Gujarat VHP spokesperson Hitendrasinh Rajput said stand-up comedian Raina had planned four shows in the state -- one each in Surat on April 17 and Vadodara on April 18, and two in Ahmedabad on April 19 and 20.
Ahead of the visit, officials from key government departments held intense discussions to identify key trade-related proposals.
A peace keeping role for India is a distinct possibility. Indian military has both the numbers and experience to carry out this job, observes Colonel Anil A Athale (Retd).
The border forces of India and Bangladesh will hold their bi-annual talks next week in New Delhi, with issues such as border fence construction and attacks on BSF personnel and civilians by Bangladeshi miscreants figuring among the discussion points. The 55th Director General-Level Border Coordination Conference between BSF and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will be organised at the Border Security Force (BSF) headquarters in New Delhi between February 17-20. The conference will be the first top-level meeting between the two sides after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August last year. Discussions will be held on prevention of attacks on BSF personnel and Indian civilians by Bangladesh-based miscreants/nationals, how to prevent trans-border crimes, construction of a single-row fence, action against Indian Insurgent Groups in Bangladesh, issues related to border infrastructure, joint efforts for effective implementation of the Coordinated Border Management Plan, Confidence Building Measures and other issues.
The inaugural edition's winner Mumbai Indians will bank on their core group of players while two-time finalists Delhi Capitals will expect fireworks from Shafali Verma when they face-off in the second game of the Women's Premier League here on Saturday. The finalists of the first WPL in 2023, both Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals made it to the knockouts in the second edition last year but lost to the eventual champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the eliminator and the final respectively. Those defeats were certainly not reflective of how well MI and DC had fared until the knockouts stage, with Harmanpreet Kaur's side finishing second in the points table with five wins in eight matches and Meg Lanning's team topping it with six wins in as many outings. The winners of WPL 2023, Mumbai Indians tend to lean on their core group of players both overseas and Indian and a similar approach can be expected this year, with only a few changes taking place in terms of squad composition. India pacer Pooja Vastrakar, who was grappling with an unspecified injury, was ruled out of the competition and has been replaced by slow left-arm orthodox bowler Parunika Sisodia, who was one of the main performers in India's title-winning campaign in the U-19 Women's T20 World Cup recently. Mumbai Indians have let go of England's Issy Wong, who took the first-ever WPL hat-trick in 2023, after the player lost form and the franchise found the leader of their attack in South Africa's Shabnim Ismail. Among domestic talents, another member of the U-19 T20 World Cup winning squad G Kamalini would be one to watch out for, having finished as the third highest scorer in the competition with 143 runs in seven matches. Apart from a strong leader in Harmanpreet, MI have strong figures from other international sides such as Nat Sciver-Brunt (England), Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Amelia Kerr (New Zealand), as well as South Africans Nadine de Klerk, Shabnim Ismail and Chloe Tryon. While Yastika Bhatia is MI's No 1 wicketkeeper-batter, other Indian players in Saika Ishaque, Sajana Sajeevan, uncapped Akshita Maheshwari and Amanjot Kaur will be expected to play their roles to perfection. On their part, Delhi Capitals will be keen to do one better after finishing as runner-up for two times in a row ever since the competition began. One of the most consistent teams in the competition, the Lanning-led Delhi have strong talent base across departments but the key will be to deliver in crucial matches. All eyes will be on the explosive Indian batter Shafali who has responded to her exclusion from the Indian side with runs in domestic cricket. She forms a lethal opening pair with Lanning at the top, while the likes of Australia's Annabel Sutherland, England's Alice Capsey and India's Jemimah Rodrigues form the core of their middle order. All-rounder Sutherland will hope to draw inspiration from her recent success of having struck 163 in the only Test of the women's Ashes followed by winning the highest individual honour in Australian cricket. While Delhi boasts of three wicketkeeper-batters in India's Taniyaa Bhatia, Nandini Kashyap and Scotland's Sarah Bryce, their bowling looks settled with Marizanne Kapp as the leader of the attack, backed by Australia's Jess Jonassen, India's Radha Yadav and Shikha Pandey as well as Titas Sadhu.
'Quickly assessing what's required to do here will be the key for us.' 'If we can assess quickly and adjust our batting or bowling quickly that will help us moving forward.'
Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting a strong response from the Indian Army. The incident, which occurred in the Krishna Ghati sector, comes a day after two Indian Army personnel were killed in an IED blast near the LoC. The ceasefire violation is the fourth cross-border incident in five days and the first this year.
'Additionally, the significant employment multiplier will boost direct and indirect jobs of up to 1.1 million.'
'What Shami does is hit the seam and move the ball off the deck. It is dangerous as batsmen will not be able to guess easily which way the ball is going to move.'
'However, this process will take some time. Depending on the approval timeline, it may span a few quarters.'
'Expect FPIs to continue selling for several months until the rupee stabilises.'
Legendary Indian boxer MC Mary Kom has called for greater recognition for boxing in India, stating her goal is to make the sport as popular as cricket.
China has firmly denied that its Wuhan Institute of Virology conducted gain-of-function studies on coronavirus, rejecting allegations that the US Agency for International Development (USAID) funded such research at the lab. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, emphasized that the lab has never engaged in gain-of-function research, designed, made, or leaked COVID-19. China has also reiterated its stance on the origins-tracing of COVID-19, stating that the pandemic was "extremely unlikely" to have originated from a lab leak, as concluded by the WHO-China joint mission.
The students alleged that they were forced to stand naked and were subjected to brutal acts using dumbbells meant for weightlifting.
Amid widespread outrage over the brutal ragging incident at the Government Nursing College in Kottayam, the Kerala Nurses and Midwives Council (KNMC) on Saturday decided to bar all five accused students from continuing their studies.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has moved back its office in New Delhi to its old address following the near completion of the rebuilding project spread across over 3.75 acre premises, housing three 13-storey towers and around 300 rooms and offices in total.
The Maharashtra Cyber Department has summoned over 40 individuals, including social media influencer Ranveer Allahbadia, to investigate a case registered concerning his controversial remarks on a YouTube reality show, "India's Got Latent." The cyber police have issued notices to Allahbadia, other participants, and judges involved in the show, following complaints about obscene language used during the episodes. While no one has appeared yet, some lawyers have requested more time from the police. The department has also asked the show's producers to remove all episodes from social media platforms. Meanwhile, Khar police in Mumbai are investigating a separate complaint filed by a local BJP functionary regarding the controversy, recording statements from several individuals, including Allahbadia's manager. The National Commission for Women (NCW) has also issued summons to Allahbadia, other participants, and the show's producers to appear before it in New Delhi.
Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka led by example and smashed a belligerent hundred to set up a 49-run victory over a depleted Australia.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that India and the United States have set a $500 billion target for bilateral trade by 2030 and added that the teams of two nations will work together to finalise a mutually beneficial trade agreement.
United States President Donald Trump on Thursday announced the extradition of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana to India and said he will face justice.
The Mumbai Police have recorded statements from four individuals, including social media influencer Apoorva Mukhija, in connection with controversial remarks made by Ranveer Allahbadia on the YouTube show "India's Got Talent." The controversy erupted after a video of Allahbadia's comments sparked debate on freedom of speech and decency. The Maharashtra Cyber Department registered a First Information Report against the show, and a BJP functionary filed a complaint alleging offensive language targeting disabled persons. Allahbadia has issued an apology, but the issue has gained significant attention, prompting calls for regulation of social media and an NCW summons to those involved.
Bajaj Finserv, Tata Steel, Larsen & Toubro, UltraTech Cement, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Tata Motors were among the gainers. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 4,486.41 crore on Tuesday, according to exchange data.
Mumbai reported its first case of GBS on February 7 after a 64-year-old woman, resident of Andheri (East), was diagnosed with the nerve disorder, officials earlier said.
Das served as the head priest since he was 20 years old, including during the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the US for a two-day working visit starting Wednesday. He will meet with President Donald Trump and engage in bilateral discussions on trade, investment, technology, defense cooperation, counterterrorism, Indo-Pacific security, and people-to-people relations. The visit is expected to further strengthen the India-US partnership.
A group of protesters stormed a book stall in Dhaka, Bangladesh, over the display of books by exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin. The incident prompted Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus to order a probe into the "disorderly behaviour." The incident unfolded at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair on Monday, with protesters surrounding the stall and chanting slogans. Police intervened to restore order, but the protesters then encircled the police control room, keeping tensions high. Following widespread criticism, Chief Adviser Yunus ordered authorities to bring those responsible to justice. The Bangla Academy has formed a committee to investigate the chaos and attack on the publishing house.
"The person who made the threat call to the Mumbai Police Control Room has been taken into custody from the Chembur area. He is mentally ill," the police added.
YouTuber Elvish Yadav has been booked for posting a misleading video claiming he was escorted by the Rajasthan Police during a music video shoot in Jaipur. The police have denied providing any official security to Yadav and have registered a case against him for attempting to damage the reputation of the Rajasthan Police. The controversy erupted after Yadav uploaded a video on social media showing him traveling in a car with a police vehicle moving ahead of him. While Yadav claimed the police were escorting them, the Rajasthan Police has refuted this claim, stating that no such escort was provided. The matter is currently under investigation.
Teenage Afghanistan off-spinner AM Ghazanfar has been ruled out of both the ICC Champions Trophy and the IPL due to a lower back fracture.
rediffGURU Vipul Bhavsar answers readers' personal income tax queries.
Despite often flying under the radar in discussions about India's all-round options, Axar Patel brings a rare skill set -- a spinner, who bashes spin with his bat, while being a reliable left-arm spinner.
Sarfaraz recalled how the side regrouped under the guidance of senior players like Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez, something he feels that the present Pakistan side will need too.
Following a stampede at New Delhi railway station and large crowds arriving for the Maha Kumbh, authorities in Uttar Pradesh have implemented stringent security protocols at key railway stations including Prayagraj, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Kanpur, Lucknow and Mirzapur. Measures include restricted entry, holding areas for passengers, increased security personnel, and improved facilities to prevent overcrowding.
'This introduction that has now been in place for sometime could well give that additional flavour for the chess players as they will be able to guess the pressure that a certain player is feeling during the course of a game.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hold bilateral meetings with US President Donald Trump and other prominent American personalities during his two-day visit to the United States.
Families will not be accompanying the Indian cricket players heading to Dubai on February 15 for the ICC Champions Trophy as the BCCI's new travel policy comes into effect for the first time with this tournament.
Singapore-based Smitha and Raghavendra Ramachandra made a spontaneous decision to attend the Maha Kumbh. They did not expect what followed.
World champion D Gukesh played out a hard-fought draw with Hikaru Nakamura of United States in the first game of the 5-8 place play-offs.
A Bharatiya Janata Party delegation on Tuesday called on Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at the Raj Bhavan in Imphal amid a leadership crisis following the resignation of N Biren Singh as the chief minister of the ethnic violence-hit state two days ago.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with US Vice President J D Vance and his family, Estonian President Alar Karis, and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the AI Action Summit in Paris. The meetings focused on bilateral relations, AI collaboration, and trade opportunities. Modi also invited Estonia to explore opportunities in India's growth story. He concluded the summit by expressing India's willingness to host the next AI Action Summit.
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