DESPOT

The defence ministry on Thursday gave the preliminary approval for capital acquisition proposals worth Rs 2.23 lakh crore, including the procurement of 97 more Tejas fighters and 156 Prachand light combat helicopters as well as an upgrade of 84 existing Sukhoi-30MKI jets, in a hugely significant boost for indigenous defence production. The Rajnath Singh-led defence acquisitions council also accorded the acceptance of necessity (AoN) for 400 new towed artillery gun systems for Rs 9,900 crore to replace old Indian field guns and two types of Pinaka `area denial munitions’ for the Army. from Times of India https://ift.tt/lhHnaLs

Powerful solar storms are expected to hit the Earth on Friday (December 1), according to a forecasting model developed by the US-based agency NOAA. Caused by a coronal mass ejection (CME), they will generate geomagnetic waves that are likely to impact radio, GPS, and satellite communication, space weather physicist Tamitha Skov said on X (formerly Twitter). NOAA has officially categorised the storms as G2 (having moderate intensity), but Ms Skov said they can be as powerful as G3-class storms. The solar storms were released by a CME that occurred on November 27, according to NOAA. They could also combine to form a 'cannibal' CME, sparking an even stronger geomagnetic storm. The biggest CME was caused by an M-class flare on Wednesday. Solar flares are caused when large loops of plasma on the sun's surface'snap' like an elastic band, firing electromagnetic particles into space. A Direct Hit! The impressive #solarstorm launched in the Earth-strike zone has been mo...

Katrina Kaif turned cheerleader for her husband Vicky Kaushal at the screening of Sam Bahadur on Wednesday night. A day after, the Tiger 3 star, in her review of the film, praised husband Vicky for his "flawless" performance. On Thursday, Katrina Kaif shared a poster from Sam Bahadur alongside a moving note for her husband, who plays Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw in the film. She began her note by praising director Meghna Gulzar as she wrote, "Maghna Gulzar, such a poetic beautiful classic film, was transported to another era .. you can see your passion to telling his story and attention to detail in every shot." She then went on to review her husband Vicky Kaushal's performance and wrote, "And SAM !!!!…..GRACE, HEROISM , GRIT. What a performance, flawless, I'm just astounded , you are too inspiring , true to your craft in the most brilliant integral way , was so proud to watch you shine your way across the screen . I've seen you this last year po...

Actor and television host Kapil Sharma was not happy with his recent IndiGo flight experience. The comedian took to social media to express his frustration with the airline, highlighting a considerable delay and a surprising excuse that the pilot was stuck in traffic.He voiced his discontent with the delayed departure and expressed concern about the airline's reliability. Mr Sharma wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, "Dear IndiGo, first you made us wait in the bus for 50 minutes, and now your team is saying pilot is stuck in traffic. What? Really ? We were supposed to take off by 8 pm and it's 9:20. Still, there is no pilot in the cockpit. Do you think these 180 passengers will fly in Indigo again? Never #indigo 6E 5149 #shameless." Dear @IndiGo6E first you made us wait in the bus for 50 minz, and now your team is saying pilot is stuck in traffic, what ? Really ? we supposed to take off by 8 pm n it's 9:20, still there is no pilot in cockpit, do you think t...

Imran Khan steps down as leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), handing over to close associate Gohar Ali Khan in a temporary arrangement amid legal challenges. Imran's decision follows his conviction in the Toshakhana graft case. The move aims to prevent electoral watchdog interference and maintain the party's integrity. Imran plans to contest intra-party polls after the prompt resolution of legal issues. Gohar expressed gratitude for being picked to head Pakistan's main opposition party. "I am stunned. There are no words to express my gratitude to Imran Khan sahib." from Times of India https://ift.tt/TjVm5R7

The marginally high voter turnout in the Rajasthan assembly election is being claimed as a victory by both the BJP and the ruling Congress. While the BJP believes it's a sign of change, the Congress considers it popular support for its welfare schemes. The final voting percentage for 199 assembly seats in Rajasthan stood at 75.45 per cent (including postal ballots). The highest polling was recorded at Jaisalmer's Pokhran with an 88.23 per cent turnout and the lowest in the Ahore assembly seat at 61.24 per cent. More women (74.72 per cent) voted than men (74.53 per cent) this time. Rajasthan voted on November 25. The results on December 3 will decide whether the Congress retains power, defying the state's tradition of voting out the incumbent, or the BJP topples the Ashok Gehlot government.  In the last assembly election in 2018, Rajasthan recorded a voter turnout of 74.72 per cent (including postal ballots). This year's voting is 0.73 per cent more than the last time. ...

Tiger 3 minted ₹ 2.60 crore (all languages) on day 16 at the domestic box office, as per a Sacnilk report. The total collection of the Salman Khan-Katrina Kaif film stands at ₹ 273.8 crore. Tiger 3 , directed by Maneesh Sharma, witnessed a jump in its collection figures for day 15. The film made ₹ 6.75 crore, the report added. The third instalment of the Tiger franchise opened to theatres on November 12 (Diwali day). In the spy-thriller, Salman and Katrina reprise their roles as Avinash Singh Rathore aka Tiger and Zoya . Emraan Hashmi is also part of the project.    Tiger 3 has become “the highest-grossing Diwali release in the history of the Indian cinemas.” The film has collected ₹ 447 crore (worldwide). The makers, Yash Raj Films, have announced the super hit news on Instagram. Along with the poster, the makers wrote, “Catch the high-octane action unfolding in cinemas now. Watch Tiger 3 at your nearest big screen in Hindi, Tamil & Telugu. Book your tickets.” ...

A 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a youth who had befriended her on social media and his three friends in a car in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior, police said on Monday. Police have invoked provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act since the victim is a Dalit, an official said, adding that nobody has been arrested so far. The incident occurred on November 21 but a complaint was lodged four days later as the girl kept mum because she was threatened by the accused against disclosing the incident, an official said. Additional Superintendent of Police Niranjan Sharma said the girl and her family lodged a complaint. "The girl became friends with a youth on Facebook last year. On November 21, her male friend took her to a deserted forest area in a car where he and his three friends raped her and also threatened to kill her," he said. A case was registered under sections 376 (Punishment for rape), and 377 (unnatural act) among ...

Mumbai Indians announced their list of retained and released players on Sunday. While Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tim David and Jasprit Bumrah were among the star players that were retained by the side, the likes of Jofra Archer, Tristan Stubbs and Chris Jordan were released by them. It is interesting to note that Mumbai traded Cameron Green to Royal Challengers Bangalore while they roped in Hardik Pandya from Gujarat Titans. Mumbai Indians had earlier traded West Indies all-rounder Romario Shepherd from Lucknow Super Giants. IPL had released a media advisory to announce Shepherd's trade for a fee of Rs 50 lakh which read, "Romario Shepherd has been traded to Mumbai Indians (MI) from Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) trading window ahead of the IPL 2024. Shepherd, who has played 4 IPL matches, representing LSG and Sunrisers Hyderabad, was traded to MI for his existing fee of INR 50 Lakh." It is worth noting that Mumbai Indians...

Israel summons Irish ambassador over tweet celebrating release of 9-year-old girl, Emily Hand, from Hamas captivity. Israeli officials criticize Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar for portraying Emily's situation as a disappearance rather than a violent abduction by Hamas militants. Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen accuses Varadkar of legitimizing terrorism. Spain and Belgium ambassadors were also called in for criticizing Israel's high civilian death toll in Gaza. from Times of India https://ift.tt/6ZDvjGf

People of India are trendsetters and trailblazers when it comes to innovation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday and welcomed the world to invest in the country. PM Modi's remarks came in response to a post on X which called India an ancient civilisation that is simultaneously like a startup country. "I love your optimism and will add- the people of India are trendsetters and trailblazers when it comes to innovation," PM Modi said on X, formerly Twitter. I love your optimism and will add- the people of India are trendsetters and trailblazers when it comes to innovation. We welcome the world to invest in our nation. India won't disappoint. https://t.co/1OYtST7YX4 — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 26, 2023 "We welcome the world to invest in our nation. India won't disappoint," the prime minister said. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) from NDTV News...

The Election Commission on Saturday issued a notice to ruling BRS working president and IT Minister K T Rama Rao for allegedly visiting a government institution here and using the platform for political activities and sought a reply from him by Sunday afternoon. The EC in its notice said it had received a complaint from Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala, wherein it was alleged that Rama Rao, a star campaigner for BRS visited the office of 'T-works' and interacted with a large number of youth employed in the office on November 20. The Commission obtained a factual report on the matter from the Telangana Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). Referring to the provisions of MCC that the ministers shall not combine their official visit with electioneering work and shall not also make use of official machinery or personnel, the Commission in its notice observed that, Rama Rao, is not only a contesting candidate in the upcoming assembly election but also a start campaigner of the BRS. ...

Rahul Dravid and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) top brass engaged in an in-depth talk about the possibilities surrounding his role as head coach with the board inclined to hand over the reins of the team to a new person keeping the T20 World Cup 2024 in mind. The person that board has in mind is VVS Laxman , the NCA Director. Dravid's two-year contract as India's head coach ended with the recent World Cup final in which Rohit Sharma 's band suffered a heart-breaking six-wicket defeat to Australia. Since then, Dravid's future as the back-room helmsman of the Indian cricket team has been constantly debated. "Rahul and the BCCI had a talk about where things stand now. We will respect the decision taken by him. The general feeling is that with the T20 World Cup about 7-8 months away, there is time for a new coach to come in and build a team and set a process. He (Dravid) is quite aware of that," a BCCI official close to the development told PT...

The armed wing of Hamas said it had decided to delay Saturday's scheduled second round of hostage releases until Israel committed to allowing aid trucks to enter northern Gaza. Hamas' al-Qassam Brigades said the hostage releases would be delayed if Israel did not adhere to the agreed terms for the release of Palestinian prisoners. There was no immediate Israeli response to the statement. Earlier an Israeli military spokesperson had told France's BFM television station that, barring last-minute changes, 13 Israeli hostages were expected to be freed. He said 39 Palestinian prisoners would be released in return. Under the truce deal between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar, a total of 50 hostages are to be exchanged for 150 Palestinian prisoners, some of them convicted on weapon charges and violent offences, over four days. In the first exchange on Friday, 13 Israeli women and children - out of around 240 hostages captured by Hamas fighters on a killing spree in southe...

The Chennai Police have filed a case against a TV journalist of News Tamil 24x7 and others for their alleged involvement in the sexual harassment of women at a bar in the early hours of Monday. Reports said the women leaving the bar were not only filmed without consent but also subjected to abuse and obscene comments. The footage, telecast by several TV channels, sparked outrage on social media. The charges include sexual harassment, explicit sexual behaviour, wrongful restraint, unlawful assembly, singing obscene songs, and intent to insult a woman's modesty. The police said they are investigating the matter. The incident highlighted the need for strict action against any form of harassment and the responsible use of media platforms. Investigators said trouble started when five members who were denied entry at a private bar after the bar timing ended created a ruckus. Many customers were reportedly watching the world cup cricket final match and the subsequent programmes since...

The Supreme Court on Friday raised tough questions against petitioners in the case linked to a report by a George Soros-funded group that targeted the Adani Group. "Why must we take foreign reports as the truth? We are not rejecting the report, but we need proof. So what proof do you have against the Adani Group?" Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud told the petitioner's lawyer Prashant Bhushan. "A publication's work can't be treated as a gospel of truth," Chief Justice Chandrachud said. The Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), funded by billionaire George Soros, had alleged insider trading in the Adani Group via two foreign investors. The Adani Group has called them "recycled allegations" and another concerted bid by Soros-funded interests supported by a section of the foreign media to revive the "meritless Hindenburg report". Experts speak to NDTV on the development: "The Supreme Court very rightly poi...

In the second such setback in two days, drilling at the Uttarakhand tunnel where 41 labourers are trapped had to be stopped on Friday evening after the auger machine encountered a metallic object. The blades of the machine had hit a pipe on Thursday evening and drilling had resumed after 24 hours, only to be stopped again. Addressing a press conference earlier in the day, senior officials had said only 10-12 metres of drilling was left for the rescuers to reach the trapped construction workers and that ground penetrating radar had revealed that there were likely to be no major metal obstacles for the next five metres. "They (a team of ground penetrating experts) could not say this with 100% accuracy but what they are expecting is that there is no continuous metal object, like girders, pipes and metal plates, in the next 5.4 metres. They have pointed out some other hurdles, but this is good news," Uttarakhand Secretary Neeraj Khairwal, who is the nodal officer for the rescue...

India started the T20I series against Australia in some style as they notched a two-wicket win on Thursday. There was no shortage of thrill in the match. Courtesy Josh Inglis ' 110, Australia notched a huge total of 208/3 in 20 overs. In reply, Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan hit half-centuries as India cruised towards the target. However, both got out and it was left to Rinku Singh to take India over the line as India needed seven runs off six balls.  More drama ensued as India lost the wickets of  Axar Patel , Ravi Bishnoi and Arshdeep Singh in the last over by Sean Abbott to go eight down. With India needing one off one ball, Rinku Singh hit a huge six to take India to win. However, the six was not counted and there was confusion over India's final score. The umpires then adjudged the delivery as no-ball. Since it was a no-ball, and India had got the required one run and had already won by its courtesy. Hence, the six was not counted. India ended on 209/8 in 19.5 ove...

Young left-handed batter Rinku Singh held his nerves despite losing three wickets in three balls, guiding India to a thrilling last-ball two-wicket win over Australia in the first T20I of the five-match series in Visakhapatnam on Thursday. Needing 7 runs off 6 balls, Rinku started off with a four off the first ball followed with a single bringing the equation down to 2 off 4 balls. But fate had different plans as India lost three wickets in the form of Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi and Arshdeep Singh in the next three successive deliveries. from Times of India https://ift.tt/QmNFUDn

Sahar Awwad is seated between her two nephews. Together, they are among the few survivors of an extended Gaza family of which at least 80 members have been killed in nearly seven weeks of Israeli bombardment. The entire family had fled first to a hospital in Khan Yunis, then to a school, which was initially transformed into a camp for the displaced then a clinic, in Rafah near the border with Egypt, the southernmost point of the besieged enclave. Only 35 kilometres (20 miles) separated them from their former home in Gaza City, but the journey took them a week. Last Friday, a strike hit their home in Gaza City's Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood. "More than 80 family members died. The Awwad family was wiped out," Awwad told AFP. "The survivors rushed to extract the dead and wounded from the debris and Israel struck a second time," she said. "We could only bury those whose bodies had been sent flying all the way to the neighbours' homes" by the force o...

A car exploded at the Rainbow Bridge, a border crossing between the US and Canada at Niagara falls, the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation said. #FBI Buffalo statement on investigation at the Rainbow Bridge: pic.twitter.com/jRaGLL8sU8 — FBI Buffalo (@FBIBuffalo) November 22, 2023 The FBI Buffalo is coordinating with local, state and Federal law enforcement agencies to investigate the incident. "The situation is very fluid, that's all we can say at this time," FBI Buffalo tweeted. The car exploded at the Rainbow Bridge crossing and the vehicle was up in flames with black plume of smoke soaring into the sky. Several cars were parked in the area but were not damaged due to the explosion.  It is still unknown what triggered such a massive explosion at the border crossing. Governor of New York State, Kathy Hochul, said she has been "briefed on the incident on the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls and we are closely monitoring the situation." I...

China, still reeling from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, now faces a new threat: a mysterious pneumonia outbreak sweeping through schools. This alarming situation, reminiscent of the early days of the COVID crisis, has led to a surge in hospitalizations, casting an ominous shadow over the country's healthcare system. Hospitals in Beijing and Liaoning, 500 miles northeast, are struggling to cope with an influx of sick children, straining their resources to the breaking point. Local media reports suggest that school closures are imminent due to the outbreak. The affected children present with unusual symptoms, including lung inflammation and high fever, but noticeably lack the typical cough and other signs associated with flu, RSV, and other respiratory illnesses. ⚠️UNDIAGNOSED PNEUMONIA OUTBREAK—An emerging large outbreak of pneumonia in China, with pediatric hospitals in Beijing, Liaoning overwhelmed with sick children, & many schools suspended. Beijing Chi...

Artificial intelligence should not be conflated with real human intelligence and it should not be depended on for crucial things like "retirement finance planning" and "medical diagnosis", Dr Vint Cerf, the father of Internet, has told NDTV in an exclusive interview. The reason is that such systems currently are far from perfect, indicated Dr Cerf, who is currently the Chief Internet Evangelist of Google. Artificial intelligence, he said, is a manifestation of a "more general form of machine learning" and it can reflect only what it has learnt. Giving an example of what could be a real-life situation, he said a voice-activated AI could do "what you do not want it to do". For example, it could open the door to a visitor but without checking who the visitor is, it could be a matter of concern. There could be "large language models possibly doing you do not want it to do," he said. "There are a bunch of edge cases and nuances that ...

The 41 workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand's Silkyara are expected to be rescued today - finally after 11 days. Only 12 metres of rock and debris separate them and rescue operation is expected to be over by 11:30 pm, officials said today. The under-construction tunnel had collapsed on November 12, trapping the labourers working inside. Advanced drilling machines were flown in as rescue officials raced against time to save the trapped workers. Here are the live updates on the Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescue Ops: from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/T84IOEN

The Israeli Cabinet will meet at 8 pm (Israeli local time) on Tuesday to approve a deal for the release of dozens of hostages from Gaza, The Times of Israel reported. Some 50 children, mothers, and other women are reported to be freed by Hamas over 4-5 days, the report stated. Further, according to Israeli media, the agreement is focused on Israeli hostages, mainly women and children, with talks on releasing foreign hostages not currently on the table. The Israeli Prime Minister's office stated in a release, "In light of developments on the issue of the release of our hostages, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will, this evening, convene the War Cabinet at 18:00, the Security Cabinet at 19:00, and the Government at 20:00." Hamas and other terror factions in Gaza abducted some 240 people from Israel during the October 7 attacks, including about 40 children, elderly people and dozens of Thai and Nepali nationals. The hostage deal will include the release of some 150 t...

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was quoted as saying the government should "just let people die" during the Covid-19 pandemic rather than impose a second national lockdown, the inquiry into how Britain handled the crisis heard on Monday. Patrick Vallance, who was the government's chief scientific adviser during COVID, made a note in his diary on October 25, 2020, about a meeting involving then Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Sunak, who was finance minister. The diary entry shown to the inquiry recorded how Dominic Cummings, Johnson's most senior adviser during the pandemic, had relayed to Vallance what he said he had heard at the meeting. Vallance quoted Cummings in his diary as saying: "Rishi thinks just let people die and that's okay. This all feels like a complete lack of leadership." A spokesman for Sunak said the prime minister would set out his position when he gives evidence to the inquiry "rather than respond to each one in piecemeal". ...

Bigg Boss 17 had its first mid-week eviction, with Naved getting eliminated. The housemates had to collectively choose three contestants they thought were least deserving. Naved's name came up, leaving many shocked and emotional. Rinku Dhawan and Jigna Vora, who were close to Naved, were particularly emotional. There was also a fight between Mannara Chopra and Abhishek Kumar, and Ankita Lokhande got emotional while talking about her ex-boyfriend Sushant Singh Rajput. Khanzaadi got into a fight with Rinku Dhawan, leading to criticism from other contestants. from Times of India https://ift.tt/dihQEW0

Israeli ships are a "legitimate target", Yemen's Huthi rebels warned on Monday after their seizure of an Israel-linked cargo vessel opened a new dimension in the Gaza war. Sunday's capture of the Galaxy Leader and its 25 international crew came days after the Iran-backed Houthis threatened to target Israeli shipping over the Israel-Hamas war. The Houthis, declaring themselves part of the "axis of resistance" of Iran's allies and proxies, have also launched a series of drones and missiles towards Israel. "Israeli ships are legitimate targets for us anywhere...and we will not hesitate to take action," Major General Ali Al-Moshki, a Huthi military official, told the group's Al-Massirah TV station. Analysts also said Huthi threats to shipping around the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a choke-point at the foot of the commercially vital Red Sea, were likely to rise. The Bahamas-flagged, British-owned Galaxy Leader is operated by a Japanese firm but h...

Hey fans, get ready for Koffee beans “to be spilled”, because Karan Johar is geared up for “a lot more brewing”. The filmmaker on Sunday dropped a new promo of  Koffee With Karan 8.  After four fun episodes of the celebrity chat show, the promo hints at the next set of guests and what is brewing in the mix. The clip opens with glimpses of Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, and Ajay Devgn . Next up, KJo is heard asking Sidharth Malhotra “One thing Varun [Dhawan] has that you don't?” Sidharth said, “A big a**.” Then Janhvi is heard saying, “ Wohi to centre point hai tumhari film ki.  [That is the centre point of your film.]” Varun can be heard saying, “ Yeh Dharma ka hero hai bahut nazuk hai.  [This is Dharma hero, he is very fragile.]” We also caught glimpse of Vicky Kaushal and Kajol on the Koffee couch. As Karan's close friends and industry colleagues went ahead to troll him, the filmmaker can be heard screaming, “Just keep quiet I can't bear this.” The vide...