"I Am 83": Congress Chief On Senior Leaders 'Opting Out' Of Lok Sabha Polls

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday rejected suggestions that senior party leaders are shying away from contesting the Lok Sabha polls and said that if workers ask him to fight the elections he may do so.

He, however, indicated that he may not enter the poll fray this time with age being a factor.

Mr Kharge was elected as an MP from Karnataka's Gulbarga in 2009 and 2014 and had lost in 2019.

Asked about reports that senior leaders were opting out of contesting the Lok Sabha polls, Mr Kharge said, "It is wrong that we are backing out. I am 83 years old, you (journalists) retire at 65...So I am 83."

"If given a chance, everyone goes and tells our party workers (that I should fight)...if they say then I will definitely fight. Look, sometimes we are at the back, sometimes we are at the forefront. We also have a list of ten people asking for the same seat," he said.

On another question about the comparison between PN Narendra Modi's guarantees and those of the Congress, Mr Kharge said, "They stole our guarantee. We started in Karnataka, won the elections, later we did it in Telangana. ...Modi Saheb is stealing our guarantee and saying 'this is our guarantee'."

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Suryakumar To Miss First Two Games Of IPL 2024? Report Makes Big Claim

India's ace T20 batter Suryakumar Yadav is currently undergoing rehabilitation at Bengaluru's National Cricket Academy post an ankle surgery but it is still not clear whether he will be available for the first two games of the Mumbai Indians in the upcoming Indian Premier League. Mumbai Indians will start its campaign on Sunday, March 24, against last year's runners-up Gujarat Titans, and it is a race against time for the world No. 1 T20 batter, who is working hard at the NCA to get back to peak match fitness. "Surya's rehabilitation is on track and he will certainly 'Return to Play' in the IPL itself. However it is still not clear whether the NCA's Sports Science and Medical Team will give clearance to play in the first two away games against Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad (March 27)," a BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity.

If one goes by Surya's Instagram handle, he has been seen doing a lot of Strength and Conditioning (S&C) routines but he hasn't yet uploaded any of his batting videos, which will give a fair indication of how he is shaping up.

"There are still 12 days to go before MI play their first game but it could be a race against time to get fit by the first match itself," the source said.

Surya is the most vital player in India's T20 set-up with a strike-rate of 171-plus and 2,141 runs in 60 T20 games. He has four T20I hundreds to his credit.

Much of India's chances in the T20 World Cup in the Americas (USA and West Indies) will depend on how Surya plays. And even for MI to have a successful campaign, Surya's availability from the start is paramount.

Surya last played in South Africa, where he led the national team in the T20 format.

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Poll Body Asked By Supreme Court To Publish Electoral Bonds Data By Friday

The Election Commission is likely to make the electoral bonds data public on its website soon after the expected disclosure by the State Bank of India. The Supreme Court yesterday ordered the State Bank of India to submit the details of electoral bonds to the Election Commission by close of business hours today. The poll body was in turn asked by the court to make this data public on its website by Friday (March 15).

A five-judge constitution bench asked tough questions to the SBI, which unsuccessfully sought extension of time till June 30 to disclose the details of electoral bonds. The court asked senior advocate Harish Salve, who was representing the bank, about the steps taken by the SBI to comply with its landmark February 15 order that scrapped the scheme of anonymous political funding.

"Mr Salve, our judgement is dated February 15, 2024. We are now on the 11th of March. In the last 26 days, what extent of matching has been done by you? What steps have you taken in the last 26 days? The application is absolutely silent on that," Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said.

The top court had earlier directed the SBI, the authorised financial institution under the scheme, to submit the details of the electoral bonds purchased since April 12, 2019 till date to the Election Commission by March 6.

The SBI, however, filed an application before the court two days before the expiry of the deadline seeking an extension of time until June 30 for complying with the directions. In its application, the SBI had contended that the retrieval of information from "each silo" and the procedure of matching the information of one silo to that of the other would be a time-consuming exercise.

Mr Salve said if the matching exercise was to be done away with, the SBI could complete the exercise within three weeks.

"We had not told you to do the matching exercise. We have asked you for a plain disclosure," the Chief Justice said.

"Even your FAQs (frequently asked question), which were shown to us during the hearing, indicate that for every purchase, you have to have a separate KYC (know your customer)," the bench said, noting, "Therefore, it is very clear that every time somebody made a purchase, a KYC was mandated".

The Supreme Court also put the SBI on notice that it may be inclined to proceed against it for "wilful disobedience" of its February 15 verdict if the bank failed to comply with its directions and timelines.

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BJP, Chandrababu Naidu's TDP Finalise Seats For Lok Sabha, Andhra Polls

The BJP, N Chandrababu Naidu's TDP and Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena have finalised seats for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections late this evening. The BJP will fight in six Lok Sabha and ten assembly seats, TDP will contest in 17 Lok Sabha and 144 assembly seats while Jana Sena got two Lok Sabha and 21 assembly seats. Andhra Pradesh has 25 Lok Sabha and 175 assembly seats that will see a simultaneous contest.

As per sources, the BJP will fight parliamentary elections from Araku, Rajahmundry, Anakapalle, Tirupati, Narasapuram and one more seat while Jana sena from Machilipatnam and Kakinada.

The announcement came after senior BJP leaders, including Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, went into a huddle with Mr Naidu and Mr Kalyan on Monday to finalise candidates.

BJP chief JP Nadda announced the alliance of his party with the Telugu Desam Party and the Jana Sena on March 9. "Under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Jana Sena Party (JSP), as well as being committed to the progress of the country and the upliftment of state and people of Andhra Pradesh, have decided to contest the ensuing Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections together in Andhra Pradesh," a joint statement released by the TDP BJP and the Jana Sena said.

The TDP, which was part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance until 2018, expressed interest in reviving the alliance after suffering a crushing defeat in the 2019 elections. Mr Naidu's party had walked out of the NDA over financial support for Andhra Pradesh. "I took the decision not for selfish reasons but for the interests of Andhra Pradesh. For four years I made all efforts, went to Delhi 29 times, asked many times. This was the Centre's last budget and there was no mention of Andhra Pradesh," Mr Naidu had then explained his decision.

A joint statement issued by the parties highlighted their "old ties". "The BJP and the TDP have a very old relationship together. The TDP joined the NDA in 1996 and has worked together successfully in governments led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi," it said.

In 2014, the TDP and the BJP fought the Lok Sabha and Andhra Pradesh Assembly polls together, while the JSP supported the two parties, it added.

Yesterday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy said that he was ready to fight against the alliance and alleged that Chandrababu Naidu's cycle is "rusted and he is fetching support from other political parties".

Elections for Lok Sabha are expected to be held in April-May in which the ruling BJP is eyeing a third term and has set a target of winning 370 seats on its own and 400 with allies.

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Dravid's Blunt Take On Scheduling Issues Amid BCCI's Red-Ball Cricket Push

Indian cricket team head coach Rahul Dravid suggested that the domestic cricket scheduling should go through an 'all-round review' after players like Shardul Thakur and R Sai Kishore expressed their concerns. Shardul said that players need more breaks between the matches in order to avoid injury and his sentiments were echoed by Sai Kishore. Following India's win over England in the fifth Test match in Dharamsala, Dravid was asked about the concerns and he said that the BCCI should consult the players who are "going through the grind and putting their bodies on the line."

"I've heard the same as well. I saw some of the comments Shardul, I think, made. And in fact some of the boys who've come into the team as well, also comment about how tough the domestic schedule is, especially in a country like India with the amount of travel involved. So yeah, we need to hear the players. That's a very important thing in a lot of these things," Dravid said.

"You need to hear your players, because they are the ones going through the grind and putting their bodies on the line, and if there are enough voices saying that, then yeah, I think there's some need to look at it, and see how we can manage our schedules."

Dravid also urged the BCCI to look into the scheduling of other competitions like Duleep Trophy and Deodhar Trophy to manage the pressure on the cricketers.

"It's a long season already in India. It's tough," Dravid said. "The Ranji Trophy is a long season, and if you add a Duleep and a Deodhar on top of that...Last year, if I'm not mistaken, the Duleep started in June, it was just a month after the IPL, and your problem in this situation is your best players, the guys who are pushing for selection for India, are the ones that end up playing the most cricket. Because they keep getting selected at the next level, more and more, and their teams are the ones probably who are playing the semi-finals and the finals, or that kind of situation. They are the ones who end up playing a lot of cricket, and you also want them to be playing for India, and India A tours, and so it can get quite tough on a lot of those boys, and maybe we need to hear them out."

"Maybe we need to re-look and see whether some of the tournaments that we are conducting are necessary in this day and age or if they are not necessary. There needs to be an all-round review [involving] coaches and players, especially the guys who are part of the domestic circuit," he added.

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World's Oldest Bread Found in Turkey, Dating Back 8,600 Years

In a groundbreaking discovery, archaeologists in Turkey unearthed what they believe to be the world's oldest bread. The find dates back to an impressive 6600 BC and was located at Catalhoyuk, an archaeological site in southern Turkey's Konya province. 

The bread residue was found near a partially destroyed oven structure in an area called "Mekan 66," surrounded by ancient mudbrick houses. According to a press release from Turkey's Necmettin Erbakan University Science and Technology Research and Application Center (BITAM), the bread appears to be a round, spongy remnant and was identified through analysis.

It was determined that the organic residue was 8,600-year-old, uncooked, fermented bread, CNN reported. 

"We can say that this finds at Catalhoyuk is the oldest bread in the world," archaeologist Ali Umut Turkcan, head of the Excavation Delegation and an associate professor at Anadolu University in Turkey, told Turkish state news outlet Anadolu Agency Wednesday.

"It is a smaller version of a loaf of bread. It has a finger pressed in the center, it has not been baked, but it has been fermented and has survived to the present day with the starches inside. There is no similar example of something like this to date," he added.

Microscopic analysis confirmed the team's suspicions. Images from a scanning electron microscope revealed air spaces and identifiable starch granules within the sample. Salih Kavak, a biologist at Gaziantep University in Turkey, explained in the press release that this finding "eliminated our doubts" about the bread's authenticity.

Further analysis revealed the chemical makeup of the sample, including both plant material and indicators of fermentation. This suggests that flour and water were combined to create the dough, which was then prepared near the oven and likely stored for some time.

"It is an exciting discovery for Turkey and the world," Kavak said.

A thin layer of clay encasing the structure acted as a preservative for organic materials like wood and bread, explains archaeologist Turkcan.

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Czech Republic's Krystyna Pyszkova Wins Miss World 2024

Czech Republic's Krystyna Pyszkova on Saturday won the coveted Miss World 2024 title at a grand event in Mumbai, which saw Indian contestant Sini Shetty only making it to the top 8.

Miss Lebanon Yasmina Zaytoun was named the first runner-up.

Reigning Miss World Karolina Bielawska from Poland crowned her successor at the star-studded finale.

Pyszkova is the second Miss World from Czech Republic after 2006 pageant winner Tatana Kucharova.

According to the official Miss World website, Pyszkova is a Czech model who is pursuing separate degrees in law and business administration.

Pyszkova, who is in her 20s, is also the founder of the Krystyna Pyszko Foundation. The model, who is fluent in English, Polish, Slovak, and German languages, is an advocate for sustainable development through education.

"Her proudest moment was opening an English school for underprivileged children in Tanzania where she also volunteered. She enjoys playing the transverse flute and the violin, and has a passion for music and art having spent nine years in an art academy," read Pyszkova's profile on the website.

India, which hosted the event after 28 years, was represented by 22-year-old Shetty.

Mumbai-born Shetty, who was crowned Femina Miss India World in 2022, was bested by Zaytoun who claimed the last spot in the top 4 of the competition.

India has won the prestigious title six times -- Reita Faria Powell (1966), Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (1994), Diana Hayden (1997), Yukta Mookhey (1999), Priyanka Chopra Jonas (2000), and Manushi Chillar (2017).

The 71st Miss World pageant, which witnessed participation of contestants from 112 countries, was held at the Jio World Convention Centre in BKC.

Part of the 12-judge panel for the finale included film producer Sajid Nadiadwala; actors Kriti Sanon, Pooja Hegde; cricketer Harbhajan Singh; news personality Rajat Sharma, social worker Amruta Fadnavis; Vineet Jain, MD of Bennett, Coleman & Co. Limited; Julia Morley, Chairperson and CEO of the Miss World Organization; Jamil Saidi, Strategic Partner & Host - Miss World India, and three former Miss Worlds, including Chillar.

Filmmaker Karan Johar and former Miss World Megan Young hosted the event, which kickstarted on a high note with performances by singers Shaan, Neha Kakkar, and Tony Kakkar.

A video message by Chopra Jonas highlighting the importance of 'beauty with purpose', a tagline associated with the Miss World pageant, was also played at the event.

Earlier, the cast of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's maiden web series "Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar" -- Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Segal, and Sanjeeda Sheikh -- walked the stage with 13 fast-track Miss World contestants on the show's newly released song "Sakal Ban".

The month-long Miss World contest commenced with "The Opening Ceremony" and "India Welcomes the World Gala" by the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) in New Delhi on February 20.

It featured a series of rigorous competitions, including talent showcases, sports challenges, and charitable initiatives -- all aimed at highlighting the qualities that make these competitors the ambassadors of change.

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

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