Haryana Anti-Corruption Bureau files case against Panipat Police Officials for accepting bribe

Chandigarh, Aug 8 2024 (Yes Punjab News)

The Haryana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has filed a case against Sub-Inspector (SI) Subhash, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Pramod, and others posted at the City Police Station in Panipat for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹200,000.

The accused had demanded the bribe in exchange for canceling an FIR lodged against the complainant.

In a significant development, the ACB team apprehended ASI Pramod red-handed while accepting ₹100,000 as part of the bribe.

Providing details, a government spokesperson stated that an FIR had been registered against the complainant at the City Police Station, Panipat.

The complainant approached the Haryana Anti-Corruption Bureau and reported that SI Subhash, ASI Pramod, and others were demanding ₹200,000 to cancel the FIR filed against him.

Acting on the complaint, the ACB conducted a thorough investigation and caught ASI Pramod red-handed while accepting ₹100,000.

The ACB has gathered all necessary evidence in this case and is conducting a detailed investigation.

A case has been registered against the accused at the Anti-Corruption Bureau Police Station in Karnal, and appropriate action is being taken.

The spokesperson for the Bureau has appealed to the public to report any demands for bribes by government officials or employees.

Citizens can report such incidents to the Haryana Anti-Corruption Bureau’s toll-free numbers, 1800-180-2022 and 1064.

NAACP announces Religious Leadership Award for Hindu statesman Rajan Zed

Aug 8, 2024 (Yes Punjab News)

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) of Reno Sparks has announced the Religious Leadership Award for distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed.

Patricia Y. Gallimore, President Reno Sparks NAACP and NAACP National Board Director, in an email to Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, wrote: “Your work in Northern Nevada and beyond, bringing people of all faiths, walks of life together in peace, love and harmony are being celebrated and recognized. I am proud to present the Religious leadership award to you.

Rajan Zed will be receiving this Award at the Reno-Sparks NAACP 76th Annual Freedom Fund Banquet on August 24 in Sparks (Nevada), where he will also recite the invocation (opening-prayer) in Sanskrit, followed by English interpretation, from ancient Hindu scriptures Rig-Veda, Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita.

Headquartered in Baltimore (Maryland), “founded 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s first and largest grassroots–based civil rights organization”, with “over 2,000 volunteer-run branches nationwide”. “We are the home of grassroots activism for civil rights and social justice. We advocate, agitate, and litigate for the civil rights due to Black America”; it states.

US military destroys 2 Houthi drones, 3 missiles in Yemen: Central command

Sanaa, Aug 8 2024-

The US military has destroyed two drones, a ground control station, and three anti-ship cruise missiles, in strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen in the past 24 hours, said the Central Command.

“These weapons presented a clear and imminent threat to US and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region,” it said on social media platform X.

There was no immediate comment from the Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, Xinhua news agency reported.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Houthis said that they launched drones and missile attacks against two US warships in the Gulf of Aden and another vessel in the Red Sea, claiming the hits were accurate.

The US did not comment on the Houthi claims.

Since last November, the Houthi group has been targeting ships it claims are linked to Israel to show solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

In response, the US-British naval coalition stationed in the waters has since January conducted regular air raids and missile strikes against Houthi targets to deter the group. (Agency)

RBI leaves repo rate unchanged to ensure price stability with growth

Mumbai, Aug 8 2024-

The RBI on Thursday kept the key policy repo rate unchanged at 6.5 per cent for a ninth consecutive meeting as it continued to maintain a balance between accelerating economic growth and keeping inflation under control.

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said the Monetary Policy Committee has decided by a 4:2 majority to keep the repo rate unchanged as inflation has risen above 5 per cent and is still above the targeted level of 4 per cent.

He said that inflation after having eased to 4.8 per cent in April and May has risen to 5.1 per cent in June on the back of “stubbornly” high food prices.

“Without price stability, growth cannot be sustained so we have decided to continue with the disinflationary stance,” Das explained.

However, the RBI Governor said that the country’s inflation rate is expected to come down in the third quarter of the current financial year.

He also said that domestic growth is resilient, supported by steady urban consumption. The MPC determined that it is crucial for monetary policy to remain consistent while closely monitoring inflation. The committee emphasized maintaining a primary focus on inflation to support sustained economic growth.

Das also said there “is a convergence” between the RBI monetary policy decision and market expectations.

The RBI has decided to stick to the “withdrawal of accommodation” policy stance. Monetary policy is considered to be “accommodative” when it aims to make more money available in the banking system to spur economic growth and create more jobs.

The RBI Governor also said that inflation is receding gradually across economies, while medium-term global growth faces significant challenges. Despite this, domestic economic activity remains resilient, with manufacturing gaining traction due to improving demand.

The RBI had last changed rates in February 2023, when the repo rate was hiked to 6.5 per cent. The RBI raised rates by 2.5 per cent between May 2022 and February 2023 after which they have been kept on hold to support economic growth despite inflationary pressures in the past.

The repo rate is the interest rate at which the RBI gives short-term loans to banks to enable them to meet their liquidity requirements. This in turn has an impact on the cost of loans that banks extend to corporates and consumers.

A cut in interest rates results in more investment and consumption expenditure which spurs economic growth. However, the increased expenditure also pushes up the inflation rate as the aggregate demand for goods and services goes up.

The country’s annual retail inflation eased to 4.83 per cent in April but is still above the RBI’s medium-term target rate of 4 per cent.

The fact that the economy has clocked a robust growth rate of 8.2 per cent for 2023-24 leaves the RBI with headroom to put off an interest rate cut until inflation comes down to its targeted level, according to economists. (Agency)

‘Vinesh, you have not lost…’: Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia react to wrestler’s retirement

New Delhi, Aug 8 2024-

Olympic bronze medalist wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia expressed their sadness over Vinesh Phogat’s retirement following her heartbreaking disqualification from the Paris games.

The 29-year-old Vinesh was disqualified for being 100 grams overweight before her 50kg category gold medal bout on Wednesday.

Reacting to Vinesh’s retirement, Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia posted on X: “Vinesh, aap haari nahi, haaraaya gaya hai (Vinesh, you haven’t lost, you have been made to lose).”

“Hamaare liye sadaiv aap vijeta hi rahegi, aap Bharat ki beti ke saath-saath Bharat ka abhimaan bhi ho (For us, you will always be a winner. You are not only the daughter of India but also her pride),” he further wrote.

Following the major heartbreak at the grand sporting arena, Vinesh took to social media on Thursday morning to announce her decision to retire from wrestling via an emotional post.

“Ma, wrestling has won, I have lost. Please forgive me, your dreams and my courage, everything is broken,” Vinesh expressed on X.

“I don’t have any more strength now. Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024. I shall be indebted to you all. Forgive (me),” the post read further.

Rio Olympics bronze medallist wrestler Sakshi, too, reacted to Vinesh’s decision to retire. She encouraged Vinesh and saluted her spirit.

“Vinesh tum nahi haari, har wo beti haari hai jinke liye tum ladi aur jeeti. Ye poore Bharat desh ki haar hai. Desh tumhare saath hai. Khiladi ke taur pe unke sangharsh aur jazbe ko salaam (Vinesh, you did not lose, every daughter for whom you fought and won has lost. This is the defeat of the whole country. The nation is with you),” Sakshi posted on X.

Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who lost to Vinesh in the semifinals, replaced her in the final against American Sarah Ann Hildebrandt.

The 29-year-old Vinesh has appealed against her Olympic disqualification with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and has demanded a joint silver medal in the 50kg weight category.

Vinesh, who was playing in her third Olympics, made history on Tuesday by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the final at the Olympics. But her redemption story in Paris, after a disappointing campaign in the Tokyo Olympics, ended in heartbreak as she got disqualified before her gold medal bout on Wednesday.

She missed out on a medal in the Rio Olympics because of an injury. Vinesh was stretchered off the mat in tears. In the Tokyo Olympics, she was seeded first in the women’s 53kg and began with a win over Sweden’s Sofia Mattsson but lost her quarterfinals bout against Belarus’ Vanesa Kaladzinskaya and could not progress further.

She was found 100 grams over the limit for 50 kg and thus, was ruled out from the Paris competition and placed last as per United World Wrestling rules.

She had kept awake and worked hard along with her coach, support staff and Indian contingent’s chief medical officer all night to shed weight that she had gained to replenish the vital fluids lost in the three bouts and get to 50 kg but to no avail, and she turned out overweight by just 100 gm.

Vinesh was so dehydrated by her efforts that she had to be admitted to the polyclinic in the Games Village for IV drips.

The wrestler from Haryana has three Commonwealth Games golds, two World Championships bronze medals and one Asian Games gold medal to her name. She was also crowned Asian Champion in 2021. (Agency)

Two from Punjab posing as police officers arrested in Kashmir

Srinagar, Aug 8 2024-

The J&K Police said on Thursday that it has arrested two persons from Punjab who were posing as police officers.

“Two residents of Punjab were arrested in Srinagar city on Wednesday for impersonating police officers. They were found roaming in the Nehru Park area of Srinagar. Police have started an investigation and a case has also been registered in this,” officials said.

More details are awaited.

It must be mentioned that last year, a person from Gujarat was arrested months after he deceived the local administration posing as a senior officer of the PMO.

Kiran Patel, the conman from Gujarat managed to cheat people in Kashmir by promising them government jobs and business deals and even promising civil and police officers better postings.

Kiran Patel also posted videos and pictures of his visits to various parts of J&K and Gujarat. On his Twitter account, he described himself as a “PHD (Commonwealth Uni, Virginia) MBA (IIM TRICHY), M. Tech (Computer Science), B. E. Computer (L D Engineering), Thinker, Strategist, Analyst, Campaign Manager”.

He allegedly duped several people of more than Rs 5 crore as per the cases of cheating registered against him in Ahmedabad, Vadodara and other places.

Gujarat’s Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) finally joined the probe along with the J&K Police to investigate how he operated his network and who helped him by giving him access to the officials and functionaries in the government. (Agency)

Indian Visa Centre in Bangladesh ‘closed indefinitely’ but missions functional

New Delhi, Aug 8 2024-

Amid the crisis in Bangladesh that forced Sheikha Hasina to resign as the Prime Minister, all Indian visa application centres in Bangladesh will remain closed until further orders.

However, Indian diplomats remain in the country and the missions are functional, sources said

The online portal Indian Visa Application Center (Bangladesh) has a message, “All IVACs will remain closed till further notice, due to unstable situation. Next application date will be informed through SMS & It is requested to pick up the passport on the next working day.”

The development comes a day after India evacuated non-essential staff and their families from its High Commission and consulates in Bangladesh.

India has a high commission in Dhaka and consulates in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna and Sylhet.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, in an address to the Parliament, said “India is closely monitoring the status of minorities in Bangladesh.”

He said the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh is in touch with the Indians citizens there.

After the protests broke out, many of the students returned to India.

After lumbering through chaos and violence, Bangladesh is set to get an interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus on Thursday.

Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved the Parliament on Tuesday after the resignation of the former Prime Minister on Monday.

Hasina, who was serving her fourth straight term in office since assuming power in 2009, is currently in India after leaving Dhaka on Monday.

It is believed that Nahid Islam, one of the main coordinators of the anti-quota protests that eventually led to the resignation of Hasina, emerged as one of the key figures in the formation of an interim government in the country.

Islam, along with President Shahabuddin and Army chief Zaman, was locked in significant discussions Tuesday evening on the structure of the new government following Hasina’s departure from the country. (Agency)

‘Your struggle and challenges will be remembered for centuries’, says Ritu Phogat after Vinesh retires

New Delhi, Aug 8 2024-

The nation woke up to shocking news of Vinesh Phogat’s retirement following her Paris Olympics disqualification, which left the wrestling world in shock. Reacting to the 29-year-old’s decision, her cousin Ritu Phogat said Vinesh’s challenging wrestling journey will be remembered for ages.

Vinesh announced her retirement on Thursday morning (local time), hours after her disqualification from the 50kg wrestling gold medal bout due to being found 100 grams over the permissible weight limit during the weigh-in.

“Aapka ye sangharshpoorna kushti ka safar aur chunautiyaan sadiyon tak yaad rakhi jayegi. Aapka naam itihaas mein swarn aksharon mei likha jayega. Aap karodhon ladkiyon ki prerna ho, ummed ho, jeet ho. Humei aap par garv hai (Your struggles and challenges in wrestling will be remembered for centuries! Your name will be written in golden letters in history. You are the inspiration and hope of millions of girls. We are proud of you),” Ritu shared on X.

Vinesh, who was playing in her third Olympics, made history on Tuesday by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the final at the Olympics. She missed out on a medal in the Rio Olympics because of an injury that saw her stretchered off the mat in tears.

In the Tokyo Olympics, she was seeded first in the women’s 53kg and began with a win over Sweden’s Sofia Mattsson but lost her quarterfinal bout against Belarus’ Vanesa Kaladzinskaya and could not progress further.

Paris Games was her redemption story, following a disappointing Tokyo Olympics campaign, that ended in heartbreak after she was disqualified from the competition before her 50kg final bout on Wednesday.

“Humne bachpan se dekha hai Vinesh ko har cheez ke liye ladte huye aur har haar ke baad dobara uth kar ladte huye! Aaj hum bhi aapko hausla nahin de sakte kyuki aapke is faisle ne humei andar tal dhajhodh diya hai (Since childhood, we have seen Vinesh fighting for what is right and rising again after every defeat. Today, we find ourselves at a loss for words of encouragement because your decision has shaken us to the core. You are a great player)” said Vinesh’s cousin Sangeeta Phogat.

Following her disqualification, Vinesh will be placed last in the competition in Paris as per the international wrestling rules.

The 29-year-old later appealed her Olympic disqualification to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), requesting a joint silver medal in the 50 kg weight category. (Agency)

Ali Fazal shares throwback pic from ‘Death on the Nile’ set

Mumbai, Aug 7 2024-

Actor Ali Fazal is reminiscing his fondest memories of working in ‘Death on the Nile’ (2022), a film directed by Kenneth Branagh based on the book by the same name by legendary author Agatha Christie.

On Wednesday, Ali took to Instagram and shared a throwback behind-the-scenes picture from the film’s set in which he can be seen goofing with his fellow actors as they sit on the floor and pose for the camera.

He wrote in the caption, “Sinister and stupid he he .. when we had ample time to kill among other peeps!!! To the whodunnits of all time and being part of it and to these wonderful people I worked with not too long ago… Rose’s mould statue is accompanying us too… Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile directed by Sir Kenneth Brannagh.. #agathachristie.”

With screenplay by Michael Green, ‘Death on the Nile’ was the second big-screen adaptation of Christie’s famous novel following the 1978 film by the same name directed by John Guillermin.

The 2022 version was produced by Branagh, Ridley Scott, Judy Hofflund, and Kevin J. Walsh.

The film’s release was rescheduled several times owing to the Covid-19 pandemic before it finally hit the screens on February 11, 2022.

On the work front, Ali, who recently reprised his role as Guddu Bhaiyya in the third season of the hit streaming series ‘Mirzapur’, will be next seen in ‘Lahore 1947’.

The film directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and produced by Aamir Khan also stars Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, and Abhimanyu Singh. (Agency)

Blake Lively: My husband calls me his knight in shining armour

Los Angeles, Aug 8 2024-

Actress Blake Lively has shared that her husband and Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds has kept a “sweet name for her” and revealed that he calls her his “knight in shining armour”.

“My husband calls me his knight in shining armour, which I think is so sweet, because we only hear about men being that,” Lively told The Sun newspaper.

Lively went on to share that the relationship works because the couple has learnt to prioritise each other.

She added: “(We) made a rule not to work at the same time … (to) prioritise (our) personal life”.

It was in 2010 when the two met. Two years later, the couple got married and they are now parents to four children together — James, Inez, Betty and one-year-old Olin.

Reynolds recently shared he’s learned to “embrace the chaos” as a father-of-four saying he accepts “nothing’s going to be tidy ever again”, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

During an appearance on the “Not Skinny But Not Fat” podcast, Reynolds said Lively has been encouraging him to treasure the years when their children are all at home.

He said: “(Lively) always says, ‘They’re all under our roof right now. The whole family’s under our roof right now. We have them all.’ And that is a fleeting thing. Not an infinite resource, you know?”

Meanwhile, Reynolds also shared he’s received some good parenting advice from Shawn Levy, the director of “Deadpool and Wolverine”. (Agency)