"Exactly What Kapil Used To Do...": Gavaskar's Sensational Take On Shami

Mohammed Shami has been enjoying a brilliant run of form in the ongoing Cricket World Cup 2023 and the Indian cricket team fast bowler was instrumental in his team's 100-run victory over defending champions England in Lucknow on Sunday. Shami took four wickets to break the English resistance after India posted a modest total of 229 on a pitch that had a lot of help for pacers. Legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar was all praise for Shami as he pointed out that he is extremely clear about the kind of deliveries that he wants to bowl in specific situations and even namedropped World Cup winning all-rounder Kapil Dev.

"There is a lot of hard work there. When he goes back home, he has got several pitches made apparently, and he just bowls and bowls over there. That is what is important. He is looking at his personal cricketing fitness. What is his specialty? It's fast bowling. By bowling a number of overs in the nets where he stays. I don't know whether he is a gym person. You can be doing gym all day. But at the end of the day... Mohammed Shami is doing exactly what Kapil Dev used to do, just bowl and bowl in the nets," Gavaskar told India Today.

"He is not listening to all your bio-mechanic experts who might say 'oh no, no bowl only 15-20 deliveries in the nets'. He knows that as a fast bowler, he really needs a lot more mileage in his legs as he runs in to bowl," he added.

Shami did not feature in the first four matches of the competition for the Indian cricket team but since his inclusion, the fast bowler has set the stage on fire. He took a five-wicket haul against New Zealand and followed it up with an equally impressive show against England.

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

Tesla Wins 1st US Suit That Blamed Its Autopilot Feature For Fatal Crash

Tesla on Tuesday won the first US trial over allegations that its Autopilot driver assistant feature led to a death, a major victory for the automaker as it faces several other similar lawsuits across the country.

The case, in a California state court, was filed by two passengers in a 2019 crash who accused the company of knowing Autopilot was defective when it sold the car. Tesla argued human error caused the crash.

The 12-member jury on Tuesday announced they found the vehicle did not have a manufacturing defect. The verdict came on the fourth day of deliberations, and the vote was 9-3.

Representatives for Tesla and the plaintiffs did not immediately comment on the verdict.

The civil lawsuit alleged the Autopilot system caused owner Micah Lee's Model 3 to suddenly veer off a highway east of Los Angeles at 65 miles per hour (105 km per hour), strike a palm tree and burst into flames, all in the span of seconds.

The 2019 crash killed Lee and seriously injured his two passengers, including a then-8-year-old boy who was disemboweled, court documents show. The lawsuit, filed against Tesla by the passengers, accuses the company of knowing that Autopilot and other safety systems were defective when it sold the car.

Tesla denied liability, saying Lee consumed alcohol before getting behind the wheel. The electric-vehicle maker also claims it was unclear whether Autopilot was engaged at the time of the crash.

Tesla has been testing and rolling out its Autopilot and more advanced Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, which Chief Executive Elon Musk has touted as crucial to his company's future but which has drawn regulatory and legal scrutiny.

Tesla won an earlier trial in Los Angeles in April with a strategy of saying that it tells drivers that its technology requires human monitoring, despite the "Autopilot" and "Full Self-Driving" names.

That case was about an accident where a Model S swerved into the curb and injured its driver, and jurors told Reuters after the verdict that they believed Tesla warned drivers about its system and driver distraction was to blame.

(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/LhE6eY0
via IFTTT

Hamas Vows To Turn "Gaza Into Graveyard For Israel's Military"

Hamas's armed wing said Tuesday it would release in the coming days some of the foreign hostages in its captivity, as it vowed to turn Gaza into a graveyard for Israel's military.

"We have informed intermediaries that we will release a certain number of foreigners in the next few days," Abu Obeida, a spokesman for Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, said in a televised address.

Around 240 hostages are believed to be held by Hamas at the moment in Gaza, after the group attacked communities across southern Israel on October 7, triggering a fierce bombing campaign and ground incursion of the territory by the Israeli military.

Five hostages have been released to date, including four after negotiations through a diplomatic backchannel and one following an operation by the Israeli army.

The announcement came as international warnings increased over the spiralling bloodshed and mounting humanitarian crisis in Gaza, on a day in which Israeli troops and Hamas militants engaged in "fierce battles" in the north of the strip.

"Gaza will be a graveyard and a quagmire for the enemy, its soldiers and its political and military leadership," said Obeida.

Warplanes kept up a relentless barrage of strikes on Gaza, where the Hamas-run health ministry said that 8,525 people had died so far, including over 3,500 children.

The ministry later said at least 50 people were killed in an Israeli bombardment of a refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday.

(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/eMmfU7w
via IFTTT

"Indefinite Suspension A Concern": Supreme Court In Raghav Chadha Case

The Supreme Court on Monday expressed concern over the indefinite suspension of a Member of Parliament Raghav Chadha and its impact on the right of the people to be represented while calling the exclusion of a member of the political opposition from the house a "serious matter".

A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra also questioned whether the Privileges Committee could issue such an order to indefinitely suspend an MP.

The bench remarked, "Such kind of indefinite suspension will have ramifications on the people whose constituency is going unrepresented? Where is the power of the privilege committee to indefinitely suspend the member?"

The bench said the exclusion of a member of the political opposition from the House was a serious matter.

The apex court said, "Member should have verified the consent of the other members to be part of select committee but is this a breach of privilege? Exclusion of members of the opposition from the House is a serious matter. He is representative of a voice that is different than the ruling party and this is an important concern for the constitutional court. Indefinite suspension is a cause of concern and 75 days have gone."

Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for Chadha, said the MP respects Rajya Sabha and that he had apologised earlier too and was now doing it again.

The bench made it clear that it would look into the issue of indefinite suspension.

"Please have the joint compilation sent to us by Thursday 5 at pm. We will hear on Friday then. We will also hear on the extent of interference and that this is not a final punishment but a pro tem one," it said.

Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha moved the top court challenging his indefinite suspension from Rajya Sabha.

Chadha was suspended from the Upper House on August 11 for "breach of privilege" during the Monsoon Session after complaints.

The MP was accused of not obtaining the consent of five Rajya Sabha MPs before including their name in a select committee.

He was suspended till the Privilege Committee submitted its findings on the allegation against him for forging the signatures of five MPs in a motion related to the Delhi Services Bill in the Rajya Sabha.

Chadha has called the suspension patently illegal and without the authority of law.

His suspension followed a motion moved by Leader of the House Piyush Goyal who sought action against the AAP leader for including names of some members of the Upper House without their consent in a proposed select committee for the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

(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/0X5T4ef
via IFTTT

Ballon d'Or 2023 Live Streaming: When And Where To Follow Live Telecast?

The prestigious global football event, Ballon d'Or ceremony is all set to take place on Monday (Tuesday IST) in Paris. This highly acclaimed award show is known for acknowledging the world's greatest football players. Lionel Messi is the favourite to win the eighth Ballon d'Or of his remarkable career while Spain's World Cup-winning star Aitana Bonmati is tipped to take the women's prize. The prestigious award has been dominated over the last 15 years by Messi and his old adversary Cristiano Ronaldo, who have won it 12 times between them.Only two other players have won the Ballon d'Or since Ronaldo claimed his first in 2008 -- Luka Modric won it in 2018 and Karim Benzema was crowned last year following a brilliant season with Real Madrid.

When will the Ballon d'Or 2023 ceremony be held?

The Ballon d'Or 2023 ceremony will take place on Monday, October 30 (Tuesday, October 31 IST).

Where will the Ballon d'Or 2023 ceremony be held?

The Ballon d'Or 2023 ceremony will be held at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.

What time will the Ballon d'Or 2023 ceremony start?

The Ballon d'Or 2023 ceremony will start at 12 AM IST (6:30 PM GMT).

Where to follow the live broadcast of the Ballon d'Or 2023c eremony?

The Ballon d'Or 2023 ceremony will be aired on the Sony Sports Network.

Where to follow the live streaming of the Ballon d'Or 2023 ceremony?

The Ballon d'Or 2023 ceremony will be streamed live on Sony Liv App and Website. 

(All the details are as per the information provided by the broadcaster)

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/y8okPB3
via IFTTT

US Man Missing For 2 Weeks At Sea Found Alive, Ate Salmon To Survive

In an astonishing turn of events, a fisherman who was missing for two weeks has been found alive floating in a life raft about 110 km off the west coast of the US. 

The US Coast Guard said the search for the missing fishermen was suspended a day earlier, the Morning News reported. The rescuers said the man survived by eating salmon throughout these days. 

The man who was not identified, had left Grays Harbor in Washington state on October 12 on the ship.

King-TV in Seattle has identified the rescuers as Ryan Planes and his uncle John from Sooke, a town on Vancouver Island in British Columbia.

"I saw what looked like a life raft in the distance and ran inside and put the binoculars on him and then he shot off a flare," Ryan told the network.

"We pulled him on board. He gave me a big hug and it was emotional," John continued.

The man told the rescuers that he had been alone on the raft for 13 days and he ate salmon to survive. 

"We made him breakfast. He drank three bottles of water," he continued. "He was pretty hungry, poor guy."

Officials said that he was transported back to shore by the Canadian Coast Guard and another Canadian rescue agency.

King-TV reported that the man was taken to a hospital in Tofino, British Columbia, for further treatment. 

The officials said that the man was meant to return on October 15. 

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/Rh20y1c
via IFTTT

"What A Sight": Internet Erupts With Joy As India Beat England

India emerged victorious against England in a thrilling match in the ongoing 2023 World Cup. India beat England by 100 runs in a low-scoring thriller. Mohammed Shami (4 for 22) shone with a four-wicket haul in Lucknow as India successfully defended a total of 229 for 9 against the title holders England.  

Shami (4/22) and Bumrah (3/32) stole the show with the ball for the unstoppable hosts as England batters once against cut a sorry figure as they slumped to 129 all out in 34.5 overs for their fifth loss in six games.

Cricket fans were elated with the outcome and took to X, formerly Twitter to celebrate the win. 

A user wrote, "Can't Stop, Won't Stop! Rohit Sharma's Team India is on a roll - 6/6."

🇮🇳🔥 𝐂𝐀𝐍'𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐏, 𝐖𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐏! Rohit Sharma's Team India is on a roll - 6/6. 💯

📷 Getty • #RohitSharma #INDvENG #INDvsENG #CricketComesHome #CWC23 #TeamIndia #BharatArmy #COTI🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/VRSXhY88X8

— The Bharat Army (@thebharatarmy) October 29, 2023

Another user wrote, "Rohit Sharma... India's best batter in challenging conditions..."

rohit sharma…. india's best batter in challenging conditions… #INDvENG

— parthiv patel (@parthiv9) October 29, 2023

Many social media users shared videos of fireworks after defeating England in Ekana Stadium. 

"The DESERVING player of the match goes to ROHIT SHARMA.!!! The Hitman," the third user wrote. 

The DESERVING player of the match goes to ROHIT SHARMA.!!!

The Hitman.!🐐#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/BirvuSQXuU

— ᴘʀᴀᴛʜᴍᴇsʜ⁴⁵ (@45Fan_Prathmesh) October 29, 2023

"Bumrah and Shami destroying England batting lineup in Lucknow," the fourth user wrote. 

Bumrah and Shami destroying England batting lineup in Lucknow 💥 #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/qy9uJIJf0V

— Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) October 29, 2023

"An Incredible Innings by Rohit Sharma," the fifth user commented.

It was Rohit Sharma's 87 and Suryakumar Yadav's 49 that helped India post a fighting total after England skipper Jos Buttler won the toss and opted to bowl.

England are virtually out of semifinal contention while India, the only unbeaten side in the tournament, are almost there.

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

Israel's Netanyahu Says Fighting In Gaza Will Be "Long And Difficult"

Israel's war on Gaza militants will be "long and difficult", Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Saturday as Hamas demanded the release of all Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the hostages it seized three weeks ago.

The United Nations warned thousands more civilians could die in Gaza as Israel said ground forces were still operating inside the Hamas-run territory more than 24 hours after entering it on Friday.

Israel unleashed a massive bombing campaign after Hamas gunmen stormed across the Gaza border on October 7, killing 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and seizing more than 220 hostages, according to Israeli officials.

The Hamas-controlled health ministry in Gaza said Israeli strikes had since killed 7,703 people, mainly civilians, with more than 3,500 of them children.

The conflict is the fifth and deadliest in Gaza since Israel unilaterally withdrew troops and settlers from the Palestinian territory in 2005.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk warned of "the possibly catastrophic consequences of large-scale ground operations in Gaza", saying "thousands more civilians" could die.

The intense strikes against Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, provided cover for Israeli ground forces to step up operations.

"Since early Friday evening, combined combat forces of armour, combat engineers and infantry have been operating on the ground in the northern Gaza Strip," the army said late Saturday.

Israel has massed tens of thousands of troops along the Gaza border raising expectations of a full-blown invasion, with its soldiers making limited ground incursions on Wednesday and Thursday.

"This is the second stage of the war whose goals are clear: destroying the military and leadership capabilities of Hamas, and bringing the hostages back home," Netanyahu told a news conference.

"The war in the (Gaza) Strip will be long and difficult and we are prepared for it," he said, describing an "existential test" for Israel.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant earlier said "We've entered a new phase in the war" as "the ground in Gaza shook" with Israeli strikes.

"We attacked above the ground and below the ground," Gallant said, alluding to the network of tunnels Hamas has built under Gaza.

Israeli fighter jets dropped leaflets over Gaza City warning residents that the area was now a "battlefield".

"Shelters in northern Gaza and Gaza (City) governorate are not safe," the army said, urging residents to "evacuate immediately" to the south.

The army already delivered similar warnings earlier in its campaign, but many who fled south ended up returning home after failing to find refuge from Israeli bombing.

'Price to pay'

Hamas's armed wing said it was ready to release the hostages it abducted if Israel freed all the Palestinian prisoners it was holding.

"The price to pay for the large number of enemy hostages in our hands is to empty the (Israeli) prisons of all Palestinian prisoners," Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Obeida said.

"If the enemy wants to close this file of detainees in one go, we are ready for it. If it wants to do it step by step, we are ready for that too," he added.

Hamas's leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, said the group stood ready to make an "immediate" exchange.

Some 230 hostages are being held in Gaza, according to the Israeli army, with officials saying dozens of them are foreigners or dual nationals.

Earlier this week, the Brigades said "almost 50" of the hostages had been killed in Israeli strikes.

Facing increasing anger over the fate of the captives as Israel steps up its war on Hamas, Netanyahu met representatives of hostage relatives on Saturday. 

Ifat Kalderon, whose cousin Ofer Kalderon is believed to be held in Gaza along with members of his family, told AFP she supported the idea of a prisoner release in exchange for the hostages.

"Take them, we don't need them here. I want my family and all the hostages to come back home," she said.

Netanyahu made no commitment to any exchange deal but assured hostage families Israel would "exhaust every option to bring them home".

Communications blackout

Overnight, hundreds of buildings and houses were completely destroyed and thousands damaged, Gaza officials said.

Amid the rubble in Shati refugee camp in northern Gaza, Alaa Mahdi likened the destruction to that of an "earthquake".

"If it were a natural earthquake, it would have been much easier than what happened last night," he said.

Hamas retaliated with fresh rocket fire, which wounded three people in central Israel.

Billionaire Elon Musk said his Starlink satellite service would support internet access for "internationally recognised aid organisations in Gaza" a day after communications and phone networks were completely cut across Gaza.

The blackout raised alarm, with the Palestinian Red Crescent saying it was affecting emergency calls and critical ambulance sorties, while Human Rights Watch warned it could provide "cover for mass atrocities".

Starlink is a network of satellites in low Earth orbit that can provide internet to remote locations, or areas where normal comms infrastructure has been disabled.

 'Stop this madness'

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell demanded a "pause of hostilities" to allow aid into Gaza, after the UN General Assembly called for an "immediate humanitarian truce".

The non-binding resolution on Friday received overwhelming support, but Israel and the United States criticised it for failing to mention Hamas.

Addressing a rally of several hundred thousand pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Istanbul on Saturday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said "the main culprit behind the massacre unfolding in Gaza is the West."

His comments prompted Israel to recall all of its diplomats from Turkey.

Israel's military campaign has displaced more than 1.4 million people inside Gaza, according to the UN, more than half of its 2.4 million inhabitants.

Supplies of food, water and power to the crowded territory have been almost completely cut off.

A first convoy of aid was allowed on October 21, but only 84 trucks have crossed in total, according to the UN, which says a daily average of 500 trucks had entered Gaza before the conflict.

Between the bombardments and the fuel shortages, 12 of Gaza's 35 hospitals have been forced to close and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said it has had to "significantly reduce its operations".

(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/WCtG9jH
via IFTTT

US Mass Shooter Was "Hearing Voices, Suffering From Paranoia": Police

Police in Maine said Saturday that the man who gunned down 18 people at a bar and a bowling alley and later committed suicide, suffered serious mental health issues, but was able to buy weapons legally because he had never been forcibly committed to treatment.

The body of Robert Card, a 40-year-old army reservist, was discovered Friday night inside a tractor trailer near a recycling center where he used to work, said Maine public safety commissioner Mike Sauschuck. Card had shot himself.

Investigators are still struggling to determine Card's motive for carrying out Wednesday's massacre in the town of Lewiston.

However, Mike Sauschuck said that Card had reportedly been hearing voices and suffering from paranoia.

"Clearly there's a mental health component to this," Mr Sauschuck told reporters.

Investigators found a "paper-style" note that Card had left to a loved one which contained a password to his phone and bank account information, Mr Sauschuck said, adding that the note had the tone of a suicide letter.

Card was found in possession of three weapons, one of them a long gun, all purchased legally because he had never been forcibly committed to a mental institution.

Despite the apparently clear mental health issues and a reportedly recent psychiatric evaluation undergone by Card, "a background check is not going to ping that this individual was prohibited," Mr Sauschuck added.

A 'coward's way out'

The discovery of Card's body ended a massive two-day manhunt, which had this quiet city of 38,000 people on lockdown with businesses and schools closed and residents terrified.

Sauschuck acknowledged the help Card's family provided to the investigation, saying among the first people to call the police and identify the suspect were his family members. "This family has been incredibly cooperative with us," he said.

Lewiston finally breathed a sigh of relief with businesses beginning to open and people appearing on the streets Saturday.

Guadalupe Hursch, 49, a stay-at-home mother said she was happy that the ordeal was over. "Relieved. Relieved," Hursch told AFP, adding that she also felt sorry for Card's parents.

A local resident by the name of Danica who was buying coffee at a drive-in said she was "very afraid" in the aftermath of the shooting and was now happy Card was dead, but at the same time wished he had first been brought to justice.

"I think he took the coward's way out of doing it by suicide," Danica, who declined to give her last name, told AFP. "I think he should be held accountable for his crimes."

She added: "It's a very terrible thing and it's going to take a long time to get back up to be where we were before."

In a statement issued shortly after Card's body was discovered Friday night, President Joe Biden vowed to renew efforts to curb gun violence in the United States.

"Americans should not have to live like this," Joe Biden said. "I will continue to do everything in my power to end this gun violence epidemic."

President Biden said the shooting brought "a tragic two days -- not just for Lewiston, Maine, but for our entire country."

Authorities on Friday identified the victims, ranging from a husband and wife in their 70s, to a 14-year-old boy killed alongside his father.

This latest shooting is one of the deadliest in the United States since 2017, when a gunman opened fire on a crowded music festival in Las Vegas, killing 60 people

Mass shootings are alarmingly common in the United States, a country where there are more guns than people and where attempts to clamp down on their spread are always met with stiff resistance.

The United States has recorded over 500 mass shootings this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a non-governmental organization that defines a mass shooting as four or more people wounded or killed.

Efforts to tighten gun controls have for years run up against opposition from Republicans, staunch defenders of the constitutional right to bear arms.

The political paralysis endures despite widespread outrage over recurring shootings.

(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/snivFyA
via IFTTT

NASA Shares Pic Of Galaxy Trio Located 500 Million Light-Years From Earth

US space agency NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) often delights space enthusiasts with updates on the latest discoveries related to galaxies, stars, and planets within our solar system. It also shares captivating images captured by its spacecraft. Now, in its most recent post, the space agency dropped a mesmerising photograph of an interacting galaxy pair known as Arp-Madore 2339-661. Located roughly 500 million light-years from Earth, the image was captured using NASA and the European Space Agency's Hubble Space Telescope. 

"A galactic tango! This striking #HubbleFriday image captures the gravitationally-interacting galaxy pair known as Arp-Madore 2339-661," NASA wrote in the caption. 

Take a look below: 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hubble Space Telescope (@nasahubble)

The two galaxies are in the process of merging, according to a statement from the European Space Agency. One galaxy is known as NGC 7733 - the smaller galaxy seen in the lower right - and the other is NGC 7734 - the larger galaxy in the upper left. However, hidden in the star-studded spiral arm of the smaller galaxy is yet another galaxy, referred to as NGC 7733N. 

"The third galaxy is currently referred to as NGC 7733N, and can actually be spotted in this picture if you look carefully at the upper arm of NGC 7733, where there is a visually notable knot-like structure, glowing with a different colour to the arm and obscured by dark dust," the ESA wrote in its blog.

"This could easily pass as part of NGC 7733, but analysis of the velocities (speed, but also considering direction) involved in the galaxy shows that this knot has a considerable additional redshift, meaning that it is very likely its own entity and not part of NGC 7733," it added. 

Also Read | Mysterious Force Suppressing Growth of Cosmic Structures, Study Finds

Further, according to the European Space Agency, the three galaxies lie relatively close to each other in the constellation Tucana and are interacting gravitationally with one another. In fact, some science literature refers to them as a 'merging group,' which means they will ultimately become a single entity, ESA said. 

Meanwhile, since being posted, the picture has collected nearly 7 lakh likes on Instagram. 

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

Priyanka's Look For The MAMI Event Prompts This Reaction From Nick Jonas

Priyanka Chopra, who landed early this morning in Mumbai to attend the opening ceremony of the Jio MAMI Film Festival 2023, revealed her look for the night. Priyanka Chopra is the chairperson for this year's edition. The former Miss World chose a white bodycon gown for the occasion. Needless to say, she looked stunning as ever. Priyanka shared a few images on Instagram in which she can be seen posing against a piano. Priyanka Chopra opted for a halter neck gown and minimal accessory look. She kept her hair tied in a top bun. She also completed her look with an embellished coat. Priyanka's gown was from the shelves of designer Tony Ward. Priyanka wrote in the caption, "Opening night. Jio Mami Mumbai Film Festival @mumbaifilmfestival." Priyanka's husband Nick Jonas was absolutely bowled over by her look. He commented, "Damn" and dropped a few fire emojis. The Internet was also impressed by Priyanka's sartorial choice. A user commented, "So pretty." Another user wrote, "Omggg The Diva." Take a look at Priyanka Chopra's pictures here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Priyanka (@priyankachopra)

This is how Priyanka owned the red carpet. Take a look:

In the morning, Priyanka was seen in a crop top and shrug. The actress greeted the paparazzi stationed at the Mumbai airport with a bright smile and folded hands. Speaking of the MAMI Film Festival, it will be held at the Jio World Centre  in the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai. See Priyanka Chopra's photos from the Mumbai airport here:

Priyanka Chopra was spotted attending husband Nick Jonas' many of the concerts in the US in the last couple of months. Priyanka also took daughter Malti Marie to a recent concert. An Instagram fan page shared several clips, showing Nick holding Malti Maries's hands from the stage while the toddler was seated on Priyanka's lap. All this was during Nick's performance on stage. The viral clip also showed Malti Marie grooving and clapping with her father, while the actress was smiling her heart out after watching it all. Take a look:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jerry x Mimi 😍 (@jerryxmimi)

Priyanka Chopra was last seen in Love Again. The actress shared screen space with Celine Dion and Sam Heughan. She will next be seen in Heads Of State, alongside John Cena and Idris Elba.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/6swhk53
via IFTTT

Video: Terrifying Moment When Australian Surfer Collides With Whale

An Australian surfer found himself in a terrifying situation when a whale collided with him, sending him plunging into the sea --and he managed to capture the entire harrowing experience on camera.

Jason Breen was wing foiling at a Sydney beach on Wednesday. While the 55-year-old was cruising along the water at Mona Vale beach, a humpback whale leapt out of the water and landed on top of him, dragging him about 20 to 30 feet below the surface, the Guardian reported. 

Mr Breen can be heard saying in the video, "Shit, I just got hit by a whale."

"I thought I was gone, to be honest," he said later. "I thought for a few seconds, 'This is what it's like to die.'"

See the video here:

🔥 Guy surfs into breaching whale pic.twitter.com/uKtmttcXJI

— NatureIsAmazing (@OurNatureRocks) October 25, 2023

Mr Breen told local media that he feared for his life when the animal dragged him deeper into the sea. 

"Luckily, I felt the leash break and from there I got released from under the whale's body and was able to come to the surface," he said.

"I thank my lucky stars that something that's not supposed to break broke and ringed the webbing out."

Mr Breen swam to the shore and discovered that the incident was recorded on his GoPro camera. 

He added: "The whole thing was unusual, one in a million - it's a massive ocean and there was a guy on a headland who just happened to be filming by coincidence and my GoPro... I wasn't pointing or filming so to get the footage was amazing."

Mr Breen said that the whale had smooth skin, leading him to believe that it was a calf. Mr Breen was unhurt. 

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/UAwuaF2
via IFTTT

"Expect Government To...": Congress On Death Penalty To 8 Indians In Qatar

With eight former Indian Navy personnel being handed death penalty in Qatar, the Congress on Thursday said it expects that the Centre will use its diplomatic and political leverage with the Qatar government to ensure that the Indians have full recourse to appeals and also do the utmost to get them released.

The Indian nationals, all employees of Al Dahra company, were taken into custody in August last year in an alleged case of espionage. The charges against the Indian nationals were not made public by Qatari authorities.

In its reaction, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the verdict as "deeply" shocking and said that it is attaching "high importance" to this case as well as exploring all legal options.

In a post on X, Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh said, "The Indian National Congress has noted with the greatest anguish, distress and shock the most disturbing developments in Qatar regarding 8 former officers of the Indian Navy." "It (the Congress) hopes and expects that the Govt of India will use its diplomatic and political leverage with the Qatar government to the maximum to ensure that the officers have full recourse to appeals and also do the utmost to get them released at the earliest," Jairam Ramesh said.

The MEA has said it will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance to the Indians.

"We attach high importance to this case, and have been following it closely. We will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance. We will also take up the verdict with Qatari authorities," it said in a statement.

"Due to the confidential nature of proceedings of this case, it would not be appropriate to make any further comment at this juncture," it added.

India's ambassador to Qatar met the men in prison on October 1 after being granted consular access. 

(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/V0K4aQy
via IFTTT

"Manipur Crisis Not Religious Conflict": Indian-American In Congressional Hearing

The Manipur crisis is a complex web of internecine conflict marked by violence, mistrust, socio-political tensions and a deadly trifecta of insurgency, narcotics and illegal infiltration, which pose significant threats to India's national security, but is not a religious conflict between two communities, an Indian-American scholar told a US Congressional hearing.

Rajshree Keisham, an Indian-American scholar, said the projection of the Meitei-Kuki ethnic clash as a religious conflict by some sections "not only ignores the complex social fabric of Manipur, but also heightens tensions."

"... Efforts have been made to portray this communal conflict in reductionist terms, projected to the world as the Hindu majority prosecuting the Christian minorities. This oversimplification not only ignores the complex social fabric of Manipur, but also heightens tensions," Ms Rajshree said in the Congressional hearing, adding the attempts to project the Manipur ethnic violence as a religious one is a "classic case of Hinduphobia".

"The majority-minority debate should be examined in terms of the intersectionality of time, space, and context. For example, Christians are a minority in India, but they are a majority in the northeastern region," said the Indian-American scholar, who holds a PhD in Sociology specialising in Gender Studies and Socio Anthropology.

Over 180 people have died and thousands internally displaced after ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3 following a protest by the Kuki tribes over the Meiteis' demand to be included under the affirmative action Scheduled Tribes (ST) category.

Ms Rajshree said Manipur's diversity is its strength, as within the Hindu community in the state, there are other ethnicities including people from Punjab, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Nepal and more. Similarly, the Christian community includes Nagas, Kuki and also Meiteis. "This diversity is not a source of division, but a testament to the harmonious coexistence that has characterised Manipur for generations," she said.

She pointed out some social activists and religious leaders of the Christian community have strongly denied the Manipur violence was based on religious lines.

"Mizoram activist Alinery Lian-Luwang told the UN that 'the narratives peddled by international media that the Manipur conflict is of religious nature, holds no ground'," Ms Rajshree said, referring to the speech by the activist at a general debate at the 54th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

"... The Archbishop of Mumbai categorically mentioned, and I quote, 'It is given a religious twist, but it is not a religious conflict between two religions, it's between two tribes, and we must now not do anything that will worsen the situation'," Ms Rajshree said at the Congressional hearing organised by HinduACTion, and Namaste Shalom Multi-Faith Alliance to address rising antisemitism and Hinduphobia in both the US and Canada.

"In recent times, there has been an alarming surge in attempts to exploit the Manipur conflict as a platform for propagating Hindu hate. This disturbing trend has found traction among certain factions... in the United States, who have strategically exploited religious sentiments to further their divisive agenda. What is even more concerning is the convergence of some radical Islamist groups in the United States, who have appropriated and aligned themselves with this cause. They perceive this situation as a prime opportunity to tarnish the image of Hindus on a global scale," Ms Rajshree said.

In August, three months after the Manipur violence began, a speech by the leader of a Canada-based Kuki-Zo tribes group from Manipur over the ethnic violence back home had sparked a massive controversy. The event was held at the same gurdwara in Canada's Surrey, whose chief and Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead by unidentified people in June.

Lien Gangte, the Canada chapter chief of the North American Manipur Tribal Association (NAMTA), in his address condemned what he called "attacks on minorities in India" and asked Canada for "all possible help".

NAMTA had posted a video of the event on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) on August 7. It deleted the videos much later when the row between India and Canada surfaced following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's claim that "Indian government agents" were involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Nijjar.

India's anti-terror body the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on September 30 said it is investigating a transnational conspiracy case involving terrorist leaders in Bangladesh and Myanmar. The NIA statement came after a terror accused, Seiminlun Gangte, was arrested and charged with conspiring with Myanmar- and Bangladesh-based leadership of terror outfits to wage war against India by exploiting the ethnic unrest in Manipur.

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

"Whatever My Boys Could Do, Daughter Could Too": Nita Ambani On Succession

For girls to learn that they are equal to boys, they have to see that at their homes, says Nita Ambani, wife of Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani, on how they never differentiated among their three children who in the succession planning have got equal share of the Reliance empire.

Mukesh and Nita Ambani have three children -- twins Isha and Akash, 32, and Anant, 28.

The three have recently been inducted on the board of India's most valuable company and are being groomed to take over its three almost equal verticals.

Isha, who is married to Anand Piramal, son of Piramal Group's Ajay and Swati Piramal, is being groomed for retail, Akash for digital/telecom and Anant for new energy business.

In an interview with CNBC International, Nita Ambani spoke about her family life, including the relationship with husband Mukesh.

"We have learnt so much from each other. Mukesh, as I say, has the floodlights in life... he thinks far ahead of his times. While I get into the meticulous details, he calls it the spotlights," she said.

Stating that she always tells her children that the single-most important decision is choosing the right life partner, she said, "I am so blessed to have Mukesh, who's my best friend and my life partner." "And, you know, we've enjoyed the journey of life, raising our children and our grandchildren," she said.

She says the couple still loves doing the same thing that they used to when they were young.

"So he takes me for a drive, we love listening to Hindi music, eating street food, I love my 'bhel' on the road and he loves his 'dosa idli'.

"So, we still love doing what we used to love doing. So these are the values that we kind of really live every day of loving our family, respecting our elders, being honest, humble, I think not much has changed," she said.

On children, she said Isha, who too is a mother of twins, was hands on for the launch of Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) -- a first-of-its-kind, multi-disciplinary cultural space in the sphere of arts in Mumbai.

"And now she's leading our retail (business)," she said.

"But I think for girls to learn that they are equal, they have to see that (at) their homes they have mentors who know that they're not anything less than boys. I have never differentiated between Isha and Akash and Anant. Whatever my boys could do, my daughter could do too." And this has been reflected in the succession at Reliance. Though Isha is married into Parimals, she is getting an equal share in the business as her brothers.

"Akash, Isha and Anant and a whole lot of the young generation is going to be the next leadership for Reliance and for India.

"In all three of them, I see different qualities. In Anant, my youngest, I see a compassionate young man who believes in conservation, in making the world a better place," she said.

"Akash is leading the digital revolution through Jio. Isha is leading retail besides taking active interest in Reliance Foundation. All three of them are very, very committed to working in Reliance. They have their own strengths," she said.

She tells her children to concentrate on their strengths and make them stronger. "Nobody's born perfect or nobody can be perfect. And it is okay to make mistakes. You learn much more from your mistakes than you do from your successes. Be humble, Be compassionate. Treat people with respect. And I'm very happy for the new young generation that is growing at Reliance," she added.

A Bharatnatyam dancer, Nita said the inspiration to set up NMACC came when she visited Australia for the Cricket World Cup and saw the Sydney Opera House.

"At that time, I thought, why can't India have something like this of its own? So the idea really sparked off at that time in Australia. And it's taken us now a decade to bring this to life." Nita, who is a member of the International Olympics Committee, said India is absolutely ready to host the Olympics. "Just like we would love to have the Olympics in India, the Olympics also cannot ignore the 1.4 billion people of India." She also heads Reliance Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Reliance Industries Ltd.

(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/9n6iHA2
via IFTTT

Israel Finds Itself Increasingly Alone As Anger Grows Over Gaza

Jordan's Queen Rania Al Abdullah was offered a chance to express horror at the Oct. 7 Hamas killing and abduction of Israelis.

How did she feel, she was asked in a CNN interview, "as an Arab, as a Palestinian, a human being, a mother?"

The monarch launched into an impassioned denunciation of Israel's subsequent bombing of Gaza and the West's "double standard," juxtaposing what happened in southern Israel with what is occurring in Gaza. "Are we being told it is wrong to kill an entire family at gunpoint but it's OK to shell them to death?"

The interview, greeted with fury in Israel, is part of a growing disconnect between how the Jewish state views the conflict, and how it is seen by the rest of the Middle East and many further afield.

Inside Israel, a powerful sense of foreboding was evidenced by a new poll showing 64% of Israelis now fear for their physical safety. Hamas continues to fire rockets and missiles into the country every day while militants try to sneak in via land or sea. Security officials believe some of those who entered on Oct. 7 may be in hiding in preparation for a second attack. 

Outside of Israel, many see things differently. On Tuesday, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said of the Hamas killings that they "did not happen in a vacuum," adding, "The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation."

Israel's ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, was so outraged at the notion that Hamas' violence needed this context that he called on Guterres to resign. The sentiment wasn't limited to those on the right of Israeli politics. "Dark are the days when the United Nations Secretary General condones terror," opposition leader Benny Gantz posted to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Germany, which has been quick to show its support to Israel in the days since the Oct. 7 attacks, made a point of rejecting its ally's demand. "The UN secretary general has of course the trust of the German government," said government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit in Berlin.

Israelis don't deny that the events of Oct. 7 - when 1,400 were killed and another 200 people abducted - require context. But for them, that context is not the mistreatment of Palestinians. They see the attack by Hamas as an extension of anti-Semitic assaults through the centuries.

The Holocaust memorial centre in Jerusalem, known as Yad Vashem, issued a statement in response to Guterres, saying Oct. 7 was different from the Holocaust only "because Jews have today a state and an army. We are not defenseless and at the mercy of others. However, it puts to test the sincerity of world leaders, intellectuals and influencers who come to Yad Vashem and pledge 'Never Again.'" 

There has been a parade of Western leaders through Tel Aviv offering solidarity and support. This follows a visit by President Joe Biden who came offering billions in military aid and referred to painful Jewish history. 

After that visit, Israelis felt understood. They believed that their plan to destroy Hamas would gain world sympathy as they publicized gruesome videos the killers themselves took of slaughter and abuse.

As Israeli fighter jets took to the skies over Gaza and bombarded it, killing thousands, that sympathy has come with qualifications they did not expect. 

Rescuers search the site of collapsed buildings following an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis, Gaza

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday canceled a visit to Israel that was meant to take place later this year and added, "Hamas isn't a terror organization but is instead a group of liberators and mujahideen defending their land and people. We will never allow for the killing of children." Turkey also paused plans for energy cooperation with Israel.

Elsewhere in the Muslim world, Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that no Muslim leader expects the events in Gaza to be resolved easily. Why? "Israel has become too arrogant with the support of the US and Europe," he said. "It is the level of insanity to allow people to be butchered, babies to be killed, hospitals to be bombed, and schools to be destroyed. It is the height of barbarism in this world."

Israel refers to Hamas as the new ISIS, and has vowed to destroy the militant group, which is designated a terrorist organization by the US and European Union. 

"Saying that Hamas is the new ISIS is not only analytically inaccurate but also carries the risk of making all residents of Gaza vulnerable targets," said Lina Khatib, the Director of the SOAS Middle East Institute in London. "Arabs and Muslims are widely rejecting this simplistic and dangerous characterization."

Many world leaders are calling for a ceasefire that would allow for more aid to get into Gaza, although some describe it as a "humanitarian pause." On Tuesday, eight trucks got in, followed by another 17 on Wednesday, according to Israeli officials, who said every truck was checked by their officers to make sure nothing was going in to help Hamas. 

The aid that's arrived so far is "a drop in the ocean," said Tommaso Della Longa, spokesperson for The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, earlier this week.

In Israel, as concerns grow that Hezbollah may enter the war from Lebanon to its north, some speak of leaving for the US or Europe, at least for a period. But others say the anti-Israeli demonstrations across Western cities make them feel even less safe abroad than at home. 

This is a fight, many say, for the Jewish homeland, a second war of independence. But what that will create internally remains unclear. Gun license applications, officials report, are poised to triple. 

Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose son Hersh was taken captive by Hamas at a music festival, spoke at the UN and asked why there wasn't more agitation over the abducted. "Where is the world?" she said in anguish. "Where are you?"

(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/TquM5gA
via IFTTT

Russia Sends Fighter Jets As 2 US Bombers, Drone Approach Its Border

Russia scrambled fighter jets to intercept two US bombers and a drone which approached Russia's northern and southern borders on Tuesday, the Russian Defence Ministry reported.

According to the ministry, two US B-1B strategic bombers approached the border over the Baltic Sea and a Global Hawk drone approached the border over the Black Sea.

As with the fighter jets, a single Su-37 approached in both cases and the US bombers and the drone pivoted away from the Russian border, the ministry said.

Similar encounters have been regularly reported in recent weeks by Russia.

(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/fbGNq0P
via IFTTT

Sarfaraz, Shaheen, Rizwan Among Candidates To Replace Skipper Babar

Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi are being discussed as potential candidates who could replace Babar Azam as captain when the national team returns home from the World Cup in India. Pakistan are scheduled to tour Australia immediately after the World Cup. The team also needs to plan for the 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.

There is a clear consensus developing in the Pakistan Cricket Board that Babar has had his chance to prove himself and he has failed to deliver as captain.

Pakistan have four more league games left in the World Cup, having lost their last three including against Afghanistan on Monday. They can still qualify for the semifinals.

"Only if Pakistan can stage a miracle and win all their remaining matches to qualify for the semi-finals of this World Cup does Babar stand any chance of surviving as captain and even then he might be relegated to skipper in just the red ball format," one reliable source close to the developments said.

The source said that the knives were out for Babar and he might as well announce his resignation as captain if the team returns home without playing in the World Cup semifinals.

"It is over for Babar because he has been given unbridled power and authority as captain and more importantly he has always had players of his choice in the team.

"There has never been any attempt to reduce his authority and so he is now being held solely responsible for the Asia Cup and World Cup defeats," the source added.

He noted that even for the Asia Cup and World Cup, despite advice from former captains Misbah ul Haq and Muhammad Hafeez to make some changes for the event in India, Babar had got all the 18 players he asked for and chief selector, Inzamam ul Haq had also supported him completely.

"The PCB Chairman, Zaka Ashraf ignored the advice of Misbah and Hafeez and some other former players whom he consulted as Babar was adamant he didn't want changes in the team for the World Cup," the source said.

Misbah also confirmed on a television channel that he had advised Babar to include mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed in the World Cup but Babar refused and only agreed to take him as a travelling reserve to India.

The interesting part is that lobbies for the possible candidates including Sarfaraz, Shaheen, Rizwan and Shan Masood have started their work to get their candidate selected as captain with the board now likely to name different captains for the red and white ball formats.

"Sarfaraz might win the nod to captain the Test and ODI sides again while Shaheen may get a chance to be the T20 captain," the source added. Sarfaraz is currently not part of the World Cup squad.

The source also disclosed that the support staff of Mickey Arthur, Grant Bradburn, Mornie Merkel, Andrew Puttick and manager Rehan ul Haq are also under the scanner and will be asked to step down after the World Cup.

"They are very bright chances that Pakistan will have a new coaching staff and captain when they embark on the Test tour of Australia and for the white ball series in New Zealand after the WC," the source said.

The source said that the board was also not happy with reports leaking out of some differences and disputes in the dressing room, something that PCB rubbished on Monday.

Babar was initially named T20 captain in late 2019 but by 2021 he had taken over captaincy of all three formats.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/oJ7jaUC
via IFTTT

Hamas Likely To Release 50 Hostages With Dual Citizenship: Reports

Hamas might release 50 of more than 200 hostages they kidnapped in brutal October 7 attacks in Israel, several reports claimed. Red Cross representatives are allegedly on their way to Gaza to take out the hostages with dual nationalities, they alleged.

The development came against the backdrop of a report by the New York Times earlier today that said Hamas was exploring the possibility of releasing hostages who hold foreign passports.

On Friday, Hamas, while releasing two Americans Judith Tai Raanan and her daughter Natalie Shoshana Raanan, had said it was working with Qatar and Egypt to free its "civilian" hostages, in a sign that more releases could follow.

The American mother and daughter were seized from the Nahal Oz kibbutz near the Israel-Gaza border on October 7. They were reportedly on holiday in Israel at the time.

Israel says the Hamas operatives seized 222 hostages in the worst attack in the nation's 75-year history.

With the Israel military saying it had conducted more than 300 new strikes within 24 hours, Gaza's health ministry said the death count had surged over 5,000, including more than 2,000 children.

Israeli raids came after the deadly Hamas attack which Israeli officials say killed more than 1,400 people who were shot, stabbed or burnt by the operatives.

It also said it thwarted a cross-border Hamas drone attack on Monday, shooting down two UAVs that were crossing at the Nir Oz and Ein HaBesor communities near southern Gaza.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/CeyVRw3
via IFTTT

Blog: Remembering Bishan Singh Bedi: The Man Who Found Sukoon in Junoon

"Dad, how will you remember Bishan Singh Bedi?" I asked my father, as both of us cricket fanatics, sombrely sipped our 'chai' having heard of the great cricketer's passing.

Dad's reply was simple - "What Gavaskar was for India's batting then, Bedi was for India's bowling." "Why, I asked." "He was skilled, fearless, competitive and inspiring. He would have been a damn good fighter pilot!'" For my dad, a retired Air Vice Marshal, that's a serious compliment.

Bishan Singh Bedi did not turn up among us to be loved. He would have been the first person to admit that about himself. Even his son, actor Angad Bedi, says this about his dad - "You may love him, hate him, but there is no way you can ignore Bishan Singh Bedi." He believed that a person was nothing without complete integrity and honesty. His integrity saw him become one of India's greatest spin bowlers ever. His cutting honesty saw him courting controversy right through life. And I'm sure he would not have had it any other way.

Much is made of the Sunil Gavaskar and Bedi rivalry, both talismanic in many an Indian win and fightback. In 1979, Bedi was replaced by Sunny as India's captain and then dropped from the team as well. Bedi reportedly blamed Gavaskar for bringing his cricket career to an end. In 1990, Gavaskar called for Bedi's resignation as team coach after India lost a test series to England.

Did You Know? Bedi Named His Son after Sunil Gavaskar!  

But that is simply not the complete picture. Writing in 'The Sardar of Spin' , a book of essays curated by his daughter Neha and published to commemorate Bedi's 75th birthday, Sunny reminds us of how Bedi named his son, back in 1971 - "During the last Test match of India's triumphant West Indies tour, I was floored and honoured when, in Trinidad, Bishan Singh Bedi - who had become a father during the game - named his first born, Gavas Inder Singh." Go figure! 

Sunny added - "Until Wasim Akram came, Bishan was the best left-hand bowler I had seen. One can now say that Bishan Singh Bedi is the best left-arm spinner, and Wasim Akram, the best left-hand pacer."  

Speaking to Gaurav Kapoor in a video interview, Bedi said on his alleged bete noire - "Gavaskar... bahut bada khiladi tha.. imaan se, maine aisa khiladi duniya mein nahi dekha!" And that, pretty much sets the record straight, isn't it? 

Bedi and the Spin Quartet - India's WMD!  

In a cricket world where pace bowlers are the tip of the spear for every test playing nation, it was the genius of Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, India's captain in the 1960s, that turned spin bowling into India's WMD. Bedi acknowledges Pataudi's role in creating the legendary spin quartet of Bedi, Prasanna, Chandrasekhar and Venkataraghavan, who between them played 231 test matches and claimed 853 wickets. Intriguingly, all four of them played in the same test match just once, in Birmingham against England in 1967. But with their array of unique skills - two off-spinners (Prasanna and Venkat), a leg spinner (Chandra), and Bedi, the left-arm spinner, they spun fear into the mind of every kind of batter around the globe. And within this quartet too, despite each competing for their place in the playing XI, there was great affection. Talking about his fellow spin wizards, Bedi said, "Erapalli, Venkat and Bhagwat were all very intelligent, all engineers! I was the only 3rd class graduate among them!" 

Bedi's own prowess as a bowler was legendary, something I did not really witness. I was just 11 months old when he achieved his career-best figures of 7/98 against Australia in Kolkata in December 1969. So, naturally Dad filled in the blanks - "Yes, I was flying MiGs in Chandigarh then. We were gathered around my transistor listening to the commentary. Bedi had taken 9 wickets in the previous match in Delhi. And then 7 more in Calcutta! Classic Bedi mop up!" And just to underline that Bishan was as lethal in foreign conditions, his best match figures of 10/194, came at Perth, Australia, on a pitch widely regarded as one of the most pace-friendly in the world.   

Cricket's Great Controversialist!

It's never easy to fully understand a person who has spent a large part of his life in the public glare. They get defined by their most famous, or even infamous, accomplishments. So it is with Bishan Singh Bedi as well. He is, of course, famous for his legendary deceptive spin bowling. His brave flighted deliveries would tempt batters into going for their shots, but would then dip suddenly and surprise even the best. While Bedi snared 267 wickets in 67 test matches, he also spoke his mind on the field. 

In 1976, as captain, he declared India's innings at 97/5 in Jamaica to protest against intimidatory bowling by the West Indies, practically forfeiting the match. In 1978 too, he forfeited an ODI match against Pakistan, citing partisan umpiring. He also, infamously, remained a critic of spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan's bowling action; right through the Lankan's career, he called it 'chucking'. He has spoken out against the IPL's 'player auctions', saying it was unseemly for cricketers to be 'sold to the highest bidder'. In 1990, as coach of Team India, he said he would 'dump' the team 'in the sea' after they lost a match against Australia. Yes, the list is long, by Bedi's own admission. 

But what explains this? First, Bedi always believed in speaking up for what he believed in - "Chup rehna is a crime "' he said. He lamented the 'fact' that '99.9% of people in India sit on the fence'. Speaking up was central to Bedi's idea of integrity. 

His son gets it right. Speaking to Sportstar in 2017 Angad said - 'Anyone who follows Indian cricket closely would know that Bishan Singh Bedi is never a people-pleaser. Just like his bowling style, he loves being sharp, accurate and always in the face.

In the foreword of 'The Sardar of Spin', Kapil Dev summed up Bedi aptly - "Critics would call Bishan paaji a rebel. Wrong. To me, he was a cricketer who knew his rights well. He stood up for the cricketers, fighting for better match fees, travel facilities and accommodation. He took on the DDCA.. he did not hesitate to clash with BCCI officials when he thought they were not being fair... True, he suffered in the process, but always emerged with his head held high."

'Junoon' and 'Sukoon'

Being driven by passion or by 'Junoon' was Bishan Singh Bedi's way of life, on the field, off it, with his friends, and with his family. And paradoxically, as he explained to sports show host Gaurav Kapoor, it was this passion or 'Junoon', that led him towards 'peace' or 'Sukoon' - knowing that he has spoken up and stood by what he believed in.

For Bedi, the honest and passionate pursuit of one's calling is what leads to true inner peace. And this ties up with his great love for Punjabi 'kirtans'. He would listen raptly to 'raagis' or singers, as they sang their devotional 'kirtans'. In the 'sadhna' or repeated practice of his singing, his vocation, Bedi saw himself in the 'raagi' - as someone who lost himself in the pursuit of his passion - in Bedi's case, the love of spin bowling, and the love of cricket. Gosh, Bishan Singh Bedi will be missed. 

(Rohit Khanna is a journalist, commentator and video storyteller. He has been Managing Editor at The Quint, Executive Producer of Investigations & Special Projects at CNN-IBN, and is a 2-time Ramnath Goenka award winner)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/lBIzeS6
via IFTTT

Two Planes Nearly Collide Mid-Air Amid Storm Above Portland Airport

Two airplanes had a terrifying near miss after almost colliding with each other in the stormy skies above Portland International Airport last week. The close call came when an Alaska Airlines flight tried landing on a runway next to where a SkyWest plane was taking off on Monday, The Independent reported. A YouTube video by the channel VASAAviation caught the terrifying moment and shared a visual simulation of the Alaska flight heading towards the SkyWest plane over the Portland airport during a storm. 

The two planes allegedly came within approximately 250 vertical feet of each other, the outlet reported. Notably, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a near-midair collision occurs when planes are less than 500 feet from each other. 

The FAA, which is now investigating the incident, said that the pilot of the Alaska Airlines plane was going to land, but initiated a go-around when it almost collided with the Skywest flight. 

"While attempting to land at Portland International Airport, the pilot of Alaska Airlines Flight 1299 initiated a go-around due to wind and turned towards SkyWest Airlines Flight 3978, which had just departed," the FAA said in a statement, adding, "An air traffic controller instructed the Alaska Airlines pilot to turn away from the SkyWest aircraft."

In the clip released by the YouTube channel, the audio from the person in air traffic control became panicked as it tried to warn the Alaksa flight to change direction when it became dangerously close to the other plane mid-air. 

The controller told the Alaska flight to follow the "runway heading" path, while the Skywest flight was told to turn right as it left the runway. The seemingly confused pilot on the Alaska flight then repeated the instructions meant for the other flight and started to turn right into the path of the plane that had just taken off.

At this point, the air traffic controller appeared to grow flustered and give increasingly frantic directions. He even misidentified the Alaskan flight as "1298". Ultimately, the Alaska flight was reportedly rerouted to an airport 150 miles away and wasn't able to land in Portland. 

Also Read | UK Man Dies After One Year Of Complaining About Night Sweats

Both airlines released statements downplaying the incident. According to The New York Post, Alaska Airlines believes a safe level of separation was maintained. "The crew of Flight 1299 followed cockpit indications and reacted immediately to increase separation from the other aircraft," an Alaska spokesperson said, adding, "The aircraft maintained a safe amount of lateral separation throughout the entire event". 

Separately, SkyWest also stated that "at no point was the safety of the flight compromised". 

It is not known how many people were aboard the two aircraft. The FAA has said they are still investigating how close in proximity the two airplanes had got to each other.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/nMf3sKC
via IFTTT

Gaza Children Traumatised By Bombardment. Israel's Ground Offensive Looms

Gaza's children are showing ever more signs of trauma two weeks into Israel's intense bombardment, parents and psychiatrists in the tiny, crowded enclave say, with no safe place to hide from the falling bombs and little prospect of respite.

Children make up about half of Gaza's 2.3 million population, living under near constant bombardment with many packed into temporary shelters in UN-run schools after fleeing their homes with little food or clean water.

Israel is expected to launch a ground attack on Gaza shortly in response to a cross-border assault by Hamas fighters on southern Israel on October 7 that killed more than 1,400 people, with a further 210 taken hostage.

"Children ... have started to develop serious trauma symptoms such as convulsions, bed-wetting, fear, aggressive behaviour, nervousness, and not leaving their parents' sides," said Gaza psychiatrist Fadel Abu Heen.

More than 4,100 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza so far, including more than 1,500 children, while 13,000 people have been injured according to the Palestinian health ministry.

Conditions in makeshift shelters in United Nations schools, where more than 380,000 people are camped out in hope of escaping the bombardment, only compound the problem.

There are sometimes 100 people sleeping in each classroom, which all require continuous cleaning. There is little electricity and water so bathrooms and toilets are very dirty.

"Our children suffer a lot at night. They cry all night, they pee themselves without meaning to and I don't have time to clean up after them, one after the other," said Tahreer Tabash, a mother of six children sheltering in a school.

Even there, they are not safe. Such schools have been hit several times, the United Nations has said, and Tabash has seen strikes hitting nearby buildings. When her children hear so much as a chair being moved, they jump in fear, she said.

"That lack of any safe place has created a general sense of fear and horror among the entire population and children are most impacted," said Abu Heen.

"Some of them reacted directly and expressed their fears. Although they may need immediate intervention, they may be in a better state than the other kids who kept the horror and trauma inside them," he said.

MENTAL TOLL

One house in Khan Younis, in the south of the enclave, is sheltering about 90 people including 30 under the age of 18, where they have to sleep in shifts for lack of space.

"When there's an explosion or any target getting hit nearby they are always screaming, always frightened. We try to calm the younger ones, try telling them, 'Don't worry, it's just fireworks'. But the older ones understand what's going on," said Ibrahim al-Agha, an engineer sheltering in the house.

"They will need a lot of support mentally after this war finishes," Agha said.

However, Gaza's healthcare system was already over-stretched before this month's war, which has pushed it to the brink of collapse, and mental health experts have long warned of the terrible toll that was already being exacted on children.

A 2022 report by aid group Save the Children found the psychosocial wellbeing of children in Gaza at "alarmingly low levels" after 11 days of fighting in 2021, leaving half of all Gaza children in need of support.

Mental health experts in Gaza have said there is no such thing there as post traumatic stress disorder because the trauma in the enclave is continuous, with repeated bouts of armed conflict stretching back nearly two decades.

Early on Saturday, after an Israeli air strike destroyed a building in Gaza City, killing many of the Abo Akr family, a large group of children stood among those watching rescuers picking through the rubble for survivors and bodies.

As women nearby wailed and wept, the children stood watching, their faces showing nothing.

(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/NejK2LZ
via IFTTT