New FASTag Rules To Come Into Effect On August 1: Check Details

Starting August 1, 2024, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) will enforce new guidelines for FASTag users, focusing on updated Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements. FASTag is a pre-paid tag facility for vehicles that allows non-stop movement of traffic without having to wait at the toll plazas. The FASTag KYC check has been introduced to enhance the efficiency of the electronic toll collection system and provide seamless movement at toll plazas.

Here are the key changes:

1. KYC Update: FASTag users must update their KYC details until October 31, especially if their FASTag is between 3 to 5 years old 
2. Replacement of Old FASTags: Any FASTags older than five years must be replaced. 
3. Linking Vehicle Details: Vehicle registration number and chassis number must be linked with the FASTag
4. New Vehicle Registration Update: New vehicle owners must update their FASTag with the vehicle's registration number within 90 days of purchase.
5. Database Verification: FASTag providers must verify their databases 
6. Photo Upload Requirement: To improve identification and security, FASTag providers are now required to upload clear, high-quality photos of the vehicle's front and side.
7. Mobile Number Linking: To ensure seamless communication and timely updates, it's mandatory to link each FASTag to a mobile number.

About FASTag

FASTag is a revolutionary pre-paid tag facility for vehicles that uses technology to eliminate bottlenecks on toll plazas across India. Once the FASTag is active, it is affixed on the vehicle's windscreen and information on it is passively read by the antennae at the toll plaza, debiting the toll amount from one's bank account that is linked to the FASTag. 

With a penetration rate of around 98% and over eight crore users, FASTag has revolutionised the country's electronic toll collection system. It employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for toll payments directly from the account linked to it.

Users can buy FASTags from toll plazas, petrol pumps of Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum, Bharat Petroleum, banks, PAYTM and Amazon. Using FASTag comes with several benefits. It provides uninterrupted traffic movement, helps save paper, reduces pollution, and traffic congestion, and is convenient and cashless.

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Manu Reveals She "Made Fake Profile To Defend Sindhu", Shuttler Responds

Shooter Manu Bhaker continues her sensational run in the ongoing Paris Olympics. The star markswoman first clinched a historic bronze in the women's 10m air pistol on July 28. She became the first woman shooter from India to win an Olympic medal. Two days later, Manu bagged the same honour in the mixed team 10m air pistol event, becoming the first-ever athlete from independent India to have won two medals in a single edition of the Olympics. Manu has now become an inspiration for the budding athletes with her achievements and her recent revelation in an interview further lifts her stature.

"I have always known the greats in Indian sports history. In my time, I have always known (PV) Sindhu and Neeraj (Chopra). I have always appreciated them for their hardwork. There was this one time when I made a fake profile to defend Sindhu. Some haters commented and I got so triggered that I made a fake account to defend her on that," Manu Bhaker told Sportstar.

Reacting to Bhaker's revelation on X, Sindhu wrote: "Haha what a sweetheart!!! Welcome to the 2 Olympic medal club Manu!! Way to go."

It was twice as nice for Manu Bhaker as she clinched a history-making 10m air pistol mixed team bronze with Sarabjot Singh in the Olympic Games, joining the league of India's greatest athletes in a span of 72 hours by being the driving force of the country's campaign so far.

A good 124 years after British-Indian Norman Pritchard won silver medals in 200m sprint and 200m hurdles, incidentally also in a Paris edition of the Games, Bhaker became the first athlete in post-independent India to snare two individual medals in the same Olympics.

Bhaker combined with an equally unruffled Sarabjot in the 10m air pistol mixed team bronze and gave a superb demonstration of how to control nerves in a high-pressure situation.

The Indian pair defeated the Korean duo of Lee Wonoho and Oh Yeh Jin 16-10. It just added to Bhaker's growth story as she completely wiped off the memories of a horrendous Olympic debut in Tokyo 2020 where her pistol malfunctioned leaving her in tears.

And it's not over yet. She remains in contention for another podium finish -- in the 25m sports pistol event, the qualification for which will take place on August 2.

While it is a massive achievement for women's sport in the country, Tuesday's medal was also redemption for Sarabjot, who had failed to make the men's 10m air pistol final, finishing ninth on Saturday with a score of 577.

"Actually we can't control (what the rivals will do), we can do what is in our hand, me and my partner thought let's just try our best and we will keep fighting till the end," said Bhaker.

Ambala shooter Sarabjot, who passed through a difficult phase trying to come to terms with the disappointment of the individual competition just three days back, said he was under a lot of pressure to perform.

"I'm feeling good, the game was very tough and there was a lot of pressure, I am very happy," said the 22-year-old Sarabjot, who comes from a farming family.

(With PTI Inputs)

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Israel Carries Out "Targeted" Strike In Lebanese Capital As Tensions Rise

The Israeli military said it carried out a targeted strike in Beirut on Tuesday against the Hezbollah commander it said was responsible for a strike in the Golan Heights that killed 12 children and teenagers at the weekend.

A loud blast was heard and a plume of smoke could be seen rising above the southern suburbs - a stronghold of Lebanese armed group Hezbollah - at around 7:40 p.m. (1640 GMT), a Reuters witness said.

Initial report- the IDF carried out a targeted strike in Beirut, on the commander responsible for the murder of the children in Majdal Shams and the killing of numerous additional Israeli civilians. At the moment, there are no changes in the Home Front Command defensive… pic.twitter.com/ja9PRE0cZM

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) July 30, 2024

"The IDF carried out a targeted strike in Beirut, on the commander responsible for the murder of the children in Majdal Shams and the killing of numerous additional Israeli civilians," the Israeli Defence Forces said in a statement.

It said it had issued no new instructions for civil defence in Israel following the strike.

A senior Lebanese security source said the commander's fate remained unclear.

Lebanon's state-run national news agency said an Israeli strike had targeted the area around Hezbollah's Shura Council in the Haret Hreik neighbourhood of the capital.

Beirut has been on edge for days ahead of an anticipated Israeli attack in retaliation for a strike on the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that killed a dozen youngsters.

Israel and the United States have blamed Hezbollah for the attack. Hezbollah has denied responsibility.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"I'm Very Open-Minded, But...": Trump Slams Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony

Donald Trump on Monday called the Olympics opening ceremony in Paris a "disgrace," after its creators came under fire for what some said was a show gone too far.

"I'm very open-minded but I thought what they did was a disgrace," Trump told Fox News.

His comments followed condemnation from Catholic groups and French bishops of a ceremony scene involving dancers, drag queens and a DJ in poses that appeared to recall depictions of the Last Supper, although creators have said it was not meant to represent the religious setting.

The sequence drew international criticism from Christian groups and far-right politicians on social media.

When asked by host Laura Ingraham what he would do if he's reelected president in time for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, Trump replied: "We won't be having a 'Last Supper' as portrayed the way they portrayed it last night."

Thomas Jolly, the director of the opening ceremony, later responded to criticism by saying he intended for the production to "reconcile" and "repair."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Few Doctors, Nurses In Relief Hospitals, Bhopal Gas Survivors Suffer

A poignant statue commemorating the Bhopal gas tragedy - a child clinging to its mother -- stands near the infamous Union Carbide factory. Dutch artist Ruth Waterman sculpted this statue in 1985, moved by the tragedy and her parents' deaths in a Nazi gas chamber. Forty years on, thousands of survivors of Bhopal tragedy continue to suffer, their health deteriorating with insufficient medical care. Nearly half the allotted posts of doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff in gas relief hospitals lie vacant, despite orders from the state High Court and the Supreme Court to appoint staff.

Of the 1,247 posts in gas relief hospitals - only 749, a little over half, are filled. On May 16, 2024, the Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department advertised for 46 specialists and 69 medical officers. On June 27, 2024, the Health Services Directorate ordered the posting of only 15 medical officers including 5 specialists. 

Since then, many doctors have been informally told that these orders have been cancelled. 

Sources reveal that some doctors were informed by the Cabinet Minister that their selection order was void. Dr Pratap Singh whose wife was selected, asserted that many doctors applied for deputation, but the selection process stalled without explanation.

Despite a High Court directive on November 30, 2023, threatening contempt proceedings against top officials for failing to fill vacancies, little progress has been made. The Health Department's May 16 advertisement yielded only 15 appointed doctors, and even that list was halted.

The absence of specialist doctors, including anaesthesiologists, hinders surgical procedures in gas relief hospitals. Medical Minister Rajendra Shukla said, "Gas relief hospitals receive regular appointments. We aim to resolve these issues."

"Fifteen doctors have been appointed across eight hospitals, and more appointments will follow within ten days," said state minister Vijay Shah.

On the ground, little has changed. 

Noor Jahan, a resident of Arif Nagar, struggles with severe health problems. "My young son died due to the gas; he was just two years old," she recalled. "Now, I have knee pain, diabetes, and blood pressure issues. The hospitals have long queues, no doctors, and no medicines," she said.

Displaying medical reports from a private hospital, Kammo Begum, another survivor, said, "I suffer from headaches and walking difficulties. Waiting for hours in a government hospital is beyond my capacity".

Meena Panthi, who lost her entire family in the tragedy, shared her frustration. "I have heel pain and breathlessness. The Gas Relief Hospital only prescribes medicines from a distance, they never conduct thorough examinations," she said.

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National Lipstick Day: Date, Significance, History And More

Whether you prefer a bold red, a subtle nude, or a daring metallic, there's a lipstick shade that can elevate your look and boost your confidence.   

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"English Seekhen": Liquor Shop Owner's Move To Boost Sales Draws A Fine

A liquor shop owner in Madhya Pradesh tried to boost sales by highlighting the general tendency of people to become more expressive after drinking, but the plan failed and earned him a fine of Rs 10,000.

Officials said the owner had put up a banner with the message “Dindahade English bolna seekhen (learn to speak English during daytime)” near his shop at Nachankheda in Burhanpur district. An arrow below the message pointed to the alcohol vend.

Although it was not clear if the poster sent his sales to a new high, a photo of it went viral on social media, generating chuckles and criticism in equal measures.

The visual also reached the district administration on Saturday, an official said.

Burhanpur District Collector Bhavya Mittal said they directed the Excise Department to take action against the alcohol seller. Excise officials then served a notice to the shop licensee.

In his reply, the shop owner claimed innocence and said it was put up on private land of another person, 40-50 feet from his shop.

He also claimed that some other person had placed the banner as part of a conspiracy. However, his explanation didn't cut much ice with the officials.

Terming his reply unsatisfactory, the authorities fined him Rs 10,000 for flouting the conditions of his liquor licence, the official said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Video Shows Students Rushing Out As Water Gushed Into Delhi Basement

A horrifying scene unfolded at a coaching centre in Delhi when water gushed into its basement - being used as a library in violation of rules. Several students were trapped and three died in the waterlogged basement.

A video, seemingly shot hours before the bodies of the three students were recovered, shows many students rushing out of the flooded basement of Rau's IAS Study Circle in west Delhi Rajendra Nagar.

Water was gushing down the stairs as the students waded through water, it showed.

A man can be heard asking the students to come out of the basement quickly. "Kids, come up quickly. Quick, quick... Is anyone left behind? Is anyone down there," he asked.

Three students - Tania Soni (25), Shreya Yadav (25) and Navin Delvin (28) - were indeed left behind and their bodies were recovered after a seven-hour long rescue operation.

Authorities said they received a call about waterlogging from the Rau's IAS Study Centre around 7 pm on Saturday.

Even as the police are probing the cause behind the flooding, locals blame the poor drainage system in the area. They say it was heavily clogged with silt and overflowed leading to a flood-like situation following rains.

Another video showed the road in front of the coaching institute severely waterlogged with waist-deep water levels.

The Delhi Police has registered a First Information Report (FIR) and formed multiple teams to probe the incident. The investigations so far have indicated multiple lapses on the part of its owner and civic authorities.

Delhi Fire Services chief Atul Garg said that there was no option to de-water the basement.

The three-storey coaching centre for the preparation of civil services had its building plan approved by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) department in 2021 by falsely showing that it was being used as a store room, as per the building plan and the No Objection Certificate (NOC) of the fire department.

"The building has fire NOC, but in the NOC they had shown the basement as a store room. The management of the institute was using the same room as a classroom or library which is a violation of the NOC," Mr Garg said.

Several students stated protests to demand justice for the civil service aspirants who lost their lives and demanded action against those responsible for the deaths and compensation for their families.

Meanwhile, the institute said they "are deeply saddened by the loss of these promising young individuals who were preparing to serve our nation with dedication and commitment".

"RAU's IAS Study Circle is fully committed to supporting the ongoing investigations into this tragic incident. We are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities and agencies to ensure that all necessary information is provided and that the investigation proceeds with the utmost diligence," read the statement.

The owner and the coordinator of the Rau's IAS Study Circle have been arrested and charged under culpable homicide.

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Kamala Harris Says "Underdog" Campaign Will Overcome Trump's "Wild Lies"

US Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday acknowledged the uphill climb to defeating Donald Trump in November, but said her freshly-minted presidential campaign would prevail over the "wild lies" of her Republican rival.

As Trump prepared to address a bitcoin conference in Tennessee, Harris was speaking at a fundraising event in Massachusetts with celebrity guests including singer-songwriter James Taylor and cellist Yoyo Ma.

"We are the underdogs in this race, but this is a people-powered campaign," she told the crowd at the event, which her campaign said would net $1.4 million.

"You may have noticed, Donald Trump has been resorting to some wild lies about my record. And some of what he and his running mate are saying, well, it's just plain weird," she said, the latest quip adopted by Democrats in describing the Republicans' attacks.

The latest among them included Trump's remarks to a religious convention Friday night, where he accused Harris of being an anti-Semite who plans to allow the murder of newborn babies.

"She doesn't like Jewish people. She doesn't like Israel. That's the way it is," he said of the vice president, whose husband is Jewish.

In perhaps his most outrageous statement of the night, he claimed Harris wanted to enshrine in federal law the right to "rip the baby out of the womb in the eighth, ninth month and even after birth -- execute the baby after birth."

Trump, who at age 78 is now the oldest major-party nominee in history, is scrambling to reorient an election against someone two decades his junior, having expected to face an 81-year-old incumbent Joe Biden beset by concerns over infirmity.

Seeking to become the first female president in US history, Harris is tasked with rapidly assembling a campaign against an opponent who has been in near permanent reelection mode since he became president in 2016.

Her late-starting White House bid has enjoyed early momentum. Polls that had shown Biden steadily slipping against Trump now show Harris in a race too close to call.

She's garnered support from Democratic heavyweights, including Biden himself and most recently Barack and Michelle Obama.

Torianna Parrish, 34, was among the crowd greeting Harris upon her arrival Saturday afternoon at the airport in Westfield, Massachusetts.

"I wanted to show there's power in numbers. I wanted to show my support," she said.

"We're rooting for her and we want to see her make this country what it needs to be."

Harris was introduced at the Colonial Theater in Pittsfield by Taylor, who said: "Let us honor the woman and the moment and may our ardent support be the wind in her sails. Our hopes go with her and she stands for us all."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Ministers Making Threatening Remarks Against Opposition: Congress MP

Congress' deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi on Saturday wrote to Speaker Om Birla, expressing deep concern over "deteriorating standards of parliamentary conduct" in the House as he cited instances of ministers allegedly making objectionable remarks against opposition leaders.

Gaurav Gogoi alleged that Union Ministers Rajiv Ranjan Singh and Ravneet Singh Bittu used threatening and unparliamentary language against former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Rajya Sabha MP Sonia Gandhi, respectively.

In his letter to Birla, the Congress MP from Assam's Jorhat sought the Lok Sabha speaker's immediate intervention in the matter and hoped that he would take prompt action against those making "deplorable statements" against members of Parliament.

"I am writing to you to express my deep concern about the deteriorating standards of parliamentary conduct in the Lok Sabha as evidenced by several instances from the ongoing Monsoon Session. Often, it is the ministers of the government themselves who make unparliamentary, objectionable and threatening remarks against members of opposition parties," Gaurav Gogoi said in the letter.

He claimed that on July 26 Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh used "threatening language" against former Haryana chief minister Bhupender Singh Hooda who is not a member of Parliament.

On July 25, Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu used "unparliamentary language" while referring to Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sonia Gandhi, Gaurav Gogoi alleged.

The Congress' deputy leader in the Lok Sabha also cited the example of BJP MP Nishikant Dubey using "communal language" during his interventions in the House.

"It is disappointing to note that the minister of parliamentary affairs was been able to restrain his colleagues when these incidents took place despite being present in the House," he said in the letter to Birla.

Asserting that ensuring the smooth functioning of the House is a collective responsibility, Gaurav Gogoi said it is also important that the government takes a proactive and collaborative approach.

"It is unfortunate that this government has consistently overlooked procedures, conventions and decorum of Parliament, leaving no room for the opposition's voice," he said.

Each member of the House holds equal responsibility for representing the voice of their constituents, Gaurav Gogoi said and stressed that difference of opinion should not result in disrespect.

"As a custodian of the House, we expect you to uphold the code of conduct and ensure that no member, whether treasury or opposition, is allowed to breach the norms of Parliament," he said in the letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker.

"I urge your immediate intervention in the matter and hope that you will take prompt action against those making these deplorable statements against Members of Parliament," Gaurav Gogoi added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Woman Gym Trainer, 21, Killed Inside Delhi Flat

A 21-year-old woman was killed inside a flat in Delhi this evening. The woman, a gym trainer, was found unconscious inside the flat when the police reached there.

She was later declared dead.

The police got a call this evening after which it reached the flat in the Pochanpur colony of Dwarka.

The accused, a 24-year-old man, was arrested from the flat, police said. The accused and victim are from Assam and knew each other, they said.

As per the initial investigation, the man killed Sneha Nath over some dispute. He first attacked the woman with a knife and then strangled her. During the scuffle, the accused Raj injured himself, police said.

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Student Dies, 2 Others Trapped In Delhi Coaching Centre's Flooded Basement

A student has died and at least two others students have been trapped for over three hours after water suddenly entered a basement at a popular coaching centre in West Delhi. 

Visuals from Rajendra Nagar showed the basement of Rau's IAS Study Circle completely flooded. Fire brigade officials said they received a call about students being stuck in the basement at 7.19 pm on Saturday and five fire engines were dispatched to assist in rescue operations. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force are also at the spot.
 

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Indian Duped On Promise Of Job Returns From Saudi, Says Embassy

The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia on Friday confirmed the return of an Indian national who was stranded in the Gulf nation after being duped by an agent who had promised getting him a job in Qatar.

Mr Kumar, a resident of Andhra Pradesh, was allegedly cheated by a job agent who had promised him a job in Qatar but sent him to Saudi Arabia, Khaleej Times reported.

The Indian Embassy also thanked the community volunteers who worked with the Embassy to ensure Mr Kumar's safe return to India.

"Few days back, plight of an Indian National, Mr Veerendra Kumar was brought to the attention of the Embassy. We are happy to announce that he has safely returned to now. We wish to thank all the community volunteers who worked with the Embassy to ensure his safe return to India," the Indian Embassy stated on X.

Few days back, plight of an Indian National, Mr Veerendra Kumar was brought to the attention of the Embassy. We are happy to announce that he has safely returned to 🇮🇳 now. We wish to thank all the community volunteers who worked with the Embassy to ensure his safe return to 🇮🇳. pic.twitter.com/pMEJTTXZPq

— India in Saudi Arabia (@IndianEmbRiyadh) July 26, 2024

Earlier, after the video of Veerandra Kumar pleading for help surfaced, Telugu Desam Party leader Nara Lokesh assured that he would work for his return to India.

"Veerendra, we will bring you back home safely! Don't worry!" he said in a post on X on July 19.

Veerendra, we will bring you back home safely! Don't worry! https://t.co/GKk9j4n64R

— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) July 19, 2024

Veerendra Kumar said he was cheated by a job agent who had promised him a job in Qatar but sent him to Saudi Arabia where he was asked to work as a herder in the desert.

He reached the international airport in Hyderabad on Friday where his family was waiting for him, Khaleej Times reported.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Breakdown Of Federal System...": Judge's Dissenting Verdict On Mineral Tax

In a dissenting verdict, Supreme Court judge Justice BV Nagarathna on Thursday said if the power to levy taxes on mineral resources are given to the states, there would be "breakdown of the federal system" as they would compete among themselves and jeopardise mineral development.

Justice Nagarathna was the lone judge on the nine-judge constitution bench who did not concur with the majority verdict penned by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud which held that the legislative power to tax mineral rights vests with the states and the royalty paid on minerals is not a tax.

Holding a contrary view, Justice Nagarathna, in her 193-page verdict, said royalty payable on minerals is in the nature of tax and not merely a contractual payment.

"If royalty is not held to be a tax and the same being covered under the provisions of the MMDR Act, 1957, it would imply that despite Entry 54-List I and the declaration made in section 2 of the MMDR Act, 1957…, taxes on mineral rights could be imposed by the States over and above payment of royalty on a holder of a mining lease," she said.

Entry 54 of List I of the Constitution pertains to regulation of mines and mineral development by the Centre.

"There would be unhealthy competition between the States to derive additional revenue and consequently, the steep, uncoordinated and uneven increase in cost of minerals would result in the purchasers of such minerals coughing up huge monies, or even worse, would subject the national market being exploited for arbitrage," Justice Nagarathna said.

She said the steep increase in prices of minerals would result in a hike in prices of all industrial and other products dependent on minerals as a raw material or for other infrastructural purposes.

Justice Nagarathna said as a result, the overall economy of India would be affected adversely which may result in certain entities or even non-extracting states importing minerals which would hamper foreign exchange reserves of the country.

"This would lead to a breakdown of the federal system envisaged under the Constitution in the context of mineral development and exercise of mineral rights. It could also lead to a slump in mining activity in States which have mineral deposits owing to huge levies that have to be met by holders of mining licences," she said.

She said another impact of this would be an "unhealthy competition" to obtain mining leases in states which have mineral deposits and who do not wish to impose any other levy apart from royalty.

"It is, therefore, necessary to realise why the framers of the Constitution took a clue from the Government of India Act, 1935 in order to distribute the legislative powers between the Union and the State List insofar as regulation of mines and minerals is concerned," Justice Nagarathna said.

Referring to future separate policy decisions to be taken by mineral-rich states, she said there might then be legal uncertainty which would cause adverse economic consequences including on mineral development in India.

She overruled a 2004 verdict by a five-judge constitution bench, which while hearing a dispute over imposition of cess on land and mining activities between the state of West Bengal and Kesoram Industries Ltd, had held that royalty was not a tax.

Justice Nagarathna, however, concurred with the CJI that the scope of the expression "any limitations" under Entry 50 of List II is wide enough to include imposition of restriction, conditions, principles as well as a prohibition by Parliament by law.

Entry 50 of List II pertains to taxes on mineral rights subject to any limitations imposed by Parliament by law relating to mineral development. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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When 80% Andhra MLAs Stood Up In Response To This Question By CB Naidu

The Andhra Pradesh Assembly witnessed some lighter moments on Thursday as almost 80 per cent of the MLAs responded when Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu wanted all those who were booked during the previous government of YSR Congress Party to stand up.

Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Human Resources Development Minister Nara Lokesh and several other ministers were among those who stood up.

One of the women MLAs heard saying she had seven cases booked against her.

"Cases were booked against all those who were fighting politically. He (former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy) did not want to see any of them out (of jail) but people sent all of them directly to the Assembly," Naidu said in the Assembly while presenting a White Paper on the law and order situation during the YSRCP rule.

Mr Naidu vowed to place Andhra Pradesh in the first position in the country in terms of the best law and order situation. He said all the politically motivated cases would be reviewed. The Chief Minister said the government was also ready to punish all those officials who registered illegal cases.

He said except the Babli case, he never had any other case against him but after the YSRCP came to power, 17 cases were booked against him while seven cases were booked against Pawan Kalyan.

Mr Naidu mentioned that about 60 cases were booked against TDP leader J. C. Prabhakar Reddy. Cases under the SC/ST Atrocities Act were registered against present Home Minister Anitha Vangalapudi and Speaker Ayyanna Patrudu. Then MP Raghurama Krishna Raju was tortured in lock-up, he said and alleged that then Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy drew sadistic pleasure by watching the video of the torture.

He alleged that under the YSRCP rule, people suffered physical and mental trauma. "YSRCP leaders with the police attacked the very roots of democracy," he said and recalled that the Legislative Council Chairman was not allowed to function when a bill for creating three state capitals was tabled.

Mr Naidu agreed to Pawan Kalyan's suggestion that another session be called for a thorough discussion on law and order. He also advised NDA members not to land the government in trouble and made it clear that the government would punish anyone disturbing peace and law and order.

The Chief Minister said law and order can be maintained when officials perform their duties in accordance with the law. He also assured the house that a separate wing would be created in the police department to monitor social media. He warned that those posting content derogatory to women would not be spared.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"She's Experienced, She's Tough, She's Capable": Biden Praises Kamala Harris

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday praised his Vice President Kamala Harris -- presumptive nominee for the Democratic presidential ticket -- as "tough" and "capable" as he addressed the nation from the Oval Office.

"She's experienced, she's tough, she's capable. She's been an incredible partner to me and a leader for our country. Now, the choice is up to you, the American people," he said days after bowing out of the election race and endorsing her.

Biden also told Americans that he had dropped out of the 2024 election to unite his party and his country, saying in a historic Oval Office speech that it was time to pass the torch to "younger voices."

"The defense of democracy, which is at stake, is more important than any title," the 81-year-old said in his first televised address since his stunning decision.

"I have decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That is the best way to unite our nation."

Biden bowed out of the race later than any other president in US history on Sunday, giving in to weeks of pressure from Democrats after a disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump raised concerns about his age and mental acuity.

Using the powerfully symbolic setting of the Resolute Desk, Biden's speech called for an end to the divisions in US politics and said the country was more powerful than "any dictator or tyrant."

The veteran Democrat said there was a "time and a place for new voices, fresh voices. Yes, younger voices. And that time and place is now."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Pak Army Officers Touched Nawaz Sharif's Knees...": Son-In-Law's Big Claim

Pakistan's powerful army sent its officers to London in 2022 to convince former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to return to the country to "save" it from destruction under Imran Khan's regime, the ruling PML-N supremo's son-in-law claimed on Wednesday.

Nawaz, 74, had returned from London in October last year after spending four years in self-imposed exile on medical grounds. Upon his arrival, he was acquitted in all the cases he was facing including the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case in which he was serving a seven-year imprisonment before leaving for the UK.

"The Army had gone to London (in 2022) and touched the knees of Nawaz Sharif and requested him to come to Pakistan and save it from the destruction of (former prime minister) Imran Khan," Capt Muhammad Safdar (retd.) while addressing party workers of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). He said when Nawaz returned to become prime minister for the fourth time then the powerful circles (a reference to the powerful military) decided against it.

"To stop him from becoming the premier they ensured that Nawaz lost the election from NA-15 Mansehra," he said and chided the Election Commission of Pakistan for manipulating the result of Nawaz, a three-time former prime minister.

Interestingly, Nawaz had won Lahore's seat in the February 8 general election which Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf alleged that he had also lost this seat but the ECP declared him successful in the country's worst-ever rigged polls.

Nawaz himself had admitted that he was a candidate to become premier but his party failed to get a simple majority therefore it was decided that his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif should be made the prime minister.

The PTI has alleged that the PML-N had won only six per cent seats of the National Assembly and the military establishment gifted dozens of its winning seats after getting the results changed through ECP to the PML-N so that its puppet setup led by Shehbaz Sharif could come to power and serve its interests.

PML-N sources said that Nawaz had agreed not to contest for the Prime Minister's slot after the military establishment offered him to make his daughter Maryam Nawaz Punjab Chief Minister.

The powerful Army, which has ruled the coup-prone country for more than half of its 75-plus years of existence, has hitherto wielded considerable power in the matters of security and foreign policy. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Unhappy With Budget 2024, Congress Chief Ministers To Skip NITI Aayog Meet

Calling the Union Budget 2024-25 "discriminatory" and "dangerous", the Congress on Tuesday evening announced that the party's Chief Ministers -- Siddaramaiah (Karnataka), Revanth Reddy (Telangana), and Sukhvinder Sukhu (Himachal Pradesh) -- will not attend the Niti Aayog Governing Council meeting scheduled in the national capital on July 27.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief MK Stalin too has said that he would boycott the NITI Aayog meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27 as a mark of protest.

"The Union Budget presented today was extremely discriminatory and dangerous, which completely goes against the principles of federalism and fairness that the Union government must follow. In protest, INC CMs will be boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting scheduled for 27th July," Congress General Secretary (Organisation), KC Venugopal said in a post on X.

"This government's attitude is completely antithetical to Constitutional principles. We will not participate in an event that is solely designed to hide the true, discriminatory colours of this regime," he added.

Earlier in the day, Finance Minister Niramala Sitharaman announced a slew of measures during her 80-minute Budget speech, including a hike in standard deduction in the new tax regime from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000, revisions to tax slabs in the new regime, cut in Customs duty on gold and silver, three schemes under employment-linked incentives, and Rs 2 lakh crore for job creation, among others.

However, the Congress took a jibe at the Centre soon after the announcements, calling them nothing but a "Sarkar Bachao" Budget driven by the political compulsions for the survival of this "lame duck" government.

Taking to X, Mr Venugopal said, "The Budget will do nothing to address inflation or solve the farmers' crisis. It has absolutely nothing for the middle classes. Much like the 10 (previous) Budgets, this Union Budget is also far removed from the concerns of the ordinary Indian."

"While the government has belatedly recognised that job creation is the need of the hour, its so-called announcements are totally insincere and non-serious. They could not even properly copy from our Nyay Patra."

According to Mr Venugopal, merely throwing large headline numbers while giving pittances in reality is nothing but a cruel joke on the future of India's youth.

"Every segment of the Indian society is going to be in an even worse situation after this Budget, and this government that is completely cut off from the pain of the people will simply be concerned about its survival," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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In Budget 2024, The Lok Sabha Election Effect

The first budget of the third term of Narendra Modi government bore a clear imprint of the recent Lok Sabha election, in which the BJP failed to gain majority on its own and had to depend on allies to form government. The reaction went beyond the special packages for Nitish Kumar's Bihar and Chandrababu Naidu's Andhra Pradesh – a compensatory gesture for the blocked special category status that both states had demanded.

The biggest focus of this budget was employment for the country's young people -- across all sectors and including the opportunity for apprenticeship in private companies. The government is also providing a month's salary upto Rs 15,000 to the new recruits through Direct Benefit Transfer.

The deal is sweetened for employers with subsidy on the employer's share of Provident Fund Payments.

One crore people will get jobs in a year under this project, the minister said, making it clear that the BJP considers unemployment and the subsequent concern among the young people as one of  the  key reasons for its lacklustre performance.

There is also an effort to boost economy by reworking of tax slabs in the new tax regime and pushing up the standard deduction from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000 that alone can provide an extra 17,500 in the hands of employees and boost consumption and therefore demand.

The deduction on family pension for pensioners was enhanced from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000.

There is also some relief in other areas, with cuts on customs duty on cellphones and chargers, drugs for cancer, seafood, leather and gold. After many years, the government has not increased tax on tobacco.

"My proposals for customs duties intend to support domestic manufacturing, deepen local value addition, promote export competitiveness, and simplify taxation, while keeping the interest of the general public and consumers surmount," Ms Sitharaman said while presenting the budget.

Largescale unemployment and the lack of disposable income in the hands of the people had kept the economy stymied and big projects lie unfinished. A case in point would be infrastructure for which there are few takers. Investments have been subdued and the labour market weak, with millions holding down low-productive jobs.

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Body Camera Footage Shows US Police Shooting Dead Unarmed Black Woman

New body camera footage released by the Illinois State Police shows officers shooting dead an unarmed Black woman in her home after she called for help over a possible intruder.

In the United States, where police shootings of minorities have become painfully common and polarizing events, the killing has attracted national attention, with President Joe Biden saying Sonya Massey "should be alive today."

So far one of the police officers involved in this case has been charged with murder.

Massey, 36, called 911 to report a possible intruder at her home, with police arriving after midnight July 6, according to the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office.

In video footage released Monday, Massey is seen talking to two officers in her home, while they ask for ID and she searches through paperwork.

The sheriff's deputies then ask her to check on a pot of boiling water on her stove, saying "we don't need a fire while we're here."

When one of the deputies steps back, Massey asks why, and he responds with a laugh: "away from your hot steaming water."

Holding the pot, Massey calmly responds "Oh, I rebuke you in the name of Jesus" -- prompting a deputy to respond "You better fucking not. I swear to God I'll fucking shoot you at your fucking face," drawing his weapon.

Apologizing, Massey crouches behind a counter as officers scream "drop the fucking pot." They then round the corner of the counter and open fire.

Afterward, one of the officers said they were afraid of "taking fucking boiling water to the fucking head."

Officer Sean Grayson, who is white, has been charged with murder.

Biden on Monday called Massey "a beloved mother, friend, daughter, and young Black woman."

"When we call for help, all of us as Americans -- regardless of who we are or where we live -- should be able to do so without fearing for our lives," he said in a statement.

High-profile civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing the family of Massey, called it "one of the worst videos of a police shooting ever."

Police shootings and brutality -- especially instances of white on Black violence in a country with a long history of discrimination -- often attract outrage and protests in the United States, as well as defenses and pushback from ardent police supporters.

America's decentralized policing system, where individual towns and counties are responsible for their own policing, means there are no national training requirements and this makes reform extremely difficult.

Adding to complications, the United States is home to more guns than people, meaning police often train for violent encounters with the general public.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha Likely To Get 20 Hours Each For Discussion On Budget

Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are each likely to have a 20-hour discussion on the Union budget, which Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present on Tuesday, with the Lower House expected to have separate debates covering ministries of railways, education, health, MSME and food processing, PTI reported quoting its sources said.

The business advisory committees (BAC), which have representatives from different parties, of the two Houses met on Monday to finalise the agenda for the session. The government, however, is entitled to introduce any new item, depending upon exigencies, with the permission of the Chair.

In Rajya Sabha, sources said, a discussion for eight hours is likely to be scheduled on the appropriation and finance bills, and a four-hour debate each on four ministries, which are yet to be identified.

A Congress MP said his party highlighted its demand for short-duration discussions on issues like the Agnipath scheme and the NEET row during the Lok Sabha BAC meeting. However, it was decided that the discussion related to different ministries would allow all parties to raise their issues.

A government source said a 20-hour time slot for the general discussion on the budget will also provide different parties an opportunity to raise a range of issues to which Sitharaman will reply.

Issues like paper leaks, including in the prestigious NEET, can be covered when the debate related to the demand for the grant to the education ministry comes, a source said.

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Gambhir Breaks Silence On Reports Of BCCI Rejecting Support Staff Request

New India head coach Gautam Gambhir has firmly denied reports and rumours that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) rejected his requests for coaching staff personnel. Instead, Gambhir expressed that his requests to the BCCI were largely accepted. Gambhir also announced the names of two people who are set to join his support staff - Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate. Gambhir's first series as India head coach begins on Saturday, July 27, as India tours Sri Lanka for 3 T20Is and 3 ODIs.

Appearing at a press conference for the first time since being appointed as Team India head coach, Gambhir refuted claims that the BCCI had not agreed to his requests.

"Really happy with the BCCI. They have agreed to most of the things I've asked for. I was surprised to read all those news (about BCCI rejecting his demands)," said Gambhir in the press-conference.

"The crux of the support staff will remain the same," he confirmed. Gambhir stated that T Dilip, the fielding coach during Rahul Dravid's tenure, will continue in his role.

"Abhishek Nayar as assistant coach, Ryan ten Doeschate as assistant coach," confirmed Gambhir. "I feel there could be assistant coaches working and focusing on all three departments rather than one specific department. That's the reason we now have two assistant coaches. That's the way we will go forward as well," added Gambhir.

Nayar and ten Doeschate are two men Gambhir worked in close quarters with during IPL 2024, as Kolkata Knight Riders won a third IPL title. Nayar was the assistant coach of KKR, while ten Doeschate was their fielding coach.

Gambhir confirmed that Nayar, T Dilip and former India leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule are travelling with the India squad to Sri Lanka, while ten Doeschate will join the team directly in Colombo.

Gambhir stated that the entire support staff will be finalised after the Sri Lanka tour.

"We still have one month after the Sri Lanka tour, and we can finalise after the tour. Importantly, I've worked with Ryan and Abhishek closely during the IPL. I enjoyed working with them, they are thorough professionals, and there can't be a bigger and better opportunity now," said Gambhir.

South African pacer Morne Morkel has been reported to be requested by Gambhir to also join the coaching staff.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Explained: Why Bangladesh Students Are Protesting Against Job Quotas

Bangladesh's Supreme Court on Sunday scrapped most of the quotas on government jobs that had sparked nationwide protests by students that have killed at least 139 people in recent days.

Here are details of the protests and their history:

WHAT TRIGGERED THE PROTESTS?

The demonstrations started last month after the High Court reinstated a quota system for government jobs, overturning a 2018 decision by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government to scrap it.

That move, which covered the 30% of jobs reserved for family members of freedom fighters in the 1971 war for independence from Pakistan, followed similar student protests.

But the Supreme Court suspended the high court order after the government's appeal. On Sunday it dismissed the lower court order and directed that 93% of jobs should be open to candidates on merit.

The court reserved 5% of jobs for family members of independence fighters and 2% for people from so-called backward groups and the disabled.

The students had stepped up their protest when Hasina refused to meet their demands, citing the court proceedings.

She called the protesters "razakar", an offensive term for those accused of collaborating with Pakistan's army in 1971 to betray the country.

WHAT IS THE QUOTA SYSTEM?

Introduced in 1972, Bangladesh's quota system has gone through several changes since. When it was abolished in 2018, 56% of government jobs were blocked under various quotas.

The bulk covered groups such as freedom fighters' families, with women and those from underdeveloped districts receiving a share of a tenth each, with 5% allotted to indigenous communities, and 1% for the disabled.

The protesting students want all categories abolished, except the last two.

WHAT SPARKED THE VIOLENCE?

The protests turned violent last week following clashes between thousands of anti-quota demonstrators and members of the student wing of Hasina's Awami League party. Police fired rubber bullets and hurled sound grenades and tear gas to scatter protesters who also blocked railway tracks and major roads.

WHAT DO THE STUDENTS FEAR?

Hasina is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh, who led its freedom movement. Protesters and critics say the 30% quota for families of freedom fighters favours Awami League supporters, which led the independence fight.

Experts also attribute the unrest to stagnant job growth in the private sector, making public sector jobs, with their accompanying regular wage hikes and privileges, very attractive.

The quotas shrink the number of government jobs open for all, hurting aspirants who want them filled on the basis of merit.

They have sparked anger among students grappling with high youth unemployment, as nearly 32 million young people are out of work or education in a population of 170 million.

The economy, once among the world's fastest-growing, has stagnated, inflation hovers around 10% and dollar reserves are shrinking.

WHAT HAS HASINA SAID?

The protests are the first challenge to Hasina's government since she won a fourth consecutive term in January in elections boycotted by the main opposition. She has condemned the loss of lives and called for patience ahead of the Supreme Court's verdict.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Now, Shop Owners In This Madhya Pradesh Town Directed To Display Names

The BJP-ruled Ujjain Municipal Corporation on Saturday directed shop owners to display their names and mobile numbers outside their establishments in the ancient city, a directive coming on the heels of a similar order by the BJP government in UP for eateries along Kanwar Yatra route.

Violators will have to pay a Rs 2,000 fine for the first offence and Rs 5,000 if they defy this order for the second time, said Ujjain Mayor Mukesh Tatwal.

This order is aimed at ensuring safety and transparency and not intended to target Muslim shop-keepers, the mayor said.

Ujjain, the hometown of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, is known for its sacred Mahakal temple, attracting devotees from around the globe, especially during the Savaan month starting Monday.

Mr Tatwal said the Mayor-in-Council of Ujjain had approved a proposal for shopkeepers to display their names on September 26, 2002, followed by the Corporation House, and subsequently sent it to the state government for objections and formalities.

"All formalities have been already completed. The implementation was delayed as the nameplates were initially required to be of the same size and colour. Now, we have relaxed these terms. Displaying the names and mobile numbers of shopkeepers will suffice," he told PTI over the phone.

He stressed that the measure is rooted in the MP Shop Establishment Act or Gumasta License, and it serves to enhance customer safety.

"Ujjain is a religious and holy city. People come here with religious aastha. They have the right to know about the shopkeeper whose services they are availing. If a customer is dissatisfied or cheated, knowing the shopkeeper's details allows them to seek redress," the mayor said.

Ujjain is set to host the Simhastha (Kumbh) Mela in 2028, a significant religious fair held every 12 years.

This action mirrors the recent directive in Uttar Pradesh, where all eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route were asked to display owners' names.

The Uttar Pradesh government extended this order statewide on Friday, while Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said similar instructions are already in place there.

The order has faced criticism from opposition parties and some members of the ruling alliance, who argue it targets Muslim traders. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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4 Members Of Indian Family Killed In Apartment Fire In Kuwait

In a tragic incident, an Indian couple and their two children were killed in a fire that broke out in their flat in Kuwait City, local authorities said on Saturday.

The tragedy happened on Friday night, the same day they returned from Kerala after vacation.

Mathews Mulackal, his wife Lini Abraham, and their two children, all hailing from Neerattupuram in Alappuzha, suffocated to death on Friday night due to the fire caused by a short circuit in the air conditioner at around 8 pm in their second-floor flat in Abbasiya area, The Arab Times newspaper reported.

"The family had returned to Kuwait from a vacation in Kerala, arriving around 4 pm local time on Friday. Mathews Mulackal worked at Reuters, while his wife Lini was a staff nurse at Adan Hospital in Al Ahmadi Governorate. Their children attended Bhavans School in Kuwait," the newspaper said.

"Mathew has been working there for the past 15 years. They left for Kuwait after their vacation on Thursday night from Nedumbassery Airport," a relative told the media in Kerala on Saturday.

The Indian Embassy in Kuwait said it is in touch with the family in Kerala and will ensure the early repatriation of the bodies of the four Indians.

The accident comes close on the heels of a devastating fire accident that claimed the lives of 45 Indians in a labour accommodation last month.

The news report said Major General Khaled Fahd, the acting head of the General Fire Force, was present at the fire scene and quoted the General Fire Force announcement on their X platform that their teams had successfully controlled the blaze in an apartment building.

Embassy @indembkwt expresses its deepest condolences on the tragic demise of Mr Mathews Mulackal, his wife and 2 children due to fire in his flat in Abassiya yesterday night. Embassy is in touch with his family and will ensure early repatriation of mortal remains. @DrSJaishankar

— India in Kuwait (@indembkwt) July 20, 2024

Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Kuwait said in a post on X: "Embassy @indembkwt expresses its deepest condolences on the tragic demise of Mr Mathews Mulackal, his wife and 2 children due to fire in his flat in Abassiya yesterday night. Embassy is in touch with his family and will ensure early repatriation of mortal remains." 

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Doctors Remove 77 Needles From 19-Year-Old Woman's Head In Odisha

A day after doctors at Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) in Odisha's Burla removed 70 needles from the skull of a sorcery victim, neurosurgeons retrieved another seven during a follow-up surgery on Saturday.

Director Bhabagrahi Rath said, "So far, 77 needles have been retrieved from the woman's head in two surgeries. Fortunately, the needles have not caused any bone injuries, but there are soft tissue injuries on her head." The patient is under observation and will be checked for other issues for which she visited the sorcerer, Rath added.

He noted it is premature to assume the problems were psychological and emphasised the need for thorough diagnosis.

The woman, referred from Bolangir to VIMSAR due to pain and infection risk, is out of danger but will remain under post-operative care for about a week.

On Thursday, Reshma Behera (19) of Ichgaon under Sindhikela police limits in Bolangir was admitted to Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital with severe headache, leading to a CT scan revealing multiple needles in her head.

Despite initial removal of eight needles, her condition did not improve, prompting her referral to VIMSAR, where 70 more needles were removed.

Reshma, frequently ill since her mother's death four years ago, sought help from a sorcerer in 2021. The family discovered the needles' presence recently when Reshma complained of pain.

The fraud doctor has been arrested, and Kantabanji police are investigating if there were other victims subjected to needle piercing by the accused. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Explained: EPFO's Round-The-Clock 'Contact Centre' And What It Will Do

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is working on a round-the-clock multilingual "contact centre" for its nearly seven crore active subscribers. The planned centre will remain functional 24×7 across 365 days. The move is aimed at offering a single-window interface to those wanting to register complaints or requiring recourse to a redressal mechanism.

This comes after EPFO faced backlash on social media recently over delays in complaint resolution and an increase in the rates of rejection of settlement claims, The Indian Express reported.

A tender has been floated by the government body to set up this contact centre for "a robust system which can replace EPFO's grievance registration portal (EPFiGMS) with a more advanced and sophisticated grievance system".

With this proposed call centre, EPFO plans to replace its existing grievance registration portal, EPFiGMS with advanced registration and resolution software. 

How it will help people

The EPFO tender states that the proposed contact centre will be tasked with hearing/understanding the public grievance across the multi-channel -- helpline number; landline number of various offices; walk-in; grievance registration portals; WhatsApp; social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; physical Daks, ChatBot, UMANG, e-mails among others.

It will solve the problem by linking the EPFO's head office with zonal offices and regional offices, besides addressing stakeholders' issues and keeping them informed on a real-time basis, The Indian Express report stated.

'23 languages'

The proposed contact centre will be multilingual with as many as 23 languages mentioned in its tender. These include Hindi, English, Assamese, Bengali, Kashmiri, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Kannada, Konkani, Manipuri, Marathi, Maithili, Malayalam, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Santhali, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.

EPFO says it's looking at transforming its EPFO Helpline into an "Integrated Grievance Management System" with a new grievance registration software. It also intends to put necessary channels to "govern, monitor and improve subscriber satisfaction by way of redressal of grievances, automate processes across offices to resolve issues faster, improve service speed and quality by automating common requests from issue to resolution," the government body stated.

EPFO had earlier started a helpline with a toll-free number (1800118005). Later, it was replaced with a short code (14470) to facilitate redressal of queries. Its helpline number, however, remained unreachable, reports said.

When will this start?

Regarding the operational status, EPFO has not yet provided any official release date for its call centre.

A query to the Ministry of Labour and Employment did not elicit any response, the report highlighted.

Eligibility for bidders

As per the EPFO tender, the prospective bidders should have "implemented at least two call centre projects of 500 seats each in the last three years".

Besides, the call centre must have been in operational stage as of now, it added.

As per the official data, 33.8 per cent or 24.93 lakh of the total 73.87 lakh claims received for final settlement in 2022-23 were rejected, while 46.66 lakh were settled. The remaining 2.18 lakh claims remained as "closing balance". 

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Heated Debate In BCCI Meet, Report Says Players' Trust Saw SKY Pip Pandya

The India vs Sri Lanka T20I and ODI series, which starts later this month, will begin a new chapter for Indian cricket. Under new head coach Gautam Gambhir, the side will embark on a mission to add to more laurels. The sides picked bear interesting looks with the biggest change being the T20I captaincy. After Rohit Sharma retired from the format after the T20 World Cup 2024 win, it was thought that designated vice-captain Hardik Pandya would be promoted as the skipper. 

Instead, Suryakumar has been named the captain while Pandya is not even the vice-captain. While Pandya's fitness issues has largely been seen as the reason behind the captaincy snub, a report in Indian Express has claimed that the scales got tilted in Yadav's favour because of players' trust.  

The report claimed that the 'feedback' that BCCI received was that players 'trusted Yadav more than Pandya' and were comfortable working under him. The selection meeting that went on for several hours over two days was unlike any other meeting, claimed the report, as there were heated debates and difference of opinions. There were calls being made to players, who were made to understand the management's long-term plans.   

The report further claimed that Yadav's man-management skills impressed BCCI selectors. When Ishan Kishan was about to leave the India camp midway through the South Africa tour last year, it is said that Yadav tried to convince him to stay back. 

He is also reported to have talked to the fringe players in making the most of the opportunities. Another school of thought is that, Yadav's communication style is like Rohit and the players are comfortable in having discussions with him. 

That was another reason behind Yadav getting the nod for captaincy ahead of Pandya.

It is understood that Pandya, the vice-captain of the T20 World Cup-winning squad, who bowled the historic last over in the final against South Africa, was intimated about the decision on Tuesday by both Agarkar and Gambhir about the hard call.

Pandya was also the vice-captain in the 50-over World Cup last year before his injury. With Shubman Gill being appointed deputy in both formats, it is now clear that the selection committee and Gambhir, are keen to look beyond Pandya as a leadership option.

What worked against Pandya was his frequent injury breakdowns. He played only 46 out of the 79 T20I games from Jan 1, 2022. In this period, Suryakumar missed only a few games and that too due to sports hernia surgery.

He led India to a 4-1 win over Australia in a T20I series last November and followed it up with a 1-1 draw in South Africa.

With PTI inputs

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After 53 Years, Mortar Shells From 1971 Indo-Pak War Found In Fish Pond

A large quantity of mortar shells believed to be from the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war, which led to the liberation of Bangladesh, was discovered while excavating a fish pond in West Tripura district's Rangutia on Thursday. The discovery has caused a stir in the entire area.

Initially, it was unclear whether the shells were from cannons or mortars; later, it was confirmed they were mortar shells.

On getting information, a police team and TSR personnel from the Bamuthia outpost arrived to continue the excavation. A total of 27 mortar shells were recovered.

Anthony Jamatia, the officer-in-charge of the Bamuthia outpost, said 27 mortar shells were found buried at Dulal Nam's house in Rangutia while digging a fish pond. The shells had been fused together and were estimated to have been buried for approximately 53 years. However, no information has been found regarding the country of origin or the manufacturer of these shells.

Local senior citizens claim that during the 1971 war, the Mukti Bahini frequently travelled and trained in the Bamuthia area. It is believed that the Mukti Bahini might have buried the mortar shells in this location, but later did not need to retrieve them.

The Indian Army's 4, 33 and 2 Corps had marched toward Bangladesh from three directions. The objective was to capture the "fortress cities" built by Pakistani troops and move through the gaps to take on Dhaka. The fall of Sylhet, Chittagong, Tangail, Khulna, Jessore, etc. ensured no escape route was left.

Dhaka is between the Padma River on its west and Meghna on its east. The Indian Army's 2 and 33 Corps quickly marched deep into Bangladesh in districts west of the Jamna-Padma river. The Tezpur-based 4 corps started operations to cross the Meghna and finally enter Dhaka.

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China Can't Defeat US If We Revive "American Dream": Vivek Ramaswamy

Indian-origin Republican leader Vivek Ramaswamy, during the Republican National Convention, stressed the 'American Dream' and called on people to shed all forms of fear and be free to speak up their minds.

He said that this 'American Dream' won US the American Revolution, two world wars, and the Cold War, and if that can be revived again, not a nation, not a virus, or China can defeat the US.

He was addressing the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Tuesday night.

"Fear has been infectious in this country. But courage can be contagious, too. That, too, is what it means to be an American...If you're at home and you disagree with everything I just said, our message to you is this: We will still defend to the death your right to say it, because that is who we are as Americans," said the GOP leader, who dropped out of the presidential race earlier this year.

"We are the country where we can disagree like hell and still get together at the dinner table at the end of it. That is the America I know. That is the America we miss," he added.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk also reacted on Mr Ramaswamy's remarks.

"Well said!!" Mr Musk posted on his X handle.

Well said!!pic.twitter.com/CgKPa1rnnt

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 17, 2024

Further stating "We don't need to be a nation in decline," Mr Ramaswamy asserted that US can still be a nation in ascent, and whose best days are still ahead of it.

Elaborating on it further, he said that in US, people, irrespective of their identity, surname, can get ahead with their commitment, dedication and hard work.

"That country where, no matter who you are, where your parents came from or what your skin colour is, or how long your last name is, you will still get ahead in this country with your own hard work, your own commitment, your own dedication, and that you know what? You are free to speak your mind at every step of the way," Mr Ramaswamy said.

The Indian-origin leader further said that this "American exceptionalism" will be revived when Donald Trump returns to the White House.

"That is the American dream. That is what won us the American Revolution. That is what reunited us after the civilizational war. That is what won us two world wars and the Cold War. That is what still gives hope to the free world," Mr Ramaswamy said.

He added, "And if we can revive that dream over group identity, victimhood, and grievance, then nobody in the world, not a nation, not a corporation, not a virus, not China, is going to defeat us. That is what American exceptionalism is all about. And that is what we will revive this November when we send Donald J. Trump back to the White House."

Earlier in the day, the 38-year-old said that illegal immigrants will be 'returned' to the country of their origin.

"Our message to illegal immigrants is also this; we will return you to your country of origin. Not because you're all bad people, but because you broke the law, and the United States of America was founded on the rule of law," he stated.

Mr Ramaswamy added that he would seal the southern border on the first day if they came to power.

Addressing black Americans, he said, "The media has tried to convince you for decades that Republicans don't care about your communities. We want for you what we want for every American: safe neighborhoods, clean streets, good jobs, a better life for your children, and a justice system that treats everyone equally - regardless of your skin colour or your political beliefs."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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No President Nod To Replacing Governor As Punjab Universities' Chancellor

A Punjab bill that seeks to replace the state Governor with the Chief Minister as the Chancellor of state-run universities has been returned by the President without assent, official sources said.

Punjab Universities Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and three other bills were passed by the Punjab Assembly in the two-day session in June last year but the governor had called the session "patently illegal." Later in November last year, the Supreme Court held that the June 19-20 session was constitutionally valid and directed the Punjab governor to decide on the Bills passed by the legislative assembly session.

The Punjab Universities Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was for replacing the Governor with the Chief Minister as the Chancellor of state-run universities.

However, Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit reserved this bill along with two others -- the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Punjab Police (Amendment) Bill, 2023 -- for the consideration of the President in accordance with Article 200 of the Constitution of India.

These three bills were later sent to the President.

The Punjab Universities Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was returned by the President without assent a few days back, the sources said.

The governor and Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann had been at loggerheads over various issues including the appointment of vice chancellor of Ludhiana-based Punjab Agricultural University.

Meanwhile, Punjab BJP leader Subhash Sharma on Wednesday hailed the President's decision.

"We have been saying that the CM has been doing unconstitutional work and this development has put a stamp on it. We expect that the CM will now learn a lesson from it and will not indulge in any unconstitutional acts," said Mr Sharma.

The Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was aimed at ensuring a free-to-air telecast of 'Gurbani' from the Golden Temple in Amritsar while the Punjab Police (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was to pave the way to bring about an independent mechanism for selection and appointment of suitable persons to the director general of police post.

The Governor had granted assent to the Punjab Affiliated Colleges (Security of Service) Amendment Bill, 2023, which was aimed to streamline the functioning of the Punjab Educational Tribunal for government-aided private colleges.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Karnataka's 100% Quota Bill For Kannadigas In Private Firms For These Posts

The Karnataka cabinet has approved a bill mandating 100 per cent reservation for Kannadigas in private firms for Group C and Group D posts, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Tuesday.

The CM said the decision was taken in the cabinet meeting held on Monday.

"The Cabinet meeting held yesterday approved a bill to make recruitment of 100 per cent Kannadigas mandatory for 'C and D' grade posts in all private industries in the state," Siddaramaiah said in a post on social media platform X.

ರಾಜ್ಯದ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಖಾಸಗಿ ಕೈಗಾರಿಕೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ "ಸಿ ಮತ್ತು ಡಿ" ದರ್ಜೆಯ ಹುದ್ದೆಗಳಿಗೆ ನೂರಕ್ಕೆ ನೂರರಷ್ಟು ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರ ನೇಮಕಾತಿಯನ್ನು ಕಡ್ಡಾಯಗೊಳಿಸುವ ವಿಧೇಯಕಕ್ಕೆ ನಿನ್ನೆ ನಡೆದ ಸಚಿವ ಸಂಪುಟ ಸಭೆಯು ಒಪ್ಪಿಗೆ ನೀಡಿದೆ.

ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರು ಕನ್ನಡದ ನೆಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಉದ್ಯೋಗ ವಂಚಿತರಾಗುವುದನ್ನು ತಪ್ಪಿಸಿ, ತಾಯ್ನಾಡಿನಲ್ಲಿ ನೆಮ್ಮದಿಯ ಬದುಕು ಕಟ್ಟಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲು… pic.twitter.com/UwvsJtrT2q

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) July 16, 2024

He said it was his government's wish that Kannadigas be given an opportunity to lead a comfortable life in their state and not be deprived of jobs in 'Kannada land'.

"We are a pro-Kannada government. Our priority is to look after the welfare of Kannadigas," the chief minister said.

According to sources in the law department, the bill will be tabled on Thursday in the assembly.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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England Cricketer's House Attacked. Shocking CCTV Footage Emerges - Watch

England cricketer and Hampshire captain James Vince has made a public appeal regarding persistent attacks on his property that resulted in his family being forced to leave his hometown in Southampton. For nearly eight years, Vince and his family enjoyed the tranquility of their home in a village east of Southampton. That peace was shattered earlier this year when Vince's home and vehicles were targeted in two shocking attacks, forcing the family to flee and live in fear. The first attack occurred in the early hours of April 15. Vince, 33, recounted the harrowing experience: “My wife and I woke suddenly to a load of smashing and alarms going off. We had no idea what was going on and it was obviously very unnerving, so we rushed straight to get the kids to make sure they were safe. They were very shaken up," Vince told The Telegraph.

By the time the police arrived, the attackers had vanished, leaving behind a trail of destruction. A neighbour reported seeing a car speed away from the scene.

The damage to the cars and home was extensive, prompting the family to move out temporarily while repairs were made. Security cameras and alarms were installed, but the sense of safety had been irrevocably damaged.

This footage supplied by Hampshire captain James Vince is of an unprovoked attack on his home.

Vince's property was vandalised on two separate occasions (April 15 and May 11) forcing his family out.

He is appealing for anyone with information to go to Hampshire Police. pic.twitter.com/Oct9BDTocb

— Alfie House (@AlfieHouseEcho) July 16, 2024

Barely a week after returning home, Vince's worst fears were realised when a second attack took place on May 1. This time, he was still awake upstairs. “That meant I was able to get downstairs quite quickly and had more of a sense of what was going on. It wasn't such a surprise either, because it had happened before. I think they saw the activity in the house and left quickly,” he explained.

The attackers used bricks, smashing windows on both the cars and the house once more. Vince detailed how the family had just returned from a benefit dinner for his teammate Chris Wood when the attack happened around midnight.

The incidents have puzzled Vince and authorities alike. Despite extensive investigations by the police, private security personnel, and intelligence firms, no clear motive has emerged. Vince remains convinced the attacks are a case of mistaken identity. “All the experts we've spoken to say it looks like a money issue, unpaid debts, or something,” Vince said. “We have nothing to hide and know we have never been involved in anything like this. We just desperately want this to stop.”

Footage from the new security cameras has provided some clues. It shows a man with a torch passing bricks over a wall to another man, who then throws them at the house and cars. The second man wore a hoodie with a Gym King logo and had his face covered. This, Vince hopes, might be a key piece of information to identify the culprits.

The attacks coincidentally took place on days when Hampshire had home matches, adding another layer of mystery. Despite enhanced security measures, the family remains on edge, fearing a third attack. “We don't want to risk the same thing happening again,” Vince said. “It's not fair for my wife or children to have to go through it again.”

The emotional toll on the family has been immense, especially on Vince's young children. “Something like this is hugely disruptive in our lives, especially for our children, who have understandably been affected and unsettled by the situation. Having said that, I'm amazed and extremely proud of how they have dealt with it. We have received great support locally, and from within cricket,” Vince shared.

The family has now turned to the public for help, hoping someone might recognise the attackers or have information that could solve the mystery. “If anyone knows anything, or sees anything in the footage of the attack that could lead to anything, please contact us or Hampshire Police. It could be the final piece of information we need to find out what is going on and get our lives back to normal,” Vince urged.

Hampshire Police confirmed the incidents, stating: “Two incidents of criminal damage at an address during the early hours of April 15 and May 11. On both occasions, two cars were damaged, and the front room windows smashed.”

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Trump Selects Republican Ohio Senator JD Vance As Vice President Candidate

Donald Trump selected J.D. Vance, a Republican U.S. senator from Ohio, as his running mate on Monday, elevating a politician who once criticized the former president in acid terms but has since become one of his most stalwart defenders.

The news, carried on Trump's Truth Social media website, emerged at the start of the four-day Republican National Convention in Milwaukee to nominate the party's presidential ticket.

The selection of James David Vance, author of the bestselling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," could increase the odds of Trump supporters turning out for the Nov. 5 election as the Ohio native is deeply popular with the Republican candidate's base.

A staunch conservative from a Republican state, Vance is unlikely to bring many new voters into Trump's corner, however, and may even alienate some moderates. Some Trump supporters had pushed him to select a woman or person of color as his No. 2 to expand a coalition that skews toward white men.

The former president, 78, survived an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania campaign rally on Saturday by a gunman whose motive remains unknown.

Several of Trump's highest-profile backers - including former senior adviser Steve Bannon and Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr. - have praised Vance for pushing the Republican Party to embrace a more hands-off foreign policy approach and for supporting trade barriers.

Vance has also delighted Trump supporters with his confrontational social media presence, a relative rarity in the Senate, where many lawmakers still try to maintain a sense of decorum and civility.

At 39, Vance will represent a younger generation in an election that features Trump and President Joe Biden, 81, bringing a counterweight to the Democratic ticket that also includes Vice President Kamala Harris, 59.

In selecting Vance, Trump passed over other possible contenders such including U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Tim Scott and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.

Vance's rapid ascent has been unusual for American politics. After a troubled and impoverished childhood in southern Ohio, he served in the Marine Corps, won a scholarship to Yale Law School and later worked as a venture capitalist in San Francisco.

He rose to prominence after 2016 when he wrote "Hillbilly Elegy," in which he explored the socioeconomic problems confronting his hometown and the cycle of poverty that had entrapped Americans in the Appalachian Mountains, where his mother and her family had their origins.

The book criticized what Vance saw as a self-destructive culture in rural America and sought to explain Trump's popularity among impoverished white Americans.

Vance himself was harshly critical of Trump before and after Trump's 2016 election win against Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, calling him an "idiot" and "America's Hitler," among other epithets.

But as Vance geared up to run for the U.S. Senate in Ohio in 2022, he transformed into one of the former president's most consistent defenders, supporting Trump even when some Senate colleagues declined to do so.

Vance has played down the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. He said he "doubted" Mike Pence's life was in danger, despite violent protesters getting within yards of the former vice president as Secret Service agents rushed him out of the Capitol building. Vance has also echoed Trump's criticisms of the way the Justice Department has prosecuted Jan. 6 rioters, accusing the department of disregarding due process protections.

In February, he declined to criticize Trump for encouraging Russian President Vladimir Putin to attack America's NATO allies if they failed to increase their defense spending.

While the Republican Party historically stood for free markets and embraced foreign intervention as an important national security tool, Trump's 2016 election opened up significant rifts within the party. Vance has been one of the most vocal opponents of continued aid to Ukraine in the Senate, a stance at odds with many Republican legislative leaders.

On the campaign trail, the former venture capitalist has also served as a bridge between Trump associates and wealthy Silicon Valley donors, many of whom have opened their wallets to Trump this election.

Still, Vance's selection has its detractors among Trump associates, notably those who had wanted Trump to select a diverse vice presidential candidate. Though Trump and Biden are virtually tied in most national polls, Trump trails the Democratic president by significant margins among women and Black Americans.

Some Trump associates privately questioned whether it would be wise to take Vance out of the Senate with Democrats and Republicans vying for control of the upper chamber. Democrats hold a one-seat advantage, though they are likely to lose ground in the November election.

Ohio, while safely Republican in presidential elections, does occasionally elect Democrats in other races. Vance won his 2022 election by six percentage points.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Car-o-Bar" At Noida Wedding Lands 4 In Jail

Consuming alcohol in a car at an open space during wedding celebrations has landed four people in jail in Noida, the police said on Monday.

The accused were drinking liquor near a banquet hall in Sector 73, located within the Sector 113 police station limits, on Sunday, officials said.

According to a statement issued by the police, those held are from the banquet hall's management team and the operator of the bar set up in a modified car.

However, the police did not say if they got a complaint or took action against the guests or hosts of the wedding ceremony.

"The police received information about open consumption of alcohol on Sunday, leading to immediate action against the event management team and the bar operator," they said.

Those held have been identified as Haider (30), Arjun (20), Ajit (21), and Prateek Taneja (27), the police said.

Mr Taneja, a resident of Delhi, owns the modified car that has been seized, they added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Video: Man Performs Stunt While Boarding Local Train In Mumbai

A video clip showing an unidentified man performing a dangerous stunt while boarding a moving local train at Sewri station in Mumbai has prompted a search to trace the individual and a stern warning from Central Railway (CR).

After the video of the incident, which occurred on the Harbour Line network, was shared on social media platform X by some netizens, the CR directed the Railway Protection Force (RPF) to register a case. Efforts are underway to trace and apprehend the person, an official said on Sunday.

Central Railway issued a release appealing to the public to avoid such unsafe practices, which are life-threatening for both the individual involved and other passengers, emphasising that these dangerous actions can have fatal consequences and endanger the lives of the stunt performer and other passengers.

"The safety of passengers remains the top priority for Indian Railways, and the authorities will continue to take all necessary measures to ensure a secure travel environment," the CR stated.

The Railways has appealed to citizens and passengers to report anyone indulging in stunt performances on trains or platforms by contacting 9004410735 immediately. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Shooting Makes Me Stronger": Donald Trump Attack T-shirts Go On Sale Online

Former US President Donald Trump was hit in the ear in an apparent assassination attempt by a gunman at a campaign rally today in Pennsylvania today, a shocking incident that will fuel fears of instability ahead of the 2024 US presidential election. Several politicians, tech leaders and followers of Mr Trump condemned the attack, stressing that political violence is intolerable.

Shortly after the news broke out, t-shirts featuring a defiant image of Donald Trump with blood visible on his face and fist in the air went viral online. According to a report in the South China Morning Post, within two hours after the attack, the first batch of the t-shirts went on sale on a popular Chinese e-commerce platform Taobao, owned by Alibaba.

Li Jinwei, a 25-year-old Taobao seller, got her T-shirts on her online stores before morning in China. Her factory is located in the northern province of Hebei. To produce new goods, she just needs to download an image and hit the print button. A T-shirt takes the factory half a minute on average to finish. "We put the T-shirts on Taobao as soon as we saw the news about the shooting, though we hadn't even printed them, and within three hours we saw more than 2,000 orders from both China and the US," she said.

"For this year's US presidential election, we only made souvenirs of Trump, as he has a higher chance of winning the election, and he is popular among Chinese netizens," she said.

According to Politico, the trend was not confined to China. US content creators HodgeTwins promoted on X images of T-shirts that said, "Fight! Fight! Fight!" and said, "100% of profits from this shirt go to Trump's campaign." Another picture featured a man with a shirt that read, "Shooting Makes Me Stronger" while a third said, "I Will Never Stop."

Meanwhile, Donald Trump, in his first statement after being shot at the rally, said, "I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin." He added, "Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening." Earlier in the statement, he stated, "I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear."

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Video: With Road Flooded, Medical College Principal Taken Out On A Stretcher

A medical college principal, dressed in a shirt and trousers, is sitting on a stretcher as four men push it through a flooded street in Uttar Pradesh, showed a video.  

The incident was reported from Shahjahanpur, which has received heavy rain and areas in the city are heavily flooded.

The college principal, Rajesh Kumar, covering his face with a handkerchief, did not want to sully his clothes and got four men to take him out on a stretcher, say reports.

The principal has condemned the video, saying the reality is at variance with the video version.

"A video is going viral which shows me being taken out on a stretcher. I condemn this video. Shahjahanpur is flooded. Even our college is flooded. Around 300 patients, working staff members and others are stuck here. We evacuated all the patients, using ambulance, buses," said Mr Kumar.

"Water has risen alarmingly. I tried if I could get an ambulance to get out. I have a leg injury and am also diabetic, due to which I am unable to walk. I spoke to my working staff members and they said they will take me out of the medical college on a stretcher," said Mr Acharya, defending himself.

Traffic on the Lucknow-Bareilly highway in Shahjahanpur was also affected after a large section of the road was inundated.

"Teams of the NDRF and the SDRF are coordinating with the local administration to mitigate flood-related issues in the affected areas. We have set up flood relief camps for affected people," State Relief Commissioner Naveen Kumar said.

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Watch: Panic Grips Gujarat University As Leopard Cub Enters Lab

A leopard cub entered the bio-energy laboratory of the engineering department at the Junagadh Agricultural University in Gujarat today spreading panic on the campus.

Students promptly vacated the lab, shut the door, and locked the animal inside.

A video recorded by the students showed the animal running around inside the lab.

The Forest Department was informed and officials rescued the cub after tranquilising it.

"We received information from the Agricultural University that a leopard had entered the premises. We reached the spot in 15 minutes. We caged the leopard and rescued it safely," Range Forest Officer Arvind Bhalia said.

The cub was later sent to Junagadh's Sakkarbaug Zoo.

(With inputs from Mahendra Prasad)

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Biden calls Kamala Harris "Vice President Trump" At NATO Press Conference

US President Joe Biden, under intense scrutiny over his mental fitness to serve, mistakenly referred to his Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday as "Vice President Trump."

Biden, asked whether Harris could beat Donald Trump if he decided not to run again, said: "I wouldn't have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president if I did not think she was not qualified to be president."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Bet On Russia As Reliable Partner Not A Good One": US Official To India

Amid concerns over India's ties with Russia, a top US official on Thursday cautioned New Delhi that a "bet on Russia as a long-term, reliable partner is not a good bet" and Moscow would side with Beijing over New Delhi in case of a conflict between the two Asian giants.

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan made the remarks while replying to a question on MSNBC about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Moscow where he held extensive talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We've made clear to every country in the world including India that a bet on Russia as a long-term, reliable partner is not a good bet," said Mr Sullivan, who was in India last month for a meeting with his counterpart Ajit Doval.

The top American official had also met Prime Minister Modi during his visit.

"Russia is becoming closer to China. In fact, it's becoming the junior partner to China. And in that way, they would side with China over India any day of the week. And … Prime Minister Modi, of course, has profound concerns about the potential for Chinese aggression against India. Which we have seen over recent years," Mr Sullivan said.

The NSA, however, acknowledged that countries like India have a historic relationship with Russia and it's not going to change dramatically overnight.

"This is playing the long game. It (US) is making investments in democratic partners and allies around the world including countries like India and we think that that will pay off as we go forward," he added.

His remarks came a day after spokespersons of the Pentagon, the White House and the State Department reacted separately to questions on India's relationship with Russia and Modi's visit to Moscow.

Prime Minister Modi was in Russia for two days for the 22nd India-Russia annual summit that has been watched closely by the West amidst the raging Ukraine conflict.

During his talks with Mr Putin on Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi told the Russian President that a solution to the Ukraine conflict is not possible on the battlefield and peace efforts do not succeed amid bombs and bullets.

India has been stoutly defending its "special and privileged strategic partnership" with Russia and maintained the momentum in the ties notwithstanding the Ukraine conflict.

India has not yet condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and has consistently pitched for a resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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