Haryana govt notifies procurement of 24 crops at MSP
Haryana increased the number of crops under its MSP program from 14 to 24. This decision was taken before the October elections. The move comes as farmers protest for guaranteed MSP. The BJP highlighted this decision during its campaign. Chief Minister Saini challenged Punjab to implement similar measures. Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal continued his fast, demanding guaranteed MSP.
Congress workers protest in Hyderabad over Shahs remarks on Ambedkar
Hyderabad: The Congress workers staged a protest in Hyderabad on Sunday, December 22 against Union home minister Amit Shahs remarks on Dr BR Ambedkar in Parliament. A Mashaal Rally starting from Liberty and ending at the Ambedkar statue was held demanding Amit Shahs immediate resignation. Former Hyderabad youth Congress president Motha Rohit Mudiraj speaking to 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 .
Police foil KPRS attempt to gherao Chief Minister in Kalaburagi
The KPRS members planned a protest against the State government demanding the immediate release of compensation to farmers
Pankaj: Sridevi commanded respect in B'wood patriarchy
Director Pankaj Parashar recounts an incident highlighting Sridevi's revered status in Bollywood. Top male actors like Vinod Khanna and Rishi Kapoor spontaneously rose to their feet upon her arrival on set, demonstrating the immense respect she commanded without demanding it.
A shocking video shows Allu Arjun's effigy being burnt outside his residence as protestors shouted slogans demanding justice for the victim in Sandhya Theatre stampede incident during Pushpa 2 premiere.
Congress is on the verge of collapse: BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai
Former Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai criticized the Congress, accusing them of being on the verge of collapse and humiliating Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, leading to his resignation from Nehru's government. Congress leaders condemned Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on Ambedkar, organizing protests and demanding his resignation.
Mehdi Stands Firm Against Reservation Policy: NC MP to Protests Outside Own CM's Residence
In a bold move, Lok Sabha MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi from the National Conference has announced a peaceful protest outside the Chief Minister's residence on Gupkar Road, demanding rationality in Jammu and Kashmir's reservation policy.
Video: Allu Arjuns residence attacked with tomatoes
Hyderabad: A group of miscreants attacked Allu Arjuns residence on Sunday, December 22 by throwing tomatoes and damaging flower pots. The group reportedly associated with the OU JAC created chaos while raising slogans demanding justice for Revathis family. They also intercepted Allu Arjuns staff while continuing to throw tomatoes at the residence. Unverified reports suggest 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 .
'He has to apologize': DMK MP Kanimozhi over Amit Shah's remarks on Ambedkar
DMK MP Kanimozhi and Congress leader Ajay Rai criticized Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his remarks on Dr. BR Ambedkar, demanding an apology. Protests erupted in Parliament, with both BJP and INDIA bloc MPs demonstrating, leading to a scuffle and injuries to two BJP MPs.
Dimple leads protest rally, demands Statehood restoration
Jammu Tawi: Sunil Dimple, President of the Mission Statehood Jammu Kashmir, led a strong protest rally in Jammu demanding the immediate restoration of Jammu and Kashmirs statehood, special status, and the implementation of the Instrument of Accession conditions signed by Maharaja Hari Singh. The rally, which took place on Janipur High Court Road, was organized [] The post Dimple leads protest rally, demands Statehood restoration appeared first on Northlines .
Mandira recalls being cricket host; highlights sexism
Mandira Bedi landed her 2003 Cricket World Cup anchoring role after her genuine cricket enthusiasm caught Sony TV's attention. Facing sexism and online criticism, she persevered, learning to ignore negativity and embrace support. Initially ignored by cricket legends on the panel, she ultimately found her voice, making discussions more engaging and her experience more fulfilling.
Despite Confirming Lack Of Involvement, PF Officials Continuing With Proceedings: Robin Uthappa
Centaurus Lifestyle Brands Pvt Ltd: Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa, who faces an arrest warrant for alleged Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) fraud, has said that he had no role in the day-to-day operations of the business and despite confirming the lack of his involvement, the PF officials were continuing with proceedings He said this on Sunday while reacting to the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), which functions under the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment, writing a letter to the Bengaluru Police seeking assistance in issuing an arrest warrant. Uthappa issued a press statement, which read: In light of recent news of the PF case against me, I would like to provide some clarification with regards to my involvement with Strawberry Lenceria Pvt Ltd, Centaurus Lifestyle Brands Pvt Ltd, and Berryz Fashion House. In 2018-19, I was appointed as a director in these companies due to my financial contributions to them in the form of loans. However, I did not have an active executive role, nor was I involved in the day-to-day operations of the business. Given my demanding schedule as a professional cricketer, TV presenter, and commentator, neither did I have the time nor expertise to participate in their operations. In fact, I do not play an executive role in any other companies I have funded, till date. Regrettably, these companies failed to repay the funds I lent them, leading me to initiate legal proceedings, which are currently sub judice. I also resigned from my directorship several years ago. When the Provident Fund authorities issued notices demanding payment of dues, my legal team responded, highlighting that I had no role in these companies and provided documentation from the companies themselves confirming my lack of involvement. Despite this, the Provident Fund authorities have continued with proceedings, and my legal advisors will take the necessary steps to resolve this matter in the coming days. I would also like to urge the media to kindly present complete facts and to verify the authenticity of information being shared, Robin Uthappa stated. Regional PF Commissioner-II and Recovery Officer, RO K.R. Puram Shadakshara Gopala Reddy had made a written request to the Inspector of Pulikeshi Nagar police station in Bengaluru seeking his help in executing the arrest warrant against Robin Uthappa. The PF Commissioner Reddy has stated that Robin Uthappa is the Director of the M/s Centaurus Lifestyle Brands Pvt Ltd company located in Indiranagar of Bengaluru. The company has failed to remit the damages under Sections 7A, 14B and 7 Q of the EPF and MP Act, 1952 to the tune of Rs 23.36 lakh. Addressing the police, Reddy further requested, You are, therefore, kindly requested to execute the enclosed arrest warrant of arrest of Robin Uthappa. In this regard, it is to inform that the Employees Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 is a social welfare legislation established especially for the poor section of society who are working for meagre salaries and will have nothing to fall back upon, except the provident fund contributions on their retirement and on other occasions, the PF Commissioner stated. Due to non-remittances of dues, this office is unable to settle the Provident Fund accounts of the poor workers. In view of the above, you are kindly requested to execute the enclosed warrant of arrest through the inspector under whose jurisdiction Robin Uthappa resides, he requested. In this regard, it is to inform that the Employees Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 is a social welfare legislation established especially for the poor section of society who are working for meagre salaries and will have nothing to fall back upon, except the provident fund contributions on their retirement and on other occasions, the PF Commissioner stated. Also Read: Highest tax paying cricketers Article Source: IANS
Punjab: Farmers' protest at Khanauri border enters 314th day
Punjab farmers' protest has entered day 314 at Khanauri border. The Supreme Court has intervened and sought updates. Farmers refused meeting with court-appointed committee. They are demanding talks with central government. Tensions are rising between protesters and authorities.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav meets protesters, backs demand for BPSC exams cancellation
PATNA: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav has voiced support for the growing demand to cancel the recently conducted Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exams. The exams, held under controversial circumstances, have sparked widespread protests among aspirants. Yadav, the former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, returned to the state capital late on Saturday night after a tour of the Seemanchal region, where he was mobilizing party support ahead of the assembly elections scheduled for next year. Demonstrating his solidarity with the protesting candidates, Yadav visited the Gardani Bagh locality in Patna, where a 24-hour demonstration has been underway. The protesters are demanding the cancellation of the 70th Combined Competitive Exams (CCE), conducted on December 13, citing allegations of irregularities and mismanagement. This latest development has further intensified the debate surrounding the fairness and transparency of competitive examinations conducted by the BPSC. Accompanied by close aide and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Yadav, the former Deputy CM chatted with the protesters for a while, before declaring We are fully with the students on the issue. The Nitish Kumar government will have to order cancellation of the exams. For every step that you take, Tejashwi is ready to move four paces forward, he told the protesters. His visit came a day after Yadav had held a video chat with protesters, many of whom urged the young leader to take time off to support their stir. BPSC chairman Parmar Ravi Manubhai refutes allegations of prelims question paper leak Notably, hundreds of aspirants at an exam centre in the city had boycotted the tests, alleging that question papers had been leaked . The allegation has met with a strong denial from the BPSC, which claimed the disruptions were caused by anti-social elements who had turned up as part of a conspiracy to get the exams cancelled. The Commission, however, has ordered re-examination for about 5,000 candidates who had been assigned the Bapu Pariksha Parisar, which was at the centre of the controversy. Nonetheless, there have been demands that since fairness of the tests was under cloud in view of paper leak allegations, exams for all the 912 centres, where close to five lakh candidates had appeared, be cancelled and held afresh.
From chains to change: Vinoths fight against bonded labour
CHENNAI: The air hung heavy with the stench of sweat and fear. Tiny hands, calloused and scarred, clutched at the rough fabric of a tattered shirt. Two-year-old Vinoth, his eyes wide with confusion and terror, watched as his parents were bound, their cries echoing through the cavernous rice mill in Ponneri. This was not a playground, not a loving home, but a prison forged from debt and despair, a consequence of the advance his parents had taken from the mill owner. The chains that bit into his parents wrists seemed to bind his own spirit, a chilling premonition of the childhood that would be stolen from him. For four agonising years, the rice mill became their world. Vinoth, a mere toddler, witnessed his parents struggle, their bodies bent under the weight of crushing labour. Even after their rescue in 2006, the scars remained. Relocated to Tiruvallur, Vinoths family and community continued to face hardship. The struggle for basic necessities, the humiliation of bureaucratic indifference when seeking ration cards, community certificates, and even Aadhaar cards these experiences fuelled a burning desire for change within him. We Irula community members are connected by our history of bondage, Vinoth, now a 24-year-old graduate, explains. Due to low literacy and poor awareness, many are harassed and exploited. Ive seen them struggling to get basic rights, with officials demanding bribes. Vinoth working in the printing unit of Varnam, a self-help group focused on livelihood skills. This realisation, coupled with a teachers initiative in his government school to collect community data for census work, ignited a fire in young Vinoth. At just 12 years old, while studying in class 5, he began meticulously recording details of his community members, determined to assist them. He has since helped nearly 400 people obtain essential documentation. Vinoths dedication bore fruit. He became a lead with the Released Bonded Labour Association (RBLA), working tirelessly to rescue and rehabilitate others trapped in bondage. Earlier, officials made me run pillar to post, he recalls. Now, they listen patiently. My hard work has earned their trust. But Vinoths vision extended beyond rescue. He became a part of Varnam, a self-help group providing livelihood skills to rescued labourers. Through Varnam, weve set up a block printing unit, he says with pride. I can never forget the days my family spent in the rice mill, he shares, his voice heavy with memory. With no proper meal or sleep, my parents toiled endlessly. I helped them spread the paddy, a tiny shadow in that oppressive space. I wasnt allowed to go to school, to play... I peeped through the windows and dreamt of freedom. But those dreams are now a reality. Today, I am educated, he affirms. I want to dedicate my life to the betterment of my people. Earning the love of my community is much more valuable than money for me. He strides forward, not towards the rice mill of his past, but towards a future where those chains are forever broken. (Edited by Dinesh Jefferson E)
After long wait, Kochi's Kumbalam-Thevara bridge dream inches closer to reality
KOCHI: The Kumbalam-Thevara bridge, a long-pending demand which would substantially reduce commuting time between the city and its southern outskirts, is finally set to become a reality. Despite having received a budgetary allocation from the state government in 2016, the project failed to take off following opposition from the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), which argued the bridge would obstruct the movement of vessels along National Waterway 3. Now, after numerous revisions of design and alignment, the IWAI is set to give a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the PWD Bridges Section, the implementing agency. Another major issue, that of land acquisition, too has been sorted out with the officials completing the survey. Initially, we planned to construct a straight bridge connecting Kumbalam to Thevara Ferry. However, the IWAI expressed reservations, citing the bridge pillars would obstruct the smooth passage of vessels along National Waterway 3. Weve to change the alignment five times and the bridge design six times to finally satisfy the IWAI authorities. Now we expect the NOC from the central agency by next week, said a senior PWD official. The department has also begun attempts to get the Coastal Regulation Zone clearance, for which an agency has started a rapid Social Impact Study, the official said. An IWAI official confirmed that the regional office had forwarded a report on providing NOC to the bridge project to the headquarters in Noida three weeks ago. The same is now expected in a weeks time, the official said. The bridge will now be constructed in a curved manner, with a total length of 714.70 metres. It will start from Thevara Ferry and land beside the Water Metro terminal at Kumbalam. A total of 23 pillars will be constructed across the Kumbalam kayal. The issues related to the acquisition of around 30 cents of land have also been resolved and the individual surveys completed, the PWD official said. The next step is the issuance of 19(1) notification, following which an estimate of the project cost will be prepared and submitted to the KIIFB (Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board). Since the project received financial approval long back, the tendering process can be initiated without delay, the official added. The bridge will reduce the travel distance between Kumbalam and Thevara by nearly 10km and save half an hour. The issue had grabbed attention after local residents held a hunger strike a decade ago, demanding bridge connectivity. In 2016, KIIFB approved `97.45 crore for the project. As per the initial proposal, the bridge was expected to be completed within 36 months, but it never took off. Once the bridge is built, the residents of Kumbalam, Aroor, and Nettoor and Thevara can travel to and from these areas without having to navigate city traffic. Despite being just four kilometres away from the city, Kumbalam residents now have to travel 16 to 18km on the busy Aroor-Edappally stretch of NH 66 and get past four traffic signals to reach Kochi.
Congress to hold press conferences in 150 cities demanding Shah`s resignation
Congress MPs and CWC members will conduct press conferences in 150 cities, demanding the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his controversial remarks about Ambedkar in Rajya Sabha. Protests will continue with marches and memorandums submitted to President Droupadi Murmu.
'We won't let Travis Head settle at the crease': Akash Deep
Team India, locked in a 1-1 series tie against Australia, aims for a historic third consecutive series victory Down Under. Pacer Akash Deep emphasises maintaining bowling discipline and exploiting perceived weaknesses of Australian batsmen like Travis Head's vulnerability to short balls. India began the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in style with a commanding 295-run win over Australia in Perth but suffered a 10-wicket defeat in the day-night Test in Adelaide. The third Test at the Gabba in Brisbane ended in a draw, setting the stage for a decisive showdown in Melbourne.
INTUC members urge Tamil Nadu to reopen Sterlite Copper plant
THOOTHUKUDI: The Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) staged a stir on Friday at Chidambaranagar, urging the state government to reopen the Sterlite Copper plant in Thoothukudi, citing that Chief Minister MK Stalin and MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi were striving to bring in more industries to increase employment opportunities here. Over 500 persons led by INTUC Working president Kathirvel participated in the agitation at Chidambaranagar demanding employment generation and reopening of the defunct Sterlite Copper plant. They raised placards demanding to enactment special legislation to reopen the unit, which was closed down as per Supreme Court orders. Kathirvel, who is also the general secretary of the National Harbour Workers' Union and a trustee of the VOC port trust, said closing down several industries including Sterlite Copper, has affected employment opportunities and the socio-economic transformation of the people in Thoothukudi. Closing such industries sends a wrong signal to investors and damages the existing industrial climate, he said. Closing down spinning mills, textile mills, ginning factories, thermal power plants, warehouses, and small scale industries in the past decade have resulted in significant employment loss to both skilled and unskilled workers. The automation of VOC port had replaced the role of 7,000 manual labourers, while the shrinking salt pan areas considerably affected opportunities for women, he alleged. He highlighted MP Kanimozhi's speech in parliament urging the union government to establish semiconductor manufacturing units in Thoothukudi, and that it will potentially improve regional economic recovery. He said, The permanent shutdown of the copper smelter had affected 3,000 trucks transporting raw material and the employed 4,000 daily wage labourers. The unit was generating Rs 5,000 crore annually to the union and state government, and met 40% of the copper supply for the country. However, closing down of the smelter will lead the country to become a net importer of copper after 18 years, he said. Stating that Chief Minister MK Stalin is actively working on decentralisation of industrial developments across the state, while the parliamentarian appealed for new industries to Thoothukudi, he urged the state to consider reopening the copper plant.
Alternative route to Leh-Ladakh: MoD seeks transport ministry nod for tunnel
CHANDIGARH: The Union Ministry of Defence has recommended that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) approve the construction of the Bhubhu Jot tunnel. This tunnel will connect Jogindernagar in the Mandi district with the Kullu district via the Lag Valley in Himachal Pradesh. It is proposed that this route be designated as a project of strategic importance, serving as an alternative route to Leh-Ladakh. In its communication, the Defence Ministry emphasized the crucial role that this highway and tunnel will serve as an alternative route to Leh-Ladakh, thereby greatly improving the operational readiness of the armed forces stationed in forward areas. In addition to its strategic importance, the tunnel is anticipated to provide significant socio-economic benefits to the region. Consequently, budgetary provisions for this project will now be made. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the path for the construction of the much-awaited tunnel in the state has been cleared. He reaffirmed the state governments unwavering commitment to the project. I personally met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on October 25 to request prioritisation of this project while considering its strategic importance. The issue was also raised with Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. The construction of this tunnel would be a milestone for the development of the state. he said. The proposed Bhubu Jot Tunnel aims to reduce the distance between Kangra and Kullu by 55 kilometers. Once completed, it will also shorten the travel distance between Kullu and Dharamsala or Pathankot. The tunnel will start in Kullu and connect to the Mandi-Pathankot National Highway at Ghatasni via the Lag Valley, Bhubu Jot, and Shilh-Badhwani. This project is expected to provide significant benefits to the local population, boost tourism in the region, and strengthen the economy of the people.
Congress demands Amit Shahs resignation over remarks on B.R. Ambedkar, to hold press conferences in 150 cities
Demonstration to protest Amit Shahs comment on Ambedkar
IMPHAL, Dec 21: Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee on Friday held a demonstration here to protest Union Home minister Amit Shahs recent remarks about B R Ambedkar. Congress workers led by Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader O Ibobi Singh and state Congress president Keisham Meghachandra held banners and raised slogans demanding an apology from Shah.Singh later []
Army raised operational footprint in Jammu: GOC
Will promote peace, security Excelsior Correspondent Rajouri, Dec 21: General Officer Commanding (GOC) Nagrota-based 16 Corps Lt Gen Navin Sachdeva today said the Army has increased its operational footprint in the Jammu region, including the strategic occupation of the upper reaches of the Pir Panjal range. He said the Army is playing a pivotal role in military-civilian coordination in creating a stable environment in the region. The GOC emphasized that the Army will continue its efforts to promote peace, security, [] The post Army raised operational footprint in Jammu: GOC appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Monumental work in preservation of Kashmir Shaivism unveiled
Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 21: A monumental work in the preservation of Kashmir Shaivism was unveiled at the Amritesh Mahadev Mandir with the release of the transcription of Swami Lakshman Joos illuminating discourses to his devotees on ri Tantraloka, here. This transcription of the discourses in Kashmiri language, meticulously undertaken in the using Devnagari script by Krishan Chand Pandita, stands as a testament to his dedication to preserving the spiritual and cultural legacy of Kashmir. Swami Lakshman Joo, hailed as [] The post Monumental work in preservation of Kashmir Shaivism unveiled appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
ABVP activists releasing poster for 60th State Conference at Mubarak Mandi on Saturday.
ABVP activists releasing poster for 60th State Conference at Mubarak Mandi on Saturday. The post ABVP activists releasing poster for 60th State Conference at Mubarak Mandi on Saturday. appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Patients decry non-availability of nephrologist, limited beds at GMC Bla
Srinagar, Dec 21: Patients from different areas of north Kashmir have been irked due to non-availability of anephrologist and poor bed strength at GMC Baramulla dialysis centre. Patients from different areas of the district said they are facing many issues at the dialysis centre demanding its upgradation. Javid Ahmad, a patient said the facility currently []
Protests in all districts, pressers in 150 cities: Congress to up ante against Amit Shah
Congress is escalating its protests against home minister Amit Shah's remarks on Ambedkar, demanding his resignation. Nationwide protests, press conferences, and an 'Ambedkar Samman Saptah' are planned, culminating in a CWC meeting in Belagavi. The party will submit memorandums to the President and strategize further actions. Congress vows to defend Ambedkar's legacy against what they term Manusmriti worshippers.
Andhra Pradesh to Get 2,000 Electric Buses
Visakhapatnam: In a major step towards sustainable public transport, transport minister Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy announced that the Public Transportation Department (RTC) will soon receive 2,000 electric buses. The announcement was made on Saturday during the inauguration of six new buses at the Parvathipuram Bus Complex. Accompanied by MLA B Vijaya Chandra, Minister Reddy toured the town in the newly introduced buses and stressed the government's commitment to reorganising the RTC and recruiting drivers and conductors. He emphasised the need for developing backward areas like Parvathipuram and assured cooperation in addressing worker issues, citing his family's 40-year association with the RTC. The Minister announced plans to modernise the Parvathipuram RTC infrastructure, including reviewing disciplinary actions for minor infractions and revoking night halt allowances. He discussed strengthening RTC cargo services, leasing properties for 33 years, and seeking central funds for road development. Highlighting efforts to improve sports infrastructure, Minister Reddy announced a sports complex and indoor stadium in Parvathipuram. He laid the foundation for a driving track in Narsipuram and a multi-purpose sports complex at SVD Degree College. Additionally, he inaugurated a fountain at a Seethanagaram bus shelter and planted a sapling at the RTA office. Government Whip Thoyaka Jagadeeswari, Parvathipuram MLA Bonela Vijaya Chandra, district revenue officer K Hemalata, RTC executive director A Vijaya Kumar, and others attended. Outstanding RTC workers were felicitated during the programme.
Congress to hold weeklong campaign seeking Amit Shah's resignation for 'insulting' Ambedkar
NEW DELHI: The Congress will hold protest marches against Union Home Minister Amit Shah for insulting BR Ambedkar and observe a weeklong campaign on the issue, party leaders said on Saturday. As part of the Ambedkar Samman Saptah, Congress workers and leaders will hold marches and press conferences to remember the legacy of B R Ambedkar, they said. The Congress and the BJP are at loggerheads over Shah's remarks on Ambedkar during a debate in Parliament. AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said party MPs and leaders will hold press conferences at 150 locations across the country on December 22 and 23 and workers will take out protest marches across the country on December 24. The Congress has also decided to hold a CWC meeting on December 26 in Belagavi, Karnataka to mark 100 years of the 1924 Indian National Congress session, presided over by Mahatma Gandhi. The party will then hold a rally in Belagavi on December 27. Our agitation demanding Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation will continue! We will fight to protect Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar's legacy against the Manusmriti worshippers, Venugopal said in a post on X. The INC will mark the upcoming week as Dr Ambedkar Samman Saptah, he said. On 24 December, all across the country, we will hold Babasaheb Ambedkar Samman Marches and submit a memorandum to the president of India through District Collectors demanding Amit Shah's resignation. All INC workers will garland Babsaheb's statue, hold his giant portrait at the front of the march and carry huge placards with our key demands, the Congress leader said. On 26-27 December, we will hold an extended CWC session and a mega rally in Belagavi where we will reiterate our commitment to Dr.Ambedkar and his ideals. Jai Bhim! Jai Hind! Venugopal said in his post. Our agitation demanding Home Minister Amit Shahs resignation will continue! We will fight to protect Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkars legacy against the Manusmriti worshippers! INC will mark the upcoming week as Dr. Ambedkar Samman Saptah. All INC MPs, Senior Leaders & CWC Members K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) December 21, 2024 Later addressing a press conference, All India Congress Media and Publicity department head Pawan Khera said, The attack (against Ambedkar) came from none other than the home minister of India, the second most powerful man in this country, Mr.Amit Shah. He is unrepentant.The prime minister is unrepentant. We have demanded his resignation and this demand will be reiterated in these 150 press conferences across the country, Khera said. Criticising their continued defence of Shah's comments, Khera said it is a latant insult to Dr.Ambedkar's legacy. On December 24, he said, in every district headquarter, there will be a Babasaheb Ambedkar Samman march that will be carried out by Congress leaders and workers. Again, we will reiterate our demand, we will give a memorandum through the collector to the President of India and we will be garlanding the statues of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Ji in every district headquarter, he said. He noted that to mark 100 years of Mahatma Gandhi's presidency at the Belagavi Congress Session in 1924, the party will hold an extended CWC meeting on December 26, followed by a large rally on December 27 in Belagavi. Khera emphasised that Mahatma Gandhi ji's leadership transformed the freedom movement by introducing powerful ideas like 'Swaraj' and 'Satyagraha,' which became central to India's independence struggle. Congress demands resignation of Amit Shah over Ambedkar remarks During a debate on the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, Shah had said, Abhi ek fashion ho gaya hai - Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. Itna naam agar Bhagwan ka lete to saat janmon tak swarg mil jata (It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. If they had taken God's name so many times, they would have attained heaven for seven lifetimes). On Wednesday, Shah held a press conference in which he accused the Congress of twisting facts and distorting his comments in the Rajya Sabha. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessed constant protests from treasury benches and opposition members over the alleged insult of Ambedkar until both the houses were adjourned sine die on Friday.
Tamil Nadu CM applauds party MPs sterling performance
Chennai: The ruling BJPs upper class fascist face and hate politics had been exposed by the denigration of B R Ambedkar, the father of the Indian Constitution, by none other than the Union Home Minister even as the 75 th anniversary of the same Constitution was being celebrated, Chief Minister M K Stalin said. Applauding the sterling performance of his party MPs raising a plethora of issues concerning the States rights and peoples welfare in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha during the just concluded winter session, held from November 25 to December 19, Stalin, in a statement on Saturday said that the DMK had set an example for parties in other States. Exulting over the entire nation looking with awe at the DMK members, who raised issues and drew the attention of all when the ruling BJP was more keen on paralyzing the functioning of Parliament and ensuring that there were no discussions on the failures of the union government, he said . Attributing the exemplary manner in which DMK members participated in the debates to the Dravidian movements century old tradition and the mentoring by leaders like M Karunanidhi, Stalin regretted that the standard of the Parliamentary proceedings had deteriorated in general but felt happy that the DMK had salvaged it to some extent. Though data provided by the Parliamentary Affairs Department had said that the winter session saw the Lok Sabha functioning constructively only for 54.5 percent and Rajya Sabha 40 per cent, DMK MPs had made the nation talk about the partys stand on a wide range of issues because they did not fail to discharge their democratic duties even amidst the prevailing pandemonium. Stalin praised party members T R Baalu who tore into the proposal for a One Nation, One Election legislation, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi for her fiery speeches demanding cancellation of license for tungsten mining in Madurai district and opposing the amendment to the Disaster Management Law, Trichi Siva was pointing out the Prime Minister was skipping Parliament and A Raja for his intellectually inspiring speech on the Constitutional nuances among others. The DMK members performance was a slap in the face of those who asked that the MPs would do in Parliament when the party swept the Lok Sabha elections winning all the 40 seats, he said and listed out more than a score of key issues were raised like a demand for diversity in judiciary, condemning the High Court judge who made a communal speech, expedition of highway projects in the State, on the state of airports and so on. The MPs had also demanded the increasing of wages under NREGA and also raising the number of workdays to 150 a year and flayed the Union Government for the step motherly treatment meted out to the State. They had also questioned the Union Government as to why funds were cut for the conduct of archeological surveys in the State, the Chief Minister said.
Bangladeshi Madrasa Students Dressed as ISIS Fighters at Cultural Program
Pune: Dr Abraham Mathai, former Vice-Chairman of Maharashtra State Minorities Commission, has expressed deep concern over alarming reports from Bangladesh at Jessores Jamia Islamia Madrasa that depict students dressed as ISIS militants, holding toy guns, reportedly under the guidance of a cleric. In the madrassas of Bangladesh, displays of jihad are staged. Someone dressed as a militant sits with a raised finger, while their small militant force stands armed with toy guns, toy swords, and toy grenades. When they grow up, they will wield real guns, swords, and grenades pic.twitter.com/YtBBp4Px0e taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) December 19, 2024 These shocking visuals from a cultural program, now viral on social media, raise serious questions about the psychological conditioning of young minds in Bangladesh, Dr Mathai said in a statement. He said the popular Bangladeshi author and feminist Taslima Nasreen has also criticized this, warning that children playing with toy guns today could grow up to wield real weapons tomorrow, a chilling prospect demanding urgent attention. Dr Mathai, also the founder-chairman of the Mumbai-based Harmony Foundation, an NGO, commended Nasreens courage in highlighting the issue and echoed her concerns. What appears to be a cultural program takes on a dangerous undertone when students are dressed as ISIS militants in a Madrasaa place meant to impart religious education, This is not normal. Fancy dress competitions and cultural programs do not typically glorify violent ideologies. The question is: are these institutions subtly grooming children to imbibe extremism as a goal to fulfil their radical ideology? he asserted. Dr Mathai noted that children, like clay, can be shaped in any direction. Such activities risk normalizing violence and indoctrination under the guise of harmless cultural expression, he pointed out. Dr Mathai also criticized the broader trajectory of Bangladesh, drawing parallels with nations like Afghanistan and Syria, where fundamentalist ideologies have disrupted peace and progress. Is this the nation they are heading towards, where children dress up as ISIS militants and Hindu minorities are suppressed every day? he asked. Urging accountability, including the revocation of Bangladesh government chief advisor Muhammad Yunus Nobel Peace Prize, Dr Mathai urged international leaders and organizations to take decisive action to prevent Bangladesh from falling deeper into the abyss of such extremism.
From Heeramandi To Parasite: Asian Movies And TV Shows Which Made A Mark Globally
From compelling period dramas to stories that push boundaries, the East is ruling
Roundtable 2024: Konkona Sensharma, Rasika, Aditi Rao, Nitanshi & Pratibha Discuss Movies & MORE
The year 2024 has proven to be a flourishing year for both veterans and the new force of youth. At the Annual CNN News18 Bollywood Roundtable 2024, seasoned stars Konkona Sensharma (Killer Soup), Rasika Dugal (Shekhar Home), and Aditi Rao Hydari (Heeramandi) joined emerging talents Nitanshi Goel and Pratibha Ranta (Laapaata Ladies) for a fun and insightful conversation with Atika Farooqui. 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
'Ambedkar Samman Saptah': Congress to hold nationwide marches over Amit Shah's remark
Congress plans nationwide protests demanding Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation for alleged disrespect towards Ambedkar. The party has declared a week-long campaign including press conferences, marches, and a memorandum to the President. They accuse Shah of mocking the invocation of Ambedkar's name during a parliamentary discussion on the Constitution.
Vidya Malavade: My life is manifestation
Vidya Malavade, the talented actress, is riding high on the success of her Netflix web series Mismatched Season 3. In a freewheeling chat with Deccan Chronicle, Vidya talks about her experience with the show and what makes it click. The simplicity in which the show is written aboutthe universal language of love and everything that is associated with love is what makes it work, Vidya explains. Thats why I think its just hit a chord with everyone whos seen the show and has loved it and seen it multiple times and has absolutely fallen in love with all the characters that are there on the show. Vidyas character, Zeenat, has undergone significant transformation from season 1 to season 3. What a transformation shes had, Vidya says. I absolutely love Zeenat. And to embody her was something else. There are a lot of similarities between me and Zeenat, of course. And I love how progressive she is. One of the most memorable experiences for Vidya was wearing the cat suit in season 2. Season two was absolutely crazy, Vidya recalls. That whole thing about wearing the cat suit was something else. Vidya has played diverse roles throughout her career, from Chak De to Inside Edge and Mismatched. When asked about her dream character, Vidya says, I would love to be a part of comedy space because everybody who knows me calls me entertainment dot com. So I would love to be playing a comedy part hopefully soon. Zeenat had a little bit of it, but not too much. Vidya is also a trained Kathak dancer and would love to play a courtesan role, like in Umrao Jaan or Heeramandi. That would be wonderful. Manifest, manifest. When asked if Vidya believes in manifestation. She says, A 100pc. My life is manifestation. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Netflix India (@netflix_in) Talkin g about her future project, Vidya says, Mismatched 3 is trending at number one on Netflix, with seasons one and two also in the top ten. I also have a theatrical release, Sangee coming up on January 17. It's a fun film and I am excited to be back on the big screen.
Civil-Military coordination instrumental in creating stable environment: Lt Gen Sachdeva
Rajouri: Lt Gen Navin Sachdeva, General Officer Commanding (GOC), White Knight Corps, visited Rajouri to strengthen civil-military ties and recognize the pivotal role of local communities and veterans in maintaining peace and stability in the region. During the visit, Lt Gen Sachdeva praised the synergy between the civilian population and security forces, particularly in the [] The post Civil-Military coordination instrumental in creating stable environment: Lt Gen Sachdeva appeared first on Northlines .
Defence Ministry recommends MoRTH approval for Bhubhu Jot tunnel in Himachal
CHANDIGARH: The Union Ministry of Defence has recommended the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) for approval of the Bhubhu Jot tunnel in Himachal Pradesh as an alternative route to Leh-Ladakh to be designated as a project of strategic importance. The Ministry of Defence highlighted the critical role the highway and tunnel would play, significantly enhancing the operational readiness of the armed forces in forward areas. Apart from its strategic significance, the tunnel was expected to bring substantial socio-economic benefits to the region and budgetary provisions for the project will now be made accordingly. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the he path for the construction of the much-awaited Bhubu Jot Tunnel in Himachal Pradesh has been cleared and he reaffirmed the state governments unwavering commitment to the Bhubu Jot Tunnel project. I personally met the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on October 25 to request prioritization of this project while considering its strategic importance. The issue was also raised with Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. The construction of this tunnel would be a milestone for the development of the state, he said. The proposed Bhubu Jot Tunnel would reduce the distance between Kangra and Kullu by 55 kilometers once it is completed, the distance between Kullu and Dharamsala or Pathankot will be reduced. The road will begin from Kullu and join the Mandi-Pathankot National Highway at Ghatasni via Lag Valley, Bhubu Jot and Shilh-Badhwaniand and will deliver immense benefits to the local population and boosting tourism in the region thereby strengthening the economy of the people. The state government was prioritizing tunnel construction to enhance road connectivity, promote sustainable development and minimize environmental impact. The construction of the Bhubu Jot Tunnel would be a transformative step for the development of Himachal Pradesh. This project would not only strengthen strategic infrastructure but also catalyze socio-economic growth in the region, Sukhu added. Bhubu Jot remains covered with heavy snow during winter and the proposed tunnel will provide all-weather road connectivity. The tunnel is strategically important as it will reduce the distance from Pathankot to Manali by around 63 km and lessen the travel time by two hours. Former Chief Minister PK Dhumal had announced its construction in 2009.
Mandira Bedi, who began her acting career in the 1990s, transitioned to television in the 2000s and became a presenter during the 2003 Cricket World Cup.
Sanjay Raut claims Shiv Sena and Congress also contributed to Ram Mandir mov
Raut attacked Bhagwat and said that he is the one who brought such people to power and now should take responsibility
40 kgs silver, cash seized from ex-constable's house in MP
Bhopal: Authorities in Madhya Pradesh uncovered a significant hoard of silver and cash during a raid on the residence of a former Transport Department constable. The raid, conducted by the Economic Offenses Wing (EOW), resulted in the seizure of 40 kilograms of silver and a substantial amount of unaccounted cash, officials confirmed. The former constable, whose name has not been disclosed, is under investigation for allegedly amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income. The raid was part of a larger crackdown on corruption and financial irregularities involving government officials in the state. During the search, investigators reportedly found silver bars and ornaments hidden in various parts of the house. In addition to the silver, stacks of cash were discovered, though the exact amount has yet to be disclosed. Officials are also examining property documents and other valuables seized during the operation. The EOW stated that preliminary evidence suggests the former constable used his position to demand bribes and engage in corrupt practices over several years. The scale of assets uncovered indicates a systematic misuse of power and illicit financial activities, said an official involved in the investigation. This is not the first case of disproportionate assets being unearthed in Madhya Pradesh, where several similar raids have exposed corruption among government officials. Authorities are now tracing the financial trail and verifying the source of the seized assets. Legal proceedings against the former constable are expected to follow, with potential charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The incident has sparked public outrage, with citizens demanding stricter action against corrupt officials to ensure accountability within government departments.
Virat Kohli's pub in Bengaluru gets civic body's notice
Virat Kohli's Bengaluru pub, One8 Commune, faces scrutiny for alleged fire safety violations. The establishment, located in a high-rise building, reportedly lacks a fire department no-objection certificate. Civic authorities issued a notice demanding clarification within seven days, threatening legal action if ignored. This follows a previous complaint and highlights concerns about fire safety in similar establishments.
Fans happy as makers remove 2 female celebs from Bigg Boss 18
Mumbai: Bigg Boss 18 has witnessed an intense week filled with unexpected twists and turns. In a shocking mid-week elimination, wildcard contestant Digvijay Rathee was ousted from the house, leaving fans outraged. Many took to social media to express their disappointment, demanding his return and accusing the makers of bias and unfair treatment. While fans 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 .
Hyderabad: Home Guard Seeks Reinstatement By Climbing on Tower Near LB Stadium
Hyderabad: A former home guard climbed a tower near the LB Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday demanding reinstatement in service. The home guard identified as Anjaneyulu alleged that he and 250 other home guards were removed from service for participating in the Telangana movement before the formation of Telangana.
Sambhal Temple Survey | ASI Survey at Sambhals Kalkimandir: What Mysteries Await? | UP News
| ASI survey underway in Sambhal's Kalkimandir! A team from the Archaeological Survey of India is conducting a survey at the centuries-old Kalkimandir in Sambhal Breaking news from Sambhal! The Archaeological Survey of India has begun a detailed survey at the centuries-old Kalkimandir. What secrets could this ancient temple hold? Will the findings shed new light on its history and significance? Stay tuned as we bring you the latest updates and expert insights! n18oc_indiaNews18 Mobile App - https://onelink.to/desc-youtube
What will Syrias future look like? Answer could lie in other Arab countries recent pasts
Cairo: Even with hopes running high, so much can go wrong when a country ousts a longtime dictator and tries to start anew. The Middle Eastern and North African nations that attempted to transition to democracy in recent years can attest to that. Now its Syrias turn to try to get it right. Its hard to draw lessons from the experiences of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, and Sudan since the wave of Arab Spring uprisings that began in 2011, as each countrys dynamics are different, But there are common themes. In some cases, the Revolution was lost when armed factions battled it out for power or an ambitious would-be strongman emerged. In others, the military refused to cede control to civilians or foreign countries fueled conflicts by backing one side or another with money and weapons. Questions must be asked before major decisions are made that can spark a destabilizing backlash: How do you deal with the old police state purge or compromise? What do you do first, hold elections, or write a constitution? And how do you fix a crippled economy riddled with corruption? So far, Syrias transition has been surprisingly smooth. But its only been two weeks since President Bashar Assad was toppled, and many of those same dangers lurk in the background. The insurgents who ousted Assad are rooted in extremist Islamist ideology, and though they have vowed to create a pluralist system, it isnt clear how or whether they plan to share power. Other armed factions or even remnants of Assads feared security forces could lash out. And it remains to be seen whether the Kurds, who hold autonomous rule in the east, will be brought back into the fold, especially when Turkey fiercely opposes the main Kurdish faction. Groups such as the Alawites, to whom Assads family belongs, fear being squeezed out of any role, or worse, being targeted for revenge. Heres a look at the power dynamics in some of these other countries: Yemen Protests forced Yemens Ali Abdullah Saleh to resign in November 2011, ending his 33-year rule. Under a deal brokered by Gulf countries, Saleh received immunity and handed his powers to his vice president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. Hadi was to serve as caretaker president for two years, during which a new constitution would be written, leading eventually to elections. But Saleh, who remained in the capital, Sanaa, allied himself with Houthi rebels based in the north his longtime enemy -- in a bid to regain power. Backed by Salehs loyalists, the Houthis seized Sanaa and much of the populated center of the country. Hadi and his government fled south, where they were based in the city of Aden, and controlled southern and much of eastern Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition of Arab countries launched a bombardment campaign aimed at restoring Hadis government. Since then, Yemen has been torn by a civil war that has killed more than 150,000 people and caused one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises. The war became a proxy conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Yemen has remained split between the Houthis, who later broke with Salehs camp and killed Saleh, and Hadis government. Various militias nominally back Hadi but also have their own interests and are funded by the United Arab Emirates. Libya Libyas Moammar Gadhafi met the most violent end of any of the regions strongmen. An uprising turned into a civil war, and then with NATO backing, the rebels seized the capital, Tripoli, and killed a fleeing Gadhafi in October 2011. The oil-rich nation quickly splintered into regions controlled by a dizzying array of militias, including local and tribal groups, nationalists and mainstream Islamist factions, and diehard jihadis such as al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. Attempts to stitch it back together with elections or agreements have failed. A disputed parliamentary election in 2014 led to two rival administrations: one in the east backed by powerful military commander Khalifa Hifter, and the other in the west based in Tripoli which is backed by militias and recognized by the United Nations. Hifter tried to seize the West in 2019, triggering a 14-month war. Then, an attempt at a unity government and new elections fell apart, and once again Libya was left split between east-west governments. Foreign powers, including Russia, Turkey, and the UAE, backed various sides. European countries have funneled money to the Tripoli government trying to stem the flow of migrants from Africa through Libya toward Europe, but the money has largely helped fund militias. Efforts to end the conflict remain deadlocked. Sudan In Sudan, the powerful military has thwarted attempts to transition to an elected civilian government. Pro-democracy protests prompted the military to remove strongman Omar al-Bashir in April 2019, and the generals took power for themselves. The protesters stayed in the streets, demanding a handover of power to civilians, despite a crackdown that killed hundreds. Finally, the generals agreed to a power-sharing deal with the pro-democracy alliance that led the protests. A civilian prime minister led a Cabinet backed by a council headed by two powerful generals, including one notorious for atrocities committed in Darfur and during the 2019 crackdown on protesters. But just before the military was supposed to hand over the councils leadership to civilians, the generals orchestrated a coup. A few months later, in April 2023, the generals turned on each other, triggering a war in which their forces have battled throughout the country, including in the capital, Khartoum. The war has been marked by atrocities, caused widespread hunger, and driven millions from their homes, becoming the worlds worst displacement crisis. Tunisia The Arab Spring started in Tunisia more than 13 years ago. Until recently, the country was hailed as a role model in the transition to democracy. It held free elections and drafted a constitution lauded by Western rights groups. But since being elected in 2019, President Kais Saied has increased his powers in what activists call a backslide from democracy. Saied temporarily suspended the parliament, redrafted the constitution, and launched a crackdown on his opponents, imprisoning hundreds allegedly for undermining state security a claim autocrats have long used to stamp out dissent. Egypt The military has been the main power player in Egypt. It seized direct control after 18 days of protests forced longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak to resign on Feb. 11, 2011. Within 15 months, parliamentary and presidential elections were held. The Muslim Brotherhood, the most powerful opposition force during Mubaraks era, swept both votes. Despite repeatedly insisting it wouldnt seek to dominate politics, it formed a majority in parliament and created a Brotherhood-led government. Over the next year, turmoil increased over accusations by opponents that the Brotherhood was unfairly imposing its will on the country, including writing an Islamist-leaning constitution. Many, including the large Coptic Christian minority, feared Islamist rule. Amid anti-Brotherhood protests, the military stepped in and removed President Mohammed Morsi in July 2013, a move supported by many secular parties and activists. It launched a ferocious crackdown on the Brotherhood, killing hundreds. Militant violence swelled with attacks on security forces and Christians. Military chief Abdel Fattah el-Sissi was elected president in 2014 and has since increased the influence of the army on the government and economy. The government has gone further than Mubarak did in stifling dissent, arresting Islamists and secular activists, and silencing media criticism.
Chennai residents, AIFC petition GCC to scrap proposed waste-to-energy incinerator in Kodungaiyur
Chennai: Chennai residents and the Alliance for Incinerator-Free Chennai (AIFC) members filed a petition to the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) Commissioner on Tuesday demanding the scrapping of the proposed Waste-to-Energy (WTE) incinerator plant in Kodungaiyur. Over 200 residents, civil society organisations and environmentalists endorsed the representation letter . The proposed WTE plant will process 2,100 tons of mixed garbage daily in an area that already hosts 36 red-category factories and the city's largest garbage dump. Residents emphasise that this will violate the principles of environmental justice and cause further distress to the community. We already live in a place where the air, water, and land are polluted due to hazardous industries. Most of us suffer from illnesses caused by this pollution, and if this project goes ahead, it will only worsen our health and quality of life. We cannot tolerate any more pollution and its consequences, said Sarath Kumar (Vyasai Thozhargal), a resident of Vyasarpadi. We are poor and we mostly work as daily wage labourers, but we are also living beings, we are also people of India who have equal rights to live a dignified life, he added. Threat to public health Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) plans to establish a heavily polluting WTE incinerator plant in Kodungaiyur, which is already grappling with severe pollution. The waste generated in Chennai has about 60 per cent biodegradable matter , with high moisture content and low calorific value, resulting in incomplete combustion. The process generates pollutants such as SOx, NOx, PM 2.5, PM 10, HCL, heavy metals, dioxins, furans among others. Additionally, non-combustible materials produce 30-40 per cent ash , ending up in landfills. Communities living near these plants are severely impacted by exposure to highly toxic chemicals emitted from them. Children are especially vulnerable, with studies showing reduced lung function and lower IQs due to their exposure to toxic emissions. Studies show that exposure to such toxic emissions can severely impact the health of people, especially children, living near the incinerator plants. Studies report that children who had been exposed to the emissions had reduced lung function and lower IQs. A recent investigation by The New York Times compounded study findings by highlighting the failure of WTE incinerators in Delhi: People living closer to the plants reported a sharp rise in cancer, asthma and other respiratory difficulties; pollution levels too were exacerbated, significantly impacting public health. Citing public health as the primary point of concern, several civil society organisations and local communities have submitted complaints to the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), calling for the cancellation of the Kodungaiyur project. Costs not justified Experts warn that mass burning of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) contradicts Indias Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, which require waste segregation at source and decentralized waste processing. According to the CSIR-NEERI report , WTE incineration undermines the potential for a circular economy. Once operational, the plant will release CO2 emissions equivalent to 8.9 lakh of passenger cars daily , worsening Chennais air quality. Furthermore, the proposed plant will produce one of the most expensive forms of electricity in India, with a capital expenditure of around Rs 33 crore per megawatt and production costs of Rs 7 per unit, making it a financially unsustainable model. Instead of relying on end-of-pipeline solutions that only exacerbate environmental and health crises, the government must prioritize sustainable and socially just waste management practices. This includes capping waste production, promoting waste minimization, enforcing segregation, and supporting decentralised processing, said Geo Damin, a member of AIFC. Call for sustainable waste management Chennai residents and AIFC demand the scrapping of the proposed WTE incineration plant citing the health, environmental, livelihood and climate impacts. They call for a more sustainable and equitable systemic approach to waste management, pushing for the effective implementation of local by-laws on waste segregation and decentralized processing, alongside penalties for non-compliance. Additionally, the group advocates for measures to reduce the production and use of single-use plastics (SUPs) within the local body jurisdiction.
Woman receives dead body in parcel in West Godavari district
VIJAYAWADA: In a shocking incident, a woman in Yendagandi village of West Godavari district received a parcel containing the body of an unidentified person on Thursday night. The incident was reported at Yendagandi village in Undi mandal of West Godavari district. The parcel also contained a letter demanding the woman, identified as Naga Tulasi, Rs 1.3 crore. She immediately alerted the police, who rushed to the spot and collected clues from the scene. The body was sent to Bhimavaram Government General Hospital for post-mortem. Elaborating on the case, West Godavari Superintendent of Police (SP) Adnan Nayeem Asmi told TNIE that Tulasi had sought financial aid from Kshatriya Seva Samithi for constructing her house. In response, the organisation had sent her two consignments containing tiles and paint a few months ago. When she asked for more help, representatives of the Samithi reportedly promised to send her electrical appliances, including lights, fans, and switchboards. They had confirmed the same through a WhatsApp message. Subsequently, a person delivered the box to the woman at her doorstep on Thursday night and even informed her that it contained electrical appliances. Special police teams formed to nab accused However, when she opened the box, she found the body. There was also a letter in the parcel, demanding Tulasi to pay Rs 1.30 crore or face consequences, the SP added. Stating that representatives of the Kshatriya Seva Samithi were summoned and questioned, the SP said, The body is of a man aged about 45 years. He may have died four days ago. All police stations have been alerted and instructed to check for missing cases so that the man can be identified. Suspecting a conspiracy, the police officer informed this newspaper that Tulasis family members were not cooperating with the investigation. We have questioned the family members is they had any disputes with relatives or other persons, he said. Further, special police teams have been formed to track the vehicle and the person who delivered the parcel. He asserted that the case will be solved soon.
Kohli, Smith, Root Will Decide Their Retirement, Not When Others Tell Them: Greg Chappell
Elite Performance Decline Syndrome: Former Australia cricketer Greg Chappell believes that for the modern greats of cricket like Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, and Joe Root, the end will come, but not when others tell them, but when they know. Chappell also reflected on the inevitable decline of elite batsmen and how it manifests in the careers of modern greats like Kohli, Smith, and Root. Chappell examines the phenomenon he calls Elite Performance Decline Syndrome (EPDS), offering a rare glimpse into the mental and physical battles faced by cricketers in the twilight of their careers. Chappell begins by observing how decline, while gradual, is unmistakable. Even the best playersthose who once dominated with flair and certaintystart to show signs of hesitation. For players like Kohli, Smith, and Root, the decline isnt dramatic, Chappell wrote in an opinion piece for The Sydney Morning Herald. Its subtlea shift in approach, a caution that replaces the instinctive dominance of their prime. For Kohli, Smith, and Root, the end will comenot when others tell them, but when they know, Chappell writes. The battle against time is not about winning; its about finishing with dignity, on their own terms. Kohli, who once intimidated bowlers with his commanding starts, has begun to exhibit a cautious approach. He now builds his innings differently, often needing 20 or 30 runs to regain the fluency that once came naturally, Chappell notes. This hesitancy, Chappell argueed, is emblematic of EPDS. Kohlis instinctive aggression, tempered by the weight of expectations and the fear of failure, has made him more risk-averse. Confidence is everything for an elite athlete, Chappell writes. When doubt creeps in, it disrupts the clarity required to dominate. Kohlis internal battle is clearhis desire to attack versus his cautious approach to survival. Steve Smith, known for his unorthodox brilliance and extraordinary ability to grind out runs, is battling a different facet of EPDS. Smiths decline has been more mental than physical, Chappell suggests. The intense focus and meticulous preparation that defined Smiths batting are harder to sustain as time goes on. Fatigueboth mental and physicalis a silent enemy, Chappell writes. For Smith, maintaining that razor-sharp focus over long innings has become increasingly challenging. The weight of expectations, from fans and teammates alike, only adds to the emotional toll. For Joe Root, the battle is as much about mindset as it is about form. Roots graceful stroke play and ability to adapt to any situation have remained hallmarks of his game. However, Chappell notes a subtle shift in his intent. Roots ability to dominate spinners and pace alike is still there, but his willingness to take risks has diminished, Chappell observes. Roots challenge lies in rekindling the joy of batting, something that often fades under the weight of responsibility. The hardest thing isnt the bowler at the other end, Chappell writes. Its the silence in your own head when you know youre not the player you once were. Chappell delved into the scientific underpinnings of EPDS, explaining how ageing impacts both the mind and body. These changes are inevitable, Chappell writes. The challenge is how players like Kohli, Smith, and Root adapt to them. For players from cricket-mad nations like India, Australia, and England, the pressures of decline are magnified by public scrutiny. Chappell highlighted how every slump in form is dissected by fans and pundits, adding to the mental burden. These players are not just fighting their own battles, Chappell writes. Theyre carrying the weight of millions of fans who demand perfection. He recalls Sunil Gavaskars words: The hardest part of batting is knowing you arent what you were. Despite the challenges, Chappell believed that great players find ways to adapt. He points to Kohlis recent performances, where after cautious starts, he rediscovered his rhythm and delivered match-winning innings. Similarly, Smiths ability to grind through tough conditions and Roots adaptability to different formats are testaments to their resilience. Reaching 20 or 30 runs acts as a psychological turning point, Chappell writes. Its a moment where the rhythm of their younger selves resurfaces, reminding themand uswhy theyre among the greatest of all time. Chappell concluded by reflecting on his own career and the emotional struggle of letting go. In his final Test at the SCG, he summoned the mental focus of his younger self to score a century, a fitting end to his journey. Chappell also urged fans to celebrate these players not just for their peak performances but for their resilience in the face of decline. Chappell concluded by reflecting on his own career and the emotional struggle of letting go. In his final Test at the SCG, he summoned the mental focus of his younger self to score a century, a fitting end to his journey. Also Read: Highest tax paying cricketers Article Source: IANS
Ex-home guard climbs flood light in Hyderabads LB stadium, demands reinstatement
Hyderabad: A former home guard climbed a floodlight at the LB Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday, December 20, to protest against the Telangana government demanding reinstatement in service. The home guard identified as Anjaneyulu alleged that he and 250 other home guards were chucked out of service for participating in the Telangana movement before the 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 .
Congress, AAP stage protests against Amit Shah, CT Ravi in Bengaluru
BENGALURU: The Congress on Friday staged protests against Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his Ambedkar remarks and against BJP MLC C T Ravi for his alleged derogatory remark against Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar. The AAP and various Dalit organisations also staged a series of protests separately demanding the resignation of Shah. Led by women Congress president Sowmya Reddy, party workers laid siege to the BJP office in Malleshwaram. They urged that Ravi should be dismissed from his MLC post. When they tried to force their way inside the office, the police took them to preventive custody. In the evening, Youth Congress workers staged a torch light protest at Anand Rao Circle. Aam Aadmi Party workers staged a protest at Freedom Park, stating that Shah is unfit to continue as a Union minister. He should resign immediately, said Bengaluru City General Secretary Jagadish Chandra, who led the protest.Ambedkar is equal to God for all of us and the party will not tolerate anyone who makes statements that insult our God, he added.
Design changes to Parikrama project on the cards in Odisha
BHUBANESWAR: The Srimandir Parikrama, the ambitious project launched by the previous BJD government, will soon see a change in its design. Yagna Mandaps will be added to the 75-metre heritage corridor around the 12th-century Shree Jagannath temple. Law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said the government is considering the construction of mandaps like Kruta Yagna, Anna Yagna and Gyana Yagna and the modalities will be decided within two to three months. Deliberations on change of design and new elements are currently underway. Since the Parikrama project is associated with the religious sentiments of the Odias, the matter will be discussed properly, he said while speaking to media persons in the city. The Law minister added that change in Parikrama design has been under consideration of the state government for some time. With addition of new elements to the old design, a new design change will be made to the project, the Law minister said. During its inauguration in January, the Srotriya Brahmins who were appointed by Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb for conducting maha yagna for the inauguration, had urged the then chief minister Naveen Patnaik to retain four yagna kundas which were set up for the purpose. They had said that the yagna kundas can be used to revive the tradition of maha yagnas in the shrine. Meanwhile, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has decided to implement a dress code for Supakar servitors who are responsible for selling Mahaprasad in the Ananda Bazaar from December 25. As per the decision, which has been approved by the Suara Mahasuara Nijog, they will wear saffron-coloured uniforms. The decision has been taken to prevent unauthorised servitors from selling Mahaprasad, dry prasad, khaja and other items in Ananda Bazaar.
Rain casts cloud on fate of paddy crop, farmers in Odisha
BERHAMPUR/JEYPORE: The low pressure-induced rain has emerged as a serious threat to paddy crops leaving farmers of Ganjam and Koraput increasingly alarmed. Farmers of Ganjam, who were threatened by untimely rains last week, are now in a fix as fresh showers on Friday compounded their crop loss worries. They said after the fresh spell of showers, crop fields have been inundated by rainwater. A farmer of the Khamarigaon area in Digapahandi block Simanchal Choudhury said the rain has raised fears of crop loss among farmers who were waiting for their harvested paddy to dry in fields before threshing. Rainwater has now entered the crop fields leaving farmers in distress. Echoing similar views, Chakrapani Tarai of Chhatrapur block said to drain out rainwater from fields, farmers have dug small outlets. But the crop has become wet, which is the main worry now. As the IMD has predicted rains for another day or two, it will lead to extensive crop damage as the grains have started falling from the stem. Besides, the paddy will be discoloured and not match the FAQ. It may cause heavy loss to farmers, he rued. While agriculture experts said more rains will pose problems for paddy due to moisture at the time of lifting, farmers urged the administration to relax the FAQ norms and save them from losses. However, civil supplies officer (CSO) Puspa Munda said there is no possibility for any relaxation. Paddy procurement in Ganjam will start from December 23 and 1,46,500 farmers have registered to sell their produce. Over 1,39 lakh tokens have already been given to farmers. The rest tokens will be distributed once the survey to detect fake farmers is completed. Similarly in Koraput, the rains halted paddy harvesting activities as farmers scurried to save their crops. Sources said moderate to heavy rains lashed different parts of the tribal region when harvesting and threshing of paddy was at its peak. The kharif harvesting process started in Jeypore, Kundra, Borigumma and Kotpad under Jeypore sub-division in the first week of December. Around 50 per cent of the paddy crops in 45,000 ha of land were harvested till date. However, the rains put a stop on all farm activities. A farmer of Ambaguda village Rajesh Madala said many farmers had left their paddy crop in the fields to dry after harvesting. As the crops have become wet due to the rain, there is a possibility of damage to the grains. Procurement is underway in the district and we cant wait for another seven to 10 days to get rid of the moisture from the harvested paddy, he said. Manoj Patra of Kunturkhal village said farmers will suffer huge losses due to moisture in the paddy. We are ready to take the paddy stock to local mandis for procurement. However, the rains have damaged the paddy badly and it may reflect on its FAQ, he added. Paddy procurement commenced on December 11 in the Koraput district.
Christian community takes out Christmas procession in Jammu city
Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 20: Ahead of Christmas festival, a grand and colourful procession was taken out in Jammu City by the enthusiastic Christian community, here today. Organized under the banner of J&K Joint Churches Fellowship, the procession began from Shahidi Chowk and passed through Residency Road, Raghunath Bazar, City Chowk, Shalamar Road, Parade, Library Chowk, Kachi Chawni, Panjtirthi, CPO Chowk, Jain Bazar, Link Road and Purani Mandi, before culminating back to the Shahidi Chowk. Santa Claus and tableaus with [] The post Christian community takes out Christmas procession in Jammu city appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Bayern Munich thrash RB Leipzig 5-1 in Bundesliga
Bayern Munich ended 2024 on a high, registering a commanding 5-1 victory over RB Leipzig at the Allianz Arena.
Hockey India League a big boost for youngsters: PR Sreejesh
CHENNAI: There is something about PR Sreejesh. He is always ebullient, seems at peace with himself and more than anything he is shrouded in an aura of positivity. Always cheerful and articulate, Sreejesh speaks his mind. During a short conversation, he felt that his stint as coach of the junior team had been fantastic. India won the junior mens Asia Cup title beating Pakistan in the final. The first major outing, in his words, was a good job. Sreejesh said that the revival of the Hockey India League was a big step. The league is like an international match where top players from across the world play and it is a platform where youngsters can learn and grow, Sreejesh said during a Zoom interaction on Friday. He said that like earlier editions, domestic players will benefit from it. With the HIL set to begin in the last week of December, Sreejeshs role has changed coaching to an administrator. Right now he is the Director and mentor of the Delhi SG Pipers team. The two-time Olympic bronze medal winner with the India hockey team said even this stint too would be interesting. Sreejesh realised that coaching was not easy either. Playing was easier than coaching, he said. As a player, you just need to worry about your own business. But now you are the boss of 40 players and another eight staff under you. You are responsible for everything. Then it is a new role. But I am enjoying it. I always say this on the field, the goalkeepers always act like a coach. You are commanding the defenders or organizing them, communicating with the midfielders and forwards. It has slightly changed now. I used to yell from the back or the goalpost but now I am yelling from the sidelines. Hockey is something which I had known for the last 24 years and teaching that game to the youngsters is something I am enjoying seriously, Sreejesh mentioned. It is not always that international players are inducted as coaches just after retirement. Sreejesh is an aberration. The moment he retired after the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, he was offered the role of a coach for the junior national team. It happened unexpectedly, admitted Sreejesh, adding that he was hoping to take a break for two years and spend some time with the family. I just wanted to join the junior team not as a chief coach. I spoke with my family first about this offer from Hockey India. She said we are happy if you take us with you. We can shift to Bangalore because being a coach you get an apartment. About his new role as director of the Delhi team, Sreejesh felt that this would give him an opportunity to learn something about sports administration. He said that when Mahesh Bhupathi (CEO of the team) approached him and told him to help build the team he was more than willing to join. I have been in the sport for quite a long time and I know who are the best players, so I said yes, he said. Sreejesh has given an example of how HIL can help players. It is like this. When I step into a new franchisee in HIL, I'm going to be with some of the best foreign players. And I am going to learn everything from him. From the dining hall, what he eats what are the things he eats before a match his daily routine on a match day. How he prepares for a match or behaves before, during, and after a match. How he motivates a player when the team continuously loses or how he talks to a player when the team is winning. Sreejesh said that HIL helps because every country has its own style. India, we got a culture, we do have a style. The Europeans have theirs so do Australians. So you are getting a platform where you can learn. The former India goalkeeper also said that playing in front of a good crowd also helps. These youngsters who are 18, 17 or 20 and are dreaming about becoming a part of a senior team are getting the experience playing to play in front of a huge crowd, he said. I think that is an important part. Pressure management is something that is really important for becoming an elite or mature player. Sreejesh felt more than anything else he would want his Delhi team to enjoy their games. If they enjoy they will play well and win, he said. Sreejesh said he would be happy if the team finished in the top four. Watch the Hockey India League from 28th December 2024 onwards at 7:30 PM IST live on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi), Sand ony Sports Ten 4 SD & HD (Tamil & Telugu).
Yogi Adityanath Slams Temple Desecration After Bhagwats Remarks
New Delhi: A day after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat talked about inclusivity and gave a call to avoid raking up temple-mosque disputes, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday highlighted the destruction of Hindu temples in various parts of the country in the past. The Uttar Pradesh CM reiterated that protection of Sanatan Dharma is essential for world peace. Citing Kashi Vishwanath temple, Ayodhyas Ram Mandir, Mathuras Krishna Janambhoomi, and Sambhals Harihar Bhoomi temples, the Uttar Pradesh CM asserted that bhautik vikas (development) cannot be sustained by neglecting the heritage. Continuing his tirade against the emple destroyers, Adityanath, whose atenge to katenge slogan was seen as a gamechanger by many in the BJP during the Maharashtra Assembly polls, also asserted that the descendants of those who desecrated these temples will be destroyed. The CM reiterated that Sanatan Dharma is the only way to establish world peace. The Uttar Pradesh CM was speaking at a religious event in Ayodhya, where he also mentioned atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan and asked, I want to ask who were those people who destroyed the Sanatan Dharmas places of pride in the country and why did they do it? It was a part of the conspiracy to make the whole Earth a hell by carrying out these barbaric acts Whether it was Ayodhya's Ram Janmabhoomi, Mathura's Krishna Janmabhoomi or Sambhals Hariharbhoomi...these places were destroyed, desecrated or made impure The lineage and descendants of those who desecrated these temples will be destroyed, said Adityanath. Talking about ongoing atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said, Do not forget that it is only the Sanatan dharma that has given refuge, protection and an opportunity to live and prosper to all castes, religions and sects in times of adversity But are Hindus being treated the same in other parts of the world? What is happening in Bangladesh today or what happened in Pakistan or Afghanistan? I want to ask who destroyed the symbols of Sanatan dharma and why? Adityanath asked Indians to be prepared so that the country does not have to face gulami ki bediyan again and see its religious places getting desecrated. Adityanath's remarks came a day after the RSS chief, at an event in Pune, had said that one does not become a Hindu leader by building a Ram temple and spoke about developing a model of harmony in the country that could be adopted by the world. The Ram temple is a matter of faith for HindusHindus believed the Ram temple should be constructed. But by doing that, one does not become a Hindu leader We talk of becoming Vishwaguru (global leader) and not Mahashakti (superpower). This is because we have seen how people behave after becoming superpowers. To achieve selfish gains for the sake of supremacy is not our path, Bhagwat had said on Thursday. The RSS chief said, ... We have to show the world that we can do it togethermany sects and ideologies that accommodate everyone
Kishan Reddy Accuses Congress of Attacking Ambedkars Legacy
Hyderabad: Union minister G. Kishan Reddy alleged that the Congress was frustrated over its series of defeats in state polls and resorting to cheap gimmicks to halt Parliament proceedings, attacking NDA MPs and demeaning the architect of the Constitution Dr B.R. Ambedkar. Talking to newsmen after meeting injured MPs at RML Hospital in Delhi on Friday, Kishan Reddy charged that the Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was shedding crocodile tears about Ambedkar. Expressing shock over the alleged attack by Rahul Gandhi and his supporters on two NDA MPs in the Parliament, Kishan Reddy said that the Congress had a history of insulting Ambedkar, defeating him in the direct elections and even had put pressure to remove him from the Union Cabinet. The party has given Bharat Ratna to three members of the Nehru family, but denied the same award to Ambedkar, who is regarded as the founding father of the Indian Republic, he said. Kishan Reddy alleged that Congress had insulted Ambedkar at every level and refused to put his portrait in the Central Hall of the Parliament. The people in general and Dalit communities in particular are aware of how Congress had ditched Ambedkar and they had rewarded the party by defeating it in every election. The Congress had realised that it was fast losing ground in the country and resorting to cheap political gimmicks. On the other hand, the Narendra Modi-led government is working to realise the ideals of Ambedkar and developed all the places associated with him as tourist destinations as Panch Teerth, he said. There is nothing wrong if Rahul Gandhi tries to look young by wearing a T-shirt. But considering himself as a youth and attacking our party MPs is highly concerning. The entire society is condemning the action of Rahul Gandhi. Owning responsibility for such an action, Rahul Gandhi must seek an apology from the nation, Kishan Reddy demanded. The BJP MPs from Telangana including Union minister of state for home affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar and BJP politburo member Dr K. Laxman visited the RML Hospital, where injured MPs Chandrapratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput are undergoing treatment. The BJP MPs from Telangana including D.K. Aruna, Etala Rajender, Gudem Nagesh and Konda Vishweshwar Reddy have staged a protest in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue by holding placards demanding action against Rahul Gandhi and others for attacking a tribal woman MP and others.
One Nation, One Election bills referred to JPC amid Opposition protest
Parliamentary proceedings were disrupted and ultimately adjourned indefinitely due to Opposition protests. The dissent stemmed from Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, with Opposition members demanding an apology. Despite the uproar, a resolution to refer two amendment bills to a Joint Committee was passed by voice vote.
Andhra Govt. Increases Job Quota for Sports Persons From 2 to 3%
Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh government has unveiled a comprehensive sports policy aimed at transforming the state into a hub for sports and nurturing talent at all levels. State sports minister Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy announced the policy while inaugurating a Rs 6 crore multi-purpose indoor hall at the Vizzy Stadium in Vizianagaram district on Friday. Ramprasad Reddy highlighted the need to revitalise the sports sector in Andhra Pradesh which, he said, had weakened over the past five years. He announced plans to increase job reservations for sportspersons from 2 per cent to 3 per cent and incentives for athletes who excel in national and international competitions. Dwelling on preparations for hosting the National Games in Amaravati in 2027, the minister said sports facilities will be created in every constituency. He underlined the government's commitment to integrating education with sports, which play a crucial role in the development of youth. He revealed plans to establish a sports school in Vizianagaram. Speaking on the occasion, MLA Aditi Gajapathi Raju expressed concern over the neglect of Vizzy Stadium, which had originally been inaugurated by former chief minister N.T. Rama Rao in 1983. She said her father Ashok Gajapathi Raju had been worried about the incomplete indoor hall becoming a site for anti-social activities. She expressed happiness that the current coalition government has completed its construction.
Save Dallewals life by accepting rightful demands of farmers, BKU Charuni to PM Modi
Farmers in Haryana protested at district headquarters, demanding a law guaranteeing minimum support prices on all crops. The protests were fueled by the deteriorating health of farm leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on a hunger strike. A memorandum demanding renewed talks with the government and withdrawal of a new agricultural marketing policy draft was submitted to Prime Minister Modi.
Congress leaders detained during protest in Guwahati over death of party worker
Several Assam Congress leaders were detained during a protest march demanding justice for Mridul Islam, a party worker who died during an earlier protest. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accused the leaders of attempting to incite violence and disrupt peace in Guwahati.
Assam Congress leaders taken into custody for protesting party worker's death
Senior Congress leaders including the Assam unit chief Bhupen Borah were taken into custody on Friday after they took part in a protest rally in Guwahati demanding justice for the death of deceased Congress worker Mridul Islam.
Kamal Davar | Strict watch on the challenge of Khalistan is vital in Punjab
Some weeks ago, former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, undergoing religious penance at the holy Harmandir Sahib in Amritsars Golden Temple, survived an assassination attempt on his life when a former ageing Khalistan terrorist, Narain Singh Chaura, fired at him. Thanks to an alert police sub-inspector, Mr Badal was saved as the round went astray. While the Punjab police successfully thwarted the attempt on Sukhbirs life, a can of controversies has opened up on the motive behind this unexpected event. Many conflicting theories have emerged at this unfortunate occurrence inside the shrine in full view of the Punjab police, who were fully conversant with the infamous history and whereabouts of the alleged would-be assassin. All plausible angles on this event need serious introspection, including those pointing to personal enmity or the Khalistan angle to it, or as some in the Punjab Police claim, the possible staged-management of this event to garner sympathy for the fading fortunes of the Shiromani Akali Dal. As the police and other security agencies delve deeply into the nuances of this crime, it will be in the larger security interests of the nation to analyse any Khalistan conspiracy angle. The fact remains that though Indias most strategic border state of Punjab is relatively peaceful, with no inter-societal or internal security problems, yet the mischief played in the 1980s by the rogue state of Pakistan in Punjab cant be taken lightly and the careful, regular monitoring of the activities in Punjab of Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence must be ensured. It must also be accepted by our political and security establishment that there has been, in recent years, a discernible rise in sympathy for the Khalistan secessionist movement among Indias Sikh diaspora with some support from the governments of Canada, and to a lesser extent from that of the United States and Britain. These governments claims about freedom of speech and allowing protests in their societies fails to stand scrutiny as some in the Indian diaspora have misused these freedoms to vandalise temples and target Indian diplomatic missions. What is amply clear is that Pakistans ISI appears to have revived its K2 (Kashmir and Khalistan) strategy, which was pioneered by military dictator Gen. Zia-ul Haq in the early 1980s when he realised it was impossible to otherwise wrest Jammu and Kashmir from India and foment a credible separatist movement in Indias Punjab. That in both places the patriotic people of Punjab and even the Kashmiris had not succumbed to Pakistani machinations is a historical fact. India also cannot forget that, to some extent, Sikh extremism did occur in Punjab in the 1980s, while terror attacks do take place in J&K at times triggered by Pakistani agents. In both Punjab and J&K, however, the overall security situation is normal. Since Independence, barring short interludes during the time of Prime Minister Liaqat Ali Khan (later assassinated) and for around three years when Gen. Pervez Musharraf was both Chief of Army Staff and President, Pakistan with its myopic and self-destructive policies has maintained an anti-India policy in all its politico-strategic formulations. The K2 dream still persists in their mindset and that of the Sikh diaspora, and even Sikhs in Punjab continue to be targeted by the ISIs propaganda machinery. India, therefore, has to ensure through a whole of nation approach to counter these designs by Pakistan and some other countries, such as Canada. The Sikhs are among the most patriotic, gallant and industrious communities of India, who whenever given a chance, will raze to the ground any anti-India elements. The Indian government, however, has to implement a well-thought-out strategy to counter the anti-India propagandas both at home and abroad. Sooner rather than later, India must send out delegations comprising eminent Sikhs from different walks of life in India to the Western nations where the Sikh diaspora resides. These delegations should re-educate those affected Sikh elements regards the commonality and blood relationship of the Hindu and Sikh faiths and for them not to succumb to the evil machinations of Pakistani or other foreign agents. The sacrifices of our Sikh brethren in preserving the integrity of India must be given its rightful share in our history. The genuine problems and aspirations of the farmers, a large number of whom are Sikhs, should be sympathetically addressed by the government with alacrity. The Sikh diaspora often gets unnecessarily agitated over farmers issues in India. Regarding the assassination bid on Sukhbir Badal, the Punjab police investigating the case, the Badal family and the SGPC are locked in a verbal war on the reasons behind the assassination bid. CCTV footage shows that Narain Singh Chaura and two accomplices had carried out a recce of the Golden Temple premises a day earlier and Mr Badals brother-in-law, Bikram Majithia, has alleged that the SGPC president had hugged Narain Singh before the shooting incident and thus asked the SGPC to release the entire CCTV footage. The Punjab police feels that it may be a lone wolf incident, whereas the Badal family thinks that there is a deeper conspiracy. It will ultimately be prudent for the Central government to go deep into this incident and have a reputed outfit like the National Investigation Agency probe the case. A simmering Khalistan emergence abroad exists -- for the time being and thus it will be prudent for Indias security and intelligence establishment to keep a strict watch inside Punjab for India cannot afford to have a re-enactment of the conditions in Indias crown jewel state of Punjab as had taken place in the mid-1980s.
Farmers display show of strength during massive protest rally in Madikeri
MADIKERI: Madikeri was engulfed in white and green as thousands of farmers across Kodagu took to the streets to voice their anguish against the state and central governments. Led by the Somwarpet Raitha Horata Samithi with support from numerous other organizations, the farmers opposed the move of the governments in declaring the C and D cultivated land as Reserve Forest. Wearing green shawls and showing off their mighty power, thousands of farmers walked in protest and shouted slogans against the government. The slogans Our land, Our right, Officers in AC Room and Farmers on the streets echoed clearly across the city as they demanded the government to withdraw the policy of declaring C and D cultivated land as forest regions. Following the massive protest rally across the city, the farmers gathered at Gandhi Maidan and a formal meeting was addressed by the farmer leaders. The problem with the C and D land is not new. From during the framing of forest law, farmers are faced with the C and D land threats. The forest department is causing trouble for the farmers. We are ready to sacrifice our lives if justice is not served, spoke K Manu Somaiah, the district president of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha. The other farmer leaders who addressed the gathering urged for the farmers to unite and fight for their rights. The farmers garnered support from all the political parties as leaders from BJP, Congress and JD(S) joined in the protest demanding justice for the farmers. The party leaders shared that the problems faced by the farmers of Kodagu was a burning issue and required support irrespective of the political differences. Former MLA Appachu Ranjan confirmed that the political leaders from all the parties will unite to oppose the implementation of Kasthurirangan and Gadgil reports. Madikeri MLA Mantar Gowda, MLC Suja Kushalappa, former MLA KG Bopaiah, Congress district president Dharmaja Uthappa and other political leaders took part in the protest rally. Over 3000 farmers from across the district flowed into the city to host the massive protest.
Andhra woman expects appliances, gets dead body and Rs 1.3 crore extortion letter in parcel instead
A family in Andhra Pradesh received a parcel containing a decomposing body and an extortion letter demanding Rs 1.36 crore. The letter linked the demand to a loan allegedly taken by the recipient's missing husband. Suspicion has fallen on the recipient's brother-in-law, who has disappeared. Police are investigating the complex case, suspecting internal family disputes are connected to the crime.
Wooden Crate, Dead Body, A Letter: How Andhra Woman's Horror Unfolded
A woman received a wooden crate which she thought contained electrical goods for her new home. When she opened the crate, however, she found a dead body and a letter demanding Rs 1.35 crore.
Afghan Pacer Farooqi Fined For Dissent At Umpire During Zimbabwe ODI
Match Referee Andy Pycroft: Afghanistan fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi has been fined 15 percent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct, said ICC in a statement on Friday. The violation falls under Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which addresses showing dissent at an umpires decision during an international match. The incident occurred in the fifth over of Zimbabwes innings, when the left-arm pacer showed dissent when an lbw appeal against Craig Ervine was turned down. Farooqi made the sign to request a review when DRS was not available in the match. In addition, one demerit point has been added to Fazalhaqs disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period. Fazalhaq admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Match Referee Andy Pycroft and levelled by on-field umpires Chris Brown and Percival Sizara, third umpire Langton Rusere and fourth umpire Iknow Chabi, the ICC statement read. Afghanistan delivered a dominant performance in the second ODI against Zimbabwe in Harare. Sediqullah Atal (104) and Abdul Malik (84) put together a commanding 191-run opening stand, setting the stage for the visitors to post 286/6 in their 50 overs. Fazalhaq admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Match Referee Andy Pycroft and levelled by on-field umpires Chris Brown and Percival Sizara, third umpire Langton Rusere and fourth umpire Iknow Chabi, the ICC statement read. Also Read: Highest tax paying cricketers Article Source: IANS
Zostels Pranavi Chhikniwala on tapping travel trends to inspire Gen Z & Millennials
In a world where social media scrolls are filled with wanderlust-inducing content, Gen Z and Millennials are constantly inspired to pack their bags and set off on new adventures. Travel trends are thriving, with a recent report highlighting how certain destinations like Mussoorie, Vietnam, Thailand, and occasionally offbeat destinations have captured the imagination of the younger generation. Travel trends show a 35% rise in bookings for unique destinations, with over 60% of travellers preferring peaceful landscapes, cultural experiences and adventure. For the travel industry, selling popular destinations is relatively easy. But the real challenge lies in highlighting what lesser-known, obscure locations can offer eager travellers. Enter Zostel, a hostel chain that has carved a niche by establishing unconventional locations and amplifying its allure through its storytelling. Pranavi Chhikniwala, Head of Marketing, Zostel, in an interaction, shares how social media trends find their way into the content the brand creates, and the focus is always on being informative and engaging. Zostel has consistently tapped into emerging trends that shape travel choices. One of the ways the brand spotlights lesser-known locations is using a series known as 'Top 50'. The campaign highlights the top 50 experiences across India, going beyond Zostel's properties. The result? Posts that often garner up to one to two million views, sparking curiosity and wanderlust among its audience. However, its not always smooth sailing. For the brand, certain niche campaigns sometimes go viral, but others dont perform as well, according to Chhikniwala, revealing the unpredictable nature of organic content marketing. While Zostel has a strong presence on Instagram with 859K followers, other channels have also emerged as effective tools in building its community. Chhikniwala shares that YouTube has been rewarding given its algorithm gives reach based on your SEO metrics and consistent presence, unlike Instagram. She comments that any marketer looking to tap into a Gen Z or Millennial audience should consider YouTube as a way to build a community. In this interview, Chhikniwala reveals how the brand is leveraging social media trends, its organic-first marketing strategy, and the lesser-known platforms that drive community growth. Edited Excerpts: What trends have you noticed among young Indian travellers that have influenced your marketing and advertising strategies? If we talk about trends in travel, its important to note that, apart from all the memes and funny stuff that circulate on social media, travel and food are usually at the top of everyones list. Even the brands that are doing well tend to fall into these categories. For me, the brand's journey has been shaped by these trends. After COVID, there was a whole revenge travel phenomenon, and travel content started going viral in 2021 and 2022. Those years were key for us, even though they werent particularly favourable for many brands. Despite that, we saw significant growth and social presence, and a lot of it can be attributed to that period. Travel has been a steady trend since then. If I talk about it in general, even our content and the things we talk about have been influenced by it. This trend has also impacted the kinds of products we've launched. For example, Zostel has always been known for establishing locations that arent conventional. We often enter places and, soon after, those places see a boost in tourism. This has happened with locations like Bir and Wagaman, which werent very popular initially, but after we set up, they became proper tourist destinations. Weve always tried to tap into emerging trends. For example, there was a shift toward experiential travel, where younger generations like Gen Z and millennials are looking to go beyond popular destinations like temples or sightseeing spots in Manali or Goa. Theyre interested in hiking, waterfall diving, and activities like surfing. Experiential travel has become a key trend, and its something we've embraced. Another trend weve seen is the rise of Southeast Asia as a travel destination. Places like Vietnam and Thailand were trending on social media last year. We also introduced Zotrux, a new travel offering where we take exclusive groups of 10 to 15 people on fully packaged tours with lots of inclusions. Our Vietnam and Thailand trips are selling really well right now. Because these trends also find their way into social media, the kind of content we produce tends to be informative. Unlike many other brands, this approach works for us. We focus on content that establishes us as industry expertssuch as informative reels or posts that highlight lesser-known parts of the country or unique seasonal phenomena. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Zostel (@zostel) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Zostel (@zostel) When it comes to social media, our target audience is a blend of Gen Z and millennials. Its sometimes a hit or miss, as it is for most brands, but what works for us is striking a balance between creating content that establishes us as experts and tapping into trending topics. For example, we use popular seasonal content, trending audio, and whatever is currently relevant in India to engage with the Gen Z audience. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Zostel (@zostel) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Zostel (@zostel) What specific challenges have you encountered when adapting your marketing strategies to align with the influential role of Gen Z and Millenials in travel planning? Can you provide examples of campaigns that have succeeded or failed in capturing their attention? Some destinations are really favourites among travellers. For example, if we promote places like Bokarna or Mussoorie, it's very likely to go viral. However, when it comes to lesser-known destinations, especially obscure ones, we have to get really creative, or people just won't notice them. What works for us is a series we are currently running on Instagram, which is also performing well on YouTube Shorts. Its called Top 50, where we highlight the top 50 experiences anyone should have across India. This approach doesnt depend on whether Zostel has a presence in those destinations; its about showcasing the destination experience first, rather than focusing on our properties. When we do these Top 50 posts, they often cross one or two million views. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Zostel (@zostel) As for content that hasnt worked, we focus primarily on organic content marketing, rather than paid promotions. While we do paid promotions when necessary, we mostly rely on organic content. When we run niche campaigns, they can go either waysome content pieces go viral, while others dont perform well. For example, during Children's Day in mid-2024, we launched a back-to-school campaign. This was aimed at our millennial audience, as nostalgic content resonates well with them. Its similar to how Paper Boat's entire strategy revolves around nostalgia, but we don't necessarily draw inspiration directly from them. We create nostalgic content, especially on Zostel Homes, another page we run on Instagram. However, when we do very niche campaigns, they are more likely to fall flat. The reason is that we don't always use trending audio or follow the current Instagram trends when running these campaigns. The general strategy would be to stick to whatever is trending, as thats what performs well. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Zostel (@zostel) But as a brand manager, I also have to ensure we stay true to what we stand for and maintain our identity through our content. So, we continue with these types of campaigns. For example, we launched T-shirts as part of our 10-year anniversary merchandise, and again for our 11-year anniversary this August. We try to be creative with the videos we make, but weve noticed that while such campaigns may perform well with creators, they dont necessarily go viral with our audience. Since we're not focused on the e-commerce side of things, such as selling T-shirts, that campaign didnt go viral as expected. Despite that, our sales remained unaffected, and people still bought our products. So, it can be a bit overwhelming at times, but I think its all part of the process. With reports indicating that Indian Gen Z and Millenn ials prefer travelling during off-peak seasons to save on costs and avoid crowds, how does Zostel position itself while catering to budget-conscious young travellers? I think more than the off-season, the shoulder season is what these travellers prefer. It's typically the period between the off-peak and peak season. Naturally, during this time, the dorm rates, experience costs, and even taxi fares are lower, which is beneficial for them. We are present in 85-90 locations across India, and the list is constantly growing. We dont specifically take extra measures to target certain seasons. However, for a few weeks every year, we offer long-stay discounts and packages, particularly for digital nomads who are working remotely or in a hybrid setup. They can benefit from discounts if they stay for three, five, seven, or even 15 days. This is usually part of our promotional activities for our mountain properties, which make up about 50% of our locations, particularly in Himachal and Uttarakhand. During peak season, though, things change, and we sell out a month or so in advance. Instagram seems to be a key platform for Zostel. How do you approach content curation to engage and grow your community? Apart from Instagram, what are the most effective marketing channels that you use to engage with Gen Z and Millennial travellers? Could you share examples of the kind of content that works on each channel? YouTube is really rewarding. Personally, I feel that YouTube is a more rewarding platform compared to Instagram. On Instagram, if you show consistency with the algorithm, it may or may not help you. With YouTube, we know for sure that if you're doing SEO correctly and posting consistently about relevant topics, you're far more likely to grow on the platform. For any marketer looking to tap into a Gen Z or Millennial audience, I definitely recommend YouTube. We also do newsletters, and we have an excellent email open rate and click-through rate. I think its because of the passion people have for the brand. When I first started with newsletter marketing, I didnt think it would be very successful because people often see it as an outdated channel, especially for a brand like Zostel. But it has given us surprising results. If we talk about social media or digital channels, these are the platforms we focus on: YouTube, Instagram, and newsletters. On newsletters, we try to do a mix of everything. For example, if theres something trending, like Diwali, we create content around it, but with a more wholesome approach compared to what we do on Instagram or YouTube. If its a two-minute read, it should be worthwhile and bring a smile to your face. Its not really important for us to sell our properties or talk about things in a forced way. Even though we dont use it primarily as a sales marketing platform, newsletters are excellent for community engagement. The audience cant respond directly like on YouTube or Instagram, where people comment or DM us, but the engagement we get is still very high. I can attribute this to excellent copywriting. We dont use any fancy tools for images; its a very basic newsletter. But the kind of response weve received has kept us going. I think when you try to talk to your audience in an authentic way, it really helps. My team is also part of the customer base, so when they write directly to the audience, it makes a difference. Would it be possible to share the numbers that you all are able to achieve through your newsletters and Instagram? For newsletters, we are growing our subscriber base. Its something that we started primarily this year. We have approximately 50K subscribers as of now. Considering that we only started this year and we are not doing anything unethical, like spamming people with newsletters they havent subscribed to, thats the situation. On Instagram, we have around 50K followers, and our reach is usually 20 to 30 times more than our community size. Organically, our monthly reach is anywhere between 27 million to 35 million, depending on how viral the content is. Given the traction that you have had, could you share any specific challenges that you all have had to navigate through while adapting your marketing strategies over these years? A very refined, detailed analysis goes into understanding what's working because the algorithms of these platforms keep changing. I'm mainly talking about social media, as content marketing is our primary way of building the community and reaching people. The challenge is doing your homework every day. If I go idle for even one week and let things run as they are, it's very likely that the content will stop performing because new trends have emerged. For example, there was a time when voiceover reels were working really well for us, where we would use some audio stimulus to guide the contentwhether funny, informative, or otherwise. It worked like crazy for two, three, even six months. Then suddenly, it stopped working. We had invested in all the gear, talent, and resources for this approach, and then Instagram changed its algorithm, demanding something different. This happens frequently, and its part of the jobthings will keep changing, and we have to stay updated with the trends. The challenge is that it can be demotivating when the numbers drop, especially after a month of hard work. But thats the reality we face. What innovative technologies have you integrated into your marketing approach to effectively engage young travellers? There have been significant upgrades in terms of the tools we use ever since AI became prominent. There are many amazing tools that help us with engagement, ORM, and even other areas. Apart from strategy, we use AI for almost everything else. Strategy is still something that we hold very close to our hearts; we don't want a robot to strategize or plan campaigns for us. Thats a big nostrategy comes from real, new ideas developed by the whole team. For example, in execution, we create mid-journey content, which is very experimental and usually works really well. To give you an example, we've posted something random like Zostel in different multiverses, imagining Zostel on an arid planet, or similar fun concepts. These kinds of experiments have worked for us. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Zostel (@zostel) In terms of other technologies, we use automation tools, not for everyday tasks like handling DMs, but to assist with sales-focused content, such as when we are promoting trips or selling properties. There are tools that allow users to comment a word and receive the details directly in their DMs. Its a trend on Instagram right now, but weve been doing this for more than a year. Weve always been a tech-friendly company, and that is also part of the company ethos, as our founder is a big tech enthusiast. We are also looking at more AI integration moving forward, not just in marketing but across the board. Theres a major upgrade coming for our app, and were striving to become a more tech-first brand as we go forward. Can you share insights into Zostel's revenue performance last financial year and the projected growth for this year? As the hostel and travel industry grows, what does the brand's global expansion plan look like? As of now, we are experiencing a 50% year-on-year growth. While I cant share exact revenue figures, the growth has been steady for us. In terms of inventory and the number of destinations we're present in, it's consistently growing. November and December have been our best months, and the growth trend has been excellent. Looking ahead, I can say that we're expecting to continue this growth trajectory. For the upcoming year, youll see us expand into more international destinations. We're already present in Nepal and have some other destinations covered through our trips. Well also be launching properties in these international locations, so you'll see progress on that front as well.
Congress protests for second day in Jammu demanding Amit Shahs resignation
Jammu and Kashmir Congress demands Amit Shahs resignation over remarks on Ambedkar, organises protest rally in Jammu
The comments are significant as they come after the Supreme Court put a stay on decisions on any new surveys or petitions in temple-mosque disputes till next February
VIJAYAWADA: In a shocking incident, a woman in Yendagandi village of West Godavari district received a parcel containing the body of an unidentified 45-year-old person on Thursday night. The parcel also contained a letter demanding the woman Naga Thulasi to arrange Rs 1.3 crore. Shocked over the body in the parcel, the woman informed the police who rushed to the spot and collected clues from the scene. Later, they sent the body to Bhimavaram government hospital for postmortem. Speaking to TNIE , West Godavari superintendent of police (SP) Adnan Nayeem Asmi said the parcel came from Kshatriya Seva Samithi, who sent appliances based on the woman's request for house construction. Thulasi had applied for financial aid with Kshatriya Seva Samithi earlier and also received two consignments containing tiles and paints some months ago. When she had applied for further help in construction, the Samithi representatives had reportedly promised to provide electricity appliances. Following her petition, the Samithi representatives sent a message on WhatsApp promising that she would be provided items like lights, fans, and switches. Subsequently, a person delivered a box to the woman at her doorstep on Thursday night and left after informing her that it contained electrical appliances. After opening the parcel, she noticed the body of a person and alerted police. The letter in the parcel demanded the woman to pay Rs 1.30 crore and warned the family of serious consequences if she failed to meet the demand. We questioned the family members about the disputes with their relatives if any and other rivalries with other persons, said the SP Asmi. The SP also said special teams were formed to track the vehicle used for delivering the parcel and also identifying the person who delivered the parcel. We also summoned and questioned representatives of the Kshatriya Seva Samithi pertaining to the incident. The deceased aged about 45 years and may have died 4 days ago. All the police stations were alerted to verify the deceased with the missing cases reported in the surrounding police stations in the district. Family members of the Thulasi are not cooperating with the police and the incident seems to have been a conspiracy behind. The case will be solved soon and the details of the deceased are yet to be ascertained he added. Conspiracy suspected Incidentally, Tulasi's husband went missing more than 10 years ago and never returned home, prompting her to live with her parents Asmi said Tulasi lived with her parents until her younger sister arrived and later she moved to a rented accommodation. Later, Tulasi started constructing a house about one km away from her parents' home and started receiving help from a philanthropist, who had sent her high quality tiles and paints in September. According to the police, the unidentified philanthropist told Tulasi that as they both belonged to the same caste and that she was a 'widow', he was helping her. A property dispute angle was also being suspected. We are checking up on all the missing people in the last three to four days. After post mortem (of the body) we will get more clarity, said the SP. Meanwhile, Asmi noted that the younger son-in-law of the family has been missing since yesterday. (With inputs from PTI)
BJP MLC CT Ravi arrested in Karnataka, shifted across multiple police stations amidst tensions
BJP MLC CT Ravi was arrested following a complaint by minister Laxmi Hebbalkar. Police shifted him between multiple stations overnight, causing a head injury. BJP state president BY Vijayendra questioned the arrest's basis and condemned the police's actions, demanding an investigation.
Karnataka: Locals demand security at Gokarna beaches following increase in drownings
KARWAR:The closure of Murdeshwar beach has increased the footfalls in other famous beaches of Uttara Kannada district including Gokarna. In the last one week, seven people including two foreign tourists have been rescued from drowning on Gokarna beach. As the new year eve approaching the locals are demanding added security and rescue measures at Gokarna and other beaches in Uttara Kannada district Tourists enjoying themselves in the water are losing their lives in the sea. Recently five students from Kolar and Bengaluru drowned at the Murudeshwar beach. Consequently, access to Murudeshwar beach has been restricted for tourists. However, tourists are visiting other areas, and at Gokarna's Kudle Beach, lifeguards have saved five domestic and international tourists in the past four days. At Kudle Beach, an Italian tourist named George, who was drowning in the sea, was rescued. While swimming in the sea, he got caught in a whirlpool and called for help. Lifeguards Nagendra S Kurle, Pradeep Ambig, and tourist guide Shekhar Harikantra promptly rescued him. The experts call for police security at the beaches till the new year is over. There is no crowd control at our beaches. The police presence is essential especially during holiday seasons and on weekends. Many tourists unknowingly venture into the deep sea and get themselves in trouble, said a tour operator from Gokarna. Koppal boy's body handed over Relatives of student from Ganadal village in Yelburga taluk, Koppal district, who died after falling into a well, staged a protest on Thursday, alleging negligence by the teachers as the cause of the incident. The relatives of the deceased, Nirupadi Harijan, an 8th-grade student of the Government Higher Primary School in Ganadal, Yelburga taluk, arrived in Bhatkal after hearing the news of his death. After visiting the site where the boy died, they immediately staged a protest, blaming the teachers for the tragedy. They alleged that the teachers were responsible for the boy's death. Despite recent warnings following the death of four girl students in Murdeshwar last week, the teachers took the students on a trip. They convinced us by assuring that there would be one teacher for every seven students, said a relative. However, they accused the teachers of discriminatory behavior that led to the death of the Dalit boy. The protesters demanded that the guilty teachers be brought to the spot and refused to leave until their demands were met. Tahsildar Nagendra Shetty and PI Gopikrishna from the town station tried to pacify the relatives, urging them to file a complaint against the teachers instead of protesting. However, the relatives stood firm. Eventually, they were successfully convinced to move to the government hospital where the deceased's body was kept. The protest continued at the hospital, with the relatives demanding the immediate suspension of the teachers. Finally, the police managed to calm the enraged family and accepted their complaint.
Winter session of Parliament concludes with BJP-INDIA bloc face-off
On the final day of the Winter Session of Parliament, opposition MPs staged a protest at Vijay Chowk on Friday demanding Home Minister Amit Shah's apology and resignation for allegedly insulting BR Ambedkar. They also carried out a protest march from Vijay Chowk to Parliament . The protest comes a day after separate marches by the opposition and ruling party MPs over the alleged insult to Ambedkar led to jostling in Parliament premises, leaving BJP MPs Pratap Chandra Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput injured. Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that BJP MPs pushed him to the ground , causing a knee injury. After the scuffle in Parliament on Thursday, BJP MP Phangnon Konyak claimed she felt uncomfortable after Rahul Gandhi allegedly shouted at her during a protest at Parliament . Konyak, speaking in the Rajya Sabha, said Gandhi came too close to her, which she found unbecoming of the Leader of Opposition. She also requested protection from Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. What happened in Parliament? Who is MP Pratap Sarangi injured after Rahul Gandhi's alleged push? The protests was triggered by Amit Shah's remarks on Dr B R Ambedkar. While addressing the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, the Home Minister had said, Abhi ek fashion ho gaya hai - Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. Itna naam agar bhagwan ka lete to saat janmon tak swarg mil jata (It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar.' If they had taken God's name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven). The statement has sporadic protests across the country. DMK and allies protest over Shahs remark on Ambedkar, question EPSs silence Meanwhile, following claims of injuries, police complaints were file by both BJP and Congress on Thursday, Union Minister Anurag Thakur and a delegation of BJP MPs filed a complaint with the Delhi Police against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of assault and incitement. Thakur cited charges under Sections 109, 115, and 117 of the IPC. Separately, Congress filed a complaint alleging misbehaviour with party president Mallikarjun Kharge by BJP leaders. Congress also demanded an investigation in a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. LS Speaker Om Birla warns of action over protests in Parliament premises The Delhi Police later on Thursday registered an FIR against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other Congress MPs. A senior police officer confirmed that the FIR includes charges under sections 117 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), 125 (endangering safety), 131 (use of criminal force), 351 (criminal intimidation), and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the Parliament Street Police Station. Both houses of Parliament were subsequently adjourned Sine Die amidst continuing protests. Before the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die, the House sent the two bills on 'One Nation, One Election' to a Joint Parliamentary Committee comprising 27 Lok Sabha MPs and 12 Rajya Sabha MPs. It may be noted that both Houses had witnessed uproar over the 'One Nation, One Election' legislation, proposing concurrent Lok Sabha and state assembly elections. Earlier, the House saw uproar over the alleged Adani group bribery accusations raised by the Opposition. The BJP targetted the Congress party with claims of Soros-Gandhi nexus. The Winter Session started on November 15. Rahul Gandhi accuses BJP of staging Parliament tussle to 'distract' from Adani row, Shah's Ambedkar remarks
Photos: INDIA bloc protest over Ambedkar issue
New Delhi: Opposition MPs staged a protest at Vijay Chowk here on Friday demanding Home Minister Amit Shahs apology and resignation for allegedly insulting BR Ambedkar. They also carried out a protest march from Vijay Chowk to Parliament. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also slammed the BJP over the FIR filed against the Leader 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 .
Minister Ramprasad Reddy announces free bus service for women soon
Visakhapatnam: Minister Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy has declared that a free bus service for women will be introduced shortly. He emphasised that APSRTC is committed to serving the public efficiently. On Friday, Reddy inaugurated the APSRTC door delivery service at Dwarka Bus Station.
BJP attempts to weaken constitution, democracy: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav
NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha MP and Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav on Friday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over Amit Shah's remarks on BR Ambedkar in Parliament , claiming that the ruling party is trying to weaken the constitution and democracy. Speaking to ANI, after the Lok Sabha adjourned sine die, the SP chief noted that Babasaheb's Constitution shows the way to take the country forward. Parliament session might be concluding today, but issues don't conclude. The insult to Babasaheb Ambedkar and the attitude of the BJP towards him--opposition demands that he should admit his mistake and apologize... If we have to take the country forward, Babasaheb's Constitution shows the way. BJP attempts to weaken the Constitution and democracy from time to time, Yadav said. He also slammed the FIR filed against Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and termed it a false case. We will have to understand the tactics of the BJP. They first do unconstitutional things and do injustice. When you stand with those who have faced injustice, they slap false cases. This is not happening for the first time. This is BJP's strategy, Yadav said. SP MP Dimple Yadav also held BJP MPs responsible for the scuffle, injuring two ruling party's parliamentarians, that happened in the parliament premises yesterday. Only the BJP MPs are responsible for the standoff we saw yesterday at Makar Dwar. We had never seen such a standoff, she said. Demanding an apology from BJP MPs, he said, We want the BJP MPs to apologize because they have insulted Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, who is an idol for every citizen of the country... BJP goes ahead with just one side. It never goes ahead with India's Constitution, democracy, and its people. I think the BJP should apologize for tomorrow's face-off because only the BJP government and BJP MPs are responsible for it, she said. MP Jaya Bachchan also described the parliament scuffle as a man-made incident: It was a man-made, created incident. They were stopping people from going up the steps. I am witness to it. They were stopping people...How can you be covering the steps? They were pushing and jostling, the Samajwadi Party leader said.
Andhra Pradesh woman receives partially decomposed body in parcel
Miscreants sent a letter in the parcel demanding 1.36 crore, says SP Adnan Nayeem Asmi, who visited the house in Yandagandi village in Undi mandal
The best laptops for gaming and schoolwork in 2025
While there remain regular laptops and gaming laptops, the line that separates them has nearly disappeared. Today, if you have a fast CPU and graphics card, along with perks like a big screen and a good cooling system, you can play a decent number of games on your laptop. Besides, not everyone wants a big, garish gaming rig, nor does everyone want to spend the money required to get one of those. If youre considering a new laptop for school, there are more options now than ever before that can both get you through your most challenging studies and keep up with your next AAA play through. These are our top picks for the best laptops for gaming and schoolwork but if youre looking for a dedicated gaming laptop rather than an all-in-one machine, check out our best gaming laptops list for our recommendations. Best laptops for gaming and school in 2025 Are gaming laptops good for school? As weve mentioned, gaming laptops are especially helpful if you're doing any demanding work. Their big promise is powerful graphics performance, which isn't just limited to PC gaming. Video editing and 3D rendering programs can also tap into their GPUs to handle laborious tasks. While you can find decent GPUs on some productivity machines, like Dell's XPS 15, you can sometimes find better deals on gaming laptops. My general advice for any new workhorse: Pay attention to the specs; get at least 16GB of RAM and the largest solid state drive you can find (ideally 1TB or more). Those components are both typically hard to upgrade down the line, so its worth investing what you can up front to get the most out of your PC gaming experience long term. Also, dont forget the basics like a webcam, which will likely be necessary for the schoolwork portion of your activities. The one big downside to choosing a gaming notebook is portability. For the most part, we'd recommend 15-inch models to get the best balance of size and price. Those typically weigh in around 4.5 pounds, which is significantly more than a three-pound ultraportable. Today's gaming notebooks are still far lighter than older models, though, so at least you won't be lugging around a 10-pound brick. If youre looking for something lighter, there are plenty of 14-inch options these days. And if you're not into LED lights and other gamer-centric bling, keep an eye out for more understated models that still feature essentials like a webcam (or make sure you know how to turn those lights off). This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/best-laptops-for-gaming-and-school-132207352.html?src=rss
Priyanka Gandhi Calls FIR Against Rahul a Sign of BJP's Desperation
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticized the FIR filed against her brother, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, as a symbol of government's desperation. She claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was using this as a distraction, knowing that the public will not tolerate the partys alleged disrespect towards Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. Speaking to reporters after the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die, Priyanka accused the BJP of being fearful of a debate on the Adani issue, as well as the growing attention on their handling of Ambedkar's legacy. This government is scared. They are afraid of any discussion, she said. The real sentiments of the BJP regarding Ambedkar are now exposed, and that's why they fear the Opposition raising this issue. She went on to emphasize that the matter is of national interest. Dr. Ambedkar gave us the Constitution. The nation will not tolerate any insult to him, Priyanka stated. In response to the FIR against Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka expressed her disbelief. She strongly siad, This is a sign of desperation, te BJP is filing false FIRs. Rahul Gandhi can never do such a thing. the entire country knows it too. Priyanka further highlighted that the BJP's actions are attempts to avoid discussion on crucial issues like Adani and their treatment of Ambedkar. They are filing these arbitrary FIRs because they don't want to discuss the Adani issue or the insult to Ambedkar, she added. The FIR against Rahul Gandhi was registeredyesterday, December 19 after the BJP filed a complaint accusing him of physical assault and incitement during a confrontation on Parliament grounds. The police have filed the case,including those related to causing harm and criminal intimidation. An officer said that Rahul Gandhi may be called in for questioning. The police also plan to request CCTV footage from the Lok Sabha Secretariat to investigate the incident further. The controversy erupted after separate marches by opposition and ruling party MPs on Thursday led to a scuffle over the alleged insult to Ambedkar, which left BJP MPs Pratap Chandra Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput injured. The BJP has accused Rahul Gandhi of pushing Sarangi, an allegation that the Congress leader has denied. Earlier, the Opposition had taken issue with Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks about Ambedkar, demanding his resignation for what they viewed as an insult to the architect of Indias Constitution.
Andhra Pradesh Woman Delivered Man's Body in Parcel With Letter Demanding 1.3 Crore
A person delivered a box to the woman at her doorstep and left after informing her that it contained electrical appliances.
Pandemonium prevails in Telangana Assembly over KTRs issue
Telangana Assembly Telangana Assembly Hyderabad: Pandemonium prevailed in the State Assembly here on Friday with the members of the ruling and opposition parties hurling papers against each other during the discussion on Bhubharathi Bill introduced by the Congress government replacing Dharani portal, which was touted as one-stop destination for the agricultural land transaction by the previous BRS government. Minutes after the commencement of the session, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy was speaking in the Assembly about the importance of the Bill and how the ruling party took advantage of the Dharani portal. But the BRS MLAs insisted on taking up a discussion on the FIR issued by the party working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday. BRS MLA T Harish Rao gave an adjournment motion requesting for a discussion on KTRs issue. The Speaker Gaddam Prasad requested the opposition members not to disrupt the house during a debate on the crucial Bhubharathi Bill benefiting the people across the State. The Speaker also informed them that he would look into KTR's issue after discussing it with them in his chambers. Ignoring the Speakers plea, the BRS MLA continued to raise slogans demanding that the former take up a decision. A few MLAs tried to proceed towards the podium but the marshals prevented them resulting in utter chaos in the House. When the BRS MLAs threw papers on the podium, the ruling party members also got infuriated and hurled papers on the BRS members benches. As chaos continued in the house, the Speaker adjourned the House for 15 minutes. Srinivas Reddy described the behavior of the BRS MLAs pathetic and added that the BRS MLAs were not allowing the House to discuss the crucial bill for the sake of one MLA. He also condemned the behavior of the BRS MLAs towards the Speaker, who is a Dalit.
Wall Street's demanding work culture pushes young bankers to extreme lengths. Many use stimulants like Adderall to endure 20+ hour workdays. Some bankers became dependent on these drugs to function. The tragic death of a banker from overwork highlighted this issue. Firms are trying to limit work hours, but the pressure remains intense.
West Godavari: Unidentified Body in Parcel with Threat Letter Found
West Godavari: A shocking incident occurred in Yandagandi of Undi mandal, West Godavari district when locals discovered an unidentified body inside a parcel. The parcel was addressed to a woman named Sagi Tulasi, who had been allotted land by the government in Yandagandi village and was in the process of constructing a house, which was currently in the plastering stage. She had previously applied to the Kshatriya Seva Samiti for financial assistance, and in the first phase, they provided tiles for the house. However, upon applying for further assistance, Tulasi received a parcel containing not electrical equipment as expected, but the body of an unidentified male approximately 45 years old. Inside the parcel, there was also a letter demanding Rs. 1.30 crore, threatening severe consequences if the amount was not paid. Following this discovery, Tulasi's family immediately reported the incident to the police, who arrived to investigate further.
Best MacBook 2024-2025: Which MacBook should you buy?
Macworld Wondering which type of MacBook to buy? This buying guide will help you decide which Apple laptop is best for you. Apple makes two types of laptops, the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro. Within those two categories of Mac is a wide range of capabilities, the gap between the entry-level MacBook Air and the high-end 16-inch MacBook Pro is vast, but even within the MacBook Pro category you will find huge differences. We have more information on the differences between the MacBook Air and Pro in another article. While there are seven MacBook Air models and ten MacBook Pro models sold as standard configurations, in reality, there are multiple combinations if you factor in all the build-to-order options that you can add such as extra RAM, more storage, or a faster processor, with which you can build an even more powerful Mac, should you need to. Choosing which MacBook to buy can be a tough decision, fortunately, we are here to help. If youre not sure yet if you want a laptop or desktop Mac, you should also read our Mac buying guide , which covers both MacBooks and Apples desktop Macs. We also compare all the MacBook Pro models here: Which MacBook Pro ? We also offer advice about how much storage, RAM and cores in How much MacBook storage, RAM and graphics do you really need? There are various sections in this article. If you arent sure which Mac laptop you want then read on, if you have a vague idea but are choosing between two similar models, or if your needs are more professional than personal, then you might find the models further down this article more relevant. In that case, we suggest that you jump to the section about the MacBook that is most relevant to your needs. See the Table of Contents above. MacBook release dates One consideration to make when shopping for a MacBook is how recently Apple updated the laptop and whether it is likely to be updating it again. Here is a quick look at when the laptops Apple sells were released. 13-inch MacBook Air (M2): July 2022 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4, M4 Pro & M4 Max): November 2024 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro & M4 Max): November 2024 13-inch MacBook Air (M3): March 2024 15-inch MacBook Air (M3): March 2024 MacBook Air RAM upgrade One thing we should call out about the MacBook Air is that in October 2024, Apple upgraded the MacBook Air to 16GB of RAM as standard, like the new M4 MacBook Pros. This includes the $999/999 M2 MacBook Air. The additional RAM will help the Air run more efficiently and probably improve performance for Apple Intelligence features. Apple didnt raise the prices, previously to add the extra RAM would have cost an additional $200/200. MacBook buyers guide Ready to find the MacBook that suits you? Well start by running through the different MacBooks Apple sells, giving an overview of the pros and cons of each model, and reasons why each might be ideally suited to your needs. Youll also be able to see the best prices right now, so that you dont spend more than you need to. We will also look at different components and features for each model, so you can make an informed decision about how much RAM, which chip, how big the SSD should be and the best price, so you dont spend more than necessary. Apple 13-inch MacBook Air (M3, 2024) Price When Reviewed: $1,099 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $899 View Deal $999 View Deal $1014 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $899 at Best Buy $999 at B&H $1014 at Walmart Electronics Not Available at Amazon View more prices from Amazon Close Best Prices Today: Apple 13-inch MacBook Air (M3, 2024) Retailer Price $899 View Deal $999 View Deal $1014 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket The MacBook Air is the cheapest way to get a Mac laptop. Starting at $999/999 for the M2 model, there are seven standard MacBook Air models to consider: one 13-inch model with an M2 chip, three 13-inch models with an M3 chip, and three 15-inch MacBook Airs with an M3 chip. As of October 28, 2024, all MacBook Air models have 16GB of unified memory, just like the M4 MacBook Pro. If you see an 8GB RAM MacBook Air make sure that the discount reflects that. Its easy to think that the cheapest Mac laptop will be the one that has the best value, but thats not necessarily the case. The M2 MacBook Air (see our M2 MacBook Air review) is the cheapest Mac laptop you can buy right now, but for another $100/100 you can get the newest machine with an M3 chip. With both models, you get Apples newest Air design and the 13.6-inch screen, 500 nits, and Midnight, Starlight, Space Gray, and Silver color choices. One difference is in the storage: in the newer M3 MacBook Air, the 256GB SSD is made up of two 128GB NAND chips, rather than a single 256GB chip as in the M2 and older models. This means the storage in the M3 can be faster because the two drives can process data simultaneously. There are several performance differences between the M3 Air and the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro. Besides the Pro having a faster CPU, the Pros chip has a 10-core GPU standard compared to 8-core GPU in the Air. Also, the lack of a fan in the MacBook Air may mean it slows down to avoid overheating when performing more strenuous tasks. The 14-inch MacBook Pro, on the other hand, has active cooling, so it doesnt need to slow down to stop overheating in processor-intensive applications. Its probably the key difference between these Mac laptops and the reason why the Pro is better suited to more demanding applications. Another benefit of the 14-inch MacBook Pro over the Air is longer battery life. The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 offers up to 22 hours compared to 18 hours for the 13-inch MacBook Air. However, the MacBook Air is a good choice, especially with the entry-level MacBook Pro starting at $1,599/1,599. For $999/999, the M2 Air is a fantastic budget option with many of the same features as the M3 model. But for just $100/100 more, the M3 models bring even better performance. Apple 15-inch MacBook Air (M3, 2024) Price When Reviewed: $1,299 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $1099 View Deal $1199 View Deal $1199 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $1099 at Best Buy $1199 at B&H $1199 at Walmart Electronics Not Available at Amazon View more prices from Amazon Close Best Prices Today: Apple 15-inch MacBook Air (M3, 2024) Retailer Price $1099 View Deal $1199 View Deal $1199 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket When Apple first introduced the 15-inch MacBook Air in July 2023 it answered a need for anyone who wanted a larger screen without having to pay hundreds more for a 14-inch MacBook Pro. The 15-inch M3 MacBook Air starts at $1,299/1,299. The 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,599/1,599, which is still much more expensive than the Air. But even compared to a cheaper Pro, the 15-inch Air is still a fantastic option for buyers looking for a large-screen laptop for less. As of October 28, 2024, all MacBook Air models have 16GB of unified memory, just like the MacBook Pro. If the choice is between the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air, other than the bigger screen there are a few differences to consider. Most notably, the larger model has better audio with a six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers. Also, the entry-level 13-inch M3 MacBook Air for $1,099/1,099 offers an eight-core GPU, while the entry-level 15-inch Air, which is $200/200 more at $1,299/1,299, offers a 10-core GPU. To get the same GPU option in the 13-inch Air youd need to pay an extra $100/100. The price gap is so small that we think its worth getting the 15-inch model unless you really want a smaller screen. Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4, 2024) Price When Reviewed: $1,599 | $1,799 | $1,999 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $1499 View Deal $1499 View Deal $1599 View Deal $1599 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $1499 at B&H $1499 at Best Buy $1599 at Apple Not Available at Amazon View more prices from Amazon Walmart Electronics Close Best Prices Today: Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4, 2024) Retailer Price $1499 View Deal $1499 View Deal $1599 View Deal $1599 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Back in 2023, Apple discontinued the 13-inch MacBook Pro and replaced it in the lineup with a base M-series version of the 14-inch MacBook Pro (you cant get the base M-series chip in the 16-inch MacBook Pro). This move brings many benefits: the 14-inch MacBooks HDR ProMotion display is significantly better than the 13-inch models was. It also offers twice the storage, HDMI, SDXC slot, better battery life, and a newer design. Mind you, the price of the 14-inch model, $1,599/1,599 (down from 1,699 in 2023), is quite a bit higher than the $1,299/1,349 price that the 13-inch model sold for. The higher starting price for the M4 MacBook Pro also means the difference between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro is wider than it was. Apple used to sell two almost identically specd machines for a very similar price, but now the 14-inch MacBook Pro ($1,599/1,599) costs an astonishing $600/600 more than the entry-level 13-inch M2 MacBook Air ($999/999) and $500/500 more than the M3 MacBook Air ($1,099/1,099). So if budget is what is important to you, save your money and buy a MacBook Air. If your choice is between a 15-inch M3 MacBook Air with 16GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD and 10-core GPU ($1,499/1,499) and the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro with the same 16GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD and 10-core GPU ($1,599/1,599), you should definitely pay the extra $100/100 to get the MacBook Pro with its newer M4 chip and better performance. Read our full Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4) review Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro, 2024) Price When Reviewed: $1,999 | $2,399 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $1749 View Deal $1839 View Deal $1899 View Deal $1999 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $1749 at B&H $1839 at Walmart Electronics $1899 at Best Buy Not Available at Amazon View more prices from Amazon Apple Close Best Prices Today: Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro, 2024) Retailer Price $1749 View Deal $1839 View Deal $1899 View Deal $1999 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket At the same time that it introduced the M4 14-inch MacBook Pro, Apple also introduced the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips. Both the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro can be bought with various configurations of those two chips. For those deciding between the 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch model the best place to start is to compare like-for-like. The 14-core CPU, 20-core GPU M4 Pro with 24GB unified memory and 1TB SSD 14-inch MacBook Pro costs $2,399/2,399 compared to the almost identically specd 16-inch model with 14-core CPU, 20-core GPU M4 Pro with 24GB unified memory and 512GB SSD for $2,499/2,499. So you are paying $100/100 more to get a larger screen, but also forfeiting half the SSD. If you want an equivalent 1TB SSD in the 16-inch thats an extra $200/200. On the other hand, if you are considering spending more to get the M4 Pro rather than the M4 in a MacBook Pro, the price difference is much greater. The 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro with 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, 16GB unified memory, and 512GB SSD costs $1,599/1,599, while the 14-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro with 12-core CPU and 16-core GPU, 24GB unified memory, and 512GB SSD costs $400/400 more at $1,999/1,999. The jump from M4 to M4 Pro is an expensive one, but you are getting a lot for your money: more memory, more cores, and essentially a more powerful machine in every way. Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) Price When Reviewed: $2,499 | $2,899 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $2299 View Deal $2299 View Deal $2399 View Deal $2499 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $2299 at B&H $2299 at Walmart Electronics $2399 at Best Buy Not Available at Amazon View more prices from Amazon Apple Close Best Prices Today: Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) Retailer Price $2299 View Deal $2299 View Deal $2399 View Deal $2499 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket The entry-level 16-inch MacBook Pro essentially offers the same specs (14-core CPU, 20-core GPU, 24GB memory) as the top-of-the-range 14-inch M4 Pro MacBook Pro for just 100/$100 more, $2,399/2,399 vs $2,499/2,499 which to be fair doesnt seem like a bad deal given the larger screen and increased battery life. The other big difference though is that the 14-inch MacBook in question comes with a 1TB SSD, while the 16-inch model only offers 512GB. If you really want that 1TB SSD in the 16-inch MacBook Pro it will cost you an extra 200/$200. So thats really a difference of 300/$300 if you want the bigger screen and battery. Read our full Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) review Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Max, 2024) Price When Reviewed: $3,199 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $2,899 View Deal $2899 View Deal $2929 View Deal $3049 View Deal $3199 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $2,899 at Amazon $2899 at B&H $2929 at Walmart Electronics View more prices from Best Buy Apple Close Best Prices Today: Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Max, 2024) Retailer Price $2,899 View Deal $2899 View Deal $2929 View Deal $3049 View Deal $3199 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Back to the 14-inch modelwhat if you want an even more powerful machine? The M4 Max chip will offer that and more to you, but there is a high price to pay with the difference between the standard M4 Pro and M4 Max models being $800/800. If you want more memory then the M4 Max is the way to go though. This is not just because the M4 Max can support 36GB, 48GB, 64GB and 128GB unified memory, while the M4 Pro only offers 24GB or 48GB. However, the M4 Max with a 14-core CPU and 32-core GPU is available only with 36GB of unified memory and has no memory upgrade options. You have to get the M4 Max with a 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU, and standard 48GB unified memory (an additional $300/300) in order to upgrade to 64GB or 128GB of memory. Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Max, 2024) Price When Reviewed: $3,499 | $3,999 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $2649 View Deal $2664 View Deal $2699 View Deal $3,359.99 View Deal $3499 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $2649 at B&H $2664 at Walmart Electronics $2699 at Best Buy $3,359.99 at Amazon View more prices from Amazon Apple Close Best Prices Today: Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Max, 2024) Retailer Price $2649 View Deal $2664 View Deal $2699 View Deal $3,359.99 View Deal $3499 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket The story is much the same if you are considering the 16-inch MacBook Pro. The leap from M4 Pro to M4 Max if you look at the standard options is $600/600, If you need the M4 Max Apple is making the upgrade worthwhile, but its still a high price to pay. The high-end 16-inch M4 Pro MacBook Pro comes with 48GB of RAM and has no RAM upgrades available. You have to upgrade to an M4 Max to get more RAM. Best MacBook 2025: Verdict The choice is pretty clear in terms of what you get for your money: Buying an entry-level M2 MacBook Air for $999/999 will get you an excellent Mac laptop for less than a grand, but it only costs $100/100 more to get an M3 MacBook Air with a newer chip. The 15-inch MacBook Air shook up the range when that screen size arrived in July 2023 (the M3 version was introduced in March 2024). With it, Apple lowered the price of getting a larger screen on a Mac laptop. Even with the 14-inch MacBook Pro, the 15-inch MacBook Air is still an attractive proposition, but remember that the 14-inch MacBook Pro has a newer M4 chip. The price of the M4 Pro and Max MacBook Pro models is high, but these models offer the kind of specs professional users, especially creatives, need, including support for more RAM, and more CPU and GPU cores. If you can afford to stretch to the M4 Max you will get the ultimate Mac without a doubt, but you need to be willing to make a significant investment. The choice between the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro is all down to the screen size. The 16-inch models are more expensive, but once you spec them out in such a way to be comparable the price difference is minor. The bigger difference is between the Pro and Max processors. Other than speed, MacBooks with Max processors can connect up to four external displays (three over Thunderbolt and one over HDMI), while the Pro models allow two displays. The M3 MacBook Air models allow two external displays when the lid is closed and a single display when its open, as does the MacBook Pro M4. ( There are workarounds if you need to connect more screens) . For the latest MacBook Pro and MacBook Air discounts, including discontinued models, check out our round-up of the Best MacBook Pro deals and Best MacBook Air deals . What happened to the 13-inch MacBook Pro? Lets address one model you might be wondering about. The 13-inch MacBook Pro is no longer sold by Apple, but it will no doubt be available from resellers and Apples refurbished store for a while. There were two standard 13-inch MacBook Pro to consider. The only real difference is storage: Apple 13-inch MacBook Air (M2, 256GB/16GB RAM, 2024) Price When Reviewed: $999 Best Prices Today: $799 at Amazon | $799 at Best Buy | $899 at B&H M2, 8-Core CPU, 10-Core GPU, 8GB Unified Memory, 256GB SSD Storage: Was $1,299 / 1,349 M2, 8-Core CPU, 10-Core GPU, 8GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD Storage: Was $1,499 / 1,549 The 13-inch MacBook Pro was replaced by the base M-series 14-inch MacBook Pro, which is the cheapest MacBook Pro but costs more than the 13-inch model. It does have a far superior screen, better battery life and many other benefits. The other difference was that the 13-inch MacBook Pro featured the Touch Bar, which is something that some people enjoyed, while others didnt .
K'taka: Cong accuses BJP leader of using derogatory words for woman minister
The Karnataka Congress on Thursday accused former BJP national general secretary and MLC C.T. Ravi of using derogatory words towards Minister for Women and Child Welfare Laxmi Hebbalkar on the floor of the house during the Session, demanding stern action against him.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat bats for inclusive society, frowns upon new disputes
PUNE: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has expressed concern over resurgence of several temple-mosque disputes and said certain individuals, after the construction of Ayodhya Ram temple, seem to believe they can become leaders of Hindus by raking up such issues. Delivering a lecture on India The Vishwaguru', at Sahjeevan Vyakhyanmala (lecture series) here on Thursday, Bhagwat advocated for an inclusive society and said the world needs to be shown that the country can live together in harmony. Highlighting the plurality of Indian society, the chief of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) said Christmas is celebrated in Ramakrishna Mission, adding only we can do this because we are Hindus. We have been living in harmony for a long time. If we want to provide this harmony to the world, we need to create a model of it. After the construction of the Ram Mandir, some people think they can become leaders of Hindus by raking up similar issues in new places. This is not acceptable, he said. The Ram temple was constructed since it was a matter of faith for all Hindus, Bhagwat said. Every day a new matter (dispute) is being raked up. How can this be allowed? This cannot continue. India needs to show that we can live together, he said without mentioning any particular site. Several demands for surveys of mosques to unearth temples have found their way to courts in the recent past, though Bhagwat did not mention any by name in his lecture. Some groups that came from outside brought with them staunchness and they want their old rule to return, he said. But now the country runs as per the Constitution. In this setup, people choose their representatives, who run the government. The days of hegemony are gone, he asserted. He said the rule of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was characterised by such staunchness, though his descendant Bahadur Shah Zafar in 1857 banned cow slaughter. It was decided that Ram Mandir in Ayodhya should be given to Hindus but the British sensed it and created a rift between the two communities. Since then, this sense of algavwad' (separatism) came into being. As a result, Pakistan came into existence, he said. Bhagwat asked why the language of dominance was being used if everybody identifies themselves as Indians. Who is a minority and who is a majority? Everyone is equal here. The tradition of this nation is all can follow their own forms of worship. The only requirement is to live in harmony and abide by rules and laws, the RSS chief asserted.
INDIA Bloc MPs protested at Parliament, demanding Home Minister Amit Shah's apology and resignation for his remarks on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Shah's statement in Rajya Sabha sparked outrage, with BSP chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party also condemning the remarks and demanding an apology. The INDIA Bloc MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, wore blue in protest.
India Bloc MPs to protest against Amit Shah`s remarks on Dr Ambedkar
INDIA Bloc MPs are organising a protest march to Parliament, demanding the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his controversial remarks about Dr BR Ambedkar. The protest follows widespread condemnation from various political leaders and Dalit community activists.
Sonali Bendre, Ronit Roy, Mandira Bedi, Remo & MORE Soak In Christmas Spirit At Terences Bash
Terence Lewis threw a lavish Christmas party last evening, and of course Bollywood celebs flocked to join the festive celebrations with the dance maestro. The star-studded guestlist included Sonali Bendre, Ronit Roy, Mandira Bedi, Remo D'Souza, Geeta Kapur, Ravi Dubey, Sargun Mehta, and many more. Watch the video for a glimpse of this dazzling affair! 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
