14th BRICS summit to review current global issues, reach key agreements

 At the 14th BRICS summit which is to be hosted by China in a virtual mode on 23-24 June, the member nations will review the current global issues and will reach key agreements, said Russian Embassy

At the 14th BRICS summit which is to be hosted by China in a virtual mode on 23-24 June, the member nations will review the current global issues and will reach key agreements, said Russian Embassy in India on Wednesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the 14th BRICS summit in a virtual mode. “At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will be attending the 14th BRICS Summit hosted by China in virtual mode on 23-24 June 2022. This includes a High-Level Dialogue on Global Development with guest countries on June 24,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

The leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China & South Africa will discuss the status of diverse political, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation, the Embassy said. “There are also plans to review current international and regional issues. The #BRICS summit’s final Declaration will formalise key agreements. On June 24, Vladimir #Putin will also speak at a ‘BRICS Plus‘ session involving the leaders of several invited states,” it added…

Recent floods in Afghanistan caused by incessant rain kill 400 people

 The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan has confirmed that 400 people have died in the recent floods triggered by incessant rain across the country

The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan has confirmed that 400 people have died in the recent floods triggered by incessant rain across the country. The floods hit the provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar, Nuristan, Laghman, Panjshir, Parwan, Kabul, Kapisa, Maidan Wardak, Bamiyan, Ghazni, Logar, Samangan, Sar-e-Pul, Takhar, Paktia, Khost and Daikundi, as well as the Salang areas, TOLO News reported.

“The wounded have been evacuated to the hospitals. The people whose residences were damaged in the floods, they have been evacuated and provided with tents,” Mawlawi Sharfuddin Muslim, the deputy Minister of Natural Disaster Management, said in a statement on Wednesday. The statement added that the floods have also inflicted financial losses. In 2022, over 30,000 people have been affected by natural disasters in Afghanistan including more than 5,000 people affected by flash flooding.

Uber may have explored selling Indian arm; company calls the report false

The US company Uber began weighing alternatives and reached out to several interested parties after recognizing it had limited potential for profitable expansion in Indian market.

Uber Technologies Inc. explored options for its Indian ride-hailing business, including a sale, but suspended discussions after tech startup valuations cratered, people familiar with the matter said. The US company began weighing alternatives and reached out to several interested parties after recognizing it had limited potential for profitable expansion in the country, the people said, asking not to be named as the information is not public. It pondered a stock swap with local companies or even a pullout, before a global equity market rout upended plans, the people added. A stock deal was favored in exploratory talks as that would allow Uber to retain a foothold in India, the people said.

Uber and its local-rival Ola had been struggling to eke out a profit in a rapidly growing but price-sensitive market, where constant driver attrition was pressuring margins. A sale to a local operator could have mirrored similar deals it struck with Didi Global Inc. in China and Grab Holdings Ltd. in Southeast Asia, where Uber ceded the markets but kept an equity stake in the dominant local player to tap future growth. The maneuvers ended costly turf wars waged with driver incentives and cash subsidies….Read More

 

Pak duo among 4 terrorists killed in twin J&K encounters in Kupwara, Kulgam

 The Jammu and Kashmir Police along with the Army neutralised four terrorists, including two Pakistani terrorists, in two separate anti-terrorist operations in Kupwara and Kulgam districts respectively

The Jammu and Kashmir Police along with the Army neutralised four terrorists, including two Pakistani terrorists, in two separate anti-terrorist operations in Kupwara and Kulgam districts respectively, police officials said.

“Earlier, Kupwara police along with Army (28RR) launched a joint anti-terrorist operation on Sunday on the disclosure of an arrested terrorist Showkat Ahmad Sheikh in forests of Chandigam Lolab area of Kupwara,” police said. During the search of a hideout, the hiding terrorists started firing indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter. The police added that during the initial exchange of fire, one terrorist was killed and the arrested terrorist leading search party also got trapped…Read More

Assam floods: 9 die in last 24 hours, CM Sarma holds review meeting

 With over 127,600 people affected by the Assam floods, the death toll in the state has now jumped to 71

In the last 24 hours, nine people, including three children, died in Assam flood situation in the state worsened. The death toll from in this year’s flood and landslides in Assam has now jumped to 71, while at least eight people have gone missing.

More than 420,000 people across 33 districts, including Bajali, Baksa, Barpeta, Biswanath, Bongaigaon, Cachar, Darrang, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur, have been affected in the second wave of deluge. Out of the nine deaths reported in the last 24 hours, three were reported from the Cachar district, two from Barpeta and one each from Bajali, Kamrup, Karimganj and Udalguri districts.

Also Read: Assam villages flooded in devastating rains, PM Modi calls up Himanta Sarma Meanwhile, 4 people have gone missing from the Dibrugarh districts, and one each from Cachar, Hojai, Tamulpur and Udalguri districts. With over 127,600 people affected by the floods, Barpeta is the worst-hit district Assam, followed by Darrang with nearly 394,000 people affected and Nagaon with more than 364,000 people hit…Read More

Was 'Agnipath' a signature Rajnath Singh scheme in the first place?

 The space for Rajnath in UP politics has shrunk after Yogi Adityanath appeared on the scene

Barring a minor “one-time” tweak in the upper-age limit for armed forces recruitment under the Agnipath scheme, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has stuck to his guns that the scheme will change the profile of the armed forces, making them younger-looking. As swathes of India, from rural areas to urban, from north to south, burn, Rajnath stands unmoved: Ironically over a scheme in which he has had little to contribute, despite being defence minister.

Agnipath: Data shows veterans fail to find govt jobs after retirement

 Between 32 Central ministries, only 1.60% of the 22,168 positions reserved for veterans have been filled

A meagre 2.4 per cent of ex-servicemen who applied for a job could get one as state and central governments have been unable to recruit against the reserved quota. Public sector utilities (PSUs), ministries and officials of Sainik boards have blamed it on the lack of skill among ex-servicemen. They contend that veterans’ inability to qualify in selection exams and non-recognition of qualifications obtained from the military are reasons why their recruitment has remained significantly low, pushing them toward low-skill jobs.

As protests over the Agnipath scheme rage across the country, the government has announced reservations in job vacancies across sectors for around 34,000 “Agniveers” who will retire after four years of service. However, data from Director General Resettlement- the nodal body responsible for rehabilitating retired military personnel, shows that states, central public sector units, including defence PSUs, and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have failed to recruit against the vacancies reserved for veterans.

Assam floods: 4 dead, Manas, Brahmaputra rivers flowing above danger mark

 As many as four people died in the last 24 hours in Assam due to the flood which has affected over 110K people in 25 districts of the state

As many as four people died in the last 24 hours in Assam due to the Assam flood which has affected 11.09 lakh people in 25 districts of the state. The water level of the Manas, Pagladiya, Puthimari, Kopili, Gaurang and Brahmaputra rivers are also flowing above the danger level mark in many places in Assam. The flood waters have submerged 19782.80 hectares of cropland in the flood-hit districts. According to state government data, 1,510 villages under 72 revenue circles are currently underwater.

All educational institutions in Kamrup Metropolitan District are closed on Friday, in view of the heavy rainfall warning. In view of water logging at km 347/6-8 between Nalbari and Ghograpar of Rangiya division of Assam, services of several trains have been cancelled, partially cancelled and diverted by North East Frontier Railway, informed Chief Public Relation Officer (CPRO), Northeast Frontier Railway…Read More

Anti-Agnipath stir indicator of unemployment crisis in India: K T Rama Rao

 From One Rank – One Pension to proposed No Rank – No Pension!,” Rama Rao, known as KTR, tweeted

With protests against the Centre’s new ‘Agnipath’ scheme for recruitment of defence personnel turning violent in several parts of the country, Telangana Minister for IT and Industries K T Rama Rao on Friday said the stir indicates the unemployment problem in the country. “The violent protests against #AgniveerScheme is an eye-opener & acute indicator of the magnitude of unemployment crisis in the country

Pehle Desh ke Kisan Ke Saath ??????? Aur Ab Desh ke Jawan Ke Saath ???????

From One Rank – One Pension to proposed No Rank – No Pension!,” Rama Rao, known as KTR, tweeted. The Ministry of Defence had on Tuesday unveiled the Agnipath scheme which is a pan-India merit-based recruitment scheme for enrolling soldiers, airmen and sailors. Under the scheme, young persons will be provided an opportunity to serve in the armed forces as “Agniveer” for a period of four years, including training period…Read More

Agnipath scheme: Violent protests continue in Bihar, 2 trains set on fire

 Violent protests over the Central government’s ‘Agnipath’ scheme for recruitment in armed forces continued across Bihar on Friday with agitators disrupting rail and road traffic

Violent protests over the Central government’s ‘Agnipath’ scheme for recruitment in armed forces continued across Bihar on Friday with agitators disrupting rail and road traffic and setting the Bhagalpur-New Delhi Vikramshila Express and Jammu Tawi-Guwahati Express trains on fire. Several organisations have given a 72-hour ultimatum to the Modi government to withdraw the Agnipath scheme or else they will intensify the agitation and call for Bharat Bandh.

Raju Yadav, the convener of Army Recruitment personnel Morcha; Manoj Manjil, Left party MLA from the Agiyaon Assembly constituency and national president of INAUS, Sandeep Saurav, MLA of Paliganj and secretary of AISA Bihar unit; Ajit Kushwaha, MLA of Dumraon; Aftab Alam, Vikas Yadav and many others related to AISA (All India Students Association) and INAUS have given the ultimatum to the Central government to withdraw the Agnipath scheme.

The agitation by the students and job aspirants continued in almost all the districts of Bihar. In Lakhisarai, the agitating students set the Bhagalpur-New Delhi Vikramshila Express on fire as soon as the train arrived at the platform. The agitated youths asked the passengers to come out from the trains and then set the train afire…Read More

Will issue guidelines to make digital lending ecosystem safer: RBI Guv

 Speaking on inflation, Guv Das said that had the monetary policy been tighter, the economic damage would have been enormous

The Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das said that the Central bank will soon issue guidelines to make digital lending ecosystem safe and sound. “Big tech’s play in finance poses systemic concerns like overleverage”, Das said at an event organised by Financial Express.

He said that blockchain players pose unique problems and regulating them will require globally coordinated action. “Blockchain platforms cannot be limited to a regulator or nation. Regulators can go for activity and entity-based regulations”, he added.

Das further said, “earlier, RBI’s approach was to provide sunset clauses. However, this year credit growth is around 12 per cent, compared to 5-6 per cent last year. Reasonably satisfactory credit growth is happening.” Taking a strict tone on loan recovery, Das said that loan recovery agents using harsh methods like calling up at odd hours, foul language is totally unacceptable….Read More

Moose Wala murder: Punjab police gets 7 days remand of gangster Bishnoi

 Punjab police on Wednesday got 7 days remand of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi who was produced before Chief Judicial Magistrate in Mansa court in connection with Sidhu Moose Wala murder case

Punjab police on Wednesday got 7 days remand of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi who was produced before Chief Judicial Magistrate in Mansa court in connection with Sidhu Moose Wala murder case. Bishnoi was on Wednesday presented before Chief Judicial Magistrate in Mansa court by Punjab Police in connection with the Punjabi singer’s murder case.

The gangster was taken to Punjab after Delhi’s Patiala House Court on Tuesday allowed Punjab Police to arrest gangster Lawrence Bishnoi in connection with singer Sidhu Moose Wala’s murder and also allowed Punjab Police’s transit application. Advocate Vishal Chopra appearing for Lawrence Bishnoi opposed the Punjab Police application and said that there is a security threat. There is apprehension that Lawrence Bishnoi may be “eliminated” if transit remand is granted.

Give midday meal to guardians: Bengal to schools as summer vacation extends

 With the West Bengal government extending the summer vacation, the School Education Department asked the authorities to distribute midday meal supplies among guardians within the period of June 20-26

With the West Bengal government extending the summer vacation in state-run and aided schools by 11 days till June 26, the School Education Department has asked the authorities to distribute midday meal supplies among guardians within the period of June 20-26.

In a notice, the Project Director, Midday Meal Programme on Tuesday asked the district authorities to ask schools to distribute rice, potato, sugar, pulses and soap among the guardians on designated dates and places from June 20 to June 26.

Every guardian will be getting 2 kg of rice, 2 kg of potato, 250 gm of sugar, 250 gm of pulses and one soap from the school distribution centre. The state earlier took similar initiatives in mid-May meal supplies once the summer vacation had started so that children were not deprived of midday meal facility due to the closure of campuses.

Human life cycle management: UIDAI plans linking Aadhaar with birth, death

 From assigning temporary Aadhaar numbers to newborns to tracking deaths in hospitals, UIDAI is looking to expand the programme to cover a person’s entire lifecycle

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which has enrolled nearly all of India’s adult population since 2010, is now looking to expand Aadhaar to cover a person’s entire lifecycle with two ambitious pilot programmes, a media report said on Wednesday. According to an Economic Times report, newborn infants will receive a temporary Aadhaar number to be renewed with biometric data on attainment of majority, as the UIDAI prepares to launch the programmes to deepen its reach countrywide.

“The allocation of a UIDAI number at birth will ensure that children and families benefit from government programmes and no one is left out of the social security net,” ET quoted one official as saying. Teams will visit newborns’ families and complete the formalities of registering their biometrics, after which a permanent Aadhaar number shall be allocated, the report said, adding that once a child turns 18, biometrics will be re-registered to ensure that multiple IDs are not generated for the same child.

Govt to auction 5G spectrum for 20 yrs; allows private captive networks

 The government will auction a total of 72097.85 MHz of spectrum with a validity of 20 years by July-end, said an official statement

The Union Cabinet has cleared the auction for 5G airwaves paving the way for auction and commercial launch of next generation telecom services this year. The cabinet in its meeting on Tuesday approved Department of Telecom’s proposal for the auction of 72 GHz of spectrum for a 20-year-period. It also decided to “enable the development and setting up of private captive networks to spur a new wave of innovations in industry 4.0 applications”.

“A total of 72097.85 MHz of spectrum with a validity period of 20 years will be put to auction to be held by the end of July, 2022. The auction will be held for spectrum in various bands (600 MHz, 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz), Mid (3300 MHz) and High (26 GHz) frequency bands,” the government said in a press release on Wednesday….Read More

Satyendar Jain sent to 14-day judicial custody in money laundering case

 AAP leader and Delhi’s Health Minister Satyendar Jain has been sent to 14-day judicial custody in a money laundering case by Rouse Avenue court

AAP leader and Delhi’s Health Minister Satyendar Jain has been sent to 14-day judicial custody in a money laundering case by Rouse Avenue court. Jain was arrested in a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate last month. He was arrested in a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate last month. The investigation has been underway since 2017 and the Minister was arrested on May 30.

Notably, during the search conducted on June 7, the ED has said it seized various incriminating documents and digital records. The ED said that the total movable assets were seized from an “unexplained source” and were “found to be secreted” in the raided premises. More than Rs 2 crore in cash and gold weighing 1.8 kg were seized by the ED after raids against Jain and those linked to him, in a money laundering case. The ED has submitted that Jain was not cooperating in the interrogation.

Sony Bravia X75K smart TV review: Audio-visual mismatch subdues experience

 Powered by Google TV platform, the Sony Bravia X75K has a clean but buggy interface, which hinders interactivity and experience

When 4K resolution televisions first flooded the market in 2014-15, the TV sets were overpriced, and there was not much content on offer. Besides Tata Sky streaming the Cricket World Cup in 4K, there was no other service providing 4K content. Besides, internet speeds were on the slow side to support the smart TV ecosystem. The increase in internet speeds over the years and cost reduction have brought 4K televisions within the average consumer’s price range. Easy availability of the internet and 4K content availability on over the top apps has further provided a fillip to the sale of smart 4K televisions. A boom in gaming has also helped things.

While the market has changed, Sony’s approach has not changed much over the years. The company’s focus on video quality has ensured that it remains one of the market leaders, despite stiff competition. With its X1 processors, Sony has maintained its quality. Its new iteration, the X75K series, offers more of the same with slight infractions in user interface and connectivity….Read More

IPL media rights auction concludes; value stays at Rs 43,050 crore

The per-match value for IPL has touched $13.5 million (or Rs 105 cr), which is second only to America’s National Football League, which costs a broadcaster $17 million (Rs 132.26 crore) per match

The auction for the digital and television rights of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has concluded within an hour of the resumption of the bidding process on Monday. A decision was taken after bidding was opened at 11 am, persons in the know said. Bidders agreed, said sources, to conclude the auction for the digital and TV rights (packages A and B) after a fierce fight on Sunday, which took the combined value (of TV/digital) past the Rs 43,000-crore mark.

This had increased the value of the rights by over two-and-a-half times the previous rights value of Rs 16,347.5 crore, paid by Disney-Star in 2017. It is already Rs 10,000 crore more than the reserve price of nearly Rs 33,000 crore set by the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) for the current media rights cycle.

Also, the per-match value of the IPL has touched $13.5 million (or Rs 105 crore) after bidding closed on Sunday at 6 pm. This is second only to America’s National Football League, which costs a broadcaster $17 million (Rs 132.26 crore) per match. The English Premier League costs $11 million (Rs 85.58 crore) per match…

Myntra sells record-breaking 5 million products on day 1 of EORS-16

 Myntra, one of India’s leading fashion, beauty and lifestyle destinations, on Monday said that the 16th edition of its flagship EORS-16 witnessed over 70% growth in traffic over business as usual

Myntra, one of India’s leading fashion, beauty and lifestyle destinations, on Monday said that the 16th edition of its flagship EORS-16 (End of Reason Sale) witnessed over 70 per cent growth in traffic over business as usual (BAU) on Day One. India shopped a record-breaking 50 lakh products in the first 24 hours of Myntra‘s EORS sale that is being held from June 11-16. On Day One, 2.6 million items were shipped within the first 24 hours of the event.

“The upwardly-mobile fashion-forward consumers have once again welcomed EORS with a hearty opening, purchasing 50 lakh products within the first 24 hours to cater to their fashion and beauty needs,” said Nandita Sinha, CEO, Myntra. “It’s also very encouraging to see women forming 60 per cent of the shopper base and some of the tier-3 towns emerging as high traction customer hubs on day 1 of this edition. As the event unfolds itself in the next few days, we are excited to serve millions of customers with our tech-pivoted delightful shopping experience,” Sinha added…Read More

India-Bangladesh bus service resumes after 2 years of suspension amid Covid

 The cross-border bus service between Bangladesh and India resumed on Friday, two years after its suspension due to the Covid-19 pandemic

The cross-border bus service between Bangladesh and India resumed on Friday, two years after its suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Resumption of India-Bangladesh Cross-Border Bus Services! Bus services b/w India-Bangladesh via ICP Agartala-Akhaura & ICP Haridaspur-Benapole resumed with the Dhaka-Kolkata-Dhaka bus being flagged off from Dhaka early morning today-a major step forward in enhancing affordable, people-centric connectivity,” tweeted High Commission of India in Bangladesh.

Tazul Islam, chairman of Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC), had confirmed that the service would resume to The Daily Star on Thursday. The development comes after the rail service between the two countries resumed on May 29. The train service between the two countries was suspended since March 2020 in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. Two trains travel between India and Bangladesh, Bandhan Express operates between Kolkata and Khulna, Bangladesh while Maitree Express connects Kolkata with Dhaka.

Mumbai: Over 6,200 penalised in one day for helmetless riding: Official

 The Mumbai Traffic Police has penalised more than 6,200 people for riding two-wheelers and pillion without a helmet, an official has said

The Mumbai Traffic Police has penalised more than 6,200 people for riding two-wheelers and pillion without a helmet, an official has said. The action was taken on Thursday, he said. According to the traffic police official, in south Mumbai alone, over 3,100 persons were penalised for riding motorcycles and pillion without wearing a helmet.

“From Thursday, the city traffic police launched a drive against the helmetless riding. compulsory helmets while riding two-wheelers or pillion has been made mandatory. Earlier, action used to be taken only against the riders, but now even the pillion riders will be penalised if found not wearing a helmet,” he said.

On the first day of the drive, 2,344 riders, 3,421 pillion riders and 516 persons from both the categories who were found travelling on a single vehicle were penalised for not wearing helmets, he added. On Wednesday, the traffic police had penalised 2,500 motorists for honking without reason, official said…

Protest erupts outside Jama Masjid demanding Nupur Sharma's arrest

 Protest erupted outside Jama Masjid here after the Friday prayers demanding the arrest of suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma over her controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammed, police said

Protest erupted outside Jama Masjid here after the Friday prayers demanding the arrest of suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma over her controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammed, police said. Scores of people, carrying placards, shouted slogans against Sharma. A senior police officer said that while some of the demonstrators left the site after some time, others continued to protest.

Delhi Police has registered an FIR against 31 people, including AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and controversial priest Yati Narsinghanand, and filed a separate case against former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma for allegedly spreading hate and hurting religious sentiments. The two FIRs were registered on Wednesday after a social media analysis, they had said. Former Delhi BJP media unit head Naveen Kumar Jindal, who was expelled from the party over his alleged remarks against Prophet Mohammed, and journalist Saba Naqvi have been named in the FIR.