Thursday, February 29, 2024

New Zealand Designates Hamas As Terrorist Group, Sanctions "Extremist Israelis"

New Zealand on Thursday became one of the last Western countries to designate all of Hamas as a "terrorist entity", saying the attacks of October 7 had shattered the notion its political and military wings could be separated.

"The organisation as a whole bears responsibility for these horrific terrorist attacks," the government said, announcing a move that spells a freeze on Hamas assets in New Zealand and a ban on providing it with "material support".

"The terrorist attacks by Hamas in October 2023 were brutal and we have unequivocally condemned them," New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said in a statement.

Luxon stressed the designation was about Hamas "and is not a reflection on the Palestinian people in Gaza and around the world" while indicating humanitarian support would continue.

"The designation does not stop New Zealand providing humanitarian and future development assistance to benefit civilians in Gaza."

New Zealand had designated the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas as a terrorist entity since 2010.

But it has been reluctant to follow other Western nations in designating the entire group -- which is also a political party and has enjoyed widespread Palestinian support.

Hamas won elections in Gaza in 2006 and has ruled without fresh polls ever since.

Some New Zealand political figures have argued that Hamas' "terrorist" designation should be matched by a similar designation of the Israel Defense Forces over its months-long Gaza bombing campaign that has killed almost 30,000 people, according to Hamas-controlled authorities in the territory.

Such a move is highly unlikely, but New Zealand on Thursday also announced sanctions on about a dozen "extremist Israeli settlers" accused of violence against Palestinians.

"We are imposing travel bans on a number of people known to have committed violent acts. These individuals will not be able to travel to New Zealand," said Foreign Minister Winston Peters.

The individuals were not named publicly.

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



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Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Irish Woman Loses $820,000 Injuries Claim After Being Seen Tossing Tree

An Irish court dismissed Kamila Grabska's $820,000 injuries claim after a photograph showed the woman throwing a 5ft spruce at a charity event in January 2018. 

Mrs Grabska, 36, had sued an insurance company and claimed she experienced constant neck and back pain as a result of the crash on Feb. 3, 2017, The Guardian reported. 

The mother of two stated that the injuries she sustained in the crash had hindered her ability to work, engage in activities with her children, and perform basic chores for over five years, she said.

However, during a recent hearing, a photograph from a national newspaper was presented, depicting Mrs Grabska seemingly participating in a Christmas tree-throwing competition on January 8, 2018, which she ultimately won.

Justice Carmel Stewart dismissed the case based on this inconsistency. The judge said the "very graphic picture" played a role in her decision. "It is a very large, natural Christmas tree and it is being thrown by her in a very agile movement," she said, the Irish Independent reported, according to The Guardian.

"I'm afraid I cannot but conclude the claims were entirely exaggerated," the judge added. "On that basis, I propose to dismiss the claim."

According to SWNS, the woman argued that she was still in pain while participating in the competition. She also said she quit her job after the crash and subsequently collected disability.

Altogether, Grabska calculated a loss of approximately $541,615 in past and projected earnings attributable to her injuries.

She refuted accusations of faking her injuries, asserting, as per reports from the Irish Independent and The Guardian, that she was merely "endeavouring to lead a normal life."

Furthermore, alongside the photo of Grabska participating in the tree-throwing competition, a video was presented in court depicting the woman training her dog outdoors for more than an hour in November 2023.



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Kellogg's CEO Under Fire For Suggesting Poor Can Have "Cereal For Dinner"

Kellogg's CEO Gary Pilnick has stirred controversy by recommending people consider having cereals for dinner as a cost-saving measure. 

Mr Pilnick, in an interview with CNBC, discussed a company marketing campaign that encourages people to let "chicken take a break" and opt for bowls of Frosted Flakes and Frosted Mini-Wheats instead, making it a fun change for family meals. Mr Pilnick brought up this idea when responding to the host's question about the increasing prices at grocery stores.

"The cereal category has always been quite affordable, and it tends to be a great destination when consumers are under pressure. We are advertising about 'cereal for dinner',” he said. “If you think about the cost of cereal for a family versus what they might otherwise do, that's gonna be much more affordable," he added.

This comes as people have had to spend around 26% more on groceries since 2020. The CNBC host asked Mr Pilnick if his words could be taken the wrong way by consumers. To which, he replied, “In fact, it's landing really well right now. Cereal for dinner is something that is probably more on trend now, and we would expect [it] to continue as that consumer is under pressure.”

Watch the video here:

The remarks, likened by many to Marie Antoinette's infamous "let them eat cake" statement, quickly circulated online, stirring strong reactions from people who found the suggestion controversial.

A user wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “Absolutely staggering level of arrogance from Kellogg's CEO Gary Pilnick. On the same level as ‘Let them eat cake' (although that story is almost certainly apocryphal -- Marie Antoinette wasn't quite as stupid and out of touch as Gary Pilnick appears to be).”

Another user asked Mr Pilnick to “do better,” stating, “Gary Pilnick is seriously giving Marie Antoinette, let them eat cake vibes. Not a good idea to tell the poors to just cereal for dinner. His net worth is at least 6 million.”

Someone demanded that everyone should “boycott” the brand.

“Gary Pilnick, CEO of Kellogg, says eat cereal for dinner. Exactly how bad does it have to get before people wake up?” read another comment.

Gary Pilnick has served as Kellogg's CEO since October, as per his LinkedIn profile. With over 23 years of experience, he has been a longstanding member of the Michigan-based organisation.



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Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Biden Says Israel Agreed To Stop Gaza Attacks During Ramadan

U.S. President Joe Biden said Israel has agreed to halt military activities in Gaza for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, as Hamas studied a draft proposal for a truce which includes a pause in fighting and a prisoner-hostage exchange.

The draft proposal, which a senior source close to truce talks in Paris told Reuters would allow hospitals and bakeries in Gaza to be repaired and 500 aid trucks to enter the battered enclave every day, is the most serious attempt in weeks to end the conflict which erupted in October last year.

Ramadan is expected to begin on the evening of March 10th and end on the evening of April 9th.

"Ramadan is coming up, and there's been an agreement by the Israelis that they would not engage in activities during Ramadan, as well, in order to give us time to get all the hostages out," Biden said during an appearance on NBC's "Late Night with Seth Meyers".

He also warned that Israel risked losing international support due to the high death count among Palestinians, adding that Israel had committed to make it possible for Palestinians to evacuate from Rafah in Gaza's south before intensifying its campaign there to destroy Hamas.

Biden, whose remarks were recorded on Monday and broadcast on Tuesday, said there was an agreement in principle for a ceasefire between the two sides while hostages were released. He said he hoped to have a ceasefire in the conflict by the following Monday.

"There are too many innocent people that are being killed. And Israel has slowed down the attacks in Rafah," Biden said, adding that a temporary ceasefire would jumpstart a process for Palestinians to have their own state.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a two-state solution.  

Under the draft proposal, the exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages would be at a ratio of 10 to one, the senior source said.

The draft also states Hamas would free 40 Israeli hostages including women, children under 19, elderly over 50 and the sick, while Israeli would release around 400 Palestinian prisoners and will not re-arrest them, the source told Reuters.

Mediators have ramped up efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, in the hope of heading off an Israeli assault on the Gaza city of Rafah where more than a million displaced people are sheltering at the southern edge of the enclave

After Hamas killed 1,200 people and captured 253 hostages on Oct. 7, Israel launched a ground assault on Gaza, with nearly 30,000 people confirmed killed, according to Gaza health authorities.

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



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Monday, February 26, 2024

Who's "Dirty Harry", Indian-Origin Man Arrested For Family's Death In US

US authorities have arrested an Indian-origin man in connection with a human trafficking case in which four Indians froze to death near Manitoba's southern border with the US two years ago, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) News reported. 

Harshkumar Patel also known as 'Dirty Harry', 'Param Singh' and 'Haresh Rameshlal Patel', was arrested at Chicago airport last week. 

Patel has been charged with the "transportation of illegal alien and conspiracy to bring and attempt to bring an illegal alien to the United States".

Court documents allege Harshkumar Patel had recruited alleged smuggler Steve Shand - a Florida resident who was arrested in 2022 after the bodies were recovered.

"Patel was part of an organised human smuggling group that facilitated illegal entry of Indian nationals into the United States," the police said in its complaint. 

The police complaint also provides details of communication between Harshkumar Patel and Shand. They spoke about "arrangements for rental cars, hotels, and payments to Shand".

In one message, Patel told Shand to "make sure everyone is dressed for the blizzard conditions please".

"Shand described five total trips he had made to the international border in Minnesota between December 2021 and January 2022, to transport Indian nationals, including the January 19, 2022 trip during which he was arrested," the affidavit said.

Jagdish Baldevbhai Patel, his wife Vaishaliben Jagdishkumar Patel and their children Vihangi Jagdishkumar and Dharmik Jagdishkumar were found frozen to death near Emerson, Manitoba on January 19, 2022.

The Patel family arrived in Toronto on January 12, 2022, their first point of entry into Canada. From Toronto, the family made their way to Manitoba and eventually to Emerson before they died near the border due to exposure to extreme weather conditions.

Police had earlier said there was no abandoned vehicle located on the Canadian side of the border, clearly indicating that someone drove the family to the border and then left the scene.



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Sunday, February 25, 2024

"I Continue To Remain CEO": Byju Raveendran Day After Shareholders' Move

Amidst growing trouble in the edtech firm Byju's, company's CEO Byju Raveendran told employees that he continues to remain the chief executive officer of the company. On Saturday, Mr Raveendran wrote a letter to his employees denying media reports of him being ousted as the company's CEO and called the media reports “greatly exaggerated and highly inaccurate.”

The letter read, “I am writing to you as the CEO of our company. Contrary to what you may have read in the media, I continue to remain CEO, the management remains unchanged, and the board remains the same.”

While saying that it is “business as usual” at BYJU'S, he added, “To reemphasise, the rumours of my firing have been greatly exaggerated and highly inaccurate.”

This comes just a day after shareholders (prominent investors) on Friday voted “unanimously” to unseat Mr Raveendran from the board.

Referring to this vote, Mr Raveendran said, “Just as you can't change the rules of a game midway without agreement from all players, we can't alter how our company is run without following these strict guidelines.”

Further, Mr Raveendran claimed that the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) violated essential rules. Calling the meeting “a farce”, he claimed that it doesn't count.

He added, “At yesterday's Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), a lot of these essential rules were violated. This means that whatever was decided in that meeting does not count because it didn't stick to the established rules. It is crucial for everyone to understand the specific issues that make this EGM a farce.”

Talking about the key discrepancies in the meeting, Mr Raveendran said, “The claims made by a small group of select minority shareholders that they have unanimously passed the resolution in the EGM is completely wrong. Only 35 out of 170 shareholders (representing around 45% of shareholding) voted in favour of the resolution. That in itself shows the very limited support that this irrelevant meeting received.”

Mr Raveendran, his wife and his brother are the only three members on the company board as of now. They stayed away from the EGM called by a group of six investors, who collectively hold 32 per cent of the firm that operates Byju's.



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Video: Man Threatens Bureaucrat In Civil Dress After Overcharging, Detained

A video quickly gaining traction on social media shows a parking worker allegedly threatening an Indian Police Service officer in civil attire. The man insisted to the officer that he should follow the rules after charging Rs 60 for a Rs 53 parking ticket, saying 'Kayde Me Chalo.'

The video was shared on X by user Sachin Gupta with the caption, "IPS Abhishek Verma is the SP of Hapur district. Today, he arrived at Brajghat seated beside the driver in a private car. While the parking receipt showed Rs 53, Rs 60 were collected. The contractor's representative told the IPS officer to 'Kayde Me Chalo' (Follow the rules)."

The caption further reads, "At present, the parking attendant is in police custody".

A video circulating online shows two individuals in a car inquiring about parking fees from attendants. The attendants inform them of the Rs 60 charge, which the passengers pay. After receiving the change, one of them examines a provided receipt and discovers it states a cost of Rs 53. They then politely request the return of the 7 rupee change.

After defending himself for charging Rs 60 instead of the Rs 53 printed on the ticket, the parking worker asks the men in the car to 'Kayde Me Raho'.  The man replies, "Thik hai, kayde me rahenge. (Ok, I will follow the rules)"

Indian Police Service Officer Abhishek Verma posted a picture of the parking workers in police custody and wrote, "If you stay within the rules, you will be in profit"!!

The Internet users were impressed with the bureaucrat's action. 

Commenting on the post, a user wrote, "If other policemen learn a lesson from this incident and roam around in their area like common people, then prevention will be possible even before the crime is committed. How many DMs roam around the area like this? If officials, ministers etc. also leave like this then Ramrajya will come."

Another user wrote, "Hats off to your determination and hard work Bade bhai.. keep going and maintaining "Rule of Law"

"Really appreciable work done by the top cop of Hapur, but I am sure you must be pretty occupied with your daily works, kindly motivate general public who can do sting of such things and send on particular no. issued by ur office under your supervision anyways great work hats off U," the third user wrote.


 



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Google Pay To Shut Down In US, To Continue Ops In India

Google will discontinue Google Pay in the United States in a strategic move to streamline its payment services and shift its focus towards enhancing Google Wallet. On Thursday, the tech giant, in its blog, announced that  Americans can use the payment app till June 4 and then transfer the Google Pay balance to their bank accounts.

After June 4, Google will shut down the US version of the standalone Google Pay app. The blog also informed that after June 4 users can still make payments through the Google Wallet, which is used five times more than the app in the country.

“To simplify the app experience, the US version of the standalone Google Pay app will no longer be available for use starting June 4, 2024. You can continue to access the most popular features - tapping to pay in stores and managing payment methods - right from Google Wallet, which is used five times more than the Google Pay app in the US”, read the blog.

The company added that they wish to make this transition as smooth as possible.

In addition, it informed that this transformation won't affect the Google Pay users in India and Singapore.

It said, “We want to help make this transition as smooth as possible. Anywhere you normally use Google Pay - from checking out online to tapping and paying in stores - remains the same. And for the millions of people who use the Google Pay app in India and Singapore, nothing will change as we continue to build for the unique needs in those countries.”

It stated that even after the shutdown of the US version of the Google Pay app, users can witness the transactions of funds through the official payment services website.

“You can use the U.S. version of the Google Pay app until June 4, 2024, to view and transfer your Google Pay balance to your bank account. You can continue to view and transfer your funds to your bank account after June 4, 2024, from the Google Pay website,” the blog added.

However, no user would be able to send, request, or receive payments through the US version of the Google Pay app. The blog concluded by saying, “As of June 4, 2024, you will no longer be able to send, request, or receive money from others through the US version of the Google Pay app.”



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Saturday, February 24, 2024

Gavaskar 'Disappointed' With Root, Trolls England With Reverse Scoop Quip

Joe Root played a very uncharacteristic knock to what England cricket team has been used to playing in recent times. He shunned the Bazball approach with wickets falling at the other end, and took England to safety with a solid hundred on the first day of the 4th India vs England Test. On Day 2, Root remained unbeaten on 122 as India bowled out England for 353 in their first innings. Former England skipper Root scored 10 boundaries during his unconquered 274-ball innings.

Resuming at the overnight score of 302 for seven, Root and Ollie Robinson completed their century stand for the eighth wicket to take England forward.

Former Indian cricket team captain Sunil Gavaskar praised Joe Root for his effort but did not shy away from trolling England's Bazball approach.

"Yes, superb innings. It was a proper Test match innings. Old-fashioned Test match innings, you would say," Gavaskar said while doing commentary on Day 1 of the Ranchi Test.

"But I have got to say, I am a little disappointed. I am a disappointed man because I really wanted him to play a scoop shot to get to his hundred, that reverse scoop. Get to 99, play the reverse scoop, and then play the hundred, and then the crowd goes 'Rooooot'. Particularly the box on our right (England comm box)," Gavaskar added.

England had made a solid start on Day 2, making Indians toil hard without success before Robinson's choice of shot -- a reverse sweep -- off Ravindra Jadeja brought India back in the opening session.

It ended a dogged 102-run stand between Robinson and Root.

In their reply, India lost skipper Rohit Sharma (2) cheaply to be 34 for one at lunch, trailing England by 319 runs. Veteran James Anderson saw the back of Rohit with a delivery that moved away slightly off the surface after pitching on a perfect length, taking edge from Indian captain's bat that was taken by Ben Foakes.

Yashasvi Jaiswal (27 batting) was his usual confident self and giving him company was Shubman Gill (4) at the break.

England added 51 valuable runs to their overnight total of 302/7 as the Indian attack failed to make early penetration. The last five England batters added 241 runs after being 112/5 at lunch on the opening day.

While Mohammed Siraj (2/78) erred in his line and length, debutant Akash Deep could not add to his tally of three wickets to return with 3/38 from 19 overs.

For India, Ravindra Jadeja took all the three wickets to return with 4/67 from his 32.5 overs.

With PTI inputs



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Apple Begins Trial Of ChatGPT-Like AI Tool 'Ask': All You Need To Know

In a significant venture into artificial intelligence (AI), Apple is set to make waves this year with the testing of its new AI feature - 'Ask'. 

Unlike previous AI endeavours exclusive to iPhone users, this tool is designed to benefit a wider audience, offering a glimpse into Apple's AI ambitions, reported Macrumors.

Apple is currently in the process of training the 'Ask' AI tool, utilising its internal database. Similar to ChatGPT but tailored exclusively for Apple users, 'Ask' aims to efficiently address customer queries, handling complex and unknown issues without immediate human intervention, the report added.

The initial testing phase, reportedly, involves a select group of support staff or advisors who rate the tool's answers and can ask up to five follow-up questions on a given topic.  

How will it work?

The tool automatically gives relevant information from its internal knowledge base when a question is asked. Advisors can rate the answers and ask follow-up questions, the report mentioned.

Apple plans to expand the tool after getting feedback. It encourages advisors to use ‘Ask' before other methods, for example, ‘Ask' can answer questions like, "A customer can't update their device to iOS 15. What can be done?" the report said. 

Meanwhile, iOS 18, which is slated for a June 2024 rollout, will bring new generative AI features to various apps. This includes Siri, Spotlight, Messages, Health, Numbers, Pages, Keynote, and more. 

AppleCare will also use generative AI to speed up customer support. 



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Friday, February 23, 2024

Delhi Man Killed, 4-Year-Old Injured After Mercedes SUV Hits Their Scooter

An elderly man was killed and a four-year-old suffered serious injuries after the scooter they were travelling on was hit by a Mercedes car in Delhi, police said on Friday.

The victim has been identified as Arun Kumar, 60.

The incident took place in southwest Delhi's Dwarka Sector 17 on Wednesday and both of them were admitted to hospital after the accident.

Mr Kumar died while undergoing treatment at the hospital, and the condition of the girl is said to be critical.

The driver of the car fled the scene after the accident and is currently on the run, the police said



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Opinion: Why BJP Should Not Ignore SP-Congress Alliance

Latest and Breaking News on NDTV

Finally, the deal is done. Those who were predicting doom for the I.N.D.I.A alliance in Uttar Pradesh must be deeply disappointed. The Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP), after much suspense, like a good one-day cricket match, have reached a decision on seat distribution. The Congress will contest 17 seats and the rest will be fought by the SP, along with smaller parties. The Congress has decided to give one more seat to the SP in Madhya Pradesh, which reflects that the grand old party has learnt its lesson after the historic debacle in the recently held assembly elections in the state. Just to remind readers, during those elections, the Congress, then led by Kamal Nath in Madhya Pradesh, had attacked SP chief Akhilesh Yadav by calling him names, who, in turn, angered and humiliated, went on to equate the Congress with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). However, now that the deal is sealed, I guess we can say all is well that ends well. 

Why UP Is An Important State

Uttar Pradesh is a critical state for any party or political formation that aims to rule at the centre. In 2014, when the BJP selected Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate, he decided to contest from Varanasi, in addition to Vadodara in Gujarat. In fact, after winning both seats, he chose Varanasi and gave up Vadodara. Modi was aware that without winning a substantial number of seats in Uttar Pradesh, it would be impossible to fulfil his lifelong aim of becoming the PM. It's no coincidence that the BJP then appointed Amit Shah to oversee the elections in Uttar Pradesh.

The party ended up winning 71 seats out of 80, while its ally Apna Dal got two. What surprised a few BJP supporters was the fact that just two years before that, in the 2012 assembly polls, the party had managed to get only a 15% vote share. But the Modi-Shah pair turned the tables on the SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), then considered the principal players in the state. There was a time in fact when the BJP, as well as the Congress, used to struggle for the third and the fourth spot in Uttar Pradesh.  

The SP-BSP Alliance In 2019

The 2019 Lok Sabha elections further proved that the BJP had emerged as a formidable force and no political party had the firepower to defeat it alone. No wonder then that in 2019, the SP and the BSP, who had always been bitter foes, decided to bury their difference and join forces. They did manage to win 15 seats together, but the BJP still captured the lion's share, along with an enhanced vote share. From 42% votes in 2014, the party improved its tally to 49% by 2019. Since 2014, the BJP has successively won two assembly elections, both with a clear majority and with Yogi Adityanath as CM. 

It is in this context that the alliance between the SP and the Congress assumes importance. 

A Dwindling BSP

There is no denying the fact that though it was ultimately trounced by the BJP, the SP in the 2022 assembly polls had commanded an impressive 32% vote share, its best-ever performance. Akhilesh Yadav had tried to create a rainbow coalition with caste-based small political parties, though that coalition collapsed after the election.

BSP chief Mayawati, for some mysterious reason, seems to be in no mood to seriously contest elections in 2024. Her party's vote share has dropped drastically, and she has already announced that the BSP would fight alone. Mayawati's absence from the I.N.D.I.A alliance is advantageous to the BJP. 

Yet, it would be erroneous to conclude that the SP-Congress alliance this time is no match for the BJP's might. The BJP, on its part, seems to understand this very well too.

Why The BJP Is Careful

The BJP's attempt to wean away the Jayant Chaudhary-led Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) from the I.N.D.I.A bloc underlines this. Despite the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the party seems aware that it may be difficult to repeat its performance of the last two general elections in the state. The euphoria around the Ram Mandir inauguration, which came in January, seems to be on a decline already this month. 

The BJP should also know that enthusiasm for the temple may not automatically reflect in the voting behaviour of people. The faith of devotees and their voting behaviour are two different things. One can feel grateful towards the BJP for the construction of the temple, but to be certain that people will vote for the BJP might be a mistake.

The BJP does not want to take chances either. Two incidents signify this argument. One, soon after the consecration, the BJP created a window for Nitish Kumar to return to the NDA - this was a party that had publicly said that its doors were shut for Nitish. Two, it announced the Bharat Ratna for the former chief minister of Bihar, Karpoori Thakur. 

Similarly, the Modi government also announced a Bharat Ratna for former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh. Singh was a farmer leader with a massive following in the Jat community. His son Ajit Singh could not consolidate his father's legacy, and his grandson, Jayant Chaudhary, has also been reduced to leading a few Lok Sabha seats in western Uttar Pradesh through the RLD. Jayant Chaudhary and Akhilesh Yadav used to be on good terms and were considered inseparable, but that was only until the Bharat Ratna for Charan Singh. In western Uttar Pradesh, especially in Jat-dominated areas, where Muslims are also present in good numbers, the BJP might face stiff resistance in the upcoming elections. 

The Farmers' Protests

Also, farmers are on the warpath again. Traditionally, the farmer's struggle, thanks to Mahendra Singh Tikait, has had a huge impact in this area. During the last agitation, the Modi government had to withdraw the three contentious farm laws. But the farmers' main demands remain unfulfilled. They have been demanding that a legal guarantee should be given for MSP (Minimum Support Price) for crops and that the Swaminathan Commission recommendations be honoured by the government. Two years back, the Modi government had set up a committee to study this, but even after over 35 sittings, no final decision has been taken.

If the current agitation continues, it will adversely impact the BJP's prospects in the area. Many may also not have forgotten the Lakhimpur Kheri incident in 2021, in which a few farmers were mowed down by the son of a central minister and the government failed to take any action. The million-dollar question, is, will Jayant prove to be handy for the BJP?

Modi's Popularity Intact, But There Are Challenges

Modi is the most popular leader in the country. His image as a Hindutva icon is still intact. He has also bolstered his status as a Prime Minister who is taking the country on a strong development path.

But it would be useful to remember that beyond the grand vision of winning 370 seats, 10 years of anti-incumbency against any government is no small matter, and no leader can afford to ignore it. There is unprecedented unemployment. Inflation is running high. The BJP government knows this well, and extending free ration to 81 crore people underlines its concern. In this context, the alliance of SP and the Congress might just have made the contest a bit more interesting.

(Ashutosh is the author of 'Hindu Rashtra' and Editor of satyahindi.com.)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author



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Double Murder, Missing TV Host, Killer Cop In Sensational Australia Crime

Australian police on Friday charged one of their own officers with the double murder of a TV presenter and his flight attendant boyfriend, whose bodies have yet to be found.

Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said a 28-year-old serving police constable was charged with two counts of murder, after a high-profile three-day search across Sydney.

Earlier this week, the chance discovery of bloodied clothes in a suburban rubbish bin led detectives to the home of former red carpet host and entertainment journalist Jesse Baird, 26. 

On searching Baird's inner-city flat, detectives said they found "a large amount of blood" and held "grave concerns" for both him and his boyfriend, Qantas flight attendant Luke Davies, 29. 

The pair are presumed dead.

A projectile found at the apartment matched that of a police-issue firearm. 

The weapon has since been found inside a police station safe.

The accused officer was said to have been in a relationship with Baird until recently, when it ended badly.

Baird had been a presenter on Australia's Network Ten.

On Friday the officer turned himself in to Bondi Police Station, near the country's famed beach.

Footage of the arrest shows him handcuffed and escorted into the building wearing a dark baseball cap and sneakers. 

He remains in custody and police will oppose granting bail.

Australian media reported that the suspect had been a celebrity chaser and blogger before joining the police force, and had been photographed with Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Ben Stiller and scores of others.

He was previously investigated over the aggressive tasering of an Aboriginal man in 2020, after video of the incident emerged online.

News reports from 2014 indicate that he came out publicly as gay by throwing a letter onstage at a Lady Gaga concert, which the star read out to a crowd that included his sister. 

"Charges have been submitted for two counts of murder," said Doherty, adding that the police focus was now on locating the bodies of the two missing men.

Police allege the remains of the two men were transported in a white van and disposed of.

Forensic examinations of the van are ongoing.

"It's really important that we do locate the bodies, not only for the cause of death but also for answers for the family who are grieving," said Doherty.    

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



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Thursday, February 22, 2024

Dating Apps Accused Of Being Too Addictive. What Makes Us Keep Swiping?

A class-action lawsuit filed in the United States against Match Group – the parent company of dating apps Tinder, Hinge and The League – is making headlines around the world.

The claimants accuse Match of having a “predatory” business model and using “recognised dopamine-manipulating product features” to get people addicted to their apps.

So, can dating apps really be addictive? Are we swiping right into a trap? Here's the science behind how dating apps are influencing our brains.

How do apps give us a dopamine hit?

Dating apps, like many apps these days, are designed to keep users engaged. Like any product on the market, one of the developers' goals is for the app to be sold and used.

While dating apps are designed to facilitate connections, some people may find themselves developing an unhealthy relationship with the app, constantly swiping left and right.

Dating apps can feel addictive because they activate the dopamine reward system. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter – a chemical messenger in the brain, one of many such chemicals essential for our survival.

One of dopamine's crucial roles is to influence when and how we experience pleasure and reward. Think about the rush of winning money at a casino, or getting lots of likes on Instagram. That's dopamine working its magic.

However, dopamine does more that just help us feel pleasure and excitement. It also has a key role in motivating us to seek out pleasurable things. It's released not only when we experience something pleasurable, but also when we're anticipating and seeking out a pleasurable experience.

Excitement and unpredictability

Certain app features make it more likely we will open our phones and start swiping. When you get a match on a dating app, it feels exciting – that's dopamine at work.

But an element of unpredictability adds to this excitement. Each time you open the app, you don't know what profiles you might see, and who might match with you. This element of surprise and anticipation is especially important in getting us hooked.

Imagine if instead of swiping through profiles one by one, you were shown a long list of them at once. It would still feel good to match with people, but that excitement and anticipation of swiping through one by one would be missing.

Additionally, intermittent reinforcement comes into the mix. This is where “rewards” – in this case, matches – are provided at irregular intervals. We know we might eventually get some matches, but we don't know when or with whom.

Imagine if instead of being drip-fed your matches, you received a list of any matches from the past 24 hours, at 9am each day. Your excitement and desire to check the app throughout the day would likely lessen.

Other small features, such as “hearts” and “roses”, make dating apps socially rewarding. These are all forms of approval. It feels different to receive a heart or a rose compared to something unemotional like a “tick” or “thumbs up”. These social stimuli are rewarding and activate our dopamine, too.

6 addictive signs to watch out for

Not every dating app user will develop an unhealthy relationship to it. Just like not everyone who gambles, plays mobile games, or drinks alcohol develops a problem with those.

However, some people are biologically more vulnerable to addictions than others. A review of the research into problematic dating app use found the people likely to spend more time on the apps are those high on personality traits such as neuroticism, sociability and sensation-seeking. Problematic use of online dating apps is also associated with low self-esteem.

While there's no current diagnosis of a “dating app addiction”, some people do develop unhealthy app habits and experience day-to-day harms as a result.

These sixaddiction components” outline some of the signs you might be developing an unhealthy relationship with dating apps:

  1. salience (dating app use dominates your thoughts)
  2. mood modification (dating apps change your mood)
  3. tolerance (your use of dating apps increases over time)
  4. withdrawals (distress when dating app use is interrupted for a period of time)
  5. conflict (use of dating apps negatively affects your reality)
  6. relapse (you return to a previous pattern of dating app use after some interruption)

Oh no, I think I'm hooked on an app!

So, what can you do if you find yourself swiping through those matches more than you'd prefer?

Consider taking a break from the apps for a period of time. Depending on how hooked you feel, stopping completely for a while will help you reset your reliance on them.

Consider what is driving you to spend time swiping: are you feeling bored, sad or lonely? What other ways can you find to soothe these emotional experiences instead of turning to the app?

Make a list of the practical or emotional consequences of swiping, as a reminder of why you want to reduce your use. Perhaps the apps give you a brief rush, but in the long run don't align with how you want to be spending your time, or don't make you feel particularly good about yourself.

If you really do feel hooked, it will feel uncomfortable to take a break. Strategies such as mindfulness can help us sit with the discomfort. Consider seeking out professional help from a psychologist if you're struggling to take time from dating apps.

Lastly, remember that apps, while great for meeting people, are not the be-all and end-all of dating.

In-person events and opportunities to mingle still exist. So, step away from the screen and embrace the excitement, unpredictability and dopamine hit you can get from face-to-face encounters too. The Conversation

(Author: Dr Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist; Research Fellow, University of Technology Sydney)

Disclosure Statement: Dr Anastasia Hronis does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment)

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
 

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Wednesday, February 21, 2024

"Form Of Navalny": Trump Compares His Legal Troubles To Putin Critic

Donald Trump on Tuesday compared his own legal troubles with the persecution of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who died in prison last week.

The former US president and current frontrunner for the 2024 nomination again refused to criticize Russian leader Vladimir Putin over Navalny's unexplained death, despite being offered the chance during a town hall meeting in South Carolina.

Navalny died suddenly at age 47 in an Arctic prison, shocking Russia's exiled opposition as well as the West, where leaders, including US President Joe Biden, have blamed the Kremlin.

In the hour-long appearance broadcast on Fox News, Trump railed against the $355 million fine meted out to him in a New York fraud trial, saying "it's a form of Navalny."

"It is a form of communism or fascism," he added.

Despite prodding from host Laura Ingraham, Trump did not mention Putin when asked about Navalny, though he lamented "a very sad situation."

"He was a very brave guy because he went back. He could have stayed away, and frankly, probably would have been a lot better off staying away and talking from outside of the country."

But, Trump added: "It's happening in our country, too. We are turning into a communist country in many ways.

"I have eight or nine trials all because of the fact that... I'm in politics," he said

"If I were losing in the polls, they wouldn't even be talking about me and I wouldn't have had any legal fees," he alleged.

In addition to the civil fraud case in New York, Trump faces 91 criminal counts, including charges related to alleged electoral interference in the 2020 election, which he lost to Joe Biden.

He has seized on his legal woes as a way to fire up supporters, claiming court cases are "just a way of hurting me in the election."

Trump has long soft-pedaled on Russia, at times expressing open admiration for Putin, whom he has called a "genius."

Earlier this month he effectively killed a bipartisan bill that would have sent billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine after telling congressional Republicans to vote the legislation down.

He also recently stunned Western allies after saying he would "encourage" Russia to attack members of the NATO military alliance who had not met their financial obligations.

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



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US Teen Dies After 3 Girls "Beat Her Head Across The Floor"

A teenager died in the US after a fight with another student inside the school bathroom. Dagny Benedict, 16, was severely beaten inside the bathroom, the New York Post said in a report about the incident that took place on February 7. A staffer of Benedict's school broke the fight, during which she was beaten by three older female students. While her family's obituary used female pronouns, Benedict's mother Sue Benedict told The Independent that the teen was non-binary and used the name "Nex".

The woman also said that the other victim was also non-binary.

Sue Benedict said her daughter was bullied at school and had fallen and hit her head during the bathroom fight.

"I didn't know how bad it had gotten," she was quoted as saying by the Post.

Another local outlet 2 News quoted the parent of other victim as saying she saw Dagny Benedict's assailants "beating her head across the floor".

The parent further alleged that the school failed to call the police or an ambulance, and Dagny Benedict's relatives took her to the hospital.

The teenager was released from the hospital that same day, but was readmitted on February 8 when she died.

In a statement, the police said they were "conducting a very active and thorough investigation of the time and events that led up to the death of the student".

The police are awaiting the results of toxicology and autopsy reports before determining whether anyone will be charged.

The cops are also questioning the school staff and students to understand what happened that day and proceed accordingly.



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US Says Russia Building Space Nuclear Weapon, Putin Denies Claim

President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia was against the deployment of nuclear weapons in space, and his defence minister flatly denied U.S. claims that Russia was developing a nuclear capability for space.

A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that Washington believes Moscow is developing a space-based anti-satellite nuclear weapon whose detonation could disrupt everything from military communications to phone-based ride services.

"Our position is clear and transparent: We have always been categorically against and are now against the deployment of nuclear weapons in space," Putin told Sergei Shoigu, his defence minister.

"We urge not only compliance with all agreements that exist in this area, but also offered to strengthen this joint work many times," Putin said.

He added that Russia's activities in space did not differ from those of other countries, including the United States.

The clearest public sign that Washington thinks Moscow is working on a space-based anti-satellite nuclear weapon was a White House spokesperson's comment on Thursday that the system being developed would violate the Outer Space Treaty.

The 1967 treaty bars signatories - including Russia and the United States - from placing "in orbit around the earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction."

The New York Times has reported that the U.S. intelligence was related to Russia's attempts to develop a space-based anti-satellite nuclear weapon.

'No such projects'

Commenting on the U.S. allegation, Shoigu said there were no plans of the kind outlined by the unidentified sources in the United States.

"Firstly, there are no such projects - nuclear weapons in space. Secondly, the United States knows that this does not exist," Shoigu told Putin.

He accused the White House of trying to scare U.S. lawmakers into allocating more funds for Ukraine as part of Washington's plan to inflict what he said was a strategic defeat on Russia.

He said the second reason for the leaked information about the alleged Russian weapon was to encourage Russia to engage in a dialogue about strategic stability.

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has led to the most serious confrontation between Moscow and the West since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, and the post-Cold War arms control architecture has crumbled.

Putin said Russia had never been against discussions about strategic stability, but he said it was impossible to divide what he said was the West's aim to defeat Russia and talks about strategic security.

"If they seek to inflict a strategic defeat on us, then we must think about what strategic stability means for our country," Putin said.

"Therefore, we do not reject anything, we do not give up anything, but we need to figure out what they want. They usually want to achieve unilateral advantages. That's not going to happen."

Putin did not rule out talks at defence and foreign ministry level with the United States on strategic stability.

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



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US Lawmakers Hope For Humanitarian Pause in Gaza Ahead Of Ramadan

Two senior U.S lawmakers who held talks with Israeli and Arab leaders said on Tuesday that they were hopeful a deal could be struck allowing a humanitarian pause in the war in Gaza before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

In an interview with Reuters in Amman, Democratic Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Coons - who said they had earlier met Jordan's King Abdullah and held talks with Israeli leaders in Jerusalem - said there was "broad hope" of a deal soon to release hostages held by Hamas in exchange for a pause in fighting.

"Within a matter of weeks we could see a pause before Ramadan," Blumenthal, who is on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told Reuters.

Arabs countries led by Jordan have expressed worries that Israel's continued offensive against Hamas during the holy month of Ramadan could ramp up tensions further in the war.

But Egyptian and Qatari-mediated talks to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and secure the release of over 100 Israeli hostages being held in the Hamas-ruled territory have yet to produce results. A round of inconclusive talks in Cairo ended last week.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel would not pay any price for the return of hostages, saying the way to free them was by ramping up the military pressure on Gaza and defeating Hamas.

Still, Blumenthal said that talks with Israeli leaders suggested that Israel is open to a pause as it wraps up a phase of intense fighting in Gaza and moves to a potential focus on counter-insurgency combat instead.

"Once there is that agreement on a pause it opens the way towards a negotiation that could produce self governance by the Palestinians, a state that gives them control over their own destiny," Blumenthal said.

But an Israeli offensive in Rafah, the southern Gaza city where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have sought refuge, would complicate efforts toward a halt in the fighting and the senators warned that Israel had an obligation to protect civilians and allow for relocations before moving on Rafah.

"There is an attempt to balance between supporting Israel and its war against Hamas and supporting the legitimate aspirations of Palestinian people for self governance and end of conflict," Coons 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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Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Putin Romantically Linked To "Barbie-Lookalike" Ekaterina Mizulina: Report

Russian President Vladimir Putin has grown close to a "Barbie-lookalike" who is 32 years younger to him. According to New York Post, 39-year-old Ekaterina "Katya" Mizulina is an art historian who heads pro-Kremlin Safe Internet League. The main part of her job is to stamp out criticism of Russia and its President, especially on the war against Ukraine. Ms Mizulina is the daughter of Pro-Putin and anti-Ukraine senator Elena Mizulina, 69.

"Katya Mizulina is completely to Putin's taste. This Barbie type has always suited him very well," Russian human rights campaigner Olga Romanova told Ukraine's Channel 24, as per the Post report.

Mr Putin, 71, has long been rumoured to be in a relationship with Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva. The pair are believed to share three children.

The Russian President divorced his wife of 30 years, Lyudmila, in 2014.

Several Ukrainian media outlets and Telegram channels in Russia have been posting the news about Mr Putin and Ms Mizulina, claiming that they grew close to each other recently. However, nothing official has emerged about the relationship so far.

Russian Telegram site Kremlevskaya Tabakerka said its sources "were extremely careful in talking about it, because no one can offer a 100% confirmation".

The Post said that Ms Mizulina graduated from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London in 2004 with degrees in art history and Indonesian language.

She worked as a translator for official Russian delegations visiting China before joining the Safe Internet League in 2017.

"First, we will clean Ukraine from the Nazis... and then we will get to Google and Wikipedia," she reportedly said in a speech in 2022.

A year after the Ukraine war started, the Independent reported that Mr Putin is secretly spending millions on Ms Kabaeva. The report further said that the former Olympics champion resides in a villa on Mr Putin's estate on Lake Valdai, about 250 miles (402 kilometres) north-west of Moscow.



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UK Offers 3,000 Visas To Indian Professionals Through Ballot System

The United Kingdom has opened its doorway to Indian citizens wanting to settle, work, or study in the country for two years. The British High Commission in India released a statement announcing a new ballot system under the India Young Professionals Scheme. 

Under the scheme, UK will provide 3,000 visas to Indian natives aged between 18-30. They will be granted permission to pursue their careers on European soil. The ballot window will open on February 20 at 2:30 pm India Standard Time (IST) to February 22 at 2:30 pm IST. 

“The first ballot of the India Young Professionals Scheme opens in less than 24 hours! If you're an Indian graduate who wants to live, work, or study in the UK for up to 2 years, you can enter the ballot for a chance to apply for a visa,” read the official announcement on X (formerly Twitter). 

Check out the details below:

Eligibility

Applicants with a bachelor's degree or a higher education certificate are eligible for the ballot. 

As per the guidelines on the UK Government website, candidates need to provide their personal details: name, date of birth, passport details, a scan or photo of the passport, phone number and email address

Having monetary savings of at least GBP 2,530 along with not having any dependent children under the age of 18 are additional requirements for application.

For Successful Entries

The ballot's successful submissions will be chosen randomly. Within two weeks of the poll closing, the results will be emailed to the applicants. The deadline for applying for the visa is up to 90 days from the date of the email. Applicants must submit their biometrics and pay the visa application fee, which includes the immigration health surcharge. Only then will the aspirants be considered for the visa. Post the visa application, Indian professionals must travel to the UK within six months. The visa will cost 298 pounds (₹ 31,110).

Established in May 2021, the UK-India Mobility and Migration Partnership involves the Young Professionals Scheme. This agreement highlights the United Kingdom's and India's commitment to improving immigration laws and strengthening their joint efforts to combat immigration infractions. 



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"Be Rational": Taiwan To China After 2 Crew Killed In Boat Incident

Taiwan called on Beijing to "be rational" on Tuesday following a deadly incident involving a Chinese boat and the Taiwanese coast guard, with the island's premier insisting it would protect its waters.

China claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory, and relations between the two have plummeted in recent years.

Last week two Chinese crew members died after a boat capsized near Kinmen, an island administered by Taipei but located just five kilometres from the mainland city of Xiamen.

It was being pursued by Taiwan's coast guard for being within prohibited waters.

China announced stepped-up patrols around Taiwan's waters, and on Monday members of its coast guard briefly boarded a Taiwanese cruise ship to check the captain and passengers' details.

Taiwan's Premier Chen Chien-jen said Tuesday that both sides had been aware of "restricted and off-limits sea areas" since 1992.

"We will continue to protect these sea areas to ensure safety in our territorial waters and the rights of our fishermen," he told reporters outside Taiwan's parliament.

"We hope both sides can be rational, equitable and cooperate with each other to ensure the safety of the Kinmen-Xiamen waters so that the people from both sides of the strait can engage with each other in a healthy and orderly manner."

Taiwan's defence minister said the military would not get involved, leaving it to the coast guard to monitor waters around Kinmen, "because we want to avoid war".

"If we intervene, it will escalate the conflict which we do not want to see," Chiu Kuo-cheng told reporters.

"Let's handle the matter peacefully."

Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, and in recent years has ramped up the rhetoric of "unification".

It has stepped up military pressure on Taiwan by deploying warplanes and naval vessels around the island on a near-daily basis.

Last month Taiwan had a presidential election which ended in a win for the Democratic Progressive Party's Lai Ching-te -- a candidate Beijing considers a "separatist".

Taiwan's defence ministry on Tuesday said it detected 24 Chinese warplanes around the island in the 24 hours to 6 am -- a slight uptick compared with recent days.

 'Tacit understanding' 

Relatives of the two late crew were expected to arrive in Kinmen on Tuesday, while authorities said the two surviving shipmates would be repatriated.

Taiwan's coast guard had defended its actions during the pursuit that led to the deadly capsizing, saying the Chinese crew refused to cooperate with law enforcement.

It is not uncommon for Chinese and Taiwanese ships to accidentally enter the other's side, and Kinmen legislator Chen Yu-jen said the mainland coast guard had boarded the tourist ship Monday after it sailed "about one kilometre" into its waters.

"When relations between the two sides were relatively peaceful, we would not board each other's boats... It's because at that time there was a tacit understanding and the two sides would not take tougher actions," she told reporters.

But now with tenser cross-strait relations, she urged Taiwan's tourist boats and fishermen to stay within their waters.

"This is the safest way," Chen told reporters.

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



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How A Chinese Rocket Failure Boosted Elon Musk's SpaceX In Indonesia

When a Chinese rocket malfunctioned shortly after launch in April 2020, destroying Indonesia's $220 million Nusantara-2 satellite, it was a blow to the archipelago's efforts to strengthen its communication networks. But it presented an opportunity for one man.

Elon Musk - the owner of SpaceX, the world's most successful rocket launcher - seized on the failure to prevail over state-owned China Great Wall Industry Corp (CGWIC) as Jakarta's company of choice for putting satellites into space.

The Chinese contractor had courted Indonesia - Southeast Asia's largest economy and a key space growth market - with cheap financing, promises of broad support for its space ambitions and the geopolitical heft of Beijing.

A senior government official and two industry officials in Jakarta familiar with the matter told Reuters the malfunction marked a turning point for Indonesia to move away from Chinese space contractors in favour of companies owned by Musk.

Nusantara-2 was the second satellite launch awarded by Indonesia to CGWIC, matching the two carried out by SpaceX at that time. Since its failure, SpaceX has launched two Indonesian satellites, with a third set for Tuesday; China has handled none.

SpaceX edged out Beijing through a combination of launch reliability, cheaper reusable rockets, and the personal relationship Musk nurtured with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Reuters found. Following a meeting between the two men in Texas in 2022, SpaceX also won regulatory approval for its Starlink satellite internet service.

The SpaceX deals mark a rare instance of a Western company making inroads in Indonesia, whose telecommunications sector is dominated by Chinese companies that offer low costs and easy financing. The successes came after Indonesia resisted U.S. pressure to abandon its deals with Chinese tech giant Huawei, citing its dependence on Beijing's technology.

Details of this shift, which were described to Reuters by a dozen people, including Indonesian and U.S. officials, industry players and analysts, have not previously been reported. Some of them spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorised to talk to media.

"SpaceX has never failed in launching our satellites," said Sri Sanggrama Aradea, head of the satellite infrastructure division at BAKTI, an Indonesian communications ministry agency.

The April 2020 incident makes it "hard" for Jakarta to turn to CGWIC again, he added.

SpaceX, CGWIC and Pasifik Satelit Nusantara - a key shareholder in the Nusantara-2 project - did not respond to questions for this story.

China's Foreign Ministry said in response to Reuters questions that "Chinese aerospace enterprises are continuing their space cooperation with Indonesia in various forms." It did not elaborate.

Presidential office spokesperson Ari Dwipayana said the government prioritises efficient and capable technology that meets the need of Indonesians when awarding contracts.

The tussle between SpaceX and China offers a window into a much larger battle to dominate a rapidly expanding space industry.

The global satellite market - including manufacturing, services and launches - was worth $281 billion in 2022, or 73% of all space business, according to U.S. consultancy BryceTech.

Space race

China launched a record 67 rockets last year, out of 223 globally, according to a report by Harvard professor and orbital tracker Jonathan McDowell. The vast majority were launched by CGWIC.

That put China only behind the United States, which had 109 launches, 90% of which were done by SpaceX, the report found.

Washington and Beijing are also competing over satellite-based communications networks.

SpaceX's Starlink, which owns around 60% of the roughly 7,500 satellites orbiting earth, is dominant in the satellite internet sphere. But, last year, China began launching satellites for its rival Guowang broadband mega-constellation.

U.S. military officials have said China wants to use satellites and space technology to spy on rivals and increase military capabilities.

China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement to Reuters the U.S. allegations were a smear and that Washington was using the concerns as a pretext to expand its influence in space.

Unlike its Chinese counterpart, NASA relies primarily on privately owned rockets from firms such as SpaceX, which has billions of dollars in U.S. government contracts.

But the U.S. government and military are concerned about their reliance on SpaceX, especially given Musk's muscular business style, according to one current and one former U.S. official working on space policy.

While legacy U.S. defence contractors like Boeing and Lockheed Martin typically consult the State Department before making foreign deals, Musk and SpaceX dealt directly with Jakarta, the two officials said.

In response to Reuters' questions, a Lockheed Martin spokesperson said the company "works closely with the U.S. Government, our allied nations and international customers". Boeing declined to comment and the State Department did not respond to requests for comment.

Pentagon spokesperson Jeff Jurgensen declined to answer specific questions about SpaceX, but said the Department of Defense's "many space industry partnerships have a proven track record of success".

Nicholas Eftimiades, a former U.S. intelligence officer and expert on Chinese espionage operations at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank, said SpaceX's CEO had ruffled some feathers in the U.S. capital: "Elon Musk does things his way and some officials don't like that".

Nonetheless, Musk's deals bucked a long-running trend of Western firms losing out to Chinese businesses in Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago of over 17,000 islands that is home to more than 270 million people.

Widodo said in October that Beijing is set to become the largest foreign direct investor in Indonesia within two years, surpassing Singapore.

Chinese companies dominate the internet and 5G market, so Beijing was the obvious partner for satellite launches until the 2020 incident, said Andry Satrio Nugroho, an economist at the Jakarta-based Institute for Development of Economics and Finance think-tank.

"Indonesia has a close relationship with China across many sectors. It's difficult to break China's dominance."

Starbase meeting

In May 2022, Jokowi, as the powerful Indonesian president is popularly known, visited a SpaceX facility in Boca Chica, Texas.

"Welcome to Starbase," Musk said, smiling and shaking hands with the president, who was seeking Tesla investment in Indonesia's nickel sector.

Widodo's two-hour visit included 30 minutes of talks with Musk at an office packed with miniature rockets and then a tour of the production area, according to an Indonesian official with direct knowledge.

The president has long sought to build an EV industry in Indonesia, which has the world's biggest reserves of nickel, a key element in electric batteries. The term-limited leader leaves office in October, but experts say Widodo will remain a major power broker after the candidate he tacitly supported to be his successor claimed victory in the Feb. 14 presidential election.

Widodo told Reuters last year that to woo Musk, he has also offered tax breaks, a concession to mine nickel and a subsidy scheme on EV purchases. But a Tesla EV or battery factory in Indonesia, which Widodo has publicly asked for, have not materialised.

Instead, days after the trip, according to a source with direct knowledge, Indonesian officials began discussing another of Musk's businesses: Starlink.

During the Texas meeting, Musk asked Widodo to let Starlink into Indonesia, the source said.

Telkomsat, a subsidiary of state-owned telecoms firm Telkom, was supportive, its former chief executive Endi Fitri Herlianto told Reuters.

For months, the telco had sought regulatory approval so that Telkomsat could use Starlink services for cellular backhaul, or connecting mobile base stations to its network, Herlianto said.

Officials were concerned about the potential impact on domestic telcos if a permit was granted. The plan made no headway - until the Boca Chica visit.

"Game Changer"

Less than a month after the Texas meeting, Telkom announced its subsidiary had received Starlink landing rights.

Indonesia's communication ministry told Reuters that Starlink is only permitted to operate a backhaul service with Telkomsat and that it does not have the right to retail consumer internet services.

Musk "put that ask on the table then and there, so things started," said the source with knowledge of Indonesian discussions, referring to the May meeting.

Widodo's spokesperson, Dwipayana, confirmed that Musk and the president discussed opportunities in Indonesia, adding that officials are still in communication with the billionaire about future investments by his businesses, including Tesla.

Telkom did not respond to requests for comment.

Last June, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket pushed into orbit the 4.5-tonne Satellite of the Republic of Indonesia (SATRIA-1) - Southeast Asia's largest satellite.

Nia Satwika, a SATRIA-1 project manager, said SpaceX offered lower costs and had higher availability of launch slots when compared with other operators.

"They are a game changer," she said, referring to SpaceX's ability to reuse parts of its rockets - a crucial cost advantage over rivals.

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



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Monday, February 19, 2024

Prince William Announces Plans To Build Homes For Homeless On His Estate

Britain's Prince Willaim has announced plans to build on his own land to tackle homelessness. According to the BBC, this project will provide 24 homes on the Duchy of Cornwall land - a private estate which, as per the official site, funds the public, charitable and private activities of the Prince of Wales and his family. The construction of the homes will begin in September and the first homes are due to be completed in autumn 2025. 

According to the official statement, the homes will be built in partnership with homelessness charity St Petrocs. The first phase of the development will focus on "creating high-quality temporary accommodation that feels like home," as per the BBC. The statement also added that "wrap-around support" would be provided by St Petrocs to help residents access training and employment opportunities. 

Ben Murphy, Duchy's estate director, said that homes would help "break the cycle of homelessness in the Newquay area". "As one of his key priorities for the Duchy of Cornwall, Prince William asked us to address the homelessness challenge within Cornwall and other areas where the estate resides," he said.

"The Duchy is well-known for integrating high quality affordable housing into the new communities built on its land, and Prince William is determined to ensure that we continue to be part of the solution when it comes to the housing crisis. The shortage of social rent and private rented properties are widely considered to be the main causes of increasing homelessness across the country, which is why we are proud to launch this project alongside ambitious plans to unlock more affordable and attainable homes across our estate," Mr Murphy added. 

Separately, charity St Petrocs said it would help residents access training and employment "to provide a route out of homelessness for good". 

"Our charity has been working in Cornwall for over 30 years and has supported many hundreds of people in this time. With the Duchy of Cornwall, we believe we can deliver a truly exemplary project embedded in the local community which will provide a route for many more people out of homelessness for good," the charity's chief executive said, as per the outlet. 

Also read | AI Avatars Will Soon Attend Your Work Meetings, Claims Tech CEO

Notably, the latest announcement by Prince William is part of his five-year campaign - announced in 2023 - to end homelessness. 

Apart from the 24 homes, the Duchy of Cornwall also confirmed its future housing projects that would aim to increase affordable housing from 30% to 40%, meaning up to 200 more affordable homes will be built on top of the existing 1,020, the BBC reported. It also said it plans to create a Private Rented Scheme for Nansledan, which removes barriers to entry for those on lower incomes, provides longer-term tenancies and transparent rent increases.

Moreover, the estate committed to building more than 400 social rented homes and a further 475 affordable dwellings on its new development of South East Faversham in Kent.



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Hong Kong's Historic Anti-Terrorism Trails Open:14 accused

Hong Kong's first trial ever to invoke the city's anti-terrorism act started Monday, with 14 people charged over an alleged plot to carry out explosions and murder police officers in huge pro-democracy protests in 2019.

Members of the radical protest group known as "Dragon Slayers" were rounded up after a long investigation into an alleged bomb plot that was to be put into action during an International Human Rights Day rally on December 10, 2019.

At the time, Hong Kong had been upended for months by huge and at times violent protests for greater autonomy from Beijing's rule.

On Monday, prosecutor Edward Lau accused the group of planning to place two bombs along the marching route of the rally to kill police officers.

The "Dragon Slayers" would ransack shops to attract authorities while then-18-year-old member David Su would push officers in closer proximity to the bombs, the prosecution said.

"The group planned to take the police guns for their own use after the officers were killed," Lau said.

Prosecutors have charged them under the anti-terrorism act, which the city first enacted in 2002 after a series of UN Security Council resolutions made in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.

No one had been charged under the law until this case.

Ten defendants are facing two charges that can lead to life in prison -- "bombing of prescribed objects" under the anti-terrorism act and "conspiracy to murder police officers" under Hong Kong's criminal law.

Among the 10, one of them also faces an extra anti-terrorism charge of funding the acts, while a woman brought into the case last year is also accused of that. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in jail.

Eight of the defendants are also charged with various offences relating to possession and manufacturing of explosives, firearms and ammunition, some of which carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Other than the woman admitted late in the trial, all of the accused have been kept behind bars for more than 1,000 days.

After the protests were quashed, Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law in mid-2020 to punish offences of subversion, secession, collusion and terrorism with sentences of up to life imprisonment.

By the end of 2023, more than 11,200 people were arrested and nearly 3,000 charged over their participation in the 2019 protests.

The Hong Kong government announced last month its plan to create another national security law to cover more offences, including treason and espionage.

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



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Sunday, February 18, 2024

Movie-Style Highway Theft Caught On Camera, Thief Jumps Off Moving Vehicle

Two thieves were seen in a viral video stealing from a moving mini-truck in Meghalaya in a daring act that resembled a movie scene. Two of their aides followed them on motorcycles as part of the plan, the video showed.

The incident was filmed from a car trailing them on Umiam highway on the outskirts of Shillong.

They carefully loaded a bag with their stolen items - believed to be onions or potatoes - while clinging to the mini-truck. One of them got down as the vehicle slowed ahead of a bridge, the video showed. Police personnel were present near the bridge undergoing repairs.

The other thief remained on the vehicle and the second aide continued to follow him.



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Japan's 'Naked Men' Festival Succumbs To Population Ageing

A steam of sweat rose as hundreds of naked men tussled over a bag of wooden talismans, performing a dramatic end to a thousand-year-old ritual in Japan that took place for the last time.

Their passionate chants of "jasso, joyasa" (meaning "evil, be gone") echoed through a ceder forest of the northern Japan's Iwate region, where the secluded Kokuseki Temple has decided to end the popular annual rite.

Organising the event, which draws hundreds of participants and thousands of tourists every year, has become a heavy burden for the ageing local faithful, who find it hard to keep up with the rigours of the ritual.

The "Sominsai" festival, regarded as one of the strangest festivals in Japan, is the latest tradition impacted by the country's ageing population crisis that has hit rural communities hard.

"It is very difficult to organise a festival of this scale," said Daigo Fujinami, a resident monk of the temple that opened in 729.

"You can see what happened today --so many people are here and it's all exciting. But behind the scenes, there are many rituals and so much work that have to be done," he said.

"I cannot be blind to the difficult reality."

Ageing population

Japan's society has aged more rapidly than most other countries'. The trend has forced countless schools, shops and services to close, particularly in small or rural communities.

Kokuseki Temple's Sominsai festival used to take place from the seventh day of Lunar New Year through to the following morning.

But during the Covid pandemic, it was scaled down to prayer ceremonies and smaller rituals.

The final festival was a shortened version, ending around 11:00 pm, but it drew the biggest crowd in recent memory, local residents said.

As the sun set, men in white loincloths came to the mountainous temple, bathed in a creek and marched around temple's ground.

They clenched their fists against the chill of a winter breeze, all the while chanting "jasso joyasa".

Some held small cameras to record their experience, while dozens of television crews followed the men through the temple's stone steps and dirt pathways.

As the festival reached its climax, hundreds of men packed inside the wooden temple shouting, chanting and aggressively jostling over a bag of talismans.

Changing norms

Toshiaki Kikuchi, a local resident who claimed the talismans and who helped organise the festival for years, said he hoped the ritual will return in the future.

"Even under a different format, I hope to maintain this tradition," he said after the festival.

"There are many things that you can appreciate only if you take part."

Many participants and visitors voiced both sadness and understanding about the festival's ending.

"This is the last of this great festival that has lasted 1,000 years. I really wanted to participate in this festival," Yasuo Nishimura, 49, a caregiver from Osaka, told AFP.

Other temples across Japan continue to host similar festivals where men wear loincloths and bathe in freezing water or fight over talismans.

Some festivals are adjusting their rules in line with changing democraphics and social norms so that they can continue to exist -- such as letting women take part in previously male-only ceremonies.

From next year, Kokuseki Temple will replace the festival with prayer ceremonies and other ways to continue its spiritual practices.

"Japan is facing a falling birthrate, ageing population, and lack of young people to continue various things," Nishimura said.

"Perhaps it is difficult to continue the same way as in the past."

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



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Saturday, February 17, 2024

Here's Why Indian Players Are Sporting Black Armbands On Day 3 Of 3rd Test

Indian players wore black armbands in the memory of former captain Dattajirao Gaekwad on the third day of the ongoing third Test against England in Rajkot on Saturday. Dattajirao, who played 11 Tests for India between 1951 and 1962, died on February 13 after remaining hospitalised for 12 days. At 95, he was India's oldest living Test cricketer. Dattajirao was the father of former India batter and coach Aunshuman Gaekwad.

"Team India will be wearing black arm bands in memory of Dattajirao Gaekwad, former India captain and India's oldest Test cricketer who passed away recently," the BCCI said in a statement shortly before the third day's play got underway here at the Niranjan Shah Stadium.

A right-handed batter, who could bowl both medium pace and leg-break, Dattajirao was India's captain during the 1959 tour of England.

Meanwhile, India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Friday withdrew from the ongoing third Test against England as he flew back to Chennai to attend to his ill mother.

BCCI provided an update on the development but did not mention that the medical issue relates Ashwin's mother. However, BCCI President Rajeev Shukla posted on X that it's off-spinner's mother, who has fallen sick.

"Ravichandran Ashwin has withdrawn from the Test squad, effective immediately due to a family medical emergency. In these challenging times, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the team fully supports Ashwin," BCCI said in a media release.

"The BCCI extends its heartfelt support to the champion cricketer and his family. The health and well-being of the players and their loved ones are of utmost importance. The Board requests respect for the privacy of Ashwin and his family as they navigate through this challenging time," the statement added further.

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



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Friday, February 16, 2024

"Rafah Civilians Must Be Protected": Joe Biden Tells Benjamin Netanyahu

Fighting at the hospital - US President Joe Biden on Thursday again told Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he should not proceed with military action in Rafah without a credible and executable plan to protect Palestinian civilians, the White House said.

The call between the two leaders on Thursday was the second time in less than a week that Biden warned Netanyahu about moving into the southern part of the Gaza Strip without a plan to ensure the safety of some 1 million people sheltering there.

They also spoke about ongoing hostage negotiations and Biden pledged to continue to work around the clock to help free the hostages, who have spent 132 days in Hamas captivity, according to the White House read out of the call.

Israeli forces said on Thursday they had raided the biggest functioning hospital in Gaza, an incursion that raised fresh alarms over the fate of hundreds of patients and medical workers and the many displaced Palestinians who had sought shelter there from the war.

Fighting at the hospital comes as Israel faces growing international pressure to show restraint, after vowing to press its offensive into Rafah, the last relatively safe place in Gaza.

Earlier this month, Biden said Israel's military response in the Gaza Strip had been "over the top" and expressed grave concern over the rising civilian death rate in the Palestinian enclave.

The war began on Oct. 7 when Iran-backed Hamas sent fighters into Israel, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and seizing 253 hostages according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's air and ground offensive has since devastated tiny, crowded Gaza, killing 28,663 people, also mostly civilian, according to health authorities, and forcing nearly all its more than 2 million inhabitants from their homes.

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



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Thursday, February 15, 2024

Bali's Tourism Tax For Foreigners Comes Into Effect: Here's What To Know

Foreign tourists must now pay a $10 tax to enter Bali, one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. According to the BBC, the tourist tax, which was first announced last year, came into effect from Wednesday. The Indonesian government said that this move aims to preserve the culture and environment of the "Island of Gods". It applies to foreign tourists entering the province from abroad or other parts of the country. But domestic tourists, diplomatic visa holders and ASEAN nationals are exempted from the tax, officials said. 

"This levy is aimed at the protection of the culture and the environment in Bali," Bali's acting governor Sang Made Mahendra Jaya said, as per AFP

The tax applies to all international travellers, regardless of their age and gender, including children. Tourists will have to pay the tax each time they arrive in Bali. The fee will have to be paid electronically via the "Love Bali" online portal and will apply to foreign tourists entering Bali from abroad or from other parts of Indonesia, the BBC reported.

Tourists who do not want to pay online can also pay at arrival points, such as airports and seaports through multiple payment methods, including credit cards, bank transfers, virtual accounts or QRIS, which is a QR code standard developed by Bank Indonesia and Indonesian Payment System Association for cashless payments in the nation. 

Bali is known for its pristine beaches and beautiful landscapes. It is one of the most popular destinations among tourists. According to official data, almost 4.8 million tourists visited the province between January and November last year. The BBC reported that tourism also contributed some 60% to Bali's annual GPD before the pandemic. 

Also Read | Delta Flight Returns To Amsterdam After Maggots Fall On Passengers From Overhead Bin

Citing the province's statistics bureau, the outlet said that Australia was the largest contributor of foreign tourists to Bali in November 2023 with more than 100,000 arrivals. This was followed by tourists from India, China and Singapore.

However, misbehaving tourists in Bali have sparked outrage among locals in recent years. Last year, a Russian man was deported from Bali after stripping off at a sacred site. The same year, the Indonesian government also announced plans to ban foreign tourists from using motorbikes, after a spate of cases involving people breaking traffic laws. Last year, the local government also published an etiquette guide for tourists who wish to visit Bali. 



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Medical Milestone: Ground-Based Surgeons Perform Robotic Surgery On ISS

Earth-bound surgeons remotely controlled a small robot aboard the International Space Station over the weekend, conducting the first-ever such surgery in orbit albeit rubber bands.

The experiment, deemed a "huge success" by the participants, represents a new step in the development of space surgery, which could become necessary to treat medical emergencies during multi-year manned voyages, such as to Mars.

The technology could also be used to develop remote-control surgery techniques on Earth, to serve isolated areas.

The robot, developed by Virtual Incision (VIC) and the University of Nebraska, is called space MIRA.

It took off for the International Space Station at the end of January, aboard a payload carried by a SpaceX rocket.

Stored inside a compact box the size of a microwave oven, the robot was installed last Thursday by NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara, who has been in space since last September.

The experiment then took place on Saturday, conducted from Virtual Incision's headquarters in Lincoln, Nebraska.

It lasted around two hours, with six surgeons taking a go at operating the robot, which is equipped with a camera and two arms.

"The experiment tested standard surgical techniques like grasping, manipulating and cutting tissue. The simulated tissue is made up of rubber bands," Virtual Incision said in a statement.

In a video shared by the company, one arm equipped with pincers can be seen gripping the band and stretching it, while the other arm equipped with scissors makes a cut -- mimicking a dissection.

A key difficulty is the time lag -- about 0.85 seconds -- between the operation center on Earth and the ISS.

For a control experiment, the same process will take place with the same equipment, but on Earth.

"The experiment was deemed a huge success by all surgeons and researchers, and there were little to no hiccups," Virtual Incision said in a statement, claiming it will "change the future of surgery."

NASA, which provided some financial support for the project, said that with longer space missions, "the potential need for emergency care increases, including surgical procedures from simple stitching of lacerations to more complex activities."

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



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"Honoured": Chennai-Born Sriram Krishnan, Donald Trump's Pick For AI Advisor

US President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Sriram Krishnan as senior policy advisor for Artificial Intelligence at the White House Office of...