Indian American Arrested In New Jersey In $13 Million Tech Fraud

An Indian American has been arrested in New Jersey on charge of being part of a technical support scam that targeted more than 7,000 victims defrauding them of more than USD 13 million, a US Attorney announced Thursday.

Charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Manoj Yadav appeared before US Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte in Newark federal court.

"The defendant and his conspirators are alleged to have misled their numerous victims into thinking that they were a legitimate technology support company affiliated with a major software company," US Attorney Philip R Sellinger said.

After claiming to provide technical support for issues involving the software company's popular accounting software, they allegedly charged the victims exorbitant fees for purported support services that were not authorized by the software company, he alleged.

"We allege Yadav lied to software users and forced them to pay for services that would usually come free with their initial purchase," FBI Special Agent in Charge James E Dennehy said.

The count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of USD 2,50,000 or twice the gross profit or loss caused by the offense, whichever is greatest.

"The amount he's accused of stealing from his victims and the number of victims seem shocking; however, we are seeing an incredible increase in all types of tech support scams. The fraudsters are pretty savvy in how they con money out of people, even those of us who think we're smart enough to not fall for it. If you think you're a victim, please reach out to the FBI,” Dennehy said.

According to federal prosecutors, from 2017 through 2023, Yadav and his conspirators, many of whom were in India, fraudulently held themselves out as a technology support company affiliated with a major US business and accounting software company that developed and sold a widely used accounting software product.

They operated under multiple fraudulent business names, including “Phebs Software Services, LLC,” “Phebs Software Services,” “PN Bookkeeping Services,” “Phebbs Consulting,” “Quickbooks Tech Assist,” “Quickbook US,” “Quickbooks Accounting,” and “Quickbooks Support Team.” According to court documents, the conspirators would contact victims under the guise of fixing technical issues they faced with the accounting software. After receiving tech support from the conspirators under these fraudulent pretenses, the victims would either be charged exorbitant fees or additional subscription fees.

These “services” were all fraudulent: They would not cost any additional money for customers who contacted the actual software company, and the software company never authorized Yadav or his conspirators to act on its behalf or charge any fees.

Yadav personally participated in the scheme by charging the victims for the fraudulent technology support services and funnelling millions of dollars from these victims to his conspirators, it alleged, adding that he fraudulently obtained these funds through the Phebs Software Services, LLC, which he himself formed.

That entity did business as both “Phebs Software Services” and “Quickbooks Accounting.” Yadav also used these entity names to falsely hold himself out to banks and victim customers as an accounting company legitimately affiliated with the software company. He did this to prevent charge backs, Better Business Bureau complaints, and the closure of bank accounts. Yadav sent his conspirators over USD 13 million in funds obtained from victims and would routinely keep approximately 17 per cent when he wired funds to the conspirators, it said. 

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

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/xEsjYQl
via IFTTT

8 Terrorists Arrested In J&K, One Among Them Has A Government Job: Police

Eight terrorists who evaded the law for three decades have been arrested in Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Thursday. One among them had even landed a government job.

The State Investigation Agency (SIA) and Criminal Investigation Department (CID) made the arrests in Doda district. Evading action, they were enjoying a normal life, police said.

"Some of the terrorist absconders had managed to get government jobs and contracts. Others were found engaged in private businesses and even working in the court," said a spokesperson.

They were facing charges of terrorism and disruptive activities, police said.

The eight terrorists were identified as Adil Farooq Faridi, Mohd Iqbal alias Javed, Mujahid Hussain alias Nisar Ahmed, Tariq Hussain, Ishtiaq Ahmed, Ajaz Ahmed, Jameel Ahmed and Ishfaq Ahmed.

While Faridi was working with the state education board in Jammu, Ishfaq was a writer in the Doda court complex. They will be produced before the anti-terrorism court in Jammu, police said.

In a statement, the police said the arrests aimed at achieving its larger objective of zero terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

"SIA has initiated a special drive to trace and produce before the concerned Hon'ble Court all absconders of terrorism related cases for facing the trial under law," the spokesperson said.

He said the SIA has identified 369 out of 734 missing criminals named in 327 terrorism cases.

"Out of the 369 verified absconders, 127 remained untraced, 80 have died and 45 are residing in Pakistan/PoK and other countries abroad and 4 are lodged in jail," he added.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/uzfcTRg
via IFTTT

Ashneer Grover Tweets In Haryanvi After Dhruv Bahl's Exit From BharatPe

Dhruv Dhanraj Bahl, former COO of BharatPe who was recently reassigned as Chief Business Officer (CBO) for the company's merchant lending division, has stepped down from his position. Mr Bahl's departure comes after BharatPe saw several high-level exits in recent months.

Notably, Mr Bahl joined the company in 2020 as head of operations and was elevated to Chief Operating Officer, before assuming his present role of CBO for Merchant Lending.

Taking a dig at his exit, BharatPe's former founder and MD Ashneer Grover posted a tweet in Haryanvi, ''Tau tare se na hone wala, tai choudhari banan lag rhya , taare baalak chor ke bhg liye, pachhe ko ho le (Tau, You just cannot accomplish the task. The way you act is like a Chaudhary (strong man). Your kids have even fled the scene so you get back now).''

See the tweet here:

Tweeting in Haryanvi should be a thing:

ताऊ !
तारे से ना होने वाला
तै चौधरी बाणन लग रह्या
तारे बालक छोड़ के भग लिए
पाछे को हो ले https://t.co/yD2fEzNfN9

— Ashneer Grover (@Ashneer_Grover) August 30, 2023

"We would like to confirm that Mr. Bahl is moving on from BharatPe to pursue his entrepreneurial passions. He has been an integral part of the organisation and contributed to the growth of the company. We thank him for his contribution to BharatPe's journey and wish him all the best for future endeavours," a company spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said that the merchant lending business has grown significantly over the last year, "under the able guidance of an experienced leadership team", reaffirming that the exit will not impact operations.

Meanwhile, Mr Grover's tweet has gone viral, amusing internet users who left laugh emojis on his post, while some called his post ''epic.''

BharatPe's troubles began at the start of 2022 with the high-profile exit of its founder Ashneer Grover. His resignation came after BharatPe sacked Mr Grover and his wife for alleged financial irregularities. The fintech company, in December 2022, filed a criminal lawsuit against Mr. Grover and his family seeking Rs 88.67 crore in damages, accusing him of cheating and embezzling funds. 

Chief Technology Officer Vijay Aggarwal, the Head of Consumer Product-PostPe Nehul Malhotra, the Chief Product Officer of Lending and Consumer Products Rajat Jain, and the Vice-President of Technology Geetanshu Singla, also recently stepped down from BharatPe.
 

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/zoy2J9j
via IFTTT

Elon Musk's 'X' Sued By Thousands Of Employees Over Severance Pay: Report

Billionaire Elon Musk's X, the social media formerly known as Twitter, is facing 2,200 arbitration claims from ex-employees since Mr. Musk took over the company and fired most of its workforce. The filing fees alone for that volume of cases could amount to $3.5 million.

The lawsuit was filed in a Delaware district court, according to CNBC. The case is Chris Woodfield v. Twitter, X Corp. and Elon Musk (No. 1:23-cv-780-CFC).

A former employee, Woodfield, a former senior staff network engineer who had worked at Twitter's Seattle office in his suit said that Twitter had promised then failed to pay his severance, and later delayed alternative dispute resolution by failing to pay the necessary fees required for him to move ahead in the JAMS arbitration system, CNBC reported.

According to the website for JAMS, "For two-party matters, the Filing Fee is $2,000," and "For matters based on a clause or agreement that is required as a condition of employment, the employee is only required to pay $400."

Since JAMS decided that this basic fee applies across the board to X's 2,200 arbitration cases, that would amount to around $3.5 million, with other fees possibly to follow.

However, the company's lawyers have argued that it did not mandate its employees to resolve any issues in arbitration, so it should not be on the hook for the larger portion of the filing fees.

Meanwhile, Mr. Woodfield and others in a similar situation are trying to get out of arbitration and move their cases to trial.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/tkWjD6J
via IFTTT

Watch: England's Bizarre Review Against NZ Leaves Social Media In Splits

England defeated New Zealand comfortably in the first T20I match of their four-match series but a bizarre review by skipper Jos Buttler became a major source of discussion between fans on social media. Glenn Phillips played a forward defence off the bowling of Liam Livingstone and both the bowler and wicket-keeper Buttler went up in appeal. While the umpire was not convinced at all, Buttler decided to take a review and the replays showed that the ball hit the middle of the bat.

Debutant Brydon Carse took three wickets to set up a seven-wicket win over New Zealand.

The 28-year-old South Africa-born paceman, in for the injured John Turner, returned fine figures of 3-23 from his maximum four overs as New Zealand were held to a modest 139-9.

Left-arm quick Luke Wood also took three wickets, following an expensive first over of the match that saw him hit for three sixes, on his way to 3-37.

What are your thoughts on this review? 🫣#SonySportsNetwork #ENGvNZ pic.twitter.com/Wt1ZWU8oQt

— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) August 31, 2023

Carse, playing at his home Durham ground, told Sky Sports: "It was obviously a great start to my T20 career. It was awesome to play in front of a home crowd at Durham and put in a good performance for the team. 

Jos Buttler is closest to the batter and still he went for the review

— Saurabh (@that_cric8guy) August 31, 2023

"I tried to stick to my strengths, hitting the top of the stumps."

I think they only did it for a laugh!

— Elliott Taylforth (@elliottrib) August 30, 2023

Twenty20 world champions England made light of the chase, finishing on 143-3 with six overs to spare, as they went 1-0 up in a four-match series.

(With AFP inputs)

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/OcUY7jh
via IFTTT

Taiwan, Malaysia, Philippines Join India In Rejection Of China's "New Map"

Governments of the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Taiwan on Thursday joined India in rejecting China's new national map, issuing strongly worded statements accusing Beijing of claiming their territory.

China published a new version of its national map on Monday to correct what Beijing has in the past referred to as "problematic maps" that it claims misrepresent its territorial borders.

India on Tuesday lodged a strong protest with China over its so-called "standard map" laying claim over Arunachal Pradesh and the Aksai Chin, and asserted that such steps only complicate the resolution of the boundary question.

The External Affairs Ministry also rejected China's claims as having "no basis".

"Just making absurd claims does not make other people's territories yours," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said while reacting to the Chinese move.

The Philippine government on Thursday slammed China's 2023 edition of its so-called "standard map" that still shows swaths of Philippine features in the West Philippine Sea.

The Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources issued on August 28 a controversial map that includes the nine-dash line, now a 10-dash line, that supposedly shows China's boundaries in the South China Sea.

"This latest attempt to legitimise China's purported sovereignty and jurisdiction over Philippine features and maritime zones has no basis under international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said in a statement.

Daza said the 2016 Arbitral Award has already invalidated the nine-dashed line and called on China to abide by its obligations under UNCLOS.

"(The award) categorically stated that 'maritime areas of the South China Sea encompassed by the relevant part of the 'nine-dash line' are contrary to the Convention and without lawful effect to the extent that they exceed the geographic and substantive limits of China's maritime entitlements under the Convention," Daza was quoted as saying by the official Philippine News Agency.

"The Philippines, therefore, calls on China to act responsibly and abide by its obligations under UNCLOS and the final and binding 2016 Arbitral Award," she added.

Manila had already protested the publication of a Chinese national map in 2013, which also placed parts of the Kalayaan Island Group or Spratlys within Beijing's "national boundaries".

The Malaysian government said on Thursday that it will send a protest note to China over the latter's claims on the South China Sea as outlined in the 'China Standard Map Edition 2023', which also covers Malaysia's maritime areas.

Foreign Minister Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said the move was a follow-up step taken by the government over the matter.

"This has been our practice (when dealing with issues like this)... and based on the statement issued by Wisma Putra yesterday, the next step includes sending a protest note," he was quoted as saying by the official Bernama news agency.

The Malaysian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that Malaysia does not recognise China's claims in the South China Sea, as outlined in the "China Standard Map Edition 2023," which also encompasses Malaysia's maritime areas.

The map holds no binding authority over Malaysia, it said in a statement.

The Vietnamese government also criticised China's latest provocation.

Vietnam strongly reiterates its consistent stance on the sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly), and resolutely rejects any maritime claims of China that are based on the "nine-dash line" in the East Sea, spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said on Thursday.

Hang made the statement while answering reporters' questions regarding Vietnam's response to China's release of the so-called "standard map 2023" which covers Vietnam's Hoang Sa and Truong Sa, the official Vietnam News Agency reported.

The issuance of the map as well as China's "nine-dash line" claim show a violation of Vietnam's sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa, as well as Vietnam's sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its waters as stipulated in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS), she stressed.

Therefore, the sovereignty and maritime claims based on the "nine-dash line" as reflected in the map are void and violate international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS, the spokeswoman said.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday rebuked China's new "standard map" by saying Taiwan has never been ruled by the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Foreign ministry spokesperson Jeff Liu told Taiwan News that "Taiwan, the Republic of China, is a sovereign and independent country that is not subordinate to the People's Republic of China. The People's Republic of China has never ruled Taiwan. These are universally recognised facts and the status quo in the international community." Meanwhile, China's foreign ministry indicated it was not budging on the map issue.

"China's position on the South China Sea is consistent and clear. The competent authorities of China routinely publish standard maps of various types every year, which aims to make standard maps available to all sectors of society and raise public awareness of the standardised use of maps.

"We hope parties concerned can view it in an objective and rational light," Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said in response to a question on Thursday when sought his comment on the protests from countries like India, Malaysia as well as the Philippines against this new Chinese map. 

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

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/QG0rxXu
via IFTTT

Karnataka Farmers On All-Night Protest Over Cauvery Water

A group of farmers in Karnataka are holding a night-long candle-light vigil to protest against orders to release of Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu. The protest in Mandya -- near Srirangapatna -- started this morning. Their objection is to the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee's recommendation that Karnataka release 5000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for the 15 days. Independent MLA Darshan Puttanaiah, who is backed by the Congress, has joined the protest.

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has planned to travel to Delhi tomorrow to discuss the Cauvery water issue.

Tamil Nadu has gone to the Supreme Court, which will hear the state's plea to direct Karnataka to release the water.

Karnataka has filed an affidavit claiming that the Tribunal's order was based on the assumption that it was a normal monsoon in the state, which it was not.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that the state cannot afford to release water, since it will empty the reservoirs and cause drinking water scarcity.

"I'm going to Delhi tomorrow to meet our legal team. The hearing (on Tamil Nadu's plea on Cauvery water) will be coming on Friday. Our department officials have argued very well after Tamil Nadu demanded 24-25 TMC. We said we can give 3,000 cusecs," Mr Shivakumar was quoted as saying by news agency Press Trust of India earlier today.  

"We will discuss how much we can reduce (the water released to Tamil Nadu) by making the court understand the situation in the state. We don't want the keys to be handed over to others. At present, the keys are with us, and we have to safeguard our farmers," he added.

Dispute over Cauvery water between the two southern states has been on for decades. In 1990, the Centre formed the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal to adjudicate between them.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/vCFfVAU
via IFTTT

Raksha Bandhan: Kartik's Pic With Sister And Pet Is Aww-Dorable

Kartik Aaryan's Raksha Bandhan post featuring his pet dog Katori, might be the cutest thing on the Internet today. The actor, who is basking in the success of his latest film Satyaprem Ki Katha alongside Kiara Adavani, treated his fans on Wednesday to a picture of himself with his sister and dog. In the picture, we can see him siting with his hands folded as if he istaking blessings of his sister. Imitating Kartik's pose is none other than his pet Katori. For the caption, Kartik Aaryan wrote, "Katori mithai ke liye kar rahi, Main aashirwad ke liye. Happy Rakshabandhan (Kathori is folding his paws for the sweets, I am for the blessings. Happy Rakshabandhan)."

Take a look at the post here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan)

Kartik Aaryan recently attended the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, where he had the most adorable fan encounter. Kartik Aaryan shared a video from the moment a fan proposed to him on his Instagram profile on Thursday. "I know I will never get a chance to ask this question again... Will you marry me?" a fan asked Kartik Aaryan at the event. Kartik blushed at first and then joked, "Here I am, someone is asking me about a love story, and someone is proposing marriage. What's happening? It feels like I'm in the middle of a swayamvar Great welcome in Melbourne." The actor did hug his fan who proposed to him though. "You can get a hug," he replied.

Posting the video on social media, Kartik Aaryan wrote, "Aur yahan meri bolti band ho gayi. Mummy se pooch ke batata hu ( and here, I became speechless. Let me ask my mom first)." The comments section of Kartik's post was full of ROFL comments. "Just a normal day in Kartik's life," wrote a user. "That was a yes or no question K," added another. "We are already in line Kartik," wrote another fan. The fan who proposed to Kartik, commented, "I love you Kartik. This was the best moment of my life."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan)

Kartik Aaryan was last seen in Satyaprem Ki Katha, co-starring Kiara Advani. Earlier this year, he made a cameo appearance in Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar. Last year ,the actor featured in Shehzada, co-starring Kriti Sanon. He also starred in the horror comedy Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 co-starring Kiara Advani and Tabu and the thriller Freddy with Alaya F.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/UusaR3B
via IFTTT

Watch: Chef Vikas Khanna's Gesture For Retiring Air India Crew Is Viral

Michelin star chef, author and filmmaker Vikas Khanna was onboard an Air India flight when he decided to prepare a surprise for an Air India crew. Chef Khanna went to the pantry and transformed a simple cake into something extraordinary after he got to know that a crew member was retiring.

A video of it was shared on X, formerly Twitter by a user named Sanjay. Along with the video, the caption read, "Heartwarming gesture of love by #Michelin #Masterchef @TheVikasKhanna on board @airindia to redo a special cake for a retiring Crew member. Chef Vikas is a Dariya dil, who fed 40 mill during Covid, but this was special."

In the video, Chef Khanna is seen transforming a dry cake into a special treat for the crew member.

See the post here:

Heart warming gesture of love by #Michelin #Masterchef @TheVikasKhanna on board @airindia to redo a special cake for a retiring Crew member

Chef Vikas is a Dariya dil,who fed 40 mill during Covid, but this was special🙏🏻❤️#avgeeks @RNTata2000 @virsanghvi @advsanjoy @BLRAviation pic.twitter.com/AIbw8bAQvz

— Sanjay (@sjlazars) August 28, 2023

Reacting to the post, Air India wrote, "Thank you for sharing this heartwarming post! We are truly grateful to have Chef @TheVikasKhanna on board Air India. His gesture of redoing a special cake for a Retiring Crew Member is a beautiful example of his kindness and talent!"

Since being posted, the video has amassed over 44,000 views and several comments. Social media users were impressed with the chef's sweet gestures.

A user commented, "What a sweet gesture."

Another user wrote, "Chef was at work in the skies too."

"Wow! What a kind gesture. Humility," the third user commented.

"Such a heartwarming gesture! Simple acts of care can create powerful ripples of positivity. Chef's kindness truly shines," the fourth user wrote.

"So heartwarming. Retirement from any profession can be so emotional. Made it memorable.Thanks, Chef and all the best for the future AI crew! Great share," the fifth user wrote.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/x1Yomfh
via IFTTT

On Raksha Bandhan, Brother Sentenced To 20-Year Jail For Raping Sister

Upholding the order of a trial court, the Orissa High Court on Wednesday sentenced a man to 20 years of imprisonment for repeatedly raping her sister and impregnating her when she was 14.

Rejecting the appeal of the convict, Justice S K Sahoo also slapped a fine of Rs 40,000 on him. In default, the convict shall undergo rigorous imprisonment for another two years.

The judge lamented that he had to adjudicate such a case on the day of Raksha Bandhan.

"It is both shocking as well as ironical to hear this case and render judgment on an auspicious day when a brother takes the solemn pledge not only to protect his sister but also to nurture her till his last breath," Justice Sahoo observed.

The man was earlier convicted by the Malkangiri special judge's court for repeatedly raping his younger sister between May 2018 and May 2019 in their village.

He was also convicted in January 2020 for threatening his sister not to disclose it to others. 

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

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/sMwpn9A
via IFTTT

32 Firms Apply To Make Laptops In India: Union Minister

The government has received 32 applications for production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme 2.0 for IT hardware, of which 25 are domestic companies, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told reporters in Delhi on Wednesday.

The announcement comes days after the government announced restrictions in laptop imports from November.

All of them are driven to gear up manufacturing and bring in supply chains.

Mr Vaishnaw said companies like HP, Dell, Lenovo, Thompson, Acer, and Asus will be manufacturing laptops under the scheme. HP, VVDN, Lenovo will be manufacturing servers.

He said Apple has not applied under the PLI framework, but the company is already manufacturing components.

This move should see a significant reduction in the import of laptops and PCs, Vaishnaw said, adding that "import restrictions are not a worry anymore."

"I spoke to all the applicants, and they didn't raise any concern," he said.

The minister said incremental production expected is around Rs 3.35 lakh crore and the expected direct employment is around 75,000.

"The upcoming Dixon factory in Noida will alone employ 25,000 people," he said.

Manufacturing of laptops will begin by April 2024, officials said, as companies such as Dell are also migrating to PLI scheme.

When asked if India is optimising on big players quitting China with its economy slowing down, Mr Vaishnaw said India is emerging as a trusted value chain partner.

"Many of these companies will use the semiconductors manufactured in India. In fact, they were pleased we are starting with the manufacturing of memory first, which is crucial for laptops. Companies have shared their detailed proposals. We are optimistic more will join," he said.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/w89uMtI
via IFTTT

Raksha Bandhan 2023: Inside Sara's Celebrations With Taimur And Jeh

The much-awaited Raksha Bandha post from Sara Ali Khan is here and it is every bit as adorable as we had anticipated. The actress, who was earlier spotted entering her dad Saif Ali Khan's house, spent some quality time with the Pataudi family and also tied Rakhi on her little brothers Taimur and Jeh's wrists. On Wednesday, she also treated her fans to some inside pictures from the festivity. In several pictures shared, we can see Sara and her brother Ibrahim posing adorably with dad Saif, Kareena, brother Taimur, Jeh, aunts Soha and Saba and Soha's daughter Inaaya. In one particularly adorable picture, Sara Ali Khan can be seen tying Rakhi on little Jeh's wrists. Sharing the images, Sara captioned the post, "Happy Raksha Bandhan." Take a look at the post here: 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sara Ali Khan (@saraalikhan95)

A similar set of pictures was also shared by Kareena Kapoor on her Instagram feed. In one we see Ibrahim Ali Khan posing with his brothers Taimur and Jeh and it is all heart. Kareena Kapoor captioned the post, "Family Ties." See her post below: 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan)

Earlier in the day, big sister Sara Ali Khan was pictured outside dad Saif Ali Khan's house.  The Kedarnath star was spotted outside Kareena and Saif's Bandra house in a beautiful kurta. The actress also smiled for the camera before making her way inside the house. Here is a look at her OOTD.

Trust Sara Ali Khan to treat us with the best Raksha Bandhan pics and she won't disappoint. In the year 2018, Sara Alia Khan and Ibrahim Khan dropped by dad Saif's house for the Rakhi festivities. Sharing a picture with baby Taimur, Sara captioned the post, "Rakhi celebrations continue with the little munchkin."

Take a look at the post here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sara Ali Khan (@saraalikhan95)

The following year, Sara Ali Khan shared a throwback picture along with her brother Ibrahim from their childhood days. In her post, little Sara can be seen happily posing with her "partner in crime" (her words) Ibrahim. In her oh-so-adorable post, Sara addressed Ibrahim as her "baby brother" and wrote: "Happy Rakhi to my baby brother. Missing you today - giving me money, feeding me sweets and hugging me . I promise to bully you, extort you, greedily eat all your food and force love and cuddles out of you forever."

Check out Sara Ali Khan's wish here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sara Ali Khan (@saraalikhan95)

A few days ago, Sara and her brother Ibrahim had dropped by dad Saif's house to celebrate the Dil Chahta Hain star's 53rd birthday along with Kareena, Taimur and Jeh.

See the lovely pictures from the event:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sara Ali Khan (@saraalikhan95)

Sara made her Bollywood debut in 2018. She has featured in films such as Kedarnath (her debut film), opposite late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, Simmba, co-starring Ranveer Singh and Love Aaj Kal with Kartik Aaryan. She also featured in the Coolie No 1 remake, co-starring Varun Dhawan. Sara was also seen in Atrangi Re, co-starring Akshay Kumar and Dhanush.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/jem8pqg
via IFTTT

Chandrayaan-3's Pragyan Rover Confirms Presence of Sulphur on Moon: ISRO

The Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope instrument onboard 'Pragyan' rover of Chandrayaan-3 has unambiguously confirmed the presence of sulphur on the lunar surface near south pole, through first-ever in-situ measurements, ISRO said on Tuesday. 

It also said the instrument also detected aluminium, calcium, iron, chromium, titanium, manganese, silicon and oxygen, as expected.

"The Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) instrument onboard Chandrayaan-3 Rover has made the first-ever in-situ measurements on the elemental composition of the lunar surface near the south pole. These in-situ measurements confirm the presence of Sulphur (S) in the region unambiguously, something that was not feasible by the instruments onboard the orbiters," the space agency said in a statement.

According to ISRO, LIBS is a scientific technique that analyses the composition of materials by exposing them to intense laser pulses.

"A high-energy laser pulse is focused onto the surface of a material, such as a rock or soil. The laser pulse generates an extremely hot and localised plasma. The collected plasma light is spectrally resolved and detected by detectors such as Charge Coupled Devices. Since each element emits a characteristic set of wavelengths of light when it's in a plasma state, the elemental composition of the material is determined," it said.

Preliminary analyses have unveiled the presence of Aluminum (Al), Sulphur (S), Calcium (Ca), Iron (Fe), Chromium (Cr), and Titanium (Ti) on the lunar surface. Further measurements have revealed the presence of manganese (Mn), silicon (Si), and oxygen (O), it said.

"Thorough investigation regarding the presence of Hydrogen is underway," ISRO said.

LIBS instrument is developed at the Laboratory for Electro-Optics Systems at Peenya Industrial Estate, Bengaluru where the first India satellite was fabricated in 1975.

India on August 23 scripted history as ISRO's ambitious third Moon mission Chandrayaan-3's Lander Module (LM) touched down on the lunar surface, making it only the fourth country to accomplish the feat, and first to reach the uncharted south pole of Earth's only natural satellite.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced the decision to name the spot where Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander made soft landing as 'Shiv Shakti Point' and the site where the Chandrayaan-2 lander crash-landed on the Moon's surface in 2019 would be known as "Tiranga Point".

Also, August 23, the day the Chandrayaan-3 lander touched down on the lunar surface, would be celebrated as ‘National Space Day', Modi had said.

---

Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/t1cmJLD
via IFTTT

Why Asia Cup 2023 Will Be Held In ODI Format And Not T20I?

The Asia Cup, once considered a mini-version of the World Cup, has gradually turned into a preparatory platform for the World Cup. Whichever World Cup is being held that year, be it in the ODI format or T20I, the Asia Cup is molded into the same format. Last year, when the Asia Cup was held in the UAE, it was the Sri Lanka cricket team that emerged triumphant, winning the title in the T20 format. But, this time around, the Asian sides will battle it out in the 50-over format of the game. But, why is it so?

The 'Format' of Asia Cup

Though the Asia Cup boasts of some of the top sides in the world, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, etc., the tournament is still seen as a 'preparatory' event. These days, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) organises the Asia Cup the same year when the World Cup is taking place. Whichever format of the World Cup it is (T20 or 50-over), the Asia Cup takes that form. Considering the manner in which the game has grown, Asian teams do tend to benefit from this approach.

The tournament started all the way back in 1984 in the ODI format but things changed after the introduction of T20s. The last ODI Asia Cup was held in 2019, the same year the last World Cup in the format was held. It was the Indian team that clinched the title that year. But, it wasn't even a full-strength Indian side that participated in the event.

The team's talismanic batter Virat Kohli, also the team's captain back then, didn't participate in the event, giving charge to his deputy Rohit Sharma. In fact, in a game, even Rohit decided to rest himself, giving charge to MS Dhoni.

As for the 2023 edition, it will be co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka. This event will also mark the debut of Nepal in the tournament. Nepal booked their ticket to the event by winning the inaugural ACC Men's Premier Cup 2023, where they defeated the United Arab Emirates in the final.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/3MSeYwU
via IFTTT

"You Make My...": Pooja's Birthday Wish For Friend Deepak Is All Heart

Actress Pooja Bhatt, who became a household name after appearing as a participant in the second season of Bigg Boss OTT, wished her friend and former co-star Deepak Tijori on his birthday with the sweetest message. Sharing a selfie with the birthday boy, Pooja Bhatt wrote, "In a world of temporary equations,here's to a permanent friendship.. one that goes beyond time,space,hits,flops & all of the other trappings of fame & infamy. Happy Birthday@deepaktijoriteam You make my life richer by being part of it. I love you. For now & forever more."

See Pooja Bhatt's adorable post below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pooja B (@poojab1972)

While in Bigg Boss Hosue, Pooja Bhatt was visited by her dad Mahesh Bhatt, who shared several anecdotes from his life. He also opened up about how Pooja became the bread earner in his family during tough times.

He revealed that during his struggling phase, Pooja stepped up and became the backbone of the family. She took the initiative to pursue a modelling career and auditioned for numerous ads. Her efforts and success in the modelling world played a crucial role in running the household during those difficult days.

In another episode of Bigg Boss OTT 2, Pooja Bhatt discussed her equation with her former husband. “He is a very good human being, he's Capricorn and that's why we got along very well. When we start speaking a lie, the blame game starts and I didn't want that. Whatever was there was very good till the time it lasted. Till the time dignity was there we were together. Then we parted ways on a good note,” she said. They were married from 2003 to 2014.

Pooja is Mahesh Bhatt's daughter with Kiran Bhatt Aka Lorraine Bright who he married in 1970. Kiran and Mahesh also have a son named Rahul. In 1986, Mahesh married Soni Razdan with whom he has two daughters Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/PIgGdSf
via IFTTT