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One of the world's holiest cities, India's spiritual capital Page
7 Really Surprising Facts Abouts Kashi Vishwanath Temple
One of the world's holiest cities, India's spiritual capital
Inhabited since at least 1800 BC, Varanasi is well known for being among the oldest living cities on Earth, and one of the holiest for the world's estimated 1.2 billion Hindus. Every day, as the sound of ringing temple bells echo overhead, tens of thousands of devotees descend the city's 88 stone ghat steps and dip themselves into the Ganges river to wash away their sins. Bereaved relatives flock to Varanasi's two cremation grounds where funeral pyres burn around the clock, believing that Shiva himself whispers the Tarak mantra (chant of liberation) into the ears of all those cremated here, granting them instant moksha or salvation.
Varanasi is a heap of mismatched temples and narrow steps located on the Ganges' crescentshaped western bank, in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It is a city of scholars, home to one of Asia's largest universities. It is a city of temples, including the gold-plated Vishwanath sacred to Shiva; the Bharat Mata, or Mother India, temple that boasts a huge threedimensional relief map of the Indian subcontinent carved out of marble; and the hundreds of small temples that dot the waterways and alleys.
It is also a city of legends. Varanasi strains under its own myths, which are contradictory, obscure and impossible to prove. "The history of Varanasi is a puzzle [that] has to be solved by a group of scholars together," says
Bhanu Shankar Mehta, who has lived in Varanasi for more than 80 years and lectures on its history. "You must put all the mythological and historical and proto-history together."
Old Varanasi's ancient ruins lie on the Rajghat plateau, in the northeastern part of the city. Here, archaeologists discovered pottery that went back to 1000 B.C., and broken masonry from as late as A.D. 1500, suggesting the area has been continuously inhabited for 2,500 years. "We have very few settlements that continue like that, so Varanasi is very important from an archaeological perspective," says P.N. Singh, a history professor at Banaras Hindu University. "It is one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities.""
Varanasi's legends go back some 10,000 years, to the oldest epics of Hindu literature, including the Puranas, the Vedas and the Mahabharata. They say Varanasi is the city of Lord Shiva, who walked here with his wife Parvati at the beginning of time. It could also be the battlefield where the god Krishna set fire to a duplicate but imposter Krishna, or the place where the Lord Rama came to do penance after slaying the demon Ravana.
Under the name Kasi, the city was one of 16 great Indian kingdoms mentioned by ancient Buddhist texts from the first millennium B.C., when the invention of highways and coins first led to a flourishing of commerce. Iron arrowheads and fortified cities discovered by archaeologists suggest violent encounters between the kingdoms, but it was also an age of nonviolence. Gautama, later known as the Buddha, delivered his first sermon during this era. And Mahavir, the founder of the ascetic and nonviolent Jain religion, was born during this period. According to records, the Kashi Vishwanath temple was found in 1490. Kashi has seen the rule of many kings both famous and not so famous. Did you know that it was also ruled by Buddhists for some time? Undoubtedly, the city has seen its share of slaughter and destruction. The temples were plundered time and again by the Mughals. The original temples were re-built, then destroyed and re-built. Mughal Emperor Akbar gave permission to build the original temple, which was later destroyed by Aurangzeb – the sixth Mughal emperor, who ruled over almost the entire Indian subcontinent for a period of 49 years. The Kashi Vishwanath temple was last rebuilt and restored to its glory by the Queen of Indore, Rani Ahilya Bai Holkar. She took the initiative to restore the temple and also provided the funds for it. However, later Akbar’s great grandson Aurangzeb had destroyed the temple and built a mosque in its place. The temple holds immense significance to Hindus as it is revered as one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. There is popular belief that Lord Shiva actually stayed here for some time.
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple has three domes covered of gold! As per the popular belief, any wish is fulfilled if it is made after seeing the golden chatra.
It is said the when news reached of Aurangzeb’s plans to destroy the temple, the idol of Shiva was hidden in a well to protect it from the destruction. The well, called the “well of wisdom”, still stands there between the mosque and the temple. Don’t forget to visit it on your next trip here.
The divine shrine is visited by more than 7 million devotees year on year and has been restored and beautified with the Kashi Vishwanath Dham project by the Prime Minister Narendra Modiled government. On December 13, PM Modi inaugurated Phase-1 of the project.
UK records highest daily Covid cases since start of pandemic
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The UK has recorded the highest number of daily Covid-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic, with 78,610 reported on Wednesday.
The United Kingdom recorded its highest daily coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic on Wednesday as a senior British health chief said there could be a “staggering” rise in cases over the next few days. A further 78,610 COVID-19 infections were reported, about 10,000 more than the previous high reported in January. More than 11 million people have now tested positive for the disease in the United Kingdom, which has a total population of around 67 million. With a new highly transmissible Omicron variant of the virus surging across Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned of a “tidal wave” of infections. However, he suffered a blow to his authority on Tuesday when more than 100 of his lawmakers voted against measure to curb the increasing spread of the disease. Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, earlier called the Omicron variant “probably the most significant threat” since the start of the pandemic.
‘High risk’ omicron likely to be dominant in EU
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There is a “very high” risk the omicron variant of Covid-19 will become dominant in Europe by early next year and lead to a growing number of hospital admissions and deaths, the EU’s public
health body said on Wednesday. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said in a report that the omicron variant of concern (VOC) was likely to overtake delta within the first two months of 2022. ECDC said data was not yet sufficient to assess the severity of disease caused by the omicron variant. However, even if the severity of Covid-19 it caused was lower than that caused by delta, the increased transmissibility would rapidly outweigh any potential benefits. “It is, therefore, considered very likely that the omicron VOC will cause additional hospitalisations and fatalities.
Australia re-opens borders to non-citizens despite Omicron worries
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Australia on Wednesday reopened borders to vaccinated skilled migrants and foreign students after a nearly twoyear ban on their entry, in a bid to boost an economy hit by stop-start COVID-19 lockdowns. The emergence of the new Omicron variant forced officials to delay the reopening of international travel by two weeks after health officials sought a pause to get more information about the strain, which appears to show milder symptoms than other coronavirus variants. The reopening of Australia’s borders came as its most populous state, New South Wales, reported its biggest one-day rise in cases in four months, though Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the government was well placed to deal with rising numbers.
Putin joins hands with Xi Jinping to build pressure on west
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Russia and China should stand firm in rejecting western interference and defending each other’s security interests, Presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping agreed in a video call on Wednesday. Their conversation, eight days after Putin spoke to US President Joe Biden in a similar format, underscored how shared hostility to the west is bringing Moscow and Beijing closer together. “At present, certain international forces under the guise of ‘democracy’ and ‘human rights’ are interfering in the internal affairs of China and Russia, and brutally trampling on international law and recognised norms of international relations,” China’s state-run Xinhua news agency quoted Xi as saying. “China and Russia should increase their joint efforts to more effectively safeguard the security interests of both parties.”
Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai ‘invited’ Taliban to stop chaos
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The Taliban didn’t take the Afghan capital — they were invited, says the man who issued the invitation. In an Associated Press interview, former Afghan President Hamid Karzai offered some of the first insights into the secret and sudden departure of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani — and how he came to invite the Taliban into the city “to protect the population so that the country, the city doesn’t fall into chaos and the unwanted elements who would probably loot the country, loot shops.” When Ghani left, his security officials also left. Defense minister Bismillah Khan even asked Karzai if he wanted to leave Kabul when Karzai contacted him to know what remnants of the government still remained.
First German warship in almost two decades enters South China Sea
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A German warship sailed into the South China Sea on Wednesday for the first time in almost 20 years, a move that sees Berlin joining other Western nations in expanding its military presence in the region amid growing alarm over China’s territorial ambitions. China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its own, despite an international tribunal ruling that Beijing has no legal basis for these claims, and has built military outposts on artificial islands in the waters that contain gas fields and rich fishing. The German navy vessel has begun the transit through the South China Sea on its way to Singapore that is expected to take several days, a spokesperson for the defence ministry in Berlin said on Wednesday. The frigate Bayern is the first German warship to cross the South China Sea since 2002, waters that 40% of Europe’s foreign trade flows through.
Keechant Sewell
New York City names first female police chief
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New York City's police force will be led by a woman for the first time in its 176-year history, Mayor-elect Eric Adams announced on Wednesday.
Keechant Sewell, 49, is a 23-year veteran of the Nassau Police Department in nearby Long Island, where she became chief of detectives in September 2020. For Mr Adams, the move fulfils a campaign pledge to name a female commissioner. The NYPD is the largest police force in the US. Speaking to media on Wednesday morning, Mr Adams - a former NYPD captain - said that women often are "sitting on the bench" and "never allowed to get in the game" when it comes to policing. "That is stopping today," he said. Ms Sewell, who is originally from the New York borough of Queens, previously served in New York's Nassau County narcotics and major case units, and as a hostage negotiator. When she takes over the department in January, Ms Sewell will also become only the third black commissioner to take the helm of NYPD. Ms Sewell said she was "mindful of the historic nature of this announcement" and hopes to improve relations between the police and New York City's residents. "I bring a different perspective to make sure the department looks like the city it serves, and making the decision, just as Mayor Adams did, to elevate women and people of colour to leadership positions," she said.
Joe Biden picks Caroline Kennedy, Michelle Kwan for US ambassadors
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US President Joe Biden nominated Caroline Kennedy (left) to be US ambassador to Australia and Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan as ambassador to Belize. US President Joe Biden announced Wednesday he’s nominating Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of President John F Kennedy who served as ambassador to Japan during the Obama administration, to serve as ambassador to Australia and Michelle Kwan, the renowned US Olympic figure skater, to serve as his chief envoy to Belize. Kennedy threw her support behind Biden relatively early in the crowded 2020 Democratic primary process. In a Boston Globe editorial to announce her endorsement, she praised Biden for his long career as a public servant and fondly recalled Biden visiting Tokyo as vice president while she was ambassador. Kennedy in a statement offered gratitude to Solomon Islanders and Australian coast watchers in the Pacific who rescued her father during World War II after his crew’s motor torpedo boat was sunk by the Japanese in August 1943.
US Covid death toll hits 8,00,000, a year into vaccine drive
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The US death toll from Covid-19 topped 8,00,000 on Tuesday, a onceunimaginable figure seen as doubly tragic, given that more than 2,00,000 of those lives were lost after the vaccine became available practically for the asking last spring. The number of deaths, as compiled by Johns Hopkins University, is about equal to the population of Atlanta and St. Louis combined, or Minneapolis and Cleveland put together. It is roughly equivalent to how many Americans die each year from heart disease or stroke.
Boost India capacity to secure its borders: Incoming US envoy
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Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti Observing that India is situated in a “tough neighbourhood”, US President Joe Biden’s nominee for next envoy to New Delhi on Tuesday told lawmakers that he will double-down on America’s efforts to strengthen India’s capacity to “secure its borders, defend its sovereignty and deter aggression”. Eric Michael Garcetti, 50, is currently serving as the Mayor of Los Angeles and is a personal confidant of Biden. During his confirmation hearing for US Ambassador to India, Garcetti said, “India is situated in a tough neighbourhood. If confirmed, I intend to double-down on our efforts to strengthen India’s capacity to secure its borders, defend its sovereignty and deter aggression.”
New York Returns 200 "Stolen" Antiquities Worth $10 Million To Italy
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New York:A New York prosecutor announced Wednesday the return of 200 antiquities valued at $10 million to Italy, the latest stolen artworks to be recovered by United States investigators. The works include a ceramic vessel dated from the 7th Century B.C.E. called "Pithos with Ulysses" and a terracotta image of a goddess entitled "A Head of a Maiden" from the 4th Century B.C.E.Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance said 150 of the artifacts related to his office's investigation into Edoardo Almagia. He was an Italian New York-based antiquities dealer who left the United States in 2003. Vance said Almagia was investigated in Italy for trafficking and selling looted artifacts to US buyers but remains at large. Vance added that 100 of the returned artworks had been seized from the Fordham Museum of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Art in New York. The New York district attorney's office has returned more than 70 antiquities to 14 countries since August 2020, including almost 30 relics to Cambodia, 100 artifacts to Pakistan, and almost 250 items to India.
Derek Chauvin pleads guilty to federal charges
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Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges of violating George Floyd’s civil rights, averting a trial but likely extending the time he is already spending behind bars on a state conviction. Chauvin, who is white, was convicted this spring of state murder and manslaughter charges for pinning his knee against Floyd’s neck during a May 25, 2020, arrest as the Black man said he couldn’t breathe Chauvin was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in that case. On a single Kentucky street, the tornado killed 7 children
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When a tornado touched down in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in the middle of the night, its violence was centered on this friendly subdivision, where everyone waved at one another and giggling children spent afternoons tooling around on bicycles on the sidewalks. Fourteen people died in a few blocks, 11 of them on a single street, Moss Creek Avenue. Entire families were lost, among them seven children, two of them infants. Neighbours who survived are so stricken with grief they struggle to speak of it. All around them, amid the ruins, is evidence of the kids they used to watch climb off the school bus.
Canada's Indian-origin Defence Minister Anita Anand sorry for sexual harassment in military
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Toronto: Canada's Indian-origin Defence Minister Anita Anand and the top military commander have tendered a long-awaited apology to current and former members of the Canadian Armed Forces who suffered sexual assault, sexual harassment or discrimination. The Canadian military had been facing intense public and political pressure to change its culture and create better systems for both preventing and handling sexual misconduct allegations at the time of Anand's appointment as the country's new Defence Minister in October. The Canadian Armed Forces are trying to turn over a new leaf and win back the trust of current and former members who suffered sexual assault, sexual harassment or discrimination based on sex, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation, the Georgia Straight newspaper reported. The long-awaited and history-making apology to the women and men whose lives were scarred by sexual assault, misconduct and discrimination in the military was delivered by Defence Minister Anand, Chief of Staff General Wayne Eyre and deputy defence minister Jody Thomas on the government's behalf, CBC News reported. The official apology was live-streamed within the Department of National Defence and on Facebook. Defence Minister Anand, at the beginning of her speech, said: "The members of our Canadian Armed Forces have always put service before self by stepping up to serve Canada.” She also said that the military had "always had Canadians' backs and we should always have yours". The "very institution charged with protecting and defending our country has not always protected and defended its own members”. "As minister of national defence, I am apologising to you on behalf of the government of Canada," Anand said as she also expressed this apology on behalf of elected officials who, in the past, failed to take action in response to sexual assault, sexual harassment and discrimination.
Canada likely to toughen travel curbs as Omicron concern grows
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Dec 14: - Canada is expected to toughen restrictions on international travel with new measures to be announced on Wednesday as it looks to limit the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant, CBC News reported. Possible measures, including a ban on all non-essential foreign travellers coming to Canada, including from the United States, were discussed in a call between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and provincial premiers but no decision was reached, the CBC reported. The measures could include stricter quarantine and testing for travellers who are allowed into Canada, including returning Canadians and permanent residents, it said. Canada has already announced a ban on people who recently travelled to 10 countries in Africa
2 Indians sentenced for defrauding elderly American citizens
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Washington: Two Indians have been sentenced by a US court for their roles in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud by accepting illegally obtained wire transfers from elderly American citizens of over USD 600,000. Zeeshan Khan, 22, and Maaz Ahmed Shamsi, 24, were each sentenced on Tuesday to 27 months in prison by US District Judge Joseph Rodriguez in a federal court in New Jersey. Both had previously pleaded guilty to an information charging each with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. As part of this scheme, Shamsi and Khan are charged with receiving fraudulent wire transfers from 19 victims across the country totalling approximately USD 618,000, Acting US Attorney Rachael A Honig said. According to court documents, call centres based in India utilised automated robocalls to victims with the intent of defrauding US residents, particularly the elderly. After establishing contact with victims through these automated calls, other members of the conspiracy would coerce or trick the victims into sending large sums of cash through physical shipments or wire transfers to other members of the conspiracy, including Shamsi and Khan.
Indian-origin Leena Nair is new Chanel Global CEO
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Leena Nair. Photo courtesy: Twitter/@ LeenaNairHR
Indian-origin Leena Nair, the first female and youngest-ever Chief Human Resources Officer of AngloDutch FMCG major Unilever is set to join French luxury group, Chanel, as its Global Chief Executive Officer. "Leena Nair, CHRO, has decided to leave the company in January 2022 to pursue a new career opportunity as Global Chief Executive Officer, Chanel Ltd," Unilever said in a statement while announcing Change to its Leadership Executive. According to the reports, Nair, in her new position with the French luxury group Chanel, will be based in London. "I would like to thank Leena for her outstanding contribution over the last three decades. Leena has been a pioneer throughout her career at Unilever, but no more so than in her role as CHRO, where she has been a driving force on our equity, diversity and inclusion agenda, on the transformation of our leadership development, and on our preparedness for the future of work," Unilever CEO Alan Jope said.
Indian-American policy advisor Gautam Raghavan elevated to key White House position
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Washington: US President Joe Biden has elevated Indian-American political advisor Gautam Raghavan as the head of the White House Office of Presidential Personnel. White House Presidential Personnel Office (PPO), also written as Office of Presidential Personnel, is the White House office tasked with vetting new appointees. The PPO is one of the offices most responsible for assessing candidates to work at or for the White House. President Biden on Friday elevated Raghavan, who was currently posted as the PPO Deputy Director, to the key White House post after UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres announced his intent to appoint Cathy Russell as the next executive director of UNICEF.
Army Jawan from Telangana goes missing
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A 21-year-old Indian Army Jawan from Siddipet district of Telangana went missing while on his way to join duty in Punjab’s Faridkot following which police teams were formed to trace him. B Sai Kiran Reddy, a resident of Pothireddypally village in Cheriyal Mandal, who had come to his native place in November for vacation, was scheduled to rejoin his regiment in Faridkot on December 6, police said on Wednesday.bOn December 5, he took a flight to New Delhi from Hyderabad and upon reaching there he boarded a train to Faridkot but failed to reach his destination. The jawan was last seen (through CCTV footage) at Bathinda railway station on December 6, they said. Subsequently, Sai Kiran’s father lodged a complaint with the police who registered a Zero FIR and the case was transferred to Delhi Army police. Police teams were formed to locate Sai Kiran and already one team from Siddipet has left for Punjab.
First case of Omicron variant detected in Andhra Pradesh
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Andhra Pradesh reported its first case of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 Sunday. Health Department officials said a 34-year-old from Ireland, who returned to his native place in Vizianagaram district in the last week of November, tested positive for the new variant. The individual first arrived at the Mumbai airport where his RT-PCR report was negative. He then reached Visakhapatnam on November 27 and proceeded to his home in Vizianagaram. A second test at Vizianagaram showed him to be Covid positive. “His swab sample was sent to CCMB (Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology), Hyderabad for genome sequencing and the result declared as Omicron positive. He does not have any symptoms and was re-tested on December 11 and the RT-PCR result was negative. There are no other Omicron cases in the state,” Health Minister A K Srinivas said.
PFI protest turns violent, many injured; Section 144 imposed in Uppinangady
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In the evening, only one detainee was released while the other two continued to remain at the police station. (Representative photo) The police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse a crowd of Popular Front of India (PFI) supporters in the coastal Dakshina Kannada district on Tuesday. Police sources said that nine cops, including Puttur Deputy Superintendent of Police Gana P Kumar, and at least 10 PFI members were injured during police action in Uppinangady under Puttur taluk, 53 km from Mangaluru city. Uppinangady police station on Tuesday afternoon summoned PFI Uppinangady unit president Abdul Hameed, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) Nekkeladi president Mohammed Zakaria and local PFI leader Mustafa Lateer in connection to an assault case. Soon after, PFI members gathered near the police station and started demanding the release of their leaders. In the evening, only one detainee was released while the other two continued to remain at the police station. Around 9pm, when the police tried to clear the crowd, an altercation started and the police resorted to lathi-charge to control the gathering. Following the incident, Section 144 has been imposed in Uppinangady.
3 Omicron cases detected at Hyderabad airport
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Three cases of the newly detected Omicron Covid variant have been reported at the Hyderabad airport. The cases were reported after one 24-year-old Kenya national and a Somalia national arrived in Hyderabad. Another seven-year-old who was flying to Kolkata had also tested positive for the new variant on arrival in Hyderabad. The Telangana government had informed West Bengal prior to his arrival. As reported earlier, the government has strengthened the testing mechanism at the Hyderabad international airport, among other measures, in the wake of 'Omicron' threat. RT-PCR tests are being conducted on passengers arriving from the 11 countries which have been declared "at risk" by the Centre, it said.
CM M K Stalin to inaugurate 45th Chennai Book Fair on January 6
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Chief Minister M K Stalin will inaugurate the 45th Chennai Book Fair, slated to be held from January 6 to 23, at the YMCA Grounds in Nandanam, officials said. Organised every year by the Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India (BAPASI), the book fair will be open to the public between 3 pm and 8:30 pm on weekdays and from 11 am to 8:30 pm on weekends and government holidays. Addressing reporters Monday, BAPASI president S Vairavan said the event will be held following the Covid-19 protocols issued by the government. The authorities will also distribute face masks to all visitors and sanitize the premises frequently, he said. Unlike previous years, the event this time will take place over a period of 18 days to spread out the crowd in view of the pandemic. Earlier, the book fair used to be held over a period of 12 days. BAPASI secretary S K Murugan told indianexpress.com that a total of 10 lakh people had visited the 44th book fair and this year, they are expecting a larger footfall. The rent of stalls has been reduced for both members and non-members of BAPASI in view of the pandemic.
Madras HC quashes FIR against YouTuber
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Madurai bench of Madras High Court on Tuesday quashed an FIR filed against YouTuber Maridhas over a tweet that targeted the ruling DMK, indirectly attributing motives of conspiracy and separatism to the helicopter crash that killed Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and 12 others in Coonoor last week. Though the tweet was later deleted, the Madurai city cyber crime police lodged an FIR following a complaint and arrested Maridhas. Maridhas was booked under IPC Sections 124 (A) (sedition), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) besides others. Quashing the FIR on Tuesday, Justice G R Swaminathan said that none of the offences mentioned in the FIR was made out in the case. After his arrest, the state BJP unit organised protests in Madurai. While a group of BJP men tried to prevent his arrest, the party’s state leadership also condemned the arrest.
BJP MPs in breakfast meet Avoid airport lounge, queue up like common people: PM Modi
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BJP MPs from Andhra, Telangana, Karnataka told to organise sporting, cultural events, meet and greet people to know their expectations and showcase work done by government.
New Delhi: Queue up at the airport rather than heading straight to the lounge to rest, improve social outreach and meet people more regularly, organise more sports and cultural events — these are some advice Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs when he met them Wednesday. Modi held a breakfast meeting with the BJP MPs from the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka Wednesday. “Modi ji asked the MPs to shun their habit of heading straight to the lounge to rest and told them to queue up at the airport. He even said that while waiting they should use the opportunity to greet people and strike a conversation with them to understand what they expect from them and the government,” said a senior BJP leader who was present at the meeting.
Minister Can’t Be Punished For Son’s Deed: BJP Source
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New Delhi: A father cannot be punished for the actions of his son - this, BJP sources have told NDTV, is the ruling party’s position on demands from the opposition that junior Home Minister Ajay Mishra must resign, or be sacked, over his son being charged in the Lakhimpur Kheri farm killings. Sources told the party’s senior leadership is not in favour of precipitate action against Mr Mishra, and that he will not, at this time, be removed from the Council of Ministers. Sources pointed out, as union ministers and senior BJP leaders have said, that the Lakhimpur Kheri case is sub judice (being heard in court) and that the SIT had yet to file its final report. Party sources did, however, admit that Mr Mishra’s shocking outburst at journalists yesterday (at Lakhimpur Kheri, in fact) was “wrong”. The minister had been cautioned, the sources said.
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Former India skipper Kapil Dev has weighed in on the controversy surrounding India’s white-ball captaincy, saying that Virat Kohli’s statements that exposed his differences with the BCCI on the issue of captaincy were ill-timed. “It is not good to point fingers on anybody at this point in time. The South Africa tour is coming and please pay attention to the tour,” Kapil Dev told. He said that Kohli speaking publicly on the captaincy issue and highlighting differences with board president Sourav Ganguly isn’t good. “I would say board president is board president but yes, the Indian cricket team captain is also a big thing. Ohio businessman Neil Patel to run for US Senate
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Indian American businessman and community leader Neil Patel will be running for US Senate from Central Ohio. Patel has run dozens of small companies and businesses in Central Ohio and has employed more than 1,000 people. Patel’s tale is a classic American Dream which many immigrants hope for when they set foot in this land of opportunities. Patel arrived to the US with $20 in his pocket and worked a number of small jobs even selling candy apples on the street before he rose above and was able to start small businesses.
This Indian CEO Has Bagged A ‘Staggering’ Elon Musk-Like Pay Package
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Shareholders of QuantumScape Corp., the solidstate battery startup that went public through a blankcheck deal last year, approved a multibillion-dollar pay package for its top executive that one proxy adviser called “staggering” in size. Under the agreement, Chief Executive Officer Jagdeep Singh could receive stock options potentially valued at as much as $2.3 billion, if the company meets various milestones, according to estimates by proxy advisory firm Glass Lewis. On a webcast of QuantumScape’s annual shareholder meeting Wednesday, the package passed in a preliminary vote, and the company said a final tally would be available later. “The disclosed dollar value cost of the grant is staggering,” Glass Lewis, which had urged stockholders to reject the package, wrote in a recent report. Institutional Shareholder Services, another advisory firm, also opposed it.
Army Chief Gen Naravane Takes Charge As Head Of Chiefs Of Staff Committee
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New Delhi: Army Chief Gen MM Naravane has assumed the charge as the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee that comprises the three service chiefs, people familiar with the development said on Wednesday. The post fell vacant following the death of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat in the IAF helicopter crash on December 8. Gen Naravane has been given the charge as the chairman of the committee as he is the senior-most among the three service chiefs, the people cited above said. IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari and Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar had taken over their respective positions on September 30 and November 30. Before the creation of the post of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), the senior-most among the three service chiefs used to be the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. The Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC) met on Tuesday and condoled the death of Gen Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 11 armed forces personnel. Group Captain Varun Singh, the lone survivor of the crash, succumbed to injuries on Wednesday at a military hospital in Bengaluru. Meanwhile, Gen Naravane held a telephonic conversation with Lt Gen Fahd bin Abdullah Al-Mutair, the Commander of Royal Saudi Armed Forces.
Outsiders give J&K royal ignore
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Since revocation of Article 370, only seven plots have been bought by people not staying in the Valley
Outsiders have bought only seven plots of land in Jammu and Kashmir since the revocation of key Article 370 provisions and the notification of new land laws, the Union home ministry told Parliament on Wednesday. It said all the seven plots were located in Jammu division. Ministry sources suggested that the fear of militancy was deterring Indians from outside the region from buying land in the Union Territory. “As per the information provided by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, a total of seven plots of land have been purchased by persons from outside the UT (Union Territory) of Jammu and Kashmir,” junior home minister Nityanand Rai told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply. Articles 370 and 35A barred anyone apart from permanent residents from owning land in Jammu and Kashmir. After the scrapping of the special status and statehood in August 2019, a central notification was issued last year allowing Indian citizens from outside Jammu and Kashmir to buy nonagricultural land and secure jobs in the new Union Territory.
Virat Kohli Contradicts Sourav Ganguly
‘I was never told not to give up T20 captaincy’
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Actually, the BCCI had requested Virat to not step down as the T20I skipper but obviously, he did not agree. And the selectors then did not feel it right to have two different captains for two white-ball formats,” Ganguly told ANI.
“Whatever was said about the communication that happened about the decision that was made was inaccurate.” “I was contacted one and half hours before selection meeting on 8th for Test series and there was no prior communication to me at all since I announced my decision on T20 captaincy. “...the chief selector discussed the Test team to which we both agreed.“Before ending the call, I was told that the five selectors have decided that I will not be the ODI captain to which I replied ‘okay fine’,” Kohli said. Indian Test captain Virat Kohli on Wednesday opened up on how the entire process of naming Rohit Sharma as Team India’s new ODI captain, in place of him, transpired. Virat, while addressing the media before the team’s departure for the Test series in South Africa, said that he was informed by the selectors that he won’t be the ODI captain anymore just one and a half hours before the Test squad for the South Africa series was announced and that there was no prior communication on the same from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). “On the contrary, the BCCI called it a progressive step and in the right direction. At that time I had communicated that, yes I would like to continue in Tests and ODIs unless office-bearers and selectors think that I shouldn’t carry on with this responsibility. “I had clarified on my call and communication to BCCI was clear. I had given that option if office bearers and selectors think otherwise, then it’s in their hands (their call),” he added. This statement of Virat’s contradicts the statements made by BCCI president Sourav Ganguly over the past few days. Ganguly had mentioned that he had personally spoken to Kohli about the decision to name Rohit Sharma as the new ODI captain and that so did chairman of selectors Chetan Sharma.
Group Captain Varun Singh succumbs to injuries
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Group Captain Varun Singh, who had been on life support for the past week since the Indian Air Force’s Mi-17v5 helicopter carrying him, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 11 other military personnel crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on December 8, succumbed to injuries on Wednesday. Singh had been battling for his life at the Air Force Command Hospital, Bengaluru and had been the only survivor from the crash. With Singh’s death, all 14 passengers of the helicopter have now died. The IAF said in a tweet that it is “deeply saddened to inform the passing away of braveheart Group Captain Varun Singh, who succumbed this morning to the injuries sustained in the helicopter accident on 08 Dec 21”.
India Approves $10 Billion Plan To Lure Semiconductor, Display Makers
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New Delhi:India has approved a $10 billion incentive plan to attract semiconductor fabricators and display manufacturers, its technology minister said on Wednesday, as part of efforts to establish itself as a global electronics production hub. Israel’s Tower Semiconductor, Apple’s contract manufacturer Foxconn and a Singapore-based consortium have all shown interest in setting up semiconductor fabrication units in India, a government source told Reuters. Vedanta Group was also keen to set up a display fabrication plant in India, the source added. New Delhi also approved a design linked incentive (DLI) plan to encourage 100 local companies in semiconductor design for integrated circuits and chipsets, technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told a news briefing. “...Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has taken a historic decision today that will help develop the complete semiconductor ecosystem -- from the design of semiconductor chips to their fabrication, packing and testing -- in the country,” he said.
MoS Ajay Mishra abuses journalist over question about jailed son
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A purported video of Union Minister of State (Home) Ajay Kumar Mishra has emerged on social media in which he allegedly abuses a journalist after being asked about his son Ashish, who is an accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. In the video, which has been shared by news agency ANI, Mishra is seen getting worked up when the journalist asks him a question about his jailed son. The minister then loses his cool and gets involved in an angry exchange where he is heard saying, “Don’t you feel ashamed? What else do you want to know?” Then Mishra is seen lunging at the journalist and grabbing his microphone.
About 60 Indian Americans in Forbes Under 30 List
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In the 10th anniversary Forbes Under 30 class of entrepreneurs, innovators and entertainers about 58 Indian Americans are featured. Some of the Indian Americans featured include Apoorva Mehta, founder of Instacart, listed in the Hall of Fame 2022 for his grocery delivery firm based in San Francisco valued at $39 billion. Also listed is Akilesh Bapu, cofounder, DeepScribe, an AI powered scribe that automates clinical documentation. Founder of Divisional, Trevor Sookraj featured in the Marketing & Advertising section for his agency. Retail and Ecommerce section features four Indian Americans – Raunak Nirmal, founder of Acquco Akshar Bonu cofounder of The Custom Movement, Tejas Konduru who started Via in Utah – a service to engage with customers on their mobile phones and Vinay Menda of Blank Street that serves coffee and has 15 locations in New York City. In the Science list are Srijan Kumar, Pranav Rajpurkar and Shruti Rijhwani. While Kumar is making the Internet a safer place, Rajpurkar leads a lab working on AI and Rijhwani is developing natural language processing technologies. In Consumer Technology are Tulsee Doshi, Uttara Sivaram and Sid Yadav while featured in Hollywood and Entertainment section are Karam Gill, Mohan Mandali and Naomi Shah. Maneet Khaira, founder of Backbone and Kirin Shah of Illumix are in the Games Section. Many other Indians find a place in Venture Capital, Healthcare and Media, Finance, Food & Drink, Education and many other sections.
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Kareena Kapoor, Amrita Arora and Maheep Kapoor test positive for Covid-19
Actors Kareena Kapoor and Amrita Arora have tested positive for Covid-19. Both have mild symptoms and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has asked them to remain in home quarantine. Both are doubly vaccinated and had attended a few public events with celebrities before they tested positive. “The BMC is tracking all their close contacts,” said
Suresh Kakani, Additional Municipal Commissioner, health. Kapoor and Arora were tested on Saturday and results came on
Sunday. So far, 30 of their high risk contacts have been traced and their Covid-19 test results are expected Tuesday. As per protocol, their houses have been sealed, BMC officials said. Sanjay Kapoor’s wife Maheep Kapoor has tested positive for Covid-19, the actor confirmed to indianexpress.com. Kapoor said that Maheep is doing okay and is currently experiencing mild Covid symptoms. “Yes, she is Covid positive with mild symptoms and she has self-isolated,” Sanjay told Monday night. The news comes right at the heels of Kareena Kapoor Khan and Amrita Arora testing positive for the virus. Maheep is said to be on good terms with both Kareena and Amrita.
Modern music is like junk food, it is everywhere’ Lyricist Sameer
Lyricist Sameer Anjaan has been in the industry for many decades now, having given us several hit songs in films from the 80s, 90s, early 2000s, and also the current decade. The ace songwriter, however, is also aware that music in Indian films has changed now, and that there is more attention given to the ‘sound’ than the actual ‘lyrics’ of a song. In a press release, the lyricist mentioned that it has always been his “dream to teach people to become songwriters”. “When you write lyrics, there are many nuances one needs to take care of, but if you know how to approach all the challenges that are going to come your way, you can really excel.” As a lyric writer, I feel the change that has occurred now, is popularly known as ‘modern music’. The new generation brings in their own mindset, colour and thought process. I believe the lyrical value is changing and deteriorating now and sound is gaining more importance. It is more like junk food as it is everywhere, but the audience needs a new sound. It is not good for the future though. In my initial stage of career, the music industry was too different. Every 25 years, the music industry changes because of the new style that comes in.
Have you heard? If it changes mindset of 10 people, our job is done Vaani Kapoor
Many would tell you that for stars, vanity and perception are key to surviving in the movie industry. But Vaani Kapoor is an artiste first, choosing projects over perception and stories over style. Which is why she didn’t bat an eyelid before giving her nod to Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui that sees her play a trans woman — a role that some of her peers may shy away from, mistakenly fearing that it may alienate their male fans. “It’s not that if I do this movie, I won’t get opportunities to do [glamorous] roles. Also, I am secure to not be affected by trolls. They should not stop you from what you want to do, if you have the conviction. The [male fan base] has loved the movie; they are evolved enough to understand it,” begins Kapoor. For an industry that has thrived on candy-floss romances for decades, Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui comes as a breath of fresh air. It traces how Ayushmann Khurrana’s boisterous body builder Manu is left unsettled by his ladylove Maanvi’s
in the right hands with Gattu [director]. It could have been tricky. The film could go incredibly wrong if not handled well. It had to have sensitivity and the right sensibility.”
She is glad that the movie achieved what it set out to do — trigger a conversation and bat for the acceptance of people who have transitioned. “They have designed
Maanvi in such a way to normalise the subject. There is nothing strange about her; she is like you and me.
She is attractive like many trans women are. I have not walked a mile in their shoes, but I have tried to be earnest, and did a lot of research. Even if the film changes the mindset of 10 people in the theatre, our job is done. There are so many ifs and buts, and so much ignorance on the subject. The second half of the film, through animation and graph, gives you an idea of how [the gender reassignment surgery] happens. This movie is an attempt to push the bar.”
After giving us a peek at her wedding, haldi and mehendi ceremonies, Katrina Kaif on Monday dedicated an adorable Instagram post to her sisters.
One of the photos shows her sisters walking down Katrina for the ‘varmaala’ at the mandap. It looks like her sisters chose pastels and pink as a coordinated colour theme for the wedding day. Katrina in her caption wrote, “Growing up, we sisters always protected each other. They are my pillars of strength and we keep each other grounded… May it always stay that way!”
