"What If Same Spoon Is Used?": Sudha Murty's 'Veg-Non Veg' Remark Divides Internet

Author and philanthropist Sudha Murty is yet again garnering attention online for her comments about her food habits. Appearing in a recent episode of YouTube series called 'Khaane Mein Kaun Hai', the wife of Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy revealed that she is a pure vegetarian and hence one of her biggest concerns is the possibility of the same spoon being used for both vegetarian and non-veg food items.

Ms Murty mentioned that while she is adventurous when it comes to her work, she is not the same regarding her food choices. "I am a pure vegetarian, I don't even eat eggs, or garlic. What I am scared of is, that the same spoon will be used for both, vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. It weighs on my mind a lot!" Ms Murty admitted. She also said that when she travels abroad, she seeks out vegetarian restaurants or prepares her own meals. She carries her own bag of food and cooking items that can be easily heated in water, she said.

Ms Murty's comments have trigged various reactions online. While some internet users agreed that carrying food from home indeed is a good practice, others begged to differ.

"Many Indians pack food while travelling abroad. Food is a choice. #sudhamurthy is any elderly woman in our household who likes to chat," wrote one user. "We should not judge people based on their food preferences or other personal habits. Instead, we should focus on treating everyone with respect, regardless of their caste," said another.

"My mother , Aunt and even my wife takes food while travelling international as they are pure vegetarians. Even I prefer to eat home cooked food during travel," commented a third.

Also Read | Narayana Murthy Says Kareena Kapoor "Ignored Fans" On Flight, Video Viral

However, some users trolled the author for what they perceived as "selling" an overly simplistic lifestyle.

"Sudha Murthy's simplicity is becoming really irksome," wrote one user.

Another jokingly added, "On Foreign trips, Sudha Murthy carries her house along with her, what if the hotel room was used by another person..."

Meanwhile, in the YouTube video, Ms Murty revealed that her cooking bag comes with a "small cooker" which she uses to cook food. She even said that she would often pull her grandmother's legs for never eating outside and travelling with food items, but now, she behaves like her and carries her own food when she visits any foreign country.

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Opposition MPs, Who Visited Manipur, To Brief Floor Leaders In Parliament Tomorrow

The 21-member multi-party delegation of MPs of the Opposition's Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) that returned to the national capital after assessing the situation in the strife-torn state, will meet at the Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge's chamber in Parliament on Monday to brief the situation of the northeastern state.

The MPs who were part of the delegation will brief floor leaders of I.N.D.I.A alliance in the Parliament building at 9:30 am on Monday.

On the first day of their two-day whirlwind tour, the opposition MPs visited several relief camps in Imphal, Moirang in Bishnupur district and Churachandpur and met victims of ethnic clashes.

On Sunday, leaders met Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey at Raj Bhawan and handed over a memorandum to her and requested her to restore peace and harmony by taking all effective measures, "where justice should be the cornerstone".

"In order to bring peace and harmony, rehabilitation and resettlement of the affected persons is most urgent. You are also requested to apprise the Union Government of the complete breakdown of law and order in Manipur for the last 89 days so as to enable them to intervene in the precarious situation in Manipur to restore peace and normalcy," the memorandum reads.

The leaders returned to the national capital on Sunday vowing to take the matter further in the Parliament from Monday.

Most MPs who were part of the delegation had a similar complaint - "the pathetic condition of the relief camps" where those hit by the violence across the states are living currently.

The ruckus and war of words between the Treasury and Opposition benches over the prevailing situation in violence-hit Manipur may stall proceedings in both Houses of the Parliament, as they reconvene for the eighth day of the ongoing Monsoon Session on Monday.

Members of the grand Opposition alliance, I.N.D.I.A, have been adamant on the demand that all listed businesses in both Houses be set aside for a discussion on the Manipur situation.

The Opposition parties have been pressing for their demand since the beginning of the monsoon session of Parliament on July 20. The government has said that it is ready for debate on the issue but the opposition has insisted on a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in both the Houses of the Parliament.

The monsoon session of Parliament has seen disruptions since its beginning on July 20 with opposition members pressing their demand for a detailed discussion on Manipur and a statement from the Prime Minister.

The 21-member delegation included Rashtriya Janata Dal Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha, Trinamool MP Sushmita Dev, Aam Aadmi Party MP Sushil Gupta, Congress' Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Gaurav Gogoi, NK Premchandran from Revolutionary Socialist Party, Jayant Chaudhry from RLD, Kanimozhi from DMK, Thol Thirumavalavan from VCK among others.

Phulo Devi Netam from Congress, Sandosh Kumar from CPI, Javed Ali Khan from Samajwadi Party, PP Mohammad Faizal from NCP, Aneel Prasad Hedge from JD (U), Sushil Gupta from AAP, Mahua Maji from JJM and Jayant Singh from RLD are also the members of the team.

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10 Cops Injured After Violence Erupted During Muharram Procession In Delhi

A section of people taking out Muharram processions clashed with police and pelted stones at them, injuring around 10 cops and damaging several vehicles, after they were stopped from changing the designated route in west Delhi's Nangloi on Saturday, officials said.

The police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the "unruly crowd", they said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) Harendra Singh said, "Several 'tazia' processions were being carried out in Nagloi area and around eight to ten thousand people participated in them. One or two organisers became unruly and tried to divert their procession route which was earlier decided." "When police objected to it, they started pelting stones at police personnel. In order to control them, police resorted to a mild lathicharge and dispersed them from the area," Singh said.

According to the police, around 10 personnel received minor injuries and some police vehicles were damaged in the stone pelting.

The situation in the area is under control, the police said.

Some purported videos of the incident were circulated on social media.

In the videos, some people in the area are seen pelting stones causing damage to public vehicles, including buses, and private cars.

In one of the videos, police are seen resorting to lathicharge.

Muslims take out "tazia" processions on Muharram to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, in the battle of Karbala in 680 AD. "Tazia" is a miniature replica of the tomb of Imam Hussain. 

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Nothing Will Happen By Changing Name: Amit Shah Slams Opposition Front

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday slammed the Congress and its allies, including the DMK, saying nothing would happen by changing the name of their alliance to INDIA.

He was addressing a rally here, ahead of kick-starting Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai's state-wide 'En Mann, En Makkal (My Land, My People)' padayatra.

"When Congress and its allies, including the DMK, go to the people seeking votes, the public would remember the corruption, including the 2G scam and CommonWealth Games scam during the UPA regime, " he said.

"Congress-DMK and allies opposed the removal of Art 370; is Kashmir ours or not," he asked.

Taking forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Tamil pitch, he said PM Modi honoured Tamil culture by installing the 'sengol' in the new parliament building.

The senior BJP leader hit out at the DMK regime, calling it the most corrupt in the nation and said the BJP's yatra is an attempt to usher in politics of development and good governance in Tamil Nadu.

Mr Shah named Congress and its allies one by one, including the DMK, Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT), and accused them all of trying to empower their families and not the nation.

"Sonia Gandhi wants to make her son Rahul the Prime Minister, M K Stalin wants to make his son Udhayanidhi the Chief Minister." 

The BJP top leader also criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray as leaders who desired to see their heirs in leadership positions.

"However, PM Modi is the only leader who is working for the nation's development," he said.

Mr Shah also raised the issue of an accused person who is in jail continuing as a minister in Tamil Nadu. "Stalin should be ashamed of retaining V Senthil Balaji, arrested in an Enforcement Directorate case and in jail, in the cabinet," the union minister said.

"Can a person in jail continue as a minister," he asked. "Should Senthil Balaji not have resigned? Even if Senthil Balaji resigns, Stalin will not accept it because he is afraid that all secrets will be disclosed." Mr Shah said a single tweet of BJP state chief Annamalai has rattled the DMK regime, a reference to the state BJP leader's allegations of corruption vis-a-vis the 'DMK Files'.

"Imagine what will happen when Annamalai takes the yatra across the state," he asked.

Mr Shah later flagged off the 'En Mann, En Makkal' padayatra alongside state BJP president K Annamalai. The yatra, which will go on for six months, marks the start of BJP's poll campaign ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

The yatra will cover all 234 assembly constituencies in the State.

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Anti-Terror Squad Arrests Pune Man Who Gave Shelter To 2 Terror Suspects

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Thursday said it has arrested a man in Pune for allegedly giving shelter to the two terror suspects held last week by the city police by subletting a flat where he was a tenant.

The ATS also said that it recovered black "explosive" powder, laptops, parts of drones, books written in Arabic, among other things from the two terror suspects, in addition to a tent that the duo had allegedly procured to stay in the forest areas in Pune's adjoining districts.

The ATS took over the probe into the case from the Pune police recently.

The two terror suspects, wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for their alleged involvement in a terror-related case in Rajasthan, was arrested from the Kothrud area of Pune city in the early hours of July 18.

A court in Pune later remanded the duo - Mohammad Imran Mohammad Yunus Khan (23) and Mohammad Yunus Mohammad Yakub Saki (24) - in police custody till July 25, which was extended till August 5.

"A man identified as Abdul Qadir Dastgir Pathan was arrested on Wednesday for giving shelter to Khan and Saki in Pune," the ATS said.

On Thursday, he was produced in a special court, which remanded in the ATS custody till August 5.

Seeking the custody of Qadir, the ATS told the court that he had sublet his rented flat in Kondhwa to these two accused.

After hearing the arguments, the court remanded Qadir in the ATS custody till August 5, observing that the case was of serious nature.

The ATS also detained a man from coastal Ratnagiri district, but it was not clear whether he is the same person held for giving shelter to the terror suspects.

The two arrested terror suspects hail from Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh and are graphic designers. Both carried a bounty of Rs 5 lakh each, the police said.

They fled Ratlam after coming to know that their names cropped up in the investigation in the terror case in which some suspected members of the Al-Sufa outfit were arrested by the Rajasthan police from the Madhya Pradesh town, the police said.

They landed in Mumbai, where they stayed in the Bhendi Bazaar area for two to three days and then came to Pune's Kondhwa area. The duo took up jobs with the help of a local resident, the sources said.

They befriended a third person, a resident of Jharkhand, who managed to escape when the police arrested the duo, they said.

In Kondhwa, the accused duo happened to meet Qadir and told him that they have come to Pune in search of a job as their financial condition was weak, the sources said.

Qadir, who himself was involved in graphic designing work, provided them job and sublet the place, he had taken on rent, to them as an accommodation, they said.

The ATS said that they recovered a tent, which the two terror suspects had procured to live in the jungle areas.

Several items, such as laptops, tablets, weighing machines, parts of drones, maps, electric circuits, a soldering gun, black powder, and books written in Arabic, were also recovered from the duo, it said.

"During the analysis of the black powder, it came to light that it was an explosive substance," it said.

The ATS also added that they also recovered a tent, which they had procured to live in jungle areas.

Sources said that the two terror suspects were exploring possible hideouts in the jungle areas surrounding the Pune district in a bid to escape the eyes of the investigation agencies.

After taking over the investigation in the case, the ATS has slapped stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against the suspects as the seized items suggest that the duo had received training on making bombs and posed a threat to the unity and security of the nation, they said.

The ATS also said in its statement that multiple teams were working to trace the third suspect, who managed to escape during the operation on July 18. 

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Indian Man Reaches Pakistan After Getting Swept Away In Sutlej River: Report

A deaf Indian citizen, who was swept into Pakistan by floodwaters of the Sutlej River has been handed over to an intelligence agency, officials in Pakistan's Punjab province said on Wednesday.

"The Indian national who is in his 50s is deaf and communicates through sign language. He said he is a Hindu and the floodwater swept him here," a Rescue 1122 spokesperson said in Lahore.

The man swept into Pakistan from the floodwater of the Sutlej near Ganda Singh Wala, Kasur district of Punjab, some 70 km from Lahore, on Tuesday, the spokesperson said.

After his medical examination, the man has been handed over to an intelligence agency for investigation.

The man bore a script in Hindi language tattooed on his right hand, according to a report in the Dawn newspaper.

A video of the man also went viral on social media, it said.

Adjoining low-lying areas of Ganda Singh Wala got affected by the low-level flooding at Ganda Singh Wala in Sutlej River recently.

The flood in river Chenab in the past week inundated 40 villages and localities in the district due to which over 48,000 people were affected, according to the Punjab government.

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Bureaucrat's Father Arrested Over Casteist Remarks Against Haryana Officer

A bureaucrat's father was arrested today for allegedly making casteist remarks against the Deputy Commissioner of Haryana's Charkhi Dadri district, the police said.

Ashok Swami, the accused, made the remarks during a protest on Tuesday over waterlogging and poor drainage system in the Dadri market area.

Shops in the Dadri market remained shut on Tuesday, with owners later holding a meeting at the Ambedkar Chowk, during which Mr Swami allegedly made the casteist remarks against the deputy commissioner, the police said.

However, those present at the meeting objected to his comments.

Later, a video of the incident surfaced on social media.

An official of the agriculture department, posted as the Duty Magistrate during the traders' protest, complained to the police, based on which a case was filed against Mr Swami, the police said.

"Ashok Swami, the accused in the case, has been arrested. The charge is that the accused made casteist remarks against Charkhi Dadri's Deputy Commissioner," police officer Raj Kumar said.

"A case has been registered against the accused under provisions of the SC/ST Act," he said.

Mr Swami's son, an Indian Administrative Services officer, is posted in Rajasthan, Mr Kumar said. Mr Swami runs a sweets shop in Dadri.

The accused was produced before a court in Charkhi Dadri which sent him to jail for two weeks, the police said.

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Delhi Man Wanted To Sell House For Liquor Money, Kills Mother After She Refuses

A 29-year-old man was arrested for allegedly killing his mother over a property dispute in north Delhi's Shora Kothi area, police said on Wednesday.

The accused has been identified as Deepak, a resident of Shora Kothi, Ghantaghar at Subzi Mandi, they said.

On Tuesday, a woman made a PCR call at around 9.40 am stating that her brother had killed their mother, police said.

A police team reached the house where Charu, Heena and others were present and victim Indu was lying on the floor of one of the bedrooms, they said.

Charu alleged that after killing Indu, Deepak fled while she was making the PCR call, they said.

According to a senior police officer, the victim lived with her son who used to beat her daily. The accused is unemployed and an alcoholic.

The victim had multiple injuries on the face, neck, and hand. Her body was dragged from one room to the other, the officer said.

Charu revealed that her brother got married a few years ago, but his wife left him after a few months of marriage over domestic violence. He also used to beat his elder brother Mohit, who died a few years ago, the officer said.

Deepak has no source of income but used to live lavishly. He sold a house earlier this year and spent the money on purchasing a television and a car, the officer said.

Now, he intended to sell the house in Shora Kothi in order to meet his expenses of drinking and he was pressuring his mother for it, but she refused, police said.

Due to this, Deepak started thrashing Indu on a regular basis. On Monday night, when Charu made a video call to Deepak, she found that her mother was having injuries on her nose and mouth and she was bleeding, the officer said.

Around 1.30 am, the complainant again made a video call to her brother and saw that her mother was lying unconscious on the floor, police said.

She informed her younger sister and other relatives and rushed here in the morning where she found her dead.

When the complainant confronted Deepak about the circumstances of the death of their mother, he kept saying that she had fallen and sustained injury and tried to mislead them. When she told him that she was going to call the police, he ran away, the officer said.

The police conducted a house-to-house search in the area and arrested him from one of the buildings. He was taken to Hindu Rao Hospital for a medical examination, Deputy Commissioner of Police (north) Sagar Singh Kalsi said.

He was planning to sell the house of Shora Kothi as there was some water-related issue and also because he needed money for purchasing liquor. However, his mother refused, which made him angry, he said.

On Monday night, Indu informed Charu that Deepak had beaten her badly and feared that he might kill her. He further disclosed that both of them were in the same bedroom and his mother asked him to switch off the air conditioner, but he wanted to keep it on, DCP Kalsi said.

Infuriated by the conversation between his mother and sister, he started beating Indu with a sharp-edged stick, causing multiple injuries on her head, face, neck and hand due to which she became unconscious, police said.

He dragged her to another room and left her on the floor. He knew that Charu who lives in Nangloi would not come to his home at night and went to sleep for a few hours in another room leaving his unconscious mother alone, they said.

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What Makes Young India Anxious In Post-Covid Life? Survey Says...

A survey-based study on Indian youth has shed light on the preferences of young citizens in terms of education streams, employment type, and career aspirations after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study found that three out of every five youngsters preferred a government job over a private job or business.

It also highlighted the problems faced by youth such as difficulty paying house rent and the impact on their mental health during the pandemic.

The study was conducted by the Lokniti programme of the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, in partnership with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) in 18 states.

A total of 9,316  respondents aged between 15 and 34 years were part of the survey carried out last year in November and December. The study aimed to understand different aspects of the country against different backdrops of five broad areas including employment, education, social ties, lifestyle preferences, and physical and mental health.

"Since this study was undertaken after the devastating pandemic, the effects of the pandemic constitute an important backdrop to the views and lifestyles of today's youth," a statement said.

On India's youth's preference for the field of study, the findings suggest that arts and humanities constitute the most studied area. More than one-third or 35 per cent of the respondents opted for humanities, followed by science (20 per cent), commerce management (8 per cent) and engineering (5 per cent).

When the study delved into the employment profile of Indian youth, it found that presently about one-fourth or 23 per cent of the respondents were self-employed. It was followed by 16 per cent of youth, who were involved in professions like doctors and engineers.

Farming was third with 15 per cent of respondents choosing it. Although a significant proportion was also involved in semi-unskilled (14 per cent) work and skilled work (13 per cent), only 6 per cent were in government jobs - a highly preferred sector for young people.

In the backdrop of career aspirations, the findings suggested that the health sector was the most popular among the youth with 16 per cent of respondents desiring to be involved in it. While teaching jobs and business were at the second and fourth position, respectively, government jobs occupied sixth place in this segment.

The data revealed that the country's youth identified unemployment as the biggest concern of India.

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Congress Whip To Rajya Sabha MPs As Cabinet Clears Delhi Services Bill

With the government planning to bring a Bill in Parliament to replace the Delhi services ordinance, the Congress on Wednesday issued a whip, asking all its Rajya Sabha MPs to be present in the House on Thursday as "very important issues will be taken up for discussion".

On Tuesday, the Union cabinet reportedly gave its nod to the Bill that will replace the ordinance promulgated for the creation of an authority for transfers and postings of Group-A officers in Delhi.

The Congress's chief whip in Rajya Sabha issued a three-line whip, saying "very important issues will be taken up for discussion in Rajya Sabha tomorrow i.e. Thursday, July 27, 2023".

"All members of the Congress Party in the Rajya Sabha are requested to kindly remain present in the House from 11 am onwards till the adjournment of the House on Thursday, July 27, 2023, without fail and support the party stand," the whip said.

This may be treated as "most important", it added.

The controversial Delhi ordinance was promulgated by the central government on May 19, a week after the Supreme Court handed over the control of services in Delhi excluding police, public order and land to the elected government headed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

The ordinance facilitated the setting up of a National Capital Civil Service Authority for the transfer of and disciplinary proceedings against Group-A officers of the DANICS cadre.

Transfer and postings of all officers of the Delhi government were under the executive control of the lieutenant governor before the May 11 top court verdict.

Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party had reacted strongly against the ordinance saying the Centre had "deceived" the people of Delhi. The Congress and several other opposition parties have also come out against the ordinance. 

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Gyanvapi Mosque Management Moves High Court Against Survey, Hearing Begins

The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday heard a plea against a district court order directing the Archaeological Survey of India to conduct a survey to determine if the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi was built upon a temple.

After hearing arguments in the matter, Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker posted it for further hearing on Wednesday.

The high court also fixed August 28 for delivery of judgement on another petition challenging maintainability of a civil suit before a Varanasi court seeking the restoration of a temple at the site where the Gyanvapi mosque is currently situated. The judgement was reserved by Justice Prakash Padia on the petition filed by UP Sunni Central Waqf Board and others.

On Tuesday, Anjuman Intezamia Masjid, which manages the mosque, moved the high court, a day after the Supreme Court halted the ASI survey till 5 pm Wednesday, allowing time for the mosque management committee to appeal against the lower court's order.

The counsel for the committee, senior advocate SFA Naqvi, requested an early hearing of the case before Chief Justice Diwaker stating that there is an urgency as the Supreme Court's Monday order will expire on Wednesday.

On this, the Chief Justice said that if parties have no objection, then he himself can hear this matter. As the counsels for the parties agreed to the same, the court started hearing the matter.

Presenting his argument, Mr Naqvi requested the court to set aside the July 21 order of the Varanasi district court on the grounds that the district court had acted in urgency and directed the ASI to conduct the survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises and submit its report by August 4. Thereby, not giving sufficient time to the petitioner to challenge its order before appropriate forum as per law, he said.

Mr Naqvi said that the district court on July 21 passed the impugned order of ASI survey even without impleading ASI as a party to the suit.

He further said that the survey order was passed at a very preliminary stage as the parties were not asked to produce their evidence.

Mr Naqvi also argued that during the survey if any excavation is done, it will harm/damage the property in dispute (mosque).

Vishnu Shankar Jain, the counsel for the respondent (Hindu side), submitted that in the Ram Mandir case, a survey was conducted by the ASI and the same was accepted by the high court as well as the Supreme Court. Thus the order passed by the court below was just and proper, he said.

The mosque is located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi and the Hindu litigants in the district court had sought the survey to determine whether a temple existed at the same spot earlier.

The Varanasi district court on Friday ordered the ASI to conduct a survey using technologies like ground penetrating radar and excavations, if necessary.

The Supreme Court's Monday order to pause the survey came while the ASI team was inside the mosque complex.

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Video: Madhya Pradesh Official Swallows Rs 5,000 He Took As Bribe On Spotting Cops

An official of the revenue department in Madhya Pradesh's Katni swallowed money he had taken as a bribe after spotting a team of the Lokayukta's Special Police Establishment (SPE), an official said.

The incident took place on Monday when patwari Gajendra Singh received Rs 5,000 as a bribe in his private office as part of a trap laid by authorities, SPE Superintendent of Police Sanjay Sahu said.

"A man from the Barkheda village had complained to us, accusing Gajendra Singh of seeking a bribe. After taking the money, Mr Singh spotted the SPE team and swallowed it. He was rushed to a hospital where doctors said he is fine," the official said.

A case has been registered and further probe is underway, the police said.

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Man Stabbed To Death For Resisting Robbery Attempt In Delhi, 2 Arrested

A 26-year-old man was allegedly stabbed to death when he resisted a robbery bid in Delhi on Sunday, the police said, adding that two of the three accused have been arrested.

The accused have been identified as Irfan (22) and Sanjeev (24), police said, adding that the victim has been identified as Ajeet (26) alias Neeraj - a resident of Shehzada Bagh.

On Sunday around 11 am, a call was received about a person with a stab injury. The injured was shifted to the Hindu Rao Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival by the doctors, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Sagar Singh Kalsi said.

"No identification proof was available with the body. There were two tattoos - one on either arm. We spread the word through informers to identify the victim," he said.

Speaking about the investigation, Mr Kalsi said that the accused were located after footage of CCTV cameras from the area was examined. After analyzing the footage, two suspects were zeroed in on and caught.

"They confessed to stabbing the victim. Further efforts are being made to arrest the third accused as well," the DCP said.

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Deadly Mix Of Fake News, Rumours Fuelled Manipur Clashes: Officials

The ethnic violence in Manipur that erupted on May 3 and has left over 160 dead has been largely fuelled by rumours and fake news, according to officials from various security agencies who have been monitoring the situation in the restive northeastern state.

The despicable May 4 incident in Kangpokpi district, where two women were paraded naked and assaulted by several people, was among the spate of sexual attacks that occurred after a picture of a body wrapped in polythene was circulated in the Imphal valley with a false claim that the victim had been murdered by tribals in Churachandpur.

The picture was later found to be that of a woman murdered in the national capital but the fire had engulfed the valley by that time, and what was witnessed the next day put humanity to shame, says an official while referring to the video of the Kangpokpi incident that appeared on social media last week and has sparked massive outrage in the country.

On the same day, barely 30 km away, two more women in their 20s were brutally raped and murdered.

The lawlessness because of the fake picture spread like jungle fire and was one of the reasons for the state government to shut down the Internet on May 3, the officials said.

A section of parties and activists have opposed the suspension of the Internet. Refusing to interfere, the Supreme Court on July 17 asked the Manipur government to raise its grievance before the high court against the HC's earlier order on a limited restoration of the Internet in the state.

Analysis by various security agencies engaged in dousing the fire in Manipur, which has been on the boil since May 3, has led to the conclusion that there is "no control on fake or one-sided news being circulated even by local newspapers".

Citing a recent example, they said one of the prominent dailies had claimed that tribal men, armed with weapons, had planned to attack the members of the majority community at Kwatha village of Chandel district.

Alarmed by the news report, Manipur police swung into action, only to find that the news report was false.

The police issued a statement saying that there was no attempt to burn any village as reported in some local dailies and again appealed that only verified information in sensitive cases should be published.

Police have dedicated 'Rumour Free Number' 9233522822 for verifying any information emerging either through social media or word of mouth and checking the spread of disinformation.

Another video showing tribal youths marching in Churachandpur a few days back was circulated in the valley with subtitles claiming that the tribals will snatch women and children from the majority community.

However, since the video was in Mizo language, which is the most widely spoken of the Kuki-Chin areas, some anti-social elements took advantage and put subtitles to raise tempers in the Imphal valley, where Manipuri Meiteilon is generally spoken.

What was actually spoken in the video was a demand for a separate administration which ended with a tribal hymn, the officials said.

Another fake news being peddled and circulated in the Imphal valley was that some tribals had torched a religious place - Kongba Maru Laiphamlen.

Security agencies took some of the members of the majority community and showed them that no damage had been done to the religious place. However, armed clashes were reported between the ethnic groups in which two tribals were injured. Things subsided after the news was denied.

Another video was circulated which showed some dead people lying on the ground and termed as members of the majority community mowed down by the tribals. This video was also circulated after the shocking 26-second clip of the assault on two tribal women appeared on social media.

The fact, officials said, was that the dead were members of the majority community who had attempted to burn a tribal village in the hills and were killed in retaliatory action.

In the early phase of violence, a video showing a young woman being brutally assaulted and finally shot to death was circulated with a claim that she was a tribal woman who was tortured by the majority community.

It was immediately clarified that the video was that of a woman killed in Tamu town of Myanmar last year and had no links with the ethnic clashes in Manipur.

Earlier this month, a vehicle, which was a part of Manipur Police's Inspector General (CID), was set afire after a fake rumour that some tribals were being escorted out of the Imphal valley. However, police took strong action and arrested people in this connection, The majority community held a protest in the national capital where they had shown a woman from their community being targeted by the tribals. However, the picture was that of an Arunachal Pradesh woman who had been abused domestically, the officials said.

Officials feel that with the rumour mills working overtime, it will take a long time before the Internet could be fully restored in the state.

"The semblance of sanity has to arrive first. As of now, we are very far from that," a senior official said.

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Delhi On Alert As Haryana Releases Barrage Water Into Yamuna: Minister

The Delhi government is on high alert due to the discharge of over two lakh cusecs of water from the Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana into the Yamuna, Revenue Minister Atishi said.

Some parts of Yamuna Khadar (floodplains) might get inundated if the river's water level crosses 206.7 metres. However, the government is prepared for evacuations, the minister said.

According to the Central Water Commission (CWC) data, the flow rate at the Yamunanagar-located Hathnikund Barrage crossed the 1 lakh mark at 9 am and oscillated between 2 lakh and 2.5 lakh cusecs between 10 am and 4 pm.

The India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rain in parts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand till July 25.

Atishi said a regular 'munadi' (announcement) is being done in vulnerable areas to inform residents about the threat of flooding. Relief camps have been inspected and preparations made for people to stay there.

The Delhi government is on high alert due to the discharge of more than 2 lakh cusecs of water from the Hathnikund Barrage into the Yamuna River, the minister said.

"The situation has sparked concern, prompting the government to take proactive measures to ensure the safety and well-being of the residents," she added.

Atishi said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been closely monitoring the developments and overseeing the response efforts.

The Department of Revenue has undertaken extensive measures to tackle the situation effectively, she said.

"Whether it's the central district, eastern district, or areas like the Yamuna Bazar and Yamuna Khadar, we have made sufficient preparations to address any challenges that may arise," she said.

The Delhi government appeals to the public to remain vigilant and cooperate with the authorities during this critical time. Updates and advisories will be regularly provided to keep the residents informed about the evolving situation, the minister said.

Parts of Delhi have been grappling with waterlogging and flooding for more than a week now. Initially, a downpour caused intense waterlogging on July 8 and 9, with the city receiving 125 per cent of its monthly rainfall quota in just two days.

Subsequently, heavy rains in the upper catchment areas of the Yamuna, including in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Haryana, led to the river swelling to a record 208.66 metres on July 13.

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One More Detained Over Horrific Manipur Video: Cops

Manipur Police has arrested a sixth person in connection with the May 4 parading of two women naked in Kangpokpi district of the state, officials said on Saturday.

Police said the arrested person is a juvenile.

Police had made the first arrest on Thursday, a day after a 26-second video of the horrific incident surfaced on July 19. Three more arrests were made later that day.

The fifth accused, 19-year-old youth, was arrested on Saturday.

One of the women seen in the video is the wife of an ex-army man, who served as a subedar in the Assam Regiment and had even fought in the Kargil War. 

More than 160 people have lost their lives, and several have been injured since ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3, when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mostly in the hill districts.

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In Cinematograph Bill, Centre Proposes 3-Year Jail To Curb Film Piracy

The government has proposed a maximum three-year jail term and a fine up to five per cent of the production cost of a film for persons making pirated copies of movies, in a bill to amend the Cinematograph Act.

The Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill-2023, introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday by Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur also proposes to grant the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) certificate to films with perpetual validity by doing away with the 10-year validity period.

The Bill was made available in the public domain on Friday.

Mr Thakur withdrew the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill-2019 before introducing the revised Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

The Bill seeks to introduce age-based certification in 'UA' category into three age-based categories, namely 'UA 7+', 'UA 13+' and 'UA 16+', and also to empower the CBFC to sanction the film with a separate certificate for its exhibition on television or other media.

In a bid to curb film piracy, the Bill seeks to introduce new sections in the Cinematograph Act with provisions to prohibit unauthorised recording of films (section 6AA) and their exhibition (section 6AB).

The stringent new provision 6AA in the Bill also prohibits recording of a film or any part thereof with the sole purpose of using the recording in the same device.

"If any person contravenes the provisions of section 6AA or section 6AB, he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three months, but may extend to three years and with a fine which shall not be less than three lakh rupees but may extend to five per cent of the audited gross production cost," the Bill said.

"The proposed amendments would make the certification process more effective, in tune with the present times, and comprehensively curb the menace of film piracy, and thus help in faster growth of the film industry and boost job creation in the sector," Thakur said in the statement of objects and reasons of the Bill.

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3 Killed, Chinese Consulate Damaged In Russian Attack On Ukraine

At least three people were killed and a Chinese consular building was damaged on Thursday in a third successive night of air strikes on southern Ukrainian port cities, Ukrainian officials said.

Regional governor Oleh Kiper posted a photograph showing at least one broken window at the Chinese consulate in the Black Sea city of Odesa, but there was no sign of any other damage.

Beijing, a Russian ally, did not immediately comment on the incident, one day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said 60,000 tons of agricultural products destined for China had been destroyed in an attack on another Ukrainian port city.

Moscow said it had carried out "retaliatory strikes", days after it quit a deal allowing Ukrainian Black Sea grain shipments and accused Ukraine of being behind blasts on a bridge used to transport Russian military supplies.

Ukraine's military said Russian forces launched 19 missiles and 19 drones overnight, and that five of the missiles and 13 of the drones were shot down.

"Russian terrorists continue their attempts to destroy the life of our country," President Zelensky said on the Telegram messaging app. "Together we will make it through this terrible time. And we will withstand the attacks of Russian evil."

In Odesa, a security guard was killed and at least eight other people were hurt, including a child, Kiper said.

A married couple was killed in the city of Mykolaiv, mayor Oleksandr Senkevych said.

Regional governor Vitaliy Kim had said earlier on Thursday that 19 people were hurt in the city, and several residential buildings were damaged.

Fire fighters in Mykolaiv tackled a huge blaze that left a three-storey residential building without its top floor, and adjacent buildings were gutted by the fire.

A Russian attack on the port of Chornomorsk on Wednesday damaged grain export infrastructure as well as the agricultural products Mr Zelensky said were meant for China.

Ukrainian officials see the air strikes as an attack on global food security because Kyiv is a major grain exporter. Mykhailo Podolayk, a senior adviser to President Zelensky, urged the international community to do more in response.

"Will we see an emergency convocation of the UN Security Council to discuss global food security? The international community chooses... to stand aside," he wrote on Twitter.

Authorities in the northeastern region of Kharkiv said separately a 61-year-old man had been killed there by Russian shelling on Thursday.

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Madhya Pradesh Gives Rs 196.6 Crore To 78,641 Students For Buying Laptops

The Madhya Pradesh government on Thursday collectively transferred Rs 196.6 crore to the bank accounts of 78,641 students, who secured 75 per cent or above in the Class 12 exam conducted by the state board for purchasing laptops.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan clicked a button at an event here to initiate the process of transferring Rs 25,000 each to the students' accounts.

The 'gift' to buy laptops will also be applicable to students from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) from next year, he said.

Addressing students here, Mr Chouhan said he loves children and won't let their dreams shatter. "Our government is making all-out efforts for students to scale newer heights and in securing their future," he said.

"From next year, we are going to give Scooty (scooters) to all toppers. The laptop scheme will also cover CBSE students," he said.

The Chief Minister asserted he will ensure that no student leaves schooling due to constraints, adding that the education infrastructure in the state was being upgraded.

Assembly elections are expected to be held in the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh in the next few months. 

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US Girl Awarded $800,000 After She Was Severely Burned By McDonald's Chicken Nugget

A Florida family was awarded $800,000, following a civil lawsuit against McDonald's and a franchisee. The South Florida jury delivered the verdict after a 4-year-old girl named Olivia Caraballo, suffered second-degree burns from a McDonald's chicken nugget four years ago, reported CBS News.

Lawyers for the family were seeking $15 million in damages. However, jurors reached their verdict after deliberating for less than two hours on Wednesday, the media outlet reported.

After hearing the closing arguments, a jury decided to award $800,000 amount for the child's pain and suffering.

According to NBC Miami, Philana Holmes and Humberto Caraballo Estevez, the parents of Olivia Caraballo, sued the McDonald's Corporation and the franchisee Upchurch Foods, Incorporated, also known as Upchurch Management, claiming the girl suffered second-degree burns from the "unreasonably and dangerously" hot nuggets in her "Happy Meal."

The suit said that one nugget got stuck in her car seat and burned the child's leg.

Ms Holmes said, "I'm actually just happy they listened to Olivia's voice and she, the jury was able to decide a fair judgement, I'm happy with that."

"This momentous decision brings meaningful closure to an arduous and protracted legal process," the attorneys said in a statement. "Having previously established the defendants, Upchurch Foods Inc and McDonald's USA LLC, as liable for their wrongful actions, this verdict reaffirms that they must now face the consequences and provide full justice. Despite years of denying any fault and, during this trial, attempting to undermine the extent of Olivia's suffering in the eyes of the community, their efforts have been superseded by the jury's determination."

Both McDonald's and Upchurch argued during the trial that they were not at fault. However, the jury found that McDonald's failed to put warnings on the food which led to the child's injury.

The jury said that the McNuggets should be served safely.
 

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No Proposal To Change Courts' Language Of Functioning: Centre

The government informed the Rajya Sabha today that there was no proposal to change the language of functioning of courts from English to Hindi.

As part of a question on the issue of Uniform Civil Code, a member asked whether the government proposes to change the language of functioning of courts from English to Hindi so that the common people can understand proceedings in their own language.

In his written response, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal replied in the negative.

In April 2022, then Chief Justice of India N V Ramana had said there were "certain barriers" as regard to the introduction of local languages in the respective High Courts in the country but had expressed confidence that the issue may be "solved in the near future" with the help of scientific innovation, including artificial intelligence. 
 

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Setback For Sharad Pawar, All 7 NCP MLAs In Nagaland To Support Ajit Pawar

All seven MLAs of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Nagaland have expressed support to Ajit Pawar in a huge setback for his uncle Sharad Pawar.

The seven NCP MLAs of the northeast state in a statement today said all party workers in the Nagaland NCP office will also support Ajit Pawar.

Earlier this month, Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP MLAs joined the Maharashtra Shiv Sena and BJP alliance government, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. That move split the NCP, the party founded by Sharad Pawar.

Ajit Pawar's tactical manoeuvre has parallels to how Mr Shinde broke away from the Shiv Sena when Uddhav Thackeray was the Chief Minister. Mr Shinde eventually gained control of the Shiv Sena.

In 2019, the Shiv Sena had ended the alliance with the BJP and formed the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra with the Congress and NCP.

The government collapsed last year after Mr Shinde split the party and joined hands with the BJP to form a new government.

Asserting his leadership of the "real NCP," Ajit Pawar has drawn the support of senior party leaders like Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, and Dilip Walse Patil.

However, Sharad Pawar has also asserted his claim as the leader of the "real NCP," expelling several senior leaders for "anti-party activities."

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Indian-Origin 7-Year-Old Schoolgirl Wins UK PM's Points Of Light Award

An seven-year-old Indian-origin schoolgirl, who started volunteering for a United Nations' sustainability initiative against microplastic pollution when she was just three, has been awarded the British Prime Minister's Points of Light award.

Moksha Roy, who received the award from Deputy British Prime Minister Oliver Dowden last week, has the distinction of being the world's youngest sustainability advocate.

Moksha has been recognised for volunteering for several sustainability campaigns, including raising funds to help children in need.

"Moksha has set an excellent example in her work championing UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She has gone to significant lengths to have these included in the school curriculum and has been in communication with leaders all over the world to encourage them to consider this," said Dowden.

"Her school no longer uses plastic glitter, confetti or plastic art supplies - this is a testament to her strong beliefs and ability to change those around her to create a better world," he said.

Moksha has also assisted in educational sessions for deprived schoolchildren in India.

"I am very happy to receive the Points of Light award. I hope both children and adults get to understand that caring for the planet and its people and making small changes to everyday life should not be just for a few. It is just like brushing our teeth," said Moksha.

"We brush our teeth to care for them and avoid pain; similarly we can take care of the planet not for anyone else, but just us, to be safe. Each and every one of us can do small things in our own lives, work and community to combat the big challenges such as climate change, pollution, poverty and inequality," she said.

Her parents, Ragini G Roy and Sourav Roy, said their daughter's efforts prove that even the youngest in society have a role to play in combatting climate change.

According to Downing Street, the Points of Light awards recognise outstanding people whose service is making a difference in their communities and whose story can inspire others towards innovative solutions to social challenges in their own communities and beyond.

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Massive Solar Flare Erupts, Potentially Triggering a Solar Storm

Due to the Sun's occasional severe solar storms, which have the potential to disrupt all communication on Earth, there has been a resurgence of interest in its solar cycles. Today's solar flare pounded our world, crashing into the magnetic field of the earth.

According to Spaceweather.com, the big sunspot AR3363 just produced a significant solar flare, a long-duration M6-class event, during the early hours of July 18th. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the blast near the sun's southwestern limb.

Energetic protons accelerated by the flare have reached Earth and are now peppering the top of our planet's atmosphere. This is called a "radiation storm." According to data from NOAA's GOES-16 satellite, it is a category S2 event.

The website, which tracks solar activity, reported that, although the explosion was not X-class, it was more powerful than many X-flares would be. Why? Because it lasted so long. The flare's X-ray output was above M5 for more than an hour and above M1 for nearly 4 hours. It had plenty of time to lift a substantial CME out of the sun's atmosphere.

Although the CME is not heading directly for Earth, it appears to have an Earth-directed component. A NASA model suggests it could deliver an effective glancing blow as early as July 20th. NOAA is doing its own modelling, and results should be available soon.

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Opposition Meet Live Updates: Opposition's Dinner Meeting At Bengaluru 5-Star Over

Gearing up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress has rallied support from a total of 25 parties for the second Opposition Unity meeting in Karnataka's Bengaluru beginning on Monday. 

Leaders of at least 24 Opposition parties will converge at a hotel in Bengaluru on July 17-18 as part of their efforts to present a united front against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the Centre. 

Here are the LIVE updates on the Opposition meet:

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Delhi To Set Up Camps For Those Whose Aadhaar Cards, Other Documents Washed Away In Floods

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced the government will set up special camps for those whose Aadhaar cards and other documents were washed away in the floods.

He made the announcement during a visit to a relief camp in north Delhi's Mori Gate.

"The government will set up special camps for those whose Aadhaar cards and other key documents were washed away in the flood. We will again arrange for school dresses and books for students," Kejriwal told reporters.

He said the government is pumping water out from waterlogged roads and life is slowly returning to normal.

Yamuna water levels had come down to 205.85 metres by 1 pm.

When asked about whether the AAP will attend the meeting of the opposition parties in Bengaluru slated for Monday and Tuesday, he said the PAC will take a call on it.

The Congress had on Saturday suggested it will oppose the Centre's ordinance on control of Services in Delhi, throwing its lot with the AAP.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Sunday said, "I think they (AAP) are going to join the meeting tomorrow. As for the ordinance, our stand is very clear. We are not going to support it."

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Teen Gang-Raped Many Times Since 2022 By Boyfriend, Friends: Kerala Police

Five men have been arrested for the allegedly sexually assaulting and gangraping a teenager in Kerala's Adoor several times from last December, the police said today.

The 17-year-old girl was raped by her friend and acquaintances multiple times and more recently by her boyfriend in June, the police said, adding that four cases, including that of gangrape, have been filed in the matter.

The girl's boyfriend, Sumesh (19), her friend Shakthi (18), his friends Anoop (22), Abhijith (20) and Aravind (28) have been arrested, the police said.

The matter came to light during a counselling session held by the District Child Welfare Committee which informed the police.

"We immediately recorded her statement, medically examined her and registered the cases," the police told news agency PTI.

According to the police, the incidents began last December when her friend Shakthi allegedly raped her. She was then allegedly sexually assaulted by Anoop. Later, Shakthi took Anoop, Abhijith and Aravind to her home and all but Aravind allegedly gangraped her, the police said.

The case was registered in the first week of July. Sumesh was arrested two days ago and has been remanded in judicial custody. 

The police arrested the rest last night and this morning.

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Himachal Suffered Nearly Rs 8,000 Crore Losses Due To Rain: Chief Minister

Himachal Pradesh has suffered losses of about Rs 8,000 crore as heavy rains caused damage in the hill state, triggering landslides and flash floods and damaging roads and other infrastructure, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Saturday.

According to the state emergency response centre, the losses amounted to about Rs 4,000 crore till Friday night and Chief Minister Sukhu had sought an interim relief of Rs 2,000 crore from the Union home ministry.

About 70,000 tourists have been evacuated from the state and 15,000 vehicles sent out, while around 500 tourists have voluntarily decided to stay back, Sukhu said in a statement issued here.

Some tourists stuck at Kasol, Manikaran and other adjoining areas in Kullu district refused to move out without their vehicles and have decided to stay back for a few more days till the situation normalises and all roads are opened.

Due to a heavy landslide near Dunkhara on the Kasol-Bhuntar road, the vehicles could not be moved and the tourists had to trek to reach the other side. However the state government said these tourists are being taken care of.

Electricity, water and mobile phone services have been temporarily restored in 80 per cent of the disaster-affected areas and efforts are being made to restore essential services in the remaining areas at the earliest, the statement said.

The bus service of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) is suspended on 899 routes and 256 buses are held en route. The HRTC has suffered losses of Rs 5.56 crore, officials said.

Meanwhile, the local MeT office has issued an "orange" warning for heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places in 10 of the 12 districts of the state, barring Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur, from July 15 to 17 and warned of the possibility of landslides, flash floods, mudslides and increased runoff in rivers and nullahs.

It has also issued a "yellow" warning for heavy rain on July 18 and forecast a wet spell in the state till July 21.

The state has received 284.1 mm rain so far in July, against the normal rainfall of 110.4 mm, an excess of 157 per cent.

Light to heavy rain continued to lash parts of the state, with Dharamshala receiving 131 mm rain, followed by Palampur (51 mm), Sundernagar and Nahan (45 mm each), Kangra (27 mm), Mandi and Narkanda (16 mm each).

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US Man, Who Sought Explicit Photos From Filipino Girls, Jailed For 30 Years

A Chicago man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for soliciting sexually explicit photos and videos from young girls in the Philippines.

Karl Quilter, 58, pleaded guilty last year to sexual exploitation of children, the US Attorney's Office for the North District of Illinois said.

Quilter was sentenced to 30 years in a federal prison by US District Judge Virginia Kendall, the US Attorney's Office said in a statement on Friday.

Quilter enticed at least nine girls in the Philippines to produce sexually explicit photos and videos and send them to him via Facebook, Viber, and Skype between 2017 and 2020, it said.

Quilter "preyed on the victims' financial difficulties, using money transfers to the victims' families to entice the girls to record the sexually explicit images," the US Attorney's Office said. 

"Victim by victim, and message by message, defendant used social media and the internet to target and groom young Filipino girls," Assistant US attorney Ashley Chung said in the government's sentencing memorandum.

"This was not a one-time aberration, but rather a years-long pattern of predatory abuse and exploitation of minors," Chung said.

Quilter was arrested in Chicago in November 2020.

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Australian Woman Conned Into Paying Rs 82,000 In Bali For A 'Dirty Passport'

An Australian woman was forced to pay $1000 at the Bali airport after officials said her "dirty" passport was not acceptable. Monique Sutherland was flying to the Indonesian province with her 60-year-old for a much-needed holiday, New York Post reported. 

Ms Sutherland narrated that her ordeal began when the pair checked into the Batik Air Counter. The 28-year-old shared that she was singled out by airport staff due to the condition of her passport. The airport staff made her sign a special blue form as her passport was 'slightly dirty'. 

"This was because my passport was slightly dirty as it is seven years old," she told 7 News. 

She was instructed to carry the blue form along with her passport. After getting the paperwork in order and going through immigration, the mother and daughter were able to board the plane and enjoy their flight to Bali. 

But her problems began once she landed in Bali and attempted to pass through immigration. Ms Sutherland claims that she was escorted into an interrogation room and was questioned for over an hour. 

Ms Sutherland recalled that the airport staff started laughing and accusing her of breaking the law because her passport was 'damaged.'

"They told me they would be able to sort out the issue for a fee of $1000," she said, after claiming that if she didn't pay, she wouldn't receive her passport back.

Ms Sutherland recently lost her job and stood her ground and refused to pay. The airport officials decided to take advantage of her mother. 

She said, "They approached my scared mother and convinced her to pay, and said if she didn't I wouldn't be getting my passport returned."

Once the officials received their money, Ms Sutherland and her mom were able to enjoy their holiday without further issues. 

However, Ms Sutherland reached out to an Australian border security staff member, who informed her that she was likely corned. "My passport was never the real issue."

She added, "It was an easy way to get some money from inexperienced tourists."

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Security Challenges Evolved From "Dynamite To Metaverse", "Hawala To Crypto": Amit Shah

Warning the global community about security challenges which have evolved from "dynamite to metaverse" and "hawala to crypto currency", Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday urged G20 countries to rise above conventional boundaries to act against such crimes.

Speaking at the 'G20 Conference on Crime and Security in the Age of NFTs, AI & Metaverse', he underlined the threats emanating from cyber criminals using darknet, metaverse, deepfakes, ransomware and toolkit-based misinformation campaigns and strategic targeting of critical information and financial systems.

"The G20 has so far focused on digital transformation and data flow from an economic perspective, but now it is important to understand the aspects of crime and security, and find a solution," he said.

Amit Shah said such activities are a national concern as they directly impact national security, law and order, and the economy. If such crimes and criminals have to be stopped, we have to think and act by rising above the conventional geographic boundaries, he noted.

The Home Minister suggested a slew of measures to act against cyber criminals operating across borders like bringing uniformity in laws of all countries, developing a response mechanism under different laws of the countries, harmonising bench marks, best practices and regulations, and greater coordination among cyber agencies of all countries.

"An integrated and stable approach to cyber security policies will facilitate interoperability, increase trust in information sharing, and reduce the agency protocol and resources gaps. The need of the hour is to share 'real-time cyber threat intelligence' among member countries with active support from industry and academia to secure the nation's critical infrastructure," he said.

Amit Shah said our internet vision should neither be one of excessive freedom threatening the very existence of our nations nor one of the isolationist structures such as digital firewalls.

"Although technology is a positive development in bringing human beings, communities, and countries closer, there are also some anti-social elements and global forces that are using technology to cause economic and social harm to citizens and governments," he added.
 

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Newborn Dies After Delivery In UP's Government Hospital Toilet, Probe Ordered

A panel of doctors here is examining an allegation that a newborn died Wednesday after being delivered in a toilet at a government hospital when the staff refused to admit her.

The family claimed that the newborn fell into the toilet during delivery, and could not be pulled out in time.

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Ashwini Kumar, however, claimed that the birth - or stillbirth - happened in the toilet but denied allegations that the hospital refused to attend to the woman in labour.

Gothani village resident Jagnayak Singh said he brought his wife Rashmi Singh to the Government Mother and Child Hospital around 5 am on Wednesday after she had labour pain.

"We pleaded to the staff at the hospital to admit my wife but they refused to do anything and asked us to wait till the doctors arrived," Singh told PTI.

"My wife went to the bathroom at the reception in pain, where she delivered the child. The child fell into the toilet and died," Singh added.

According to the local people, the hospital staff along with the family members tried to rescue the newborn. But by the time the child was pulled out, it was already too late. The mother was then admitted to the labour room and her condition is said to be critical.

Denying allegations against the hospital, the CMO said, "The woman was seen by a lady doctor who told her that there was no heartbeat of the foetus. The woman was asked to wait for an ultrasound to clear the situation." The officer, however, confirmed that the woman gave birth inside the bathroom. He also added that a probe has been ordered to look into the allegations.

"A panel of three doctors has been formed to probe the matter. Strict action will be taken against those found guilty in the incident," the CMO said.

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Bastille Day, CEO Forum: PM Modi's Packed Schedule In France

As France is ready to roll out a red carpet for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his visit to the European nation is likely to be packed with several interactions with the top leadership in France to discuss issues of global interest that show the growing ties between the two countries.

Notably, PM Modi is the Guest of Honour at Bastille Day celebrations in France this year. On the occasion, the Tri-services contingent from India will participate, including Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft.

French National Day, or Bastille Day, occupies a special place in French consciousness. This day commemorates the Storming of the Bastille Prison in 1789 during the French Revolution. The Bastille Day Parade is the highlight of the Bastille Day Celebrations.

However, it is uncommon for foreign politicians to be invited as the Guest of Honour for Bastille Day (the previous time was in 2017 when the US President (Donald Trump at that time) was given the invitation).

Participation by foreign marching bands and aircraft is even more unusual.

The visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi becomes all the way more important as it coincides with the 25th anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership.

The two leaders (PM Modi and French President Macron) share great personal chemistry between the leaders.

According to sources, a special gesture by President Emmanuel Macron is likely, which includes multiple meetings in the presence of the PM, particularly a private dinner and joint meeting with CEOs. Also, a State Banquet at the iconic Louvre Museum on Bastille Day will likely be hosted.

Moreover, PM Modi's interaction with the entire political leadership of France, including President Macron, Prime Minister Borne and the Presidents of the Senate (Upper House) and National Assembly (Lower House) is also expected during his visit.

A strong focus will be laid on trade and economy with a CEO Forum comprising big names from the Indian and French sides. A close collaboration not just on bilateral issues but also on what the two countries can do on global issues will be looked upon.

PM's visit has been preceded by numerous activities organized by our Embassy, including Namaste France earlier this week. Interaction with the prestigious La Seine Musicale with the Indian community is also expected, as per sources.

Ambitious outcomes of PM Modi's France visit are anticipated in the areas of defence, space, geostrategic planning, infrastructure, energy, climate action, museology, student mobility, interpersonal relations, sports, and culture, among others.

As India and France are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their Strategic Partnership this year, the Indian military contingent would also be part of the marching contingent on Bastille Day, alongside their French counterparts to mark this important milestone.

At the invitation of France President Emmanuel Macron, PM Modi will be the Guest of Honour on France's National Day on July 14.

The French traditional military parade is held in Paris during Bastille Day on July 14. PM Modi's visit will coincide with the 25th anniversary of the "strategic partnership" between France and India.

Prime Minister's visit is expected to herald the next phase in the India-France Strategic Partnership by setting new and ambitious goals for our strategic, cultural, scientific, academic, and economic cooperation, including in a wide range of industries, as per the official statement released by the Indian Embassy in France.

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Want To Ensure Two-Finger Test Archaic Potency Test Are Discontinued: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court has directed the authorities to come up with a standard operating procedure for conducting a Potency Test by merely using blood sample of an accused, saying science has advanced and there is no need for collecting semen sample. It also stressed on the need to ensure that the Two-Finger Test is discontinued.

A division bench comprising Justices N Anand Venkatesh and Sunder Mohan, which was specially constituted to monitor the implementation of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, gave the directive in a recently passed order dated July 7, 2023.

The bench was also hearing a habeas corpus petition involving a minor girl and boy.

The bench said, "We want to ensure that the Two-Finger Test and the archaic Potency Test are discontinued. There shall be a direction to the Director General of Police to instruct the Inspector General of Police of various zones to collect data by going through medical reports prepared in all cases starting from January 1, 2023, involving sexual offence and see if any report given makes reference to the Two-Finger Test.

"If any such report is identified, it shall be collected and shall be brought to the notice of this court. On receipt of the same, we will pass further orders. Likewise, the Potency Test that is done in cases involving sexual offence, carries a mechanism of collecting sperm from the offender and this is a method of the past. Science has improved metes and bounds and it is possible to conduct this test by just collecting the blood sample.

"Such advanced techniques are being followed across the world and we should also fall in line. Hence there will be a direction to the respondents (authorities) to come up with a standard operating procedure for conducting Potency Test by merely collecting the blood sample. On receipt of the report, we will pass further orders".

The bench posted further hearing of the case to August 11.

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Teen Dies By Suicide After Father Stops Talking To Him Over Studies: Cops

A 14-year-old boy allegedly committed suicide in Nagpur in Maharashtra on Sunday after his father stopped talking to him over his lack of interest in studies, a police official said.

The child was distressed over this and hanged himself in the afternoon in his Shanti Nagar home when his father was away, the official said.

"He hanged himself using a towel in a first floor room of the house. He was declared dead on arrival by doctors are Mayo Hospital. We found that his father had stopped talking to him for not focussing on studies and skipping tuition. Further probe is underway," the Shanti Nagar police station official said. 

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12-Year-Old Boy Dies After Being Attacked By Stray Dogs In Rajasthan: Cops

A 12-year-old boy was killed in an attack by three stray dogs while he was on his way to agriculture field in Rajasthan's Bundi district on Sunday, police said.

The incident took place in the morning in Tikha Barda village, they said.

Mangilal Gurjar, a class 5 student and resident of Tikha Barda village, suffered critical injuries after stray dogs attacked him, said Shyam Sunder, Duty Officer at Bundi Sadar police station.

The dogs encircled the boy and attacked him while he was passing through an isolated stretch between his house and the agriculture field around 500 metres away, the police officer said.

Police said there was no one around when the incident took place.

The boy screamed for help and ran around to save himself but the stray dogs critically wounded him by the time his uncle and other villagers reached the spot.

They took him to district hospital where doctors referred him to Kota. The boy succumbed to injuries on the way to Kota, police said.

The body was handed over to the family members after post-mortem later in the day. A case was registered under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) that deals with unnatural death. The matter is being investigated, Duty Officer Sunder said. 

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Actor Sudeep Serves Defamation Notice On Rs 10 Crore To Film Producers

Multilingual film actor Sudeep Sanjeev, popularly known as Kichcha Sudeep, has served a defamation notice of Rs ten crore on film directors-producers MN Kumar and MN Suresh.

The acclaimed actor who earned national recognition for his movie 'Eega' (Makkhi in Hindi) sent a legal notice through C V Nagesh Associates to Mr Kumar and Mr Suresh.

Sudeep has made four movies 'Ranga SSLC', 'Kaashi from village', 'Mukunda Murari' and 'Manikya' with Mr Kumar.

The notice said on July 3, Mr Kumar held a press meet at the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, which was aired via social media sites such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and circulated through WhatsApp as well.

At the press meet, Mr Kumar alleged that Sudeep had taken certain money as advance for working in a movie that they would be producing and that they had done 'full settlement' of payment in his favour, according to the notice.

Further, Mr Kumar claimed that they paid advanced money to various people 'on the basis of Sudeep's insistence', the notice said.

The film producer said at the press conference that they paid advance money to Sudeep to purchase a residential property in Rajarajeshwari Nagar in Bengaluru, Sudeep's counsel said.

"Though the damage caused to the image and reputation of our client cannot be measured and compensated in terms of currency, our client however restricts the same to a notional figure of Rs 10 crore only). You have made yourself to pay to our client a sum of Rs ten crore only as damages," the notice said.

While Mr Kumar was not available for comment, Mr Suresh said he being an executive member and former secretary of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce was present during the press conference to support Mr Kumar.

"I did not make any allegations. I only wanted the matter to be resolved amicably," Mr Suresh said. 

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BJP Worker Injured On Way To PM's Chhattisgarh Rally Airlifted To Delhi

A BJP worker, who was critically injured when a bus carrying people to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Chhattisgarh met with an accident on Friday, has been shifted to Delhi in an air ambulance, the party said in a statement.

Three persons were killed and six others were injured when the bus hit the stationary truck near Beltara village in Bilaspur district.

Among the injured, the condition of two BJP workers- Vishambhar Yadav, the party's mandal general secretary in Surajpur and Lilu Gupta, BJP's Latori unit mandal president in Surajpur- was stated to be critical and they were admitted to a private hospital in Bilaspur.

Vishambhar Yadav, a resident of Surajpur district, had suffered critical injuries to his spine and in view of his condition, it was decided to shift him to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi after consulting doctors and his family members, the BJP said.

Subsequently, union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the joint incharge for assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, alerted AIIMS Delhi in this regard and Yadav was airlifted to the national capital in an air ambulance from Chakarbhata airport at Bilaspur at 3 pm, it said.

Another injured BJP worker, Lilu Gupta, has sustained injuries to his ribs and intestine and his surgery was performed on Friday. He is under constant supervision of doctors, the BJP said.

The medical expenses of the injured will be borne by the BJP, it said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel expressed grief over the accident on Friday.

The relatives of each of the dead in the accident will get a cumulative compensation of Rs 9 lakh-Rs 4 lakh by the state government and Rs 5 lakh by the opposition BJP. 

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Case Filed Against Trio After Picture Shows Man Wearing Garland Of Shoes

The police have registered a case against three persons after a picture showing a man wearing a garland of shoes surfaced in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa district, an official said on Saturday.

The incident took place on June 22 at village Gangtira under Sohagi police station limits, some 65 km from the district headquarters, he said.

The man, later identified as Indrajeet Majhi, was beaten and forced to wear a garland of footwear after being accused of theft, the official said.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Anil Sonkar said that following a complaint by Majhi, a case was registered on July 6 against accused Deshpal Singh, his son and nephew under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections, including 294 (obscene acts), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 355 (assault with intent to dishonour a person), and 504 (provoking breach of the peace).

No arrests have been made yet, he said.

Sonkar said the police first received a complaint against Majhi alleging that he had assaulted Singh, his son and nephew on June 23.

When they recently took Majhi into custody, he told the police that the trio had accused him of theft and then thrashed and forced him to wear a garland of shoes the previous day.

Majhi also showed the picture of the incident which had also been widely shared on social media, he said.

Now, the police have registered a case against Deshpal Singh and two others and are searching for them, he said. 

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Miscreants Run Away With Panchayat Polls Ballot Box In Bengal's Mahadipur

Amid incidents of violence during voting for the Panchayat election across West Bengal, a miscreant ran away with the ballot box from the polling station in Malda's Mahadipur area.

Meanwhile, voting was suspended at Indreshwar primary school in Dinhata, West Bengal's Cooch Behar, after water was thrown into the ballot box.

In another incident, a ballot box at a polling booth in Baranachina of Dinhata in Cooch Behar district was set on fire allegedly by voters who were angry with bogus voting that was reportedly going on there.

Another incident was reported from Balutola in Gopalpur Panchayat of Malda where a clash broke out between Congress and TMC workers and bombs were hurled.

The polling booth at Baravita Primary School in Sitai of Coochbehar also was vandalised and ballot papers were set on fire.

Several other incidents of ballot box and ballot paper looting and destruction were reported from numerous polling booths in the State.

Abdullah, the booth agent of an independent candidate was killed in Pirgachha of North 24 Parganas district following a protest by the villagers who demanded the arrest of the accused and alleged that the husband of TMC candidate Munna Bibi is behind the murder.

Police personnel were deployed at the spot.

In the meantime, a 52-year-old TMC worker, Sateshuddin Sheikh was killed in Khargram of Murshidabad.

However, the residents of Nandigram Block 1 of Purba Medinipur district said that they are boycotting the election until Central forces are deployed at booth numbers 67 and 68 in Mahammadpur No. 2 area.

A voter, Govind while speaking to ANI, said, "There is no Central force here. Booth capturing keeps happening here by TMC. They do bogus voting even in the name of the deceased. We won't allow voting here unless Central forces come here..."

The panchayat elections are underway for a single phase, with the counting of votes scheduled on July 11.

The polls are likely to see a fierce tussle for control of local administrations between the ruling TMC and the BJP and will be a litmus test for both parties ahead of next year's Lok Sabha elections.

Around 5.67 crore voters are likely to exercise their franchise to choose representatives for nearly 928 seats across 22 zilla parishads, 9,730 panchayat Samiti, and 63,239-gram panchayats seats.

The number of village panchayat election centres is 58,594. There are 63,239 seats at the Gram Panchayat level, 9730 at Panchayat Samiti and 928 at the Zila Parishad level.

In 2018, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) won uncontested, 34 per cent of the seats in panchayat elections, which also saw various instances of violence. Trinamool Congress has won many seats uncontestedly in the 2023 elections as well.

Following the violence, a war of words escalated between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling Trinamool Congress.

In-charge of BJP's National Information and Technology Department Amit Malaviya posted a purported video which showed a man opening fire with a gun.

"TMC goons openly brandish a gun and threaten an independent candidate in Barrackpore, North 24 Parganas. 9 people have died since morning and no one knows how many more will die through the day. SEC and Mamata Banerjee are responsible for this bloodshed. They didn't deploy CAPF," he said in a tweet.

BJP state chief Sukanta Majumdar alleged that "TMC hooliganism crossed all limits" and that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee along with the Chief Electoral Officer of the state were "responsible" for murders.

"Bloodshed in West Bengal in Panchayat Election. TMC candidate killed an independent Muslim candidate in North 24, Parganas dist. TMC knows only the language of violence, murder and booth capturing. CM @MamataOfficial along with @CEOWestBengal is responsible for these murders," he said.

Majumdar claimed that the workers of the TMC have looted the ballots from many polling booths in the state.

"TMC hooliganism has crossed all the limits and is now stifling democracy by looting ballots openly in the West Bengal Panchayat elections," he said.

Majumdar further accused the West Bengal government and the state polling body of "hoodwinking" the court's order which directed the deployment of central forces in all the districts.

"On the one hand, the SEC is reluctant to deploy the central forces. On the other hand, civil volunteers are deployed for election duty. This clearly shows that the state govt and SEC have hoodwinked the courts. Is SEC silently facilitating the booth capturing by TMC goons?" he tweeted.

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"If Anyone Wants To Rethink...": Sharad Pawar On NCP Rebels

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said he does not have any problem if the rebel faction led by his nephew Ajit Pawar does a rethink and returns to the party fold.

The rebel leaders, however, were no longer political greenhorns, he noted.

Speaking at a press conference here, the 82-year-old leader also quoted former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to state "I am neither tired nor retired", and added that if one keeps good health, age does not matter.

On Ajit Pawar's claims that there were discussions within the NCP about joining hands with the BJP several times in the past, Pawar said discussions keep taking place all the time, but that did not mean that the decision to go with the saffron party was ever taken.

Asked whether he will appeal Ajit and other rebel leaders to return, Pawar senior said, "Nothing will be done from my end to escalate tensions.... if anyone wants to do a rethink, there is no problem...." But these leaders were no longer hatchlings, they had grown "powerful," he said, referring to a Marathi poem.

The NCP was split last week after Ajit Pawar rebelled against his uncle and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra as deputy chief minister. Senior party leaders Chhagan Bhujbal and Dilip Walse-Patil and many other MLAs too sided with Ajit Pawar.

At the press conference, Sharad Pawar also said that he hoped the rebel group desisted from claiming the NCP's properties.

Clashes have taken places in some places between the two NCP factions over party offices.

"The Nationalist Welfare Trust has properties at different places and I am its president. My colleagues took a different stand. They can take a political stand. But staking claim to the original party or its property is not right. I think they will desist from taking this step by heeding their conscience," Pawar said.

About rebel leader Praful Patel's claim that the organisational structure of the party was "flawed," Pawar pointed out that Patel was an MP and Union minister for ten years.

He also said that he chose Nashik as the first stop in his statewide tour to rebuild the party because it was from here that then chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan was elected unopposed to the Lok Sabha after Jawaharlal Nehru invited him to join the Union cabinet as defence minister post the 1962 India-China war.

Nashik also happens to be the stronghold of Bhujbal.

"I feel bad because I could not assess and my assessment was not right, and I don't blame Bhujbal," Pawar said when asked about the latter switching his loyalty to the Ajit camp.

Bhujbal quit the Shiv Sena in the 1990s and joined the Congress. He later joined the NCP when Pawar formed the new party.

Pawar recalled that when Bhujbal lost an election in Mumbai after leaving the Sena, a safe seat was found for him in Nashik because it was thought that he should be in the Assembly.

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Bengal Governor To Be "On Road" During Voting For Panchayat Polls Tomorrow

Urging the people of rural Bengal to exercise their franchise in the panchayat elections without fail, West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Friday said he would be on the streets along with his team during polling.

The governor described Saturday's panchayat polls as a "fight between ballots and bullets" and said that he would monitor the situation throughout the state and take corrective measures.

"(Tomorrow) I will be on the road. I will be with my team. For the last few days, the Raj Bhavan was a Mobile Raj Bhavan tomorrow before the voting begins, I will be on the roads. After the voting ends, I will go back. In between, I will also visit the Peace Room to see what is happening throughout the state and to take corrective measures to the extent I am entitled to do so," Mr Bose told reporters in Berhampore.

Talking about his role on the polling day, Mr Bose said that he would ensure that the interests of the public are protected and that Constitution is followed by everyone.

"I have a role to see that constitutional colleagues get the facilitative environment to exercise their powers. I am here to see that the interests of the public are protected. That is what I do before the election, during the election and after the election," he said.

Mr Bose urged the people to vote on Saturday and said that if they exercise their franchise then that would act as an umbrella for the future.

"What is important is tomorrow's election. I think the permanent solution to all the problems will come tomorrow. That black ink on the index finger is the strength of the common man. All voters will go to the polling booth and express their voting rights according to their conscience. Take an umbrella if it is raining, but go to vote. Your vote will be your umbrella in the future. This is a fight between ballot and bullet," he added.

On the ruling Trinamool Congress's allegation that he is running around the state to gain publicity, the Governor said, "Yes, I agree with them. I am doing this for publicity, publicity and publicity alone. To publicise the right of the common man, sanctity of the Constitution, to publicise that human right which is supported by the common man's will cannot be suppressed by any political propaganda. I will seek publicity till the end to popularise what is democracy."

Around 5.67 crore voters are likely to exercise their franchise to choose representatives for nearly 928 seats across 22 zila parishads, 9,730 panchayat samitis, and 63,229 gram panchayats seats on Saturday.

Mr Bose, who reached Murshidabad district on Friday morning, paid a visit to the dead Congress worker's house who was killed during a clash between two groups late Thursday night.

He assured the victim's family of all sorts of assistance.

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No Evidence Suggesting Slowdown In Indian Economy: Centre

The Indian economy has carried the momentum from the past year into the current fiscal year and there has been no evidence by far that suggests a slowdown in the current financial year 2023-24, said the Department of Economic Affairs under Ministry of Finance in its monthly review report.

According to the provisional estimates released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) recently, real GDP growth for 2022-23 stood at 7.2 per cent, higher than the 7 per cent as was projected earlier. An upward revision in the 2022-23 GDP numbers is expected going forward.

For 2023-24, the central government sees growth at about 6.5 per cent.

"A strong final quarter performance pushed the GDP growth for the full year to 7.2 per cent, higher than the 7 per cent estimated in February. This upside to the growth estimate takes the growth momentum deep into the current year," said the finance ministry report.

Several forecasting agencies also share optimism as they have upwardly revised their growth estimates for India for 2023-24.

"The latest evidence also does not indicate any slowing of activity in the first two months of the current year. India is the fastest-growing major economy, is now no longer only a statistical fact," it added.

The finance ministry stated that what has been clearly working for India's economy is the strength of its domestic demand.

"High-frequency indicators paint a healthy picture of the state of the economy. Urban demand conditions remain resilient, with higher growth in auto sales, fuel consumption and UPI transactions. Rural demand is also on its path to recovery, with robust growth in two and three wheelers sales."

Goods and Services tax collection, Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for the manufacturing and services sector continues to expand, it noted.

Further, for the agricultural sector, it said the forecast of a normal monsoon despite the prevalence of El Nino, adequate availability of seeds and fertilisers and sufficient water in key reservoirs augur well for a healthy kharif season.

India has three cropping seasons -- summer, kharif, and rabi.

Crops sown during June-July and harvested in October-November are kharif. Crops that are sown during October-November and the produce harvested from January-March depending on maturity is Rabi. Crops produced after rabi but ahead of kharif are summer crops.

Farmers have meanwhile started sowing their Kharif crops. Paddy, moong, bajra, maize, groundnut, soybean, and cotton are some of the major Kharif crops.
 

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Jagan Reddy Meets PM Over Irrigation Project Other Pending State Issues

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed pending state projects.

He also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Delhi.

In an hour-long meeting with the Prime Minister, Mr Reddy talked about various pending issues related to state bifurcation, Polavaram irrigation project, construction of a steel plant in YSR Kadapa district, financial assistance for new medical colleges, among others, sources said.

In a tweet, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said, "Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri @ysjagan met Prime Minister @narendramodi." It also posted a picture of the meeting.

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister also brought to the notice of PM Modi the rise in the construction cost of the Polavaram project to Rs 55,548.87 crore, which has been pending for a long time. In order to speed up the work, he said the state government requires Rs 17,144 crore for the construction of the project's first phase, which is under consideration of the central hydropower department.

The Chief Minister also requested that the Centre reimburse an amount of Rs 1,310.15 crore spent by the Andhra Pradesh government as part of the construction of the project, sources added.

Mr Reddy, who often raises these issues during his visits to the national capital, later left for Vijayawada.

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Stones Thrown At Vande Bharat Express In Karnataka

People pelted stones on the recently launched Bengaluru-Dharwad Vande Bharat Express between Kadur-Birur section in Chikkamagalaru district of Karnataka on Wednesday morning, railway authorities said.

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is investigating the matter.

According to railway officials, the incident occurred at 8.40 am when the train was passing between Kadur-Birur section at "KM 207/500".

The stones hit the glasses of C5 coach at seats No. 43 and 44 and EC-1 coach toilet. Due to the incident, the outer glass was damaged. However, no one was injured.

"There is no breakthrough. RPF is investigating by checking the CCTV footages. Site investigation is also being done," a railway official told PTI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had flagged off the Vande Bharat train connecting the state capital with Dharwad city in the northern part of Karnataka on June 27. This is the second Vande Bharat train in Karnataka. The first one is running between Mysuru and Chennai via Bengaluru.

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Supplementary Chargesheet Filed In Bihar Fake Notes Terror Conspiracy Case

The National Investigation Agency on Wednesday filed its third supplementary chargesheet in a terror conspiracy case that stemmed from the seizure of high-quality fake Indian currency notes from Bihar's East Champaran, an official said.

The chargesheet was filed before the NIA special court in Patna against Sudhir Kushwaha, the kingpin in the case with links to Nepal and Bangladesh, a spokesperson of the federal probe agency said.

Besides gang members from these two countries, accused from West Bengal and Jharkhand have been arrested in the case, the official said.

The official said the investigations revealed that Kushwaha was the key conspirator of the fake Indian currency racket. The case was registered in 2015 and Kushwaha had played a crucial role in the entire conspiracy, the spokesperson said.

Kushwaha had formed a gang to commit terrorist acts and had used the territory of India and Nepal for procurement, smuggling, and distribution of high-quality fake notes to damage the monetary stability and economic security of India, the official said, adding that he was arrested in January this year.

The official said the conspiracy came to light on September 19, 2015, following the seizure of fake notes of the face value of Rs 5.94 lakh from accused Afroz Ansari by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) near Ramgarhwa in East Champaran's Motihari.

The accused was carrying the fake currency consignment to Raxaul near the India-Nepal border for further delivery in Nepal, the spokesperson said.

The official said DRI Patna initially registered the case which was taken over by NIA and re-registered on December 23, 2015. Investigations led to the arrest of seven persons, who were chargesheeted over a four-year period from July 2016 to March 2019, the spokesperson said.

Four of the accused, Afroz Ansari, Sunny Kumar alias "Sunny Shaw" alias "Sujit Kumar" alias "Kabir Khan", Ashraful Alam alias "Ishraful Alam" and Alomgir Seikh alias "Raju" have since been convicted and sentenced to life, along with a fine of Rs 30,000, under the IPC and the UAPA, the official said.

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