GARDENING

https://amzn.to/4tTeHWP

Tuesday, July 29, 2025

Bengaluru Man, 70, Out For Walk, Mauled To Death By Stray Dogs Outside Home

A 70-year-old man, Seethappa, died after being allegedly mauled by a pack of stray dogs just outside his house in Kodigehalli, Karnataka, during the early hours of Sunday. According to his family members, the elderly man had stepped out for a walk around midnight as he was unable to sleep, when a group of at least eight strays allegedly attacked him. 

Seethappa suffered serious injuries to his hands, legs, and face, with portions of flesh torn off in the attack. His family members, who rushed out upon hearing the commotion, claim they witnessed the pack of dogs attacking him. He was declared dead at the hospital. 

The Kodigehalli Police have registered a case and launched an investigation. An Unnatural Death Report (UDR) has been filed in the matter.  Cops are examining CCTV footage and speaking to residents to establish the sequence of events.

This incident is the latest in a disturbing rise in stray dog attacks across the country. A couple of weeks ago, a three-year-old girl was viciously attacked in Shimla Nagar of Old Hubballi in Karnataka. The child, who was walking towards a shop, was attacked by a group of stray dogs in the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation area. CCTV footage of the attack showed the dogs biting her shoulder, back, legs, and arms, dragging her to the ground. She was rushed to KIMS Hospital with serious injuries.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Municipal Parishad (BBMP) recently launched a project worth Rs 2.9 crore to feed 4,000-5,000 stray dogs daily across Bengaluru. Through the scheme, BBMP planned to provide cooked meals of chicken, rice, and other meals to stray dogs. The aim was to reduce dog aggression, among other things. 

The move sparked public debate, with many questioning the move to feed stray dogs. 

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram has expressed concern over increasing dog bite incidents across the country and said it's a "health and safety issue".

The Congress MP told NDTV that the Centre's data, shared in the Parliament, showed that over 37 lakh dog bite cases were reported last year, but "does not give a full picture because of the reporting mechanism."

The Congress MP has raised the issue of stray dogs, their rehabilitation, and incidents of dog bites in the past. Mr Chidambaram said he even met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the concern.



from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/4yQL6H9
via IFTTT

Monday, July 28, 2025

3 Reasons Why Bihar Roll Revision Can't Be Discussed In Parliament: Sources

There will be no discussion on Bihar voter list revision in Parliament despite the Opposition's demand, the government has indicated, underscoring a reason cited by former Speaker Balaram Jakhar, sources have said. 

The Opposition, which has been sticking to its demand for a discussion on Bihar's SIR, had raised the issue again today, and the row had delayed the discussion on Operation Sindoor.

The Opposition wanted a concrete assurance from the government that it would discuss the Special Intensive Revision of Bihar's electoral rolls immediately after the special discussion on Operation Sindoor ends. 

At the time, the government had accused the Opposition of cheating. 

Later, at 2 pm, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said if the rules allow and the Speaker is ready and it is decided in the Business Advisory Committee, the government was ready to discuss any topic. 

Because the government did not directly say it would discuss the issue of Bihar SIR, or refuse it, the Opposition found the assurance sufficient and the discussion on Operation Sindoor started in the Lok Sabha.

Government sources, however, made it clear that the voter list revision -- being run by the Election Commission in Bihar -- cannot be discussed in Parliament. 

About this, three arguments are being considered by the government, sources said.

The first is that the campaign being run by the Central Election Commission is not an election reform. Rather, it is an administrative step and the Election Commission has been taking such steps from time to time.

The second reason is that even if a discussion is held in both the houses of Parliament on the intensive revision of the voter list, there is no one to answer the questions that the Opposition could raise. 

The Election Commission cannot come to the House to present its side, sources pointed out. And although the Law Ministry is the nodal ministry for the Election Commission, it generally looks after only administrative work, and does not interfere in policy matters.

The third reason the government gave is that there are many such institutions which do not have a mechanism to present their side before the Parliament. In such situations, there cannot be a discussion about those institutions, sources said.

Government sources recounted an earlier instance when there had been a demand to discuss the functioning of the Election Commission. 

In 1986, then Speaker Balram Jakhar had said comprehensive election reforms can be discussed in Parliament, but it is not possible to discuss administrative processes and decisions.

The government is now of the view that the Bihar voter list revision cannot be discussed due to these reasons.

The Opposition, however, is very aggressive on this issue and wait is on for the government's formal arguments.



from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/t4rFxOV
via IFTTT

All You Need To Know About UPI Changes Effective From August 1

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is set to implement a set of changes to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) from August 1, 2025. The changes, including balance check and transaction status, are aimed at making the interface stable and efficient. In a circular dated April 26, 2025, NPCI stated that they are working to reduce the response time of UPI transactions to improve the performance. It added that the adjustments will benefit remitter banks, beneficiary banks and Payment Service Providers (PSPs), such as PhonePe, Google Pay and Paytm.

Later on May 21, 2025, NPCI noted: "PSP banks and/or acquiring banks shall ensure all the API requests (in terms of velocity and TPS - transactions per second limitations) sent to UPI are monitored and moderated in terms of appropriate usage (customer-initiated and PSP system-initiated)."

Also Read | How India's UPI Is Revolutionising Global Digital Payments, Explained Simply

Here are the key changes:

Daily Balance Check Limit: The users can check their account balance only 50 times a day per UPI app. If they use multiple apps, the limit applies to each app separately.

Transaction Status Check Limit: They can check the status of a pending transaction only three times, with a minimum gap of 90 seconds between each check.

AutoPay Timings: AutoPay transactions will be processed in specific time slots: Before 10 AM, Between 1 PM and 5 PM and After 9:30 PM.

Linked Bank Account View Limit: The users can view their linked bank accounts only 25 times a day.

Payment Reversal Cap: They can raise a maximum of 10 payment reversal requests in 30 days, with a cap of 5 per sender.

Beneficiary Name Display: The recipient's registered bank name will be visible before confirming payment, reducing errors and fraud.

Stricter Rules for Banks and UPI Apps: NPCI will monitor API usage, and non-compliant banks and apps may face penalties or restricted access.

"Members are requested to take note of this compliance requirement and communicate it to relevant stakeholders and their respective partners for implementation by 31st July 2025," the circular added.

Also Read | PayPal Partners With NPCI, Others to Build Cross-Border Payments Platform Focused on Interoperability

IMF praises India's UPI

Recently, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) praised India, saying that the nation makes faster payments than any other country with the quick growth of UPI. The usage of other instruments, including debit and credit cards, is on the decline.

"India now makes faster payments than any other country. At the same time, proxies for cash usage have fallen," the note said.

"Since its launch in 2016, UPI has grown quickly, while some proxies for cash usage have begun to decline. UPI now processes more than 18 billion transactions per month and dominates other electronic retail payments in India," the fintech note said.



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

Sunday, July 27, 2025

WCL Live: India Eye Solid Start After Bopara Helps Eng Set 224-Run Target

India Champions vs England Champions, WCL 2025 Live Updates: Desperate for a win, both India Champions and England Champions are playing against each other in the 13th game of World Championship of Legends in Leeds. India Champions captain Yuvraj Singh won the toss and opted to bowl first against England Champions. Varun Aaron dismissed Phil Mustard to provide India Champions an early wicket but Ian Bell and Ravi Bopara played solid knocks to put England in control. Bopara even went on to smash his century (110 in 55 balls), helping England post 223 for 3. India Champions eye a solid start in the chase of 224 runs. (Live Scorecard)

India Champions vs England Champions, World Championship of Legends match Live Updates -



from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/d2ubNzw
via IFTTT

Saturday, July 26, 2025

Andy Byron To Sue Coldplay For "Emotional Distress" Over Viral Kiss-Cam Video

Former Astronomer CEO Andy Byron is reportedly considering legal action against Coldplay following the controversy that erupted after a viral kiss cam moment at the band's recent concert. 

What's Happening

  • According to several reports, Andy Byron is planning to file a lawsuit against Coldplay and the event organisers, citing "emotional distress" and "invasion of privacy." 
  • A source close to Byron told Page Six, "He didn't consent to being filmed or publicly humiliated. He thinks Coldplay made him a meme."
  • Attorney Camron Dowlatshahi of MSD Lawyers weighed in on the legal prospects of such a case. "If we are getting creative, a possible claim would be for defamation, specifically as it relates to Chris Martin characterising the two as having an 'affair,'" Dowlatshahi told Page Six.
  • Dowlatshahi explained that Byron would need to demonstrate "that there wasn't an affair" to prove defamation. 
  • Coldplay, for their part, has not officially responded. However, Rob Shuter's ShuterScoop quoted insiders claiming Chris Martin "laughed out loud" at the idea of being sued over a kiss cam moment.
  • Legal experts say the lawsuit would be a "long shot." One attorney told Page Six, "At a public concert with cameras and 70,000 people, your expectation of privacy is near zero. It sounds like he's trying to shift blame."

The Controversy

During Coldplay's show in Massachusetts, the kiss-cam captured ex-Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and the company's HR head, Kristin Cabot, in a PDA-filled moment. As soon as the kiss-cam showed their glimpse, they hid their faces and turned their backs towards the camera.

At the time, Martin had commented, "Either they're having an affair, or they are really shy." The clip quickly went viral on social media, with fans sharing multiple videos of the two hugging and kissing throughout the concert, resulting in backlash online.

Following the incident, both Byron and Cabot, who are married to separate partners, were placed on administrative leave by Astronomer. 

On Saturday, the company's Board of Directors confirmed Byron's resignation through an official statement.

Kristin Cabot also resigned. Meanwhile, sources suggest that Byron's personal life has also taken a hit, with his wife Megan Kerrigan reportedly moving out of their home.

Megan Kerrigan, an educator at the Bancroft School, removed her husband's surname from her Facebook profile before deactivating her account. Kristin Cabot is married to Andrew Cabot, CEO of Privateer Rum.



from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/I2D859i
via IFTTT

Ancient Humans Ate Children 850,000 Years Ago, New Discovery Reveals

In a remarkable scientific discovery, Spanish archaeologists have found evidence that human ancestors ate children, some 850,000 years ago. Digging at the Gran Dolina cave site in Atapuerca, northern Spain, the researchers discovered a human neck bone belonging to a child aged between two and four years old, with clear butchery marks, suggesting that the small children may have been devoured clean.

The team from the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES) stated that the site of the marks on the neck bone suggests the youngster was decapitated. Notably, the body parts of the child belong to Homo antecessor, believed to be the last common ancestor of both Homo sapiens and Neanderthals.

"This case is particularly striking, not only because of the child's age, but also due to the precision of the cut marks," said Dr Palmira Saladie, the co-director of the excavation.

"The vertebra presents clear incisions at key anatomical points for disarticulating the head. It is direct evidence that the child was processed like any other prey."

Although cannibalism is well documented in early humans, it is unusual to find evidence of a child being eaten. If the discovery stands verified, it could mark the earliest evidence of the practice found to date.

“What we are documenting now is the continuity of that behaviour: the treatment of the dead was not exceptional, but repeated,” said Ms Saladie.

Also Read | 'I Love India But...': American Woman Reveals Truth About Living In India

Stockier and shorter on average than modern humans, the Homo antecessor lived between 1.2 million and 800,000 years ago. Their brain size was roughly between 1,000 and 1,150 cubic centimetres, which is smaller than the average 1,350 cubic centimetres brain size of people today.

"The new find reinforces the hypothesis that these early humans exploited their congeners as a food resource," the researchers stated.

“Every year we uncover new evidence that forces us to rethink how our ancestors lived, how they died, and how the dead were treated nearly a million years ago.”



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

Friday, July 25, 2025

Tanushree Dutta To NDTV: "I Was Supposed To Do A Film With Sushant"

Actor Tanushree Dutta, who became the face of India's #MeToo movement back in 2018, on Friday said the recent disturbing video of her breaking down into tears was the result of "an emotional outburst" stemming from a long and painful experience of being harassed in Mumbai, a city where she is unsafe.

The actor told NDTV how she finds parallels in life with Sushant Singh Rajput. She also said that she was supposed to feature in a film with the late star who was found dead at his Mumbai apartment in 2020.

"I have been harassed for the past five years, and that video was simply an emotional outburst stemming from that long, painful experience. My building's security was replaced without my consent, the locks of my house were broken into, and a maid was deliberately planted in my home - she was mixing unknown substances into my food. All of this began after the #MeToo movement," Tanushree Dutta told NDTV in the interview.

"I was supposed to do a film with Sushant Singh Rajput, and it gave me hope that an A-lister was willing to work with me. But even he died by suicide - and I believe there is a deeper connection between his death and the kind of harassment I've been facing. His case and mine are not entirely disconnected," she added.

The former Miss India Universe also alleged that on a recent spiritual trip to Ujjain, someone tampered with the brakes of her autorickshaw "with an attempt to kill me". "I strongly believe there is a deliberate effort to mentally torture me to the point that I either end up like Sushant Singh Rajput - forced into suicide - or go insane like Pooja Mishra," she claimed.

Tanushree Dutta also levelled fresh allegations against actor Nana Patekar, whom she accused of sexual harassment and abuse in 2018 under the #MeToo wave in India.

"I had raised questions regarding Nana Patekar's foundation, and ever since then, people have been after me. A contract worth Rs 5 crore was given to the underworld to eliminate me. The underworld still exists - earlier it was figures like Dawood Ibrahim, but now it operates in new, subtler forms. I am constantly being followed."

"But since no one is chasing me with a knife right now, I'm not in a rush. I want to document every incident from the past five years thoroughly so that I can present it to the police in a proper and structured manner. The police hasn't done anything so far - in fact, I place more trust in the media than in law enforcement," she further said.

Earlier in the day, Tanushree Dutta said she is overwhelmed with media requests as she continues to speak out about the harassment she is facing.

"I'm swamped with interviews and haven't been keeping well either. I've lived a slow, low-key sadhana lifestyle last few years. I'm trying the best I can. Please bear with me. I'll talk to everyone slowly, slowly," she wrote on her Instagram Story.

In her previous interview to NDTV, the actor talked about her past experience with the police during the #MeToo movement in 2018. "My experience with the Mumbai Police during the 2018 #MeToo movement left a very bitter taste in my mouth," she said.

"They encouraged me to file an FIR back then. I spent four to five hours at the station, gave a detailed statement, and kept following up and nothing came of it. In Maharashtra, these molesters and harassers are often hobnobbing with politicians. They're protected. So, there's no real scope of justice," she added.

Tanushree Dutta had accused actor Nana Patekar of sexually harassing her during the shoot of a special song in the film Horn Ok Pleassss in 2009. She made these allegations in a Zoom interview in 2018. Nana Patekar, however, denied all the claims.

Also Read | Tanushree Dutta, Who Called For #MeToo In Bollywood, Breaks Down In Video: "I'm Being Harassed At My Own Home"



from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/iaB0mjq
via IFTTT

Before Iran War, China Amassed World's Largest Oil Stockpile

Ahead of the war in Iran, China aggressively added to its oil reserves, more than any other country, according to the United States governme...