Watch: Girl Dangles From 60-Foot High Ferris Wheel At Fair In UP, Rescued

"Neeche kar jhula (Bring down the ferris wheel)", shouted someone from the ground.

"Arey Ram Ram (Ram Ram)", shrieked another as a chorus of concern and appeals went up.

This scene played out at a fair in Uttar Pradesh when a 13-year-old girl was spotted dangling from a 60-foot high ferris wheel. After a few heart-stopping moments, and some quick thinking on the part of the operator, the teenager was safely rescued.

The incident, which took place on Wednesday, was reported from Rakehti village in the Nighasan area of Lakhimpur Kheri, nearly 130 km from state capital Lucknow.

As the swing suddenly started moving, she lost her balance and slipped out of her gondola. She was seen hanging on to an iron rod. Shrieks went up. She was stuck on it for a minute, before the operator managed to get the girl down.

Sub District Magistrate Rajiv Nigam said that the girl, who has not been identified, is safe.

The operators did not have the permission to run the giant ferris wheel at the fair. The authorities said an investigation will reveal how the swing was operating without permission.

(With inputs from Prateek Srivastava)
 

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

Lift Crashes In UP Hospital, Mother Falls To Death Hours After Giving Birth

A woman was being shifted from the operation theatre to the general room after she gave birth to a girl at a hospital in Meerut. Thirty-year-old Karishma was put on a stretcher and was taken downstairs, through a lift which fell after the belt snapped. She suffered serious injuries to her head and later died during treatment.

The shocking incident took place today at the Capital Hospital in Meerut's Shastri Nagar in Uttar Pradesh. People stuck in the lift started shouting for help, leading to a commotion in the hospital. Some tried to open the elevator but failed until a team of technicians came to rescue them.

The police said the injured woman was taken to a different hospital but later died due to the injuries. The doctors and the staff fled after angry relatives of the victim vandalised the hospital.

A police post is located in front of the hospital and cops in a few minutes, bringing the situation under control.

The baby girl has been kept in the nursery of another hospital. The woman was admitted to the hospital in the morning for a cesarean delivery.

A case has been registered against the doctor, manager and staff of Capital Hospital in Lohia Nagar police station of Meerut.

The Chief Medical Officer, Meerut, reached the spot and ordered the shifting of 15 patients from the hospital to another medical centre nearby. The Capital Hospital has been sealed by authorities.

The police and the CMO have formed a team to investigate the incident.

With inputs from Shyam Parmar

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

Scientists Reveal Real Face Of Santa Claus After 1,700 Years. See Pics

Scientists have revealed the face of Saint Nicholas of Myra, the real-life bishop who inspired the concept of modern-day Santa Claus. According to the New York Post, the groundbreaking reconstruction comes 1,700 years after the saint's death and was possible by analysing data from his skull. Using advanced techniques, researchers managed to "forensically recreate" the face of Saint Nicholas of Myra, whose penchant for gift-giving prompted the legend of Father Christmas.

In the images, shared on Instagram by the study's lead author, Cicero Moraes, the saint is depicted with a broad forehead, thin lips and a round nose. The 3D images reveal his face to be both "strong" and "gentle," Mr Moraes said, per the outlet. 

Take a look at the images below: 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cicero Moraes (@cogitas3d)

Saint Nicholas of Myra died in 343 AD - long before anyone could snap a photo. He was known for only rewarding well-behaved kids with gifts and inspiring the Dutch folk figure of Sinterklaas. Over time, the character merged with English Father Christmas to become the Santa Claus we know today. 

Despite the saint's popularity, there was no accurate depiction of his until now. Mr Moraes said the 3D images match the early descriptions of Santa Claus in literature, such as the 1823 poem "Twas The Night Before Christmas," which describes his "rosy cheeks," a "broad face" and a "nose like a cherry."

"The skull has a very robust appearance, generating a strong face, as its dimensions on the horizontal axis are larger than average," he said. "This characteristic, combined with a thick beard, is very reminiscent of the figure we have in mind when we think of Santa Claus," he added. 

Also Read | Is Tim Cook Ready To Retire? Apple CEO Says "I Will Do It Until The Voice..."

According to the Post, scientists used the data collected by Luigi Martino in 1950 to reconstruct the saint's face. Studying his remains revealed that the saint suffered from chronic arthritis in his spine and pelvis and a thick skull that likely caused frequent headaches. The scientists said the saint also likely survived off a mostly plant-based diet. 

"We initially reconstructed the skull in 3D using this data," Mr Moraes said. "We supplemented this with the anatomical deformation technique, in which the tomography of a living person's head is adjusted so that the virtual donor's skull matches that of the saint," he explained. 

"The final face is an interpolation of all this information, seeking anatomical and statistical coherence," Mr Moraes added. 

Notably, while Saint Nicholas was initially buried in Myra, or modern-day Turkey, his bones were later moved to Bari, Italy, where they remain today.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/E21gIXZ
via IFTTT

Nepal Joins China's Belt And Road Initiative, Raises Concerns For New Delhi

A significant agreement was signed in Beijing today paving the way for China to make major inroads in Nepal. Seven years after an initial understanding for Kathmandu to be part of Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative or BRI, today's agreement lays the framework of how projects will be executed.

Breaking tradition of making New Delhi a Nepalese prime minister's first port of call after election results, KP Sharma Oli chose to visit Beijing instead. He has been in China since Monday to work closely with Xi Jinping and finalise the deal.

China and Nepal have "signed the framework for Belt and Road Cooperation today," Nepal's foreign office said in a post on X today, but shared no further details.

Sources familiar with the agreement have said that today's deal means both countries will not plan and coordinate the details of each project. It also paves the way for China to fund these projects and how exactly each project would be financed by Beijing.

The Government of Nepal and the Government of the People's Republic of China signed the Framework for Belt and Road Cooperation today. pic.twitter.com/6oTlDvTzIe

— MOFA of Nepal 🇳🇵 (@MofaNepal) December 4, 2024

In 2017, Nepal had agreed in-principle to be part of China's mega Belt and Road project - a massive network of roads, transport corridors, airports, and rail lines connecting China with the rest of Asia, Europe and beyond. However, no progress was made in the last seven years because of the lack of a proper framework of executing them. Kathmandu also struggled to find political consensus on the issue. That now seems to have been addressed with today's pact.

China's Belt and Road Initiative, though ambitious, has been a red flag for many countries due to Beijing's suspicious dealings and ulterior motives. Several countries have fallen in a debt trap, often called China's "debt diplomacy" wherein China builds a mega project on credit in a smaller country in terms of economy, and when the country cannot pay back the loan or interest, Beijing either takes over the project for a lifetime or cuts a deal to forward its expansionist agenda.

China's Belt and Road Initiative has also had a history of ignoring the national security concerns and violating the sovereignty of other nations.

Several leaders in Nepal's government and opposition are concerned over debt concerns mounting in an already-stretched economy. Even within Prime Minister Oli's government, there is fierce debate over the potential risks in mega projects executed by China. Nepal Congress, which is a key ally of PM Oli's party, has vehemently opposed any projects funded by Chinese loans.

China had funded the airport project in Pokhra - Nepal's second-largest city - by loaning more than $200 million. Nepal went ahead with the project despite India raising serious concerns and opened the airport last year.

But the airport has had to deal with losses due to lack of international flights. This can partially be due to a slender demand for airlines, but also due to India's refusal to planes using its airspace to do so.

Pokhra, located around 120 kilometers from Kathmandu, is less than 20 minutes from the India border by commercial flight. India had to shut its airspace out of a national security compulsion because Kathmandu ignored New Delhi's concerns that China may use the airport to station its military aircraft and helicopters - a massive national security threat for New Delhi.
 

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

South Korean President Withdraws Martial Law Order Hours After Declaring It

Within six hours of announcing a martial law in the country, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said he will withdraw it.

In a 4:30 am (local time) special address to the nation, President Yoon said, "Just a moment ago, there was a demand from the National Assembly to lift the state of emergency, and we have withdrawn the military that was deployed for martial law operations. We will accept the National Assembly's request and lift the martial law through the Cabinet meeting."
 

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/c4v8nOF
via IFTTT

Audi Driver Drags Motorcyclist On Bonnet For 3 Km Post Argument In Pune

The driver of an Audi allegedly dragged a motorcycle rider on the car's bonnet for more than 3km after an argument in Pimpri-Chinchwad township of Pune district, police said on Tuesday.

Hours after the incident on Sunday evening, police arrested the car driver, Kamlesh Patil (23), and his two associates, Hemant Mhalaskar (26) and Prathamesh Darade (22), who were with him in the high-end vehicle.

According to the police, the victim, Zacheria Mathew, was riding a motorcycle when his two-wheeler was hit by a recklessly driven Audi car in the Bijlinagar area.

"After getting down from his motorbike, Mathew approached the car occupants and sought an explanation. However, the three accused started abusing him and his friend, and also assaulted them. Later, the car driver tried to hit the complainant, leading him to fall on the bonnet. He then allegedly dragged him (Mathew) on the car's bonnet for more than 3km and sped away," said an officer from the Nigdi police station.

A case was registered against the three car occupants, including the driver, and they were arrested under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, he added.

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

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/C4Qo8kP
via IFTTT

Advocate Defending Hindu Priest In Bangladesh Attacked, Says ISKCON

A lawyer defending Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari,  the Hindu priest arrested and accused of sedition in Bangladesh, has been attacked, the ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) has said.  In a post on X, Radharaman Das, the spokesperson for ISKCON, said, "Please pray for Advocate Ramen Roy. His only 'fault' was defending Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu in court. Islamists ransacked his home and brutally attacked him, leaving him in the ICU, fighting for his life".

Many lawyers in Bangladesh, however, have denied any such event.

Last month too, there were claims on social media and a few news outlets that a lawyer defending Chinmoy Krishna Das was killed. But investigations revealed that the murdered lawyer, Saiful Islam, was an assistant public prosecutor and he was not defending Chinmoy Das.

The post from Radharaman Das read: 

Please pray for Advocate Ramen Roy. His only 'fault' was defending Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu in court.

Islamists ransacked his home and brutally attacked him, leaving him in the ICU, fighting for his life.#SaveBangladeshiHindus #FreeChinmoyKrishnaPrabhu pic.twitter.com/uudpC10bpN

— Radharamn Das राधारमण दास (@RadharamnDas) December 2, 2024

Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a prominent former leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Bangladesh, was arrested in Dhaka last month after protests by the Hindu community in Rangpur, demanding stronger legal protections for minority groups. He has been accused of sedition and was denied bail by a Dhaka court on Tuesday.

Bangladesh has seen widespread political violence and protests over minority rights since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Amid attacks on minority Hindus in the neighbouring coutry, Radharaman Das had earlier posted on X that two disciples of Chinmoy Krishna Das have gone missing in Chattogram after a second Hindu monk, Shyam Das Prabhu, was arrested.

India has condemned the arrest and urged Bangladeshi authorities to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and other minorities. 

The arrest has also been strongly criticised by Indian religious leaders and members of the civil society.

Protest rallies have been held in West Bengal and several other staes that share border with Bangladesh.

In Tripura, the criticism has taken the form of boycott. Hotels and restaurants have decided not to accept bookings from tourists from Bangladesh, the top association of the travel sector has said.

Earlier today, more than 50 protesters allegedly entered the premises of the Bangladeshi mission in Tripura capital Agartala, leading to panic among the officials and staff at the complex. India has described the incident as "deeply regrettable".

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