Visit India to see Cheetah in all its splendour: PM Modi on International Cheetah Day
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said Project Cheetah was an effort to revive lost ecological heritage and urged wildlife enthusiasts to visit India to see the wild cat in all its splendour.
In a post on X on International Cheetah Day, the prime minister extended best wishes to "all wildlife lovers and conservationists dedicated to protecting the cheetah, one of the planet's most remarkable creatures."
"Three years ago, our Government launched Project Cheetah with the aim of safeguarding this magnificent animal and restoring the ecosystem in which it can truly flourish. It was also an effort to revive lost ecological heritage and strengthen our biodiversity," Modi said.
He said India is proud to be home to several cheetahs, and a significant number of them are born on Indian soil.
Many of them now thrive in the Kuno National Park and the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary.
"It is heartening to see cheetah tourism growing in popularity as well. I encourage more wildlife enthusiasts from across the world to visit India and witness the cheetah in all its splendour," the prime minister said.
"Our progress in cheetah conservation has been possible only through the collective support of our people, especially our dedicated Cheetah Mitras.
"Protecting wildlife and living in harmony with nature are integral to India's civilisational ethos and we see that spirit alive today in these efforts," the prime minister said.
India's ambitious efforts to reintroduce the cheetah to its natural habitats have entered a promising new phase, with significant progress recorded in population growth, habitat expansion, and international partnerships, officials said.
A total of 20 cheetahs were introduced into Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh - eight from Namibia in September 2022 and 12 from South Africa in February 2023.
Many had doubts when the cheetah was reintroduced, but these have now proved to be wrong, officials said.
As of December 2025, India sustains a thriving population of 32 cheetahs, of which 21 are India-born cubs.
In a recent milestone, an India-born female Mukhi delivered five healthy cubs in November 2025.
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Raphinha apologizes for gesture toward Atletico fans after Barcelona's Champions League elimination
Madrid (AP): Barcelona forward Raphinha has apologized for his gesture toward Atletico Madrid fans after his team's elimination in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
Raphinha, who didn't play on Tuesday because of a hamstring injury, also criticized the refereeing, making the “robbed” sign with his hands, and later told reporters that Barcelona was “robbed" over the two legs.
The Brazil star is likely to face punishment from UEFA for his actions at the Metropolitano stadium.
While still on the field, he gestured toward Atletico supporters and made a gesture apparently indicating that the rival will be eliminated in the next round. He appeared to tell fans “you are out."
“I apologize for my gesture, which does not reflect my values ??or character,” Raphinha said on Wednesday in a comment to a DAZN post that showed him gesturing to the crowd. "It was an act in a moment of tension, in response to a fan who was disrespecting me.”
Barcelona, seeking to return to the semifinals of the Champions League for the second season in a row, won 2-1 on Tuesday but it wasn't enough to overcome a 2-0 loss at home in the first leg last week.
Atletico goalkeeper Juan Musso said it was nonsense for Raphinha to say Barcelona was robbed.
“I respect everyone's opinion, but let's not say that it was a robbery, because it wasn't like that,” Musso said. "We won it on the field. We won 2-0 on the road. It's a team that we respect a lot and are very motivated to play against. It's a great team, but I think that to talk about robbery is just crazy.”
Raphinha did not immediately apologize for his comments about the refereeing.
“To me, it was robbed',” he told reporters on Tuesday. “Not only this match, but the other one as well. The refereeing was very bad. Incredible the decisions that they made. Atletico made a lot of fouls and the referee didn't show a single yellow card.”
Other players also criticized the refereeing over the two legs.
President-elect Joan Laporta said Wednesday that the refereeing was “shameful” and “inadmissible,” and said the club planned to present a formal complaint with UEFA.
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