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File photo showing March for peace in Manipur. Credit: PTI File Photo
Imphal: Shots were fired and an abandoned house was torched in Manipur’s Jiribam, triggering fresh tensions within a day of the Meitei and Hmar communities reaching an agreement to make efforts to restore normalcy in the district, officials said on Saturday.
An abandoned house in Lalpani village was torched by armed men on Friday night, they said.
“It is an isolated settlement consisting of few Meitei houses, and most of those were abandoned after violence broke out in the district. Miscreants, who are yet to be identified, took advantage of security lapses in the area to commit the arson,” an official said.
The armed men also fired several rounds of shells and gunshots, targetting the village, he said.
Security forces were rushed to the area following the incident, he added.
Congress leader Chidambaram praised FM Sitharaman on July 23 for ‘copying’ schemes from the Congress manifesto.
The US Labor Department reported on Friday that the unemployment rate jumped to nearly a three-year high of 4.3% in July amid a significant slowdown in hiring.
Responding to the news about unemployment in the USA, former union minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram attacked Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman over India’s unemployment data released by the Centre.
Taking to X, the former union minister wrote, “The United States reported that its unemployment rate had risen to 4.3 percent. India’s FM claimed that India’s unemployment rate had fallen to 3.2 percent. Can we please celebrate?”
Notably, while FM Nirmala Sitharaman was responding to the discussion and questions by Opposition members on the Union Budget on Tuesday, she claimed that the unemployment rate in the country had declined from 6% in 2017-18 to a low of 3.2% in 2022-23.
Soon after Chidambaram’s post criticising FM Sitharaman, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya responded, saying, “The Periodic Labour Force Survey released the unemployment data back in October 2023. You seem to have missed the celebration for 10 months now.”
Wayanad landslides: A family of four was rescued from an isolated house near Padavetti Kunnu on the fourth day of the deadly landslides.
People watch as search operations are carried out after landslides hit Mundakkai village in Wayanad district in Kerala,
As search operations entre the fifth day on Saturday, rescue teams, using advanced technical gadgets and dogs, continue to look for survivors or recover bodies buried under the debris of the devastating Wayanad landslides, one of Kerala’s worst natural calamities.
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan posted on Facebook that radars are detecting even slight movements, offering glimmers of hope.
Wayanad landslides latest updates
1. The number of bodies recovered from the Wayanad landslides has risen to 210, while 187 people have been discharged from hospitals. However, around 300 people are still missing with little hope of them being alive.
2. However, a family of four was rescued from an isolated house near Padavetti Kunnu on the fourth day of the deadly landslides, giving hope to hundreds of rescuers searching for survivors.
3. Around 40 rescue teams, along with cadaver dogs, are conducting search operations in six zones of the landslide-hit areas. The dogs are using their keen sense of smell to help find survivors trapped in the rubble.
4. A daring rescue operation by forest officers saved four toddlers and their parents from a tribal community. The team, led by Kalpetta Range Forest Officer K Hashis, trekked deep into the forest to rescue the family.
5. An official involved in the operation said that a “blue signal”, signalling potential breath sign, was received on the radar while searching the area of a house in the severely affected Mundakkai village. However, the search concluded on Friday evening as the rescue personnel determined it was unlikely anyone was alive under the debris.
6. The India Meteorological Department has forecast a generally cloudy sky with occasional spells of rain or thundershowers for Wayanad on Saturday.
In Wayanad’s Chooralmala, Sujatha Aninanchira and her family survived a devastating landslide that flattened their home. Trapped under debris during heavy rains, Sujatha, her daughter Sujitha, husband Kuttan, and grandchildren Sooraj and Mridula managed to escape by removing bricks and wading through gushing waters to a nearby hillock. There, they encountered a wild tusker and two female elephants. In a remarkable act of empathy, the tusker remained still, allowing the family to cling to safety until rescue arrived. Dig deeper
On Friday, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court directed IAS officer Shyambir, Deputy Commissioner of Ganderbal, to appear in person following allegations of criminal contempt. The controversy arose after Shyambir allegedly sought revenge against Sub-Judge Fayaz Ahmad Qureshi by initiating an inquiry into the judge’s land, reportedly as retaliation for a court order in June. The sub-judge had previously ordered Shyambir’s salary to be withheld for failing to comply with a compensation case order. Despite multiple opportunities, Shyambir failed to appear or respond. The High Court has issued a notice for his appearance on August 5, 2024, and warned of coercive action for non-compliance. Dig deeper
A 24-year-old man from Nigdi, who was admitted at D Y Patil Hospital and a 34-year-old man from Pimple Gurav who was receiving treatment at AIMS Hospital, Aundh tested positive for Zika on Friday
Out of the total cases reported on Friday, six were from Pune and two cases each from Pune Rural and PCMC. Since July 20, Pune district has reported 65 Zika virus cases, said the officials. (HT PHOTO)
Two people from Pimpri-Chinchwad areas on Friday tested positive for the Zika virus infection, the National Institute of Virology (NIV) reports confirmed. Apart from them, eight more cases of the infection were reported in Pune district on Friday.
A 24-year-old man from Nigdi, who was admitted at D Y Patil Hospital and a 34-year-old man from Pimple Gurav who was receiving treatment at AIMS Hospital, Aundh tested positive for Zika on Friday.
Laxman Gophane, health officer of PCMC, said, “The samples of both the patients were sent to the NIV, Pune. The reports received confirmed the presence of the virus in their samples. Both the patients are stable and undergoing treatment at private hospitals.”
He further added that the PCMC health team has started surveillance and during visits to the residence of both patients, none of their family members were found symptomatic.
“We have started a survey in a five-kilometre radius around the residence of both patients, and priority will be given towards screening of pregnant women. Samples of any pregnant woman and symptomatic patients will be sent to NIV for testing,” he said.
Out of the total cases reported on Friday, six were from Pune and two cases each from Pune Rural and PCMC. Since July 20, Pune district has reported 65 Zika virus cases, said the officials.
Out of the six cases reported in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) area, three are pregnant women. A 24-year-old woman from Warje who is 24-weeks pregnant tested positive on July 31 and her anomaly scan reports are normal. Also, a 27-year-old pregnant woman from Warje tested positive. She is 36-weeks pregnant, Dr Suryakant Deokar, assistant health officer of PMC said.
The area includes 13 villages in Wayanad and around 10,000 sq km in the state of Kerala. The other states to be impacted by the order would be Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Goa, and Gujarat.
The new parliament building | X
Clearly shocked at the scale of the Wayanad tragedy, the Centre has issued a draft notification to declare around 57,000 sq km of Western Ghats as an ‘ecologically-sensitive area’. The area includes 13 villages in Wayanad and around 10,000 sq km in the state of Kerala. The other states to be impacted by the order would be Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Goa, and Gujarat.
Incidentally, this is the fifth draft notification of its kind; the last draft was issued in July 2022 and a committee was also constituted to finalise the notification in consultation with the state governments. Suggestions and objections have been invited from citizens within 60 days, following which the final notification will be published.
About The Draft Notification
In effect, the notification has earmarked 36% of Western Ghats as eco-sensitive, which will result in a host of restrictions on commercial activity. The designated area would include 449 sq km in Gujarat, 17,340 sq km in Maharashtra, 1,461 sq km in Goa, 20,668 sq km in Karnataka, 6,914 sq km in Tamil Nadu, and 9,993.7 sq km in Kerala; The draft notification suggests a complete ban on mining, quarrying, and sand mining, with existing mines to be phased out within five years “from the date of issue of the final notification or on the expiry of the existing mining lease, whichever is earlier”. It also prohibits new thermal power projects; the existing projects can continue to operate but no expansion will be allowed. Large-scale construction projects and townships are also proposed to be prohibited, with exceptions for the repair and renovation of existing buildings.
Using the ‘chakravyuh’ metaphor as a leitmotif, Gandhi on Monday claimed that an atmosphere of fear prevails all around with a group of six trapping the entire country in a ‘chakravyuh’ he promised would be broken by the INDIA bloc.
LoP Rahul Gandhi |
ED ‘insiders’ tell me raid being planned, waiting with open arms: Rahul New Delhi, Aug 2 (PTI) Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday claimed that an Enforcement Directorate raid is being planned against him after his ‘chakravyuh’ speech in Parliament.
Gandhi said he was “waiting with open arms”.
“Apparently, 2 in 1 didn’t like my Chakravyuh speech. ED ‘insiders’ tell me a raid is being planned,” Gandhi said in a post on X early Friday.
“Waiting with open arms ED ..Chai and biscuits on me,” the former Congress chief said.
Apparently, 2 in 1 didn’t like my Chakravyuh speech. ED ‘insiders’ tell me a raid is being planned.
Waiting with open arms @dir_ed…..Chai and biscuits on me.
Using the ‘chakravyuh’ metaphor as a leitmotif, Gandhi on Monday claimed that an atmosphere of fear prevails all around with a group of six trapping the entire country in a ‘chakravyuh’ he promised would be broken by the INDIA bloc.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari raised the demand for withdrawing 18 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) on life and medical insurance premiums, which was backed by several opposition leaders.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Credit: PTI File Photo
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday supported the demand for withdrawing GST on life and medical insurance premiums, stating that it adversely affects the people’s ability to take care of their vital needs.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari raised the demand for withdrawing 18 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) on life and medical insurance premiums, which was backed by several opposition leaders.
“Our demand to Government of India is to roll back GST from life insurance and medical insurance premiums on grounds of people’s health imperatives. This GST is bad because it adversely affects the people’s ability to take care of their basic vital needs,” Banerjee posted on X.
“If Government of India does not roll back the anti-people GST, we will be bound to hit the road,” she added.
In his letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on July 28, Gadkari said that levying GST on life insurance premiums amounts to levying tax on the uncertainties of life.
New Delhi: The CBI has filed its first charge sheet in the alleged NEET-UG examination paper leak case naming 13 people as accused, officials said Thursday.
The charge sheet lists that the accused were allegedly involved in the paper leak and other irregularities, they said.
The CBI has kept the probe open, they said.
The central probe agency, which is investigating the alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam, has lodged six FIRs.
The FIR from Bihar pertains to paper leak while the remaining ones from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra are regarding impersonation of candidates and cheating.
The agency’s own FIR on a reference from the Union education ministry pertains to a “comprehensive investigation” into the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024.
While in Paris, Ambanis attended the ongoing Olympics and were captured indulging in several other activities.
Ambanis attending the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Screengrab)
Nita Ambani and Mukesh Ambani were spotted in Paris for the ongoing Olympics weeks after the grand wedding celebrations of their younger son Anant Ambani in Mumbai earlier this month. Isha Ambani and her husband Anand Piramal, and the newlyweds also attended Paris 2024 Olympics. After attending the athletic gala, the Ambanis were also seen indulging in different activities such as visiting Disneyland Paris, soaking in Paris rains, and having dinner at a high-end restaurant.
1- Nita Ambani and Mukesh Ambani at the Opening Ceremony
Nita Ambani and Mukesh Ambani attended the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics in the French capital. They were spotted in the audience wearing ponchos amid the rain as they posed together against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower.
Sab bachcho ki shaadi ho gayi, ab life enjoy karenge.
Just Indian parents things.🫰😄 pic.twitter.com/sl8gZJ5xan
2- Mukesh Ambani at Disneyland Paris
During his visit to Paris, Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani also visited Disneyland, where he was spotted with Pakistani politician Sharmila Faruqui. He was photographed with his granddaughter in his arms as he posed with Faruqui and her family.
3- Family dinner at a Paris restaurant
The Ambani family was spotted exiting a hotel in Paris after having dinner at Royal Monceau. While Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant left together in one car, Nita Ambani and Mukesh Ambani were seen waiting for their car to leave.
4- Attending the Paris 2024 Olympics
Nita Ambani, Mukesh Ambani, Isha Ambani, Anand Piramal, Anant Ambani, and Radhika Merchant were spotted attending the Paris 2024 Olympics. It is worth noting that Reliance Foundation chairperson Nita Ambani is a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
5- Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani on the streets of Paris
Newlyweds Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant were spotted hand in hand on the streets of Paris. The two were seen spending some quality time together after getting married this July.
“In our Act East policy and our Indo-Pacific vision, Vietnam is our important partner… We support development, not expansionism (Hum vistarbad nahi, vikasvad ka samarthan karte hei),” PM Modi said in Hindi in his media statement.
PM Modi and Vietnamese PM Pham Minh Chinh held a joint press statement in New Delhi today.
India and Vietnam today adopted an action plan to expand their strategic ties with Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowing to work jointly for a rules-based Indo-Pacific and asserting that New Delhi supports development and “not expansionism” in remarks that came amid concerns over China’s military posturing in the region.
The two sides signed six memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and finalised three other documents to broadbase cooperation in a range of areas following wide-ranging talks between PM Modi and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
It was also decided that India will provide USD 300 million credit line to Vietnam primarily to strengthen the Southeast Asian nation’s maritime security.
An agreement was sealed between the central banks of the two countries for rolling out digital payment connectivity.
Prime Minister Chinh arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday night on a three-day visit that is aimed at further expanding the comprehensive strategic ties between the two countries.
“In our Act East policy and our Indo-Pacific vision, Vietnam is our important partner… We support development, not expansionism (Hum vistarbad nahi, vikasvad ka samarthan karte hei),” PM Modi said in Hindi in his media statement.
“We will continue our cooperation for a free, open, rules-based and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” he said.
PM Modi said that both sides decided that cooperation will be strengthened to deal with terrorism and cyber security issues.
“We believe that ‘Developed India 2047’ and Vietnam’s ‘Vision 2045’ have accelerated development in both countries. This is opening up many new areas of mutual cooperation,” PM Modi said.
“And therefore, to further strengthen our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, today we have adopted a new plan of action,” he said.
PM Modi said new steps have been taken for cooperation in the field of defence and security.
The two prime ministers also remotely inaugurated an Army Software Park at Telecommunications University Nha Trang. It has been built with New Delhi’s development assistance.
“The agreed USD 300 million credit line will strengthen Vietnam’s maritime security,” PM Modi said.
“We agree that, to realise the mutual trade potential, the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement should be concluded as early as possible,” he said.
Vietnam is a key member of 10-nation ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).
“We have decided to focus on the areas of green economy and new emerging technologies. Each other’s capabilities in energy and port development will be harnessed for mutual benefit,” PM Modi said.
Kerala rain: The holiday announcement comes even as IMD has issued an ‘orange’ alert in the Wayanad district until Saturday.
Rescue operation underway after a landslide triggered by heavy monsoon rains, in Wayanad district. (PTI)
Wayanad landslides updates: All educational institutions, including schools, colleges and tuition centres, in Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasragod districts will remained closed on Friday, August 2, in view of heavy rain predictions.
The holiday announcement comes even as the India Meteorological Department of Kerala has issued an ‘orange’ alert in the Wayanad district until Saturday that has already been affected by massive landslides reportedly claiming more than 290 lives.
Palakkad district collector has declared holiday for schools, anganwadis, tuition centres and madrass on Friday, Onmanorama reported. Colleges and residential schools like Navodaya are allowed to function in Palakkad, it added.
Top updates on Kerala rain and Wayanad landslides
Thrissur collector Arjun Pandian ordered for holiday in the district as heavy rain, strong winds and waterlogging have continued to disturb normal life. According to Arjun Pandian, many schools are operating as relief camps in the district. However, examinations and interviews will be held as per the schedule in all these districts.
In Thrissur, residential schools are also restricted from operating classes, Onmanorama reported.
In the Idukki and Ernakulam districts, schools set up as relief camps will remain closed for classes on Friday, announced the district authorities.
The India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rain is expected to continue in Kerala until August 5.
In Wayanad, rescuers raced against time under harsh conditions to search for survivors trapped in collapsed buildings, three days after massive landslides struck the hill district.
While some unconfirmed reports suggested 290 deaths, Kerala revenue minister K Rajan confirmed that the landslides have killed at least 190 people. Officials told news agency PTI that the toll is expected to rise as several were still missing.
According to the Wayanad district administration, the dead include 27 children and 76 women. More than 225 others have been injured, mostly in the worst-hit areas of Mundakkai and Chooralmala.
Rescue efforts have been hindered by a combination of challenges, including treacherous terrain due to destroyed roads and bridges, and a shortage of heavy equipment, making it difficult for emergency personnel to clear mud and huge uprooted trees that fell on houses and other buildings.
Five people were killed and around 50 went missing following multiple incidents of cloudburst in Himachal, with the heavy rain-induced flooding also resulting in a breach at Malana hydel project.
Houses after some part washed away in the river following a flood caused by a cloudburst, at the Baladhi village in Kullu on Thursday.Five people were killed and around 50 went missing following multiple incidents of cloudburst in Himachal, with the heavy rain-induced flooding also resulting in a breach at Malana hydel project. (ANI)
Five people were killed and around 50 went missing following multiple incidents of cloudburst in Himachal, with the heavy rain-induced flooding also resulting in a breach at Malana hydel project.
A barrage of the Malana 1 project in the Kullu district was breached after heavy volumes of water hit the dam in the aftermath of a cloudburst.
Kullu deputy commissioner (DC) Torul S Raveesh confirmed the breach in a statement, adding that the water has since receded and that the situation was under control.
Notably, the Himachal government had, ahead of the monsoon, said most preparations needed to tackle monsoon-triggered disasters had been undertaken in the aftermath of last year’s devastation but the work to install early warning systems at dams across the state was yet to be completed.
The resulting overflowing of the dam, however, resulted in the water gushing downstream, causing devastation in the valley.
Earlier, people were reported stuck in underground buildings of the Malana I project. The DC said those stuck were safe and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and home guard teams were making efforts to rescue them.
around 20 people stranded in Jari, a village located downstream from Malana, after a prolonged rescue operation.
Siddharth Thakur, a resident of Manikaran who was travelling on the route, said, “The water was gushing downstream, and you could see the river basin widening. Water reached and entered houses located near the riverbanks in Baladhi village as well, while homestays have been damaged in the Parvati Valley as well.”
Nirmand, Rampur among worst-hit
The state emergency operation centre said the cloudbursts also took place in Nirmand, and Sainj areas in Kullu, Padhar in Mandi and Rampur in Shimla districts. Multiple homes, bridges and roads, meanwhile, have been washed away at the locations.
Nirmand, a hamlet located on the border of the Kullu and Shimla districts, was among the worst hit, with an old and a new PWD bridge in the region and seven to eight homes being washed away. Seven people were reported missing, according to the DC’s statement.
Right across from Nirmand in Rampur subdivision of Shimla district, a cloudburst at the Samej Khud (nallah) resulted in heavy flooding.
Two people have lost their lives while around 30 remain missing, Shimla superintendent of police (SP) Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi said, adding that two people have been rescued from the spot.
A resident of Sarpara village said around a dozen members of his family had gone missing after the cloudburst triggered flash floods on Wednesday night, adding, “We were woken up by the cloudburst around 1 am in the night. There was panic everywhere as there was no clarity on what had happened.”
Shimla DC Anupam Kashyap, meanwhile, said, “Rescue operation is challenging as roads have been washed away,”
The Shimla DC and SP, who were on the spot, said teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indo Tibetan Border Police, police and home guards have started rescue operations and help of drones is being taken to locate the missing persons.
“There has been a significant impact as the road has been completely damaged. There was flooding in the nearby nallah. Around 10 cars, some of which were swept away, have also been damaged. The officials concerned have been directed to carry out restoration work, In a respite, no loss of life was reported,” Chamba SDM Arun Kumar told media after assessing the ground situation.
3 dead in Mandi’s Padhar
Another cloudburst in the Rajban village near Terang in the Padhar subdivision of the Mandi district late on Wednesday night, left three persons dead and nine missing.
The deceased have been identified as Chandi Devi, 75, Chaitri Devi, 90, and Baijru Ram, 80.
Mandi police in a statement said a couple of houses had also been washed away, adding, “District police reached the spot and are working tirelessly. One injured person has been rescued by the police with the help of local administration. Further searches and rescue operation is in progress.”
Heavy rainfall brought the national capital to a screeching halt on Wednesday evening amid a ‘red’ weather warning, inundating large parts of the city, choking key stretches with unending traffic, and leaving people stranded as roads resembled rivers.
Delhi rain fury
New Delhi: Continuous heavy rainfall in Delhi-NCR brought life to a standstill, causing severe waterlogging and traffic snarls on Wednesday. Many residents were stranded as roads turned into rivers, disrupting daily activities. The torrential downpour prompted the weather office to include Delhi in its list of “areas of concern” in the National Flash Flood Guidance Bulletin. The department advised people to remain indoors, secure windows and doors, and refrain from unnecessary travel.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported 79.2 mm of rainfall at Safdarjung between 5:30 pm and 8:30 pm. Other significant recordings included 119 mm at Mayur Vihar, 77.5 mm at Delhi University, 66.5 mm at Pusa, and 43.7 mm at Palam.
Initially, the IMD’s Automatic Weather Station (AWS) at Pragati Maidan reported 112.5 mm of rainfall in one hour, suggesting a possible cloud burst. However, the weather office later clarified that the data was incorrect. Despite this, the IMD issued a ‘red’ warning, advising residents
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) received complaints of waterlogging and fallen trees, while traffic police issued advisories to avoid certain roads. Visuals from the Qutub Minar area showed vehicles navigating through waterlogged streets.
Schools Closure
Delhi Education Minister Atishi announced that all schools in the national capital, both government and private, will remain closed on Thursday in view of heavy rainfall. Taking to her official handle on microblogging site X, Atishi posted on Wednesday, “In light of the very heavy rainfall today evening and the forecast of heavy rainfall tomorrow, all schools—government and private—will remain closed tomorrow.”
Aftermath of Heavy Rains
Heavy rainfall unleashed chaos in the national capital on Wednesday evening, inundating large parts of the city with a 22-year-old woman and her toddler drowning in Ghazipur, while key stretches were choked with unending traffic and people left stranded as roads resembled rivers. According to police in Ghazipur, Tanuja and her three-year-old son Priyansh, were out to buy household items from a weekly market when they slipped into a drain due to waterlogging and drowned. The incident occurred near the Khoda Colony area, where the roadside drain was under construction.
A protester covers himself with a metal sheet during a clash with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the police outside the state-owned Bangladesh Television as violence erupts across the country after anti-quota protests by students, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 19, 2024. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Police in Bangladesh fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse people who were demonstrating on Wednesday against the excessive use of force by authorities during protests earlier in July that left at least 150 dead.
The unrest is the biggest test facing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, 76, since she won a fourth term in January elections boycotted by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which were also marred by deadly protests.
Police said they used force when people in the northeastern district of Sylhet broke through barricades to march towards for the courts.
“We requested the protesters to move from the road, but they didn’t listen and instead attacked the police, forcing us to disperse them with tear gas and stun grenades,” said regional deputy commissioner Azbahar Ali Sheikh.
Police and protesters scuffled in Dhaka, the capital, and the southern port city of Chittagong, witnesses said. It was not immediately clear if there were any fatalities.
At least 10 people, including four journalists, were injured in southern Barishal district, where police used batons to disperse protesters.
Police detained at least seven students in Dhaka near the high court, where lawyers and university teachers joined the demonstrators.
MARCH CALLED BY STUDENT GROUP
Wednesday’s nationwide “March for Justice” was called by the Students Against Discrimination group that was at the forefront of protests against quotas in government jobs.
That initial unrest earlier in July left thousands wounded as security forces fired rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades to disperse those gathered.
Although the students agreed to halt their protest after the Supreme Court scrapped most quotas on July 21, they returned recently to the streets to call out the dozens of deaths, arrests, and government intimidation.
“We will also demand a United Nations investigation into the violence,” Mohammad Mahin Sarkar, a coordinator of the movement, said in a statement.
International rights groups have condemned close to 10,000 arrests over the past two weeks on charges of involvement in clashes and destruction of government property.
They say Hasina has become increasingly autocratic during her last 15 years in power, which have been marked by arrests of political opponents and activists, allegations she denies.
Hasina, at an event in Dhaka, said Bangladesh had appealed to the United Nations and various international bodies for help
Bangladesh shut down the internet after the earlier unrest and imposed a nationwide curfew as the protests, which began in educational institutions in June, became more widespread.
India revises windfall tax on petroleum crude every fortnight.
Image for representation only. Credit: iStock Photo
The Indian government has cut the windfall tax on petroleum crude to 4,600 rupees ($54.97) per metric ton from 7,000 rupees per metric ton, effective from August 1, a notification issued on Wednesday showed.
Puja Khedkar’s number of UPSC attempts could not be detected because she changed not only her name, but her parents’ name too
The selection of Puja Khedkar as a trainee IAS officer has been cancelled and she has been barred for taking the entrance exam for life after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) found her guilty of faking her identity to take the exam multiple times.
The UPSC has said in a statement that Ms Khedkar has been found guilty of violating rules of Civil Services Examination. “A Show Cause Notice (SCN) was issued by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to Ms. Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, a provisionally recommended candidate of the Civil Services Examination-2022 (CSE-2022) on 18th July, 2024 for fraudulently availing attempts beyond the permissible limit provided for in the Examination Rules by faking her identity,” it said.
It added that the 34-year-old was told to submit her response to the notice by July 25, but she requested for time till August 4. The UPSC granted her time till July 30 and made it clear that it was the “final opportunity” and “no further extension in time” would be allowed.
“The UPSC has examined the available records carefully and found her guilty of acting in contravention of the provisions of the CSE-2022 Rules. Her provisional candidature for the CSE-2022 has been cancelled and she has also been debarred permanently from all the future Examinations/Selections of the UPSC,” it said.
The panel has said that in the wake of the Puja Khedkar episode, it had examined data of more than 15,000 candidates who cleared the IAS screening process between 2009 and 2023. “After this detailed exercise, barring the case of Ms. Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, no other candidate has been found to have availed more number of attempts than permitted under the CSE Rules,” it said.
“In the lone case of Ms. Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the UPSC could not detect her number of attempts primarily due to the fact that she changed not only her name but also her parents’ name. The UPSC is in the process of further strengthening the SOP to ensure that such a case does not recur in the future,” the statement added.
The UPSC clarified that it carries out “only a preliminary scrutiny of the certificates” of candidates. “Generally, the certificate is taken as genuine, if it has been issued by the competent authority. The UPSC neither has the mandate nor the wherewithal to check the veracity of thousands of certificates submitted by the candidates every year. However, it is understood that scrutiny and verification of genuineness of certificates is carried out by the authorities mandate with the task,” it added.
The Undoing Of Puja Khedkar
Puja Khedkar’s troubles began in June when Pune Collector Suhas Diwase wrote to Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik, flagging the trainee IAS officer’s demands for perks such as a car, staff and an office that she was not entitled to during her two-year probation. Thereafter, Ms Khedkar was transferred to Washim.
The crime occurred at the Gokulpuri flyover in northeast Delhi.
Police are scanning CCTV footage to identify and arrest the man.
New Delhi: A bike almost touching his scooty and an ensuing argument enraged a man so much that he shot at a family, killing a 30-year-old woman in Delhi on Wednesday. The man fired a round from atop a flyover, not caring that it could have hit two children on the bike, one of whom was just four years old.
Police said Heera Singh was headed to Maujpur in northeast Delhi with his wife, Simranjeet Kaur, 30, and their two young sons, who are four and 12 years old, on a motorcycle when his bike almost brushed against a scooty near the Gokalpuri flyover. Mr Singh and the man on the scooty got into an argument.
While Mr Singh took the road beside the flyover, the other two-wheeler went on it but the spat continued, with both parties hurling abuses at each other. Mr Singh told the police that the man on the scooty fired a single round from the flyover – a distance of about 35 feet – which hit his wife in the suprasternal notch, or the area where the neck meets the chest.
An Indian teenager is now among a handful of people in the world to survive a rare brain-eating amoeba, partly due to his father coming across a public awareness campaign on social media.
Afnan Jasim, 14, is thought to have become infected in June after he went for a swim in a local pond in the southern state of Kerala.
His doctor said that the amoeba – called Naegleria fowleri – likely entered his body from the water that had been contaminated by it.
Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), the disease caused by the amoeba, has a mortality rate of 97%.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 1971 and 2023, just eight other people have survived the disease across four countries – Australia, US, Mexico and Pakistan.
In all the cases, the infection was diagnosed between nine hours and five days after the symptoms appeared – which played a crucial role in their recovery.
Medical experts say that timely treatment is key to curing the disease. Symptoms of PAM include headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, disorientation, a stiff neck, a loss of balance, seizures and/or hallucinations.
Afnan began experiencing the symptoms five days after he had gone for a swim in a local pond in Kozhikode district. He developed seizures and began complaining of severe headaches.
His parents took him to the doctor, but Afnan did not improve.
Luckily, his father MK Siddiqui, 46, had the presence of mind to connect his son’s symptoms with something he had read on social media.
Mr Siddiqui, who is a dairy farmer, said he was reading about the effects of the Nipah virus – a boy recently died of it in Kerala – on social media when he chanced upon information about the deadly brain-eating amoeba.
“I read something about seizures being caused by an infection. As soon as Afnan developed seizures, I rushed him to the local hospital,” Mr Siddiqui said.
When the seizures didn’t stop, he took his son to another hospital, but this one didn’t have a neurologist.
Finally, they went to the Baby Memorial Hospital in Kozhikode, where the boy was treated by Dr Abdul Rauf, a consultant intensive care paediatrician.
“The disease was diagnosed within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms,” Dr Rauf told the BBC.
The amoeba – Naegleria fowleri – is known to enter the human body through nasal passages
Dr Rauf credits Mr Siddiqui with informing doctors about Afnan’s swim in the local pond and his subsequent symptoms, which helped them diagnose the disease in time.
The amoeba is known to enter the human body through nasal passages and it travels through the cribriform plate – which is located at the base of the skull and transmits olfactory nerves to enable the sense of smell – to reach the brain.
“The parasite then releases different chemicals and destroys the brain,” says Dr Rauf.
Most patients die because of intracranial pressure [exercised by fluids inside the skull and on the brain tissue].
He added that the amoeba was found in freshwater lakes, particularly in water that was warm.
“People should not jump or dive into water. That is a sure way for the amoeba to enter the body. If the water is contaminated, the amoeba enters through your nose,” he says.
The best thing to do, he says, is to avoid contaminated water bodies. Even in swimming pools, people are advised to keep their mouths above the water level.
“Chlorination of water resources is very important,” Dr Rauf adds.
A research paper published in Karnataka state has also reported cases of infants locally and in places like Nigeria contracting the infection from bathwater.
Since 1965, some 400 cases of PAM have been reported around the world, while India has had fewer than 30 cases so far.
“Kerala reported a PAM case in 2018 and 2020,” the doctor said.
Just this year, six cases have been recorded in Kerala. Of these, three have died and one is in a critical condition. While Afnan has been discharged, the sixth person has also responded to treatment and is recovering.
Sources in the BJP said that the decision about moving Devendra Fadnavis from Mumbai to New Delhi as BJP National President was discussed between PM Modi and Fadnavis at the meeting and opinions within the party were discussed in the next few days.
Maharashtra Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis | Facebook
Highly placed sources in the BJP told the FPJ on Wednesday night that the party high command has almost finalised Devendra Fadnavis’ name for the position of BJP National President. Fadnavis may be resigning as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister in the coming weeks and moving to New Delhi. This was communicated only to the top leaders of the party on Wednesday during the day.
Just a few days ago in New Delhi after the official Niti Ayog meeting with state chief ministers, the Prime Minister held a meeting with all BJP Chief Ministers at party headquarters. After this meeting the PM held a closed door meeting only with Devendra Fadnavis.
After the meeting Fadnavis family was also given a photo op with the Prime Minister. Sources in the BJP said that the decision about moving Devendra Fadnavis from Mumbai to New Delhi as BJP National President was discussed between PM Modi and Fadnavis at the meeting and opinions within the party were discussed in the next few days.
Union Minister J.P. Nadda’s term as party president ended a few weeks ago and there is a lot of speculation about who will be his successor.
The next question being discussed now within the party is who will lead the BJP during the upcoming assembly poll campaign. One view was that Fadnavis will continue in Maharashtra till the assembly polls are over and then move to New Delhi.
The Allahabad High Court last week dismissed a plea seeking a ”fact-finding inquiry” into the history of the Taj Mahal and the opening doors of its 22 rooms to see “the truth, whatever it is, saying the petitioner failed to point out which of his legal or constitutional rights were being infringed.
Taj Mahal
Amid the controversy over the ’22 closed rooms’ of Taj Mahal, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) released pictures of some of the underground rooms of the monument which were opened in January for the restoration work.
The Allahabad High Court last week dismissed a plea seeking a ”fact-finding inquiry” into the history of the Taj Mahal and the opening doors of its 22 rooms to see “the truth, whatever it is, saying the petitioner failed to point out which of his legal or constitutional rights were being infringed.
The photographs of the restoration work were included in the ASI’s January newsletter, which was uploaded on May 5 on their website, days ahead of the court’s order.
ASI superintending archeologist (Agra circle) Raj Kumar Patel said pictures of the restoration work done by authorities between December 2021 and March 2022 were now available on ASI’s website “for everyone to view”, TOI reported.
“The maintenance work of underground cells on the riverside of the Taj Mahal was taken up a few months ago. Decayed and disintegrated lime plaster was removed and a fresh coat laid. Traditional lime processing took place before application,” said the ASI website.
Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Pramod Sawant to take oath as Goa Chief Minister for the second consecutive term on Monday.
The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium in Taleigao.
Earlier on Saturday, Sawant inspected the preparations for the swearing-in ceremony at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium.
The list of invitees for the ceremony include Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda, other Union Ministers and Chief Ministers of at least eight states.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar is in the Maldives for a two-day visit after he got an invite from his Maldivian counterpart.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar with his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid.
Maldives foreign minister Abdulla Shahid on Saturday highlighted that his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar made history by holding official talks out of the capital city Male’. Jaishankar met Shahid in Addu city where the two sides signed agreements and reviewed the bilateral development partnership and cooperation in areas ranging from security to tourism.
“You’ve made history, Minister @DrSJaishankar!” Abdullah Shahid wrote on Twitter. “This is the first time official talks have been held out of the Capital City Male’.”
Shahid said that the Maldives welcomes India’s “Neighborhood First Policy” and remains committed to its “India First Policy”. He added that India-Maldives relations have “stood the test of time, and one that will continue to flourish.”
“I thank India for the assistance it has provided throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. We remain grateful that we can always rely on #India during times of need. Both our countries have experienced the hardships and tragedies of the pandemic, but we are emerging stronger together,” the Maldives foreign minister tweeted.
Jaishankar is in the Maldives for a two-day visit after he got an invite from his Maldivian counterpart.
Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad is the second-most noise polluted city globally, according to the recent ‘Annual Frontier Report, 2022’ published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The area recorded noise pollution of an ear-splitting 114 decibels at its highest (dB) in 2021, the report said.
The skyline of Moradabad. Read more at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/90466848.cms?utm_source=whatsapp&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=TOIMobile&utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
The report ranks 61 cities around the world, of which Dhaka tops the list with a noise pollution of 119 dB. Islamabad is third, with maximum noise pollution of 105 dB. Thirteen cities from South Asia feature in the list. Five of them are from India. The other four are Kolkata at 89 dB, Asansol (89 dB), Jaipur (84 dB), and Delhi at 83 dB.
Sounds with a frequency of over 70 dB are considered harmful to health. The World Health Organisation had recommended a 55-dB standard for residential areas in its 1999 guidelines. For traffic and business sectors, this limit is 70 dB. The quietest cities in the world are Irbrid at 60 dB, Lyon at 69 dB, Madrid at 69 dB, Stockholm at 70 dB, and Belgrade at 70 dB.
“As cities grow, noise pollution is identified as a top environmental risk. High levels of noise impair human health and well-being – by disrupting sleep or drowning out the beneficial and positive acoustic communications of many animal species that live in these areas,” said Inger Andersen, executive director, UNEP.
India is all set to resume scheduled international flights on Sunday after over two years of pandemic-induced ban on air travel. In accordance with the same, the Centre has announced several relaxations to the existing COVID-19 protocols that will come into effect at airports and flights. COVID-19
Image for representation.
According to the new rules announced by the ministry of civil aviation, cabin crew members will no longer be needed to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and security personnel at airports are allowed to resume pat-down search of passengers, wherever needed.
Airlines are directed to leave three seats vacant on international flights for medical emergencies and in order to facilitate a “smooth conduct of air operations”. Meanwhile, wearing protective face masks and maintenance of hand hygiene/sanitizer is still mandatory at airports and on flights, the Centre said.
“Airlines may carry a few additional PPE protective gears, sanitizer and N-95 masks, to handle any respiratory infections related to cases on air, for passengers as well as the crew,” the ministry further noted.
After a coronavirus pandemic-induced hiatus of over two years, regular international flights are set to resume from Sunday with airports and airlines getting ready for normal overseas operations.
Battered by the pandemic, the airline industry is slowly coming back to normalcy and the resumption of normal overseas flights is expected to provide a fillip to the sector.
The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in the national capital, which is also the country’s largest airport, expects international flight departures to witness a significant jump in the first week of April after the resumption of regular international operations.
While Indian carriers are prepared for normal international services, various foreign airlines, including Emirates, Virgin Atlantic and LOT Polish have also announced plans about their services to and from India.
Scheduled international passenger flights have remained suspended since March 23, 2020 in the wake of the pandemic and they will now restart from Sunday.
Overseas flights are being operated now under bilateral air bubble arrangements with various countries.
On March 8, the civil aviation ministry announced that regular overseas flights will resume from March 27 amid a decline in coronavirus cases.
Former MP CM Digvijaya Singh and five others, who were awarded one-year imprisonment, were later granted bail on surety of Rs 25,000 each.
Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. (File photo)
A special court in Indore on Saturday sentenced six accused, including former Madhya Pradesh CM and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, to one-year imprisonment in a case related to a clash with protesting workers of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) in 2011.
The court later granted bail to all the convicts, including Ujjain MP Premchand Guddu, on a surety of Rs 25,000 each.
Three accused were acquitted by the court due to lack of evidence.
Government advocate Vimal Kumar Mishra said that because the sentence awarded to all the accused was less than three years, they were released on bail.
Meanwhile, Digvijaya Singh and former MP Premchand Guddu said that they do not want to comment on the decision of the court but they will appeal against the said sentence in the High Court.
The bank unions are participating in the strike to protest against the government’s plan to privatise public sector banks, as well as the Banking Laws Amendment Bill 2021.
SBI has issued a statement informing customers that banking services may be impacted on Mar 28, 29.
A joint forum of central trade unions has called for a nationwide strike on Monday and Tuesday to protest against Central government policies that affect workers. The banking sector will be joining the strike, the All India Bank Employees Association said on Facebook.
The call for a nationwide strike was taken after a meeting of the joint platform of central trade unions on March 22, 2022. After taking stock of preparations in various states, the unions announced a two-day all-India strike against “the anti-worker, anti-farmer, anti-people and anti-national policies” of the central government.
The bank unions are participating in the strike to protest against the government’s plan to privatise public sector banks, as well as the Banking Laws Amendment Bill 2021.
The State Bank of India has issued a statement informing customers that banking services may be impacted on March 28 and 29.
Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani on Friday resigned as director of Reliance Power and Reliance Infrastructure, following markets regulator SEBI order restraining him from associating with any listed company.
“Anil D Ambani, non-executive director, steps down from the board of Reliance Power in compliance of SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) interim order,” Reliance Power said in a BSE filing.
In a separate filing to the stock exchange, Reliance Infrastructure said that Anil Ambani has stepped down from its board “in compliance of SEBI interim order”.
Sebi in February barred Reliance Home Finance Ltd, industrialist Anil Ambani and three other individuals from the securities market for allegedly siphoning off funds from the company.
The regulator also restrained Ambani and three others from “associating themselves with any intermediary registered with Sebi, any listed public company or acting directors/ promoters of any public company which intends to raise money from the public till further orders.”
Indian nationals can soon travel with ePassports. India is set to issue next-gen ePassports for citizens applying for new passports or renewing their old ones. Globally, around 150 countries, including the US, UK, and Germany, have the biometric passport system and many nations are on the move to adopt this system. The increasing adoption is due to easy travel, smooth immigration process and enhanced security.
The Secretary of the Consular, Passport & Visa (CPV) Division at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Sanjay Bhattacharyya, tweeted on Thursday, “India to soon introduce next-gen ePassports for citizens”.
What is an ePassport?
An ePassport or electronic passport or biometric passport is one that incorporates an electronic chip with a biometric identifier.
The passports of all countries are obliged to follow the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standard, though the countries can make some choices. In 2016, the ICAO made a new rule that newly issued passports must be Machine-Readable Travel Documents (MRTD); i.e., the passports should have two lines at the bottom of the first page that have the details of the holder.
The current Indian passport is a printed booklet that falls under the category of machine-readable passports. The new regulation is to upgrade to international standards of the ICAO.
The ePassport will have a security chip embedded on the second page of the passport with personal data, including the biographical information of the holder. It will also have a digital signature unique to each country that can be verified using a certificate. In India, the ePassport was under trial and the government had issued about 20,000 of them for officials. The Indian Passport Authority issued the first ePassport to the then President of India, Pratibha Patil, in 2008.
IIT Kanpur and the National Informatics Centre (NIC) developed the software used in the new passport. The Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), along with the Indian Security Press, Nashik and National Informatics Centre, is working on advanced security features on the ePassport.
Countries with ePassports
According to ICAO, currently over 100 states and organisations like the United Nations issue ePassports. Countries like Zimbabwe, Malawi, Ireland along with India’s neighbours Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh have moved to implement ePassports.
According to the research by Allied Market Research, the global ePassport market will be worth $97.6 billion by 2021.
Calcutta High Court orders CBI probe into Birbhum violence, says not happy with SIT | (PTI Photo)
Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Friday asked the CBI to probe the Birbhum violence in which eight persons were killed, allegedly in a backlash following the murder of a local Trinamool Congress leader.
The order was passed after the Bench took suo motu notice of the issue. Besides, certain PILs had also been filed before the court seeking a CBI probe into the incident.
The court explained that the order was in the interest of justice, to instil confidence, and to ensure a fair investigation.
The court also turned down the request by the State to stay the order to enable it to file an appeal against the same.
According to High Court sources, the division bench voiced its ‘displeasure’ over the functioning of the Special Investigation Team instituted by the state government. Therefore, the CBI has been asked to take the probe further and submit a report by April 7.
One of the petitioners, Kaustuv Bagchi, said that the division bench also slammed the police for not reaching the crime scene on time. “The police station is very close to the site of the arson but even then the police didn’t make an intervention. The court had asked the CBI to take cognizance of whether the police had reached the venue first or the fire brigade?’’ Bagchi said citing the proceedings inside the court.
Nawab Malik, the chief of NCP’s Mumbai unit and also the Guardian minister for Parbhani and Gondia districts, is currently in judicial custody in connection with a money laundering case related to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. The Special PMLA court has extended the judicial custody of Malik till April 4. BJP has been pressing for Malik’s resignation.
If you have guts then kill Dawood Ibrahim, said Uddhav Thackeray | Credit: ANI
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has challenged the Narendra Modi-led BJP government to kill Dawood Ibrahim.
Speaking in the state Assembly, the CM defended NCP leader Nawab Malik saying if he had a connection with Dawood Ibrahim for years then what were the central agencies doing.
Reacting to protest by BJP MLA’s outside Maharashtra Assembly demanding the resignation of Nawab Malik, Thackeray asked why the Union government supported Mehbooba Mufti who had sympathy for Afzal Guru and terrorist Burhan Wani.
“The way you have attacked my family and want to put me in jail…What is the use of exposing all these things? Court sees proof and decides…Put me in jail, I am not Krishna but can you say that you are not Kans,” the Maharashtra CM said.
The default involves the loan given by the Union Bank of India to Supertech’s Eco Village II project at Greater Noida (West) in Uttar Pradesh, which was being developed for ₹ 1,106.45 crore.
The petitioner, a non-profit called National Platform for Rights of the Disabled, told the court that the option to exercise the choice of joining the IPS and other central police services for this selection cycle expired on Thursday.
The petitioner, a non-profit called National Platform for Rights of the Disabled, told the court that the option to exercise the choice of joining the IPS and other central police services for this selection cycle expired on Thursday.
The Supreme Court on Friday allowed physically challenged candidates who have cleared the civil services exam to provisionally opt for the Indian Police Service, the Railway Protection Force, and the Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Police Service (Danips), after a petition filed by a disabled rights organisation challenged a rule that denied them entry into the country’s elite police forces.
“We direct the secretary general of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to accept hard copies of applications from the concerned candidates, such as the petitioner and similarly placed persons, if submitted physically or through courier on or before April 1 in the office of the secretary general, Union Public Service Commission before 4pm,” a bench of justices AM Khanwilkar and AS Oka said in their interim order.
The petitioner, a non-profit called National Platform for Rights of the Disabled, told the court that the option to exercise the choice of joining the IPS and other central police services for this selection cycle expired on Thursday. Its counsel, senior advocate Arvind Datar, therefore, proposed that the disabled candidates be allowed to apply for the time being, and these applications could be taken up for consideration subject to a final decision taken by the court.
Even before the Ukraine crisis erupted, Delhi upset Washington with its purchase of Russia’s S-400 air defense system
A senior White House official said on Friday India’s position at the United Nations over the crisis in Ukraine has been “unsatisfactory” but was also unsurprising given its historical relationship with Russia.
Mira Rapp-Hooper, director for the Indo-Pacific on the White House National Security Council, told a panel discussion it was necessary to provide India with alternatives to continued close ties with Russia.
“I think we would certainly all acknowledge and agree that when it comes to votes at the UN, India’s position on the current crisis has been unsatisfactory, to say the least. But it’s also been totally unsurprising,” she said.
India has developed close ties with Washington in recent years and is a vital part of the Quad grouping aimed at pushing back against China. But it has a long-standing relationship with Moscow, which remains a major supplier of its defense equipment. India has avoided condemning Russian actions in Ukraine and abstained in UN Security Council votes on the issue.
Rapp-Hooper said India had cleaved closer to Russia as a hedge as its relationship with China worsened, but it was thinking “long and hard” about its defense dependency on Russia.
In response, Congress MP Anand Sharma said: “I would like to set the record straight. If the matter was taken to the UN Security Council, the issue was whether there would be a cessation of the military conflict or not. India did not accept the plebiscite.”
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Rajya Sabha. PTI
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday accused the country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru of internationalising the Kashmir issue by taking it to the United Nations. She targeted the Congress on the issue while replying to a discussion on the Budget (2022-23) for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in Rajya Sabha.
“It is an issue which should not have gone to a global forum. It is essentially an Indian issue. We could have handled it. We are handling it, and we are showing the difference now,” she said.
In response, Congress MP Anand Sharma said: “I would like to set the record straight. If the matter was taken to the UN Security Council, the issue was whether there would be a cessation of the military conflict or not. India did not accept the plebiscite.”
“The UN Observers’ Office was never given that sanctity. India conducted elections. There were elected governments in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Not only that, we fought wars and we made it very clear repeatedly, and this has been India’s consistent position, prior to 2014, that Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral part of the sovereign state of India,” he added.
Sitharaman also said the terror activities in J&K have declined by 61% since the abrogation of Article 370. “In 2021, the kind of figures we have achieved, I want to show that there has been an overall decline in activities that disturbed peace. There has been a 33 per cent drop in infiltration attempts (51 in 2020 versus 34 in 2021), 90 per cent decrease in ceasefire violations (937 in 2020 versus 98 in 2021). Terror-related incidents came down from 244 in 2020 to 229 in 2021. There was 80 per cent decline in abductions by terrorists (from 10 in 2020 to two in 2021). The casualties involving police and security personnel saw a slide of 33 per cent (from 63 in 2020 to 42 in 2021). So, activities which have troubled Jammu and Kashmir for a very long time are on a decline,” she said.
“A man is a man; an act is an act; rape is a rape, be it performed by a man the ‘husband’ on the woman ‘wife’,” a single-judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna of the Karnataka High Court said.
Karnataka High Court. (File)
In a ruling that could help shape the debate on marital rape, the Karnataka High Court Wednesday refused to quash rape charges filed by a wife against her husband, defying the exception in law, and, instead, called on lawmakers to hear the “voices of silence.”
“A man is a man; an act is an act; rape is a rape, be it performed by a man the ‘husband’ on the woman ‘wife’,” a single-judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna of the Karnataka High Court said. The “age-old…regressive” thought that “husbands are the rulers of their wives, their body, mind and soul should be effaced,” the court said.
While the court did not explicitly strike down the marital rape exception, it forced the married man to face trial for rape charges brought by his wife. The husband had moved the High Court after a trial court took cognisance of the offence under Section 376 (rape).
IPC Section 375 that defines rape carries a crucial exemption: “Sexual intercourse or sexual acts by a man with his own wife, the wife not being under eighteen years of age, is not rape.”
In 2018, a similar case was brought before the Gujarat High Court in which a married man sought quashing of the rape case against him filed by his wife. Although the HC quashed the FIR to remove the rape charges, it gave a lengthy reasoning on the need to criminalise marital rape.
The Constitutionality of the marital rape exception is currently under challenge before the Delhi and Gujarat High Courts.
The “institution of marriage does not confer, cannot confer and in my considered view, should not be construed to confer, any special male privilege or a license for unleashing of a brutal beast. If it is punishable to a man, it should be punishable to a man albeit, the man being a husband,” Justice Nagaprasanna said.
“A brutal act of sexual assault on the wife, against her consent, albeit by the husband, cannot but be termed to be a rape. Such sexual assault by a husband on his wife will have grave consequences on the mental sheet of the wife, it has both psychological and physiological impact on her. Such acts of husbands scar the soul of the wives. It is, therefore, imperative for the lawmakers to now hear the voices of silence,” the court said.
“Matters related to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir are entirely the internal affairs of India. Other countries including China have no locus standi to comment,” the foreign ministry said.
Wang Yi had made a reference to J&K at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Pakistan. (File)
India on Wednesday reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter and said it rejects the “uncalled reference” to it by the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his speech at a function in Pakistan. “Matters related to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir are entirely the internal affairs of India. Other countries including China have no locus standi to comment. They should note that India refrains from public judgement of their internal issues,” ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told reporters today in response to queries on the Chinese Foreign Minister’s speech.
Mr Wang had made a reference to Kashmir in his opening speech at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Pakistan. “On Kashmir, we have heard again today the calls of many of our Islamic friends. And China shares the same hope,” he had said.
New Delhi’s rejection of Wang Yi’s comments came in the midst of hectic consultations between the two sides over a possible visit by him to New Delhi within two days.
China has time and again reiterated its support to the stand of Pakistan — its strategic ally — on the matter of Jammu and Kashmir.
HYDERABAD: Eleven migrant workers from Bihar were burnt alive in sleep after a fire swept through an unauthorised scrap godown in Secunderabad on Wednesday morning. Officials said a short circuit may have started the fire.
Fire officials said a short circuit in a switch board near the stairs on the ground floor may have started the fire which later spread to an LPG cylinder kept nearby, triggering a blast.
It took nearly three hours for five fire tenders to douse the blaze and reach the bodies on the first floor of the godown which were charred beyond recognition. Most of the bodies of the workers, who were in the age group of 20 to 40 years, were found in a heap.
On noticing the inferno and the loud sound, a watchman of a nearby timber depot informed his owner, who in turn called police at 3.59 am and alerted the fire department about the accident at the godown, located in one of the narrow bylanes of Bhoiguda.
When police officers reached the spot, they found the lone survivor lying on the road at some distance, with flames and thick smoke billowing from the godown. The survivor, who identified himself as Prem, said that his co-workers were trapped in the godown. He squeezed through the bars of a window and jumped from the first floor.
Delhi emerged as the most polluted capital and the fourth most polluted city in the world, according to a 2021 World Air Quality Report by Swiss organisation IQAir.
The report listed vehicular emissions, power generation, industrial waste, biomass combustion for cooking, construction and stubble burning as the major sources of pollution. (Image used for representational purpose only)
The report said Delhi saw a 14.6% increase in PM2.5 concentration in 2021, with levels rising to 96.4 ug/m3 (micrograms per cubic metres) from 84 ug/m3 in 2020. This was nearly 20 times the WHO’s safety limit of 5 ug/m3.
Thirty-five of the world’s 50 most polluted cities were in India, the report said. None of the Indian cities met the prescribed WHO standards for PM2.5 while 48% of the country’s cities exceeded 50 ug/m3, or more than 10 times the WHO guidelines. The report named 63 Indian cities in the 100 most polluted worldwide.
According to the report, Bhiwadi in Rajasthan was the most polluted city in the word, followed by Ghaziabad in UP. Both fall in NCR. They were followed by Hotan (China), New Delhi and Jaunpur (UP), Faisalabad (Pakistan), Noida (UP), Bahawalpur (Pakistan), Peshawar (Pakistan) and Bagpat (UP).
“India’s annual average PM2.5 levels reached 58.1 ug/m3 in 2021, ending a three-year trend of improving air quality. Its annual PM2.5 averages have now returned to pre-quarantine concentrations as measured in 2019,” the report stated.
Pointing out challenges, the report said air pollution is the second-biggest risk factor for disease and its economic cost is estimated to exceed $150 billion annually.
In some very good news for those who travel by road, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has shared several updates regarding the road network in India. Amongst the updates, one of the biggest highlights has to be the fact that travelling from Mumbai to Delhi will soon be able to cover this distance in just a matter of 12 hours. And that’s not it, those wanting to travel all the way to Srinagar from Mumbai will be able to cover this distance in 20 hours.
On Tuesday, on the progress in the building of infrastructure, the minister said that road travel between Delhi to Jaipur; and Delhi to Haridwar now takes 2 hours. Similarly, the travel time from Delhi to Amritsar is now four hours. Gadkari said that connectivity between Delhi to Mumbai will be improved such that the travel time is reduced to 12 hours and added that “we will complete within this year”.
“From Ladakh, Leh to Srinagar we will go to Mumbai…. before the end of this year, we will try that from Srinagar you are able to reach Mumbai in 20 hours,” the minister said. Work is on in full swing for the Zojila tunnel in Kashmir and is expected to be completed by 2024, much before the scheduled target of 2026, he said. Gadkari said currently 70 per cent of goods and 90 per cent of the passenger traffic are travelling by road, as he highlighted the importance of becoming more competitive and reducing logistics costs.
Road projects worth Rs 62,000 crore have been undertaken in the national capital to ease traffic congestions, and tackle the problem of pollution, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday. Replying to a debate on the Demands for Grants for Road Transport and Highways Ministry, 2022-23, in the Lok Sabha, Gadkari recalled how he used to get stuck for an hour in Dhaula Kuan traffic every time he used to travel to and from the airport.
Zomato has declared ‘Zomato Instant’, a model under which food will be delivered in 10 minutes. In a release, the food delivery platform’s founder Deepinder Goyal announced that ‘Zomato Instant’ is the first model of its kind in the world. Before delving into the details, Goyal made it clear that no pressure would be put on delivery executives to deliver the food in such a short time. This was being achieved by not revealing the delivery time (30 minute or 10 minute) to the executives. He said that the model relies more on data prediction than the performance of delivery executives.
“Each of our finishing stations will house bestseller items (~20-30 dishes) from various restaurants based on demand predictability and hyperlocal preferences. Luckily, the experience of having delivered 1.35 billion orders across India over the years makes our job a little easier,” he added. To know more, check the announcement here:
Announcement: 10 minute food delivery is coming soon on Zomato.
Ten years ago, Sajith Wickramasekara dropped out of the Computer Science program at MIT to build something new: a software company that helps life science researchers better organize their lab work. Today, Benchling is the “Google Docs for R&D” and serves over 200,000 researchers across 700 companies. But back in 2012, that value proposition was less clear.
Benchling co-founders Sajith Wickramasekara (CEO) and Ashu Singhal (President) BENCHLING
When Benchling first got started, software investors weren’t scrambling to fund digital notebooks in the cloud and, even more so, weren’t familiar with biotech’s problem spaces. That made the initial days especially difficult, but ultimately pushed Wickramasekara and co-founder Ashu Singhal to stay heads-down on engineering and product development.
The hard work wasn’t unwarranted; Wickramasekara knew there was something there. In high school and college, he spent his time outside of class working in research labs. And over time, he had become increasingly wary of how much the R&D industry relies on pens and paper.
While most investors didn’t get what Benchling was solving for and how big an opportunity it could be, Y Combinator’s Paul Graham did and became the first to back the company.
The rest is history. Since then, Benchling has raised over $400 million from the likes of Andreessen Horowitz, Menlo Ventures, and Altimeter Capital, and is valued at over $6 billion in its latest round of funding.
Non-TMC parties in West Bengal are in uproar over the violence in Birbhum district’s Rampurhat, in which eight persons, including two children, were charred to death on Tuesday due to alleged intraparty feud in the ruling Trinamool Congress. While the BJP has formed a five-member fact-finding committee to look into the incident, union home minister Amit Shah has asked for a report from the state government in the next 72 hours.
Charred remains after some miscreants set houses on fire for allegedly avenging the killing of TMC leader Bhadu Sheikh, at Rampurhat in Birbhum district on Tuesday. (Image: PTI)
Here are the top updates in the Birbhum violence incident, triggered soon after the alleged murder of a local TMC leader:
BJP forms 5-member team
National president JP Nadda formed a fact-finding team of the BJP to look into the Birbhum incident. The opposition party has also sought the imposition of President’s Rule in the state. A group of MLAs led by opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari will also make an attempt to reach ‘Ground Zero’. The BJP fact-finding team, meanwhile, will be reaching Kolkata on Wednesday, and will start for Rampurhat on Thursday.
Amit Shah demands report in 72 hours
Union home minister Amit Shah has sought a report from the West Bengal government in 72 hours. The Bengal government may submit the report by Wednesday. West Bengal chief secretary HK Dwivedi and director general of police Manoj Malaviya will apprise the ministry of home affairs of the case. The report is expected to list all facts, action taken so far and line of investigation
CID team to conduct probe
A team of crime investigation department (CID) is in West Bengal to investigate the Birbhum incident. The state government has formed a three-member special investigation team (SIT) headed by ADG (CID) Gyanwant Singh for the probe.
The toll, how it unfolded
Two children are among eight persons charred to death in the Birbhum incident. Eight houses caught fire in Bogtui village near Rampurhat town of Birbhum district. The incident took place soon after the alleged murder of TMC leader Bhadu Sheikh, deputy chief of the local panchayat, Malaviya said. Police officers and firefighters reached the spot. “The situation is now under control, and a police picket was posted in the village. We are investigating how the houses caught fire and whether the incident is related to the death of the panchayat deputy chief of neighbouring Barshal village,” Malaviya said. The top police officer further said seven bodies were recovered after the blaze was brought under control while three injured persons were rescued, one of whom died in a hospital.
Mamata slams WB governor Dhankhar
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee slammed Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar after he said the state was in the grip of a culture of “violence and lawlessness”, describing the deaths in Birbhum as “horrifying”. In the absence of a formal statement by Banerjee concerning the incident, this was the only public statement she made on the day, requesting Dhankhar to refrain from making unwarranted statements and alleged that his comments have “political overtones”.
Delhi has been declared the most polluted capital in the world in terms of air quality for the fourth year in a row in 2021, reveals a new report which says 35 out of 50 cities with the worst air quality were in India.
Representative image
The World Air Quality Report released by Swiss organization IQAir is based on PM 2.5 data from 6,475 cities in 117 countries.
The dataset used to generate this report was derived from the IQAir real-time online air quality monitoring platform, which aggregates, validates, calibrates, and harmonizes data from air quality monitoring stations around the globe.
The report said that publicly available air quality monitoring station data continued to increase in 2021. India, New Zealand, and Canada, in particular, saw significant increases.
Air pollution has a massive impact on human health in India. The researchers said, “India was home to 11 of the 15 most polluted cities in Central and South Asia in 2021. Delhi saw a 14.6 per cent increase in PM2.5 concentrations in 2021 with levels rising to 96.4 ug/m3 from 84 ug/m3 in 2020. No cities in India met the WHO air quality guideline of 5 ug/m3. In 2021, 48% of India’s cities exceeded 50 ug/m3, or more than 10 times the WHO guideline.”
Air pollution causes and aggravates many diseases, ranging from asthma to cancer, lung illnesses and heart disease and in this age of COVID-19, researchers have found that exposure to PM2.5 increases both the risk of contracting the virus and of suffering more severe symptoms when infected, including death.
BJP MP Tapir Gao on Monday praised Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, calling him a ‘Spiderman’, and said he has built a web of roads across the country.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. Credit: PTI File Photo
Participating in the discussion on the ‘demand for grants of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ for 2022-23 in Lok Sabha, the MP from Arunachal Pradesh said, “I have changed Nitin Gadkari’s name to Spiderman. Like the web of a spider…Nitin Gadkari has been laying a wide network of roads in every corner of the country. Gadkari hai to mumkin hai (Gadkari makes it possible).”
With the Narendra Modi government in power, the speed of construction of roads in sensitive areas of the country especially on the India-China has border has picked up pace, Gao asserted.
“With Modi government coming to power, the pace of road construction near the China border has also grown. Today, under Modi’s leadership, a two-lane road is being constructed till McMahon Line in Arunachal Pradesh,” he said.
Padma Awards 2022: Late chairman of Gita Press Radhey Shyam’s son received the Padma Vibhushan (Posthumous), in the field of literature and education. The other recipient of the Padma Vibhushan is General Rawat (posthumous).
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad receives his Padma Bhushan award from President Ram Nath Kovind. (ANI)
President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday conferred Padma awards to recipients at a civil investiture ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Among the Padma Bhushan awardees were senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and Serum Institute of India chairman Cyrus Poonawalla in the field of public affairs and trade and industry, respectively. Paralympic silver medalist Devendra Jhajharia was also conferred with Padma Bhushan.
Within a few minutes of Deepinder Goyal, Founder and CEO, Zomato taking to Twitter to announce the company’s 10-minute delivery plan, the announcement has brought in strong reactions from every quarter.
Foodtech giant Zomato has announced that it will soon be launching a 10-minute delivery option on its platform. While most consumers may seem excited by the proposition of getting their meal delivered faster, many are wary about the impact it can have on delivery partners.
Karti P Chidambaram, Member of Parliament (MP), representing Tamil Nadu’s Sinvaganga constituency in the Lok Sabha, took to Twitter to express his concerns. He said that the quick delivery plan would cause undue pressure on delivery executives. He stated he has also written to the government and has even raised the issue in parliament.
This is absurd! It’s going to put undue pressure on the delivery personnel, who are not employees & who have no benefits or security, who have no bargaining power with @zomato I have raised this in Parliament & have written to the Govt. Will pursue this further. https://t.co/fH8yflloiYpic.twitter.com/PfQIe2nfR4
A police team that rushed to the spot where a two-month-old was found dead and stuffed into a broken microwave oven at a Chirag Dilli house was told by the neighbours that they heard the mother of the child thrashing her elder child, a four-year-old son, around 3pm.
“They said that when they went to check on the woman and her son, they found that the woman was not responding. The woman’s husband and other members of the family were at a grocery shop which they run close to the house. The neighbours then alerted the family members and all of them broke open the door,” said a senior police officer.
The officer said that when the neighbours went in, they found the woman lying on the floor, unconscious. She was then rushed to a hospital. Meanwhile, the family members realised that the infant was missing.
The retail arm of billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries purchased an 89% equity stake in Purple Panda Fashions, which owns and operates Clovia, for $125 million.
Purple Panda Fashions’ flagship brand Clovia is a direct-to-consumer online retail innerwear and loungewear brand for women. Clovia offers over 3,500 product styles that have been purchased by over 3 million women, according to its website.
Based in Noida, India, Clovia was cofounded in 2012 by husband and wife Pankaj Vermani and Neha Kant, Abhay Batra, Soumya Kant and Suman Choudhary. The founding team and management will own the remaining stake in the company, according to a statement.
“Through this partnership, we will benefit from Reliance’s scale and retail expertise, extending the presence of the brand and bring together stronger value proposition through world class quality, design and fashion in the intimate wear category,” Pankaj Vermani, Clovia’s founder and CEO, said in the statement.
Reliance Retail has been expanding its apparel and innerwear portfolio, it also acquired online intimate wear brands Zivame in 2020 and Amante in 2021.
After a delay of 11 days, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday announced incumbent Chief Minister Pramod Sawant as the Goa CM again. Sources in the party confirmed that the central leadership had a tough time picking between Valpoi MLA Vishwajit Rane and Sawant.
Pramod Sawant met PM Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Wednesday. (ANI)
In an exclusive interview moments after he was named the Chief Minister of Goa, Pramod Sawant spoke to News18.com, touching upon the delay in the announcement and the road ahead.
This is a question you must ask our state and central party leaders, not me.
How did you see your prospects?
The elections were fought under my leadership. The campaign put together by PM Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah and BJP state president JP Nadda helped us win 20 seats. Three Independents extended their support to us.
You fought the elections on the poll plank of development…Do you have plans to build Goa on the lines of the Kashi corridor, with six megacities, etc?
Goa has never seen the kind of development we brought in with the help of the central government and the BJP’s double engine governance. We have been ahead in infrastructure development. We have converted PM Modi’s vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ into ‘Swayampoorna Goa’. We are confident of making Goa self-reliant.
The Save Soil Movement, launched as part of the spiritual leader’s Conscious Planet initiative, is aimed at turning the world’s attention towards dying soil and growing desertification.
Sadhguru’s motorbike journey ends in time for the Summer Solstice on June 21
Naveen went to Ukraine to pursue a degree in medicine as his family could not afford medical education here due to high admission fees. Credit: Twitter/@CMofKarnataka
The mortal remains of Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudar, the Karnataka student who was killed during shelling by the Russian forces in Ukraine’s Kharkiv city on March 1, has reached the Kempegowda International Airport (KIAL) in Bengaluru in the wee hours of Monday.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai with his Cabinet colleagues reached the Bengaluru International airport and paid homage to Naveen.
Received & honoured body of our student Naveen Gyanagoudar killed in indiscriminate bomb shelling in Russia-Ukraine war.
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The BJP legislature party meeting decided to select the next chief minister of Uttarakhand is expected to be held in Dehradun on Monday.
“All newly elected members of the Legislative Assembly will take oath at 11 am in Vidhan Sabha, tomorrow,” Uttarakhand BJP chief Madan Kaushik said.
“The meeting of Legislative Party will be held in the evening. Thereafter, the Chief Minister’s name will be announced,” Kaushik had said.
Meanwhile, Pramod Sawant, Goa’s interim Chief Minister, announced on Sunday that the decision on the swearing-in ceremony will be made during the Legislature Party meeting Monday evening.
He stated that Bharatiya Janata Party observers will travel to Goa on Monday to attend the Legislature Party meeting, news agency ANI reported.
“I went to Delhi yesterday, BJP observers will be coming in Panaji tomorrow for the Legislature Party meeting. The decision about the swearing-in ceremony will also be taken in the evening tomorrow,” Sawant informed ANI.
New Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Arvind Kejriwal said, has already “removed the security of old ministers and gave security to the public”.
“The party’s mantra is an MLA will roam among the people,” Arvind Kejriwal said.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has set targets for each minister in his cabinet and if that is not met, the people “can demand that the minister be removed,” Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said today. Bhagwant Mann has “covered a lot of ground within just three days”, he said, pointing to the initial announcements by the new government.
Mr Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party won a massive mandate in Punjab in the recently concluded assembly elections and Mr Mann took oath as the Chief Minister earlier this week.
The new Chief Minister, Mr Kejriwal said, has already “removed the security of old ministers and gave security to the public”.
Compensation was given for wasted crops. “He also announced Anti-Corruption Action Line, after which the people in Delhi started getting calls… improvements have started on their own,” he added.
Two months after Jammu & Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s Dubai visit, where several important memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with multiple UAE companies were signed, a high-level delegation of businessmen from Gulf countries landed in Srinagar on Sunday evening.
The CEOs of 30-plus companies, including Indian businessmen, will be in the Valley for the next four days, during which they will be looking at business opportunities in the Union territory.
As part of the four-day programme, Sinha, along with the principal secretary of industries and commerce and other government officials, will showcase investment opportunities, with focus on entrepreneurship, tourism and hospitality sector.
The CEO of Century Financial, Bal Krishen is heading the high-level delegation of Gulf businessmen, along with CEOs from Saudi.
A CEO of a Dubai-based Company told News18 that the delegation will take part in some business events in the Valley, one of which is scheduled on March 22 at Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC).
With inflation now likely an enduring presence, it’s more vital than ever to devote financial resources to vehicles with the most robust returns.
When investing, everyone wants maximum returns. Weighing in only to make 1% to 2% on your money just isn’t as exciting as getting back 8%, 10% or more, and during periods of inflation, high returns become even more essential (as it will make that 1% to 2% a net negative). The question, of course, is which investments with high returns are the best? In my experience, after analyzing the data, there are five you should consider. (It’s worth imparting the disclaimer here that past performance is no guarantee of future returns. All investing involves risk of loss.)
1. Real estate syndications
A strategy in which a number of investors pool resources to purchase a property, real estate syndications are arguably one of the best ways of achieving high returns. Investors typically get about 8% to 10% per year, plus they enjoy appreciation as the building increases in value (while appreciation varies, it’s not uncommon to see increases of 30% to 50%). Since the investment period is five years, these instruments have the potential to double your money or more: A $100,000 investment may make $50,000 over five years in rental income, plus $50,000 in appreciation.
Pros: Easy to start (totally passive), high ROI and you can pick your investments and projects.
Cons: Typically requires at least a $50,000 buy-in, and investors must be accredited to engage in these private offerings.
2. Rental real estate
Another way investors can get into real estate, and which also has substantial ROI potential, is through rental properties. People often buy single-family homes or condos and rent them out; some will even rent out rooms or floors in their primary homes. The ROI depends heavily on the market, but typically you’re looking at somewhere between 5% to 10% per year.
Pros: This method is a straightforward investment with high returns. You merely need to pick the home, buy it and start renting it out.
Cons: You will be responsible for managing tenants, coordinating any repairs or maintenance and collecting rental income. You’ll also need at least 20% down to get a mortgage, and if a tenant decides to skip out on rent, you will be stuck paying it. Additionally, tenants might damage the property, leaving the owner with repair bills that cut into returns.
3. Real estate investment trusts
Another excellent way to start investing in real estate, REIT companies trade on the major stock exchanges and typically have various real estate assets. They tend to pay reasonably good dividends, with yields that can rise as high as 5%.
Pros: REITs represent one of the easiest ways to start investing in real estate. You can even trade these stocks from your 401(k). Plus, the dividend yield can be substantial.
Cons: These are stocks, and as such are subject to many market whims. Even if the dividend is sound, that doesn’t mean the underlying stock price will appreciate.
Cyclone Asani: The depression over the Andaman Sea is set to develop into a deep depression in the next 12 hours.
Andaman, Mar 20 (ANI): NDRF team clearing trees in vulnerable areas as a precautionary measure for the Cyclone Asani, in Andaman on Sunday. (ANI Photo)(ANI)
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are likely to see heavy rain amid alert over Cyclone Asani – which is set to form over the Andaman Sea on Monday- with rescue teams deployed. This is the first cyclone this year that has prompted alerts from the weather office. However, no landfall point is mentioned. Strong winds with speed reaching 55-65 km per hour are likely to cause damage and disruption apart from rain.
Here are the updates on Cyclone Asani set to form over Andaman Sea:
1. In a late night tweet, the weather office said the depression over the Andaman Sea, 250 km north-northeast of Nicobar Islands and 80 km south-southeast of Port Blair, is set to move towards northwards along the islands, and intensify “into a deep depression in the next 12 hours”.
2. Several teams of the NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) have been deployed in Port Blair, the government has said. Army and Navy are also on standby.
3. No landfall point has been mentioned. “We have not mentioned or predicted any landfall point. It will move along and off Andaman and Nicobar Islands and then over the east-central Bay of Bengal and along and off the Myanmar coast and gradually reduce and becoming squally winds speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph over the same region from Tuesday evening. When moving along and off Andaman and Nicobar it is likely to bring extremely heavy rains and strong winds to the region,” a senior IMD scientist said.
Delhi recorded 97 fresh Covid-19 cases and one fatality linked to the disease, while the positivity rate stood at 0.41 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department on Sunday.
The number of tests conducted a day ago stood at 23,766.
The new fatality pushed the death toll from the pandemic to 26,147 in Delhi, the bulletin stated.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting at his official residence, 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, in New Delhi on Sunday evening over government formation in Uttar Pradesh, Goa and Uttarakhand. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, party national general secretary (organisation) BL Santosh and national president JP Nadda were present at the meeting, sources said.
Sources also said the key agenda of the meeting was to discuss the names of the chief ministers and cabinet ministers in the three states.
While Yogi Adityanath will take oath as the CM of Uttar Pradesh for a second term on March 25, there’s still no word yet on the composition of his cabinet. The BJP is now in the process of making last-minute tweaks to the list of cabinet and council of ministers.
The CM face in Uttarkhand is, however, still under suspense. The BJP has scheduled a meeting of the party legislature in Dehradun on Monday evening where the CM name will be announced. Central observers Rajnath Singh and Meenakshi Lekhi will reach the Uttarakhand capital on Monday and announce the name of the new legislative party leader.
NeVA is a Unicode compliant software having provision for easy access to various documents like List of Questions, List of Business, Reports etc. bilingually viz. English and any regional language
NeVA is a Unicode compliant software having provision for easy access to various documents like List of Questions, List of Business, Reports etc. bilingually viz. English and any regional language
The north eastern state of Nagaland created history by becoming the first State Assembly in the entire country to implement the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) programme to become completely paperless.In the ongoing Budget session of the state the Nagaland Assembly Secretariat has attached a tablet or e-book on each table in the 60 members’ assembly.
Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi tweeted, “Nagaland becomes India’s 1st Legislative Assembly to successfully implement National e-Vidhan project. Now members can use electronic devices to participate in House proceedings. This initiative encourages paperless operations and reflects government’s commitment towards Ashta Lakshmi.”
Adoption practices in India are primarily informed by the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956 (HAMA) and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 (JJ Act).
Both legislations have different provisions and objectives. HAMA is the statute that governs the adoption of and by Hindus. The definition of ‘Hindus’ here includes Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs. It gives an adoptive child all the rights of a natural-born child, including the right to inheritance.
Until the JJ Act, the Guardians and Ward Act (GWA), 1980 was the only means for non-Hindu individuals to become guardians of children from their communities. However, since the GWA appoints individuals as legal guardians and not natural parents, guardianship is terminated once the ward turns 21 and the ward assumes individual identity.
The year 2015 also saw a moment of transition in the adoption process with the introduction of the Child Adoption Resource Authority (CARA). Central Adoption Resource Authority is an autonomous and statutory body of Ministry of Women and Child Development in the Government of India. The system acts as a centralised digital database of adoptable children and prospective parents. It functions as the nodal body for the adoption of Indian children and is mandated to monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoptions. CARA is designated as the Central Authority to deal with inter-country adoptions in accordance with the provisions of the 1993 Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption, ratified by Government of India in 2003.CARA primarily deals with the adoption of “orphaned, abandoned and surrendered” children through recognised adoption agencies. In 2018, CARA has allowed individuals in a live-in relationship to adopt children from and within India.
The accused have been identified as Kovai Rahmathullah and S Jamal Mohammed Usmani, members of Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ), an Islamic religious outfit.
Chennai: Two people from Tamil Nadu were arrested on Saturday for allegedly issuing death threats to the Karnataka High Court judges who delivered the verdict in Hijab case on March 15, police said.
Karnataka High Court
Tamil Nadu police arrested Kovai Rahmathullah from Tirunelveli and S Jamal Mohammed Usmani from Thanjavur. Both the accused are members of Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ), an Islamic religious organisation, reported the Times of India.
The accused were arrested after a video went viral, showing TNTJ auditing committee member Kovai Rahmathullah purportedly saying that a judge who pronounced a “wrong” verdict was killed in Jharkhand. “There are some emotional people in our community. If something happens to them (judges), BJP is waiting for an opportunity to blame us,” he was quoted as saying in the video by TOI.
The headline to revive lapsed LIC policies for policyholders is ending next week, that is on March 25. The Life Insurance Corporation of India, or LIC, had in February brought in a significant grant to its policyholders to battle with the pandemic and the financial and health risks associated with it. The state-run insurance giant is in the process of offering its policyholders to revive their lapsed policies in the current financial year, the company has said in a press release. This is for the second time the LIC is running this campaign.
LIC is running a special policy revival campaign till March 25 for individual lapsed policies. The campaign had started on February 7. Policies, which are in a lapsed condition during the premium paying term and not completed policy term, are eligible to be revived in this campaign.
“In view of the prevailing circumstances, concessions are being offered in late fee for other than Term Assurance and High Risk Plans, depending on the total premiums paid. There are no concessions on medical requirements. Eligible Health and Micro Insurance plans also qualify for the concessions in late fee,” LIC had said in a press release.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s first visit to India brought with it an investment plan of Rs 3.2 lakh crore in the next five years, indicating that the India-Japan partnership will only deepen. Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the massive boost that such an investment target would provide to the country’s economy and said India was committed to providing “all possible support to Japanese firms”.
Part of Quad, Kishida and Modi, in their bilateral meeting on Saturday, also discussed China’s presence in the South China Sea as well as India’s standoff with China in eastern Ladakh. The two leaders agreed that strong India-Japan ties will encourage peace, prosperity, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Part of Quad, Kishida and Modi, in their bilateral meeting on Saturday, also discussed China’s presence in the South China Sea as well as India’s standoff with China in eastern Ladakh. The two leaders agreed that strong India-Japan ties will encourage peace, prosperity, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Part of Quad, Kishida and Modi, in their bilateral meeting on Saturday, also discussed China’s presence in the South China Sea as well as India’s standoff with China in eastern Ladakh. The two leaders agreed that strong India-Japan ties will encourage peace, prosperity, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Part of Quad, Kishida and Modi, in their bilateral meeting on Saturday, also discussed China’s presence in the South China Sea as well as India’s standoff with China in eastern Ladakh. The two leaders agreed that strong India-Japan ties will encourage peace, prosperity, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
First decision: 25,000 govt sector vacancies to be filled immediately | Anmol Rattan Sidhu appointed Punjab AG
Ten MLAs, including a woman, were inducted in the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Cabinet here on Saturday. Seven berths have been left vacant for expansion later.
From left: CM Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya with ministers. Pradeep Tewari
Those sworn in were Harpal Cheema, Dr Baljit Kaur, Harbhajan Singh ETO, Dr Vijay Singla, Lal Chand Kataruchak, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, Laljit Singh Bhullar, Brahm Shankar and Harjot Singh Bains, the youngest in the Cabinet.
Other than Cheema and Gurmeet Hayer, who have been re-elected for the second term, all other ministers are first-time MLAs. Sources said it was after several rounds of meetings between the party top brass in Delhi and Mann that the list of ministers was cleared.
The oath was administered by Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit at the recently built Guru Nanak Dev Bhawan on the Punjab Raj Bhavan premises. All ministers took oath in Punjabi. They first shook hands or wished Chief Minister Mann and then sought the blessings of the Governor. The Governor of Haryana, Bandaru Dattatreya, too graced the occasion.
Unlike fellow members of the Quad alliance — Japan, Australia and the United States — India has abstained in three UN votes condemning Moscow’s actions
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sign agreements, during the 14th India-Japan Annual Summit, at Hyderabad House. Credit: PTI Photo
India on Saturday signalled a subtle change in its stand on Russia’s military operations in Ukraine, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida in assessing “broader implications” of the conflict, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region — the scene of growing belligerence of China.
India has so far been dismissing any attempt to draw a parallel between Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and China’s belligerence in the Indo-Pacific region. It has also been rejecting the argument put forward by the United States that if Russia could get away with its aggression against Ukraine, it would encourage China to ratchet up its belligerence in the Indo-Pacific region. Modi on Saturday continued to avoid directly calling out Russian President Vladimir Putin for ordering military operations in Ukraine. Kishida, however, condemned Putin for aggression against the East European nation. The two prime ministers together called for “immediate cessation of violence” in Ukraine, noting that dialogue and diplomacy was the only path for resolution of the conflict.
Dozens of football lovers were injured when a makeshift gallery collapsed during a sevens football match at Wandoor in Malappuram on Saturday night.
People run to rescue the victims after a makeshift gallery collapsed at the Poongodu football ground at Wandoor in Malappuram on March 19, 2022. Photo: Video grab/Special Arrangement
The accident occurred at the Poongodu football ground on the Kalikavu-Wandoor road. The injured were admitted to different hospitals in and around Wandoor, while three people were admitted to Government Medical College Hospital at Manjeri.
Among the top buyers of Russian oil and gas are Germany, Italy, France, and the Netherlands. India’s dependence on imported energy should not be politicised, says source
India on Friday strongly justified its right to go ahead with purchase of Russian energy after theU.S. urged the country to stop buying Russian oil and gas.
An informed source said India’s energy sector was dependent on large imports and that the country’s dependence on imported energy should not be “politicised.”
“Countries with oil self-sufficiency or those importing themselves from Russia cannot credibly advocate restrictive trading,” said the source, indirectly responding to the growing Western pressure to stop import of oil and gas from Russia.
The Hindu had earlier reported that India’s energy majors had moved ahead with purchasing oil and gas from Russia being supplied at a “discount.”
The assertion of India’s position came as international demand increased on India to stop purchase of Russian energy. The issue is expected to feature in talks during Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s March 19-20 visit for the 14th India-Japan summit. In a statement issued on Friday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said, Ukraine will be in the agenda during his virtual meeting with Prime Minister Modi on March 21. The issue is expected to arise also during the visit of British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss which is likely later this month. All the three countries — Australia, Japan and the UK — have imposed sanctions on Russia.
14th India-Japan summit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida will hold talks on Saturday.
PM Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida
New Delhi: Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is set to visit India from Saturday for the 14th India-Japan Annual Summit. Kishida will hold summit talks with PM Narendra Modi to review and strengthen the bilateral cooperation in diverse areas as well as exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest so as to advance the partnership for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.
The Summit would be the first meeting of the two leaders. The previous India-Japan Annual Summit took place in Tokyo in October 2018.
PM Modi and his Japanese counterpart will hold talks on Saturday.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the Japanese PM will pay a two-day visit to India beginning Saturday.
As Russia continues to level serious allegations against United States over “biological weapons in Ukraine”, India on its part has addressed the issue in UNSC.
As Russia continues to level serious allegations against the United States over “biological weapons in Ukraine”, India on its part has addressed the issue in United Nations Security Council (UNSC). During the UNSC briefing on Friday, India’s Deputy Permanent Representative (DPR) R Ravindra stated that India attaches high importance to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) as a key global and non-discriminatory disarmament Convention. The same prohibits an entire category of weapons of mass destruction, DPR Ravindra further noted.
Furthermore, he asserted that it is crucial to ensure full and effective implementation of the BTWC in letter and spirit. Moreover, India has also asserted that any matter relating to obligations under the BTWC should be addressed as per the provisions of the Convention and through consultations and cooperation.
India attaches high importance to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) as a key global and non-discriminatory disarmament Convention, prohibiting an entire category of weapons of mass destruction: R Ravindra, DPR at UNSC briefing pic.twitter.com/tALHYqlGPg
India’s sharp reaction comes at a time when Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the country’s top oil firm, has bought 3 million barrels of crude oil that Russia had offered at a steep discount on prevailing international rates.
Underlining that India’s “legitimate energy transactions should not be politicised”, Delhi hit out Friday at the West, saying countries with “oil self-sufficiency or those importing themselves from Russia cannot credibly advocate restrictive trading”.
India’s sharp reaction comes at a time when Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the country’s top oil firm, has bought 3 million barrels of crude oil that Russia had offered at a steep discount on prevailing international rates. The purchase, made through a trader, is the first since Russia’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine that led to international pressure to isolate the Putin administration.
Russian oil exports to India, the third largest energy consumer, quadrupled in March, Financial Times reported Friday.
Russia has so far exported 360,000 barrels of oil a day to India in March alone, nearly four times the 2021 average. The report cited Kpler, a commodities data and analytics firm, to say that Russia is on track to hit 203,000 barrels a day for the whole month, based on current shipment schedules.
Sources in Delhi said “countries with oil self-sufficiency or those importing themselves from Russia cannot credibly advocate restrictive trading. India’s legitimate energy transactions should not be politicised.”
India is highly dependent on imports for meeting its energy requirements. “Nearly 85 per cent of our crude oil requirement (5 million barrels a day) has to be imported,” a source said.
Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is planning a grand swearing-in ceremony for Yogi Adityanath, who will take over as chief minister for a second consecutive term on March 25.
New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister-designate Yogi Adityanath likely to take oath as the Chief Minister of the state on March 25 at 4 pm, news agency ANI quoted official sources as saying.
Uttar Pradesh CM-designate Yogi Adityanath likely to take oath as the Chief Minister of the state on March 25 at 4pm: Official Sources
According to official sources, the swearing-in event will most likely take place in the Ekana stadium, with tens of thousands of people expected to attend, news agency IANS reported.
The BJP is compiling a guest list for the event, which will include beneficiaries of different government initiatives known as ‘labharti,’ who played a key role in the party’s re-election.
Around 200 VVIPs will also be accommodated at the stadium.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president J.P. Nadda, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, and others, chief ministers of BJP-ruled states, and several significant personalities, including those from the opposition, will be invited.
Officials in charge of the preparations stated that the event will be “unrivalled” in terms of beauty and magnificence.
India announced a $ 1 billion line of credit to Sri Lanka on Thursday as part of its financial assistance to help the island nation deal with its economic crisis.
After an agreement to extend the line of credit was inked, ministry of external affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India has always stood with the people of Sri Lanka and will continue to extend all possible support to the country.
At a weekly media briefing, he said the assistance will be used for importing food, medicines and other essential items. “India has always stood with the people of Sri Lanka and we will continue to extend all possible support at this juncture. I think we are cognizant of the economic difficulties the country is facing,” Bagchi said.
Visiting Sri Lankan finance minister Basil Rajapaksa witnessed the signing of the agreement for the $1 billion line of credit being extended through the SBI.
A group of 18 leaders — a mix of G-23 dissidents and some ‘newcomers’ — had met yesterday to discuss the way forward after the party’s latest drubbing in five states.
Moscow has reportedly offered crude oil and other commodities at a discount to New Delhi, at a time when the Russian economy has been hit hard by sanctions imposed by the US and its allies over President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
India on Thursday did not rule out buying crude oil at discounted rates from Russia, with external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi pointing out that several European countries were still importing energy from Russia.
Moscow has reportedly offered crude oil and other commodities at a discount to New Delhi, at a time when the Russian economy has been hit hard by sanctions imposed by the US and its allies over President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. As the West seeks to isolate Putin, US officials have acknowledged India’s dependence on Russia for military hardware but said they would like to see New Delhi distancing itself from Moscow.
Asked about reports that India had taken up the Russian offer of crude at discounted rates, Bagchi did not deny the development but said: “India does import most of its oil requirements… So we are always exploring all possibilities in global energy markets because of this situation that we face of importing our oil requirements.”
Noting that Russia has not been a major supplier of oil for India, Bagchi said: “On imports of energy from Russia – let me just highlight that a number of countries are doing so, especially in Europe, and for the moment I’ll leave it at that.”
“We are a major oil importer and we are looking at all options at all points, we need the energy.”
State-run Indian Oil Corporation has reportedly bought three million barrels of crude oil that Russia offered at a steep discount on prevailing global rates. European powers such as Germany have faced criticism for continuing to procure energy from Russia while putting pressure on other countries to reduce oil purchases and economic ties with Russia.
Gurgaon: Sharapova and Schumacher as promoters of an apartment project conspired with the buyers, the complainant alleged.
The complainant accused Sharapova and Michael Schumacher of being part of a fraud. (File)
Police in Gurgaon have filed a case against former Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova, former Formula 1 racer Michael Schumacher and 11 others for fraud and criminal conspiracy following a court order. The FIR was registered on the complaint of a Delhi woman, who accused them of fraud.
Shafali Agarwal, a resident of Chattarpur Mini Farm in New Delhi, complained that she had booked an apartment in a project named after Sharapova. A tower in the project was named after Schumacher, she said. The project was to be completed by 2016 but never took off, the complainant added.
She accused the international celebrities of being part of the fraud through their association and promotion of it.
Earlier, she had filed a complaint in a Gurugram court against M/S Realtech Development and Infrastructure (INDIA) Pvt. Ltd, other developers, Sharapova and Schumacher for duping her of around ₹ 80 lakh.
The complainant stated before the court that she and her husband booked a residential apartment in the project named after Sharapova in Sector 73, Gurgaon, but the developer companies cheated them by alluring them to put money into their project, which was never meant to be delivered.
AAP would like to send an icon from the state to the Upper House of Parliament and one of the foremost names to have emerged is that of 41-year-old off-spinner.
Former cricketer Harbhajan Singh
Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh could follow the footsteps of his illustrious teammate Sachin Tendulkar as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha as he is likely to be Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) candidate for a seat in the Upper House.
AAP, after sweeping the polls in Punjab, formed the new government with Bhagwant Mann being sworn in as the Chief Minister on Wednesday.
AAP would like to send an icon from the state to the Upper House of Parliament and one of the foremost names to have emerged is that of 41-year-old off-spinner.
“The top leadership of AAP, including the new CM has approached Harbhajan with an offer to become their nominated candidate for next Rajya Sabha term. The new CM wants Harbhajan to work towards lifting the standard of sports in the state, which has gone down considerably in past few years,” a source close to the cricketer told PTI on Wednesday on conditions of anonymity.
Will work together for Punjab’s growth and welfare of its people: PM Modi
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann receives a bouquet from Governor Banwarilal Purohit after taking oath at Khatkar Kalan. Pradeep Tewari
AAP leader Bhagwant Mann was on Wednesday sworn in as the 28th Chief Minister of Punjab at a ceremony thronged by tens of thousands of people at martyr Bhagat Singh’s village here.
Promising to fight unemployment and corruption in the state, Mann said, “We will stall the flight of students to foreign lands for quality education and job security. We will reform our education system to suit innovations in the job sector.
“Ours is a long journey to usher in agriculture reforms, improve hospitals, transform the education system and end unemployment. The work will start from today itself. We will not waste even a single day. We are already late by 70 years.”
He was the only one to take the oath at the event where many people in the crowd and on the dais sported turbans and dupattas in yellow — the “Basanti” colour often associated with Bhagat Singh. Mann paid floral tributes at the Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh’s museum and memorial. The 48-year-old former comedian was administered the oath of secrecy and allegiance by Governor Banwarilal Purohit. Mann ended the oath that he took in Hindi with the slogan “Inquilab Zindabad”.
Despite securing a majority in four states in the recent assembly polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party is understood to have delayed the announcement and oath-taking of its chief ministers due to the period ahead of Holi that is considered inauspicious.
The party is expected to give the go-ahead for the swearing-in of CMs in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, and Manipur after the end of this duration.
As per pandit Amarjit Dubey from Varanasi, this unpropitious period is called ‘Holashtak’.
“Holashtak is considered an inauspicious time for any good work to begin and good muhurat (time) begins post-Holika Dahan and with the beginning of Rangotsav,” he explained.
The PM appreciated Indian community leaders, volunteer groups, companies, private individuals and government officials for their tireless efforts towards operation to evacuate Indians from Ukraine.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with various stakeholders, including community organisations and embassy officials from Hungary among other countries neighbouring Ukraine, for their involvement in Operation Ganga on Tuesday.
During the virtual interaction, he asserted that India has always acted with alacrity to assist its citizens during any international crisis, reported news agency PTI.
PM Modi referred to the age-old philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, and said that the country has also extended humanitarian support to nationals of other countries during emergencies while attaching high priority to the safety of Indians abroad, according to an official statement.
The PM appreciated Indian community leaders, volunteer groups, companies, private individuals and government officials for their tireless efforts towards the success of the operation to evacuate Indians from war-hit Ukraine.
Police said that clicking on malware sent on WhatsApp could end up hacking phones and emptying bank accounts linked to the mobile numbers.
Police have cautioned against clicking on suspicious links sent on social media and WhatsApp on the pretext of providing free access to the newly-released movie “The Kashmir Files”. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Noida) Ranvijay Singh said that clicking on malware sent on WhatsApp could end up hacking phones and emptying bank accounts linked to the mobile numbers.
“There has been no specific case here yet in which the movie’s name has been used but there are inputs regarding such methodology being used by conmen for hacking into people’s phone or duping them of money,” PTI quoted Singh as saying.
However, Singh said, there have been cases where gullible phone users have ended up losing their savings after a few clicks on the links sent to them on WhatsApp.
“Most recently, three people approached the police within a period of a 24 hours from just one police station with similar complaints of cyber fraud, in which they ended up losing a combined ₹30 lakh,” the officer said, as quoted by PTI.
Subhash Chandra is no stranger to corporate battles, but the 71-year-old chairman of the Essel group and founder of Zee TV wants to move on from the current set of controversies by offering an olive branch to lenders.
Chandra, who ceded control of flagship Zee Entertainment Enterprises to Sony Pictures Networks India, says he wants to “move on in life” and carve a new niche in the media space. “I started Zee in 1992 with just Rs 9 crore and made it a billion-dollar company. I still have a lot of fire left to begin afresh. In any case, digital ventures don’t need a lot of money,” he said.
In an extensive conversation with FE on Tuesday, Chandra said that he’s willing to walk out of his DTH venture, Dish TV, if the company’s largest stakeholder Yes Bank decides which role it wants to play – that of a shareholder or a lender – and allows him to settle his dues honourably.
“My brother (Jawahar Goel) is willing to step down as chairman and managing director of Dish TV if that’s what Yes Bank wants, but then they need to decide what they are, a shareholder or lender,” Chandra said. “If they feel that we are not running the company well, they should take over, but then they have to be clear that they are a shareholder, not a lender,” he added.
Chandra said that he’s reached out to Yes Bank and asked them to suggest the way forward but has not got a satisfactory response from them so far. He said that he’s even willing for a third-party mediation to resolve the Dish TV problem as he wants to move ahead.
Challenging the verdict of the Karnataka High Court in the Hijab controversy, six Muslim girls knocked on the doors of the Supreme Court on Tuesday
Challenging the verdict of the Karnataka High Court in the Hijab matter, six Muslim girls knocked on the doors of the Supreme Court on Tuesday alleging that the court had passed the order without applying its mind.
Filing a Special Leave Petition, the students alleged that the HC had ‘erred in creating a dichotomy of freedom of religion and freedom of conscience’. It also asserted that the order failed to note that the Karnataka Education Act, 1983, and the Rules made thereunder, do not provide for any mandatory uniform to be worn by students.
China has said for the first time that soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) have disengaged in the Hot Spring area of Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
The Chinese foreign ministry told HT that China is working closely with India to reach an acceptable solution to the standoff in eastern Ladakh ‘as soon as possible’. (AP file)
China has said for the first time that soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) have disengaged in the Hot Spring area of Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, though people familiar with the matter said not all areas of contention in this sector have been cleared. Line of Actual Control
The Chinese foreign ministry told HT that China is working closely with India to reach an acceptable solution to the standoff in eastern Ladakh “as soon as possible”, and claimed that troop disengagement has taken place at Galwan Valley, Pangong Lake and Hot Spring.
Despite numerous rounds of diplomatic and military talks over the past two years, the two nations have been unable to end the nearly 22-month standoff. India has only acknowledged disengagement of front line forces on the northern and southern banks of Pangong Lake and at Gogra.
Following the 15th round of talks between military commanders on March 11, HT had reached out to the Chinese foreign ministry for its response on the negotiations. The ministry responded with a brief statement in Mandarin.
Jaishankar’s address to the parliament will be important as situation in Ukraine continues to deteriorate due to Russian invasion.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar (Getty Image)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will issue a statement on the Russia-Ukraine conflict in Rajya Sabha at 2:30 pm today, reported news agency ANI. He will also brief the members on efforts being taken by the government to evacuate stranded Indian nationals from Ukraine under Operation Ganga.
Jaishankar’s address to the parliament will be important as situation in Ukraine continues to deteriorate due to the Russian invasion, which could hamper rescue operations of the Indian government.
On February 24, Operation Ganga was launched by the Centre to bring back Indian nationals caught in the conflict in Ukraine. A team of four Union Ministers – Kiren Rijiju, Hardeep Singh Puri, Jyotiraditya Scindia and General VK Singh – was formed to coordinate rescue efforts with Ukraine’s neighbours.
With many mocking the idea of ‘flexing college name,’& ‘building brand trust by using name of a college’; some defended the strategy by asking ‘what’s wrong?’.
Fuelling the incessant desire of Indians to get their children into IITs and IIMs, brands selling milk products seem to be using this as a marketing strategy. After a Twitter user took to Twitter on Sunday to point out that a milk brand has been publicising their products by using the ‘IIM Alumni’ as a tag for their product branding, a fiery debate was witnessed among netizens.
With many mocking the idea of ‘flexing college name,’ and ‘building brand trust by using the name of a college’, some defended the brand’s strategy by saying: “What’s wrong in using the name of the world’s top colleges?”
Twitteratis debate on ‘IIM tag as a branding method’
As the debate stretched ahead, Twitteratis had a diverse set of opinions about the same. Some went on to call it a ‘Lazy business branding,’ referring that the milk company was using the founder’s IIM tag to built trust among people rather than emphasising the quality of their product. While another user pointed out that the milk brand is encashing people’s blind trust in IIM-IIT pass outs, as there is a belief in the society that the alumni of these colleges are extraordinary. A third also compared it with ‘Bollywood celebrities endorsing products.’
In Bengaluru, Police Commissioner Kamal Pant issued orders prohibiting all gatherings, protests and celebrations in public places from March 15 to 21. High Court officials held meetings with senior police officials on Monday evening.
Karnataka High Court (File)
WITH THE Karnataka High Court set to pronounce its verdict on the hijab issue on Tuesday morning, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure have been imposed in parts of Karnataka, including Bengaluru.
In Bengaluru, Police Commissioner Kamal Pant issued orders prohibiting all gatherings, protests and celebrations in public places from March 15 to 21. High Court officials held meetings with senior police officials on Monday evening.
In Udupi — where a section of girls in a pre-university college first started protests in January this year seeking to wear hijab inside their classrooms — and Dakshina Kannada, the district administrations have declared a holiday for all schools and colleges on Tuesday.
On February 25, the full bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justices Krishna S Dixit and Jaibunnisa Mohideen Khazi had reserved judgment on a batch of petitions filed by Muslim girls from government pre-university colleges in Udupi district.
Ramkrishna, who was arrested last week, allegedly shared sensitive information regarding the business of NSE with an unknown and an unidentified person.
File photo of former NSE CEO & MD Chitra Ramakrishna | Photo: PTI
New Delhi: Former National Stock Exchange CEO Chitra Ramkrishna was sent to jail for 14 days by a CBI court Monday in connection with the co-location scam case.
Co-location refers to a setup in which the broker’s computer is located in the same area as the stock exchange’s server.
Ramkrishna was arrested in Delhi last week. A Delhi court had refused to grant her anticipatory bail. The CBI, in its application, had sought a 14-day remand and stated that Ramakrishna continued to provide evasive answers and misguide the investigation officer.
Her advisor and former Group Operating Officer Anand Subramanian was arrested by the CBI in Chennai on 25 February. Ramkrishna was the managing director and chief executive officer of NSE between 2013 and 2016.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India had slapped a penalty of Rs 3 crore on Ramkrishna in the co-location case. An order from the stock market regulator had stated that Ramkrishna shared sensitive information regarding the business of the NSE with an unknown and an unidentified person.
She claimed she had been taking advice from this individual — who she had allegedly never met — for the last 20 years while making business decisions.
In reply to a question at the Lok Sabha, MoS for Education Subhas Sarkar also informed that the university has decided to conduct examinations twice during the centenary year.
Representational image of the Delhi University Arts Faculty | Photo: Commons
New Delhi: Delhi University will allow students who were unable to complete their degrees to return to the varsity and take their final exams, as a part of its year-long centenary celebrations starting 1 May.
In reply to a question at the Lok Sabha Monday, Minister of State for Education Dr Subhas Sarkar informed that the university has decided to conduct examinations twice during the centenary year.
“The University of Delhi has decided to give the centenary chance to all the ex-students of the University, who could not complete their degrees due to various impediments. It has been decided to conduct examinations twice during the centenary year of the university commencing from 01.05.2022 to 01.05.2023,” Sarkar said in a written reply.
Vikas Gupta, registrar of Delhi University, told ThePrint that the decision was taken as part of a special executive council meeting held in January.
“As part of our centenary celebrations this year we will set up a portal where former students who could not obtain their degree due to whatever reason will be allowed to register. After which two exams will be conducted wherein they can appear for the subject they could not clear and obtain their degree,” Gupta said.
In January’s executive council meeting, the varsity had also allocated Rs 10 crore from the university development fund and planned to set up a ‘coffee table book’ launch to mark the centenary celebrations.
The university development fund committee panel consists of former vice chancellor Yogesh Singh and registrar Vikas Gupta.
“The University of Delhi has decided to give the centenary chance to all the ex-students of the University, who could not complete their degrees due to various impediments. It has been decided to conduct examinations twice during the centenary year of the university commencing from 01.05.2022 to 01.05.2023,” Sarkar said in a written reply.
Vikas Gupta, registrar of Delhi University, told ThePrint that the decision was taken as part of a special executive council meeting held in January.
“As part of our centenary celebrations this year we will set up a portal where former students who could not obtain their degree due to whatever reason will be allowed to register. After which two exams will be conducted wherein they can appear for the subject they could not clear and obtain their degree,” Gupta said.
In January’s executive council meeting, the varsity had also allocated Rs 10 crore from the university development fund and planned to set up a ‘coffee table book’ launch to mark the centenary celebrations.
The university development fund committee panel consists of former vice chancellor Yogesh Singh and registrar Vikas Gupta.
Slamming the party’s decision to hold a brainstorming session, he said the leadership is living in “cuckoo land” if it is not aware of the reasons for the party’s decline even after eight years.
Congress leader and former Union Minister Kapil Sibal.
Four days after the rout of the party in the Assembly elections and a day after the Congress Working Committee reaffirmed its faith in the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Kapil Sibal said Monday it is time the Gandhis step aside from the leadership role and give some other person a chance.
Slamming the party’s decision to hold a brainstorming session, he said the leadership is living in “cuckoo land” if it is not aware of the reasons for the party’s decline even after eight years.
Signatory to a letter that 23 senior leaders had written to Sonia Gandhi in 2020 seeking sweeping changes in the party, Sibal is the first senior Congress leader to demand that the Gandhis make way for a new leader. He said the Gandhis should “voluntarily move away” because “a body nominated by them will never tell them that they should not continue to hold the reins of power.”
In an interview to The Indian Express, Sibal said he is neither surprised by the party’s defeat in the Assembly elections nor the decision of the CWC to reaffirm faith in the leadership of Sonia Gandhi. He said a large number of leaders outside the CWC have an entirely different point of view.
In a heartbreaking tragedy, five Indian students were killed in a road accident in Canada, said India’s High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria on Monday, adding that two others were injured and were hospitalized.
The accident occurred on Saturday on the Ontario highway and two injured students were rushed to the hospital.
Taking to Twitter, Ajay Bisaria expressed deepest condolences to the families of the victims.
Due to the outbreak of COVID -19, scheduled international flight services were suspended on March 23, 2020.
India To Resume Regular International Flights From March 27: Scindia (File Image)
New Delhi: Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Sunday said that regular international flights will resume from March 27 as the coronavirus situation in India has improved now.
Due to the outbreak of COVID -19, scheduled international flight services were suspended on March 23, 2020. However, special international flights have been operating between India and about 35 other countries since July 2020 under air bubble.
“I have already given a direction that restrictions on international flights, which were imposed due to COVID-19, be lifted,” Scindia said on the sidelines of an event here.
The arrests were made on the basis of a video of the harassment that went viral on social media. The police have detained two more persons who apparently shot the video and made it viral.
Madhya Pradesh, Harrasment, Alirajpur
Madhya Pradesh Police on Sunday arrested three Tribal men for allegedly harassing women sexually in full public view in the Alirajpur district, news agency PTI reported.
The arrests were made on the basis of a video of the harassment that went viral on social media. Consequently, the police have detained two more persons who apparently shot the video and made it viral.
We have detained the man who made the video and another one who made it viral. Besides, we have arrested three accused who were seen misbehaving with women,” Alirajpur Superintendent of Police Manoj Singh told PTI. The police aim to arrest three to four more people in the case.
This video is from MP, India. tribal Women being sexually harassed & assaulted in full public view. This is horrifying. Such women are subjected to this daily, because they belong to the oppressed section of the society, Tribal. #TribalLivesMatterpic.twitter.com/vUein71imK
Four hours after a key meeting on Sunday, the Congress Working Committee “unanimously reaffirmed” faith in president Sonia Gandhi’s leadership, as well as called for large-scale reforms and corrective measures for an organisational revamp. The CWC asked Sonia Gandhi to address weaknesses and effect necessary changes, as per a statement released after the meeting that was held to address the party’s election debacle in five states.
President Sonia Gandhi and senior leader Rahul Gandhi at the meeting of the Congress Working Committee on Sunday. (Image: News18)
The top decision-making body of the Congress brainstormed over a way forward and will hold a ‘chinatan shivir’ immediately after the budget session of parliament and the CWC will meet again, said general secretary KC Venugopal.
“Every single member of the CWC wants Sonia Gandhi to guide party till organisational elections are held,” Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said.
The Congress lost Punjab to the Aam Aadmi Party, could not wrest Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur from the BJP and the party’s tally in politically crucial Uttar Pradesh fell to its lowest.
Former party chief Rahul Gandhi, general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Venugopal, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, party’s leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and P Chidambaram were among those who attended the meeting.
The CWC said the election results were a cause of “serious concern” for the party, and that it accepted shortcomings in its election strategy. The party also said it could not overcome the anti-incumbency in Punjab in the short time after effecting a change of leadership. Captain Amarinder Singh was removed from the post of chief minister ahead of the assembly elections and replaced by Charanjit Singh Channi.
Venugopal said, “Including senior leaders, members openly participated in the decision to analyse the results. It was a sincere and fruitful analysis.”
Surjewala said state incharges took responsibility for the drubbing received by the party, sources said.
India has decided to temporarily relocate its embassy in Ukraine to Poland, the government said on Sunday.
Poland, China, India
The Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that the decision to move the embassy from Kyiv was being taken in view of the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Ukraine, including attacks in the western parts of the country.
“The situation will be reassessed in the light of further developments,” it added.
Earlier this month Ukraine’s government said that it had helped evacuate about 20,000 Indian students from areas of the country attacked by Russian forces following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but several were still trapped.
According to senior police officers investigating the matter, literature advocating the establishment of ‘khilafat’ were seized from the four arrested.
The Anti-Terrorist Squad of Madhya Pradesh has arrested four people allegedly affiliated to the banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) from different areas of Bhopal, police said on Sunday.
According to senior police officers investigating the matter, literature advocating the establishment of ‘khilafat’ were seized from the four arrested. The ATS also seized electronic equipment and other suspicious documents. Based on the seized literature, the four appeared to be active members of JMB, the officers said.
According to them, the four were arrested after they could not give a convincing reply on the purpose of their visit to Bhopal.
“The four had been living in Bhopal for the past two months but could not come up with a convincing answer on why they had come to the city,” said a senior police officer.
The investigators were looking into a large amount of literature recovered from the four. No explosive or firearm was recovered from their possession.
Delhi rain fury
India on Thursday did not rule out buying crude oil at discounted rates from Russia, with external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi pointing out that several European countries were still importing energy from Russia.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with various stakeholders, including community organisations and embassy officials from Hungary among other countries neighbouring Ukraine, for their involvement in Operation Ganga on Tuesday.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday accused the country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru of internationalising the Kashmir issue by taking it to the United Nations. She targeted the Congress on the issue while replying to a discussion on the Budget (2022-23) for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in Rajya Sabha.
“It is an issue which should not have gone to a global forum. It is essentially an Indian issue. We could have handled it. We are handling it, and we are showing the difference now,” she said.
In response, Congress MP Anand Sharma said: “I would like to set the record straight. If the matter was taken to the UN Security Council, the issue was whether there would be a cessation of the military conflict or not. India did not accept the plebiscite.”
“The UN Observers’ Office was never given that sanctity. India conducted elections. There were elected governments in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Not only that, we fought wars and we made it very clear repeatedly, and this has been India’s consistent position, prior to 2014, that Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral part of the sovereign state of India,” he added.
Sitharaman also said the terror activities in J&K have declined by 61% since the abrogation of Article 370. “In 2021, the kind of figures we have achieved, I want to show that there has been an overall decline in activities that disturbed peace. There has been a 33 per cent drop in infiltration attempts (51 in 2020 versus 34 in 2021), 90 per cent decrease in ceasefire violations (937 in 2020 versus 98 in 2021). Terror-related incidents came down from 244 in 2020 to 229 in 2021. There was 80 per cent decline in abductions by terrorists (from 10 in 2020 to two in 2021). The casualties involving police and security personnel saw a slide of 33 per cent (from 63 in 2020 to 42 in 2021). So, activities which have troubled Jammu and Kashmir for a very long time are on a decline,” she said.
Source : https://indianexpress.com/article/india/nehru-kashmir-issue-un-sitharaman-rajya-sabha-7833555/?utm_source=whatsapp_web&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialsharebuttons