Harvard Violated Civil Rights of Jewish, Israeli Students, Trump Officials Say

The Trump administration said a US investigation found that Harvard University violated civil rights law in its treatment of Jewish and Israeli students, further endangering federal funding for the school.

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Father Stabs Son, 10, To Death After Fight Over Playing In Rain In Delhi: Cops

A 10-year-old boy was allegedly stabbed to death by his father on Sunday afternoon following a dispute over playing in the rain in Sagarpur area of southwest Delhi, police said.

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Iran Extends Access To Airspace For Overflights After Ceasefire

Iran has expanded access to its airspace for international overflights following a ceasefire with Israel, though flight restrictions remain in place across much of the country.

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CBI Files Charges Against 2 Indian Nationals For Murder In UAE, Bahrain

CBI has filed charge sheets against two Indian nationals before a special court in New Delhi, in connection with two separate murder cases in the UAE and Bahrain, an official said on Friday.

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Waiting For A Promotion? In Chhattisgarh Department, 11 Dead People Got One

Some people spend years waiting for a promotion, doing everything they can to be eligible for one: from working long hours to being extra nice to the boss. But here, the dead have been promoted, with - obviously - no effort on their part.

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Couple Arrested For Live Streaming Sexual Acts For Money In Telangana: Cops

In a shocking incident, a husband and wife were arrested for allegedly live streaming their sexual acts on a mobile app for money, police said on Thursday.

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3 Arrested For Honeymoon Murder Sent To Police Custody For 6 Days

The three arrested faced charges related to obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence at a flat in Indore where Raja Raghuvanshi's wife stayed after the murder.

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Trump Repeats Claim That He "Stopped" India-Pak Conflict

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday repeated his claim that he stopped the war between India and Pakistan and told the two countries that America would not do trade with them if continued with the fighting.

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Loan Fraud Convict's 'Catch Me If You Can' Of 4 Decades Ends, Courtesy CBI

He has been on the run for 47 years in a Rs 5.69 lakh bank fraud case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation in 1978. Over four decades later, the long arm of the law has finally caught Satish Kumar Anand, who cheated Bank of India.

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What Ancient Ice Sheets Can Tell Us About Future Sea Level Rise

When visiting Godrevy beach on the north Cornish coast, most people look out to sea at the lighthouse, surfers and seals rather than the cliffs behind.

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Israel-Iran War LIVE Updates: Explosions In Qatar After Iran Strikes US Bases, India Issues Advisory

US-Israel-Iran Conflict LIVE Updates: The United States carried out a "very successful attack" on three nuclear sites in Iran, President Donald Trump said.

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10-Year-Old Accused Of Stealing Cellphone, Tortured, In Andhra Pradesh

A 10-year-old child was burnt multiple times on suspicion that she had stolen a mobile phone from a neighbour in Andhra Pradesh's Nellore district, Indukurupet Mandal.

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UP Man Kills Wife In Delhi Hotel, Arrested After Confessing To Cops On Call

A woman was found dead in a hotel room in Delhi after her husband called the Uttar Pradesh Police, confessing to strangling his 24-year-old wife to death over suspicion of infidelity, officials said on Saturday.

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Over 11,000 Navy Personnel, Their Families To Join Yoga Day Event In Andhra

Over 11,000 naval personnel and their family members from the Navy's Eastern Naval Command would be participating in the grand Yoga Day celebrations in Visakhapatnam that will be led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.

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Air India's Delhi To Vietnam Flight Returns Mid-Way After Technical Snag

Air India on Thursday said its flight AI388 from Delhi to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam on June 19 returned to the national capital mid-way as a "precautionary measure".

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AI-Enabled Cameras To Spot Old Vehicles at Delhi Petrol Pumps From July 1

The Delhi government is all set for a crackdown on end-of-life vehicles starting July 1. Under the directions of the CAQM or (Central Air Quality Management), petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years will be denied

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Revanth Reddy Forms 3-Member Team To Plan Telangana Cow Protection Policy

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Tuesday appointed a three-member committee to formulate a comprehensive policy for cow protection in the state.

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Honda Succeeds In Reusable Rocket Test, Aims At 2029 For Spaceflight

Honda R&D, the research arm of Japan's second-biggest carmaker, successfully landed its 6.3-metre (20.6-foot) experimental reusable launch vehicle after reaching an altitude of 271 metres (889 feet) at its test facility in Taiki.

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"Desperate" Iranians Flee Capital For Safety As Israeli Strikes Intensify

Thousands of residents of the Iranian capital Tehran are fleeing their homes and stockpiling essential supplies for fear that Israel's airstrike campaign against longtime foe Iran will escalate in the coming days.

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'Had Fever, Wife Said Don't Go': Gujarat Doctor Who Cancelled Air India Ticket

A doctor from Gujarat cannot stop thanking his wife and family members after he cancelled an Air India flight in which he planned to fly to London on June 12.

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Israel Army Says Iran Missiles Incoming, Sirens Heard In Jerusalem

The Israeli army has said Iran has launched another missile barrage at the country. "Iran missiles incoming, sirens heard in the north," it said, even as several videos showed missiles over the skies of Jerusalem and several of them being intercepted

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2 Months After Pahalgam Attack, J&K Tourist Spots To Start Reopening From Tuesday

Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has announced the reopening of several tourist spots in the Union Territory in a phased manner from next week.

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1st Responder Was Having Lunch At Hostel Where Air India Plane Crashed

An ambulance driver saw the lone survivor of the crashed AI171 aircraft walking from the plane and then attempting to go back to save his relative on board.

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Woman, 55, Headed To London For Daughter's Delivery Dies In Air India Plane Crash

A 55-year-old woman from Anand in Gujarat on her way to London for her elder daughter's delivery was among the 241 killed on board the Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad, a kin said on Friday.

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"Lacked Meaningful Engagement": Congress Leader On Anti-Terror Outreach Teams

India's outreach mission to different countries to convey its message against terrorism "lacked meaningful engagement" and "failed to create international impact", former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan told NDTV.

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On Woman Judge's Plea For Childcare Leave, Jharkhand Court's Response

A woman judge in Jharkhand who challenged the High Court's decision to curtail her childcare leave, or CCL, cannot take more than what she has been offered, the High Court has informed the Supreme Court.

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Passenger Slaps Accused In Raja Raghuvanshi Murder At Indore Airport

A passenger slapped an accused arrested in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case at the Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport here on Tuesday night, witnesses said.

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"Got Emotional When She Called": Meghalaya Murder Accused Sonam Raghuvanshi's Brother

Following Sonam Raghuvanshi's surrender in the Meghalaya honeymoon murder, her brother Govind Raghuvanshi has refrained from commenting further.

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Model Anjali Varmora Dies By Suicide In Surat, Mental Stress Suspected: Cops

A young model has allegedly died by committing suicide in Gujarat's Surat, police said on Sunday.

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"India Will Never Countenance Perpetrators Of Evil Being...": S Jaishankar

India will never countenance "perpetrators of evil" being put on par with its victims and expects partners to understand its policy of "zero tolerance" against terrorism, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said.

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Pistols, Cartridges: Delivery Agent Caught In UP With Unusual Package

Sudhanshu posed as a delivery agent working with a food delivery aggregator, but contents of the packages he delivered were illegal arms in Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh's Meerut.

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Trump, Xi Hold Telephone Talks, Agree To Continue Negotiations To Reach Trade Deal

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump had lengthy talks over phone on Thursday to iron out differences over their tit-for-tat tariffs and agreed to have more talks between their trade representatives.

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Muzaffarpur Rape Accused Surrenders After 'Bulldozer Action' Against Home, Eatery In Bihar

In a dramatic turn of events in the Muzaffarpur Dalit girl case, the main accused, Mukesh Kumar Rai, surrendered before the police after the district administration demolished his house and eatery (dhaba) on Thursday.

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Kirori Lal Meena, Rajasthan's Maverick Minister, Back In Action

Rajasthan's agriculture minister Kirori Lal Meena is on a mission, carrying out surprise checks at the state's seed and fertiliser units and sealing factories churning out spurious items.

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Pak Businessman Arrested For Assault On Hindu Siblings After Minor Road Mishap

A Karachi-based media entrepreneur has been arrested after he and his armed bodyguards allegedly assaulted a Hindu man following a minor road accident.

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Man Beaten To Death Over Suspicion Of Mango Theft In Gujarat, 5 Arrested

Five persons were arrested on Monday for allegedly beating a farm labourer to death over suspicion of theft of mangoes worth Rs 50,000 from an orchard in Gujarat's Surat district, a police official said.

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India's Fight Against Maoism: Visualised In Graphics

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has repeatedly said that the government is committed to eradicating Maoism from India by March 2026, and the goal got a fillip when at least 27 Maoists were killed in an encounter in Chhattisgarh earlier this month.

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US, China Trade Row Could Ease After Trump-Xi Talks: Treasury Chief

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that President Donald Trump could speak with China's Xi Jinping "very soon," and that such a call could help break the logjam in the trade talks between the world's two biggest economies.

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71 Killed Due To Excessive Pre-Monsoon Rains In Karnataka

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's office on Saturday said that 71 people lost their lives due to excessive pre-monsoon showers in the state since April.

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"Fog Of War Is Clearing": Mallikarjun Kharge Targets Centre Over Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan's Remark

Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday demanded the government to hold a special session of Parliament immediately, following Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan's acknowledgement of aircraft loss in the hostilities.

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US Supreme Court Allows Trump To Revoke "Parole" Status Of Migrants

The US Supreme Court on Friday let President Donald Trump's administration revoke the temporary legal status of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan, Cuban, Haitian and Nicaraguan migrants living in the United States.

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After PM's 'Haunk Diya' Remark, Here's Your Guide To All Things 'Kanpuriya'

When your 'bhaukaal' is at its peak, people are aware that they might be at the receiving end of a 'kantaap' if they indulge in too much 'bakloli'.

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Class 10 Student Shot Dead In Haryana, Classmate Prime Suspect: Cops

A Class 10 student was allegedly shot dead by a classmate in Hisar on Thursday, police said.

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Probe Agency Attaches Assets Worth Rs 2.34 Crore In J&K Crypto Scam

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Srinagar said on Wednesday that it has attached two bank accounts and immovable property worth Rs 2.34 crore in a bogus cryptocurrency scam.

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"Your Language (Kannada) Was Born Out Of Tamil": Kamal Haasan Comment Sparks Row

Tamil megastar Kamal Haasan, weeks before the release of his latest film, Thug Life, has teed off a fresh controversy with his "your language (Kannada) was born out of Tamil" remark at an event in Chennai.

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Had Balasaheb Thackeray Been Alive He Would've Hugged PM Modi For Op Sindoor: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Monday that had Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray been alive, he would have hugged Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the success of Operation Sindoor.

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French Mountaineer Benjamin Vedrines Sets New Mont Blanc Speed Climb Record

Rising French mountaineering star Benjamin Vedrines broke the record for the fastest ascent and descent of western Europe's highest mountain Mont Blanc, beating a mark that had stood for over a decade, his team said Sunday.

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31, Including Chinese Woman, Arrested For Drug Use At Bengaluru Party: Cops

Thirty-one individuals were arrested here during a birthday party for possessing and using narcotic substances, police said on Sunday. Among them were seven women, including a Chinese national.

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He Posed As Doctor For Years. How A Patient's Death Exposed Him

A young man, armed with stolen documents and a borrowed identity, posed as a doctor for years, even working at a private and a government hospital.

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JD Vance Says Use Of Military Force Under Trump Will Be "Cautious, Decisive"

US Vice President JD Vance said on Friday that the United States under President Donald Trump will choose carefully when to use military force and will avoid involvement in open-ended conflicts in what he called a break from recent US policies.

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Gravy Not A Right In Restaurants, Kerala Court Has Ruled: Owner

A restaurant owner in Kerala's Kochi heaved a sigh of relief as a local consumer court near here ruled that gravy need not be given for free to customers.

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Teeth Hurt? It Could Be Because Of A 500-Million-Year-Old Fish

Ever wondered why our teeth are so sensitive to pain or even just cold drinks? It might be because they first evolved for a very different purpose than chewing half a billion years ago, a study suggested Wednesday.

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Investors Kidnap Stock Trader In Odisha After Losing Money In Market Downturn

A group of investors allegedly kidnapped a stock market trader from Odisha's Cuttack after he failed to repay them their money, police said.

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Maharashtra Minister Apologises To Chief Justice Over 'Protocol Lapse' In Mumbai

Maharashtra Cabinet minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Monday said he personally phoned and apologized to Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai on behalf of the state government over 'protocol lapse' during the latter's visit to Mumbai.

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Video: No AC Inside Air India Plane In Delhi, Passenger Shares Ordeal

Passengers of an Air India flight at Delhi airport have complained they were made to sit inside the aircraft without air-conditioning on Sunday. The flight was scheduled to travel to Patna.

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"May Hurt Bengal But...": Official On Impact Of Bangladesh Import Curbs

Though the Centre's move to restrict imports of certain goods from Bangladesh via land ports will have an impact on employment and transport revenue in West Bengal, the national interest is more important than the potential economic fallout.

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"If I Have To Choose Between Hell And Pakistan...": Javed Akhtar

In strong comments after the recent hostilities between India and Pakistan, lyricist and scriptwriter Javed Akhtar has said that if his only two choices are between going to hell and the neighbouring country, he would choose hell.

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500 New Electric Buses To Delhi's Public Transport Fleet In Next 2 Months

Five hundred new electric buses will be rolled out on the city roads in the next two months, Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Singh said on Friday.

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Arunachal Town Sees Massive Protest After China's 'Renaming' Attempt

Local residents of Hawai, district headquarters of Anjaw in Arunachal Pradesh, on Thursday staged a massive protest against China's attempts to rename 27 places in the northeastern state, which Beijing refers to as "Zangnan" or southern part of Tibet

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Amazon India, Flipkart Get Notices Over Sale Of Pak Flags, Merchandise

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued notices to several e-commerce companies, including Amazon India and Flipkart, over the sale of Pakistani flags and related merchandise, Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said.

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Explained: The Snakes And Ladders Of A Possible Ukrainian Peace Deal

Russia and Ukraine say they want to talk about peace so what are the contours of any potential peace deal - and what are the dangers?

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US Announces Fresh Cuts To Harvard, Terminates $450 Million In Grants

The US government on Tuesday announced fresh funding cuts to Harvard, a day after the elite school's president said it shared "common ground" with the Trump administration on many issues.

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US Military Spent Over $21 Million On Deportation Flights This Year

The US military has spent more than $21 million on flights to deport migrants from the United States during President Donald Trump's second term, according to figures released Monday.

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PM Modi's Op Sindoor Speech And A Curious 'Smiling Buddha' Connection

"The Buddha is smiling," was the code message flashed to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi when India successfully detonated its first nuclear bomb at the Pokhran Test Range in Rajasthan on May 18, 1974.

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First Calm Night Along Line of Control In Recent Days: Indian Army

India and Pakistan, which were involved in intense firing for four days as tensions simmered following a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam last month, agreed to a ceasefire on Saturday evening.

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Earthquake Of Magnitude 5.5 Hits Tibet, No Reports Of Casualties

Authorities have dispatched emergency response services and no casualties have been reported so far.

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9 Women, 4 Children Killed In Trailer-Truck Collision In Chhattisgarh

Thirteen people, all women and children, died and 11 were injured in a collision between a trailer truck and a truck in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, police said.

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'Went For Head Of Snake': Sources On India's Strike On Pak Terror Bases

The Indian government has clarified, both for the world and Pakistan, that it went for the "snake's head and not foot soldiers" this time, demonstrating its new approach to kill terrorists within Pakistan.

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Read India's Full Statement On Ceasefire Violations By Pakistan

For the last few hours, there have been repeated violations of the understanding arrived at earlier this evening between the Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan.

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Trump Urges "Quick De-Escalation" Of India-Pak Conflict: White House

US President Donald Trump wants to see the conflict between India and Pakistan de-escalate "as quickly as possible," the White House said on Friday.

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Top Court Frees 6 Murder Accused "With Heavy Heart" As 71 Witnesses Turn Hostile

The Supreme Court on Friday "with a heavy heart" acquitted six murder accused after majority witnesses, including the victim's son, turned hostile in the case.

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Indore Has Become India's First Beggar-Free City, Says District Magistrate

Indore has become the country's first beggar-free city, officials said on Thursday.

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Iran's Foreign Minister To Meet S Jaishankar As India-Pak Tensions Surge

Iran's foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi will begin his maiden visit to New Delhi tonight. On Thursday, he will meet his counterpart S Jaishankar, and together, they shall co-chair the 20th Joint Commission meeting between India and Iran.

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"Never Say Never": Trump To Carney's Canada Will "Never Be For Sale" Remark

US President Donald Trump began his first talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday and vowed to bring up "tough points" that are dividing the two countries since Trump imposed tariffs.

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Aviation Ministry Gives In-Principle Nod For Airports In Rajasthan, Odisha

The civil aviation ministry on Monday granted in-principle approval for greenfield airports in Rajasthan's Kota and Puri in Odisha.

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"Designed To Operate Against...": India Tests Advanced Underwater Naval Mine

India successfully conducted validation trials of an indigenously designed and developed multi-influence ground mine (MIGM) and an advanced underwater naval mine designed to operate against modern stealth ships and submarines.

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Video: Man Alleged To Have Helped Terrorists In J&K Jumps Into River, Drowns

A man who gave food and shelter to terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district drowned after he jumped into a river while escaping from the security forces.

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Pak Soldier Detained By Border Security Force In Rajasthan: Report

A Pakistani Ranger has been detainedby the BSF from along the India-Pakistan border in Rajasthan, official sources said on Saturday.

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Ordnance Factory In Madhya Pradesh Cancels Long Leaves Of Employees

Leaves of more than two days of officers and employees at Ordnance Factory Khamaria (OFK) in Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh were cancelled on Friday.

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Auto Driver, 45, Dies After Tree Falls On Vehicle Amid Rain In Bengaluru

A 45-year-old auto driver died after a tree fell on his vehicle amid rains on Thursday, police said.

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RSS Chief Performs Key Ritual At Wedding Of 125 Women On Akshaya Tritiya

On the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat performed mass kanyadaan of 125 women in the Akshaya Kanyadan Mahotsav organised at Shankul Dhara in Varanasi on Wednesday.

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After Pak Airspace Closure, San Francisco-Delhi Flight Time Up 4 Hours

After India unveiled a slew of diplomatic measures following last week's terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, in which 26 people were killed, Pakistan responded by - among other steps - closing its airspace to Indian airlines.

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"Most Dishonourable Act Known As Honour Killing, Must Be Punished": Top Court

Honour killing must get a strong measure of punishment, the Supreme Court on Monday said and upheld the conviction of 11 accused for the "dastardly murder" of a young couple in Tamil Nadu in July 2003.

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A Look At The Key Constituencies In Canada's Crucial Parliamentary Election

Canadians are voting in large numbers on Monday to elect a new government, possibly with a decisive mandate, in order to give their country a better chance to push back against Donald Trump's offensive in order to make Canada the 51st state of the US

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11 Dead As Van Plunges In Well After Hitting Bike In Madhya Pradesh: Cops

A speeding van plunged into a water-filled well after hitting a bike in Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur district on Sunday, leaving 11 persons, including a biker and a rescuer, dead, police said.

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BJP Expels Ex-Rajasthan MLA From Party Amid Temple Purification Row

The ruling BJP in Rajasthan on Sunday expelled its former MLA Gyan Dev Ahuja, who was recently at the centre of temple "purification" controversy, from primary membership of the party.

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Student, Retired Teachers, Lawyer Among 19 Arrested For Remarks On J&K Attack

At least 19 people have been arrested in three states in the northeast over remarks on the terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives, including those of a Navy officer and an officer from the Intelligence Bureau.

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"I Kill You": Student, 21, Held For Sending Threat Mails To Gautam Gambhir

The Delhi Police has arrested a 21-year-old engineering student with alleged mental health issues for sending threat mails to the head coach of men's cricket team and former BJP MP Gautam Gambhir, an official said on Saturday.

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As US Reinstates Revoked Student Visas, Its Impact On Indians, Others

The terminations, which were made from a database used by universities and the federal government to track foreign students in the US, had caused panic among the affected students.

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Trump Announces Interview With Reporter Who Uncovered Chat Leak Scandal

President Donald Trump announced Thursday he will sit for an interview with the reporter who uncovered a major security lapse after being inadvertently added to a group chat in which top US officials shared secret military strike plans.

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In Madhya Pradesh, A Quota Blackhole For Other Backward Castes

The Other Backward Classes or OBC community, despite comprising over half the population of Madhya Pradesh, remains entangled in a web of administrative delays and broken promises when it comes to reservation.

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IMF, World Bank "Must Be Made Fit For Purpose Again": US Treasury Chief

The International Monetary Fund and World Bank "must be made fit for purpose again," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday, arguing the institutions have strayed from their initial missions.

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How 'Operation Zeppelin' Helped Adani Group Make Mega Comeback After Hindenburg

Hindenburg Research, the forensic financial firm that challenged the Adani Group, took its name from the infamous airship that burst into flames upon arriving in New Jersey in 1937.

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List Of 15 Potential Candidates Who Could Be The Successor To Pope Francis

Whether diplomats, theologians, mediators or Vatican insiders, here are 15 cardinals who are among the potential favourites to become the next pope, known as the "papabili", divided by region.

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Mumbai Court Judge's iPhone Stolen During IPL Match At Wankhede Stadium

An iPhone of a Chief Judicial Magistrate was stolen at the Wankhede Stadium where he had gone to watch an IPL (Indian Premier League) match, police said on Sunday.

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Iran Says To Hold More Nuclear Talks With US After Latest Round

The United States and Iran on Saturday concluded a second round of high-stakes talks on Tehran's nuclear programme, agreeing to meet again in a week's time, the Iranian foreign ministry said.

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"Want Justice": Flyers Complain Of Long Delays In Jammu Due To Bad Weather

Jammu airport saw chaotic scenes with hundreds of passengers complaining of inconvenience after bad weather led to flight cancellations in Srinagar and affected connecting flights.

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Canada Polls: Gujaratis Make Electoral Debut In Canada As Punjabis Seek Re-Election

Gujaratis have emerged as a major bloc, even as Punjabis remain a force to be reckoned with in Canada's political sphere, as immigrants of Indian origin steadily gain ground in the North American country which will hold federal elections this month.

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3 Dead After Cable Car Crashes To The Ground In Italy's Naples

A cable car crashed to the ground near the southern Italian city of Naples on Thursday, killing at least three people, local authorities told AFP.

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Top Court Issues Directions To Implement Rs 2 Lakh Cap On Cash Transactions

When there is a law in place, it has to be enforced, the Supreme Court said on Wednesday while expressing concern over the unsatisfactory implementation of provisions of the Finance Act 2017 which capped the limit of cash transactions to Rs two lakh.

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Ex-Supreme Court Judge Dinesh Maheshwari Appointed Law Commission Chief

Former Supreme Court judge Dinesh Maheshwari was on Tuesday appointed chairperson of the 23rd Law Commission, announced the law ministry.

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"Unless Somebody Screams...": Nitin Gadkari On Highway Projects Execution

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday asked officials to take decisions swiftly to speed up the implementation of highway projects.

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Video: Congress MLA Grabs BJP Leader By Collar, Slaps Him In Rajasthan

Congress MLA Indira Meena had an altercation with a local BJP leader in Sawaimadhopur district over the installation of a commemorative plaque at the site of a statue of Dr B R Ambedkar.

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"Don't Think There's Any Point...": Stern Axar On Reason Behind DC Defeat

A relieved Hardik Pandya credited 'impact sub' Karn Sharma for showing a lot of heart to fashion Mumbai Indians' 12-run win against Delhi Capitals here on Sunday, a result that helped the visitors get their IPL campaign back on track. DC were cruising at 119 for one just after the halfway stage but were eventually bowled out for 193 in 19 overs, with spinner Karn playing a pivotal role by taking three wickets for 36 runs. It was skipper Rohit Sharma who suggested to coach Mahela Jayawardene to bring Karn into the attack and also requested a ball change after the 11th over.

"Absolutely. Winning is always special. Especially in games like this. You have to keep fighting and it means a lot," said Pandya at the post-match presentation when asked if he felt relieved after MI secured only their second win of the season.

"(Karn was) Fantastic. Coming in and bowling the way he bowled, showed a lot of heart, especially at a small ground like that."

Karun Nair's whirlwind 89 went in vain, and Pandya admitted the knock took them by surprise.

"We were running out of options regarding what to bowl at him. The way he took on our bowlers, took his chances, and the way he executed — it shows the hard work he has put in. I think he took us by surprise."

DC batters suffered a dramatic collapse that included three successive run outs, ending their chase at 193.

"I always believe fielding is something that can change the game upside down. We were switched on, didn't give up, and they got the chances and converted."

Sent in to bat, Tilak Varma smashed a 33-ball 59 to power Mumbai Indians to 205 for 5.

Ryan Rickelton (41 off 25), Suryakumar Yadav (40 off 28), and Naman Dhir (38 off 17) also made vital contributions.

Speaking about MI's batting approach, Pandya said it depends on the situation.

"Amazing. It's always going to depend on the situation. The more the in-form players try to face the balls and take responsibility.

"Obviously, dew played a factor later. Just making sure the game is not over till it's over. Keep fighting — that was the chatter in the group and my message to the boys. Wins like this change the momentum and bring everything back."

Delhi Capitals skipper Axar Patel blamed "soft dismissals" in the middle order for the loss but didn't want to dwell too much on the result.

"We had the game. I think we had soft dismissals from the middle order, some bad shots. We lost by 12 runs with an over to go, so we could have still won it. It can't happen that your lower-order batters will always come and save you in chases.

"There are some odd days where you play wrong shots, so I don't think there's any point thinking too much about it. I thought 205 was a great target because it was a good pitch and dew was also coming."

Axar also pointed to sloppy fielding as a factor that allowed MI to cross the 200-mark, but praised his spin unit.

"Maybe if we had caught better, we'd have kept them to a lower score. I get confidence in bowling all three of our spinners, and two of the three can also bowl in the powerplay," he said.

"Kuldeep is bowling unbelievably this season. Whenever I need a wicket, I can go to him. I think there were a lot of positives today — we just need to forget about this game."

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

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Gang Sold Babies To Rich Families In Delhi-NCR, Busted; Mastermind On Run

The Delhi Police have busted a human trafficking network that sold newborns to rich families in the national capital and nearby cities.

Three members of the gang were arrested in Delhi's Dwarka, the police said. The gang was active in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR).

A four-day-old newborn was also rescued, the police said, adding the mastermind of the gang is on the run and police teams are looking for her.

The gang has sold over 30 children to rich families in Delhi-NCR so far, the police said. The gang members often kidnapped children from poor families from the Gujarat and Rajasthan border.

The three arrested people have been identified as Yasmin, Anjali, and Jitendra.

The police said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) earlier arrested Anjali in another human trafficking case. She returned to the criminal world after coming out on bail, the police said.

During the investigation, the Delhi Police team analysed the call detail records (CDRs) of over 20 suspicious mobile numbers.

"The team worked on classified information for 20 consecutive days after which they arrested the three people in Uttam Nagar on April 8," Dwarka DCP Ankit Chauhan said.

During interrogation, they said they brought newborns from Rajasthan and Gujarat on the instructions of a 40-year-old woman named Saroj, the gang leader, and sold the babies to rich families in Delhi-NCR for Rs 5 to Rs 10 lakh per child.

Saroj allegedly dealt directly with the rich families.

Most of the children were stolen from the tribal community in Pali, an area on Gujarat and Rajasthan border.

Saroj gave the task of stealing children to Yasmeen, after which she used to steal children from the Gujarat-Rajasthan border. After the children reached Saroj, she would tell Anjali the location of the 'delivery'.

Saroj would then collect money directly and everyone would be given their share. Anjali and Yasmeen have previously donated their eggs illegally. The families to whom the children were sold are also being identified, Delhi Police said, adding legal action will be taken against them.

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"After 50 Bombs" Comment, Congress Extends Support To Pratap Singh Bajwa

Congress MPs, MLAs and senior leaders today extended support to the state's Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, accusing the Aam Aadmi Party government of attempting to intimidate him. The leaders said Mr Bajwa has not said anything new and urged the government to focus on the threat to the peace and harmony in Punjab. 

In an interview to a private television channel, Mr Bajwa had claimed that he had information that "50 bombs have reached Punjab". "Of this, 18 have exploded, 32 are yet to go off," he had said.

In a statement, the Congress leaders insisted what Mr Bajwa revealed was already in public domain and was being reported by the media.

Already there have been more than 20 incidents of grenade attacks on police stations, religious places and also the residence of a senior BJP leader, they said. Statues of Baba Saheb Ambedkar have also been desecrated, they pointed out.  

Condemning what they called the high-handed attitude of the government and its attempts to intimidate and implicate Mr Bajwa. 

Congress leaders reiterated that the threat to peace and harmony in Punjab was real. Mr Bajwa had only drawn attention to that while the government was trying to divert the attention, the party said. 

They asserted that the Congress will continue to hold the government accountable no matter how much intimidation it tries to resort to. 

The statement was signed by a number of Congress leaders, led by PCC chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring.
 

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Who Is Lawyer C Sankaran Nair And Why His Story Needs To Be Told

As Bollywood gears up for the release of Kesari: Chapter 2 on April 18, 2025, all eyes are on Akshay Kumar, who steps into the role of Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair - a name that may not immediately resonate with many, but one that played a defining role in India's fight against colonial oppression. 

Directed by debutant Karan Singh Tyagi and produced by Karan Johar, the film is based on The Case That Shook the Empire, a historical account written by Nair's great-grandson, Raghu Palat and his wife, Pushpa Palat. 

File photo of Chettur Sankaran Nair

At its core, the film highlights not only one of the darkest chapters in British colonial history - the Jallianwala Bagh massacre - but also the monumental courtroom battle that followed, spearheaded by a man of unshakeable convictions.

The Man Behind The 'Legend'

Born in 1857 in Mankara, a village in Kerala's Palakkad district, Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair hailed from an aristocratic lineage with close associations to the East India Company. His early education led him to Presidency College, Madras, where he was drawn to the field of law. 

He began his legal career in 1880 at the High Court of Madras under the mentorship of Sir Horatio Shepherd, who would later become Chief Justice. Nair's brilliance and fierce independence quickly became evident.

Throughout his legal career, Nair was known for his refusal to conform. Early on, he opposed a resolution passed by Indian vakils (lawyers) of Madras that discouraged working under English barristers. For Nair, professional choices should be governed by merit and client interest, not nationalism or peer pressure. His stand led to his boycott by fellow lawyers, but he remained undeterred.

Nair was appointed Advocate-General and later became a judge of the Madras High Court. His judicial tenure was marked by bold judgments upholding inter-caste and inter-religious marriages, as well as rulings that challenged the rigid orthodoxy of caste-based discrimination. His 1914 ruling in Budasna v Fatima, where he held that converts to Hinduism could not be considered outcastes, remains a landmark judgment to this day.

Political Ascendancy And Reform

In 1897, he became the youngest president of the Indian National Congress at the time and the only Malayali to hold the position. Nair was not afraid to ruffle feathers - be it among the Anglo-Indian elite, the Brahmin establishment, or the British authorities. 

File photo of Chettur Sankaran Nair

He participated in the Montagu-Chelmsford reforms and advocated for increasing Indian participation in governance. By 1915, he was inducted into the Viceroy's Executive Council, overseeing the education portfolio.

Yet, Nair's political ideology was as nuanced as his legal career. While he believed in constitutional reform, he was critical of certain aspects of Gandhi's political methods, particularly civil disobedience. This ideological divergence would later find expression in his controversial book Gandhi and Anarchy.

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre - The Turning Point

On April 13, 1919, British Brigadier General Reginald Dyer ordered troops to open fire on a peaceful gathering in Amritsar's Jallianwala Bagh. 

Hundreds of unarmed civilians, including women and children, were mercilessly gunned down. The massacre became a watershed moment in India's freedom struggle.

A still from Kesari Chapter 2

At the time, Nair was the only Indian member of the Viceroy's Executive Council. Appalled by the government's justification of the massacre, he resigned in protest - a move unprecedented for its sheer audacity. 

His resignation sent shockwaves through the colonial administration and lent weight to nationalist sentiments across the country. It also led to the removal of martial law in Punjab and the establishment of a committee under Lord William Hunter to investigate the massacre.

The Courtroom Battle That Shook The Empire

In 1922, Nair published Gandhi and Anarchy, where he criticised British colonial rule and laid blame on Michael O'Dwyer, the then-Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, for the atrocities at Jallianwala Bagh. Infuriated, O'Dwyer sued Nair for defamation in an English court.

What followed was a historic trial at the King's Bench in London. The five-and-a-half-week-long case, the longest-running civil trial of its time, saw Nair being tried in front of an all-English jury presided over by a blatantly biased Justice Henry McCardie. Despite the skewed judicial environment, Nair stood his ground. 

A still from Kesari Chapter 2

His lead counsel, Sir Walter Schwabe, mounted a spirited defence, though repeatedly interrupted by McCardie, who seemed intent on swaying the jury in O'Dwyer's favour.

Ultimately, the verdict went against Nair - 11 jurors to one. He was fined 500 Pounds and asked to pay trial expenses. Yet, when O'Dwyer offered to waive the penalty in exchange for an apology, Nair refused. 

He would rather pay the price than retract the truth. "If there was another trial, who was to know if 12 other English shopkeepers would not reach the same conclusion?" he said.

Though he lost the case, Nair emerged morally victorious. His defiance brought international attention to British atrocities in India and galvanised nationalist resolve back home. His loss was, in many ways, India's gain.

A Legacy Carved In Conscience

Nair died in 1934, leaving behind a legacy that remains woefully under-acknowledged. His descendants continued to serve the nation: his grandson Kunhiraman Palat Candeth played a key role in the liberation of Goa in 1961, and other family members have held distinguished positions in Indian public life.

A still from Kesari Chapter 2

More than just a jurist or a politician, Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair was a man who refused to bend to injustice. In an era when many chose the safety of silence, he wielded his voice - and his pen - with courage. 

With Kesari Chapter 2, his story will finally get the cinematic tribute it deserves. In an age of manufactured heroes, here is a real one. And his story, now more than ever, demands to be heard.

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Watch: Shreyas Iyer Left Fuming At Punjab Kings Teammate Over DRS Call vs SRH

Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer was left fuming during their IPL 2025 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). PBKS' Glenn Maxwell thought he had dismissed Travis Head caught behind by wicket-keeper Prabhsimran Singh. However, upon seeing the umpire giving it not out, signalled for a DRS review straight away. Moments later, though, Shreyas Iyer was shown to be angry at one of his teammates. Iyer pointed at himself, with his teammates vying for a review. Eventually, Iyer decided to go up with a DRS review upon Maxwell's insistance.

As it turned out, Travis Head remained not out after the whole saga. NDTV could not verify which teammate Iyer seemed to be frustrated on. While what Iyer said was not audible, It was quite apparent that he said: "Pehle merese puch na (Ask me first)"

Watch: Shreyas Iyer angry after DRS saga

Shreyas Iyer's angry reaction over DRS call. pic.twitter.com/huZBhbDn4F

— CricAsh (@ash_cric) April 12, 2025

Earlierm Punjab Kings unleashed an all-out assault against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Match 27 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, riding on a blazing half-century from Shreyas Iyer (82) and late fireworks from Marcus Stoinis, who scored 34 in eleven deliveries to reach 245/6 in 20 overs, here at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

While the innings had contributions across the board, it was Iyer's calculated aggression that stood out, giving PBKS the perfect launchpad for a mammoth total.

Stoinis finally announced his arrival in IPL 2025 with a sensational finish, smashing four consecutive sixes to close out Punjab Kings' innings in stunning fashion. The Australian all-rounder, who had struggled to make an impact with the bat so far this season, turned on the heat in the final over, propelling PBKS to a commanding total of 245.

Unfortunately for Mohammed Shami, it was a night to forget as the seasoned pacer bore the brunt of Stoinis' onslaught. Shami's final over went for 27 runs, capping off a rough spell that read 4-0-75-0 — second most expensive in IPL history.

After electing to bat, PBKS came out swinging from the very first over. Prabhsimran Singh set the tone with a flurry of boundaries off Mohammed Shami, charging at the veteran seamer and carving him through mid-off and cover with disdain. He was in no mood to show respect and gave PBKS a flying start.

Harshal Patel bowled a game-changing over in the 18th, conceding just five runs and removing both Shreyas Iyer and Maxwell in quick succession. Iyer's 82 off 36 had anchored PBKS' innings but his departure meant PBKS had to rebuild in the final overs and Stoinis did it perfectly.

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Zuckerberg Fooling Americans, Is "Hand In Glove" With China: Whistleblower

A former Meta executive, Sarah Wynn-Williams, has come forward as a whistleblower, accusing the company of compromising US national security to establish a substantial business presence in China.

According to Wynn-Williams, Meta executives made decisions that allowed the Chinese Communist Party to access user data, including that of Americans. This testimony was given during a congressional hearing led by Senator Josh Hawley, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism.

"I saw Meta executives repeatedly undermine U.S. national security and betray American values," Wynn-Williams said in her opening remarks per CBS News.

Wynn-Williams alleges that Meta built custom censorship tools for the Chinese government, enabling extensive control over content moderation.

Sen Hawley opened the hearing by saying that Meta had "stopped at absolutely nothing to prevent" Wednesday's testimony by Ms Wynn-Williams. He also said, "Why is it that Facebook is so desperate to prevent this witness from telling what she knows?"

"The greatest trick Mark Zuckerberg ever pulled was wrapping the American flag around himself and calling himself a patriot and saying he didn't offer services in China, while he spent the last decade building an $18 billion business there," she said.

Meta disputes these claims, stating that Wynn-Williams' testimony is "divorced from reality and riddled with false claims". However, Wynn-Williams maintains that Meta's actions were deliberate, citing the company's interest in expanding its business in China.

However, the company's spokesperson Ryan Daniels said that although Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg been public about the company's interest in offering its services in China, "[T]he fact is this: we do not operate our services in China today."

Wynn Williams also said that Meta worked "hand in glove" with Beijing to create censorship tools to silence critics of the Chinese Communist Party.

Wynn-Williams claims that Meta threatened her with $50,000 in punitive damages for speaking out, even if her statements are true. Meta clarifies that this amount is for each material violation of her separation agreement, not for testifying before Congress.

In her testimony, Wynn-Williams also alleged that Meta's artificial intelligence model, Llama, was used to help Chinese AI company DeepSeek. This claim has raised further questions about Meta's relationships with Chinese companies and its commitment to protecting user data.

In a statement last year on Llama, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone wrote, "The alleged role of a single and outdated version of an American open-source model is irrelevant when we know China is already investing over 1T to surpass the US technologically, and Chinese tech companies are releasing their own open AI models as fast, or faster, than US ones."

The allegations against Meta come amid heightened tensions between the US and China over national security, economic interests, and technological advancements. The Trump administration has increased tariffs on Chinese goods and is pursuing the sale of TikTok to an American buyer. The House of Representatives has also established a the Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party to investigate China's challenge to American global power.
 

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Putin Labels Russia's 1st Foreign Minister As "Foreign Agent", His Response

Russia has designated its first post-Soviet era foreign minister Andrei Kozyrev as a "foreign agent" over his views on President Putin and his fierce criticism of Moscow over the Russia-Ukraine war. The announcement was made by Russia's Ministry of Justice, which accused Mr Kozyrev of spreading fake news about the country.

Andrei Kozyrev had served as foreign minister under Boris Yeltsen - Russia's first primer minister after the collapse of the Soviet Union (USSR) in 1991. At the time Russia was under severe economic stress, and in order to liberalize the economy, had to maintain close and friendly ties with the West - US and its allies in Europe).

Years later, when Vladimir Putin became President, Mr Kozyrev, who by then had demitted office, opposed much of Putin's policies. For more than a decade, the disgruntled former diplomat stayed in Moscow, but in 2010, decided to move permanently to the United States, who welcomed him.

Since his departure from Moscow, Mr Kozyrev turned into an outspoken and staunch critic of Vladimir Putin, often voicing his unwavering disapproval of his policies. From the very beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war, Mr Kozyrev slammed Russia's military campaign in Ukraine.

In the first few weeks of the war, Mr Kozyrev contacted his former colleagues in the Russian foreign ministry to resign in protest. Over the months and years, he built a campaign against the Russian government and continued to actively criticize Moscow's offensive.

Russia's current foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, used to be Mr Kuzyrev's deputy when the latter was foreign minister of Russia between 1990 and 1996. After the war in Ukraine broke out in 2022, Mr Kuzyrev had written, "There was a time when Lavrov used to have my back. Today, I would watch my back if he was behind me."

On Friday, Russia's Justice Ministry released a statement accusing its former foreign minister of distributing "false information" about the Russian government and its policies, as well as the Russian military. It noted Mr Kozyrev's persistent opposition towards the Kremlin and for Moscow's "special military operation" in Ukraine.

Labeling him a "foreign agent", the statement accused the former top diplomat of cooperating "with foreign platforms" to build an anti-Russia narrative in the United States and beyond, but did not specify the details of this claim.

Russia's "foreign agent" designation carries a negative Soviet-era connotation and makes it mandatory for people to identify themselves as a 'foreign agent' on all social media platforms as well as publications, both offline and online. It also makes it compulsory for them to declare their financial transactions and its trails within Russia.

In response to the Russian government's move to label him "foreign agent", Mr Kozyrev mocked the decision, saying it reflected Kremlin's mindset, which highlights "the stupidity of the regime".

"I am glad to join all those noble people who have likewise been designated foreign agents by Russia," he said.
 

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26/11 Attacks Survivor Recalls Horror, How He Escaped Death

Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a terrorist who was jailed in the US for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, has been extradited to India and will be put to trial for his role in the attacks that shook the nation to its core in 2008. 

Sixteen years after the attacks, survivors recounted the horror they experienced on the night of November 26. Ajay Bagga, a startup mentor and a long-term investor, recalled what happened inside the Taj Hotel when he and his wife, Rajita Kukarni, were caught in the line of fire. 

"Rajita and I were at the Taj at the Masala Craft restaurant. One of our friends, a German member of the European Parliament, was visiting with a big parliamentary delegation."

"We were just starting dinner at about 9:30 pm, the first firing started, and I just looked out and I saw somebody shooting into the Golden Dragon restaurant, which is about 30 meters from where we were. Luckily, that door used to look like a steel wall, and there was no latch inside. I just tied up the door with napkins, tableware, and people were not ready to move. We were told there is a shooting outside."

Read more: "Bringing Back Memories": Survivor Spots Herself In NDTV's 26/11 Footage

Mr Bagga told NDTV that his friend had been in a terror hostage situation in Sri Lanka earlier. So she was well trained and told them that "It is now becoming a hostage situation."

'People Killed On Both Sides'

Mr Bagga and his wife were spotted in the NDTV footage from 16 years ago, which was taken shortly after the firing began.

"On both sides, there were people killed. On the right was the Shamiana 24/7 coffee shop, and on the left was Golden Dragon. There was nobody who survived. Everyone was killed there," Mr Bagga told NDTV. 

"We were providentially safe in Masala Craft. And then after two hours, the hotel moved us to the chambers through the basement area of the staff entrance. We were moved out to the chambers, and we were there. About 200 people were there.  A politician gave a media interview, and he said 200 CEOs and very senior people of Mumbai are trapped here in chambers... They entered chambers and opened fire," he recalled.

"Just then, our evacuation started from the fire escape. One old woman fell. I bent down to pick her up, and I told my wife that we would not push. People were pushing and running down. I said, we'll not push. We'll wait for our turn, and all of a sudden, in front of us, there was nobody alive."

'Taj Staffer Saved Our Life'

Mr Bagga, who was stuck in the Chambers and was awaiting his turn to get rescued, said a staff member from the Taj saved his and his wife's lives. Mr Bagga said, the staffer "Took bullets in his back and we hid in a conference room, lying on the ground for the next about seven hours. Through the night, he (the staffer) was crying. We had nothing but aspirin and whatever people had. There were two doctors with us.

"We tied up his wounds as well as we could, and he made it to the hospital, but he did not survive."

"We were all lying down in the room and the other conference rooms. I thought it was over because huge smoke started coming in. They were throwing grenades from the top to try to break the building...very heavy smoke came in, and we couldn't breathe. I thought it was over because there was a flimsy door between us and them,"

"The National Security Guard (NSG) came at 10," Mr Bagga said, adding that the gunfight continued between the commandos and the terrorists, and "somehow the god was kind" and he was out of the danger zone by 10 pm.

'We Hugged Taj Employees Who Survived'

Mr Bagga said he had to go back to the Taj hotel after a month since he was a member of the chambers and relive the near-death experience he had inside the hotel.

"I went through the entire route that we had taken, right from Masala Craft, through the basement, the staff entrances, and to the chambers. And we went and hugged all the employees who survived. A lot of Taj employees gave up their lives to save us."

He recalled that when the NSG came to their rescue, they didn't know if it's the terrorists pretending to be "the Black Cat commandos or it's really the NSG but then they said, stand back. We are breaking through."

"They (NSG) had to break the door because we had tied it up with all the tablecloths. There were no latches in any of the doors," he added.

Mr Bagga's wife, Ranjita Kulkarni, also spoke to NDTV and said, The extradition of Rana is a "monumental achievement for our country". She thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, US President Donald Trump and the US Supreme Court for making this possible. "I am quite sure it will bring justice. This is a huge day for all martyrs who sacrificed their lives, survivors and their families," she said.

Tahawwaur Rana's Role In 26/11 Attacks

The former Pakistan Army doctor provided logistic, financial and other assistance to David Headley -- a key conspirator in the terror attack. Rana is charged under sections relating to criminal conspiracy, waging war against the government of India, murder and forgery and relevant sections under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. He also travelled to various places in India as they identified targets to strike, the chargesheet says.

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"No Cell, Biryani, Separate Law For Terrorists": 26/11 Hero On Tahawwur Rana

Mumbai 'Chai Wala' known as 'Chhotu' aka Mohammed Taufiq, whose alertness saved lives during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks stated that there is no need for India to provide Tahawwur Rana with cell and Biryani and facilities which were provided to Ajmal Kasab, one of the terrorists involved in Mumbai attacks.

He also demanded that there should be separate laws to deal with terrorists.

Mr Rana has been accused of being involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, where innocent people were killed, and is expected to stand trial in India.

On 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Rana's extradition to India, Mohammed Taufiq, a tea seller known as 'Chhotu Chai Wala' whose alertness helped a large number of people escape the attack, told ANI, "...For India, there is no need to provide him with a cell. Biryani and facilities like those given to Kasab. There should be a separate law for terrorists, a system should be in place so that they are hanged within 2-3 months..."

On April 7, the Supreme Court of the United States rejected Tahawwur Rana's plea to stay his extradition to India. Mr Rana filed an emergency application with Chief Justice Roberts on March 20, 2025, seeking a stay on his extradition.

"The application for stay addressed to The Chief Justice and referred to the Court is denied," the SC order dated Monday, April 7, stated.

According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, a case of criminal conspiracy against Mr Rana was originally lodged by the NIA in Delhi following the deadly November 2008 attacks in which over 160 people were killed.

The ongoing extradition process pertains to that case. However, officials clarified that it is yet to be determined whether Mumbai Police can seek his custody for any local investigation linked to the attacks.

"Only after examining the grounds of extradition will it be clear whether custody can be sought by the Mumbai Crime Branch in this matter," sources said.

Sources added that the Mumbai Police has not received any formal communication so far regarding Mr Rana's transfer to the city for questioning or judicial proceedings.

Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian national, was convicted in the US for the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives and providing material support to the group responsible for the Mumbai attacks that killed over 174 people.

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

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Exclusive: Ex-Navy Chief On Rafale Jets And Chinese Threat In Indian Ocean

The Indian Navy will soon get 26 Rafale-M fighter aircraft, a significant upgrade in its fighter fleet in over a decade. Sources told NDTV that a government-to-government deal of Rs 63,000 crore will be signed soon between India and France to finalise the deal.

The Navy currently operates the MiG-29K fighter jets for its two aircraft carriers - INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya. The Navy will induct 26 Rafale-M fighter jets - 22 single-seater fighters and four double-seater trainer aircraft. 

"Rafale - A Kinetic Push" 

Former Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Arun Prakash, spoke to NDTV on the induction of the Rafale fighter jets, explaining how it will add a "kinetic push in the Navy's striking power". The former Navy chief also spoke on Chinese aircraft carrier deployments in the Indian Ocean and on the debate over whether aircraft carriers are more vulnerable to attacks than they have ever been.

On a question about what the Rafale addition means for the Navy, Admiral Prakash said, "It's going to add a huge punch, kinetic punch to Indian Navy's striking power in many dimensions, air defense, anti-shipping strike, electronic warfare, you name it. The Rafale is a fine and capable aircraft. It's a welcome addition. The Rafale is probably half a generation or a generation ahead of the MiG-29K. So it's going to add a punch to the fleet at sea."

To a follow-up question on how it adds a punch to the fighter fleet, Admiral Prakash explained, "The MiG-29K was an adaptation of a land-based fighter, the MiG-29. And when we got it, it was virtually in a prototype state. It took a few years to sort out all the bugs to achieve stable operations. But the Rafale comes about 10 years after the MiG-29. So it's electronics, it's data fusion, and the weapons it carries will certainly make it a more capable aircraft than the MiG-29." 

"It will certainly add to the kinetic punch of the fleet at sea, to the aircraft carriers. When we acquired the Vikramaditya and the Vikrant, we hadn't factored in the acquisition of the Rafale, or for that matter, any other fighter other than the MiG-29K, perhaps the Tejas."

The Indian Air Force operates 36 Rafale fighter jets in two squadrons -  The 17 Squadron (the Golden Arrows) and the 101 Squadron (The Falcons), based in Ambala and Hashimara, respectively. The 4.5 generation multi-role fighter aircraft is capable of conducting all combat aviation missions like air superiority, close-air-support, ground attack missions, electronic warfare, etc. 

According to its manufacturer, Dassault Aviation, all the variants - Rafale C (Air Force) and Rafale-M (Marine) have the maximum airframe and equipment commonality.

'MiG-29 Was A Hobson's Choice For Us'

Admiral Prakash, who was closely involved during the induction of the INS Vikramaditya, further explained the reason behind the induction of the MiG-29 into the Navy and said it was more of a "Hobson's choice for us".

INS Vikramaditya was a Kiev-class aircraft carrier and was named Admiral Gorshkov in Russia. The acquisition of Gorshkov had been under consideration since 1994, and 10 years later, in 2004, a deal was signed between India and Russia. 

Admiral Arun Prakash oversaw the induction of the aircraft carrier into the Navy. Speaking to NDTV, the former Navy chief said, "When we were negotiating for the Gorshkov, which later became the Vikramaditya. That was the late 1990s. Then, firstly, there were no ski-jump capable aircraft available other than the Sea Harrier, which we already had. And the Russians were just developing the MiG-29 and the Sukhoi-27. We went to the French; we sent a team to France to evaluate the Rafale, and they said, Sorry, at this point, we cannot offer you the Rafale-M. And of course, those days, the political situation did not allow us to even contemplate acquiring, say, an F-18 or something. Of course, apart from the fact that the F-18 had not been proved off the ski-jump."

"Our choices were limited. And then, when we started negotiating for the Vikramaditya-Gorshkov, the MiG-29 was more or less a Hobson's choice for us. So we had to take it. It's only subsequently that the Americans offered the F-18; they proved it off the ski-jump, the French proved the Rafale off the ski-jump, and they came to India to go out to do it. And then we had these options available." The MiG-29K fighter jets were inducted into the Naval fighter fleet in 2013, and in 2016, India phased out the last remaining Sea Harriers after almost 30 years of years.

The Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet underwent operational demonstration tests at the ski-jump facility at INS Hansa in Goa in 2022. However, with India's decision to opt for the Rafale, the US fighter jet failed to secure a place in the Indian Air Force or Navy.

Admiral Prakash said the Rafale fighter jets will be an addition to the naval variant of the India-made Tejas fighter jet, which is still in trials for the sea and the future Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF).

In its 2015 report, the Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) highlighted issues with the MiG-29K's airframe, its RD MK-33 engine and its fly-by-wire system, and said the "Aircraft were being technically accepted despite having discrepancies/anomalies." 

Chinese Threat In The Indian Ocean?

To a question on whether it's just a matter of time before Chinese carrier battle groups deploy in the Indian Ocean region, Admiral Prakash said, "Yes, the fact that we've not seen a Chinese task force cruising around in our waters is because they lack air cover, integral air cover. But as soon as they have three aircraft, they've already got two, and a third one is doing trials. But as soon as they can spare an aircraft carrier, which will provide air cover, organic air cover to their forces, maritime forces, I do not doubt that they will put in an appearance in our waters."

"The fact that they've got birthing facilities in Djibouti, where they set up their first overseas base, means that they've got logistic support of their own, not just in Pakistan (Gwadar port), which is an ally."

China has commissioned two aircraft carriers - Liaoning and Shandong - the former is a Soviet-era aircraft carrier, which Beijing commissioned in 2012, and the latter is its first domestically built carrier. The third aircraft carrier, Fujian, is China's largest and most advanced aircraft carrier ever built, with a potent aircraft launching system. Fujian underwent sea trials and is yet to be commissioned.

The US Department of Defence, in its latest report on Chinese naval modernization, said Beijing is reportedly building a fourth aircraft carrier similar to Fujian and is expected to be nuclear-powered

Admiral Prakash said if China comes into our waters, then the nearest base is at least 3,000 nautical miles away in Hainan, leading to an extended logistical
 Chain for them. So if a need arises for them for technical assistance and logistical support, then "Djibouti is a great reassurance" for the Chinese Navy and "if they get Gwadar, it will be a bonus."

Aircraft Carriers More Vulnerable To Attacks?

Admiral Arun Prakash was a naval aviator and a gallantry award recipient. He was one of the two pilots who were deputed to the Indian Air Force during the 1971 war, where he flew the Hawker Hunters and was awarded a Vir Chakra for action in the air.

Admiral Prakash disagreed with the argument that aircraft carriers are vulnerable, especially after the attacks in the Black Sea in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and drone attacks from Houthis on naval platforms in the Red Sea. 

"Well, inherently, an aircraft carrier is possibly the most protected warship there is. It has its fighter cover. It has radar coverage. It has anti-submarine helicopters. So, an aircraft carrier protects the rest of the fleet. It's the wrong logic to think that it needs escorts. It does need escorts, but it's a mutual sort of relationship. And I think we must focus on the recent events," the former Navy chief said.

"Firstly, the Houthis have been firing ballistic missiles, I don't know how capable those missiles are, at American aircraft carriers. They've all been shot down. No US Navy carrier has so far been affected by that."

"Secondly, Iran launched a few hundred missiles at Israel in the recent past. Most of those missiles were shot down, not just by the Israeli Iron Dome system, but by US Navy ships which were parked in the eastern Mediterranean. Their anti-ballistic missile defense shot down most of the ballistic missiles fired by Iran," he said.

"This scare of aircraft carriers being overly susceptible to missile attacks has now, I think, been more or less proved otherwise. Aircraft carriers can defend themselves...So, let's not frighten ourselves overly about the vulnerability of aircraft carriers. They have so much more," Admiral Prakash said.

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"RN Ravi Should Resign": Margaret Alva After Top Court Judgment On Governor

Margaret Alva, former Union minister who occupied the Raj Bhavans in four states - Goa, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand - today said the Supreme Court's landmark verdict on power of Governors was "much needed" and absolutely "on time".  Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, she said, now "should resign and go home" for he would be "persona non grata" in the state.

Mr Ravi withheld assent to MK Stalin government's 10 bills for three years. The government went to court and the Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that the Governor's decision to withhold assent was "illegal" and "arbitrary" and he did not act in 'good faith".

Setting aside the decisions of the Governor, the court said the bills shall be "deemed to be cleared" from the date they were presented to the Governor for a second time.

The court also presented a timeline for Governors: A one-month deadline to withhold assent to a Bill and reserve it for the President's review with the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers; when a Bill is reserved without the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, this deadline will be three months; if a Bill is presented to a Governor after reconsideration by the state Assembly, he/she must clear it within a month.

Ms Alva said the court had "stepped-in in time and with a heavy hand" and it was necessary in view of the "atrocious" situation in states like Kerala, Delhi and Tamil Nadu.

"For years now, we have watched Raj Bhavans functioning on their own with no regard to constitutional provisions, to legislative procedures and considering themselves -- if I may say so -- as some kind of dictators in Raj Bhavans," she said.

"A Governor cannot sit on 10 bills for three years... It is unheard of... The term of the government is five years and assent is withheld for four years," she said, referring to the rules that provide only four options for Governors - signing off on a bill, raising doubts and concerns, signing off on a bill if the state resolves concerns and presents it for a second time and referring it to the President.  

Asked about the judgment setting a precedent and how it would sit if a Congress or opposition government comes to power in the coming years, she said there is no cause to worry. 

"I don't think any of our Governors behaved this way. I had two states with BJP Chief Ministers. But you are supposed to be a friend philosopher and guide of the state government," she said.  

In this context, she also cited the case of Buta Singh, who in 2005, had dismissed the then government in Bihar. "He was told to go. That was the Congress government which told its Governor to go," added Ms Alva, who for decades, was part of the Congress.

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Opinion: No, Satyajit Ray Is Not Your 'Renaissance Man'

Ask any scholar of world cinema, and you will know how widely and globally recognised Satyajit Ray's cinematic genius is. However, his career in India—living and posthumous—is a complex matter. It reveals a lot about Indian society and the structures that constitute its state apparatuses. Like many other stalwarts of his time and later, Ray's artistic legacy has been assimilated, tempered, and, often, even censored beyond recognition by the very institutions that appear to celebrate him.

Ray, who was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1992 - a month before his demise - had the distinction of seeing his documentary film Sikkim (1971) being banned by the government. A clear look into Ray's life and works reveals that the same political, cultural, and ideological frameworks that he often deconstructed in his cinema have contributed a great deal to the mythmaking surrounding his posthumous existence. And even though much of that mythology seems laudatory, one can't be sure whether Ray would have approved.

'A Bureaucratic Invention'

Ray's status as a harbinger of what was described in his last months as an ‘Indian Renaissance' wasn't entirely uncontested. Mercifully so! In 1992, a few months after Ray's demise, Utpal Dutt delivered a seminar commemorating his colleague's craftsmanship and ethical commitments. Among other things, Dutt mounted a scathing critique of the invisible nexus a few opportunistic elements of the Indian state and the cultural imperialism of the ‘West'. As Dutt reminded us, despite Ray's global acclaim, his film Teen Kanya (1961), adapted from Rabindranath Tagore's short stories, was distilled down to Two Daughters for state television. An audience mature enough was deemed unfit to understand the emotional or intellectual maturity the original film demanded.

A still from Teen Kanya (1961)

Besides, Dutt was particularly troubled by the idea of Ray being a ‘Renaissance' man. He dismissed it as a bureaucratic invention lacking historical sincerity. Far from finding flaws in Ray's work and legacy, Dutt saw the title as compensation for the negligence doled out to his colleague during his lifetime.  Though not a historian himself, Dutt's analysis was impeccable. He contrasted the so-called ‘renaissance' with the more historically sanguine ‘Bengal Renaissance'. The latter, unlike its purported ‘national' counterpart, arose in the early 19th century out of palpable social, political, cultural, and ethical obligations - especially within and in opposition to a British regime. Transplanting that label onto Ray's posthumous specter was not just misleading, according to Dutt, but also politically manipulative as it sought to retrospectively reclaim Ray after the West had already validated his contributions through an honorary Oscar. 

In other words, some of India's state apparatuses were happy to ignore Ray until Hollywood - which itself was exposed to Ray's oeuvre only superficially - made it impossible for audiences back home to look the other way. The posthumous glorification his image underwent was, by no means, unique. It symptomised a larger institutional malaise in selectively supporting intellectuals, artists, scholars, and creative geniuses.

The People Who Didn't Care For Ray

Recently, India's political leaders made headlines by debating what constituted the concept of a ‘state'. It was eventually concluded - somewhat churlishly and belatedly - that ‘state' comprises not only the ruling establishment but also the opposition. More significantly, as teachers of sociology and civic sciences will inform us, it also comprises various governmental and nongovernmental institutions that directly or indirectly collaborate in the nation state's functioning. In that comprehensive sense, even ‘We, the People' constitute the nation-state of India, that is Bharat. This clarification is important in Ray's context because a bulk of the apathy and misinterpretations directed towards him did not come from state actors but social structures.

This was done in the guise of a seemingly sophisticated but actually lazy objection. Some listless critics suggested that Ray's cinema looked apolitical. Accordingly, it was driven by humanist concerns, not social or ideological acuity. It took his demise for that premise to be challenged.

As Chandak Sengoopta argues, Ray's films were ideologically layered and underpinned by anticolonial Bengali liberalism. Ray was not detached from the national discourse. Films like Jalsaghar (1958), Charulata (1964), and Shatranj Ke Khilari (1977) were not just period dramas meant to nostalgically depict teakwood, boudoirs, artefacts, musical instruments, and knickknacks from nineteenth-century Calcutta and Lucknow. They confronted repressed questions of gendered private and public spaces and how old-fashioned coloniality affected postcolonial national subjects, whether male, female, anglicised, indigenised, libertarian, free-marketeer, or statist.

A still from Jalsaghar (1958)

For example, one is not likely to find a direct feminist denunciation of patriarchal structures in Ray's critical oeuvre. But, as Devapriya Sanyal rightly adds, Ray's cinema was far more nuanced, in that it made men the bearers of the burden of being ‘national subjects' without leaving female characters out as irrelevant; he made them witnesses to the success or failure of their male counterparts, enfranchising them as the barometers of societal change. Simultaneously, as eloquently explained by Bishnupriya Ghosh, Ray's “preoccupation with rural history, folk-cultures and religions of India” only goes to underscore “his interest in articulating the non-western aspects of Indian culture”.

Unlike filmmakers committed to political activism, Ray did not rely on straightforward political staging to convey his ideology. Instead, he explored complex ideological interplays at locations where they truly manifest - the intimate lives of characters. 

Ray's Nehruvian Beliefs

Ray was seen, erroneously of course, as being in alignment with Nehruvian developmental policies. That naturally led disengaged critics to think that someone of Ray's lineage—with Brahmo ideals and familial privilege—could only be too content with the fact of India's independence and an elite class's control over the nation's social and cultural capital. Brinda Bose, for instance, has in passing somewhat reaffirmed that Ray's early cinema ‘strongly endorsed Jawaharlal Nehru's vision of nation-building, which Ray greatly admired then'. Ray's ‘idealism', bordering on the ‘romantic' in Aparajito, The Unvanquished (1956) or Mahanagar (1963), has appealed to Bose as being related to history without any ‘violent ruptures but only lessons from the past and present'. Suman Ghosh has, however, emphatically argued that Ray instead stood ‘in defiance of the state'.

A still from Aparajito, The Unvanquished (1956)

It is indeed true, as Jyotika Virdi cautions, that Ray's contemporary and rival from Bengal, Ritwik Ghatak, was ‘a superb filmmaker in his own right, from whom Satyajit Ray, many believe, undeservingly 'stole the spotlight'. Nonetheless, as Ravi Vasudevan might elaborate, though Ray's cinema may have seemed unopposed to the immediate meaning of Nehruvian nation building, it never aligned with the state's construction of a coherent national identity. Themes of displacement, social dichotomy, and incomplete or fragmented modernities continued to punctuate his filmmaking. Perhaps, what disturbed Ray the most was India's middle-class nationalist imagination. This disturbance probably became most acute in films like Sadgati (1981) and Ganashatru (1989), which were highly critical of social injustice, class inequities, and caste-based oppression.

It might seem here that the objective of this article has been to lament the lack of credit given to Ray during his life. It may also appear that, in doing so, the piece highlights the tension between market forces and artistic expressions. These, however, are just some weary costumes that this piece has worn to try to convey a subtler moral imperative. Dutt was of the view that if Ray's film Devi [or perhaps his adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's An Enemy of the People (1882) in Ganashatru] had truly seeped into the Indian psyche, the religious fanaticism of the 1980s and 1990s would have perhaps unfolded differently.

The Myth Of An 'Apolitical' Ray

In other words, artists like Ray may not be the good-old realists that socialist regimes warranted, but poets in whom, as T.S. Eliot described in Tradition and the Individual Talent, the persona “who suffers and the mind which creates” are distinct entities; such a poet or artist creates not by reproducing one's own experience but by digesting and transmuting “the passions which are its material”. In those transmutations lay Ray's challenge to the dominant ideologies and power structures that, after they had ignored him in his prime, sought to claim his legacy as their own.

Ray was not apolitical. Ironically, in fact, morphing his stature as 20th-century India's ‘Renaissance Man' was a depoliticisation of his life - or lives like his, whose artistic genius has been used to mask India's social contradictions.  The reader cannot be blamed for thinking that this article was written in disapproval of Ray's delayed recognition by certain factors of the Indian state. But, it was not. Rather, it was written in recognition of the fact that posthumous or highly belated recognitions from the state and society often seek to camouflage uncomfortable truths - truths that these very awardees spoke, before they were to speak no more.

[Arup K. Chatterjee is the author of 'The Great Indian Railways' (2017, 2019), 'Indians in London' (2021), and 'Adam's Bridge' (2024)]

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

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"We Will Take Back Panama Canal...": Pentagon Chief Meets Panama President

The US will take back the Panama Canal, ending China's influence in one of the world's most important waterways, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said today after a rare visit to the Central American nation.

Marking the first visit by a US defence secretary to Panama in decades, Mr Hegseth held a closed-door meeting with Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino. He also got a close-up look of the canal as Washington reiterated its deep concern over China's investments and involvement in and around the crucial waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Following talks with Panama's government, the Pentagon chief vowed to deepen the US military's security cooperation with Panamanian forces. China, he said, would "not be allowed to weaponize" the canal by using Chinese firms' commercial relationships as a guise for espionage.

"Together, we (Panama and the US) will take back the Panama Canal from China's influence," Secretary Hegseth said in Panama City. Given Donald Trump's tough rhetoric, the stakes were high for Secretary Hegseth's visit.

The new arrangement with Panama, a first since 1999, will effectively end China's operations in the Panama Canal, he suggested. "China did not build this canal. China does not operate this canal and China will not weaponize this canal. Together with Panama in the lead, we will keep the canal secure and available for all nations," he said.

The Pentagon chief also praised President Mulino, saying his government understood "the threat from China". His remarks about Panama being in the "lead" on addressing the canal's security concerns appeared to be a nod to Panamanian sensitivities.

While Secretary Hegseth spoke about removing Chinese influence from Panama, President Trump has spoken in broader terms and not ruled out using military force, if necessary. Even before Mr Hegseth reached Panama, the Trump Administration had reportedly requested options from the US military to ensure access to the Panama Canal.

The United States had built the Panama Canal more than a century ago and handed its complete operations over to Panama in 1999. Today's development changes that dynamic with the US military likely to start patrolling and accessing the canal frequently, and in coordination with Panama's security agencies.

According to news agency Reuters, several current and former US officials and strategic experts say that the United States has found a willing partner in tackling Chinese influence in Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino.

In February, President Mulino had announced Panama's formal move to exit China's Belt and Road Initiative. He has also aided Donald Trump's crackdown on migrants in the United States. He did so by accepting US' deportation flights of non-Panamanians and worked to curb migration from South America by those crossing illegally through his country's dangerous Darien jungle.

In a significant move last month, US firm BlackRock led a deal to buy out most of the $22.8-billion ports business of Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison, including its ports on either end of the Panama Canal. At the time President Trump celebrated the deal, saying that the purchase was an example of how the United States was "reclaiming the Panama Canal".

China however, had slammed the deal. The markets regulator has said that it will carry out an antitrust review of the deal.

Military experts have pointed out that in the event of a war in Asia, the Panama Canal plays a critical role as US naval ships cross from the Atlantic to the Pacific to support war efforts. With China's vast presence in and around the canal, it could hinder the passage of ships, they said, adding that even if Beijing would not be able to stop American naval vessels in such a scenario, it would be in an advantageous position by being able to surveil vessels passing through it.
 

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Prince Harry's Lawyer Cites Threats From Al-Qaeda, Media In UK Security Plea

A lawyer for Britain's Prince Harry on Tuesday slammed an "unjustified" decision to downgrade his police protection, telling a London court the prince had recently faced threats from paparazzi and even Al-Qaeda.

Following Harry's split with the royal family in 2020 and move to America with his wife Meghan, the government decided his security during visits to Britain would be decided on a case-by-case basis.

King Charles III's youngest son made a rare visit to London for the latest stage of the long-running legal saga, watching his appeal unfold from inside the Royal Courts of Justice.

Dressed in a dark suit with a blue patterned tie, he looked on in the courtroom, occasionally whispering to his solicitor and wrote in a notebook.

After Harry, 40, stopped being considered a working royal in 2020, the government decided he would not receive the "same degree" of publicly funded protection when in Britain.

The prince took legal action against the interior ministry in 2021, and after his initial case was rejected last year, he brought a challenge before the Court of Appeal.

Lawyer Shaheed Fatima told the court the prince had been "singled out for different, unjustified and inferior treatment."

In a written submission, his lawyers highlighted threats made against the prince.

"Al-Qaeda recently called for (Harry) to be murdered," and he and Meghan were "involved in a dangerous car pursuit with paparazzi in New York City" in May 2023, the submission said, without providing full details.

Harry was widely criticised when in his autobiography "Spare" he claimed to have killed 25 people in Afghanistan, sparking ire from the Taliban.

Harry has long been haunted by the death of his mother, Princess Diana, who was killed in a high-speed car crash in Paris in 1997 as she tried to escape paparazzi photographers.

Harry and Meghan have started a new life in California and are now largely estranged from the royal family. 

But the prince has said security concerns have hampered his ability to visit Britain, and his trips have usually been fleeting. 

In a written submission, Harry's lawyers said the prince and Meghan "felt forced to step back" from frontline royal duties because "they considered they were not being protected by the institution". 

Failure to assess risk

The prince's legal battle centres on the February 2020 decision to downgrade his security, made by the interior ministry and a committee that deals with the protection of royals and public figures.

In early 2024, the High Court ruled against Harry's case, saying the government had acted lawfully. 

The prince's initial bid to appeal was refused in April last year and he was ordered to pay about £1,000,000 ($1.27 million) in legal costs, according to The Times newspaper. 

However, the following month, a judge said Harry could challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.

On Tuesday, Harry's lawyer argued the committee had failed to carry out an assessment of the risks to the prince and that the High Court had been wrong to overlook this.

As a lawyer representing the interior ministry set out the government's case, the prince shook his head.

James Eadie said the basis for Harry's security arrangements had been adjusted due to "his change of status and because he was now going to live abroad for the majority of his time."

In its written submission, the government insisted Harry's security "would be considered depending on the circumstances."

The two-day hearing is to end on Wednesday with some parts held in private due to security concerns. A decision is expected in writing at a later date.

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

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Trump Says "Not Looking" At Pause In Tariffs

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he was not looking at a pause on tariffs to allow for negotiations with trading partners but said he would talk to China, Japan and other countries about the duties.

Asked during a White House press availability with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he was open to pausing tariffs, Trump said: "Well, we're not looking at that. We have many, many countries that are coming to negotiate deals with us and they're going to be fair deals. And in certain cases they're going to be paying substantial tariffs. There'll be fair deals."

Trump reiterated his threat to add another 50% tariff on Chinese imports unless that country withdraws its threat to add a 34% tariff on its goods.

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

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Twenty Years On, This US Couple's Disappearance Is Still A Mystery

Twenty years ago, on a Saturday night, Richard Petrone Jr and his girlfriend Danielle Imbo, accompanied by their friends, went out to a bar in Philadelphia. Once the outing was over, Mr Petrone Jr was supposed to drop Ms Imbo off at her home in New Jersey and head back to his apartment in Philadelphia. Their friends or anyone else never heard back from them after they left the bar, CNN reported.

Investigators found no forensic evidence of the couple's whereabouts after they were last seen at the bar, retired FBI special agent Vito Roselli, who was the case's first lead investigator, said.

Their truck was not spotted on any of the area's toll bridge cameras and the couple's credit cards and bank accounts registered no activity, he added.

The couple, along with Mr Petrone Jr's 2001 black Dodge Dakota pick-up truck, just disappeared into the night. 

His mother Marge Petrone said she knew something was wrong when she didn't immediately hear back from him. "His phone was never off - it was always in his hands," she told CNN.

To this day, there are no leads in the case. No one in the family thinks the couple planned their disappearance and relocated to a different area to start a new life. At the time, they were parents to a teen and a toddler, respectively. According to their families, they would never just abandon their kids.

Mr Roselli, who now works in cybersecurity for an international company in Miami, says, "It stays with me. Like, 'What did I miss?' ... is constantly living rent-free in my head. But also because you want to see closure for the two families."

FBI's Philadelphia office says the matter remains a top priority. According to one of the statements, following the couple's disappearance, the FBI collaborated with law enforcement from other jurisdictions in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

They dispatched divers to investigate the Delaware River and other bodies of water between Philadelphia and Mount Laurel. Investigators followed leads in many states and examined financial, phone, and road toll data. They also looked into a flurry of theories, but nothing brought any fruitful results. 

Technology was less developed in the early 2000s than it is now, which limited the scope of the investigation. While forensic science has advanced much since then, in this instance, it hasn't had much of an impact, as there is no physical evidence.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in the case. 

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