Famous Tollywood actor Allu Arjun went to Chikkadpally Police Station on Sunday because a city court told him to do so. This was part of the terms for his regular bail in the Sandhya Theatre stampede case from two days ago. He spent just about 10 minutes at the station to finish the paperwork.
The Nampally Criminal Court gave Allu Arjun regular bail on Friday after he had been on temporary bail for four weeks. The court ordered him to give two sureties of 50,000 rupees each. It also asked him to help the police with their investigation and to come to the Chikkadpally Police Station every Sunday. He must also not bother any witnesses.
The police did not want to grant him bail, but his lawyers argued that he wasn’t responsible for what happened. A tragic stampede happened at Sandhya Theatre during the premiere of his movie “Pushpa 2: The Rule” on December 4, which resulted in a woman dying and her son being seriously hurt.
The police have charged Allu Arjun and the theatre management with serious offenses. He was arrested on December 13 and taken to Nampally court, where he was held for 14 days. After getting permission from the high court, which approved his release for four weeks, he was let out the next day.
As part of the investigation, police questioned Allu Arjun on December 24 for three hours at the police station, using a 10-minute video they made from CCTV footage of the incident.
Author: Biswajit Biswal
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Allu Arjun Reports to Police After Bail in Sandhya Theatre Stampede Case
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Families Desperate for Answers: Searching for Missing Syrians in Mass Graves
Ziad Alaywi stands near a deep ditch in Najha, southeast of Damascus, filled with worry about his two brothers. He fears they might be in one of the many mass graves where prisoners who were tortured are buried. “We want to know where our children are,” he says, looking at the freshly dug dirt. Families like his have been searching for missing loved ones since the Syrian conflict began, which has tragically taken over 500,000 lives.
Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in early December, people have been looking for their missing family members. Ziad, a 55-year-old driver, recalls how his brothers and four cousins were arrested over a decade ago. “I’ve checked every prison, but I still have no answers,” he shares.
Residents say there are other similar sites with signs of recent digging, and they hope that searching these graves would bring them peace. “It’s not just about one or two people; it’s thousands who are missing,” Ziad adds. He urges international investigators to help uncover these mass graves so families can finally know the truth about their loved ones.
Others have expressed sadness at not finding their missing relatives in the newly opened prisons. Just a few kilometers from Ziad, a group in white suits is working to collect evidence. They’ve received many calls about mass graves, as people suspect that almost every military site has one.
Omar al-Salmo, a civil defense official, explains that they are trying to collect bones for DNA testing. In the past decade, it’s estimated that over 100,000 people have died in Syrian prisons, mostly from torture. Human Rights Watch is calling on the new Syrian government to protect evidence from mass graves for future legal actions and to work with the International Committee of the Red Cross for help.
In a different area called Daraa, Mohammad Khaled noticed something odd in his returned farm ground. After digging, he and others found 22 bodies in just one day. The search for justice and answers continues for the many families left in despair. -
Your Daily Astrology Guide: What’s Good and Bad Today?
Today is Chaturdashi, the 14th day of the bright half of the lunar month, which lasts until 7:24 AM. After that, we enter Purnima, the full moon day. Until 1:49 PM, the Rohini Nakshatra is influencing us, before giving way to Mrigashirsha Nakshatra.
Sadh Yoga is present until 9:13 AM; after that, Shubha Yoga takes over. The Vanija Karana is effective until 7:24 AM, followed by Vishti Karana until 8:45 PM, and then Bava Karana starts. The Moon will be moving through the sign of Taurus today.
Key Times to Note:
– Sunrise: 7:08 AM
– Sunset: 5:27 PM
– Tithi: Chaturdashi (until 7:24 AM), then Purnima
– Nakshatra: Rohini (until 1:49 PM), then Mrigashirsha
– Yoga: Sadh (until 9:13 AM), then Shubha
– Karana: Vanija (until 7:24 AM), then Vishti (until 8:45 PM), followed by Bava
Good Times (Muhurtas) to Do Important Work:
– Abhijit Muhurta: 11:57 AM to 12:38 PM
– Vijaya Muhurta: 2:01 PM to 2:42 PM
Not So Good Times (Inauspicious Muhurtas):
– Rahu Kalam: 9:43 AM to 11:00 AM
Astrological Signs:
– Moon Sign: Taurus
– Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Lucky Moon Signs: Taurus, Cancer, Leo, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Pisces
Unfavorable Moon Sign: Libra
In Vedic astrology, the Panchanga helps people know the best and worst times to do their daily tasks based on the positions of stars and planets. -
Canada’s Clean Electricity Regulations: Striving for a Greener Tomorrow
On December 17, Canada announced new Clean Electricity Regulations aimed at achieving a net-zero electricity grid by 2050. This is a slower approach than the previous goal to have an emissions-neutral grid by 2035. Some provinces and energy companies expressed concerns that the draft rules might make electricity less reliable and more expensive.
Canada already gets 85% of its electricity from clean sources like hydropower, wind, and solar power. However, the new, less strict regulations might make it tougher for the country to meet its 2035 goal of reducing carbon emissions by 45–50% compared to 2005 levels.
Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s Natural Resources Minister, explained, “We haven’t lowered our aims for cleaning the grid, but we’ve learned that we need to be flexible. We want to reduce emissions while also ensuring the grid remains reliable and affordable for everyone.”
The final regulations are set to reduce carbon emissions from the electricity grid by almost 181 megatonnes from 2024 to 2050. In contrast, the draft regulations had aimed for a reduction of 342 megatonnes. Also, the limit on emissions from power plants was raised from 30 tonnes to 65 tonnes of carbon per gigawatt-hour.
Power plants that make electricity but do not connect to the grid, including some run by oil sands companies in northern Alberta, will not be affected by these regulations. Alberta, Canada’s main oil and gas-producing province, opposed the initial draft regulations, saying they could threaten grid reliability. -
UP Government Hires 700,000: Unemployment Drops to 2.4%!
Over the past 7.5 years, the UP government has hired around 700,000 people in different departments. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that the unemployment rate in Uttar Pradesh has dropped significantly from 19% in the past (2012-2017) to just 2.4% now. He criticized the Samajwadi Party for delaying hiring when they were in charge, claiming it was due to their bad intentions.
Adityanath assured that the hiring process was transparent and followed reservation rules strictly, making it fair for all. He encouraged opposition members to understand and apply the government’s youth-friendly policies in their areas.
He also highlighted the issues before 2017, mentioning that many posts were filled unfairly, often benefiting people from the same caste. Additionally, he pointed out that a poorly qualified person had once been appointed as the chairman of the commission responsible for hiring, which harmed the youth’s future.
To improve things, Adityanath said the government has made reforms to make the hiring process honest and fair. They have given full authority to the public service commission, subordinate service selection commission, and education commission to conduct recruitment. Members of the cabinet actively participate in handing out job offer letters, ensuring there’s no favoritism.
In the education sector alone, the government has completed over 160,000 recruitments. A new board called the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission has been set up to manage hiring in all education areas. The government also passed a law to prevent cheating in exams.
Recently, they hired 69,000 teachers, ensuring that many qualified candidates from backward castes and Scheduled Castes got jobs. For example, over 32,200 people from backward castes and over 14,000 from Scheduled Castes were employed.
In total, 156,000 police personnel were hired, with more than 22,700 being women. The hiring process for an additional 60,244 police positions is ongoing. -
Record Low Drug Use Among Teens: New Survey Findings Revealed!
A recent survey has found that drug and alcohol use among teenagers hasn’t gone back up after it dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, two-thirds of 12th graders reported they hadn’t used alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes, or e-cigarettes in the last 30 days. This is the highest number of kids staying away from these substances since the survey began in 2017. Among 10th graders, 80% reported similar abstinence, marking another new high. For 8th graders, 90% said they hadn’t used any of these substances, which is the same number as last year.
The only noticeable increase was in the use of nicotine pouches. About 6% of 12th graders said they used them in the past year, up from 3% in 2023. Experts are unsure if this indicates a new health issue. Richard Miech from the University of Michigan, who leads the survey, mentioned, “It’s hard to know if we’re seeing the start of something, or not.”
The Monitoring the Future survey has been collecting data since 1975. This year’s results come from about 24,000 students in grades 8, 10, and 12 across the U.S. Experts, like Noah Kreski from Columbia University, consider this survey one of the best sources for national data on teen substance use.
During the pandemic, kids were told not to go to school or hang out with friends. They stayed home and were supervised by their parents. This led to a drop in all kinds of drug and alcohol use since young people usually experiment with substances in group settings. As lockdowns ended, many expected some kids to start using again, but that hasn’t happened.
Even before the pandemic, teen use of cigarettes, alcohol, and many drugs was already declining. Experts think that kids started using smartphones to communicate instead of gathering in groups, which kept them away from experimenting with drugs. Marijuana use wasn’t falling before the pandemic, and kids had started vaping more. But during the pandemic, both saw a continued decline.
Some experts believe the pandemic may have had a bigger impact. Miech noted that many teens who start trying e-cigarettes or drugs do so in the 9th grade. However, the kids who were in 9th grade during the lockdowns didn’t try those substances and weren’t able to influence younger students negatively. “The pandemic stopped the cycle of new kids coming in and being recruited to drug use,” he said.
Mental health may also play a role. After the pandemic, many kids reported feeling depressed and anxious. While depression can lead to substance use, some teens with anxiety are cautious about using drugs. Dr. Duncan Clark, a psychiatrist at the University of Pittsburgh, says, “Some teens with anxiety worry about substances. Additionally, they may be more socially shy and have fewer chances to use drugs. It’s a complicated relationship.” -
Trump Mocks Trudeau After Freeland’s Shocking Resignation
Donald Trump made fun of Justin Trudeau on Truth Social after the surprising resignation of Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. Trump called Trudeau “governor,” poking at a previous joke about the U.S. taking over Canada. He said, “The Great State of Canada is shocked that the Finance Minister resigned or was fired by Governor Justin Trudeau.”
Trump then slammed Freeland, calling her “toxic” and said that her leaving was good for Canada. He wrote, “Her behavior was totally toxic and not good for making deals that the unhappy people of Canada need. She will not be missed!!!”
Freeland shared her resignation letter on social media, explaining that Trudeau no longer wanted her as Finance Minister and offered her another position instead. She decided that the best thing to do was resign.
Freeland’s sudden exit was a big deal for Trudeau, as many Canadian leaders are now calling for him to step down. Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said, “Mr. Trudeau’s government is over. He must acknowledge this and take action.” Freeland also mentioned that she and Trudeau disagreed on the best way forward for Canada. -
Weekly Love Horoscope for 17-23 Dec 2024: Enhance Your Relationships and Find New Love
Aries: This week, it’s time for a change! Be kind and loving in every part of your life, not just in romance. This kindness will help you form deeper connections with others. If you’re single, doing something nice for someone else can really lift your spirits.
Taurus: This week, you want to make your love life more exciting! Couples should try new activities together, like hiking or diving, and discuss new ideas. This will bring the spark back into your relationship. If you’re single, it’s a great time to meet new people.
Gemini: This week, remember that life is not just about checking off a to-do list. Couples should focus on enjoying each other’s company and celebrating successes together. For singles, don’t worry! New love opportunities are on the horizon.
Cancer: This week may be stressful, which can affect your relationships. Couples should work together to handle stress better. Small things like sending a sweet message or making time for each other can help. Singles may be too busy for love, but it’s a good time to focus on yourself.
Leo: This week, try to be humble in your relationships. Couples might have disagreements if pride gets in the way. Love is about respect and understanding, so stay calm and patient. Singles, it’s a good idea to set aside your ego when meeting new people.
Virgo: This week, be patient in love. If you’re single, it’s not the right time to rush into a relationship. Trust that you’ll meet someone special when the time is right. For those in a relationship, focus on making special moments together.
Libra: This week, your relationships will feel happy and loving. Couples can enjoy easy conversations and have fun together. If you’re single, your positive vibes could attract new friends or connections at work!
Scorpio: This week is full of new ideas for your love life. Couples can explore new emotions together for a stronger bond. Singles should continue engaging in interesting conversations to attract attention!
Sagittarius: This week, be gentle with yourself, as this will help your relationships, too. Couples can share healthy activities to grow closer. Singles focusing on self-care will feel more confident, attracting others.
Capricorn: This week might start with misunderstandings in your relationship. Take a moment to think before reacting. This can turn conflicts into chances for growth. Go slow and communicate openly with your partner.
Aquarius: Great news for couples this week! It’s time to deepen your bond, maybe by introducing each other to family or taking big steps forward. Singles should welcome love to improve their connections.
Pisces: This week, face your fears in love. Talk to your partner about what’s bothering you. Working through challenges together will make your relationship stronger. Don’t let worries hold you back! -
Activist Mazen al-Hamada Buried: A Tragic Tale of Assad’s Oppression
On Thursday, many Syrians gathered to bury Mazen al-Hamada, an activist whose body was found along with 35 others in a hospital morgue near Damascus. This discovery came after the longtime president, Bashar al-Assad, was ousted. Mazen had been imprisoned twice under Assad’s rules. The first time was in 2011 during protests in Syria. He escaped to the Netherlands in 2014 and sought safety there.
Mazen returned to Syria unexpectedly in 2020 but was arrested at the airport and never seen again. Recently, over 30 bodies were found in the morgue of a hospital in Harasta, with many showing signs of torture. Mazen’s family recognized him from photos, and on Thursday, hundreds of people showed up outside Al-Mujtahid hospital in Damascus to pay their respects.
As they mourned, they held up the three-star flag that many supporters of the opposition in Syria have used throughout the civil war. Mazen’s mother was especially heartbroken, and his sister, Amal, shared that a doctor had told her he was likely executed about 10 days ago.
While in the Netherlands, Mazen talked about the awful treatment he faced in Syrian prisons. He said, “They destroyed my good memories. They took away my childhood and youth.” Diab Serriya, who works with families of detained people, mentioned that Harasta was a place where bodies from prisons were collected before being buried in mass graves.
Since the start of the civil war in 2011, around 60,000 people have died in prison from torture or terrible conditions, as reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Recently, rebels captured key cities, including the capital, during a fast offensive. -
Your Daily Astrology Guide For 13th Dec 2024: Simple Tips for Today’s Best Times
Today is Dashmi Shukla Paksha, and this phase lasts until 09:32 PM. The moon is in Revati Nakshatra right now. You should know that:
– Karana Taitila is active until 08:43 AM, followed by Garaja which is effective until 09:32 PM.
– The moon is moving through the sign of Pisces.
Here are some important times for today:
– Sunrise: 07:05 AM
– Sunset: 05:26 PM
Key Astrological Details
– Tithi (Lunar Day): Shukla Paksha Dashami (until 09:32 PM)
– Nakshatra: Revati
– Yoga: Variyana
– Karana: Taitila (until 08:43 AM), Garaja (until 09:32 PM), and Vanija.
Good Times (Muhurtas)
– Abhijit Muhurta: 11:55 AM to 12:36 PM
– Vijaya Muhurta: 01:59 PM to 02:40 PM
Bad Times (Inauspicious Muhurtas)
– Rahu Kalam: 08:23 AM to 09:40 AMMoon and Sun Signs
– Moon Sign: Pisces
– Sun Sign: ScorpioLucky Moon Signs
If your moon sign is Taurus, Gemini, Virgo, Libra, Capricorn, or Pisces, today is lucky for you!
Unlucky Moon Signs
If your moon sign is Leo, be careful as it may not be a good day for you.
Panchanga, which is used in Vedic astrology, helps in finding the best and worst times to do things based on the positions of the planets. It includes five elements: Vaara (day), Tithi (lunar day), Nakshatra (moon phase), Yoga (combination of energies), and Karana (half of a Tithi).