LIVE! 5 Amarnath pilgrims die in 36 hours, toll rises to 24

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Fri, 14 July 2023

5 Amarnath pilgrims die in 36 hours, toll rises to 24

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23:45 India to open new Consulate in France's Marseille

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced that India will open a Consulate in the southern French city of Marseille.

He made the announcement during a joint press statement with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris.

Stressing that there have been deep people-to-people ties between India and France for a long time, Modi said India will open a new Consulate in Marseille.

Modi also welcomed France's decision of giving long-term visas to Indians who have studied in France.

"We invite French universities to open campuses in India," he said.

Modi also said that France is associating with the national museum being built in Delhi as a partner.

Referring to the Olympics scheduled to be held in Paris next year, Modi said Indian athletes are very excited about the games.

"I extend my best wishes to President Macron and his team for successfully hosting the games," he said. -- PTI

Speaker Rahul Narwekar

23:28 Yet to receive SC notice, will respond after studying it: Maha Speaker

Maharashtra assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Friday said he had not received the Supreme Court's notice on a petition regarding pending disqualification hearings against rebel Shiv Sena MLAs including chief minister Eknath Shinde.

The Supreme Court earlier in the day said it would issue a notice returnable in two weeks.

A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud passed the order while hearing a plea filed by Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray MLA Sunil Prabhu, who as the chief whip of the undivided Shiv Sena had in 2022 filed disqualification petitions against Eknath Shinde and other MLAs who rebelled and brought down the Uddhav Thackeray government last year.

"I came to know about the notice through news.... My office has not officially received any notice from the Supreme Court yet," Narwekar told reporters in Mumbai.

"Once I receive the notice, we will study it and respond accordingly," he added. -- PTI

An SDRF jawan carries an elderly pilgrim on his back on her return from the Amarnath Yatra/ANI

23:16 5 Amarnath pilgrims die in 36 hours, toll rises to 24

Five Amarnath pilgrims died in the past 36 hours, taking the death toll during this year's yatra in the south Kashmir Himalayas to 24, officials said on Friday.

The five victims who died in since Thursday morning included a sadhu, they said.

Most of the pilgrims died of cardiac arrest, the officials added.

While four people died on the Pahalgam axis of the yatra, one death occurred on the Baltal route, they said.

The pilgrims belonged to Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat.

One victim is yet to be identified.

These five deaths have taken the toll during the yatra so far this year to 24.

Among the victims are an Indo-Tibetan Border Police officer posted on yatra duty, a sadhu and a sevadar, according to the officials.

Cardiac arrest triggered by low oxygen concentration at high altitudes is one of the most common causes of fatalities among Amarnath pilgrims and security forces posted there. -- PTI

File image

22:43 Kerala police sack 7 officers from service for alleged links with sand mafia

The Kerala police on Friday removed seven of its personnel from the service for their alleged links with the sand mining mafia in the state.

In a statement, a spokesman of the police department said two grade ASIs and five civil police officers, all from the Kannur range, have been removed from service for "helping the sand mining mafia."

The order removing them the service was issued by Kannur Range DIG Putta Vimaladitya.

The action against the police personnel was taken for befriending the members of the sand mafia and leaking the movements, locations, etc of senior police officers, it said.

Their acts were serious breaches of discipline and misconduct that brought the police into disrepute. After taking charge, the state's new police chief Darvesh Saheb had underlined that discipline has paramount importance in the force, and strict action would be taken in cases of breach of discipline.

"The process of dismissing the officers involved in serious cases will continue," he had said. -- PTI

Describing India-France defence cooperation as a strong pillar of the ties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday indicated the possibility of the two sides jointly manufacturing key military platforms for friendly third countries as well.

Modi made the comments at a joint media event with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace ahead of their wide-ranging talks.

The prime minister said the co-production and co-development of new technologies by the two countries will be discussed at the talks.

Modi also mentioned plans by French companies for developing helicopter engines, production of spare parts and setting up of MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) facilities in India.

The defence ministry on Thursday approved proposals to purchase 26 Naval variants of Rafale jets from France and procure three French-designed Scorpene class submarines.

"Defence cooperation has been a strong pillar of our close relationship. It is a symbol of deep mutual trust between the two countries. France is an important partner in 'Make in India' and Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative," he said.

"Today we will discuss about co-production and co-production related to new technologies," he said. -- PTI

22:10 Ajit Pawar visits Sharad Pawar's home

In a surprise move, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday visited NCP chief and his uncle Sharad Pawar's residence Silver Oak in Mumbai and spent some time there.

This was the first time he met his uncle after walking out of the NCP with MLAs and staking claim to the party.

It was not immediately known what transpired.

Pawar Sr's wife Pratibha had been admitted to Breach Candy hospital where she underwent a surgery and was discharged on Friday.

CM Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar (left)

21:33 Shinde will call the shots, not Pawar: Sena minister

Even though Ajit Pawar has once again become Maharashtra finance minister, Eknath Shinde is now the chief minister and his decision will be final, Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar said in Mumbai.

One of the reasons cited by the disgruntled Sena MLAs led by Shinde who rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray last year and brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government was that Ajit Pawar, then finance minister, did not give funds to their constituencies.

Pawar, who joined the Shinde government earlier this month, was allocated the same portfolio once again, raising questions as to how the Sena MLAs react.

The rebellion of 39 MLAs led by Eknath Shinde was against the injustice faced by Shiv Sena legislators when Uddhav Thackeray was at the helm, Kesarkar, who is now the school education minister, told reporters.

All principles of the party (undivided Shiv Sena) were compromised when a common minimum programme was signed with the NCP and Congress as part of the MVA alliance, he said.

"Then Uddhav Thackeray was CM, now it is Eknath Shinde (who is in that post). Dada (as Ajit Pawar is fondly called) has told me that whatever decisions I take, the final decision is of the CM. There is a CM who takes decisions and Dada will do justice as he has understood why people were upset with him in the past," Kesarkar added. -- PTI

21:14 Modi, Macron hold talks at Elysee

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held wide-ranging discussions with President Emmanuel Macron to take forward the bilateral partnership.

Modi was received at Elysee Palace by Macron and held talks on a host of issues to deepen ties.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined Macron for the Bastille Day parade as the guest of honour with an Indian tri-services marching contingent wowing the crowds during the French National Day celebrations.

Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) also joined the flypast on the occasion along with French jets.

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday arrested a man on the run for almost six years after allegedly defrauding Punjab National Bank of Rs 22 crore, officials said.

Vinod Kumar Sharma, one of the directors in Noida-based company Aar Vee Controls, was accused of defaulting on several loans and credits he had taken from the bank's Noida Sector-27 branch in 2014, they said.

The CBI had registered an FIR against him on March 23, 2015.

While his wife Kanta Sharma, another director in the firm, was convicted by a special court in 2016, Sharma absconded and was declared a proclaimed offender by the court on December 20, 2016, they said.

During his run from the law, Sharma kept moving his residence to evade arrest, officials said.

Recently, the CBI received an input about his location and mounted a major surveillance net to track his movements, they said.

He was finally nabbed from Noida's Sector-16 market and was brought to the agency headquarters.

During his questioning, the agency found that Sharma has allegedly committed a number of frauds in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh too and police of both states were looking for him.

The CBI will produce him before a special court in Ghaziabad on Saturday. -- PTI

Waterlogging continues near Rajghat/ANI

20:52 Yamuna water enters Gandhi memorial at Rajghat

Water from the Yamuna entered Mahatma Gandhi's memorial at Rajghat in Delhi, inundating its lawns and pathways, Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti vice-chairman Vijay Goel said on Friday.

Goel said the flood water rose up to the memorial complex's entrance and later inundated the pathways leading to the marble platform where Gandhi was cremated.

"However, the water just touched the lower portion of the marble platform and the flame atop it was unaffected," he said.

Visuals of Rajghat showed water surging on the Ring Road and entering the memorial. Goel said a part of the wall of the Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti collapsed under the pressure of the water.

Earlier, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal told reporters that the flooding at Rajghat was due to the backflow from a drain in the area.

A PTI Video showed the memorial's pathways and lawns inundated by waist-deep water.

Rajghat, built in Gandhi's memory on the western bank of the Yamuna in Delhi, measures 44.35 acre.

The memorial is a square stone platform in black marble.

The memorial was built on the site where Gandhi was cremated after his assassination on January 30, 1948, at Delhi's Birla House. -- PTI

20:31 Three boys drown in floodwaters in Delhi

Three boys drowned in a ditch at a metro construction site while taking a bath in floodwaters in northwest Delhi's Mukundpur Chowk area on Friday, officials said.

The boys -- Nikhil (10), Piyush (13) and Ashish (13) -- were residents of northeast Delhi's Jahangirpuri, they said.

The fire department said a fire tender was rushed to the spot after information about the incident was received at 2:25 pm.

Delhi Fire Services director Atul Garg said, "Three children drowned in a ditch at a metro construction site.

They were pulled out and rushed to Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital, where doctors declared them brought dead."

These are the first deaths to be reported in the Delhi floods. -- PTI

Representational image

20:13 Law panel extends deadline for UCC views till Jul 28

The Law Commission on Friday extended the deadline for the public to send their views on a uniform civil code till July 28.

On June 14, the law panel had sought responses from organisations and the public on the UCC.

The one-month deadline for filing responses ended on Friday, following which it was extended.

"In view of the overwhelming response from the public on the subject of Uniform Civil Code and numerous requests received from various quarters regarding the extension of time for submitting their comments, the Law Commission has decided to grant an extension of two weeks for the submission of views and suggestions by the concerned stakeholders," the Law Commission said in a public notice.

Any interested individual, institution or organisation may furnish comments on the UCC till July 28 on the commission's website, it said. -- PTI

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday met top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi and discussed outstanding issues relating to peace and tranquillity in border areas.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial Meeting in Jakarta.

"Just concluded a meeting with Director Wang Yi of the Office of the CPC Central Commission for Foreign Affairs," Jaishankar said on Twitter.

Jaishankar said he discussed outstanding issues related to peace and tranquillity in border areas.

"Our conversation also covered the East Asia Summit/ARF agenda, BRICS and the Indo-Pacific," he said.

India has been locked in a military standoff with China for more than three years, with Jaishankar claiming it to be the most complex challenge in his long diplomatic career.

Wang, a former Chinese foreign minister, is attending the ASEAN plus meetings in Jakarta as the incumbent foreign minister Qin Gang is unwell. -- PTI

Pakistan high commission in New Delhi on Friday said that India repatriated 18 Pakistani nationals via the Attari-Wagah border.

The Pak high commission said that the repatriation of these Pakistan nationals was the result of its hectic efforts.

"18 Pakistan nationals imprisoned in India were repatriated to Pakistan today via Attari-Wagah border after the hectic efforts of @PakinIndia & @ForeignOfficePk & cooperation of Indian side. Our efforts will continue for early repatriation of Pakistani prisoners on completion of their sentences," tweeted Pakistan high commission.

Earlier on May 19, at least twenty-two Pakistan nationals were also sent back to Pakistan.

Nearly 200 Indian fishermen, who mistakenly entered Pakistan's territorial waters, were released by the Pakistan government on June 3.

The fishermen who cross the maritime international border in the Arabian Sea are charged with violation of the Passport Act of the respective countries and are punished for a period of about six months. -- ANI

19:25 IMD issues yellow alert for Delhi tomorrow

The weather office has issued a 'yellow' alert for moderate rain and thundershowers on Saturday in Delhi, parts of which continue to reel from a flood-like situation.

Several areas, including Laxmi Nagar, Ayanagar, Lodhi Road, Mungeshpur and a few localities in east Delhi, witnessed light rainfall on Friday.

There was a light drizzle in other areas, including Lutyens' Delhi.

In a forecast, the India meteorological department said light to moderate rainfall is expected to continue in Delhi on Saturday and added that a 'yellow' alert has been issued for the city.

"There would be generally cloudy skies with moderate rain and thundershowers," it said.

The Met office uses four colour codes -- 'green' means all is well while 'yellow' indicates severely bad weather.

It also suggests that the weather could change for the worse, disrupting daily activities.

An 'orange' alert is issued as a warning for extremely bad weather with the potential for disruptions in commutes with road and drain closures and interruption of power supply.

A 'red' alert is issued when extremely bad weather conditions are certainly going to disrupt travel and power and pose a significant risk to life. -- PTI

After breaching a 45-year record three days ago, water levels in the Yamuna in Delhi came down to 208.17 metres at 6 pm on Friday even as several key areas in the city were inundated.

On Thursday, the water level had started rising after remaining stable for three hours and reached 208.66 metres by 7 pm, three metres above the danger mark of 205.33 metres.

According to Central Water Commission data, the water level stood at 208.57 metres in the early hours of Friday and fell marginally to 208.48 metres at 5 am.

The water level in the Yamuna was 208.42 metres at 8 am.

It went down further to 208.27 metres at 1 pm and 208.25 metres at 3 pm.

At 6 pm, the reading stood at 208.17 metres.

The Yamuna in Delhi swelled to 207.71 metres on Wednesday, breaching its all-time record of 207.49 metres set in 1978. -- PTI

The Delhi high court has directed the ministry of external affairs to prominently post on its website and widely circulate the standard operating procedure followed for bringing back the mortal remains of Indians who die abroad.

A bench headed by Justice Najmi Waziri said such guidelines, including information about a welfare fund created for this purpose, should be widely circulated in public domain, and asked airlines operating from the country to consider hosting the SOP on their websites for Indians flying abroad.

"The court is of the view that .. standard operating procedures and the 'Guidelines on Indian Community Welfare Fund established in Indian Missions/Posts Abroad' should be accessible and widely circulated in the public domain. Therefore, the MEA is directed to prominently post and make accessible the said SOP and Guidelines on its website, if not already available, within one week from the date of receipt of copy of this order," said the bench, also comprising Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain, in an order dated July 13.

The court's order came on a plea dealing with issues arising from the death of an Indian man in Maldives.

The central government counsel said the SOP for transportation of mortal remains of both Indian tourists and workers are already in place.

The court noted in case of Indian tourists, ordinarily, all Indian Missions coordinate with the family of the deceased.

In exceptional circumstances on account of lack of resources, the Missions and MEA make appropriate arrangements, often using the Indian Community Welfare Fund established by the Mission concerned. -- PTI

A court in Varanasi on Friday reserved its order for July 21 on a petition seeking a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

The petition filed by the Hindu side of the case had sought a direction to the Archaeological Survey of India to survey the entire Gyanvapi mosque complex.

"We had put before the court the demand for an archaeological and scientific investigation of the entire Gyanvapi complex except the 'vajukhana.' After hearing both sides, the court reserved the verdict for July 21," said Vishnu Shankar Jain, the counsel for the Hindu side.

Jain said he argued that the Kashi Vishwanath temple-Gyanvapi mosque dispute can be resolved only by an archaeological investigation of the entire mosque complex. -- PTI

18:16 Tracking Indias foreign trade

Here's a graphic showing the month-wise breakup of India's foreign trade.

18:08 Govt starts selling tomatoes at Rs 90 a kg

Cooperatives NCCF and NAFED on Friday started selling tomatoes at a discounted rate of Rs 90 per kg in Delhi-NCR and Patna in a bid to provide relief to consumers amid high prices of the key kitchen staple.

National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India are selling tomatoes on behalf of the Centre.

Since last few weeks, the retail price of tomatoes has risen sharply and was ruling as high as Rs 244 per kg on Friday in several parts of the country owing to the lean season plus heavy rains.

"About 80 per cent of 17,000 kg tomatoes were sold till evening. We will increase the reach and the quantity from tomorrow onwards in Delhi-NCR," NCCF managing director Anice Joseph Chandra said.

The response was good and in some places, there was a queue for buying the discounted tomatoes, she said.

About 20 mobile vans were despatched in areas such as Karol Bagh, Patel Nagar, Pusa Road, CGO Complex, Nehru Place, Govind Lal Shika Marg, Adarsh Nagar, JJ Slum at Wazirpur, and Dhodhapur Shivmandir. -- PTI

The Madras High Court on Friday held legal the Enforcement Directorate's arrest of Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji and subsequent judicial custody granted by a lower court.

Justice CV Karthikeyan, the third judge to hear the matter, following a division bench's split verdict on a plea related to the minister's arrest, held legal the arrest and custody.

A division bench comprising Justices Nisha Banu and D Bharatha Chakravarthy had pronounced a split verdict on the habeas corpus petition filed by Megala, wife of Senthil Balaji.

Justice Nisha Banu had held that the ED had no power to seek custody and said the HCP was maintainable.

Justice Bharatha Chakravarthy, however, differed.

The ED arrested Senthil Balaji last month in connection with the cash-for-jobs scam that occurred in the state's transport department, and he continues to be a minister without portfolio. -- PTI

KBK Graphics

17:24 Wholesale inflation falls to 8-year low

The deflation in the wholesale price continued for the third month in a row in June, with WPI contracting to a nearly eight-year low at (-) 4.12 per cent on account falling prices of food products, fuel and basic metals, according to official data released on Friday.

The Wholesale Price Index based inflation stood at (-) 3.48 per cent in May and at 16.23 per cent in June 2022. The lowest WPI was recorded at (-) 4.76 per cent in October 2015. The decline in WPI is in contrast with June retail inflation which inched up to 4.8 per cent in June from 4.3 per cent in May.

17:21 IMD issues Yellow Alert for 4 days in Mumbai

Rains lashed Mumbai and its suburbs on Friday after almost a week of subdued rainfall activity, which led to waterlogging at some places and resulted in slowing down of traffic, officials said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for the city predicting heavy rainfall at isolated places on Friday, a civic official said.

He said that in the district forecast and warnings for the next five days issued in the afternoon, IMD updated its earlier green' alert to yellow' for Mumbai. Moderate to heavy rains started lashing the metropolis in the morning, making a strong comeback almost after a week.

The intensity of rainfall was more in the city as compared to its suburbs, the officials said. The city continued to receive showers, said officials. Some parts of the city witnessed waterlogging, as a result of which the movement of vehicles on roads slowed down.

Railway authorities claimed that suburban trains were running as per their normal schedule, but commuters complained that there was a delay of 10-15 minutes. The Andheri subway was closed for traffic around 8.45 am due to the accumulation of rainwater around it.

Due to water logging, Andheri Subway is closed, while traffic is diverted to Vile Parle bridge & Captain Gore Marg S.V road, Mumbai Traffic Police said on Twitter. A spokesperson of the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport, also known as BEST, said the transport body diverted its buses on around half a dozen routes due to a tree fall incident near Sadhana Vidyalaya at Sion.

Between 8 am and 4 pm, the island city, and its eastern and western suburbs received 19.21 mm, 32.22mm and 37.50 mm of rainfall, respectively, in the last 24 hours ending 8 am, a civic official said.

According to civic officials, IMD has issued a green alert for Mumbai for Saturday and Sunday and has given a yellow alert for Monday and Tuesday.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar today took charge as the Cabinet Minister for Finance and Planning Department.

Eight of Pawar's NCP colleagues who were sworn in as ministers on July 2 also received their portfolios, said a statement issued by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's office.

As per the statement, Dhananjay Munde has been given Agriculture, while Dilip Walse-Patil will be the Cooperation minister. The other NCP ministers with their allocated ministries are Hasan Mushrif (Medical Education), Chhagan Bhujbal (Food and Civil Supplies), Dharmrao Atram (Food and Drugs Administration), Sanjay Bansode (Sports), Aditi Tatkare (Woman and Child Development) and Anil Patil (Relief, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management), it said.

With the inclusion of 9 NCP ministers, there are 29 cabinet ministers in Maharashtra.

16:36 Eighth cheetah dies at Kuno National Park

Male cheetah Suraj, translocated from Africa, died at Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh on Friday, forest officials said. It took the number of cheetahs that have died at the park in Sheopur district since March this year to eight.

Only three days ago another translocated male cheetah, Tejas, had died at the park. Suraj was found lying still in Palpur East Forest Range's Masavani beat by a monitoring team on Friday morning. When they went closer, they found insects hovering over its neck but it then rose and ran away, said an official.

A team of veterinarians and forest officials rushed to the spot and the cheetah was found dead around 9 am, the official said. "This is for the first time that a cheetah died in the free range, he added. There were injury marks on his back and neck, and a detailed report was awaited, the official said. PTI

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16:26 Maha portfolios: Ajit Pawar gets Finance

Maharashtra portfolios allocated: Ajit Pawar gets Finance, Dilip Walse Patil gets Cooperation. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and fellow NCP rival faction leader Praful Patel meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday, terming it as a "courtesy call".

NCP's Dhananjay Munde is Maharashtra's new agriculture minister, while Chhagan Bhujbal gets food and civil supplies; Aditi Tatkare will be the women and child development minister.

16:22 Chandrayaan 3 soft landing on August 23: ISRO

Chandrayaan 3 soft landing planned at 5.47 pm on August 23, says ISRO Chairman Somanath.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hailed the launch of Chandrayaan-3 as a "new chapter" in India's space odyssey and said it has elevated the dreams and ambitions of every Indian.

The Indian Space Research Organisation launched its third lunar mission on-board the heavylift LVM3-M4 rocket in Sriharikota. "Chandrayaan-3 scripts a new chapter in India's space odyssey. It soars high, elevating the dreams and ambitions of every Indian," Modi said in a tweet.

Pratibha with her husband Sharad Pawar and nephew Ajit

16:20 Sharad Pawar's wife hospitalised

Pratibha Pawar, wife of Nationalist Congress Party founder Sharad Pawar, was on Friday admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital in south Mumbai where she will undergo an operation, a party functionary said.

The surgery will be conducted on Friday and it is related to her hand, the NCP functionary from the Sharad Pawar group said without elaborating further. Fondly known as Kaki' among NCP leaders, Pratibha Pawar is often viewed as the matriarch of the party but is never active in politics. PTI

15:43 ISRO chief, project head all smiles

Chandrayaan 3 project director P Veeramuthuvel and ISRO chief S Somanath share their delight after the LVM3 M4 vehicle successfully launched it into orbit. "Chandrayaan-3, in its precise orbit, has begun its journey to the Moon. Health of the Spacecraft is normal," says ISRO. Health of the spacecraft is normal, says ISRO.

So much hard work behind this spectacular feat.

Congratulations, ISRO! You make us proud.

Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on the Kasol rescue. "Successful rescue operation in Kasol! Grateful to our dedicated team for safely evacuating all stranded tourists to secure locations. Ensuring their well-being was our top priority. Thanks to everyone involved in this swift and efficient operation," he tweeted with this picture alongside.

With 60,000 tourists being evacuated so far, police teams in Himachal Pradesh are now focusing on inaccessible areas with tough topography and low mobile connectivity to trace stranded persons.

Heavy rains triggered flash floods and landslides in many parts of the state, blocking roads and damaging property.

Rescue operations are going on and the police teams are now moving to tough and interior areas where roads have been blocked due to floods and landslides to search for stranded people officiating DGP Satwant Atwal told PTI on Friday.

"A number of tourists stuck in Kasol, Manikaran and other adjoining areas have refused to move out without their vehicles and have decided to stay back on their own for a few more days till the situation normalises and all roads are opened," she said.

The tourists said they would prefer to take their vehicles along and would wait till the roads are opened. Some said they would travel when things get better and traffic congestion is over. Due to a heavy landslide near Dunkhara on the Kasol-Bhuntar road, the vehicles could not be moved and the tourists had to trek to reach the other side.

The ISRO scientists who made India proud

15:06 Chandrayaan in precise orbit heads to moon: ISRO

Update: Chandrayaan 3 successfully separated from LVM3-M4 rocket. LVM 3-M4 rocket has put Chandrayaan 3 into the precise orbit and has started its journey towards moon," says ISRO chief Somanath.

The Indian Space Research Organisation launched its third lunar mission--Chandrayaan 3 on-board the heavylift LVM3-M4 rocket here on Friday. At the end of the 25.30 hour countdown, the LVM3-M4 rocket, the largest and heaviest in its class and dubbed as 'Fat Boy' lifted off majestically at a prefixed time at 2.35 pm from the second launch pad, discharging thick plumes of smoke.

Thousands of spectators who had converged to witness the historic launch cheered the rocket as it made its ascent into the skies.

14:46 Chandrayaan-3 liftoff successful: ISRO

Update: The Indian Space Research Organisation launched its third lunar mission--Chandrayaan 3 on-board the heavylift LVM3-M4 rocket here on Friday. At the end of the 25.30 hour countdown, the LVM3-M4 rocket, the largest and heaviest in its class and dubbed as 'Fat Boy' lifted off majestically at a prefixed time at 2.35 pm from the second launch pad, discharging thick plumes of smoke.

Thousands of spectators who had converged to witness the historic launch cheered the rocket as it made its ascent into the skies. With the Chandrayaan-3 mission, scientists are aiming at mastering soft-landing on the lunar surface, a challenging technical aspect which is planned for late August.

A successful mission would make India only the fourth country to achieve the rare feat after the United States, China and the former Soviet Union. Chandrayaan 3 follows the Chandrayaan 2 mission which did not achieve the desired soft landing on the surface of the moon in 2019, disappointing the scientists.

14:39 Chandrayaan-3 Moon mission blasts off

India's third moon mission Chandrayaan-3 on-board LVM3-M4 rocket lifts off from the Sriharikota spaceport. It aims to reach the moon in around 40 days.

14:31 Minutes for Chandrayaan launch...

Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface. It consists of Lander and Rover configuration. The propulsion module will carry the lander and rover configuration till 100 km lunar orbit. The propulsion module has Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to study the spectral and Polari metric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit, says ISRO.

Just minutes for the launch.

Bastille Day Parade underway in Paris. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, French President Emmanuel Macron, France's First Lady Brigitte Macron witness the celebrations. Indian Air Force's Rafale fighters participate in the celebrations in France where PM Modi is Guest of Honour.

14:14 Ajit Pawar faction get key portfolios: Report

Senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai tweets, "Breaking now: NCP (Ajit Pawar group) gets several key portfolios in Maharashtra including finance, Co-operatives and agriculture. Note: BJP had previously accused NCP of major financial scams in Co-operative sector. Now, all on the same side it seems: guess where you stand in politics depends on where you sit!"

14:12 Chandrayaan: Thousands arrive for launch

It is 'D-Day' here at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre as scores of people comprising families and journalists have descended here to witness India's attempt at creating history with the launch of Chandrayaan 3, the Indian Space Research Organisation's third lunar mission.

Despite scorching heat and a forecast of dry weather, passenger vehicles carrying ardent space enthusiasts were making a beeline to this spaceport. LVM3-M4 rocket will be carrying Chandrayaan 3.

Over 10,000 persons from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka arrived here since early morning and they would be allowed to witness the launch from the dedicated space gallery set up by ISRO adjacent to the main entrance of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC).

They would be allowed to witness the launch sequence and the lift off which is located about 6 km away from the second launch pad where the rocket has been integrated with the launch complex.

Security has been tightened with a police personnel being deployed every one hundred metres on the road that leads to the entrance of SHAR in view of the milestone launch. The chairman of diversified conglomerate Mahindra and Mahindra Group, Anand Mahindra said "At lift-off, it won't just be the rocket taking flight, it will be our spirits tooGo, #Chandrayaan !", in a social media post. Sandeep, a college student, who hails from Tirupati said he was excited to come for the launch.

"This is the first time I am coming here. Pretty excited to witness the launch", he told PTI.

Homemaker Surya said she has been interested in rocket launches and this is also her first time to witness it from the gallery. "I feel great being here today. It is an awesome experience to see the rocket instead of watching it on TV", she said.

Apart from the general public high profile visitors including Union Minister Jitendra Singh, officials from various Central and State government agencies were present at the venue in large numbers to watch the most anticipated ISRO launch of the year. PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at Champs-Elysees for the Bastille Day celebration. French First Lady Brigitte Macron and France's PM Lisabeth Borne receive Modi to the Bastille Day Parade in Paris. Modi is attending the parade as the Guest of Honour. Modi met other dignitaries at the Parade. his year also marks the 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the two countries.

An Indian tri-services contingent will be part of the Bastille Day Parade, while three Indian Air Force Rafale fighter jets, as part of the military contingent, are also set to participate in the Bastille Day flypast over the Champs Elysees.

The Bastille Day Parade is the highlight of celebrations of the day that marks the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison, an ancient royal fortress in 1789 during the French Revolution.

13:39 Less than an hour for Chandrayaan 3 launch!

Chandrayaan-3, India's third lunar exploration mission, will make India the fourth country to land its spacecraft on the surface of the moon and demonstrate the country's abilities for safe and soft landing on lunar surface.

The countdown for the launch of the mission began on Thursday at 14:35:17 IST ahead of take-off on Friday from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The spacecraft will be launched on a GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle.

This will be Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) follow-up attempt after the Chandrayaan-2 mission faced challenges during its soft landing in 2019.

The 'Launch Rehearsal' simulating the entire launch preparation and process has been concluded by the ISRO. A day ahead of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, a team of ISRO scientists on Thursday visited and offered prayers at Tirupathi Venkatachalapathy Temple in Andhra Pradesh with a miniature model of Chandrayaan-3.

The Congress on Friday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on Manipur and alleged that it seems he has taken a "vow of total silence" on the violence in the northeastern state.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said it was good to hear that the prime minister has shown concern over the flood situation in Delhi, asserting that he should also show interest in Manipur, which is still burning.

"Prime Minister dialled Home Minister from Paris to inquire about the flood situation in New Delhi. It is good that he showed such concern. Why was no such call made when he was away in the US and Manipur was burning," he asked on Twitter.

"Manipur is still burning while the Prime Minister is in France. But looks like he's taken a vow of total and complete silence on Manipur," Ramesh alleged.

The Congress has been seeking a response from the prime minister on Manipur, which is facing ethnic violence since May 3 and has seen many lives lost and loss of property. -- PTI

The road near ITO, Delhi

13:09 Yamuna flood waters reach Supreme Court entrance

After breaching a 45-year record three days ago, water levels in the Yamuna here came down to 208.35 metres at 11 am on Friday even as several key areas in Delhi remained inundated.

On Thursday, the water level had started rising after remaining stable for three hours and reached 208.66 metres by 7 pm, three metres above the danger mark of 205.33 metres. According to Central Water Commission (CWC) data, the water level stood at 208.57 metres on Friday and fell marginally to 208.48 metres at 5 am. The water level in the Yamuna was 208.42 metres at 8 am, 208.38 metres at 10 am and 208.35 metres at 11 am. The Yamuna in Delhi swelled to 207.71 metres on Wednesday, breaching its all-time record of 207.49 metres set in 1978.

Meanwhile, the floodwaters reached the entrance of the Supreme Court in central Delhi and submerged the busy ITO intersection and Rajghat as the Irrigation and Flood Control Department's regulator was damaged.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Revenue Minister Atishi directed Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to seek help from the National Disaster Response Force and the Army to prevent the entry of floodwaters to new areas in the national capital. In a tweet, Kejriwal said he will visit ITO to take stock of the situation.

"Modi ji ki Kaunsi baat touch kar gayi aapko," news agency ANI asks a Parisian who was at the diaspora meet in the French capital. The woman who has been in France for 40 years says PM Modi's speech was brilliant. And when asked to pinpoint what exactly made her so emotional (she said had teared up listening to Modi) says, "Hume sabse zada ye touch kiya ki Modi ji ka face glow kar raha tha, wo itne acche, biklul jaise unhone Pooja paath ki thi."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who arrived at Paris on Thursday afternoon received a rousing welcome from Indian diaspora in Paris. Many were seen clicking selfies with the prime minister while some sang songs and presented gifts to PM Modi. It was a show of unity in diversity in Paris as people from different faiths and different walks of life had thronged at the hotel to shower love on PM Modi. An Indian woman dedicated a song for PM Modi and she even got emotional while clicking a selfie with the prime minister.

Over 200 schools students arrive at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh to watch the launch of Chandrayaan3

"...I feel very confident, I want to become an astronaut like Kalpana Chawla. I am excited..," says a student, Subhashini. A teacher, Sundari says, "A very happy moment for us. It is exciting for us to be here. Students are very excited to see Chandrayaan-3 launch live. We are thankful to PM Modi and ISRO..."

Countdown for India's ambitious moon mission, Chandrayaan 3 was 'progressing' for a scheduled launch on Friday at 2.35 pm, the Indian Space Research Organisation said.

Chandrayaan 3 mission is a follow up to the second lunar mission and ISRO is aiming for a soft landing on the surface of the moon by late August. A success would make India only the fourth country to achieve the feat after the United States, China and erstwhile USSR.

"LVM3 M4/Chandrayaan-3 Mission: The countdown is progressing at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.", ISRO said, in an update about the mission on Friday. Chandrayaan-3 is the third lunar exploration mission in the fourth operational mission (M4) of LVM3 launcher, formerly the GSLVMkIII rocket. -- PTI

12:26 Yamuna water level receding, says Kejriwal

Listen up, Delhiwallas: CM Kejriwal says that the water level of the Yamuna has started receding and there will be relief from the unprecedented flooding soon. He added that the breach of the Indraprastha water regulator due to the strong flow of the Yamuna river is likely to be repaired in four hours.

Kejriwal and Revenue Minister Atishi directed the chief secretary to seek help from the NDRF and Army to prevent flooding in Delhi due to the damage to the regulator.

Kejriwal will be visiting the site to take stock of the situation.

"This breach is causing flooding of ITO and surroundings. Engineers have been working whole nite. I have directed the Chief Secretary to seek help of Army/NDRF but this shud be fixed urgently," he tweeted.

The Irrigation and Flood Control team have been building a weir at a drain but water is still entering the city, Atishi said in an official communication. "If needed all engineering wings of the NDRF and the Army be requested to help on this matter. Chief Secretary directed to submit hourly reports to CM, I&FC minister and Revenue Minister," she said.

12:21 Our hopes, our dreams... PM on Chandrayaan 3

PM Modi fixes his sights on the moon mission. The PM who is on a two-day official trip to France, tweets from Paris, "14th July 2023 will always be etched in golden letters as far as India's space sector is concerned. Chandrayaan-3, our third lunar mission, will embark on its journey. This remarkable mission will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation."

The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is scheduled for lift off from the second launchpad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, at 2:35 pm today.

Modi adds, "Chandrayaan-3 will be inserted into the Lunar Transfer Trajectory after the orbit raising maneuvers. Covering over 300,000 km, it will reach the Moon in the coming weeks. Scientific instruments onboard will study the Moons surface and enhance our knowledge.

"Thanks to our scientists, India has a very rich history in the space sector. Chandrayaan-1 is considered to be a path breaker among global lunar missions as it confirmed the presence of water molecules on the moon. It featured in over 200 scientific publications around the world."

11:47 Delhi airport gets fourth runway

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday inaugurated dual elevated Eastern Cross Taxiways and the fourth runway at the Delhi airport.

The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), which is also the country's largest airport, handles more than 1,500 aircraft movements every day. The Eastern Cross Taxiways (ECT), which is 2.1 kilometres long, will reduce the time spent on the tarmac by passengers after landing and before take-off of flights.

With the ECT, the airport will also be the only one in the country to have an elevated taxiway with roads passing below it.

The ECT will connect the northern and southern airfields on the eastern side of the airport and will reduce the taxiing distance for an aircraft by seven kilometres.

It can handle wide-body aircraft, including A-380 and B-777 and B-747. Now, the airport will have four runways -- RW 09/27, RW 11R/29L, RW 10/28 and RW 11L/29R.

A lifetime of belongings under water

11:21 Rajghat, ITO flooded; CM seeks Army, NDRF help

Floodwaters of the overflowing Yamuna reached the entrance of the Supreme Court in Central Delhi on Friday while the busy ITO intersection and Rajghat were submerged as a regulator of the Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department suffered damage, exacerbating the already dire situation.

Though the water level of the Yamuna has began to recede, the damage to the regulator near Indraprastha caused flooding in ITO and surrounding areas.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Revenue Minister Atishi directed the chief secretary to seek help from the NDRF and Army to prevent flooding in Delhi due to the damage to the regulator. Kejriwal will be visiting the site to take stock of the situation.

This is the disaster zone that Delhi has become

11:19 As Delhi drowns, Modi in France, says Sinha

Former External Affairs minister Yashwant Sinha quips: "Delhi is in water. Modi is in France. And God is in heaven."

Indira Gandhi with Charles De Gaulle. Pic: @Jairam_Ramesh

11:10 Indira Gandhi spoke to De Gaulle in French

Congress senior leader Jairam Ramesh traces the genesis of the Indo-France relationship to former PM Indira Gandhi. He writes, "It was the 25th of March 1966, just two months after she had taken over as PM. She met President De Gaulle in Paris who later confided to his confidant Andre Malraux, "women do not succeed in politics, but this one will" -- a commonly held belief those days. That she conducted the conversation fully in French must have left a lasting impression on the President. From this visit began France's long association with our strategic programmes, especially in space and defence."

11:09 Modi with the Macrons

PM Modi tweets: "I thank President @EmmanuelMacron and Mrs. Macron for hosting me at the Elysee Palace this evening."

Here is the timeline of the moon mission as undertaken by the Indian Space Research Organisation.

August 15, 2003: Then Prime Minister, the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee announces the Chandrayaan programme.

October 22, 2008: Chandrayaan-1 takes off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota.

November 8, 2008: Chandrayaan-1 enters a Lunar Transfer Trajectory. November 14, 2008: The Moon impact probe ejects from Chandrayaan-1 and crashes near the lunar South Pole -- confirming the presence of water molecules on Moon's surface.

August 28, 2009: End of Chandrayaan 1 programme as per ISRO.

July 22, 2019: Chandrayaan-2 launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

August 20, 2019: Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft inserted into lunar orbit.

September 2, 2019: Vikram Lander was separated while orbiting the moon in a 100kms lunar polar orbit, however, communication from the lander to the ground stations was lost at an altitude of 2.1 km from the surface of the moon.

July 14, 2023: Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft scheduled to lift off from the second launchpad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

August 23/24, 2023: Scientists at ISRO have tentatively scheduled soft landing on the lunar surface expected to take place by August 23-24 making India join elite nations to achieve the feat.

10:43 What is common between Modi and Mandela?

French President Emmanuel Macron bestowed the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor on PM Narendra Modi. It is the highest French honour in military or civilian orders.

Modi is the first Indian PM to receive this honour.

In the past, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor has been received by select prominent leaders and eminent personalities from across the world. These include the Former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela, King Charles -- the then Prince of Wales, former Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, Boutros Boutros-Ghali among others.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in France for a two-day official visit, will join President Emmanuel Macron for the French National Day celebrations as the Guest of Honour in Paris today.

The French National Day, or Bastille Day, occupies a special place in the French consciousness as it commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison during the French Revolution in 1789.

The Bastille Day parade is the highlight of the celebrations. A 269-member Indian tri-services contingent will participate in the parade. Three Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) will also join the flypast on the occasion along with French jets.

On Friday, Modi will grace the Bastille Day Parade, meet the president of the French National Assembly Yael Braun-Pivet and will attend a series of interactions with thought leaders and businesspeople. According to official sources, Modi's visit coincides with the 25th anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership.

They said it is uncommon for foreign leaders to be invited as guests of honour on the Bastille Day and the last time it was done was in 2017 when former US president Donald Trump was invited.

"Even rarer is having foreign marching contingents and foreign aircraft participate in it," an official said. There will be a ceremonial reception for Modi at the Elysee Palace and it will be followed by delegation-level talks between Modi and Macron. The two leaders will also participate in the India-France CEO Forum. Later in the evening, Macron will host a banquet for Modi at the iconic Louvre Museum complex in Paris. -- PTI

10:14 This is why the Yamuna flowed back into Delhi

Even though Yamuna's water level began to recede, areas in ITO and Rajghat were submerged on Friday as a regulator of the Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department suffered damage near Indraprastha, exacerbating the already dire situation.

The floodwaters even reached the Supreme Court, located in the Tilak Marg area in the central part of the city. Delhi Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said the government has directed the chief secretary to take up the matter of the damage to the regulator on priority and resolve the problem.

"Whole night, our teams worked to fix the damage at regulator of drain no. 12 near WHO building. Still, the water of Yamuna is entering the city through this breach. The government has directed the chief secretary to take it up on highest priority," he said in a tweet.

The compromised regulator allowed the Yamuna water to flow back towards the city areas. Yamuna's water level at 8 am stood at 208.42 metres. The flooding in ITO and Rajghat areas has led the authorities to impose curbs on movement of traffic.

09:58 Heavy rains in Mumbai after week-long lull

Rains lashed Mumbai and its suburbs on Friday morning after almost a week of subdued rainfall activity, which led to waterlogging at some places and resulted in slowing down of traffic, officials said.

Railway authorities claimed that suburban trains were running as per their normal schedule, but commuters complained that there was a delay of around 15 minutes.

Moderate to heavy rains started lashing the metropolis from early morning, making a strong comeback almost after a week. The intensity of rainfall was more in the city as compared to its suburbs, the officials said. Some parts of the city witnessed waterlogging, as a result of which the movement of vehicles on roads slowed down.

The Andheri subway had to be closed for traffic around 8.45 am due to accumulation of rainwater around it.

"Due to water logging, Andheri Subway is closed, while traffic is diverted to Vile Parle bridge & Captain Gore Marg S.V road," Mumbai Traffic Police said on Twitter.

The island city, its eastern and western suburbs received 53.54 mm, 25.06 mm and 26.23 mm rainfall, respectively, in the last 24 hours ending 8 am, a civic official said. The IMD has predicted light to moderate rainfall in the city and suburbs in the next 24 hours, he said. -- PTI

A damaged bridge at Mandi

09:55 IAF drops supplies in Himachal, 91 people dead

Air force helicopters delivered relief materials to the flood-affected areas in Himachal Pradesh, which has been battered by torrential rains.

Kullu Deputy Commissioner, Ashutosh Garg said that relief and rescue work is being done on a war footing in the entire district.

"Our relief and rescue work is being done on war footing in the entire district. Around 1800 plus transformers were affected by the floods out of which 50% have been restored by the Electricity Department. Road connectivity of the Manali-Chandigarh national highway stretch via Kandi-Kataula road has been restored", said the Kullu Deputy Commissioner.

Notably, the number of fatalities in North India is on the rise as the region continues to be battered by torrential rains since the last weekend which have triggered landslides and flash floods. Among all the affected states, Himachal Pradesh remains the hardest hit, with 91 reported deaths in the state.

"91 people lost their lives in Himachal Pradesh from June 24 to July 13. The 34 deaths happened due to landslides, cloud bust, and flash floods," the government data stated. -- ANI

A flooded Red Fort

09:43 Delhi remains flooded, Yamuna slowly ebbing

The water level in the Yamuna rises after incessant rainfall and release of water from the Hathnikund barrage. The water level of Yamuna River at Old Railway Bridge is at 208.40 meters, recorded around 9 am.

The national capital continued to witness a flood-like situation on Friday in several low-lying areas near the Yamuna following heavy rainfall and spate in the river for the past few days.

However, according to the Delhi Flood Control Department, the water level of the Yamuna river has in fact decreased in Delhi as it was recorded at 208.44 meters at the Old Railway Bridge at 7 am today against 208.66 metres at 8 pm last night, which is the highest ever recorded.

The India Meteorological Department on Friday predicted that Delhi will likely receive light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms for the next 4-5 days.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that India and France have agreed to use Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in this European nation, opening a huge new market for Indian innovation.

Addressing the Indian community at the La Seine Musicale, a performing arts centre on an island in river Seine, Modi said very soon Indian tourists will be able to make rupee payments using UPI from atop the Eiffel Tower.

"In France, an agreement has been made for the use of India's UPI...It will be started from the Eiffel Tower, and now Indian tourists would be able to make payments in Rupees, through UPI, in the Eiffel Tower," the prime minister said.

In 2022, the National Payments Corporation Of India (NPCI), the umbrella organisation that offers UPI services, signed an MoU with France's fast and secure online payment system, called Lyra.

In 2023, UPI and Singapore's PayNow signed an agreement, allowing users in either country to make cross-border transactions.

The UAE, Bhutan, and Nepal have already adopted the UPI payment system.

The NPCI international is in talks to extend the UPI services in the US, European countries, and West Asia.

Amid chants of 'Modi, Modi' and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', Modi also said in a few weeks or months from now a statue of great Tamil philosopher Thiruvalluvar will be built in the Cergy Prefecture.

Modi said France has decided to grant long-term five-year visas for students pursuing a masters degree in France.

The Prime Minister also appealed to the Indian community to invest in a big way in India as it makes rapid strides to emerge as a developed nation.

"Today every rating agency is saying that India is a bright spot. You invest in India now. This is the opportune time. Those who invest early will reap benefits," Modi said.

Modi also recalled a personal connection with France dating back to at least four decades when he had become the first member of Alliance Francaise Centre in Ahmedabad way back in 1981. -- PTI

08:34 Modi conferred with France's highest honour

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been conferred with the highest honour of France, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, by French President Emmanuel Macron, an official statement said.

Modi was accorded a red-carpet welcome as he arrived in Paris on a two-day visit on Thursday. He will join Macron for the French National Day celebrations on Friday as the Guest of Honour.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted photographs from the award ceremony that took place at the Elysee Palace here, saying, "A warm gesture embodying the spirit of partnership. PM @narendramodi conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France by President @EmmanuelMacron".

"Prime minister thanked President Macron for this singular honour on behalf of the people of India," the MEA said in a statement.

Earlier, the French President and First Lady Brigitte Macron hosted a private dinner for Modi at the Elysee Palace.

On Thursday evening, Modi addressed the Indian diaspora in Paris and announced an agreement for the use of UPI in France, opening a huge new market for the Indian innovation in cashless instant payment.

In his nearly an hour-long speech to the enthusiastic crowd at the La Seine Musicale -- a performing arts centre on an island in the river Seine -- Modi outlined India's fast-paced development and asserted that while the world is moving towards a new order, India's strength and role is also changing very quickly.

Modi announced the opening of a new Indian consulate in Marseille in France and told the cheerful audience that Indian students doing masters in the European country will now get five-year-long post-study work visas. -- PTI

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday airlifted nine tourists stranded in Sangla town in Kinnaur district during his aerial survey of the flash flood-affected areas in the state.

After conducting the aerial survey of Kullu, Mandi and Lahaul and Spiti districts, Sukhu visited Sangla and Kuppa Barrage and interacted with families hit by the flash floods.

About 118 tourists were evacuated by the Indian Air Force and sent to Choling from where they started a road journey towards Shimla.

Foreign nationals stuck in Sangla town thanked the chief minister for the relief and rescue operations.

"We were elated to see the head of the state personally overseeing rescue efforts," said Taali from Israel and Helen and Chester from New Zealand.

Sukhu asked the concerned officials to construct a concrete wall along 'Tong-Tong Che' Nallaha, which also causes major damage during the rainy season. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called Union Home Minister Amit Shah from France and enquired about the flood-like situation in parts of Delhi, sources said.

During their telephonic conversation, Shah briefed Modi about the flood-like situation and told him that the water level in the Yamuna is expected to recede in the next 24 hours, they said.

In a tweet, the home minister's office said, "PM @narendramodi ji spoke to Union Home Minister @AmitShah over the flood-like situation in parts of Delhi because of the rising water level of the Yamuna river."

Shah briefed him that the water level is likely to recede in the next 24 hours and is keeping a close watch on the situation along with the Lt Governor (of) Delhi.

A sufficient number of National Disaster Response Force teams have been deployed to conduct rescue and relief operations and help the people in need.

Water from the raging Yamuna river inundated several parts of Delhi on Thursday, throwing normal life out of gear and prompting authorities to close all schools and colleges till July 16 and ban the entry of heavy goods vehicles engaged in non-essential services. -- PTI

Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said the Bharatiya Janata Party has an emotional alliance with the Shiv Sena and a political one with the Nationalist Congress Party.

The Bharatiya Janata Party can welcome whoever is willing to join it but the "Congress-like thinking" was unacceptable, he said.

The BJP leader was speaking at the `MahaVijay 2024' workshop of party workers organised at Bhiwandi as part of preparations for the next year's Lok Sabha elections.

"Our tie-up with the Shiv Sena led by chief minister Eknath Shinde is an emotional alliance. The BJP and Sena have been together for more than 25 years. Our alliance with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP is a political alliance," Fadnavis said.

"We may develop an emotional alliance with the NCP as well in the next 10-15 years," he added.

The Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena joined hands with the BJP last year to form a new government in Maharashtra, whereas an NCP rebel group led by Ajit Pawar joined the ruling alliance earlier this month.

Some people accused the BJP of being instrumental in breaking up the Shiv Sena and NCP, but it was the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena that "backstabbed" the BJP in 2019, Fadnavis said.

"We will welcome whoever wants to join the party, but there is no room for Congress-like thinking. Those who believe in appeasement will not be acceptable. AIMIM or Muslim League will have no place in the NDA," he said. -- PTI

Patna district magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh on Thursday ordered videography of the post mortem on a Bharatiya Janata Party worker who died while taking part in the party's 'Vidhan Sabha march' against the Bihar government.

According to a release issued by the district administration, a medical team has also been constituted for the post-mortem on Vijay Singh, whose death has been blamed by the BJP on a "brutal lathi charge" by the police.

Union minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai has demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the incident while Bihar BJP president Samrat Choudhary has termed the death as a "murder".

The administration, however, maintained that "mild" force was used to disperse the BJP activists when they tried to breach the barricades put up at Dak Bungalow crossing and proceed towards "a prohibited area which houses many VIP installations, including offices of various political parties, the high court and Raj Bhavan."

The administration emphasized that "no injury marks were found" on the body of Singh who was kept in the ICU at PMCH, the state's largest government hospital, where he breathed his last.

Nonetheless, the release by the district administration also stated that the DM has "sought within 24 hours a joint report on the investigation into the entire episode" from ADM (law and order) and the superintendent of police who have also been asked to examine CCTV footage. -- PTI

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