THE HEADLINES: –
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, Government empowered youth, women and farmers in last 12 years.
- India hits out at Pakistan in the United Nations; Calls it factory of hate.
- Five-day BRICS Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting begins in Indore to focus on food security and empowerment of farmers.
- Strategic road project Zoji-La tunnel achieves final breakthrough, bringing all-weather connectivity between Kashmir Valley and Ladakh closer to reality.
- Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan completes 10 years; Nationwide celebrations to begin from today.
- IMD issues red alert for heavy rainfall over Karnataka, Kerala and Mahe; Also predicts heatwave conditions over Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha and West Rajasthan.
- And in Men’s Cricket, India A set target of 278 runs against Sri Lanka ‘A’ in Tri-Nation ‘A’ Series at Dambulla, Sri Lanka.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said the Government has spared no effort in empowering the country’s youth, women, and farmers over the past 12 years. In a social media post, Mr Modi said, with the blessings of 1.4 billion citizens and the spirit of nation first, the government is dedicated to trust, development, and public welfare. The Prime Minister noted that as a result of these tireless efforts, today the country has gained a new identity on the global stage, from infrastructure to the digital revolution. Mr Modi underlined that to realize the resolve of a developed India, the Government will continue to move forward relentlessly on the path of service, good governance, and prosperity.
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External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has said that the country’s foreign policy has witnessed significant transformation in the past 12 years. In a social media post, Dr Jaishankar said that during this period, the government made passport-issuance and attestation of documents a seamless experience for the common citizen and provided full support to citizens. He said the government facilitated access for Indian nationals to the global workplace and supported Indian businesses getting market access abroad. He said, 44 Embassies and Consulates were opened to address the needs of Indians. Dr Jaishankar said these efforts of the government enabled Indians to travel abroad with greater confidence and a stronger sense of pride.
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah will launch the Land Port Management System (LPMS) today in New Delhi. This initiative reflects the government’s commitment to smart border management, aiming to enhance efficiency, transparency, and security in cross-border trade and passenger movement through technology-driven solutions.
LPMS is a digital platform designed to integrate operations across land ports into a unified system.
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The BRICS Agriculture Conference has commenced in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Delegates from Brazil, Indonesia, China, Iran, South Africa, the UAE and other member countries are participating in the Summit. Agriculture Ministers, senior officials and experts from 21 countries are taking part in the Summit.
Multiple sessions are scheduled to be held today on topics include food security, farm innovation, climate-friendly farming, agricultural trade and empowering small farmers.
A special dialogue among agriculture ministers will be held on Friday. It will focus on food security through small farmers, women and youth.The ministerial meeting of BRICS nations will take place on Saturday.
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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting search operations at six premises across Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi NCR, in connection with a money laundering case involving Hampton Sky Realty Limited. According to ED officials, the premises being covered include both residences and business offices connected with the persons and entities linked to Hampton Sky Realty Limited. Further details are awaited.
The case is linked to Aam Aadmi Party leader and Punjab Minister Sanjeev Arora. According to the probe agency, it uncovered a large-scale money laundering operation allegedly carried out through entities linked to Mr Arora. ED had said that fake GST purchases of mobile phones worth over 100 crore rupees were used, followed by exports to allegedly round-trip illegitimate funds from Dubai to India.
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India has strongly criticised Pakistan at the United Nations for running an organised factory of hate that exploits religious terminology to cultivate permanent hostility towards India among its citizens. Speaking at a United Nations Security Council session, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Parvathaneni Harish, slammed Islamabad for propagating state-sponsored disinformation by labelling militant outfits operating inside its own territory as ‘Fitna al Hindustan’.
The Ambassador targeted Pakistan’s political framework and the dominant role played by its military in governance, pointing to recent constitutional amendments as clear indicators of expanding military dominance over civilian authorities. He also condemned Islamabad’s cross-border military operations, holding Pakistan accountable for significant civilian casualties resulting from its aerial assaults in Afghanistan. Mr. Harish reiterated, dressing up a massacre as a military operation does not absolve the perpetrator. He asserted that Pakistan possesses a protracted track record of holding its neighbours responsible for its own internal shortcomings.
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Zoji-La tunnel has achieved a significant milestone today with final breakthrough. The breakthrough has brought the decades-old dream of all-weather connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh closer to reality. Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari pressed the remote button, blasting the breakthrough site near the east portal of the tunnel at Minimarg in Ladakh. More from our correspondent:
“The Zoji-La Tunnel is among the country’s most strategically significant road projects. This breakthrough represents a key stage in the large-scale infrastructure development, under which the 13.15-kilometre long Zoji-La tunnel is being constructed beneath the Zoji-La Pass. The project is considered crucial for ensuring all-weather road connectivity between Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, as the existing highway remains closed for extended periods during winter due to heavy snowfall and harsh weather conditions. Once completed, the tunnel will enable year-round connectivity.The final breakthrough is being seen as a significant engineering achievement, with strong implications for defence logistics, regional connectivity, tourism, and economic development. With the breakthrough completed, focus will now shift to the remaining construction and finishing works required to make the tunnel fully operational. With Md Abdullah from Kargil, this is Jigyasa pandey from Akashvani News, Delhi.”
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Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda will launch nationwide celebrations to commemorate ten years of Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan in New Delhi today. The core aim of the scheme is to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality by facilitating early detection and prompt management of high-risk pregnancies. More from our correspondent:
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the scheme on 9th June, 2016 to provide assured, comprehensive, and quality antenatal care services free of cost to all pregnant women. The scheme aims to ensure early risk detection, timely medical intervention, and safer pregnancies for every woman in the country. More than seven crore 50 lakh pregnant women have received antenatal services under the scheme. Due to continuous government efforts, India’s Maternal Mortality Ratio decreased by 43 points, from 130 maternal deaths per lakh live births in 2014-16 to 87 in 2022-24. On the occasion, a special 75 rupees Commemorative Coin and a five rupees Postal Stamp will also be released. With Dipendra Kumar, Priya Mondal, Akashvani News Delhi.”
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Jharkhand, along with the rest of the country is paying tribute today to the great freedom fighter and “Dharti Aba” Bhagwan Birsa Munda, on his death anniversary. A report from our correspondent:
“In the history of India’s freedom struggle, there is one name that shook the foundations of British rule in defence of jal, jangal and zameen. Sacrificing his life for the nation at the young age of just 25, Bhagwan Birsa Munda led the historic Ulgulan movement. He not only opposed the oppressive laws of the British but also raised his voice against forced religious conversions and administrative exploitation. He united the tribal community and inspired them to protect their cultural heritage and rights. Since morning, a large number of people have been gathering at the Kokar Samadhi Sthal and Birsa Chowk in Ranchi to pay their respects.For Akashvani News, this is Mahvish Rahman from Ranchi.”
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A fragile pause in hostilities appears to be holding across West Asia after a sharp escalation between Iran and Israel that briefly threatened to collapse a two-month-old ceasefire. More from our correspondent:
“West Asia is witnessing a tense and fragile pause after days of intense military exchanges between Iran and Israel. The escalation began with an Israeli strike in Beirut targeting Hezbollah positions, which was followed by Iranian missile launches toward northern Israel. Israel then carried out retaliatory strikes on Iranian-linked targets, deepening fears of a wider regional confrontation.While both sides have since signaled a temporary halt to direct fire, military forces remain on high alert and officials continue to warn that the situation could deteriorate rapidly. Diplomatic efforts are intensifying, with international actors pushing to prevent further escalation and preserve the fragile ceasefire framework that has held for roughly two months.THIS IS VINOD KUMAR FOR AKASHVANI NEWS FROM DUBAI.”
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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall over Karnataka, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya till Thursday. IMD also issued red alert for heavy rainfall over parts of Karnataka, Kerala and Mahe today.
Meanwhile, the weather agency has predicted heatwave conditions over Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha and West Rajasthan.
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In Men’s Cricket, India ‘A’ has set a target of 278 runs against Sri Lanka ‘A’ in the opening match of the “Tri Nation A Series” at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Sri Lanka. The men in blue scored 277 runs at the loss of six wickets in 50 overs. For India, Ruturaj Gaikwad’s century, coupled with a 150-run partnership with Tilak Varma, helped India gain control of the innings.
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Benchmark domestic equity indices were trading around 0.4 per cent up in the afternoon session today. The Sensex rose 267 points to 73 thousand 791 while the Nifty added 86 points to 23 thousand 209, when reports last came in. In the broader market at the National Stock Exchange, the Midcap 100 index was trading 0.9 per cent higher, while the Smallcap 100 index jumped over one per cent, a short while ago.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN: –
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, Government empowered youth, women and farmers in last 12 years.
- India hits out at Pakistan in the United Nations; Calls it factory of hate.
- Five-day BRICS Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting begins in Indore to focus on food security and empowerment of farmers.
- Strategic road project Zoji-La tunnel achieves final breakthrough, bringing all-weather connectivity between Kashmir Valley and Ladakh closer to reality.
- Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan completes 10 years; Nationwide celebrations to begin from today.
- IMD issues red alert for heavy rainfall over Karnataka, Kerala and Mahe; Also predicts heatwave conditions over Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha and West Rajasthan.
- And in Men’s Cricket, India A set target of 278 runs against Sri Lanka ‘A’ in Tri-Nation ‘A’ Series at Dambulla, Sri Lanka.