Iran Says Israeli Strike Kills Senior General In Syria

A senior general with Iran's Revolutionary Guards was killed Monday by an Israeli strike in Syria, the military force said, with Tehran vowing to make Israel "pay for this crime".

Iranian state media also reported the death of Razi Moussavi, describing him as "one of the most experienced advisors" of Quds Force, the foreign arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

There was no immediate comment from Israel, which has repeatedly said it will not allow arch-enemy Iran to expand its presence in Syria.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi expressed condolences for Moussavi's death, saying Israel "will certainly pay for this crime".

The general "was killed during an attack by the Zionist regime a few hours ago in Zeinabiyah district in the suburbs of Damascus," official news agency IRNA reported, using a different name for Sayyida Zeinab south of the Syrian capital.

Moussavi was "active in the field of providing logistical support to the axis of resistance in Syria," IRNA said, referring to groups backed by Tehran and arrayed against Israel.

The IRGC in a statement said Moussavi was killed in a "missile attack" and also vowed to avenge his death.

The statement noted that Moussavi was a companion of General Qassem Soleimani, Iran's revered Quds commander who was killed in Baghdad in a US drone strike in 2020.

Next week Iran will mark the fourth anniversary of Soleimani's assassination, and Moussavi was the most senior Quds Force general killed since.

'Three missiles' 

Iran's state TV said Moussavi was targeted by "three missiles" and aired footage showing smoke rising from the area of the strike.

A Britain-based monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported Israeli strikes on positions used by Iranian groups and by Lebanon's powerful Tehran-aligned Hezbollah in the Sayyida Zeinab area.

Residents reported hearing loud explosions and seeing columns of smoke rising from farms in the area.

Since Syria's civil war began in 2011, Israel has launched hundreds of air strikes on its northern neighbour, primarily targeting Iran-backed forces and Hezbollah fighters as well as Syrian army positions.

On December 2, the IRGC accused Israel of killing two of its members in Syria, where the force said they had been on an advisory mission, without providing further details.

Israel, which rarely comments on reported strikes in Syria, has intensified attacks there particularly against Hezbollah since the start of its war against Hamas -- also backed by Iran -- triggered by the Palestinian group's October 7 attacks.

The Islamic republic, which supports Hamas financially and militarily, has hailed the deadly attacks on southern Israel as a "success" but denied any direct involvement.

Iran does not recognise Israel and has made support for the Palestinian cause a centrepiece of its foreign policy since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

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

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Watch: Sound On! Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma In Nets Is A Sight To behold

India's veteran batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli sweated it out in companionable silence in the nets during team's practice session on Sunday. India will be aiming for their maiden Test series win in South Africa when they take on the Proteas in a two-match series, starting December 26. There's a 31-year jinx in Indian cricket having missed out on a Test series win in the 'Rainbow Nation' and in the twilight zone of their careers, both Rohit and Kohli would want to achieve which no other Indian teams could.

While Kohli, who came back from London after a short break with family, joined the training after half an hour, Rohit did look a bit more relaxed after shutting himself off for three weeks.

The two batted in different nets and centre practice strip, and also faced throwdowns for more than an hour.

There was hardly any conversation between them even when they took short breaks in between. Unlike the World Cup nets when there was a mix of both focus and laughter, the only sound that made you sit up and take notice was that of the red leather colliding with the willow.

Watch it here:

Virat Kohli in the practice session.

- The King is gearing up for the 26th.pic.twitter.com/WS19Vm0KU7

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) December 24, 2023

Dekho vo aa gaya #ViratKohli #primiily pic.twitter.com/WHhai0SAlX

— Ajay (@coruptajxy) December 24, 2023

Virat Kohli And Prasidh during the Practice Session at South Africa!!#viratkohli #Prasidh #Rohit #ViratKohli #virat #kohil #Test #INDvAUS #INDvsSA #Rcb #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/UiX9Ojr0Na

— Mollah Shamim (@MollahShamim165) December 24, 2023

The batters could be in for some challenging times with the Supersport Park track expected to aid the fast bowlers as rain threat looms large over the opening Test between India and South Africa, curator Brain Bloy said on Saturday.

The Centurion curator said that there is little possibility of play on opening day and better part of second day and due to heavy rain, there will be drop in temperature and spinners are unlikely to get much help.

"Temperature will be super low, like 20 degrees. The temperature is now 34 and it will drop to 20. I don't know what conditions will be like, whether we will get play on Day 1," Bloy told PTI after his regular inspection of work.

"Hopefully we will get some play and it will be cool on Day 3 and I don't know how much turn will be available." 

Bloy said that if track remains under cover, batting first will be a tough ask.

(With PTI Inputs)

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Harsh Goenka Shares Intriguing Video On How Phones Impact Relationships

Industrialist Harsh Goenka often shares motivational and interesting posts to keep his social media fans entertained. On Friday, the tech-savvy businessman shared a thought-provoking video about an issue that is significantly relevant to our lives. The video talks about smartphone addiction and how it impacts our relationships. While phones keep us connected and help maintain relationships, in some ways, they drive a wedge between us, too. 

Mr Goenka shared the video of inspirational speaker Simon Sinek wherein he explains how even holding a phone in our hands while talking to someone else gives them the impression that they are not the top priority. ''Imagine I'm here talking to you, holding my phone. It's not buzzing, not beeping, and no one's calling me, I'm just holding it. Do you feel as if you're the most important thing to me right now? No, you don't. That's the association'' Mr Sinek said in the video. 

''Step away from the screen, embrace the world, and rediscover the joy of living in the moment…..'' the caption of the video shared by Mr Goenka read.

Watch the video here:

Step away from the screen, embrace the world, and rediscover the joy of living in the moment….. pic.twitter.com/Rqqt8gQVmp

— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) December 22, 2023

In the video, Mr. Sinek advised against placing the phone on the table during meetings or family dinners and instead putting it in airplane mode to remove the temptation of incoming notifications. 

''And this is how we should be interacting with people, giving them our full attention. Because the idea is not that we hear the words they say, but that they feel heard. If you wake up in the morning and check your phone before you say good morning to the person sitting next to you, you probably have a problem. If you have to take your room to room, no matter where you go, you have a problem. And just like any recreational drug, the more you practice leaving it away.''

He also recommended leaving unnecessary phones at home while going out for a family dinner or client meeting, or keeping them away out of sight, in the car, or in a bag. He concluded the video by saying, ''Like any addiction, it just takes a little work.''

Several internet users appreciated the crucial reminder, while others talked about the difficulty of following the advice in an era where everything is dependent on phones. 

One user wrote, ''Living in the moment is a great art.'' Another commented, ''Some calls may be an emergency call, so it can't be possible as a thumb rule. Based on the Situation this can be implemented. Better put it on vibration/silent mode, you can accept/reject that call.''

A third said, ''Nowadays it is very difficult to go out without a phone as we are so much addicted to UPI payments.'' A fourth added, ''Phone addiction is not just another drug, it's worse because of the fact that the power of numbers is behind phone addiction.''

Yet another said, ''The saddest part is we are all seeing this on our phones.''

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Rare Pics Of Black Tigers Found In Odisha Leaves Internet Amazed

Parveen Kaswan, an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer who frequently shares fascinating facts about wildlife, recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to share pictures of 'pseudo-melanistic' tigers found in Simlipal, Odisha. On Friday, he posted the captivating images of this extraordinary tiger, along with details on its rarity and origins. Notably, the melanistic tigers - a rare gene pool on which the black stripes are far more prominent than the Royal Bengal Tiger's - are found only in Odisha. They are often referred to as 'black tigers' due to their dense and dark stripe patterns. 

"The black tigers of #India. Do you know there are pseudo- melanistic tigers found in Simlipal. They are such due to genetic mutation & highly rare. Such beautiful creature," Mr Kaswan wrote on X. 

Take a look at the pictures below: 

The black tigers of #India. Do you know there are pseudo- melanistic tigers found in Simlipal. They are such due to genetic mutation & highly rare. Such beautiful creature. pic.twitter.com/X1TEw8r1cD

— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) December 22, 2023

In the following tweet, the IFS officer also provided a brief history of 'pseudo-melanistic' tigers in Similipal. He noted that the first confirmed record dates back to 1993 when a young boy of Pdagad village shot down a 'black' tigress with arrows in self-defence. He also said that it wasn't until 2007 that these tigers were officially discovered within the reserve, marking the beginning of a series of documented sightings.

"The first confirmed record of the now famous pseudo-melanistic tigers of Similipal came in 1993. On 21st July 1993 Salku, a young boy of Podagad village shot down a 'black' tigress with arrows in self-defense. The rare tigers were first officially discovered in STR in 2007. With time more were documented. They are due to rare genetic mutation and found in small population," Mr Kaswan wrote. 

Also Read | Flipkart Reacts After X User Reveals Her Unpleasant Experience With Delivery Agent

The IFS Officer shared the post just a day back and since then it has accumulated more than 147,000 views and over 4,000 likes. It even garnered numerous reactions from X users. While some called the images amazing, others called them gorgeous.

"Nature is amazing. Amazing creatures," wrote one user. "Wow. All their stripes ran together like ink. Very interesting & beautiful," commented another. 

"What a sight! Hope we will be able to conserve this amazing wildlife forever," added a third. "You are so lucky to be with such lovely creations of nature and God," expressed another. 

Meanwhile, Mr Kaswan's post comes after the Union Minister of State for Environment, Ashiwini Kumar Choubey, told the Rajya Sabha that there are a total of 10 "black tigers" in India, all exclusively found in Odisha's Similipal. As per the 2022 cycle of the pan-India tiger estimation exercise, the Similipal Tiger Reserve has 16 tigers, out of which 10 exhibit melanism, he said.

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Wayfair CEO Calls For Longer Work Hours: "Winning Requires Hard Work"

Niraj Shah, Indian-American Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of online furniture firm Wayfair, curated a special message for his employees after the company yielded profitable results. According to CNN, in his note to employees, Mr Shah not only encouraged employees to work hard and be ambitious but also asked them to do more work and blend "work with life". He told them to not shy away from working long hours and added that there was no historical evidence which showed laziness led to success. 

"Winning requires hard work. I believe that most of us, being ambitious individuals, find fulfilment in the joy of seeing our efforts materialize into tangible results," the CEO said in a note to employees earlier this month, as per CNN. "Working long hours, being responsive, blending work and life, is not anything to shy away from. There is not a lot of history of laziness being rewarded with success," he added. 

According to Fortune, Mr Shah also added that the idea staff should not work was "laughably false". "Hard work is essential for success, and a key part of getting things done," the CEO said, adding, "Everyone deserves to have a great personal life - everyone manages that in their own way - ambitious people find ways to blend and balance the two". 

In his letter, Mr Shah also encouraged Wayfair employees to think of the company money they spend as their own and negotiate prices. "Would you spend money on that, would you spend that much money for that thing, does that price seem reasonable, and lastly - have you negotiated the price?" he wrote. 

The Indian-American CEO told employees in his email that the company is back to being profitable. "Together we can win much faster than we are winning now if we all row in this direction together. Let's be aggressive, pragmatic, frugal, agile, customer-oriented, and smart," he said. 

Also Read | Ex CEO Of Tech Mahindra Shares Valuable Insights As He Announces Retirement From Corporate Life

Meanwhile, on the internet, users called Mr Shah's note "toxic". "He's basically saying if you don't work late then you're lazy. Long hours don't prove anything about productivity. It just means you worked long hours!" wrote one Reddit user. "I love when these CEOs talk about 'winning' as if the employees get absolutely anything out of the company's profitability," said another. 

"If you're actually being compensated for your time, sure. If you're making an average salary but dealing with corporate BS, move on," expressed a third. "I'll sacrifice the life in work-life balance when the paycheck reflects that it is worth it. I doubt it is for anyone he is giving this lecture to (that he probably thinks is SO inspirational).," added another. 

Notably, Mr Shah is not the first CEO to glamourise overworking. Earlier, Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy said that India's work culture needs to change and youngsters should be prepared to work for 70 hours a week if the country has to compete effectively on the global stage. He stated that India's work productivity is one of the lowest in the world and asked the youth the contribute towards building the culture so that India can compete effectively on the global stage. He also drew parallels with Japan and Germany, two countries that implemented extended working hours after the Second World War. 

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Samsung Galaxy S24 Series Full Specifications Leak Ahead of Launch

Samsung Galaxy S24 series is expected to launch in January 2024 in a Galaxy Unpacked event. The upcoming lineup that is said to succeed the Galaxy S23 series that arrived in global markets in February this year, is likely to include a base Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra models. Specifications, design renders, colour options and configurations of the purported Galaxy S24 handsets have surfaced online multiple times in the past few weeks and a tipster has now leaked the complete specifications of the three anticipated smartphones. 

Tipster Evan Blass (@evleaks) leaked the detailed specifications of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S24 series models in a post on X. The original media was soon removed from the platform following a content takedown request, but 9to5Google snapped a screenshot of the specifications sheet before it was taken down.

Samsung Galaxy S24 series leaked specifications sheet
Photo Credit: X/ @evleaks (via 9to5Google)

 

As per the leaked specifications sheet, all three models — the Samsung Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+ and the Galaxy S24 Ultra will be powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC and carry an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. The base and Plus phones are said to get Aluminium Armor 2.0 bodies, while the Ultra model is expected to come with a Titanium frame. All the handsets are also expected to support 8K quality video recording.

The base Samsung Galaxy S24 is said to come with a 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X full-HD+ panel, while the Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S24 Ultra may sport 6.7-inch and 6.8-inch displays, respectively, with Dynamic AMOLED 2X quad-HD+ resolution. All the models are expected to support a peak brightness level of 2,600 nits.

Samsung is expected to pack a 4,000mAh battery into the base Galaxy S24 model, while the Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S24 Ultra are likely to pack 4,900mAh and 5,000mAh batteries, respectively. The phones are said to be offered in black, grey, violet, and yellow colour options. The vanilla model is said to come with 8GB of RAM and be available in 128GB and 256GB storage variants. Meanwhile, the Plus and Ultra models are said to get 12GB of RAM each and be offered in storage variants of 256GB and 512GB.

The Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+ are likely to sport 50-megapixel triple rear camera units with up to 3x dual telephoto lenses. The Galaxy S24 Ultra, on the other hand, is expected to be equipped with a 200-megapixel quad rear camera system with support for up to 10x telephoto lens.

A previous leak suggested that the top-of-the-line Galaxy S24 Ultra model is expected to be equipped with an AI-powered feature which is said to help users erase subjects from videos. The artificial intelligence support is also likely to boost low-light performance, lower graininess, and enhance stability and exposure of video recordings.

---

Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 alongside the Galaxy Tab S9 series and Galaxy Watch 6 series at its first Galaxy Unpacked event in South Korea. We discuss the company's new devices and more on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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People Know Nation Is "On Cusp Of Take-Off": PM Modi On 2024 Polls

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has underscored the BJP's hopes for a third term in the 2024 general election, saying the people of India trust the party that brought them this far.

In an interview with Financial times, PM Modi said, "They realise that our nation is on the cusp of a take-off... They want this flight to be expedited, and they know the best party to ensure this is the one which brought them this far."

In the wide-ranging interview, the Prime Minister also spoke of India's foreign policy that in a world that is "interconnected as well as interdependent", job creation, comparisons with China and the government's focus on Make in India.

His government, he said, has shown steady improvement in job creation and focussing on efforts that would make India the next big destination for investment.

"We aspire to create conditions where everyone sees value in being in India to invest and expand their operations here," the Prime Minister told FT.

"We envision a system where anyone from around the world feels at home in India, where our processes and standards are familiar and welcoming," he added.

This path is expected to be smoothed by the country's upward trajectory in terms of relations with world powers -- including the improved relation with the US and the increasing suspicion towards Beijing. .  

"Our foremost guiding principle in foreign affairs is our national interest," PM Modi said. "This stance allows us to engage with various nations in a manner that respects mutual interests and acknowledges the complexities of contemporary geopolitics."

Regarding comparisons with China, where many feel India's growth spurt should be bigger than the current rate and concerns about corruption, administrative hurdles, and skills gap among the young, PM Modi said India cannot be compared to China.
 
"You have done a comparison with China, but it might be more apt to compare India with other democracies," he said.

"It is important to recognise that India wouldn't have achieved the status of the world's fastest-growing economy if the issues you've highlighted were as pervasive as suggested," he said. "Often, these concerns stem from perceptions, and altering perceptions sometimes takes time," he added.

Asked about Opposition allegations against his government that includes "targetting" of his detractors, PM Modi said there is a "whole ecosystem that is using the freedom available in our country to hurl these allegations" through media.

They have the right to do so, but "others have an equal right to respond with facts," he added.

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