INDIA

Stating that the three new criminal laws that came into force in J&K, Director General of Police (DGP) R R Swain Monday said that 45000 people lost lives in the 30 years of conflict in Jammu Kashmir while as 23000 militants were also killed till date. He was quick to add that 6000 police and other security forces personnel were killed in the line of duty and 12000 civilians were killed by militants alone including those dubbed as informers. Speaking to reporters on the side-lines of the Implementation Ceremony of Three New Criminal Laws in J&K at Police Headquarters Srinagar, DGP Swain, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that the three new criminal laws are balanced. “These laws allow us to implement the rule of law in a much better way while keeping intact ...

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) reports that over 625,000 children in Gaza have been out of school for more than eight months. According to a post on X, 300,000 of these children were UNRWA students before the conflict began. https://twitter.com/UNRWA/status/1806595212661186995?s=19"Play and learning activities provided by UNRWA teams are critical in preparing children to return to school and reclaim their right to education," the agency emphasized. Last week, the Gaza Media Office highlighted that Israel's prolonged offensive against the Gaza Strip has deprived at least 800,000 students of their education. The Gaza Ministry of Education stated, "Over 800,000 students across various educational levels in the Gaza Strip have been denied their right to education si...

The first FIR under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, was filed against a street vendor on July 1 at Kamla Market Police Station in Delhi. According to the ANI news agency, Pankaj Kumar, a street vendor, faces charges under Section 285 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for obstructing the foot overbridge at New Delhi Railway Station and conducting sales. The FIR stated that Kumar, a resident of Barh in Bihar, was selling water from a cart near the main road, causing "inconvenience" to commuters. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has replaced the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita has replaced the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam has replaced the Indian Evidence Act. Opposition MPs criticized the Union government, describing the new ...

The National Investigating Agency (NIA) has given its s consent to permit independent MP Rashid Engineer to take oath on July 5 in Parliament. NIA said the consent is subject to certain conditions, including not interacting with media. The Patiala House Court to pass an order tomorrow, 2nd July. Rashid Engineer had sought interim bail or custody parole to take oath as an MP. Rashid Engineer, who emerged victorious against former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the Baramulla constituency, sought permission to attend the oath-taking ceremony following his electoral win. Campaign leaders of the party rallied voters in the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat to support Engineer Rashid, who is currently detained in Tihar Jail. They assured voters that securing Rashid's release would be possible t...

In recent weeks, India has witnessed a series of unfortunate events leading to significant infrastructure damage across various sectors. The infrastructure that has faced damage includes airports, railways, hospitals, and train stations in several states which has raised questions on infrastructural inadequacies. These incidents have not only disrupted daily operations and transportation services but have also raised serious concerns about the resilience and sustainability of critical infrastructure in the face of increasing environmental challenges. From the bustling hubs of Delhi and Ahmedabad to the regional airports in Jabalpur and Bagdogra, each location has faced its own set of challenges. Severe monsoon rains have caused extensive flooding and waterlogging, leading to st...

Kashmir-born Vikram Misri has been appointed as India’s next Foreign Secretary, succeeding Vinay Mohan Kwatra, who received a six-month extension earlier this year and is expected to be appointed as India’s ambassador to the US. A veteran of the 1989 batch of the Indian Foreign Service, Misri currently serves as Deputy National Security Adviser and has held distinguished roles including ambassadorships to China, Spain, and Myanmar, as well as serving as Private Secretary to several Prime Ministers. Born on November 7, 1964, in Srinagar, Misri graduated in History from Hindu College, University of Delhi, and later earned an MBA from XLRI, Jamshedpur. He assumed his current role in the National Security Council Secretariat in January 2022, reporting to NSA Ajit Doval. The Appointmen...

On Friday, the Lok Sabha was adjourned until July 1 after Opposition members called for an adjournment motion to halt all business and discuss the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). Speaker Om Birla, however, stated he could not allow this as the House was scheduled to discuss the Motion of Thanks on President Draupadi Murmu’s address to Parliament. With the Opposition refusing to back down, a commotion ensued, leading the Speaker to adjourn the House until Monday. Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, had earlier urged for a discussion on NEET, emphasizing the importance of a respectful discourse on the matter. “Yesterday, all the leaders of the opposition parties had a meeting and it was unanimous that today, we want a discussion on the NEET issue. Th...

A video featuring BJP leader Karnail Singh, in which he threatens to "slaughter 200,000 Muslims" in the presence of police officers, has gone viral on social media, leading to widespread outrage within the minority community. The incident reportedly occurred in the Sangam Vihar area of New Delhi. https://twitter.com/HateDetectors/status/1805544418721808850?t=Zjhoft1nNKhdWu9c9bXiUg&s=19 In the video, Singh can be heard saying, "You have 48 hours to do whatever you can. Otherwise, whether it's 150,000 or 200,000 Muslims here, we will kill all of them." This has prompted a complaint from Muslim residents, demanding Singh's arrest and invoking the National Security Act (NSA) against him. The complaint highlights that Singh's statement has caused panic among the populace, wit...

Arundhati Roy, the acclaimed author, has been awarded the prestigious PEN Pinter Prize for her “unflinching, unswerving” perspective and her “fierce intellectual determination … to uncover the real truth of our lives and societies.” This recognition comes just weeks after Delhi's lieutenant governor approved her prosecution under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for remarks she made at a 2010 conference on Kashmir. Expressing her gratitude, Roy stated, “I am delighted to accept the PEN Pinter Prize. I wish Harold Pinter were here today to write about the almost incomprehensible turn the world is taking. Since he isn’t, some of us must do our utmost to try to fill his shoes.” Previous recipients of the PEN Pinter Prize include literary giants like Salman Rushdie, Mar...

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday refused to interfere in a decision taken by a city-based college to impose a ban on hijab, burka and naqab in its premises. A division bench of Justices A S Chandurkar and Rajesh Patil said it was not inclined to interfere in the decision taken by the college and dismissed a petition filed against it by nine girl students, who are in the second and third year of a science degree course. The students moved the HC earlier this month, challenging a directive issued by the Chembur Trombay Education Society’s NG Acharya and DK Marathe College imposing a dress code under which students cannot wear a hijab, naqab, burka, stoles, caps and badges inside the premises. The petitioners claimed such a directive was against their fundamental rights to practice...