New Delhi, December 13 (IANS). You must have seen the fascinating combination of ballet and creative movement in the Olympic Games with the use of props such as ribbons, balls, hoops, ropes and sticks, known as ‘Rhythmic Gymnastics’. This mat sport combines dance, ballet and gymnastics, in which points are given to the athlete’s flexibility, balance, coordination and expression. The sport has its roots in Europe, where it was developed as a form of physical education and dance in the late 19th century. Henrik, a Swedish teacher, developed the game as an exercise system that focused on a combination of body movement and music. This laid the foundation of rhythmic gymnastics. In the year 1946 it was made a formal sport. Rhythmic gymnastics emerged as a separate competitive sport in the 1950s. It was recognized by the International Gymnastics Federation in the year 1961. The first World Championship of this competition was organized in the year 1964. However, it only became an Olympic medal sport in 1984, due to which it could not get special recognition in America at that time. In the year 1984, the Summer Olympics were held in Los Angeles, where this sport also made its Olympic debut for the first time. Group rhythmic gymnastics debuted with the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Many types of items are used in this game. Roping involves swinging, throwing and balancing acts. Ball involves rolling, swinging and balancing, while hooping involves rolling, swinging and jumping routines. While the club involves swinging, catching and swinging actions. Ribbons are used to make patterns such as snakes, spirals and figure 8s. In rhythmic gymnastics, judges judge a player’s performance. During this, athletes are given scores based on difficulty and execution. Like any competitive sport, rhythmic gymnastics also has certain rules that must be followed. Points are deducted if rules are not followed. India will have to take a long-term view to win medals in rhythmic gymnastics. Identification of young talent, understanding of international level coaches and judging standards is essential. Regular participation in foreign competitions will increase the experience of our country’s players. –IANS RSG/DSC

New Delhi, December 13 (IANS). You must have seen the fascinating combination of ballet and creative movement in the Olympic Games with the use of props such as ribbons, balls, hoops, ropes and sticks, known as ‘Rhythmic Gymnastics’. This mat sport combines dance, ballet and gymnastics, in which points are given to the athlete’s flexibility, balance, coordination and expression. The sport has its roots in Europe, where it was developed as a form of physical education and dance in the late 19th century. Henrik, a Swedish teacher, developed the game as an exercise system that focused on a combination of body movement and music. This laid the foundation of rhythmic gymnastics. In the year 1946 it was made a formal sport. Rhythmic gymnastics emerged as a separate competitive sport in the 1950s. It was recognized by the International Gymnastics Federation in the year 1961. The first World Championship of this competition was organized in the year 1964. However, it only became an Olympic medal sport in 1984, due to which it could not get special recognition in America at that time. In the year 1984, the Summer Olympics were held in Los Angeles, where this sport also made its Olympic debut for the first time. Group rhythmic gymnastics debuted with the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Many types of items are used in this game. Roping involves swinging, throwing and balancing acts. Ball involves rolling, swinging and balancing, while hooping involves rolling, swinging and jumping routines. While the club involves swinging, catching and swinging actions. Ribbons are used to make patterns such as snakes, spirals and figure 8s. In rhythmic gymnastics, judges judge a player’s performance. During this, athletes are given scores based on difficulty and execution. Like any competitive sport, rhythmic gymnastics also has certain rules that must be followed. Points are deducted if rules are not followed. India will have to take a long-term view to win medals in rhythmic gymnastics. Identification of young talent, understanding of international level coaches and judging standards is essential. Regular participation in foreign competitions will increase the experience of our country’s players. –IANS RSG/DSC

Kolkata, December 13 (IANS). Elections to the West Bengal Assembly are scheduled to be held in 2026 and less than five months are left for it. Before this, the state government has started preparations for the interim budget session. A senior official of the State Secretariat gave this information on Saturday. Although the dates for the budget session of the state assembly have not yet been announced, it is traditionally held in February. In this context, Nabanna has issued a series of directives to various government departments to start preparations for the budget session as the budget session is likely to be held in the first or second week of February. It was learned that many departments have started budget related work. State Finance Minister Prabhat Kumar Mishra has issued instructions to state-owned commercial and semi-commercial institutions to submit accounts of the last three financial years as part of the preparation process for the budget publication of 2026-27. This instruction was sent to the Chief Secretaries of all departments and they were requested to speed up the budget related work. Departments have been directed to take necessary steps for the timely submission of financial statements of all Public Sector Undertakings and Corporations under their administrative control. These details must be included in the consolidated list prepared according to the prescribed budget publication guidelines. The notification also specifies the last date for the completion of the budget publication of 2026-27 through the designated online portal of the state. All information related to the budget publication process will need to be collected and submitted by December 24. According to the guidelines, it is mandatory to upload all the relevant data on the portal of the Finance Department. Chief secretaries of all departments have been instructed to deal with this matter as it is considered extremely urgent. Let us inform that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has repeatedly instructed the officials during the administrative review meetings that there should be no hindrance in the ongoing development works due to the activities related to the Special Intensive Review (SIR) exercise. He emphasized that the message of development must reach every household before the 2026 elections. In accordance with these instructions, the State Secretariat has now reiterated that the departments must ensure the timely uploading of all necessary information regarding the upcoming budget session on the portal of the Department of Finance. –IANS DKP/ Share this story Tags

Hong Kong, December 13 (IANS). In the mixed doubles final of the World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals on Saturday, South Korea’s pair of Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin defeated China’s Olympic champion Wang Chuqin-Sang Yingsha pair in straight games 11-9, 11-8, 11-6. After losing 11–9 in the first game, Wang and Sun took four straight points in the second game to take the score to 9–8, but the South Korean pair hit back to win 11–8. The second seeded pair continued their excellent performance, winning 11-6 in the third game to claim the title. Earlier in the day, Sun had to withdraw from the women’s singles semi-finals against compatriot Kuai Man due to an ankle injury. Kuai won 12–10 in the third game to take a 2–1 lead, after which Sun took a medical break to treat his ankle pain. After returning to action, the world number 1 leveled the score in the fourth game and won 11-7. However, Son’s ankle injury continued to bother him. After losing the fifth game 11–3, she withdrew from the match, leaving Cui with a spot in the title match. In another all-Chinese match in women’s singles, Wang Manyu defeated Chen Yi 11-9, 11-3, 12-10, 11-8. Lin Shidong recovered from a loss in the mixed doubles semifinals with Cui to win 4–0 against Jiang Peng in the all-Chinese men’s singles quarterfinals. Lin set up a semi-final with Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto, who prevailed over France’s Félix Lebrun in a seven-game thriller. In the other men’s semi-final, Wang Chuqin will face Sweden’s Truls Moregaard. The WTT Finals will conclude on Sunday as the last tournament of the season, with men and women playing for the singles title. –IANS RSG Share this story Tags

Hong Kong, December 13 (IANS). In the mixed doubles final of the World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals on Saturday, South Korea’s pair of Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin defeated China’s Olympic champion Wang Chuqin-Sang Yingsha pair in straight games 11-9, 11-8, 11-6. After losing 11–9 in the first game, Wang and Sun took four straight points in the second game to take the score to 9–8, but the South Korean pair hit back to win 11–8. The second seeded pair continued their excellent performance, winning 11-6 in the third game to claim the title. Earlier in the day, Sun had to withdraw from the women’s singles semi-finals against compatriot Kuai Man due to an ankle injury. Kuai won 12–10 in the third game to take a 2–1 lead, after which Sun took a medical break to treat his ankle pain. After returning to action, the world number 1 leveled the score in the fourth game and won 11-7. However, Son’s ankle injury continued to bother him. After losing the fifth game 11–3, she withdrew from the match, leaving Cui with a spot in the title match. In another all-Chinese match in women’s singles, Wang Manyu defeated Chen Yi 11-9, 11-3, 12-10, 11-8. Lin Shidong recovered from a loss in the mixed doubles semifinals with Cui to win 4–0 against Jiang Peng in the all-Chinese men’s singles quarterfinals. Lin set up a semi-final with Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto, who prevailed over France’s Félix Lebrun in a seven-game thriller. In the other men’s semi-final, Wang Chuqin will face Sweden’s Truls Moregaard. The WTT Finals will conclude on Sunday as the last tournament of the season, with men and women playing for the singles title. –IANS RSG Share this story Tags

White House Artificial Intelligence Czar David Sachs said China understands America’s strategy, which allows it to buy “H200” chips manufactured by Nvidia, and rejected this artificial intelligence chip in favor of domestically developed semiconductors, citing news reports. US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he would allow Nvidia to ship H200 chips to China, as part of an effort by the administration, backed by Sachs, to challenge Chinese technology companies such as Huawei Technologies by introducing American competition to their domestic market. But Sachs indicated on Friday that he was unsure whether that approach would work. Trump allows Nvidia to sell advanced artificial intelligence chips to China China seeks independence in semiconductors “They reject our chips,” Sachs said in an interview on “Bloomberg Tech,” referring to an unspecified news article he said he saw that day. “They don’t seem to want them, and I think the reason is because they want independence in the field of semiconductors.” Sachs’ comments raise questions about whether Nvidia will be able to revive its revenue in China, a data center market that the company completely discounted in its forecasts but which CEO Jensen Huang estimated at about $50 billion this year. Bloomberg Intelligence analysts estimate the potential annual revenue for H200 chips in China at $10 billion, but that is subject to the country’s acceptance of the US company’s chips. “Nvidia” export restrictions benefit America’s competitors. Nvidia said in a statement through its spokesperson that it continues to cooperate with the administration regarding “H200” licenses for customers subject to audit. The statement added: “While we do not yet have results to announce, it is clear that three years of overly broad export controls have fueled America’s foreign competitors and cost American taxpayers billions of dollars.” China is considering an incentive package worth up to $70 billion to support the domestic chip industry, Bloomberg reported on Friday, in a move that reaffirms Beijing’s determination to reduce its reliance on foreign chipmakers such as NVIDIA. This suggests that the government will continue to support companies such as Huawei and Cambricon Technologies even if America allows the export of H200 chips to China. Where does the “H200” of NVIDIA’s chips fall? Launched in 2023 and starting shipping to customers last year, the “H200” chip belongs to NVIDIA’s “Hopper” generation chips, which are less advanced than the “Blackwell” line and two generations behind the upcoming “Rubin” series. The roughly 18-month delay in the latest Nvidia chips was part of the Trump administration’s justification for making the decision. Sachs, a venture capitalist who joined the board in January, attributed China’s reluctance to buy H200 chips to Beijing’s desire to support and provide subsidies to Huawei. However, he defended the decision to allow China access to the H200 chips, describing them as “late” technology and no longer cutting edge. “Nvidia”: There are no plans to send “Blackwell” artificial intelligence chips to China. Sachs explained: “What we see is that China is not buying them because it wants to support (Huawei) and give subsidies to it. It was part of our calculations, that is, to sell chips that are not the best, but rather late, to China, on the basis that you can take away a market share from (Huawei), but I think the Chinese government did not allow it, and that is why it is.” Beijing supports “Huawei”, the most prominent rival to “NVIDIA” in China. The decision to allow the export of “H200” was prompted by an assessment that “Huawei”, the most prominent Chinese competitor to “NVIDIA”, offers artificial intelligence systems with similar capabilities, including the “Cloud Matrix 384” platform, which connects hundreds of processors together to compensate for the decrease in performance in individual chips. Some US officials viewed the H200 as a compromise compared to Nvidia’s previous payment to export a copy of the Blackwell chip to China, according to a person familiar with the matter. Why did Trump suddenly allow Nvidia to sell advanced chips to China? The answer lies with Huawei. Huang said last week, while officials were studying the decision, that he was not sure whether China would accept H200 chips. Trump said in a post on the Truth Social platform on Monday that Chinese President Xi Jinping has responded positively to the possibility of approving H200 exports. Beijing has not yet publicly agreed to allow imports of H200 products from Nvidia. Nor has it publicly announced its rejection of it, despite the recent change in US policy. Earlier this year, China refused to buy the far less capable H20 chip that Trump authorized this summer.

Music composer Amaal Mallik has responded strongly to allegations made by composer duo Sachet Tandon and Parampara Thakur about the authorship of Kabir Singh’s hit 2019 song Bekhayali, insisting that he has never claimed credit for music composed by others and challenging the duo to take legal action if they believe otherwise. Amaal Mallik hits back at Sachet-Prampara The controversy erupted earlier this week when Sachet-Parampara publicly accused Mallik of implying ownership over Bekhayali, one of Bollywood’s most successful film songs of the last decade. Sung by Sachet Tandon and released by T-Series, the track became a cultural phenomenon following Kabir Singh’s record-breaking box office run, topping the charts and earning several award nominations. Speaking to Zoom, Mallik strongly denied the accusations. “I will take the bullet, but speak the truth. If someone wants to malign my name within the industry, what they do, if someone wants to say through interviews, ‘ki usne bhi remix kiya toh kiya’. Kaise kiya voh bhi aap dekho.” He added: “Kisika credit khaya? Nahi (I never stole credit). Kabhi bola ki yeh gaana mera hai ya bola ki remake nahi kiya? (Never said it’s my song and not a recreation) People put their names on other people’s songs and say ‘maine banaya’. Have I never done that. Has any composer said whose song has been destroyed? Never. You go and see what happened before.” Listen to Bekhayali here: Mallik also questioned why the duo chose to address the issue publicly rather than through legal channels. “They never say it to my face because half of them are afraid of me, and that’s the truth. They’ll never come talk to me. They’ll say it on Instagram and not sue. If somebody has a problem, go straight to court. Sue for defamation if you feel like I copied your music.” What did Sachet-Prampara say? At the heart of the dispute is Mallik’s earlier comments in which he claimed he had once shared a tune with Sachet–Parampara via WhatsApp, which he suggested was later used as a reference during the composition of Bekhayali. The two categorically denied it. In a joint video released a few days ago, Sachet and Parampara said, “Hello everyone, we are Sachet and Parampara, and we are addressing a case that has escalated significantly. It concerns Mr. Amaal Mallik. Honestly, we never expected to clear these issues, but this is something that we have exclusively created. We are referring to Bekhayalik that he produced some time ago.” They further claimed, “We have all the discussions with Amaal Mallik; we have all the discussions with the Kabir Singh team because the entire team was present when we made this song. Every melody, every composition, every arrangement, every lyric was developed with the entire team present, and it is completely a Sachet and Parampara original work.” The duo also rejected suggestions of favoritism in the industry and said they had no association with T-Series before Bekhayali. “We are outsiders; why would anyone favor us? … if you want to say we stole your song, then why did you congratulate us after the release?” They claimed they didn’t even have Mallik’s phone number until he contacted them himself and ended the video by demanding a public apology from the composer. With neither side backing down, the dispute has sparked conversations about credit, collaboration and transparency in Bollywood’s music industry — an industry where blockbuster songs often involve overlapping creative inputs but rarely such public fallouts.

Israel announced on Saturday (December 13) that it had killed Raed Saad, a senior Hamas commander in Gaza, after an explosive device detonated in the south of the territory, wounding two Israeli soldiers. The strike took place west of Gaza City and, according to an Associated Press journalist, killed four people, while three others were reported wounded by Al-Awda Hospital. Who is Raed Saad? Raed Saad served as Hamas’s official in charge of arms manufacturing and previously headed the group’s operations division. Israel described him as one of the architects of the October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel that killed around 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, sparking the ongoing conflict. Israeli authorities said Saad was “rebuilding the terrorist organization” in violation of the ceasefire that came into effect on October 10, 2025. Hamas response Hamas has not confirmed Saad’s death. In a statement, the group claimed a civilian vehicle had been hit outside Gaza City and called the strike a violation of the October ceasefire. Ongoing tensions and casualties Israel and Hamas have repeatedly accused each other of violating the ceasefire. Since the ceasefire, Israeli airstrikes and shelling have reportedly killed at least 386 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health officials. Israel says its attacks are in response to attacks on its soldiers. Ceasefire conditions and hostage issue Israel has demanded the return of the last hostage, Ran Gvili, from Gaza before moving to the next phase of the ceasefire. This next phase outlines a plan to end Hamas’ rule and rebuild Gaza under international supervision. Humanitarian impact Gaza has suffered extensive destruction, with more than 2 million residents displaced. The Palestinian Ministry of Health, which operates under the Hamas-controlled government, reports that more than 70,650 Palestinians have died in the two-year conflict, about half of them women and children. (With AP input)

Many Indian women, if not women in general, experience sudden weight gain or mood swings in their 30s. Although such changes can occur at any time, they can have a deeper cause when they occur in this period of life. The two most likely culprits for such changes are perimenopause and thyroid disorder. But it can be difficult to know which one it is exactly. According to a study cited by fluentinhealth.com, around 13-15 percent of middle-aged Indian women suffer from subclinical hypothyroidism. It is a difficult condition to diagnose, as many of its symptoms overlap with those of perimenopause, causing a great deal of confusion. What is perimenopause? Perimenopause is a transitional phase where a woman moves towards menopause. This condition can start as early as the mid-30s. The most common symptoms of this condition include fatigue, mood swings, brain fog, weight changes, and irregular periods. During perimenopause, a decrease in the levels of estrogen can disrupt the way the body works with thyroid hormones. Low progesterone levels, also an effect of perimenopause, can also disrupt the normal functioning of thyroid hormones. The fact that perimenopause can tamper with the functioning of the thyroid means that existing or latent thyroid conditions can be exacerbated by this phenomenon. This can lead to thyroid disorders which are themselves harmful. This combination of thyroid dysfunction and perimenopause means that it is even more complicated to find which came first or what was the trigger. Weight gain and mood swings Weight gain in the 30s and instability in mood are consequences of thyroid disorders such as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. However, they can also occur as a result of a decrease in estrogen or progesterone levels, which occurs as a result of perimenopause. So, if one experiences such symptoms, it is most important to get tested and get to the root cause. According to Women’s Health Network, the sudden appearance of belly fat at the beginning of perimenopause is due to the body’s attempts to make up for low estrogen. The visceral fat that makes up the belly fat is rich in estrogen, so the body starts generating more of it to overcome the deficit. Therefore, it becomes important for women to seek professional help and treat this condition. Medications are available to treat these hormonal imbalances. Lifestyle changes may also be necessary to overcome challenges presented by the body. Consultation with a trusted doctor becomes a necessity. Frequently Asked Questions What is perimenopause? Perimenopause is a condition that occurs when a woman approaches menopause. Which hormones are mainly affected by perimenopause? Estrogen and progesterone are the hormones that are greatly affected by this condition. What are some of the symptoms of perimenopause? Fatigue, mood swings, weight gain, irregular periods and other body changes are symptoms of perimenopause.

Ghaziabad: Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad district have arrested an employee of Punjab and Sind Bank on charges of embezzlement, involving the misappropriation of around ₹65 lakh from various customer accounts. The accused, identified as 29-year-old Somil Tiwari, allegedly used the stolen funds for trading in the stock market, police said on Saturday. The investigation was initiated following a formal complaint filed on November 21 by Himanshu Gupta, the branch manager of Punjab and Sind Bank. The large-scale fraud was initially uncovered after a customer reported a cheque, prompting a closer review by senior bank officials. Modinagar Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Amit Saxena told the agency that Tiwari “used clients’ investment funds for stock trading, and suffered huge losses, which he tried to cover by withdrawing money from the accounts.” During police interrogation, Tiwari confessed to the crime. He admitted to deliberately targeting customer accounts that showed minimal activity. His method involved creating fictitious bank accounts and then draining the targeted accounts through fraudulent Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) transfers and the misuse of checks. Tiwari has been formally arrested, and police have stated that further investigation into the full extent of the fraudulent activities is underway. Delhi Police uncovers forex scam with Dubai link In November, the Delhi Police arrested three people, including a sales manager of a private bank, over alleged links with an interstate syndicate involved in large-scale forex trading scams run by Dubai-based handlers, as reported by news agency PTI. According to the police, the accused have been identified as Anurag Kumar, a mule bill supplier; Zeeshan Syed, sales manager at a private bank; and Himanshu Gupta, a key handler with past involvement in fraud and forgery. They were allegedly part of a network that created shell companies and opened various checking accounts to launder and launder the proceeds of investment fraud. The gang lured victims through social media groups using rigged dashboards to display fictitious forex trading profits. Manipulated by the fake returns, victims were induced to repeatedly deposit money, which was then routed through a layered network of accounts created under entities such as “Rebootz Sync Professionals Pvt Ltd” and “ThinkSync Professionals Pvt Ltd”, police said. They further said the entire bank sets of these companies – including ATM cards, check books, SIM cards linked to the accounts, and net banking vouchers – were handed over to cybercriminals operating from Dubai. A handler identified as Abdul alias Vickey is currently under the scanner.