WWF Uses Twitter Bird Logo To Highlight Species Facing Extinction

Last week, Twitter replaced its iconic bird logo with the letter 'X',  marking the latest major shift since Elon Musk's takeover of the social media platform. Twitter, founded in 2006 and whose name is a play on the sound of birds chattering, has used avian branding since its early days. 

Needless to say, Elon Musk's Twitter logo rebranding has become the talk of the town, and the subject of viral jokes and memes. Now, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), has used the rebranding of Twitter to talk about wildlife conservation.

The German chapter of the WWF created an impactful graphic that shows the evolution of the blue bird logos over the years. The post drives home the point that some animals are heading for extinction if we don't protect them.

Notably, McCann Germany, an advertising agency, collaborated with WWF to create the graphic and shared it on LinkedIn. When translated into English, the caption of the graphic reads, ''The whole world mourns the loss of the Twitter bird. Around 1 million real animal species are threatened with extinction. Today we are in the midst of the greatest extinction of species since the end of the dinosaur era. A quarter of mammal species, one in eight bird species, more than 30 percent of sharks and rays, and 40 percent of amphibian species are threatened. Help us save the animals. An initiative of WWF Germany & us!''

 The text on the graphic, reads, “Protect our animal species before it's too late.”

See the picture here:

British writer Julia Hobsbawm posted this graphic on X and wrote, “Good work from a German ad agency which reads “protect the wildlife before it's too late”.

Reacting to the graphic, one user said, ''You could interpret the meaning a lot of ways. It could be covertly about free speech or it could actually be about protecting wildlife for all I know.''

Another commented, ''Join the wildlife rescue mission before these precious creatures go 'tweet-tweet' into extinction!''

A third said, ''I'd completely forgotten the bird logo was different in Twitter's early years, which in itself is a tribute to the timeless perfection of the final version. On top of everything else wrong with Elon Musk, he's a sheer cultural vandal.''

A fourth wrote, ''Another endangered species, now extinct.''

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Were Umpires Right In Ruling Out Stokes' Catch Of Smith? ICC Says This

Team England needed a crucial wicket on the last day of the last Ashes Test to contain Australia and believed they had Australia's star batter Steve Smith close to lunch on Day 5 but the batter was ruled not out. In the 66th over, Smith was batting on 39 and England captain Ben Stokes appeared to have caught the ball at leg gully as it popped off the batter's glove of Moeen Ali's loopy delivery. Umpire Joel Wilson said it was not out and Stokes went for review. 

The catch was taken cleanly by Stokes at leg gully as he stretched his right arm but as he moved to celebrate, the ball flew out of his hands and fell down.

Replays appeared to indicate that Stokes realised it wasn't a clean catch since his head dropped right away. 

"After numerous replays, Smith was ruled not out as the catch was not perceived to be clean according to law 33.3 of the MCC," the ICC wrote in a report.

"The law states, 'The act of making a catch shall start from the time when the ball first comes into contact with a fielder's person and shall end when a fielder obtains complete control over both the ball and his/her own movement.'

"The incident was similar to Mitchell Starc's catch of Ben Duckett at Lord's but clearer. With this, Smith survived as Australia headed to lunch three down and needing a further 146 runs to win. "
 
Chris Woakes and Mark Wood provided the early breakthrough on Day 5 of the of the fifth Ashes Test to help England stage a comeback but Australia still have an edge in the crucial math.

Australia were 238/3 at Lunch with Steve Smith (40) and Travis Head (31) standing unbeaten at the crease with the team needing another 146 runs for victory.

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Watch: Fairytale End! Broad Dismisses Carey With Last Ball Of Test Career

England beat Australia by 49 runs to win the fifth Test at The Oval on Monday and end the Ashes series all square at 2-2. Australia, chasing 384 to win, collapsed from 264-3 to 334 all out, with England's retiring paceman Stuart Broad taking the final two wickets in the form of Todd Murphy and Alex Carey.  Australia suffered a dramatic collapse in the last session, reduced to 294-8 as England's Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes ripped through their batting order at The Oval.  Rain kept the players off the field for about two hours before Australia, who as the holders have already retained the Ashes at 2-1 up, resumed on 238-3.

That still left the tourists needing 146 more runs to reach an imposing victory target of 384.

Steve Smith, dropped at leg gully by England captain Ben Stokes just before the interval, was 40 not out and left-hander Travis Head 31 not out.

The pair had extended their fourth-wicket stand to 95 when off-spinner Moeen, in what could be his last Test appearance, turned a ball out of the rough.

Head, on 43, tried to drive, with Joe Root holding a routine catch at first slip.

A fairytale ending for a legend of the game.

Broady, thank you #EnglandCricket | #Ashes pic.twitter.com/RUC5vdKj7p

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 31, 2023

Australia then lost their star batsman when Smith, having completed an 89-ball fifty, fell for 54 when he edged an excellent full-length delivery from paceman Woakes to Zak Crawley at second slip.

And Australia fell to 274-6 when Moeen had all-rounder Mitchell Marsh brilliantly caught by diving wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow.

Australia's collapse continued when Woakes and Crawley combined again to dismiss Mitchell Starc for a duck and captain Pat Cummins was next to go, caught by Stokes off Moeen for nine.

Earlier, Woakes removed Australia openers David Warner and Usman Khawaja in a dramatic burst of two wickets for one run in seven balls on an overcast morning and with a pitch freshened by rain.

Express quick Mark Wood then had Marnus Labuschagne caught in the slips for 13 to leave Australia 169-3.

England pace great Stuart Broad, who on Saturday made a shock announcement he would retire after the match, took up the attack as the 37-year-old sought to dismiss Warner for the 18th time in Tests.

But it was Woakes who made the breakthrough England desperately needed when a good-length ball, angled across Warner, nipped off the seam and took the outside edge to give Bairstow a simple catch.

Warner was out for 60 and it was not long before Khawaja, the leading run-scorer in the series, followed him.

Khawaja was lbw to Woakes for 72 after being caught on the crease in front of middle and leg stumps by a full-length delivery.

Wood then squared up Labuschagne with an 86 mph (138 kph) delivery that angled in and swung away to take the edge, with Crawley holding a fine low catch at second slip.

Stokes then gave Smith, who has scored three hundreds in five Tests at The Oval, a reprieve on the stroke of lunch after he gloved Moeen.

The ball looped to Stokes at leg gully, who grabbed it one-handed above his head. But as his arm came down, his hand clipped his leg and he dropped the ball.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Focus Not Just On Ram Temple: PM's "Mantra For 2024" At NDA Meet

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told the NDA to focus on issues apart from Ram Mandir ahead of the 2024 general elections. At a meeting with MPs from Uttar Pradesh today, the Prime Minister advised the MPs to go local, and "spend more time with the people", sources said.

The MPs who attended the meet -- to be a part of a series of meetings -- were from West Uttar Pradesh, Braj and the Kanpur-Bundelkhand area.

Sources said the Prime Minister has asked the MPs to talk about local issues in their respective constituencies, go to programmes that people attend including weddings.

"PM Modi gave the mantra of 2024 victory to NDA MPs. 'Convince those who are sulky, angry, spend more and more time with the public during elections," a source quoted him as saying.

Invoking 'coalition dharma', he said unlike the UPA, the NDA is about sacrifice, not selfishness, sources said.
 
As an example, PM Modi cited Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who, he said, was made the Chief Minister despite having fewer MLAs than the BJP but he still ended the coalition and joined the opposition ranks.

"Despite having a good number of MLAs in the government with the Akali Dal in Punjab, the NDA did not ask for the post of Deputy Chief Minister," a source quoted him as saying.

The BJP has divided the 430 MPs of NDA into 11 groups, which will meet PM Modi by turns till August 10.

The next round of meetings will be held on Wednesday, in which 96 MPs from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep will participate.

The meetings are meant to ensure greater cohesion and synergy within the alliance ahead of the election.

Senior party leaders including Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and BJP chief JP Nadda are expected to be part of the meetings.

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Delhi's July Air Best In 5 Years, Average Maximum Temperature Also Dropped

Bountiful rains in July gave Delhi its best air quality for the month in five years, while the average maximum temperature also dropped to its lowest level since 2016, according to official data.

The data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) also shows that Delhi's average air quality index (AQI) this year so far is the lowest for the corresponding period since 2019, except for 2020 - the year of the COVID-19 lockdown.

The city recorded 384.6 mm of rainfall in July, which is the second-highest in the month in the last 15 years, compared to the normal of 195.8 mm.

It gauged above-normal rainfall in the last four months -- 53.2 mm against a normal of 17.4 mm in March, 20.1 mm against an average of 16.3 mm in April, 111 mm against a normal of 30.7 mm in May and 101.7 mm against a normal of 74.1 mm in June.

The city experienced its highest rainfall (153 mm) in a single day in July since 1982 on July 8-9 due to an interaction of a western disturbance, "monsoonal" winds and cyclonic circulation over northwest India. It received an additional 107 mm of rain in the subsequent 24 hours.

The average maximum temperature in July was 34.7 degrees Celsius, the lowest since 2016 when it was 34.5 degrees Celsius.

According to CPCB data, the average AQI of Delhi for the January-July period in 2023 was 182.6, showing a significant improvement compared to 209 in 2022, 204.7 in 2021, 159 in 2020, and 215.3 in 2019.

The average AQI in July was the lowest in five years. The AQI for July 2023 was 83.7, while it was 87.3 in 2022, 110.1 in 2021, 83.8 in 2020, and 134.1 in 2019.

On Saturday, Delhi recorded an average AQI of 59, the lowest so far this year.

According to the CPCB data, the daily average PM2.5 concentration in Delhi in July stood at 35 µg/m3, compared to 36 in 2022, 40 in 2021, 34 in 2020, and 47 in 2019.

Similarly, the daily average PM10 concentration for July 2023 was 77 µg/m3, in contrast to 82 in 2022, 107 in 2021, 77 in 2020, and 143 in 2019.

Delhi's significant improvement in air quality during July was reflected in the fact that all 31 days of the month recorded 'good to moderate' air quality. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Father Dies, 4-Year-Old Injured After Bouncy Castle Shot Into Air In France

A father died and his four-year-old daughter was badly injured in France after a bouncy castle in which they were playing at a water park was blown skyward by high winds, prosecutors said Monday.

The 35-year-old man had been taken to hospital with his child after the accident on Sunday at the water park in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume in France's southern Var region, hugely popular with tourists in the summer. He died later that day.

The structure, some 20 metres (65 feet) long, lifted 50 metres off the ground at the Wonderland Waterpark, with both victims trapped inside, the prosecutor for the nearby town of Draguignan said in a statement.

The daughter's life remains in danger, the prosecutor's office added. It said the bouncy castle had taken off due to "strong gusts of wind" that were buffeting the area at the time after a spell of hot weather.

An investigation has been opened into involuntary homicide.

Draguignan prosecutor Guy Bouchet told AFP that the management of the park had taken the decision to suspend the bouncy castle activity due to the weather at the very moment the accident happened.

"How can a water park that had been accepted on the municipal territory to bring joy and happiness to children be transformed into a machine of death that strikes down an entire family?" the local mayor Alain Decanis wrote on Facebook.

He vowed the investigation opened by prosecutors would provide answers. The child, like her father, had to be resuscitated after suffering cardiac arrest.

The Wonderland Waterpark opened only this summer some 40 kilometres (25 miles) outside the town of Aix-en-Provence.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Father Dies, 4-Year-Old Injured After Bouncy Castle Shot Into Air In France

A father died and his four-year-old daughter was badly injured in France after a bouncy castle in which they were playing at a water park was blown skyward by high winds, prosecutors said Monday.

The 35-year-old man had been taken to hospital with his child after the accident on Sunday at the water park in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume in France's southern Var region, hugely popular with tourists in the summer. He died later that day.

The structure, some 20 metres (65 feet) long, lifted 50 metres off the ground at the Wonderland Waterpark, with both victims trapped inside, the prosecutor for the nearby town of Draguignan said in a statement.

The daughter's life remains in danger, the prosecutor's office added. It said the bouncy castle had taken off due to "strong gusts of wind" that were buffeting the area at the time after a spell of hot weather.

An investigation has been opened into involuntary homicide.

Draguignan prosecutor Guy Bouchet told AFP that the management of the park had taken the decision to suspend the bouncy castle activity due to the weather at the very moment the accident happened.

"How can a water park that had been accepted on the municipal territory to bring joy and happiness to children be transformed into a machine of death that strikes down an entire family?" the local mayor Alain Decanis wrote on Facebook.

He vowed the investigation opened by prosecutors would provide answers. The child, like her father, had to be resuscitated after suffering cardiac arrest.

The Wonderland Waterpark opened only this summer some 40 kilometres (25 miles) outside the town of Aix-en-Provence.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Woman Strangles Teen Son In Rajasthan: Cops

A mentally challenged woman allegedly strangled her minor son to death in Rajasthan's Udaipur on Sunday, police said.

The incident occurred in Amba Mata police station area in the morning, they said.

Accused Manisha (37) strangled her son Puranjay (14) when he was sleeping. Shortly after this, she called the police control room informing that she had murdered her son, police said.

The police rushed to the spot and detained the woman. Her husband, a businessman, had gone for a morning walk when the incident occurred, they said.

"The family said that Manisha had been mentally disturbed for some time and her treatment was going on. The woman could not give any satisfactory answer as to why she murdered her son," police said.

The matter is being investigated further. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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'Barbie Feet Challenge' Has Left Health Experts Concerned. Here's Why

The highly-anticipated movie 'Barbie' starring Margot Robbie, and Ryan Gosling which was released on July 21, is making a splash at the theatres globally. The Barbie mania is taking over, and people, companies, brands and everyone else is jumping on the pink bandwagon. The movie has also given rise to several viral trends across all social media platforms. One such trend is called the 'Barbie Feet Challenge', inspired by a particular scene from the movie.

The challenge involves recreating a scene from the movie where Margot Robbie's character slips out of her heels and stands on the tips of her toes, while her heels remain in the air. To ace the challenge, women are attempting to step out of high heels, walk on tiptoes, and maintain their feet in an arched position.

The hashtags #BarbieFeet and #BarbieFeetChallenge have garnered a combined total of over 80 million views on the platform, and search interest for “Barbie Foot Challenge” increased 2,950% over the course of one week, Foot, Ankle & Leg Vein Center reported, according to the New York Post.

 Even American model Chrissy Teigen hopped onto the bandwagon.

However, health experts are now raising concerns about the potential dangers associated with the viral trend.

“Although the Barbie Arch makes a woman's legs appear longer and toner, it is not without risk. If someone attempts the pose once or twice, they will likely be ok and produce a great TikTok video. However, if attempting the pose and stride over long periods, there are some risks involved. The ankle is unstable, which can lead to ligament sprains and injuries, commonly seen with high heel use,” Dr. Jodi R. Schoenhaus told The Post.

The high-arched position of the Barbie foot could also lead to muscle and spine problems as it puts strain on the lower back. It can also damage growth plates, a warning to younger girls who are still growing, she added.

''To walk on your toes without heels isn't sustainable, and, in fact, the reality in the movie is that Barbie actually has flatfeet, along with 30% of the population. Considering we aren't trained ballerinas en pointe, let's keep the fad to movie stars who have props and multiple takes to make it look perfect,” she said further.

Notably, 'Barbie' is a live-action retelling made by reimagining the toy figurine. Everything in the film - from the costumes to the sets - is drenched in trademark Barbie pink colour. 

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Prince William Serves Burgers To Shocked Diners. There's An India Connect

Britain's Prince William served up a surprise to diners in south London when he dished out environmentally-friendly burgers from a food truck.

In a video released on Sunday, the heir to the throne handed out "Earthshot Burgers" to highlight the work of last year's winners of his annual Earthshot Prize, which he set up to help develop solutions to major environmental problems.

"Coming right up," the prince said as he served up the burgers to the stunned customers. "Morning everyone, nicely cooked, ready to go."

The object for William, who had teamed up with the founders of the YouTube channel Sorted Food which reviews kitchen gadgets and shares recipes, was to raise the profile and work of three previous Earthshot prize winners.

"So the box you're about to eat in is built by a company called Notpla and there's no plastic involved, they've come up with a seaweed coating," the prince told the customers at the burger van.

"The ingredients inside the burger are grown from a greenhouse in India from a company called Kheyti, and last but not least, the way we cook them has been on a thing called Mukuru Clean Stoves, and that is designed by a lady in Kenya who came up with the concept to reduce air pollution."

He added: "Can't vouch for the taste, the quality but ... I'm rolling with it."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Andhra Cops Arrange A Crane To Help Students Reach Exam Centre Amid Floods

Police officials in Andhra Pradesh came to the rescue of a group of B-Tech students who were stuck in knee-deep floodwater in NTR district's Nandigram. Fearing that they won't be able to reach their college on time, students requested the Nandigama police to step in.

Notably, the highway near Nandigram was marooned by overflowing flood water, and surrounding villages were completely drowned. Coming to their aid, the police arranged a crane to cross the overflowing highway and drop the students at the exam center. The police also helped the students get back home after the exam. Andhra Pradesh Police shared a video of the rescue on their official Twitter handle.

Watch the video here:

#APPolice helps students to attend exam on a crane in knee deep flood water: The highway near #Nandigama,NTR(D) is marooned by overflowing flood water.Surrounding villages are completely drowned & road communication was cut off as knee deep water over flowed on high way.(1/2) pic.twitter.com/s16tKYDbjx

— Andhra Pradesh Police (@APPOLICE100) July 29, 2023

In another tweet, AP Police wrote, ''Students requested Nandigama cops to assist them to attend semester exam. Cops risked & arranged a #crane on overflowing highway to drop the students to the exam centre&also pick them up after the exam. #DGP Shri K.V Rajendranath Reddy IPS,commends @VjaCityPolice for the good work done.''

Reacting to the video, one user appreciated the cops' timely intervention and wrote, ''We love you and respect you AP police, great thinking, and great help we salute to all police department in AP.'' Another wrote, ''Excellent work.''

In another heartwarming incident, police personnel rescued two puppies stranded in flood water in the Ithavaram village in the NTR district. 

Notably, traffic on the national highway (NH 65) was disrupted and the nearby areas were inundated after the Munneru River, which is a tributary of the Krishna, got swollen due to the heavy rainfall in the state in the last few days.

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James Anderson's 3-Word Reaction When Told Of Stuart Broad's Retirement

One of the finest England pacers ever, Stuart Broad made the big revelation as he announced his intention to retire after the conclusion of the 5th Ashes Test against Australia. When Broad, who has been one of England's biggest servants in the longest format of the game, revealed the big news to his partner-in-crime James Anderson, the latter couldn't beleive his years. In fact, as revealed by Broad, Anderson thought Broad was joking as he revealed his intention of calling time on his career after the series.

"He just said 'are you joking?'," Broad was quoted as saying to BBC Test Match Special while speaking on Anderson's reaction. "We then had a hug. It is always hard."

Broad and Anderson are two icons of England cricket who have donned the whites together for a long time. As Anderson remains an active player, Broad decided that it was time for him to move on.

"When I spoke to Jimmy, I got a bit emotional. But ultimately, we have a game to win here. We can do the reminiscing afterward if we get the job done," he stated.

Considered one of the greatest seamers to have represented England, especially in Test cricket, Broad has over 800 international wickets across formats.

Broad has taken 602 wickets in 167 Test matches he has played. He has also scored 3656 runs at an average of 18 with 1 century and 13 fifties in Test cricket.

In ODIs, Broad has featured in 121 games taking 178 scalps. His best bowling effort in the 50-over format to date is 5/23 while in T20Is, he has 65 wickets in 56 matches, with his best being 4/24.

Meanwhile, in T20I format, he has played 56 matches and taken 65 wickets with an average of 22.93.

With ANI inputs

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"No Point...": Twitter Fumes As India Rest Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma vs WI

The Indian cricket team had two notable absentees in Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the second ODI against West Indies. India managed to clinch the first margin after facing a few challenges. Ishan Kishan performed exceptionally well with the bat to help India chase down a total of 114. The visitors would be keen to clinch the series with a second consecutive win.

Hardik Pandya is leading India in the absence of Rohit Sharma. Axar Patel and Sanju Samson have been named as their replacements. India stand-in skipper Hardik Pandya said during the time of toss, "We were looking to bat first. We want to see how much we can score on this pitch which is a bit up and down. Rohit and Virat have been playing constant cricket, so they are resting in this game. They can be fresh for the third ODI. I think when you get someone out for 115, it's a good sign. Our catching was impressive, but we can improve in certain areas. Sanju and Axar come in for Rohit and Virat."

No point in watching a match without Kohli. They rested him from T20s to make sure he focuses on Tests and ODIs, but now they are resting him in ODIs too. Clown management @BCCI pic.twitter.com/dOGQM6g086

— Yashvi. (@BreatheKohli) July 29, 2023

Go and sleep boys, Goat Virat will not play cricket today pic.twitter.com/VhchkHdOvV https://t.co/Zxcr5nvQhx

— Shaurya (@Kohli_Devotee) July 29, 2023

Prayer circle :




India's lose
IND V/S WI
2


No Rohit and Virat
Bcci Deserves To lose This match
Sack Dravid ASAP!! pic.twitter.com/BUE3AU7Nam

— Aryan (@OxygenKohli18) July 29, 2023

Cricket is boring without Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma pic.twitter.com/hHMNzdxnvm

— Lokesh Saini (@LokeshVirat18K) July 29, 2023

WI Skipper Shai Hope said during the time of toss, "We are going to bowl first, we saw what happened in the last game. The conditions will assist the bowlers. We got two games to play, so we got to win this one to stay alive. It has been a bit unpredictable. Both teams have to play on the same surface. We got to bowl first and put them under pressure. Powell, Drakes is out, Alzarri and Keacy are in." 

West Indies (Playing XI): Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Alick Athanaze, Shai Hope(w/c), Shimron Hetmyer, Keacy Carty, Romario Shepherd, Yannic Cariah, Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, Jayden Seales

India (Playing XI): Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan(w), Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya(c), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar.

With ANI inputs

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Jaffer's 'Pathaan' Twist To Kohli, Rohit Not Playing Second ODI vs WI

As Hardik Pandya came out at the toss for the second ODI against West Indies in Barbados, there was anticipation in the air. The stand-in captain then clarified that indeed Rohit Sharma was not playing along with Virat Kohli. India managed to clinch the first match after facing a few challenges. Ishan Kishan performed exceptionally well with the bat to help India chase down a total of 114. The visitors would be keen to clinch the series with a second consecutive win.

India stand-in skipper Hardik Pandya said during the time of toss, "We were looking to bat first. We want to see how much we can score on this pitch which is a bit up and down. Rohit and Virat have been playing constant cricket, so they are resting in this game. They can be fresh for the third ODI. I think when you get someone out for 115, it's a good sign. Our catching was impressive, but we can improve in certain areas. Sanju and Axar come in for Rohit and Virat."

Former India opener Wasim Jaffer gave a funny twist to the duo not playing. "Rohit and Virat watching from the dressing room. #WIvIND" he posted with a picture if Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan from the movie 'Pathaan'. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Wasim Jaffer (@wasimjaffer14)

WI Skipper Shai Hope said during the time of toss, "We are going to bowl first, we saw what happened in the last game. The conditions will assist the bowlers. We got two games to play, so we got to win this one to stay alive. It has been a bit unpredictable. Both teams have to play on the same surface. We got to bowl first and put them under pressure. Powell, Drakes is out, Alzarri and Keacy are in." 

West Indies (Playing XI): Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Alick Athanaze, Shai Hope(w/c), Shimron Hetmyer, Keacy Carty, Romario Shepherd, Yannic Cariah, Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, Jayden Seales

India (Playing XI): Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan(w), Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya(c), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar.

With ANI inputs

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Judge Throws Out Donald Trump's $475 Million Defamation Suit Against CNN

A federal judge has dismissed a $475 million defamation lawsuit that Donald Trump filed against CNN for describing his claim that the 2020 election was stolen as the "Big Lie."

Trump, in the suit filed in a US District Court in Florida in October, had alleged that the use of the phrase by the cable television news network associated the former US president with tactics used by Adolf Hitler.

US District Court Judge Raag Singhal, who was appointed by Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, tossed out the suit on Friday.

"There is no question that the statements made by CNN meet the publication requirement for defamation under Florida law," Singhal said in his ruling.

"The next question is whether the statements were false statements of fact," the judge said. "This is where Trump's defamation claims fail.

"The complained of statements are opinion, not factually false statements, and therefore are not actionable," Singhal said. "CNN's statements, while repugnant, were not, as a matter of law, defamatory.

"The case will, therefore, be dismissed."

In his defamation complaint, Trump said the network's use of the phrase the "Big Lie" was a "deliberate effort by CNN to propagate to its audience an association between the plaintiff and one of the most repugnant figures in modern history."

Trump had a caustic relationship with CNN and other major news outlets like The New York Times during his White House term, branding them "fake news" and repeatedly raging against them on social media.

The twice-impeached Trump, who has continued to insist falsely that he won the 2020 presidential election against Democrat Joe Biden, is to go on trial in Florida in May on charges of mishandling top secret government documents.

Trump is also facing dozens of felony charges in a case involving hush money payments to a porn star in New York and is bracing for indictment in separate state and federal investigations into his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Opinion: Manipur Needs Healing, Today

As I write this, we have just concluded the seventh day of parliament. No sign yet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi inside Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. The closest he has come to the chambers of both Houses is to address the media somewhere in the precincts of parliament House. The INDIA parties (preferred usage to "Opposition parties") are striving to get a discussion going in parliament on Manipur. There is one hitch. The PM does not want to participate in the debate. The INDIA parties insist he must. Hence, the logjam.

Let's leave parliament aside for a moment, and consider the footage that has surfaced from Manipur. Last week a bone-chilling video was circulated on social media. Two women from the conflict ridden state were being paraded naked by a mob of men, some of whom seemed to be teenagers.

Since then, several details have emerged. What we know so far is that this incident occured soon after the violence in Manipur erupted. That it was caused in retaliation to a piece of fake news that went viral in early May. This piece of false news showed the image of a young woman wrapped in a plastic bag. The claim was that she was from a particular ethnic group, and had been raped and killed by men from a rival group. As it was discovered later, the woman was a Delhi murder victim from 2022. The image enraged men belonging to one group, who then abducted the women who appeared in the video and revenge raped them.

It gets worse. Even though an FIR was filed days later in May, it is only after the video generated social media traction that the Prime Minister, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani, and Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh commented on it. The Chief Minister said, "There are hundreds of similar FIRs here". Extending the apathy and inefficiency, 'South Asia's Leading Multimedia News Agency' (guess who!) put out yet another piece of fake news, incorrectly implicating a man from a minority community as one of those arrested in the case. At a time when any piece of information has the power to do irreversible damage to both communities, how can a government's actions be guided only by what's trending on Twitter.

At the root of the gruesome assault are two issues. One, the government failed to control the spread of false information that caused the rape and shameful parading of the women. In this light, the Press Information Bureau's (PIB) recent admission that it only acted upon 1,200 of the 1.2 lakh fake news requests it received in the last three years seems less shocking. Two, despite knowing well in advance, the union government failed to stop an uncensored version of the video from being circulated on social media. In response to a question by this columnist in parliament, the government admitted blocking 635 URLs on the internet since December 2021. Where was this promptness when the dignity of Manipur's women was under threat?

This case of sexual assault surfaces when parliament is in session. Multiple parties are demanding a discussion under the 'emergency rules' of parliament, given the gravity of the situation. The Prime Minister has other ideas. But if everything was so hunky dory in Manipur, then why has the internet been shut down for nearly three months? Was the internet shut down in Rajasthan and other states that the BJP draws parallels with?

The video that reached the internet is one that we know of. If previous cycles of fake news distribution are to be relied on as evidence, that single fake image might have already caused several other acts of violence. These may never reach us.

The Prime Minister's mug shots are splattered all over the country on G20 hoardings, with the tagline 'One Earth. One Family. One Future'. But before that, Manipur needs healing. Today.

(Derek O'Brien, MP, leads the Trinamool Congress in the Rajya Sabha)

Additional research: Varnika Mishra

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author.

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Watch: Hundreds Of Cars Stuck In 3-km Long Jam Near Delhi-Noida Border

Hundreds of vehicles were seen stuck in a massive traffic jam near the Delhi-Noida border after light rain this evening. Visuals of the nearly 3-kilometre traffic jam showed a sea of vehicle lights with honking sounds in the background.

It has been drizzling in the entire national capital region all through the evening. The rain brought trouble with it as people who are travelling from Delhi to Noida are stranded on the roads due to the huge jam.

The Noida-Delhi Kalindi Kunj border was seen jam-packed with vehicles moving at a snail's pace. Some commuters found themselves crossing the bridge over Yamuna in half an hour where ealier it used to take five minutes.

The traffic police, meanwhile, blamed the peak hour for the jam.

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"Kept Suryakumar In My WC Team But For That...": Ex-Ind Star's Blunt Take

Suryakumar Yadav failed to score big during the first ODI encounter between India and West Indies in Barbados and his dismissal has attracted criticism from several ex-cricketers. With the visitors chasing a modest target of 115, Suryakumar was promoted to No.3 to score some quick runs but he ended up gifting his wicket to Windies spinner Gudakesh Motie. The explosive batter played a couple of trademark shots before he was trapped LBW while trying to play a sweep shot. Former India opener Aakash Chopra was disappointed with how Suryakumar was dismissed and in the latest video on his YouTube channel, questioned his decision to keep playing the same shot over and over again.

“Then came Suryakumar Yadav - that's another question. This was an opportunity for him. I had kept Suryakumar Yadav in my World Cup team but for that, he will have to score runs," Aakash said. “He was sent to bat at No.3 so that he goes and collects runs, and his name continues to remain in the audition."

“He was batting decently, but the way he got out - he first hit a sweep which went for a four, another sweep and got beaten, another sweep and a leg-before appeal, and then another sweep and got out leg-before. These were four consecutive balls and not four separate events," he added.

Left-arm spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja masterminded the rout of an abject West Indies team as India romped to a five-wicket victory with more than 27 overs to spare in the opening One-Day International of a three-match series at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Thursday.

Beaten 1-0 in the preceding two-Test series, the home team were brushed aside for just 114 off 23 overs after being put in as they appeared completely at sea in trying to cope especially with variations offered by Yadav's wrist-spin.

(With AFP inputs)

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Several Hundred Credit Suisse Bankers To Get Termination Notices: Report

Several hundred Credit Suisse investment bankers will soon be fired as UBS begins to implement the merger of the two banks, the Swiss weekly HandelsZeitung said Friday.

UBS agreed to buy its rival in a hastily arranged 3-billion-franc ($3.5 billion) fire sale over a March weekend by Swiss authorities afraid that a weakened Credit Suisse would go bankrupt, with speculation rife since about the impact on jobs.

HandelsZeitung said that according to its sources UBS chief executive Sergio Ermotti wants to rapidly get to work on eliminating the huge amount of duplication in their operations.

"The transformation is beginning: in the coming days several hundred Credit Suisse bankers will receive termination notices," said the weekly.

It noted that the Swiss media have speculated about between 30,000 and 35,000 job cuts across the world.

At the end of last year, the two banks had around 120,000 employees between them across the world, including 37,000 in Switzerland.

UBS declined to comment when contacted by AFP.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Bride And Groom Celebrate Wedding By Skydiving Off High Cliff With Guests

When people think of their dream wedding, it usually involves a beautiful and romantic setup with the bride and groom dressed in their best attires. However, new-age couples are ditching traditional settings and have been exploring unique ways to celebrate their big day. This time, a couple chose an adventurous celebration, not just for themselves, but also for the wedding guests, who will probably never forget it. 

In a video going viral, a bride and groom, along with wedding guests are seen skydiving off a high cliff and enjoying the fun adventure. Notably, the couple, identified as Priscilla Ant and Filippo LeQuerce tied the knot on the cliff's edge and then took the thrilling plunge to celebrate new beginnings. All of the people present at the wedding were equipped with appropriate safety gear.

This post was shared on Instagram by @lalibretamorada. ''We are the leap that we take. The hands that hold us. The flight that reminds us there is life after daring. The marriage of Priscilla and Filippo,'' the video was captioned.

Watch the video here:

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A post shared by La libreta morada | Mariana (@lalibretamorada)

The video has gone viral, leaving people stunned at the daring act. Some people were thrilled with the one-of-a-kind wedding celebration and lauded the couple for their fearlessness and courage. However, some others thought it ''was too much.''

One user said, ''Oh man! I absolutely love this so much. Definitely want to do this on my wedding but I'm too afraid hahaha. Congratulations to the newlyweds, wishing them a wonderful life.''

Another commented, ''Wow they made me want it and everything, cool.''

A third wrote, ''Oh my God I felt scared just watching the video! What an adrenaline! Very original" 

A fourth said, ''this is too much!!'' 

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Mumbai-Based CEO Says He Paid Rs 100 For 500 Metre Auto Ride In Bengaluru

Needless to say, travelling by autorickshaws in Bengaluru is an expensive affair. Many times, auto drivers in Bengaluru end up quoting exorbitant fares for short rides, upsetting commuters. In a similar instance, the CEO of a Mumbai-based company took to X, formerly Twitter, to share his experience of travelling in an auto, in Bengaluru. 

Mandar Natekar, co-founder and CEO of NeuralGarage, complained that auto drivers in the city don't charge fares by the meter. He further said that he had to shell out Rs 100 for a mere 500-meter ride in the city. 

He wrote, ''In this photo, you will see the most ornamental thing in Bengaluru. The great Auto Meter. So expensive that it never gets used. I just paid 100Rs for a 500 mtrs ride. To give perspective, in Mumbai 100Rs is the meter fare for approx 9 km.''

He also added a picture of the vehicle's meter and called this experience a "peak Bengaluru" moment.

See the tweet here:

In this photo you will see the most ornamental thing in Bengaluru. The great Auto Meter. So expensive that it never gets used.
I just paid 100Rs for a 500 mtrs ride. To give perspective, in Mumbai 100Rs is the meter fare for approx 9 kms. @peakbengaluru pic.twitter.com/7piaKjGhnY

— Mandar Natekar (@mandar2404) July 22, 2023

Twitter users resonated with his tweet and shared similar experiences. Vijay Koshy, president, TVF, commented, ''It's practically the same for every city outside Mumbai. Chennai is notorious for its auto rides.''

Replying to him, Mr. Natekar said, ''It is ridiculous, to say the least, but seems like this highway robbery is not legit. No one bothers.''

A second user wrote ''Very few cities have auto-meter fare system. Mumbai and Palakkad are the only two cities I am aware of. Nothing can be done either.''

A third added, ''Mumbai is the only place in India, where rickshaws function properly on meter. The rest of India is all about loot.''

A fourth remarked, ''Count your blessings. Most of the time, they don't wish to go anywhere.''

Last year, the Karnataka government raised the metre fares to Rs 30 from Rs 25 for the first two kilometres and the base price per kilometre to Rs 15 from Rs 13.

 

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Asked If He Was Faced With The Question Of Nepotism, Aditya Said...

Bollywood actor Aditya Roy Kapur has been hogging all the limelight ever since his portrayal of Shaan Sengupta in the blockbuster web series The Night Manager. Now, in an interview with Filmfare, the actor has opened up about his initial days in the industry and on being faced with the question of nepotism. Talking to Filmfare, Aditya Roy Kapur said that he started in the industry by doing supporting roles hence nepotism didn't play a part in his journey as an actor.

He said, "I think people know that I have kind of made my way into the industry. I started with supporting roles in films my brothers weren't involved with. My journey has been a public one. People saw my career develop slowly. By the time I did my first leading role, I had already done three supporting parts. So I think that journey is clear for people to see."

On being asked about his auditioning experiences, Aditya Roy Kapur emphasised that rejection is a part of the auditioning process however, he noted that the process in itself was never scarring for him.

Talking to Filmfare, Aditya Roy Kapur said, "If you want to be an actor, I think rejection is part of the process. You better get used to it. The early days of auditioning were pretty much a lot of no. I used to audition for a lot of stuff but it's not like I knew for sure that I wanted to be an actor. I was an RJ and I was happy.  I was never really into films. For me, it happened by chance. I used to go to certain auditions because people used to call me now and then. And I would audition because you never know what opportunities would come. But I don't think those early years scarred me a lot."

Besides work, Aditya Roy Kapur is also trending big time with regard to his rumoured relationship with actress Ananya Panday. It so happened that, Ananya Panday watched Greta Gerwig's Barbie over the weekend and she was accompanied by the usual suspect - rumoured boyfriend Aditya Roy Kapur.

An Instagram user shared a video in which she can be seen clicking selfies with Ananya Panday and Aditya Roy Kapur from a movie hall that was screening the film. "Major fan girl moment during the Barbie movie with Ananya Panday and Aditya Roy Kapur," the fan captioned the post.

Check out the video posted by the fan here:

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A post shared by Rashi Kulkarni (@aboutrashi)

Over the weekend, Ananya Panday and Aditya Roy Kapur were pictured together in a car, presumably on their way to watch the Barbie movie. See the viral picture from the same night here:

On the work front, Aditya Roy Kapur was last seen in the web series The Night Manager. He was seen alongside Sobhita Dhulipala and Anil Kapoor in the project. On the other hand, Ananya Panday was seen in Liger opposite Vijay Deverakonda.

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"Don't Interfere": Manipur Chief Minister After Mizoram Counterpart's Rally

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh asked his Mizoram counterpart Zoramthanga not to interfere in the internal matters of another state, a day after Zoramthanga participated in a rally to show solidarity with the Kuki tribe in ethnic violence-hit Manipur.

The Mizoram government is sheltering about 13,000 internally displaced Kuki-Zo tribe people who fled from Manipur ever since the clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3. The Mizo tribe has a strong connection with the Kuki-Zo tribe and Chin people of Myanmar.

Over 31,000 Chin refugees from Myanmar are also being sheltered in Mizoram. They fled Myanmar after fierce fighting between the Myanmar army and resistance groups and ethnic rebel groups there.

"Tension began when the state government started to act against drug cartels... The Manipur government is not against the Kuki community who are living in the state," Mr Singh said at an event to mark the Kargil Vijay Diwas.

Organisations representing the Kukis have been accusing the Manipur Chief Minister of working against the interest of the tribe, who are a majority in the hills, while the Meiteis are a majority in the valley.

Mr Singh said his government has been tracking all the incidents that have been happening in Manipur and warned against those who are "trying to destroy the integrity of Manipur".

He said the fight is between the government and elements "who want to disturb peaceful co-existence in the state". He termed as "barbaric" the way rally participants with Zoramthanga in Mizoram's capital Aizawl shouted abusive slogans against him.

"I ask the Mizoram chief minister not to interfere in the internal matter of another state," Mr Singh said.

He criticised the European Parliament, which without knowing the ground reality adopted a resolution on July 13 asking the Indian authorities to take measures to protect religious minorities, when the crisis in Manipur is not linked to religion.

Mr Singh said the state government is committed to driving out illegal migrants and rejected the demand by Kukis of a separate administration.

The Meiteis have alleged the violence that began on May 3 over the Meiteis' demand for Scheduled Tribes (ST) status was only an excuse for the Kukis to start a major conflict so that they can reach their end goal i.e. separate administration.

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Just Kareena Kapoor And Little Jeh Enjoying An Afternoon Nap. Aww

Kareena Kapoor, who is on a long summer retreat to Europe with her children and husband Saif Ali Khan, is making the most of her time there before returning to work. The Udta Punjab actress has been regular in sharing updates from her holiday and on Wednesday she did nothing different. Kareena Kapoor treated her Instagram with a sweet picture of herself and her little one Jeh, taking an afternoon nap in a garden. In the picture we can see mom Kareena taking a nap on the field, with a blue bedsheet spread on the ground with little Jeh leaning on her back, resting his head near her shoulder.  

Sharing the adorable picture, Kareena Kapoor wrote, "That mood when you know your Summer holiday is coming to an end in few days…(red heart and laughing face emoticons)" She added the hashtags 'The Nap Life' and 'Mother son naps' in the caption too."

The post is too cute to miss. Take a look":

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A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan)

A few days back, a picture from their European holiday went viral on social media. In the picture shared by a fan account, Saif and Kareena can be seen enjoying a sunny day with their sons, Taimur and Jehangir by a lake. In the first picture, we can find mom Kareena smiling while looking at her husband and sons as they hold a fish in hand. The family is dressed in their casual best and looks adorable. In the second picture, we can see Saif Ali Khan, fixing bait to a fishing pole with little Jeh beside him.

Sharing the pictures, the fan account wrote, "Family time Tim & Jeh fishing with Pops while Beboo watching enjoying the view."

Take a look at the post here:

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A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan FC (@kareenakapoorteam)

A few days back, Kareena Kapoor posted a frame showcasing two plates of pancakes. Kareena's caption read, "Anyone else always ends up eating their kids' breakfast?"

Last month, Kareena Kapoor completed 23 years in the industry. The actress dropped a picture from one of her shoots and wrote, "23 years of being born in front of the camera today...And Hell ya another 23 to go..." The actress made her Bollywood debut with Refugee, co-starring Abhishek Bachchan. Take a look at the post here:

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A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan)

Kareena Kapoor will be next seen in Rhea Kapoor's The Crew. Tabu, Kriti Sanon and Diljit Dosanjh are part of the film.

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