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Fri, 07 July 2023
Six Amarnath pilgrims die in 2 days, toll rises to 9
Timeline Refresh
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23:56 Rajasthan temple bans entry of visitors wearing ripped jeans, mini-skirts
The management committee of a temple here on Friday introduced a dress code for devotees, asking them to refrain from wearing ripped jeans, shorts, frocks, night suits and mini-skirts.
The committee put up a banner at the temple, stating that persons wearing such clothes would not be allowed entry and that they would have to offer prayers outside the structure.
President, Jharkhand Mahadev Temple, Jayprakash Somani said the directions have been passed after many devotees complained that visiting the temple in torn jeans and mini-skirts was against the Indian culture.
The management said both men and women visiting the temple should put on "decent clothes".
On Thursday, Jammu and Kashmir's renowned 'Bawe Wali Mata' temple management had introduced a dress code, urging visitors to dress "decently" and cover their heads and refrain from wearing shorts, mini-skirts, ripped jeans and capri pants on the premises. -- PTI
An Amarnath pilgrim being rushed to the nearest medical facility by Mountain Rescue Team/ANI
23:40 Six Amarnath pilgrims die in 2 days, toll rises to 9
Six Amarnath yatris died in the past two days, taking the toll in this year's pilgrimage to nine, officials said on Friday.
The authorities did not specify the details, but cardiac arrest triggered by low oxygen concentration at high altitudes is one of the more common causes of fatalities among Amarnath pilgrims and security forces posted there on duty.
So far, nine yatra-related deaths have taken place and 25 persons have been injured, the officials said.
They said the toll includes eight yatris and an ITBP personnel. -- PTI
23:31 Tis Hazari firing: Court sends two advocates to police custody for 3 days
A local court on Friday sent two leaders of the rival groups of lawyers allegedly involved in the firing incident at the Tis Hazari Court complex to three days in police custody.
Manish Sharma, the vice-president of the Delhi Bar Association, and Lalit Sharma, the brother of the association's secretary Atul Sharma, were on Friday.
A day earlier, three other advocates arrested in connection with the firing incident were sent to four-day police custody.
The police said the two groups were allegedly involved in the firing incident that was reported on the court premises on Wednesday.
It was alleged that an official of the Delhi Bar Association opened fire at the supporters of another association member.
A video purporting to show a person firing in the air while some people throw stones and wooden planks was circulated on social media.
While sending Manish Sharma and Lalit Sharma to police custody,
Metropolitan Magistrate Chatinder Singh directed officials to ensure that the accused are not subjected to torture and they are allowed to have prescribed medicines. -- PTI
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22:57 Law panel cautions against fraudulent messages, calls in its name over UCC
The Law Commission on Friday cautioned people against fraudulent WhatsApp messages and calls in its name pertaining to the Uniform Civil Code.
It urged people to "exercise caution" and rely on official sources, including its website, for accurate information.
In its disclaimer, the law panel referred to "certain WhatsApp texts, calls, and messages" being circulated pertaining to the UCC.
"It has come to notice that certain phone numbers are rotating among the individuals, falsely associating them with the Law Commission of India. It is clarified that the Law Commission has no involvement or connection with these texts, calls, or messages, and disclaims any responsibility or endorsement thereof," it said.
The Law Commission said it communicates through official channels, including its website and the Press Information Bureau.
"Individuals are encouraged to visit the official website of the Law Commission of India to access the public notice (seeking views on UCC) issued in this regard," it said.
The panel till recently had received 19 lakh responses on its public notice issued on June 14. People can send responses till July 13. -- PTI
AAP leader Raghav Chadha
22:23 No Oppn talks till Cong clears ordinance stand: AAP
Days ahead of the second meeting of opposition parties in Bengaluru, the Aam Aadmi Party has paused unity discussions saying Congress had assured to that it would express its opposition to the Centre's ordinance for control of services in Delhi much before the monsoon session of Parliament which commences on July 20.
AAP leader Raghav Chadha told ANI that the party is hoping that the Congress will declare its stance soon and all further conversation will only happen after their formal announcement.
The Rajya Sabha MP said the Congress has sent AAP an invite for the opposition meeting slated to be held on July 17 and 18 in Bengaluru.
"However I would like to take you back to the Patna meeting in which in front of all like-minded political parties, the Congress party had in no uncertain terms said that they will much before the commencement of the Monsoon session of the Parliament, in fact 15 days prior to commencement of the monsoon session of Parliament, the Congress party will clear its stand and publicly announce its stand vis a vis the Delhi ordinance," the MP said.
"Every political party that believes in the Constitution of India, that has faith in India's democracy and all right thinking individual have to and must oppose this ordinance. The Congress party in that Patna meeting had very clearly said that much before the Monsoon session of the Parliament begins, 15 days prior to the session begins that they will announce and publicly declare their opposition to the ordinance," he added. -- ANI
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22:03 Technical snag forces Vistara flight to Kolkata to return to Delhi
A Vistara aircraft en route to Kolkata suffered a technical snag and returned to the national capital on Friday evening, according to the airline.
A source in the know said the plane operating flight UK 707 had an engine failure and that there were around 160 passengers onboard.
"Shortly after take-off, a technical snag was detected on Vistara flight UK 707 operating from Delhi to Kolkata on 7 July 2023. As a precautionary step in accordance with the SOPs, the pilots decided to turn back and landed the flight safely at IGI airport, Delhi," a Vistara spokesperson said in a statement.
However, the source said the aircraft had an engine failure and made an emergency landing at Delhi airport.
The spokesperson said the aircraft is undergoing necessary checks.
"An alternative aircraft was immediately arranged which will depart soon after all the customers are on-boarded. The concerned team is making all efforts to minimise inconvenience to the customers by making necessary arrangements," the spokesperson said.
-- PTI
Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde with his 2 deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar (left)
21:30 No threat to my post: Shinde on Ajit Pawar's entry
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday said Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar's entry into the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state posed no threat to him.
Parties split when hard-working workers are neglected, he said while commenting on Ajit Pawar's rebellion against his uncle and NCP chief Sharad Pawar.
"Such things happen when meritorious party workers are sidelined. Ajit Pawar has himself said that it was Sharad Pawar who had wanted an alliance with the BJP in the past....in 2017, 2019 but did a U-turn later," Shinde told DD News in an interview.
He also pointed out that Sharad Pawar himself had rebelled against then chief minister Vasantdada Patil (in 1978) and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi (in 1999).
Dismissing speculation that he was about to be replaced as chief minister, Shinde said these were baseless rumours which cause him no "tension", and the "higher ups" will take appropriate decision.
The Shiv Sena led by him and the BJP are bound by ideology, he said. -- PTI
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21:22 Odisha records 25% deficit rainfall
With the south-west monsoon remaining subdued, Odisha has recorded 25 per cent deficit rainfall which severely affected agricultural activities across the state, official sources said.
However, the India meteorological department on Friday claimed that rainfall activities of the past two days have helped compensate deficit rainfall ratio by 6 per cent from 31 per cent to 25 per cent.
According to IMD sources as many as 17 districts of the state have received a deficit while only 10 districts registered normal rainfall from June 1 to July 7.
The state has received 206 mm rainfall against normal rainfall of 276.6 mm during the period, registering a deficit of 25 per cent, weather scientist Umashankar Das said.
Deogarh district in the western region of the state has received 410.8 mm rainfall which is 53 per cent excess than the normal precipitation of 268.3 mm in the district.
Similarly, the Kalahandi district in the same western region received the highest shortfall of 64 per cent as the region has so far received 117.5 mm of rainfall while the normal figure stands at 325.1 mm during the period. -- PTI
20:57 Brahmins oppose razing of pee accused's home
A Brahmin organisation on Friday opposed the demolition of a part of the house of the accused in the Sidhi urination incident, saying his act was deplorable but his family members can't be punished for his behaviour.
The Madhya Pradesh unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Brahmin Samaj said it will move the high court against the demolition at the house belonging to his father.
On Tuesday, a video of a man, later identified as Sidhi resident Pravesh Shukla, showing him urinating on a tribal person in Madhya Pradesh's Sidhi district went viral on social media, sparking massive outrage.
The next day Shukla was arrested and booked under the stringent National Security Act and what officials said was an illegal portion of the house, where he lived, was demolished.
"I assure full help to the family of the accused and ask all the district presidents of the Samaj to help the Shukla family," the organisation's state chief Pandit Pushpendra Mishra said in a communication to its district branches.
"Man like Pravesh Shukla is not acceptable in any caste and society. His act is highly deplorable. But is it lawful to punish others for the act of someone else," he asked in a statement. -- PTI
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20:45 Four Rafale jets leave for Paris to take part in Bastille Day parade
Four Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force left for France on Friday to take part in the Bastille Day flypast over the Champs Elysees in Paris on July 14.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend this year's Bastille Day Parade as the guest of honour.
On Thursday, a 269-member tri-services contingent of the Indian armed forces left for Paris on board two C-17 Globemaster aircraft.
Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy, a woman helicopter pilot, will lead the IAF's marching contingent at the parade.
The IAF said a flying contingent of four Rafale fighters, two C-17 Globemasters and 72 personnel departed for France on Friday.
"The flypast and marching by the IAF air warriors on Bastille Day follows a long association that the two nations share, especially in the field of air power," it said in a statement.
"Many Indians like Welinkar, Shivdev Singh, HC Dewan and Jumbo Majumdar have fought over the skies of France during the two World Wars. Some, like Jumbo Majumdar were also decorated for their gallant action, over the Falaise Gap, during the terminal phase of World War II," it said.
"The Indian Air Force has also operated multiple French aircraft starting with the Ouragan. This was followed by fighter aircraft like Breguet Alize, Mystere IVA, SEPECAT Jaguar, Mirage 2000 and now, the Rafale," the IAF statement added. -- PTI
Shah Rukh Khan
20:15 SRK can't act, says Pak actress, gets trolled
Pakistani actor Mahnoor Baloch has caused a social media storm with her comments about Shah Rukh Khan, saying the Hindi cinema superstar is not conventionally handsome and doesn't know acting.
Baloch, known for appearing in Pakistani films Main Hoon Shahid Afridi and Torn as well as daily soaps like Apni Apni Love Story and Talafi, made the statements during her appearance on talk show Had Kar Di, aired on Samaa TV channel.
"Shah Rukh Khan has a very good personality, but if you see him according to the beauty parameters and what is considered handsome, he doesn't come under that, Baloch said.
"It is just that his personality and aura are so strong that he looks good. He has that thing (aura), but there are many beautiful people, who don't have any aura, so people do not even notice them," she said.
Baloch, 53, also questioned the Pathaan star's acting skills but said he knows how to market himself well.
"It is my opinion about Shah Rukh Khan that he doesn't know acting. He is a great businessman, he knows how to market himself. This is my opinion. I'm sure he has many fans who think that I'm wrong and that's fine. He has a good personality, he markets himself well."
"There are a lot of actors who are not as successful, so he has to some kind of a business mind to do that," she added. -- PTI
Major PK Ghosh/BSF on Twitter
20:09 BSF officer who helped form Mukti Bahini dies at 84
Major PK Ghosh, who was instrumental in forming the Mukti Bahini or the Bangladesh Liberation Force a day after the Pakistani army unleashed a reign of terror in the neighbouring country some 52 years ago along Tripura border, is no more.
He was 84.
His daughter Agomoni Ghosh said he was suffering from cancer and breathed his last in Delhi on Thursday.
"He died after some suffering that dented his health but not his spirit as he battled cancer with the same zeal as the enemies of the nation. My father is an unsung hero. His career in the army, BSF and R&AW is one of sheer professional brilliance but one that remained in shadows because of the sensitive nature of his job. He had a soft corner for Bangladesh because he was the first Indian to have fought in the 1971 Liberation War," she said.
At the time of the Liberation War, Major Ghosh was commanding four border outposts of BSF at Sreenagar, Amlighat, Samarendraganj and Nalua in the southern part of Tripura bordering Chittagong division, then in East Pakistan.
Major Ghosh had earlier told PTI about the formation of the first Mukti Bahini group on March 26, 1971.
On March 26, 1971, Pakistan army sent an infantry battalion from Comilla cantonment to Chittagong commanded by a brigadier to counter the forces of Major Ziaur Rehaman and deployed 10-15 men for the protection of Shubhapur Road Bridge, near the Sreenagar BOP in Sabroom, the southernmost town in Tripura, he said.
The bridge was located in a strategic point, which connected Chittagong and Dhaka and was the main supply line for essentials, he added.
"Around 2pm, my East Pakistan Rifles contact Havildar Nuruddin came to Sreenagar BOP along with Prof. Obaidullah Majumdar, a member of the National Assembly, and Dr. Amir Hussain, an Awami League leader. They told us about the terror let loose by the Pakistan army on villagers including women and children and asked for immediate intervention to dislodge them," Ghosh said. -- PTI
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19:43 ISRO invites citizens to witness live launch of Chandrayaan-3 on July 14
The Indian Space Research Organisation on Friday invited citizens to witness the launch of Chandrayaan-3 from the Launch View Gallery at SDSC-SHAR, Sriharikota, by registering at lvg.shar.gov.in/VSCREGISTRATIO.
"Vehicle electrical tests completed. Citizens are invited to witness the launch from the Launch View Gallery at SDSC-SHAR, Sriharikota, by registering at https://lvg.shar.gov.in/VSCREGISTRATIO," tweeted ISRO.
Earlier, the director of the Indian Space and Research Organisation, S Somanath, announced that Chandrayaan-3, India's planned third lunar exploration mission, will be launched on July 14 at 2.35 pm from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. -- ANI
19:35 ED attaches Rs 52 cr assets of Sisodia, wife
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday said it has attached assets worth more than Rs 52 crore of arrested Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia, his wife and some other accused in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case.
A provisional order has been issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act to attach among others immovable properties (worth Rs 7.29 crore) comprising two assets of Manish Sisodia and his wife Seema Sisodia, land/flat of another accused Rajesh Joshi (director of Chariot Productions Media Pvt Ltd.) and land/flat of Gautam Malhotra.
The attachment also includes movable assets worth Rs 44.29 crore including bank balances of Manish Sisodia worth Rs 11.49 lakh, Brindco Sales Pvt. Ltd. (amount of Rs 16.45 crore) and others, the agency said in a statement.
The total attachment value is Rs 52.24 crore, the ED said.
Sisodia, a former deputy chief minister of Delhi, was arrested by the ED in this case in March and he is currently in judicial custody. -- PTI
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18:58 Landslide hits Amarnath tatra track after heavy rains; none hurt
A landslide hit the Baltal route of the Amarnath Yatra track on Friday following heavy rains in the area, officials said.
No loss of life was reported in the incident.
The landslide was reported near Rail Patri along the track on the Baltal-holy cave axis, they said, adding that as an impact, the pilgrimage trail was blocked.
No one was hurt as the yatra was suspended this morning following heavy rains in the area, they said.
Most of the areas in the Kashmir valley received rain on Friday. -- PTI
18:41 Balasore train accident: CBI arrests 3 rly officials
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday took into custody three railway personnel in connection with the June 2 Balasore train accident, making its first arrests in the case, officials said.
The agency arrested senior section engineer (signal) Arun Kumar Mahanta, section engineer Mohammed Amir Khan and technician Pappu Kumar, all posted in Balasore district, the officials said.
The three have been arrested under IPC Sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 201 (destruction of evidence), they said.
The accident took place near the Bahanaga Bazar station in the Balasore district of Odisha in which 293 people were killed -- 287 on the spot or brought dead to hospital while six succumbed to injuries in hospitals.
The accident involved three trains: the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express, Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and a stationary goods train. -- PTI
18:18 Five Maoists arrested in Jharkhand; arms, ammunitions recovered
Five Maoists were arrested with a large number of arms and ammunition in Jharkhand's Lohardaga district, police said on Friday.
The Maoists were arrested during a police operation in Serendag police station area, about 75 km from Ranchi on Thursday.
Two carbines, a revolver, a carbine magazine, 111 live cartridges, five pamphlets of CPI-Maoist and four android mobile phones were seized, a statement by the police said.
The five were allegedly involved in setting two tractors and one excavator on fire in the Serendag police station area on March 27 and June 5 respectively.
They had also allegedly attacked a clerk of contractor engaged in road construction on May 22, it said. -- PTI
Jyotiraditya Scindia with the cook of the dhaba
17:42 Unlearning, says Scindia when compared with Rahul
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has taken a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after a social media user drew a parallel between his interaction with the staff of a restaurant and Gandhi's candid exchanges with common people.
Scindia, a former Congress leader, on Thursday posted a video of him interacting with the staff of the restaurant in Gwalior.
"Along with eating delicious food, it is important to meet the chef! Today, during my stay in Gwalior, met the young employees of a restaurant and discussed food and local issues," he tweeted.
Reacting to Scindia's tweet and video, a Twitter user said, "Learning from Rahul Gandhi. Good." Scindia had a two-word reply -- "Actually, unlearning".
The Twitter user again took a jibe at Scindia, saying, "When I compare you both. He (Gandhi) seems more grounded, humble, truthful and honest than you Maharaj. So there is no harm in learning from him."
Scindia, who was close to Gandhi when he was in the Congress, had resigned from the party and joined the BJP in March 2020. His move had triggered a chain of events which finally culminated in the collapse of the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh just 15 months after its formation. PTI
The train connects Secunderabad with Kolkata
17:34 Falaknuma Express catches fire near Hyderabad, none hurt
Five compartments of Hyderabad-bound Falaknuma Express (Howrah-Secunderabad) caught fire near Bommaipalli, about 50 km from Hyderabad on Friday but nobody was hurt in the incident, officials said.
A senior official of the South Central Railway said three compartments (S4, S5 and S6) were damaged completely and two partially in the fire.
"All passengers are safely evacuated and shifted in buses after a fire broke out in the Falaknuma Express near Bhongir rural PS limits. Police, Fire Dept, and Railways are working in coordination. So far, no fatalities have been reported. Out of 18 coaches, 11 are detached and taken away safely. 7 bogies caught fire, out of which fire is extinguished in 3 bogies as of now, Telangana DGP Anjani Kumar tweeted at 1.37 PM.
"Situation is totally under control. No injuries, no causalities. All the passengers are safe," a SCR official told PTI.
An eyewitness told TV channels that all the passengers were alighted after the fire was noticed. A railway employee said one of his colleagues noticed smoke coming from a compartment prompting the loco pilot to stop the train and evacuate the passengers from the train. Fire tenders and other rescue machinery including local police reached the spot to extend help.
17:29 Raj Thackeray meets Maharashtra CM
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Chief Raj Thackeray meets CM Eknath Shinde at his residence.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said today amid speculations that Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin were reconciling that there was no need for any mediator to initiate talks between Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray as both are brothers.
Earlier in the day, addressing the recent reports of discontent among Shiv Sena MLAs regarding NCP leader Ajit Pawar's joining the Shinde-Fadnavis government, CM Shinde made it clear that his government has emerged stronger, adding that he had no plans of stepping down, terming all such reports as 'rumours'. "It is all rumours...," CM Shinde told ANI.
16:59 Tomato goes off McDonald's menu in north, east
Fast food chain McDonald's has stopped using tomato in its food preparations at most of the stores in northern and eastern parts of the country citing the non-availability of quality products, amid the price of the commodity surging up to Rs 200 per kg.
McDonald's India - North and East said it is constrained to "hold tomatoes for the time being" and is trying to resolve this issue by employing sustainable agriculture practices.
"Due to seasonal crop issues arising out of farm fields in a few regions, there are not enough quantities meeting our quality specifications available. To ensure our customers get the best quality we are known to serve, we are constrained to hold tomatoes for the time being," said a McDonald's India - North and East spokesperson.
There is also a buzz going on in the social media over the absence of tomatoes on some of the top-selling products of McDonald's such as burgers.
Social media users are sharing pictures of burgers without tomatoes. Some of them also shared the notices put out by some of McDonald's stores informing the walk-in customer about the temporary unavailability of tomatoes.
Assuring customers, McDonald's India - North and East spokesperson said: "We reiterate that it is not due to the surge in the prices. It is only due to the non-availability of tomatoes meeting our quality specifications."
However, he also added restaurants mostly in the Punjab-Chandigarh area where it is able to source the commodity in adequate quantities, McDonald's continues to serve tomatoes in its menu.
"We are working towards resolving this issue by employing sustainable agriculture practices including hydroponically-grown tomatoes in a completely controlled environment to de-risk our requirements from vagaries of season," he said, adding, "We should be able to bring back tomatoes to the menu soon."
McDonald's restaurants in north and east of India are operated by Connaught Plaza Restaurants Pvt Ltd (CPRL), which is its masters franchiser.
Stores in southern and western regions are operated by McDonald's another master franchiser Westlife Group.
16:55 Pankaja Munde: Taking a break for couple of months
Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party leader Pankaja Munde on Friday said she was planning to take a break for "one or two months" as she was anguished at her integrity being questioned time and again.
She said her party would have to answer if she had merit and asserted that only time will tell if she was treated unfairly.
Munde also panned the media for taking some of her statements out of context or misquoting her, adding that she planned to sue one channel which reported on her meeting Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
In a swipe, the former Parli MLA also said her party colleagues had worked hard on the campaign to highlight nine years of the Narendra Modi government but were not mustering courage to speak on recent developments in Maharashtra, a reference to the NCP split and a faction joining the Eknath Shinde government.
The former state minister and daughter of party stalwart late Gopinath Munde said she wanted the BJP's ideology of Deendayal Upadhyaya and Atal Bihari Vajpayee to remain as she had grown up on that sentiment. Addressing a press conference, Munde said post her defeat in the 2019 Assembly polls from Parli, her name came up for nomination to the Rajya Sabha and two times for the Maharashtra Legislative Council but she was asked to not go ahead at the last moment.
"I have never commented on this in public and have obeyed the party directive. i have never worked against the party's interest. If the BJP doesn't think where politics is going...nobody is interested in what people think, I am going to introspect," she said.
Speaking about the split in the Shiv Sena (in June last year) and the NCP (on July 2 this year), Munde said, "I am a BJP worker who believes in the ideology of Deendayal Upadhaya and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. I want that ideology to remain as I have grown up with that sentiment," she asserted.
16:39 Take action against extremists: Doval to UK NSA
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Friday urged his British counterpart Sir Tim Barrow to take strong public action such as deportation against extremist elements threatening officers of Indian High Commission in the UK, official sources said.
Doval raised the issue during his wide-ranging talks with Barrow, who is currently on a visit to India.
The two NSAs held one-on-one talks that was followed by delegation level dialogue. Pro-Khalistan groups have issued posters inciting violence against senior Indian diplomats in the UK as well as in the US, Canada and Australia. India has already asked all these countries to ensure safety and security of Indian diplomats and its missions.
"The Indian side raised the issue of the extremist elements in the UK threatening individual officers of the Indian High Commission and urged the UK government to take strong public action against these elements such as deportation or legal prosecution," said a source.
Both the sides agreed to work closely to counter terrorism and terror financing. The two NSAs also resolved to deepen mutually beneficial bilateral collaboration in critical and emerging technologies. PTI
Meghalaya is a huge tourist destination for its natural beauty
16:22 Now, police station torched in Meghalaya
A police station in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district was attacked and three vehicles and a two-wheeler parked inside the compound were torched after police personnel allegedly refused to register complaints by two groups engaged in an altercation, a senior officer said on Friday.
The incident occurred at Laitumkhrah Police Station here on Thursday night when the two groups were involved in a heated exchange of words and argued with policemen on duty over the filing of their complaints, he said.
"The situation turned violent when unidentified people gathered outside the police station, hurled stones, and set on fire three vehicles and a motorcycle parked inside the premises," a police officer told PTI.
East Khasi Hills district superintendent of police Sylvester Nongtynger called for an investigation into the matter, he said.
Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, who is the local MLA, condemned the attack on the police station. "I condemn the incident and I urge the police to inquire into the attack on the PS and arrest those involved in such an act," she added. PTI
16:17 Sensex tanks 500 points
Benchmark stock indices Sensex declined by 505 points at close while Nifty settled lower at the 19,330 level due to profit-taking in financial, IT and oil shares after a record-breaking run and weak global trends.
The 30-share BSE Sensex fell sharply by 505.19 points or 0.77 per cent to close at 65,280.45 points as 25 of its constituents ended in red and five in green.
The barometer moved between 65,175.74 and 65,898.98 during the day. Ending its eight-day winning streak, the broader Nifty of the National Stock Exchange declined by 165.50 or 0.85 per cent to settle at 19,331.80.
As many as 44 Nifty shares declined while six gained. Among major Sensex shares, PowerGrid fell the most by 2.76 per cent. IndusInd Bank dropped 2.34 per cent, HUL by 2.23 per cent and NTPC by 2.04 per cent. ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, HDFC, ITC, Infosys, L&T, Bajaj Finance, Kotak Bank, HCL Tech and Tech Mahindra were among the losers.
MP CM washed the feet of the victim and apologised
15:49 MP govt sanctions Rs 6.5L relief for pee victim
The Madhya Pradesh government has sanctioned financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the tribal, on whom a man had urinated in Sidhi district, and provided an additional sum of Rs 1.5 lakh for the construction of his house, an official said on Friday.
The financial help comes a day after Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan washed the feet of the victim, Dashmat Rawat, at his residence in Bhopal and also apologised to him over the humiliating incident.
On the CM's directives, financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh and an additional aid of Rs 1.5 lakh (total Rs 6.5 lakh) for the construction of house have been sanctioned for Rawat, the Sidhi district collector said.
Police on Wednesday arrested Pravesh Shukla, who is accused of urinating on the tribal man. Besides facing relevant charges under the IPC and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, action has also been initiated against Shukla under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), an official earlier said.
A video of the incident went viral on social media platforms on Tuesday, following which the police registered a case against him. The NSA allows preventive detention of an individual for months if police feels the individual is a threat to the national security, and law and order. On Thursday, Chouhan warned that those committing unjust acts and indulging in wrongdoing against the poor would be severely punished.
15:45 A photo exhibition on Mumbai monsoons
Ace photographer Mukesh Parpiani will be curating an exhibition of photographs at the NCPA, Mumbai. Parpiani has organised over 250 photo exhibitions at NCPA's Piramal Art Gallery -- dedicated to the art form of photography -- for over 30 years.
This exhibition is called, Mumbai Monsoon Beyond 24X7 and begins tomorrow till July 23.
Make time for it.
15:09 Delhi court summons Brij Bhushan on July 18
A Delhi court on Friday summoned BJP MP and outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a case of alleged sexual harassment of women wrestlers and said there was sufficient evidence to proceed against the accused.
Taking cognisance of the chargesheet, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Harjeet Singh Jaspal directed Brij Bhushan to appear before the court on July 18.
The court also summoned Vinod Tomar, suspended assistant secretary of the Wrestling Federation of India.
The city police had filed a chargesheet against Brij Bhushan, a six-time MP, on June 15 under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.
Tomar was charged with offences under Sections 109 (abetment of any offence, if the act abetted is committed in consequence, and where no express provision is made for its punishment), 354, 354A and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC. PTI
Uddhav Thackeray with Neelam Gorhe. File pic
14:38 Key Uddhav aide Neelam Gorhe joins Team Shinde
Maharashtra Legislative Council Deputy Chairperson and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Neelam Gorhe on Friday joined Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
Gorhe, an aide of former CM Uddhav Thackeray, joined the ruling party in the presence of Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai. PTI
14:14 On Pawar's age jibe, Raut says, remember Gandhiji?
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar's fight against the revolt in his party at this age is inspiring, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said on Friday.
Pawar (82) on Thursday declared he was the president of the party and hit back at nephew and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's retirement jibe, saying he will work more effectively "whether 82 or 92."
"This is what inspires us about him. (Shiv Sena founder) Balasaheb (Thackeray) was 84-86 years old. We would take inspiration from him. What is age? Mahatma Gandhi was old, but he still fought against the British," Raut said.
The Rajya Sabha MP said there is no need for any mediator to initiate talks between Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray as both are brothers, amid a buzz of a possible alliance between the two.
MNS leader Abhijit Panse on Thursday met Raut, leading to speculation about a possible truce between the estranged Thackeray cousins against the backdrop of the changed political situation in Maharashtra. Panse, however, denied that he had brought any proposal from Raj for an alliance with Uddhav. PTI
Rahul Gandhi with Bhupesh Baghel
13:46 Chhattisgarh has become ATM of Congress: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Congress, alleging that corruption was its biggest ideology, and said the grand old party cannot breathe without it.
Modi said if the Congress is a guarantee for corruption, he is a guarantee for action against graft.
Addressing a rally at the Science College ground in Chhattisgarh capital Raipur, he said the state has become an ATM of the Congress.
The scam-ridden Congress government in Chhattisgarh has become a model of misrule and people have decided to root out it in the upcoming Assembly elections, he said. This was Modi's first visit to the Congress-ruled state, where Assembly elections are due this year-end, after being elected as the prime minister for the second term in 2019.
"...The next 25 years will be crucial for the development of Chhattisgarh, but a big 'panja' (referring to Congress party symbol) is standing like a tall wall against it. Congress's panja had decided to snatch your rights and it will loot and destroy the state," he said.
The PM further said he would like to remind people of the state about the promises made by the Congress during the 2018 assembly. The Congress government betrayed the women of Chhattisgarh.
"The party promised liquor ban in the state, but in reality they have done crores of rupees of liquor scam. The scam money went into the account of the Congress party," he alleged." Now people say due to fights over this money the party could not implement the two-and-a-half years formula (hinting at sharing of CM's post between Bhupesh Baghel and T S Singh Deo)," he said.
"Chhattisgarh has become the ATM of Congress. Corruption is not limited to liquor. There is no department left where corruption is not being committed in the Congress government in Chhattisgarh. This government has become a model of misrule," he said.
Taking a dig at the opposition parties over their attempt to forge an anti-BJP front, Modi said, "Those who are stained with corruption, they are trying to come together today. Those who once cursed each other, are trying to find excuses to come together." -- PTI
13:41 Tina Ambani: We miss you every day pappa
Tina Ambani paid homage to her late father-in-law Dhirubhai Ambani yesterday on his death anniversary. She shared a vintage family photo and wrote, "Dhirubhai Ambani did yesterday what the rest of India is doing today. Far ahead of his time in so many ways, a true visionary. At home, he encouraged each of us to think out of the box, be the best version of ourselves and dedicate ourself to self-actualization. We miss you every day Pappa. And we try to apply your infinite wisdom to our own lives."
13:36 Liquor to get dearer in Karnataka
Liquor, including beer, is set to get dearer in Karnataka as the state government on Friday proposed to hike additional excise duty in the 2023-24 budget presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the Legislative Assembly on Friday.
Siddaramaiah, who holds the Finance portfolio, proposed to increase the existing rates of the duty on Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) by 20 per cent on all 18 slabs. He also proposed to increase the duty on beer from 175 per cent to 185 per cent.
"Even after the increase in excise rates, the price of liquor in our state would be lower when compared to the neighbouring states," the Chief Minister said in the budget speech. With these hikes and effective enforcement and regulatory measures, the revenue collection target for the Excise Department for the year 2023-24 is fixed at Rs 36,000 crore, Siddaramaiah added. PTI
13:18 How India could rise to the worlds second-biggest economy
For India, a key to realising the potential of that growing population is boosting participation within its labor force, as well as providing training and skills for its immense pool of talent, says Santanu Sengupta, Goldman Sachs Research's India economist.
"Over the next two decades, the dependency ratio of India will be one of the lowest among regional economies," he says, pointing out that India's population has one of the best ratios between its working-age population and its number of children and elderly.
Read more here.
The Thackerays at Bal Thackeray's funeral
13:15 No mediation needed for Uddhav-Raj talks: Raut
According to insiders, "talks are on" between the Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena at "an exploratory level".
Speaking on the matter Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said, "There's no need for mediation to talk to Raj Thackeray. Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray are brothers. My friendship with Raj Thackeray is known to everybody. Our political paths have separated but we have shared a large part of our lives with each other. We still have an emotional attachment."
Asked to comment on Ajit Pawar's age jibe at Sharad Pawar, Raut said, "He (Sharad Pawar) always inspires us. Balasaheb Thackeray was 84-86 years old, we always drew inspiration and strength from him. It is not about the age..."
While the Thackeray versus Thackeray political split was not as acrimonious as the Pawar versus Pawar duel being played out presently, Raj Thackeray did go on to politically undermine the Shiv Sena's electoral prospects in urban Maharashtra in the 2009 Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections.
13:09 Rains subside in Kerala, thousands lodged in relief camps
Normal life continues to be disrupted in many parts of Kerala with thousands displaced even as the intensity of the southwest monsoon has reduced on Friday.
Educational institutions including professional colleges in Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod districts remain closed today. Meanwhile, the state disaster management authority (SDMA) informed that more relief camps have been opened in the state.
"Yesterday, there were 112 camps with over 6,500 people across the state. Today, the number of relief camps have been increased to 186. The total number of people are yet to be ascertained," SDMA authorities said. It also said 41 houses were fully damaged while 818 houses have been partially damaged across the state as per the latest figures. The schools and colleges in three taluks -- Chengannur, Karthikappalli and Kuttanad -- of Alappuzha district have also been closed.
A road block due to landslide has been reported from Munnar that the district officials said is being removed to facilitate transportation.
The Thrissur district administration informed that the shutters of the Peringalkuthu Dam will be opened today and warned the people living on the banks of Chalakkudy river to remain cautious as the water level may rise as a result.
The red alert has been withdrawn for now but the yellow alert remains in the five northernmost districts of the state. A red alert indicates heavy to extremely heavy rains of over 20 cm in 24 hours, while an orange alert means very heavy rains of 6 cm to 20 cm of rain. PTI
13:08 Teen shot dead in strife-torn Manipur
A teenager was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Manipur's Bishnupur district in the wee hours of Friday, police said.
According to officials, gunmen fired indiscriminately at Phoubakchao locality during which the teenager, who was hurrying to take cover, was hit by a bullet.
Meanwhile, irate locals mostly womenfolk hit the streets in Moirang to vent out their anger against the firing.
Officials said the firing between two groups of armed men was first reported in Awang Leikei and Kangwai in Churandpur district near Phoubakchao around 1.30am.
After a few hours of lull, intermittent firing started again from 11.30am, officials said, adding senior police officials have gone to Kangwai to take stock of the situation.
More than 100 people have lost their lives and over 3,000 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.
Around 40,000 central security personnel, besides the Manipur Police, have been deployed to control the violence and bring back normalcy in the state.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribal Nagas and Kukis constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts -- PTI
Representative image
12:44 Maha: Drum filled with stones kept on railway track; train driver applies emergency brakes
The driver of Mumbai-Secunderabad Devgiri Express applied emergency brakes after spotting a drum, which was later found to be filled with stones, on the railway track in Maharashtra's Jalna district in the early hours of Friday, an official said.
The train was between Satona and Osmanpur stations in Partur tehsil when the incident took place around 4 am, he said. The stretch falls in the Nanded division of the South Central Railway (SCR).
The loco pilot used the emergency brakes to bring the train to a halt. After being informed about a drum in the middle of the track, personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) reached the spot, said Rajesh Shinde, public relations officer for SCR's Nanded division.
The drum was found to be filled with stones, the official said. The obstruction was cleared and the train was allowed to travel further, he said.
The railway police have registered a case, and no arrests have been made yet, he said.
The incident comes nearly a month after three trains collided in Odisha's Balasore district, claiming more than 280 lives and injuring over 1,000 people. -- PTI
12:37 PM unveils Rs 7600cr projects in poll-bound Chh'garh
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated and laid foundation stones of eight projects worth around Rs 7,600 crore in Chhattisgarh capital Raipur.
During an event held at the Science College ground here, PM Modi also virtually flagged off a new train between Antagarh in Kanker district of the state and Raipur.
He kickstarted the distribution of cards of the Centre's Ayushman Bharat scheme to beneficiaries in the state.
Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh are due by the end of this year.
Speaking on the occasion, PM Modi said these new projects will open up ample employment opportunities for the people of the state and ease their lives.
The projects will start a new journey of facilities and development in tribal-dominated areas, he said.
"In the last 9 years, the Centre sanctioned National Highway projects of 3,500 km length in Chhattisgarh, of which projects of 3,000 km length have been completed," he said.
"We have been developing infrastructure in the areas which have been lagging in the race of development," the prime minister added. -- PTI
12:22 Deepika, Prabhas, Kamal to unveil 'Project K' at Comic-Con
Film stars Prabhas and Deepika Padukone along with cinema veteran Kamal Haasan will be sharing an exclusive glimpse into the world of their upcoming sci-fi movie Project K at the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC).
According to a press note issued by the makers, the Nag Ashwin directorial will be the first-ever Indian film to debut at SDCC. At the Comic-Con, scheduled to take place from July 20 to 23, producers Vyjayanthi Movies will be hosting conversations and performances, providing audiences with a glimpse into India's vibrant culture and awe-inspiring world of science fiction.
Haasan, Prabhas, Deepika and Ashwin will unveil the film's title, trailer, and release date on day one of SDCC. The multi-lingual sci-fi film also features megastar Amitabh Bachchan and Disha Patani.
12:11 Abusive words against PM derogatory, not...: HC
The Karnataka high court has said abusive words used against the Prime Minister was derogatory and irresponsible but it does not constitute sedition, while quashing a case of sedition against a school management.
Justice Hemant Chandangoudar, at the Kalburgi bench of the high court, quashed the FIR filed by the New Town Police Station, Bidar, against Allauddin, Abdul Khaleq, Mohammed Bilal Inamdar and Mohammed Mehatab, all management persons of Shaheen School in Bidar.
The court said the ingredients of Section 153(A) (causing disharmony between religious groups) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) are not found in the case.
"The utterance of the abusive words that the Prime Minister should be hit with footwear is not only derogatory, but is irresponsible. The constructive criticism of the government policy is permissible, but the Constitutional functionaries cannot be insulted for having taken a policy decision, for which, certain section of the people may have objection," Justice Chandangoudar said in his judgement.
Though it was alleged that the play enacted by the children criticised the various enactments of the government and "if such enactments are enforced, the Muslims may have to leave the country," the HC noted that "the play was enacted within the school premises. There are no words uttered by the children inciting people to resort to violence or to create public disorder."
The HC said the play came to public knowledge when one of the accused uploaded the play on his social media account.
"Hence, at no stretch of imagination it can be said that the petitioners herein enacted the play with an intention to incite people to resort to violence against the government or with the intention of creating public disorder," it observed.
Therefore, the court said that "the registration of the FIR for the offence under Section 124A (Sedition) and Section 505(2) in the absence of essential ingredients is impermissible."
The sedition FIR was filed against the school authorities following the performance of a play against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizenship (NRC) by students of Classes 4, 5, and 6 on January 21, 2020.
The four persons were charged under Sections 504 (insulting someone intentionally), 505(2), 124A (sedition), 153A read with Section 34 of the IPC following a complaint by one Nilesh Rakshala, an Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activist. -- PTI
12:08 Matter will be taken up further: Cong on HC's Rahul order
The judgment redoubles the Congress' resolve to pursue the matter further, the party on Friday said after the Gujarat high court refused to stay Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a defamation case.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the reasoning of the judge is being studied and the matter will be taken up further.
"We have noted the verdict of the single-judge bench of the Gujarat high court on the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi. The reasoning of the Hon'ble judge is being studied, as it should be, and Dr. Abhishek Singhvi will be briefing the media in detail at 3 pm. The judgement only redoubles our resolve to pursue the matter further," Ramesh said on Twitter.
The Gujarat High Court on Friday dismissed Gandhi's plea seeking a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark.
Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala termed it a "Travesty of justice".
"Instead of punishing 'Bank Fraudsters' like Nirav Modi, Ami Modi, Neeshal Modi, Mehul Choksi and ilk, the 'messenger' exposing the deceit and swindling of public money is being punished," Surjewala said in a tweet.
He said Rahul Gandhi has chosen the path of truth, of righteousness, of fearlessness and of seeking accountability from those in citadels of power.
"We will tread upon the path of truth and righteousness, come what may... Satyamev Jayate !" the Congress leader said.
Photo: Claudio Pedroso/Reuters
11:43 Ricky Martin, husband to divorce
Music sensation Ricky Martin and his husband of six years Jwan Yosef are getting divorced, the couple announced on Friday.
The Puerto Rican superstar and the painter-conceptual artist, who share two kids: daughter Lucia, born in 2018, and son Renn, born in 2019, said they will continue the joint upbringing of their children.
"We have decided to end our marriage with love, respect and dignity for our children and honouring what we have experienced as a couple all these wonderful years.
"Our greatest desire now is to continue having a healthy family dynamic and a relationship centred on peace and friendship to continue the joint upbringing of our children, preserving the respect and love we have for each other," the duo said in a joint statement to People magazine.
Martin, 51, and Yosef, 38, connected on Instagram in 2015 and started dating six months later. They made their relationship public at the 2016 amFAR Inspiration Gala and announced their engagement the same year. They got married in 2018.
Martin also has twin sons Matteo and Valentino, born in 2008, whom he will continue to raise as a single parent.
11:26 Modi surname case: HC refuses to stay Rahul's conviction
The Gujarat high court on Friday dismissed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's plea seeking a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark.
While dismissing the plea, Justice Hemant Prachchhak noted that Gandhi is already facing 10 cases across India, adding the order of the lower court was "just, proper and legal" in convicting the Congress leader.
The HC noted that there is no reasonable ground to stay the conviction.
A stay to the conviction would have paved the way for Gandhi's reinstatement as a Member of Parliament.
A metropolitan magistrate's court in Surat on March 23 sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail after convicting him under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 499 and 500 (criminal defamation) in a 2019 case filed by BJP Gujarat MLA Purnesh Modi.
11:08 3 killed as bus on way to Modi's rally in Raipur hits truck
Three persons were killed and six others injured when a bus ferrying people to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public rally in Raipur, rammed into a stationary truck in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur district on Friday, police said.
The accident occurred near Beltara village when the bus with around 40 people on board was heading to Raipur from Ambikapur, Bilaspur Superintendent of Police Santosh Singh said.
Prima facie, the bus driver could not clearly see the stationary truck parked on the roadside due to heavy rainfall, as a result of which the bus rammed into it from the rear side, he said.
"Three people died in the accident while six others sustained injuries, two of them critically," he said.
The deceased were identified as Sajan (30), Rukdev (45), both natives of Surajpur district, and bus driver Akram Raza (28), a resident of Balrampur district, he said.
Of the injured, the condition of two - Lilu Gupta, who is BJP's Latori unit mandal president in Surajpur and Vishambhar Yadav, the party's mandal general secretary in Surajpur, is said to be critical and they have been shifted to a private hospital in Bilaspur, he said.
Four other injured were admitted to Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS) Bilspur, he said.
Investigation into the incident is underway, Singh said.
10:45 Army jawan shoots self dead in J-K
An Army jawan on Friday allegedly shot himself dead at a camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district, officials said.
The incident took place at the Mehashwar army camp, they said.
The soldier has been identified as Dombal Mayur of Maharashstra, they said, adding the body has been sent for postmortem.
On Thursday, a Border Security Force jawan had shot himself dead at the Chillayari border post along the International Border in Samba district. -- PTI
10:35 Amarnath Yatra suspended due to bad weather
The Amarnath Yatra was suspended on Friday due to bad weather as rain lashed many parts of Kashmir, officials said.
The yatra was suspended along both the Baltal and the Pahalgam routes, they said.
"The yatra has been suspended and no pilgrim is being allowed to move towards the holy cave shrine this morning," the officials said.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police (Ramban) Mohita Sharma, the yatra has been halted in the district's Chanderkote area.
"The yatra has been suspended due to inclement weather in the Pahalgam belt," Sharma told PTI.
Heavy showers, which started early on Friday, forced the temporary suspension of the pilgrimage, the officials added.
The pilgrims have been stopped at the Baltal and the Nunwan base camps.
According to officials in Jammu, while a batch of 4,600 pilgrims on its way to the Pahalgam base camp have been stopped in Chanderkot, another group of 2,410 devotees travelling to the Baltal camp has been allowed to proceed.
The yatra will resume once the weather improves, the officials said.
10:19 'Competition is fine, cheating is not': Twitter threatens to sue Meta over Threads
In what may be the clearest sign yet that Twitter sees Meta as a competitive threat, the former has threatened the latter with a lawsuit following the successful launch of Meta's new Twitter rival, Threads.
An attorney for Twitter on Wednesday sent a letter to CEO Mark Zuckerberg accusing Meta of stealing trade secrets by employing former Twitter employees.
In a letter, Alex Spiro, an outside lawyer for Twitter owner Elon Musk, claimed that Meta had committed "systematic, willful, and unlawful misappropriation of Twitter's trade secrets and other intellectual property."
In response to reports on the letter, Musk tweeted: "Competition is fine, cheating is not."
The letter goes on to say that Meta hired former Twitter employees who "have improperly retained Twitter documents and electronic devices" and that Meta "deliberately" involved these employees in developing Threads.
"Twitter intends to strictly enforce its intellectual property rights," Spiro said, adding, "and demands that Meta take immediate steps to stop using any Twitter trade secrets or other highly confidential information."
The letter was dismissed by Meta spokesperson Andy Stone.
"No one on the Threads engineering team is a former Twitter employee -- that's just not a thing," he said on Threads, as per CNN.
Since Musk paid USD 44 billion to buy Twitter, the social network has faced competition from an increasing number of smaller microblogging sites, including the decentralized social network Mastodon and Bluesky, a rival supported by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. However, Twitter has not indicated that it will file a lawsuit.
Unlike some Twitter competitors, Threads has grown quickly, and, according to Zuckerberg, 30 million users signed up for the app on its first day. Threads was the number-one free app on the iOS App Store as of Thursday afternoon.
10:06 US lawmakers condemn attack on Indian consulate in San Francisco
United States lawmakers and influential Indian-Americans have condemned the attempted arson at the Indian consulate in San Francisco and called for expeditious action against those behind this "criminal act".
They also slammed the "violent rhetoric" against India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu and said free speech does not mean a license to incite violence or vandalise property.
A video by Khalistan supporters, dated July 2 and posted on Twitter, showed the act of arson at the Indian consulate in San Francisco.
The video, with the words "violence begets violence" emblazoned over it, also showed news articles related to the death of Canada-based Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Nijjar, one of India's most-wanted terrorists who carried a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Canada last month.
In a joint statement issued on Thursday, Congressmen Ro Khanna and Michael Waltz, co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, said violence against diplomatic facilities will not be tolerated.
"As the co-chairs of the India Caucus, we strongly condemn the attempted arson and vandalism at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco and the posters circulating on social media with violent rhetoric aimed at Indian diplomats, including Ambassador Sandhu," they said.
"We support the right to free speech and freedom of expression for every American but that is not a license to vandalise property or incite violence. Violence against diplomatic facilities is a criminal offence and will not be tolerated. We urge the State Department to coordinate with law enforcement in their investigation of the damage at the Indian Consulate expeditiously and hold those involved accountable," they added.
Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick said the attack on the Indian consulate is unacceptable.
"I firmly condemn the repeated hateful attacks on the Indian Consulate and look forward to those involved being held accountable with appropriate legal action," he said.
Till Thursday, no action had been taken against those involved in the attack on the Indian consulate.
A spokesperson of the National Security Council of the White House said the US takes the safety and security of diplomats very seriously.
"We take very seriously the safety and security of diplomats living in the United States and strongly condemn acts of vandalism or violence against diplomatic facilities or personnel," the spokesperson told PTI.
Congressman Mike Lawler said the attempted arson at the Indian consulate was disturbing.
"I had the pleasure of welcoming Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi of India to Washington, D.C. last month and look forward to a continued, strong partnership with the world's largest democracy," he said.
09:38 Railway Minister sanctions Rs 1-cr assistance for Odisha's Bahanaga Bazar
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has sanctioned Rs 1 crore for the development of Bahanaga Bazar and its adjacent villages in Odisha's Balasore district, where a recent train accident left 293 people dead, officials said.
Vaishnaw approved the amount based on the interaction he had with the locals last month, they said.
Out of a total of Rs 1.55 crore sanctioned by the minister, Rs 1 crore is meant for the development of Bahanaga Bazar and its adjacent villages, the officials said on Thursday.
They said the rest of the sanctioned amount would be used for development purposes in the district.
During his visit in June, the minister had praised the local people for coming forward in the rescue and relief operations in the aftermath of the triple train accident.
The Chennai-bound Coromandel Express, Howrah-bound SMVP Superfast Express from Bengaluru and a goods train were involved in one of the country's worst rail accidents near Bahanaga Bazar railway station on June 2. -- PTI
08:55 No clean chit to newly inducted NCP ministers: BJP
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Keshav Upadhye on Thursday said the induction of some Nationalist Congress Party ministers in the Mahararshtra government did not mean the saffron party had "compromised" or given a "clean chit" to them in probes being carried out by agencies.
Ajit Pawar and eight of his colleagues joined the Eknath Shinde government on July 2. While Pawar was made deputy chief minister, the others were sworn in as ministers.
Several of them have been accused of corruption and are being investigated by Central probe agencies currently.
Speaking to reporters in Aurangabad, Upadhye said, "The investigation agencies are independent and they do their job. What is going to happen will happen (in these cases). The BJP has not compromised on their judicial procedures. Giving clean chit to anyone is not our work, only the court has that right."
Upadhye, who is the BJP spokesperson, said it was "good" if someone was aligning with the BJP on the issue of development.
He also said "if a new daughter-in-law comes into to a family, she learns the culture of that home", hinting that those who have been inducted into the state government will now have to follow the political decorum of the BJP. -- PTI
08:32 Fadnavis, Shinde hold late night meet, Ajit absent
Even as the fierce power tussle between rival factions of the Nationalist Congress Party, led by Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar, continued to play out in Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday met Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at his official residence, Varsha, in Mumbai.
Fadnavis was seen leaving the CM's residence after the meeting on Thursday late night.
According to media reports, Shinde and Fadnavis discussed the power-sharing arrangement as a delay in cabinet expansion is making the MLAs restless.
Earlier in the day, addressing the recent reports of discontent among Shiv Sena MLAs regarding NCP leader Ajit Pawar's joining the Shinde-Fadnavis government, the CM made it clear that his government has emerged stronger, adding that he had no plans of stepping down, terming all such reports as 'rumours'.
On the split in the NCP, Shinde said the party should introspect on everything that was happening within the rank and file.
"They (NCP) should introspect on what is happening in their party. They should look into their party, khud ka ghar toh toot gya hai (Their own house is broken now)," he said.
"Yesterday I also held a meeting with our MPs and MLAs and our government is getting stronger by the day," the CM added.
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01:43 Campaigning ends for Bengal rural polls
Public meetings, roadshows and door-to-door visits marked the West Bengal panchayat election campaigning that ended on Thursday evening.
Around 5.67 crore people are eligible to cast their votes in the three-tier panchayat polls in the state on July 8 for nearly 74,000 seats in zilla parishads, panchayat samitis and gram panchayats.
Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, the party's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari were part of the high-voltage campaigning across the state over the last few weeks.
Several people have also been killed and many injured in violence in the run-up to the polls.
Governor CV Ananda Bose has himself visited several violence-hit areas of Bhangar, Canning in South 24 Parganas district, Dinhata in Cooch Behar district and Basanti in North 24 Parganas.
Nearly 65,000 active central police personnel and 70,000 state police personnel will be deployed for the rural polls, officials said. -- PTI
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01:39 Relatives create ruckus at MP hospital after 2 newborn babies die within 24 hrs
Parents and relatives created a ruckus on Thursday after two newborn babies died at the government-run Maharaja Tukojirao Hospital in Indore within 24 hours.
They alleged that the babies were given contaminated milk, a charge the hospital management denied.
"My daughter gave birth to a baby a few days ago. A nurse administered the baby milk orally after which it died," claimed Kamal Jatav, one of the protesters, while talking to reporters.
But Dr Sunil Arya, in-charge of the special newborn care unit, denied that contaminated milk was administered to any baby.
The condition of the two deceased infants was already critical, he said. One of them was five-day-old and another 17-day-old, he added. -- PTI
Ajit Pawar
01:26 Ajit Pawar faction appoints Narendra Rane as Mumbai NCP president
The Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party on Thursday appointed Narendra Rane as the president of the party's Mumbai unit.
This is one of first appointments made by the rebel faction after NCP leader Ajit Pawar revolted against party president Sharad Pawar and joined the Eknath Shinde-BJP government in Maharashtra as deputy chief minister along with eight other MLAs on July 2.
The Ajit Pawar camp has also staked claim over the 24-year-old party and its poll symbol.
Deputy CM Ajit Pawar congratulated Rane on his appointment. -- PTI
00:57 President Murmu accorded civic reception in Mumbai on maiden visit to city
President Droupadi Murmu was on Thursday accorded a civic reception at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai on her first visit to Maharashtra after occupying the country's highest post.
A Raj Bhavan spokesperson, in a statement, said the President was felicitated by Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, who presented her an idol of Lord Ganesh and a bust of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
The reception was attended by several ministers, former CMs Sushilkumar Shinde and Prithviraj Chavan as well as playback singer Asha Bhosle and Birla Group director Rajashree Birla, the statement said.
The governor also hosted a state dinner in honour of the President.
A cultural programme was organised on the occasion, the statement informed. -- PTI
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00:56 Sena's Gogawale opposes NCP's Aditi
In an indication of a turf war between the new allies, Shiv Sena MLA Bharat Gogawale on Thursday opposed NCP leader Aditi Tatkare being made guardian minister for the Raigad district.
Gogawale, who belongs to the Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, represents Mahad in the same district, while Aditi Tatkare is the daughter of Raigad's NCP MP Sunil Tatkare.
Sunil Tatkare was appointed as Maharashtra NCP president after Ajit Pawar led a rebellion against party supremo Sharad Pawar and joined the Sena-BJP government in the state along with Tatkare and others on July 2.
"All MLAs have opposed (Aditi Tatkare becoming guardian minister) because of past incidents. It was decided between chief minister Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis that when I was in the queue (to become a minister), the guardian minister's post should be with us (Shiv Sena)," Gogawale told reporters.
This understanding had been reached before the NCP joined the government, he said, adding that "there was no question of the NCP getting the post of guardian minister of Raigad." -- ANI
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