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Showing posts from February, 2023

Water Storage Breach At Vedanta Alumina Unit In Odisha Impacts Farm Land

A water storage facility breach at miner Vedanta Aluminium's unit in Odisha has impacted agricultural land, the company said on Monday. The incident, which happened at Vedanta's Lanjigarh alumina refinery in Odisha on Sunday, has alarmed environment experts who pointed out it was a serious matter as the toxic byproduct 'red mud' was involved. The pumped water level, or PWL, has causticity in water, meaning it can corrode organic tissue by damaging skin, eyes and mucus membranes. The water overflowed due to heavy rain, Vedanta Aluminium said. Visuals of the industrial incident show process water lake downstream of a pond that appeared to have been formed by 'red mud'. A large volume of muddy red water was also seen flowing into open areas. The water covered the ground where some trees stood, and ran over other forms of vegetation. 'Red mud' is the waste generated in production of alumina from bauxite. It is also known as 'bauxite residue'.

Ex Bengaluru Top Cop Set To Join BJP Ahead Of Karnataka Polls

Former Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao, who is the Chairman of Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Manifesto Committee, is likely to join the BJP ahead of the Assembly polls in Karnataka, sources close to him and the party said on Tuesday. The former IPS officer today met state's Revenue Minister R Ashoka and held discussions. He is also said to have met Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai, a former IPS officer and party's co-in-charge for Karnataka polls, and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, sources said, adding that he will be joining the party soon. Mr Rao, who resigned from the IPS, had joined AAP in April last year, and was recently appointed as the party's Manifesto Committee's Chairman, and had emerged as one of the prominent faces of the party in the state. Mr Rao, who was even seen as AAP's probable candidate from the Basavanagudi Assembly constituency, is said to have quit the party due to his reported not so good equations with certain leaders especia

Centre Issues Advisory For Protection Against Expected Heat Wave

Amid an unusual rise in temperatures in some places of the country, the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday issued an advisory, listing the dos and don'ts for protection against the expected heat wave. The list of 'Dos and Don'ts' comes after the India Meteorological Department issued its first heat warning for 2023. As part of a national action plan on heat-related illness, the ministry has advised citizens to avoid high-protein food and cooking during the peak summer hours besides asking them to not get out in the sun, especially between 12 noon and 3 pm. In the advisory, the ministry has also asked people to drink sufficient water whenever possible, even if not thirsty. It has also asked people to use Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS), consume homemade drinks like lemon water, buttermilk/lassi, and fruit juices with some added salt, and stay indoors in well-ventilated and cool places. Residents have also been advised to consume fresh fruits such as watermelon, cucumb

"Probably Bigger Than...": Stokes Reacts After First Loss As Test Captain

England captain Ben Stokes feels blessed to be involved in a dramatic and high-quality game of cricket that his side lost by just one run, saying the enjoyment of being part of the thriller has outweighed the disappointment of losing the second Test. New Zealand defeated England by one run in a sensational finish at the Basin Reserve on Tuesday to level the two-match series 1-1. It is only the fourth occasion in Test history that a team, forced to follow-on, has gone on to win the match, with the previous occasions being England in 1894 and 1981, and India in 2001. "It's disappointing to not win, obviously. But we look at the bigger picture of what everyone's enjoyed and seen here today. It's probably bigger than the disappointment at the moment," said Stokes, who tasted a rare defeat since taking over as captain last year. "It's very disappointing to lose, but you can't help but be excited that we've been a part of a game like that." "

Dhoni "Replaced Me...": India Star On Being Legendary Captain's Understudy

MS Dhoni 's rise started a new chapter in Indian cricket. The youngster from Ranchi, Jharkhand, who rose to become a giant in world cricket is an inspiration to many. A few months before Dhoni's debut for India in December, 2004, against Bangladesh, another wicketkeeper-batter started his journey for the Men in Blue. His name was Dinesh Karthik . He made his debut in an ODI against England at Lord's in September, 2004. However, Dhoni's dominance was such that Karthik soon became an understudy of the former India skipper.  While Dhoni went on to win three ICC title as India captain, Karthik worked hard and is still playing at the top level. He even played the 2022 T20 World Cup for India. Recently, Karthik shared his thoughts on making his debut at a time when Dhoni-mania was just starting. "I made my debut before him. We went together on an India A tour and from there I got picked for the Indian team, he was still there in India A team," Karthik said on the

Missing Head Of Murdered Hong Kong Model Found In Pot of Soup

Abby Choi, a 28-year-old model and influencer from Hong Kong, went missing last Tuesday. Two days later, parts of her dismembered body were found in a fridge in a house in the city's Tai Po district. The home also had an electric saw, a meat slicer, and some clothing, according to the authorities. However, her head, torso and hands were missing. Now, police have found her missing head in one of two big pots containing soup and human remains, New York Post reported. Superintendent Alan Chung investigating the case said that the head had ''no skin or meat on it'' and was swimming in liquid with soup scraps like carrots and radishes. ''The liquid was up to the top of the pot so to speak, and the whole pot was full,' he said during a press conference. There was a lot of fat solidified in the form of jelly a the top, and there were a lot of scraps of soup. I remember carrots and green radishes, and there was also other minced meat, which I believe were h

Elon Musk Reclaims The Title Of World's Richest Person

Elon Musk has reclaimed his title as the world's richest person, according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index .  In December last year, Bernard Arnault, CEO of the French luxury brand Louis Vuitton, dethroned the Tesla and Twitter CEO from the top rank. Mr Musk was at the second spot for more than two months. According to Bloomberg, a surge in Tesla stock has sent Mr Musk back to the top of the Billionaires Index. According to the estimates, as of Monday, after the markets closed, Mr Musk's net worth was approximately $187.1 billion, surpassing Mr Arnault's $185.3 billion fortune. However, Tesla chief's net worth fell by over $200 billion between November and December last year, which was regarded as one of the largest losses of wealth in recent history. Also Read:  "Hard Work Was A Mistake": Twitter Employee After Being Fired The rapid decrease in the value of Tesla shares at the time caused the sudden crash. The company had its worst year ever on Wall Stre

Bunkers Built 70 Years Ago Proving Lifeline In Devastated Ukraine Village

For a Ukrainian village devastated by war, Cold War bunkers built to withstand a nuclear attack that never happened have proven a lifeline for residents who have spent much of the past year living in them. Luch, a southern village, about 40 km (25 miles) northwest of Kherson, was hammered by Russian fire almost from the start of the war when it ended up close to the frontlines. There, Svitlana Gynzhul is one of five people who reside in a concrete-and-turf bunker, accessed via a door on the side of a grassy mound that leads to a steep, dingy staircase underground. Starting in March and through the autumn, she used the village's strategic location to organize spying on Russian troop movements when soldiers were as close as 2 km away. Some younger villagers mounted a cell communications tower on the village's outskirts to train their binoculars on the Russians from a high vantage point. Gynzhul said she passed the reports to Ukrainian armed forces. Reuters could not independe

Origin Of Covid "Shouldn't Be Politicised": China On Lab-Leak Theory

China on Monday rejected a new US report that claims the Covid-19 virus may have leaked from a bio laboratory in Wuhan, saying the origins-tracing of the pandemic "is about science and should not be politicised." Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the international experts have considered the theory that the pandemic might have leaked from a Chinese laboratory as "extremely unlikely". She said it is a science-based, authoritative conclusion reached by the experts of the WHO-China joint mission after field trips to the lab in Wuhan and in-depth communication with researchers. Mao's remarks came in response to the US Department of Energy's (USDE) latest assessment that the coronavirus mostly likely leaked from a bio laboratory in Wuhan. "It was accurately recorded in the mission's report and has received extensive recognition from the international community," she said. "The origins-tracing of SARS-CoV-2 is about science and sh

Kashmiri Pandit Group Calls For "Brutal Operation" Against Terrorists

Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti or KPSS has called for a "brutal operation" against terrorists and their supporters in the Valley, a day after the killing of Kashmiri Pandit Sanjay Kumar by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. KPSS, an organization of Kashmiri Pandits living in the Valley, has also demanded replacing Jammu and Kashmir's Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take steps to protect Pandits in the Valley. In a strongly worked statement, the KPSS claims that a sizeable number of Kashmiri Muslims are working for terrorists responsible for killing of Kashmiri Pandits. "Decisions taken by the Government of India in August 2019 have exposed the Kashmiri Society and its social fabric. Two out of Ten have turned OGWs (over ground workers) for these terror Organisations who are responsible for the killing of Kashmiri Pandits and other religious minorities" said Sanjay Tikoo, president KPSS. The Pandit grou

Maanvi And Varun Host An Outdoor Lunch Party, Share Beautiful Pics

Maanvi Gagroo and Varun Kumar just dropped a series of images from their outdoor lunch party and it is truly a treat for the eyes. The couple, who were twinning in white, chose to wear traditional outfits for the party they hosted post their marriage. Maanvi was seen wearing a vibrant lehenga and teamed it with Kundan jewelry. Varun wore a white kurta-pajama paired with a vibrant jacket. Sharing the images, Maanvi wrote, "23/23 celebrations would've been incomplete without an outdoor lunch party in the Delhi winter(ish) sun." The post has been garnering a lot of likes with many users congratulating the couple on their marriage. One user commented, “Congratulations maanvi and varun! Maanvi - you just look breathtaking in every single picture.” Another wrote, “Oooooooh you look like a sunkissed flower.” See the post here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Maanvi Gagroo (@maanvigagroo) Newlyweds Maanvi Gagroo and Va

With 'Hera Pheri 3' Post, Suniel Shetty Explains Bollywood Film Business

Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty on Monday confirmed that the much-awaited 'Hera Pheri 3' is "finally happening". Taking to LinkedIn, Mr Shetty, who played the role of Shaam in the movie, announced that the film's shooting has started.  "So Hera Pheri 3 is finally happening! Look forward to being back on set with Pareshji & Akki. Like all good things, this one took some time, but it's a relief to finally have an answer to this question!" the actor wrote in his post.  Mr Shetty also spoke about how movies are financed, produced and released, as well as how they make money. "The movie business isn't very different. To explain the entirety of the movie business here would be oversimplifying it. But let's just say having a good script, a set of actors & a director is literally just the starting point," he wrote.  Further, while explaining the several revenue outlets for a film, ranging from box office receipts to digital and s

Hundreds Of Girls Poisoned In Iran To Stop Them From Going To School

An Iranian deputy minister on Sunday said "some people" were poisoning schoolgirls in the holy city of Qom with the aim of shutting down education for girls, state media reported. Since late November, hundreds of cases of respiratory poisoning have been reported among schoolgirls mainly in Qom, south of Tehran, with some needing hospital treatment. On Sunday the deputy health minister, Younes Panahi, implicitly confirmed the poisonings had been deliberate. "After the poisoning of several students in Qom schools, it was found that some people wanted all schools, especially girls' schools, to be closed," the IRNA state news agency quoted Panahi as saying. He did not elaborate. So far, there have been no arrests linked to the poisonings. On February 14, parents of students who had been ill had gathered outside the city's governorate to "demand an explanation" from the authorities, IRNA reported. The next day government spokesman Ali Bahadori Jah

Meghalaya, Nagaland Vote Today, Multi-Cornered Contests On Cards: 10 Facts

Meghalaya will witness a multi-cornered contest, where besides the Congress, BJP and Conrad Sangma's NPP (National People's Party), Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress are in fray. Trinamool has become the largest opposition party in the state following the defection of former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and several other Congress legislators. The Congress, which won 21 seats last time and became the single largest party, is seen to have suffered an erosion of its voter base. In 2018, the BJP won only two seats, but managed to cobble together a government with NPP. This time, it has fielded candidates on 60 seats after a rift with Mr Sangma's party over allegations of corruption. The NPP's ambition for a footprint in all the northeastern states, however, is seen as the big reason for the growing coolness between the two parties. Mr Sangma's party has contested the last year's elections in Manipur and improved its vote share. It has some presence in Arun

Nagaland Elections 2023: 87% Of NDPP-BJP Candidates Crorepatis: Report

Ahead of the polls, 116 candidates have declared assets of over Rs 1 crore, two more than in the previous polls. With 52 of their candidates declaring assets of over Rs 1 crore, 87 per cent of NDPP-BJP candidates are crorepatis. The average assets per candidate in the 2023 polls is Rs 5.13 crores. In the 2018 polls, average assets per candidate was Rs 3.76 crores. With assets of over Rs 160 crore, Dr Sukhato A Sema, who is contesting from Pughoboto on a Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) ticket, is the richest candidate in this election. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio is the second richest candidate, with assets of over Rs 46 crore. Congress candidate T Ngampai Konyak, who is contesting from Phomching, has declared assets of only Rs 5,251 - the lowest among all contestants. This year, 53 candidates are re-contesting the elections, with 36 of them belonging to the NDPP-BJP alliance. In the last five years, the average assets of these 53 candidates grew by 30 per cent to reach Rs 7.10 cr

"Sensitive Info Leaked": Phogat On #MeToo Investigation Of Wrestling Body

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) vs Wrestlers saga is showing no signs of an end. Despite a probe committee being formed to investigate the accusations of 'sexual harassment' against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, there hasn't been any development on the matter. In fact, now Vinesh Phogat, one of the wrestlers demanding the removal of Brij Bhushan from the wrestling body, has claimed that a member of the probe committee is leaking 'sensitive information' to the press. Phogat has demanded strict action be taken against the person. In a post on Twitter, Phogat said that a certain member of the oversight committee has allegedly leaked the contents of the complaint to the media. Phogat also questioned the 'attitude of the person against women'. "It has come to my recent awareness that a sportsperson member of the Oversight Committee has been allegedly leaking contents of the complaint of sexual harassment while reading certain media reports since yeste

Old Video: CEO Takes Shots From AK-47 To Prove Bulletproof Cars' Security

An old video showing what it's like to be shot at with an AK-47 in a bulletproof Mercedes Benz has resurfaced on social media and left users stunned. The clip was posted on Twitter on Saturday by an account called Interesting Engineering. It showed Texas Armoring Corporation's (TAC) CEO sitting inside a bulletproof Mercedes Benz SUV while it was being shot at by an AK-47.  "Texan armored vehicle company markets its product in the most Texas way possible," the caption of the post read. The short video showed TAC CEO Trent Kimball sitting alone inside the Mercedes-Benz as 8-10 rounds from an AK-47 rained down upon the SUV. Watch the video below:  Texan armored vehicle company markets its product in the most Texas way possible. #engineering pic.twitter.com/M0bqZlcgXE — Interesting Engineering (@IntEngineering) February 25, 2023 The clip was first released by the company back in 2014. According to New York Post , the shots were fired by the firm's sales and ex

"Ishant Hurled Abuse": Ex-Pakistan Star Reveals Heated Exchange With Pacer

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal has finally opened up about his on-field spat with Ishant Sharma during an India-Pakistan match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in December 2012. Akmal claimed that it was Ishant who initially started abusing him and, as a result, he got it back. He then went on to reveal that it was Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni who came in to settle the matter. As quoted by cricket pundit Farid Khan, Akmal said: "Ishant Sharma did hurl abuse, he got all the abuses back too (Ishant ne gaali diya par baad mein usko bhi bohot pada). MS Dhoni was really nice and Suresh Raina came and settled it down. India were losing and it happened in the heat of the moment. Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez played very well, so he was furious." This is not the only incident the former Pakistani batter has shared recently. During his interaction on the YouTube channel 'Nadir Ali Podcast', he was asked to recall a similar incident. In 2009 Akmal and Gautam

US Man Visits Disneyland almost 3,000 Times, Breaks Guinness World Record

An American man has set a world record for the most consecutive visits to Disneyland. Jeff Reitz, a California native and Disney enthusiast, holds the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous sequence of trips to Disneyland in Anaheim. For 2,995 continuous days, Mr. Reitz visited the "Happiest Place on Earth." According to the Guinness World Record , the most consecutive visits to Disneyland are 2,995, which were achieved by Jeff Reitz (USA) as of March 13, 2020. Jeff is an Air Force veteran who has an annual pass to Disneyland. "Mr. Jeff started visiting the parks in California, where he lives, on January 1, 2012, during a period of unemployment, as he thought it was an uplifting thing to do at that time. Many years later, he still has fun visiting the parks daily, but now goes at night to adapt to his daily work," the GWR wrote. Mr. Jeff was overjoyed to learn of his achievement and shared it with his followers on Instagram, writing, "Last week I

Congress To Reserve 50 Percent Of All Party Positions For Women, Youth

The Congress carried out 85 amendments in its constitution at its 85th plenary session here on Saturday to provide a 50 per cent reservation to scheduled castes (SCs), scheduled tribes (STs), other backward classes (OBCs), women, youth and minorities in its working committee and at all party positions. According to the amended constitution of the party, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) will now include former prime ministers from the party and former AICC chiefs, besides leaders of the Congress in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The party decided to provide 50 per cent reservation to SCs/STs/OBCs/minorities vertically and provide horizontal reservation to youth below 50 years and women in both reserved and unreserved categories. The number of CWC members will go up to 35 from the earlier 23, with 18 members to be elected and 17 to be nominated. The amended constitution says from now on, the party will only have digital membership and records. The party also amended its constit

Jharkhand To Cull Nearly 4,000 Chickens, Ducks Amid Bird Flu Outbreak

The process to cull nearly 4,000 birds, including chickens and ducks, began in Jharkhand's Bokaro district late on Saturday evening after a bird flu outbreak was reported at a state-run poultry farm, an official said. H5N1, a type of avian influenza virus, was confirmed among a protein-rich breed of chicken, 'Kadaknath', at the farm in the Lohanchal where 800 birds died and 103 had to be culled, he said. "The process to cull a total of 3,856 birds, including chickens and ducks, began late this evening in the affected area -- 1 km radius of the farm," Institute of Animal Health & Production, Ranchi, director Dr Bipin Bihari Mahtha told PTI. He said the culling will continue on Sunday as the process is time-consuming. After birds started to die at the farm on February 2, samples were sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal for testing and the flu was confirmed, he said. A process has been started to determine the compensati

Watch: US Woman Loses Wallet On Train In India, This Happens Next

In a heartwarming incident, a woman from the United States, who forgot her wallet on a train in India, recently revealed how a man came forward to help her after he found her lost item. In a video, posted on Instagram by user @stephandpete_, the woman said that when she boarded a train in India, she forgot her wallet and got off at the station. Soon, she received a message on her Instagram from a man named Chirag, who informed her that he had found her purse and would return it.  So, when the woman checked the message, she made her way to Chirag's restaurant in Bhuj, Gujarat. In the video, she is seen thanking Chirag for his kind gesture and even offering him money, however, he refuses to accept it and instead tells her to keep her things safe.  Watch the video below:  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Steph & Pete | Family Travel (@stephandpete_) "I've learned (3,000+ times over) how wrong I was to offer a t

Core Within Earth's Core: Scientists Discover Deepest Region Of Earth

In order to comprehend planetary origin and evolution, scientists have been investigating the Earth's centre for a very long time, and recently they have made a huge discovery related to the innercore of the planet Earth. Until recently, it was believed that the crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core made up the structure of the Earth. But, new research published in Nature Communications confirms that there is actually a fifth layer. According to a new study, scientists have made previously unheard-of observations of a mystery metal ball that resides within the Earth's deep core, revealing a structure that has long been the subject of conjecture but has never been seen in such detail. Researchers said the intensive study of Earth's deep interior, based on the behavior of seismic waves from large earthquakes, confirmed the existence of a distinct structure inside our planet's inner core - a wickedly hot innermost solid ball of iron and nickel about 800 miles (1,3

In Pics: The AAP vs BJP Brawl That Brought The House To Its Knees

A massive fight broke out between Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and BJP councillors inside the house of Delhi's civic body after the Mayor declared one vote invalid in the election to six members of a key municipal committee. The fight started after Mayor Shelly Oberoi declared one vote invalid in the election to six members of a key municipal committee. After she declared one vote invalid, Ms Oberoi came under the firing line of angry BJP councillors, who shouted "you are not in your senses" at her. The house exploded into movie-like chaos, with councillors from both sides punching, kicking, slapping and pushing one another amid shouting. Some BJP councillors shouted "Jai Shri Ram" and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Their rivals from the AAP shot back, "Aam Aadmi Party zindabad, Arvind Kejriwal zindabad." During the ruckus, which forced adjournment of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House proceedings till February 27, a cou