Bear Gatecrashes Family Picnic In Mexico, Gorges On Enchiladas And Tacos

A picnic party at Mexico's Chipinque Ecological Park turned into a heart-stopping encounter for a family when a hungry black bear decided to join their celebrations. In a video that has gone viral on social media, the bear is seen gorging on enchiladas, salsa, tacos, and french fries laid out on a picnic table in the park. 

The incident happened when Silvia Macias of Mexico City was celebrating the 15th birthday of her son, Santiago, who has Down's syndrome at the park, as per BBC. Suddenly, a bear showed up out of nowhere, jumped onto the table, and devoured the picnic snacks. The mother-son, meanwhile, sat frozen in silence, as the woman covered the boy's face and held him tight. When there was no more food, the bear leaped off the table and left.

The video was filmed by Ms. Macias' friend, Angela Chapa, and later went viral across several social media platforms. 

Watch the video here:

A family was stunned when an intruding bear hopped onto their table to devour their food. The eldest daughter captured the scene as the bear continued munching away in Parque Ecológico Chipinque in San Pedro, Mexico 🇲🇽. The mother, as seen in the video, remained calm, shielding… pic.twitter.com/o47OkJQsNr

— Voyage Feelings (@VoyageFeelings) September 27, 2023

The video has gone viral, and many said that they were terrified watching the clip. Many also lauded the woman's bravery and presence of mind. One user wrote, ''I think the mum was the real bear here protecting her young.''

Another commented, ''This bear in Mexico going to town on tacos and enchiladas while people just remain calm is something to behold.'' A third wrote, ''Mom was amazingly cool and obviously well-versed in how to behave in the situation.''

A fourth said, ''If you are ever encountered by a bear, the most important thing is to stay calm. Do not run away, as this may trigger the bear's chase instinct. Instead, back away slowly and make yourself look as big as possible. If the bear charges, curl up into a ball and protect your head and neck.''

According to a BBC report, the park's website warned visitors that encounters with black bears have increased in the Monterrey metropolitan area and have been seen prowling in parks, neighbourhoods, and streets near the mountains increasing the risk to people and to the bears.

The park also advised visitors to "never try to photograph a bear up close".

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Canada Parliament Speaker Resigns Amid Row Over Praising Nazi Veteran

The speaker of Canada's parliament resigned on Tuesday, days after publicly celebrating a Ukrainian veteran who fought for the Nazis during World War II.

During a visit to parliament by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky last week, Anthony Rota hailed an elderly Ukrainian immigrant from his district as a hero, prompting a standing ovation.

But Rota has faced growing pressure to resign after it was revealed that the veteran had served in a Nazi-linked military unit.

"It is with a heavy heart that I rise to inform members of my resignation as Speaker of the House of Commons," Rota told lawmakers from the parliamentary floor.

He expressed his "profound regret for my error" and the pain he caused to Jewish communities in Canada and around the world.

Russia has accused the government in Kyiv of espousing Nazi ideals, despite Zelensky being Jewish and losing family members in the Holocaust, and the controversy was likely to add fodder to that narrative.

On Friday, Rota paid homage to Yaroslav Hunka, a 98-year-old Ukrainian immigrant who was visiting parliament and who is from Rota's electoral district.

He hailed Hunka as "a Ukrainian-Canadian war veteran from the Second World War who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians" and "a Ukrainian hero and a Canadian hero."

But Hunka actually served in the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, "a Nazi military unit whose crimes against humanity during the Holocaust are well-documented," according to the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center.

The Jewish advocacy group called the incident "shocking" and "incredibly disturbing."

"This incident has compromised all 338 Members of Parliament," the organization said, adding it had "handed a propaganda victory to Russia, distracting from what was a momentously significant display of unity between Canada and Ukraine."

- 'Deepest apologies' -

Several political parties in Canada had urged Rota, a Liberal lawmaker, to step down.

Rota, who was first elected in 2004 and became speaker in 2019, apologized on Sunday, saying that he had "subsequently become aware of more information" which caused him to regret his remarks about Hunka.

"This initiative was entirely my own... I particularly want to extend my deepest apologies to Jewish communities in Canada and around the world," he said.

On Monday Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Rota's remarks shameful.

The main opposition Conservatives slammed the Trudeau administration for failing to properly vet Hunka, despite claims it had no advance notice he'd been invited to the event.

Zelensky's visit to Canada was the third leg in a tour aimed at bolstering international support, after addressing the United Nations and visiting US President Joe Biden in Washington.

During the visit, Trudeau pledged additional aid to Zelensky's war-torn country.

Canada is home to the world's second-largest Ukrainian diaspora and Zelensky, in his speech to parliament, expressed thanks for the backing given to Kyiv since Russian troops poured over the Ukrainian borders in February 2022.

Russia has accused Ukrainian leaders of being "neo-Nazis" and has sought to justify the war with the need to "denazify" its neighbor.

Commenting on the issue of the Ukrainian veteran, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said "such sloppiness of memory is outrageous," Russian media reported.

In Poland, Education Minister Przemysław Czarnek raised the possibility of seeking Hunka's extradition.

Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, Czarnek said he had tasked the national historical research institute to see if Hunka is wanted for crimes against Poles or Polish Jews.

"I have taken steps towards a possible extradition of this man to Poland," Czarnek wrote.

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

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US Woman Killed Mother By Stabbing Her After She Was Kicked Out Of College

A 23-year-old woman from Ohio killed her mother by beating her with an iron skillet and stabbing her nearly 30 times in the neck- because she learned she'd been kicked out of college and didn't want her mother to find out.

According to the Summit County Prosecutor's Office, Sydney Powell of Akron was found guilty of murder, felonious assault and tampering with evidence in the brutal death of healthcare worker Brenda Powell, 50.

"In March of 2020, Sydney Powell struck Brenda Powell in the head with an iron skillet, then stabbed her nearly 30 times in the neck," Summit County Prosecutor's Office said in a release.

Akron Beacon Journal reported that Powell, a former Mount Union University student, sobbed in the Summit County Common Pleas courtroom after a jury found her guilty Wednesday.

On March 3, 2020, police found Brenda inside her Scudder Drive home with severe injuries. She was rushed to the hospital where she died from her injuries.

According to a New York Post report, Powell attacked her mother- a child life specialist at Akron Children's Hospital - while she was on the phone with officials from her school.

The defence argued that Powell suffered from schizophrenia and therefore could not be held accountable for the murder, the media outlet reported. James Reardon, one of three defence experts who made the diagnosis, said Sydney suffered a psychotic break when she killed her mom, whom she had considered her best friend.

Sylvia O'Bradovich, a psychologist hired by prosecutors disagreed with the diagnosis and said Powell did not meet the legal definition of insanity at the time of the crime. Ms O'Bradovich agreed that Powell suffers from mental health issues, including borderline personality traits, malingering and an anxiety disorder.

Describing the incident in court, Assistant Prosecutor Brian Stano said, "Sydney stopped attacking with the pan, presumably went to the kitchen with a knife," per the Akron Beacon Journal. "She had to switch weapons and keep attacking her," Stano added.

"Just the knife just in the neck multiple times? That is purposeful," Stano added. "That is trying to end someone."

Powell's sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 28.

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Canada Parliament Speaker Quits Amid Row Over Praising Nazi-Linked Veteran

The speaker of Canada's House of Commons lower chamber on Tuesday said he would quit, a few days after he publicly praised a former Nazi soldier in Parliament in an incident that Russia said helped justify its war on Ukraine.

Anthony Rota told legislators he had made a mistake by inviting ex-soldier Yaroslav Hunka, 98, to attend a session in the House honoring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last Friday. Rota publicly recognised Hunka, calling him a hero.

The speaker's position rapidly became untenable after it emerged that Hunka, who received two standing ovations from lawmakers, had served in one of Adolf Hitler's Waffen SS units during World War Two. Russia called the incident outrageous.

"That public recognition has caused pain to individuals and communities, including the Jewish community in Canada and around the world ... I accept full responsibility for my actions," said Rota, a member of the ruling Liberal party, adding his resignation would take effect on Wednesday. Until then a deputy speaker will be in charge.

The episode played into the narrative promoted by Russian President Vladimir Putin that he sent his army into Ukraine last year to "demilitarise and denazify" the country, a charge Kyiv and Western allies say is baseless.

The furor helped tarnish the visit by Zelenskiy, who thanked Canada for the billions of dollars in aid and weapons it has provided since Russia invaded in February 2022.

Foreign Minister Melanie Joly earlier said Rota should resign while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called on him to ponder his future.

Although opposition parties blamed what they called failings by Trudeau's Liberal government for the affair, Rota said he took sole responsibility for what had happened. Hunka lives in Rota's parliamentary constituency.

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

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"More Arms Smuggled From Within India Than Pak": Punjab Chief Minister

In a shocking statement, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the state sees more weapons being smuggled from other states, like Madhya Pradesh, than it does from across the border- a reference to Pakistan. 

The remark, made at a meeting of the Northern Zonal Council chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday, comes at a time when central agencies have shared extensive details of how terrorists and Khalistani elements have been pushing weapons into the state via drones and other means, with the backing of the Pakistani establishment. 

To counter the threat of drones, the chief minister said that a centre of excellence for drones should be set up in Punjab. He said that, being a border state, drones pose a mammoth challenge for the Punjab Police, as is reflected in the year-on-year increase in their sightings and recoveries. He said that drones are mainly being for espionage and cross-border smuggling of weapons and drugs. 

This led Mr Mann to flag the issue of the smuggling of weapons from within the country. Pointing out that this is posing a "great threat" to law and order in the state, he said that it is unfortunate that the number of weapons smuggled from within the country (especially from states like Madhya Pradesh) is much more than is smuggled from across the border.

Advocating for the setting up of a regional centre of National Security Guards (NSG) in Pathankot at the earliest, the chief minister said that Punjab is always prone to terror attacks from across the border. He said that the NSG hub, which was announced by the Union government, must be set up at the earliest to help safeguard the country's borders. 

The chief minister also underscored the need for revision of the clause of having to pay for paramilitary forces to maintain law and order when needed. He said that this clause of 'paramilitary forces on rent' should be abolished as far as Punjab is concerned, adding that the centre must be magnanimous in allocation as companies.

Mr Mann also spoke on the requirement of a genuine federal structure in the country and said that the need for more financial arid political power to states has been felt across the spectrum of political opinion. 

He said that there is a wide consensus, cutting across party lines, that the state governments need to be given much greater operational freedom in choosing and financing their developmental priorities. "Everybody knows that the state governments are in a much better position to understand, address and solve the problems of their people, at the cutting edge" the chief minister said.

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Chandrababu Nadu, With Z Plus Cover, Seeks Refuge From Mosquitoes In Jail

N Chandrababu Naidu has Z plus security in prison but it's no match against the mosquitoes.

In a tweet, on Thursday, Nara Lokesh, Chandrababu Naidu's son, expressed suspicion that Chief Minister Jagan Reddy had imprisoned his father with the intent of killing him.

A few days ago, a prisoner in the Rajahmundry Central Jail in Andhra Pradesh, where Mr Naidu is also lodged in connection with a corruption case, died due to dengue, Nara Lokesh pointed out, raising concern over his father's health.

Mr Lokesh also alleged that the prison authorities have ignored Chandrababu Naidu's complaints about mosquito bites in the jail.

Similarly, the TDP Andhra Pradesh President, Kinjarapu Atchannaidu, today, expressed concern about a severe mosquito infestation in the prison. He emphasized that these concerns have intensified following the death of a prisoner due to dengue.

Atchannaidu revealed that the prison authorities have not complied with court orders to provide necessary amenities to the former Chief Minster.

Earlier, former Finance Minister during the TDP term, Yanamala Rama Krishnudu, disclosed the same mosquito problem to the media.

After visiting N Chandrababu Naidu on September 18 in Central Prison, Rama Krishnudu reported excessive mosquitoes in Chandrababu Naidu's prison room. When they inquired about this, the officials claimed to have provided a mosquito net, bed, and other items.

Rama Krishnudu stated that it is evident there are inadequate facilities in the former Chief Minister's room.

Despite numerous complaints from TDP leaders, the prison authorities have not addressed the issues, causing Chandrababu Naidu difficulties during his confinement, the party claims.

While people across the state are concerned about the former Chief Minister's safety, there have been no attempts from the officials to address these concerns, the party added.

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Pakistan Great's Reply On Sachin's Post For Arjun And Sara Wins Hearts

Legendary Indian cricket team batter Sachin Tendulkar took to social media to share a sweet message for his children - Arjun Tendulkar and Sara Tendulkar. Sachin shared a picture of Arjun and Sara as kids on social media platform X (formerly called Twitter) along with the caption - "What a beautiful coincidence! Celebrating Arjun's birthday and #DaughtersDay on the same day. I couldn't be a happier father." Former Pakistan opener Saeed Anwar shared a heartwarming message on the picture as he wrote - "Masha Allah Sachin! Wishing Arjun a happy birthday, thoughts & best wishes to Sara."

The friendship between the two legends go a long way back as they have played a lot of cricket against each other and it was Sachin who broke Anwar's long-standing record in ODI cricket. Anwar had the highest individual score at one point with 194 but Sachin surpassed him with the first double ton. 

Masha Allah Sachin! Wishing Arjun a happy birthday, thoughts & best wishes to Sara. https://t.co/zhtg1EjAVv

— Saeed Anwar (@ImSaeedAnwar) September 24, 2023

"Nobody else does deserve to get there. It's only Sachin who deserves to scale that peak. 200 is a big score in one-day cricket. It's not easy to get there," Anwar said about Sachin's historic feat.

"It took him 20 long years to get there. He has come a long way. It's Sachin's greatness."

"He is a man of dedication and modesty, so God has been kind to him. Records are meant to be broken. I heard somebody equalled my record some time ago. But I did not know him (Coventry). It's great that my friend from Mumbai Sachin broke it. I am very happy for him," he added.

As for Arjun, his stocks have gone up since being roped in by Indian Premier League franchise Mumbai Indians. Still a player who needs to work on all aspects of the game, Arjun has shown that he has the talent to make it big in the sport.

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