Akshita Kapoor

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: The verdict arrived like a long-awaited storm in Kotdwar’s courtroom, quiet but crushing. More than two years and eight months after a 19-year-old receptionist was murdered in cold blood, the gavel finally fell. Resort owner Pulkit Arya, along with Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, was sentenced to life imprisonment.For those who had followed the case, one that had stunned Uttarakhand and the nation, it was a grim vindication. The verdict, delivered by the additional district and sessions judge, came after a painstaking trial involving around 100 witnesses of which 47 were produced in court with their testimonies stretching over nearly three years.The charges were as damning as the headlines that once blazed across national media. The trio stood convicted under multiple sections of murder, destruction of evidence, criminal conspiracy, and sexual harassment. The court also found them […]

[ad_1] US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk addressed the media on Friday on the "terrific" South African-born billionaire's last day at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).Musk, who has served as the head of the DOGE since the start of Trump’s second term in January, has stepped down from his role in Washington.In the press conference, US President Trump hailed Musk and said, "My friend has done a fantastic job."Here are key quotes from the press conference:The presser kicked off with President Trump praising Musk, saying he had done an "excellent job."Trump then remarked, "Our government can be a bit unpleasant sometimes," to which Musk replied, "Yes, occasionally.""Today its about a man named Elon, one of the greatest innovaters the world has ever produced. He has worked tirelessly leading the most sweeping and consequential government reform programme in […]

[ad_1] KOTDWAR: The additional district and sessions court (ADJ Court) at Kotdwar delivered its verdict on Friday, finding all three accused— resort owner Pulkit Arya, his employee Saurabh Bhaskar, and associate Ankit Gupta—guilty of the murder of the 19-year-old receptionist working in the resort. Arya is the son of now-expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya, who was a minister of state in the Trivendra Singh Rawat government till 2021. The victim had been employed as a receptionist at the resort for about 20 days before she was killed, allegedly after sexual assault. Her murder set off protests throughout the state, prompting the state government to set up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the matter.The court sentenced the trio to life imprisonment under IPC sections 302 (murder), 201 (destruction of evidence) and the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act. Arya has also […]

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: Opener Phil Salt smashed a 23-ball fifty — his fastest in the Indian Premier League (IPL) — as Royal Challengers Bengaluru stormed into the final of the 2025 season with a dominant eight-wicket win over Punjab Kings in a lopsided Qualifier 1 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.RCB’s bowlers set up the emphatic victory, with Suyash Sharma and Josh Hazlewood picking up three wickets apiece to dismantle a star-studded PBKS batting line-up for just 101 runs in 14.1 overs. Salt then dazzled with a flurry of clean hits to finish unbeaten on 56 off 27 balls, steering RCB home with a staggering 10 overs to spare.With this win, RCB secured their fourth appearance in an IPL final, which will be played on June 3 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Punjab Kings, […]

[ad_1] Jasprit Bumrah (PTI Photo/R Senthilkumar) Indian cricket team's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has shared his thoughts on retirement during a conversation with Michael Clarke on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, indicating he will continue playing as long as his body and drive permit. At 31 years of age, Bumrah, who has transformed fast bowling in India, discussed his journey in international cricket and acknowledged the physical demands of playing across all formats. Bumrah's comments come at a time when Indian cricket is experiencing several high-profile retirements, including those of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin. Having already faced significant time away from the game due to back injuries, Bumrah is mindful of his career trajectory and physical limitations. In his nine-year international career, Bumrah has established himself among India's legendary fast bowlers, drawing comparisons with Kapil Dev, Javagal Srinath, […]

[ad_1] Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov (AP) Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday claimed that while India had joined the QUAD alliance, which includes the United States, Japan, and Australia, solely for trade purposes the countries within the group were already attempting to organize naval and other military exercises.“We spoke to our Indian friends back then and they told us that their interest in joining the QUAD is exclusively of trade of economic nature and cooperation in other peaceful areas,” he said. He pointed out that “in practice, other countries from the Quad are already trying, already insisting on organizing naval exercises and other military exercises not, not under the Quad edges.” Lavrov warned that these activities are part of a larger agenda to militarise the grouping, adding, “they try to involve all the four countries into these exercises. […]

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday had an emotional meeting with the family of Shubham Dwivedi, a 31-year-old businessman who was among those killed in the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, while visiting Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur.PM Modi, while meeting the Shubham's family at Kanpur Airport, offered his condolences and assured full government support.According to Shubham's wife, PM Modi told the family that the fight against terrorism is for a long haul and will continue."He (the Prime Minister) offered his condolences and said he stands with the entire family. He said it not just on his behalf, but on behalf of the entire nation. He came here to give his heartfelt condolences, and throughout the time he spoke with us, he kept saying that the entire country is standing with us. He was visibly emotional—you could see […]

[ad_1] India is actively engaging with manufacturers from the UK, France, and Japan to co-develop fighter jet engines, broadening its defense ties beyond the US as it faces mounting security challenges and looks to shore up its indigenous aerospace capabilities, a Bloomberg report said. Senior officials told Bloomberg that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will evaluate these proposals, with the aim to start the project swiftly.India Makes Big Announcement On Next Battle; 'Our Navy Will Strike Pak...': | Watch Full SpeechThe countries in talks-UK’s Rolls-Royce, France’s Safran, and an undisclosed Japanese partner-are all offering technology transfers and potential co-production arrangements, according to people familiar with the matter. Rolls-Royce offered to jointly produce and transfer technology to India during a visit by senior defense ministry officials to the UK in April, while Safran is reportedly open to sharing intellectual […]

[ad_1] In a significant move aimed at better utilizing the skills of temporary foreign workers already within the country, the Canadian government has introduced a new temporary public policy. This initiative that was signed on March 4, comes into force from May 27. It allows foreign nationals in Canada to change jobs more quickly, even before their new work permit application is fully processed.Previously, foreign workers seeking to switch employers or occupations often faced lengthy delays, sometimes several weeks, while awaiting a new work permit. This waiting period led to financial instability for workers and frustration for Canadian employers keen to fill urgent labour and skills gaps. Now, temporary foreign workers already in Canada, who have a job offer either through the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program or the International Mobility Program can begin their new roles more quicklyThe Canadian […]

[ad_1] Philadelphia Phillies fans really want to know if their favorite player, Bryce Harper, will play tonight against the Milwaukee Brewers. The game starts at 6:45 p.m. ET at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Harper got hurt a few days ago, and everyone’s wondering if he’ll be back for this important game. The Phillies are doing great this season, and Harper is a big part of that. Fans can watch the game on MLB Network, NBCS-PH, or FDSWI.Bryce Harper’s elbow injury: Latest updatesIn Tuesday's game against the Braves, Harper was hit with a blister-fast pitch on the right elbow. Hurting very much, he had to leave the game before it ended. The news was good: X-rays showed nothing broken inside the elbow area, greatly pleasing the team and its fans. Phillies manager Rob Thomson stated that Harper's elbow remained swollen […]