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Wednesday, November 20, 2024

"Had People United 500 Years Ago...": Yogi Adityanath On Colonialism

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said if the country was united 500 years ago, it would not have faced colonialism as he cited the construction of Ram temple that was completed in just two years due to the "unity" among 'Sanatanis'.

Addressing a gathering of saints and seers from across the country, Yogi Adityanath said the Ram temple issue was resolved after more than 500 years and the sacrifices of several generations under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.

"Had the country been united 500 years ago, it would not have faced colonialism," Yogi Adityanath said at the event.

The Chief Minister made the remarks after unveiling the grand Shri Rajagopuram Gate of Sugriva Fort in Ayodhya, according to an official statement.

"Memories of our past inspire us to guide society in the right direction. Unity is our greatest strength and when we stand together, no force in the world can weaken us," he said.

Referring to the construction of the Ram temple, Yogi Adityanath credited the unity among the followers of Sanatan Dharma as the foundation of the historic achievement.

He called for a firm stand against forces that weaken religion and society and urged people to distance themselves from anything harmful to the nation and to expose and isolate such elements.

"Exposing such elements and isolating them from society should be the work of religion," he said.

Highlighting the significance of Sugriva Fort, the chief minister shared its historical connection to Devaraha Baba and Lord Ram's exile.

He said that Bharat had prepared this site for Shri Ram's stay. The once narrow path to the fort has now been widened, making it more accessible, Yogi Adityanath said, adding that it was an integral part of Ayodhya's growth.

"Ayodhya is now not only a religious and spiritual centre but is also developing as the most beautiful city in the world," he added. The chief minister highlighted that the construction of an International Airport at Ayodhya has been completed. He emphasised that it is the responsibility of the people of Ayodhya to protect and preserve this heritage.

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



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Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Netanyahu Makes Rare Gaza Visit, Says "Hamas Will Never Rule Again"

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a rare visit to Gaza on Tuesday where he said Hamas shall never rule the Palestinian enclave again once the war is over. He also reaffirmed his pledge to annihilate the militant group and said that the Israeli armed forces have destroyed Hamas's military capabilities thoroughly.

Mr Netanyahu, seen in a battle vest and a ballistic helmet, stood at a seaside location in Gaza and recorded a video where he said "Hamas shall not return" and spoke about the Israeli hostages still in captivity.

Prime Minister Netanyahu said that the search for the remaining 101 Israeli hostages still missing in Gaza will continue. He even offered a $5 million reward for the return of each hostage.

He then went on to warn the terrorists by saying "Anyone who dares to harm our hostages will have blood on their head. We will hunt you down and get you."

Mr Netanyahu also said that "Whoever brings us a hostage will find a safe way. So, the choice is yours, but the result will be the same. We'll get them all back."

Benjamin Netanyahu was visiting Gaza to get a first-hand briefing of operational activities on ground by Israel's military. The Defence Minister and Army chief had accompanied him.

Hamas's 2023 attack on Israel marked the country's bloodiest day in its history, with 1,200 people killed and over 250 taken hostage. The attack, which triggered the over-year-long war so far, saw Israel respond with its most destructive offensive in Gaza ever, killing nearly 44,000 people and wounding 103,898, according to the Gaza health ministry, and turning the Strip into a wasteland of rubble with millions desperate for food, fuel, water and sanitation.

Israel, which has since the beginning of the war, targeted and killed several top Hamas leaders, has vowed to destroy the group entirely. While Israel and its Western allies have declared Hamas a terrorist group, Lebanon-based Hezbollah and Iran have been supporting it in its activities.

Hamas's supporters regard them as heroes leading the fight for Palestinian statehood, which had drifted off the international agenda.
 



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On Camera, Speeding Tempo Rams Bike, Drags It For 100 Metres In UP

A speeding pick-up truck in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi rammed into a car and then crashed into a bike that was crossing over from the wrong side, flinging the rider in the air and dragging the two-wheeler along the road for some 100 metres.

The bike rider sustained severe injuries and is undergoing treatment, sources said.

The accident took place under Navabad police station area but only the part where the biker was hit by the pick-up truck was recorded on CCTV.

Footage of the accident shared by police showed the speeding pick-up vehicle striking the two-wheeler that was crossing over from the wrong side.

As the rider is flung into the air before hitting the ground, his vehicle is dragged for at least 100 metres before it comes to a halt.

Police said a complaint has been filed and a case has been registered.



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Amid Russia-Ukraine Conflict, Why These Countries Are Preparing For War

Several European countries are advising their residents to be ready for war even as Russia and Ukraine witnessed a grim milestone recently - the 1,000th day of conflict. Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark have issued advisories that ask citizens to make sure they sustain themselves in case of a crisis.

While Sweden started sending out millions of pamphlets on Monday that contained information about how to prepare for war, natural disasters and cyber or terror attacks, Finland launched a website gathering information on preparedness for different crises.

The Swedish pamphlet says: "Military threat levels are increasing. We must be prepared for the worst-case scenario -- an armed attack on Sweden".

The 32-page booklet 'If Crisis Or War Comes' contains tips such as stocking up on non-perishable food and water, keeping cash on hand and growing fruit and vegetables in gardens.

"If Sweden is attacked by another country, we will never give up. All information to the effect that resistance is to cease is false," reads a line in the booklet.

It is an updated version of a pamphlet that Sweden has issued five times since World War II.

The new version doesn't mention Russia, Ukraine or any other country by name.

The brochure is available in print in both Swedish and English and digital versions are available in several other languages -- including Arabic, Farsi, Ukrainian, Polish, Somali and Finnish.

Finland's website asserts authorities are "well prepared for self-defence".

The country shares a 1,340-kilometre border with Russia and it has maintained a higher level of preparedness.

After Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, Finland announced plans to build a 200-kilometre border fence - 10 feet tall and topped with barbed wire - with Russia which is due to be completed by 2026.

Both Swedish and Finnish checklists include easy-to-cook food. Finland has also asked its citizens to arrange for a backup power supply.

Meanwhile, Norway has urged its citizens to be prepared to manage on their own for a week in the event of war and other threats.

"We have sent out 2.2 million paper copies, one for each household in Norway," BBC quoted Tore Kamfjord, responsible for the campaign of self-preparedness at the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB), as saying.

Tins of beans, energy bars, pasta, and medicines - including iodine tablets in case of a nuclear accident - are included in the list of items to be kept at home.

The Nordic neighbours Sweden and Finland dropped decades of military non-alignment to join the US-led defence alliance NATO in the wake of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Norway was a founding member of the Western defensive alliance.

Denmark's emergency management agency, as per a BBC report, emailed its citizens details on the water, food and medicine they would need to get through a crisis for three days.

On Tuesday, Vladimir Putin eased Russia's rules for nuclear strikes days after the US allowed Ukraine to fire long-range American-made missiles into Russian territory.

Twenty-three of the 32 NATO members - up from just three a decade ago - have now agreed to reach the target of spending two per cent of gross domestic product on defence.

The growing consensus, however, is that Europe will have to do more to make sure it can stand on its own.



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Monday, November 18, 2024

As Top Court Dealt With Pollution, Punjab Recorded Highest Farm Fire Count

Around 1,000 farm fires were detected in Punjab alone today -- on a day the Supreme Court ripped into the Delhi government over the pollution blanket over north India that went off charts. Hiren Jethva, an aerosol remote sensing scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, told NDTV this evening that this data was collected by the NASA satellite between noon and 1.30 pm -- a time band that over the last three years has showed a decreasing trend of farm fires.

The farm fires, he reiterated today, are lately lit well after 2 pm, when the NASA satellites have passed over India -- a situation that has raised questions over whether farmers are deliberately attempting to hoodwink the satellite.

"Except today, there has been a clear shift in the burning pattern. Since 2002, most fires took place in the 1 to 2 pm window," which has not been the case over the last three years.

Till lately, he said he was happy to see the downward trend, that his predictions about the number of fires have been way higher than the data on the ground - which only left one fact unexplained - how the pollution levels could be increasing despite the lower numbers. Also, the aerosol content in the air - measured by sensors mounted on satellites - indicate far higher levels of particulate matter associated with pollution.

"Pollution load has increased over the subcontinent - unseen in the last 20 years' data. Aerosol load highest over the last two weeks. Also Look at PM 2.5 data in Delhi was 1000 microgram per metre, that is crazy high, unprecedented," he told NDTV.

Now, thanks to data collected by sensors on a South Korean geo-stationary satellite, it has become clear that the time window for lighting of farm fires may have changed. 

In a post on X that showed comparative DATA collected since 2019, he explained the change in trend.

What the Authorities Say

Prof Adarshpal Vig, the Chairperson of the Punjab Pollution Control Board, however, chose to differ on Mr Jethva's view that farm fires are the "one giant source of pollution in this season".

While he admitted that the data today showed there were 1,251 fires - the largest in the whole season - this does not take into account the seasonal change in weather that tends to trap pollution closer to the ground instead of dissipating it in the atmosphere, as happens in summer.

It also did not do away with the last two year's downward trend, he said. In 2023, there were 33,719 instances of stubble burning, which was 70 per cent down from the previous year, when 48,000-plus farm fires were reported.

Asked why the authorities were not taking into account the fires lit after 2 pm, Prof Vig said, "Nothing like this. I have been telling you the data for previous 3 years and we have been using the same mechanism for past 4 to 5 years. The data comes from the Punjab remote sensing centre located in Ludhiana University Campus and they are taking the data through ISRO and NASA".  

"I know that they take thermal images... The heat stays for hours. As Hiren was saying, it will take 375 meters area and there are more than one or two satellites and they do the filtering, since fire from cities may get into the data," he added.

"Fires are on a downtrend in that time band if you look at NASA satellite data, which ISRO also uses since 2022. Fires occurring after that can be seen in the geostationary satellite. The Korean satellite shows a clear increase in the short wave infra-red signal. That data shows there is a clear increase of fires in the late afternoons that we are not counting. But we can see in the aerosol load and the PM 2.5 in Delhi the next day," interjected Mr Jethva.

But the point was hotly debated by Prof Vig. Asked if the overall number of fires are coming down, why not the aerosol loads, he said the authorities are "not measuring the aerosol loads".

"So that is not something I can comment on. We are only looking at the BRSC data. But along with stubble burning, there are other sources of pollution, like vehicular or industrial pollution. So maybe those are not dissipating because of the season change," he added.

Mr Jethva pointed out that those sources constant. "Without stubble burning, no one can explain the rise in pollution," he said.

Prof Vig pointed out that one has to take into account the effects of season change. "Why we are not counting these kind of things?" he said.

In summers, the pollution is the same, but the particulate matter gets dispersed due to the heat and the strong winds. 

But in winter, they are "not going out of the atmosphere, making it more visible to everyone and making it more effective to the health issue,' he added.  

The Supreme Court's Strictures

Earlier today, the Supreme Court had mentioned the fresh facts brought to light by Mr Jethva, calling it a "very disturbing feature" in its order.  

"ISRO is getting data from the NASA satellite which  passes over NCR region at around 10.30 am and 1.30 pm daily. Therefore instances of farm fires captured by the satellite are only for those periods. Based on information given by a senior scientist of NASA, learned amicus (senior advocate Aparajita Singh) pointed out that a Korean satellite, which is stationary satellite, has captured the farm fires at 4.20. It is pointed out that there is a difference between data collected by the stationery satellite and data collected by the polar orbiting NASA Satellite," the court said.

"We direct the Union of India and the (CAQM) commission to make immediate arrangements to take data either from the Korean stationary satellite or any other stationary satellite, so that data of farm fires throughout the day can be made available to the state to enable them to take immediate action," the court added in its order.

The judges had pulled up authorities over the delay in implementing tough restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

The bench of Justice AS Oka and Justice AG Masih questioned why GRAP 3 was implemented three days after the AQI crossed the 300 mark. When the Centre's counsel replied that they were tracking whether the AQI dips, the court said, "Once it reaches, it has to be invoked... how can the applicability of stage 3 be delayed anyhow... how can you wait for three days?"

"We are making it very clear that you will not go below Stage 4 without our permission now even if AQI goes below 300, that is the order we are proposing," the judges said.

GRAP 4 kicks in when AQI crossed the 450 mark. Commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi are banned from entering the capital unless they are EVs, CNG or they conform to BS-VI norms. Decisions can also be taken on discontinuing physical classes for senior classes too and the odd-even road rationing scheme.



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Babar Surpasses Kohli To Achieve All-Time High, Set To Surpass Rohit Soon

Babar Azam on Monday surpassed Virat Kohli to rise to the second spot in the list of highest run-scorers in T20Is. Virat Kohli has 4188 runs in 117 innings while Babar Azam has 4192 runs in 119 innings. India captain Rohit Sharma leads the list with 4231 runs in 151 innings. Babar Azam achieved the feat during a match against Australia. With Rohit having retired from T20Is, Babar Azam is expected to surpass him in the list very soon.  

Marcus Stoinis slammed five huge sixes in an unbeaten 61 as Australia crushed Pakistan by seven wickets in Hobart on Monday to secure a 3-0 T20 series whitewash. Chasing a meagre 118, the hosts hit the target in the 12th over to hand Pakistan a reality check after the visitors won the preceding ODI series 2-1.

Stoinis was unstoppable once he got going, also blasting five fours in his 27-ball masterclass. "It's really nice to get another win and go 3-0 up," said Australia skipper Josh Inglis

"When he's going like that, it's really hard to stop," he added of Stoinis. "One of those sixes was probably the biggest I've seen."

The match at Bellerive Oval was a dead rubber after Australia won a rain-hit match in Brisbane by 29 runs and then in Sydney by 13 runs. After opting to bat, Pakistan raced to 62-1 before crumbling to 117 all out in the 19th over with Babar Azam top-scoring on 41 and Aaron Hardie taking 3-21.

Jake Fraser-McGurk began the run chase with consecutive boundaries from Shaheen Shah Afridi before the speedster dismissed Matt Short for two, caught at mid-on by Irfan Khan.

Fraser-McGurk (18) followed next over, undone by the sheer pace of Jahandad Khan in another mis-fire by the 22-year-old.

But Inglis kept the scoreboard ticking over alongside Stoinis, who let rip in the ninth over, punishing Haris Rauf for 20, including a massive six that landed on the stadium roof.

Their 55-run partnership ended when Inglis scooped Abbas Afridi to Rauf on 27, which brought Tim David to the crease.

He was bystander to Stoinis, who brought up his fifth T20 half-century with another giant six before seeing them home. "There's lots of positives, the way some of the players batted and bowled, these youngsters will come good," said Salman Agha, Pakistan's skipper for the night with Mohammad Rizwan rested.

"It's a big achievement for us to win a one-day series here after 22 years, we could have done better in the T20 series but we'll come back stronger." 

Sahibzada Farhan opened the Pakistan batting with Azam in the absence of Rizwan. But on a chilly evening, he lasted just seven balls before top-edging a short one from Spencer Johnson -- fresh from taking five wickets in Sydney -- to Xavier Bartlett.

Azam produced a series of elegant strokes as he and Haseebullah Khan put on a quickfire 44 for the second wicket. But Kahn was no match for Adam Zampa's spin, collecting an outside edge on 24 to Short.

Pakistan's woes mounted with Usman Khan (3) caught on the ropes after slogging Hardie and Agha trapped lbw by the same bowler for one. It left them reeling on 72-4 at the halfway mark and when Zampa bowled Azam and Khan (10) was needlessly run out they were in deep trouble.

Shaheen Shah Afridi blasted the only six of the innings, but didn't last as the tailenders were mopped up.

With AFP inputs 



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Sunday, November 17, 2024

"Salwar Caught Fire But...": How UP Nurse Saved Over Dozen Babies

Nurse Megha James was on duty when the fire broke out at the Jhansi hospital and she threw herself headlong into the rescue efforts, playing a hero's role by saving several babies.

Even when her salwar got burned, she refused to give up and was able to evacuate 14-15 babies with others' help.

"I had gone to take a syringe to give an injection to a child. When I came back, I saw that the (oxygen) concentrator had caught fire. I called the ward boy, who came with the fire extinguisher and tried to put it out. But by then, the fire had spread," Megha James said.

Eleven babies died in a fire that broke out at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Jhansi Friday night.

Faced with an enormous blaze, Megha James's mind worked with a frenetic speed, to the extent she cared little about burning herself.

"My chappal caught fire and I burned my foot. Then my salwar caught fire. I removed my salwar and discarded it. At that time, my mind was virtually not working," she told PTI Videos.

Megha James just wore another salwar and went back to the rescue operation.

"There was a lot of smoke, and once the lights went out, we could not see anything. The entire staff brought out at least 14-15 children. There were 11 beds in the ward with 23-24 babies," she said.

Had the lights not gone out they could have saved more children, Megha James said. "It all happened very suddenly. None of us had expected it." Assistant Nursing Superintendent Nalini Sood praised Megha James's valour and recounted bits from how the rescue operation was carried out.

"The hospital staff broke the glasses of the NICU ward to evacuate the babies. It was then Nurse Megha's salwar caught fire. Instead of caring for her safety, she stayed there to rescue the babies and handed them over to people outside," she said.

Nalini Sood said Megha James is currently undergoing treatment at the same medical college. She said she did not know the extent of her burns.

"The rescued babies were shifted to a ward very close to the NICU ward... When I recall the scene, I feel like crying," she said.

Dr Anshul Jain, the head of the anaesthesiology department at the medical college, explained the standard rescue operation and claimed the hospital followed the protocol to the T.

"In the triage process during an ICU evacuation, the policy is to evacuate less-affected patients first. The rationale behind this approach is that patients requiring minimal support can be relocated quickly, enabling a larger number of evacuations to be completed in a shorter time.

"In contrast, patients on ventilators or requiring high oxygen support demand more time and resources for evacuation," he said.

"This principle was successfully implemented in Jhansi, playing a significant role in saving many lives," Dr Anshul Jain said.

A newborn rescued from the fire died due to illness on Sunday, Jhansi District Magistrate Avinash Kumar said. 

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



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Raha's Unseen Pic With Dad Ranbir Is Proof That She Is Daddy's Princess

Raha Kapoor is internet's favourite kid. Everytime there is a picture of her, it goes viral within seconds. Internet is currently abuzz with a never-seen-before picture posted by a fan page. In the photo, Raha is seen in her dad Ranbir Kapoor's arms, and fans cannot stop gushing about how cute she looks. Ranbir is posing with a staff member with one arm around her and carrying his daughter in the Raha. 

The Kapoors have sported a casual look in the photo. Ranbir is dressed in a white tshirt and a pair of blue pants, while Raha is wearing a pink swimsuit. In case you didn't notice, she is holding her tiny shades in her hand.

See the post here

The comments were all directed at Raha's cuteness. "Rahuuu baby," "So cute," "Cute raha," were some of the comments on the post, along with heart and lovestruck emojis. 

While Ranbir is often seen spending time with his daughter and taking her out on playdates, he is one of the busiest actors on the work front. His current lineup of films has some of the biggest projects of his career. This includes Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana alongside Sai Pallavi and Yash, which releases on Diwali 2026 and the second part on Diwali 2027. There is also Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Love And War, for which he is currently shooting in Bikaner. The movie will also feature Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal. He will also work in Yash Raj Films' Dhoom 4, and there are rumours that Shraddha Kapoor will play the female lead.
 



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Saturday, November 16, 2024

Indian Americans To Urge Trump For Sanctions Against Bangladesh

Indian Americans are working to reach out to the new Trump administration and the Congress next year to seek action against the Bangladeshi regime, including imposing economic sanctions, an influential community leader has said.

Encouraged by the recent statement of President-elect Donald Trump on Bangladesh, Dr Bharat Barai, an Indian American physician, exuded confidence that Trump would act against the South Asian nation over the persecution of the Hindu minority after he is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States.

He (Trump) has made a bold statement about the persecution of Bangladeshi Hindus and the desecration of Hindu temples," Barai told PTI in an interview. "He's a bold person who might consider economic sanctions if the situation doesn't improve," he added.

In Washington to attend the annual Diwali celebrations at the US Capitol, which was attended by over two dozen US lawmakers and Indian Americans from across the country, Barai said community members are actively working to engage the new administration and Congress to take action against the Bangladeshi regime, including potential economic sanctions.

"If their garment exports, which account for 80 percent of their business, are cut off, what will the people of Bangladesh eat?" he asked, alleging that Bangladesh's caretaker government, led by Muhammad Yunus, is merely a puppet controlled by the military. "It is really the army that is in control of the country," he added.

Barai expressed hope that such pressure would lead to a realisation in Bangladesh to stop the persecution of Hindus and other minorities. "We, as Hindu Americans, will also plead with the Congress to act if Bangladesh does not straighten out," he said.

He also urged the Indian government to take up the issue with Bangladesh and consider imposing sanctions if the persecution continues. "If they keep harassing Hindus and minorities, India should also impose sanctions on them," he said.

In a statement days before the November 5 general elections, Trump condemned the attack on Hindus in violence-hit Bangladesh.

"I strongly condemn the barbaric violence against Hindus, Christians, and other minorities who are getting attacked and looted by mobs in Bangladesh, which remains in a total state of chaos," Trump said.

"It would have never happened on my watch. Kamala and Joe have ignored Hindus across the world and in America. They have been a disaster from Israel to Ukraine to our own Southern Border, but we will Make America Strong Again and bring back Peace through Strength," then said.

"We will also protect Hindu Americans against the anti-religion agenda of the radical left. We will fight for your freedom. Under my administration," he said.

Barai said a lot of people are talking about external interference in the overthrow of a democratically elected government in Bangladesh. "Even among the Muslims now, there is a split. Some think that the Democrats engineered this coup in their countries, both Pakistan as well as Bangladesh," he said.

He pointed to figures such as George Soros and Peter Omidyar, suggesting they were part of a broader agenda to undermine Narendra Modi's leadership and promote Rahul Gandhi.

"If you remember that when President Trump visited India about three and a half years ago, riots were engineered, especially in Delhi, to coincide with his visit," he said.

He also expressed frustration with the influence of the "ultra-leftist woke lobby", saying he hoped they would either come to their senses or be sidelined or "put in their proper place".

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



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Who Is Imsha Rehman, Pakistani TikTok Star Caught In Video Leak Scandal

Pakistan-based TikTok influencer Imsha Rehman has deactivated her social media accounts after her private videos were circulated online without her consent. The videos, allegedly showing Ms Rehman in a compromising position, have since gone viral, triggering a social media storm in the conservative country. Rehman has been facing criticism and intense scrutiny from all quarters which prompted her to wipe out her social media footprint, at least temporarily. Rehman has become the latest Pakistani influencer to have had her private videos leaked online.

Who is Imsha Rehman?

Born on October 7, 2002, in Lahore, Ms Rehman is one of the biggest social media influencers in Pakistan -- commanding a legion of followers on Instagram and TikTok. She started her social media journey by sharing fishing and lifestyle content before transitioning to down-to-earth and relatable content on the short video platform, TikTok.

As of the last update, Rehman had over 111,000 followers on Instagram and nearly 200,000 followers on TikTok - the Chinese app owned by ByteDance.

Imsha Rehman responds to controversy

As the controversy surrounding her explicit videos snowballed, Ms Rahman posted a brief statement before going offline. "The backlash has been overwhelming", she wrote. As per Pakistani media reports, the videos were released after hackers managed to gain access to her accounts.

A screenshot shared by The Express Tribune showed Ms Rehman's TikTok page where she had changed the bio to, "Jab tak video viral hai maine ne ID off kar di hai (Till the time video is viral, I have deactivated my account)."

Previous instance

This is not the first instance when a Pakistani social media influencer has had their online privacy breached. Minahil Malik, a popular social media personality and TikTok star had also quit social media after an intimate video of her with her boyfriend leaked online. She claimed the video was "fake" and lodged a complaint with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

However, Malik faced intense trolling since social media users accused her of intentionally leaking the video. Pakistani actress Mishi Khan released a video in which she criticised influencers for "stooping to the lowest level" for fame. She did not directly name Malik, but the references were said to be directed towards her.



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Neena Gupta On Failing Audition For Dimple Kapadia's Role In Tenet

Neena Gupta has always been open about her personal and professional challenges. Recently, she shared how she often faces rejection during auditions. The veteran actress also recalled auditioning for the role of Priya Singh in Christopher Nolan's Tenet. The role was eventually played by Dimple Kapadia. Neena Gupta mentioned that she travelled all the way to Los Angeles to meet Christopher Nolan for the part, but despite her efforts, she did not land the role. In contrast, Dimple Kapadia, who did not even have to meet the director, secured the role in the 2020 film.

During her appearance on Kareena Kapoor's talk show What Women Want, Neena Gupta shared, “Bahut baar mai audition me fail ho jati hu. Audition ni lete to mai pass rehti hu. [I fail in auditions many times. If they do not take my audition, then it is fine.] I auditioned for Tenet (for) director Christopher Nolan. I went to LA for one day to meet him, came back. First, I did the audition here and sent it to him. They selected 5 ladies. Then, ultimately Dimple (Kapadia) did the role. She did not even go there.”

Neena Gupta hilariously added, “Mai Dimple ko milungi to bolungi ki tu gai bhi nahi. [When I will meet Dimple, I will tell her that you did not even go.]” The veteran actress concluded, “It is a director's image of the character. You can not say anything about it.”

In October, Dimple Kapadia recalled an incident from her time on the set of Tenet. She shared how, during a fitting session, director Christopher Nolan complimented her earrings and asked her to leave them behind after filming. “I went for a fitting and I promptly took out my earrings and wore them. Christopher Nolan turned around and said, ‘Oh, they're lovely. You can leave them behind after your shoot,' and I did," the actress told Vogue India.

In Tenet, Dimple Kapadia's character was an Indian arms trafficker. The movie also featured John David Washington, Robert Pattinson and Elizabeth Debicki in pivotal roles.  



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Friday, November 15, 2024

Hamas Says "Ready For Ceasefire", Urges Trump To "Pressure" Israel

A senior Hamas official on Friday said the group is "ready for a ceasefire" in Gaza, urging US President-elect Donald Trump to "pressure" Israel as it continued to pound the Palestinian territory.

It comes nearly a week after Qatar, which hosts much of the Palestinian group's political bureau, announced it was suspending its role as a mediator in the war and urging all parties to show "seriousness".

"Hamas is ready to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip if a ceasefire proposal is presented and on the condition that it is respected" by Israel, Doha-based Hamas political bureau member Bassem Naim told AFP.

"We call on the US administration and Trump to pressure the Israeli government to end the aggression."

On Saturday, Qatar announced it was suspending its role as a mediator in indirect talks towards a ceasefire and hostage release deal in the Gaza war that has ground on for more than a year.

"Qatar would resume those efforts... when the parties show their willingness and seriousness," Doha's foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said in a statement.

Friday's announcement by Hamas came as Israel continued to strike Gaza, with residents of the central city of Deir el-Balah searching through the rubble of their destroyed homes after overnight strikes.

"I woke up to the bombing at 2:30 am and was surprised by the rubble and glass falling on me and my children," said Mohamed Baraka, one of the residents, adding that the strike "resulted in three martyrs and 15 injuries".

"Put an end to this war... because there are innocent people who are losing defenceless children who have nothing to do with this," he said.

Hostage video

The war erupted with Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel which resulted in 1,206 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed 43,764 people in Gaza, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.

Militants also kidnapped 251 hostages during the attack, 97 of whom are still held in Gaza, including 34 whom the Israeli military says are dead.

Earlier Friday, the Hamas-allied militant group Islamic Jihad released a new clip of Israeli hostage Sasha Trupanov, after issuing a first video earlier this week.

Trupanov, 29, is a dual Russian-Israeli citizen who was abducted with his girlfriend, Sapir Cohen, from the Nir Oz kibbutz near the Gaza border.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called for the release of Trupanov and another hostage, Maxim Herkin, in comments made before the release of the latest clip.

Fears surged over the fate of the hostages after Qatar announced its withdrawal from mediating talks -- the latest blow in a protracted negotiation process that has hit repeated impasses.

Lebanon strikes

Israel on Friday also continued to strike Lebanon, where it intensified in September its air offensive and later sent in ground troops following a year of low-intensity cross-border exchanges with the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.

A building in Beirut's southern suburbs collapsed in a gigantic cloud of smoke and dust, an AFP photographer reported, as two strikes attributed to Israel hit the Hezbollah bastion.

A series of images from the strike captures a falling projectile slamming into the lower floors of the building, which erupt in a huge fireball, causing the structure to collapse.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported a "heavy raid carried out by aircraft of the Israeli enemy" in the Ghobeiri area of southern Beirut.

It said the raid had been preceded by two missile strikes on the same target by an Israeli drone.

The strikes followed a call by the Israeli military to evacuate the area. The evacuation call posted on X by Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee told residents to leave, warning of imminent strikes.

"All residents in the southern suburbs, specifically ... in the Ghobeiri area, you are located near facilities and interests affiliated with Hezbollah," Adraee said in an Arabic-language post on X.

"For your safety and the safety of your family members, you must evacuate these buildings and those adjacent to them immediately."

Later in the morning, a second strike hit the Bourj al-Barajneh area of the southern suburbs, an AFP journalist reported.

NNA said two missiles had been fired by an "enemy aircraft".

Lebanese authorities say more than 3,380 people have been killed since October last year, when Hezbollah and Israel began trading fire.

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



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Thursday, November 14, 2024

"No Back...": Pakistan Foreign Office's Clear Take On India's CT Refusal

Pakistan on Thursday said that no back channel diplomacy was going on with India after the neighbouring country refused to send its cricket team for the Champions Trophy to be held in February-March next year. The spokesperson of Foreign Office, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, was asked questions at the weekly press briefing regarding the status of the cricket tournament scheduled to be held in Pakistan early next year. “There is no back channel with India to specifically discuss the Champions Trophy and bilateral Cricket between Pakistan and India,” she said.

She added that further details with regards to the holding of Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the participation of the various teams was available with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which can share any further details.

Baloch went on to say that sports events should not be mixed with politics. “Pakistan has always said that sports should not be politicised,” she said.

Asked whether Pakistan plans to go ahead with the Champions Trophy if India persisted with its refusal to send its team, she said that the PCB was in contact with the International Cricket Council (ICC) to discuss the arrangements, including participation of different teams in the tournament.

“We would refer you to the Pakistan Cricket Board for any comments or clarification with regards to this issue,” she said.

The BCCI has informed the ICC about its inability to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. The world body, in turn, has sought a response from the PCB on hosting the tournament in a hybrid model.

A hybrid model was followed during the Asia Cup last year, when India's matches were held in Sri Lanka while other matches were played in Pakistan. 

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



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