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Our sun and other stars form when a dense clump of interstellar gas and dust collapses under its own gravitational pull. Once a star is born at the centre of such a cloud, leftover material forms a swirling disk around it that feeds stellar growth and often gives rise to planets. Newborn stars with these circumstellar disks had been observed by astronomers only in our Milky Way galaxy - until now. Researchers said on Wednesday they have spotted such a disk around a star larger and more luminous than the sun residing in one of our nearest neighbouring galaxies, the Large Magellanic Cloud. The star, growing and accreting material from the surrounding disk, is about 10 to 20 times more massive than the sun and perhaps 10,000 times more luminous. As material is drawn by gravity toward a forming star, it flattens into a spinning disk. The newly observed disk has a diameter of about 12,000 times the distance of the Earth to the sun, or roughly 10 times larger than the one that encircled t...

Every year in Betul, Madhya Pradesh, there's a special but somewhat strange tradition that is followed and captures the attention of many in the region. Villagers there, who strongly adhere to their customs, put their babies in cradles and let them float in the Purna River at the Purna Mai temple. Even though this may make some onlookers uneasy, around 1000 children participate in this event every year, according to the temple priest, Hariram Dadore. This ceremony holds significance for childless couples who believe in its traditional practice. It is a ritual where couples without children visit the Purna Mai temple with hopes and wishes. After their prayers are answered and they become parents, they follow this unique tradition by placing their newborns in cradles and gently releasing them into the flowing stream of the Purna River. This practice is part of a 15-day fair held on the banks of the Purna River in Bhainsdehi, starting with Kartik Purnima. People not only from Madhya...

Since the weekend, the one news that has got the Indian cricket team talking is the return of Hardik Pandya from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians. Hardik Pandya became a star T20 player at the Mumbai Indians and then left the franchise for Gujarat Titans. In his maiden season as captain at Gujarat Titans, Hardik Pandya led them to the title and the next season helped his team finish runners-up.  Ahead of the IPL 2024, Hardik Pandya moved back to his first franchise, Mumbai Indians, following a trade between the two franchises. The all-rounder spent two momentous years with GT, spearheading their campaign with aplomb.  Ravinchandran Ashwin, Hardik Pandya's India cricket teammate and Rajasthan Royals player, described the move in an interesting way. "After Hardik, they have landed gold. They have got an Indian T20 Team captain, who has won an IPL and became runner-up in the last two years in which he was away. It's like calling up your son and telling him, 'Hey son, ...

Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters handed over several hostages Tuesday to the Red Cross in Gaza, an AFP journalist saw, part of an exchange under the terms of an extended truce in the Israel-Hamas war. The Israeli hostages, all women, were handed over by masked and armed fighters, some from Hamas and others from Islamic Jihad, to Red Cross officials in Rafah near the border with Egypt, the journalist said. Shortly afterwards, the Israeli military said in a statement that "based on information that was received from the Red Cross, 12 hostages - including 10 Israelis and two foreign nationals - are on their way toward Israeli territory". The release of the two foreign hostages came in addition to the release of the 10 Israelis under the terms of the deal. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) from NDTV News- Topstories https://ift.tt/bkSw1eA via IFTTT

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to workers, who were rescued from the collapsed tunnel after 17 days, over the phone after the operation was declared a success. All the workers were present in a room and spoke to the Prime Minister over the telephone. The Prime Minister earlier appreciated the efforts of the rescue team to successfully and safely take the workers out.  "The success of the rescue operation of our brothers in Uttarkashi is making everyone emotional. I want to say to the friends who were trapped in the tunnel that your courage and patience are inspiring everyone. I wish you all well and good health," the Prime Minister posted on X. उत्तरकाशी में हमारे श्रमिक भाइयों के रेस्क्यू ऑपरेशन की सफलता हर किसी को भावुक कर देने वाली है। टनल में जो साथी फंसे हुए थे, उनसे मैं कहना चाहता हूं कि आपका साहस और धैर्य हर किसी को प्रेरित कर रहा है। मैं आप सभी की कुशलता और उत्तम स्वास्थ्य की कामना करता हूं। यह अत्यंत… — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 28, 2023 ...

Former professional wrestler Tammy Sytch, also known by her ring name Sunny, has been sentenced to over 17 years in prison for causing a car accident that resulted in the death of a 75-year-old man. Sytch pleaded no contest to the charges stemming from the March 2022 crash that killed Julian Lasseter. According to police reports, Sytch was driving a Mercedes-Benz when she collided with a Kia that was stopped at a traffic light. Her driver's license has been permanently revoked as well. According to TMZ , Sytch broke down in tears during her speech and apologized for her actions. At one point, the 50-year-old also turned to the victim's family and said, "I know my words are not enough, but please know that I think about you every day." "Every second of every day, and I will do whatever I can to make the changes I need to make sure this never happens again. No one should have to go through this, and please know that every single second of every day since the cr...

A 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a youth who had befriended her on social media and his three friends in a car in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior, police said on Monday. Police have invoked provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act since the victim is a Dalit, an official said, adding that nobody has been arrested so far. The incident occurred on November 21 but a complaint was lodged four days later as the girl kept mum because she was threatened by the accused against disclosing the incident, an official said. Additional Superintendent of Police Niranjan Sharma said the girl and her family lodged a complaint. "The girl became friends with a youth on Facebook last year. On November 21, her male friend took her to a deserted forest area in a car where he and his three friends raped her and also threatened to kill her," he said. A case was registered under sections 376 (Punishment for rape), and 377 (unnatural act) among ...

Despite challenges from nature in the evacuation process of the 41 workers trapped inside a tunnel in Uttarakhand, the government stands firmly to bring them out to safety, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday. PM Modi prayed for the safe evacuation of the workers who have been trapped in a tunnel in Uttarakhand for the last 15 days at a 'Koti Deepotsavam', a religious event of lighting lamps during the Hindu Kartika month, in Hyderabad. He said the government is making continuous efforts to evacuate the workers safely and as early as possible. "But, we have to complete this relief and rescue operation with lot of alertness. Nature is continuously giving us challenges in this effort. But, we are standing firm. We are making efforts round-the-clock. We have to pray for the safe evacuation of those workers and to do it as early as possible," Narendra Modi said. The government and all agencies together are leaving no stone unturned to bring them out safely, he...

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday described Mahatma Gandhi as the ‘ mahapurush ' of the last century, and termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the ‘ yugpurush ' of this century. “Mahatma Gandhi freed us from the slavery of British through satyagraha and non-violence. India's successful Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken us to a path where we always wanted to be,” Mr Dhankhar said. मैं आपको एक बात कहना चाहूंगा, पिछली शताब्दी के महापुरुष महात्मा गांधी थे, इस शताब्दी के युगपुरुष नरेंद्र मोदी हैं! महात्मा गांधी ने सत्य और अहिंसा से हमें अंग्रेजों की गुलामी से छुटकारा दिलाया, भारत के यशस्वी प्रधानमंत्री श्री नरेंद्र मोदी जी ने देश को प्रगति के उस रास्ते पर डाल… pic.twitter.com/mBP7zxIs0C — Vice President of India (@VPIndia) November 27, 2023 He was speaking at the birth anniversary celebrations of Jain mystic and philosopher Shrimad Rajchandraji. “I want to tell you one thing. The mahapurush of last century was Mahatma Gandhi. Narendra Modi is the yugpurus...

Award nights are often a starry affair that serve the best of style and glamour. The latest edition of Filmfare OTT Awards were proof enough. An array of A-listers walked the red carpet looking their stylish best but it was some fail-safe picks that truly stole the show. The prominent hue of black never fails to make a case for showstopping style. Among many celebrities were Alia Bhatt and Manushi Chhillar, whose contrasting style was truly on point. Of late, Alia Bhatt's style has been high on monochrome magic. From her wine-red Gucci straight-cut mini dress to her latest Yves Saint Laurent black number, Alia's style has been stunning. For Filmfare OTT Awards 2023, Alia picked a monotone black dress from the French luxury fashion house Yves Saint Laurent. The one-shoulder cape style was brilliantly complemented by the turtleneck pattern. We couldn't help but take notes. Also Read:  Alia Bhatt In A Red Velvet Raji Ramniq Salwar Suit Makes Light Festive Wear Look Good ...

Indian cricket team batter Shubman Gill will lead Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 after all-rounder Hardik Pandya completed his move to Mumbai Indians on Sunday, according to sources. Pandya was the skipper of the team for the past two years and he even led them to the IPL title on their debut season in 2022. However, Pandya completed his move back to MI as part of an all-cash deal and it will be a perfect opportunity for Shubman Gill to prove his mettle as a captain. Pandya on Sunday returned to his "spiritual home" Mumbai Indians after an all-cash deal trade-off with Gujarat Titans was formally completed following 72 hours of intense drama. On Sunday at 5 pm, the IPL retention window was closed and at that point, Gujarat Titans named their IPL-winning captain in the retention list raising a lot of eyebrows. However it was learnt that the formal paperwork wasn't yet completed and hence IPL and BCCI didn't give greenlight of approval for the ...

Hardik Pandya 's likely big move to Mumbai Indians from Gujarat Titans ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 is creating massive noise. Sources have told NDTV had Indian cricket team's T20I captain Hardik Pandya will leave Gujarat Titans and is likely to join Mumbai Indians. The move will be be one of the biggest transfers in the history of IPL. Hardik Pandya became a household name in Indian cricket after his exploits with the Mumbai Indians. He left the franchise and went to Gujarat Titans and even led them to an IPL title and back-to-back finals.  South Africa and Royal Challengers Bangalore legend AB de Villiers has given his take on the move.  "I am not sure what happened there but it looks like he is heading back to Mumbai. I think it's going to cost them a bit. I mean Rohit is the captain, we know he loves leading from the front. Will he step down and let Hardik lead, because he has got the big weight of Team India and captaining there," AB de Vi...

The Election Commission on Saturday issued a notice to ruling BRS working president and IT Minister K T Rama Rao for allegedly visiting a government institution here and using the platform for political activities and sought a reply from him by Sunday afternoon. The EC in its notice said it had received a complaint from Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala, wherein it was alleged that Rama Rao, a star campaigner for BRS visited the office of 'T-works' and interacted with a large number of youth employed in the office on November 20. The Commission obtained a factual report on the matter from the Telangana Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). Referring to the provisions of MCC that the ministers shall not combine their official visit with electioneering work and shall not also make use of official machinery or personnel, the Commission in its notice observed that, Rama Rao, is not only a contesting candidate in the upcoming assembly election but also a start campaigner of the BRS. ...

In a shocking display of aggression, a recent bare-knuckle brawl in the UK echoed the infamous 1997 Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield incident. The Tyson-Holyfield bout ended abruptly when a frustrated Tyson, on the losing end, resorted to biting off a chunk of Holyfield's right ear. Similarly, the recent UK bare-knuckle fight witnessed a fighter resorting to ear-biting. According to the Daily Star, a bare-knuckle fighter kept his ripped ear in a jar following a bloody encounter in a "no rules" brawl. The dodgy fights are sweeping the UK, with hundreds getting involved, including Alex Etherington, 32, who now keeps his ripped-off ear in a jar. The UK-based "fight club"-like experience has attracted some tough and mad nuts. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alex Etherington (@alex__.365) Etherington, hailing from County Durham, emerged victorious in the fight but suffered the loss of his ear. He has since sh...

As a Padma Shri awardee, an Olympic silver medallist, a retired Army Colonel and a Lok Sabha member who is currently in his second term, taking on and acing challenges seems to come fairly easily to Rajyavardhan Rathore. The double trap shooter is, however, having to adjust his sights and take aim at a new target as he campaigns as a BJP candidate for the Rajasthan Assembly elections from the Jhotwara constituency. Born in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, in January 1970 to an Army Colonel and a teacher, Mr Rathore was selected for the National Defence Academy and then attended the Indian Military Academy. Commissioned in the 9th Grenadiers Regiment in 1990, he was stationed in Jammu and Kashmir for part of his career and was promoted to his final rank of Colonel in 2009. Mr Rathore took up shooting as a sport in 1998 and won the gold medal in the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, setting a record of 192 for the event, which is yet to be broken. Two years later, he became the first individ...

 Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is a "fighter" and will give a "dignified and honest" reply to the Election Commission's notice over his "Jaibkatra" (pickpocket) and "Pannauti" remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an election rally. "Rahul Gandhi is a strong and honest leader. I am confident that he will give a dignified and honest answer. He is a fighter. He can afford to be fearless because he is honest," Ms Sule said on Thursday. Slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), she said, "We have so many examples of BJP talking about his family. So, now if he speaks something, why is there a need to feel bad? They (BJP) had even talked about his great grandfather." The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday issued a show cause notice to the Congress MP on the BJP's complaint to the ECI that Rahul Gandhi has allegedly made derogatory remarks in his p...

A father is pleading for the return of his 9-year-old daughter. Emily Hand was kidnapped by Hamas in its attack on Israel on October 7. She is believed to be one of over 240 hostages currently held by Hamas. The father, Thomas Hand is pleading for Emily's return after Israel and Hamas reached an agreement for a four-day truce. The deal calls for 50 civilian hostages held by Hamas to be released and for Palestinians in Israeli prisons to be released.  "That'd be very great for everyone concerned on both sides," Thomas Hand, 63 told The Guardian . "It gives me hope, but until I see her, until I'm holding her I won't believe anything. Until I see it, I won't believe it." Mr Hand during a press conference in London described his life as a nightmare. "I know the Israeli government and the army will do everything in their capabilities to get them back."  Emily was initially believed to be among the 1,200 Israelis killed during the surprise...

Sahar Awwad is seated between her two nephews. Together, they are among the few survivors of an extended Gaza family of which at least 80 members have been killed in nearly seven weeks of Israeli bombardment. The entire family had fled first to a hospital in Khan Yunis, then to a school, which was initially transformed into a camp for the displaced then a clinic, in Rafah near the border with Egypt, the southernmost point of the besieged enclave. Only 35 kilometres (20 miles) separated them from their former home in Gaza City, but the journey took them a week. Last Friday, a strike hit their home in Gaza City's Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood. "More than 80 family members died. The Awwad family was wiped out," Awwad told AFP. "The survivors rushed to extract the dead and wounded from the debris and Israel struck a second time," she said. "We could only bury those whose bodies had been sent flying all the way to the neighbours' homes" by the force o...

A UK museum has embraced inclusivity but sparked controversy by relabeling the third-century Roman emperor Elagabalus with female pronouns, based on historical accounts. North Hertfordshire Museum will now refer to emperor Elagabalus with female pronouns of she and her, BBC reported.  The museum said the decision was prompted by classical texts that allege the emperor once said, "Call me not Lord, for I am a Lady." The words were written by Cassius Dio, a well-known Roman historian and administrator.  The spokesperson for the museum said, "only polite and respectful to be sensitive to identifying pronouns for people in the past". The museum owns a silver denarius minted in the reign of Elagabalus, who ruled Rome from 218AD until his assassination, aged 18, in 222AD, and the coin has been used in LGBT-themed displays, Telegraph reported. In displays featuring the coin, information about it and Elagabalus, the ruler will be referred to as she. Elagabalus became...

Israeli officials said there would be no pause in the Gaza fighting or any release of hostages held by Hamas before Friday, despite the two sides agreeing a truce. The agreement was approved by the Israeli government early Wednesday and had been widely expected to take effect on Thursday. But an Israeli official told AFP early Thursday there would be no halt in the fighting between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers "before Friday". The official's comments came shortly after national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said late Wednesday that none of the hostages seized in the Hamas attacks on southern Israel on October 7 would be freed before Friday. "The contacts on the release of our hostages are advancing and continuing constantly," he said in a statement. "The start of the release will take place according to the original agreement between the sides, and not before Friday." Minutes earlier, Israeli officials notified journalists that a media ce...

Internet becoming an increasingly unsafe place where people can lose money and more, 'Father of Internet' Vint Cerf told NDTV today that he has often advocated an "Internet Driver's license", which could be something like a driving license. Asked if he was worried about the future of internet where a scammer seems to be around every corner, he said, "The red flag of suspicion should be flying". "If you get a request for money or some other kind of help, and it has an urgency built into it and everything else. The red flag of suspicions should be flying. You should be asking questions about where did this come from," Dr Cerf, who is also the Chief Internet Evangelist of Google, told NDTV in an exclusive interview.   "You probably have heard the term phishing... People send these emails and try to get people to click on links that either will take them to a place they shouldn't be, maybe it downloads malware, which makes it even wor...

A car exploded at the Rainbow Bridge, a border crossing between the US and Canada at Niagara falls, the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation said. #FBI Buffalo statement on investigation at the Rainbow Bridge: pic.twitter.com/jRaGLL8sU8 — FBI Buffalo (@FBIBuffalo) November 22, 2023 The FBI Buffalo is coordinating with local, state and Federal law enforcement agencies to investigate the incident. "The situation is very fluid, that's all we can say at this time," FBI Buffalo tweeted. The car exploded at the Rainbow Bridge crossing and the vehicle was up in flames with black plume of smoke soaring into the sky. Several cars were parked in the area but were not damaged due to the explosion.  It is still unknown what triggered such a massive explosion at the border crossing. Governor of New York State, Kathy Hochul, said she has been "briefed on the incident on the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls and we are closely monitoring the situation." I...

China, still reeling from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, now faces a new threat: a mysterious pneumonia outbreak sweeping through schools. This alarming situation, reminiscent of the early days of the COVID crisis, has led to a surge in hospitalizations, casting an ominous shadow over the country's healthcare system. Hospitals in Beijing and Liaoning, 500 miles northeast, are struggling to cope with an influx of sick children, straining their resources to the breaking point. Local media reports suggest that school closures are imminent due to the outbreak. The affected children present with unusual symptoms, including lung inflammation and high fever, but noticeably lack the typical cough and other signs associated with flu, RSV, and other respiratory illnesses. ⚠️UNDIAGNOSED PNEUMONIA OUTBREAK—An emerging large outbreak of pneumonia in China, with pediatric hospitals in Beijing, Liaoning overwhelmed with sick children, & many schools suspended. Beijing Chi...

The killing of two men in Manipur's Kangpokpi district yesterday by suspected insurgents had led to a shutdown call, including the blocking of National Highway 2, by an organisation of the Kuki tribes. Valley-based civil society groups have, however, criticised the move to block the highway as punishing an entire population over the action of armed miscreants. Manipur's lifelines that pass through hill areas are the first casualty whenever local tensions arise; they are immediately blocked - sometimes for months - by any group to use as a leverage for their demand. One of the two men, Henminlen Vaiphei, who was killed on Monday, served in the Indian Reserve Battalion. Unidentified armed assailants ambushed them while they were travelling in a Maruti Gypsy on Monday, the Manipur Police said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. On 20.11.2023, at Khonsakhul-L. Munlai Junction, Kangpokpi, two individuals, including one police personnel of 6th IRB namely Henminlen Vaiphei...

Vir Das gave India much to cheer about at the 51st International Emmy Awards by winning an award for his Netflix special Vir Das: Landing in the Comedy category. The comedian-actor shared his first-ever International Emmy win with Derry Girls - Season 3 . Now, Vir Das has dropped a video of his acceptance speech on Instagram. The clip of the speech – which is a love note of sorts to India from Vir Das – was shared with the caption: “Thank you for your laughter.” In his speech, Vir Das said, “More than anything else I am here for India. I would like to thank you for your laughter. It is a symphony of love, it is an orchestra of freedom, it is a universal lyric that reminds us we are not alone and it is the soundtrack to this idiot's life. May it play louder until the entire world dances with us. Thank you. Namaste. Jain Hind. Assalamualaikum. Sat Sri Akaal. Love and peace. Thank you.” In response, Nakuul Mehta said, “This is beautiful [heart emoji].” Maria Go...