Organophosphorus Poisoning Behind Wave Of Deaths In J&K, Say Experts

Amid the rising cases of the 'mystery illness' in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri that has claimed at least 17 lives, experts said that an organophosphorus toxin is causing the disease. According to sources, an antidote to counteract organophosphorus poisoning has been administered and it has worked well for patients who are admitted to hospital.

“We have used atropine antidote and it's worked well. After the exact nature of the toxin was determined we gave atropine to patients” said a senior official.

While experts have been maintaining that it is a case of neurotoxins after ruling out communicable disease or outbreaks of viruses or bacteria behind deaths in Badhaal village, determining the exact nature of toxins had become a challenge and deepened the mystery. On Sunday, the Food Safety Standards Authority of India finally conveyed to the Jammu and Kashmir health department that organophosphorus had been found and it was the reason behind deaths.

“Now it's a matter of investigation if the use of organophosphorus in the food and water is homicidal or accidental,” said an official.

The Jammu and Kashmir police have formed a special investigation team, or SIT, to investigate the deaths.

Last week, authorities declared the village a containment zone and quarantined more than 200 people.

Apart from this, officials found insecticides in a spring where villagers drew water. It has been sealed for investigation. Food items used by the villagers were also tested.

According to doctors, the common factor among all the people who died was the involvement of brain and nerve system.

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UK Man Cleans Graves As Side Hustle, Earns Enough To Buy His First Home

A 31-year-old man from Harlow, England, has turned an unconventional yet profitable side hustle—cleaning graves—into the means of fulfilling his dream of buying his first home. Shaun Tookey, who launched his business in May 2023 while working full-time as a tree surgeon, has since renovated over 300 graves. His services range from deep cleaning and repainting lettering to adding decorative chippings.

According to the New York Post, Shaun Tookey was able to save for a deposit and secure a mortgage by earning between $187 (over Rs 15,535) and $562 (over Rs 46,673) per job. This allowed him and his family to move into their first home in December 2024.

Reports state that Shaun spends his weekends and time off working on his side business, "The Grave Cleaner," where he cleans two to four graves each day. His transformation videos are popular on TikTok and Facebook, where he shares his work under the account @thegravecleaner.

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"I'm trying to run a successful business and offer a service most people can't provide," Shaun told the New York Post. "It's very satisfying and rewarding to help people who don't know how to care for their loved one's gravestones."

Shaun's determination enabled him to save enough for a down payment and get a mortgage, fulfilling a dream he once thought was out of reach. "This job has given my family stability, especially with how tough things are right now," he shared.

Shaun credits his business success for enabling his family to move into their new home in December 2024, saying, "In a way, it has made us financially independent. It was a huge accomplishment for me."

He customizes his services for each client, considering factors such as the size of the grave, type of inscription, and whether paint or gold leaf is needed. While social media plays a significant role in promoting his work, Shaun also uses business cards and leaflets. He adds that the business has provided both financial security and personal fulfillment.

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China's AI Startup DeepSeek Hit By "Cyberattack", Limits New Registration

Chinese AI sensation DeepSeek on Monday said it was limiting the registration of new users due to large-scale cyberattacks on its services.

The company, whose chatbot took over OpenAI's ChatGPT as Apple's top downloaded app on Monday, cited "large-scale malicious attacks" for outages and its inability to take on new users.

DeepSeek, which was developed by a start-up based in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, has shown the ability to match the capacity of AI pace-setters such as Nvidia.

Its success on the US app store sent shares in AI-linked tech giants plummeting on Monday.

The low-cost Chinese generative AI venture is thought to have matched US companies in its abilities but at a fraction of the cost.

Analysts had long thought that the United States' critical advantage over China when it comes to producing high-powered chips -- and its ability to prevent the Asian power from accessing the technology -- would give it the edge in the AI race.

Available as an app or on desktop, DeepSeek can do many of the things that its Western competitors can do -- write song lyrics, help work on a personal development plan, or even write a recipe for dinner based on what's in the fridge.

It is however subject to the censorship seen in other Chinese-made chatbots like Baidu's Ernie Bot that are very limited on how they interact on political topics.

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

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England Captain Jos Buttler Sets Massive T20I Record vs India

England captain Jos Buttler etched his name in the record books by becoming the highest run-scorer against India in T20 Internationals. The milestone came during the second T20I of the India-England series at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, where Buttler surpassed West Indies star Nicholas Pooran to claim the top spot, as per Wisden. After losing the first match of the series in Kolkata by eight wickets, England sought a comeback in Chennai. Winning the toss, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav put England into bat. England's innings got off to a shaky start, with Phil Salt dismissed in the first over, bringing Buttler to the crease.

The England skipper wasted no time in taking on the Indian bowlers, smashing 45 off 30 balls before falling to Axar Patel. He scored a half-century in the previous game in Kolkata, highlighting his form in the series. England managed to post 165/6, but their efforts proved insufficient as Tilak Varma's unbeaten fifty guided India to victory.

During his innings, Buttler crossed the 600-run mark against India in T20Is, becoming the first player to achieve this feat. His current tally of 611 runs surpasses Nicholas Pooran's 592, with Buttler achieving the milestone in four more matches than the West Indian batter.

Buttler joins an elite group of players who have scored over 500 T20I runs against India, including Glenn Maxwell (574), David Miller (524), and Aaron Finch (500). He also becomes the 13th player in T20I history to score over 600 runs against a single opponent. Only Virat Kohli (794 vs. Australia) and Babar Azam (880 vs. New Zealand) have managed to cross the 700-run mark against one team.

Buttler was delighted with the aggression his side exhibited to turn the moderate chase into an exhilarating affair, even though his side fell to a 2-0 series deficit.

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

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Watch: Saif-Kareena Step Out For The First Time Since His Attack

On Sunday morning, Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor were spotted outside their house, amid tight security. This marked the couple's first outing since the attack on Saif on January 16, after which he was admitted in Lilavati Hospital in Bandra, Mumbai. 

The couple were spotted by the paparazzi outside their Bandra home, as they walked out and got into their car. They were also surrounded by police, who have been deployed following the attack on Saif. 

In the video, Saif and Kareena are sporting a casual look. While Kareena is seen in a casual grey sweatshirt, with black track pants and a baseball cap, Saif is wearing a navy blue t-shirt and a pair of denims. He paired the outfit with dark sunglasses. 

Watch the viral video here:

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For the unversed, Saif was attacked in his Bandra home around 2:30 am on January 16. He sustained six stab wounds. Post his admission, he underwent emergency surgery at the hospital, where he was treated. 
 

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"We Just Clean Out Gaza": Trump Suggests Jordan, Egypt Take Palestinians

US President Donald Trump on Saturday floated the idea that Jordan and Egypt should take more Palestinians from Gaza, where Israel's military actions have killed tens of thousands and created a dire humanitarian situation. The idea was welcomed by Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, but Palestinian groups including Islamic Jihad and Hamas vowed to oppose it. 

On Saturday, Trump said he had spoken to Jordan's King Abdullah II about moving Palestinians out of Gaza. "I'd like Egypt to take people. And I'd like Jordan to take people," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One after his call with Jordan's King Abdullah.

"It (Gaza) is literally a demolition site, almost everything is demolished and people are dying there, so I'd rather get involved with some of the Arab nations and build housing at a different location where they can maybe live in peace for a change," Trump said, adding that he expected to talk to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday.

Israel Welcomes The Idea

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a strong opponent of stopping the war in Gaza, welcomed Trump's proposal. "The idea of helping them find other places to start a better life is a great idea. After years of glorifying terrorism, they will be able to establish new and good lives in other places," Smotrich said in a statement.

"Only out-of-the-box thinking with new solutions will bring a solution of peace and security. I will, with God's help, work with the prime minister and the cabinet to ensure there is an operational plan to implement this as soon as possible," he added.

Most Gazans are Palestinian refugees or their descendants. Any attempt to move them from Gaza could evoke dark historical memories of what the Arab world calls the "Nakba" or catastrophe -- the mass displacement of Palestinians during Israel's creation in 1948.

Palestinian Groups Oppose The Proposal

Palestinian group Islamic Jihad on Sunday condemned Trump's idea to relocate Gazans to Egypt and Jordan, calling it an encouragement of "war crimes".

Describing Trump's idea as "deplorable," the group, which fought a deadly war with Israel in Gaza alongside Hamas until a January 19 ceasefire, stated: "This proposal falls within the framework of encouraging war crimes and crimes against humanity by forcing our people to leave their land."

A senior Hamas official also said that it would oppose Trump's idea to relocate Gazans to Egypt and Jordan.

"As they have foiled every plan for displacement and alternative homelands over the decades, our people will also foil such projects," said Bassem Naim, a member of the Hamas political bureau, told news agency AFP.

Situation In Gaza

The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on October 7, 2023, when Hamas forces attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. 

Israel's subsequent military assault on Gaza has killed more than 47,000 people, according to the Gaza health ministry, and led to accusations of genocide and war crimes that Israel denies.

A ceasefire went into effect a week ago and has led to the release of some Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
 

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"Stick To The Catholic Church, Fix That": Trump's Border Czar Homan, To Pope

The war of words between US Border Czar Tom Homan and Pope Francis has escalated, with Homan firing back at the Vatican's leader over his criticism of President Donald Trump's deportation policies. In a televised interview, Homan accused Pope Francis of hypocrisy, pointing to the Vatican's own robust security measures, including a wall around the Vatican.

"They have a wall around the Vatican," Homan said. "If you illegally enter the Vatican, the crime is serious. You'll be charged with a serious crime and jailed. So he can protect the Vatican where he lives. He can build a wall where he lives, but the American people are not allowed that."

Homan also called on Pope Francis to focus on addressing issues within the Catholic Church, saying "The Pope ought to stick to the Catholic Church and fix that. That's a mess."

NEW: Border Czar Tom Homan responds to Catholic outcry over Trump's deportation operation, calls out the Pope for living behind massive 30 foot walls.

Homan told the Pope to fix the Catholic church before he starts criticizing the United States.

“They have a wall around the… pic.twitter.com/YTRoZ7DIH5

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 25, 2025

Pope Francis has been a vocal advocate for migrant rights, criticising restrictive immigration policies. Nearly a decade after calling Trump "not Christian" for his plans to build a US-Mexico border wall, the pontiff reiterated his stance during an appearance on the Italian talk show Che Tempo Che Fa.

"If true, this will be a disgrace," Francis said of Trump's deportation pledges. "It makes the poor wretches who have nothing pay the bill. This won't do! This is not the way to solve things. That's not how things are resolved."

The Pope's comments came as the Trump administration has intensified deportation operations, with immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) arresting 538 people on Thursday and 593 on Friday, some of whom were flown out of the country on military planes. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt touted the efforts as part of the administration's "largest deportation operation in history," aligning with Trump's campaign promises to crack down on illegal immigration.

The exchange between Homan and Pope Francis highlights the deep divisions over immigration policy in the United States. As the Trump administration continues to enforce stricter immigration rules, critics argue that the policies are inhumane and go against American values. Supporters, on the other hand, argue that the policies are necessary to maintain national security and enforce the rule of law.
 

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