2nd Test Day 3 Highlights: Australia Take 221-Run Lead vs England

ENG vs AUS, 2nd Ashes Test, Day 3 Live: Australia are firmly in control of the proceedings against England on Day 3 of the ongoing 2nd Ashes Test at Lord's. Rain forced early Stumps to Day 3 but by then Australia's lead had already gone past the 220-mark. The visitors bundled out the hosts on 325 to take a 91-run first innings lead. On Day 2, Ben Duckett fell agonisingly close of scoring his third Test century after he was dismissed on 98 by Josh Hazlewood. Earlier, Steve Smith scored his 32nd century to power Australia to 416. Smith hit 110 while Travis Head continued his red hot form with a quickfire 77. ( Scorecard)

Here are the Highlights of Day 3 of the 2nd Ashes Test between England and Australia from Lord's

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HDFC Bank-HDFC Merger Today Biggest Transaction In History Of India Inc

Housing finance major HDFC will merge with its subsidiary HDFC Bank on Saturday as their respective boards have cleared the proposal on Friday.

Following the reverse merger, the 44-year-old institution HDFC Ltd would cease to exist from July 1 onwards. HDFC Ltd, the country's first home finance company, will lose its identity on Saturday.

"Saturday, July 1, 2023, to be the 'Effective Date' of the composite scheme of amalgamation, on which date the certified order of the NCLT sanctioning the Scheme will be filed by HDFC Investments, HDFC Holdings, HDFC Limited and HDFC Bank with the RoC," HDFC Bank said in a regulatory filing.

The board of directors of HDFC Bank in consultation with the board of directors of HDFC Limited has fixed July 13, 2023, for determining the shareholders of HDFC Ltd who would be issued and allotted the shares of HDFC Bank, it added.

Besides, July 13 has been fixed for the continuation of warrants of HDFC Limited in the name of HDFC Bank.

The board has fixed July 12, 2023, for the transfer of non-convertible debentures while July 7 for the transfer of commercial papers of HDFC Ltd in the name of HDFC Bank.

Termed as the biggest transaction in the history of India Inc, HDFC Bank on April 4, 2022, agreed to take over its parent, which is the largest pure-play mortgage lender, in a $40-billion all-stock deal, creating a financial services titan with a combined asset of over Rs 18 lakh crore.

The total business of the merged entity stood at Rs 41 lakh crore at the end of March 2023. With the merger, the net worth of the entity would be over Rs 4.14 lakh crore.

The combined profit of both entities was to the tune of about Rs 60,000 crore at the end of March 2023.

The combined shares of the HDFC twins will have the highest weighting on the indices at close to 14 per cent, much higher than the present index heavyweight Reliance Industries with a 10.4 per cent weightage.

The merger of HDFC Bank and HDFC creates a lender that ranks fourth in equity market capitalisation, behind JP Morgan Chase & Co, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd (ICBC) and Bank of America Corp, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. It's valued at about $172 billion.

With the deal getting effective, HDFC Bank will be 100 per cent owned by public shareholders, and existing shareholders of HDFC will own 41 per cent of the bank. Every HDFC shareholder will get 42 shares of HDFC Bank for every 25 shares they hold.

The merged entity brings together significant complementarities that exist between both entities and is poised to create meaningful value for various stakeholders, including respective customers, employees and shareholders of both entities from increased scale, comprehensive product offering, balance sheet resiliency and ability to drive synergies across revenue opportunities, operating efficiencies and underwriting efficiencies, a statement said.

Speaking on the completion of the merger, HDFC Bank CEO and Managing Director Sashi Jagdishan said the combined strength will enable to create a holistic ecosystem of financial services.

"We're truly happy to welcome the talented team of HDFC Ltd into the HDFC Bank family. I believe our journey will be defined by agility, adaptability, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. As we navigate the path ahead, we will embrace challenges as opportunities, learn from our experiences, and strive to be the benchmark of success and integrity in the financial services industry," he said.

It also marks the transformation of HDFC Bank into a financial services conglomerate that offers a full suite of financial services, from banking to insurance, and mutual funds through its subsidiaries, the bank said.

So far, the bank was a distributor for these products.

The merger of India's largest housing finance company HDFC Ltd with the largest private sector bank in India combines the strengths of a trusted home loan brand with an institution that enjoys a lower cost of funds.

The larger net worth would allow a greater flow of credit into the economy, it said, adding it will also enable the underwriting of larger ticket loans, including infrastructure loans and contribute further to nation-building and employment generation.

All employees of HDFC Ltd as of the effective date become HDFC Bank employees.

Over the past months, the bank has been preparing for smooth integration not only of systems and processes but also of all aspects that will make HDFC Bank a welcoming place of work for the employees from HDFC Ltd.

Post-merger, the key HDFC Bank subsidiaries include HDFC Securities Ltd, HDB Financial Services Ltd, HDFC Asset Management Co Ltd, HDFC ERGO General Insurance Co Ltd, HDFC Capital Advisors Ltd and HDFC Life Insurance Co Ltd.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Diamond League Live: Murali's Long Jump Event Coming Up Chopra To Follow

Lausanne Diamond League 2023 Live: India's ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who was a gold medallist at the Tokyo Olympics, will be returning to action after a one-month injury lay-off. He is seeking a second straight podium finish of the season at the Lausanne leg of the Diamond League in a star-studded field on Friday. The 25-year-old Indian superstar had made a perfect start to the Diamond League season with a top podium finish in Doha, Qatar, on May 5 with a fourth career-best throw of 88.67m but suffered a muscle strain while training later that month. Murali Sreeshankar will also be competing in the long jump event.

Here are the Live Updates of Lausanne Diamond League 2023, Javelin Throw event: 

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Reduce Age Of Consent From 18 To 16 High Court Urges Centre

The Gwalior Bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court has requested the central government to reduce the age of consensual physical relations between a man and a woman from 18 years to 16 years.

The single-judge bench of Justice Deepak Kumar Agarwal made the remark on Tuesday while hearing a petition filed in connection with a rape case reported on July 17, 2020.

Justice Agarwal was hearing a petition filed by Rahul Chandel Jatav for quashing an FIR registered under relevant sections of the IPC, Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO), and the IT Act. A sessions trial was also pending in the case.

"This Court would like to share its experience as a Judge that before amendments in IPC under Section 375 of IPC regarding age of prosecutrix for the purpose of consent that was 16 years and subsequently enhanced by amendment up to 18 years due to this amendment, fabric of society has been disturbed. Nowadays, every male or female near the age of 14 years due to social media awareness and easily accessible internet connectivity is getting puberty at an early age," read the judgment.

"Owing to this, female and male children are getting attraction and these attractions are resulting in physical relationship with consent. In these cases, male persons are not at all criminal. It is only a matter of age when they come into contact with a female and develop physical relationships. Only due to this reason, lawmakers in IPC, when it came into force, put the age of female as 16 years since they were well aware of the aforesaid facts," it added.

The judgment further read, "Generally, girls and boys of adolescence develop friendship and thereafter, due to attraction make physical relationships. But, due to this rider, boy is treated like a criminal in the society. Today, most of the criminal cases, in which prosecutrix is under 18 years of age, due to aforesaid anomaly, injustice is going on with adolescent boys. Thus, I request the Government of India to think over the matter for reducing the age of prosecutrix from 18 to 16 years as earlier before amendments so that injustice should be redressed."

According to the judgment, the complainant claimed she used to take coaching classes from the petitioner. On January 18, when she reached for her classes, no one else was present there, she said, alleging that she fell unconscious after having juiced offered by him. Thereafter, he sexually assaulted her and also made a video of the act, alleged the complaint.

He had physical relationship with her multiple times by threating her to make the video viral, she alleged.

The complainant came to know she was pregnant in April and informed Rahul, following which he made her take a tablet that caused her miscarriage. Rahul visited her house several times through the roof and had physical relationships with her, the judgement read.

Besides, the complainant also knew Mukesh Chokotia, who studied in her school and was her distant relative, for the last four years. In 2016, Mukesh had physical relationship with her multiple times on the pretext of marriage.

On July 16, 2020, Mukesh came to her locality, snatched her mobile and assaulted her with a stick. He had sent her photos on her sister's mobile. Based on her complaint, an FIR was registered under relevant sections of the IPC and POCSO Act, according to the judgment.

Justice Agarwal further added, "The impugned FIR as well as all consequential proceedings arising out of crime registered against the present petitioner at Thatipur Police Station, for the offences punishable under Sections 376(2)(F) (n), 376(3), 315 of IPC as well as under Section 5(L)(O)/6 of POCSO Act and 66 of IT Act as well as the Sessions Trial pending before learned 13th Additional Sessions Judge, and Special Judge POCSO Act are hereby quashed."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Second Only To Don Bradman: Steve Smith Scripts History With Ashes Ton

Australian batter Steve Smith has now become the player with the second-highest number of centuries for his country. He accomplished this feat in his side's Ashes second Test against England at Lord's. Smith continued with his rich run of form in English territory, scoring his 32nd Test hundred. The former Australia skipper produced a delightful 110 runs off 184 balls, studded with 15 boundaries.

Ponting holds the record for the most Test centuries for Australia, with 41 tons. Steve Waugh also has 32 tons like Smith. Notably, Smith is the fastest player to get to the 32-century mark, doing so in the 174th innings of his 99th Test, as per cricket.com.au. This was Smith's eighth Test hundred in England, the second-most by any foreign player in the country, behind only Sir Donald Bradman's eleven tons. Also, now Smith has 12 tons in the Ashes. Only Bradman, with 19 tons, has more triple figure mark in the Ashes, according to a ESPN Cricinfo report.

Smith has also become the fourth Australian player to etch his name on the honour's board at the Home of Cricket, Lord's. He joined an elite company featuring the likes of Warren Bardsley (1912, 1926), Sir Don Bradman (1930, 1938) and Bill Brown (1934, 1938) to score multiple Test hundreds at Lord's.

Smith now has 12 Ashes hundreds and now he is only second to the legendary Don Bradman, who has scored 19 centuries in the series.

Smith has a lot of history at the Lord's, a ground where he made his Test debut back in 2010. He smashed a mammoth 215 at the venue during the 2015 Ashes. It was here that England pacer Jofra Archer concussed him in 2019, which is one of the most brutal moments of this rivalry's history.

It further adds to Smith's unique history at Lord's, a ground where he made his Test debut against Pakistan in 2010, where he blazed a mammoth 215 during the 2015 Ashes and where Jofra Archer concussed him in 2019 in one of the Ashes' most brutally memorable moments.

After a rare double failure at Birmingham, perhaps Smith gave England a hope that they could avoid the carnage he unleashed back in the 2019 Ashes, in which he smashed 774 runs in four Test matches. But his attacking, but yet careful strokeplay helped him get another hundred.

In his knock, he also surpassed the total of 9,000 Test runs, with only Kumar Sangakkara being faster to reach the milestone in 172 innings.

Coming to the match, England's first innings is in progress.

In their first innings, Australia was bundled out for 416 runs. Smith (110), Travis Head (77 in 73 balls) and David Warner (66 in 88 balls) played standout innings for Australia.

Josh Tongue (3/98) and Ollie Robinson (3/100) took three-fers. Joe Root took two wickets while the veteran pace duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad managed a wicket each.

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"Don't See...": Gayle's Big Statement On Kohli's Likely Form At 2023 WC

Former West Indies captain Chris Gayle expects star India batter Virat Kohli to dominate proceedings at the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup on home soil. Kohli has been in stellar form with the bat since ending his century drought last year during the Asia Cup in UAE. He has score four tons across formats since then. The 34-year-old also hit two back-to-back centuries during the recently-concluded Indian Premier League season.

Gayle feels Kohli is in the right frame of mind, which makes him the player to watch out during the tournament.

"Tough times don't last long tough players last longer. Virat is tough mentally as well physically. I don't see any reason why he shouldn't go to this World Cup and dominate. As players, we always go through phases where things seem a bit dull and you need positive energy around to uplift yourself. Once we get back in the groove, we know how dangerous we can be.

"I know India have not won an ICC trophy in a long time and same is the case with us (West Indies). We last won in 2016. Pressure will be on India as they play at home as favourites," Gayle reckoned.

Will continue to play in franchise leagues

Gayle, who last played international cricket in 2021, has no immediate plans to announce his retirement. He would continue to play in leagues around the world, both professional and veteran events.

"I don't think there will be any international cricket from my point of view. After the World Cup (in 2021), I was supposed to have a farewell game. It did not happen. We have a new president in place, so I don't see it happening. But I have not made an announcement as yet.

"I am still active but won't be playing so often."

(With PTI Inputs)

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"Godzilla Ramen": Taiwanese Restaurant's Bizarre Dish Shocks Internet

Anything strange cannot avoid going viral on the internet in the era of social media. An unusual and odd dish made by a Taiwanese restaurant recently gained popularity due to one particularly bizarre ingredient.

According to the Taiwan News, a restaurant in Douliu City, Yunlin County, debuted its "Godzilla" ramen, featuring crocodile meat as its main ingredient.

The news portal further said that "Godzilla" ramen, which is prepared by steaming or braising the front leg of a crocodile.

In a clip, a young female customer samples both flavours and describes the dish as surprisingly delicious.

Watch the video here:

The woman in the video claimed that the dish's braised meat tastes like pork feet, while the dish's steamed version tastes like chicken. The owner of the restaurant learned to prepare the hot "witch soup" while visiting Thailand, and it is said that the soup contains over 40 different spices.

This is not the first time a dish from Taiwan has gone viral due to its offbeat ingredient.

Last month, a Taipei ramen restaurant started topping bowls of noodles with huge isopods, a mystifying 14-legged deep-sea creature, and pictures of the dish are going viral on social media all over the world.

The name of the restaurant is Ramen Boy Noodle Bar, which is situated in Taipei's Zhongshan district.

The restaurant enthusiastically announced the limited-edition dish in a post on its official Facebook page, noting first that it had "finally gotten this dream ingredient! The enormous isopod is known as "the big king pods."

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"Knew Dhoni Would Bat Ahead Because...": Muralitharan On 2011 WC Final

Former India captain MS Dhoni's decision to bat ahead of an in-form Yuvraj Singh in the 2011 ODI World Cup final against Sri Lanka turned out to be a game-changer. Knowing the Muttiah Muralitharan challenge that awaited the Indian team, Dhoni told the then-India coach Gary Kirsten that he plans to promote himself in the batting order. The rest, as they say, is history. More than a decade after the final, Muralitharan has opened up on the episode, sharing his opinion on why Dhoni did what he did that day.

In a chat during the ODI World Cup 2023 schedule announcement show, the Sri Lanka legend revealed that he already knew Dhoni would promote himself over Yuvraj Singh because of the experience he had playing against him in the Indian Premier League. For the unversed, Dhoni and Muralitharan were teammates at Chennai Super Kings at one stage.

"I knew because Yuvraj (Singh) was not very comfortable playing me, although he was the best player in World Cup at that time, middle-order number four position. I knew because I was bowling a lot against him (Dhoni) in the nets in Chennai while playing in the IPL.

"So Dhoni knew how to play me very well. So I thought he didn't want to give any wickets to me because I was wicketless despite bowling well," the iconic spinner revealed.

Having faced Muralitharan a number of times in the nets, Dhoni was best accustomed to tackle the tricky spinner's challenge. 

"There was a lot of dew at that time and we couldn't spin the ball much. Gambhir was there at the other end, so when we got the wicket, definitely I knew he will come because he knows how to play me very well as I've played for Chennai (Super Kings)," Murali further revealed.

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China Deliberately Engineered Coronavirus As "Bioweapon": Wuhan Researcher

A researcher in Wuhan has claimed that China deliberately engineered coronavirus as a "bioweapon". The explosive claim was made by Chao Shan in an exclusive interview with Jennifer Zeng, a member of the International Press Association, who provides first-hand information and unique insights about China and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Mr Chao said he and his colleagues were tasked with identifying the most effective strain for spreading among various species, including humans. The full interview has been posted by Ms Jennifer on her blog.

She has also posted a video on her Twitter handle where the human rights activist describes what Mr Chao, a researcher at Wuhan Institute of Virology, told her.

You must spread this like mad.
First-ever explosive admission from #ShaoChao (单超 ) #WIV (#WuhanInstituteofVirology) researcher, vice director of #Wuhan #P4Lab: I Was Given 4 Strains of #Coronavirus to Select the Most Infectious one in Feb 2019. They were artificial, engineered… pic.twitter.com/pNNPugwwli

— Inconvenient Truths by Jennifer Zeng 曾錚真言 (@jenniferzeng97) June 27, 2023

Ms Jennifer's blog mentions that the interview was conducted in September 2021. She said that Ms Chao was given four strains of coronavirus by his superior in Nanjing City in 2019 to test which one of them was the most virulent and transmissible.

Mr Chao tested the virus on human ACE2 receptor, bats and monkeys.

Mr Chao also called the coronavirus a "bioweapon".

He also mentioned in the 26-minute interview that several of his colleagues went missing during the 2019 Military World Games in Wuhan. Later, one of them revealed that they were sent to hotels where athletes from various countries were staying to "check the health or hygiene conditions". Since checking hygiene doesn't require virologists, Chao Shan suspected that they were sent there to spread the virus.

However, commenting on Mr Chao's claims, Ms Jennifer said that it is just a small piece of the entire puzzle.

So far, the true origin of the pandemic that has caused nearly 7 million deaths worldwide, or even more, is still under exploration.

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Born x Raised Co-founder Chris Printup Dies In Car Crash

Born x Raised co-founder Chris Printup, aka Spanto, died in a tragic car accident on Tuesday, June 27, Fox 11 reported. Printup, alongside partner Alex “2Tone” Erdmann, launched Born x Raised in 2013. 

As a co-founder of Born x Raised, Chris Printup played a pivotal role in shaping the brand's identity and establishing its reputation within the streetwear realm. 

Notably, Born x Raised has collaborated with brands such as New Era, Converse, and Babylon, and has also partnered with prominent Los Angeles sports franchises including the Lakers, Dodgers, Kings, Rams, and LAFC. The brand has 300K followers on Instagram.

Last month, Born x Raised teamed up with Levi's to pay homage to Spanto's late father Butch, who died earlier this year.

Many of his close friends, and fans paid heartfelt tributes to the designer on social media. 

RIP TO THE HOMIE SPANTO! 💔🙏🏽😔 pic.twitter.com/2JhcA0hLT1

— BEN BALLER™ (@BENBALLER) June 28, 2023

You can't go anywhere in LA without seeing someone wearing some #BORNxRAISED. He was so much more than his brand and that just goes to you how loved Spanto was and will forever be. Prayers to his family, friends, Venice and everyone who knew him and loved him.

RIP SPANTO 🕊️

— Rob (@RobDollas) June 28, 2023

LA might've lost a real one, but your presence made an everlasting impact in this city and around the world. Your vision shifted my trajectory in life and I've created lifelong bonds with people who share the same gratitude for you as I do.

Rest In Power Spanto#BornxRaised pic.twitter.com/HXdCwfdDit

— Miguelito (preWGA On Strike)🇲🇽 (@migueltheiii) June 28, 2023

RIP Spanto 🕊️thank you for always representing la raza in your work and definitely being a big inspiration to my art 🥹❤️ pic.twitter.com/RNVm8PNzt0

— Jocelyn (@JocelynStitches) June 28, 2023

Photographer Atiba Jefferson wrote, ''Spanto I was waiting to make this post because of how much a fighter you are, you beat cancer and the streets, you lived life like everyday was your last, you glowed when you talked about you family. Working with you was so great, you connected me with so many new friends that I love. You will always be with us my heart goes out to family and friends. I love you and will see you again.''

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Atiba Jefferson (@atibaphoto)

Rap executive icon Dante Ross wrote on Instagram, ''A testament to a man's being is how much he is universally loved and respected. Spanto was loved by all. Watching his evolution was a gift, hearing his laugh an honor. He walked the walk with grace and then some. We will talk you up until the wheels fall off, we love you Chris.''

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dante Ross (@danteross)

Notably, Mr. Printup was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2013, a month after he started Born x Raised. By 2018, reports confirmed he was free of cancer. At the end of 2022, he reflected on how far he has come on Instagram in a gratitude post.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by bornxraised (@bornxraised)

He was also renowned for his altruism and commitment to his native Los Angeles in addition to his creative endeavors. 

Meanwhile, the brand has yet to reveal an official announcement on their social media.

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Titanic Sub Debris Brought Ashore in Canada

A Canadian-flagged ship on Wednesday brought ashore debris from the Titan submersible that imploded while on a voyage to the century-old wreck of the Titanic earlier this month, killing all five people on board.

Shattered fragments wrapped in white tarp pulled up by a crane off the Horizon Arctic vessel.

Video from the Canadian Broadcast Corporation showed what appeared to be the nose of the submersible and other shattered fragments wrapped in white tarp pulled up by a crane off the Horizon Arctic vessel at the St. John's harbor in Newfoundland on Wednesday morning.

The debris is expected to shed more light on the cause of the catastrophic implosion that killed everyone on board - OceanGate Expeditions CEO Stockton Rush; British billionaire Hamish Harding; Pakistani-born businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son, Suleman; and French oceanographer Paul-Henri Nargeolet.

It was not immediately clear where the debris was headed.

Canadian and US authorities have in the past week announced investigations into the incident, which has raised questions about the unregulated nature of such expeditions.

The deep-sea submersible operated by OceanGate Expeditions was discovered in pieces on the seabed some 1,600 feet (488 meters) from the bow of the Titanic by a robotic diving vehicle last week, ending a multinational five-day search for survivors.

"Our team has successfully completed off-shore operations, but is still on mission and will be in the process of demobilization from the Horizon Arctic this morning," Pelagic Research, which operates the robotic vehicle, said in a statement. It declined to comment further, citing confidentiality reasons.

Footage also showed a shattered part of the hull and machinery with dangling wires being taken off the ship at St. John's, where the expedition to the Titanic had set off from.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Because Of Tolerance Of Hindus...": Allahabad High Court On 'Adipurush'

The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday pulled up the makers of "Adipurush" over the “very shameful manner” in which the movie portrayed the Ramayana characters, asking them to imagine the law and order problem if the Quran was treated in a similar manner.

The Lucknow bench of the high court, which was hearing a petition seeking a ban on the film, asked why such movies are made on the Ramayana, Quran or Bible when they disturb religious feelings.

"Suppose a small documentary was made on the Quran, can you think what kind of a serious law and order problem would have been created. But because of the tolerance of Hindus, things are not turning ugly despite this blunder by filmmakers," said the vacation bench of justices Rajesh Singh Chauhan and Shree Prakash Singh.

"Lord Shiva was shown to be running with his trishul in a movie. Now, Lord Ram and other characters of Ramayana have been shown in a very shameful manner. Should it not stop?" the bench asked.

During the course of hearing, the bench said that "should the court remain silent considering the funny manner in which the movie has been made".

Expressing the need to make specific guidelines for making such movies, the bench stressed that films made on religious subjects should not "instigate the religious feelings of any community".

The bench also said that the court has no religious inclination and if a plea had come up before it in regard to the Quran or Bible, it would have taken the same tough stand.

Justice Singh asked the filmmakers why they do not make movies showing the sacrifice of Lord Ram and his love for his brother Bharat.

On the plea of production house's senior lawyer Sudeep Seth that there is no book which depicts the dress of Lord Ram and other characters of Ramayana, Justice Singh asked Seth if he has not gone through the original copy of the Constitution of India which contains pictures of Lord Ram and other gods shown in decent dresses.  Seth was left speechless when the bench asked him if he would like to worship idols of indecently dressed gods as shown in the movie in his prayer room.

Hearing the PIL filed by Kuldeep Tiwari and Naveen Dhawan seeking ban on the movie, the bench asked deputy solicitor general S B Pandey as to why the central government was not reviewing the certificate granted by the Central Board of Film Certification for telecasting the movie.

To this, Mr Pandey said that the bench should come out with a solution while opposing the PIL, saying that the censor board had granted the certificate to telecast the movie after a panel of many senior board members watched it.

“Better senses should prevail over such sacramental members," reacted the bench sharply in a crowded open court.

When the bench asked additional advocate general V K Shahi as to why the state government was not taking any action, he said the act of the filmmakers was incorrigible.

Earlier, arguing on the PIL, advocates Ranjana Agnihotri and Prince Lenin stressed that the movie should immediately be banned.

After hearing the PIL, the bench proposed to pass the order in its chamber. The court, however, made it clear that it may issue notice to the makers of "Adipurush" and ask the central government as to why it was not taking action to cancel the certificate granted by the censor board for telecasting the movie. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Worrisome": Sharad Pawar On KCR's 600-Car Convoy In Maharashtra

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday took exception to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao arriving in Pandharpur town of Maharashtra with a huge motorcade, saying this attempt to "show strength" was worrisome.

K Chandrashekar Rao, who on Monday visited the famous Vitthal-Rukmini temple at Pandharpur in Solapur district of southern Maharashtra, held a rally at Sarkoli village, some 20 km away, on Tuesday as part of his Bharat Rashtra Samithi's (BRS) efforts to expand its base.

He arrived in the state with a motorcade of 600 cars on Monday.

Talking to reporters here, Sharad Pawar said if a chief minister of a neighboring state came to offer prayers, there was no reason to object.

"But the attempt to show big strength in terms of number of vehicles was worrisome," he said.

It would have been better had K Chandrashekar Rao's visit focused on enhancing cooperation between the two states, Pawar added.

Asked about Bhagirath Bhalke, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2021 Pandharpur Assembly bypoll on NCP ticket, joining the BRS at the Tuesday's rally, Pawar said there was no need to worry if an individual left the party.

"After giving ticket to Bhagirath Bhalke, we realized that our choice was wrong, but I do not want to talk about it," he said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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At Lust Stories 2 Premiere Tamannaah-Vijay Mrunal And Other Celebs

The most-awaited anthology Lust Stories 2 is only two days away from its release on June 29. Ahead of it, the stellar cast of Lust Stories 2 and others from the Bollywood fraternity arrived in style for its grand premiere night. Vijay Varma and Tamannaah, one of the lead pairs of the anthology series walked the red carpet together while looking stunning. The duo made heads turn as they posed for the paparazzi together and were all smiles. Tamannaah slipped into a monochrome dress for the big night while Vijay Varma looked dapper in a black suit.

Take a look at Tamannaah and Vijay's OOTN:

Actress Mrunal Thakur, who also stars in Lust Stories 2, graced the red carpet in a stunning pink gown. The actress was also pictured with Angad Bedi, who is paired opposite her in the anthology.

Here's how Mrunal Thakur walked the red carpet:

Lust Stories 2 stars Neena Gupta, Tillotama Shome, Amruta Shubhash and director Konkona Sen Sharma were also spotted at the premiere, dressed in their festive best. While Neena Gupta stole the limelight in a lovely saree, Tillotama Shome, Amruta Shubhash and Konkona Sen Sharma looked equally gorgeous in their party wear.

Take a look:

Besides the star cast, other members of the film fraternity also marked their presence at the star-studded event. Angad Bedi's wife and actress Neha Dhupia arrived for the premiere night in a pretty black dress. Irrfan Khan's son Babil Khan looked stylish in black attire.

Actresses Shweta Tripathi Sharma, Saiyami Kher, and Minissha Lamba added to the glam quotient with their stunning appearances.

Meanwhile, Lust Stories 2 actors Tamannaah and Vijay Varma are hogging all the limelight with their pairing in the anthology. Recently, Tamannaah Bhatia, in her interview with Film Companion, revealed that she has broken her 18-year-old no-kiss policy for her segment in Lust Stories 2. “I really wanted to work with Sujoy and I'm really happy that he thought of me for this part especially because I have done literally no intimacy in my career or very little intimacy in my career. I was that audience that would get awkward and I was that audience that ‘main ye kabhi nahi karungi', ‘main kabhi nahi kiss karungi on-screen.'"

She added, "I was that person so for me it has been an evolution to kind of get out of that framework, which served a certain audience because India is huge and there are so many parts of India that still needs to evolve. There is a lot of evolution that has happened already, thanks to even internet and social media, everyone has information at their fingertips but I do feel like — because everyone's consuming so much content — I felt like as an actor, I don't want this to be something that is holding me back...This was purely a creative endeavour. Now, after 18 years, I am not trying to be famous. That is not my driving force."

On Wednesday, the makers dropped the trailer of the second instalment of Lust Stories. As anticipated, Vijay and Tamannaah's chemistry was off the charts and kept the fans hooked throughout the trailer. Take a look at the trailer here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tamannaah Bhatia (@tamannaahspeaks)

Lust Stories 2 is an anthology of four stories directed by Amit Ravindernath Sharma, Konkona Sen Sharma, R Balki and Sujoy Ghosh.

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Leader From Uddhav Thackeray's Party Joins Eknath Shinde's Sena

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former corporator Sanjay Agaldare joined the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde today.

Nearly a dozen former corporators from Shiv Sena (UBT) have joined the Shinde-led Sena in the last year since a rebellion split the party.

Before the term of the corporators ended early last year, Agaldare represented Ward No. 99 - Khar Danda - of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Speaking on the occasion, according to a statement by his office, Mr Shinde said that the speed with which the Shiv Sena-BJP government is working in the state for the last 11 months has made the Opposition worried about its future.

"Since our government came to power, we have taken several decisions for the welfare of the public and in a short span of time we have expedited developmental works that had come to a halt under the previous government. Those who ruled the BMC for 15 years didn't do anything for the city," said Mr Shinde.

The Opposition is scared thinking about the work the government will do in the next 1.5 years, he said. "Mumbaikars trust us and so corporators continue to join us," said Mr Shinde.

He slammed the Shiv Sena (UBT) for planning to organise a morcha on July 1 outside the Mumbai municipal corporation against "irregularities" in its functioning.

"You looted Mumbai for 15 years and now when we are asking you for an explanation you want to hold a protest. You should protest outside your own house," said Mr Shinde.

He said Mumbai suffered every year due to sub-standard infrastructure when the Sena under Mr Thackeray ruled the BMC.

"And these people want to question our work. We have taken a decision to make Mumbai pothole free, started health clinics, beautification projects have been taken up and infrastructure projects have been expedited," said Mr Shinde.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Didn't Kick Anyone...": Salt Bae On Controversial Celebration With Messi

Nusret Gokce, the renowned chef better known as Salt Bae on the internet, courted controversy during the FIFA World Cup 2022 final in Qatar when he was pictured on the field following Argentina's win over France. Several fans accused him of trying to steal the spotlight on the historic occasion and the situation worsened when pictures surfaced of him holding the World Cup trophy on the field. In a recent interaction, Salt Bae opened up about the incident and provided his side of the story.

“It was a combination of my love of Argentina and my excitement. I love Argentina; I've lived there. I went to support them. Many of [the team] have come to the restaurant. I didn't feel a stranger. It was a special moment. I can't do anything about the reason I was there, but I would never, ever step on the World Cup pitch again. There were two billion people watching the World Cup… How many people are speaking about me? Five billion. The whole world,” he told the Times as per talkSPORT.

“I didn't go on the pitch with the purpose of advertising; I just felt like it. Then it was a bit of a surprise. There were at least another 1,000 people on the pitch but when they show the video they make out it was just me. I never, ever wanted to overshadow anything. I didn't like the attention. I didn't kick anyone, steal anything,” he added.

The controversy did not die down after the tournament as FIFA decided to come up with an official statement regarding the incident that took place after the summit clash. “Following a review, FIFA has been establishing how individuals gained undue access to the pitch after the closing ceremony at Lusail stadium on 18 December. The appropriate internal action will be taken.”

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Retirement Fund Body EPFO Extends Deadline For Higher Pension Till July 11

Retirement fund body EPFO has extended the deadline for filing applications to opt for a higher pension till July 11.

This is the second extension of the deadline for applying for a higher pension. Earlier, it was extended from May 3, 2023, to June 26, 2023.  The last opportunity of 15 days is being given to remove any difficulty faced by the eligible pensioners/ members, the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation said in a statement.

"Accordingly, the last date for submission of Applications for Validation of Option/ Joint Options by employees is extended to July 11, 2023," it added.

"Online facility has been made available by EPFO for submitting Applications for Validation of Options/Joint Options for pension on higher wages. The facility is for eligible pensioners/members in compliance with the Hon'ble Supreme Court order dated November 04, 2022," the statement said.

"Timeline for applying for higher pension has been extended by 3 months for the employer and 15 days for the employee (member)," Raghunathan KE, Member representing Employers, Central Board of Trustees, EPFO, told PTI.

A lot of verification needs to be done as these are involving financial transactions, he added.

"We are happy and complement EPFO for three months time for employers and also 15 days for employees. EPFO once again proves to be considerate and compassionate to field issues," he said. Any eligible pensioner/member who on account of any issue in the updation of KYC, faces difficulty in submitting an online application for validation of option / joint option, may immediately lodge such grievance on EPFiGMS for resolution, as per the statement.

"The grievance may please be submitted by selecting the grievance category of 'Higher Pensionary benefits on higher wages'. This will ensure proper record of such a grievance for further action," it added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Netflix Slammed Over Insensitive New Show Tweet After Submersible Tragedy

Streaming giant Netflix has been slammed by the netizens for dropping the trailer of its new documentary, The Deepest Breath on Twitter, just days after the Titan Submersible imploded, killing all five onboard.

Netflix's latest documentary is about Alessia Zecchini, who holds a world record in freediving. The trailer did not go down well with the netizens and they criticised the OTT giant's move to release the trailer at the wrong time.

A Twitter user wrote, "I'm not sure this is the best show to advertise during the Titanic submarine thing."

Another user wrote, "Probably not the best-timed tweet you've ever done."

A third added: "Wow epic timing, and not in a good way. Who decided this was going up?"

Watch the trailer here:

In freediving, a single breath can be the difference between life or death.

The Deepest Breath, a new documentary, premieres July 19 pic.twitter.com/XLeH5D1YMm

— Netflix (@netflix) June 20, 2023

Meanwhile, a "catastrophic implosion," such as that believed to have destroyed the Titan submersible, would have happened with incredible force and speed gave the crushing water pressure on the floor of the ocean.

The remains of the Titanic rest on the seabed in the North Atlantic at a depth of some 3,800 meters (12,400 feet).

At sea level, atmospheric pressure is 14.7 pounds per square inch (psi).

The Titan, built by OceanGate Inc. of Everett, Washington, was designed to sustain the extreme water pressure at the depth of the Titanic and had made previous dives to the wreck.

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Man Defecates Mid-Air On Mumbai-Delhi Air India Flight Arrested

A man was held in Delhi for allegedly defecating and urinating on the floor of a Mumbai-Delhi Air India flight mid-air, police said on Monday.

The incident took place onboard flight AIC 866 on June 24, police said.

According to the FIR, Ram Singh, a passenger on seat number 17F, defecated, urinated, and spat in row 9 of the aircraft.

Upon observing the "misconduct", the cabin crew gave a verbal warning to the passenger, he was secluded from the others, it said.

The pilot-in-command was also informed of the situation. A message was sent to the company immediately seeking security on arrival to escort the passenger. The act left several of the passengers agitated, the FIR stated.

On arrival, the head of Air India security attended and escorted the passenger to the local police station, it said.

A case under sections 294 (obscene acts) and 510 (misconduct in public by a drunken person) of the Indian Penal Code was registered, it added.

On November 26, 2022, a man, who was in an inebriated condition, allegedly urinated on a woman co-passenger onboard an Air India flight from New York to Delhi.

Ten days later, another episode of a "drunk" male passenger allegedly "urinating" on a blanket of a female passenger was reported on a Paris-New Delhi Air India flight on December 6.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Bengaluru Techie Who Was Laid Off Turns Rapido Driver To Get Job Leads

A Twitter user has shared a 'Peak Bengaluru' moment about a software developer who lost his job at HCL and is now driving a Rapido bike to get leads on any Java developer openings across the city.

Srinivas Rapolu, a skilled Java developer was laid off from Hindustan Computers Limited (HCL). He now works as a driver for Rapido and hopes to find a suitable job as a Java developer. Mr Rapolu's story was shared on Twitter by Loveneesh Dhir. "My Rapido guy is a Java developer recently laid off from HCL driving rapido to get leads for any Java developer openings," Mr Dhir wrote on Twitter.

"I have his cv. DM if you have any relevant openings," Mr Dhir added. He also called the incident his "peak Bengaluru" moment.

See the post here:

My Rapido guy is a Java developer recently laid off from HCL driving rapido to get leads for any java developer openings.

I have his cv. DM if you have any relevant openings.

My @peakbengaluru moment 🤯 pic.twitter.com/PUI7ErdKoU

— Loveneesh Dhir | Shardeum 🔼 (@LoveneeshDhir) June 22, 2023

His post soon went viral and collected nearly 2 lakh views on Twitter. The post generated mixed reactions on the social media platform. While some appreciated Mr Dhir's effort of helping the Rapido driver, others called it a gimmick for publicity.

Mr Dhir clarified in a follow-up tweet, he wrote, "This is not a tweet gimmick." He shared Mr Rapolu's CV. 

HCL also reacted to the post, "We're sad to hear about your experience. Request you to please DM us the details (Name, SAP ID, Contact, Email), we shall try our best to assist you."

Another user commented, "that's straight-up hustling. massive respect for the guy. i never think of how easy I've got."

The third user commented, "Appreciate this gesture of yours."

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Boeing Supports PM Modi's Make in India Initiative: CEO David Calhoun

Boeing CEO David L Calhoun has said his company supports Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ‘Make in India' initiative and will play a key role in the rapid expansion of the country's commercial aviation market. 

Mr Calhoun met PM Modi and discussed the importance of Boeing's eight decades of aerospace partnership with India during the prime minister's state visit to the US.

“Boeing is proud to be playing a key role in the rapid expansion of India's commercial aviation market, and in the mission readiness and modernisation of the nation's defence forces,” said Mr Calhoun on Sunday.

“We support Prime Minister Modi's Make in India initiative, with more than 5,000 people in India pursuing high-quality careers doing innovative work on the Boeing team,” he said.

Mr Calhoun said Boeing's growing investments in India underscore not only the strength of the company's partnership with the country but also the positive trajectory of the broader US-India economic relationship.

At the Paris Air Show last week, Boeing had announced new service contracts in India as well as the finalisation of Air India's order of up to 290 new Boeing jets.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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PM Modi Returns To India After Landmark Visits To US Egypt

Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to India Sunday night after his six-day visit to the US and Egypt during which several landmark agreements were signed.

PM Modi was received at the Delhi airport by Union Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakashi Lekhi and BJP chief J P Nadda. BJP leaders and party MPs from Delhi such as Harsh Vardhan, Hans Raj Hans and Gautam Gambhir were also present.

#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns to Delhi after concluding his state visits to US and Egypt, received by BJP chief JP Nadda and other party leaders pic.twitter.com/H0FsEyzRqz

— ANI (@ANI) June 25, 2023

The prime minister had embarked on his visit to the US on June 20 and in New York, he led a historic event at the UN Headquarters to commemorate the 9th International Day of Yoga on June 21.

Later, in Washington DC, he was given a red-carpet welcome at the White House by President Biden. The two leaders held a historic summit on Thursday, followed by PM Modi's address to Congress and a State Dinner hosted at the White House by the Bidens in his honour.

The visit was marked by several major deals to boost cooperation in key areas such as defence, space and trade.

PM Modi arrived in Cairo on Saturday after concluding his high-profile state visit to the US and was received at the airport by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

He concluded his first-ever visit to Egypt this evening. During the visit, he held talks with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and was conferred the Arab country's highest honour 'Order of the Nile'.

PM Modi held talks with Sisi on Sunday and discussed ways to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries with a focus on improving trade and investments, energy ties and people-to-people ties. The two countries elevated their relationship to a "Strategic Partnership".

President El-Sisi conferred PM Modi the 'Order of the Nile' award - Egypt's highest state honour. This is the 13th highest state honour conferred upon Prime Minister Modi.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Pak Law In The Making That May Pave Way For Nawaz Sharif's Return

Pakistan's National Assembly on Sunday passed a bill to limit the lifetime disqualification of lawmakers to five years, possibly paving the way for the return of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from London to resume active politics ahead of general elections this year.

Mr Sharif, 73, was disqualified for life in 2017 by the Supreme Court and later convicted in corruption cases by the accountability courts.

In 2018, the three-time former premier became ineligible to hold public office for life after a Supreme Court verdict in the Panama Papers case.

The Elections (Amendment) Bill 2023 apart from reducing the period of disqualification also aims to empower the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to announce election dates unilaterally without having to consult the president.

On the time period of disqualification for lawmakers, the bill included an amendment to Section 232 (Disqualification on account of offences) of the Election Act, 2017.

The bill was already approved by the Senate on June 16.

The amendments also empower the ECP to announce election dates unilaterally without having to consult the president. To become a law, the bill should be endorsed by the president.

With Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-backed President Arif Alvi out of the country to perform Hajj, Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani has taken charge as the acting president and possibly he would endorse the bill without wasting any time, reported Geo News.

It is believed that after becoming the law, the lifelong disqualification of Mr Sharif would end, paving the way for his return to the country and rejoin active politics ahead of general elections, likely in October.

But before joining active politics, Mr Sharif would still need to get decisions of two anti-corruption cases against him overturned.

Nawaz Sharif, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader, has been living in self-exile in the United Kingdom since November 2019.

Before his departure to London on a four-wheel bail by the Lahore High Court on medical grounds, Mr Sharif was serving a seven-year jail term in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case.

The PML-N says its supreme leader will return to Pakistan once the date of the general elections is announced.

Elections in the country are due in October as the tenure of the incumbent government ends on August 13.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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56-Year-Old Millionaire Fails China's Toughest Exam For 27th Time

After failing to achieve a high enough score on China's dreaded college entry exam for the 27th time, 56-year-old Liang Shi is beginning to wonder if he will ever make it to his dream university.

Mr Shi, a self-made millionaire, has taken the gruelling "gaokao" exam dozens of times over the past four decades, hoping to earn a place at top-tier Sichuan University and fulfil his ambition of becoming "an intellectual".

By most measures, Liang has had a successful life -- he worked his way up from a menial job on a factory floor to establishing his own construction materials business, making millions of yuan in the process, but his university dreams have so far eluded him.

In his quest for a prestigious higher education, he has put in 12-hour study days, abstained from drinking and playing mahjong, and endured the media mocking him as the "gaokao holdout", as well as online suspicion that it is all a publicity stunt.

But despite months of living like "an ascetic monk", this year Liang was 34 points short of the provincial baseline for getting into any university.

"Before I got the result, I had a feeling that I wouldn't be able to get a high enough score to enter an elite university," he told AFP.

"But I didn't expect to not make it into the ordinary ones."

Shortly before 10 pm Friday -- along with hundreds of thousands of high-school students across southwestern Sichuan province -- the grey-haired businessman carefully typed in his exam identification information and nervously waited to find out how he'd done.

Several local media reporters live streaming the scene were also avidly checking for updates -- and from their disappointed expressions, Liang knew before he even saw the screen himself that the result was not ideal.

"It's all done for again this year," he said to himself. "It's very regrettable."

In the past, Liang's repeated misses failed to deter him.

Every time he fell short, he vowed to try again the next year.

Now, for the first time in decades, he is wondering if his hard work will ever lead to anything.

"If I truly can't see much hope for improvement, there is no point doing it again. I really did work very hard every day," he said tiredly.

"It's hard to say whether I will keep on preparing for the gaokao next year," he admitted.

But a life without gaokao preparation is almost unthinkable to him.

"It's a hard decision to make. I am not willing to give up either," he mused.

"(If I were to) stop taking the gaokao, every cup of tea I drank for the rest of my life would taste of regret."

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Kerala Man Shuts Self In Vande Bharat Washroom Brought Out By Force

In a weird turn of events aboard the Vande Bharat Express on Sunday, a man boarded the train from the northern Kasaragod district of Kerala and then shut himself inside one of its washrooms refusing to come out from there, Railway officials said.

He was brought out only after the train reached Shornur railway station in Palakkad after breaking open the washroom door, officials said.

Dressed in a red striped t-shirt, the man looked scared when he was taken out of the washroom, according to visuals of the incident shown on TV channels.

The visuals later showed him being questioned by Railway Protection Force (RPF) officials on the station platform.

Railway officials said that initially the man claimed he was from Maharashtra and was speaking in Hindi, but later he said that he was from Kasaragod and therefore, his identity was yet to be ascertained.

The man did not have a ticket either, they added.

He also told the RPF that someone was after him and while trying to run away from them he got into the washroom and shut himself inside it, the officials said.

They also said that he deliberately did not come out of the washroom despite repeated directions of RPF and other officials when the train stopped at Kannur and Kozhikode stations.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Congress Not Allowed To Present Views In All-Party Meet": Jairam Ramesh

Hours after the all-party meeting, convened by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the prevailing situation in Manipur, ended, the Congress, which was represented by former chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, said he was "not allowed" to put forward his points".

It also called the meeting an "eyewash and a formality".

Taking to Twitter, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said it was an "insult" that the only leader from Manipur at the all-party meeting was not allowed to put forth his views on the situation in the Northeast state.

"As the principal Opposition party, our representative, the senior most leader from Manipur, 3-time elected CM Okram Ibobi Singh, was not allowed to present his points representing the pain and anguish of the people of Manipur. He was the only leader from Manipur in the all-party meeting today, and it is an insult not only to the former CM and the Congress party but also to the people of Manipur that their representative was not allowed to fully put forth his point of view," Ramesh tweeted.

The all-party meeting organised by the Home Minister today was just an eye-wash and a formality.

As the principal Opposition party, our representative the senior most leader from Manipur, 3-time elected CM Okram Ibobi Singh, was not allowed to present his points representing… pic.twitter.com/XMjfWXYHBa

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 24, 2023

He also shared eight points on behalf of his party, which include the immediate removal of the Manipur CM, without which, according to him, "no progress can be made towards peace and normalcy in Manipur".

"The all-party meeting organised by the Home Minister today was just an eyewash and a formality," he added in his tweet.

The meeting, chaired by the Union Home Minister, was called to take stock of the situation in the violence-wracked state. BJP national president JP Nadda, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, and CPI (M) MP John Brittas were among the other leaders present in the meeting.

Violence gripped Manipur on May 3 after clashes erupted during a rally organised by the All Tribal Students Union (ATSU) to protest the demand for the inclusion of Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list.

The ruling BJP has come under fire from the Opposition over the continuing violence in the state.

Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi had earlier said the "unprecedented violence that has devastated the lives of people in Manipur has left a deep wound in the conscience of our nation".

She urged all stakeholders to work for the restoration of peace and harmony in the state.

The Congress has been vocal about Manipur since the violence erupted in the BJP-ruled state.

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Before Mercenary Group's Mutiny Russia Faced 2 Big Revolts

After the rebellion launched by the Russian mercenary group Wagner against Moscow, AFP looks back at the previous biggest threats survived by the Kremlin since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

Failed coup of 1991

In August 1991, four months before the collapse of the Soviet union, president Mikhail Gorbachev survived a failed attempt by Communist hardliners to seize power to prevent the signature of a treaty granting a large degree of autonomy to the 15 republics that made up the USSR.

Gorbachev was on holiday at his dacha in Crimea when he was taken prisoner there by the KGB, the Soviet secret police, on August 19. Troops and tanks were also deployed on the streets of Moscow.

Over the next three days, tens of thousands of people took to the streets to defend Russian democracy.

The resistance centred on the White House, the parliament building in Moscow, which became a symbol of opposition to the putsch. 

Boris Yeltsin, the newly elected president of the Russia republic -- the USSR's largest -- led the fightback, famously addressing crowds atop one of the tanks that surrounded parliament. 

Within two days the coup had petered out and Gorbachev returned to Moscow a day after it ended, but the episode undermined his influence and made Yeltsin the dominant leader.

Within a few months, Soviet republics began declaring independence.

Parliamentary revolt of 1993

Two years later, between September 21 and October 4, 1993, Yeltsin found himself at the centre of an even bigger crisis, when hardline Communist and nationalist deputies led a bloody revolt that ended with tanks attacking parliament.

The rebellion erupted after months of political deadlock, after Yeltsin signed a decree to dissolve the Supreme Soviet, as the legislature was called at the time.

It set up a standoff with the Communist-dominated parliament, which voted to remove Yeltsin as leader and give his powers to vice-president Alexander Rutskoy, who joined the opposition. 

Parliament supporters barricaded themselves with rebel MPs inside the White House while Yeltsin's opponents demonstrated outside.

The rebels seized the Moscow mayor's offices and took over part of the state television centre.

Yeltsin eventually crushed the rebellion by ordering tanks and troops to fire on the White House on October 4.

Entire floors of the 18-storey building were reduced to rubble and the leaders of the rebellion were jailed.

The number of people killed is officially listed at 148, though the rebels claimed that some 1,000 people died.

In December that year, a new constitution boosting the powers of the president was adopted by referendum. 

But Yeltsin's supporters suffered losses in parliamentary elections, and MPs later voted to grant amnesty to the leaders of the uprising.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"My Toast And Towel Fell Down": India Star's Funny Story From 1983 WC

Former India batter Syed Kirmani has revealed a funny incident from the 1983 World Cup. It was India's match against Zimbabwe in which the then captain of the side, Kapil Dev, played the iconic 175-run knock. India were tottering at 17 for 5 when Kapil Dev entered the crease and tore apart the Zimbabwe bowlers, helping his team eventually post a total of 266 for 8 in 60 overs. The captain's unbeaten knock was laced with 16 fours and 6 sixes.

Kirmani revealed the funny incident during Adani Group's launch of 'Jeetenge Hum' campaign at Adani Day.

"I am in the dressing room, toast in between my teeth and the towel around me. Somebody shouted from outside - 'Hey Kiri pad up'. Normally, guys pull your leg (by shouting like this). So I ignored that shout. In a span of three minutes again, someone shouted - 'Arey kya kar raha hai yaar (What are you doing man?) Pad up.' So I held my towel with the toast between my teeth, I saw the scoreboard which read 17 for 5. My toast and towel fell down. I looked around left and right. Believe me, no one was there in the dressing room," said Syed Kirmani on the eve of India's 40th anniversary of 1983 World Cup.

India went on to win the game by 31 runs as the side bundled out Zimbabwe for 235. Madan Lal picked three wickets while Roger Binny scalped two. Mohinder Amarnath, Kapil Dev and Balwinder Sandhu claimed a wicket each.

In the final match of the tournament, India defeated West indies by 43 runs to claim their first-ever World Cup title.

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"Need To Forget Differences" Arvind Kejriwal Told Rahul Gandhi: Sources

Amid confusion over the Congress' stance on the Centre's Delhi ordinance, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal told Rahul Gandhi to forget the differences and move forward together at the opposition meeting in Patna, AAP sources said on Saturday.

"Arvind Kejriwal spoke directly to Rahul Gandhi (on the ordinance matter) and said if there is any issue, they can resolve it over tea. In the opposition meeting on Friday, Kejriwal said there is a need to forget the differences and move forward together," a party source said.

Given the situation, he said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is yet to decide if it will attend the opposition parties' next meeting scheduled in Shimla. 

The plan of action is expected to be formulated at another meeting to be chaired by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, tentatively on July 10 or 12, in Shimla. Drawing the battle lines, opposition parties had on Friday resolved to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unitedly in 2024 Lok Sabha elections at the crucial meeting in Patna.

In a statement on Friday, the AAP had said that any alliance with the Congress would be very difficult after its war of words with the grand old party over the contentious Delhi ordinance issue.

At the opposition meet in Patna, many parties urged the Congress to publicly denounce the "black ordinance", but the grand old party refused to do so which raises suspicions about its real intentions, the AAP had said in the statement soon after the meeting. 

AAP sources claimed that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee at the meeting intervened and said Mr Gandhi and Mr Kejriwal should sit together for lunch so that all the issues get addressed.

Sources in the AAP also claimed that at the end of the meeting, Mr Kharge alleged that a spokesperson of AAP was making 'wrong' statements about the Congress. 

"In response, our national convener Arvind Kejriwal clearly stated that Congress spokespersons had also made misleading statements against AAP. Having said that, there is a need to forget the differences and come together," the source added.

The source said Rahul Gandhi stressed that there was a process to discuss about the contentious Delhi ordinance.

"Kejriwal asked the Congress to specify the time for the next meeting, but the Congress leaders were non-responsive. All the top opposition leaders present during the meeting had urged the Congress to clarify its stand on the ordinance and fix a meeting to discuss the same," the source said.

The AAP source also said that party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal specified that his party had always stood by the Congress in the right matters.

"Even when Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha membership was cancelled, Kejriwal had opposed it. If Gandhi and the Congress are afraid to meet AAP leaders, forging of opposition unity is doubtful. We have been constantly asking for an appointment with the leadership, but the Congress has refused to budge," he said.

The AAP source also said that although the Kharge-led party has maintained that it has always raised its voice against any draconian law, but it has largely remained mum on the Delhi ordinance issue.

Although Mr Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP's Rajya Sabha MPs Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha attended the opposition meeting, they remained conspicuous by their absence at the joint press conference held by the opposition parties later.

The BJP took a potshot at the absence of Mr Kejriwal at the opposition parties' joint press conference in Patna and said the AAP's "blackmailing" at the beginning of the meeting itself showed the future of the "unholy alliance".

Mr Kharge, however, said a decision on whether to oppose the Centre's ordinance on the control of administrative services in Delhi would be taken before the Parliament session and wondered why it was being talked about elsewhere when the matter pertained to Parliament.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/Z23pgrc