13-Year-Old Chinese Girl Performs 'Arangetram' In China, Scripts History

A 13-year-old Chinese girl scripted history when she performed Bharatanatyam "Arangetram" in China, a landmark in the journey of the ancient Indian dance form that is gaining popularity in the neighbouring country.

Lei Muzi made her solo dance debut here on Sunday in front of the celebrated Bharatanatyam dancer Leela Samson, Indian diplomats and a large audience of Chinese fans.

For ardent Chinese fans of Indian classical art and dance forms who devoted their lives to learning and performing them for decades, her debut was a moment of history and a milestone as it was the first-ever "Arangetram" -- Bharatnatyam's graduation ceremony -- in China.

For the performers of the ancient dance from South India, Arangetram, as it is called in Tamil, is their debut performance on stage in front of teachers and experts besides the audience.

Only after Arangetram are the students allowed to perform on their own or train aspiring dancers.

"This is the first-ever Arangetram by a student fully trained in China and performed in China," said T S Vivekanand, the First Secretary of the Indian Embassy in charge of culture who attended the event.

It was a properly done Arangetram in a very traditional way, he told PTI here.

"Lei's Arangetram is the first time that Chinese students trained by a Chinese teacher have completed in China, which is a landmark in the history of Bharatanatyam inheritance," noted Chinese Bharatanatyam dancer Jin Shan Shan, who trained Lei, said.

Shruti Rawat, the wife of Indian Ambassador Pradeep Rawat, was the chief guest at Lei's Arangetram.

The event was attended by a large crowd of fans who cheered her over the two-hour-long performance during which she danced to several classical numbers.

Besides Leela Sampson, a team of musicians who were flown in from Chennai sang the classical numbers for Lei to perform.

She is due to perform in Chennai later this month.

Lei was trained for over 10 years at the Bharatanatyam school run by Jin, who herself was the first accomplished Bharatanatyam dancer to have held her Arangetram in 1999 in New Delhi.

Jin was one of the numerous Chinese students who were trained by eminent Chinese dancer Zhang Jun.

Lei, also known as Dudu, says she fell in love with Bharatanatyam since she joined Jin's school in 2014.

"I completely fell in love with it. I kept dancing till now. For me, Bharatanatyam is not only a beautiful art and dance form but also the embodiment of Indian culture," she told PTI.

"This fascinates me greatly, as well as the gorgeous and graceful movements during a dance item. Overall, I extremely love Bharatanatyam. For me, it is already a daily activity to do, and I am truly interested in the culture of India," she said.

Jin, who is widely known in China and India and has held numerous performances, said she is proud to see one of her students complete her Arangetram.

"Bharatanatyam has brought us close together. For ten years, Lei has come to my home every weekend to attend classes, which not only let me witness her growth but also made us family," she said.

"It reminds me of how my guru, Leela Samson, taught me when I did my Arangetram," she said.

Sunday's Arangetram is a festival for us, Jin said.

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

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Volcanoes, Famine, Endless Winter: The Year That Nearly Ended Civilisation

Mankind has endured many calamities, epidemics and natural disasters, including the coronavirus disease. But do you know there is a period in history that is called "the worst year to be alive"? According to historians, that year is 536 AD. It is worse than the year 1349, when the Black Death wiped out half of Europe. The situation was worse than 1918, when the flu killed nearly 100 million people. "It (536 AD) was the beginning of one of the worst periods to be alive, if not the worst year," says Michael McCormick, a historian, told science.org.

So what all happened in 536 AD? According to history.com, a mysterious fog engulfed Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Asia into darkness for 18 months. This caused the temperature to drop, crops to fail and people to die.

A deadly plague swept through the population already weakened by hunger, claiming countless lives from Constantinople (now Istanbul) to China.

Archaeological and scientific evidence say the fog was caused by a volcanic eruption in Iceland in early 536. This was also mentioned in the journal Antiquity in 2018.

"The sun gave forth its light without brightness, like the moon, during the whole year," science.org quoted Byzantine historian Procopius as writing in one of the manuscripts. It was a literal 'Dark Age', when the temperature in the summer fell to 1.5 degrees Celsius to 2.5 degrees Celsius, leading to snow in China.

Accounts like Procopius' were not taken seriously till the 1990s, according to McCormick. "It was a pretty drastic change; it happened overnight. The ancient witnesses really were onto something. They were not being hysterical or imagining the end of the world," he told history.com.

The situation worsened by eruptions in the years 540 AD and 547 AD, and it took a long time for the Northern Hemisphere to recover.

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YouTuber Faces Police Case For "Peacock Curry" Video

A YouTuber in Telangana faces a police case for making a video featuring a recipe for "traditional peacock curry", said police.

Peacock is India's national bird and, according to laws, it is illegal to own or capture peacocks. Any violation invites strict penalties.

The police have launched a manhunt for Kodam Pranay Kumar, a resident of Tangallapalli in the Siricilla district, for allegedly endorsing the unlawful killing of the national bird.

"A case has been registered under concerned law and strictest action would be taken against him and anyone else doing such activities," Akhil Mahajan, SP Rajanna Siricilla district, wrote on X.

"He (Kumar) will be sent to remand as well," he added in a separate post.

Despite the removal of the video, animal rights activists are demanding stringent measures against Kumar.

In earlier videos, Kumar showcased the preparation of wild boar curry, among others.

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Sloth Borne Virus That Has Killed People In Their 20s Spreading In Europe

A debilitating virus originating from sloths and transmitted by midges has been reported in Europe for the first time, officials have confirmed. In June and July, Europe saw 19 imported cases of the Oropouche virus, as reported by the European Center for Disease Control. Spain accounted for 12 cases, Italy for five, and Germany for two, the Manchester Evening News. 

The virus is primarily spread through insect bites, including mosquitoes, and originates from pale-throated sloths, non-human primates, and birds.

Currently, there is no vaccine available for the virus, which belongs to the same family of diseases as Zika virus and Dengue Fever.

Dr Danny Altmann, a professor of Immunology at Imperial College London, told The Telegraph, "We should definitely be worried. Things are changing and may become unstoppable."

Outbreaks of the virus have previously been reported in several countries across South and Central America, as well as the Caribbean. In 2024, specific outbreaks were recorded in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, and more recently in Cuba.

Of the cases recorded in Europe, 18 involved recent travel to Cuba, while one case in Italy involved travel to Brazil.

Oropouche can cause symptoms such as headaches, nausea, vomiting, and muscle and joint pains, with more severe symptoms occurring occasionally. These symptoms typically subside after four days. According to the ECDC, fatal outcomes are extremely rare, and recovery is common.

However, The Lancet reported on July 25 that two deaths caused by Oropouche were recorded for the first time in Brazil, involving two young women with no underlying health conditions.

Between January and mid-July, more than 8,000 cases were reported in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, and Cuba.

The ECDC assesses the risk of infection for EU citizens travelling to or residing in epidemic areas as moderate due to the high number of cases reported in the Americas.

The European authority has advised travellers to affected regions to use personal protective measures to reduce the risk of insect bites, both during outdoor activities and inside homes. This includes the use of insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long trousers.

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United States Top Final Medals Table At Paris Olympics 2024, India At...

The United States pipped China for top spot in the battle of medals on Sunday as Paris prepared to bring the curtain down on one of the most successful Olympic Games in history. In a thrilling finale that capped 17 days of spellbinding action, the United States women's basketball team squeezed past France 67-66 to clinch the last gold of the Games. The win -- the eighth consecutive Olympic women's basketball won by the USA -- ensured the Americans finished level with China on 40 golds each as the games drew to a close.

The USA however finished on top of the overall medal table with a total of 126 medals, with China in second place on 91.

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Meanwhile, India finished on the 71st spot with six medals -- five bronze and one silver.

With the last of the medals handed out, attention turned to Sunday's closing ceremony spectacular at the Stade de France, where Hollywood star Tom Cruise is widely rumoured to feature as the countdown to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics gets under way.

Marathon magic

Sunday's final day began with a gripping women's marathon victory by the Netherlands' long-distance running star Sifan Hassan.

Hassan had taken on what many considered to be a crazy gamble in Paris, competing in the 5,000m, the 10,000m and the marathon -- the last two events just two days apart.

But in a jaw-dropping sprint finish, Hassan overhauled Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa to take gold by three seconds in an Olympic record of 2hr 22min 55sec.

On Friday she had taken bronze in the 10,000m after coming away with a bronze in the 5,000m.

She fell to the ground on the blue carpet in front of the golden dome of the Invalides memorial complex in the heart of Paris before grabbing a Dutch flag to celebrate an extraordinary achievement.

"It was not easy," said Hassan, 31. "It was so hot, but I was feeling OK. I've never pushed myself through to the finish line as I did today.

"Every moment in the race I was regretting that I ran the 5,000m and 10,000m. I was telling myself if I hadn't done that, I would feel great today. 

"From the beginning to the end, it was so hard. Every step of the way. I was thinking, 'Why did I do that? What is wrong with me?'

Wrestling, weightlifting, water polo, volleyball, modern pentathlon, handball, and track cycling were the other sports to crown Olympic champions on the last day.

Hungary's Michelle Gulyas ran and shot to Olympic gold in the modern pentathlon, with home favourite Elodie Clouvel roared on to clinch silver.

In weightlifting, China's jubilant Li Wenwen lifted her coach into the air instead of the bar, having already secured gold.

At the velodrome, Dutch star Harrie Lavreysen surged to the men's keirin for his third gold of the Games, ending British dominance of the event they had won at every Olympics since 2008.

New Zealand's Ellesse Andrews blasted to the women's sprint title to add to her keirin gold, while American cyclist Jennifer Valente won the women's omnium.

In men's water polo, Serbia won their third straight Olympic gold with a 13-11 victory over Croatia at La Defense Arena and pulled their coach into the pool in the celebrations.

'Precious'

As the sport ends, attention turns to the closing ceremony and the next Olympics in Los Angeles in four years.

LA is expected to play heavily on its Hollywood star power and will roll out its big guns, with pop star Billie Eilish, rapper Snoop Dogg, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers all confirmed.

The worst-kept secret in Paris is that "Top Gun" star Cruise appears poised to close the ceremony with a spectacular stunt sequence.

Cruise is filming the latest episode of the "Mission Impossible" franchise in Europe and has been a regular feature at Olympic events in Paris.

"On August 11, the Olympic Games will be over, and the Olympic flame will be extinguished," said Thomas Jolly, who masterminded the unique opening ceremony along the River Seine.

"That moment will remind us just how precious are these Olympic Games," added Jolly, whose opening ceremony sparked outrage in some quarters with a scene that appeared to parody the Last Supper.

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

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Accused Washed His Clothes After Raping, Killing Kolkata Doctor: Cops

The man who was arrested on the charge of raping and murdering a doctor inside a Kolkata hospital returned to his place and went to sleep before washing his clothes the next morning to destroy evidence, a police officer probing the case claimed.

The police, however, found marks of blood on the shoe of the accused, a civic volunteer who is not associated with the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, but used to frequent the place.

The body of a woman post-graduate trainee who was allegedly raped and murdered inside a seminar hall of the hospital, was found on Friday morning. The civic volunteer was arrested on Saturday.

Protests by junior doctors demanding quick punishment of those responsible for the crime continued for the third day on Sunday, affecting services in government hospitals across West Bengal.

City Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal visited the medical establishment on Sunday for the second time in three days and held a meeting with representatives of agitating junior doctors.

He claimed the probe is "transparent" and urged people not to spread rumours.

"After committing the crime, the accused went back to the place where he was staying and slept till late on Friday morning. After waking up, he washed the clothes he was wearing during the crime to destroy evidence. His shoes, with blood stains on them, were found during a search," the officer said.

Asked if anyone else was involved in the crime as alleged by some quarters, he said, "As of now there is no evidence of that." The officer said that the police were waiting for the final post-mortem examination report as they wanted to match it with their probe findings.

The initial autopsy report stated that the victim was bleeding from her eyes, mouth and private parts. There were also injuries on her left leg, neck, right hand, ring finger and lips.

Another police officer said that circumstantial evidence also indicated a possibility that the doctor was first murdered and then raped.

"We are also talking to persons who were on duty on Thursday night till the next morning. CCTV footage is also being checked," the police officer said.

A team of police officers of the SIT, along with the forensic unit on Sunday, collected samples from the seminar hall of the hospital, a police source said.

The police also reconstructed the crime scene though the arrested accused was not present, the officer said.

"The autopsy report has been handed over to the parents of the deceased doctor today by one of our senior officers. We had a fruitful meeting with the students and we think they are satisfied. As per their demand, we have removed one assistant police officer who was posted here," the police commissioner said.

Goyal said the police are not trying to hide anyone, and the investigation is transparent.

The IPS officer said that they would soon start a toll-free number for the people to come up with suggestions or complaints.

The agitating junior doctors, however, said that they would continue their demonstration till they were totally "satisfied" and their demands regarding their safety and security were addressed.

The cease work in all emergency and non-emergency services will continue but there, one junior doctor said after the meeting with Goyal.

Junior doctors, house staff and post-graduate trainees (PGT) at various state-run hospitals, who are also demanding security for them in medical establishments, began a cease work since Friday evening. "The government must take significant steps to secure justice for the victim. The incident is not only a reflection of systemic failures at the hospital level, but it also points toward broader societal issues that demand immediate and focused attention," he said.

In the wake of the agitation, the state health department on Sunday cancelled offs and holidays of all senior doctors to tackle the stalemate.

Support for the agitating doctors came from different corners of the country.

The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association of India (FORDA) has supported the ongoing strike and called for a nationwide halt of elective services in hospitals on Monday.

The FORDA has informed the Union Health Ministry about their decision.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee vowed to seek death penalty for the perpetrator.

Meanwhile, Kolkata Police deployed a huge contingent at the hospital on Sunday.

"No one will be allowed inside the hospital premises without proper identification. We will ensure total safety of the health workers in the medical establishment," the officer said.

The hospital authorities expelled the two security persons contractually employed at the emergency ward for not discharging their duties properly which, in a way, led to the crime against the doctor, another official said.

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

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Gender Row Boxer Imane Khelif Files Complaint For Online Harassment

Paris Olympics boxing champion Imane Khelif, the Algerian at the centre of a gender eligibility row, has filed a legal complaint in France for online harassment, her lawyer said on Saturday. "The boxer Imane Khelif has decided to begin a new fight, a fight for justice, dignity and honour," Nabil Boudi said in a statement, saying Khelif had filed the complaint for "aggravated online harassment... to Paris prosecutors".

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

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