'Airlines To Cut Fares By 50% For Maha Kumbh': Minister's Big Announcement

Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu has announced a 50 per cent reduction in airfare for passengers traveling to the Kumbh Mela. The new reduced fares came into effect starting today.

The government has already directed airlines to cut the ticket prices. Three meetings were held with airline companies before implementing the fare reduction.

Airlines were reminded that such a grand event happens once in 140 years, and they must be mindful of the significance.

At the same time, the government has ensured that airlines do not suffer financial losses due to the fare reduction.

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Why the old rich men are jealous of Gen Z

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Watch: Pandya's 'No-Look 6' To Slam 50 Viral. Internet Says, 'Greatest'

Hardik Pandya's role in the Indian team is unlike anybody. The kind of balance that he brings to the side is something that no other player has been able to do in recent times. On Friday, Hardik Pandya's breathtaking blows and comeback man Shivam Dube's belligerence took India to a par-score of 181 for 9 after the top-order failed to negotiate the short of length deliveries bowled by England pacers in the fourth T20 International in  on Friday. Coming in at No. 7, Pandya was stylish and destructive in equal measure hitting four boundaries and an equal number of maximums in his 30-ball-53.

Towards the end, the six that Pandya hit off Jamie Overton to complete his half-century went viral.

This no-look six from Hardik Pandya

INFINITE AURA
pic.twitter.com/6sr30cF69u

— Johns (@JohnyBravo183) January 31, 2025

INDIA's GREATEST ALL-ROUNDER IN T20

- It's no other than Hardik Pandya. pic.twitter.com/JAoZ9vdKT2

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 31, 2025

"Cinematic perfection - Hardik's six in full glory! #HardikPandya pic.twitter.com/P3GyKkAQQP

— Always Ravi (@alwaysRaviDhfrc) January 31, 2025

Dube (53 off 34 balls) also didn't do too badly in a stand of 87 off 48 balls for the sixth wicket after pacer Saqib Mahmood (3/35 in 4 overs) reduced India to 12 for 3 by the end of second over.

Dube was coming back into national colours after bagging a pair in a Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir last week.

But Pandya, who many feel can take MS Dhoni's role as a finisher, began with an aggressive approach, then rotated the strike for a few overs before launching a brutal final assault on the English bowlers. However his innings was cut short by one shot too many.

He got an able ally in Dube, who hit seven fours and two sixes as India got as many as 109 runs in the back-10.

Mahmood, playing his first game of the series, struck thrice in his first over and all three were well-planned dismissals.

By now, the world knows about Sanju Samson's (1) susceptibility against quick bowling, especially those pitched on either hard length or back of the length.

Mahmood bowled one slightly back of length and the short arm pull went straight into the palms of Brydon Carse at deep fine leg boundary.

In-form Tilak Varma (0) was out first ball as he tried to use the pace and slash it over third man.

The most well thought out dismissal was certainly skipper Suryakumar Yadav's (0), who is undergoing the worst slump in his international career.

Jos Buttler stationed a short mid-wicket fielder to exploit the Indian skipper's propensity to hit the uppish-flick shot. The ploy was executed with precision as India were 12 for 3 byt the end of the second over.

Abhishek Sharma (29 off 19 balls) and Rinku Singh (30 off 26 balls), who after a long time came to bat only in the third over, started well but couldn't convert it into big scores.

They added 45 runs for the fourth wicket but then were out in quick succession leaving India in a spot of bother at 79 for 5.

Dube, playing his first game since the T20 World Cup final, started with a big six off Adil Rashid but never looked comfortable against raw pace.

However, when Rashid flighted, he did take the bait and hit some lusty blows.

Pandya looked regal when he held his pose while hitting Brydon Carse through covers and his six over long-off was equally exhilarating. Late his short arm pull and slap off Jamie Overton fetched him a six and four.

With PTI inputs 

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"Cheating...": Concussion Substitution Sees Rana's Entry, Internet Reacts

Talented pacer Harshit Rana, who has played two Tests, quite surprisingly made a surprise entry into the India playing XI in the fourth T20I against England in Pune on Friday. Though initially not named in the XI, Rana was called upon to replace allrounder Shivam Dube as a concussion substitute after the latter was struck on the helmet in the final over of India's innings. Dube, who scored 53, was hit on the helmet in the penultimate ball of the Indian innings by a Jamie Overton delivery.

Following the mandatory concussion test, Dube was cleared to play. However, he was run out on the final delivery of the innings.

Rana, who had recently played in the opening Test against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, came in to bowl in the 12th over and made an immediate impact, dismissing Liam Livingstone for 9. Rana finished with three wickets. 

England skipper Jos Buttler appeared unhappy with the decision and was seen having a discussion with the umpires on the field. According to ICC's rules, teams are only allowed to name like-for-like replacements if a batsman is ruled out due to a concussion.

The decision to use Rana as a replacement of Dube did not go down well with many social media users, with some calling it cheating. 

How Harshit Rana is a like to like replacement for Shivam Dube?

Is match refree dumb? Does he know anything about cricket?

This is proper cheating from BCCI. Shivam Dube is a part timer & is useless bowler in T20I who doesn't bowl in IPL as well for India much.

Shameful!!

— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) January 31, 2025

Harshit Rana is like-for-like for Shivam Dube?

No wonder IND thought Reddy was a 4th fast bowler in AUS.

— cricketingview (@cricketingview) January 31, 2025

Rather than concussion sub the right word used should be Impact Sub. https://t.co/F2SO8gAV3f

— Prasanna (@prasannalara) January 31, 2025

It's outrageous to have Harshit Rana as a concussion sub for Shivam Dube (two completely different player types). India are literally playing with 12 players here.

— Alagappan Vijayakumar (@IndianMourinho) January 31, 2025

India had posted 181/9 after being sent in to bat. The hosts won the match by 15 runs to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series. The final T20I will be played in Mumbai on Sunday.

With PTI inputs 

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Moraine crash caused 20 m wave

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Video Shows Women In Car Chased By Men In SUV In Chennai. Police Reacts

A video has surfaced on social media showing a group of women screaming in fear inside a car as they are chased and harassed by men in two vehicles. One of the two vehicles sported a flag which bore ensigns similar to that of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party.

The alarming incident occurred on the night of January 25 in Chennai's Kanathur area when a group of women was returning home to Muttukadu by car.

As they drove along East Coast Road, a luxury car suddenly blocked their path. Around six men inside the vehicle attacked the car, hurled abuses, and made obscene remarks.

Fearing for their safety, the women quickly reversed their car and drove nearly four kilometres back to their residence. However, their ordeal did not end there, as the men chased them to their homes and continued issuing threats.

Watch the video here:

#CHENNAI - A group of men chased women in a car in the middle of the night on Chennai's ECR Road – Shocking video!#Chennai | #WomenSafety pic.twitter.com/5T7oGsDPGu

— Suresh (@isureshofficial) January 29, 2025

The incident was captured on camera, and the video has since gone viral on social media, sparking widespread outrage.

According to police reports, a case has been registered against the suspects for mischief, criminal intimidation, and wrongful restraint. Authorities are actively investigating the matter and working to identify the accused.

The incident has triggered a political backlash.

In a post on X, BJP leader SG Suryah wrote: "A group of thugs in a car with a DMK flag are chasing women in the middle of the road. CM MK Stalin, who has sold his iron fist for dates, is this the beauty of your regime's law and order maintenance? Can we commit any violence if we have the DMK flag?"

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Over 30 Million Years Old Pre-Historic Fossil Stolen From Meghalaya Village

A rare pre-historic fossil, possibly 35 to 40 million years old, has been stolen from a village in Meghalaya, leaving people in shock and outraged. The fossil was discovered in May last year in the state's Tolegre village in South Garo Hills.

The Geological Survey of India (GSI) had examined the site last year and collected samples. Following this, the villagers were safeguarding the remaining fossil by restricting access to the area, officials said.

The fossil is possibly from the extinct Rodhocetus or Ambulocetus - early ancestors of modern whales.

A case has been filed at the Siju Police Station and the police are on the lookout for the culprits, officials said.

According to Meghalaya Education Minister Rakkam Sangma, the state government was planning to build a museum at the site.

"The villagers informed me...They have filed an FIR. This is very unfortunate. It should not have happened...A portion of the fossil has been cut and taken away. This fossil is an asset to the state and the country. We will find and arrest the culprit," he said.

"This site is located in Tolegre under my constituency, under Siju Police Station, South Garo Hills, Meghalaya. Geologists from abroad had discovered it. The state government was considering constructing a museum at the site, and as the local MLA, I was planning to push for it. Now, we will have to see how things unfold. The police will conduct an inquiry," Mr Sangma added.

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Bihar to seek bidders for Pirpainti Plant by March

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Arvind Kejriwal Responds To Poll Panel, Says Yamuna Water Extremely Poisonous

Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, bearing the brunt of criticism over his pre-poll allegation that Haryana is poisoning waters of the Yamuna, today responded to the Election Commission with data about pollution of the river that flows through the heart of Delhi.

In his reply, Mr Kejriwal cited a letter from the Delhi Jal Board that maintains that ammonia levels in the river has reached such levels that the water purification plants cannot perform at full capacity.

"The verifiable fact remains that Delhi, as a lower riparian state, depends on raw water supply from Haryana, an upper riparian state, for potable water," the letter read.

Days ahead of the assembly election in Delhi, Mr Kejriwal had claimed that the BJP was "mixing poison" in the city's water supply in an attempt to "create chaos... hoping the blame will fall" on his party's administration.

"The people of Delhi get drinking water from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh... but the Haryana government has mixed poison in the water coming to Delhi from the Yamuna and sent it here... it is only due to the vigilance of our Delhi Jal Board engineers that this water was stopped," he had said. 

Mr Kejriwal's claim had drawn fire from the BJP as well as the Election Commission, which demanded that he backs up his claim with evidence and warned that such comments that can cause rifts between the people and a breach of peace, are a punishable offence.

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England beat India by 26 runs in 3rd T20I

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Donald Trump Orders To Pause All Federal Grants, Loans

Donald Trump's White House ordered a pause in all federal grants and loans starting on Tuesday, a sweeping decision that could disrupt education and health care programs, housing assistance, disaster relief and a host of other initiatives that depend on billions of federal dollars.

In a memo on Monday, the acting head of the Office of Management and Budget, which oversees the federal budget, said the money would be put on hold while the Trump administration reviews grants and loans to ensure they are aligned with the president's priorities, including executive orders he signed last week ending diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.

Matthew Vaeth, the acting director, said the use of federal resources for policies at odds with the president's agenda "is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve."

The memo said the freeze included any money intended "for foreign aid" and for "nongovernmental organizations," among other categories.

The White House said the pause would not impact Social Security or Medicare payments or "assistance provided directly to individuals." That would presumably spare food aid for the poor and disability payments, though it was not clear whether health care programs for veterans and low-income people would be affected.

The OMB memo asserted that the federal government spent nearly $10 trillion in fiscal year 2024, with more than $3 trillion devoted to financial assistance such as grants and loans. But the source of those figures was not clear - the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated government spending in 2024 at a much lower $6.75 trillion.

The memo is the latest directive in the Trump administration's campaign to dramatically reshape the federal government, the nation's largest employer.

In a blizzard of executive actions last week, the new president shuttered all diversity programs, imposed a hiring freeze, sent national security officials home, ordered a pause in foreign aid and sought to strip away job protections from thousands of civil servants.

The spending freeze ordered by OMB takes effect at 5 p.m. ET (2200 GMT) on Tuesday. Agencies have until Feb. 10 to submit detailed information on any programs subject to the suspension.

DEMOCRATS CHALLENGE 'UNLAWFUL' MOVE

The federal government provides money to a broad swath of nonprofits, many of which reacted with dismay.

"This order is a potential five-alarm fire for nonprofit organizations and the people and communities they serve," Diane Yentel, president & CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, said in a statement. "From pausing research on cures for childhood cancer to halting food assistance, safety from domestic violence, and closing suicide hotlines, the impact of even a short pause in funding could be devastating and cost lives."

Democrats immediately challenged Trump's action as unlawful and dangerous.

In a letter to Vaeth late on Monday, U.S. Senator Patty Murray and U.S. Representative Rose DeLauro, the top Democrats on the congressional appropriation committees, said the order was "breathtaking, unprecedented, and will have devastating consequences across the country."

"We write today to urge you in the strongest possible terms to uphold the law and the Constitution and ensure all federal resources are delivered in accordance with the law," the Democrats wrote.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said the administration did not have the authority to halt spending that had been approved by Congress and that the order, if implemented, would harm millions of Americans.

"It will mean missed payrolls and rent payments and everything in between: chaos for everything from universities to non-profit charities, state disaster assistance, local law enforcement, aid to the elderly, and food for those in need," Schumer said in a post on X late on Monday.

U.S. Representative Tom Emmer, the No. 3 Republican in the House of Representatives, said Trump was simply following through on his campaign promises.

"You need to understand he was elected to shake up the status quo. That is what he's going to do. It's not going to be business as usual," Emmer told reporters at a Republican policy retreat in Miami.

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

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Burial of ST Christians: SC delivers split verdict

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"Can't Wait To...": Sara Tendulkar Begins New Journey With...

Marking half a decade of serving the less-privileged and the needy in ways that enable them to believe and take the lead, the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation (STF) held a close-knit celebration in Mumbai at The Bombay Club. Tributes and acknowledgements from friends, family, well-wishers, and non-profit partners, paved the event as STF reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring better living with primary focus areas of health, education, and sports for children.

The theme of the evening, "Shine Brighter Together" shed light on the Foundation's core idea of impacting lives, especially children through sports, health and education.

For Sara Tendulkar, daughter of former India cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who recently donned the mantle of Director at the Foundation, the evening was her first official engagement. Stepping on the path shown by her parents at such a young age, Sara brings in a fresh perspective of connecting with the youth and helping them take flight with their aspirations.

Reflecting on her family's commitment to bettering lives and the transformative potential of the Foundation's initiatives, Sara said, "Growing up, I was always inspired by my family, who shaped my understanding of the power of giving. I had the opportunity to witness the Foundation's work and see the spark of hope that lights up in the lives of not just the children but entire families. Over the last five years, the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation has touched over 100,000 young lives, and that's a hundred thousand reasons to keep going. I am grateful to everyone who believed in us and stood by our side to make this journey possible," as quoted by the press release from STF.

"As Director, I cannot wait to build on what my parents started and make sure that every little dream gets noticed and nurtured. I look forward to this journey as we light up a world of possibilities for children who are the future," she added.

A short film introduced the guests to the Foundation's work. The audience was enlightened on the continued dedication of the Tendulkars and STF towards a shared dream of empowering the young dreamers, through strategic partnerships. The work done by the 15+ NGO partners who STF collaborates with was acknowledged and applauded.

Coldplay's Chris Martin was in attendance and engaged in a Tete-a-tete, on stage with Sachin Tendulkar.

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England Captain Jos Buttler Sets Massive T20I Record vs India

England captain Jos Buttler etched his name in the record books by becoming the highest run-scorer against India in T20 Internationals. The milestone came during the second T20I of the India-England series at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, where Buttler surpassed West Indies star Nicholas Pooran to claim the top spot, as per Wisden. After losing the first match of the series in Kolkata by eight wickets, England sought a comeback in Chennai. Winning the toss, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav put England into bat. England's innings got off to a shaky start, with Phil Salt dismissed in the first over, bringing Buttler to the crease.

The England skipper wasted no time in taking on the Indian bowlers, smashing 45 off 30 balls before falling to Axar Patel. He scored a half-century in the previous game in Kolkata, highlighting his form in the series. England managed to post 165/6, but their efforts proved insufficient as Tilak Varma's unbeaten fifty guided India to victory.

During his innings, Buttler crossed the 600-run mark against India in T20Is, becoming the first player to achieve this feat. His current tally of 611 runs surpasses Nicholas Pooran's 592, with Buttler achieving the milestone in four more matches than the West Indian batter.

Buttler joins an elite group of players who have scored over 500 T20I runs against India, including Glenn Maxwell (574), David Miller (524), and Aaron Finch (500). He also becomes the 13th player in T20I history to score over 600 runs against a single opponent. Only Virat Kohli (794 vs. Australia) and Babar Azam (880 vs. New Zealand) have managed to cross the 700-run mark against one team.

Buttler was delighted with the aggression his side exhibited to turn the moderate chase into an exhilarating affair, even though his side fell to a 2-0 series deficit.

(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: Saif-Kareena Step Out For The First Time Since His Attack

On Sunday morning, Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor were spotted outside their house, amid tight security. This marked the couple's first outing since the attack on Saif on January 16, after which he was admitted in Lilavati Hospital in Bandra, Mumbai. 

The couple were spotted by the paparazzi outside their Bandra home, as they walked out and got into their car. They were also surrounded by police, who have been deployed following the attack on Saif. 

In the video, Saif and Kareena are sporting a casual look. While Kareena is seen in a casual grey sweatshirt, with black track pants and a baseball cap, Saif is wearing a navy blue t-shirt and a pair of denims. He paired the outfit with dark sunglasses. 

Watch the viral video here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Varinder Chawla (@varindertchawla)

For the unversed, Saif was attacked in his Bandra home around 2:30 am on January 16. He sustained six stab wounds. Post his admission, he underwent emergency surgery at the hospital, where he was treated. 
 

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CIA now favors lab leak theory for COVID's origins

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Furious Sabalenka Breaks Racquet After Losing Australian Open Final. Video

Madison Keys on Saturday finally claimed her long-awaited Grand Slam title, defeating two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka to win the 2025 Australian Open women's singles title. The 29-year-old American triumphed 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in a thrilling final under the lights of Rod Laver Arena, lasting two hours and two minutes.

With this victory, Keys etched her name in history as the first woman to defeat the world's top two players at a major since Svetlana Kuznetsova at the 2009 French Open, and the first to do so at the Australian Open since Serena Williams in 2005.

At 29, Keys is one of the older first-time major champions. She becomes the fourth-oldest behind Flavia Pennetta, who was 33 when she won the 2015 US Open, Ann Jones, who was 30 when she won Wimbledon in 1969, and Francesca Schiavone, who was 29 when she triumphed at Roland Garros in 2010.

Sabalenka was furious after the loss and smashed her racket. 

Belarussian star #Sabalenka ( who won 20 Australian Open matches in a row ) seen smashing own racket in disgust of her defeat#belarussiangirl #belarusia #sport pic.twitter.com/jqFVXb5z6O

— Ali Shunnaq (@schunnaq) January 25, 2025

Aryna Sabalenka was asked about throwing her racquet after losing the Australian Open final:

"I needed to throw those negative emotions at the end just so I could give a speech. I was just trying to let it go & be a good person, be respectful"

pic.twitter.com/BS1ejILnKP

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 25, 2025

Keys enters the history books not just for her victory, but also for her impressive form leading up to the tournament. Her 12-match winning streak, which includes the Adelaide title two weeks earlier, is the longest of her career. Interestingly, this final was the first between players who had both won lead-up tournaments since the Australian Open shifted to its January calendar position in 1987.

Two-time defending champion Sabalenka had come into the final on a 20-match winning streak at Melbourne Park and with an 11-0 unbeaten record in 2025 after lifting the Brisbane trophy three weeks ago. She had been aiming to become the first woman to seal a hat-trick of Australian Open titles since Martina Hingis in 1997-99, and owned a 4-1 head-to-head lead over No.19 seed Keys.

The Australian Open marked Keys' 46th Grand Slam main-draw appearance. Only two players have taken more appearances before winning their first title -- Flavia Pennetta with 49, and Marion Bartoli with 47.

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Two Mountains 100 Times Taller Than Everest Discovered Deep Beneath Earth

Earth's biggest mountains, more than 100 times taller than Mount Everest, have been discovered on the boundary between Africa and the Pacific Ocean, a groundbreaking research, published in the journal Nature, has confirmed. The two peaks lie deep beneath the Earth's surface and reach heights of around 1,000 km, far bigger than the 8.8 km height of Mount Everest. Researchers estimate that the mountains are at least half a billion years old but could date back to the formation of Earth four billion years ago. 

"Nobody knows what they are, and whether they are only a temporary phenomenon, or if they have been sitting there for millions or perhaps even billions of years," said head researcher Dr Arwen Deuss, a seismologist and professor of Structure and composition of Earth's deep interior at Utrecht University, as per The New York Post. 

According to the research, two monstrous structures sit on the boundary between Earth's core and the mantle, the semi-solid area beneath the crust, beneath Africa and the Pacific Ocean. They are surrounded by a massive "graveyard of tectonic which have been transported there by a process called 'subduction,' where one tectonic plate dives below another plate and sinks all the way from the Earth's surface down to a depth of almost three thousand kilometres," said Dr Deuss.

Scientists have known for decades that there are massive structures hidden deep within the Earth's mantle thanks to seismic shockwaves rippling through the Earth's interior. Large earthquakes cause the planet to ring like a bell, and it will sound "out of tune" when it hits anomalous objects such as the supercontinents. So, by listening carefully to the tone that arrives on the other side of the planet, scientists are able to build up a picture of what lies beneath.

"We see that seismic waves slow down there," said Dr Deuss while discussing how they happened to discover the underground mountains, which are referred to as "Large Low Seismic Velocity Provinces" or LLSVPs for this reason.

Also Read | Scientists May Have Finally Solved 50-Year-Old Mystery About Martian Surface

According to the research, the new structures are hotter than their neighbouring tectonic plates. Scientists were thrown for a loop when studying the so-called damping of seismic waves, which is the "amount of energy that waves lose when they travel through the Earth," explained Dr Duess' colleague Sujania Talavera-Soza.

"Against our expectations, we found little damping in the LLSVPs, which made the tones sound very loud there," she said, adding, "But we did find a lot of damping in the cold slab graveyard, where the tones sounded very soft." 

This was unlike the upper mantle, which was expectedly "hot" with damped waves, researchers said. Ms Sujania analogized the phenomenon to going for a run in hot weather, explaining, "you don't only slow down, but you also get more tired than when it is cold outside."

Ultimately, the study suggests that the mountains are made up of much larger grains than the surrounding slabs since these wouldn't absorb so much energy from passing seismic waves. 

"Those mineral grains do not grow overnight, which can only mean one thing: LLSVPs are lots and lots older than the surrounding slab graveyards," said Ms Sujania. 

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T'gana to get Centre's support on 9 power schemes

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Shocking X-ray Reveals Human Body Infested With Tapeworm Larvae

A chilling X-ray scan displaying calcified parasites embedded throughout a patient's body has gone viral on social media. The image, shared by emergency room doctor Sam Ghali, shows what he described as one of the "most insane X-rays" he's encountered, with the patient's torso dotted by countless oblong shapes resembling a hailstorm.

Dr Ghali said that the disease, which is termed cysticercosis, is due to the presence of larval cysts of the tapeworm Taenia solium. The parasite infects humans through eating raw or undercooked pork infested with larval cysts. Though the tapeworm can develop within weeks in the human gut, cysticercosis is caused by the migration of larvae into soft tissues where they eventually calcify and form cysts.

Here's a video I made breaking down one of the most insane X-Rays I've ever seen#FOAMed pic.twitter.com/wp8xtGFTV5

— Sam Ghali, M.D. (@EM_RESUS) January 16, 2025

"The life cycle begins with a human consuming raw or undercooked pig, and then that person becomes infected with the worms in their GI tract and passes the eggs along to another unfortunate human who then consumes them."

According to a report by The New York Post, cysticercosis materialises when infected people pass on tapeworm eggs to others through their faecal matter. This can happen when people don't properly wash their hands after using the bathroom or through water contaminated with faeces.

This unnamed patient case makes one appreciate the risks of eating pork that has not been properly cooked, for infections from such could lead to more complicated conditions like muscles, skin damage, and even to the brain. This X-ray image is enough to make anyone recall the consequences of bad food preparation.

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Foreign Minister Engages US, Foreign Secretary, China: India's Balancing Act

India's diplomacy stands out globally for its ability to balance ties between adversaries. The latest example of this is happening this week. As foreign minister S Jaishankar touches down in New Delhi after a five-day visit to the US for Donald Trump's inauguration, foreign secretary Vikram Misri heads to China to foster ties with Beijing.

Just ten days ago, during a visit to Spain, foreign minister S Jaishankar had said India is one of the very few countries in the world that can engage both Russia and Ukraine, as well as Israel and Iran. "This is something very, very unique. And it is unique because if you look at the world today, it is a very polarised world," he said.

Donald Trump has threatened to impose hefty tariffs on China and even the BRICS+ countries, which India is a member of as well. China, the world's second-largest economy, has warned that it will retaliate, should Washington actually follow through. President Trump has also targeted China over its presence in the Panama Canal and said the US will take control of the waterway even if it means involving the military. China, on the other hand, has warned Washington over its involvement with Taiwan. Both nations have sanctioned each other.

ENGAGING ALL SIDES

Amid all this, India, which according the PM Modi, has "always chosen the side of peace", aims to engage all sides for positive and constructive outcomes. Earlier this week, S Jaishankar strengthened India-US bilateral ties when he met the US Secretary of State and National Security Adviser for their first foreign engagements after the Trump administration took over. As PM Modi's special envoy, Dr Jaishankar was also given the first seat at the US President's inauguration.

As he returned after concluding "a very positive" visit to Washington, India's foreign secretary heads to Beijing to build the momentum in India-China ties following a meeting between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Russia late-last year. Foreign Secretary Misri's visit was preceded by a visit by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval last month when he met Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi.

REBUILDING AFTER THE STORM

India and China, two of Asia's leading economies and the world's most populous nations, are working to boost bilateral ties after a four-and-a-half-year-long military standoff along the Line of Actual Control or LAC brought ties to a grinding halt. After dozens of rounds of talks - both diplomatically and militarily - an agreement was reached and troops on both sides pulled back from the buffer zones, returning the status quo-ante. This happened within a week of PM Modi and Xi Jinping announcing it during a meeting in Russia late last year. Following this, Chinese and Indian foreign and defence ministers also met each other on multilateral occasions.

After Ajit Doval, foreign secretary Vikram Misri's will be the second high-level visit by an Indian official to Beijing in a month.

A WELCOME FROM BEIJING

China has welcomed Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's visit this weekend and sounded positive about its outcome. "We welcome Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri's travel to China for the meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism between China and India," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said.

India's Ministry of External Affairs also said that "Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will be visiting Beijing on January 26 and 27 for a meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism between India and China. The resumption of this bilateral mechanism flows from the agreement at the leadership level to discuss the next steps for India-China relations, including in the political, economic, and people-to-people domains."

THE AGENDA

Besides bilateral issues such as boundary talks, maintaining peace along the LAC, the building of the world's largest dam on the Brahmaputra, resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, people-to-people ties, resuming direct flights between the two countries, and facilitate the issuance of visas to Chinese citizens, the two sides are also likely to touch upon issues of mutual global interest.

The BRICS+, where both countries are threatened with massive tariffs, might figure in talks as well, as would the latest sanctions threat to countries dealing with Russia and buying Russian oil - again a common threat to both countries. Regional issues such as the situation in the Middle East and in Syria are likely to be discussed too.

US backing out of the Paris Climate agreement and the WHO, as well as the much-needed reform of the United Nations and the Security Council are likely to be discussed as well.

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'Make Your Products In America Or Pay Tariffs': Trump Tells Davos

US President Donald Trump issued a blunt warning to global elites in a video message to the World Economic Forum on Thursday: Make your product in the United States or pay tariffs.
Beamed on a giant screen in the Swiss Alpine village of Davos, Trump received a loud round of applause from political and business A-listers who had eagerly awaited his appearance all week.

Speaking from the White House, Trump touted his plans to cut taxes, deregulate industries and crack down on illegal immigration.

But he also had a tough message.

"Come make your product in America and we will give you among the lowest taxes of any nation on earth," Trump said.

"But if you don't make your product in America, which is your prerogative, then very simply you will have to pay a tariff."

In his wide-ranging speech, Trump made a link between the war in Ukraine and oil prices.

Trump said he would ask Saudi Arabia and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to bring down crude prices.

"If the price came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately," he said.

The US leader then fielded question from the top executives of Bank of America, Blackstone investment firm, Spanish group Banco Santander and French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies.

Trump is always a top draw in Davos, making waves at two previous in-person appearances during his first term in 2018 and 2020.

But showing up this year was tougher as the forum happened to start on the day of his inauguration in Washington on Monday.

Scores stood in line to hear him speak. Some in the audience included European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde, Polish President Andrzej Duda and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.

Trump fans

One of the Republican president's biggest cheerleaders on the world stage, Argentina's libertarian President Javier Milei, took the stage hours before Trump, delivering a fiery speech against "the mental virus of woke ideology".

Milei said Argentina was "re-embracing the idea of freedom" and "that is what I trust President Trump will do in this new America".

He praised like-minded leaders such as Trump, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele.

"Slowly an international alliance has been formed of all those nations that want to be free and that believe in the ideas of freedom," he said.

He also defended his "dear friend" Elon Musk.

The US billionaire and Trump ally caused a stir this week by making hand gestures at an inauguration event for the US president that drew comparisons to the Nazi salute.

Milei said Musk, the head of Tesla and SpaceX, has been "unfairly vilified by wokeism in recent hours for an innocent gesture that only means... his gratitude to the people".

'Let's not hyperventilate'

Trump already gave Davos a taste of what is to come since his inauguration on Monday, which coincided with the WEF's first day.

He has threatened tariffs on China, the European Union, Mexico and Canada, pulled the United States from the Paris climate pact and renewed his claim the Panama Canal, just to name a few.

His plans to cut taxes, reduce the size of the US federal government and deregulate industries likely found a sympathetic ear amongst many businesses, though economists warn the policies could rekindle inflation.

US trade partners and rivals already had a chance to react in Davos earlier this week, as they brace for a second round of his America First policies.

Without invoking Trump's name, Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang warned: "There are no winners in a trade war."

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said Brussels was ready to negotiate with Trump.

But she also underscored the European Union's diverging policy with him on climate, saying the bloc would stick by the Paris accord.

World Trade Organization chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala called on cooler heads to prevail during a WEF panel discussion on tariffs on Thursday, warning that tit-for-tat levies would be "catastrophic" for the world economy.

"Please let's not hyperventilate," she quipped. "I know we are here to discuss tariffs. I've been saying to everybody: could we chill, also?"

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

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Watch: Arshdeep Singh Apologizes To Chahal For Breaking His T20I Record

Arshdeep Singh made history on Wednesday night, becoming the highest Indian wicket-taker in T20I cricket in the first game against England. The left-arm seamer, still only 25 years old, achieved the record after picking up the wickets of Phil Salt and Ben Duckett in his opening spell. Those two wickets took his T20I tally to 97, one ahead of previous record-holder Yuzvendra Chahal. Speaking after the game, Arshdeep apologized to Chahal for overtaking his tally with a rather hilarious act.

In a video posted by BCCI, Arshdeep was seen holding his ears jokingly, as he apologized to Yuzvendra Chahal for breaking his record.

While Chahal took his 96 wickets in 80 games, Arshdeep has reached his tally in a rather phenomenal rate. The left-arm pacer has taken only 61 games to reach 97 wickets, at an average of only 17.90 and a strike rate of 13.03, meaning he takes up a wicket nearly every two overs.

Arshdeep set the tone for India's dominant victory in the first T20I, ending with figures of 2/17 in four overs. Given his form and prowess in the shortest format, he is all but certain to reach the 100-wicket mark by the end of the five-match T20I series.

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Arshdeep has also been selected for India in their Champions Trophy 2025 squad, and has a good chance of featuring in the playing XI given the fitness concerns surrounding Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami.

Chahal, however, hasn't represented India in a T20I since August 2023, although he was part of their T20 World Cup 2024-winning squad.

The wrist spinner has put up a series of cryptic posts on Instagram in recent weeks, amid rumours of divorce from wife Dhanashree Verma.

On Wednesday, Chahal posted a picture with the caption "Real love is rare. Hi, my name is 'Rare'."

India take on England in the second T20I in Chennai on January 25.

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Airtel Introduces New Voice and SMS-Only Prepaid Plans After TRAI Mandate

Bharti Airtel is introducing specialised prepaid recharge plans, including only voice and SMS services. The move comes after the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued a mandate last month to telecommunication operators in India to offer standalone Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs) specifically for voice and SMS services. These new plans will not include bundled data and are aimed at consumers who do not have Internet connectivity requirements, such as feature phone users or those who use a secondary SIM card in dual SIM-enabled smartphones. The company is reportedly restructuring two existing plans to fit the guidelines issued by TRAI.

Airtel Announces New Prepaid Recharge Plans

Airtel's decision makes it the first in the country to introduce voice and SMS-only recharge plans for prepaid users. The telecom operator has not added the new plans to its website yet, but it is expected to be rolled out shortly. While the company has not detailed the new prepaid plans, several reports have highlighted what users can expect.

According to a CNBC report, one of the prepaid recharge plans Airtel is planning to restructure is the Rs. 509 voucher. It is said to offer unlimited voice calls and 900 free SMS with a validity of 84 days. The earlier version of the plan also offered 6GB of data, which is said to now be removed. For long-term validity, the telecom operator is reportedly revamping the Rs. 1,999 plan. It is said to offer unlimited voice calls and a total of 3,600 free SMS for a period of 365 days.

Once the SMS limit is crossed, Airtel will reportedly charge users Re. 1 per local message and Rs. 1.5 per STD message. Some reports have also claimed that these prepaid recharge plans might come with additional benefits such as Apollo 24/7 Circle membership and free Hello Tunes.

Whether Airtel will keep the prices of the plans as they were with bundled data or will make changes to them is currently unclear. Notably, at the time of writing, these plans were not visible on either the Airtel website or the Airtel Thanks app.

Last month, TRAI issued the twelfth amendment to the Telecom Consumers Protection Regulations, which also included this mandate. The announcement came after the telecom agency held an open-house discussion with stakeholders in October and addressed issues around tariff availability, validity of vouchers, and colour coding of vouchers.

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Budget may contain changes in customs regime

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'Must Not Harass Citizens': Court Imposes Rs 1 Lakh Cost On Probe Agency ED

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on the Enforcement Directorate for initiating a money laundering probe against a realty developer without "proper application of mind", noting central agencies must conduct themselves within framework of law.

While imposing the fine on the ED, a single bench of Justice Milind Jadhav observed that a "strong message" needs to be sent to the law enforcement agencies to ensure citizens are not harassed.

The HC quashed process (summons/notice) issued to a Mumbai-based real estate developer, Rakesh Jain, by a special court in August 2014 based on a prosecution complaint filed by the anti-money laundering agency.

It was "high time that central agencies like the ED stopped taking the law in the own hands and harass citizens", Justice Jadhav maintained.

The ED had launched money laundering probe against Rakesh Jain based on a police complaint lodged against him at the suburban Vile Parle police station by a property purchaser alleging breach of agreement and cheating.

Justice Jadhav, in his ruling, noted no case was made out against Jain and hence even the money laundering charges do not stand.

The HC said the action of the complainant as well as the ED in putting the criminal system into motion against Jain is "clearly malafide and calls for imposition of exemplary costs".

"I am compelled to levy exemplary costs because a strong message needs to be sent to the law enforcement agencies like ED that they should conduct themselves within the parameters of law and that they cannot take law into their own hands without application of mind and harass citizens," Justice Jadhav said.

The court directed the ED to pay the Rs 1 lakh cost to the HC library within four weeks. The bench also imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on the original complainant (purchaser) in the case. This cost would be paid to the city-based Kirtikar Law Library.

The HC pointed out that an offence of money laundering is committed by an individual with a deliberate design and a motive to enhance his gains, disregarding the interest of the nation and society as a whole.

"It is seen that conspiracy of money laundering is hatched in secrecy and executed in darkness. The present case before me is a classic case of oppression in the garb of implementation of the PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act)," the judgment noted.

On the request of ED advocate Shriram Shirsat, the HC stayed its judgment for one week so that the agency could file an appeal in the Supreme Court.

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

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PM Modi wishes 'dear friend' Trump on inauguration

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Only 2 Genders, Emergency At Mexico Border: Orders Trump May Sign Soon

Donald Trump is all set to be sworn in for a historic second term as US president on Monday, capping his extraordinary return. Within hours of taking office, the president-elect is expected to sign as many as 100 executive orders. The orders will touch on gender identity policies, immigration, climate and energy policy among other things.

These executive orders are mainly aimed at fulfilling his poll promises. Trump, in an interview, had said that he was planning to sign a "record-setting" number of executive actions on day one.

An incoming White House official told reporters Trump will order the US government to recognise only two biological sexes as well as to end federal diversity programs.

"What we're doing today is defining that it is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes: male and female," the official said.

"The Department of Treasury -- this is a little a while ago now -- included diversity training that said all white people, regardless of how woke they are, contribute to racism. So this type of funding, we're going to end at these (diversity) programs. We're going to end that," the official added.

On the campaign trail, Trump criticised diversity, equity and inclusion policies in the federal government and in the corporate world, saying they discriminated against white people - men in particular.

One of the orders will intend to end birthright citizenship for US-born children whose parents lack legal immigration status. "The federal government will not recognize automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens born in the United States," the official said.

Citing the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, the official said, "We are also going to enhance vetting and screening of illegal aliens".

When he assumes office, Trump will declare a national emergency at the US border with Mexico. "We are going to declare a national emergency at the border," said the official. "The Executive Order directs the military to prioritise our borders and territorial integrity."

He will also sign an executive order declaring a national energy emergency aimed at boosting US oil and gas production and lowering costs for US consumers.

"The common theme is really unleashing affordable and reliable American energy," the official said. "Because energy permeates every single part of our economy, it's also key to restoring our national security and exerting American energy dominance around the world."

An executive order is an order issued unilaterally by the president who carries the force of law. Unlike legislation, executive orders do not require Congressional approval. Though Congress cannot overturn them, they can be challenged in a court of law.

As per Stephen Miller, a close associate of Trump, the orders will be around these five points - sealing the Southern border, mass deportation, preventing transgender people from women's sports, removing restrictions on energy exploration and improving government efficiency. Among his executive orders is expected to be pardoning his supporters who were arrested by law enforcement agencies for their role in the attack on the US Capitol on January 6 four years ago.

The 78-year-old is also expected to roll back some of the orders and actions of the outgoing President Joe Biden. Prominent among them include the Paris Climate Agreement, lifting restrictions on fossil fuel production and expanding domestic oil drilling.

Today, Trump will make history by replacing Biden as the oldest president to be sworn in. He is also just the second president in US history to return to power after being voted out, after Grover Cleveland in 1893.

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Mokobara Responds To Accusations Of Selling Chinese Bags At Inflated Price

Bengaluru-based luggage maker Mokobara has addressed the controversy surrounding its product pricing after an influencer revealed significantly lower prices for similar bags on other platforms, likely sourced from Chinese manufacturers.

The controversy raised questions about the authenticity of Mokobara's products, with some suggesting they might be rebranded Chinese-made bags, while others argued that the cheaper alternatives were likely counterfeit. In response, the company tweeted on X: "While the world debates the chicken or the egg, we're focussed on what we do best - creating originals worth imitating. Dropping now: the Moko x Naruto Series - from one fan to another."

While the world debates the chicken or the egg, we're focussed on what we do best - creating originals worth imitating. Dropping now: the Moko x Naruto Series - from one fan to another.

To our Moko fam, this one's for you. Use code WHITELABEL to get 10% off on originality! ❤️… pic.twitter.com/lvQ0br0waf

— Mokobara (@my_mokobara) January 15, 2025

Amidst the controversy, Mokobara launched its Moko x Naruto Series, offering a 10% "originality" discount with the code "WHITELABEL." The company tweeted, "To our Moko fam, this one's for you. Use code WHITELABEL to get 10 per cent off on originality!" This response, however, drew mixed reactions on X, with some praising it while others found it "disappointing." 

"Brand value & design is key. Most major brands have some manufacturing in China, Vietnam etc. today, no getting away from that. Manufacturing low tech stuff in China, risk of copycats would always be there," a user wrote on X. 

Another user added, "It was in Jan 2020 when I came across the brand and reached out to them to buy one (their first product). I got to interact with one of the founder and he told me all that you've said. Post Covid travel has picked up and so did the varieties with them.Thanks for the clarification."

Mokobara, founded in 2019 by former Urban Ladder executives Sangeet Agrawal and Navin Parwal, specializes in laptop bags, suitcases, and other luggage accessories catering to the mid-premium to the premium market segment. The company competes with well-known brands like American Tourister, VIP, Samsonite, and other traditional players in the luggage industry.  

In February 2024, the direct-to-consumer luggage startup secured Rs 100 crore (approximately $12 million) in its Series B funding round.

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No Gaza Ceasefire Until Israel Gets List Of Hostages To Be Freed: Netanyahu

Hours before the start of a ceasefire in the Gaza war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said they won't be able "to move forward with the framework" until they get the list of hostages who will be released by Hamas.

"We will be unable to move forward with the framework until we receive the list of the hostages who will be released, as was agreed. Israel will not tolerate violations of the agreement. Hamas is solely responsible," Mr Netanyahu said in a post on X in Hebrew.

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China GDP grows 5.4% on policy blitz, export boom

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"Things Trending Positive": Elon Musk On India-US Relationship

Tech billionaire Elon Musk told a delegation of leading Indian business figures at his SpaceX Starbase facility in Texas on Friday that he believes India-US ties are "trending positive" and that he favours an enhanced trade partnership between the two nations.

The Indian entrepreneurs, led by India Global Forum (IGF) to mark the UK-headquartered policy and events platform's expansion into the US this week, toured the company's cutting-edge space exploration facilities and witnessed the successful launch of SpaceX's Starship Flight 7.

During a moderated discussion, Musk emphasised the potential for deeper collaboration between the United States and India, particularly in the technology and space exploration sectors.

"Things are trending positive. I'm certainly in favour of lowering trade barriers to increase commerce between the US and India," Musk was quoted as saying during the session.

He went on to describe India as "one of the ancient civilisations and a very great and very complex one". The entrepreneur behind automotive major Tesla and social media platform X interacted with Indian business chiefs from across diverse sectors on the role of technology and India's growing role in the global innovation landscape.

The meeting comes just days before the inauguration of Donald Trump as US President for a second term on Monday and Musk's proposed role in his top team as co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

"This event underscores the growing importance of collaboration between India and global pioneers in shaping a sustainable and technology-driven future," said IGF Founder Manoj Ladwa. "As the world's most powerful democracy transitions to a Trump presidency, meaningful dialogue is more important than ever in these challenging times," he said.

"At India Global Forum, our mission is to bring together global leaders and innovators to tackle the defining challenges of our time... I believe India's rise presents limitless opportunities, and this meeting signifies the potential for powerful partnerships," he added.

The IGF delegation to Musk's Starbase in Texas included Prashant Ruia, Director - Essar Capital; Jay Kotak, Co-Head - Kotak811; Ritesh Agarwal, Founder & Group CEO - OYO; Kalyan Raman, CEO - Flipkart; Aryaman Birla, Director - Aditya Birla Management Corporation Private Limited; Nilesh Ved, Chairman - Apparel Group; and bestselling author Amish Tripathi, among others.

It followed a set of closed-door discussions on Thursday with members of the incoming Trump administration and key US stakeholders and policymakers, including Jacob Helberg - the Designated Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment in the new American administration. The dialogue, organised for IGF's US launch, also addressed the American economic landscape, exploring opportunities in digital infrastructure, tech, innovation and foreign investment, while highlighting ways to strengthen bilateral collaboration.

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

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Overlooked Star Averages 752 In BCCI Event, Sends Strong Signal For CT '25

Karun Nair is on a role in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.  In the second semi-final between Vidarbha and Ruturaj Gaikwad-led Maharashtra side at Baroda's newly built Kotambi Stadium, Karun Karun Nair made 88* in 44 balls as his team posted 380. Nair's scores in the tournament 112*, 44*, 163*, 111*, 112, 122* and 88*. Thanks to seven unbeaten scores in eight innings, Nair's average has hit 752. 

Nair, who is a Test triple centurion, has thus sent a strong signal ahead of the Champions Trophy. 

Karun Nair is now the first captain in Vijay Hazare Trophy to cross 700-run mark. Before this Gaikwad, who scored 660 runs in five innings during the 2022-23 season, was the highest scorer as captain.

Nair, now playing for Vidarbha since 2023, had a steep fall from being India's second triple centurion in Tests back in 2016 to not even being considered for selection by his state, Karnataka. However, a chat with former Indian cricketer Abey Kuruvilla during the DY Patil tournament in early 2023 helped him find his new home in Vidarbha during the 2023-24 season. Since then, he has been piling runs everywhere, irrespective of the format.

He has been the top run-getter in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. 

Nair's T20 game went on an upward trajectory as well. He topped the run-charts in the Maharaja T20 Trophy by Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), scoring 560 runs in 12 matches at an average of 56.00, a strike rate of over 181, with a century and five fifties in 12 innings with the best score of 124. He also did well in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, scoring 255 runs in six innings at an average of 42.50, with three half-centuries and a strike rate of over 177.

Things did not look so bright for him when he returned from a county stint with Northamptonshire back in 2024, scoring 487 runs. In a podcast, former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa had asked what the batter needed to do in order to get noticed after he was not considered for the season-opening Duleep Trophy competition. His omission had come after making 690 runs in 10 matches at an average of 40.58 during the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy, in which his performances helped Vidarbha earn a runners-up finish to Mumbai, who won a record-extending 42nd title.

Now having a laugh over that podcast, Nair said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo, "Funnily enough I said I think I need to score a hundred in every single innings to kind of get noticed."

"I think I may have manifested something like this unknowingly in that chat with Robbie, and that is coming to fruition. At the time of recording the podcast, I was hurting a bit. After scoring runs in England and scoring nearly 700 runs [690 at the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy] to take Vidarbha into the finals, I did feel I could have got a look-in for the Duleep Trophy."

With ANI inputs 

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Need To Fix Accountability For Hindenburg "Hit Job": Mahesh Jethmalani

Senior lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani has punctured US short seller Hindenburg Research's chief Nate Anderson over his announcement that he would wind up the firm. Mr Anderson said the work took a toll on him as it was "rather intense and at times all-encompassing".

Hindenburg targeted the Adani Group in a case that is now seen as an attack on the 'India Story'.

"Frankly speaking, I don't know how old Mr Anderson is, but the fact of the matter is that he's not had some sterling results. His claim to fame really rests on the Adani hit job, which he was part of. I don't think he's done other serious work or businesses of note. So, he is essentially a research analyst," Mr Jethmalani told NDTV.

One of the reasons for winding up Hindenburg, Mr Anderson said, was it completed the projects it was handling. The announcement comes just days before President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration event. There is speculation Hindenburg is disbanding to avoid a possible India-US joint investigation.

"I really don't know his exact line of business. He is a research analyst who provides reports to people, or he is hired by people who need to bear-hammer a few shares for profiteering. In this case, of course, he became a little larger than life because he took on one of the biggest industries in India, which for a couple of days caused serious economic turbulence in the country," Mr Jethmalani said.

Mr Anderson's allegations led to panic among investors and wiped out more than $150 billion in the value of the Adani Group shares at their lowest point. A lot of that was money from small-time investors, men and women who put in their hard-earned savings. And now Mr Anderson says 'I am off, I am done.'

How does one ensure accountability?

"As far as India is concerned, SEBI is on the job. The problem is that this man doesn't live in India. He is presumably a US national. Now, if he is a US national, all the best we can do is seek the cooperation of the government. But the last government, the 'Democratic deep state' as we call it, were hand in glove with this man through the [George] Soros connection," Mr Jethmalani told NDTV, referring to an investigation by the capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

"Soros is the biggest financial contributor to the coffers of the Democratic party and has an overwhelming say in their policies, particularly the economic policies. Now, Soros is known for his anti-India and particularly anti-PM Modi government stand. So, there is not much you can do except now hope that - and I suspect - that the Trump administration may already have started some kind of a probe which led to this man winding up his company," the senior lawyer said.

"Having said that, whatever aid we can get from the Trump administration, which will be a lot more friendlier to the Indian government on this issue as well, we should undoubtedly invoke that help, and see that this man is brought to justice along with all the others whom he connived with," Mr Jethmalani added.

Earlier today, another senior lawyer, Mukul Rohatgi, described Hindenburg as a "dubious organisation". Mr Rohatgi, who is also the former Attorney General for India, told NDTV Hindenburg had been constantly attacking the Indian economy and a company, shaking the confidence of the Indian markets and "affecting the investments of millions of people."

"Look, I don't think anybody could accept or, you know, find out anything more about a dubious organisation, an organisation which says that they are short sellers. They say that they are out to create havoc in share markets... And I think they have realised that it is a shoot and scoot policy," Mr Rohatgi told NDTV.

"And therefore, they want to just close down because they don't want to face any investigation, either in India or the US or any other jurisdiction. And maybe they fear that when President Trump takes over, he may look into the complaints filed by Indian bodies and industrial houses or Indian government entities," the senior lawyer said. "Therefore, the idea is to shut shop and run away."

He said Hindenburg will have to face investigation somehow.

"The people who are behind this dubious organisation, they will certainly be liable and they can certainly be tracked down wherever they are. And they must face the heat and face the action," Mr Rohatgi said.

The matter had turned political with the Congress and other Opposition parties seeking a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the Hindenburg report, despite India's institutions and the Supreme Court completely dismissing Hindenburg's "findings".

Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani at the annual general meeting in June said the group "faced baseless accusations made by a foreign short seller that questioned our decades of hard work."

"In the face of an unprecedented attack on our integrity and reputation, we fought back and proved that no challenge could weaken the foundations on which your Group has been established," he said.

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Delhi: Classes IX, XI to shift to hybrid mode

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Champions Trophy Captains' Meet In Pakistan, PCB Tells ICC. Rohit's Visa...

The opening ceremony of the Champions Trophy will be held either on February 16 or 17 and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is confident that India captain Rohit Sharma will be in attendance at the event. The PCB source also said that it is awaiting communication from the ICC on the schedule of the customary captains' photo-shoot and the pre-event press conference. The eight-team tournament will get underway on February 19 in Karachi. However, India will play all their matches in Dubai, starting with the clash against Bangladesh on February 20, after refusing to travel to Pakistan owing to security concerns.

The source said PCB has procured all relevant clearances from its government to promptly issue visas to all captains, players and team officials who will come for pre-tournament events.

"This obviously includes Rohit or any other Indian team player or official or board official," he added.

Another source confirmed to PTI that the PCB has made it clear to the ICC that the opening ceremony, featuring all teams and their captains, will take place in Pakistan.

"This is in line with the usual protocols and since the opening match is on 19th the opening ceremony can be expected either on the 16th or 17th," the source added.

He said the schedule of the opening ceremony would depend on the warm-up matches list.

The source said that recently three Indian nationals, who were a part of the ICC delegation which came to Pakistan, were promptly issued visas once the world body sent their names to the PCB.

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

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Israel, Hamas Reach Ceasefire Agreement Designed To End Gaza War

Israel, Hamas reach ceasefire agreement designed to halt 15-month Gaza war, reports Reuters

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Watch: 5 Tigers Sunbathe In Front Of Tourists At Madhya Pradesh Reserve

Tourists in Madhya Pradesh's Satpura Tiger Reserve were left awestruck after a tiger family was spotted together during a jungle safari in the Madhai area of the reserve.

The rare sighting occurred around 5:00 am on Monday when the big cats were seen sitting in the middle of the road enjoying the sunlight.

Video footage of the incident showed the tiger family - a tigress and her four cubs - sitting in the middle of a road surrounded by tourist jeeps carefully enjoying the sight from a safe distance. "What could possibly be a better sighting than this," an excited tourist was heard saying in Hindi.

📍Madhya Pradesh | #Watch: 5 Tigers Sunbathe In Front Of Tourists At Madhya Pradesh Reserve

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The tiger family remained on the road for approximately 15 minutes before leaving.

This incident marks the first time in the history of the Satpura Tiger Reserve that five tigers have been spotted together. The sighting has been documented as a significant moment in the park's history by reserve officials.

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Career Coach Behind Salary Hikes At Google And Amazon Shares Expert Tips

Do you usually wait for appraisal season to request a pay raise? It might be time to reconsider that strategy. According to career coach Melody Wilding, who has worked with professionals at Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, the performance review isn't when decisions about promotions or raises are made-it's when they're announced.  

In an interview with CNBC Make It, Wilding estimated that by the time review discussions take place, about 85% of promotion decisions have already been finalised. 

"I call this the 'performance review paradox'," she said. "While you're focused on nailing that one big conversation, the real groundwork for your advancement is being laid in hundreds of small moments throughout the year."

To help professionals secure the raises and promotions they deserve, Wilding shared three actionable tips based on her extensive experience coaching high-achieving clients.

Practice Pre-Suasion: Subtly shape the perceptions and attitudes of your boss, superiors, and colleagues so that when you request a promotion, it feels like a natural next step rather than an unexpected move, Wilding explained.

"For instance," she said, "if your boss brings up a new initiative during a one-on-one, you could respond with: 'It's exciting to see us expanding into AI. I've been exploring this area and have ideas on how to scale our approach. I'd love to contribute more strategically here.'"

Secure Clear Expectations: Before requesting a promotion, Wilding advises discussing the additional responsibilities it would entail. "When your manager outlines their expectations, they're not only acknowledging the potential for promotion but also becoming more invested in your progress since they're part of shaping it," she told CNBC Make It.

Request a Justifiable Raise: "Humans are wired for fairness and reciprocity," Wilding noted. This makes asking for a raise aligned with your new responsibilities more effective. "You're not simply asking for more money - you're highlighting that your compensation should reflect the level you're now operating at," she explained.

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UK's Princess Kate Announces She Is In "Remission From Cancer"

Catherine, Princess of Wales, said on Tuesday she was "in remission" from cancer after she and husband Prince William visited the specialist London hospital where she was treated.

"It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focussed on recovery," the princess posted on Instagram, alongside a picture of her visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital.

The couple thanked staff and met patients at the specialist cancer centre operating across three sites in the capital.

"I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to The Royal Marsden for looking after me so well during the past year," Catherine wrote on Instagram.

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"My heartfelt thanks goes to all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything.

"We couldn't have asked for more. The care and advice we have received throughout my time as a patient has been exceptional," she added.

The visit came as Kensington Palace announced that the couple had become the hospital's joint patrons.

As patrons, members of the royal family support over 3,000 organisations such as charities and hospitals by highlighting their work through visits.

"In my new role as joint patron of The Royal Marsden, my hope is that by supporting groundbreaking research and clinical excellence, as well as promoting patient and family wellbeing, we might save many more lives, and transform the experience of all those impacted by cancer," said the princess.

The visit was said to be "incredibly poignant" for the princess, also known as Kate, who turned 43 last week.

The future queen, seen as key to maintaining the royals' position in a changing Britain, revealed last March she had been diagnosed with an unspecified cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy.

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

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