"Ahmedabad Smart City": Congress Takes A Swipe After City Road Caves In

A road collapsed in Gujarat's Ahmedabad today as the city witnessed heavy rain, disrupting traffic movement and inundating low-lying areas. A video shared by news agency ANI shows a caved-in road in the city's Shela area triggered by the heavy rains. A big pothole was formed in the middle of the road, the video shows. 

The video shows the middle of the road caved in as the water flows into the large cavity.

#WATCH | Gujarat | Amid heavy rainfall that the city has witnessed, a road collapsed in the Shela area of Ahmedabad city. pic.twitter.com/kKIFHp1KlS

— ANI (@ANI) June 30, 2024

Several roads and underpasses became inaccessible after being flooded in Surat, Bhuj, Vapi, Bharuch and Ahmedabad, news agency PTI reported quoting officials. The wet spell will continue for the next four days in Gujarat, as per the Met department.

The Kerala unit of Congress did not miss an opportunity to take a dig at the ruling BJP in the state after the incident of road collapse surfaced. It posted a video of the collapsed road and wrote, "Underground rain water harvesting facility recently inaugurated in Ahmedabad Smart City. This ensures that not a single drop of water gets leaked to Arabian Sea." (sic)

Underground rain water harvesting facility recently inaugurated in Ahmedabad Smart City. This ensures that not a single drop of water gets leaked to Arabian Sea. pic.twitter.com/NW2AT3sCIH

— Congress Kerala (@INCKerala) June 30, 2024

Waterlogging, Trees Uprooted In Ahmedabad

Due to heavy rainfall, waterlogging was also reported from Ahmedabad and Surat with Palsana taluka in Surat district receiving 153 mm of rainfall, the highest in the state, in just ten hours, reported news agency PTI.

#WATCH | Gujarat: People face difficulties as heavy rains cause waterlogging in Ahmedabad.

Visuals from the Naranpura area. pic.twitter.com/6MQnOQKZ7N

— ANI (@ANI) June 30, 2024

In another incident, a tree uprooted and fell on a car that got damaged after heavy rainfall at KK Nagar in Ahmedabad, reported ANI.

Photo Credit: ANI

Normal life was affected in Ahmedabad due to the rain as the city dwellers struggled to walk through knee-deep water even on main roads.

Photo Credit: ANI

Other visuals from the city show a flooded kitchen and a man dragging his two-wheeler through the waterlogged road amid the rainfall.

Photo Credit: ANI

Between 6 am and 4 pm, Ahmedabad city received 62 mm of rainfall, as per a PTI report.

The rainwater gathered in the underpass near Pathik Ashram was pumped out with the help of a water bowser. Visuals show the underpass near Pathik Ashram flooded with rainwater.

#WATCH | Gandhinagar, Gujarat: The rainwater gathered in the underpass near Pathik Ashram was pumped out with the help of a water bowser. pic.twitter.com/6ywVTgmx9Z

— ANI (@ANI) June 30, 2024

The situation was no different in Gujarat's Gandhinagar where a car fell into a crater after a part of a road caved out today amid incessant rainfall. 

Why Is It Raining Heavily In Gujarat?

According to the weather department, Gujarat is experiencing a wet spell due to cyclonic circulation over the northeast Arabian Sea adjoining the Saurashtra region. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted rainfall in all parts of the state for the next five days and sounded an orange alert for five districts. 

Gujarat, Bharuch: Traffic jam due to a fallen tree during rains. Scenes of congestion occurred on Jambusar-Bharuch road near Dayadara village. The tree removal operation was carried out pic.twitter.com/8gBcmQzOnh

— IANS (@ians_india) June 30, 2024

Speaking to ANI, IMD Scientist Pradeep Sharma said, "There will be rains in all parts of Gujarat in the next 5 days. A warning for very heavy rain is issued for Saurashtra and Kutch for today. An orange alert has been issued for Bharuch, Surat, Navsari, Valsad and Dadra Nagar Haveli."

Isolated places in south and central Gujarat and Saurashtra region are expected to receive heavy rains over the next two days, IMD stated in a release. On July 3 and 4, Valsad and Navsari districts in south Gujarat and Banaskantha district in north Gujarat are expected to receive significant rainfall.

As many as 43 talukas received more than 40 mm of rainfall in just ten hours between 6 am and 4 pm on Sunday, while Palsana taluka received 153 mm of rain, the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) stated.

(With agency inputs)

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Euro 2024 LIVE: England Trail vs Slovakia, On Verge Of Shock Elimination

Euro 2024 Round Of 16, England vs Slovakia LIVE: England trail 0-1 in the second half against Slovakia in a Euro 2024 Round of 16 match on Sunday. The winner of this knock-out match will take on Switzerland in the quarterfinals of the competition. England topped their group with one win and two draws with the side failing to score in their last match against Slovenia. Slovakia, on the other hand, were third in their group behind Romania and Belgium. They had 4 points from 3 matches with the help of one win and one draw. (Match Centre)

Here are the LIVE Updates of Euro 2024 Round of 16 match Between England vs Slovakia:

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Woman's Family Invites Her Husband Over For Drinks, Gets Him Killed

Five years after their marriage, a woman's family got her husband killed in a case of dishonour killing in Greater Noida. The incident happened around two weeks back. 

The woman had run away and got married against her family's will five years back. Her family, who disapproved of the marriage, extended an olive branch and invited her husband over for drinks. However, while returning home, he was strangled to death by a contract killer hired by his wife's family, said police. The family mortgaged their jewels to pay the contract killers, police added. 

The victim's body was found on June 16 near Surajpur police line in Greater Noida.

The police have arrested the woman's father, uncle and two contract killers hired by them while two more accused are still absconding. The murder weapon, a towel, the car used while committing the crime and the mortgaged jewellery have also been seized by the cops. 

Efforts are on to arrest the remaining two accused, said police. 

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Coach Dravid's Team India Journey Culminates With T20 World Cup Title

When Rahul Dravid coached India to an U-19 World Cup win in 2018 - guiding the likes of Shubman Gill and Arshdeep Singh - it seemed like it was a matter of time till he became the Head Coach of the senior India Men's cricket team. And so it proved to be. Now, as the curtains are drawn on the 2024 T20 World Cup, Rahul Dravid's two-and-a-half-year-long tenure comes to a close. Will he, nay should he, be remembered fondly for guiding India in a transitional phase despite the burning hunger for a major title?

Much like his predecessor Ravi Shastri, Rahul Dravid has possessed a dominant Indian team with very little ICC silverware to show for it. But should it define his legacy?

The undisputed best team in the world

By all stats and figures - and performances - Rahul Dravid's Team India has been the best team in the world. Team India have won 41 out of 56 ODIs, 48 out of 69 T20Is, and lost just one Test series, winning five and drawing two. In all formats, India's form has been dominant and a cut above any other team on earth.

In 2023, India walked to the Asia Cup title. And in 2024, Dravid's India held the No. 1 spot in the teams' rankings in all three formats, an unprecedented first in Indian cricket history.

At home, Australia and England have been no match for India. Away from home, India took the fight to England and South Africa, with two drawn series.

The hurt of lost Finals

2023 proved to be a year of hurt for India, as the World Test championship and ODI World Cup campaigns ended in pain in the Final. The two tournaments remain rare black spots in a shining era of Team India under Rahul Dravid.

In reality, the pain of the lost finals shows the level of dominance that Dravid's India managed to hit. India were nearly unbeaten in the 2023 World Cup and unbeaten in the 2024 T20 World Cup. It says something when a semi-final in the 2022 T20 World Cup is the worst India has done in a major ICC tournament in this period.

If anything, Dravid's era should be celebrated as one of India's finest periods, and not be looked back on with the hurt of lost finals.

Transition to the Rohit Sharma era; and transition in identity

The start of Rahul Dravid's tenure as Head Coach collided with the tumultuous change in captaincy from Virat Kohli to Rohit Sharma in all formats. But Dravid didn't look to replicate the boisterous nature of the Kohli-Shastri era. Choosing to stay behind the scenes, Dravid let Rohit Sharma's India become a cohesive unit.

But the calmer it was off the field, the bolder India played on it. Rohit led by example, going hard at the top during the World Cup and showing 'Team Comes First'. Dravid's India then out-Bazballed Baz in India.

With captaincy debuts for Hardik Pandya and Shubman Gill, a pathway for the future has also been set in stone.

Final thoughts

Dravid's era as India Head Coach ends with well-deserved silverware; this time an unbeaten tournament coming to fruition. It is a fitting finale to mark the end of another historic legacy for one of India's greatest cricket personalities.

As the famous saying goes, "Ant bhala toh sab bhala" (All's well that ends well).

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First Time In 147 Years: Indian Women's Cricket Team Achieves Massive Feat

The Indian women's cricket team created history on the opening day of the Test match against South Africa on Friday as the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side scored a mammoth 525 for the loss of four wickets. It was the most runs scored by any team in a day's play in Test history (both men and women). The record previously belonged to Sri Lanka men's cricket team who scored 509 for the loss of nine wickets in the Colombo Test against Bangladesh in 2022. In women's cricket, the record belonged to England who scored 431 for the loss of two wickets against New Zealand at Lancaster Park, Christchurch in 1935.

This was also the first time that any team scored more than 520 runs in one day during a Test match.

South African spinner Delmi Tucker praised the Indian batters for producing a stunning effort on the opening day of the one-off Test, but hoped that her side can turn the tide around from Day 2.

Batting first, India posted a mammoth 525 for four with a record-breaking Shafali Verma (205) and her opening partner Smriti Mandhana (149) doing the maximum damage.

Tucker was the most successful bowler for SA, grabbing two wickets but she gave away 141 runs.

"We will look back and refresh today, sit down and have discussions about tomorrow. Nothing taking away from their (Indian) batters today; they were phenomenal," Tucker told reporters during the post-day press conference.

Although the Proteas managed to keep Shafali silent during the preceding ODI series, as she managed only 52 runs in three outings, Tucker felt that the Test format gave the Indian ample time to settle down and find her range.

"It's a different format, and obviously, she (Shafali) has more time (to settle down). She gave her all and made the most of the opportunity since she is a great batter," said Tucker.

"Yes, we were a bit off from our lines (with the ball) and wish we could have been better. But, nothing to take away from her as she did (bat) really well." The pitch was predicted to be spin-friendly, but that wasn't the case on Friday, while misfields and overthrows added to the Proteas' woes.

Tucker admitted that the visitors could not execute their strategies well on the day, and the city's hot weather too played its part.

"We did try a few things when Smriti and Verma were batting. We switched to around the wicket and changed the field. We were happy with it for some time, but they took it away," she acknowledged.

"We could have definitely been better on the field. Yeah, it's hot out there. Also, overthrows and misfields are not the best of things. But, staying positive and sharp could help in avoiding those misfields." However, Tucker focused on the fact that the pitch had started to offer some turn and they should get some purchase on Day 2.

"We knew this wicket was going to be good for spin and there was early movement upfront. There was more spin after lunch and we need to take more advantage of it tomorrow," she said.

The South African women do not have a proper red-ball setup back home, having no multi-day competitions. Tucker said it has made their task tougher despite doing their homework.

"We (SA Women) are still young (in) Test cricket, so we are still getting used to it. It's tough unlike T20s and ODIs, but we are still learning.

"I don't think we did too bad. We did our homework and we knew what was coming," she concluded. 

(With PTI inputs)

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Rain Turns Delhi Into Meme Capital, Social Media Explodes With Sarcasm

Heavy rains lashed Delhi on Friday, causing widespread flooding and traffic chaos. The downpour, the heaviest in a single day of June in 88 years, brought the national capital to a standstill. Streets were inundated, flights were suspended at Terminal-1 of Delhi Airport, and power cuts affected many areas.

However, amidst the disruption, Delhi residents found humor in the situation. Social media was flooded with memes and sarcastic comments, particularly regarding the annual flooding of Minto Bridge. A video of a car submerged under the bridge went viral, with some netizens calling it the "annual vehicular sacrifice" that confirms the arrival of the monsoon.

One user joked that the weather department "doesn't consider it a proper rain until a car gets stuck under Minto Bridge." Another suggested the bridge needs "its own live feed on YouTube" during the monsoon season.

While the memes provided comic relief, the flooding caused significant issues.  Congress MP Shashi Tharoor reported his house was flooded with a foot of water, ruining furniture and carpets. He even jokingly warned Parliament colleagues he might need a boat to get to work.

This is the corner just outside my home in Lutyens' Delhi. Woke up to find my entire home under a foot of water — every room. Carpets and furniture, indeed anything on the ground, ruined. Apparently the storm water drains in the neighbourhood are all clogged so the water had no… pic.twitter.com/mublEqiGqG

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 28, 2024

"People of Delhi observe annual vehicular sacrifice at Minto Bridge as part of ancient tradition officially announcing the arrival of monsoon rains in the capital," Kabir Taneja, an X user, wrote on the microblogging platform.

People of Delhi observe annual vehicular sacrifice at Minto Bridge as part of ancient tradition officially announcing the arrival of monsoon rains in the capital… https://t.co/hZwnca1qcV

— Kabir Taneja (@KabirTaneja) June 28, 2024

Businessman Suhel Seth said, "For all those criticising the Minto Road Bridge flooding: remember only when it gets flooded do we know the monsoons are upon us. It's the only barometer we have so stop the criticism please. Am now waiting for the gondolas in Gurgaon."

Another X user with the handle @ColdCigar wrote, "Minto Bridge ke neeche jab tak gaadi na fase tab tak baarish ko baarish mausam Vibhag bhi nahi maanta hai" (Even the weather department doesn't consider it a proper rain until a car gets stuck under Minto Bridge), while one Birender Dhanoa suggested the Minto Bridge "needs its own live feed on YouTube" during the rains.

Minto Bridge ke neeche jab tak gaadi na fase tab tak baarish ko baarish mausam Vibhag bhi nahi maanta hai 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/fgE5hM50qs

— Tempest (@ColdCigar) June 28, 2024

Minto Bridge, renamed Shivaji Bridge, was built in 1933 and connects Connaught Place to the Ajmeri Gate side of the New Delhi Railway Station. Over the years, it has come to be known for being waterlogged after each spell of heavy rain, almost without fail.

Monsoon arrived in Delhi with a fury in the early hours of Friday as heavy rains, the highest in a single day of June in 88 years, brought the national capital to a standstill leaving streets flooded, traffic caught in chaos and flight operations suspended at Delhi airport's Terminal-1 due to a canopy collapse.

In several areas, vehicles were submerged as rain water flooded streets. Many areas experienced prolonged power cuts and several trees were uprooted.

X user Chetna @chetnakum said the city has four seasons - "Furnace, flood, smoke and spring" as she made light of the problems Delhi faces in different seasons.

Meanwhile, Naresh Nambisan shared the photo of a man, sleeping with a tyre tube wrapped around him. "This man in Delhi claims he would be safe even in the event of a major flood at night. I think he has a point," the X user posted.

This man in Delhi claims he would be safe even in the event of a major flood at night.
I think he has a point. pic.twitter.com/PZaulIOLNI

— Naresh Nambisan | നരേഷ് (@nareshbahrain) June 28, 2024

A video of water pouring down from the roof at Delhi airport also circulated on social media, attracting comparisons with Singapore's Jewel Changi Airport that is famous for its indoor waterfall.

The HSBC Rain Vortex at the Singapore airport is 40-metre tall and is known to be the tallest indoor waterfall in the world.

X user Banrakas posted photos of the Rain Vortex and added, "When Singapore Changi airport has a water fountain, everyone goes gaga over it. When Delhi airport has a fountain, everyone has issues with it." Another user, Vishal, said, "No need to go for Singapore, just go to Delhi and enjoy."

The heavy rains also highlighted drainage problems in the city.  Flooding subsided after water was pumped out, but the incident serves as a reminder of the challenges Delhi faces during the monsoon season.

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"We Feel ...": Why Sonakshi Sinha Didn't Want A "Wedding Video"

Sonakshi Sinha, who got married to Zaheer Iqbal on Sunday, shared a beautiful wedding video on her Instagram feed today. Sonakshi also shared an elaborate note, giving a shout out to the video team, who captured the emotions and essence of her wedding the way she wanted. Sonakshi wrote in the note, "We've met Sam and Ekta at multiple friends weddings where they've captured the essence of the couples and the overall vibe so perfectly that I promised them whenever Zaheer and I got married... they would be there! Best decision ever!"

Sonakshi continued, "We dint want a "wedding video" we wanted the emotions, where everytime we watch it, we feel how we felt in that moment... we feel what everyone there was feeling... and we got excatly that! Thank you Samwalzade and Ekta Rekhi... and your entire team... You guys are magic."

ICYMI, this is the video we are talking about. The video beautifully captures moments from their registry ceremony, garlands exchange ceremony. The video also shows the newlyweds exchanging wedding vows. The video ends with Sonakshi shedding tears and saying, "That's why Sona is crying. Pushpa is not crying." Sharing the video, Sonakshi wrote, "Family, friends, love, friendship, laughter, silly comments, kids running around, happy tears, warm hugs, excitement, bloopers, screeches, fun, joy, anticipation, nerves, emotions and above all just pure happiness this was our chaotic little Shaadi ka ghar... and it was PERFECT... it was US." Take a look:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sonakshi Sinha (@aslisona)

Sharing the wedding pictures, Sonakshi Sinha wrote a note. It read, "On this very day, seven years back (23.06.2017) in each others eyes, we saw love in its purest form and decided to hold on to it. Today that love has guided us through all the challenges and triumphs... leading up to this moment... where with the blessings of both our families and both our gods... we are now man and wife. Here's to love, hope and all things beautiful with each other, from now until forever." Sonakshi added in the post, "Sonakshi weds Zaheer. 23.06.2024" Sonakshi wore her mother's vintage saree and jewellery for the wedding. Take a look:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sonakshi Sinha (@aslisona)

Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal registered their marriage under the provisions of Special Marriage Act.

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"Could've Chosen Better Words": Sam Pitroda After Congress Reappointment

Sam Pitroda -- Congress's overseas unit chief who is back in saddle after a seven-week break -- today stood by his statement about diversity among Indians that were seen as racist, but admitted that he could have put it better. "It is not about words but about the meaning... but maybe I could have done a better job," he told NDTV in an exclusive interview.  And about the row that followed that comment, he shrugged it off.

"I have to run my life. They can twist the fact that I live in Chicago and why I am talking about India... I would expect civilised conversation, dialogue... but that is lost... People are not interested in the substance of a conversation, they are interested in the form of the conversation," he said.

Mr Pitroda had stepped down from the post in May after his two consecutive statements sparked huge controversies. He was reinstated yesterday.

In an exclusive interview with The Statesman in early May, Mr Pitroda had described India as a "diverse country... where people on East look like the Chinese, people on West look like Arabs, people in the North look like maybe White and people in South look like Africans".

It had triggered a huge uproar in the run-up to the election, coming on the heels of his comments about inheritance tax.

Barely two weeks before, Mr Pitroda had cited inheritance tax as an example of "new policies that can "help prevent concentration of wealth" which should be discussed and debated. The Congress, he had added, always helps people at the bottom of the economic pyramid.

His remarks were interpreted as advocacy of inheritance tax in India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had remarked that if elected, the Congress would redistribute the personal wealth of people among "infiltrators" and won't even spare the mangalsutras of women.

Mr Pitroda today said no one had questioned him about what he meant before jumping to conclusions. "When I made the comment on inheritance tax, I did not mean that I'm proposing inheritance tax. How do you come to that conclusion?"

His comments about diversity were also twisted, he said.

"Next time I said something about – my way of saying how diverse we are, people thought it was racial. There is nothing racial in saying that we came from Africa. It is a fact of life. And who says that being black is racist? No. I am dark. My wife is not very dark. So what?" he said.

"We tend to make issues out of nothing. And that's the reason I decided that is better to take myself out," he added. That was the way to bring back the focus on issues that matter, he said.

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2 Maldivian Ministers Arrested For 'Black Magic' On President: Report

Maldives police have arrested two serving ministers for allegedly performing black magic on President Mohamed Muizzu, local media reported on Thursday.

Shamnaz Saleem, who was a state minister at the Environment Ministry, her ex-husband Adam Rameez, who was serving as a minister at the President's Office, and two others were arrested, local media said quoting the police, which, however, declined to share any information about the reasons or the alleged performance of black magic.

"Shamnaz, alongside two other individuals, was arrested on Sunday. All three of them have been remanded in custody for seven days. She was suspended from her post on Wednesday as per the Environment Ministry," news portal Sun.mv reported, adding, Rameez too has been suspended on Thursday.

Incidentally, both Shamnaz and Rameez have worked with Muizzu as members of the Male City Council when he was serving as the city's mayor.

Media reported that after Muizzu assumed office as the President in November last year, Shamnaz was appointed as a state minister first at Muliaage, the official residence of the president and then transferred to the Environment Ministry.

"Rameez, during his time at Male City Council, was known as a close aide of Muizzu, who was the mayor at that time," Sun.mv said further and added, "However, he has been absent from the public light in the past five months or so." Neither the Maldives government nor the President's office has made any official comment on the issue.

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

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Kenya's U-Turn Over Tax Hikes After 22 Die In Violent Protests

Kenyan President William Ruto said Wednesday that a bill containing contentious tax hikes would "be withdrawn", dramatically reversing course after more than 20 people were killed in clashes with police and parliament was ransacked by protesters opposed to the legislation.

The initially peaceful demonstrations were sparked last week by the 2024 finance bill -- which politicians passed Tuesday afternoon -- and took Ruto's administration by surprise as rallies gathered momentum across the country.

But the Gen-Z-led protests spiralled into violence Tuesday when police fired live bullets at the crowds outside parliament, leaving the complex ransacked and partly on fire.

Nineteen people were killed in the capital Nairobi, a state-funded rights watchdog said.

"I concede and therefore I will not sign the 2024 finance bill and it shall subsequently be withdrawn," Ruto told a press briefing. "The people have spoken," he said.

"I will be proposing an engagement with the young people of our nation, our sons and daughters, for us to listen to them," he said, in a marked shift from his late-night address Tuesday when he likened some of the demonstrators to "criminals".

'Cannot kill all of us'

Immediately after his speech, prominent protester Hanifa Adan dismissed Ruto's announcement as "PR".

Referring to his comments the previous night, she said on X: "He made that speech trying to intimidate us and he saw it won't work hence the PR."

"The bill is withdrawn but are you going to bring everyone that died back alive?"

Ahead of Ruto's about-turn, protesters had called for fresh rallies on Thursday.

"Tomorrow, we march peacefully again as we wear white, for all our fallen people," Adan had said.

"You cannot kill all of us."

Demonstrators shared "Tupatane Thursday" ("we meet Thursday" in Swahili), alongside the hashtag #Rejectfinancebill2024 on social media.

Cost-of-living crisis

Ruto came to power in 2022 promising to champion the needs of impoverished Kenyans, but tax increases under his government have only made life tougher for those already struggling with high inflation.

The Kenyan leader had already rolled back some tax measures last week, prompting the treasury to warn of a gaping budget shortfall of 200 billion shillings.

Ruto said Wednesday that withdrawing the bill would mean a significant hole in funding for development programmes to help farmers and schoolteachers, among others.

The cash-strapped government had said previously that the increases were needed to service Kenya's massive debt of some 10 trillion shillings ($78 billion), equal to roughly 70 percent of GDP.

Deadly day

Earlier on Wednesday, Roseline Odede, chairwoman of the state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, said "we have recorded 22 deaths", 19 of them in Nairobi, adding that they would launch an investigation.

"This is the largest number of deaths (in) a single day protest," she said, adding that 300 people were injured across the country.

Simon Kigondu, president of the Kenya Medical Association, said he had never before seen "such level of violence against unarmed people."

An official at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi said Wednesday that medics were treating "160 people...some of them with soft tissue injuries, some of them with bullet wounds."

Rights watchdogs have also accused the authorities of kidnapping protesters.

The police have not responded to AFP requests for comment.

'Madness'

A heavy police presence was deployed around parliament early on Wednesday, according to an AFP reporter, the smell of tear gas still in the air and dried blood on the ground.

A policeman standing in front of the broken barricades to the complex told AFP he had watched the scenes unfold on TV.

"It was madness, we hope it will be calm today," he said.

In the central business district, where the protests have been concentrated, traders surveyed the damage.

"They didn't leave anything, just the boxes. I don't know how long it will take me to recover," James Ng'ang'a, whose electronics shop was looted, told AFP.

The unrest has alarmed the international community, with Washington calling on Kenya to respect the right to peaceful protest on Wednesday.

Ruto's administration is under pressure from the IMF, which has urged the country to implement fiscal reforms in order to access funding.

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

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"She Is A Cheat Code": 7.3-Foot-Tall Chinese Girl Dominates At Basketball

For the Chinese National Team, 17-year-old centre Zhang Ziyu has quickly gained popularity at the FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup. Zhang, who is 7 feet 3 inches tall, has outperformed the opposition and drawn parallels to the great Yao Ming.

Zhang, who made her debut for China last week, has greatly benefited from her remarkable height. Social media users have been flooded with videos showing her making points and getting rebounds with ease.

According to CNN, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) subsequently released a video of her game highlights, showing the youngster towering over opponents and barely needing to jump to dunk the ball.

Given her height advantage, she looked devastating on defence while demonstrating her shooting accuracy from a distance.

The basketball page NextGen Hoops has referred to her as a "cheat code."

Zhang Ziyu is a cheat code 🧩

The 7'3" (220cm) center hardly broke a sweat getting her first buckets for Team China 🇨🇳#U18AsiaCup pic.twitter.com/1Vy9iecmXh

— NextGen Hoops (@NextGenHoops) June 24, 2024

Zhang, who went by the moniker "Female Yao Ming" after the former star of the Houston Rockets, has been a major contributor to China's successful tournament debut.

While Zhang still has a journey ahead to reach Yao's career achievements, her performances this week are likely to capture the attention of WNBA teams.

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"Voice Of Unheard": Aaditya Thackeray On Rahul Gandhi As Opposition Leader

Rahul Gandhi's appointment as the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha will provide a platform for the voices of the unheard, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said on Wednesday.

He said the INDIA alliance is already effectively serving its role as the opposition and expressed confidence that it will soon transition to forming the government.

"Best wishes to @RahulGandhi ji for taking up the role of the Leader of Opposition, in the Lok Sabha. The people of this country have voted against dictatorship and against divisive politics of hate, and this role becomes important as Rahul ji will be a voice for those unheard," Mr Thackeray stated in a post.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, also comprising the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar).

Best wishes to @RahulGandhi ji for taking up the role of the Leader of Opposition, in the Lok Sabha.

The people of this country have voted against dictatorship and against divisive politics of hate, and this role becomes important as Rahul ji will be a voice for those unheard.…

— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) June 26, 2024

Aaditya Thackeray reiterated the alliance's commitment to upholding democratic values and the Constitution.

"As the Opposition, to the regime, we promise to fulfil our duty to protect our democratic values, uphold the Constitution and more importantly, voice every last person in the Parliament. This duty, we will also fulfil as the Government, very soon, as the INDIA alliance," he added.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday recognised Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of the Opposition, a day after the Congress communicated its decision to name him for the position to the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

In a notification issued on Wednesday, the Lok Sabha Secretariat said Mr Gandhi, leader of the Indian National Congress, had officially been recognised as the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha with effect from June 9.

The decision on Mr Gandhi's appointment as the Leader of the Opposition was announced soon after a meeting of the floor leaders of the INDIA bloc at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's residence on Tuesday.

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

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2nd Case Of Sex Assault Registered Against Prajwal Revanna's Brother Suraj

A second case of sexually assaulting a man was registered against Janata Dal (Secular) MLC Suraj Revanna on Tuesday at Holenarasipura police station in Hassan district.

The case was registered based on a complaint by a close aide of Suraj Revanna.

Revanna's aide had earlier filed a complaint on behalf of the Member of the Legislative Council against a JDS worker, apparently to protect him.

The first case of sexual assault was registered against Revanna on Saturday night. The next day, he was arrested and remanded to 14 days' judicial custody. On Monday, the court remanded him to eight days' police custody.

"The process of registering the second FIR is on against Suraj Revanna," a senior police officer from Hassan told PTI.

Suraj, a doctor, is the grandson of former Prime Minister and JDS patriarch HD Deve Gowda and son of Holenarasipura MLA HD Revanna.

He is the elder brother of former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who is also in police custody for allegedly sexually assaulting several women in Hassan and filming them.

Suraj and Prajwal's parents, HD Revanna and Bhavani, are out on bail on charges of kidnapping a woman who had figured in one among the huge cache of explicit videos showing many women being sexually assaulted, allegedly by Prajwal.

Prajwal had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election as the NDA candidate as his party JDS formed an alliance with the BJP in September last year.

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

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Indian-Origin Woman Wrongly Jailed In UK During Pregnancy Rejects Apology

An Indian-origin former manager of a Post Office in England wrongly jailed while pregnant has rejected the apology of an engineer whose evidence helped convict her over faulty accounting software.

Seema Misra, now 47, had her conviction quashed in April 2021 as the Court of Appeal ruled that she had been wrongly imprisoned over 12 years ago after being accused of stealing GBP 75,000 from her Post Office branch in Surrey where she was the sub-postmistress.

At the ongoing public inquiry into the scandal, she told the BBC that the apology of ex-Fujitsu engineer Gareth Jenkins was "too little, too late".

"Nobody can understand it," she said of the ordeal she went through and said Jenkins could have apologised “ages ago”.

Her reaction followed a written witness statement submitted to the Post Office Inquiry by Jenkins, in which he said: "I did not know that Mrs Misra was pregnant at the time of her conviction and only learned of this many years later."

"This makes what has happened even more tragic. I can only apologise, again, to Mrs Misra and her family for what happened to her." The former engineer who appeared as an expert witness in 15 sub-postmaster cases is currently being investigated by police for potential perjury or lying to a court. In one of his earlier witness statements to the inquiry, he denied any wrongdoing.

Earlier, Ms Misra had rejected a similar apology from former Post Office Managing Director David Smith for a congratulatory email he sent after Misra's conviction.

“It was intended to be a congratulatory email to the team, knowing that they had worked hard on the case,” Smith said in his written evidence to the inquiry.

“However, knowing what I do now, it is evident that my email would have caused Seema Misra and her family substantial distress to read and I would like to apologise for that… Even if this had been a correct conviction, I would absolutely never think that it was ‘brilliant news' for a pregnant woman to go to prison and I am hugely apologetic that my email can be read as such,” he said.

“However, seeing this email in the light of what I know now, I understand the anger and the upset that it will have caused and sincerely apologise for that,” he added.

"I was eight weeks pregnant – they need to apologise to my youngest son. It was terrible. I haven't accepted the apologies," Mr Misra said at the time in April.

"We had my conviction overturned, nobody came at that time to apologise. And now they just suddenly realised that when they have to appear in a public inquiry, they have to apologise," she said.

Mr Misra was sent to Bronzefield prison in south-east England and served four-and-a-half months, later giving birth to her second son wearing an electronic tag. Smith told the inquiry that Mr Misra had been used as a "test case" and the success of the case led to more confidence in the faulty Horizon IT accounting system.

"How can they do a test on a human being? I'm a living creature. I heard that my case has been used as a test case before. But hearing it again and again, it's just annoying. It makes me more and more angry, to be honest," Mr Misra added.

The UK government, which formally owns Post Office Ltd, has paid out millions in compensation to hundreds of sub-postmasters - many of them of Indian heritage - impacted by the faulty Horizon software.

Earlier this year, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged action in the historic scandal that wrongly accused sub-postmasters of fraud.

Last month, a new law tabled in Parliament introduced the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Bill, a blanket exoneration to quash convictions brought about by erroneous Horizon evidence. A public inquiry in the case, underway in a phased manner, is expected to conclude in July.

The controversial Horizon system, developed by the Japanese company Fujitsu, was first rolled out in 1999 to some post offices to be used for a variety of tasks, including accounting and stocktaking. But it appeared to have significant bugs, which could cause the system to misreport, sometimes involving large sums as was the case in the case of these sub-postmasters.

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

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Manta Ray, Secret US Undersea Drone, Spotted On Google Maps, Later Removed

Manta Ray, a top-secret submarine prototype weapon of the US, was spotted by Google Maps docked at the Port Hueneme naval base in California on Sunday.

After an image of the same went viral, it was deleted and replaced with what multiple social media users believed were "edited" boats.

Manta Ray also caught attention for its similarity to a Star Wars vessel, a spaceship seen in the popular Hollywood franchise.

The autonomous vessel has been named after the sea creature due to its slick design and ability to anchor itself deep underwater while holding operations in low-power mode, the New York Post reported.

Manta Ray has been produced by Northrop Grumman as part of the US Navy project to develop long-range underwater weapons. This sophisticated underwater drone is said to be capable of hibernating on the seafloor for "very long periods" without refuelling.

Dr Kyle Woerner, Manta Ray programme manager at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, earlier said that it uses "efficient, buoyancy-driven gliding to move through the water".

"Our successful, full-scale Manta Ray testing validates the vehicle's readiness to advance toward real-world operations," Dr Woerner said in the agency press release.

Dr Woerner further said that it was being designed with several payload bays of multiple sizes and types to enable it to a wide variety of naval mission sets.

In addition, Manta Ray's modular design allows the US Navy to disassemble and further transport it in ordinary shipping containers. This quality eliminates the necessity for requiring dedicated port facilities.

According to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the vessel is a multi-phase effort, including at-sea demonstration of critical technologies. "The program is using a disciplined systems engineering approach to define demonstration system objectives and identify enabling technologies needed for future systems," it earlier noted.

A report in the Telegraph recently stated that the US Navy spent over three months testing the craft off the coast of Southern California.

Meanwhile, defence analysts have suspected that the US Navy's push to develop drone technology is to strategically counter the submarine operations by Russia and China.

Amid its ongoing war against Ukraine, Russia is said to be developing underwater drones of its own. Last year, the country announced its plans to acquire nearly three dozen such vessels.

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Albania vs Spain Live Streaming Euro 2024: When And Where To Watch

Albania vs Spain Live Streaming Euro 2024 Live Telecast: Spain look to continue their unbeaten run as they take on Albania in a significant Group B encounter. Spain have won both of their matches in the competition against Croatia and Italy. While they registered a big 3-0 win over Croatia, the win against Italy was a narrow 1-0 with an own goal proving to be the decider. On the other hand, Albania have just one point from two matches. They were defeated 2-1 by Italy before they held Croatia to a 2-2 draw.

When will the Albania vs Spain, Euro 2024 match take place?

The Albania vs Spain, Euro 2024 match will take place on Tuesday, June 25 (IST).

Where will the Albania vs Spain, Euro 2024 match be played?

The Albania vs Spain, Euro 2024 match will be played at Merkur Spiel-Arena in Dusseldorf.

What time will the Albania vs Spain, Euro 2024 match start?

The Albania vs Spain, Euro 2024 match will start at 12:30 AM IST.

Which TV channels will telecast the Albania vs Spain, Euro 2024 match?

The Albania vs Spain, Euro 2024 match will be telecast on the Sony Sports Network.

Where to follow the live streaming of the Albania vs Spain, Euro 2024 match?

The Albania vs Spain, Euro 2024 match will be streamed live on SonyLiv app and website.

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

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"From 109.7 Kg To 83 Kg": Jaideep Ahlawat's Weight Loss Journey Is Viral

Actor Jaideep Ahlawat shared that he lost 26 kg in 5 months and posted a glimpse into his fitness journey on Instagram. Mr Ahlawat shared before and after pictures and revealed that the physical transformation was for the role of Maharaj.

Along with the pictures, he wrote, "From 109.7 Kg. to 83 Kg. in 5 months. That's the Physical Transformation for the Role of Maharaj. Thank you Prajwal Sir for believing in me @prajwal7542."

See the viral post here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jaideep Ahlawat (@jaideepahlawat)

Impressed by his physical transformation, director Siddharth Malhotra also commented on the post. He wrote, "Bhai the dedication and devotion you have put and given to this role and character can't be put in words ! Always indebted to you."

Actor Siddharth wrote, "Amazing bhai."

Internet users were inspired after seeing Mr Ahlawat's dedication. A user commented on Instagram, "It's a Dedication."

Another user wrote, "I swear I thought the abs were photoshopped!"

"You are amazing," the third user commented. 

Meanwhile, Maharaj, directed by Siddharth Malhotra, also features Aamir Khan's son Junaid Khan. The plot is set in pre-independent India and revolves around the Maharaj Libel Case of 1862. The film has been backed by Aditya Chopra's Yash Raj Films.

Last month, Netflix India, in a statement, said that Maharaj follows a journalist and social reformer Karsandas Mulji. He was a pioneering advocate for women's rights and social reform. 

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Replace Mumbai Unit Chief, Congress Leaders Write To M Kharge

Sixteen senior Maharashtra Congress leaders have written to party chief Mallikarjun Kharge demanding that its Mumbai unit chief Varsha Gaikwad be replaced to strengthen the party ahead of upcoming state poll.

The leaders complain that Ms Gaikwad, who recently won the Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha seat, does not have the time to work at the organisational level and have objected to her style of functioning, NDTV has learnt.

Mumbai North Lok Sabha seat's Congress candidate Bhushan Patil has also claimed he received no help from the city party unit.

These leaders, in a letter dated June 16, have sought time from the Congress leadership to discuss rejuvenation of the party in Mumbai ahead of the assembly elections, and the Mumbai civic polls which are overdue.

Signatories of the letter include Rajya Sabha MP and Congress Working Committee member Chandrakant Handore, former city party chiefs Janardhan Chandurkar and Bhai Jagtap, senior leaders Naseem Khan, Suresh Shetty, Madhu Chavan, Charansingh Sapra, Zakir Ahmed and Maharashtra Congress treasurer Amarjit Manhas.

"Recently, at a protest in connection with the UGC-NET exam chaos, Gaikwad did not call all party leaders at the city unit office. Hence they had to stage a separate protest in suburbs," reported news agency PTI citing a source. 

"It is now 13 months she is the city unit head, but she has not spearheaded any substantial activity to galvanize the party cadre," the news agency reported claimed citing the unnamed source.

A meeting related to Maharashtra is scheduled in Delhi on Tuesday.

In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly polls, the Congress won only 4 of the 36 seats in Mumbai.

During the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections, the Congress secured 1 of the 2 seats it contested in the city.

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SCO vs HUN Live Streaming Euro 2024 Live Telecast: When And Where To Watch

Scotland vs Hungary Live Streaming Euro 2024 Live Telecast: Scotland take on Hungary in the final Group A game of Euro 2024, and a win for either side may not be enough to clinch qualification to the Round of 16. Hungary lie bottom - on zero points - and are guaranteed third spot at best. Scotland, on the other hand, are on only one point themselves, and only a big win could see them leapfrog Switzerland. A draw is catastrophic for both nations, as Scotland would be unlikely to make it through among the four best third-placed teams with a points tally of just two.

When will the Scotland vs Hungary, Euro 2024 match take place?

The Scotland vs Hungary, Euro 2024 match will take place on Monday, June 24 (IST).

Where will the Scotland vs Hungary, Euro 2024 match be played?

The Scotland vs Hungary, Euro 2024 match will be played at the Stuttgart Arena, Stuttgart.

What time will the Scotland vs Hungary, Euro 2024 match start?

The Scotland vs Hungary, Euro 2024 match will start at 12:30 AM IST.

Which TV channels will telecast the Scotland vs Hungary, Euro 2024 match?

The Scotland vs Hungary, Euro 2024 match will be telecast on the Sony Sports Network.

Where to follow the live streaming of the Scotland vs Hungary, Euro 2024 match?

The Scotland vs Hungary, Euro 2024 match will be streamed live on SonyLiv app and website.

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

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Jagan Reddy, Chandrababu Naidu's Party Trade Charges Over Alleged Land Grab

After the demolition of the YSRCP party office under construction in Guntur district on Saturday and notices to two more YSRCP offices in Visakhapatnam for allegedly being illegal, the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh says similar violations are being discovered across the state.

YSRCP president YS Jaganmohan Reddy has called it vendetta politics and said the demolition of the near-complete building showed how the regime is going to be over the next five years.

On Sunday, state minister and TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh posted on X pictures of YSRCP offices being built at various places in Andhra Pradesh, and alleged the previous government led by Mr Reddy allotted 42 acres in 26 districts for 33 years for a nominal lease of Rs 1,000 per acre.

"Jagan, is Andhra Pradesh your grandfather Raja Reddy's property?" said Mr Lokesh, who is the son of Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu.

Mr Lokesh alleged Mr Reddy was building "palaces" with Rs 500 crore "looted" from the people.

"On these 42 acres worth more than Rs 600 crore, grabbed for your land thirst, 4,200 poor can be given house sites. With Rs 500 crore being spent on your luxurious palaces, houses can be constructed for 25,000 poor," Mr Lokesh posted on X. "What is this madness for palaces? Is there no end to your thirst for money?" he said.

The TDP alleged Mr Reddy built "palaces" for himself in nine cities including Hyderabad and Bengaluru, and he was now building "palaces" for his party offices with public money and without approvals from the authorities.

The TDP alleged that 42.24 acres of government land in 26 districts were allotted for YSRCP's offices for a 33-year lease at a nominal cost of Rs 1,000 per acre. "The value of the 42.24 acres is Rs 688 crore while more than Rs 500 crore of public money is being spent to build these palaces," the TDP said.

The TDP claimed that permissions were not taken for YSRCP offices, except in Prakasam district. The YSRCP says between 2014 and 2019, the TDP government had allotted government land in 10 districts on lease for 33 to 99 years for Rs 1,000 per acre.

"If you do it, it's politics and if we do, it's land grabbing," reads a post on YSRCP's official handle on X. "Have you not issued a GO and built TDP offices across the state?" the Opposition party asked. It alleged the land for NTR Bhavan (TDP office) in Hyderabad was also allotted in the same way.

The YSRCP said if the previous government had resorted to a similar act, no TDP office would have remained in the state.

The under-construction office building of YSRCP at Seethanagaram of Tadepalli Mandal in Guntur district was demolished by the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) and Mangalagiri Tadepalli Municipal Corporation (MTMC) authorities on Saturday.

The APCRDA had issued notice on June 10 to the YSRCP for taking up construction on the "illegally occupied" land of 870.40 sqm within the boat yard compound of the irrigation department.

The APCRDA said the previous government leased two acres, which was a boatyard and water body, to the YSRCP on a lease of Rs 1,000 per acre, per annum for 33 years for their party office. It was also alleged the party undertook construction without getting approvals from the irrigation department and the MTMC.

The YSRCP had filed a writ petition in the high court, seeking orders to the CRDA and MTMC not to take any coercive action against the building structure, until hearing was completed.

Claiming that the high court had ordered a halt on any demolition activity, the Opposition has slammed the government for violating the court's order. YSRCP plans to approach the court on Monday, seeking criminal action against those who carried out the demolition.

The Town Planning wing of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has issued show cause notices to YSRCP seeking an explanation over "unauthorised construction" of the party offices at Yendada and Anakapalli.

It was alleged YSRCP proceeded with the construction of G+1 building over a stretch of two acres at Yendada without permission from the authorities. Similarly, construction of the YSRCP office at Anakapalli was taken up allegedly without approvals, the government says.

YSRCP leader and former minister Gudivada Amarnath removed the notice pasted on the office at Yedanda. He said the land was allotted in 2022 and construction began in March 2023.

He said around Rs 13 lakh and Rs 30 lakh were paid to the government as taxes for plan approvals for the party offices at Yendada and Anakapalli, respectively.

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Case Against Instagram Influencer For Doing Yoga In Golden Temple

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Saturday filed a police complaint against a woman Instagram influencer for doing yoga at Sri Darbar Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple Amritsar, here.

The incident sparked outrage among the Sikh community.

Also, the SGPC has taken action against three 'sewadars' or employees for duty dereliction in the Darbar Sahib 'Parikrama' by allowing the woman to do yoga exercises in the morning of June 21 that is observed as International Day of Yoga.

A marble walkway is known as the 'Parikrama' where pilgrims can take a circumambulation, offering prayers and paying their respects.

SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami said some people deliberately ignore the sanctity of the holy place. He said Sikh sentiments have been hurt by the act of the woman.

He appealed to the 'sangat' that Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib has great respect in the entire Sikh community and at the same time pilgrims, belonging to every religion and country, come here to pay obeisance with reverence.

An inquiry committee, constituted by the SGPC, questioned the 'sewadars' for dereliction of duty.

Pictures of Instagram influencer, Archana Makwana, while performing yoga went viral.

Amid the uproar, she has issued a public apology, expressing regret.

Golden Temple General Manager Bhagwant Singh Dhangera said Archana Makwana had posted her photos on her social media account.

"After verifying through the CCTV cameras, it was found that she performed yoga exercises at 7.04 a.m. after entering the premises at 6.57 a.m. She spent almost an hour in the 'Parikrama' but she had not paid a reverence during her stay," he added.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is considered the 'Mini Parliament' of the religion.

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

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1st Time In History: Kohli Achieves Monumental Feat During T20 WC Match

Star India batter Virat Kohli made history on Saturday, becoming the first-ever cricketer to score 3,000 runs across both 20-over and 50-over Cricket World Cups. Virat accomplished this milestone during his side's T20 World Cup Super Eights clash against Bangladesh in Antigua. During the match, after a few poor games, Virat showed glimpses of his vintage self, scoring 37 runs in 28 deliveries. His knock had a four and three big sixes. Virat scored his runs at a strike rate of 132.14.

Virat is the leading run-scorer in the history of the ICC T20 World Cup, scoring 1,207 runs in 32 matches and 30 innings at an average of 63.52 and a strike rate of 129.78. Ending unbeaten 11 times, Virat has scored 14 half-centuries in tournament history, with the best score of 89*. He also won 'Player of the Tournament' in 2014 and 2016 for his performances.

Virat's top campaign in the T20 World Cup was in 2014, scoring 319 runs in six matches at an average of 106.33 with four half-centuries. His strike rate was 129.15.

In the ongoing tournament, Virat has scored 66 runs in five games at an average of 13.20 and a strike rate of 108.19, with the best score of 37.

Coming to the 50-over World Cup, Virat also has a fine record in the larger format. He is the second-highest run-scorer in tournament history, with 1,795 runs in 37 matches and 37 innings at an average of 59.83 and a strike rate of 88.20, with five centuries and 12 fifties. His best score is 117.

In a career-best performance during the 2023 50-over World Cup in India, Virat notably top-scored and secured the 'Player of the Tournament' award, scoring 765 runs in 11 matches at an average of above 95, with three centuries and six fifties. His best score was 117. He also registered the most runs by a batter in a single World Cup edition, breaking Sachin Tendulkar's record of 673 runs in 2003.

Overall, across both competitions in 69 matches, Virat has scored 3,002 runs in 67 innings at an average of 61.26. He has scored five centuries and 26 fifties, with the best score of 117.

Coming to the match, Bangladesh won the toss and opted to field first.

Bangladesh (Playing XI): Tanzid Hasan, Litton Das(w), Najmul Hossain Shanto(c), Towhid Hridoy, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mustafizur Rahman

India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah.

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Boy, 17, Emerges From Swimming Pool, Collapses And Dies After Few Steps

A 17-year-old boy had stepped out of a swimming pool and walked a little distance when he collapsed, showed a disturbing video from Uttar Pradesh. He was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead upon arrival.

The incident, which took place on Friday afternoon, was reported from Meerut.

The boy, Islam, played cricket early in the day and then returned home. Soon after, he left for the swimming pool with his friends.

"A few children were there at the pool. CCTV shows that a boy steps out of the pool, walks a little and then slumps to the floor. He is taken to a hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival," said Kamlesh Bahadur, SP Dehat, Meerut.

The family of the boy has not filed any police complaint.

In September last, a man collapsed in a gym while running on a treadmill. Others rushed to help, but couldn't revive him. In another incident from UP, a man collapsed during the dance at a wedding.

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In Hooch Tragedy-Hit Tamil Nadu Village, Queue Of Bodies For Cremation

A pall of gloom has descended over Karunapuram village in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district. As many as 24 of the 39 who have died after consuming illicit liquor are from here. A mass cremation is taking place, and many bodies are still lined up.

A mother who lost her son is inconsolable. "He complained of severe stomach ache and could not open his eyes. Initially, they didn't even admit him saying he is drunk. The government should shut down liquor shops," she wailed. 

At least one hundred people are being treated in various hospitals. At the Kallakurichi Government Medical College Hospital, many are battling breathlessness and loss of vision, and experiencing excruciating pain.

This is the second such tragedy in two years. Last year, 22 were killed after consuming methanol, but critics say the state government seems to have learnt no lessons. 

After the latest incident, the district superintendent of police and several police officers have been suspended and the Collector has been transferred. Chief Minister MK Stalin has said he will clampdown on the illicit liquor trade with an iron hand. 

Three suspected bootleggers have been arrested and they have a criminal history. The police are on the lookout for the alleged kingpin, Chinnadurai, who allegedly supplied the distilled arrack that caused the deaths. 

The opposition has demanded the resignation of Mr Stalin, alleging collusion by cadre of the ruling DMK. They have also blamed the police and asked if there was an intelligence failure. 

AIADMK Chief Edappadi K Palaniswamy said, "Chief Minister Stalin should resign. This is incompetence. He gives an excuse every time".

Taking a different tack, K Annamalai, president of the Tamil Nadu BJP, added, "The state government should close at least a thousand liquor shops."

Mr Stalin did not visit the affected areas but sent ministers, including his son Udhayanidhi. Calling the incident painful and sad, he assured a crackdown and announced a one-man commission to conduct an inquiry into the accident. The home secretary and the DGP are expected to submit a report in two days.

The sale of liquor by Tamil Nadu government fetches a whopping Rs 40,000 crore in revenue. That indicates the level of alcohol addiction in the state. In the past, the DMK had argued that total prohibition would only open the floodgates of illicit liquor. Now, many are asking if it is time for a relook at the alcohol policy.

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Former Pak PM Imran Khan's Political Adviser Kidnapped In Lahore: Report

The political adviser to jailed former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan has reportedly been kidnapped by unknown men from Lahore, the capital of Punjab province, according to a media report today.

Ghulam Shabbir, who is the elder brother of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shahbaz Gill, was abducted by unknown individuals two days ago while he was travelling to Islamabad, according to an FIR registered at the Kahna police station, Pakistan's Express Tribune newspaper reported.

The FIR, registered by his son Bilal, states that Shabbir had left his residence in Lahore's Khayaban-e-Amin late at night and headed towards Islamabad. No further details were available.

Imran Khan has been in jail since August last year after being convicted in some of the nearly 200 cases slapped on him since his ouster in April 2022.

In May 2022, the former cricketer-turned-politician launched a march toward Islamabad from Lahore to topple the coalition government of Shehbaz Sharif that assumed power after he was ousted as the premier following a vote of no confidence.
 

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

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CBI Registers FIR Over Alleged Irregularities In UGC-NET Exam

The CBI registered a First Information Report (FIR) into the UGC-NET paper leak case on Thursday against unidentified persons on a reference from the Union Education Ministry, officials said.

The UGC-NET, 2024, exam for the selection of junior research fellows, assistant professors and PhD scholars was conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on June 18 in two shifts across the country.

The next day, the University Grants Commission received inputs from the National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (l4C) that the paper was available on the darknet and was allegedly being sold for Rs 5-6 lakh on messaging platforms, sources said.

They said the CBI will work in close coordination with the I4C while deploying its own darknet exploration software and systems to nail down the perpetrators.

According to the complaint from the Education Ministry, the inputs from I4C, which functions under the Union Home Ministry, "prima-facie indicate that the integrity of the examination may have been compromised", officials said.

"To ensure the highest level of transparency and sanctity of the examination process, the Ministry of Education, Government of India, has decided to cancel the aforesaid examination and to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a thorough investigation in the matter," the reference note from the Secretary, Education Ministry, K Sanjay Murthy said.

The reference note is now part of the FIR.

The facts of the complaint prima facie disclose the commission of offences punishable under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code against unknown accused, the FIR states.

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

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Pak Fan Shares Hilarious Spoof On Cricketer Mohammad Rizwan's Struggles

Unhappy fans and former Pakistani cricketers have unleashed a wave of criticism on the national team following their disappointing group-stage exit from the T20 World Cup. Captain Babar Azam, wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, and other middle-order batting lineups face intense scrutiny for their individual performances.

Social media has become a battleground for fans to vent their frustration. Pakistan's batting, fielding, and bowling have all come under fire, with many fans particularly disappointed by the team's lack of inspiration. Rizwan, who recently set an unwanted record for the slowest T20 World Cup half-century, has been heavily criticised for his low strike rate.

Adding fuel to the fire, a spoof video mocking Rizwan's slow batting has gone viral. The video features a man impersonating the wicketkeeper during a match, highlighting his struggles to score quickly. While the video is intended to be humorous, it reflects the deep disappointment fans feel towards Rizwan's performance.

Watch the video here: 
 

A clear image of @iMRizwanPak pic.twitter.com/L8X6CIiTD7

— Dr. Rihab khan (@DrRihabOfficial) June 17, 2024

Pakistan's cricket board and team management now face the challenge of addressing the fans' concerns and rebuilding a winning strategy for future tournaments. The video features a man impersonating the wicketkeeper during a match, highlighting his struggles to score quickly. While the video is intended to be humorous, it reflects the deep disappointment fans feel towards Rizwan's performance.

The Pakistan cricket board and team management are now tasked with addressing the fans' concerns and developing a winning strategy for future tournaments.

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