NEET-UG exam case: CBI arrests private school owner from Godhra
The Central Bureau of Investigation on June 30 arrested Dixit Patel, owner of a private school in Gujarat’s Godhra, in connection with alleged malpractices in the NEET-UG exam. He was arrested from his residence, said public prosecutor Rakesh Thakor, adding that the CBI was taking him to Ahmedabad to seek his remand. “As the case has been handed over to the CBI by the Gujarat government, a CBI team will produce him (Dixit Patel) before a designated court in Ahmedabad to seek his remand,” Mr. Thakor said.
Indian athletes dazzle in Olympic attire during ceremonial send-off by the IOA
The cream of Indian sports was in attendance as the Olympics bound athletes were given a hearty send-off by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) here on Sunday. The unveiling of the ceremonial and competition kit saw the athletes catch the eye in their sparkling attire. They were assured of the “blessings and good wishes” of the entire nation, especially in the address by the Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and the Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.
Centre likely to amend BNS to include section on sexual crimes against men, transgender people
As three new criminal laws come into effect across the country from Monday despite objections from Opposition-ruled States, Union government officials said that States were free to bring in their own amendments to some provisions of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) that replaces the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The BNSS prescribes the procedure and conditions for arrest, bail, and custody, among others. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which replaces the Indian Penal Code, 1860, may also be amended soon by the Union government to incorporate a missing section on sexual crimes against men and transgender persons. A senior government official said that police officers were being asked to invoke other allied sections under the BNS, such as wrongful confinement and physical hurt, if they get such complaints, until an amendment is brought to correct this anomaly.
T20 World Cup 2024 | Hardik Pandya exorcises his demons at last
It has to go down as one of the moments of the T20 World Cup. It actually came after the final ball had been delivered, after victory had been snatched (by India) and defeat courted (by South Africa). It transpired after tears were shed, after hugs and high fives were exchanged, after the shock of a heist was slowly replaced by the euphoria of being crowned World champions. It’s not an uncommon sight, especially in football. Generally, it happens when a player has scored a crucial goal – a scything run through the defence, or an equaliser at a vital time – or when the goalkeeper has pulled off a spectacular save, close-range or off a penalty kick. In cricket, not so much. In Indian cricket, almost unheard of.
INDIA bloc to participate in debate on Motion of Thanks to President’s address
Opposition parties belonging to the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) group in the Lok Sabha will participate in the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President for her address to a joint sitting of Parliament. Though the debate was to start on Friday, the House had to be adjourned because of the Opposition’s insistence to have a dedicated discussion on the alleged irregularities in NEET (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test). On Monday, Opposition members are likely to raise the issue of NEET during their debate on the Motion of Thanks, as the demand for a separate discussion is unlikely to be accepted by the Chair.
Veteran Sri Lankan Tamil leader Sampanthan passes away
Veteran Sri Lankan Tamil leader Rajavarothiam Sampanthan, who dedicated his political life to pursuing a just solution to the island nation’s Tamil question, passed away in Colombo late on Sunday. He was 91. Mr. Sampanthan, of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), was a sitting MP from the eastern Trincomalee district, and led the Tamil National Alliance, the main grouping representing Tamils of Sri Lanka’s war-hit north and east. He was Leader of the Opposition between 2015 and 2018.
Modi’s Moscow visit to stem international perception, allay Russia’s worries of ‘drift’ in ties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Moscow for a standalone State visit from July 8 to 9 to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin that is expected to focus on strategic, economic and military ties, will reverse the perception of a “drift” in relations, said experts. The Modi-Putin talks are expected to focus on the rise in India-Russia trade due to India’s import of oil, smoothening out payment issues arising from Western sanctions, build on previous conversations on the Chennai-Vladivostok maritime route, and conclude the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) agreement, that will pave the way for more defence exchanges.
French voters propel far-right National Rally to strong lead in first-round legislative elections
France’s high-stakes legislative elections propelled the far-right National Rally to a strong but not decisive lead in the first-round vote Sunday, polling agencies projected, dealing another slap to centrist President Emmanuel Macron. The projections indicated that Macron’s risky decision to call voters back to the polls for the second time in three weeks appeared to have backfired .French polling agencies said Macron’s grouping of centrist parties could finish a distant third in the first-round ballot. Those projections put Macron’s camp behind both Marine Le Pen’s National Rally and a new left-wing coalition of parties that joined forces to keep her anti-immigration party with historical links to antisemitism from being able to form the first far-right government in France since World War II.
Bengal police nab man assaulting woman publicly at Chopra in viral video
The West Bengal police on Sunday filed a suo motu case and arrested one person in connection with a video where a person is seen beating a woman at Chopra in the Islampur area of Uttar Dinajpur district. The police took to social media and said efforts were being made from certain quarters to spread misinformation about the incident under the Chopra police station limits.“Police have arrested one person who had publicly assaulted a woman. Suo motu case filed. Victim has been provided police security. Investigation proceeds,” a tweet from Islampur police district said.
For the queer community at IIT-Delhi, new gender-neutral restrooms are a ‘big win’
“Earlier, I could never use men’s restrooms without feeling scared, and using women’s restrooms would leave me with a sense of gender dysphoria, but now, there is a safe space for me on campus,” says Ray (name changed on request), a 20-year-old non-binary student at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, adding that the new gender-neutral restrooms on college premises have become their “favourite part of the campus”.
Taliban govt. representatives meet UN, Afghanistan envoys in Doha
Representatives of Afghanistan’s Taliban regime began meetings on Sunday with UN officials as they attended talks in Doha with special envoys to the Central Asian country for the first time, a UN spokesperson said. The two-day, UN-hosted meeting in Qatar is the third of its kind in the gas-rich emirate in just over a year but the first to include Taliban authorities. UN officials and over 20 envoys, including the U.S. special representative to Afghanistan, were expected to meet with the Taliban government’s delegation led by spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.
Parliament should pass law on reservations to exceed 50% cap: Congress
The Congress on June 30 said Parliament should pass a law to enable reservations to exceed the 50% cap, a day after NDA constituent Janata Dal (United) demanded that the quota increase in Bihar be included in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution. At a meeting of the JD(U) national executive here on Saturday, the party expressed concern over a recent Patna High Court verdict striking down the Bihar government’s decision to increase the quota for the Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) to 65% from 50%.
As new criminal laws take effect from July 1, legal community braces for change
Starting July 1, three new criminal laws will come into effect, reshaping the legal landscape in India by replacing the British-era criminal laws. This transition has sparked a mix of apprehension and preparedness among the legal community. On December 25, 2023, President Droupadi Murmu gave assent to “The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023”, “The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023”, and “The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023”.
Jay Shah announces ₹125 crore award after India’s T20 World Cup win
BCCI secretary Jay Shah on June 30 hailed India’s epochal title win in the T20 World Cup and announced a prize money of ₹125 crore for the team for its monumental feat in the just-concluded ICC showpiece. India defeated South Africa by seven runs in a tense final at Bridgetown, Barbados, to land their second world title in the T20 format. “Under the exceptional leadership of Rohit Sharma, this team has shown remarkable resolve and resilience, becoming the first team in the history of the ICC T20 World Cup to win the tournament unbeaten,” said Shah in a statement.
