LIVE
Tue, 24 May 2022
Chhota Shakeel is in Karachi, kin tells ED

Timeline  Refresh

image
23:59   Man wanted in Bhagalpur bomb blast case held from Nagpur
A man wanted for a bomb blast that took place in 2017 in Bhagalpur in Bihar was on Tuesday arrested from Mominpura area of Nagpur, a police official said.

A Tehsil police station official said a country-made revolver and two bullets were also seized from Mohammad Tanveer Mohammad Manzoor (32).

"He came to Nagpur last week and was staying in the house of a woman. He is an accused in the 2017 Bhagalpur bomb blast case and had escaped while being taken to court there," the official informed. -- PTI
Representational image
Representational image
23:45   22 arrested for attacking police team in UP
Twenty-two people were arrested here on Tuesday for allegedly attacking a police team that had gone to arrest a drug smuggler, officials said.  

The station house officer of Thariaon police station and a woman constable were injured in the attack that took place on Sunday, according to the police.

SHO of Thariaon police station Akhilesh Pratap Singh said a police team had gone to Meerpur village on Sunday to arrest drug smuggler Rajiv Singh alias Munna. 

Angry villagers attacked the police team and managed to free Munna from police custody.

Singh said he and a woman constable were injured in the incident.

A case was registered against nearly 70 people, including 50 unidentified ones. Of these, 22 were arrested on Tuesday, the SHO said. -- PTI
Representational image
Representational image
23:39   Body of Haryanvi singer missing since May 11 found buried in Haryana, 2 held
The body of a Haryanvi singer, who was missing since May 11, was found buried in Haryana's Meham, the police said on Tuesday, adding that two people were arrested in connection with the murder. 

Sangeeta alias Divya had gone missing on May 11, and her family living in Delhi's Jaffarpur Kalan area reported it on May 14, they said. 

The police said a case was initially registered under Section 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person) of IPC at JP Kalan police station in New Delhi. 

During investigation, two people, Ravi and Anil, were arrested in Meham on Saturday who disclosed that they had hatched a conspiracy to kill the singer, a senior police officer said. 

The body was subsequently found on Sunday, and murder charges were added to the case, he said. 

The police said preliminary investigation revealed that the incident took place over strained relationship with the accused. 

The accused had contacted the singer on the pretext of making a music video. 

One of them picked her up from Delhi, drugged her and then killed her. Later, they buried the body in the Meham police station area, deputy commissioner of police (Dwarka) Shankar Choudhary said. 

Meanwhile, the Delhi Commission for Women has issued a notice to Delhi police in connection with the incident. 

In the notice, the commission demanded FIR copy and details of the accused persons by Friday. -- PTI
image
23:20   Chhota Shakeel is in Karachi, kin tells ED
Dawood Ibrahim's long-time aide Chhota Shakeel is living in Karachi, said the latter's relative Salim during an interrogation by Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case. 

The ED questioned several aides of Dawood Ibrahim. 

During interrogation, Chhota Shakeel's relative, Salim revealed that Shakeel is in Karachi, said the ED. 

Salim also revealed that Shakeel used to work for Dawood and they lived near Ghazi Shah Peer Mazar in Clifton, Karachi, said the probe agency. -- ANI
image
23:02   Eight killed in road accident in Karnataka; PM, CM announce ex-gratia
Eight people were killed and over 20 others injured in an accident involving a private bus and a truck on the Hubballi-Dharwad bypass road near Bengaluru, during the early hours of Tuesday, the police said. 

Expressing pain over loss of lives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of those deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured while Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has announced Rs 5 lakh each to the family of deceased. 

The bus was heading from Kolhapur in Maharashtra to Bengaluru, while the truck was coming in the opposite direction. 

The incident occurred when the bus driver allegedly lost control while trying to overtake a tractor and hit the truck head-on, the police said. 

Six people died on the spot and two subsequently succumbed to injuries in hospital, they said, adding, the deceased include two drivers of the bus and the truck driver. 

The injured have been shifted to Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital in Hubballi. 

Those with minor injuries left the hospital after getting required treatment; some of them went back to Kolhapur, officials said. 

"Pained by the loss of lives due to a mishap in Hubli, Karnataka. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon: PM @narendramodi," PMO India tweeted. 

"An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF (Prime Minister's National Relief Fund) would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the mishap in Hubli. The injured would be given Rs 50,000: PM @narendramodi," another tweet said. -- PTI
image
22:29   Amit Shah to watch Akshay Kumar-starrer 'Prithviraj' at special screening
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will watch Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar's upcoming historical drama Prithviraj on June 1, director Chandraprakash Dwivedi said on Tuesday. 

The film depicts the life of legendary warrior king Prithviraj Chauhan, played by Kumar. 

According to Dwivedi, the home minister will watch the movie two days ahead of its theatrical release on June 3. 

"It is our honour that the Honourable Home Minister of our country, Shri Amit Shah ji, is going to witness the epic saga on the glorious life of one of Bharatmata's bravest sons, Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan, who sacrificed his life for the country," the filmmaker said in a statement. 

The statement, however, did not mention where the screening would take place. 

Dwivedi is best known for directing the 1991 TV epic show Chanakya and the 2003 Partition film Pinjar

Prithviraj also stars Sanjay Dutt, Sonu Sood and marks the screen debut of Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar, who plays the role of Sanyogita. 

A Yash Raj Films production, Prithviraj is scheduled to be released in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. -- PTI
image
22:08   Tight security for PM Modi's visit to Hyderabad on May 26
The Telangana police is making tight security arrangements for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the city on May 26, who will be attending an event at the Indian School of Business, and is deploying around 2,500 police personnel. 

Modi will participate in the celebration of completion of 20 years of ISB Hyderabad and address the graduation ceremony of post graduate programme class of 2022. 

The event will see participation of around 900 students from ISB's Hyderabad and Mohali campuses. 

Around 2,500 police personnel will be deployed in view of prime minister's visit to the city and all necessary arrangements are in place, police sources said. 

Asked on reports that police were collecting the details of ISB students as part of precautionary measures, the sources said they were checking the antecedents of all those who will be attending the event. 

"We do background check of all those people who will be in the proximity of the Prime Minister. Not just students, staff among others also. It is not specific to studentsall those who are attending the event," sources said. 

On reports that social media accounts and online posts of some of the students were under vigil, the sources said "...whatever is required is being done as part of the background check".  -- PTI
Representational image
Representational image
21:58   Jaish terror module busted in J-K, 8 arrested
The Jammu and Kashmir police, along with security forces, busted a terror module of the proscribed terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad in Awantipora by arresting eight terrorist associates, the police said on Tuesday.      

Incriminating materials including ammunition were recovered from their possession.   

As per the police statement, the arrested eight terrorist associates have been identified as Mushtaq Ahmad Dar, Ishfaq Ahmad Dar, Manzoor Ahmad Dar, Fayaz Ahmad Rather, Shabir Ahmad Rather, Mohd Latief Rather, Sheeraz Ahmad Mir, and Waseem Ahmad Bhat.      

The preliminary investigation, the police said, revealed that the arrested terrorist associates were involved in providing shelter, logistics and transportation of arms/ammunition to two active terrorists of the proscribed terror outfit JeM namely Asif Sheikh and Ajaz Bhat.      

In this connection, a case under relevant sections of law has been registered at police station Tral and further investigation is in progress. -- ANI                               
Representational image
Representational image
21:25   IIT specialists to audit Meghalaya assembly dome collapse
Meghalaya assembly Speaker Methab Lyngdoh on Tuesday said experts from the Indian Institute of Technology will audit the collapse of a steel dome from atop the under-construction Assembly building two days ago.                 
All works will be suspended till the IIT team submits its report on the safety of the entire Rs 177.7 crore building, he said.                 

"We have decided to entrust a third party panel with conducting an audit into the incident," the speaker said.                 

He said a panel of experts from one of the three IITs -- Guwahati, Kolkata or Delhi -- will be selected for the audit.                 

The decision was made at a meeting of a high-powered committee chaired by Lyngdoh. 

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, Leader of the Opposition Mukul Sangma, three ministers and an MLA were members of the panel.                 
The HPC has also decided to cover the open area of the dome portion that collapsed to ensure that rainwater does not enter the area.                 

Earlier in the day, HPC members inspected the assembly building and held a closed-door meeting with the contractor, structural designers and top engineers of the PWD (building) who are involved in overseeing the construction.                 

The contract for the project in New Shillong Township has been given to UP-based firm UPNRRN Ltd.                 

Work to erect the new assembly building had commenced in 2019 and was scheduled to end in July this year. 

The 70-ton steel dome crashed at around 12:30 am on Sunday. -- PTI
image
21:18   Fresh plea seeks SC intervention in Gyanvapi case
A fresh plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking intervention in the Gyanvapi mosque dispute. 

It contended that Muslims cannot assert any right in respect of any piece of land claiming to be mosque unless it has been constructed on legally owned and occupied virgin land. 

The petitioner stated that property vested in deity continues to be the deity's property irrespective of the fact that any person has taken illegal possession and offering namaz

The petition, filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay through advocate Ashwani Kumar Dubey, submitted that only those places can be protected, which were erected or constructed in accordance with personal law of the person erected/constructed them, but places erected or constructed in derogation of the personal law, cannot be termed as a 'place of worship'. 

"It is submitted that retrospective cutoff-date was fixed August 15, 1947 to legalise the illegal acts of barbaric invaders. Though, Hindu Law (Temple Character never changes) was 'Law in force' at the commencement of the Constitution by virtue of Article 372(1)," the plea said.

"It is submitted that Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, Sikhs have right to profess, practice propagate religion as provided in their religious scriptures and Article 13 prohibits from making law which takes away their rights," the plea said. -- PTI
image
20:42   Cheating case registered against Ram Gopal Varma
A cheating case has been registered against filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma by police in Hyderabad for allegedly cheating a proprietor of a production house after 'borrowing' Rs 56 lakh from him. 

Based on a court referred complaint from the proprietor, a case was booked against Varma under relevant IPC sections at Miyapur police station, the police said. 

According to the complainant, Varma borrowed the amount from him for producing a Telugu movie Disha in 2020 but later cheated him. 

The complainant said he got acquainted with Varma through a common friend in 2019. 

He alleged that in the first week of January 2020, Varma took Rs 8 lakh from him for his film production. 

After that Varma again requested him to lend Rs 20 lakh which was given as loan through cheque on January 22, 2020 and at that time Varma promised to repay the amount within six months, the complainant said. 

Later in second week of February 2020, Varma citing financial exigencies in his film production sought another Rs 28 lakh, the complainant said. 

"Believing his representation, Rs 28 lakh was transferred to Varma and at that time he agreed to repay entire amount of Rs 56 lakh on or before the release of the movie Disha," the complainant alleged. 

However, in January 2021, the complainant said he came to know that Varma was not the producer of the movie Disha and alleged that he was cheated of the amount by false inducements by Varma. -- PTI
image
20:31   Modi leaves for India after concluding his two-day Japan visit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for India on Tuesday after concluding his fruitful two-day visit to Japan during which he held a series of bilateral meetings with the Quad leaders, including US President Joe Biden, to boost cooperation among the member nations of the influential grouping and discussed developments in the strategic Indo-Pacific region. 

The Quad or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue comprises India, the US, Japan and Australia. Modi, who visited Tokyo at the invitation of his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida, held separate bilateral meetings with US President Biden, Kishida and new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the sidelines of the summit. 

"Leaving Japan after a fruitful visit in which I attended various bilateral and multilateral programmes. Glad to see the Quad emerge as a vibrant forum to further global good. Also had excellent bilateral meetings with all the Quad leaders," Modi said in a tweet. 

"I had excellent discussions with the business leaders of Japan, and an engaging interaction with the vibrant Indian community in Japan. I thank the Government and the people of Japan for the warm hospitality," he said. -- PTI
Representational image
Representational image
20:01   At 218, Mumbai sees spurt in new Covid cases
Mumbai on Tuesday reported 218 new COVID-19 cases, which is a substantial rise from the 150 cases registered a day earlier, taking the tally in the metropolis to 10,63,276, while the death toll remained unchanged at 19,566, a civic official said. 

Out of 218 new COVID-19 patients, 201 were asymptomatic, while none of the 17 who were hospitalised needed oxygen support, the official said, adding that just 48 of the 24,488 hospital beds earmarked for the pandemic are currently occupied. 

It was also the eighth consecutive day when the addition to the tally was above the 100-mark, he pointed out. 

The recovery count increased by 158 in the last 24 hours to touch 10,42,280, taking the active caseload in the city to 1,430, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation official said. 

BMC data showed that the recovery rate was 98 per cent, the caseload doubling time stood at 3,914 days, and the overall growth rate of cases between May 17 and 23 was 0.017 per cent. 

With 7.320 samples being examined in the last 24 hours, the overall number of tests in the city went up to 1,70,79,241, as per civic data. -- PTI
Representational image
Representational image
19:46   Mumbai rail traffic affected as local train runs over cattle
Local train services were disrupted on the mainline of the Central Railway after some cattle were run over on the tracks between Bhivpuri Road and Neral stations on Tuesday, an official said. 

The railway traffic was disrupted after some cattle were run over by a local train going towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus around 5.15 pm, said Shivaji Sutar, chief public relations officer of Central Railway. 

Trains operating from Karjat towards Kalyan were affected, and since the incident occurred during the peak hours, the operations of local and long-distance trains were likely to be delayed, he said. 

The rail traffic was restored after one and half hours, it was stated. 

Earlier in the day, the suburban services on the Harbour Line of the Central Railway were hit due to power issues during the morning peak hours. 

The Central Railway's main line between CSMT and Kasara and CSMT-Khopoli provides suburban trains connecting south Mumbai with the extended suburbs of Thane, Kalyan, Badlapur, Karjat, Khopoli, Asangaon and Kasara, among others. -- PTI
image
19:19   AAP CM face in Uttarakhand polls Col Kothiyal joins BJP
Colonel (retired) Ajay Kothiyal who had been the Aam Aadmi Party's chief ministerial candidate in the Uttarakhand assembly polls held in February, joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday in the presence of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and state party president Madan Kaushik. 

Col Kothiyal had resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party on May 18. 

The AAP had aimed big in Uttarakhand this time and fielded candidates from all the 70 assembly seats and promised a slew of freebies to woo voters. 

However, the party drew a blank in the state despite doing well in neighbouring Punjab. 

Its chief ministerial face Kothiyal even lost his deposit in the Gangotri constituency. Kothiyal is said to have been not happy with the way he was being treated by the AAP post its electoral debacle in Uttarakhand. -- PTI
Representational image
Representational image
19:12   Terrorists kill cop in J-K; 7-yr-old daughter hurt
A police constable was shot dead and his seven-year-old daughter injured when terrorists fired indiscriminately at them outside their home in Soura on the outskirts of the city, officials said in Srinagar. 

Constable Saifullah Qadri, the third policeman to be killed in Kashmir this month, was leaving home to drop his daughter for tuition when the attack took place, they said. 

"Terrorists fired at constable Qadri outside his house at Ganaie Mohalla in Anchar area of Srinagar district," an official said. 

"Qadri and his daughter were shifted to the nearby SKIMS hospital, where he succumbed to injuries," the official added. 

The child suffered a bullet injury in her right hand and is out of danger. inspector general of police (Kashmir range) Vijay Kumar expressed grief over the killing and said police teams have been sent to adjoining areas to nab the culprits. 

"We will soon get them," he said. 

On May 7, militants shot dead a policeman at Aiwa bridge, close to the Anchar locality, while another policeman was shot dead in Pulwama district on May 13. -- PTI
Representational image
Representational image
18:56   Arson in Andhra town over renaming new district, several cops hurt
Arson broke out in Amalapuram town in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday afternoon when police resorted to a lathi-charge at people who sought to stage a protest near the district collector's office opposing the proposed renaming of the newly-created Konaseema district as B R Ambedkar Konaseema district.           

Several policemen were said to have sustained injuries as irate protestors pelted stones following the lathi-charge. A police vehicle and an educational institution's bus were torched in the town.         

The office of transport minister Pinipe Viswarupu was also attacked and furniture smashed.         

State home minister Taneti Vanitha alleged that some political parties and anti-social elements apparently instigated the arson.         

"It is unfortunate that over 20 police personnel sustained injuries in the incident. We will conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and bring the culprits to book," the home minister said.         

On April 4, the new Konaseema district was carved out of the erstwhile East Godavari.         

Last week, the state government issued a preliminary notification seeking to rename Konaseema as B R Ambedkar Konaseema district and invited objections, if any, from the people.         

In this backdrop, the Konaseema Sadhana Samiti objected to the proposed renaming of the district and wanted the name Konaseema retained. -- PTI
image
18:46   Rupee slips 4 paise to close at 77.59 against US dollar
The rupee slipped by 4 paise to close at 77.59 (provisional) against the US dollar on Tuesday, weighed down by a negative trend in domestic equities and unabated foreign fund outflows. 

At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened lower at 77.56 against the greenback, and finally settled at 77.59, down 4 paise over its previous close. 

During the trading session, the rupee touched an intra-day low of 77.67 and a high of 77.51. 

On Monday, the rupee recovered from record lows and settled 15 paise higher at 77.55 against the US currency. -- PTI
image
18:23   Road rage: Ex-Cong minister's son drives into car
A day after a road rage case was filed against an unidentified driver, police in Sehore in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday arrested the son of former Congress minister Hukum Singh Karada for allegedly ramming his car several times into the four-wheeler of an Indore-based businessman.

Rohitap Singh Karada (32) has been arrested and the car he was driving has been seized, Ashta police station in charge Anil Yadav said. 

"After a probe, we arrested Rohitap, who is the son of the former Congress minister, under relevant sections of IPC and Motor Vehicles Act. If the complainant provides more details and evidence about the incident, we will add new provisions," Yadav said. 

 A case was registered on the complaint of businessman Dinesh Ahuja (40), who told police a man who was allegedly drunk was continuously rear-ending his car near Bharakhedi Jod in the Sehore stretch of Indore-Bhopal highway on Saturday night. 

 Immediately after a video of the incident went viral on social media on Monday, MP BJP chief Vishnu Dutt Sharma had told reporters the accused was the son of former Congress state minister Hukum Singh Karada. Ahuja had told police that the accused hit his car several times, forcing him and his associate to hide in a farm to escape the former's fury. PTI
image
18:05   What Modi discussed with Japanese PM at the Quad
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida in Tokyo and the two leaders undertook a comprehensive stocktaking of the entire framework of the bilateral partnership to carry forward cooperation in diverse areas, including defence manufacturing in India and trade and technology. 

 Prime Minister Modi, who is here for the second in-person Quad summit, held a bilateral meeting with Kishida during which they underscored the importance of maintaining the momentum of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries. 

 Both leaders undertook a comprehensive stocktaking of the entire framework of bilateral partnership to carry forward our cooperation in diverse areas, including in the field of defence manufacturing in India, skill development, partnership, trade and technology partnership cooperation, including for resilient supply chains in the region, and other areas, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said in a media briefing. 

 This is Prime Minister Modi's fifth visit to Japan since becoming Prime Minister and his second meeting with his Japanese counterpart Kishida, he said. Prime Minister Kishida invited Prime Minister Modi to visit Japan later this year for the annual summit, the Foreign Secretary said. -- PTI
image
17:40   China, Russia fighter jets near Japan as Quad met
The Japanese government has expressed "grave concerns" over reports that Chinese and Russian fighter jets carried out joint flights near Japan on Tuesday as leaders of the Quad bloc met in Tokyo.

The Japanese defence minister said the flights took place while leaders from the United States, India, Australia and Japan held talks on regional security.

The planes did not breach territorial airspace, the defence ministry said. This is the fourth time since November that long-distance joint flights by Russia and China have been spotted near Japan.
image
17:32   Omicron variants won't lead to surge: Expert
After India witnessed cases of the sub-variants of Omicron, Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, co-chairman of the Indian Medical Association's national task force on Tuesday said that these newly-detected sub-lineages will not cause a surge in infections but people still need to be vigilant.

 "The sub-variants of Omicron (BA.4 and BA.5) are not going to cause a surge in cases, still, we need to be vigilant. You know that Omicron took off at a much higher rate in many countries, including India, but South Africa's experiences reassure us that these two sub-lineages are not going to cause a large scale problem if we are careful enough," Dr Jayadevan told ANI. 

 He clarified that BA.4 and BA.5 are not new viruses, rather, these are just sub-lineages of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 infection. 

 "Basically, Omicron took off from one branch of the genomic tree and these are the smaller branches of Omicron itself so they are not new viruses. We know that this virus is continuously adapting to the human host in order to escape our immunity and also to travel faster between people," said Dr Rajeev.
image
17:26   Now, 'tomato flu' cases in Odisha
At least 26 children have been diagnosed with the hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in Odisha and their condition is stable, a health official said on Tuesday. 

 Commonly known as 'tomato flu', the infectious disease is caused by intestinal viruses and occurs mostly in children. The illness is rare in adults as they usually have immune systems strong enough to defend them from the virus.

 In most cases, the viral illness has symptoms like fever, painful sores in the mouth and rash with blisters on hands, feet and buttocks, according to the World Health Organization. 

 Out of the 36 samples that were collected and tested in the Regional Medical Research Centre in Bhubaneswar, 26 were found to be positive, Health Services director Bijay Mohapatra told reporters. Of the HFMD-infected childrens 19 are from Bhubaneswar, three from Puri and two each from Cuttack and Puri, according to Mohapatra. 

 "Those infected are in the age group of 1-9 yesterdays and have been asked to remain in isolation for five-seven days," the official said. The condition of the patients is not serious and surveillance is being maintained, he added.
A young Rahul with his father Rajiv Gandhi
A young Rahul with his father Rajiv Gandhi
17:05   Father's death biggest learning experience: Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said that the assassination of his father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was the single biggest learning experience of his life, asserting that he cannot get away from the fact that the event also made him learn things that he would have never learnt otherwise. 

 In conversation with Indian-origin academic Dr Shruti Kapila at the prestigious University of Cambridge on Monday, he was asked about the death anniversary of his father who was killed in an LTTE suicide bombing during an election rally in Tamil Nadu in May 1991. 

 Kapila, Associate Professor in the Faculty of History at Corpus Christi College, posed the Opposition MP with a Gandhian question of violence and how to live with it at a personal level. 

"The single biggest learning experience of my life was my father's death. There is no bigger experience than that," said Gandhi, after several minutes of pause during which the 51-year-old leader seemed visibly moved. "Now, I can look at it and say the person or the force that killed my father caused me tremendous pain that's correct, as a son I lost my father and that's very painful. But then I can't get away from the fact that the same event also made me learn things that I would never ever have learnt otherwise. So, as long as you are ready to learn, it doesn't matter how nasty or evil people are," the Congress leader said.

 Gandhi went on to relate this to day-to-day politics, adding: "If I turn around and (Prime Minister) Mr (Narendra) Modi attacks me, and I say oh my god he's so vicious, he's attacking me. That's one way of looking at it, and the other way of looking at it great, I could learn something from him, give me some more."

 Asked if loss could be productive, Gandhi reflected on the perils of politics where large energies are at play. "In life you will always, especially if you are in places where large energies are moving, you will always get hurt. If you do what I do, you will get hurt. It's not a possibility, it's a certainty because it's like swimming in an ocean with big waves you are going to go under. When you go under, you learn how to react from it," he said.
image
16:38   Qutub Minar not a place of worship, ASI tells court
Update: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Tuesday opposed a plea before a Delhi court seeking restoration of Hindu and Jain deities inside the Qutub Minar complex, saying it is not a place of worship and the existing status of the monument cannot be altered. 

 The ASI also said that it would be contrary to the law to agree to the contention of any person claiming a fundamental right to worship in this centrally protected monument. 

 The ASI, however, said that the architectural materials and images of Hindu and Jain deities were re-used in the construction of the Qutab complex. Additional District Judge Nikhil Chopra reserved the order on the plea for June 9. 

 "Fundamental right cannot be availed in violation of any status of the land. The basic principle of protection conservation is not to allow starting of any new practice in a monument declared and notified as a protected one under the Act," the ASI said.

 It said that revival of worship was not allowed wherever it was not practiced at the time of protection of a monument. "Qutab Minar is not a place of worship and since the time of its protection by the central government, Qutab Minar or any part of Qutab Minar was not under worship by any community, it said. 

 The counsel for the ASI further said that it was very clear from the Persian inscription at the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque, that the cloisters were erected with carved columns and other architectural members from 27 temples. -- PTI
image
16:29   Three former PMs of Japan call on PM Modi in Tokyo
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met three former Prime Ministers of Japan ahead of a bilateral meeting with the current PM Fumio Kishida in Tokyo on Tuesday.

These meetings with Yoshihide Suga, Shinzo Abe, and Yoshiro Mori illustrate the huge goodwill and personal chemistry of PM Modi with the Japanese PMs. 

Yoshiro Mori is the current Chairperson of the Japan-India Association (JIA) while Shinzo Abe will be taking over this role shortly.

The JIA, established in 1903, is one of the oldest friendship associations in Japan. PM Modi appreciated the significant contributions made by JIA under the leadership of Mori in promoting exchanges between India and Japan in political, economic and cultural fields.

He also conveyed his best wishes to Shinzo Abe on his new responsibilities and looked forward to the JIA continuing its important role. -- ANI
Hardeep Singh Puri with Piyush Goyal in Davos
Hardeep Singh Puri with Piyush Goyal in Davos
16:19   Exports may rise to $1 trillion by 2030: Govt
 India's exports rose to a record high of USD 421.8 billion during the financial year ended March 2022 despite the COVID-19 pandemic and global supply chain disruption and the shipment may surge to USD 1 trillion by 2030, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday.

Addressing the "Breakfast session Discussion on Trade 4.0" at the World Economic Forum in Davos Goyal said, India could achieve a target of USD 1 trillion worth of merchandise and services export each by 2030. Noting that in the last 8 years, the government had focussed extensively on structural reforms the minister said that each one of those movements has been holding India in good stead during times of crisis.

Observing that the India story had been receiving a lot of enthusiasm across the world, the minister said that in spite of constraints like COVID-19, chip shortages, conflict, rising commodity prices, container shortages and significant shipping and logistics issues it has been facing in the last two years, which caused massive supply chain disruptions that threw the global economy off-balance, Indian businesses had displayed great resilience, overshooting export targets and achieving USD 421.8 billion worth of exports.

He urged Indian industry to look at boosting value-added exports and ensure that new jobs came into India instead of raw materials going out of India. -- ANI
image
15:35   Proud of you Bhagwant: Kejriwal on minister's arrest
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said he is proud of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for sacking Punjab Minister Vijay Singla over corruption allegations.

"Proud of you Bhagwant. Ur action has brought tears to my eyes. The whole nation today feels proud of AAP," Kejriwal tweeted. 

The Punjab Chief Minister said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has a zero-tolerance policy against corruption. He said that he has sacked Singla from the cabinet and directed Police to register a case against him.

According to Punjab CMO, Singla was demanding 1 per cent commission from officials for contracts and he also confessed to it.

"I am taking strict action against that minister, sacking him from the cabinet and directing the Police to register a case against him. That Minister is Vijay Singla. He had indulged in corruption in his department, and he also confessed to it. AAP has a zero-tolerance policy against corruption," said Mann.

"A case had come to my knowledge, a minister of my government was demanding a 1 per cent commission for every tender. I took it very seriously. Nobody knew about it, had I wanted it could have brushed it under the carpet. But I would have broken the trust of people who trusted me," Punjab CM added.
image
15:23   Polarisation damaging foundations of India's growth: Kaushik Basu
Former World Bank chief economist Kaushik Basu on Tuesday said that even though the fundamentals of the Indian economy are strong, the rise in divisiveness and polarisation in the country is damaging the 'foundations' of the nation's growth. 

 Basu further said India's big challenge is unemployment and joblessness as youth unemployment in India is over 24 per cent, which is among the highest in the world. "A nation's growth does not depend on economic policy alone. There is mounting evidence that trust among people is a big determinant of a nation's economic success," he told PTI in an interview. 

 "The rise in divisiveness and polarization in Indian society is sad not just in itself but because it is damaging the foundations of the nation's growth," the eminent economist added.

 According to Basu, India has strong fundamentals - a large entrepreneurial class, highly skilled workers, and though it has been falling over the last few years, high investment to GDP ratio. 

 Replying to a question on high inflation, the eminent economist said inflation that India is witnessing is a global phenomenon and it is caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, and the supply-chain bottlenecks that arose because of these factors. 

 "Though the cause of inflation is beyond India, what worries me is we are not doing enough to protect the poor and the middle classes," he noted.

 Explaining further, Basu, currently a professor of economics at Cornell University, said though retail inflation surged to an eight-year high of 7.8 per cent in April this year, wholesale price inflation stood at 15.08 per cent.

 "We have not seen such high wholesale inflation in the last 24 years," he said, adding that what is happening now is reminiscent of what happened in the late 1990s when the East Asian crisis spilled over into India. While pointing out that WPI inflation has been in double digits for 13 months now, Basu said this makes the situation worse as it means the current high inflation is coming on top of high inflation a year ago. -- PTI
image
15:18   Indo-Japan bilateral underway
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida participate in the India-Japan bilateral meeting in Tokyo, Japan.
image
14:56   Sweden recommends 5th Covid shot
Sweden is recommending a fifth Covid-19 vaccine dose for people with an increased risk of becoming seriously ill, including pregnant women and anyone aged 65 and over, authorities said Tuesday. 

The government added that the country must "be prepared for an increased spread during the upcoming autumn and winter season. The vaccine is our strongest tool for preventing serious illness and death," Swedish Social Affairs Minister Lena Hallengren said, adding the pandemic is not over. 

 As of September 1, Sweden recommends that another booster shot is given to people aged 65 and older and people over 18 in the risk groups. 

The Swedish Public Health Agency said the latter includes pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems and people with heart and lung disease. 

 In general, the risk of serious illness is assessed as low for adults under the age of 65 who have been vaccinated with three doses, but the risk increases with age and varies within the group, agency chief Karin Tegmark Wisell said.
image
14:51   Just Deepika looking drop-dead gorgeous
Now for a pinch of glamour, a departure from the bone-dry images of suits at the Quad meet in Tokyo. 
Deepika Padukone aces the fashion game at Cannes in this all-black stunner from Louis Vuitton. Take a look
image
14:46   Punjab Health minister arrested after sacking
The Punjab Police arrested Vijay Singla shortly after he was sacked from the state cabinet on corruption charges by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday, according to an official source. 

 Singla was the state health minister. CM Mann said Singla was allegedly demanding one per cent commission in tenders and purchases of his department. 

 The development came barely two months after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came to power in Punjab. Vijay Singla, 52, was elected as an MLA from the Mansa Assembly seat. He had defeated Punjabi singer and Congress candidate Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, also called Sidhu Moosewala. He is a dental surgeon. PTI
image
14:39   Quad opposes coercion, provocation in Indo-Pacific
The leaders of India, Australia, Japan and the United States on Tuesday strongly opposed any coercive, provocative or unilateral actions that seek to change status quo and increase tensions in the Indo-Pacific and reaffirmed their resolve to uphold the international rules-based order, amidst China's growing assertiveness in the region. 

 During the second in-person meeting of Quad leaders in Tokyo, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Australia's newly-elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese exchanged views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and global issues of mutual interest. 

 "We strongly oppose any coercive, provocative or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo and increase tensions in the area, such as the militarization of disputed features, the dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia, and efforts to disrupt other countries' offshore resource exploitation activities," said a joint statement issued after the meeting. It said the Quad is committed to cooperation with partners in the region who share the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. 

 "We will champion adherence to international law, particularly as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the maintenance of freedom of navigation and overflight, to meet challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the East and South China Seas," the statement said. -- PTI
image
14:00   Modi holds fruitful discussions with Australian counterpart
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held "fruitful" discussions with Australia's newly-elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the sidelines of the Quad Summit here during which the two leaders reviewed the multifaceted bilateral cooperation and reaffirmed their desire to deepen it. 

 The two leaders are in Japan for the second in-person Quad leaders' summit. "Advancing friendship with Australia. Prime Ministers @narendramodi and @AlboMP held fruitful discussions in Tokyo. 

The talks focused on deepening the developmental cooperation between India and Australia across diverse sectors, the Prime Minister's Office tweeted. 

 Prime Minister Modi congratulated Albanese for his election victory. "Both leaders reviewed the multi-faceted cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, including in trade & investment, defence manufacturing, renewable energy including green hydrogen, education, science and technology, agricultural research, sports and people-to-people ties," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a press release. 

 Both Prime Ministers affirmed their desire to continue the positive momentum in the bilateral relationship, it added. Prime Minister Modi extended an invitation to the Australian Prime Minister to visit India at an early date. 

 "Warmly welcomed my meeting with @narendramodi for an engaging discussion on Australia and India's full strategic and economic agenda, including on clean energy technology. Australia-India ties have never been closer," Prime Minister Albanese tweeted. -- PTI
image
13:58   Health Secy appointed to WHO
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan appointed as the Chairperson of Committee B at the 75th World Health Assembly: World Health Organisation.
image
13:52   Temples in Qutub complex: Hearing on June 9
The Saket Court begins hearing an appeal regarding the restoration of 27 Hindu and Jain temples in the Qutub Minar complex in Mehrauli.

The petitioner reads Jain Section 16 of the AMASR Act 1958, "A protected monument maintained by the Central Govt under this Act which is a place of worship or shrine shall not be used for any purpose inconsistent with its character." 

The court lists for June 9th the order on the appeal regarding the restoration of the Hindu and Jain temples in the complex. 

Yesterday, Union Culture Minister GK Reddy dismissed several media reports that excavation can be done in Delhi's iconic Qutub Minar complex. Reports had earlier said that the Ministry of Culture had issued instructions to get iconography of idols done at the complex, and excavation can be started at a distance of 15 meters from the mosque to the south of Qutub Minar. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was to start excavations and report to the Culture Ministry.
image
13:36   25 dazzling frames in Karan Johar movies
Until now, Karan Johar's cinema viewed the world through rose-tinted glasses.
But his segment Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh in the anthology, Bombay Talkies, which talks about repressed homosexuality and sham marriages, marked a complete change of pace and revealed a rare intimacy, complexity and rawness.
And the once-upon-a-time-in-Bombay quality of this subdued frame, concealing one's bottled up deception, another's comfort in denial is hardly the stuff of happily ever after.

On his 50th birthday on May 25, Sukanya Verma/Rediff.com celebrates the man and his movies across 25 dazzling frames.

image
13:32   The Indian lawyer who champions woman's rights
"Often the legal world is seen as an insular realm of stiff shirts and dry arguments. Karuna Nundy, however, is not just a lawyer but also a public activist who ably -- and bravely -- uses her voice both inside and outside the courtroom to bring about change."

Karuna Nundy in Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2022. 

Read more here. 
Punjab CM begins 'clean' sweep
Punjab CM begins 'clean' sweep
13:26   Punjab CM sacks health minister for graft charges
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann sacks state's Health Minister Vijay Singla following complaints of corruption against him. He was demanding a 1% commission from officials for contracts. Concrete evidence found against Singla: Punjab CMO.

Police have been directed to register a case against him. "I am taking strict action against the minister. I am removing him from the cabinet," the chief minister said in a video message. Mann further claimed that Singla had admitted to wrongdoings. -- PTI
image
12:56   Sonia forms 3 task forces for Cong's 2024 battle
To chart the Congress' future course, its chief Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday formed three groups/
1. A group on political affairs for guidance on key issues, 
2. A Task Force-2024 to implement the Udaipur 'Nav Sankalp' declaration 3. A group to coordinate the October 2 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. 

While Rahul Gandhi and two prominent members of the G23 -- Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma -- are part of the political affairs group, senior leaders P Chidambaram and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are members of the Task Force-2024. 

 G-23 is a group of dissenting Congress leaders who have demanded an organisational overhaul. 

 Sonia Gandhi has also set up another group to coordinate the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' planned from Kanyakumari to Kashmir from Gandhi Jayanti.

 "Following the Udaipur Nav Sankalp Shivir, the Congress president has constituted a Political Affairs Group that will be presided over by her, a Task-Force-2024 and a Central Planning Group for the coordination of the "Bharat Jodo Yatra", an official communication from the party said. 

 The Political Affairs Group, headed by Sonia Gandhi, comprises Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ambika Soni, Digvijaya Singh, Anand Sharma, K C Venugopal and Jitendra Singh. The members of the Task Force-2024 are P Chidambaram, Mukul Wasnik, Jairam Ramesh, K C Venugopal, Ajay Maken, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Randeep Singh Surjewala and Sunil Kanugolu. 

"Each member of the Task Force shall be assigned specific tasks related to organization, communications and media, outreach, finance and election Management. "They shall have designated teams which will be notified subsequently," the statement said, adding the Task Force will also follow up on the Udaipur Nav Sankalp declaration. 

The Central Planning Group for the Coordination of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' includes Digvijaya Singh, Sachin Pilot, Shashi Tharoor, Ravneet Singh Bittu, K J George, Jothi Mani, Pradyut Bordoloi, Jitu Patwari and Saleem Ahmed. All members of the task force and all heads of the Congress' frontal organisations will be ex officio members of the central group, the statement said. PTI
image
12:49   Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Time's 100 most influential people of 2022
"In President Zelensky, the people of Ukraine have a leader worthy of their bravery and resilience, as citizens across the country -- shopkeepers and soldiers, tailors and truck drivers -- fight for their homes and their freedom. Each time we speak, I hear in President Zelensky's voice the relentless determination of a man who believes profoundly in his duty to his people, and lives up daily to the solemn responsibility of leading his nation through this dark and difficult hour."

US President Joe Biden writes for Time magazine. Read it here. 
image
12:31   Gyanvapi case verdict likely today
The Varanasi district court is likely to pronounce the verdict in the Gyanvapi mosque case on Tuesday. 

 The district court on Monday completed the hearing of arguments in the case and reserved its order for today. Advocate Madan Mohan Yadav, representing the Hindu side, on Tuesday said that the Muslim side wanted the case dismissed. 

 Speaking to ANI, he said, "Muslim side presented their arguments yesterday, they said that the matter doesn't meet the parameters of the Places of Worship Act. They wanted the matter dismissed. But we too presented our arguments before the Court." He further said that the court will hear the matter at 2 pm today.

 "The matter can't be dismissed just like that, it will sustain. It is not a matter of property but of the Right to Worship. The court will hear the matter at 2 pm today. The decision will be out probably by 4 pm," Yadav added. Varanasi District Judge Dr AK Vishvesha heard a civil suit in the case. -- ANI
image
12:28   Sri Lanka seeks $500 million loan from India
The Sri Lankan Cabinet has approved seeking a 500 million dollar loan from the Exim Bank of India for the purchase of petroleum products amid a severe foreign exchange crisis in the island nation. 

Sri Lanka has been mulling different options to facilitate measures to prevent fuel pumps from going dry, as the country faces a severe foreign exchange crisis to pay for its imports. 

 The country is grappling with an unprecedented economic turmoil, the worst since its independence from Britain in 1948. It is struggling with a shortage of almost all essentials, due to the lack of dollars to pay for the imports. 

 At the Cabinet meeting held on Monday, a proposal was approved to seek an Indian Exim Bank loan to purchase fuel, Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said on Tuesday. 

 In the present economic conditions prevailing approval was granted for the proposal by the power and energy minister to seek a 500 million dollar loan from the Indian Exim Bank for the purchase of petroleum products, a Cabinet note said. Sri Lanka had already received 500 million dollars from the Exim Bank of India and another 200 million from the State Bank of India for oil purchases, Wijesekara said. 

From June, Sri Lanka is estimated to need 530 million US dollars for fuel imports in the current forex crisis. Crisis-hit Sri Lanka on Tuesday and also raised the petrol price by 24.3 per cent and diesel by 38.4 per cent, a record hike in fuel prices amidst the country's worst economic crisis due to the shortage of foreign exchange reserves.
image
12:08   China fumes at Quad, will focus on Indo-Pacific
As US President Joe Biden launched a new trade deal with 12 Indo-Pacific nations, including India, to enhance trade, economic and investment opportunities, China, which sees the pact as a threat to its dominance in the region, went on the offensive against it, promising more opening up, while the official media here termed it as economic NATO.

 On the eve of the Quad summit in Tokyo, Biden on Monday launched the ambitious Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), which is an initiative aimed at deeper cooperation among like-minded countries in areas such as clean energy, supply-chain resilience and digital trade. 

 The IPEF is expected to send across a signal that the US is focused on pushing forward a strong economic policy for the region to counter China's aggressive strategy on trade in the region. 

The countries joining at the launch of the US-led initiative are Australia, Brunei Darussalam, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. 

 The US-led trade deal has already caused consternation in Beijing as its Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the same day offered more higher cooperation to the Indo-Pacific region with better Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects and investments. 

 Addressing the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) through a video link around the same time the IPEF was launched on Monday, Wang said the Asia-Pacific region is where China lives and thrives.

 China will continue to focus on the Asia-Pacific for its benefit and make greater contributions to its lasting peace and sustainable development with concrete actions," he said. -- PTI
image
11:44   Biden hails India's pandemic response, slams China
Drawing a parallel between "India's success with China's failure" to handle the pandemic, US President Joe Biden praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a closed session of the Quad Leaders' Summit in Tokyo on Tuesday, for handling Covid-19 outbreak in a democratic manner.

 According to a senior official, Biden contrasted India's success with China's failure to handle the COVID-19 pandemic while both the countries are of comparable size. 

 Biden added that PM Modi's success has shown the world that democracies can deliver, and busted the "myth that autocracies like China and Russia can handle the rapidly changing world better because their leadership can take and implement decisions without going through lengthy democratic processes", said the official.

 According to the official, these remarks from President Biden appeared to be unscripted, as he made a special intervention to say this before his prepared remarks. PM Modi met US President Biden today shortly after holding the Quad Leaders' Summit. 

The meeting marks a continuation of their regular dialogue having interacted most recently in virtual mode on April 11.
image
11:41   Assam floods: 25 dead, 6.5 lakh homeless
The flood situation in Assam has slightly abated even though the death toll rose to 25 as one more person died and over 6.5 lakh people remained affected by the deluge across 22 districts, an official bulletin said.

 According to the daily flood report of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), one person in Silchar of Cachar district was lost to floodwaters. 

 With this, the total number of people losing their lives in this year's flood and landslides has gone up to 25 across the state, it said on Monday.

 ASDMA said more than 6,50,400 people are hit due to floods in Barpeta, Cachar, Darrang, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Dima Hasao, Goalpara, Golaghat, Hailakandi, Hojai, Jorhat, Kamrup, Kamrup Metropolitan, Karbi Anglong West, Karimganj, Lakhimpur, Majuli, Morigaon, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sonitpur and Udalguri districts. 

 Nagaon is the worst hit district with over 3.51 lakh people in distress, followed by Cachar (nearly two lakh people) and Hojai (more than 44,500 people). 

 Till Saturday, over 7.2 lakh people were affected by the deluge across 22 districts in the state. 

 At present, 1,709 villages are under water and 82,503 hectares of crop areas have been damaged across Assam, ASDMA said. It further said authorities are running 656 relief camps and distribution centres in eight districts, where 90,597 people, including 19,555 children, have taken shelter. -- PTI
image
11:31   Justin Bieber to perform in New Delhi on Oct 18
Pop star Justin Bieber is set to bring his Justice World Tour to New Delhi on October 18, promoters BookMyShow and AEG Presents Asia announced on Tuesday.

 The Canadian singer, known for tracks like "Baby", "Sorry", "Ghost" and "Lonely", will travel with his tour to over 30 countries -- playing more than 125 shows - from May 2022 through March 2023. 

 The tour started in Mexico this month and will have a stop in Italy in July before continuing on to Scandinavia for shows in August, followed by South America, South Africa, the Middle and India in October. 

 The concert is scheduled to be held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (JLN Stadium) in New Delhi. Tickets for the show are set to go on sale from June 4 on BookMyShow, with the pre-sale window opening on June 2. 

Tickets are priced from Rs 4,000 onwards. The tour will close out the year in Asia, Australia and New Zealand before moving to the UK and Europe in early 2023. Additional dates have also been announced for Dubai, Bahrain, Sydney, Manila, Amsterdam, London and Dublin. -- PTI
image
11:28   US-India partnership will be closest ever: Biden
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden hold bilateral talks in Tokyo.

US President Joe Biden speaking to Prime Minister Modi: "There is so much that our countries can and will do together. I'm committed to make US-India partnership among the closest we have on earth.

"I'm pleased that we've reached agreement for US Development Finance Corporation to continue this imp work in India, supporting vaccine production, clean energy initiatives. I'm glad we're renewing the Indo-US Vaccine Action Program.

"We also discussed ongoing effects of Russia's brutal and non-justified invasion of Ukraine and the effect it has on the entire global world order. The US-India is going to continue to consult closely on how to mitigate these negative effects."
image
11:25   Road crash in western UP, five of family on way to Kedarnath killed
Five members of a family, including two children, died and six others were injured after their speeding car rammed into a stationary truck on the Bulandshahr-Meerut highway on Tuesday morning, officials said. 

 The family was en route to the Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand when the accident took place in Gulawathi area of Bulandshahr around 4.30 am, the officials said. Eleven members of the family were in the Mahindra Scorpio that hit the truck, leading to the death of two children, a woman and two men on the spot, District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh said. 

 Three of the injured have been referred to a medical college in Meerut, he said. The DM said he, along with Senior Superintendent of Police Santosh Kumar Singh, was on the ground to oversee relief measures. 

 Those killed were identified as Hardik (6), Vansh (5), Shalu (21), Himanshu (25) and Paras (22), police said. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath condoled the loss of lives in the accident and directed officials to ensure the best treatment for the injured. PTI
image
11:05   Leaders of Quad countries launch QUAD Fellowship
Leaders of Quad countries on Tuesday launched the QUAD Fellowship - a first-of-its-kind scholarship programme designed to build ties among the next generation of scientists and technologists from the four member nations. 

 US President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterparts Anthony Albanese and Fumio Kishida from Australia and Japan respectively launched the fellowship that will sponsor 25 students per year from each Quad country to pursue masters and doctoral degrees at leading Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) universities in the US.

 "The QUAD fellowship programme is a wonderful and unique initiative. This prestigious fellowship will offer our students great opportunities to pursue graduate and doctorate programmes in science, technology, engineering and maths. It will encourage academic excellence and promote people-to-people linkages between our countries," Prime Minister Modi said in his message.

 He encouraged Indian students to apply for the Quad Fellowship programme and join the next generation of STEM leaders and innovators building a better future for humanity.

 "Quad Fellowship launched! A first-of-its-kind scholarship program that will bring together the top minds of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted. 

 The Fellowship will sponsor 100 students per year - 25 from each Quad country - to pursue masters and doctoral degrees at leading STEM graduate universities in the United States. -- PTI
image
10:55   Mumbai's harbour line disrupted due to power issue
Local train services on the harbour line in Mumbai were disrupted on Tuesday morning due to power issues, according to a Central Railway official. 

Following the disruption, a number of passengers, mostly office-goers, complained that trains on the harbour line, which provides connectivity to Navi Mumbai and western suburbs with south Mumbai, were running late by at least 15-20 minutes during the morning rush hour. 

Later, the locals trains, considered as the lifeline of Mumbai, on the route got overcrowded, some passengers said. 

 The Central Railway's chief public relations officer, Shivaji Sutar, said that services on the up line (towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in south Mumbai) on the harbour corridor were held up for about 15 minutes as the "overhead wire power was not holding from 9.13 am". 

 The power issue was later resolved and the up line services were restored at around 9.30 am, he said. Nearly 10 lakh commuters travel daily on the harbour line, on which trains ply between the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminuns (CSMT)-Goregaon and CSMT-Panvel stations. -- PTI
image
10:29   Petrol at all-time high of Rs 420 in Sri Lanka
Crisis-hit Sri Lanka on Tuesday raised the petrol price by 24.3 per cent and diesel by 38.4 per cent, a record hike in fuel prices amidst the country's worst economic crisis due to the shortage of foreign exchange reserves.
   
With the second fuel price hike since April 19, now the most-used Octane 92 petrol would cost 420 rupees (USD 1.17) and diesel 400 rupees (USD 1.11) a litre, an all-time high.
 
The decision to raise the Octane 92 petrol price by 24.3 per cent or 82 rupees and diesel by 38.4 per cent or 111 rupees per litre was taken by the state fuel entity, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation.
 
"Fuel Price will be revised from 3 am today. Fuel pricing formula that was approved by the Cabinet was applied to revise the prices," Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara said on Twitter.
 
"Price revision includes all costs incurred in importing, unloading, distribution to the stations and taxes. The Cabinet also approved the revision of transportation and other service charges accordingly. The formula will be applied every fortnight or monthly," he said.
 
The hike came as the public continues to suffer in long queues at fuel stations hit by shortages.
 
Lanka IOC, the Sri Lankan subsidiary of India's oil major Indian Oil Corporation, has also raised the retail prices of fuel.
 
"We have raised our prices to match the CPC," Manoj Gupta, the CEO of LIOC, told PTI.
 
Meanwhile, the auto-rickshaw operators said they would raise the tariff to be 90 rupees per first kilometre and 80 rupees for the second onwards.
 
As a measure to mitigate the costs, the government announced that the heads of institutions would be given the discretion over which employees would be essential to report physically. The rest be allowed to work from home.
 
Lanka IOC has been in operation in Sri Lanka since 2002. -- PTI
image
10:23   India logs 1,675 Covid cases in a day, 31 deaths
India's COVID-19 case tally rose by 1,675 to reach 4,31,40,068, while the number of active infections increased marginally to 14,841, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.  
 
The death toll has climbed to 5,24,490 with 31 fatalities reported from Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.
Active cases, which rose by nine in a day, comprised 0.03 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid recovery rate was 98.75 per cent, the health ministry said.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.41 per cent and the weekly positivity rate was 0.49 per cent, according to the ministry.
image
09:29   Modi creating vision of India that leaves out huge chunks of population: Rahul Gandhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is creating a vision of India that is not inclusive and excludes huge chunks of the country's population, which is unfair and goes against the idea of India, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Monday during an interactive session with students at the prestigious University of Cambridge.
 
During the event entitled 'India at 75' at Corpus Christi College, Gandhi covered a broad range of subjects from Hindu nationalism, the Gandhi family's role within the Congress party and efforts to mobilise the people of the country as he fielded questions from a largely Indian student base.
 
"I have a problem if anybody has a vision for India that excludes people, I don't care who's being excluded. I have a problem with it because it is completely unfair, it ignores that there is tremendous energy in the people being excluded and I have a problem with it because that's not what India is," said Gandhi, in response to a question about secularism in India.
 
"I think it goes beyond secularism. You have to include every single person with compassion. Mr Modi is constructing a vision of India where he's leaving out huge chunks of our population. And, that's not a vision of India, that's a vision of a part of India," he said.
 
Asked about how the Congress plans to fight against the forces of "Hindu nationalism", Gandhi declared that he did not agree with the term itself.
 
"There is nothing Hindu about it and actually there's nothing nationalist about it. I think you'll have to think of a new name for them but they're certainly not Hindu. And, I have studied Hinduism in enough detail to tell you that there's absolutely nothing Hindu about wanting to murder people and beat people up," he said.
 
"My problem with the RSS and the Prime Minister is that they are fiddling with the foundational structure of India. When you play the politics of polarisation, when you isolate and demonise 200 million people, you're doing something extremely dangerous and you're doing something that is fundamentally against the idea of India," he said.

"I'm sure there are good things the Prime Minister has done, but for me attacking the idea of India is unacceptable," he added.
 
The BJP on Saturday had accused Gandhi of harming India in his "hate" against Prime Minister Modi and alleged his frequent critical remarks about the country from foreign soils amounted to "betraying" it.
BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia launched a sharp attack on Gandhi for his remarks at a conference in London organised by non-profit think-tank Bridge India on Friday.
Gandhi also said his party is working on plans to go to the ground with padyatras, meet people and walk with people as a way to actively mobilise them from October-November after the Congress presidential elections in August.
 
"That's for the Congress party to decide. There's a presidential election, the party has to decide," he said, when asked if the party needs a leadership outside of the Gandhi family.
 
The event, organised by the School of the Humanities and Social Science at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge University, as part of a series of events celebrating the 75th year of Indian independence, marks the conclusion of Gandhi's UK tour which began last week. -- PTI
image
09:01   Putin trying to extinguish a culture: Biden at Quad
United States President Joe Biden on Tuesday said that Quad is "not just a passing fad but it means business," asserting that the four leaders of the grouping are here to get things done for the region and that he is proud of what they are building together.
   
Addressing the second in-person meeting between Quad leaders, Biden attacked Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, saying it is trying to extinguish a culture.
 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Australia's newly-elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended the second in-person meeting of Quad leaders here during which they exchanged views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and global issues of mutual interest.
 
Biden welcomed Prime Minister Modi at the Summit and said it is wonderful to see you again in person.
 
"We share the same goal of ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific that will deliver greater prosperity and greater opportunity for all of our children. I am looking forward to continuing to work with all of you and to strengthen economic cooperation to deliver inclusive growth and shared prosperity," Biden said in his opening remarks.
 
"We've shown that Quad is not just a passing fad, we mean business. We're here to get things done for the region, and I'm proud of what we're building together and I look forward to our vital partnership flourishing and for many years to come," Biden said.
 
He said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is just trying to extinguish a culture. This is more than a European issue. It is a global issue. -- PTI 
image
08:30   Quad a force for good, says Modi
The mutual trust and determination among the Quad member countries is giving new energy to democratic forces and encouraging a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Tokyo on Tuesday at the second in-person summit of the four-nation grouping.
 
The prime minister said Quad is moving ahead with a constructive agenda for the Indo-Pacific which will further strengthen its image of a "force for good".
Modi made the remarks in presence of United States President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and newly elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
In his opening remarks at the summit, Prime Minister Modi said the Quad has gained a significant place at the world stage in a short span of time.
"We have increased coordination in areas of vaccine delivery, climate action, supply chain resilience, disaster response, economic cooperation and adverse situations arising out of COVID-19 pandemic,'' he said.
He said the cooperation among the Quad countries in various areas is contributing to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
image
08:06   Quad leaders meet in Tokyo at 2nd in-person summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders of the United States, Japan and Australia on Tuesday attended the second in-person meeting of Quad leaders here during which they are expected to exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and global issues of mutual interest.
   
The Quad or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue comprises India, the US, Japan and Australia.
Besides Modi, the Quad summit is being attended by US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Australia's newly-elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
In a statement, before he left for Japan on Sunday, Modi had said the summit will provide an opportunity for the leaders to review the progress of the Quad initiatives and exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and global issues of mutual interest.
The summit is taking place under the shadow of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The Quad leaders are also set to discuss the Russian military offensive in Ukraine and the humanitarian as well as security implications of the conflict.
The summit is also taking place at a time when the relations between China and the Quad member countries have become tense, with Beijing increasingly challenging democratic values and resorting to coercive trade practices. -- PTI
Representational image
Representational image
00:49   Case registered over Kerala PFI rally hate slogan
The Kerala police on Monday registered a case over alleged provocative slogans being raised by a minor boy during a march by the Popular Front of India in coastal Alappuzha, a purported video of which went viral. 

The police said the case has been registered under section 153 A of the Indian Penal Code which deals with the offence of promoting enmity between different religious groups. 

"The case has been registered against the organisers of the event. Section 153 A has been charged. Case is also against the group of people with whom the minor boy attended the rally," a police officer said. 

A short video of a boy sitting on the shoulder of a person during the "Save the republic" rally held by the PFI in Alappuzha on May 21 and raising allegedly provocative slogans has gone viral on social media. 

Taking serious note of the incident, the police had earlier in the day said it had launched a preliminary investigation into it. 

The provocative sloganeering by the child evoked criticism from various quarters. 

Meanwhile, the PFI, in an internal note, which was made available to the media, said such slogans were against the policy of the outfit and would look into the matter. 

"We have given approved slogans which were to be raised in the public rally at Alappuzha. Thousands of party workers and others joined the rally protesting against the RSS. The visual of a boy raising slogans came to our notice now. Those slogans were not approved or given by the organisers of the rally. It's not the policy of the organisation to provoke or raise provocative slogans," PFI state secretary CA Raoof said in the note. -- PTI

TOP STORIES