News Arena Network

Vats Ambardar

The prestigious Polavaram multipurpose project considered the lifeline of Andhra Pradesh, is at the centre of a political war of words, with the Telugu Desam Party (TD) and YSR Congress blaming each other for the inordinate delay in completing the project.
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The central government accorded national project status to Polavaram in tune with the assurances given at the time of the bifurcation of the combined AP ten years ago.
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However, the mega project, being built across river Godavari to provide irrigation facility to over seven lakh acres of farmland in coastal Andhra besides producing 960 MW power, has been bogged by delays and political obstacles.
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Releasing a white paper on the project at a press conference in Vijayawada on Saturday, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, whose TDP stormed to power in the recent elections, alleged that the project was pushed into deep uncertainty because of the omissions and commissions of the previous YSRCP government.
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"Due to inefficient planning and unnecessary changes in the executing agency, the project was rescheduled to be completed by June 2021. Later, the completion schedule was extended to June 2022 and then again to June 2023, putting the project under deep uncertainty,&rdquo; Naidu said.
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The Chief Minister also alleged that the previous regime had diverted more than Rs 3,385.58 crore released by the Centre towards the completion of works on Polavaram.
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&ldquo;The damage from the previous government's omissions and commissions stands at around Rs 4,900 crore. The first three units of the Polavaram Hydroelectric Project were scheduled to be completed by November 2021. The other six units were to be commissioned within six months thereafter. Non-commissioning of these units has resulted in the non-availability of cheap power to the state and has hence resulted in a loss of more than Rs 3000 crore up to May 2024. This loss will continue to increase as the project's completion is further delayed,&rdquo; the white paper said.
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He observed that had the executing agency not been changed and had the project planning been proper, the project would have been completed in time to release water for the Kharif crop in 2020.
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Giving comparative expenditure figures, Naidu said an amount of Rs 11,762.47 crore was spent on the project between April 1, 2014 and May 31, 2019, when the TDP was in power. In contrast, between June 1, 2019, and May 31, 2024, the Jagan Mohan Reddy government had spent only Rs 4,996.53 crore, though the Central government had released an amount of Rs 8,382.11 crore to the state for completion of Polavaram project works.
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&ldquo;Thus, an amount of Rs 3,385.58 crore was diverted by the previous government for other schemes, instead of spending the same on the Polavaram project,&rdquo; Naidu alleged.
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He said the diversion of funds had badly affected the progress of the works of the project, including land acquisition and rehabilitation and resettlement (R&amp;R) of the project evacuees.
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Payment of bills amounting to Rs 2,697 crore was still pending as of May 31, 2024. &ldquo;All the executing agencies of the project have practically stopped work due to non-payment of their pending bills,&rdquo; he said.
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The chief minister said during the five-year regime of the YSRCP, the project works had come to a virtual standstill. Only 3.84% of civil works were executed, while no work was carried out on the right and left main canals and distributary network.
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Giving a detailed explanation in the white paper on what went wrong with the Polavaram project in the last five years, Naidu said the decision of the Jagan government to pre-close the agreement signed with the original contractor and allotting the works to a new contractor in the name of reverse tendering led to the whole chaos.
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&ldquo;Within a day of taking over as the chief minister, Jagan directed stoppage of works of the Polavaram project by the executing agencies &mdash; Navayuga Engineering Company Ltd and Bekem Infra Projects Private Ltd &mdash; in June 2019 and ordered termination of their contracts,&rdquo; he said.
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The chief minister pointed out that the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) which was specially constituted by the Government of India to execute the project, had observed at its meeting on August 13, 2019, that there was no ground nor was there any necessity for pre-closure of the contracts and re-tendering of works, in view of satisfactory progress of works by the existing contractors.
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&ldquo;It also warned of additional financial liability on the state government and said the Centre cannot be made accountable for the cost overrun,&rdquo; Naidu said.

Vijayawada

Political war of words over AP’s Polavaram project

parvesh_kapoor

Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa missed out on becoming a joint leader at the the Superbet Classic chess tournament after settling for a draw against compatriot D Gukesh in the third round at Bucharest, Romania.
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After losing to Gukesh in the last Candidates tournament in April earlier this year, Praggnanandhaa had a great opportunity to equalise the score this year but could not find a winning continuation after Gukesh spoiled a drawn endgame.
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The Catalan opening saw Gukesh sacrificing a pawn early and Praggnanandhaa had his share of counterplay on the Queen side. As things unfolded, Gukesh recovered the pawn with an optical advantage with his Knight against a slightly bad Bishop of Praggnanandhaa.
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With the intricacies of the middle game over, Gukesh decided to part with a pawn and reached a Queen and rook endgame that should have been an easy draw but a blunder on his 53rd move saw a forced liquidation leading to a King and pawns endgame.
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On another day, Praggnanandhaa may have found the winning continuation to become a joint leader but luck smiled on Gukesh and the game was drawn a few moves later.
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For the first time in three days, all the five games in the ten-player double round-robin tournament ended in draws. The other player coming close to a win was Maxime Vachier-Lagrave who almost pulled it off against his French teammate Alireza Firouzja.
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It was a Berlin defense game wherein Firouzja won the opening battle for the third day running getting a balanced position easily as black.
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However, a late error in the queen-less middle game, saw Vachier-Lagrave seize the initiative and it should have been a win that slipped out of hands for the older Frenchman.
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With all games ending in draws, the lead positions remained unchanged and Gukesh continued to be at the top of the tables along with Fabiano Caruana of United States who drew a keenly contested game against Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan.
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With both leaders on two points, Vachier-Lagrave, Praggnaandhaa, Alireza, Wesley So, Giri and Nepomniachtchi share the third spot on 1.5 points apiece.
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Another half point behind is Abdusattorov and Bogdan Daniel with six rounds still remaining in the USD 350000 prize money tournament.
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Dutchman Anish Giri played out an easy draw on his 30th birthday against Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi with both players giving nothing away and this was also the first game to end in the day.
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Deac Bogdan-Daniel of Romania played out his second draw in the tournament holding off a slightly worse endgame for more than a couple hours against Wesley So of United States.
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Results round 3: D Gukesh (Ind, 2) drew with R Praggnanandhaa (Ind, 1.5); Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra, 1.5 drew with Firouza Alireza (Fra, 1.5); Anish Giri (Ned, 1.5) drew with Ian Nepomniachtchi (FID, 1.5); Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb, 1) drew with Fabiano Caruana (Usa, 2); Wesley So (Usa, 1.5) drew with Deac Bogdan-Daniel (Rom, 1).

Bucharest

Praggnanandhaa let's Gukesh off the hook on a day of draws

Deepan

Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud cautioned against the perception of courts as temples of justice and judges as deities during his address at the East Zone-II Regional Conference of the National Judicial Academy in Kolkata on Saturday.
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He pointed out the importance of judges viewing themselves as servants of the people, rather than exalted figures.
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"Too very often, we are addressed as Honour or as Lordship or as Ladyship. There is a very grave danger when people say that the court is a temple of justice. It is a grave danger that we perceive ourselves as the deities in those temples," observed CJI Chandrachud. He stressed that this mindset is perilous and must be avoided. 
The CJI proposed a shift in perspective, advocating for judges to be seen as individuals who serve the public. "I would rather recast the role of the judge as a server of the people.&nbsp;And when you regard yourselves as people who are there to serve others, then you bring in the notion of compassion, of empathy, of judging but not being judgmental about others," he added. 
CJI Chandrachud further cited the need for compassion in judicial proceedings, especially when sentencing in criminal cases.
 "Even while sentencing anyone in a criminal case, judges do so with a sense of compassion, as in the end, it is a human being who is sentenced," he said. 
Highlighting the importance of constitutional morality, the CJI stressed the values of diversity, inclusion, and tolerance. "These concepts of Constitutional morality&hellip; are the key, not just for the judges of the Supreme Court or the High Court but also for the district judiciary itself because the engagement of the common citizens begins first and foremost with the district judiciary," he stated.

Kolkata

Court not a temple, judges not gods: Chandrachud

The Union government has approved a 40 per cent hardship and risk allowance for NDRF rescuers, keeping in mind the tough operations undertaken by them, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Saturday.
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He said this while welcoming a 35-member expedition team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) that recently scaled the 21,625-foot-high Mt Manirang in Himachal Pradesh.
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"The government has approved a 40 per cent risk and hardship allowance for NDRF personnel only yesterday. This has been a long pending demand... All the 16,000 personnel of the force will benefit from this," Shah said after welcoming the expedition named 'Vijay'.
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Officials said this allowance would be granted over and above salaries. Special forces like the National Security Guard (NSG) and the Special Protection Group (SPG) get a 25 per cent hardship allowance owing to the special charter of their duties.
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This is the second mountaineering expedition undertaken by the federal contingency force. The team was flagged off on June 1 from here. Mt Manirang is located along the border of Kinnaur and Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh.
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Shah said the government has also decided to make sports a "culture" for the various Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and special organisations like the NDRF. It has been decided that at least one team from these forces will mandatorily participate in international and national tournaments, he added.
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"A committee under the chairmanship of the director of the Intelligence Bureau has been constituted and a roadmap has been prepared. We will soon present a new model," the minister said.
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Shah also underlined that forces like the NDRF should ensure that the policy of "zero casualty" during disasters is followed and no lives are lost during calamities.
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"We have come a long way... the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been working on the concept of zero casualties during disasters for the last 10 years," he said.
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Shah said his government has allocated higher funds for capacity building and training of the NDRF and state disaster response forces by allocating Rs 2 lakh crore during 2014-24 as compared to Rs 66,000 crore during 2004-14.
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He complimented the NDRF team for the successful expedition, saying such exercises will boost the force's capabilities and morale and it will be able to do better during disasters and accident operations.
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Shah cautioned the rescuers that they should not rest on their laurels but keep improving.
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The NDRF was raised in 2006 as a federal contingency and disaster response force and at present, has a strength of more than 18,000 men and women rescuers deployed across the country as part of 16 battalions and 28 RRCs.
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It undertakes operations to mitigate and combat man-made and natural disasters like earthquakes, floods and train accidents among others.&nbsp;
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New Delhi

40 pc risk allowance for NDRF rescuers: HM Shah

The Andaman and Nicobar Police have effectively disposed of seized drugs valued at ₹475 crore, as per an official statement released on Saturday.
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This large-scale drug disposal event was initiated on June 26, coinciding with the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, and continued for several days under the oversight of the Drug Disposal Committee.
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The committee was chaired by Varsha Sharma, DIG (Law and Order), with SP CID Rajeev Ranjan as a committee member.
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The disposal process involved the destruction of a substantial quantity of narcotics, including 238.416 kg of methamphetamine, 67.636 kg of ganja, 1.060 kg of cocaine, 21 cannabis plants, 76 grams of charas, 546 bottles of codeine-based syrup, and 553 tablets of alprazolam.
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These substances were destroyed at GB Pant Hospital.
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Director General of Police, Devesh Chandra Srivastava confirmed that the entire destruction procedure was thoroughly video-documented and conducted in strict adherence to legal protocols.&nbsp;
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He pointed out the importance of public cooperation in the fight against drugs, urging citizens to provide information about drug peddlers.
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"I have directed our officers to diligently track the forward and backward linkages of all cases registered under the NDPS Act and to enforce stringent action against offenders," added the DGP.

Andaman & Nicobar Island

Andaman police destroys drugs worth ₹475 crore

Subhash Mendhapurkar, a prominent social activist and Founder of the Society for Social Uplift through Rural Action (SUTRA), passed away this morning at his residence in Jagjitnagar near Kasauli, Solan district, Himachal Pradesh. He was 75 years old and had been unwell for some time.
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Originally from Solapur, Maharashtra, Mendhapurkar graduated from the Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS), Mumbai. Over four and a half decades ago, he chose to work in Himachal Pradesh, focusing on social justice, women's self-reliance, rural self-governance, and healthcare. In 1985, he founded SUTRA with its headquarters in Jagjit Nagar, Solan district.
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Mendhapurkar was a true leader in the social sector, known for his impactful work in Himachal Pradesh. His vision, advocacy, and efforts significantly benefited rural communities. He also played a role in policy-making at the national level.
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He mentored many social activists through SUTRA, both nationally and internationally. Mendhapurkar was instrumental in forming the Ekal Nari Shakti Sangathan (ENSS) in 2005, which now has over 18,000 members, including widows, divorced, deserted, and unmarried women. ENSS advocates for women's rights and influences government policies to be more inclusive of single women.
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Under Mendhapurkar's leadership, SUTRA's efforts to curb female foeticide led to an improved sex ratio, particularly in Solan district. His model of community outreach and collaboration with the government has been studied by many researchers, demonstrating its success despite political and administrative challenges.
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Nirmal Chandel, the state convener of ENSS, praised Mendhapurkar's dedication to empowering the rural population of Himachal Pradesh. Chandel shared her personal experience of how Mendhapurkar supported her after she became widowed, ultimately mobilising her to lead ENSS.
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&ldquo;He did exemplary work and brought significant changes in the lives of many rural men and women who were unaware and had no access to the system. His demise is an irreparable loss for society,&rdquo; Chandel said.
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Social activists across various sectors have mourned Mendhapurkar's death, recognising him as a role model for youth aspiring to work with marginalised communities.

Shimla

HP loses tireless activist Subhash Mendapurkar

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Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma, on Friday, recounted his pivotal decision to resign as an IPS officer in 1984 to facilitate peace negotiations between the Indian government and the then-underground Mizo National Front (MNF).
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Addressing the celebration of 'Remna Ni,' a term marking the anniversary of the historic peace accord, Lalduhoma revealed that his resignation came at the behest of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and ex-MNF president Laldenga.
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"I resigned from the Indian Police Service at the request of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Laldenga to bring peace in Mizoram. After I left my job, I also met Laldenga in London and discussed various demands of the MNF from the Indian government," Lalduhoma stated.
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He disclosed that he spent five days in London after quitting his position to engage in discussions with Laldenga, focusing on the demands of the MNF.
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The 'Remna Ni' celebrations, organised by the state's apex students' body, Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), took place on Friday.
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Although the pact was signed on June 30, 1986, the celebrations were advanced as the date fell on a Sunday this year.&nbsp;
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Lalduhoma expressed his gratitude to the MZP for their significant contributions to the peace process.
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He extended his thanks to all party leaders, churches, and the then chief secretary Lalkhama, who was a signatory of the peace accord, for their invaluable efforts in bringing about the peace agreement.
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Lalduhoma also called on all Zo people, spread across the world, to remain united. He opined that the crises faced by the Zo people in Manipur, Myanmar, and Bangladesh could serve as a catalyst for unity among the community.
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Since 2018, the MZP has been organizing statewide 'Remna Ni' celebrations to honour individuals and organisations that played crucial roles in the signing of the peace accord.
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This year, four former legislators who resigned in 1981 to advance the peace talks were felicitated.
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The Mizoram peace accord, signed on June 30, 1986, between the Centre and the MNF, marked the end of two decades of insurgency.
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The MNF, founded by Laldenga, initially protested against the Centre's inaction during the famine in the Mizo areas of Assam in the late '50s.
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The group resorted to armed struggle between 1966 and 1986 and was declared an outlaw organisation in 1967.
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In May 1971, a delegation from the Mizo district council met then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, demanding statehood for the Mizo people.
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Responding to this demand, the Centre granted Union Territory status to the Mizo Hills in January 1972.
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Subsequently, Mizoram became the 23rd state of India on February 20, 1987.
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Post-accord, the MNF transitioned into a political party and has governed Mizoram for several terms.
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It is currently the main opposition party in the state.
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Aizawl

CM Lalduhoma on quitting IPS for peace in Mizoram

Amarpreet Kaur

Four people died after a car collided head-on with a truck on the Hoshiarpur-Tanda road, today.
 The car, bearing a Jammu and Kashmir registration number, was coming from the Jammu side when it rammed into the truck near Adda Saran, about 25 kilometres from Hoshiarpur, they said.&nbsp;
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The truck driver fled the scene leaving his vehicle behind, the police said.
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Four of the five car occupants - two men, including the driver, and two children aged six and fourteen - died on the spot, while a woman riding the car was seriously injured, they said.
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The deceased and the woman are yet to be identified, the police said.
 The woman was referred to a hospital in Amritsar and the bodies have been sent for postmortem to Civil Hospital, Dasuya, they said.
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Deputy Superintendent of Police Harjit Singh said further investigation was underway.&nbsp;

Hoshiarpur

4 killed in truck-car collision near Hoshiarpur

Vicky Kaushal has finally reacted to rumours that he is expecting his first child with his wife Katrina Kaif, saying that he will share the good news with the world at an appropriate time.
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There has been speculation in the film industry that Kaushal and Kaif, who tied the knot in December 2021, will be welcoming their first child soon.
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Kaushal, 36, was asked about the rumours at the trailer launch of his upcoming movie, "Bad Newz", on Friday evening.
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"Main jab good news hogi tabhi jarur aapko bataunga. Jabhi time aayega we won't shy about announcing the news," the actor told reporters.
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Also starring Triptii Dimri and Ammy Virk, "Bad Newz" is described as a "rare comedy film inspired by true events" about heteropaternal superfecundation, a reproductive process in which twin children have the same mother, but different biological fathers.
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The film is directed by Anand Tiwari, who earlier worked with Kaushal on his 2018 directorial debut movie "Love Per Square Foot".
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"Bad Newz" is produced by Amazon Prime in association with Dharma Productions and Leo Media Collective.&nbsp;

Mumbai

Vicky reacts to Katrina's pregnancy rumours

Hollywood veteran Sigourney Weaver will be honoured with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 2024 Venice Film Festival.
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Weaver, who has been a part of several blockbuster projects across her career including "Gorillas in the Mist" as well as franchises like "Ghostbusters",
"Alien" and "Avatar", will receive the honour during the festival's 81st edition, which will be held from August 28 to September 7, said a press release posted on the official website of the festival.
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&ldquo;I am truly honoured to receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement from the Biennale di Venezia. To be gifted this award is a privilege I share with all the filmmakers and collaborators I have worked with throughout the years," Weaver said.
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Alberto Barbera, the director of the Venice Film Festival, said as a movie star, Weaver has built bridges between the "most sophisticated art-house cinema and movies that engage with the public in a frank and original way, all the while remaining true to herself&rdquo;.
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"As an authentic collaborator, rather than simply a malleable instrument in the hands of a director, she has contributed to the success of movies by James Cameron, Paul Schrader, Peter Weir, Michael Apted, Roman Polanski, Ivan Reitman, Mike Nichols, Ang Lee, and many others, each time imposing the mark of a complex personality -- at times contradictory but always authentic -- onto her own charismatic presence.
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"Endowed with a remarkable temperament, able to move with delicacy yet without fragility, she has created the image of a woman who is self-assured and determined, dynamic and resolute; at the same time, with endlessly different shadings, she allows her intensely magnetic, feminine sensitivity to filter through," he said.
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A three-time Oscar nominee, Weaver will be next seen in "Dust Bunny" alongside Mads Mikkelsen as well as "The Gorge" which also stars Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy.&nbsp;

New York

Golden Lion for Avatar star Sigourney Weaver

Shweta Sengar

'Kalki 2898 AD' earns Rs 298.5 cr globally in two days
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The producers announced on Friday that "Kalki 2898 AD," Nag Ashwin's 3D extravaganza, raked in a whopping Rs 298.5 crore in just two days at the worldwide box office.
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This high-budget film, which melds the Hindu epic Mahabharata with science fiction, was released in six languages - Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, and English - by Vyjayanthi Movies on Thursday.
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Starring Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Disha Patani, Saswata Chatterjee, and Shobhana, the star-studded movie recorded a gross box office collection of Rs 191.5 crore on the opening day and Rs 107 crore on Friday.
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"The love is pouring in from all corners of the world! #Kalki2898AD #EpicBlockbusterKalki," Vyjayanthi Movies posted on its official X page along with a poster stating that "Kalki 2898 AD" earned Rs 298.5 crore in two days.
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The film, formerly known as "Project K", is possibly the costliest movie ever made in Indian cinema, with a reported budget of Rs 600 crore.
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Numerous people gathered outside cinemas in various cities such as Hyderabad and Mumbai, and the early feedback was positive.
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The film has also received a huge shout from many celebrities, including megastar Rajinikanth, who called "Kalki 2898 AD" an "epic movie".
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"Watched Kalki. WOW! What an epic movie! Director @nagashwin7 has taken Indian Cinema to a different level. Hearty congratulations to my dear friend @AswiniDutt @SrBachchan @PrabhasRaju @ikamalhaasan @deepikapadukone and the team of #Kalki2898AD. Eagerly awaiting Part2. God Bless," Rajinikanth posted.

'Kalki 2898 AD' earns Rs 298.5 cr in 2 days

India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday, has predicted heavy rainfall for Delhi over the next 2 days, issuing an &lsquo;orange&rsquo; alert. The prediction comes a day after the monsoon arrived in the city with the heaviest downpour in 88 years.
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"Delhi is likely to receive moderate to heavy rainfall throughout the day, with an even heavier spell anticipated on Sunday and Monday," the IMD said.
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Parts of Delhi, including Rohini and Burari, received rainfall this morning. The weather office has forecast moderate to heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms over the next seven days.
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According to the IMD, moderate rain is defined as rainfall amounting to between 7.6 and 35.5 mm in a day, and heavy rain is rainfall amounting to between 64.5 and 124.4 mm in a day.
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Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 28 degrees Celsius on Saturday. The maximum temperature is likely to settle around 32 degrees Celsius, the IMD said.
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The humidity levels stood at 80 per cent.
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Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded in the 'moderate' category with a reading of 108 at 9 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.
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An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.
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The monsoon arrived in Delhi on Friday, raining devastation on a city ill-prepared for a three-hour downpour that led to the roof of Delhi airport's Terminal-1 collapsing, killing one person and suspending flight operations, and inundated many parts of the capital.
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Seven others were killed in rain-related incidents. The national capital recorded 228.1 mm of rainfall on Friday, the highest since 1936 for June.
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According to the IMD, 228.1 mm of rainfall was recorded at Safdarjung, the city's primary weather station, 192.8 mm at Lodhi Road, Mausam Bhavan, 150.4 mm at Ridge, 106.6 mm at Palam, and 66.3 mm at Ayanagar.

IMD issues orange alert for Delhi amid heavy rain

Indians are anticipated to shell out an additional ₹47,500 crore annually for data plans following recent tariff hikes by the country&rsquo;s top three telecom operators, Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone, a Kotak Institutional Equities research note revealed.
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The tariff revisions, implemented over a span of two days, aim to monetise new 5G services and mark an end to the prolonged price competition among telecom giants since 2016.
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Reliance Jio has increased prices by 13% to 27%, while Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea have raised tariffs by 10% to 21% and around 10% to 23%, respectively.
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Under the new pricing structure, Jio customers opting for a 5G data plan now face a minimum charge of ₹349 for a daily 2GB pack, up from ₹239 previously for 1.5GB per day.
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Similarly, Airtel subscribers looking for 5G connectivity must now opt for a ₹409 plan offering 2.5GB daily, compared to the earlier ₹239 plan with 1.5GB daily data.
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Bharti Airtel&rsquo;s MD Gopal Vittal and Vodafone Idea&rsquo;s CEO Akshaya Moondra pointed out the need for aligning India&rsquo;s telecom pricing with global standards, where users pay more based on data usage. Previously, Indian users paid a flat rate on average, irrespective of consumption.
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The price wars in India&rsquo;s telecom sector began when Jio attracted subscribers with low-cost services, prompting competitors like Airtel and Vodafone to follow suit to retain their customer base.

People to pay ₹47500 cr more post tele tariff hike

South Africa has asked the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to consider what the country called &ldquo;unscientific and discriminatory measures&rdquo; placed on citrus imported from the African nation by the European Union (EU).
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&ldquo;The regulations are being challenged by the South African government to protect the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people in the local citrus industry,&rdquo; said a joint statement by The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD), the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) and the Citrus Growers Association of Southern Africa (CGA).
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&ldquo;Currently, South African citrus growers are spending billions of rands per year to comply with measures that the industry considers unscientific and unnecessarily restrictive, as South Africa already has an effective world-class risk management system that ensures safe citrus exports. Emerging citrus growers are especially hit hard by the EU measures,&rdquo; the statement added.
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South Africa earlier this week requested the establishment of two panels at a meeting of the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to address the EU&rsquo;s regulations on two separate plant health issues -- Citrus Black Spot and False Codling Moth.
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The bodies said this was the first time that South Africa has taken a dispute to the WTO because a request by it to the EU for consultations had not produced any results.
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They said that besides the EU measures not being based on scientific principles and maintained without sufficient scientific evidence, the EU has failed to apply the measures in a uniform, impartial and reasonable manner.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;The measures are more trade-restrictive than required to achieve protection, and there are reasonably available alternatives which are technically and economically feasible, that would achieve protection in a significantly less trade-restrictive manner.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Last year we exported 36 per cent of all our citrus to the EU. That shows what an important market it is for our growers. It is the very foundation of citrus profitability in South Africa. Should the EU continue with the implementation of these measures, or intensify them in any way, the profitability of hundreds of growers will be negatively affected and the industry will suffer severe revenue and job losses,&rdquo; they said.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;The citrus industry supports 140,000 jobs at farm level alone. The government is acting to safeguard these livelihoods and the central role the citrus industry plays in so many of our rural communities," explained DALRRD Director-General Mooketsa Ramasodi.
&nbsp;
Justin Chadwick, CEO of the CGA, said the action was also potentially good news for the European consumers.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Their orange prices last summer were at an all-time high. However, if their supply is unfettered, consumers will benefit,&rdquo; Chadwick said.
&nbsp;
South Africa is the world&rsquo;s second-largest exporter of citrus, with its exceptional quality making it sought-after internationally.
&nbsp;
The local citrus industry is currently entering its peak winter export season with oranges heading to the ports. It is estimated that South Africa will export a total of 170 million 15 kg cartons this year.&nbsp;

Johannesburg

RSA takes EU to WTO over ‘arbitrary’ citrus rules

Pakistan&rsquo;s ambassador to the US has urged the US to provide small arms and modern equipment to his country to ensure the success of Operation Azm-i-Istehkam, Islamabad's newly approved counter-terrorism initiative.
&nbsp;
The decision to launch the 'Azm-e-Istehkam' operation was taken on June 22 at the apex committee meeting of the National Action Plan, a strategy approved in 2014 to eliminate militancy from the country.
&nbsp;
The federal government recently approved the reinvigorated national counter-terrorism drive.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Pakistan has launched Azm-i-Istehkam (&hellip;) to oppose and dismantle terrorist networks. For that, we need sophisticated small arms and communication equipment,&rdquo; Ambassador Masood Khan was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper.
&nbsp;
He made these remarks while addressing US policymakers, scholars, intelligentsia, and corporate leaders at a Washington think tank, the Wilson Centre, earlier this week.
&nbsp;
Khan elaborated that 'Azm-i-Istehkam' comprises three components: doctrinal, societal, and operational. He noted that work on the first two phases has already begun, with the third phase set to be implemented soon.
&nbsp;
The decision to launch a new anti-terror operation was taken when the country faced a new onslaught by the Tehreek-i-Taliban militants who, according to officials, are based in Afghanistan.
&nbsp;
Khan emphasised that Pakistan and the US should maintain strong security links, enhance intelligence cooperation, resume sales of advanced military platforms, and work on &ldquo;the sustainment of US-origin defence equipment&rdquo;.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;This is crucial for regional security and opposing the rising tide of terrorism that also threatens the interests of the US and its allies,&rdquo; he added.
Khan argued that the bilateral relationship should be based on ground realities and not be hindered by a few issues.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Secondly, one or two issues should not hold the entire relationship hostage,&rdquo; he noted.
&nbsp;
He pointed to high-level defence talks, frequent meetings, and joint military exercises like Inspired Union-2024, Falcon Talon, and Red Flag as examples of robust defence cooperation between Pakistan and the US.
&nbsp;
Khan also suggested that the US should consider Pakistan as a partner in its diplomatic efforts in Kabul and collaborate on counterterrorism and the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;In this era of renewed strategic competition, the US and Pakistan should build on existing partnerships and explore new horizons to establish the parameters of mutual interests,&rdquo; the envoy said.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;We should not base our engagement on the incongruity of expectations. Our ties should be anchored in ground realities, even as we aim for stronger security and economic partnerships. Secondly, one or two issues should not hold the entire relationship hostage,&rdquo; he said.
&nbsp;
Meanwhile, the US State Department expressed support to Pakistan.
&nbsp;
On June 26, While responding to questions State Department&rsquo;s spokesperson Matthew Miller said &ldquo;We support Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts to combat terrorism and ensure the safety and security of its citizens in a manner that promotes the rule of law and protection of human rights." &ldquo;Pakistani people have suffered tremendously from terrorist attacks. No country should have to suffer such acts of terror,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;

Washington D.C.

Pak seeks US arms for 'Operation Azm-i-Istehkam'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday greeted pilgrims on the start of the Amarnath Yatra, saying the 'darshan' of Lord Shiva is known to infuse immense energy in his followers.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
पवित्र अमरनाथ यात्रा के शुभारंभ पर सभी तीर्थयात्रियों को मेरी हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं। बाबा बर्फानी के दर्शन और वंदन से जुड़ी यह यात्रा शिवभक्तों में असीम ऊर्जा का संचार करने वाली होती है। उनकी कृपा से सभी श्रद्धालुओं का कल्याण हो, यही कामना है। जय बाबा बर्फानी!
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1806932239856652716?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
The annual Amarnath Yatra began early Saturday as the first batch of pilgrims left the twin base camps in Baltal and Nunwan to start their journey to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said. "My heartfelt best wishes to all pilgrims on the commencement of the holy Amarnath Yatra. This yatra associated with the darshan of Baba Barfani infuses immense energy in the devotees of Lord Shiva. May all devotees prosper with his blessings. Jai Baba Barfani,&rdquo; Modi said in a post on X in Hindi.
The 52-day pilgrimage will conclude on August 19.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

PM Modi greets Amarnath Yatra pilgrims

In a third such incident within three days, a canopy at the passenger pickup and drop area outside Rajkot Airport, Gujarat, collapsed on Saturday amid heavy rainfall.
&nbsp;
Fortunately, there were no reported injuries or casualties, according to preliminary information.
&nbsp;
This event follows a similar incident at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal-1, where a roof collapse on Friday resulted in the death of a 45-year-old cab driver and left eight others injured.
&nbsp;
The Delhi Airport mishap has led to the indefinite suspension of operations from Terminal 1, which manages approximately 200 flights daily. Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) reported that the partial collapse occurred around 5 a.m., likely due to heavy rainfall and strong winds.
&nbsp;
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu has responded to the Delhi incident by announcing compensation of ₹20 lakh for the family of the deceased and ₹3 lakh each for those injured.
&nbsp;
Additionally, the ministry has ordered a preliminary structural inspection of all airports nationwide to prevent further occurrences.
&nbsp;
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) under sections 304A (death by negligence) and 337 (causing hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code.
&nbsp;
In Gujarat, heavy rainfall continues as the southwest monsoon progresses further into the state.
&nbsp;
The India Meteorological Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in several areas, prompting the deployment of seven National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams in Kutch, Rajkot, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Gir Somnath, Bhavnagar, Narmada, and Valsad districts.
&nbsp;
A similar canopy collapse occurred on Thursday at Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur airport. A fabric canopy failed under the weight of accumulated rainwater, crushing a parked car beneath. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
&nbsp;
This terminal, worth ₹450 crore, was virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 10.
&nbsp;

Rajkot

Rajkot Airport canopy falls, third mishap in a row

OpenAI has recently introduced a new AI model called CriticGPT, which is designed to detect and fix errors in code produced by GPT-4.
&nbsp;
As described in a post on Thursday, the AI firm explained that CriticGPT utilises the reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF) framework, a method that blends machine output with human input to enhance AI systems.
&nbsp;
CriticGPT is still in development and is not yet accessible to users or testers. Its objective is to improve the quality of AI-generated code.
&nbsp;
OpenAI disclosed that during testing, individuals who used CriticGPT to review code produced by ChatGPT outperformed those who did not use the model 60% of the time. The research findings have been detailed in a recently published paper.
&nbsp;
The RLHF framework involves human evaluators, known as AI trainers, providing feedback on the AI's performance to help adjust and enhance the model's behaviour.
&nbsp;
Trainers deliberately introduced mistakes into code samples that already contained natural errors, and then provided example feedback on these mistakes. The model's ability to detect both naturally occurring and intentionally added errors was used to evaluate its performance.
&nbsp;
As per OpenAI, CriticGPT showed a 63 per cent enhancement in identifying code errors compared to ChatGPT. Nevertheless, the model does have its limitations. Its training has mainly focused on short code snippets and it has not yet been tested on longer, more intricate coding tasks.
&nbsp;
Furthermore, the model still struggles with producing inaccurate factual responses, an issue known as hallucination. Additionally, it has not been evaluated in situations where multiple errors are scattered throughout the code.

OpenAI unveils CriticGPT to improve GPT-4

Irish actor Chris O'Dowd's comedy series The Big Door Prize will not return for a third season on Apple TV+, according to entertainment news outlet Variety.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The streaming service has decided to cancel the series after its two-season run.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The show featured Josh Segarra, Gabrielle Dennis, Djouliet Amara, Justine Lupe, and Ally Maki and recently concluded its second season, with the final episode airing on June 12th.
&nbsp;
"The Big Door Prize" revolved around the mysterious machine's appearance in a small town, which promised to reveal everyone's true potential.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
This resulted in the residents changing their jobs, reconsidering their relationships, and questioning everything.
&nbsp;
The series, based on MO Walsh's book of the same name, was created by David West Read and produced by Skydance Television and CJ ENM/Studio Dragon.&nbsp;

Los Angeles

Apple TV+ axes 'The Big Door Prize' after S2

In a significant milestone for Meghalaya&rsquo;s agricultural sector, the state has successfully exported 3.5 metric tons of organically grown pineapples to the Middle East.
&nbsp;
This inaugural shipment of the season marks the fruition of a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Meghalaya State Agriculture Marketing Board and Lulu Group International.
&nbsp;
The agreement was inked in November 2023 during the &lsquo;World Food India&rsquo; event, in the presence of Hon'ble Agriculture Minister Dr. Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh.
&nbsp;
This year&rsquo;s pineapple exports have witnessed a notable increase in price realisation, attributed to superior fruit quality and effective market positioning.
&nbsp;
The state&rsquo;s agricultural produce continues to set benchmarks, following the successful export of 20 metric tons of GI-tagged Khasi mandarin to Dubai last year, which fetched double the price in comparison to local markets.
&nbsp;
This trend is expected to continue with the current pineapple consignment, which adheres to international standards and enhances Meghalaya&rsquo;s reputation as a purveyor of premium agricultural products, ensuring better returns for local farmers.
&nbsp;
The pineapples were meticulously sourced from various villages in the Tikirikilla block of West Garo Hills, under the aegis of the Muktidata Multipurpose Cooperative Society.
&nbsp;
As the season progresses, additional consignments from other regions of Khasi and Garo Hills are slated for dispatch, further boosting farmers' incomes.
&nbsp;
This export initiative is part of the broader 'Meghalaya Collectives,' a state government strategy aimed at collective marketing for small-scale farmers. The government&rsquo;s comprehensive support includes packaging, branding, testing, and marketing assistance to agri-entrepreneurs and farmer cooperatives.
&nbsp;
The initiative seeks to penetrate new domestic and international markets, leveraging modern trade channels, e-commerce platforms, and partnerships with prominent brands.
&nbsp;
In a recent venture, the Meghalaya government collaborated with Mother Dairy Fruit and Vegetable Pvt. Ltd., facilitating a trial shipment of 250 kilograms of pineapples to Delhi.
&nbsp;
These pineapples were showcased for sale and free sampling at 10 Safal retail outlets across Delhi, receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from consumers.
&nbsp;
Consequently, Mother Dairy Pvt. Ltd. has placed an order for over 300 metric tons for the current season, with plans to expand distribution to additional outlets as the season progresses.
&nbsp;
This trade is projected to offer nearly double the price realisation for pineapple farmers compared to local markets.
&nbsp;
Furthermore, Mother Dairy has committed to exploring similar market linkages for other spices and fresh produce from Meghalaya.
&nbsp;
Highlighting the state&rsquo;s commitment to promoting its agricultural produce, Hon&rsquo;ble Chief Minister Shri Conrad K Sangma recently visited a Safal outlet in New Delhi.
&nbsp;
This initiative aims to establish a consistent value chain, ensuring the regular availability of Meghalaya's fruits to customers in Delhi and beyond.
&nbsp;
Shri Manish Bandlish, Managing Director of Mother Dairy Fruit and Vegetable Pvt. Ltd., remarked, &ldquo;Introducing Meghalaya's pineapples into our product range showcases the region's rich agricultural diversity.
&nbsp;
We look forward to working closely with farmers, supported by the Government of Meghalaya, to offer more unique products from fruits to spices.&rdquo;

Shillong

Meghalaya's pineapple export to Middle East begins

Aam Aadmi Party, today, held a protest near the headquarters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on DDU Marg, demanding the release of party convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The protesters assembled at the AAP office close to the BJP headquarters on DDU Marg and raised slogans against the saffron party while demanding Kejriwal's release. They also carried placards against the "misuse" of central agency and for ending "dictatorship".
&nbsp;
Barricades have been put up and paramilitary personnel deployed at the site to stop the protesters, the officer said.
&nbsp;
Kejriwal was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the Delhi government's liquor excise policy.
&nbsp;
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested him on March 21, in a money-laundering case linked to the now-scrapped liquor policy. Kejriwal was then granted bail by a trial court that was stayed by the Delhi High Court.
&nbsp;
According to a senior police officer, arrangements were made to stop the protesters from marching towards the BJP headquarters since no permission was taken for the protest.
&nbsp;
If required, the protesters might be detained as Section 144 of the CrPC has already been imposed at DDU Marg, he added.&nbsp;

AAP protests near BJP HQ for Kejriwal's release

Bharatiya Janata Party is gearing up for the Haryana assembly elections with the party's first session of the state executive meeting being conducted on Saturday, in Panchkula, where strategy for the same will be laid out. The meeting is to be chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.&nbsp;
 Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the BJP's election in-charge for Haryana, co-in-charge Biplab Kumar Deb, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, his predecessor and Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar, and senior leader Saudan Singh were present during the session at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium.&nbsp;
 Besides preparing the outline for the elections, Shah will infuse fresh zeal and enthusiasm in the party workers, the leader added.
 Shah will also give tips to the party workers and share his roadmap and guidance for the polls, said the leader.
 Senior state-level BJP leaders, office-bearers, and around 4,500 party workers from all 90 assembly constituencies are attending the meeting.
 The first session of the extended state executive meeting was attended by Rajya Sabha member Subhash Barala, Lok Sabha MPs Naveen Jindal and Dharambir Singh, Haryana Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta, former MP Kuldeep Bishnoi, senior leaders OP Dhankar, Ram Bilas Sharma, ministers Mool Chand Sharma, JP Dalal, Kanwar Pal and Aseem Goel, MLAs, former ministers and other leaders.
 The party organised an exhibition at the venue, highlighting the state government's initiatives and schemes, including the abolition of minimum monthly charges for domestic electricity consumers and providing minimum support prices on 14 crops.
 On Friday, Chief Minister Saini claimed the public was happy with the government's achievements and schemes and had made up its mind to bring the BJP back.
 Alleging that the Congress spread lies during the Lok Sabha election campaign, he said the grand old party's politics of falsehood and greed had been exposed.
 Saini had claimed that the Congress would try to confuse the voters by coming up with "new lies and deceit" during the assembly election campaign as well.
 All party workers should go to the public and tell them that the Congress' aim was not to serve them but to assume power by lying, he had said.&nbsp;

Chandigarh

BJP holds strategy meet for Haryana assembly polls

The counting of votes in Iran's snap presidential election, held on Friday in the wake of Ebrahim Raisi's death in a helicopter crash, is currently underway.
Hard-line candidate Saeed Jalili, close to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is leading by a slight margin against moderate candidate Massoud Pezeshkian.
&nbsp;
Provisional results from Tehran's Interior Ministry show that over 14 million ballots have been counted so far.
&nbsp;
Pezeshkian has secured over 5.9 million votes, while Jalili has garnered more than 5.5 million. The voter turnout was around 40%, one of the lowest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
&nbsp;
The election is taking place amid growing public frustration over economic hardship and restrictions on political and social freedoms.
&nbsp;
Additionally, Iran faces escalating regional tensions due to the conflict between Israel and Iranian allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
&nbsp;
Iran's presidential election features a tightly controlled group of three hard-line candidates and one low-profile moderate.
&nbsp;
Despite Supreme Leader Khamenei handling significant state matters, including Tehran's nuclear program and militia support, the president influences domestic and foreign policy and manages daily government operations.
&nbsp;
Eligible voters include over 61 million Iranians aged 18 and above, with about 18 million aged between 18 and 30.
&nbsp;
Activists and opposition groups have widely used the Twitter hashtag #ElectionCircus to call for regime change.
&nbsp;
If no candidate achieves at least 50% plus one vote, including blank votes, a run-off round between the top two candidates will occur on the first Friday after the results are declared. Jalili and Pezeshkian are likely headed for a run-off, according to media reports.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Pezeshkian, who advocates economic reform, social liberalisation, and political pluralism, has said, "We will respect the hijab law, but there should never be
any intrusive or inhumane behaviour toward women," referencing the death of Masha Amini in 2022, which sparked widespread protests in Iran.

Tehran

Iranian presidential race heats up

At least five police personnel, including a deputy superintendent of police, were injured on Saturday after allegedly being attacked by a mob protesting against an anti-encroachment drive in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, officials said.
&nbsp;
A drive was launched in the Nagri area of Hiranagar to demolish an illegal place of worship that was resisted by a group of locals, the officials said.
&nbsp;
They turned violent and attacked the police, injuring five personnel, including a deputy superintendent.
&nbsp;
Reinforcements have been rushed to the area to restore law and order, the officials said.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Jammu

Mob attack injures 5 cops in JK's Kathua

The Barpeta Road police have apprehended nine individuals involved in a significant mark sheet scam at Gauhati University.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
According to authorities, the scam involved illicitly inflating marks on student records through financial transactions.
&nbsp;
Addressing the issue in Barpeta, Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma cited the seriousness of the situation.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
He confirmed that both the Assam Police and the CID are conducting a joint investigation, resulting in the apprehension of eight accused individuals thus far.
&nbsp;
The scandal came to light when authorities at Ganeshlal Choudhury College (GLC College) in Barpeta Road discovered discrepancies in the marks of Azizul Haque, a sixth-year undergraduate student.
&nbsp;
A case was swiftly registered at the Barpeta Road police station, although initial investigations by district police were reportedly inadequate, leading to Haque's release from custody.
&nbsp;
Local media played a pivotal role by bringing the mishandling of the investigation to the Chief Minister's attention.
&nbsp;
In response, Dr. Sarma ordered a thorough probe, uncovering the involvement of several university and college staff in the fraudulent activities.
&nbsp;
Among those arrested are Krishnan Krishnamurthy from Samastipur, Bihar, employed at Gauhati University, and Shivtosh Mahto, a junior computer assistant at Dhubri Law College.
&nbsp;
The arrests were made following coordinated raids by Barpeta and Dhubri police.
&nbsp;
The nine accused include Azizul Haque, Krishnan Krishnamurthy, Ismail Hussain of Kalgachia, Alamgir Khan of Amguri, Kalgachia, Moinul Haque of Bordanga, Kalgachia, Hamez Uddin of Nagaon, Aminul Islam, librarian at Langla College, Shivtosh Mahto of Dhubri Law College, and Abul Bacher of Langla Kalgachia.
&nbsp;
Cases have been registered against the accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, with additional arrests anticipated as the investigation progresses.
&nbsp;
Police authorities have refrained from making further comments to the media at this time.

Guwahati

Nine held in Gauhati University mark sheet scam

The Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC) of India Limited, in collaboration with the NGO Manav Vikas Sanstha, has introduced advanced health technology to government medical facilities at the Primary Health Centre in Chuchot, Leh.
&nbsp;
The Chuchot Primary Health Centre now boasts a state-of-the-art health ATM machine, capable of diagnosing over 46 health parameters.
&nbsp;
This innovative device offers residents quick and comprehensive health screenings, significantly enhancing healthcare accessibility and efficiency.
&nbsp;
In-charge Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Leh, Dolma Choskit, highlighted the machine's convenience and efficiency, noting its potential to revolutionise healthcare delivery in the region.
&nbsp;
Amit Kumar from ECGC Limited expressed enthusiasm for the new health ATM and said this state-of-the-art machine would benefit the community.
"This initiative reflects the commitment of central and state governments to provide quality and advanced healthcare to people in rural areas," he said.
&nbsp;
Kartikeya Tewari of Manav Vikas Sanstha provided an in-depth overview of the health ATM's capabilities.
&nbsp;
He said that the device is capable of measuring height, weight, body temperature, detection of glucose levels in blood, haemoglobin range and as well as blood pressure.
&nbsp;
It is also capable of detecting several other diseases including cardiovascular ones. "He said the machine performs both invasive and non-invasive blood tests and does heart check-ups and tests for diseases such as dengue, malaria, and Typhoid."
&nbsp;
This innovative technological advancement especially in medical sciences will provide a boost to the healthcare setup in the Ladakh region, ensuring that residents have access to comprehensive medical screenings and timely diagnosis, ultimately contributing to improved health outcomes.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Leh admin installs a state-of-the-art health ATM

Five soldiers, including a junior commissioned officer, lost their lives when their T-72 tank sank in the Shyok river near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Nyoma-Chushul area in Ladakh early Saturday due to flash floods, as per officials.
&nbsp;
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed sadness regarding the tragic incident.
&nbsp;
The unfortunate event took place near Mandir Morh, 148 km from the location, during a drill at approximately 1 am, according to officials.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;On 28 June, 2024 night, while de-inducting from a military training activity, an Army tank got stuck in the Shyok River, near Saser Brangsa, eastern Ladakh due to sudden increase in the water level.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Rescue teams rushed to the location, however, due to high current and water levels, the rescue mission didn't succeed and the tank crew lost their lives. Indian Army regrets loss of five brave personnel while being operationally deployed in eastern Ladakh. Rescue operations are underway,&rdquo; a Leh-based Army PRO said in a statement.
&nbsp;
In a post on X, Defence Minister Singh condoled the loss of lives.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Deeply saddened at the loss of lives of five of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate accident while getting the tank across a river in Ladakh,&rdquo; he said.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;We will never forget exemplary service of our gallant soldiers to the nation. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The nation stands firm with them during this hour of grief,&rdquo; he said.

Tank swept away, 5 soldiers killed in Ladakh

India achieved a historic milestone in women&rsquo;s Test cricket on Saturday, surpassing Australia&rsquo;s previous record of 575/9.
&nbsp;
The new record was set during the one-off Test against South Africa when Richa Ghosh's boundary off the first ball of the 109th over propelled India beyond Australia's mark.
&nbsp;
The achievement was fueled by stellar performances from Indian openers Shafali Verma (205) and Smriti Mandhana (149), who shared a monumental 292-run partnership, the highest ever in women's cricket for an opening stand.
&nbsp;
Contributions from Jemimah Rodrigues (55), along with captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh, who both secured unbeaten half-centuries, further bolstered India's commanding total.
&nbsp;
Previously, on Day 1, India had ended at 525 for four, also setting a record for the highest single-day total in Test cricket, surpassing Sri Lanka's men's team's previous mark of 509/9 against Bangladesh in Colombo in 2002.

Chennai

India achieves highest women's test team total

The pre-wedding festivities for Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant are far from over. After hosting a cruise party in Italy for family, friends and Bollywood celebrities, the Ambanis are now busy hosting parties at their home in Mumbai as part of the festivities.
&nbsp;
Photographer Varinder Chawla shared a video featuring the Ambani family bidding farewell to RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat after a dinner at their home.
&nbsp;
As part of the pre-wedding celebrations for Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant, the Ambanis have also invited underprivileged individuals to a collective wedding event scheduled for July 2.
&nbsp;
This charitable initiative by the Ambani family will be held at 4:30 pm at Swami Vivekanand Vidyamandir in Palghar.
&nbsp;
Anant Ambani, the youngest child of billionaire Mukesh Ambani and his philanthropist wife Nita Ambani, is preparing to exchange vows with Radhika Merchant, the daughter of business tycoons Viren Merchant and Shaila Merchant, on July 12.
&nbsp;
Their wedding ceremony will be held at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.

Ambanis host pre-wedding bash at Antilia

Former J&amp;K Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has expressed deep concern over the Jammu and Kashmir Police&rsquo;s decision to invoke the Enemy Agents Ordinance (EAO) against those suspected of aiding foreign terrorists in the region.
&nbsp;
This reaction comes after DGP RR Swain announced that the J&amp;K police would use the EAO, an old law from the Dogra Maharaja era, to prosecute individuals assisting militants. Mufti criticised this move, describing the ordinance as draconian and a significant breach of justice.
&nbsp;
Mufti emphasised that the EAO lacks clear criteria for determining guilt, making it problematic to prove someone's involvement in militancy. She argued that the ordinance's vague definitions and potential for misuse threaten constitutional rights and justice.
&nbsp;
Legal and political activists echoed Mufti&rsquo;s concerns, questioning how authorities could differentiate between those assisting militants willingly and those coerced into it. They also highlighted the risk of prolonged legal battles due to the law's loopholes.
&nbsp;
Earlier this week, DGP Swain stated that those found supporting militants would face prosecution under the EAO, which prescribes severe penalties, including life imprisonment, death, or imprisonment for up to 10 years. He declared that fighters should be dealt with harshly, and their supporters treated as enemy agents.
&nbsp;
Mufti condemned the use of such archaic laws, asserting that they violate human rights and are incompatible with constitutional principles. She urged the government to address security concerns without trampling on constitutional rights and the rule of law.
&nbsp;
The EAO, originally promulgated by the Maharaja after the 1947 tribal raid, was later adopted by the J&amp;K Government. Following the abrogation of Article 370, it was adopted by the Central Government under the J&amp;K Reorganisation Act.

Srinagar

Mufti decries use of enemy agents ordinance in JK

Filmmaker Karan Johar has expressed his intention to reintroduce the iconic movie "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham" to theatres on its 25th anniversary, citing the growing trend of re-releasing films as "fantastic."
&nbsp;
The 2001 family drama, often abbreviated as K3G, featured Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Jaya Bachchan, Kajol, Kareena Kapoor, and Rani Mukherjee, marking Johar's second directorial venture which garnered immense box office success.
&nbsp;
"At the trailer launch of Dharma Productions&rsquo; upcoming romantic comedy 'Bad Newz', Johar disclosed his plan, spotlighting the film's anticipated milestone in two years. 'I feel when K3G&rsquo;s 25 years is completed, we should re-release the film,' he remarked, adding that he personally refrains from watching his own films after their initial completion," Johar conveyed to media persons.
&nbsp;
Johar highlighted the nostalgic impact of revisiting classic films, noting the recent positive reception to the re-release of 'Rockstar' and retrospectives honouring filmmakers like Zoya Akhtar.
&nbsp;
"As audiences who grew up with these films reminisce, re-releasing them is a testament to the enduring charm of Hindi cinema," he affirmed.
&nbsp;
Expressing enthusiasm for the resurgence of cinematic gems, Johar underscored the cultural significance of reminding audiences of Bollywood's rich legacy spanning the 80s, 90s, and 00s.
&nbsp;
"We should constantly remind everybody that Hindi cinema rocks," he asserted, advocating for the continuation of the re-release trend.
&nbsp;
Directed by Anand Tiwari, "Bad Newz" features Vicky Kaushal, Tripti Dimri, and Ammy Virk in pivotal roles, marking a collaboration between Kaushal and Tiwari after their successful venture with "Love Per Square Foot" (2018).
&nbsp;
Produced by Amazon Prime in collaboration with Dharma Productions and Leo Media Collective, the film anticipates a blend of romance and comedy for audiences.
&nbsp;

'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' to hit theatres again

A player survey has revealed that the T20 World Cup is closing the gap in the race to become the "most important" ICC event to players around the world, marking a shift from the dominance of the ODI World Cup.
&nbsp;
According to a survey conducted by the World Cricketers Association (WCA), formerly FICA, an overwhelming 85 per cent of players viewed the 50-over World Cup as the most important in 2019, compared to 15 per cent for the T20 World Cup.
&nbsp;
In 2024 however, those figures have changed with 50 per cent of the players considering the ODI showpiece as the most important and 35 per cent favouring its T20 equivalent.
&nbsp;
The ongoing edition of the T20 World Cup, jointly hosted by the USA and West Indies, will conclude with the title clash between India and South Africa in Barbados on Saturday.
&nbsp;
As per the survey done by the re-branded body, for players under 26, the inclination towards the T20 World Cup rose significantly, with 41 per cent preferring it over the 50-over World Cup at 49 per cent in 2024.
&nbsp;
Overall, there has been a sharp increase in the popularity of the T20 format. Compared to 2019 when 82 percent of players picked Test cricket as the most important format, it's only 48 percent right now.
&nbsp;
As many as 30 per cent of the players picked T20 as the most important format.
&nbsp;
Players from India, Pakistan and Afghanistan are among those who are not represented by the WCA since they are not unionised.
&nbsp;
Responses were sought from players of other major cricket nations, including Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Bangladesh and West Indies.
&nbsp;
According to the WCA, the sample size for this year's survey was around 330 professional players from 13 different countries, with the majority of them being current internationals.
&nbsp;
There is a higher proportion of female respondents in 2024.
&nbsp;
In the current edition of the T20 World Cup, the much-awaited clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan garnered a staggering 256 million viewing hours in India alone.&nbsp;

Barbados

T20WC on course to become most important ICC event

The Uttar Pradesh government has taken stringent action by suspending six officials from the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam for their negligence in the construction of the 14-km Ram Path and sewer lines underneath, which suffered damage following recent rains on June 23 and June 25.
&nbsp;
Several lanes and streets adjacent to Ram Path faced severe waterlogging, with water even entering nearby houses.
&nbsp;
Special Secretary Vinod Kumar issued suspension orders on Friday for PWD executive engineer Dhruv Agrawal, assistant engineer Anuj Deshwal, and junior engineer Prabhat Kumar Pandey.
&nbsp;
Meanwhile, PWD Chief Engineer (Development) VK Srivastav oversaw the suspension of these officials.
&nbsp;
Similarly, Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam Managing Director Rakesh Kumar Mishra suspended executive engineer Anand Kumar Dubey, assistant engineer Rajendra Kumar Yadav, and junior engineer Mohammad Shahid, all posted in Ayodhya.
&nbsp;
The state government also issued a notice to Ahmedabad-based contractor firm Bhuvan Infracom Private Limited, holding them accountable in the matter.
&nbsp;
An office order from the Public Works Department highlighted the urgency of the situation, citing damage to the Ram Path soon after its construction, which reflects poorly on the government's priorities and reputation.
&nbsp;
Executive engineer Dhruv Agrawal, identified with Nirman Khand-3, faces suspension under Rule 7 of the Uttar Pradesh Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules 1999.
&nbsp;
He will remain attached to the office of the chief engineer in Ayodhya during this period.
&nbsp;
Principal Secretary of PWD, Ajay Chauhan, confirmed ongoing investigations into the incident, which gained national attention after images of the damaged Ram Path circulated widely on June 25

Ayodhya

Engineers suspended for Ram Path damage in Ayodhya

Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) penalised sexual violence against animals, but the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, does not include any provision to afford animals similar protection.
&nbsp;
Section 377 of the IPC regarded the rape of an animal as a non-bailable offence and carried a punishment of &ldquo;[imprisonment for life], or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years and shall also be liable to fine&rdquo;.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The IPC was replaced by the BNS after it was approved by both houses of Parliament and received the president's assent on 25th December.
&nbsp;
The new set of Indian criminal laws is scheduled to go into effect on the 1st of July.
&nbsp;
In 2021, a report by the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations revealed that in the previous decade, almost 500,000 animals, including cows and dogs, had been victims of crimes, with many subjected to sexual violence.
&nbsp;
Previously, a report from Voice of Stray Dogs estimated that instances of sexual abuse of animals were frequently not reported but probably occurred at a comparable frequency to cases of human rape.
&nbsp;
Many violent criminals have a documented history of cruelty to animals. Meanwhile, a study published in Forensic Research and Criminology International Journal found that "[t]hose who engage in animal cruelty were 3 times more likely to commit other crimes, including murder, rape, robbery, assault, harassment, threats, and drug/substance abuse. The major motivations for engaging in animal cruelty include anger, fun, control, fear, dislike, revenge, imitation, and sexual pleasure.&rdquo;&nbsp;

New Indian laws do not penalise animal rape

Counting of votes commenced on Saturday for Nagaland's civic body polls, marking a significant return after a gap of two decades.
&nbsp;
The tallying for elections to 24 urban local bodies&mdash;comprising three municipalities and 21 town councils&mdash;spanning 10 districts, began at 8 am across 16 centres, according to the State Election Commission.
&nbsp;
In a notable win, the NDPP clinched the Chiephobozou Town Council in Kohima, with candidates securing uncontested victories across all nine wards.
&nbsp;
A robust voter turnout of nearly 82% was recorded among the over 2.23 lakh electors during the civic polls held on June 26. Notably, these elections marked the debut of 33% reservation for women, a first in Nagaland's electoral history since 2004.
&nbsp;
Despite previous attempts by the government to conduct these elections, objections from tribal bodies and civil society groups over women's reservation and property taxation had delayed the polls.
&nbsp;
A total of 523 candidates from 11 political parties contested, with an additional 64 nominees elected uncontested across various civic bodies.
&nbsp;
Key contenders included the NDPP, BJP, Congress, NPF, Rising Peoples&rsquo; Party, RPI (Athawale), JD(U), LJP, NCP, and the NPP.
&nbsp;
However, 14 urban local bodies in six districts of Eastern Nagaland did not witness elections due to boycotts by tribal bodies, notably the Eastern Nagaland Peoples&rsquo; Organisation (ENPO), advocating for a 'Frontier Nagaland Territory' citing neglect of the region.
&nbsp;
Despite 59 nominations from the region being accepted, pressure from tribal bodies compelled candidates to withdraw their nominations.

Dimapur

Counting begins for historic Nagaland ULB polls

In the midst of the ongoing Parliament session, a group of NDA MLAs from Manipur arrived in Delhi on Friday to seek a resolution to the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state.
&nbsp;
According to sources, at least seven MLAs from the BJP and its ally, the Naga People&rsquo;s Front (NPF), have reached the national capital. This move follows a meeting chaired by Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh with NDA MLAs on Thursday.
&nbsp;
The meeting was attended by MLAs from the BJP, NPF, NPP, and JD(U), but excluded the 10 Kuki-Zomi legislators.
&nbsp;
Several MLAs reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of the crisis and conveyed the public pressure they were experiencing.
&nbsp;
The ethnic strife in Manipur began 14 months ago, in May 2023, and has shown little sign of abating.
&nbsp;
K. Ibomcha Singh, a BJP MLA and Manipur BJP spokesperson stated that the legislators came to Delhi to pay a "courtesy call" to the central leadership.
&nbsp;
"We had a meeting of NDA MLAs chaired by the Chief Minister, where we decided to meet the Prime Minister, Home Minister, and other senior leaders to request a solution to the problem in the state. Some others will arrive tomorrow, and the Chief Minister will come later after securing an appointment," he said.
&nbsp;
Singh pointed out that the Manipur issue is included in the 100-day programme for the new central government, and that the delegation intends to pursue central leaders to address the issue as a priority.
&nbsp;
The movement of MLAs to Delhi has sparked speculation about potential trouble for the state government.
&nbsp;
However, Chief Minister Biren Singh dismissed these concerns, asserting that the visit was not politically motivated but a courtesy call to the Prime Minister.&nbsp; "The Prime Minister and Union Home Minister are doing their best to address the challenges confronting the state. The Parliament session's schedule has prevented all of us from being there simultaneously, but we will visit New Delhi and press for peace in the state," he said.
&nbsp;
A BJP MLA who attended Thursday&rsquo;s meeting said that legislators had highlighted the persistent discontent among the populace.
&nbsp;
"For 14 months, there has been no normalcy. This discontent was evident in the Lok Sabha election results, where both seats in Manipur, previously held by NDA MPs, were won by the Congress. The MLAs are feeling the public's dissatisfaction. During previous visits to Delhi, the response from the Centre was inadequate. Many MLAs now seek a final, decisive message from the leadership," the MLA said.
&nbsp;
Another legislator from a BJP ally noted the lack of a concrete plan despite the MLAs expressing their displeasure and anger.
&nbsp;
"We are under immense public pressure. The MLAs decided to go to Delhi and seek an appointment with the Prime Minister to convey that there has been no normalcy for over a year and that a drastic political decision is needed. We want concrete action to be taken," the legislator stated.
&nbsp;
The Manipur assembly comprises 60 MLAs, including 10 from the Kuki-Zomi community, who have abstained from participating in the assembly since the violence began.
&nbsp;
Of the remaining 50 MLAs, five are from the opposition Congress and two are Independents, while the rest are aligned with the NDA.
&nbsp;
The BJP won 32 of the 60 assembly seats in the 2022 elections, with five JD(U) MLAs joining the BJP later that year.

Manipur MLAs in Delhi urge 'concrete' govt action

Kathmandu, June 28: An earthquake of 4.2 magnitude hit Nepal's Bagmati Province on Friday, according to the National Earthquake Measurement Centre.
The quake with epicentre at Helambu Rural Municipality in Sindhupalchowk district, 100 km East of Kathmandu, struck around 7.03 am Friday, the agency said.
&nbsp;
Tremors were also felt in Kathmandu and other neighbouring districts.
&nbsp;
So far, there is no information about any damage caused by the earthquake.
&nbsp;
Earthquakes are common in the Himalayan nation as it lies on a major geological faultline where the Indian tectonic plate pushes up into the Eurasian plate, forming the Himalayas, and earthquakes are a regular occurrence.
&nbsp;
At least 157 people were killed after a strong earthquake hit a remote pocket of Nepal last November.
&nbsp;
Nearly 9,000 people died in 2015 when a 7.8-magnitude quake struck Nepal, destroying more than half a million homes.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Kathmandu

4.2 magnitude quake hits Nepal's Bagmati province

The new set of criminal offences will go into effect on July 1, 2024. The Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita, 2023 (BNS), has replaced the Indian Penal Code and notably eliminated Section 377 entirely.
&nbsp;
Under the new law, the definition of rape is restricted to situations where the perpetrator is a man and the victim is a woman.
&nbsp;
In all other cases where the victim is a non-cisgender woman, they would be covered under the section pertaining to grievous hurt, which is a bailable offence with the possibility of imprisonment for up to 7 years.
&nbsp;
Rape laws post July 1, 2024
&nbsp;
The provision known as Section 377 of the IPC, which criminalised "unnatural offences," has sparked controversy. In the case of Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India, the Supreme Court interpreted Section 377 and chose not to strike it down.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
It decriminalised consensual same-sex relations among adults while retaining Section 377 in the IPC to address non-consensual acts and bestiality.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
However, the new BNS legislation has completely excluded this section. Section 63, which pertains to rape, defines it in a way that considers only women as victims and only men as perpetrators.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Under this section, the minimum term of imprisonment is 10 years, and it can extend to life imprisonment.
&nbsp;
The rape laws in India do not apply equally to men and transgender persons, and as of July 1, the rape of men and transgender persons will not be considered a crime.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Men will be able to seek recourse under Sections 114 and 115 of the BNS, which addresses serious injury.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
This section allows for a maximum prison sentence of 7 years. Similarly, the transgender community can seek recourse under the same sections of the BNS as well as Section 18 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
This section mandates a prison sentence of no less than 6 months and a maximum of 2 years. Shockingly, those who commit bestiality will escape unpunished!
&nbsp;
Several countries, such as Nepal, South Africa, and New Zealand, have implemented laws on rape that are gender-neutral.
&nbsp;
These countries acknowledge that rape is a violation that affects all individuals, and they guarantee equal protection to everyone, irrespective of gender.

No rape protections for men under new law

In response to the tragic roof collapse at Terminal 1 of Indira Gandhi International Airport, which claimed the life of a 45-year-old cab driver and injured eight others, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu has announced a comprehensive structural audit of all airports in India.
&nbsp;
"We will conduct a structural preliminary inspection at all airports to ensure that such incidents do not recur. Reports have been requested from all airports within 2-5 days, after which necessary measures will be implemented," said Naidu..
&nbsp;
The collapse, which occurred around 5 am on Friday, led to the immediate closure and evacuation of Terminal 1, with all flight operations being redirected to Terminals 2 and 3.
&nbsp;
Naidu expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and assured the injured were receiving appropriate medical care.
&nbsp;
In the wake of the incident, the Civil Aviation Ministry has established a war room to manage refunds and alternate flights for affected passengers.
&nbsp;
Naidu guaranteed refunds within seven days or alternative flights for those whose journeys were disrupted.
&nbsp;
"Terminal 1 is completely closed and evacuated. Flights have been shifted to Terminals 2 and 3. Passengers affected by cancellations are being offered refunds or alternate flights. We have issued a circular to ensure refunds are processed within seven days," Naidu added.
&nbsp;
The minister also noted that a circular has been sent to airlines, instructing them not to increase ticket prices in light of the incident. "When such incidents occur, airfares tend to rise. We have directed airlines to maintain current ticket prices," he stated.
&nbsp;
Naidu criticized the opposition Congress for allegedly spreading false information and politicising the tragedy. "It is disheartening that the opposition is using this incident for political gain. They have falsely claimed that this terminal was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi. In reality, the collapsed building is an older structure from 2009. Using this tragedy to attack the government sets a poor precedent," he said.
&nbsp;
Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), which operates the airport, reported that the roof at the old departure forecourt of Terminal 1 partially collapsed, possibly due to heavy rainfall and strong winds.
&nbsp;
A technical committee has been formed to investigate the exact cause of the collapse.
&nbsp;
The Civil Aviation Ministry has announced compensation of ₹20 lakh for the family of the deceased and ₹3 lakh for those with minor injuries. The police have registered a case on charges of causing death by negligence.
&nbsp;
In addition to the structural audits, the ministry's immediate actions include setting up war rooms at Terminals 2 and 3 to assist affected passengers and ensure smooth operations during the closure of Terminal 1.
&nbsp;
"We have placed officers in the war rooms to manage the situation and provide support to passengers," Naidu said.

Nationwide airport audits ordered post-T-1 fall

The annual Amarnath Yatra commenced on Saturday, with the first group of pilgrims departing from the twin base camps in Baltal and Nunwan to begin their journey to the 3880-meter-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas.
&nbsp;
The yatra set off early in the morning on the twin tracks&mdash;the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route and the 14-km Baltal route.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
VIDEO | Amarnath Yatra 2024: The first batch of devotees begins their trek from Domail at Baltal base camp, Jammu and Kashmir, earlier today. (Full video available on PTI Videos - <a href="https://t.co/n147TvqRQz">https://t.co/n147TvqRQz</a>) <a href="https://t.co/nzvHn65kCn">pic.twitter.com/nzvHn65kCn</a>
&mdash; Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) <a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/1806880581910737366?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
Officials mentioned that the groups of pilgrims on the twin routes were given a ceremonial send-off by the respective deputy commissioners and senior police and civil administration officials.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
VIDEO | Community kitchens (langars) have been set up by social and religious groups at Nunwan, Pahalgam, the base camp of annual <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmarnathYatra?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AmarnathYatra</a>.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmarnathYatra2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AmarnathYatra2024</a> (Full video available on PTI Videos - <a href="https://t.co/n147TvqRQz">https://t.co/n147TvqRQz</a>) <a href="https://t.co/vlDhMMdTGU">pic.twitter.com/vlDhMMdTGU</a>
&mdash; Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) <a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/1806884863775015115?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the initial contingent of 4,603 pilgrims from the Yatri Niwas base camp in Bhagwati Nagar in Jammu on Friday morning.
&nbsp;
The local administration and residents warmly greeted the pilgrims at the Kashmir Valley in the afternoon.
&nbsp;
The pilgrims will worship at the cave shrine containing a naturally formed ice lingam.
&nbsp;
Strict security measures have been implemented to ensure the smooth running of the pilgrimage.
&nbsp;
Thousands of security personnel from various forces, including the police, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, and other paramilitary forces, have been stationed to guarantee absolute security. Aerial monitoring will also be conducted.
&nbsp;
The 52-day journey will end on August 19.

Amarnath Yatra: First pilgrims head to cave shrine

Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, is set to be discharged from a hospital on Saturday following a successful knee surgery in the United States.
&nbsp;
The news was confirmed by Dr. Tsetan D Sadutshang, the Dalai Lama's personal physician, and Tenzin Taklha, Secretary to His Holiness, in a concise online briefing.
&nbsp;
They reported that the Dalai Lama underwent a total knee replacement surgery on Friday morning, which was deemed a success.
&nbsp;
"Dalai Lama's knee surgery this morning was very successful, and His Holiness is now resting in his hospital room. His condition is stable," they announced during the briefing on the platform X.
&nbsp;
Dr. Sadutshang further reassured the public that there were no complications with the surgery.
&nbsp;
"There was no problem at all. His Holiness is ready to take his lunch right now. He will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow," he stated.
&nbsp;
He also commended the medical team for their exceptional care.
&nbsp;
"All the doctors and nurses in the hospital are providing their services at the highest standard to His Holiness. The staff here are highly dedicated in giving their best services," he added.
&nbsp;
Citing the quality of the facility, Dr. Sadutshang noted, "This is the best hospital for knee surgery in the US, and the orthopaedic surgeons here are among the best in the country. Therefore, everyone can feel at ease."
&nbsp;
The Dalai Lama arrived in New York on Monday after a brief stopover in Zurich, Switzerland, where he received a warm welcome from members of the Tibetan community and well-wishers.
&nbsp;
During his stop in Zurich, the Dalai Lama was greeted with a traditional Tibetan welcome at his hotel, where he interacted with his followers and old friends.
&nbsp;
Before heading to the US for his surgery, the Dalai Lama had travelled from Dharamshala to Delhi.
&nbsp;
His journey has been marked by enthusiastic receptions, with hundreds of Tibetans and devotees gathering to pay their respects and offer their good wishes.

Dalai Lama recovering well after knee operation

Early Saturday, the authorities recovered the body of a labourer from under the debris of a collapsed wall at a construction site in the Vasant Vihar area during heavy rain.
&nbsp;
Officials said that two more labourers are possibly trapped under the rubble.
&nbsp;
The incident took place on Friday and was reported to the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) at around 5:30 am.
&nbsp;
The deceased, identified as 19-year-old Santosh Kumar Yadav, was found around 6:10 am on Saturday, according to Delhi Fire Services officials. His death was confirmed by doctors at Safdarjung Hospital.
&nbsp;
Officials also added that the rescue operation for the remaining two labourers is currently in progress.
&nbsp;
The operation is being carried out by personnel of the National Disaster Response Force, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, and civic agencies.
&nbsp;
Officials said cranes are being used to remove debris while water is being pumped out of the foundation pit to recover the remaining bodies.&nbsp;

3 bodies found under debris in Delhi wall collapse

The cup of woes of the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) continues as yet another legislator from the party Kale Yadaiah crossed over to the ruling Congress on Friday, taking the total number of BRS switching loyalties so far to six.
&nbsp;
Once seen as the architect of the Telangana statehood movement, the BRS suffered a severe drubbing in the recent assembly polls, managing to win 39 seats in the 119-member House, while Congress came to power with 64 seats. Following a change of guard in the state, the regional party is now struggling to keep its flock together.
&nbsp;
Kale Yadaiah, representing Chevella constituency on the outskirts of Hyderabad, is the latest to jump ship. He joined the Congress in the presence of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and AICC in charge of Telangana Deepa Das Munshi, in New Delhi.
&nbsp;
Notwithstanding a series of meetings the BRS supremo and former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had with the party legislators in the last three days, the spree of desertions continues to haunt the party.
&nbsp;
Earlier this week, Jagityal BRS MLA Dr Sanjay Kumar and Banswada MLA and former Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy joined the Congress in the presence of the Chief Minister. Tellam Venkat Rao, Danam Nagender, and Kadiam Srihari are the other three MLAs who have switched over to the Congress. More legislators are expected to cross over to the ruling party in the coming days.

Hyderabad

Desertions continue from BRS camp in Telangana

India will implement new criminal laws starting from July 1.
&nbsp;
The new laws, namely Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023, will replace the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Indian Evidence Act respectively, starting from July 1.
&nbsp;
Key highlights of these new criminal laws include the introduction of Zero FIR, the option to register police complaints online, serving summons through electronic methods, and the mandatory videography of crime scenes for all serious crimes.
&nbsp;
The Union home ministry is gearing up to roll out the three new criminal laws starting next week. Forty lakh grassroots functionaries will be trained to ensure people are aware of the legislation and its impact on everyone, particularly women and children.
&nbsp;
Over 5.65 lakh police, prison, forensics, judicial and prosecution officials have also been trained about the new laws.
&nbsp;
The BPR&amp;D provided 250 training courses, webinars, and seminars, through which they trained 40,317 officers and personnel.
&nbsp;
Under the new laws, victims will be provided with a complimentary copy of the FIR, ensuring their involvement in the legal process.
&nbsp;
A noteworthy addition to the law is that the individual who has been arrested has the right to inform a chosen person about their situation.
&nbsp;
This will ensure immediate support and assistance for the arrested individual.
&nbsp;
Additionally, details of the arrest will now be prominently displayed in police stations and district headquarters, providing easy access to important information for the families and friends of the arrested person.
&nbsp;
To strengthen the case and investigations, forensic experts must visit crime scenes for serious offences and collect evidence. Additionally, the process of evidence collection at the crime scene will be videographed to prevent tampering with evidence.
&nbsp;
This dual approach significantly enhances the quality and reliability of investigations and contributes to a fair administration of justice.
&nbsp;
The fresh regulations give top priority to probing crimes against women and children, aiming for prompt completion within a two-month period from when the information is recorded. With the new legislation, victims have the right to receive frequent updates on the status of their cases within 90 days.
&nbsp;
This rule ensures that victims stay informed and engaged in the judicial proceedings, which improves transparency and builds trust.
&nbsp;
The new laws guarantee free first-aid or medical treatment to victims of crimes against women and children at all hospitals. This provision ensures immediate access to essential medical care, prioritising the well-being and recovery of victims during challenging times.
&nbsp;
Electronic service of summons is now permitted, which speeds up legal processes, reduces paperwork, and facilitates efficient communication among all involved parties.
&nbsp;
In cases of specific offences against women, the victim's statements should, whenever possible, be documented by a female magistrate. In the absence of a female magistrate, a male magistrate should be present along with a woman to ensure sensitivity and fairness, thereby creating a supportive environment for victims.
&nbsp;
Both the accused and the victim have the right to receive copies of the FIR, police report, chargesheet, statements, confessions, and other documents within 14 days.
&nbsp;
Courts may grant a maximum of two adjournments to prevent unnecessary delays in case hearings, thus ensuring timely delivery of justice.
&nbsp;
New legislation has made the implementation of a witness protection program mandatory by all state governments to ensure the safety and cooperation of witnesses, thus improving the credibility and efficiency of legal proceedings.
&nbsp;
The definition of "gender" has been expanded to include transgender individuals, aiming to promote inclusivity and equality.
&nbsp;
The new laws allow for all legal proceedings to be conducted electronically, providing convenience to victims, witnesses, and the accused, thereby streamlining and expediting the entire legal process.
&nbsp;
To offer greater protection to victims and ensure transparency in the investigation of rape cases, the statements of victims must now be recorded by the police using audio or video means.

Zero FIR, victim rights: India's new criminal laws

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Friday that he is formulating a "comprehensive plan" outlining Kyiv's vision for concluding the ongoing war with Russia.
&nbsp;
This initiative comes amid an absence of public negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, with both sides maintaining divergent stances on the terms for a potential peace settlement.
&nbsp;
Zelensky made this declaration during a press conference in Kyiv alongside Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar, citing the significance of global support for Ukraine's proposed peace plan.
&nbsp;
"It is very important for us to show a plan to end the war that will be supported by the majority of the world," Zelensky stated.
&nbsp;
Earlier this month, Zelensky hosted a major international summit in Switzerland aimed at garnering backing for Ukraine's position.
&nbsp;
Notably, Russia was not invited to this summit.
&nbsp;
The event saw participation from leaders and senior officials from over 90 countries.
&nbsp;
The final communique stressed the necessity of respecting Ukraine's "territorial integrity" in any peace settlement.
&nbsp;
However, some key countries, such as India, did not endorse this communique, while others, including Russia's ally China, boycotted the summit in protest of Moscow's exclusion.
&nbsp;
Ukraine has consistently insisted that Russia must withdraw its troops from internationally recognized Ukrainian territories, including Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014, as a precondition for peace talks.
&nbsp;
Conversely, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who initiated the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, demands that Ukraine cede additional territories in the east and south.
&nbsp;
During his visit to Brussels on Thursday, Zelensky indicated that he would present a "detailed plan" within months.
&nbsp;
"We don't have too much time," he remarked, highlighting the severe casualty rates among soldiers and civilians.
&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Russian forces continue to make incremental advances on the battlefield.
&nbsp;
On Friday, they claimed to have captured another small frontline village.
&nbsp;
Currently, Russia occupies approximately one-fifth of Ukraine and, in 2022, asserted the annexation of four additional regions, none of which it fully controls.
&nbsp;
Ukraine's resistance heavily depends on Western financial and military aid.
&nbsp;
However, Ukrainian troops, after more than two years of intense combat, face challenges such as being outgunned, outmanned, and exhausted.

Ukraine

Zelensky drafts plan to end Ukraine-Russia war

In a rare honour for a media personality, the Andhra Pradesh government has announced that a road in the capital city of Amaravathi and a proposed film city project in the port city of Visakhapatnam will be named after media baron Cherukuri Ramoji Rao who passed away recently.
&nbsp;
Ramoji Rao, a pioneer in Telugu journalism, was known for his discipline, high moral values and keen business acumen. His life journey&mdash;from a humble middle-class family in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh to becoming one of the leading media icons in the country&mdash;was as much a celebration of entrepreneurial skills and passion for innovation as it was of moral uprightness in an era where the credibility of the media saw a steady decline.
&nbsp;
Founder of India's largest movie production facility, Ramoji Film City, in Hyderabad and chairman of the Eenadu Group of publications and news channels, Ramoji Rao (87) passed away in the early hours of June 8 at a corporate hospital in Hyderabad.
&nbsp;
He was born into an agricultural family on November 16, 1936, in a small village called Pedaparupudi in Krishna district.
&nbsp;
He went on to become a powerful and influential media entrepreneur in the history of Telugu states. He owned the largest Telugu daily in both Telangana and Andhra, Eenadu. In addition, he ran a bouquet of entertainment and news channels under the ETV brand.
&nbsp;
The NDA government honoured him with India's second-highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan, in 2016.
&nbsp;
Speaking at a memorial service organised by the state government in Vijayawada on Thursday, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that Amaravathi will have a knowledge Centre named after the media baron.
&nbsp;
Paying rich tributes to Ramoji Rao, the Chief Minister said the media baron had run the daily newspaper with moral values and never compromised even when he was subjected to harassment. He demanded that Ramoji Rao, who was a role model and an inspiration to Telugus across the world, be awarded Bharat Ratna posthumously.
&nbsp;
Naidu, along with his wife, Bhuvaneswari, attended the programme. Soon after arriving at the venue, the Chief Minister visited the photo exhibition and later and later paid floral tributes to the photo of Ramoji Rao on the dias. Recalling the services of the late Ramoji Rao to various sections of society in the state, Naidu said,
&nbsp;
"Ramoji was an example of how a person born into a middle-class family can reach the greatest heights," Naidu said.
&nbsp;
Recalling the services of Ramoji Rao in various sectors, the Chief Minister said that it was Ramoji Raop who suggested the name of Amaravathi for the capital city of the state.
&nbsp;
"This is the reason why I have decided to establish a Ramoji Knowledge Centre (Vignana Kendram) in Amaravathi," Naidu announced.
&nbsp;
The family members of Ramoji Rao donated Rs 10 crore for building Amaravathi and handed over the cheque to the Chief Minister. Deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan, Tollywood's ace director, SS Rajamouli, and Oscar-winning music director, MM Keeravani, also participated in the memorial meeting.
&nbsp;

Roads, projects in AP to be named after Ramoji Rao

West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose on Friday initiated a defamation suit against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the Calcutta High Court.
&nbsp;
This move followed Banerjee&rsquo;s recent statement alleging that women were fearful of visiting the Raj Bhavan due to certain activities there, according to a source.
&nbsp;
Earlier in the day, Governor Bose expressed his disapproval of Banerjee&rsquo;s remarks, emphasizing that it is expected of public representatives not to create "erroneous and slanderous impressions."
&nbsp;
The Governor also filed defamation suits against specific leaders of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) who made similar remarks, the source revealed.
&nbsp;
During an administrative meeting at the state secretariat on Thursday, Banerjee asserted that "women have informed her they are afraid to visit Raj Bhavan due to recent incidents reported there."
&nbsp;
"Governor C.V. Ananda Bose on Friday approached the Calcutta High Court and filed a defamation suit against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party leaders for their comments," the source said.
&nbsp;
On May 2, a contractual female employee of Raj Bhavan had alleged molestation by Bose, prompting a probe by the Kolkata Police.
&nbsp;
When contacted, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen expressed the need to consult party leadership before commenting on the matter.
&nbsp;
"I have to talk to my party leadership to find out what actually happened. This is quite a sensitive matter," Sen said.
&nbsp;
Senior BJP leader Rahul Sinha voiced his support for Bose's decision.
&nbsp;
"I think Governor Bose has taken the right decision. He should have taken this decision long back. I fully support him for this," Sinha said.
&nbsp;
Veteran CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty criticised the ongoing tussle between Bose and Banerjee, stating that it is detrimental to the state.
&nbsp;
"It's actually taking us down. They seem to have forgotten their Constitutional responsibilities. Their acts are damaging West Bengal's image at the national level," Chakraborty remarked.

Bengal Guv files defamation suit against Mamata

The final takeaway of the 2024 General Elections is that Narendra Modi has become the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term. He led the Bharatiya Janata Party to a substantial score of 240 seats, just 32 short of the absolute majority. Had it not been for the 400+ hype created by the BJP ahead of elections, 240 would not have felt as small as it was felt after the results.
&nbsp;
Still, the 32 seats loss was compensated by 52 members from other National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners. Modi is now comfortably heading a coalition with the BJP being the main and the dominant partner with 240 members of its own.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Second, the BJP has retained all the important ministries including the Home, the Defence, the Foreign Affairs, the Finance and the Railways. Third, the BJP has retained the post of the Speaker.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The opposition parties would celebrate the prospect of BJP losing some important ministries to the allies as well as the post of the Speaker. The party lost none and retained everything.
&nbsp;
In comparison, the Congress-led Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) could win only 232 seats, 8 less than the BJP won on its own and 40 short of the halfway mark.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The Congress on its own could still not touch the &lsquo;three-figure&rsquo; mark, as it was stuck at 99. The Congress&rsquo; score for three elections is still less than 200; 44 in 2014, 52 in 2019 and 99 in 2024 making it a total of 195 only.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The Congress is still &ldquo;celebrating&rdquo;, by trying to make it out as a victory for itself and a &ldquo;political and moral defeat&rdquo; for the BJP and the Prime Minister Modi, in particular.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
But the fact is that the BJP&rsquo;s worst performance in the last three General Elections since 2014 under Modi&rsquo;s leadership has still been better than the Congress&rsquo; best.
&nbsp;
The Congress&rsquo; best performance after 1984, when it swept elections in the aftermath of Ms Indira Gandhi&rsquo;s assassination, was in 1991 when it got 232 seats. That was also partially because of the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi during the campaign by Sri Lankan Tamillian militants.
&nbsp;
After that, it was in 2009 when Dr Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister that the Congress won 206 seats.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Afterwards, Congress under Rahul Gandhi&rsquo;s leadership, whether de facto or de juro, has seen consistent electoral debacles. The party&rsquo;s spin managers however have managed to project the third consecutive defeat like a &ldquo;victory&rdquo; drawing solace from BJP&rsquo;s less-than-expected performance while trying and managing to downplay its (BJP&rsquo;s) return to power.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Congress, for the first time in India&rsquo;s independent history, will remain in opposition for a record third consecutive term. It is the longest period, it will remain out of power. Changing goals
&nbsp;
Congress has changed its goalpost. Despite having been a pan-India party and being a centrist party, with an appeal among all sections of people, it has stopped aspiring to win a majority of its own.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Instead, it has surrendered to the regional parties like the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in Tamil Nadu, Nationalist Congress Party and Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
All these parties were Congress&rsquo; bitter opponents not long ago. So much so, the Congress made the United Front government headed by IK Gujaral fall by withdrawing support to it after it refused to drop DMK ministers in the aftermath of Jain Commission revelations which held DMK responsible for supporting Sri Lankan Tamil militants led by the LTTE.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
LTTE was responsible for the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.
&nbsp;
Right now, the Congress has its independent existence in just nine states, which include Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Gujarat.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;In MP and Gujarat, it has been continuously losing elections to the state assembly and almost drawing a blank in the parliamentary elections, but it continues to exclusively occupy the opposition space there.
&nbsp;
In all major states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra it has been playing second fiddle to regional parties and is dependent on their whims and moods.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
It is highly unlikely that Congress can go further than what it got in 2024. At best it may retain the same number of seats in the future General Elections and the worst can be lower than this. In another way, Congress has already peaked and is unlikely to better this performance and that too when its entire leadership believes it to be its &ldquo;emphatic victory&rdquo;. Some mutual interests
&nbsp;
There appears to be a mutual interest between the &lsquo;Gandhi&rsquo; family and the leaders loyal to it, who cannot look beyond what they have already got and achieved. Any senior and outstanding leader in Congress, as long as the family remains in control, can only aspire to be an MP or a minister, if it comes to power.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
It does not matter to such leaders, as who is in control of the party as they do not have any grand ambitions, neither to run the government nor the party, as they keep on enjoying whatever perks they get by becoming MPs from here or there, with the hope of ministerial bonus, if the party manages to form a government some time.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
That is why the party does not have any concrete programme or proposal. Take for example the 2024 General Election campaign. It was just a &ldquo;hit and trial&rdquo; campaign where the party stuck to the theme of &ldquo;threat to the Constitution&rdquo;, while actually there was none.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The party did manage to create apprehensions among the vulnerable sections of the society about it. But this cannot be a lasting theme that too against an ideologically rooted and driven BJP.
&nbsp;
The BJP has managed to convince the people of the country, both, those who support it and also those who oppose it, that the party has a particular agenda, whether nationalism or liberalised economy. The Congress no longer has any well-defined theme.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Although Rahul Gandhi did try to project the party purely as a &ldquo;secular&rdquo; and a &ldquo;socialist&rdquo; force as an alternative to the BJP, he did not manage to get sufficient dividends.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
He will have to stick to this theme, which should not be difficult as his party has the guaranteed support of the minorities, almost 100 per cent. Also, a mere theme alone is not enough as a lot depends on the leadership. Rahul&rsquo;s third failure in a row 
Rahul has failed a third time in a row to lead his party or alliance to victory. He and his family have still managed to retain the control of the Congress party, rather have further strengthen it.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
He has himself become the Leader of the Opposition, the first constitutional post he has occupied. But that does not guarantee that he will certainly go further.
&nbsp;
He may claim that the NDA is a fragile alliance and that the Modi government may not last long. This may hold for the INDIA bloc as well as it may not hold together for a long time. Gandhi does not have much to offer to prospective allies, while Modi is in power and has a lot to offer to prospective allies from the opposition. Redemption for the Gandhis, but what about the Congress? 
The 2024 General Elections, indeed, have been redeeming for the Gandhi family that it managed to firm up its grip over the party, but these certainly have not been good for the Congress. If &ldquo;securing&rdquo; Rahul&rsquo;s leadership and control over the Congress was the ultimate goal, which it seems it was, then the party has done exceptionally well.
&nbsp;
Rahul is the Leader of the Opposition. His mother, Ms Sonia Gandhi is the Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party. His sister Priyanka Gandhi is likely to get elected from the Wayanad parliamentary constituency, which Rahul vacated.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
All three will be in the parliament.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Besides, they have a compliant party president Mallikarjun Kharge there. It is all good for the Gandhis.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
But is it really good for the Congress, only time will tell.

Congress run by Gandhis despite another defeat

Meteorologists have stated that the forecasting models did not anticipate the extreme weather event that caught Delhi residents off guard early Friday, resulting in a historic 228.1 mm of rainfall.
&nbsp;
This quantity exceeds the June average of 74.1 mm by more than three times and marks the highest for the month since 1936.
&nbsp;
An official from the IMD clarified that the monsoon winds interacted with the remnants of a western disturbance, leading to heavy rains in Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir.
&nbsp;
Independent scientists say a thunderstorm over North Delhi could have sparked the torrential rains.
&nbsp;
On June 26, the IMD had forecasted only light to moderate rain and thunderstorms with gusty winds for Friday (June 28).
&nbsp;
On Thursday afternoon, the Met office noted a trough extending from a cyclonic circulation over central Gujarat to west Bihar in the lower tropospheric levels.
&nbsp;
In the weekly weather briefing uploaded on the IMD's YouTube page, scientist Soma Sen Roy said this trough was pumping moisture into north and central India.
&nbsp;
"The east-west trough is likely to strengthen during the week, and rainfall will increase over north India," she explained.
&nbsp;
The extended range forecast released by the IMD on Thursday night anticipated "a fairly widespread to widespread occurrence of light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning across northwest and east India over the next five days".
&nbsp;
The forecast also indicated the possibility of "extremely heavy rainfall" in Delhi on June 29 and June 30, although no one foresaw the heavy rain on Friday morning.
&nbsp;
At 4:58 am on Friday, the IMD issued an alert, stating "light to moderate intensity rain with heavy intensity rain over a few places and winds of 20-40 kmph would occur over and adjoining areas of entire Delhi and NCR, Gannaur, Sonepat, Kharkhoda, Jhajjar, Sohna, Palwal, Baraut, Baghpat, Khekra, Pilakhua, and Sikandrabad during the next two hours".
&nbsp;
Later, it reported that the Safdarjung Observatory recorded 148.5 mm of rainfall between 2:30 am and 5:30 am, indicating that much of the rain had already occurred before the IMD issued the alert.
&nbsp;
Also, it declared the arrival of the monsoon in Delhi on Friday noon, less than 15 hours after it had projected that the primary rain-bearing system would reach Delhi within two to three days.
&nbsp;
"Not much rainfall was happening due to the eastern arm of the monsoon in West Bengal, Bihar, and up to Uttar Pradesh. The eastern arm monsoon moved slowly. But one pulse suddenly arrived from the Madhya Pradesh side. Nobody expected this massive amount of moisture," an IMD official said, requesting anonymity.
&nbsp;
"The models could not capture it. Also, convective clouds started developing in the evening and intensified over time. Predicting thunderstorms in advance is not easy," the official added.

Weather models failed to predict Delhi's rainstorm

The adjusted mobile service tariffs for Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea will lead to a 10-24 per cent increase starting in the first week of July.
&nbsp;
Starting from July 3, Bharti Airtel is implementing a 10-21 per cent increase in both prepaid and postpaid mobile tariffs, following Reliance Jio's announcement of rate increases.
&nbsp;
On the same day, Vodafone Idea (Vi), a struggling telecom operator, also revealed plans to raise mobile tariffs by 11-24 per cent starting from July 4.
&nbsp;
However, Vi has decided not to make changes to several plans, including the Rs 1,799 and Rs 3,099 plans with 365 days validity, as well as certain data add-on packs.
&nbsp;
Bharti Airtel has emphasised the need for mobile Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) to exceed Rs 300 in order for telecom companies in India to establish a financially viable business model.
&nbsp;
"We have ensured that there is a very modest price increase (less than 70 paise per day) on entry-level plans in order to eliminate any burden on budget-challenged consumers," Airtel said, announcing revision in its mobile tariffs.
&nbsp;
The mobile operators raised their tariffs right after the 10th spectrum auction, which had a weak industry response and ended in just two days.
&nbsp;
On Thursday, Jio, India's biggest telecom operator, revealed a 12-27 per cent increase in mobile tariffs.

Airtel, Vi to raise mobile tariff in July

Amid a heated controversy concerning alleged irregularities in competitive exam administration, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has released new dates for cancelled and postponed examinations. The UGC-NET will now take place from August 21 to September 4.
&nbsp;
The University Grants Commission&ndash;National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) was called off the day after it was conducted on June 18 due to concerns raised by the education ministry about the exam's integrity being compromised.
&nbsp;
According to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the question paper was leaked on the darknet and shared on the Telegram app. The CBI is currently investigating the matter.
&nbsp;
The UGC-NET is a test used to ascertain eligibility for the Junior Research Fellowship, select assistant professors, and admit students to PhD programs.
&nbsp;
In a shift from the earlier pattern, the exam was conducted in offline mode this year on a single day. However, the rescheduled exam will be conducted according to the earlier pattern of Computer-Based Tests (CBT) spread across a fortnight.
&nbsp;
The CSIR UGC-NET, originally postponed due to concerns about exam irregularities, has been rescheduled to take place from July 25th to July 27th.
&nbsp;
The CSIR UGC-NET is a valid qualification for admission to PhD programs in Chemical Sciences, Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Physical Sciences.
&nbsp;
The National Common Entrance Test (NCET) for admission to the four-year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP), initially delayed just before its scheduled start on June 12, will now be held on July 10.
&nbsp;

UGC-NET to be held from Aug 21-Sept 4

A portion of an under-construction bridge collapsed in Bihar's Madhubani on Friday, the fifth such collapse in 11 days.
&nbsp;
The most recent incident took place in the Bheja police station area of Madhubani district, located in the northern part of the state near the Nepal border.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
𝟗 दिन के अंदर बिहार में यह 𝟓वाँ पुल गिरा है। मधुबनी-सुपौल के बीच भूतही नदी पर वर्षों से निर्माणाधीन पुल गिरा। क्या आपको पता लगा? नहीं तो, क्यों? बूझो तो जाने? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bihar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bihar</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bridge?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bridge</a> <a href="https://t.co/IirnmOzRSo">pic.twitter.com/IirnmOzRSo</a>
&mdash; Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) <a href="https://twitter.com/yadavtejashwi/status/1806717536198926782?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2024</a></blockquote>
Although officials remained silent about the occurrence, sources from the Rural Works Department, responsible for constructing the 75-meter-long bridge, confirmed that one of the pillars was washed away a few days ago.
&nbsp;
They said the bridge was being constructed at a cost of about Rs 3 crore over the Bhutahi river which has been in spate on account of torrential rains in catchment areas of Nepal.
&nbsp;
According to sources, the district administration has been tasked with investigating the issue and providing a report. The relevant contractor has been directed to repair the structure promptly.
&nbsp;
A video depicting the collapsed bridge, which has been under construction for over two years, has become widely circulated.
&nbsp;
Tejashwi Yadav, the leader of the opposition in the state assembly, shared the video on X, indirectly criticising the Nitish Kumar government.
&nbsp;
"Another bridge has collapsed in Bihar. Did you get to know? If not, guess why," said the RJD leader, who is also a former deputy CM.
&nbsp;
Last week, one incident each of bridge collapse was reported from the Araria, Siwan and East Champaran districts while a similar mishap took place in Kishanganj on Thursday.&nbsp;

Patna

Another bridge collapses in Bihar, 5th in 9 days

Ansh Mavani

In response to heavy rainfall causing severe waterlogging across Delhi, the city government convened an emergency meeting at the Delhi Secretariat on Friday. Led by several senior officials and chaired by four ministers, the meeting addressed the pressing issue of waterlogging exacerbated by the recent downpour.
&nbsp;
At a subsequent press conference, Delhi Minister Atishi emphasised the gravity of the situation, highlighting that excessive rainfall, surpassing the drainage capacity, led to waterlogging at over 200 identified hotspots in the city.
&nbsp;
She underscored that 40 of these locations are under constant CCTV surveillance by the Public Works Department (PWD), reflecting proactive measures to manage the crisis.
&nbsp;
"We have identified approximately 200 areas prone to waterlogging due to the recent heavy rainfall. The current volume of rain, such as the 228 mm recorded recently, exceeds the drainage capacity, causing prolonged water accumulation," Atishi explained, addressing concerns about the city's preparedness for such weather events.
&nbsp;
Echoing her sentiments, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj outlined the decisions taken during the emergency meeting to mitigate waterlogging risks. He stressed the collaboration between Traffic Police and local authorities to identify vulnerable areas and streamline inter-departmental responses. Bharadwaj also referenced historical data, noting that the city hadn't witnessed such intense rainfall in June since 1936.
&nbsp;
Simultaneously, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena convened a meeting of key agencies including the Delhi Jal Board, PWD, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Delhi Police, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, National Disaster Management Control, and Delhi Development Authority. This assembly aimed to assess the current water logging situation and strategize emergency responses amidst the ongoing pre-monsoon showers.
&nbsp;
During the meeting, concerns were raised about incomplete desilting operations and delayed issuance of Flood Control Orders, underscoring gaps in the city's preparedness for monsoon emergencies.
&nbsp;
In response, Saxena issued 11 directives for immediate action, including the establishment of a 24x7 emergency control room and deployment of mobile pumps to alleviate waterlogging.
&nbsp;
Earlier in the day, scenes of waterlogged streets and symbolic protests underscored the public's frustration with the situation. BJP councillor Ravinder Singh Negi's act of rowing an inflatable boat on NH9 highlighted the civic discontent, aimed at drawing attention to governance issues amid such crises.
&nbsp;
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the Safdarjung observatory recorded 228 mm of rainfall by 8:30 am on Friday, marking it as the second-highest 24-hour rainfall in June since 1936, just shy of the record set on June 28, 1936, of 235.55 mm.
&nbsp;
The ongoing efforts by the Delhi government and relevant agencies reflect a concerted response to mitigate the immediate impacts of heavy rainfall and address systemic challenges in urban flood management.
&nbsp;
As the monsoon season progresses, continuous vigilance and adaptive strategies remain crucial to safeguarding Delhiites from the effects of extreme weather events.

Heavy rains paralyse Delhi, Govt calls urgent meet

Ayesha Banerjee

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday reacted to a racist slur targeted at him, saying it made him &ldquo;hurt and angry&rdquo;.
 Speaking to reporters on the general election campaign trail, Sunak said his two daughters, Krishna and Anoushka, had to see and hear Reform UK activists who campaigned for party leader Nigel Farage &ldquo;calling me a Paki".
&nbsp;
"It hurts, and it makes me angry," the 44-year-old British Indian leader said, adding that Farage has questions to answer.
&nbsp;
Sunak noted: "I don't repeat those words lightly. I do so deliberately because this is too important not to call out clearly for what it is.
&nbsp;
"When you see Reform candidates and campaigners, seemingly using racist and misogynistic language and opinions seemingly without challenge, I think it tells you something about the culture within the Reform Party."&nbsp;
&nbsp;
He was speaking after a campaigner for the far-right Reform UK was filmed using the slur considered racist towards people of South Asian heritage, forcing the party&rsquo;s leader and general election candidate Nigel Farage to condemn the actions as &ldquo;appalling,&rdquo; PTI reported.
&nbsp;
Reform UK is fielding hundreds of candidates in the July 4 election on an anti-immigration stance with the hope of posing a major challenge for the incumbent Conservative Party, which is heavily trailing in the polls.
&nbsp;
However, with the election called earlier than expected, the party has been unable to fully vet all its campaigners and one of them &ndash; Andrew Parker &ndash; was filmed by an undercover reporter from Channel 4.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;The appalling sentiments expressed by some in these exchanges bear no relation to my own views, those of the vast majority of our supporters or Reform UK,&rdquo; Farage said in a statement.
&nbsp;
The same activist was also heard suggesting that army recruits with guns should be posted to &ldquo;just shoot&rdquo; illegal migrants landing on UK beaches.
&nbsp;
Speaking at a campaign event on Thursday, Farage said that &ldquo;one or two people let us down and we let them go&rdquo; but added that &ldquo;in most cases they're just speaking like ordinary folk.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
The 60-year-old divisive politician is making his eighth attempt to be elected to Parliament after seven failed bids. This time, polls suggest a comfortable lead for him in the race to represent the seaside town of Clacton-on-Sea.
&nbsp;
While Reform is likely to win only a handful of seats, at most, in the 650-seat House of Commons, Farage says his goal is to get a foothold and lead the &ldquo;real&rdquo; Opposition to a Labour Party government &ndash; which is widely expected to succeed the Sunak-led Tories after the general election.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The British Indian leader has, meanwhile, warned voters that a vote for Reform UK was effectively a vote in favour of a tax-raising Labour Party.
&nbsp;
He has also hit back at Farage&rsquo;s own controversial statements claiming that the West had provoked Russian President Vladimir Putin into attacking Ukraine.&nbsp;&ldquo;What he said was wrong, it was completely wrong. It plays into Putin&rsquo;s hand,&rdquo; Sunak told &lsquo;The Telegraph&rsquo;.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;This is the guy [Putin] who used nerve agents on British streets, he&rsquo;s doing deals with North Korea. That is who we&rsquo;re talking about here. This kind of appeasement is very damaging not just for our security, but the security of our allies that depend on us and it emboldens Putin further,&rdquo; he said.
&nbsp;
Senior Tories are worried that disaffected party supporters switching to Reform UK could cost them seats and hand Labour a &ldquo;super-majority&rdquo; in the election.
&nbsp;
Sunak attempted to reach out to this disaffected set of voters in the last week before the election with a plea that a &ldquo;Labour government isn&rsquo;t just something that you buy that if you decide you don&rsquo;t like you can take back to the shop and return it.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to have profound consequences for you and your family, potentially for decades if they change the system to stay in power that long. So you should think very carefully about the choice at this election because it has consequences,&rdquo; he said.
&nbsp;
It comes as his party continues to battle the betting scandal engulfing the Tories, with his chief of staff said to be assisting with the Gambling Commission&rsquo;s ongoing inquiries into possible cheating behind some candidates betting on a July election date based on insider knowledge.

London

Post

Rishi Sunak ‘hurt, angered’ by racist slur

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu announced on Friday that an investigation has been launched into the canopy collapse incident at Delhi Airport&rsquo;s Terminal 1. Heavy rain caused a portion of the canopy to collapse early Friday morning, resulting in the death of one person and injuries to several others.
&nbsp;
Minister Kinjarapu stated that experts from the department will be brought in to thoroughly investigate the incident. Based on the findings of the investigation, appropriate action will be taken. He emphasised that the safety of all airport buildings across the country would be reviewed to prevent similar incidents in the future.
&nbsp;
A review meeting was scheduled for today, and the Minister announced a compensation of Rs 20 lakh for the family of the deceased and Rs 3 lakh each for the injured. He assured that the injured individuals, currently receiving treatment at the hospital, are being well cared for. He clarified that the collapsed building was an older structure inaugurated in 2009, not the one recently inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
&nbsp;
Earlier, Minister Kinjarapu issued a statement regarding the canopy collapse, mentioning that Prime Minister Modi is closely monitoring the situation and has assured full support.
&nbsp;
The immediate priority was the safe evacuation of all passengers from the terminal. Consequently, all flights scheduled until 2 PM were cancelled, with passengers receiving full refunds or options to rebook on alternative flights and routes. Flights scheduled to depart after 2 PM were redirected to Terminals 2 and 3.
&nbsp;
The Minister noted that a thorough examination of the terminal's structure is being conducted by experts to ensure safety. Various agencies, including DGCA, BCAS, CISF, Delhi Police, and NDRE, are working in close coordination to manage the situation effectively. He reiterated the commitment to providing compensation to the affected families and those injured.
&nbsp;
Minister Kinjarapu also visited Safdarjung and AIIMS hospitals in Delhi to meet with the injured individuals. When asked about the possibility of additional patients requiring treatment, he mentioned that there was no such information at the moment but that they were prepared to receive more patients if necessary.
&nbsp;
This incident highlights the importance of stringent safety measures and regular inspections to ensure the structural integrity of public buildings, especially those as critical as airport terminals.
&nbsp;
The government&rsquo;s swift response and commitment to investigating the cause of the collapse aim to prevent future occurrences and ensure the safety of travellers.

Experts to investigate Delhi Airport accident

Senior advocate and DMK MP P Wilson met with Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Friday at Parliament to seek reconsideration of the need for enacting three new criminal laws.
&nbsp;
These new laws, namely, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023, are set to replace the Indian Penal Code of 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872, and are scheduled to come into effect from July 1.
&nbsp;
In a post on X, Wilson expressed the concerns of stakeholders, including lawyers, advocates associations, and various State Bar Councils, about the unrest caused by these acts.
&nbsp;
He highlighted that these new laws have led to widespread protests and dissatisfaction within the legal community. He informed the Law Minister about the protests seeking to scrap the three enactments. Wilson further mentioned that the Law Minister assured him that the concerns would be looked into.
&nbsp;
Wilson argued that the new enactments do not bring substantial changes and are essentially &ldquo;old wine in a new bottle.&rdquo; He urged the Minister to reconsider the necessity of these acts, emphasising the need for comprehensive discussions and reviews before implementation.
&nbsp;
On June 26, the Bar Council of India (BCI) requested all Bar Associations to refrain from any form of agitation or protest at this juncture. The BCI assured that it would initiate discussions with the Union Government, represented by the Union Home Minister and the Law Minister, to convey the concerns of the legal fraternity.
&nbsp;
The BCI received numerous representations from Bar Associations and State Bar Councils across the nation, expressing strong protests against the newly introduced criminal laws.
&nbsp;
These Bar Associations have signalled their intent to engage in indefinite agitations and protests unless these laws are suspended and subjected to thorough nationwide discussions, including a comprehensive review by Parliament.
&nbsp;
Concerns have been raised that several provisions of these new laws are perceived to be anti-people and more draconian than the colonial-era laws they intend to replace. They pose a serious threat to the fundamental rights of citizens.
&nbsp;
Notable legal luminaries such as Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Mukul Rohatgi, Vivek Tankha, P. Wilson, Dushyant Dave, Indira Jaising, and many other Senior Advocates have voiced strong opposition to these laws.
&nbsp;
Several Bar Associations have also called for a fresh examination of the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UA(P)A), asserting that these laws contravene the principles of fundamental rights and natural justice.
&nbsp;
The BCI has requested all Bar Associations to refrain from any form of agitation or protest at this juncture. BCI Chairman and senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra said that the council will initiate discussions with the Union Government, represented by the Union Home Minister and the Law Minister, to convey the concerns of the legal fraternity.
&nbsp;
The BCI will also seek the intervention of the Union Minister for Environment, Bhupendra Yadav, who is an advocate, to mediate in this matter.
&nbsp;
Additionally, the BCI requests all Bar Associations and senior advocates to submit specific provisions of the new laws they deem unconstitutional or detrimental, to facilitate a productive dialogue with the government.

DMK MP urges Law Minister to review criminal laws

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is set to lead the Indian delegation at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, next week. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced this on Friday. The summit, scheduled from July 3-4, will see participation from member states of the SCO, with Kazakhstan hosting the event this year.
&nbsp;
Kazakhstan has taken over the SCO presidency from India, which hosted the summit virtually in July 2023. Kazakhstan&rsquo;s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is this year&rsquo;s host and has proposed several initiatives, including the establishment of a joint investment fund.
&nbsp;
In a recent telephonic conversation with President Tokayev on June 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed full support for the upcoming summit's success in Astana.
&nbsp;
Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral strategic partnerships. Prime Minister Modi expressed confidence that Kazakhstan&rsquo;s leadership would significantly advance regional cooperation.
&nbsp;
During a weekly briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that the External Affairs Minister would lead the Indian delegation at the summit. The conversation between PM Modi and President Tokayev underscored their shared commitment to strategic partnerships and regional cooperation.
&nbsp;
PM Modi, in a post on X, conveyed his confidence in Kazakhstan&rsquo;s leadership and reiterated India's support for the summit.
&nbsp;
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, established in 2001, is a political, economic, and security organisation. Its current members include China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Iran became a full member in 2023 during India&rsquo;s presidency of the grouping.
&nbsp;
Belarus, currently an observer state, is next in line for full membership. The SCO aims to enhance regional security, counter-terrorism efforts, and economic cooperation among its member states. The organisation encompasses over 60 percent of the Eurasian landmass, 40 percent of the world population, and 30 percent of the global GDP.
&nbsp;
The upcoming summit in Astana is a significant event, reflecting the collaborative efforts of the member states to address regional challenges and strengthen economic ties.
&nbsp;
The leadership transition from India to Kazakhstan marks a new phase in the SCO's ongoing efforts to promote stability and development in the region.
&nbsp;
As the Indian delegation, led by EAM S. Jaishankar, prepares to participate, the focus will be on continuing to build on the progress made during India's presidency and supporting the new initiatives proposed by Kazakhstan.

EAM Jaishankar to attend SCO summit in Kazakhstan

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, soon after being released from jail, stated that attempts are being made to suppress people's voices in a planned manner across the country.
&nbsp;
Soren, who was granted bail by the Jharkhand High Court on Friday, immediately visited his father and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Shibu Soren at his residence.
&nbsp;
Speaking to the media after meeting his parents, Soren said, "I have come out of jail after five months. These five months have been very worrying for our state and the people of Jharkhand. The whole country knows why I went to jail, and finally, the court has delivered its justice, under which I have been released today."
&nbsp;
"I respect and honor the court. But, it is concerning that in present times, there are attempts to suppress the voices of politicians, social workers, writers, and journalists in a very planned manner. This is not hidden from anyone," he said.
&nbsp;
"The time it takes to get justice is more critical than normal times. That period is creating trouble for people in a planned manner. I was kept in jail for five months based on false and fabricated stories," he added.
&nbsp;
Soren further noted that many individuals who raise their voices in different parts of the country are imprisoned.
&nbsp;
He mentioned that the Chief Minister of Delhi is in jail, along with many ministers, and that the justice process is taking so long that it spans years instead of days and months. Dedicated individuals are being obstructed from doing their work.
&nbsp;
The former Jharkhand CM urged people to review the court's order thoroughly and inform the country.

Ranchi

Voices of people being suppressed: Hemant Soren

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday arrested Dr. Ehsanul Haq, Principal of Oasis School in Hazaribagh, and Center Superintendent Imtiaz in connection with the NEET paper leak case.
&nbsp;
A total of 12 individuals, including Dr. Haq, were taken into custody for questioning.
&nbsp;
Dr. Haq served as the district coordinator for the NEET exam in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand. For the past two days, a CBI team has been interrogating Haq and several others at CCL&rsquo;s Charhi Guest House in Hazaribagh.
&nbsp;
The NEET paper leak case spans across Jharkhand, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. During a raid by the Bihar Police on the hideouts of the suspects, photocopies of half-burnt question papers were discovered.
&nbsp;
The Economic Offenses Unit (EOU) of Bihar matched these with the original question paper provided by the National Testing Agency (NTA), finding 68 identical questions.
&nbsp;
Further investigation revealed that these question papers matched booklets from Oasis School in Hazaribagh.
&nbsp;
Initially, when summoned by the CBI, Dr. Ehsanul Haq denied any involvement. However, the EOU indicated that the principal's role appeared suspicious.
&nbsp;
Ehsanul Haq also serves as the city coordinator for CBSE and had responsibilities covering four districts: Hazaribagh, Chatra, Koderma, and Ramgarh.
&nbsp;
During CBI interrogation, Dr. Haq claimed his role was limited to receiving the question papers from the bank and ensuring they were kept securely in the control room.
&nbsp;
He noted that NTA installs CCTV cameras and the room remains locked.

CBI arrests Hazaribag principal in NEET paper leak

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken a significant step in the ongoing Excise Policy case by filing a supplementary prosecution complaint (chargesheet) in Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court. This development marks the eighth chargesheet filed in connection with the alleged money laundering linked to Delhi's excise policy.
&nbsp;
The charge sheet specifically names Vinod Chauhan, who stands accused of facilitating illicit transfers of funds purportedly received by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) through hawala channels. Scheduled for hearing on July 1, the case is being pursued vigorously by Special Public Prosecutor Naveen Kumar Matta before the vacation judge at Rouse Avenue Court.
&nbsp;
Vinod Chauhan's involvement revolves around the transfer of funds amounting to Rs 25.5 crores out of a total of Rs 45 crores allegedly utilised during the AAP's electoral campaign in Goa. His arrest in May, conducted by the ED from its Goa Zonal Office, has placed him in judicial custody pending further proceedings.
During previous court appearances, the ED, represented by Advocates Zoheb Hossain and Naveen Kumar Matta, asserted that Chauhan was fully aware of the illicit origins of the transferred funds, which were linked to the Delhi liquor excise policy scandal.
&nbsp;
According to ED allegations, Chauhan played a pivotal role in facilitating hawala transfers and managing cash movements. Moreover, he was purportedly a key intermediary between bureaucrats, politicians, and the funds' recipients.
&nbsp;
In the course of investigations, searches conducted at various locations yielded significant findings, including the seizure of Rs 1.06 crores from Chauhan's residence. The ED contends that this amount, allegedly associated with the South Group, was being held for AAP leaders.
&nbsp;
The Excise Policy case has drawn attention for alleged irregularities during the modification of Delhi's excise policy. Both the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have accused individuals of extending undue favours to licence holders, waiving or reducing licence fees, and extending the L-1 licence without proper authorization from competent authorities.
&nbsp;
As legal proceedings continue, the ED's latest chargesheet underscores ongoing efforts to unravel the complexities surrounding financial irregularities linked to Delhi's excise policies. The case remains a focal point in the scrutiny of alleged misconduct and financial impropriety within the political landscape.

ED files 8th chargesheet in excise policy scam

Neha Singh

Ousted from power in Odisha by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) joined the opposition ranks on Friday and&nbsp;protested, demanding a discussion on NEET in Rajya Sabha.
&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">As the INDIA bloc parties gave notices demanding a discussion on the NEET issue, the BJD MPs also joined the protest and trooped in the Well of the House.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&ldquo;The Biju Janata Dal and other opposition parties... strongly wanted a discussion on NEET. When it was not done, we went to the Well of the House.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">We protested (and) asked for a discussion. (But) it was not allowed,&rdquo; BJD leader in Rajya Sabha Sasmit Patra said outside Parliament.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The BJD also joined the opposition's walkout, which was staged after Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar refused to adjourn the House after Congress MP Phulo Devi Netam fainted in the House.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&ldquo;We had only&nbsp;requested that the House should be adjourned because a member had fainted. Even that was not done. So we all opposition parties have walked out in protest,&rdquo; he said.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The BJD, in the first two terms of the BJP-led NDA, had been a reliable source of support for the government in passing of legislations, even though it was not a formal ally.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The party could not win any Lok Sabha seats this time, but has nine MPs in Rajya Sabha.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The BJP defeated the BJD in the recently held Odisha assembly elections. 
&nbsp;

Bhubaneswar

BJD joins Opposition in protest against NEET row

Shyna Gupta

Scientists at the University of Tokyo have discovered a revolutionary method to attach living human skin to robotic faces without causing damage or tearing.
&nbsp;
This innovation promises to significantly enhance the ability of robots to display realistic human expressions, such as smiling and other facial movements.
&nbsp;
The research team, led by Professor Shoji Takeuchi from the Institute of Industrial Science, drew inspiration from the structure of human skin ligaments. The team created &lsquo;anchors&rsquo; by applying collagen gel to small V-shaped holes on the robot&rsquo;s exterior surface.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
According to Professor Takeuchi, this method offers &ldquo;a more seamless and durable attachment.&rdquo; The combination of human skin's flexibility and the strong adhesion provided by these anchors allows for mechanical movement without damaging the skin.
&nbsp;
Takeuchi&rsquo;s team has also developed a living robot skin using collagen a protein found in human skin and human dermal fibroblasts, the primary cell type in connective tissue. This innovation has enabled a robotic finger to bend without breaking the skin, marking a significant advancement over previous methods that often damaged the skin.
&nbsp;
Notably, this new approach allows robots to heal their own skin, mimicking the self-repair capabilities of human skin. While the technology is still in its developmental stages, it holds immense potential for future applications.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;For quite some time, one of the major issues when trying to attach human skin to mechanical beings was manipulating the soft and wet biological tissue during the development process,&rdquo; Professor Takeuchi explained. &ldquo;With this new method, we believe the research could also have implications for skin ageing, plastic surgery, and cosmetics.&rdquo;

Tokyo

Robots can now smile with real skin

India, recently, witnessed the biggest electoral festival. While the festival is over, its after effects still find resonance with one&rsquo;s day-to-day life.
&nbsp;
People exercise their franchise in favour of the leader whom they assume to fight for their cause. And political leaders, too, channelise their every move in the direction of the votes, which they need to remain in power. &nbsp; West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Thursday, in keeping with all too familiar forecasts from sections in her party, apparently stepped back in a matter of 68 hours from her newfound toughness as the head of the state government to crack down on encroachments and illegal constructions. &nbsp; CM Banerjee &mdash; seen on live television in the 4pm meeting on Monday at the State Secretariat &mdash; took the backseat in a similar exercise at the same venue from 12pm on Thursday. And &lsquo;Didi&rsquo;&mdash; the mass leader took over. &nbsp; The Trinamool Congress chairperson pressed the pause button on the anti-encroachment exercise for a month and offered to accommodate the concerns of those displaced by the drive. &nbsp; &ldquo;Nobody has given us the right to take away people&rsquo;s food (livelihood). We do not have the right to render anybody unemployed,&rdquo; said Mamata at the second televised meeting. &nbsp; Within a span of a few hours, the tough chief minister, who wanted to teach the state&rsquo;s hawker&rsquo;s a lesson, came up with a renewed sense of concern for their &lsquo;livelihood&rsquo;.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Why this sudden change in stance? &nbsp; It has been learnt that she had convened the meeting after widespread criticism from the party over the visuals of bulldozers pitilessly tearing down structures from where hawkers and vendors made a living for themselves and their families. &nbsp; The chief minister, who has been caustic in her criticism over the years of bulldozer-driven action in Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states, such as by the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh, was suddenly being criticised for the same.
 The Left had already started calling her out on the allegedly Adityanath-esque action. &nbsp; Was the surprising change in plan for encroachers based on Opposition&rsquo;s criticism? Or, CM Banerjee is eyeing her voters? &nbsp; For a chief, it is acceptable to not care about the Opposition&rsquo;s remarks. But can a mass leader afford to upset her voters? The latter, not by any chance. &nbsp; On closer analysis, the sudden change in CM Banerjee&rsquo;s decision can be perceived as a balancing act. There is, after all, no point in antagonising those sections of the society that largely stood by her even amid the poor show in 69 of the 125 civic areas of Bengal. &nbsp; &ldquo;The poorer sections of the urban, semi-urban, and peri-urban centres still voted for Trinamool in large numbers. The hawkers and vendors represent those sections. Each hawker or vendor affected by this impacts the voting pattern of five-seven, even 10-odd diligent voters of their family,&rdquo; said a ruling party insider. &nbsp; He has said if one goes micro to the extent of booth-level examination of the results in the 125 civic areas, it is clear that the slum-dwelling populations in civic wards backed Trinamool wholeheartedly. &nbsp; A senior on the Assembly treasury benches pointed out that encroachment by hawkers or vendors in urban spaces has been a perennial problem for decades, having proliferated during the Left regime.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
CM Banerjee made a career of standing by such sections whenever stern measures were taken&mdash; such as during the Kolkata Municipal Corporation&rsquo;s contentious Operation Sunshine in 1996. &nbsp; &ldquo;Now, this sudden U-turn (the Monday decision) goes against her very image. It was also strengthening the hands of the Opposition, which was throwing its weight behind the affected people,&rdquo; he said, referring to the support pledged by the Left and even the BJP on Wednesday. &nbsp; Didi&rsquo;s intervention without much ado gives one a way to believe that not too much damage has been done already by the crack down on encroachers. &nbsp; Moreover, her decision to not completely walk away from the decision and choosing to enforce a time-out in order to be more discreet about it appears like a well-thought plan, where her image both of a mass leader and the state government&rsquo;s chief remains intact. &nbsp; However, how much this pause on the eviction drive might make the encroachment problem critical continues to appear as the bone of contention.

West Bengal

CM Mamata Banerjee steps back & ‘Didi’ takes over

The Odisha government-run Academy of Tribal Languages and Culture (ATLC) has decided to set up an academic centre and language laboratory dedicated to the development of tribal languages and culture.
&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Nityananda Gond, Minister of ST and SC Development, Minorities &amp; Backward Classes Welfare Department, has directed the setting up of the new academic centre and language laboratory as part of the department&rsquo;s 100-day plan, an official statement on Friday said.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">According to the minister, the centre and language laboratory will come up at Gothapatna on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, near the proposed Adivasi Bhawan.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
The centre will serve as a multipurpose venue for meetings, conferences, shows, and exhibitions of tribal art and culture, the statement added.
&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">ATLC, a premier autonomous institution under the ST, SC Development Department, was previously known as the Academy of Tribal Dialects and Culture (ATDC).
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
Established in 1979, it was later rechristened as ATLC during 2007-2008 and currently operates from the Adivasi Exhibition Ground in Bhubaneswar. 
&nbsp;

Odisha makes way to promote Tribal lang & Culture

The equity benchmark Sensex fell for the first time in seven days on Friday, ending its winning streak.
&nbsp;
The Nifty50 index also recorded its first loss in five days. Despite the day's decline, both indices reached new intraday record highs before closing lower.
&nbsp;
After reaching an intraday peak of 79,672, the Sensex closed at 79,033, down 210 points, or 0.3 percent. Similarly, the Nifty closed at 24,011, down 34 points, or 0.14 percent. The decline in banking stocks overshadowed gains in Reliance Industries (RIL), which saw its shares rise by 2.3 percent. Conversely, IndusInd Bank and Axis Bank each fell by over 2 percent.
&nbsp;
Over the week, the Sensex rose by 2.4 percent, while the Nifty gained 2.2 percent. RIL emerged as a standout performer, with its stock surging by 7.6 percent&mdash;its best weekly performance in two years driven by increases in mobile tariffs.
&nbsp;
The Nifty Private Bank index also saw a weekly rise of 1.02 percent.
&nbsp;
Siddhartha Khemka, head of retail research at Motilal Oswal Financial Services, commented on the market's outlook: &ldquo;We expect the positive momentum to continue steadily with stock-specific action. The release of economic data next week would add a little volatility."

Sensex six-day winning run ends, drops by 210 pts

Deputy National Security Adviser Vikram Misri, renowned for his expertise on China, has been appointed as India's next foreign secretary.
&nbsp;
The decision, approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, will see Misri assume office from July 15, succeeding Vinay Kwatra, who is expected to become India's ambassador to the US.
&nbsp;
Misri, a seasoned Indian Foreign Service officer of the 1989 batch, brings a wealth of diplomatic experience, having served as India's ambassador to China during a crucial period from 2019 to 2021.
&nbsp;
His tenure witnessed significant diplomatic engagements amidst strained relations following the Galwan Valley clashes in 2020.
&nbsp;
Throughout his distinguished career, Misri has held pivotal roles, including private secretary to three prime ministers&mdash;Gujral, Singh, and Modi&mdash;reflecting his deep-rooted understanding of national and international strategic dynamics.
&nbsp;
His diplomatic assignments also spanned across key nations such as Spain and Myanmar, alongside postings in Pakistan, the US, Germany, Belgium, and Sri Lanka.
&nbsp;
Misri's diplomatic finesse and strategic acumen are expected to guide India's foreign policy amidst evolving global challenges.
&nbsp;
In related developments, Jawed Ashraf, currently India's ambassador to France, is likely to assume the role of deputy NSA.
&nbsp;
The government is concurrently deliberating on appointments for India's ambassador to the US and the permanent representative to the United Nations, following recent retirements and vacancies.
&nbsp;
Vinay Kwatra, who received a six-month extension in March, is anticipated to take charge as India's ambassador to the US, succeeding Taranjit Sandhu.
&nbsp;
Additionally, the post of India's permanent representative to the UN remains vacant following Ruchira Kamboj's retirement this month.

Dy NSA Vikram Misri steps up as Foreign Secretary

Amid the ongoing NEET controversy gripping the nation, Gauhati University finds itself embroiled in a scandal involving tampering of marksheets for financial gain.
&nbsp;
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed the arrest of the main accused in what has become a widening probe into systemic malpractice at the university.
&nbsp;
During a visit to Barpeta, Chief Minister Sarma expressed deep concern over the extent of irregularities unearthed in the marksheet updating process.
&nbsp;
"Our investigation has uncovered serious discrepancies, indicating illicit manipulation of student marks for monetary gratification," he revealed.
&nbsp;
Initial findings point to the involvement of university personnel and a management firm entrusted with record-keeping duties, suggesting a complex web of complicity.
&nbsp;
The scandal surfaced following the detection of forged marks linked to Azizul Haque, a sixth-year undergraduate student at Ganeshlal Chaudhary College in Barpeta Road.
&nbsp;
Chief Minister Sarma assured rigorous efforts to uncover the full scope of the fraud, citing collaboration with law enforcement agencies.
&nbsp;
"Education Minister Ranoj Pegu has been briefed on developments and necessary action will be taken," CM Sarma added. 
The revelation has sparked widespread concern regarding academic assessments and the oversight mechanisms within Gauhati University. 
Authorities are set to meet with the university's Vice Chancellor to escalate efforts in bringing all perpetrators to account.

Marksheet fraud at Gauhati Uni, CM confirms arrest

Netflix on Friday announced what it called a &lsquo;desi gangster series&rsquo; on the OTT platform, titled Tribhuvan Mishra: CA Topper and starring Manav Kaul and Tillotama Shome in lead roles.
 Set to launch on the streaming platform on July 18, the show is produced by musician Ram Sampath and showrun by Puneet Krishna, a press release said.
&nbsp;
Tribhuvan Mishra: CA Topper will present the tale of an ordinary man&rsquo;s wild ride through chaos and secrets as he stumbles into a world of comedic mishaps and becomes the target of a dangerous gang of &lsquo;halwaais,&rsquo; the official plotline read.
&nbsp;
The series will also feature Shweta Basu Prasad, Sumit Gulati, Naresh Gosain, Naina Sareen, Faisal Malik and Ashok Pathak. It is directed by Amrit Raj with Krishna as co-director.
&nbsp;
"Tribhuvan Mishra's transformation, driven by desperation and the need to survive, gave us a rich canvas to play with themes of ethics, survival, and those tricky unintended consequences.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Writing this series was all about striking the perfect balance between humour and the serious choices he has to make. I can&rsquo;t wait for everyone to meet Tribhuvan and his crazy world," Krishna said.
&nbsp;
"Our amazing ensemble cast really brought all the characters to life, adding so much depth and authenticity. And with Netflix's audience in 190 countries, it's awesome to think our mix of humor and desi drama will reach so many people worldwide. It's going to be a fun ride for everyone watching," he added.
&nbsp;
Sampath has also composed music for the series with background score by Anurag Saikia. Anuj Samtani is the cinematographer.&nbsp;

Now 'desi' gangsters to take over Netflix

In one of the rainiest periods recorded in June, Delhi received 228.1 mm of rainfall in the past day, leading to waterlogging in various areas of the capital. Between 2.30 am and 5.30 am, Delhi experienced over 150 mm of rain.
&nbsp;
The highest amount of rainfall ever recorded in 24 hours at Safdarjung, Delhi's primary observatory, during the month of June was 235.5 mm on June 28, 1936.
&nbsp;
AAP MLA Somnath Bharti stated that this was the second-highest rainfall in the month of June in 88 years.
&nbsp;
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) officially confirmed that this is the first instance of Delhi experiencing over 228 mm of rain in 24 hours since 1966. According to the Met Department, Delhi typically receives 800 mm of rainfall during the entire monsoon, with 25 per cent of the total monsoon rainfall occurring in a 24-hour period.
&nbsp;
"Experts are saying that in 1936, there was 235 mm of rainfall in the month of June. Today, there was the second-highest rainfall of 228 mm in the month of June after 1936. The infrastructure is not designed to handle such heavy rain," Bharti said.
&nbsp;
The high water flow in the national capital caused drains to overflow.
&nbsp;
Social media posts shared visuals of inundated roads and severe traffic congestion in certain areas of Delhi.
&nbsp;
Due to severe waterlogging on Minto Road in Delhi, vehicles were submerged, and trucks were also engulfed in water at the Azad Market underpass.
&nbsp;
The Delhi Traffic Police reported that the Ring Road in both directions from Naraina to Moti Bagh was affected by waterlogging under the Dhaula Kuan flyover.

Delhi records 228.1 mm rain, highest since 1936

A total of 146 Indian students, including 75 females, have been granted the prestigious Erasmus Mundus scholarship for the academic years 2024-2026, announced the Delegation of the European Union to India on Friday.
&nbsp;
The scholarship, part of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's programme, offers a two-year study programme jointly delivered by international consortia of higher education institutions.
&nbsp;
This year, 2,603 students from 137 countries have been selected for the programme.
&nbsp;
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's programme highlights its significant impact on students, higher education institutions, and countries worldwide, beyond the EU.
&nbsp;
India has emerged as the largest beneficiary of this programme, with over 2,000 students receiving scholarships since its inception in 2004.
&nbsp;
Over the years, more than 6,000 Erasmus+ scholarships have been awarded to Indian students, providing access to advanced education, research facilities, international exposure, and valuable professional networks.
&nbsp;
Herv&eacute; Delphin, Ambassador of the European Union to India, spotlighted the transformative opportunity this scholarship provides, fostering cultural exchange and enhancing bilateral ties between the EU and India. He expressed confidence that the selected students will excel and become ambassadors of this partnership.
 The selected students will pursue studies and research across a minimum of two universities in different European countries, earning joint or double degrees in fields ranging from sustainability, pharmaceuticals, engineering, quantum sciences, data sciences, to various STEM and social science disciplines.
&nbsp;
The fully funded scholarship covers European Union to India, and living allowances, ensuring a comprehensive support system for the recipients.
&nbsp;

EU's Erasmus Mundus scholarship for 146 Indians

Heavy rains lashed Shimla and surrounding areas on Friday with a landslide burying vehicles and the MeT department issuing an 'orange warning' indicating "very heavy rain", thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places in the state over the weekend.
 Earlier on Friday, debris from drains littered the roads at several places in Shimla and three vehicles parked near a drain in the Malyana area were buried in a landslide. No casualties were reported, officials said.
&nbsp;
The MeT also issued a 'yellow warning' of heavy rain, thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places on July 1 and 2 and predicted a wet spell in the state till July 4. Delayed by five days, the southwest monsoon had hit several parts of Himachal Pradesh on Thursday.
&nbsp;
The orange warning was issued for Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur and Solan districts on Saturday and Sunday.
&nbsp;
In another incident, four roads -- two in Kangra and one each in Kinnaur and Kullu districts -- have been blocked for vehicular traffic following rains as per the state emergency operation centre.
&nbsp;
Rain lashed state capital Shimla and surrounding areas . Jubbarhatti in the suburbs recorded 36 mm of rain on Thursday evening while Shimla recorded 84 mm of rain.
&nbsp;
Gohar received 42 mm of rain, Mashobra 38 mm, Slapper 34.6 mm, Kufri and Shilaroo 24.2 mm, Sarahan and Berthin 22 mm each, Ghagas 18.8 mm, Karsog 18.2 mm, Kahu 16 mm and Pandoh 12 mm as per the data released by the MeT.
&nbsp;
The MeT has cautioned of damage to plantation, horticulture and standing crops, partial damage to vulnerable structures, minor damage to kutcha houses and huts due to strong winds and rain, disruption in traffic and waterlogging in low-lying areas.
 Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that reports of damage have also come in from Nerva near Chopal in Shimla district. "I request the people of the state to stay away from Rivers and drains as the level of water rises following cloudbursts which could prove fatal and people should take precautions.
&nbsp;
He said the state government was prepared to deal with any eventuality arising from monsoon. "All the field staff have been told to stay active and I am also taking stock of the situation", he added.
&nbsp;
Meanwhile, the state Public Works minister Vikramaditya Singh, who met the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday, requested him to release Rs 150 Crore already announced by him for repairing PWD roads connecting the National Highways given the ensuing monsoon season.&nbsp;

Landslide buries vehicles, orange alert in HP

The Delhi government will establish a 24-hour control centre to oversee the waterlogging situation in the national capital. Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj made this announcement on Friday following heavy rains, which marked the highest single-day rainfall in June in 88 years.
&nbsp;
After the city experienced heavy rainfall that led to waterlogging and significant traffic disruptions in various areas, Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj and his ministerial colleagues Atishi, Gopal Rai, and Imran Hussain held an emergency meeting in the afternoon to assess the situation.
&nbsp;
Due to the rain, a section of the roof of Delhi Airport's Terminal-1 collapsed, resulting in one fatality and six injuries.
&nbsp;
"Delhi recorded 228 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours which was the highest since 1936. It led to waterlogging," Atishi told a press conference.
&nbsp;
Bharadwaj mentioned the establishment of a 24/7 control centre at the PWD headquarters, where senior officials will oversee the waterlogging situation.
&nbsp;
The Delhi government has initiated a WhatsApp chatbot with the number 8130188222 and a helpline with the number 1800110093 for reporting waterlogging complaints, he added.
&nbsp;
During the day, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena assessed the situation in Delhi and instructed officials to establish an emergency control room and deploy static pumps to address waterlogging reports. At an emergency meeting, the LG instructed all senior officers on leave to return to duty immediately and prohibited leave for the next two months, as per his office.
&nbsp;
Saxena also acknowledged the lack of readiness and an emergency response system in the national capital, as per the LG office.
&nbsp;
The meeting was attended by high-ranking officials from civic agencies such as the Delhi Jal Board, Public Works Department, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Delhi Development Authority, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, and the Delhi Police.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Saxena commented that the desilting of drains had not been finished and the Flood Control Order had not been issued yet. He urged the officials to prioritise desilting work over the next week.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The Irrigation and Flood Control department was instructed to stay in contact with their counterparts in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh to gauge rainfall levels and discharges from the Hathnikund barrage.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The LG directed the revenue department to activate the disaster response cell under the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) in case of excessive rainfall and to seek assistance from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for any emergency measures during the monsoon.

Delhi sets up control room for waterlogging issues

The Western Ghats are bracing for heavy rains as the southwest monsoon intensifies, prompting the Tamil Nadu forest department to issue a tourist advisory for the Mancholai area until further notice. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted prolonged heavy rainfall across the Western Ghats in the coming days.
&nbsp;
Due to these weather conditions, tourists are strongly advised against visiting Mancholai. The forest department has cautioned that the area's roads are submerged under continuous downpour, severely impacting the movement of vehicles meant for tourism.
&nbsp;
In the Ambasamudram region of Nellai district, heavy rains have persisted for several days. The rising water levels in dams like Babanasam Servalalar Manimutthar are a direct result of this relentless rainfall.
&nbsp;
Areas such as Mancholai, Kakachi, Uthu, Nalu Moku, and Khor Vetti within the Western Ghats have reported significant rainfall, leading to localised flooding.
&nbsp;
Recent heavy rains in Pandalur and Gandalur areas of Nilgiri district prompted local authorities to declare a holiday on June 26. IMD has also warned of moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning in Nilgiris, Coimbatore's ghat areas, Tirunelveli, Virudunagar, Tenkasi, and Kanyakumari.
&nbsp;
The forest department remains vigilant as these weather patterns continue to affect the Western Ghats region, emphasising safety measures for both residents and tourists alike during this period of heightened rainfall.

Forest dept warns tourists of Western Ghats rains

The promised artificial intelligence revolution requires data. Lots and lots of data. OpenAI and Google have begun using YouTube videos to train their text-based AI models. But what does the YouTube archive actually include?&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Our team of digital media researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst collected and analysed random samples of YouTube videos to learn more about that archive. We published an 85-page paper about that dataset and set up a website called TubeStats for researchers and journalists who need basic information about YouTube.
&nbsp;
Now, we&rsquo;re taking a closer look at some of our more surprising findings to better understand how these obscure videos might become part of powerful AI systems. We&rsquo;ve found that many YouTube videos are meant for personal use or for small groups of people, and a significant proportion were created by children who appear to be under 13.
&nbsp;
Bulk of the YouTube iceberg&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Most people&rsquo;s experience of YouTube is algorithmically curated: Up to 70% of the videos users watch are recommended by the site&rsquo;s algorithms. Recommended videos are typically popular content such as influencer stunts, news clips, explainer videos, travel vlogs and video game reviews, while content that is not recommended languishes in obscurity.
&nbsp;
Some YouTube content emulates popular creators or fits into established genres, but much of it is personal: family celebrations, selfies set to music, homework assignments, video game clips without context and kids dancing. The obscure side of YouTube &ndash; the vast majority of the estimated 14.8 billion videos created and uploaded to the platform &ndash; is poorly understood.
&nbsp;
Illuminating this aspect of YouTube &ndash; and social media generally &ndash; is difficult because big tech companies have become increasingly hostile to researchers.
&nbsp;
We&rsquo;ve found that many videos on YouTube were never meant to be shared widely. We documented thousands of short, personal videos that have few views but high engagement &ndash; likes and comments &ndash; implying a small but highly engaged audience. These were clearly meant for a small audience of friends and family. Such social uses of YouTube contrast with videos that try to maximize their audience, suggesting another way to use YouTube: as a video-centered social network for small groups.
&nbsp;
Other videos seem intended for a different kind of small, fixed audience: recorded classes from pandemic-era virtual instruction, school board meetings and work meetings. While not what most people think of as social uses, they likewise imply that their creators have a different expectation about the audience for the videos than creators of the kind of content people see in their recommendations.
&nbsp;
Fuel for the AI machine&nbsp;
&nbsp;
It was with this broader understanding that we read The New York Times expos&eacute; on how OpenAI and Google turned to YouTube in a race to find new troves of data to train their large language models. An archive of YouTube transcripts makes an extraordinary dataset for text-based models.
&nbsp;
There is also speculation, fueled in part by an evasive answer from OpenAI&rsquo;s chief technology officer Mira Murati, that the videos themselves could be used to train AI text-to-video models such as OpenAI&rsquo;s Sora.
&nbsp;
The New York Times story raised concerns about YouTube&rsquo;s terms of service and, of course, the copyright issues that pervade much of the debate about AI. But there&rsquo;s another problem: How could anyone know what an archive of more than 14 billion videos, uploaded by people all over the world, actually contains? It&rsquo;s not entirely clear that Google knows or even could know if it wanted to.
&nbsp;
Kids as content creators&nbsp;
&nbsp;
We were surprised to find an unsettling number of videos featuring kids or apparently created by them. YouTube requires uploaders to be at least 13 years old, but we frequently saw children who appeared to be much younger than that, typically dancing, singing or playing video games.
&nbsp;
In our preliminary research, our coders determined nearly a fifth of random videos with at least one person&rsquo;s face visible likely included someone under 13. We didn&rsquo;t take into account videos that were clearly shot with the consent of a parent or guardian.
&nbsp;
Our current sample size of 250 is relatively small &ndash; we are working on coding a much larger sample &ndash; but the findings thus far are consistent with what we&rsquo;ve seen in the past. We&rsquo;re not aiming to scold Google. Age validation on the internet is infamously difficult and fraught, and we have no way of determining whether these videos were uploaded with the consent of a parent or guardian. But we want to underscore what is being ingested by these large companies&rsquo; AI models.
&nbsp;
Small reach, big influence&nbsp;
&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s tempting to assume OpenAI is using highly produced influencer videos or TV newscasts posted to the platform to train its models, but previous research on large language model training data shows that the most popular content is not always the most influential in training AI models. A virtually unwatched conversation between three friends could have much more linguistic value in training a chatbot language model than a music video with millions of views.
&nbsp;
Unfortunately, OpenAI and other AI companies are quite opaque about their training materials: They don&rsquo;t specify what goes in and what doesn&rsquo;t. Most of the time, researchers can infer problems with training data through biases in AI systems&rsquo; output. But when we do get a glimpse at training data, there&rsquo;s often cause for concern. For example, Human Rights Watch released a report on June 10, 2024, that showed that a popular training dataset includes many photos of identifiable kids.
&nbsp;
The history of big tech self-regulation is filled with moving goalposts. OpenAI in particular is notorious for asking for forgiveness rather than permission and has faced increasing criticism for putting profit over safety.
&nbsp;
Concerns over the use of user-generated content for training AI models typically center on intellectual property, but there are also privacy issues. YouTube is a vast, unwieldy archive, impossible to fully review.
&nbsp;
Models trained on a subset of professionally produced videos could conceivably be an AI company&rsquo;s first training corpus. But without strong policies in place, any company that ingests more than the popular tip of the iceberg is likely including content that violates the Federal Trade Commission&rsquo;s Children&rsquo;s Online Privacy Protection Rule, which prevents companies from collecting data from children under 13 without notice.
&nbsp;
With last year&rsquo;s executive order on AI and at least one promising proposal on the table for comprehensive privacy legislation, there are signs that legal protections for user data in the US might become more robust.
&nbsp;
Have you unwittingly helped train ChatGPT?&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The intentions of a YouTube uploader simply aren&rsquo;t as consistent or predictable as those of someone publishing a book, writing an article for a magazine or displaying a painting in a gallery. But even if YouTube&rsquo;s algorithm ignores your upload and it never gets more than a couple of views, it may be used to train models like ChatGPT and Gemini.
&nbsp;
As far as AI is concerned, your family reunion video may be just as important as those uploaded by influencer giant Mr. Beast or CNN.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
This article first appeared in The Conversation

Are family videos on YouTube training AI models?

In preparation for the two-month-long Amarnath Yatra that began on Friday, Indian Railways has decided to increase train services to Jammu and introduce new trains starting from July 3 to accommodate the influx of pilgrims.
&nbsp;
Railway sources have confirmed that the frequency of two special festival trains operating between New Delhi and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra will be increased.
&nbsp;
"To facilitate the convenience of pilgrims visiting Jammu from across the country, Indian Railways has announced an increase in the frequency of two festival special trains running from Jammu," said a railway official.
&nbsp;
A total of 18 additional trips for train number 04075-04076 New Delhi-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi-New Delhi reserved festival special train have been scheduled.
&nbsp;
This train will now run from July 3 to August 1, departing from New Delhi Railway Station every Wednesday and Sunday, and from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway Station every Thursday and Monday.
&nbsp;
Additionally, a new train service will commence from New Delhi on July 3 and from Katra on July 4.
&nbsp;
The train will have stops at Sonipat, Panipat, Karnal, Kurukshetra Junction, Ambala Cantt, Jalandhar Cantt, Pathankot Cantt, Jammu Tawi, and Shaheed Captain Tushar Mahajan Udhampur railway stations on both its routes.
&nbsp;
"The weekly special train running between Safdarjung and Shaheed Captain Tushar Mahajan Udhampur (station) will make five additional trips starting from July 1 until July 30," the official added.
&nbsp;
Train number 04141 will depart from Safdarjung Railway Station every Monday, while train number 04142 will leave Shaheed Captain Tushar Mahajan Udhampur Railway Station every Tuesday.
&nbsp;
By providing additional trips and launching new trains, the Railways aim to ensure that pilgrims have reliable and comfortable transportation options throughout the pilgrimage season.
&nbsp;

Railways to run special trains for Amarnath Yatra

Meghalaya's 76-year-old marathon enthusiast, Kmoin Wahlang, has been selected to represent India at the prestigious 13th Pan Pacific Masters Games 2024 in Gold Coast, Australia.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Her participation has garnered full support from the Meghalaya government, which has pledged to cover all expenses related to her journey and participation in the event.
&nbsp;
Wahlang, known for her resilient spirit and athletic prowess, expressed her determination to bring home a gold medal from the upcoming competition.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&ldquo;I will strive to bring back a gold medal if I get there,&rdquo; she had said.
&nbsp;
Her journey to the international stage began after her impressive performance at a national event in Hyderabad earlier this year, catching the attention of the Pan India Masters Games Federation.
&nbsp;
Accompanied by Meghalaya Sports Minister Shakliar Warjri, Wahlang recently met with Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to discuss her preparations and upcoming challenges in Australia.
&nbsp;
Taking to social media, state Sports Minister Warjri wrote, "I'm pleased to announce that we assured her the government would extend support for her upcoming race. We hope she brings medals for our state and country."
&nbsp;
Departing for Australia on October 29, Wahlang's participation in the Pan Pacific Masters Games would include events such as the 800m, 1500m, and 3000m races.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Her itinerary for the event, featuring multiple events in the 75-plus age category, will be finalised after the closure of entries on October 18, 2024.
&nbsp;
Her selection for the Indian athletics team is dedicated to her commitment and past achievements in marathons across India, including Mumbai, Kolkata, Guwahati, and her home state of Meghalaya.
&nbsp;
Wahlang's athletic journey began as a response to health challenges following the birth of her 12th child.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Starting with walking due to a lack of running shoes, she soon embraced running and has since completed marathons nationwide.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Supported by the RUNMeghalaya Association (RMA), Wahlang has participated in prestigious events like the Pinkathon and Tata Mumbai Marathon, setting records as the oldest female participant in the 42K run.
&nbsp;
Her achievements resonate deeply within the Khasi community of Meghalaya's Mawkyrwat region, known for their historical prowess in long-distance running akin to Mexico's Tarahumara tribe.&nbsp;

Meghalaya's 76-year-old readies for Pacific Games

Owing to heavy rains in the coastal regions of Karnataka, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning for fishermen till June 29.
&nbsp;
Stating that squally weather with wind speeds of 35 kmph to 45 kmph, gusting to 55 kmph, is likely to prevail till June 29, the IMD reiterated its warning to fishermen, asking them not to enter the sea.
&nbsp;
It has also issued high wave alerts for the coast of Dakshina Kannada (Mulki to Mangalore) Udupi (Baindur to Kapu) and Uttara Kannada (Majali to Bhatkal).
&nbsp;
With high waves in the range of 2.9 m to 3. 7m till June 29, the Met Centre advised caution while doing marine operations and nearshore recreations.
&nbsp;
Stating that waterlogging and flooding of low-lying areas as well as mudslides and rock falls are possible, it has warned people to avoid areas prone to flash
floods and be prepared for power outages and traffic disruptions.
&nbsp;
According to its report, Bengaluru is likely to receive very light rain, with temperatures varying from 26.4 degrees Celsius to 21.3 degrees Celsius tomorrow.
In Karnataka, Agumbe has received the highest rainfall at 81.5 mm on June 27 and Bengaluru city the lowest at 0.1mm.
&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Bengaluru&rsquo;s water expert and one of the founders of Biome Trust, S Vishwanath, who tracks the reservoir inflow on 'X' has pointed out that there has been a good inflow in Kaveri basin.
&nbsp;
"Kabini roars in," he posted on the social media on June 27 from his handle @zenrainman. He had also observed earlier that Kabini will be the first reservoir to fill up as it&rsquo;s a small reservoir with a large rainy catchment area.
&nbsp;
As per Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre, as on June 28, water inflow to Kabini stands at 20,113 cusecs.
&nbsp;
Another 'X' user, who too tracks weather in the state through his handle Namma Karnataka Weather (@namma_vjy) has pointed out that the water level has started receding in Bhagamandala Triveni Sangama.
&nbsp;
"Intensity of rain has reduced all across Kodagu and repo areas in north Kerala. Big rains are again possible during the next surge in July. So next few days are likely to provide light to moderate showers across Kodagu," he posted on 'X'.&nbsp;

Bengaluru

IMD issues high wave alert for coastal Karnataka

Google has expanded its translation services to include Khasi, one of the primary languages of Meghalaya, as part of a major update to Google Translate.
&nbsp;
This addition, along with 109 other languages, marks a significant step in bridging communication gaps for millions worldwide.
&nbsp;
The inclusion of Khasi is expected to greatly enhance the experience of tourists visiting Meghalaya.
&nbsp;
Visitors will now be able to more easily navigate local areas, communicate with residents, and understand cultural nuances, potentially leading to increased tourism in the region.
&nbsp;
Google's latest update to its translation service incorporates a diverse range of languages, from widely spoken tongues with over 100 million speakers to those used by small Indigenous communities.
&nbsp;
This expansion, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), will enable translations for an additional 614 million speakers globally, representing about 8% of the world's population.
&nbsp;
Among the newly added languages are Cantonese and several African languages.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The company spotlighted that some of the included languages have few native speakers but are part of active revitalisation efforts.
&nbsp;
This update not only facilitates easier communication for travelers but also plays a crucial role in preserving and promoting lesser-known languages.
&nbsp;
For Meghalaya and other regions with newly added languages, this development could lead to improved cultural exchange and economic opportunities through enhanced tourism accessibility.

Rising heat in Ladakh sparks flash flood fears

Severe heat wave from Ladakh to northwest India

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