour and a half, as per Saba Karim. At no point during the day did the covers stay removed for such a long duration, making start of play next to impossible.
The inability to put in the hawk-eye system led to play being called off earlier on Day 1. While not much rain is predicted in the late hours of Wednesday, October 16, rain is expected to play spoilsport in Day 2 as well. At least two hours of rain is predicted by Accuweather.com at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday, October 17.
Saba Karim made a comment on Jio just now.
A) Hawk Eye is not ready. Apparently they need to format it a day before the game. Since it rained yesterday, they didn't get time. So today, once the covers come off, they will require 90-120 minutes post that to start.
40% precipitation is expected, while cloud cover is predicted to be a constant throughout Day 2 as well. In fact, rain is predicted on all five days of the Test match.
India come into the three-match home series as firm favourites, sitting comfortably at the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) standings. New Zealand, on the other hand, are sixth, and have never won an away Test in WTC history.
Do not use the name of the judge, the Supreme Court had advised the petitioner. He insisted that he be heard. A heated exchange followed. Irked, the Supreme Court summoned the security to remove the petitioner from the courtroom.
Arun Ramchandra Hublikar had filed a petition against ex-Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, now a Rajya Sabha member. The petitioner claimed before the bench of justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma on Tuesday that his life had been made miserable by ex-CJI Gogoi's interference in an order related to a service dispute.
Not convinced by the argument, the bench refused to entertain the petition.
The top court also remarked that there is nothing in his case. However, Mr Hubllikar, who was also arguing the case, insisted the court hear his request as he kept blaming the former Chief Justice.
"We are going to impose cost. Don't take the name of the judge. There is nothing in your case," the Bench remarked.
"Nothing? How can it be said? It is injustice against me. At least I should get justice before my death," Mr Hublikar replied.
The Court reiterated its intention to dismiss the petition.
"Sorry, we cannot interfere. Your all petitions are dismissed," it said.
"How can you say sorry? This court has made my life miserable," an agitated Mr Hublikar retorted.
At this point, Justice Trivedi asked security to be called in for escorting Mr Hublikar out of the courtroom.
"Call security. Don't compel us to take action against you. If you speak a single word, you are out," the bench warned.
Mr Hublikar refused to relent.
"Madam, you are doing injustice against me. What is the problem in issuing notice against the complainant?" he asked again.
The Court then said, "Security, please take him out. We are calling security."
This was not the first time that Mr Hublikar faced the court's ire. Earlier, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud questioned him for filing a petition with a judge as a party in the case.
Inmates of Karnataka's Kalaburgi jail are getting VIP treatment, indicate videos which are being widely circulated on social media. Photos and videos, not independently verified by NDTV, show them having easy access to smart phones and marijuana.
In one video, a prisoner is seen making a video call to friends using his smart phone. Other prisoners are seen posing for selfies while smoking marijuana.
Malini Krishnamurthy, Director General of Police in charge of the state's prisons, assured that the matter will be investigated.
Such incidents coming to light frequently, the authorities have ordered a preliminary inquiry, she said.
"There is already an FIR registered. We will investigate if there is any role involving the police officers as well. We will take action accordingly.... We are working towards putting an end to this," she added.
Actor Darshan, accused in a murder case, was recently caught enjoying VIP treatment at Parappana Agrahara prison in Bengaluru.
Darshan's Personal Assistant Nagaraj was moved to Kalaburagi Jail when he was shifted to Ballari. Taking note of this, the DGP Prisons of Karnataka paid a visit to Kalaburagi to take stock of the situation.
The matter has surfaced amid the headlines over the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, allegedly by the gang of Lawrence Bishnoi.
Bishnoi currently being in Gujarat's Sabarmati jail, questions have been raised about how he can orchestrate such a massive crime from behind the bars.
Bengaluru-based quick commerce platform Zepto has found itself in controversy after sending an unsolicited and inappropriate notification to a customer in India's Silicon Valley. The notification sent to customer Pallavi Pareek read, "I miss you, Pallavi. Says i-Pill emergency contraceptive pill," accompanied by three teary-eyed emoticons.
Ms Pareek quickly took a screenshot of the notification and voiced her concerns on LinkedIn, highlighting several issues with the message.
"First of all, I have never ordered an emergency pill from you. Even if I had, you should realize that this is not something that should be described as missing me or that I should be missing it," Ms Pareek wrote on LinkedIn, tagging Zepto and Zepto Cares.
She questioned, "Are you suggesting that I need to take an emergency contraceptive?" and added, "Why am I receiving this when I never placed an order with you?"
As a professional focused on workplace sexual harassment prevention and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), Ms Pareek expressed that the company's messaging crossed a line. "Messaging is appropriate only if it is sensitive, humorous, or logical. I draw the line when notifications become flirty or sleazy. This is just too much."
Despite her criticism, Ms Pareek acknowledged that she "loves" the app and heavily relies on quick commerce services in her daily life. "This post is meant to highlight the flaw in thoughtless logic and messaging, not to criticize the i-Pill promotion or its availability," she clarified.
The post soon caught the attention of the internet users. A user remarked, "They wanted you to make a post about it so that they can get free publicity. That's how marketing is working now a days."
Another user commented, "Hey Zepto, I think my groceries are getting a little too personal. I'm here for the fresh produce, not emergency products that miss me more than my ex! Maybe let's leave the flirty messages to Tinder? Just saying. You went too far, BY THE WAY."
"The only reason I dont have these apps in my phone .. the unwelcome adverts are sometimes crazy and idiotic," the third user wrote.
Reacting to the post, Zepto issued an apology, admitting that they had "messed up." "Hey Pallavi, we messed up, and we're truly sorry. We understand how thoughtless and potentially harmful this was," the company wrote on LinkedIn.
They further stated that they had "immediately" addressed the issue she raised, "corrected it," and taken steps to "update" their processes and "retrain" their team.
Australia captain Pat Cummins reaffirmed that playing Test cricket for his country is his No. 1 priority, adding that he is yet to decide his future in the next season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Cummins led Sunrisers Hyderabad to the final of the IPL 2024 after being bought by the franchise for Rs 20.50 crore, making him the second-most expensive player in the history of the tournament. Ahead of the IPL 2025 season, the mega auction is set to take place later this year with each team can retain a total of six players (a maximum of five capped players including Indian and overseas and a maximum of two uncapped players) from their existing squad either via retention or by using the Right to Match (RTM) option.
With the important five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy to be played next month, Cummins is focused on playing for the country. However, the pacer is aware of the new IPL rules for overseas players that make them "ineligible to register in the following year's player auction" if they don't register for that season's player auction while the other rule bans players for two seasons if the player makes himself unavailable before the start of the season after getting picked at the auction.
“I'll work out in the next little bit what this season looks like. There's a bit of a tweak in the rules, but I don't know whether that would have affected me in the past, I've never pulled out after the auction. But it is one more factor to consider with the IPL," Cummins told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“Test cricket is the absolute No.1 priority, world cups are right up there, and then I think you use them as your tent poles and work out what else makes sense around that.
“The calendar is never going to get any less busy, and I'm not going to get any younger, so these things have always been considerations, and moving forward will become even more so. But needless to say, playing cricket for Australia, particularly Test matches, is my number one job and priority," he added.
Cummins expect the upcoming home series against India will be another close-fought encounter after the visitors won the last two series in Australia.
“The couple of home series I've played against India there's always an element of attrition to them. The last series came down to the last session at the Gabba on the last day of the last Test match," he said.
“That's a good thing to keep in mind; it is a long series, and it might be tightly held until the last game, so you've got to manage your resources throughout," the Australia captain added.
President's rule was withdrawn in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, paving the way for the formation of a new government in the union territory.
A gazette notification to this effect was issued by the Union Home Ministry.
"In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 73 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 (34 of 2019) read with Articles 239 and 239A of the Constitution of India, the order dated the 31st October 2019 about the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir shall stand revoked immediately before the appointment of the chief minister under Section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019," the notification signed by President Droupadi Murmu said.
The National Conference-Congress alliance won the recent Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections and is set to form the government.
NC vice president Omar Abdullah will be the next chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. He has been elected as the leader of the alliance.
Central rule was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir on October 31, 2019, following the formal division of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 was passed by the Parliament on August 5, 2019. Article 370 of the Constitution, which accorded a special status to the erstwhile state, was also abrogated on that day.
Prior to October 31, 2019, the central rule was continuing in the erstwhile state from June 2017 after the resignation of the then chief minister Mehbooba Mufti when the BJP withdrew support to the PDP-led government.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
India's hopes of reaching the Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semifinals were dealt a massive blow as the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side slumped to a 9-run loss against Australia in a crucial Group A encounter in Sharjah on Sunday. India were completely outplayed by Australia as Harmanpreet's half-century could not clinch the match for her side. As a result, Australia qualified for the semifinals with 8 points from 4 matches but India's fortunes still hangs in balance. India have 4 points from 4 matches with their losses coming against Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand have 4 while Pakistan have 2.
However, India can still qualify for the semis if Pakistan can beat New Zealand in the final Group A match on Monday. If Pakistan win, they will have 4 points along with India and New Zealand. However, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side will qualify for the knockout stage thanks to a better Net Run Rate (NRR).
India lost to defending champions Australia by nine runs in their last group match to find themselves in a difficult position to qualify for the semifinals of the women's T20 World Cup, on Sunday.
Chasing 152 for a win, India ended at 142 for 9 with captain Harmanpreet Kaur top-scoring with 54 not out off 47 balls. Deepti Sharma and Shafali Verma chipped in with 29 and 20 respectively.
India ended their Group A campaign on four points after two wins and two losses.
Australia, who topped the group with all four wins, qualified for the semifinals while New Zealand (4 points) need a win against Pakistan on Monday to make it to the last-four stage.
Opting to bat, Australia were restricted to 151 for 8 with opener Grace Harris top-scoring with 40 off 41 balls. Stand-in captain Tahlia McGrath and Ellyse Perry chipped in with 32 each.
Legendary actor and recent recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Mithun Chakraborty, recently shared the challenges he faced early in his career. In an exclusive interview with NDTV, he recalled a time when many female actors were hesitant to work with him, except for Zeenat Aman, who supported him during this difficult phase. The veteran star recalled that despite receiving a National Award for his first film, he experienced a significant lull in his career. He noted, "Bohot rukawatein bhi thi (There were many obstacles). I was going ahead in life at a great speed, so obstacles were inevitable."
He revealed that during this tough period, several actresses were advised not to work with him. "I didn't want to bow down to that lull, I had decided that if I had to lose, then at least I'll battle it out, that I'll not just give up," he said.
Mithun Chakraborty further revealed that Zeenat Aman played a crucial role in changing this situation. He explained, "Zeenat Aman helped me a lot. She was working on a film with Brij Sadanah and he had decided 'Mithun hi mera hero hai' (Mithun is my hero). So he went to her and said, 'See, there is this boy, I think he is very good,' so Zeenat ji said, 'he is a very handsome looking boy. He dances well, I will work (with him).'" She broke the cycle by working with me. After her, all the big heroines restarted signing films with me. I am forever grateful to Zeenat ji."
Mithun Chakraborty was born in Calcutta and made his acting debut in the 1976 film Mrigayaa, a performance that earned him the National Film Award for Best Actor. Over the years, Mithun received two more National Film Awards for his roles in Tahader Katha (1992) and Swami Vivekananda (1998). Recently, he appeared in The Kashmir Files, directed by Vivek Agnihotri. His son, Namashi Chakraborty, made his Bollywood debut in the film Bad Boy.
10th-anniversary product! Yes, the Apple Watch series has existed for a decade, and the Apple Watch Series 10 smartwatch is a special product. At least, this is what the rumour mills claimed before the company's September launch event. Well, it's finally here, and I have been living with the Apple Watch Series 10 for almost two weeks now, and no, it's not entirely different from what we expect from Apple.
To put some context, the iPhone X, launched in 2017, was a 10th-anniversary product that refreshed the design language of iPhones. It was one of the stepping stones of the iPhone design we see today from Apple. On the other hand, the Apple Watch Series 10 isn't minutely close to that, but it is still the best daily smartwatch wearable money can buy. How? I will discuss that in depth in the review, so let's dive in.
Apple Watch Series 10 Price in India and Specifications
Apple Watch Series 10 price in India starts at Rs. 46,900 for the Aluminium (GPS) model. As always, there are plenty of combinations to pick from. This year, Apple has introduced 42mm and 46mm strap sizes, which are new. There are also GPS + cellular options that can go up to Rs. 59,900, depending on the size you choose. The company also introduced all-new Titanium (GPS + Cellular) models starting at Rs. 79,900. The Series 10 can go up to Rs. 89,900 for the Titanium model with Milanese Loop.
The Apple Watch Series 10 is thinner and lighter than the Series 9
Apple Watch Series 10 Specifications
Sizes - 42mm and 46mm
Panel - LTPO3 OLED Always-on Retina display
Colours - Jet Black, Rose Gold, and Silver (Aluminium case)
Natural, Gold, and Slate (Titanium case)
Battery - Up to 18 hours of battery life (claimed)
Processor - S10 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor
OS - watchOS 11
Apple Watch Series 10 Design and Display: Familiar comfort with a fresh twist
42mm and 46mm cases
Available in Aluminium or Titanium case
Up to 40% brighter screen
Apple's anniversary product, the Watch Series 10, focuses on the most important aspect of a smartwatch. The display! It is central to everything we do on a smartwatch, from checking notifications to quickly glancing time. Apple has fit in the largest and most advanced display ever on an Apple Watch. However, coming from Apple Watch Series 9, it took me some time to notice the differences.
The Apple Watch Series 10 packs the biggest display yet
A bigger display that slightly wraps around corners looks better and chunkier than Series 9, for sure. The Series 10 also packs the brightest display we have seen on any Apple Watch Series model yet. Apple claims that the Series 10 is up to 40 percent brighter when viewed at an angle and offers up to 2,000nits brightness. It comes in all-new 42mm and 46mm sizes - slightly larger than what we saw on the Series 9 (41mm and 45mm). The fun fact is that Series 10, despite the bump in case size, is marginally lighter than Series 9. The Aluminium (GPS + Cellular) model we are reviewing weighed 35.3 grams compared to 39 grams on Series 9 (same finish). This is the case across the range.
The Watch is available in Aluminium case in Jet Black, Rose Gold and Silver colours
Apple has gone a notch above this time to ensure the Series 10 looks like a major upgrade and ships the biggest display - even slightly bigger than the Apple Watch Ultra. Compared to older models, the Series 10 offers up to 30 percent more screen area (compared to the Series 6). What does the additional screen real estate offer is an additional line of text on apps like Mail, news, or messages. Compared to the Series 9, it was easier to type on the Series 10.
Apple ditched the stainless steel case this year for a lighter titanium case. But that also means boring colour choices. If there's one department where Series 10 slightly disappoints, then it has to be the colour options. The Series 10 comes in Jet Black, Rose Gold and Silver in Aluminium case while Slate, Gold and Natural in Titanium. All of them are slightly boring choices, in my opinion, except for the Jet Black, which we got for this review. It is a stunning colour and adds to the overall premium look of the Series 10. On the other hand, the Series 9 offered Midnight, Starlight, Silver, Pink and (PRODUCT)RED in Aluminium case while Graphite, Silver and Gold in Stainless Steel case.
It also comes in a Titanium case in Slate, Gold and Natural colours
I got the carbon-neutral Sport Loop band with the Series 10, and it has been comfortable during the review period. I have been using the Apple Watch since the Series 6 days, and the Sport Loop band is one of the best band options the company offers, with a velcro adjustment strap, which makes it for daily wear. The Milanese loop is also fantastic for daily wear, but that's only available with a titanium case.
The Series 10 comes with an upgraded LTPO3 OLED Always-on Retina display. The company claims the new Wide-angle OLED is power-efficient, allowing the display to update once a second and always be on mode instead of just once a minute, compared to the Series 9. A larger display gives an edge over its predecessors in a lot of ways, including a better screen resolution, which now offers 416x496 pixels for the 46mm case.
Thanks to a bigger display, you can comfortably type on the display of the Series 10 smartwatch
Imagine, I could notice ticking seconds hand in the Activity watch face. However, quality-wise, the Series 10 is an extension of the Series 9 as it also sports a fantastic display.
Thanks to a bigger display than the Ultra, the Series 10 is actually a better, more practical, and cheaper option than the Ultra in its current avatar.
Apple Watch Series 10 Performance: Subtle progress
S10 SiP chip
Features water temperature sensor
Runs watchOS 11 out of the box
The Series 10 ships with S10 SiP with a 64-bit dual-core processor, and that's about it. I noticed no difference between Series 10 and Series 9 performance credentials. As with Series 9, the new Series 10 is snappy and quick with closing and opening apps. Features like automatic workout detection and dictation work smoothly. Apple claims that the new Series 10 uses machine learning to identify the motion signatures and impact forces during falls, enabling features like crash detection and fall detection.
The Series 10 offers an AOD feature
With Series 10, Apple says that Smart Stack automatically adds new widgets when users need them. This is something I could test while testing the smartwatch. The Translate app also works smoothly on the Series 10 and gets added to Smart Stack if you travel to a different country. However, you will need to download the languages before using them.
The Series 10 packs a S10 SiP chip
Apple has re-engineered the speaker setup to be 30 percent smaller but is actually louder than the Series 9. The best part if even in loud environments, the Series 10 speakers are loud enough for emergency calls or hearing podcasts or music - in case your iPhone isn't reachable. The biggest advantage of Series 10 is voice isolation.
The Series 10 display can hit up to 2,000nits peak brightness and drop to 1 nit minimum brightness. Besides packing a bigger display, the Series 10 offers punchier colours and amazing new watch faces.
The Apple Watch Series 10 uses 100% recycled aluminium in the case (aluminium model)
This time, Apple has introduced an all-new water temperature sensor on the Apple Watch Series 10, a welcome addition. Other sensors are the same as the Series 9. There's also support for the Oceanic+ app for snorkelling activity on the Series 10. I couldn't test it, but it's a good addition for people who love to do water sports. Now, they can be accompanied by their Apple Watch. The Series 10 comes with 64GB storage, the same as the Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2.
The Series 10 sports a metal and sapphire crystal back compared to Series 9's Ceramic and sapphire crystal back. Apple claims that the metal back of the Series 10 integrates the antenna into the housing, contributing to the thinner design. The company also claims that the metal back design houses the necessary elements to cater to improved cellular performance.
The Series 10 comes with a refreshed Vitals app
Now comes the most important health feature, the marquee feature of the Series 10 - sleep apnea. Apple Watch models have been supporting sleep tracking for some years, but the addition of sleep apnea makes it more capable. How does it function? Apple says that the watch uses its accelerometer to monitor small movements at the wrist during sleep that are associated with interruptions in normal respiratory patterns, tracked by a new Apple Watch metric called Breathing Disturbances. For tracking these patterns, you will have to wear the watch regularly at night for at least 7 days.
Apple Watch Series 10's biggest strength is accurately tracking fitness-related activities. It is definitely a benchmark for other smartwatches in the segment. It is SpO2 tracking, which returns almost the same results as a pulse oximeter or counting steps.
It features an all-new Water temperature sensor
The Series 10 ships with watchOS 11, bringing tons of personalisation and fitness-related features. The Vitals app has received a refresh and offers a quick check-in on key health metrics at a glance. The Activity rings have new customisation options that let you add a different activity for a day in the week to match your gym routine. The good thing about some of these new features of watchOS 11 is that they will also make it to the Series 9 model.
The new watch faces include Flux Face and Reflections, which Apple says have been designed to take advantage of larger display. The Photos face has also received a refresher, and photos can be better recommended based on aesthetics and composition.
The Series 10 display is decent for typing short messages
Apple Watch Series 10 Battery: Fast charging support, finally
0-80% charging in about 30 minutes (claimed)
Up to 18 hours of battery life
Up to 36 hours with Low Power Mode
Apple Watch Series 10 is the company's fastest-charging Apple Watch model ever. And that's something I want to write in my iPhone review, too, but maybe next year. One of the biggest highlights of the Apple Watch Series 10 is that it charges up to 80 percent in 30 minutes. The Series 9 can charge up to 80 percent in 45 minutes, while the Ultra 2 charges up to 80 percent in about an hour.
It supports faster charging compared to Series 9
Interestingly, fast charging is enabled thanks to the use of the new metal back of the Series 10, which now accommodates a larger and more efficient charging coil. All of this does help enhance user experience on the Watch Series 10. Purely in terms of battery performance, the Series 10 offered me roughly 20 hours of battery life on a single charge. After this, it automatically turned on Low Power Mode at 15 percent. Extended workout sessions, including outdoor walks and running sessions, reduced battery life to 18 hours. The smartwatch reached 0 to 80 percent in about 30 minutes, while a full charge takes about 60 minutes.
In my tests, Series 10 offers an incremental battery life boost compared to its predecessor.
It comes in 46mm and 42mm strap sizes
The Apple Watch Series 10 is a better, more practical, and cheaper smartwatch for everyday use than the Ultra 2.
Apple Watch Series 10 Review: Verdict
Apple Watch Series 10 may not have introduced groundbreaking features compared to the Series 9. But it doesn't need to. The Series 9 is already a solid smartwatch, and its successor builds on its strengths. Faster charging makes Series 10 a stronger smartwatch option for consumers. Moreover, the largest display, even a bit bigger than the Watch Ultra 2, makes it capable of packing more tricks. The company has also raised the refresh rate on the Series 10 to once in a second from once in a minute, and I could show off this with new watch faces that show seconds hand.
It also has a water temperature sensor and features that make it ideal for your next snorkelling session - features you may not need daily but are always good to have on board. One thing that surprised me is that Apple forgot to put a decent Apple Intelligence feature for the Apple Watch Series 10.
The Jet Black aluminium model looks stunning and is excellent for everyday wear
Who should buy the new Series 10 smartwatch? By now, Apple devices have reached a point that users are not required to update every year and comfortably, they can jump a series or two depending on their use case. This applies to Series 10 as well. If you're someone using the Apple Watch Series 8 or 9, you don't gain a lot. However, if you want fast charging and a slightly bigger display, then Series 10 is the smartwatch for you. However, for Series 7 or 6 users, the Series 10 is an excellent upgrade. Similarly, for people who want to take a leap of faith and start using an Apple Watch, the Series 10 is the company's best Apple Watch model yet.
