Netanyahu, Israeli Officials Face Potential Arrest Warrants By World Court

Israel is voicing concern that the International Criminal Court could be preparing to issue arrest warrants for government officials on charges related to the conduct of its war against Hamas.

The ICC - which can charge individuals with war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide - is investigating Hamas' October 7 cross-border attack and Israel's devastating military assault on Hamas-ruled Gaza, now in its seventh month.

In response to Israeli media reports that the ICC might soon issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli government and military officials, Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Sunday warned Israeli embassies to bolster their security because of the risk of a "wave of severe antisemitism".

"We expect the court (ICC) to refrain from issuing arrest warrants against senior Israeli political and security officials," Katz said. "We will not bow our heads or be deterred and will continue to fight."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that any ICC decisions would not affect Israel's actions but would set a dangerous precedent.

Israeli officials are worried that the court could issue arrest warrants against Netanyahu and other top officials for alleged violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza, Israeli media have reported.

They said the ICC is also considering arrest warrants for leaders from Hamas.

The ICC, based in The Hague, and Hamas, Gaza's ruling group, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Israel is not a member of the court and does not recognise its jurisdiction, but the Palestinian territories were admitted with the status of a member state in 2015.

In October, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan said the court had jurisdiction over any potential war crimes committed by Hamas fighters in Israel and by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip.

Khan has said his team is actively investigating any crimes allegedly committed in Gaza and that those who are in breach of the law will be held accountable.

"The ICC is an independent organization and their efforts are being undertaken without any contact or interference by the U.S.," U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters on Monday.

The U.S. - Israel's ally - is also not a member of the court. A White House spokesperson said later on Monday: "The ICC has no jurisdiction in this situation, and we do not support its investigation."

INTERNATIONAL ISOLATION

Matthew Gillet, a lecturer in international law at the University of Essex in England, said anyone issued with an arrest warrant would be unable to travel to the more than 120 countries that are members of the ICC, including most European countries, Japan and Australia, or they could be detained.

Gillet said if arrest warrants were issued against Israeli officials, some allied countries could take action such as reducing weapons transfers or scaling back diplomatic visits, increasing Israel's international isolation.

It would make "it more difficult for Western liberal democracies to engage with Israel," he said.

On October 7, Hamas led an attack on Israeli military bases and communities in which 1,200 people were killed, mostly civilians, and 253 were taken as hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel has since launched a ground, air and sea offensive that has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza authorities, and has laid much of the small, densely populated coastal territory to waste.

The Gaza Health Ministry does not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants in its casualty reports but most of the fatalities have been civilians, health officials say.

Israel says that it takes precautions to minimise civilian deaths and that at least a third of the Gaza fatalities are combatants, figures that Hamas has dismissed.

Israel's military campaign has displaced most of the blockaded Palestinian enclave's 2.3 million people and created a humanitarian crisis.

The case at the ICC is separate from a genocide case launched against Israel at the International Court of Justice, also based in The Hague.

The ICJ, also known as the World Court, is a United Nations court that deals with disputes between states, while the ICC is a treaty-based criminal court focusing on individual criminal responsibility for war crimes.

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

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Netanyahu, Israeli Officials Face Potential Arrest Warrants By World Court

Israel is voicing concern that the International Criminal Court could be preparing to issue arrest warrants for government officials on charges related to the conduct of its war against Hamas.

The ICC - which can charge individuals with war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide - is investigating Hamas' October 7 cross-border attack and Israel's devastating military assault on Hamas-ruled Gaza, now in its seventh month.

In response to Israeli media reports that the ICC might soon issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli government and military officials, Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Sunday warned Israeli embassies to bolster their security because of the risk of a "wave of severe antisemitism".

"We expect the court (ICC) to refrain from issuing arrest warrants against senior Israeli political and security officials," Katz said. "We will not bow our heads or be deterred and will continue to fight."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that any ICC decisions would not affect Israel's actions but would set a dangerous precedent.

Israeli officials are worried that the court could issue arrest warrants against Netanyahu and other top officials for alleged violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza, Israeli media have reported.

They said the ICC is also considering arrest warrants for leaders from Hamas.

The ICC, based in The Hague, and Hamas, Gaza's ruling group, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Israel is not a member of the court and does not recognise its jurisdiction, but the Palestinian territories were admitted with the status of a member state in 2015.

In October, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan said the court had jurisdiction over any potential war crimes committed by Hamas fighters in Israel and by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip.

Khan has said his team is actively investigating any crimes allegedly committed in Gaza and that those who are in breach of the law will be held accountable.

"The ICC is an independent organization and their efforts are being undertaken without any contact or interference by the U.S.," U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters on Monday.

The U.S. - Israel's ally - is also not a member of the court. A White House spokesperson said later on Monday: "The ICC has no jurisdiction in this situation, and we do not support its investigation."

INTERNATIONAL ISOLATION

Matthew Gillet, a lecturer in international law at the University of Essex in England, said anyone issued with an arrest warrant would be unable to travel to the more than 120 countries that are members of the ICC, including most European countries, Japan and Australia, or they could be detained.

Gillet said if arrest warrants were issued against Israeli officials, some allied countries could take action such as reducing weapons transfers or scaling back diplomatic visits, increasing Israel's international isolation.

It would make "it more difficult for Western liberal democracies to engage with Israel," he said.

On October 7, Hamas led an attack on Israeli military bases and communities in which 1,200 people were killed, mostly civilians, and 253 were taken as hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel has since launched a ground, air and sea offensive that has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza authorities, and has laid much of the small, densely populated coastal territory to waste.

The Gaza Health Ministry does not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants in its casualty reports but most of the fatalities have been civilians, health officials say.

Israel says that it takes precautions to minimise civilian deaths and that at least a third of the Gaza fatalities are combatants, figures that Hamas has dismissed.

Israel's military campaign has displaced most of the blockaded Palestinian enclave's 2.3 million people and created a humanitarian crisis.

The case at the ICC is separate from a genocide case launched against Israel at the International Court of Justice, also based in The Hague.

The ICJ, also known as the World Court, is a United Nations court that deals with disputes between states, while the ICC is a treaty-based criminal court focusing on individual criminal responsibility for war crimes.

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

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Virender Sehwag Lambasts R Ashwin, Says He "Won't Find A Place In My Team"

Former India batter Virender Sehwag has raised concerns over veteran spin-bowling all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin's form in the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Ashwin has struggled to pick wickets in IPL 2024, managing just two scalps in eight matches, and has also leaked over nine runs per over. Despite his struggles, Ashwin recently claimed that taking wickets in T20s is irrelevant. Reacting to his remark, Sehwag slammed Ashwin and said that the veteran might go unsold in the auction next season.

"This is the same as when KL Rahul had said that the strike rate doesn't matter. Same thing. He said it for batting, Ashwin has said it for bowling that it doesn't matter if you get the wickets. If his stats aren't good, then he may not even get picked in the auction next year. When you pick a bowler, do you expect him to give away 25-30 runs or do you expect him to give you wickets and become man of the match twice or thrice?" Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.

Slamming Ashwin for his mindset, Sehwag pointed out how his peers -- Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav -- have been picking at regular intervals.

"All his competitors - Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav or anyone else - are getting the wickets. He thinks if he bowls off spin then anyone will hit him. Which is why he bowls his carrom bowl, which is why he is not getting any wickets. Maybe if he believes in his off spin or doosra, he can bag more wickets. But that's his mindset. But if I were a mentor or a coach of a franchise, I wouldn't think like that. If my bowler is thinking about saving runs and not taking wickets, he won't find a place in the team," he added.

Despite Ashwin's poor form, his franchise RR sit top of the IPL 2024 points table with 16 points from nine matches.

RR need a win in their next game, against SunRisers Hyderabad, to qualify for the playoffs.

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Man Sits On Chair, Parks Bike In Middle Of Delhi Road For Reel, Arrested

A Delhi man was arrested after he was seen sitting on a busy GT Karnal road, to make a reel for his social media account. Delhi Police took decisive action against the 26-year-old accused identified as Vipin Kumar, resulting in his arrest and prosecution.

The viral video shows a parked motorcycle and a chair placed in the middle of the road. The person then sits on the chair in a filmy manner. Taking cognisance of the viral video, Delhi police arrested the accused man.

"Delhi police registered a case under various sections of the Motor Vehicles Act and IPC against the man making reels by parking a motorcycle in the middle of GT Road and seizing the motorcycle and mobile phone. The process of deleting Instagram account is underway," Delhi Police wrote on X.

See the post here:

GT रोड पर बीच में मोटर साइकिल पार्क कर कुर्सी पर बैठकर रील बनाने वाले के विरुद्ध #दिल्लीपुलिस ने मोटर वाहन अधिनियम व आईपीसी की विभिन्न धाराओं में मुकदमा पंजीकृत कर मोटर साइकिल व मोबाइल फोन को ज़ब्त किया। इंस्टाग्राम अकाउंट हटाने की प्रक्रिया चल रही है। @DCPNEastDelhi pic.twitter.com/JC0uVxNfLU

— Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) April 27, 2024

Reacting to the reports of the arrest of the content creator, some social media users demanded that he should be heavily fined.

A user wrote, "I don't know under what sections, he should pay in lakhs as a fine and the community service."

"These are all woke. @DelhiPolice did the right thing by arresting him," another user commented. 

"Thank you for the enforcement of the law. Just to make reels, people inconvenience others and take huge risks," the third user wrote.

"Removing the social media account should be the standard practice for all such people, because a mere challan may not hurt them as much as the loss of that social media acct will, but it should be done with each defaulter without exception," the fourth user commented.

"Good job and quick action," the fifth user wrote. 

The stringent police response follows a recent incident where two individuals, including a woman, were arrested and fined for filming reels on the road while dressed in superhero costumes.

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Indonesia Volcano Erupts, Sends Ash Cloud 3.5 km Into The Sky

A volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted on Sunday morning, spewing an ash tower more than two miles into the sky and prompting officials to warn people to keep away.

Mount Ibu, located on the island of Halmahera in North Maluku province, erupted at 12:37 am (1537 GMT Saturday) and sent a thick column of dark smoke and ash west of the peak.

The eruption lasted more than three minutes and the ash towered 3.5 kilometres (2.2 miles) above the peak, an official at Mount Ibu's monitoring post, Axl Roeroe, said in a statement on Sunday.

"To residents and tourists near Mount Ibu, please do not conduct any activity within a two-kilometre radius (of the crater)," he said.

The alert level for the 1,325-metre (4,347-foot) volcano remained at a two on the four-tiered system and there was no evacuation order after the eruption.

But authorities urged people to wear face masks and glasses when doing outdoor activities and to anticipate falling volcanic ash.

Indonesia, a vast archipelago nation, experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific "Ring of Fire".

Earlier this month, Mount Ruang in North Sulawesi erupted, forcing thousands of people to evacuate.

The Sam Ratulangi International Airport in the city of Manado, located more than 100 kilometres (62 miles) from the crater, was also shut for days.

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

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Pune Man Quits "Toxic" Job, Dances To Dhol Beats In Front Of Ex Boss

A Pune man recently said goodbye to his allegedly toxic workplace, and it was no ordinary farewell. Aniket, a sales associate, summoned musicians to his office and danced to the beats of dhol while his boss looked on. This not-so-usual departure from the company was posted online by popular content creator Anish Bhagat. 

“I think a lot of you are going to relate to this. Toxic work culture is so prominent these days. Lack of respect and entitlement is quite common,” the creator claimed. 

Mr Bhagat claimed that Aniket left his job of three years due to a "very toxic" work environment. In a video shared on Instagram, Aniket said that his raise was in “peanuts” and there was no respect from his boss. He said he felt stuck because he was “from a middle-class family.”

To make Aniket's exit memorable, Mr Bhagat, along with Aniket's friends, organised a surprise party outside his office on his last day. They brought in dhols and waited for his manager to come out. As soon as he did, Aniket shook his hand, and said, “Sorry sir, bye-bye”. Next, he was dancing to the beats of the dhol. His manager, visibly annoyed, tried to stop the filming. 

Mr Bhagat narrated that the manager “got super pissed” and “started pushing people,” adding, “Now I know why (Aniket) quit.” 

Later, the group visited a temple, and in the evening, Mr Bhagat and Aniket's friends threw him a surprise party, presenting him with a cake and posters that read, "aatma nirbhar bharat" (self-reliant India). Mr Bhagat revealed that Aniket would now pursue his passion of becoming a fitness trainer and gifted him some gym shoes. “Aniket is ready to begin with his next step. I hope this story inspires people. If you're looking for a trainer, you can reach out to @aniketrandhir_1718,” Mr Bhagat wrote.

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In a 2023 report by Harappa Insights, toxic bosses and toxic workplace environments were cited as major factors in employees quitting their jobs. The report found that 58 per cent of employees quit their jobs because of toxic bosses, while 54 per cent left due to toxic workplace environments. 

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"Feel Like A Beautiful Bird": Mass Yoga Session At Bangkok Airport Runway

Stretching their fingertips to the reddening sky, hundreds of yoga devotees rolled out their mats on the runway of Bangkok's main airport Saturday, practising their downward dog as early morning flights rumbled overhead.

The unusual event on the airport's third runway -- which is still under construction -- saw the workout paired with beverages as participants were offered coconuts, iced teas and water to incorporate into their routines.

Some 500 yoga-goers and camera-ready influencers began arriving at 5:00 am, making their way in the dark to their mats on the runaway.

As the sun rose, yoga instructors guided the group through two workouts, cheerily enthusiastic despite the pollution, industrial setting, and occasional flight roar.

"Today is going to be very special," an instructor blared, before urging participants to "put your coconut in the air!"

"Feel like a beautiful bird," she said, as a plane rumbled along the concrete and lifted into the air behind the participants.

While many present were influencers -- and perhaps more focused on getting the perfect shot than the perfect lunge -- most seemed to have come for a laugh.

"This was something fun, this was a nice event," said lawyer Rugeradh Tungsupakul, attending with a friend.

"Right now, because of our jobs, we are too busy to go to a yoga studio," she told AFP.

Although Rugeradh was worried about pollution -- a perennial issue in smoggy Bangkok, which regularly ranks among the world's most polluted cities -- she said they had checked the air quality before arriving.

"Right now, it's not too bad," she explained.

Although there were a few men scattered in the crowd, the workout was dominated by women.

Most were clad in the ubiquitous yoga uniform of black leggings and cropped white t-shirts -- in this instance emblazoned with the word "BREW" for Brew Yoga which organized the event.

'Why not?!'

"This is a very special event for me," said instructor Pavadee Komchokpaisan, 30, adding it was the first time yoga had been done on the runway.

"We have so many people come here to just join the yoga class, and take a picture on a runway," she told AFP, praising Bangkok's yoga community.

One of those receiving instruction was Precious, who has lived in Bangkok for the past four years, and said she was invited thanks to her Instagram-famous cat Ernest.

"He's been to Switzerland, Botswana, South Africa, so obviously this seemed kind of appropriate," she told AFP.

She figured she was unlikely to ever be asked to do yoga on an airport runway again.

"Why not?!" she asked.

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

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SRH Coach's Blunt Take On Anchors In T20s Amid Kohli Strike-Rate Debate

Sunrisers Hyderabad head coach Daniel Vettori feels that after mastering the art of setting totals, it's time his team brushes up on its chasing abilities as the business end of the Indian Premier League approaches. SRH are currently third in the leaderboard with five wins from eight games. Of the five victories, four have come batting first. "We have been successful setting totals and now we have to look at how well we are in chasing," Vettori said after the 35-run loss against Royal Challengers Bengaluru here on Thursday night.

RCB posted a challenging 206 for 7 after opting to bat and then restricted SRH to 171 for 8.

For a team that has breached the 250-run mark thrice this season, the target was easily gettable but a rare failure of the top and middle-order cost the hosts dearly.

"Obviously, disappointing one where we have come from in the last four games; we played some really good cricket and even though we lost, you could see if we had some wickets at the back end, we could have still chased it down," Vettori said at the post-match press conference.

"Those early wickets broke everything. We were confident for the scores we were being able to put up. We though that 206 was a good score, we probably let a few runs in the field. But there was confidence in the group because of past performances.

"We also knew it was being set up by the openers and how good they have played, and today they had an off day and that's cricket," he said.

The former New Zealand cricketer said there are no easy games in IPL.

"Unfortunately, we didn't get the support through the middle stages. It's a tough loss but we understand every team in the IPL can beat every team. There are no easy games at all," Vettori said.

The coach was of the view that the role of an anchor has no significance in high-scoring matches.

"I think the wicket was still pretty good. The guys who came off said that it is a surface where you can score on. Anchor role when you are chasing 207 it is hard to come, you obviously need to be aggressive. For some to sit along and play anchor role is a little bit tricky." RCB all-rounder Swapnil Singh, meanwhile, was relieved after his side snapped its six-match losing streak.

"Experience was good but we won the game that was more important. When you win a game, the tempo in the team changes. It feels good. Last two games we missed by small difference but still long way to go," he said.

Swapnil said they felt the target was enough on this wicket despite SRH boasting of a super-aggressive batting order.

"The ball was stopping. Our main aim was to spin the ball and bowl slower as a fast bowler. It helped, we knew that they will come hard at us and obviously they did.

"Yes, we felt so because the wicket was stopping when we were batting as well and dew was not there," he said.

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With $1 Salary, Zuckerberg Got $24 Million In Other Compensation In 2023

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg took home a salary of just $1 in 2023, the lowest among all Meta employees. However, he received about $24.4 million in other compensation, primarily covering security costs.

Details on the exact amount spent on his security were not revealed, but Meta increased its budget for his security to $14 million in 2023, up from $10 million in previous years. 

Zuckerberg's security pre-tax allowance increased by 40% compared to 2018. This came after a year of cost-cutting for Meta, during which the company laid off around 11,000 employees.

Meta, at the time, stated that Zuckerberg could use the increased allowance for various safety-related needs, including “additional personnel, equipment, services, residential improvement”, according to the NY Post.  

A portion of Mark Zuckerberg's $24.4 million compensation in 2023 covered costs related to his private jet, reported Fortune. 

The 39-year-old reportedly deliberately kept his salary at $1, as per his request, and did not want to be included in Meta's Bonus Plan nor receive any equity awards. 

Zuckerberg's wealth has increased by over $47 billion this year alone, despite receiving a nominal salary of $1 since 2013.

As per Forbes, he currently ranks as the fourth richest person globally, with a net worth of $155 billion, trailing behind Bernard Arnault, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos. 

Meta Profits Soar

Facebook owner Meta this week said that its quarterly profits soared last quarter. 

The company said that net profit in the January to March period rose to $12.4 billion with total revenue, mainly from selling ads, up an impressive 27 percent, at $36.5 billion.

"We estimate that more than 3.2 billion people use at least one of our apps each day and we're seeing healthy growth in the US," Zuckerberg told analysts on an investor call.

Meta said its global workforce now stood at 69,329, slightly more than last quarter, but down from a peak of more than 87,000 employees in 2022.

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This Alia-Neetu, Soni Razdan Red Carpet Moment Eclipsed Everything Else

The screening of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar on Tuesday night was studded with stars and how. Alia Bhatt, who has previously worked with the filmmaker in the smash hit and critically acclaimed Gangubai Kathiawadi, attended the screening with her mom Soni Razdan and mother-in-law Neetu Kapoor. It made for a picture-perfect red carpet moment. After the actress was joined by her family, she also posed for the shutterbugs solo. Gangubai Kathiawadi was Alia Bhatt's first project with filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The actress was supposed to work with the filmmaker in a film titled Inshallah, co-starring Salman Khan. However, the project got shelved.

Alia Bhatt in some inside photos from last night's screening:

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Alia Bhatt won a National Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in Gangubai Kathiawadi. Alia Bhatt's second project with Sanjay Leela Bhansali is titled Love & War. In the film Alia Bhatt will co-star with husband Ranbir Kapoor and her Raazi co-star Vicky Kaushal. The project was announced earlier this year.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is best-known for directing iconic films like Khamoshi: The Musical, Black, Devdas, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Guzaarish, among others. His next project is the Netflix series Heeramandi, which boasts of an impressive ensemble cast that includes Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Segal and Sanjeeda Shaikh. Heeramandi will showcase the story of the courtesans and will explore the lesser-known aspects of their lives. The series is slated to release on May 1 on Netflix.

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"World Can't...": Netanyahu Blasts Pro-Palestine Protests On US Campuses

1. Some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the US - the strongest ally of Israel - have been facing protests over the Gaza war. Their demands include a ceasefire, an end to US military aid to Israel, and the withdrawal of university investments from arms supplies and companies benefiting the war.
2. At New York's Columbia University, where the protests began, over 100 students were arrested after a pro-Palestine rally was dispersed by the cops last week. Amid spiralling tensions, it cancelled in-person classes last Monday and switched to virtual learning.
3. At the University of Texas in Austin on Wednesday, police in riot gear were deployed to face off with students who walked out chanting "down with occupation". Over 20 protesters were arrested, with State Governor Greg Abbott declaring "these protesters belong in jail". "Students joining in hate-filled, antisemitic protests at any public college or university in Texas should be expelled," the Governor said.
4. As many as 50 protesters were detained at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles after hundreds of students started an occupation on the campus and raised "free, free Palestine" and other controversial slogans. This prompted the university to announce closing the campus to visitors. Classes, however, would continue here.
5. Protests have also erupted at Yale, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), UC Berkeley, the University of Michigan, and Brown. At Harvard, students have begun an encampment exercise, setting up tents on the campus. At a protest in New York University, over 130 people were arrested on Monday while another nine people were detained reportedly at the University of Minnesota.
6. Several Jewish students' group have labelled these protests "antisemitic", claiming they are against Israel and Zionism, but pro-Palestinian protests differ with this conclusion. They claim being anti-Israel was not the same as anti-semitism, which means they hatred against Jews.
7. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned the US protests as "horrific" and said that "antisemitic mobs have taken over leading universities." "Anti-Semitism on campuses in the United States is reminiscent of what happened in German universities in the 1930s. The world cannot stand idly by," he said sharing a video message.
8. White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre played down the protests and said Biden backed free speech. She told reporters President Biden "believes that free speech, debate and non-discrimination on college campuses are important." The White House had earlier condemned antisemitism on college campuses over pro-Palestine protests.
9. House Speaker Mike Johnson faced jeers during his visit to the Columbia campus on Wednesday, which he denounced as a "mob rule" and "virus of antisemitism". His suggestion that the National Guard could be brought in sparked strong emotions and brought back memories of the 1970 killing of unarmed students protesting the Vietnam war.
10. Israel had launched the war against the Palestinian Hamas group after they attacked bordering areas on October 7 and claimed at least 1,170 lives. The war, in its seventh month, has also seen 34,200 deaths in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, and sparked concerns across the world.

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Watch: MS Dhoni Snaps At Photographer, His Epic Act Leaves Fans In Splits

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) veteran MS Dhoni played just one ball in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match against Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday. Though Dhoni's time on the crease was limited, he still remained one of the most captured players from the match by photographers. In fact, Dhoni is often shown on the screen even when he is in the dressing room. Probably a little tired of seeing his face constantly on the big screen, Dhoni snapped at a photographer, producing a bottle-throwing act that left social media in splits.

As soon as Dhoni was shown on the big screen, he gestured as if he was throwing a water bottle at the cameraman. The video sent fans ROFL.

Thala be like: Bottel fek ke marunga#CSKvLSG #Dhoni pic.twitter.com/GolfUSz3hN

— Sagar Kamble🇮🇳 (@IamSKtashan) April 23, 2024

As for the match, LSG all-rounder Marcus Stoinis defied the odds with his relentless onslaught and his maiden ton guided Lucknow Super Giants to a 6-wicket win over the Chennai Super Kings.

Following the match in the post-match presentation, CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad said, "Tough pill to swallow but LSG played a good game at the end. We had the game in hand around the 13th over, but hats off to Stoinis. There was a huge part that the dew played. It took the spinners away from the game. We could have taken the game deeper. But it is a part of the game, you cannot control the uncontrollable."

Gaikwad also gave clarification about his decision to send Ravindra Jadeja ahead of Shivam Dube in the batting order.

"Jaddu is batting at number four. We lost the second wicket in the powerplay and he was the one to come at that stage. We have a clear process, that whenever a wicket falls (during the powerplay)) Jaddu is the one to come in. Batting first we could not have got more than that. I never thought it was enough. It was just about enough with the amount of dew we were having. Credit to them for how they batted," concluded the captain.

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Patients Treated By Female Doctors More Likely To Survive, Claims Study

A new study says patients are less likely to die or be readmitted when treated by a female doctor. According to the study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, patients with female doctors have lower rates of mortality and remission than patients treated by male doctors.

The study included over 776,000 participants including 458,100 female patients and more than 318,800 male patients who were hospitalised with medical conditions from 2016 to 2019. All were covered by Medicare. 

The study concluded that "patients have lower mortality and readmission rates when treated by female physicians." The mortality rate for female patients when they were treated by a female doctor was 8.15% compared with 8.38% when treated by a male physician. Meanwhile, the mortality rate was 10.15% for men when treated by a female doctor compared to 10.23% when treated by a male.

The percentage difference for women is considered "clinically meaningful," the researchers noted.

“It is important to note that female physicians provide high-quality care, and therefore, having more female physicians benefits patients from a societal point-of-view,” said investigator Yusuke Tsugawa in a press release.

''Further research on the underlying mechanisms linking physician gender with patient outcomes, and why the benefit of receiving the treatment from female physicians is larger for female patients, has the potential to improve patient outcomes across the board,'' he added.

Experts said that women doctors spend more time talking to their patients, looking at their records and performing procedures. Female physicians probably also have better communication skills and a more patient-centred approach when it comes to female patients. Being treated by a female physician could also help alleviate the embarrassment, discomfort and social and cultural taboos that can arise for female patients during sensitive examinations, the researchers said.

''We know that there are differences in care delivery patterns by male versus female physicians across fields of medicine. Female physicians spend more time with patients and spend more time engaging in shared medical decision-making and partnership discussions than male counterparts,'' Dr Lisa Rotenstein, a co-author of the study and an assistant professor and medical director at the University of California San Francisco, told Medical News Today.

''It is not surprising to me to see this for several reasons. First, from data going back decades now, we know that women and men practice medicine differently with particular differences in communication styles and guideline adherence. It's not surprising to me to see these differences translate to patients' outcomes. Second, both more widely in society and certainly in medicine, women are held to arguably a higher standard than men. This is an exaggerated phenomenon in surgery and may explain some of the differences we've seen there,'' Dr. Christopher Wallis, an assistant professor in the division of urology at the University of Toronto said. 

The new research is part of a growing field of study examining why women and minorities tend to receive worse medical care than men and white patients. According to a study published in the JAMA Internal Medicine in January 2024, "women and minority patients are up to 30% more likely to be misdiagnosed than white men," NBC News reported. 

A separate study from 2002 found that female doctors spent 23 minutes on average with a patient, compared to 21 minutes for male doctors.

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"Such A Player Of No Use": Sehwag Launches Scathing Attack At IPL Star

Punjab Kings continue to reel among the bottom sides of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 after losing yet another contest, to last year's runners-up Gujarat Titans on Sunday. With primary skipper Shikhar Dhawan absent, Sam Curran took over the reins and promoted him at the top of the batting order. But the English all-rounder barely managed to click, scoring just 20 runs from 19 balls. Even with the ball Curran couldn't do much, leaking 18 runs in 2 overs as Gujarat Titans chased down the target of 143 runs with ease.

Reflecting on Curran's performances for PBKS, former India and Punjab Kings batter Virender Sehwag heavily criticized the English all-rounder. Sehwag, in his unfiltered criticism, said that he wouldn't have Curran in his team at all.

"I wouldn't keep Sam Curran as a batting all-rounder or a bowling all-rounder. Because such a player is of no use, who does some batting and some bowling. Either you win the game with your batting or win the game with your bowling. Either you hit the bullseye or you don't perform at all," said Sehwag on Cricbuzz.

Punjab Kings have struggled almost the entire campaign so far, be it with respect to their bowling unit or batting. After the defeat against Gujarat, Curran admitted that his side now has to win every game remaining in order to go through to the playoffs.

"I think so (we were 10-15 short). The effort with the ball was incredible, the commitment and fight was amazing, but it was not enough. The Afghanistan spinners are world class bowlers and Sai Kishore bowled really well, credit to them. That is the third time we have used that pitch, anything above 160 would have been a par total but we still fought well. Prabhsimran played really well in the powerplay but unfortunately we lost a cluster of wickets after that. Now we know what to do, we have to win every game," he said after the match.

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Putin Ally Ramzan Kadyrov Suffering From Pancreatic Necrosis: Report

Ramzan Kadyrov, the ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who leads Chechnya, has been living with pancreatic necrosis, the Moscow Times said in a report. Kadyrov was diagnose with the disease five years ago, the outlet further said citing sources at the Moscow presidential hospital where he was allegedly treated. The Kremlin has now started working on a succession plan to maintain stability in the region in the wake of his deteriorating condition. Kadyrov's forces have been fighting alongside Russian troops in Ukraine.

Last year, claims circulated on social media claiming Kadyrov was suffering from kidney problems, prompting him to appear in videos to dispel the rumours.

Quoting Novaya Gazeta Europe, the Moscow Times report said that doctors had initially diagnosed Kadyrov with acute pancreatic necrosis - a serious condition that can lead to death - in January 2019.

Pancreatic necrosis is an extreme complication of acute pancreatitis, an inflammation that causes part of the organ to die. Complications can include organ failure and even death.

"The old leader will no longer be there, the illness will seriously affect him. Even if he recovers now, he'll be neither alive nor dead," it quoted a source close to Kadyrov ally Adam Delimkhanov as saying.

Newsweek too reported about Kadyrov's health and cited a source at the Moscow Clinical Hospital as saying that n MRS scan of the Chechen leader's brain "left his relatives in a depressed state".

Russian authorities have not reacted to Kadyrov's health news officially.

Kadyrov has ruled Chechnya, a Russian region that was devastated by two bloody wars between Moscow and separatist forces in the 1990s and early 2000s, with an iron fist since Mr Putin formally appointed him in 2007.

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German President's 'Kebab Diplomacy' On Display During Tricky Turkey Visit

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier begins a delicate visit to Turkey on Monday, taking a Berlin kebab chef with him as a show of close personal ties between the two nations despite differences with his Turkish counterpart.

Steinmeier, who is visiting Turkey for the first time since becoming president, has had a difficult relationship with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The German head of state has been quick to call out Erdogan's approach towards Israel and has previously raised concerns about the erosion of democratic norms in Turkey.

The fact that he is not starting the trip in the capital Ankara "is a signal," said a source in the German presidency who asked not to be named.

Instead, Steinmeier's first stop will be Istanbul, where he will meet civil society activists, as well as the city's mayor, opposition figure Ekrem Imamoglu.

Voters' decision to return Imamoglu as mayor in recent local elections dealt a blow to Erdogan and his ruling party.

On Tuesday, Steinmeier will meet survivors of the devastating 2023 earthquake in Gaziantep near the Syrian border.

Talks with Erdogan in Ankara will wait until Wednesday.

Instead of flattering the president, Steinmeier is hoping to put the emphasis on the links between people in the two countries.

Doner diplomacy

In particular, the German president hopes to highlight the contribution made by generations of Turkish migrants, who since the 1960s have come to work in Germany.

Among those to establish themselves in Germany was the grandfather of Arif Keles, a Berlin kebab shop owner invited on the trip by Steinmeier.

The grilled meat artisan will serve doner kebab to guests at a dinner in Istanbul on Monday night.

"The spit is travelling with us in the presidential plane," Keles told AFP ahead of the journey.

The dish of thinly sliced meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie was introduced to Germany by Turkish migrants.

Packed with chopped vegetables and doused with mayonnaise, the doner kebab has gained iconic status.

The snack has become "a kind of German national food", one of Steinmeier's advisors said in a briefing.

Local sales of the kebab total an estimated seven billion euros ($7.5 billion) -- an immigrant success story the German presidency wants to celebrate.

Doner dealer Keles is the third generation to manage the family business in southwest Berlin.

His grandfather moved to Germany and worked for years in a factory before opening his own restaurant in 1986.

"Now the president is taking me as a grandson to the home of my ancestors," Keles said.

"I see it as a great honour that I am allowed to go on this visit."
Immigrant stories
Steinmeier's trip was meant to underline that "the personal stories and achievements of four generations of Turkish immigrants" are part of Germany's history, the presidential office said.

Around three million people with Turkish heritage live in Germany, but their presence has often been the subject of a fraught debate over split loyalties.

Only last year did Germany agree to significantly ease citizenship rules to allow more dual nationals, a relief to many Turkish people who have lived in Germany for decades.

Perceived backing for Erdogan in the Turkish diaspora has also caused irritation in Germany, while officials in Berlin have had a strained relationship with Ankara.

Erdogan's support for Hamas has troubled Berlin, which solidly backs Israel in the war against the Palestinian group.

Erdogan traded barbs with Steinmeier on a visit to Germany in November last year, shortly after the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel that triggered the war.

The disagreement has added to tensions over sharp German criticism of authoritarian moves that German officials see as threatening democracy in Turkey.

Berlin has criticised Erdogan's clampdown on domestic dissent while recognising that getting regional power Turkey onside was necessary to tackle thorny issues.

Despite having served seven years as president, this is Steinmeier's first visit to Turkey as head of state.

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

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In ''Extremely Rare'' Case, Pakistan Woman Gives Birth To Six Babies

In a rare incident, a 27-year-old Pakistani woman gave birth to six babies at a hospital in Rawalpindi. According to a report by Dawn, Zeenat Waheed gave birth to the sextuplets--our baby boys and two baby girls, in one hour on April 19. 

Notably, Ms Waheed was admitted to the hospital on Thursday night due to labour pain. After an extensive operation, the woman gave birth to sextuplets. Dr Zafar said the mother and her six children were healthy with no complications. The infants are in good health and all of them weigh less than two pounds each.

''The sextuplets and their mother are in good condition; the doctors have however put the babies in an incubator,'' the hospital's medical superintendent, Dr Farzana, told Dawn.

The hospital administration expressed their joy over the arrival of the sextuplet and ensured that the family was provided with all the medical support and facilities during their stay. The babies will continue getting medical care at the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit until cleared to go home.

Live births of such a high number of babies are rare and the birth of sextuplets is believed to occur in just one in every 4.5 million pregnancies. A multiple pregnancy, in which a woman is pregnant with two or more fetuses at the same time, happens either when a fertilized egg splits before it implants in the uterus (as is the case with identical twins) or when separate eggs are fertilized by different sperm (making fraternal twins), according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Pregnancies involving three or more fetuses are extremely rare. They are also associated with a higher risk of complications than single pregnancies. However, multiple births have become more common in recent years because more people are using fertility drugs and procedures, such as IVF, to help conceive a baby. Fertility drugs increase the chances of a multiple pregnancy because these medicines stimulate the ovaries to produce many eggs. 

The first surviving set of sextuplets was born in South Africa in 1974. 

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Bowlers Intimidated, Crowd Loud: On Dhoni Storm In Lucknow, Rahul Says This

Lucknow Super Giants skipper KL Rahul was chuffed to get most of his decisions right as he guided his team to a convincing eight-wicket win over defending champions Chennai Super Kings in an IPL game on Friday. Rahul had a good day in office as he was spot-on with his bowling changes and also took two catches and affected a stumping before returning to smash a match-winning 53-ball 82 to boot with. "Feels good at the end of the day, When you win, looks like you make all the decisions right," said Rahul, who was adjudged the Player of the Match, during the post-match presentation.

"Impossible to get all right. Depends on the kind of wicket we are playing on and the kind of batters there are. We spend time doing homework on tactics and strategy and we spoke about them not settling against one style of bowling."

LSG had kept things under control before Moeen Ali (30 off 20) and MS Dhoni (28 off 9) went on a six-hitting spree to take CSK to a fighting 176 for six.

"Halfway stage, I would have been happy with 160. Felt the wicket was slow, a bit of grip but not too much. 160-165 would have been ideal.

"But MSD walks in and the bowlers feel intimidated. He walks in and bowlers were under pressure, the crowd was really loud, he has done it in the past."

Chasing 177, Rahul (82) and De Kock (54) batted with authority during their match-winning alliance of 134, the highest partnership for any wicket at the Ekana Stadium, as LSG scored 180 for 2 in 19 overs.

"Felt that if we bat well, we could chase it down. I have been trying to assess the situation and today it came off. With Chennai's spinners, they tried to put brakes on us," he said.

"We tried to get to a good start. Tried to take them down, luckily it came off. When your partnership goes on, you can take a few more chances. Glad that it happened." Ruturaj Gaikwad, the CSK captain, said his team was 10-15 runs short with dew coming in.

"We finished off very well, couldn't have asked for more. But after powerplay, we couldn't kick on till 14-15th over. We lost wickets regularly and were 10-15 short.

"Slightly difficult to bat but with Impact Player rule you need an extra batter. With dew coming on later, felt 180-190 could have been good."

CSK bowlers couldn't produce a breakthrough as Rahul and De Kock batted well in the powerplay and Gaikwad agreed they needed to bowl better in the first six overs.

"[Bowling in the powerplay] is one area we would like to improve, puts opposition on the back foot if we can get wickets in the powerplay. Good to play them again soon, will come back with homework done," he said.

The two teams will again face off on April 23 at Chepauk. 

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Apple Removes WhatsApp, Threads From Its App Store In China

Apple has removed the Meta-owned WhatsApp and Threads from its App Store in China following an order from the country's top internet regulator, Bloomberg reported Friday citing the tech giant.

Beijing engages in some of the world's most extensive internet censorship, with web users in mainland China unable to access everything from Google to many foreign apps without using a virtual private network.

"We are obligated to follow the laws in the countries where we operate, even when we disagree," said Apple in a statement, according to Bloomberg.

"The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) ordered the removal of these apps from the China storefront based on their national security concerns," said Apple, referring to China's internet regulator.

"These apps remain available for download on all other storefronts where they appear."

A Meta spokesperson referred AFP to Apple, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The CAC and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology -- another top Chinese internet regulatory body -- also did not immediately respond.

China is a key market for Apple, which last year topped the country's smartphone market for the first time.

But thorny issues of censorship and national security have long hounded the US-based firm's operations in China as Beijing and Washington engage in a fierce battle for technological supremacy.

In January, China said it had cracked Apple's encrypted AirDrop communication service, which had once given protesters a vital channel for sharing information during the major 2019 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

State-backed experts said in January that they had devised a way to reveal an iPhone's encrypted device log, allowing them to then identify an AirDrop user's phone number and email accounts.

Many online platforms that are popular in much of the world -- including Google, Facebook, X, WhatsApp and TikTok -- are blocked in mainland China.

But savvy iPhone users in China have still been able to download banned platforms through Apple's app store, then use a VPN to get around the restrictions.

Removing WhatsApp and Threads from the Chinese app store will greatly complicate the ability of new iPhone users to access the apps.

The latest development comes a day before a scheduled vote in the US House of Representatives to force the wildly popular video app TikTok to sever all links with its Chinese parent ByteDance.

US officials have raised concerns in recent years over potential national security and privacy threats posed by TikTok, despite repeated assurances by the firm that it presents no risks to the American public.

Beijing has frequently lashed out against US restrictions on Chinese tech, claiming they are a pretext to contain the country's economic rise.
 

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

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On Video, Deafening Sounds Of Gunfire Exchange Near Manipur Polling Booth

Gunshots were fired near a polling booth in Manipur this morning. A 25-second video circulating online shows commotion and people shouting before two shots are heard in quick succession.

A third shot is then heard, presumably in response to the first two. After this a volley of gunshots - possibly from an automatic weapon - is heard and the person filming the video ducks for cover behind a doorway. The rapid exchange of gunfire continues for 10 seconds before it stops.

The north-eastern state - which has two Lok Sabha seats - has been dealing with intermittent violence since May last year, when clashes between two ethnic communities left over 200 dead.

It is unclear in which of Manipur's two seats - Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur - the shots were fired. The Inner seat was won by the BJP's Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh in the 2019 election.

The Outer was won by Naga People's Front leader Kachui Timothy Zimik.

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60 Japan Doctors Sue Google Maps After Bad Reviews Of Their Clinics

Around 60 doctors in Japan have accused Google Maps of ignoring vitriolic reviews of their clinics in a class-action lawsuit touted as the first of its kind.

The medics are seeking 1.4 million yen ($9,000) in total damages from Google in a bid to hold the US tech titan accountable for inaction over the reviews.

They sued the company on Thursday, saying they are powerless to reply to, or refute, reputation-damaging reviews because of their obligation to patient confidentiality.

"People who post online can say anything anonymously, even if it's nothing but slander or verbal abuse", one of the participating doctors told reporters.

"It's like I'm a punching bag," he said under anonymity.

The case at Tokyo District Court is believed to be the first class-action lawsuit in Japan to target a platform over negative online reviews, a lawyer for the plaintiffs said.

"Despite the ease with which they are posted, it has become extremely difficult to get the reviews taken down," lawyer Yuichi Nakazawa told AFP.

"This can lead to doctors doing their job under the constant fear of receiving horrible reviews", he said.

The objective of many medical institutions is not to satisfy patients, but to deal with their illnesses from a professional standpoint, the plaintiffs' complaint said.

"Clinics that give patients only a perfunctory diagnosis and prescribe medicines as requested would be inappropriate medically, but highly appreciated by patients," it said.

The nature of the job can also sometimes leave doctors susceptible to ad hominem online attacks by patients holding a grudge, plaintiffs argued.

If the situation remains unaddressed, doctors "may find themselves hesitant to be firm and refuse medically unnecessary examinations or medicines requested by patients," Nakazawa warned.

That ultimately does society a disservice, he argued.

Google Maps is so widely used in Japan that it serves as "infrastructure" for daily life, according to the complaint.

So Google should be able to "easily recognise" the disadvantages to medical businesses if unfair reviews are left unaddressed, it said.

The plaintiffs acknowledged that Google takes down some Maps reviews under its own guidelines, but criteria for removal is opaque and "few" are deleted, they alleged.

Google told AFP it is "making efforts to reduce inaccurate and misleading content on Google Maps".

"With the combination of human operators and computers, we are protecting the profile of companies around the clock, and removing unjust reviews", the company 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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Prince Harry Shuns British Residency In Official Record: Report

Prince Harry has formally renounced his British residency and declared the United States as his new home, according to recent paperwork filed with Travalyst, the sustainable travel organisation he founded in 2019. The Duke of Sussex, 39, made his first public remarks since his sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, revealed her cancer diagnosis. 

The change in residency status was seen in filings published by Companies House, where Harry's "New Country/State Usually Resident" is now listed as the USA, replacing the previous designation of the United Kingdom, reported the Daily Mail which accessed the paperwork. 

This latest incident comes amid mounting pressure on the US government to disclose Harry's visa records, following comments made by the American ambassador to London indicating that he would not be deported during President Joe Biden's administration. Advocacy groups, including the Heritage Foundation, have pressed for transparency in this matter.

Additionally, questions arise regarding Harry's eligibility to serve as a Counsellor of State, a role designated for select members of the Royal Family who can deputise for the Monarch in specific circumstances. With his new residency status, concerns have emerged about whether he meets the criteria, given the requirement for Counsellors of State to maintain UK citizenship. 

Additionally, a court decision on Monday upheld the ruling that Harry cannot contest the reduction in his personal security detail during visits to Britain. This decision follows his legal challenge initiated after the British government informed him in 2020 of the decreased publicly-funded protection he would receive while in the UK.

In 2020, Harry and Meghan relocated to the US where they live with their two children in California. 

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Blog: 'Bhangra' In America - US Senators' Heartwarming Baisakhi Performance

There is some news coming in from the United States. Seven Senators and Representatives from the state of Delaware have fallen in love with Punjabi culture. They spent weeks to learn the Punjabi traditional folk dance, 'Bhangra', and actually performed it for members of Delaware's small but active Sikh and Punjabi community on the occasion of Baisakhi, one of Punjab's most important annual festivals.

"Balle Balle" is a Punjabi phrase associated with everything joyous and delightful, and thanks to the enthusiasm of these legislators, that was indeed the mood on 'Baisakhi' on April 14, the traditional harvest day celebration for Sikhs. 

'Intense, Enjoyable'

Speaking to NDTV, Senator Bryan Townsend, Delaware's Senate majority leader, said, "It's the first time in the United States when state legislators have done a Bhangra. It was an intense and enjoyable three minutes of performance for us!"

Representative Paul Baumbach said, "I attended the 'Baisakhi' event last year. When the idea of us performing came up, we couldn't say no."

The performance put up by the legislators was carefully choreographed, colourfully costumed, and made for a lively watch. The lawmakers spent hours with an expert Bhangra instructor and performed at the Sikh Center at New Castle, Delaware. It was a heart-warming event with diversity being truly embraced.

US Senators trying on costumes before their performance.

Courtesy: Rohit Khanna

Senator Laura Sturgeon loved the experience, saying, "I had a lot of fun on stage, the adrenaline was pumping. Even if I made mistakes, I just kept dancing and smiling, and enjoyed myself greatly!" Senator Elizabeth Lockman, meanwhile, called it a great workout. "It was good exercise and a cultural learning experience. We had a great time as a team," she said.

Learnt From The Best

It was an extra special experience for Representative Sophie Phillips, who is just 27 years old and a former Miss Delaware beauty pageant winner. Why? Because she is of Indian origin. Sophie said, "My family is from India, from Bihar. So it was amazing to be with my community here. I think our performance was really good, at least that's what everyone's telling me!"

The legislative team was coached and choreographed by the Bhangra legend of the East Coast, Vishwas Singh Sodhi, a.k.a Vicky, known for his performances at NBA games. Sodhi was blown away by the dedication of the legislators. He said, "They are not familiar with our culture. They are prominent citizens, busy lawmakers. Yet they gave time and seriously learnt it all, and did the Bhangra for us. This is great for Punjabi culture." 

Age No Bar

For members of the group, which included legal aide Emmy Diaz, it was rewarding to get up, close and personal with Sikh culture. Representative Sherry Dorsey Walker said, "The most important part for me was learning about Sikh culture, and being immersed in it." Senator Stephanie Hansen, who was the oldest in the team at 62 years, said, "It is a tremendous asset to have Sikh culture here in Delaware. We're honoured to be invited to be part of this celebration."

The event sums up how the US is truly a melting pot of cultures. Delaware will remember the day they got together to say 'Balle Balle'!

(Rohit Khanna is a journalist, commentator and video storyteller. He has been Managing Editor at The Quint, Executive Producer of Investigations & Special Projects at CNN-IBN, and is a two-time Ramnath Goenka award winner.)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

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Crazy Viral: Kriti And Pulkit Shed Tears Of Joy In Wedding Video

Pulkit Samrat and Kriti Kharbanda, who got married on March 15, celebrated their one-month wedding anniversary in a special way. On Monday (April 15), Pulkit Samrat and Kriti Kharbanda shared their wedding video. The nearly two-minute clip begins with Pulkit Samrat delivering a heartfelt speech he had written for his bride Kriti Kharbanda. He can be heard saying, "I could tell you that you are my moon and stars, I could tell you that you heal my scars." The video also features glimpses from their haldi, mehendi, chooda, and wedding ceremonies. The video concludes with Pulkit Samrat getting emotional after exchanging wedding vows with Kriti Kharbanda. As Kriti consoles him, she also sheds tears of joy.

Sharing the video on her Instagram handle, Kriti Kharbanda wrote, "We found ourselves when we found each other, and that's the most beautiful kind of love. It's been a month since the wedding, but our forever began lifetimes ago.”

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A post shared by Kriti Kharbanda (@kriti.kharbanda)

A few days ago, Pulkit Samrat and Kriti Kharbanda shared snapshots from their reception, and it was undoubtedly a night to remember. With dances in full swing and a palpable aura of glamour, Kriti and Pulkit stole the show with their subtle yet chic ensembles. For the reception, Pulkit looked suave in a crisp white shirt paired elegantly with black pants, accentuated by a matching waistcoat and a black blazer adorned with intricate sequin detailing. Meanwhile, Kriti looked elegant in a strapless floral gown. One of the snapshots captured the couple seated in front of glowing signs that read "Mr" and "Mrs." Another moment captured the couple beaming with joy while gleefully going down a slide. In the rest of the pictures, Pulkit and Kriti can be seen dancing their hearts out. Sharing the photos on Instagram, the caption read, "Right here, right now's all we got! #Mr&Mrs."

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A post shared by Pulkit Samrat (@pulkitsamrat)

For their wedding, Kriti Kharbanda and Pulkit Samrat were the perfect springtime couple. They wore custom-designed creations by Anamika Khanna. Pulkit opted for a pistachio-toned kurta-pyjama set inscribed with the Gayatri Mantra. Kriti Kharbanda, on the other hand, beautifully complemented her husband in a breathtaking two-tone floral lehenga.

Sharing the photos, Kriti and Pulkit wrote, "From the deep blue sky, To the morning dew. Through the low and the high, It's only you. From the start to the end, In every now and every then, When my heart beats different, It's got to be you. Constantly, Consistently, Continually, You!"

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