NASA Crew-9 astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore and Nick Hague spoke to the press today about the future of NASA's human space flight programme, after their recent return from the International Space Station (ISS).
Mr Wilmore said they will carefully study and rectify all the issues they have faced before going to space in another Boeing Starliner spacecraft.
The language battle from Tamil Nadu has found resonance in Maharashtra, with Raj Thackeray, the chief of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, saying the state ought to learn from the southern states about opposing the three-language structure of the National Education Policy and the alleged imposition of Hindi.
"Have you seen the southern states? Have you seen Tamil Nadu? See how they have opposed Hindi language,' said Mr Thackeray., whose party had long stood for Maratha pride and advocated the use of the language across the state.
"What is going on in Maharashtra? We are the ones who do not react... Every state's language should be respected," he said, urging his party workers to ensure that Marathi is spoken in Mumbai.
Recently, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had claimed that 25 Indian languages, including Marathi, had suffered because several states adopted Hindi.
His son, Udhayanidhi Stalin, had even given a list of languages that are on the verge of dying out for lack of use.
The DMK insists that its opposition to the three-language policy is based on this. The National Education Policy, the party has alleged, is meant to enforce a cultural homogenization that will rob India of its diversity and the southern states of their distinct cultural identity.
The state has argued that its current two-language formula - Tamil and English -- serves it well and underscored that it is the second-largest contributor to the country's economy.
The BJP has also argued the National Education Policy has a bouquet of languages other than Hindi for the third option and insisted that it does not force a student to study Hindi. The party has also maintained that the third language will help people travelling to other states.
Madhya Pradesh, another BJP-ruled state, meanwhile plans to offer additional optional languages including Bengali, Marathi, Telegu, Tamil Gujarati and Punjabi in colleges.
While it is an ambitious plan, there is no word on faculty recruitment or on minimum enrolment required to roll this out.
Inder Singh Parmar, the Higher Education Minister of Madhya Pradesh, said this will bring about "a hub of linguistic diversity".
The DMK has kept up the pressure on the Central government, demanding the release of funds withheld for not accepting the National Education Policy.
The education system in Tamil Nadu is number one in India. But they want to kill Macaulay model of education and go back to the Vedic system of education, said DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan.
The Chhattisgarh High Court has said that a woman cannot be forced to undergo a virginity test which violates Article 21 of the Constitution that guarantees her fundamental right to protection of life and liberty, including the right to dignity.
The high court said granting permission for a virginity test would be against the fundamental rights, cardinal principles of natural justice and secret modesty of a female, emphasising that Article 21 is the "heart of fundamental rights".
The observation by high court judge Justice Arvind Kumar Verma came in response to a criminal petition filed by a man who demanded his wife's virginity test alleging she was in an illicit relationship with another man, challenging a family court's order dated October 15, 2024, which rejected the interim application.
The wife had alleged that her husband was impotent and refused to cohabit.
The HC said if the petitioner wants to prove that the allegations of impotency are baseless, he can undergo the concerned medical test or produce any other evidence.
"He cannot possibly be permitted to subject the wife to undergo her virginity test and fill up the lacuna in his evidence".
The order passed on January 9 was made available recently.
The high court noted that the contention of the petitioner demanding a virginity test of his wife is unconstitutional as it violates Article 21 of the Constitution which includes the right to dignity of women.
"Article 21 of the Constitution of India not only guarantees the right to life and personal liberty but also the right to live with dignity, which is crucial for women.
"No woman can be forced to conduct her virginity test. It is a violation of fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 21. It has to be borne in mind that Article 21 is the 'heart of fundamental rights'," the high court stated.
Justice Verma further said that the virginity test is a violation of the basic right of women to be treated with decency and proper dignity.
"The right to personal liberty enshrined under Article 21 is non-derogable and cannot be tinkered with in any manner. The petitioner cannot possibly be permitted to subject the wife to undergo her virginity test and fill up the lacuna in his evidence in this regard.
"Be that as it may, but in any case, granting the permission for virginity test of the respondent would be against her fundamental rights, the cardinal principles of natural justice and secret modesty of a female," the high court noted.
Non-derogable human rights refer to rights that are absolute and may not be subject to any derogation, even in times of war or emergency.
The bench further observed that the allegations made by both parties against each other are the subject matter of evidence and a conclusion can be drawn only after evidence.
"The High Court is of the considered opinion that the order impugned is neither illegal nor perverse and there is no judicial error committed by the trial court," it said.
The couple got married on April 30, 2023, as per Hindu rites. They lived together at the husband's family residence in Korba district.
The wife allegedly told her family members that her husband is impotent and she refused to establish a marital relationship or cohabit with her husband, the petitioner's counsel said.
She filed an interim application on July 2, 2024, under section 144 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) before the family court in Raigarh district seeking maintenance of Rs 20,000 from her husband.
In response to the maintenance claim interim application, the petitioner sought a virginity test of his wife alleging that she was in an illicit relationship with her brother-in-law. He claimed the marriage was never consummated.
On October 15, 2024, the family court in Raigarh rejected the husband's request following which he filed a criminal petition in the High Court.
The case is currently at evidence stage in the family court.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
An armed resistance movement against Myanmar's military-run government criticised the junta on Sunday for conducting airstrikes on villages even as the country reels from an earthquake that has killed around 1,700 people.
The Karen National Union, one of Myanmar's oldest ethnic armies, said in a statement that the junta "continues to carry out airstrikes targeting civilian areas, even as the population suffers tremendously from the earthquake".
The group said that under normal circumstances, the military would be prioritising relief efforts, but instead is focused on "deploying forces to attack its people".
A spokesman for the junta did not reply to queries from Reuters about the criticism.
Myanmar has been locked in civil war with multiple armed opposition groups since a 2021 coup, when the military seized power from the elected government of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
Shortly after Friday's devastating earthquake, military jets launched airstrikes and drone attacks in Karen state, near the KNU headquarters, according to the Free Burma Rangers, a relief organisation.
The epicentre of the 7.7-magnitude quake was in an area held by junta forces, but the devastation is widespread and also affected some territory held by armed resistance movements.
On Sunday, the opposition National Unity Government, which includes remnants of the government ousted in 2021, said anti-junta militias under its command would pause all offensive military action for two weeks.
Richard Horsey, the senior Myanmar adviser at Crisis Group, said some anti-junta forces have halted their offensives but fighting continues elsewhere.
"The regime also continues to launch airstrikes, including in affected areas. That needs to stop," he said.
He added that the regime was not providing much visible support in quake-hit areas.
"Local fire brigades, ambulance crews, and community organisations have mobilised, but the military - who would normally be mobilised to support in such a crisis - are nowhere to be seen," Horsey said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
A woman who gave birth to quadruplets was in shock due to her babies being premature and having low birth weight. She was brought to Hyderabad's Niloufer Hospital, where she and her babies spent a month in the intensive care unit before they found a happy ending.
Reports say the treatment would have cost upwards of Rs 1 crore in any private hospital.
Amrutha, 24, rushed to the hospital on February 22 with complaints of premature labour pain in the seventh month of her pregnancy.
She was taken in for caesarean delivery on the same day. She gave birth to four babies - two boys and two girls.
All four of them being very premature and low birth weight required ventilator support immediately after birth, the hospital said. The babies were admitted to the ICU at Niloufer Hospital under the supervision of Dr N Ravi Kumar, superintendent, and L Swapna, professor and head of department of neonatology.
The babies were put on a mechanical ventilator for 10 days due to breathing problems. In the initial days, it was difficult for the mother to provide breast-feeding to all the babies.
With the support of a human milk bank at Niloufer Hospital, she was able to feed her babies with her own milk and some donor human milk.
As the days progressed, the babies' condition improved and were shifted to normal wards from the ICU. They had to battle with several complications associated with prematurity like sepsis, jaundice, apnea and ROP.
One of the babies also required an eye surgery, which was facilitated by doctors from Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital.
After 35 days of hospital stay, all the four babies were discharged today, healthy.
Dr N Ravi Kumar appreciated the doctors of the neonatology department for their efforts. The mother and the four babies are healthy, with the babies receiving only breast milk.
A day after a woman's decomposed body was found in a box bed in a flat in Delhi's Shahdara, police said they have cracked the case with the arrest of the house's owner and one of his accomplices.
Officials said they got a call on Friday informing them about a foul smell emanating from a flat in Satyam Enclave in Vivek Vihar. When a police team reached the spot, they found the house locked and blood marks near the back door. After opening the door, the decomposed body of a 35-year-old woman was found in a bag inside the storage area of a bed.
A team formed to investigate the murder began looking for the owner of the house, 65-year-old Vivekanand Mishra. He was caught near Surajmal Park, Anand Vihar.
Officials said Mishra confessed to murdering the woman, Anju aka Anjali, who was from Ludhiana, and revealed the names of his two accomplices, Abhay Kumar Jha alias Sonu and Ashish Kumar.
After Mishra was arrested, Sonu, who had come to Delhi to dispose of the body and was staying in a hotel in Paharganj, tried to flee to Bihar. The police team found out he was travelling on the Magadh Express and arrested him at the Aligarh station with the help of the Government Railway Police (GRP).
Murder Plan
Interrogation and call details revealed that the plan to kill Anjali was hatched by Mishra and Sonu. On March 21, Sonu and the other accomplice, Ashish, brought Anjali from Ludhiana to Delhi, where she was murdered.
Officials said Mishra searched online for methods of disposing of a body using chemicals. He had also looked for open manholes and drains of the Delhi Jal Board, indicating that the killers had already planned to destroy the evidence after the murder.
The police are now looking for the third accomplice, Ashish, and are trying to figure out the motive for the murder.
Italian police said on Friday they had dismantled one of the largest clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in the country, arresting a university student they described as a fan of the cult TV series "Breaking Bad".
The show chronicles the downward spiral of a high-school chemistry teacher who uses his knowledge to make and sell methamphetamine, also known as crystal meth.
A 22-year-old from the northern city of Novara was charged with the illegal production of drugs, police said in a statement. In Italy, the crime carries sentences ranging from six to 20 years' imprisonment.
Officers who raided a property on March 21 found a large table with "a complex distillation workshop" on the ground floor, lit by a dim red light and including flasks, glass tubes and heat resistant ampoules.
In the attic, they found an area where drug compounds such as MDMA and DMT were mixed and prepared, as well as "hallucinogenic stamps" - small pieces of paper doused in drugs such as LSD.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Bihar Board 10th Result 2025: The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) will announce the results of the matric annual Examination 2025 on March 29 at 12 noon. The results will be declared by Education Minister Sunil Kumar at the BSEB headquarters in Patna.
Where to Check Bihar Board 10th Result 2025
Students can access their results online through the official websites:
matricresult2025.com
matricbiharboard.com
NDTV has launched a dedicated result page for students who appeared for the Bihar board exams this year.
How To Check Bihar Board Exam Results on NDTV's Results Page?
Steps to check the results:
Candidates are advised to keep their roll number and roll code ready to check their results as soon as they are published.
The Class 10 board exams were conducted between February 17 and February 25, 2025. This year, approximately 15.68 lakh students appeared for the examination.
Like previous years, the BSEB is expected to announce rewards for the top-performing students. Last year, the top ranker received Rs 1 lakh and a laptop, while the second and third rankers were awarded Rs 75,000 and Rs 50,000, respectively, along with laptops.
To pass the Class 10th examination, students must secure at least 33% marks in each subject.
Students are advised to keep checking the BSEB's official website for the latest updates.
British-American novelist Salman Rushdie will publish his first major work of fiction since the brutal stabbing that blinded him in one eye, his publisher said on Thursday.
"The Eleventh Hour" is a collection of short stories examining themes and places of interest to Rushdie,who narrowly escaped death during the 2022 attack. It will be released on November 4, 2025.
The would-be assassin, Hadi Matar, was convicted of attempted murder at a trial in upstate New York at which Rushdie gave vivid testimony about the incident.
"The three novellas in this volume, all written in the last twelve months, explore themes and places that have been much on my mind -- mortality, Bombay, farewells, England (especially Cambridge), anger, peace, America," he said in a statement released by Penguin publishing.
"I'm happy that the stories, very different from one another in setting, story and technique, nevertheless manage to be in conversation with one another, and with the two stories that serve as prologue and epilogue to this threesome."
During the trial of Rushdie's attacker, Matar's legal team sought to prevent witnesses from characterizing Rushdie as a victim of persecution following Iran's 1989 fatwa calling for his murder over supposed blasphemy in "The Satanic Verses."
Rushdie told jurors of Matar "stabbing and slashing" him during an event at an upscale cultural center in rural New York.
Matar was found guilty of stabbing Rushdie about 10 times with a six-inch blade that was shown to witnesses and the court.
At the trial, Rushdie discussed his book "Knife" which he wrote after the attack, describing the violent attempt on his life and his recovery from a variety of injuries.
The defendant shouted pro-Palestinian slogans on several occasions during the trial.
Matar, from New Jersey, previously told media he had only read two pages of "The Satanic Verses" but believed the author had "attacked Islam."
After the novel was published in 1988, Rushdie became the center of a fierce tug-of-war between free speech advocates and those who insisted that insulting religion, particularly Islam, was unacceptable in any circumstance.
Rushdie, who was born in Mumbai but moved to England as a boy, was propelled into the spotlight with his second novel "Midnight's Children" (1981), which won Britain's prestigious Booker Prize for its portrayal of post-independence India.
But "The Satanic Verses" brought him far greater, mostly unwelcome, attention."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
In a significant move, the apex body for chartered accountants, ICAI, has announced that the CA Final examinations will now be conducted three times a year, instead of the current biannual schedule.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), in an official release on Thursday, termed the decision historic and stated that it aligns with global best practices, offering students better job prospects.
Last year, it was announced that the Intermediate and Foundation course examinations would be held thrice a year. Now, it has been decided to extend this schedule to the CA Final examination as well.
According to the official release, these examinations will be held in January, May, and September.
Additionally, the assessment test for the post-qualification course in Information Systems Audit will also be conducted three times a year—in February, June, and October. At present, this test is held biannually.
He was wanted for several knife attacks and chain snatchings in North Delhi and had also been caught in the past but managed to give police the slip every time using a smelly method - he would defecate in his pants. But when a patrolling team spotted him on Monday and he tried the same trick again, the cops happened to be prepared and used masks and gloves to catch him and ensure he didn't escape.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Raja Banthia said Deepak, 27, had more than half a dozen cases against him. "This criminal has escaped in this manner many times. As soon as a policeman would catch him, he would immediately activate his filthy plan," Mr Banthia said.
Deepak, officials said, was involved in several cases of knife attacks and mobile theft in North Delhi's Sadar Bazar area. They said Deepak would defecate in his pants every time he was caught, forcing cops to cover his nose and step away from him. The 27-year-old would use this opportunity to escape.
On Monday, a patrolling team spotted a man behaving suspiciously in the area and realised it was Deepak. When they caught him, he used his smelly trick again, but the cops had masks and gloves with them. They arrested him and took him to the Sadar Bazar police station.
"A knife, which Deepak said he calls his 'lucky knife' and keeps on his person at all times, was also recovered. A case has been registered under the Arms Act," said an official.
India is expected to add 130-150 million new room air conditioners (ACs) over the next decade which could increase the country's peak power demand by more than 180 gigawatts (GW) by 2035, straining the power system, according to a new study published on Wednesday.
The study by the India Energy and Climate Center (IECC) at the University of California (UC) in Berkeley said the fastest-developing major economy can avoid severe power shortages and save consumers up to Rs 2.2 lakh crore (USD 26 billion) by doubling the energy efficiency of room ACs over the next 10 years.
India adds 10-15 million new ACs annually, with another 130-150 million expected over the next decade. Without policy intervention, ACs alone could drive 120 GW of peak power demand by 2030 and 180 GW by 2035, nearly 30 per cent of the projected totals, the study said.
"This growth is outpacing India's power supply and could lead to serious electricity shortages as early as 2026," said Nikit Abhyankar, the study's lead author and UC Berkeley faculty.
"ACs are becoming one of the biggest drivers of peak demand, and without intervention, we risk blackouts or costly emergency fixes. But with smart policy, we can turn this into a win for consumers, manufacturers and the grid," he said.
PTI reported on Monday that India is likely to experience a nine to 10 per cent growth in peak electricity demand this summer with the country expected to experience more heat waves.
Last year, the all-India peak electricity demand crossed 250 GW on May 30, which was 6.3 per cent higher than the projections. Climate change-induced heat stress is one of the key factors driving electricity demand.
The share of the household sector in India's total electricity consumption increased from 22 per cent in 2012-13 to 25 per cent in 2022-23. Much of this rise can be attributed to economic growth and the increasing need for cooling due to rising temperatures, experts say.
In the summer of 2024, room air conditioner sales surged by 40 to 50 per cent year-on-year amid record-breaking temperatures.
According to an ongoing research at the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development at the University of Oxford, the largest cooling demand, in terms of the total population, will come from India, followed by China, Nigeria, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, the Philippines and the US in a world two degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial times.
The study by the University of California recommends updating India's Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), beginning with a 2027 revision that raises the 1-star label to ISEER 5.0 -- equivalent to today's 5-star level -- and tightening standards every three years.
This alone could avoid 10 GW of shortages by 2028, 23 GW by 2030 and 60 GW by 2035, equivalent to 120 large power plants.
"This is not just about long-term energy savings; it's an immediate grid reliability solution," Abhyankar added.
Efficient ACs also offer massive consumer benefits. Even with slightly higher upfront prices, they could deliver net savings of Rs 66,000 to Rs 2,25,000 crore (USD 8-26 billion) by 2035, paying for themselves within two to three years through lower electricity bills.
"A common concern with efficient ACs is that they might be more expensive," said Amol Phadke, co-author and UC Berkeley faculty.
"But our analysis of global markets, including India, shows that efficiency is not the main factor driving retail prices. With the right policy support, higher efficiency often goes hand in hand with lower costs, thanks to economies of scale, better supply chains and competitive markets," he added.
Over 600 AC models -- 20 per cent of all offerings -- already exceed India's top efficiency threshold, the 5-star level, with many produced by domestic manufacturers.
"This is a chance for Indian manufacturers to lead," said Jose Dominguez, co-author and IECC researcher.
"With the right policy signal, they can scale under Make in India and PLI (Production Linked Incentive) schemes, positioning India as a global hub for sustainable and affordable cooling," he said.
The report also calls for updating AC test procedures to better reflect India's humid climate, where comfort depends not just on cooling but on moisture removal.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Two planes of the French air force's acrobatics team "apparently collided" near an air base in northeastern France on Tuesday and three people were found unconscious, officials said.
The Alpha jet planes collided near an air base west of Saint-Dizier in northeastern France, the French air and space force told news agency AFP. One of the planes hit a silo, causing a fire.
Two pilots and a passenger ejected from the aircraft and were "found conscious", it said. AFP reported that one person suffered multiple injuries and there were no civilian casualties.
The planes were from the Patrouille de France, which is the precision aerobatics demonstration unit of the French Air and Space Force.
Videos show six planes with different coloured contrails (condensation trails) carrying out a maneuver involving a dive. While four of the aircraft continue on their trajectory, two on the left appear to collide and enter into a free-fall.
Watch MOMENT French jets collide during training session
— RT (@RT_com) March 25, 2025
Pilots and passenger ‘found unconscious' pic.twitter.com/SR49r6ymUX
Images showed flames leaping out and smoke billowing from a silo that was hit by one of the planes.
"An accident involving two Alpha Jets from the Patrouille de France during rehearsals has just occurred in eastern France, emergency services have been mobilised," French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu posted on X.
France has been using the light Alpha twin-engined aircraft to train Ukrainian pilots after Russia invaded the country.
In August last year, two French Rafale jets had collided mid-air in eastern France, leading to the death of two pilots. France has sold the Rafale "multi-role" fighter to India, Egypt, Greece, Indonesia, Croatia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) has announced the Class 12 results for 2025. Raushani Kumari, the daughter of an auto driver, has secured the top position in the Commerce stream. She scored 95% marks, showcasing an inspiring journey of perseverance and dedication.
Raushani attended Kashipur Chakbibi School for her primary education, completed her matriculation at Chandpura High School, and pursued her intermediate studies at Jamunilal College, Hajipur.
Speaking about her journey, she said: "Everyone wants to become something, but financial circumstances often dictate our choices. My family's financial condition is not good-my father is an auto driver. You know the struggles of an auto driver. For us, even having one meal a day is enough."
"Sometimes, I faced financial difficulties during my studies. I told my coaching teacher that I couldn't afford the fees. In response, he allowed me to work for an hour at his computer coaching center, where I earned Rs 500. That's how I managed to pay my coaching fees," she added.
Talking about her future, she said: "Initially, I considered pursuing Chartered Accountancy (CA) because of its promising career prospects. However, I realized that CA requires a significant financial investment. So, I decided to study Computer Science (CS) instead."
Raushani's father, Sudhir Kumar, shared his happiness: "Even when Raushani was very young, her dedication to studies made it clear that she would achieve something big one day."
Meanwhile, in the Science stream, Priya Jaiswal secured the top position, while Ankita Kumari and Shakib Sah emerged as joint toppers in the Arts stream.
This year, 5,05,884 students passed out of 6,11,365 who took the BSEB Inter Exams 2025, with 1,05,481 failing, resulting in a pass percentage of 86.56%. Compared to last year's pass percentage of 87.21%, the success rate has seen a slight decline.
Film-maker Hansal Mehta today came out in support of comedian Kumal Kamra, who is being targeted over his comments on Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. In a post on X, Mr Mehta recalled an incident 25 years ago, when, he said, he was similarly targeted by the undivided Shiv Sena over an innocuous line in one of his movies.
Mr Kamra had sparked a massive controversy over the weekend, referring to the Deputy Chief Minister as a "traitor" (Gaddar) during a performance at the hotel, located in Mumbai's Khar -- an allusion to the 2022 rebellion that split the Shiv Sena and pulled down the government led by Uddhav Thackeray. The Shiv Sena demanded his arrest and supporters and members of the party vandalized the office of the "The Unicontinental Mumbai", where the show was held.
Mr Mehta today recalled that he had got worse backlash and was forced to apologise.
"Loyalists of the same (then undivided) political party stormed into my office. They vandalised it, physically assaulted me, blackened my face, and forced me to apologise publicly-by falling at the feet of an elderly woman-for a single line of dialogue in my film," his post read.
"That incident didn't just bruise my body. It bruised my spirit. It blunted my filmmaking, muted my courage, and silenced parts of me that took years to reclaim.," Mr Mehta wrote.
What happened with Kamra is, sadly, not new to Maharashtra. I've lived through it myself.
— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) March 24, 2025
Twenty-five years ago, loyalists of the same (then undivided) political party stormed into my office. They vandalised it, physically assaulted me, blackened my face, and forced me to...
Asserting that intimidation and humiliation "can never be justified" he added that "we owe ourselves dialogue, dissent, and dignity".
Mr Kamra has pointedly refused to back down. In a post on X, he said today that he would "cooperate with the police and courts for any lawful action taken against me". At the same time, he questioned if the law will be 'fairly and equally deployed against those who have decided that vandalism is the appropriate response to a joke".
A massive row over history is brewing in Rajasthan after a Samajwadi Party leader made a remark about Rana Sanga, the 16th Century ruler of Mewar, that riled up the leaders in Rajasthan, where Rana Sanga and his grandson Rana Pratap are revered. Samjawadi Party MP Ramji Lal Suman alleged that Rana Sanga brought Babur into India to defeat the Lodhi kings, a view that historians say is a misconception.
Starting with Chief Minister Bhajan Lal -- who said the remarks are against the sentiments of the state's people - his remarks have been criticized by many. Protests have been held in Udaipur, the former Kingdom of Sanga and Rana Pratap, where there is still a repository of collective memories. The matter had ripples in the state assembly today and a right-wing Rajput group, Karni Sena, has threatened that they will "chop off the tongue" of the Samajwadi Party leader.
His remarks came in the backdrop of the comments by another leader of his party, Abu Azmi, who had praised Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. BJP leaders and Hindu groups have been protesting against what they called attempts to glorify Aurangzeb, alleging that he had unleashed atrocities on Hindus.
WHAT SAMAJWADI PARTY MP SAID
A purported video of the Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Lal Suman's had surfaced recently in which he is heard saying that Rana Sanga was a "traitor" who brought Babur to defeat Ibrahim Lodi. Then, during a debate on the functioning of the Home Ministry in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, Mr Suman doubled down on his comments linking d Rana Sanga to Babur's invasion of India.
"BJP leaders often claim that Muslims have the DNA of Babur. But who invited Babur to India? It was Rana Sanga who brought him to defeat Ibrahim Lodi. By that logic, if Muslims are Babur's descendants, you are also the descendants of Rana Sanga -- a traitor," he was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.
Muslims in India do not idolise any Mughal emperor, he said. "They consider Mohammed Sahab and Sufi saints' traditions as their ideals," he added.
TROUBLE IN ASSEMBLY
In Rajasthan Assembly today, BJP MLA Shrichand Kriplani opposed this statement through Point of Information and demanded parliamentary action. As soon as he raised the issue, Congress MLA Harimohan Sharma objected and said that this topic cannot be discussed in the House. At this, BJP MLAs registered strong protest and targeted Congress.
Raising slogans against the Congress, the BJP MLAs questioned why the insult of Rana Sanga cannot be discussed in the house.
Vishwaraj Mewar, an erstwhile royal from Mewar, has slammed SP leader over remarks on Rana Sanga. He said they are misleading the people by giving misinformation in the upper house, they are trying to create divide in the society by making such comments they have not only hurt the sentiments of Rajasthanis but of India too.
ROW REACHES DELHI
"These days, discussions are happening on historical figures. While someone crticises the great and glorious king like Rana Sanga saying he betrayed the country, others are busy advocating Aurangzeb," said senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Tourism minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has called it a distortion of history. "The spirit of independence that Maharana Sanga ignited not only saved India from being enslaved but also gave a huge contribution in keeping the culture of India eternal," said Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Only people with "trivial intellect" and "small heart" make such statements, he added.
"Rana Sanga has been the identity of Bharat. Throughout his life, he fought against Babar and other invaders. Glorifying an invader instead of the one who protected the country is quite indecent and inappropriate," said BJP Rajya Sabha MP and former Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma.
BJP MP Shashank Mani termed the SP MP's remarks as "condemnable" and said the people should salute great men like Rana Sanga instead of making such "inappropriate" comments.
AKHILESH YADAV'S GALILEO JIBE
Sanajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has attacked the BJP, asking it not to dig up historical events selectively.
"If BJP continues to flip through history, people will also remember that during Chhatrapati Shivaji's coronation, no one anointed him by hand. It is said that he was anointed using the toe of a left foot. Will the BJP condemn this today?" he said.
Drawing an analogy, Yadav referred to Galileo's persecution for his claim that the Earth revolves around the Sun.
"Galileo was punished for his scientific assertion, and centuries later, the Church apologised for its mistake. If the BJP respects Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, will they apologise for the fact that he was anointed with a left foot toe?" he said.
WHO WAS RANA SANGA
Rana Sanga or Sangram Singh I, the grandfather of Maharana Pratap, is one of the most beloved kings of Rajasthan, who ruled Mewar from 1508 to 1528. In a culture that prizes valour, he had an illustrious military career, defeating the Sultans of Delhi, Malwa and Gujarat in 18 pitched battles.
Against Babar, the founder of the Mughal dynasty, he fought two decisive battles against- decisively winning the one in Bayana in 1527.
Rana Sanga had decimated the Mughal army, over-running Babar's camp and carrying away as the spoils of war everything from arms and ammunition, musical instruments and even tents. Some of these items are on display in the museums of Udaipur.
The Rana, though, lost the battle of Khandwa two months later, when Babar brought in his cannons. After the battle, he had died of his wounds.
DID RANA SANGA INVITE BABAR TO DELHI
There is no historical evidence that Rana Sanga invited Babar.
Documentary sources say Babar, who was eyeing India after losing Samarkand, was invited by Daulat khan Lodhi, a relative then Delhi Sultan Ibrahim Lodhi.
Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat in 1526 and founded the Mughal Empire, which ruled for the next 200 years.
"Rana Sanga had already defeated Ibrahim Lodhi once, so why would he need Babur's help, and in fact Rana Sanga had fought against Babur in Bayana," pointed out historian Chandraprakash Sharma.
BAYANA TODAY
Despite the identity politics being played out over the contribution of Rana Sanga, Bayana, 30 km from Bharatpur where his great battle with Babur took place, lies neglected, forgotten and forlorn.
The historical fortress that Rana Sanga beseiged and over-ran is falling to ruins. There is but one signboard pointing visitors to the historic battlefield of Bayana where the war was fought.
BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai on Sunday claimed Hindi was the 'compulsory' third language during the Congress-led UPA regime and asserted it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who gave the option of studying any Indian language as a third language.
Further, referring to the New Education Policy (NEP 20202), Mr Annamalai said Modi has also made "Tamil the compulsory medium of instruction from classes 1-5," apparently in the context of Tamil Nadu.
Despite ruling Tamil Nadu for many years, the DMK never made Tamil medium of instruction compulsory, he claimed.
Countries like China, Germany and Japan have become 'important' since they impart education to children in their mother tongue, he said addressing a public meeting here.
In the first two education policies, Hindi was the compulsory third language and so was the case in the draft NEP 2020, he said.
However, in May 2019, "for the first time in the country, Modi changed the third language from Hindi in draft NEP to any Indian language--this is the 3-language policy," Mr Annamalai said.
Training his guns against the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, he said the party was part of Congress-led coalition government for 10 years during which period "Hindi was compulsory third language." "For the first time, NEP offers a third language of your choice, and you can study either Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam or even Hindi. This is the 3-language policy," he said.
On the signature campaign launched earlier this month in support of NEP 2020 and the 3-language policy, Mr Annamalai said 26 lakh signatures have been received in 18 days.
Taking a jibe at the DMK, he said the party has also launched many signature campaigns, including the one against NEET.
"The DMK's anti-NEET signature campaign--what happened, how many signed. nobody knows," he said.
Mr Annamalai also claimed many DMK leaders, including ministers, were speaking ill of north Indians and took exception to that.
CM Stalin was living in an "illusion" that his party would win over 200 seats in the 2026 Assembly polls in the state, he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Many universities in the US are offering free education, providing opportunities for students from economically weaker sections who aspire to study abroad and secure high-paying jobs. In line with other top institutions, Harvard University has expanded its financial aid programme, now offering free education to students from families earning less than $200,000 annually. Previously, this benefit was available only to families with an annual income of up to $85,000.
Growing Financial Aid Initiatives In US Universities
Alongside Harvard, institutions like the University of Texas System, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the University of Pennsylvania have also introduced tuition-free or highly subsidised education programmes. Instead of relying on student loans, these universities provide financial support through grants and scholarships. Each institution has its own eligibility criteria, primarily based on family income and assets. Some colleges do not consider home equity as part of a family's financial assets, making it easier for middle-income families to qualify for aid.
Over 100 Colleges Offering Free Tuition
Currently, more than 100 public and private universities in the US provide tuition-free education to eligible students. MIT and the University of Pennsylvania recently raised their income eligibility threshold to $ 200,000. Meanwhile, Carnegie Mellon University and Brandeis University now offer free tuition for students from families earning up to $75,000 annually. Institutions like the University of Texas System, Brandeis University, and the University of Massachusetts (UMass) System also have similar financial aid programs in place.
How To Apply For Free Education In US Colleges?
Students seeking tuition-free education must begin by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Some colleges and states may require additional forms or pre-enrollment in specific financial aid programmes. Additionally, certain universities offer financial assistance to undocumented students, though eligibility depends on the institution and state policies.
An SUV of a central police force was rammed by a train at a level crossing near Suratgarh Super Thermal Power Plant in Rajasthan.
CCTV footage of the accident has gone viral on social media.
Local reports said there were three personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in the SUV. No casualties were reported.
The footage showed the level crossing didn't have boom barriers to stop vehicles before trains approached there.
Seconds before the accident, the SUV was seen taking a turn toward the crossing. Reports said the driver was not aware about the approaching train.
When the vehicle reached the tracks, a CISF man quickly got out of the front left seat and ran.
The train then rammed the SUV before the two other passengers could get out, and dragged it for several metres.
The accident happened during routine patrolling on Friday, reports said.
CUET UG 2025 Registration: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has extended the last date for submitting online applications for the Common University Entrance Test (CUET (UG) 2025). The decision comes in response to multiple requests from candidates seeking an extension. Those who have not yet registered can submit their applications until March 24 (11.50pm) by visiting the official website.
Previous Deadline Revised Deadline
Application Submission March 22 March 24 (11.50pm)
Fee Payment March 23 March 25 (11.50pm)
Application Correction March 24-26 March 26-28
Candidates can complete the application process and make corrections, if needed, through the official website cuet.nta.nic.in within the deadline.
The CUET UG 2025 is tentatively scheduled to be held between May 8 and June 1, 2025, in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode. The exam will be conducted across multiple centers in India and 15 cities abroad, providing a single-window opportunity for admission to various central, state, deemed, and private universities.
The first plane landed at Heathrow Airport late Friday, about 18 hours after an inferno at an electrical substation caused a power outage that shuttered Europe's busiest air travel hub.
The British Airways jet touched down just before sunset after Heathrow lifted its closure order that disrupted global travel for hundreds of thousands of passengers.
At least 1,350 flights to and from Heathrow were affected, flight tracking service FlightRadar 24 said, and the impact was likely to last several days as passengers try to reschedule their travel and airlines work to reposition aircraft and crews.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
The parents of Indian student Sudiksha Konanki, who went missing from a beach in the Dominican Republic on March 6, have said in an emotional announcement that they are coming to terms with the fact that she has drowned.
In a video, Ms Konanki's father Subbarayudu can be seen fighting back tears as he says that authorities "on both sides", presumably from the US and the Dominican Republic, have told them that the waves were very high at the time of the incident and that the person of interest in the case, 22-year-old Joshua Riibe, was not a suspect.
With his wife, Sreedevi, sobbing beside him, Mr Konanki says, "Both sides of the authorities have shown us how high the ocean waves were at the time of the incident and both sides of the authorities have clarified that the person of interest was not a suspect from the beginning."
Wiping away a tear from his eye, he continues speaking but gets only as far as "It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart..." when his wife cups her face with her hands, sobbing louder, and turns away from the camera. Mr Konanki comforts her and pulls her towards him before saying, "...and a heavy heart that we are coming to terms with the fact that our daughter has drowned. This is incredibly difficult for us to process. We kindly ask you to keep our daughters in your prayers."
CNN has reported that the Konankis have asked for their daughter to be declared dead to "seek closure".
Ms Konanki, 20, a citizen of India and a permanent resident of the United States, studied at the University of Pittsburgh. She went to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic with five friends on March 3.
Footage from March 5 shows her drinking at the bar of a hotel called Riu Republica before going to the beach with a group of people, including Riibe.
Ms Konanki was seen entering the beach at 4.15 am and all of her friends had returned by 5 am. Riibe, an Iowa resident and student at St Clou State University in Minnesota, told authorities that he had tried to rescue her after they were dragged in by a wave and she got tired of swimming
Riibe's passport was confiscated by authorities in the Dominican Republic and he was interviewed for six hours, but he is not considered a suspect.
The request for the student being declared dead "supports the wishes of Ms Konanki's grieving parents to seek closure in their request that the Dominican law enforcement authorities acknowledge the death of their daughter by accidental drowning," the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office in Virginia, where Ms Konanki's family lives, told CNN.
Days after Mark Carney replaced Justin Trudeau as Prime Minister of Canada, India, on Friday, recalled "the downturn in India-Canada relations". New Delhi squarely blamed the "licence given to extremists" under Justin Trudeau for the strained ties, hoping to rebuild them after the change in Canada's leadership.
Justin Trudeau's ouster was complete last week when Canada's ruling Liberal Party replaced him with a new prime minister. An entirely new Cabinet was sworn in on March 14. Both Ottawa and New Delhi now hope to rebuild ties, which currently are at a historic low.
On a question regarding Canada at a weekly press briefing, India's Ministry of External Affairs today said that "The downturn in India-Canada relations was caused by the license that was given to the extremist and secessionist elements in the country", adding that "Our hope is that we can rebuild our ties based on mutual trust and sensitivity."
#WATCH | Delhi: On India-Canada relations, MEA Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "The downturn in India-Canada relations was caused by the license that was given to the extremist and secessionist elements in the country. Our hope is that we can rebuild our ties based on… pic.twitter.com/on36QS3aYr
— ANI (@ANI) March 21, 2025
Shortly before taking oath as Prime Minister, Mark Carney had also expressed his keenness to build on ties with "like-minded countries" and had called the chance to rebuild ties with India as an "opportunity" he would like to work on.
"What Canada will be looking to do is to diversify our trading relationships with like-minded countries - and there are opportunities to rebuild the relationship with India. There needs to be a shared sense of values around that commercial relationship, and once I am the prime minister, I look forward to the opportunity to build that," he had said.
Ties between India and Canada saw a sharp decline after a surge in incidents of radicalisation and extremism by rouge elements of 'Khalistani' separatist groups, which Justin Trudeau permitted, describing them as "free speech" and "freedom of expression". Effigies of a former Indian prime minister were allowed to be burnt, the Indian flag desecrated and disrespected, Indian Embassy and Consulate staff and premises being threatened and attacked openly, and audio and video clips of India-declared terrorists openly threatening hijacks and attacks on Indian soil, are just a few examples of what happened.
Last year, Justin Trudeau had also attended an event where 'Khalistan' slogans were raised as he addressed the gathering. On multiple occasions, Mr Trudeau had, "without a shred of evidence", accused India of orchestrating the killing of 'Khalistani' separatist and designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Justin Trudeau's government had also designated the Indian High Commissioner and other embassy officials as "persons of interest" in the investigation over the Nijjar case. He was later declared a "persona non grata" by Trudeau's government, after which New Delhi recalled the then incumbent high commissioner over Canada "going too far". In a tit-for-tat move, India sent Canadian high commission officials packing home as ties came to a near-standstill.
Later, when Mr Trudeau admitted publicly that he had "no hard evidentiary proof" of the involvement of Indian government officials in the killing of Hardeep Nijjar, New Delhi responded by saying that "The responsibility for the damage that this cavalier behaviour has caused to India-Canada relations lies with Prime Minister Trudeau alone."
For months, India had repeatedly urged Ottawa to "stop providing criminal and secessionist elements a safe haven" in Canada.
"Celebration and glorification of violence should not be a part of any civilized society. Democratic countries which respect the rule of law should not allow intimidation by radical elements in the name of freedom of expression," India's foreign ministry had said.
Blaming Justin Trudeau for catering to a vote bank, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said last year that "By allowing political space to 'Khalistani' separatist elements, the Canadian government (led by Justin Trudeau) is repeatedly showing that its vote bank is more powerful than its rule of law."
"India respects and practices freedom of speech, but that does not equate with freedom to threaten foreign diplomats, extend support to separatism or allow political space to elements advocating violence and terror," he had said.
A cop stopped an autorickshaw for checking at an intersection in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi. The police officer was surprised when he saw 14 schoolchildren travelling in a small auto.
A cop posted at the BKD intersection stopped a three-wheeler when he saw many children in school uniforms in the auto. At least three children were sitting in the front with the driver and 11 in the back.
While the cop asked the children to get out of the auto, a man counted the number of students seated in the three-wheeler and recorded the incident.
The video is now viral on social media and the police have issued a challan against the driver.
- with inputs from Vinod Kumar Gautam
Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry became the first woman and African to be elected president of the International Olympic Committee on Thursday, saying it was an "extraordinary moment". At 41, the two-time Olympic swimming champion is also the youngest ever person to hold the most powerful position in sports governance. Coventry, the Zimbabwean sports minister, is a close ally of the German Thomas Bach, who steps down as IOC supremo after 12 years. She told her fellow IOC members she would work with the six other heavyweight rivals she beat in the election.
"This is an extraordinary moment. As a nine-year-old girl I never thought that I would be standing up here one day, getting to give back to this incredible movement of ours," Coventry said.
"This is not just a huge honour but it is a reminder to every single one of you that I will lead this organisation with so much pride, with the values at the core and I will make all of you very, very proud and, I hope, extremely confident in the decision you've taken today.
"Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
Coventry, who was strongly believed to be Bach's favoured candidate, was thought to be in a tight-run race with IOC veteran Juan Antonio Samaranch Junior and World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe.
However, to general surprise the race was decided in the first round of voting.
Coventry received 49 of the 97 votes possible, with Samaranch obtaining 28 and Coe third with a humbling eight votes.
Samaranch was bidding to emulate his father of the same name who led the Olympic movement for 21 years and World Athletics president Coe was seeking to become the first Briton.
For both, their dreams of being IOC president one day are over, owing to their ages.
Ski federation chief Johan Eliasch, Morinari Watanabe, president of the international gymnastics federation, cycling head David Lappartient and Prince Feisal al-Hussein were the other four candidates.
None of that quartet garnered more than four votes.
- Geopolitical hurdles -
On Monday, Bach refused to be drawn on whether he backed Coventry, saying only that a new era "requires new leaders".
Although she fought a low-key media campaign compared to Coe and Samaranch Junior, her lobbying was so effective that one seriously ill member specifically flew to Greece to vote for her.
Questions had been raised about Coventry being a minister in a Zimbabwean government whose election in 2023 was declared undemocratic and unfair.
However, it made little impact with her electorate.
Coventry faces enormous geopolitical challenges, such as dealing with unpredictable US president Donald Trump, with Los Angeles hosting the 2028 Summer Games.
Coventry said during her campaign that if she won it would be a huge moment for Africa as it would show "we're ready to lead".
She will take over a financially secure IOC but those calm waters are muddied by a febrile geopolitical situation.
Samaranch Junior had argued that in this "very complex world", where previously undisputed truths such as "universality, fraternity and unity" are now questioned, it was no time to take a leap in the dark.
The 65-year-old Spaniard, an assured and polished performer, congratulated Coventry and said he "was not going anywhere."
"It is very good news, the IOC is moving into the future, she has so much support from the membership, we will all walk behind her," he said.
Coe appeared to be seen by Bach as the disruptor candidate, which is perhaps surprising given many would view him as an establishment figure.
His low score will be a bitter blow to the two-time 1,500 metres Olympic champion who is accustomed to success.
Coe, 68, became a lawmaker for the centre-right Conservatives and led London's successful bid to host the 2012 Games.
He then oversaw the highly-praised hosting of those Olympics and has been credited with reforming track and field's global body since becoming president in 2015.
One of the major problems the new president will face will be the return to the Olympic fold of Russia. In Paris last year their athletes were forced to competed under a neutral banner, owing to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Puffy heads, chicken legs, taller space height and reduced density - as Crew-9 astronauts face all these health implications on their return to Earth after nine months in space, they will undergo a 45-day rehabilitation programme to prepare for gravity.
A stay at the International Space Station can have various effects on the astronauts' bodies in terms of aerobic capacity, muscular strength, power, endurance, stamina, bone, balance, agility, coordination, orthostatic tolerances, proprioception, neurovestibular function and flexibility. These are attributed to microgravity and are consistent with deficits seen in terrestrial, de-conditioning individuals.
The Astronaut Strength, Conditioning and Rehabilitation (ASCR) specialists have administered a reconditioning program, focusing on all deficits, which improves the physical condition of all returning astronauts.
Post-flight reconditioning begins on landing day, is scheduled for two hours per day, seven days a week for 45 days and is tailored to the specific needs of the astronaut.
Phase 1 of the rehabilitation program starts on landing day and places emphasis on ambulation, flexibility, and muscle strengthening. Phase 2 adds proprioceptive exercise and cardiovascular conditioning. Phase 3, the longest phase, focuses on functional development. All programs are tailored specifically for each individual according to their test results, preferred recreational activities, and mission roles and duties.
Specific attention is given to each astronaut's overall condition, testing results, medical status, and assigned duties after their mission. After completing post-flight reconditioning, it is shown that astronauts have regained, and in most cases improved upon, their pre-flight baseline condition.
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore spent nine months in space, after propulsion systems on the Boeing Starliner that rocketed them to the International Space Station (ISS) developed issues and returned without them.
Since then, their stay in space has invited global attention, concern for their health and political debates.
After relief Crew-10 docked on to the ISS on Sunday, Williams, Wilmore, NASA's Nick Hague and cosmonaut Aleksander Gorbunov started preparing for their return to Earth. 17 hours after started their journey from space, astronauts on board the SpaceX Dragon capsule splashed off the coast of Florida at 3.27 am IST. This was followed by recovery efforts and the astronauts being brought out of the capsule to be sent for medical checks.
A bill to regulate the coaching centres of Rajasthan, spurred by the spiralling student suicides in Kota, was tabled in the state assembly today. This year, eight students have died by suicide in Kota. The last year, the figure was 26.
The bill aims to set up an authority of 12 members to regulate coaching institutes. It also envisages the formation of committees in every district to monitor coaching centres, provide counselling for students to reduce stress, remedial classes for those lagging behind and set up of days and recreational activities.
Assessments will not be held on a day the week begins, and exam results will be kept confidential.
The duration of classes will also be cut down - five hours will be the maximum.
It also makes it easy to get a fee refund if the student decides to drop out halfway through the course.
The bill, though, has omitted two key provisions that have considerably weakened it.
Mental health experts suggest that there be an age limit for children who undertake coaching. Children as young as 14 and 15 are also taken out of school and put through the gruelling system by ambitious parents.
It was expected that the bill would set a cut-off age of at least 16 years. But there is not mention of this in the version that was tabled.
It also does not make it compulsory for children to sit for an aptitude test before enrolling for coaching classes for medical and engineering entrance exams.
"In the draft bill, they said they would set 16 as an age limit for admission to coaching. Now this is not there in the bill. It looks like this government is hand-in-glove with the coaching industry. The industry is big and powerful and this is a racket," said Tikaram Jully, Leader of the Opposition.
Asked about the matter, Prem Chand Bairwa, Minister for technical education, refuted the allegation.
"Right now we have simply put forward a bill to regulate coaching. As people give their suggestions, we will incorporate them in the future," he said.
As for holding an aptitude test to see if the children can fit into medical and engineering studies, the minister said they are leaving this option for parents.
"This bill has a good aim, but it is a bad solution and this bill is a setback for the Rajasthan coaching industry," said Raghuveer Singh Dagur, president of the Rajasthan coaching institute association.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday said that a wave of deadly overnight strikes on Gaza was "only the beginning" of Israeli action in the Palestinian territory.
"Hamas has already felt the strength of our hand in the past 24 hours. And I want to promise you –- and them –- this is only the beginning," Netanyahu said in a televised address. "From now on, negotiations will take place only under fire," he said, adding: "Military pressure is essential for the release of additional hostages".
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin spoke for over two hours during a phone-call, discussing ways to end the ongoing war in Ukraine and ways to establish "lasting peace".
The leaders continued a detailed and frank exchange of views on the situation around Ukraine. Vladimir Putin expressed gratitude to Donald Trump for his desire to help achieve the noble goal of ending hostilities and human losses.
Having confirmed his fundamental commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict, the Russian President declared his readiness to work together with his American partners to thoroughly explore possible ways of resolving the conflict, which should be comprehensive, sustainable and long-term. And, of course, to take into account the absolute need to eliminate the root causes of the crisis, and Russia's legitimate interests in the area of security.
In the context of the US President's initiative to introduce a 30-day ceasefire, the Russian side outlined a number of significant points concerning ensuring effective control over a possible ceasefire along the entire line of combat contact, the need to stop forced mobilization in Ukraine and rearm the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Serious risks associated with the inability to negotiate of the Kyiv regime, which has repeatedly sabotaged and violated the agreements reached, were also noted. Attention was drawn to the barbaric terrorist crimes committed by Ukrainian militants against the civilian population of the Kursk region.
It was emphasized that the key condition for preventing the escalation of the conflict and working towards its resolution through political and diplomatic means should be the complete cessation of foreign military aid and the provision of intelligence information to Kyiv.
In connection with Donald Trump's recent appeal to spare the lives of Ukrainian servicemen surrounded in the Kursk region, Vladimir Putin confirmed that the Russian side is ready to be guided by humanitarian considerations and, in the event of their surrender, guarantees the lives and decent treatment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers in accordance with Russian laws and international law.
During the conversation, Donald Trump put forward a proposal for the parties to the conflict to mutually refrain from attacks on energy infrastructure facilities for 30 days. Vladimir Putin responded positively to this initiative and immediately gave the Russian military the corresponding order.
The Russian President also responded constructively to Donald Trump's idea of implementing a well-known initiative concerning the safety of navigation in the Black Sea. It was agreed to begin negotiations to further elaborate specific details of such an agreement.
Vladimir Putin informed that on March 19, a prisoner exchange will be carried out between the Russian and Ukrainian sides - 175 for 175 people. In addition, as a gesture of goodwill, 23 seriously wounded Ukrainian servicemen who are being treated in Russian medical institutions will be transferred.
The leaders confirmed their intention to continue efforts to achieve a Ukrainian settlement in a bilateral mode, including taking into account the above-mentioned proposals of the US President. For this purpose, Russian and American expert groups are being created.
Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump also touched upon other issues on the international agenda, including the situation in the Middle East and the Red Sea region. Joint efforts will be made to stabilize the situation in crisis areas, establish cooperation on nuclear non-proliferation and global security. This, in turn, will contribute to improving the overall atmosphere of Russian-American relations. One positive example is the joint vote in the UN on the resolution on the Ukrainian conflict.
Mutual interest was expressed in normalizing bilateral relations in light of the special responsibility of Russia and the United States for ensuring security and stability in the world. In this context, a wide range of areas in which our countries could establish interaction was considered. A number of ideas were discussed that are moving towards the development of mutually beneficial cooperation in the economy and energy sector.
Donald Trump supported Vladimir Putin's idea to organize hockey matches in the USA and Russia between Russian and American players playing in the NHL and KHL.
The presidents agreed to remain in contact on all issues raised.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart from New Zealand Christopher Luxon held wide-ranging bilateral talks in New Delhi today, following which the two nations signed a crucial defence agreement.
Discussions between the two leaders focused on strengthening overall bilateral ties, especially in the areas of trade, defence, education, sports, agriculture, and people-to-people ties. The two sides also decided to begin negotiations on a mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement or FTA.
During the meeting, India and New Zealand decided to institutionalise their defence and security ties. PM Modi also highlighted New Delhi's concerns over certain unlawful elements carrying out anti-India activities in the Pacific island nation.
In his statement following the meeting with Prime Minister Luxon, PM Modi said, "We both are unanimous against terrorism. Whether it is the Christchurch terrorist attack of March 15, 2019, or the Mumbai attack of November 26, 2008, terrorism in any form is unacceptable, and strict action is necessary against those guilty of terrorist attacks."
He noted that India and New Zealand "will continue to cooperate together against terrorist, separatist, and radical elements," adding that "In this context, we shared our concern about anti-India activities by some illegal elements in New Zealand."
India, he said, "is confident that it will continue to receive cooperation from the New Zealand government against all these illegal elements."
Prime Minister Modi also said that both sides have agreed to strengthen and institutionalise their defence and security partnership, and a roadmap will be prepared for cooperation in the defence industry sector.
Besides defence and security, PM Modi also said that India and New Zealand have decided to start negotiations for a mutually beneficial free trade pact. "This will boost the potential of mutual trade and investment," he said, adding that "Mutual cooperation and investment will be encouraged in areas like dairy, food processing, and pharma."
The two leaders also discussed about a new arrangement between India and New Zealand to facilitate the mobility of professionals and skilled workers. The proposed arrangement on skilled workforce mobility will facilitate the movement of professionals, fostering stronger people-to-people ties, and economic opportunities.
New Zealand also formally joined the Indo-Pacific Oceans' Initiative (IPOI) and became a member of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), marking its deeper engagement in regional and global frameworks.
Another key pact signed by both countries is the Authorised Economic Operator - Mutual Recognition Agreement or AEO-MRA. The agreement is aimed at streamlining trade processes and enhancing customs cooperation.
Additionally, a Memorandum of Cooperation on Horticulture was signed between India's Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries. A Letter of Intent on Forestry was also exchanged between India's Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change and its New Zealand counterpart, the Ministry of External Affairs said.
Further deepening collaboration, an Education Cooperation Agreement was signed between both nations' education ministries, along with a Memorandum of Cooperation in Sports between India's Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and Sport New Zealand.
(Inputs from PTI and ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was left amused by his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon's hilarious comment on the Champions Trophy 2025 final during their meeting on Monday. During his address, Luxon said that he deliberately avoided to talk about cricket and the Champions Trophy final in order to prevent a "diplomatic incident". India defeated New Zealand in the summit clash to claim the Champions Trophy 2025 title in Dubai. Luxon also mentioned the 3-0 Test series win for New Zealand in India last year that ultimately knocked the Rohit Sharma-led side out of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final race.
"I really appreciate that PM Modi didn't bring up New Zealand's Champions Trophy loss to India, and I didn't mention our Test victories in India. Let's keep it that way and avoid a diplomatic incident," Luxon said while PM Modi was seen laughing at the banter.
Former New Zealand cricket team batter Ross Taylor was also in attendance and even he was left amused by the banter between the two world leaders during the event.
𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚-𝐍𝐙 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭!
— MyGovIndia (@mygovindia) March 17, 2025
At the joint press meet, PM Luxon joked about New Zealand's recent losses to India in cricket, thanking PM @narendramodi for not bringing it up.
"Let's just keep it that way and avoid a… pic.twitter.com/Kaeuh6LSir
Luxon also praised the Indian cricket team for their dominant display in recent times.
"During PM Modi's tenure, the men in blue (Indian cricket team) have been the most dominant side in cricket, most recently winning the Champions Trophy in Dubai against my men in black (New Zealand cricket team). They broke many many New Zealanders' hearts in the process, including mine. I will be the bigger person and just say congratulations," Luxon said, according to PTI.
The Vatican on Sunday released the first photograph of Pope Francis since the 88-year-old pontiff was admitted more than a month ago to hospital for pneumonia in both lungs.
"This morning Pope Francis concelebrated the Holy Mass in the chapel of the apartment on the tenth floor of the Gemelli Polyclinic," the Vatican press office wrote in the photograph's caption. Concelebration is the joint celebration by senior clerics of the service.
The photo shows the bare-headed pope seated in a wheelchair, wearing a white robe and purple shawl, in front of a simple altar and crucifix on the wall.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Ali Koshmr, a 36-year-old man from Syria's Latakia, around 330 km from Damascus, woke up to the sounds of gunfire, tires screeching and dozens of armed men shouting, "Come out, you Alawite pigs, Nusayris!" The term 'Nusayri' refers to the followers of Ibn Nusayr, one of the most revered figures of the Alawites, a religious and ethnic minority in Syria. The Alawites make up around 12 per cent of the population and are largely concentrated in the Latakia and Tartus regions of the country.
Sunni Muslims form around 70-75 per cent of Syria's population. After the fall of Bashar al-Assad, an Alawite himself, the Alawite community is being hunted down. Armed factions have carried out mass killings, home invasions, and forced displacement under the slogan of eradicating the "remnants of the regime."
"Armed men entered the village and reached our house, shouting, 'Come out, you Alawite pigs, Nusayris,'" Mr Koshmr told NDTV. "They broke down the doors and started beating us with weapons, firing bullets randomly. They took my brother, and we have no idea what happened to him. They are exterminating us."
Mr Koshmr himself was stabbed three times - once in the head, once in the back, and once in the stomach. "I was bleeding until the following night when we finally managed to get a vehicle to transport me to the hospital. My condition is stable now," he said.
"There is no sense of safety here," he added. "I don't even know if my family and I will survive for much longer. Our names reveal our Alawite identity. Our dialect betrays us. Even our place of origin puts us at risk."
Tensions have flared between Alawites and Sunni militant factions, particularly Wahhabi-backed groups that have entered the region following Assad's ouster last year. These groups are not just targeting former Assad loyalists and ex-military personnel but also civilians, farmers, and religious minorities, including Christians and Shia Muslims. The violence escalated sharply following the killing of Sheikh Shaabaan Mansour, an 86-year-old Alawite religious leader, and his son in Hama province.
Footage have emerged on social media where armed men are carrying out executions in public. NDTV has not independently verified the videos.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 973 civilians have been killed since March 6, including women and children, in what it describes as "ethnic cleansing operations."
"When the civil war broke out in 2011, the people of Latakia and other Alawite-majority areas opened their homes to displaced Syrians, regardless of sect. We did it again in 2020 and 2022. Syrian people don't discriminate - we are all Syrians. But the new government is failing to protect this unity," said Ibrahem Salamah, a 31-year-old computer science engineer from Latakia.
In the past week, a group of 200 fighters, led by former Assad army general Ghiath Dala and field commander Muqdad Fatiha, launched an attack on the forces of Abu Mohammad al-Julani, the leader of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Syria's de facto ruler. The assault resulted in casualties among al-Julani's forces, prompting his government to mobilise reinforcements.
"There are many who joined al-Julani's forces from different Syrian provinces, and they are massacring the Alawites," 33-year-old Hussain Khalaf from Tartus told NDTV. The violence quickly spread to Jableh, Latakia, Banias, and its countryside, escalating into mass executions, home burnings, and forced displacements.
There have been reports of foreign fighters from Chechnya, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan, alongside Syrian factions known as al-Amshat and al-Hamzat, who are engaged in the fight. "They killed entire families in Baniyas, Jableh, and Karto," Mr Khalaf said.
Videos have surfaced on Telegram and WhatsApp, showing what appears to be executions and massacres of entire families. In one particular video, a Syrian fighter was seen standing on top of bodies covered in blood. Another showed a man hanging from a crane in what is believed to be a public execution. NDTV has not independently verified these videos.
"My uncle and aunt were driving from Damascus to Latakia when the violence erupted. Their son, my cousin, works in Dubai and has been trying desperately to contact them. They were forced to take refuge in the mountains near Al-Hwaiz," Mr Salamah told NDTV.
Many Alawite religious leaders have called for peace, but fear is widespread. "Displacement has already begun," he added. "Many are heading into the mountains, but conditions there are brutal, especially in the cold. Others have sought refuge at the Hmeimim Airbase, which is controlled by Russia."
Mr Salamah comes from a mixed-religion family - his mother is Sunni, his father Alawite, and he has Christian relatives. He told NDTV that Alawites do not oppose the new Syrian government nor seek a return of Assad's rule. "We suffered under Assad, just like all Syrians," he said.
The recent attacks, however, suggest that elements within the new security forces remain unchecked. "There are armed groups operating under the government's knowledge that still refuse to surrender their weapons," he explained.
Several videos being circulated online show bodies piled up after executions. NDTV has not independently verified the videos.
One of the flashpoints occurred in December when a video surfaced online showing the burning of Sheikh Abu Abdullah al-Hussein al-Khasibi's shrine in Aleppo. "Armed men stormed in, killed the shrine's guards, and set the place on fire. When Alawites protested, security forces opened fire, killing one person and injuring others in Homs," Mr Salamah told NDTV.
For Mr Koshmr, there is no doubt about what is happening. "This is an ongoing sectarian cleansing campaign and a full-scale genocide targeting anyone identified as Alawite - whether by religion, dialect, or place of origin," he told NDTV.
He rejected the idea that these killings are solely revenge for the Assad family. "This has nothing to do with the Assad family," he explained. "The people of Syria's coastal region are among the poorest in the country. They are innocent civilians - engineers, doctors, and farmers. Yet, under the pretext of 'hunting down Assad's remnants,' an entire sect is being massacred."
Mr Khalaf believes Russia played a role in the recent violence.
"They encouraged the remnants of the Assad regime to fight back, promising to protect the coast and Alawites, but then abandoned them," he told NDTV. This left Al-Julani with a golden opportunity to commit massacres while Russia claimed to investigate the crimes to protect its geopolitical interests.
"I would like to create a financial donation campaign to help the victims. I ask for help from the Indian government," he added.
In response to mounting reports of massacres, al-Julani or Ahmad al-Sharaa, announced an independent national investigation.
"The President of the Republic decrees the formation of a National Independent Committee for Investigation and Fact-Finding regarding the events that took place on March 6, 2025," a government statement read. The committee, composed of judges and legal experts, has been given 30 days to submit its findings.
Mr Sharaa has vowed "firm and unwavering accountability" for those responsible. However, international observers remain skeptical, given the government's reliance on extremist factions for security.
Police in Maharashtra's Palghar district have arrested a 49-year-old man for allegedly killing his wife two months ago and disposing of the body, an official said on Saturday.
Harish Hippargi was arrested from Nalasopara East, on the outskirts of Mumbai, after police launched a probe following the discovery of a skull in a travel bag in Virar on Friday.
Police said Hippargi, who worked in the imitation jewellery industry, used to live with his wife Utpala (51) and their 22-year-old son. Utpala also had a son from her previous marriage which often led to disputes between the couple.
During one such fight on January 8, Hippargi strangled the woman. He took the body to Virar East, detached the head with a machete and dumped the torso in a drain. He put Utpala's severed head in a travel bag and abandoned it in a secluded spot near Pirkunda Dargah, said police.
The accused told his son that Utpala had left her hometown in West Bengal, the official said.
After the discovery of a woman's skull in a travel bag in Virar on Friday, police found a pouch with the name of a jewellery store in Bengal's 24 Parganas district. Utpala figured in the shop's list of customers but police found her number had been switched off for the past two months, the official said.
Meanwhile, Hippargi had also switched off his number and changed residence, he said. Working on several inputs, they took him into custody from a building in the Rahmat Nagar area of Nalasopara on Friday night, the official said.
Police are now searching for Utpala's torso, the official added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
