US President Donald Trump Set To Script History By Attending NFL Super Bowl

The Kansas City Chiefs aim for a historic hat-trick of Super Bowl titles on Sunday when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles in front of a star-studded crowd in New Orleans headed by US President Donald Trump. A strident critic of the National Football League over the years, Trump will become the first sitting president ever to attend the Super Bowl when he takes his seat among a sell-out crowd of around 74,000 fans at the Caesars Superdome for the  biggest annual event in the American sporting calendar.

Pop superstar Taylor Swift will also be in the VIP seats to watch as her boyfriend Travis Kelce and his Chiefs team-mates bid to become the first team in history to lift three consecutive Vince Lombardi Trophies.

Trump's presence at the NFL showpiece will heighten security around an event which was already protected by a heavy police presence following the New Year's Day attack which left 14 people dead and many more injured in the Big Easy's famous Bourbon Street district.

"I'm confident the safest place this weekend will be under the security umbrella we have in place around (the Superdome)," Cathy Lanier, the NFL's chief security officer, said this week. "We have reviewed, and re-reviewed, all the events of January 1."

Trump's groundbreaking attendance at the game comes against a backdrop of a strained relationship with the NFL stretching back several decades, when he sought to join the league as an owner in the early 1980s only to be rebuffed.

Trump also triggered uproar during his first term as president when in 2017 he criticized NFL players who knelt during the playing of the US national anthem to draw attention to issues of racial injustice.

Players in Sunday's game have so far walked a diplomatic line when asked about Trump's presence, with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes saying playing in front of the US leader would be "cool."

Fans in New Orleans meanwhile expressed hope that Trump does not politicize the occasion.

"I'm hoping that basically he comes in and he's at his seat and they kind of like keep it quiet. I just want it to be a fun game and not be political," Debra Ward, a teacher from Virginia, told AFP.

As always, the Super Bowl crosses over into popular culture and the half-time show this year will feature hip-hop artist Kendrick Lamar, who had a clean sweep at last Sunday's Grammys, winning in all five categories for which he received nominations.

Bookmakers and casinos meanwhile are taking odds on whether Chiefs star Kelce will propose to pop icon Swift after what might be his final game in the NFL. Reports late Saturday said the 35-year-old is considering retirement after the Super Bowl. 

American sports books, now legal in 38 states, could take an estimated $1.39 billion in bets on the Super Bowl according to an annual report from the American Gaming Association (AGA).

Chiefs favourites

For the more serious punters, the oddsmakers have the Chiefs as slight favourite for the game, a rematch of the Super Bowl from two years ago which the Chiefs won by three points.

The Chiefs defended their title last year, beating the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas and putting them one win away from an unprecedented "three-peat".

The 29-year-old Mahomes will become one of just four quarterbacks in the history of the NFL to have won more than three Super Bowls should he triumph again, having first led the Chiefs to Super Bowl glory in 2020.

But the Eagles have added serious offensive firepower since their defeat two years ago with mobile quarterback Jalen Hurts joined by the game-changing speed and power of running back Saquon Barkley.

The Chiefs put the finishing touches to their Super Bowl preparations on Saturday with a 30-minute walkthrough of a mock game.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid saluted his team's attitude to training over the whole week since arriving in Louisiana.

"I thought the guys worked hard, they got done what they needed to get done," Reid said.

The Eagles had a similarly relaxed final session before heading to the Superdome on Saturday for a team photo.

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said his players were "hungry" and "ready to roll."

"We're ready for the challenge against a really good team," Sirianni 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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Chiefs Of 3 Dairies Arrested In Connection With Tirupati Laddoo Case

Four men, who head three dairies in three states, have been arrested in connection with the Tirupati laddoo adulteration case that had shocked the country last year. The investigation by a special team set up the Supreme Court after a massive controversy, has uncovered the details of the deliberate contamination.

Those arrested include Bipin Jain and Pomil Jain, former directors of Bhole Baba Dairy (Roorkee, Uttarakhand), Vaishnavi Dairy (Poonambakkam, Tamil Nadu) CEO Apoorva Vinay Kant Chawda, and AR Dairy (Dundigal, Telangana) MD Raju Rajasekharan.

The investigation revealed serious violations during ghee supply, with irregularities at every step.

For the supply of ghee, representatives of Vaishnavi Dairy secured tenders in the name of AR Dairy, said sources in the Central Bureau of Investigation. They fabricated false documents and seals, using the name of AR Dairy to manipulate the tender process.

Employees of Vaishnavi Dairy also created fake records claiming they have sourced ghee from Bhole Baba Dairy in Roorkee. The investigators found that Bhole Baba Dairy did not have the capacity to supply such quantities of ghee.

The team identified the irregularities and arrested four individuals from three dairies.

Allegations that ghee adulterated with animal fat are being use to make the laddoos for prasadam at the Tirupati exploded across headlines last year, sparking a massive row that speedily became political. 

The Andhra government had red-flagged a report from a lab in Gujarat that said samples of the the ghee bought from a supplier in Tamil Nadu's Dindigul contained traces of fish oil, beef tallow, and lard. The lab also added a disclaimer about "false positives". 

The Supreme Court slammed the mix of religion and politics and ordered a special team be formed to investigate the animal fat allegations.

The special team comprised two CBI officers, two Andhra Pradesh Police personnel, and a senior official from the centre-run Food Safety and Standards Authority.

The kitchen at Tirupati makes around three lakh laddoos daily, with around 1,500 kg of ghee and vast amounts of cashew nuts, raisins, cardamoms, gram flour, and sugar used.
 

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"I Love Donald Trump," Says Elon Musk. US President Reacts

Billionaire Elon Musk, more active on social media platform X than ever, on Friday, had an unexpected declaration for US President Donald Trump. "I love Donald Trump as much as a straight man can love another man," the Tesla CEO wrote on X.

Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr, reacted with laughing emojis, while users flooded the platform with jokes.

???????????? https://t.co/QZwRFpRvWZ

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) February 7, 2025

A user reminded him that Valentine's Day was still days away. 

Valentine's Day is on the 14th.

— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) February 7, 2025

Someone called it the "greatest bromance in history."

Greatest bromance in history pic.twitter.com/GgR7qwpnWM

— TaraBull (@TaraBull808) February 7, 2025

Another joked, "Says a lot when you have to state 'as much as a straight man'."

Says a lot when you have to state "as much as a straight man"...

— Bill G (@Bill_Gro) February 7, 2025

At a White House briefing alongside Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Fox News reporter Peter Doocy took the opportunity to question Trump about Musk's post.

"Elon Musk says, 'I love Donald Trump as much as a straight man can love another man.' What does the First Lady think of that?" Mr Doocy asked.

With his signature grin, Trump shrugged off the question. "Oh, I think she'll be okay with it... somehow."

Fox News' Peter Doocy's first question for Trump: Elon Musk says I love Donald Trump as mush as a straight man can love another man. What does the First Lady think of that? pic.twitter.com/8NVS8pnjZx

— Acyn (@Acyn) February 7, 2025

Musk's statement came after he cemented his position as a key Trump ally weeks after the 78-year-old returned to the White House. The billionaire donated over $100 million to Republican causes, attended campaign rallies, and took on an influential role in shaping the administration's policies.

Together, Trump and Musk have emerged as a disruptive force in Washington. In his first weeks back in office, Trump has issued sweeping executive orders - targeting birthright citizenship and rolling back Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies.

Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has sparked controversy by gaining access to sensitive government records, including the federal payment system that distributes Social Security checks.

The Trump administration, alongside Musk's budget-cutting DOGE, has also launched an unprecedented crackdown on USAID. Nearly all funding for the agency has been halted, effectively shutting down global aid and development programs. Staffers and contractors have been placed on leave or furloughed, with access to agency systems revoked. According to Democratic lawmakers, USAID's computer servers were even removed as part of the overhaul.

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

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BJP's Delhi 'Wapsi' Complete, Focus Now On Chief Minister Question

The Delhi Assembly election win in the bag, the Bharatiya Janata Party's focus will now shift to the next big question - who will the party pick as the next Chief Minister of Delhi?

The smart money, it appears, is on Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, the 'giant slayer' who defeated Aam Aadmi Party boss Arvind Kejriwal in his New Delhi stronghold. Mr Verma eased to a comfortable win over a beleaguered Mr Kejriwal - by over 4,000 votes - to cement a miserable afternoon for the AAP.

And if that isn't reason enough to suggest the two-time former Lok Sabha MP get the top post, there is this - three of the last four Chief Ministers held the New Delhi seat. Mr Kejriwal won it in 2013, 2015, and 2020, and the Congress' Sheila Dikshit, his predecessor, claimed it in the 2008 election.

But Mr Verma isn't the only name on the shortlist. BJP sources have told NDTV there are five candidates, including Mr Verma, and that the party will balance various factors, including caste.

Parvesh Verma

Making Mr Verma Chief Minister will send a strong message to the Jat community, from which the incoming New Delhi MLA hails. Jat votes helped ensure the BJP won last year's Haryana election, as well as flipping Rajasthan from the Congress, and solidifying its hold over Uttar Pradesh.

That Parvesh Verma met Union Home Minister Amit Shah - widely credited with orchestrating the BJP's remarkable Delhi win - soon after his victory was confirmed is another sign in his favour.

READ | Parvesh Verma Emerges 'Giant Killer' After Defeating Kejriwal

Mr Verma spoke to NDTV and gave the people of Delhi an "assurance", i.e., the incoming Delhi government, which will form a 'double engine' administration with the party that is also in power at the centre, will work for the development of the national capital.

READ | "Want To Assure People Of Delhi...": 'Giant-Slayer' Parvesh Verma

"... people of Delhi have given us this mandate. I want to assure them a government will be formed that works with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the central government," he said.

Satish Upadhyay

The second option is Satish Upadhyay, who stopped AAP leader Somnath Bharti from claiming a fourth successive win from the Malviya Nagar Assembly constituency.

Mr Upadhyay is seen as the Delhi BJP's Brahmin face.

He was the party's state unit boss and, crucially for him, also served as Vice Chairman of the New Delhi Municipal Corporation, which means he has administrative experience relating directly the national capital, something Mr Verma may, perhaps, not have.

Another point in Mr Upadhyay's favour is that he has held many other senior positions within the BJP, and is also close to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which is the BJP's ideological mentor.

Ashish Sood

The BJP's Punjabi face, Mr Sood is the new MLA from the Janakpuri Assembly constituency, which was (an impenetrable) BJP stronghold till 2015, when the AAP's Rajesh Rishi won two terms.

Mr Sood's past administrative experience includes time as a Delhi Councillor and the General-Secretary of the party's Delhi unit. He is also in-charge of the party's unit in Goa (which will vote next in 2027) and the co-in-charge of Jammu and Kashmir.

Other points in Mr Sood's favour, sources have suggested, are his close ties with the BJP's central leadership, and his tenure as President of Delhi University.

Jitendra Mahajan, Vijender Gupta

The fourth and fifth names on this list, Jitendra Mahajan and Vijender Gupta come from the Vaishya community, with the latter possibly the more favoured of the two options.

With his win today, Mr Mahajan is now a three-time MLA from Delhi's Rohtas Nagar. And, like Mr Upadhyay, also has closes links to the RSS.

Mr Gupta was President of the Delhi BJP and is seen as the Vaishya face of the party. He is now a three-time MLA from the Rohini Assembly seat and has also been Leader of the Opposition twice.

BJP Thumps AAP, Reclaims Delhi

The BJP - boosted by the 'Modi wave' and votes from women, the middle-class, and the Purvanchali community - brought the curtain down on Arvind Kejriwal's decade-long hold over Delhi.

READ | Delhi Picks BJP, Rejects AAP, PM Says "Development Won"

The AAP, which registered landslide wins in the 2015 and 2020 elections, winning 67 and 62 of Delhi's 70 seats each time, was dealt a heavy defeat this time around. The BJP is set to win 48 seats - up 40 from five years ago - to the AAP's 22. The Congress draws a blank for the third straight Delhi election.

READ | "Development, Good Governance Won": PM On BJP's Big Delhi Win

Reacting to the big win, the PM said on X, "My salute and congratulations to all my brothers and sisters for giving a historic victory to BJP... I am very grateful to all of you from the bottom of my heart..."

Mr Kejriwal, meanwhile, was left with little option but accept "the people's mandate".

READ | "Accept People's Mandate": Arvind Kejriwal Reacts To Delhi Loss

"People's decision is paramount. I congratulate the BJP on its victory and I hope that it lives up to the hopes and expectations of the people who have given them a majority." he said in a video statement.

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.

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Muslim Man Thrashed In Bhopal Courtroom For Trying To Marry Hindu Woman

A man was allegedly brutally thrashed by members of a right wing organisation at a district court in Bhopal, when he arrived at the premises with a woman, from another faith, whom he wanted to marry.

A purported viral video of the incident shows the man, a Muslim, getting beaten up by two men, even as he writhes in pain.

Police said they have launched a probe and are also trying to verify the authenticity of the video.

*ब्रेकिंग भोपाल*

*भोपाल जिला अदालत में जमकर हुआ हंगामा*

*मुस्लिम युवक की हिंदूवादी संगठन के कार्यकर्ताओं ने की पिटाई*

*हिंदूवादी संगठन ने युवक पर लगाए लव जिहाद के आरोप*

*लव जिहाद का आरोप लगाते हुए की जमकर पिटाई*

नरसिंहपुर से मुस्लिम युवक कोर्ट हिंदू लड़की को लेकर पहुंचा था। pic.twitter.com/39wGOamwQr

— tarun yadav / तरुण यादव (@CameramanTarun) February 7, 2025

According to sources, the victim is a resident of Narsinghpur and had arrived in Bhopal to marry the woman, a Hindu, from Pipariya in court.
 
"The victim, a Muslim, had come to the district court with a Hindu woman to meet a lawyer who was to notarise their documents. We have called their families to speak to them," MP Nagar police station inspector Jai Hind Sharma was quoted as saying by PTI.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Akshay Chaudhary said the man is undergoing a medical examination, and a probe into the assault is underway. "We will take appropriate action against those involved," he said. 

The right wing organisation alleged a "love jihad" conspiracy.

"He brought the woman after trapping her. When we got information from the lawyers, we intervened...," Chandrashekhar Tiwari, president of the outfit Sanskriti Bachao Manch, said. 

The outfit also demanded strict action against the victim.

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"Finally, You Will Shave Your Beard": To Naga Chaitanya, A Message From Sobhita

Naga Chaitanya's film Thandel released today. Recently, his wife and actress Sobhita Dhulipala praised the actor and expressed her excitement to finally see her husband's clean-shaven face.

The actress wrote, "#Thandel release day tomorrow! I've seen you so focused and positive throughout the making of this film, and I can't wait for everyone (and myself) to experience this extraordinary love story in theatres from tomorrow," alongside a picture of Chaitanya from the film.

She added a sweet message in Telugu that read, "Finally gaddam shave chesthavu.. modati sari ni mukham darshanam avuthundi saami @chayakkineni," which translates to: "Finally, you will shave your beard, and I will see your face."

ICYDK, Naga Chaitanya and Sobhita married on December 4 last year in a grand ceremony in Hyderabad. They exchanged wedding vows in a traditional Telugu Brahmin ceremony at Hyderabad's Annapurna Studios.

Veteran actor Nagarjuna shared a series of pictures from Naga Chaitanya and Sobhita Dhulipala's wedding. The bride wore a golden kanjivaram saree. The groom, on the other hand, sported a white kurta teamed with dhoti. Sharing the pictures on X (formerly Twitter), Nagarjuna wrote, "Watching Sobhita and Chay begin this beautiful chapter together has been a special and emotional moment for me. Congratulations to my beloved Chay, and welcome to the family dear Sobhita--you've already brought so much happiness into our lives."

He added, "This celebration holds even deeper meaning as it unfolds under the blessings of ANR garu's statue, installed to mark his centenary year. It feels as though his love and guidance are present with us at every step of this journey. I thank the countless blessings showered upon us today with gratitude."

Coming back to Thandel, the film is a romantic action thriller directed by Chandoo Mondeti, co-starring Sai Pallavi. It tells the gripping story of fishermen from Srikakulam who, during a routine fishing trip, accidentally drift into Pakistani waters, leading to rugged and unexpected challenges.

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US Government Vessels To Sail Through Panama Canal Without Fees

The United States said Wednesday that its government vessels would be allowed to sail for free through the Panama Canal, following heavy pressure from President Donald Trump.

"US government vessels can now transit the Panama Canal without charge fees, saving the US government millions of dollars a year," the State Department said in a post on social media platform X.

It was the first public announcement of promises hinted at by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said that Panama offered concessions during his talks on Sunday.

Rubio said he had told Panama that it was unfair for the United States to be in a position to defend the vital waterway and also to be charged for its use.

Since winning the November US election, Trump has refused to rule out the use of force to seize the canal, through which 40 percent of US container traffic passes. Trump and Rubio have complained about Chinese investment -- including ports on both sides of the canal -- and warned that Beijing could close the waterway to the United States in a crisis.  

Panama has forcefully denied Trump's repeated allegations that China has been given a role in operating the canal.  

But it has also moved to address US concerns. President Jose Raul Mulino after his talks with Rubio said that Panama would not renew membership in the Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing's signature infrastructure-building program.

Rubio told reporters on Monday that his talks with Mulino were "respectful" and that the visit was "going to achieve potentially good things that assuage concerns we have."

Trump, however, said that he was still "not happy," although he acknowledged that Panama had "agreed to certain things."

The United States and Panama are scheduled to hold new talks on Friday to discuss the canal.

Trump in his inaugural address said the United States would be "taking back" the canal -- built more than a century ago by Washington with Afro-Caribbean labor and handed back to Panama at the end of 1999.

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

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