New Delhi:&nbsp;Leading local language technology platform VerSe Innovation, the owner of DailyHunt and Josh, is all set to enter the world of Web 3.0 and enable local, vernacular content creators monetise in the realm of metaverse, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), Blockchain and more.﻿Umang Bedi, Co-founder, VerSe Innovation, told IANS on Monday that in the next couple of weeks, the company, which now has a valuation of $5 billion after raising $805 million last week, will make a very detailed announcement in the Web 3.0 space."With the Web 3.0 platform, we will further enable the creator ecosystem -- large, medium and small creators -- in India as another way to help them monetise. We are focused on helping creators make more money and help them grow across multiple genres," Bedi told IANS.The time, he stressed, has come for Indian companies to really be able to showcase and build globally relevant businesses."I think there's a huge opportunity now to compete and create a new market in Web 3.0. This is the endeavour we are seeking and yearning but, of course, we don't have the proof points yet," Bedi noted.Hopefully a year down the line, once the platforms are launched, "we'll be able to say where we are on the journey", he added.Giving a much-needed boost to the Indian startup growth story, VerSe Innovation last week announced it has raised $805 million from global investors, taking its valuation to $5 billion.VerSe Innovation, which owns popular short-video platform Josh and local language content platform Dailyhunt, has raised $1.5 billion in the past year.The investment will be focused on strengthening its leadership position as the largest, fastest growing local language AI driven content platform in the country.According to Bedi, they were the first ones to crack the code in the Indian vernacular language content market."Asia, Latin America, developed Europe -- these are all local language markets with local language characteristics. What we have built are successful local language based data science and machine learning models. We believe that there are definite synergies to export the local learnings and serve a large market," Bedi told IANS.VerSe plans on both deepening and broadening its AI/ML and data science capabilities to further cement its leadership position across all user, engagement and retention metrics, drive deeper monetisation including influencers, e-commerce and live streaming and forays into Web 3.0 experiences.It currently has a local language creator base of over 50 million creators as well as its local language content ecosystem which experiences over 80 billion video plays per month.With Web 3.0 platform, "you will have the ability to monetise your content and experiences in an efficient way", Bedi added."I think over time, you would extend those experiences to brands as well to connect with their audiences. And over time, brands will enter into a truly virtual metaverse experience," he added.VerSe is perhaps the only company in the Indian vernacular language space that has cracked the code of user growth, engagement and monetisation at scale.Josh currently has over 150 million MAUs (monthly active users) while Dailyhunt serves over 350 million users every month, offering content in 15 languages from a licensed creator ecosystem of over 100,000 content partners and individual content creators.Another app 'PublicVibe' from the company serves over 5 million monthly active users (MAUs) and 1 million daily active users (DAUs) and has over 6 million downloads on the Play Store.(Nishant Arora can be reached at nishant.a@ians.in)

 Leading local language technology platform VerSe Innovation, the owner of DailyHunt and Josh, is all set to enter the world of Web 3.0 and enable local, vernacular content creators monetise in the realm of metaverse, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), Blockchain and more.

DailyHunt, Josh parent VerSe set to enable Indian creators for Web 3.0

Cannes: "Squid Game" star and seasoned South Korean actor Lee Jung-jae has broken into the big league as a director with his debut film "Hunt", which premiered at the ongoing 75th Cannes Film Festival's Midnight Screenings section."Hunt", an action-packed spy thriller set in the early 1980s, revolves around two agents of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) who differ drastically in their approaches to the job of protecting the nation. The film, written and directed by Lee, also features the star in one of the two lead roles. The other protagonist is played by Lee's longtime friend and business partner Jung Woo-sung. Lee and Jung first worked together in 1999's "City of the Rising Sun". This is the "Squid Game" lead actor's second trip to the Cannes Film Festival. He was here in 2010 as the male lead of Im Sang-soo's "The Housemaid". The film competed for the Palme d'Or. Despite being set 40 years ago, "Hunt" has clear contemporary relevance. That, Lee insists, isn't a coincidence. The contemporary relevance of the story was, of course, in my mind when I wrote and directed Hunt, he says. When I bought the rights for the original screenplay, it had a different subject matter and spin, says the actor-turned-director. The character played by Jung was much smaller and the focus was solely on the role (of Park Pyong-ho) that I play, he says. I decided to work on it. In the times that we live in there is so much fake information going around and I wanted to weave that into the film. I retained the 1980s setting because that was a period in which not only Korea but also many other countries saw information being routinely manipulated by those in power. This, says Lee, happens now as well. So, we have to question ourselves: will we allow all the misinformation to shape our values? Once I decided what 'Hunt' will be about, I developed the parallel character of Kim Jung-do (played by Jung) as a person with his own values and convictions. He is a man with a strong will to right what he thinks is wrong. That is how 'Hunt' became a two-character story. Lee agrees that writing and directing a film while also acting in it is no cakewalk.Initially, I only wanted to produce 'Hunt'. I did not think about writing and directing it. I took on those responsibilities because I could not find the right director and scriptwriter. But once Lee had locked the scenario, he knew he had to wear the director's hat, too. I felt I was the best person to helm the project, but writing a screenplay takes a lot out of you. So, I am not confident that I will be writing and directing another one soon. About Park Pyong-ho, the character that he embodies on the screen in his directorial debut, Lee says: He is instigated to become a part of the spy ring operated by North Korea aimed at reunification. Pyong-ho's KCIA colleague Kim Jung-do, on the other hand, is loyal to the authoritarian regime. He is a soldier. He decides he has to suppress the enemies of the state in a very brutal way. It is apparent that both men are pawns in a larger game, explains Lee. To what extent has the international success of "Squid Game" changed his life?I wouldn't say my life has changed so much, says Lee. It is just that I am now known to a global audience. Career-wise, he is on an undeniably exciting new curve.I can now also work in overseas productions. Global projects are reaching me and they want me to be on board. I am open to these opportunities. Therefore, the principal change that has occurred is that I now have more projects to choose from, says the actor. He adds: I am looking forward to the future. I have been in this business for quite some time but this feels like an all-new start.Trying to put a finger on the increasing popularity of Korean films and web series, Lee says: I think it is all about the story. We have a lot of fun, novel and unique stories. That is why audiences are drawn to K-dramas and overseas producers are enthused to remake Korean content. Although the budget of "Hunt" was a fraction of that of a Hollywood espionage drama, it is the passion and flair with which it is made that lends it an appeal that is universal. Lee says he made "Hunt" even as he was shooting for "Squid Game".Asked if it was tough switching between two dissimilar characters in two dissimilar projects, the actor-director quips: Do not forget, I have 30 years' experience in this field.—PTI

 "Squid Game" star and seasoned South Korean actor Lee Jung-jae has broken into the big league as a director with his debut film "Hunt", which premiered at the ongoing 75th Cannes Film Festival's Midnight Screenings section.

Squid Game' star hunts down fresh glory in Cannes

Mumbai: Indian tennis player Ramkumar Ramanathan cherished his first ever main draw win at a Grand Slam as he combined with American Hunter Reese to beat the German team of Daniel Altmaier and Oscar Otte in the men's doubles event of the French Open, here on Wednesday.Ramkumar, who has made umpteen attempts to crack a singles main draw of a Grand Slam without success, and Reese beat their rivals 7-6(4) 6-3 in their opening round of the clay court major. The 27-year-old Indian had broken into the doubles top-100 early this year, following his maiden ATP Tour title win with compatriot Rohan Bopanna in Adelaide and at home in Pune, competing in the Tata Open Maharashtra.Rohan Bopanna and his Dutch partner Matwe Middelkoop had progressed to the second round with 6-4 6-1 win over local wild cards Sascha Gueymard Wayenburg and Luca Van Assche, on Tuesday.—PTI

Indian tennis player Ramkumar Ramanathan cherished his first ever main draw win at a Grand Slam as he combined with American Hunter Reese to beat the German team of Daniel Altmaier and Oscar Otte in the men's doubles event of the French Open, here on Wednesday.

Maiden grand slam win for India's Ramkumar at French Open

Washington: Two astrophysicists at the Center for Astrophysics Harvard &amp; Smithsonian have suggested a way to observe what could be the second-closest supermassive black hole to Earth: a behemoth 3 million times the mass of the Sun, hosted by the dwarf galaxy Leo I.
The supermassive black hole, labeled Leo I*, was first proposed by an independent team of astronomers in late 2021. The team noticed stars picking up speed as they approached the center of the galaxy -- evidence for a black hole but directly imaging emission from the black hole was not possible. Now, CfA astrophysicists Fabio Pacucci and Avi Loeb suggest a new way to verify the supermassive black hole's existence; their work is described in a study published today in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.
"Black holes are very elusive objects, and sometimes they enjoy playing hide-and-seek with us," says Fabio Pacucci, lead author of the ApJ Letters study. "Rays of light cannot escape their event horizons, but the environment around them can be extremely bright -- if enough material falls into their gravitational well. But if a black hole is not accreting mass, instead, it emits no light and becomes impossible to find with our telescopes."
This is the challenge with Leo I -- a dwarf galaxy so devoid of gas available to accrete that it is often described as a "fossil." So, shall we relinquish any hope of observing it? Perhaps not, the astronomers say.
"In our study, we suggested that a small amount of mass lost from stars wandering around the black hole could provide the accretion rate needed to observe it," Pacucci explains. "Old stars become very big and red -- we call them red giant stars. Red giants typically have strong winds that carry a fraction of their mass to the environment. The space around Leo I* seems to contain enough of these ancient stars to make it observable." "Observing Leo I* could be groundbreaking," says Avi Loeb, the co-author of the study. "It would be the second-closest supermassive black hole after the one at the center of our galaxy, with a very similar mass but hosted by a galaxy that is a thousand times less massive than the Milky Way. This fact challenges everything we know about how galaxies and their central supermassive black holes co-evolve. How did such an oversized baby end up being born from a slim parent?"
Decades of studies show that most massive galaxies host a supermassive black hole at their center, and the mass of the black hole is a tenth of a percent of the total mass of the spheroid of stars surrounding it.
"In the case of Leo I," Loeb continues, "we would expect a much smaller black hole. Instead, Leo I appears to contain a black hole a few million times the mass of the Sun, similar to that hosted by the Milky Way. This is exciting because science usually advances the most when the unexpected happens."
So, when can we expect an image of the black hole?
"We are not there yet," Pacucci says.
The team has obtained telescope time on the space-borne Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Very Large Array radio telescope in New Mexico and is currently analyzing the new data.
Pacucci says, "Leo I* is playing hide-and-seek, but it emits too much radiation to remain undetected for long." —ANI

Two astrophysicists at the Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian have suggested a way to observe what could be the second-closest supermassive black hole to Earth: a behemoth 3 million times the mass of the Sun, hosted by the dwarf galaxy Leo I.

Scientists Hunt For The Second-Closest Supermassive Black Hole

London: The British government said on Saturday that the United Kingdom and India have agreed to expeditiously arrange the next bilateral Economic and Financial Dialogue and to make additional progress on the existing discussions for a free trade agreement (FTA).
The UK Treasury Department reported that British Chancellor Jeremy Hunt met with his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman to discuss strengthening economic and financial ties after his visit to India for the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting, held under India's 2023 Presidency.
"Both sides agreed to make further progress on the UK-India Free Trade Agreement and enhance bilateral economic and financial links," the Treasury said in a statement after a meeting with Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.—Inputs from Agencies

The British government said on Saturday that the United Kingdom and India have agreed to expeditiously arrange the next bilateral Economic and Financial Dialogue and to make additional progress on the existing discussions for a free trade agreement (FTA).

India-UK finance ministers agree to advance FTA

New Delhi: Travelling is an experience - it's about the journey as much as it is about the destination. Packing your bags may be prompted by the destination, but the journey itself may excite you. What if we told you that you could travel locally and reach China and London by road from India?


Here is a list of possible international road excursions

<h2>Malaysia</h2>

Skyscrapers and riverside homes coexist in Malaysia, which effectively expresses the region's cultural spirit. In addition to that, they serve some of the greatest meals in the area, which is a wonderful treat after travelling such a long distance. However, you could have to pass through Tibet, which will cause issues with autonomous vehicle movement. To arrive in Kuala Lumpur, you will have to travel across two other countries - Myanmar and Thailand, for which valid travel documents are required.

<h2>Thailand</h2>

Even while it may be less expensive to fly, the recently opened motorway linking the two countries is nonetheless quite thrilling. Since Thailand has magnificent beaches, an unusual culture, and options for all types of travellers, it is well known as one of the easiest destinations to have a good time. The road to Bangkok, goes across the northeastern states of India and crosses Myanmar to arrive in Thailand. Many who have undertaken this roadtrip, suggest the following journey: head from Delhi to Imphal, cross Moreh, Kale, Bagan, Inle Lake, Yangon, Maesot, and arrive in Bangkok from Tak.

<h2>Nepal</h2>

At the end of your trek into Nepal, you'll find forests, some fairly nice alcohol, and some of the highest peaks in the world. Along the journey, you'll see some great sights, but if border patrols annoy you too much, just take the bus! A drive from New Delhi to Kathmandu will take you across two states in India through New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, and you enter Nepal through Sunauli Border and which will take approximately 2 days.

<h2>Bhutan</h2>

Bhutan's rich legacy, culture, and peculiarly lively atmosphere will persuade you to go there even if being the happiest nation in Asia isn't enough of a cause. This little nation in the Himalayas is remote (in all senses of the term), but doable. The route to Thimpu from New Delhi will take you across the states of Uttar Pradesh and Assam, from Guwahati, you will be able to move to the Bhutanese village Phuntsholing and then head to Thimpu and reach Bhutan in 3 days.

<h2>Sri Lanka</h2>

Take a drive to verdant Sri Lanka and take in the beaches, woods, and culture that have helped to shape the country into what it is today. Since locations are close to one another, you may squeeze in a lot of varied things in a short amount of time! A journey from New Delhi to Colombo will take you across the length of India, crossing 6 states - Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. In Tamil Nadu, you can take the Nagappattinam ferry to Colombo.

<h2>China</h2>

Although it would take a very long time and effort, it is technically conceivable to drive to China. The independent travel pass is difficult to obtain and takes a long time to be authorised. But if you do, please let us know! For arriving in China from New Delhi, one may take a route through Nepal via the Kodari-Zhangmu border and reach your destination in approximately 40 hours of journey.

<h2>Bangladesh</h2>

From some regions of India, you can practically see the border with Bangladesh. It has a rich history, magnificent waterways, and amiable citizens. To reach Dhaka, you will have to travel from New Delhi, across Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar, and cross the border at Sonamasjid Sulka checkpoint or Petrapole-Benapole border to arrive in Bangladesh. Once you enter Bangladesh, it will take an approximately 8-hour drive to arrive in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. IANS

International road trips you can plan from India

Bidar: A 55-year-old woman was hacked to death by her alcoholic son in Bidar district of Karnataka, police said on Wednesday. The incident took place at Chetty Galli in Bidar city and the deceased has been identified as Shakuntala Rajakumara Shindhe.
According to police, the accused Deepak had disappeared after the incident and a manhunt has been launched to nab him.
Deepak, a drunkard, used to quarrel with his mother everyday demanding money for liquor. On Tuesday, when he again demanded money, his mother refused, leading to a quarrel between the two.
In a fit of rage, the man attacked his mother with an axe and fled.
The relatives rushed the woman to a hospital where she succumbed to her injuries this morning.
Humnabad police have taken up the case for investigation.
—IANS

A 55-year-old woman was hacked to death by her alcoholic son in Bidar district of Karnataka, police said on Wednesday

Woman hacked to death by alcoholic son in K’taka

Surat: Surat Police have arrested seven Bangladeshi intruders and dismantled a network facilitating illegal border crossings into India.
The operation led to the arrest of the prime agent responsible for orchestrating the entry of three women and four men, among others, into India, charging them a hefty sum of Rs 90,000 per person, police said on Thursday.
The arrests were made on Wednesday.
Officials shared that the law enforcement authorities have seized counterfeit identity documents in connection with the case.
The main accused primarily employed this nefarious network to bring Bangladeshi women into India for prostitution, while also facilitating the entry of men seeking economic opportunities.
Police are currently on the hunt for one more suspect linked to the case, who hails from Ahmedabad and was involved in the production of illicit documents for Bangladeshi nationals.
The Special Operation Group (SOG) of the Surat Police received intelligence indicating that individuals were being illegally transported from Bangladesh into India, with some of them residing in the Palsana area of Surat.
Acting swiftly on this information, police apprehended three women and two men. Subsequent interrogations of these individuals led law enforcement to the key agent responsible for orchestrating these illegal infiltrations, identified as Ibrahim Raj Tobimar Sheikh.
Authorities arrested Sheikh in the Udhna area, specifically Choksi apartment. He had been responsible for arranging the unlawful border crossings through the Satkhira area in West Bengal.
During questioning, Ibrahim, also known as Raj, revealed his involvement in the trafficking of Bangladeshi women into India for purposes of prostitution. He hails from the Peroli village in Bangladesh and used to identify economically disadvantaged individuals and facilitate their entry into India.
Another accused in the case, Shahid Khan Mustufa Khan, based in Ahmedabad’s Nobalnagar area, played a crucial role in producing fraudulent identification documents for the intruders, falsely portraying them as Indian citizens.
However, Shahid Khan Mustufa Khan managed to evade arrest by Surat Police and is currently on the run, with authorities declaring him a wanted fugitive in connection with this case.
—IANS

Surat Police have arrested seven Bangladeshi intruders and dismantled a network facilitating illegal border crossings into India.

Surat Police arrest 7 Bangladeshi intruders, bust infiltration network

Patna: A youth was fired upon by his friends on the outskirts of Patna in Danapur city late on Wednesday night.
The victim, identified as Manish Kumar, (19), sustained a gunshot injury at 10 p.m. and was admitted to a private hospital in Danapur where his condition is said to be critical.
Rajesh Kumar, City SP west said, “Manish Kumar was involved in a quarrel with a friend Sanshu a few days ago. Manish Kumar had hit him on the head with bricks.
“Sanshu and his friends called Manish Kumar on the pretext of a negotiation to solve the issue. When Manish Kumar reached there, one of them shot him.”
The incident occurred at DAV School, Khagaul in Danapur and a passerby informed Khagaul police station and Manish Kumar’s family members.
Danapur police recovered one spent cartridge from the spot. The City SP said that the victim has identified the accused, who, are on the run. Police has launched a manhunt for them and will arrest them soon.
—IANS

A youth was fired upon by his friends on the outskirts of Patna in Danapur city late on Wednesday night.

Youth shot-at on Patna’s outskirts

Bhuntar (Himachal Pradesh): The Indian Air Force (IAF) evacuated a critical patient of the Indian Army in complete darkness in Himachal Pradesh's Bhuntar. The medical evacuation was carried out from a Mi-17 chopper of the force.
<div style="text-align:left;"><img src="https://thehawk.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/iaf%201.webp" alt="The Indian Air Force" style="height: auto;width: auto"/></div>
"iAF helicopters #savinglives. Undterred by lack of lights in the area, a #Mi17 of @hqwaciaf, using #NVGs (Night Vision Goggles), evacuated a critical patient of @adgpi from Bhuntar in #Himachal yesterday night", the official tweeted. Earlier this year, the Indian Coast Guard carried out a mid-sea medical evacuation of a critically ill crew member aboard a foreign vessel off the Kerala coast amidst extreme weather conditions, a defense statement said.
—ANI

The Indian Air Force (IAF) evacuated a critical patient of the Indian Army in complete darkness in Himachal Pradesh's Bhuntar.

Himachal: Air Force evacuates critical patient in complete darkness

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday filed a charge sheet against AAP MP Sanjay Singh in connection with the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case, officials said.
The prosecution complaint has been filed before a local court under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).  This is a supplementary charge sheet in this case as the agency had filed about five such complaints earlier.  Singh, a Rajya Sabha MP of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was arrested in this case by the ED in October.  The anti-money laundering agency had alleged that an accused businessman Dinesh Arora gave Rs 2 crore in cash at the Rajya Sabha MP's residence in two tranches.  Singh has rebutted the claim.
The AAP MP was arrested by the ED in connection with its money laundering probe linked to the 2021-22 Delhi Excise policy case and was the second high-profile leader after Manish Sisodia, a former deputy chief minister, to be held in this case.  The AAP that rules Delhi has called the arrests and the case a 'political witch-hunt'.  An investigation by the ED has revealed that Arora has given Rs 2 crore cash at Singh's house on two occasions -- Rs 1 crore each time -- the agency alleged in its remand application.  The period when the cash was allegedly given was between August 2021 and April 2022.
—PTI

The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday filed a charge sheet against AAP MP Sanjay Singh in connection with the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case

Delhi excise policy case: ED files charge sheet against Sanjay Singh

New Delhi [India]: A CCTV footage has surfaced in which Nitin Fauji and Rohit Rathore, the prime accused in the murder of Karni Sena chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi, are seen at Rewari railway station in Haryana on December 6, a day after they shot the latter dead at his residence in Jaipur. According to sources, from Rewari, they travelled to Hisar where they were joined by an accomplice, identified as Udham.
Udham was assigned to take them to Kullu in Himachal and arrange a place for them to lie low, sources added. As per their plan, they left for Kullu in Udham's car but later returned to Chandigarh after learning that the police were conducting searches for them, sources informed, adding that of their eventual arrest, they were at a liquor shop, consuming alcohol, and devising their plan of action. Earlier, on Sunday, the two assailants were brought to the Crime Branch office in the national capital. The Crime of Delhi Police, in a joint operation with Rajasthan Police, detained three persons, including the two absconding accused, from Chandigarh, in the early hours of Sunday. Earlier, on Saturday, December 9, Jaipur police arrested Ramveer Singh, a resident of Mahendragarh, Haryana, in connection with Gogamedi's killing.  Gogamedi was shot dead by three assailants, including Nitin Fauji and Rohit Rathod, at his residence at Shyam Nagar in Jaipur on December 5. A third assailant, Naveen Shekhawat, was killed at Gogamedi's residence during an exchange of fire with the police. One of Gogamedi's security guards was injured in the crossfire, according to the police. On November 9, Fauji and his associates opened fire on uniformed personnel at Mahendragarh Police Station Sadar and escaped.
—ANI

A CCTV footage has surfaced in which Nitin Fauji and Rohit Rathore, the prime accused in the murder of Karni Sena chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi

Fresh CCTV footage shows Gogamedi killers at Rewari rly station, day after shooting him dead

Los Angeles: 'Euphoria' became his breakout performance but Jacob Elordi says he blew up the audition for the series. The Sam Levinson-directed series, about a group of high schoolers and their struggle with love, drugs and fitting in, features Zendaya as Rue Bennett, Sydney Sweeney as Cassie Howard and Hunter Schafer as Jules Vaughn. Elordi played Nate Jacobs, a on the show.
Elordi, who currently stars as Elvis Presley in Sofia Coppola's 'Priscilla', told co-star Colman Domingo that he fudged his lines for the series during the audition.
"I was living in my car... for about a week or so" prior to the "Euphoria" audition, Elordi said.
"That was my last one before I was going home to kind of take a debrief. I went in and I fudged my lines. I was like, 'Does anybody know Jules, know who she is? Does anyone know Jules?' Completely blew it. And then Sam asked me back and then I read with him two or three times." Domingo, who plays the role of Ali Muhammed on the show, asked Elordi how he felt upon landing the role, to which Elordi simply replied, "euphoric."
—PTI

'Euphoria' became his breakout performance but Jacob Elordi says he blew up the audition for the series.

Jacob Elordi says he fudged his 'Euphoria' lines

Thane (Maharashtra) [India]: A man allegedly killed his wife and two children with a cricket bat in Maharashtra's Thane, police said on Thursday. According to police, the incident took place in Thane's Kasarvadavali village, and the accused, identified as Amit Dharmaveer Bagdi, is currently on the run.
Officials said that the accused was a habitual drinker, often leading to conflicts with his wife. Frustrated with Amit's behaviour, his wife, along with their children, left the house and took shelter at a relative's place.
Three days ago, the accused visited his wife and children and had been staying with them since then. On Thursday morning, their relative, Vikas Bagdi, who lived alone, left for his housekeeping job at 7 am.  Returning home around 11:30 am, Vikas found the mother and her two children dead. A wooden cricket bat was found near their bodies, prompting him to inform the police. Upon receiving the information, a police team reached the spot and sent the bodies for a post-mortem examination. Thane DCP Amar Jadhav said that a case has been registered against the accused, and efforts to trace and apprehend him are ongoing.
—ANI

A man allegedly killed his wife and two children with a cricket bat in Maharashtra's Thane, police said on Thursday.

Man kills wife, two children with cricket bat in Maharashtra's Thane; police launch manhunt

Shimla: The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, announced on Friday that Bhuntar Airport has successfully obtained forest clearance (FCA), marking a significant milestone for its expansion. The move is poised to accommodate larger aircraft.
"The airport will soon be widened, enabling bigger aircraft to land, thus increasing the footfall of tourists and facilitating the locals," CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said. Sukhu highlighted that the airport's expansion aligns with the regulatory standards set by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), ensuring additional safety measures.  The development is expected to play a pivotal role in boosting tourism activities in Kullu and Lahaul. "Direct flights linking Amritsar to Kullu were also operational and the expansion will further add to the increased influx of both domestic and international travellers to explore nature's splendour and the richness of culture and traditions besides the religious sites," the Chief Minister said. Emphasizing the economic significance of tourism, Sukhu stated that, along with the horticulture and hydropower sectors, tourism was the mainstay of the state's economy and thousands of families were associated with this key sector. Underscoring the government's commitment to promoting tourism, a substantial allocation of rupees three thousand crore has been earmarked for the sector. "The government was committed to widely promoting tourism and has allocated a substantial amount of rupees three thousand crore to the tourism sector. This government was making every possible endeavour to promote tourism and enhance the infrastructure for facilitating the tourists to offer them memorable experiences in Himachal Pradesh," CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said. Sukhu expressed the administration's dedication to fostering tourism, enhancing infrastructure, and providing memorable experiences for visitors in Himachal Pradesh. "We have set a target to attract over five crore tourists every year in the state, and efforts have been underway since the formation of the new government to achieve this goal," concluded the Chief Minister.
—ANI

Himachal Pradesh's Bhuntar Airport receives forest clearance for expansion, promising a tourism boost. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu highlights the economic importance of tourism.

Bhuntar Airport gets forest clearance for expansion: CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

Dubai: Latest pace sensation Shamar Joseph on Tuesday became the first West Indian to win the Men's ICC Player of the Month award for his heroics in the Australia Test series.
Ireland's explosive young batter Amy Hunter claimed the honour in the women's category after her dominance against Zimbabwe.  The ICC revealed the award winners for January on Tuesday after shortlists were announced last week.  Joseph enjoyed a stellar start to his West Indies career. Brought into the side for their Test series against Australia, the 24-year-old made an instant impact, removing Steve Smith with his first ball in international cricket.  His first outing in Test cricket saw him claim five wickets in the first innings in Adelaide, taking the prized wickets of Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green and Smith. However, it will be his efforts in the second Test in Brisbane which will long be remembered.
Defending a modest 216 to prevent an Australian victory in the second innings, Joseph grabbed 7/68 – four of which were bowled – to skittle the home side out eight runs short of the target.  The win saw the West Indies claim a historic 1-1 draw, with Joseph sealing the Player of the Series award for his impressive debut. This latest accolade means he is the first West Indian to win the men's award since its inception in January 2021.  Joseph, said, 'To get such an award on the world stage feels special. I totally enjoyed every moment of that experience playing for West Indies in Australia, especially the magic of the final day at the Gabba. Taking the wicket to win the match was a dream! 'It was a truly memorable moment for me, and I just want to continue to work hard and deliver more match-winning performances for the West Indies with the ball; and when required also with the bat.' Hunter is another of the young talents lighting up the international stage. After a subdued ODI rubber to start the month, Hunter followed up with an explosive series of knocks in the T20I series in Harare.  The first T20I match saw the 18-year-old wicketkeeper-batter smash a glittering 101 not out in just 66 balls from atop the order as the away side won by 57 runs.  Hunter hit a further 77 and 42 runs in the second and third outings respectively as Ireland comfortably secured the series win away from home.  Across her three T20Is during the month, her 220 runs came at an impressive strike rate of 144.73, helping her become the first Ireland player to win the award since Arlene Kelly won last August.  Hunter said, 'It's been an amazing start to the year, with two convincing series wins against Zimbabwe. I am pleased to have been able to contribute to the team's success and hope to continue to do so.' Joseph overcame other top performers in Tests during the month: England's Ollie Pope and Australia's Josh Hazlewood, while Hunter won ahead of top Australian duo of Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney.
—PTI

West Indies' Shamar Joseph and Ireland's Amy Hunter clinch ICC Player of the Month awards for stellar performances in Australia Test series and T20I series, respectively.

Shamar Joseph, Amy Hunter win ICC Player of the Month awards

Buldhana: Days after Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad claimed he had hunted a tiger in 1987 and has been wearing its tooth around his neck, the state Forest department on Saturday seized the accessory and booked him under the Wildlife Protection Act, an official said.
The purported tiger tooth has been sent for forensic identification and further action will be taken accordingly.
The legislator, who belongs to the Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, recently posted a video on social media claiming he had hunted a big cat.  Buldhana MLA Sanjay Gaikwad recently posted a video on social media claiming he had hunted a tiger in 1987 and has been wearing a tooth of the hunted animal around his neck, as per a release issued by the Deputy Conservator of Forest (Buldhana division) Saroj Gavas.  The forest department took cognisance of the video and seized the purported tiger tooth. A case has been registered against the MLA under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, said Buldhana Range Officer Abhijeet Thakre.
—PTI

MLA Sanjay Gaikwad faces legal scrutiny for allegedly hunting a tiger in 1987, with the forest department seizing a tiger tooth after a social media confession.

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