Transcending seas and space, PM Modi and Sheikh Hasina launch futuristic India-Bangladesh partnership

New Delhi, June 22, 2024
Setting a futuristic vision for bilateral cooperation in new areas, India and Bangladesh concluded 10 agreements following a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina at the Hyderabad House here on Saturday.

Turning the historic relationship between the two neighbouring countries into a transformational partnership, both leaders jointly agreed to the India-Bangladesh shared vision for the future, including enhanced connectivity, commerce, and collaboration for shared prosperity.

The vision document for a futuristic partnership between India and Bangladesh seeks to realise respective national development visions of having a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047 and a ‘Smart Bangladesh’ by 2041.

Two other futuristic and forward-looking documents – ‘Shared Vision for India Bangladesh Digital Partnership’ and ‘Green Partnership for Sustainable Future’ – were also agreed upon between the two sides.

MoUs on maritime cooperation and blue economy; space cooperation; railway connectivity; oceanography; and cooperation concerning military education in strategic and operational studies were also signed.

As many as three MoUs were renewed on cooperation in health and medicine, disaster management, and fisheries.

Both the PMs also agreed to intensify engagement in counter-terrorism, counter-radicalisation, and peaceful management of the long land border.

With connectivity being one of the most significant pillars of the India-Bangladesh partnership, it was also decided to start a new passenger train between Rajshahi and Kolkata, while the trial run for a goods train on Bangladesh Railway from Gede-Darshana to Haldibari–Chilahati cross-border interchange point is planned for next month.

“This will also help sub-regional connectivity with Bhutan. We will also start a bus service from Kolkata to Chittagong,” said Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra after the meeting between the two Prime Ministers.

The two sides also exchanged an MoU on space technology that seeks to establish collaboration for the launch of a jointly-developed small satellite for Bangladesh on India’s launch vehicle.

In terms of bilateral partnership on river management, a joint technical committee has been formed to initiate discussions for the renewal of the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty of 1996.

“We will also undertake the management and conservation of Teesta River inside Bangladesh with suitable Indian assistance,” said the Indian Foreign Secretary.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi reiterated India’s commitment to realising Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s vision of a stable, prosperous, and progressive Bangladesh while asserting that New Delhi will continue to give the highest priority to its relations with Dhaka.

“Bangladesh is India’s largest development partner and lies at the confluence of our ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, Act East policy, Vision SAGAR, and Indo-Pacific vision. Together, we have completed many important public welfare projects in the last one year,” PM Modi said after holding talks with the visiting Bangladesh PM.

PM Modi also said that both countries have prepared a futuristic vision for cooperation in new areas.

“The youth of both countries will benefit from the consensus reached on cooperation in areas such as green partnership, digital partnership, blue economy, and space,” said Prime Minister Modi.

“We welcome Bangladesh’s decision to join the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative. We will also continue our cooperation in other regional and international fora, including BIMSTEC,” he added.

The two leaders have met each other 10 times since 2019, making unprecedented transformations in the relationship which has served as a role model for neighbourhood partnership.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar highlighted that the State visit of the Bangladesh PM reflects the depth of Bharat-Bangladesh Maitri.

“That PM Hasina is the first State guest in our new term shows the importance we attach to India-Bangladesh relationships.

As PM Narendra Modi said, Bangladesh lies at the intersection of our Neighborhood First, Act East, SAGAR, and Indo-Pacific policies,” Jaishankar said in a post on X on Saturday.

“Being truly good neighbours, our ties are consolidating traditional areas and covering new ground. The agreements signed today show the breadth of our bonds.

From seas to space, digital, green and health, military, rail and disaster, our two countries are collaborating across all avenues of human endeavour,” Jaishankar said while hoping that the partnership between the two nations will continue to grow under the leadership of both the leaders.(Agency)

Fadnavis calls Congress ‘factory of fake news’ after its claims on water supply rate hike

Mumbai, June 22, 2024
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the water resources portfolio, on Saturday slammed the Congress’ claims that the state government has increased the water supply rates by 10 times.

In a scathing post on X, Fadnavis denied Congress’ claims as he called the party a “factory of fake news and fake narrative”.’

“Congress is spreading the news that the Maharashtra government has increased the water supply rate by 10 times. But, who made this increase,” asked Fadnavis.

“’On March 29, 2022, the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA) issued an order and accordingly the rate hike took place. This entire rate hike happened during the Maha Vikas Aghadi rule and now they are accusing us,” Fadnavis said.

In 2018, the rates for run-off and private pump irrigation were different. However, in 2022, flow-through rates were introduced instead of separate rates for private drawals. So it was increased from Rs 500 to Rs 5,000.

“This sin belongs to the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Since the farmers should not be penalised, the work to suspend the rate hike is in its final stage. The proceedings will be completed next week,” Fadnavis said.

“I also request the media to check the fake narratives being spread by the opposition ahead of the Assembly elections. The people of the state should now decide which was the ‘Sultani’ government,” he added.(Agency)

Fan murder case: Darshan, three associates remanded to judicial custody till July 4

Bengaluru, June 22, 2024
The 24th Additional City Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) court on Saturday remanded Kannada superstar Darshan and his three associates to judicial custody till July 14 in the Renukaswamy murder case.

Karnataka police produced Darshan and his three associates before the court as their police custody ended on Saturday.

The other three accused are Darshan’s three aides Dhanraj D. alias Raju (27), Vinay V. (38) and Pradosh (40).

The prosecution submitted to the court that the accused should be sent to different jails and should not be kept together.

The counsel for Darshan had objected to it after which the court adjourned the matter till June 24.

Darshan and his three associates would be sent to Bengaluru’s Central Prison.

The court had earlier sent 13 accused, including Darshan’s “partner” Pavithra Gowda, to judicial custody. They are currently lodged in the central prison of Parappana Agrahara in Bengaluru.

The police have charged Darshan and others under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 201 (destruction of evidence, giving false statement), 120B (criminal conspiracy to commit an offence punishable with death), 364 (kidnap), 355 (assault, using criminal force intending to dishonour a person), 384 (extortion), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), and 148 read with 149 (rioting, being armed with a deadly weapon).

The probe has revealed that Renukaswamy was a big fan of Darshan and had allegedly sent derogatory messages to Pavithra Gowda on social media.

The victim was allegedly kidnapped, brought to Bengaluru, kept in a shed, and brutally tortured to death.

Darshan, Pavithra Gowda, and 15 others have been arrested on charges of murdering Renukaswamy (33).

Sources claimed that Darshan reportedly admitted to his involvement in the murder case, as per the remand copy submitted to the 24th ACMM court.

Earlier, in 2011, Darshan was arrested and spent four weeks in jail after his wife, Vijayalakshmi, accused him of domestic violence.

Vijayalakshmi had accused Darshan of assaulting her, threatening her with a revolver, and burning her with cigarette butts. Later, Darshan was released after Vijayalakshmi compromised with him and withdrew her complaint.(Agency)

Sonakshi will not convert to Islam after marrying Zaheer Iqbal, says groom’s father

Mumbai, June 22, 2024
Ahead of Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal’s wedding on June 23, the actor’s father, Iqbal Ratansi, shared that the actress will not be converting to Islam and that the couple will reportedly have a civil marriage.

According to media reports, Ratansi shared that the wedding will include “neither Hindu nor Muslim rituals. It will be a civil marriage.”

He also reportedly said in an interview that Sonakshi will not convert for sure, asserting that “religion has no role to play.”

Quashing all rumours about Shatrughan Sinha being upset with Sonakshi’s wedding plans, the veteran star finally made an appearance with Zaheer, who will soon be his son-in-law.

The two posed for the paparazzi, with Zaheer and Shatrughan first smiling and then posing outside the building.

Shatrughan also gave his blessings to his soon-to-be son-in-law.

After seven years of dating, Sonakshi and Zaheer will be getting married on Sunday, followed by a celebration at actress Shilpa Shetty’s luxurious restaurant, Bastian, in Mumbai.

Several personalities, including Huma Qureshi and Aayush Sharma, are expected to join the couple on their special day.

Talking about work, Sonakshi was recently seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s debut series ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’, which also stars Manisha Koirala, Sanjeeda Shaikh, Aditi Rao Hydari, and Sharmin Segal Mehta.

The actress will also appear in the horror comedy ‘Kakuda’, directed by Aditya Sarpotdar.

The film is set in a curse-inflicted village in Uttar Pradesh.

In ‘Kakuda’, every house in the district has two doors – a normal-sized one and a smaller one.

The story revolves around a peculiar ritual that requires the opening of the smaller door of each house on Tuesday evenings. Failing to follow this rule invites the wrath of Kakuda, who punishes the man of the house.(Agency)

Chaitanya Bishnoi, Aaron Jones, Sunny Patel set for MLC 2024

Dallas, June 22 2024-

USA’s vice-captain Aaron Jones, Sunny Patel and Chaitanya Bishnoi are set to feature in the upcoming second Major League Cricket (MLC) 2024, which begins on July 5.

Following the mammoth interest in the T20 World Cup and America’s success, three MLC teams—Los Angeles Knight Riders, MI New York, and Seattle Orcas had a roster place available, providing the opportunity for undrafted domestic players to secure a place on a team roster in the upcoming tournament.

The draft order was randomly determined on June 18, and teams were given 48 hours to strategize and finalize any internal discussions before the supplementary draft occurred.

LA Knight Riders – Chaitanya Bishnoi

A top-order batsman and spin bowler, the 29-year-old played for the Chennai Super Kings championship side in 2018 before moving to the United States to pursue his cricket in early 2023. He was a part of the San Francisco Unicorns squad in the 2023 inaugural season of Major League Cricket, featuring in all five matches for the Bay Area side. He was also a key member of the Dallas Xforia Giants during the 2023 edition of Minor League Cricket.

Seattle Orcas – Aaron Jones

Jones returns to a familiar dressing room, having played for the Orcas in last year’s inaugural Major League Cricket season. The top-order batsman has been a cornerstone of Team USA’s success during the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Jones has made headlines throughout Team USA’s historic World Cup campaign and was part of the USA’s momentous defeat over Pakistan in Texas. Orcas fans will be hoping for similar performances throughout MLC.

MI New York – Sunny Patel

A right-handed middle order batsman and leg spin bowler, Sunny Patel left his mark on the 2023 Minor League Cricket season. His contributions with both bat and ball played a crucial role in the New Jersey Somerset Cavaliers advancing to the Championship match, where they lost to the Dallas Mustangs. Patel also provides some variety to the domestic player brigade of MI New York, being the only domestic leg-spinner on their roster heading into the 2024 season,

MLC tournament director Justin Geale said, “Major League Cricket plays a critical role in developing domestic players and providing a pathway to play cricket at the highest level amongst some of the best players in the world.

“We are thrilled to welcome Chaitanya, Aaron, and Sunny to the 2024 MLC season, adding three more talented domestic players to our league.”

The second season of MLC commences July 5, with reigning champions MI New York taking on Seattle Orcas at Morrisville, NC, followed by Texas Super Kings vs LA Knight Riders at Grand Prairie Stadium, TX. (Agency)

Older adults likely to continue using wearable tech if get aid from healthcare peers: Study

New Delhi, June 22 2024-

Older adults living in the community are more likely to continue using Wearable Monitoring Devices (WMDs), such as trackers, pedometers, and smartwatches, if they get support from healthcare professionals or peers, a new study has found.

In the study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, the researchers from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University studied data from three randomised controlled trials involving over 150 older adults.

“Healthcare professionals play a pivotal role in facilitating the adoption of wearable monitoring devices among older adults,” said Dr Arkers Kwan Ching Wong, who led the research.

The data indicated that interventions focused on increasing awareness of monitoring and utilising collaborative goal-setting and feedback tools, such as the SystemCHANGE approach, improved adherence to WMDs.

WMDs can offer helpful health insights, but their long-term use can be challenging for older adults who may not be comfortable with technology or do not see the value in using it, the researchers noted.

However, the research highlighted that providing targeted support to assist older adults overcome these barriers and integrate WMDs into their daily routines can help maximise the potential health benefits of these devices.

“By working with healthcare professionals to set specific goals related to the use of wearables, older adults are more likely to benefit from these devices in the long term,” the researchers said. (Agency)

Two booked for ‘blackmailing’ Prajwal’s brother Suraj over ‘false’ sexual abuse charge

Bengaluru, June 22 2024-

The Karnataka Police have filed an FIR against two persons for “blackmailing” Janata Dal (Secular) MLC Suraj Revanna by threatening him with a “false” case of sexual assault.

Suraj Revanna is the grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and younger brother of Prajwal Revanna, the prime accused in the sex video scandal.

Suraj Revanna’s aide Shivakumar H. L. has filed a case against a JD(S) activist, who alleged that Suraj Revanna abused him sexually, and his kin at the Holenarasipura police station.

The complainant said the accused had gone to the Suraj Revanna’s farmhouse on June 16 to request a job. As the accused did not get a job, he asked Suraj Revanna to give Rs 5 crore to him failing which he would file a sexual abuse case against the leader.

The complainant claimed that the accused later reduced the “extortion” amount to Rs 2.5 crore.

The police have registered a case under IPC Sections 384 (extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (criminal act by several persons).

However, the accused, talking to mediapersons, said: “Suraj Revanna was impressed with me as I had organised a programme in my village. We shared the mobile numbers and after that, Suraj messaged me for a meeting. I was asked to meet him at his farmhouse, where I was sexually abused.” (Agency)

Mark Zothanpuia joins East Bengal FC on three-year deal

Kolkata, June 22 2024-

East Bengal FC has signed promising India U-23 player Mark Zothanpuia on a three-year contract that will run until the end of the 2026-27 season.

“It’s a dream for any young Indian player to play for a big club like East Bengal. Kolkata is the Mecca of Indian football and I can’t wait to experience the amazing support from the East Bengal fans. I am grateful to Coach Carles and the East Bengal management for showing faith in me,” said Zothanpuia.

Born in Mizoram, Zothanpuia was part of FC Pune City’s youth team and Hyderabad FC’s reserve team before being promoted to Hyderabad FC’s first team in the 2020-21 season. The 22-year-old rose to prominence in the previous season, starting regularly for Hyderabad FC and emerging as one of their key players. Zothanpuia was part of HFC’s 2021-22 ISL winning Squad.

East Bengal FC Head Coach Carles Cuadrat highlighted Zothanpuia’s versatility, saying, “Mark is a young player with excellent qualities. His versatility will allow us to consider him for different roles to help the team. He has gained a decent amount of ISL experience and is joining Emami East Bengal at the right phase of his career, to reach the next level as a player. We’ll give him the right environment to ensure his growth and success.”

Zothanpuia played a total of 1,971 minutes across 24 matches (18 in the ISL, 3 in the Kalinga Super Cup and 3 in the Durand Cup) last season. Primarily a midfielder, Zothanpuia seamlessly adapted to the left-back position where his consistency earned him a spot in the India U-23 squad for the friendlies against Malaysia in March this year.

Having played as left back, left wing-back, defensive midfielder and centre back in the 2023-24 ISL, Zothanpuia registered 1 assist, 81% passing accuracy, 23 key passes, 73 successful duels, 95 recoveries, 20 interceptions and 26 clearances, besides creating 24 chances in 18 appearances. (Agency)

Justin Timberlake addresses arrest, says ‘it’s been a tough week’

Los Angeles, June 22 2024-

Actor-singer Justin Timberlake addressed his recent arrest for the first time during his concert in Chicago on Friday evening.

“It’s been a tough week. I know I’m hard to love sometimes, but you keep loving me right back,” Timberlake told the United Center crowd, reports pagesix.com.

Timberlake made these remarks during a message to his fans, emphasising that they’ve both been through “ups-and-downs and lefts-and-rights.”

During his arrest, Timberlake voiced his concern that the traffic stop would “ruin the tour.”

Timberlake is currently on his Forget Tomorrow World Tour, which kicked off in Vancouver, British Columbia, on April 29 and includes stops in more than 50 cities.

However, on Thursday, a music industry insider confirmed that the legal incident would not affect the ongoing tour and that he would “continue promotion for his album (‘Everything I Thought It Was’) as planned, which, of course, includes his tour dates.”

His Chicago concert marked his first performance following his brief stint in jail.

The 10-time Grammy winner was arrested in New York shortly after midnight on Tuesday while travelling back to his hotel from a dinner with friends. (Agency)

Move to shift athletics to first week of Los Angeles 2028 Olympics approved

Lausanne, June 22 2024-

World Athletics and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee (LA28) announced a historic shift in the competition schedule. In an unprecedented move, athletics will now take place during the first week of the Olympic Games at the iconic LA Memorial Coliseum, which will make history as the first stadium to host events at three Olympic Games.

This change, aimed at optimising the venue master plan, promises to elevate the Olympic experience for athletes and viewers alike, as the world’s greatest track and field athletes give the Games their most electrifying start in history.

“We are excited to support this visionary timetable change for LA28,” said Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics. “This change underscores our commitment to innovation in athletics and elevating the global profile of our athletes. By prioritising athletics in the first week, the Games will witness the most thrilling of starts, captivating audiences worldwide and setting the stage for an unforgettable Olympic journey for global audiences.”

World Athletics and LA28 are confident that this schedule adjustment, which sees swimming events move to the second week, will unlock unparalleled opportunities for athletics in pre-Games promotion and Games-time viewership. The first-week scheduling positions athletics at the forefront of the Games, ensuring a strong start and sustained excitement throughout the event.

The historic marathon events will remain over the last weekend, with medals presented during the closing ceremony – a tradition that befits an event that has been part of the programme since the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.

The swap allows athletics, for the first time in memory, to benefit from the high level of interest and excitement provided by the opening ceremony. And not just any opening ceremony, but one crafted in the storytelling and creative capital of the world in Los Angeles.

“Over the past months, LA28 has worked closely with World Athletics, World Aquatics, the IOC, and OBS to assess the opportunities around this competition schedule swap,” said Janet Evans, Chief Athlete Officer of LA28.

“We believe the positive effects of this change will extend beyond the two sports involved, strengthening the LA28 Games as a whole and ultimately benefiting all sports in the LA28 sport programme.”

The Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games will be held from 14-30 July 2028, featuring over 10,000 athletes from more than 200 nations competing in 35 sports currently in the LA28 sport programme. This marks the third time Los Angeles will host the Olympics, following the 1932 and 1984 Games. (Agency)