News Arena Network

Amarpreet Kaur

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;
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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;
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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;
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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;
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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;
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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;
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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;
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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;
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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.
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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.
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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;
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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;

Chandigarh

Amritpal, Rashid as MPs, unique example of Indian democracy

Neha Singh

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.
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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.
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&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.
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He observed that reconstruction of Amaravati will go ahead with the existing masterplan but will incorporate modern advancements.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Considering the battered brand image of Amaravati, Naidu said the Herculean task of restoring investor confidence and resurrecting the economy lies ahead for him.
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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

Ansh Mavani

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.
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"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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.

Ranchi

Hemant Soren returns as Jharkhand CM, Champai resigns

Deepan

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.
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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.
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The High Court has instructed the state government to file a status report within two weeks through an affidavit.
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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.
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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.
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Numerous madrasas are being established in these districts, and marital relations are forming with local tribal people.
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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.
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Politically, the issue of Bangladeshi infiltration in the Santhal Pargana area has been ongoing for some time.
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Many senior leaders of the BJP have repeatedly raised this issue, alleging demographic changes in many districts of Santhal due to Bangladeshi infiltration.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.

New Delhi

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''.
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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.
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''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.
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The JMM and Congress are constituents of the ruling coalition in Jharkhand.
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Sarma said he is certain that the people of Jharkhand will strongly condemn this action and firmly reject it.
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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.
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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.
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Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Sikandra Rao submitted the preliminary report on the stampede to the district magistrate (DM).
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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.
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&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.
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&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.
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The situation worsened when more people waiting on the divider of the road ahead began running towards his vehicle, it said.
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&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.
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&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.
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&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.
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Those who fell could not get up again and were run over by those coming from behind, it said.
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&ldquo;After this, they could not get up again and the crowd started running here and there over them,&rdquo; the report mentioned.
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&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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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During the proceedings, Kejriwal requested the court's permission to speak but the court said he is already being represented through his counsels.
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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.
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"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.
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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.
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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has opposed the application.

Delhi court extends Kejriwal's custody till July 12

Ayesha Banerjee

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.
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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.
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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.
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&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.
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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.
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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.
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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;
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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.
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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.
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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;
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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.
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On achievements, Modi said that his government helped the Indian economy reach number five in the world, up from number 10.&nbsp;
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"We have brought the economy from number 10 to number five, despite the challenges of the corona pandemic and global conflicts," he added.
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On women's issues, he said the government was focused on their development and also prioritised their health and sanitation.
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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;
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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;
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As opposition members walked out shouting slogans, he said "They can't digest defeat. Their activities yesterday failed, so they have run away today."
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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;
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Post

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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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;
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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.
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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.
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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. 
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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.

Shimla

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

The southwest monsoon has covered the entire country six days ahead of the normal date, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on July 2.
&nbsp;
<p 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; word-spacing: 0px;">&ldquo;The southwest monsoon has further advanced into the remaining parts of Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab today. Thus, it covered the entire country on 2nd July 2024, against the normal date of July 8 (six days before the normal date of covering the entire India),&rdquo; the IMD said in a statement.
<p 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; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p 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; word-spacing: 0px;">The monsoon arrived in Kerala and the northeastern region on May 30, two and six days earlier than usual.
<p 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; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p 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; word-spacing: 0px;">It progressed normally up to Maharashtra but lost momentum, extending the wait for rains in West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, and worsening the impact of a scorching heat wave in northwest India.
<p 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; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p 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; word-spacing: 0px;">The country recorded 16 days of below-normal rainfall activity &mdash; from June 11 to June 27 &mdash; which led to an overall below-normal precipitation in June, 147.2 mm of rainfall against a normal of 165.3 mm for the month, the seventh lowest since 2001.
<p 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; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p 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; word-spacing: 0px;">June rainfall accounts for 15 per cent of the total precipitation of 87 cm recorded during the four-month monsoon season in the country.
<p 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; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p 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; word-spacing: 0px;">The IMD on July 1 said India could experience above-normal rainfall in July, with heavy rains potentially leading to floods in the western Himalayan States and river basins in the central parts of the country.
&nbsp;

Monsoon covers entire nation 6 days ahead of schedule: IMD

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.

Bengaluru

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;

Kolkata

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

parvesh_kapoor

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

Shyna Gupta

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;

Mumbai

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;

Srinagar

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;
&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;
&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;
&nbsp;
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. 
&nbsp;
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.
&nbsp;
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.
&nbsp;
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. 
&nbsp;
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.
&nbsp;
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. 
&nbsp;
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.
&nbsp;
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.
&nbsp;
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.
&nbsp;
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. 
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
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.
&nbsp;
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.
&nbsp;
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.
&nbsp;
Convincing families to allow girls to wear t-shirts instead of traditional attire was another hurdle.
&nbsp;
The girls, wearing t-shirts, ghaghras, and slippers, often looked out of place at tournaments.
&nbsp;
However, Vala overcame these obstacles by sending his own daughters and girls from his family into the sport.
&nbsp;
Today, out of 300 girls and boys from the village sent to national level competitions, 65 have won national medals.
&nbsp;
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.
&nbsp;
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."
&nbsp;
&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.
&nbsp;
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;
&nbsp;
The 60-year-old Vala has retired now, but he still contributes as much as possible to the village and the sport.
&nbsp;
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.

Ahmedabad

Gujarat village where Volleyball is the religion

Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister Jagdish Devda presented the state budget for the year 2024-25 in the legislative assembly on Wednesday amid a ruckus created by the opposition Congress over an alleged nursing college scam.
&nbsp;
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is currently probing the alleged scam, which involves gross irregularities in the functioning of several nursing colleges that reportedly lacked infrastructure, with some institutions existing only on paper.
&nbsp;
As the House convened for the budget presentation, Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar and other Congress members demanded the resignation of Minister Vishvas Sarang in connection with the alleged scam.
&nbsp;
The opposition members gathered in the well of the House, vociferously calling for Sarang's resignation.
&nbsp;
Before the commencement of the budget speech, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav addressed the assembly, stating that adequate time had been provided to the opposition on Tuesday to discuss the issue. He urged them to adhere to the House tradition and participate in the budget presentation.
&nbsp;
Legislative Affairs Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya intervened, emphasizing that the assembly proceedings would continue according to the rules and traditions of the House. He suggested that the opposition should raise their grievances through the appropriate procedural channels.
&nbsp;
Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar also reminded the opposition that they had already raised the issue on Tuesday after a relaxation of the House rules.
&nbsp;
Despite these appeals, the opposition members ignored Vijayvargiya's suggestion and persisted in raising slogans from the well of the House.
The protest escalated as the opposition members, after initially standing before the Speaker's podium, squatted on the floor of the well, continuing their demonstration.
&nbsp;
Amid the uproar, Finance Minister Jagdish Devda proceeded with the budget presentation. However, his speech remained largely inaudible due to the ongoing din created by the protesting opposition members.
&nbsp;
The budget presentation, intended to outline the government's fiscal plans and priorities for the upcoming year, was overshadowed by the persistent demands for accountability and resignation over the nursing college scam.

Bhopal

MP budget presented amid nursing college scam uproar

The Indian stock markets soared to new heights on July 3, with benchmark indices Nifty and Sensex reaching fresh record highs, driven by positive global cues.
&nbsp;
The Sensex crossed the 80,000 mark for the first time, while banking and FMCG stocks contributed significantly to the rally.
&nbsp;
On the global front, the S&amp;P 500 closed at 5,509, marking its first finish above the 5,500 threshold. The Nasdaq Composite also surged nearly one percent, settling at 18,028, setting another record high.
&nbsp;
Domestically, as of 9:20 am, the Sensex was up 0.61 percent at 79,923, and the Nifty inched higher by 0.55 percent at 24,257. The market breadth was positive, with about 2,086 shares advancing, 699 shares declining, and 100 shares remaining unchanged.
&nbsp;
HDFC Bank, the country's largest private bank, was a key highlight. The bank's increased weightage in the MSCI index is expected to rise as foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have greater room to buy stock. This potential for increased investment led to a rally in the Bank Nifty, which also hit a record high of 53,201.50.
&nbsp;
"Irrespective of blips, the market sentiment remains largely intact as large caps are showing strength because of support from foreign institutional investors (FIIs) and some support from valuations, and that's what the market is detecting," said Aishvarya Dadheech, founder and CIO of Fident Asset Management. "FIIs' long-short ratio is now above 80 percent, indicating positivity and a strong buying interest from them in the heavyweights, which would keep the positivity intact in the index."
&nbsp;
However, the broader market, which includes midcap and smallcap indices, underperformed the headline indices, trading 0.3 and 0.5 percent higher, respectively. "The two indices are acting very weird as their performance has been erratic, and that's likely to continue as there's some nervousness regarding budget expectations," Dadheech said.

Sensex surges past 80,000 in historic first

Shweta Sengar

The organisers of the religious gathering in Hathras, where 116 individuals died in a stampede, have been named in an FIR filed by the Uttar Pradesh Police on Wednesday.
&nbsp;
Devprakash Madhukar, the 'Mukhya sevadar,' and other organisers have been mentioned in the FIR filed at the Sikandara Rao police station late Tuesday, as informed by a senior officer to PTI. However, 'Bhole Baba', aka Saakar Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba, has not been named in the FIR.
&nbsp;
The FIR has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 126 (2) (wrongful restraint), 223 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by the public servant), 238 (causing disappearance of evidence), the officer said.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Officials have put the death toll at 116-108 of them women and seven children. The victims were part of the crowd of thousands that had gathered near Phulrai village in the Sikandra Rao area for the 'Satsang' by religious preacher Bhole Baba.
&nbsp;
The stampede occurred around 3.30 pm when Baba was leaving the venue.
&nbsp;
Several bodies were held at the local hospital. Some were located at the trauma centre in Sikandrarau near the scene of the incident, while others were transferred to the government hospital in the neighbouring Etah district.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The District Magistrate Ashish Kumar informed the media that it was a private event for which permission was granted by the sub-divisional magistrate. The local authorities provided security outside the venue, while the organisers were responsible for the internal arrangements.

Lucknow

Hathras stampede: FIR against organisers, 'Baba' not named

The Pune district administration has imposed prohibitory orders at several popular picnic spots, including Bhushi Dam and the Pavana Dam region, to ensure the safety of tourists during the monsoon season.
&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 order, effective from July 2 to 31, prohibits gatherings of five or more persons, restricts individuals from entering deep water bodies, and bans taking selfies and creating reels at these sites.
<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 administration has already outlined a series of safety measures for hazardous tourist locations, which includes identification and demarcation of dangerous areas, the presence of lifeguards and rescue teams, and the installation of warning boards.
<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 move comes after anincident on Sunday when a woman and four children were swept away at a waterfall near the Bhushi Dam, a well-known picnic spot in the picturesque Lonavala hill station of Maharashtra&rsquo;s Pune district.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">According to a notification issued by Pune Collector Suhas Divase on Tuesday, section 163 of the newly implemented Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Disaster Management Act-2005 will be enforced at specific spots across Maval, Mulshi, Ambegaon, Khed, Junnar, Bhor, Velha, Indapur, and Haveli tehsils.
<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;">Violators will face action under relevant legal provisions.
<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 prohibitory orders will be enforced at specific sites, including the Bhushi Dam, Bendewadi and Dahuli waterfalls in Maval tehsil, as well as Tiger Point, Lion's Point, and Rajmachi Point in Khandala, Sahara Bridge, the Pavana Dam region, Tata Dam, and the Ghubad Lake.
<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 Mulshi tehsil, the orders cover Mulshi Dam, Tamhini Ghat forest area, and Milkybar waterfall.
<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 areas in Haveli tehsil include Khadakwasla and Warasgaon dams, and the surroundings of Sinhgad Fort.
<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 Ambegaon tehsil, the order applies to the Bhimashankar region, Dimbhe Dam region, and Kondhwal waterfall area.
<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 Junnar tehsil, Malshej Ghat, local dams, the Shivneri Fort region, and Manikdoh are covered.
<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 prohibitory measures extend to waterfalls around the Bhatghar Dam region and other water bodies and fort areas in Bhor and Velha tehsils. Similarly, water bodies and ghat sections in Khed and Indapur tehsils are included.
<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;">Separately, in a joint action by the Lonavala Municipal Council and Central Railway, more than 60 makeshift shops near the Bhushi Dam have been demolished during an anti-encroachment drive.
<p class="MsoNormal" style="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;

Pune

Pune imposes prohibitory orders at picnic spots

Donald Trump&rsquo;s sentencing for his conviction on criminal charges stemming from hush money paid to a porn star was delayed on Tuesday until September 18, less than seven weeks before the US election.
<p style="line-height: 18.0pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none; 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: 0cm 0cm 22.5pt 0cm;">Justice Juan Merchan pushed back the sentencing date so he can weigh the former US president&rsquo;s argument he should have been immune from prosecution under Monday&rsquo;s landmark Supreme Court ruling that presidents cannot be criminally prosecuted for official acts.
The new timeline means Merchan could decide the Republican presidential candidate&rsquo;s punishment, including whether to jail him, in the thick of the campaign season before the Nov. 5 election.
<p style="line-height: 18.0pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none; 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: 0cm 0cm 22.5pt 0cm;">The sentencing had previously been set for July 11, just days before the July 15 kickoff of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
<p style="line-height: 18.0pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none; 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: 0cm 0cm 22.5pt 0cm;">Trump faces an uphill battle getting the hush money conviction overturned, since much of the conduct at issue in the case predated his time in office.
<p style="line-height: 18.0pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none; 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: 0cm 0cm 22.5pt 0cm;">Trump&rsquo;s lawyers on Monday asked Merchan to allow them to argue his conviction should be overturned due to the justices&rsquo; 6-3 ruling on July 1, which also held that evidence related to presidents&rsquo; official actions cannot be used to help prove criminal cases involving unofficial actions
<p style="line-height: 18.0pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none; 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: 0cm 0cm 22.5pt 0cm;">In their letter to Merchan, defense lawyers argued that prosecutors had presented evidence involving Trump&rsquo;s official acts as president, including social media posts he made and conversations he had while in the White House.
<p style="line-height: 18.0pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none; 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: 0cm 0cm 22.5pt 0cm;">&ldquo;This official-acts evidence should never have been put before the jury,&rdquo; lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove wrote.
<p style="line-height: 18.0pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none; 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: 0cm 0cm 22.5pt 0cm;">Last year, Trump made a similar argument as part of an unsuccessful push to move the hush money case to federal court. In in July 2023, U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein wrote that the payment to Daniels &ldquo;was a purely personal item.&rdquo;
<p style="line-height: 18.0pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none; 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: 0cm 0cm 22.5pt 0cm;">&ldquo;Hush money paid to an adult film star is not related to a president&rsquo;s official acts,&rdquo; Hellerstein wrote.
&nbsp;

Washington D.C.

Judge postpones Trump hush money sentencing until Sept

Few topics are more debated in health than the value of the humble bathroom scale.
&nbsp;
Some experts advocate daily self-weigh-ins to promote accountability for weight management, particularly when we&rsquo;re following a diet and exercise programme to lose weight.
&nbsp;
Others suggest ditching self-weigh-ins altogether, arguing they can trigger negative psychological responses and unhealthy behaviours when we don&rsquo;t like, or understand, the number we see on the scale.
&nbsp;
Many, like me, recommend using scales to weigh yourself weekly, even when we&rsquo;re not trying to lose weight. Here&rsquo;s why.
&nbsp;
1. Weighing weekly helps you manage your weight
&nbsp;
Research confirms regular self-weighing is an effective weight loss and management strategy, primarily because it helps increase awareness of our current weight and any changes.
&nbsp;
A systematic review of 12 studies found participants who weighed themselves weekly or daily over several months lost 1&ndash;3 BMI (body mass index) units more and regained less weight than participants who didn&rsquo;t weigh themselves frequently.
&nbsp;
The weight-loss benefit was evident with weekly weighing; there was no added benefit with daily weighing.
&nbsp;
Self-weigh-ins are an essential tool for weight management as we age. Adults tend to gain weight progressively through middle age. While the average weight gain is typically between 0.5&ndash;1 kg per year, this modest accumulation of weight can lead to obesity over time. Weekly weighing and keeping track of the results helps avoid unnecessary weight gain.
&nbsp;
Tracking our weight can also help identify medical issues early. Dramatic changes in weight can be an early sign of some conditions, including problems with our thyroid, digestion and diabetes.
&nbsp;
2. Weekly weighing accounts for normal fluctuations 
&nbsp;
Our body weight can fluctuate within a single day and across the days of the week. Studies show body weight fluctuates by 0.35 per cent within the week and it&rsquo;s typically higher after the weekend.
&nbsp;
Daily and day-to-day body weight fluctuations have several causes, many linked to our body&rsquo;s water content. The more common causes include: The type of food we&rsquo;ve consumed. When we&rsquo;ve eaten a dinner higher in carbohydrates, we&rsquo;ll weigh more the next day. This change is a result of our bodies temporarily carrying more water. We retain 3&ndash;4 grams of water per gram of carbohydrate consumed to store the energy we take from carbs.
&nbsp;
Our water content also increases when we consume foods higher in salt. Our bodies try to maintain a balance of sodium and water. When the concentration of salt in our bloodstream increases, a mechanism is triggered to restore balance by retaining water to dilute the excess salt.
&nbsp;
Our food intake&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Whether it&rsquo;s 30 grams of nuts or 65 grams of lean meat, everything we eat and drink has weight, which increases our body weight temporarily while we digest and metabolise what we&rsquo;ve consumed.
&nbsp;
Our weight also tends to be lower first thing in the morning after our food intake has been restricted overnight and higher in the evening after our daily intake of food and drinks.
&nbsp;
Exercise&nbsp;
&nbsp;
If we weigh ourselves at the gym after a workout, there&rsquo;s a good chance we&rsquo;ll weigh less due to sweat-induced fluid loss. The amount of water lost varies depending on things like our workout intensity and duration, the temperature and humidity, along with our sweat rate and hydration level. On average, we lose 1 litre of sweat during an hour of moderate-intensity exercise.
&nbsp;
Hormonal changes&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Fluctuations in hormones within your menstrual cycle can also affect fluid balance. Women may experience fluid retention and temporarily gain 0.5&ndash;2kg of weight at this time.
&nbsp;
Specifically, the luteal phase, which represents the second half of a woman&rsquo;s cycle, results in a shift of fluid from your blood plasma to your cells, and bloating.
&nbsp;
Bowel movements Going to the bathroom can lead to small but immediate weight loss as waste is eliminated from the body. While the amount lost will vary, we generally eliminate around 100 grams of weight through our daily bowel movements.
&nbsp;
All of these fluctuations are normal, and they&rsquo;re not indicative of significant changes in our body fat or muscle mass. However, seeing these fluctuations can lead to unnecessary stress and a fixation with our weight.
&nbsp;
3. Weekly weighing avoids scale obsession and weight-loss sabotage 
&nbsp;
Weighing too frequently can create an obsession with the number on the scales and do more harm than good.
&nbsp;
Often, our reaction when we see this number not moving in the direction we want or expect is to further restrict our food intake or embark on fad dieting.
&nbsp;
Along with not being enjoyable or sustainable, fad diets also ultimately increase our weight gain rather than reversing it.
&nbsp;
This was confirmed in a long-term study comparing intentional weight loss among more than 4,000 twins. The researchers found the likelihood of becoming overweight by the age of 25 was significantly greater for a twin who dieted to lose 5kg or more.
&nbsp;
This suggests frequent dieting makes us more susceptible to weight gain and prone to future weight gain.
&nbsp;
So what should you do?&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Weighing ourselves weekly gives a more accurate measure of our weight trends over time.
&nbsp;
Aim to weigh yourself on the same day, at the same time and in the same environment each week &ndash; for example, first thing every Friday morning when you&rsquo;re getting ready to take a shower, after you&rsquo;ve gone to the bathroom, but before you&rsquo;ve drunk or eaten anything.
&nbsp;
Use the best quality scales you can afford. Change the batteries regularly and check their accuracy by using a &ldquo;known&rdquo; weight &ndash; for example, a 10kg weight plate. Place the &ldquo;known&rdquo; weight on the scale and check the measurement aligns with the &ldquo;known&rdquo; weight.
&nbsp;
Remember, the number on the scale is just one part of health and weight management. Focusing solely on it can overshadow other indicators, such as how your clothes fit. It&rsquo;s also essential to pay equal attention to how we&rsquo;re feeling, physically and emotionally.
&nbsp;
Stop weighing yourself &ndash; at any time interval &ndash; if it&rsquo;s triggering anxiety or stress, and get in touch with a health-care professional to discuss this.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
This article first appeared in The Conversation.

Sydney

Should you weigh yourself weekly or daily?

German, Chinese and French envoys mourned the loss of lives in a stampede in Uttar Pradesh&rsquo;s Hathras on Tuesday and extended condolences to victim&rsquo;s families.
&nbsp;
The stampede at a religious congregation killed 116 people as devotees suffocated to their deaths and bodies piled atop each other in the worst such tragedy in recent years.
&nbsp;
The stampede took place as the devotees &mdash; most of them women &mdash; headed home after a &lsquo;satsang&rsquo; in the Hathras district&rsquo;s Phulrai village. The &lsquo;satsang&rsquo; was conducted by Baba Narayan Hari, who is also known as Saakar Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba.
&nbsp;
German envoy Ackermann in a post on X offered condolences to the families that lost their loved ones in the stampede and said he was deeply saddened about the tragic incident.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Deeply saddened about the tragic events in Hathras. My condolences to the families that lost their loved ones. We hope that help quickly reaches the injured,&rdquo; he wrote on the social media platform.
&nbsp;
Later on Tuesday night, the Chinese ambassador also took to X to mourn the loss of lives in the incident.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Shocked and saddened about the tragic events in Hathras, UP. Deeply mourn for the lives lost and extend heartfelt sympathies to victim&rsquo;s families. Wish the injured a speedy recovery,&rdquo; he wrote on the social media platform.
&nbsp;
French Ambassador Thierry Mathou also posted a message on X, which has been reposted by the French Embassy in India.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Deeply saddened by the loss of lives following the tragic stampede in Uttar Pradesh&rsquo;s #Hathras district. France expresses its deepest condolences to the bereaved families of the victims and wishes the injured a speedy recovery,&rdquo; the envoy wrote on X.
&nbsp;

Hathras stampede: Foreign diplomats extend condolences

Director Chad Stahelski, famous for helming the popular Hollywood film series John Wick, starring Keanu Reeves, will oversee the production of an English-language adaptation of the upcoming Indian action film Kill.
&nbsp;
This news arrives shortly before the release of the original Hindi version, directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, which is scheduled to hit the screens on Friday.
&nbsp;
"Kill" received rave reviews following its world premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. Billed as "the most violent film made in India," the movie is produced by Dharma Productions and Sikhya Entertainment.
&nbsp;
Stahelski, who is producing the film for Lionsgate through his company 87Eleven Entertainment, characterized "Kill" as one of the most visually striking, exciting, and original action movies he has encountered lately.
&nbsp;
Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions stated that "Kill" is an unusual endeavour where the creators of a mainstream Bollywood film partner with a Hollywood studio for a theatrical premiere in North America and the UK.
&nbsp;
The movie depicts the journey of Amrit (Lakshya), an Indian Army commando, who falls in love with Tulika (Tanya Maniktala). Their lives take a dramatic turn when they become trapped in a hijacked train by Fani (Raghav Juyal) and his gang, resulting in the murder of passengers.
&nbsp;
Karan Johar and Apoorva Mehta produced the film for Dharma Productions, along with Guneet Monga Kapoor and Achin Jain from Sikhya Entertainment.
&nbsp;
"Kill" also features major roles for Ashish Vidyarthi and Harsh Chhaya. It was recognised as the first runner-up for the People's Choice Award: Midnight Madness at TIFF 2023.

Indian movie ‘Kill’ ready for Hollywood remake

Over 116 individuals lost their lives, and many others were injured in a stampede during a religious assembly in a village in the Hathras district on Tuesday.
&nbsp;
Instances of large numbers of people dying in stampedes at temples and other religious gatherings have occurred in India over the years.
&nbsp;
Some of the most significant stampede casualties at religious gatherings include the tragic loss of over 340 devotees at Maharashtra's Mandhardevi temple in 2005 and a toll of at least 250 at Rajasthan's Chamunda Devi temple in 2008.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
In addition, in 2008, a stampede at a religious gathering at Naina Devi temple in Himachal Pradesh resulted in the loss of 162 lives.
&nbsp;
Here is a list of some of such major tragedies that have taken place in the country in recent years:&nbsp;
<ol>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
March 31, 2023: At least 36 people died when the slab constructed on top of an ancient 'bawdi' or well collapsed during a 'havan' programme held on the occasion of Ram Navami at a temple in Indore city.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
January 1, 2022: At least 12 people died, and over a dozen were injured in a stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir triggered by a heavy rush of devotees.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
&nbsp;July 14, 2015: Twenty-seven pilgrims died, and 20 others were injured in a stampede at a major bathing spot on the banks of the Godavari river where a huge crowd of devotees had gathered on the opening day of 'Pushkaram' festival in Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
&nbsp;October 3, 2014: Thirty-two people were killed and 26 others injured in a stampede at Gandhi Maidan in Patna shortly after the Dussehra celebrations ended.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
&nbsp;October 13, 2013: 115 people were killed and over 100 injured in a stampede during the Navratri festivities near Ratangarh temple in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district. The stampede was triggered by rumours that a river bridge the devotees were crossing was about to collapse.&nbsp;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
November 19, 2012: Around 20 people were killed and many others injured as a makeshift bridge caved in, triggering a stampede during the Chhath Puja at Adalat Ghat on the bank of river Ganga in Patna.&nbsp;
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
November 8, 2011: At least 20 people were killed in a stampede in Haridwar at Har-ki-Pauri ghat on the banks of the Ganga river.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
January 14, 2011: At least 104 Sabarimala devotees were killed, and over 40 were injured in a stampede when a jeep crashed into homebound pilgrims at Pulmedu in Kerala's Idukki district.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
March 4, 2010:&nbsp;About 63 people were killed in a stampede at Ram Janki Temple of Kripalu Maharaj in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh district as people gathered to collect free clothes and food from the self-styled godman.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
&nbsp;September 30, 2008: Nearly 250 devotees were killed and over 60 injured in a stampede triggered by rumours of a bomb going off at Chamunda Devi temple in Rajasthan's Jodhpur city.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
&nbsp;August 3, 2008: 162 dead, 47 injured in a stampede triggered by rumours of rockslides at Naina Devi temple in Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur district.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
&nbsp;January 25, 2005: Over 340 devotees were trampled to death and hundreds injured during an annual pilgrimage at Mandhardevi temple in Maharashtra's Satara district. The accident occurred when some people fell down on the steps, which were made slippery by the devotees breaking coconuts.
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
August 27, 2003: 39 people were killed and around 140 injured in a stampede during the holy bath at the Kumbh Mela in Maharashtra's Nashik district.&nbsp;
</li>
</ol>

Deadly stampedes in India: A look at major incidents

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday blamed his recent foreign travels for his debate debacle.
&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;I wasn&rsquo;t very smart. I decided to travel around the world a couple of times&hellip; shortly before the debate,&rdquo; Biden said while talking to donors at a fundraiser in a Virginia suburb of Washington DC. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t listen to my staff&hellip; and then I almost fell asleep on stage.&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;
In his remarks, Biden admitted that he did not have a good debate, and said he &ldquo;wasn&rsquo;t very smart&rdquo; for &ldquo;travelling around the world a couple times&rdquo; before the debate.
&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;">Biden also apologised by saying he was sorry for the performance. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not an excuse but an explanation.&rdquo; The president&rsquo;s remarks at the fund raiser was just for six minutes, which is far shorter than what he speaks on such occasions.
<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;">Meanwhile, the White House said Biden will travel to Wisconsin on Friday. He will conduct a sit-down interview with George Stephanopoulos from ABC News, while on the campaign trail.
<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 will travel to Philadelphia on Sunday. And next week, he will host a NATO press conference, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference. 
&nbsp;

Biden blames foreign travel for poor debate performance

Amazon India has announced that the 8th edition of the Prime Day sale will take place on July 20-21.
&nbsp;
Exclusive discounts and deals across various categories will be available to Amazon Prime members during the sale.
&nbsp;
Moreover, Amazon has introduced Crunchyroll on Prime Video Channels, allowing customers to enjoy their preferred anime content through an additional subscription.
&nbsp;
"We are excited to offer Prime members two days of great deals and savings, thousands of new product launches from over 450 brands, blockbuster entertainment and more.
&nbsp;
"Not just that, Prime members ordering from across India will be able to enjoy same day and next day delivery across millions of products," said Akshay Sahi, Director and Head of Amazon Prime, Delivery and Returns Experiences, India and Emerging Markets.

Amazon India's Prime Day sale on July 20-21

Vice President Kamala Harris, who has Indian and African ancestry, is considered to have a better chance of winning in the November presidential elections than President Joe Biden, according to a recent CNN poll.
&nbsp;
Biden's approval rating has dropped significantly following his poor performance in the Atlanta debate against his predecessor, Donald Trump.
&nbsp;
Since the debate, there has been a growing chorus within the Democratic party urging Biden to step aside and allow another candidate to run in the crucial November 5 presidential elections.
&nbsp;
According to the SRS-conducted CNN poll, Trump leads Biden by six points.
&nbsp;
The survey also indicates that Harris is close to Trump in a potential contest, with 45 per cent of registered voters favouring Harris and 47 per cent favouring Trump. This outcome falls within the margin of error, indicating that there is no distinct frontrunner in this situation.
&nbsp;
"Harris' slightly stronger showing against Trump rests at least in part on broader support from women (50% of female voters back Harris over Trump vs. 44% for Biden against Trump) and independents (43% Harris vs. 34% Biden)," the polls said.
&nbsp;
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre chose not to provide a direct response regarding the polls.
&nbsp;
In an Ipsos poll, Former First Lady Michelle Obama outpaces Trump by a substantial 11 points&mdash;50 per cent to 39 per cent&mdash;despite her office informing NBC News in March that she will not run for president this year.

Kamala Harris seen as stronger candidate than Biden

A replica of the Ram Mandir will be showcased during the India Day parade in New York on August 18. This event draws thousands of Indian Americans from in and around New York.
&nbsp;
According to Amitabh Mittal, the general secretary of Vishva Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), the temple replica will measure 18 feet in length, nine feet in width, and eight feet in height. This marks the first time a Ram Mandir replica has been displayed in the United States.
&nbsp;
The annual India Day Parade in New York is the largest celebration of India's Independence Day outside India. Typically, over 150,000 individuals attend the parade, which stretches from East 38th Street to East 27th Street in Midtown, New York.
&nbsp;
The parade, arranged by the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA), will feature numerous floats showcasing different Indian American communities and a wide range of cultural expressions parading through the streets of New York.
&nbsp;
Recently, the VHPA-A conducted a Rath Yatra for the Ram Mandir, which travelled to 851 temples across 48 states over a 60-day period.

Ram Mandir replica to be part of NY India Day Parade

Numerous bodies were lying on ice blocks inside the government hospital in Hathras on Tuesday night in the aftermath of the deadly stampede at a religious congregation as the wailing relatives of the victims waited outside in drizzle to take mortal remains back home.
&nbsp;
Officials have put the death toll at 116 - 108 of them women and seven children. The victims were part of the crowd of thousands that had gathered near Phulrai village in the Sikandra Rao area for the 'Satsang' by religious preacher Bhole Baba.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Uttar Pradesh: The Forensic Team arrives at the incident site in Hathras, where a stampede took place yesterday, claiming the lives of 116 people. The incident happened during a Satsang conducted by 'Bhole Baba'. <a href="https://t.co/Yr1NR6th6p">pic.twitter.com/Yr1NR6th6p</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1808305260479631390?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The stampede occurred around 3.30 pm when Baba was leaving the venue.
&nbsp;
Outside the Sikandra Rao Community Health Centre, which is the nearest healthcare facility to the stampede location, scores of people persistently searched for their missing family members well into the night.
&nbsp;
Rajesh, a resident of Kasganj district, mentioned that he was trying to locate his mother, as Shivam was looking for his paternal aunt (bua).
&nbsp;
Both individuals held mobile phones and displayed images of their relatives.
&nbsp;
"I watched my mother's picture on a news channel and recognised her. She had come for the programme here along with two dozen other people from our village," Rajesh said.
&nbsp;
Several bodies were held at the local hospital. Some were located at the trauma centre in Sikandrarau near the scene of the incident, while others were transferred to the government hospital in the neighbouring Etah district.
&nbsp;
The District Magistrate Ashish Kumar informed the media that it was a private event for which permission was granted by the sub-divisional magistrate. The local authorities provided security outside the venue, while the organizers were responsible for the internal arrangements.
&nbsp;
The Uttar Pradesh government stated that the event organisers will face legal action, as an FIR will be filed against them.

Hathras stampede: Bodies on ice, relatives await autopsies

The horrific stampede which claimed 116 lives in Uttar Pradesh&rsquo;s Hathras on Tuesday occurred at a satsang organised for a self-professed preacher known as Bhole Baba.
&nbsp;
Not much is known about him but various news outlets are reporting that he had quit his 18-year career with the state police and started organising satsang (religious congregations), expressing his wish to be known as Narain Sakaar Hari or Sakar Vishwa Hari Baba.
&nbsp;
People were soon attracted to his teachings and over time thousands used to attend the statsangs where Baba, said to be in his fifties and almost always dressed in white, often had his wife accompany him.
&nbsp;
Belonging to a village in Kasganj district of Aligarh division, he has denied ever having a guru and reportedly claimed to have received direct communication from god.
&nbsp;
With more than 3,000 followers on Facebook, he also likes to stay away from the media and has had MPs and MLAs attend his congregations.
&nbsp;
The reason for the stampede, according to Inspector General Aligarh Range Shalabh Mathur, could have been the warm and humid weather conditions because of which people felt suffocated at the gathering.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
As soon as the satsang ended, women followers with children appeared to have tried to rush out into the open, causing a stampede, in which many fell down and were crushed to death.
&nbsp;
A young girl, Jyoti, &nbsp;admitted at the hospital said she had tried to run out with the others but the entrance had been blocked by several motorcycles. &nbsp;

Stampede at UP satsang: Who is Bhole Baba?

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally seized 62 immovable properties worth ₹9.67 crore belonging to Izhar Ansari under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
&nbsp;
The ED initiated the investigation based on an FIR registered by Jharkhand Police against Mohd. Izhar Ansari, his truck driver Syed Salmani, and others under various sections of the IPC and Coal Mines Act, 2017.
&nbsp;
A charge sheet has been filed by Jharkhand Police against Mohd. Izhar Ansari and others.
&nbsp;
In this case, 19.56 metric tonnes of illegally transported coal, including the truck, was seized by Jharkhand Police.
&nbsp;
The ED investigation revealed that Mohd. Izhar Ansari had misused the coal linkage policy, under which subsidized coal was allotted to his small and medium enterprise for captive consumption.
&nbsp;
Approximately 86,568 metric tonnes of coal were allotted to 13 SME firms of Mohammad Izhar Ansari. Instead of using it as raw material for his own consumption, he sold the coal in the open market, earning ₹71.32 crore.
&nbsp;
Further investigation revealed that these 13 firms were not functioning at their given addresses or did not even exist.
&nbsp;
The investigation also revealed that they acquired huge proceeds of crime (POC) by selling subsidised coal at higher prices in the open coal market of Varanasi and Dhanbad, and invested the same POC in several immovable properties.
&nbsp;
The ED investigation indicated that Izhar Ansari paid commissions to certain public servants in exchange for subsidised coal allocation.
&nbsp;
The ED conducted searches at the premises of Mohammad Izhar Ansari and seized cash worth ₹3.68 crore.
&nbsp;
Subsequently, Mohd. Izhar Ansari was arrested on January 16, 2024, and is presently in judicial custody.
&nbsp;
Furthermore, a prosecution complaint was filed on March 15, 2024, before the Special (PMLA) Court, Ranchi, against Mohd. Izhar Ansari, Ishtiaq Ahmed, and M/s Rajhans Ispat Pvt Ltd.
&nbsp;
The Court took cognisance of the complaint on March 18, 2024. The investigation in this case is ongoing.

ED seizes ₹9.67 cr in assets from Jharkhand coal trader

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Executive President Hemant Soren has swiftly commenced preparations for the upcoming Assembly elections after being released on bail by the Jharkhand High Court.
&nbsp;
Soren sounded the election bugle from JMM&rsquo;s stronghold in Santhal Pargana on Sunday, declaring a "rebellion to drive out feudal forces from across the country."
&nbsp;
Addressing the public on the occasion of &lsquo;Hul Diwas&rsquo; &ndash; a day commemorating the 1855 Santhal (Hul) rebellion &ndash; Soren stated, "I was implicated in false cases... The Centre unleashes its probe agencies to harass those who raise their voice against it. It has only been two days since my release, and already the BJP is jittery. Top party leaders are frequenting Jharkhand and conspiring against me again."
&nbsp;
Speaking further, he said, "I am addressing you on 'Hul Diwas' after stepping out of my home for the first time since my release. This day serves as an inspiration for all of us. Just as the Santhal rebellion fought against the British, we now declare a 'Hul rebellion' to eliminate feudal forces, not only from Jharkhand but across the nation."
&nbsp;
Soren promised that in the next government, he would implement policies ensuring that the people of Jharkhand have the first right to the state's natural resources.
&nbsp;
"The JMM-led alliance government came into power in the state, but the BJP continuously created obstacles, conspiring against it at every step," he added.
&nbsp;
The former Chief Minister was released on June 28 from Birsa Munda Jail after being granted bail by the Jharkhand High Court in a money laundering case.
&nbsp;
Notably, Soren has called a meeting of INDIA block leaders on Wednesday to formulate a poll strategy for the upcoming assembly elections.
&nbsp;
He has already asked his party cadres to be prepared for early elections, and the INDIA block leaders are also gearing up for the polls.
&nbsp;
Assembly elections are due in Jharkhand at the end of this year, with the Election Commission likely to conduct the polls in October.

Hemant Soren gears up for polls, plans INDIA meet

The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, which started on June 24 and concluded on Tuesday, saw a productivity rate of 103 percent over seven sittings. Speaker Om Birla reported that the session lasted approximately 30 hours and 40 minutes. During this period, 539 members took the oath, and the Lok Sabha recorded 103 percent productivity.
&nbsp;
On June 26, Om Birla was re-elected as Speaker through a voice vote. The same day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the Council of Ministers to the House, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was appointed as the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha.
&nbsp;
The discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address spanned more than 18 hours, with 68 members participating and 25 members laying out their speeches. The debate concluded with the Prime Minister's reply on Tuesday.
&nbsp;
The session saw a total of 41 matters taken up under Rule 377 and three statements made under Direction 73A. Additionally, 338 papers were laid during the session.
&nbsp;
Speaker Om Birla expressed his gratitude to Bhartruhari Mahtab, the Pro-tem Speaker, for the smooth conduct of proceedings, and thanked the Prime Minister, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, leaders of parties, and members of the House for their contributions.
&nbsp;
The session was marked by heated debates, especially on issues such as NEET exams, paper leaks, and the Agniveer Scheme. During the debate on the motion of thanks to President Draupadi Murmu's address, Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP and RSS of spreading violence and hatred, leading to protests from the Treasury benches.
&nbsp;
BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Amit Shah, and Rajnath Singh, countered Gandhi's remarks, accusing him of speaking lies and misleading the House. Gandhi defended his statements, asserting that the BJP and RSS do not represent the entire Hindu community.
&nbsp;
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj moved a notice under Rule 115, drawing the Speaker's attention to alleged inaccuracies in Rahul Gandhi's speech. Responding to Gandhi's remarks, Prime Minister Modi stated that there is a conspiracy to falsely accuse Hindus of being violent, and emphasized that such accusations will not be forgotten.
&nbsp;
PM Modi also criticized the Congress and its ecosystem for attempting to mislead the public about their electoral performance, stating that the Congress has failed to cross the 100-seat mark in three consecutive elections. He suggested that the Congress should accept its defeat and respect the people's mandate.
&nbsp;
The session ended with Lok Sabha being adjourned sine die after the adoption of the motion of thanks on the President's address. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh moved a motion condemning the behavior of opposition members, supported by Home Minister Amit Shah.
&nbsp;
The motion was adopted by the House through a voice vote. The BJP-led NDA has formed its third successive government following the Lok Sabha polls, winning 293 seats, while the opposition INDIA bloc won 243 seats.

First session of 18th Lok Sabha achieves high productivity

In an embarrassment to the AAP in Punjab, SAD's Surjit Kaur was back to the Akali fold on Tuesday evening, within hours after she had joined the ruling outfit in the presence of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Kaur will remain as SAD's candidate for Jalandhar West by-polls. 
&nbsp;
However, taking a U-turn by evening, Kaur, who had joined the AAP along with some of her family members, was back to the SAD fold led by the rebel group.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Days after the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) withdrew support and disowned its candidate Surjit Kaur, who was fielded for Jalandhar West bypoll, she had joined the ruling AAP in Jalandhar in the presence of the chief minister.
&nbsp;
Rebel Akali leader Bibi Jagir Kaur welcomed her back while interacting with reporters in Jalandhar.
&nbsp;
Sukhbir Singh Badal-led SAD had last week said the party will support the BSP nominee for the July 10 bypoll to the Jalandhar West assembly seat instead of the officially fielded candidate Surjit Kaur who was picked by a panel, two of whose members have now rebelled against the party chief.
&nbsp;
While Surjit Kaur did not speak much during the interaction with reporters in Jalandhar, Jagir Kaur, however, said, "We told her not to worry. We told her people are with her." 
&nbsp;
Her family has always been staunch Akalis who have never thought outside the Akali Dal, Jagir Kaur said.
&nbsp;
Surjit Kaur's son, while replying to questions about what prompted them to join the AAP and then return by evening, said, "Whatever the reasons have been, we realised we did wrong and we decided to come back." 
&nbsp;
Jagir Kaur said Surjit Kaur's family was disturbed after SAD decided to withdraw support to her and extend it to the BSP candidate for the July 10 bypolls.
&nbsp;
Jagir Kaur said Surjit Kaur will fight the elections strongly and from Wednesday all meetings, as scheduled earlier, will be held.
&nbsp;
The SAD, last week, was unable to change its authorised candidate Surjit Kaur as the last day for withdrawal of nominations had already passed.
Earlier in the day on Tuesday, Surjit Kaur along with some of her family members joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Jalandhar.
&nbsp;
Before making a U-turn, she had told reporters that she will now support AAP candidate Mohinderpal Bhagat for the bypolls.
&nbsp;
Speaking after she had joined the AAP, Chief Minister Mann had hit out at the SAD, saying first they gave the ticket to Surjit Kaur, but later they humiliated her.
&nbsp;
The chief minister said Surjit Kaur and her family are known to have dedicated their lives in the service of people.
&nbsp;
"As Punjab chief minister and as the party's state unit president, I welcome her," Mann had said.
&nbsp;
Kaur later told reporters that it was on Tuesday morning that she decided to join the AAP.
&nbsp;
"We did not speak to anyone. We decided in the morning about our move," she had said, when asked if she had spoken to any of the rebel SAD leaders.
&nbsp;
Before changing her mind, Kaur, on her joining the AAP, had earlier in the day said she and her family thought it was the best thing to do in the interests of people of the area after the SAD withdrew support to her.
&nbsp;
The SAD now does not have its own authorised candidate for the July 10 bypoll, senior party leader Daljit Singh Cheema had told reporters on Thursday.
&nbsp;
On Wednesday, the SAD's Jalandhar district unit chief had announced that the party has withdrawn support to Surjit Kaur, who is a two-time municipal councillor.
&nbsp;
Surjit Kaur was selected for the seat by a SAD panel comprising Bibi Jagir Kaur, Gurpartap Singh Wadala, MLA Sukhwinder Sukhi and Mohinder Singh Kaypee.
&nbsp;
However, Jagir Kaur and Wadala are now among the rebel party leaders who revolted against Badal, demanding that he should step down as the party chief.
&nbsp;
The last date of withdrawal of the nomination for the bypoll was July 26.
&nbsp;
Surjit Kaur had already been allotted the SAD symbol and she was among the 15 candidates who were left in the fray for the bypoll, which was necessitated following the resignation of Sheetal Angural as the AAP legislator.
&nbsp;
Notably, a section of SAD's senior party leaders have revolted against party chief Sukhbir Badal, demanding that he should step down from his post following its debacle in Punjab in the recently held Lok Sabha elections.&nbsp;

Jalandhar

Within hours of joining Punjab AAP, Surjit returns to SAD

Leaders from SC and OBC cells of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) joined the Haryana Congress on Tuesday, in the presence of the former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who welcomed them into the party, emphasising unity and respect.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Ved Singh Munde, Subhash Saini, Sant Ram, Dhanpat Singh, Satish Chhachia, Ashok Bhauria, Dr. Balwan Singh, and Uday Singh are among the prominent names who joined Congress.&nbsp;
 Hooda slammed the BJP, accusing them of using force during their tenure and now resorting to empty promises as their power wanes.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Speaking in Chandigarh, Hooda highlighted that the people of Haryana are disillusioned with the BJP's tactics and are determined to remove them from power.
&nbsp;
Addressing the media, Hooda criticised BJP's past actions of using force against Panchs and Sarpanchs in Panchkula, now acknowledging the importance of local governance.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
He accused the BJP of reversing decisions and failing in governance, suggesting they apologise to the public instead of seeking votes in the upcoming assembly elections.
 Regarding the Parliament session, Hooda supported Rahul Gandhi's remarks in the Lok Sabha, particularly criticizing schemes like Agniveer and Kaushal Nigam for exacerbating unemployment and crime in Haryana.
 In summary, Hooda's statements underscore a growing opposition sentiment against the BJP in Haryana, accompanied by significant defections to the Congress amid political turmoil.

INLD leaders switch to Haryana Congress

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, responding to the debate on the motion of thanks to the President's address. In his speech, PM Modi took a veiled jibe at the opposition, particularly the INDIA bloc, expressing that he understands the pain of those who suffered a significant defeat despite spreading lies continuously.
&nbsp;
He emphasised that the people have supported the BJP-led alliance in the Lok Sabha polls, electing the NDA government for the third consecutive time.
&nbsp;
The Prime Minister highlighted that his government operates on the principle of "appeasement of none, justice for all." He credited the public's support to the government's zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and stated that India's credibility has increased globally due to this stance.
&nbsp;
PM Modi asserted that every policy, decision, and action of his government has been guided by the principle of putting India first.&nbsp;During his speech, PM Modi addressed the issue of corruption, stating that the public has chosen his government in the world's largest election campaign. He acknowledged the opposition's attempts to spread lies but noted that they still faced a huge defeat. The Prime Minister's remarks drew reactions from opposition members, who tried to raise the issue of ethnic violence in Manipur. However, Speaker Om Birla intervened, noting that an MP from the state had participated in the debate.
&nbsp;
Speaker Om Birla expressed his displeasure with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's behavior, accusing him of directing opposition members to come to the well of the House.
&nbsp;
PM Modi accused the opposition parties of engaging in appeasement politics and contrasted this with his government's focus on justice and satisfaction for all.
&nbsp;
The Prime Minister reiterated his commitment to working towards a developed India, assuring the country that his government is dedicated to fulfilling the resolution of "Viksit Bharat" (Developed India) with full dedication and honesty.
&nbsp;
He emphasized that the debate on the motion of thanks to the President's address started in the Lok Sabha on Monday, highlighting the contributions of first-time Parliamentarians who enhanced the dignity of the House with their views.
&nbsp;
PM Modi criticized the opposition's practice of appeasement politics, stating that his governance follows the principle of "santushtikaran" (satisfaction) instead of "tushtikaran" (appeasement).
&nbsp;
He explained that santushtikaran involves the saturation of government schemes and extending governance to the last person, leading to true social justice.
&nbsp;
Despite the opposition's continuous slogans and interruptions during his speech, PM Modi maintained that the principle of saturation ensures social justice in the truest sense.
&nbsp;
He asserted that the people of India have confided in his government by electing them to power for the third time, reflecting their support for the government's track record over the past decade.
&nbsp;
PM Modi concluded his speech by reiterating his government's belief in "Justice to All, Appeasement to None." He criticized the opposition's appeasement politics, asserting that it has destroyed the country.
&nbsp;
Instead, he emphasized that his government's focus on justice and non-appeasement has garnered the support and trust of the people, allowing them to serve the nation for a third term.

PM Modi hits back at Opposition in Lok Sabha address

At least 116 people were killed in a stampede at a religious congregation, on Tuesday, as devotees suffocated to their deaths and bodies piled atop each other in the worst such tragedy in recent years. The incident is reported in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The stampede took place as people headed home after a 'satsang' in the district&rsquo;s Phulrai village, conducted by a preacher known as Bhole Baba.
Twenty-seven bodies were brought to a hospital in neighbouring Etah district. Senior Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar Singh said 23 of them were women. And 89 lay dead in Hathras itself.
&nbsp;
Aligarh Range Inspector General of Police Shalabh Mathur put the death toll at 116.
&nbsp;
Victims, dead or unconscious, were brought to the Sikandara Rao Trauma Centre in trucks and &lsquo;tempos&rsquo;. The bodies lay scattered outside the health centre as people milled around them.
&nbsp;
One video clip showed a woman crying, sitting amid five or six bodies in a truck. Another showed a man and a woman lifeless in another vehicle.
Clips before the stampede showed people in a large &lsquo;shamiana&rsquo; listening to Bhole Baba. The baba sat before them on a throne-like chair.
&nbsp;
District Magistrate Ashish Kumar said the 'satsang' was a private function for which the sub-divisional magistrate had granted permission. The local administration provided security outside the venue while the arrangements inside were made by organisers, he added.
&nbsp;
Eyewitness Shakuntala Devi stated that the stampede took place while people were leaving the venue after the &lsquo;satsang&rsquo;, which was a day-long affair. People fell atop each other, she said, and then the bodies were pulled out.
&nbsp;
According to Sikandra Rao sub-divisional magistrate Ravendra Kumar, the stampede took place when devotees tried to get a glimpse of Bhole Baba as the event ended. They also wanted to collect some soil from around the baba&rsquo;s feet, he stated. 
&nbsp;
Satsang participant Sonu Kumar blamed the slippery ground for the stampede.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;When Guru ji left the place after almost one and half hours, all of a sudden devotees ran behind him to touch his feet,&rdquo; he said. When they turned back, some slipped.
&nbsp;
Sikandra Rao police station SHO Ashish Kumar blamed &ldquo;overcrowding&rdquo; at the &lsquo;satsang&rsquo;.
&nbsp;
Another eyewitness, who left the place before the &lsquo;satsang&rsquo; ended said the arrangements were not adequate, given the number of devotees.
Agra&rsquo;s additional director general of police and Aligarh divisional commissioner are part of a team that would probe in the incident, the state government said. The team has been asked to give its report in 24 hours.
&nbsp;
PM Modi condoled the deaths
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Amid his reply to a two-day debate in Parliament on the motion of thanks on the President's address to both Houses of Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths.
&nbsp;
"In the midst of discussions, I have also been given sad news. It has come to my attention that there have been many tragic deaths in the stampede in Hathras, UP," he said in the Lok Sabha.
&nbsp;
The prime minister said senior officials of the central government are in constant contact with the Uttar Pradesh administration to coordinate aid efforts.
&nbsp;
On social media, President Droupadi Murmu said the news was heart-rending. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressed sadness.
An FIR will be registered against the organisers of the event, a state government statement said.
&nbsp;
The Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office announced an ex-gratia compensation of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund for the next of kin of each person killed in the stampede. The injured would be given Rs 50,000.
&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the state ministers Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary and Sandeep Singh were headed for Hathras. The chief secretary and the state police chief too were directed to reach the spot.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;
"The incident is extremely sad and heart-wrenching... Local organisers had organised a program of 'Bhole Baba'. After the program, when the preacher of the Satsang was coming down from the stage, suddenly a crowd of devotees started going towards him to touch him and when the 'sevadars' stopped them, this accident happened there."
&nbsp;
"To investigate this entire matter, we have formed a team under the chairmanship of Additional DG Agra and have asked them to give a detailed report. In view of the incident, the Chief Secretary and DGP of the state are camping there. Three ministers of the state government Chaudhary Laxmi Narayan, Sandeep Singh, Asim Arun, all three of them are at the spot."

116 dead in stampede at 'satsang' in UP's Hathras

Bodies lay scattered at a medical centre in Uttar Pradesh&rsquo;s Hathras district on Tuesday as people milled around them, wiping away tears and consoling one another.
&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 heartbreaking scenes unfolded outside the district&rsquo;s Sikandara Rao Trauma Centre, where victims, dead or unconscious, of the stampede that occurred at a &lsquo;satsang&rsquo; in Phulrai village, were brought in ambulances, trucks and cars.
<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;">A woman sat crying among five or six bodies in a truck, urging people to help her get the body of her daughter out of the vehicle. A video clip showed a man and a woman lying lifeless in a different vehicle.
<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;">Many of the injured were seen lying near the entrance of the local government hospital surrounded by anxious relatives. Locals blamed the administration's negligence for the tragedy.
<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;">As the hours went by, the official estimate of the fatalities jumped and the crowds outside the trauma centre and the mortuary swelled.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">According to a senior district official, 50 to 60 people, mostly women, are believed killed in the stampede and several more injured.
<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 are almost 100-200 casualties and there was only one doctor at the hospital. There was no facility for oxygen. Some are still breathing but there are no proper treatment facilities," an agitated youth said outside the hospital.
<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;">Eyewitness Shakuntala Devi told the media that the stampede took place while people were leaving the venue at the end of the &lsquo;satsang&rsquo;. &ldquo;Outside, there was a road built on a height over a drain. People fell atop each other,&rdquo; she 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 stampede apparently occurred due to overcrowding, the Sikandra Rao police station SHO said.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">According to officials, the government has formed a team comprising the Agra additional director general of police and the divisional commissioner of Aligarh to probe the incident.
<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;">Speaking to media persons, District Magistrate Ashish Kumar said it was a private function for which the permission was granted by the sub-divisional magistrate. The local administration provided security outside the venue while the internal arrangement was to be looked after by the organisers, he 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;">Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences to the families of those killed in the stampede and instructed officials to reach the accident site and carry out relief measures. He announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh ex gratia for the families of the dead and Rs 50,000 each for the injured.
<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 Uttar Pradesh government said an FIR will be registered against the organisers of the programme.
<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;">Adityanath also directed the district administration to arrange for proper treatment of those injured and immediately take them to hospitals. He wished them a speedy recovery. 
&nbsp;

Uttar Pradesh

Hathras stampede: Victims lay on hospital floor

Rahul Gandhi, as the Leader of the Opposition appeared to confront the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on its core Hindutva ideology. However, he was caught on the wrong foot as he tried to go overboard with his aggression which was unprecedented and unusual for the position he is holding now.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;
Gandhi started his speech by displaying a poster-size picture of Lord Shiva. The import of the message was not lost on anyone. Although he did mention other religions and their prophets also, his main emphasis was only on Lord Shiva.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;
His purpose was obvious to project himself as much a follower of Lord Shiva and a staunch Hindu as anyone else. This was apparently to overcome the image he cultivated during the 2024 General Election campaign, where he projected himself as the guardian and the protector of "the backwards, the Dalits, the Adivasis, and the minorities&rdquo;.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Never, not for a single time, did he mention Hindu or Hinduism in his speeches. He made it a point to emphasise only on "the backwards, the Dalits, the Adivasis, and the minorities". 
&nbsp;
His party also declined the invitation to attend the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. That image was carefully cultivated to appeal to the minority voters and it did help with minorities voting en masse for the Congress.
&nbsp;
During one of his speeches, while taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for saying that he takes guidance from God, Gandhi said that his God was the common people of the country. Unlike what he claimed in the parliament that he sought and got energy during the campaign from Lord Shiva, he never mentioned Lord Shiva during his campaign. He almost ended up suggesting that he did not have any such beliefs.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
While speaking on such sensitive issues mentioning religions by name, one has to be cautious in what he says. While attacking the BJP leaders for, what he said, misusing religion and saying they were not true Hindus, he said, "those claiming themselves to be Hindus are spreading hate and violence".
&nbsp;
There are over 100 crore people in India who represent themselves as Hindus.
&nbsp;
Of course, Gandhi&rsquo;s targets were the BJP leaders. But his use of words conveyed a different meaning providing the ammunition to the BJP to accuse him of saying that Hindu religion promoted violence and hatred. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an intervention saying, it was a serious matter, which, in fact, it was. Gandhi in all likelihood may not have meant what he ended up saying, but the fact is that he did say it without any ambiguity.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
There was nothing wrong in Gandhi being aggressive in his maiden speech as the Leader of the Opposition. He had to convey a strong message both to the government and the people across the country that there was an &ldquo;opposition&rdquo; in the parliament, there was also a &ldquo;Leader of the Opposition&rdquo; now after 10 years and it was firm and undaunted in its attack on the government.
&nbsp;
But, the way Gandhi went on attacking the Prime Minister personally was unprecedented and unbecoming of the position he is holding now as the Leader of the Opposition, which is a constitutional position. Gandhi was not addressing an election rally. The way he made snide personal comments on the Prime Minister will not be accepted anywhere. Here he was speaking in the parliament.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
After all, Modi is the Prime Minister of the country of 140 crore people. He has been elected Prime Minister for a record third time consecutively, a distinction only Gandhi&rsquo;s great-grandfather Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru enjoys. He could and he should have been more discreet and circumspect in his criticism of the Prime Minister, his government, and its policies.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Gandhi also made some factually inaccurate remarks, which were duly corrected on the floor of the house instantly by different ministers in the government. As he said, if the Agniveers died in action they were not given any benefits including the martyr&rsquo;s status, he was instantly corrected by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who said, that every Agniveer, in case he dies in the line of duty, gets Rs 1 crore compensation from the government.
&nbsp;
Similarly, he was corrected by the union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan on the issue of Minimum Support Price on crops. Gandhi, who apparently meant to say that farmers were being denied the legal guarantee on MSP, said they were not being given the MSP, which they are already getting. He had to cut a sorry figure on both counts.
&nbsp;
Gandhi&rsquo;s cheerleaders in the party will of course praise and glorify his &ldquo;great speech&rdquo; in the parliament. But he could have done a better job, with better homework, and been more gracious, even while being aggressive.&nbsp;The way Gandhi carries and conducts himself as Leader of the Opposition will decide and determine his future political career, he should be cautious, conscious, and careful about it.

Rahul caught on wrong foot as he confronts BJP on Hinduism

India's pioneering solar mission, Aditya-L1, has achieved a significant milestone by completing its first halo orbit around the Sun-Earth L1 point, ISRO announced on Tuesday.
&nbsp;
This accomplishment follows the spacecraft's seamless transition into its second halo orbit, facilitated by a precise station-keeping manoeuvre.
&nbsp;
Launched on September 2, 2023, the Aditya-L1 mission aims to observe the sun from the advantageous Lagrangian point L1.
&nbsp;
The spacecraft successfully entered its targeted halo orbit on January 6, 2024. In this orbit, Aditya-L1 takes 178 days to complete a revolution around the L1 point.
&nbsp;
ISRO highlighted that the spacecraft encounters various perturbing forces during its journey in the halo orbit, necessitating periodic corrections to maintain its designated path.
&nbsp;
Notably, the mission has already undergone two crucial station-keeping manoeuvres on February 22 and June 7. The latest manoeuvre, executed on Tuesday, ensured Aditya-L1's continued travel in the second halo orbit around L1.
&nbsp;
The space agency explained that navigating the complex dynamics around the Sun-Earth L1 Lagrangian point requires sophisticated modeling and precise orbit adjustments.
&nbsp;
ISRO&rsquo;s state-of-the-art flight dynamics software, developed in-house at URSC, has been instrumental in accurately determining the trajectory and planning these critical manoeuvres.

Sriharikota

Aditya-L1 completes initial halo orbit around Sun-Earth L1

It's poll time in Himachal again and the Congress government is under attack for being &lsquo;Mitron Ki Sarkar&rsquo; by the opposition BJP.&nbsp;
 It started with Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu appointing his friends to the cabinet rank immediately as he took over, which equates them with cabinet ministers in terms of facilities, though they are not elected representatives.&nbsp;
 Sukhu appointed two of his friends, Sunil Kumar Bittu as his Political Advisor and Naresh Chauhan as his Principal Media Advisor in the cabinet rank in December, 2022. Along with this, he also appointed Gokul Butail as his IT Advisor and Kehar Singh Khachi as Vice Chairman of Forest Corporation in the cabinet rank reportedly at the instance of high command.&nbsp;
 What made it a cause of heartburn in the party circles was that compared to this, the Chief Minister did not make appointments to boards and corporations, which are generally done to accommodate the party men in routine. Some appointments were however made after the revolt in ruling Congress in February-March this year, when a rival faction headed by Pradesh Congress Committee Chief, Pratibha Singh pointed it out. &nbsp;
 Many elected representatives too have been left sulking in the Congress government, as Sukhu, who is the first Congress CM from lower areas of the state hailing from Hamirpur district, gave more precedence to upper areas of the state in cabinet and other appointments, for reasons unknown.&nbsp;
 The slogan, which was reportedly coined by some Chief Minister&rsquo;s adversaries has come handy for BJP, which is referring to it as &lsquo;Mitron Ki Sarkar' on every platform.&nbsp;
 CM&rsquo;s Principal Media Advisor and Vice President of Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee, Naresh Chauhan, however, objected to the BJP&rsquo;s accusation of it being &lsquo;Mitron Ki Sarkar&rsquo;.&nbsp;
 "What is wrong with it if CM trusts his old friends, who stood by him through thick and thin, and is giving them responsibility in the government? Should enemies be given a place in government?," he questioned.&nbsp;
 He said the Congress party has won four out of six by-elections and will again win the by-polls slated for July 10 also because people have faith in Congress government and the leadership of Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
 The opposition party has upped the ante against the Congress on the issue, alleging that the Chief Minister has been subtly distributing doles to his friends at the cost of the state exchequer in HP, which is already reeling under a huge debt burden.&nbsp;
 "Himachal Pradesh is under the debt burden of around Rs 80,000 crore, but the Congress government is not bothered. The Chief Minister is increasing the debt burden by distributing cabinet ranks among his friends, who are not even elected," said former BJP Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition, Jai Ram Thakur.
 He alleged that the state government had taken action against many stone crushers in the wake of natural calamity in 2023, but those owned by CM&rsquo;s friends were spared.
 Meanwhile, the government&rsquo;s move to give cabinet rank to three MLAs as Chairman of HP Tourism Development Corporation, Vice Chairman of State Planning Commission, and Chairman of 7th State Finance Commission has also not given positive signals politically.

Cong under attack for being 'Mitron Ki Sarkar' in Himachal

A Delhi court has granted a two-hour parole to Baramulla MP-elect Engineer Rashid, currently jailed in Tihar Jail, allowing him to be sworn in as a Lok Sabha member on July 5.
 Engineer Rashid, incarcerated in connection with a money laundering case linked to terror funding, had sought interim bail or parole for the swearing-in ceremony.
&nbsp;
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) did not oppose parole but requested the court impose restrictions, including a ban on media interactions.
&nbsp;
Engineer Rashid, who triumphed over National Conference Vice President and former J&amp;K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the Baramulla constituency by a margin of over 200,000 votes, will now have the chance to take his parliamentary oath.
&nbsp;
Hailing from north Kashmir&rsquo;s Baramulla, he was arrested in August 2019 by the NIA.
&nbsp;
Engineer Rashid's name surfaced during the investigation when Srinagar-based businessman Zahoor Watali informed the NIA about Rashid's alleged links with terror and separatist organisations.
&nbsp;
The charges against him are linked to a money laundering case associated with terror funding. Specifically, Rashid is accused of receiving funds from various sources to finance terrorist activities and unrest in Jammu and Kashmir.
&nbsp;
The NIA's investigation is part of a broader crackdown on terror financing networks in the region. Rashid was allegedly involved in funnelling money to separatist leaders and organisations, which was then used to incite violence and support militant operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
&nbsp;
These charges fall under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which aim to combat terrorism and its financing in India.
&nbsp;
While incarcerated, Rashid decided to contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Baramulla constituency. His son, Abrar Rashid, convinced him to run and led campaign efforts on his behalf.
&nbsp;
Rashid&rsquo;s victory is seen as a significant political development, reflecting a strong voter base and an effective campaign strategy despite his imprisonment.
&nbsp;

Engineer Rashid gets 2-hour parole for taking oath as MP

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to facilitate a debate on the NEET issue in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
&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 said the Opposition&rsquo;s request to discuss the issue related to the medical entrance exam NEET was denied in both Houses of Parliament on June 28 as well as on Monday, and added that the Lok Sabha speaker had assured the Opposition that he would discuss the matter with the 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 Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said the aim was to engage &ldquo;constructively to find a way forward&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;">&ldquo;I am writing to request for a debate in Parliament on NEET,&rdquo; Gandhi said in his letter to the prime minister on Tuesday.
<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;Our aim is to engage constructively to find a way forward. At this moment, our only concern is the welfare of nearly 24 lakh NEET aspirants across India,&rdquo; he said.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Referring to the government&rsquo;s move to postpone other examinations and replace the Director General of the National Testing Agency, he said these moves are to &ldquo;cover up the systemic breakdown of our centralised testing system&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;">&ldquo;The NEET examination deserves immediate attention because it has exposed the deep rot in our higher education system. The past seven years have seen over 70 paper leaks, affecting over two crore students,&rdquo; the Congress leader 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;">He said lakhs of families have made tremendous personal sacrifices to support their children, and for many, the paper leak is a betrayal of a lifetime dream.
<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;">Gandhi said those families are looking up to their public representatives to take &ldquo;bold and decisive steps&rdquo; to resolve the issue.
<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;Our students deserve answers. A parliamentary debate is the first step towards rebuilding and restoring their faith,&rdquo; he said.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&ldquo;Given the urgency of the matter, I request the government to facilitate a debate in the House tomorrow. I believe that it would be fitting if you were to lead this debate in the interest of the students,&rdquo; Gandhi 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;">Opposition INDIA bloc parties sought debate on the NEET issue in both Houses of Parliament on Friday. A number of adjournment notices were submitted in Lok Sabha, and under Rule 267 in Rajya Sabha to take up a debate on the issue immediately.
<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;">It was, however, not allowed in either of the Houses. While Lok Sabha was adjourned little after noon amid opposition demand for NEET debate, the Rajya Sabha also witnessed protests but had proceeded with debate on Motion of Thanks to President&rsquo;s address.
<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;">Later, opposition MPs had staged a walkout in the Upper House after a Congress MP fainted while protesting, and the Chair refused to adjourn the House. 
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Rahul Gandhi writes to PM urging for debate on NEET issue

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday inspected flood-affected areas in Bokakhat, Golaghat district.
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Traversing the inundated regions in Upper Assam by speedboat, Sarma visited relief camps set up after an embankment breach between Negheriting-Rongagorah Duke and Nikori PWD Road.
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In interactions with displaced residents, Sarma assured swift repairs to roads and embankments, enabling a prompt return to their homes.
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The chief minister also reviewed the flood situation in Kaziranga National Park, now extensively inundated after several years.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The floods and embankment breach at some places have caused severe distress to the people. We are constantly monitoring the situation and I am personally monitoring the relief efforts. 📍Bokakhat <a href="https://t.co/7aR3pKqvKA">pic.twitter.com/7aR3pKqvKA</a>
&mdash; Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) <a href="https://twitter.com/himantabiswa/status/1808127519163404447?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
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"We are implementing stringent measures, including regulating vehicular traffic on the national highway, to ensure wildlife safety," Sarma stated. 
Addressing media persons outside a relief camp, he elaborated on ongoing relief efforts: "We are providing comprehensive relief and rehabilitation. Medical camps, food supplies, including baby food, are being organized for those in relief camps. Officials are directed to expedite road and embankment repairs."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
असम के कई जिलों में भयानक बाढ़ का प्रभाव है। हमारी सरकार प्रभावित परिवारों को सहयोग करने में जुटी है। हमारा प्रयास यह भी है कि बाढ़ के कारण जानवरों को नुक़सान न पहुँचे। <a href="https://t.co/sEzXxFKRZ9">pic.twitter.com/sEzXxFKRZ9</a>
&mdash; Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) <a href="https://twitter.com/himantabiswa/status/1808146908336304460?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
Sarma acknowledged the severity of the second wave of flooding affecting the entire state, with some areas in Upper Assam showing signs of receding water levels. "Hopefully, the situation will improve in the next few days," he added.
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The chief minister pointed out the scale of the crisis, with 6.71 lakh people impacted across 20 districts and the Brahmaputra River, along with major tributaries, surpassing danger levels at multiple locations.
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District commissioners have been instructed to compile lists of fully or partially damaged houses for prompt compensation disbursement. Sarma announced plans to install geo-tubes at breached embankments once water levels recede.
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"We aim to complete this within the next two to four days, providing significant relief to the affected populace," he said.
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Sarma expressed confidence in the state&rsquo;s response capabilities but mentioned readiness to seek assistance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi if necessary.
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"We are doing our utmost to aid flood-affected residents. Should we need additional support, Prime Minister Modi has assured us of all possible assistance," Sarma concluded.
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