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Srinagar recognized as ‘World Craft City’

Srinagar, June 24 2024-

Srinagar has been officially recognised as a ‘World Craft City’ by the World Crafts Council, an official statement said on Sunday.

The prestigious honour underscores the city’s rich heritage and the exceptional skills of its artisans, whose dedication and artistry have earned global acclaim.

Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha expressed his heartfelt congratulations on this monumental achievement, stating, “This recognition is a testament to the hard work and exceptional talent of our artisans. It validates their dedication and highlights the cultural richness of Srinagar. We are committed to supporting our artisans and ensuring that this accolade translates into tangible benefits for the community.”

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shown steadfast support for Jammu and Kashmir’s handicraft and handloom sector. He actively promotes the region’s handicrafts by presenting souvenirs crafted by J&K artisans to world leaders, thereby enhancing global awareness and appreciation for the craftsmanship and cultural heritage of the region,” the L-G said in a statement.

The recognition as a World Craft City is a testament to Srinagar’s longstanding tradition of excellence in handicrafts and handlooms.

“This acknowledgement will have a transformative impact on the sector, fostering growth, sustainability, and innovation. With increased global recognition, Srinagar’s crafts will gain enhanced visibility on the international stage, opening up new markets and opportunities for artisans,” he said.

“The sector is likely to attract greater investment and funding, aiding in infrastructure development and introducing modern techniques while preserving traditional methods. Artisans will have access to advanced training programs and workshops, further honing their skills and fostering innovation in their craft. The increase in demand for Srinagar’s unique crafts is expected to boost production, leading to job creation and improved livelihoods for artisans and their families,” L-G Sinha added. (Agency)

10,000 smart cameras to be installed in Gurugram

Gurugram, June 24 2024-

With an aim to strengthen full-proof security here in Gurugram, the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) will install 10,000 smart cameras across the city in the third phase of the CCTV surveillance project, officials said.

Under this, 400 km of road will be covered and about Rs 422 crore will be spent on this project.

This proposal will be placed in the GMDA board meeting to be held under the chairmanship of the Haryana Chief Minister. It will be taken forward after the CM’s approval.

In the first phase, 1,200 CCTV cameras have been installed at 218 junctions. About 300 km of optical fibre cable has been laid to connect 218 locations.

E-challans are issued for traffic violations related to traffic lights, zebra crossings, wrong-side driving, triple riding, parking violations, not wearing helmets or seat belts and vehicles without high-security number plates. 48 face recognition cameras have also been installed.

Apart from this, work is going on to install CCTV cameras at the remaining New Gurugram area, Sohna, Manesar, Pataudi and Farrukhnagar areas in the second phase. The development authority will install five megapixel of cameras.

According to the GMDA officers, the authority covers 400 km of the main road network. In such a situation, there is a plan to install CCTV cameras every 200 meters on each road. At the same time, at least 4 to 12 cameras are estimated to be installed on both sides at the junction.

To cover the entire road of about 400 km, about 10,000 CCTV cameras will be installed at 2,000 locations. About 100 km of optical fibre cable will be required to be laid to connect the proposed 2,000 locations. All CCTV cameras will be connected to the Integrated Command and Control Center (ICCC).

This project aims to help prevent, detect and deal with criminal activities in Gurugram. It will help in maintaining law and order.

The GMDA is working on a plan to install 2,722 CCTV cameras at 258 junction locations in the second phase. It has planned to lay about 300 km of optical fibre cable to connect 258 locations. The project worth about Rs 100 crore will include CCTV cameras, speed cameras, automatic number-plate recognition cameras (ANPR) and red light violation detection cameras (RLVD).

“The project aims to further strengthen the security system in the city. The extensive network of CCTV cameras will enable better monitoring of the city and help prevent criminal activities. GMDA will cover the main road network, public places and community places under Phase 3,” PK Agarwal, In-charge Smart City GMDA said. (Agency)

Sara Ali Khan is in New York, says ‘surreal to be back to the city that housed 96 kgs of me’

Mumbai, June 24 2024-

Actress Sara Ali Khan finds it surreal to be back in the Big Apple, the city she refers to as the place that housed “96 kilos” of her.

Sara took to her Instagram stories and shared some pictures from New York.

Flaunting her svelte figure in athleisure, the actress can be seen sipping coffee in a white crop top paired with fiery red shorts and sneakers.

“Surreal to be back to the city that housed 96 kgs of me,” Sara wrote as the caption.

The actress was reminiscing about her student days at New York’s Columbia University, where she ended up gaining a lot of weight.

The actress, the daughter of Bollywood stars Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh, has never shied away from talking about her struggles with Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD) and obesity.

Sara openly talked about it on the sixth season of ‘Koffee With Karan’.

However, before entering the industry with the 2018 film ‘Kedarnath’ starring the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, Sara got into regular workouts such as cardio, pilates, and yoga followed by a simple diet to shed the extra weight.

The 28-year-old granddaughter of the late legendary cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and actress Sharmila Tagore then starred in ‘Simmba’ alongside Ranveer Singh.

Sara, who was named in Forbes India’s Celebrity 100 list of 2019, was subsequently seen in films such as ‘Love Aaj Kal’, ‘Coolie No. 1’, ‘Atrangi Re’, ‘Gaslight’, ‘Zara Hatke Zara Bachke’, ‘Murder Mubarak’, and ‘Ae Watan Mere Watan’.

The actress will next be seen in ‘Metro… In Dino’ directed by Anurag Basu. Then she has ‘Sky Force’, an action thriller directed by Abhishek Anil Kapur and Sandeep Kewlani.

The film reportedly also stars Akshay Kumar, Veer Pahariya, Nimrat Kaur, Sharad Kelkar, and Suniel Shetty, and is a retelling of India’s retaliatory attack on Sargodha airbase of Pakistan in the Indo-Pakistani air war of 1965. (Agency)

‘Era of loyalty different earlier’: Vasundhara Raje makes loaded remark on political rise

Jaipur, June 24 2024-

Senior BJP leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Sunday created ripples with a loaded statement on loyalty and political growth.

“The era of loyalty was different earlier when the person who promoted someone in politics was respected. However, this is not the case in the present times… Today people first want to chop off the finger of a person who taught them to walk,” she said at a programme of the Sundar Singh Bhandari Charitable Trust in Udaipur.

Assam Governor and former minister Gulabchand Kataria was also present at the programme. Kataria, on this occasion, reportedly had an argument with a worker on the stage.

This programme was organised on the occasion of the death anniversary of Jan Sangh founding member Sundar Singh Bhandari and the martyrdom day of founder Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee. (Agency)

Gulshan Devaiah says his ‘Bad Cop’ part is how he interprets ‘masala mass’ type of role

Mumbai, June 24 2024-

Actor Gulshan Devaiah, who was recently seen in the web series ‘Bad Cop’, promises his role to be a full-on “masala” entertainer, blending action, drama, comedy, and thriller elements.

Speaking about his role, Gulshan said: “My role in ‘Bad Cop’ is my interpretation of the ‘masala mass’ type of role, reminiscent of the energy and appeal of something from the Rohit Shetty cop universe. I had a fun time essaying this entertainer of a role.

“It’s been a while since I’ve done action sequences, and this series gave me the opportunity to get back into that type of performance. ‘Bad Cop’ has everything — action, drama, comedy, thriller, Karan, Arjun, and DK Bose — making it a complete entertainer. The audience is in for a treat, I think.”

The actor is playing a double role in the series, showcasing his versatility and flair for high-octane action sequences.

The series also stars Anurag Kashyap, Harleen Sethi, and Saurabh Sachdeva.

Gulshan is known for his roles in films such as ‘Shaitan’, ‘Hate Story’, and ‘Hunterrr’.

On the movie front, Gulshan will be seen alongside Janhvi Kapoor and Roshan Mathews in the upcoming spy thriller film ‘Ulajh’, directed by Sudhanshu Saria.

According to reports, the story focuses on a young IFS officer with a legacy of patriots in her family, entangled in a dangerous personal conspiracy amid a career-defining post far away from her home.

He also has a web series with Bollywood actress Neha Dhupia. The two will be seen in ‘Therapy Sherapy’, which focuses on mental health. This will be the first time Neha and Gulshan share screen space together.

In the digital world, Gulshan was last seen in the black comedy crime thriller television series ‘Guns & Gulaabs’, starring Dulquer Salmaan, Rajkummar Rao, Adarsh Gourav, Goutam Sharma, Gourav Sharma, and Sanchay Goswami. (Agency)

Adani Portfolio stronger than ever and our best is yet to come: Chairman

Ahmedabad, June 24 2024-

Gautam Adani, the Chairman of the Adani Group, said on Monday that with record results, robust cash positions and the lowest debt ratios in its history, the Adani Portfolio’s path ahead is illuminated with the promise of even greater accomplishments.

The Group achieved an unprecedented milestone in the fiscal 2023-24.

“We recorded our highest EBITDA of Rs 82,917 crore — or approximately $10 billion — a remarkable surge of 45 per cent. This exceptional performance drove our PAT (profit after tax) to a record high of Rs 40,129 crore, marking a substantial 71 per cent growth. Our net Debt to EBITDA fell from 3.3X to 2.2X over the past year,” Gautam Adani told shareholders at the Adani Enterprises’ Annual General Meeting (AGM).

All of this resulted in an all-time-high level of liquidity for the Group with a cash balance of Rs 59,791 crore.

“These metrics demonstrated our highly stable infrastructure platform and led to a series of rating and outlook upgrades. Three of our portfolio companies — Ambuja, ACC, and APSEZ — are now AAA rated,” said the Group Chairman.

Adani Enterprises, the Group’s incubation engine, had a fantastic year.

“Passenger traffic at our airports witnessed strong double-digit growth and came in at 88.6 million. We were also privileged to have Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurate the state-of-the-art Terminal 3 at Lucknow International Airport,” Gautam Adani told the shareholders.

Kutch Copper Limited, a pioneering project in Mundra within the AEL portfolio, commenced operations at its greenfield copper refinery.

“By the end of this decade, we aim to make it the world’s largest single-location copper smelter with a capacity of 1 MMTPA, thus enhancing India’s self-reliance on a metal needed for our critical industries,” said Gautam Adani.

Adani Ports & SEZ also experienced an exceptional year, exceeding 400 million metric tonnes (MMT) of cargo and handling a record 420 MMT.

“Ten of our ports recorded lifetime high cargo volumes. We also acquired Gopalpur and Karaikal ports, consolidating our position as India’s premier ports and logistics company,” the Group Chairman informed.

Given renewable energy’s growth potential, Adani Green Energy revised its FY 2029-30 target from 45 GW to 50 GW.

In the year, it added 2.8 GW, 15 per cent of India’s total renewable capacity addition.

“The commissioning of the first 2 GW at the world’s largest renewable energy plant in Khavda within 12 months of breaking ground set a record — yet another proof point that highlights our execution capabilities,” said Gautam Adani.

Adani Power’s operating capacity increased by 12 per cent to 15,250 MW, with the commissioning of the 1,600 MW trans-national ultra-supercritical thermal power plant at Godda in Jharkhand.

“This makes it the first power plant in India to export all its power to a neighbouring nation,” the Group Chairman informed.

Adani Energy Solutions continued to commission the much-needed critical transmission infrastructure, including two 765 kV lines.

“Our transmission order book stands at Rs 17,000 crore, and our smart metering order book has expanded to 228 lakh units.

“Adani Total Gas expanded its CNG stations to cross 900 stations, and PNG connections rose from 8.45 lakh to 9.76 lakh connections. We also commissioned 606 EV charging points as well as the first phase of one of India’s largest biomass plants in Barsana,” informed Gautam Adani.

Following the acquisition of ACC and Ambuja Cements and other commissioning, the Adani Group’s combined cement capacity has risen from 67.5 MTPA (million tonnes per annum) to 79 MTPA — and its EBITDA per tonne has more than doubled since the acquisition.

“We are well on the path towards our target of 140 MTPA by 2028. We are also proud that Ambuja Cements was the lead supplier for India’s longest sea bridge — the 21.8-km-long Mumbai Trans Harbour Link,” said Gautam Adani.

The Group’s media entity NDTV expanded its presence regionally and scaled digitally, with a 39 per cent increase in global digital traffic.

“Keeping in mind the quality of programmes, we intend to broadcast, we also invested in cutting edge next-generation digital infrastructure, and added new facilities in BKC, Mumbai, and NCR, Delhi,” said Gautam Adani. (Agency)

T20 World Cup: Spirited South Africa beat West Indies to seal semifinal spot

North Sound (Antigua), June 24 2024-

All-round South Africa beat the hosts West Indies by three wickets via DLS method in the Super Eight match of the T20 World Cup at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium to seal a semifinal spot.

South Africa have been unbeaten in the seven matches of the tournament so far and have joined defending champions England in the semifinals.

Proteas captain Aiden Markram won the toss and invited the Windies to bat first in overcast conditions. His bowlers proved his decision right as they restricted the hosts to 135/8 in 20 overs.

West Indies had a dismal start as they lost opener Shai Hope (0) and Nicholas Pooran (1) cheaply but Kyle Mayers and Roston Chase staged a fightback and built an 81-run strong partnership off 65 balls for the third-wicket. However, Tabraiz Shamsi broke the stand with a wicket of Mayers (35) in the 12th over.

In the next over, captain Rovman Powell (1) was sent to the pavilion by Keshav Maharaj to leave them reeling at 89/4 in 12.4 overs.

Shamsi did not give any opportunity to Sherfane Rutherford to free his arms and settle in the middle as he clinched him for a duck in the 14th over.

Chase, who was standing tall on the other end, also faltered in the 16th over against Shamsi after scoring 52 off 42 balls including three fours and two sixes. Andre Russell tried to flex his arms in the middle with two sixes but he returned back to the dugout after getting run out in the 18th over. In the same over, Kagiso Rabada grabbed a catch on his bowling to dismiss Akeal Hosein (6).

West Indies finished for 135/8 in 20 overs as Shamsi returned with the figures of 3-27.

In response, South Africa was given a 123 target in 17 overs via DLS method after rain interrupted the match.

South Africa suffered early hiccups with the wickets of Reeza Hendricks (0) and Quinton de Kock (12) in Andre Russell’s second over. Captain Aiden Markram and Tristan Stubbs stitched a brief 27-run partnership to stabilise the side in the powerplay before Alzarri Joseph got hold of the former in the sixth over.

Markram departed after scoring 18 runs off 15 balls. Heinrich Klaasen joined Stubbs in the middle and the duo stitched a 35-run partnership off 16 balls before Joseph returned to take his second scalp.

Stubbs continued his knock in the middle as he was joined by David Miller before Roston Chase ended his 14-ball stay in the 12th over.

In the 14th over, Chase bagged the crucial wicket of Stubbs (29) to leave South Africa in a spot of bother but Marco Jansen’s unbeaten 21 off 14 laced with a six and a four guided them over the line with five balls to spare.

For West Indies, Chase grabbed three wickets while Russell and Joseph scalped two dismissals each.

Brief scores: West Indies 135/8 in 20 overs (Roston Chase 52, Kyle Mayers 35; Tabraiz Shamsi 3-27) lost to South Africa 124/7 in 16.1 overs (Tristan Stubbs 29, Marco Jansen 21*; Roston Chase 3-12) by three wickets via DLS method. (Agency)

CBI sleuths suspected to be impersonators, attacked in Bihar village

Patna, June 24 2024-

A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team probing a paper leak case was attacked in a village in Bihar’s Nawada district over suspicion of being fake officers, officials said on Sunday.

The incident took place on Saturday evening at Kasiyadih village under the Rajauli police station area.

Confirming the incident, Nawada’s Superintendent of Police (SP) Ambrish Rahul said that an FIR has been registered and so far, four persons including a woman have been arrested in connection to the attack.

The CBI team from Delhi reached the village after tracing the mobile phone location of an accused in the paper leak case. Villagers suspected them of being fake CBI officers and attacked them. They also vandalised the vehicles of CBI officials, sources said.

The CBI sleuths somehow informed the district police about the incident and a team of Rajauli police immediately reached the village and rescued them. Later, in the presence of local police, the CBI sleuths seized two mobile phones from a house.

“We have registered an FIR against eight persons. Besides, more than 150 unknown persons have also been booked for attacking the CBI team. The FIR was registered following a written complaint from a CBI official,” said Rajesh Kumar, the SHO of Rajauli police station. (Agency)

Headwinds that tested us became very ones that made us even stronger: Gautam Adani

Ahmedabad, June 24 2024-

The headwinds that tested us became the very ones that made us even stronger, Gautam Adani, the Chairman of the Adani Group, told shareholders on Monday, stressing that no challenge could weaken the foundations of the Group.

Addressing the Adani Enterprises’ Annual General Meeting (AGM), Gautam Adani said that they were faced with baseless accusations made by a foreign short seller who questioned their decades of hard work.

“In the face of an unprecedented attack on our integrity and reputation, we fought back and proved that no challenge could weaken the foundations on which your Group has been established,” the Adani Group Chairman said.

Typical short sellers target gains from financial markets, but this (attack) was different.

“It was a two-sided attack – a vague criticism of our financial standing and, at the same time, an information distortion campaign, dragging us into a political battlefield. The attack was a calculated strike two days before the closing of our Follow-on Public Offer,” said Gautam Adani.

Amplified by a segment of vested media, it was designed to defame us, do maximum damage and erode our hard-earned market value.

“Given the noise, despite successfully raising Rs 20,000 crore through India’s largest-ever FPO, we made the extraordinary decision to return the proceeds. This underscored our dedication to our investors and our commitment to ethical business practices,” Gautam Adani told shareholders.

It is this perseverance that has “allowed us to become one of the most admired companies in the country. And our perseverance was never more evident than that we demonstrated this past year”, Gautam Adani, said.

To further augment the cash reserves, the Group raised an additional Rs 40,000 crore, comfortably covering the next two years of its debt repayment.

“This decisive action is a testimony to the great strength of your company. It restored market confidence – and we safeguarded our portfolio against any volatility by pre-paying Rs 17,500 crore in margin-linked financing,” Gautam Adani emphasised.

Furthermore, despite never having faced any challenges with debt repayments, “we chose to drop our Debt to EBITDA ratio to 2.5x in just six months”.

“It now stands even lower at 2.2x. This approach has not only strengthened our financial resilience but has also increased our headroom for future expansion,” said Gautam Adani.

“Our stand against the attack was further vindicated when the Supreme Court of India affirmed our actions. In addition, our commitment to operational excellence and transparent disclosures was validated not only by rating agencies and the well-informed financial community but also by respected global investors like GQG Partners, TotalEnergies, IHC, QIA and the US Development Finance Corporation – all of whom chose to invest in us,” Gautam Adani told shareholders.

“The headwinds that tested us became the very ones that made us even stronger,” said the Adani Group Chairman. (Agency)

Atiq’s lawyer is now a history-sheeter

Prayagraj (UP), June 24 2024-

The lawyer Khan Saulat Hanif who oversaw the legal issues of slain gangster Atiq Ahmad, has now been declared a history sheeter by the Dhumanganj Police in Prayagraj.

The UP Bar Council had also cancelled the licence of the lawyer.

Khan Saulat Hanif is in jail and was sentenced to life imprisonment for abduction and assault on lawyer Umesh Pal who was killed on February 24, 2023. Khan Saulat has four cases registered against him.

Earlier police had opened history sheets of Atiq’s sons Umar and Ali besides Ashraf’s brothers-in-law Zaid and Saddam.

Lawyer Khan Saulat Hanif was one of the close aides of Atiq Ahmed and was a member of his gang IS-227.

Police officials said that after opening his history sheet, police will keep a strict watch on his activities even if he is released from jail.

Lodged in Naini Central Jail, Khan Saulat Hanif is now a B-category history-sheeter and his history sheet number is 62-B. B-category history sheets are closed only after the death of the history sheeter.

ACP Dhumanganj, Varun Kumar, said the B-category history sheet of Khan Saulat Hanif has been opened. Police will keep a strict eye on his activities, he added. Even if he gets bail, Khan Saulat will have to appear at the police station regularly. In case he fails to produce himself at the police station, cops will reach his house for verification.

The lawyer has four cases registered against him which include a case of Arms Act.

In the case of the abduction of lawyer Umesh Pal, Khan Saulat Hanif has been sentenced to life term while the trial is pending in the other three cases.

He is also an accused in the murder of lawyer Umesh Pal and a chargesheet has been filed against him.

The police investigation has revealed that he had sent photographs of Umesh Pal to Atiq’s son Asad and other assailants. Moreover, he also alerted them when Umesh Pal left the court on February 24.

Khan Saulat Hanif was taken in police remand for questioning in the Umesh Pal murder case and on his confession, police recovered an automatic pistol from his house.

He informed the police that Atiq had given him the firearm for safety.

Khan Saulat used to pursue cases against Atiq and his aides. Moreover, after Atiq was sent to jail, Khan Saulat used to keep records of Atiq’s income from his illegal activities at the behest of Atiq’s wife Shaista Parveen. (Agency)

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