Messi confirms Qatar final will be last World Cup game of his life

Beltangady, Jan 10: Traffic on the treacherous Charmadi Ghat came to an abrupt halt on Friday night after a wild elephant descended onto the roadway between the second and third hairpin bends, triggering over an hour of complete chaos.

The dramatic encounter unfolded around 9.45 p.m. when the elephant reportedly uprooted a tree and positioned itself squarely in the middle of the narrow ghat stretch, calmly feasting while motorists watched in fear. With the massive animal refusing to budge, a long queue of vehicles quickly formed on both sides of the road.

Several motorists cautiously attempted to drive the elephant back toward the forest, but the lone tusker remained unmoved, leaving travellers stranded deep inside the ghat section.

Eyewitnesses stated that the situation became even more distressing as the location had no mobile network connectivity, preventing stranded commuters from contacting authorities or alerting others about the danger ahead.

The standoff finally eased only after the elephant slowly retreated into the darkness of the forest, allowing trapped vehicles to inch forward and continue their journey.

Kannada and Tamil television actor Nandini CM has reportedly died by suicide at a paying guest accommodation in Bengaluru, shocking the television industry. She was 26.

Kengeri Police have registered an Unnatural Death Report (UDR No. 76/2025) under Section 194 of the BNSS Act, 2023. The incident is believed to have occurred between 11:16 pm on December 28, 2025, and 12:30 am on December 29, 2025. It was reported to the police the same day at around 9:15 am.

The incident took place on the second floor of the PG in Kengeri. According to the FIR, Nandini completed her PUC in Ballari in 2018 and later enrolled in an engineering course at RR Institute, Hesaraghatta. However, her interest in acting led her to discontinue regular college attendance and pursue acting training in Rajarajeshwari Nagar.

Since 2019, she had acted in several Kannada television serials and had been residing in PG accommodations in Bengaluru. She moved to the Kengeri PG in August 2025.

Following her father’s death in 2023, Nandini was offered a government job on compassionate grounds but reportedly declined, choosing to continue her acting career. This reportedly caused disagreements at home.

On December 29, around 3:45 am, Kengeri Police informed the family that Nandini had been found hanging in her PG room. The family reached Bengaluru at approximately 8:00 am to gather details about the incident.

Police said that on the evening of December 28, Nandini had visited her friend Puneeth’s house and returned to the PG around 11:23 pm, locking her room from the inside. When Puneeth tried calling her later without success, he alerted the PG manager, Kumar, and the in-charge, Kiran, around 11:50 pm. When they forced the door open, Nandini was found hanging from the window grille using a veil cloth. Emergency services and police arrived, confirming her death on the spot.

The family stated that Nandini had expressed in her diary her desire to continue acting and her reluctance to take up a government job, mentioning that her feelings were not understood by them. Based on this, the family has no suspicions or allegations against anyone regarding her death.

Further investigation is underway by PSI Hanumantha Hadimani of Kengeri Police Station.

Caracas / Washington: The United States said it carried out military strikes inside Venezuela early Sunday after multiple explosions were reported in Caracas and several other regions, triggering panic and widespread damage. Videos circulating on social media showed thick plumes of smoke, fires, and damaged buildings following the blasts.

In response to the developments, Venezuelan authorities declared a state of emergency, citing what they described as an act of foreign aggression.

As the situation unfolded, former US President Donald Trump made a sensational and unverified claim on his social media platform, Truth Social, alleging that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores had been “captured” and flown out of the country. Trump said he would address the issue at a press conference from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.

“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolás Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country,” Trump claimed in his post.

The US administration has not released any official evidence to support the claim.

Several countries, including Venezuela’s neighbours, condemned the reported US military action, warning that it violated international law and threatened regional stability.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, addressing state television, rejected the US narrative and said the whereabouts of President Maduro and the First Lady were unknown, demanding proof from Washington.

“We do not know the whereabouts of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. We demand proof of life,” Rodríguez said.

As of now, there has been no independent confirmation of Trump’s claims, while the alleged US action has drawn sharp criticism for escalating tensions and displaying what regional leaders described as reckless disregard for sovereignty and international norms.