News Digest: Alert after Khalistani elements circulate pictures of two diplomats in Canada

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Tuesday, July 04, 2023
		Today's Headlines

		India
		Alert after Khalistani elements circulate pictures of two diplomats in Canada An alert has been sounded and security of key officials at Indian missions in some countries is being reviewed after pro-Khalistan elements circulated posters with the names and photographs of two Indian diplomats posted in Canada, holding them responsible for the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last month. Polls ahead, PM Modi asks ministries to complete projects by Jan 26 PM Modi on Monday sought speedy completion of most ongoing projects so that these can be ready for inauguration by January 26. The deadline coincides with the beginning of the 75th year celebrations of the Indian Republic as also the lead-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls for which the government wants to showcase its achievements. File status report by July 10, Supreme Court tells Manipur The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Manipur government to submit a report within a week detailing the steps taken to curb the ongoing violence and the relief and rehabilitation measures it has taken after the counsel for the warring ethnic groups - Meiteis and Kukis - traded charges on killings and arson that has plagued the state since May 3. More India News»

		Science
		Ferocious black holes reveal 'time dilation' in early universe Time is a slippery thing, as profound thinkers like Albert Einstein and, well, fictional time traveler Dr. Who plainly understood. The latter, in a 2007 episode of the British sci-fi series, accurately described time as "wibbly wobbly."Scientists made that point anew on Monday in a study that used observations of a ferocious class of black holes called quasars to demonstrate "time dilation" in the early universe, showing how time then passed only about a fifth as quickly as it does today. Isro semi-cryo engine test terminated mid-way Isro on Monday said it conducted the first hot-test of the semi-cryogenic engine on an intermediate configuration, known as the Power Head Test Article (PHTA), on July 1. The test, conducted at the Isro Propulsion Complex (IPRC) in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu was towards developing a 2,000kN thrust semi-cryogenic engine to power the booster stages of future launch vehicles. Europe's telescope to target universe's dark secrets More Science News»

		Technology
		Euclid space telescope launched to investigate dark universe The Euclid spacecraft, named after the Greek mathematician Euclid of Alexandria, has been launched by the European Space Agency. Over the next six years, it will observe a third of the extragalactic sky and create a precise three-dimensional map of the universe. This mission aims to understand the impact of dark matter and dark energy on the cosmos. Euclid's wide perspective and high-resolution images will gather data from 1.5 billion galaxies, providing insights into the universe's evolution. The mission is a collaborative effort involving the European Space Agency, NASA, and scientists from several countries. Reliance launches cheapest internet-enabled phone in India, JioBharat phone Jio Bharat Phone: Unlimited Calls and 14GB Data at Rs 999, Only Rs 123 per Month, Reliance Jio has introduced the JioBharat phone, which is being touted as the most affordable internet-enabled phone in India. Priced at Rs 999, the phone will come with features like a camera, FM Radio, JioCinema, and JioSaavn pre-installed. It will also support UPI Payments with JioPay and include a built-in torch. Google Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro could come with bigger batteries and faster charging The upcoming Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro phones from Google are rumored to have increased battery capacities. The Pixel 8 could have a 4,485mAh battery while the Pixel 8 Pro may have a 4,950mAh battery. Both models will support 20W proprietary wireless charging and have faster wired charging speeds. The Pixel 8 series may also use Broadcom's chip and support the Wi-Fi 7 standard, although official support is uncertain. The phones are expected to launch in October. More Technology News»

		Business
		Firm sues Twitter for not paying bills for work done in four countries An Australian project management firm has filed a lawsuit against Twitter in a US court seeking cumulative payments of about A$1 million ($665,000) over alleged non-payment of bills for work done in four countries. Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg lead $852 billion wealth surge among world's rich The world's 500 richest people increased their fortunes by $852 billion in the first half of 2023, with each member of the Bloomberg Billionaires Index making an average of $14 million per day. The gains were driven by a stock market rally and a surge in tech stocks due to investor interest in artificial intelligence. Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg saw significant increases in their net worth, while Gautam Adani experienced the largest decrease. Life-time highs: Why Sensex, Nifty are creating new records More Business News»

		Sports
		'MS Dhoni was absolutely right...': Pacer Mukesh Kumar after maiden India Test call-up 'If given a chance, I won't disappoint' - Bengal pacer Mukesh Kumar, who hails from Gopalganj in Bihar, told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview before boarding a flight enroute to the Caribbean. Djokovic begins record quest with a first-round win at Wimbledon Novak Djokovic, the Serbian second seed, displayed his versatility and adaptability at Wimbledon's Centre Court on Monday. In his opening match against Argentina's Pedro Cachin, Djokovic encountered challenging conditions due to rain. Staying fit, injury free Neeraj's priorities ahead of Worlds, Asiad Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra is aiming to remain “injury-free” as he gears up for a long and gruelling season ahead — which includes the upcoming athletics World Championships and his title defence of Diamond League Finals and Asian Games. More Sports News»

		Education
		Five-Day Entrepreneurial Boot Camp for school students starts at IIT Jammu The Indian Institute of Technology Jammu, in partnership with ERDC and NITTTR Chandigarh, has launched a five-day boot camp called "Enlightening the Entrepreneurial Spirit" to promote entrepreneurship among school students. The event featured esteemed guests who emphasized the importance of nurturing entrepreneurial spirit and creating new opportunities. The boot camp aims to ignite the entrepreneurial spirit by covering various aspects of entrepreneurship, including idea generation, business planning, and government support for entrepreneurial ventures. Students from different states have gathered to network and learn from industry representatives and officials. Experts stress need for a state palliative care policy Over 1,000 individuals in Chhattisgarh, India have received palliative care in the last two years. The care is primarily provided to patients with advanced cancer and complex symptoms, as well as those with sickle cell disease and end-stage kidney or lung disease. Despite its impact, palliative care remains relatively unknown to the public. Lack of awareness among the general population about the availability and benefits of palliative care is a significant challenge. Hindi writer Alka Saraogi to get Fakir Mohan National Literary Award Alka Saraogi, a Hindi novelist and short story writer, has been chosen as the recipient for the Fakir Mohan National Literary Award for 2023. The award, presented by Fakir Mohan University, is in memory of renowned Odia writer Fakir Mohan Senapati. Saraogi, who received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2001, will receive a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, a memento, and a citation. More Education News»

		Environment
		Climate change? UK sees hottest June on record The UK sweltered through its hottest June since records began in 1884, the country's weather agency said on Monday, adding that human-induced global warming means such unusual heat will become more frequent in the next few decades. Even after one year of the ban on single-use plastic, traders flout norms in Visakhapatnam Climate protesters aim to bring London to a halt More Environment News»

		World
		Kevin Spacey's sexual assault victim tells UK court actor groped him in car and elevator Calling Kevin Spacey 'slippery', an alleged victim told the UK court that the actor tried to 'groom' him and recalled instances of sexual assault while they were together in a car, heading to singer Elton John's party. US travel advisory against China over 'arbitrary law enforcement, exit bans' The US recommended Americans reconsider travelling to China because of arbitrary law enforcement and exit bans and the risk of wrongful detentions. No specific cases were cited, but the advisory came after a 78-year-old US citizen was sentenced to life in prison on spying charges in May. Crowds hold anti-riot rallies in France as unrest eases Crowds gathered at town halls across France on Monday to show solidarity with local governments targeted in six nights of violence touched off by the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old in suburban Paris. More World News»

		Environment
		Climate change? UK sees hottest June on record The UK sweltered through its hottest June since records began in 1884, the country's weather agency said on Monday, adding that human-induced global warming means such unusual heat will become more frequent in the next few decades. Even after one year of the ban on single-use plastic, traders flout norms in Visakhapatnam Climate protesters aim to bring London to a halt More Environment News»

		Hyderabad
		Overnight downpour reduces city raindeficit, more wet weather on the cards A few hours of rainfall on Sunday night helped reduce the rain deficit by 7% in the city. The respite came even as the city has been facing a rain deficit over a fortnight. HC: Adopted person loses rights over assets of biological family Providing clarity on property rights of an adopted person, the Telangana high court has held that a person upon adoption would lose rights on properties of his biological family and would acquire rights on the properties held by his adopted family. But any asset given prior to adoption would remain with the person even after adoption, the court said. Hair clinic staffer steals Rs 31 lakh diamond ring, flushes it down toilet : A woman staffer at a hair and skin clinic in upscale Jubilee Hills was arrested on the charge of stealing a diamond ring, worth Rs 31 lakh, of a customer. More Hyderabad News»

		Chandigarh
		Chlorine gas leaks, 2 dozen, including kids, land in hosp Chlorine gas leaked from a cylinder lying unattended for 10 years near a tubewell at Chaudheri village in Lalru on Monday, sending over two dozen people to a hospital. Four killed as car rams into pillar in Haryana's Palwal The incident took place near the Hathin area here on the Mumbai-Vadodara Expressway around 2 am on Sunday, they added. Punjab LoP Partap Singh Bajwa writes to speaker, says address concerns of opposition Congress legislators had walked out of the session and demanded the question hour be held, and a call-attention motion be taken up. More Chandigarh News»

		Ahmedabad
		Every 7.5 mins, a cybercrime reported from Gujarat Between January 1, 2020, and May 15, 2023, Gujaratis made a total of 1.59 lakh applications related to cybercrime on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCCRP) or helpline number 1930. It comes to 5,585 applications per month on an average, 186 applications per day and average one application every 7.5 minutes City remains dry for second straight day The city did not get rain for the second second consecutive day on Monday. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast, the city and state at large are likely to receive havy rain from Thursday. . State receives Rs 9,021 crore GST compensation from Centre In a major advantage, the government of Gujarat received pending Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation cess worth Rs 9,021 crore from the Centre. More Ahmedabad News»

		Chennai
		TN CM extends support to Sharad Pawar Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Monday telephoned NCP chief Sharad Pawar and extended his support “in the hour of crisis,” sources said. BJP asks TN govt to back out from attempt to take control of Chidambaram temple The spiritual and temple development wing of the BJP on Monday demanded that the state government withdraw the government order (GO) issued regarding the worshipping rights of devotees on 'Kanagasabai medai' in Chidambaram Nataraja temple. Caste oppression must be eradicated in all political parties: Udhayanidhi More Chennai News»

		Bangalore
		Graft institutionalised in Karnataka, rues governor Thawar Chand Gehlot In a strongly-worded statement, seen as an indictment of the erstwhile BJP-led government in the state, Karnataka governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on Monday expressed serious concern over charges of corruption in the state administration and said the scourge had almost been institutionalised. BJP observers to arrive late Monday night in Karnataka, former CM Basavaraj Bommai to be interim leader till LOP is finalised After hectic parleys in Delhi on Sunday, former CM and BJP patron B S Yediyurappa in a late night statement said the two observers will be taking into account the opinions of all MLAs on who should be the opposition leader. MLA's letter alone will not suffice for posting, need to give Rs 30 lakh to CMO in Congress govt: Former Karnataka CM H D Kumaraswamy More Bangalore News»

		Bangalore
		Graft institutionalised in Karnataka, rues governor Thawar Chand Gehlot In a strongly-worded statement, seen as an indictment of the erstwhile BJP-led government in the state, Karnataka governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on Monday expressed serious concern over charges of corruption in the state administration and said the scourge had almost been institutionalised. BJP observers to arrive late Monday night in Karnataka, former CM Basavaraj Bommai to be interim leader till LOP is finalised After hectic parleys in Delhi on Sunday, former CM and BJP patron B S Yediyurappa in a late night statement said the two observers will be taking into account the opinions of all MLAs on who should be the opposition leader. MLA's letter alone will not suffice for posting, need to give Rs 30 lakh to CMO in Congress govt: Former Karnataka CM H D Kumaraswamy More Bangalore News»

		Mumbai
		Sharad Pawar party president, Tatkare is new state chief: Ajit Ajit Pawar on Monday said Sharad Pawar remained the NCP president. But Ajit's group said Pawar Senior needed to accept their decision. Eknath Shinde will continue as CM: BJP sources Eknath Shinde will continue as chief minister of Maharashtra as the BJP will lose credibility in case he is removed and no one would be willing to go along with it, said a senior BJP leader on Monday, dismissing speculation and claims made by the Uddhav Thackeray camp and the Congress that Ajit Pawar had been promised the CM's post. 51 MLAs told Sharad Pawar last year they wanted NCP to align with BJP: Praful Patel NCP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Praful Patel on Monday disclosed that 51 out of 54 NCP legislators had given a letter to party chief Sharad Pawar when the Maha Vikas Aghadi government was on the verge of collapse last year, saying that the NCP should align with BJP for formation of government. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		LG writes to CM: Swear in DERC chief via video con With the administering of oath to DERC's chairman-designate, retired justice Umesh Kumar, postponed again, this time due to power minister Atishi's ill health, lieutenant governor VK Saxena has advised chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to complete the exercise through "videoconferencing" to overcome the "existing apparent impasse". Delhi LG sacks 400 'specialists' in govt depts and bodies LG V K Saxena on Monday okayed a proposal to terminate nearly 400 private persons who were engaged as "specialists" in various departments, corporations, boards, societies and PSUs of the Delhi government. Give info on last 3 yrs' ad spend: SC to Delhi govt Slamming the Delhi government for refusing to provide funds for the Delhi-Meerut RRTS (Regional Rapid Transit System - now called RAPIDX), project due to financial crunch, the Supreme Court on Monday directed it to furnish a detailed account of how much it spent on advertisements in the last three fiscal years, reports Amit Anand Choudhary. More Delhi News»

		Delhi
		LG writes to CM: Swear in DERC chief via video con With the administering of oath to DERC's chairman-designate, retired justice Umesh Kumar, postponed again, this time due to power minister Atishi's ill health, lieutenant governor VK Saxena has advised chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to complete the exercise through "videoconferencing" to overcome the "existing apparent impasse". Delhi LG sacks 400 'specialists' in govt depts and bodies LG V K Saxena on Monday okayed a proposal to terminate nearly 400 private persons who were engaged as "specialists" in various departments, corporations, boards, societies and PSUs of the Delhi government. Give info on last 3 yrs' ad spend: SC to Delhi govt Slamming the Delhi government for refusing to provide funds for the Delhi-Meerut RRTS (Regional Rapid Transit System - now called RAPIDX), project due to financial crunch, the Supreme Court on Monday directed it to furnish a detailed account of how much it spent on advertisements in the last three fiscal years, reports Amit Anand Choudhary. More Delhi News»

		Delhi
		LG writes to CM: Swear in DERC chief via video con With the administering of oath to DERC's chairman-designate, retired justice Umesh Kumar, postponed again, this time due to power minister Atishi's ill health, lieutenant governor VK Saxena has advised chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to complete the exercise through "videoconferencing" to overcome the "existing apparent impasse". Delhi LG sacks 400 'specialists' in govt depts and bodies LG V K Saxena on Monday okayed a proposal to terminate nearly 400 private persons who were engaged as "specialists" in various departments, corporations, boards, societies and PSUs of the Delhi government. Give info on last 3 yrs' ad spend: SC to Delhi govt Slamming the Delhi government for refusing to provide funds for the Delhi-Meerut RRTS (Regional Rapid Transit System - now called RAPIDX), project due to financial crunch, the Supreme Court on Monday directed it to furnish a detailed account of how much it spent on advertisements in the last three fiscal years, reports Amit Anand Choudhary. More Delhi News»

		Allahabad
		Scattered showers lead to waterlogging, power cuts 50 students to be enrolled in each govt school from July On CM's directives, admin gears up to make Yatra easier for Kanwariyas In compliance with the instructions of the chief minister Yogi Adityanath, the Principal Secretary, Home, Sanjay Prasad and Director General of Police (DGP) Vijay Kumar, have given necessary guidelines during a detailed review meeting held at Prayagraj regarding preparations for the safe organisation of Kanwar yatra, on Saturday. The meeting was attended by the officials of Prayagraj, Kanpur, Jhansi and Chitrakoot divisions. More Allahabad News»

		Bhopal
		From shanty to 3BHK, goalie Khushboo gets a home, thanks to a Mumbaiker Fairytales do come true, India hockey goalkeeper Khushboo Khan said, touching the walls of her new 3BHK flat in Bhopal on Monday. After living for 20 years in shanties, this is the first time she has a proper roof on her head, not a tin-tarp one. Tribal dies by suicide a day after being summoned in tiger beheading probe A 35-year-old tribal, who was summoned by forest officials in connection with the probe into the beheading of a tiger in Churna area of Satpura Tiger Reserve (STR) in MP has died by suicide. Man was murdered for marrying her, now wife dies by suicide Neetu Kunwar, a 26-year-old woman, succumbed to despair nearly three months after her husband fell victim to a brutal honour killing in MP's Rajgarh. Her body was discovered in bed, with her two-month-old daughter wailing inconsolably beside her. More Bhopal News»

		Bhubaneswar
		At Rs 200/kg, green chillies too spicy for households Be it the humble pakhala platter or mustard fishcurry, santula or popular street foods gupchup and chat, all these staple recipes in Odia households are tasting bland and plain in the past few days, thanks to the skyrocketing prices of green chillies, which have entered the Rs 200 per kg club. Copy of PAN card helps cops crack 10-yr-old murder case The photocopy of a PAN card helped the state crime branch culminate its decade-long wild goose chase for Prasant Sahani, who was on the run after killing his three-year-old daughter in Keonjhar district in 2013. 'Debt' forces couple to end lives More Bhubaneswar News»

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