News Arena Network

Deepan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on July 4, hosted the Indian T20 World Cup champions at his residence in New Delhi, marking a joyous reunion following their recent triumph.
&nbsp;
The mood was starkly different from their last encounter on November 19, 2023, when Team India faced a heartbreaking loss in the ODI World Cup final.
&nbsp;
During that somber November meeting, PM Modi had offered solace and encouragement to a despondent team.
&nbsp;
Captain Rohit Sharma and star batsman Virat Kohli received personal support from the Prime Minister, who sought to lift their spirits after their defeat to Australia in Ahmedabad.
&nbsp;
Fast forward to July 2024, the atmosphere was one of celebration.
&nbsp;
The Indian cricketers, proudly donning jerseys emblazoned with 'champions,' were welcomed warmly by PM Modi at a private ceremony held at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg.
&nbsp;
The joy and pride were palpable, with the players' smiles reflecting their historic win.
&nbsp;
India secured the T20 World Cup for the second time, narrowly defeating South Africa by seven runs in Barbados on June 29. This victory brought immense joy and relief to the team and their supporters.
&nbsp;
During the event, the cricketers sat in a circle around PM Modi.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
An excellent meeting with our Champions! Hosted the World Cup winning team at 7, LKM and had a memorable conversation on their experiences through the tournament. <a href="https://t.co/roqhyQRTnn">pic.twitter.com/roqhyQRTnn</a>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1808788228335391013?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
Rohit Sharma was on the Prime Minister's right, while head coach Rahul Dravid was on his left. Vice-captain Hardik Pandya sat next to Rohit, with Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah flanking Dravid.
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The PM engaged in light-hearted conversations and shared hearty laughter with the players, creating a relaxed and happy atmosphere.
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A memorable moment from the ceremony was when PM Modi posed for a photograph with the entire team and the T20 World Cup trophy, symbolising the nation's pride in their achievement.
&nbsp;
The victorious team had a busy schedule following their return to India.
&nbsp;
They arrived in Delhi to a hero's welcome on Thursday, with fans eagerly awaiting their arrival. After a brief rest at ITC Maurya, the team proceeded to meet PM Modi. 
Only the cricketers, coaches, and top BCCI officials attended the meeting with the Prime Minister. Family members stayed back at the hotel.
&nbsp;
After the meeting, the players were set to return to the hotel before heading to Mumbai for an open bus parade scheduled for 5 PM. 
The journey back to India was not without its challenges. The team, support staff, and media were stranded in Barbados due to Hurricane Beryl, which caused the closure of Grantley Adams International Airport for three days. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah organised a flight that departed on July 2, arriving in Delhi early Thursday morning. The flight also carried board officials and members of the media contingent from the tournament.

New Delhi

PM Modi poses with T20 trophy, shares laughter with champs

Neha Singh

A political crisis involving the ruling AINRC-BJP coalition is brewing in the union territory with a section of saffron party MLAs expressing displeasure against the government over issues including corruption, and have knocked on the doors of the national leadership with a plea to set things right before they &lsquo;become worse&rsquo;. Among others, they want a reshuffle of the cabinet.
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A delegation of seven legislators belonging to the BJP and also a couple of nominated legislators and independents has sought the intervention of the BJP high command &ldquo;to set right the shortcomings in the working of the coalition ministry in Puducherry&rdquo;, a BJP source said on Thursday.
<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;">Fissures within the local Bharatiya Janata Party unit also seem to have come to the fore with calls being made for replacing the incumbent UT head over the party nominee&rsquo;s loss in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections.
<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;">BJP candidate, Puducherry Home Minister A Namassivayam lost to Congress&rsquo;s Ve Vaithilingam by a margin of over 1.36 lakh votes in the April 19 polls and murmurs are being heard in the saffron camp that the three-year old N Rangasamy-led government&rsquo;s &lsquo;deficient performance&rsquo; also contributed to his defeat.
<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;">BJP MLAs PML Kalyanasundaram, A John Kumar and his son Richard, nominated legislator KVenkatesan and Independents M Shivashankaran, P Angalane and Gollapalli Srinivas Ashok, all supporting the government, held a meeting with BJP national president JP Nadda in Delhi on Wednesday and sought his intervention to &ldquo;set right the party and the administration&rdquo;, the source added.
<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 delegation has also met Lt Governor CP Radhakrishan and raised certain issues, including the government not meeting the needs and requirements of the constituencies held by the BJP and legislators supporting it. The MLAs also complained about &ldquo;rampant corruption&rdquo;.
<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;
At the national capital, the MLAs also met Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, who was the party observer here in the recent past and explained to him the apparent reasons for the failure of the BJP in the parliamentary polls, the source said.
&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;">Chief Minister Rangasamy remains tight-lipped even as legislators have come out against his government.
<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 AINRC (All India NR Congress) has ten legislators on its side in the territorial Assembly while its ally, the BJP has six members. The are six Independents and three nominated legislators in the 30-member House. Besides, there are three nominated members.
<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 opposition comprising Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Congress together have a strength of eight members.
<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 current development is also seen as having exposed the internal differences in the BJP. There was also a demand from a section of the BJP that the high command should replace the president of the State unit of the party S Selvaganapathy for poor electoral show.
<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;">Former Puducherry BJP president V Saminathan has openly demanded for removing Selvaganapathy. 
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Puducherry

Puducherry MLAs knock at Delhi’s door against AINRC-BJP govt

At just 14 years old, Bengaluru's Dhinidhi Desinghu is set to become the youngest member of the Indian contingent at the Paris Olympics.
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The ninth-grader&rsquo;s dedication to swimming has required significant sacrifices, but she believes every bit of it has been worthwhile.
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"Sometimes I miss out on the fun activities kids my age enjoy, and I do feel lonely," Dhinidhi shared in an exclusive interview with PTI Bhasha at her home. "But I chose this path for myself. It comes with sacrifices, but I feel different, extraordinary, and proud. At 14, I'm going to the Olympics, so all the sacrifices are worth it."
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Dhinidhi&rsquo;s achievements this season have been impressive, clinching medals at the National Games and senior National championships, earning her the top rank among Indian female swimmers.
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Her consistent performances secured her one of the two Universality places offered by the Swimming Federation of India, granting her the chance to compete at the Olympics.
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"I knew there was a chance because I've been working very hard, but getting this opportunity so early in my career was a surprise. Being the youngest in the Indian contingent is a huge honour," Dhinidhi said. "I'm super excited to be part of the Indian Olympic team and meet the greatest athletes."
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Dhinidhi will compete in the women's 200m freestyle event. She is eager to gain experience and learn from the world's best athletes. "This is just the beginning. I have a long way to go, and I'm excited to see what more I can achieve in 2028 and 2032," she added.
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Meeting her idol, seven-time Olympic gold medallist swimmer Katie Ledecky, is a dream come true for Dhinidhi. "I made a greeting card for her last year, hoping to give it to her someday. If I get to see her in Paris, I'll be over the moon," she exclaimed.
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For Dhinidhi, this Olympic experience is about learning and growth. "I'm not focused on performance right now. I want to absorb everything, and I believe this will make me a better athlete," she concluded.

Bengaluru

14-year-old Dhinidhi to swim for India in Paris Olympics

parvesh_kapoor

Ace Indian cueist Pankaj Advani scored a fine come-from-behind 4-2 win over Siddharth Parikh to keep himself in line for a hat-trick of Asian Billiards titles at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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The match started with Parikh taking an early lead. Showing precision, he scored 101 points, leaving Advani trailing with 38.
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The second frame was a nail-biter. Parikh managed to edge out Advani at 100-99. Parikh&rsquo;s highest break was 65, but the latter almost turned the frame in his favour with an impressive break of 92.
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Trailing 0-2, Advani bounced back strongly in the third frame with a commanding 101-0 win.
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His break of 60 was a testament to his strategic prowess and execution.
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The fourth frame was an intense battle. Parikh scored 95, including a break of 95, but it wasn&rsquo;t enough to surpass his opponent&rsquo;s101.
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Advani, with a break of 93, demonstrated his resilience and ability to perform under pressure, narrowly winning the frame.
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Advani was dominant in the fifth frame winning it 104-2, including a remarkable break of 87.
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In the final frame, Parikh put up a valiant effort, scoring 95 with a break of 95.
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However, Advani&rsquo;s total of 102, including a break of 77, secured him victory.
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&ldquo;It is good to keep the momentum going. Siddharth is a formidable opponent. Given the unpredictable nature of sport, it was a thrilling match.
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&ldquo;As the tournament progresses, it is important to keep focus,&rdquo; said Advani after the match.&nbsp;

Riyadh

Gritty Pankaj Advani wards off Siddharth Parikh

The Narendra Modi government has formed eight crucial Cabinet committees to address key policy issues across various sectors, including security, economy, and senior appointments.
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Union Ministers from the Bharatiya Janata Party and its National Democratic Alliance partners such as Janata Dal (United), Telugu Desam Party, Janata Dal (Secular), Shiv Sena and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) are among the members of these committees.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is part of six committees, Home Minister Amit Shah is on all eight, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is on six, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is on seven.
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The new committees are: Cabinet Committee on Security, Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, Cabinet Committee on Accommodation, Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth, and Cabinet Committee on Employment and Skill Development.
&nbsp;
List Of The Cabinet Committees are as follows:
&nbsp;
1. Appointments Committee Of Cabinet
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</li>
<li dir="ltr">Amit Shah, Minister of Home Affairs; and Minister of Cooperation</li>
</ul>
2.&nbsp; Cabinet Committee On Accommodation
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">Amit Shah, Minister of Home Affairs; and Minister of Cooperation</li>
<li dir="ltr">Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways</li>
<li dir="ltr">Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Finance; and Minister of Corporate Affairs</li>
<li dir="ltr">Manohar Lal, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs; and Minister of Power</li>
<li dir="ltr">Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and lndustry</li>
</ul>
Special Invitee
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (lndependent Charge) of the Ministry of Science and Technology; Minister of State (lndependent Charge) of the Ministry of Earth Sciences; Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office; Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Minister of State in the Department of Atomic Energy; and Minister of State in the Department of Space.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
3. Cabinet Committee On Economic Affairs
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</li>
<li dir="ltr">Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence</li>
<li dir="ltr">Amit Shah, Minister of Home Affairs; and Minister of Cooperation</li>
<li dir="ltr">Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways</li>
<li dir="ltr">Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; and Minister of Rural Development</li>
<li dir="ltr">Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Finance; and Minister of Corporate Affairs</li>
<li dir="ltr">Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs</li>
<li dir="ltr">HD Kumaraswamy, Minister of Heavy lndustries; and Minister of Steel</li>
<li dir="ltr">Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and lndustry</li>
<li dir="ltr">Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education</li>
<li dir="ltr">Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Minister of Panchayati Raj; and Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying</li>
</ul>
4. Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence</li>
<li dir="ltr">Amit Shah, Minister of Home Affairs; and Minister of Cooperation</li>
<li dir="ltr">Jagat Prakash Nadda, Minister of Health and Family Welfare; and Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers</li>
<li dir="ltr">Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Finance; and Minister of Corporate Affairs</li>
<li dir="ltr">Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Minister of Panchayati Raj; and Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying</li>
<li dir="ltr">Virendra Kumar, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment</li>
<li dir="ltr">Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Minister of Civil Aviation</li>
<li dir="ltr">Jual Oram, Minister of Tribal Affairs</li>
<li dir="ltr">Kiren Rijiju, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs; and Minister of Minority Affairs</li>
<li dir="ltr">CR Patil, Minister of Jal Shakti</li>
</ul>
Special lnvitees
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State (lndependent Charge) of the Ministry of Law and Justice; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.</li>
<li dir="ltr">L Murugan, Minister of State in the Ministry of lnformation and Broadcasting; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs</li>
</ul>
5. Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</li>
<li dir="ltr">Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence</li>
<li dir="ltr">Amit Shah, Minister of Home Affairs; and Minister of Cooperation</li>
<li dir="ltr">Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways</li>
<li dir="ltr">Jagat Prakash Nadda, Minister of Health and Family Welfare; and Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers</li>
<li dir="ltr">Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Finance; and Minister of Corporate Affairs</li>
<li dir="ltr">Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and lndustry</li>
<li dir="ltr">Jitan Ram Manjhi, Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises</li>
<li dir="ltr">Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways</li>
<li dir="ltr">Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Minister of Civil Aviation</li>
<li dir="ltr">Bhupender Yadav, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change</li>
<li dir="ltr">Annapurna Devi, Minister of Women and Child Development</li>
<li dir="ltr">Kiren Rijiju, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs; and Minister of Minority Affairs</li>
<li dir="ltr">G Kishan Reddy, Minister of Coal; and Minister of Mines</li>
<li dir="ltr">6. Cabinet Committee on Security</li>
<li dir="ltr">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</li>
<li dir="ltr">Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence</li>
<li dir="ltr">Amit Shah, Minister of Home Affairs; and Minister of Cooperation</li>
<li dir="ltr">Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Finance; and Minister of Corporate Affairs</li>
<li dir="ltr">Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
7. Cabinet Committee on lnvestment and Growth&nbsp;
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</li>
<li dir="ltr">Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence.</li>
<li dir="ltr">Amit Shah, Minister of Home Affairs; and Minister of Cooperation.</li>
<li dir="ltr">Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways.</li>
<li dir="ltr">Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Finance; and Minister of Corporate Affairs.</li>
<li dir="ltr">Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and lndustry</li>
<li dir="ltr">Pralhad Joshi, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution; and Minister of New and Renewable Energy</li>
<li dir="ltr">Giriraj Singh, Minister of Textiles</li>
<li dir="ltr">AshwiniVaishnaw, Minister of Railways; Minister of lnformation and Broadcasting; and Minister of Electronics and lnformation Technology.</li>
<li dir="ltr">Jyotiraditya M Scindia, Minister of Communications; and Minister of Development of North Eastern Region.</li>
<li dir="ltr">Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas</li>
<li dir="ltr">Chirag Paswan, Minister of Food Processing lndustries</li>
</ul>
Special lnvitees
<ul>
<li>Rao lnderjit Singh, Minister of State (lndependent Charge) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme implementation; Minister of State (lndependent Charge) of the Ministry of Planning; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture</li>
<li dir="ltr">Prataprao Jadhav, Minister of State (lndependent Charge) of the Ministry of Ayush and Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare</li>
</ul>
8. Cabinet Committee on Skill, Employment and Livelihood
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</li>
<li dir="ltr">Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence</li>
<li dir="ltr">Amit Shah, Minister of Home Affairs; and Minister of Cooperation</li>
<li dir="ltr">Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways</li>
<li dir="ltr">Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Finance; and Minister of Corporate Affairs</li>
<li dir="ltr">Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and lndustry</li>
<li dir="ltr">Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education</li>
<li dir="ltr">Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways; Minister of lnformation and Broadcasting; and Minister of Electronics and Information Technology</li>
<li dir="ltr">Bhupender Yadav, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change</li>
<li dir="ltr">Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Culture; and Minister of Tourism</li>
<li dir="ltr">Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas</li>
<li dir="ltr">Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Labour and Employment; and Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports &nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Special lnvitee
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (lndependent Charge) of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Education.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

Cabinet Committees under Modi 3.0 announced

Amarpreet Kaur

Himachal Pradesh has been hit by heavy rains, resulting in the closure of 115 roads across the state. The Shimla meteorological office has issued an orange alert, warning of heavy to very heavy rains, thunderstorms, and lightning until Friday.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The rains have caused widespread disruption, with 107 roads in Mandi, four in Chamba, three in Solan, and one in Kangra district closed to vehicular traffic. Additionally, 212 transformers have been disrupted, leaving many areas without power.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
A stretch of the Chandigarh-Manali four-lane road has developed cracks and begun sinking, forcing officials to restrict traffic to one way. Locals have raised questions about the quality of construction, as a retaining wall built at a cost of lakhs of rupees has already started sinking.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The Met department has also issued a yellow warning for heavy rains on Saturday and Sunday, cautioning of potential damage to crops, structures, and disruption in traffic and waterlogging in low-lying areas.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Several trees were uprooted in Shimla, which received 84 mm of rain, and debris from drains littered the roads. Other areas that received heavy rainfall include Sundernagar, Palampur, Gohar, Solan, Mashobra, Jogindernagar, Baijnath, Mandi, Narkanda, and Kangra.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Narkanda recorded the lowest temperature at 13.4&deg;C, while Bhuntar in Kullu was the hottest at 35.6&deg;C.

Shimla

115 roads closed as heavy rains lash Himachal

Shyna Gupta

Microsoft Corp has agreed to pay $14 million to settle allegations from a California agency that the company unlawfully penalized employees who took medical or family-care leave, as announced by the California Civil Rights Department on Wednesday.
&nbsp;
The Civil Rights Department's filings in state court accused the tech giant of retaliating against its California-based employees who utilized parental, disability, pregnancy, and family-care leave since 2017.
&nbsp;
The department claimed that these workers, who were predominantly women and people with disabilities, were denied raises, promotions, and stock awards.
&nbsp;
Additionally, they received lower performance-review scores, which negatively impacted their pay, career advancement opportunities, and overall career trajectory.
&nbsp;
The settlement, which is pending approval by a state judge, aims to resolve a multiyear investigation by the Civil Rights Department. Despite agreeing to the settlement, Microsoft denied any wrongdoing.
&nbsp;
A company spokesperson stated, "Microsoft is committed to an environment that empowers our employees to take leave when needed and provides the flexibility and support necessary for them to thrive professionally and personally." The spokesperson emphasized that the company disagreed with the agency's allegations.
&nbsp;

California

Microsoft to pay $14M in leave penalty settlement

The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested one Ravindra alias Aman Singh in the NEET UG paper leak case from Dhanbad in Jharkhand. Aman Singh is said to be the main conspirator in the paper leak.
&nbsp;
Sources said that the CBI team has arrested the accused Aman Singh from Bindu Apartment in Bapu Nagar under Saraidhela police station area of Dhanbad.
&nbsp;
Aman Singh is very close to Rocky, who is absconding in the paper leak case.
&nbsp;
Rocky is the nephew of Sanjeev Mukhiya, who is involved in the hotel business in Ranchi.
&nbsp;
It is learnt that Rocky had arranged for solvers to prepare the answers to the NEET paper after the leak. Rocky is a special agent of the Sanjeev Mukhiya gang in Jharkhand.
&nbsp;
MBBS students from Ranchi and Patna were used as solvers.
&nbsp;
According to the information, the arrest of Aman Singh can provide important information about Rocky and the solvers.
&nbsp;
A team of CBI officials had reached Dhanbad based on the interrogation of the people arrested so far in the paper leak case and the information received from their digital devices.
&nbsp;
Two inspectors of the CBI team have been conducting raids in Saraidhela and Govindpur police station areas since Wednesday morning.
&nbsp;
Aman Singh was arrested from Bapu Nagar in the Saraidhela police station area, while his associate Bunty, a resident of Govindpur, escaped.
&nbsp;
However, the CBI team seized Bunty's SUV and handed it over to the Dhanbad CBI office.
&nbsp;
The CBI team has arrested Aman Singh and taken him to Patna.
&nbsp;
After presenting him in the court of CBI's special judge, he will be taken on remand and questioned.
&nbsp;
CBI sources have said that Aman has business relations with the paper leak gang.
&nbsp;
Earlier, Bihar police had raided locations in Deoghar and recovered some question papers, which were found to be identical to the one found in Oasis School Center in Hazaribagh.
&nbsp;
Later, the CBI team interrogated the principal of Oasis School in Hazaribagh and arrested him along with two others.
&nbsp;
So far, a total of four people have been arrested by the CBI in this case. And four others were arrested by the Economic Offences Unit of Bihar police from Deoghar.

Ranchi

CBI arrests another NEET leak conspirator from Jharkhand

Ayesha Banerjee

The annual Amarnath Yatra has exceeded expectations, surpassing the one lakh mark in five days since it began on June 29.
&nbsp;
Officials stated that 30,586 Yatris paid obeisance at the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir on Wednesday, bringing the total number of devotees performing &lsquo;darshan&rsquo; of the naturally formed ice lingam to 1,05,282.
&nbsp;
A batch of 9,800 yatris departed from the Baltal base camp on Wednesday. "A fresh batch of over 5,700 Yatris left for the Amarnath shrine from Jammu," officials confirmed.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
They added that many yatris took advantage of on-spot registration at the base camp counters established by the administration.
&nbsp;
The sixth batch of 5,725 pilgrims left in 256 vehicles for the twin base camps of Baltal and Pahalgam, escorted by security vehicles.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
"While 3,211 yatris took the 48-km traditional Pahalgam route&hellip; 2,514 yatris chose the shorter but steep 14-km Baltal route," officials said.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The number of yatris participating in the Amarnath Yatra is expected to surpass all previous records, as the administration is meticulously overseeing all travel arrangements.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
"Fool-proof security arrangements are in place for the ongoing Yatra, and civil societies, local district administrations, and residents are warmly welcoming the Yatris throughout the valley," officials remarked.
&nbsp;
In their ongoing efforts to assist the Amarnath Yatris, the J&amp;K Police, SDRF, and Forest Protection Force personnel have been actively helping elderly pilgrims and providing first aid when necessary.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Additionally, employees of the Forest Protection Force Department have also been seen extending a helping hand to those in need.

Srinagar

Post

Amarnath yatra draws over 1 lakh pilgrims in 5 days

Border Security Force (BSF) troops, on Wednesday, nabbed a Pakistani teenage boy, near the International Border (IB) here, the officials stated.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
According to the BSF, the troops observed the movement of a person in the morning hours near the border fence. The boy tried to escape, after which the BSF troops chased and apprehended him. He is being questioned by the BSF and other agencies to know about his motive for crossing the IB, officials said.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Sources said the boy was aged around 15.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The BSF troops had shot dead another Pakistani intruder near border outpost Sadqi in Abohar sector, officials had said on Tuesday.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
On observing suspicious movement during the intervening night on July 1-2, the BSF guard on duty warned the intruder.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
However, the intruder continued to move forward towards the border fence, after which the troops fired three rounds, they had said.

Chandigarh

BSF nabs escaping Pakistani teen in Punjab's Ferozepur

The Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), which came up with a surprise win after its jailed leader Sheikh Abdul &lsquo;Engineer&rsquo; Rashid, contesting as an independent, won the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat in J&amp;K defeating political heavyweight Omar Abdullah, has announced it will contest in the upcoming state elections held later in 2024.
&nbsp;
Ishtiyaq Qadri, chairman of AIP&rsquo;s political affairs committee, said on Thursday that the party is now seeking candidates with clean records.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;People in the Valley are tired of traditional political parties and are looking for a change,&rdquo; he told reporters.
&nbsp;
The AIP plans to contest all seats in the Kashmir Valley and also in the Pir Panjal and Chenab regions of Jammu.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;Qadri mentioned that the party had set its sights on several seats in Jammu as well.
&nbsp;
While having a conversation with the reporter here, he said the party would field candidates for all seats in the Valley.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Apart from that, we are also planning to field candidates in parts of the Jammu region like Rajouri, Poonch, and Kathua,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We will again surprise the big players in politics in the upcoming polls.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
The party rests its hopes on the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections where Rashid secured 15 out of 18 Assembly segments in the Baramulla constituency.
&nbsp;
Rashid contested as an independent candidate and defeated the grand old party&rsquo;s seasoned politician Omar Abdullah with over two lakh votes, also handing a crushing defeat to separatist turned politician Sajad Gani Lone in his Baramulla constituency.
&nbsp;
The last Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir was held in 2014. Since the abrogation of Article 370, the upcoming elections will be the first.
&nbsp;
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has indicated that the elections&nbsp;&nbsp;will be held soon, promising statehood for J&amp;K.
&nbsp;
Rashid, who has been in jail since 2019 on charges related to terror funding, is set to be the chief ministerial candidate for the AIP.
&nbsp;
During the Lok Sabha campaign, AIP focused on Rashid&rsquo;s release, and for the upcoming Assembly elections, the main issues will be the release of detainees, developmental work, and unemployment.
&nbsp;
While praising the constitution, Qadri said the party believes in the &ldquo;Indian Constitution and democracy,&rdquo; adding, &ldquo;It is the greatness of the Indian judiciary and democracy that allowed Rashid to contest the Lok Sabha elections despite being in jail.&rdquo;
&nbsp;

Engineer Rashid’s party AIP to contest J&K Assembly polls

Shweta Sengar

Singer Justin Bieber is set to perform at the wedding celebrations of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant in Mumbai. He was seen arriving in the city on Thursday, July 4.
&nbsp;
Paparazzi shared pictures on social media showing a convoy of cars accompanying him. Radhika Merchant will marry Anant Ambani on July 12.
&nbsp;
Bieber is one of the many international celebrities performing at the Ambani wedding. Earlier reports from India Today suggested that talks are ongoing for Adele, Drake, and Lana Del Rey to also take the stage at Radhika and Anant's wedding events.
&nbsp;
The popular Canadian vocalist is expected to take the stage at Anant and Radhika's pre-wedding musical evening. He is renowned for hit tracks such as 'Baby', 'Sorry', and 'Never Say Never', among others.
&nbsp;
Previously, the renowned pop sensation Rihanna performed at the pre-wedding celebration of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant in Jamnagar.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Following the festivities in Jamnagar, the summer boat party in June included live performances by The Backstreet Boys, Pitbull, and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, who delighted the audience on the charming Italian island of Portofino.

Mumbai

Justin Bieber arrives in Mumbai for Ambani wedding

Another bridge collapse occurred in Bihar on Thursday, making it the 10th such incident reported from the state in just over a fortnight.
&nbsp;
District Magistrate Aman Samir said the latest incident was reported from Saran, which witnessed two more bridge collapses in the last 24 hours.
&nbsp;
He said no casualty was reported after the structure, built 15 years ago by local authorities, collapsed this morning.
&nbsp;
The small bridge over the Gandaki river was in the Baneyapur block and connected several villages in Saran with the neighbouring Siwan district.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;The small bridge was constructed 15 years ago. I am going to the spot. Several other officials of the district administration have already reached there. The exact cause of the bridge collapse is yet to be ascertained, but desilting work has been recently undertaken," the district magistrate told PTI.
&nbsp;
On Wednesday, the Saran district witnessed the collapse of two small bridges&mdash;one in the Janta Bazar area and another in the Lahladpur area.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;A high-level probe has been ordered to find out the reason for the collapse of these small bridges in the district," the DM said.
&nbsp;
According to locals, heavy rainfall for the last few days in the district might have contributed to the collapse of these small bridges.
&nbsp;
In the past 16 days, 10 bridges have collapsed in the Siwan, Saran, Madhubani, Araria, East Champaran, and Kishanganj districts.
&nbsp;
After Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's directives, the state's road construction and rural works departments were asked to assess all old bridges and determine which ones needed urgent repairs.
&nbsp;
The CM convened a meeting on Wednesday to assess the maintenance strategies. He mentioned that the road construction department has already formulated its policy for bridge maintenance and urged the rural works department to devise its plan as well promptly.

Patna

Another bridge collapses in Bihar, 10th in 16 days

Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty reached their lifetime peaks in early trade on Thursday, driven by firm global market trends, significant buying in blue-chip stocks, and robust Foreign Institutional Investors (FII) inflows.
&nbsp;
The 30-share BSE Sensex surged 388.84 points to hit a record high of 80,375.64 in early trade. Similarly, the Nifty climbed 114.45 points to reach a lifetime peak of 24,400.95.
&nbsp;
Among the top performers in the Sensex pack were Tata Motors, ICICI Bank, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra, Infosys, HCL Technologies, and Tata Consultancy Services. Conversely, HDFC Bank, IndusInd Bank, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, and Bharti Airtel were among the laggards.
&nbsp;
FIIs purchased equities worth Rs 5,483.63 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data. This substantial buying activity is largely attributed to massive delivery-based buying in banking stocks, particularly HDFC Bank.
&nbsp;
"The big FII buying of Rs 5,484 crore on Wednesday is largely due to the massive delivery-based buying in banking stocks led by HDFC Bank. This delivery-based buying may sustain for a few more days imparting resilience to the market," said V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services.
&nbsp;
He added, "The FIIs with 3.78 lakh long contracts have taken a 'U' turn in their market approach from the big short contracts in early June. A decline in the US 10-year bond yield to 4.35 percent and the dollar index declining to 105.29 are positives for fund inflows."
&nbsp;
Vijayakumar also noted that the market would soon start responding to Q1 results, which are expected to begin flowing in next week.
&nbsp;
In Asian markets, Tokyo and Seoul traded positively on Thursday, while Shanghai and Hong Kong quoted lower.
&nbsp;
US markets ended higher on Wednesday during the shortened trading session, though they remain closed on July 4, Thursday due to Independence day.

Sensex, Nifty hit lifetime peaks on FII inflows

Sri Lanka has successfully reached a debt restructuring agreement with its international sovereign bondholders, marking a significant step in the nation's efforts to restore debt sustainability.
&nbsp;
The announcement was made by State Finance Minister Shehan Semasinghe on Thursday, who hailed the deal as a "crucial step" for the cash-strapped country.
&nbsp;
In a statement, Minister Shehan confirmed that the agreement on restructuring terms was finalised on Wednesday, completing the long-awaited debt restructuring process for Sri Lanka.
&nbsp;
"ISBs (International Sovereign Bonds) account for USD 12.5 billion out of the total external debt of USD 37 billion. This agreement is a crucial step in our efforts to restore debt sustainability," Semasinghe said.
&nbsp;
The minister added that the deal with private bondholders is pending approval from the official creditor committee of nations, which includes India.
"This marks another key milestone in our journey towards economic revival and strengthening," he said.
&nbsp;
Officials disclosed that the agreed-upon restructuring includes a 28 percent haircut and an upfront payment to ISB holders starting in September of this year.
&nbsp;
This agreement finalises Sri Lanka&rsquo;s comprehensive debt restructuring process, a prerequisite for debt sustainability under the ongoing International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout of USD 2.9 billion, which was extended in March 2023 over four years.
&nbsp;
The announcement follows the finalisation of debt restructuring agreements with bilateral lenders, including India and China, in Paris on June 26.
&nbsp;
President Ranil Wickremesinghe described this earlier agreement as a &ldquo;significant milestone&rdquo; in bolstering international trust in Sri Lanka's debt-ridden economy.

Colombo

Sri Lanka finalises debt restructuring agreement

Nepal&rsquo;s government, led by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal &ldquo;Prachanda,&rdquo; has collapsed following a dramatic two-day political standoff.
&nbsp;
The turning point came as coalition ministers from the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) resigned en-masse, retracting their support.
&nbsp;
On Tuesday, the CPN-UML, a crucial ally in Dahal&rsquo;s coalition, issued a 24-hour ultimatum demanding his resignation, calling it &ldquo;a respectful exit.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
As the deadline expired, the party made its move.
&nbsp;
Early Wednesday, eight CPN-UML ministers in Dahal&rsquo;s cabinet, which was formed on March 4 this year, submitted their resignations at the Prime Minister&rsquo;s residence in Baluwatar.
&nbsp;
They had previously gathered at the home of UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli before proceeding to Baluwatar.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;We have resigned and submitted the letter to the Prime Minister a while ago. All eight ministers from the CPN-UML have resigned, informing the Prime Minister that we are no longer part of this government and are withdrawing our support,&rdquo; said Jwalakumari Sah, the former minister for Agriculture from the PM&rsquo;s residence.
&nbsp;
The political landscape in Nepal is set for further upheaval. On Monday night, the UML and the Nepali Congress reached an agreement to form a new government.
&nbsp;
According to the deal, KP Sharma Oli will lead a new national consensus government for a year and a half, after which former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba will take over for the remaining term.
&nbsp;
Despite the mounting pressure, Dahal has shown reluctance to step down immediately.
&nbsp;
The office-bearers&rsquo; meeting of the CPN (Maoist Centre), held in Baluwatar on Tuesday, decided that Dahal would not resign but would instead face a trust vote in Parliament within 30 days following the withdrawal of support.
&nbsp;
By Wednesday, the Nepali Congress formally endorsed the new coalition agreement with the CPN-UML. A central work execution committee meeting, held at party President Sher Bahadur Deuba&rsquo;s residence in Budhanilkantha, ratified the deal.
&nbsp;
The agreement stipulates that the two largest parties will lead the government on a rotational basis for the remaining three-and-a-half years of the current parliament&rsquo;s tenure.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;The meeting concludes that it would be appropriate for the Prime Minister to pave the way for the formation of a new national consensus government, as following the agreement between Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML, a clear majority in the House of Representatives is in favour of forming the government under the leadership of KP Sharma Oli,&rdquo; read a statement issued after the meeting.
&nbsp;
The Nepali Congress meeting also committed to implementing the agreement, emphasizing goals such as protecting national interests, controlling corruption, ensuring good governance, and development, maintaining political stability, amending the constitution to strengthen the federal democratic republican system and inclusiveness, and fortifying the economy.
&nbsp;
As part of the overnight agreement between Deuba and Oli, a committee has been established to propose amendments to the election procedures and the constitution. This committee will be chaired by former Chief Justice Kalyan Shrestha.
&nbsp;
The constitutional amendment drafted in the agreement includes a provision that the Vice President will become the chairman of the National Assembly.
&nbsp;
Leaders from both the Congress and the UML informed President Ram Chandra Paudel about the new coalition and the planned constitutional changes.
&nbsp;
During their meeting with the President, the leaders invoked Section 76 (2) of the constitution to form a new government if the incumbent Prime Minister fails to win the vote of confidence following the UML&rsquo;s withdrawal of support.
&nbsp;
Prime Minister Dahal, who ascended to power after the 2022 General Elections, now faces another vote of confidence in Parliament.
&nbsp;
This will be the fifth floor test for Dahal, who has already navigated four such votes during his current tenure.

Kathmandu

Nepal govt collapses as coalition ministers resign en-masse

The destiny of Rishi Sunak as the Prime Minister of Britain and the leader of the Conservative Party is uncertain as the UK heads to the polls on Thursday.
&nbsp;
Roughly 46.5 million British citizens are eligible to vote in the election. The voters will choose members of Parliament from 650 constituencies, with 326 seats needed for a majority under the first-past-the-post system.
&nbsp;
At 44, Sunak is facing voter dissatisfaction with the ruling Tories, who have been in power for 14 years. He has been struggling to catch up with the 61-year-old Keir Starmer-led Labour Party throughout the six-week campaign.
&nbsp;
Both leaders concluded their campaign messages with different tones &mdash; Sunak advised voters against giving a "supermajority" to &ldquo;tax-raising&rdquo; Labour, while Starmer downplayed the possibility of a landslide victory, expressing concern about a low turnout affecting the final result.
&nbsp;
On Thursday, about 40,000 polling stations will open nationwide at 7 am local time as voters arrive to mark their chosen candidate on a paper ballot. Identification documents are now required for voting, and the elections are open to all registered adult voters living in the UK, including Indians as Commonwealth citizens.
&nbsp;
Once the votes are cast and the polling stations officially close at 10 pm local time, attention turns to the definitive exit poll, which provides a reliable snapshot of the UK-wide expectations. Counting begins in various locations across the country immediately, and the first results are anticipated just before midnight local time.
&nbsp;
Stop Labour&rsquo;s supermajority is the central message British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was trying to drive home on Wednesday's final day of campaigning, as most of the incumbent Conservatives all but conceded defeat in the general election.
&nbsp;
According to polling experts, there is a prediction of a low turnout, which was at 67 per cent in the last general election in December 2019 when Johnson secured a solid majority with his "get Brexit done" campaign.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
If opinion polls are accurate, the current Tories are expected to win anywhere from 53 to 150 seats, while Labour is forecasted to win by a large margin. The vote, called by Sunak, is taking place earlier than necessary and has caught much of his party off guard.
&nbsp;
The 2019 General Election resulted in a Conservative victory. The party won 365 seats, while the Labour Party won 202 seats.&nbsp;

London

UK votes today: PM Sunak's future on the line

The Thiruvalla Municipality secretary in the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala has issued a show-cause notice to eight employees following the viral circulation of a social media reel.
&nbsp;
The reel features the employees singing and dancing within the office premises.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
A group of government employees at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Thiruvalla?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Thiruvalla</a> Municipality in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kerala?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kerala</a> have landed in trouble after a reel they shared on social media went viral. The employees, who work in the revenue section, were found to have shot the reel during office hours, using office&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/EzbUNNqDlE">pic.twitter.com/EzbUNNqDlE</a>
&mdash; South First (@TheSouthfirst) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSouthfirst/status/1808386864044441835?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
The employees choreographed the reel and performed the scripted song and dance within the office space.
&nbsp;
Subsequently, the reel gained significant attention and was brought to the municipality secretary's attention. The secretary swiftly issued a show-cause notice to the eight employees, requesting they provide an explanation within three days.
&nbsp;
When the media asked the secretary about the action, he said that he had done his duty after learning of the act.
&nbsp;
The employees anticipated that they wouldn't face any repercussions since it was harmless.
&nbsp;
However, following the receipt of the notice on Wednesday, the employees claimed that the film was recorded when the office was not operational and had not interfered with work or inconvenienced anyone seeking assistance.

Thiruvananthapuram

8 Kerala employees face action for office dance reel

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday paid tributes to Swami Vivekananda on his 122nd death anniversary and said it was the great monk patriot, who taught us to love our religion and country without being divisive.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Remembering Swami Vivekananda on the solemn occasion of his death anniversary today. My tributes to the great monk-patriot, who taught us to love our religion and country without being sectarian or divisive,&rdquo; she posted on X.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Remembering Swami Vivekananda on the solemn occasion of his death anniversary today. My tributes to the great monk-patriot, who taught us to love our religion and country without being sectarian or divisive.
&mdash; Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/MamataOfficial/status/1808685913582485785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
<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;">Swami Vivekananda, who died on July 4, 1902, played an important role in the spiritual enlightenment of the masses.
<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;">He spread Vedanta philosophy in the West and established the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission to serve the poor. 
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Kolkata

Mamata remembers Swami Vivekananda on death anniversary

During his fourth month of service, Lieutenant Balwan Singh, a young officer, commanded the Ghatak Platoon of the Indian Army in a crucial attack on Pakistani intruders in the Kargil War. He was part of the courageous group of soldiers who successfully seized Tiger Hill on July 4, 1999.
&nbsp;
"There was no looking back from there. It was victory after the capture of the Tiger Hill," recalls Singh, now a colonel with the famed 18 Grenadiers, who was injured while fighting the enemy but continued to fight.
&nbsp;
He received the Maha Vir Chakra in recognition of his bravery.
&nbsp;
The 18 Grenadiers, raised in 1976, played a crucial role in the conflict. The battalion was honoured with 52 awards, including one Param Vir Chakra, two Maha Vir Chakras, six Vir Chakras, multiple Sena Medals, and a Commendation Card from the Chief of the Army Staff.
&nbsp;
On Wednesday, Colonel Singh and numerous other Kargil heroes from the battalion reminisced about the courageous actions of its soldiers during Operation Vijay.
&nbsp;
The war officially ended on July 26, 1999, after the Indian forces successfully repelled the Pakistani forces that had clandestinely seized important positions in Ladakh.
&nbsp;
During the night of July 3, 1999, members of 18 Grenadiers, known as the Pole Star Battalion, set out on their objective to seize Tiger Hill and succeeded by the following morning, according to Brig (retd) Khushal Thakur, who led the battalion during the pivotal engagements at Tololing and Tiger Hill.
&nbsp;
"On June 12-13, 1999, we won Tololing and it was a big turning point in this war. It boosted the morale of our armed forces and the countrymen and dipped the morale of the Pakistani side. One by one, we kept capturing the peaks in Mushkow or Batalik sector, and the next task was Tiger Hill," Brig (retd) Thakur, who was a colonel during the war, told PTI.
&nbsp;
"For the Tiger Hill, I had adequate time for reconnaissance. I had artillery guns, multi-barrel rocket launchers and high-altitude warfare equipment... Despite all the losses suffered, the morale of the men of 18 Grenadiers was sky high, and our brave men captured the Tiger Hill, planting the Indian flag on top," he said.
&nbsp;
There weren't many TV channels back then, but the defining images of Indian soldiers celebrating the conquest of Tiger Hill became symbols of their bravery.
&nbsp;
Col Singh said the battles of Tololing and Tiger Hill were decisive battles.
&nbsp;
"Initially, we captured Tololing. Tololing is very near to NH-1 Alpha (National Highway-1A). It is just 3 km from NH-1 Alpha. The same is the case with Tiger Hill, an 8-10 km stretch of NH-1 Alpha is visible from the top of the Tiger Hill. You can't do any movement on this road," he said.
&nbsp;
"They (infiltrators) had all kinds of weapons, automatics, anti-aircraft guns, and other missiles on Tololing and Tiger Hill, and both the features were very, very important to capture," he added.
&nbsp;
The Indian Army will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Kargil victory on July 26. Several programs have been organised leading up to the main commemorative event in Kargil later this month.
&nbsp;
During the conflict, Col Sachin Annarao Nimbalkar, who was approximately 23 years old at the time and serving as a captain with the 18 Grenadiers, was one of the soldiers recognised for their bravery with a Sena Medal.
&nbsp;
"We were fighting with our backs to the wall, and every inch that we had to capture was a big fight. The victory in the Kargil war was attained with great sacrifices made by various units.
&nbsp;
"If I talk about my unit, 18 Grenadiers, we are bravehearts, two officers, two JCOs, and 30 other ranks sacrificed their lives (in this war) and many others were injured and some disabled for life," Col Nimbalkar told PTI after paying homage to fallen heroes at the National War Memorial.
&nbsp;
"So, this tells the cost of capturing the features of Tololing and Tiger Hill as far as my battalion was concerned," he said.
&nbsp;
The officer in the Army, who comes from Maharashtra, proudly displays the regimental insignia with the motto 'Sarvada Shaktishali' on his military cap and describes its background.
&nbsp;
"We are now celebrating the 25th year of Kargil Vijay Diwas... I remember when we were successful, I remember when we were facing casualties, I remember Lt Col Viswanathan, who sacrificed his life during the battle of Tololing," he said.
&nbsp;
Col Nimbalkar paid homage to his Indian Military Academy (IMA) coursemate, Capt Manoj Pandey, the hero of the Tiger Hill battle, on his death anniversary at the memorial.
&nbsp;
"There are mixed emotions. There is a sense of achievement, but it comes at a great cost. Today is the day for all of us to collectively acknowledge the efforts of our heroes and sacrifices (they) made for the nation," he said.

Tololing, Tiger Hill: Kargil War heroes remember victory

A study by a multinational firm has identified cloud resources as the &ldquo;biggest targets&rdquo; for cyberattacks in India.
&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;">Thales has announced the release of the 2024 Thales Cloud Security Study, its annual assessment of the latest cloud security threats, trends and emerging risks based on a survey of nearly 3,000 IT and security professionals across 18 countries in 37 industries, according to a statement.
<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 study was based on a global survey of 2,961 respondents, aimed at professionals in security and IT management,&rdquo; it 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 study &ldquo;identifies cloud resources as the biggest targets for cyberattacks in India&rdquo;.
<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;">Cloud security spending now &ldquo;tops all other security spending categories&rdquo;, it added.
<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;">In India, nearly half (46 per cent) of the respondents reported that all corporate data stored in the cloud is sensitive and 37 per cent of the participating organisations have experienced a cloud data breach in India with 14 per cent having had one in the past year, the statement 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;">Also, 35 per cent of the organisations in India recognise the importance of digital sovereignty initiatives as a means of future-proofing their cloud environments, and globally, nearly half of the organisations acknowledge that it is more difficult to manage compliance and privacy in the cloud versus on-premises, it 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;">Human error and misconfiguration continue to top the list of root causes of these breaches (34 per cent), followed by exploiting previously unknown vulnerabilities (32 per cent), exploiting known vulnerabilities (21 per cent) and failure to use multi-factor authentication (11 per cent), it 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;">&ldquo;As the use of the cloud continues to be strategically vital to many organisations, cloud resources have become the biggest targets for cyberattacks, with cloud storage (30 per cent), SaaS applications (30 per cent) and Cloud Management Infrastructure (28 per cent) cited as the leading categories of attack in India.
<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;As a result, protecting cloud environments has risen as the top security priority ahead of all other security disciplines,&rdquo; the statement said. 
&nbsp;

Cloud resources biggest targets for cyberattacks in India

The Indian cricket team, which won the T20 World Cup, arrived back in the country on Thursday via a specially arranged charter flight.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Despite a steady drizzle and heavy security deployment, scores of fans gathered outside the airport to welcome the players, though they were kept at a distance from the team.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Touching down in Delhi, the Indian Cricket Team brings home the World Cup T20 trophy! Amid cheers and applause, the nation celebrates their historic win. Welcome back, champions!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChampionsReturn?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChampionsReturn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldChampions?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldChampions</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DelhiAirport?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DelhiAirport</a> <a href="https://t.co/Et7c7QMBZ1">pic.twitter.com/Et7c7QMBZ1</a>
&mdash; Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) <a href="https://twitter.com/DelhiAirport/status/1808674009002934385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Braving the weather, hundreds of supporters, holding signs to congratulate their favourite players and waving the national flag, gathered to give a warm welcome to the victorious side.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The team had defeated South Africa by seven runs in the final in Bridgetown last Saturday.
&nbsp;
"We have waited for this moment for the past 13 years. The team has made us proud by winning the World Cup," a fan, who claimed to have been waiting since 4:30 am in the morning said, referring to India's last World Cup triumph which came back in 2011.
&nbsp;
The side could not head back home immediately after the title win due to a shutdown forced by Hurricane Beryl in Barbados. They were cocooned in their hotel before the BCCI arranged the special charter flight.
&nbsp;
The Air India special charter flight AIC24WC&mdash;Air India Champions 24 World Cup&mdash;left Barbados around 4:50 a.m. local time on Wednesday and arrived in Delhi at 6 a.m. (IST) on Thursday after a 16-hour nonstop journey.
&nbsp;
The Indian squad, its support staff, the players' families and some BCCI officials were aboard the flight along with the travelling media contingent members.
&nbsp;
Heavy security was deployed to keep the crowd in check at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, but that did little to dampen the spirits as fans cheered enthusiastically, holding up posters of star batter Virat Kohli, skipper Rohit Sharma and outgoing head coach Rahul Dravid.

They're home: India's T20 world champs arrive in Delhi

On average, 7.2 per cent of all daily deaths in 10 of the largest and most polluted cities in India, including Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai, were linked to PM2.5 levels higher than World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for safe exposure, according to a study published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal.
&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;">Delhi was found to have the largest fraction of daily and yearly deaths attributable to PM2.5 air pollution, caused by particles sized 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter.
<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;">Sources of such pollution include vehicular and industrial emissions.
<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;">Researchers said that daily exposure to PM2.5 pollution in Indian cities is linked with a higher risk of death, and locally created pollution could be possibly causing these deaths.
<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 international team included researchers from Varanasi&rsquo;s Banaras Hindu University and the Centre for Chronic Disease Control, New Delhi.
<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;">They found that an increase of 10 micrograms per cubic metre in the average of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution measured over two days (short-term exposure) was related to 1.4 per cent higher daily mortality.
<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 death risk was found to be doubled (2.7 per cent) per a 10 microgram per cubic metre increase, when the researchers restricted their analysis to observations below Indian standards of air quality, less stringent than WHO guidelines for safe exposure, which prescribe 15 micrograms per cubic metre of PM2.5 over a 24-hour period.
<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;">Indian air quality standards prescribe 60 micrograms per cubic metre of PM2.5 over a 24-hour period.
<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;">City-wise, the authors found a 0.31 per cent rise in daily mortality per a 10 micrograms per cubic metre increase in PM2.5 in Delhi, while in Bengaluru, the rise was 3.06 per cent.
<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 links between daily exposure to PM2.5 pollution and locally created pollutants were found to be stronger in models which the researchers used to explore cause-and-effect relationships.
<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;">Therefore, it was possible that the locally generated pollutants were causing these excess deaths, the authors 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;">&ldquo;The causal effects were especially strong in cities with lower concentrations of air pollution, such as (Bengaluru), Chennai, and Shimla,&rdquo; the authors wrote.
<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 study, &ldquo;the first multi-city, time series analysis of short-term exposure to PM2.5 and daily mortality in India,&rdquo; looked at roughly 36 lakh daily deaths across ten Indian cities between 2008 and 2019. Other cities included in the analysis were Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Shimla and Varanasi. 
&nbsp;

7 pc of daily deaths in Indian cities linked to PM2.5 levels

A contractual woman employee, who has alleged molestation by West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, has moved the Supreme Court against &ldquo;blanket immunity&rdquo; conferred to him under Article 361 of the Constitution.
&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 Article 361, criminal proceedings cannot be instituted in a court against the Governor during his term of office.
<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 woman petitioner has sought directions to frame specific guidelines under which Governors enjoy immunity from criminal prosecution.
<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;This court has to decide whether a victim like the petitioner can be rendered remediless, with the only option being to wait for the accused to demit his office, which delay will then be inexplainable during the trial, and render the entire procedure a mere lip service, without any justice to the victim herein,&rdquo; the plea 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 plea has also sought a probe into the case by West Bengal police and protection for her and her family along with compensation from the government for her loss of reputation.
<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 contractual woman employee of Raj Bhavan had lodged a complaint with Kolkata Police alleging that she was molested by Bose in the governor&rsquo;s house on April 24 and May 2.
<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;">She accused Bose of orchestrating a &ldquo;ridiculous drama&rdquo; to deflect attention from his actions, emphasising that he should have provided the CCTV footage from premises to police at the outset of the investigation.
<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;">Footage from two CCTV cameras positioned at the main (north) gate, spanning from 5.32 pm to 6.41 pm on May 2, was shown to a select group of people and journalists at the Central Marble Hall on the ground floor of Raj Bhavan.
<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;">In the first footage, the employee, dressed in jeans and a top, was seen hurrying to the police outpost housed within the governor&rsquo;s house amidst a significant number of police personnel who were deployed in the premises for the scheduled visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on that day.
<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 second footage, which lasted for around 10 minutes, showed various vehicles including fire tenders arriving at the north gate of Raj Bhavan and policemen lining up for their regular duties. The victim, however, could not be spotted.
<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;">Amid the controversy over the woman&rsquo;s allegation, Bose had filed a defamation case against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on June 28, a day after the CM claimed that women complained to her that they were afraid to visit the Raj Bhavan because of the activities there.
<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 Calcutta High Court has adjourned till Thursday the hearing in the matter. 
&nbsp;

WB: Raj Bhavan staff moves SC over immunity given to Guvs

The summer&rsquo;s heatwave continues in Eastern California&rsquo;s Death Valley. It may soon break a world record. If forecasters are to be believed.&nbsp;
<p class="gntarbp" style="background: white; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px; margin: 10.5pt 0cm 10.5pt 0cm;">As per the National Weather Service, the temperature in Death Valley National Park could skyrocket to 130 degrees next week.&nbsp;
If it does, it will set the record for the hottest temperature ever &ldquo;reliably measured on earth&rdquo;, according to Scientific American.
<p class="gntarbp" style="background: white; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px; margin: 10.5pt 0cm 10.5pt 0cm;">Chris Outler, a forecaster with the weather service&rsquo;s Las Vegas office, which predicts weather in Death Valley, said there&rsquo;s a 20 per cent chance the park will hit 130 degrees Monday and Tuesday.
<p class="gntarbp" style="background: white; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px; margin: 10.5pt 0cm 10.5pt 0cm;">&ldquo;The threshold is certainly not out of the realm of possibility,&rdquo; said Outler.
On Wednesday, the high in Death Valley was expected to reach 122 degrees, the weather service said.
<p class="gntarbp" style="background: white; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px; margin: 10.5pt 0cm 10.5pt 0cm;">Over the next week, the temperature is expected to slowly creep higher, Outler said, and is expected to top out.
For 300 miles in south, in Coachella Valley, residents may see 11 straight days with temperatures of 115 degrees or higher,&nbsp;<a style="text-decoration: 2px rgb(0, 152, 254); text-underline-offset: 2px;" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2024/07/03/4th-of-july-weather-forecast-palm-springs-area-idyllwild-riverside-temecula-valley/74292739007/" data-t-l=":b|e|k|${u}">the Desert Sun</a>. According to weather service, that would break the former record of nine days of temperatures of at least 115 degrees set in 2021.
<p class="gntarbp" style="background: white; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px; margin: 10.5pt 0cm 10.5pt 0cm;">The all-time record high for Palm Springs is 123 degrees, recorded June 17, 2021.
<p class="gntarbp" style="background: white; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px; margin: 10.5pt 0cm 10.5pt 0cm;">Forecasters say there is a 14 per cent chance of matching that record on Friday.
The chances increase on Saturday, with a 20 per cent chance of breaking the 123-degree record. The probability of an all-time record high on Saturday is 8 per cent.
<p class="gntarbp" style="background: white; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px; margin: 10.5pt 0cm 10.5pt 0cm;">In the Central Valley, the city of Fresno is forecasted to reach 115 on Saturday, tying a record for that day.
&nbsp;

Temp in Death Valley may skyrocket to 130 degrees soon

The US President Joe Biden, currently facing one of the worst crises of his decade-long political career after a subpar debate performance against his GOP rival Donald Trump last week, is not considering stepping down from the race, his press secretary said Wednesday.
&nbsp;
Biden, 81, is increasingly receiving calls from Democratic Party leaders and editorial boards of mainstream American media to step down from the presidential race and let others from the party lead them in the November 5 elections. So far, he has resisted these calls.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Is President Biden considering stepping down in the race?&rdquo; reporters asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre during her daily news conference.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Absolutely not. And you heard, I believe directly from the campaign as well,&rdquo; she said amid a volley of similar questions from White House reporters.
&ldquo;Given the groundswell of concern from fellow Democrats, from donors, from supporters, doesn't he owe it to the American public to reflect on whether he should step down?&rdquo; she was asked again.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s done it a couple times at this point and laid out what happened that night, talked about how he understands, and it was not his best night,&rdquo; Jean-Pierre said.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;He understands that it is fair for people to ask that question, but we cannot forget his record and what he's been able to do. We cannot forget how he has been able to deliver for the American people for almost four years,&rdquo; the press secretary said.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;That matters too, and he has the most historic record of administration, the most in modern politics and that should matter. And he wants to continue to do that work. And a lot of what&rsquo;s on his agenda is very much popular with the majority of the American people, whether it&rsquo;s continuing to build a strong economic policy,&rdquo; she asserted.
&nbsp;
Asked if there are any discussions about the vice president assuming Biden's duties, she again said, &ldquo;Absolutely not.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
&ldquo;What I can say is the president is moving forward&hellip; And that is the president&rsquo;s focus,&rdquo; the press secretary said.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;The president&rsquo;s focus is how does he continue to do that work. And anything else that we're hearing or that's being reported is absolutely false,&rdquo; Jean-Pierre added.
&nbsp;

Washington D.C.

Biden is still in for election race, asserts White House

Police have made elaborate security arrangements for the road show of the T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team in Mumbai on Thursday evening, an official said on Wednesday.
&nbsp;
The victorious team will take part in an open bus road show followed by a felicitation ceremony at the Wankhede Stadium in South Mumbai after arriving from New Delhi.
&nbsp;
The victory procession will be held between 5 and 7 pm from Nariman Point to the Wankhede Stadium, the official said.
&nbsp;
The T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team landed in Delhi on Thursday aboard a specially-arranged charter flight, five days after winning the coveted title in Barbados where it was stranded due to a category 4 hurricane.
&nbsp;
Hundreds of fans, holding placards congratulating their favourite players and waving the national flag, braved a steady drizzle to line up outside the Indira Gandhi International airport here to welcome the victorious players.
&nbsp;
The Air India special charter flight AIC24WC &mdash; Air India Champions 24 World Cup &mdash; took off from Bridgetown, Barbados around 4:50am local time on Wednesday and arrived in Delhi at 6am (IST) on Thursday after a 16-hour non-stop journey.
&nbsp;
As a large number of cricket fans are expected to gather to watch the procession, police are taking utmost precaution to avoid any untoward incident, he said.
&nbsp;
Adequate police personnel are being deployed at Marine Drive between Nariman Point and the Wankhede Stadium, the official said.
&nbsp;

Security beefed up for team India's roadshow in Mumbai

Ansh Mavani

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has taken a decisive step in his legal battle, moving the Delhi High Court to seek bail in connection with a case involving the city's excise policy.
&nbsp;
Kejriwal's arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on June 26, 2024, has sparked a legal showdown, with his lawyers challenging both the arrest and the subsequent remand granted by the trial court.
&nbsp;
Advocates Rajat Bharadwaj and Mohd Irshad urgently brought the matter before Acting Chief Justice Manmohan's bench, seeking an immediate listing. The court has agreed to hear the plea on July 5, 2024.
&nbsp;
In response to Kejriwal's plea, the Delhi High Court issued a notice to the CBI, setting a deadline for the agency to respond. Senior Advocate Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued that Kejriwal's arrest violated legal procedures outlined in Sections 41 and 60A of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which mandate prior notice in cases where the maximum punishment exceeds seven years.
&nbsp;
Kejriwal's plea contends that his arrest lacked justification, especially considering the ongoing two-year investigation. He argues that the arrest was based on pre-existing material in the CBI's possession before June 4, which he claims constitutes an illegal re-evaluation under the law.
&nbsp;
Following his arrest, the Rouse Avenue Court sent Kejriwal to judicial custody on June 29. The CBI alleges that during his custody, Kejriwal did not cooperate with the investigation, providing evasive answers regarding amendments to Delhi's Excise Policy and meetings involving his associates.
&nbsp;
The CBI further asserts that Kejriwal evaded questions about illicit money transfers during the Goa Assembly Elections and potential influence on witnesses, given his influential position as Delhi's Chief Minister.
&nbsp;
Recently, the Delhi High Court intervened, staying a bail order from the trial court, emphasising procedural checks under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
&nbsp;
The case continues to unfold amid heightened legal scrutiny and political ramifications for Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the upcoming legal hearings.

Arvind Kejriwal seeks bail in Delhi HC over CBI arrest

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Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren today resigned from his post after INDIA block legislators in the state unanimously elected former Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha Executive President Hemant Soren as their new leader of the legislature party.
&nbsp;
Champai Soren, along with Hemant Soren, Jharkhand Congress in-charge Ghulam Ahmed Mir, State Congress President Rajesh Thakur, Minister Satyanand Bhokta, and MLAs Pradeep Yadav and Binod Singh, reached Raj Bhawan on Wednesday afternoon and tendered his resignation.
&nbsp;
At the same time, former CM Hemant Soren staked a claim for the formation of a new government in the state.
&nbsp;
The leaders submitted a letter of support signed by most legislators of the INDI Alliance to Governor CP Radhakrishnan.
&nbsp;
Coming out of Raj Bhawan, Champai Soren said, &ldquo;Today I have submitted my resignation to the Governor as we have elected our new leader, Hemant Soren. The decision has been taken in accordance with the feelings of the legislators of the alliance.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
Health Minister Banna Gupta said that Champai Soren has tendered his resignation and Hemant Soren has requested the Governor to give time for the swearing-in ceremony.
&nbsp;
He said that the Governor has accepted the resignation of Champai Soren and is likely to call Hemant Soren for the oath ceremony on July 4.
&nbsp;
Notably, the development took place after Hemant Soren was granted bail by the Jharkhand High Court on June 28. Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged land scam case on January 31.
&nbsp;
Hemant Soren had resigned on January 31 before his arrest, and as a stop-gap arrangement, Champai Soren was sworn in as Chief Minister of Jharkhand on February 2.
&nbsp;
Assembly elections are due in November 2024 in Jharkhand, and the ruling INDI Alliance wants to use the four-month period for poll preparation.
&nbsp;
Hemant Soren will become Chief Minister of Jharkhand for the third time after taking oath twice in 2013 and 2019.&nbsp;
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Hemant Soren to take oath as Jharkhand CM on July 4

Union Minister for IT and Electronics, Ashwini Vaishnaw, announced on Wednesday that discussions regarding regulations for Artificial Intelligence (AI) are currently underway, stressing the necessity of achieving a political consensus.
&nbsp;
Speaking at the 'Global IndiaAI Summit', Minister Vaishnaw highlighted the importance of societal understanding of both the potential and threats posed by AI. "All sections of society must fully understand the threats and potential of Artificial Intelligence only then we should approach legal action," he told reporters.
&nbsp;
When questioned about the timeline for establishing AI regulations and safeguards, Vaishnaw reiterated that while discussions are in progress, achieving a political consensus is crucial. "Discussions are on... it requires political consensus," he said.
&nbsp;
At the same event, Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Jitin Prasada, underscored India's leadership in AI innovation. "As the council chair of the Global Partnership on AI, India has been reinforcing its commitment to furthering and democratizing AI, and its associated benefits, ethically and responsibly," he stated.
&nbsp;
Prasada outlined India's vision to "make AI in India" and "make AI work for India," advocating for collaborative efforts to harness AI to address challenges in key sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, and education.
&nbsp;

Vaishnaw stresses need for political consensus on AI

Radical Sikh preacher from Punjab, Amritpal Singh and another detainee from Jammu and Kashmir, Engineer Rashid will take oath as members of the 18th Lok Sabha on July 5. They were the only two elected MPs of the newly constituted Lok Sabha who have not taken oath so far.&nbsp; &nbsp;
&nbsp;
Both Amritpal and Rashid are currently in jail. While Amritpal is lodged in a high-security jail in Dibrugarh, Assam, after being arrested by the Punjab government under National Security Act (NSA), Rashid is in Tihar Jail, Delhi. He has been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).&nbsp;
Both the elected MPs have been granted special parole for the purpose.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Since Rashid is lodged in Tihar Jail in Delhi, he has been allowed only two hours of parole for taking the oath, while Amritpal who will have to travel from Assam has been granted four days parole.&nbsp; &nbsp;
&nbsp;
Rashid has served twice as a member of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative assembly. He represented the Langat constituency in the district Kupwara of Kashmir valley. He was arrested in a case related to terror funding and jailed under UAPA. He has been in jail since 2019. He contested the 2024 General Elections as an independent candidate from the Baramulla parliamentary constituency and defeated former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah from there.&nbsp; &nbsp;
&nbsp;
Amritpal is the head of the &lsquo;Waris Punjab De&rsquo;, a non-political organisation that mostly worked on reforms like preaching baptism among Sikh youth and campaigning against drug addiction. He is behind bars since April 2023, when he surrendered in a case related to an alleged attack on a police station in district Tarn Taran.&nbsp; &nbsp;
&nbsp;
While he has mostly restricted himself to preaching the &lsquo;Amrit Prachar&rsquo; (baptism) of the Sikh youth and building up a campaign against drug addiction, which has dangerously hit Punjab, he would off and on dabble into separatist politics also, saying that Sikhs were not free and they were &ldquo;ghulam&rdquo; (slaves). However, he has not openly preached the creation of a separate Khalistan.&nbsp; &nbsp;
&nbsp;
While Rashid has already taken oath under the Indian constitution twice, when he was elected to the Jammu and Kashmir legislature, Amritpal will be taking oath under the Indian Constitution for the first time.&nbsp; &nbsp;
&nbsp;
On Amritpal, opinion is divided. While one section believes that Amritpal joining the mainstream is a welcome step, another section apprehends that this may encourage radicalism in a border state like Punjab.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
It is difficult to predict how Amritpal will change his approach after getting elected and after he takes oath under the Indian Constitution, one thing is for sure whatever he will do, he will be doing after having sworn allegiance to the constitution. That is always a positive sign.
&nbsp;
The election of Amritpal and Rashid raised a unique question, in case they do not get bail, how will they be able to represent their respective constituencies? &nbsp;
Although they have been booked under serious and stringent laws like the NSA and UAPA, they have not been convicted. A person is presumed to be innocent till not proven guilty. At the same time, the bail conditions for detainees under NSA and UAPA are very stringent and difficult to be filled. That is the reason Rashid is in jail for five years. There is no certainty when he will get a bail. The same is the case with Amritpal.
&nbsp;
This means that the effective strength of the 18th Lok Sabha right now will be 543. There are 545 MPs in the Lok Sabha. While 543 are directly elected, two members are nominated by the President of India from the Anglo-Indian community.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
With Amritpal and Rashid remaining in jail and no scope of their bail in the immediate future, the Lok Sabha will have an effective strength of 543 members only.&nbsp;

Amritpal, Rashid as MPs, unique example of Indian democracy

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday vowed to start rebuilding Amaravati by restoring investor confidence and reconstructing its brand image, after crossing all the hurdles set in its path allegedly by the erstwhile YSRCP (Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party) regime.
&nbsp;
Releasing a white paper on the state of the greenfield capital city conceptualised during the Telugu Desam Party government between 2014 and 2019, the Chief Minister said he will tell everything about Amaravati to the Centre and move in a fast and time-bound manner to execute it.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Rebuilding Amaravati would have already started from yesterday and officials were given instructions. Crossing all the legal hurdles, we will go ahead,&rdquo; said Naidu, addressing a press conference at the secretariat.
&nbsp;
He observed that reconstruction of Amaravati will go ahead with the existing masterplan but will incorporate modern advancements.
&nbsp;
He highlighted that Singapore had prepared three master plans for Amaravati, which included capital region concept master plan, capital city master plan and seed capital area detailed master plan.
&nbsp;
As per the plans developed by Singapore, Amaravati would house a sports city, government city, tourism city, finance city, justice city, knowledge city, media city, health city and electronics city, nine in total.
&nbsp;
Among the several reasons for choosing Amaravati as the capital city, which has a history of 2,300 years, the TDP supremo said it was due to its central location and equidistant from the three extremities of the state were some.
&nbsp;
According to the CM, Amaravati, a self-financed project, had witnessed the largest land pooling exercise in the world, encompassing a commitment of 34,400 acres of land by 29,966 farmers.
&nbsp;
With a total project cost of Rs 51,687 crore, Naidu said tenders were called for works worth Rs 41,171 crore and bills were paid to the tune of Rs 4,319 crore in the earlier TDP regime.
&nbsp;
Hitting out at his predecessor, the CM alleged the YSRCP government had done everything in its power to destroy Amaravati, withdrawing land acquisition notification for 1,197 acres and ending annuity for 2,903 farmers.
&nbsp;
According to Naidu, had work relating to the Amaravati project gone ahead as planned, up to one lakh people would have been residing in it by now, seven lakh jobs could have been created and Rs 10,000 crore state taxes would have been realised by the government, including wealth generation across the state.
&nbsp;
Considering the battered brand image of Amaravati, Naidu said the Herculean task of restoring investor confidence and resurrecting the economy lies ahead for him.
&nbsp;
Naidu said his vision is to create a world class capital which boosts the image of the state and improves the confidence of the people.&nbsp;

Amaravati

Rebuilding Amaravati: Naidu vows to mend city's image

Hemant Soren, former Chief Minister of Jharkhand, has once again taken the reins of the state government following the resignation of Champai Soren. The change in leadership was formalized as Hemant Soren met with Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan on July 3 and staked his claim to form a new government.
&nbsp;
"Our alliance unanimously elected Hemant Soren as our leader, and I have voluntarily resigned from my position," Champai Soren stated to the press.
Hemant Soren, a prominent leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), was chosen as the leader of the Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, which includes the JMM, Congress, and RJD parties.
&nbsp;
This decision marks his return as the 13th Chief Minister of the state, succeeding his own tenure that was interrupted by legal issues earlier this year.
&nbsp;
The political maneuvering followed a marathon meeting in Ranchi attended by Chief Minister Champai Soren, Congress leaders, and other INDIA bloc legislators. "The decision to appoint Hemant Soren as Chief Minister was unanimous among our alliance members," remarked Congress MLA Irfan Ansari.
&nbsp;
Despite speculation over the timing of Hemant Soren's oath-taking ceremony, pending the Governor's invitation, JMM insiders expressed eagerness for a swift transition.
&nbsp;
This transition marks Hemant Soren's third term as Chief Minister, previously serving from July 2013 and December 2019. His recent release from custody on June 28th, linked to a money laundering case, has paved the way for his return to state governance.
&nbsp;
Champai Soren, who faced disappointment over the leadership change, may assume a new role within the INDIA bloc, possibly as the chairman of the coordination committee or executive president of the JMM.
&nbsp;
In the Jharkhand State Assembly, the INDIA bloc commands a majority with 45 seats, bolstered by recent electoral gains. The BJP, now with 24 seats, witnessed a reduction in strength due to two of its legislators winning parliamentary seats.
&nbsp;
The political landscape also saw the emergence of Kalpana Soren, wife of Hemant Soren, as a key figure in JMM politics after securing a resounding victory in a recent by-election. Her win in Gandey constituency underscored the family's continued influence amidst shifting political dynamics.
&nbsp;
Looking ahead, Hemant Soren's reinstatement as Chief Minister sets the stage for the upcoming state elections in October, underscoring a unified leadership approach among INDIA bloc allies.
&nbsp;
Reacting to these developments, Sita Soren, Hemant Soren's estranged sister-in-law and former BJP member, criticized the leadership change as superficial. "Changing CM's face will not yield any benefit," she asserted, echoing sentiments of political rivalry in the state.
&nbsp;
With preparations underway for the next electoral contest, Hemant Soren's return to office signifies a pivotal moment in Jharkhand's political trajectory, aiming to consolidate support ahead of the forthcoming state polls.

Hemant Soren returns as Jharkhand CM, Champai resigns

The Jharkhand High Court on Tuesday asked the state government to prepare an action plan against Bangladeshi infiltrators and file a status report within two weeks.
&nbsp;
Hearing a PIL on Wednesday, the division bench of Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Arun Kumar Rai of the Jharkhand High Court directed the state government to instruct all the Deputy Commissioners of the Santhal Pargana region to prepare an action plan to identify infiltrators coming from Bangladesh and send them back with mutual coordination.
&nbsp;
The High Court has instructed the state government to file a status report within two weeks through an affidavit.
&nbsp;
Earlier in April this year, the High Court had queried whether the Central Government could take direct action under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) against Bangladeshi infiltrators in five districts of Santhal Pargana.
&nbsp;
The PIL was filed by Daniel Danish, who stated in the petition that Bangladeshi intruders are entering Jharkhand from border areas like Jamtara, Pakur, Godda, Sahibganj, etc., adversely affecting the population in these districts.
&nbsp;
Numerous madrasas are being established in these districts, and marital relations are forming with local tribal people.
&nbsp;
The petitioner demanded that the Home Ministry of the Government of India file a report and explain how Bangladeshi intruders are entering Jharkhand from border areas and changing the area's demographics.
&nbsp;
Politically, the issue of Bangladeshi infiltration in the Santhal Pargana area has been ongoing for some time.
&nbsp;
Many senior leaders of the BJP have repeatedly raised this issue, alleging demographic changes in many districts of Santhal due to Bangladeshi infiltration.
&nbsp;
The matter has also been raised in the Assembly multiple times. However, the government argues that no district of Jharkhand shares its border with Bangladesh. If infiltration is occurring, it is the responsibility of the central government to stop it.
&nbsp;
On June 30, on the occasion of Hul Diwas, State BJP President Cexpressed concern over the rapidly declining tribal population. He mentioned that the tribal population in 1951 was 44.69%, decreasing to 28.11% in 2011.
&nbsp;
During this period, the Muslim population increased from 9.44% to 22.73%, while the population of other communities increased from 43% to 49%.

Jharkhand HC seeks state report on Bangladeshi infiltrators

The Delhi High Court's Division bench on Wednesday dismissed an appeal that sought to disqualify Prime Minister Narendra Modi from elections, describing the allegations as incoherent and preposterous.
&nbsp;
The bench, comprising Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, concluded that the appellant appeared to be suffering from a mental issue and might need medical help. This decision upheld a previous order from a single bench, which had dismissed the plea on May 30.
&nbsp;
The appellant, Captain Deepak Kumar, participated in the court proceedings virtually and made severe allegations, claiming that the Prime Minister intended to harm him with the assistance of a former Chief Justice of India.
&nbsp;
Kumar's plea initially sought to disqualify Narendra Modi from contesting or serving as a member of the Lok Sabha from the Varanasi constituency in the 2024 general elections.
&nbsp;
Kumar's petition alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had submitted a false oath, pledging to bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India.
&nbsp;
The petitioner argued that the High Court should review records from the Commissioner of Police of Delhi Police to verify claims that Modi had influenced the police to avoid registering cases against him and his associates involving serious allegations of corruption and national security threats.
&nbsp;
The plea further called for an investigation into Modi's candidature for making a false oath in a timely and effective manner. If the allegations were proven, the petitioner suggested that Narendra Modi should be barred from holding any public office until he is proven not guilty by a respective investigation agency or court.
&nbsp;
The plea also advocated for the cancellation or reassessment of Modi's official powers, citing concerns over national security in relation to incidents from July 8, 2018, and October 19, 2019.
&nbsp;
The petitioner emphasised that any necessary orders should be made to debar such a candidate in the interest of national security. However, the High Court found the claims to lack coherence and substantiation, ultimately dismissing the appeal and affirming the single bench's earlier decision.

Delhi HC rejects appeal against PM Modi calling it baseless

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday described the possible replacement of Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress as ''deeply distressing''.
&nbsp;
Soren is set to replace incumbent Chief Minister Champai Soren who assumed office when the former was jailed earlier this year in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.
&nbsp;
''The removal of a senior tribal leader from the post of Chief Minister in Jharkhand by the JMM and Congress party is deeply distressing,'' Sarma who is the co-in charge of Jharkhand posted on X.
&nbsp;
The JMM and Congress are constituents of the ruling coalition in Jharkhand.
&nbsp;
Sarma said he is certain that the people of Jharkhand will strongly condemn this action and firmly reject it.
&nbsp;
The Assam chief minister has visited the state several times since the Lok Sabha elections and held meetings with senior BJP leaders over the forthcoming assembly elections.
&nbsp;
Leaders and MLAs of the alliance government during a meeting at Chief Minister Champai Soren&rsquo;s residence here unanimously decided to elect Hemant Soren as JMM legislature party leader, they said.&nbsp;

Guwahati

Assam CM Sarma expresses dismay over Jharkhand CM change

Chaos caused after Narayan Sakaar Hari&rsquo;s followers, who tried to reach near his vehicle to seek &ldquo;darshan&rdquo;, were pushed by the godman&rsquo;s security and a &ldquo;slippery slope&rdquo; resulted in the stampede that killed 121 people in Hathras, a preliminary report of the SDM said.
&nbsp;
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Sikandra Rao submitted the preliminary report on the stampede to the district magistrate (DM).
&nbsp;
The SDM, who gave permission for the &lsquo;satsang&rsquo; (religious congregation), was also present at the venue when the incident occurred, according to the report.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;A crowd of more than 2 lakh people was present in the satsang pandal. Shri Narayan Sakar Hari (Bhole Baba) reached the satsang pandal at about 12.30 pm and the programme went on for 1 hour.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;After this, at about 1.40 pm, Shri Narayan Sakaar Hari (Bhole Baba) came out of the pandal to go towards Etah on National Highway-91,&rdquo; the preliminary report said, adding that when the godman was leaving the venue, his followers started running towards him for a &lsquo;darshan&rsquo; and collect soil from around his feet.
&nbsp;
The situation worsened when more people waiting on the divider of the road ahead began running towards his vehicle, it said.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;A large number of people were already standing on the dividers in the middle and on the sides of GT road, who started jumping from the dividers and started running towards Baba&rsquo;s vehicle to get his darshan.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Then Baba&rsquo;s personal security personnel (Black Commandos) and sevadars started pushing and shoving the crowd themselves to stop the crowd, due to which some people fell down,&rdquo; the report states, adding this led to a panic and the crowd went out of control.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Due to which the crowd ran towards the open field in front of the venue to get relief, on the other side of the road, where most of the people slipped and fell due to the wet slope while descending from the road towards the field,&rdquo; the report said.
&nbsp;
Those who fell could not get up again and were run over by those coming from behind, it said.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;After this, they could not get up again and the crowd started running here and there over them,&rdquo; the report mentioned.
&nbsp;
&lsquo;Mukhya sevadar&rsquo; Devprakash Madhukar and other organisers have been named in the first information report (FIR) filed at the Sikandar Rau police station late on Tuesday, a senior officer told the media.
&nbsp;

Hathras

Hathras: Baba's security shoved people leading to stampede

A Delhi court on Wednesday extended till July 12 the judicial custody of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam.
&nbsp;
Kejriwal, who is in jail till July 12 in the CBI case related to the excise policy, appeared before the court of Special Judge Kaveri Baweja through video conference.
&nbsp;
The court, meanwhile, reserved for June 6 its order on Kejriwal's application to allow his wife Sunita Kejriwal to be present as an attendant during his medical checkup.
&nbsp;
During the proceedings, Kejriwal requested the court's permission to speak but the court said he is already being represented through his counsels.
&nbsp;
Kejriwal said his wife was instrumental in managing his health over the years and as she had a detailed knowledge about his ailments and medical history, granting her access to his medical records every week was justifiable and essential.
&nbsp;
"Transparency in his medical care is not only a legal requirement but also a critical component of ethical medical practice. Therefore, the applicant (Arvind Kejriwal) and his wife must be duly informed of all aspects of the treatment being administered, ensuring their capability to make informed decisions about his health," the plea said.
&nbsp;
It sought the court's direction to the prison authorities to allow her to be his attendant during the medical consultations or follow-ups with the medical board or doctors, which would also allow Sunita Kejriwal to independently consult and seek advise from them.
&nbsp;
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has opposed the application.

Delhi court extends Kejriwal's custody till July 12

From promising action against people responsible for the NEET paper leak to vowing to end corruption to the government&rsquo;s economic achievements, Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President&rsquo;s address at the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday covered wide-ranging issues peppered with digs at the opposition members, who heckled him throughout and later staged a walkout saying Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge had been denied permission to intervene.
&nbsp;
Accusing the opposition of meddling with the future of young people for the sake of politics, Modi said his government would take strong action against those guilty of the NEET paper leak and they would not be spared.
&nbsp;
President Droupadi Murmu, in her address to Parliament, had made mention of the paper leak, and he had expected the entire House to overlook political differences to discuss the matter, he added.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;The issue, which is about the future of the country, is being politicised by them. What can be more unfortunate than this?&rdquo; PM Modi asked.
&nbsp;
On violence-riven Manipur, where ethnic clashes have led to countless deaths, Modi said his government had been committed to ushering in peace in the state.
&nbsp;
Around 11,000 FIRs had been registered and 500 people had been arrested. There were fewer incidents of violence. &ldquo;There is hope for peace. Schools and colleges are open, and exams have been held,&rdquo; he added.
&nbsp;
The Home Minister and the Minister of State (Home) had camped in the state for days. Now the government was addressing the flood situation there with the NDRF teams &nbsp;working with the Centre and state to address the situation, he said.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Manipur "will reject" those trying to create tensions there, the PM said. The Congress was constantly flagging the issue but it was a conflict with &ldquo;deep roots,&rdquo; he said, advising the opposition party to remember that &nbsp;President&rsquo;s Rule had been imposed 10 times in the state.
&nbsp;
Violence took place in 1993, too, so the best thing to do was to learn from history and restore peace, he added.
 On corruption and black money, the PM said the government had given freedom to the probe agencies to take action in such cases.
&nbsp;
Slamming the Congress for its allegations of corruption against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) first and then forming an alliance with the party later, he said AAP committed liquor scam, scam in building classrooms for children and even water scam. "The Congress complains against the AAP, drags AAP to court and if action is taken then they abuse Modi."&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Modi said the Congress had presented proof of the AAP's scams before the country in a press conference. The Congress should now answer whether the proof was true or false.
&nbsp;
On achievements, Modi said that his government helped the Indian economy reach number five in the world, up from number 10.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
"We have brought the economy from number 10 to number five, despite the challenges of the corona pandemic and global conflicts," he added.
&nbsp;
On women's issues, he said the government was focused on their development and also prioritised their health and sanitation.
&nbsp;
Referring to Sandeshkhali in West Bengal and the recent violence against a woman and man in the state&rsquo;s Uttar Dinajpur District allegedly by a TMC worker, he said the opposition had failed to condemn the incident as it was a case of selective politics.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
His digs at the UPA rule in a government helmed by Manmohan Singh, where Sonia Gandhi allegedly called the shots, did not go down well with the opposition. "These are people who have experience of running auto pilot or remote pilot governments. So, they don&rsquo;t believe in working. But we never shirk hard work," Modi said.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
As opposition members walked out shouting slogans, he said "They can't digest defeat. Their activities yesterday failed, so they have run away today."
&nbsp;
Claiming he was not present in Parliament to score points, PM modi said he was "a sevak of the people that I believe I have to inform them what all I have done."&nbsp;
&nbsp;

PM clears stand on NEET, Manipur in Rajya Sabha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, highlighted the significance of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) third consecutive electoral victory, attributing it to the unwavering trust of the Indian people.
&nbsp;
He emphasized that such an achievement is a rare occurrence in the history of independent India and the parliamentary journey, underscoring the trust and confidence the public has placed in the current government.
&nbsp;
During his speech, Modi took a critical stance against the opposition alliance, INDIA bloc, accusing them of attempting to downplay the NDA&rsquo;s substantial victory.
&nbsp;
He emphasized the importance of acknowledging the public's decision, which he described as a clear mandate for good governance. Modi expressed his gratitude to the approximately 70 MPs who participated in the discussion on the President&rsquo;s Address, acknowledging their contributions to the parliamentary debate.
&nbsp;
However, the session was not without its share of controversy. When the Leader of the Opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge, attempted to intervene during Modi's speech, he was not permitted by the Chair to speak, which led to protests from the opposition benches. This incident highlighted the ongoing tensions between the ruling party and the opposition, reflecting the deep political divides within the Parliament.
&nbsp;
Earlier in the day, the proceedings began with Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhhar offering condolences for the lives lost in a stampede incident in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh.
&nbsp;
Kharge took this opportunity to call on the government to enact legislation to prevent such tragic incidents in the future, stressing the need for proactive measures to ensure public safety.
&nbsp;
Modi also addressed the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, affirming that the central government is making continuous efforts to normalize the situation. He noted that over 11,000 FIRs had been registered and more than 500 people arrested in connection with the violence.
&nbsp;
The Prime Minister emphasized that incidents of violence were decreasing and that both central and state governments were engaging with all stakeholders to restore peace in the region.
&nbsp;
He criticized the Congress for imposing President's rule in Manipur multiple times in the past and urged all parties to cooperate in restoring peace, leaving behind political differences.
&nbsp;
In a pointed critique of the Congress party, Modi accused it of shielding individuals within the party and scapegoating Dalit and OBC leaders during times of electoral defeat.
&nbsp;
He cited specific instances where Congress fielded candidates from marginalized communities in elections they expected to lose, highlighting what he described as the party&rsquo;s &ldquo;anti-SC/ST/OBC&rdquo; mindset.
&nbsp;
Modi recalled past elections, such as the 2017 and 2022 presidential elections, where he claimed Congress deliberately fielded candidates from these communities knowing they would likely lose. He accused the Congress of humiliating former President Ram Nath Kovind and the current tribal woman President of India.
&nbsp;
Modi also addressed the contentious issue of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-UG exams, assuring the youth that the government would not spare those involved in the alleged paper leaks.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
He expressed disappointment that the opposition did not rise above politics on this sensitive issue, stressing the need for a fair and merit-based examination process. Modi assured students that the government was taking stringent actions to ensure that those responsible for irregularities in the NEET-UG exams faced strict punishment.
&nbsp;
In his concluding remarks, Modi reiterated his commitment to fighting corruption, stating that he had given a free hand to agencies to take stringent action against corrupt practices without government interference.
&nbsp;
He emphasized that the fight against corruption is not merely for electoral gains but is a mission to build a corruption-free nation. Modi took a dig at the Congress, accusing it of running a "Bhrashtachari Bachao Andolan" (Save the Corrupt Movement) and highlighted the contradictions in their stance on corruption.
&nbsp;
Throughout his address, Modi faced interruptions from opposition members who raised slogans and protested, reflecting the contentious and polarized atmosphere within the Parliament.
&nbsp;
Despite these interruptions, Modi remained steadfast in delivering his messages, emphasizing the achievements of his government and calling for cooperation from all parties to address national issues.
&nbsp;
The session ended on a tumultuous note as the opposition walked out in protest, highlighting the ongoing political strife and the challenges of achieving bipartisan cooperation in the Parliament.

PM Modi lashes out at Opposition in RS address

After six disqualified Congress rebels in Himachal Pradesh, four of whom lost the by-poll on BJP ticket in June, the popularity of three Independent MLAs, who resigned to contest on BJP ticket, is put to test within 15 months in July 10 by-polls. 
&nbsp;
The ruling party, which went public with the allegation that the party rebels had joined BJP due to &lsquo;dhanbal&rsquo; (money power), is aggressive against the Independents for imposing by-polls on the&nbsp;state within 15 months, though they were elected for five years by the people. The BJP is replying to the issue in a counter-offensive way in the poll battlefield. 
&nbsp;
"People must question these Independents, why they resigned and put the economic burden of by-polls on the public when they were elected for five years. They could have opposed the government in the state Assembly without resigning or joining BJP," Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu mentioned in all his poll rallies in the three constituencies.
&nbsp;
"The government is in the know of things about what conspired between the Congress rebels, the Independents, and the BJP and why these MLAs were up against the Congress government. The BJP wanted to topple the Congress government with &lsquo;dhanbal&rsquo; (money power) and got the support of all these MLAs in the Rajya Sabha poll first. However, the opposition could not succeed in its motive in front of the &lsquo;janbal&rsquo; (peoples&rsquo; power) ultimately," the Chief Minister explained, exhorting the people to vote for the government, which is going to stay for full tenure. 
&nbsp;
Former Chief Minister, Jai Ram Thakur, on the other hand, tells the people to ask the Chief Minister as to why the by-polls are being held. 
&nbsp;
"The CM is responsible for imposing all the by-polls. He had created a situation where his party MLAs turned rebels. His dictatorial attitude then forced the Independent MLAs to resign. Not only the Independent MLAs, their family members, and relatives were also harassed and implicated in false cases, &ldquo;the former BJP CM said in his poll rallies. 
&nbsp;
Jai Ram Thakur said the CM had put on hold all the development works in the constituencies of Independent MLAs and he even denotified many institutions, particularly in Dehra. &nbsp; 
&nbsp;
The three Independents, Hoshyar Singh in Dehra, Ashish Sharma in Hamirpur, and KL Thakur in Nalagarh, had resigned from the state Assembly immediately in March after the Congress government had slipped into crisis due to rebellion followed by disqualification of six rebels Congress MLAs from The Assembly. 
&nbsp;
The six Congress MLAs as well as the Independents had joined the BJP, which triggered the debate that the BJP was out and out to destabilise and topple the Congress government in Himachal within just 12 months of rule. 
&nbsp;
The by-polls to six constituencies, Badsar, Sujanpur, Kutlehar, Gagret, Dharamshala, and Lahaul Spiti, vacated by the disqualification of six Congress MLAs were held with Lok Sabha elections on June 1, in which Congress won back four out of six seats, and BJP wrested two. The Congress now has a strength of 38 and BJP 27 in the state Assembly. 
&nbsp;
The by-polls to constituencies vacated by Independent MLAs could not be held together with the other six on June 1 as the HP Assembly Speaker had not accepted their resignations by then. 
&nbsp;
"Congress will win all the three by-polls and take our strength to 41 in the state Assembly, against 40, that we secured in the 2022 Assembly polls. While four Congress rebels have already paid the price of rebellion and joining BJP within just 13 months of Congress rule, these three Independent MLAs, who resigned and are contesting on BJP ticket, will also face big defeat. The people are asking them why they resigned when they were already chosen as MLAs for five years," said Deputy Chief Minister, Mukesh Agnihotri, while talking to media persons in Shimla.
&nbsp;
Agnihotri said the BJP cadres and workers were upset with the party giving tickets to Congress rebels and Independent MLAs now, and just because BJP lusts for power, five legislators ( two earlier and three now) would become former MLAs.

Himachal Independents' popularity put to test in by-polls

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed condolences on Wednesday over the tragic stampede at a religious gathering in Uttar Pradesh, which claimed 126 lives.
&nbsp;
"President Putin conveyed sincere condolences to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the tragic accident in Uttar Pradesh," stated the Russian Embassy in India.
&nbsp;
Prime Minister Kishida, in his condolence message, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of many lives in the stampede that occurred in Hathras district.
&nbsp;
"I pray for the souls of the victims and extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved families. Wishing speedy recovery to the injured," he added, as per Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
&nbsp;
The stampede unfolded during a 'satsang' near Phulrai village in Sikandrarau, where thousands had gathered despite restrictions, resulting in a tragic loss of life.
&nbsp;
Uttar Pradesh Police filed an FIR against the event's organisers for alleged evidence concealment and violation of crowd limits, with over 2.5 lakh attendees despite permission for only 80,000.

Moscow

Putin, Kishida condole UP stampede tragedy

The Tripura government has requested the Centre to introduce inland waterway transport in the northeastern state, aiming to enhance connectivity and reduce transportation costs.
&nbsp;
In a letter to Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, Tripura Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury proposed linking the Gomati River in Tripura with the Meghna River system in Bangladesh through the Sonamura-Daudkandi protocol route.
&nbsp;
"Initiative may be taken for linking Sonamura-Daudkandi waterway to ports in Bangladesh such as Ashuganj, Mongla, and Chittagong... further connecting with important Indian rivers such as Ganga, Brahmaputra, Barak and ultimately to connect Haldia port in West Bengal through sea routes and Sittwe port of Kaladan project in Myanmar," Chowdhury stated in the letter.
&nbsp;
Experts have highlighted that the operationalisation of the Sonamura-Daudkandi protocol route will significantly reduce the cost of transporting goods between India and Bangladesh.
&nbsp;
Additionally, Chowdhury requested the Centre to approve the purchase of six to ten passenger vessels to boost tourism and facilitate the crossing of the Gomati River by commuters.
&nbsp;
He also urged approval for the purchase of a cruise ship and six passenger vessels to enhance tourism in Dumbur Lake.

Agartala

Tripura urges Centre for inland waterway link to Bangladesh

CISF constable Kulwinder Kaur, who allegedly slapped actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut at Chandigarh airport last month, has been transferred to a unit in Bengaluru amid a disciplinary inquiry, official sources said on Wednesday.
&nbsp;
Kaur was suspended by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on June 6 immediately following the alleged incident when the newly elected MP was traveling to Delhi.
&nbsp;
A police FIR was also lodged against her based on a complaint by the CISF.
&nbsp;
Sources indicated that Kaur remains under suspension and has been assigned to the 10th reserve battalion in Karnataka's capital while the disciplinary process continues.
&nbsp;
This transfer occurred shortly after the incident to ensure a fair investigation, they said.
&nbsp;
A senior commandant-rank officer is overseeing the inquiry, with statements being recorded from Kaur, her colleagues at the airport that day, the shift in-charge, and some airline officials, according to sources.
&nbsp;
The inquiry is expected to take some time, after which an appropriate decision will be made.
&nbsp;
Kaur, a native of Punjab's Kapurthala district, joined the CISF in 2009 and has been with its aviation security group at Chandigarh airport since 2021.
&nbsp;
Until now, she has had no vigilance inquiries or punishments against her in the force. Her husband was also posted at the Chandigarh airport.
&nbsp;
Reports suggest that Kaur was upset with Ranaut over her stance on the farmers' protests that took place across the country.
&nbsp;
Ranaut, 38, was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Mandi seat in Himachal Pradesh.

CISF constable who 'Slapped' Kangana shifted to K'taka unit

Haryana Minister of State for Transport Aseem Goel has urged Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to convince protesting farmers to open the Shambhu border near Ambala, looking at the sufferings being faced by layman. The border has been sealed for 141 days. Meeting Chouhan in New Delhi on Tuesday, Goel emphasised the need for the central government to engage in discussions with the farmers to resolve the issue. 
&nbsp;
The farmers have been protesting at the Shambhu border since February 13, demanding a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops. The protest has caused difficulties for the general public and traders, who are finding it hard to conduct their business due to the closure of the border. 
&nbsp;
Goel, who is also the BJP MLA from Ambala City, told Chouhan that opening the border would provide relief to the locals and facilitate easier business operations for traders.
&nbsp;
However, Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarwan Singh Pandher claimed that the government had blocked the highway, not the farmers. He said that the national highway had been blocked by the Haryana and central governments by putting up barricades, and requested the government to open the road. Pandher also said that the protest would continue until the demands of the farmers are met.
&nbsp;
"We have heard about the statement of Haryana transport minister. He said due to the morcha (protest) of farmers at Shambhu, the road has been blocked."
&nbsp;
"During the Haryana minister's meeting with the Union agriculture minister, he said the Centre should engage in discussions with farmers, which is a good thing. But the allegation he levelled that the highway has been blocked due to farmers' protests is a lie. The national highway had been blocked by the Haryana and central governments by putting up barricades. We request the government that the road should be opened," he said.
&nbsp;
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are leading the 'Delhi Chalo' march by farmers to press the government to accept their demands. The farmers have been staying put at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13, when their march was stopped by security forces.

Haryana minister Aseem urges Centre to talk to farmers

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday allowed Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari and others to hold a peaceful dharna outside the Raj Bhavan here on July 14 for four hours.
&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;">Bharatiya Janata Party&rsquo;s Nandigram MLA Adhikari had prayed for permission to hold the dharna protesting alleged post-poll violence upon opposition party workers at the same site outside Raj Bhavan where the Trinamool Congress had held a demonstration in October, 2023.
<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;">Justice Amrita Sinha permitted the sit-in demonstration with a maximum of 300 people on July 14 for four hours there with the condition that it should be absolutely peaceful and that no participant in the dharna will carry any firearm.
<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;">She also directed that no inflammatory speech will be made from the demonstration that may incite people.
<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;">Appearing for the West Bengal government, Advocate General Kishore Dutta submitted before the court that Adhikari and others will be permitted to hold the demonstration on July 14 for four hours from 10 am outside the Raj Bhavan.
<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;">Seeking to hold the demonstration outside the Raj Bhavan, which the state had earlier said comes under prohibitory orders on gatherings under Section 144 of CrPC, Adhikari&rsquo;s counsel stated that the ruling party held a dharna there for five days in October, 2023.
<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;">Suvendu
<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;">Adhikari&rsquo;s counsel Billwadal Bhattacharya had stated during the previous hearing that his prayer to the Kolkata Police authorities seeking permission to hold the dharna protesting alleged post-poll violence upon opposition party workers at the same site of Raj Bhavan had been turned down citing administrative reasons. 
&nbsp;

Cal HC permits LoP Suvendu to hold dharna outside Raj Bhavan

In a major setback to former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, the high court has dismissed his petition seeking to stall the ongoing judicial probe into the alleged irregularities in the state&rsquo;s power sector during his regime between 2014 and 2023.
&nbsp;
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) supremo questioned the credibility of the probe by the Justice L Narasimha Reddy Commission into the alleged irregularities in the purchase of power from Chhattisgarh and the construction of two thermal power plants &ndash; the 1080MW Bhadradri power plant and the 4000MW Yadadri power plant during the BRS regime.
&nbsp;
However, a division bench of the high court, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti, rejected his argument that the commission was biased and also refused to accept the argument of the former Chief Minister that the judicial commission had no jurisdiction to inquire into the power purchase agreement or the construction of the two power projects.
&nbsp;
It said the terms of reference of the judicial commission were far wider than the issues adjudicated by the state power regulatory commissions.
&nbsp;
KCR, as the BRS chief is popularly called, in his petition questioned the constitution of the probe commission by the Congress government.
&nbsp;
He argued that the order issued by the government on March 14, constituting the judicial commission, was in violation of the provisions of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952 and the Electricity Act, 2003.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;The commission has no jurisdiction as the terms of reference were the subject matter of adjudication before both Telangana and Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commissions,&rdquo; he said.
&nbsp;
Stating that the judicial commission had served him a notice asking him to file a reply on or before June 15, the BRS chief pointed out that even before he could submit the reply, Justice Narasimha Reddy held a press conference on June 11, affirming that there were irregularities in the power purchase from Chhattisgarh and the construction of Bhadradri and Yadadri power plants.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;The proceeding initiated by the Commission suffers from bias and the issue pending before it has already been pre-judged,&rdquo; KCR argued and told the court that he had written a letter to Justice Narasimha Reddy to recuse himself from heading the commission.
&nbsp;
However, the court ruled that the Commission of Inquiry is purely a fact-finding body and is required to collect facts through evidence produced before it.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;It has neither any power to pronounce a binding or definitive judgment nor has power to enforce its report,&rdquo; the bench said.
&nbsp;
The judicial commission would give a reasonable opportunity to the petitioner to be heard in the inquiry and to produce evidence in his defense, the bench added.

Telangana

HC dismisses KCR's petition on power probe

Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa was held to a draw by lowest ranked Deac Bogdan-Daniel of Romania in the sixth round of the Superbet Classic tournament, a part of the grand chess tour at Bucharest, Romania.
&nbsp;
Iranian-French Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja shined with his moves against Wesley So of the United States.
&nbsp;
With the World Championship on his mind, India's D Gukesh seemed to keep in reserve his real weapons and signed for peace with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France.
&nbsp;
Praggnanandhaa tried his hand against the ever-solid Nimzo Indian defense. But it was an off day for the Indian who was confidently breached by the Romanian.
&nbsp;
Bogdan-Daniel matched Praggnanandhaa move for move and the game was drawn through repetition after 38 moves.
&nbsp;
It was not so easy for Gukesh as well as he seemed to withheld his true preparation for the World Championship match against Ding Liren, scheduled in November this year in Singapore.
&nbsp;
Alireza stole the show on a dull day in the grand chess tour. He was at his best and crawled back with his second win of the tournament to be in striking distance of tournament leader Fabio Caruana of the United States.
&nbsp;
With just three rounds remaining in the USD 350000 prize money tournament, Caruna seems to be sitting pretty at the top, with three aspirants in Gukesh Praggnanandhaa and Alireza in pursuit.
&nbsp;
Results after round 6: R Praggnaanandhaa (IND, 3.5) drew with Deac Bogdan-Daniel (ROM, 2); Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA, 3) drew with D Gukesh (IND, 3.5); Fabiano Caruana (USA, 4) drew with Ian Nepomnichtchi (FID, 3); Alireza Firouzja (FRA, 3.5) beat Wesley So (USA, 2).

Bucharest

Praggnanandhaa draws with Bogdan-Daniel, Alireza shines in Superbet Classic chess

Indian men's hockey team captain, Harmanpreet Singh, has set his sights on clinching the gold medal at the upcoming Paris Olympics, aiming to honor both the country and the sport's legends.
&nbsp;
India's eight-time Olympic champions last secured an Olympic medal, a bronze, in the Tokyo 2020 games, marking a revival of the sport's golden era.
&nbsp;
In an exclusive feature on JioCinema's 'The Dreamers,' Harmanpreet expressed the team's dedication.
&nbsp;
"We are giving our all to elevate our history and legacy. Winning the gold will be a tribute to India and our seniors," stated the ace drag-flicker.
&nbsp;
Echoing his sentiments, former captain Manpreet Singh, who led India to the historic bronze in Tokyo, highlighted the team's resolve.
&nbsp;
"Seeing our flag on the right, I felt we could strive harder to place it at the center next time, with our anthem playing. This marks the beginning of our renewed journey," Manpreet shared.
&nbsp;
Veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh highlighted the team&rsquo;s relentless drive and collective spirit.
&nbsp;
"Someone somewhere is training to beat you. That thought pushes me out of my comfort zone. Every time I train, I am driven by the desire not to disappoint the 1.4 billion people of our country," Sreejesh explained.
&nbsp;
He noted the transition from reliance on individual brilliance to a cohesive unit, which has been pivotal to India's international success.
&nbsp;
India's chief coach, Craig Fulton, detailed the team&rsquo;s mentality, philosophy, and strategy, pointing out their readiness to compete with the best.
&nbsp;
"There isn't a team that this Indian team hasn't beaten. The question you could also be asking is -- what do the other teams have to do to beat India?" he remarked.
&nbsp;
Fulton described the team&rsquo;s philosophy as a blend of robust defense, rapid counterattacks, and resilience.
&nbsp;
"The whole philosophy in my mind is to defend, to counter, and to win &ndash; having a team that can defend against the best teams in the world but then counterattack from anywhere. And that's in the DNA of this Indian team," the South African coach concluded.

Indian Hockey’s gold dream for Paris Olympics

Despite the Punjab government's efforts to promote sustainable crop residue management, farmers in the state's high-stubble-burning districts continue to cultivate Pusa 44, a long-duration and water-intensive paddy variety.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The CEEW report highlighted that 36% of the 1,478 farmers surveyed in 11 districts of Punjab grew Pusa 44 in Kharif 2022 due to its high yield.
&nbsp;
The survey conducted by researchers from the Delhi-based independent think tank Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) also revealed that:
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Nearly half of farmers using in-situ crop residue management machines still burn some loose paddy straw.</li>
<li>Short-duration varieties like PR 126 are gaining popularity, with 66% of farmers cultivating them in 2022.</li>
<li>Stubble burning is more prevalent among medium and large farmers than small and marginal farmers.</li>
<li>Farmers fear receiving financial penalties and red entries in revenue records if they don't burn stubble.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Although farmers prefer Pusa 44 for its higher yield, current agricultural subsidies for electricity and fertiliser lead them to overlook the crop's environmental impact, said Kurinji Kemanth, Programme Associate at CEEW.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Due to Pusa 44's environmentally harmful characteristics, the state government de-notified the variety in October 2023. However, it remains in circulation primarily through private seed dealers, Kemanth added.
&nbsp;
The survey revealed that 57.7 per cent of PR growers sowed PR 126 in Kharif 2022. A significant reason for this demand surge was the Punjab government's May 2022 announcement to procure summer moong dal at the minimum support price (MSP) if farmers sowed PR 126 or basmati after harvesting moong.
Farmers primarily opted for this newly promoted variety due to the assured procurement of summer moong by the government.
&nbsp;
Since 2010, the Punjab government has promoted nine short-duration varieties to combat groundwater depletion and stubble burning. These varieties have gained popularity, with 66% of farmers cultivating them in 2022.
&nbsp;
The practice of stubble burning is prevalent in northern states like Punjab and Haryana, where rice-wheat farming dominates. Studies estimate that during peak burning periods, farm fires contribute up to 30 per cent of PM levels in the Delhi-NCR region and surrounding areas.
&nbsp;
Experts emphasize the need for effective crop residue management methods to prevent environmental and health hazards. The timely deployment and widespread adoption of sustainable practices are crucial to addressing the issue.

Punjab Farmers stick to environmentally harmful Paddy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, highlighting a decrease in violence in Manipur and the reopening of schools across most parts of the state.
&nbsp;
He cited ongoing efforts to restore complete peace in the region.
&nbsp;
During his speech, PM Modi acknowledged the collaborative efforts between the Centre and the Manipur government aimed at stabilising the situation.
&nbsp;
"Today, schools, colleges, offices, and other institutions are functioning normally in Manipur," Modi stated, highlighting the efforts of both central and state authorities in facilitating dialogue with all stakeholders to promote peace.
&nbsp;
He noted significant law enforcement actions, including the arrest of over 500 individuals and the registration of more than 11,000 FIRs.
&nbsp;
The Prime Minister also touched upon the flood situation in Manipur, revealing that two teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed to assist the state.
&nbsp;
He assured comprehensive support from the central government to manage the ongoing challenges.
&nbsp;
PM Modi said that Congress needs to 'stop politicising' the violence taking place in Manipur.
&nbsp;
"Stop politicising Manipur issue, one day Manipur will reject you," he said, adding that they were trying their best to bring peace in Manipur and asked everyone to cooperate.
&nbsp;
He expressed confidence that the people of Manipur would reject such divisive tactics and reiterated the government's commitment to restoring peace and stability.
 "The Union home minister stayed there for many weeks. Central govt is extending all cooperation to Manipur to tackle the ongoing flood situation in the state. Today, two teams of NDRF have reached Manipur. I warn those who are trying to add the fuel to fire will be rejected by Manipur. Congress had imposed President's rule in Manipur 10 times," he said.
&nbsp;
Reflecting on past administrations, Modi censured the Congress for frequently imposing President's rule in Manipur and pointed out his government's efforts to bring sustained development to the Northeast over the last five years.
&nbsp;
Meanwhile, the Congress party slammed Modi for not visiting flood-affected Assam, contrasting it with previous visits by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his tenure.
&nbsp;
Jitendra Singh, the All India Congress Committee general secretary, accused the BJP-led government in Assam of failing to fulfill promises regarding flood control measures.
&nbsp;
Singh condemned Modi for campaigning in Assam but not visiting during the current crisis.
&nbsp;
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi's absence during this devastating flood in Assam is highly regrettable," Singh remarked, highlighting the disparity between campaign visits and humanitarian responses.

Imphal

PM Modi reports peace, schools back in Manipur in RS speech

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai of Chhattisgarh has launched the 'Single Window Portal 2.0' to bolster industrial ease and attract investments in the state's burgeoning industrial sector. Developed by the Department of Commerce and Industries, this initiative aims to streamline clearance processes and support entrepreneurs setting up industries in Chhattisgarh.
&nbsp;
During the portal's launch, CM Sai emphasised the government's commitment to good governance and zero tolerance for corruption. The Single Window Portal 2.0 is designed to expedite various approvals, ensuring convenience for investors and new industrialists. Sai highlighted that the platform will minimise administrative hurdles and offer a user-friendly experience.
&nbsp;
Chhattisgarh, rich in resources and opportunities for industrial growth, seeks to simplify the establishment of industries through this new system. By consolidating necessary facilities into a single platform, the state aims to enhance investor confidence and create employment opportunities for its youth. Entrepreneurs will no longer need to navigate multiple departments for applications and clearances, thanks to this streamlined approach.
&nbsp;
The Chief Minister underscored the accountability of departmental officers assigned within the portal, ensuring timely processing of applications and periodic reviews.
&nbsp;
He emphasised that industrial expansion not only contributes to state development but also provides significant employment prospects for the youth. A transparent and straightforward industrial setup process, as envisioned by CM Sai, is expected to attract more entrepreneurs, thereby accelerating economic growth.
&nbsp;
Minister of Industries Lakhanlal Dewangan highlighted that the revamped Single Window System 2.0 will facilitate quick resolution of applications, enabling applicants to track their status seamlessly with just a click. This advancement marks a pivotal step towards enhancing industrial efficiency and fostering a conducive business environment in Chhattisgarh.

Raipur

Chhattisgarh simplifies industrial setup with new portal

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday adjourned till Thursday hearing of a defamation suit by West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over alleged comments made by her and some other Trinamool Congress leaders.
&nbsp;
The matter will appear for hearing on Thursday after Bose&rsquo;s lawyer makes necessary changes in the application.
&nbsp;
Claiming that baseless allegations were being made against the governor, Bose&rsquo;s lawyer also prayed for an interim injunction on further statements by the defendants in the defamation suit.
&nbsp;
Justice Krishna Rao noted that publications referred to in the suit have not been made party in it.
&nbsp;
The lawyer for Bose sought time to file a fresh application, incorporating necessary changes.
&nbsp;
Granting permission, the high court said the matter will be taken up for hearing on Thursday.
&nbsp;
Bose had filed a defamation case against Banerjee on June 28, a day after she claimed women complained to her that they were afraid to visit the Raj Bhavan because of the activities there.
&nbsp;
During an administrative meeting in the state secretariat, Banerjee had on June 27 said &ldquo;women have informed me they are afraid to visit Raj Bhavan due to recent incidents reported there&rdquo;.
&nbsp;
Following Banerjee&rsquo;s remarks, the governor had said it was expected of public representatives not to create &ldquo;erroneous and slanderous impressions&rdquo;.
&nbsp;
On May 2, a contractual woman employee of Raj Bhavan had made an allegation of molestation against Bose, following which the Kolkata Police started an inquiry.
&nbsp;
Under Article 361 of the Constitution, no criminal proceedings can be instituted against a governor during his/her term in office.
&nbsp;

Cal HC adjourns Guv's defamation suit against Mamata

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party leaders tried to lay siege to the chief minister&rsquo;s office-cum-residence here on Wednesday alleging rampant corruption by the ruling Congress government in Karnataka, but were stopped and taken into preventive custody.
&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 leaders, including BJP state president BY Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka, former ministers S Sunil Kumar, Araga Jnanendra, S Suresh Kumar, CN Ashwath Narayan and CT Ravi were accompanied by several MLAs and a large number of party workers.
<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;">Due to the heavy deployment of police forces, the BJP leaders could not reach their destination and were taken under preventive custody.
<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 has alleged that there was around Rs 4,000 crore worth of alternative sites (plots) scam in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) in which one of the beneficiaries is Chief Minister Siddaramaiah&rsquo;s wife Parvathi.
<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 also charged that there were attempts to cover up over Rs 180 crore Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation scam, which forced an accounts superintendent P Chandrasekharan to die by suicide.
<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;There is rampant corruption going on in the Congress government. The MUDA scam in the chief minister&rsquo;s home district Mysuru is much bigger than the scam in the Valmiki Corporation,&rdquo; Vijayendra told the media before being taken into preventive custody.
<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;">Ashoka demanded that the government should hand over the MUDA scam to the CBI instead of assigning the case to a panel of IAS officers to probe the matter. 
&nbsp;

BJP leaders heading to K'taka CM's house taken into custody

Hemant Soren wants to remove the "Ex-CM" tag from his bio and has hinted at his intention to drop the suffix "ex" and retain the latter he enjoyed until his arrest in a money laundering case.
&nbsp;
Less than a week after being granted bail in a land scam case, former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has expressed his keenness to reclaim the Chief Minister's office.
&nbsp;
He convened a legislative party meeting of the ruling alliance today.
&nbsp;
Highly placed sources in the government have indicated that current CM Champai Soren will be replaced.
&nbsp;
"Maybe within a week or fortnight, there are hints of a change of guard in Jharkhand. The return of Hemant Raj is just awaiting official announcement," sources confided.
&nbsp;
During the legislative party meeting, the agenda for appointing Hemant Soren was discussed, and alliance partners agreed to the proposal, sources said.
&nbsp;
Soren, the working president of the JMM, was compelled to step down from the CM post after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested him on January 31st this year in the infamous Ranchi land scam case.
&nbsp;
However, his plan to install his wife, Kalpana Soren, as CM temporarily was thwarted by protests within the family and the party.
&nbsp;
He was left with no option but to appoint a senior party leader from the Kolhan division, Minister Champai Soren, as Chief Minister.
&nbsp;
It is widely believed that Hemant Soren indirectly controlled and managed government affairs from inside the jail, nursing the wounds of losing the CM post and aspiring to regain it.
&nbsp;
Despite Champai Soren being his pick, the incumbent CM gradually asserted his authority and made independent decisions.
&nbsp;
The JMM is part of the INDI alliance, and during the Lok Sabha elections, Kalpana Soren led the party.
&nbsp;
However, Hemant Soren grew wary of Champai Soren's increasing influence within the government and the party.
&nbsp;
In a family-dominated party like the JMM, power rarely shifts outside familial control, and Hemant Soren is reluctant to see anyone outside the family gain political stature.
&nbsp;
Speculation about a change in leadership gained momentum when Champai Soren postponed all official engagements on Tuesday and canceled appointments, including the distribution of job appointment letters.
&nbsp;
He even stopped answering phone calls. Hemant Soren visited his residence in the afternoon.
&nbsp;
Insiders revealed that Hemant Soren cited reasons for replacing Champai Soren.
&nbsp;
"He believes that Champai Soren is unable to handle bureaucracy and manage administration as a Chief Minister should," sources said.
&nbsp;
With Jharkhand's assembly elections scheduled for the end of this year, Hemant Soren contends that the ruling alliance needs a strong CM to challenge the BJP, asserting that Champai Soren does not inspire confidence among party workers.
&nbsp;
Hemant Soren was in jail during the Lok Sabha elections, yet the JMM-Congress-RJD alliance won five out of 14 seats, with the BJP losing all tribal seats it had won in 2019.
&nbsp;
The BJP lost tribal votes to the opposition alliance. Hemant Soren reportedly stated that there is overwhelming public support for him and a desire to see him return as CM.
&nbsp;
However, many believe that this decision may provoke discontent within the party, suggesting that Hemant Soren should have resolved leadership issues earlier rather than waiting for the outcome of the assembly elections.

Return of Hemant Raj in Jharkhand

The benchmark BSE Sensex breached the 80,000 level for the first time during intraday trading on Wednesday.
&nbsp;
The Sensex surged 632.85 points, or 0.79%, to reach a record intraday high of 80,074.30. It later closed near the 80,000 mark at 79,986.80, up 545.35 points, or 0.69%, from the previous close.
&nbsp;
This remarkable rise follows the index's breach of the 78,000 level on June 25 and the 79,000 mark on June 27.
&nbsp;
The Nifty 50 index also hit a new lifetime high, climbing 162.65 points, or 0.67%, to reach 24,286.50. It reached an intraday record peak of 24,307.25, gaining 183.4 points, or 0.76%, during the session.
&nbsp;
Heavy buying in banking and FMCG shares, coupled with positive global market trends, fueled the surge. Key gainers in the Sensex pack included Adani Ports, Kotak Mahindra Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, IndusInd Bank, State Bank of India, Power Grid, JSW Steel, Bajaj Finance, and Tata Steel.
&nbsp;
Conversely, Tata Consultancy Services, Titan, Reliance Industries, Tata Motors, and Larsen &amp; Toubro were the major laggards.
&nbsp;
Asian markets showed mixed trends, with Seoul, Tokyo, and Hong Kong ending in positive territory, while Shanghai closed lower. European markets traded with gains, and US markets closed higher on Tuesday.
&nbsp;
On the previous day, the BSE benchmark experienced a volatile session, ultimately declining 34.74 points, or 0.04%, to settle at 79,441.45. It had jumped 379.68 points, or 0.47%, to hit a record peak of 79,855.87 during the day.
&nbsp;

Nifty reaches fresh peak of 24,307, Sensex surpasses 80,000

India's T20 World Cup champions were warmly welcomed by Zimbabwe Cricket upon their arrival at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport for a five-match T20I series starting this Saturday. The first match is scheduled for July 6 at the Harare Sports Club, which will also host the remaining games, concluding on July 14.
&nbsp;
VVS Laxman, a former cricketer and current chief of the National Cricket Academy (NCA), will serve as India's head coach for this tour. Zimbabwe Cricket shared a video on social media showing the Indian team arriving at the airport with their luggage, accompanied by a message of welcome.
&nbsp;
Shubman Gill will captain the Indian squad, which includes only two players from the main T20 World Cup team: Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson. The rest of the World Cup squad members have been rested.
&nbsp;
Players like Rinku Singh, Avesh Khan, and Khaleel Ahmed, who are part of the T20 World Cup reserves, have been added to the team. The squad also features several promising young players who have excelled in the Indian Premier League and domestic cricket over the past year.
&nbsp;
On Monday, Zimbabwe Cricket announced their squad for the series against the T20 World Cup champions. Zimbabwe's team, also featuring many young players, will face India without several of their key players.
&nbsp;
Antum Naqvi, born in Belgium, has been named in the squad, but his inclusion is pending confirmation of his citizenship status. Naqvi boasts impressive statistics in domestic T20, first-class, and List-A cricket, highlighting his potential ahead of his international debut.
&nbsp;
After not qualifying for the recent T20 World Cup, Zimbabwe is looking to rebuild under new head coach Justin Sammons. The team, with an average age of 27 and a combined total of 558 T20I appearances, aims to rejuvenate its performance.
&nbsp;
Sikandar Raza, 38, will continue to lead the side. With 86 matches under his belt, Raza is Zimbabwe&rsquo;s most experienced player, followed by 29-year-old Luke Jongwe, who has made 63 appearances.
&nbsp;
India&rsquo;s squad for the T20I series against Zimbabwe includes Shubman Gill (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Nitish Reddy, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, and Tushar Deshpande.
&nbsp;
The Zimbabwe squad for the T20I series against India comprises Sikandar Raza (c), Akram Faraz, Bennett Brian, Campbell Johnathan, Chatara Tendai, Jongwe Luke, Kaia Innocent, Madande Clive, Madhevere Wessly, Marumani Tadiwanashe, Masakadza Wellington, Mavuta Brandon, Muzarabani Blessing, Myers Dion, Naqvi Antum, Ngarava Richard, and Shumba Milton.
&nbsp;
The upcoming series promises an exciting clash as both teams showcase their talent and prepare for future international tournaments.

Harare

India arrives in Zimbabwe for five match T20I series

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma addressed the ongoing flood crisis on Wednesday, attributing the devastating floods to geographical factors beyond the state's control.
&nbsp;
He cited a cloudburst in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh and heavy rainfall in China and Bhutan as primary causes leading to inundation in Assam.
&nbsp;
"The second wave of floods, exacerbated by natural events in Arunachal Pradesh and beyond, is a challenge beyond our immediate influence," Sarma stated after assessing the situation in Kamrup district.
&nbsp;
Despite ongoing flood control measures, Sarma acknowledged the significant impact on people's lives, promising concerted efforts to mitigate the consequences effectively.
&nbsp;
During his visit to Garal Bhattapara Gaonburah ghat and inspection of the Dharapur Jangrabari Sluice Gate over River Khana, Sarma assured residents of repairs to damaged infrastructure and provisions of essential relief supplies.
&nbsp;
Clad in a life jacket and navigating flooded areas in a rubber boat with officials, Sarma emphasised immediate repair efforts in Majuli, where breached embankments have led to widespread flooding.
&nbsp;
"We are vigilant round-the-clock to prevent further embankment breaches," Sarma affirmed, noting that rainfall has lessened in some affected districts, offering hope for improvement within a week if favorable conditions persist.
&nbsp;
However, he cautioned that continuous rainfall in catchment areas could prolong the crisis, necessitating sustained preparedness.
&nbsp;
Sarma praised Assam's resilience in facing such challenges, highlighting collective efforts to overcome flood-related adversities.
&nbsp;
Previously, the Chief Minister had surveyed flood conditions in Golaghat district and Kaziranga National Park, underscoring the severity of the situation.

Assam floods due to factors beyond state's control: CM Sarma

An earthquake measuring 4.4 on the Richter scale struck Leh in Ladakh on Wednesday at 8.12 am, the National Center for Seismology (NCS) reported. 
&nbsp;
The earthquake's epicentre was at a latitude of 36.10 North and a longitude of 74.81 East, at a depth of 150 kilometres.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The NCS stated, &ldquo;Magnitude: 4.4, Date/Time: 03/07/2024 08:12:59 IST, Latitude: 36.10 N, Longitude: 74.81 E, Depth: 150 km, Location: Leh, Ladakh.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
There have been several earthquakes in recent times in Leh, the reason being its location in a tectonically active region.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Collision between tectonic plates causes stress accumulation and release in the form of earthquakes.
&nbsp;
On December 18, 2023, an earthquake of magnitude 5.5 hit Kargil in Ladakh, with tremors felt across North India and parts of Pakistan.
&nbsp;
This area is seismically active due to the collision between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, which frequently results in seismic activities.
&nbsp;
No damage to structures or casualties have been reported.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

4.4 magnitude quake hits Leh

The session in the Rajya Sabha today witnessed a significant political drama as opposition MPs from the INDIA bloc staged a walkout during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reply to the debate on the &lsquo;Motion of Thanks&rsquo; on the President&rsquo;s address.
&nbsp;
The walkout was a result of the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, allegedly being denied the opportunity to speak. Protesting against this, opposition members engaged in loud sloganeering before exiting the chamber.
&nbsp;
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar strongly criticised the opposition MPs, stating that their actions were a direct challenge to the Constitution. He accused them of violating the spirit of the Constitution and disregarding their oaths of office.
&nbsp;
Dhankhar expressed his disappointment, saying that Kharge had insulted his office through the walkout and that the opposition had made a mockery of constitutional values.
&nbsp;
He emphasised that the LoP had been given ample time to speak without interruptions, and by leaving, they showed disrespect not only to him but to the Constitution itself.
&nbsp;
Dhankhar's condemnation was clear and stern. He asserted that there could be no greater insult to the Indian Constitution than the conduct displayed by the opposition MPs.
&nbsp;
He urged them to introspect and reflect on their duties, highlighting that the Constitution is a guiding document for living, not just a symbol to hold. He expressed hope that the opposition would reconsider their actions and adhere to their responsibilities more faithfully in the future.
&nbsp;
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address, also took a firm stand against the opposition. He accused them of not having the courage to hear the truth.
&nbsp;
Modi stated that the country was watching how those who spread lies were unable to face the reality and were avoiding the answers to the questions raised during the discussions. He accused the opposition of insulting the traditions of the Upper House by their actions.
&nbsp;
The day began with the Rajya Sabha condoling the loss of lives in a stampede incident during a &lsquo;Satsang&rsquo; in Hathras district, Uttar Pradesh. LoP Kharge called on the government to enact legislation to prevent such tragic incidents in the future.
&nbsp;
Overall, the session was marked by intense debates and strong statements from both the government and the opposition. The walkout by the opposition MPs highlighted the deep divisions and the contentious nature of the proceedings in the Rajya Sabha.
&nbsp;
The events of the day are likely to have significant political repercussions, as both sides continue to accuse each other of undermining democratic processes and constitutional values. The focus now shifts to how these tensions will be managed in future sessions and whether any reconciliation or common ground can be found.

Opposition walks out as PM Modi speaks in Rajya Sabha

The State Education Policy (SEP) of Tamil Nadu looks set to have several student-friendly provisions&mdash; from only play at pre-primary schools to open book assessment to no common exams till Class X.
&nbsp;
A 550-page set of recommendations on the SEP was submitted by a 14-member panel headed by Justice D Murugesan, retired chief justice of Delhi high court, to chief minister&nbsp;<span style="font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; float: none; word-spacing: 0px;">MK Stalin<span style="font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; float: none; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;on Monday.
&nbsp;
The 13-member committee included Indian chess grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, musician and activist TM Krishna and former vice-chancellor of Saveetha University, L Jawahar Nesan.
&nbsp;
The Murugesan panel report runs counter to the National Education Policy (NEP).
&nbsp;
Key takeaways
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="background: white;">Continuing with the existing school education system instead of the 5+3+3+4 system proposed by NEP.</li>
<li style="background: white;">It recommends five years as entry age for Class I against six years by NEP.</li>
<li style="background: white;">Undergraduate admissions to be based on Class XI and XII board exam marks and not an entrance test as proposed by NEP.</li>
<li style="background: white;">It recommends open book assessments and the provision of information sheets with data, formula and such things even in closed book assessments, that is, abolish public examinations for Class 3,5 and 8.</li>
<li style="background: white;">The panel also proposed a two-language formula against the three-language formula suggested by NEP. Hence, Tamil and English to be the language medium of education.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Tamil Nadu has been following five years as a school entry for several years and it served the state well. We have recommended regulations to make school entry age uniform for all types of schools in the state,&rdquo; Justice Murugesan told the media.
&nbsp;
The report also recommends steps to check commercialisation of education, a ban on coaching and tuition centres parallel to schools and colleges, longer periods for physical education, and a special mission to improve quality of higher education.
 &ldquo;Conducting common exams at early classes such as Class III and V or VIII will add stress to students. So, we have recommended board exams only in Class X,&rdquo; Murugesan said.
&nbsp;
The panel proposed a regulatory body for deemed-to-be universities for admissions, fee structures and minimum salary for faculty. It recommended extending oversight by the state board fee committee to schools that follow CBSE and other boards too.
&nbsp;
Revamping teacher selection and education, setting up regional structures for affiliating engineering colleges and establishing super specialty hospitals and college under Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University were other recommendations.
&nbsp;
It proposes RTE admission reimbursement only in private schools located in remote areas, hills, where there are no govt schools. It says funds being spent for RTE admissions can be used for developing govt schools.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;The present structure offers seamless transition from school to college to students. NEP may disrupt the transition as it mandates a common entrance test and introduces a new school education system. In hindsight, the recommendations seem to protect the interests of people of TN and educational infrastructure in the state,&rdquo; said education activist PB Prince Gajendrababu.

Chennai

Tamil Nadu charts its own path in education against NEP

Three new criminal laws &mdash; Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) &mdash; has come into effect across northeastern states, replacing outdated British-era laws.
&nbsp;
This move aligns with nationwide efforts to modernise and expedite justice delivery.
&nbsp;
Enacted last year, these laws supersede the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and Indian Evidence Act, respectively, marking a significant shift in the region's legal framework.
&nbsp;
Preparations included training over 15,000 police personnel, judicial officials, and staff across seven states. Additional sessions are planned to ensure security officers are well-prepared for implementation.
&nbsp;
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma hailed the enactment as a &ldquo;watershed moment&rdquo; for India&rsquo;s criminal justice system, emphasizing their citizen-centric approach and the state&rsquo;s readiness for effective enforcement.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;These laws prioritize the safety of women, children, and the underprivileged,&rdquo; Sarma affirmed on social media.
&nbsp;
In Manipur, Chief Minister Biren Singh outlined key provisions at Imphal&rsquo;s Palace Auditorium, highlighting benefits like limiting court case adjournments, zero-FIR filing at any police station, and FIRs in local dialects.
&nbsp;
Singh stressed the crucial role of security personnel and lawyers in earnestly implementing the laws for optimal results.
&nbsp;
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu lauded the legislation&rsquo;s potential to modernize India&rsquo;s criminal justice system, emphasising swift investigations, simplified FIR registration, and enhanced sensitivity to crimes against women. 
&ldquo;Thanks to PM Narendra Modi and HM Amit Shah for this transformation,&rdquo; Khandu shared. 
Mizoram&rsquo;s Home Minister K. Sapdanga commended the laws&rsquo; transformative impact at a ceremony in Serchhip District, emphasising their alignment with contemporary technological and societal dynamics. 
&ldquo;These laws herald a new legal era,&rdquo; Sapdanga underscored, noting the need for updated statutes to bolster crime prevention and justice delivery. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

NE states roll out new criminal laws, CMs praise shift

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a crucial meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of State Council in Astana on Wednesday.
&nbsp;
Their discussions primarily centred around bilateral relations and pressing global issues. Jaishankar highlighted India's deep concern regarding Indian nationals currently caught in the conflict zone within Russia.
&nbsp;
In a statement following the meeting, Jaishankar expressed satisfaction with the progress made across various fronts since their last meeting in December 2023.
&nbsp;
He underscored the urgent need for the safe and swift return of Indian citizens from the war-affected regions, a matter of significant concern for the Indian government.
&nbsp;
The meeting also delved into assessments of the global strategic landscape, with both leaders sharing their perspectives on current international affairs. This exchange reflects the ongoing dialogue between India and Russia on crucial geopolitical matters.
&nbsp;
Earlier in June, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed the tragic deaths of two Indian nationals who were recruited by the Russian Army amidst the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. The MEA has been actively engaged in efforts to secure the prompt release and safe return of all Indian citizens associated with the Russian military.
&nbsp;
Highlighting their diplomatic efforts, the MEA has pursued this matter rigorously through engagements with the Russian Ambassador in New Delhi and directly with Russian authorities in Moscow. These efforts are part of India's proactive stance to ensure the well-being and safe repatriation of its citizens involved in overseas employment.
&nbsp;
Addressing the challenges faced by Indian nationals seeking employment opportunities abroad, the MEA has consistently advised caution. This advisory underscores the importance of informed decision-making and awareness among Indian citizens considering work placements in countries experiencing geopolitical tensions.
&nbsp;
Earlier this year, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated India's ongoing dialogue with Russian authorities to expedite the release and discharge of Indian nationals enlisted in the Russian military.
&nbsp;
Responding to queries regarding individuals misled by agents and recruited into the Russian Army, Jaiswal emphasised India's steadfast commitment to securing their safe return without delay.
&nbsp;
The meeting between Jaishankar and Lavrov marks another step in India's diplomatic efforts to safeguard the interests and welfare of its citizens amidst evolving global challenges. It underscores India's proactive engagement on international platforms to address humanitarian concerns and uphold the safety of its nationals abroad.

Astana

EAM Jaishankar meets Russian counterpart Lavrov at SCO

BJP National President and Union Health, Chemicals, and Fertilisers Minister JP Nadda is scheduled to visit Jammu on July 6 to address BJP's Extended UT Executive meeting.
&nbsp;
This will be Nadda's first visit to Jammu and Kashmir since the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. According to party sources, the meeting will take place at Mishriwala, with a preliminary session for BJP office bearers set for July 5 at the same location.
&nbsp;
Nadda&rsquo;s visit coincides with the birth anniversary of Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, the founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, who is remembered for his efforts to abolish the permit system that prohibited Indians from settling within the state and mandating that they carry ID cards as well as the integration of&nbsp;Jammu and Kashmir with India.
&nbsp;
The meeting will include BJP's national general secretary and J&amp;K in-charge Tarun Chugh, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, co-incharge J&amp;K Ashish Sood, BJP J&amp;K President Ravinder Raina, party General Secretary (Org) Ashok Koul, MP (LS) Jugal Kishore Sharma, MP (RS) Gulam Ali Khatana, and other 
senior leaders.
&nbsp;
Approximately 2,000 party members are expected to attend the meeting.
&nbsp;
In preparation for the UT Executive meeting, BJP J&amp;K President Ravinder Raina chaired a detailed meeting to finalise the arrangements.
&nbsp;
The meeting aims to address issues due to which the party did not perform well in the recent elections and strategise on strengthening its base.
&nbsp;
Additionally, the party will set the agenda for the executive committee meeting and finalise draft resolutions during the office bearers' meeting on July 5.
&nbsp;
The selection of Dr Mookerjee's birth anniversary for the executive meeting is intended to pay tributes to his legacy, as he started a national movement from J&amp;K for the complete merger with India.
&nbsp;
The meeting will also discuss future party programmes in the UT, preparations for potential Assembly, local bodies, Municipal, and Panchayat elections, and the organisation of elections likely to be held in September.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Jammu

JP Nadda to visit Jammu on July 6

As quoted by sources, pro-Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh, who is detained under the National Security Act (NSA) in Dibrugarh jail, Assam, will be airlifted to Delhi to take oath as a Member of Parliament on July 5. He will then be brought back to Dibrugarh Jail.
&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Faridkot MP Sarabjit Singh Khalsa met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at his residence in Delhi, today, and conveyed this information. All the formalities for the same have been completed.&nbsp;
<img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GRjQ-heWUAAzd0h?format=jpg&amp;name=medium" alt="Image">
&nbsp;
Earlier, the Punjab government forwarded a written request of Singh, to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, seeking temporary release or parole for him to take oath. The request was sent under Section 15 of the NSA, which allows for temporary release without conditions or with specified conditions. 
&nbsp;
Amritpal's legal adviser, Imaan Singh Khara confirmed that the plea was sent through the jail superintendent on June 9. The Punjab home secretary has forwarded the letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker, who will decide on oath-taking within 60 days, starting June 25, after consulting the home department.
&nbsp;
Three of Amritpal's aides, also detained under NSA, have announced their intention to contest assembly by-elections from Punjab's Barnala, Gidderbaha, and Dera Baba Nanak.
&nbsp;
Background: 
&nbsp;
Amritpal Singh, a radical Sikh leader, won the Lok Sabha polls from Khadoor Sahib despite being detained under the NSA. His temporary release or parole is being sought to enable him to take oath as a Member of Parliament.&nbsp;

Jailed Amritpal to take oath as Lok Sabha MP on July 5

The T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team finally departed for Delhi aboard a charter flight from the Grantley Adams International airport here on Wednesday after being stranded here for three days due to a category 4 hurricane.
&nbsp;
The Air India special charter flight AIC24WC -- Air India Champions 24 World Cup -- took off around 4:50am local time and will land in the Indian national capital on Thursday at around 6:20 am (IST).
&nbsp;
"Coming home," posted India captain Rohit Sharma on Instagram, posing with the trophy in the aircraft before it took off.
&nbsp;
The Indian squad, its support staff, the players' families and some board officials are aboard the flight along with members of the travelling media contingent. The flight has been arranged by the BCCI.
&nbsp;
The Rohit Sharma-led side won the title after pulling off a thrilling seven-run win over South Africa in the final on Saturday.
&nbsp;
The Boeing 777, which took off from New Jersey, USA on July 2, landed in Barbados around 2am local time and the airport staff here stated that they had not seen a bigger plane land at the Grantley Adams International airport, which resumed its operations on Tuesday.
&nbsp;
Earlier, the Indian team was scheduled to leave around 6pm local time on July 2 and arrive at 7.45pm (IST) on Wednesday but the departure was delayed as the plane landed late here.
&nbsp;
The players are set to be felicitated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi within hours of returning to the country. Plans are also afoot to have a road-show in Mumbai to honour the triumphant team, which ended a trophy drought of 11 years.
&nbsp;
Hurricane Beryl is now headed towards Jamaica.&nbsp;

Bridgetown

T20 world champions India finally depart from Barbados

Meghalaya&rsquo;s music-loving Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, on Tuesday, fulfilled the dreams of the Eastern Brook Band, a talented group of visually impaired musicians, by gifting them musical instruments.
 The gesture is part of the Meghalaya Grassroots Music Programme, a flagship initiative of the Chief Minister&rsquo;s Office (CMO) aimed at promoting and supporting local talent.
 The instruments were presented to the band members during a special ceremony at the Chief Minister&rsquo;s residence. Sangma commended the band&rsquo;s spirit and encouraged them to continue pursuing their dreams.
 Comprising four members, the Eastern Brook Band has been making waves in the local music scene with their soulful performances, overcoming the challenges of visual impairment.
&nbsp;
<img src="https://api.newsarenaindia.com//uploads/meghalaya-cm-music-1jpg_1719999684298.jpg" width="1500" height="800">
 &ldquo;Music has the power to transcend limitations and bring people together. I am thrilled to support this talented group of musicians and look forward to seeing them achieve greater heights,&rdquo; said CM Sangma.
 An official from the CMO highlighted the Chief Minister&rsquo;s generous response to the band&rsquo;s request for instruments, noting his deep admiration for their talent, dedication, and passion for music.
 &nbsp;&ldquo;This initiative demonstrates the Chief Minister&rsquo;s commitment to inclusivity and the empowerment of all sections of society, particularly those with disabilities,&rdquo; the official added.
 The Meghalaya Grassroots Music Programme aims to provide a platform for local artists to showcase their talent, fostering a vibrant music culture in the state.
 Last year, Conrad Sangma, known for his love of heavy metal music, was seen enthusiastically playing his electric guitar at a caf&eacute;. 
He captivated the audience with his rendition of &lsquo;Wasted Years,&rsquo; a song by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. 
Sangma revealed his deep passion for music, stating, "I've always been into music and I play the electric guitar whenever I get a chance. I enjoy performing live after important meetings and programs with my cabinet colleagues. Music is integral to my culture." He humorously added, "Whenever some MLAs are unhappy about something, they listen to my music and forget what they were unhappy about (laughs)." 
He also shared his recent experience performing at the G20 meeting, where he entertained ambassadors and colleagues, who thoroughly enjoyed his musical talents.

Shillong

Music loving Sangma's musical gift to visually impaired band

A month after the Bharatiya Janata Party&rsquo;s zero-seat outcome in the Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha elections, state chief K. Annamalai is reportedly heading to the United Kingdom for a sabbatical under the Chevening Gurukul Fellowship for Leadership and Excellence at the University of Oxford.
&nbsp;
Annamalai&rsquo;s break has set off murmurs that the leader may be upset due to insufficient support from senior leaders and differing views on contesting the 2026 Assembly polls in alliance.
&nbsp;
Annamalai has been advocating for the BJP to contest alone, a stance that led to friction with AIADMK, culminating in their split before the Lok Sabha elections. His comments criticising AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) leader and former chief minister J Jayalalithaa were a major factor in the AIADMK severing its ties with the party before the Lok Sabha elections.
&nbsp;
It has been learnt that the three-month fellowship, according to several reports, was on the horizon for Annamalai even before the election results.
&nbsp;
Scheduled from mid-September to December, the programme caters to young leaders with significant leadership potential. Annamalai has reportedly sought approval from the high command to attend.
&nbsp;
Despite leading an ambitious campaign in Tamil Nadu, featuring frequent visits from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior BJP leaders, Annamalai lost his seat in Coimbatore.
&nbsp;
Despite the Lok Sabha setback, the 39-year-old leader, crediting his aggressive style for strengthening the BJP&rsquo;s presence in Tamil Nadu, has the party&rsquo;s backing, reports claimed.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
In 12 out of 39 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance finished second, outperforming the AIADMK.
&nbsp;
A BJP leader, according to the media, mentioned Annamalai is eager to embrace this fellowship as a much-needed break to rejuvenate after the elections and his extensive &lsquo;Enn Mann, Enn Makkal&rsquo; march. He views this sabbatical as beneficial for his broader ambitions, the leader was quoted as saying.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Annamalai plans sabbatical, heading to UK for study break

Taking a dig at BJP, on Wednesday, Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda accused the Haryana government of attempting to "trick" voters with "false announcements" after years of neglecting their demands, citing the saffron party is feeding 'sweet pills when power seems to be slipping away'. 
&nbsp;
The statement of Hooda comes after Chief Minister Naib Singh Saini made several announcements for village sarpanches. Assembly elections in Haryana are due later this year in October. 
&nbsp;
In the 10 years of BJP's rule, various sections who protested for their demands received 'lathis', Hooda added. 
&nbsp;
He asserted the people of the state "would not get trapped in any illusion and will not rest until they oust the BJP from power". 
&nbsp;
The Leader of the Opposition in Haryana said with Assembly elections due later this year, the BJP government "is now giving sweet pills of false announcements when power seems to be slipping away". 
&nbsp;
Under the BJP's rule the Panches and Sarpanches were beaten with lathis in Panchkula when they raised their demands, Hooda claimed. 
&nbsp;
"Now, realising that power is slipping away from its hands, the BJP has realized that the system during the Congress' time was correct and the development of villages is safe in the hands of panches and sarpanches." 
&nbsp;
"By taking a u-turn on every decision, the BJP has accepted both its defeat and failure. Instead of asking for votes in the upcoming assembly elections, this government should seek an apology from the public. The BJP has lost the right to remain in power," he added. 
&nbsp;
Addressing panchayat representatives across the state at the Panchayati Raj and Sarpanch Sammelan in Kurukshetra on Tuesday, Chief Minister Saini said sarpanches can now undertake development works up to Rs 21 lakh in their gram panchayats without e-tendering. Previously, this limit was Rs 5 lakh. 
&nbsp;
The chief minister also announced that sarpanches can now claim travel expenses at a rate of Rs 16 per kilometre when using their car or taxi for gram panchayat work. 
&nbsp;
Last year, a large number of sarpanches protested against the e-tendering system for development works in rural areas, claiming it would curtail their spending powers. 
&nbsp;
A few months ago, Hooda had alleged that the panchayat e-tendering system was the "mother of corruption" in Haryana and said it would be scrapped if Congress came to power in the 2024 assembly elections.

Hooda accuses BJP govt of last-ditch efforts to woo voters

The flood situation in Assam has escalated dramatically, with the death toll reaching 48 and over 11.34 lakh people affected across 28 districts.
&nbsp;
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) confirmed three more deaths in the last 24 hours, including two from Tinsukia and one from Dhemaji district. 
Sarma is scheduled to hold a cabinet meeting on Wednesday to review the flood situation prevailing in the various districts.
 The current second wave of floods have affected Barpeta, Biswanath, Cachar, Charaideo, Chirang, Darrang, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Jorhat, Kamrup Metropolitan, Karbi Anglong, Karimganj, Lakhimpur, Majuli, Morigaon, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sivasagar, Sonitpur, Tamulpur, Tinsukia and Udalguri districts.
&nbsp;
The most severely impacted districts include Lakhimpur, Darrang, and Golaghat. Lakhimpur alone has 165,319 people affected, followed by Darrang with 147,143, and Golaghat with 106,480.
&nbsp;
The flood scenario in Kaziranga National Park is also critical with vast tracts of forests inundated and a baby rhino drowning in floodwaters.
The Chief Minister also reviewed the situation in the park and directed the authorities to take adequate precautions, including regulation of vehicular traffic on the national highway, to ensure that wildlife is not harmed. 
Across the state, 42,476 hectares of crops are underwater, and 2,208 villages in 84 revenue circles are inundated.
&nbsp;
Major rivers, including the Brahmaputra, Subansiri, Burhidihing, Dikhou, and Disang, are flowing above the danger mark, exacerbating the situation.
&nbsp;
In response, the administration has established 489 relief camps and distribution centers, sheltering nearly 2.9 lakh people. Many others have sought refuge on higher ground, in school buildings, and on roads and bridges.
&nbsp;
Relief and rescue operations are in full swing, with the local administration, Army, paramilitary forces, and SDRF teams working tirelessly.
&nbsp;
On Tuesday alone, around 2,900 people were rescued from flood-hit areas. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma provided an update on the flood situation in the state, maintaining that water levels are receding.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
In a social media post, the CM attributed the floods to a cloud burst and assured citizens that the administration is working tirelessly to prevent further breaches of embankments. 
&ldquo;Water levels are receding. A cloud burst has resulted in the current floods. We are working 24*7 to ensure no further embankment breaches occur. In a week, the situation should improve,&rdquo; Sarma posted.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sharing an update on the Assam Flood situation 👉Water levels are receding 👉 A cloud burst has resulted in the current floods 👉 We are working 24*7 to ensure no further embankment breaches occur 👉 In a week, situation should improve <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AssamFloods?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AssamFloods</a> <a href="https://t.co/KkdnjOXJxw">pic.twitter.com/KkdnjOXJxw</a>
&mdash; Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) <a href="https://twitter.com/himantabiswa/status/1808407911158198782?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
In another post, CM Sarma called upon the people of Assam to demonstrate resilience and solidarity in facing the crisis. &ldquo;Resilience of the people of Assam is our biggest strength, and it shows in times like these when we collectively commit to overcoming the challenges posed by the floods,&rdquo; he stated.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Resilience of the people of Assam is our biggest strength and it shows in times like these when we collectively commit to overcome the challenges posed by the floods. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AssamFloods?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AssamFloods</a> <a href="https://t.co/TdxOlZ1WS9">pic.twitter.com/TdxOlZ1WS9</a>
&mdash; Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) <a href="https://twitter.com/himantabiswa/status/1808392731758145768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
 Flood relief aid 
The administration has distributed substantial aid, including 10,754.98 quintals of rice, 1,958.89 quintals of dal, 554.91 quintals of salt, and 23,061.44 liters of mustard oil. Cattle feed has also been provided to affected livestock.
&nbsp;
The floods have wreaked havoc on infrastructure, impacting 832,099 animals, damaging 74 roads, six bridges, and 14 embankments, with five embankments breached.&nbsp;

Floods in Assam kill 48, displace over 11.5 lakh

Sweltering weather persisted in Jammu and Kashmir as Srinagar recorded its second warmest July day at 34.6&deg;C on Tuesday, officials reported.
&nbsp;
A meteorological department official said on Wednesday that the highest July temperature in the last decade was 35.0&deg;C on July 18, 2021. The all-time highest July temperature was recorded on July 15, 1973.
&nbsp;
As research findings published in a scientific journal in 2020 suggest, Srinagar can feel hotter than Delhi due to higher humidity levels. The valley traps heat and reduces airflow, intensifying the heat.
&nbsp;
Meanwhile, "Hot and humid conditions are expected to continue until July 3, with potential for rain and thundershowers in scattered areas of Jammu Division late at night or early morning, and similar conditions in parts of Kashmir Valley," the official stated.
&nbsp;
On July 4, intermittent light to moderate rain and thundershowers are anticipated in many places, with isolated heavy rain over Jammu Division.
&nbsp;
July 5-6 may bring moderate rainfall at most locations in J&amp;K, including heavy showers in some areas.
&nbsp;
The weather on July 7-8 is predicted to be hot and humid, with chances of rain and thundershowers in scattered areas of Jammu Division during the late night and early morning. Similar conditions are expected in parts of Kashmir Division.
&nbsp;
However, "Thunderstorms, lightning, flash floods, landslides, mudslides, and shooting stones could occur at some vulnerable locations between July 4-6," the official warned, adding, "A few low-lying areas may experience temporary waterlogging conditions."
&nbsp;

Tuesday was hottest July day in a decade in Srinagar

A recent assessment highlights the vast gap India must bridge to match the capabilities of other leading nations in quantum technologies, despite launching a National Quantum Mission worth ₹6,000 crores to develop key future technologies.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
India has been trailing behind global leaders like the United States and China in the realm of quantum technology, lagging significantly in both patent acquisitions and top journal publications.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The assessment, conducted by Itihaasa, a non-profit organization studying the evolution of technology and business in India, reveals that India is among 17 countries with a dedicated government program for quantum technology research and one of 12 countries with committed investments for this purpose.
&nbsp;
However, India remains behind several countries not only in terms of committed funding but also in current technological capabilities.
&nbsp;
India&rsquo;s Rs 6,000 crore investment translates to approximately USD 0.75 billion over five years.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&ldquo;It is commendable that India is among the 17 countries with formal national quantum missions and is among the top 12 countries in terms of committed investments. At the same time, we must recognize that India is lagging behind the global leaders in quantum technologies and needs to ramp up both R&amp;D and translational aspects to catch up with them,&rdquo; the assessment said.
&nbsp;
Quantum technologies leverage the unique and counter-intuitive properties of sub-atomic particles to develop processes and devices with unprecedented capabilities and efficiencies.
&nbsp;
Quantum computers, for instance, can perform tasks that are currently impossible for even the most powerful classical computers to complete within a useful timeframe.
&nbsp;
India&rsquo;s National Quantum Mission, launched last year, aims to develop capabilities in four key areas: quantum computing, communications, sensors and metrology, and materials. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary in the Department of Science and Technology, which is executing the quantum mission, expressed optimism about India&rsquo;s prospects in certain areas.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;We already have fairly advanced capabilities in these areas (quantum communications and sensing). We even have a few start-ups doing very good work. With a little push, we should be in the global lead. With other technologies, including quantum computing, we would have to work a lot harder. But we are not starting at zero in any of these areas. We would be among the top-five, top ten, or top 15 everywhere,&rdquo; he said.
&nbsp;
Principal Scientific Advisor Ajay Sood said, &ldquo;In some areas, we are maybe one year behind. In others, we might be four to five years behind. In some areas, we are at par with the best in the world. We have to work hard for the next few years because the fruits of these technologies are going to be transformational".
&nbsp;
India is producing the highest number of graduates in fields related to quantum technologies, such as biochemistry, chemistry, physics, electronics and chemical engineering, mathematics, and statistics.
&nbsp;
Over 82,000 students graduate in these subjects annually, with only the European Union, as a whole, surpassing these numbers.
&nbsp;

India faces quantum tech challenge despite ₹6,000 cr mission

In a bid to protect a cherished relic from repeated attacks, a bronze statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh has been reinstalled at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, Pakistan, a sacred site attracting Sikh pilgrims and tourists worldwide.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The statue, weighing between 250-350 kg, depicts the legendary leader on his Arabian horse, 'Kehar Bahar'.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The installation ceremony was attended by Punjab's Minority Affairs Minister, Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, and Sikh pilgrims from India, who are currently in Pakistan to commemorate the 185th anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh's death. The event marks a new chapter in the statue's journey, ensuring its preservation for generations to come.
&nbsp;
Originally unveiled at Lahore's Shahi Qila in 2019, the statue faced vandalism three times, suffering critical damages. Despite repairs, the risk of further attacks prompted its relocation to Kartarpur Sahib, where it has been welcomed as a symbol of religious tolerance and Sikh heritage.
&nbsp;
Besides efforts by the Walled City of Lahore Authority to repair the statue following vandalism by extremists, the risk of further attacks prevented its reinstallation at the fort. Consequently, the statue was moved to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in December 2023, where it remained near the Kartarpur Darshan Point for the last year. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
Maharaja Ranjit Singh was the first Sikh ruler of Punjab, who conquered Lahore in the early 19th century and ruled Punjab for 40 years. Sungh is remembered by people for his promotion of religious tolerance and the inclusion of several Muslim ministers in his regime, despite allegations of damaging Mughal-era buildings.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
His legacy continues to draw pilgrims and history enthusiasts, celebrating his contribution to Punjab's rich cultural heritage. &nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Pakistani government has honored the first Sikh ruler of Punjab, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, by erecting a statue of him at Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, which was unveiled during a ceremony coinciding with his death anniversary, and attended by Sikh pilgrims from India&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/vvlPhCUW6u">pic.twitter.com/vvlPhCUW6u</a>
&mdash; Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (@SGPCPakistan) <a href="https://twitter.com/SGPCPakistan/status/1807326118292115765?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;

Kartarpur

Maharaja Ranjit Singh's statue relocated to Kartarpur Sahib

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called out the opposition parties for remaining silent on the public flogging of a woman in north Bengal, saying selective politics is a matter of concern.
&nbsp;
Replying to a debate on a motion thanking President Droupadi Murmu for her address to the joint sitting of Parliament.
&nbsp;
Modi said a viral video recently showed a woman being publicly beaten up, but the opposition parties have remained silent.
&nbsp;
Their selective outrage is a worrying phenomenon, he said.
&nbsp;
He also raised the Sandeshkhali incident.
&nbsp;
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday addressed the Rajya Sabha and said, &ldquo;For the first time in 60 years, a government has returned to power after 10 years. Some deliberately ignored this, some didn&rsquo;t understand, and those who did, tried to blackout this important decision by the people of the country.&rdquo; PM Modi responded to the opposition&rsquo;s &ldquo;one-third government&rdquo; criticism with confidence, suggesting it implies the current administration has another 20 years ahead. Speaking on the Motion of Thanks to the President&rsquo;s address, PM Modi praised the speech for its inspirational and encouraging content, noting it &ldquo;paved the way for truth&rdquo;. Additionally, the Rajya Sabha observed a moment of silence on Wednesday to mourn the tragic loss of lives in the Hathras stampede accident.
&nbsp;

From flogging to Sandeshkhali, PM Modi mentions WB in RS

This &lsquo;elephant restaurant&rsquo; has opened in Odisha&rsquo;s Chandaka wildlife sanctuary, which lies just outside the state capital.
&nbsp;
&lsquo;Customers&rsquo; are elephants rescued by forest officials. Typically, they are young elephants that got separated from their herd. They are being trained to be what&rsquo;s locally called kumki elephants, who are deployed for taming elephants in the wild and for monitoring tiger presence in forests&mdash; tiger population is on the rise in neighbouring forests, say officials. There are six elephants, cared for by 13 mahouts and assistant mahouts.
&nbsp;
This restaurant serves breakfast and lunch, menu is strictly vegetarian, customers have separate booths, the service and the food are expected to be excellent, but the staff know they mustn&rsquo;t come in the way of patrons when they enter or leave the establishment&mdash; a basic precaution for a restaurant for elephants.
 The restaurant idea was born out of necessity. As Susanta Nanda, chief conservator, explained: &ldquo;Training requires a routine as well as nutritional food&rdquo;. An establishment that caters to the elephants at specific times of a day fit the bill.
&nbsp;
Nanda said each elephant has a booth named after them, and they have been trained to identify the booth that&rsquo;s theirs.
&nbsp;
The elephants eat from granite trays, which can be washed and cleaned.
 As of now, there are six regular customers, who get breakfast, lunch and dinner.
&nbsp;
Breakfast, at 8.30 sharp, and served after a brisk morning walk and light exercise, offers fruits like banana, coconut, carrot, sugar cane and watermelon.
&nbsp;
Lunch, served after an hour-long bath from 1.30 to 2.30 pm, is heavier&mdash; wheat, millets, corn powder, horse gram, molasses mixed with turmeric, castor oil, and salt.
 Dinner, though, is at home. &ldquo;The elephants have a separate rest shed, away from the restaurant, where they are provided with grass, tree branches, banana stem, straw etc for consumption throughout night&rdquo;, Sarat Behera, divisional forest officer, said.
 The daily &lsquo;bill&rsquo; for training and feeding each elephant (including salaries for mahouts) won&rsquo;t buy you a good lunch in a big city, upscale restaurant &mdash; it&rsquo;s just Rs 1,500.

Bhubaneswar

A restaurant for elephants comes up in Odisha

The T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team's departure from the Caribbean island has again been delayed as the charter flight is yet to arrive.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
An Air India special charter flight named AIC24WC - Air India Champions 24 World Cup - is set to bring back the Indian squad, its support staff, the players' families and some board officials and Indian media, who have been stranded here for the past three days due to hurricane Beryl.&nbsp;
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The Rohit Sharma-led side won the title after pulling off a thrilling seven-run win over South Africa in the final on Saturday.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The flight, which took off from New Jersey, USA on July 2, is expected to land in Barbados around 2 am local time.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
As per the schedule, the flight is now expected to take off from Barbados at 4:30am (local time). It will take a 16-hour flying time to reach Delhi, where the team will land on Thursday at 6 am (IST) if there are no further delays in their departure.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The Grantley Adams International airport here resumed its operations on Tuesday. Earlier, the Indian team was scheduled to leave around 6 pm local time on July 2 and arrive at 7.45pm (IST) on Wednesday.&nbsp;
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The players are set to be felicitated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi but the schedule of that event has not yet been finalised.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Hurricane Beryl has now become a Category 4 storm moving down from Category 5 and is headed towards Jamaica.

Indian cricket team's return delayed again

Have you ever wondered what would have been the sleeping pattern of people during previous time periods? While sleep is a universal human experience, the way we do so has varied greatly across cultures, social classes, and even time periods.
&nbsp;
A 17th-century vicar&rsquo;s poetry offers a surprising window into how people in Wales got their nightly rest. 
&nbsp;
Born around 1579, Rhys Prichard began serving his hometown of Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, as a vicar in 1602. His verses, rich with details about nighttime experiences, offer fascinating clues about how people back then approached their sleep. 
&nbsp;
Much of our historical understanding of sleep comes from medical texts or social commentaries. But Prichard&rsquo;s poetry provides a more personal and intimate perspective, revealing not just the &ldquo;how&rdquo; but also the &ldquo;why&rdquo; behind 17th-century sleep habits. 
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The vicar&rsquo;s poetry, written in the Welsh language, may have also served as a tool to spread the ideas of the Protestant Reformation in Wales.
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His poems are collected in a publication called Canwyll y Cymru (the Welsh people&rsquo;s candle), which was published as a complete collection in 1681 following his death in 1644. The title comes from one of his poems where he hopes his work can provide light to the Welsh people showing them how to serve God.
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Canwyll y Cymru was very popular and was regularly reprinted until the end of the 19th century. It was common to find the collection in homes throughout Wales. Part of its appeal, no doubt, was that the poems have a homely feel and deal with aspects of everyday life. They were also easy to understand and even easier to remember. 
&nbsp;
The vicar wrote several poems about sleep that depict how people slept and how he thought they should prepare for bed. Sleep was an intensely religious and spiritual experience, with prayers being offered for the gift from God of a good and safe night&rsquo;s sleep. There are requests for God to place the believer into his care. 
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It was common in early modern England to create a barricade and block all entrances when going to sleep. Although there is no reference to that in Prichard&rsquo;s poems, the readers are encouraged to shut their doors.
&nbsp;
His sleep poems also display some of his central themes. They include the need to depend on God and to worship him, and how human beings are completely lost without him. His poems emphasise the significance of Christ&rsquo;s death on the cross and draw heavily on the Bible. 
&nbsp;
Two sleeps Studies of night-time have drawn attention to a phenomenon called &ldquo;two sleeps&rdquo;, or &ldquo;biphasic&rdquo; sleep. Before mass industrialisation, it appears it was common &ndash; at least in the West &ndash; to have a period of wakefulness during the middle of the night for an hour or two, and complete a variety of tasks. 
&nbsp;
This phenomenon is attested to in the verse Myfyrdod pan dihuner o gysgu ganol nos (A meditation when you wake from sleep in the middle of the night). In it Prichard shows that this period of wakefulness is an excellent opportunity to meditate on the glory of God and to praise him, calling it a wonderful thing to do, especially because he says, God always protects us. 
&nbsp;
The vicar&rsquo;s audience are encouraged to emulate the biblical King David who, according to Psalm 119:62, rose at midnight to give thanks to God. The vicar&rsquo;s audience are told to rise at night in a similar manner.
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Prayer is a recurring topic throughout his poetry, including his sleep poems. Readers are provided with numerous verses of prayer which encourage his audience to praise God, to repent of their sins and to ask for his care, such as in Gweddi wrth fynd ir gwely (A bedtime prayer).
&nbsp;
Death Sleep and death went hand in hand during this period and it was well known that many people went to sleep without waking again. The vicar tells his readers to think of death while looking at their beds. The fear of death at night explains, in part, why the vicar recommends repenting of sins. 
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According to his verses, the devil was always awake and, like a lion, wanted to take people at night and devour them. It is not surprising, then, that several of the vicar&rsquo;s poems ask for God&rsquo;s protection and for him to quell anxieties, providing people with a good night&rsquo;s sleep.
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After all, going to sleep was a leap of faith, a sure sign of human weakness and necessitated divine protection. In the vicar&rsquo;s poems a good and a safe night&rsquo;s sleep was a gift from God. After waking up alive and well, he encourages his readers to thank God.
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Prichard&rsquo;s poems are not well known anymore. But they remain relevant as they are chiefly about real people who have their own problems and concerns, including how to get a decent night&rsquo;s sleep.
&nbsp;
Although sleeping practices have changed since then, the vicar&rsquo;s poetry provides us with a glimpse into the ways in which some people sought a good night&rsquo;s sleep.
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Restlessness at night has a long and storied past. Perhaps this knowledge can offer a sliver of comfort for those of us who wake at night. And more importantly, Prichard&rsquo;s verses remind us to cherish a good night&rsquo;s sleep &ndash; a timeless treasure across cultures and centuries. 
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This article is taken from&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://theconversation.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation.&nbsp;</a>

Cardiff

A look at how people slept in the 17th century

Sarakhadi village in Gujarat&rsquo;s Gir Somnath district, with a population of 5,000, has set an inspiring example in the sport of Volleyball.
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Varjangbhai Vala, who was a school physical training teacher at that time, thought that their village had good potential for Volleyball due to its high average height and proximity to the sea coast. He started encouraging and training girls and boys in Volleyball in the early '80s.
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The fruits of these consistent efforts began to show after a few years. In 1990, for the first time, Sarakhdi girls represented their district at the state level.
&nbsp;
However, for Vala, there were a series of challenges, starting with persuading conservative village parents to send their daughters to play in out-of-town tournaments.
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Convincing families to allow girls to wear t-shirts instead of traditional attire was another hurdle.
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The girls, wearing t-shirts, ghaghras, and slippers, often looked out of place at tournaments.
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However, Vala overcame these obstacles by sending his own daughters and girls from his family into the sport.
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Today, out of 300 girls and boys from the village sent to national level competitions, 65 have won national medals.
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The town has also produced four international players, two of whom captained the Indian team.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Vala&rsquo;s daughter, Kinjal, captained Team India at the 10th Asian Youth Girls Tournament in Thailand in 2014, and his niece, Chetna Vala, captained at the BRICS 2019 tournament in China.
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Both also played at the 18th Asian Junior Championship in Thailand.
&nbsp;
The highlight was the 41st Junior National Volleyball Championship, where all six girls playing for Gujarat in the finals against Kerala were from Sarakhdi. The commentators called it a "Gaon versus State Mukabla."
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&ldquo;We have received considerable support from the Government and Sports Authorities. Currently, 12-14 players from Sarakhdi are under coaching with scholarships at DLSS (District Level Sports Schools) and 4-5 are under expert coaching at a nearby High School Academy,&rdquo; Vala said.
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Chetna Vala believes that &ldquo;Modi government&rsquo;s policies (during his tenure as CM) have provided much-needed impetus to sporting talents from the village.&rdquo;
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The 60-year-old Vala has retired now, but he still contributes as much as possible to the village and the sport.
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An indoor facility for playing Volleyball and a good coach could elevate the talent of Sarakhdi to the next level. If a social organisation or corporate entity adopts the village, the talents here have the potential to even send players to the Olympics. With an MoU already signed by Senior Producer Shabbir Boxwala for making a Hindi movie about the village, it seems the power of Bollywood could open doors for Sarakhdi&rsquo;s hidden talents.

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