The Assam government has permitted restaurants in Guwahati to remain open until 3:30 am on specific dates, including July 15, 16, 19, and 20, to allow football enthusiasts to watch the FIFA World Cup semi-finals and final. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced this decision, encouraging responsible enjoyment of the matches, while also allowing other districts to follow suit based on public demand and restaurant associations' requests.
The Maharashtra government has directed strict implementation of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act to protect women in the workplace, following a serious incident at a TCS unit in Nashik. Establishments with 10 or more employees must set up Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) and register on the Centre's She-Box portal, with failure to comply resulting in penalties.
The Karnataka government has revoked the suspension order of DGP K Ramachandra Rao and reinstated him into service with immediate effect, posting him as Director General of Police (Police Manual). Rao was suspended in January following allegations of misconduct and embarrassment to the state administration.
'India should hold several high-level chess tournaments that would attract the world's top players so that the country will have a say in the game.'
The Centre has ordered the deployment of 20 additional companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Delhi. These forces are being airlifted from West Bengal to strengthen security measures in response to CJP protests, demonstrations by various political parties, and the ongoing Parliament session, following instances of violent clashes.
The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the BJP has served a legal notice to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, demanding a retraction and public apology for his allegations that the BJP attempted to bribe National Conference legislators to destabilise his government. The BJP has called the claims "false, baseless and defamatory" and warned of civil and criminal proceedings, including a Rs 100 crore defamation suit, if their demands are not met within seven days.
Olympic gold-medallist Abhinav Bindra has called for an education system that "inspires confidence" and rewards merit, amidst widespread protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET exam. The protests, which have seen student marches and support from activists like Sonam Wangchuk, highlight the demand for transparency and fairness in India's examination system.
India anticipates a reduction in the United States' proposed tariffs on Indian goods under the Section 301 investigation, following New Delhi's recent notification to restrict the import of products made with forced labour.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has implemented a revised Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) for its personnel in Manipur, mandating the use of bulletproof vehicles and restricting stray movements, following recent ambushes on Assam Rifles troops. Concurrently, two elite CoBRA battalions have been deployed to conduct operations against armed miscreants, aiming to strengthen security and restore peace in the violence-hit state.
Nationwide protests against the NEET paper leak have intensified across several Indian states, with demonstrators condemning the Delhi Police crackdown and demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The Congress party has called for further demonstrations, while various student and political groups have organised marches and sit-ins, some leading to clashes with police.
Indian farmers staged a significant protest at the Shambhu border against a proposed India-US trade deal, fearing its detrimental effects on the domestic agricultural sector and demanding its immediate abandonment. They later ended their agitation after assurances from the Haryana Agriculture Minister regarding the release of detained farmers and a meeting with the Union Agriculture Minister.
The Indian government has approved two major manufacturing initiatives worth nearly Rs 1.9 lakh crore (USD 22 billion) to expand the country's semiconductor ecosystem and scale up mobile phone production, aiming to strengthen its position as a global electronics manufacturing hub.
Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra and Grandmaster Nihal Sarin have voiced concerns over the ongoing NEET exam irregularities and student suicides. Bindra called for a transparent and merit-based education system, while Sarin highlighted the immense pressure students face. The protests, supported by activist Sonam Wangchuk, have seen students attempting to march to Parliament.
Despite claims from Congress general secretary Bhupesh Baghel that there are no objections to Amrinder Singh Raja Warring's continuation as Punjab unit president, a significant faction of leaders, including Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi, are actively pushing for his replacement, citing the need for an 'uncompromised' leader.
An explosion and subsequent fire at an unlicensed firecracker factory in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, resulted in the deaths of nine people and injuries to six others. The incident prompted condolences and financial aid from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, with authorities initiating an investigation into the illegal operation.
India's youngest municipal chairperson, Diya Binu, on Tuesday lost office after a no-confidence motion moved by the Left Democratic Front was passed in Kerala's Pala Municipality with the support of rebel Congress councillors, ending the United Democratic Front's rule in the civic body.
The Congress party is set to challenge the Modi government on a range of critical issues, including alleged theft of Ram temple donations, 'systemic corrosion' of the education system, and constitutional amendment bills related to delimitation and dismissal of ministers, during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Donald Trump has issued a severe warning to Iran, threatening 'decimation' with '1,000 missiles' if the nation pursues alleged assassination plots against him, while Iranian officials accuse the US of violating a MoU amidst ongoing diplomatic talks.
Despite decades of efforts towards energy transition, oil will remain the critical energy source for all nations for some decades. We can hope for peace opening the Strait of Hormuz, but must prepare for war closing it, points out former foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai.
US Vice President JD Vance has accused 'certain elements' within the Israeli government of attempting to manipulate American public opinion to prolong the conflict with Iran 'indefinitely', according to a Wall Street Journal report.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that two more semiconductor chip packaging units, part of the India Semiconductor Mission, are expected to be operational by July and December, respectively. He also highlighted India's focus on becoming a beneficiary of AI technology, expanding data centre infrastructure with significant investments, and developing new subsea cable networks for global connectivity.
'The Ayodhya incident has certainly hurt the faith of all of us, of Ram devotees like us.'
The spiralling agitation over the NEET issue saw protests and counter-protests by Congress and BJP across the country on Wednesday, with clashes and tense face-offs at many places, a day after Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders were forcibly removed from a dharna outside the prime minister's residence.
If TVK MLAs and ministers are perceived as clean, or demonstrably cleaner than their predecessors, the credibility dividend will be enormous. The voter will feel rewarded, points out Ramesh Menon.
'Our leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, are in touch with all Opposition parties, including the DMK and the AAP.'
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for global collaboration in artificial intelligence development, emphasising a "symphony of global collaboration" over a "solo performance" by any single nation. Speaking at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Xi highlighted the need for ethical AI governance, shared prosperity, and addressing challenges like the widening digital divide. He also announced China's commitment to support developing countries with 5,000 AI research projects and training programmes. The event also saw 29 countries sign an agreement to establish the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO) in Shanghai.
Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin is set to return to Kolkata next month for an anti-fundamentalism literary event, nearly two decades after she was forced to leave the city amid violent protests over her writings. The BJP government in West Bengal is projecting this as a reversal of past capitulation to religious fundamentalism.
FIDE's decision to shortlist the All India Chess Federation for a prestigious FIDE Excellence Award has ignited a fierce debate within the Indian chess community.
'The government has to act as one unit since the threat from these newer models will soon scale up.'
Canadian police have found no evidence linking Indian government officials to the 2023 killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, directly contradicting earlier allegations by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that strained bilateral ties.
A Congress spokesperson, quoted in media reports, summed up the party's thinking by saying, 'Whenever BJP is in trouble on the ground, a new 'apolitical' or 'alternative' party appears with the same ideology and the same backers.'
'There is no need for panic as there is widespread protective immune memory in the population from vaccination as well as prior infections.'
Amid the arithmetic of subsidies, consumption and capacity, whichever government assumes office in Tamil Nadu after May 4 is likely to inherit a growing debate over how far the state can continue to expand welfare promises without placing additional strain on public finances and the power sector.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced that the governing body will discuss expanding the World Cup to 64 teams for the 2030 edition, following the already planned increase to 48 teams in 2026. Infantino believes a larger tournament encourages smaller nations and highlights the success of previous expansions, with the 2030 event already set to be hosted across six nations on three continents.
Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) has officially commenced its international flight operations with an Air India Express service to Abu Dhabi, marking a significant boost in connectivity for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and establishing a new global gateway.
FIFA has dismissed Belgium's challenge regarding the eligibility of US striker Folarin Balogun, upholding the controversial decision to suspend his one-match ban ahead of the World Cup Round of 16 clash, despite the US ultimately losing 4-1 to Belgium and being eliminated.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has acknowledged the possibility of expanding the World Cup to 64 teams, a move that could significantly alter the sport's economics and logistics, despite opposition from major confederations like UEFA and AFC.
Nishant Kumar, son of former Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, is poised to enter Bihar politics by joining the Samrat Choudhary government, marking a significant development in the state's political landscape.
'Our biggest opportunity lies with the younger age-group teams.' 'If you look at the senior national team, our chances are about 50-50.' 'The gap becomes smaller as you move down the age groups.' 'At the Under-20 level, it's closer to 60-40.' 'By the Under-17 level, it's around 80-20. That's where I feel we have our best chance.'
Activist Sonam Wangchuk was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital after his health deteriorated during his 21-day indefinite hunger strike, marking the first significant action under new Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar.
