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BREAKING NEWS:Debate with me: Owaisi on Amit Shah's CAA challenge.The Union home minister had challenged Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Singh and others to hold a public debate with him on CAA..AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said he wants Amit Shah to discuss the Citizenship (Amendment) Act with him instead of others, after the Union home minister issued a challenge to several politicians such as Rahul Gandhi for a public debate on the contentious law.At a rally in Lucknow in support of the CAA on Tuesday, Shah had said the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) will not be withdrawn and those protesting can continue to do so even as he challenged Opposition leaders for a public debate on the amended legislation.Accusing the Opposition of "misleading" people on the amended citizenship law, Shah threw the challenge for the debate to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati.Addressing a rally in Karimnagar district on Tuesday night ahead of the municipal polls on January 25, Owaisi said, "I am here..debate with me.. why (debate) with these people.. 'Daadi wale se karo na' (Debate with a bearded man). We will talk and debate on CAA, NPR and NRC."The CAA allows citizenship for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, Parsis and Jains who entered India from three neighbouring countries before 2015 after facing religious persecution. Muslim migrants don't figure on this list.The AIMIM chief hit out at the BJP over renaming of places, while mentioning about the 'Halwa' ceremony ahead of the Union budget."BJP says it will change names. I want to ask from where did the word halwa originate? It is an Arabic word. It is neither Hindi nor Urdu (word). now remove the Arabic word.. They (BJP) say they will (continue to) change names. Inshallah people of the country will change you," the Hyderabad MP said adding "remember I am not halwa.. I am lal mirchi (red chilli)."Meanwhile, the AIMIM has requested the Telangana State Election Commission not to use face recognition app being used on pilot basis in the polls for urban local bodies, alleging that it would invade the privacy of the citizens, among other violations.
BREAKING NEWS:SC refuses to stay CAA, gives Centre 4 weeks to respondA 5-judge Constitution bench will hear the petitions..The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave the Centre four weeks to respond to pleas challenging the validity of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and said it will set up a five-judge Constitution bench to hear the petitions.While making it clear that it will not grant any stay on the CAA without hearing the Centre, a bench headed by Chief Justice S. A. Bobde restrained all high courts from hearing pleas on CAA till it decides the petitions.The bench said it will hear petitions pertaining to Assam and Tripura separately as the problem with CAA in these two states is different from rest of the country."The petitions concerning Assam and Tripura as well as matters related to Uttar Pradesh, which is going ahead with the implementation of CAA without framing any rules, can be dealt with separately," the court said.Attorney-general K. K. Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, told the bench that the government has been given copies of around 60 pleas out of the 143 petitions.He said it wanted time to respond to pleas which have not been served to it.Senior advocate Kapil Sibal urged the bench to put on hold operation of CAA and postpone exercise of the National Population Register (NPR) for the time being.The court said it will not grant any stay on CAA without hearing the Centre on the matter."Will pass order on granting any interim relief to petitioner opposing CAA after four weeks," the bench said.The CAA seeks to grant citizenship to migrants belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Jain and Parsi communities who came to the country from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan on or before December 31, 2014.President Ram Nath Kovind gave assent to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, on December 12 last year, turning it into an act.Several petitions have been filed challenging the constitutional validity of the CAA, including by RJD leader Manoj Jha, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi.Several other petitioners include Muslim body Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, All Assam Students Union (AASU), Peace Party, CPI, NGOs 'Rihai Manch' and Citizens Against Hate, advocate M L Sharma, and law students have also approached the apex court challenging the Act.
GOOD EVENING:Shah rules out rethink on citizenship act..The home minister described the protests as a conspiracy..The Narendra Modi government does not care about the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and will pay no heed to them, the home minister said on Tuesday.“I have come to proclaim this today from Lucknow’s soil that whoever wants to oppose can oppose it, the Citizenship Amendment Bill is not going to be taken back,” home minister Amit Shah told a rally at Ashiyana in south Lucknow on Tuesday.About 18km away, at Ghanta Ghar, a round-the-clock dharna led by women entered its fifth day.On Saturday night, police had snatched the women’s blankets, mattresses, biscuits and water. On Monday, they booked 125 of them for defying prohibitory orders. But around 5,000 women and children were at the vigil on Tuesday, one of many across India inspired by the Shaheen Bagh protest. A second sit-in in Lucknow started at Gomti Nagar on Monday night.Shah described the protests as a conspiracy of the Opposition and called upon the crowd of BJP workers to raise slogans so loud that they could be heard by the “deaf” anti-CAA protesters.He also challenged Opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee and Mayawati “to come for a debate on this subject. Our Swatantra Dev is ready for it”. Swatantra Dev Singh is the state president of the BJP.The women at Ghanta Ghar, 125 of whom were booked on Monday night for defying prohibitory orders that are in force in Lucknow, said on Tuesday that Shah should also be booked for violation of Section 144 that prohibits the assembly of five or more people. Thousands of BJP workers had gathered for Shah’s rally.“The police on Monday registered cases against 125 women for violating Section 144 because they gathered in large numbers at Lucknow’s Ghanta Ghar to protest against the CAA. But the same police were busy managing the traffic and regulating the crowd at Shah’s rally in Ashiyana. Can the home minister break the prohibitory orders? I think the law is the same for every Indian. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath was also there at Shah’s rally. He should also be brought to book,” said Sofiya Akhtar, a 30-year-old protester at Ghanta Ghar.Asma Siddiqui, a middle-aged woman who is on dharna in Gomti Nagar, said: “The policemen are reminding us after regular intervals that we would be booked for violating Section 144. When I asked them whether they had told the same to the home minister, they said they were acting on the orders of the state government.”When asked, a senior police officer said on condition of anonymity: “Although the prohibitory orders are in force in the city, old Lucknow is a sensitive area and so we don’t want women to gather there at Ghanta Ghar. New Lucknow, where Ashiyana falls, is peaceful.” The protests at Ghanta Ghar have been completely peaceful.Ajay Kumar Lallu, state president of the Congress, said: “The people of the state want to know in which police station they (the police) are going to file a case against Shah.”
GUWAHATI: 17-year-old Shivangi Sarma from Assam won her fifth gold at the Khelo India Youth Games 2020 on January 21.It is to be mentioned that Shivangi won 5 gold in individual events and 2 silver in team events.Earlier, Shivangi won a gold medal in the 200 m Freestyle swimming event in the ongoing Khelo India Youth Games on January 17.Maharashtra is leading the overall medal tally with total 204 medals including 63 gold and 62 silver medals on the twelfth day of the event. Haryana is following with 138 medals including 47 golds and 41 silvers.
GOOD MORNING..Supreme Court to hear pleas challenging the legality of Citizenship (Amendment) Act; Municipal polls in Telangana and panchayat polls in Rajasthan; PM Modi to chair meeting on project implementation; World Economic Forum annual meet at Davos; Greece to elect first woman president. 1. How powerful should the Speaker really be?A question: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked Parliament to rethink the power of the Speaker in deciding petitions seeking disqualification of lawmakers and suggested devising an independent mechanism to deal with such pleas since the Speaker also belongs to a political party (and may not always be impartial).The case: The suggestion came in a judgment by which the top court asked the Manipur Assembly Speaker to decide within four weeks the plea of a Congress leader seeking disqualification of BJP lawmaker and the state Forest Minister Th Shyamkumar. The BJP minister had won the assembly election on a Congress ticket and later joined the saffron party and became a minister.The role: A Speaker represents the House and is required to be impartial to uphold the traditions of parliamentary democracy. He also enjoys a unique position. A government may fall if a simple majority of members present in the House votes against it during a trust vote. But to remove a Speaker, the number of votes against him must be higher than half of the total strength of the House.The politics: Before being chosen to head the House, a Speaker is like any other MLA or MP who contested the election on a party ticket. Even after he leaves the post, he stands a chance to become a minister and therefore harbours political ambitions. Not the best scenarios for him to act in a non-partisan manner. The Constitution had entrusted the Speaker with the power to disqualify an MLA to maintain the sanctity and purity of the polity of the House. Instead, it has become a weapon to help the ruling party maintain its numbers when in crisis. So, there have been cases of MLAs being disqualified even after petitions for removal of the Speaker has been moved or even when the MLAs didn't officially leave the party or defy party directives (like in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand in 2016).Limits of power? In 1992, the Speaker of the Manipur assembly disqualified an MLA. The SC set it aside. The Speaker refused to obey the SC order and was summoned in contempt. Still, he refused to appear. While ordering the Union government to produce him before the SC, the court said, "no one in the country is above the law and governance is not of men but of rule of law."(2.) Is there strife after Dhoni?.The search for nailing Team India's wicketkeeping spot in white ball cricket, 'Endgame MS Dhoni' or not, may well take some time. Just think back when Dhoni announced his retirement from Test cricket in 2014. Since then, five players had been tried behind the wickets in the longest format, with Wriddhiman Saha currently top of the pecking order.Indian keepers in Tests (After Dhoni played his last Test on Dec. 30, 2014) Tests.In ODIs (and consequently in T20Is, perhaps) captain Virat Kohli conceded that the experiment with KL Rahul, who found recent success in the dual role of wicketkeeper and middle-order batsman in the home ODI series versus Australia, will continue for a while as it brings great balance to the Indian side. Which means comebacks into the playing XI for Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson may take a while. And then there's the likes of KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan waiting in the wings as well.Indian keepers in ODIs (After Dhoni played his last ODI on Jul. 10, 2019)ODIsIndian keepers in T20Is (After Dhoni played his last T20I on Feb. 27, 2019)T20IsAnd Team India's search for the gloveman could play out like the phase soon after Nayan Mongia's departure. The likes of MSK Prasad, Saba Karim, Vijay Dahiya, Sameer Dighe, Deep Dasgupta, Ajay Ratra, Rahul Dravid, Parthiv Patel and Dinesh Karthik were all given a go — India used five keepers in 16 months in the period — before Dhoni finally settled into the role. In fact, KL Rahul's current role is similar to that of Dravid's in the 2003 World Cup.Updates: India outclassed debutants Japan by 10 wickets in their second match of the ICC U-19 World Cup 2020 in Bloemfontein on Tuesday to all but secure a spot in the quarterfinals. Also, with Shikhar Dhawan ruled out of the upcoming New Zealand series due to injury, the BCCI named Sanju Samson and Prithvi Shaw as his replacement in the T20I and ODI squads, respectively.In ODIs (and consequently in T20Is, perhaps) captain Virat Kohli conceded that the experiment with KL Rahul, who found recent success in the dual role of wicketkeeper and middle-order batsman in the home ODI series versus Australia, will continue for a while as it brings great balance to the Indian side. Which means comebacks into the playing XI for Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson may take a while. And then there's the likes of KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan waiting in the wings as well.Indian keepers in ODIs (After Dhoni played his last ODI on Jul. 10, 2019)ODIsIndian keepers in T20Is (After Dhoni played his last T20I on Feb. 27, 2019)T20IsAnd Team India's search for the gloveman could play out like the phase soon after Nayan Mongia's departure. The likes of MSK Prasad, Saba Karim, Vijay Dahiya, Sameer Dighe, Deep Dasgupta, Ajay Ratra, Rahul Dravid, Parthiv Patel and Dinesh Karthik were all given a go — India used five keepers in 16 months in the period — before Dhoni finally settled into the role. In fact, KL Rahul's current role is similar to that of Dravid's in the 2003 World Cup.Updates: India outclassed debutants Japan by 10 wickets in their second match of the ICC U-19 World Cup 2020 in Bloemfontein on Tuesday to all but secure a spot in the quarterfinals. Also, with Shikhar Dhawan ruled out of the upcoming New Zealand series due to injury, the BCCI named Sanju Samson and Prithvi Shaw as his replacement in the T20I and ODI squads, respectively. 3. Does self-employment really pay in India?3. Does self-employment really pay in India?Better to be salaried: The World Employment and Social Outlook 2020 report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) damns the concept of self-employment in India, saying that the self employed in India earn just about 20% of what the average salaried worker earns. Of course, part of the reason why the self employed will earn less is because of the absence of employer contribution to social security such as provident fund or medical and health insurance.Peanuts & pakoras: More than two thirds of the people who can be classified under the category of the self-employed — including perhaps the pakora sellers — earn no more than Rs 7,500 per month. In fact, 2 out of every 5 self employed people earn up to Rs 5,000 per month.Self made paupers (3)Counting the self employed: While a majority — 60% — of India’s self-employed are farmers, there are also a high number of workers employed in the 'gig economy', such as drivers of cab aggregator companies like Ola and Uber, who are counted as self employed. They, in fact, are counted among the better earning self-employed with average earnings of Rs 10,000 per month. That's more than the average earnings of an Indian farmer, who earns less than Rs 9,000 per month. And let's not forget the humble pakora sellers, who average about Rs 6,000 a month in earnings — as per 'official' estimates. X-PLAINED4. Novel Coronavirus4. Novel CoronavirusEven as the Union Health Ministry has sounded an alert at international airports for thermal screening of passengers arriving from China for the novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) — also known as the Wuhan virus — the WHO is convening an Emergency Committee later today to discuss steps to contain its spread. So what’s 2019-nCoV and how can it be prevented?Name: Coronavirus is an umbrella term for viruses that cause illness ranging from common cold to diseases such as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).Transmission: According to the WHO, CoV are zoonotic — meaning they are transmitted from animals to humans, though the 2019-nCoV, suspected to have spread from consumption of seafood, is now starting to spread from human to human as well. This can happen when an uninfected person comes into contact with the secretions of an infected person — such as via sneezing, handshake or cough. In fact, several such CoV are present among animals which haven't yet infected humans. FYI: MERS was said to have spread from camels to humans while the needle of suspicion for SARS rests on civet cats.Symptoms: As per WHO, "common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death."Why is it 'novel': 2019-nCoV is a new strain of CoV, discovered in 2019 which is why it's written as 2019-nCoV. It's called novel since this strain has previously not been detected in humans. It was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China — which is why it's also called the Wuhan virus — and brought to WHO's notice on December 31, 2019 after cases of pneumonia caused by unknown reasons came to light.Is it fatal? Yes, unfortunately. So far, of the nearly 300 cases of the 2019-nCoV that have been detected — 291 in China, 2 in Thailand and 1 each in South Korea, Japan and now, even the US — there have been 6 deaths, all of them in China, including 2 on Tuesday. However, a report by the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College London puts the total number of infected people at 1,700.Is there a cure? Unfortunately, right now there's no known cure or vaccine for the 2019-nCoV or for the other CoV. This means that prevention is the best option to reduce the risk of infection — which includes avoiding contact with people who are sick as also avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth, in addition to frequently washing your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds. NEWS IN CLUES5. Who made his Bollywood debut in 1983 with 'Andha Kanoon'?Clue 1: In 1988, he made his only Hollywood appearance — in Bloodstone — where he played an English-speaking Indian taxi driver.Clue 2: He has been honoured with the Padma Bhushan (2000) and the Padma Vibhushan (2016) by the Government of India.Clue 3: Born in a Marathi Koli family, his father Ramoji Rao was a police constable.Scroll below for answer 6. Look who's coming for Republic Day this year6. Look who’s coming for Republic Day this yearSamba @ Rajpath: Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro will arrive on Friday for a four-day State visit, during which he will also preside over the 71st Republic Day celebrations as the Chief Guest, which he had agreed to last November when PM Narendra Modi had met him at the BRICS Summit. This, however, won't be the first time a Brazilian President will be gracing India's Republic Day — in 1996, then Brazilian President Fernando Cardoso was the chief guest while in 2004, Luiz Lula da Silva presided over as chief guest.Why Brazil: India and Brazil are members of several multilateral fora, such as BRICS, IBSA, G-20 and G-4, even though bilateral trade between them is relatively low, at $7 billion. Moreover, the invite to Bolsonaro came after he announced last year that Indians will be allowed visa-free travel to Brazil. The South American country's importance has also gone up due to the requirement of crude oil by India — especially after Venezuela, which was India's fourth largest supplier, came under US sanctions, along with Iran. India's crude oil imports from Brazil have been on the rise once again, after a drastic fall in 2015-16, when India imported $1.24 billion worth of crude oil — a decline of almost 51% from the $2.51 billion worth of crude oil imported in 2014-15. In 2018-19, India's crude oil imports from Brazil were close to $1.6 billion.Who's not happy: Well, for one, India’s sugarcane farmers who have taken exception to Brazil's stance against India at the WTO regarding the prices paid by the Centre to sugarcane farmers. Brazil, which is the world's largest sugarcane producer — India being the second largest — contends that India's support prices for its sugarcane farmers, as also its export subsidy, is far in excess of the permissible limits under the WTO. Then again, Bolsonaro's own reputation as a person with far-right views, including sexist and homophobic slurs, have led many to question the Indian government's decision to invite him as chief guest for India's grand military and cultural pageant. 7. Oh Maria, that's a hat-trick!7. Oh Maria, that’s a hat-trick!There are comeback queens and then there are returning ogres. Safe to say, most tennis fans perceive Maria Sharapova as the latter these days — an unwanted intruder. A doping ban can do that to even the most celebrated of athletes. The Russian though is ploughing ahead, determined to show the fire still burns in her, sans any unwanted fuel of course. Admittedly, things aren't going her way. On Tuesday, the five-time Grand Slam winner crashed out of a major in the first round for the third straight time, losing 6-3, 6-4 loss to 19th-seed Donna Vekic at the Australian Open. That's the first undignified hattrick in the 32-year-old's long career. The road ahead isn't clear either. "I don't know," Sharapova said, post-match. "I don't have a crystal ball to tell you if I can or if I will [play the number of tournaments I would like], but I would love to, yeah." Note: Sharapova served a 15-month ban beginning 2016 for taking the banned drug meldonium.On a high note, Rafael Nadal had little trouble moving past a Bolivian bump in the road, beating Hugo Dellien 6-2, 6-3, 6-0. Nadal, remember, is chasing a Federer-equalling 20th Grand Slam title here. In other noteworthy contests, Simona Halep survived a scare (and a few tumbles) to beat the American Jennifer Brady 7-6 (7/5), 6-1. 8. Norway brought home an ISIS wife, and its PM lost her majority8. Norway brought home an ISIS wife, and its PM lost her majorityA Norwegian-Pakistani woman who had travelled to Syria and got married twice there (bearing two children) returned to Norway on Saturday. The repatriation was carried out by the Norwegian government so that one of the woman's seriously ill children could be treated in Norway. Norway has not made the name of the 29-year-old woman public; she is reported to have grown up in Oslo. The woman and her children — a boy, 5, and a girl, 3 — were brought to Norway from a detention centre in Kurdish-controlled territory in Syria, and since then has been kept in surveillance in an Oslo hospital.The humanitarian gesture, however, has kicked off a political crisis in Norway, with an anti-immigrant party that is part of the ruling coalition withdrawing its support. Prime Minister Erna Solberg, though, has vowed to stay on as the head of a minority government. The ISIS wife, though, is not free to move in Norway; she has been charged with "participation in a terrorist organisation", reports the New York Times. PM Solberg said Norway had originally wanted to repatriate just the sick child, but could not separate him from his mother. She reiterated that the decision to bring home the family was “correct”.The issue of "ISIS brides" is not limited to Norway. Last year, the British government revoked the citizenship of Shamima Begum, a 19-year-old London girl who had left for Syria in 2015, after a heated debate over the right course of action. About 12,300 foreigners were detained in camps in Syria at the end of 2018, according to reports, including more than 8,700 children from more than 40 countries. 9. Move over 5G, 6G's got a 2030 date9. Move over 5G, 6G's got a 2030 dateAccording to a report by Nikkei, Japan is planning a comprehensive strategy for "post-5G" (6G) technology. Expected to roll out by 2030, it is believed that the new technology will be 10 times faster than the current 5G. Nikkei also claimed that China, South Korea, and Finland have also started research and development (R&D) and investment in this segment. But Japan, who have been surprisingly slow with the adoption of 5G technology, is hoping to make up with an early push toward 6G.The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan will set up a government-civilian research society in January. Additionally, people from NTT and Toshiba will also be invited to discuss 6G performance goals and policy support by June. The government will promote the development of 6G technology and will pump in $2.03 billion in R&D.In November 2019, the Chinese government had announced that it would establish two 6G R&D institutions. Finnish universities and government-affiliated institutions have also launched 6G R&D projects. In South Korea, Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics each set up research centres in 2019.6G networks will be able to use (unused) higher frequencies than 5G networks and provide substantially higher capacity and much lower latency (the amount of time a message takes to traverse a system). Also, the 6G technology market is expected to facilitate large improvements in the areas of imaging, presence technology, location awareness and AI. YOU SHARE YOUR B'DAY WITH...YOU SHARE YOUR B'DAY WITH...Source: Various BEFORE YOU GO10. Wheels of change in Iraq10. Wheels of change in IraqIraqi protesters and tuk-tuk drivers clash with riot police in Baghdad on Monday (AFP); Al Jazeera reports at least five demonstrators died after security forces opened fire in Baghdad, Karbala and Baqubah. Tuk-tuks have become a symbol of Iraq's anti-government protests as many drivers volunteer to bring protesters to Baghdad's Tahrir Square, if not participating themselves. There is also a newspaper named Tuktuk — its editor says it is "one of the few ways protesters on the street can get real, reliable reports of the unrest happening in the country". You can read our explainer on the months-long protests in Iraq here and more on those Bajaj tuk-tuks here. NICRajinikanth. Days after a Dravidian outfit — the Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam — demanded an apology from the actor-politician for his comments on a rally taken out by late social reformer Periyar EV Ramasamy decades ago, the southern superstar on Tuesday asserted that he will neither express regret nor tender an apology and maintained that his remark was factual. Showing clippings from magazines and newspapers, the top actor said the idols of Lord Ram and Sita were taken out without dress and the deities also featured a garland of sandals in a rally led by Periyar in 1971.
Open main menuWikipediaSearchMeghalayaLanguageDownload PDFWatchEditFor the geological stage, see Meghalayan.Meghalaya (UK: /meɪˈɡɑːləjə/,[3] US: /ˌmeɪɡəˈleɪə/)[4] is a hilly state in northeastern India. The name means "the abode of clouds" in Sanskrit. The population of Meghalaya as of 2016 is estimated to be 3,211,474.[5] Meghalaya covers an area of approximately 22,430 square kilometres, with a length to breadth ratio of about 3:1.[6]MeghalayaStateSohra, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Northeast India, holds the world record for most rain in a calendar month.Sohra, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Northeast India, holds the world record for most rain in a calendar month.Official seal of MeghalayaSealIN-ML.svgCoordinates (Shillong): 25.57°N 91.88°ECountry IndiaFormation21 January 1972†CapitalShillongLargest cityShillongDistricts11Government • GovernorTathagata Roy • Chief MinisterConrad Sangma (NPP) • LegislatureUnicameral (60 seats) • Parliamentary constituencyRajya Sabha 1 Lok Sabha 2 • High CourtMeghalaya High CourtArea • Total22,429 km2 (8,660 sq mi)Area rank23rdPopulation (2011 census) • Total2,964,007 • Rank23rd[1] • Density130/km2 (340/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+05:30 (IST)ISO 3166 codeIN-MLHDIIncrease 0.650 (medium)HDI rank26th (2017)Literacy75.84% (24th)[1]Official languageEnglish[2]Websitemeghalaya.gov.in† It received the status of a full-fledged State in 1971 by the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act 1971The state is bounded to the south by the Bangladeshi divisions of Mymensingh and Sylhet, to the west by the Bangladeshi division of Rangpur, and to the north and east by India's State of Assam. The capital of Meghalaya is Shillong. During the British rule of India, the British imperial authorities nicknamed it the "Scotland of the East".[7] Meghalaya was previously part of Assam, but on 21 January 1972, the districts of Khasi, Garo and Jaintia hills became the new state of Meghalaya. English is the official language of Meghalaya. Unlike many Indian states, Meghalaya has historically followed a matrilineal system where the lineage and inheritance are traced through women; the youngest daughter inherits all wealth and she also takes care of her parents.[7]The state is the wettest region of India, recording an average of 12,000 mm (470 in) of rain a year.[6] About 70% of the state is forested.[8] The Meghalaya subtropical forests ecoregion encompasses the state; its mountain forests are distinct from the lowland tropical forests to the north and south. The forests are notable for their biodiversity of mammals, birds, and plants.Meghalaya has predominantly an agrarian economy with a significant commercial forestry industry. The important crops are potatoes, rice, maize, pineapples, bananas, papayas, spices, etc. The service sector is made up of real estate and insurance companies. Meghalaya's gross state domestic product for 2012 was estimated at ₹16,173 crore (US$2.3 billion) in current prices.[9] The state is geologically rich in minerals, but it has no significant industries.[7] The state has about 1,170 km (730 mi) of national highways. It is also a major logistical center for trade with Bangladesh.[6]In July 2018, the International Commission on Stratigraphy divided the Holocene epoch into three,[10][11] with the late Holocene being called the Meghalayan stage/age,[12][13] since a speleothem in Mawmluh cave indicating a dramatic worldwide climate event around 2250 BC had been chosen as the boundary stratotype.[14]History EditAncient EditMeghalaya, along with the neighbouring Indian states, have been of archaeological interest. People have lived here since Neolithic era. Neolithic sites discovered so far are located in areas of high elevation such as in Khasi Hills, Garo Hills and neighbouring states. Here neolithic style jhum or shifting cultivation is practised even today. The highland plateaus fed by abundant rains provided safety from floods and a rich soil.[15] The importance of Meghalaya is its possible role in human history through domestication of rice. One of the competing theories for the origin of rice, is from Ian Glover, who states, "India is the center of greatest diversity of domesticated rice with over 20,000 identified species and Northeast India is the most favorable single area of the origin of domesticated rice."[16] The limited archaeology done in the hills of Meghalaya suggest human settlement since ancient times.[17]After the Conquest of Taraf in 1304, Shah Arifin Rafiuddin, a disciple of Shah Jalal, migrated and settled in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills where he preached Islam to the local people. His khanqah remains in Sarping/Laurergarh on the Bangladeshi border but the part containing his mazar is in Meghalaya on top of Laur Hill.[18]Modern history EditThe British discovery of Camellia sinensis in 1834 in Assam and later companies to renting land from 1839 onwards.[19]Meghalaya was formed by carving out two districts from the state of Assam: the United Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills, and the Garo Hills on 21 January 1972. Before attaining full statehood, Meghalaya was given semi-autonomous status in 1970.[20]The Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia tribes had their own kingdoms until they came under British administration in the 19th century. Later, the British incorporated Meghalaya into Assam in 1835.[7] The region enjoyed semi-independent status by virtue of a treaty relationship with the British Crown. When Bengal was partitioned on 16 October 1905 by Lord Curzon, Meghalaya became a part of the new province of Eastern Bengal and Assam. However, when the partition was reversed in 1912, Meghalaya became a part of the province of Assam. On 3 January 1921 in pursuance of Section 52A of the Government of India Act of 1919, the governor-general-in-council declared the areas now in Meghalaya, other than the Khasi states, as "backward tracts." Subsequently, the British administration enacted the Government of India Act of 1935, which regrouped the backward tracts into two categories: "excluded" and "partially excluded" areas.At the time of Indian independence in 1947, present-day Meghalaya constituted two districts of Assam and enjoyed limited autonomy within the state of Assam. A movement for a separate Hill State began in 1960.[20] The Assam Reorganisation (Meghalaya) Act of 1969 accorded an autonomous status to the state of Meghalaya. The Act came into effect on 2 April 1970, and an autonomous state of Meghalaya was born out of Assam. The autonomous state had a 37-member legislature in accordance with the Sixth Schedule to the Indian constitution.In 1971, the Parliament passed the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganization) Act, 1971, which conferred full statehood on the autonomous state of Meghalaya. Meghalaya attained statehood on 21 January 1972, with a Legislative Assembly of its own.[20]Geography EditLaitmawsiang landscape, wrapped in fog. Meghalaya is mountainous, and it is the rainiest state of India. The word Meghalaya means, "abode of the clouds".Meghalaya is one of the Seven Sister States of northeast India. The state of Meghalaya is mountainous, with stretches of valley and highland plateaus, and it is geologically rich. It consists mainly of Archean rock formations. These rock formations contain rich deposits of valuable minerals like coal, limestone, uranium and sillimanite.Meghalaya has many rivers. Most of these are rainfed and seasonal. The important rivers in the Garo Hills region are Ganol, Daring, Sanda, Bandra, Bugai, Dareng, Simsang, Nitai and the Bhupai. In the central and eastern sections of the plateau, the important rivers are Khri, Umtrew, Digaru, Umiam or Barapani, Kynshi (Jadukata), Umngi, Mawpa, Umiam Khwan, Umngot, Umkhen, Myntdu and Myntang. In the southern Khasi Hills region, these rivers have created deep gorges and several beautiful waterfalls.Farming on hilly terrain (tea plantation).The elevation of the plateau ranges between 150 m (490 ft) to 1,961 m (6,434 ft). The central part of the plateau comprising the Khasi Hills has the highest elevations, followed by the eastern section comprising the Jaintia Hills region. The highest point in Meghalaya is Shillong Peak, which is a prominent IAF station in the Khasi Hills overlooking the city of Shillong. It has an altitude of 1961 m. The Garo Hills region in the western section of the plateau is nearly plain. The highest point in the Garo Hills is Nokrek Peak with an altitude of 1515 m.Climate EditWith average annual rainfall as high as 12,000 mm (470 in) in some areas, Meghalaya is the wettest place on earth.[21] The western part of the plateau, comprising the Garo Hills region with lower elevations, experiences high temperatures for most of the year. The Shillong area, with the highest elevations, experiences generally low temperatures. The maximum temperature in this region rarely goes beyond 28 °C (82 °F),[22] whereas sub-zero winter temperatures are common.A sign board in CherrapunjiThe town of Sohra (Cherrapunji) in the Khasi Hills south of capital Shillong holds the world record for most rain in a calendar month, while the village of Mawsynram, near Sohra (Cherrapunji), holds the record for the most rain in a year.[23]Flora and fauna EditSee also: Meghalaya subtropical forestsMeghalaya's forests host 660 species of birds[24] and numerous species of other wildlife. Peacock pheasant (top) and hoolock gibbon (bottom) are found in Meghalaya.[25]About 70% of the state is forested, of which 9,496 km2 (3,666 sq mi) is dense primary subtropical forest.[8] The Meghalayan forests are considered to be among the richest botanical habitats of Asia. These forests receive abundant rainfall and support a vast variety of floral and faunal biodiversity. A small portion of the forest area in Meghalaya is under what are known as "sacred groves" (see Sacred groves of India). These are small pockets of an ancient forest that have been preserved by the communities for hundreds of years due to religious and cultural beliefs. These forests are reserved for religious rituals and generally remain protected from any exploitation. These sacred groves harbour many rare plant and animal species. The Nokrek Biosphere Reserve in the West Garo Hills and the Balphakram National Park in the South Garo Hills are considered to be the most biodiversity-rich sites in Meghalaya. In addition, Meghalaya has three wildlife sanctuaries. These are the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary, the Siju Sanctuary, and the Baghmara Sanctuary, which is also the home of the insect-eating pitcher plant Nepenthes khasiana also called "Me'mang Koksi" in local language.Due to diverse climatic and topographic conditions, Meghalaya forests support a vast floral diversity, including a large variety of parasites, epiphytes, succulent plants and shrubs. Two of the most important tree varieties are Shorea robusta (sal tree) and Tectona grandis (teak). Meghalaya is also the home to a large variety of fruits, vegetables, spices, and medicinal plants. Meghalaya is also famous for its large variety of orchids — nearly 325 of them. Of these, the largest variety is found in the Mawsmai, Mawmluh and Sohrarim forests in the Khasi hills.Nepenthes khasianaMeghalaya also has a large variety of mammals, birds, reptiles and insects.[26] The important mammal species include elephants, bear, red pandas,[27] civets, mongooses, weasels, rodents, gaur, wild buffalo,[28] deer, wild boar and a number of primates. Meghalaya also has a large variety of bats. The limestone caves in Meghalaya such as the Siju Cave are home to some of the nation's rarest bat species. The hoolock gibbon is found in all districts of Meghalaya.[29]Common reptiles in Meghalaya are lizards, crocodiles and tortoises. Meghalaya also has a number of snakes including the python, copperhead, green tree racer, Indian cobra, king cobra, coral snake and vipers.[30]Meghalaya's forests host 660 species of birds, many of which are endemic to Himalayan foothills, Tibet and Southeast Asia. Of the birds found in Meghalaya forests, 34 are on worldwide threatened species list and 9 are on the critically endangered list.[24] Prominent birds spotted in Meghalaya include those from the families of Phasianidae, Anatidae, Podicipedidae, Ciconiidae, Threskiornithidae, Ardeidae, Pelecanidae, Phalacrocoracidae, Anhingidae, Falconidae, Accipitridae, Otididae, Rallidae, Heliornithidae, Gruidae, Turnicidae, Burhinidae, Charadriidae, Glareolidae, Scolopacidae, Jacanidae, Columbidae, Psittacidae, Cuculidae, Strigidae, Caprimulgidae, Apodidae, Alcedinidae, Bucerotidae, Ramphastidae, Picidae, Campephagidae, Dicruridae, Corvidae, Hirundinidae, Cisticolidae, Pycnonotidae, Sylviidae, Timaliidae, Sittidae, Sturnidae, Turdidae, Nectariniidae and Muscicapidae.[24] Each of these families have many species. The great Indian hornbill is the largest bird in Meghalaya. Other regional birds found include the grey peacock pheasant, the large Indian parakeet, the common green pigeon and the blue jay.[31] Meghalaya is also home to over 250 species of butterflies, nearly a quarter of all butterfly species found in India.Demographics EditPopulation EditPopulation Growth CensusPop.%±1951606,000—1961769,00026.9%19711,012,00031.6%19811,336,00032.0%19911,775,00032.9%20012,319,00030.6%20112,964,00727.8%Source: Census of India[32]Ethnic groups 2011:[citation needed]Khasi: 34%Garo: 30.5%Jaintia: 18.5%Bengali: 8.5%Nepali: 2.5%Hajong: 1.2%Biate: 1.1%Koch: 1.0%Tiwa (Lalung): 0.9%Rabha: 0.8%Kuki: 0.5%Shaikh: 0.3%Other: 0.2%Tribal people make up the majority of Meghalaya's population. The Khasis are the largest group, followed by the Garos then the Jaintias. These were among those known to the British as "hill tribes." Other groups include the Hajongs, the Biates, the Koches and related Rajbongshis, the Boros, Dimasa, Kuki, Lakhar, Tiwa (Lalung), Karbi, Rabha and Nepali.Meghalaya recorded the highest decennial population growth of 27.82% among all the seven north-eastern states, as per the provisional report of census 2011. The population of Meghalaya as of 2011 has been estimated at 2,964,007 of which females comprise 1,492,668 and males 1,471,339. As per the census of India 2011, the sex ratio in the state was 986 females per 1,000 males which was far higher than the national average of 940. The urban female sex ratio of 985 was higher than the rural sex ratio of 972.[1]Religion EditLearn moreThis section needs additional citations for verification.Main article: Christianity in MeghalayaReligion in Meghalaya (2011)[33] Christianity (74.59%) Hinduism (11.52%) Islam (4.39%) Sikhism (0.10%) Buddhism (0.33%) Jainism (0.02%) Tribal religions (8.70%) Others (0.35%)Meghalaya is one of three states in India to have a Christian majority. About 75% of the population practices Christianity, with Presbyterians, Baptists and Catholics the more common denominations.[33] .The religion of the people in Meghalaya is closely related to their ethnicity. Close to 90% of the Garo tribe and nearly 80% of the Khasi are Christian, while more than 97% of the Hajong, 98.53% of the Koch, and 94.60% of the Rabha tribes are Hindu.[citation needed]Hindus are the largest religious minority in Meghalaya with 11.52% of the total state's population as of 2011 census[33]Hindus are concentrated mainly in West Garo Hills, East Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi with 19.11 percent, 17.55 percent and 11.96 percent respectively.The Nartiang Durga Temple in Meghalaya is a famous Hindu temple and it is one of the 51 Shakti peethas on Earth.[34]Muslims constitute 4.39% of the population[33] The Muslims are concentrated mainly in West Garo Hills with 16.60 percent.[35]Conversion from indigenous to Christianity began in the 19th century under the British era. In the 1830s, American Baptist Foreign Missionary Society had become active in Northeast to convert indigenous tribes to Christianity.[36] Later, they were offered to expand and reach into Cherrapunji Meghalaya, but they lacked the resources to do so and declined. Welsh Presbyterian Mission took the offer and they began work at the Cherrapunji mission field. By the early 1900s, other Protestant denominations of Christianity were active in Meghalaya. The outbreak of World Wars forced the preachers to return home to Europe and America. It is during this period that Catholicism took root in Meghalaya and neighbouring region. In the 20th century, Union Christian College started operations at Barapani, Shillong. Currently, Presbyterians and Catholics are two most common Christian denominations found in Meghalaya.[37]Languages EditLanguages of Meghalaya in 2011 [38] Khasi (33.82%) Garo (31.60%) Pnar (10.69%) Bengali (6.44%) Nepali (1.85%) War (1.73%) Hindi (1.62%) Hajong (1.40%) Assamese (1.34%) Others (9.51%)English is the official language of the state.[39] The most spoken languages in Meghalaya are Khasi (33.82%) and Garo (31.60%) followed by Pnar (10.69%), Bengali (6.44%), Nepali (1.85%), War (1.73%), Hindi (1.62%), Hajong (1.40%) and Assamese (1.34%).[38]Khasi (also spelled Khasia, Khassee, Cossyah, and Kyi) is a branch of the Mon–Khmer family of the Austroasiatic stock and according to 2001 census, Khasi is spoken by about 1,128,575 people residing in Meghalaya. Many words in the Khasi language have been borrowed from Indo-Aryan languages such as Assamese, Bengali and Nepali. Moreover, the Khasi language originally had no script of its own. The Khasi language is one of the very few surviving Mon–Khmer languages in India today.The Garo language has a close affinity with the Koch and Bodo languages, a small family of Tibeto-Burman languages. Garo, spoken by the majority of the population, is spoken in many dialects such as Abeng or Ambeng,[40] Atong, Akawe (or Awe), Matchi Dual, Chibok, Chisak Megam or Lyngngam, Ruga, Gara-Ganching and Matabeng.Pnar is spoken by many people of the both West and East Jaintia Hills. The language is related to the Khasi language. Apart from the main languages, various local dialect are being spoken by the War Jaintia (West Jaintia Hills), Maram and Lynngam (West Khasi Hills), War Pynursla (East Khasi Hills), Tiwa language by Tiwa peoples of Ri-Bhoi district. Another example is the Biate language spoken by many people inhabiting the south-eastern part of Meghalaya bordering Assam.Indo-Aryan languages like Assamese, Bengali, Nepali and Hindi are spoken by many people residing mostly in the East Khasi Hills district and the West Garo Hills district.English is spoken as a common language across the diverse ethnic and demographic groups. In urban centres most of the people can speak English; rural residents vary in their ability.Districts Education Government and politics EditMain articles: Government of Meghalaya and Meghalaya Legislative AssemblyMeghalaya's current Governor is Tathagata Roy.[44]State government EditThe Meghalaya Legislative Assembly has 60 members at present. Meghalaya has two representatives in the Lok Sabha, one each from Shillong and Tura. It also has one representative in the Rajya Sabha.Since the creation of the state the Gauhati High Court has jurisdiction in Meghalaya. A Circuit Bench of the Guwahati High Court has been functioning at Shillong since 1974. However recently in March 2013 the Meghalaya High Court was separated from the Gauhati High Court and now the state has its own High Court.Local self-government Edit To provide local self-governance machinery to the rural population of the country, provisions were made in the Constitution of India; accordingly, the Panchayati Raj institutions were set up. However, on account of the distinct customs and traditions prevailing in the northeast region, it was felt necessary to have a separate political and administrative structure in the region.[citation needed] Some of the tribal communities in the region had their own traditional political systems, and it was felt that Panchayati Raj institutions may come into conflict with these traditional systems. The Sixth Schedule was appended to the Constitution on the recommendations of a subcommittee formed under the leadership of Gopinath Bordoloi, and the constitution of Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) is provided in certain rural areas of the northeast including areas in Meghalaya. The ADCs in Meghalaya are the following:Khasi Hills Autonomous District CouncilGaro Hills Autonomous District CouncilJaintia Hills Autonomous District CouncilEconomy Urban areas Culture and society EditThe main tribes in Meghalaya are the Khasis, the Garos, and the Jaintias. Each tribe has its own culture, traditions, dress, and language.Social institutions Edit Khasi girlsThe majority of the population and the major tribal groups in Meghalaya follow a matrilineal system where lineage and inheritance are traced through women. The youngest daughter inherits all the property and she is the caretaker of aged parents and any unmarried siblings.[7] In some cases, such as when there is no daughter in the family or other reasons, the parents may nominate another girl such as a daughter in law as the heir of the house and all other property they may own.The Khasi and Jaintia tribesmen follow the traditional matrilineal norm, wherein the Khun Khatduh (or the youngest daughter) inherits all the property and responsibilities for the family. However, the male line, particularly the mother's brother, may indirectly control the ancestral property since he may be involved in important decisions relating to property including its sale and disposal. In case a family has no daughters, the Khasi and Jaintia (also called Syntengs) have the custom of ia rap iing, where the family adopts a girl from another family, perform religious ceremonies with the community, and she then becomes ka trai iing (head of the house).[57]In the Garo lineage system, the youngest daughter inherits the family property by default, unless another daughter is so named by the parents. She then becomes designated as nokna meaning 'for the house or home'. If there are no daughters, a chosen daughter-in-law (bohari) or an adopted child (deragata) comes to stay in the house and inherit the property.Meghalaya has one of the world's largest surviving matrilineal cultures.Meghalaya "Civil Society" EditMeghalaya's civil society considers the people of the state as a collective community that exists through civil society organizations (CSOs), and serves the general interests of the public [58] . These organizations include a wide spectrum of non-government organizations (NGOs), other community associations, and foundations. The current status of Meghalaya's civil society and the effectiveness of the many programs is debated by scholars.Civil Society Programs in Meghalaya: EditThere are currently over 181 NGOs within Meghalaya that vary from charities to volunteer services and social empowerment groups [59] [60]. Most civil society organizations are also ethnically affiliated as the interests of different groups are championed between each organization . This in turn causes them to become representatives of ethnic communities around the state since the same individuals from such communities also participate in corresponding organizations that protect their ethnic interests. Three student organizations that represent the major ethnic groups of Meghalaya: Khasi Students' Union (KSU), Jantia Students' Union (JSU), and Garo Students' Union (GSU) embody this example into their overall functions as CSOs by applying pressure to local government in order to ensure that certain rights are being met [58] .There also exists many forms of community associations that revolve around the idea of community building. This includes examples such as sports, religious, educational, and other clubs that aim to establish individuals into different social circles based on their interests [60] .Philanthropic foundations in Meghalaya's civil society strive for the overall well being of its citizens. The Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) has recently partnered with the government of Meghalaya to improve public health in many rural parts of the state by first strengthening the abilities of non-government organizations to perform such services [61].Civil Society: Current Status and Scholarly Debates EditScholars are divided on the effectiveness Meghalaya's civil society. Some argue for its important role in state development through CSOs, while others point out that their impact is not only limited from above by the central government and its military, but also from below by insurgent groups [62] .Concerns over national security, such as the unification of neighboring hostile countries and local insurgent groups for a possible attack on the Indian state, has served as the longstanding point of emphasis on how the Indian Central Government operates in the Northeast. Different administrative programs have been created to establish peace and stability in this region through economic development [63]. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) that was passed in 1958 by the Indian Government granted the Indian Army exclusive powers to maintain order in this area. Many insurgent organizations were also developed alongside cultural and political movements, making it very difficult to distinguish them from what constitutes a civil society [62] . These two factors have combined to enable CSOs to be easily deemed as insurgencies and grouped with other insurgent organizations that were banned by the government, thus restricting Meghalaya's civil society as a whole [62] [64].Traditional political institutions EditAll the three major ethnic tribal groups, namely, the Khasis, Jaintias and the Garos also have their own traditional political institutions that have existed for hundreds of years. These political institutions were fairly well developed and functioned at various tiers, such as the village level, clan level, and state level.[65]In the traditional political system of the Khasis, each clan had its own council known as the Dorbar Kur which was presided over by the clan headman. The council or the Dorbar managed the internal affairs of the clan. Similarly, every village had a local assembly known as the Dorbar Shnong, i.e. village Durbar or council, which was presided over by the village headman. The inter-village issues were dealt with through a political unit comprising adjacent Khasi Villages. The local political units were known as the raids, under by the supreme political authority is known as the Syiemship. The Syiemship was the congregation of several raids and was headed an elected chief known as the Syiem or Siem (the king).[65] The Siem ruled the Khasi state through an elected State Assembly, known as the Durbar Hima. The Siem also had his mantris (ministers) whose counsel he would use in exercising executive responsibilities. Taxes were called pynsuk, and tolls were called khrong, the latter being the primary source of state income. In the early 20th century, Raja Dakhor Singh was the Siem of Khymir.[65]Meghalayafestival[66] Localcalendar month Vediccalendar month Gregoriancalendar monthDen'bilsia Polgin Phalgun FebruaryA'siroka Chuet Chaitra MarchA' galmaka Pasak Vaisakha AprilMiamua Asal Asharha JuneRongchugala Bado Bhadra AugustAhaia Asin Ashwin SeptemberWangala Gate Kartika OctoberChristmas Posi Pausha DecemberThe Jaintias also had a three-tier political system somewhat similar to the Khasis, including the Raids and the Syiem.[67] The raids were headed by Dolois, who were responsible for performing the executive and ceremonial functions at the Raid level. At the lowest level were the village headmen. Each administrative tier had its own elected councils or durbars.In the traditional political system of the Garos a group of Garo villages comprised the A·king. The A·king functioned under the supervision of the Nokmas, which was perhaps the only political and administrative authority in the political institution of the Garos. The Nokma performed both judicial and legislative functions. The Nokmas also congregated to address inter-A·king issues. There were no well-organized councils or durbars among the Garos.[citation needed]Festivals Edit Dance of MeghalayaKhasisDance is central to the culture of Khasi life, and a part of the rites of passage. Dances are performed in Shnong (village), a Raid (group of villages), and a Hima (conglomeration of Raids). Some festivals includes Ka Shad Suk Mynsiem, Ka Pom-Blang Nongkrem, Ka-Shad Shyngwiang-Thangiap, Ka-Shad-Kynjoh Khaskain, Ka Bam Khana Shnong, Umsan Nongkharai, Shad Beh Sier.[66]JaintiasFestivals of the Jaintia Hills, like others, is integral to the culture of people of Jaintia Hills. It celebrates nature, balance and solidarity among its people. Festivals of Jaintias includes Behdienkhlam, Laho Dance, Sowing Ritual Ceremony.[66]GarosFor Garos, festivals sustain their cultural heritage. They were often dedicated to religious events, nature and seasons as well as community events such as stages of jhum cultivation. The main festivals of Garos are Den Bilsia, Wangala, Rongchu gala, Mi Amua, Mangona, Grengdik BaA, Jamang Sia, Ja Megapa, Sa Sat Ra Chaka, Ajeaor Ahaoea, Dore Rata Dance, Chambil Mesara, Do'KruSua, Saram Cha'A, A Se Mania or Tata which celebrated .[66]HajongsHajongs celebrate both traditional festivals and Hindu festivals. The entire plain belt of Garo Hills is inhabited by the Hajongs, they are an agrarian tribe. Major traditional festivals include Pusne', Biswe', Kati Gasa, Bastu Puje' and Chor Maga.BiatesThe Biates have many kinds of festivals; Nûlding Kût, Pamchar Kût, Lebang Kût, Favang Kût etc. for different occasion. However, unlike in the past, they no longer practise or observe those festivals except ‘Nûlding Kût.’ The Nûlding Kût ("renewal of life") festival is observed every January, with singing, dancing, and traditional games—after the Priest (Thiampu) pray to Chung Pathian to bless them in every sphere of life.Spirituality EditIn southern Meghalaya, located in Mawsynram, is the Mawjymbuin cave. Here a massive stalagmite has been shaped by nature into a Shivalinga. According to legend, from the 13th century, this Shivalinga (called Hatakeswarat) has existed in the Jaintia Hills under the reign of Ranee Singa.[68] Tens of thousands of the Jaintia tribe members participate over the Hindu festival of Shivratri (Night of Lord Shiva) every year.[69][70]Living Root Bridges Edit Double-Decker Living root bridge, Nongriat village.The practice of creating Living root bridges can be found in Meghalaya. Here, functional, living, architecture is created by slowly training the Aerial roots of the Ficus elastica tree. Examples of these structures can be found as far west as the valley east of Mawsynram,[71] and as far east as the East Jaintia Hills District,[72] meaning that they are made by both Khasis and Jaintias. Large numbers[73] of these man-made living structures exist in the mountainous terrain along the southern border of the Shillong Plateau, though as a cultural practice they are fading, with many individual examples having disappeared recently, either falling in landslides or floods or being replaced with more standard steel bridges.
Good morning!5 THINGS FIRSTIndian & Nepalese PMs to jointly inaugurate integrated check post; Annual World Economic Forum meet begins in Davos, Switzerland; US senate to begin impeachment trial against Trump; Supreme Court to hear cryptocurrency case; Foreign minister S Jaishankar to travel to Niger, Tunisia 1. Economic inequality's OUT OF CONTROL!!!1. Economic inequality's OUT OF CONTROL!!!The world's billionaires have doubled in the past decade and are richer than 60% of the global population. Repeat. In 2019, the world's billionaires — numbering 2,153 — had more wealth between them than 4.6 billion people. Narrowing it further: The world's richest 1% have more than twice as much wealth as 6.9 billion people. This according to Oxfam's annual report on global inequality released ahead of the annual World Economic Forum of political and business leaders in Davos, Switzerland.And while the wealth at the very top of the economic pyramid is already extreme, the world's broken economy concentrates more and more wealth into the hands of a very small group of people, predominantly men. Fact: Worldwide, men own 50% more wealth than women. Fasten your seatbelts, the gap's more astonishing than you think:The world's 22 richest men boast more wealth than all the women in Africa.If you saved $10,000 a day since the building of the pyramids in Egypt you would have one-fifth the average fortune of the world's five richest billionaires.If everyone were to sit on their wealth piled up in $100 bills, most of humanity would be sitting on the floor. A middle-class person in a rich country would be sitting at the height of a chair. The world's two richest men would be sitting in outer space.Taxing an additional 0.5% of the wealth of the richest 1% over the next 10 years is equal to investments needed to create 117 million jobs in education, health and elderly care and other sectors, and to close care deficits.The monetary value of women's unpaid care work globally for women aged 15 and over is at least $10.8 trillion annually — three times the size of the world's tech industry. In fact, unpaid care work prevents 42% of women from having a paid job versus 6% of men.In India, the richest 1% hold more than four times the wealth held by 953 million people who make up for the bottom 70% of the country's population. Add to this, the combined total wealth of 63 Indian billionaires is higher than the country's total 2018-19 Union Budget, which stood at Rs 24,42,200 crore! 'Garibi Hatao' redux?Also: The International Monetary Fund (IMF), while releasing an update to its World Economic Outlook (WEO) on Monday, lowered India's economic growth estimate for 2019 (read fiscal 2019-20) to 4.8%. It listed the country's much lower-than-expected GDP numbers as the single biggest drag on its global growth forecast for two years. FYI: In October, the IMF had pegged India economic growth at 6.1% for 2019. And according to the latest update, growth is projected to improve to 5.8% in 2020 and 6.5% in 2021 (1.2 and 0.9 percentage points lower, respectively, than October's WEO). 2. Why Malaysia doesn't want to "retaliate" against India2. Why Malaysia doesn’t want to "retaliate" against IndiaMalaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad tried to play the 'pity' card by saying that his country was too small to retaliate against India, after curbs on import of palm oil were introduced by New Delhi, ostensibly targeting Kuala Lumpur for criticising India over CAA and KashmirMuscle flexing: India has so far only targeted palm oil imports, officially to safeguard its domestic industry though the hardest hit will be Malaysia, since India is its biggest buyer — accounting for nearly a quarter of Malaysia's palm oil exports. However, palm oil constituted just 13.38% of total imports from Malaysia in 2018-19 — and it wasn't even the largest imported item. That honour belonged to mineral fuels and mineral oils — which explains why Mohamad doesn't want to rock the boat more than he already has.Oil & other spoilsNot a surprise: India's imports of Malyasian palm oil have been on the decline over the last 5 years — even as New Delhi's imports of palm oil from other countries such as Indonesia, which is not only the world's biggest palm oil producer but also has lower production costs, have accelerated over the last one year, doubling from a little over 3 lakh tonnes in January 2019 to more than 6 lakh tonnes in December 2019. Between 2014-15 and 2018-19, Malaysian palm oil imports have declined by almost 42.5% in value.Diminishing supplyFair warning? Tensions between the two countries had been brewing since some time and India had fired a warning shot last year when it jacked up tariffs on imported palm oil by 5% in September 2019. The balance of trade between New Delhi and Kuala Lumpur lies with the latter — with exports to India exceeding imports from India by more than $4 billion. Moreover, while India is the seventh biggest export market for Malaysia, it, in return, is India's 17th biggest export market — making it way down the pecking order of economic importance. 3. Does Andhra really need three capital cities?3. Does Andhra really need three capital cities?A bill: The YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government on Monday introduced a Bill in the Andhra Pradesh assembly to give shape to its plan of having three capitals for the state, with the executive capital in Visakhapatnam, legislative capital in Amaravati and judicial capital in Kurnool. States like Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh and the Union territory of J&K have two capitals each.The plan: The bulk of government offices including chief minister's office, Raj Bhavan and the secretariat will be shifted to Visakhapatnam. The high court will be moved to Kurnool. Amaravati will be the place for the state assembly to meet when in session. The government says the plan is for "equitable" development of the three regions of the state — north coast, south coast and Rayalaseema.Andhra 1The search: Andhra state has lost its capital city each time the state boundaries changed. Madras went to Tamil Nadu when Andhra state was carved out in 1953. The state lost Kurnool in 1956 after it was merged with Hyderabad state to form Andhra Pradesh. In 2014, the state once again lost its capital city — Hyderabad — when it was divided to create Telangana. Amaravati was to serve as the state's own capital to be built at a cost of Rs 33,000 crore.The politics: The ruling YSRCP and the state's main opposition party TDP are political rivals. The move to build a new capital at Amaravati was set in motion by the previous TDP government headed by Chandrababu Naidu. Both parties have also accused each other of "community" (caste) consideration on the choice of capital. While Amaravati is dominated by Naidu's community, Jagan's community is in the Vijayawada-Guntur region. Farmers who gave land for the capital (about 33,000 acres) are agitating at the derailing of Amaravati as the dream capital. The government has already spent Rs 5,500 crore on Amaravati (TDP says over Rs 10,000 crore) but after the controversy most of the outside funding for the mega project has been withdrawn.Read the full story here 4. All but one convicted in Muzaffarpur shelter home case4. All but one convicted in Muzaffarpur shelter home caseA Delhi court on Monday convicted 19 of the 20 accused, including Brajesh Thakur, in the Muzaffarpur shelter home abuse case. In 2018, a social audit by Tata Institute of Social Sciences revealed rampant sexual abuse in the shelter home, triggering a political storm and prompting the Nitish Kumar government to bring in the Central Bureau of Investigation. The 19, which includes nine women, were convicted of committing or abetting sexual assault on 44 minor girls. The sentence will be announced on January 28.The shelter home in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, was run by an NGO headed by Thakur, a local power-broker and promoter of a newspaper who contested in assembly elections in 1995 as a Bihar People's Party candidate and later in 2000 on a BSP ticket. The case was initially being tried in Patna. But in February, 2019, the Supreme Court transferred the trial to a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court in Saket, Delhi. The SC bench headed by the then Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had slammed the Bihar government for its management of 16 shelter homes in the state, as well as the CBI for transferring an officer who was probing the case. NEWS IN CLUES5. Name the first-ever working president of the BJPClue 1: Born in Patna, Bihar, he was convent-educated at the city's St Xavier's School.Clue 2: He first entered electoral politics during the 1993 Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls, winning from Bilaspur.Clue 3: In 2014, he succeeded Harsh Vardhan as Union Health & Family Welfare minister.Scroll below for answer 6. A day in the apex court6. A day in the apex courtThe 'secret' bonds: The Supreme Court on Monday sought response of the Centre and the Election Commission on a plea seeking stay on the electoral bond scheme meant for funding political parties. The top court, however, refused to grant an interim stay on the controversial instrument in which donor's identity is not revealed. The government has opened sale of electoral bonds for 10 days for the Delhi Assembly elections.Delayed houses: The apex court accepted the proposal of the Centre to take over the management control of embattled realty firm Unitech. The court gave two months to the new board of the company to prepare the resolution plan during which there will be a moratorium from any legal proceedings against the management.A rape convict: The SC rejected the petition of Pawan Gupta, one of the death row convicts in the 2012 Delhi gangrape case, in which he had claimed that he was a juvenile at the time of the offence. The court said that his birth certificate showed that he was 19 years old at the time of the crime. A juvenile involved in the crime was released earlier after being kept for three years in a reform home.Minority vs majority: The SC has sent notice to the Centre, National Minority Commission and Central Wakf Board on a petition alleging that the government was implementing schemes worth Rs 4,700 crore to benefit minority communities while denying the same to Hindu trusts and similar institutions of other religious denominations.A name change: The SC has sought response of the Uttar Pradesh government on a PIL filed by Allahabad Heritage Society challenging renaming of Allahabad to Prayagraj. The petitioner has said that the state can't change the names of railway stations, central universities etc as they are controlled by the Centre. 7. What's the deal in Libya?7. What’s the deal in Libya?A deal: Leaders of more than a dozen nations, including Russia's Vladimir Putin, Germany's Angela Merkel, France's Emmanuel Macron, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, signed an agreement in Berlin on Sunday to stop providing military support to Libya's warring factions. The agreement will now be presented to the UN Security Council for ratification.What's happening in Libya? The conflict in Libya has been festering since 2011 — post the downfall of Muammar Gaddafi — but has taken a particularly dangerous turn over the last two years, as major powers of the world sided with different factions in the country. Long story short, two governments are vying for control of the oil-rich nation. The Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, is recognised by the United Nations and supported by an array of militias. In the east, General Khalifa Haftar leads the Libyan National Army (LNA) and has been waging a war to takeover Tripoli.Who's who: The GNA led by al-Sarraj is recognised by the UN as well as the US, but it counts Turkey, Qatar and Italy as its closest allies. Militia groups aligned with Turkey, some of whom have cut their teeth in Syria, are on the ground protecting its territory. General Haftar is primarily backed by the UAE and Russia but also counts Saudi Arabia, Jordan and France among its supporters. Abu Dhabi's crown prince Mohammed bin Zayed is considered a key backer, setting up a secret air base in eastern Libya and carrying out drone and air strikes against GNA. Sidenote: A recent NYT profile of the crown prince here. This alignment has also meant, Libya has turned into a proxy war — UAE vs Qatar, West vs Russia, Turkey vs UAE, Islamist backing GNA vs anti-Islamist Haftar and so on.Beyond Libya: Besides these complex rivalries, Libya is vital for other reasons. Its geographic location in Maghreb (Northwest Africa) along the Mediterranean Sea makes it a pathway to migration to Europe; it's a major oil-producing nation; and its stability is key to trade along the sea. 8. A new decade, the same old #Gennext?8. A new decade, the same old #Gennext?Boys stay boys: The teen years of this millennium favoured men in their thirties — Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. Perhaps the new decade will bless those waiting in the sidelines? The opening day of the Australian Open though showed no signs of a change: One of the brightest young prospects in men's tennis blew his fuse on Monday. 20-year-old Denis Shapovalov of Canada, currently ranked world no.13, threw his racquet in frustration to earn a code violation en route to his 6-3, 7-6 (9/7), 6-1, 7-6 (7/3) loss to Hungary's Marton Fucsovics on Monday. Worse, rather than take the penalty as a wake-up call, Shapovalov hit out at the umpire. "I'm not breaking any rules," he shouted at the official. "It's my racquet, I can do whatever the hell I want with it. What are you talking about! I didn't break it."Girls are alright: Young women though have a good head on their shoulders. American teen Coco Gauff started with a repeat of her 2019 feat: a win over seven-time major winner Venus Williams. On Monday, the 15-year-old outclassed Williams 7-6 (5), 6-3 under the roof at Margaret Court Arena, following up on her memorable win over Williams in the 2019 Wimbledon. There was no such trouble for Serena Williams, however, chasing her 24th major; she dispatched Russia's Anastasia Potapova 6-0, 6-3 for her 350th win in Grand Slams.A royal putdown: Post-match, Serena Williams encountered a curious question. A reporter wanted her take on the royal drama over Prince Harry and Megan Markle, a friend of Williams. Williams, though, was not impressed. "But good try. You tried. You did good," came the reply. YOU SHARE YOUR B'DAY WITH...YOU SHARE YOUR B'DAY WITH...Source: Various 9. 'Parasite' infects Oscar race with SAG Awards top prize9. 'Parasite' infects Oscar race with SAG Awards top prizeParasite pulled off a historic win at the 26th Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards on Sunday by landing the night's top prize. The Korean language social satire about the wealth gap in South Korea became the first foreign language film to win Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture (think the SAG equivalent of a Best Film Academy Award) at a star-studded ceremony in Los Angeles. The win has now thrust the Bong Joon Ho-directed movie into Oscars contention.The second major showpiece in Hollywood's glittering awards season, which climaxes with the Academy Awards in two weeks' time, the SAG Awards honour both film and TV and are voted on by members of the main acting union. They are also seen as an indicator of Oscars glory, since actors represent the largest branch of the roughly 10,000 voters for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.Sunday's win though underlines Parasite's extraordinary popularity — it has grossed nearly $140 million globally. And it beat Bombshell, The Irishman, Jojo Rabbit and Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood. (One of its key awards season competitors, 1917, which has already won top honors at the Producers Guild Awards and the Golden Globe for Best Drama, was not up for an ensemble prize.)In contrast to the stunning victory for Parasite, the four Oscars acting favourites all cemented their frontrunner statuses by piling on further trophies. That's Joaquin Phoenix winning Best Actor for Joker, Renee Zellweger (Best Actress for Judy), Brad Pitt (Best Supporting Actor for Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood) and Laura Dern (Best Supporting Actress for Marriage Story). BEFORE YOU GO10. Badminton gives geese a breather10. Badminton gives geese a breatherThe Badminton World Federation (BWF) has finally approved synthetic feather shuttlecocks for international tournaments. The governing body said synthetic shuttlecocks made by Japanese sports equipment manufacturer Yonex, used at three BWF-sanctioned tournaments last year, has proven to be "more durable and economical compared to a traditional natural feathered shuttle, whilst at the same time providing a very similar flight and performance". The decision would please animal rights activists, for current badminton shuttlecocks are made from goose feathers. A professional shuttle consists of 16 feathers plucked from a live goose. There are some odd peculiarities, too: Only feathers from the left wing of a goose is used. Note: On average, a top-level match could go through at least two dozen shuttles. Over in Australia, the platypus — a duck-billed creature considered a missing link between earliest reptiles and mammals — is under stress due to prolonged drought, scientists say. Researchers from the University of New South Wales say: “We may have lost 40% of platypus numbers and that is only going to get worse with the impacts of climate change over the next fifty odd years” Answer To NEWS IN CLUESNICJagat Prakash Nadda. The 59-year-old was elected unopposed as the BJP national president on Monday after he emerged as the only leader in the fray following the nomination process in which his candidature was endorsed by top party leaders. Follow news that matters to you in real-time.Join 3 crore news enthusiasts. GET APPCompiled by: Judhajit Basu, Rakesh Rai, Sumil Sudhakaran, Tejeesh N.S. Behl Are you reading this in Gmail?To continue receiving updates from the Times of India, kindly move our emails to primary folder.Thanks for reading. 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On This Day JANUARY18Today's Historical EventsEVENTS336 St Mark elected Catholic Pope350 Roman Emperor Constans is deposed by General Magnentius who proclaims himself the new Emperor474 Leo II briefly becomes Byzantine emperorBattleBattle of Interest532 Nika uprising against Emperor Justinian I in Constantinople fails, 30,000 killed by troops loyal to the Emperor in the HippodromeEastern Roman Emperor Justinian IEastern Roman EmperorJustinian I1126 Emperor Huizong abdicates the Chinese throne in favour of his son Qinzong1307 German king Albrecht I makes his son Rudolf King of Bohemia1478 Grand Duke Ivan II of Moscow occupies Novgorod1520 Christian II of Denmark & Norway defeats Swedes at Lake AsundeVictory in battleNew Settlement1535 Francisco Pizarro founds the city of Lima in PeruSpanish Conquistador Francisco PizarroSpanish ConquistadorFrancisco Pizarro1562 The Council of Trent is reopened by Pope Pius IV for its third (and final) session1591 King Naresuan of Siam kills Crown Prince Minchit Sra of Burma in single combat, date is now observed as Royal Thai Armed Forces day1644 Perplexed Pilgrims in Boston reported America's 1st UFO sighting1650 French Prince Louis II of Condé captured1691 English King William III travels to The Hague1701 Frederick I and Sophie Charlotte of Hanover crowned king and queen of Prussia1733 1st polar bear exhibited in America in Boston1776 James Wright, Royal Governor of Georgia, is placed under house arrest by Major Joseph Habersham1777 San Jose in California foundedEvent of interestEvent of Interest1778 Captain James Cook stumbles over Sandwich Islands (Hawaiian Islands)Explorer James CookExplorerJames CookAppointmentAppointment of Interest1779 John Dickinson is appointed a delegate for Delaware to the Continental CongressFounding Father of the United States John DickinsonFounding Father of the United StatesJohn Dickinson1788 First elements of the First Fleet carrying 736 convicts from England to Australia arrives at Botany Bay to set up a penal colony1795 French admitted to Amsterdam without resistance1795 Governor and Viceroy Willem V flees Scheveningen to EnglandEvent of interestEvent of Interest1817 José de San Martín leads a revolutionary army over the Andes to attack Spanish royalists in ChileRevolutionary Leader José de San MartínRevolutionary LeaderJosé de San Martín1840 The Electro-Magnet, and Mechanics Intelligencer, 1st US electrical journal, appears1850 British blockade Piraeus, Greece, to enforce mercantile claims1854 Filibuster William Walker proclaims Republic of Sonora in NW Mexico1862 Confederate Territory of Arizona forms1865 Battle of Ft Moultrie, South Carolina1866 Wesley College is established in Melbourne1869 Elegant California Theater opens in San FranciscoThe German EmpireThe German Empire1871 Second German Empire proclaimed by Kaiser Wilhelm I and Otto von BismarckGerman Statesman Otto von BismarckGerman StatesmanOtto von Bismarck1884 General Charles Gordon departs London for Khartoum1884 Dr. William Price attempts to cremate the body of his infant son, Iesu Grist (Welsh for Jesus Christ) Price, setting a legal precedent for cremation in the United Kingdom1886 Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England1896 1st demonstration of an X-ray machine in US (NYC)1896 British troops occupy Kumasi, West Africa1896 First college basketball game with 5 players on each side is conducted by the University of Iowa; invites student athletes from University of Chicago for an experimental game; Chicago beats Iowa 15-121900 Jan Blockx's "Tÿl Uilenspiegel" premieres in Brussels1901 Pope Leo XIII publishes encyclical Graves De Communi Re1902 Despite reports that favor the US building a route through Nicaragua for a canal, a 'supplementary report' recommends the route through Panama1903 The first transatlantic radio transmission to originate in the United States is sent by a transmitter in Massachusetts1905 French government of Combes falls1908 Frederick Delius' "Brigg Fair" premieres in London1911 1st shipboard landing of a plane (Tanforan Park to USS Pennsylvania)1913 Turkish-Greek sea battle near Troy1915 Train crashes at Colima-Guadalajara Mexico, about 600 die1915 Japan issues the "Twenty-One Demands" to the Republic of China in a bid to increase its power in East Asia.1916 A 611 gram chondrite type meteorite stikes a house near the village of Baxter in Stone County, Missouri1919 Bentley Motors Limited is founded1919 The Paris peace conference (aka the Versailles peace conference) opens to draw up the treaties formally ending the Great War (WWI)Event of interestEvent of Interest1919 Composer and musician Ignacy Jan Paderewski becomes Polish Prime MinisterPianist, Composer and Polish Prime Minister Ignacy Jan PaderewskiPianist, Composer and Polish Prime MinisterIgnacy Jan Paderewski1921 William Archer's "Green Goddess" premieres in NYC1922 Irish author Liam O'Flaherty & others occupy Rotunda in Dublin1923 1st radio telegraph message from Netherlands to Dutch East Indies1929 "NY Daily Mirror" columnist Walter Winchell debuts on radio1930 -27°F (-33°C), Watts, Oklahoma (state record)Music releaseMusic Premiere1930 Dmitri Shostakovich's satirical opera "The Nose" premieres in LeningradComposer Dmitri ShostakovichComposerDmitri Shostakovich1933 White Sands National Monument in New Mexico established1934 Eugene O'Neill's "Days Without End" premieres in NYC1938 Pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander is elected to Baseball Hall of Fame1941 World War II: A counter-offensive is launched by the British against the Italians in East Africa1942 Nazis arrest Frans Goedhart & Wiardi BeckmanSoviet UnionSiege of Leningrad1943 Soviets announce they have broken the long siege of Leningrad by Nazi Germany by opening a narrow land corridor, though the siege would not be fully lifted until a year laterLearn More >>Two young girls help assemble Soviet submachine guns during the Siege of LeningradTwo young girls help assemble Soviet submachine guns during the Siege of Leningrad1943 US rations bread & metal - banning presliced bread reduce bakery demand for metal parts1944 1st Chinese naturalized US citizen since repeal of exclusion actsMusic concertMusic Concert1944 The Metropolitan Opera House in New York City hosts a jazz concert for the first time. The performers were Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Artie Shaw, Roy Eldridge and Jack Teagarden.Jazz Musician Louis ArmstrongJazz MusicianLouis Armstrong1945 Soviet Armed Forces enter Krakow, Poland and push Germans out, only to eventually occupy entire country1947 "Red Mill" closes at Ziegfeld Theater NYC after 831 performancesAgreementContract of Interest1947 Detroit Tigers sell Hank Greenberg to Pirates (for $25-35,000)Baseball Player Hank GreenbergBaseball PlayerHank Greenberg1947 Small river steamer sinks on Yangtze River, kills 4001948 1st courses begin at University of Ibadan, Nigeria1948 Ted Mack's "Original Amateur Hour" begins, DuMont (later NBC/ABC/CBS)1949 "They Stand Accused" courtroom drama premieres on CBS (later DuMont)1949 1st US Congressional standing committee headed by Negro (W Dawson)1950 Christopher Fry's "Venus Observed" premieres in London1950 Indians pitcher Bob Feller, after 15-14 season, takes $20,000 salary cut to $45,000, pay cut is Feller's own suggestion1951 1st use of lie detector in Netherlands1951 Hermann Flake sentenced to death due to "hate campaign against GDR"1951 NFL rules tackles, guards & centers ineligible for forward pass1951 NFL takes control of failing Baltimore Colts1951 1951 NFL Draft: Kyle Rote from SMU first pick by New York Giants1951 Mount Lamington in Papua New Guinea erupts, killing 2,942 people1954 Amintore Fanfani forms Italian government1955 Battle of Yijiangshan Islands between Chinese National Revolutionary Army and the People's Liberation ArmySport awardNBA All-Star Game1955 5th NBA All-Star Game, Madison Square Garden NYC: East beats West, 100-91; MVP: Bill Sharman, Boston Celtics, GNBA Guard Bill SharmanNBA GuardBill Sharman1956 German Democratic Republic (East Germany) forms own army (National People's Army)1957 3 B-52's set record for around-the-world flight, 45 hr 19 min1958 Willie O’Ree is the 1st African-American to appear in the NHL, making his debut for the Boston Bruins in a 3-0 victory in Montreal1960 US & Japan sign joint defense treaty1960 Capital Airlines Flight 20 crashes in Virginia, killing all 50 people on-board1961 Zanzibar's Afro-Shirazi party wins 1 seat by a single vote & parliament by a single seat1962 Southern University closed due to demonstrations1962 US begins spraying foliage in Vietnam to reveal Viet Cong guerrillas1962 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site1963 Reinier Paping wins Dutch 11-Cities Skating Race (10:59)Event of interestEvent of Interest1963 Al Davis becomes the head coach and general manager of the Oakland RaidersAmerican Football Coach and Executive Al DavisAmerican Football Coach and ExecutiveAl Davis1964 The Beatles make their first appearance on US Billboard Chart with single "I Want to Hold Your Hand" at #451964 Plans for World Trade Center announced (NYC)1965 H L de Vries appointed Dutch governor of Suriname1966 Robert C Weaver, confirmed as 1st black cabinet member (HUD)Sport awardNHL All-Star Game1967 20th NHL All-Star Game, Montreal Forum, Montreal, QC: Montreal Canadiens beat All-Stars, 3-0; MVP: Henri Richard, Montreal, CIce Hockey Great Henri RichardIce Hockey GreatHenri Richard1967 Albert DeSalvo (Boston Strangler) sentenced to life in prison1967 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site1968 "Happy Time" opens at Broadway Theater NYC for 286 performances1968 Hester & Appolinar's musical "Your Own Thing" premieres in NYC1968 USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR1969 Expanded 4 party Vietnam peace talks began in Paris1969 United Airlines Flight 266 crashes into Santa Monica Bay, killing all 38 people on-board1970 Hasse Borjes skates world record 500m in 38.9 secSport awardNFL Pro Bowl1970 20th NFL Pro Bowl, LA Memorial Coliseum: West beats East, 16-13; MVPs: Gale Sayers, Chicago Bears, HB; George Andrie, Dallas Cowboys, DENFL Running Back Gale SayersNFL Running BackGale Sayers1971 Ivan Koloff beats Bruno Sammartino in New York, to become WWF champ1971 Northern Ireland Prime Minister James Chichester-Clark meets British Home Secretary Reginald Maudling1972 Prime Minister of Northern Ireland Brian Faulkner bans all parades and marches in Northern Ireland until the end of the year1972 Garfield Todd, former Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia and his daughter Judith, supporters of black majority rule in the country, are arrestedSport awardNBA All-Star Game1972 22nd NBA All Star Game, The Forum, Inglewood, Ca: West beats East, 112-110: MVP: Jerry West, LA Lakers, G, hits a last-second, 20-foot game-winning jumperNBA Guard Jerry WestNBA GuardJerry West1973 Boston Red Sox sign Orlando Cepeda as 1st player signed as a DH1973 Islanders break 12 game losing streak, 20 game road winless streakEvent of interestEvent of Interest1973 John Cleese's final episode on "Monty Python's Flying Circus" on BBC TVActor, Comedian John CleeseActor, ComedianJohn CleeseComedian and Actor Michael PalinComedian and ActorMichael Palin1974 "$6 Million Man" starring Lee Majors premieres on ABC TV1974 Israel & Egypt sign weapons accord1975 "Jeffersons" spinoff from "All in the Family" premieres on CBS1976 Super Bowl X, Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, FL: Pittsburgh Steelers beat Dallas Cowboys, 21-17; MVP: Lynn Swann, Pittsburgh, WREvent of interestEvent of Interest1977 Pakistan cricket all-rounder Imran Khan takes 6 for 63 in the Australian 2nd innings for a match total of 12 to lead his side to an easy 8 wicket 3rd Test win in SydneyCricketer and Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran KhanCricketer and Prime Minister of PakistanImran Khan1977 Scientists identify a previously unknown bacterium as the cause of the mysterious Legionnaires' disease.1977 Australia's worst rail disaster occurs in Sydney, killing 83 people1978 Geoff Boycott captains England for the 1st time, v Pakistan at Karachi1978 Roof of 3-yr-old Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut collapses (no injuries)1978 Thiokol conducts 2nd test firing of space shuttle's SRB1979 Peter Jenkins finishes "A Walk Across America" at Florence, Oregon1980 Gold reaches $1,000 an ounceMusic release#1 in the Charts1980 Pink Floyd's album "The Wall" hits #1Rock Bassist and Vocalist Roger WatersRock Bassist and VocalistRoger WatersSinger-songwriter and Producer David GilmourSinger-songwriter and ProducerDavid Gilmour1980 Studio 54 owners Steve Rubell & Ian Schrager sentenced to 3½ years in prison for tax evasion & fined $20,0001981 Iran accepts US offer of $7.9 billion in frozen assets1981 Punk singer Wendy O. Williams arrested in Milwaukee for on-stage obscenity (later cleared)1981 Phil Smith and Phil Mayfield become the first two people to BASE jump from objects in all four categories (buildings, cliffs, bridges, antennae) after parachuting off a Houston skyscraperEvent of interestEvent of Interest1981 Swedish tennis star Björn Borg claims his second straight ATP Masters Grand Prix title with a 6–4, 6–2, 6–2 win over Ivan Lendl at Madison Square Garden, NYCTennis Player Björn BorgTennis PlayerBjörn BorgTennis Player and Eight-Time Major Champion Ivan LendlTennis Player and Eight-Time Major ChampionIvan LendlEvent of interestEvent of Interest1983 IOC restores Jim Thorpe's Olympic medals (Pentathlon & Decathlon victories) 70 years after they were taken from him for being paid $25 in semi-pro baseballVersatile Athlete Jim ThorpeVersatile AthleteJim Thorpe1983 Dick Motta becomes the 5th NBA coach to record 600 wins as his Dallas Mavericks defeat the Golden State Warriors, 112-102 in Oakland1984 80th Islander & 3rd dual hat trick (Carroll & Bossy) 9-1 win1985 US renounces jurisdiction of World Court despite previous promise1986 24th Space Shuttle (61-C) Mission-Columbia 7-returns to Earth1986 AIDS charity record "That's What Friends are For" hits #11986 NY Lotto pays $30.5 million to one winner (#s are 19-20-27-34-41-46)1987 3rd Soap Opera Digest Awards - Days of Our Lives wins1988 Airliner crashes in SW China, killing all 108 on board1989 Astronomers discover pulsar in remnants of Supernova 1987A (LMC)1989 IBM announces earnings up 10.4% in 19881989 West Indies beat Australia in a rain-affected 3rd final in Sydney to win cricket's World Series Cup Tri-Series, 2-1; match reduced to 18 overs1990 South Africa says it is reconsidering ban on African National Congress1990 Washington, D.C., Mayor Marion Barry arrested in drug enforcement sting1991 Iraq launches SCUD missiles against IsraelEvent of interestEvent of Interest1991 US acknowledges CIA and US Army paid Manuel Noriega $320,000 over his careerPanamanian General and Dictator Manuel NoriegaPanamanian General and DictatorManuel Noriega1991 WLAF's NY Knights become NY-NJ KnightsEvent of interestEvent of Interest1991 Longest tennis match at the Australian Open, Boris Becker beats Italy's Omar Camporese in 5 hours & 11 minsTennis Legend Boris BeckerTennis LegendBoris BeckerTennis Player Omar CamporeseTennis PlayerOmar Camporese1991 Eastern Air Lines goes out of business after 62 years, citing financial problems.Sport awardNHL All-Star Game1992 43rd NHL All-Star Game, Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA: Campbell beats Wales, 10-6; MVP: Brett Hull, St. Louis, RWNHL Legend Brett HullNHL LegendBrett HullFilm tv awardsGolden Globes1992 49th Golden Globes: Bugsy, Nick Nolte and Jodie Foster winActress Jodie FosterActressJodie Foster1992 Comedian Pat McCormick injured in a car accidentEvent of interestEvent of Interest1993 Martin Luther King Jr. holiday observed in all 50 states of the USA for 1st timeCivil Rights Activist Martin Luther King Jr.Civil Rights ActivistMartin Luther King Jr.1993 West Indies beat Australia 2-0 win cricket's World Series Cup1994 The Cando event, a possible bolide impact in Cando, Spain. Witnesses claim to have seen a fireball in the sky lasting for almost one minute.1995 Kumble takes 16-99 in match for Karnataka v KeralaBeatificationPapal Visit1995 Pope John Paul II begins visit to Australia264th Pope John Paul II264th PopeJohn Paul II1996 Baseball owners unanimously approve interleague play in 19971997 47th NHL All-Star Game, San Jose Arena, San Jose, CA: East beats West, 11-7; Mark Recchi, Montreal, RW1997 In north west Rwanda, Hutu militia members kill 3 Spanish aid workers, 3 soldiers and seriously wound one other.1997 Boerge Ousland of Norway becomes the first person to cross Antarctica alone and unaided1998 "Ragtime" opens at Ford Theater NYC1998 48th NHL All-Star Game, General Motors Place, Vancouver, BC: North America beats World, 8-7; MVP: Teemu Selanne, Anaheim, RW1998 ABL All-Star Game at Disney complex in Orlando1998 Boston Celtics retire Robert Parrish's #00Film tv awardsGolden Globes1998 55th Golden Globes: "Titanic", Peter Fonda, & Judi Dench winActress Judi DenchActressJudi DenchEvent of interestEvent of Interest1998 Larry Bird returns to Boston as head coach of the Indiana Pacers for the first time, as former Celtics center Robert Parish is honoured by having his No. 00 raised to the Fleet Center raftersNBA Legend Larry BirdNBA LegendLarry Bird2000 The Tagish Lake meteorite impacts the Earth.2001 New York's Mike Richter picks up his 267th career NHL win to become the winningest goaltender in team history; passes Ed Giacomin; Rangers beat the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs, 2-1 in overtime2002 Sierra Leone Civil War finally declared over.2003 A bushfire kills 4 people and destroys more than 500 homes in Canberra, Australia.2004 AFC Championship, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough: New England Patriots beat Indianapolis Colts, 24-142004 NFC Championship, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia: Carolina Panthers beat Philadelphia Eagles, 14-32005 The world's largest commercial jet, the Airbus A380, is unveiled in France2007 Hurricane Kyrill: kills at least 44 in Western Europe: strongest British storm in 17 years kills 14 people, worst German storm since 1999 with 13 deaths and causes container Ship MSC Napoli to be destroyed off coast of DevonUnited NationsUnited Nations2008 The United Nations announce George Clooney as a UN messenger of peaceActor George ClooneyActorGeorge Clooney2009 AFC Championship, Heinz Field, Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh Steelers beat Baltimore Ravens, 23-142009 NFC Championship, University of Phoenix Stadium: Arizona Cardinals beat Philadelphia Eagles, 32-252012 Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) blackout becomes the largest protest in the history of the internetAgreementContract of Interest2013 Former New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin is indicted on corruption charges stemming from post-Hurricane Katrina business contracts and bribesMayor of New Orleans Ray NaginMayor of New OrleansRay NaginEvent of interestEvent of Interest2013 Brandon Boyd announces his new band, Sons of the SeaMusician Brandon BoydMusicianBrandon BoydFilm tv awardsFilm Awards2014 20th Screen Actors Guild Awards: Matthew McConaughey and Cate Blanchett winActress Cate BlanchettActressCate BlanchettActor Matthew McConaugheyActorMatthew McConaughey2015 AB de Villiers makes the fastest century in ODI cricket history from 31 balls against the West Indies2015 AFC Championship, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough: New England Patriots beat Indianapolis Colts, 45-72015 NFC Championship, CenturyLink Field, Seattle: Seattle Seahawks beat Green Bay Packers, 28-22 (OT)2016 World's 62 richest people are now as wealthy as half the world's population according to a report published by OxfamHall of fameHall of Fame2017 Baseball Hall of Fame adds Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines and Ivan RodriguezMLB Outfielder Tim RainesMLB OutfielderTim Raines2017 NASA and NOAA announce that 2016 was the hottest year on record, surpassing the previous record set in 2015 which itself topped a record set in 20142018 First drone rescue of swimmers by lifeguards in New South Wales, Australia2018 Brazilian surfer Maya Gabeira rides the largest-ever wave by a female surfer at 20.72 m (68 ft) at Praia do Norte in Nazaréin, PortugalShare Share17 JanJan 19Articles on Events in JanuaryBritish Museum Opens its DoorsBritish Museum Opens its DoorsThe British Museum opened to visitors on January 15, 1759. Fearing damage to the collections by unruly hordes, nobody was admitted without a ticket.January 15, 1759 Designer Throws His Hat Into the Ring; Creates a SensationDesigner Throws His Hat Into the Ring; Creates a SensationThe first time a man stepped out in London wearing a topper it caused a sensation, then a court case. Who now could imagine Fred Astaire without his famous top hat?January 15, 1797 Squaring Up for Radio CommentarySquaring Up for Radio CommentaryThis was the day when the BBC broadcast live sports commentary for the first time and introduced a novel way of involving listeners in the action.January 15, 1927 War Victim Goes to Bottom of the PileWar Victim Goes to Bottom of the PileOne of the first to die in World War I fell not in the trenches of France but in a leafy lane in rural England. So should he be ranked alongside battle heroes?January 19, 1915Search the world's largest, most accurate site for today in history.Enter Date, Event or PersonAll
IMPORTANT NEWS OF THE DAY..Today: Union ministers to visit J&K after Article 370 abrogation; Behmai massacre case verdict likely; Chinese President Xi Jinping meets Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar. Tomorrow: India vs Australia, 3rd ODI, Bengaluru; India vs Sri Lanka, U-19 World Cup, Bloemfontein.1. Hanging Nirbhaya's killers: New date, old concerns1. Hanging Nirbhaya’s killers: New date, old concernsINVITE A FRIEND VIEW IN BROWSERSATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 2020Times Top10Good morning!5 THINGS FIRSTToday: Union ministers to visit J&K after Article 370 abrogation; Behmai massacre case verdict likely; Chinese President Xi Jinping meets Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar. Tomorrow: India vs Australia, 3rd ODI, Bengaluru; India vs Sri Lanka, U-19 World Cup, Bloemfontein 1. Hanging Nirbhaya's killers: New date, old concerns1. Hanging Nirbhaya’s killers: New date, old concernsOn Friday, fresh death warrants were issued by a Delhi court for the execution of the four convicts in the Nirbhaya case, shortly after President Ram Nath Kovind quickly rejected the mercy petition of one of them. The new date and time: Saturday, February 1 at 6:00 am IST. This after Additional Sessions Judge Satish Kumar Arora heard the plea by one of the convicts — Mukesh Kumar Singh — for postponing the date of his execution scheduled for January 22, 7:00 am in view of the pendency of his mercy petition.However, Judge Arora also expressed displeasure over the delay while hearing the plea. He pointed out that all four convicts were given ample time to file mercy pleas but only one of them preferred to do so. "There might be delaying tactics. For how long will this go on? Had death warrant not been issued, the convicts would not have initiated using their legal remedies," the court remarked.Besides Mukesh (32), Vinay Sharma (26), Akshay Kumar Singh (31) and Pawan Gupta (25) were to be hanged. Judge Arora issued death warrants against them on January 7. The curative petitions of Mukesh and Vinay have already been dismissed by the Supreme Court, while Akshay and Pawan have not filed any curative petitions yet. Also, the two men and Vinay have the option of filing mercy petitions before the President. Pawan, meanwhile, moved the Supreme Court, against the Delhi High Court verdict rejecting his juvenility claim at the time of offence.Also, during the hearing, AP Singh, counsel for Vinay, Akshay and Pawan, raised a fresh issue, claiming the four convicts cannot be executed until their appeal in a separate robbery case pending before the Delhi high court is disposed of. A 2015 Delhi court order held the four death row convicts guilty of robbing a carpenter named Ram Adhar hours before they committed the gangrape. The court had convicted them under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and had sentenced them to 10 years' imprisonment against which they filed an appeal in the HC which is still pending.Even as a political slugfest between the BJP and AAP ensued over the postponement, Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal believed the four convicts were exploiting the "shortcomings" in the system to delay their execution. Advocating a system where executions are not postponed like this, she tweeted, "It is a mockery of law that the convicts are filing mercy petitions one by one." 2. Why Bihar and Biharis are crucial for BJP this year2. Why Bihar and Biharis are crucial for BJP this yearTwo important states go to polls this year — Delhi and Bihar — and for the BJP, both are extremely important as the saffron party seeks to assert its regional relevance.State's man's ship: Outgoing BJP chief and Union Home Minister Amit Shah's assertion that the Bihar assembly polls which are due later this year will be fought jointly with its state ally JD (U) under the leadership of CM Nitish Kumar is probably an indicator that the national party has swallowed its ego after a string of electoral reverses in states, which started with it being ousted from power in 2018 in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. Things didn't improve much even after the majority mandate in the parliamentary elections last year, with BJP losing power in Jharkhand and Maharashtra assembly polls in 2019 — with the latter seeing a much publicised fallout with its oldest ally, Shiv Sena, which wanted the CM's post.Importance of Bihar: A lack of majority in the Rajya Sabha for the BJP-led NDA means that winning Bihar is imperative for it — considering that 5 Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar are up for grabs this year and another 5 in 2022. The split with the Shiv Sena means that the BJP no longer has the support of its 3 MPs in the Rajya Sabha.Importance of being Bihari: Delhi, where the BJP has been out of power for more than two decades now, has a high concentration of Bihari migrants, who constitute 31% of Delhi’s population, up from 14% in 2001. The largest chunk of Biharis — 18.3% — migrate to Delhi and 40% of them are concentrated in just two districts, North West and West. That explains why the BJP is not only planning to allocate seats to the JD (U) in the Delhi polls but gave the reins of its Delhi unit to Mukesh Tiwari, a Bhojpuri actor, to tap into not just the Bihari votes but also Purvanchali votes — Purvanchalis being people from Jharkhand, Bihar and eatsern UP. In fact, not to be left out, even the Congress and its Bihar state ally, RJD, are in talks for a tie-up for the Delhi assembly polls. 3. The telecom turmoil3. The telecom turmoilLet's start with the good news, shall we? Shares of Bharti Airtel touched a 52-week high on Friday. The stock has been climbing since late October. Then, Reliance Jio added 5.6 million subscribers in November to become the largest telecom operator in India, with a total user base of 369.93 million.Yet, neither signal good times. Quite the opposite, in fact. Here's the gist of it. The launch of Reliance Jio and its nearly-free "introductory offer" three years back triggered a price war as the incumbent telecom companies — majorly Airtel, Vodafone and Idea — scampered to stop the loss of subscribers. Cue a decline in profits and an uptick in unpaid dues. Many small telecom operators fell by the wayside and some merged — such as Vodafone and Idea. From a high of 7 to 8 operators, the industry is down to 3 private players and one state-run firm nationwide. In November, Airtel and Vodafone Idea reported a combined loss of over Rs 74,000 crore, or over $10 billion, for the July-September quarter. Each had a net debt of over Rs 1 lakh crore. And Jio? Its profits rose to Rs 990 crore the same quarter. On Friday, Jio reported its December-quarter earnings: Net profit rose to Rs 1,350 crore.There's more. Telecom companies pay the Indian government spectrum charges and licence fees to operate. These fees are based on the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) they make. Here's where things get messy. The Department of Telecom (DoT) argued the AGR should include core revenue from telecom operations — you know, earnings from tariff and such — as well as non-core revenues from rent, dividend and interest. On October 24, the Supreme Court backed DoT's definition. Airtel has to pay around Rs 35,000 crore, Vodafone Idea Rs 50,000 crore and Jio Rs 60 crore (as a new entrant it didn't accrue much). That's a lot of money, and Vodafone Idea and Airtel filed a review plea, but the SC rejected it this week. The deadline to pay the dues? January 24 — the coming Friday.Back to the aforementioned good news, then? Airtel stock has been rising as its investors reckon Vodafone Idea will collapse under the debt — its chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla has said as much. Since BSNL too is teetering on the edge, it would result in a duopoly of Airtel and Jio. A duopoly is good for business — fewer the competition, more leverage to raise tariffs. That's bad for you — you'll pay more. And banks? They are staring at more non-performing assets. 4. Is Indian economy heading towards stagflation?4. Is Indian economy heading towards stagflation?The concept: Stagflation is an extreme economic situation characterised by stagnant economic growth and high prices (stagnation + inflation = stagflation) leading to high unemployment.The risk: While measures like increased government spending or interest rate cuts by the central bank can help during a slowdown, high inflation complicates the process as fiscal (by government) or monetary (by RBI) stimulus during this time can make inflation worse by putting more money in the hands of the consumer.The numbers: According to the government's estimates, India's GDP growth is expected to fall to 5% this year, the lowest in a decade. India's retail inflation, on the other hand, rose to a five-year high of 7.35% in December. The unemployment rate is the highest in 45 years.An example: One of the worst recorded phases of stagflation happened in mid-1970s when OPEC (the cartel of oil-producing countries) cut oil supply and sent oil prices soaring across the world leading to a drastic fall in production in oil-dependent economies and high inflation. The US economic growth between 1973-75 saw five quarters of negative growth and tripling of inflation to be regarded as stagflationary.The situation: India is nowhere close to the situation that the US was in the mid-70s. While India's GDP growth has fallen, the economy is still growing. Also, while inflation has breached the upper end of the Reserve Bank's 2%-6% target band for the first time since July 2016, it has been only for a month. With "core inflation" (which excludes volatile components like food and energy) still below 4%, experts say the current inflation figure is not permanent but transitory and will come down by March. Bottom line: India isn't facing stagflation now but the risks to economic growth remain as the slowdown in government expenditure in this quarter (to contain the fiscal deficit) will show up in the GDP numbers, which have been dependent on public spending alone for some time. NEWS IN CLUES5. This conglomerate is modelled on Berkshire Hathaway's operating structureClue 1: It manufactures, among other things, glucose-sensing contact lenses.Clue 2: California Life Company, which focuses on human longevity research, is a subsidiary of this group.Clue 3: It was co-founded by an immigrant to the US from the former Soviet Union.Scroll below for answers 6. Double strike and India's level!6. Double strike and India's level!At the start of the 38th over of the Australian reply in the second ODI against India in Rajkot, the visitors required 122 off 78 balls. With Steve Smith on song (a near-run-a-ball 97) and wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey looking to settle in, wrapping up the three-match series 2-0 was very much on the cards. Legspinner Kuldeep Yadav had gone wicketless for 57 runs in his previous 8 overs. Worse, since his hat-trick against West Indies in Visakhapatnam in December last year, Kuldeep had returned figures of 30.1-0-195-0.Smith took a single off the first ball and Kuldeep got the breakthrough with his next delivery. It was a soft dismissal as Carey, trying to check his shot, offered the simplest of catches to Virat Kohli at extra cover. Strike one. But Smith was still there and he was back on strike after new man Ashton Turner managed a single off the first ball he faced.The fourth ball, a googly from Kuldeep, had Smith foxed after he used his feet. Next up was a short googly turning away from middle. Smith picked it all right as he shaped to cut but could only chop it back onto the stumps off the under-edge. He was bowled two runs short of a century. Strike Two. And that was the game!The double-strike of Carey and Smith was the 13th time Kuldeep had managed multiple wickets in an over in ODIs. Since his debut no other bowler had managed it more times. There would be two other double-strikes in the match — Mohammad Shami removing Turner and Pat Cummins off successive deliveries in the 44th over and Navdeep Saini accounting for Ashton Agar and Mitchell Starc off the first and third balls of the 47th. Rajkot had come alive by then. As had the series.Check the series page here 7. How to protest when the court's watching7. How to protest when the court’s watchingFree but... A Delhi court had granted bail to Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekar Azad on Wednesday while restraining him from visiting the national capital for four weeks and directing him not to hold any dharna till the elections (on February 8). Azad was jailed after being accused of inciting people during an anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protest at Jama Masjid on December 20.Protest or ... Hours after being released from Tihar Jail, Azad visited Jama Masjid again on Friday and swarmed by his supporters and locals, read out the Preamble to the Constitution and called for the repeal of CAA, which he termed as a "black act". The Bhim Army chief had sought special permission from the court for the visit.Azad who? Azad's Bhim Army rose to prominence during the 2017 Saharanpur riots when Dalits clashed violently with Thakurs, just months after BSP's rout and BJP's ascendance in the UP assembly polls. He was arrested and detained (in June) for 15 months under the draconian National Security Act before being released in September 2018. After less than a year of freedom, he was back in jail for two months starting August 2019, this time for protesting against the demolition of a Ravidas temple in Delhi. The latest arrest-release (for about a month) for his third. So, out of his three-year political career (starting 2017), he has spent half of it in jail. 8. And the world's biggest killer is...8. And the world's biggest killer is...... Sepsis. New research published in The Lancet has found that sepsis is responsible for the most deaths worldwide, even more than cancer or coronary disease — previously believed to be the leading causes of death globally. The study determined that, in 2017, 48.9 million cases of sepsis were diagnosed worldwide and 11 million people died of the condition. This represents one in five deaths worldwide — and twice as many as previously estimated.When someone has sepsis, their body essentially overreacts to an infection. This out-of-control immune responses can cause organs to shut down. And deaths from sepsis in 2017 peaked in early childhood, declined in early adulthood and rose again among the elderly.The researchers arrived at the higher numbers looking at more than 109 million individual death records and trends from 1990 through 2017. However, the number of sepsis cases have fallen 37% and deaths have fallen more than 52% since 1990. The large majority of sepsis cases — 85% in 2017 — occurred in low- or middle-income countries, they said, with the highest burden found in sub-Saharan Africa, the South Pacific islands near Australia, and South, East and Southeast Asia.Note: A study published in 2016 reported that nearly 30% of the patients admitted into ICUs in India had sepsis and one in three of these patients died. According to data from UNICEF, it was responsible for at least 640,000 babies dying before they reached a month old in India in 2016.According to the researchers, sepsis incidence was higher among females than males. And the most common underlying cause of sepsis-related death in both 1990 and 2017 was lower respiratory infection. YOU SHARE YOUR B'DAY WITH...YOU SHARE YOUR B'DAY WITH...Source: Various 9. Believe it or not, a piano costs more than a car in Mumbai9. Believe it or not, a piano costs more than a car in MumbaiCheapest city? According to a survey of 28 global cities by Julius Bar's Global Wealth and Lifestyle Report 2020 — the prices being measured in US dollars — Mumbai is the cheapest city for hiring a personal trainer, throwing a wedding banquet and buying an Ermenegildo Zegna men's suit. It was also the second cheapest city to hire a lawyer, buy a watch or have lasik eye surgery. In fact, Mumbai is the cheapest city for high-end living among this club of 28, which includes Hong Kong, New York, Paris, London, Tokyo, Istanbul, Mexico City, Manila and Johannesburg, among others.Luxury on the cheapMusic to the ears? The report reveals that buying a Steinway & Sons Grand Piano in Mumbai is much more expensive than buying a luxury car, such as a BMW 7 Series hybrid. This, in a country, where the luxury goods market, valued at $8.3 billion, is said to be growing at 6% annually.Lopsided luxury_Cities to avoid: Interestingly, four of the five most expensive cities are in Asia — the most expensive being Hong Kong, followed by Shanghai, Tokyo, New York and Singapore. In experiential luxury, such as fine dining, Rio de Janeiro is the most expensive city for a bottle of Chateau Lafite Rothschild red wine as also for whisky — due to the high import duties there. New York is avoidable for weddings, which will cost on an average $218,213 — and let's just hope you don't require any legal aid when in Hong Kong, where lawyers charge an average of $1,050 for a simple will consultation. BEFORE YOU GO10. A taste of El Chapo, served cold10. A taste of El Chapo, served coldAlejandrina Guzman hopes her father's fame will create demand for her newly-launched craft beer brand. Alejandrina is the daughter of Joaquin Guzman. Yes, that Guzman — El Chapo, the drug lord. The beer brand? "El Chapo", of course! The daughter, safe to say, wants the world to get a taste of El Chapo, from the comfort of a living room or a bar."El Chapo" is an artisanal beer, with 4% alcohol, a company spokesperson told Reuters. But perhaps you are a teetotaler? Worry not, Guzmans have you covered. The beer is just one of the products under "El Chapo 701" brand the daughter has launched; there is also a clothing line. Oh, in case the papers haven't told you, El Chapo is serving a life sentence in a prison in the US. Cheers to justice, then? 3 CURATED WEEKEND READS1. Toll of agitationThe idea of campus as a safe space has taken a beating. And stressed students are seeking medical help.2. The Tokyo job: Inside Carlos Ghosn’s escape to BeirutAn elite extraction team spirited the former CEO out of Japan by studying hotel layouts and airport security.3. The Syrian refugees who went to ButeOnce a popular holiday destination, the Scottish isle where Emma Irving hails from has suffered in recent decades. But four years ago, at Christmas, things started to change. Answer To NEWS IN CLUESAnswer to NEWS IN CLUESAlphabet. It became the fourth company to reach a trillion dollars in market value, after Apple, Microsoft and Amazon — and incidentally, the second trillion dollar company to be headed by an Indian origin CEO, Sundar Pichai with Satya Nadella of Microsoft being the other. It was founded on the lines of how Warren Bufett’s holding company, Berkshire Hathaway operates, as a parent company of Google by its founders who include Sergey Brin, an immigrant to the US from the former Soviet Union and Larry Page. Follow news that matters to you in real-time.Join 3 crore news enthusiasts. GET APPCompiled by: Judhajit Basu, Rakesh Rai, Sumil Sudhakaran, Tejeesh N.S. Behl Are you reading this in Gmail?To continue receiving updates from the Times of India, kindly move our emails to primary folder.Thanks for reading.
IMPORTED EVENTS..JANUARY1990What Happened in January 1990 Home Dates by Year 1990 JANUARY ALL TYPES Historical EventsJan 1 David Dinkins sworn in as 1st African American mayor of New York CityJan 1 Mitsuko Nishiwaki beats Nakano to become Japan Women wrestling champJan 1 NYC MTA stops token redemption at subway stationsJan 1 Sports News Network begins operation on cable TVJan 1 FCC implements "SYNDEX" giving independent stations more rights over cable TV outlets for exclusive syndicated programsJan 1 76th Rose Bowl: #12 Southern California beats #3 Michigan, 17-10Jan 1 56th Sugar Bowl: #2 Miami beats #7 Alabama, 33-25Jan 1 19th Fiesta Bowl: #5 Florida State beats #6 Nebraska, 41-17Jan 1 56th Orange Bowl: #4 Notre Dame beats #1 Colorado, 21-6Jan 1 Hopman Cup Tennis, Perth: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario beats American Pam Shriver 6-3, 6-3 to clinch 2-1 win for Spain's first titleJan 2 Dow Jones hits record 2,800 (2,810.15)Jan 2 Sting joins pro wrestling's legendary "4 Horsemen" (Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson)Event of interestEvent of InterestJan 3 Panama's leader General Manuel Noriega surrenders to US authoritiesPanamanian General and Dictator Manuel NoriegaPanamanian General and DictatorManuel NoriegaJan 4 307 dead and 700 injured after overloaded passenger train collides with empty freight train in PakistanJan 5 J Donald Crump appointed 8th Commissioner of CFLJan 6 NY Lotto pays $35 million to one winner (#s are 18-25-26-32-42-44)Jan 7 Lynn Jennings runs world record indoor 5km indoor at 15:22.64Jan 7 Tower of Pisa closed to the public after leaning too farJan 9 64th US manned space mission STS 32 (Columbia 10) launches into orbitJan 9 Boston Celtics worst ever (6 pts in 2nd vs NJ Nets) & lose 87-78Jan 9 Jim Palmer & Joe Morgan elected to Baseball Hall of FameJan 9 US Supreme Court strikes down Dallas' ordinance imposing strict zoning on sexually oriented businessesJan 10 "Les Miserables" opens at Mechanic Theatre, BaltimoreJan 10 China lifts martial law (imposed after Tiananmen Square massacre)Jan 10 NCAA approves random drug testing for college football playersJan 11 200,000 demand return of Lithuania's independenceJan 11 Actor Joseph Cotton undergoes vocal cancer operation at 84Jan 11 Bobby Knight becomes basketball's Big 10 winningest coach (229)Event of interestEvent of InterestJan 11 Pat LaFontaine sets NY Islander record of scoring goals in 11 straightNHL Star Pat LaFontaineNHL StarPat LaFontaineEvent of interestEvent of InterestJan 12 Civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton is stabbed in Bensonhurst, BrooklynMinister and Civil Rights Activist Al SharptonMinister and Civil Rights ActivistAl SharptonJan 12 Romania bans Communist party (1st Warsaw Pact member to do so)Jan 13 1st elected African American Governor inaugurated (Douglas Wilder-Virginia)Jan 14 11th ACE Cable Awards: CNN wins the Golden CableACE for the coverage of the events in Beijing, ChinaJan 14 Un Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar says he has lost all hope for peace in GulfSport awardAFC ChampionshipJan 14 AFC Championship, Mile High Stadium, Denver: Denver Broncos beat Cleveland Browns 37-21NFL Quarterback John ElwayNFL QuarterbackJohn ElwayJan 14 NFC Championship, Candlestick Park, SF: San Francisco 49ers beat Los Angeles Rams, 30-3Sport defeatBoxing Title FightJan 15 42 year old former world heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman stops Gerry Cooney in 2 rounds in Atlantic City in a non-title bout; Cooney's last fightBoxing Champ George ForemanBoxing ChampGeorge ForemanJan 15 6th Soap Opera Digest Awards - Santa Barbara winsJan 15 AT&T experiences long distance problems due to a computer glitchJan 15 In a shrewd move, Detroit Tigers sign 1st baseman Cecil Fielder who spent previous season in Japan; hits 51 homers this MLB season and becomes a premier power hitter for most of the 1990sJan 15 Golden State coach Don Nelson becomes 2nd man in NBA history to appear in 1,000 games both as a player and coach (joining Lenny Wilkens) as the Warriors lose to the Indiana Pacers, 144-105Jan 15 In a bizarre twist in the NHL, Washington Capitals fire coach Brian Murray, who had been head coach since 1981; replace him with his brother Terry, who had been coaching in the minorsJan 16 2 Bank of Credit & Commerce members plea guilty to money launderingJan 17 5th Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Awards: Bobby DarinJan 17 Dave Stewart signs record $3,500,000 per year Oak A's contractJan 17 Who, Simon & Garfunkel, 4 Seasons, 4 Tops, Hank Ballard, Platters & The Kinks inducted into Cleveland's Rock & Roll Hall of FameJan 18 South Africa says it is reconsidering ban on African National CongressJan 18 Washington, D.C., Mayor Marion Barry arrested in drug enforcement stingJan 19 Test debut of Mushtaq Ahmed, v Australia at AdelaideJan 19 Police break up protests in Johannesburg against the cricket players defying a boycott on playing in apartheid South AfricaFilm tv awardsGolden GlobesJan 20 47th Golden Globes: "Born on the Fouth of July", Tom Cruise, & Michelle Pfeiffer winActor Tom CruiseActorTom CruiseJan 20 US 64th manned space mission STS 32 (Columbia 10) returns from spaceJan 20 Black January - crackdown of Azerbaijani pro-independence demonstrations by Soviet army in BakuSport awardNHL All-Star GameJan 21 41st NHL All-Star Game, Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA: Wales beats Campbell, 12-7; MVP: Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins, CNHL Legend and Owner Mario LemieuxNHL Legend and OwnerMario LemieuxJan 21 Bob Goodenow succeeds Alan Eagleson as NHL players association executive directorEvent of interestEvent of InterestJan 21 John McEnroe becomes 1st ever player to be expelled from the Australian OpenTennis Player John McEnroeTennis PlayerJohn McEnroeMusic awardsMusic AwardsJan 22 17th American Music Awards: Paula Abdul & Bobby Brown winSinger & Judge of American Idol Paula AbdulSinger & Judge of American IdolPaula AbdulJan 22 Wasim Akram scores Test century (123) at AdelaideJan 22 Will Clark, NL's MVP signs a $15M 4-year contract with SF GiantsJan 22 Robert Tappan Morris, Jr. is convicted of releasing the 1988 Internet worm.Event of interestEvent of InterestJan 22 President Mikhail Gorbachev sends Red Troops into the Soviet republic of AzerbaijanSoviet General Secretary Mikhail GorbachevSoviet General SecretaryMikhail GorbachevJan 23 Australian cricketer Dean Jones scores twin test tons vs. Pakistan at Adelaide OvalJan 24 Japanese MUSES-A (Hiten) launched towards moonJan 24 14th Commonwealth Games open in Auckland, New ZealandJan 24 LAs' Pat Riley becomes the 13th and fastest coach to reach the 500-victory plateau as the Lakers down the Indiana Pacers, 120-111; Riley (500-184) surpasses Don Nelson (500-317) to reach milestoneJan 25 Avianca Flight 52, runs out of fuel & crashes in Cove Neck NY, 73 dieJan 25 Former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega is transferred to a Miami jailJan 25 The Burns' Day windstorm storm hits northwestern EuropeJan 25 Honduras becomes a member of the Berne Convention copyright treatyJan 26 Annular eclipse visible over Antarctica & South AtlanticJan 26 Boston Red Sox hires Elaine Weddington as asst GM (highest-ranking African American female in a major-league front office)Sport awardAustralian Open Women's TennisJan 27 Australian Open Women's Tennis: Steffi Graf beats American Mary Joe Fernández 6-3, 6-4 for her 3rd consecutive Australian singles crownTennis Player Steffi GrafTennis PlayerSteffi GrafJan 27 6th Sundance Film Festival: "Chameleon Street" wins Grand Jury Prize DramaticJan 28 "Independent on Sunday" begins publishing in LondonSport awardSuper BowlJan 28 Super Bowl XXIV, Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA: San Francisco 49ers beat Denver Broncos, 55-10; MVP: Joe Montana, SF, QBNFL Quarterback Joe MontanaNFL QuarterbackJoe MontanaNFL Quarterback John ElwayNFL QuarterbackJohn ElwayJan 28 Romanian protest against Ion Iliescu governmentSport awardAustralian Men's Tennis OpenJan 28 Australian Open Men's Tennis: American-based Czech star Ivan Lendl of wins 8th and last career Grand Slam title; beats Stefan Edberg 4-6, 7-6, 5-2; Edberg retires injuredTennis Player and Eight-Time Major Champion Ivan LendlTennis Player and Eight-Time Major ChampionIvan LendlJan 29 Exxon Valdez capt Joseph Hazelwood goes on trial due to oil spillSports record brokenNHL RecordJan 30 LA center Wayne Gretzky sets NHL record by scoring his 100th point of the season for the 11th straight season; milestone comes with an assist in a 5-2 Kings' win over visiting New Jersey DevilsIce Hockey Great Wayne GretzkyIce Hockey GreatWayne GretzkyJan 31 1st McDonalds in the Soviet Union opens in MoscowJan 31 1st ever all-sports daily "National" begins publishingJan 31 Jushin "Thunder" Liger beats Naoki Sano to become New Japan IWGP champFamous BirthdaysJan 3 Yoichiro Kakitani, Japanese soccer midfielder (18 caps; Cerezo Osaka), born in Osaka, JapanJan 4 Toni Kroos, German football player (Real Madrid, German national team), born in Greifswald, East GermanyJan 7 Liam Aiken, American actor, born in NYC, New YorkJan 7 Elene Gedevanishvili, Georgian figure skater, born in Tbilisi, GeorgiaJan 7 Camryn Grimes, American actress, born in Van Nuys, CaliforniaJan 7 Gregor Schlierenzauer, Austrian ski jumper, born in Tyrol, AustriaJan 8 Maci Wainwright, American singer, born in Edmond, OklahomaJan 10 Tao Li, Singaporean Olympic swimmer, born in Wuhan, ChinaJan 12 Sergey Karjakin, Ukrainian chess player, born in SimferopolPerson of interestLiam HemsworthJan 13 Liam Hemsworth, Australian actor (Hunger Games films), born in Melbourne, VictoriaActor Liam HemsworthActorLiam HemsworthJan 14 Grant Gustin, American actor & singer (The Flash), born in Norfolk, VirginiaJan 15 Fernando Forestieri, Italian footballer, born in Rosario, ArgentinaJan 15 Chris Warren Jr., American actor, born in Indianapolis, IndianaJan 18 Gift Ngoepe, South African-born baseball player, 1st black African to play in Major League Baseball, born in Pietersburg, South AfricaJan 21 Jacob Smith, American actorJan 26 Christopher Massey, American actorJan 26 Peter Sagan, Slovakian professional cyclist (World Road Champion 2016), born in Žilina, SlovakiaJan 30 Jake Thomas, American actor (A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Lizzie McGuire), born in Knoxville, TennesseeJan 30 Eiza Gonzalez, Mexican actress & singer, born in Mexico City, MexicoFamous DivorcesBroken heartDivorce of InterestJan 3 Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (41) divorces singer/dancer Sarah Brightman (29) after almost 7 years of marriageComposer Andrew Lloyd WebberComposerAndrew Lloyd WebberBroken heartDivorce of InterestJan 17 NFL coach Jimmy Johnson (46) divorces Linda Kay Cooper after 26 years of marriageNFL Head Coach Jimmy JohnsonNFL Head CoachJimmy JohnsonBroken heartDivorce of InterestJan 29 Actor Michael Keaton (38) divorces actress Caroline McWilliams (44) after 7 years of marriageActor Michael KeatonActorMichael KeatonFamous DeathsJan 1 Charles Boost, Dutch film critic, dies at 82Jan 1 Joe Hardstaff Jr., English cricket batsman (23 Tests, 1,636 runs @ 46.74), dies at 78Jan 1 Suzuki Sochu, Zen teacher (Rinzai line)/abbot of Ryutakuji, diesJan 1 James W. Wood, American astronaut (Dynasoar), dies at 65Jan 2 Alan Hale Jr., American actor (Skipper-Gilligan's Island), dies of cancer at 68Jan 2 Vladimir Ussachevsky, Manchurian-American composer (Creation), dies at 78Jan 3 Ken Hill, American actor (Cobra, Protocol), dies at 49Jan 3 Arthur Gold, American pianist, half of Gold and Fizdale duo (b. 1917)Jan 4 Alberto Lleras Camargo, president of Colombia (1945-46, 58-62), diesJan 4 Robert F Adams, American sci-fi author (Castaways in Time), dies at 57Jan 4 Harold Edgerton, American electrical engineer (b. 1903)Jan 4 Sir Henry Bolte, Premier of Victoria 1955-1972 (b. 1908)Jan 5 Arthur Kennedy, American actor (Fantastic Voyage, Peyton Place), dies of a brain tumor at 76Jan 5 Bart LaRue, entertainer, diesJan 6 Hans Jaray, actor (Lydia, Fedora), diesJan 6 Ian Charleson, actor (Gandhi, Chariots of Fire), dies of AIDS at 40Person of interestBronko NagurskiJan 7 Bronko Nagurski, Canadian-American College and Pro Football Hall of Fame fullback (Chicago Bears), dies at 81Hall of Fame American Football Player Bronko NagurskiHall of Fame American Football PlayerBronko NagurskiJan 7 Gail Lucas, entertainer, diesJan 7 Horace Stoneham, baseball owner (Giants), dies at 86Jan 7 Joseph Robbie, lawyer/NFL owner (Miami Dolphins), dies at 73Jan 8 Terry-Thomas [Thomas Terry Hoar-Stevens], English comedian and actor (I'm All Right Jack, Private's Progress), dies of Parkinson's disease at 78Jan 9 Sir Edward McTiernan, Australian jurist, lawyer and politician (b. 1892)Jan 9 Spud Chandler, American baseball player (AL MVP 1943), dies at 82Jan 10 Juliet Berto, screenwriter/actress (Bastienne Bastien), dies at 42Jan 10 Yvonne Peattie Marquard, actress (Donovan's Reef), diesJan 11 Mary Jane Carr, actress (Forbidden Trail, Second Wife), diesJan 11 Kittens Reichert [Catherine Alma Reichert], American silent screen child actor [House of Cards, Les Misérables], dies at 79Jan 12 Laurence J. Peter, Canadian author (Peter Princible), dies of a stroke at 70Jan 12 Paul Amadeus Pisk, composer, dies at 96Jan 14 David Arkin, actor (I Love You Alice B Toklas), diesJan 14 Mani Madhava Chakyar, Koodiyattam artist and Sanskrit scholar (b. 1899)Jan 15 Gordon Jackson, Scottish actor (Upstairs, Downstairs, The Professionals, The Great Escape), dies after a short illness at 66Jan 17 Charles Hernu, French minister of Defense (1981-85), diesJan 17 Anna Arnold Hedgeman, African-American social activist (NYC cabinet), dies at 90Jan 18 Melanie Appleby, rocker (Mel & Kim), dies of liver cancer at 23Jan 18 Rusty Hamer, American actor (Rusty-Make Room for Daddy), dies at 52Jan 19 Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, Indian leader of the Rajneesh movement, dies at 58Jan 19 Herbert Wehner, German ex-communist/chairman (1958-73), dies at 83Jan 19 Semprini, English musician (b. 1908)Jan 19 Myles Horton, American educator and Civil Rights Movement teacher, dies at 84Jan 20 Barbara Stanwyck, [Ruby Stevens], actress (Big Valley), dies at 82Jan 20 Miloslav Istvan, composer, dies at 61Jan 20 Naruhito Higashi-Kuni, Japanese PM (1945), diesJan 20 Hayedeh, Persian singer (b. 1942)Jan 20 Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni, Japanese imperial prince and 30th Prime Minister of Japan, dies at 102Jan 23 Allen Collins [Larkin Allen Collins Jr.], American rock guitarist (Lynyrd Skynyrd), dies of pneumonia at 37Jan 23 Mariano Rumor, Italian politician (PM, 1968-70; 73-1974), diesJan 24 Madge Bellamy, American actress, dies of heart failure at 90Jan 25 Alexander Lockwood, actor (Duel), diesPerson of interestAva GardnerJan 25 Ava Gardner, American actress (Barefoot Contessa, On the Beach), dies of pneumonia at 67Actress Ava GardnerActressAva GardnerJan 25 Ian Dudley Hardy, entertainer, diesJan 26 Boy Trip, Dutch minister, dies at 68Jan 26 Lewis Mumford, American historian (b. 1895)Jan 26 Bob Gerard, British racing driver (b. 1914)Jan 27 Helen Jerome Eddy, actress (Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm), dies at 92Jan 31 Rashad Khalifa, Egyptian-born imam (b. 1935)Share Share19891991What Happened in 1990Margaret Thatcher Tax Triggers RiotMargaret Thatcher Tax Triggers RiotMarch 31, 1990 Taxman Delivers Cruel Blow to Miss WhiplashTaxman Delivers Cruel Blow to Miss WhiplashMay 15, 1990 Mikhail Kalashnikov Meets Eugene StonerMikhail Kalashnikov Meets Eugene StonerMay 16, 1990 Cricket's Most Prolific Run-Scorer Of All TimeCricket's Most Prolific Run-Scorer Of All TimeJuly 31, 1990Search the world's largest, most accurate site for today in history.Enter Date, Event or PersonAll DaysAll MonthsAll YearsAll TypesSearch About Contact Corrections PrivacyGet Our Daily EmailEmail Address... 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Loss for every fan of WWE,’ Wrestling community mourns the death of Hall of Famer Rocky JohnsonWWE issued a statement about Rocky Johnson’s death without revealing the reason behind his demise. There has been an outpour of tributes to the former champion.Updated: Jan 17, 2020 15:42:06By Yash Bhati, Hindustan Times, Delhi Wrestling lost another legend on Thursday as 75-year-old WWE Hall of Famer Rocky Johnson passed away. Johnson is the father of professional wrestling and Hollywood superstar Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. Rocky wrestled in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) before coming over to the WWE where he was part of the first black tag team (along with Tony Atlas) to win the World Tag Team Championship in the company (then WWF).WWE issued a statement about Rocky Johnson’s death without revealing the reason behind his demise. There has been an outpour of tributes to the former champion. He was a stalwart of wrestling and will always be revered as a pioneer of the sport.His championship run with Atlas was historic as he opened the door for other coloured wrestlers to stake their claim in the wrestling community. Even after his retirement, Rocky Johnson changed the face of professional wrestling as he trained his son to become a superstar. His son, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, obviously exceeded all expectations and became a transcendent superstar for WWE. Rocky Johnson’s passing has left a big hole in the business of professional wrestling and it can bee seen by the amount of tributes that have poured in since his death.WWE chairman Vince McMahon, Triple H, Mick Foley, Kevin Nash, 2-time Hall of Famer Booker T and even All Elite Wrestling have come forward and sent their condolences to The Rock’s family for the death of a wrestling legend.A loss for every fan of @WWE, Rocky Johnson was a barrier-breaking performer. Our thoughts are with his family at this time,” tweeted the WWE executive and wrestler Paul “Triple H” Levesque.
North-eastern states fast emerging as growing markets for India's e-commerce playersNEW DELHI: India’s North-Eastern states are fast emerging as the drivers of growth for some leading e-commerce companies, which claim double-digit growth in the market after having overcome last-mile delivery challenges. In this region, where hilly terrain and limited road and flight connectivity have posed hurdles for companies wanting to expand operations, demand for goods online is being fuelled by unavailability of certain products and the deep discounts being offered by e-commerce companies on a host of goods, including branded products. Snapdeal’s VP - operations, Ashish Chitravanshi, said the North-East region is not only an important market for the company but also has the potential to be at a par with Delhi and Mumbai, in terms of business potential. the fastest-growing markets in the country for us. We have been steadily growing in double digits monthon-month in the North-East markets, with a steady increase in the number of orders from the region,” said Chitravanshi. “As we take our reach deeper into the region we anticipate this number to grow phenomenally.” While Snapdeal services large parts of the North-Eastern region covering more than 1,100 pin codes, its rival, Flipkart, serves customers in over 80 cities in the region in partnership with logistics players eKart and India Post. Flipkart has seen healthy growth in the region in recent years and is now scaling up its supply chain capabilities and support facilities to create a seamless shopping experience for customers there, a company spokesperson said, adding that the region has a relatively younger customer base as compared to the rest of the country and categories like apparels, games, music and books are popular. Similarly, as much as 15% of Fashionandyou’s revenue comes from the North-East, said Manav Narula, its GM for marketing. Sanjay Sethi, CEO and co-founder of ShopClues.com, said that though the percentage contribution to gross merchandise value(GMV) is in single-digits, the company expects it to grow to 10-12% in the years ahead. Devangshu Dutta, chief executive of retail consultancy Third Eyesight, said managing a network of physical retail points is cumbersome in the North-East, while e-commerce is at a specific advantage in this region, since it allows a virtually unlimited range of product offering to be presented rapidly to the customer at a relatively low cost. India’s largest fashion e-tailer Myntra established its distribution centre in Guwahati a year ago, followed by a centre in Mizoram’s capital Aizawl. “When we started the Aizawl centre, it showed us 500% jump in sales,” said Ganesh Subramanian, head of new initiatives at Myntra. For Myntra, a year ago, the North-East region was growing at 1.5 times the overall growth of the company and the business coming from this market is currently in line with the company’s overall growth, Subramanian added. But it is not just mass e-commerce players who are seeing traction from this region. Specialty and niche players are also in the game to conquer this still untapped region. Gaurav Singh Kushwaha, founder and CEO, Bluestone.com, an ejewellery company, said the region contributes to about 11% of the company’s revenue. Also, the average selling price from the North-East is higher than the average selling price from other non-metros, he said. FirstCry.com, a retailer of children’s products that has four service centres in the region, of which the ones in Agartala and Guwhati are owned by the company, plans to add another two distribution centres in Silchar and Shillong in a few months, said founder and CEO, Supam Maheshwari. The region’s difficult terrain has thwarted efforts to build roads and improve airline connectivity. This, in turn, has hindered growth of offline retail and availability of branded products. “It is the ideal use case for e-commerce where customers are not buying because of discount but because of lack of availability of options and variety” said Kushwaha of BlueStone. Some e-commerce players see this region as a game changer if the logistical challenges are addressed. Chitravanshi of Snapdeal explains, “The region forms 8% of India’s landmass and has only 4% of country’s population, which means the population is thinly spread across a largely mountainous area. This certainly presents a logistical challenge in terms of connectivity and cost involved to all e-commerce players.” Vipul Sharma, director of ecommerce Association of India, feels that the development of IT infrastructure at a faster pace can really turn the tide for the region.
The state is bounded to the south by the Bangladeshi divisions of Mymensingh and Sylhet, to the west by the Bangladeshi division of Rangpur, and to the north and east by India's State of Assam. The capital of Meghalaya is Shillong. During the British rule of India, the British imperial authorities nicknamed it the "Scotland of the East".[7] Meghalaya was previously part of Assam, but on 21 January 1972, the districts of Khasi, Garo and Jaintia hills became the new state of Meghalaya. English is the official language of Meghalaya. Unlike many Indian states, Meghalaya has historically followed a matrilineal system where the lineage and inheritance are traced through women; the youngest daughter inherits all wealth and she also takes care of her parents.[7]The state is the wettest region of India, recording an average of 12,000 mm (470 in) of rain a year.[6] About 70% of the state is forested.[8] The Meghalaya subtropical forests ecoregion encompasses the state; its mountain forests are distinct from the lowland tropical forests to the north and south. The forests are notable for their biodiversity of mammals, birds, and plants.Meghalaya has predominantly an agrarian economy with a significant commercial forestry industry. The important crops are potatoes, rice, maize, pineapples, bananas, papayas, spices, etc. The service sector is made up of real estate and insurance companies. Meghalaya's gross state domestic product for 2012 was estimated at ₹16,173 crore (US$2.3 billion) in current prices.[9] The state is geologically rich in minerals, but it has no significant industries.[7] The state has about 1,170 km (730 mi) of national highways. It is also a major logistical center for trade with Bangladesh.[6]In July 2018, the International Commission on Stratigraphy divided the Holocene epoch into three,[10][11] with the late Holocene being called the Meghalayan stage/age,[12][13] since a speleothem in Mawmluh cave indicating a dramatic worldwide climate event around 2250 BC had been chosen as the.Ancient EditMeghalaya, along with the neighbouring Indian states, have been of archaeological interest. People have lived here since Neolithic era. Neolithic sites discovered so far are located in areas of high elevation such as in Khasi Hills, Garo Hills and neighbouring states. Here neolithic style jhum or shifting cultivation is practised even today. The highland plateaus fed by abundant rains provided safety from floods and a rich soil.[15] The importance of Meghalaya is its possible role in human history through domestication of rice. One of the competing theories for the origin of rice, is from Ian Glover, who states, "India is the center of greatest diversity of domesticated rice with over 20,000 identified species and Northeast India is the most favorable single area of the origin of domesticated rice."[16] The limited archaeology done in the hills of Meghalaya suggest human settlement since ancient times.[17]After the Conquest of Taraf in 1304, Shah Arifin Rafiuddin, a disciple of Shah Jalal, migrated and settled in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills where he preached Islam to the local people. His khanqah remains in Sarping/Laurergarh on the Bangladeshi border but the part containing his mazar is in Meghalaya on top of Laur Hill.[18]Modern history EditThe British discovery of Camellia sinensis in 1834 in Assam and later companies to renting land from 1839 onwards.[19]Meghalaya was formed by carving out two districts from the state of Assam: the United Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills, and the Garo Hills on 21 January 1972. Before attaining full statehood, Meghalaya was given semi-autonomous status in 1970.[20]The Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia tribes had their own kingdoms until they came under British administration in the 19th century. Later, the British incorporated Meghalaya into Assam in 1835.[7] The region enjoyed semi-independent status by virtue of a treaty relationship with the British Crown. When Bengal was partitioned on 16 October 1905 by Lord Curzon, Meghalaya became a part of the new province of Eastern Bengal and Assam. However, when the partition was reversed in 1912, Meghalaya became a part of the province of Assam. On 3 January 1921 in pursuance of Section 52A of the Government of India Act of 1919, the governor-general-in-council declared the areas now in Meghalaya, other than the Khasi states, as "backward tracts." Subsequently, the British administration enacted the Government of India Act of 1935, which regrouped the backward tracts into two categories: "excluded" and "partially excluded" areas.At the time of Indian independence in 1947, present-day Meghalaya constituted two districts of Assam and enjoyed limited autonomy within the state of Assam. A movement for a separate Hill State began in 1960.[20] The Assam Reorganisation (Meghalaya) Act of 1969 accorded an autonomous status to the state of Meghalaya. The Act came into effect on 2 April 1970, and an autonomous state of Meghalaya was born out of Assam. The autonomous state had a 37-member legislature in accordance with the Sixth Schedule to the Indian constitution.In 1971, the Parliament passed the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganization) Act, 1971, which conferred full statehood on the autonomous state of Meghalaya. Meghalaya attained statehood on 21 January 1972, with a Legislative Assembly of its own.Meghalaya is one of the Seven Sister States of northeast India. The state of Meghalaya is mountainous, with stretches of valley and highland plateaus, and it is geologically rich. It consists mainly of Archean rock formations. These rock formations contain rich deposits of valuable minerals like coal, limestone, uranium and sillimanite.Meghalaya has many rivers. Most of these are rainfed and seasonal. The important rivers in the Garo Hills region are Ganol, Daring, Sanda, Bandra, Bugai, Dareng, Simsang, Nitai and the Bhupai. In the central and eastern sections of the plateau, the important rivers are Khri, Umtrew, Digaru, Umiam or Barapani, Kynshi (Jadukata), Umngi, Mawpa, Umiam Khwan, Umngot, Umkhen, Myntdu and Myntang. In the southern Khasi Hills region, these rivers have created deep gorges and several beautiful waterfalls.Farming on hilly terrain (tea plantation).The elevation of the plateau ranges between 150 m (490 ft) to 1,961 m (6,434 ft). The central part of the plateau comprising the Khasi Hills has the highest elevations, followed by the eastern section comprising the Jaintia Hills region. The highest point in Meghalaya is Shillong Peak, which is a prominent IAF station in the Khasi Hills overlooking the city of Shillong. It has an altitude of 1961 m. The Garo Hills region in the western section of the plateau is nearly plain. The highest point in the Garo Hills is Nokrek Peak with an altitude of 1515 m.The town of Sohra (Cherrapunji) in the Khasi Hills south of capital Shillong holds the world record for most rain in a calendar month, while the village of Mawsynram, near Sohra (Cherrapunji), holds the record for the most rain in a year.[23]Flora and fauna EditSee also: Meghalaya subtropical forestsMeghalaya's forests host 660 species of birds[24] and numerous species of other wildlife. Peacock pheasant (top) and hoolock gibbon (bottom) are found in Meghalaya.[25]About 70% of the state is forested, of which 9,496 km2 (3,666 sq mi) is dense primary subtropical forest.[8] The Meghalayan forests are considered to be among the richest botanical habitats of Asia. These forests receive abundant rainfall and support a vast variety of floral and faunal biodiversity. A small portion of the forest area in Meghalaya is under what are known as "sacred groves" (see Sacred groves of India). These are small pockets of an ancient forest that have been preserved by the communities for hundreds of years due to religious and cultural beliefs. These forests are reserved for religious rituals and generally remain protected from any exploitation. These sacred groves harbour many rare plant and animal species. The Nokrek Biosphere Reserve in the West Garo Hills and the Balphakram National Park in the South Garo Hills are considered to be the most biodiversity-rich sites in Meghalaya. In addition, Meghalaya has three wildlife sanctuaries. These are the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary, the Siju Sanctuary, and the Baghmara Sanctuary, which is also the home of the insect-eating pitcher plant Nepenthes khasiana also called "Me'mang Koksi" in local language.Due to diverse climatic and topographic conditions, Meghalaya forests support a vast floral diversity, including a large variety of parasites, epiphytes, succulent plants and shrubs. Two of the most important tree varieties are Shorea robusta (sal tree) and Tectona grandis (teak). Meghalaya is also the home to a large variety of fruits, vegetables, spices, and medicinal plants. Meghalaya is also famous for its large variety of orchids — nearly 325 of them. Of these, the largest variety is found in the Mawsmai, Mawmluh and Sohrarim forests in the Khasi hills.Nepenthes khasianaMeghalaya also has a large variety of mammals, birds, reptiles and insects.[26] The important mammal species include elephants, bear, red pandas,[27] civets, mongooses, weasels, rodents, gaur, wild buffalo,[28] deer, wild boar and a number of primates. Meghalaya also has a large variety of bats. The limestone caves in Meghalaya such as the Siju Cave are home to some of the nation's rarest bat species. The hoolock gibbon is found in all districts of Meghalaya.[29]Common reptiles in Meghalaya are lizards, crocodiles and tortoises. Meghalaya also has a number of snakes including the python, copperhead, green tree racer, Indian cobra, king cobra, coral snake and vipers.[30]Meghalaya's forests host 660 species of birds, many of which are endemic to Himalayan foothills, Tibet and Southeast Asia. Of the birds found in Meghalaya forests, 34 are on worldwide threatened species list and 9 are on the critically endangered list.[24] Prominent birds spotted in Meghalaya include those from the families of Phasianidae, Anatidae, Podicipedidae, Ciconiidae, Threskiornithidae, Ardeidae, Pelecanidae, Phalacrocoracidae, Anhingidae, Falconidae, Accipitridae, Otididae, Rallidae, Heliornithidae, Gruidae, Turnicidae, Burhinidae, Charadriidae, Glareolidae, Scolopacidae, Jacanidae, Columbidae, Psittacidae, Cuculidae, Strigidae, Caprimulgidae, Apodidae, Alcedinidae, Bucerotidae, Ramphastidae, Picidae, Campephagidae, Dicruridae, Corvidae, Hirundinidae, Cisticolidae, Pycnonotidae, Sylviidae, Timaliidae, Sittidae, Sturnidae, Turdidae, Nectariniidae and Muscicapidae.[24] Each of these families have many species. The great Indian hornbill is the largest bird in Meghalaya. Other regional birds found include the grey peacock pheasant, the large Indian parakeet, the common green pigeon and the blue jay.[31] Meghalaya is also home to over 250 species of butterflies, nearly a quarter of all butterfly species found in India.Meghalaya is one of three states in India to have a Christian majority. About 75% of the population practices Christianity, with Presbyterians, Baptists and Catholics the more common denominations.[33] .The religion of the people in Meghalaya is closely related to their ethnicity. Close to 90% of the Garo tribe and nearly 80% of the Khasi are Christian, while more than 97% of the Hajong, 98.53% of the Koch, and 94.60% of the Rabha tribes are Hindu.[citation needed]Hindus are the largest religious minority in Meghalaya with 11.52% of the total state's population as of 2011 census[33]Hindus are concentrated mainly in West Garo Hills, East Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi with 19.11 percent, 17.55 percent and 11.96 percent respectively.The Nartiang Durga Temple in Meghalaya is a famous Hindu temple and it is one of the 51 Shakti peethas on Earth.[34]Muslims constitute 4.39% of the population[33] The Muslims are concentrated mainly in West Garo Hills with 16.60 percent.[35]Conversion from indigenous to Christianity began in the 19th century under the British era. In the 1830s, American Baptist Foreign Missionary Society had become active in Northeast to convert indigenous tribes to Christianity.[36] Later, they were offered to expand and reach into Cherrapunji Meghalaya, but they lacked the resources to do so and declined. Welsh Presbyterian Mission took the offer and they began work at the Cherrapunji mission field. By the early 1900s, other Protestant denominations of Christianity were active in Meghalaya. The outbreak of World Wars forced the preachers to return home to Europe and America. It is during this period that Catholicism took root in Meghalaya and neighbouring region. In the 20th century, Union Christian College started operations at Barapani, Shillong. Currently, Presbyterians and Catholics are two most common Christian denominations found in Meghalaya.[37]State government EditThe Meghalaya Legislative Assembly has 60 members at present. Meghalaya has two representatives in the Lok Sabha, one each from Shillong and Tura. It also has one representative in the Rajya Sabha.Since the creation of the state the Gauhati High Court has jurisdiction in Meghalaya. A Circuit Bench of the Guwahati High Court has been functioning at Shillong since 1974. However recently in March 2013 the Meghalaya High Court was separated from the Gauhati High Court and now the state has its own High Court.Local self-government EditNE Autonomous divisions of India.svgTo provide local self-governance machinery to the rural population of the country, provisions were made in the Constitution of India; accordingly, the Panchayati Raj institutions were set up. However, on account of the distinct customs and traditions prevailing in the northeast region, it was felt necessary to have a separate political and administrative structure in the region.[citation needed] Some of the tribal communities in the region had their own traditional political systems, and it was felt that Panchayati Raj institutions may come into conflict with these traditional systems. The Sixth Schedule was appended to the Constitution on the recommendations of a subcommittee formed under the leadership of Gopinath Bordoloi, and the constitution of Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) is provided in certain rural areas of the northeast including areas in Meghalaya. The ADCs in Meghalaya are the Khasi Hills Autonomous District CouncilGaro Hills Autonomous District CouncilJaintia Hills Autonomous District CouncilEconomy Urban areas Culture and society EditThe main tribes in Meghalaya are the Khasis, the Garos, and the Jaintias. Each tribe has its own culture, traditions, dress, and language.
Happy Makar Sankranti 2020: Here’s how festival is celebrated in India. Makar Sankranti 2020: Praying to the sun and the use of black sesame (til) and jaggery are integral parts of Makar Sankranti.Updated: Jan 14, 2020 11:54:19By HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times, Delhi Hyderabad Decorative kites at an international kite festival on the occasion of Makar Sankranti festival in Hyderabad Monday Jan 13 2020Hyderabad: Decorative kites at an international kite festival on the occasion of Makar Sankranti festival, in Hyderabad, Monday, Jan. 13, 2020. (PTI)An ancient festival that is observed according to solar cycles, Makar Sankranti is one of the biggest celebrations in India. Dedicated to the sun god Surya, the festival sees devotees take a holy dip in rivers, which is believed to absolve them of past sins.Praying to the sun and the use of black sesame (til) and jaggery are also integral parts of the festival. A number of fairs take place in different places across India to celebrate Makar Sankranti, the most famous being the Kumbha Mela, held every 12 years at either Haridwar, Prayag (Prayagraj), Ujjain or Nashik.The Magha Mela at Prayag, the Gangasagar Mela in Bengal, the Makar Mela in Odisha, the Tusu Mela of Jharkhand and West Bengal and the Poush Mela of Shantiniketan, West Bengal are a few celebratory fairs held during Makar Sankranti.Mostly celebrated on January 14, Makar Sankranti is celebrated with different names in different states across the length and breadth of the country.Tamil Nadu: Celebrated as Pongal, it is a four-day festival which is divided into Bhogi Pandigal, Thai Pongal, Maattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal.Rajasthan: Known as Sakraat or Makar Sankranti, the day is celebrated with special Rajasthani delicacies and sweets such as pheeni, til-paati, gajak, kheer, ghevar, pakodi, puwa, and til-laddoo. The women of the region are supposed to gift a household object to 13 married women. People engage in kite flying as well.Uttar Pradesh: Known as Kicheri, it involves a ritual bathing, which sees millions of people gather in places like Allahabad and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and Haridwar in Uttarakhand. Eating of sweets such as til laddoo and gur laddoo as well as wearing new clothes is an integral part of the festival. Kite flying is an inevitable part here as well.Gujarat: Uttarayan lasts for two days in India and people usually celebrate by flying kites. Undhiyu, a spicy baked mix of winter vegetables and chikkis made from sesame seeds, peanuts and jaggery are festival dishes of the region. Uttarayan also sees the organisation of the International Kite Festival.Assam: Called Magh Bihu and Bhogali Bihu, it is marked by feasts and bonfires. The creation of makeshift huts known as Meji and Bhelaghar is an important part of the festival. People prepare the food for the feast in these temporary dwellings before burning the structures the next day. Games such as tekeli bhonga and buffalo fighting are associated with the festival. During Magh Bihu, shunga pitha, til pitha and other sweets called lashkara are made.West Bengal: Known as Sankranti and Poush Sankranti, the festival sees the use of date palm syrup or khejur gur in a variety of traditional Bengali sweets made from rice flour, coconut, and milk. It is known as pitha and the Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped. In Darjeeling, it is called Magey Sakrati and is associated with the worship of Lord Shiva.Maharashtra: Celebrated for three days, where sweet dishes like halwa, puran poli and til-gur laddoos are made. The festival sees women sporting black clothes, which is otherwise barred on festival days.Karnataka: In the Suggi festival, girls wear new clothes and engage in a ritual called Ellu Birodhu. The festival also sees the display of cows and bulls in colourful costumes in open fields.Andhra Pradesh and Telangana: The festival is celebrated for four days -- Bhogi, Makara Sankranti, Kanuma and Mukkanuma. On the day of Makara Sankranti, people sport new clothes and make offerings of traditional food to ancestors. They also make beautiful and ornate drawings and patterns on the ground with chalk or flour, called muggu.Kanuma sees farmers’ showcasing their cattle as a symbol of prosperity while Mukkunama sees farmers offering prayers to the elements.Bihar and Jharkhand: Celebrated on 14-15 January, it is called Sakraat or Khichdi as well. Delicacies that are made during this festival include chura, jaggery, sesame seeds, tilwa ect. People start their day by worshipping and putting sesame seeds into fire, followed by dahi chura, which is served with curd and red pumpkin.Goa: Known as Sankrant, people distribute sweets made of til and married women celebrate the 12-day Haldi Kumkum festival that begins on Makar Sankranti. The festival sees women apply turmeric and vermillion to the foreheads of other women and offer them gifts.Himachal Pradesh: In Shimla, it is celebrated as Magha Saaji.Odisha: People make makara chaula, which is a mixture of uncooked newly harvested rice, banana, coconut, jaggery, sesame, rasagola, khai/liaa and chhena puddings to offer to the gods and goddesses.Punjab: Celebrated as Maghi, it sees ritualistic bathing in a river in the early hours and the lighting of lamps. A major fair is held at Sri Muktsar Sahib celebrating the festival as well.
Bibliography I. Introduction India in the 18th century had to endure one of the most chaotic periods in its entire history. The Mughal Empire, which had dominated the Indian subcontinent for two centuries, began to decline with internal and external pressures. Following the decline of the empire, numerous local powers strived for independence, and foreign powers began to invade the area, further deteriorating the situation of India and promoting additional disorder. This paper primarily focuses on the analysis of chief factors, or background which had caused significant disruptions and fragmentation in the area. Since the circumstances of the Indian subcontinent in the period were indeed tumultuous and complex, this paper classifies events in the Indian subcontinent into main three categories, in order to provide convenience to the readers: those in the Mughal Empire, those concerning local powers of the Indian subcontinent, and those related to foreign powers. II. Brief Narrative History of India in the 18th century Throughout the end of the 17th century, Aurangzeb brought the empire to its greatest extent, but his political and religious intolerance laid the seeds of its decline. He excluded Hindus from public office and destructed their schools and temples, while his persecution of the Sikhs of the Punjab turned the sect against Muslim rule and roused rebellions among the Rajputs, Sikhs, and Marathas. The heavy taxes he levied steadily impoverished the farming population, and a steady decay of the Mughal government was matched by a corresponding economic decline. After Aurangzeb's death in 1707, the empire fell into decline. The Mughal Emperors progressively declined in power and became figureheads, being initially controlled by various courtiers and later by rising warlords. Several Mughal Emperors were killed, often after only briefly occupying the throne. The Marathas, as well as powerful officials ruling 'Mughal provinces', in theory, recognized Mughal sovereignty. In actuality, however, the Maratha rulers, the Nizam of Hyderabad, the Nawab of Bengal, the Kingdom of Awadh (Oudh) were independent. Especially, Marathas overran almost all of northern India after 1748. The empire also had to suffer from the depredations of invaders like Nadir Shah of Persia and Ahmed Shah Abdali of Afghanistan, who repeatedly sacked Delhi, the Mughal capital. Mughal rule was reduced to only a small area around Delhi, which passed under Maratha (1785) and then British (1803) control. III. Important Keywords & Categorization From the narrative history of India, we could figure out that the situation of the Mughal Empire was deteriorating with rapidity. In order to simplify the intricate situation of the area, major events are categorized as followed. Based on the following categories, this paper will analyze the factors that motivated the fragmentation of the Indian subcontinent. Eight important points(which are written in bold words) elicited from the narrative history are: 1) Aurangzeb and religious intolerance 2) Rajput 3) Sikh 4) Nawabs (Hyderabad, Awadh, Bengal) 5) Maratha 6) Nadir Shah of Persia 7) Ahmed Shah Abdali of Afghanistan 8) British, or EIC This paper will focus on how each of the eight key points contributed to the disordered situation in the Indian subcontinent. IV. The Mughal Empire Aurangzeb¡¯s achievements significantly affected the destiny of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century. He engaged in constant warfare, significantly increasing the size of his army, and launching numerous military campaigns all along the boundaries of his empire. From 1668, Aurangzeb also reformed a number of rules to force the subjects to follow Islam ideals and initiated several projects, in order to discriminate Hindu from Islam. He banned the construction of Hindu temples, forbade Hindu customs, and revived the tax imposed to non-Muslims, or jizyah. The combination of military expansion and religious intolerance produced devastating consequences. As the empire increased in size, Aurangzeb's chain of command weakened; the intolerant policy of Aurangzeb toward several religious groups, including Hindu, also provoked rebellions. The Sikhs of the Punjab increased in its military power and launched several revolts; the Marathas waged a long-lasting war with Aurangzeb, severely weakening the military power and finance of Mughal Empire. Even the former alliance and a crucial source of Mughal army, Rajputs, grew restive when Aurangzeb tried to interfere with their domestic affairs. Aurangzeb was indeed successful in extending the territory of the Mughal Empire, but his somewhat harsh political and religious intolerance seemed to play a vital role in the decline of the empire. Lane Pool Stanley, in his book Aurangzeb, and the decay of Mughal Empire, effectively relates the decline of the empire with fallacies in the policies of Aurangzeb. Stanley constantly demonstrates throughout his book that Aurangzeb¡¯s religious intolerance played a crucial role in the decline of the empire: ¡°Akbar's main difficulties lay in the diversity and jealousies of the races and religions with which he had to deal. It was this method of dealing with these difficulties which established the Mughal Empire in all the power and splendor that marked its sway for a hundred years to come. It was Aurangzeb¡¯s reversal of this method which undid his ancestors work and prepared the way for the downfall of his dynasty.¡± (1) ¡°In matters of religion the Emperor was obstinate to the point of fanaticism. In other matters he displayed the wisdom and judgment of a clear and thoughtful mind.¡± (2) ¡°Aurangzib possessed many great qualities, he practised all the virtues; but he was lacking in the one thing needful in a leader of men: he could not win love. Such a one may administer an empire, but he cannot rule the hearts of men.¡± (3) Through three excerpts, we can see that Lane-Pool Stanley clearly points out that the biggest fallacy in Aurangzeb¡¯s policies was his excessive obsession with religion and intolerant policies toward others, so that he ¡°could not win love.¡± There is also a line which supports religious fanaticism of Aurangzeb in Anecdotes of Aurangzeb, ¡°it would be my duty to extirpate all the (Hindu) Rajahs and their followers¡± (4). Such intolerance would evoke hostility and opposition from local powers, and one problem that emerged is described in the following excerpt: ¡°if his dynasty was to keep its hold on the country and withstand the slaughter of fresh hordes of invaders, it must rest on the loyalty of the native Hinduists who formed the bulk of the population, supplied the army, and were necessarily entrusted with most of the civil employments." (5) After Aurangzeb died in 1707, the situation in the Mughal Empire quickly began to worsen. In the war of succession, approximately 10,000 soldiers died, including many generals. When Bahadur Shah emerged as the victor, a number of structural problems were obvious. The central authority was significantly deteriorated. The emperor could no longer simply order an appointee to a new posting. It had become a matter of negotiation, the appointee using his friends at court to reverse or delay any undesirable posting. The center was receiving less and less information from outlying areas, and the financial position of the center steadily worsened. The extended conflict with the Rajputs had alienated the empire¡¯s most long-standing and loyal indigenous allies. Law and order and the safety of the roads were questionable in much of the empire. The situation of the Mughal Empire was indeed disruptive. Map 1 : Rajasthan within the Republic of India (6)V. Rebels and Local Powers V.1 Rajputs After Aurangzeb¡¯s death, weakened central authority created new opportunities for aggrandizement by provincial officers. During the first three decades of the eighteenth century, nascent regional kingdoms in several northern provinces began to appear. The rajahs, or governors of the area, reorganized their administrations, all with the aim of strengthening their powers while still paying lip service to the emperor¡¯s authority. The northern provinces were edging toward stability within a loosened, decentralized imperial structure. In Rajasthan, the leading Rajput emirs energetically overturned the intricate imperial administrative controls imposed on that province. Rajputs dedicated considerable efforts into expanding their home territories, in order to build near-autonomous regional kingdoms. Furthermore, as the Mughal empire was gradually being burdened with difficulties, rajas stopped paying tribute. The desire for independence partially arose from the harsh treatments they were granted, dating back to the reign under Aurangzeb. The ruthless campaigns of Aurangzeb in Rajasthan as well as his religious intolerance, including revival of jizyah, significantly aroused anger of many rajputs: ¡°The insults which had been offered to their chiefs and their religion and the ruthless and unnecessary severity of Aurangzeb¡¯s campaigns in their(rajputs) country left a sore which never healed. A race which had been the right arm of the Mughal empire at the beginning of the reign was now hopelessly alienated, and never again served the throne without distrust. ¡° (7) V.2 The Sikhs Religious intolerance launched under the Aurangzeb¡¯s reign also provoked opposition from Sikh. Since Sikh had a firm religious belief of its own, Aurangzeb¡¯s religious intolerance was harsh enough to induce opposition. Sikh established its distinct culture with the leader as Guru Gobind Singh, formalizing the religious practice in March 1699. Generally Sikhism has had amicable relations with other religions. However, under the punishments imposed by Aurangzeb, prominent Sikh Gurus were martyred by the Mughals for opposing its persecution of non-Islamic religious communities. Subsequently, Sikhism militarized to oppose Islamic hegemony. Some excerpts show that Sikh was a formalized religious group, and religiously intolerant attitudes toward them could greatly arouse them: ¡°Guru Teg Bahadur rightly refused to accept the standard which the Emperor Aurangzeb had in his mind to judge the so-called non-moslem goodness and Guru Teg Bahadur exhibited the spirit of a true spiritual hero, when he kept steadfast in showing that he himself was the greatest miracle of all miracle ... Aurangzeb, after having tried his utmost to convert Guru Teg Bahadur to Islam, and waiting for months in vain, ordered finally his beheadal¡± (8) As shown in the excerpt, Sikh was a religiously unified group who devoted their cause for their belief, but Aurangzeb¡¯s punishment and oppression has produced deep hostilities that would be continued throughout 18th century. As the Mughal Empire declined in power, Sikhs raided the empire as far as Delhi practically every year for plunder. They entered Delhi three times in 11 years from 1772 to 1783: in 1772, 1778 and 1783. In 1799, under the leadership of Maharajah Ranjit Singh, Sikh Empire was established, which was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The empire included Kashmir, Ladakh, and Peshawar. V.3 The Nawabs Map 2 : Hyderabad State, 1767 (9)V.3.1 Hyderabad Whereas the rebellions by Rajputs and Sikh were primarily motivated by the religious suppression under Aurangzeb, quite a different story happened in Hyderabad. The uncertain circumstances of the Mughal Empire, combined with absurdness and jealousness of the emperor, provoked the independent feelings of Hyderabad. The founder of the present dynasty was Chin Kilich Khan, a capable man of courage who rapidly rose in favor of the Emperor. Although young, he was made Viceroy of the Deccan. He exercised absolute power in the area that he eventually excited the jealousy of the Emperor, who gave orders for his assassination. The task was entrusted to Mobariz Khan, the local Governor of Hyderabad; however, he not only failed in the attempt but he himself was slain. The following excerpt from Hyderabad affairs which demonstrates this event, suggests that the authority of the Mughal Empire was deteriorated to an embarrassing extent: ¡°The Nizam(of Hyderabad), who was a humorist, if of a somewhat grim kind, wrote to the Emperor congratulating him on the successful suppression of the revolt, sending him at the same time the head of the " traitor" Mobariz. This was in 1724, and henceforth Chin Kilich Khan, who assumed the title of Nizam-ul-Mulk conducted himself as an independent prince.¡± (10) The incident further strengthened the Nizam in his independence. Embarrassed with his mistake and frightened of retaliation, the Mughal emperor honored his Viceroy with the title of Asaf Jah, and with instructions "to settle the country, repress the turbulent, punish the rebels, and cherish the people." (11). This somewhat humiliating incident for the emperor itself reflects the devastated authority of the Mughal Empire. Map 2 : Awadh, 1707 (12)V.3.2 Awadh Kingdom of Awadh was no exception in that it protested to the rule of the Mughal Empire and initiated its own rule over the area. Saadat Khan Burhanul Mulk, who was appointed Nawab in 1722 and established his court, took advantage of a weakening Mughal Empire in Delhi to lay the foundation of the Awadh dynasty. The region of Awadh was characterized by disorder and frequent absence of governors. In response to disorder in Awadh, later governors were given unprecedented powers, notably over the fiscal and revenue system. In 1722, Burhan al-Mulk, the founder of the kingdom of Awadh, bundled all administrative authority in the province into his own grasp. Moreover, the majority of zamindars were engaged in widespread defiance of the Mughal authority and its revenue demands. For example, the Bais Rajputs of Banswara, who had been turbulent since the last years of Aurangzeb¡¯s reign, united under the banner of a single war leader and fought the Awadh governor in a three day battle at their central fortress. Besides, Afghan zamindars in Lucknow district remained in armed resistance to the governor throughout 1714. In the same year, virtually all the Rajput chiefs in Awadh district itself were in revolt. Such frequent resistance made collections from Awadh erratic, or modest at best. The financial situation of the Mughal Empire, therefore, severely deteriorated. Beginning from its third Nawab, the Awadh kingdom began to decline. It fell out with the British after aiding Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal, who lost in the Battle of Buxar by the British East India Company. Over time, the British gained control of more territories and authority in the state. In 1798, the fifth Nawab received opposition from both his people and the British, and was forced to abdicate. Then the British enthroned a puppet king, who in the treaty of 1801 ceded half of Awadh to the British East India Company and also replaced his troops with the British-run army. The treaty virtually made Awadh a vassal to the British East India Company; the state continued to be part of the Mughal Empire in name till 1819. V.3.3 The Nawab of Bengal From 1717 until 1880, three successive Islamic dynasties-the Nasiri, Afshar, and Najafi, ruled Bengal. The first dynasty, the Nasiri, ruled from 1717 until 1740. The founder of the Nasiri, Murshid Quli Jafar Khan, entered the service of the Emperor Aurangzeb and rose through the ranks before becoming Nazim of Bengal in 1717, a post he held until his death in 1727. Bengal was one of the wealthiest parts of the Mughal Empire. As the Mughal Empire began to decline, the Nawabs in the region grew in power, although nominally sub-ordinate to the Mughal emperor. They exerted great power in their own right and ruled as independent rulers, wielding virtually independent power over the region. After the last independent ruler of Bengal was defeated by the British forces of Sir Robert Clive in 1757, the Nawabs became puppet rulers dependent on the British. Mir Jafar, who was personally led to the throne by Robert, briefly tried to re-assert his power by allying with the Dutch. This plan, however, failed. The Nawabs were deprived of any real power and finally in 1793, when the nizamat(governorship) was also taken away from them, they remained as the mere pensioners of the British East India Company. Map 4 : Maharashtra within the Republic of India (13)V.4 The Marathas Not unlike all other powers that emerged and moved against the Mughal Empire, Maratha also had a history of suppression by the empire, especially in the War of 27 years, which started with an invasion of the Maratha empire by Mughals under Aurangzeb in 1681: ¡°The Mughal strategy toward Maharashtra (during the War of 27 years) was not subtle, just thorough. It consisted of steady pressure on Maharashtra¡¯s forts, beating Maratha forces in the field when they could bring them to a battle, and devastating Maharashtra¡¯s countryside¡± (14) We can infer that the brutal attitude of the Mughal troops toward the Maratha partially functioned as a basis for hostility between two groups. Furthermore, since the Marathi believed in Hinduism, the religious intolerant positions adopted by the Muslim Mughal Empire provoked the resentment of the Marathi. When the Mughal Empire began to decline after death of Aurangzeb, Maratha constantly plundered the empire. In the northern half of Maharashtra, Maratha bands regularly assaulted the Ahmadnagar area and plundered the suburbs of Burhanpur. In 1710, a Maratha band defeated the Mughal governor of Aurangabad and plundered part of the city. The same pattern continued in following years. The Mughal governor of Burhanpur was killed in 1711 defending the city from a Maratha band. The Maratha Empire was at its height in the 18th century under Shahu. However, the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761 suspended further expansion of the empire in the Northwest and reduced the power of the Peshwas. In 1761, after severe losses in the Panipat war, the Peshwas slowly started losing the control of the kingdom. VI. Foreign Invasions VI.1 Nadir Shah Nadir Shah became the prominent leader of Persia, after conquering the Safavid and defeating Afghans. His thoughts now turned to Mughal Empire of the south, which was greatly declining in its power. He defeated the Mughal army at the huge Battle of Karnal in 1739. After this victory, Nadir captured Mohammad Shah and entered with him into Delhi. When a rumor broke out that Nadir had been assassinated, some of the Indians attacked and killed Persian troops. Nadir reacted by ordering his soldiers to massacre the people of the city. During the course of one day (March 22) 20,000 to 30,000 Indians were slaughtered by the Persian troops. Mohammad Shah begged for mercy; in response, Nadir Shah agreed to withdraw, but Mohammad Shah had to hand over the keys of his royal treasury, and even yield the Peacock Throne to the Persian emperor. The Persian troops left Delhi in May 1739. The invasion of Persia caused India to severely suffer from a great amount of loss, in terms of population, military power, and treasury. From the invasion by Nadir Shah, we can infer that the mid-18th century India was remarkably weakened. Many excerpts support this point. The following excerpt describes the event when Mohammad Shah begged for mercy on March 22 when Indians were massacred by Persian soldiers: "The Moghul Emperor had come to the Persian camp that day to sue for peace. He had returned after some hours of bitter humiliation ... (he was reminded to send) at once fifty of the most beautiful maidens of India, and as many slave boys, for the Shah's approval ... the women of India, except a few peasants, he (Nadir Shah) had not yet seen, and it was said that they were not without beauty" (15). It can be inferred that the dignity of the emperor of the Mughal Empire could be found nowhere; the empire was weakened to the helpless degree. A conversation between Nadir shah and an Indian girl also vividly demonstrates the fragmented and deteriorated situation of India in the period: ¡°Nadir smiled. ¡®They (the Mughal troops) could do nothing when they met my troops.' The girl said, ' My Lord, they have no leaders. The Moghul lords know nothing of war, and many are faithless to their salt.¡± (16). Not only did the Mughal empire was viewed as a helplessly faded empire by Nadir Shah, but it also lost credibility among its own people. VI.2 Ahmad Shah Abdali of Afghanistan Ahmad Shah first crossed the Indus river in 1748; his forces sacked Lahore during the invasion. In the following year, the Mughal ruler had to cede Sindh and all of the Punjab to Ahmad Shah, in order to save the capital from being attacked. In his fourth invasion of India in 1756/1757, Ahmad Shah invaded many provinces in India, including Delhi. He did not, however, displace the Mughal dynasty, which remained in nominal control as long as its ruler acknowledged Ahmad's hegemony over the Punjab, Sindh, and Kashmir. He instead installed a puppet Emperor, Alamgir II, on the Mughal throne. He married the daughter of the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah. In 1757, Ahmad Shah captured Amritsar and sacked the Golden Temple, initiating the long lasting hostility between Sikhs and Afghans. VI.3 British East India Company, or EIC The 18th century was an era when two notable European powers, France and Britain, struggled to achieve the superiority in India. The British East India Company (or EIC) was enlarging its power in India from early in the 17th century. It gained a number of trading posts and succeeded in a trade. Mughal emperors also showed some degree of favor to the company, especially toward the traders in Bengal (in 1717 completely waived customs duties for the trade). On the other hand, France also struggled to exert influence on the Indian subcontinent. Joseph François Dupleix, who was appointed the governor general of all French establishments in India in 1742, endeavored to acquire for France vast territories in India, and for this purpose he entered into relations with the native princes in the Indian subcontinent. Two powers¡¯ conflicts reached climax in the Seven Years' War (1756 ? 1763). As a result of the war, the French forces were defeated and their imperial ambitions were limited. Although French could maintain some territories, French ambitions on Indian territories were effectively laid to rest, thus eliminating a major source of economic competition for the EIC. In contrast, the EIC, with the endorsement of a disciplined and experienced army, was able to assert its interests in the Carnatic from its base at Madras and in Bengal from Calcutta, without facing further obstacles from other colonial powers. The EIC engaged in military conflicts with local rulers during its expansion. Robert Clive led company forces against Siraj Ud Daulah, the last independent Nawab of Bengal to victory at the Battle of Plassey in 1757, resulting in the conquest of Bengal and becoming the first British Governor of the area. This victory estranged the British and the Mughals, since Siraj Ud Daulah was a Mughal feudatory ally. However, the Mughal empire was already on the wane, being broken up into pieces and enclaves. Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan, the legendary rulers of Mysore, gave a tough time to the British forces. Having sided with the French, the rulers of Mysore continued their struggle against the EIC. However, Mysore finally fell to the EIC forces in 1799, with the slaying of Tipu Sultan. Military actions, threats, and shrewd diplomacy aided the Company in preventing the local rulers from putting up a united resistance against it. From the Battle of Plassey in 1757 to the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, the EIC consolidated and began to function more as a nation and less as a trading concern. It is interesting to note some reasons why the EIC could succeed in the rapid conquest of the subcontinent of India. First is that India was totally fragmented and destabilized in the 18th century, with several local powers emerging and contending for dominance. The following excerpt describes such a favorable background for the EIC to expand its conquest of the Indian subcontinent: ¡°we may trace the rise of those powers (that of EIC), in the Peninsula of India, which appeared during this reign, partly from the Hindoo States and Princes reclaiming their independence, and partly from the officers, who had commanded in the Mogul Provinces, beginning to lay the foundations of those lesser sovereignties¡± (17). Other factors also contributed to the rapid colonization of India by the East India Company. The EIC possessed highly advanced technology and enhanced military equipments, thanks to the Industrial Revolution that was opportunely on its progress during the era. Equipped with high-tech weapons, the East India Company of Britain could conquer the Indian troops handily, although the EIC had only a few soldiers. Another significant factor that had led the company to take over India is that the company had a strong urge to colonize India. Due to the Industrial Revolution in its homeland, the EIC ardently sought for a place where manufactured goods could be sold and raw materials could be achieved. Such a trend of the period rendered the East India Company to be highly obsessed with imperialism, by colonizing the declining empire and seeking to enlarge its profit to the maximum degree. VII. Conclusion Throughout the paper, we could see that India in the 18th century was characterized by extreme chaos and fragmentation. The Mugal Empire which had dominated the Indian subcontinent before the 18th century, had to suffer from chaos after death of Aurangzeb; it not only had to experience a number of local powers emerging in the subcontinent, but also underwent a series of invasions by neighboring countries, notably by Nadir Shah. Most importantly, the British East India Company extended its influence into the area, signaling the beginning of colonization of the entire Indian subcontinent. Such domestic fragmentations as well as foreign invasions of India, clearly seem to derive partially from the exorbitant conquest and religious intolerance of the Mughal Empire that began under the reign of Aurangzeb. Enlarged territories gave the succeeding Mughal Emperors difficulty of maintaining the empire, and the harsh policies enacted toward local powers, particularly in terms of religion, severely aroused their oppositions. The disordered situations in India enticed foreign powers into the territory, especially the EIC, which was equipped with a strong imperialistic urge to colonize the area. The history of India in the 18th century demonstrates the procedure of deterioration and eventual collapse of a once powerful empire (Mughal), and its gradual colonization by the foreign power. However, the situation of the Mughal Empire was not limited to the empire alone. In fact, events that befell in the Indian subcontinent demonstrate the cosmopolitan trend (of colonialism and imperialism) that was beginning to spread throughout the world. European powers, having a reasonable urge to find new markets to sell their mass-manufactured products and seek places where they could achieve raw materials, began their centuries-lasting process of colonization throughout the world. Therefore, a series of incidents in India in the 18th century should be viewed not only as specific to the area, but as a microcosm of the cosmopolitan trend of imperialism initiated by the European powers. Notes (1) Lane-Poole 1896 p.67 (2) Lane-Poole 1896 p.87 (3) Lane-Poole 1896 p.104 (4) Sarkar 1917 p.53 (5) Lane-Poole 1896 p.143 (6) WHKMLA History of Rajasthan; used with permission (7) Lane-Poole 1896 p.142 (8) Singh 1903 p.76 (9) WHKMLA Historical Atlas, Hyderabad; used with permission (10) Ali 1889 p.205 (11) McAuliffe 1904 p.174 (12) WHKMLA Historical Atlas, Awadh, used with permission (13) WHKMLA History of Maharashtra, used with permission (14) Gordon 1998 p.92 (15) Durand 1908 p.79 (16) Durand 1908 p.105 (17) Bruce 1810 p.117 Bibliography Note : websites quoted below were visited in June 2009 1. Richards, John F. The Mughal Empire. Cambridge University Press, 1993. 2. Gordon, Stewart J. The New Cambridge History of India: The Marathas 1600-1818. Cambridge University Press, 1998. 3. Singh, S.N. The Kingdom of Awadh. Mittal Publications, 2003 4. Vaikuntham. Y. State, economy and social transformation: Hyderabad State(1724-1948). Manohar, 2002. 5. Lane-Poole, Stanley. Aurangzeb, and the decay of Mughal Empire. Clarendon Press, 1896. < http://www.archive.org/details/aurangzbanddeca01lanegoog> 6. Sarkar, J. Anecdotes of Aurangzeb, translated into English with notes and historical essays. M.C. Sarkar, 1917. < http://www.archive.org/details/anecdotesofauran00sarkuoft> 7. Singh, P. Anecdotes from Sikh History. Khalsa Agency, 1903. < http://www.archive.org/details/anecdotessikh00singuoft> 8. McAuliffe, Robert P. The Nizam; the origin and future of the Hyderabad State, being the Le Bas prize essay in the University of Cambridge. Cambridge University Press, 1904 < http://www.archive.org/details/nizamoriginandf00mcaugoog> 9. Durand, Henry M. Nadir shah. London Constable, 1908. < http://www.archive.org/details/nadirshah00durauoft> 10. Bruce, J. Annals of the Honorable East-India Company. Black, Parry, and Kingsbury, 1810. < http://www.archive.org/details/annalshonorable01brucgoog> 11. Wheeler, James T. India under British rule from the foundation of the East India company. Macmillan and co., 1886. < http://www.archive.org/details/indiaunderbritis00wheerich> 12. History of India - the subcontinent, from HistoryWorld 13. Mughal India, from MughalIndia - The British Museum 14. The British India, from Manas : History and Politics 15. The Mughal Empire, from Manas : History and Politics 16. Aurangzeb : a political history¡±, from Manas : History and Politics 17. Keene, Henry G., Fall of the Moghul Empire of Hindustan (1887), posted by Project Gutenberg 18. Article : Mughal Empire, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mughal_empire 19. Article : Aurangzeb, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AurangzebArticle 20. Article : Sikhism, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikhism 21. Article : Akbar, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akbar 22. Article : Jizyah, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jizyah 23. Article : Marathas, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathas 24. Article : Rajiputs, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajiputs 25. Article : Bahadur Shah I, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahadur_Shah_I26. Article: Nadir shah, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadir_Shah 27. Article : Peacock Throne, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peacock_Throne 28. Article : Guru Gobind Singh, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Gobind_Singh 29. Article : Maharaja Ranjit Singh, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maharaja_Ranjit_Singh 30. Article : Nawabs, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nawab 31. Article : Awadh, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awadh 32. Article : Nizam, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nizam 33. Article : Hyderabad, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyderabad_State34. Article : Asaf Jah, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asaf_Jah 35. Article : Joseph Fran?ois Dupleix, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Fran%C3%A7ois_Dupleix36. Article : Robert Clive, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Clive 37. Article : Battle of Plassey, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Plassey 38. Article : Mysore, from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysore 39. Article : Aurangzeb. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. . 40. Article : Nadir Shah. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. . 41. Article : Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive of Plassey. Encyclop©¡dia Britannica Online. . 42. History of Rajasthan, from WHKMLA, http://www.zum.de/whkmla/region/india/xrajasthan.html43. History of Maharashtra, from WHKMLA, http://www.zum.de/whkmla/region/india/xmaharashtra.html44. Hyderabad, from WHKMLA Historical Atlas, http://www.zum.de/whkmla/histatlas/india/haxhyderabad.html45. Awadh, from WHKMLA Historical Atlas, http://www.zum.de/whkmla/histatlas/india/haxoudh.html46. Ali, Moulvi Syed Mahdi. Hyderabad Affairs.Talbot Bros, 1889. Back to WHKMLA Main Index . WHKMLA, Students' Papers Main Page . WHKMLA, Students' Papers, 12th Wave Index Page Impressum · Datenschutz
CRICKETNEXTIndia vs Australia Live Score, 1st ODI at Mumbai: India Look For Solid StartUpdated on: January 14, 2020, 1:40 PM ISTCricketnext Staff News18 News18 News18 News18Quick ScorecardIndia1st Innings11/0 Overs. 2.0BattingRohit Sharma 9(9)Shikhar Dhawan 1(3)Bowling O M R WMitchell Starc 1 0 8 0Pat Cummins 1 0 3 013:40 (IST)Now Pat Cummins comes into the attack. He has been in excellent form and is the main bowler. A fairly good over comes to an end. After 2 overs India are 11/0. 13:34 (IST)FOUR: Starc starts the proceedings and he goes wide of the off stump. Rohit makes full use of it and he drives it through the covers for four. He repeats the same shot once more and gets another four. This is an excellent start for India and him. It's 8/0 after 1.13:31 (IST)Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma make their way to the middle. KL Rahul will probably bat at number three, but that would not be ideal. Kohli is the mainstay of this team. 13:27 (IST)Both the teams have lined up for national anthems. It's big clash between the two giants. A great opportunity for Shardul Takur to perform and be a regular in this ODI side.13:17 (IST)VIRAT KOHLI: We would have bowled first as well. Dew in the second innings could be a factor. But again it is a good challenge for us. We are looking to do things that are not in out comfort zone. We are pretty much ready for something that might not happen for us at the toss. Pretty happy to be batting first. Bombay is a great wicket to play cricket. If you do your skills well in the first or second half, you get results. We are pretty happy with the toss. At home, I don't think any other team has else challenged so much. The last time they came here, they won the series and that too after losing the first two games. We know against Australia we have to be on top of our game. It is a challenge everytime you play them, whether it is in Australia or at home. Quality sides will challenge you everywhere. We are very excited to take on a side like Australia. The five that are not playing - Shivam Dube, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Yuzvendra Chahal and Navdeep Saini.13:14 (IST)India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Virat Kohli(c), Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit BumrahAustralia (Playing XI): David Warner, Aaron Finch(c), Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Ashton Turner, Alex Carey(w), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa13:04 (IST)So the toss has taken place at Mumbai, which Australia have won. Captain Aaron Finch has chosen to bowl first, citing the dew that is expected to come later in the day as one of the major reasons he has decided to do so.12:51 (IST)It's Labuschagne time! Here's the official confirmation of his inclusion in the team for today's match.12:34 (IST)In fact, in their last meeting in the ODI World Cup, it was Dhawan's superb hundred that paved the way for an easy victory for the Indians. But that was a good seven months back and Dhawan, since then, endured a spate of injuries. He also lost form only to regain a bit of it by scoring a half-century in the final T20 against Sri Lanka. 12:23 (IST)For India though, the main cause of concern will be the choice between Dhawan and Rahul. If current form is an indicator, Rahul is miles ahead to partner Rohit Sharma at the top of the order but Dhawan has had a phenomenal record in white ball cricket against the Aussies. 12:14 (IST)Alex Carey's gutsy batting and faultless glove-work will face the challenge of Rishabh Pant's flair. The young Marnus Labuschagne, easily the most exciting talent spreading his wings on the international cricket map with some stellar performances in the Test arena, would like to replicate his form in the shorter formats. 12:05 (IST)India's hungry-for-wickets pace attack led by Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Navdeep Saini is ready to test the Australians with subtle variations. On the other hand, IPL's costliest foreign recruit Pat Cummins, the crafty Kane Richardson and the ever-dependable Mitchell Starc will leave no stone unturned to make life uncomfortable for Kohli and his men. 11:51 (IST)The high-voltage rivalries that fans enjoy will be back as Rohit Sharma's elegance will be pitted against enforcer David Warner while the Virat Kohli vs Steve Smith duel will resume in earnest.11:40 (IST)At a time when bilateral ODI series are struggling to keep fans interested in the sport, the three-match rubber between two top teams could give a fresh lease of life to the format. 11:36 (IST)India will have to make a difficult choice between KL Rahul's consistency and Shikhar Dhawan's experience when they take on a formidable and full-strength Australia in the first ODI of a three-match series in Mumbai on Tuesday. Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the match. IND v AUS latest update: Now Pat Cummins comes into the attack. He has been in excellent form and is the main bowler. A fairly good over comes to an end. After 2 overs India are 11/0. Preview: Shikhar Dhawan - Rohit Sharma?KL Rahul - Rohit Sharma?Or, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul?That is the big dilemma for India as they prepare for the first of three ODIs against Australia in Mumbai on Tuesday (January 14). It will show a sneak-peek into India's strategy for the crucial opening spot.There isn't a context of a World Cup in the vicinity, which gives India some time to ponder over their combinations. The Australia series will be the first one where almost all their man players are available, which makes the three games even more interesting for all. Australia are a tough opponent too - they beat India 2-1 in ODIs here last year. They have arrived with an even stronger team, with Steve Smith and David Warner, who were absent last tour, returning. And given the three matches are played in batting friendly conditions at Mumbai, Rajkot and Bangalore, this could be a high scoring entertaining series.This is the stern test that India, and Australia, want as they build towards the next ODI cycle.Apart from the opening combination, India have a sorted line up, and it's only a matter of picking players according to conditions. Rishabh Pant had a fairly decent series against West Indies, which should have reduced some noise around his place in the side. Now, it's an opportunity for him to enhance his reputation against a stronger opposition. It's a similar opportunity for Shreyas Iyer too; he has fixed himself as the No. 4 in the ODI side post World Cup 2019, and will be eager to make this chance count.But will he get to bat at No. 4, if India play Rohit, Rahul and Dhawan? Kohli said it was 'absolutely possible' that he could move down the order to accommodate all three openers, which could mean Iyer might float down the order.India's bowling would welcome back Jasprit Bumrah. The bowlers struggled against the power-packed West Indies side, who kept attacking. Australia might take a different approach, but the result might be as effective. India will look up to Bumrah to change that, especially given they don't have the injured Deepak Chahar for this series.Australia will come with confidence given they beat India last year, that too after losing their first two matches of the tour. India beat Australia in the World Cup match, which should make them feel better too.Australia have dropped Usman Khawaja, their leading run-scorer from the series in India last year. Instead, they've got Marnus Labuschagne, who has been in stellar form in Test cricket. Captain Aaron Finch, Warner, Smith and Labuschagne will form the core of the batting, which also has an upcoming finisher in Alex Carey.The bowling is strong too, with Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc in the line up that also has spinner Adam Zampa. Cummins was the leading wicket taker last tour, and will be the biggest threat once again.Not too long ago, India played a T20I in Mumbai where they thrashed West Indies after posting 240 batting first. Given the strength of both sides and the nature of the wicket, another cracking game could be in store.Squads:India: Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma (VC), Rishabh Pant (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shikhar Dhawan, Shivam Dube, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Kedar Jadhav, Manish Pandey, KL Rahul, Navdeep Saini, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav.Australia: Aaron Finch (C), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey (WK), Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Kane Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, David Warner, Adam Zampa.Copyright © 2017 NEWS18.com — All rights reservedVisit Mobile Site
Hindustan Times - Latest NewsHome / India News / ISRO launches PSLV-C47 carrying Cartosat-3 and 13 nanosatellites from SriharikotaISRO launches PSLV-C47 carrying Cartosat-3 and 13 nanosatellites from SriharikotaThe 49th flight of India’s workhorse rocket – the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle or PSLV – took off from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh at 9:28am. ISRO,PSLV C47,cartosat 3ISRO’s PSLV-47 rocket launched India’s Cartosat-3 and 13 US nanosatellites from Sriharikota on Nov 27, 2019. (ISRO / Twiiter )Updated: Nov 27, 2019 12:05 ISTBy Anonna Dutt , Hindustan Times, New DelhiIsro successfully injected Cartosat-3, an earth observation satellite, and 13 nanosatellites from US companies in precise orbits on Wednesday, in the first launch after the Chandrayaan-2 mission, and got a pat on its back from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The 49th flight of India’s workhorse rocket – the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle or PSLV – took off from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh at 9:28am.“I am extremely happy to declare that PSLV C47 precisely injected Cartosat 3 and 13 customer satellites in the desired orbit. I must compliment the satellite team for building such a wonderful satellite and the launch vehicle team for achieving this success,” said Indian Space Research Organisation’s chairperson K Sivan.Watch l ISRO successfully launches PSLV-C47 with Cartosat-3 & 13 nanosatellitesPlay VideoADVERTISEMENTSCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENTThe launch also earned a congratulation from Prime Minister Modi.“I heartily congratulate the entire @isro team on yet another successful launch of PSLV-C47 carrying indigenous Cartosat-3 satellite and over a dozen nano satellites of USA,” the Prime Minister tweeted.“The advanced Cartosat-3 will augment our high-resolution imaging capability. ISRO has once again made the nation proud!” he added.All the satellites were put into orbit within 26 minutes and 50 seconds of takeoff, officials said.The Indian satellite, Cartosat-3, is a third-generation earth observation satellite with very high resolution. Apart from its use in mapping, the satellite data will have uses in urban planning, development of rural infrastructure, and coastal and land cover analysis.It weighed 1625kg and was placed in a 509km polar sun-synchronous orbit, an orbit in which the satellites passes over a given location on Earth at the same local mean solar time every day.“This is the most advanced Earth Observation Satellite ever built by Isro. The realisation of Cartosat-3 has witnessed a totally new development in every area – the payload, the communication system, the optical system, the sensors, and so on,” P Kunhikrishnan, the director UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru, said.“The satellite has the highest ever achieved a spatial resolution of about a foot and that too with a much higher swath. The realisation of each and every satellite is unique and very complex. There were four more satellites being developed concurrently at URSC, adding to the challenge,” Kunhikrishnan added.Along with the Indian satellite, the PSLV C47 also launched 13 nanosatellites commercially under a deal negotiated by the newly created PSU New Space India Limited.Of the 13 nanosatellites, 12 are earth observation satellites belonging to the American company Planet Labs and one a communication testbed developed by the US Analytical Space.Isro chairperson Sivan also added the space agency plans to complete another 13 missions by March 2020 – of these six will be launch vehicles and seven satellites.“We are having 13 missions up to March. As usual, our hands are full and as usual the team Isro will meet the challenge,” Sivan said.Of these, two launches are being planned for December, according to officials. tagsISRO CARTOSAT-3 PSLV India US Sriharikota Indian Space Research Organisation nano satellite trending topicsJammu and KashmirIndia vs Sri Lanka LiveArvind KejriwalVirat KohliHrithik RoshanDeepika PadukoneApple iPhoneUberMakar Sankranti 2020SCROLL FOR MORE NEWStop news A Delhi court had issued a death warrant for the execution of the four convicts – Mukesh Singh, Pawan Kumar Gupta, Akshay Thakur and Vinay Sharma – to be held on January 22.Sacks of sand test noose as Tihar prepares to hang December 16 convictsJan 13, 2020 04:57 Congress leader P Chidambaram at All India Congress Committee (AICC) office, Akbar road in New Delhi.Talk to us: Chidambaram proposes Q&A to Modi over citizenship actJan 13, 2020 08:47 The meeting, called by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, comes at a time when there is a raging debate in the country over the CAA, NRC and NPR. Opposition meet today to chart plan to counter government on CAAJan 13, 2020 02:05 Police said they have identified the masked woman (right) involved in the attack as a student of Daulat Ram College.JNU violence: Police identify masked woman in armed groupJan 13, 2020 09:10latest news 2 killed, 16 injured in road accident in UP’s Agra2 killed, 16 injured in road accident in UP’s AgraJan 13, 2020 09:28 IST Ramakrishna Mission distances self from PM Modi’s CAA speech, says won’t commentRamakrishna Mission distances self from PM Modi’s CAA speech, says won’t commentJan 13, 2020 09:28 IST Wrong to boycott Deepika Padukone or ‘Chhapaak’, says Sena MP Sanjay RautWrong to boycott Deepika Padukone or ‘Chhapaak’, says Sena MP Sanjay RautJan 13, 2020 09:23 IST DMRC recruitment 2020: Registration to fill 1492 vacancies closes soon at delhimetrorail.comDMRC recruitment 2020: Registration to fill 1492 vacancies closes soon at delhimetrorail.comJan 13, 2020 09:20 ISTHome / India News / 2 killed, 16 injured in road accident in UP’s Agra2 killed, 16 injured in road accident in UP’s AgraThe Volvo bus of the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation, carrying 35 to 40 passengers from Agra, was heading to Lucknow when the accident happened on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway. Agra,UP,Accident in UPThe bus was heading to Lucknow when the accident happened.(HT Photo)Updated: Jan 13, 2020 09:33 ISTBy HT Correspondent , Hindustan Times, AgraAt least two people were killed and more than a dozen injured on Monday after a bus they were travelling in fell off a foggy road into a 20-feet ditch in Uttar Pradesh’s Agra district.The Volvo bus of the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation, carrying 35 to 40 passengers from Agra, was heading to Lucknow when the accident happened on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway.Agra’s senior superintendent of police Babloo Kumar confirmed the two deaths and said 16 others were also injured in the accident at Sikrara turn under Fatehabad police station of the district.The injured, two of whom are serious, were taken to a hospital. Officials said 10 of them were discharged after first aid.Eyewitnesses said the accident occurred after the bus driver could not see a truck with a flat tyre by the road on time because of low visibility and applied brakes.The bus collided with the divider and then lost balance and fell into the ditch, they said.The 302-kilometre Agra-Lucknow Express Way is prone to accidents and turns riskier in foggy weather.Monday’s accident comes after 11 people were killed in the state’s Kannuaj district on Friday night after a private double-decker bus caught fire after colliding with a truck. tagsAgra Uttar Pradesh trending topicsJammu and KashmirIndia vs Sri Lanka LiveArvind KejriwalVirat KohliHrithik RoshanDeepika PadukoneApple iPhoneUberMakar Sankranti 2020SCROLL FOR MORE NEWStop news A Delhi court had issued a death warrant for the execution of the four convicts – Mukesh Singh, Pawan Kumar Gupta, Akshay Thakur and Vinay Sharma – to be held on January 22.Sacks of sand test noose as Tihar prepares to hang December 16 convictsJan 13, 2020 04:57 Congress leader P Chidambaram at All India Congress Committee (AICC) office, Akbar road in New Delhi.Talk to us: Chidambaram proposes Q&A to Modi over citizenship actJan 13, 2020 08:47 The meeting, called by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, comes at a time when there is a raging debate in the country over the CAA, NRC and NPR. Opposition meet today to chart plan to counter government on CAAJan 13, 2020 02:05 Police said they have identified the masked woman (right) involved in the attack as a student of Daulat Ram College.JNU violence: Police identify masked woman in armed groupJan 13, 2020 09:10latest news 2 killed, 16 injured in road accident in UP’s Agra2 killed, 16 injured in road accident in UP’s AgraJan 13, 2020 09:28 IST Ramakrishna Mission distances self from PM’s CAA speech, says won’t commentRamakrishna Mission distances self from PM’s CAA speech, says won’t commentJan 13, 2020 09:33 IST Wrong to boycott Deepika Padukone or ‘Chhapaak’, says Sena MP Sanjay RautWrong to boycott Deepika Padukone or ‘Chhapaak’, says Sena MP Sanjay RautJan 13, 2020 09:23 IST DMRC recruitment 2020: Registration to fill 1492 vacancies closes soon at delhimetrorail.comDMRC recruitment 2020: Registration to fill 1492 vacancies closes soon at delhimetrorail.comJan 13, 2020 09:20 ISTHome / India News / Ramakrishna Mission distances self from PM Modi’s CAA speech, says won’t commentRamakrishna Mission distances self from PM Modi’s CAA speech, says won’t commentThe prime minister, during his address at Belur Math -- the headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission -- said that the new law would not take away anybody’s citizenship, and a section of the youth was being misguided about the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA. Modi,Belur,CAAPrime Minister Narendra Modi at Belur Math in Howrah district,. (PTI)Updated: Jan 13, 2020 09:28 ISTBy Press Trust of India , BelurThe Ramakrishna Math and Mission on Sunday distanced itself from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, contending that it was a strictly apolitical body which did not respond to “ephemeral” calls.The prime minister, during his address at Belur Math -- the headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission -- said that the new law would not take away anybody’s citizenship, and a section of the youth was being misguided about the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA.Addressing a press meet, Swami Suvirananda, the Ramakrishna Math and Mission general secretary, said, “The organisation will not comment on the prime minister’s speech on CAA. We are a strictly apolitical body. We have come here after leaving our homes to answer eternal calls. We do not respond to ephemeral calls.” He said Modi was a guest and the onus was on him on what he had spoken at the Math.“But when you have a guest... Atithi Devo Bhava is the Indian culture. And you must extend all kinds of courtesies, decencies to him. And if something you feel ought not have been told, the onus lies on the person who tells it but not on the host -- by no logic,” he added.Swami Suvirananda further said that both Modi and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee are not politicians but leaders holding constitutional posts.“They represent the Constitution of India as they have a statutory post. Mamata Banerjee is the leader of West Bengal and Modi is the leader of India,” he noted.Asked whether Modi’s speech on the CAA was an attempt to ‘saffronise’ the Mission, Swami Suvirananda said, “We are already saffron but that doesn’t mean that we are saffron in the sense that is being interpreted in politics today.” He said the Mission believes in inclusivity and is the only order in the world where the monks do not cast their votes.“We are apolitical to that extent that our monks do not cast votes. The only order in the world which does not cast votes.“We are inclusive as an organisation, only order in the world which has monks from Hindus sects and from even Islam... Islamic people from Iran and Iraq. Ours is the only organisation which has Christian monks, hundreds in numbers, Buddhist monks and we live like brothers, more brotherly than the brother born to same parents... What more inclusiveness do you want?” he said.Modi, who came to the city on Saturday evening on a two-day trip to attend 150 years celebrations of the Kolkata Port Trust, spent a night at the Math here.The prime minister described his visit to the Math as a “homecoming”. PTI SCH SOM SOM tagsNarendra Modi Mamata Banerjee West Bengal trending topicsJammu and KashmirIndia vs Sri Lanka LiveArvind KejriwalVirat KohliHrithik RoshanDeepika PadukoneApple iPhoneUberMakar Sankranti 2020SCROLL FOR MORE NEWStop news A Delhi court had issued a death warrant for the execution of the four convicts – Mukesh Singh, Pawan Kumar Gupta, Akshay Thakur and Vinay Sharma – to be held on January 22.Sacks of sand test noose as Tihar prepares to hang December 16 convictsJan 13, 2020 04:57 Congress leader P Chidambaram at All India Congress Committee (AICC) office, Akbar road in New Delhi.Talk to us: Chidambaram proposes Q&A to Modi over citizenship actJan 13, 2020 08:47 The meeting, called by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, comes at a time when there is a raging debate in the country over the CAA, NRC and NPR. Opposition meet today to chart plan to counter government on CAAJan 13, 2020 02:05 Police said they have identified the masked woman (right) involved in the attack as a student of Daulat Ram College.JNU violence: Police identify masked woman in armed groupJan 13, 2020 09:10latest news 2 killed, 16 injured in road accident in UP’s Agra2 killed, 16 injured in road accident in UP’s AgraJan 13, 2020 09:28 IST Ramakrishna Mission distances self from PM Modi’s CAA speech, says won’t commentRamakrishna Mission distances self from PM Modi’s CAA speech, says won’t commentJan 13, 2020 09:28 IST Wrong to boycott Deepika Padukone or ‘Chhapaak’, says Sena MP Sanjay RautWrong to boycott Deepika Padukone or ‘Chhapaak’, says Sena MP Sanjay RautJan 13, 2020 09:23 IST DMRC recruitment 2020: Registration to fill 1492 vacancies closes soon at delhimetrorail.comDMRC recruitment 2020: Registration to fill 1492 vacancies closes soon at delhimetrorail.comJan 13, 2020 09:20 ISTHome / India News / Wrong to boycott Deepika Padukone or ‘Chhapaak’, says Sena MP Sanjay RautWrong to boycott Deepika Padukone or ‘Chhapaak’, says Sena MP Sanjay RautSanjay Raut, who is a Rajya Sabha member and the executive editor of Shiv Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, said the country cannot be run in a “Talibani” style. Sanjay Raut,Deepika Padukone,ChhapaakShiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday came out in support of actor Deepika Padukone.(Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)Updated: Jan 13, 2020 09:23 ISTBy Press Trust of India , MumbaiShiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday came out in support of actor Deepika Padukone, who is facing flak from the BJP and some other quarters over her visit to the JNU campus in Delhi to express solidarity with students who were recently attacked by armed assailants.Raut, who is a Rajya Sabha member and the executive editor of Shiv Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, said the country cannot be run in a “Talibani” style.After Padukone’s visit to the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Tuesday, many appreciated her “silent solidarity”, but some others criticised her for “supporting Leftists”, saying it was a promotional stunt for her latest film “Chhapaak”.Some also demanded a boycott of her film, based on the life of an acid attack survivor, played by Padukone.A section of BJP leaders also criticised the 34-year- old actor over her JNU visit.Talking to PTI, Raut said, “The demand for boycott of the actress and her film is wrong. The country cannot be run in a ‘Talibani’ style.” “Chhapaak”, directed by Meghna Gulzar, hit the theatres on Friday.The Congress governments in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh on Thursday declared the film tax-free in the two states.Declaring a movie tax-free means the state has waived the entertainment levy imposed on it, thereby bringing down the ticket rates and encouraging more people to watch it. tagsDeepika Padukone Chhapaak trending topicsJammu and KashmirIndia vs Sri Lanka LiveArvind KejriwalVirat KohliHrithik RoshanDeepika PadukoneApple iPhoneUberMakar Sankranti 2020SCROLL FOR MORE NEWStop news A Delhi court had issued a death warrant for the execution of the four convicts – Mukesh Singh, Pawan Kumar Gupta, Akshay Thakur and Vinay Sharma – to be held on January 22.Sacks of sand test noose as Tihar prepares to hang December 16 convictsJan 13, 2020 04:57 Congress leader P Chidambaram at All India Congress Committee (AICC) office, Akbar road in New Delhi.Talk to us: Chidambaram proposes Q&A to Modi over citizenship actJan 13, 2020 08:47 The meeting, called by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, comes at a time when there is a raging debate in the country over the CAA, NRC and NPR. Opposition meet today to chart plan to counter government on CAAJan 13, 2020 02:05 Police said they have identified the masked woman (right) involved in the attack as a student of Daulat Ram College.JNU violence: Police identify masked woman in armed groupJan 13, 2020 09:10latest news Samsung Galaxy Plus images leaked onlineSamsung Galaxy Plus images leaked onlineJan 13, 2020 09:19 IST Walmart prepares to halt expansion in India, fires a third of its executives here: ReportWalmart prepares to halt expansion in India, fires a third of its executives here: ReportJan 13, 2020 09:17 IST Ajay Devgn’s Tanhaji outpaces Deepika’s Chhapaak in opening weekend BOAjay Devgn’s Tanhaji outpaces Deepika’s Chhapaak in opening weekend BOJan 13, 2020 09:15 IST Rituparna Mitra accuses Bengali filmmaker Arindam Sil of sexual misconductRituparna Mitra accuses Bengali filmmaker Arindam Sil of sexual misconductJan 13, 2020 09:09 ISTHome / India News / ‘Will be shot like in UP’: Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh’s warning for those damaging public property‘Will be shot like in UP’: Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh’s warning for those damaging public propertyThe senior leader also criticised chief minister Mamata Banerjee “for not opening fire and ordering lathicharge” on those destroying railway property and public transport during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests in the state in December last year. Dilip Ghosh,UP,CAABJP’s West Bengal unit chief Dilip Ghosh said those involved in arson and damaging public property will be shot “like the same way in Uttar Pradesh.”(PTI Photo)Updated: Jan 13, 2020 09:05 ISTBy HT Correspondent , Hindustan Times, New DelhiThe Bharatiya Janata Party’s West Bengal unit chief Dilip Ghosh has said those damaging property in the state will be shot and killed “like the same way in Uttar Pradesh”.The senior leader also criticised chief minister Mamata Banerjee “for not opening fire and ordering lathicharge” on those destroying railway property and public transport during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests in the state in December last year.The Indian Railways have said they lost property worth Rs 90 crore, with Eastern Railways—mostly spread across West Bengal—alone accounting for 80% of those losses alone accounting for 80% of those losses pegged at Rs 72.19 crore during the country-wide protests in the past 10 days.“Is it the father’s property of those who are setting public property on fire? How can they destroy government property built on taxpayers’ money!” Ghosh said during a public meeting in Nadia district, according to news agency PTI.The BJP leader said those involved in arson and damaging public property will be shot “like the same way in Uttar Pradesh”, according to the news agency.Ghosh also said that the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Karnataka “did the right thing by opening fire on these anti-national elements”.“They will come here, enjoy all the facilities and destroy the country’s property. Is it their zamindari?” he asked.Ghosh also called for identifying those “sabotaging the interests” of Hindu Bengalis as he claimed that there are two crore “Muslim infiltrators” in the country.“One crore alone is in West Bengal and Mamata Banerjee is trying to protect them,” he alleged.Banerjee has staunchly criticised CAA, which fast-tracks the process of granting of Indian citizenship to religious minorities from neighbouring Muslim-majority countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.The chief minister has led protests against the amended law and while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in the state’s capital over the weekend, she even attended a demonstration against CAA by the TMC’s students’ wingShe reiterated her party Trinamool Congress’ stand that the state government will not implement the new citizenship law or the proposed National Register for Citizens (NRC) in the state.More than 20 have died in protest-related violence across the country since the legislation was passed by Parliament in December last year. tagsDilip Ghosh UP CAA CAA 2019 trending topicsJammu and KashmirIndia vs Sri Lanka LiveArvind KejriwalVirat KohliHrithik RoshanDeepika PadukoneApple iPhoneUberMakar Sankranti 2020SCROLL FOR MORE NEWStop news A Delhi court had issued a death warrant for the execution of the four convicts – Mukesh Singh, Pawan Kumar Gupta, Akshay Thakur and Vinay Sharma – to be held on January 22.Sacks of sand test noose as Tihar prepares to hang December 16 convictsJan 13, 2020 04:57 Congress leader P Chidambaram at All India Congress Committee (AICC) office, Akbar road in New Delhi.Talk to us: Chidambaram proposes Q&A to Modi over citizenship actJan 13, 2020 08:47 The meeting, called by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, comes at a time when there is a raging debate in the country over the CAA, NRC and NPR. Opposition meet today to chart plan to counter government on CAAJan 13, 2020 02:05 Police said they have identified the masked woman (right) involved in the attack as a student of Daulat Ram College.JNU violence: Police identify masked woman in armed groupJan 13, 2020 09:10latest news 2 killed, 16 injured in road accident in UP’s Agra2 killed, 16 injured in road accident in UP’s AgraJan 13, 2020 09:28 IST Ramakrishna Mission distances self from PM Modi’s CAA speech, says won’t commentRamakrishna Mission distances self from PM Modi’s CAA speech, says won’t commentJan 13, 2020 09:28 IST Wrong to boycott Deepika Padukone or ‘Chhapaak’, says Sena MP Sanjay RautWrong to boycott Deepika Padukone or ‘Chhapaak’, says Sena MP Sanjay RautJan 13, 2020 09:23 IST DMRC recruitment 2020: Registration to fill 1492 vacancies closes soon at delhimetrorail.comDMRC recruitment 2020: Registration to fill 1492 vacancies closes soon at delhimetrorail.comJan 13, 2020 09:20 ISTHindustantimes NewsCity NewsEducation NewsLifestyleEntertainment NewsSports NewsUseful LinksBrand PostTop TrendsHoroscope TodayBigg Boss 13Chhapaak movie reviewJamtara ReviewRanveer SinghShah Rukh KhanRealmeNissanPrivacy PolicyTerms Of UseDisclaimerContact UsCopyright © HT Digital Streams Ltd. 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INVITE A FRIEND VIEW IN BROWSERSATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2020Times Top10Good morning!5 THINGS FIRSTPM Modi on a two-day visit to West Bengal; Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Delhi; Kerala high-rises to be demolished for violating coastal norms; German Chancellor Merkel to meet Putin in Moscow; Presidential and parliamentary elections in Taiwan 1. Relief for Kashmir, a message for all1. Relief for Kashmir, a message for allThe Supreme Court, hearing a batch of pleas which challenged curbs imposed in Jammu and Kashmir after the Centre's abrogation of provisions of Article 370 on August 5 last year, answered the following questions in its verdict on Friday:Q1: Can government claim exemption from producing orders through which it imposed restrictions?A1: Government should publish all orders that are in force and also future orders to enable affected people to challenge it.Q2: Is freedom of speech and expression and freedom to practise any profession, or to carry on any business over the Internet a fundamental right?A2: These freedoms enjoy constitutional protection and the restriction upon such fundamental rights should be in consonance with the mandate under Article 19 (2) and (6) of the Constitution, inclusive of the test of proportionality.Q3: Is government's action of prohibiting internet access valid?A3: An order suspending internet services indefinitely is impermissible. Such orders must adhere to the principle of proportionality and must not extend beyond necessary duration. We direct the authorities to review all such orders forthwith and revoke those not in accordance with the law laid down above. Authorities should consider allowing government websites, limited e--banking facilities, hospital services and other essential services in areas where internet is not likely to be restored immediately.Q4: Were restrictions under Section 144 valid?A4: The power under Section 144 cannot be used to suppress legitimate expression of opinion or grievance or exercise of any democratic rights. Orders under the section should state the material facts to enable judicial review. Repetitive orders under Section 144 would be an abuse of power. Authorities are directed to review forthwith the need for continuance of any existing orders passed under Section 144.Q5: Was the freedom of press violated due to the restrictions?A5: Executive editor of Kashmir Times Anuradha Bhasin had said that she couldn't publish her newspaper from August 6 to October 11 last year due to the restrictions. Taking into account the government's submission that other papers were being published at that time and that the Kashmir Times has resumed publication, the court said "we do not deem it fit to indulge more in the issue than to state that responsible governments are required to respect the freedom of the press at all times."Read the full judgment here 2. The state of protests, orders and law...2. The state of protests, orders and law...With permission: The Tripura High Court has ruled that government employees can take part in political programmes and post messages on social media without incurring any punitive measure under service conduct rules. This was after the BJP-led state government recently warned employees of punitive action for taking part in anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests. In Mumbai, professors from some central government institutes like IIT have been reminded about service rules by the government for participating in anti-CAA protests.Protest vs traffic: The Delhi High Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking directions for removal of demonstrators protesting against the CAA at Shaheen Bagh in the capital in order to clear road blockages that are causing traffic congestion. The protest began on December 14.More arrests: Four more people have been arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district for their alleged involvement in violence during the anti-CAA protests taking the total number of such arrests to 85, police said on Friday. Eighteen people have been released in Muzaffarnagar so far by court orders after police filed reports stating there was no evidence of their involvement in the violence.More protests: To register their protest against CAA, thousands of people, holding national flags, marched in Hyderabad after offering Friday prayers at various mosques in the city. There is no let-up in protests against the new citizenship law in Assam, which completed one month this week. The All Assam Students' Union, which is leading the protests, has vowed to carry on until the Act is scrapped. Check out the protest tracker here.Out of jail: A Delhi court granted bail to 12 people arrested in connection with violence in Seemapuri area of northeast Delhi during recent anti-CAA protests. Elsewhere, an NIA court has rejected NIA's plea for taking farmers' leader Akhil Gogoi, one of spearheads of anti-CAA agitation, back into its custody.Meanwhile, Delhi Police is yet to arrest anyone for the attack by a masked mob on students and teachers of Jawaharlal Nehru University on January 5 evening that left 36 injured though it named nine suspects for the clashes that took place on the campus earlier. Among those named is JNU students' union president Aishe Ghosh, who received 16 stitches on her head and fractured her left hand in the violence. 3. Does India need more prisons or less?3. Does India need more prisons or less?Jail reduction: Even as the number of crimes keeps going up year after year, surprisingly, the number of prisons in India has been on the decline — with their count in 2018 the lowest since 2008, at 1,339. This, despite 16 new jails being built in 2018, according to the NCRB's Prison Statistics 2018 report. Consequently, there's rampant overcrowding in India's jails, which is showing no signs of decreasing, with almost a fifth more inmates housed in jails than they can accommodate. Last year, the Centre had allocated Rs 1,800 crore to set up 199 new jails in the country, even though prisons are a state subject — worried by how overcrowding had led to an increase in criminal activities inside prisons.Jam-packed jailsCatching up: While the total inmate capacity in the three years between 2016 to 2018 has increased by 4.03% — from a capacity for housing 380,876 inmates in 2016 to 396,223 in 2018 — the number of prisoners housed in all jails has shot up by almost twice that rate, at 7.64%, in the same period. With the result, while there were 433,003 inmates in 2016, there were 466,084 prisoners in 2018. While prison overcrowding puts the health and physical safety of both the staff — whose actual strength is more than 30% less than its sanctioned strength — and inmates at risk, it also 'shames' India globally since it's a signatory to the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, also known as Nelson Mandela Rules.Unwanted inmates? The number of undertrials, who constitute the largest chunk of prison inmates, outnumber convicts by a ratio of 2.32:1. Towards this end, the government had also introduced the concept of plea bargaining in the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 by way of Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2005. However, unlike in the US, where plea bargaining is used in almost all offences — including murder, sex abuse and arson — in India, a plea bargain can only be used for offences which attract a maximum sentence of 7 years. The result? Less than 1% of all cases under the IPC are settled via this method whereas the figure for the US was close to 97%. 4. Will RBI come to Centre's rescue again?4. Will RBI come to Centre’s rescue again?What: The government is planning to push the Reserve Bank of India for another interim dividend, as it struggles to meet its expenditure commitments amid a steep revenue shortfall, reports Reuters. The fresh call comes just months after the central bank approved a Rs 1.76 lakh crore dividend payment to the government, including Rs 1.48 lakh crore for the current fiscal year.Why: The government faces a shortfall of more than one-third in its revenue target of Rs 19.6 lakh crore following a severe economic slowdown (GDP growth is projected to fall to an 11-year low of 5%) and cut in corporate tax rates last year. If RBI agrees, it would mark the third straight year in which it has agreed to give the government an interim dividend.What's for next year_ (4)How: The RBI largely earns profits through its trading of currencies and government bonds. Part of these earnings are set aside by the RBI for its operational and contingency needs while the rest is transferred to the government in the form of dividend. It earned a surplus of Rs 1.23 lakh crore in its last financial year, which was substantially higher than previous years.Meanwhile, in some good news for the economy, the Index of Industrial Production recorded a growth of 1.8% in November after having contracted for three months in a row, though the numbers are lower than the estimates of 2.5%. The rupee rose 7 paise to 71.14 against the US dollar in opening trade on Friday, buoyed by sliding oil prices and the country's foreign exchange reserves touched a record high of $461.157 billion. NEWS IN CLUES5. Who was the first Indian to win the World Championship in badminton?Clue 1: She was among the top 15 earning female athletes globally last year.Clue 2: In her first Olympic appearance, she became the youngest individual medal winner for India.Clue 3: She and her father are both Arjuna Award winners. 6. Mistry isn't coming back to Tata, yet6. Mistry isn't coming back to Tata, yetThe stay: The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) order restoring Cyrus Mistry as executive chairman of the Tata Group. The tribunal's decision suffers from "basic errors and we have to hear the matter in detail,'' the apex court said.A question: The court also asked, "You (Cyrus) have been out of the saddle for quite a long time. Does this hurt you....How does it hurt you today." The court said there was no prayer in the petition for reinstatement of Mistry but the tribunal went ahead with it and ordered his reinstatement. "The tribunal granted the prayer which was not prayed,'' the court observed.What next? While the petition was pending, Mistry came out with a statement on Sunday saying that he is not interested in returning to the Tata Group and the decision was made in the interest of the Group. NCLAT had held the group's chairman emeritus Ratan Tata's actions against Mistry were oppressive and the appointment of a new chairman was illegal. The SC has posted the matter after four weeks. 7. Sorry Boeing, but air crashes are neither funny, nor monkey business7. Sorry Boeing, but air crashes are neither funny, nor monkey businessWhistleblowers Inc: In perhaps what could be the most damning indictment of Boeing's safety certifications for its 737 Max aircraft, emails exchanged among Boeing employees show that they were far from satisfied with the aircraft's design. The emails, comprising 100 pages, were sent by Boeing to the House and Senate Committees probing the design flaws in the aircraft that earned fatal notoriety with two air crashes, one each in 2018 and 2019, that resulted in the deaths of 346 people.Clowns & monkeys: The emails detail employee views when the 737 Max simulators were developed and certified in 2017 and 2018 — with one of the employees coming down heavily on the company, saying the aircraft was "designed by clowns, who in turn are supervised by monkeys" while another called it an aircraft with "piss poor design." In another email exchange, an employee made it clear that he wouldn't let his family fly in the 737 Max. One employee also hints that the company 'forced' them to lie to the FAA when it checked the aircraft before granting it approval to fly.The cover up: The emails also reveal how Boeing's chief technical pilot was adamant that the simulator training wasn't required for pilots who had flown earlier versions of the 737 — telling Boeing's employees that any demand for simulator training would be resisted by the company which was prepared to "go face to face with any regulator who tries to make that a requirement." As is now well known, the non-disclosure of the stabilisation system in both the Max training and the flight manual, known as MCAS, which malfunctioned, resulted in the aircraft's deep dive and subsequent crash.Meanwhile, in the crash of the Ukraine International Airlines aircraft on Wednesday near Tehran, Iran has denied that it shot down the plane ‘by accident’ with a missile — which resulted in the death of all 176 people on board, which included 82 Iranian nationals. YOU SHARE YOUR B'DAY WITHYOU SHARE YOUR B’DAY WITHSource: Various 8. World watches as a Chinese-speaking democracy votes8. World watches as a Chinese-speaking democracy votesThe polls: Taiwan will vote today to pick its next president and parliament members. The elections come amidst Chinese efforts to get the island to accept Beijing's rule as well as anti-government protests in Chinese-ruled Hong Kong.The history: The self-ruled democratic island, which has its own currency, flag, military and government, is not recognised as an independent state by the UN and most nations. China claims Taiwan, which lies off its southeast coast, as its territory and has threatened to take it by force if needed. Taiwan says it is an independent country and has been politically separated from China for the past seven decades.The contest: President Tsai Ing-wen, of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is running for a second term. Tsai is pro-independence, favours a separate Taiwanese identity and has tried to reduce the dependence of the island's economy on China. She had also expressed her support for the Hong Kong protests. Tsai is being challenged by Han Kuo-yu of the main opposition Kuomintang party who favors close ties with China.The message: The elections are being seen as a referendum on its relations with China. Beijing had stepped up its indirect threats in recent months holding military exercises across the Taiwan Strait. The polls will also be closely watched by the US (which sells arms and provides other assistance to the island) and Japan (Taiwan lies on major shipping lanes between Southeast Asia and Japan and South Korea) amidst their struggle for dominance in the region. 9. Do lingering protests cause depression?9. Do lingering protests cause depression?Traumatic protests: The anti-China protests in Hong Kong may be causing a political headache for its administration and the Chinese authorities, but they are also leaving the residents of Hong Kong more depressed than before, according to findings published in The Lancet on Friday. The study notes that increasing protests in India, especially Delhi, may warrant a similar analysis of their effect on mental health. The study revealed that 1 in 5 adults in Hong Kong is either suffering from depression or post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) — a figure which is similar to those who experience armed conflicts.Rising tide: The study also compares the increase in depression and PTSD during the anti-China protests of last year — which are still continuing — and the 2014 pro-democracy Occupy Central movement, which lasted 79 days. It found that compared to 2014, the prevalence of probable depression has doubled since the Occupy protests and is five times higher than what it used to be before the 2014 movement — this, in a state which has the longest life expectancy in the world.The numbers: During the peak of the protests last year, the study found that 31.6% of people suffered from PTSD, which translated into an adult population of 1.9 million. The combined prevalence of suspected PTSD and probable depression was 21.8% — with those aged 60 and above showing the highest prevalence of depression, along with those who are unemployed or not earning. BEFORE YOU GO10. What kills malaria, kills cancer too10. What kills malaria, kills cancer tooWell, who would have thought of that! Apparently, what's fatal for malaria has also proved to be fatal attraction for cancer cells, especially those that cause lung cancer. In a breakthrough research, Angshuman Sarkar, an assistant professor at BITS Pilani's Goa campus, discovered that a re-purposed drug, based on the anti-malarial medicine Quinacrine (QC), was effective in killing non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which accounts for 80% of all lung cancer cases diagnosed.NSCLC is tough to beat for two reasons — its extremely high resistance to chemo drugs and its ability to metastasise (spreading of cancer in other parts of body), with the result that anyone who suffers from NSCLC usually dies within a year or two of its detection. Sarkar’s discovery will not only extend the lifespans of people suffering from lung cancer but will also significantly reduce the treatment cost. 3 CURATED WEEKEND READS1. How the US squandered its Cold War victoryThe US believed the American way of life was humankind's ultimate destiny. But unrestrained greed has led to an era of injustice and division.2. Eating at your work-desk can be dangerousMany of us struggle to leave the office for lunch, but it could mean we're overeating, being less productive and putting our health at risk3. Who is Jared Kushner?The Kushner family history — from lying on immigration forms to becoming major Democratic donors — often seems at odds with the initiatives Jared supports in his father-in-law Donald Trump’s Administration. Answers To NEWS IN CLUESAnswers to NEWS IN CLUESP V Sindhu. The shuttler, who won the silver medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics and is the first Indian, male or female, to win badminton's world championship last year, lost in the quarterfinals of the Malaysia Masters Super 500 badminton tournament on Friday, after being beaten by Chinese Taipei's Tai Tzu Ying 21-16, 21-16. She was ranked 13th in the Forbes list of highest paid female athletes, with earnings of $5.5 million in 2018-19. Sindhu’s father, P V Ramana, is also an Arjuna awardee for volleyball. Follow news that matters to you in real-time.Join 3 crore news enthusiasts. GET APPCompiled by: Judhajit Basu, Rakesh Rai, Sumil Sudhakaran, Tejeesh N.S. Behl Are you reading this in Gmail?To continue receiving updates from the Times of India, kindly move our emails to primary folder.Thanks for reading. We are ready with updates and more news on timesofindia.comWe'd love your feedback on this newsletter. Please send your thoughts and suggestions to timestop10@timesinternet.inOUR MAILING ADDRESS IS:Times Internet, Times Centre. Sector 16 A Noida, 201301 Copyright 2018 Times Internet. All rights reserved. UnsubscribeSHARE THIS NEWSLETTER
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TOITOP NEWSBRIEFSVIDEOSTIMES TOP 10ENTERTAINMENTDeepika Padukone’s JNU visit creates a splash; Unexpected gesture, expected reactionsTNN | Jan 8, 2020, 16:09 ISTTNNGet Notifications on latest Entertainment NewsA day after many from the film industry came out on the streets of Mumbai to protest against the attack on JNU students, Deepika Padukone made a surprise visit to the university. The actor, who was in the city to promote her upcoming film 'Chhapaak', took time out to visit the campus before leaving the city to lend her support to the protesting students. She reached the university campus at around 7.40pm and attended a public meeting, called by JNU Teacher's Association and JNUSU in response to Sunday's attack on students and teachers by a masked mob armed with sticks and rods. Deepika stood as former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar was raising azaadi slogans and left by the time current president Aishe Ghosh started speaking, without making any grand statements.As soon as the news of the actor visiting JNU broke out, Twitterati was quick to take sides, with hashtags like #ISupportDeepika and #BoycottChhapaak trending. While one section lauded Deepika for taking a stand and showing solidarity with the students, others berated her and asked for her film to be boycotted.Deepika‘Not a movie promo, respect Deepika for standing up’A host of names from the film industry came out to applaud Deepika for taking a stand and supporting the protesting students irrespective of how it would impact her upcoming film‘She joined tukde-tukde gang, boycott film’Critics, on the other hand, believe that Deepika’s presence at JNU was a promotional tactic and some names from the industry berated the actress for supporting JNUVivek AgnihotriI must congratulate their PR team, in one stroke they have got free publicity. Everyone is trying to say that this is the voice of students, but the percentage of protesting students is hardly anything. By doing this, the star of the film, she has conveyed the message that she does not stand with the other 98% students– while talking to Times NowDeepika: No stranger to controversyDeepika is no stranger to controversies. Her 2018 film 'Padmaavat' was met with a lot of resistance from right-wing groups, who claimed that the Rajput queen was shown in a bad light. In the making stage, multiple sets were destroyed, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the director, was slapped. Once the film was about to be released, fringe groups like Karni Sena called for a ban on the film, but it didn’t just stop there. In several states, cinema halls displaying the film’s posters were vandalised, many right-wing fringe groups as well as BJP leader Kunwar Surajpal Singh Ammu announced rewards to behead Deepika and Bhansali, and made other violent threats. Responding to the threats, Deepika had said, “It’s appalling, it’s absolutely appalling. What have we gotten ourselves into? And where have we reached as a nation? We have regressed. This is not about Padmavati. We’re fighting a much bigger battle.” Despite all the threats, the film earned Rs 585 crore.p1--PadmavatTRENDING VIDEOSKartik Aaryan ditches his car and takes an auto to reach director Dinesh Vijan's officeKartik Aaryan ditches his car and takes an auto to reach director Dinesh Vijan's office00:46This slo-mo video of Neena Gupta running in yellow mini dress on sandy shore is beyond words!This slo-mo video of Neena Gupta running in yellow mini dress on sandy shore is beyond words!00:45Sara Ali Khan flaunts her curves in an animal print bikini, mommy Amrita Singh captures the perfect momentSara Ali Khan flaunts her curves in an animal print bikini, mommy Amrita Singh captures the perfect moment00:49Sherlyn Chopra bares it all in this startling picture from her Dubai diariesSherlyn Chopra bares it all in this startling picture from her Dubai diaries00:54‘Malang’ new poster: Aditya Roy Kapur and Disha Patani's steamy chemistry sets internet on fire‘Malang’ new poster: Aditya Roy Kapur and Disha Patani's steamy chemistry sets internet on fire00:43Lisa Haydon enjoys final days of pregnancy, due to deliver 'any day now'Lisa Haydon enjoys final days of pregnancy, due to deliver 'any day now'00:41Download the Times of India News App for Latest Entertainment NewsStart your day smart with storiescurated specially for youYour email addressTOP COMMENT Good violence-violent demonstration and destruction of public property in UP, Bihar, Delhi, Karnataka by Muslims. Bad violence- JNU. But in both cases, Modi is held responsible.FoxproRead all CommentsNEXT STORYENTERTAINMENTFilm, TV shoots go on amid 'Bharat bandh'PTI | Updated: Jan 8, 2020, 16:09 ISTPTIFilm and TV shoots remained unaffected despite the nationwide strike called by trade unions on Wednesday.The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) said all its members were at work as usual and nothing was hampered because of the strike."We have nothing to do with the strike. Our members and everyone is at work as usual. Films and TV are 100 per cent on smoothly without any hindrance," B N Tiwari, president of FWICE told .Members of 10 Central trade unions on Wednesday went on a one-day nationwide strike against the 'anti-labour' policies of the government.TRENDING VIDEOSKartik Aaryan ditches his car and takes an auto to reach director Dinesh Vijan's office00:46This slo-mo video of Neena Gupta running in yellow mini dress on sandy shore is beyond words!00:45Sara Ali Khan flaunts her curves in an animal print bikini, mommy Amrita Singh captures the perfect moment00:49Sherlyn Chopra bares it all in this startling picture from her Dubai diaries00:54‘Malang’ new poster: Aditya Roy Kapur and Disha Patani's steamy chemistry sets internet on fire00:43Lisa Haydon enjoys final days of pregnancy, due to deliver 'any day now'00:41Download the Times of India News App for Latest Entertainment NewsStart your day smart with storiescurated specially for youYour email addressAdd CommentNEXT STORYOpen in AppOpen in AppTOP TRENDSMaharashtra electionUS Iran WarCAA newsIran NewsUkraine Plane CrashJNU violenceBharat bandh liveCrude Oil PriceIran US NewsNCVT MIS ResultJEE Main Paper AnalysisAirspace ClosureUPTET Exam AnalysisBank Holidays 2020What is NRCWhat is NPRIPL 2020 Players ListHoroscope todayLongwalks AppOrder NewspaperABOUT US | TERMS OF USECopyright © 2020 Bennett, Coleman & Co. 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Iraq ProtestsTexas Church ShootingUS China Trade DealUkraine Gas Transit DealJamshed Mahmood RazaTOIOPEN APP+WORLD NEWSTHE TIMES OF INDIA | JAN 08, 2020, 18:57:11 ISTUS-Iran tension live updates: Won't give black box to Boeing, says IranWith Iran firing several missiles targeting US troops in Iraq bases, the tension in the Gulf is at an escalation point. Stay with TOI for live updates.18:37 (IST), JAN 08Air India, Air India Express flights overflying Iran temporarily rerouted"In light of tensions within the Iranian airspace, a decision to temporarily reroute flights of Air India and Air India Express overflying Iran has been taken. This may lead to an increase in flying time by approximately 20 minutes for flights from Delhi and 30 to 40 minutes for flights from Mumbai. The situation is being closely monitored," Air India spokesperson Dhananjay Kumar said. Read more17:45 (IST), JAN 08 QUOTEChabahar Port is a symbol of very good friendship between India, Iran, Afghanistan, Commonwealth of Independent States, Europe, whole Persian Gulf. It does not belong only to Iran and India. Chabahar will go on, don't worry about it.Ali Chegeni 17:45 (IST), JAN 08 QUOTEWhatever we have done is a part of our response. Millions of people who participated in the funeral of General Qassem Soleimani had demanded the government for it. We have done it. We are not looking for war.Ali Chegeni, Iranian ambassador to India 17:44 (IST), JAN 08India is a part of the region. It should be a part of de-escalation. We are welcoming any initiative from our good friends from India: Ali Chegeni17:44 (IST), JAN 08We are not looking for war. We are living in this region peacefully with our brothers and sisters including India. We don't want any tension/escalation in this region: Iranian Ambassador to India Ali Chegeni17:42 (IST), JAN 08Airlines avoiding flying through Iran and Iraq airspaceA growing number of airlines said on Wednesday they were avoiding Iranian and Iraqi airspace for flights to the region after Tehran fired ballistic missiles against bases housing US troops in Iraq. Read more17:39 (IST), JAN 08Nato chief Stoltenberg condemns Iran rocket attacks16:52 (IST), JAN 08Ukraine's embassy in Iran issues new statement on the plane crash in IranANI✔@ANI Ukraine's embassy in Iran issues new statement on the plane crash in Iran, omitting the mention of engine failure as the cause: Reuters https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1214828249013862401 …ANI✔@ANICrashed Ukraine plane had 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians on board, reports AFP quoting a Ukraine minister2754:22 PM - Jan 8, 2020Twitter Ads info and privacy66 people are talking about this16:47 (IST), JAN 08Iran will not give black box from crashed Ukrainian airliner to Boeing: ReportThe head of Tehran's civil aviation organisation Ali Abedzadeh said it was not clear which country Iran would send the box to so that its data could be analysed, semi-official Mehr news agency reported. Read more16:16 (IST), JAN 08Iraq says Iran informed it of imminent missile attack on US forces"We received an official verbal message from the Islamic Republic of Iran that the Iranian response to the assassination of Qasem Soleimani had begun or would begin shortly, and that the strike would be limited to where the US military was located in Iraq without specifying the locations," Iraq's prime minister's office said. Read moreGet Breaking News alerts on TOI appOffline mode, real-time notifications, and news briefsOPEN APP16:15 (IST), JAN 08China urges restraint after Iran missile attacks"It is not in the interest of any party that the situation in the Middle East worsens further," China's foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular press briefing. "We call on the parties concerned to exercise restraint," he said. Geng said China would "play a responsible role in promoting a de-escalation of the situation as soon as possible".16:12 (IST), JAN 08Iran finds black boxes from crashed plane: Aviation authorityIranian search and rescue teams have found the black boxes from a Ukrainian airliner that crashed on Wednesday soon after take off from Tehran's main airport, the country's civil aviation authority said. "The two black boxes of the Ukranian 737 aeroplane that crashed this morning have been found," said the authority's spokesman, Reza Jafarzadeh, according to ISNA, a semi-official news agency of Iran. Read more16:07 (IST), JAN 08The Indian embassy in Iraq has issued a travel advisory asking Indian nationals to avoid non essential travel to Iraq and also avoid travel within Iraq.15:51 (IST), JAN 08Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu warns of 'resounding blow' if Iran attacks Israel"Anyone who attacks us will receive a resounding blow," the premier told a Jerusalem conference after Iran launched a salvo retaliatory missile strikes on bases used by US troops in Iraq. Read more15:50 (IST), JAN 08Iraqi PM says this dangerous crisis threatens a "devastating all-out war" in Iraq, the region, and the worldHe called on all sides to practice self restraint, adhere to international agreements, and respect Iraqi state. He also said Iraq rejects any violation of its sovereignty and attacks on its soil.15:28 (IST), JAN 08Iraqi Kurdish leaders calls for region to be kept out of rivalriesThe leaders of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region said on Wednesday that the support of a US-led military coalition in fighting Islamic State militants was vital and urged its member states not to allow the group's revival. "In regards to the recent events, and in particular this morning's, the Kurdistan Region reiterates that military solution will in no way solves the problems," they said in a statement.15:22 (IST), JAN 08140 US targets identified, Iran saysIran's Revolutionary Guards source said at least 140 targets of the US and its allies had been identified in the region and would be attacked "if the Americans commit any kind of mistake again".14:51 (IST), JAN 08Iran's response to any new US action to be proportional: Defence minister"We used short range missiles ... I hope this will be a memorable lesson for America," Iranian defence minister Amir Hatami said in reference to Wednesday's Iranian strikes on US targets. "Iran's response (to any US retaliation) will be proportional to what America will do," he said, adding that US President Donald Trump "has turned the (US) administration into a terrorist government." Read full story14:46 (IST), JAN 08Pakistan cautions citizens on travel to IraqA spokeswoman for Pakistan's foreign office tweeted that Pakistanis should "exercise maximum caution while planning visit to Iraq at this point". Pakistan has a large Shi'ite population, which reveres a number of sites in Iraq, particularly in the central city of Karbala, where tens of thousands travel throughout the year on pilgrimages.14:38 (IST), JAN 08Israel 'stands completely' beside US, Netanyahu saysIsraeli PM says Trump should be congratulated for acting swiftly, boldly and resolutely over Suleimani, and whoever tries to attack Israel will be hit hard14:34 (IST), JAN 08Ballistic missiles, deadly drones, a web of militias: How Iran plans to confront USInternational sanctions and restrictions on arms imports have made it hard for Iran to develop or buy more sophisticated weaponry. To compensate for the imbalance, Iran has developed "asymmetrical" responses - ballistic missiles, deadly drones and a web of militia allies in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen, among other things - with the aim of being able to inflict pain while avoiding the traditional battlefield. Read full story14:26 (IST), JAN 08UK condemns Iran missile attacks, urges restraint"We condemn this attack on Iraqi military bases hosting Coalition- including British- forces," said foreign secretary Dominic Raab. "We are concerned by reports of casualties and use of ballistic missiles." A separate Ministry of Defence statement said: "We can confirm that there were no UK casualties."14:15 (IST), JAN 08France has no plan to withdraw soldiers from IraqFrance is not planning to withdraw its 160 soldiers deployed in Iraq following Iranian missile strikes targeting U.S.-led forces, a French government source told Reuters on Wednesday. A French army spokesman previously said there had been no French military casualties in Iraq from the Iranian strikes.14:04 (IST), JAN 08Crashed Ukraine plane had 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians on board: Ukraine minister14:04 (IST), JAN 08Crashed Boeing was new, checked two days ago: Ukrainian AirlineUkraine International Airlines says plane involved in iran crash was one of its best with an excellent crew. "The plane was manufactured in 2016, it was received by the airline directly from the (Boeing) factory. The plane underwent its last planned technical maintenance on January 6, 2020," the airline said in a statement.13:55 (IST), JAN 08Ukraine International Airlines declines to comment on theory that plane was shot down by a missile13:54 (IST), JAN 08Responding to US by cutting off America's 'leg' in region: Iran presidentIran's President Hassan Rouhani said that Washington might have "cut off the arm" of General Qassem Soleimani but America's "leg" in the region would be cut off in response, Iran's Fars news agency reported.13:42 (IST), JAN 08Ukraine president warns against 'speculation' after plane crash"I ask everyone to keep from speculating and putting forth unconfirmed theories about the crash," he wrote on Facebook, as he cut short a vacation in Oman and flew back to Ukraine.13:24 (IST), JAN 08Russian lawmaker warns of risk of nuclear war"Reciprocal strikes by the US and Iran may lead to an all-out war in the region,'' Vladimir Dzhabarov, lawmaker with Russia's upper house of parliament said. "If Washington sees that it can't achieve its goals, there's a danger of a nuclear war.''13:16 (IST), JAN 08Resuming nuclear talks with US will pave the way for US dominance: Khamenei13:12 (IST), JAN 08Iran's supreme leader Khamenei says last night was "a slap on the face" of the USIranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an address to the nation says "We slapped them (Americans) on the face last night" with a missile strike "but military action is not enough." Khamenei added that the "corrupt presence of the US in the region should come to an end," saying it has caused war, division, and destruction. Read full story13:11 (IST), JAN 08Iran's supreme leader Khamenei says Suleimani's killing shows that Iran's revolution is alive12:49 (IST), JAN 08Britain condemns missile attacks in Iraq, says foreign minister Raab12:41 (IST), JAN 08Aircraft crash not caused by terrorism, Tehran's Ukrainian embassy tells Iran12:35 (IST), JAN 08Iran will welcome any peace initiative by India for de-escalating its tensions with US: Ali Chegeni, Iranian envoy to India"India usually plays very good role in (maintaining) peace in the world. We welcome all initiatives from all countries, especially India as a good friend for us, to not allow escalation," he said. Read full story12:34 (IST), JAN 08Iraq military says no Iraqi casualties as 22 missiles hit bases"Between 1:45 am and 2:15 am (2245 GMT and 2315 GMT) Iraq was hit by 22 missiles, 17 on the Ain al-Asad air base and...five on the city of Arbil," the Iraqi military command said in a statement, adding they hit sites being used by the US-led international coalition.12:28 (IST), JAN 08Ukrainian flight did not declare emergency before crash: Iranian media12:26 (IST), JAN 08Biden: Iran escalation shows Trump 'dangerously incompetent'Biden said Trump used a “haphazard” decision-making process to order the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Suleimani and has failed to communicate the rationale to Congress or US allies around the world.12:08 (IST), JAN 08Airlines re-route flights away from Iraq, Iran airspaceThe FAA said it issued the airspace ban, which also includes the Gulf of Oman and the waters between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Transport Canada said it was in close contact with the FAA about the situation in the Middle East and that Air Canada was altering its routes. Similar announcements came from Singapore Airlines, Qantas and others.11:57 (IST), JAN 08Iran's president to deliver speech, says state TVNEXTGET THE APPiconBACK TO TOPMORE FROM OUR NETWORKTamil NewsTelugu NewsKannada NewsMalayalam NewsET MobileIndiatimesTimes JobsFolloGreetZapActive WorldZigWheelsMagicbricksAds 2 BookAstrospeakNavbharat TimesNewsPointGames AppMX PlayerTimesPointsLongwalks AppNewspaper SubscriptionColombia Ads and PublishingTimes PrimeTOP TRENDSMaharashtra electionUS Iran WarCAA newsIran NewsUkraine Plane CrashJNU violenceBharat bandh liveCrude Oil PriceUS Iran NewsNCVT MIS ResultJEE Main Paper AnalysisAirspace ClosureUPTET Exam AnalysisBank Holidays 2020What is NRCWhat is NPRIPL 2020 Players ListHoroscope todayAbout us Terms of UseDesktop versionCopyright © 2019 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. 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NewsPointWatch: Smriti Mandhana Takes The Flying Catch During Women's T20 Challenger TrophySportzwiki08th January, 2020 13:33 ISTIndian women’s cricketer Smriti Mandhana has always shocked by his batting style and now, she amazed by her fielding skill during the match between India A and India B in Senior Women’s T20 Challenger Trophy. India B captain showed her flying ability while catching the ball.During the sixth over of India A’s innings, all-rounder Anuja Patil bowled a good-length delivery, and Devika Vaidya struck the ball into the covers to grab a boundary, but skipper Mandhana immediately reacted to the ball. She dived on her right to send back Devika (6) to the dressing room.Watch the video of flying Smriti Mandhana:Riya Chandani@RiyaChandani1 Skip can fly! Mandhana's sharp catch https://www.bcci.tv/videos/142890/skip-can-fly-mandhana-s-sharp-catch … via @bcciSkip can fly! Mandhana's sharp catchbcci.tv15:52 PM - Jan 7, 2020Twitter Ads info and privacySee Riya Chandani's other TweetsAbout the game: India B vs India A matchOn Tuesday (7th January), India B won the toss and opted to bat at Cuttack. In the 20-overs game, skipper Mandhana scored 34 runs, setting the target of 140 runs (139/4) against India A.India A top-order batswomen Taniya Bhatia, Priya Punia and Devika Vaidya could not give stability to the team. India B bowlers Anuja Patil and Sushree Dibyadarshani picked two wickets each, halting India A to reach the target. Harmanpreet Kaur-led India A scored just 104 runs at the loss of seven wickets.BCCI Women✔@BCCIWomen India 'B' beat India 'A' by 35 runs, seal their second win in the tournament. 👏👏Here's the scorecard 👇👇 https://www.bcci.tv/domestic/womens-senior-t20-challenger-trophy-2019-20/match/04 …#INDBvINDA #T20ChallengerTrophy @paytm Embedded video2732:11 PM - Jan 7, 2020Twitter Ads info and privacy19 people are talking about thisIn the points table, India B tops the table, winning two matches and one with no results in three matches. Now, the India B team will head to play their fourth match of the tournament against India C. Final of the Women’s T20 Challenger Trophy will be played on 10th January (Friday).Talking about Smriti Mandhan, she is the only Indian women’s cricketer named in both the International Cricket Council (ICC)’s ODI and T20 teams of 2019. The swashbuckling women cricketer is compared with Virender Sehwag for her attacking batting style.You may also likeNewsPointIND vs SL | Navdeep Saini and Shardul Thakur have pounced on their opportunity, asserts Mohammad KaifNewsPointThis video of Siddharth-Shehnaz opposed on social media, celebs gave such a reactionNewsPointIraq: Iran launches missile strike against US at al-Asad and ErbilNewsPoint16 trains coming to Delhi delayed by one to eight hours,click here to checkNewsPointBJP president Amit Shah will target many targets during Bihar tour
