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Ruling out any change in the proposed 28% GST on online gaming and casinos, government sources said it is prudent to stick to levying tax on the gross value as any other method comes with complications in businesses that lack transparency. The gaming industry has been seeking a review of last month's GST Council decision, arguing that the levy is too steep and will hurt business. from Times of India https://ift.tt/bF9IpNP

from Times of India https://ift.tt/Bo23fUs

Unesco experts have recommended that Venice and its lagoon be added to its list of World Heritage in Danger as Italy is not doing enough to protect the city from the impact of climate change and mass tourism. Unesco said corrective steps proposed by the Italian state are "insufficient". from Times of India https://ift.tt/COw7mxa

Team England needed a crucial wicket on the last day of the last Ashes Test to contain Australia and believed they had Australia's star batter Steve Smith close to lunch on Day 5 but the batter was ruled not out. In the 66th over, Smith was batting on 39 and England captain Ben Stokes appeared to have caught the ball at leg gully as it popped off the batter's glove of Moeen Ali 's loopy delivery. Umpire Joel Wilson said it was not out and Stokes went for review.  The catch was taken cleanly by Stokes at leg gully as he stretched his right arm but as he moved to celebrate, the ball flew out of his hands and fell down. Replays appeared to indicate that Stokes realised it wasn't a clean catch since his head dropped right away.  "After numerous replays, Smith was ruled not out as the catch was not perceived to be clean according to law 33.3 of the MCC," the ICC wrote in a report. "The law states, 'The act of making a catch shall start from the time w...

Isro early on Tuesday completed the critical trans-lunar injection (TLI), a slingshot that has now put Chandrayaan-3 on a five-day journey to Moon. Now, the 2145-kg propulsion module, on top of which sits the landing module comprising Vikram (the lander) and Pragyan (the rover), will travel in a straight path to reach the lunar orbit. from Times of India https://ift.tt/E8me0Ra

England beat Australia by 49 runs to win the fifth Test at The Oval on Monday and end the Ashes series all square at 2-2. Australia, chasing 384 to win, collapsed from 264-3 to 334 all out, with England's retiring paceman Stuart Broad taking the final two wickets in the form of Todd Murphy and Alex Carey.  Australia suffered a dramatic collapse in the last session, reduced to 294-8 as England's Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes ripped through their batting order at The Oval.  Rain kept the players off the field for about two hours before Australia, who as the holders have already retained the Ashes at 2-1 up, resumed on 238-3. That still left the tourists needing 146 more runs to reach an imposing victory target of 384. Steve Smith, dropped at leg gully by England captain Ben Stokes just before the interval, was 40 not out and left-hander Travis Head 31 not out. The pair had extended their fourth-wicket stand to 95 when off-spinner Moeen, in what could be ...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told the NDA to focus on issues apart from Ram Mandir ahead of the 2024 general elections. At a meeting with MPs from Uttar Pradesh today, the Prime Minister advised the MPs to go local, and "spend more time with the people", sources said. The MPs who attended the meet -- to be a part of a series of meetings -- were from West Uttar Pradesh, Braj and the Kanpur-Bundelkhand area. Sources said the Prime Minister has asked the MPs to talk about local issues in their respective constituencies, go to programmes that people attend including weddings. "PM Modi gave the mantra of 2024 victory to NDA MPs. 'Convince those who are sulky, angry, spend more and more time with the public during elections," a source quoted him as saying. Invoking 'coalition dharma', he said unlike the UPA, the NDA is about sacrifice, not selfishness, sources said.   As an example, PM Modi cited Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who, he said, was m...

A father died and his four-year-old daughter was badly injured in France after a bouncy castle in which they were playing at a water park was blown skyward by high winds, prosecutors said Monday. The 35-year-old man had been taken to hospital with his child after the accident on Sunday at the water park in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume in France's southern Var region, hugely popular with tourists in the summer. He died later that day. The structure, some 20 metres (65 feet) long, lifted 50 metres off the ground at the Wonderland Waterpark, with both victims trapped inside, the prosecutor for the nearby town of Draguignan said in a statement. The daughter's life remains in danger, the prosecutor's office added. It said the bouncy castle had taken off due to "strong gusts of wind" that were buffeting the area at the time after a spell of hot weather. An investigation has been opened into involuntary homicide. Draguignan prosecutor Guy Bouchet told AFP that the ...

from Times of India https://ift.tt/JH0jsd7

A TikToker in Canada was hospitalised after drinking four litres of water for 12 days as part of a viral fitness challenge. The challenge, named 75 Hard, requires participants to drink about four litres of water for 75 days. It also includes following a structured diet with no alcohol or ''cheat meals'', two 45-minute workouts a day, reading 10 pages a day, and taking a daily progress photo, New York Post reported. On Monday, Michelle Fairburn shared a video to TikTok on Monday about the challenge, which was first started by YouTuber Andy Frisella. She explained that she thought she had water poisoning, which can occur after you drink ''more than three to four litres of water in a few hours.'' ''I think I have water poisoning. I don't feel good at all,'' Ms Fairburn said. On the 12th day of her challenge, she said she didn't feel good when she was going to bed the night before and had woken up several times in the night to go ...

The BJP organised a mega gathering of its booth-level workers in Indore today, which was addressed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. This was his third visit in less than 20 days. A few kilometers away, senior Congress leaders, including two former Chief Ministers Digvijaya Singh and Kamal Nath, as well as ex-JNUSU president-turned-NSUI's national in-charge Kanhaiya Kumar, addressed an Adivasi Yuva Mahapanchayat. Addressing the BJP workers, Mr Shah urged them to aim for victory in 2023, which breaks all previous records of assembly poll victories. He also urged the BJP's booth-level workers to fight hard in the next general elections to ensure Narendra Modi's third term as Prime Minister. "It is not the leaders sitting on this stage, who win the elections for the BJP. It is our booth-level workers who win us the polls," he said. Terming PM Modi as the "Messiah of Poor" for starting a large number of pro-poor schemes, Mr Shah said Congress, while being...

At last count, the Supreme Court had 69,766 cases pending before it for adjudication. But what catches the eye is the pendency before its constitution benches. The oldest case before a five-judge constitution bench has been pending for 31 years now, and another before a seven-judge bench has been undecided for 29 years. In all, 29 cases are pending before constitution benches. from Times of India https://ift.tt/loAkML8

Britain's Prince William served up a surprise to diners in south London when he dished out environmentally-friendly burgers from a food truck. In a video released on Sunday, the heir to the throne handed out "Earthshot Burgers" to highlight the work of last year's winners of his annual Earthshot Prize, which he set up to help develop solutions to major environmental problems. "Coming right up," the prince said as he served up the burgers to the stunned customers. "Morning everyone, nicely cooked, ready to go." The object for William, who had teamed up with the founders of the YouTube channel Sorted Food which reviews kitchen gadgets and shares recipes, was to raise the profile and work of three previous Earthshot prize winners. "So the box you're about to eat in is built by a company called Notpla and there's no plastic involved, they've come up with a seaweed coating," the prince told the customers at the burger van. ...

One of the finest England pacers ever, Stuart Broad made the big revelation as he announced his intention to retire after the conclusion of the 5th Ashes Test against Australia. When Broad, who has been one of England's biggest servants in the longest format of the game, revealed the big news to his partner-in-crime James Anderson , the latter couldn't beleive his years. In fact, as revealed by Broad, Anderson thought Broad was joking as he revealed his intention of calling time on his career after the series. "He just said 'are you joking?'," Broad was quoted as saying to BBC Test Match Special while speaking on Anderson's reaction. "We then had a hug. It is always hard." Broad and Anderson are two icons of England cricket who have donned the whites together for a long time. As Anderson remains an active player, Broad decided that it was time for him to move on. "When I spoke to Jimmy, I got a bit emotional. But ultimately, we have a g...

As Hardik Pandya came out at the toss for the second ODI against West Indies in Barbados, there was anticipation in the air. The stand-in captain then clarified that indeed Rohit Sharma was not playing along with Virat Kohli . India managed to clinch the first match after facing a few challenges. Ishan Kishan performed exceptionally well with the bat to help India chase down a total of 114. The visitors would be keen to clinch the series with a second consecutive win. India stand-in skipper Hardik Pandya said during the time of toss, "We were looking to bat first. We want to see how much we can score on this pitch which is a bit up and down. Rohit and Virat have been playing constant cricket, so they are resting in this game. They can be fresh for the third ODI. I think when you get someone out for 115, it's a good sign. Our catching was impressive, but we can improve in certain areas. Sanju and Axar come in for Rohit and Virat." Former India opener Wasim Jaffer gav...

There are 3,682 tigers now in India, up from 2,967 in 2018 — a rise of almost 24% in four years. The revised figures follow detailed analyses of census data collected during the fifth cycle of estimation conducted in 2022. With this, India is now home to approximately 75% of the world’s tiger population. from Times of India https://ift.tt/SPuBJ8o

The Indian cricket team had two notable absentees in Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the second ODI against West Indies. India managed to clinch the first margin after facing a few challenges. Ishan Kishan performed exceptionally well with the bat to help India chase down a total of 114. The visitors would be keen to clinch the series with a second consecutive win. Hardik Pandya is leading India in the absence of Rohit Sharma. Axar Patel and Sanju Samson have been named as their replacements. India stand-in skipper Hardik Pandya said during the time of toss, "We were looking to bat first. We want to see how much we can score on this pitch which is a bit up and down. Rohit and Virat have been playing constant cricket, so they are resting in this game. They can be fresh for the third ODI. I think when you get someone out for 115, it's a good sign. Our catching was impressive, but we can improve in certain areas. Sanju and Axar come in for Rohit an...

England fast bowler Stuart Broad has decided to bid farewell to Test cricket, culminating a magnificent 17-year international career. With a remarkable contribution to the game, he leaves behind a legacy that will be remembered for years to come. from Times of India https://ift.tt/QLJaxKf

A federal judge has dismissed a $475 million defamation lawsuit that Donald Trump filed against CNN for describing his claim that the 2020 election was stolen as the "Big Lie." Trump, in the suit filed in a US District Court in Florida in October, had alleged that the use of the phrase by the cable television news network associated the former US president with tactics used by Adolf Hitler. US District Court Judge Raag Singhal, who was appointed by Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, tossed out the suit on Friday. "There is no question that the statements made by CNN meet the publication requirement for defamation under Florida law," Singhal said in his ruling. "The next question is whether the statements were false statements of fact," the judge said. "This is where Trump's defamation claims fail. "The complained of statements are opinion, not factually false statements, and therefore are not actionab...

When people think of their dream wedding, it usually involves a beautiful and romantic setup with the bride and groom dressed in their best attires. However, new-age couples are ditching traditional settings and have been exploring unique ways to celebrate their big day. This time, a couple chose an adventurous celebration, not just for themselves, but also for the wedding guests, who will probably never forget it.  In a video going viral, a bride and groom, along with wedding guests are seen skydiving off a high cliff and enjoying the fun adventure. Notably, the couple, identified as Priscilla Ant and Filippo LeQuerce tied the knot on the cliff's edge and then took the thrilling plunge to celebrate new beginnings. All of the people present at the wedding were equipped with appropriate safety gear. This post was shared on Instagram by @lalibretamorada. ''We are the leap that we take. The hands that hold us. The flight that reminds us there is life after daring. The marr...

Skipper Rohit Sharma and senior pro Virat Kohli , who have 76 international hundreds between them, decided to give game time to middle-order batters as India beat West Indies by five wickets in the opening ODI, riding on exploits from spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav . After Jadeja (3/37 in 6 overs) and Kuldeep (4/6 in 4 overs) set it up beautifully, shooting out the Windies for 114 in 23 overs, Ishan Kishan helped himself to a half-century (52 off 46 balls) in India's successful chase in just 22.5 overs. It is interesting to note that the pair of Kishan and Shubman Gill opened the innings for India in the paltry chase of 115 despite skipper Rohit also being available to bat. After Gill fell, Suryakumar Yadav was sent in at number 3 with Virat Kohli staying in the dugout. Hardik Pandya came in at the fourth position while Ravindra Jadeja batted at the fifth position. Rohit came only after the fifth wicket fell down. Former India batter Wasim Jaffer posted a funny...

from Times of India https://ift.tt/OqUzL3u

Several hundred Credit Suisse investment bankers will soon be fired as UBS begins to implement the merger of the two banks, the Swiss weekly HandelsZeitung said Friday. UBS agreed to buy its rival in a hastily arranged 3-billion-franc ($3.5 billion) fire sale over a March weekend by Swiss authorities afraid that a weakened Credit Suisse would go bankrupt, with speculation rife since about the impact on jobs. HandelsZeitung said that according to its sources UBS chief executive Sergio Ermotti wants to rapidly get to work on eliminating the huge amount of duplication in their operations. "The transformation is beginning: in the coming days several hundred Credit Suisse bankers will receive termination notices," said the weekly. It noted that the Swiss media have speculated about between 30,000 and 35,000 job cuts across the world. At the end of last year, the two banks had around 120,000 employees between them across the world, including 37,000 in Switzerland. UBS decline...

Yusuf Pathan rolled back the years and how, as he produced plenty of big hits and entertainment at the Harare Sports Club, to help the Joburg Buffaloes storm into the finals of the Zim Cyber City Zim Afro T10, after defeating the Durban Qalandars by 6 wickets in Qualifier 1. Yusuf scored an unbeaten 80 from 26 deliveries as the Buffaloes chased down a record total on Friday. Put into bat first, the Durban Qalandars, who had finished top of the table in the league stage, had a slow start, losing the in-form Tim Seifert for 11 in the third over, with the score on 16. That though would kick start a fantastic as Mirza Tahir Baig and Andre Fletcher went through the gears against the Joburg Buffaloes' bowling.  While it was Fletcher, who was finding the boundaries with more regularity, Baig ensured he kept the scoreboard moving at his end. The duo put on a 49-run stand for the second wicket in quick time before Baig was dismissed in the 6th over for 20 by Victor Nyauchi. A short wh...

Some did not even carry Rs 25 in their purse when they decided to pool money to buy a lottery ticket worth Rs 250 weeks ago. One of them had even borrowed the meagre amount from an acquaintance to try her luck. But, the 11 women, members of Haritha Karma Sena, the green army under the Parappanangadi Municipality, never dreamt of making a windfall which would turn them into crorepati in a stroke. They were announced the winners of the monsoon bumper of whopping Rs 10 crore, by the Kerala lottery Department following a draw held on Wednesday. "We have purchased lottery tickets before by pooling money. But this is the first time we have won a mega prize," an elated Radha, who bought the ticket after pooling money from her colleagues, said. Another woman said they were eagerly waiting for the draw but felt sad after someone told them that a ticket sold in neighbouring Palakkad had won the first prize. "The excitement and happiness knew no bounds when we finally came to...

from Times of India https://ift.tt/eQPJnR5

India captain Rohit Sharma justified playing ODI specialists ahead of him and Virat Kohli in the first match at Kensington Oval. India defeated the West Indies by five wickets, with spinners claiming ten of the fifteen wickets that fell on a rank turner with a lot of bounce and carry. from Times of India https://ift.tt/Y3Zekq8

Indians, especially those who have been sponsored by the technology sector are key beneficiaries of the H-1B visa program and will stand to gain from a second lottery. Immigration experts also view that the second round of lottery would be especially useful to students who are already in the US and who are waiting to transition to an H-1B cap visa. from Times of India https://ift.tt/yQPtK8u

Expressing happiness over the peaceful 8th Muharram procession, lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha and the security brass said it was a testimony to the return of peace and normalcy in J&K. The LG said street violence had ended in Kashmir and people were breathing freely today. The gathering of more than 25,000 people was fully disciplined and well-coordinated, police said. from Times of India https://ift.tt/vXhcSRn

Bollywood actor Aditya Roy Kapur has been hogging all the limelight ever since his portrayal of Shaan Sengupta in the blockbuster web series The Night Manager. Now, in an interview with Filmfare , the actor has opened up about his initial days in the industry and on being faced with the question of nepotism. Talking to Filmfare, Aditya Roy Kapur said that he started in the industry by doing supporting roles hence nepotism didn't play a part in his journey as an actor. He said, "I think people know that I have kind of made my way into the industry. I started with supporting roles in films my brothers weren't involved with. My journey has been a public one. People saw my career develop slowly. By the time I did my first leading role, I had already done three supporting parts. So I think that journey is clear for people to see." On being asked about his auditioning experiences, Aditya Roy Kapur emphasised that rejection is a part of the auditioning process however, he...

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh asked his Mizoram counterpart Zoramthanga not to interfere in the internal matters of another state, a day after Zoramthanga participated in a rally to show solidarity with the Kuki tribe in ethnic violence-hit Manipur. The Mizoram government is sheltering about 13,000 internally displaced Kuki-Zo tribe people who fled from Manipur ever since the clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3. The Mizo tribe has a strong connection with the Kuki-Zo tribe and Chin people of Myanmar. Over 31,000 Chin refugees from Myanmar are also being sheltered in Mizoram. They fled Myanmar after fierce fighting between the Myanmar army and resistance groups and ethnic rebel groups there. "Tension began when the state government started to act against drug cartels... The Manipur government is not against the Kuki community who are living in the state," Mr Singh said at an event to mark the Kargil Vijay Diwas. Organisations representing the Kukis have been accus...

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point on Wednesday, citing still elevated inflation as a rationale for what is now the highest US central bank policy rate in 16 years.The rate hike, the Fed's 11th in its last 12 meetings, set the benchmark overnight interest rate in the 5.25%-5.50% range, and the accompanying policy statement left the door open to another increase. from Times of India https://ift.tt/IiutW5z

With the government planning to bring a Bill in Parliament to replace the Delhi services ordinance, the Congress on Wednesday issued a whip, asking all its Rajya Sabha MPs to be present in the House on Thursday as "very important issues will be taken up for discussion". On Tuesday, the Union cabinet reportedly gave its nod to the Bill that will replace the ordinance promulgated for the creation of an authority for transfers and postings of Group-A officers in Delhi. The Congress's chief whip in Rajya Sabha issued a three-line whip, saying "very important issues will be taken up for discussion in Rajya Sabha tomorrow i.e. Thursday, July 27, 2023". "All members of the Congress Party in the Rajya Sabha are requested to kindly remain present in the House from 11 am onwards till the adjournment of the House on Thursday, July 27, 2023, without fail and support the party stand," the whip said. This may be treated as "most important", it added. ...

The Supreme Court has asked the Gauhati HC to decide anew a writ petition filed by Mizoram Chakma Students Union (MCSU) challenging the validity of Mizoram (Selection of Candidates for Higher Technical Courses) Rules, 2016, by which the state had sub-classified Scheduled Tribe ST communities and provided 93% quota to Zo tribe while reducing Chakma tribe’s quota from 4% to 1% in 2021. from Times of India https://ift.tt/GMdqsoS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the opposition for blocking the proceedings of Parliament and for branding their grouping as ‘INDIA’, and dismissed the move to bring a no-trust motion as “inconsequential”. “It has been the practice since the British rule to use ‘India’ as a camouflage for vested interests," the PM is learnt to have said at the closed-door meeting of BJP MPs. from Times of India https://ift.tt/v8dsTfK

A woman was allegedly raped by a man she met on a dating app and his friend at a hotel in sector 50 area here, police said on Tuesday. According to the woman's complaint, she met the accused through a dating app who later invited her to the on June 29, police said. When she reached the hotel, the two men offered her food and she lost consciousness after having it, she alleged. "Taking advantage of this, they raped me and also made a video of the act. When I protested after regaining consciousness, the accused threatened to make her video viral. Somehow I returned home but now reached the police," she said in her complaint. An FIR was registered against two unknown accused under the section of gang rape at sector 50 police station, SHO Praveen Malik said, adding that a probe is underway in the matter. (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/NnwaoUS

Internet sensation Kili Paul and his sister Neema Paul are no strangers to the Indian audience. They have gained widespread acclaim for their dance videos on popular Indian songs. Now, the brother-sister duo has one more reason to celebrate given that their video was reshared by Bollywood icon Dharmendra. The veteran actor has shared a clip of Kili and Neema dancing to his son Sunny Deol's song Mai Nikla Gaddi Le Ke from Gadar . Director Anil Sharma has confirmed that the superhit song will be recreated in Gadar 2 . The same video was previously shared by Sunny Deol and features the Paul siblings grooving to the song, dressed in Indian ensembles. Along with the video, Dharmendra wrote, "Friends, With love to you all. Need your hearty blessings for the bumper successes of Gadar 2 ." Watch the video here: Friends, With love 💕 to you all . Need your hearty blessings 🙏 for the bumper successes of Ghadar 2🎬. pic.twitter.com/a1aADRGeuA — Dharmendra Deol (@aapkadharam) J...