The cauldron rises by the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, on July 26, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

Paris Olympics 2024 opening ceremony | Paris unveils ultimate spectacle with pomp, fervour and splendour

The magnificent City of Light, dotted with the spectacular Eiffel Tower and scores of majestic buildings featuring admirable architecture, welcomed the 33rd Olympic Games in a unique way, with the much-awaited Opening Ceremony on the Seine involving a stretch of Paris’ rich heritage, here on Friday. The riot of colours and lights turned the Seine and the pastel city into a surreal place, amalgamating history and contemporariness in a spellbinding show.

Mosques, mazar covered on Haridwar kanwar route; removed after flak

Facades of two mosques and a mazar along the kanwar yatra route in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar city were on Friday covered with large sheets of white cloth to “prevent trouble” but were removed by the evening after objections from various quarters. The sheets were hung on bamboo scaffoldings in front of the mosques and the mazar, all in the Jwalapur area.

17 share top rank as NTA declares final results of NEET-UG

The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Friday released re-revised results, the fourth iteration, of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) undergraduate exam that pave way for medical and para-medical course admissions. The latest results were published after the Supreme Court asked the NTA to deduct marks for a Physics question that NTA had said had two ‘correct’ answers.

NEET paper leak case: CBI arrests one more accused

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested one more accused, Pawan Kumar, from Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district on July 26 in connection with the NEET-UG paper leak case. This is the 37th arrest in the case in Jharkhand and Bihar.

ED attaches assets of Tamil Nadu Minister Ponmudy’s kin, associates

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Friday provisionally attached movable and immovable properties, worth ₹14.21 crore, belonging to the family members and associates of Tamil Nadu Minister for Higher Education K. Ponmudy and his son and former Kallakurichi MP P. Gautham Sigamani in the illegal red earth quarrying case.The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has issued a safety advisory expressing concern over the recent increase in fire accidents at airport buildings. The safety advisory laid emphasis on following the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to prevent and respond to fires, which could cause chaos, loss of life and flight disruptions.

NITI Aayog needs to be scrapped: Mamata Banerjee

A day before the meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called for “scrapping” the body claiming that it had little use other than organising annual meetings. Six Opposition Chief Ministers are skipping the meeting protesting the alleged bias in the Union Budget which they claim, only catered for the NDA-ruled States. Ms. Banerjee and her Jharkhand counterpart Hemant Soren are the only Opposition Chief Ministers who are expected to attend the meeting.

India, U.S. sign agreement to protect cultural heritage

India and the U.S. on July 26 signed a cultural property agreement aimed at enhancing cooperation to protect cultural heritage of the two countries. Cultural property agreements prevent the illegal trade of cultural property and simplify the process by which looted and stolen antiquities may be returned to their country of origin.

Trump meets Netanyahu, mends relationship with key political ally

A beaming former U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to their first face-to-face meeting in nearly four years on Friday, patching up a political alliance important to both men that had broken down when the Israeli leader offended Mr. Trump by being one of the first to congratulate Joe Biden on his 2020 presidential victory.

BJP chief attacks Congress for politicising Agnipath scheme, PM’s Drass visit

Union Minister and BJP chief J.P. Nadda on Friday hit out at the Congress for politicising the Agnipath military recruitment scheme and the Drass visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to pay tributes to the soldiers on the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas.

Delhi HC seeks the police’s reply to MP Mahua Moitra’s plea to quash FIR over derogatory remarks to NCW chief

The Delhi High Court on Friday asked the Delhi police to respond to Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra’s plea seeking the quashing of an FIR against her over an alleged “derogatory” social media remark on National Commission for Women (NCW) chief Rekha Sharma. The court listed the matter for arguments on November 6.

Congress accuses Modi government of ‘unprecedented fiscal mismanagement’ in J&K

The Congress on July 26 accused the Narendra Modi government of “unprecedented fiscal mismanagement” in Jammu and Kashmir. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, in a statement, asked why Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was “benevolent” towards Andhra Pradesh and Bihar but not to the Union Territory.

Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar with Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi during a meeting on the sidelines of ASEAN meetings, in Vientiane, on July 25, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Jaishankar meets Chinese FM Wang in Laos, pushes for urgency in resolving LAC standoff

For the second time this month, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, with the two leaders highlighting the need to resolve the four-year-old military stand-off at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with “purpose and urgency”. The meeting was among the first few bilateral meetings the External Affairs Minister had after landing in Vientiane, Laos for a number of ASEAN-related meetings (July 25-27).

‘I will not be silent’: Kamala Harris presses Netanyahu over humanitarian situation in Gaza

Kamala Harris sharply pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday about the humanitarian situation in Gaza in “frank” talks that were watched for signs of how she might shift American policy about Israel if she becomes president. Hours earlier, President Joe Biden pressed for a ceasefire to the 9-month-old war in Gaza.

Income Tax portal ramped up; July 31 I-T returns deadline may stay

The July 31 deadline for filing Income Tax (I-T) returns is unlikely to be extended. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has intervened to fix recent glitches and downtimes reported on the I-T portal by ramping up its back-end capacity to cope with a higher workload experienced this year.

Manipur CM Biren Singh to meet PM Modi for first time after ethnic violence

Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first time since the ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities broke out in the State on May 3, 2023. The Chief Minister, who left the State’s capital Imphal for New Delhi on July 25, said some time with the Prime Minister could be carved out during two major events he is scheduled to attend.

2 arrested for supporting terrorists in Kathua attack

The J&K Police on Thursday claimed a breakthrough in the Kathua attack, which left five soldiers dead on July 8, with the arrest of two locals who allegedly provided support to these attackers. A police spokesman said the names of two locals emerged during “a meticulous investigation”. The police described these locals as “overground workers” of the militants. 

NEET-UG 2024 revised results yet to be declared: Education Ministry

The Education Ministry on Thursday said an official announcement would be made when the NEET-UG 2024 final revised results were shared. “The revised results for NEET-UG 2024 have not been declared yet. Kindly wait for official information,” an official spokesperson from the Ministry said. 

Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu compares Jagan Mohan Reddy to drug lord Pablo Escobar

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said the government would review all the criminal cases registered during the YSR Congress regime as part of its vindictive politics, and punish the police officers who foisted false cases on thousands of persons. He asserted that the lawlessness which prevailed in 2019-24 was due to the police-criminal-nexus that was exacerbated by the connivance of some YSRCP leaders who were out to settle political scores. 

Centre to create data bank on employment trends

Amid complaints that the country does not have a comprehensive data bank on the trends in employment, unemployment, wage loss and job loss, the Union government has decided to create an Employment Data Collection Mechanism (EDCM) in collaboration with departments of all Ministries. Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will chair the first meeting in this regard here on Friday.

Archers overcome wobbly start, enter the last eight

The first world record of the 2024 Paris Olympics fell in the archery range set up against Paris’ iconic 17th century Invalides complex. South Korea’s Lim Si-hyeon raced away to a mammoth score of 694 out of a possible 720. The Indian trio of Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat and Bhajan Kaur – the first athletes from the country in action at the Paris Games – wore smiles at the end of the archery line-up. Their individual scores weren’t nearly as impressive as the South Korean’s but there was a lot to celebrate as a team.

Putin vows ‘retribution’ against those trying to ‘divide’ Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed Thursday to crush anybody who tries to divide Russian society as he hailed the effectiveness and unwavering loyalty of his country’s powerful law enforcement agencies. “Those who try to intimidate people, to split our society, to play on religious or national feelings will never succeed,” Putin said in a video message posted by the Kremlin. “Inevitable and just retribution awaits them,” he added.

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and other INDIA bloc MPs stage a protest at Parliament premises alleging discrimination in the Union Budget 2024, during the Monsoon session, in New Delhi, on July 24, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Centre, Opposition face off in Parliament over Budget

In both Houses of Parliament, the Opposition attacked the government, accusing it of presenting a “discriminatory budget” that excluded the non-National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-ruled States. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman issued a strong rebuttal to this in Rajya Sabha, hitting out at the Opposition for deliberately maligning the government, and giving a wrong impression that some States had been left out.

‘You are a woman… you don’t know anything’: Nitish Kumar shouts at RJD MLA Rekha Devi in Assembly

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar lost his cool in the Assembly on July 24 and shouted at Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Rekha Devi. The Chief Minister, who was speaking on reservation, was assuring the House that he was taking steps to ensure that the proposed quota hike of 65% is implemented. Despite his assurance, the Opposition continued sloganeering. Losing his temper, Mr. Kumar pointed his finger at Ms. Devi, the Masaurhi MLA, who was protesting, and said, “You are a woman, don’t you understand, these people never let women progress. You are a woman, you don’t know anything.”

Netanyahu gives fiery speech to U.S. Congress, seeking support for war in Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza and condemned American protesters in a scathing speech to the U.S. Congress on July 24, which triggered boycotts by many top Democratic lawmakers and drew thousands of protesters to the Capitol to condemn the war in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis it has created.

Amid NEET row, UPSC to revamp its exam system with new tech

Amid widespread allegations of cheating in the NEET examination for medical college admissions, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is all set to revamp its own examination system through technological solutions such as Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication and facial recognition systems, and closed circuit television (CCTV) surveillance using artificial intelligence (AI).

RSS leader calls out the BJP’s Amit Malviya for trolling people who criticised the budget

Ratan Sharda, an author and leader of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, came down heavily on Amit Malviya, the head of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s IT cell, on July 24, for trolling social media users who criticised the Union Budget. Terming it a “serious problem”, Mr. Sharda, who is also a columnist in the RSS’ English mouthpiece Organiser, said that the IT cell should instead focus on simplifying the government’s schemes for citizens who can benefit.

Rahul Gandhi briefs MPs on party line for Budget debate 

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday told 20 Congress MPs, who are slated to speak in the debate on Union Budget, to ensure that in their speech rather than lamenting the funds allocated to Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, they should highlight the States that have been ignored. 

Supreme Court urges a balance between railway needs in Haldwani and right to shelter of ‘encroacher’ families

The Supreme Court on July 24 urged a balance to be struck between railway infrastructure development at Haldwani, considered to be the doorway to the hills in Uttarakhand, and the fundamental right to shelter of nearly 50,000 people accused of illegally living on railway land. “They are also human beings…” a Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant observed.

India committed to Free Trade Agreement with the U.K., says Modi

India is committed to concluding a Free Trade Agreement with the United Kingdom, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, after meeting the visiting Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy — the highest ranking official from the United Kingdom to visit India since the Labour government won a landslide victory in the recent election.

Centre defends fact-check unit, says right to correct information important

Defending the formation of a fact-checking unit (FCU), the Union government said in the Bombay High Court on July 24 that the right to know factually correct information and the right to not be misled were equally important as the right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a). Stand-up artist Kunal Kamra, the Editors Guild of India, and the Association of Indian Magazines, have challenged the constitutionality of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2023 that permit an FCU of the Union government to identify “fake or false or misleading” online content “related to the business of the Central Government” and demand its removal. 

DRDO successfully tests Phase-II ballistic missile defence system

The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) on Wednesday successfully flight-tested the Phase-II Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system demonstrating the indigenous capability to defend against ballistic missiles of 5,000 km class. Phase 1 of the BMD, which can intercept ballistic missiles with a range of 2,000 km, has already been deployed.

Government admits BSNL data breached in May; forms telecom security panel

The Union government confirmed a data breach in BSNL’s systems, saying that the breach was reported on May 20. “Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) reported possible intrusion and Data Breach at BSNL on 20.05.2024,” Minister of State for Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani said on Wednesday in a written response to a Lok Sabha query by Congress MP Amar Singh.

Joe Biden says he ended 2024 U.S. presidential bid to unite Democratic party

U.S. President Joe Biden addressed the nation from the Oval Office for probably the last time as he explained his decision to “pass the torch” to Vice President Kamala Harris and end his 2024 presidential campaign. The address offered the public their first chance to hear directly from Mr. Biden his rationale for dropping out of the 2024 after weeks of insisting he believed himself to be the best candidate to take on former President Donald Trump, whom he has called an existential threat to the nation’s democracy.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman receives a warm welcome from BJP women workers on her arrival, at the party headquarters, in New Delhi on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Budget 2024: Nirmala Sitharaman signals shift from earlier trickle-down strategy to a slew of schemes

Presenting her seventh Union Budget and the first after this year’s Lok Sabha election, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on July 23 unveiled a flurry of measures aimed at fixing the woes of unemployed youth, small businesses, and the middle class, and sought to strengthen the ruling NDA coalition’s bonds with support for multiple investment projects in Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.

Budget 2024: States ruled by non-NDA parties ignored, says Opposition; four CMs to boycott Niti Aayog meet

The Opposition slammed the Union Budget calling it an exercise in political jugglery to appease the BJP’s two key allies, Janata Dal (United) and Telugu Desam Party, while doing little to address issues such as high rate of unemployment and inflation. States ruled by non-National Democratic Alliance (NDA) parties, the Opposition said, have been ignored.

Budget 2024: Stocks wobble on capital gain tax plan

The stock markets reacted negatively to the Budgetary provisions concerning additional tax burden on investors and closed in the negative territory led by losses in banking stocks after undergoing high volatility. The key benchmark indices recovered most of the lost ground in the second half of trading.

Trump assassination attempt: U.S. Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle steps down

The director of the U.S. Secret Service said on July 23 she is resigning following the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump that unleashed intensifying outcry about how the agency tasked with protecting current and former Presidents could fail in its core mission.

Y.S. Jagan approaches A.P. High Court seeking Leader of Opposition status 

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy filed a writ petition in the High Court (HC) praying for a direction to the A.P. government to designate him as the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Legislative Assembly, in accordance with Section 12-B of the A.P. Payment of Salaries and Pension and Removal Of Disqualifications Act, 1953.

NTA will release final NEET results within two days: Dharmendra Pradhan

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on July 23 hailed the Supreme Court’s decision on the NEET-UG issue and announced that the final results of the medical entrance exam would be declared within two days. The merit list would be revised according to the observations made by the Supreme Court, he said.

Nehru Planetarium set for revamp, India’s space achievements to take centre stage

Nehru Planetarium is getting ready for a revamp by the year end, with its gallery set to feature by 2025 new interactive screens focusing on India’s latest space missions and developments in the field of astronomy. The planetarium has now teamed up with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to incorporate the country’s latest space missions into its shows.

Bombay High Court puts temporary hold on Indrani Mukerjea’s Europe trip 

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday passed an ad interim stay on a special court order that permitted Indrani Mukerjea to travel to Spain and United Kingdom until July 29. Ms. Mukerjea who is the prime accused in the alleged murder of her own daughter Sheena Bora, is currently out on bail.  

Sri Lanka apologises for forced cremations policy during pandemic 

Sri Lanka on Tuesday apologised for enforcing a “cremations only” policy during the Covid-19 pandemic, going against the religious sentiments of Muslims, as well as expert views that burials were safe. The government said the Cabinet approved a joint proposal from a group of ministers “to plead an apology on behalf of the government”, from all communities affected by the compulsory cremation policy during the pandemic, when President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was in office.

Paris Olympics preview | Indian pugilists capable of landing medal-winning punches

The presence of two World champions, including an Olympic medallist, and two Worlds medallists in the six-member Indian squad brightens up the country’s prospects in the Paris 2024 boxing ring. After the dismal performance of the male boxers in the initial qualifying phase and the loss of the women’s 57kg quota place due to Parveen Hooda’s missed dope tests, the boxing scene looked better as Amit Panghal (51kg) and Nishant Dev (71kg) notched up two quota places and Jaismine Lamboria reclaimed the 57kg slot.

Paris Olympics preview | Will the ‘nucleus of Indian sports’ live up to its title?

The health of Indian sports will largely depend on the contribution of Olympic medals by the shooters in the Paris Games. It may sound ironical that a sport that has brought nought from the last two Games in Rio and Tokyo, finds itself as the nucleus of Indian sports. There will be 21 shooters, the best from any country including China, competing for 27 medals. Can quality come from quantity? Can there be another gold medal from shooting, the way Abhinav Bindra won by asserting his mastery in air rifle in the Beijing Games in 2008.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
| Photo Credit: PTI

Union Budget 2024-25: Nirmala Sitharaman to present Budget for a record seventh time in a row

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be presenting the Union Budget 2024-25 on July 23, 2024. It will be a record seventh consecutive Budget presentation for Ms. Sitharaman. The monsoon session of parliament started on July 22 with the tabling of Economic Survey 2023-24. A total of 20 hours has been allocated for the debate on the budget.

Major fire onboard INS Brahmaputra: one sailor missing, ship resting on its side

A sailor is missing after a major fire broke out onboard an Indian Naval Ship Brahmaputra at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai on July 21 evening leading to the ship listing on one of its sides. “The fire was detected by the ship’s duty staff while carrying out routine maintenance work onboard the ship. The ship’s fire fighting team immediately commenced fire fighting action and was augmented by the fire brigade from Naval Dockyard, Mumbai and other units in the vicinity. No casualties have been reported in the incident,” Indian Navy spokesperson briefed on July 22.

Opposition questions Lok Sabha discussion on Olympics preparations four days before event, brings up treatment of women wrestlers

A discussion on India’s preparedness for the Paris Olympics held in the Lok Sabha on July 22 set off questions from the Opposition not just on the timing of the debate (the event is to begin this Friday) but also on the controversies such as harassment allegations levelled by women wrestlers against former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. During the discussion, Congress member Deepender Hooda brought up the wrestlers’s case. Though he did not name Mr. Singh, Mr. Hooda said a situation should not arise where players have to fight their own government and the system.

India has moved from women’s development to women-led development: Economic Survey

Observing that India is transitioning from women’s development to women-led development, the Chief Economic Advisor on July 22 said there has been a 218.8% increase in budgetary allocation for schemes for the welfare and empowerment of women even as it acknowledged that women in India face the “’motherhood penalty” with a drop in female labour force participation rate around childbearing years.

Supreme Court asks IIT-Delhi to solve ‘ambiguous’ question from NEET-UG Physics paper

The Supreme Court on July 22 asked the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi Director to assign three of its finest professors to solve a tricky and “ambiguous” question in the NEET-UG 2024 exam’s Physics paper within 24 hours and report back. Their answer would impact the total marks of over four lakh candidates, including 44 students who scored perfect scores in the exam.

Nancy Pelosi endorses Kamala Harris as Democratic Party’s presidential candidate

Top Democratic leader and former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday endorsed U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris as the party’s presidential nominee after President Joe Biden stepped aside amid concerns from within their party that he would be unable to defeat Republican Donald Trump.

U.P. government still not relocated family of Hathras gang-rape victim, Allahabad HC told

The Allahabad High Court has been recently informed that the family members of the 19-year-old Dalit woman, who was gang-raped and murdered in 2020, face difficulty in their daily movement due to security concerns which prevail as the Uttar Pradesh government has not complied with the court order for their relocation. 

Israeli parliament approves bill to label U.N. relief agency UNRWA as a terror organisation

The Israeli parliament gave preliminary approval on Monday to a bill that declares the main United Nations relief organisation for Palestinians a terrorist organisation and proposes to sever relations with the body. The vote against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) is the latest step in a Israeli push against the agency, which Israeli leaders have accused of collaborating with the Islamist movement Hamas in Gaza.

Government allowing ties of officials with RSS follows court cases in Himachal, M.P.

A compendium of instructions, part of a set of Rules, which governs the conduct of civil servants across the country is yet to reflect the changes brought in by a July 9 office memorandum that banned government officials from associating with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its activities.

India now among top 25 arms exporter nations: Economic Survey

India has transitioned from being an arms importer and found a place in the list of top 25 arms exporter nations, the Economic Survey revealed on Monday. Between 2015 and 2019, India held the distinction of being the world’s second-largest arms importer, but the narrative has changed now. Defence production has grown substantially in the country, from ₹74,054 crore in the financial year 2016-17 to ₹108,684 crore in 2022-23, boosting defence exports.

President Joe Biden raises the hand of Vice President Kamala Harris. File
| Photo Credit: AP

Joe Biden pulls out of U.S. presidential race, endorses Kamala Harris

U.S. President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign on Sunday after fellow Democrats lost faith in his mental acuity and ability to beat Donald Trump, leaving the presidential race in uncharted territory. He also announced his endorsement of Vice-President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee.

At all-party meet, allies and rivals present long wish list for Modi Government

At the very first all-party meeting of the 18th Lok Sabha held on July 21, ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, both allies and rivals came up with a long wish list for the Narendra Modi Government. The Opposition demanded a discussion on the Uttar Pradesh Government’s order to display nameplates at eateries falling on the Kanwar Yatra route, the rising number of terror cases in Jammu, internal strife in Manipur and irregularities in NEET and other competitive exams. While the allies, TDP, JD(U) and LJP (Ram Vilas) demanded financial aid for Andhra Pradesh and Bihar.

State cannot claim ‘serious charges’ to oppose bail, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has clarified that seriousness of charges alone cannot be a factor to deny bail to undertrials nor can courts impose “freakish” bail conditions. A Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Ujjal Bhuyan ordered Sheikh Javed Iqbal, a man awaiting trial under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for nine years, to be released on bail, in yet another back-to-back decision which upheld the right of an individual’s personal liberty over the state’s claim that bail should not be made easy when serious crimes were involved.

Haryana suspends Internet, bulk SMS for 24 hours in Nuh ahead of Braj Mandal Yatra

The Haryana Government on July 21 beefed up security and ordered the suspension of mobile internet and bulk SMS services in Nuh district for 24 hours ahead of the Braj Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra that was marred by violence last year. Two home guards were killed and at least 15 others, including several policemen, injured on July 31 last year as a mob in Nuh tried to stop a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession, pelting stones and setting cars on fire.

DoPT removed 58-year-old ban on government servants associating with RSS: Jairam Ramesh

The Central government, through a fresh office memorandum, has removed a 58-year-old ban on government servants from associating with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its activities, alleged senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh. On Sunday, Mr. Ramesh posted on X a photo grab of a purported order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on July 9. It referred to the earlier memoranda issued on November 30, 1966, July 25, 1970 and October 28, 1980 on the subject, stating that those instructions were reviewed and it was decided to remove the mention of “Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh (R.S.S.S)” from the impugned memoranda.

Over 4,500 Indian students return from violence-hit Bangladesh: MEA

More than 4,500 Indian students have returned home from Bangladesh as the neighbouring country continues to reel under violent clashes that have killed over 100 people. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Sunday that 500 students from Nepal, 38 from Bhutan and one from the Maldives have also arrived in India.

Karnataka draft Bill on job reservation for locals to be discussed in Cabinet on July 22

The State Cabinet that is meeting on Monday is likely to again discuss the proposed legislation to reserve jobs for locals in the private sector. There was a backlash from industry leaders and bodies after a draft Bill on job reservation for locals was approved, forcing the government to put it on hold.

Nepal PM K.P. Sharma Oli wins vote of confidence in Parliament

Nepal’s newly appointed Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli comfortably won a vote of confidence in Parliament on July 22, nearly a week after he was sworn in to lead a coalition government in the Himalayan nation. Mr. Oli secured 188 votes in favour of the Vote of Confidence motion tabled by him while 74 votes were cast against the motion. Out of a total of 263 members of the House of Representatives, who were present, one member abstained.

What happens next as Joe Biden seeks to pass baton to Kamala Harris?

With U.S. President Joe Biden ending his reelection bid and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, Democrats now must navigate a shift that is unprecedented this late in an election year. Democrats are set to hold their convention in Chicago on August 19-22. What was supposed to be a coronation for Mr. Biden now becomes an open contest in which nearly 4,700 delegates will be responsible for picking a new standard-bearer to challenge Republican Donald Trump in the fall. The path ahead is neither easy nor obvious, even with Mr. Biden endorsing Harris. There are unanswered questions about logistics, money and political fallout.

Odisha makes U-turn, says sports award to continue in name of Biju Patnaik

The Mohan Charan Majhi-led Bharatiya Janata Party government in Odisha has made a U-turn on renaming State’s premier sports awards being conferred after legendary the late Biju Patnaik and clarified that no decision has been taken on change in nomenclature. The Sports and Youth Services Department in a July 19 notification replaced the existing Biju Patnaik Awards for Sports, Bravery, and State Awards with Odisha State Sports Award. The revised guidelines for the awards now include eight categories, compared to the previous five.

Students, who are studying in Bangladesh, upon their arrival following protest against the government job quota, at the Akhura Check post, in Agartala, on July 20, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Nipah virus resurfaces in Malappuram, 15-year-old boy in critical condition

Nipah virus scare resurfaced in Malappuram on July 20 following the confirmation of a case currently under treatment at a private hospital in Kozhikode. A 15-year-old boy from Chembrassery, near Pandikkad, in Malappuram district developed Nipah symptoms and was shifted to Kozhikode from a hospital at Perinthalmanna. The child is reported to be in a critical condition and is on ventilator support at the Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital.

‘I took a bullet for democracy,’ Trump says at first rally since shooting

Donald Trump, holding his first campaign rally since surviving an assassination attempt, dismissed concerns that he is a threat to democracy, triumphantly telling a cheering crowd: “Last week I took a bullet for democracy.” “I’m not an extremist at all,” he continued at the rally in swing state of Michigan, dismissing his reported links to Project 2025.

New NCERT Class 6 social science textbook shrinks content, rolling three books of history, geography, civics into one

The new Social Science textbook for Class 6 is a heavily truncated amalgamation of what was earlier three separate books for History, Geography, and Civics published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). Students in Class 3 and Class 6 are getting new textbooks for the 2024-25 academic year. Class 6 students will get a single Social Science text, titled Exploring Society — India and Beyond. The Hindu had earlier reported that the National Syllabus and Teaching Learning Material Committee was considering merging three books into one.

NEET-UG paper leak case: CBI arrests ‘mastermind’, two members of ‘solver gang’ in NEET-UG paper leak case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigating the paper leak of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) 2024 on Saturday arrested the mastermind and two other MBBS students who allegedly acted as ‘solvers’ in the NEET-UG paper leak case.

Somnath Bharti moves Delhi HC challenging election of BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj

Aam Aadmi Party leader Somnath Bharti on Saturday moved the Delhi High Court, challenging the election of new BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj, citing alleged corrupt practices. Both Mr. Bharti and Ms. Swaraj had contested the Lok Sabha election from the New Delhi constituency.

Israeli military says it has struck several Houthi targets in Yemen in response to attacks

The Israeli Army said on July 13 it has struck several Houthi targets in western Yemen following a fatal drone attack by the rebel group in Tel Aviv the previous day. The Israeli strikes appeared to be the first on Yemeni soil since the Israel-Hamas war began in October.

India evacuates students from Bangladesh, U.S. says situation ‘extremely volatile and unpredictable’

Since the beginning of the clashes between students and security forces in Bangladesh, India has evacuated 978 nationals who were studying in various institutions in Bangladesh, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said. The evacuation is part of security measures that the Indian officials in the High Commission in Dhaka and in the Assistant High Commissions are taking to ensure the safety of around 8,000 Indian students.

Microsoft says about 8.5 million of its devices affected by CrowdStrike-related outage

A global tech outage that was related to a software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike affected nearly 8.5 million Microsoft devices, Microsoft said in a blog post on July 20. “We currently estimate that CrowdStrike’s update affected 8.5 million Windows devices, or less than one percent of all Windows machines,” it said in the blog.

37 of the 50 top-scoring NEET centres are clustered in Rajasthan’s Sikar district

An analysis of NEET-UG 2024 results shows that many students scoring high marks were clustered in particular centres located in certain cities or States. The National Testing Agency published the undergraduate medical entrance examination scores of 23,33,162 candidates on Saturday after the Supreme Court directed that the data be made public.

9 held in Bihar for impersonating Teachers Recruitment Exam candidates

The Bihar Police has arrested nine persons over the past 24 hours for allegedly appearing in the Teachers Recruitment Exam (TRE-3) on behalf of actual candidates. The third phase of the teacher recruitment exam is being conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) from July 19 to July 22.