Akshita Kapoor

[ad_1] BHOPAL: An illegally constructed madrasa was voluntarily demolished by its operators in Panna district of Madhya Pradesh on Saturday, marking the first such action after the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 in Parliament.Administrative officials said they had issued notices to the operators following a complaint from BJP president VD Sharma from a local resident belonging to Muslim community.Officials said that the operator took action himself in the light of the newly passed legislation before local administration could initiate action to raze it.The madrasa had been operating illegally for the past 30 years in Panna's BD Colony. Despite multiple notices issued over the years, the operator failed to comply.However, after the Waqf Amendment Act enacted and warnings of strict enforcement were issued, the operator used a bulldozer to demolish the structure voluntarily.According to officials, the madrasa had been […]

[ad_1] Picture courtesy: X/John Kraus After a series of delays earlier in the week, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket finally lifted off from Kennedy Space Center’s Pad 39A at 8:53 pm on Saturday. The rocket was carrying 21 starlink satellites into orbit, with 13 of them equipped with direct to cell capabilities, which is designed to enhance mobile connectivity. While there was no official explanation for the delay, the liftoff was a thrilling sight for many viewers. Depending on their location, spectators watched as the rocket flew either over, under, or right in front of the full moon, which was visible in the eastern sky. It was a spectacular display for those in the Space Coast area, Florida. This particular launch marked the 10th flight for the Falcon 9's first-stage booster, which had already seen action in several previous missions, including […]

[ad_1] Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli (second left) with Rajasthan Royals' captain Sanju Samson, Head Coach Rahul Dravid and others during a practice session ahead of an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 T20 cricket match at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. (PTI) Adapting to a single home venue has been tough for some teams, but the Rajasthan Royals (RR) have a double challenge ahead. After starting their campaign in Guwahati, they are set to return to the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur nearly three weeks into IPL 2025, looking to recover from an uneven start. They’ll be facing the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) today (April 13) afternoon, who are in remarkable form on the road. RCB achieved notable away victories: defeating the Mumbai Indians (MI) at Wankhede for the first time in a decade, beating Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at […]

[ad_1] Shreyas Iyer yelled out at the umpire during the match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings in Hyderabad. (Image: Screenshot) Sunrisers Hyderabad secured an impressive eight-wicket victory against Punjab Kings in a high-scoring IPL match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Saturday. Abhishek Sharma's spectacular 141 off 55 balls helped Hyderabad chase down 246 runs, marking the second-highest successful chase in IPL history.The match saw Punjab Kings post a formidable total of 245 for six, powered by Shreyas Iyer's explosive 82 off 36 deliveries. However, their efforts were overshadowed by Sharma's masterclass, which included 10 sixes and 14 fours in his maiden IPL century.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!A notable incident occurred in the fifth over of Sunrisers' chase when Glenn Maxwell disagreed with a wide ball decision. Maxwell called for a […]

[ad_1] Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff hold high stakes talks The US is seeking a nuclear accord quickly, according to Iran's statement following exceptional discussions on Saturday, whilst US President Donald Trump warns of potential military intervention if negotiations fail.The discussions were led by Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, a veteran diplomat who helped craft the 2015 agreement, and Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff. These talks represent the highest-level nuclear negotiations between Iran and the US since the previous agreement's termination.Araghchi engaged briefly with Witkoff, a property developer, during the otherwise indirect meeting in Oman, and announced that talks would continue next Saturday. "The American side also said that a positive agreement was one that can be reached as soon as possible but that will not be easy and will require a willingness on both sides," Araghchi […]

[ad_1] Siddaramaiah (ANI file photo) NEW DELHI: The caste census report submitted to the Karnataka Cabinet has recommended increasing reservations for Backward Communities from the existing 32% to 51%, government sources told PTI on Saturday.The recommendation is based on the findings of the socio-economic and educational survey, also known as the caste census, which highlights that Backward Communities make up nearly 70% of the state's population.The report also proposes extending this 51% reservation to educational institutions in Karnataka. It draws comparisons with states like Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand, which currently provide 69% and 77% reservations respectively, in line with their backward class populations.According to the survey, the total population of Other Backward Castes (OBCs) stands at over 4.16 crore out of a surveyed population of approximately 5.98 crore. The report also places the Scheduled Caste population at over 1.09 crore […]

[ad_1] KOTA: Lok Sabha speaker and Kota-Bundi MP Om Birla fulfilled a heartfelt promise Friday by performing the Mayra ceremony at the wedding of Pulwama martyr CRPF soldier Hemraj’s daughter, Reena Meena (25), in Sangod village, Kota district. Birla, assuming the role of a brother to Hemraj’s widow Madhubala, provided support and honoured his pledge by participating in the wedding ceremonies.“As her maternal uncle, it was my duty to stand by my sister Madhubala on this important day,” said Birla, who has supported the family since Hemraj’s martyrdom in the 2019 Pulwama attack.In Hindu wedding ritual, Bhaat or Maira (pack of gifts) is traditionally offered by the brother from maternal side to his sister on her daughter’s wedding.Birla presented traditional wedding gifts, including an Odhani, in the Bhaat ritual, a custom where a maternal uncle offers blessings and presents to […]

[ad_1] Photo credit: X/@MartinHarrisOBE Amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, a warehouse belonging to an Indian pharmaceutical company was allegedly struck by a Russian missile in Ukraine on Saturday in what the Ukrainian embassy in India described as a "deliberate attack."Here's what we know so far about the incident: What happened?The Ukrainian embassy in India said on Saturday that a Russian missile had hit the warehouse of Kusum Healthcare, an Indian pharmaceutical company operating in Ukraine."Today, a Russian missile struck the warehouse of Indian pharmaceutical company Kusum in Ukraine," the Ukrainian embassy said in a post on X.In the same post, the embassy added: "While claiming 'special friendship' with India, Moscow deliberately targets Indian businesses -- destroying medicines meant for children and the elderly."So far, no additional details have been shared about the damage or casualties from the […]

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: Acknowledging that Tahawwur Hussain Rana was one of the first accused to be arrested in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, an NIA court stated that the agency has enough material reflecting a prima facie case and his potential role.Granting Rana's 18-day custody to NIA late Friday evening, additional sessions judge (NIA) Chander Jit Singh observed that his sustained custodial interrogation was required to unravel the deep-rooted conspiracy in the matter."There is enough material to say that allegations in the present matter pertain to the safety and security of the nation. The material produced on record reflects that the conspiracy in question travels beyond the geographical border of India, and multiple targets in the form of various places in multiple cities of India, including the national capital, were sought to be identified. Thus, to reach the root of […]

[ad_1] BEHRAMPORE/KOLKATA: Following violent protests in Murshidabad against the new waqf law, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Saturday appealed for peace, and asked people not to indulge in "irreligious behaviour in the name of religion", while insisting that the new amended waqf law would not be implemented in Bengal."We have clearly stated our position on this matter: we do not support this law. This law will not be implemented in our state. So why the riots," Banerjee tweeted after receiving reports on the Murshidabad situation."My sincere appeal to all people of all religions: please remain calm, remain restrained. Every human life is precious, do not incite riots for the sake of politics. Those who are inciting riots are harming society," she added, reminding everyone that the state had nothing to do with the new law. "We did not make […]