Climbing 50 Stairs A Day Can Reduce Heart Disease Risk, Study Finds

A new study from Tulane University suggests that climbing at least 50 stairs each day can lower the risk of heart disease, The Independent reported. According to the research, daily stair climbing of more than five flights may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases by almost 20 per cent. Strokes, coronary artery disease, and other cardiovascular illnesses, such as atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), are the main killers and causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide.

 "Short bursts of high-intensity stair climbing are a time-efficient way to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and lipid profile, especially among those unable to achieve the current physical activity recommendations," The Independent quoted Dr Lu Qi, a co-author of the study and a professor at Tulane University's School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine as saying.

He added, "The findings highlight the potential advantages of stair climbing as a primary preventive measure for ASCVD in the general population."

Researchers used data from the UK Biobank, which included 450,000 adults, to carry out the study. On the basis of their family history of cardiovascular disease, known risk factors, and genetic risk factors, participants were assessed. A survey of lifestyle practises and the frequency of stair climbing was also conducted, with a median follow-up period of 12.5 years.

The findings showed that people who were less sensitive to cardiovascular disease had a lower risk when they climbed more stairs each day. 

Walking up stairs has more advantages than walking on a flat surface because it requires the use of more muscles, balance, and gross motor skills, according to Dr. Nicolas Berger, a senior lecturer in sport and exercise at Teesside University in England who was not involved in the study. He stated that even brief periods of stair climbing involve significant cardiovascular activity, which is why people frequently experience shortness of breath while engaging in this exercise.

Dr Berger emphasized, "These short, intermittent bursts of activity have large benefits in terms of reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. They can significantly increase your heart rate and oxygen uptake and cause positive adaptations in the body."

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"Britain, Canada Should Take...": UK Faith Adviser On Khalistani Issue

Expressing his concerns over the recent rise in the incidents of Khalistan extremism, Colin Bloom, former adviser to the UK government said that the situation has escalated because the 'Western governments' have "not done enough" to tackle the sinister and aggressive behaviour of extremists.

Mr Bloom stressed that both the British and Canadian governments should take more proactive measures to address this issue. He warned that the situation could spiral "out of control" if the issue is not addressed.

Mr Bloom is the author of 'The Bloom Review, Does Government do God?'. He was also appointed by former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson as an Independent Faith Engagement advisor in order to make suggestions on how the government should interact with religious organisations in England.

In an exclusive interview with news agency ANI, Colin Bloom said, "What I think we're seeing at the moment is a rise of pro-Khalistan extremism...Now, look, just for the record, I am 100 per cent in favour of free speech and people being free to think and believe and support pretty much anything that they want, so long as they don't harm and intimidate and harass other people."

"But what we saw with the Indian High Commissioner was very much an overreach of free speech...This was, in fact, limiting the free speech of the people who run the Gurdwara in Glasgow and of the High Commissioner himself," he added.

Earlier in the day, a planned interaction of the Indian High Commissioner to Britain, Vikram Doraiswami at the Glasgow Gurdwara was disrupted by some "extremist elements". Scotland Police has responded to the incident and said an investigation is happening in the case.

However, Mr Bloom also highlighted that the majority of the Sikh population in the UK does not share extremist ideologies and is feeling let down by these radical elements within their community.

"And I think what we're seeing is this increase in activity partly because Western governments have not done enough to address and tackle this rising extremist and sinister and aggressive behaviour," he said.

He added, "I'm very concerned that the vast majority of British Sikhs, many of whom wrote to me and I interviewed as part of my evidence gathering for the report, are being let down by these very small numbers within their own community and by the British government and I guess would be the same in Canada, the Canadian government who are not doing enough to protect them from these fringe elements that exist within their community".

Regarding the rising extremism in Canada, Mr Bloom emphasised that the UK, US, Canada, and other Western governments should collectively address the issue. He called for an improvement in the British government's efforts to protect British Sikhs who want no involvement with such extremist elements.

In another incident on Saturday, a Sikh restaurant owner, who earlier received threats from Khalistani elements for being vocal against them, alleged that his car was shot at and vandalised by the extremists in West London.

"I think the British government do need to improve their game. I think they've done a lot in the last few years, but I think they need to do a lot more to protect the vast majority of British Sikhs who want nothing to do with this nonsense...I guess that the Canadian government and the American government and other Western governments also need to do more to make sure that this small minority is not ruining the lives of others," he said.

The British author also cautioned, stating that if the issue is not addressed, it will get "out of control" harming more people. He also advised that the authorities need to take a closer look at online materials being put out.

"And I think that is where we've got to be really very careful because if this issue with these extremists within the Sikh community, if it's not addressed, if it's not dealt with, then it will get out of control and more people will be intimidated, more people will be harmed...There's no doubt in my mind that there are extremists within all faith communities, but there are extremists within the Sikh community that they need to be dealt with," Bloom further said.

Notably, the report by Colin Bloom for the UK government warned that some pro-Khalistan Sikh groups aim to artificially inflate their influence by lobbying political bodies under the guise of human rights activism, presenting a false appearance of legitimacy. 

It is to be noted that the subversive, sectarian, and discriminatory activities of these groups do not reflect the true nature of the majority of British Sikh communities.

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

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Afghan Embassy Announces Decision To Cease India Operations From Today

The Afghanistan Embassy in India announced Saturday night that it is ceasing its operations from October 1, citing a lack of support from the host government, failure to meet expectations in serving Afghanistan's interests, and a reduction in personnel and resources.

In a statement, the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi said it regrets to announce the decision to cease its operations, effective October 1, 2023.

"It is with profound sadness, regret, and disappointment that the Embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi announces this decision to cease its operations," the statement said.

The embassy said that this decision, while deeply regrettable, is made after careful consideration, taking into account the historic ties and long-standing partnership between Afghanistan and India.

The Embassy statement also listed key factors affecting its ability to continue the mission effectively and said that they were the primary reasons for the "unfortunate closure".

The Embassy cited a "lack of support from the host government", alleging that it has experienced a notable absence of crucial support from the host government, which it said hindered its ability to carry out duties effectively.

Failure To Meet Expectations

The mission also cited "failure to meet expectations in serving Afghanistan's interests" as one of the reasons.

"We acknowledge our shortcomings in meeting the expectations and requirements necessary to serve the best interests of Afghanistan and its citizens due to the lack of diplomatic support in India and the absence of a legitimate functioning government in Kabul," it said.

It also said that due to unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances, there has been a significant reduction in both personnel and resources available to it, making it increasingly challenging to continue operations.

"The lack of timely and sufficient support from visa renewal for diplomats to other critical areas of cooperation led to an understandable frustration among our team and impeded our ability to carry out routine duties effectively," the statement said.

Given these circumstances, "it is with deep regret that we have taken the difficult decision to close all operations of the mission with the exception of emergency consular services to Afghan citizens till the transfer of the custodial authority of the mission to the host country," it said.

The embassy has been headed by Ambassador Farid Mamundzay. Mr Mamundzay was appointed by the previous Ashraf Ghani government and he has been operating as the Afghan envoy even after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021.

Power Tussle

In April-May, the embassy was rocked by a power struggle in the wake of reports of the Taliban appointing a charge d'affaires to head the mission, replacing Mr Mamundzay. Following the episode, the embassy came out with a statement that there was no change in its leadership.

The tussle for power had erupted after Qadir Shah, who was working as a trade councillor at the embassy since 2020, wrote to the MEA in late April claiming that he was appointed as the charge d'affaires at the embassy by the Taliban.

India is yet to recognise the Taliban set-up and has been pitching for the formation of a truly inclusive government in Kabul, besides insisting that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country.

In its statement, the Afghan Embassy said this step is being taken in the best interest of the people of Afghanistan.

In accordance with Article 45 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961), all property and facilities of the Embassy will be transferred to the custodial authority of the host country, it said.

The embassy said it also wishes to address recent speculations and provide clarity on certain matters of importance.

In the three-page statement, the embassy categorically refuted any "baseless claims" regarding internal strife or discord amongst its diplomatic staff or any diplomats using the crisis to seek asylum in a third country.

"Such rumours are unfounded and do not reflect the reality of our mission. We remain a united team working towards the best interests of Afghanistan," the embassy said.

The embassy also said it would like to verify the "authenticity" of an earlier communication with the Ministry of External Affairs regarding the intent to close the mission.

"This communication accurately represents our decision-making process and the factors leading to the closure," the statement said.

"We request the government of India to give serious consideration to the four requests outlined in the official note verbally submitted earlier. Specifically, we emphasize the importance of permitting the hoisting of the Afghan flag over the properties of our premises, as well as facilitating the smooth transition of the mission's buildings and assets to a legitimate government in Kabul in the future," the statement said.

The embassy also acknowledged that, given the gravity of this decision, "there may be some who receive support and instructions from Kabul that may differ from our current course of action".

The Embassy of Afghanistan made an "unequivocal statement" regarding the activities of certain consulates.

"It is our firm belief that any actions taken by these consulates are not in consonance with the objectives of a legitimate or elected government and rather serve the interests of an illegitimate regime," the statement said.

The embassy also said it is keen to reach an agreement with the Indian government at the earliest possible juncture.

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

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US House Passes Bipartisan Bill To Avoid Government Shutdown

Last-gasp moves to prevent a US government shutdown took a dramatic step forward Saturday, as Democrats overwhelmingly backed an eleventh-hour Republican measure to keep federal funding going for 45 days, albeit with a freeze on aid to Ukraine.

The stopgap proposal adopted by the House of Representatives with a vote of 335-91 was pitched by Speaker Kevin McCarthy just hours before a midnight shutdown deadline that would have seen millions of federal employees and military personnel sent home or required to work without pay.

The deal still has to be approved by the Democrat-controlled Senate.

CNN quoted an administration official as saying the White House would likely support the bill in order to keep the government open with the expectation of being able to restore Ukraine aid later. 

The shutdown crisis was largely triggered by a small group of hardline Republicans who had defied their own party leadership to scupper various temporary funding proposals as they pressed for deep spending cuts.

Saturday's agreement could end up costing McCarthy his job, as the hardliners had threatened to remove him as speaker if a stopgap measure they opposed was passed with Democrat support.

Pitching his last-gasp proposal, McCarthy had appealed to both Republicans and Democrats to "put your partisanship away" and dismissed the threat to his job.

"If somebody wants to remove (me) because I want to be the adult in the room, go ahead and try," he said.

The proposed plan would keep the government funded at current levels without the hardline-backed spending cuts that Democrats had viewed as a non-starter. But the lack of assistance for Ukraine was problematic.

Arming and funding Ukraine in its desperate war against the Russian invasion has been a key policy plank for President Joe Biden's administration and, while the stopgap is only temporary, it does raise questions over the political viability of renewing the multibillion-dollar flow of assistance.

The Democrat-controlled Senate had been prepared to vote on its own stopgap bill later Saturday -- one that did include funding for Ukraine.

"This is enough to keep the government open, and I'm not going to shut the government down over foreign aid," one House Democrat, Jared Moskowitz, told CNN, while making clear he was a strong supporter of Ukraine aid.

The freeze of all but critical government services had been set to start after midnight (0400 GMT Sunday), immediately delaying salaries for millions of federal employees and military personnel.

A shutdown would have meant the majority of national parks, for example -- from the iconic Yosemite and Yellowstone in the west to Florida's Everglades swamp -- would be closed to public access beginning Sunday.

With student loan payments resuming in October, officials also said Friday that key activities at the Federal Student Aid office would continue for a couple of weeks.

But a prolonged shutdown could cause bigger disruptions, percolating through the wider economy.

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

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Man With Special Needs Detained For "Misbehaving" On IndiGo Flight

A mentally disabled passenger was detained for allegedly "misbehaving" and "locking himself" inside a bathroom onboard an Indigo Hyderabad-Patna flight following a complaint against him by the crew, officials said.

The alleged incident took place on Indigo flight 6E 126.

Officials further said the accused was detained by the police after landing at the Patna airport. 

"He misbehaved on the flight and also locked himself inside the toilet onboard," the crew stated in their complaint.

Station House Officer, Airport police station, Vinod Peter told ANI, "The passenger, Kamar Riyaz, is mentally disabled and is under treatment. He was carrying medical reports. He was travelling with one of his relatives from Hyderabad to Patna."

"On a complaint filed by indigo staff, we detained him," he said, adding that further verification is underway.

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

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"No Posters Or Bribes, Vote For Me If You Want To": Nitin Gadkari

In a sign of his confidence in the work he has done, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said he has decided not to put up any posters or banners for the Lok Sabha elections next year, nor will he offer any inducements to voters. "I have served you. Vote for me if you like, don't if you do not want to," Mr Gadkari told a public gathering in Maharashtra. 

Speaking during the inauguration of a road in Washim on Saturday, Mr Gadkari said in Marathi that he will not bribe (give chai-paani to) the voters and that he would not indulge in corruption, nor let them indulge in it. 

"I have decided that I will not put up any banners or posters for the next Lok Sabha elections and will not give any chai-paani. You will not get the darshan of Goddess Lakshmi (a colloquial way of saying one won't get money), nor will you get domestic or foreign liquor. I will not indulge in corruption and won't let you indulge in it either," he said.

Mr Gadkari, who is the minister for Road Transport and Highways, is the Lok Sabha Member of Parliament from the Nagpur constituency.

On Thursday, the minister had said that the government is working on a policy to ensure that there are no potholes on national highways by the end of the year. The ministry is also preferring to undertake construction of roads using the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model as such projects are maintained better, he had said. 

Generally, road construction is done using three models - BOT, Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC), and Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM).

"The roads which are constructed under the EPC mode require maintenance quite early whereas, under the BOT mode, roads are better constructed as the contractor knows that he will have to bear the cost of maintenance for the next 15-20 years," news agency PTI quoted Mr Gadkari as saying. 

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S Jaishankar Explains Why Russia's Emphasis On India Is Increasing

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said India-Russia ties may not be spectacular but are very "exceptional and steady", adding that in many ways Moscow's relationship with the West has "broken down". Speaking at Hudson University, Mr Jaishankar compared Russia's ties with India to that of other countries.

"...if you consider international relations over the last 70 years, the US-Russian relations, the China-Russia relations, the US-China relations, pretty much every big relationship in the last 70 years has seen a great deal of volatility, you had sharp ups and downs," Mr Jaishankar said, adding, "India-Russia relations is very exceptional. It's been very steady."

Noting the India-Russia relations may "not be spectacular", Mr Jaishankar said they have stabilised at a certain level, but have not seen the ups and downs that Moscow's relationships with China, US, or Europe have been through.

"And that's in itself a statement," Mr Jaishankar added.

"Now, if one looks at Russia today as a consequence of what is going on in Ukraine... it seems to them clear that in many ways Russia's relationship with the West has broken down," he said.

On why Russia's emphasis on India is increasing, Mr Jaishankar said, "...India will and has come into calculations as well. So I would predict a Russia that would consciously focus on the non-Western world away from Europe, away from the United States, look much more at Asia, look possibly at other regions as well. But Asia is economically the most active. So I guess that's what you're going to see."

Further, the EAM underscored India's increasing footprints in the global economy and its increasing trade with the Middle East countries.

"We have to understand today that as India becomes a larger consumer, a bigger economy, our salience in the Middle East countries calculations, especially the Gulf economies, is that much higher. We are the largest trade partner of the UAE and we would be among probably the top three of the Saudis," Mr Jaishankar said.

Earlier this week, Mr Jaishankar met his UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly session in New York City. The two appreciated the rapid progress in India, and UAE bilateral cooperation and valued regular exchange of perspectives on regional and global issues.

"Always a pleasure to meet FM @ABZayed of UAE, this time in New York. Appreciate the rapid progress in our bilateral cooperation. Value our regular exchange of perspectives on regional and global issues," EAM Jaishankar wrote on X.

"They discovered during COVID that the Gulf is actually dependent on daily food consumption for what comes out of India. So the economies have really got very, very deeply meshed..." Mr Jaishankar said during an interaction at the Hudson Institute.

A discussion at @HudsonInstitute on India's role in a New Pacific order. https://t.co/ZR3C9SBDKz

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 29, 2023

UAE and India along with Saudi Arabia, the US and European Union (EU), had recently announced an ambitious infrastructure plan - the 'India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor'. This initiative launched at the G20 summit in New Delhi, seeks to reshape the trade route between the Gulf, Europe and South Asia, connecting them by rail and sea links.

Mr Jaishankar is currently in the last leg of his US visit. Earlier, he was in New York for the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Wrapping up his New York visit, the EAM arrived in Washington, DC on September 28.

Mr Jaishankar will also address the 4th World Culture Festival, which is being organised by the Art of Living Foundation of spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

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

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10 Years To 18: The History Of Age Of Consent In India

Even as the Law Commission recommended the government not to tinker with the age of consent of 18 years, this age in India has varied widely over a period of time, from 10 years in 1860 to 16 years for females till 2012.

The age of consent is the age at which a person is considered legally capable of agreeing to marriage or sexual intercourse.

This age is defined by statute and, at present, the age of consent for sexual intercourse is 18 years on the basis of POCSO Act.

However, prior to the POCSO Act in 2012, there was no age of consent defined separately for males and it was fixed by virtue of Section 375 of the IPC, which defines "rape". For females, the age of consent was 16 years till 2012.

Rape being defined as a crime that can only be committed against a woman, the age of consent for sexual intercourse was only defined for a female, under which the age of consent is immaterial and any sexual activity amounts to statutory rape.

On the other hand, there was no age of consent for males. In fact, the term "child" itself was not defined either under the IPC or the General Clauses Act, 1897.

Further, the age of consent defined for a woman by virtue of Section 375 of the IPC defining "rape", has had a chequered history with the age set at 10 years in 1860 to 18 years as it stands currently.

In the report submitted to the law ministry, the law panel gave a brief history of the age of consent in the country over the years.

In 1860, the age of consent for females stood at 10 years, the report said.

Thereafter, in 1891, the age of consent for a woman was raised to 12 years under Section 375 in the aftermath of the public outcry caused by the Phulmoni case.

Phulmoni was an 11-year-old girl who died of haemorrhage from a rupture of the vagina caused by her husband who had forced sex on her. The husband was held guilty of only causing grievous hurt by doing a rash or negligent act dangerous to life and sentenced to one year's rigorous imprisonment.

Thereafter, the age of consent was raised to 14 years in 1925 and to 16 years in 1940.

Up till 2012, when the POCSO Act was enacted, the age of consent remained 16 years for females and there continued to be no age of consent defined for a male.

However, the minimum age of marriage was 18 years for women and 21 years for men.

The marital rape exception in Section 375 has also witnessed changes over the years starting from 10 years in 1860 to 15 years in 2012.

The Figure For Different Countries

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child defines a child as any person below the age of 18 years. However, the age of consent ranges from 13 to 18 years globally. The age of consent in Canada was raised from 14 to 16 years only in 2008 in light of increased incidents of teenagers being lured online.

In the US, the age of consent varies by state. Under the federal law, the age of consent in the US is 18 years.

In many states, in addition to age of consent, there is a minimum age requirement and the criminality of sexual intercourse with an individual who is above the minimum age requirement and below the age of consent is dependent on the age differential between the two parties and/or the age of the defendant.

The age of consent in Australia varies between 16 to 17 years depending on the state or territory. The age of consent in Japan was 13 years till 2023 while the age of majority is 20 years and the minimum age for marriage for a man is 18 years and 16 for a woman. 

In South Africa, the age of consent is 16 years even though a child has been defined as a person under the age of 18 years. 

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

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"Very Sorry": Kannada Star's Apology To Actor Siddharth Amid Cauvery Row

Kannada superstar Shivarajkumar, popular as Shivanna among fans, apologised to actor Siddharth, whose promotional event in Bengaluru for his upcoming film Chithha was interrupted by the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Swabhimani Sene on Thursday over the Cauvery water row.

"On behalf of our industry, I am very sorry Siddharth. Ours is a land that loves and enjoys all languages," Mr Shivarajkumar said.

Siddharth, who works predominantly in the Tamil and Telugu film industry, had to walk out of the event midway on Thursday, triggering a massive backlash from Tamil Nadu, embroiled in a fight with Karnataka over water from the Cauvery River.

The pro-Kannada outfit, protesting over the Cauvery river row, said it was not the appropriate time for the actor to promote his film given Tamil Nadu's demand for the release of Cauvery water by Karnataka.

Earlier today, Shivarajakumar spoke about the Cauvery water-sharing dispute and said that both states should come together to find a proper way to resolve the issue without "hurting sentiments".

"We must put pressure on both the governments and get an amicable result. There should be a better way than this bandh. We have to search for a better way. I will try to speak to both the governments and take the film industry people too for better cooperation," the superstar said.

Karnataka has been witnessing protests over the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu after the Supreme Court refused to intervene in the decisions of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and its assisting body Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) that directed the state to do so.

In the latest decision, the CWRC had ordered Karnataka to ensure the release of 3,000 cusecs of Cauvery water at Biligundlu starting September 28 till October 15, 2023. In the earlier spell, it was 5,000 cusecs.

Speaking to reporters today, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, "There was a meeting of the Cauvery Management Authority today. We have submitted all our facts. I will hold a meeting with retired Supreme Court Judges today. I will talk with our legal team if we can question this in the Supreme Court. We will decide what to do after talking to them. Let us see what happens next."

"Kannada Okkoota", a federation of Kannada organisations, called a state-wide strike in Karnataka today to protest against Tamil Nadu's demand that Karnataka releases water from the Cauvery River.

The two states have been at loggerheads for decades over sharing water from the river.

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Watch: Young Elephant Hugs Caretaker, Refusing To Let Go

Wild animals often form strong bonds with the humans who care for them, and a heartwarming video showcasing the deep attachment between a young elephant and its caregiver has captured the hearts of many social media users.

Ananth Rupanagudi, a railway bureaucrat, shared this touching video on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday, and it has since garnered an impressive 40,000 views. In the clip, the elephant embraces the man with its trunk. Despite the man's attempts to ride as a pillion passenger on a two-wheeler, it becomes evident that the elephant is not ready to part ways.

The young elephant continues to insist on hugging its beloved caretaker despite several exchanges of embraces between them. Unfortunately, the location and time of the video are unknown, adding an air of mystery to this beautiful display of animal-human compassion.

"The bond between the elephant and its caretaker is incredible - it won't let him go!" Rupanagudi captioned the video.

The bonding between the elephant and it's caretaker - it won't just let him go! ❤️ #elephants #bonding @Gannuuprem pic.twitter.com/AOkTmi7ceJ

— Ananth Rupanagudi (@Ananth_IRAS) September 27, 2023

"Oh, such a heartwarming bond... God bless... this video made my day," a user wrote.

"What a profound relationship between a man and an elephant, truly heartwarming," said another. "Notice how carefully he handles... he is very gentle... he knows he is powerful... look at 0.22," a third commented.

"Beauty, innocence, purity, harmlessness, selfless love, and bonding-qualities often hard to find among humans," a fourth said.

Baby Elephant Rushes To Save 'Drowning' Human Friend 

In October 2016, a heartwarming moment was captured on camera as a baby elephant waded through water to save his human best friend from 'drowning.' The footage was beloved by millions online and was filmed at the Elephant Nature Park in Northern Thailand.

This young elephant spots a man he thinks is drowning in the river, and rushes across to save him, so tenderly. We are so lucky to share the world with such creatures. They are so unlucky to share it with us. pic.twitter.com/BIyQSqJ5HU

— Ben Goldsmith (@BenGoldsmith) September 15, 2019

The video showed the trainer swimming in water, while Kham Lha, the elephant, misunderstood and thought that her trainer, Darrick, needed help. The elephant rushed to rescue her human, almost as if it were a reflex action.
 

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Watch: Kartik Aaryan Takes An Ice Bath In Kashmir For The First Time

Kartik Aaryan, who is working with Kabir Khan for the first time in Chandu Champion, took some time off his busy schedule and indulged in some self-pleasure. After wrapping the power-packed action schedule of the movie, Kartik Aaryan took an ice bath in a river in Kashmir. This is the first time the actor has experienced an ice bath. He shared a video on his Instagram feed and it's rejuvenating to say the least. Kartik Aaryan wrote in the caption, "Wrapping up a Power Packed Action Schedule with a First time experience of an Ice bath in the river that too in Kashmir." Shilpa Shetty dropped a comment on Kartik Aaryan's post and she wrote, "The best way to heal." Huma Qureshi wrote, "Baap re".  Abhishek Kapoor wrote, "Arre wah!!" Mini Mathur, wife of Kabir Khan wrote, "Why didn't I go with you?"

Take a look at the video here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan)

In August, Kartik shared the first look from the movie. Dressed in a uniform, Kartik Aaryan looks grim in the first look poster. There are bruises on his face. Without divulging much details, Kartik Aaryan wrote in the caption, "When INDIA is written on your chest, it's a DIFFERENT feeling Proud to be playing a Real Hero. A Man Who Refuses To Give Up." The first look confirmed that it's a sports film but the makers hadn't revealed the identity of the protagonist. The actor has also mentioned in his post that the first schedule of the movie has been wrapped up in London. He added in the caption, "End of Schedule 1 #London."

Take a look at the post here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan)

Kartik Aaryan and Kabir Khan announced the movie in July. The director summed up the story of his new project, "A true story of a man who refused to surrender." Kabir Khan shared the poster of the film and wrote, "Elated to announce my next one with #SajidNadiadwala. Presenting @kartikaaryan in and as #ChanduChampion - A true story of a man who refused to surrender. Releasing on 14th June 2024."

Take a look at the post here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan)

Kabir Khan is best known for directing hits like Kabul Express, New York, Ek Tha Tiger, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Phantom, Tubelight and 83. He also directed the web-series The Forgotten Army - Azaadi Ke Liye. Kartik Aaryan was last seen in Satyaprem Ki Katha. Kartik will also be seen in Hansal Mehta's untitled movie.

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All Schools, Colleges Closed In Bengaluru Today Due To Karnataka Bandh

As pro-Kannada and farmers' organisations have called for a 'Karnataka Bandh' on Friday to protest the release of Cauvery river water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu, the administration in Bengaluru has declared a holiday in all educational institutions in the city for the day.

"As Karnataka bandh has been declared by various organizations, a holiday has been declared for all schools and colleges in Bengaluru city in the interest of students," said KA Dayananda, Bengaluru City District Deputy Commissioner.

Meanwhile, in view of the bandh, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) have been imposed in the Mandya district, where schools and colleges will remain closed tomorrow, said District Collector Kumar.

Karnataka has been witnessing protests over the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu after the Supreme Court refused to intervene in the decisions of the Cauvery Water Management Authority(CWMA) and its assisting body Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) that directed the state to do so.

In the latest decision, the CWRC had ordered Karnataka to ensure the release of 3,000 cusecs of Cauvery water at Biligundlu starting from September 28 till October 15, 2023. In the earlier spell, it was 5,000 cusecs.

Members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Swabhimani Sene on Thursday interrupted a press conference being held by actor Siddharth for his film and demanded he leave the venue.

The actor was promoting his upcoming film 'Chikku' in Bengaluru when the members of Karnataka Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Swabhimani Sene disrupted the event, saying that it was not an appropriate time for him to do that as Tamil Nadu was demanding Cauvery River water from Karnataka.

Also, a group of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) activists on Thursday held a massive protest in Bengaluru against the state MPs and Siddaramaiah Government over the Cauvery River water issue.

The KRV activists shouted slogans of "Cauvery Is Ours" as they protested against the release of the river water to Tamil Nadu.

KRV Women's Wing President Ashwini Gowda said that this is the time for all Kannadigas to come together and demanded that the state-elected MPs should come up and speak up on the matter and stand for the people of Karnataka or resign from the post.

"The issue has been raised for 150 years and I think this is the right time for all Kannadigas to come and have a better conclusion," she said in a statement.

The KRV activist also demanded the Prime Minister's intervention in the matter.

"The MPs of Karnataka do not want to raise this issue and they do not want to talk about this. There is not even a single MP talking about the issue of Cauvery, we want them to talk or we want them to resign," she said.

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

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UP Cops Allegedly Plant Gun On Teacher's Bike, Arrest Him For Smuggling

A coaching centre teacher in Meerut was arrested and kept in custody on charges of being an arms smuggler after the police recovered a pistol from his motorcycle. There was one problem with the arrest though - the pistol that was recovered was allegedly planted by a policeman, and he was caught on camera doing so.

Even the visual evidence from the CCTV camera in the house did not ensure that the man was freed immediately. The man's sister spent the whole night outside the house of the Meerut inspector general of police to have their side of the story heard, and the man was let go over 15 hours later.

The teacher's family had a long-standing dispute with another family from the area, and the two constables allegedly planted the evidence and arrested the teacher on the "request" of the other family. The constables have been transferred to police lines and an investigation is on. 

Around 8 pm on Tuesday, two police constables entered the gate of coaching centre teacher Ankit Tyagi's house in Meerut district's Kharkhoda. Footage from a CCTV camera shows one of them planting what appears to be a pistol on a bike parked inside the house. 

The two policemen then catch hold of Ankit, who was studying inside, and march him out. They are then seen "recovering" the pistol from the bike.

Ankit was taken to the Kharkhoda police station, where the policemen showed that the pistol was recovered from him. They arrested the teacher on charges of arms smuggling.

Ankit's sister, Rakhi, with her infant in her arms, rushed to the office of the Meerut inspector general of police with the video, and begged to be allowed to show it to him, but was refused permission. She waited there the whole night, hoping that since the IG's house is also in the same premises, she would be granted an audience with him. 

"Two cops came to our house. My younger brother has been implicated in a fake case. First they planted the pistol on the bike, and then arrested him," said Rakhi.

Rakhi was finally allowed to meet the IG around 11 am on Wednesday. She filed a complaint, presented the video and Ankit was let go some time after that. 

SP (Rural) Kamlesh Bahadur Singh said, "There seems to be something suspicious in the behaviour of the policemen. We are carrying out an investigation."

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"You Make The...": Soni Razdan's Wish For Ranbir Is Aww-Dorable

Mom-in-law Soni Razdan's birthday wish for her son-in-law Ranbir Kapoor might be the cutest thing on the internet today. On Thursday, Ranbir Kapoor rang in his 41st birthday with an adorable birthday wish from his wife Alia Bhatt's mother and veteran actor Soni Randan. The Raazi actor shared a selflie clicked with Ranbir Kapoor and wrote underneath it, "Happy birthday to the sweetest sil. You make the world a better place by just being in it. Have an amazing year, love you loads."

See Soni Razdan's wish for her son-in-law Ranbir:

 On his special day, wife Alia Batt curated some super cute pictures to wish him, accompanied by an equally adorable caption. She wrote, "My love.. my best friend.. my happiest place... As you read this caption from your secret account sitting right next to me...All I'd like to say is...Happy birthday baby... You make it all magical."

Read Alia Bhatt's post here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alia Bhatt 💛 (@aliaabhatt)

The actor's 41st birthday happens to coincide with the release of the teaser of his film Animal. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor alongside Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol and others. ICYMI, here's the teaser of Animal.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alia Bhatt 💛 (@aliaabhatt)

On the work front, Ranbir Kapoor was last seen in Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar with Shraddha Kapoor. His next project is Sandeep ReddyVanga's Animal with Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol and Rashmika Mandanna. The film will release in December this year. His wife Alia Bhatt recently won the National Film Award for her performance in Gangubai Kathiawadi. She also made her big Hollywood debut this year with Gal Gadot's Heart Of Stone.

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16-Year-Old Boy Dies During Ganesh Idol Immersion At Mumbai's Juhu Beach

Amid the beating of drums and chants of 'Ganpati Bappa Morya', various Ganesh mandals in Mumbai on Thursday started processions to immerse the idols of the deity, marking the culmination of the 10-day festival. By 6 pm, a total of 7,950 idols had been immersed, comprising 7,513 household ones, 329 'sarvajanik' or public idols and 108 of goddess Gauri, a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation official said.

He said a 16-year-old boy identified as Hasan Yusuf Shaikh was rescued from the sea at Juhu by lifeguards amid the immersions and rushed to nearby Cooper Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

There was no report of any other untoward incident during the immersions across the metropolis till evening, the BMC official added.

As per civic data, 2,199 of 7,950 idols were immersed in artificial ponds set up by the civic body.

The 2,199 idols comprise 2,096 household idols, 63 'sarvajanik' ones and 40 of goddess Gauri, the official added.

Since early in the day, huge crowds gathered at various places in the city to catch a glimpse of their favourite deity, as decked up idols of Lord Ganesh in various forms and sizes were taken out of pandals for their final journey, accompanied by music, dance and prayers.

The festival, which began with 'Ganesh Chaturthi' on September 19, concludes on the 'Anant Chaturdashi' on Thursday with the immersion of idols in the Arabian Sea and other water bodies here.

In Mumbai's Lalbaug area, famous for celebrating the festival with grandeur, the procession of idols of Tejukaya and Ganesh Gully mandals started with chants of 'Ganapati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya' (come soon next year Lord).

The procession of the famous Lalbaugcha Raja idol, that attracts maximum number of devotees during the 10-day festival, started at around 11.30 am.

A large number of people were seen waiting on both sides of roads for the final 'darshan' of the idol.

Thousands of people gathered on the streets of Lalbaug and other major procession routes of Ganesh idols to bid farewell to the deity with heartfelt prayers and witness the vibrant processions being taken out with music, dance and sprinkling of 'gulal' (vermillion powder).

There was also a large gathering of people at Lalbaug's Shroff building to witness 'pushpavrusti' (showering of flowers) on the Ganesh idols.

Crowds also assembled on the main road leading to Girgaon in south Mumbai, from where the maximum number of processions pass. These include the processions of Ganesh idols from Fort, Girgaon, Mazgaon, Byculla, Dadar, Matunga, Sion, Chembur and other areas.

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, as many as 1,65,964 idols, including several household idols, 'sarvajanik' (public) ones and idols of Goddess Gauri, were immersed in various water bodies here including artificial ponds till the seventh day of the festival.

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

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Young India Will Turn Into Rapidly Ageing Society In Coming Decades: UN

Elderly population in India is expanding at an unprecedented rate and could surpass the children's population by mid-century, a new UNFPA report said, underlining that the young India will turn into a rapidly ageing society in the coming decades.

India has one of the highest populations of adolescents and young people in the world.

At the national level, the share of the elderly (60+ years) population is projected to increase from 10.1 per cent in 2021 to 15 per cent in 2036 and 20.8 per cent in 2050, according to the UNFPA's 'India Ageing Report 2023'.

"By the end of the century, the elderly will constitute over 36 per cent of the total population of the country. Sharp growth in the elderly population is observed from 2010 onwards along with a decline in the age group of below 15 years, indicating rapidity of ageing in India," the report said.

The report noted that the elderly population in India is expanding at an unprecedented rate and may be expected to surpass the children's population by mid-century.

"Four years before 2050, the population size of the elderly in India will be higher than the population size of children aged 0-14 years. By that time, the population share of 15-59 years will also see a dip. Undoubtedly, the relatively young India today will turn into a rapidly ageing society in the coming decades," it said.

A distinguishing feature of ageing in India is the significant interstate variation in absolute levels and growth (and hence, share) of the elderly population, given the varying stages and pace of demographic transition across states.

Consequently, there are considerable variations in the age structure of the population, including the ageing experience.

Most of the states in the southern region and select northern states such as Himachal Pradesh and Punjab reported a higher share of the elderly population than the national average in 2021, a gap that is expected to widen by 2036, the report said.

While states reporting higher fertility rates and lagging in demographic transition, such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, expect to see an increase in the share of the elderly population between 2021 and 2036, the level will remain lower than the Indian average, the report said.

The report pointed out that India has witnessed moderate to high pace of decadal growth in elderly population since 1961 and evidently, the pace was slower before 2001 but is expected to increase sharply in coming decades.

"The decadal growth of the elderly population in India declined slightly from 32 per cent between 1961 and 1971 to 31 per cent in 1981-1991. Growth picked up pace during 1991-2001 (35 per cent) and is projected to shoot to 41 per cent between 2021 and 2031," the report said.

The report said that there are 39 older persons per 100 children in India, according to 2021 population estimates.

The states with a higher share of the elderly population (such as those in southern India) also show a higher score for an ageing index, indicative of a decline in fertility leading to a rising number of older persons as compared to children.

"Compared to southern and western India, central and north-eastern regions have the younger group of states as indicated by the ageing index," it said.

The ageing index measures the number of elderly (60+ years) per 100 children population (below 15 years) and the index score increases as the population ages.

The UNFPA said the population projections indicate that in 2021, there were 16 older persons per 100 working-age persons in India, with significant variations across regions.

"In line with the findings regarding the ageing index, in the southern region, the old-age dependency ratio was higher than the national average at around 20 as is true of western India at 17. Overall, Union Territories (13) and the north-eastern region (13) reflected lower old age dependency ratios," it said.

The old-age dependency ratio of a population represents the number of persons aged 60+ years per 100 persons in the 15-59 years (or working-age) group. The higher the ratio, the greater the old age-related dependency, reflecting higher levels of demand for care from immediate family.

Andrea. M. Wojnar, UNFPA India Representative and Country Director Bhutan, said the report is a valuable resource for scholars, policymakers, programme managers, and all stakeholders involved in elder care.

"Older persons have contributed significantly to society, and they deserve nothing less than our best efforts to ensure their well-being," Wojnar said. 

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

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"Not Living In British Era": Nitish Kumar On Library Signboard In English

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday voiced his extreme displeasure over the signboard of a government school's library bearing the inscription in English.

Mr Kumar was in Banka district, about 250 km from the state capital, where he reached after inspection of a bridge in the adjoining Jamui which got damaged after heavy rainfall last week.

In Banka, Mr Kumar inaugurated a newly constructed hospital and inspected a recently renovated indoor stadium before visiting a high school and got upset upon seeing the signboard stating it was a "digital library".

"Why is this not in Hindi? We are not living in the British era," he told the District Magistrate, Anshul Kumar, who was present there.

"Look, I have nothing against English. It was the medium of my instruction while I was studying engineering. Many of my speeches in Parliament, too, were in that language", said the longest-serving chief minister of Bihar.

He added, "But, at one point of time, I decided to promote the use of Hindi. I therefore gave up putting on my signature in English. Please get this signboard changed, at the earliest".

The DM assured Mr Kumar that the needful would be done "today itself".

The septuagenarian, who owes his passionate advocacy for Hindi to his ideological devotion towards late socialist stalwart Ram Manohar Lohia, has voiced displeasure, in public, over the use of English on more than one occasion.

In February, he reprimanded an agricultural entrepreneur for making a presentation that contained "too many English words".

A month later, inside the state legislative council, he chided Chairman Devesh Chandra Thakur, who belongs to his party Janata Dal (United), upon seeing words like "honourable" and "speaking time" on the electronic display board.

The chief minister was accompanied by cabinet colleagues and top government officials during his tour of the two districts. 

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

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"Justin Trudeau In Turmoil, Looking For Some Kind Of Out": Ex Canada MLA

In a series of hard-hitting statements against Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal Party, a former minister of a province in the country has said the allegations on India's involvement in the killing of the Khalistani terrorist were made "ahead of time and without clear facts" and that the PM is using a serious crime to get out of the "political mud" he is in

Speaking exclusively to NDTV, Kash Heed - who is a Richmond City Councillor, a former minister, member of legislative assembly and solicitor general of British Columbia, as well as a former police chief - also spoke against using such killings for political grandstanding.

To a question on India asking Canada for evidence in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar and providing its own evidence against terrorists operating out of Canadian soil, Mr Heed said, "We have been raising the issue of groups involved in it to make money, whether it is for illicit activities such as terrorism or things like that across Canada. You have to remember, given the political situation that we are in right now, you have a governing party of Canada that's in a crisis right now."

"Whether it's having to deal with this situation, which they went out, in my opinion, ahead of time on without the clear facts, or whether they are dealing with the speaker of the House that has to resign because of recognising people that fought for the Nazis," he said.

"He (Trudeau) is in turmoil right now, he is looking for some kind of out. This is not the out that he should be utilising, trying to bring back his political credibility, because what has happened is that political credibility is waning at a very rapid pace," the former minister added. 

'Wrong Political Calculation'

Asked whether Mr Trudeau was making the allegations on India's involvement in Nijjar's Killing because of his minority government's dependence on Jagmeet Singh's New Democratic Party, Mr Heed said, "I believe it is a domestic political calculation, I believe it is the wrong political calculation, because you can't pull the wool over the elector in Canada. This prime minister, his party is in significant trouble right now, but you cannot use a very serious crime like this to try and get out of the political mud you're in right now."

"I have total disdain for politicians that are using the death of someone for their own benefit," he remarked.

Investigation, Interference

On whether the investigation into the death of Nijjar, who was shot dead outside a gurudwara in Surrey, British Columbia, in June, was botched from the beginning, Mr Heed said he does not think the investigators are doing anything wrong and that the politicians were speaking out of line. 

"That's caused a lot of confusion, internationally, as to what is taking place. The investigators are investigating this as a normal homicide. We are used to doing such types of investigation because it has been so prevalent here in British Columbia, especially in Surrey. They are trying to put together the case that has sufficient evidence, hopefully to lead to charges against individuals," he said.

Pointing to the role of politicians, the city councillor said, "But when we have this political interference that's taking place where you've got politicians grandstanding on an issue which will not necessarily be true, or the evidence will lead in that direction, is the complicated matter that we are facing right now."

Conspiracy Theories?

To a question on Mr Trudeau's allegations and the evidence backing it up, Mr Heed said, "You have to question what that evidence is. Whether it is substantial evidence that can lead to accusations that have been made by the head of our state, the Prime Minister of Canada, or whether it's just intelligence, rhetoric, information that comes in."

Speaking from his experience as part of the police force, Mr Heed said that when you are dealing with such high-profile killings, you get a lot of information that comes in. 

"That's not necessarily true. You've got conspiracy theories that are developed, you've got those that need to be looked at. You've got significant evidence that you are dealing with. You need to take an inductive approach here and that the evidence leads to whatever the accusations or charges could be. And, if others are involved through some sort of conspiracy, let's look at that," he said.

The former police chief said the Nijjar investigation is in its infancy stages and the police officers should be allowed to do their job, without political rhetoric. 

Web Of Khalistani Terror

Kash Heed said there are organised crime groups and terrorist groups operating in Canada and it has been a long-standing issue. To a question on a web of Khalistani terror in the country, he said it is not limited to South Asian groups, but other ethnic groups as well. 

"It's prevalent, whether you want to identify it as a Khalistani group or as other Asian-based organised groups, it's quite prevalent in Canada. They are making a lot of money, and it's mainly because of the sale of drugs and weapons," he said. 

On dossiers shared by India on Khalistani terrorists and the action taken by Canada so far, Mr Heed said, "I have to question that too...If you're ignoring the fact that this is taking place on our sovereign soil, and now all of a sudden you are bringing this up for your own political gain, that's very, very questionable. These types of activities have been taking place in Canada and they are not comprehensively dealt with by our political systems and policy makers."

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Girl Stabbed To Death On Way To School In Latest Knife Attack In London

London police said they had arrested a teenager after a 15-year-old girl was stabbed to death on her way to school on Wednesday, stoking fresh concern about the scale of knife crime in the UK.

Emergency services including an air ambulance were called to the scene in Croydon, south London, at around 8.30 am (0730 GMT) following reports of a stabbing.

Paramedics battled to save the girl but she was pronounced dead at the scene 50 minutes later, police said, adding that a 17-year-old boy was later arrested.

London mayor Sadiq Khan said he was "heartbroken" by the fatal incident and pledged to "continue working day and night to end the scourge of knife crime in our city".  

According to official figures, 99 people under the age of 25 were killed in England and Wales with a knife or sharp object in the year to March 2023. Of those 13 were under the age of 16.

The deaths were among 50,000 stabbing incidents in the year to March 2023, a five percent increase on the previous year and a 75 percent increase on a decade ago, the figures from the Office for National Statistics showed. 

Police said the suspect in custody was being questioned by detectives.

"Our immediate thoughts are with this young girl's family who are facing the most tragic of news. Our officers are with the girl's family to support them," said Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain of the Metropolitan Police.

Victor Azare, a 50-year-old security guard on his way home after a night shift, said he and others chased a boy in a school blazer after seeing him stab the girl in the neck with a knife that was "black, thin, and about a foot (30 centimeters) long".

"We tried to catch him and a lot of people tried to save the girl. I was so shocked, I was shaken. It's somebody's daughter," he told British media.

Media reports said the girl had just got off a bus at the time and appeared to have been having an argument with a boy who then attacked her.

The girl, whose identity has not yet been released, was a pupil at Old Palace of John Whitgift School, a private girls' school in Croydon.

"We are deeply shocked by the senseless and tragic death of our much-loved and valued friend and pupil," the school said in a statement.

"It will take some time for the Old Palace community to come to terms with this terrible news.

"Above all, we send our love and deepest sympathies to the girl's family at this unimaginably distressing time," it added.

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

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Bear Gatecrashes Family Picnic In Mexico, Gorges On Enchiladas And Tacos

A picnic party at Mexico's Chipinque Ecological Park turned into a heart-stopping encounter for a family when a hungry black bear decided to join their celebrations. In a video that has gone viral on social media, the bear is seen gorging on enchiladas, salsa, tacos, and french fries laid out on a picnic table in the park. 

The incident happened when Silvia Macias of Mexico City was celebrating the 15th birthday of her son, Santiago, who has Down's syndrome at the park, as per BBC. Suddenly, a bear showed up out of nowhere, jumped onto the table, and devoured the picnic snacks. The mother-son, meanwhile, sat frozen in silence, as the woman covered the boy's face and held him tight. When there was no more food, the bear leaped off the table and left.

The video was filmed by Ms. Macias' friend, Angela Chapa, and later went viral across several social media platforms. 

Watch the video here:

A family was stunned when an intruding bear hopped onto their table to devour their food. The eldest daughter captured the scene as the bear continued munching away in Parque Ecológico Chipinque in San Pedro, Mexico 🇲🇽. The mother, as seen in the video, remained calm, shielding… pic.twitter.com/o47OkJQsNr

— Voyage Feelings (@VoyageFeelings) September 27, 2023

The video has gone viral, and many said that they were terrified watching the clip. Many also lauded the woman's bravery and presence of mind. One user wrote, ''I think the mum was the real bear here protecting her young.''

Another commented, ''This bear in Mexico going to town on tacos and enchiladas while people just remain calm is something to behold.'' A third wrote, ''Mom was amazingly cool and obviously well-versed in how to behave in the situation.''

A fourth said, ''If you are ever encountered by a bear, the most important thing is to stay calm. Do not run away, as this may trigger the bear's chase instinct. Instead, back away slowly and make yourself look as big as possible. If the bear charges, curl up into a ball and protect your head and neck.''

According to a BBC report, the park's website warned visitors that encounters with black bears have increased in the Monterrey metropolitan area and have been seen prowling in parks, neighbourhoods, and streets near the mountains increasing the risk to people and to the bears.

The park also advised visitors to "never try to photograph a bear up close".

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