An earthquake of 3.8 magnitude was recorded in Haryana's Jhajjar with tremors in Delhi and surrounding areas on Sunday morning, the first day of the new year, the National Center for Seismology said.
There were no reports of any injuries or damage.
No matter what time of the year it is, you will always find an array of seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables available in the markets. Depending upon the weather and the region you are in - there is going to be something healthy, local and nutritious that you can add to your diet. Sweet potato or shakarkandhi is one such root vegetable that is abundantly available throughout the country during the winter season. The reddish-purple tuber is commonly seen being served as chaat or being used as an ingredient in sabzis etc. But is sweet potato truly healthy? Does its sweet taste mean that it should be eaten in small quantities only? Here we bring to you all you need to know about sweet potato, its nutrition facts, the health benefits of the vegetable and more.
Also Read: Sweet Potato Fries, Shakarkandi Chaat And More: 7 Sweet Potato Snacks You Must Try
Picture Credit: iStock
As per the USDA data, a 100-gram serving of sweet potato contains just 86 calories and 0.1 grams of fat. It has good potassium content and is also enriched with protein and fibre. Sweet potato also contains significant quantities of calcium, magnesium and Vitamin B6 that could meet up to 10% of your dietary needs depending upon the calorie requirements.
Dietitians and experts are often asked if shakarkandhi or sweet potato is healthy, and whether it should be consumed as part of the daily diet. According to celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar, "The fibrous vegetable is safe for everyone to eat, the ones battling obesity, PCOD, Diabetes especially. It also makes for a great snack and allows for quick recovery from training."
Looking for an immunity-boosting winter superfood? Sweet potato is the answer. Carotenoids and anthocyanins in sweet potato protect the body from free radical damage and also help boost immunity. It also protects our skin and improves hair health. "The anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant ability of sweet potato is not just limited to its carotenoids, it is a great source of anthocyanin, which is most abundant in the purple-coloured variety," said consultant nutritionist Rupali Dutta.
Although it may seem that sweet potatoes should be avoided by diabetics, experts argue that this is not the case. Sweet potato is low on the Glycemic Index (GI) and also contains plenty of fibre. Its starchy carbohydrates also delay the release of sugar into the bloodstream. The American Diabetes Association says, "It is a superfood for diabetics. It is a starchy vegetable full of vitamin A and fibre. It is also a good source of vitamin C and potassium."
Thanks to the orange-red hue of sweet potato, we are all well aware that it is abundantly enriched with Vitamin A. Shakarkandhi also contains beta-carotene that protects the eyes against UV damage and prevents macular degeneration.,
Keep digestive woes at bay with sweet potato in your diet. According to Rujuta Diwekar, "The minerals and Vitamin B profile in sweet potato will keep the bloating, acidity and constipation away. In a nutshell, if you have drunk too much, slept too little and partied too hard, this is what you should be eating," she wrote on Instagram.
If you are watching your weight, sweet potato is what you should definitely try eating. The low-calorie tuber has a good amount of fibre that facilitates weight loss and keeps you full. Thus, it makes for an excellent snack provided that it is consumed in moderation.
Sweet potato is loaded with health benefits and makes for a good addition to your winter diet. But just the way it is with other foods, always consume it in moderation and do not pile up excess sweet potato in a bid to get healthy. Always consult a nutritionist before making any major changes to the diet. Stay fit, stay healthy!
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
An earthquake of estimated 4.4 magnitude was reported in Delhi and surrounding areas on Sunday morning, the first day of the new year.
The year 2022 has witnessed a number of advancements on many fronts, including politics, sports, movies, technology, and more. This year also saw some exceptionally bright scientific advances that proved to be wonderful for human life.
Let's look at a few of the most significant scientific breakthroughs from this year.
Historic Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough Announced
US researchers announced a historic nuclear fusion breakthrough on December 13, hailing a "landmark achievement" in the quest for a source of unlimited, clean power and an end to reliance on fossil fuels. The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) said it had used the world's largest laser to create, for the first time, a fusion reaction that replicated the process that powers the sun and generated more energy than it took to produce -- a goal pursued by scientists for decades.
Reversing death: US Scientists Revive Organs in Dead Pigs
Scientists announced that they have restored blood flow and cell function throughout the bodies of pigs that were dead for an hour, in a breakthrough experts say could mean we need to update the definition of death itself. The discovery raised hopes for a range of future medical uses in humans, the most immediate being that it could help organs last longer, potentially saving the lives of thousands of people worldwide in need of transplants.
Lab-grown brain cells learn to play video game Pong
Scientists have grown 800,000 brain cells in a lab that they say have learned to play the 1970s tennis-like video game, Pong. The research, published recently in the journal Neuron, has for the first time shown that brain cells living in a dish can perform goal-directed tasks.
The team, including researchers from Monash University, RMIT University, University College London and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research are now going to find out what happens when their DishBrain is affected by medicines and alcohol.
To conduct the experiment, the researchers took mouse cells from embryonic brains as well as some human brain cells derived from stem cells and grew them on top of microelectrode arrays that could both stimulate them and read their activity.
Microplastics Found In Human Blood For First Time
Tiny particles of plastic, called microplastic - a major source of pollution - have been detected in the human blood for the first time. It was detected in nearly 80 per cent of samples tested by a group of researchers from the Netherlands. The discovery is extremely significant as it shows that microplastic can travel around the body and may lodge in organs.
Men age faster than women
According to a study that published in "The Journals of Gerontology: Series A,", men age more quickly than women do, and by the time they reach their 50s, men's bodies are up to four biological years older than women of the same age.
'Baby' Wormhole
Scientists have long pursued a deeper understanding of wormholes and now appear to be making progress. Researchers announced in December that they forged two miniscule simulated black holes - those extraordinarily dense celestial objects with gravity so powerful that not even light can escape - in a quantum computer and transmitted a message between them through what amounted to a tunnel in space-time.
It was a "baby wormhole," according to Caltech physicist Maria Spiropulu, a co-author of the research published in the journal Nature. But scientists are a long way from being able to send people or other living beings through such a portal, she said.
A wormhole - a rupture in space and time - is considered a bridge between two remote regions in the universe. Scientists refer to them as Einstein-Rosen bridges after the two physicists who described them - Albert Einstein and Nathan Rosen.
Such wormholes are consistent with Einstein's theory of general relativity, which focuses on gravity, one of the fundamental forces in the universe. The term "wormhole" was coined by physicist John Wheeler in the 1950s.
Deaths attributed to Covid in China have increased to 9,000 people per day, according to a data firm, reported news.com.au, an Australia-based publication.
The news.com.au report also says, "British-based research firm Airfinity has doubled the number of people it estimates are dying from Covid in China as the number of infections soar. It comes after Beijing lifted draconian zero-Covid health measures in November that had been in place for years."
Protests erupted across China due to the harsh lockdowns after 10 people died in an apartment fire. There were allegations that firefighters were stopped from coming inside the apartment block due to the quarantine orders.
The country reversed its Covid policy due to widespread protests in its nine cities.
"Airfinity said its model was based on data from China's regional provinces before changes to reporting infections were implemented, combined with case growth rates from other former zero-Covid countries when they lifted restrictions," the report said.
The total number of deaths in China linked to Covid in December may hit 100,000, with at least 18.6 million cases. By mid-January, there could be as many as 3.7 million COVID cases in a day. By January 23, a total of 584,000 deaths are expected in China.
According to news.com.au, "Beijing has been accused of withholding health information so it's hard to accurately assess the numbers. However, China's National Health Commission (NHC) last week confirmed that the country's current outbreak is the largest the world has ever seen."
"More than a billion Chinese could be infected with Covid by March. And more than 30 per cent of the population may have already been infected, that is up to 400 million people," according to a The Australian report.
The virus is continuing to spread rapidly in China. Workers, however, are being called to go to work unless they have extreme symptoms.
Since China relaxed its controversial zero-Covid policy last month, the second-largest economy is struggling to deal with the meteoric rise in coronavirus cases throughout the country which is putting a burden on its healthcare system.
British virologist and biologist Jonathan Latham, Executive Director of the Bioscience Resource Project, said that Beijing is not being open and transparent about case numbers or deaths and that only accurate data can lead to good decisions in China and elsewhere.
"China is not being open and transparent about case numbers or deaths. This is true for many countries though. It would be great to have truly accurate information on those points, however, since only timely and accurate data can lead to good decisions in China and elsewhere. Good data would also test the theory that newer variants such as Omicron have a lower inherent death rate," Latham told ANI.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
A delicate pashmina yarn holds promise for hundreds of women in Kashmir valley. Powered by a modified charkha, over 200 women spinners have ended the year 2022 with doubling their output and income.
The modification in the age-old charkha has changed the life of Shaesta Bilal. Since the income is based on output of spinning, the foot pedal charkha has come to her aid.
In Srinagar's downtown area, women like Shaesta are spinning the finest yarn in the world and modified charkha has given them confidence and self-reliance.
"This (modified charka) has given us the means to make a living so that we are self-reliant. Thank God we are earning more and we are not dependent on anybody. Now I'm not financially dependent on my husband," said Shaesta Bilal.
Ms Shaesta was given a new charkha and training by a pashmina shawl trader in Srinagar a year ago. Since then she has graduated to a resource person for other women.
Over the last one year, more than 200 women have been trained and given modified charkhas. The initiative is part of an effort to protect and preserve the genuine age-old craft of pashmina shawls, which is facing a massive invasion of fake and machine-made shawls.
The government has also started GI (geographical indicator) tagging of Kashmiri shawls to preserve its unique character and value in the market.
Over the years, the number of women spinning pashmina has come down drastically in Kashmir valley, mainly due to low wages and less output on the traditional charkha.
According to Mujtaba Qadri, who owns the training centre for women spinners and equip them with the new charkha, the modifications in the tool were made by Shere-e-Kashmir Agricultural University a few years ago.
"I started training with a few women initially. Once we saw the results that we were able to double the produce, which in turns doubles the income of women, I decided to run this programme," said Mujaba, who runs a family shawl business.
Besides providing modified charkha for free, Mujtaba also give a-15 day training course to women spinners. "From our centre, over 200 women have been trained in the last one year and we have provided them modified charkha as well," he said.
At the centre, Nusrat Begum says life has become a bit easier for her after she was trained to use the new charkha. From squatting on the floor to sitting on a chair, her spinning production has doubled.
"It has helped me a great deal. I used to spin three gram of yarn on the old charkha. Now I can spin six grams," said Ms Begum.
For centuries, the secret behind Kashmir's elegant pashmina shawls is fine spinning by women. It further goes to master artisans for weaving. For making some shawls with intricate work, it takes months and even a year to weave.
While the new charkha helps women spin more and earn more, the wages are still less. For a knot, which is 10 threads of yarn, they are being paid Re 1.5. They want more.
"The charkha is very useful to us. We are thankful to Qadri sahib as he gave us this charkha for free and we are doing very well on it. We work at home and also train others. We requested him if could increase our wages," said Yasmeena.
A gym owner was shot dead in his office by three men in East Delhi's Preet Vihar on Friday, and took the CCTV recorder with them, making the probe more complicated, police said.
The victim, 45-year-old Mahendra Aggarwal, ran a chain of Energy Gym and Spa, and sold gym equipment too. He was in his company headquarters office above one of his gyms around 8 pm when three armed men entered and immediately fired a number of shots at him. A bullet to his head killed him, police said.
While escaping, the killers took away the recording device attached to the CCTV security cameras of the office.
Police are now scanning footage from other CCTV cameras in the area to get clues. A forensics team also inspected the scene of crime.
Police said relatives are being asked if they suspect anyone's involvement or any enmity he had.
An 18-month-old child suffered serious injuries all over the body after a pack of stray dogs attacked him in front of his house in Kollam district of Kerala on Friday.
The boy, a native of nearby Mayyanadu, is undergoing treatment at the district hospital, family members said.
The incident happened when the child was playing in front of the house and his grandmother had just stepped inside the house after giving him food, they said.
Hearing the screams of the child, the woman rushed to the front yard of the house and got shocked seeing around 25 stray dogs mauling him.
"The incident happened when I just went inside the house for a while to take something. There were at least 25 dogs around the child. I somehow chased them away with a wooden plank and rescued him," she said.
The child was rushed to the hospital with the help of neighbours and he is being treated now, she added.
Several places in Kerala have been facing stray dog menace for some time and over 20 people have succumbed to rabies this year alone, according to figures.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Reliance Industries Ltd and its partner bp plc of the UK have sought bids for the sale of natural gas from the eastern offshore KG-D6 block at a price linked to the rate at which LNG is delivered to Japan and Korea.
A joint forum of Air India unions on Friday sought the labour department's "urgent" intervention and initiation of conciliation proceedings in the matter of their passage policy and service conditions.New mom Alia Bhatt shared a set of stunning pictures on her Instagram profile on Friday evening. The actress, who attended Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's engagement party in Mumbai along with husband Ranbir Kapoor last night, shared a carousel post, which has a closer look at her OOTD. The actress wore an aqua blue kurta from the shelves of Ritika Mirchandani. Alia Bhatt simply added a snowflake emoji to her post. No caption needed. Alia Bhatt kept her make-up minimal and accessorised her look with her statement earrings.
Take a look at Alia Bhatt's post here:
In an extensive Instagram post recently, Alia Bhatt opened up about post-partum. She wrote a post on body positivity. An excerpt from it read: "After what my body did this year I have taken a vow to never be hard on myself again."
Earlier this week, Alia Bhatt summed up her year with pictures "that never made it to the gram."
Here's how Alia Bhatt and husband Ranbir Kapoor celebrated Christmas this year. Alia captioned the post: "It's the best time of year .. with the best people in the world. Merry merry always from my family to yours."
Alia Bhatt had a stellar year professionally. She will make her Hollywood debut with Heart Of Stone, co-starring Gal Gadot. Other than that, the actress has multiple films in the line-up. Alia Bhatt had four film releases this year - RRR, Gangubai Kathiawadi and Brahmastra - all of which received stellar box office collections. She also starred in and co-produced Darlings, which released on Netflix and received positive reviews.
On the personal front, Alia Bhatt married her Brahmastra co-star Ranbir Kapoor in April this year at their house Vastu, in front of a few family members and close friends. They welcomed a daughter in November this year and named her Raha.
A time-lapse video of 60 seconds showing the effects of a blizzard that covered a US town in snow completely in a 48-hour period is going viral on the internet.
The video begins with a straightforward road, a few automobiles, and a chair on the grass; afterwards, snow begins to fall in the region as a result of the blizzard's monster storm effect. In the second half of the video, the entire area is blanketed in snow, making it challenging to discern what lies beneath the snow.
Watch the video here:
48 hour timelapse of Blizzard in 60 seconds. pic.twitter.com/tPjrUFnmzR
— Weird and Terrifying (@weirdterrifying) December 29, 2022
The video has become so extremely viral on the internet that it has received over 3 million views and more than 50,000 likes. Many viewers left comments on this lovely but unsettling video.
Meanwhile, the American National Weather Service predicted that by the weekend, temperatures will rise to about 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius), although officials issued a warning that snowmelt could result in minor floods.
The extreme weather over the weekend sent temperatures below freezing in all mainland US states, including in Texas along the Mexico border, where some arriving migrants have struggled to find shelter.
At one point on Saturday, nearly 1.7 million customers were without electricity in the biting cold, according to the tracker PowerOutage.us.
Road ice and whiteout conditions also led to the temporary closure of some of the nation's busiest transport routes, including part of the cross-country Interstate 70 highway.
The perfect storm of fierce snow squalls, howling wind, and sub-zero temperatures forced the cancellation of thousands of flights in recent days, including around 5,900 on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to tracking site FlightAware.com.
(With inputs from AFP)
Trinamool Congress spokesperson Saket Gokhale was arrested by Gujarat police from Delhi late Thursday evening in a case of alleged misuse of money he had collected through crowdfunding, said a senior official here.
Gokhale was arrested by the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch and was being brought here for further legal process, said the senior police official, adding that they would arrive by Friday afternoon.
This was for the third time Gokhale was arrested this month by Gujarat Police.
He was first arrested by the Cyber Crime Branch on December 6 for allegedly spreading fake news regarding the cost incurred on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Morbi town following a bridge collapse tragedy.
On December 1, Gokhale had shared a news clipping about information purportedly obtained through the Right to Information claiming that Modi's visit to Morbi after the bridge collapse cost Rs 30 crore.
Soon after he received bail from a court here, the TMC leader was again arrested on December 8 by the Morbi police for the same offence registered there. He was granted bail the next day.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Twinkle Khanna shared a glimpse of her birthday festivities with her friends and family members. She shared a set of pictures from the celebrations at a lush green location. The first picture features Twinkle with husband Akshay Kumar. The other picture features the birthday girl with Akshay, son Aarav, daughter Nitara and friends. Twinkle captioned the post: "The perfect birthday with all the people I love the most. Thank you for your lovely wishes and here is wishing you all a wonderful new year ahead." She added the hashtag #thefeastinthefields to her post. Bobby Deol, who co-starred with Twinkle in Barsaat, commented "Happy, happy birthday." Malaika Arora added, "Happy birthday my dear Tina."
See Twinkle Khanna's post here:
Meanwhile, Akshay Kumar wished Twinkle Khanna with a fun albeit adorable video of her singing and dancing. He captioned it: "While you may be glad to have missed my live performance the other day, I'm glad I get to witness you and all your madness every single day! But as much as I love you, I really think you should stop singing. And Happy birthday Tina."
This morning, Twinkle Khanna shared a special post for her late father and legendary actor Rajesh Khanna on his birth anniversary. She posted a throwback picture and captioned it: "A bittersweet shared birthday and a lifetime of memories."
Twinkle Khanna is a woman of many hats. She is a celebrated columnist and the author of Pyjamas Are Forgiving, The Legend Of Lakshmi Prasad and Mrs Funnybones - all of which were best-sellers. Twinkle is also an interior decorator, the owner of The White Window, and a film producer. Her last project as a film producer was the National Award-winning film PadMan, which starred her husband Akshay Kumar in the lead role. She also runs a digital content company called Tweak India.
Mukesh Ambani is hosting Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's engagement party at his house Antilia in Mumbai. Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt, Janhvi Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and Ayan Mukerji led the celeb roll call. Shah Rukh Khan arrived with his manager Pooja Dadlani, while Alia and Ranbir were pictured arriving with Ayan. The star couple were pictured walking hand-in-hand. Janhvi Kapoor looked pretty in a pink saree. Ranveer Singh looked dashing in a blue ensemble, and the actor happily waved at the shutterbugs stationed at the venue.
Check out the pictures below:
Zaheer Khan and Sagarika Ghatge were also pictured arriving at Ambani's house in Mumbai.
The newly engaged couple, Anant and Radhika, was also pictured arriving at their house.
Check out the pictures below:
Mukesh Ambani's younger son Anant Ambani today got engaged to Radhika Merchant (the daughter of industrialist Viren Merchant, CEO of a pharmaceutical manufacturing company). The couple had a traditional Roka ceremony at the Shrinathji Temple in Nathdwara, Rajasthan.
Fights and arguments between airline crew members and passengers have become a common occurrence these days. However, in a welcome change, a new video has surfaced on Twitter showing an IndiGo air hostess administering mid-air medical assistance to a passenger.
A Twitter user named Irfan Ansari who was a passenger on the same flight recorded the video and shared it on his account. He wrote, "Dear IndiGo, please reward both cabin crew. I know it is their job but the way they are treated I believe our own relative also will not take care the way they did. Salute! Big respect to the girls and IndiGo."
According to the text inserted in the video, the airline was flying from Doha to Delhi on December 27. The 45-second clip shows an air hostess giving mid-air treatment to a passenger after he was injured by the lid of a baggage compartment. The crew member first gently puts ointment on the wounded finger and then goes on to put a band-aid on it. The passenger could also be heard thanking her for the assistance.
Watch the video here:
Dear @IndiGo6E Please reward the both cabin crew, I know its there job but the way they treated i believe our own relative also will not take care the way they did, Salute🫡, Big respect to the girls and @IndiGo6E 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻💐🇮🇳💐@DGCAIndia pic.twitter.com/m1WmdEVa69
— Irfan Ansari (@irfanhasan1986) December 28, 2022
Internet users appreciated the air hostess for taking such good care of the passenger. One user wrote, ''Great work,'' while another heaped praises on her and commented, ''An excellent example of Angels in the sky.'' A third said, ''Kudos to crew.''
IndiGo also responded to the social media user's tweet and wrote, ''Thank you for sharing this with us and appreciating our crew, Mr. Ansari. They are truly angels in the sky, providing excellent care and attention to our customers.''
See the post here:
Thank you for sharing this with us and appreciating our crew, Mr Ansari. They are truly angels in the sky, providing excellent care and attention to our customers🙂. #WeCareForYou #Inspiration #PassengerDelight #GoIndiGo https://t.co/1wnLaQ3y6s
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 29, 2022
The heartwarming incident comes days after a video of a heated argument between a passenger and one of the crew members of IndiGo airline went viral on social media, making national headlines. The argument between the passenger and the air hostess was regarding meals served on board.
To address potential financial stability risks and protect investors, it is important to arrive at a common approach to crypto assets, the Financial Stability Report released by RBI said on Thursday. In this context, various options are being considered internationally, it said.Mukesh Ambani is hosting Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's engagement party at his house Antilia in Mumbai. Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt, Janhvi Kapoor and Ayan Mukerji led the celeb roll call. Shah Rukh Khan arrived with his manager Pooja Dadlani, while Alia and Ranbir were pictured arriving with Ayan. Ranbir looked dashing in a black kurta pyjama set, while Alia looked beautiful in a greet suit. Janhvi Kapoor looked pretty in a pink saree. Check out the pictures below:
The newly engaged couple, Anant and Radhika, was also pictured arriving at their house. For the occasion, Anant opted for a maroon ensemble, while Radhika looked pretty in a peach suit set.
Check out the pictures below:
Mukesh Ambani's younger son Anant Ambani today got engaged to his childhood friend Radhika Merchant (the daughter of industrialist Viren Merchant, CEO of a pharmaceutical manufacturing company). The couple had a traditional Roka ceremony at the Shrinathji Temple in Nathdwara, Rajasthan.
Shamita Shetty has treated her Insta family to an adorable picture with her sister Shilpa Shetty. The sisters, who are having the time of their lives in London with their family, are happily posing for the camera. In the image, Shilpa looked pretty in a white turtle neck sweater paired with a black and brown checkered jacket, while Shamita can be seen in a beige turtle neck sweater layered with a black jacket. Sharing the post, she wrote, "Sisters ... means you always have back up," followed by a heart emoticon.
Soon after Shamita shared the post, Shilpa was quick to comment, "Mine." Check out the post below:
Shetty sisters are goals and often share adorable pictures with each other on their respective Instagram profiles. A few weeks ago, Shilpa shared a hilarious video on her Instagram handle and captioned it as "Reel ki feel thi Lekin lyric ka lip-sync nahin tha." Check out the post below:
Meanwhile, they are busy holidaying in London and keep their Insta family updated by sharing pictures and videos.
On Christmas, Shilpa shared a video in which she along with her husband Raj Kundra, kids Viaan and Samisha, mom Sunanda Shetty and sister Shamita, can be seen celebrating the festival. In the caption, she wrote, "The best kind of Christmas is celebrating and spending this precious time with family at home and this year is special as it's a first for Samisha. All I wish is to keep the child within us alive... always."
Here have a look:
Check out more posts from their London diaries below:
On the work front, Shilpa Shetty will be next seen in Rohit Shetty's web series Indian Police Force.
Indian Railways is gearing up to commence trial runs of short-distance Vande Metro trains in July, alongside the launch of the sleeper versi...
