President Murmu turns 66, celebrates birthday with MITTI cafe’s staff

New Delhi, June 20, 2024
President Droupadi Murmu, who turned 66 on Thursday, inaugurated the MITTI café in the President’s Estate here and later, celebrated her birthday with its staff.

The Mitti cafe is a non-profit organisation providing sustainable livelihoods to persons with disabilities. The organisation also creates awareness about disability through cafes, community meals and skill development initiatives.

President Murmu started her day by visiting the Lord Jagannath temple in Delhi and praying for the welfare of all citizens.

Later in a post on X, the President’s office said: “Taking another step towards creating an inclusive environment, President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated MITTI cafe in the President’s Estate today.”

“The President spent time in the cafe and celebrated her birthday with the staff who were excited to meet and wish the President,” it added.

On her birthday, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished President Droupadi Murmu a long and healthy life.

“Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar along with his wife Dr Sudesh Dhankhar called on President Droupadi Murmu and conveyed birthday greetings to the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan,” the President’s office said in another post on X.

“Warm birthday wishes to Rashtrapati Ji. Her exemplary service and dedication to our nation inspire us all,” the Prime Minister said in a post on X.

“Her wisdom and emphasis on serving the poor and marginalised are a strong guiding force. Her life journey gives hope to crores of people. India will always be grateful to her for her tireless efforts and visionary leadership. May she be blessed with a long and healthy life,” he added.

President Murmu also visited Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya National Institute for Persons with Physical Disabilities here and interacted with staff members, divyang children and their parents.

She appreciated the “tireless efforts of the institute for the socio-economic empowerment of Divyangjan”.

The President emphasised that a person can overcome any limitation through dedication and determination.(Agency)

Dissolve Haryana Assembly as govt in minority, Congress urges Governor

Chandigarh, June 20, 2024
The Congress on Thursday demanded that Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya dissolve the Assembly and impose either President’s rule or call an early election as the Nayab Singh Saini-led BJP government “is in the minority”.

A delegation of the party led by two-time Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda and state party chief Chaudhary Udaibhan met the Governor and handed over the memorandum listing the demands.

In the memorandum, the Congress said the BJP has 41 legislators in the 90-member house, and there has been no change in the ruling party’s strength despite the Chief Minister being elected as a legislator in a bypoll from Karnal.

Besides its own 41 legislators, the government has the support of one legislator of the Haryana Lokhit Party and one Independent. The total number of legislators supporting the government is only 43, says the memorandum.

“At present, the number of legislators in the House is 87 and the majority figure is 44. If the present government does not use horse-trading and other unconstitutional methods, it does not have a majority in the House.

“Therefore, as the protector of the Constitution, the Governor should immediately dismiss the minority government and impose President’s rule in the state,” the memorandum states.

The Congress urged the Governor to maintain the dignity and sanctity of the Constitution while discharging his constitutional duties. It also sought orders to be passed to conduct Assembly elections as per rules to provide an opportunity for the people of the state to elect a majority government.

After meeting the Governor, Hooda and Chaudhary Udaibhan said a memorandum was earlier submitted to the Governor in this regard by the Congress Legislature Party on May 10.

“This government should resign on moral grounds and the Governor should immediately dissolve the Assembly to stop horse trading. The Governor has assured to consider the memorandum,” Hooda told the media.

Chaudhary Udaibhan said the Congress “is fully prepared for the Assembly elections in Haryana.

“The results of the Lok Sabha elections have shown that the Congress is the strongest party in the state. Three independent MLAs supporting the government have also supported the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections,” he said.

Three Independent legislators had withdrawn their support from the government in Haryana, reducing the government to a minority. The three legislators — Sombir Sangwan, Randhir Gollen, and Dharampal Gonder — had said they had decided to support the Congress during the Lok Sabha elections.(Agency)

Euro 2024: Serbia threaten to pull out over alleged offensive chanting by fans: Report

New Delhi, June 20, 2024
Serbia have threatened to leave the ongoing Euro 2024 if UEFA fails to take action against alleged chanting between fans of Croatia and Albania. A section of supporters attending the 2-2 draw in Hamburg on Wednesday could be heard taking part in offensive chants aimed at Serbia, a media report said.

The Football Association of Serbia general secretary Jovan Surbatovic said that they may pull out of the tournament if the continental governing body did not sanction both federations, the ESPN reported.

“What happened is scandalous and we will ask UEFA for sanctions, even if it means not continuing the competition,” Surbatovic told Serbia’s state broadcaster RTS.

“We will demand from UEFA to punish the federations of both selections. We do not want to participate in that, but if UEFA does not punish them, we will think how we will proceed,” he added.

A journalist from Kosovo, Arlind Sadiku, had his media accreditation revoked by UEFA on Wednesday due to allegations that he made a nationalist gesture toward Serbian supporters during their match against England in Gelsenkirchen.

A statement issued by UEFA read: “UEFA can confirm that one journalist has had his accreditation cancelled due to misconduct at the UEFA EURO 2024 match between Serbia and England on 16 June 2024.”

Following the display of a banner that “transmitted a provocative message unfit for a sports event” and for throwing objects inside the stadium by their fans, the Serbian Football Association was penalized by UEFA.

The development came after the Kosovo Football Federation complained to UEFA about “Serbian fans displaying political, chauvinistic, and racist messages against Kosovo” during their 1-0 defeat to England.

“We were punished for isolated cases and our fans behaved much better than the others,” Surbatovic said.

“One fan was punished for racist insults, and we don’t want it to be attributed to others. We Serbs are gentlemen, and we have an open heart.”(Agency)

Calcutta HC directs Bengal edu dept to upload qualifications of teachers in its schools on portal

Kolkata, June 20, 2024
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed the West Bengal education department to upload details of qualification of teachers in all state-run schools on its portal.

Giving this direction on Thursday, the single-Judge Bench of Justice Biswajit Basu observed that the guardians of students have every right to know whether the teachers teaching their children are qualified.

Justice Basu also observed that since there had been several allegations of certain teachers not having the necessary educational qualifications to undertake teaching jobs, it is essential to maintain transparency in the matter and upload details on the departmental portal.

Justice Basu expressed his ire as the state education department’s counsel sought two months to complete the process.

“Why is the state government slow in every matter? You must increase the pace. Cases have surfaced where teachers have worked for five years without proper appointment letters.

“The process cannot be delayed further. Everyone has the right to know who all are working as teachers,” Justice Basu observed.

During the hearing Justice Basu also expressed his anger over government school buildings being occupied by security forces for a prolonged period because of the Lok Sabha elections.

He suggested that the state government should create separate buildings for housing security forces deployed for polls.(Agency)

Healthy BMI, no smoking effective ways to reduce risk of kidney cancer: Experts

New Delhi, June 20, 2024
Maintaining a healthy body mass index (BMI) and refraining from smoking are two of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of kidney cancer, experts said on World Kidney Cancer Day on Thursday.

World Kidney Cancer Day is observed every year on the second Thursday of June to raise awareness about this disease.

According to experts, several key risk factors have been identified in kidney cancer, such as smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, a family history of kidney cancer, and exposure to toxins found in some industrial settings.

“Being aware of these risk factors can empower individuals to make informed choices about their health and potentially reduce their risk of developing kidney cancer,” Dr. C.N. Patil, HOD and Lead Consultant – Medical Oncology & Haemato-Oncology, Aster International Institute of Oncology, told IANS.

As per data from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), kidney cancer is one of the top 10 cancers in India and accounts for about 2 to 3 per cent of all cancer cases.

“Kidney cancer constitutes about 2 to 3 per cent of all cancers in our country, with around 15,000 new cases diagnosed annually. The incidence is notably higher in men than in women, with a male-to-female ratio of approximately 2:1,” said Dr. Raghunath S.K., Senior Consultant and Director of Uro-oncology and Robotic Surgery, HCG Cancer Centre, Bengaluru.

Early-stage kidney cancer often presents no symptoms. However, experts suggested to be vigilant for warning signs like blood in urine, persistent back or flank pain, unexplained weight loss, and fatigue.

The experts highlighted that lifestyle changes play a crucial role in kidney cancer prevention.

“Regular exercise, a nutritious diet, and staying hydrated are essential practices for overall kidney health,” said Dr. P.N. Gupta, Director and HOD – Nephrology and Kidney Transplant, Paras Health, Gurugram.

“Adopting a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, coupled with regular physical activity, can significantly lower cancer risk. Additionally, avoiding tobacco in all forms is imperative, as smoking is a major risk factor for many types of cancer, including kidney cancer,” he added.

Experts also mentioned that the outlook for kidney cancer patients has improved considerably due to advancements in treatment.

The most common approach is surgery, which may involve removing the entire kidney or just the cancerous portion. Targeted therapies and immunotherapy have improved survival rates and quality of life for patients, they noted.(Agency)

Golf: Anvitha picks up title on her second pro start in the 8th Leg of WPGT

Bengaluru, June 20, 2024
Anvitha Narender, who held at least a share of the lead from the opening round completed a comprehensive seven-shot win in the eighth leg of the Women’s Pro Golf Tour (WPGT).

In only her second professional tournament, the New Jersey-born golfer, who was T-8 on her debut a week earlier, shot three fine rounds in the 60s for 69-65-68 to total 8-under 210 and beat amateur Lavanya Jadon, who had a rough start, but held on for a round of 73 and finished second at 1-under 209.

Vidhatri Urs, who like Anvitha, is playing only her second pro event, shot the day’s equal best of 68 despite a finish that had a double-bogey and a bogey at the end. Vidhatri, who was T-3 last week, finished third time at even par 210 with cards of 72-70-68.

Anvitha starting the day with a two-shot lead, found herself five ahead after the first three holes despite making only three pars. Her playing partner Lavanya, who was two behind at the start, double-bogeyed the second and bogeyed the third. The third player in the lead group, Seher Atwal parred the first six holes.

Anvitha dropped a shot on the Par-5 fourth, where Lavanya birdied for a two-shot swing. However, Anvitha fought back with birdies on the sixth and the eighth and seemingly ran away with further birdies on the 12th and the 13th.

As the players found the going tough in the closing stages, Anvitha could afford bogeys on the 14th and the 17th though she had a birdie in between on the 16th.

With a final round of 68, she coasted to a comfortable seven-shot win as Lavanya had three bogeys and two birdies on the back nine.

Vidhatri after a bogey start made a charge with five birdies in the next eight holes, including three in a row from eighth to the tenth. Five pars and a birdie on the 16th put her second behind Anvitha, but a double bogey and a bogey on the last two holes dropped her to third place as Lavanya ended second with three pars at the end.

Seher had a rough back nine with four bogeys on a tough scoring day.

Another amateur, Saanvi Somu from Bengaluru, shot 1-over 71 and was tied fourth with the experienced Seher Atwal, who dropped four bogeys in her last seven holes in a card of 3-over 73 and a total of 2-over 212.

The 2023 Hero Order of Merit winner, Sneha Singh, who had a share of the lead after the first day, began in a disastrous manner with four bogeys in her first seven holes. She had one birdie and another bogey in a round of 74 and was sixth at 6-over 216.

Gaurika Bishnoi, winner last week, also dropped shots at the tough closing holes as she finished bogey-bogey for 70 and was Tied-7th with Snigdha Goswami (74), who had four bogeys and no birdies.

Four players, Amandeep Drall (69), Jahaanvie Walia (70), Agrima Manral (71), and Rhea Jha (74), one of the co-leaders after Day 1, ended in a tie for ninth place.(Agency)

Fake call centre luring people with overseas jobs busted in Gurugram; 8 held

Gurugram, June 20, 2024
Gurugram Police have arrested eight persons, including four women, for allegedly running a fake call centre and duping people on the pretext of providing overseas jobs.

The suspects created a fake job website — internationaljobsolutions.com — and collected data of the job aspirants from an online portal (shine.com) whom they duped over the past six months, the police said on Thursday.

The accused have been identified as Nagender Kumar, Vikrant Singh, Ravi Kumar, Kajal, Garima, Ranjan Kumar, Sahil Punia, and Agnes Franesh.

The police received a tip-off on Thursday about an illegal call centre operating from the Palam Vihar area in Gurugram. A raid was conducted which led to the arrest of the eight accused persons, said Varun Dahiya, ACP (Crime).

The accused tele-callers lured unemployed youth promising overseas jobs and even sent them forged appointment letters on WhatsApp against a sum of Rs 2-3 lakh.

The tele-callers were given a salary of Rs 18,000 per month, the ACP said.

Ten mobile phones, four laptops, and other incriminating items were seized during the raid, the officer added.(Agency)

Sharad Pawar: Congress entitled to LoP post, INDIA bloc constituents will support

Pune (Maharashtra), June 20, 2024
Nationalist Congress Party (SP) President Sharad Pawar on Thursday said that the Congress will decide who will be the new Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha and the selected one will be backed by the INDIA bloc constituents.

Talking to media persons, Pawar said, “In the INDIA bloc, Congress has bagged the highest number of seats and would be entitled to the LoP post.”

“Before the Lok Sabha session starting from June 24, the INDIA bloc will have a meeting and finalise the name for the LoP post. We shall endorse the decision,” said Pawar.

The NCP (SP) supremo added that the post of Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha is unlikely to go to the Opposition parties, contrary to speculation in political quarters.

“Last time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not honour the promise (to give Deputy Speaker post to the Opposition), though we shall discuss it this time,” declared Pawar.

Criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA 3.0 government at the Centre, Pawar said that the people’s faith in PM Modi has been shattered both in Maharashtra and elsewhere in the country, and the masses do not believe in the ‘Modi Guarantees’ any longer.

Against this backdrop, the NCP (SP) supremo said that the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies Congress-Shiv Sena (UBT)-NCP (SP) are poised to win at least 155 of the 288 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly elections due in October.

“In the recent LS elections, of the 48 seats, the MVA allies bagged 31 seats. If we calculate the six assembly segments that make up these parliamentary constituencies, then we have secured leads/wins in 155-plus Assembly seats in the LS polls. This indicates that the people’s mood is against the MahaYuti,” Pawar pointed out.

Scheduled to wind up his three-day tour of the drought-hit regions of Baramati on Thursday, Pawar revealed that after the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament, he would embark on a tour of the state and in all the constituencies where the MVA allies will contest the Assembly elections.(Agency)

Raashii Khanna on completing decade in Tollywood: My first brush with fandom happened here

Mumbai, June 20, 2024
Actress Raashii Khanna recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of her acting debut in Tollywood with ‘Oohalu Gusagusalade’ and said it was her first brush with fandom.

Raashii fondly recalled her debut film, ‘Oohalu Gusagusalade’, describing it as her “comfort film.”

“Completing ten years in the industry feels surreal. I didn’t know the language or the culture, but you embraced me like your own and kept giving me chances to prove my talent,” she said.

Released in 2014, ‘Oohalu Gusagusalade’ is a romantic comedy directed by Srinivas Avasarala and also stars Naga Shaurya.

The film is an adaptation of the 1897 French play ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’ by Edmond Rostand and revolves around a young girl, Prabhavati, and two men, Venky and Uday, who love her.

The actress thanked everyone who has been a part of her journey and believed in her talent.

Raashii said: “I remember when we were shooting ‘Oohalu Gusagusalade’, I was naive and scared. Years later, it has become my comfort film, a reminder of where it all began. But it feels just like yesterday. The film will always hold a special place in my heart as it was my first big hit.”

“My first brush with fandom happened because of Tollywood, and the love Telugu people have showered on me has been limitless. I’ll always be thankful for everything,” she added.

At present, Raashii has films ‘The Sabarmati Report’ and ‘Talakhon Mein Ek’ in the works. She also has a Telugu film, ‘Telusu Kada’, in the pipeline.(Agency)

Mamata govt distances itself from celebration of West Bengal Foundation Day at Raj Bhavan

Kolkata, June 20, 2024
West Bengal Foundation Day was observed at the Raj Bhavan here on Thursday with the state government machinery and the members of the state cabinet distancing themselves from the programme.

Raj Bhavan insiders said that the celebration of West Bengal Foundation Day, which started on June 20, 2023, lacked the pomp and grandeur that was there in the same programme last year.

Insiders said that June 20 has been chosen as West Bengal Foundation Day since on the same day of 1947, the then Bengal Legislative Assembly held a meeting to decide if the Bengal Presidency would stay with India or Pakistan, or be divided, having the Hindu majority districts staying with India as West Bengal and the Muslim majority areas forming East Pakistan.

However, the ruling Trinamool Congress has been against celebrating the day as it believes that this date historically signifies the pain of partition. Instead, the state government through a proposal passed on the floor of the state Assembly last year decided to choose Bengali New Year Day as the date for the celebration of the West Bengal Foundation Day.

“Last year only when the Governor started celebrating West Bengal Foundation Day on June 20, our Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee requested him against doing so. But he did not listen. We cannot stop him from doing so. But we are not participating,” said a member of the state cabinet who did not wish to be named.

Commenting on the development, Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari claimed that the historical significance of June 20 can never be changed or ignored.

“Last year the President of India announced June 20 as the West Bengal Foundation Day. Had Dr Shyamprasad Mukhopadhyay not been there we could not have stayed in Independent India. A party can enforce certain things because of its numerical supremacy in the Assembly. But that does not mean that the history can be changed,” Adhikari said.(Agency)