Congress targets Centre over Pegasus case

New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday criticised the government over the recent US court ruling on Pegasus spyware, which revealed that 300 out of 1,400 targeted WhatsApp numbers belonged to Indians. Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala called for the Supreme Court of India to reopen the Pegasus case and conduct a fresh inquiry based on the US judgment. The US court held Israel's NSO Group liable for violating state and federal hacking laws and WhatsApp's terms of service. WhatsApp welcomed the ruling, stating it sends a clear message to spyware companies about accountability for illegal activities targeting journalists, activists, and civil society. In 2022, India's Supreme Court formed a technical panel to investigate allegations of snooping using Pegasus spyware. While Pegasus was not detected in the examined phones, malware was found in five devices. Surjewala demanded the government disclose the identities of the 300 Indians targeted, including two Union ministers, three Opposition leaders, and other key figures. He also questioned how the information gathered was used or misused and whether criminal cases would be filed against the officials involved. Additionally, he urged the Supreme Court to release the technical committee's findings and ask Meta to provide the list of targeted Indian numbers to ensure justice. He also called on Facebook and WhatsApp to fulfil their duty of care by disclosing the targeted names.

The best live TV streaming services to cut cable in 2025

In December 2024, YouTube TV again hiked its rates , this time to $83 a month, an increase of around $50 since the services debut in 2017. Its just the latest live TV streaming service to raise prices Hulu+ Live TV jumped to $82 in August of 2024 and FuboTVs cheapest tier climbed to $80 back in January. Even in the $80-range, these are still cheaper than cable in many markets, but the gap is steadily narrowing and at least you dont need a contract or any special equipment like you do with cable. Other distinctions that once separated broadcast, streaming and cable TV are disappearing too, with standard streaming platforms offering linear channels and live programming , and free ad-supported streaming (FAST) services like Plex and Pluto echoing broadcast TV from way back when. Its no surprise cord-cutters might want a little help making sense of it all, so we tried all the major services out there, judging each one in terms of content, user experience, live sports and news offerings and, of course, price so you can find the best live TV streaming service for you. Table of contents Best live TV streaming services for 2025 Best free live TV streaming services for 2025 What to look for in a live TV streaming service How we tested Live TV Streaming FAQs Recent updates Best live TV streaming services for 2025 Back to top Best free live TV streaming services for 2025 There are plenty of ways to get free TV these days. To start, many standard streaming apps have added live components to their lineups. Youre paying for the service, so its not technically free, but you can get a dose of live TV without spending more than necessary. Peacock includes some regional NBC stations, and notably access to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games . Paramount+ subscribers can watch on-air CBS programming. The standard Hulu app has a live ABC news channel and Max now includes a live CNN outlet with its service, along with cable-like linear channels . The smart TV operating system (OS) you use likely provides free live content too: Amazons Fire TV interface has a live tab and Rokus built-in Roku Channel includes hundreds of live channels at no extra cost. The same goes for Samsung TV Plus , which added a trove of K-dramas to its free live and on-demand lineup in 2024. The PBS app offers local live streams of its channels even NASA has a free streaming service with live coverage. But for a full suite of live TV networks, and dont want to sign up for any paid service, there are a number of free ad-supported TV services that have live TV. Even cable company DirecTV has joined the crowd with MyFree , though we havent had a chance to test that one yet. Here's the best of what we tried: Back to top What to look for in a live TV streaming service How to stream live TV Streaming live TV is a lot like using Netflix. You get access through apps on your phone, tablet, smart TV or streaming device and the signal arrives over the internet. A faster and more stable connection tends to give you a better experience. Most live TV apps require you to sign up and pay via a web browser. After that, you can activate the app on all of your devices. Monthly Price When I started testing these cord-cutting alternatives, I was struck by the price difference between live TV and a standard video streaming app . Where the latter cost between $5 and $20 per month, most live TV services hit the $80 mark and can go higher than $200 with additional perks, channel packages and premium extras. The higher starting price is mostly due to the cost of providing multiple networks particularly sports and local stations. And, in the past year or so, every service except Sling has raised base plan prices. Local channels Only two of the services I tried dont include full local channel coverage for subscribers and one of those makes no effort to carry sports at all. That would be Philo and, as you might guess, its the cheapest. The next most affordable option, Sling, only carries three local stations and only in larger markets but it still manages to include some of the top sports channels. When you sign up with any provider that handles local TV, youll enter your zip code, ensuring you get your areas broadcast affiliates for ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC. Of course, you can also get those stations for free. Nearly all modern television sets support a radio frequency (RF) connection, also known as the coaxial port, which means if you buy an HD antenna , youll receive locally broadcast stations like ABC, CBS, PBS, FOX and NBC. And since the signal is digital, reception is much improved over the staticky rabbit-ears era. Live sports coverage One reality that spun my head was the sheer number and iterations of sports networks in existence. Trying to figure out which network will carry the match-up you want to see can be tricky. I found that Google makes it a little easier for sports fans by listing out upcoming games (just swap in NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL and so on in the search bar). When you click an event, the TV & streaming button will tell you which network is covering it. That just leaves figuring out if your chosen service carries the RSNs (regional sports networks) you want. Unfortunately, even with add-ons and extra packages, some providers simply dont have certain channels in their lineups. It would take a lawyer to understand the ins and outs of streaming rights negotiations , and networks leave and return to live TV carriers all the time. That said, most major sporting events in the US are covered by ESPN, Fox Sports, TNT, USA and local affiliates. I should also point out that traditional streaming services have started adding live sports to their lineups. Peacock carries live Premier League matches, Sunday Night Football games and aired the 2024 Olympic Games from Paris. Thursday Night Football is on Amazon Prime and Christmas Day Football aired on Netflix. Max ( formerly HBO Max) now airs select, regular season games from the NHL, MLB, NCAA and NBA with a $10-per-month add-on . You can watch MLS games with an add-on through the Apple TV app, and Apple TV+ includes some MLB games . If you subscribe to Paramount Plus , you can see many of the matches youd see on CBS Sports, including live NFL games. Roku just added a free sports channel to its lineup. And a new upcoming sports streaming service called Venu is a joint venture between ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery and will cost $43 per month. Even taken all together, these options may not cover as much ground as live TV streamers, but they could scratch a small sports itch without too much added cost. Traditional cable networks Dozens of linear programming networks were once only available with cable TV, like Bravo, BET, Food Network, HGTV, CNN, Lifetime, SYFY and MTV. If you only subscribe to, say, Netflix or Apple TV+, you wont have access to those. But as with sports, standard streamers are starting to incorporate this content into their offerings. After the Warner Bros. merger, Max incorporated some content from HGTV, Discovery and TLC. Peacock has Bravo and Hallmark shows, and Paramount+ has material from Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central. Other channels like AMC+ have stand-alone apps. The Discovery+ app gives you 15 channels ad-free for $9 per month (or with ads for $5 monthly). And a service called Frndly TV starts at a mere $7 per month and streams A&E, Lifetime, Game Show Network, Outdoor Channel and about 35 others. Of course, most live TV streaming options will deliver more sizable lists of cable networks, but just note that you may already be paying for some of them and if all you need is a certain channel, you could get it cheaper by subscribing directly. On-demand streaming Most live TV subscriptions include access to a selection of video-on-demand (VOD) content, like you would get with a traditional streaming service. Much of this content is made up of the movies and TV series that have recently aired on your subscribed networks. This typically doesnt cover live events and news programming, but I was able to watch specific episodes of ongoing shows like Top Chef or BETs Diarra from Detroit. Just search the on-demand library for the program, pick an episode and hit play. Partnerships, like Hulus relationship with Disney, and add-ons, such as bundling Max with your YouTube TV subscription or Starz with your Sling plan, will let you watch even larger libraries of on-demand content. But again, if VOD is all youre after, paying for those networks directly instead of through a live TV plan will be far cheaper. Digital video recordings (DVR) limits Every option I tried offers some cloud DVR storage without needing a separate physical device. Youll either get unlimited storage for recordings that expires after nine months or a year, or youll get a set number of hours (between 50 and 1,000) that you can keep indefinitely. Typically, all you need to do is designate what ongoing TV series you want to record and the DVR component will do all the hard work of saving subsequent episodes for you to watch later. You can do the same thing with sports events. Aside from being able to watch whenever its most convenient, you can also fast-forward through commercials in recorded content. In contrast, you cant skip them on live TV or VOD. Simultaneous streams and profiles per account Each plan gives you a certain number of simultaneous streams, aka how many screens can play content at the same time. And while most providers will let you travel with your subscription, there are usually location restrictions that require you to sign in from your home IP address periodically. Stream allowances range from one at a time to unlimited screens (or as many as your ISPs bandwidth can handle). Some plans require add-ons to get more screens. Most services also let you set up a few profiles so I was able to give different people in my family the ability to build their own watch histories and libraries, set their favorite channels and get individual recommendations. Picture-in-picture mode and multiview Picture-in-picture (PiP) usually refers to shrinking a video window on a mobile device or computer browser so you can watch it while using other apps. Sling, YouTube TV, FuboTV, Philo, DirecTV Stream and Hulu + Live TV all have PiP modes on computers and mobile devices. Another feature, multiview, lets you view multiple live sports games at once on your TV screen. YouTube TV and FuboTV are the only live TV streamers that let you do this. With YouTube TV, you can select up to four views from a few preset selection of streams. FuboTV offers the same feature, but only if you're using an Apple TV set top device. 4K live streams Right now, just FuboTV, YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream offer 4K live streams but with caveats. YouTube TV requires a $20-per-month add-on , after which youll only be able to watch certain live content in 4K. DirecTV Stream has three channels that show live 4K content one with shows and original series, and two with occasional sporting events. You dont have to pay extra for these but you do need to have either DirecTVs Gemini receiver, or a device from Fire TV, Apple TV or Roku. Youll need those same devices to watch the select 4K programming on Sling as well. FuboTV shows certain live events in 4K but access is limited to the Elite and Premier packages, not the base-level Pro plan. Of course, watching any 4K content also requires equipment that can handle it: a 4K smart TV or 4K streaming device paired with a cord and screen that can handle 4K resolution. Tiers, packages and add-ons Comparing price-to-offering ratios is a task for a spreadsheet. I made three. The base plans range from $28 to $80 per month. From there, you can add packages, which are usually groups of live TV channels bundled by themes like news, sports, entertainment or international content. Premium VOD extras like Max, AMC+ and Starz are also available. Add-ons cost an extra $5 to $20 each per month and simply show up in the guide where you find the rest of your live TV. This is where streaming can quickly get expensive, pushing an $80 subscription to $200 monthly, depending on what you choose. How to stream live TV for free I also downloaded and tried out a few apps that offer free ad-supported TV ( FAST ) including Freevee , Tubi , PlutoTV and Sling Freestream . These let you drop in and watch a more limited selection of live networks at zero cost. Most dont even require an email address, let alone a credit card. And if you have a Roku device, an Amazon Fire TV or Stick, a Samsung TV, a Chromecast device or a Google TV, you already have access to hundreds of live channels via the Roku Channel , the live tab in Fire TV, through the Samsung TV Plus app or through Google TV . Back to top How we tested When I begin testing for a guide, I research the most popular and well-reviewed players in the category and narrow down which are worth trying. For the paid plans, just six services dominate so I tried them all. There are considerably more free live TV contenders so I tested the four most popular. After getting accounts set up using my laptop, I downloaded the apps on a Samsung smart TV running the latest version of Tizen OS. I counted the local stations and regional sports coverage, and noted how many of the top cable networks were available. I then weighed the prices, base packages and available add-ons. I then looked at how the programming was organized in each apps UI and judged how easy everything was to navigate, from the top navigation to the settings. To test the search function, I searched for the same few TV shows on BET, Food Network, HGTV and Comedy Central, since all six providers carry those channels. I noted how helpful the searches were and how quickly they got me to season 6, episode 13 of Home Town . I used DVR to record entire series and single movies and watched VOD shows, making sure to test the pause and scan functions. On each service with sports, I searched for the same four upcoming NHL, NBA, MLS and NCAA basketball matches and used the record option to save the games and play them back a day or two later. Finally, I noted any extra perks or irritating quirks. All live TV streaming services weve tested: Philo Sling YouTube TV Hulu + Live TV DirecTV Stream FuboTV Freevee Tubi PlutoTV Sling Freestream Plex Back to top Live TV Streaming FAQs What is live streaming? Streaming simply refers to video content that is delivered to your screen over the internet. Live streaming can be split into two categories: linear programming and simultaneous transmission. That first one is similar to what you get with cable or broadcast TV, with channels that play a constant flow of movies and shows (sort of what TV looked like before Netflix). Simultaneous streaming lets you watch live events (like a basketball game) or a program (like the evening news) as they happen. What is the difference between streaming and live streaming? Standard streaming, the most popular example being Netflix, lets you pick what you want to watch from a menu of choices. Its also referred to as video on demand. Live streaming refers to sports and news events that you can stream as they happen in real time. It also refers to channels that show a continuous, linear flow of programming. What streaming service is best for live TV? FuboTV does the best job of letting you organize live channels to help you find just what you want to watch. The interface is uncluttered and when you search for something, the UI clearly tells you whether something is live now or on-demand. YouTube TV also does a good job making that info clear. Both have just over 100 live channels on offer. What is the most cost effective TV streaming service? Free TV streaming services like PlutoTV, Plex, Tubi and FreeVee show plenty of ad-supported TV shows and movies without charging you anything. Of course, they wont have the same channels or content that more premium subscriptions have. Ultimately it depends on what you want to watch and finding the service that can supply that to you in the most streamlined form so youre not paying for stuff you dont need. Is it cheaper to have cable or streaming? A basic cable package used to be more expensive than the base-level live TV streaming service. But now that nearly all major providers have raised their prices to over $75 per month, thats no longer the case. And with add-ons and other premiums, you can easily pay over $200 a month for either cable or a live TV streaming service. What streaming service has all the TV channels? No service that we tested had every available channel. Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV Stream carry the highest number of the top rated channels, according to Neilsen . Hulus service will also get you Disney+ fare, which you cant get elsewhere. FuboTV has the most sports channels and YouTube TV gives you the widest selection of add-ons. What is the most popular live TV streaming platform? YouTube TV has the most paying customers. According to 2024's letter from the CEO, the service has over eight million subscribers. Disneys 2024 third quarter earnings put the Hulu + Live TV viewer count at 4.6 million. Slings customer count dipped from two million to about 1.9 million in 2024 and FuboTV grew its subscriber list to 1.6 million . How safe are free streaming services and websites? You may have heard certain sites that provide free content can be dangerous, leading to stolen info and/or exposing you to malware. Thats likely in reference to certain peer-to-peer (P2P) networks and file-sharing sites that let people download free movies and series which can come bundled with malicious code. But if youre talking about the free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) services listed here, from providers like PlutoTV, Tubi and Freevee, they are just as safe as any other streaming service. Since you sometimes dont even have to provide your email address or credit card info, they can even be more anonymous than apps that require login credentials. Back to top Recent updates December 31, 2024 : Noted increased pricing for YouTube TV, Hulu+ Live TV and DirecTV. Updated information for 4K streaming capabilities and requirements for multiple services. Reported on the upcoming shut down of Amazons Freevee service and the addition of DirecTVs free service. August 6, 2024 : Updated with the addition of Plex as a free live TV streaming recommendation and mentioned the additional free channels Philo is now including with the free version of its service. Added pricing information for ESPN's new sports-only streaming service, Venu. June 12, 2024 : Updated with more information about 4K live streaming, picture-in-picture and multiview modes, as well as video on-demand options. We expanded our recommendations around free live TV streaming services and added a FAQ query about the safety of free streaming services and clarified the difference between standard and live streaming. More traditional streaming services have added live and sports components, so we revised that section accordingly. Back to top This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/best-live-tv-streaming-service-133000410.html?src=rss

Seven cricketers who retired in 2024 and will be missed

2024 witnessed several cricketing legends bid farewell to the international arena. Ravichandran Ashwin's surprise retirement, along with stalwarts like David Warner, Shikhar Dhawan, Dinesh Karthik, James Anderson, Tim Southee, and Moeen Ali, marked the end of illustrious careers, leaving a void in the world of cricket.

'From takeout to top index': Zomato to become 1st new-age tech firm in Sensex. What it means for investors

Over the past two years, Zomatos shares have surged an eye-popping 350%, closing Friday at 281.85, with a market cap of 2.71 lakh crore. It now ranks higher than established stalwarts like Tata Motors, Adani Enterprises, and Asian Paints.

Shreya Sen-Handley | Alternative awards for the year-end warp-up

We wrap every year up at its end with tinsel, and meaningless pleasantries about the next. But lets not mince words this time, certainly not mince-pie (aka sugarcoat) em. Politesse changes nothing and what we need is change. This years skullduggery, for example, will impact us for decades. The murderous madmen we elect, and the lethal canards they, and other evil folk spread, will result in democracys end and the onset of another Dark Age. Thats why its not a wrap this year-end, but a warp. Warped means dangerously twisted and this world is plenty that. But what if, like a trick mirror at a fun fair, we can warp reality to our advantage, for a laugh if nothing else? When all the lifesaving vaccines are banned by Trumps new antivaxxing ministry, laughter will be the only medicine we have left. The year-end also brings loot by the limoloads, with which tiny cliques of privileged people reward each other for scratching their backs well. Always afraid that the rest of us plebs might snatch their bootee (not to be confused with booty, up next!), they frostily batten down the hatches. Why not, therefore, discombobulate them, by giving them more of what they crave? Awards more fitting, I promise you, than the outrageous annual payments they gift themselves (do I smell a Muskrat or is that $56bn in ill-gotten gains?), or the made-much-of awards that are handed out like party favours amongst the One Per Cent. These poor little rich prats might have cornered the worlds resources, but have they got what they truly deserve? NO, but Im not that bitch Karma, sadly, so I cant deliver just desserts. Yet, ask yourself, what do you give someone who has EVERYTHING? Here are six prizes so perfect for avaricious fat cats and ruthless despots that theyve never even considered them (but, goodness, arent they worthy): The Fattest Bear of The Year usually goes to the Alaskan bear thats piled on the most pounds before ambling into hibernation. Theyve wolfed all the salmon for the right reasons survival but this year, it should go to a beary, beary bad human. Many politicians would be serious contenders, bloated with greed and lust for power, yet, our accolade isnt for body shape but fatheadedness, and must go to Bobby Bear. Named thus for illegally killing a beautiful bear, who was hurting no-one, Bob Kennedy Jr, Trumps health tsar, on the other hand, will hurt all of humanity by outlawing the lifesaving vaccines and vital medicines that have made our planet safe for us. All because his desire for power and mental capacity are inversely proportional. The Ugliest Dog Contest was bagged by so-ugly-shes-stunning Peggy this year, going on to star as Dogpool in the Hollywood blockbuster of a similar name, but should really have been scooped up by goggle-eyed, prune-faced Nigel Farage, who gives kuttas a bad name. His pug-ugly mug may not matter but his mangy soul is a problem. When not getting his fangs into immigrants and Musk-money, deadly misinformation is his currency. Cravenly running to Trump every time he whistles, Farage is no British bulldog. The World Moustache Championship should have been won by Adolf Hitler time and again, instead of the lands he brutalised, and so should the prize for genocide (though the British in India should share in this gory did I miss an L? No siree). Yet, in Netanyahu, currently, theres a new contender for his crown. 46,000 civilian deaths and counting, this villain doesnt even need a silly moustache. The Darwin Award is won every year by a poor fool whos literally shot himself in the foot (or done one better and removed themselves from the gene pool). This one must go to British PM Keir Starmer in 2024, who came to power on the back of a landslide and then proceeded to muck it up in the short span of a few spattered months. Now his approval rating is lower than Rishi Sunaks and he aint even brown (which, keeping Kamala in mind, is the least popular colour in the Western political spectrum) The Caber Tossing Championship in Scotland is generally snagged by brawny, kilt-wearing Scots stalwarts, but even the petite, late Queen Elizabeth II is said to have tried her hand at it, so why not our own dearest Narendra? Involving tossing a log an impressive distance, it would give our manly Prime Minister a chance to flex his muscles, far from home where little damage can be done (except to highland cows whom, Im sure, he wouldnt harm a hair on), while showing off the girth of his calves 56-inches again, na ? Rear of The Year is presented anallyoops, annuallyto the celebrity with the cutest butt. What if we awarded it, not for the hottest derriere, but for being the worlds worst a-h*l*? This honour can only be conferred on the person whos done the most to condemn the earth to calamity and devastation. Not many can poison more than their own patch, and so, we must give it to either the worlds biggest fart, Donald Trump, or his malodorous henchman, Elon Musk. Both of whom infect everything in their path with their maleficence. You decide. Now then, dont you feel better? Having handed your superiors largesse to which they arent entitled, just like at every election? And why not? This festive time of year is about giving, after all!

Comparing Kohli With Babar, Smith Or Root Makes Me Laugh, Says Mohd Amir

ICC ODI World Cup: With 8,947 runs in Test cricket, 13,906 in ODIs and 4,188 runs in T20Is, Virat Kohli is the greatest batsman of his generation. But in recent times, many people have drawn comparisons between him and Babar Azam of Pakistan, Steve Smith of Australia, and Joe Root of England. With the former India captain struggling for runs in the last couple of years, many experts have jumped the gun and even proclaimed their favourites as better than Kohli. But Pakistan's recently retired pacer Mohammad Amir is unequivocal in his verdict that Kohli is the greatest batter of this generation. Virat Kohli is the greatest batsman of this generation and comparisons with Babar, Smith or Root make me laugh, Amir passed his judgment in a recent podcast. Speaking about Virat Kohli on the Cricket Predicta Show, Amir said, Virat Kohli is the greatest player of this generation. I laugh when comparisons are made between him and Babar Azam, Steve Smith, or Joe Root. We cannot compare Virat Kohli to anyone because he has won so many matches- for India, which seems impossible for any one player. Not just in one format, but in all three formats, Virat is the greatest batsman of this generation. Virat Kohlis work ethic sets him apart from all players. After his bad phase in England in 2014, the way he made a comeback and then consistently performed brilliantly for the next 10 years was no ordinary feat. His wicket in the 2017 Champions Trophy final was very important for us, which helped us win the final. If Virat had not been dismissed, we would have lost the final because we all know how exceptional Virats record is while chasing runs, said Amir. Amir has a positive head-to-head matchup with Kohli, having dismissed the Indian batting stalwart on two occasions, in ICC Champions Trophy 2017 and ICC ODI World Cup 2019. Amir shared interesting stories about dismissing Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli and about his life in the Cricket Predicta Show with its founder Sunil Yash Kalra. He said dismissing Sachin Tendulkar for the first time was a memorable moment of his career. Dismissing Sachin Tendulkar was the most special moment for me. I bowled to him only once in my life during the 2009 Champions Trophy, which was held in South Africa, and dismissed him while playing against India. I had seen him play cricket on TV and always used to think about how brilliant a batsman Sachin was, said Amir who retired from all formats of cricket recently. Tendulkar was at the peak of his batting prowess when Amir made an entry into international cricket and was the most cherished wicket for every bowler. So, bowling to the batting maestro in the 2009 Champions Trophy was a big thing for Amir. Bowling to Sachin Tendulkar was a big thing for me. For three days after his dismissal, I was not in my senses; I could not believe I had taken Sachin Paajis wicket. I was new to cricket and he (Sachin Tendulkar) was the kind of player who had a deep understanding of every aspect of the game. When the captain handed me the ball, my heart was pounding. I took a deep breath and bowled to him. My condition was exactly like when I met Wasim Akram for the first time, Amir said recalling those moments. Tendulkar was at the peak of his batting prowess when Amir made an entry into international cricket and was the most cherished wicket for every bowler. So, bowling to the batting maestro in the 2009 Champions Trophy was a big thing for Amir. Also Read: Highest tax paying cricketers Article Source: IANS

Man's headless body found in Tamil Nadu

Alwarkurichi: A 45-year-old man's headless body was found in this town in Tenkasi district, police said on Saturday. Police identified the victim as Irudayaraj and said his body was found dead near a water body in which he had a fishing lease. He was allegedly killed by unidentified members and the severed head was also lying nearby, police added. Citing preliminary investigation, police said a property dispute could have led to the murder.

Honey's sister reveals his ex-wife forced him to perform

Rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh tied the knot with his childhood sweetheart, Shalini Talwar, before rising to fame as Bollywood's chart-topping artist. However, their marriage ended in divorce after approximately a decade, with Shalini accusing him of domestic violence. In his Netflix documentary, 'Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous', the singer addresses his separation and the allegations made against him and his family. Shalini had also worked as his manager.

Honey Singhs Sister Accuses Ex-Wife Of Pushing Him To Perform: 'He Said, Mujhe Please Bacha Lo

Rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh opened up about his tumultuous marriage with Shalini Talwar in his Netflix documentary Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous.

Kohli Leaving India, Set To Move To UK With Wife Anushka And Kids: Coach

Virat Kohli's childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma has claimed that the India stalwart is planning to move to the UK soon.

Best VPN for Mac 2024-2025: Reviews and buying advice for Mac users

Macworld If you are concerned about your privacy and security online using a VPN could give you some reassurance. Apple provides various measures in macOS that make Macs more secure , but if you want to ensure that the connection between your Mac and the internet is protected, rather than the computer itself, you need a VPN. Using a VPN essentially makes you invisible on the webyour data is encrypted, your IP address is hidden, and you can even make it look like you are surfing from another country. This latter reason is the main reason many people use a VPN: they want to access services that are locked to a particular region, such as accessing U.S. Netflix from the U.K or BBC iPlayer from the U.S. If you are looking for a VPN to protect your privacy and security online, and to grant you a way to access content as if you are in a different country, we are here to help. There are a lot of VPN providers vying for your business, which can make finding the best one to suit your needs difficult. To help you sort out the right provider for you, weve committed to extensive research and testing of VPN services that cater to Mac owners in our guide to the top VPN services for Mac. Best VPNs for Mac: Reviewed & Ranked Our top choice right now is NordVPN , which we feel stands out in many areas, from speed and privacy to unblocking and ease of use. Get NordVPN here Below you will find the VPN services for Mac that we recommend based on our tests. Most of these will cost less than $3/3 per month if you sign up for a one- or two-year deal. However, once the deal period ends the price often jumps, so its worth setting a reminder to shop around a month before your subscription runs out so you can search for a better deal, alternatively, you could cancel and sign up with another email address. You may be able to save money if you take a look at our round-up of VPN deals . ProtonVPN has a free tier . All of these VPNs will also work on your iPhone and iPad as well, and many with Apple TV, but you might want to check out our separate guides to the best VPNs for iPhone and best VPNs for iPad . 1. NordVPN Pros Easy to use Impressive WireGuard speeds Lots of servers Cons Two separate apps can be confusing Price When Reviewed: Basic plan from $2.99 a month for two years + 3 free months. Usually $12.99. Best Prices Today: Retailer Price NordVPN (Monthly) $2.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $2.99 at NordVPN (Monthly) 5,300 servers 10 simultaneous connections NordVPN is one of the biggest and best-known VPN services. Its a fully featured VPN option thats secure, easy to use, and unbelievably fast compared to its competitors. There are cheaper options, with unlimited connections and more in-depth VPN features, but NordVPN is our top choice right now because it stands out in so many areas, from speed and privacy to unblocking and ease of use. Nord has an up-to-date independent audit. It also has specialty servers for specific purposes. There are more than 5,300 servers (none of which are virtual) available across 60 countries, which sounds great. You probably only care about the servers where you want to unblock content, but the more servers the better as it means you have a better chance of finding one thats not overloaded. You wont have to figure out which one to choose thanks to the handy Quick connect feature that picks the server best suited to your needs. Connections are fast and reliable, and NordVPN unblocks popular streaming services around the world including Netflix and BBC iPlayer. You can connect up to six devices simultaneously including your Apple TV. Nord has added support for the faster WireGuard protocol in NordLynx, making it one of the fastest VPN services out there. However, its only available on the IKE version of the app, which only offers a permanently enabled kill switch. To have more control, youll need to download the OpenVPN version, albeit with slightly slower speeds. Nord frequently has deals on offer that save money on the usual monthly price if you take advantage of the two-year plan . NordVPN offers three tiers: Standard, Plus and Ultimate. You can get Plus features (data breach scanner and password manager) or the Ultimate tier adds cloud storage and insurance options. Prices change all the time, so take a look at the prices and plans at NordVPN.com . Read our full NordVPN review 2. ExpressVPN Pros Easy-to-use Broad device support Excellent speeds Cons Illusive ExpressVPN team Expensive Price When Reviewed: From $4.99 a month for 2 years + 6 free months Best Prices Today: Retailer Price ExpressVPN (Monthly) $4.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $4.99 at ExpressVPN (Monthly) 2,000 servers 8 simultaneous connections If you want to circumnavigate geoblocking to get access to content not available where you live, protect your data while browsing the web from a public network, and keep your web browsing habits private, ExpressVPN, with its server locations across 105 countries, can do just about all of this with two or three clicks. ExpressVPN is remarkably easy to use, but if you have any difficulties the 24-hour live chat means you can be connected to a real human to discuss issues within minutes. There are native apps on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, Android and Windows. Plus you can use it on eight devices at once (the limit was five previously). Like all VPNs there is some speed loss because you are routing via a server in another country, but ExpressVPN does well to mitigate this, dropping less than 13% of download speed in our testing. NordVPN remains faster with a 12% loss in our tests, but ExpressVPNs 13% is still better than most. ExpressVPN offers no fewer than six different choices for protocol. Lightway, the companys own option, is rapid. For improved compatibility you can switch to another version of Lightway or OpenVPN things slowed down with 24% of speed loss with the latter. Theres no Malware protection with ExpressVPN, but you can install a password manager called ExpressVPN Keys. The company is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, so its free from the majority of intelligence-sharing agencies jurisdiction. While it also operates a no-log policy, it doesnt have PureVPNs always-on audit process, but it undergoes audits each year. ExpressVPNs more expensive than many of its contemporaries and doesnt allow access from unlimited devices (just eight). But you get a solid, speedy connection with minimal fuss, and you dont have to tie-in for a two-year deal to get the best value. That latter point is important because VPN legislation can change regularly. See ExpressVPN subscription plans here . Read our full ExpressVPN review 3. ProtonVPN Pros Simple to use Free plan Great speed Cons Setup on macOS was a little fiddly Price When Reviewed: From $4.49 a month for two years. Usually $9.99 a month. Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Proton Technologies (Monthly) $4.49 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $4.49 at Proton Technologies (Monthly) 6,500+ servers in 100+ countries (access servers in 5 countries on free plan, on one device) 10 simultaneous connections ProtonVPN s free tier of membership helps to set Proton VPN apart from some of its rivals. Its naturally limited, with US, Japan, and Netherlands as the server locations and some speed drop but its still pretty usable If you pay for the service it offers a sleek interface, impressive connection speeds and just about enough features to improve your day-to-day web experience without throwing too many complex concepts at new users. Proton VPN Plus offers a host of features, including an ad and tracker blocker and speed of up to 10 Gbps, as well as a 10-device limit. Theres Port Forwarding for downloads and gaming, too, as well as a Kill Switch for disconnecting should the VPN drop out. Some VPN services offer features like dark web data notifications. Proton VPN sticks to the basics and does so very well. The companys no-logs policy confirms it doesnt track sites, IP addresses, communications, or session lengths, nor does it track location-based information. Proton is Swiss-based, and only Swiss court orders can request data from the company, but since it doesnt log data theres very little it can offer to law enforcement. For the privacy-minded, Secure Core, routes traffic through one of the companys Secure servers, minimizing the potential of a data leak. These secure servers are owned by Proton and are located in more than 90 countries. Proton VPN does increase latency, but only by about 29% in our testing on a modest 60 Mbps broadband. In fact, its only about 7% slower when downloading and 5.5% slower when uploading, making it one of the slicker VPNs weve tested. In terms of included VPN protocols, Smart will be ideal for most users, automatically setting the right protocol for your current usage, but WireGuard, WireGuard (TCP), IKEv2 and Stealth are also offered. Proton VPN is an easy recommendation both for new and experienced users. Read our full ProtonVPN review 4. Private Internet Access Pros Lots of servers Fast WireGuard speeds Split tunneling works well Unblocks BBC iPlayer Cons Clunky Mac app Based within 14-eyes Price When Reviewed: From $2.19 a month for two years + 2 free months. Usually $11.99 a month. Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Private Internet Access (Monthly) $2.19 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $2.19 at Private Internet Access (Monthly) 35,000+ servers, 91 countries Unlimited connections Private Internet Access (PIA) is a powerful VPN designed for savvy users, offering power user tools and features such as custom DNS, connection rules, split tunnelling, and more at a lower cost than many competitors. The PIA Mac app offers pretty much everything its Microsoft counterpart does. The app can be used on any device and offers servers in 91 countries. In my testing, the auto setting did a good job of picking servers that balanced speed and privacy. The main window provides information on performance graphs, download and upload speeds, and quick settings for tools like Light Mode, Port Forwarding, and LAN connections. While you can use PIA for getting around geoblocked content on your streaming services, PIA is more privacy-focused than other VPNs, with features like the Advanced Kill Switch, Split Tunnelling, port forwarding, and Multi-Hop server obfuscation. PIA also offers customizable features like automation setup and DNS options. Private Internet Access cant beat the speeds of NordVPN and Surfshark, and its stablemate CyberGhost VPN offers more impressive speeds, but at the cost of some power features. In our testing, we saw a reasonable drop of around 8% on Mac while using the PIA VPN. Upload speeds dropped considerably by around 25%, which may be an issue if you do a lot of uploading. Its zero-log policy has been verified by Deloitte Audit Romania. Despite inconsistent speeds, Private Internet Access is a great VPN for all budgets with a wealth of features for privacy-inclined users. Read our full Private Internet Access review 5. Surfshark Pros Fast WireGuard speeds Unlimited devices and connections Easy to use Cons Kill switch cant be customised Expensive to renew Price When Reviewed: Starter plan from $1.99 a month for two years + 4 free months. Usually $15.45 a month. Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Surfshark (Monthly) $1.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $1.99 at Surfshark (Monthly) 3,200 servers in 100 countries Unlimited simultaneous connections Surfshark is a great-value VPN that offers quite a lot features beyond the core VPN service for a low monthly price. SurfShark has more than 3,000 servers spread across 100 countries, making its network one of the widest and most varied of any VPN, Its apps are easy to use and it reliably unblocks streaming services such as Netflix and BBC iPlayer. Its missing the specialty servers offered by rivals such as NordVPN , who shares the same parent company, though. Connection speeds are very impressive, and thats thanks to the use of the WireGuard protocol. You really wont notice any slowdown in your internet speed when Surfshark is running, so long as you have WireGuard selected and arent using servers the other side of the globe. The company has upgraded all its servers so they run entirely in RAM, just like NordVPN and ExpressVPN. Running servers on RAM is better for privacy as data isnt written to a hard drive. Its also a member of the VPN Trust Initiative , while two-factor authentication (2FA) is a feature few VPN services offer. Being run from the Netherlands also means this is a privacy-friendly option. The other reason to consider Surfshark is because it undercuts almost all of its rivals on price, yet doesnt place any limit on the number of devices you can use simultaneously. Unfortunately, it can be pricy to renew once your initial contract runs out. You can install and use it across many devices including your Mac, PC, Android and iOS devices, as well as browsers. It also supports multiple protocols (although OpenVPN is a little slower than wed like) and excellent encryption, as well as a privacy-minded no-logs policy thats regularly audited Theres a kill switch and a Multi-Hop feature that routes your connection via two VPN servers for an extra layer of protection. However, theres no GPS spoofing or split tunneling on the Mac (the latter being very uncommon on Macs anyway). SurfShark offers three tiers of features at varying price points. The most basic option, aptly named SurfShark Starter, offers VPN functionality as well as an ad blocker and the option to generate a proxy email address and personal details for sites you dont feel comfortable about giving your information to. SurfShark One adds email and payment detail breach alerts, as well as personal data security reports, antivirus and other malware protection, while the One+ plan adds data removal from company databases and people search sites. In addition to the VPN there are Alert, Search or Antivirus packages, that are available for an extra cost. Just like most VPNs SurfShark offers discounted pricing if you sign up for two years, with the prices changing all the time. Just beware that at the end of the period the price will increase unless you cancel. Sign up to Surfshark here. Read our full Surfshark review 6. ClearVPN Pros Nice design. Great for getting around geo-blocks. Cons Lacks some features like split tunneling. Not the fastest. Price When Reviewed: Three day trial. Currently $49.99 a year, usually $119.88 a year ($9.99 a month). Best Prices Today: Retailer Price MacPaw (Monthly) $44.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $44.99 at MacPaw (Monthly) More than 50 servers Six device limit MacPaws ClearVPN service is a VPN that lacks many more advanced features offered by its rivals, but on the other hand, its one of the easiest to use. With a nice UI and easy-to-use features its thoughtfully designed for VPN newcomers. It really is as simple as hitting a button to connect. In the settings are options to block ads, keep ClearVPN in the dock, and a Kill Switch so that you can cut traffic from your device if the connection to the VPN is broken. Its all pretty basic stuff, but its offered in such an easy-to-use way that its hard not to appreciate the simplicity. There are also handy keyboard shortcuts to move around the app. There are more than 50 servers, which sounds like a lot, but its dwarfed by many rivals to the tune of thousands of servers. That means your choices are limited, but at least ClearVPN lets you filter between Optimal Location or jumping straight to something like Disney Plus US or UK. One of the more common power user features for VPNs is split tunneling, which lets some traffic go through the VPN while some goes around it. Thats not supported here. Sadly, MacPaws VPN speeds also need some work. We saw considerable speed drops across multiple servers even closer ones. We saw drops of around 20 to 30 percent in download speed, and around 50 percent for upload speed. Its still fast enough to use Netflix, but its slower than the majority of alternatives out there. Most VPN companies use external auditors to verify that theyre not recording user or session data, but ClearVPN hasnt undergone one at the time of writing. This shouldnt mean anything untoward as the company is headquartered in Ukraine, which falls outside of various surveillance alliances, so it cant be asked to share your data. ClearVPN is priced affordably, but prices and the deals on offer change all the time with VPNs. Look out for low monthly prices that dont lock you in for too long. Theres a six-device limit. If youre new to using a VPN service, ClearVPN makes a compelling case to be your first choice, and stress-free access to Netflix around the globe, its a great starter option. Still, the speed drop and lack of common features like split tunneling likely mean power users should look elsewhere. You can save money by paying for the first year up front, but you can also pay monthly. See full ClearVPN pricing here . Read our full ClearVPN review 7. PureVPN Pros Easy to use Works on multiple devices Additional power user features Cons Obtuse pricing model. Caused many websites to question whether we were human Price When Reviewed: From $3.99 a month for one year + 4 free months. Usually $12.45 a month. A 5 year deal is available from $2.16 a month. Best Prices Today: Retailer Price PureVPN (Monthly) $3.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $3.99 at PureVPN (Monthly) 6,500 servers, 78 countries 10 simultaneous connections If youre looking for a flexible VPN service that will get around geoblocking and is easy to use, PureVPN is well worth a look. The basic plan includes the VPN service and nothing more, but you can add a Password Manager and File Encryption tools in the Plus plan. The Max plan adds a Digital Privacy Manager that requests your records be scrubbed by data brokers, blocks web trackers, and recommends ways to maximize your privacy. Whichever plan you opt for youll be able to connect 10 devices at once. PureVPN will run on your iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV, and is easy to use on each to let you connect to over six thousand servers. As far as getting around geo-blocks, we found PureVPN to be as easy as any other service to use. Select a location, load your streaming service or app of choice, and youre off. PureVPN is registered in the British Virgin Islands, which is more privacy-friendly than Hong Kong where it operated previously. PureVPN offers one of the more impressive no-logging policies, with an ongoing always-on audit process whereby an auditor can request confirmation of that policy at any time. PureVPN has been winding down its virtual servers, of which it has less control. There are still 23 such servers, but PureVPN is transparent about which servers are virtual and which are physical you can see a small v next to each virtual server on the PureVPN website . At the time of writing PureVPN is offering more than a whopping 80% off its plans if you sign up for 24 months. Two years is a long time in the world of VPNs, but at least means the full monthly pricing wont kick in twelve months time. See PureVPN offers here . Read our full PureVPN review 8. CyberGhost Pros Simple to use Decent speeds Plenty of servers Cons Two-year plans are much cheaper Lacking some power user features Price When Reviewed: $2.19 a month for two years + 2 free months. Usually $12.99 a month. Best Prices Today: Retailer Price CyberGhost (Monthly) $2.19 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $2.19 at CyberGhost (Monthly) 11,000+ servers in 100 countries 7 simultaneous connections CyberGhost is a user-friendly app that connects to numerous servers worldwide, making it ideal for streaming Netflix from different countries and routing traffic away from untrustworthy open Wi-Fi networks. It offers core features like kill switch support, split tunnelling, and no bandwidth restrictions. CyberGhosts no-logging audit history is thorough, and there is a 45-day free trial available. CyberGhost apps can be downloaded for various platforms, including Chrome extension and game consoles (we tested on Mac and iPhone). The app offers a simple click and go connection process, with a list of server nations and multiple locations. Encryption is standard across servers, and split tunnelling prioritizes traffic where needed. An automated kill switch can cut connections if the VPN drops out, while Block content blocks DNS domains for ads, trackers, and malware. The app does not offer anything like Proton VPNs Secure Core or additional features like a Password Manager, but subscription tiers are based on adding a dedicated IP address. The VPN has over 9,000 servers located in over 100 countries, with plans to expand in South America and Asia in late 2023. CyberGhost VPN has an impressive no-logs policy, meaning no one can access records of your activity while connected to the VPN. The app does not offer the Dark Web monitor offered by NordVPN, but it does have an automated kill switch to cut connections if the VPN drops out. The DNS blocking feature is easy to use but doesnt allow you to choose what to block. CyberGhost offers a compelling package with just one main plan and a 45-day money-back guarantee. Its an excellent VPN for newcomers, with impressive audits, an array of servers, decent speeds, and easy-to-use apps. Read our full CyberGhost review 9. Norton Ultra VPN Pros Antivirus protections Cloud Backup and Password Manager Email tracking quarantine Cons Slower than rival VPNs Inflexible payment options Price When Reviewed: First year is from $39.99 Norton Secure VPN; $49.99 Norton Ultra VPN; $59.99 Norton Ultra VPN Plus. Renews at a higher price of $79.99/$109.99/$129.99. Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Norton (first year) $49.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $49.99 at Norton (first year) Servers in 32 countries Norton has decades of experience protecting devices from cyber threats (read our review of Norton 360), but what or its VPN? Nortons VPN plans are, outside of the basic tier, tied into its security software to help offer real-time protection from bad actors. It comes with a password manager, dark web monitor, and cloud storage, but the VPN side of things is a little lacking. Perhaps its from testing so many of the best VPN services that weve grown used to a certain set of non-negotiables. Chief among them is browser extension options to allow for quick switching, but at the time of writing, theres no such offering from Norton. Still, if youre looking for real-time protection it remains a good security-focused option, but with geoblocking being inconsistent in our testing, you might want to look elsewhere for your international Netflix fix. Nortons VPN does include plenty of accoutrements that other VPNs either dont have or charge extra for. You can install the app on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and all three platforms have apps that work well and run nicely in the background. Norton offers Browser Protection, which scans sites as you browse. Norton also scans files before they land on your device. This worked well in testing, with barely added any additional time to the length of downloads. Theres a password manager, but its tied to the middle subscription tier and above. One thing that was interesting was how it monitors trackers on emails. As a journalist, I receive a lot of press releases and pitches, and while Ive always assumed many of them use some kind of tracking to see when theyre opened, Norton offered to quarantine so many that I was quite taken aback. VPNs naturally decrease your internet speeds as your signal is fired across the globe, and Norton has servers in 32 countries a steep drop from the 111 in NordVPNs portfolio but it does offer four protocols to choose from. IKEv2, OpenVPN and WireGuard are pretty commonly found across the board of rivals, but Norton has its own Mimic protocol which is intended to be ideal for unblocking international streaming services. Sadly, testing on a 70 Mbps connection saw a consistent speed drop-off. As for Mimic, Nortons own VPN protocol, I was disappointed to find some international streaming services simply werent able to be unblocked with it. Norton clarified that Mimic is specifically designed for customers with special use cases who are unable to use WireGuard. We did have more luck with the more standardized protocols. VPNs worth their salt should always focus on privacy as their primary concern, and Norton does a good job, having undergone an audit from VerSprite, a security firm. Its not a bad VPN, and if youre looking for an option that packs a whole host of cyber-security tools into one easy-to-use package, its a great option. Its disappointing that there is only a pay yearly option, where other VPNs have the option to pay monthly. Added to that is a steep jump in price for the second year. See full Norton Ultra VPN pricing here Read our full Norton Ultra VPN review 10. FastestVPN Pros Affordable pricing Good speeds 10 simultaneous connections Cons Limited compared to the Windows app Limited VPN protocol options Price When Reviewed: Lifetime special deal: $40, usually $600 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price FastestVPN (Lifetime payment) $40 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $40 at FastestVPN (Lifetime payment) 800+ servers in 49+ countries 10 simultaneous connections This easy-to-use, attractive, and uncomplicated app is a great option for VPN newbs. In addition to its straightforward and uncluttered design, FastestVPN also offers good speeds and a sufficiently expansive network. Its icing on the cake that its privacy policy is easy to understand and makes all the right promises. In our tests, FastestVPN maintained about 30 percent of the base speed across five locations on multiple test days, although there were some weak spots in Asia and Australia. Despite its name its not the fastest VPN, but FastestVPN does make the right privacy promises in a way thats easy to understand. Read our full FastestVPN review 11. Hide.me Pros Fast WireGuard speeds Dedicated streaming servers Impressive free tier Only VPN that offers Split Tunnelling in Big Sur and beyond Cons Slightly clunky UI No recent independent audit Premium plans are expensive Price When Reviewed: From $3.84 a month for 2 years + 2 free months. Usually $9.95 a month. Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Hide.Me (Monthly) $3.84 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $3.84 at Hide.Me (Monthly) 2,600+ servers in 90 countries 10 simultaneous connections Hide.me is another VPN service that has improved considerably in recent years. As well as offering a completely free version (which none of its rivals here do), it has also added WireGuard, which is considerably faster than other encryption protocols. Other key features include a customizable kill switch and split tunneling. Hide.me is the only VPN to offer Split Tunnelling in macOS. They state on their website: hide.me VPN for macOS supports split tunneling. You can configure it in the clients settings. Hide.me also offers Stealth Guard, which stops selected apps from running without the security of a VPN connection. It can unblock Netflix and allows you to access BBC iPlayer from outside the UK. Theres also solid device support, with up to 10 simultaneous connections permitted. Malaysia-based, in recent years it has expanded the number of servers and doubled the number of countries it covers. Unfortunately, the third-party audit hasnt been updated since 2015 However, the user interface on Mac is a bit clunky, and were still waiting for an update to the 2015 no-logs policy certification. Read our full hide.me VPN review 12. VyprVPN Pros Fast WireGuard speeds Very easy to use Unblocks Netflix and BBC iPlayer Low starting price Cons Comparatively few servers Not clear which servers are virtual Patchy support experience Price When Reviewed: From $3 a month for two years. Usually $10 a month. Best Prices Today: Retailer Price VyprVPN (Monthly) $3 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $3 at VyprVPN (Monthly) 70 servers 5 simultaneous connection VyprVPN offers everything most people are looking for in a VPN, without needing to spend much money. You get fast WireGuard speeds, alongside separate protocols focused on reliability, anti-censorship and ease of use. Its also excellent at unblocking geo-restricted content, whether thats local versions of Netflix or BBC iPlayer & ITV Hub from outside the UK. Premium features such as split tunneling and a kill switch are here too, even if the latter cant be customised. VyprVPNs no-logs policy has been independently audited, and the service adheres to a strict Privacy Policy from parent company Golden Frog. More than 700 servers in over 70 countries should be plenty for most people, although theres often only one per country. Its also not clear which of these are physical and virtual. Nonetheless, its still speedy, reliable and affordable. See full VyprVPN pricing here Read our full VyprVPN review 13. Malwarebytes Privacy VPN (Mac) Pros Easy to use and understand Supports WireGuard protocol Clear privacy policy Cons Not a lot of features Other VPNs have more anonymity features Price When Reviewed: $3.33 a month for 1 device ($39.99 a year) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Malwarebytes (Monthly) $3.33 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $3.33 at Malwarebytes (Monthly) More than 245 servers 32 countries Malwarebytes, probably best known for antivirus software and advice, also offers a standalone VPN service called Malwarebytes Privacy . Its an easy to use app with the right kind of privacy promises as youd expect from a respected name in security based in the U.S. In our tests Malwarebytes was a mid-tier performer in terms of speeds, but it should be good enough for most casual users. Malwarebytes Privacy VPN does a good job. See full Maywarebytes pricing here Read our full Malwarebytes Privacy VPN (Mac) review Best Free VPNs for Mac There are also a number of free VPNs available, but beware that some severely restrict which servers (and therefore countries) you can connect to and the amount of data you can download through those servers. You may be able to save money if you take a look at our round-up of VPN deals . Its also important to read the terms and conditions before using a free VPN, as in rare cases they sell your data to third parties to offset the cost of you using it without paying. Its a bigger problem on iPhones and Android where unscrupulous companies try to cash in on the VPN gold rush and offer up poorly put together apps. Stick with our recommendations and youll be safe from these, though. Do Macs need a VPN? There is a big question. Do Mac users even need a VPN? Since Apple introduced iOS 15 and macOS Monterey in 2021 the company has offered a handy private relay service. iCloud Private Relay acts a bit like a VPN because it encrypts your web-browsing traffic and sends it through a relay to hide your location, IP, and any information about what you were browsing. iCloud Private Relay solves part of the problem that Mac users have used VPNs for in the pastit means that companies cannot build a clear picture of you on the web, thereby protecting your privacy. iCloud Private Relay has some disadvantages: it only works when you are using Safari, you have to be a subscriber to iCloud, and you cant use it to pretend to be surfing from another country in order to access content that is locked to a particular region. Read more here: iCloud+ Private Relay explained . If you are a subscriber to iCloud, and only use Safari, then iCloud Private Relay will provide you with some anonymity when you are surfing the web. You may therefore be thinking that this means you dont need a VPN to hide your location and identity. However, iCloud Private Relay does not allow you to choose an IP address or a region, and you wont be able to make it look like youre coming from another location. So you cant watch geographically locked Netflix content, for example. How we test VPNs For each VPN service we review, we conduct tests at three different times of the day: morning, afternoon, and evening, using Ookla Speedtest . We start by measuring the speed of our unprotected internet connection before testing the upload/download speeds of the VPN service. These tests are conducted to servers located in North America, the UK, Europe, Oceana, and Asia over an ethernet connection with a service provision of 100Mbps. To test upload and download speeds, we close down all background internet processes on the Mac, using TripMode. The only traffic on the system able to upload or download any data is Ookla. We use this setup to ensure that the numbers that Ookla produced were not stymied by anything else that the computer may have been doing at the time. The speeds Ookla captured were then averaged, providing us with a final numeric score. We then use those scores to calculate a percentage of difference in speeds, which is what youll see in our reviews. Since internet speeds change constantly based on server load, how fast your connection is, and a gazillion other factors, we feel this provides a better picture of what you can expect from a service, on the whole, than merely quoting the exact upload/download speeds we encountered during testing. Speed isnt the only quantifiable metric that we look at. The number of countries that a VPN offers servers in, total number of servers worldwide, and how much itll cost you to connect to those servers on a monthly or annual basis are also taken into consideration when recommending a VPN service to you. Additionally, we conduct hours of research into the VPN providers to find out who owns them, where theyre based, what they do with subscriber information, and whether the provider has a track record of questionable business practices. Whats a VPN? VPN stands for virtual private network . If youre not using a VPN, when your computer connects to the internet, it does so through the local gateway provided by your internet service provider (ISP). Doing this allows you to connect to all of the online services you use everyday. However, connecting this way also allows an ISP to know your physical location based on where you access the internetbe it at home, at work, in a cafe, or at a public Wi-Fi hotspot.This information is often sold to marketers and other parties interested in getting to know more about you and your browsing habits. Worse still, if you connect to the internet through an access point with weak security, such as at an airport, mall, or local library, hackers connected to the same network could intercept personal information like your social media passwords or banking credentials through whats called a man-in-the-middle attack . A VPN service can help prevent all of that. A VPN creates an encrypted digital tunnel between your computer and the server of the VPN service you choose to use. Once this tunnel has been established, your web searches, the sites you access, and the information you submit online will be hidden from prying eyes. This means that your ISP cant log or sell your information and hackers using the same network as you will find it difficult to initiate an attack on you. Almost no one will have any idea of what information youre accessing. For our recommendations of Mac Antivirus Software that we have tested see: Best Antivirus for Mac 2024: Top Security Software Compared . VPN apps are very easy to install and use but for a step-by-step guide, read how to set up a VPN on a Mac . What a VPN cant do A VPN cant protect you from viruses, malware, or ransomware attacks if you choose to download an infected file, or a visit site designed to inject your computer with malignant code. It wont keep spoofed sites from stealing your personal information, if you happen to visit one. So, youll want to bone up on online security best practices . You should know that while using a VPN will allow you to anonymously engage in peer-to-peer file-sharing/torrenting, some service providers may cancel your VPN subscription or turn over your information to the authorities if they catch you trading copyrighted material with others. Is it legal to use a VPN? While accessing locked content is a bit of a gray area, due to licensing agreements, we dont blame anyone who is desperate to watch the latest season of their favorite program when it airs in the U.S. rather than waiting for it to come to their country. Paying to watch a streaming service thats not available in your country has to be less morally wrong than actual piracy! For more information on the legalities and whether it is safe to use a VPN read: Is a VPN safe for Mac? What to look for in a VPN A clear privacy policy. A good VPN should offer an easy-to-understand privacy policy that outlines what, if any, information the company collects from its users. Its important that this policy details what they do with this information. Some VPN providers, especially those that offer their services for free, sell their user information to advertisers and other interested parties, just like an ISP does. Choose a provider that offers a level of privacy that suits you. Know where the provider is based. Many countries have no laws demanding that VPN providers maintain logs of their users activity. This makes maintaining your privacy more assurable than it would be if you use a VPN located in a country that requires that user-activity records be maintained. Some companies, in an effort to make their network of servers look bigger or more varied than it actually is, spoof the locations of their servers . The more servers, the merrier. Choosing a VPN provider with a ton of servers around the world is important for a couple of reasons. First, having a multitude of servers to choose from means that you wont be forced to connect to an overpopulated server where the data flows like mud. Second, having a wealth of servers to choose from both at home and internationally means more opportunities for spoofing your location, allowing you to hide where you are or access region-locked content with ease. Multiple payment options. Its a vicious circle. Paying for a VPN with a credit card online before you have access to a VPN could allow your financial information to fall into the wrong hands. Look for providers that offer alternative payment options such as PayPal, Bitcoin, AliPay, or via the Mac App Store. An easy-to-use interface. It takes a lot of digital wizardry to connect to a VPN. Some people want to see how their VPN operates, behind the scenes. Using an open source VPN client like Tunnelblick is great for this. Most folks, however, just want their VPN to work with minimal frustration. Look for a VPN service that offers a Mac client with an easy-to-use interface. Protection for all of your devices. A good VPN service will offer licenses for multiple devices to protect your loved ones computers as well as your personal smartphone and tablet. To this end, before investing in a VPN subscription, make sure that it provides software clients for all of the devices you own.

I Would Have Lost My Place: Kapil Dev Lauds Ravichandran Ashwin After He Announces Retirement

Kapil, 65, said Ashwin was a stalwart, a versatile and unorthodox bowler, who constantly hustled the batters with his change of pace and cleverly disguised line and length.

One Of The Sharpest Cricketing Brains, Says Ponting On Ashwin

ODI World Cup: Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has lauded recently retired Ravichandran Ashwin's impact on the game, saying the veteran off-spinner always stood out for his remarkably sharp cricketing brain. Ashwin, 38, announced his sudden retirement from international cricket with immediate effect after India's third Test against Australia, a game he was not selected for, ended in a draw at the Gabba, Brisbane. Ashwin ended his 14-year international career with 537 wickets at average of 24 in 106 Tests and becoming Indias second leading wicket-taker after legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble. He also picked an incredible 37 five-wicket hauls in Tests, the second-most in the history of the game, along with eight ten-wicket hauls. Well I must admit I'm really surprised to hear that Ravi Ashwin has retired. I mean he's been such a fantastic stalwart of Indian cricket. His record at home is outstanding. His record away from home is equally as good. He's going to go down as one of the all-time great spin bowlers, one of the all-time great Indian cricketers. I had the pleasure of playing quite a bit against him and I had the pleasure of coaching him at the Delhi Capitals. He's got one of the sharpest cricket brains that you that you would ever come across, said Ponting in a video posted by the ICC on their Instagram account. Ashwin also scored six Test centuries and 14 fifties with the bat in the longer format. His last international game was the day-night Test against Australia in Adelaide, where he took 1-53 in his 18 overs and made 29 runs with the bat, as India lost by ten wickets. Ashwin also played 116 ODIs for India, taking 156 wickets, and being a member of 2011 ODI World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy winning teams. Ashwin also played 65 T20I matches and took 72 wickets. Whether the way that he looks at batters, the way that he breaks them down and knows he almost like Shane Warne, stays a step ahead of what the batsman was going to do is why he's been such a great bowler. His longevity in the game is amazing, added Ponting. Ashwin was one of 11 allrounders to clinch the double of 3000 runs and 300 wickets in Tests. He also won a record 11 Player-of-the-Series awards, which is level with Sri Lankas Muttiah Muralitharan. He will be seen in action for five-time champions Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2025. Whether the way that he looks at batters, the way that he breaks them down and knows he almost like Shane Warne, stays a step ahead of what the batsman was going to do is why he's been such a great bowler. His longevity in the game is amazing, added Ponting. Also Read: Highest tax paying cricketers Article Source: IANS

Ashwin deserved a fitting farewell, says Kapil Dev

New Delhi: Unable to comprehend R Ashwin's sudden decision to retire from international cricket, a shocked World Cup-winning skipper Kapil Dev says the premier off-spinner deserved a fitting farewell, ideally on home soil. Ashwin stunned one and all by calling it quits on Wednesday, right after the Brisbane Test against Australia ended in a draw. Kapil felt Ashwin seemed unhappy with something. I was shocked by how one of India's greatest cricketers chose to leave the game. The disappointment among the fans was widespread, but I also saw a tinge of hurt on his face. He looked unhappy, and that was sad. He deserved much better, a fitting farewell, Kapil said in a statement to PTI. As has been his wont, Ashwin chose to walk his own way while retiring in the middle of an important series. Kapil said he would like to hear the Tamil Nadu man's side of story. He could have waited and announced his retirement on Indian soil, but I don't know why Ashwin called it a day. I would want to hear his side of the story. Give him that respect. He has played 106 Tests for the country. I don't think anyone can match his humongous contribution to Indian cricket. Kapil hoped that the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) would arrange a grand farewell to Ashwin. I'm sure the parent body of cricket in India, BCCI, shall plan a grand farewell for this giant match-winner of Team India, he said. Kapil, 65, said Ashwin was a stalwart, a versatile and unorthodox bowler, who constantly hustled the batters with his change of pace and cleverly disguised line and length. He was ready to experiment, and that is what set him apart. In a game where the batters get the most accolades, Ashwin stood out with his prowess. Ashwin was brave. He could bowl at any stage of the contest. Do you find bowlers with such tremendous tactical sense who can adapt quickly? He was his captain's go-to man, he said. Praising both his cricketing brain and off-field character, Kapil said Ashwin was a match-winner with no parallel in modern cricket. He has won India's highest number of Man of the Series awards. That is a tremendous compliment that puts his game and consistency in perspective. He was not a yes man and came across as a gritty fighter. He was a rare spinner who could bowl with the new ball, just like Anil Kumble. Thank God I didn't have to play alongside him. I would have lost my place to Ashwin. He could bat, bowl, field. He had the carrom ball, a superb slower one; if need be, he could pull out a leg-spinner too. Amazing. He could do everything possible on the cricket field, he said, eulogising the man who ended with 537 Test wickets. Only a champion is not insecure, and Ashwin was a champion. He has given us great joy. I wish him all the joy of the world, he said.

Margazhi Music Season: Tradition meets transformation

CHENNAI: Come December, Chennai sheds its usual guise of traffic chaos and sultry weather, donning a festive, almost spiritual air. This is Margazhi season a month devoted to music, devotion, and the delicate art of kolams. In the early hours, the city awakens to a symphony of devotional hymns, the clink of brass utensils, and the rhythmic sweep of women creating intricate kolams outside their homes. For Chennaiites, Margazhi is far more than just another month; it is an immersive cultural experience blending the sacred and the artistic. At the heart of it all lies the renowned Margazhi Music Season a celebration of Carnatic music concerts and Bharatanatyam performances. Margazhi is the soul of Chennai, says Anusha Krishnamoorthy, a Carnatic music enthusiast. Its when the city comes alive with art and devotion. When Margazhi was purely analogue For many long-time residents of Chennai, the Margazhi of years gone by is a source of cherished nostalgia. Attending kutcheris (concerts) once meant physically visiting cultural venues to secure tickets. These transactions were far more than a matter of buying entry they were social rituals, often accompanied by conversations over hot bajjis and filter coffee at the sabha canteen. The queues were long, but the thrill of securing a seat for a legendary performance was incomparable, reminisces Rangan P, a septuagenarian who has attended kutcheris since the 1960s. People dressed in their silk saris and veshtis. It was about more than just music; it was a gathering of the community. Packed halls, the faint hum of tanpura strings as the performance began, and the palpable connection between artists and their audience created an experience like no other. Venues were limited, making it nearly impossible to attend every concert on ones list. Yet, that very challenge heightened the excitement. A digital turn For a city deeply steeped in tradition, Chennai has shown remarkable resilience and adaptability in its Margazhi celebrations. The pandemic brought seismic changes, with safety concerns disrupting the rhythm of live concerts. Sabhas embraced innovation, hosting drive-in kutcheris and recording performances exclusively for virtual audiences. It was surreal, attending a concert from my car with a thermos of coffee, recalls Nagaraj Naidu, a city-based architect. But it kept the spirit of Margazhi alive. Even today, long after pandemic restrictions have eased, some of these changes remain. While most concerts have returned to live settings, the process of securing a ticket has been revolutionised. Gone are the snaking queues outside sabhas or frantic calls for last-minute passes. Today, booking is as easy as logging onto platforms like BookMyShow or the sabhas website. Its so convenient now, says Revathi Vishakan, an ardent Carnatic music lover. In the past, you had to be physically in Chennai to truly experience Margazhi. Now, you can book tickets from anywhere and plan your visit around your chosen concerts. For those unable to travel, platforms like YouTube and sabha websites offer a treasure trove of recorded performances. I watch a lot of kutcheris online, says Abishek Pillai, a software engineer based in Bengaluru. The video quality is fantastic, and while its not the same as being there, its much better than missing out entirely. The changing face of Margazhi performers Once dominated by stalwarts such as MS Subbulakshmi and Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, todays Margazhi stage also showcases a younger, more experimental cohort of performers. Musicians like Sandeep Narayan and Rithvik Raja are merging tradition with modernity, introducing global influences while remaining rooted in Carnatic music. I love how younger artists are so fearless, says Sneha Manohar, a Bharatanatyam dancer. Theyre innovating in ways that make classical art forms feel relevant to todays audiences. Fusion performances, collaborations with jazz musicians, and the incorporation of technology into live concerts are becoming increasingly common. While many welcome this evolution, some traditionalists worry it could dilute the purity of Carnatic music. The advent of digital platforms has pushed sabhas to rethink their revenue models, with a growing reliance on sponsorships and donations. At the same time, this accessibility has democratised Margazhi, enabling a more diverse audience to engage with its offerings. The greatest challenge lies in balancing authenticity with modernity. How do we keep Margazhi relevant to younger generations while preserving its traditional essence?, observes Krithika Praveen. Despite these changes, the heart of Margazhi remains intact. Families still bond over kutcheris and temple visits. Grandparents delight in introducing grandchildren to the magic of live performances, and sabha canteens still serve the citys best vadais. What I cherish most about Margazhi is its resilience, says Mohit R, a long-time concertgoer. No matter how the format evolves, the festivals spirit its devotion and togetherness really endures. As Margazhi continues to adapt to the digital age, its future brims with potential. Will hybrid formats dominate? Will live concerts regain their primacy? One thing remains certain: Chennais love affair with Margazhi is eternal. Whether youre seated in a sabha or streaming from across the globe, Margazhi invites you to lose yourself in its timeless melody. As Anusha puts it, Margazhi isnt just a season its an emotion.

Best salwar suits for winters

From the lightweight warmth of pashmina to the rich texture of velvet, you're sure to find a style that keeps you cozy and fashionable throughout the winter season.

From CAPTCHA to catastrophe: How fake verification pages are spreading malware

CAPTCHAs, which are used by websites to confirm whether users are people or bots, are harmless, but hackers are using them to infect PCs with malware.

CleanMyMac offers virus removal, but is it any good?

Macworld Weve looked in depth at CleanMyMac as a great solution for reclaiming space and optimizing you Mac and its one of our top choices in our round up of the Best Mac Cleaning Software . Among its many tools is a Protection tool that can scan for malware on your Mac and remove it. In this article we are looking specifically at this feature to see if it can compete on the same level as the big guns in our round up of the Best Antivirus solutions for Mac . CleanMyMac Read our review Price When Reviewed: $39.95/a year for 1 Mac, $119.95 for 1 Mac (one time purchase) Best Prices Today: $39.95 at MacPaw (1 year, 1 Mac) | $117.95 at MacPaw (one time purchase) Our big concern here is that sometimes a company can be lead by its marketing department who make promises the engineering team cant deliver. We felt this was the case when we first looked at the antivirus aspect of CleanMyMacs arsenal earlier in 2024, but its been updated since, so we wanted to take another look. Like previous versions, the version of CleanMyMac we are testing (CleanMyMac 5.0.4) comes out swinging the first time you launch it, its opening animations offering tutorial elements to learn from. CleanMyMac installs cleanly, but doesnt ask for Full Disk Access, which has to be assigned manually in the Privacy & Security settings, which proved a bit disconcerting. Still, the software offers a good level of customization, and its easy to choose between the three scan modes (Quick Scan, Balanced Scan, and Deep Scan), each of them offering quick performance as CleanMyMac scans your hard drive and external drives. Its easy to configure scan behaviors, such as whether or not to include external drives in your scans or target .DMG files, and whitelists can also be created to exclude specific volumes and folders from the scans. CleanMyMac hones in on the XLoader malware, offering to quarantine and remove it. Foundry Testing with CleanMyMac proved a mixed bag, and while the software teams up well with macOS GateKeeper feature, the two bringing down the hammer on questionable software that hasnt been signed as safe/compatible by Apple and preventing installation or the running of questionable scripts and functions, its still possible to get a fair amount of malware past these systems and into your Mac. Once installed, the Quick Scan feature found only three threats in the form of two elements from CrossRat and a threat in the form of the infamous AdWind malware. The Balanced Scan function was able to root out most of the Elite Keylogger malware, while the Deep Scan feature found the remnants of the AdWind malware, which had to be dug out with a third-party utility. To its credit, CleanMyMac was able to catch some elements of malware as they were being opened for the first time, but there were questionable chunks of software that remained even after theyd purportedly been removed and the Mac had been rebooted. Case in point, the Elite Keylogger software had to be manually located and removed from the Login Items. Screenshot Foundry In addition to this, CleanMyMac offers no tangible warning against visiting questionable websites, and essentially waved me on through without any kind of warning to every questionable link to be found in my Gmails Spam folder, in one case allowing full access to a mock utility that pretended to scan my hard drive for infections and located dozens of samples with the intention of having me install malware to remove the purported infections. None of this is encouraging, and in the midst of MacPaw and CleanMyMacs claims that the utility is a catch-all for just about everything on your Mac, this feels like a missing feature that could be capitalized on if executed well. Its not all bad news for CleanMyMac. To my surprise, the application was able to catch and remove no less than 216 malware samples that Id copied on an external hard drive, hunting them down after theyd been decompressed from their .zip archives and taking them out effectively. This was an excellent find, but these malware samples seemed to have been largely ignored when they were on my local hard drive awaiting installation, and CleanMyMac weirdly wraps external hard drives into its larger scans without offering a targeted scanning feature that can be used with an external drive such as a thumb drive on the fly. Its a strange mix of zippy speed that can perform a Deep Scan on an SSD with more than 800 gigabytes of data on it in five to ten minutes, but also allows prominent chunks of adware and malware that remain installed unless you specifically locate the files and remove them or use a third-party utility to hunt down what CleanMyMac missed. CleanMyMac was able to find and remove 216 instances of malware from an external drive. Foundry Yes, there are some good features to be had with the new version of CleanMyMac, the interface is excellent, and MacPaw makes good use of its potentially great MoonLock antiviral engine and its real-time malware monitor, but theres too much that can be forced through that just ends up not being cleanly removed, and this is a problem. CleanMyMac 5.0.4 caught a fair amount of viral activity, but still left adware and malware such as AdWind in place, which needed to be cleaned out with another utility. CleanMyMac retails for $39.95/30.95 for one Mac for a one year subscription, or a one time purchase of $119.95/101.95 for one Mac (at the time of writing there is an additional 20% off those prices). It is available for a week-long free trial provided you give MacPaw your credit or debit card information to bill against.

Kalki 2898 AD Director Nag Ashwin Calls Kamal Haasan's Pushpak the Original Pan-India Film

At the Apoorva Singeetham retrospective film festival, Kalki 2898 AD director Nag Ashwin praised Kamal Haasan's dialogue less classic Pushpak, directed by the legendary Singeetam Srinivasa Rao, calling it the original pan-India film. The festival celebrated Singeetam's remarkable contributions to Indian cinema, offering a platform for industry stalwarts to reflect on his groundbreaking and timeless work. Speaking about Pushpak, Nag Ashwin expressed his deep admiration for the film and the iconic collaboration between Kamal Haasan and Singeetam Srinivasa Rao. I think just being a spectator when both of you were working together was extraordinary. Pushpak is one of the most special films because it was so ahead of its time. Even today, when you watch it, it feels timeless. We now talk about 'pan-India' and 'pan-world' , but Pushpak was the originalsomething that could travel anywhere, said Ashwin. Released in 1987, Pushpak remains a landmark dialogue less film, celebrated for its universal storytelling, powerful visuals, and ability to connect with audiences across cultures and languages. Nag Ashwin's tribute not only honored Singeetam Srinivasa Rao's visionary genius but also underscored Kamal Haasan's enduring legacy as a performer who brought dialogue less cinema to life, leaving an indelible mark on global audiences.

Watch: Rasha Tadhani, Aaman Devgan In Varanasi For Their Debut Film Azaad

The camera captures Aaman Devgan, dressed in a vibrant orange kurta adorned with intricate embroidery. Beside him, Rasha Thadani stuns in a red traditional salwar suit on the ghats of Varanasi.

From one stalwart to another: Virat Kohli pens emotional note after his uddy Ashwin's retirement

Your skill and match-winning contributions to Indian cricket are second to none and you will always and always be remembered as a legend of Indian cricket

PM promises tap water to all homes

JAIPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday laid the foundation stone for the Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (PKC-ERCP) in Jaipur. The ceremony for the project also marked the completion of one year of the Bhajanlal Sharma-led BJP government in Rajasthan. During the event, the agreement between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh for the ambitious project was unveiled. The Central government has designated the ERCP as a national project and committed to bear 90% of the total project cost. The remaining 10% will be shared equally by the Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh governments. As part of the foundation-laying ceremony, Modi poured water from replicas of the Parvati, Kalisindh, and Chambal rivers into a pot, named the Ram Setu Kalash. He announced that Rajasthan would benefit significantly from the agreement, with tap water expecting to reach 100% of the states households. He noted that the water ministry is overseeing the initiative. Modi also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 24 infrastructure projects worth over Rs 46,300 crore, spanning sectors such as electricity, water, roads, and railways. In his address, Modi attacked the previous Congress government in the state and held it responsible for delays in the ERCP project. Instead of resolving the issue, Congress kept fueling water disputes between states. People will certainly question Congress about why they failed to finalise the ERCP agreement, he said. The PM praised former CM Vasundhara Raje, acknowledging her role in initiating the ERCP during her second term and highlighted her efforts in drafting the framework for connecting the Parvati, Kalisindh, and Chambal rivers. Recalling Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and Jaswant Singh, Modi said, When I was chief minister, both leaders came to Gujarat to discuss providing Narmada water to Rajasthan. Because of that initiative, districts like Churu, Jhunjhunu, Hanumangarh, Jalore, and Barmer are now benefitting from Narmada water. Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav stated that the 20-year-old water dispute between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh has been resolved. He described the ERCP as a boon for both states. Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma echoed this sentiment, terming the event historic. The Congress, however, dismissed the event as a political stunt. The Congress claims that due to political animosity, the BJP kept the ERCP on hold in five years of the Ashok Gehlot government. Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasara accused the Central government of misleading the people on the ERCP. Gehlot also alleged that the BJP had compromised Rajasthans interests. The PKC-ERCP is directly linked to a population of 3.45 crore across 21 districts in Rajasthan. These districts include Jaipur, Kota, Jhalawar, Baran, Bundi, Sawai Madhopur, Ajmer, Tonk, Dausa, Karauli, Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Gangapur City, Beawar, Kekri, Dudu, Kotputli-Behror, Khairthal-Tijara, Deeg, and Jaipur Rural. The project aims to alleviate water crisis in eastern Rajasthan, providing drinking water to households and irrigation water to farmers, thereby benefiting both urban and rural populations in the region.

Thiruppavai recitation to replace Suprabhatam ritual during Dhanurmasam

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). Tirupati: During Dhanurmasam, the daily Suprabhatam ritual at the Srivari temple in Tirumala will be replaced by the recitation of the traditional Thiruppavai from Tuesday. The month-long ritual will conclude on January 14, following which the Suprabhatam seva will resume on January 15. As part of Dhanurmasam traditions, the Suprabhatam seva is substituted with the recital of the Goda Thiruppavai Pasura Parayanam, a revered collection of 30 pasurams (stanzas) composed by Andal Goda Devi in praise of Lord Venkateswara. Andal, one of the 12 Alwars of the Sri Vaishnava tradition, authored the Thiruppavai, which forms an integral part of the Alwar Divya Prabandham and holds a special place in Tamil literature. According to the Puranas, the solar calendar is prioritised during Dhanurmasam, a period dedicated entirely to spiritual activities. The Srivari temple observes unique rituals during this time. The regular Thomala seva, typically conducted with the participation of the Jeeyar Gosthi, is replaced by a special silent version known as Mooga Thomala. Additionally, one Astra is recited daily, and the Ekantha Seva is performed before the idol of Sri Krishna instead of Bhoga Srinivasa. Dhanurmasam is considered highly sacred in Sri Vaishnava temples, and the Srivari temple at Tirumala observes this period with heightened religious fervour. Rituals, temple decorations, and offerings are imbued with special significance during this holy month. Unlike the usual practice of offering Tulasi leaves during Sahasranamarchana, bel leaves are used in accordance with the Vaikhanasa Bhrigu Samhita traditions. Special prasadam such as dosa, jaggery dosa, sundal, sira, and pongal will be offered to the deity. Every day, special decorations featuring parrots from Sri Villiputhur will adorn the deity. Meanwhile, the 25-day Adhyayanotsavams will be observed at the hill temple from December 30 to January 23. Known as the Divya Prabandha Pasura Parayanam, this festival is a recitation of the 4,000 pasurams composed by the 12 Alwars. The festival begins 11 days before Vaikunta Ekadasi during the holy month of Dhanurmasam. The first 11 days are referred to as Pagalpattu and the following 10 days as Rapattu. The final four days are marked by significant events including the recitation of Kanninun Shiruthambu and Ramanuja Nutrandadi, Sri Varaha Swami Sattumora and conclusion of Adhyayanotsavams. The recitations will be conducted in the Ranganayakula Mandapam of the Srivari temple, led by the Sri Vaishnava Jeeyangar Swamijis.

Hackers target YouTube creators, send fake brand collaboration offers with malware

In an alarming trend, cybercriminals are now increasingly targeting popular YouTube creators by exploiting fake brand collaboration offers to distribute malware

End of an era: Grammy-winner Ricky Kej, Anup Jalota and other music stalwarts mourn Ustad Zakir Hussains demise

Renowned tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain passed away on Sunday, December 15. The legendary musician had been receiving treatment for heart-related complications in the ICU of a San Francisco hospital for the past two weeks. The cause of death was confirmed to be idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease. The news was confirmed by []

CM Atishi urges Delhi voters not to support BJP, says 'salwar-kameez and Rs 500 won't fulfill your needs for 5 years'

The AAP accused the BJP of superficiality and ulterior motives following the latter's overnight stay in Delhi slums. Atishi warned slum dwellers that the BJP might demolish their homes and remove their names from voter lists, citing past incidents. The BJP, however, claims their initiative aims to understand residents' issues and improve their living conditions through DUSIB.

BTS: J-Hope's sister Jiwoo drops pics in salwar suit, jhumkas; photos in desi look takes the internet by storm

Photos of BTS member J-Hope's sister quickly went viral, sending the internet into a frenzy, with Desi ARMYs showering her with compliments for her stunning beauty.

WATCH: BTS J-Hope's Sister Jiwoo Stuns In Salwar Suit And Jhumka, AMRY Is Super Happy

Dressed in an elegant off-white floral salwar kameez, Jiwoo effortlessly embraced traditional Indian attire. She elevated her stunning look with a touch of classic jewellery, pairing her outfit with eye-catching jhumkas, a wrist cuff and a stylish jutti.

Curtains rise for Margazhi

CHENNAI: The rain poured heavily outside, drumming against the windows in a relentless rhythm. Inside the auditorium, however, the air was alive with the sound of nadaswaram.The vidwans, poised with their instruments, played with a serene intensity. The Brahma Gana Sabha commenced its 23rd Edition of the December Art Festival on Thursday at the Dakshinamurthy Auditorium, Chennai. The festival, a highlight of Chennais cultural calendar, celebrated the vibrancy of classical arts, honouring stalwarts across music, dance, and theatre. This year, the festival was graced by Sandhya Purecha, chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, as the chief guest. Addressing the gathering, she said, It is an honour to stand before you all today as we celebrate this grand season, a hallmark of Chennais cultural landscape. Brahma Gana Sabha continues to attract audiences and artistes worldwide, showcasing both legendary masters and promising new talents. The legacy of cultural institutions like Brahma Gana Sabha deserves commendation for their commitment to preserving our heritage and promoting the arts. The merging of diverse artistic traditions in this festival showcases our nations shared cultural ethos, reminding us of the deep interconnectedness of our cultural roots. Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti, president of the Sabha, and a patron of the arts, commended Brahma Gana Sabhas consistent efforts in promoting excellence, and said, It is a privilege to see the Sangeetha Padhmam Awards being conferred upon such accomplished artistes. We are deeply honoured by Dr Sandhya Purechas presence, which makes this event even more special. The highlight of the evening was the conferring of the Padhmam Awards, celebrating the contributions of four artistes Gaana Padhmam: Suguna Varadachari, Vaadhya Padhmam: A Kanyakumari, Naatya Padhmam: Parvathi Ravi Ghantasala, Naataka Padhmam: CV Chandramohan. They were felicitated by musician Radha Bhaskar. With performances and accolades setting the tone, the festival promises to continue its legacy.

New trend: Cybercriminals target public mobile charging stations to steal data

BENGALURU: In a concerning trend, cyber criminals are now targeting public mobile phone charging stations to steal users sensitive data, cyber security experts warn. The growing threat involves the use of USB charging ports, commonly found in public places such as airports, bus stands, railway stations, cafes and hotels. USB ports are often used for both power and data transfer, creating an opportunity for hackers to exploit. Even the state police are creating awareness on the USB charger scam, cautioning people against using public phone charging stations. Dr Harsha, a cyber security expert, said that if public USB charging stations are not configured properly, cyber criminals can misuse the ports to steal data. Since most charging stations use USB ports and the charging cables as a two-way street -- to send the power to device and also transfer data cyber criminals have more opportunities to steal data. The scam is all about stealing data or leaving malware in devices. If a persons mobile phone battery is low, he or she does not think of security as he/she just wants to charge the defice. Frauds take this as an advantage, he said. Cyber criminals try to steal data in two main ways. First, when a device is plugged into a public USB port, a hacker can compromise that port to infect the device. This could lead to the theft of data such as financial information, passwords, banking details and personal files, which can result in identity theft or financial loss. The hacker can use a crawler program to search for sensitive data on the device. Secondly, cyber criminals may use USB ports to install malware or viruses on devices. These malicious programs can clone phone data and transfer it to the hackers device, he said. Hackers may infect USB ports or charging cables in public areas before users connect their devices. Both Android and iOS devices, especially older generation phones, are particularly vulnerable to such attacks, he warned. Tips to Protect Yourself from USB port scam Avoid using public charging stations or portable wall chargers Use an electrical wall outlet for charging Carry and use only your personal charging cables Use software security measures to lock your phone, ensuring that it cant pair with a connected device. Install antivirus apps to protect your devices from malware. (Installing antivirus software can help alert you to potential attacks on your smart devices, such as phones, laptops & TVs) Disable Bluetooth by default when you charge Update USB drivers Keep your phone or device updated with latest patches Restrict software installation on your device with strong password Check whether charging stations have data or network cable connected in the background which are not required Trust only authorised charging points, not by any third party. Hackers may use fake logo to dupe others

Temperatures drop in Delhi, Punjab; slight respite from cold for Kashmir

NEW DELHI: Cold weather conditions persisted in parts of north and west India on Sunday with the mercury dropping several notches in Delhi, Punjab and Rajasthan. Kashmir and the higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh received some respite from the intense cold as minimum temperatures rose. The respite for Kashmir is likely to be short-lived as the meteorological department has predicted a cold wave in parts of the valley over the next three days. Delhi's minimum temperature dropped to 4.9 degrees Celsius, 3.1 notches below normal, but cold wave conditions did not prevail, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The mercury settled at a low of 8 degrees Celsius in the city on Saturday. The capital recorded a maximum temperature of 23.2 degrees Celsius on Sunday, 0.2 notches below normal, the IMD said. The weather department has forecast moderate fog in Delhi on Monday. The minimum and maximum temperatures are expected to settle at 5 degrees Celsius and 23 degrees Celsius respectively. Punjab and Haryana also remained in the grip of cold weather conditions with Faridkot recording the lowest temperature in the region at 1 degree Celsius, according to the meteorological department. Punjab's Gurdaspur and Bathinda recorded a minimum temperature of 2 degrees Celsius and 4.6 degrees Celsius respectively at night, it said. The mercury settled at a low of 3.5 degrees Celsius in Pathankot, 3.9 degrees Celsius in Amritsar, 6.8 degrees Celsius in Ludhiana and 3.8 degrees Celsius in Patiala. In Haryana, Hisar shivered at 1.7 degrees Celsius and Narnaul recorded a minimum temperature of 3 degrees Celsius. Bhiwani recorded a low of 4 degrees Celsius, Gurugram 5.6 degrees Celsius, Rohtak 5.2 degrees Celsius and Ambala 5.7 degrees Celsius. The weather office said that Chandigarh, the common capital of Punjab and Haryana, recorded a minimum temperature of 4.8 degrees Celsius. Temperatures rose by three to five notches in the higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh while cold wave conditions gripped the lower hills as the weather remained dry. Tabo was the coldest place in the state at night with a low of minus 10.6 degrees Celsius and Shimla was the warmest at 12.2 degrees Celsius, 6.5 notches above normal. The adjoining resorts of Kufri and Narkanda recorded a low of 9.8 degrees Celsius and 6.4 degrees Celsius respectively. In the lower hills, Una recorded a minimum temperature of 0.2 degrees Celsius and Sundernagar 0.6 degrees Celsius. The local meteorological office has issued a 'yellow' warning for cold wave at isolated places in the lower hills and plains till Thursday and predicted dry weather in the state over the next seven days. Cold wave conditions will prevail in Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur and parts of Kangra districts, the weather office said. There was no significant change in maximum temperatures in Himachal Pradesh. Solan was the hottest during the day at 24.7 degrees Celsius followed by Shimla at 19 degrees Celsius, five notches above normal. Kashmir saw a slight respite from intense cold wave conditions as minimum temperatures rose across the valley, though they remained below the freezing point. The summer capital of Srinagar recorded a low of minus 3.4 degrees Celsius, an improvement from minus 4.6 degrees Celsius the previous night, the meteorological department said. Gulmarg, a tourist destination popular for skiing, registered a minimum temperature of 3.8 degrees Celsius -- a rise of nearly four notches from the night before. Pahalgam, the base camp for the Amarnath Yatra, logged a low of minus 4.8 degrees Celsius, three notches higher than the previous night. Konibal, a hamlet on the outskirts of Pampore town, was the coldest place in the valley with the mercury settling at a low of minus 5.2 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature was minus 4 degrees Celsius in Qazigund, 3.7 degrees Celsius in Kupwara and 2.8 degrees Celsius in Kokernag. According to the meteorological office, the weather in the valley is likely to remain mainly dry till December 21. Minimum temperatures are predicted to drop and a cold wave is likely over many stations during the next three days, the weather office said. In Rajasthan, cold wave conditions prevailed in most parts and Fatehpur recorded sub-zero temperatures for the third consecutive day on Sunday. According to the meteorological department, the minimum temperature in Fatehpur settled at minus 1.2 degrees Celsius. Churu recorded a minimum temperature of 1.6 degrees Celsius; Bhilwara 2.2 degrees Celsius; Sangaria, Pilani and Sirohi 2.6 degrees Celsius; Chittorgarh 3.2 degrees Celsius and Alwar 4 degrees Celsius. The mercury settled below 10 degrees Celsius at several other places in the state.

Pakistani celebrate Raj Kapoor's 100th birth anniversary at Kapoor House

Peshawar: Pakistani cultural enthusiasts and film lovers gathered at the iconic Kapoor House in Peshawar on Saturday to celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of legendary Bollywood filmmaker and actor Raj Kapoor. A highlight of the event, reinforcing the significance of Peshawar's ties to cinematic history, was the cutting of a cake to mark the birth centenary of Kapoor -- one of the most influential figures of Indian cinema. Participants also welcomed the World Bank's announcement to allocate Rs 100 million each for the restoration of the ancestral homes of Raj Kapoor and fellow Bollywood legend Dilip Kumar. Both homes, located near the famous Qissa Khawani Bazaar, are celebrated as symbols of Peshawar's deep ties to Indian cinema. The gathering, jointly organised by the Cultural Heritage Council (CHC) and the Directorate of Archaeology Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, called for larger-scale events to commemorate the legacy of Kapoor. The attendees emphasised Kapoor's connection to Pakistan, where he was born in Peshawar's Dhaki Nalbandi, and praised his enduring influence on cinema. Muhammad Hussain Haidery, Secretary of the Pak-Iran Trade and Investment Council, was the chief guest of the event. Born on December 14, 1924, Kapoor was the son of stalwart actor Prithviraj Kapoor. He made classics like Awara, Barsaat, Shree 420, Sangam and Mera Naam Joker during his illustrious 40-year career. He died in 1988. Ibrahim Zia, a renowned writer and researcher on the Indian film industry who has extensively studied film legends with roots in Peshawar and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, presented rare photographs of Raj Kapoor from his childhood and early adolescence years in Peshawar. He also shared insights into the actor's illustrious career, starting in the 1940s. Zia highlighted Kapoor's versatility across genres, from romance and comedy to tragedy, which solidified his status as the Greatest Showman of Indian Cinema. The Kapoor House stands near the ancestral homes of Dilip Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan, connecting two generations of Indian film legends to Peshawar. Dilip Kumar, celebrated for his naturalistic acting, and Shah Rukh Khan, a modern-day Bollywood superstar, further underscore the city's historical contribution to Indian cinema.

Cold wave conditions in Rajasthan; Fatehpur records sub-zero temperature for 3rd straight day

Cold wave conditions continued across Rajasthan on Sunday, with Fatehpur experiencing sub-zero temperatures for the third day at minus 1.2 degrees Celsius. Other areas reported minimum temperatures as follows: Churu at 1.6 degrees, Bhilwara at 2.2 degrees, and several locations, including Chittorgarh and Alwar, recorded temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius, according to the Meteorological Department.

Anees Bazmee celebrates 45 years in Bollywood: Madhuri Dixit, Kartik Aaryan, Anil Kapoor and others pay tribute

The evening witnessed a stellar turnout of stars, filmmakers, and stalwarts who paid tribute to Bazmees cinematic legacy

Kareena Kapoor Drips Royalty In Chic Ivory Suit At Raj Kapoor Centenary; Her Top Salwar Moments

Kareena Kapoor looked every bit regal as she arrived for the 100th birthday celebration of her grandfather, the legendary Raj Kapoor. The diva dazzled in an ivory salwar set by Pakistani designer Iqbal Hussain for the occasion, and we couldnt help but take a look back at her growing love for salwars. Watch the video as we round up Bebos most iconic salwar moments that redefine ethnic glam. lifestyle news | health updates | travel stories | lifestyle | news18 | n18oc_lifestyleLiked the video? Please press the thumbs up icon and leave a comment. Subscribe to Showsha YouTube channel and never miss a video: https://www.youtube.com/c/SHOWSHAIndiaFollow Showsha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/showsha_/Follow Showsha on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/showshaFollow Showsha on X: https://x.com/news18showshaFollow Showsha on Snapchat: https://snapchat.com/t/6YeotZeyMore entertainment and lifestyle news and updates on:https://www.news18.com/lifestyle/

How hackers are using phone chargers to steal your data. Tips to stay safe

A cybersecurity expert, Ryan Montgomery, warns against using unknown phone chargers, especially in public charging stations, due to the risk of juice jacking. This malicious technique allows hackers to steal data or infect devices with malware through compromised charging cables. Montgomery demonstrated how an ordinary-looking charging cable can grant remote access to a computer, highlighting the importance of using your own charger.

Bitdefender Total Security review: One of the top antivirus options you can buy

Bitdefender bundles antivirus and anti-malware with other digital privacy tools to keep you safer. Here's how it works.

Thoothukudi collector urges evacuation as Thamirabarani River inflow strengthens amid heavy rain

THOOTHUKUDI: Thoothukudi Collector K Elambahavath appealed to the residents of low-lying villages along the banks of the Thamirabarani River to shift to relief camps as inflow to the river strengthened on Friday. As the rain intensified in various parts of the district and neighbouring districts of Tenkasi and Tirunelveli, the influx to waterbodies have increased, especially those in Srivaikuntam and Eral taluks. The collector along with stakeholding departments visited Srivaikuntam Kaspa Tank, Srivaikuntam Anaicut, Karungulam Bridge, Uppar Odai, Maruthur Anaicut in Kaliyavoor village and Korampallam surplus channel at Athimarapatti to gauge the situation. He inspected safety measures at Mela Thattaparai, where the flood obstructed the road. Meanwhile, the collector inspected food preparation in the relief camp at Srivaikuntam Union Office. In a press statement, Elambahavath said, The inflow to Srivaikuntam Anaicut is 26,000 cusecs, which may rise upto 75,000 cusecs as rain has intensified in the western districts and western ghats. He appealed to the people living in low-lying villages along the banks of Thamirabarani at Kaliyavur, Agaram, Muthalankurichi, Arampannai, Murapanadu, Kovilpathu, Alikudi, Ponnankurichi, Alwarthopu, Pudhukudi villages of Srivaikuntam Taluk to move to relief camps. Similarly, the collector also alerted people of Keelpidagai Kaspa, Mangalakurichi, Eral, Umarikadu, Mukkani, Palayakayal, Pullaveli, Athinathapuram, Alwarthirunagari, Alagiyamanavalapuram, Cemalabad, Thenthiruperai, Mavadipannai, Palkulam, Rajapathy, Valavallan, Sethukuvaithan, and Kurukattoor in Eral Taluk to move to safer places or relief camps as these villages were severely affected in the flood last year. In the wake of severe rainfall, the compound wall of an ESI dispensary collapsed. Rain water inundated over 30 houses near Palaniandavar temple premises. The water supposed to be drained into Kurinjankulam Tank gushed into the residential area following encroachment of the inflow channel, sources said. Inam Maniachi and Athaikiondan Kanmois have been overflowing and inundating the road. The water has flooded Ilayarasanendhal Road, TNSTC bus depot, a fuel station and other establishments, sources added.

Tirumala to hold Karthika Deepotsavam on December 15

Tirupati: The sacred hills of Tirumala are set to glow with divine fervour as the temple observes the Karthika Deepotsavam on December 15. As part of the celebrations, hundreds of mud lamps will be lit at various locations within the temple on Sunday evening. The lighting of the lamps will begin at the Garbha Gruha and extend to prominent areas, including the Akhandam of the Sanctum Sanctorum, Kulasekhara Padi, Ramulavari Meda, Garudalwar, Dwarapalakas, all sub-shrines, Bangaru Vakili, Vendi Vakili, Dhwajasthambham, and others. Outside the temple, lamps will also be lit at the Varaha Swamy temple, Bedi Anjaneya Swamy temple, and Swamy Pushkarini. In view of the festival, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has canceled the Sahasra Deepalankara Seva and the monthly Pournami Garuda Seva. Following the Deepotsavam, Thiruppavai Pravachanams will be conducted across the country from December 16 to January 13, 2025. These recitals, observed during the auspicious Dhanurmasam, will be held at over 232 centers, including the Annamacharya Kalamandiram in Tirupati. The Pravachanams will commence in Tirupati on Monday evening at 5:30 PM. Musician Dr. Dwaram Lakshmi will recite one Pasuram (sacred hymn) each day, while Sanskrit scholar Dr. Chakravarthy Ranganathan will explain the essence of the hymns. This annual tradition, organized under TTDs Alwar Divya Prabandha Project, celebrates the spiritual significance of Andal Sri Godais Thiruppavai.

Raj Kapoor Centenary Celebrations: Bhansali, Boney Kapoor, Mahesh Bhatt, Farhan Akhtar & More Arrive

Bollywood A-listers arrive to celebrate the life and legacy of Raj Kapoor, the Greatest Showman of Indian cinema. The list included stalwarts like Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Boney Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar, Tiger Shroff, Mahesh Bhatt, Soni Razdan, Shahin Bhatt, Rashika Duggal, Madhu Chopra and many more. Watch the video for more details. bollywood news | entertainment news live | latest bollywood news | bollywood | news18 | n18oc_moviesLiked the video? Please press the thumbs up icon and leave a comment. Subscribe to Showsha YouTube channel and never miss a video: https://www.youtube.com/c/SHOWSHAIndiaFollow Showsha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/showsha_/Follow Showsha on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/showshaFollow Showsha on X: https://x.com/news18showshaFollow Showsha on Snapchat: https://snapchat.com/t/6YeotZey

Tamannaah Bhatia Ditches Makeup As She Steps Out For A Dinner Date With Vijay Varma & Friends; WATCH

Tamannaah Bhatia decided to step out sans makeup for a special date night with her gang and boyfriend Vijay Varma. She looked pretty as a picture in a pink salwar suit while Vijay kept it casual. Watch the video for more. bollywood news | entertainment news live | latest bollywood news | bollywood | news18 | n18oc_moviesLiked the video? Please press the thumbs up icon and leave a comment. Subscribe to Showsha YouTube channel and never miss a video: https://www.youtube.com/c/SHOWSHAIndiaFollow Showsha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/showsha_/Follow Showsha on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/showshaFollow Showsha on X: https://x.com/news18showshaFollow Showsha on Snapchat: https://snapchat.com/t/6YeotZeyMore entertainment and lifestyle news and updates on:https://www.news18.com/entertainment

Woman Ostracised By Villagers In Assam For Wearing Salwar-Kameez After Self-Proclaimed Court's Ruling

According to the woman, the villagers opposed her attire and set up a self-proclaimed kangaroo court within the local temple premises on Sunday. Following this, they decided to ostrasise her and impose a fine of Rs 5,000

Best cloud or online storage service for Mac and iPhone

Macworld These days cloud storage is all the rage, offering the convenience of access to your digital files without having to clog up your mobile devices storage. Its also particularly useful now that so may of us work from home and need to be able to access our data outside the office. Provided youve got internet access, everything is hunky-dory. A good cloud storage solution backs up your important documents, photos, and videos, but it also helps keep all your devices in sync. Its a great way to make sure your desktop, laptop, phone, and tablet all have instant access to all your digital content. It should also allow you to access and edit documents from a web browser and easily share files and folders with others. Another reason to use a cloud service or any service that offers offsite back up for your Mac is that it protects your data if something happens at the location where your Mac and backup are located. PROMOTION Secure Cloud Storage for Growing Businesses Get ample space for all your files with Google Workspace. Enjoy up to 5 TB of secure cloud storage, plus business versions of Gmail, Calendar, Meet, and more. Now with Gemini for Workspace to boost productivity with AI. Try free for 14 days Owners of Macs, iPads and iPhones will naturally tend to favour iCloud, Apples own cloud service, because its so well integrated with those devices operating systems. Heres our full guide to using iCloud and here is iClouds current pricing structure . However, iCloud only really syncs your data and it isnt a way to back up your Mac. If you want to back up your Mac to the cloud you need to look at options like Backblaze, Carbonite and Acronis included below and in our guide to the Best Mac backup software . You may only be looking for a way to store a few items so you can access them anywhere, or so you can share them with others, in which case iCloud and other options like Google Drive and Microsoft One Drive could meet your needs. In this article, we round up all the best iCloud alternatives: the cloud storage services for Mac, iPhone and iPad that offer the most appealing combination of price, features, security and reliability. If you use Apple products, we think these are the best cloud storage solutions to which you should subscribe. We are starting with iCloud because Apples service is simple to use and mostly intuitive. Its available on all Apple products and syncs all your data as long as you have enough iCloud storage. It doesnt act as a backup for your Mac, but you can access a backup of your iPhone or iPad via iCloud. Read: Time Machine vs iCloud: Do you need to use both and can one back up to the other? Read on to find out what the alternatives offer. Apple iCloud Drive Best for Apple fans Price When Reviewed: Free (5GB), 99c (50GB), $2.99 (200GB), $9.99 (2TB), $29.99 (6TB), $59.99 (12TB) a month Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Apple (Monthly) $0.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $0.99 at Apple (Monthly) View Apple iCloud here As an Apple user, youll have heard of iCloud, but we dont blame you if you find it confusing. Its Apples own cloud-based storage system, and if you own an iPhone or iPad and have an Apple ID , youll already have 5GB free storage. Its the easiest way for those bought into the Apple ecosystem (users of iPhone, iPad and Mac) to sync contacts, notes, files, photos and more across devices and access them on all their devices. For example, you can use the Files folder on an iPhone or iPad to view all your files stored in the cloud. Because it integrates so seamlessly with all of Apples products and services, iCloud really is the best cloud storage solution for someone who is all-in with Apple. And I do mean all-in : All your computers are Macs, your mobile devices are iPhone or iPads, you work in Apples productivity software (Pages, Numbers, Notes), and so on. Frustratingly, Apple only provides a paltry 5GB of free iCloud storage, which isnt so bad if all you want to do is store some Pages and Numbers documents, but is grossly inadequate for photos and videos. Apple is years overdue for increasing this limit (Google offers 15GB free), but at the very least, it should stop counting iOS backups against it. Since the fall of 2021, Apple has offered to loan you as much iCloud storage space as you need to backup and restore your data onto a new device, for up to two weeks. Its a good feature for those buying a new Apple device, but it wont help you protect your data if your iPhone gets lost/stolen/damaged. From there, its $0.99/0.99 per month for 50GB, $2.99/2.99 for 200GB, $9.99/8.99 for 2TB, $29.99/26.99 for 6TB and $59.99/54.99 for 20GB. See: iCloud storage plans . You can enable family sharing on the 200GB and above plansif you do, it doesnt mean your family members can see all your cloud stuff. It just means your whole familys iCloud usage will count against the same storage limit. These paid tiers are branded iCloud+ and include several benefits. Theres iCloud Private Relay , free storage for HomeKit enabled security cameras, a Hide My Email feature, custom domain names for iCloud email accounts, and additional contact options for recovering your account. These are all excellent features that help solidify our view that iCloud is by far the best choice for those who are all-in on Apple devices. The main benefit of paying for more iCloud storage is that nearly all of Apples apps can seamlessly sync through it. Photos, productivity apps, Mail, Calendar, and anything you drop into your iCloud Drive folder in Finder on a Mac are immediately available across all your Apple devices. A significant number of iOS apps optionally back up and sync through iCloud, too. If you use non-Mac computers or non-iOS mobile devices from time to time, Apple provides a full suite of web apps at iCloud.com , but theyre sort of mediocre. Apple also provides an iCloud Windows app that syncs data and integrates your iCloud mail with common Windows apps like Outlook, but there are no native productivity apps for Windows or Android: If you want to edit a Pages document, you have to use the web interface. We like using iCloud, but we also pay for it. Most decent cloud services require you to pay a small fee. If youre a heavy Apple user, you might consider the Apple One service bundle . Its much more than a cloud storage solution, and thus beyond the scope of this article, but the value offered may tip the scales in iClouds favor for you. Read our full Apple iCloud review Google Drive King of Cloud Price When Reviewed: Free (15GB), $1.99 (100GB), $2.99 (200GB), $9.99 (2TB) a month. If you don't see the 200GB deal select 100GB and upgrade from that. Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Google (monthly) $1.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $1.99 at Google (monthly) View Google Drive here While the idea of using Googles tools on Apple hardware may make some squirm, its deep integration with Google Docs, Sheets, and other popular Google tools means its never been easier to share a document with a colleague, collect feedback, and make amendments. Googles system, alongside Dropbox and OneDrive, is arguably one of the most common file-sharing options. Its much more prevalent than, say, iCloud Drive, making it much more useful across multiple platforms. If your workflows and job require any degree of rapid sharing of files back and forth, its a perfect fit. Outside of work, Google Photos may also appeal as a nice backup option to have, but itll start to eat into your storage pretty quickly. That said, Google Drive does comes with a whopping 15GB of free storage thats triple what Apple offers for free oniCloud Drive. 15GB is plenty generous, but you can enjoy 100GB for just $1.99/1.59 a month, 200GB for $2.99/2.49, and 2TB for $9.99/7.99 per month. Theres even a massive 30TB for $150 a month. You can use Google Drive on Mac through a dedicated app, or via the web interface. Whether youre on Mac, iPhone, iPad, or just about any other platform, Google Drive remains the best option around. Read our full Google Drive review Microsoft OneDrive Cloud storage home workers Price When Reviewed: Free (5GB), $1.99 (100GB), $6.99 (1TB) a month Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Microsoft (monthly) $1.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $1.99 at Microsoft (monthly) View Microsoft OneDrive here If you need a cloud plan for a family or small team, and youre already leaning on Microsofts Office apps, then OneDrive is a great option. One of the best parts of OneDrive is that it opens up the Office ecosystem, both for Mac and iPhone or iPad. With access to Microsoft mainstays like Word, Excel, and with those apps using OneDrive to sync across platforms, its got potential for the workplace or for families with kids working on school projects. If youre not keen on Google Docs or Sheets, or Apples Pages and Numbers, having Word and Excel documents spread across your devices could be a huge boon. The 5GB base storage is painfully low for free users (although still better thanDropboxs2GB). Microsoft clearly wants to nudge you to one of its paid plans. You can spend$99.99/79.99per year to get access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and more, with 1TB storage per person for up to six people (6TB total). Alternatively, the Microsoft 365 Personal version with 1TB storage costs $69.99/59.99 a year, and Microsoft 365 Basic is $19.99/19.99 a year for 100GB cloud storage. Whichever option you go for, OneDrive is a model citizen when it comes to macOS. The app is lightweight and sits in Finder for you to drag and drop as you see fit. While its not as intuitive as Google Drive, if youre using Microsoft Office to any degree youll find a lot to like. Read our full OneDrive review IDrive Online backup Price When Reviewed: Basic: Free; IDrive Mini: $2.95 (100GB) | $9.95 (500GB) a year; IDrive Personal: $69.65 (5TB) a year Best Prices Today: Retailer Price iDrive (Annually) $2.95 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $2.95 at iDrive (Annually) View IDrive here. lDrive is another online backup service. However, it differs from both Backblaze and Carbonite in a number of ways. Firstly, it has a free tier you can back up 5GB without paying anything. After that, though, its more expensive than either of its competitors featured here. Currently, the annual charge for the Personal tier is $59.62 (approx 46) for the first year and $79.50/year (approx 61) after that, but that only allows you to backup 5TB of data, while Backblaze and Carbonite allow unlimited data. However, that 5TB can be spread across multiple computers, whereas Backblaze and Carbonite limit you to one computer. Also, if you prefer to restore by having data physically shipped to you, lDrive provides that for free for the first restore each year though if youre outside the US youll have to pay for the shipping. Like Backblaze, lDrive also allows you to back up external hard drives. Even with external drives backing up, its unlikely most people will breach the 5TB limit bearing in mind that youre not backing up applications or system files. Features like Rewind and Snapshots allow you to restore from earlier versions of files or snapshots of the complete data set. And all data is encrypted, with the option to set your own private encryption key. lDrives user interface makes using it very straightforward. Your Desktop, Documents, Music and Pictures folders are automatically selected for backup, along with the contents of ~/Library/Mail. To add other folders, click Change at the bottom of the window thats not exactly intuitive. You can add videos to the backup, but locating them in lDrives interface takes a great deal of doing. Both scheduling and restoring are straightforward, however. As is choosing a local drive as the destination for a backup in place of lDrives servers. lDrives free tier and the ability to spread your data allocation in the paid tiers across multiple computers makes it attractive. Overall, though, its expensive for a single machine. Read our full IDrive review Box Best for businesses Price When Reviewed: Free (10GB, limited to 250MB files), $14 (100GB) a month Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Box (monthly) $14 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $14 at Box (monthly) View Box here One of the best cloud storage options for businesses, Box, has a whole host of excellent tools and is probably the most slick and well-supported cloud-based storage service weve tested, but it might go beyond a general consumers needs. Boxs incorporates a host of security options, API calls, and over 1,500 integrations across office mainstays like Slack, Google Workspace, Microsoft Office apps and Zoom, so its an easy pick for anyone looking for a plug-and-play solution for file-sharing across larger teams. Its essentially a menu bar app that can pop out into a handy search bar to trawl through anything inside your Box folder, which will also appear in your Finder sidebar. A keyboard shortcut brings up the search bar, so Box is always just a keypress away. Theres a note section that syncs across devices and a document signing tool thats very handy if youre exchanging a lot of contracts. Its secure, too, with encryption standard across all plans and end-to-end encryption offered via Box KeySafe so users can issue their own encryption keys. The web app is fast and stable (unlike some rivals) making shifting files between folders when away from the Mac much simpler. Box offers a very generous free plan offering 10GB of storage and a 250MB file upload limit, but the next tier up is $14/11 monthly for individuals ($10/8 per month if you pay annually), which is a steep increase compared to the likes of Google Drive. Box nails just about anything you could want from a cloud storage service in 2025. Its fast, secure, and gets out of the way when you need it to, making it an easy pick for businesses. Read our full Box (Cloud Storage) review Backblaze A good solution for offsite backup Price When Reviewed: $99 a year, $9 a month Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Backblaze (yearly) $99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $99 at Backblaze (yearly) View Backblaze here . Offerings like OneDrive, Google Drive, and even Apples own iCloud Drive offer a cloud-based storage area that can also be used to share files between users, usually with a link to a specific spot. Others, like Backblaze a storage service in the strictest term it takes your data, ferries it off-site, and backs up your Mac to its servers. Its not for quickly sharing a document or collaborating on a piece of work, its for recovering data you may lose if something happens to your local machine. While you could share a file with Backblaze, doing so requires using Backblazes separate B2 Cloud Storage service which, admittedly, comes with flexible, pay-as-you-go options. Backblaze backs up the contents of your Documents, Pictures, Movies and Music folders, but excludes your Applications folder. You can view and share backed up files on an iPhone or iPad with the Backblaze mobile app. Backups are incremental so only files that have changed since it last ran are copied. Backups are encrypted and kept for 30 days. When it comes to restoring your data you can restore via Backblazes web interface or you can have files sent to you on a USB stick or hard drive for an additional (refundable) fee. A Find My-like Locate your Computer service tracks your Macs location to help you find it if its stolen. The Mac can tell you its current IP address and show you recently backed-up data. If you need an offsite back up of your Mac, Backblazes simplicity and price give it the edge over Carbonite and IDrive. Read our full Backblaze review pCloud Budget-friendly cloud storage Price When Reviewed: Free (10GB), $4.99 (500GB), $9.99 (2TB) a month Best Prices Today: Retailer Price pCloud Free View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Free at pCloud View pCloud here pCloud might not be as familiar a name as some of the others on this list, but trust us, its one you should definitely learn. The service handles all kinds of files with ease and uses 256-bit AES encryption to ensure that they remain safe while online. The basic tier comes with 10GB of free storage, albeit with the need to unlock 3GB of this via a few tasks, such as informing friend about the joys of pCloud. To be honest, this is not much of a drag, as your friends will probably thank you in the long run. There are no pesky file size restrictions, and 30-day versioning is standard, so if you accidentally delete a file youll be able to recover it even after a few weeks. If 10GB isnt enough then you can move to 500GB for $4.99/4.99 p/m ($49.99/49.99 a year right now) or theres 2TB available for $9.99/9.99 ($99.99/99.99 a year right now). Like pretty much all the services in this roundup, theres a free trial available that lets you see if the service fits your needs. We recommend you give each one a spin, and if you dont mind a bit of file juggling then you might find that using the combined free tiers of all of them gives you enough storage for all your data needs. Dropbox the original cloud syncing service Price When Reviewed: Free (2GB), $9.99 a month for a year (2TB, $119.88 paid up front), $11.99 a month (2TB, paid monthly) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Dropbox (monthly) $9.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $9.99 at Dropbox (monthly) View Dropbox here No discussion of cloud storage solutions would be complete without discussing the company that popularized consumer cloud syncing: Dropbox . Dropbox is the app that kickstarted the cloud storage arms race , but in recent years it has been usurped somewhat. A stalwart for many modern workflows, Dropbox remains a reliable way to sync data and files to the cloud, but it gets harder to recommend if you are looking to share files with others, as a backup solution, or as a means to access your content from wherever you are. It just doesnt offer any must-have features and rivals have much more generous free tiers. The paltry 2GB starting offering is way behind Googles 15GB. The next their up is 2TB for $11.99/9.99 per month (billed monthly), or $9.99/7.99 a month if you pay for a year upfront. Its a big leap with no options in between. There is some good. Dropbox offer a sizeable drop-down window so you can see more information about recently uploaded and updated files, compared to the basic menu bar apps of the competition. Features like PDF signing are useful additions. Unfortunately, Dropbox just doesnt feel as straightforward to use as many other cloud storage services. Read our full Dropbox review Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office Price When Reviewed: From $49.99 a year 1 Mac, no cloud storage; Advanced: $57.99 a year, 1 Mac 50GB cloud storage; Premium: $124.99 a year, 1 Mac, 1TB cloud storage Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $8 View Deal Acronis $39.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $8 at Amazon $39.99 at Acronis View Acronis here . Note December 2024: This review is of Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office, which was previously known as True Image. The latest version of the service reverts to the old name: True Image. We are in the process of reviewing the new version of the software. Cyber Protect Home Office is a personal backup solution that supports backing up your data to a local disk, to Acronis cloud-based service, or to a network-attached storage device. The latter makes it a good option for anyone with a NAS that doesnt support Apples Time Machine . Youll need to set up an account with Acronis to use it, but you can give it a spin without signing up for its paid-for service or even providing payment details, by using the free trial to back up to a local drive or network disk. If backing up files is one part of the data protection equation, then the other is protecting those files, wherever they reside, from cyber-attack, and thats what Cyber Protect Home Office was designed to do. It will scan existing data for malware, monitor files you interact with online, detect ransomware and cryptojacking attacks, and perform assessments of the vulnerability of your data to being compromised. In addition to the security features, Cyber Protect Home Office allows you to backup Office 365 files to Acronis Cloud, clone your startup disk (either a bootable clone or a compressed image), and synchronise files locally or with cloud storage. It also allows you to create what it calls a Survival Kit a bootable disk with all your system, or a partition, and file backup. Cyber Protect Home Office is very straightforward to use. Its interface is about as straightforward and friendly as they come. The first time you open it, your Mac is selected as the source. Click the Destination button to choose whether to back up to Acronis Cloud, a local drive or a NAS box. If you dont want to create an image of your entire Mac, click on the source box to choose files and folders to back up. From here, you can also back up external disks, a mobile device to your Mac, or your social media accounts to Acronis Cloud. Click on the settings icon and you can schedule regular backups, exclude files, encrypt backups or delete old backups. Pricing starts at $49.99/42.99 per year per computer, but that doesnt include cloud storage. If you want to use Acronis Cloud, youll pay a yearly subscription ranging from for Advanced cover at $57.99/62.99 for one computer and just 50 GB of cloud storage to $124.99/106.99 for Premium cover for one computer with 1TB storage. Additional storage costs around 30/$30/year/TB. Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office combines the best of local and online backup tools and offers lots of other features, such as protection from malware and other online threats. Its not cheap, and the removal of the one-off payment option makes it more expensive to get started. However, its comprehensive, easy to use and well-worth considering. Carbonite Safe Price When Reviewed: $71.99 per year (Basic) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Carbonite $71.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $71.99 at Carbonite View Carbonite here . Carbonite is very similar to Backblaze in that it allows you to back up your Mac to remote servers and recover files when you need to. Like Backblaze, you sign up for an account and download a Mac application, and it automatically selects files to download. Also like Backblaze, Carbonite doesnt back up applications or system files. One key difference is that Carbonites basic plan doesnt automatically back up the contents of your Movies folder either although you can select videos manually to be backed up. Neither does Carbonite back up the contents of external drives. Files are protected with 128-bit encryption, but theres no option to add your own password. Restoring data is done online, using the Carbonite application the option to ship media containing your data is only available within the US. And you can restore from any backup run within the last 30 days, allowing you to roll back to earlier versions of files. The Carbonite mobile app allows you to view and download files to an iPhone or iPad. Carbonite is very simple to use. In fact, it almost feels too simple. Download the app, install it and launch it, and Carbonite starts backing up your Documents and Pictures folders straight away. In the left-hand sidebar, theres a list of volumes and the main user folders (Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Movies and Music). By clicking on those you can select files to be backed up or excluded. Restoring files is just as easy. If you want to restore a complete backup, click the Restore option in the sidebar and choose whether to download files to a folder or put them back where they were originally. To restore individual files and folders, navigate to them using the folders in the sidebar and choose the download option. Carbonite, at the time of writing starts at $71.99 (approx 55) per year for a single computer. If you want to back up external drives and back up videos automatically, that jumps to $111.99 (approx 86). That makes it expensive compared to its nearest competitors. Cloud storage for Mac: Prices compared The cloud storage option you should choose depends largely on how much youre willing to pay. If you want free space, Google crushes the competition with 15GBMicrosoft and Apple both need to up their game. The 100GB for $1.99 level is a good deal for most people and equals the capacity Microsoft gives you with OneDrive. Apples iCloud gives you 200GB for $2.99, which is the minimum youre going to have to spend if you plan to back up iOS devices to the cloud along with photos and videos. Google matches Apples price and storage at this level. Theres a $0.99 tier below that, but even 50GB will fill up fast when youre backing up your iPhone and all its photos and videos. If you want to spend ten bucks a month, youll get 2TB from either Google or Apple, but Microsoft will give you six accounts with 1TB each, plus Office apps. Thats a sweet deal. Dropboxs 2GB is the worst free tier, and its cheapest paid tier is $11.99 a month and doesnt even include all of Dropboxs features. Tier iCloud Google One Drive Microsoft One Drive Box pCloud DropBox Free 5GB 15GB 5GB 10GB 10GB 2GB 50GB 99c / 99p 100GB $1.99 / 1.59 $1.99 / 1,99 $4.50 / 5.50 200GB $2.99 / 2.99 $2.99 / 2.49 500GB $4.99 / 4.99 1TB $6.99 / 5.99 2TB $9.99 / 8.99 $9.99 / 7.99 $9.99 / 9.99 $9.99 / 7.99 For more advice about the best storage for your Mac take a look at the following: Best SSD for Mac Best hard drive for Mac Best NAS drive for Mac

Champions League: Torres sinks Dortmund to send Barcelona into knockouts

Dortmund: Substitute Ferran Torres struck twice in 10 minutes to earn Barcelona a 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday and seal their place in the knockout phase of the Champions League. Raphinha opened the scoring for Barcelona on 53 minutes in Germany, latching onto a Dani Olmo pass on the counter, but Serhou Guirassy equalised seven minutes later from the penalty spot. Torres, who replaced the ineffective former Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski, tapped in a rebound with 15 minutes to play only for Guirassy to again haul Dortmund level. With the hosts pushing for a first ever victory over Barcelona on their fifth attempt, Lamine Yamal fed Torres on a fast break and the winger drilled the ball past Gregor Kobel. Dortmund are a team who push you to the limit always, Barcelona midfielder Olmo told DAZN. I think we played a great game and had our chances. I think we can leave satisfied. The win ensured Barcelona will reach at least the playoffs while putting them in pole position for a top-eight berth and direct qualification for the last 16. Dortmund suffered their first loss at home in all competitions this season, sliding down to ninth in the Champions League table. We played a really good game, (but) we were too naive and we simply gave away the goals we conceded, said Kobel. Beset by injuries, Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin named a surprise starting XI, opting for pace and youth to try and catch out Hansi Flick's high-risk, high-reward visitors. Sahin handed Julien Duranville, 18, a starting debut while Gio Reyna started for the first time this season. Raphinha caused Dortmund problems early and was inches away from a tap in before he blasted just wide with an open goal beckoning moments later. When Dortmund did make it out of their own half, they did so through the fleet-footed Duranville, who found Marcel Sabitzer in a crowded penalty box but he blazed over. The visitors' high defensive line was a pre-game target for Dortmund but the hosts were caught out early in the second half when Olmo put Raphinha in acres of space, allowing the captain to race goalwards and slot a low shot home. Pau Cubarsi's needless shove on Guirassy in the box resulted in the Guinean equalising for Dortmund from the spot. Dortmund began playing with renewed confidence but Barcelona struck on the counter, Torres turning in a rebound after Kobel parried Fermin Lopez's volley. The lead lasted three minutes as Yan Couto spotted the run of Pascal Gross, with the former Brighton midfielder squaring to Guirassy who rolled into an empty net after Inaki Pena came charging out of his area. But Barcelona snatched their fifth win in six games in Europe as Yamal played in Torres, who atoned for a poor first touch by hammering low into the corner five minutes from time. Dortmund's injury woes look set to worsen, with centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck stretchered off the pitch with an ankle injury after trying to head the hosts level with the last play of the game.

Parallel paths: Political journeys of SM Krishna, HD Deve Gowda

BENGALURU: If there could be any comparison between two stalwarts of Karnataka politics, it would be between former chief minister SM Krishna and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, contemporaries from the Vokkaliga community of Old Mysuru region. They hail from diverse backgrounds: Krishna a foreign-educated law graduate, and Gowda a civil engineer-turned-contractor, who shaped themselves in public life to emerge as leaders at the state, national and international arenas. Incidentally, both of them began their political journey in 1962 when they were elected as independents from Maddur and Holenarasipura assembly constituencies respectively. Krishna, who later identified with the Praja Socialist Party, joined the Congress following the call of former prime minister Indira Gandhi. Under the patronage of the Grand Old Party, he scaled new heights when he went on to become external affairs minister in the Manmohan Singh cabinet. In his yet-to-be released autobiography, Krishna has reportedly mentioned that his name was considered for the PMs post in 2004. Gowda, who defied the Congress party, managed to go from strength to strength by becoming a prominent leader of the Janata Parivar in the state, and gradually developed his bargaining power that helped him grow individually and also make the Janata Dal (S) a key state player, according to political analysts. By the time he became prime minister on June 1, 1996, he had emerged as a powerful regional satrap which further strengthened his bond with the Vokkaliga community of Old Mysuru region, observed veteran journalist D Umapathy. Another veteran scribe, RK Joshi, observed that both Gowda and Krishna waged a war subtly to outdo each other, but the former became successful as he was more professional in his politics than the latter. Each and every poll, small or big, or even bypoll, Gowda fought from the front, he remarked. In 2004, Krishna had tried to reconcile with Gowda as he wished to become chief minister again of the Congress-JDS alliance government, to take forward his development programmes for the state. But Gowda knew the danger of acceding to such a proposal from another Vokkaliga leader, and categorically rejected the deal. If Gowda had given in, his charisma as the undisputed Vokkaliga leader of the region would have diminished. Krishna reluctantly agreed to become Maharashtra governor, which further distanced him from the states active politics, and the chance of Gowda wielding his influence in this regard on then AICC president Sonia Gandhi cannot be ruled out, said a Congress leader. Although they came from different political streams, I have been witness when they discussed issues with mutual respect and trust, remarked Gowdas son and Union minister D Kumaraswamy. I am saddened by the passing away of Shri SM Krishna, my friend and longtime Karnataka colleague. We started out in politics around the same time, and cultivated very different approaches to development and governance, Gowda had posted on X.

Woman ostracised by kangaroo court for wearing salwar-kameez

MANGALDAI, Dec 11: In a case of moral policing, a woman was socially ostracised and fined Rs 5,000 for wearing salwar-kameez in the Darrang district of Assam, officials said on Wednesday. According to an official of the district commissioners office, the incident took place in the Gongajani Kuwori village in the Sipajhar revenue circle area []

SGT University Closes the Year with a Series of Landmark Achievements

Dr. Malaika Nadda, President of Special Olympics Bharat, interacting with special students at SGTs UDAAN centre The university and its Faculty of Physiotherapy also organised the 'Healthy Athlete Screening' last week, where over 300 special children from 20 different special schools participated. The event, aimed at promoting inclusiveness and well-being, featured thrilling sports activities, including 25m, 50m, and 100m sprint races and the bocce event, a key part of the Special Olympics. Mr. Manmohan Singh Chawla, Managing Trustee of Dashmesh Educational Charitable Trust, the principal sponsor of SGT University and Dr. Pooja Anand, Dean of the Faculty of Physiotherapy, ensured the events impeccable execution. A significant highlight of the event was the formal signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SGT University and Special Olympics Bharat (SOB). It was signed by Dr. Joginder Yadav, Registrar of SGT University, and Dr. Malaika Nadda, President of Special Olympics Bharat. This partnership is focused on providing physiotherapeutic services and enhancing educational support for special students. This collaboration marks a significant step forward in the empowerment of children with special needs, ensuring they have access to quality care and educational opportunities. Dr. Malaika Nadda, President of Special Olympics Bharat, lauded SGT Universitys commitment to inclusivity towards providing support for special children. Collaborations such as 'Healthy Athlete Screening' go a long way in creating an inclusive society. I hope more such events are held in the future so that our special children get the required exposure and opportunity to grow with pride. Dr. Madhavi Sharma, Dean of the Faculty of Education at SGT , expressed her happiness at the inauguration of the School of Experiential Learning . She said, We at UDAAN are dedicated to guiding students through their learning journey, equipping them with essential life skills, and preparing them to become productive, confident members of society. The Centre represents a comprehensive ecosystem designed to empower, nurture, and celebrate the unique potential of children with special abilities. Ms. Poonam Talwar, who is in charge of UDAAN, provided additional insights into the centres services. She explained that the initiative comprehensively serves Divyangjan (persons with disabilities) through a range of specialised services, including physiotherapy, IQ testing, speech and audiology, and medical facilities. The Healthy Athlete Screening event was attended by many esteemed dignitaries, including Sh. Mukesh Sharma (MLA, Gurugram), Sh. O.P. Dhankar (National Secretary, Bharatiya Janata Party), Ms. Mukta Narain Thind (National Director - Organisational Development, SOB), and Smt. Latika Sharma (President, SOB Haryana). The collaboration between SGT University and SOB is set to create new avenues for inclusive education and healthcare, promoting the physical and mental well-being of children with special needs. With this initiative, SGT University is firmly positioned at the forefront of inclusivity, education, and empowerment for children with special needs in the region by offering a multi-disciplinary support system that includes occupational therapy, speech therapy, physiotherapy, counselling, and play therapy. About SGT University SGT University, Gurugram, one of Indias youngest NAAC A+ universities, offers courses across 18 faculties, including various undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD programs. It has a noble mission of providing opportunities for higher education to all sections of society and a vision of bridging the existing skill gap and developing world-class industry professionals. It is a research and innovation powerhouse and home to the world-class National Reference Simulation Centre for Nursing, founded in collaboration with Jhpiego, Laerdal Medical India, and the Indian Nursing Council. The university also has a multi-speciality SGT Hospital that is NABH and NABL accredited. The hospital serves the surrounding communities and provides practical experience to medical students. SGT University is known for its advancements in medicine, dentistry, environmental science, engineering, and data science. The university has also partnered with world leaders to establish several Centres of Excellence, which support SGT Universitys efforts towards cutting-edge research and academic excellence. Because of the universitys strong industry connections, world-class labs have been established in partnership with well-known international organisations like Apple, IBM, SAP, Oracle, SMC India, UNESCO Bioethics, and many others.

Rohit Sharma's Batting Order: A Debate Among Legends

Rohit Sharma, one of India's cricketing stalwarts, has recently been the center of a strategic debate regarding his batting order. Traditionally an opener, Rohit has been moved down the order to accommodate KL Rahul at the top. This decision has sparked discussions among cricketing legends, with former players like Sunil Gavaskar and Harbhajan Singh suggesting that Rohit should instead bat at number one. Rohit's move to the middle order is not entirely new. He has previously batted at various positions, including number five and six, where he has shown considerable success. His adaptability and experience make him a valuable asset regardless of where he bats. However, the recent decision to drop himself down the order has raised questions about the best use of his talents. What are your thoughts on Rohit Sharma's batting order? Do you think he should open the innings, or is the middle order a better fit for him? We asked this question to former opening batter, Lalachand Rajput, who is now a coach. I feel Rohit should open the innings or no 3, not lower than that. He has been opening for a long time in all formats, so you are used to playing the new ball, which comes on to bat quicker, and your reflexes are set to it. Whereas when you bat lower down you might have to face the spinners first and the pacers with the old ball which you are not used to. It is better to play spinner after you have faced the pacers first with the new ball.its the mind set which you are used to, some change it quickly and some take time to get used to it, he says. As an opening batsmen, I used to face spinners after I negotiated the new ball, and I felt easy to face them. If Rohit wants to bat lower down, then he should play lower down the order in Ranji Trophy so that he gets used to it. As a batsman if you had opened for a long time for a number of years then you might feel that you want to relax and bat in the middle order, but to do that you have to prepare for it and get used to it before doing it at the international level. Sunil Gavaskar decided to bat in the middle for a series or 2 but again ended up opening. So, it is all in the mindset to get used to the situation quickly. Cricket is played 9 inches above the shoulder (head). Hence, if your mindset is strong and adapts quickly, you are the winner, Rajput signed off. Rohit's childhood coach, Dinesh Lad wants him to open the batting rather than coming down the order. He is more successful as an opener, he says. As India continues to strategize for future matches, the role of Rohit Sharma in the batting lineup will be a key factor in their quest for victory. Whether he opens the batting or bats lower down the order, his contributions will be crucial to India's success.

Jamf details scary iCloud flaw that was exploitable until this fall

Macworld Jamf on Tuesday revealed the details of an iCloud vulnerability that was fixed with the release of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 Sequoia. The vulnerability involved theTransparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) subsystem, and when successfully exploited, would allow an app to access contact information, GPS locations, photos, are other sensitive data. The TCC in iOS, iPadOS, and macOS alerts the user when an app wants to access sensitive data; the user can then grant or deny access. In this instance, the vulnerability allows a malicious app to intercept and redirect the files when a user moves or copies files from the Files app, without alerting the user that the app is accessing the data. The files are then saved to an area defined by the malicious app and can be moved to a remote server. This vulnerability was recorded as CVE-2024-44131 in the National Vulnerability Database. Apple provided a fix when it released iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 Sequoia. Apple also released security updates in macOS Sonoma 14.7.1 , iOS 17.7.1, and iPadOS 17.7.1 on October 28 (the same day iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and Sequoia were released), but the release notes for those updates do not include any notation for CVE-2024-44131, nor do the iOS and iPadOS 17.7.2 updates, which released on November 19. It appears that in order to patch this hole, users must upgrade to the current versions of the operating systems. How to protect yourself from hacker attacks Apple has protections in place within its operating systems and the company releases security patches through OS updates, so its important to install them when they are available. Macworld has several guides to help, including a guide on whether or not you need antivirus software , a list of Mac viruses, malware, and trojans , and a comparison of Mac security software .

TCS' 2025 Cybersecurity Outlook: Gen AI, Cloud Security, 'Zero Trust' Top Priorities

Gen AI is being exploited by cybercriminals for advanced attacks like deep fakes, phishing, data manipulation and new malware.

Savor in Alwarpet. Desserts caf for hand-crafted pastries, decadent cakes - MYLAPORE TIMES

Savor in Alwarpet. Desserts caf for hand-crafted pastries, decadent cakes MYLAPORE TIMES

Karnataka Declares Three-Day Mourning Over Former Union Minister SM Krishna's Demise

BANGALORE: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna, a visionary leader credited with transforming Bengaluru into Indias Silicon Valley, passed away at the age of 92. He had been battling prolonged illness and breathed his last at his Bengaluru residence early Tuesday morning, according to family sources. The Karnataka government has declared three days of state mourning to honor Krishna's legacy. During this period, no celebrations or public functions will be held, and his last rites will be performed with full state honors. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences, describing Krishna as a remarkable leader who worked tirelessly for the betterment of society. Shri SM Krishna Ji was a remarkable leader, admired by people from all walks of life. He always worked tirelessly to improve the lives of others, Modi said in a post on X. A Lifetime of Political Achievements Born on May 1, 1932, in Somanahalli, Mandya district, Karnataka, Krishna embarked on his political journey in 1962 by winning the Maddur Assembly seat as an Independent. He was initially associated with the Praja Socialist Party before joining the Congress, where he remained a prominent figure for nearly five decades. In 2017, Krishna resigned from the Congress and joined the BJP, citing the partys lack of clarity regarding mass leadership. Krishna held several key positions throughout his career, including serving as Karnatakas 16th Chief Minister from 1999 to 2004, the Governor of Maharashtra, and Indias External Affairs Minister from 2009 to 2012 under the UPA government. Global Exposure and Early Inspirations An accomplished scholar, Krishna studied at the Southern Methodist University in Dallas and George Washington University in the United States. During his student days in 1960, Krishna volunteered to campaign for John F. Kennedy, who later became the 35th President of the United States. Impressed by Krishnas efforts, Kennedy personally thanked him in a letter. In 1962, Krishna entered Indian politics, winning his first election from Maddur as an Independent candidate. Over the years, he also represented Mandya in the Lok Sabha, cementing his reputation as a prominent leader from Karnataka. Padma Vibhushan and Legacy In early 2023, Krishna was honored with the Padma Vibhushan, Indias second-highest civilian award. The recognition was seen as a tribute to his stature as a Vokkaliga leader and his contributions to the state and the nation. Krishnas political career was marked by significant rivalries, including with H.D. Deve Gowda, another stalwart Vokkaliga leader. Padma Vibhushan and Legacy In early 2023, Krishna was honored with the Padma Vibhushan, Indias second-highest civilian award. The recognition was seen as a tribute to his stature as a Vokkaliga leader and his contributions to the state and the nation. Krishnas political career was marked by significant rivalries, including with H.D. Deve Gowda, another stalwart Vokkaliga leader. Krishna retired from active politics in January 2023, citing his advanced age. He leaves behind a legacy of progress, vision, and leadership that will continue to inspire generations. NEWS : Sanjay Malhotra Becomes RBIs 26th Governor, Taking Over from Shaktikanta Das

UDP views Congs pull-out move as attempt to brainwash people

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 9: The United Democratic Party (UDP) in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) on Monday said the Congress move to withdraw from the National Peoples Party-led (NPP) Executive Committee (EC) just before the election in the council is an attempt to mislead or brainwash people. UDP stalwart Titosstarwell Chyne, []

Cybercriminals Active During Christmas, New Year: TGCSB

Once a victim stops making the payment and lodges a complaint with the police, the cybercriminals deactivate the WhatsApp number from which they are communicating. (Representational image) Once a victim stops making the payment and lodges a complaint with the police, the cybercriminals deactivate the WhatsApp number from which they are communicating. (Representational image) Hyderabad: The Christmas and New Year season could bring delightful moments; but the entire season could go for a toss if you unsuspectingly click unverified gift and greetings links from SMSes, WhatsApp messages and social media posts, said Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB). The bureau urged the people not to click any unknown links as cybercriminals have planned to target people with dubious Christmas and New Year gift vouchers and gift links. Fraudsters have already started posting the adds and messages on WhatsApp and Instagram in the name of Christmas greetings. Once victims click these links, their phones would be infected with dangerous malware, which will collect the data of victims and take control of their digital banking, a TGCSB official explained. You need to be very careful with any messages that say You are our dear customer., Merry Christmas to You., Wish your loved ones a Merry Christmas with your photo and name through this link. and This Christmas, New Year gift is specially for you. Click on the link below and get the gift. or similar messages. Fraudsters have been circulating these posts on social media platforms and sending messages through SMS and WhatsApp to target innocent victims. We have been working to trace these fraudsters by identifying the servers they were using, he said. Clocking on the links could download dangerous malware into the phones of victims, that can steal data and get access to digital banking, he added.

Man arrested for carrying sword in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: A 30-year-old man has been arrested for carrying a sword (Talwar) in public and sharing photos with it on social media. The accused has been identified as G Ajay Kumar, a resident of Chatrinaka and a private employee. According to reports, the accused had purchased the sword online in Hyderabad for Rs 1600 three Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Future of crime: AI & deepfakes

BENGALURU: In 2025, scams wont just knock on your door asking for OTPs or requesting you to click suspicious links they will come straight to you, looking like people you know and trust. Whether it is a video call from your boss or an official-looking government app offering benefits, cybercriminals will use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Deepfakes -- manipulated videos or audio that appear real, to create lifelike traps. With convincing voices, realistic messages and fake platforms, they will make it almost impossible to tell whats real and whats a scam. A recent report by the Data Security Council of India (DSCI) and Seqrite outlines the alarming evolution of these scams, fuelled by AI and deepfake technology. The report, which projects AI and deepfake generated cyber attacks to double in 2025, warns that cybercriminals are poised to target critical sectors like healthcare and finance with tailored phishing campaigns, fake video messages, and adaptive malware. The report highlights how these attacks will exploit trust, using realistic content and advanced techniques to compromise systems, steal sensitive data, and disrupt essential services. Upcoming trends Experts highlight that fraudsters always opt for sectors which are vulnerable. For example, the next trend could be a hospitals staff receiving a video call that appears to be from their director, urgently instructing them to transfer funds to purchase critical medical equipment. In finance, scammers often target employees handling money or sensitive accounts. For instance, a deepfake of a CEO could be used to instruct a finance team member to urgently transfer money to a specific account, claiming it is for a confidential deal. These scams are dangerous because they blur the line between reality and deception, making it critical for organisations to implement strong verification processes, such as multi-factor authentication and cross-checking requests through independent channels, to safeguard against such threats, experts highlight. Cyberexperts also warn of increasing fake applications pretending to be official government services and cryptojacking -- hijacking someones computer to mine cryptocurrency. They advise the government to adopt AI machine learning, a type of AI that learns from data for better threat detection and emphasizes cyber resilience, the ability to recover and adapt from cyberattacks. Impossible to track Kuldeep Kumar Jain, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic - East, Bengaluru, who headed the team set up to exclusively deal with courier-related scam cases in 2023, acknowledged that deepfake technology will get more realistic in the coming year. As deepfakes evolve, tracking and identifying scams will become nearly impossible, he said, adding that the challenges are already significant. He also pointed out that scams are already at a professional level, with money being transferred to foreign accounts using cryptocurrency or other methods, all hidden under multiple layers. The key to staying safe is awareness, and always questioning anything that comes from the internet, the senior officer emphasized. The senior official also mentioned that India has made significant progress in digitization, with more people and businesses using digital platforms for services and transactions. However, he stressed that as digital services grow, its important for the authorities to set clear rules. He explained that while private banks often try to make things easier for customers, they sometimes bypass regulations. This can lead to easier access to personal information, which can be risky. The official stressed that with these trends expected to continue, central bank authorities need to create stricter rules to protect customer data. What do cyber experts say? Independent researcher and technologist Rohini Lakshane, who was formerly with The Centre for Internet and Society, mentioned that the use of AI-manipulated or generated media, including deepfakes, is already widespread and expected to increase significantly in the coming year. She pointed out that some sectors like healthcare and finance are particularly vulnerable to exploitation through deepfakes and AI, as through these industries, scamsters often create a sense of urgency or alarm in the minds of their victims. This urgency makes it difficult for individuals to think clearly and make informed decisions. When deepfakes are used, the situation becomes even more convincing, leaving the victim with little time to determine whether the situation is genuine or a scam. As a result, people often end up losing critical personal information or falling into traps without realizing it, she said. Zubair Chowgale, head of engineering for the APMEA region at Securonix, a firm that offers solutions to cyber attacks, said that while AI will continue to be rampant in cyberattacks, deepfake-based threats are expected to rise alongside phishing and malware. He explained that Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, which flood systems with too much traffic to make them crash, a challenge to do it manually, are now being carried out using AI tools and large language models (LLMs). These tools study large amounts of data to make the attacks more effective, he said, adding that LLMs are also being used to create fake phishing emails and other scams. Zubair warned that even malware designed to escape detection is being developed using these same technologies, making online security even harder to manage. Staff shortage, lack of cyber training Across Karnataka, cybercrime cases in 2021 totalled around 11,000, but this figure surged to 22,000 in just two years. In Bengaluru, one in four reported crimes is a cybercrime. With cases rising and recovery rates struggling to keep pace, Karnataka recently appointed a dedicated DGP for cybersecurity, becoming the first state to do so. Police officials believe that post-pandemic, cybercrime has become more complex, with malware evolving into more sophisticated threats. To combat this, they say the department plans to strengthen its cyber forensic capabilities with AI and machine learning. However, officers also reflect on significant gaps as cybercrime police stations are staffed at less than 40 per cent of their required strength, and junior officers, who often handle cases, lack regular training. Possible trends Fake government official apps Malware attacks Phishing Lifelike AI-generated content and deepfakes Cryptojacking ON YOUR GUARD Be sceptical of unsolicited offers: Whether its a new investment opportunity or an urgent request for a donation, always question unsolicited offers, especially if they are delivered via video or audio Check official sources directly: If you receive a message or call about a government scheme, bank alert or medical issue, visit the official website or call the customer support number to verify its authenticity before taking action Limit voice and video data online: Be mindful of personal video or voice recordings you share online, as deepfake technology can use them to create fake content; reduce digital footprint when possible to minimize the risk Passwords: Use strong, different and unique passwords across all apps. Avoid public Wi-Fi for any transactions Suspicious apps or websites: If an app or website offers a service that seems too good to be true, avoid downloading or interacting with it unless you have verified its legitimacy through trusted sources Dont ignore minor inconsistencies: If a video looks slightly off perhaps the background is blurred or speech is out of sync with lip movement dont brush it off as these could be signs of deepfake technology in use Software updates: Dont ignore software updates, they include patches for security vulnerabilities

Cop kills colleague, ends life inside vehicle

Arguments lead to firing Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 8: A policeman allegedly shot dead his colleague with an AK-47 assault rifle before turning the weapon on himself and end his life inside a police vehicle and Zero Morh in Rhembal area of Udhampur district this morning. The two policemen along with another colleague were travelling from Sopore area of North Kashmir to the Subsidiary Training Centre (STC) Talwara in Reasi district when the incident took place around 6.30 am. Follow [] The post Cop kills colleague, ends life inside vehicle appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Fratricide Incident In Police Ranks, 2 Cops Killed

Jammu: A policeman allegedly shot dead his colleague with an AK-47 assault rifle before turning the weapon on himself to commit suicide in Jammu and Kashmirs Udhampur district early Sunday, officials said. The two policemen along with another colleague were travelling from north Kashmirs Sopore to the Subsidary Training Centre (STC) Talwara in Reasi district []

Chakra Theertha Mukkoti at Tirumala on December 12

Tirupati: Tirumala, the spiritual hub of devotees, will celebrate one of its most significant festivals Chakra Theertha Mukkoti on December 12, coinciding with the auspicious Tamil Karthika Masam, aligning with Suddha Dwadasi, a spiritually potent day as per the lunar calendar. Chakra Theertham is nestled amidst the lush green woods of Seshachala mountain ranges, a few miles to the south of the renowned Lord Venkateswara Temple. At the heart of Chakra Theertham lies a unique sanctum on the rocky hill, featuring an engraved image of Sri Sudarshana Chakrattalwar, apart from shrines of Sri Narasimha Swamy and Anjaneya Swamy. On the day of Chakra Theertha Mukkoti, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) will organise special rituals, including Pujas and Abhishekam, to honor Sri Sudarshana Chakrattalwar and other deities at this sacred site. According to the ancient lore, a sage meditated at this location for 12 years, seeking divine grace. During this period, he was attacked by a demon. The sages prayers were answered by none other than Lord Vishnu, who sent His mighty Chakrayudham (Sudarshana Chakra) to vanquish the demon. Following the victory, Lord Vishnu left His powerful weapon at this site to protect the righteous devotees forever. This divine act is said to have blessed the place with immense spiritual power. Varaha Puranam, one of the ancient Hindu texts, extols Chakra Theertham as one of the seven most prominent Muktiprada Theerthams (sacred water bodies that bestow salvation). Pilgrims believe that a dip in these holy waters purifies the soul and leads to liberation.

Gold, cash worth Rs 12 lakh stolen during Mahayuti swearing-in ceremony

MUMBAI: Gold chains, mobile phones and cash cumulatively valued at Rs 12 lakh were stolen during the swearing-in ceremony of the Mahayuti government at the sprawling Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on December 5, a police official said on Sunday. FIRs have been lodged against unidentified persons and efforts are on to nab the accused, the Azad Maidan police station official said. The ceremony, in which BJP stalwart Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as chief minister and Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde and NCP leader Ajit Pawar as his deputies, was a grand affair with top names of industry, cinema and politics in attendance, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. More than 4,000 police personnel were deployed at the venue and the vicinity to secure the event. The thieves, who stole gold chains, phones and picked wallets, took advantage of people exiting the event from gate number two. Personnel from the police station and Crime Branch are working to nab the accused. CCTV footage is being checked. No arrest has been made so far, the official informed.

Rs 12 Lakh Worth of Valuables Stolen During Mahayuti Government's Swearing-In

Mumbai: Gold chains, mobile phones and cash cumulatively valued at Rs 12 lakh were stolen during the swearing-in ceremony of the Mahayuti government at the sprawling Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on December 5, a police official said on Sunday.FIRs have been lodged against unidentified persons and efforts are on to nab the accused, the Azad Maidan police station official said. The ceremony, in which BJP stalwart Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as chief minister and Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde and NCP leader Ajit Pawar as his deputies, was a grand affair with top names of industry, cinema and politics in attendance, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. More than 4,000 police personnel were deployed at the venue and the vicinity to secure the event. The thieves, who stole gold chains, phones and picked wallets, took advantage of people exiting the event from gate number two. Personnel from the police station and Crime Branch are working to nab the accused. CCTV footage is being checked. No arrest has been made so far, the official informed.

2 Police Personnel Killed in Suspected Fratricide Incident in J&Ks Udhampur

Udhampur, Dec 8: Two police personnel were killed and one injured in a suspected fratricide incident early Sunday morning in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir. The incident took place around 6:30 am when two policemen from Sopore, traveling towards the Training Centre Talwara in Reasi district, suffered gunshot wounds while traveling in a department [] The post 2 Police Personnel Killed in Suspected Fratricide Incident in J&Ks Udhampur appeared first on Northlines .

Policeman kills colleague, ends life in J-K's Udhampur

Jammu: A policeman allegedly shot dead his colleague with an AK-47 assault rifle before turning the weapon on himself to commit suicide in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district early Sunday, officials said. The two policemen along with another colleague were travelling from north Kashmir's Sopore to the Subsidary Training Centre (STC) Talwara in Reasi district of Jammu region when the incident took place. The bullet-riddled bodies of the two cops were seen lying inside a police van near the Kali Mata temple in Rehembal area of Udhampur around 6.30 am. Officials said the head constable opened fire at the driver over some argument before committing suicide. A selection grade constable, who was also travelling in the vehicle, escaped unhurt and is being questioned, they said. Senior Superintendent of Police, Udhampur, Amod Ashok Nagpure said the accused used his AK 47 assault rifle in the firing. They were posted in Sopore and belonged to Kashmir. The accused shot dead his colleague before killing himself, the officer said, quoting the preliminary information. Earlier the police said in a statement that, Today, at about 6.30 am, Police Station Rehembal received an information that two policemen from Sopore travelling towards STC Talwara in a department vehicle have suffered bullet injuries due to firing. Initial investigation reveals that it is a case of fratricide and suicide. Senior police officers have reached the spot and investigation is underway, it said.

Policeman Shoots Dead Colleague Before Committing Suicide In J&Ks Udhampur

Jammu, Dec 8: A policeman allegedly shot dead his colleague with an AK-47 assault rifle before turning the weapon on himself to commit suicide in Jammu and Kashmirs Udhampur district early Sunday, officials said. The two policemen along with another colleague were travelling from north Kashmirs Sopore to the Subsidary Training Centre (STC) Talwara in Reasi district of Jammu region when the incident took place. The bullet-riddled bodies of the two cops were seen lying inside a police van near [] The post Policeman Shoots Dead Colleague Before Committing Suicide In J&Ks Udhampur appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Jammu and Kashmir: Two Policemen Found Dead With Bullet Injuries

JAMMU: Two police personnel were found dead with bullet injuries in Jammu and Kashmirs Udhampur district early Sunday, with officials suspecting it to be a case of fratricide. The slain policemen were travelling from north Kashmirs Sopore to the Subsidary Training Centre (STC) Talwara in Reasi district of Jammu region, the officials said. The bullet-riddled [] The post Jammu and Kashmir: Two Policemen Found Dead With Bullet Injuries appeared first on Kashmir Life .

Two cops found dead with bullet injuries in J&Ks Udhampur

Two police personnel were found dead with bullet injuries inside a police vehicle in Jammu and Kashmirs Udhampur on Sunday morning, police said. According to Udhampur police, an AK-47 rifle was used in the incident. Speaking to ANI, SSP Udhampur Amod Ashok Nagpure said that the personnel were on their way to the Talwara training []

EXPRESS DIALOGUES | CPM not against any religious practices: Minister VN Vasavan

V N Vasavan, the lively CPM leader, handles the key portfolios of devaswom, ports and cooperation. While the Sabarimala pilgrimage season is progressing smoothly, the noises surrounding the cooperative banking sector scams have quietened down a bit, showing his adept handling of the situation. In an interaction with TNIE, Vasavan touches upon all these topics. Excerpts It seems the government prepared well for the Sabarimala season this year. Even the NSS has openly expressed happiness with the arrangements at Sabarimala... Yes. The NSS has publicly expressed its appreciation for the facilities and systems in place at Sabarimala. Other organisations, such as the Ayyappa Seva Sangham, have also voiced their approval. The success of the new system can be attributed to the teamwork between various departments including the police, health department, and the devaswom officials. Can you explain the planning and execution? We looked at the issues that arise every year so they could be addressed to have a smooth pilgrimage season. Normally, the preparatory meetings begin during September-October. I said lets start in July, which means two months earlier than usual. First, I visited the Sannidhanam, and on returning, held a state-level meeting at Pampa. There we decided on the preparatory work. Later, I took the initiative to hold a meeting with all the heads of departments. Another meeting was held in Pathanamthitta and then an online meeting had the CM in attendance. Later, I went to all edathavalams (halting places for Sabarimala pilgrims) such as Ettumannur, Vaikom, Kadapattoor, Chengannur, Pandalam, Pathanamthitta etc., and held meetings. Normally, ministers do not participate in such meetings, but I attended all but one. Utmost care was taken to provide all amenities to pilgrims. Any steps in particular? An important one was regarding parking space. We tarred all roads to Sabarimala well in advance, and then the parking lots. At Nilakkal, the existing parking space could accommodate 8,000 vehicles. We increased it by another 2,500, to accommodate 10,500 vehicles. Second, the other route to Sabarimala is through Erumeli in the north. After a discussion with the Devaswom Board, we found that the Kerala Housing Board owned a six-acre plot there. We approached the revenue minister, and they took the initiative and prepared the land for parking. So, we got two additional spaces for parking this season. But there are complaints regarding the limited number of slots for daily darshan... There are no complaints. Ill explain. When we discussed the matter with the police, they said there were issues with spot booking. Our decision, taken before the season, was that no devotee would be turned away without getting darshan. The police restriction on spot booking was to ensure that more devotees arrived through the virtual booking system. If 80,000 pilgrims come per day, the intention is to allow 70,000 through the virtual queue and 10,000 through spot booking. There is one difference this time. Earlier, when a policeman helped a pilgrim onto the 18 sacred steps, one of his hands would be on the rope and the other on the devotee. That way, only 65 pilgrims could go through in a minute. Now, the policeman can sit and help the pilgrims, and thus, 85 pilgrims can go through in a minute. When theres no delay, the pilgrims are also happy. Do you mean to say that more pilgrims can be accommodated now and that there can be relaxations in the quota when the need arises? Even if theres a sudden surge in pilgrims, we can accommodate them, unlike in the past. While some devotees cancel or postpone their visits, the system allows for adjustments. A recent incident involving policemen taking photos in front of the sacred steps at Sabarimala sparked a controversy... Taking photos in front of the steps is against temple rituals, according to the court ruling. The police deployed at Sannidhanam go through great strain. It is strenuous work. After 10 days of toil at Sannidhanam, they felt the need for a photo by the pathinettam padi (18 holy steps). It is natural, but when the court says it is against the rituals, we have to take action. But it is the same place where an RSS leader, Valsan Thillankeri, earlier stood with his back to the Sanctum Sanatorium and addressed people? True... he stood with his back facing the deity and was shouting. What he did was wrong, but just because he did it, the actions of the policemen do not become right. We believe everyone should respect and follow the rules and rituals of the temple. In the past, the Ayyapa Seva Sangham used to provide free food (annadanam) to pilgrims in many places. But that has now stopped... The High Court has said that only the annadanam of the devaswom is permitted because there is a wrong tendency in many places related to annadanam. Some are collecting funds in the name of providing food. There is also the quality of the food served, and the court ruled that only the devaswom can do it. There is a suggestion that the virtual queue system should be handled by the Devaswom Board and not the police... If we want to progress to the Tirupati model, our current virtual queue system must evolve to its full potential. In Tirupati, the system is very easy... all you need is an Aadhaar card. It will take us some more time to reach that status. The government has been cautious and prompt in providing facilities to Sabarimala pilgrims after 2018. Is it because of the backlash suffered due to the stand taken by the CPM in the womens entry issue? The party has always been consistent in its stand that the Sabarimala pilgrimage should be conducted adhering to the rituals and practices of the temple. That is not a new decision. The CPM always upholds secularism. The party will not take any step that will hurt the sentiments of devotees. In issues related to faith, the CPM upholds the rights guaranteed by the Constitution. We will not take a stand violating the rituals and practices of any religion. What is the current stand on womens entry to the Sabarimala temple? Our current stand is still very much in line with the Supreme Court order. We dont have any other opinion. The issue is still in front of the Supreme Court. Lets wait for the verdict. There is no decision by either the party or the government that women have to enter the shrine. You are one of the most silent but efficient ministers in the second Pinarayi government and you are handling some of the most sensitive departments. What is the reason for the chief ministers confidence in you? I always try to complete the task assigned to me diligently and take advice from the chief minister. Our captain is strong and very supportive. In my opinion, administration is an art and we have to study the issue and make timely decisions. We have to use the services of our subordinates, recognising their strengths and weaknesses. We should not take up a task that we cannot accomplish. It is said that you are one of the two troubleshooters of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in central Kerala. Is it true? (Laughs). I have always tried to rush to the spot and support rescue operations during disasters. From the Aimkombu bus tragedy in 1998 to the boat tragedies in Thekkady and Kumarakom, Changanassery tipper accident, and the Koottikkal and Wayanad landslides, I have always been at the forefront of rescue operations. Once actor Mammootty asked, How do you manage to reach accident spots before the Fire Force. Whenever I hear the siren of a fire tender, I contact the fire force and seek details about the accident. I feel it is the duty of a social worker to be at the forefront of rescue and relief work during disasters. Our intervention may help reduce the magnitude of the disaster and save precious lives. Coming to the cooperative sector, several scams have been unearthed in the sector. And some party leaders are also involved. Why is this happening? In general, the cooperative sector in Kerala is gaining strength. When we look at the credit sector, Kerala accounts for 71% of Indias credit in the cooperative sector. The sector here boasts an investment of Rs 2.60 lakh crore - a scale unmatched by any other state in India. This success has unfortunately attracted scrutiny from the central authorities. Whats the status of the Karuvannur cooperative bank issue? To date, around Rs 130 crore has been returned to the depositors. Even people who had to be paid Rs 1 lakh have been given their money back. Are people reinvesting in the bank? Yes. I have been told about instances where people who had to be returned amounts to the tune of Rs 10 lakh decided to withdraw only Rs 1 lakh, leaving the remaining Rs 9 lakh as deposit in the bank. The bank is back in business. It has begun granting gold loans. Dont you think there was a systemic failure in the Karuvannur bank? Complaints about the bank had surfaced in 2009, 2011 and 2019... Complaints regarding irregularities at the bank have been raised since 2009. It should be noted that these complaints highlighted the names of officials occupying top posts at the bank. Taking cognizance of the complaints, I suspended 16 of these officers. It was a first in the history of the cooperative sector. I was advised against it. However, I stood by my decision. Even the union representatives came to meet me. Have you felt that the way the CPM handled the Karuvannur Cooperative Bank issue was not right? No. We had taken the stand that everyone associated with the bank, including the board of directors, had failed in their duties. That was the reason why action was taken against each one of them. They were suspended. We had taken action against them within the party. But the delay in taking action had adversely affected CPMs credibility... Well, we cant act without receiving the report. We cant jump the gun. We constituted an investigation committee and took action based on its probe report. No other party will take such an action. Former KPCC secretary K K Abraham was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the Pulpally Service Cooperative Bank scam. Then there are the Puthur Cooperative Bank and the Thiruvithamcore Cooperative Bank scams. Both were UDF-governed banks. Did they take action against the culprits? No! Was the party leadership in Thrissur not aware of the issues with the cooperative bank scam? It proved crucial during the election in Thrissur... The Thrissur leadership did not spare anyone when the matter was presented before them with evidence. Strict action has been taken against those involved. The party hasnt taken measures anywhere in Thrissur, including in Karuvannur... What you said is absolutely wrong. Weve taken action against a district secretariat member, and then area committee and LC members... But there is suspicion of the involvement of certain top party leaders... Its natural to put top leaders under the scanner. But, for instance, have they found A C Moideen, who had handled the department, guilty of any wrongdoing anywhere? He doesnt become guilty just because the media has written against him. Now, they have lifted the freeze on his account. One can raise allegations against anyone. But one becomes an accused only after the charge against him/her is proved. No such person (top leader) has become an accused anywhere in any such case. How do you evaluate the merger of district cooperative banks with the Kerala Bank? There are views that DCBs have lost their operational freedom and that the earlier system was better... These are false narratives. As a matter of fact, had Kerala Bank not been formed, several district cooperative banks including the Thiruvananthapuram Cooperative Bank could have been closed by now. Several district cooperative banks had high NPAs and their operations were on the verge of closure. However, after Kerala Bank was formed, all these banks turned profit-making entities in four years. The NPA of Kerala Bank is 18.01%, having come down from 38% when Kerala Bank was formed. At one stage, the NPA came down to 13%. In a recent meeting, I have directed that NPA be brought down to 7% and that it should not rise above 10%. Has Malappuram District Cooperative Bank merged with Kerala Bank? Yes, the merger is complete. We did it after getting a verdict from the court. Now, the case is with the Supreme Court. RBI has favoured us in the case as per the affidavit filed at the court. Have issues like the Karuvannur bank scam affected the deposits of cooperative banks? Are people, especially youngsters, hesitant to deposit money with the bank? In some places, there were large deposit withdrawals. Primarily, the credibility of the bank is a key factor. If a bank is performing well, people will not withdraw their deposits. In some places, people withdrew money after hearing news about scams. Later, they returned and deposited the money. It shows that people have confidence in the cooperative sector. Whats the politics behind the entry of the multi-state cooperatives? One aspect is the wealth itself. The Union government is attempting to control the cooperative sector, which has an investment of Rs 2.5 lakh crore. Secondly, Kerala has over 400 products in the cooperative sector, and now we have even started exporting some of them. There are attempts to divert these products to multi-state cooperative societies. Is the AR Nagar Cooperative Society in Malappuram another Karuvannur-like scam in the making? There is no scam in the AR Nagar Cooperative Society. The issue is that they received more deposits through benamis. According to the regulations, only members can deposit or avail loans from cooperative societies. Even those wishing to join a chit fund have to take a C-Class membership. Do you feel the changing governments werent giving the cooperation department the importance it deserved until the Karuvannur scam broke out? Not at all. The first cooperation minister in Kerala was Joseph Mundassery in 1957. Thereafter, P R Kurup, M V Raghavan, Pinarayi Vijayan and many other stalwarts have managed the cooperation department. Moving to Kottayam politics, speculation is that the Kerala Congress Mani Group is going back to the UDF That is totally baseless. Their chairman himself has clarified that theres no such agenda at all. Its just cooked up by the media. We have to believe his words for now. But there is some rift between the CPM and the Kerala Congress (M) in various local bodies... There are no such issues in any of the panchayats now. The only issue was in Pala municipality, which has already been sorted out and the person who created the issue has been ousted. We are on good terms with the KC(M) and are working together in all matters. Actually, the Congress and the Opposition didnt get the result they expected in the Chelakkara by-election. They are now finding ways to block a third term for the LDF by creating such false news. There is talk that Christian votes are going to the BJP. How do you see it? Not at all. I havent noticed any such shift in voting patterns in Kottayam. They invite union ministers and governors to their events. That does not mean they vote for the BJP. Christians have been watching the BJP governments stand on the Manipur issue. Has the PM visited the place? We cannot say the minorities trust the BJP. Manipur does not directly affect Christians here. But Munambam does... But they (BJP) need to make a decision that is convincing for them as well. LDF lost the sitting seat in Kottayam during the parliament elections... Not just Kottayam, right? They (KC-M) changed the front and came to the LDF. We know that the voting patterns in parliament and state elections are different. We saw the difference this time as well. In the recent election, how do you evaluate the performance of LDF in Palakkad? It was good, as we got 800 more votes. Sarin gave a good fight. He managed to put the UDF on the defensive. Had SDPI and Jamaat-e-Islami not been there, what would have been their situation? The situation is that the CPM doesnt have a candidate in Palakkad... There is Lenins theory, which stresses on the use of the divisions on the side of the enemies for the growth of working-class politics. After the election, we saw that the candidate performed well. We also got one of the best workers in the Congress camp. Coming to the ports ministry, whats the status of the commissioning of the Vizhinjam port? Earlier, the decision was to commission it in December. Recently, we signed the supplementary agreement. The takeaway is that the four phases will be completed by 2028. Secondly, the return on investments was estimated to be received from 2039. Now, we will get it in 2034. Thirdly, the VGF (viability gap funding) we had to give was Rs 480 crore. It has come down to Rs 365 crore, and we had to give only half of it in the first phase. These achievements are significant. TNIE team: Kiran Prakash, Sasidharan Nair M K, Rajesh Abraham, Anil S, Rajesh Ravi, Shyam P V, Harikrishna B, A Sanesh (photos), Pranav V P (video)

Two policemen shot dead in J&K's Udhampur

JAMMU: Two police personnel were found dead with bullet injuries early on Friday morning in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district. The officials were traveling from Sopore to a training center in Talwara, Udhampur The incident occurred at around 6:30 am, SSP Udhampur Amod Nagpure confirmed. Initial investigation reveals that it is a case of fratricide and suicide, the police said. Preliminary report suggested the two police personnel died after opening fire on each other, the official said. A selection grade constable, who was also travelling in the vehicle, escaped unhurt and is being questioned, they said. Preliminary investigations reveal that an AK-47 rifle was used in the attack. Police officers have reached the scene to assess the situation, SSP Nagpure said. The bodies of the deceased officers will be taken to GMC Udhampur for postmortem and other formalities. Further updates are awaited. #WATCH | J&K: SSP Udhampur Amod Nagpure says, The incident happened at 6.30 am. They were going from Sopore towards the training centre in Talwara. Police officers have reached the spot. As per the initial investigation, it has been proven that AK-47 rifle was used in the https://t.co/Tynt5gjWQo pic.twitter.com/YEpwEG0ZYT ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2024

Phone, laptop 'severely compromised', hackers want cryptocurrency: Sam Pitroda's mail to contacts

Congress leader Sam Pitroda's devices and server were hacked, with hackers demanding cryptocurrency and threatening a smear campaign if unpaid. Pitroda warned his contacts not to engage with suspicious communications seemingly from him, as they might contain malware. He plans to upgrade his security upon returning to Chicago.

Telangana tops malware detection in India; Hyderabad 3rd in cities

Hyderabad: In the latest edition of India Cyber Threat Report 2025, Telangana holds the highest number of malware detection rates among Indian states, while Hyderabad stood third among Indian cities. In the report published on December 5 by the Data Security Council of India (DSCI), Telangana stood first with 55.90 detections per endpoint, (15.03 per Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

India to Commission INS Tushil in Russia on December 9

New Delhi: India will commission its advanced warship, INS Tushil , in a formal ceremony in Kaliningrad, Russia, on December 9. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will preside over the event, which will also be attended by Indian Navy Chief Admiral D.K. Tripathi, marking a significant milestone in Indias naval modernization efforts. INS Tushil, an advanced stealth frigate, is part of the Talwar-class family and represents an upgraded version of its six sister warships already in service with the Indian Navy. The ship has been constructed at the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad and is equipped with cutting-edge weaponry, advanced radar systems, and enhanced stealth features designed to bolster Indias maritime security capabilities. The new frigate is part of a $2.5 billion deal signed in 2018 between India and Russia to acquire four advanced frigates. Two ships, including INS Tushil , are being built in Russia, while the other two are under construction at Goa Shipyard Limited in India, showcasing a blend of foreign collaboration and indigenous defense manufacturing under the Make in India initiative. INS Tushil joins a fleet of three Talwar-class frigates, built earlier in St. Petersburg, and three Teg-class frigates, constructed at the Yantar shipyard. Known for their versatility, speed, and stealth, these frigates are capable of conducting multi-role operations, including anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare. The commissioning of INS Tushil comes at a time when India is seeking to strengthen its naval presence in the Indo-Pacific amid rising regional tensions and the growing importance of safeguarding maritime trade routes. The name Tushil means protector or guardian, symbolizing the ship's role in ensuring Indias maritime security. Its deployment will further enhance the Indian Navys capabilities, particularly in safeguarding the nation's strategic interests and extending its reach in international waters. The commissioning of INS Tushil is a testament to Indias expanding defense cooperation with Russia and reflects its commitment to modernizing its armed forces while promoting self-reliance in defense production.

Frequent User of Google Chrome? Think 10 Times Before Clicking on These Websites You May Lose All Your Hard-Earned Money

Google Chrome users are advised to take greater caution to steer clear of scam websites. Cyber criminals have been using SEO poisoning to alter search results, guiding users to rogue websites with legitimate appearances but are actually meant for siphoning personal data or installing malware.

Indian Navy to commission upgraded stealth missile frigate INS Tushil

NEW DELHI: The combat capability of the Indian Navy is to be upgraded as the Indian Navy is all set to commission its latest multi-role stealth guided missile frigate. The commissioning ceremony of the warship christened INS Tushil will be presided over by the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, as the Chief Guest, which will be taking place at Kaliningrad, Russia, on 09 December. The ceremony will be attended by many high-ranking Russian and Indian government and defence officials. The Navy on Friday Said, This 125 metre, 3900 ton ship, packs a lethal punch and is an impressive blend of Russian and Indian cutting edge technologies and best practices in warship construction. The ship's new design provides it with enhanced stealth features and better stability characteristics. With the collaboration of Indian naval specialists and (Russia's) Severnoye Design Bureau, the indigenous content of the ship has been enhanced to an impressive 26% and the number of made-in-India systems has more than doubled to 33. The ship's construction was closely monitored by an Indian team of specialists from the Warship Overseeing Team stationed at Kaliningrad, under the aegis of the Embassy of India, Moscow. The major Indian OEMs involved were BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited, Bharat Electronics Limited, Keltron, Nova Integrated Systems from Tata, Elcome Marine, Johnson Controls India and many more, the navy added. The Indian Navy has announced the commissioning of INS Tushil, an advanced Krivak III class frigate under Project 1135.6. This marks the seventh ship in the series, following three Talwar-class frigates built at the Baltiysky Shipyard in St. Petersburg and three Teg-class ships constructed at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad. However, INS Tushil stands as the first of two upgraded follow-on ships, contracted in October 2016 between the Russian state agency JSC Rosoboronexport, the Indian Navy, and the Government of India. The Navy highlighted that the frigate is the culmination of relentless efforts by hundreds of shipyard workers and contributions from multiple Russian and Indian Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). The ship has undergone extensive trials since January this year, including factory sea trials, state committee trials, and delivery acceptance trials by a dedicated team of Indian specialists. These rigorous tests, which included weapon firings and validations of onboard Russian equipment, demonstrated the ships capability to achieve speeds exceeding 30 knots. The Navy confirmed that INS Tushil would arrive in India in near combat-ready condition, prepared to deliver operational effectiveness immediately. The name Tushil translates to he protector shield, and its crest embodies the concept of Abhedya Kavacham, meaning impenetrable shield. With the motto Nirbhay, Abhedya aur Balsheel (Fearless, Indomitable, Resolute), the ship symbolizes the Indian Navy's steadfast dedication to safeguarding the nation's maritime interests. Upon its commissioning, INS Tushil will join the Indian Navys Western Fleet, based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Often referred to as the Sword Arm of the Navy, the Western Fleet plays a crucial role in maritime operations under the Western Naval Command. INS Tushil is poised to rank among the most technologically advanced frigates in the world, showcasing Indias growing naval capabilities. The Navy emphasized that the frigate not only represents a significant leap in its operational strength but also underscores the enduring partnership between India and Russia. As a state-of-the-art warship, INS Tushil will stand as a beacon of the Navy's commitment to protecting the country's maritime frontiers.

J&K And Ladakh High Court Introduces Uniforms For E-Courts Staff

JAMMU, Dec 6: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has prescribed new uniforms for its e-Courts and IT Section staff, following recommendations from the IT and Artificial Intelligence Committee approved by the Chief Justice. As per an order, male staff will wear blue suits (pants and coats) with white shirts and blue ties featuring the e-Court logo, while female staff can opt for blue salwar-kameez with matching blue coats and name badges. The uniforms will be replaced [] The post J&K And Ladakh High Court Introduces Uniforms For E-Courts Staff appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Dilip Cherian | A great exodus: Why are Indias tax officers calling it quits?

Indias bureaucracy, often seen as the steel frame of governance, is experiencing a curious phenomenon an increasing number of its officers seem to be trading government desks for greener pastures. Under the Narendra Modi regime, hundreds of officers, particularly from the Indian Revenue Service (IRS), are opting for voluntary retirement. Minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary recently informed Parliament that 853 IRS officers have taken Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) since 2014, the numbers showing no signs of abating. In 2014, 20 IRS (income tax) officers took VRS; by 2024, the number had almost tripled to 57. The customs and indirect taxes cadre saw a similar surge, with 24 officers opting out in 2014, rising to 73 in 2024. And while data on IAS and IPS officers taking VRS is not centrally maintained, anecdotal evidence suggests that they, too, are part of this growing exodus. Whats driving this flight? For starters, the private sector offers better pay, more creative freedom and fewer bureaucratic shackles. With years of experience and insider knowledge, these officers are hot commodities for corporations eager to navigate Indias complex regulatory landscape. However, theres a deeper malaise. Critics argue that the centralisation of power under the Modi government and an increasingly hostile work environment are pushing officers to the edge. Many find themselves sidelined, their expertise underutilised, or their decision-making curtailed. For some, VRS is not just an escape but a statement. If this trend continues, who will keep the machinery of governance running? Indias civil service is already overstretched, and losing experienced officers in droves doesnt bode well for its future. Perhaps its time to address the elephant in the room why the steel frame is beginning to buckle. Retirement goals or Great Escape? Retirement goals, anyone? Former SIB chief and retired IPS officer T. Prabhakar Rao has rewritten the playbook with a bold, some might say audacious gambit: seeking political asylum in the United States. While officials remain tight-lipped, reports suggest that Mr Rao has petitioned to be recognised as a political refugee, citing harassment from his former associates. Now residing with his son in sunny Florida, Mr Rao appears to have traded bureaucratic files for medical reports as he undergoes cancer treatment. But this isnt just a tale of a quiet retreat to American suburbia. Mr Raos departure comes under a cloud hes the prime accused in a phone-tapping case that has Telangana police scrambling to bring him back, red corner notice and all. Heres the timeline of his Houdini act: the case was filed on March 10, and by March 11, Mr Rao was boarding a flight to the US, leaving his alleged co-conspirators to fend off the law. Thats precision planning worthy of a thriller. But Mr Raos move raises bigger questions. What if this sets a precedent? Could political asylum become the latest escape route for beleaguered IAS and IPS officers? After all, who wouldnt want to swap bureaucratic turf wars for Floridian beaches under the guise of political persecution? For the Indian civil services, this is more than just a scandal. Its a moment of introspection. What does it say about the state of our bureaucracy when its stalwarts would rather flee than face the music? As Mr Rao basks in Floridas sunshine, one thing is clear: this saga is far from over. Stay tuned. Ping-pong policing: Jharkhands DGP drama Jharkhands top police post seems to be less about law and order and more about political ping-pong. The tussle between chief minister Hemant Sorens government and the Election Commission of India (EC) over the states DGP has turned into a spectacle of governance or the lack thereof. The latest move? Anurag Gupta (IPS: 1990 batch) is back as DGP, replacing Ajay Kumar Singh (IPS: 1989 batch), who has been shuffled off to helm the Jharkhand Police Housing Corporation Ltd. Mr Gupta was unceremoniously removed by the EC during the Assembly elections, with the Commission citing administrative propriety. Ajay Kumar Singh was installed in his place, plucked from a shortlist of three IPS officers, in what seemed like a final word on the matter. Now, Mr Gupta is back in the saddle, with Mr Singh now nudged into a corner office that sounds important but is far removed from the policing frontlines. Just weeks after the Soren government took charge, the reshuffle seems more than coincidental. Is this a signal from Mr Soren of his intent to assert control? Or simply a redux of the tug-of-war that began under the ECs watch? This merry-go-round of appointments risks turning into a distraction from real policing priorities. Stability in leadership isnt just a bureaucratic nicety or just a buzzword; it should mean something. But in Jharkhand, the DGPs chair seems more like a revolving door than a seat of steady authority.

Patience, loyalty to party and strategic acumen pay off for Fadnavis as he returns as CM

Mumbai: Devendra Fadnavis, the political stalwart who rose from humble beginnings to become a key figure in Maharashtra politics, was on Thursday evening sworn in as chief minister -- a position he has held twice before.Mi Punha Ye-in (I will be back), he had famously said at the end of his first tenure in the top post in 2019. His detractors mocked him over the resolution when he had to sit in the opposition subsequently; but the BJP leader had the last laugh. The 54-year-old leader, whose career has been marked by a blend of resilience and strategic manoeuvring, would lead the state for the third time following a decisive showing of the BJP in the November 20 assembly polls. Fadnavis' political journey has been nothing short of remarkable. From serving as an obscure corporator to becoming the youngest mayor of Nagpur, he has strengthened his status as a prominent leader within his party. Notably, he is only the second Brahmin to serve as Chief Minister of Maharashtra, following the Shiv Sena's Manohar Joshi. His ascent began in earnest ahead of the 2014 assembly elections, where he garnered significant support from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior BJP leader Amit Shah. Modi famously referred to him as Nagpur's gift to the country during a campaign rally. Though Modi had launched a campaign blitzkrieg in the 2014 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra assembly polls, a portion of the credit also went to Fadnavis, then state BJP president, for the party's success. Son of Jan Sangh and later BJP leader late Gangadhar Fadnavis, whom his fellow Nagpur politician Nitin Gadkari calls his political guru, Devendra cut his teeth in politics at a young age when he joined Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad, students wing of RSS, in 1989. At 22, he became a corporator in the Nagpur civic body and its youngest Mayor in 1997 at age 27. Fadnavis contested his first assembly election in 1999 and won. There was no looking back for him as he won three subsequent assembly elections. He retained his Nagpur South West seat comfortably in the last month's election. Unlike many other leaders in Maharashtra, Fadnavis has remained untainted by accusations of corruption. Among the most articulate Maharashtra politicians, he is also credited with pushing the previous Congress-NCP government into a corner over the alleged irrigation scam. Fadnavis experienced a setback in the aftermath of the 2019 assembly elections as then united Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray pulled out of the pre-poll alliance over the CM's post, shattering the BJP leader's `I will come back again' slogan. Fadnavis was sworn in as the chief minister for the second time on November 23, 2019, and Ajit Pawar was sworn in as the deputy chief minister. However, before a Supreme Court-ordered no confidence motion could take place, Fadnavis quit on November 26, three days after taking oath as the CM. Uddhav Thackeray, propped up by Sharad Pawar-led NCP, later became the CM, but quit after senior Sena leader Eknath Shinde split the party in June 2022 and later became the CM. After Thackeray demitted office following the large-scale desertions in the Sena, many political observers thought that Fadnavis, who they knew was behind the episode, would become the CM. However, the BJP leadership had other plans and a reluctant Fadnavis was asked to occupy the deputy CM's post. His tenure in the last two-and-a-half years as Deputy Chief Minister saw a marked resurgence, and the assembly elections results of November 23 came as the much-awaited cherry on the cake. Though he hails from a politically active family, his father and aunt both served in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Fadnavis has crafted his own distinct political identity. Fadnavis' first tenure as the CM was characterised by a combination of good governance and effective political manoeuvring. He earned praise for his push to expedite infrastructure projects, gaining favour particularly among urban voters. However, his term was not without challenges. The state suffered significant crop losses due to erratic weather, and his initial rejection of loan waiver for affected farmers sparked widespread protests. Another major issue during his tenure was the Maratha community's demand for reservations. Though he passed legislation to meet these demands, the subsequent Supreme Court ruling that overturned the law left many in the Maratha community dissatisfied, blaming Fadnavis for the failure. The 2019 assembly elections marked a dramatic shift in Fadnavis' political trajectory. The Shiv Sena's refusal to join the government unless it shared the Chief Minister's post led Fadnavis to seek an alternative alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar. This government, however, was short-lived, collapsing after just 72 hours. Fadnavis then assumed the role of Leader of the Opposition. In June 2022, following a rebellion within the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, Fadnavis was instructed by the BJP leadership to return to the government as Deputy CM under Shinde. Although initially reluctant, Fadnavis accepted the role, signalling his loyalty to the party leadership. Even after a significant loss in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he played a pivotal role in shaping the seat-sharing arrangement between the BJP and Shinde's faction. Fadnavis' career has, thus far, been defined by resilience, adaptability and strategic insight. His ability to adapt and make tactical decisions could prove crucial for him and his party in the coming days.

Political journey of Eknath Shinde: From rebel to action man to 'Ladka Bhau'

Mumbai : From a Shiv Sena rebel in 2022, veteran politician Eknath Sambhaji Shinde went on to acquire the image of a doer and man of actions as chief minister in a short span of two-and-a-half years when he headed the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra. Shinde taking oath as a deputy CM on Thursday in the new government headed by BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis may be seen a demotion by his ardent supporters, but the former auto-rickshaw driver can claim to be the true heir to the Shiv Sena legacy after the stunning performance of his party in the November assembly polls. The 60-year-old former CM, elected MLA from Kopri-Pachpakhadi in Thane district, led the Shiv Sena to spectacular victory in the polls as it won 57 of the 81 seats it contested, reducing the rival Shiv Sena (UBT) led by his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray to just 20 assembly segments. During his tenure as CM (June 30, 2022 to December 4, 2024), Shinde acquired the image of a 24/7 politician and pushed big-ticket infrastructure projects like the Mumbai coastal road, Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (Atal Setu, metro rail, Navi Mumbai international airport, Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Mahamarg and Dharavi redevelopment. His contribution to the massive Mahayuti victory in the assembly polls was significant and his government's Ladki Bahin Yojana (beloved sister), a cash transfer scheme targeted at women from poor families, ultimately proved to be the game-changer for the ruling bloc in the elections. The scheme became so popular among women that the Shiv Sena leader earned the title of 'Ladka Bhau' (beloved brother). Shinde made it a point to remind people of his humble background, and stayed grounded despite holding the top executive post in the state, redefining 'Chief Minister' as common man and flaunting his connect with the masses. The biggest asset of the Shiv Sena leader, who started his political career in Thane district, was his accessibility to people and party workers. As the CM, he put in long hours and often worked beyond midnight. When Shinde revolted in June 2022 against Uddhav Thackeray, who headed the united Shiv Sena and was CM then, he put his political career at risk. Two-and-a-half years later, he has come on his own. Shinde hasn't just managed to survive, but has established himself as a key leader of the Mahayuti alliance and among the most influential figures in Maharashtra. He has carried forward Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's ideology of Hindutva, a plank appeared to have been abandoned by Uddhav Thackeray after joining forces with the NCP (SP) and Congress, and aligned himself with the BJP, whose support enabled him to become CM in 2022. Shinde originally hails from Dare village in Satara district in western Maharashtra and his family moved to Thane adjoining Mumbai in search of better prospects. Shinde quickly emerged as a key Shiv Sena leader in the Thane-Palghar region after joining politics. The five-time MLA never hides his humble origins. On the contrary, he makes it a point to mention it at times to underscore how he has been indebted to the saffron party and its founder late Bal Thackeray for his rise in state politics. Born on February 9, 1964, Shinde left his education before he could complete graduation and soon got associated with the Shiv Sena when it was growing in the state. Bal Thackeray formed Shiv Sena in 1966 on sons-of-the-soil' plank and later the party aggressively championed the cause of Hindutva. The party's aggressive approach towards issues close to its heart and the powerful persona of Bal Thackeray prompted Shinde to join the Sena in Thane, which became his political home. Growing under the big shadows of Shiv Sena stalwart from Thane Anand Dighe, he became his deputy and strengthened the party after the sudden death of his mentor in 2001. He became a corporator in the Thane Municipal Corporation in 1997 and won his maiden Assembly election in 2004 and never looked back. Shinde was made Sena's Thane district head in 2005. His son Dr Shrikant Shinde is the sitting Lok Sabha MP from Kalyan in the district. Shinde was appointed the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly for a brief period in 2014 when Sena had not finalised its pact with the then-ally BJP for joining the Devendra Fadnavis cabinet. His clout grew when the Shiv Sena joined hands with the BJP to form government under Fadnavis post-2014 assembly elections and he became a minister. Shinde came closer to then-CM Fadnavis (2014-19) and their association became a matter of discussion so much so that except for the Thane Municipal Corporation, the BJP contested elections to all civic bodies in Maharashtra in 2016 against the Shiv Sena. When the Shiv Sena snapped ties with the BJP and formed the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government with the NCP and the Congress in late 2019, he became a cabinet minister. During the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the NCP handling the health ministry, it was Shinde- controlled MSRDC department that set up healthcare centres in Mumbai and its satellite cities to treat coronavirus patients. Shinde is considered a leader with grassroots touch as he is always available to hear the grievances of party workers and colleagues.

DSCI study identifies 369.01 mn malware detections across installation base of 8.44 million endpoints in India

Parimatch Releases Survey Results Revealing Top Indian Cricketers Among Fans

Athletes with the strongest connection with fans Cricket is not just a sport but a vital part of life and culture for millions across Asia, where approximately 90% of cricket fans reside. In India, home to one of the most powerful cricket tournaments globally, cricket holds a unique position in life and cultural identity, with athletes serving both as celebrities and role models. This deep emotional connection drives our decision to create this survey, gathering insights directly from the fans. We believe this survey will foster a richer dialogue around the sport that Asia is so passionate about, commented the Parimatch Press Office . Findings from the survey include: #1 Virat Kohli edges out MS Dhoni as the favorite IPL cricketer; he also ranks highest as a favorite role model, for the most prominent on-field celebrations, and as the most popular on social media In the battle of the two former Indian skippers, Virat Kohli edged out MS Dhoni by a 3% margin, with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru stalwart being chosen by 33% of fans as a best cricket player. Born and raised in New Delhi, Kohli became an instant fan favorite in Bengaluru after RCB signed the young batter back in 2009. Among the fans favorite cricket players are also Sunile Narine and Nicholas Pooran , Parimatch' ambassadors. Im truly honored to be recognized by the fans. Their support means the world to me, and I look forward to continuing to make them proud on and off the field, commented Sunile Narine . #2 Andre Russell tops the list of most interesting players to watch on the pitch Andre Russell topped the category of ' Most interesting player to watch on the Pitch ' with 31% of fans' votes. Unfortunately, the two-time ICC T20 World Cup winner won't be part of the 2025 IPL Auction, as he has been retained by Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 12 crores. The Caribbean all-rounder spent a couple of seasons with the Delhi Daredevils before joining the Knight Riders in 2014. The batting powerhouse made his marker in the IPL in some style winning the 2019 IPL Super Striker award along with the Player of the Tournament award for the 2019 season of the cash-rich league. In 119 matches for KKR, Russell has taken 119 wickets and scored 2426 runs at a strike rate of nearly 175. #3 MS Dhoni: Favorite Captain, Favorite Player to Watch in High-Pressure Situations, Most Interesting Player off the field, and Most Connected with fans Despite retiring from international cricket five years ago, in the list of favorite captains, Dhoni (48%) topped the list of favorite captains, edging out Rohit Sharma (25%). Kohli, Pat Cummins, and Pandya followed in third, fourth, and fifth place, with 17%, 15%, and 14% of fans votes, respectively. Additionally, 27% of fans believe he is the most interesting player to watch in high-pressure situations. Notably, it's not just Dhonis sports achievements that fans appreciate. According to the survey, 21% of fans consider him the most interesting player off the field , and 31% believe he is the most connected to fans . Beyond his on-field exploits for India and CSK in the IPL, Dhoni holds the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Army. He also recently made a cameo in a Tamil-language film, bringing him closer to fans in Chennai and Tamil Nadu, who lovingly refer to him as 'Thala.' #4 Bhuvneshwar Edges Rahane for Most Underrated Player In a sea of players, certain names tend to be overlooked when the discussion centers on the most popular and eye-catching stars. From the fans perspective, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ajinkya Rahane stand out as the most underrated players, earning 18% and 16% of the votes, respectively. Both athletes have been unsung heroes of their respective sides victories in the IPL, and the stalwarts now find themselves in the fray of the mega auction after their teams opted to move on and retain a younger core of players. #5 Jake Fraser-McGurk: Rising star for IPL 2025 IPL 2024 witnessed several young batters throw caution to the wind and redefine T20 batting, with multiple totals exceeding 265 runs. Among the rising stars, Abhishek Sharma, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Riyan Parag, Tilak Varma, and Tristan Stubbs stole the spotlight, showcasing their range of shots with impressive strike rates. Fraser-McGurk edged out Rinku Singh by 1% to top the list of players in contention for the Next Seasons Rising Star title, securing 40% and 39% of fans votes, respectively. They are followed by Parag (26%), Varma (26%), and uncapped fast bowler Harshit Rana (22%), completing the Top 5 list. Their performances promise fans many exciting moments in the upcoming seasons. Methodology The data was collected by the Parimatch Asia research team between October 1, 2024 and November 1st, 2024. The online survey was distributed via email and online platforms, with 3,011 qualified respondents from India. About Parimatch Parimatch is the #1 global gaming platform, that provides a complete suite of sports and casino online betting services to its customers. Since 1994, Parimatch has grown to be enjoyed by 3,000,000 active users worldwide. It is trusted by the worlds top athletes and celebrities: famous Indian actress Kajal Aggarwal and Trinidadian cricket stars Nicholas Pooran and Sunil Narine are among their brand ambassadors. Parimatch is the Regional Sponsor of the Argentine Football Association and the Title Sponsor of the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons cricket team, a Caribbean Premier League (CPL) franchise. Since 2019, Parimatch has been one of the leading betting brands in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Patience, loyalty to party leadership and strategic acumen pay off for Fadnavis

MUMBAI : Devendra Fadnavis, the political stalwart who rose from humble beginnings to become a key figure in Maharashtra politics, is set to become chief minister -- a position he has held twice before. The 54-year-old leader, whose career has been marked by a blend of resilience and strategic manoeuvring, is positioned to lead the state for the third time following a decisive showing of the BJP in the November 20 assembly polls, and his election as leader of the state BJP legislature party on Wednesday. Fadnavis' political journey has been nothing short of remarkable. From serving as an obscure corporator to becoming the youngest mayor of Nagpur, he has strengthened his status as a prominent leader within his party. Notably, he is only the second Brahmin to serve as Chief Minister of Maharashtra, following the Shiv Sena's Manohar Joshi. Fadnavis elected BJP legislature leader, to become Maharashtra CM on Dec 5; Shinde to be Dy CM His ascent began in earnest ahead of the 2014 assembly elections, where he garnered significant support from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior BJP leader Amit Shah. Modi famously referred to him as Nagpur's gift to the country during a campaign rally, underscoring the confidence placed in Fadnavis. Though Modi had launched a campaign blitzkrieg in the 2014 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra assembly polls, a portion of the credit also went to Fadnavis, then state BJP president, for the party's unprecedented victories in the elections. Son of Jan Sangh and later BJP leader late Gangadhar Fadnavis, whom his fellow Nagpur politician and former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari calls his political guru, Devendra cut his teeth in politics at a young age when he joined Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the students wing of RSS, in 1989. At 22, he became a corporator in the Nagpur civic body and its youngest Mayor in 1997 at the age of 27. Fadnavis contested his first assembly election in 1999 and won.There was no looking back for him as he won three subsequent assembly elections. He retained his Nagpur South West seat comfortably in the last month's election. Unlike many leaders across the political spectrum in Maharashtra, Fadnavis has remained untainted by accusations of corruption. Among the most articulate Maharashtra politicians, Fadnavis is also credited with pushing the previous Congress-NCP government into a corner over the alleged irrigation scam. Fadnavis experienced a setback in the aftermath of the 2019 assembly elections as the then united Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray pulled out of the pre-poll alliance over sharing of CM's post, shattering the BJP leader's much-hyped mee punha yein (I will come back again) slogan. Fadnavis was sworn in as the chief minister for the second time on November 23, 2019, and Ajit Pawar was sworn in as the deputy chief minister. However, before a Supreme Court-ordered no confidence motion could take place, Fadnavis quit on November 26, three days after taking oath as the CM. Uddhav Thackeray, propped up by Sharad Pawar-led NCP, later became the CM, but quit after senior Sena leader Eknath Shinde split the party in June 2022 and later became the CM. After Thackeray demitted office following the large-scale desertions in the Sena, many political observers thought that Fadnavis, who they knew was behind the episode, would become the CM. However, the BJP leadership had other plans and a reluctant Fadnavis was asked to occupy the deputy CM's post. His tenure in the last two-and-a-half years as Deputy Chief Minister saw a marked resurgence, and the assembly elections results of November 23 came as the much-awaited cherry on the cake. Though he hails from a politically active family, his father and aunt both served in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Fadnavis has crafted his own distinct political identity. Fadnavis' first tenure as the CM was characterised by a combination of good governance and effective political manoeuvring. He earned praise for his push to expedite infrastructure projects, gaining favour particularly among urban voters. However, his term was not without challenges. The state suffered significant crop losses due to erratic weather, and his initial rejection of loan waiver for affected farmers sparked widespread protests. Another major issue during his tenure was the Maratha community's demand for reservations. Though he passed legislation to meet these demands, the subsequent Supreme Court ruling that overturned the law left many in the Maratha community dissatisfied, blaming Fadnavis for the failure. The 2019 assembly elections marked a dramatic shift in Fadnavis' political trajectory. BJP walks extra mile to resolve deadlock over Maharashtra portfolios as Fadnavis meets Shinde The Shiv Sena's refusal to join the government unless it shared the Chief Minister's post led Fadnavis to seek an alternative alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar. This government, however, was short-lived, collapsing after just 72 hours. Fadnavis then assumed the role of Leader of the Opposition. In June 2022, following a rebellion within the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, Fadnavis was instructed by the BJP leadership to return to the government as Deputy CM under Shinde. Although initially reluctant, Fadnavis accepted the role, signalling his loyalty to the party leadership. Even after a significant loss in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he played a pivotal role in shaping the seat-sharing arrangement between the BJP and Shinde's faction. Fadnavis' career has, thus far, been defined by resilience, adaptability and strategic insight. His ability to adapt and make tactical decisions could prove crucial for him and his party in the coming days.

India Faces 28% Of Global Mobile Malware Threats, Tops Global Rankings: Report

The report analysed a dataset comprising over 20 billion threat-related mobile transactions and associated cyber threats, between June 2023 to May 2024.

India tops global list for mobile malware attacks; banking systems particularly vulnerable

NEW DELHI: In a startling revelation, India now tops the list for mobile malware attacks globally, surpassing the United States and Canada, with a disappointing step-up from its previous third-place ranking, according to a report. The Zscaler ThreatLabz 2024 Mobile, IoT, and OT Threat Report analysed a dataset comprising over 20 billion threat-related mobile transactions and associated cyber threats, between June 2023 to May 2024. India has become the top global target for mobile malware attacks, accounting for 28 percent of the total, surpassing the United States (27.3 percent) and Canada (15.9 percent). This significant jump from its 3rd place ranking last year underscores the critical need for Indian enterprises to adopt robust security measures, especially amid the rapid digital transformation and increasing cyber threats, the report said. With nearly half of mobile attacks being trojans (malware that tricks users into downloading and running malicious software), the financial sector is particularly vulnerable. The report revealed a 29 percent increase in banking malware attacks and a staggering 111 percent rise in mobile spyware attacks. Most financially motivated malware attacks are highly capable of bypassing Multifactor Authentication (MFA) and frequently leverage phishing vectors, such as fake login pages for different financial institutions, social media sites, and crypto wallets, it said. Phishing attempts targeting mobile customers of major Indian banks, such as HDFC, ICICI, and Axis banks, have increased, according to ThreatLabz analysts. These clever attacks deceive mobile users into disclosing critical bank information by using phoney banking websites that closely mimic the real ones, it said. Previously, similar tactics were used to spread Android-based phishing malware through fake card update sites, leading to widespread financial fraud. The Indian postal service has also become a target for attackers. Using SMS messages, they direct mobile users to phishing sites that prompt them to input credit card details. These fraudulent schemes often exploit common scenarios like missing packages and incomplete delivery addresses, capitalising on the urgency created by such messages, the report noted. Legacy systems and unprotected IoT/ OT (Internet of Things/Operational Technology) environments are becoming prime targets for cybercriminals. We see a significant rise in hacking campaigns targeted at these environments, said Suvabrata Sinha, CISO-India, Zscaler. It is necessary for Indian enterprises to adopt a robust zero-trust security framework to secure their core operational environments. This will not only protect critical systems but also ensure business continuity in an increasingly connected world, Sinha added. The report also indicated a concerning global trend, with over 200 malicious applications discovered on the Google Play Store and a 45 per cent year-over-year increase in IoT malware transactions, underscoring the pervasive nature of cyber threats today. On a positive note, India has improved its ranking as a malware origin point, moving from 5th to 7th place in the APAC (AsiaPacific) region.

India Tops Global List For Mobile Malware Attacks: Report

In a startling revelation, India now tops the list for mobile malware attacks globally, surpassing the United States and Canada, with a disappointing step-up from its previous third-place ranking, according to a report.

India tops global list for mobile malware attacks: Zscaler Report

India has become the top global target for mobile malware attacks, accounting for 28% of the total, surpassing the United States and Canada. The financial sector is especially vulnerable, with a 29% increase in banking malware attacks and a 111% rise in mobile spyware attacks. Indian enterprises must adopt robust security measures amid rising cyber threats.

Leaders Pay Tribute to Marri Chenna Reddy on 28th Death Anniversary

Hyderabad: Governor Jishnu Dev Varma his Haryana counterpart Bandaru Dattatreya, Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar and others paid homage to former chief minister Dr Marri Chenna Reddy on his death anniversary at his memorial located at Indira Park. On his 28th death anniversary, Channa Reddys son Marri Shashidhar Reddy, former vice-chairman of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was present. Dr Chenna Reddy is remembered as a stalwart who brought the demand for separate Telangana to national prominence. He was twice Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh and Union Minister in Prime Minister Indira Gandhis Cabinet. Dr Chennai Reddy served as Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. He passed away in 1996.

Hardik to lead UP Rudras in upcoming HIL

Lucknow: Star India midfielder Hardik Singh was on Sunday named captain of the UP Rudras for the upcoming season of Hockey India League (HIL). The Lucknow franchise, owned by Yadu Sports, have assembled a strong squad that also features young sensation Priyobarta Talem, Gurjot Singh along with some of the stalwarts of India and international hockey, including Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Simranjeet Singh, Lars Balk, and Kane Russel. A true leader on and off the pitch, on behalf of the entire Yadu Sports family, I would like to congratulate Hardik on being announced as the team captain. I had a chance to meet Paul, Thomas, and Cedric at the auctions, said Mr. Madhavkrishna Singhania, Co-Founder, Yadu Sports. I believe that the squad we have assembled is full of leaders, and they have all it takes to play mesmerizing hockey and win the people's hearts, the owner added. UP Rudras head coach Paul Van Ass added: Hardik was our first pick at the auctions and we were sure of him leading the side. Having seen him consistently do well for India and being a part of the Indian team that won two back-to-back Olympic bronze medals is no small feat. We are sure that with his ability to understand the nuances and intricacies of the game, he will not only lead the team well but will also bring the best out of those around him. Hardik expressed his excitement and gratitude towards his new role. I am extremely grateful to our management staff for giving me this opportunity. It will be nothing less than a pleasure to lead UP Rudras in this season of the Hockey India League, he said. Representing and captaining a team based out of the legendary Dhyanchand Ji's hometown is everything a player can ask for. We have a fantastic squad with strength across every department, and, more importantly.

ISB Data Science Summit 2024 addresses emerging technologies and cyber security challenges

Hyderabad: The ISB Institute of Data Science (IIDS) organised a day-long Summit on Artificial Intelligence, Generative AI, Retail Analytics, Cyber Security, and Ethical AI. The summit brought participants together to learn about how leading companies are leveraging generative AI in retail and combating the risks emerging from it. The event was inaugurated by Mr. Gareth Wynn Owen, British Deputy High Commissioner, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh; Ms. Laura Baldwin, South Asia Cyber Lead, British High Commission; Prof. Madan Pillutla, Dean, ISB; and Prof. Manish Gangwar, Executive Director, IIDS. Ms. Laura Baldwin, South Asia Cyber Lead, British High Commission, spoke about the importance of the UK-India partnership on cyber and technology. The UK looks forward to continuing our strong bilateral cooperation, enhancing this through the UK-India Technology Security Initiative launched by our respective Prime Ministers in July. Together, the UK and India can harness the best of our capabilities to build resilience and advocate for a free, open, peaceful, and secure cyberspace. This will deliver prosperity and security for our two countries and globally. Prof. Madan Pillutla, Dean, ISB, spoke of the importance of being a research-based business school as one of the institutions core values, and this summit is a highlight of such dissemination of research among industry practitioners and researchers. He highlighted that the Summit focuses on tackling the adverse effects of data science and AI-based technologies. Speaking about the event, Prof. Manish Gangwar, Executive Director, IIDS, highlighted the current research initiatives related to cyber security, piracy-malware nexus, healthcare AI, e-commerce, health insurance, medicine supply chain, and mule account detection. He highlighted the Regulation, Education, and Detection (RED) framework to tackle misuse of Gen AI and curb misinformation and deepfakes. The Data Science Summit 2024 saw a confluence of 30+ speakers across organisations like IBM, Amazon AWS, Microsoft, Flipkart, Infosys, Ernst Young, PwC, Aditya Birla, Cyber Peace Foundation, Times of India, UltraTech Cement, and government representation from Himachal Pradesh Police, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, Indian Army, British High Commission. The event featured multiple speaker sessions and panel discussions of leading experts from academia and industry in the field.

Hyderabad: St. Georges Grammar School celebrates 190th anniversary

Hyderabad: Thousands of students, present and retired staff and the alumni celebrated the 190th anniversary of St. Georges Grammar School at Gunfoundry, one of the oldest in the city, on Friday. A souvenir was released, narrating the journey of the school, established in 1834 to educate the children of British officers. In the years since, the school has played an illustrious role in the history of Hyderabad by producing several stalwarts. Underscoring the British connection, Friday event saw the UK children performing in the group dance. Anya Jerusha Gardner of 3A, Prefect of Jasper house, was among those who welcomed Rev. Prof. Dr Rueben Mark, Bishop In-charge, CSI Diocese of Medak. He released the souvenir and spoke about how an honest institution nurtures great leaders and citizens who usher in impactful change. Prof. Dr B. Vimal Sukumar, warden and correspondent, gave prizes to outstanding students, Syeda Farida from girls' school and Syed Zeshan Quadri from boys school. Students roared with shouts of praise, when the recently retired principal, Marlin Ester, was being felicitated. The campus was brightly lit, the campus of seven-and-half acres having a prep school, schools and junior colleges for girls and boys, a degree college and PG college for women. All the grounds were jam-packed. Aruna Bahuguna, retired DGP and alumnus, said, The students were given the best of education, which helped them choose what they want in life, to be good and contributing citizens to the nation. Jayashree Damisetty, an alumnus, said, The school gave us a strong foundation. The curriculum involved assigning duties to the students. This is where they get the management skills and leadership qualities from the early stages. The principals and staff said the school placed importance on sports and games. Our students bring laurels at state and national-level events. Aligned with our motto 'Perseverance Conquers All,' students are encouraged and made aware of the importance of knowledge and skills, which are emphasised in their daily classes, they said.

Stolen Bronze Idol to Return to Tamil Nadu After Over 50 Years

The Thirumangai Alwar bronze idol, stolen decades ago from a temple in Tamil Nadu's Thanjavur district, is set to return to India. The Ashmolean Museum, based in Oxford, purchased the idol in 1967 but has now agreed to repatriate it after the Tamil Nadu Idol Wing CID presented concrete evidence of its illegal removal. In a recent communication, the museum expressed its commitment to returning the artifact, which is valued at crores of rupees. It has also pledged to bear all costs for transferring the idol from London to Tamil Nadu. This marks a significant milestone in restoring stolen cultural treasures to their rightful locations. Efforts are underway to ensure the idol's return to Tamil Nadu within a month. Exceptional Investigation and Evidence Director General of Police Shankar Jiwal commended the meticulous work by the Idol Wing CID in identifying the origin of the idol and facilitating its repatriation. Deputy Superintendent of Police P. Chandrasekaran presented compelling evidence to the museum's representative, proving the idol's true origin. Following this, the University of Oxfords Council reviewed the findings and confirmed that the idol was illicitly removed from the Sri Soundaraja Perumal Temple. Continuing Efforts to Reclaim Other Stolen Idols The Thirumangai Alwar idol is one of four stolen from the Sri Soundaraja Perumal Temple in Kumbakonam between 1957 and 1967. The other three idolsKaalinga Nartha Krishna, Vishnu, and Srideviare currently housed in museums in the United States. The Idol Wing CID is actively pursuing their repatriation using a similar process. In 2020, a case was registered to investigate the theft of these idols, which were smuggled abroad and replaced with replicas at the temple. Through extensive efforts, the original idols were traced to museums in different countries. Meticulous Documentation The investigation team, under the guidance of Inspector General of Police R. Dhinakaran and Superintendent of Police R. Sivakumar, has collected scientific and irrefutable evidence to establish the provenance of the stolen idols. This documentation has been shared with relevant authorities in the countries where the idols are currently located. These efforts are part of a larger mission to return stolen artifacts to their original places of worship, restoring cultural heritage and allowing these sacred objects to once again serve their intended purpose. Bhutan Marks 50 Years of Tourism: How Evolving Policies Are Reviving the Economy Janjatiya Gaurav Divas: Honoring the Tribal Heritage and Their Role in India's Freedom Struggle

Museum in Oxfordto return stolen Thirumangai Alwar idol purchased by it in 1967: T.N. police

Four valuable antique idols, including the Thirumangai Alwar idol, were allegedly stolen from the Soundararaja Perumal Temple in Kumbakonam between 1957 and 1967, the Idol Wing CID of the Tamil Nadu Police said